Sussy Baka in MHA-Chapter 66: Festival’s End

The entirety of Class 1-B stared at their classmate in bafflement, and they weren't the only ones.

Across the field, students from every class exchanged confused glances.

Standing stiffly on the third-place podium was Todoroki, his usual stoic expression tinged with mild discomfort.

In the second place, Bakugo practically vibrated with rage, arms crossed and foot tapping furiously against the stone.

And then... there was Suzaku.

Unlike his competitors, who at least attempted to maintain some dignity, Suzaku was different.

Rather than standing like the others, he lounged on the first-place podium, striking a relaxed, almost sultry pose—like he was modeling for a questionable magazine cover. One arm propped up his head, while the other lazily waved toward the crowd, his smirk radiating pure smug satisfaction.

Midnight sweatdropped at the sight, but keeping her professionalism, she coughed into her fist before turning back to the audience.

"There you have it, everyone—our three finalists!"

The crowd clapped, though many uncertain gazes lingered on Suzaku.

As the chatter settled, Midnight raised a hand, smiling.

"Now, it's time to award the medals! Of course, there's only one person worthy of distributing them..."

"HAHAHAHA!"

A booming laugh echoed through the stadium, instantly making the audience perk up.

"All Might is here!"

"I heard he was a U.A. teacher now! Is it really true?!"

"We're actually gonna see All Might?!"

"There! Look up there!"

All eyes turned toward a shadowy figure standing atop the stadium.

But just as the audience locked onto it, the figure launched into the air, a loud voice ringing out mid-flight—coincidentally overlapping perfectly with Midnight's announcement.

"Citizens, I am here with the medals!" "All Might, the Number One Hero!!!"

-BOOM!-

The moment he landed, a brief silence hung in the air.

Then, Midnight's bashful voice chimed in.

"...I talked over you. Sorry."

All Might just shook his head with a sigh, accepting that all the effort he had put into that landing had gone to waste.

Maybe he should talk louder next time.

Rising to his feet, he walked toward Midnight, who held up a tray with the three medals.

"N-Now then, All Might," she said, regaining her composure. "Please present the medals, starting with third place."

All Might nodded, taking the tray and stepping toward the podiums.

The first one he approached was Todoroki.

"Young Todoroki... Congratulations." All Might placed the medal around his neck, eyeing the youth's face as he did so. "I sense that your mind is clearer than when we started the festival... Did something happen?"

Todoroki's expression remained impassive even in front of the Number One hero, his voice calm as he spoke.

"Though the process was a bit painful, I think I was able to see things through another perspective," Todoroki said as a small wry smile surged on his face, looking straight at the imposing hero's eyes. "There are still some things to settle, but I think my path to becoming a hero like you is a bit clearer now."

All Might nodded, offering him a reassuring hug. "I won't pry young Todoroki, but I'm sure you'll be able to settle whatever it is."

"Yes."

With a firm pat on Todoroki's back, All Might stepped away and moved toward second place.

Bakugo.

"Now then, young Bakugo. Good job securing second place," All Might raised a finger in a matter-of-factly manner. "It's a position not many can reach in their first year in U.A. You ought to be proud of yourself!"

"Tsk." Bakugo clicked his tongue as he averted his gaze, his frustration obvious. "What's there to be proud about being second place? I lost, as simple as that. There's nothing to be proud about."

All Might patted Bakugo's shoulder before pulling him into a brief hug, despite the clear resistance. "Pushing yourself higher is good, young Bakugo. That drive will take you far. But it's also important to acknowledge how much you've accomplished—even if it isn't first place."

"Tsk." Another tongue click was all that came.

Accepting the response, All Might moved on to the final podium.

Suzaku.

...

A long silence filled the air as All Might stopped in front of the first-place winner.

"..."

"..."

Suzaku remained sprawled on the podium, looking up at All Might with lazy indifference.

"... Erm, young Suzaku?"

"Alright, alright..." Suzaku rolled his eyes and finally stood up, his posture casual as ever.

With him now standing, All Might patted his shoulder and spoke.

"I saw what you did, young Suzaku. You helped those you fought against. Despite what the public might think, I know you didn't just beat them down—you helped them grow. That's the heart of a true hero."

"...I did that?"

All Might hesitated for a second before clearing his throat.

"...Y-yes."

Without lingering on Suzaku's response, All Might pulled him into a hug.

"Just... maybe tone down the confidence a little. It might rub people the wrong way."

"Sure, sure." Suzaku waved him off.

Satisfied, All Might turned to walk back toward Midnight in order to end the award ceremony. But before he could, Suzaku tapped his shoulder.

"...?"

When All Might looked back, he saw Suzaku pointing at the small earpiece connected to the stadium speakers.

"Can I say a few words?"

All Might raised an eyebrow. However, figuring this was Suzaku's way of making amends for his earlier taunt during the player's pledge after his advice of being more considerate, All Might felt a tang of pride in the boy.

So, wanting to see the growth in him, All Might nodded with a smile and brought the earpiece closer to Suzaku's mouth, letting him begin his speech.

["Ahem... GG ez, y'all didn't even stand a chance. Bunch of walking Ls, straight bots for real—you got outplayed, outclassed, outsmarted, folded, and straight-up clapped. There was literally zero challenge for me at this festival. No sweat at all, just lightwork. Next time, remember I'm way out of your league. Anyway, stay mad, stay losing, get gud scrubs, and maybe show up ready to play instead of ready to lose—"]

["H-HAHAHA, WHAT A FUNNY JOKE, YOUNG SUZAKU!!!"]

All Might's voice boomed through the mic as he yanked the earpiece away at lightning speed.

But the damage was already done.

The entire stadium was dead silent, staring at Suzaku in utter disbelief.

...

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|Later, class 1-B...|

...

Now changed into their normal uniforms, the entire class remained in their seats, attentively listening to Vlad King conclude the school day.

"Good job, everyone. Although not all of you made it to the finals, I'm sure plenty of heroes will be interested in offering you internship spots after this festival," Vlad King said with a smile, setting down a stack of papers. "But you don't need to worry about that for now. Tomorrow and the day after, there won't be any school. We'll address the internship matter when you get back. Until then, make sure to rest well and look forward to it."

"Yes, sir!" the class responded in unison.

Satisfied with their response, Vlad King nodded before clapping loudly. "Good. You're all dismissed."

With that, the students began leaving, exhaustion evident in their slouched backs, worn expressions, or relieved sighs that the festival was finally over.

Suzaku was the last to leave, taking his sweet time packing up and occasionally checking something on his phone.

"Suzuki."

"...?"

Just as he was about to exit, Vlad King called out to him.

Suzaku turned, wondering what he wanted, only to see his teacher giving him a thumbs-up and a wide grin.

"Good job out there!"

Suzaku smirked and returned the gesture before adjusting his backpack and heading out.

"You sure took a while."

"Let's go!"

As he stepped into the hallway, Itsuka and Tetsutetsu approached him, deciding to walk together.

Along the way, Tetsutetsu let out a troubled sigh, scratching the back of his head.

"I hope I'll get some internship offers. I barely got a chance to shine in the first and second events."

Itsuka glanced at him wryly. "At least your Quirk is flashy. In my case, I don't even know if I'll get any offers. My Quirk isn't exactly the most attractive."

She then turned to Suzaku, speaking with a teasing tone. "Mr. First Place here, on the other hand, will probably get a bunch."

Suzaku snorted with a small smile but kept his gaze ahead. "I wouldn't be so sure." He pointed at his glasses. "These aren't exactly hero material—except for the cool factor, of course."

Tetsutetsu nudged him with his elbow. "You still got first place, though. That's gotta count for something, right?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Suzaku shrugged. "Who knows how Pro Heroes decide who to offer internships to?"

Itsuka tilted her head. "By the way, is there any hero or agency you guys would like to get an offer from?"

Tetsutetsu grinned, flexing his arm. "Of course! Any tough, manly hero works for me! Crimson Riot, Yoroi Musha, Gunhead, Crust—I'd be honored if any of them gave me a shot!"

"I know, like... none of those guys," Suzaku said with a grin.

Tetsutetsu's eyes widened as his voice grew louder. "What?! How can you not know them?! That's impossible!"

"I just don't."

"But they are—like—the manliest heroes in history! It's physically impossible not to know—!"

Tetsutetsu looked like he was about to punch Suzaku, but Itsuka intervened, patting him on the shoulder to calm him down.

As Tetsutetsu settled, Suzaku gave Itsuka a side glance. "What about you?"

"Me?" Itsuka paused, looking up in thought before answering. "I don't know. Ryukyu would be great, but honestly, I'd be happy if any high-ranked hero offered me an internship."

Suzaku recalled the practical exam, remembering how he and Itsuka had saved a bunch of injured students, and how she had used her Quirk to carry many at once. "Well, your Quirk is pretty useful for rescue operations, and it packs enough of a punch. I'm sure some heroes will be interested."

As Suzaku said that, he noticed both Itsuka and Tetsutetsu staring at him intently, evidently wanting him to answer the question too, causing him to sigh and turn lazily to the sky.

"In my case... dunno. If possible, one that works solo."

"Why solo?" Tetsutetsu asked as he tired his head confused.

Suzaku shrugged. "... Well, working at an agency seems like a pain. Whether you're working for one or running one, so if I get an offer from a solo hero, that'd be perfect practice for working like that in the future."

"Any hero in mind?" Itsuka asked from the side.

"Hmm..."

Suzaku closed his eyes, rubbing his chin in deep thought. An air of seriousness surrounded him as he seemed to carefully consider his answer.

"..."

"..."

Both Itsuka and Tetsutetsu stared at him curiously, wondering what was making him take so long.

Then, after a few more seconds, he finally spoke.

"No idea. Besides All Might, Endeavor, and our teachers, I don't know any other heroes."

Tetsutetsu and Itsuka nearly tripped at his answer.

"Right... I forgot you were completely unpassionate about hero stuff," Itsuka muttered with a wry smile.

Tetsutetsu let out a small laugh. "Come on, man... don't you know at least one besides those?"

"Nope."

"Damn." Tetsutetsu stared blankly at Suzaku.

Itsuka gave him a puzzled look. "How did you even decide to become a hero if you barely care about them?"

Suzaku stared stoically into the sunset, dramatically swiping his hair back.

"Justice simply called upon my name, so I answered."

"Uh-huh," Itsuka deadpanned.

The three continued their conversation as they walked through the city, their topics shifting from the sports festival to schoolwork and then to the latest hero gossip—which, in this era, often outshined celebrity drama.

Eventually, they reached Suzaku's destination, a subway station different from theirs. As such, the moment of separation came.

"Guess this is where we part ways, my friends," Suzaku said, adjusting his backpack.

Itsuka gave a small wave. "Yeah, see you on Thursday."

"See you Suzaku!!" Tetsutetsu, ever energetic, couldn't control his volume and ended up shouting.

Suzaku smirked but said nothing as he descended the stairs, blending into the sea of commuters below.

Several stops later, Suzaku emerged from the subway and was immediately met with the overwhelming sight of a massive shopping district. A colossal mall stretched before him, its glass walls reflecting the late afternoon sun, while crowds of people flooded in and out of its many entrances.

"The Sports Festival must have caused sales to explode today... Damn Japan and their passion for heroes." Suzaku scratched the back of his head, before shaking it in resignation and diving right into the crowd.

As he traversed the mass of people, the smell of freshly baked pastries and sizzling street food tempted the senses, but Suzaku paid them no mind. Normally, he might have stopped for a quick bite, but today, his focus was elsewhere.

His gaze flickered between the many stores around and the glowing screen of his phone.

"There it is."

After a bit more of pushing his way through the people, Suzaku finally arrived at his destination.

A clothing store stood ahead, its display window showcasing mannequins dressed in formal wear—suits, coats, and high-quality dress shoes arranged neatly. It wasn't an upscale, luxury boutique, but it was far from a budget second-hand shop either.

'Seems good enough.'

-Cling-

Pushing open the glass door, a soft chime rang overhead as he stepped inside.

Suzaku scanned the store before he spotted an employee—a young woman in a navy uniform, adjusting a row of ties near the checkout counter.

Without hesitation, he approached.

"Excuse me, where can I buy a black suit?"

...

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-To be Continued...-

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(A/N: I'm sleepy right now, so no afterwords.

Hasta la vista.)

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