Welcome back to "Through the Rough", everyone! As of the time I'm starting this chapter, things are getting pretty intense for Edens Zero's final arc. I won't spoil anything, but it's becoming really interesting.
Anyways, back on track, two rounds have gone by! Class A and Class B have one win apiece! So who'll win the coveted third round, which'll be an original by yours truly? Let's find out.
THROUGH THE ROUGH
"In spite of this being Class B's victory, there were a few errors on their part," Hermit pointed out, acting as the neutral party as Sekijiro and Sister were bickering behind her, "For one, had it not been for Arsenal's Quirk hitting its limit, Battle Fist would've been left helpless," she noted on, "Also, the Class B team caused far more collateral damage than necessary," she mentioned further.
"I'd have to agree there," the Blood Control Quirk user confirmed into his microphone, "Kendo, Fukidashi," he addressed over the loudspeakers, getting the attentions of his students, "Be sure to keep damages to a minimum in the future!" he advised.
"R-Right!" the Comic Quirk user responded from the big screen.
"Sorry, Mister Vlad!" the Class B representative apologized.
"Heh, heh…" Sister chuckled, "Guess those poor little brats didn't win as perfectly as you would've liked, huh?" she presumed, nudging Sekijiro's shoulder teasingly.
"Of course, Class A's loss weighs heavily on them," Hermit chimed in, making her perk up in surprise, "For starters, Can't Stop Twinkling barely even attempted to resist or break free from both times Vantadark got hold of him," she pointed out, "The Class A team also failed to take appropriate stock of the situation in time," she mentioned, "Creati was left by herself, while her teammates were left without a leader to guide them," she added further. As the criticisms were poured on, the unconscious Momo was wheeled away. Fumikage was still hacking, though Kinoko was kind enough to grant him some medicine for his throat before visiting the nurse. Meanwhile, Weisz just stood up against the railing, brooding over his team's loss as he looked at the floor.
The whole match had spiraled out of control the moment he and his teammates were separated from the Creation Quirk user. And that was all because he thought it'd be best to burn away all the mushrooms at once, using his armor far too soon. He looked at the wristwatch-like device on his wrist, narrowing his eyes a little.
'I didn't even get to Overdrive during that whole match…' he noted to himself, 'Overkill or not, we could've won if I just thought for a second…' he grumbled inwardly. He then headed out from the viewing section, passing by his classmates.
"Seems like he's the most upset about the loss…" Tsuyu pointed out.
"Yeah…" Izuku agreed, "He had a good shot at beating Kendo, but his armor gave out on him just before he could strike…" he noted.
"Doesn't seem like he's too banged up though…" Ochaco mentioned, "Where's he going?" she wondered.
"Vlad, we oughta' change locations," Shota advised of his fellow homeroom teacher, "With Komori's mushrooms still in place, it'll be awkward for the following teams to battle," he pointed out, "Not to mention all the damage," he added.
"I agree," Sekijiro concurred with a nod.
"So this is what battling in the Hero Course is like…" Hitoshi said curiously, while Laguna nervously glanced over to him.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Neito cackled with delight, "That match was an overwhelming victory for the superior class!" he affirmed to his future opponents, "Like at the school festival, Class B is certain to come out on top!" he declared on, "It couldn't be more obvious!" he added vehemently, "Accept inferiority!" he yelled, laughing on again. However, his cackling was thankfully stopped by Itsuka, who walked by and chopped him in the back of the neck, knocking him out and dragging him away.
"Apologies," she said.
"Guy's a broken record that needs to get set on fire…" Minoru grumbled out.
"He's way too high-strung…" Toru added.
"Yeah…" Rikido agreed. He then glanced over to Homura, whose attention was focused upon their future foes from Class B. Everyone was mingling with each other for the most part despite being in opposing classes. However, Kris was one of the few who wasn't chatting it up with anyone. His gaze was solely focused on the Soul Blade Quirk user, remembering how she was the one who defeated his sister at the Sports Festival.
"Sure looks like you're writing a lot," Rebecca commented as she sat down next to Izuku and Koji.
"Oh, Rebecca," her boyfriend greeted, "Yeah, it's great to see more of Class B's Quirks in action, along with everyone else's new skills they learned in training," he pointed out.
"Plus, it gives us time to come up with our own plan for our match later," Ochaco chimed in with a grin.
"I am here… quietly," All Might's voice suddenly whispered, getting their attentions as they turned to see him there.
"Oh, All Might," Izuku greeted.
"What's up?" Rebecca inquired.
"Could I speak with you two for a moment?" the former pro requested of the couple, causing them to blink in surprise.
"Uh, sure," his successor answered, getting up and closing his notebook before walking off alongside his girlfriend and their teacher.
"Doesn't it seem like Midoriya's pretty close with All Might?" Mina inquired curiously.
"Yeah, kinda…" Ochaco admitted, "But I think it's because Deku's Quirk is pretty similar to his," she pointed out.
"Then why's Rebecca going with him, too?" Mina wondered aloud. Blinking in surprise, the Zero Gravity Quirk user glanced over to the group standing at the railing.
"Have you sensed anything strange in your Quirk since that incident a while back?" All Might inquired of his successor.
"No, nothing I've noticed at least…" he replied.
"Interesting…" his teacher said.
"Did you find something out?" Rebecca assumed, arching an eyebrow. However, All Might shook his head.
"This is still new territory for all of us," he pointed out, "I've never heard of a spontaneous activation before," he mentioned to the pair, "Young Bluegarden, you haven't had episodes like that yourself, have you?" he inquired of the Cat Leaper Quirk user, making her blink in surprise.
"Uh, no…" she answered, "At least… I don't think so…" she corrected, putting her left hand onto her chin. She remembered that her Quirk had spontaneously activated in the previous world, bringing her to one where her boyfriend was alive and would still be living.
'I wonder if having One For All caused that…' she inferred inwardly.
"Anyways, I'm planning to ask Gran Torino more about this," All Might promised.
"Great!" Izuku responded, "That would be super helpful," he affirmed with a nod.
"And do be careful in that sixth battle," his mentor advised quietly, "Things could get weird, especially with Young Shinso being your opponent," he pointed out, "That fight you had against him in the Sports Festival revealed the vestiges to you for the first time…" he recalled.
"Right, I'll be careful," Izuku affirmed.
"Again?" a familiar voice chimed in, getting their attentions as they yelped in surprise, turning to see Katsuki there.
"Where'd you come from?!" Rebecca exclaimed in question.
"You're the ones sneaking off and making it look obvious you're up to something!" he snarled back to her surprise, "Are you braindead?!" he questioned on angrily. The trio gave off sheepish looks, with All Might gulping. "Don't you gulp at me!" the Explosion Quirk user shouted, "So, did something happen with One For All?" he presumed.
"Well… actually…" his rival began, telling him about the whole ordeal with his power's spontaneous activation.
"In your sleep…?" he said with narrowed eyes, "Humph," he scoffed, "You're so hopeless, I can't tell if you're improving or failing," he muttered out.
"Oh, shut up…" Rebecca grumbled, "This is new for Izu, too," she pointed out, "We're just as in the dark as he is," she added on seriously.
"Yeah, I honestly don't know…" her boyfriend confirmed.
"Well, when are you gonna master One For All for real?" Katsuki inquired, causing him to perk up, "Soon?" he guessed, "I've been getting stronger myself, so you better be keeping up," he insisted of his rival, who nodded.
"I will," he vowed firmly. Rebecca smiled, as did All Might. There weren't any petty squabbles between the two boys. At least, not like before. They were proper rivals now.
OPENING
Insert "Kizuna no Kiseki" by MAN WITH A MISSION X Milet
Starts with Class 1-A walking out onto Ground Gamma, dressed in their winter costumes. They discuss amongst themselves what they're hoping to work on for the end of the year, with Izuku leading the way alongside Rebecca. However, they stop as they spot their opponents of Class B, as some of them wave to the group. Neito cackles madly at the sight of them, only to end up chopped in the neck by Itsuka.
What follows is a shot of Laguna, who thinks back to being a part of Oasis with Goodwin and his other friends. He also sees a blurry figure with long, dark hair, only to witness her fade away as he reaches out to her. He opens his eyes, widening them to find Hitoshi there with his new scarf and support item.
We get to see the Shining Star Heroes with brand new costumes, who are gathered with Shota, Sekijiro, Nemuri, and All Might, as they're about to watch the training matches commence. In round one, Rebecca is grouped up with Eijiro, Denki, Tsuyu, and Hitoshi, leading the charge against their opponents as she draws her Happy Blasters and fires. Laguna and Hitoshi come face-to-face, with the former looking rather anxious compared to normal.
The second round features Weisz equipping his Arsenal Mark II armor, using it to defend himself from the onomatopoeias shot towards him by Manga. Meanwhile, Momo finds herself struggling against the likes of Itsuka, whereas Fumikage and Yuga can't seem to overcome the combination of Kinoko and Shihai. As the match continues, Izuku furiously writes down notes on Class B, while Rebecca looks at him and smiles.
In the third round, Homura clashes her energy blades against Kris' wind. The two of them stare each other down determinedly, rushing forward and enveloping themselves in bursts of red and green light respectively before colliding. The fourth round features Kleene using her wind to pull in the likes of Tenya, Mezo, and Mashirao, as the latter of the trio starts getting sucked in. However, he's saved by Shoto as he fires a blast of flames toward the Wind Snatch Quirk user. She dodges, letting off a little grin.
For the fifth round, we see Shiki and Katsuki standing back-to-back as they're surrounded by the multiple pieces of Setsuna's body. The former of the two assumes his Overdrive form, stamping the ground to make the pieces fall instantaneously, followed by the latter firing off a multitude of explosions. From afar, we see Kyoka and Hanta hanging back, glad that they're letting the muscle of their group handle their foes.
Finally, the sixth match features a team of Izuku, Ochaco, Koji, and Mina. The One For All inheritor shoots his girlfriend a reassuring thumbs-up as he enters the stage, making her giggle. However, her expression shifts into one of fear as she witnesses the mass of black energy tendrils that suddenly start rampaging about.
Meanwhile, we go through various scenes of Endeavor, Hawks, Mirko, the I.U.A. Heroes, and many others, including the League of Villains as both Tomura and Shura are standing in the shadows of All For One and Nero respectively. The song winds down, closing out with a picture of Class A gathered together for their joint training session.
END OPENING
"Mmm…" Momo moaned as her eyes slowly opened. She sat up to find herself lying in one of the beds in the nurse's office.
"Huh…" Recovery Girl's voice sighed, "Of course that damn harlot's out causing a ruckus with Vlad instead of helping in here…" she muttered, "Oh well, things shouldn't be too bad," she affirmed, opening the curtain to find that the Creation Quirk user was awake, "Good, you're up!" she noted.
"Recovery Girl…" her patient uttered out, "Um, how did the match end?" she asked.
"We lost," Weisz answered, causing her to blink in surprise as she saw him sitting beside the bed on a chair, "Four-zip," he mentioned while staring at the floor.
"You were hurt as well?" Momo presumed.
"Just a bit worn down since he used up all the energy for his Quirk," Recovery Girl responded for the Machina Maker Quirk user, "Here, have yourself a nice little Hershey's bar to get some energy back," she offered, handing the candy to the Class A deputy.
"Oh, thank you," she said gratefully, "Steiner, would you like some?" she asked of her classmate, whose gaze was lowered.
"I'm sorry," he apologized suddenly to her surprise, "I screwed up back there… and used Arsenal way too early," he noted, "If I didn't, I could've saved it or my Overdrive as a last resort in case things got out of hand," he mentioned thoroughly.
"Steiner…" Momo uttered out.
"I keep on feeling like I need to show off… when really, I need to focus on stopping bad guys and saving lives," the Machina Maker Quirk user pointed out, "I should've listened to you from the outset and waited to use Arsenal or anything until you gave me the green light," he affirmed on. The class deputy was a little surprised, but then smiled.
"I appreciate your honesty," she said to his shock as he looked up at her, "Even if you had saved time, I still think Kendo would've had a plan to stop you," she admitted, "Ether-type Quirks are easy to subdue after all," she mentioned further.
"Oh, yeah…" Weisz uttered in realization.
"We'll be better prepared for the next time we face Class B," Momo affirmed, getting up from the bed, "And we'll win," she vowed on.
"Yeah," her classmate agreed.
"The cages have been placed at your new bases, as we've moved the battlefield two blocks east," Hermit confirmed through the microphone back at Ground Gamma.
"Break time's over!" Sekijiro suddenly shouted, making the Master Code Quirk user flinch, "It's time for the third match!" he declared loudly. The two teams stood up, grouping together respectively.
"So now it's Homura's turn to fight…" Rebecca pointed out.
"I wonder how she's improved in her training…" Izuku said curiously, remembering the last time he had seen her in battle during the provisional licensing exam, where she managed to use her Odin Strike even when paralyzed from Gang Orca's ultrasonic attack onto her.
"There's also Toru, Mineta, and Sato to think about," Ochaco listed off, "None of them really have any ranged attacks to work with like Homura," she mentioned further.
"And she's going up against Rutherford, whose wind attacks were strong enough to even push against someone like Shoji…" Koji added.
"For Class B, they've also got Kaibara, Tsubaraba, and Shoda…" Izuku listed off, "It'll be interesting what kinds of strategies they'll have against our class…" he noted aloud.
"Yeah…" Ochaco agreed. As Homura was heading down the steps, she glanced over to spot Shoto, who smiled at her. She smiled back.
"Do you think she'll be okay?" Mezo inquired of the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user.
"It'll be fine," he assured, "Homura's one of the strongest people I know," he pointed out, "She's trained with Valkyrie herself after all," he mentioned. Moments later, both teams were set at their respective bases.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Toru inquired.
"I say we lay down a trap with my balls and get them all stuck!" Minoru declared with a pump of his left fist.
"I dunno…" Rikido chimed in, "What if they're expecting that and blow us all away?" he suggested out of concern.
"Yeah, I bet Rutherford's gonna use it against us the second he gets the chance!" Toru argued in agreement.
"Well, we gotta think of something!" Minoru insisted.
"They'll be targeting me," Homura said to her teammates' surprise, "Before we gathered, I had noticed Rutherford looking at me with vengeance in his eyes," she recalled.
"Oh yeah…" Rikido realized, "You beat his sister pretty bad in the Sports Fest…" he remembered.
"That sounds so petty, even if it's for his sister…" Toru pointed out.
"But it does make sense," Homura noted, "Hence why we'll conduct a two-fold plan," she decided, "Toru, you will go ahead and scout as reconnaissance," she told the Invisibility Quirk user, "And while you do that, I will act as bait to lure out Rutherford and the others," she mentioned, "It's likely he'll be coming to face me to make certain the rest of his team get to you," she explained further.
"When you say it like that, it makes sense…" Toru admitted, "Okay, I'll scout ahead for recon on their team!" she confirmed.
"And we'll hang back here at base!" Rikido decided, while Minoru gave a thumbs-up. The horn sounded off, signaling the match's start.
"There it is…" Kosei commented from afar, "Hey, you sure about this plan, Jinn?" he asked of the Wind Rage Quirk user, who looked ahead with a steely expression.
"It's our best bet to separate Kogetsu from the others," he noted in response, "Let's go," he insisted of his teammates.
"Yeah!" they responded, following him.
"Looks like Homura's on her own…" Rebecca pointed out, seeing the Soul Blade Quirk user running along the pipework upon the big screen.
"Meanwhile, Class B's team is all together…" Izuku mentioned, "Are they planning to confront her head on?" he inferred curiously.
"Kogetsu's really strong, so they'd have to have a force ready for her…" Koji noted.
"Seems kinda weird they'd not worry about the others, too…" Mina chimed in.
"Yeah…" Izuku agreed with a nod.
'Just what is Jinn planning?' he wondered inwardly. Back on the field, Homura leapt over a few more pipes, tucking and rolling before coming to a stop at a corner. She peeked out, finding no one in sight as she glanced around. She narrowed her eyes.
'I would've assumed they'd strike at the soonest opportunity,' she noted to herself, stepping forward while still remaining cautious, 'Perhaps Jinn is like a ninja, waiting for the perfect moment to strike,' she presumed.
"Air Prison!" Kosei's voice suddenly yelled, causing her to gasp. She whipped around, only to find herself entrapped in a box of solidified air shot from the Solid Air Quirk user, whose hands were shaped like a cube in front of his mouth. "Heh," he chuckled, putting his hands down, "Jinn was right," he said. From inside the box, Homura didn't know what he was saying.
"Wait, Tsuburaba?" Ochaco uttered in confusion, "Why's he going after her?" she wondered aloud.
"I get it…" Izuku realized, "Like what happened with Kuroiro in the last match!" he recalled, "By focusing his attention on Kogetsu, Jinn made her think she would be the target," he pointed out, "but the opposite's happening!" he concluded to everyone's surprise. Homura drew a red energy blade in her hands, slashing at the box of solidified air. It didn't shatter upon the first slash, but the second did the trick, with the remaining pieces dissipating into nothing.
"Wow, you really are strong…" Kosei admitted with a nervous grin, "But we knew that going into this!" he affirmed, "Get her, Kaibara!" he called out. Blinking in surprise, the Soul Blade Quirk whipped around in the nick of time to block the spiraling fingers of Sen, sending her sliding back. She took notice of how her blade appeared to be chipped.
"Jinn figured you'd be tough to deal with, even for him," the Gyrate Quirk user pointed out, "So he decided that we'd hold you off until he was finished!" he added with a grin.
"Finished?" Homura repeated in confusion, only to gasp in realization, "Oh no…!" she exclaimed.
"WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Minoru screamed, being swept up in the raging wind before getting slammed face first against the pipework.
"Mineta!" Rikido cried out. He braced himself against the wind, grimacing in frustration. "Hope Hagakure's okay…" he muttered out, seeing both Kris and Nirengeki in the immediate area.
"Hagakure's gotta be nearby," the latter of the two confirmed, looking at the scanner on his wrist.
"If she gets too close, she'll get swept up in my wind," the former affirmed, holding his right hand up in the form of a tiger seal, "Skymech Ninjutsu…" he began, bringing his arms up before throwing them down, "Windstorm Slash!" he exclaimed as he unleashed a blast of wind that was in an x-shaped pattern, blowing Rikido away.
"Ah!" Toru's voice yelped out from nearby.
"I got her!" Nirengeki proclaimed, turning towards the sound. He kicked up a small barrel into the air. "Twin Impact… FIRE!" he yelled, making the barrel suddenly spin around rapidly. It struck something, followed by a pained shout from the Invisibility Quirk user as she fell to the ground.
"Oh no, Toru!" Rebecca exclaimed.
"The two of them took down all three at once…!" Tsuyu pointed out in panic.
"Man, that's not good!" Eijiro mentioned as he grimaced.
"Come on, you guys!" Denki cheered.
"Hehehehehe…." Sekijiro chuckled, "Seems as if Class A's gone and lost an opportunity to take the lead back," he pointed out, "Now it's really my students' time to shine!" he proclaimed proudly. Overhearing his shouts from the loudspeakers, Homura grimaced. She knew her teammates were in trouble. And she had to do something soon…
X
"Ow, ow…!" Toru yelped out, lying on the ground without her gloves or boots, "I think that last hit twisted my ankle or something…!" she grunted, trying to push herself up.
'If Shoda and Rutherford are here, that means Homura's probably dealing with Kaibara and Tsuburaba!' she noted to herself, 'I'm sure the two of them can't beat her, so they're probably stalling for time!' she realized. Just then, she noticed Nirengeki approaching.
"Sorry, but I'll be taking you in now," he declared in apology.
"I don't think so!" another voice yelled, getting their attentions as they gasped to see Rikido lunging over, his muscles enlarged as he reared his fists back, "SUGAR RUSH!" he roared, repeatedly punching at the Twin Impact Quirk user, who held his arms up in defense, desperately trying to withstand his foe's blows. He barely managed to land his punch onto the stomach of his opponent, only to end up struck in the face and blown back.
"Nice one, Sato!" Toru complimented.
"Thanks," her teammate responded gratefully, "You okay?" he asked of her.
"I think I twisted my ankle…" she replied, "What about Mineta?" she inquired on.
"He's gonna try and hold back Rutherford for now," Rikido answered with a grimace, "Hopefully, Homura can get back before— GUH!" he yelped out, feeling something strike his gut as his eyes bulged open wide.
"Sato!" Toru screamed. Rising to his left knee was Nirengeki, who wiped the blood off of his lip.
"Whoa, what the heck was that?!" Shiki exclaimed in question.
"Twin Impact," Yosetsu answered, "Whenever Shoda hits something, he can add a secondary impact to it," he explained, "It's a lot stronger than the first blow," he mentioned.
"So it's a Quirk that works on both objects and people…" Kyoka realized, seeing Rikido clutch his stomach.
"He could be just as dangerous as Rutherford…" Mashirao commented. Izuku wrote down more notes, looking at the screen intently. The situation wasn't looking favorable for Minoru either. Though he was immune to getting stuck by his balls, Kris was blowing them all away before they could even hope to reach him. It was obvious that he was panicking.
'This team's not going to win unless Homura can get back and turn things around…' the One For All inheritor noted to himself. The Soul Blade Quirk user felt like she was in a loop. Kosei would trap her with his Air Prison, she'd break free with two swipes, Sen would attack before she could think to escape, and then she wound up trapped again. She saw that her blade was chipping even more.
'I can't rely on this sword if it's not going to free me any quicker…' she pointed out inwardly, becoming entrapped in another box of solidified air, 'By splitting themselves up like this, they've covered our bases while making sure I'm not involved…' she mentioned through her thoughts, 'I need to be faster…!' she concluded, letting her blade disappear from her hand.
"Huh?" Sen uttered in surprise.
"What's… she doing now?" Kosei wondered aloud. Homura crossed her arms in preparation.
'I hate to have to use this technique earlier than anticipated, but I have no choice…' she realized inwardly. Several energy blades manifested overhead, catching the attentions of her opponents as they gasped.
"Oh crap!" Sen yelped.
"It's the move she used against Todoroki!" Kosei remembered. The various swords rained down onto the pair of Class B students, who quickly took cover as the immediate area became veiled with dust.
"Homura's Odin Strike…" Mezo noted from the viewing section.
"A little overkill to break that prison…" Hanta commented.
"I don't think that's what she was aiming for…" Shoto chimed in, getting their attentions. Back on the field, Sen and Kosei got back up.
"You alright, Kaibara?" the latter of the two asked of his classmate.
"Yeah," he replied, "She's probably still hiding in the dust!" he pointed out, "The second you find her, trap her again!" he advised of the Solid Air Quirk user.
"Right!" he responded, shaping his hands into a cube over his mouth. However, the dust settled to reveal that the solidified box of air was still intact, with Homura inside. Both Class B students blinked in surprise, wondering what their foe was up to. She cracked a grin.
"Five-Sword Fencing…" she began, forming long, claw-like blades over the backs of her hands, with one over each knuckle to make six, "Tiger Form!" she exclaimed. Her foes gasped.
"Whoa!" Setsuna yelped from the viewing section.
"I've never seen her use her Quirk like that…" Tenya admitted out of surprise. Shoto cracked a small grin.
"So you made new blades… whatever!" Sen yelled, making his fingers spin rapidly, "Tsuburaba, get ready!" he advised of his classmate, "The second she's out, I'll blow her back to you!" he vowed, closing in. Homura slashed at the box of solidified air entrapping her, shattering it completely. Her foes widened their eyes in disbelief.
'Her blades are even stronger now?!' the Gyrate Quirk user inquired inwardly in panic. His opponent rushed toward him, making him gasp as he attempted to strike her with his spiraling fingers before she could reach him. Unfortunately, she dashed by and slashed.
"Tiger Six Claw Strike," she said, followed by Sen falling to the ground in a heap, losing consciousness.
"Kaibara, no!" Kosei cried out, only to be met by the Soul Blade Quirk user jumping out at him.
"You've delayed me long enough," she affirmed, swiping him down as he fell unconscious next to his classmate. She hurried off with her blades still at the ready.
"Nice one, Homura!" Rebecca complimented from the viewing section.
"But why isn't she taking them to jail yet?" Mashirao wondered aloud.
"She's looking out for her teammates," Tenya answered, getting his attention, "That should be her first priority before worrying about capturing any villain," he mentioned on. Back on the field, Rikido fell over onto his back, breathing heavily.
"Sato!" Toru cried out.
"That… Twin Impact… is no joke…!" the Sugar Rush Quirk user grunted out as Nirengeki approached, breathing heavily himself.
"Your Quirk's not bad either, Sato…" he complimented, "You know…" he continued, "I gave up my shot in the Sports Fest after that whole thing with Shinso," he recalled, "Looking back, I don't know if I made the right call…" he admitted to his foes, "But…" he continued, clenching his fists, "I'm not going to waste this chance… to win!" he declared, readying his fist for another punch to his opponent, likely to knock him out. However, Toru leapt in and tackled him away before he could strike.
"Hagakure!" Rikido cried out, hearing her yelp with pain again.
'Bad idea to move with a twisted ankle…!' she grunted inwardly, trying to push herself back up.
"Agh…" Nirengeki groaned, rubbing the back of his head as he sat up.
"You should've waited until I was all set," Kris' voice chimed in, getting his attention along with those of his foes as they saw him approached with an unconscious Minoru held under his left arm.
"Oh no, Mineta!" Toru exclaimed.
"You were taking longer than I thought you would…" Nirengeki pointed out to his classmate, standing up.
"I figured if I got too close to this guy, he'd try to get me stuck somewhere," the Wind Rage Quirk user pointed out, "He overdid it, though," he mentioned, taking note of the blood dripping down the Pop Off Quirk user's head, "And I took advantage the second he faltered," he added on.
"Oh man…" Rikido muttered out.
'Depending on how long she's had to fight off Tsuburaba and Kaibara, Kogetsu might not have the strength left to take Rutherford on…' he noted to himself, 'Hagakure's in bad shape, and Mineta's out cold…' he mentioned inwardly, 'Can we really win now?' he wondered through his thoughts. Suddenly, a figure came down overhead. Nirengeki took notice and gasped.
"Jinn, watch out!" he yelled, shoving his classmate aside in the nick of time. Unfortunately, he wound up on the receiving end of Homura's swipe, causing him to let out a grunt of pain before falling over in a heap.
"Homura!" Toru exclaimed in relief.
"You made it!" Rikido added happily. The Soul Blade steadied her claw blades as she looked out at Kris, who glared back at her with contempt.
"Kogetsu…" he growled.
X
"You've gotta be freakin' kidding me!" Neito screamed, frantically rubbing his hands through his hair, "How'd Kogetsu take down three of us?!" he inquired emphatically, "That strength isn't even hum—!" A chop to the back of his neck from Itsuka silenced him as he fell over.
"She did train under Valkyrie, you know…" she pointed out bluntly with her hands at her hips.
"I didn't know she could use her swords like claws…" Yosetsu admitted in surprise.
"That makes her even more dangerous…" Juzo commented.
"Now that's what I like to hear!" Sister yelled through the microphone, "Class A's beautiful Valkyrie's gone and kicked the asses of three of Class B's team!" she pointed out excitedly, "At this rate, your Class B brats' chance of victory is history…" she teased to Sekijiro, snickering as he growled.
"The match does seem well in Class A's favor…" All Might noted.
"True, but they're quite worn as well," Witch pointed out, "And depending on how long Homura's used her Quirk, she could be hitting her limits soon…" she added with narrowed eyes. Steadying her blades, Homura stared at Kris, who gently put the unconscious Minoru down.
"Homura…" Toru uttered, letting out another yelp of pain to get her attention.
"Are you alright?" she asked in concern.
"Twisted ankle…" the Invisibility Quirk user responded, "But I can at least move a little," she affirmed with a grunt.
"What happened with Kaibara and Tsuburaba?" Rikido asked, standing up.
"They're both down," Homura answered, "But they've yet to be jailed," she mentioned to her teammates, "After I retrieve Mineta from Rutherford, I need you to get them and Shoda imprisoned," she advised of them.
"Okay, got it!" Toru responded, "We'll get it gone, Valkyrie!" she vowed. The Soul Blade Quirk user smiled a little upon hearing her hero name. Meanwhile, Kris set Minoru down gently.
"I knew the match would come down to you and me in the end…" he noted as wind whisked around his prosthetic arms.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting…" Homura remarked in response, lunging forward. Wind enshrouded the right arm of her foe, who reared it back.
"Skymech Ninjutsu Attack…" he began, thrusting his limb forward, "WINDSTORM PALM STRIKE!" he exclaimed. However, his opponent rolled aside to evade the attack, letting the blades at her right hand disappear. That allowed for her to grab Minoru and chuck him over to her teammates, much to the Wind Rage Quirk user's shock.
"Got him!" Rikido yelled as he caught the Pop Off Quirk user.
"Good luck, Homura!" Toru called out, limping off with her teammates.
"Ergh…" Kris growled, attempting to chase after them. However, he was halted as Homura dashed out at him, readying her long, claw-like blades over her knuckles.
"Warrior Maiden Six-Claw Attack…" she started to bellow as electricity started crackling around her blades, "Wild Tiger Lightning Claw!" she roared as she rapidly slashed by her foe, causing him to yell in pain.
"Yeah, she got him!" Rebecca exclaimed excitedly from the viewing section.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that…" Kleene chimed in to her surprise. All of a sudden, Homura's blades shattered.
"What?!" she exclaimed out of disbelief with shaking eyes.
"If I hadn't reacted in time…" Kris began, causing her to glance back and gasp, "I would've been taken out by that move…" he confessed. His appearance had changed, with his clothes turned into a dark-colored, high-collared shirt which lacked sleeves and exposed the sides of his torso. It was connected to a pair of matching black trousers that were tucked into a pair of light-colored boots, and he wore a dark, armored mask that covered his entire face. Additionally, he gained a pair of large, black-feathered wings. Energy lines appeared on his forearms, where his right one gained a dark mark resembling a flame. "You've gotten stronger, Kogetsu," he complimented, "I doubt my sister could beat you now…" he added on.
"Overdrive…?" Homura uttered in disbelief.
"Whoa…" Shiki said out of awe.
"Jinn was really practicing his ass off before today," Tetsutetsu noted with his hands at his hips, "That Overdrive of his is really gonna turn this match right on its head!" he proclaimed excitedly as he pumped his fists up.
"She looks to be in a lot of trouble…" Tenya admitted, glancing over to Shoto, whose fists were clenched.
'Come on, Homura…' he pleaded inwardly. On the battlefield, Kris whipped around and lunged at his opponent, cloaking his right arm in a torrent of air. She crossed the remainder of her blades in front of herself in an attempt to block the incoming attack. But all of a sudden, a fist struck her right hip, causing her to falter.
"Wha…?!" she yelped out.
"CRUSHING GALE!" her foe bellowed, striking with his right fist and blowing her back in a massive burst of wind. As she did, his left arm returned to him, clicking into place.
"His arm came off?!" Hanta and Shiki exclaimed in shock.
"Of course, idiots," Katsuki muttered, "Dude became a cyborg, remember?" he noted to them.
"That tech's insane, though…" Hitoshi commented.
"It's spooky…" Reiko mentioned. Crashing into one of the nearby buildings, Homura gasped with pain.
'I didn't realize Rutherford had obtained his Overdrive like his sister…!' she noted inwardly, 'He's much stronger than when I last saw him…' she mentioned to herself, staggering forward out from the rubble, 'If I'm going to win… I can't hope to just run and hide…' she realized, 'As Mirko would've said, even if rabbits are quick to flee…' she continued through her thoughts, thinking back to her internship with the Rabbit Hero.
FLASHBACK
"Huh?" Mirko uttered, arching an eyebrow, "You think my Quirk's weird?" she inquired of her intern, who squeaked as she blushed a bright red.
"I-I hadn't meant to say that out loud!" she stuttered in claim, "It's just…" she continued sheepishly, "I understand that rabbits are quick to flee from danger…" she pointed out, "yet you run toward it…" she mentioned. Hearing that, the Rabbit Hero smirked.
"Well, I always was one for action…" she noted to her intern's surprise, "But the fact is, you've got a point," she confessed, "The reason I run into danger is so that everyone else can get away," she told the Soul Blade Quirk user, whose eyes widened slightly, "It's not that I'm taking the fight all for myself…" she mentioned further, "I'm making sure no one else risks getting hurt," she affirmed, putting her hands onto her hips, "Bet that's something Valkyrie taught ya, right?" she presumed of Homura.
"No… she hadn't…" she admitted in reply, causing the Rabbit Hero to blink in shock, "But that is a good lesson," she said with a smile, "Thank you, Miss Mirko," she added gratefully to her mentor.
END FLASHBACK
'Mirko…' the Soul Blade Quirk user uttered inwardly, 'I promise, you were a good teacher for me…!' she affirmed through her thoughts, making red energy lines expand along her body, 'I'll rush into danger if it means my friends can be safe!' she declared to herself. Meanwhile, Rikido and Toru were approaching their basecamp, seeing the jail cell.
"Okay, let's throw Shoda in there and get the others!" the Invisibility Quirk user insisted, earning a nod from her teammate. However, the pair was suddenly knocked to the ground by a rush of air. They looked out to see Kris approaching, widening their eyes.
"You gotta be kidding…!" Rikido gasped out.
"Does… that mean Homura lost…?" Toru presumed.
"I'll be dealing with her after I've jailed the three of you," Kris affirmed in response, "I'll also be taking my teammate back," he added as he saw Shoda being carried on the Sugar Rush Quirk user's back. At that moment, a figure leapt onto the scene. Everyone turned and widened their eyes. Back in the viewing section, those watching were in awe.
"Is that…?" Shoto started to question with shaking eyes.
"Homura!" Rebecca exclaimed, seeing the Soul Blade Quirk user in her Overdrive from, having a long, oriental sword gripped tightly in her hands.
"ERRAAAAAHHHH!" she roared as she slashed down at her foe, who barely blocked in time with his right arm, sliding back several feet.
"Ergh…" he grunted out, "You were still saving a trick like that up your sleeve…?" he wondered aloud, seeing his foe aim her blade at her.
"Homura!" Toru cried out.
"Go, hurry!" the Soul Blade Quirk user insisted of her teammates, "I'll stop him here!" she vowed, rushing out at her opponent.
"You'll try!" he challenged back, lunging forward to meet her head on with a powerful gale of wind at his back, clashing his right fist against her energy sword. A huge shockwave of air erupted.
"Jinn's refusing to give up, even as Kogetsu's gone into Overdrive in hopes to match his strength!" Sekijiro noted loudly into the microphone.
"And Homura's got more than just a few tricks up her sleeve! Go get him!" Sister cheered through the loudspeakers.
"Honestly, you two…" Hermit muttered out. From afar, Witch smiled.
'Sister always did love seeing Valkyrie's battles…' she noted inwardly.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" both Homura and Kris roared as they continued clashing, sparks flying in between their strikes. Pieces of the latter's prosthetic arms were coming off, while the former's blade was dulling and chipping away. At the rate the both of them were going, one would soon fall.
The Wind Rage Quirk user unleashed a torrential gust onto his foe, who braced herself as she pierced her blade into the ground, keeping herself in place. She gritted her teeth determinedly, bringing forth several swords around herself. They shot forward, aimed for her opponent. He dashed out of the way as they struck the ground in various blasts, closing in on his target as she stood back up. She took a deep breath.
"Warrior Maiden Single-Sword Attack…" she began, taking a ready stance.
"Wind God…" Kris started to echo, crossing his arms over his head.
"KITSUNE PERFECT CIRCLE STRIKE!" Homura exclaimed as she dashed forward and slashed.
"SKY-RENDING SLASH!" her foe roared, swiping by with powerful torrents of wind shredding through his target. They passed each other, coming to a stop. The Soul Blade Quirk user trembled as she clenched her teeth. Her blade shattered apart in her hands.
"Yeah, Jinn won!" Tetsutetsu exclaimed excitedly from the viewing section. Shoto watched on intently.
"No," he said, "They both lost," he confirmed. Everyone looked back up at the screen and gasped loudly. Both of Kris' prosthetic arms were in pieces, scattered along the ground. Both he and Homura transformed back to normal, dropping to their knees.
"Unbelievable…" Sekijiro commented over the microphone, "Because of the efforts of Kogetsu…" he growled out as he clenched his right fist in frustration, "Class A is going to win the third match!" he concluded, sounding distraught as both Kris and Homura fell unconscious onto the ground. The latter managed to crack a small smile, knowing that her efforts hadn't been in vain. She was living up to her teacher's name.
ENDING
Insert "Footprints" by the peggies
Opens with Izuku receiving a notification on his phone. He picks it up and looks at it while seated on his bed, while Rebecca sits up beside him and yawns. He smiles, showing her what he just read. She beams after a moment, nodding to him.
The two of them head downstairs together, seeing groups of their classmates heading out together for the day. They smile at each other, holding hands as they leave the dorm. We see Shiki walking on a sidewalk with Momo, calling for her to hurry after him as he hurries off towards a set of stores. Meanwhile, Tsuyu and Ochaco meet up with Kleene and Kris at a supermarket, talking happily with them. Fumikage's checking apples with Dark Shadow, only to see Laguna doing the same.
Elsewhere in the store, we see Katsuki checking some bottles of hot sauce, while Weisz and Minoru are browsing some adult magazines. Homura's eyes sparkle at the sight the Valkyrie-brand energy drinks, which she buys a lot of to the shock of Kyoka, Mina, and Toru. Izuku and Rebecca arrive, having a shopping list on hand. They nod to each other, splitting up with their classmates to gather what they need.
Izuku grabs packets of noodles and rice, while Rebecca gets pork, bok choy, panko bread crumbs, and other ingredients. She's joined by Rikido, who advises her on what specifically she should look for. Meanwhile, Izuku goes to gather up birthday candles with Koji and Shoto, who both grab jars of frosting and sprinkles.
The couple checks out of the store with everything they need, returning to U.A. later that night. With help, they put the ingredients together to make a great feast, along with a birthday cake intended for Tenya. He's touched, tearing up at how kind his classmates are. He blows out the candles, celebrating amongst his friends as they laugh. The song winds down, with the class happily enjoying themselves through the night, hoping for many more great ones to come…
END ENDING
And that's us halfway through the arc! I was really stoked to write this chapter, especially since it was an original battle between Homura and Kris. She's going to be getting a lot more focus later on for this season, so I hope you're excited for what's ahead.
Up next, probably a brief chapter to adapt what'll be the first half of the fourth match! Stay tuned!