Chapter 34

Victory or Defeat (勝ち負け Kachimake) is the thirty-fourth chapter of Kōhei Horikoshi's Boku no Hero Academia.

Summary
Izuku has defeated Hitoshi and advances to the second round. Lying on the ground defeated, Hitoshi remembers his past; where people at his previous school, Nabu Junior High, disliked his Quirk due to its villainous nature. After the crowd cheers for the combatants, Izuku questions Hitoshi as to why he wants to join the Department of Heroics. Hitoshi replies and says that he can't help what he truly longs to be. The students of the General Department applaud Hitoshi's efforts while some people in the crowd comment on the usefulness of Hitoshi's Quirk against villains. Hitoshi declares that one day he will enter the Department of Heroics and show everyone that he will become a great Hero. Hitoshi tells Izuku to not lose too pitifully and leaves.

In Recovery Girl's Office, Izuku has his minor injuries attended to. Izuku tells All Might about the mysterious figures he saw while being brainwashed. All Might says that he also saw something similar to what Izuku experienced in his younger days. All Might theorizes that what Izuku saw were the imprints of those who wielded One For All in the past. All Might remarks that instead of the imprints, it was Izuku's own willpower that activated One For All to help him break free of Hitoshi's brainwash. Izuku isn't satisfied with the explanation, but All Might tells Izuku not to dwell on it and tells him to go and watch the next match. After Izuku leaves, Recovery Girl comments to All Might that Izuku also saw him, to which All Might remarks that its a good thing.

On his way to his first round match, Shouto encounters his father, Endeavor, and tries to ignore him. Endeavor tells his son that he is disappointed with his behavior and reminds him of his duty to surpass All Might, ordering him to stop fooling around. Shouto declares to his father that he will never use his fire power and will only rely on his mother's power. Endeavor replies to his defiant son that while his tactic may work now in high school, he will eventually be pushed to the point of being forced to use it, much to Shouto's fury.

The second match of the first round between Shouto Todoroki and Hanta Sero begins. Hanta wraps his tape around Shouto, hoping to get him out of bounds. However, Shouto (still furious from his conversation with his father) creates a massive pillar of ice in retaliation, completely immobilizing Hanta and freeing himself in the process. Hanta, unable to move at all, is declared the loser and Shouto is declared the winner, thus moving on to the second round. Shouto goes to the nearly frozen Hanta, apologizes for what he did and thaws him out with his fire power. Izuku notes that the image of seeing Shouto using his fire power to melt his ice seemed immensely sad to him.

Trivia

 * After Shouto Todoroki's match with Hanta Sero, comic book superhero The Flash can be seen in the stands saying, "don't mind kid".

Capítulo 34