"By the way, Lock, come with me to the office."
After saying this, Aizawa Shouta ended the class and stopped Lock. Lock nodded and followed him out of the classroom.
The entire walk passed in silence.
Curious about why Aizawa Shouta had called him, Lock pushed open the office door and stepped inside.
Principal Nezu, All Might, and Kong Gui Soul were already waiting.
"Principal. All Might. Teacher Kong Gui Soul."
Lock greeted them politely, nodding as he did. His curiosity only deepened.
"Lock," Principal Nezu began, clearing his throat lightly before pausing, "there's something we'd like to discuss with you. Would you be willing… not to participate in the student Sports Festival?"
"Huh?"
Lock froze, genuinely confused. He had been planning to use the massive exposure of the U.A. Sports Festival to further boost his popularity.
Kong Gui Soul quickly explained, "Although you're a student, you're also already a Pro Hero. Many people would consider it extremely unfair if you participated. In their eyes, the champion would already be decided—the winner would be you."
A collective targeting.
Lock immediately understood what Kong Gui Soul meant. He was too strong, strong enough to be excluded.
He knew it himself. If he entered the student bracket, he would win without question. It would be like an adult crushing children—total domination.
Seen from that angle, the school's decision was understandable.
"Lock," All Might said, still in his thin form, "U.A. plans to add a special event this year—an additional one-on-one arena match for Pro Heroes. We'd like to invite you to participate."
That proposal caught Lock by surprise.
U.A.'s faculty already knew about All Might's condition, and Lock—who had once been invited to become the successor of One For All—naturally knew as well.
In fact, U.A. had decided to add a Pro Hero competition precisely to respond to outside criticism.
During the USJ incident, several Pro Heroes had arrived as support, yet the villains were not fully stopped, and two key figures escaped. This caused the public to question whether U.A.'s teachers truly had the strength to protect students.
To prove otherwise, the one-on-one Pro Hero arena would even allow Pro Heroes from the audience to sign up.
"I agree to participate."
Lock's eyes lit up. From a certain perspective, this event would draw even more attention and discussion than the student competition.
"That's good," Principal Nezu said with a sigh of relief. "We'll finalize the rules over the next two weeks and announce them publicly."
He knew very well that asking Lock not to compete among the students was already a big request.
Then Lock spoke again.
"However, I also want to participate in the student Sports Festival."
"…Huh?"
This time, it was Principal Nezu and the others who were confused.
Lock smiled. While the Pro Hero matches were certainly attractive, he didn't want to give up the exposure from the student competition either.
Adults only choose one.
He wanted both.
If the popularity of both eventswere stacked together, the resulting fame would be enormous.
"I can participate as a special guest," Lock explained. "My results won't count toward rankings or final placements."
After all, he was both a student and a Pro Hero. Participating in both didn't seem strange at all.
"This…" Principal Nezu frowned slightly, his high-speed intellect already running through countless possibilities.
"…All right."
In the end, Principal Nezu agreed.
Lock left the office in a good mood.
Originally, he hadn't been that excited for the Sports Festival—after all, winning without resistance would be boring. But now, with the changes diverging from the original path, this year's festival was shaping up to be genuinely interesting.
Lock returned to the classroom just as the bell rang.
Class proceeded as usual, but it was obvious—everyone's attention was already on the upcoming Sports Festival. They looked distracted, barely able to focus.
After class came lunch break.
Instead of leaving, many students stayed in the classroom, excitement still bubbling over as they gathered in groups to discuss the Sports Festival.
They had always been spectators before.
Now, they were contestants.
How could they not be excited?
The U.A. Sports Festival was held once a year, giving students three chances total—but it was always the first-years who attracted the most attention.
Because after the festival, first-year students would enter Hero offices for internships for the first time.
From the second and third years onward, placements were usually stable, with little need to worry.
For example, Nejire Hado had been scouted by Lock's aunt, Ryukyu, back in her first year—and had trained at Ryukyu's agency ever since.
"Lock, let's go eat."
Jiro Kyoka arrived, pulling Uraraka Ochaco and Ashido Mina with her as she invited Lock to the cafeteria.
"Sure."
Lock nodded and followed them.
Along the way, the three girls chatted happily about becoming Heroes—very different from how quiet they were when walking behind Aizawa Shouta.
"So," Ashido Mina asked energetically, her small horns bobbing, "why do you want to be a Hero? For me, it's because Heroes look super cool! And I love being in the spotlight!"
"And you, Uraraka?" Mina turned.
Caught off guard, Uraraka Ochaco's eyes darted away. Her face turned bright red as she scratched her cheek.
"Um… honestly, I want to be a Hero for money. My family runs a construction company, but there's basically no work. I want to earn well and make life easier for my parents."
"Isn't that a great reason?" Lock said immediately.
"Yeah," Mina agreed. "Heroes are people too—they have to live. Wanting to support your parents is amazing."
Hearing the praise, Uraraka grew even more embarrassed, her entire face red and adorable.
Trying to hide it, she quickly changed the topic.
"Jiro, what about you? I remember your parents are musicians, right?"
She didn't ask Lock—after all, he was already a Pro Hero.
"Eh?"
Jiro was startled. She hesitated, then replied softly, "I… I don't really know."
She wasn't lying.
Both her parents were musicians. She loved music too, and under normal circumstances, she might have followed the same path.
But the real reason she wanted to become a Hero…
Jiro tilted her head slightly and sneaked a glance at Lock.
Only to find him already looking at her with a gentle smile.
Whoosh.
Her face flushed instantly, and she turned away.
A girl's heart.
Lock smiled inwardly. He clapped his hands lightly to draw Mina and Uraraka's attention, giving Jiro time to cool down.
"Let's hurry and eat," he said. "Lunch break won't last forever."
"Oh! Right!"
They headed into the cafeteria to order food. Jiro had calmed down by then—but she still didn't dare look at Lock.
All in all—
Jiro, in this stat,e was unbelievably cute.
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A/N: 40+ Advance Chapter Has Been Uploaded.
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