A/N: Alright, here we are at the semi-finals! Since both fights are important to our main protagonists, I've decided to give both Deku and Kurai a chapter apiece for their battles in which they will compete for the right to face each other in the finals. We're about to get to Midoriya vs Todoroki, but things won't be quite the same this time around...

How so? Read and enjoy to find out! Also feel free to leave a review- I love getting those.

Phase 1: Chapter 14

The Fight Blazes

"I don't get it," Midoriya muttered as he scribbled in his notebook. "Based on what we all saw during the Cavalry Battle, and his previous combat performances, I'd have thought that Tokoyami's Dark Shadow would have given him victory over Kacchan. Then again, he's pretty persistent when it comes to fighting… Or anything really."

The raven-headed boy was walking off the field, having been forced into surrender by Bakugo's ferocious attacks during their match. He appeared dejected as he departed, but then, it was often hard to get a good read on the other boy's emotions.

"I have a theory on that," Kurai said in a lowered tone while he peered down at the victor, who was glaring back up at him. "I'm no Akarui, but my best guess is that the shadow monster probably works better in the dark, and Bakugo's explosions wouldn't exactly be conducive to that desired environment."

"Uh… In Japanese, Einstein?" Mina asked him blankly.

"Remember how Tokoyami stole my headband during the Cavalry Battle?" he replied as he leaned back in his seat.

"Kinda hard to miss that," Uraraka laughed nervously. "We were there."

"Yeah, he made your head bleed really bad, and I'm still kinda mad at him for it," Mina huffed, her arms crossed.

"Okay, but do you remember how he was hiding in Shoji's arms?" Kurai asked as he jerked his head toward the mentioned student, who looked to be in conversation with Sero. "He would have been in almost total darkness, which if I'm right, means that he would be way stronger than if he was being exposed to sunlight and flashbangs like the ones Bakugo can make."

"It's an interesting theory, but we can't be too sure unless we asked Tokoyami about it himself, and he doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would discuss his weaknesses so readily, especially given how-"

"Midoriya, you're doing it again!" Kurai muttered as he hung his head, causing his friend to yelp and cover his mouth. Looking over at the green-haired boy, Kurai asked, "Shouldn't you be getting ready for your match with Todoroki?"

"I imagine that it will be some time before the stadium is repaired from Bakugo's explosions," Iida said sharply, his right leg bandaged up. "There's no need to rush, Midoriya."

He had been injured in his fight with Kurai, the final blow from his friend having caused multiple fractures to the bone, and severe damage to the engine inside his body. Even after a session with Recovery Girl, he would still need to stay off of the leg for a few days, not to mention that his family doctor/mechanic would need to do some repairs to the engine itself.

"Actually, I could do with some extra prep time," Midoriya replied to his friend. Looking over at Kurai, he asked, "Mind coming with me to discuss strategy? It might help to have someone else's opinion on what to do when I'm fighting our class' most capable student."

"Don't sell yourself short, pal," Kurai chuckled as he moved to follow his classmate. "You beat everyone in the race, so I wouldn't count yourself out just yet. Besides, I'm sure Akarui is already coming up with something for you to work with."

"Yeah, he kept asking me questions, but I never got an actual strategy from him," Midoriya replied as they exited their seating area, Uraraka and Iida calling for him to have good luck as they did.

While they walked, Kurai dialed his brother's phone, listening to the ringtone for a few seconds before Akarui picked up. "What's up?" he heard the younger boy say.

"Midoriya's match starts soon, he needs whatever intel you can provide," Kurai answered. "You have something?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's just taking me a little longer to put things together," Akarui muttered. "The sun's past its zenith, so I'm not as fast as I was earlier."

"Right, sorry," Kurai apologized. "Mind if I hand you over to him?"

"Go for it."

"Here," the black-haired student said as he gave his phone to Midoriya. "Akarui says he's got something."

"Thanks," Izuku nodded as he took the phone while they turned a corner. "Midoriya here… Uh-huh. Good point… No, not without breaking something. …That might work, but it'd be really close. …No, you're right. Okay, thanks, Hikari." Hanging up, he handed the phone back to Kurai, who looked a question at his friend.

Seeing it, Midoriya said, "Unfortunately, your brother and I agree that there are a lot unknowns about Todoroki and his fighting style for me to come up with a full-proof plan to beat him."

"Nothing's ever full-proof," Kurai shrugged as he pocketed the device. "Did you at least come up with something that'll let you fight him without breaking your bones? I saw how you panicked at the end of your fight with Kirishima."

"Yeah…" Izuku laughed nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "I don't wanna do that again. Your brother was telling me that what we've seen of Todoroki so far shows that he doesn't move his body a whole lot- he lets his quirk do a lot of the fighting for him, and there might be a way I can take advantage of that."

"How so?" Kurai was intrigued. After all, if he beat Bakugo in the next match, he could end up fighting either Todoroki or Midoriya, so any knowledge that he could use against them would be helpful.

"My reflexes have been improving a lot since you helped me to get a handle on Full Cowling," Midoriya replied quickly. "Todoroki primarily relies on his ice, which is good for me, because if he used his fire, there wouldn't be any cover for me to avoid those kinds of attacks. If I can use the ice that he creates as way to get closer to him by jumping around on it, then I can use my quirk to engage him in close combat, which is what I'm more suited for."

Kurai found himself frowning as he said, "He's good at close combat, too. When we were at the USJ, a villain jumped out from behind us, one that we initially missed. He took a swing straight at Todoroki's head from behind, the guy didn't even flinch. He grabbed the pipe that the guy was going to use to brain him, and used it to freeze him solid."

"Seriously?!" Midoriya yelped. "But I can't engage him in a long-range fight, not without breaking my hands!"

"Not to mention that if you start using his ice as a jungle gym, he might catch you by surprise, or you could just slip and fall- ice doesn't exactly give you much traction for your footing," his classmate pointed out. "I'd try to keep to the ground as much as possible."

"No, he'll expect that," Midoriya muttered as they entered the waiting room. "He was able to trap us during the cavalry battle, so he'll remember how well it worked. He's not going to give me any breathing room."

Kurai thought about that for a few moments before he said, "Then I suppose close combat is the better option for you. At least that way he can't mass any avalanches like he did with Asui and Sero."

Midoriya nodded as he sat down, looking at his hands as he said, "Yeah, Akarui said that if long-range wasn't an option for me, the only way to win would be to catch him off-guard with a frontal attack. Fortunately, I think I can clear the starting space between us in two seconds, maybe less."

"The risk you run there is that you might get a face full of icicles," Kurai said with a grimace. "Be careful, will you?"

"Of course," Midoriya grinned nervously. "I'll just go on out and beat the most decorated student in our class."

"Hey, most decorated doesn't mean the best," Kurai said as he clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Good luck, Midoriya."

He was smiling as he closed the door behind him before turning around and finding himself face-to-face with Endeavor.

Kurai immediately tensed up, adrenaline surging through his veins as he beheld a man who was nearly All Might's size, and with flames decorating every other inch of his body, obscuring his face in the place of a beard from which bright blue eyes stared down. Of all the people in the hero realm, he was the only one that Kurai genuinely hated, and to now have such an unexpected encounter with the man definitely startled him.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded a little more harshly than he had meant, but holding firm under the man's piercing gaze.

Endeavor's eyes narrowed as he said from above his crossed arms, "I'm here to see the boy about to face off against my son. I have something that needs to be said, if you're done in there."

"Leave a message," Kurai snapped, a small part of his mind shocked and appalled by his rudeness. "This area is for students and faculty members only, so take a hike."

"Who do you think you are?" Endeavor growled ominously, his flames growing in volume and heat as he lowered his hands to rest at his sides. "Where I go is my business, and you'd be wise to stay out of it, small fry. If you have some kind of problem with me, I suggest you-"

"My name is Kurai Hogo-sha," the boy interrupted him, adding emphasis to the surname.

"And what is that supposed to be to me?" Endeavor asked haughtily.

"First of all, it means that if you so much as singe one of my hairs, you're gonna have the Police Commissioner of the city to answer to," Kurai replied, a hint of smugness creeping into his own voice now. "He's my father. And two, your lack of knowledge just goes to highlight another difference between the number one and number two heroes."

Endeavor heaved in a deep breath and made a small motion with his body, as if he might strike Kurai for his insolence, but after a second thought, he merely scowled, "What does that buffoon have to do with your attitude problem, kid?"

"My attitude problem?" Kurai half-laughed, his disrespect for the man growing by the second. "I don't expect you to remember the victims of every tragedy you witness, but I would have thought that you'd remember the Penta-gram family, and how a certain police officer gave his life to protect you, seeing as you were too busy looking good for the cameras."

"Police off-" Endeavor paused, his fiery brow dipping heavily. "Penta-gram, huh? Yeah, I remember them. A lot of cops died, and that was before I even got there. Whatever high horse you're on, I suggest you get off it before I-"

"Officer Hogo-sha took a metal needle created by a villain to his heart during the aftermath of the battle," Kurai interrupted him, his eyes matching the fury in Endeavor's. "It was meant to kill you. And afterwards, when I attended his funeral, you didn't even offer a word of condolences to the grieving widow and son that my uncle left behind. You showed up, looked somber for the cameras, and then took off."

"What do you want, an apology?!" Endeavor snarled as he reached for Kurai's shoulder, intending to shove him out of the way. "Your uncle died because he made a stupid move, not-"

A small hand wrapped in an aura of orange that rivaled Endeavor's flames shot up and grabbed the massive man by the wrist, a shocking amount of force stopping him in his tracks. Dark blue eyes glared up at the man, followed by Kurai's voice saying, "Don't touch me or any of my friends. And don't ever disregard the sacrifice my family made for you, Endeavor." All around the pair of them, the lights were flickering while the air began to move away from Kurai's angered form.

Endeavor yanked his hand back, throwing Kurai slightly off-balance, but instead of continuing to advance on the student, he stormed past him with the parting words, "I look forward to watching my Shoto crush you once he finishes your little green friend in there." Then he was gone, lumbering up the stairs

Kurai watched him go, a fierce pride entering his heart for a moment as he willed Energon to stop flowing through his body, returning his eyes and hair back to normal. Fortunately, the waiting rooms were pretty much soundproof, so he doubted that Midoriya would have heard any of that. Good, he thought as he went in the opposite direction of Endeavor. He has enough to worry about without Endeavor showing up to lord it over him how much better his son is than him.

Once more, Izuku found himself standing amid the swelling cheers of the U.A. Sport's Festival. He had made it so far- farther than many would have dared to dream. He was standing in the ring for the semi-finals of one of the most televised events in the world, ready to face off against the son of the country's number two hero. If he could beat Todoroki, he would be in the finals, standing against Kurai, his friend and now coach, or Kacchan, his former friend and bitter rival. Neither prospect appealed to him, but if that was what it took to make it to the top, he would give it his all, just like All Might would.

But first I have to beat Todoroki, he thought as he met eyes with his opponent, whose face remained as passive as ever. I'll win, All Might! I'll be able to show the world that one day, I will be there for them!

Taking a combat position while Todoroki settled into his wide horse stance, Izuku powered up with One For All, green lightning racing across his body, a burst of wind emanating from where he stood. As he did, he could feel the temperature begin to drop as his classmate readied his ice powers. Both of them were ready- now it was up to Present Mic to get things started.

Kurai had just returned to his seat with Mina and the others. Something on his face must have shown his mood, because Iida frowned at him and asked, "What happened to you?"

"Huh?"

"You look like someone just killed your dog in front of you, and now they're wearing it like a festive hat," Kaminari pointed out.

"Dude!" Mina said with a short glare at him, to which he raised his hands in a defensive gesture.

"While crudely put, what Kaminari says is true," Iida said as Kurai fixed his gaze on the arena below them, where Midoriya and Todoroki had yet to appear. "Is something troubling you?"

"I ran into Endeavor," Kurai answered quietly. "He wanted to talk to Midoriya."

Iida and Mina immediately picked up on why he now looked so put out, but everyone else was excited, many of them asking how it was to meet the number two hero in person. Before his temper could get the better of him again, Iida preempted his friend by saying, "Surely Endeavor can't be that impressive, given that one of our teachers is All Might!"

Kurai gave him a grateful look before nodding to the others and saying, "Yeah, he's not that great. Honestly, I found him to be pretty rude, trying to barge in on Midoriya's prep time."

"I've heard that's he's not exactly a nice guy to hang out with," Asui added from where she sat. "He's a lot better at fighting bad guys than sitting through interviews, I guess."

"I guess," Kurai mumbled as the others continued the conversation on their own while he stared down at his lap. He felt Mina's arm drape across his shoulders, and he relaxed a little at her touch. Speaking softly so that the only ones that could hear him were Iida and Mina, the people sitting next to him, he said, "I lost my temper at him. Just for a second, but I wanted to fight him so bad right then. I wanted to make him pay, to suffer for what he-"

"But you didn't," Iida interrupted him firmly. "You may have been angry, Kurai, but you didn't act on your impulses. Heroes aren't allowed to hold grudges, and by refusing to allow your passions to guide you, you've shown that you will be an honorable hero one day."

"Iida's right," Mina told him before he could protest. "The best part is that you managed to hold yourself back when nobody was watching, which means that whatever you did or didn't do in that moment, it shows who you really are when it comes to dealing with your hatred."

"But I-"

"But nothing, Kurai," Iida insisted.

"Iida, I almost picked a fight with the guy just because he was there," Kurai said, frustrated with himself. "That's not what a hero would do. It's not what a good man would do."

Iida looked as though he was about to say something, but just then, Present Mic began to announce the next battle participants.

"BEGIN!" the loud pro hero bellowed.

The instant that the first syllable left his mouth, both students made their moves. Todoroki unleashed a barrage of ice that would either sweep Midoriya away, or freeze him in place. However, Izuku had no intention of being taken out like his classmates had been.

With Midoriya's Full Cowling going at five percent, he shot to the side at an angle that put him closer to Todoroki on his opponent's left side, and away from the direct line of attack. The ice still came close, but not enough to hurt him as he charged at his classmate, green lightning blazing across his body. Gotta get in closer…

As he predicted he would, Todoroki shifted his body so that he could aim another ice barrage at him, the icy storm racing away from his foot faster than the average man could run. Instead of trying to dodge to the right again, Midoriya shot off to his left, toward the ice wall that had been made by Todoroki's first attack. The half-and-half boy's eyes registered surprise as Midoriya slammed into the cold wall feet-first, hard enough to crack the ice and ensure a solid landing.

While Present Mic praised Midoriya's reflexes, the boy himself began to ricochet back and forth between the two walls almost faster than Todoroki could track, but getting closer by the movement. Before he could use the ice to trap his opponent, Izuku was upon him, slamming his fist into Todoroki's face and sending him reeling, only stopping when he used a small cluster of ice to support himself.

"Rrrgh…" he growled as the green-haired boy skidded to stop with the two ice walls behind him. "You've improved a great deal, Midoriya. I shouldn't have underestimated the favorite of our number one hero."

"All Might's got nothing to do with this fight," Midoriya replied with a fierce determination in his eyes. "And neither does Endeavor! You could have gotten me with a fire blast while I was using your ice to get in close, but you're not using your full potential!"

"Why do you care if I use my fire?!" Todoroki snapped as he straightened, the air around him plunging to the negative degrees. His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him, and he spat, "Did my monster of a dad bribe you or something?!" Without waiting for a response, he charged forward, shouting, "Now I'm mad!"

Before Midoriya could formulate a response, he was forced to dodge his classmate's attempted grip strike, which would have frozen half his body if Todoroki had managed to grab him. "I just told you!" he grunted as he dodged around to the icy boy's back before punching him in the side with a kidney shot that Kurai had shown him. "He doesn't have anything to do with this! It's just you and me now, and like everyone else in this festival, we're supposed to be giving it our all to win this!"

"How I use this power is up to me!" Todoroki coughed, reeling from the blow that had been dealt to him. Using his ice power, he sent a wave of cold in reverse to trap Midoriya by his feet, catching the boy by surprise. "And I don't need that bastard's power to win, see? You can't move, you're done."

"I'm done… when I say I am!" Izuku screamed before striking downward with his left hand. Todoroki leaped backwards as the ice exploded, narrowly dodging razor-sharp shards of ice as he did. Midoriya cried out in pain as his hand was sliced open, along with several other cuts appearing on his legs and torso.

Up above, Kurai swore and all but leaped out of his seat as he watched scarlet cover his friend's hand and other parts of his body. "Midoriya, what are you doing?!" he cried.

"Are you crazy?" Todoroki gasped as the blood began to pour from a set of deep cuts that ran from his opponent's hand up to his elbow, melting the ice embedded in them, and causing Midoriya to sway dizzily. "Why did you do that to yourself? You could die from blood loss like that!"

"I wanna live up to the expectations that people have for me!" Izuku grunted as he gripped tightly at the wounds with his uninjured hand. Raising his eyes to meet Todoroki's, he added, "So many people have helped me make it this far, and I can't let them down by misplacing the faith that they put in me! So I'm giving it my all- just like… you should be!" Without warning, his body lit up with his power again, and he shot forward, punching Todoroki in the gut with his good hand.

Todoroki barely even registered the pain of the blow that nearly pushed him out of the ring as he gasped for breath, trying desperately to hold his ground against the boy who had started out from the bottom of their class, only to rapidly rise in his pursuit to be the best that he could.

"If you wanna reject your father, that's your business," Midoriya grunted. "But right now… Stop screwing around! If you aren't going to use your full power, you don't deserve to be here!"

"I can beat you…" Todoroki protested with a pained grunt. "With one hand, I will defeat you, Midoriya. I refuse… to use my left side."

Midoriya hissed through the pain in his mangled hand before shouting, "The power is yours! It's your quirk, not his!"

"What are they yelling about?" Kurai wondered as he stared down at the match that had come to an apparent standstill. "And why isn't Midoriya finishing things? He's gonna pass out if he doesn't end it soon."

"You know Deku," Uraraka murmured, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "Once he sets his mind to accomplish something, it doesn't matter how beat up he'll get. He just keeps pushing on until the job is done. He knows what he's doing."

"Yeah, but at what cost?" Kurai asked grimly.

No sooner than he had spoken than did a huge blast of flames erupt from the stadium, heating the entire area so rapidly that the students found themselves sweating profusely in seconds. "Is that-?!" Iida shouted, his eyes wide as they beheld the spectacle before them.

"Todoroki's using his fire!" Uraraka yelled to be heard above the rushing noise.

In spite of the raging heat, Kurai paled as he muttered, "Oh, not good."

"You're helping your opponent…" Todoroki said as he felt the traces of frost that had begun to build up on the right side of his body melt away into vapor. Meeting Midoriya's fierce gaze, he continued, "You're a fool. Didn't you want to win this?"

"I wanted to win it the right way," Midoriya replied with a grin as green energy crackled along his body. The force of the flames had pushed him back several meters, but now he stood tall and strong, despite his blood loss.

"I want that too," his opponent declared as he straightened himself with a smile of his own. "I'll win… I'll be a hero!"

For a moment, the two of them simply stood, not registering the sounds of the screaming crowd, unaware of Endeavor's exhortations toward Shoto, ignoring the aching wounds that covered their bodies. They were simply two men ready to put everything on the line in order to achieve their goals. And yet…

"Why are you smiling?" Todoroki asked his opponent, who looked puzzled. So he added, "In this hopeless situation, you still smile? You must be crazy." This got Midoriya to renew his fighting stance with a fierce look in his eyes. "Don't blame me for what happens next," the half-and-half boy warned him, even as the flames cooled to be replaced by the beginnings of an ice barrage bigger than anything Todoroki had ever made before.

In response, the pressure that Midoriya's power gave off intensified, so much so that the clothing on his left leg and right arm were torn to shreds while he gritted his teeth and prepared for what he knew would be his final attack. My bones will break, but I don't have any other choice now! He thought as he braced for the agony that was to come. I have to risk it if I'm going to beat Todoroki at his best!

There was tremor in the ground as the concrete beneath them began to shift, which must have been the work of Cementoss, one of the referees, but the combatants ignored even that.

The ice storm was on its way, and Midoriya easily cleared it with One For All's full power, making a beeline straight for his classmate. "Come at me with your full power, Todoroki!" he screamed.

The instant before he could lay waste to the other boy with a Detroit Smash, the flames were back, and the explosion they created instantly destroyed the entire fighting ring. The referees were blown away by the powerful attacks colliding, and rubble shot out in every direction, forcing many people in the stands to take cover from the onslaught.

Kurai unleashed bursts of Energon at pieces of rock that came too close to hitting him and his classmates, but the howling wind and dust made it difficult to keep track of every potentially lethal projectile.

"This is crazy!" Kaminari yelped.

"What's happening down there?!" Yaoyorozu shouted.

As if it had been waiting for somebody to ask that very question, the maelstrom finally stilled itself and ceased hurling concrete pieces at everyone. Kurai looked around to make sure that nobody had been hurt, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that they were safe. However, his anxiety returned as he realized that the air around the stage was so filled with dust that he could not see what was going on, or even if there was a fight still happening.

"Ugh…" Present Mic groaned, having lost much of his usual volume. "What just happened…? Eraser, what the heck is up with your students?!"

"The air around the arena had been thoroughly cooled and then expanded when heated up by the flames," Aizawa answered as though explosions like this happened as often as the sun rose and set.

"Wait, that's what caused the explosion?!" Present Mic exclaimed. "How hot did that fire get?!" There was the sound of someone scrambling to get up, followed by the man saying, "Jeez, I can't see a thing! Is the fight still going on?!"

"No…" Midnight's voice echoed from within the dust cloud. "Outside the ring… It's Midoriya! He's out!" There was a sound of a whip cracking, followed by Midnight announcing, "Todoroki is the winner! He advances to the finals!" The crowd began to cheer again as the dust cleared away to reveal that Midnight's descriptions were indeed correct- Todoroki was battered, but he was still standing within the remnants of the battle area, while Midoriya had slammed against the far wall, his left leg and right arm sticking out at odd angles.

Kurai sank back in his seat, feeling disappointment come over him. "I really wanted him to win," he murmured.

"They both put up an excellent fight," Iida replied. "I'm sure that this will still present many opportunities for Midoriya, placing in the top four. I wouldn't be- Hmm?" The tall boy paused and pulled out his cell phone, his eyes widening slightly as he stood up. "Sorry, it's my mother," he said as he walked away. "I'll be right back."

As he left the seating area, Kurai noticed that Uraraka looked pretty bummed about the outcome, too. "I thought Deku could beat him," she mumbled.

"Hey guys, Iida's right," Mina said in a more upbeat tone. "Midoriya did a great job of showing off his new skills, and he's gonna be a medalist for the year! That's nothing to sneeze at, you know?"

In spite of himself, Kurai felt her energy becoming infectious enough to put a smile on his face. "Yeah, you're right," he nodded. Turning back to Uraraka, he asked, "Do you want to come with me and Mina to visit him in the nurse's office? I'd like to make sure that he wasn't permanently injured."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," the gravity-nullifier nodded as the three of them rose to exit the area. They made it out into the hall when Kurai noticed Iida, who looked as though he'd been physically struck in the stomach and clenching his phone like it was a snake trying to strangle him.

In an aside to Mina, he said, "Go on without me. I need to talk to Iida real quick."

"Sure," she said as she kissed him on the cheek before walking away with Uraraka.

He barely registered the contact, though. Iida remained rooted to where he was as he stared at the ground with a numb horror that settled a stone in Kurai's stomach that seemed to grow heavier the closer to his friend that he got. What has him spooked that badly? He thought worriedly.

"Hey man, what's going on?" he asked his friend as he stopped a couple of feet away. "You don't look very good."

Iida's arm went limp as he turned to Kurai with a dark, haunted look. "It's Tensei…" he said hoarsely. "My mom just called. She said… He… A villain got him."

Kurai felt the blood drain from his face upon hearing those terrible words. "I-Is he…?" he could hardly speak, his throat had so quickly constricted. The thought was just too horrible to bear- Tensei had been like a lovable Uncle to Kurai and Akarui for many years now; to imagine a world without him in it…

"I don't know yet," Iida replied with a pained look. "But… If I'm being honest, my mother didn't sound very confident."

Kurai: Seriously, I was expecting a different outcome. What gives?

Mataras: When I said that things would be different, I didn't specify that the victor would be Midoriya. But if you need me to spell it out, here's what changed... Izuku's arm was still broken, but not irreparably, so even if he has some scars, he won't have a crooked hand like he does in the original. Instead of him confronting Endeavor, it was you who told the guy off. There's other, more minor details that changed, but those were the big ones.

Deku: At least I got to medal this time! I can't complain about that. Though, I do have to wonder...

Mataras: What's up?

Deku: Will Ingenium's fate be different? I mean, things are changing for us, so is there any chance that-

Mataras: No.

Kurai: Why not?

Mataras: Things are changing for your classmates and those around you, yes. But nothing that you have done would affect the outcome of his life's path. Unfortunately, Tensei's fate remains the same as in the original, as much as many of us would with it otherwise.

Deku: Oh... That's too bad.

Kurai: So what comes next? I beat the stuffing out of Bakugo?

Mataras: Sure, if you think it'll be that easy.

Kurai: Please, I've got plot armor.

Mataras: No... No, you don't.

Kurai: Oh yeah... Forgot about that.

Deku: Can we move on to something less depressing?

Mataras: Sure. Let's move on to announcements.

Kurai: Next time on Your Hero Academia- The Fight Explodes

Deku: We'll see you all in two weeks! Go Beyond!

Mataras: Plus Ultra!

Next time on Your Hero Academia...

The crowd was reaching an almost frenzied state when the two competitors emerged under Present Mic's announcements. "THESE TWO CLASSMATES ROCK HARDER THAN MOST, EVEN AT U.A. HIGH!" he screamed, stirring up the crowd even further. "KATSUKI BAKUGO RANKED SECOND IN THE ENTRANCE EXAM'S COMBAT TEST, AND HE'S SURVIVED A BATTLE WITH ACTUAL VILLAINS! BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'VE GOT KURAI HIKARI, WHO BROKE THE RECORD FOR MOST POINTS SCORED IN THE BATTLE EXAM, AND WENT HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH A VILLAIN THAT GAVE EVEN ALL MIGHT TROUBLE! WHO'S GONNA WIN IT AND HEAD TO THE FINALS?! I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT!"

"You're overdoing it," Aizawa muttered as the two students stepped into the bounds of the combat field.

Kurai had to agree with a slight grimace- it was clear from Bakugo's enraged expression that he did not like being described as a second fiddle. Well, at least that gives me a head start on pissing him off, he thought as he settled into a combat stance. Here's to hoping that he doesn't die of an aneurism before we finish things.

"Hey, Saiyaman!" the blond student shouted while Present Mic and their homeroom teacher began to argue, slightly startling Kurai. "You better not hold back against me!"

"Come again?" his opponent asked as mildly as he could with the background noise of the crowds.

"I want you to come at me with that power you used on that bird-faced freak from the USJ!" Bakugo snapped. "I want the whole world to know that I beat you at your best!"

Kurai's right eyebrow shot up in response, even as he sensed the moment for the battle to begin approaching. It's almost like he's begging me to take advantage of his ego, he thought as he drew in a breath to reply. "I seriously doubt you'd be worth the effort it takes to maintain that level of strength," he told his enemy in as bored a tone as he could muster, despite his already-racing pulse.

"What the hell did you say?!" Bakugo snarled viciously, his eyes blazing with hatred. "You think I'm not worthy of your full power?!"

Kurai wasn't yet certain that he wouldn't need the power-up, but he pushed that concern aside for now- his goal was to infuriate the other boy so much that he wouldn't be able to think straight. And I know his biggest trigger, he thought as Present Mic gave them 'go' signal.

Forcing extra disdain into his voice, he said, "Honestly, the only ones in this school that could give me a run for my money- transformation or not- would be Todoroki and Midoriya. You're not even in their league."

Bakugo's left eye twitched above his bared teeth.