Chapter XVII: The Gifted and the Determined
Todoroki was walking along the hallway to the arena after watching Midoriya's match. While his rival getting caught in the General Studies student's Quirk was a mild surprise, there was no shadow of a doubt that he would win that match.
That said, the way he acted when he regained control wasn't the Midoriya he knew. Unlike the Midoriya he knew who was only slightly confident, the one in the arena was aware of his control of the match and had more mastery of the power known as Limitless. With those clues, it was safe to say that the hidden personality of Midoriya, Satoru Gojo, resurfaced.
However, it didn't matter if that fearsome side of Midoriya were to take over if they fought. He would win regardless.
Turning around the corner, Shoto saw someone he didn't want to meet before his match. "What do you want?"
It was the second-ranked hero, Endeavor.
A heavily built man with a physique matching All Might's, the Flame Hero eyed his son in disappointment. "You're acting disgracefully, Shoto."
Shoto didn't want to hear this, so he proceeded to walk past his father. Unfortunately, that did little to stop Endeavor from saying his piece.
"Had you only used the power of your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in the first and second rounds. It's time to stop this childish rebellion of yours."
The more the Flame Hero spoke, the more Todoroki's anger grew inside him. The utter hatred he has for this man is only being kept in check because he has more important things to do. Sadly, if one were to look at his gait and breathing, it was clear his emotions were boiling from within him.
"You have a duty to surpass that imbecile, All Might," Endeavor reminded; the flames shrouding his shoulders and eyes dancing as he stared at his son. "Do you understand what I'm saying? You are different from your siblings. You are my greatest masterpiece."
"Is that all you have to say to me, you bastard?" Shoto questioned scathingly, having had enough of his father's words. "I'll advance this round and win this tournament using only Mom's quirk. I won't give you the pleasure of seeing me use yours."
Endeavor wasn't offended, however, having predicted this from his son. "Even if that works for you in this tournament, you'll soon find the limits of that power.
After his match and cheering Shinso up, Izuku proceeded to the seats reserved for their class. The greenette saw Uraraka waving at him which made him smile. Īda and Kazui were just a seat away from her while Momo nodded at him in acknowledgment.
"Izuku! Come on down here!" said the brunette happily.
"We saved a seat for you," Īda said while pointing at the vacant chair that was coincidentally next to Ochako.
"It's nice having a wingman like Kazui, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh, not this again…"
Deafening his ears from his mentor's teasing, Izuku gladly took the seat offered to him. Not far away from him, he saw Mashirao with his arm raised. It was meant to be an acknowledgment of a job well done for beating Shinso.
-{}-
"Now, onto the second match with our next players!" As usual, Present Mic roused the audience for the following match. "First up, he's got skills but at the expense of some creepy-looking elbows. From the Hero Course, it's Hanta Sero!"
"Well, that was uncalled for," Sero muttered while stretching his arms.
"Versus… an early frontrunner in the competition who's WAY too strong for his own good. Someone who rightfully got into the Hero Course based on recommendations, it's Shoto Todoroki!"
Shoto showed no reaction whatsoever. His eyes were downcast and shadowed by his dual-colored hair.
"And now, for the second match of the finals… BEGIN!"
"I don't feel like I can win this thing," Sero admitted while still stretching. Suddenly, he launched a volley of tape which successfully caught his opponent. "That said, I don't feel like losing EITHER!"
Sero swung with all his might, pulling Shoto toward the edge of the arena, leaving the audience at the edge of their seats. However, the son of Endeavor had a competition to win. He tilted his head so he could look at his opponent with cold piercing eyes meant for his bastard father.
"Apologies…" he muttered as ice stopped his uncontrolled movement. It didn't top with just that, much to Sero's misfortune. More ice sprouted from Shoto's feet like an unrelenting wave that engulfed almost half of the entire stadium.
Everyone in their seats was left flabbergasted. Those in the path of the deluge of ice were lucky that it stopped mere inches from their faces. The students managed to protect themselves from the frozen torrent by using their Quirks but most of the ice that rushed toward them was blocked by a quick casting of Danku and a short expansion of Infinity.
"B-Be h-honest, S-Sero, c-can y-you s-still c-continue?" Midnight asked. Half of her body was covered in a thick layer of ice, making her shudder from the cold.
Sero's condition was worse. The only parts of him not covered by ice were the upper part of his torso and his head. Even then, frost was slowly creeping up his chest. "W-What do y-you t-think!?" he answered as his teeth clattered.
"There y-you h-have it, f-folks! S-Sero is unable t-to continue! The w-winner is Shoto Todoroki!"
Despite gaining the victory, Shoto didn't feel like a winner. As he began thawing out Sero from the icy prison he made, he couldn't help but remember the things Endeavor had said before his match with Sero and, in turn, all the man did to him and his family.
Even when he won, he feels like he lost; the very essence of a hollow victory.
Up in the stands, Kazui and Izuku noticed the defeated look on Shoto's face. Both of them glanced at each other, understanding the turmoil their classmate must be going through.
-o0o-
After nearly thirty minutes, the ice caused by Shoto was completely thawed out. The third match for the finals could finally commence.
"Sorry for the long wait, folks, but after the insane amount of ice from the earlier match, we can finally proceed with the third bout!" Present Mic announced. "Up first, even beautiful flowers have thorns; the assassin from Class 1-B, Ibarra Shiozaki!"
"Excuse me," Ibarra called with a kind and gentle voice. "Could you please refrain from introducing me with such aggressive titles? That is far from the image I wish to convey."
"Um… Okay?" Present Mic cleared his throat and continued. "And her opponent, the boy with an electric personality. Another hero in the making hailing from Class 1-A, Denki Kaminari!"
"Both fighters ready?" Midnight asked the competitors with her whip raised. When both contestants nodded, she brought her whip down. "BEGIN!"
Before Kaminari took the offensive, he decided to ask some questions to his opponent. "Hey, how about me and you go out after this? I'd be happy to treat you for a bite."
Though uninterested, Ibarra was curious about where this conversation was headed.
"…And comfort you after your loss!" Sparks began crackling around the blonde. "Because this is gonna be over in two seconds! Indiscriminate Shock: One-Point-Three Million Volts!"
Undeterred, Ibarra turned around and a good portion of her hair detached, implanting on the ground, and forming a dome that safely protected her from the violent surge of electricity.
-{}-
"Idiot!" Jirō said, facepalming at Kaminari's stupidity. "This is like the second or third time he's used that move. He'll be even dumber than he already is after that stunt."
"Oh, is that concern I hear?" Mina asked suggestively, causing the girl with earjacks to blush.
"No, it isn't!" Jirō denied.
"That's what a tsundere would say…" Kazui remarked nonchalantly. This made the rocker girl even more embarrassed.
"Shut up, Kurosaki! I still want to kick your ass for nearly frying us with that laser beam from earlier!"
The others laughed at their classmates' predicament before returning their focus to the match.
-{}-
Unbeknownst to the now mentally impaired Kaminari, Ibarra's dome of vines extended underground. It burst under the short-circuited kid and wrapped him in green thorny foliage, subduing him.
"He's immobilized!" the DJ-themed commentator announced. "That's all folks; it was over in an instant!"
"The winner is Shiozaki! She advances on!" announced Midnight while garnering cheers from the watchers.
-{}-
"Way to go, Shiozaki!" Tetsutetsu cheered. Their class just scored a win. "What a way to represent Class 1-B!" Beside him were the other members of 1-B also cheering for their friend.
"Man, she's good," Jirō remarked.
"She is, ribbit," Tsuyu nodded next to her.
"The reason Kaminari lost was because he got cocky," Kazui commented. "He thought he could end this quickly but never took into consideration the versatility of Shiozaki's Quirk."
"So, you admit that Class 1-B is better than Class 1-A?" Over the wall separating the booths for the two Hero Course classes was Monoma with an annoyingly pompous grin. "I guess the idiot was right, the match really did end in seconds. Ha! I guess you're all just a bunch of glory hogs!"
Class 1-A was starting to hate the guy for his misconstrued beliefs. They didn't even claim that they were better!
"Ginger Sis, you there?" Kazui asked aloud.
"Here, Ginger Bro!" Kendo's head popped up next to the egomaniac.
"Could you restrain him for me, please? We both know that my taking action would be the worst-case scenario for the idiot."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
Monoma looked at their class president incredulously. "Kendo, you can't be serious!? Why are you so chummy with that mongrel from Class 1-A?"
"Because he's chill and acts like a dignified and decent human being… unlike you. Isn't that right, bro?"
Kazui gave her a thumbs up.
Before Monoma could say anything else, he got a chop to the neck for his troubles before being thrown back to his seat.
"Sorry, Kazui. I'll make sure to keep him behaved."
"Sure thing, Itsuka."
While their relationship with Class 1-B was good thanks to the brother-sister dynamic between their class representatives, Class 1-A had one thing they could agree on regarding Monoma.
"I hate that guy."
Meanwhile, Izuku noticed that Ochako was silent. He was aware that the cause of this was her match against Bakugō. She tried to hide it, but her apprehension and doubt were visible to the child of Limitless. He'll need to talk to her – not now – to alleviate her worries about her upcoming bout.
-o0o-
"Let's keep pumping the excitement as we head onto our next match!" Present Mic announced. "Get ready to watch two new players duke it out! Introducing our first contestant, he's the kid with engines for legs, Tenya Īda from the Hero Course!"
Down in the arena, Tenya was laser-focused on his opponent.
"Versus… a fully equipped gadget dynamo! The Support Course's Mei Hatsume!"
-{}-
"Um…" Sato called the attention of his classmates. He had a finger pointed at Tenya down in the arena. "What the heck is he wearing?"
All members of Class 1-A looked at their resident speedster and found something odd. He was wearing strange contraptions around his body fastened together by various belts and clips. At first glance, they can already tell that those devices were support gear.
Suddenly they all heard a slap coming from Midoriya. The greenette was groaning, realizing what was going to happen. "I know what's going to happen!" he said. "That Support Course student is gonna do the same thing she did to me on Īda."
"Which is…?" Momo asked.
"She's using Tenya to promote her stuff," Kazui said, having recalled the intention of the girl during the cavalry games.
"Oh yeah…" Ochako remembered. "Didn't she like use you, Izuku, to show off her babies?" she said the word "babies" with air quotes.
"I see…" Momo deadpanned at the brunette. The others shared her expression before looking back at the two down below. "So, what's gonna happen to this match?"
"My guess?" Kazui answered. "It's gonna be crazy, that's for sure. Either way, we just have to watch and find out."
And they did watch, taking in mind what the two boys who had the Support Course girl as a teammate said. However, even with the expectation of this match turning into something… different, none of them ever thought it would turn out like this.
The match itself, if you were to call that, was more of an expose for Hatsume's gadgets. Tenya was making a complete fool of himself as her guinea pig while the girl responsible was on the microphone busy describing the benefits of her inventions. While various CEOs were drooling over the many support gears created by the pink-haired technut, the casual watchers of the festival were just completely baffled and utterly lost on what was happening in the arena. Whatever techno jargon Mei was spouting out just went over their heads. To be honest, the support gear was good but not every one of them could find it useful for everyday life since it was more geared towards the hero industry.
A confusing ten minutes later…
"That's all, folks," Hatsume declared with her free hand up high while grinning like a madwoman. "Don't you forget to call on me, Mei Hatsume the genius extraordinaire! I can't wait to sign all those contracts to get my babies out into the world!"
With a literal mic drop, Hatsume left the ring, leaving the audience gobsmacked, for lack of a better term.
-{}-
"Mei Hatsume has walked out of bounds! The winner is Tenya Īda!" Midnight announced.
"You tricked me! I can't believe I let you trick me!" the speedster yelled at the girl in vehemence.
"Of course I did. Sorry about that, but I needed to use you to make a name for myself," Hatsume cheekily answered, causing Tenya to fall over. She didn't even deny it.
The Support Course student confidently walked back to her class while a cloud of embarrassment was floating over Īda. To be used like that… he must've felt violated.
-{}-
"Well, that was… something else." Those words were the only thing Izuku managed to say while watching the spectacle. It was strange, to say the least, but there was no denying the utility of the various gadgets by that Hatsume girl. She might just be one of, if not, the most gifted engineers of their generation.
"That girl; she might cuckoo in the head, but her gadgets are top-notch," Kazui whistled, complimenting the craftsmanship of the support gear made by Hatsume. "Those gear she made sure helped during the Cavalry Battle."
"Kazui, it's almost time for our matches," Momo spoke up. "Come on, let's get ready."
"Okay, okay…" Lazily standing up, Kazui followed Momo to the waiting rooms.
Seeing this, Aoyama, and Mina both stood up since they were going to be the opponents of the two.
"Well, I guess it's our turn now," said the all-pink girl. She laced her fingers together and stretched her arms up.
"Oui, I cannot wait to showcase my sparkling splendor to the world." As usual, Aoyama was still sparkling.
Just as the four were about to leave, another one decided to join them.
"Hey, wait up." It was Uraraka. "Let me join you. I... also have to prepare for my match."
"Sure," replied Momo. However, she noticed that the way the brunette replied was rigid. Kazui noticed this too, seeing his worried gaze upon Ochako.
But out of everyone, it was Izuku who was the most concerned. In a sense, he was always the underdog before he got Gojo's power. He understood what it meant to have the odds stacked against you. This is what Ochako was probably… no, this is definitely what she's feeling right now.
"I need to help her…"
"Nobody's stopping you. Go on…"
And so, Midoriya followed her, hoping to at least ease her worries about her upcoming match with Bakugō.
-o0o-
"We're jumping right down to our fifth match! For our first contender – she's smart, she can make anything, and for those who don't know, she was recommended to the Hero Course because of that gift. Give it up for Momo Yaoyorozu of Class 1-A!
"Our next contestant – she's pink, she's got spunk, and… do those horns have any purpose? Let's give it up for Mina Ashido from the same class!"
After Present Mic's announcement, both competitors were in the arena eager to show their skills. Mina was grinning at Momo while the latter had an almost unreadable expression.
"I'm gonna apologize in advance Momo because I'm winning this," declared the pink girl.
"We'll see about that…" Momo replied cooly.
It was just a simple answer but the way the Yaoyorozu said that made Ashido shiver.
"Are both competitors ready?" Midnight asked, looking at the two students.
Momo was ready. Her body posture might be lax but to the trained eye, she was ready for anything. Mina, on the other hand, couldn't get the feeling of unease she felt when Momo answered her. However, she would just have to fight this feeling and win.
Both fighters nod.
"Begin!"
Mina quickly charged, using her acids to lessen the friction as she skated across the arena. Seeing her intention, Momo began moving as well, taking as much distance as she could from her friend.
"You can't run forever, Yaomomo!" said Mina before firing a jet of acid.
Momo easily dodged the incoming blasts of melting fluid. Thanks to her Heavenly Restriction, she was more than a match for Mina. For every attempt the pink girl made, it was quickly evaded.
Mina was wrong, though. Momo can keep evading all she wants and, if we're talking about stamina, she was a cut above the rest thanks to her Heavenly Restriction. That said, it would be boring if running was all she'd ever do. So, the Zen'in heiress thought it was time to change things up.
In the blink of an eye, Ashido suddenly came face to face with Momo. Surprised, she suddenly felt a solid punch and a swift kick to the jaw. The Acid user tumbled to the ground but quickly stood up, still somewhat shocked at her speed.
Wasn't Īda supposed to be the speedster?
"Damn, Yaomomo," Mina wiped off some spit. "I never expected you to be that fast."
"Oh, I'm full of surprises than just that," replied Yaoyorozu.
"Well, I hope you surprise me because it'll take more than that to put me down!" Sliding forward, Mina held her palm out and fired a blast of acid.
Momo quickly created a fluid made up of a base substance to counteract the incoming acid. Both liquids collided, neutralizing each other. She heard a grumble coming from the pink girl before closing the distance and turning this match into a melee.
Mina had her arms coated in acids to add extra damage to her strikes, but she was lacking in terms of close-quarters combat. It was evident Momo made an acid-resistant cloth using her Quirk and used said cloth as her weapon which was ridiculous.
Momo, on the other hand, was arguably the best martial arts practitioner in all of UA, so Mina facing her in a straight-up brawl was an epic mismatch. The cloth she created was about the same as her wingspan and about three feet in width. The ravenette first covered her opponent's hands in the acid-resistant cloth, then went behind her and wrapped half of it around Ashido's body. The last stretch of the cloth was looped around her adversary's neck before letting go and delivering a solid elbow to the back.
Mina yelped from the pain, but her plight didn't end there, Momo closed the distance and finished her with a vicious combo.
Two quick jabs to the shoulders, a left hook to the liver, a slap then a backhand to the face, a low kick to make Mina kneel, and finally, she grabbed the pink girl by the collar and hip and threw her out of the arena.
-{}-
"Jesus Christ!" Jirō exclaimed after seeing someone as girly as Momo beat the living tar out of Mina. "That was the meanest combo I've ever seen!"
"Two orders of fists and elbows with a side of kicks." Kaminari cringed. "Extra crispy to boot."
The others snickered at the two's comment but felt bad for Mina getting turned into a punching bag.
-{}-
"Ashido, can you continue?"
All Mina could do was groan at Midnight's question. She was tied up, beat up, and laying there like a caterpillar ready to pupate. "N-No…"
"Mina Ashido is unable to continue; our winner is Momo Yaoyorozu!"
Upon the declaration of her win, Momo quickly ran to Mina to check on her condition. She winced when she saw how much she saw her friend struggling to get up.
"Here, let me help." Momo unwrapped the cloth from Mina and gently lifted her, careful not to aggravate her injuries. She slung the girl's left arm over her shoulder and led her to the infirmary. "I'm sorry for putting you in this state."
"D-Don't be…" Mina answered without a hint of malice or pettiness in her voice. "This is a competition and we needed to give it our all. So, don't feel bad for beating me; you deserve this win."
They may be rivals but, at the end of the day, they were still Class 1-A… they were still friends. Hearing Mina say that made Momo feel relieved and overjoyed that the pink girl was proud of her victory, even at the cost of her own.
"Thanks, Mina," Momo expressed. "When this is over, why don't we girls go out shopping?"
Ashido grinned, wide, and felt excited about having some girl time with the others. "Hehe… I like the sound of that! Also, it'll give us girls some time to question you about that kiss between you and Kurosaki."
When the kiss was mentioned, Momo's face instantly went red. "Wait, where did you hear– I mean, I don't know what you're talking about!"
Unfortunately, the jig was up, and Mina knew it. "Busted!" She may have lost the match, but this was a victory on its own.
Now that the truth was out because of her blunder, Momo could only sigh and think, "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"
"Welcome back, everyone!"Present Mic waited for the roaring crowd to calm down before continuing. "I hope you all enjoyed that match because we still have more in store!"
"No need to remind them, Mic. They know," Aizawa grumbled.
"Our first competitor for this sixth match, he's the sparkling hopeful from Class 1-A. Even though he's wearing a belt, he won't transform, just shine bright like a diamond. Give it up for Yuga Aoyama!
"His opponent is the ultimate wildcard this entire competition. A kid whose presence is enough to put you on your knees, Kazui Kurosaki!"
Kazui and Aoyama stood in front of each other, although their expressions were different from one another. Kazui was calm given his lax posture. Yuga, meanwhile, was poised and ready to fire at the hybrid. He knew that Kazui was the strongest in their class and gaining an advantage early on would be for the best.
"Now, why don't we get this match going? The sixth match, start!"
Once Present Mic announced the match was to begin, the blonde French kid quickly fired a beam of his Navel Laser at Kazui.
The target didn't budge from his place. Kazui lifted his right hand, making it glow with Blut Vene, and when the belly beam was inches away from him, he swatted the damn thing into the high heavens with a backhand. Seeing his action surprised Aoyama, he took that opportunity and Flash Stepped into an arm's length from his opponent with his hand wide open.
"Sho."
A powerful force sent Aoyama sailing in the air until he landed hard on the grass outside the arena.
The audience as well as the other contestants were left slack-jawed. It didn't even take a minute and the match was over. What's more, Kazui backslapping a laser beam was straight out of a manga.
"Uhm… Yuga Aoyama is out of bounds!" Midnight announced after recovering from the shock. "Kazui Kurosaki is the winner!"
In typical fashion, the crowd erupted in joyous cheer.
-{}-
"Did… did he just bitchslap Aoyama's Navel Laser?" Sato asked, still working on believing that one of his classmates did something stupefying.
"He did… he did bitchslap Aoyama's laser into the sky," confirmed Sero. The tape boy was now okay after his freezing fight with Todoroki.
"Let's not forget how he was decisive and used Yuga's shock to his advantage. Taking him out while he was distracted shows how he approaches combat… With precision and focus." His classmates agreed with Tokoyami's remark. "Such darkness and ruthlessness in his methods."
"Still, you got to at least feel bad for Aoyama," Kaminari interjected. "I mean, he didn't get to show much considering Kazui took him out without hesitation."
"Ribbit… Don't forget that unlike us, Kazui doesn't prolong fights if necessary," Tsuyu interjected.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
After their conversation, they watched Present Mic announce the seventh match between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu.
"Oh, hi, Īda," Midoriya greeted. "Congratulations on the win."
"Hello, Midoriya," the speedster replied glumly. Having a win such as that wasn't very pleasant. "Thank you for those words, but I don't feel like a winner."
Izuku recoiled at that. He should've known that Īda wasn't all as hyped about the win.
"By the way, where are you headed, Midoriya?"
"I'm looking for Uraraka," replied the young sorcerer. "I was hoping to cheer her up before her match."
"Oh, that's right!" Īda recalled. "Her match right after Kirishima's is with Bakugō."
The two boys finally arrived at Waiting Room 2 where Īda and Uraraka's designated waiting room was. The glasses-wearing teen twisted the doorknob and pushed the door.
"Hey, Īda, you did great out there!" Uraraka greeted them as they went in.
"Uraraka?" Izuku said just behind Tenya.
When they both got inside and saw the brunette, they were shocked to find her face to be the very definition of anxiety.
"Whoa! What's with that face!?"
"My face?" Realizing what was happening, she just chuckled and scratched the back of her head. "I guess I'm not that good at hiding how nervous I am."
"We get that," Tenya answered. "You are against Bakugō, after all. It's not exactly an easy match."
"Yeah," Uraraka agreed. Bakugō was one of the strongest students in their class; so a fight with him against anyone other than Kazui, Izuku, or Todoroki would be considered a mismatch. "But you know, after seeing your match, I feel a little better!" she said in an attempt to cheer herself not knowing how it came off for the Tenya.
"Pffft…" Izuku got the hidden meaning and fought the urge to laugh.
"By the way, Izuku, what are you doing here?" the gravity girl asked Midoriya.
"I came here to see you," answered Izuku truthfully.
A light blush rose on Uraraka's cheeks. While she felt conscious that she was the reason why Midoriya came to see her, she was also very appreciative of how supportive he was.
"Smooth… like molasses."
"Hey, I am worried about her, if you must know!"
"I know, I know. It makes it sweet that that's what you said."
"I'm not having this right now." After that quick banter with Gojo, Izuku turned his attention back to Ochako.
"Why aren't you out there watching the matches?" asked Uraraka.
"Well, they all went the way how I expected them to," he answered. "Also, Kirishima's match with that student from Class 1-B would drag out longer than most people would think."
Understanding his reasoning, the gravity girl looked at her hands resting on the table. She clenched her left hand on her right wrist. In a matter of minutes, it will be her match. "This is it," she muttered nervously. "My match is next… My fight."
"It'll be alright. I don't think Bakugō would use the full power of his Quirk on a girl, right?" Īda said, trying to reassure the girl.
"He would," Izuku clarified. "Bakugō isn't one to hold back against anyone and, even if it were somebody, I doubt they'd hold back as well." He could see the fire in Uraraka's eyes dimming as the clock ticked ever closer to her match. He looked at the notebook he had that was filled with all sorts of useful info. If there was anything that could give Uraraka the advantage, this was it. "Uraraka," he called the brunette's attention, "I know this won't mean much, but I want to help you prepare for your match. You were… are my first friend when I first entered UA and you helped me so much. It's my turn to help you." He showed the notebook to Uraraka. "I got a plan for how you can use your Quirk against Bakugō. It's not much, but I did my best."
"Hey, that's an excellent idea!" Īda agreed. With these notes, Uraraka could have a chance against the irate bomber.
However, Uraraka wasn't so sure if it was necessary. She stared at the old notebook, pondering if she should take it or not. While she appreciated the thought behind Izuku's actions, it would feel like she was depending on her friends again and not relying on her strengths.
A decision was finally clear. Uraraka gazed at Izuku with a face of acceptance and determination. "Thank you, Izuku, but I have to say no."
"Huh?" Surprised, Midoriya prodded further. "Why?"
Uraraka stood up and approached the green-haired sorcerer. "You're wonderful, Izuku; I keep seeing that over and over again. During the Cavalry Battle, I said that it was a good idea to team up with friends. But now that I think about it, I might have been relying too much on you to get by." She looked down, a hint of shame in her voice as she continued speaking. "When I think about it, everybody is doing their best to show what they're made of through their efforts. It made me feel a bit embarrassed of myself."
"Uraraka…" Izuku had no other words to say. And, unexpectedly, he received a hug from the brunette.
Uraraka's grip was strong, Izuku could feel it. What's more, he could feel the girl bury her face into the crook of his neck… shaking in nervousness. He was about to wrap his arms around her figure, but she let go.
"So, it's all right," said Ochako. "Really. Everyone is facing their future and doing their best. That means we're all rivals, even you and me, Izuku." She finally moved to the door to face her opponent in the next match. But, before that, she turned around and gave the two boys, especially Midoriya, a wobbly but determined smile and a thumbs up. "So, I guess I'll see you in the finals."
To no one's surprise, both Kirishima and Tetsutetsu ended up knocking each other out. The two were both so similar that their move sets were pretty much carbon copies of each other that it made sense that they'd have the same strength and durability. Once they landed powerful punches on each other's faces and clocked out, Midnight quickly called the match a draw and that it would be resolved through a simple match like arm wrestling.
However, it was now time for the final match of the first round.
Images of both Bakugō and Uraraka appeared on the jumbotron.
"While we wait for Kirishima and Tetsutetsu to recover, let's move on to the next battle!"
Hearing Present Mic's announcement, the girls of Class 1-A couldn't help but feel worried about their gravity-powered friend.
"Ribbit, this might just be the most disturbing battle today," Tsuyu remarked. Though her face looked unconcerned, she was internally worrying about Uraraka.
"I know," Jirō agreed wholeheartedly if the rubbing of her arms was an indicator. "I almost don't want to watch it."
The others from Class 1-A also held their breaths for this match. It was clear that Uraraka was way out of her league against Bakugō. But all the same, they wished her luck regardless.
Izuku couldn't help but worry about her after that quick moment they shared. She was shaking while she embraced him. He wanted to ease her worries and comfort her given how her anxiety was conquering her. But, just as he was about to do just that, Uraraka let go.
"She's brave trying to fight someone who's beyond her capabilities," Gojo remarked. He was honestly impressed with the girl.
"I know, but…"
"It's out of our hands now. You had good intentions, Izuku, but this a battle she has to fight for herself."
"I could've done something back there…" Izuku said, somewhat saddened that he couldn't do more. "Maybe if I just didn't hesitate to ease her worries, she'd be in a better state than what she's in."
"I don't doubt that, but would it be enough?"
"Maybe not, but it's better than nothing."
Inside his mind, Gojo nodded at his pupil's words. It might've indeed been little, but it was better than leaving her without something to raise her self-esteem.
-{}-
"This is the eighth and final match of the first round!" Present Mic began introducing the last pair of combatants. "Up first, he was kind of a hotshot middle schooler, and just look at that determined face. From the Hero Course, Katsuki Bakugō! …And his opponent, one who I'm personally rooting for; also from Class 1-A, Ochako Uraraka!"
Uraraka and Bakugō are in front of each other with different expressions. The former took in a deep breath to calm her nerves while the latter had a determined face.
Seconds ticked by before the announcers gave the signal.
"Let the final match of the first round begin!"
"Hey, Pink Cheeks," Katsuki called Uraraka. "You're the girl who can manipulate gravity, right?"
"Pink Cheeks!?" she questioned, feeling a tad insulted at the nickname.
"Well, if you're gonna give up, do it now because I'm not gonna hold back."
"No," Uraraka shook her head in defiance. "No, I WON'I!" She charged, fully intending to send this arrogant punk into the stratosphere.
"And now, you die," Katsuki replied cooly right as he lifted his right hand.
-{}-
"Who do you think is gonna win, Kazui?" Momo asked her friend about the match below. She and the young hybrid just returned from their respective bouts to watch this final battle.
"To be honest, I don't see a scenario where Ochako can win," Kazui admitted, much to his displeasure. "As much as I'm rooting for the girl, Bakugō has her hilariously outgunned."
"I expected as much," Momo said in agreement.
"Hey, it's not over yet," Mina interjected. "If she manages to touch him, maybe Uraraka can turn the tables on him."
"I don't think so," Kazui said. "If Bakugō is as smart as I think he is, then he can use his explosion to maneuver in the air while under the effects of Zero Gravity."
"Oh," Mina realized and remained quiet.
-{}-
"Right there!" Uraraka noticed Bakugō's right hand cocked back and ready to attack. "If I can dodge this move…!"
But, instead of a full-frontal blast, the ash blonde swiped his hand, unleashing a curved explosion that consumed Ochako and sent her way.
-{}-
"Uraraka!" Izuku yelled. Her friend just got blown up. The others weren't much different when it came to this match.
"Shit…" Mineta shuddered. "He blew her up!"
Due to her hearing, Jirō was covering her ears from the sound of the explosion.
"Oh god… It looks like Bakugō isn't showing her any mercy," Asui muttered.
"And that's exactly the problem," Kazui remarked, gaining the attention of everybody else.
"What do you mean?" Īda questioned the gingerhead.
"Bakugō can end this match if he wants to," Kazui revealed. "The gap in skill and power alone tells me that the jackass can win this easily. If he's prolonging this fight than intended, then it shows the kind of person he is."
"Maybe he's just being cautious around Uraraka," Kaminari argued. "Her Quirk is pretty busted if she gets a hand on him."
"You don't seem to get it, do you?" Kaminari flinched at Kazui's answer. "Even if Ochako did manage to catch him off guard, Bakugō still has maneuverability in the air with his explosions. No matter how you see it, he has everything needed to win while Uraraka has none."
The others fell silent after Kazui said his piece. They began contemplating what the reaper said and, after much deliberation, found out that he was right. Uraraka had no chance of winning and the only reason why she's not beaten was because of Bakugō.
It was a tough pill to swallow, but they had to admit that the winner of this final match was already decided even before it began.
"The only way for Ochako to win this… is through a miracle."
-{}-
"You should've dropped out of the match," the Explosion boy said as he prepared another explosion. From the smoke, he saw a shadow approaching him. "There's no way you can beat me!" He sent a powerful explosion at the shadow but was surprised to find out it wasn't Ochako.
It was just her jacket.
The brunette herself used that distraction to get behind the blowhard. It was a gamble, but it worked considering she managed to trick Bakugō into diverting his attention.
"This is my chance to make him float!"
"Don't think you got me!"
Sadly, Bakugō was just too quick. He swiped his hand in an arc behind him and blasted Uraraka away. Luckily, she managed to keep her balance, but she now had a few scrapes on her body.
-{}-
"Damn. Look at that reaction time," Sero commented.
"Seriously, the dude's insane," Kaminari added. "You can't get the drop on him."
"And since Uraraka can't use her quirk unless she touches him, his lightning-fast reflexes put her at a huge disadvantage."
"It's just like what Kurosaki said," the lightning boy glanced at their class representative, "Bakugō has everything needed to win while Uraraka has none."
Their attention returned to the match below. It was a one-sided beatdown regardless of how you look at it. Bakugō was just too fast, too skilled, and too powerful for Ochako. There was one moment when the girl managed to get behind her opponent but, just like last time, it amounted to nothing as the Explosion user blasted her away.
…And it didn't stop there. Katsuki was relentless in his attacks. He continued blasting Uraraka with explosion after explosion. Not once did he give her any breathing room but, in every scenario, he had the chance to send her out of bounds, yet he didn't.
Izuku knew what was going on. Bakugō was prolonging this fight than intended. It made him grip the foam of his seat so tightly that the veins in his arms started showing. He was pissed because what that damn bastard was doing wasn't right. If he wanted to win, he should've just finished it. Whatever respect he had left for Bakugō was gone for good.
The only thing left was anger.
"Calm down, Izuku," Gojo stated.
"How could I when she's getting hurt!? Bakugō could win this, no question, but he doesn't need to prolong this fight!"
"I know and Uraraka knows this and she's using it to her advantage."
"Huh?"
"Look up."
Izuku looked up and saw something that gave him some hope. Maybe… just maybe, Uraraka can win this.
Kazui and Momo saw Midoriya looking up and did the same, only to grin at what the skies were holding. Meanwhile, the others were too focused on the battle in the arena.
"Is she okay?" Tsuyu asked no one in particular but her concern was palpable.
"I can't watch this!" Jirō covered her eyes, unable to watch the abuse.
"As expected, Bakugō is a sadist," Mineta remarked.
They didn't want to agree with the sex-crazed gremlin, but he was right.
-{}-
Even among the audience, they were disgusted by Bakugō's actions. The poor girl that was Uraraka was getting manhandled, and the instigator didn't seem to want to stop.
"Her substitution earlier didn't work, so she's getting desperate," one professional hero observed. He was worried for the girl at the receiving end of those explosions.
One pro hero stood up from his seat and yelled at Cementoss. "Hey, shouldn't you stop this!?"
"Isn't he going too far!" another pro questioned.
"This… this isn't how a future hero is supposed to act," one civilian said in distress as she continued watching Uraraka suffer at the hands of the bomber boy.
-{}-
"Mitsuki?" Inko was questioning the actions of Katsuki and his continued assault on his opponent. She had known the kid since he was little and saw just how much potential he held and the bright future he had as a hero. This, however? This wasn't something an aspiring hero should do.
"I know, Inko," Mitsuki muttered. That was always one of her son's greatest flaws. She wouldn't deny that he inherited it from her but never to this degree. Maybe she made a mistake somewhere in his upbringing. She and Masaru had spoiled Katsuki with praise and not enough guidance. It escalated when he got his Quirk, and it went worse from there. Honestly, Mitsuki felt like all of this was her fault. "Damn it, you brat! Quit tormenting the girl and just end it already!"
-{}-
"This is shameful!" A random pro hero stood up and pointed an accusing finger at Bakugō. "If you want to be a hero, then stop acting like a bully! If you're so good, just send her out of bounds! Stop toying with the girl and end this match!"
"Yeah, you heard the guy!" a female pro added.
From those two, the majority of the crowd went into a furious uproar, showing their displeasure at the ash-blonde's actions.
"The crowd is now booing Bakugō!" Present Mic exclaimed. "And honestly, I kind of agree with what they're– HEY! What the crap!?"
Eraser head had elbowed his fellow commentator and took the microphone. "Who was the hero who said that?" he asked. "Who was the one who started this uproar!? Because, if you're being serious, then you should change careers and hang up your cape."
The hero who started the booing paused and listened to the Erasure Hero as he explained.
"Bakugo's fierceness is an acknowledgment of his opponent's strength. He knows she deserved to have made it this far, so he does what it takes to keep her at bay and come out on top."
However, one person thought that Eraserhead was wrong. That is not an acknowledgment of strength, but a sadistic motive fueled by ego. If Bakugō truly recognized Uraraka as a threat, he would've ended the match before she could do anything dangerous. Now, with the sky filled with ammunition, the idiot bomber would momentarily suffer for his hubris and inflict his rage upon the brunette.
Kazui knew this while crushing his seat at his homeroom teacher's blindness and hypocrisy.
-{}-
"She's not down yet," Bakugō grunted while staring at the tired Ochako. The girl was panting heavily and wiping grime off her face but what irritated the Explosion boy was the unrelenting determination in her eyes.
"I got to thank you, Bakugō," Uraraka said between breaths. She brought her fingertips together while looking at her opponent directly in the eyes. "Thanks for keeping your eyes on me."
"What!?" asked Bakugō in confusion. Suddenly, he felt a pebble land on his shoulder. He looked up to the sky and his eyes widened. Floating dangerously above the stadium where the rubble he had blown off from the arena.
One by one, the massive debris in the sky began their descent. The audience, who were busy showing their discontent at the ash-blonde, was dumbstruck for not noticing the cluster of improvised ammunition above them.
"Damn it!" yelled the bomber kid. He was cursing himself that he didn't notice this sooner. If he doesn't deal with this soon, he'll be in one hell of a meteor shower.
Uraraka saw her adversary raise his hand toward her attack and quickly realized what he was planning. She went into panic, never having thought that Bakugō would have an explosion powerful enough to blow all the debris she managed to gather. She needed to do something before everything she prepared went up in flames… literally.
Luckily, a piece of slab was next to her. An idea pooped into Ochako's mind. The brunette looked at the slab and then at Bakugō's wrist.
She knew what to do…
Picking the flat piece of rubble, she removed its gravity using her quirk. Gripping it like a discus thrower, she aimed the projectile at her opponent's hand. Ochako spun twice, gaining momentum with each rotation, and when she got enough force gathered, she let go of the slab.
Meanwhile, Bakugō was unaware of the incoming danger. He was about to blow the hail of rocks when he caught sight of something moving fast in the corner of his eye. Too late to react, a piece of slab from the arena hit his wrist, causing him to misfire and blow up only a portion of what he intended. He yelled in pain and did nothing but brace himself as he was showered by Uraraka's rocky onslaught.
A thick cloud of dust covered the arena as Bakugō got pelted by the hailstorm of unearthed cement. By the time the rain of rocks ended, everyone was silent with bated breath, wondering what the condition of the Explosion user was.
Sounds were coming from the fallout zone which were small pieces of rocks falling. A figure slowly stood within the gathered dust when suddenly, a huge explosion blasted Ochako.
"GYAAAH!"
Emerging from the cloud was a pissed-off Bakugō holding his right hand. His wrist was in pain and his whole body ached from being buffeted by debris, but it was nothing compared to how he was seething from almost losing.
"You little bitch…" the Explosion Quirk teen muttered. "You're friends with that shitty Deku, right? No wonder you managed to do that; it probably came from that worthless shit. Well, guess what, it didn't work." He took furious steps forward. "Now, I'm gonna make sure to remind you that, no matter how much help you get, you'll just be a worthless pebble like Deku on my path to being the number one hero." He swiped his hand, creating an explosive arc that swept the gravity girl away.
Even if he wasn't the one fighting him, Bakugō swore that the stupid Deku's influence was still plaguing him. It irritated him to no end that the useless twerp wouldn't just quit. Now with Deku's meddling, he won't get the victory fit for the future number one hero. Well, he'll show him that he and everyone in his little group were just inconsequential obstacles for him to achieve greatness.
Bakugō continued blasting Uraraka. The poor girl was too tired to do anything but take the beating. Although she managed to get Bakugō this tired, his earlier onslaught while she was setting up the meteor storm took a great toll on her stamina. As such, she had no strength left to defend herself.
-{}-
"What the hell is he doing!?" Mina cried out in horror as Bakugō continued his beating of Uraraka.
"She's done!" Hagakure cried out, hoping to catch the attention of the Explosion user. "Stop! You won already!"
"This is insane!" Kaminari shouted, unable to come up with anything else to say.
Those were just some of the comments thrown by Class 1-A as they watched in trepidation over the brutality going on in the arena. Even the audience was aghast by the actions of a potential hero from Japan's most prestigious hero institution.
"Dude, what the fuck!?" Sero shouted. "Stop it, man! She's had enough!"
"Aren't the officials going to do something!?" Jirō questioned aloud. "They need to stop this! This… this is just wrong!"
-{}-
"Oh god! What is Katsuki doing!?" Inko couldn't help but gasp at the sadistic behavior of her friend's son.
"BRAT!" Mitsuki called out, both angry and horrified. "STOP THIS! IS THIS HOW A HERO SHOULD ACT!? KATSUKI, DAMN IT!"
"Mitsuki, he needs more than just a stern talking to," Masaru advised with a low yet stern tone.
"What are the officials doing!?" Tsumiki wondered since this situation was escalating quickly.
-{}-
Kazui suddenly felt an ominous feeling next to him. He craned his head toward that sensation and found Izuku unintentionally releasing his Curse Energy. It was in small amounts, so it was undetectable by everyone other than the young reaper and Momo who were sensitive to the supernatural.
Both the reaper and the heiress observed since the start of their classes that Midoriya was beginning to come out of his shell thanks to Gojo-sensei. The normally meek boy was gradually becoming more assertive and confident as well as more expressive of his emotions.
And now, anger was the prevalent emotion dwelling in the young sorcerer's mind. Kazui and Momo both realize that this was due to the beating Ochako was getting from his middle school bully. However, unlike when he was in middle school, Izuku now had the power to wipe out the city.
They needed to act fast and there was only one thing to do.
"This has gone long enough!" Kazui declared, catching the attention of his classmates. He stood up, held his right hand out, and materialized a blazing bow of gold energy. He did a pulling motion similar to that of an archer and an arrow formed, drawn back by an energy string connected to the ends of the bow.
"What the fuck!?" Sato yelled in surprise. The others were just as shocked as he was.
"Izuku!" Kazui called snapping the heir to the Limitless from his silent fury. "Get ready to get down there. You, too, Momo." He then aimed the arrow at the arena. "If the organizers won't do shit, we'll do it ourselves."
When Kazui found an opening, he fired.
-{}-
Contrary to the audience's belief, the officials were trying to call out Bakugō for his aggressive behavior. However, the explosive teen was so obsessed with showing who's superior that their calls were left unheard.
Bakugō was about to deal another blow at Ochako when an arrow made of gold energy landed between him and his victim. He stopped, wondering where this thing came from when he felt a quick brush of wind. Looking up, he found that his victim was blocked by that gingerhead freak, the rich know-it-all, and that annoying Deku.
The latter two quickly went to the fallen girl's aid while Kazui stood unflinching at the one who caused her injuries.
"Ochako? Ochako!" Izuku called out worriedly. Cringing at the severe injuries inflicted on her, he tried rousing her up by tapping her cheek, but she remained unresponsive. "Ochako… please, wake up."
"She's suffered second-degree burns," Momo deduced. "We need to get her to Recovery Girl qui–"
"Get out of the way," Bakugō cut her off. "I'm not done with her yet."
"No, Bakugō." Kazui stood adamantly between his friends and the offender. "Stand down. The match is over... you won."
"It's over when I say it's…" Another arrow suddenly landed in front of Bakugō. It didn't deter him. "You think one measly arrow is gonna…!"
To the surprise of everyone, dozens upon dozens of ethereal bows manifested around Bakugō, all of which were loaded and primed to be released. The boy tried to take another step but felt something whiz right through him. Mere seconds later, something was trickling down his neck. He reached to feel what it was and was surprised to see small trickles of blood.
Kazui just aimed at his neck and didn't hesitate to fire one of his bows.
"Bakugō, stand down, NOW!" Midnight quickly called. "Bakugō, with my right as umpire of the competition, due to your unsportsmanlike behavior and gross conduct, I now…"
"Don't disqualify him," Kazui said in his Hollow voice. The very tone he used made the hairs on Midnight's back stand. However, he was not done. "Don't you dare disqualify… because it'd be too easy. He will answer for his actions one way or the other but only in this competition." He looked at Katsuki who was hatefully glaring at him. "He needs to learn humility."
"But…"
All Kazui did was stare at Midnight who froze. The R-rated Hero froze upon seeing Kazui's eyes. He had five pupils, all of them directed at her.
There was something about those eyes that made her quiver. It was like being in the presence of a god. She got the message and weakly nodded.
Kazui's attention then shifted toward the commentator box. His eyes burned with resentment as he focused on the bandaged man who touted his hypocritical beliefs. Without saying a word, he vanished in a buzz of Sonido and floated in front of Aizawa.
-{}-
"Do you think what Bakugō did was grit and determination, Eraserhead!?" Kazui said with such vitriol that Present Mic shuddered in fear. Heck, it even made the stubborn Aizawa flinch. "You said that his fierceness was a result of acknowledging Uraraka's strength but that was not the case. If he truly saw her as a threat, then he would've done what was necessary to quickly end the match to avoid escalating it against him. All he did was prolong a fight he was already assured victory of. That's not acknowledgment, that's sadistic torment! If you don't have any knowledge of the essence of combat, then how the FUCK DID YOU BECOME OUR TEACHER!?"
Even from their position, they could hear the gasps coming from the students, especially from the Hero Course.
Aizawa understood what the class representative of his homeroom meant. He realized that Bakugō went overboard and acted like a thug in an otherwise sanctioned sports competition. He admits that he made a mistake. However, having his status as a teacher put into question by Kazui stung his pride which in turn made him return the glare of the hybrid with a Quirk-powered one of his own.
Eraserhead's eyes glowed red and his long bangs floated upward, yet it did nothing to the hybrid. Instead, Kazui's eyes held not the gold and black demonic visage, but a more incomprehensible one.
His eyes contained five pupils that were glimmering in different colors.
Seeing this, Aizawa's scowl gradually morphed into confusion and apprehension. His Quirk didn't work on the boy, meaning this could be one of two things – he was Quirkless or he has a Quirk that counteracts Erasure.
The latter was too specialized for it to be possible, so Kazui being Quirkless would be the viable answer regardless of how ridiculous it is. If this was the case, then the Erasure Hero only had one thing to ask the young hybrid…
"Just what are you, Kazui Kurosaki?"