Chapter XX: The Strongest

Abuzz with confusion and doubt, the watchers of the current match could only stay silent as the winner, Kazui Kurosaki, quietly left the arena. At the same time, his opponent was carted away covered with many injuries.

Many revelations were unearthed after the battle between the explosive boy and the young hybrid, bringing forth a multitude of questions that were left unanswered.

However, emotions ran highest to those who knew the two that fought not long ago. For one, Mitsuki Bakugō and her husband, Masaru, rushed to the infirmary to inquire about their son's condition.

Having witnessed such a ruthless beating befall Katsuki, both mother and father knew for certain that, somewhere along the line, they had made a terrible mistake in raising their son. Was it the constant praise that turned him into this? Were Katsuki's many achievements blinding them from the slow descent into egomania he was falling into?

None of that matters now when the boy they had spoiled so much was suffering from a crushing defeat and a shattered ego. Mitsuki and Masaru will take measures to guide Katsuki in the right direction, but for now, they will be there for him in his time of healing.

"What's his condition?" asked the mother.

Recovery Girl did a quick examination of the boy before treating him. Burns, lacerations, bruises, and a few shattered ribs to boot; saying that the kid went through a meat grinder was an understatement.

So far, Katsuki wasn't in any danger. Recovery Girl had to credit the ash blonde—he was one tough kid. Sadly, that wasn't enough to win him a victory over the most powerful student in all of UA. Not only that, but this whole match was also simply Kazui Kurosaki's means of humiliating Bakugō.

No doubt that boy would be furious once he woke up.

"He isn't at any risk," answered the aged physician. "I've already healed the more severe injuries he suffered, but the rest of the treatment would be done later. I don't want to further tax his stamina with my Quirk so for now, it's best if he sleeps."

"I see," Mitsuki could only nod.

"Thank you, Recovery Girl. I don't know what would've happened to my son if you weren't here," said Masaru.

"I'm just doing my job, Mr. Bakugō."

The old doctor eventually left the infirmary to discuss some things with the principal, leaving the two parents to tend to their unconscious son.

The infirmary had a TV screen so the patients and admitted contestants could watch the festival. The Bakugō couple glanced at the monitor to see Cementoss fixing up the arena.

Masaru and Mitsuki could still recall the conversation between their son and the student who put him in this state. So many things were said, and Katsuki denied none of it. That was as much a confession as any, which only meant one thing:

Their son really did all those things.

Kazui Kurosaki's allegations were proven true when their volatile son lashed out to silence the ginger head. However, that amounted to nothing. The young man systematically dismantled everything their son stood for and beat him into an inch of his life.

There was no greater humiliation than that.

This wouldn't have happened if they had been better parents.

"Masaru," Mitsuki spoke with barely a whisper. "Are we… are we good parents?"

The husband stared at his wife in silence. He was also questioning whether or not they had done enough in raising their son if he turned out this way. He wants to believe that they did their best but, now that they think about it, they should've been more attentive to their son's behavior.

Yes, Aldera had helped worsen Katsuki's ego, but it started with them giving too much praise. And Izuku…

Poor Izuku. The innocent boy had been the target of Katsuki's bullying for ten years and not once did he tell anyone.

The Bakugō couple stared at their son before eyeing each other. They needed to make things right. This would've been avoided if they weren't so blinded.

That's their decision… and it all starts when Katsuki wakes up.

-{}-

Meanwhile, Izuku was preparing for his upcoming match against Kazui. Given how things turned out, he wasn't surprised that Katsuki lost. If anything, he felt some sense of enjoyment seeing his bully of ten years get tossed around like a bitch. He was certain that most of it came from Gojo's mentality bleeding into him.

"You gotta admit, that match was hella entertaining!"

Yup, definitely from his sensei.

"I know. The whole thing was just… cathartic."

"I am getting the feeling that you wished you were the one dishing out righteous fury instead of Kazui."

"I won't lie; I wanted to punch that bastard in the face, but would that make me any different from him?" Izuku was urged to continue. "While I did find some bit of entertainment in seeing Bakugō beaten to a pulp, I wouldn't want to fight him not because of my anger, but because it wouldn't be worth my time."

"So, fighting him would be beneath you?"

"In a way, yes. Fighting him isn't worth it anymore. It won't bring back those ten years of torment he did to me. But, above all else, I want to move on from that terrible past of mine." A small chuckle escaped his lips before saying, "I just want to be the better person who isn't chained by his past."

Gojo couldn't be any prouder. This admittance from his apprentice was a sign that he was nearing what the ancient sorcerer wanted for him. With a little more push in the right direction, Izuku will eventually understand what he desires as a person, which in turn would unlock his full potential as a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

"Well, it's almost time."

"This is it, and do you know what? I'm shaking in excitement!"

"This is it, folks; the match-up you've all been waiting for!"

Present Mic's voice jeered the audience into an excited frenzy. This year's Sports Festival has been one hell of a rollercoaster ride. From the endurance race to the cavalry battle and finally, the one-on-one matches; there was never a shortage of thrilling events for the eager audience to witness. That being said, all of that boils down to this final match.

"We've seen some pretty intense matches over the years, but none have been as hardcore as the two fights our finalists participated in."

"They get it, Mic," Aizawa told his co-commentator in annoyance. "No need to overhype the two when they saw firsthand just how over-the-top they were."

"And let's introduce our contestants!" Present Mic shouted, causing the spectators into an even bigger uproar.

"And he didn't listen," Eraserhead muttered, feeling so done.

The two contenders finally emerged from the stadium tunnels, determination and resolve overflowing within them. Izuku did not expect the number of cheers he'd receive from the crowd. The last thing he expected was to become the crowd favorite.

-{}-

"IZUKU!" Inko cheered from the private stands for the parents. "You can do it, my baby boy!"

So much has changed not just for Izuku, but also for Inko. Had it been the same Izuku she knew, the mother would've done anything to protect him from the world; even if it meant denying him his dream of becoming a hero. But, ever since his son awakened the Six Eyes and Limitless, she had an epiphany that all she did was hinder her boy's progress. Inko Midoriya realized she was no different from the people who ridiculed Izuku. And the revelations that were brought to light earlier just made her feel more and more inadequate for not having noticed that her beloved had was suffering.

Now, though, in his son's biggest moment, she will be there beside him all the way and do what she should've done long ago when Izuku told her his dream…

"I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN!"

-{}-

"First up, we have the boy with a quirk so OP that even the rain needs his permission to touch him! Give it up for UA's Child of Infinity, Izuku Midoriya!"

Up in the stands, Izuku's friends from both Classes 1-A and 1-B cheered for him. It wasn't long ago when he first met Satoru Gojo and began his training in Jujutsu sorcery. He didn't expect to reach this far in the Sports Festival and yet, here he is in center stage getting ready to face the strongest student in all of UA and maybe the entire world.

Izuku also heard the voices cheering for him. However, one voice stood out from the crowd who cheered for him.

"I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN!"

"Mom."

"Hear that, Izuku?" Gojo spoke to him. "You have people cheering for you. Slowly but surely, you're already getting what your heart truly desired."

"I still have no clue what I truly want."

"It'll come in due time," the spirit assured. "We are making timely progress on that but ultimately, it all boils down to you. For now, enjoy this fight. It will lead you one step closer to enlightenment."

Izuku smiled. He removed his black-tinted sunglasses to show his Six Eyes to the world. "Thank you, Gojo-sensei. I wouldn't have been here if it weren't for you."

"I just gave you the push. The rest was all because of you. Give yourself some credit, kid."

"Next up," Present Mic's voice blared from the speakers, "we have what could be the most versatile student in the entire hero course! A master swordsman with the power to back it up, give it up for Kazui Kurosaki!"

Kazui stepped out of the tunnel with his sword attached to his hip. Unlike his fight with Bakugō earlier which was a lesson in humility, he was excited to finally test the strength of Midoriya. There might be powerful quirks on display during the Sports Festival, but only those blessed by the supernatural can fight against each other. This was their moment.

A transcendent hybrid of divine origin.

A boy gifted by the spirit of a man hailed as a god.

This would be the greatest match in UA's Sports Festival history!

Both young combatants stood apart on the stage facing each other. Izuku and Kazui had smiles on their faces showing how much they'd waited for this.

Kazui noticed that Izuku was wearing some kind of rope on his forearms. He speculated that it might be given by Momo to give him a fighting edge against his zanpakutō. He would be correct in thinking that his girlfriend knows the artifact, it's just that she wasn't the one to give it to Izuku.

"Before we begin," Kazui suddenly said, "I'd like to request the officials to make this final match more special."

The teachers and event organizers were now curious.

"I would like it if we removed the 'Out of Bounds' rule for this match," stated the reaper. "That restriction would only prevent both me and Midoriya from showcasing the full extent of our abilities."

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems like one of our contestants wants to make the final match more interesting! This isn't the first time the officials were given requests, so let's see what they say!"

A few quiet seconds passed before the voice of UA's rat supreme himself blared through the speakers.

"Permission granted!" replied the rat/dog/bear enthusiastically. "Not only that, but we also added permission to use your weapons. Just no lethal attacks, students. We don't want any more… unsavory incidents like earlier. So, without further ado, make this the best Sports Festival finale ever!"

"You heard that folks!" Present Mic questioned the audience who roared in anticipation. It seemed like they just forgot everything that happened earlier. "With those stipulations in place, we can expect this final match to be the best among the rest!"

In the arena, Kazui and stood across each other with smiles on their faces. The day was one battle to another but now it's just two of them in the finals.

"Well," Kazui spoke while having his arms wide, "…here we are. I knew you'd be the one I'd face in the finals. I can't say that I'm not excited considering the spectacle you put up against Todoroki."

"I feel the same way," the heir to the Limitless agreed. "I especially enjoyed how you knocked Bakugō down a peg or two."

The young death god chuckled. "Well, he had that coming. Sadly, I doubt that'd be enough to change him."

"I know," sighed the greenette.

"Okay, contestants!" Midnight called for the two competitors' attention. "Now, just like earlier, I want a good honest fight between you two. Since there is no ring out, the winner will be decided by submission, forfeiture, or knockout. I know both of you like to be extra, but please keep the damage to a minimum."

"No, promises, Midnight-sensei," Kazui answered with a mischievous grin.

Kayama shook her head in amusement. "At least you're honest." She raised her whip high before saying, "Now, without further delay, prepare yourselves!" The official umpire of the festival looked at Kurosaki and Midoriya ready themselves. However, her attention was more on Kazui than the green-haired kid. While she barely heard anything from the fight the former had with Yaoyorozu, Midnight was able to discern a few words that caught her interest.

Sorceress.

Soul Reaper.

Zanpakutō.

Spiritual Energy.

Curse Energy.

Those five words were the ones that stood out to her, making her suspicion of the ginger head grow even more. Moreover, that suspicion carried over to Momo as well since she was called a sorceress. The icky worm thing just added more fuel to the fire of doubt.

For now, though, it was best to keep these thoughts of hers back and let the kids duke it out. She can deal with those later.

"AND…" Midnight brought her whip down. "BEGIN!"

Without wasting any second, Izuku flailed the black rope around his forearm at Kazui. He needed to be quick and efficient to win this match. Kazui was undoubtedly the most powerful being in the world and needed all the advantages he could get.

The hybrid dodged out of the way with the intent of not wanting to be careless with these cursed tools. The cursed rope's tip thwacked the ground he stood on and shattered the cement.

"Oh shit!" Kazui mentally screamed. "I knew dodging was the right decision."

Zanpakutō in hand, the reaper rushed at Izuku and swung. His blade stopped just inches from his target, confirming one of his theories.

Infinity—and Limitless, for that matter—involves the precise manipulation of space through Curse Energy. It is that energy that affects the properties of the fabric of space around the user to his advantage. A zanpakutō can cut through anything of a spiritual nature. Since Curse Energy is a variation of Reiryoku, a zanpakutō can be an effective weapon.

However, Limitless does not directly use the energy mentioned earlier to create a barrier but instead manipulates the space around the user to achieve a similar effect. Space itself is the one preventing Kazui's weapon from reaching his target; Curse Energy was just a means of achieving it.

In short, he has no way of bypassing Infinity.

"Well, that proves it." While normally that would be a disadvantage, the barrier can't be put up indefinitely. Though minute, the young hybrid can observe that a sudden shift in Reishi can be felt around Izuku when he uses Infinity, meaning it isn't always active and that is when he tries to go on the offensive.

This means that the opportune moment to strike was when Izuku would also attack.

And that opening just presented itself.

Just as Izuku was about to whip another attack, Kazui phased right in his face, shocking the greenette. He suddenly felt the pommel of the ginger head's weapon in his gut.

Izuku's eyes shot wide as the force of the attack pushed him several feet away while clutching his abdomen.

"Well, shit," Gojo remarked. "He figured us out."

"I know," Izuku spoke while cautiously staring at the reaper. "I thought it'd take longer for him to ding out Infinity's weakness."

"That just goes to show the difference in skill and experience between the two of you. This also proves that this boy is a combat genius." The ancient sorcerer couldn't help but chuckle. "Looks like we got our work cut out for us."

"Yeah. The best thing to do now is to keep him at a distance."

With that said, Izuku repeatedly flailed the cursed rope around like a whip to deny Kazui any chance of closing the gap. While the reaper was deterred, the young sorcerer had to admit that what he was doing right now was instinctive.

Kazui, on the other hand, was weaving in and out of the whip's range while parrying some of the attacks with Mangetsu. Yes, it was obvious to him that what Izuku was doing to his rope wasn't the same as when he used his great sword or his zanpakutō while attached to a chain. Still, the greenette was doing his best to prevent him from approaching.

However, whoever said he didn't have any ranged attacks?

Kazui pointed his spirit weapon at Izuku, its tip glowing as a bright ball of energy formed.

Izuku recognized that attack; the blast obliterated the other Zero Pointer during the entrance exams!

"Cero."

A humming, almost weighty sound assaulted everyone's ears as a devastating red blast erupted from the crimson ball of energy, becoming a beam that violently surged toward Izuku.

Using the amplification aspect of his Curse Technique, Izuku quickly vanished from the beam's path before it could hit him. Far and safe from the doom blast, he saw where he stood before being blown to smithereens.

"Damn! That takes me back!" Present Mic expressed. "That was the same blast that sent one of the Zero Pointers during the entrance exams to kingdom come."

"Which, I might add, could be on par with Endeavor's Prominence Burn in destructive potency. However, Kurosaki seems to have a good handle on his attack's range and damage output," added Eraserhead.

"Nice commentary, partner!"

-{}-

Mirko liked what she saw. Her decision to watch for this Kurosaki kid was paying dividends by the minute. It was just one surprise after another from him and the previous match against the Bakugō boy showed how dominant the ginger head can be.

And the Rabbit Hero respected that.

Power.

It must be the animalistic side of her Quirk, but Mirko couldn't help but feel an instinctual need to test herself against him. It was strange, but welcome one all things considered.

Speaking of competitiveness, the rabbit-themed hero chuckled while glancing at the individual beside her. The over-competitive Endeavor was silenced right after he began ranting about his kid and his supposed purpose. An arrow to the neck was all it took to render the number two hero quiet.

And now, said hero was glaring daggers at the ginger head in the arena for what he considered a slight to his ego.

"What? Got nothing to say?"

It was a cheeky question that doubled as a jab at Endeavor.

As for the flame hero, the Todoroki patriarch didn't say a word. He only kept his eyes on the boy who nearly skewered his head with a light arrow. Not only that but it was also followed by the defeat of his son at the hands of Izuku Midoriya.

It would seem that Shoto still had much to learn; something he should pay close attention to when the internships came in.

For now, Japan's second-ranked hero would observe these two powerful individuals.

-{}-

Izuku forgot that Kazui could do that! Now that he remembered, he also recalled the ginger head being able to fire arrows that could ERASE SOULS FROM EXISTENCE!

"Honestly, just how busted is Kazui!?"

"Now, that's the million-dollar question…"

The protégé of the Honored One whipped his cursed rope at the reaper once again, nearly hitting Kazui if not for a well-timed parry. The greenette's eyes widened when the hybrid flashed in front of him again. Luckily, he used Blue to pull himself away from what could be a decisive strike.

Again, Izuku repeatedly whipped his curse-laden rope at Kazui, hoping to at least land a hit in an otherwise lopsided battle. While Infinity was still proving useful now and then, it still wasn't enough to prevent some attacks from landing on him. Black Rope was a good way to deter any approach from Kazui, and he was slowly becoming familiar with using it, but as far as he was concerned, it wouldn't matter if he couldn't even get a hit in.

This exchange of retreating, defending, getting hit, and defending again went on for a good five minutes. The monotony of the battle and the failure to successfully initiate an offensive were beginning to frustrate Izuku. He needed something to turn the tide; a way to steal the rhythm of the battle in his favor.

"Wait, that's it!" the sorcerer's eyes lit up in realization.

"You got something?" Gojo asked.

"Yeah, I do. Here's the plan…" Izuku explained his strategy to his master. Gojo was silently listening to his apprentice and, as the boy went further with his plan, the spirit now had a grin that was slowly widening.

"At first, you had my curiosity; now, you have my attention. I'm all in."

"It's now or never then!" Having relayed his strategy to Gojo, Izuku pointed two fingers at Kazui. "Curse Technique Amplification: BLUE!"

A sudden shift thanks to a localized gravitational pull caught Kazui's attention. He tried to Flash Step away, but the effect was instantaneous; his left arm getting caught in the miniature event horizon.

He felt his bones cracking as he pried himself free from the curse technique. Once he escaped; he examined his dangling limb.

"Well, shit…" Kazui mentally cursed. Using his Quincy abilities, he absorbed the ambient Reishi in the air, letting it flow into his injured arm thereby healing it.

"BLUE!"

"CERO!"

Izuku took the Hollow Flash head-on with his Infinity while Kazui barely escaped another miniature black hole. Once the Cero died down, Izuku resumed executing his strategy.

Essentially, the plan was to keep Kazui off balance. The idea that curse tools can affect the reaper was a great advantage to the sorcerer. He just needed to bombard him with multiple castings of Blue with some added whip action to prevent Kazui from making any moves.

Multiple zones of compression kept forming around Kazui, making his movement more difficult. It didn't help that the damn rope could extend and prevent him from getting closer.

While he was at a disadvantage, the ginger head couldn't help but smile at how Izuku managed to adapt to the exposure of his technique's weakness. It was a testament to his intelligence and ingenuity.

As for the green-haired boy, the plan was gradually yielding fruit as Kazui's movements became increasingly sloppy.

"A little more…"

A sneaky conjuring of Blue.

"A little more…"

A flail from his rope.

"A little more. A little—THERE!"

Shortening the distance between him and Kazui using technique amplification, Izuku phased out of existence and appeared in front of the young reaper; his legs scissored around the death god's waist.

Caught off guard, the hybrid could only stare as the young sorcerer supercharged an already destructive technique.

"Curse Technique Reversal: Maximum Output – SCARLET GLARE!"

Kazui's figure instantly vanished within the glowing red light. This would hurt, the reaper concluded, and it would seem that base Hierro on top of Blut Vene wouldn't be enough.

There was only one thing left to do.

Izuku felt the curse technique blow away his opponent, launching the reaper to the other side of the arena and into the wall at blinding speeds—the concrete boundary crumbled under Kazui, covering him in rubble while being covered by dust.

"Do you think that did it?"

That was a good question asked by Midoriya to his master. Currently, Scarlet Glare, which is a maximized version of Red, is his strongest attack. It was only weakened since he didn't have the control and the energy reserve to truly bring out the technique's potential. Not only that but destroying the stadium with a red-colored tactical nuke was the height of recklessness.

"Yeah, I'm not quite sure about that." If it were just some schmuck Curse, that would've done the trick. However, this was Kazui they were fighting. No one should count a death god out in a fight like this.

"Contestant Kurosaki, can you continue?" Midnight asked which got no response.

Seconds ticked by with nothing—not a single reply—from the hybrid. Even the crowd was leaning over to hear what the resident umpire would announce.

Seeing as there was no answer coming from the rubble, Midnight assumed that Kazui was knocked out. "It seems that contestant Kurosaki, is not responding, therefore I declare this match—"

"Far from over…"

Midnight quickly turned around to the pile of rubble and dust cloud when he heard someone speak. It was no doubt Kazui Kurosaki, but the change in his voice somewhat unnerved her.

The voice sounded like the Hollow.

Hidden within the veil of dust, Kazui's visage slowly became visible. When he finally emerged, everyone in the stadium was left speechless.

Kazui's skin was pale white with long sharp nails on his fingers and toes. Red tufts of fur grew around his wrists and ankles, and one that collared around his neck. Despite those, the most striking changes were the black lines that ran down his face then webbing out on his chest, the two bull-like horns protruding from his temples much unlike the earlier when it was just one, and the giant GAPING hole in his chest.

"What in the world?" Midnight muttered in shock. Everyone seemed to share her bafflement upon Kazui's sudden transformation.

"OH MY GOD!" Those were the only words Present Mic could ever utter.

Even Eraserhead was left in a state of confusion.

-{}-

The same can be said for the other staff members of UA. They were well aware of Kazui's versatile Quirk, but to have something like this appear out of nowhere!? Now, they're beginning to suspect that Fullbring is more than just mere energy manipulation.

"The more this goes on, the more surprises are unveiled." The chimera principal of UA thought. A hidden smirk was forming on his face while watching in satisfaction. He was surprised, no doubt, but having intelligence beyond that of any human on the planet, a curve ball such as this is more than welcome in an otherwise predictable and monotonous existence.

-{}-

Among the students of the Hero Course, none was more surprised than Momo. She knew of Kazui's mixed heritage as a transcendent hybrid, but seeing one aspect of his genealogy manifest in the open was just mind-boggling. The transformation was a drastic change from his normal form, giving him a more animalistic appearance.

And the power radiating off of that form. Looking at her classmates, even they can feel a certain pressure rolling in waves off of Kazui.

"So, this is Hollowfication. But… I feel as if this isn't in its entirety yet."

It's true, just as she guessed. This isn't the full transformation but a partial one in reaction to the danger of Scarlet Glare. Whatever it is the complete transformation would look like, it will be the resurrection of the inner beast.

-{}-

Kazui's pace was slow and methodical. His grip on Mangetsu was tight but that didn't matter. Yellow eyes swimming in black sclera were trained on Izuku who was shocked at his change. It made him grin.

It was always satisfying to leave jaws hanging.

"You surprised me, Izuku." The amusement in the hybrid's voice was not lost on Midoriya. "Not even Momo managed to force me to do a partial Hollowfication; so, congratulations."

As for Midoriya, he was rendered completely speechless. He expected that attack of his to at least put a dent in Kazui—and it did—but he never expected it to result in something like this.

Normally, anyone would've lost all hope if their attack gave this kind of result—the enemy becoming more powerful. But, instead of cowering, Izuku felt a different emotion.

He was excited!

There was this deep-seated thrill bubbling up inside him that was waiting to surface. The instinct of combat that was otherwise non-existent in him was making itself known as he continuously felt the pressure rolling off of Kazui.

Even Gojo-sensei was a little eager to get this fight going.

However, it was the words of acknowledgment that finally did it. The fact that someone as powerful as Kazui that sees his efforts with merits did more than just uplift his mood; it put Izuku in a position to realize the power he had can fight a god!

"As a reward, let me show you the true power of my zanpakutō!"

The real battle is just beginning!

"SHINE, MANGETSU!"

The sword in Kazui's clutches began to glow. The light became so bright quickly that people were forced to cover their eyes due to its intensity. The only way to describe it best was that the sun itself was in their presence.

Eventually, the illumination coming from the blade died down, leaving it exposed to the world to see. It changed; no longer a katana but a Dao sword pitch black in coloration. Serrations covered the top half of the weapon's blunt side while the edge glimmered menacingly with its sharpness. The hand was curved, providing a comfortable ergonomic grip. However, what caught everyone's attention was the missing guard or tsuba, but instead, a crescent shape embraced a six-pointed star with the top ray connected to the blade while the bottom led to the handle.

It was a stark contrast to the light show that came before it, but that didn't take away from the volume of power emanating from the soul-cutting weapon.

"Meet Mangetsu, the Shining Moon," Kazui said as he performed a rather lazy sword swing. That casual motion blew away the air around them, causing a momentary gust of wind. "Be honored, Izuku, for you will be the first to experience the power of a Shikai of a transcendent hybrid!"

Instead of feeling intimidated, Izuku grinned as he brought his fists to his waist and let them emit Curse Energy. "Then come and SHOW US!"

(Who-ya Extended! – Vivid Vice)

Izuku didn't wait any longer and decided to go up close and personal. He quickly appeared in front of Kazui via Blue with devious intent. The reaper wasn't fazed and instead retaliated by clawing at the greenette. A shockwave erupted from the collision of their fists, pushing them back a few feet. That didn't deter them, however, as they immediately re-engaged each other in a ferocious exchange of attacks.

In the middle of the back and forth, Kazui viciously swung Mangetsu, generating a strong gust of wind. Izuku ducked, expecting the sword to swing a mile away.

Momentarily out of the danger, the young sorcerer pointed a finger at the death god with Red primed and ready to fire. Thinking that he had him, Izuku never noticed his opponent whisper a word.

"Kussetsu."

The moment the Cursed Technique fired, it only passed through Kazui, surprising the spell's caster.

"What the…!?" Sensing a presence behind him, the sorcerer protégé barely had time to react when he felt a fist land on his cheek, sending him flying across the arena.

Kazui smirked seeing that his punch wouldn't be enough to stop Izuku. Seeing his green-haired classmate recover from the attack, he activated another ability of his zanpakutō.

"Kaisetsu."

To everyone's surprise, two copies of Kazui appeared out of nowhere and made a coordinated attack on Midoriya. The boy in question quickly went on the defensive, doing the best he could while analyzing these newfound abilities from his classmate.

Ducking and weaving around a slew of sword strikes, Izuku was trying to figure out what the heck was going on since Kazui activated Mangetsu. Luckily, Six Eyes happens to be the most powerful perception ability among Jujutsu sorcerers. It can perceive Curse Energy at an almost sub-atomic level and regulates the flow of Curse Energy in the user's body for maximum efficiency.

Using his divine eyes, the heir to Limitless caught the flow of Spiritual Energy around Kazui. That's when he saw it; the movement of energy was influencing light! Kazui's Reiatsu was controlling the properties of light itself.

"Then that means…" He held a palm out and cried, "BLUE!"

The light constructs suddenly vanished as they were crushed into the black hole curse technique.

Kazui curiously raised an eyebrow at this. He was mildly impressed that his friend managed to decipher the innate workings of his zanpakutō ability.

"It's light," said Izuku, all but confirming the reaper's suspicions. "You can control light and all its inherent properties. And, if I have to guess, you can alter the properties of light to either a wave or a particle."

"Damn…" Now, Kazui was truly impressed, so much so that he began clapping. "Right after I unleashed Mangetsu, you managed to glean its most fundamental aspect. It goes to show that my machinations were effective."

The last comment caught Izuku's attention. Even Gojo was interested.

"Huh?"

"Why do you think I prevented Bakugō and Todoroki from catching up to you?" Kazui asked while twirling his sword by its tassel. "Why do you think I CHOSE to join your team when I could've formed my own? It's quite simple…" Kazui tossed Mangetsu in the air, and expertly caught the spirit weapon and pointed its tip toward his opponent. "I wanted to fight you here in the finals."

"Wait, so my victory during the obstacle course race and you teaming up with me wasn't a coincidence?" Now that he mentioned it, Izuku did find it a little too convenient.

Kazui had all the speed needed to take the lead, but he instead let him, and Momo get first and second place respectively while stopping Bakugō and Todoroki from advancing during the obstacle course race.

During the Cavalry event, Kazui joined his team and not someone else's… or even made his own. Heck, if he were permitted, he would've been a one-man team!

When it came down to it, Kazui could coast this competition with relative ease. However, he didn't do any of that and instead, ensured that they would be the ones in the finals fighting.

There is one problem though…

"Then how about the singles matches?" Izuku questioned. "I can see you helping me during the first two events, but you had no control over this portion of the festival."

Kazui casually shrugged. "That didn't matter since I knew you would win all your matches. I had complete confidence in your strength and analytical capabilities just like you demonstrated.

"Out of everyone, you're the only person who has the potential to fight at my level. That is something I truly recognize within you, Izuku." Kazui grinned; one that showed his excitement and acknowledgment of the boy before him. "Remember this, Izuku Midoriya…"

Pointing a finger at the sorcerer, the reaper proudly announced…

"You. Are. Strong. So, stand proud of yourself."

And there it was.

Recognition.

The one thing that his Quirklessness had denied and all the misery it came with. Even with the awakening of Six Eyes and Limitless, things still made Midoriya doubt himself. He was far from reaching the state of enlightenment that Gojo-sensei said all because of him having no idea of what he wants as a person.

However, that recognition of his potential from a literal god sparked something within his tortured mind and heart. Ten years of ridicule and isolation began crumbling away with those mere three words.

Being Quirkless meant you didn't exist.

Now… with the words of a deity, Izuku Midoriya has slowly emerged out of his shadow, bringing him closer to the core of his power.

Resolve now awakened, the young sorcerer protégé had only one thing right now and that was to fight Kazui to prove to him that his recognition wasn't unfounded.

He will fight… AND HE WILL FIGHT TO WIN!

The greenette dropped into a fighting stance. His fists clenched and alight with vibrant emerald energy, there was a wave of confidence exuding from him.

Kazui saw the change around Izuku and smiled. He readied—sword poised forward—for what could be the greatest battle in the history of UA.

In an instant, they disappeared. Dust uplifted in their wake as they collided in the center of the arena and a shockwave erupted from their duel.

-{}-

The members of Class 1-A, at least those who were present, knew enough just how powerful Izuku Midoriya was. He had demonstrated that during the early days of their acceptance into the fine institution of Heroism that is UA and the fact that he was one of the driving forces of their survival against the villains during the USJ Incident.

Now, in his clash with Kazui, they can see a change in Midoriya. There was a ferocity that awakened along with a purpose nobody had ever seen before.

"Good god, this is getting ridiculous!" Sero exclaimed while watching the chaos in the arena. Another collision of attacks sent a gust of wind in their direction. "Are they even human!?"

"That's a good question," Tokoyami spoke, eyes glued on the two fighters. "The air around them has shifted somewhat. There is a hidden recognition between them that is shown while they fight."

"You're right," Momo nodded. "Whatever Kazui said, it brought to light a hidden drive within Midoriya. I can see it, even at this distance…"

All eyes were on the heiress.

"Izuku Midoriya has something to prove, and this is his chance."

-{}-

Mirko was gripping the railings tightly out of excitement. Ever since the start of this final match, it had been a constant back-and-forth between the green-haired boy and the enigma. She can feel the intensity between their attacks and the pressure with every swing of their fists and weapons. However, the rabbit hero could feel that this battle was about to escalate.

Sure, she was eager to cross fists with either of them, but from observation alone, she could tell that a longer battle meant she would be put at a disadvantage. The way these two kids fought mimicked the ferocity she had in a fight; the rabbit-themed heroine would be hard-pressed not to show equal fervor.

That said, these two teens were more than just heroes in the making. No, Izuku Midoriya and Kazui Kurosaki were something else. They stood above the realm of heroes—in a different world where everybody else was merely fleeting images beneath them.

And this was the eve of that world's emergence.

-{}-

Kazui jumped high into the air, gripping his blade to the side while two petals that made up its guard broke off as streaks of light. They converged before him, emitting a light that solidified into a golden bow.

Pulling its ethereal string, the Hollowfied hybrid unleashed a hailstorm of spirit arrows, converging upon Izuku.

Midoriya expanded his spatial barrier, its diameter repelling the barrage before vanishing from his spot. He suddenly appeared behind Kazui with his right leg behind him, ready for a kick.

"Kōsatsu."

Izuku's kick only resulted in Kazui's image shattering like glass.

"A technique of his zanpakutō, I bet," Gojo surmised. "He's behind you!"

Adhering to his sensei's warning, the greenette immediately turned around and caught the hybrid's forearm. Twisting his body, Midoriya threw Kazui into the arena, creating a deep trail on the cement floor.

Izuku didn't waste any time and appeared just meters away from Kazui. He jumped and landed and savage high jump kick. He followed the momentum of his body, spinning and dealing a left-hand back fist before getting in a right cross. Staggered, all the young reaper could do was receive the most intense combination one has ever seen.

It started with a slap then a backhand. Then came a right jab to the throat, a gut punch to the gingerhead's right side, followed by a right hook to his chest. Feeling a little mischievous, the Jujutsu sorcerer slapped Kazui again, this time the impact being more audible. He continued his onslaught with a volley of punches in the hybrid's torse before finishing it with another slap, a right hook, and another slap just for good measure.

All in all, it left everyone cringing. Even Gojo couldn't help but almost cry in pride.

"That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

However, that wouldn't be enough to stop Kazui. Regaining his balance, the reaper decided to show just how fast he was. He took one step and blurred out of existence only to appear on the other side of the arena. He did the same action again and phased into view just next to Izuku. He did this process repeatedly until there wasn't just one, not two, not three, but a hundred or so images of him zipping through the arena.

This was Gamelos Sonido, a variant of the movement technique of his Hollow lineage.

It was a display of speed unlike any other, and yet, he was far from done.

"Kaisetsu!"

The already numerous images of Kazui quadrupled. The once hundreds of copies all running around swell to nearly a thousand in a dizzying display of speed and illusion.

"HOLY—are you seeing this, folks!?"

Everyone was seeing it. However, they were still working on believing it.

All of the Kazui clones converged on Izuku. Their blades swiped at the invisible barrier protecting the sorcerer inside.

They were relentless; hundreds of sword strikes raining down on Izuku left him on the defensive, focusing on keeping Infinity as stable as possible to prevent Kazui from hitting him.

However, if this continued, he will eventually be overwhelmed. Midoriya needed to solve this unfavorable predicament he's found him fast. Since Kazui was everywhere, he must eliminate all the reaper's copies at once and there was only one technique that could do that.

Midoriya momentarily expanded his special barrier, blowing a portion of the attacking images and giving himself much needed breathing room. Energy began coalescing before him, a familiar blue ball that was gradually growing and sucking everything around it.

The sorcerer waved his hand, motioning the azure orb to rotate wildly, accelerating its growth. Once he had gathered the necessary power behind the technique, he released it in an all-consuming singularity.

"Cursed Technique Amplification: Maximum Output – Azure Glow!"

The negative space moved according to Izuku's will, violently rotating and revolving around the conjurer and eliminating the numerous copies of the attacker.

One by one, Kazui's reflection began shattering. Like glass shards, each copy of the reaper broke apart while being consumed by the miniature event horizon. Even in its trail, Azure Glow left a path of destruction as it devoured the very arena its caster was on.

Midnight had to flee to avoid getting sucked into the maw of the curse technique.

Eventually, Izuku had managed to take out all of the hybrid's copies while destroying the arena in the process. The only portion left untouched was the ground he stood on.

Panting, Midoriya had to keep an eye out for the young death god. Though Azure Glow was a powerful attack, it wouldn't necessarily defeat a deity like Kazui. He scanned the area, his Six Eyes searching through the uplifted rubble that clouded his vision.

All of a sudden, a hand grabbed his face and the next thing he knew, he was kissing the other side of the stadium wall. Kazui had appeared through his sight, too late for him to react before his head got slammed into a wall.

The reaper then began dragging the greenette against the cement boundary, leaving a trail that consisted mostly of his face. He hadn't put up Infinity in time, so the only thing he could do was to use reinforce his body with Curse Energy.

This was Kazui's payback for all those slaps.

That said, Izuku wouldn't just let this continue. Before Kazui pushed his face into the wall further, the young sorcerer grabbed hold of the hybrid's and twisted himself, changing positions with Kazui now on the wall.

Taking the opportunity, Midoriya threw a curse-infused punch at the reaper. It was avoided, but that didn't stop him from doing it again and again. Aside from the face trail, multiple fist-sized holes now filled the arena wall as Izuku kept on punching while Kazui rolled away to dodge.

And yet, it was all Izuku could do before he got a solid boot to the gut, causing him to fly away from Kazui. As he righted himself, the green-haired sorcerer hastily leaped into the air, avoiding a blow that cratered where he once stood.

Kazui followed suit, flying into the air and engaging the sorcerer in an aerial skirmish.

-{}-

Nobody knew how to make of this final round. From the beginning of this match, it was just an intense battle that shifted momentum between Kazui Kurosaki and Izuku Midoriya.

Shockwaves burst from each clash of their weapons. Gusts of wind tore through the air as they slashed and whipped each other. Theses two teens looked more like they were fully intent on killing each other than just treating this bout as a mere exercise.

Truthfully, the more they spectated the two, the more they come to realize that they may not be entirely human. Of course, the world is full of awesome and never-before seen Quirks, but what was demonstrated before them seemed to transcend that.

However, it wasn't what Inko Midoriya saw. Yes, this final battle of the Sports Festival was spectacular, but it paled in comparison to she saw in her son.

For the longest time, Inko had always thought that she would be the one to protect him. He was always so full of life when he was younger, but t all vanished when he found out he had no Quirk. Right then and there, Inko vowed to protect his precious son from the world that shunned him even if it meant denying his dream.

Oh, how wrong she was.

But now… Now she realized that what she should've done was be there for him. In his turmoil or at his strongest, Inko Midoriya had now resolved to be the pillar of comfort that she should've been. No more will she hinder Izuku from his dreams. No more will she hold him back out of fear.

And when he looked at his son fighting someone strong, she couldn't help but see an image that made her eyes shed tears.

Izuku was smiling!

She's seen her son smile so many times, but what she was seeing wasn't anything like that. No, this smile that her son had was born from recognition, something he never got for ten years.

In this moment, her son was acknowledged by someone strong… someone that saw beyond his Quirklessness… beyond his power. Someone finally saw him for who he is!

And there was no greater joy for a mother than to see her son genuinely smile.

"I'm so proud of you, Izuku."

-{}-

A final resounding boom rippled through the air before the two combatants fell to the ground.

Kazui and Izuku landed hard, the earth beneath them shattering upon impact. They looked tired, panting heavily while eyeing one another and yet, both supernatural warriors were grinning with joy.

However, this battle of theirs had gone long enough. It was time to see who was truly the strongest.

"Let's end this, Izuku!" Kazui proposed to which he was rewarded with a reply.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Midoriya wrapped Black Rope around his knuckles. He could feel the surge of Curse Energy in him mingling with the cursed artifact.

Looking back, he remembered a conversation with his master days before the Sports Festival…

*****Flashback*****

"Gojo-sensei, I have a question…"

"Shoot!"

"Limitless is the power to bring the concept of infinity into reality, right?"

"Yeah. Where are you getting at?"

"Well, I noticed that the concept of infinity we're usually seeing is that of divisible numbers and negative mass. Aren't there other concepts of infinity we could explore to broaden Limitless' arsenal?"

This was one of the reasons why Gojo chose Izuku to be his successor. While he was a genius in the art of sorcery. He didn't have the same imagination as Izuku. Therefore, hearing his apprentice ask this question made him grin wide.

Limitless will evolve under the Izuku Midoriya.

"At first, you had my curiosity but now, you have my attention. What are you thinking?"

Midoriya was intelligent and advanced mathematics just happens to be one of his strong subjects. There was one concept regarding Infinity that he kept seeing every day.

A system within a system that was housing the same system in it.

"Recursion."

*****Flashback End*****

It was a concept he had brought up to his sensei which was quickly encouraged by Gojo. With the ancient spirit's blessing, Izuku began practicing the new technique days before the start of the Sports Festival. Although it isn't perfected yet (far from it), this will be his chance to test how effective it is against a god of death.

The apprentice of the Honored One felt his energies coalesce around his wrapped fist. However, unlike his other techniques, this one has taken inspiration from one of the abilities of his sensei's past students, specifically, Yūji Itadori, known as Divergent Fist.

That said, instead of a delayed second impact, this new Limitless technique will bring to reality the concept of Recursion. In other words, he will accumulate and enclose it using Infinity. He would then compress said power and insert the same amount of Curse Energy inside it. He would repeat this process until a highly dense mass of Curse Energy with multiple layers on itself is formed.

Basically, an infinite-mass punch.

Meanwhile, Kazui did a slashing motion with Mangetsu, a trail of golden Reishi following its path before he pulled back and readied for an overhead slash. Behind him, the blade of his weapon exploded in the same golden energy, jetting furiously in violent display of power.

The young reaper could sense the power circling around his friend's right hand. It was amateurish, unrefined, and unstable; and yet, it was powerful.

"This is it, Izuku!" Kazui called out, his grin inching wider as the sorcerer continued pouring power into his right hand. "I want to see your strongest attack and I don't want you to half-ass it!"

"Don't worry!" Izuku responded with a matching grin. "How about I return the favor and show you a new technique that I developed for Limitless."

"Then by all means… GIVE IT TO ME!"

The power radiating from these two intensified, clashing against each other as the world seemed to bend to their will. A powerful pressure engulfed the entire arena, bringing all who were spectating the match to their knees. Their breaths became shallow, their muscles creaked, and their vision became blurry as the world seemed to turn gray and ripple before their eyes.

The only thing that was with color in their vision were the energies raging around the two finalists. Regal divine gold and furious smokey green contested each other for dominance.

A boy who was born to surpass gods and a boy with the powers of a man hailed to be the strongest.

This was their final clash.

"GETSUGA…"

"Cursed Technique: Recursive Limitless…"

"TENSHŌ!"

"GREEN!"

Izuku flashed in front of Kazui, swinging his ignited fist at the reaper. Kazui swung down, letting loose a concentrated arc of his spiritual energy at the sorcerer.

The two attacks collided…

And everything was bathed in light.

A/N: Author-san here and I'M ALIVE! Almost six months… SIX MONTHS… of so much school work that I never had time to update my stories. So, I must say, sorry for the lack of any updates. Real life was just so taxing and distracting. And I must apologize further since my update schedule which is usually once a month would be hectic since so many activities are piled up. I'll try my best to keep the storing going and not go into long unexpected hiatuses.

With that out of the way, BLEACH IS BACK ONCE AGAIN! I just watched the first episode of Cour III and all I can say is it was stunning! The visuals, the color, the lighting, the animation—all of it were much netter compared to the previous two. Also, we finally got to see Futen Taisatsuryo in all its haunting glory and The Almighty in its godly magnificence. Who knew Ichibe can sing and dance; it also reminds of the kabuki plays of Japan?

All in all, the return of the anime was what reminded me to give you all an update. It's been so long but I remembered that I wanted to finish this story as much as possible because this is just a set up for something big.

That something big will eventually come but not now.

So, I hope you enjoy this return of me writing and still hold excitement for the coming updates.

Until next time!