Kapitel 18: U.A Festival (Part 4)

-Kaminari POV-

I can't watch this, this is too much, to see Uraraka getting blasted away by Bakugou's explosions makes my blood boil. Shes tried once more, intelligently used a decoy and the cover of the smoke for a sneak attack, but Bakugou's reaction time is advanced, his combat prowess is levels beyond.

"He moved after he saw her?" Sero is impressed at how fast Bakugou is, can't blame him, so am I.

"With this reaction time, the smoke screen doesn't matter. Because she can't activate her quirk without tact, she's at a disadvantadge against Bakugou's reflexes." The least I can do is answer his question.

Explosion after explosion after explosion, Uraraka is relentless, I will give her that, but if she doesn't change her strategy this isn't going to last long. Bakugou doesn't budge, he continues to blast her away everytime she gets too close. I look up, trying to look away, only to realize what she's doing.

Didn't took long for everyone to notice as well, the crowd was booing Bakugou, but Mr. Aizawa came to his defence, and indeed, Bakugou isn't letting his guard down ever since the match started, that's how much he respects Uraraka as an adversary. That's when everyone saw the levitating rubble, created by Uraraka herself, very resourceful.

She unleashes the rubble shower and rushes Bakugou once more, it's a great tactic, make him choose which one he will target, he's on a tight spot.

*BOOOOOM*

Or so I thought, he knew something was up and aimed a huge blast upwards, powerful enough to also throw Uraraka away. Damn it, this is frustrating, but I'm caught observing Bakugou's arm: It's shaking...

Still, Uraraka's resilience is inspiring! She fought to the very end, her body broke before her will. As Midnight went to check on her, I knew it was over.

"Uraraka is unable to continue." Damn, nice fight...

With this bitter ending, the first round is over, an interval is held before the second round starts.

...

Soon Bakugou is back at the stands, Sero and Tsuyu give the snark remarks only to be shutdown by his rudeness. He sits next to me, oddly enough, did our earlier talk made some kind of impact to him? I wonder...

...

I have never been so pumped about a Arm-Wrestling match in my entire life! It's like it's feeding me testosterone! Kirishima's win gave me such happiness I couldn't help but scream in manliness! Even Bakugou looked satisfyed.

...

The interval is over, the second round begins now. Mirodirya vs Todoroki, this is going to be a banger, for sure.

...

This match has exceed even my biggest expectations, Midoriya is a monster of resilience, his quirk reminds me of mine, how it's so powerful that he injures himself each time he uses it.

Todoroki is not too shaby either, his quirk is too powerful and he is only using half of it.

Kirishima managed to arrive just in time, he complained about how our quirks and Bakugou's are superior, only for Bakugou to lecture him on what every emitter faces: Physical fatigue. Our quirks overusage will wear our bodies down, making our need to end the battles quickly our priority. I guess he also figure it out that Todoroki is also trembling, which confirms it that the longer he uses his quirk, the less powerful is going to become.

...

The end of this match can only be described mindblowing: Todoroki's using his flames, Midoriya finally showing the full extent of his quirk, the airblast so strong it almost lauched me out of the vicinity, this was the epythome of an epic fight. I'm on the edge of my seat, if I win my next match, I will be able to experience this first hand.

The smoke settled, Midoriya was out of bounds. As much as I'm disappointed, I wanted him to prove me wrong, that quirks originated from arranged marriages could be defeated, having the chance to fight Todoroki eases my pain.

They gave a break to rebuild the arena. Uraraka and Ilda rushed to see Midoriya at the infirmary, I go to the waiting room, I will be fighting Ilda next so I will prepare.

...

Inside, I think about what I can do against Ilda, since he's a speedster and he doesn't have any long range attacks, shocking him into submission is the only logical choice, but it feels wrong, he has been a good friend, doesn't feel right to injure him.

A knock on the door takes my attention, the tingling is back, it's right outside the door, it's the source of the knocking. As I open it, the recognizable electrical signature becomes clear, I had a feeling he would come to watch the festival personally.

"Hello, son." Maxwell Kaminari, also known as Dad, is back.

...

-Narrator POV-

"Father!" Kaminari hugs him tight.

"I didn't knew you were coming!" Kaminari is genuinely happy that his father is here. "Did you see my earlier match?!"

"I did, yes, I am impressed at your progress, my son! You managed to break a threshold that held you back for far too long." Maxwell still can't believe his son accomplished such feat on his own, without his assistance.

"Least we not forget you did so without seriously harming the girl, that's my boy, such a gentleman to carry her to the medical strecher." A female voice spoke, one that was way too recognizable to not be noticed. Kaminari was so focused on his father, he wasn't aware that he has company.

Edith Kaminari is here.

"Mother..." Raio can't help it, after all this time, he hasn't heard of his own mother ever since he came to Japan.

"Mother, I-"

"Not right now sweetheart, I know you have a match coming up. Finish this tournament so we can go out and you can tell me everything you want!" Edith doesn't want this, she wants to grab her child and never, ever, let go.

Kaminari stutters to even form another word, he wants to talk to her right now. But he gets it.

"Okay, Mum, I promisse I'll win!"

Edith smiles one last time before leaving. Maxwell looks over to his son.

"Finish this quick, Son, then meet us here, I have something for you." Maxwell taps Raio on the shoulder before leaving as well.

...

Raio was alone in the waiting room, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. He couldn't shake off the fact that his next opponent was his friend, Ilda. To make matters worse, he managed to hear that Kirishima had lost his match against Bakugou.

Raio knew he had to give it his all, but he was afraid of what would happen if he went too far. He didn't want to hurt Ilda, but he also didn't want to hold back and risk losing the match.

As he paced back and forth, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He knew he had to focus on the match and not let his emotions get the best of him.

Raio steeled himself and walked out onto the arena, ready to face Ilda.

...

As they stood across from each other, Raio couldn't help but feel conflicted. He didn't want to hurt his friend, but he also didn't want to lose.

Taking a deep breath, Raio got into his stance and prepared for the match to begin.

"Ready? START!" Midnight shouted cheerfully, initiating the battle. Raio wasn't prepared, not like he thought he was, a sudden spike of adrenaline made his blood ran cold.

Raio's thoughts were racing, as he tried to keep his focus on the match at hand. He couldn't shake off the image of Ilda as his friend, and it weighed heavily on his mind. In the split second that Raio was lost in thought, Ilda seized the opportunity and kicked him hard, launching him to the edge of the arena.

Raio felt the impact of the kick ripple through his body, and he struggled to get back on his feet. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions - he wanted to win the match, but he didn't want to hurt Ilda. He knew he had to pull himself together and focus on the fight, but his doubts and fears were clouding his judgment.

As he got back on his feet, Raio took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind. He knew he had to stay focused and find a way to overcome Ilda's strength and speed. The crowd was cheering, urging Raio to fight back, and he felt a surge of determination course through his veins.

Raio charged towards Ilda, his eyes fixed on his opponent. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his body, and he knew that this was his chance to turn the match around. He saw a gap in Ilda's defenses and took the opportunity to strike back.

"RECIPRO BURST!" Ilda shouted as his engines roared.

As Ilda's attack came flying towards Raio, he couldn't help but feel a wave of fear rush through him. Memories of his previous match with Shiozaki flooded his mind, causing him to hesitate for just a moment. It was that moment of hesitation that allowed Ilda to land a solid kick on Raio's side, launching him towards the edge of the arena.

As Raio crashed to the ground, he could feel the pain coursing through his body. But, even more than the physical pain, he felt a deep sense of regret. Regret that he had let his fear get the better of him, regret that he had hesitated when he should have acted.

Out of sheer instinct, Raio launched himself back towards Ilda, throwing a punch with all the strength he could muster. To his surprise, his fist connected with Ilda's cheek, causing him to stagger back.

As Raio watched his friend stumble, a feeling of guilt washed over him. He had hurt Ilda, someone he considered a friend. He knew that the only reason he had been able to land that punch was because Ilda had left a gap in his defense. Raio knew he had to be careful not to take advantage of that again.

Despite the pain, Raio pulled himself up to his feet, determination filling him. He knew he had to fight with all he had, not just for himself but for Ilda too. He couldn't let his fear get the better of him again, not when so much was at stake.

The match continued, both Raio and Ilda giving it their all. But, as they fought, Raio couldn't shake the feeling of regret that had settled in his heart. He knew that he had hurt his friend, and he knew that he had to make it up to him, no matter the outcome of the match.

Raio's eyes narrowed as he focused his energy, feeling the electricity building up within him. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance between himself and Ilda in an instant, unleashing a devastating lightning imbued attack that struck his friend square in the chest.

Ilda's body convulsed as the electric current surged through him, his muscles tensing and his limbs shaking uncontrollably. For a moment, it seemed as though he would fall to the ground in defeat, but with a fierce determination in his eyes, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself back up to his feet, swaying unsteadily on his feet.

The crowd gasped in shock at the incredible display of resilience, some murmuring worriedly as they watched Ilda struggle to stay upright. Raio himself was torn between admiration for his friend's strength and guilt for what he had just done.

Ilda doubles over, clutching his stomach, and falls to the ground. The referee rushes over to check on him, but Ilda gives a thumbs up, indicating that he's okay. The crowd roars with excitement and applause as they witness the incredible display of power from Raio.

Raio, however, doesn't feel triumphant. As he looks down at his friend lying on the ground, he feels a pang of guilt and regret. He didn't want to hurt Ilda, but he had no other choice. He takes a step back, unsure of what to do next.

The audience's cheers and applause slowly fade as Midnight readies herself, "And the winner of this match is... Kaminari Raio!" she declares, her voice ringing throughout the arena.

The crowd erupts into cheers, and Raio bows his head in gratitude. He walks over to Ilda, who is still struggling to stand, and offers his hand to help him up.

"I'm sorry, man," Raio says, looking remorseful. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's alright," Ilda replies, grinning despite his bruises. "That was a good fight, Raio. You're getting stronger."

Raio manages a weak smile in return, but he can't shake off the feeling of guilt. As he walks out of the arena, he can't help but wonder if this is what being a hero is really all about - hurting those closest to you in order to protect others.

The two friends make their way out of the arena, and the crowd continues to cheer. Class 1-A, watching from the stands, congratulates Raio on his victory.

"Wow, he really gave it his all," Kirishima says, impressed.

"He's come a long way since the sports festival," Ochaco notes, smiling.

"I can't wait to see what he does next! His next opponent is Todoroki," Mina adds.

Indeed, Kaminari was so caught up on the previous duel he forgot who his next opponent was: Todoroki Shoto, also a product of an arranged marriage, and like Kaminari, designed to have a near perfect quirk. The future matchup was the talk of the stadium.

"One thing at a time." Raio thought to himself, as both he and Ilda went to the infirmary.

...

It didn't took long before he was already out of the infirmary, waving Ilda goodbye before heading to the stands, hopefully finding a friend on the way. The semi-finals were set, Todoroki, Kaminari, Tokoyami and Bakugou, soon the matches would begin after a short break.

Raio takes a deep breath as he walks out of the infirmary, his body feeling a lot better than before. His mind is now focused on his upcoming match against Todoroki. He makes his way to the waiting area where he sees his friends gathered.

"Kaminari!" Kirishima shouts, jumping up to meet him. "Are you okay?"

Raio nods, his expression still serious. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little sore, but nothing serious."

"I'm glad to hear that," Uraraka chimes in, giving him a smile. "But you have to be careful. Todoroki is a tough opponent."

Raio nods, his eyes flickering with determination. "I know. But I can't let my fear hold me back anymore."

The rest of the group nods, offering words of encouragement and support. The atmosphere is tense but hopeful, as they all wait for Raio's match to begin.