A.N: Weeelcome back everyone! Hope ya'll are doin fine, and let's not waste any time and get right into the reviews!
Kevin J Rosario Cruz: Yup, it's happening! Though, don't throw a party just yet XD. I don't want to rush the progression of their relationship, but I'm sure that the payoff will be satisfying. Thank you dude!
StandUpKeepMovingForward: New and good is what I intend to aim for, good sir/madam ;P
thedock.j2: I'm honoured that you enjoy my fic that much, I can only hope to keep things interesting and entertaining!
taylorjohnjero1: Glad that the interactions and build-up is believable! It's good to be able to see practice and improvement from my previous works pay off here, especially between Rumi and Kendo. Thanks for the support dude!
SkeenTheDream: Y'know that... actually sounds like something I can make work! I wasn't planning on using the Calvary Battle as the second event, but this gives me a couple of ideas that I could definitely make work. It's a great idea, and I'll be sure to give you credit for it. Thanks again man, and hope you continue to enjoy it!
God doesn't Love You: Personally, I feel like there are good harem stories out there, but you aren't wrong in saying that (from what I've seen) there are a good deal of them.
Vince Fangway: Welcome aboard the train dude! Don't really blame you for having low expectations on a story based around a character who's only standout moment was getting his ass kicked by a teenager and weight-shedding cop. Also glad to see another Doom fan out there, still got a few more references up my sleeve. Thank you for the support, and under-rated or not, I'm just glad that it's getting the attention that it is!
Now, back to the show! Gonna have to address something in this chapter that I think may confuse or possibly even anger some people seeing as I'm essentially messing with Kendo's established character in a certain way, something I don't really blame anyone for. With that being said, hope you enjoy!
Rumble, Young Man Rumble!
Chapter 12
Jab, Cross, Snap!
"DAMMIT!" Kendo shouted, slamming his fist into the stone floor. His shout of raw frustration echoed through Gym Alpha, catching several people off guard. Kendo's frustration all stemmed from one major source: his inability to access that 'power', the form that aided him in destroying the Zero-pointer. The 'Beast' that he constantly saw in his dreams was mostly silent for the time being, dormant, but it roiled and writhed, waiting to be used. He still had no clue what the hell it even was, but he had a gut feeling that it was connected to that form of his. The form that he just couldn't access. 'I don't get it!' He thought, 'Getting angry should be able to call it out, but nothing's happening. I need something that'll give me an edge in the Sports Festival if… no, when I need it.' Kendo was a bit arrogant and prideful in his ability, but he wasn't blind. He knew that there were going to be bad matchups for a rush-brawler like himself: Yu and Ryuko could literally just grab him and throw him out of the arena, overwhelm him with their sheer size and momentum. Sendo could fire away at him with his rangier quirk, even able to hold his own at close range thanks to his Karate, and Shinji was incredibly skilled with his wood-creation. Rumi… she could wear him down with her speed and agility, cut angles on him to make him miss and counter, attack from odd positions to throw him off, hell, she had the power to outright disable his arms if she hit hard and consistently. That power was going to be a crucial last resort against opponents like those when things got hairy, and he didn't doubt that they would.
"C'mon… the one time I need you to come out and now you decide to not show up?" He muttered angrily, forcing himself to his feet. "Well shit, guess I'll have to pull it out my ass whenever I can. Besides, it's probably safer if I can't use something that feels like it's killing me. Still…" He thought and thought hard: if he couldn't use that, then what could he possibly improve? It was already Wednesday, and the Festival was on Monday. His conditioning was definitely up to scratch, so he didn't need to worry about his stamina any time soon, but he still needed to improve something other than his body…
"Having trouble?" Sendo asked, slightly startling Kendo.
"Shit man, at least give me a heads up, gonna have a heart-attack," He chuckled, still frustrated, "But yeah, I'm struggling. My stamina isn't an issue, and I don't want to put on any unnecessary muscle that'll slow me down. Aside from that, I've got nothing that'll give me an advantage over anyone else besides that thing."
"Thing?" Sendo asked.
"Oh, I mean that thing where I go all red and steamy and veiny… and murder-y."
"Hmm, fair point," Sendo hummed, thinking for a bit. "Oh! Well, you're fine with your body and it's conditioning, so why not try to improve your technique?" That caught Kendo's interest, the two of them sitting down on the floor, Sendo's legs crossed serenely while Kendo's were splayed out. "Think about it like this: the reason why I was able to handle you at close range, at least when you weren't using your quirk, was largely because of your technique. Your punching-form isn't necessarily what I'd call bad, but it's still very rough around the edges and could use some refinement."
"Show me your ways Sensei," Kendo joked, though he watched Sendo intently as he stood up. Sendo's stance wasn't his usual Karate-stance, it was a much more relaxed boxing-like guard, his feet lightly bouncing from the floor.
"When you punch, you tend to throw too much of your body into it like this," He said, swinging a fast but noticeably wild right-handed punch, his arm overextending slightly and his body twisting dramatically. Kendo nodded: this was true after all. "That goes for both arms as well. Sure, you have a fast punch even when you're not using your quirk, but every time you punch, you need a moment where you have to reposition your body in order to attack effectively. That's why I was able to counter you, by taking advantage of that gap in between each attack!" Kendo's jaw stung with a phantom ache, and he grinned at the memory of Sendo's fist crashing into his face. It was a simple but brilliant counter, even if Kendo managed to beat him in the end.
"Never thought of it that way, but shit, can't say you're wrong. So what's the fix? Do I just increase my speed?"
"Not necessarily," Sendo replied, "Increasing your speed can still tire you out after a prolonged period of time. You need to think smaller, and be more efficient! I've got just the thing that'll help you as well. Stand up with me." Excited, Kendo did just that, up in his own stance that mirrored Sendo's. "You've probably heard this before, but it's a simple Jab-Cross combo. Always start with your left hand. Relax your arms, twist from your shoulders and elbow to engage your back muscles, and snap it out with that same twisting motion, like…" Sendo concentrated before his left fist shot out, a sharp *SHH* cutting through the air. "That! Don't over-extend yourself, everything comes from the shoulders. You can push off your feet if you want to jab and move forward and add more weight behind it. Try it!"
"Shit, that's really simple, but it's awesome!" Kendo then focused, evening out his breathing and remembering the steps. "HA!"
*FWOOSH*
His hip twisted slightly with the jab, but it otherwise shot out like a massive bullet, the air actual blowing Sendo's hair from his grinning face. "Great first try! Careful though, you're overextending a bit, and you're still a bit tensed up. Relax and snap it out, almost as if your arm is a towel and you're trying to whip something with the very end of it." Nodding, Kendo put a lid on his excitement, putting his full focus into the single move. 'Relax… twist… and snap!'
*FFSHH"
Sendo blinked. 'I… I could barely see it!' His jab, as simple as it was, had been far too fast for someone of Kendo's size. "K… Kendo, are you using your quirk?"
"Nah, why?"
"Because I don't think I've ever seen a simple jab travel as fast as that before. It's near-perfect!"
"Really!? Lemme try it a couple more times, don't want it to be a fluke." He concentrated again and shot his left out a couple more times in a steady rhythm.
*FFSHH, FFSHH, FFSHH, FFSHH*
There were slight differences. Sometimes, he put a little too much weight behind them and overextended just a bit, but otherwise, his form was tight, compact, and almost textbook-perfect. 'He's the perfect student of any fighting art, a combination of raw talent and a drive to seek mastery over the tools that he currently has!' Sendo was never one to fall to negative emotions, and that held true here as well. True, he was a little jealous so see someone so physically skilled, but such an event was inevitable in the world of Quirks and abnormality. No, the emotion flooding his body right now, making him tremble from head to toe was untamed excitement.
"You more or less have it down, just don't forget not to overextend or twist too far. Onto the right cross! It's quite similar but a bit different. Set your feet apart, your right leg back for stability. Step with that front foot slightly, turn your hips, and twist your shoulder inward. Keep everything compact, and make sure to come back to your guard. Like so!" Sendo's right hand shot out, perfectly sharp and powerful. Kendo stared at him for moment, the gears in his mind turning before he focused again.
"Feet… hips… SHOULDERS!"
*VVSSHH*
It was like a mallet ripping through the air, almost too fast for the eye to see. Kendo had a fast, whipping jab, but his right hand… "Put them together now, with me!" There wasn't any hesitation between the two of them as they threw out their jab-cross combination. Like bullets shooting through the air, everyone in the gym had an eye on them, skill, power and speed on display as they repeated the same combination over and over again. Rumi on the other side of the room had her mouth hanging open, her eyes focused on Kendo's grinning face as he threw out his picture-perfect combination.
'That sly bastard…' Rumi's face curled into a grin of her own, her blood starting to heat up even more. 'Don't think that you're the only one who wants to improve. I ain't gonna fall behind you Kendo!' She went back to practicing her kicks and acrobatics, even more vigorously than before.
"Getting a bit fired up huh?" Yu asked as she did sit-ups next to her.
"Kinda hard not to get fired up. I'm gonna give my all and win this thing!" Rumi practically shouted as her roundhouse-kick cut through the air.
"Is… is everything alright between you and Kendo?" Yu asked, a small hint of nervousness in her voice.
"Oh, yeah, we're just fine," Rumi said, her grin a bit more gleeful, her cheeks tingling with heat, "We're just spending some time away from each other. No distractions and all that jazz. We'll meet in the arena and show our improvements, for sure."
"Hmm," Yu hummed, her eyes narrowing a bit at Rumi. Needless to say, things were certainly heating up before the Festival.
…
"Thanks for the help dude," Kendo chuckled as he pulled on a fresh shirt, his blood still running hotter than ever. Four new weapons were added to his arsenal today: jab, cross, right-hook and left-hook. Simple as they were, they were the closest thing to what he was looking for to even the score out. Though, as thankful as he was, he was still aware that he was missing something.
"Glad to help Kendo!" Sendo said cheerfully, "Make sure to fine-tune and practice those punches, I'm sure that you'll master them with enough time."
"I won't let up, I'll get those punches down and I'll win with them," Kendo promised, the two of them fist-bumping.
"Careful now, you still have me to contend with," Sendo chuckled, "And I very much intend to prevail in the Festival."
"Well shit, now you've got me looking forward to this thing even more!" Kendo laughed, acknowledging his challenge. "You take care now Sendo."
"And you as well, Kendo."
Leaving U.A as the sun began to dip in the sky was an enlightening feeling (ironically), but Kendo still couldn't shake that feeling that he was missing something crucial, a true boost to his overall combat abilities rather than some new techniques. After all, being strong and having a good punch could definitely help, but…
"Yo, Big-guy!" He turned and grinned, watching Rumi walk over to him, all freshened up. "Nice punchin' today. Still, it doesn't matter what new punch you've got, because I'm still gonna win this thing!"
"Hah, you're on Usagi!" The two of them butting heads almost playfully before laughing it off, both of them blushing slightly as the memory of Friday night resurfaced. "Well uh…" Kendo chuckled, idly rubbing the back of his head.
"What's wrong, cat got yer tongue?" Rumi chuckled, still a bit bashful herself. "Don't blame you, since I'm so amazing."
"Tch, getting a swelled head there Usagi," He said with a grin, a bit more relaxed as they fell into their usual banter.
"Probably, but I think I've earned it," She laughed back, patting his arm. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow alright?"
"Hmm, same to you Usagi," Kendo replied with a thumbs up. He watched her skip off happily and smiled, muttering, "What a gal…" He shook his head to clear it as he focused his thoughts again, throwing out a slow jab-cross combination as he wracked his brain for something. "I mean, my punching-form when I use my quirk will be way better if I can master this, but that's something everyone will expect. Hmm…" Starting his walk home after a while, he still attempted to try and think on what to use.
"Shit, I mean… huh." A thought struck him. He could use his Quirk for an extended period of time, so why not try to use at full power in one quick flash, only for those two punches? "Never hurt to give it a try," He muttered as he stood on the empty sidewalk, putting his fists up and feeling his shoulders grow warm. "Don't extend it… focus, keep it compact… and-!"
*SNAPSNAP*
Kendo grunted in shock and almost fell to his knees as a sharp sensation rung through his arms, all the way to his bones. It didn't hurt, the sensation fading after a moment, and yet… "What the fuck!?" He stood up again, finding that sudden coiling sensation, starting from his shoulders and travelling right to his fingertips. He was more relaxed this time, but it felt like the muscles in his arms were going to burst. "Again!"
*SNAPSNAP*
And again, that ringing, vibrating sensation shook his arms. His combination moved so fast that even he could barely see them, even faster than when he was using his quirk for a punch-rush (if only for that split second). "Shit… it's just like mom's Quirk!" He looked at his shaking hands, a smile stretching across his face. This was something he could use. With fists as hard as his, combined with his natural strength and newfound attacking-speed, he could break through anything in his path. "Just you fuckin' wait Usagi, I'll give you a fight that'll become unforgettable!"
Meanwhile, a small, sphere-like robot, just about the size of a baseball, recorded Kendo from around the corner of the street, it's camera zooming in on him as it stored its data. After a moment, it rolled away into a sewer-drain, invisible and easily forgettable. Such was its purpose.
(To Be Continued...)
A.N: So, Kendo and his Quirk. Why exactly am I screwing around with it so much? Because I DO WHAT I WANT, YEEEEAAAAH - nah, I'm half kidding on that one. Basically, here's what we know of Kendo Rappa in the proper Bnha-Verse: he ran distances himself from his parents as a teenager, joined an underground fight-club and... then what? As far as we're aware, he had absolutely DOMINATED everyone that he fought against with zero resistance, the ones that were able to take his punches without folding like an omelette begging for mercy. He's done this for what we can guess to be over a decade: in short, he was so strong that almost nobody could match him until Overhaul came around. Therefore, because he constantly one-shot dudes, he had no reason to improve his quirk or fighting capabilities.
HERE, the situation I wanted to play out is different. At a much younger age, and in a top Hero-school, there are plenty of people who can deal with his raw physical abilities, pushing him to improve every aspect of himself (and that's not to mention his rivalry with Rumi), which is why I wanted to play around with how his quirk could be improved and evolved, something that was never explored in Bnha-proper. Think about it like this. He can rotate his shoulders in a repetitive motion at a very high speed, a biological function that involves the muscles in his back, pectorals, and shoulders (why do you think he's so buff?). So what if he could do it in shorter, even more concentrated bursts? Could he do other things with it besides his shoulders? Hell, I've dropped a major hint about it ever since the Entrance Exam (see if you can figure it out ;D). It's also why I gave his parents specific Quirks that would influence his own. Not to mention, Kendo isn't the only one getting a bit of a boost to their Quirk...
Rant aside, I can only hope that my explanation is valid, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Because next time... it begins.
Sort of. I'm a terrible person, and I'm still laughing.