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Heroes Rising: Ultimate Combat had taken the gaming world by storm. Developed by Nentendo, the mobile battle royale gave players the chance to immerse themselves in a high-octane world of heroes and Quirks like never before.
With its dynamic maps and a roster of heroes—some based on real pros, others entirely fictional—each equipped with unique Quirks and abilities, the game appealed to fans of both strategic combat and flashy brawls alike.
Needless to say, the gamers of Class 1-A had jumped on board. They crowded into the dormitory living room, occupying all the couches.
"Ugh, lost again!" Mineta groaned, plucking a ball from his head and squeezing it in frustration.
"Maybe you wouldn't keep losing if you stopped building harems and picked heroes with actual synergy," Sero quipped, spinning his phone idly in his hand.
"Excuse me for playing what I want to watch!" Mineta snapped back.
Kaminari leaned over Ashido's shoulder, peeking at her screen. "What's your rank? Woah! Top 300? Tryhard alert!"
"Hehe," Ashido grinned and elbowed him. "I'm mid-tier at best! If we're talking about tryhards, look no further." She jerked her chin towards Midoriya, who was fully focused to his phone, his thumbs flying across the screen.
Intrigued, the group got up and gathered around him.
Kirishima craned his neck to get a better view, then let out a low whistle. "Top 50 in the server! Dude, you're cracked!"
Midoriya blinked up from his phone, startled by the attention. "Oh, uh, it's nothing, really. I just like how balanced the mechanics are. And the Quirk customizations are really well thought out—like how they factor in cooldowns based on stamina, but still let you chain combos if you manage resources properly..." He trailed off, his usual muttering losing the interest of everyone around him as they drifted back to their own games.
Everyone was glued to their screens during the first few days after Heroes Rising: Ultimate Combat launched. The living room had transformed into a gamer lounge, filled with victorious shouts, groans of defeat, and constant exchanges of tips on character builds and map tricks. Even mealtime conversations revolved around the game, sparking heated debates over which hero was overpowered or which Quirk loadout was the best.
It was fun... until it wasn't.
Class reps Iida and Yaoyorozu, concerned about the distraction from training and studies, staged an intervention. One evening, they cornered the group in the living room and delivered a stern lecture about responsibility and the importance of balance. Yaoyorozu even whipped up a color-coded schedule to help everyone catch up on their lessons while still enjoying the game.
"This is for your own good!" Iida declared, chopping the air for emphasis.
"Now you'll have time to catch up on your lessons and still enjoy the game," Yaoyorozu added with a smile, as if this was the perfect win-win solution.
Their efforts paid off. As the initial excitement waned, most of the gamers moved on after a couple of weeks. The dorm returned to its usual lively self, with training sessions, sparring matches, and the usual jokes flying around.
...Except for one person.
Somehow, Midoriya's obsession only got worse.
His notebooks, once filled with notes about real heroes, were now packed with game strategies, hero abilities, and Quirk synergies. He meticulously recorded statistics, planned counter-strategies, and even doodled maps during his downtime. The only silver lining was that he still played in the living room, so they occasionally caught glimpses of him. But getting him to look up from his phone was practically impossible.
One afternoon, Kaminari flopped onto a couch beside Ashido, glancing at Midoriya, who was hunched over his phone, thumbs noisily tapping. "It's getting worse," Kaminari said with a sigh, his voice just loud enough for the others to hear.
Ashido leaned back with a smirk. "Bet you can't get him to look up."
"Oh, yeah?" Kaminari grinned, his competitive streak instantly flaring. "What's the prize?"
Before Ashido could answer, Hagakure plopped down beside them. "Wait, wait! This sounds fun. Let's make it a contest—whoever gets him to actually look up wins!"
"Wins what?" Kirishima asked, appearing from behind the couch, curious about the commotion.
"Bragging rights, obviously!" Sero said, joining in. "Unless someone's got snacks to bet."
"I have a bag of rice crackers," Yaoyorozu offered hesitantly from the corner. She clearly disapproved of the game but couldn't help getting involved.
"I've got freshly baked muffins," Sato added.
"Done," Kaminari declared, jumping to his feet. "Okay, people, watch and learn."
He strode over to Midoriya, waving a hand dramatically in front of his face. "Yo, Midoriya! You're on fire! Your room's on fire! The whole building's going up in flames!"
...
Nothing. No response. Not even an acknowledgement that he was there.
"Pfft hahahaha!"
"What was that??"
"So lame!"
Those who saw the attempt howled with laughter as Kaminari deflated and slunk back to the couch.
"I'll go next!" Mineta announced, sidling up to Midoriya with a sly grin. Leaning closer, he whispered, "Hey, Midoriya, I brought in some new reading material today. Top-shelf stuff. I've got something for every taste. Tell me—what's your type? You name it, I've got it."
Midoriya didn't even blink. Unfazed, he exuded an icy calm that made the air around him feel colder than his silence had moments ago when Kaminari had tried his antics.
Mineta stepped back, looking genuinely unnerved. "I-I don't get it! That usually works…"
Jiro rolled her eyes. "On who? Creeps!"
"Mon ami, it is my turn~!" Aoyama declared, confidently strutting up to Midoriya. In his hand was a perfectly ripened wedge of brie, which he held near Midoriya's face.
As the cheese was about to graze Midoriya's cheek, a wisp of Blackwhip flicked out and swatted the brie away. The wedge landed unceremoniously on the floor.
Aoyama gasped, clutching his chest in exaggerated horror. "Non! My offering!"
To make matters worse, Midoriya seemed completely unaware of the exchange, his actions purely instinctive.
Everyone burst into laughter, Kaminari nearly falling off the couch. Meanwhile, Aoyama retreated to a corner, whispering mournfully to himself about unappreciated brilliance.
"Hmm, I'll go next!" Uraraka volunteered, standing up with cheerful determination.
She approached Midoriya, holding something in her hand—a shiny All Might keychain dangling from her fingers. "Deku-kun," she began sweetly, "I just got this All Might keychain, but I'm not sure if the quality's good. Can you take a look at it?"
The room fell silent. Then, one by one, the group erupted into applause.
"How sly!" Ashido whispered, grinning like a proud coach.
"Smart move," Yaoyorozu added, nodding.
All eyes were on Midoriya as everyone collectively held their breaths.
For the first time, there was a reaction—his thumbs actually hesitated. Just for a split second, but it was enough to make the air in the room feel electric.
However, without glancing away from his phone, Midoriya's calm, gentle voice cut through the tension. "I'm sorry, Uraraka-san. I'm busy right now. But I'll help you with that later, alright?" His tone was kind, without a single trace of impatience.
Uraraka smiled understandingly. "Alright. Good luck with your match!"
"Thanks!" Midoriya replied.
Uraraka turned back to the group, tilting her head in question. "Does that count?"
The class answered with a unanimous "X" made with their arms.
"Nope! The rule was to get him to look up," Hagakure declared.
Next up was Sato, who emerged from the kitchen with a tray of freshly baked sweets.
"I wasn't sure what your favorite dessert is, so I made a little bit of everything," he said, his voice kind but hopeful. The tray showcased an assortment of cookies, brownies, and miniature cakes, their delicious aroma wafting through the room.
Carefully, Sato placed the tray on the table in front of Midoriya. "There's gotta be something here you'll like."
Midoriya remained focus on his match. "Thanks, Sato-san, but I'm not hungry. Smells good though! You should share them with everyone else instead."
Sato's shoulders slumped before he managed a small nod. "Uh, okay… sure," he muttered, retreating to the couch with his tray.
"Woohoo!" The girls swooped in, unable to hide their excitement.
"These cookies are so good!" Uraraka exclaimed, grabbing a handful.
"Seriously, Sato, you're amazing!" Jiro praised.
Sato perked up at their reactions, his disappointment melting into a shy smile. "Glad you guys like them."
More people arrived, and soon nearly the entire Class 1-A was gathered in the shared area. They happily helped themselves, chatting and brainstorming their next moves while munching on the sweets.
"How are we gonna break him out of this?" Shoji wondered aloud, his tone equal parts amused and concerned.
"I don't even know whether to be impressed or worried. He's like a machine," Ojiro remarked.
"He's more terrifying than impressive kero," Asui said, biting into a brownie.
"Alright, who's next?" Ashido asked, taking a bite of the chiffon cake.
Koda shyly raised his hand. "I have an idea…"
Everyone turned to him, curious about what he might attempt.
Koda shuffled nervously, holding up his pet rabbit. "U-uh, Midoriya, they say rubbing a rabbit's foot will give you good luck. You know, for your matches."
The group collectively leaned in, hopeful. But Midoriya barely acknowledged the rabbit before murmuring, "That's really thoughtful, Koda-san. I really appreciate it." Then he grinned confidently. "But I don't need luck," he said just as the game announcer declared his victory with a triumphant, "Winner!"
The room burst into laughter and groans.
"Of course he doesn't," Kaminari muttered, shaking his head.
"Show-off!" Sero teased.
Next was Tokoyami, who stepped forward with a dramatic flourish. "Midoriya, I've uncovered something of grave importance. You'll want to see this." He held out an orb swirling with dark energy.
No response.
...
"Midoriya-san," said Yaoyorozu, standing in front of him and holding a beautiful All Might-themed bookmark. "I made this for you. Please use it in your notebooks."
The class held their breath again, waiting for his reaction. But Midoriya only smiled faintly. "That's perfect, Yaoyorozu-san. Thank you! I'll use it for sure." Still, his eyes never left his phone.
Before anyone could bemoan too loudly, the door swung open. Iida marched in, adjusting his glasses. His sharp eyes immediately scanned the room and the remnants of sweets scattered across the table.
"Everyone, it's essential to brush your teeth after consuming so many sugary treats!" he declared, making an exaggerated brushing motion with his hand. "Dental hygiene is not to be neglected!"
Kirishima waved at him. "Hey, Class rep! Why don't you give it a try?"
"Try what?"
Tokoyami pointed Dark Shadow at Midoriya. "Try to get him to look up from him phone."
After Shoji provided more context, Iida straightened up and adjusted his glasses again. "Very well." He approached Midoriya with an air of purpose. "Midoriya-kun, I seem to be struggling with the mathematical problem in our homework. Could I ask for your assistance?"
Midoriya's hand flinched briefly, but his voice was sincere as he replied, "Iida-san, you're ranked number two in academics. I'm sure you'll get it in no time. And if you really need help, Yaoyorozu-san is here too—she's amazing at explaining concepts."
Both Iida and Yaoyorozu blinked in surprise, touched by the genuine compliments.
"That's… very kind of you, Midoriya-san," Yaoyorozu said, smiling.
"Indeed. Your faith in us is greatly appreciated," Iida added, stepping back with a slightly embarrassed expression.
Yaoyorozu glanced at the group. "Perhaps we should end the game here—"
"What?!" Ashido and Kirishima exclaimed in unison.
"We haven't even had our turn yet!" Hagakure protested, her invisible hands flailing.
Before the argument could escalate, the door opened again, and Bakugo and Todoroki walked in, both looking slightly disheveled from their supplemental class.
Todoroki raised an eyebrow at the scene. "What's going on here?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever.
The room buzzed with renewed energy at the duo's arrival. They pulled Bakugo and Todoroki aside, and Kirishima quickly explained the contest.
"What a waste of time," Bakugo scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. I'm making dinner and going to bed."
"Aw, c'mon, Katsuki," Kaminari teased, throwing an arm around Bakugo's shoulders—only for Bakugo to shrug it off. "You're his childhood friend, right? If anyone can break him out of this, it should be you!"
"Yeah!" Mineta added with a mischievous grin. "Or are you not even gonna try coz you know you'll fail like the rest of us?"
"HA!? What the hell did you just say?!" Bakugo growled, baring his teeth. "Me? FAIL? I'll show all of you how pathetic your attempts are!"
He shoved them aside but stood his ground at that casual distance, hands in his pockets.
"Oi, Deku," Bakugo called out plainly, his tone dismissive.
Most of the group collectively facepalmed.
"That's your move?!" Sero whispered, exasperated.
But before anyone could complain further—
"Yes, Kacchan?" Midoriya instantly looked up, smiling warmly at him.
...
?!?!?!?!?
EEEEH?! Everyone except Todoroki collapsed with an exaggerated thud.
Even Bakugo flinched at how quick that was. He pinched the bridge of his nose, as if annoyed at being forced to reply.
"... I'm back, nerd."
"Welcome back!" Without hesitation, Midoriya closed the game, pocketed his phone, and walked over towards him. "Did you have dinner yet? How was the supplemental class? Did you learn anything new?"
Bakugo scowled, his ears reddening slightly. "Shut up! You looking down on me or something?!"
"I didn't mean it like that!" Midoriya protested. Already, the two of them fell into their usual rhythm, bickering their way to the kitchen.
There was punctuated silence as everyone stayed lying on the ground, making aggrieved, indignant noises.
Todoroki glanced around at the dramatic display of his classmates. "Are you all… okay?"
"No!" they all groaned.
"Why did we even bother?"
"Of course it was game over the moment Bakugo joined!"