Author's Note: Hello everybody. Uhhmm…I don't know how I should tell this but apparently, a volcano erupted here in my country. Let's say a 100km away from the capital where I currently live, though I live far away from the danger zone, the volcanic ash reaches here, but it's not that much nor visible. So yeah, I'm still alive and breathing lmao. You can check the news about Taal Volcano. Google it if you wish.

Summary: A battle between two students: One who gained his redemption by embracing his flaws and changing his views towards people while the other demands retribution, his way of avenging his old self. Showcasing their talents, which hero student wins the grand duel? Plus, a short flashback where Izuku defeated one of the wicked villains in league.

Supreme Display of Talents

Alone inside the boy's locker room, the ash-blond Katsuki was sitting on the wooden bench facing at the silver metal lockers with a body towel wrapped around his waist as half of his body is topless, revealing his visible bulge and buffed chesticles, biceps down to his abdominal muscles with a few marks and scratches located on front and back part of his body, showing that he really worked hard to reach his own potential, as well as the redemption he wanted. With this battle training, he will show his former childhood friend that he's no longer that asshole and foul-mouthed jerk in the middle school because he believes that a broken relationship can still be reforged.

His back bent downwards and the tip of the elbows rested on his legs. Katsuki has been closing his eyes for a minute now with his calm expression, listening to a song with his earbuds on. He let out some soft whispers of the lyrics.

As a child, you would wait

And watch from far away

But you always knew that you'd be the one

That work while they all play

In youth, you'd lay

Awake at night and scheme

Of all the things that you would change

But it was just a dream!

Katsuki stood up and went to his opened locker where his hero costume, grenade-looking gauntlets, and boots placed. They were all cleaned, washed, and polished from the support department. One at the time he wore his garments followed by his boots and other equipment. While dressing up to prepare for his duel with Izuku, he sang the chorus of his most played song.

Here we are, don't turn away now,

We are the warriors that built this town

Here we are, don't turn away now

We are the warriors that built this town

From dust.

After a minute of fixing himself, facing in front of the small mirror located inside the locker door, he wore his mask around his eyes, jagged and black, tying around the back of his head before closing the locker, walking slowly towards the exit with a whisper.

"I didn't want a challenge, but since it's Izuku who wanted a duel then I will give my all~" He said in a serious low tone.

Meanwhile at the men's shower area, standing still in the running showers pouring from his head to his feet, Izuku motioned his right hand towards his necklace. An old bronze crest necklace he received from on the monks in Hirana. He bowed his head down and closed his eyes before starting his prayer, a ritual before the battle training.

"Glory to the Thunder God of the Thousand-Pierced Beast. Give me the resilience of your wilderness and the fury of your storm."

He paused for five seconds and breathed deeply. Let out the air by exhaling and continued his chant.

"Praise the God of Fire below the mountain, I ask for your wisdom, first builder and forgelord. Grant my blades your spiritual blessing that I will use in battle."

"Blessed the Enlightened One. Give me the strength to endure what I must. Give me the courage to fight who I must. Give me the knowledge to see the truth."

The green-haired finally opened his eyes and looked above the running shower pouring on his face. He then said his last prayer to his inner spirit.

"May the spirit guide me….protect me…and help me conquer this battle…"

After a quick shower and ritual he felt like the spirits have given him the strength and support. His nervousness has faded away and seemed to be ready to challenge his childhood friend. With a towel wrapped around his waist, he exited the showers and proceeded to the lockers to equip them.

xxx

The 3A students decided to wear their training uniforms instead of hero costumes since they will be witnessing the duel between Bakugou and Midoriya at the P.E. Training Grounds. Unfortunately, this is the only available area as the other simulation training areas are occupied by the other hero and general education sections from the lower class. The students felt the cold winds touched by their bodies as they have expected today's weather will be chilly and soon another fall of snow will likely drop in the next few days.

Since they are in 3A and their last year in UA, there is no need for a hero teacher to guide them as they have already knew and aware of their responsibilities as future pro-heroes. Instead, the class president Iida is in charge of the hero training. While waiting for the two duelists to arrive, the blue-haired instructed his classmates to have sparring partners and test their hand-to-hand combat without activating their quirks. He included himself to join his classmates as he doesn't want to stand there and watch doing nothing. He later requested Uraraka to be his partner which the brunette smiled and agreed.

Minutes have passed and the class paused their training when the ash-blonde Katsuki arrived first at the training grounds wearing his hero costume. His squadmates naming Kirishima, Kaminari, Ashido, and Sero approached their friend and gave him a reassuring smile that their friend will win the battle. The red-haired placed a hand on other's shoulder and let out his signature bright smile.

"We do not have much information about Midoriya guy, but I think you'll manage to beat him without breaking a sweat…"

"Huh? What do you mean 'without breaking a sweat'?!" The pink-haired overreacted. "How would he be able to use his quirk without his sweat, you dummy!"

"O-Oh right...Hehehe~" Eijiro rubbed his temples with a soft chuckle.

"B-But he's the son of the former vigilantes Dragborn and Psyche according to our teacher. Midoriya said he levitates and manipulates metal objects and I think his quirk can be powerful. We still have no idea what he's capable of…" Kaminari added.

"Agreed," Sero added with a question. "And I want to add something, if he's one of the top hero-in-training students in Shiketsu High, then why we did not see him during the provisional hero license?"

Kirishima answered "My thoughts exactly when he first arrived in our school…Hmm..maybe he's on a special mission or something? Failed and took the remedial test? Who knows? Maybe we should ask him—"

"Ask about what?"

He was interrupted when Izuku arrived behind them and it seemed he was eavesdropping the conversation of the squad. The rest of the students witnessed the scene, some were eyeing Izuku's hero costume: Assassin/Ninja inspired battle suit with colors of black and dark green; his fearless emerald contacts are visible as half of his face are covered with a leather shadow assassin mask that covers his lips and nose. As his weapon, his array of blades appeared from his back: about four titanium blades on each side.

Izuku glanced at the red-haired and answered the question.

"I was given a separate task for a manhunt. I was part of a mission where I participated to track down the perpetrator who hurt my classmate in Shiketsu. We found out the villain was part of the league. So I gained the license upon finishing the mission."

"W-What happened to the criminal then?" Iida asked.

Izuku smirked and let out a soft chuckle. "Unfortunately, the villain did not make it in time. Shame, she could have been so useful alive. End of story…"

Though wanting to disclose everything, he doesn't want to waste his time storytelling, so he ended the conversation and walked away from the group.

The Bakusquad backed away and the rest of his classmates couldn't say a single word except for astonishment and awe upon seeing him with his costume on for the first time, thinking Izuku will be surging into the thick of hero operation, where he can pierce the shields and armors of his foes before cutting them down in a flurry of dancing blades.

Katsuki observed at Izuku's costume before eyeing directly into his contacts and said with a normal tone.

"Nice costume you got, Nightblade…An edgy assassin outfit, huh?" He grinned.

Izuku eyed back with a stoic look. He looked up and down at the other's outfit and answered.

"Tch…Compliment is not necessary…your flattering does not work on me, Ground Zero." He huffed and turned his head away like a denial tsundere.

"But it looks good on you, Izuku—" He tried to comfort him but….

"One more word or I'll let you suck my sharp blades!" Izuku glanced with a glare and taunt.

Katsuki backed away with a blush, hinting a slight sexual innuendo coming from the green-haired, resulting his squad turned their heads away and chuckled while Iida, Uraraka, and Todoroki looked at each other and blinked twice before saying 'Eh?' reaction.

Kirishima yelled at Bakugou, trying to resist his laughter. "Remember to think first before you even speak, Bakubro. Use proper wording next time!"

He huffed and cursed himself, regretting what he said to Izuku. "D-Dammit—!"

The battle is about to commence as of the class president now acting as the hero trainer, telling about the rules of battle training. Physical combat is encouraged and using quirks is allowed, but he told the two that avoid using lethal quirk techniques or awakened power which could critically hurt them. Students all gathered at the side, looking forward to the fight as they have already betted their classmates which of them would win the duel.

As Iida finished telling the rules, he joined alongside the spectators as the battle is about to commence. The ash-blond stood still, a few meters from the green-haired stared his contacts. He taunted, hinting some words from their past which he hasn't forgotten yet.

"It takes a cold heart to abandon our bonds, Izuku."

Izuku spat and taunted back to him. His array of blades slowly circling around him, looking like his blades are wanting the opponent for a dance…a duel rather.

"Tch…My cold heart is the reason we are alive…."

Bakugou responded back and did his combat stance. His grenade-looking gauntlets pointed directly at Izuku.

"The mistakes I did in the past made me who I am today."

Midoriya's circling blades stopped and formed an attack stance. The sharp tips of the blades are now pointed at the targeted opponent.

"But the pain you have caused to me is the reason I have this strength of letting go!"

As fast as the tempest. With his blades, Izuku dashed with his maximum speed preparing his blades to surge towards his foe. He then let out his battlecry.

"Suffer as I have!"

"Think you're the only one?!"

Bakugou began shooting explosives towards the incoming target, trying to slow him down. This would be his last response before their grand duel

And thus, the battle has started showing their supreme display of talents.

The time for talk is over…