"He surprised us over and over again in the obstacle race. From the hero course: Mitsuji Saiga!"
Mitsuji looked around as he walked up the arena. He felt pain in his stomach as his nervousness was getting into him. After all, the realization that thousands of people were watching him and that he was on national television was dawning into him. And unlike the obstacle race and capture the flag, he was the center of attention.
Don't worry. You'll do fine. You told her that you'll get the 1st place. Also, Senpai is believing in me!, he thought.
"…From the hero course: Kuroi Niriyama!", Mitsuji didn't hear Present Mic's introduction of Kuroi since he was deep in thought.
A boy with black hair and red eyes calmly walked up the arena. His hands were on his pockets and he was smiling. It wasn't a friendly smile though. Instead, it was a smile that showed that he was looking down on others.
"START!"
Mitsuji got into a fighting stance but he saw the Kuroi wasn't even moving.
"I have a question", Kuroi said.
"What is it?", Mitsuji asked.
"Why is a nervous wreck like you here in the final round?"
Mitsuji was taken aback by what he said.
"In the first training exercise, you were pretty pathetic as you nervously moved and mumbled. If you didn't defeat Mondronen, you would've been even more pathetic in my eyes. Ah right. You passed out after you defeated him", Kuroi told him.
"What are you trying to do?", Mitsuji asked.
"I'm just asking a question. Why is a nervous wreck like you here in the final round?", Kuroi repeated his question.
"It's because someone believes in me. She knows that I can do it. That's why… I'll show her that she is right!", Mitsuji answered.
Kuroi stopped smiling as four of his red tentacles emerged from his back. Mitsuji felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Kuroi's eyes. It was as cold as ice and his look felt like it could pierce right through him.
"I see. It makes sense now… You are more pathetic than I thought", Kuroi said as he charged.
1…2…
Mitsuji shot flames but Kuroi wrapped himself with his tentacles. He was surprised that Kuroi wasn't even fazed by his flames. Mitsuji decided to increase the heat of his flames but Kuroi didn't stop charging.
Dang it!, Mitsuji thought.
1…
Kuroi stopped wrapping himself with his tentacles and had one of it swipe at Mitsuji.
2…
An earth wall pierced through the concrete ground and shielded Mitsuji from the tentacle. He touched the ground and spikes made out of earth emerged from beneath Kuroi but before it could hit him, Kuroi jumped out of the way.
1…2…
Mitsuji faced his hand at Kuroi and unleashed electricity at him. However, Kuroi wrapped his tentacles around himself again and defended himself.
He's resistant to flame and electricity? This is a bad match-up!, Mitsuji thought.
"Are you done?", Kuroi asked.
1…2…
Mitsuji had earthen spikes appear beneath Kuroi but he jumped up.
"Then… it's my turn", Kuroi.
He landed and a tentacle swung at Mitsuji but Mitsuji created a wall made of earth. But that didn't stop Kuroi. He continued attacking the earthen wall until it broke, leaving Mitsuji exposed. Kuroi landed a blow on Mitsuji which blew him away.
1…2…
When Mitsuji landed, he shot hotter flames at Kuroi. Tentacles wrapped Kuroi again and shielded him from the flames. Kuroi slowly walked towards the attacking Mitsuji but Mitsuji didn't stop shooting flames. He had a hunch that Kuroi's tentacle would heat up sooner and later.
And his hunch was correct. Kuroi jumped out of Mitsuji's attack.
"Kufufufu. You found out. I was hoping to continue tricking you until I win", Kuroi said.
"So your tentacles do heat up"
"Yep. Although it takes some time. Very well, I'll get a bit serious on a pathetic little one like you"
Kuroi ran. Mitsuji shot flames but instead of wrapping himself with tentacles, Kuroi masterfully avoided it with a combination of sidestepping and raising himself up with his tentacles.
He got close enough and smacked Mitsuji with his tentacle. Mitsuji then grabbed the tentacle that attacked him.
1…
Mitsuji pulled the tentacle and got near to Kuroi.
2…
He unleashed electricity all over his body and shocked Kuroi. As he was electrocuted, Kuroi attacked Mitsuji with the remaining three tentacles he had. Mitsuji continued releasing electricity until one of the tentacles wrapped around him and threw him away.
"You actually changed a lot! Is this all because someone believed in you?", Kuroi asked.
"Yes. I will prove her right", Mitsuji answered.
"Pathetic. How laughable!", Kuroi shouted and glared at him.
Mitsuji felt something from Kuroi. It was anger, hatred, and disappointment. He always found him mysterious. Never saying anything in class aside from his usual "Kufufufu", he was quiet and according to Kai, he was strong. But now, he felt those emotions in him.
"People like you disgust me", Kuroi said.
"What do you mean?", Mitsuji asked.
"Fighting because someone believes in you? Look at you! You can barely do a thing when no one believed in you and now that someone does, you become powerful? What if that someone stops believing? Will you revert to your old nervous and useless self?", Kuroi asked.
"Your point?"
"Heroes always say that they fight because someone believes in them. They say that the smiles of the people drive them on. I find that laughable. If they don't smile for you, will you stop saving? If they hate you, will you give up?"
"…"
"You got a powerful Quirk but you can't use it properly until someone believed in you? That's stupid! You're saying you won't save anyone unless they believe in you? Real heroes don't require approval. They continue saving even if the whole world is against them!"
Kuroi calmed down and took a deep breath..
"Looks like I got carried away. Shall we continue this fight?", Kuroi asked.
"You're right. I'm pathetic", Mitsuji said.
"Huh?"
"I couldn't do a thing when no one believed in me. But her words opened my eyes. Having someone believe in you is the greatest support one could get. You're right that heroes should fight even if the whole world is against them. But don't you think that someone out there still believes in them? Family, friends, or even a stranger?"
"That's just wishful thinking", Kuroi said.
He knew all too well what it was like to be believed in. And how hurtful it is to be betrayed.
###
Kuroi Niriyama was a known delinquent. Everyone in his school and in his area knew of his acts. He would beat up people and sometimes steal their money. There were even rumors that he attacked a teacher. But he wasn't like that before. Kuroi used to be one of the hero-prodigies in his school.
"I believe that you'll be a great hero", a teacher told him.
"Really sir?", he asked.
"Yeah. You got the wits, the strength, and the Quirk. You even have a good heart. As long as you don't stray from the right path, Sensei would always believe in you"
Those words gave him joy. Being believed in was the greatest feeling one would have.
A few days later, he saw a person being bullied. The person was a student that no one cared about but Kuroi remembered his teacher's words. He decided to step in and stop the bullying. Instead of a peaceful resolution, it ended with a fight where Kuroi emerged victorious.
The next day, he was called to the office. Apparently, he beat up one of the top students of the school who was going to represent them in an important contest. But now he was injured, the school was in a pinch. Before Kuroi could explain that he had to do it because someone was being bullied, his teacher glared at him.
"I was wrong to believe in you. A person like you don't deserve to be a hero", his teacher said.
That set him off.
Before he knew it, he smashed the teacher's desk using his Quirk and he glared back at him. Kuroi left the room angry and disappointed. He decided to prove everyone wrong by becoming a great hero even if no one believed in him.
He beat up bullies and he wouldn't even care if the bullies would make it seem that he was the bad guy. Kuroi would return the extorted money the bullies took to their rightful owners. As he was hated by the entire school, he continued "saving" people.
It didn't go unnoticed. Someone used their connections to get him into UA by recommendations and now he was a student there. And his first step in becoming a hero was to be on the top.
###
They continued fighting. Mitsuji would shoot flames while Kuroi would avoid and then try to hit him with his tentacles. Electricity, fire, earth, and tentacles clashed as the resolve of each student intensified. One was being believed in so he had strength. The other had the resolve to continue on fighting even without support.
1…2…
Mitsuji shot flames at Kuroi but the tentacles got in the way.
"What kind of hero are you if you can't move without a person believing in you?", Kuroi asked as his tentacle hit Mitsuji in the face.
"They say that they'll support you until the end but then give up on you. You say that it's the greatest feeling the world. Yes it is! But the pain the comes after it is the worst!", Kuroi shouted as he beat up Mitsuji.
"So what? I won't be afraid to get hurt", Mitsuji said as he blocked a tentacle.
"Don't be stupid! You don't understand. I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this for you and every other person out there. Don't make the same mistake as I did!"
The remaining three tentacles hit Mitsuji.
Kuroi raised his hand and a tentacle wrapped itself around his hand and became a drill. He then charged at Mitsuji.
1…2…
Fire shot off from Mitsuji's hands but Kuroi used his arm that had a tentacle wrapped around it to shield himself. A tentacle thrust and hit Mitsuji. Another tentacle swiped Mitsuji. Kuroi got close enough and used his drill-like arm to pierce Mitsuji. Blood flowed from Mitsuji's stomach.
"Niriyama! Warning!", Nagusawa shouted.
Kuroi backed off. Luckily, the wound wasn't too deep but for Mitsuji, it was still painful. He still stood up and gritted his teeth. There was no way he would give up. She believed in him. He had to win this.
"Give up. Blood rushed to my head and injured you that much. If you want to continue, I won't hold back even if you're wounded", Kuroi warned.
"Are you kidding me? If she sees me giving up because of something like this, how would she feel after telling me that I'll become a great hero?", Mitsuji asked and his body emitted little sparks of electricity.
Nagusawa looked at Mitsuji. He wanted to stop the match but he doubted that Mitsuji would allow that. But if things get worse, he would stop it no matter what both parties would say.
Mitsuji shot electricity and Kuroi shielded himself with his tentacles. Kuroi charged when Mitsuji stopped attacking and swiped his tentacle. Mitsuji felt pain and his wound bled. Using this opening, Kuroi's tentacles grabbed Mitsuji's arms and legs while he used his hand to grab the neck. He successfully pinned down Mitsuji.
"Looks like having someone believe in you only gets you this far", Kuroi said.
"I wonder who believed in a pathetic man like you. She must be stupid", he added.
Kuroi felt that Mitsuji was getting hotter.
Not good!, he thought.
He released Mitsuji and got away just in time before a pillar of flame appeared. In the center of the flame was an angry Mitsuji.
"Don't you dare insult Senpai!", Mitsuji shouted.
Even from far away, the audience felt the heat of his flames. Kuroi readied himself. He had to make the first move before Mitsuji could do a thing. His tentacles hardened and wrapped around him as he ran towards Mitsuji.
Mitsuji gathered all of the flames into his right arm and shot it towards Kuroi. However…
The wound on Mitsuji's stomach bled even more and he felt dizzy as his temperature skyrocketed. He then collapsed to the ground after a while.
I have to fight. Senpai believes in me…, he thought as he tried to get up.
Senpai… Senpai…... Sen…pai…, he passed out.
Kuroi stood on the field. He had burn marks and his tentacles were limping on the ground, black in color since it was burnt.
"That was… dangerous", Kuroi said.
"Mitsuji Saiga lost consciousness. Kuroi Niriyama wins!", Nagusawa announced.
Hey everyone! That's it for the first round of the finals. Everyone did their best and I hope that there are no hard feelings for the creators of the OCs who lost. And yes, Mitsuji lost. I'm not going for the cheesy "Oh my god. Someone believes in me, I'm strong". Remember, Mitsuji just started training with his Quirk unlike Kuroi who was aiming to be a hero a long time ago. At least, that's what I thought. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it and leave a review!