The Eternal Hero: Apocalypse.

Part 10

The Sports Festival.

A globally televised competition.

I remember the few Heroes I took over that remembered the nerves of their first Sports Festival.

And I could recognise them in the class.

"Alright everyone. This is simple. Just like combat class, make teams and get into the second event, the first is usually a race of some kind" I say suddenly, standing as all eyes turned to me. "We've faced Villains, a simple competition like this is nothing compared to that"

I saw some uncertain faces.

"Alright then, not enough motivation? If you don't make it into the second event I'll ask Aizawa to triple the entire classes homework for the next few weeks"

And suddenly fires started burning in everyone's eyes.

"Good, now let's get going" I say, noticing the light was green.

I'm not the Class President, but Iida was as panicked as the rest, shifting gears cold and trying not to let his tension show.

The class filed out of the preparation room, and walked out of the tunnel into the stadium to the roars of the arena.

"Welcome our Heroics Course Classes A and B! Then it's the General, Support and finally, but definitely not least, Marketing Courses! Our Class A this year has had a rather shocking beginning to their journey but emerged victorious in the face of a Villain Attack! Uninjured! I'm curious to see what surprises the rest of our First years are capable of, how about you Eraser?" Present Mic introduced everyone.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Sensei groaned making me grin, trust Aizawa to completely undermine Mic's overabundance of energy.

"Er, and as the Main Judge of the First year Festival we have the R Rated Heroine Midnight!"

"I want a good effort out there! And if you play dirty, I'll be seeing you in detention~" Midnight winked out over the crowd as catcalls came from the stands, and a few students in the other courses.

"Disgusting males" I spit quietly, getting a strange look from the guys in the class.

"And for the student pledge this year we have Izuku Midoriya!"

Hmm? I wasn't warned about this.

Aizawa.

I walk up and think you a proper speech, I've seen a lot of them and I know just what would set the crowd alight.

I walked up the stairs and took the mic from Midnight. Cameras suspended by Quirks or lines moved around me for a better angle.

"Hello, thanks for not telling me I had a speech to do Sensei, beware of thumbtacks in your sleeping bag" the crowd laughed as I made my annoyance clear. "But seriously, everyone here is part of the 0.02% of the many many applicants who attended the various Entrance Exams. So each and every one of you should be proud of yourselves. After all, All Might graduated from here, everyone after must be greater right? With training methods improving right? Wrong. For thirty years since All Might graduated from UA, he's stood at the Top Spot. Nobody, can equal him, not from the fact he's so much better. Wanna know why? The stadium was silent. "Because of his Symbol, the Symbol of Peace. And when he's dead he'll have a Legend, the Legend of the Symbol of Peace. Everyone loves peace, and when All Might was new to Heroics we needed a Symbol of Peace. But peace has a downside. Without conflict people grow lax, weak, they stop trying. Why bother risking my life when someone with a better Quirk can show up and do it instead. Heroics nowadays is business. Commercials. Toys. Movies. Modelling. Compared to the Heroes of old, the current generation is pathetic"