- .My Hero Academia: 180 degrees. -
24. Where Izuku tries to talk to Uraraka but everyone ends up fighting
Izuku watched his friends from a distance with interest, as they seemed to be engaged in a last-minute discussion with Mina, who, with her characteristic enthusiasm, was gesturing energetically while the others nodded—except for Bakugo, who stood with his arms crossed. Finally, they seemed to come to an agreement. Everyone took their positions on the stage, and Mina, satisfied, stepped off. Izuku wondered for a moment what that had all been about.
Kirishima and Jiro exchanged nervous glances, while Bakugo and Shoji, with their eyes closed, appeared to focus as they waited for their turn. As with the previous bands, there wasn't any formal introduction; the atmosphere was laid-back, and the music served to liven up the party.
From the crowd, Mina gave Kirishima a wide smile, encouraging him with both fists and a slight shoulder movement, signaling for him to relax. Kirishima, with gratitude shining in his eyes, smiled back, his gleaming teeth radiating confidence and warmth.
Jiro, catching onto the good mood, kicked things off with the electric guitar.
(Some of the nearby audience turned their heads at the striking opening)
...
Bakugo followed on the drums.
(A few girls turned towards him, pointing in his direction)
...
Shoji quietly joined in on the bass.
A few seconds passed before it was Kirishima's turn, and he was ready when the moment arrived.
...
Kirishima: I'm thinking of nothing but you
To the point I can't see anything else.
(Izuku slightly opened his mouth, surprised by how well his friend could sing)
...
Jiro: I'm gonna win your heart, now matter what
...
Kirishima: (I swear it!)
The days I wasn't cool are long gone
I've made every effort possible
(Kirishima glanced at Mina again. Deku noticed, smiled, and then looked at the palm of his hand)
...
Jiro: And I've completed unreasonable challenges.
I should...
(Deku)
...
Kirishima: (be)
(Uraraka)
...
Jiro: full of...
(Kirishima)
...
Kirishima: (confidence)
(Bakugo, eyes still closed)
...
Kirishima and Jiro: But once I'd just gotten warmed up...
(Bakugo slowly opened his eyes)
I get knocked down like this every time.
Your oppressive, serious voice comes stabbing at me!
I gave form to my feelings thousands... ten of thousands of times.
Driving them in, tossing them through...but all you do is run away!
(Uraraka pressed a small fist to her chest)
...
Jiro: Question, question, what...
...
Kirishima: Question, question, do I know...
...
Jiro: Question, question,
Kirishima and Jiro: exactly about you?
(Deku glanced in Uraraka's direction again)
...
Kirishima: Question, question, why...
Question, question, are you...
...
Jiro: Question, question,
Kirishima and Jiro: so close, yet so far?!
(Bakugo looked at Deku, but saw that his gaze was elsewhere, not on the stage, and then closed his eyes again)
...
Kirishima: I want you to recognize me.
I want to be your most special person.
(Uraraka smiled softly. Deku continued watching her)
...
Jiro: I refine my best aspects, for a full power
...
Kirishima: (Appeal)
(Deku clenched his fist slightly, noticing the guy standing next to Uraraka)
Lately, My rivals have been increasing lately
Snipers aiming for a surprise attack.
...
Jiro: Someone's going to end up taking you away from me
...
Kirishima: (I hallucinate)
(Deku)
...
Jiro: The insecurity...
(Uraraka)
...
Kirishima: (gets out of control)
(Someone behind Deku)
...
Kirishima and Jiro: Just when I was starting to get depressed...
Why is it?! You show up to grasp my hand, kindly saying, "Are you alright?", as you show me that smile
(Someone tapped Deku's shoulder, and when he turned, it was Todoroki)
Even if my heart seems about to break thousands of time... tens of thousands times,
That moment... that feeling... is what gives me a glipse of the future!
...
Jiro: Question, question, Could it be...
(Deku smiled at Todoroki)
...
Kirishima: Question, question, that you too...
(Todoroki smiled back)
...
Jiro: Question, question,
Kirishima and Jiro: Were looking... at me?
(Bakugo opened his eyes again and saw Deku with Todoroki)
...
Kirishima: Question, question, without saying...
...
Question, question, a single word...
...
Kirishima and Jiro: Question, question, You seemed... to be nodding yes
(Jiro spotted Kaminari next to Uraraka)
...
(The guitar and drums intensified briefly in the song's small interlude)
...
Kirishima and Jiro: Please tell me!
(Deku glanced towards Bakugo, who once again closed his eyes)
I get knocked down like this every time.
Your oppressive, serious voice comes stabbing at me!
I gave form to my feelings thousands... ten of thousands of times.
Driving them in, tossing them through...but all you do is run away!
(Deku kept watching Kacchan closely, but Bakugo kept his eyes shut)
...
Jiro: Question, question, what...
(Some of the crowd started singing along, and Jiro smiled)
...
Kirishima: Question, question, do I know...
(Kaminari smiled at Jiro with admiration. Uraraka noticed and smiled, singing along too)
...
Jiro: Question, question,
Kirishima and Jiro: exactly about you?
Question, question, why...
Question, question, Do you feel...
Question, question, so close, yet so far?!
(Jiro and Bakugo finished with a flourish, and the crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Afterward, everything returned to normal as the band began stepping off the stage)
—I think they're pretty good— commented Todoroki, and Midoriya nodded in agreement.
Then, Izuku turned to him with some curiosity.
—Ah! By the way... Todoroki, how did you manage to escape from those girls earlier?
With his usual calmness, he replied without flinching.
—I simply told them it was difficult to talk to everyone at once and that I'd prefer to get to know one person at a time.
Izuku blinked, surprised by the simplicity of the solution.
—Did they really understand that?
—Yes —Todoroki answered with a serenity that was, to Izuku, almost disconcerting.
Then, as if something had caught his attention, Todoroki shifted his gaze to a specific point. Without changing his expression, he discreetly pointed in that direction.
—It's her, isn't it?
Izuku followed the direction of his gaze and found, once again, Uraraka chatting animatedly with the same guy from before. He felt a bit strange again but decided not to let that overwhelm him.
—Yeah. I'm going to talk to her now. Excuse me.
With that, he began to make his way through the crowd, determined.
Todoroki watched him walk away, letting out a slight sigh. I hope you never find out what I really had to tell those girls, Midoriya, he thought before following him.
...
Kaminari frowned suddenly, as if something had clicked in his mind.
—Hey, I know that guy from earlier, the one at the battery. Once, he chased me for blocks over a simple misunderstanding.
Uraraka touched her cheek thoughtfully.
—You must be talking about Bakugo. I know him too, and I don't doubt it— she smiled, a bit amused.
Kaminari looked at her incredulously, shaking his head exaggeratedly.
—But seriously, I thought that explosion maniac was going to kill me!
—I know what you mean! —Uraraka admitted, letting out a warm laugh—. He can be really scary when he's angry, but trust me, once you get to know him, he's a good person. He can even be a bit funny.
—Hey, you said that with a big smile. Don't tell me you like him, or... is he your boyfriend? —Kaminari teased, though a bit nervously.
—No, of course not! —Uraraka responded quickly, her face starting to flush—. Well, I mean, it's not like it would be completely impossible in other circumstances, but… I… well...
Before she could continue, a familiar voice interrupted from behind her.
—Looks like you're having fun, Uraraka —commented Izuku with a tense smile that seemed rather forced, making his presence known.
—D-Deku?! —Uraraka spun around quickly, her face turning completely red, starting from her neck up to her forehead—. Wh-what are you doing here?! —she stammered, utterly embarrassed, looking like steam might start coming out of her head.
Izuku stood firm.
—Looks like you're having fun —Izuku repeated.
—You said it again! —Uraraka complained, even more flustered.
At that moment, Todoroki, who had been watching from a few steps behind, stepped in with his typical seriousness.
—You looked like you were having a lot of fun —he observed, without changing his expression, only adding to the tension.
Suddenly, a heavy step approached, and before anyone could react, Bakugo was already in front of them, looking as menacing as ever.
—Did I hear you correctly? —he growled, his gaze fixed on Kaminari—. Did you just call me the explosion maniac? You idiot-faced loser! —Bakugo's challenging tone made Kaminari step back slightly. He got the impression that the three standing before him— the one with the fake smile, the serious guy with the scar, and the explosion maniac— all looked intimidating together. Although, he had to admit they also looked kind of cool. Could they be yakuza apprentices?
—Hey... —Kaminari whispered nervously to Uraraka—. Are these your friends?
—Y-yeah... —Uraraka forced a smile, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden tension—. But I don't understand why things got so... tense all of a sudden —she laughed awkwardly, trying to ease the situation.
Kaminari, attempting to break the ice, raised his hands in a peace gesture.
—Hey... you're not still mad about the gym thing, are you? —he said, trying to smooth things over—. It was the manager's fault, he didn't tell me the right voltage for the equipment...
—Shut up! —Bakugo snapped, cutting him off with fury—. Because of you, I've had to deal with a bunch of losers stuck in melodramas!
—Kacchan! —Izuku intervened, visibly worried about how things were going.
—What?! —Bakugo growled, showing no signs of calming down.
—Wait... you're Kacchan? —Todoroki suddenly cut in.
—And who the hell are you?! —Bakugo replied, frowning.
Todoroki didn't flinch at Bakugo's hostility.
—That doesn't matter. I'll just say, if you mess with Midoriya again, you'll have to deal with me too.
—Todoroki! —Izuku exclaimed, surprised by his friend's sudden intervention.
Bakugo, with a mocking grin, glanced at the tag on Todoroki's chest.
—HA! Two quirks, huh? Is that why you're feeling so confident?
—I only use my ice quirk in combat —Todoroki replied coldly.
—And what the hell is that supposed to mean?!
At that moment, Monoma appeared through the crowd, smiling with his usual air of superiority.
—Ah, of course… I knew I recognized that voice. Those shouts are unmistakable —Monoma said, casting a mocking glance at Bakugo.
—Ugh, it's you! Damn copycat! —Bakugo shouted, his rage escalating—. I've got unfinished business with you too.
Just when the tension seemed to reach its peak, Kirishima stepped forward, making his way through the crowd.
—Hey, Bakugo— Kirishima called out from behind, looking worried—. How many enemies do you have? This seems to be getting out of hand.
—They're not my enemies —Bakugo corrected, his tone more serious than usual. He paused for a moment, standing in the center of the group, and cast a quick side glance at Deku—. To me, they're all rivals. But in the end, I'll be the only one to become number one. I'll surpass All Might. Nothing else matters.
The air became charged with a different kind of energy. Everyone's eyes met, but in the end, all attention focused on Bakugo. His determination was unwavering, and though his attitude seemed boastful, deep down, they all knew they shared the same goal: reaching the top.
—How arrogant —Todoroki broke the silence, his voice cold but calculated—. You remind me of someone I despise.
Monoma, meanwhile, let out a sly laugh.
—Always trying to grab attention —he remarked with his usual mix of disdain and amusement—. But don't forget, last time I made a fool of you.
Kaminari joined in, accepting the challenge —Just so you know, I've improved a lot since the last time we met, so I won't run away if you want to fight now.
—Even though we're friends, I see you as a strong rival I need to beat too —Kirishima added himself to the conversation.
—Same here —Midoriya stepped forward, looking a bit tense but trying to show determination.
The tension in the air became almost tangible. Kirishima, always the most level-headed when things got out of control, stepped in again, his tone conciliatory but with a hint of concern.
—Guys, I think things are getting dangerous here —he said, trying to ease the tension, though even he felt the weight of competition in the atmosphere.
—Indeed —Monoma spoke again, raising an eyebrow and looking at everyone with an air of superiority—. But don't worry, I have the perfect solution for this —he added, pushing his hair back with one hand, as if boasting about some brilliant strategy.
The group watched him, each with varying levels of skepticism, while the air remained thick with tension. Bakugo's words had ignited a competitive spark in all of them.
...
—A Cavalry Battle... in pairs?! —almost everyone exclaimed in unison, now standing in the spacious garden of the mansion, staring at how ridiculous Monoma looked sitting on Kendo's shoulders.
—Of course —Monoma boasted, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world—. Realistically speaking, this isn't the time or place for a serious fight. This looks like a mansion full of valuable things, and I doubt anyone wants to pay for the damages afterward.
The comment seemed to make sense to everyone, evoking the sound of an empty cash register in their minds.
—If we're not going to fight for real, I'm out of here —Bakugo growled, starting to walk away.
—Ah, hahaha! Of course! Run away like the coward you really are! I knew you'd get scared when it came down to the real deal! —Monoma taunted, pointing at him.
Bakugo stopped dead in his tracks, his muscles immediately tensing.
—This time, I'll definitely kill you, idiot!
—Hey, why is your cute girlfriend carrying you? Shouldn't it be the other way around out of courtesy?
—Trust me, despite what it looks like, she's not weak at all. In fact, I might be more feminine than her! —Monoma laughed shamelessly, while Kendo sighed.
—This is going to cost you a fancy dinner at a French restaurant —Kendo muttered under her breath.
'If I had known that, I would've just paid for the damages from the fight. It'd probably be way less money,' Monoma regretted in his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Midoriya found himself in a slightly awkward position, right between Todoroki and Uraraka. He was the first to notice the situation.
Would it be possible to form a team of three? he wondered, feeling a slight unease. He didn't want to leave anyone out, nor did he want to be left out, but he knew that wouldn't be fair to the other teams.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Izuku first imagined teaming up with Todoroki, like in a computer simulation with pixels. Together, they defeated each opponent efficiently. In his vision, the two of them easily achieved victory. After opening his eyes and nodding, he tried to imagine the same with Uraraka, but slowly began to grow nervous as his mind started focusing on the small details and physical closeness that teaming up with Uraraka would imply.
Her legs would be around his neck. Her chest above his head. And maybe... if she lost balance... she might grab onto his clothes or hair by accident.
Izuku covered his mouth nervously and opened his eyes, almost in a state of panic.
No. There was no way he could team up with Uraraka for this. Not only because now that he was aware of it, he wouldn't be able to concentrate, but also for his own mental health.
—Midoriya. Team up with me. I know we can beat them together —Todoroki said without a hint of hesitation.
He nodded, though a small doubt lingered in his heart.
—Yeah, but... —he started to say, glancing at Uraraka, who immediately sensed his concern.
—Oh, don't worry about me! —she exclaimed, smiling sweetly as she raised her hands in a reassuring gesture—. You've practiced more with Todoroki, and it makes much more sense for you to team up with him. Besides... —she lowered her head slightly, taking a deep breath before continuing—. I can't keep relying on you all the time, Deku. I want you to see how strong I've become, too.
With a determined smile, Uraraka raised her arm and clenched her fist, showing her firmness and conviction.
—Alright —Midoriya agreed, understanding her feelings.
Meanwhile, Bakugo stomped through the garden with heavy steps, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched. Irritation was building on his face as he searched for his teammate.
—Where the hell did you go...? —he muttered in frustration, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Kirishima teaming up with Ashido. For a moment, Bakugo looked away and recalled the ending of that strange dream he'd had.
The sound of mocking laughter snapped him out of his thoughts.
—HAHAHAHA! Can't find anyone who wants to team up with you? How does it feel? That's what you get for having such a trash personality! —Monoma taunted, laughing until Kendo pinched one of his dangling legs hard.
—Are you really sure you want to be a hero? I think you'd make a much better villain —Kendo remarked calmly, in stark contrast to the pained expression Monoma tried to hide.
Bakugo ignored the exchange and continued his search. His eyes narrowed when he spotted Uraraka standing in the distance, seemingly distracted as Deku and Todoroki discussed their strategy. His body moved before he could think too much about it, approaching her with his usual aggression.
—I'm just going to use you —he growled, stopping next to Uraraka, his voice commanding.
—Huh? What? You want us to team up? —she asked, surprised, turning her head towards him.
—What, can't you hear?! I just told you I'm going to use you! —he repeated, his voice harsher—. I don't need anyone's help, so just be dead weight and don't make any decisions on your own. Only use that weird quirk of yours when I tell you to.
At first, Bakugo's dismissive words made Uraraka frown. It was as if he was reducing her to a mere tool, completely ignoring her value. However, something about Bakugo's absolute seriousness and rough demeanor struck her as, in its own strange way, funny. She couldn't help it, and her expression softened until she eventually started laughing.
Bakugo, stunned, stared at her in disbelief.
A few meters away, Midoriya noticed the scene. From his position, he saw Bakugo seemingly yelling something at Uraraka while she laughed, and the situation left him puzzled.
—Midoriya, are you okay with the plan? —Todoroki's voice brought him back to reality.
Izuku blinked, shaking his head slightly to clear the distraction.
—Most of them will probably try to go after Kacchan first. Earlier, he showed way too much confidence, and more than one person might be upset about that —Todoroki nodded, listening closely—. Before, I thought he'd definitely team up with Kirishima, but if he's teaming up with Uraraka now, the best course of action to attack them when the time comes will be...
Back with Uraraka and Bakugo, she finally seemed to finish laughing.
—Come on! Nobody can be mad all the time! —Uraraka playfully patted him on the back twice.
—I can! The weird thing is that people aren't angrier all the time. And who told you that you could pat me like we're friends?! —Bakugo growled, scowling even more.
Uraraka couldn't help it and started laughing again, this time even harder.
—Huh?! Quit laughing for crying out loud! —Bakugo complained once more.
Kaminari watched them from a distance, shaking his head a little with a smile. "I figured." Then he turned away.
—Hey. We should team up too! —Kaminari suggested to Jiro with newfound enthusiasm.
—I don't want to. If Bakugo participates, there's a good chance someone will get hurt. Besides, I'm keeping an eye on how the other bands are doing in the competition —she said, showing the extensions of her ears—. So far, nobody really good has shown up. If it keeps going like this, our band is likely to win.
—Alright. Suit yourself—Kaminari decided not to push it and then looked around—. Hey, big guy! —he ran towards Shoji, and Jiro only glanced at him for a moment.
...
Toshinori nodded with the phone to his ear.
—So he went to train at young Todoroki's house —he repeated the information received.
Since the previous incident, Toshinori's unease had led him to suspect that perhaps, at some point, young Midoriya had tried to use that immense power for the first time without even realizing it. If he was training with his friend, the chances were quite high that he wanted to match his level with an increase in strength.
Toshinori closed his eyes for a second and imagined the scene in his mind: young Midoriya, with a furrowed brow, pushing himself with too much energy, his power overflowing uncontrollably. Young Todoroki, surprised, being thrown backward by the incredible force of his friend. And then, the absurd image of a giant hole going through the Todoroki house, as if it were a pixelated video game stage. In the end, the screen displayed a huge "Game Over" blinking in red letters.
—Ah! Endeavor is going to kill me! —Toshinori shouted. 'Both for his house and for young Todoroki,' he bit his nails, the Symbol of Peace.
—Eh? —Inko Midoriya's voice came through on the other end of the line, bewildered by the sudden exclamation.
—No. It's nothing, ma'am. Thank you for telling me. Everything is fine.
As he ended the call, Toshinori dialed Midoriya's contact again.
—This kid still isn't answering his phone! I told him already!
...
Jiro held a bag full of the phones that had been left in her care, unaware that one of them was ringing and lighting up as she was too focused on a band playing at the moment.
—They really are quite good —Jiro acknowledged without taking her attention away from her headphones, slightly moving her head to the rhythm of the song, until her mouth began to open in astonishment.
—No way! —Jiro exclaimed—. What the heck is this?! —Then she ran back toward the mansion.
A few meters away, the cavalry battle teams had begun testing their quirks, filled with energy and creative strategies.
Kaminari had settled onto Shoji's back, using the muscular extensions of his arms as a sort of tank, ready to fire his lightning bolts from a position that kept him safe from falling. The combination was good, but also risky, given how unpredictable Kaminari's power could be.
Meanwhile, Mina was carrying Kirishima, and although this might seem unusual, she did it with remarkable ease. Kirishima, hardening his forearm like an indestructible shield, held onto her shoulder with his other hand, while Mina, with a confident smile, used her acid to create a slippery path that allowed them to move at high speed.
—Are you really okay with carrying me? —Kirishima asked, a mix of embarrassment and admiration in his voice. —It's a bit embarrassing, you know?
—Of course I am! —Mina replied with a light laugh as the wind tossed her pink hair—. Now you can see how strong I've gotten!
Her enthusiasm was contagious, and her eyes sparkled with determination as they kept moving.
—Plus, you know I move better with my feet than my hands.
—Next time, you have to teach me some dance moves! —Kirishima joked, relaxing a bit as he saw how comfortable Mina was with the situation.
—Sure!
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out above them. —What did I tell you about not activating your damn quirk until I told you to?! Round face! —Bakugo shouted, in his typical tone of frustration.
—It's just that you move around too much, and it's hard to hold on without using my quirk! —Uraraka protested, trying to maintain her balance—. If you stop for a second, I'll let you go!
—Forget it! —Bakugo shot back, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he began using his explosions more controlled and propelling himself accurately through the air—. It's not so bad; I guess I'll just have to make use of this as I can.
Suddenly, Shoji began to lose his balance after chasing Mina, stepping on some of the slippery trail she had left, just as Kaminari was about to fire a bolt at Bakugo.
—I can't see well from in here! —Kaminari complained, just before the bolt shot off in an unexpected direction. Ashido barely managed to dodge the bolt by twisting her waist, but Shoji wasn't as lucky and was electrocuted by another bolt that Kaminari had inadvertently launched.
—Haha, what losers! —Bakugo taunted, laughing as he continued with his explosions in the air, enjoying the feeling of superiority.
—Wait, Bakugo... —Uraraka groaned, beginning to feel the effects of all the spinning in the air. —All these twists are making me feel... —Her voice trailed off, and her face paled as she covered her mouth with her hand.
—I'll kill you if you dare to vomit on me! —Bakugo threatened, shooting her a murderous look while trying to maintain control in the air.
Uraraka, unable to hold it any longer, released her power just as they were directly above Ashido and Kirishima. Bakugo, trying to prevent disaster, used his explosions to propel himself, but in his rush, he only managed to burn Kirishima's shield arm with the heat from his explosions before he and Uraraka fell onto them.
—Hey, be more careful! —Kirishima complained.
—What?! Are you blaming me?! —Bakugo yelled.
Suddenly, the four began to fight in a dust-filled ball, where they could barely be distinguished, but their complaints could still be heard.
—This is supposed to be a fight! And this wouldn't have happened if you had chosen me instead of the alien queen! —Bakugo responded, attempting to throw a right hook.
—Hey! —Mina complained—. That doesn't sound too bad.
—Stop rolling me around! —Uraraka complained.
—Come on! Don't get mad. Next time I'll team up with you —Kirishima tried to calm him down.
—Stop rolling me around! —Uraraka complained again.
—As if I needed you for anything!
—Uraraka, watch my shoes if you're going to vomit! They're new! —Ashido complained.
—Stop rolling me around! —Uraraka repeated one last time until she managed to break free from the ball and sighed to catch her breath.
From his position, being carried by Todoroki, Izuku watched everything with a sense of disbelief. It was obvious that they weren't taking it very seriously, but this wasn't how he had imagined a battle between people with such amazing quirks. Although perhaps the fact that coordinating with another person was truly complicated.
Todoroki, on the other hand, remained very calm. He found himself imagining using his ice power to its fullest to trap everyone at once without much trouble, but in the end, he sighed.
'I think it would be quite villainous if I didn't give them a chance,' crossed his mind, though he looked at his hand somewhat annoyed. 'When did I become so arrogant?'
—Pretty pathetic, don't you think? I'm sure you thought so too — commented Monoma, who was being carried by Kendo beside him — After all, the only good rival for someone with two quirks would be... someone equal.
Todoroki initially ignored him, but Izuku warned him in time.
—Watch out, Todoroki! —he shouted, seeing Monoma extend his hand toward them—. He has the ability to copy quirks!
Todoroki easily dodged Monoma's attempt, keeping Izuku balanced on his shoulders. However, Monoma's smile didn't fade.
—You know? Ever since you entered and I saw you surrounded by all those cute girls, you caught my attention— Monoma continued. Kendo had her eyes closed, seemingly trying not to get involved in what Monoma was saying —It seems your ego is as inflated as that other friend of yours.
—That guy named Bakugo is not my friend— Todoroki replied coldly, dodging another one of Monoma's attempts —And we are not the same.
—Well, whatever. I'm way too curious about what it feels like to have two quirks. I'd especially like to use that fire quirk of yours— at that moment, Kendo grabbed Todoroki's foot with her arm, which had become really large and muscular. Then Monoma managed to grab a strand of Todoroki's red hair, and he didn't try to hide his eager smile for power.
—Let go of him! — shouted Midoriya, giving a strong slap, causing both Kendo and Monoma to jump back.
—That was close— Monoma shook his hand —I guess for now, I'll have to see what you have, simple-looking boy.
—Simple?! — Midoriya exclaimed, surprised. He had never been called that before.
Monoma tried to use a quirk, but nothing happened. Confused, he looked back at Midoriya and then seemed to remember.
—Ah! You're the boy from that time! — he recalled at last his encounter with Bakugo in the crowd. The one who had been murmuring and figured out what his quirk was — So your quirk must be one of intuition... or something related to IQ, right? — Monoma frowned, concentrating —. Now I'll intuit the true name of All Might.
—That's the best-kept secret! I'm dying to know it too! — responded Izuku, excited for a brief moment.
Kendo, however, maintained her composure and, without opening her eyes, commented indifferently.
—If it were a quirk of intuition, you would have guessed that its label clearly states it has no quirk.
—Hahaha, I know! I was just playing around to give you a breather— Monoma tried to play it off.
—Yeah, right —Kendo replied, quickly moving toward them.
In the process of attacking and dodging, Monoma continued talking.
—If you don't have a quirk, I guess we're somewhat similar —he said, getting closer to Midoriya—. We rely on others to stand out. We're destined to be side characters in our own lives.
Izuku frowned. Monoma's words began to resonate in his mind in an uncomfortable way.
—What do you feel being in the shadow of others who are more powerful? —For a moment, Monoma's face was very close to Midoriya's—. You must hold some resentment for them, even if you say they're your friends.
Shoto hardened his expression a bit.
—I'm done with this! —As he said it, Todoroki froze one of Kendo's feet to immobilize her.
Izuku sighed with some relief. Not so much because he didn't want to fight, but because they had attempted a psychological attack against him.
However, before he could relax completely, Bakugo appeared from the sky.
—Don't you dare leave me in the background with the extras and then pretend to have a serious fight! — Bakugo shouted, diving down with Uraraka —¡Die!
Bakugo's explosive hand seemed to pass in front of Deku's face in slow motion, and he leaned back just in time to dodge it, using the movement to grab one of Bakugo's dangling feet. Realizing this, Todoroki launched his icy power toward Bakugo's hand, which became trapped in a large block of ice that he had to leave hanging due to its weight.
—Damn it! —grunted Bakugo, shaking his trapped hand.
—Hey! —Uraraka complained, leaning to the side to relieve the gravity on the ice block —Be more careful with your explosions. You don't seriously intend to kill them, do you?!
Bakugo simply smiled, showing his teeth.
—You're not denying it! —Uraraka reproached him.
—Calm down, Kirby, I have great control over my quirk, especially if I'm not using it to its full power.
'That's true. Even though his attacks combined with his yelling may seem erratic, his movements are always well-calculated,' Deku thought quickly and seriously until he got distracted by one detail. 'Kirby?'
—Hey, we don't want to be relegated to extras either! —Kirishima complained alongside Ashido, along with Shoji and Kaminari's team, running to join them.
'The real fight was starting now,' Deku thought, somewhat excited.
Author's Notes.-
Your comments are always welcome! Thank you so much for reading, following, and liking. It always makes me smile.