Kapitel 103: Chapter 102: Three Times!

In the hallway where contestants exited the arena, Kyoka and Momo walked side by side in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I'm… sorry, Momo."

Kyoka was the first to break the silence, her voice soft and apologetic.

Momo smiled gently, shaking her head. "There's no need to apologize, Kyoka. We both agreed to go all out, didn't we?"

After a brief pause, Momo couldn't help but add, her curiosity getting the better of her, "But… I can't shake this feeling that you weren't just fighting to win. It seemed like there was something else behind it."

Kyoka's expression froze, her face turning slightly red. "W-What? No, of course not! I was just focused on winning, that's all!"

Momo observed her with a small, knowing smile. Kyoka was acting unusually flustered, and it only made Momo more convinced that something deeper was going on. However, her upbringing taught her when not to press further, especially with friends.

"Maybe it's just my imagination," Momo said, gracefully letting the topic drop.

Before they could say anything else, Kaminari appeared from the other end of the hallway, jogging over to meet them with an excited grin.

"Hey! There you two are!"

Both girls brightened at his arrival, each breaking into a smile, though Kyoka's was noticeably wider and more animated.

"Congratulations, Kyoka!" Kaminari said warmly. "I have to admit, I was a little worried since your attack options seemed limited without any equipment. But you really showed everyone that your jacks can be pretty dangerous on their own."

It wasn't just him, either—many people, including Momo, had assumed that without audio gear, Kyoka would be restricted to simple shockwave attacks through the ground. But they'd overlooked the fact that those same jacks could be a real threat in close combat.

"Eh-heh-heh," Kyoka laughed, her cheeks pink as she scratched her head. "Well, to be honest, I only started getting creative because Momo pushed me to the edge."

Kaminari turned to Momo with a smile, impressed. "You don't know how nervous I was watching that match. My brain was practically frozen!"

"Same here," Momo agreed, nodding with a hint of relief in her eyes. "Looking back, it was pretty intense."

Kyoka looked down, feeling a bit guilty. "I… I might've gone too far," she admitted quietly. "At the time, all I could think about was beating you, Momo. Maybe I got a bit carried away."

Momo waved her hand dismissively. "Kyoka, really, I'm not upset. I know you weren't doing it to be mean."

Kaminari watched the two of them, smiling as they worked out their post-match feelings. He decided to step in before things got too sentimental.

"Alright, let's head to the lounge and relax," he suggested. "No need to watch the last match if you don't want to. I think we've all had enough excitement for now."

Truthfully, Kaminari was just glad to spend some downtime with them. Watching their match had been nerve-wracking, especially since he hadn't known who to root for or what outcome he wanted. That tense moment when it looked like Momo might fall had been the worst of all.

As they walked down the hallway, their conversation turned lighter.

"So, Momo, you really seem to like that 'Vulpix' theme," Kaminari said, amused.

"Yes, I do!" Momo replied with a cheerful nod.

"Hey, I think my Sonic Bunny's pretty cute too," Kyoka chimed in. "Kaminari, think you could ask your dad to design a speaker for it? Maybe work it into my hero costume?"

"Sure, I'll talk to him," Kaminari replied with a chuckle. "He'd probably enjoy the project."

Their voices faded as they turned the corner, laughter echoing down the hallway, their friendship feeling stronger than ever.

---

Meanwhile, back in the stadium, the final match of the first round was about to begin: Sero Hanta from Class 1-A versus Class 1-B's team leader, Kendo Itsuka.

This match, however, quickly became a test of patience more than skill.

Sero's strategy was simple—he shot tape from his elbows, aiming to wrap Kendo and throw her out of bounds. But each time the tape reached her, Kendo's enlarged hands tore through it with ease. Her Quirk not only allowed her to increase her hand size but also boosted her physical strength.

The problem was, while Kendo had impressive defense, her movements were slowed by the weight of her giant hands, so she couldn't catch up with the agile Sero.

What resulted was a rather anticlimactic game of cat and mouse: Sero shooting tape, Kendo tearing it apart, Sero running, Kendo chasing.

It continued like this for a grueling twenty minutes. The crowd grew restless, and even Present Mic's usually energetic commentary was starting to sound drowsy.

By now, Aizawa, who had returned from a meeting with the principal, was sitting beside Present Mic. He'd gone a step further, he was actually asleep.

Present Mic finally couldn't hold back his frustration. "Can you guys hurry this up? This is so dull!" he shouted, his voice lacking its usual fire.

Hearing this over the speakers, both Sero and Kendo felt an imaginary arrow pierce their hearts.

What does he think we're trying to do?! Sero thought, his shoulders slumping. He looked down at his elbow, staring at the tape dispenser that had been his primary weapon.

"Man, they really shouldn't have put us up against each other," he muttered, frustrated. "I'm all control and no damage, and she's all defense with no speed."

With another ten minutes of back-and-forth, even the two combatants were starting to get bored. That's when Sero finally noticed… he'd run out of tape.

"(;￣Д￣)"

Sero stared at his elbow in shock, trying to shoot tape again, but nothing came out.

"Wait… my tape actually runs out?!" he muttered, dumbfounded. In all his training, he'd never faced this problem before.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, Kendo stood there, equally dazed, her brain still in "tear the tape" mode. She stared blankly at her hands, waiting for more tape to come her way.

"Huh? Where's the tape?" Kendo asked, snapping out of her trance as she looked around in confusion.

That was the last straw for Sero.

Completely drained and out of options, he raised his hand, calling out to Midnight, who was officiating the match. "I… I give up."

But Midnight, who had dozed off during the match, didn't respond.

Sero gritted his teeth, his face darkening with irritation. "I said, I give up!"

Still nothing.

Finally, after taking a deep breath, Sero yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing across the entire stadium. "I, SERO HANTA, SURRENDER!!!"

His shout startled everyone awake, including Midnight and the thousands of spectators. For that moment, he had more of the crowd's attention than Kendo, who had technically won the match.

In the end, Sero might not have won, but he did manage to make a name for himself.

After all, since the founding of UA, he was now the first contestant to declare his surrender three times in a row.

***

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Kapitel 104: Chapter 103: Iida’s Measures

"Phew—finally over," Ashido sighed, stretching with a helpless smile. "I didn't expect there'd be such a boring match at the sports festival."

"Yeah, probably the first one in years," Tsuyu agreed with her usual straightforward tone.

Suddenly, Tokoyami, who was sitting quietly in the front row, turned to Iida. "Is something bothering you?"

Tokoyami's unexpected question drew everyone's attention. He was known to be reserved, only speaking up when he had something important to say.

"Oh, um… it's nothing," Iida replied, snapping out of his thoughts. Realizing his classmates were now all looking at him, he waved his hands in a flustered attempt to dismiss their concern. "I'm just… worried about my next match."

"Is it Iida-kun's turn next?" Aoyama Yuga asked, frowning as he tried to recall the matchups. "Your opponent is… Kaminari, right?"

At the mention of Kaminari's name, Ashido, Tsuyu, and the others exchanged knowing glances. They immediately understood why Iida seemed tense.

"Yes," Iida nodded with a heavy expression. "I'm thinking of strategies to counter Kaminari-kun's abilities."

"It's true," Shoji Mezo chimed in, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Kaminari's lightning is a major problem for you. You may be fast, but Kaminari's no slouch when it comes to speed either."

"Plus, if you want to win, you'll have to push him out of the ring, which means you'll need to get close," Ojiro Mashirao added. "But if you get too close, his lightning could shock you."

"So… it sounds like Iida-kun doesn't really have a way to counter Kaminari's Quirk," Ashido said with a sympathetic smile. For the first time, she and the others saw Kaminari as a formidable opponent—someone who was difficult to defeat in a straightforward match.

"Tch," Bakugo scoffed, crossing his arms. He didn't comment further, though. Even he had to admit that the gap between Kaminari and Iida was significant.

Meanwhile, Todoroki, who was leaning against the wall nearby, seemed deep in thought as well. But his focus wasn't on Kaminari as an opponent. Instead, he was more interested in figuring out what new techniques Kaminari might use.

If he's relying on those steel balls as much as I think he is… Todoroki mused. Without his 'Thunder Aegis' move, I'm confident my ice could handle him.

As these thoughts circulated, Todoroki straightened and quietly headed toward the corridor, preparing for his upcoming match.

Hitoshi Shinso… if that's all he has, this should be quick.

Just as Todoroki left, Kaminari returned to the Class 1-A seating area, chatting and laughing with Kyoka and Momo beside him. But as soon as he sat down, he noticed the entire class staring at him.

"Huh? Why's everyone looking at me like that?" he asked, blinking in surprise.

Ashido laughed awkwardly, while Iida stepped forward, clearing his throat. Taking on his usual serious demeanor, Iida extended his hand toward Kaminari.

"Kaminari-kun, we'll be facing each other after Todoroki-san's match," he said earnestly. "Let's put on a good show. I'll do my best!"

Kaminari raised an eyebrow at Iida's intensity but stood up and shook his hand with equal respect. "Alright, Iida. I won't hold back. Do your best."

As he sat back down, Kaminari turned his attention to the big screen where Todoroki and Shinso were just stepping onto the field. Thoughts about Iida's Quirk began to drift through his mind.

Hmm… actually, there's not much to think about.

Iida's Quirk, "Engine," was straightforward, he used bursts of speed by activating the engines in his legs. All I need to do is watch out for those flying kicks.

The real question is how I should approach this match. It wouldn't feel right to end it too quickly or knock him out cold. After all, he's a member of the prestigious Iida family and our class representative… Maybe I'll just run a few laps with him instead.

With that thought in mind, Kaminari settled back to watch Todoroki's match, just as Present Mic shouted his usual "Start!"

But this fight ended almost as soon as it began. On the big screen, Shinso raised his hand, signaling his surrender.

"I lost," he said, voice calm but filled with a quiet frustration. The regret in his eyes was unmistakable, and he took a steadying breath before continuing.

"I want to win… I want to keep going… but I know it would just be a waste of time."

Then, with a determined look, he raised his head. "But next year, I'll be back here. And next time, I'll be different, a Hitoshi Shinso who's put in the work!"

With those words, he bowed deeply to Todoroki and the audience, then turned and walked off the field with his head held high.

Despite the abrupt forfeit, the crowd was moved by Shinso's honesty and resolve. After all, he was a competitor who had come this far without any combat advantage, and everyone could respect his decision to return stronger.

In the stands, Iida felt a pang of anxiety. He'd hoped to have more time to think about a strategy for Kaminari, but Shinso's early surrender meant that his match was up next.

"Let's go, Iida-kun," Kaminari said with a smile. He nodded at Kyoka and Momo before turning toward the arena corridor.

Iida took a deep breath, steadying himself as he followed Kaminari. Determination filled his eyes, and his posture was one of complete focus.

"Come on, class rep!" Ashido called out, clapping her hands in encouragement. "You got this!"

"Yeah! There's always a way to win!" Tsuyu added, her voice supportive. "Show Kaminari what you've got!"

Almost everyone in Class 1-A was rooting for Iida. Despite his odds, they cheered him on, hoping he'd find a way to close the gap between him and Kaminari.

Meanwhile, Present Mic was back in full announcer mode. "Alright, everyone, let's keep this energy going! Time for the second match of the second round!"

"The electric powerhouse, Kaminari Denki, returns to the field!"

The crowd roared with excitement, but Present Mic quickly shifted the spotlight to Iida as well.

"But Kaminari's opponent this time isn't just anybody! It's none other than Iida Tenya, from the famous Iida family of Heroes! His older brother is the Turbo Hero Ingenium!"

The camera operators immediately started scanning the audience, hoping to spot Ingenium cheering on his little brother.

Iida, already standing at the edge of the arena, noticed the cameras and raised his voice confidently. "My brother couldn't be here today, as he's on a mission. But I'll give this everything I've got and make him proud!"

His voice rang out clearly, and as he turned to face Kaminari, his expression was resolute.

"You're strong, Kaminari," Iida said, determination shining in his eyes. "But I won't let that stop me. I want to be a Hero like my brother, and I won't back down!"

Kaminari grinned, his expression relaxed but focused. A spark of golden electricity flashed between his eyebrows, and he waved his hand, motioning for Iida to bring it on.

"Alright then," he replied. "Just wanting to be brave isn't enough to beat me, Iida.

***

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