"Uraraka… lost..." Izuku said, his face was ashen, as he stared at a half cognizant Uraraka, who was being carried away on a stretcher, Bakugo stared after her, a look of something that could have been respect on his face if it wasn't mostly covered by his natural scowl.
He walked off the field, seemingly mostly unharmed, however right before he left Izuku's sight, Bakugo blanched and rubbed his left arm, as if it was injured. Once Bakugo left his sights Izuku looked to the remaining fighters.
Himself, Todoroki, Kendo, Kirishima, Kaminari, Iida, Tetsutetsu and Samael.
He was particularly impressed and simultaneously intimidated by Tetsutetsu and Kaminari, Tetsutetsu because he completely ripped Shiozaki Ibara's hair off with his bare hands, effectively incapacitating her to the point where she was dragged off the field while screaming something about divine retribution.
Kaminari won his fight by completely electrifying every single one of Tokage's body parts that were split apart, effectively rendering her unable to fight, Kaminari's power output especially surprising, since after it was over he hadn't shorted out.
Izuku's thoughts shifted over to Samael, who in his fight would have to throw down against Kirishima, and in order to fight Bakugo he'd have to win that, and Kirishima was incredibly powerful.
Samael… He's breaking apart. Izuku thought.
Flashback
"What should we do?" Izuku asked, his fingers were twitching with anxiety as the teachers attention turned to him. "We… can't let him keep going like this can we?"
Aizawa and All Might thought about this for a moment, Present Mic and Midnight had already left to continue with their duties. It was Aizawa who spoke, his voice was controlled, but it barely hid the frustration that was there.
"Nothing, we can't do anything because he's not technically breaking any rules, and if we disqualify him questions will be asked, and it will ruin the support some of the crowd is finally showing him."
"The second he goes to far however." All Might said, putting bony hand on his protege's shoulder. "We will do what we have too."
"But… what does that mean?" Izuku asked, running his hands through his curly hair.
"We don't know. Not yet at least." Aizawa said. "For now though, don't say anything to him about it, act natural."
"You want me to lie?"
"Not lie." All Might said quickly. "Just don't bring anything strange up, he doesn't know that you've spoken to us."
End flashback
"Right… all I gotta do is play it cool." Izuku muttered. "And he'll suspect nothing is up… even though I don't even truly know what's up."
"Dude, you have to put a lid on it." A voice said behind him, familiar. Chills ran down his spine and Izuku turned around to look at Samael's face, which was very amused if the smirk on his face was anything to go by.
"I..." Izuku mouthed, then gaped like a fish out of water.
"I… believe your right? Thank you Samael? Your the smartest Samael? Your the greatest friend ever Samael?" Samael listed off on his fingers, his smile not leaving his face at all.
Izuku's body relaxed. Samael was back to normal. Get it together, he threatened you when he wasn't himself, this is the Samael we know. Izuku chided.
"No to all of those." Izuku deadpanned and turned around to lean against the railing. "Uraraka lost."
"I know, I was hoping she would win." Samael responded immediately, he looked around momentarily, confused by the wary looks others were giving him. "What's going on with them?"
"Nothing probably." Izuku answered quickly, to quickly. "You were acting strange earlier.'
"I know." Samael said instantly again. "I was… not me, I don't know what that was."
It wasn't you that's for sure. "Well seeing as your you again-"
"Izuku look at me." Samael suddenly interrupted, his voice had taken a different tone, not one of hostility, but one of almost sadness. "I did something horrible to you didn't I? To everyone. I know everything before I went to the concession section of the stadium… but I don't remember anything after I sat on a bench… did I hurt everybody?"
Izuku was silent for a long moment debating with himself. How much should I tell him, how much can I tell him? He thought, eventually he decided on a half lie.
"You were very noticeably not yourself." He began, picking his words carefully, turning to face Samael he kept on hand on the railing as if it was a support for him. "We were worried about you, it seemed like our friend was completely gone, and in place was something terrible."
I hope that wasn't too much. Izuku thought when he was finished talking. Samael pondered this with dead eyes. Eventually walking over beside Izuku and gripping the railing himself.
"That was me." Samael suddenly said. Izuku looked at him, semi-surprised and confused. "That darker part of me was me, there's villain in me, I am the son of a villain, whatever good and evil in me is part of me, and I need to learn to balance that. Accept that, and right now the evil outweighs the good. Like yin and yang."
"There's a bit of good in every villain… and a bit of villain in every good." Izuku mused.
"Yes, that something terrible is me, just the worst parts of me. I'm not quite sure what it is, I can't remember. All I can do right now is do my best not to spiral and break the rest of the good things I have left."
"You believe you aren't good yourself then?" Izuku asked.
"I believe the things around me are good while I not necessarily am."
"That's rather philosophical of you."
Samael snorted. "I took my medicine. So I spit straight wisdom right now."
"Please never say that again." Izuku asked.
Midnight suddenly made an announcement. "The next rounds will be starting soon! The first fight of round two will be Izuku Midoriya Vs. Shoto Todoroki!"
"Break a leg." Samael smirked. Izuku felt a bit of phantom pain in his legs from the remark as he started off towards the waiting rooms to prepare himself for the fight, upon entering though he was surprised to find Uraraka sitting there with a sullen look on her face.
"...Uraraka?"
Line break.
Aizawa needed a drink, but he couldn't drink alcohol right now so he chose coffee instead. Toshinori sat with him in the private lounge reserved for the announcers and teachers of U.A, anticipation visible even through his sunken face. Aizawa felt somewhat the same way, along with a sense of dread in the back of his mind.
They both stared at the file on the coffee table, then looked at each other.
"Who does the honors here?" Toshinori asked.
"You scouted him." Aizawa said flatly.
"Your teaching him." Toshinori flung back.
Aizawa sighed and sat his coffee down, rubbed his temples and glared at the file as if that would make it open. Samael's file. Aizawa thought. Back then I asked for this to determine who his father was. Now it serves little purpose than to tell us his mothers name.
"Aizawa?" Toshinori suddenly spoke again, snapping the long haired teacher out of his thoughts. "We already know the father of young Mizaki, is there any point to this?"
Aizawa sighed and tapped his fingers on the coffee table, unsure why he was hesitating, eventually he picked up the file and slung it open before he could change his mind.
Toshinori and Aizawa looked at it, looked at the one thing the didn't know about Samael. Aizawa saw it, looked at it, stared at it then with shaking hands dropped the still open file, with shaking hands he stood up and paced.
"What is it Aizawa? I don't understand." Toshinori asked, Aizawa stopped cold and looked at him, then let out a laugh that wasn't exactly humorous.
"Lilah, Lilah Mizaki." Aizawa said. "His mothers name."
"It's a good thing we know his mothers name now." Toshinori said, "But I don't see h-"
"Lilah is Samael's mother, and Lilah was the symbol of peace for France, Toshinori, before she disappeared in a fight… and that person she was fighting was All for one." Aizawa said. His voice was dark and cold, but Toshinori knew what Aizawa was probably really feeling as he connected the dots.
"...I remember now..." Toshinori said. "Lilah's Quirk was..." He trailed off, his voice seeming to fail him.
Aizawa's didn't. "Hyper regeneration."
Line Break.
"Sammy-chan..." Shigaraki stared at the screen with glee, he recorded his best friends short battle with that black-haired girl, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen as he watched Samael beat her down.
Along with that strange black aura surrounding him with his attacks. Sammy-chan didn't always have that, he didn't need it, he knew how to fight just fine. Shigaraki thought.
"Shigaraki." A deep familiar voice suddenly spoke behind him, instantly Shigaraki paused the recording and turned around in his chair.
"S-Sensei!" Shigaraki stuttered, his face red with embarrassment. "I didn't expect you back so soon! Did Sammy-chan listen to you?"
All for one's aura seemed to grow more pleased at the question. "I believe he did, and it's all thanks to his Quirk."
"His… Quirk?" Shigaraki echoed. "I-i dont get it."
All for one laughed gently and ruffled Shigaraki's already messy hair. "I will fill you in another time, just know, we may be getting him back sooner than later."
"What about our spy?" Shigaraki asked, "When do they return to us?"
All for one shrugged casually. "Whenever Samael returns I suppose." He clearly didn't care about the spy's life or safety, neither did Shigaraki either to be frank, but Shigaraki did care about Samael and turned back to the screen to finally switch it back over to the regular sports festival, only to be annoyed immediately, that fucking green haired asshole seemed to be about to duke it out with the white-red haired one.
"There's someone else I've taken a small interest in." All for one said behind him. Shigaraki looked back curiously.
"Who is that sensei?"
All for one hummed and sat down, crossing one leg over the other. "This boy's name is Katsuki Bakugo."
Line break.
I need to think this through, if I use 7% of my power I should be just as fast as his ice is. Izuku's mind whirled like a jet fan, muttering his thoughts aloud unbeknownst to him. But that may not be enough, I shouldn't break my entire hand, a single finger should be enough to shatter his ice, which gives me ten chances to formulate a plan to take him down, but I don't want to do that unless the situation become extreme, it will just make me lose the fight otherwise.
Todoroki just stared at him with a slightly raised eyebrow. No doubt wondering why the green haired boy wasn't in an asylum for his mumbling.
"STAAAARRRRT!" Present Mic announced.
The ice was coming at him before Present Mic finished speaking, And a cold mist enveloped Izuku and the rest of the stadium before he could react.
"Todoroki starts off with a massive burst of ice and envelopes the entire arena in it, what's happening down there!?" Present Mic yelled.
Did I get him? Todoroki thought, running into the mist, squinting his eyes and whipping his head back and forth, the mist cleared and Todoroki's eyes widened, Izuku was no where to be found.
He jumped out of the way just in time to dodge a strike from Izuku from above, and blocked a handstand kick that was meant to launch into his stomach.
"Smaaaaash!" Izuku flicked his right index finger in Todoroki's direction, the proximity making Todoroki unable to dodge.
The force of the attack blasted Todoroki back like he was shot out of a cannon, stretching and bending his body in ways he'd probably regret later, he created ice under him catching him before he fell out of bounds and slid back into the arena on one knee.
What the hell was that? How does a finger generate that much wind pressure!? Todoroki thought.
"What in oblivion was that!?" Present Mic yelled. "With a single finger Izuku generated enough power to knock down a small building!"
The crowd was in a frenzy, adrenaline kept Izuku from feeling the aftershock of the initial break, but his right index finger was still trembling despite this, and he bit on the sleeve of his gym shirt in an effort to stop the shaking.
Damn! I was too hasty in doing that, I should have known he had a counter measure… but… since when could he generate ice while being airborne? Izuku thought, he couldn't think too much though, because suddenly more Ice came rocketing too him.
The power of one for all surged through his entire body, and he was dashing forward past the ice that attempted to hit him, Todoroki's eyes widened as he brought up a wall of ice to block the punch that Izuku threw with his left hand, shattering the ice in one strike.
He always attacks in an instant… I don't have much data on him because of this fact, so data won't work. I have to fight with instinct! Izuku grit his teeth and slammed his right fist into Todoroki's stomach before he could make more ice, Todoroki let out a gasp as he was launched through the ice wall behind him and across the arena.
"I won't lose like this!" Todoroki growled, creating more ice behind him to stop himself from flying out of the arena.
Izuku was suddenly in front of him, his right middle finger charged up, Todoroki's eyes widened, and swung his left hand instinctively.
Izuku reared back as the fire got close, the One for all left his right middle finger as he dodged, when he looked at Todoroki again he was momentarily taken aback by the shock on the double Quirk users face.
"That isn't your fathers power." Izuku suddenly said. Todoroki's face whipped towards his so quickly Izuku was surprised he didn't get whiplash.
"What?" Todoroki's eyes narrowed.
"Your scared of your own fire… but it's your fire. Not your fathers."
Todoroki's eyes filled with rage. "You don't know anything!" More ice came after Izuku, however it was slow, Izuku didn't even need to use one for all to dodge.
He's gonna give himself hypothermia at this rate. Izuku realized. Above in the stands, Bakugo watched.
"Half n' half is reaching his limit." Bakugo said suddenly.
"Huhhh?" Kirishima echoed. "Your kidding me right? I thought you could just fire off as many as you want of your power."
"As many as we want?" Bakugo snorted. "Don't be an idiot, Quirks are still physical abilities, there's a limit to every physical activity every person can do, strain your muscles and you'll tear them, run too much and you'll be out of breath. Same goes with Quirks, Like shitty Deku down there, shatters his bones if he uses too much of that fucking power at once, Half n' half asshole down there will either kill himself with Hypothermia or burn himself to death."
Bakugo glanced over to Samael who was watching the battle, clearly not paying attention to anything they were saying. "Villain bastard over there will die if he uses too much of his power. I tore my left arm muscle earlier while fighting Uraraka."
"...You just said Uraraka's name." Kaminari's face began to split into a grin. "And here I thought you were just brutalizing a fragile girl, to think your in l-"
Bakugo punched Kaminari, but didn't use his Quirk, then casually sat back down as if he didn't do that. "Stop shit talking… nothing fragile about her."
Izuku jumped clean over Todoroki's ice and ran around him spinning his body to spin kick Todoroki, Todoroki ducked under the attack and slammed the palm of his hand into Izuku's jaw, sending the green haired boy flying.
Izuku coughed out the air in his body when he landed, and gasped desperately to get it back. Todoroki was glaring, but that was his neutral expression for this fight it seemed.
"Sorry for this Midoriya, but I appreciate it, because of you..." Todoroki trailed off and gave the side eye to his father in the stands, how had a seemingly permanent scowl on his face. "That bastard over there doesn't look too happy."
Izuku remembered what Todoroki told him, with a painful look on his face in the tunnels.
By winning all of this without using my left side, I'll have denied him of everything. Todoroki had said, Izuku's body began to shake. And suddenly a massive blast came from him, Todoroki had to create three walls of ice behind him to stop himself from once again flying out of the arena, pain rocketed through his body and his legs began to shake from the effort of keeping him standing.
I'm… at my limit? Todoroki thought.
The mist cleared and Todoroki's eyes widened, standing there panting with a shattered left arm, was Midoriya. Izuku however seemed to not even care about the pain, and was staring down Todoroki with an almost evil look on his entire face.
"You… broke your arm." Todoroki said.
"Your shivering… Todoroki." Izuku said, his voice was gravelly, no doubt from the pain he was feeling, however combined with the look on his face and the way his voice sounded, it's intended effect pierced through Todoroki like a bullet.
"Quirks are still just physical abilities, you must have a limit to how much of that cold you can bear… then again, you could just use your left side to thaw yourself out." Izuku doubled over, the pain finally beginning to take hold.
"E-everyone. Is giving it their all!" Izuku suddenly screamed out. "To make it to the top! To say that your going to win with only half of your power, is demeaning everyone here today doing everything they can to win, and everything the past winners did to win!"
Todoroki began to shake even more.
"You still haven't put a single scratch on me you know." Izuku rose to his full height and clenched both of his fists despite his left arm being broken. And took a deep breath.
"GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU GOT! COME AT ME OR YOU'LL LOSE!" Izuku screamed.
"You… bastard..." Todoroki growled. "What are you planning? Did my bastard of a father pay you off or something?"
"Shut the fuck up about your father!" Izuku's right ring finger exploded with power, and shattered as the burst of strength went wild, shattering everything around them that was breakable.
Todoroki powered straight through the attack, and rushed forward, terribly slower than before. Todoroki raised his right leg and suddenly Izuku charged, and slammed his fist into Todoroki's stomach, sending him flying.
Izuku dashed forward with one for all and before Todoroki hit the ground Izuku jumped and corkscrew kicked Todoroki, slamming him into the arena's pavement even harder.
Izuku screamed, but not in victory, spinning around like that caused severe pain to rocket through the broken parts of his body, and Izuku couldn't hold it back.
"Why the hell are you going this far!" Todoroki asked, coughing a little blood into his hand. Dammit… What the hell…
"Trying… to meet expectations..." Izuku panted, he fell onto one knee, his entire body was shaking now. "A smiling dependable cool hero… that's what I wanna be."
Todoroki's eyes widened as he heard a single sentence in his head, a word that came from a woman.
Shoto… you can be a hero too.
"I admire you… you bastard." Izuku forced himself to his feet. "Your experiences… your determination… I cant even begin to imagine what that's all like..."
Izuku dashed forward again, too tired to use one for all at 7%. at this point it was all or nothing. "If you become number one without giving it your all! You can't say you were serious about denying him everything!"
Izuku made a fist for the last time, and punched Todoroki in the face, Todoroki himself was so damaged by his own ice he could barely move, so when he hit the ground he could barely stand up.
Another sentence flew through Todoroki's mind. From that same woman.
It's okay Shoto...You want to be a hero right? That's fine… Because….
"YOUR NOT YOUR FATHER! IT'S YOUR POWER!"
Your not your father… it's your power…
A tear fell from Todoroki's left eye. And he burst into flames.
A/N: Hello! Good to be back, this chapter is shorter than others because I currently am a little busy with life, that and I have two other stories I'm working on, it would be one, but I decided to revive the story I began to write a while back, it's the one with the most words and reviews out of all of them.
I decided I needed to start focusing not just on Samael's perspective, but others as well, so from now on I'll be attempting to do that.
That is all. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.