Chapter 36: After the Flames
The stadium lights dimmed for a moment before a blinding spotlight struck the stage. The crowd buzzed, then erupted into cheers as the loudspeakers boomed with a familiar, powerful voice:
"I AM HERE!!"
With a gust of wind and a flash of smoke, All Might leapt onto the podium, flexing with that unmistakable grin stretched across his face. He was back in his bulky form, giving the people what they came to see. Even now, the Symbol of Peace knew how to command a crowd.
The stadium roared, every student, fan, and pro hero on their feet in thunderous applause.
"Let's give it up for our top three finalists!" All Might shouted, motioning to the podium steps as three familiar figures rose onto the platform.
Todoroki Shoto took his place at third. He still had a small burn on his uniform from his fight with Harue, his expression unreadable as always, but his posture… more open. Something had changed.
( AN: He won his battle against Tokoyami for third place. )
All Might stepped toward him first.
"You've come a long way, young Todoroki," he said, holding out the bronze medal. "You've got incredible potential — both sides of it."
Todoroki flinched slightly, eyes narrowing. But All Might didn't stop there.
"You don't need to carry the weight of your father's name to be great. Just be the hero you want to be. That's more than enough."
A breath passed. Then Todoroki nodded and took the medal, gripping it with quiet gratitude.
Next was Bakugo Katsuki, standing stiffly at second place, his hands clenched at his sides, jaw tight, eyes locked on the ground. He didn't look at All Might. Not once.
All Might approached gently, the energy in his posture easing.
"You fought well, Bakugo. That fire in you… it's powerful. But the path of a hero isn't just about winning."
Bakugo's lip twitched, but he didn't speak. His eyes burned with frustration. Shame. But All Might just smiled, placing a steady hand on his shoulder.
"Keep pushing forward. There's no shame in losing to someone strong. Use this as fuel."
Bakugo didn't respond, but the small twitch in his fingers told enough. He took the medal without a word, eyes still burning — not from pride, but from the sting of losing.
And then…
All Might turned to the center step, where Harue Dai stood, tall and smirking beneath the bright stadium lights, his orange hair shining bright. His posture was relaxed, confident — no bruises, barely a scratch on him. The torch of the finals, the flame that had lit up the stadium.
The crowd cheered louder now, and even some of the pro heroes clapped from the stands. It wasn't just a win — it had been domination.
"You were brilliant out there, young Dai," All Might said, holding out the gold medal with pride. "Strong. Fierce. Unstoppable."
Harue tilted his head slightly, accepting the medal with a casual nod.
"I try."
All Might chuckled.
"You didn't just win — you earned this. Your strength, your courage… I'm excited to see how far you'll go."
He placed the medal around Harue's neck. For a moment, Symbol of Peace and flame-born powerhouse locked eyes — two titans from different generations standing in the same light.
Then Harue stepped forward.
The crowd quieted a bit as he raised the mic from the stand with an easy smirk.
"Well," he said, voice echoing through the stadium, "I think it's safe to say the future's in good hands."
Some of the audience laughed, but there was an undeniable pride in his tone — bold, self-assured.
"All Might, when the day comes that you hang up the cape for good, you won't have to worry. I've got this. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy retirement knowing the Number One Hero's already here."
Cheers erupted — some impressed, some shocked at the sheer confidence, but the majority still jittery of the mention of All Mights retirement.
'Sheep!' Harue thought with sneer on his face which he quickly disguised with a bright smile.
But useful sheep.
My useful sheep.
With that Harue stepped back, giving the mic back to All Might, who looked at him with a sharp gaze, half-surprised, half-amused. But deep inside… he felt just a bit lighter.
The next generation is certainly growing.
He thought as he stared at the teens in front of him, a certain broccoli-haired boy also flashed on his mind.
All Might then turned to the crowd, arms wide.
"Let's give one more round of applause for our Sports Festival Champions!!"
The stadium exploded in sound. Fireworks cracked across the sky. Below them, three students stood on the podium — each carrying more than just a medal.
They carried pressure. Expectation. Potential.
—————
The sun was beginning to dip beyond the windows of U.A.'s main building, casting long golden rays across the classroom of Class 1-A. The once rowdy room was now humming with a low buzz of chatter — a mix of exhaustion, excitement, and disbelief after the Sports Festival's explosive conclusion.
Aizawa stood at the front, arms crossed, his usual tired look in place, though there was something softer behind his eyes — pride, perhaps, though you'd be hard-pressed to get him to admit it.
"You all did well," he said, voice as dry and blunt as ever. "No serious screw-ups, no disqualifications, and nobody died. That's about as much as I could've asked for."
A few students chuckled. Kaminari tried to raise a hand for a joke but thought better of it when Aizawa's half-lidded glare fell on him.
"That said," Aizawa continued, "you've earned a break. You've got tomorrow off to rest. Use it. Sleep, hydrate, ice whatever you need to."
Relieved murmurs and cheers spread throughout the class.
"Also…" He reached into his capture weapon cloak and pulled out a thick folder, setting it on the desk with a solid thud. "These are the nomination offers from pro agencies. I'll be organizing them tonight. You'll receive them in a couple of days. Don't get cocky just because your name's in a few of them."
His words were stern, but he didn't bother hiding the faint upward twitch in the corner of his mouth.
As the students began talking among themselves again — Mina happily chatting with Tooru, Kirishima laughing with Sero, Bakugo brooding silently in the back, and Midoriya furiously scribbling something into his notebook — Harue sat quietly near the window, arms folded behind his head.
He let out a small "Hmm…" as he leaned back in his chair, eyes thoughtful.
The flame-born teen had dominated the festival, claimed the spotlight without hesitation — and yet, his gaze drifted sideways, settling for a moment on a seat in the back row.
Empty.
Tenya Iida's desk remained untouched since the morning. No backpack. No notebooks. No stiff posture or upright hand. Just empty silence.
Harue's eyes narrowed slightly. Then just as quickly he looked away again.
"Not my problem." He muttered quietly and went back to thinking about who should he intern for.
————
[ HARUE'S POV ]
Walking Mina home was always a relaxing way to end a chaotic day — especially a day like today. The sunset cast a warm glow across the sidewalks, and Mina had been talking animatedly about the matches, half-pouting, half-laughing about how close her fight had been.
I didn't interrupt her much. Just listened, smiled, and kept walking beside her with my hands in my pockets. She always had this energy that seemed to chase away whatever weight I was carrying.
When we finally reached her house, she turned to face me, hands behind her back, eyes twinkling.
"You were amazing today, flame-boy," she grinned.
"I know," I said, smirking.
She rolled her eyes playfully, then leaned in on her toes and gave me a quick, soft peck on the lips.
"Goodnight, hero."
Before I could say anything, she spun around and dashed toward her door, giggling like she'd just stolen something. I watched her disappear inside with a smile tugging at my lips before turning and heading for my place.
The moment I stepped inside my house, I called out, "I'm home."
I barely had time to take off my shoes before I heard the rush of footsteps. The next thing I knew, I was being tackled by two figures — one wrapping arms around my neck and the other nearly knocking the wind out of me with the force of a hug.
"There's our champion!!" my dad, Akio, shouted with unrestrained pride, ruffling my hair like I was still ten.
My mom — Reina — was glowing. Her orange hair bounced around her face as she grinned up at me, eyes glossy. "You looked amazing out there, baby. So strong!"
"Mom, come on," I muttered, cheeks heating up. "Don't 'baby' me right now."
"We raised a medalist!" my dad roared, practically vibrating with excitement. "All Might himself gave it to you! You shook hands with All Might! And then you did that flaming bird thing — what was that? You were flying around like some kind of mythological boss!"
"I call it the Phoenix," I said casually, leaning into the pride just a little. "Figured the crowd needed a show."
My mom reached up, gently cupping my cheek… then immediately pinched my ear hard enough to make me wince.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"For scaring me half to death!" she scolded, pulling on my ear like she used to when I was a kid. "You were throwing yourself through fire tornadoes, getting punched and acting like you're invincible! What if something happened to you, huh?!"
I laughed, rubbing my ear once she let go. "Relax, Mom. I dialed it back. I'm not trying to barbecue anyone — I'm careful."
"You better be," she huffed, crossing her arms.
Dad just laughed in the background, clapping me on the back with enough force to make me stumble.
"You made the Dai name proud, son. Damn proud."
For a second, I just stood there between them — my dad's pride, my mom's fussing, the warmth of home soaking into my skin after a day of fire, fury, and cheers.
I wasn't just a fighter or a student right now.
I was their son.
And that… felt pretty damn good.
End of the chapter.