Halloween this year was sort of a let down, but that's getting older for you, I guess.

Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5

Everyone was talking about Zenkichi and Kumagawa's fight- no one was really focusing on Saki's own fight. Katsuargi stretched a few times, and rolled her neck.

"I remember when I was in Mr. Arc's class," She sighed. "Nice guy. He truly does care about his students. Helped me through some rough patches..."

"He really is one of the best, isn't he!" Inasa cheered.

"Quite. In fact, he helped me with some of my super moves," Katsuragi allowed herself a sly grin, "which I will happily demonstrate to you."

Saki looked between Inasa and Itsuki, frowning. These guys aren't gonna be much help. We barely have time to strategize. So...I'm gonna have to be a bit crafty. Sorry, guys...

Saki pulled out two cards, one for each hand. The second the battle started...she planted them right into their heads.

Katsuragi didn't react, but she did take notice of Saki's little card trick. Inasa...really didn't seem to change all that much. She could easily pick up the change on Itsuki though, noticing the sway in his stance and his shrunken pupils.

"Using your Quirk on your own classmates? Really?" the UN head asked, her tone accusatory.

"They're a bit uncontrollable. Trust me- they need coordination." Saki said, pointing a finger forward. Itsuki pounced at Katsuragi, and Inasa boosted his speed with a strong wind current.

"It's still the principle of it," Katsuragi sighed as her Quirk activated. Her body began to glow as small starts appeared around her body, orbiting her in predictable patterns. When Itsuki charged her, the head of the model UN dodged to the side. At first, it looked as if Inasa would cover the opening, but that would imply that Katsuragi was exposed. Without even trying, she flipped over Inasa and used his back as a springboard, launching herself towards Saki with her hands behind her back. Saki's eyes went wide as Katsuragi closed in. Kumagawa's latest partner summoned two more cards and slashed out at Katsuragi. The star-surrounded blonde just dodged out of the way of every single move Saki made, landing a powerful lance kick to her opponent's chest and knocking her back.

"And without even having to use my arms," Katsuragi allowed herself to gloat.

Akiko Katsuragi! Quirk: Indomitable Star! Her body can project powerful cosmic-like energy that can boost her physical attributes. Speed, strength, agility and so on. Without her training at Shiketsu, the energy was projected as simple orbs that orbited her, similar to an electron, but now she's been able to shape them! The star shape her power currently sports is meant to symbolize her own indomitable spirit and unwavering determination!

"Want to try agai-?" she began, but Saki's two card-puppets rushed in from behind to try and surprirse her. Her face turned serious as she ducked under the first, air-boosted strike. Without giving the controlled Inasa any time to recover, she moved to sweep his legs out from under him. And that was actually where she was caught off guard. Itsuki bounced in from the side and managed to land a proper hit on her, his fist connecting to her cheek. Katsuragi looked down at her mind-controlled opponent and sneered. She quickly grabbed his wrist and threw him aside, but that was what Saki wanted. By complete accident, Katsuragi had set up the perfect trap for herself. Itsuki's Quirk let him bounce around the arena, landing quick glancing blows to the head of the model UN. Well he would be if it weren't for Katsuragi's enhanced reflexes. She dodged and weaved through every bouncing strike that came her way.

But then Inasa and Saki got involved.

The third year was now caught in a massive three way struggle, an impossible situation for most people. When Itsuki wifted his punch, Inasa would come in with a gale of wind. When the wind missed its mark, Saki would rush in with her cards. When the cards only managed to scrape her, a springing strike would catch her by surprise. It was...really well coordinated, actually. She might've been the target here, but Katsuragi had to admit that the skill on display here was incredible. She'd have to keep that in mind for later. Right now, she needed to figure out a way out of this three-way assault. The obvious solution was to take out Saki. Their coordination came from her and her cards and, if Katsuragi had to guess, the effect only last for as long as the "dealer" was conscious.

"Well, this has been fun, Saki," Katsuragi smirked, stepping out of the way of one of Itsuki's rebound strikes and letting him headbutt into Inasa, "but its time to shuffle the deck again."

"...really?" Saki deadpanned.

"I'm working on my fight banter," the star-empowered blonde shrugged.

"Workshop it after I kick your ass across the-!" Saki began, summoning up three cards between her fingers for use as makeshift claws. She lashed out with a forward jab, only to get grabbed by the wrist.

Inasa quickly recovered from Katsuragi's earlier throw and rushed in, attacking with a wind-powered roundhouse kick. Instead, the blonde ducked out of the way, letting go of Saki in the process. With the strike's target gone, the kick connected with Saki's face instead, knocking her aside and into the nearest wall, practically bouncing off of it. She thudded to the ground, Katsuragi looking on with an amused smirk.

"If you...even think about a card pun..." Saki groaned, struggling to get up.

"Oh, I was. None of them work. Blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em...you know," Katsuragi chuckled.

Saki grimaced, clutching her throbbing cheek as she staggered back to her feet. She could feel a slight trickle of blood from her nose, but she refused to let that stop her. Despite the pain, her mind was already racing, trying to figure out a way to turn the tide of the battle.

Katsuragi, still smirking, approached with confidence, her star-shaped aura shimmering around her. "You've got spunk, I'll give you that," she taunted. "But you're outmatched. Your little card tricks won't save you."

With a determined glint in her eye, Saki knew she had to use her opponents' coordinated movements to her advantage. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and then quickly glanced at Inasa and Itsuki.

"Alright, guys, one more time!" Saki called out, playing her part to control them. Inasa generated a powerful wind to boost Itsuki's movement, and they charged towards Katsuragi once more.

As they closed in, Saki took the opportunity to prepare her next attack. She quickly shuffled through her deck of cards, a plan forming in her mind. In an instant, Saki's hands became a blur of motion. She unleashed a torrent of cards, expertly fanning them out in a mesmerizing display of skill and showmanship. The cards danced through the air, reflecting the light like sparkling stars.

Caught off guard by the sudden flurry of cards heading her way, Katsuragi's confident demeanor faltered for a moment. However, her training and quick reflexes kicked in, and she activated her Quirk to enhance her agility and speed. She elegantly weaved and dodged through the oncoming barrage of cards, using the stars that orbited her to propel herself with precision.

Saki's strategy was to create a diversion, splitting Katsuragi's focus between avoiding the cards and dealing with her controlled classmates- she was pulling out all the stops to take her down...and for what reason?

Before Saki was a hero in training, she was an idol.

While there were certainly struggles associated with being an idol, it was also a time of great pleasure, inspiration, and fulfillment. Saki was energized by the enthusiasm of her audience, and she gave each performance her all because of it. But underneath her fame and the glitzy image she portrayed to the world, there was something awful behind the scenes.

There was a hero who loved idols. Maybe a bit too much. He sent her countless letters and gifts, and his presence began to feel suffocating. Despite her management team's efforts to protect her, he somehow always managed to get closer to her, making her feel uneasy and unsafe. Saki tried to ignore it, believing it was just a dedicated fan expressing their admiration.

But the situation escalated. The fan began stalking her, showing up at her private events and even her home. The admiration she once felt turned into fear, and she knew she had to take action. She confided in her agency, but they said 'all press is good press.' They seemed more concerned with maintaining her public image and capitalizing on the attention, rather than addressing the very real threat to her safety. It was as if they saw the stalker's actions as a way to keep her in the spotlight, regardless of the fear and anxiety it caused her.

All press is good press, huh?

...because of their refusal to do anything, the stalker followed Saki back to their hotel.

The second she saw him, Saki knew she had to take matters into her own hands. Frustrated with her agency's lack of action, she decided to confront the stalker herself. She couldn't let fear dictate her life any longer, and she needed to protect herself.

With her heart pounding, she approached the stalker, who was lurking outside her hotel room. She could feel the weight of the card in her hand, knowing that it could be the key to her safety.

Here goes.

Saki swiftly embedded the card into the stalker's head without him noticing. The card's effect took hold, influencing his movements without him even realizing it.

His body froze up, as Saki circled him. "For months, I haven't been able to feel safe. I just want some privacy...but you feel entitled enough to ruin it. So...I'll ruin something much more personal.*

With the influence of her quirk, she compelled him to run towards the nearest window. He seemed unaware of what he was doing, as if he were in a trance.

Without hesitation, he crashed through the window and plummeted to the ground below. Saki's heart sank as she heard the impact, but she knew it was the only way to ensure her safety and put an end to the terrifying ordeal.

She thought that was the end.

...the agency didn't.

A few days after the incident, Saki was called into a meeting with her manager at the idol agency. As she entered the room, her manager's stern expression made her heart sink. His expression screamed 'sit the fuck down'. Saki took a seat, trying to compose herself despite the anxiety gnawing at her.

"We've received some serious backlash after what happened with that fan." Her manager frowned.

Saki made a disgusted face. "Backlash? I'm sorry, but he was stalking me, and I felt unsafe- no one who follows an underage back to a hotel has pure intentions. I had to do something!"

Her manager rubbed his forehead. "I understand that, but you have to realize that this fan was devoted to you. You could have shut him down politely- but no. You went too far. Our social media pages are filled with angry fans and critics who think you went too far."

"Why am I the one in trouble here!? I just wanted to be left alone."

"It doesn't matter what you meant to do. Perception is everything in this industry." Her manager tapped his finger down on his desk to punctuate his sentences. "We've worked hard to maintain your image, and now it's tarnished."

Saki felt a mix of frustration and sadness. She had hoped her agency would understand her perspective and prioritize her safety over her public image. "But what about my safety? I was scared-"

"We understand that, but there were other ways to handle the situation. We could have increased security, filed a restraining order, or even just issued a public statement about the stalking. But instead, you took matters into your own hands and used your Quirk on a devoted fan. It's not a good look-" Her manager never got a chance to finish. Saki slammed her hands on his desk.

"I am the victim here." She growled, eyes filled with righteous fury. Saki's outburst caught her manager off guard, and he leaned back in his chair, taken aback by her sudden assertiveness.

"I understand that you were scared and felt threatened, but you have to understand the implications of your actions. Using your Quirk on a person, no matter the circumstances, is a serious matter." Her manager said.

"I get it, but what was I supposed to do? You didn't do anything to protect me! You just cared about maintaining the agency's image and making money." Saki scoffed. "Am I just a cash cow to you?"

Her manager didn't respond.

And that just made Saki angrier.

"You're not even trying to hide it." She said, exasperated. "Unbelievable."

Before her manager could respond, Saki's frustration and anger reached a boiling point. In a swift motion, she pulled out a card from her pocket and stabbed it into his forehead, activating her Quirk. The card's effect took hold, and her manager's body froze up, just like the stalker's had done before.

Saki's eyes blazed with intensity. "Shred our contract. I'm done with this life. I won't just stand by with creeps like that in the hero industry..."

"I'll handle them myself."

Saki snapped back to the fight hand when she heard a sound she needed to hear, that of a fist slamming into some unfortunate target. With all the cards buzzing about her like a swarm of bees, avoiding their scathing stings, Katsuragi had made the biggest mistake one could make in her situation. She lost track of the other two enemies. With Inasa's winds still swirling around his fist, the spring-like student landed a powerful gut punch that shook Katsuragi to her core. The wind helped boost the damage from what would otherwise be something the cosmic-powered girl could tank. She grit her teeth as her stumbled back for the briefest of moments before sweeping Itsuki's legs out from under him.

But that just worked in his favor, really.

He didn't even try to catch himself, letting his body crash to the floor before springing around again. Katsuragi dodged the initial bounce, only for Inasa to take advantage of the opening and blast her with two powerful concentrated blasts of air.

Ok...so the puppets first then, Katsuragi mentally groaned to herself.

Katsuragi rushed forward, eyes shining bright. She was in overdrive mode, binary mode- this was the fastest she could muster after a few years here. Inasa tried to keep her back with some strong air currents, but she was far too strong for that attack now.

"Not gonna work now," Katsuragi taunted, unsure if Inasa could even respond to the taunt. She rushed forward and leapt over him, grabbing his head between her knees and, pulling him off his feet, slammed him back into the ground. She leapt off of the downed wind-user and out of the swarm of cards Saki had set up, nailing the landing like a professional gymnast. She swerved her head to the side as three more cards launched themselves out from the cloud behind her.

"Persistent aren't we? Good quality to have," Katsuragi smirked.

Saki frowned. "What about resilience?"

"An equally important quality to have." Katsuragi said.

"Good to know." Saki said, as she fanned her cards out. She began flicking her cards with incredible speed and accuracy, sending them flying towards her opponents like tiny projectiles. Katsuragi easily dodged them...but they quickly curved back and embedded into Katsuragi's back.

She grimaced in pain as the cards stabbed into her while Saki smirked. Any moment now, the cards would phase into the blonde's body and give Saki total control. One card would've been enough and this might be considered overkill, but she didn't care. She smirked as her cards slid into the head of the model UN's body. Katsuragi went limp, her arms hanging in front of her as her head dropped. Saki walked right up to the blonde and put a finger to her head.

"And now...you're gonna do a favor for me and take a nice, little dive," Saki ordered.

"I...I will..." Katusragi said with a slurred speech before snapping up and grabbing Saki in an impressive judo hold, "not."

"W-what?! But that...that shouldn't be POSSIBLE!"

"Oh believe me, your cards still hurt, but its just pain. My Quirk makes me immune to most forms of control Quirks. So, instead of an outright victory...I'll settle for a draw," Katsuragi said.

Saki hopelessly began throwing more cards at the senior, and they curved to dig into her back...but no use. Katsuragi flew forward, blitzing Saki with a powerful cross check. "SEE...STARS!" Katsuragi yelled, smashing the two of them into the dojo wall- and into the outside.

As the dust settled, both students were down for the count. The impact from Katsuragi was enough to take out Saki, while the pain from the card user's projectiles was too much for the model UN-head to handle. With Saki out, the effects of her cards faded, Itsuki and Inasa coming back to their senses.

"What...what just happened?" Itsuki groaned.

"I think we fought...and WON!" Inasa cheered.

"Hate to break it to you, but it's a draw," Nekomi huffed, still recovering from her own beatdown by Medaka.

"That's fine, too!"

"Well, that's nice and all but why don't I remember any of it?" Itsuki asked.

"Probably the adrenaline rush! That or we fought so well and so quickly that it seems like we jumped forward in time!" Inasa beamed.

"...you've been reading JoJo, haven't you? Cause that's not how time works."

"I might have!"

Katsuragi slowly got back to her feet, helping Saki up too with a groan. The cosmic-powered blonde was actually much less concerned with the outcome than one would think, her focus instead on Saki's power. The Error Cards were incredibly useful, if they could take two Quirks like wind manipulation and a spirng-like body and turn them into a force like that. When things started out, Katsuragi figured that Inasa would've been the biggest problem. Stories of his strength were well known across the school, especially the part where he could have gotten into U.A. but turned down the offer.

And then Saki used her cards on her teammates. In an instant, the trio went from what could've been a moderately successful team-up to a well oiled combat machine. That kind of coordination would be wasted on lesser pursuits. The model UN leader couldn't help but wonder...what would Saki think of liberation?

While Medaka saw the end of that fight, her attention shifted over to the fight that really had her attention: Akune vs Zenkichi and Kumagawa.

Akune looked at his opponents with a confident, if mocking, smirk.

"Braver than I thought, the both of you. Credit where credit's due, I would've thought you'd run with your tails between your legs," Akune taunted.

「believe me, i would rather be elsewhere, but not out of cowardice. just...really, disinterest」Kumagawa shrugged, 「feels like a waste of time if its you」

"Oh, what? You're saying we didn't have to accept this match? How kind of you to offer," Zenkichi smirked, "But no thanks. We're doing this."

"As if I would let you back down anyway," Medaka muttered, "No matter the conditions, contents, or difficulty, we will take on anyone's challenge."

「the personal creed of medaka, eh?」Kumagawa chuckled, 「well, crap. guess i can't back out now」

"No. No you can't," Akune confirmed, getting into a combat stance, "Think this'll be therapeutic for me."

「oh yeah, sure...」

Ok...if memory serves, Akune was a candidate for a judo scholarship as well. Brute strength isn't gonna be enough to take him down. Can't rely on Kumagawa for much here, though, knowing him, he'd love to show me up at least once in the fight. So, really, I'm on my own here. Dragging the fight out would be suicide too...so it looks like I'll just have to finish this quickly, Zenkichi mentally strategized.

"But...I can be a gracious opponent," Akune said, "You can make the first move."

As soon as he said that, Zenkichi raced in. Kumagawa only smirked as he already figure out how this was gonna go. Medaka's vice-president thrust his arm forward for a palm strike, only for Akune to easily sidestep the strike and take ahold of his arm. In one fluid motion, Akune threw Zenkichi over his shoulder. Kumagawa's temporary partner slammed into the floormat hard, leaving him gasping for air for a moment.

「even i coulda told you that wouldn't have worked」Kumagawa shrugged, only for Akune to spin around, grab him and do the same.

「...i deserved that」Kumagawa muttered.

"Oh...you deserve much more than that. Get up, the both of you," Akune demanded, "I'm going to bury the both of you like the worms you are, right here for Medaka to see."

「...stating to think you have an obsession」Kumagawa weakly got up and dusted himself off. Zenkichi growled as he jumped back to his feet, getting into another combat stance. Akune couldn't help but smirk a litle at the sight. As much as he wished for their defeat, credit where credit's due. Zenkichi's resilience was definitely worthy of note, no wonder Medaka saw something in him. No matter, he'd still come out the victor here. Zenkichi rushed in again, throwing out a flurry of strikes, only for each one to be parried aside with ease. But Akune got overconfident. An elbow strike managed to get through Akune's defenses and clocked him in the side of the jaw, making him stagger to the left.

「nice hit」Kumagawa complimented.

"If you're just gonna stand there, which I know you will, then shut up," Zenkichi sneered, getting ready for Akune's comeback.

「alright, alright...」the screw-user held his hands up in surrender, taking a few steps to the enough, Akune rushed back into the fray, connecting a powerful punch to Zenkichi's face, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying past Kumagawa.

「figured that would-」Kumagawa began, only to be smacked down by a roundhouse kick from his former partner in crime.

"Unfortunate," Mogana muttered as she watched the punch, "Seems Zenkichi wasted his one lucky hit."

"Nope," Medaka corrected.

"Nope? What do you mean, nope?"

"In judo, there's no such thing as a lucky hit."

Much to Mogana's, Akune's, and even Nekomi's surprise, Zenkichi got back up again, battered as he was. The vice-president's opponent couldn't help but nod in approval.

"Hard work for getting to the position you're in with Medaka and determination against a superior foe. I'll give respect where it's earned," Akune said, not getting any real response from Zenkichi, "With all the power I've put into my moves, you would think you'd accept the loss and stay down. But there's an old saying that...seems to apply here. 'Tread on the worm and it will turn.'"

「...that sounds like something i'd say」Kumagawa chimed in.

"...don't make me regret such a common phrase," Akune rubbed his temple in annoyance.

"Forget him," Zenkichi said, bringing his opponent's attention back to him.

"You're right. Kumagawa, I'll handle later. Allow me to finish this quickly, then," Akune said, ignoring his old partner for the time being.

Just like Kumgawa wanted. The tip of a screw began to emerge from his palm in secret. The whole plan was for Akune to get his hits in, having get overconfident and eventually decide to focus on Zenkichi. Then, with a surprise, he'd pierce that cocky blonde with a screw to the back. The shock should be enough for Zenkichi to move in and floor the guy. Let it never be said that Kumagawa wasn't a team player. Right as Akune raced forward to Zenkichi, Kumagawa held out his hand and fired the screw right at Akune's back.

Only for the blonde to stop and turn around, grabbing the "weapon" with his hand.

「...oh. youuuu improved your reflexes. well then uh...good...good job?」Kumagawa chuckled nervously.

"You've pulled that way too many times for me to be surprised by it," Akune said.

「oh hell. i really am getting predictable.」

"You were always predictable. But...should thank you," Akune tossed the screw in his hand before grabbing hold of it, "Always wondered if these count as 'weapons.'"

「of course they d- oh. ohhhhh i just gave you...」

"Exactly what I needed."

Kouki Akune! Quirk: Technique! Whenever he takes hold of a weapon- a sword, a gun, a crossbow, anything!- he immediately becomes a master with it! Need a sharpshooter? Pass him a rifle. Need some extra close quarters combat expertise? Toss him a pair of police batons and let him have at it!

His quirk is like Medaka's, just with inanimate objects. Is THAT why he feels so entitled to her or something? Zenkichi wondered.

With that, Akune rushed into the fray. With the same ease and skill as Kumagawa himself, the judo pro began to strike out with the screw as if this was a fencing club instead. The improvised rapier blade thrust out at the student council vice president, forcing him to dodge and weave through the various sting-like strikes.

Ok, different fighting style. Fencing like this is all about speed and precision, power's completely irrelevant. So, Zenkichi thought to himself before his train of thought was interrupted by one of those rapier strikes barely grazed him. Akune smirked as he saw the tip of the screw just scratch his opponent. He quickly tossed the screw over in his hand and swung at Zenkichi's face, slamming the rounded head into the vice president like a baseball bat.

「huh...so that's what its like to see that from another perspective...」Kumagawa scoffed a little.

Using his quick reflexes, Zenkichi darted to the side, narrowly avoiding Akune's next strike. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between them and delivered a series of swift punches aimed at Akune's midsection. Akune blocked most of the blows with his free hand, but Zenkichi managed to land a couple of hits, forcing Akune to step back.

"You're fast," Akune acknowledged with a grin, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip where Zenkichi's punch had landed.

"Not fast." Zenkichi said, as his eyes lit up. You can be a master, but it's pretty moot to fight when I can read every one of your movements...

"...huh..." Akune paused and regarded Zenkichi.

I wonder...are you using your Quirk right now? And that's how you're doing this? Akune mentally questioned.

While Zenkichi's ability to read Akune's movements with ease gave him a significant advantage, fighting alongside Kumagawa was an entirely different story. The contrast between the two couldn't have been starker. Where Akune's movements were precise and calculated, Kumagawa's were chaotic and unruly.

As Zenkichi continued to exchange blows with Akune, he couldn't help but steal glances at Kumagawa. He was just...standing all stanced up, ready to fight. Every now and then, he would attempt to intervene, throwing screws and other random objects haphazardly into the mix, making it difficult for both fighters to focus solely on each other.

What's his angle now?

By now, Saki had come to. She sat with arms crossed, annoyed at her draw with the head of the model UN. But then her attention shifted to the fight with Akune. She raised a brow at Kumagawa's...strategy would be too strong a word because that would imply he had something beyond just "add in a little chaos." Seeing the judo pro use one of her partner's own screws was...a little weird, being honest, but she knew that wouldn't be enough to throw off Kumagawa.

"What's your plan?" Saki muttered to herself.

As Zenkichi and Akune were about to clash once more, Kumagawa suddenly stabbed a screw into the ground.

「Screw the World.」

Extending a screw into the ground, Kumagawa caused a wave of screws to burst forth from the earth, creating a chaotic storm of metal. Screws shot up like deadly spikes, forcing Zenkichi and Akune to retreat and dodge to avoid being impaled. The wave of screws seemed endless, coming from all directions, leaving both fighters with little room to maneuver. Akune and Zenkichi found some 'flat' screws, and quickly balanced on them.

"He just transformed the battlefield..." Saki muttered. "Into a stutterstep field!"

Zenkichi struggled to balance atop the screw- below him was a sea of rapidly emerging screws, and any misstep could lead to dire consequences. He focused his attention on Akune, who was...imbalanced.

He's struggling... Zenkichi thought.

「i noticed something you didn't」Kumagawa said, suddenly appearing behind Zenkichi.

"Do not do that!" Zenkichi yelled after almost losing his balance entirely. He just barely managed to recover before he fell.

「had to get him by surprise. hm...actually, i should've popped up behind him. ah well, hindsight's 20/20 and all that」Kumagawa shrugged.

"Now, the hell did you notice?"

「he's only skilled at things he can wield」Kumagawa said. 「his body goes in auto pilot...but not in this situation」

"...in other words, come at him from a stance that's not combat focused," Zenkichi muttered.

「see? i have my uses」

"Okay. Okay. I can work with this." Zenkichi frowned. Instead of engaging Akune head-on, he hopped off the screw he was balancing on and began to move erratically, darting and zigzagging between the flying screws. He purposely created a frenzied pattern of movements, making it difficult for Akune to predict his next actions.

"Woah. His movements just went into overdrive." Mogana said, adjusting her glasses.

Kumagawa watched Zenkichi dart from screw to screw, making him smirk a bit. Akune glared over at his former partner. "The hell is THIS!?"

「i call it my 'leg eating forest'」Kumagawa called out. 「be careful! i don't want you to fall in」

Akune grimaced, as he looked down at the screws. Zenkichi continued his frenzied movements, testing Akune's balance and agility. He tried to keep Akune off-balance, making it difficult for him to launch a proper attack. Zenkichi knew that he couldn't match Akune's strength, but he had to rely on his speed and quick thinking to win this fight.

「being only skilled when holding something is a big drawback for such an ability」He thought. 「but there's another huge weakness i neglected to mention」

His gaze turned to Akune, who was darting his eyes around like crazy watching his opponent.

「he always underestimates his opponents. he's so self agrandizing...always thinking he's the best.」

A flash of that spiky haired kid from UA came to mind.

The one who had a temper tantrum when he won the Sports Fest.

The one that screwed him from getting into UA.

「anyone who thinks they're the best at something is clearly a liar」Kumagawa smirked. 「they will always fall short, because no one can be the best at everything」

His gaze then shot over to Medaka.

「or so it would seem.」

Zenkichi continued to keep Akune on the defensive. He weaved between the flying screws, never staying in one place for too long. This erratic style of combat proved to be effective, as Akune struggled to anticipate his next move. Each time Akune attempted to strike back, Zenkichi evaded with nimble footwork, leaving him frustrated and off-balance.

Zenkichi's expert footwork came from the 'coolest' form of combat- savate. Savate is commonly known as French boxing, and the hands and feet are both used as weapons.

Most people start Savate and believe that it has elements of traditional kickboxing, but the Savate fighters use kicks as much as they use punches, meaning that they don't load up on their kicks with full power. Unlike most other martial arts systems, Savate only allows kicks with the foot, as opposed to systems like Muay Thai which allows shin and knee kicks, too. If your goal in combat to be versatile and able to defend from all kinds of attacks, you should try savate.

As for agility? Parkour.

Parkour is cool.

I know I'm not the best at anything. Zenkichi thought. And I'm not really trying to be. I'm cool with being labeled anything-

His eyes lit up, and locked onto a target- Akune's jaw.

Just as long as it's not a loser.

Zenkichi noticed a gap in Akune's defense and used it to his advantage by quickly closing in on him. He hit Akune's jaw with great force, sending the judo pro flying through the air. The strength of the punch left Akune dazed and exposed as he soared upward. Taking advantage of the situation, Zenkichi leaped into the air with a fierce energy, his fist BEGGING to punch him. He met Akune mid-air and delivered a mighty uppercut, sending him soaring even higher.

"RISING UPPERCUT!"

As Akune reached the peak of his ascent, he was momentarily suspended in mid-air, looking disoriented and astonished. It was in this moment that Zenkichi seized another opportunity. He wasn't done yet. He twisted his body, and with a powerful spin kick, launched himself upwards once more. As he rose, he caught up to the airborne Akune, his foot connecting with perfect precision.

"FORWARD KICK!" Zenkichi unleashed his second super move, the force of his spinning kick sending shockwaves through the air as he struck Akune again.

"Two super moves in a row!?" Inasa yelled. "AWESOME!"

"Isn't that overkill?" Ryuji asked.

"Not at all, actually." Medaka hummed. "His quirk paired with his adaptability allows him to chain them together seamlessly...especially when things come together like this."

Akune slammed into a wall, and huffed. He struggled to balance on some screws to get back up- they were wobbly, for some reason. Zenkichi landed on a screw, ready to continue the fight...but then Kumagawa walked right past him.

「good work, partner」Kumagawa said. 「i'll take it from here」

"Kumagawa, what are you-" Zenkichi asked, as Kumagawa pulled out a screw.

With a burst of speed, Kumagawa charged at the recovering Akune, his movements strangely graceful despite the chaos around them. He thrust the screw-lance towards Akune with uncanny precision, catching the judo pro off guard. The screw-lance grazed Akune's arm, drawing a thin line of blood.

「whoops! i missed」Kumagawa said, knocking himself on the head in embarassment. 「thats not what i wanted」

「let's be honest here. You and I, we're two sides of the same coin. we're both losers」Akune's eyes narrowed in response to Kumagawa's words, but he didn't say anything. 「i don't pretend to be something i'm not. i don't seek validation from others to feel worthy」

「i'm a good loser」

「and you're a poor winner」

「potato」

「poTAto」

「do they know your old cringy middle school nickname?」

「hakaishin (destroyer) ?」

The two stared each other down for a minute. Zenkichi grimaced- did he just do Kumagawa's dirty work to confront him?

"...the last mission you gave me." Akune said. "You're still mad about that, aren't you?"

And then it happened. Kumagawa's usual 'neutral' face distorted into a scowl. He looked ready to kill Akune for even mentioning that. Akune furrowed his brow.

"I think you always hated me." Akune said. "You just wanted to see me fail, to prove that I wasn't as good as you. So, you gave me an impossible mission. And I couldn't do it. Just like you wanted."

Mission? Saki thought. The hell kind of mission was this!?

「i asked you to knock her down a peg. until she cracked. that's all.」

"You had me beat her up every day- and at some point, I asked myself...why? She never fought back. She never told. She never did anything...except give me that same look every day." Akune said. "It made me wonder...why? Why did you tell me to break Medaka of all people?"

Saki's glance shifted to Medaka. Everyone's gaze did, actually.

「i just didn't like her」Kumagawa shugged.

"This was all over something so PETTY-!?" Akune gasped, as a screw suddenly extended through his body.

「i don't like boring protagonists」Kumagawa said. 「i don't like characters who nail everything they do on the first try. she'd be a very boring hero, don't you think」

「in a world filled with gifted individuals, the so-called 'main characters' who excel at everything, she was no different. it irked me to see such a predictable protagonist. i wanted to see her break, to see if she truly deserved the pedestal she was placed on」

「same goes for you」

「you're kind of boring too」

「but whatevs」

Kumagawa snapped his fingers, and the screws disappeared. All three of them dropped to the ground, landing on the mat. Kumagawa straightened out his Shiketsu cap, and turned to his classmates.

「believe me!」

「if you saw the world i did」

「you'd do the same」

And then he made his leave.

Medaka watched Kumagawa leave, her eyes narrowed at him, practically glaring daggers at the self-described good loser. Kumagawa shot a glance back to Medaka as well, one that was really hard to read and get the exact emotion behind them, but their message was clear.

Maybe next time.

Saki watched the quick glance before Kumagawa marched out of the dojo with a little wave goodbye. Katsuragi found herself scowling at Kumagawa's words. At one time, she thought maybe she could nab him and Saki, have them join the cause. But hearing his words, his incredibly nihilistic view made her sick. Bringing him in would be an insult to the grander ideals.

That little brat...he's poison to everything. Katsuragi scowled beneath her charming facade. His presence MAY be a good way to ensure Re-Destro is always at full power, but that's a cost too great. I need to say something...

Zenkichi, meanwhile, moved to pull Kumagawa's screw out of Akune's back. Thankfully wounds inflicted with those screws were never lethal. He tossed the screw aside and held out a hand to his opponent. Akune eyed the hand and sighed for a moment, before reaching out and taking his enemy's hand.

"Good fight," Zenkichi said, "Sorry about...him."

"No need to apologize. He was always a moody little brat." Akune huffed. "Doing his dirty work was pretty much just taking care of people he didn't like. Sometimes he'd flip flop on them."

"And...what he said. That's why you're like this? You're trying to make it up to her. Even though you know she won't hold a grudge. Am I right?" Zenkichi asked.

Medaka walked over. "He did attack me for days and weeks on end, yes...but I never fought back because deep down, I think he knew how awful the situation was. Admittedly, it did take some guilt tripping to break through to him..."

"Is it really guilt tripping if it's accurate, though?" Akune sighed.

"...yeah, I think so," Zenkichi answered.

"Point stands though."

"I just wore some exaggerated bandages." Medaka frowned. "By the time he stopped, he was just lightly tapping me."

"It did work." Akune muttered. It was…strange. Everything just felt like he was walking through molasses. His mind was racing with thoughts of the past.

Let's tell a little story of that past to finish off this chapter.

Akune Kouki was...a thug in middle school. Whether it was a person, place or thing, he'd destroy it without thinking twice about it. There wasn't a person that walked Hakobune's halls that didn't know the destroyer. He was the type that neither teachers nor police wanted anything to do with.

But to Kumagawa, that was an 'invitation'. So, he had him carry out a bulk of the heavy work. Whatever he was told to destroy, he would.

「there's a new girl in our class」

「her name is kurokami medaka」

「she's too perfect」

「destroy her」

"If you're saying it...then it must be true."

「i'm student council president」

「of course its true」

「i'd never lie」

So, one day, in the middle of class, when Medaka was just copying notes like a strenographer in court- he struck her. Metal pipe to the head. This wasn't even his class. He just came in and did it.

The class screamed as Medaka went down to the ground, blood gushing from the wound. Akune coldly walked out, flicking her head wound's blood off his metal pipe. At this time, he was always annoyed. By destroying things, he'd feel at ease. It was perfectly healthy...to him. This new student was nothing more than a way to relieve some stress.

But imagine his shock when the next day, Medaka came back to school- just with a bandage wrapped arond her head and a smaller one on her cheek. Akune was on the roof (his hideout) when he spotted her from the crowd. He was stunned, for a lack of better words.

"She's coming to school? Seriously? Thought she'd transfer out after that..." Akune frowned. "Whatever..."

So he destroyed her again.

Contrary to his belief, nothing ended. The next day, Medaka came back to class with more face bandages and her arm in a sling...but she came back to school with the same look on her face.

The day after that too.

And that one too.

By the end of the week, she could have been considered a mummy. This was the 'origin' of Medaka's 7th grade life being called her heyday. As cynical as it may sound, she began to make a name for herself as the diamond in the rough, the one thing the 'Destroyer' couldn't break.

「i thought you said you could destroy anything and anyone」Kumagawa said on a Friday evening as school let out. Akune was up on his rooftop hideout and looked down out over the departing students like a supervillain, his eyes picking Medaka out of the crowd like a hawk.

「don't tell me you lied to me.」

"She's stubborn, I'll give her that," Akune scoffed, "But she can't last forever. No one can. Let her heal up a bit."

「heal? and give her time to come back swinging? ohhhh no no no no, you're going right back down there and bashing her over the head again.」

"And i will. But I also know the limits of the human body. I'm not a killer, Kumagawa."

「ohhhh, you're just afraid of going too far. makes sense there. but, i don't care. when i say break her, i mean it.」

"What if there's something you can't break physically or mentally?" Akune frowned.

「play dirty. attack the people who can't be strong like her」

"...that's unnecessary."

「hm?」

"I said, that's unnecessary. I'm not involving outsiders here."

「hm」

「disappointing」

"Disappointing? What, do you want me to go after the people she makes friends with?"

「exactly.」

"Wha-"

「well, you see you haven't actually tried the mental approach. you've just been going in swinging your favorite metal pipe around like you can't be stopped. and it didn't work. so what do you do instead? break her mentally. she's all about making friends...so ensure no one wants to be friends her. isolate her.」

"You...you're starting to sound like a sociopath, man. It...it's kinda creeping me out," Akune allowed himself to cringe for a moment.

「really? i've always talked to you like this. don't start having double standards now old friend.」

"...we're not friends."

「one sided usually works in my favor」

「friends or not」

「you still did me plenty favors」

"But what have you done for me?"

「gave you a chance to release yourself」

"I didn't need you to tell me to hit stuff," Akune scoffed.

「no. but you did me to tell you who and what to hit. without me, you'd just be swinging at everyone in reach. someone would've gotten involved eventually. after all, some kids here have pros for parents.」

"No they don't. Otherwise they would've gotten involved by now."

「more like your little intimidation trick is doing more good for than you thought. the teachers are so scared of you that they're actually covering for you. if one of them were to gain enough confidence...or, say, someone else slipped the information to a worried parent...」

"...and who'd be ratting me out here?"

「why, a concerned citizen of course!」

"...you wouldn't."

「i would」

"You'd just throw me out once I stop taking orders from you?" Akune frowned, taking a step forward.

「without second thought, yeah」

"Then how about I take this pipe and take a swing at your little megalomaniacal skull?" Akune threatened, sneering at his "partner."

「oh i invite you to try! buuuut you better believe i won't just stand here and take it」Kumagawa smirked, putting his hands behind his back. With his hands hidden, the points of two screws began to emerge from his open palms ever so slightly. If Akune so much as took an inch out of line, the screws would fire out at him. Kumagawa made sure they were on a hair trigger for this one.

"What the hell makes you think you'd win in a fight against me?" Akune sneered.

「quick question for you. what's my quirk?」

"...what?"

「my quirk. what is it? oh, wait, that's right. you can't answer because i've never told you! and doesn't that just terrify you? i could do anything! i could have a form of super strength, maybe some kind of solar or lunar empowerment. why else would i agree to meet up this late after school? 」

"...I can see the screws, Kumagawa." Akune said. "You're a shitty liar."

「phooey!」Kumagawa said, revealing his screws.

"Even if we were to fight, I don't see the harm in some silly little screws." Akune scoffed, pulling out his pipe.

「no one does. i mean, they're right to. what are screws going to do?」Kumagawa shook his head. With that, Akune raised his pipe and brought it down. The good loser smirked and summoned up one of his larger screws, parrying the blow and thrusting the tip of the giant screw into Akune's chest.

「aside from impale you, anyway」

Akune gasped, as he stumbled back. Kumagawa pulled the screw out, a manic grin on his face. 「that's just a warning. heed it well- or i stab it in further」

Akune felt around where the wound was, but found nothing. His shock turned to anger. "So, what?! Your quirk hurts me, but only when the screw's inserted. Pretty bullshit..."

「oh, the pain's not the main thing. didn't you feel weird when it pierced you? didn't that pipe feel heavier than it should've?」

Akune grimaced. His screws...they must weaken me or something. Even then...I can still take him.

「oh, are we still doing this? or are you backing down?」Kumagawa asked in earnest. The grimace on Akune's face made it look like he was ready to charge in and take his chances.

Akune clenched his grip around the metal pipe, and glared back at Kumagawa...before sighing.

"Yeah. I'm done."

「good! then, starting next week, put the plan in motion. like i said, go for the mental approach!」

"No. I'm done." Akune threw the metal pipe on the ground. "I'm done with this."

「...you're quitting」

"Yeah. I...I don't want this for me anymore. She never fought back. She never spoke up. And...I realized...I don't have a reason to really wreck stuff anymore."

「you sure on that?」

"...yes." Akune braced himself. Kumagawa had already been told "no" once today and that almost sparked a fight. Telling him he quit...that might start a personal feud between them. So, Akune balled his fists and waited for his former boss' response.

「ok」

"W-what?"

「ok. nothing lasts forever, especially partnerships like this. no skin off my back, really」

"...you were just ready to murder me."

「yeah」

「now i don't care what happens to you」

「so」

「shoo.」

Akune was at a loss for words. He also knew Kumagawa was...well, "weird" was being kind, but the mood swings here were just something else. Murderous to apathetic, joyous to defeatist...

"Just...one thing before I leave you alone. Which is probably how you should stay," Akune growled.

「lemme guess...if i think about going after her again, you won't step down. you will fight me. right?」

"Without a moment's hesitation." Akune frowned.

「ok」

「just know」

「whatever happens with medaka kurokami is on you」

「okay?」

"...fine," Akune huffed.

「so long as you understand that, at least.」

"What I understand is that you're fucking crazy. Nothing more to say." Akune coldly said. "That's about it. See ya."

「see ya, akune. hope things turn out well for you」

That might have been sincere. Akune himself wasn't sure. But now, he was free.

Free.

...what exactly do you do with this freedom? Without rage, what are you? The question spun in his mind as he walked out of the building, not realizing he was being followed...

Medaka hadn't exactly heard everything of the argument between Akune and Kumagawa, but she heard enough to understand the truth of things. Akune wasn't a bad guy, not like how everyone was saying. Granted, she always figured that, but this was the proof she needed. Kumagawa was manipulating his anger! And without that manipulator around, maybe he could channel that anger into something less damaging to people. Or, at least, something that didn't involve hitting people with metal pipes on a daily basis.

"So." Medaka said, after following Akune for a while. He was just on his way out the door. "You're done. Just like that."

"...yeah." Akune couldn't bring himself to look at her. Not after everything he'd done.

"Did someone hurt you too?" Medaka guessed. "Were you also a 'weak' boy who was taken advantage of? I can only imagine you came across something devastating that pushed you to become the type of person you are now..."

"...why did you just stand there and take my attacks?" Akune finally asked.

"What good would fighting back do? If anything, you'd be emboldened to try harder. Or he would convince you to," Medaka answered, "May not have been the perfect solution but it was a solution."

That was totally off the mark. There wasn't something that sweet to blame his misdirected anger on. Without a real cause, he went off the beaten path. Without a real reasom, he'd harm those around him. Without a real basis to it, he'd be angry with everything.

He did what he wanted. He lived how he wanted. That's all there was to it.

And that's why...he was destroyed.

"...I honestly have nothing."

"Nothing at all?" Medaka tilted her head, "No...goal? No dreams? No apsirations or ambitions? I find that hard to believe."

"Believe me. It's true." Akune said. "I need...something to work to. Anything will do, actually..."

"Have you ever looked into martial arts? Karate, judo, things like that?" Medaka suggested.

"...I dunno. Maybe." Akune huffed. "You shouldn't even be talking to me."

"Why not? Because of what you did?"

"What do you mean? Yes! I bashed your head with a metal pipe! Most people would call that justifiable grounds for a grudge! Or some resentment!"

"But I'm not most people."

"...then be my something." Akune said.

"Hm?" Medaka raised an eyebrow.

"Clearly I need a goal, something to work towards. And I don't want to do it alone. So why not make it a joint effort? You can help me find what I'm looking for and in turn...I'll devote myself to you. Whenever." Akune said.

"Devote yourself? I'm not a god to be worshiped. But I will help you find something," Medaka answered, "No need to give me anything back. No payment, no favors. How's that sound?"

"But...I need to." Akune insisted.

"Maybe you do. But I'm not your savior." Medaka claimed. "But, at least there was something still left to save."

Akune couldn't believe it. He had expected anger, resentment, or even a punch to the face, but Medaka's response was the last thing he had anticipated. She was offering her help without any strings attached. It was a simple act of kindness that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

"Okay," Akune finally said, his voice trembling. "I'll accept your help. I'll try to find something worth working for, and I promise to devote myself to that goal, even if you don't expect anything in return."

Medaka smiled warmly, her eyes filled with empathy. "That's all I want, Akune. To see you find a purpose in life and turn it into something positive…."

And while months had passed, and his face said otherwise…Akune still hadn't found it.

A purpose, I mean.

…

Akune had tried so many different things, explored various hobbies, and volunteered for countless causes, but he still felt a sense of emptiness within him. It was as if he was missing a vital piece of the puzzle, and no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find it. When you're perfect at whatever thing you try fiddling at, life gets boring.

Very, very boring.

In a way, Kumagawa was right.

There's no joy in a perfect quirk.