Chapter Five: The Exhibition
The morning of the Sports Festival dawned bright and clear. U.A.'s stadium was packed with spectators, pro heroes, and industry representatives. In the Support Course preparation room, Izuku made final adjustments to the Harmony Suit while Mei bounced excitedly beside him.
"Class 1-A and 1-B have already finished their preliminary events," she said, peering through her zoom quirk at the monitors. "Now it's our turn to steal the spotlight!"
Their exhibition would be different from the main festival events. Instead of competing against each other, Support Course students would demonstrate their creations in practical scenarios, working alongside hero course students who had volunteered as test subjects.
"Midoriya." Power Loader approached their workstation. "You and Hatsume will be working with—"
"ME!" A booming voice interrupted as Mirio Togata burst through the door, quite literally, his characteristic smile lighting up the room. The third-year student was already making waves as one of U.A.'s most promising future heroes. "I volunteered specifically for this one!"
Izuku's eyes widened. He'd analyzed Mirio's quirk extensively—Permeation was incredibly powerful but technically challenging to use. Creating support equipment for it would be a unique challenge.
"Perfect!" Mei exclaimed. "Our baby is adaptable enough to work with any quirk!"
As they explained the Harmony Suit's features to Mirio, Izuku felt the pendant pulse warmly. Something about Mirio's energy resonated with the forge's power, though the older student seemed unaware of it.
"This is incredible," Mirio said, examining the suit. "The way it can adjust its properties... it's almost like it has a mind of its own!"
"That's not even the best part," Mei began, but Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing the start of the exhibition.
The format was simple but challenging: each team would face a series of rescue scenarios, showcasing how their support equipment could enhance a hero's capabilities. As they waited their turn, Izuku watched other teams perform. Koji's shield system, paired with a student from 1-B, successfully protected civilians from simulated falling debris. Yumi's communication devices proved invaluable in a mock hostage situation.
Then it was their turn.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Present Mic announced. "GET READY FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL! FROM THE SUPPORT COURSE, WE HAVE THE INGENIOUS DUO OF MIDORIYA AND HATSUME, PAIRED WITH THE PHENOMENAL MIRIO TOGATA!"
As they entered the arena, Izuku felt the familiar sensation of being watched—not just by the crowd, but by something darker. The pendant grew warm in warning.
Their first challenge involved a complex rescue operation: civilians trapped in a structurally unstable building, with multiple hazards to navigate. Mirio donned the Harmony Suit, and Izuku felt his breath catch as the forge-enhanced technology responded to its user.
"This feels... natural," Mirio said, sounding surprised. The suit adjusted seamlessly as he activated his quirk, phasing through walls while maintaining perfect control. Its enhanced sensors helped him locate trapped civilians, while the structural reinforcement features prevented further collapse.
The crowd watched in amazement as Mirio performed rescue after rescue, the suit amplifying his abilities in ways that seemed almost magical. Izuku could hear the excited murmurs from the pro heroes in attendance.
But halfway through the demonstration, something changed. A shadow flickered at the edge of the arena, and Izuku felt a surge of malevolent energy. The pendant burned against his chest.
Suddenly, one of the training robots malfunctioned, its movements becoming erratic and dangerous. This wasn't part of the scenario. The robot charged toward the spectator stands, its strength amplified by some unseen force.
Without thinking, Izuku pressed a hidden command sequence on his control panel. The Harmony Suit's protective features activated at full power, forge-enhanced barriers springing to life as Mirio intercepted the robot.
"Young Midoriya," a quiet voice said behind him. Izuku turned to find All Might standing there in his civilian form, watching the scene with keen interest. "That's quite an impressive piece of equipment you've created."
Before Izuku could respond, more robots began malfunctioning. The exhibition was turning into a real crisis. Through their comm system, he could hear other support students calling for help.
"Mei," he said quickly, "activate the emergency protocols we built in. Mirio-senpai, the suit can handle more than what we initially showed you. Trust it!"
As Mirio engaged the rogue robots, the Harmony Suit's true capabilities emerged. It anticipated his movements, enhanced his quirk's effectiveness, and protected both him and nearby civilians. Other hero course students joined the fray—Izuku spotted Amajiki and Hadou, Mirio's closest friends, fighting alongside him.
"The suit's responding to multiple quirk types," Mei observed excitedly, seemingly unfazed by the chaos. "Look how it adapts to each user's style!"
She was right. When Hadou touched the suit briefly, it enhanced her Wave Motion quirk. When Amajiki made contact, it seamlessly integrated with his Manifest abilities. The forge's power was working in harmony with multiple quirks, creating something entirely new.
Finally, the last robot was subdued. The crowd erupted in cheers, though Izuku noticed several pro heroes looking thoughtful, including All Might. The exhibition had turned into something far more significant than planned.
"That was AWESOME!" Mirio exclaimed, powering down the suit. "You two are incredible! We should work together more often!"
As they left the arena, Izuku felt a mix of pride and concern. They'd succeeded beyond expectations, but he knew the shadow's attack meant escalation. The forge's power was becoming harder to hide.
"Midoriya," All Might called out as they passed. "A word, if you don't mind?"
Izuku's heart raced. Had All Might noticed something about the forge's influence? But the former Symbol of Peace merely smiled.
"Young Hatsume, would you mind if I borrowed your partner for a moment?" he asked. Mei was already distracted by another support project, waving them off absently.
As they walked, All Might spoke quietly. "You remind me of someone I once knew—someone who understood that true heroism often works best from behind the scenes. Keep developing that talent of yours. The hero world needs more people who can support others in reaching their full potential."
Izuku felt tears prick at his eyes. All Might might not know about the forge, but he understood something just as important—the value of supporting others.
The pendant hummed warmly, and for a moment, Izuku felt perfectly balanced between his two worlds. Maybe that was the real purpose of the forge's power—not to stand alone, but to help others shine brighter.
As he rejoined Mei to prepare for the exhibition's closing ceremony, he caught sight of Mirio talking animatedly with his friends about the Harmony Suit. The sight filled him with determination. He would continue to forge his own path, one that combined innovation, protection, and support.
The shadows might be watching, but they weren't the only ones. And Izuku was beginning to understand that he wasn't as alone as he'd once thought.