章 15: Wrath Versus Pride...
Chapter 15 - Wrath Versus Pride
- Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. -
The crowd began cheering when Midnight announced the result of the match. On the jumbotron, Bakugo's face was displayed with the word, 'WINNER' next to it. Part of the ring was destroyed in the aftermath of Ochaco and Katsuki's battle. Cementos had to immediately begin repairing the ring with his Quirk for the next match. Robotic paramedics came and began carrying Ochaco away in a stretcher.
"Take her to Recovery Girl," Midnight commanded.
"I know." The robots then took Ochaco to Recovery Girl's temporary office so that she could get patched up for her injuries.
Bakugo stared wide-eyed to where Ochaco was stretchered out. The pain in his left cheek still stung and lingered from where Ochaco sucker punched him across the ring. She was actually doing damage to him during the fight. She made him actually try. And even after all of that, he didn't even land the final blow on her to win. She collapsed before he could beat her the way he wanted to win.
'I-If she had not run out of energy… would I still have won?! This is bullshit! Why did she have to pass out?! Our fight was not over yet! Damn it all!' Bakugo wanted a match with a proper finish. But it seems like it was not meant to be. Even if he got the win in the end, his pride still could barely fathom the possibility of the match having a different outcome if Ochaco never passed out.
"The third match of the first round… Oh, Uraraka... Oh yeah, Bakugo advances to the quarterfinals." Present Mic announced as with his tone of voice, it was clear that he was upset that Ochaco didn't pull off the miracle win that he and a lot of other people were hoping for.
"If you are going to do it, do it properly. Commentators are supposed to be unbiased." Aizawa commented with a monotone voice.
"Now let's pull ourselves together-"
"You're really letting your personal feelings take over… "
"We still have five more matches left in the first round! The next match should begin momentarily! Cementos needs a little more time to fix up the ring, but after he's done the fights will continue!"
The crowd cheered in excitement. After seeing a match like that, they couldn't wait to see what else was in store.
"Wow, Uraraka sure was something else huh, Midoriya?" Iida said as he and the rest of the First Years were still trying to recover after seeing the battle between Ochaco and Katsuki.
However, he got no response from the Green haired Saiyan.
Iida turned his head to see that Izuku was no longer present in the bleachers.
"Huh? Where did he go?"
Player Waiting Rooms…
Izuku took small steps in the halls. He was looking downward as his eyes were shadowed.
"Let's meet in the semi-finals!"
'Ochaco-chan… I'm sorry.'
Izuku knew that Ochaco was giving her absolute best in that match. He could feel it all the way up in the bleachers. She was determined to win. She even pulled out a Kamehameha out of nowhere. She did her best… but it just was not enough. And unfortunately, they won't be meeting in the semi-finals as she had hoped.
Bakugo was walking up the stairs until he saw Izuku at the top of his flight.
"Deku!" He snarled at the freckled boy like how he always does when addressing him.
Izuku was shaken out of his thoughts, "Oh, hey Kacchan! I did not expect to see you here!"
"What the-?! What the hell do you want?! Die, scum!"
"Wh-What are you talking about? You addressed me first! Listen, I was just heading to the waiting rooms, so I will see you later. Oh and congrats on advancing to the quarterfinals!"
Izuku began walking away but Bakugo walked up the stairs fully and called out to him again.
"That was your idea, was it not? That damned desperate plan. You just have to be annoying, don't you? What the hell-"
"It wasn't."
Izuku turned around to look at Bakugo with a serious expression.
"All of it… Ochaco-chan planned it all thinking about how she could beat you. She thought up of that strategy all on her own. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. If you thought that was annoying, that was because… Ochaco-chan had you on the ropes!" Izuku proclaimed as he stared Bakguo dead in the eye.
Bakugo growled in anger, "Why you son of a- Wait a minute. You're facing four-eyes next round, right?"
"Who, Iida? Yeah, we are the first match of the quarterfinals. Why do you ask?"
Bakugo smirked, "If I and you win our respective matches… you know what that means, right?"
Izuku widened his eyes as he realized what Bakugo was referring to. The way that the brackets were set up if both he and Bakugo win their matches in the quarterfinals…
"Yes… yes, I do."
Bakugo began shaking in excitement, "Good! You better win your match against four-eyes, or else! " He lit up a small explosion in his hand as a demonstration for what would happen if Izuku were to fail.
Bakugo then walked off as he began laughing like a maniac as he mumbled, "Deku is gonna die today!"
Izuku sighed and shook his head. He can worry about Kacchan later. Right now he was more worried about Ochaco. He walked to Player Waiting Room 2 and opened the door.
"Man, I lost… "
"Huh… ?" Izuku saw Ochaco giving him a one thousand watt smile as she sat down with a new P.E. uniform wrapped up for her.
"I got carried away at the end thinking I could win, dang it." Ochaco said with a happy tone as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Ochaco-chan, what about your injuries? Are you okay?" Izuku didn't think she would seem… so happy. What is going on here?
"Yeah, Recovery Girl took care of me! It was only moderate healing so it wouldn't drain my stamina, so I've still got scratches and stuff, though. Man, but that Bakugo was really strong! He totally got me! I was so close, too! I need to work harder!" Ochaco cried out in a frustrated tone as she raised her fist up, annoyed about her defeat.
Izuku looked at her with a neutral gaze.
"Are… Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine! Better than expected!" Ochaco's phone began vibrating. The called ID read, 'Daddy.'
She pushed the phone towards her chest, "I mean, you immediately started looking ahead, Deku-kun, and just because I lost, that doesn't mean you can lose! You better do your best! Don't worry about me, go focus on your own matches!"
"Are you sure? There are still five more matches left in the first round. So I have time to keep you company if you want."
"NO! I'm fine! Go and join the others. I'll be there in a minute, okay?" Ochaco reassured him.
Izuku gave her a soft smile as he walked to the door, "Okay, if you say so. Take your time, Ochaco-chan!" He then closed the door behind him.
As soon as Izuku was gone, Ochaco pulled out her phone and dialed her father's phone number. It rang a few times before he picked up.
"Sorry about not picking up earlier, Daddy."
"It's fine! Sorry for calling when you were busy. Your mom and I watched you on TV. You were so close! But you were amazing!"
"It wasn't that close. And I wasn't amazing. I rushed too much in the end, too. I didn't have a plan for what to do after that, either. I was completely beaten." Ochaco replied with a low and sad tone. Her eyes looking down the entire time.
"Is that so? I don't understand how all of this works and all, it's a little complicated to me, but just because you lost, that doesn't mean your path has been closed off, right? There's always next year, right?"
"The further you advance, the more you can show how well you do against different types. The scouts can't tell with just one match." Ochaco began choking on her words.
"What are you in such a hurry for?"
"I mean… I want to hurry and help you guys… " Ochaco's eyes began to leak tears.
"Ochaco, it's fine even if you don't rush. You feeling that way shows you're kind, so I know you'll be a Hero."
Ochaco sobbed as her tears dripped on the table next to her new P.E. uniform. Her father was too kind. She failed but he still encouraged her.
"T-Thank you, Daddy! I won't give up no matter what. I will become a Hero and I will help you as soon as possible!"
"That's my girl. I'll leave you alone for now. Your mom and I are going to keep on watching the Festival. So go and join your friends. Call us when you get home."
Ochaco began wiping her tears, "Okay, bye Daddy. I will talk to you soon. I love you, and tell mom I love her too."
"I love you too sweetie. Don't worry, I'll let her know. Take care!"
The call ended. Ochaco placed her phone on the table as she tried to wipe the tears that were still dripping.
She turned around to see Izuku standing behind her as he too had a sad expression. He had heard everything.
Ochaco couldn't hold it in any longer. She immediately attacked Izuku with a crushing hug as she began sobbing again. Her tears wetting his shirt.
"W-What are you doing, h-here D-D-Deku-kun? I thought I told you, I was fine."
Izuku rubbed his fingers through her brown locks.
"Isn't it obvious? There's no way you weren't frustrated. I knew you were lying to me when you said that you were okay. I could tell that you were sad, but you tried to hide it. It's okay though. I get it. But I just couldn't let a friend stay sad. You've encouraged me before, so I'm here to return the favor."
Ochaco sniffed as she buried her face in Izuku's chest, "I-I want to help them. I really really want to, Deku-kun. But, I lost. I couldn't even get past the first round. I don't know how much longer they can wait, but every year, business has been declining and I couldn't even make it to the semi-finals to face you like I said I was. I couldn't win, instead I lost like an idiot. I'm a fail-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Izuku suddenly shouted.
Ochaco gasped as she looked up to see staring at her with unrelenting resolve.
"You are not a failure! Don't ever say something like that about yourself ever again. You hear me? Listen, it's okay to lose. Nobody is upset at you for that. Everybody was amazed at what you were able to do in your match. You put on a show. You even had Kacchan on the ropes. That in of itself is a win in my book. Do you honestly think that with all the skills you showed in that last match, that no Pro scouted you? Of course, they did! You were amazing and you did come close. So be proud for what you have accomplished in one match. I'm positive that there will be plenty of Pros lining up to take you in after the Sports Festival is over. So you have nothing to worry about. Your parents are proud of you and so am I." Izuku exclaimed as his voice was projected throughout the entire room.
Ochaco sniffed and rubbed her eyes and looked at Izuku with her teary eyes.
"When you say all of that to me… do you really believe it?"
Izuku nodded, "I do. With every fiber of my being!"
Ochaco as she hugged him even tighter than before.
"Thank… you. That really means a lot to me, Deku-kun."
Izuku hugged back, "No problem. Anytime. What are Heroes for?"
As Izuku hugged her back, she felt the stong and warm embrace of his arms. She then notices the huge difference in size and structure. It was clear that Deku had the body of a diligent trainer which is suited for his extremely powerful Quirk. She just never noticed it until now due to their intimate position and the fact that she had never seen him without a shirt.
The image of a shirtless Deku quickly came to mind as her face flushed red due to the perverted thought. She was getting embarrassed as they were still hugging, but she did not want to ruin the good moment. She also enjoyed being held by Deku's strong arms as it made her feel safe and secure. He always managed to inspire Hope in her. It also didn't hurt that he looked like a total stu-
'BAD BAD Ochaco! He's just a friend. Nothing more, nothing less…. right?'
After a couple of minutes, Ochaco was able to get her thoughts under control and dry any existing tears. She then started chuckling.
"Look at me acting like a big baby, crying in front of you! Sorry about that Deku-kun!"
"Don't apologize for crying! It actually shows that you're strong. Crying is a sign of strength, not weakness. Crying helps you release pent-up feelings. You meet your emotions head on, like a True Hero, instead of trying to hide from them. You feel a lot better after crying, don't you?" Izuku asked.
"Yes, yes I do! Thank you very much, Deku-kun!" Ochaco chirped. She was back to her bubbly self again. Izuku smiled happily as he was always glad to help a friend out.
Ochaco then began rubbing her head in an embarrassing manner, "You see, the truth is… I envy you Deku-kun."
Izuku's eyes went wide, "HUH? Wh-Why? What is there to envy about me?"
"Well, I don't know, its just that ever since I've met you, you just never cease to amaze me. You're smart, kind, loving, strong, and have the spirit of a True Hero. You always keep on pushing through thick and thin, no matter what. You don't let failures or anything else hold you back from your dreams. I wish I was as strong as you. Every time I look at you, it's like a reminder of what I'm not. I… want to be as strong as you, Deku-kun so that I can become the Hero, I always wanted to be, in order to help my parents. You're everything that I'm not."
She then remembered the climax of her match with Bakugo. "When I was about to lose agaisnt Katsuki, I was about to fall. But then I thought about you and all of the power you showcased. I was so jealous of you because of how easy you made it look and you always did it with a smile. I wanted some of that power… even if it was just a little bit, in order for me to win. So then out of nowhere, I just got this huge energy spike and I never had felt so strong than in that very moment. I even remembered the time you saved me in the Entrance Exams and I borrowed that special move of yours that you used to obliterate the Zero Pointer. That image of you… empowered me... Deku-kun."
Izuku didn't know what to say. All of his life, people would have laughed at the thought that somebody would envy Quirkless little Deku. Why would they? He had nothing special. He was an outcast. Not even worth acknowledging. For most of his life, it was quite the contrary since he was mainly the one who envied all of the kids who were lucky enough to be born with Quirks. They had a special power that was exclusive to them and them only, while Deku had nothing. This was a new phenomenon for Izuku.
Izuku rubbed the back of his head nervously and smiled sheepishly, "W-Wow, I don't know what to say. Nobody has ever told me that they were jealous of me before. You're the first." Izuku then gentle clasped Ochaco's shoulder. "But listen, I understand what you're going through. I really do. But you don't have to be jealous of me. Want to know why? Well, it is because, you are your own person! You are a very strong and kind person as well, Ochaco-chan. So give yourself some credit and just work harder to better and improve yourself so that you won't ever have to envy another person because you will be right where you need to be. Can you do that for?"
Ochaco blushed faintly as she felt Izuku's warm and gentle touch. She nodded her head as her face was filled with determination.
"Yes, I will! I promise I will become the great Hero I always wanted to be!"
Izuku nodded his head as he retracted his hand from her shoulder. He then grabbed something out of his pocket.
"Here, eat this."
Izuku gave Ochaco a small, plain green bean.
"Huh? What's this Deku-kun?"
"It's a medicine that will help you feel better. Go on, try it! It won't hurt you, trust me!"
Ochaco gazed at him for a moment as she took a look at the bean.
"Alright, I trust you, Deku-kun!"
She proceeded to eat and as soon as she swallowed it, all of her remaining injuries were instantly healed like nothing. Her energy levels were back to normal and she felt completely fresh; as if she had not faced up against Bakugo at all today.
"WOW! I feel amazing!" She then frowned as she stared at Izuku suspiciously, "Deku-kun… You didn't give me some illegal drug, did you?"
"WHAT?! No, I would never do that! It's 100% safe, I promise!" Izuku flailed his arms around as he didn't consider the probability of people thinking of him as some sort of drug dealer due to him giving out a magical bean that literally heals a person in an instant.
Ochaco then smiled at him softly, "Don't worry, I was just teasing you. I know you would not do something like that. You don't seem like that kind of person."
Izuku sighed in relief, "Okay, thanks"
In the corner of his eye, he caught that Ochaco's torn P.E shirt was hanging by a chair. When did that get there? The only person he saw walking from this direction of the hall was….
Izuku smirked in realization, 'Kacchan… Of course!'
Izuku then began making his way to the door, "Alright, well since you seem all better now, I'm going to leave you so that you can change. I'll see you with the others."
"Okay, thanks for everything, Deku-kun! You're a great friend!" Ochaco cringed when she said the word 'friend.' For some reason, it didn't sit well with her to refer to Izuku as a 'friend.'
"No problem! Anytime!"
Izuku then left the Player Waiting Room and closed the door behind him.
Izuku sighed as his face was now serious.
'It was you, wasn't it?'
"Guilty as charged! How did you figure it out?" Inner Deku smirked as he was casually watching the events in the real world play out through Izuku's eyes.
'She said that she saw an image of me, and it empowered her. I simply connected the dots. There's no way that the power she showcased at the climax of her fight with Kacchan was her Zero Gravity Quirk. It was something much more. So why did you do it?'
Inner Deku shrugged, "I didn't really do anything. Remember the Ki you shared with the girls in the Cavarly Battle? Well, I noticed that there was some leftover energy in her, so I just reawakned the latent power within her. To be honest with you, I was quite surprised. I had no idea, her Ki was THAT powerful. She had Kacchan on the ropes, for crying out loud! And her aura was quite unique. Such a beautiful and pink color. Her will and drive to win were outstanding! Ochaco-chan… she sure has some potential… "
Izuku began walking down the hall as he gasped at the new information.
'Wait, wait, wait, wait for just a minute! You're telling me that you didn't give her any extra power at all?! That strength that she showed was all her own?!'
"That's right and I was quite surprised myself. It took the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi, 50 whole years to invent the Kamehameha Wave. But she was able to do it from only seeing it once. That in of itself is a feat that should not be glossed over. Her potential is much higher than meets the eye."
'Wow… Ochaco-chan... She really is amazing!'
"Yes, I agree. Which makes me more perplexed as to why you have not claimed her as your mate yet."
Izuku's face resembled a tomato as he flushed red, 'W-W-W-What in the world are you talking about?! Mate?!'
"Oh please, don't act all innocent. I've seen the way you look at her. She's really cute, don't you think? She's also has a strong will and will do anything to protect her kin. She's a perfect Woman for a Saiyan."
'I DO NOT look at her that way! She's just a friend!'
"Dude… are you seriously trying to argue with yourself? I know about thoughts that you don't even know about. Like Momo-chan in her Hero Costume."
Izuku began steaming, 'HUH?!'
"Oh, by the way, heads up! We've got company, just around the corner."
"Oh wow, what is this?! This looks so cool!"
"Huh?" Inner Deku turned around to see Nana Shimura and the other past holders of One For All in front of the first Golden Door as they were knocking at it and trying to pick the locks. His eyes widened in horror.
"YOU FOOLS! Don't touch that! Hey, listen, Izuku, I gotta go before your Predecessors kill us by being curious idiots! Don't worry about Endeavor, I don't sense any ill intent coming from him, so you should be fine. WAIT! STOP TOUCHING THE LOCKS! Okay, talk to you later, gotta go, Bye!" Inner Deku cut the connection as he rushed towards Nana Shimura who was about to Smash the door in with her Quirk.
'Predecessors?' Before Izuku could ponder on what he was referring to any further, he was halted as a certain Fiery Number Two Hero walked right in front of Izuku who was about to turn the corner.
Izuku immediately stopped in his tracks as he gasped in shock due to being in such close proximity to the Second Strongest Hero.
"ENDEAVOR?!" Izuku cried out in surprise as he certainly wasn't expecting to meet the Fire Hero face to face.
"Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you ever since your match ended." Endeavor turned the corner as he was now facing directly at the Green-Haired Saiyan.
"Endeavor… What are you doing here… ?" Izuku sputtered.
"I watched your fight. You have a wonderful Quirk. You created so much wind pressure just by yelling. If we're talking about power alone, yours is comparable to All Might's." Endeavor pointed at Izuku as if he caught him at something.
"Wh-What are you… What are you trying to say?" Izuku did his best to maintain eye contact to look less suspicious, but the flames present on Endeavor's face were quite intimidating.
'Endeavor knows about One For All? No, from the way he talked, he doesn't know. Anyway, this is the one person I can't let find out.'
"I'm saying that, from watching you, you and All Might are quite similar. But enough about that. The reason I came here was to personally meet the son of Hisashi." Endeavor crossed his arms as he gazed at Izuku curiously.
"Huh?! You know my Father?!" Izuku had no idea that Hisashi had a connection with the Number Two Hero.
Endeavor smirked, "Know him? Why I and that guy go way back! We were childhood friends and rivals! He really was something else. He was the only person that could actually match my flames. That fire of his was blazing hot! He was like a Dragon! Roaring crimson flames. That Quirk of his is truly something to behold. If I'm being honest, I would like to see how he would fair against All Might. Your old man is one tough guy. I considered him an equal."
Endeavor then frowned, "But I have not seen or heard of him for over 15 years now. I'm not sure where he is. Last time, I checked, he was working overseas somewhere, but I'm not sure where. He never told me he had a son, though! And after watching you from up in the stands, I have no doubt you carry his blood in your veins. You are the spitting image of him.
Izuku's mind began moving at lightning speed. His Dad and Endeavor were, buddies? Where did this come from? He had no idea that Hisashi and Endeavor grew up together. And apparently, he was strong enough to be able to rival Endeavor?! The Number Two Hero?! Now this made Izuku just a lot more curious to find more about his Father's past. Maybe he could ask his mom when he got back home later today.
"Wow, I never knew that my Father was friends with you, Endeavor! Although, I'm just about as lost as you when it comes to my Father's whereabouts, so if you thought that I would know where he is, I'm not sure about that either. I haven't seen my Dad in a very long time. The next time I see him, I'll make sure to mention you though."
Endeavor sighed, "Well, that's a shame. I was hoping he was back in town but hopefully another time. I have a favor to ask of you, Izuku."
"Huh? What is it?" What could the Number Two Hero want from him?
"It is my son, Shoto's duty to surpass All Might. I have no doubt that you and him will face each in the finals. With that being said, his match with you will be a very instructive test bed. I'm asking you… please save my son. He has rejected his left side due to a personal vendetta against me that he has held for years now. Nothing that I say gets through him. But, with you being Hisashi's son, I trust that somehow, someway, you can bring Shoto to finally see the light and make him realize his true potential! I won't try to force or bribe you into doing this. It is your decision whether to accept my request or not. I am asking you not as the Number Two Hero Endeavor. But as Enji Todoroki, the father of Shoto and your father's best friend."
"Without using my damn old man's Quirk… No… I will reject him completely by winning first place without using his power!"
Izuku remembered the conversation he had with Shoto after the Cavalry Battle. He gripped his fists as he nodded his head.
"I will save Shoto."
Endeavor smiled, "Thank yo-"
"-But not in the way you want me to."
Izuku walked past Endeavor as he began to take his leave.
"I am not All Might nor am I my Father."
"That's obviou-"
"That's obvious, right? Shoto is not you, either!" Izuku gave Endeavor a hard stare before he began walking again.
"I promise, I will save Shoto. And I never go back on my word."
"All Might has his eye on you, doesn't he?"
Izuku shook his head as Shoto's words reverberated in his head.
'This is not about All Might or Endeavor, Todoroki. This is about me and you!'
Endeavor grunted before walking off, "I really do hope you can save my son, Izuku."
Player Waiting Room 1….
Momo heard the results of the third match a couple of minutes ago. She sighed sadly. She was rooting for Ochaco to somehow pull the victory against Bakugo, but her more rational and intellectual side said that Bakugo winning was the most likely outcome. And it seems that she was right. But she could not dwell on it for too long. She had an upcoming match against Tokoyami to worry about. She knew he was a strong competitor, so she should not underestimate him.
She was about to get up and leave the room to make her way to the ring, until the door was opened by somebody she was not expecting.
"Izuku-kun? What are you doing here? I thought you were with the others?" Izuku being her made her confused. His match wasn't until the beginning of the semi-finals. So why was he here in the Player Waiting Rooms.
"Hey, Momo-chan, sorry for interrupting you. I know you have a match coming up next against Tokoyami, but I have something you might want to take a look at it."
"Oh? What is it?"
Izuku pulled out his Hero Journal and presented it to Momo. "I made the same offer to Ochaco-chan right before her match as well. But she rejected the offer. Inside this notebook are notes taken on all members of Class 1-A. I have written down their strengths, weaknesses, ways for them to improve their Quirks and overall ability, and I've also include the best strategies that I could come up with to beat them in a fight. If you want an example, here let me show a page dedicated specifically to you."
Izuku flipped to a page near the end of the book and showed it to Momo. Within the contents of the page was a rough sketch of her in her Hero Costume, what her Quirk was, strengths, weaknesses, and a couple of numbers that made her eyes gain a curious glint.
Besides her rough sketch were the numbers that followed:
Stats
Power- ⅖ D
Speed- ⅗ C
Technique- ⅘ B
Intelligence- 6/5 S
Cooperativeness- 5/5 A
Strengths- Momo's greatest asset is her mind and intellect. With the versatility of her Creation Quirk, it can allow her to adapt to almost any situation. Her limit being only her imagination. This makes her intelligence, technique and cooperativeness stats extremely high as from observing her, she has a fighting style that could in theory work against any opponent.
Weaknesses- Her physical strength and speed is not quite up to par as the other students in Class 1-A, but this can easily be made up for with her supreme intellect. In order for her Creation Quirk to work, she needs to know the atomic make up of what she is creating while also sacrificing the lipids in her body. Also, the bigger the object she is creating, then the more exposed skin is needed. If she creates too many things at all time, she could tire out which would make her vulnerable to opponents. In order for her to be at her best, she would need to eat a meal full of fats and protein beforehand, and wear clothing that leaves much of her body exposed. However, if she can overcome these limitations, then she will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Extra Notes- Still working on a costume idea that can counter her skin exposure limitation while also keeping her appearance modest.
At first, she frowned when she saw that he had given her low power and speed stats, but nodded in agreement as it was true that she had not trained her physical body like some of her other classmates, making it reasonable for her to have those respective stats. However she widened her eyes in surprise when she read her technique, intelligence, and cooperativeness stats. According to Izuku's observations, her intelligence is high enough to even go beyond his own scale. She knew she was a smart girl, but she didn't think she was that smart! Her cheeks blushed a little when she read the notes regarding her strengths as she thought Izuku was being a little too nice. When she read her weaknesses, she humbly had to agree as while her Quirk was amazing, it didn't come without its many limitations. However, those extra notes about an idea for her costume made her curious. She would have to discuss with Izuku, another time.
"Wow, Izuku-kun, your observations are on point! And you have notes like these on every student in our class?!"
Izuku smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, it's pretty much what I do when I have free time. I have been doing things like this since I was three years old. I make sure that my notes are as thorough as possible. If you want, I can show you, Tokoyami's page. With it, you can prepare for your match with him. Although we would have to hurry, since your match can start any moment now."
Momo looked at the notebook and pondered. If she took up on his offer, then she would most likely have the best strategy to beat Tokoyami in her disposal. But… deep down, she felt as though it were cheating. In this tournament, the students were supposed to showcase their skills so that Pros can scout them and maybe send them internships. So if she were to take a peek inside Izuku's notebook, it would be like relying on his own notes for her own benefit. She didn't think it was fair for her to just take Izuku's own ideas and use them as her own, especially when she knows he has put so much time and effort into writing those notes. With all of this in mind, she had made her decision.
Momo shook her head, "I'm sorry, Izuku-kun, but just like Ochaco, I am going have to decline your offer. It is really kind of you and I can tell you have the best intentions, but I just feel like a cheater if I use your own notes to my benefit. You put your time and effort into those observations and strategies, so it isn't fair for me to just take them and use them for my benefit. I appreciate the thought, you're a good person for making such an offer, but my answer is no."
Izuku smiled and nodded his head in understanding. He expected her to say something like that. And if he were being honest, he would have declined his own offer as well.
"It's okay, you have nothing to apologize for! I understand why you don't want to accept my offer and it's fine. But before I go, I just want to give you one piece of advice."
Izuku touched his forehead with his index finger.
"Whatever the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve."
Izuku opened the door as he prepared to take his leave.
"Always remember that. Do your best! I will be rooting for you!"
Izuku then closed the door behind him as he left Momo alone to prepare for her match.
Izuku's words of advice reverberated in Momo's head as she thought of strategies to use against Tokoyami.
She smiled, "Thank you, Izuku-kun. I will keep that in mind."
"Now, we have no time to lose! Let's move on to the fourth match!" Present Mic announced as the crowd began cheering, ready for the next match. The two competitors took their place in the ring as the fire ignited in each of the four corners, signalling for Present Mic to give proper introductions.
"Offense and defense in one body! The dark samurai accompanied by Dark Shadow! From the Hero Course, it's Fumikage Tokoyami!
Versus- All purpose Creation! She was admitted through recommendations so her abilities are certified! From the Hero Course, it's Momo Yaoyorozu!"
"Midoriya, what do you think of this match?" Ojiro asked as he sat behind the Green Haired Saiyan.
"I think time will be the key." Izuku replied as he had his Hero Journal in his hands, ready to take notes.
"Time?" Ojiro questioned.
'It's just as Mr. Present Mic says, I'm up against Tokoyami with Dark Shadow, offense and defense in one body. In addition, Tokoyami can bring out Dark Shadow with no time lag, so there is no doubt he will start with a preemptive strike. If I create a simple shield that doesn't take much time and block Tokoyami's attack… If I just give myself enough time to make a weapon- '
"Fourth Match, start!"
Momo's train of thought was cut off by Present Mic who called for the start of the match.
"Go, Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami called out as the black form of Dark Shadow was brought out of Tokoyami's stomach and was rushed forward.
"Got it!" Dark Shadow went in for an early attack against Momo.
'Quickly, create a shield!'-
Momo produced a simple silver shield that easily blocked Dark Shadow's advance towards her. Dark Shadow was sent back towards the air.
'Next, a weapon!'
But before she could do so, Dark Shadow immediately went towards her again and smack her shield with enough force to push her a couple of steps back.
'I can't collect my thoughts!'
Dark Shadow attack her again and knocked her shield out of her hand. She was forced to create another one. She saw Dark Shadow coming towards her again. She was able to dodge the last attack by rolling out of the way. She looked behind her to see that she was almost knocked out of bounds.
'Oh, no, at this point, he will just push me out of bounds! I need a moment to think without Dark Shadow attacking me. Wait, I know!'
Momo created a small flashbang grenade in her left hand. She then threw overhead towards Tokoyami.
Tokoyami's eyes widened as he saw exactly what Momo had thrown.
"Oh crap, Dark Shadow look out!" Tokoyami shouted but it was too late. The flashbang had already gone off as it lit up the entire ring.
"OHHHHHH FUCK! Turn it of, turn it off, turn it off!" Dark Shadow yelled out in agony. Dark Shadow's size began to get smaller as his form dissipated.
Momo saw this and gasped in realization.
'That's it! It's the light! The light is his weakness. If I can create a weapon and shield out of light, then I can overwhelm Dark Shadow easily! But… how do I do that?' Momo pondered in thought.
"Whatever the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve."
Izuku's words were replayed in her head.
'I get it. All I have to do is think. It's just like what Izuku-kun's notes said. My limit is only my imagination. Come on Momo, imagine imagine imagine imagine! Imagine some sort of weapon and shield of light… '
As she thought of this, something interesting happened. In Momo's left hand, a red sword of light appeared and Momo's shield transformed into red light that shaped itself into a shield. Around Momo's body was a crimson aura that enveloped her entire body. The aura almost resembling a fiery spirit that just emanated energy and passion.
Momo felt a second wind as suddenly she felt more powerful than ever before. 'This is just like when Izuku-kun shared some of his energy back in Cavalry Battle. Only this one feels different. This feels a lot more powerful and potent. Like a raging volcano, ready to erupt!'
Izuku facepalmed, 'Her too?!"
Momo immediately took the initiative and rushed straight towards Tokoyami. He willed Dark Shadow to block her, but Momo simply swiped Dark Shadow with her sword. The light radiating from the sword caused Dark Shadow to howl in pain as he was cut in half and was forced to go back inside Tokoyami. The light was too much for the dark entity to bear.
Momo then pointed her sword towards Tokoyami's neck.
"Do you yield?"
Tokoyami seeing no way out due to his Quirk literally being burnt out, sighed in defeat.
"I yield."
Midnight raised her whip, "Momo Yaoyorozu wins by submission. She will advance to the quarterfinals!"
Momo and Tokoyami both give a bow of respect towards each other as the crowd begins cheering.
"An overwhelming victory! A completely overwhelming victory! Yaoyorozu makes Tokoyami submit. Man, that sword and shield looked so cool! That Creation Quirk is really versatile!"
'Let me guess. It was you again, right?'
"Who else? She has a lot of potential as well, just like Ochaco-chan. You plan on claiming her as your mate too, right?"
Izuku fought back a blush, 'CAN YOU SHUT UP ABOUT MATES ALREADY?!'
Izuku shook his head as he collect himself, "Wow, though. Momo-chan is really amazing. It seems as though she didn't need my notes at all. She was able to identify Dark Shadow's weakness to light, and in the process, create a weapon that would render Tokoyami completely defenseless, forcing him to surrender." Izuku began to make specific adjustments to Momo's stats in his Hero Journal.
The next match was Denki Kaminari Versus Ibara Shiozaki. Kaminari attempted to finish the match in one second by discharging all of his electricity in one shot. However, Ibara was able to block the attack with no problem using her Vine Quirk. While Kaminari was in his retarded mode, she wrapped him up in many vines, getting herself the easy victory.
After that it was, Mina Ashido Versus Yuga Aoyama. Mina was able to use her Acid Quirk on her feet to make it easy for her to evade Aoyama's blasts from his Naval Laser. She waited for one second until his stomach began to hurt. She remembered his weakness due to him saying it in front of everyone during the Quirk Assessment Tests. She shot some acid to his belt, rendering it useless. She then finished it with one big uppercut straight to Aoyama's noggin which effectively knocked him out. Mina advanced to the quarterfinals.
The seventh match was Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu Versus Eijiro Kirishima. Due to them literally possessing the same exact Quirk, the fight dragged on for longer than it should with each of them going back and forth. The match ended when the two landed a punch against one another and knocked each other out. Thus, Midnight announced it as a draw, and the two will compete against each other in an arm wrestling match to determine who will advance to the quarterfinals.
Shoto Todoroki exited Player Waiting Room 2 as he knew his match was up next.
'Midoriya won, huh?'
Shoto turned the corner but then stopped when he saw who was waiting for him.
"You are in the way."
The person who Shoto was referring to was none other, than his father, Endeavor. He had his back leaning against the wall in the middle of the hallway.
"You're acting disgracefully, Shoto."
Shoto ignored him and continued walking down the hall.
"If you had used the power in your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in the Obstacle Course and the Cavalry Battle. Stop this childish rebellion already. You have a duty to surpass All Might. Do you understand? You are different from your siblings. You are the greatest masterpiece!" Endeavor said as Shoto walked passed him.
"Is that all you can say, you damn bastard?! I will win and advance with just Mom's power. I will NEVER use your power when I fight!" Shoto replied as he still had his back facing towards Endeavor.
Endeavor narrowed his eyes at his son, "Even if that works for now, you will soon reach the limits of that power…. "
"Thanks for waiting! It's now time to start the eighth and final match of the first round! Next up is… these guys!" Present Mic announced as the crowd cheered seeing the jumbotron displaying images of Todoroki and Sero.
"He's good! He's good, but what's with that plainness he just can't get rid of? From the Hero Course, it's Hanta Sero!"
"That's mean." Sero said in response to Present Mic's comment.
"Versus- Taking second place in both the Obstacle Course and the Cavalry Battle! You're way too strong, kid! He wasn't recommended for admission for nothing! Also from the Hero Course, it's Shoto Todoroki!
And now, for the eighth and last match of the first round! Ready… start!"
"Well, I don't feel like I can win… "
Sero then wrapped Todoroki around with his Tape.
"...but I don't feel like losing, either!" Sero yelled as he began pushing Todoroki with his Tape towards the end of the ring.
"A surprise attack aimed to push his opponent out of bounds! Don't you think this was the best choice for this situation?! Seriously, get him, Sero!" Present Mic shouted as Sero was close to getting Todoroki out of bounds.
"Sorry."
Todoroki planted his foot down as he launched a stream of ice towards Sero. The ice transformed into a giant ice wall that resembled a glacier. It was able to reach the top of the entire stadium and it completely froze Sero in place.
Everybody gawked at the sheer magnitude of the ice wall that Shoto created.
"D-Don't you think that's a bit much?" Sero stuttered as he shivered. He was damn near freezing to death.
"Sero, can you move?" Midnight asked. She too had some ice on her.
"O-Of course not… Ow…"
"Sero is immobilized! Shoto Todoroki advances to the quarterfinals!"
Everybody in the crowd was speechless until one Pro Hero said:
"D-Don't worry about it… "
"Don't worry about it!"
"-Don't worry about it!"
"-Don't worry about it!"
Everybody in the crowd started chanting "Don't worry about," in attempt to cheer up Sero for his devastating defeat.
"Sorry, I went overboard. I was angry." Shoto said as he begun melting the ice glacier with his left hand. As he was doing so, he looked straight at Izuku in the bleachers with a cold glare.
"He's trying to tell you that is what awaits you, should you face each other in the finals." Inner Deku said as he easily picked up on what Todoroki was trying to communicate to Izuku with that glare.
'For some reason… he also looks very sad to me.' Izuku thought as he could tell something was troubling Shoto. He was hell bent on helping his classmate whatever way he can.
After the eighth match, Tetsutetsu and Kirishima were both called down to ring so that they could have their arm wrestling match to determine who would advance to the quarterfinals. After a little back and forth, Kirishima noticed a little crack in Tetsutetsu's iron. The Hardening Quirk user took that as an opportunity to gain the upperhand and pink his hand to the table, thus him winning the arm wrestling match. Midnight announced that Kirishima was advancing to the quarterfinals. After the match, both Kirishima and Tetsutetsu made amends and promised each other a rematch in the future.
"OKAY! Now that we have all of the brackets settled, let's move on to the quarterfinals!" Present Mic announced as the crowd cheered.
Izuku got up from his seat, "Well, that's my cue! I'll see you guys in a little bit!"
"Good luck!" Both Momo and Ochaco said to him simultaneously as he went down to the ring.
"Alright, let's begin! Will the competitors step forth please!" Present Mic said. Izuku and Tenya both entered the ring as the fire was ignited in all four corners of the ring, signalling that the match was about to begin.
"First up, we got the Green Powerhouse that continues to shock us in each and every round. From the Hero Course, it's none other than Izuku Midoriya!
Versus- He was apart of a marketing scheme in the last round. Also from the Hero Course, Tenya Iida!" Present Mic introduced each combatant.
"Please don't remind me!" Tenya cried out as he was still not over the fact that he was used by Hatsume.
Iida bowed respectfully, "I hope, we have a great match Midoriya. I will be doing my best to beat you!"
Izuku also bowed, "Me too, Iida! May the best man win!"
"Ready… "
Both Izuku and Tenya got into their stances, ready for Present Mic to give the call.
"...START!"
After hearing Present Mic signal the start of the match, Tenya used his Engine Quirk to rush towards Izuku. He attempted to grab Izuku and rush him towards out of bounds.
"That's not going to work on me!" Izuku foresaw this and immediately leaped out of the way. Tenya backtracked and tried again. But Izuku dodged all the same. Izuku decided it was his turn to try something. He dashed towards Iida and attempted to land some offense in, but Iida rejected the notion and used his Engines to quickly get away from Izuku. Seeing as now Iida was on the defensive, Izuku followed him by running after the Engine Quirk user, but Iida kept on using his superior speed to evade all of Izuku's attack.
Getting tired of playing cat and mouse all day, Izuku decided to stop in the middle of the ring. Iida saw this and stopped moving as well, thinking that he should give his Engines some rest.
Iida smirked once he stopped running, "I hate to state the obvious, but we both know that at this rate, I will win. With my Quirk, it is clear that I have the superior speed. You can't land any hits on me, so you will have no way of defeating me if you can't immobilize me or force me out of bounds. So what will you do Midoriya? Will you give up, or will you fruitlessly try to drag on the match?
Izuku smiled, as he already had formed a plan ages ago. "I appreciate the concern. It's true, I am nowhere near as fast as I would like to be."
"Midoriya, it's time to end this. Ready?" Iida was about to activate his Quirk again.
"Wait, hold up just a minute please!"
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Before we continue, I need to shed some of these clothes."
Iida was confused by the request, "Uh, okay, suit yourself. If you're going to lose, you might as well be comfortable."
"I can tell you trained hard these last couple of weeks, in preparation for the Sports Festival" Izuku said as he took off the top of his P.E. uniform revealing a blue shirt underneath.
"I'm glad you noticed. I told you, that I was going to challenge you, didn't I, Midoriya?"
Izuku then began to to take off his blue shirt, but it looked like he was struggling to get the shirt over his head.
"Uh… Midoriya, do you need some help with that?" Iida asked as he and the rest of the crowd watching were confused on why Izuku was having trouble taking off a simple shirt.
"No it's okay, I got it!" Izuku replied. He was finally to get the shirt off, his toned and defined six-pack on full display. Females in the arena couldn't help but drool at the the Saiyan's marble body while most of the men shot him glares of envy as they wondered what kind of training he did since they didn't have bodies like that even in their prime.
"Midoriya, you stripping here in front of all of these people is very inappropriate and it is not befitting of a Class President!" Iida shouted as he made many aggressive chopping motions.
"What? Oh yeah, my bad. Give me a second. Let me put the uniform back on." Izuku dropped his blue shirt to the ground.
BOOM!
When the shirt touched the ground, it caused what seemed to be a mini-earthquake as the entire stadium shook. Many people lost their balance as they fell towards the floor. A dust cloud was formed from where the shirt was dropped as Izuku put the top half of the P.E. uniform back on, much to the displease to Midnight who wanted to eat Izuku for dinner.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?!" Present Mic cried out. Everybody had their eyes as wide as dinner plates. What in the hell was that shirt made of?
"Uh… Midoriya, do you mind if I take a look at your shirt?" Iida asked.
"Oh, sure." Izuku replied.
Iida attempted to lift the shirt off of the ground, but to his shock, it was much heavier than a regular shirt. He could not lift it up no matter how hard he tried. It was like the shirt was stuck to the ground.
"What is this?! Midoriya, this thing weighs a ton! Have you been wearing this for the entire Sports Festival?"
"Yup! It was part of my training!" Izuku took off his blue wristbands as they made a crack in the ring floor. He took off his shoes as well, as they also made a crack on the floor.
"Your wristbands as well?! And your shoes?! How do you manage to even walk while wearing all of that weight?!"
"Well, this was part of the training program that I used to prepare for the Entrance Exams. And after I got used to the weight, I just kept on increasing it more and more, until it got to this point. I did this because my Quirk requires a really strong vessel in order to be able to survive the backlash and recoil. If I had not done this intensive training, then every time I used my Quirk, I probably would break every bone in my body!"
Iida gasped, "Are you for real?! What kind of Quirk do you have?!"
Izuku did some stretches to test the weight of his body.
He smirked as he jumped up and down in the air, "I'm lighter than a feather!" Izuku then started sprinting in high speeds, doing multiple laps around the ring in literal seconds.
"Midoriya just keeps on amazing us! I thought there was no surprise left, but to carry that much weight around casually?! That's just crazy! Your students really are monsters, aren't they Eraser Head?" Present Mic said after he had gotten over his shock.
"Don't look at me! I had nothing to do with that crazy training regime!" Aizawa replied as he too couldn't believe that Izuku wore all of that weight as actual clothes.
After throwing some high speed punches and kicks to the air, Izuku got back into his stance as he faced Iida.
"Okay, Iida! I'm ready now! Show me what you got!"
Iida stopped his gawking as he too got into his stance. "Alright, Midoriya, I'm ready! Let's continue our battle."
Izuku dashed towards Iida at neck breaking speeds. Iida almost couldn't believe it. He was so much faster than before! Tenya turned around to see Izuku skipping around him. He was moving so quickly, it almost seemed like… there were multiple Izukus!
"Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or do I see like five or 6 Midoriya's just hopping around Iida?!" Present Mic shouted as everybody else watching was seeing the exact same thing.
"Over here!"
Iida tried to land a kick on Izuku, but then he suddenly disappeared.
"Missed me!"
Iida turned around and aimed another kick but it looked like there were multiple Izukus just moving all over the place.
"You gotta be quicker than that!"
"You're too slow!"
Iida thought he was hallucinated. It seemed like Izuku was one place, but then the image fades and he suddenly is someplace else.
"Wh-What is this?!" Iida yelled out.
Izuku stopped moving as he returned to the middle of the ring. "I call it the Afterimage strike! You like it? It's a technique I picked up during my training. It requires for me to move faster than the eye can see. I move so fast, that I create afterimages of myself. These images are used to confuse my opponent to make them think they are hitting me, when they are really not! It allows me to attack them, while they are distracted!"
Izuku used the Afterimage again and while Iida was trying to locate the real Izuku, he got hit in the head by Izuku's foot which caused the Engine Quirk user to be sent across the ring, almost touching out of bounds.
"Like that!" Izuku called out as Tenya got back up.
'He's too fast for me to outrun now. His speed is on a whole other different level than before. I can't beat him in a head on fight. I'm going to have to finish this now, or he will immobilize me!' Iida thought as he activated his Quirk. Blue flames began to exhaust out of his engine. He leapt high in the air.
"Wow, a standing long jump!" Present Mic commentated as Iida was about to descend towards Izuku.
"Recipro Burst!" Iida called out his special move. He aimed towards at Izuku at a very high speed. But the Green Haired Saiyan was able to dodge it just in time, thanks to his now increased speed he got from taking off all of his weights.
'I have about ten seconds before my engines stall! I have to win it in that time!'
Iida used his momentum to aim another kick towards Izuku and this time, he actually managed to kick him right at the back of his head, causing Izuku to fall to the floor.
"A DIRECT HIT!" Present Mic shouted.
"He got a pretty heavy hit in!" Sero said
"That kick was way too fast!" Kaminari yelled.
Using the opening he got with his direct hit, Iida grabbed a hold of Izuku by the back of his shirt and began running towards out of bounds at full speed.
'Eight seconds left! I can do it! I will throw him out of bounds like thi-'
But suddenly, Iida's Engines stopped working a she stopped mid run.
"Huh? My muffler is fried… ?! When did that happen?"
"When you kicked me… "
Tenya looked to see Izuku with a yellow Ki blast in his hand aimed directly at Tenya's Engines.
"Since, I have only shown physical attacks, you forgot I could create energy blasts like this, too, didn't you? I knew you were going to immediately rush me with your Recipro after I closed the gap in speed. I could have dodged your last kick as well, but I let you hit me on purpose, so that I could find a way to easily fry one of your Engines. You fell for my trap!"
'Damn it! I played right into his hands!'
"And now… "
Izuku grabbed Iida's leg and lifted him up into the air. Since his Engines were fried, he had no way to maneuver himself in the air. Izuku used this as his chance. Izuku kicked him square in his chest. The kick was strong enough to send him straight out of the ring, and onto the floor.
"...that's game!"
Midnight raised her whip, "Tenya Iida is out of bounds! Izuku Midoriya wins, and advances to the semi-finals!"
The entire crowd cheered as yet again, Izuku had surprised them with his physical and intellectual dominance over his opponents.
Izuku walked over and reached out his hand to Iida, "That was a pretty good match! You almost had me there. Let's do it again some other time!"
Iida took his hand and smiled as Izuku pulled him up. "Yes, thank you for pushing me! I will continue to train hard as I await our rematch!"
"SO YOUTHFUL!" Midnight cried out in delight as Izuku and Tenya showed good sportsmanship.
"OKAY! So Midoriya is the first competitor to advance to the semi-finals. Let's move on to the next match to find out who will join him!" Present Mic announced as the crowd began cheering in anticipation for the next matches.
"You completely outclassed me, Midoriya! I thought I had a chance to win but it seems as though you had control of the entire match from beginning to end!" Iida said as he waved his arms around robotically while he and Izuku were walking down the halls of the Player Waiting Rooms.
Izuku nervously chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head, "You give me too much credit, Iida! You should not sell yourself short. You were a good competitor. Just keep on training hard, and I know you will become a great Hero someday!"
Iida nodded, "Thank you, Midoriya!" He stopped at the door to Player Waiting Room 1. "Please excuse me for a moment. I'm going to give my brother a quick call. I will meet with you and the others in a little bit."
"Alright, no problem. Take your time, we'll see you in a little." Izuku made his way up to the bleachers. Iida went inside the waiting room and dialed his brother's number.
"Hello, Tensei? It's me, Tenya-"
"-I am currently on a mission and cannot answer the phone." Tensei's voicemail played as Tenya hung up the phone.
"Tensei… I hope you're alright"
Unbeknownst to him, right at that moment, Iida's brother was face to face with a certain Hero Killer…
When Izuku made it back to his seat, he saw that the second match of the quarterfinals was about to begin. It was Katsuki going up against Momo. Under normal circumstances, in a one on one fight, Izuku would say that Bakugo would most likely win as his fighting prowess was just on a whole other level. But ever since, Inner Deku opened up Momo's hidden Ki, this was actually able to give Momo a fighting chance, just like with Ochaco.
When the match started, Momo immediately tried to create her red weapons of light, like she did against Tokoyami in the previous round. But she ended up creating her usual shield and staff. This confused her as she had imagined the weapons of light like she had done before.
Izuku observed her and came to a conclusion. 'She and Ochaco-chan cannon summon their Ki at will. In order for them to do so, they would require some extensive training. It seems like my Inner Self was only able to open the Ki reserves that was hidden in their bodies, but not give them full control over it. Well, it looks like Momo-chan is at a great disadvantage.' Izuku thought as Katsuki proceeded to rush towards Momo with his Explosions.
Momo did her best to evade the attacks, but it was no use. His Explosions were just too strong and he was too quick. Without her Ki weapons, she was not strong enough to do any substantial damage to him. After a minute of going back and forth, Bakugo let off an explosion with enough strength to knock Momo out of the ring.
Midnight swung her whip, "Yaoyorozu is out of bounds! Katsuki Bakugo advances to the Semi-finals!"
The crowd cheered as two of the final four were decided. Bakugo smirked evilly as he turned and pointed directly at Izuku.
"Finally, I'm going to get my hands on Deku!"
Izuku gave him his own smirk as he cracked his knuckles, "Bring it on, Kacchan. Let's settle this!"
The next match was Mina Versus Ibara. The winner turned out to be Mina when she just straight up spammed acid shots towards Ibara's Vines. Mina's acid disrupted the flow of Ibara's Vines and they turned out to be completely useless even when she tried to produce more. Mina took this as her opportunity to push Ibara out of the ring using the extra mobility when she placed acid on her feet.
The final match of the quarterfinals was Kirishima Versus Todoroki. Kirishima's Hardening allowed for him to break out of Todoroki's ice, he realized that Kirishima's Quirk had a limit to how much he could tank. So, Todoroki just kept on firing ice towards him, until he broke through his Hardening Quirk. Then, just like with Sero, Todoroki immobilized him by holding him in place with his ice. Kirishima had no way out, and thus Todoroki advanced to the semi-finals, completing the final four.
"Now that we have our final four, let's start the first match of the semi-finals!" Present Mic announced as the jumbotron displayed Izuku and Katsuki. The crowd cheered as they knew this was going to be a good match.
"We have two students who can pack a punch. First off is the Green Powerhouse that has just kept on dominating this entire Sports Festival with each and every round. From the Hero Course, it's none other than Izuku Midoriya!
Versus- He's got some anger issues, eh? He has only faced girls so far in the tournament, let's see how he does against one of the strongest in his class! Also from the Hero Course, it is Katsuki Bakugo!" Present Mic introduced the two combatants as Bakugo grew an angry tick mark.
"What did that bastard say?! I'll kill you!" Bakugo yelled as he clearly did not take lightly to Present Mic's comment.
"This ought to be one to remember," Aizawa said as he knew Izuku and Katsuki both had a heated history between them. Both were exceptional in combat, but they were about to find out who was better between the two.
(Music: Boku No Hero Academia S3 OST- Katsuki and Izuku (You Say Run + Bombing King!) )
"Looks like we will be getting a rematch from their fight in Hero Training at the start of the school year." Tsuyu said as she could feel the tension in the air.
"A fated match between Rivals!" Ochaco said seriously as her eyes were now glued to the two Rivals.
"Man… this is going to be intense!" Kaminari said as if their first fight in the Hero Training was anything to go by, this match was definitely going to personal.
"You said it… a fight between Men!" Kirishima yelled out as this fight might be the most destructive out of the entire tournament.
"I am going to crush you, Deku!" Bakugo spat.
"Hehe, we will see about that, Kacchan!" Izuku replied as he got into his fighting stance. His weights were off, and he replaced his blue shoes with his usual red sneakers. He didn't think fighting barefoot against Bakugo, was a good idea.
"Ready….. " Present Mic was about to begin the match but was cut off.
"Wait!" Bakugo shouted, stopping Present Mic before he could officially start the match. "I have a proposition to make for Deku."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Izuku looked curiously at Bakugo.
Bakugo smirked as he pointed at Deku, "You. Me. One on one. No ring outs, no disqualifications. No Holds Barred. The winner is decided when one of us submits or is completely knocked out! And here is the best part; If I beat you, you have to quit at trying to become a Hero!"
"HUH?" The entire crowd shouted as everybody thought that Bakugo was making an asinine offer. What kind of preposition was that?!
Izuku narrowed his eyes, "What's in it for me?"
Bakugo shrugged his shoulders, "If you win, I'll grant you one request. I'll do whatever you want me to as long as it's reasonable and it is within my power to do so."
Izuku hummed as he closed his eyes in thought.
"Okay, this is just crazy! There's no way that Midoriya is actually considering this, right? I mean come on! If he loses, he has to quit becoming a Hero! That just makes no sense. Any person with a brain would decline that offer!" Mineta cried out.
"Yeah, you have a point, but if Midoriya wins, he can make Bakugo do any one thing that he wants him to do. Do you really think he would pass up an opportunity like that?" Sero added his own two cents in as while the deal kind of seemed crazy, it might be a good trade off. Hell, if Izuku won, he could make Bakugo quit becoming a Hero, as well!
"You idiots, it's much bigger than that!" Kirishima suddenly yelled. "This is more about a tournament, or becoming a Hero. This is a grudge match between two Men! They have a history and Rivalry that goes long before U.A.! They are willing to put everything on the line to see who truly is the best between them!"
"Well… when you put it like that… shit, this is pretty personal, huh?" Kaminari sweatdropped as he didn't realize how important this fight was.
After a moment of careful thinking, Izuku opened his eyes and made his decision.
"I accept!"
"WHAT!" The crowd shouted in unison as they now thought that Izuku was out of his mind. Why was he willing to put his dream career on the line like that, especially after coming this far.
Bakugo smirked, "I knew you wouldn't turn it down!"
"But let's make this clear! If I beat you, you promise one request alright! Your word!"
"You have my word, Deku! Damn it, you think I'm a liar or something?! Just make sure you don't regret putting your dream on the line, because once I'm done with you, I'm going to send you home crying!"
"Uh… Eraser Head, is this following the rules? Can they actually do this?" Present Mic asked.
Aizawa shrugged his shoulders, "It's Midnight's decision whether she will allow it or not. She is the umpire, so she gets final call in everything."
Midnight though for a second. Apart of her didn't want to risk Izuku's dream job but when she looked into his eyes, she could tell he was absolutely sure. She could not deny the youth that was on display here. So she made her decision.
"I will allow it! This match has officially turned into a No Holds Barred stipulation. There are no ring outs or out of bounds. The two competitors can take their match anyway as long as I can see them. There are no disqualifications, so anything goes, meaning foul play and Villainous acts are now allowed, as long as it isn't anything life threatening. However, nobody else can get involved in their match besides me and Cementos! The winner is decided via knockout or submission! If Izuku Midoriya loses, he quits becoming a Hero, and if Katsuki Bakugo loses, he has to whatever Midoriya asks him! Do you agree with these stipulations gentlemen?"
"Yes, let's fucking go already!"
"Fine by me."
"Okay, shake on it, and the match will begin!"
Izuku and Katsuki shook each other's hand, and as they did, Izuku spoke up before the match started.
"You're not going to send me home crying, by the way. I vow to win, and I'm going all the way, and I'm bringing home the W!"
"Eh? You're acting a little arrogant, huh? Don't underestimate me, Deku, or else your dreams will be snapped in a blink of an eye!"
Izuku leg go of his hand, "It's not arrogance. I just know that I'm going to beat you, whether you like it or not. And that's a promise, and I never go back on my word."
Bakugo grit his teeth, 'Since when did he grow a pair? Why is he all of sudden so damn Prideful?!'
"Ready…. "
Izuku and Katsuki both got into their respective stances as they waited for Present Mic to give the call.
"... START!"
And the match was officially underway. Bakugo immediately rushed Deku with a right hook, like he always does.
Deku sighed, "You never learn, Kacchan! How many times do I have to tell yo-"
However he cut off, when Bakugo suddenly changed trajectory and instead used an explosion in his right hand to make him go sideways toward the left and hit Deku with an unexpected explosion straight to the face that sent him across the ring.
"Oh snap! Bakugo hits Midoriya with a flaming bomb right to the noggin!" Present Mic commented as many people were shocked to see how Bakugo was able to catch Deku off guard like that.
Todoroki widened his eyes in shock, 'That is completely different from the way he was fighting during the Hero Training!'
Izuku got back up as he looked towards Bakugo in shock. That explosion felt a lot more powerful than before. "What was that?!"
Bakugo smirked, "Did you really think, I was going to use the same strategy as the one in our last battle? I know you have been observing me and I do always start with a right hook. But guess what? Ever since that day when you beat me during the Hero Training, I have been training and working out nonstop everyday in order to create a fighting style that I will use specifically against you, Deku! These moves, are things that you have not seen before! I am a lot stronger than before. I just had been holding this back until, I faced you one on one. And now that it's finally me and you only, with nobody else getting in our way, I can finally let loose and let off all of this pent up rage that I have been holding in ever since that day!"
Izuku gasped. He sensed Bakugo to try to see if he was telling the truth and he was. His Power Level was much higher than it was before. The only reason he had not noticed before was because, Bakugo had been saving it all for him and their match. Now he can go all out on Deku and release all of the rage he has been keeping inside of him for all of this time!
Izuku ran towards Bakugo and aimed a punch towards his shoulder, but Bakugo was quick enough to dodge the blow and counterattack with an explosion straight to Izuku's chest, sending him back some distance.
Izuku smiled as he was now getting excited, "Wow, Kacchan, you really have improved! I'm impressed. Now let's see what you can do about this." Izuku bean firing many mini sized yellow Ki blasts at Bakugo. To his surprise, the ash blond was able to dodge many of the incoming projectiles. The ones he wasn't able to dodge, he simply blasted them away with his explosions.
"STOP PLAYING GAMES DEKU AND GET SERIOUS! If not, then I'm going to destroy you!" Bakugo yelled as he used an explosion to propel himself towards Deku at high speeds. He went in for a direct blow, but Deku was fast enough to dodge the punch and send him back with a kick to the chest. Bakugo was sent flying, but he used his explosions to land him safely on the ground.
Izuku dusted himself off, "Alright then, you asked for it!" Deku proceed to power up to One For All: Full Cowl. Green electricity swirled around him as the winds started to increase in pressure and speed.
Bakugo smirked, "Finally, let's get this show on the road!" Bakugo raced towards Deku at full speed with a maniacal grin on his face.
Deku powered up to 15%, "Delaware Smash!" Izuku flicked his finger, sending a powerful wind blast straight at Bakugo.
"Get that shit out of my face! Stun Grenade!" Bakugo yelled out as he fired an explosion to negate the Delaware Smash. There was a bright flash as smoke covered the ring.
Bakugo used the smoke to his advantage and tried to sneak behind Deku, "You're going to have to hit a lot harder than that if you want to land a scratch on me!"
Bakugo was about to explode Deku, but he dodged at the last second.
"Okay then how about this?!" Izuku gave Bakugo a One For All infused punch to the ribs, which sent the Explosion boy flying across the ring.
"WOW! So much action! This match got me on the edge of my seat!" Present Mic yelled as the crowd cheered showing their agreement.
Bakugo got up and rubbed his ribs, "That was pretty good shot, Deku. But you won't be landing aymore punches on me like that for the rest of this fight!"
"Oh yeah?! Come at me then! Show me what you got, Kacchan!" Deku yelled as the thrill and excitement from the battle was making his blood pump.
"With pleasure!"
Bakugo fired off multiple Stun Grenades to disrupt Deku's vision. However, Deku did not fall for this as he was focused on Bakugo's Power Level. Somehow it was still continuing to rise which just made him question, just exactly how much power does Bakugo still have left that he hasn't shown. Deku focused and felt Bakugo attacking him from above. He sidestepped and attempted to counterattack with a jab, but Bakugo was already anticipating that and quickly set off an explosion in order to create some distance. However the gap was closed, when Deku dodged the explosion and caught up top Katsuki who seethed in anger at seeing Deku handling his explosions with ease.
"Looks like I'm going to have to up the ante. You really are annoying, you know that?! Stop dodging my fucking explosions, you dipshit!" Bakugo roared as he started to throw even more powerful explosions than before. Deku was forced to blast the explosions away with his own Ki blasts, as there were too many to dodge. Izuku then flew straight towards Bakugo and aimed a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Bakugo tried to block it with an Explosion, but Deku already saw this coming.
"Montana Smash!" Deku used his other leg to kick Bakugo straight in the midsection with monster force that sent him tumbling towards the floor. It, however, was not strong enough to knock him out, as Bakugo was back on his feet.
"Like I said, before, those attacks won't be enough to stop me, Deku!" Bakugo grinned as he started lighting explosions in his hands.
"Fine, so let's spice things up a little!" Deku then used the Afterimage on Bakugo, as now now there were multiple images of Deku all over the ring.
"Hmph, you think you can fool me, just like you did with four-eyes? Not gonna happen, Deku!" Bakugo was able to catch the real Deku, almost instantly as he grabbed hold of him.
'Crap, he's a lot faster than before! I didn't think he was going to be able to find me so easily!' Deku thought as he saw Bakugo preparing for an attack.
"I got you, now, Deku! Now get ready to be burned to ashes!" Bakugo's hands began to light up.
'Oh no, he's going for a point blank shot! He's trying to end it! I gotta counterattack, right now!'
"TAKE THIS! Die, Deku!" But before Bakugo could let off the explosion, Deku was able to fly away and create some space. "That isn't going to help you, asshole! I'm stilling going to kill you with this explosion. Now, die!" Bakugo finally let off the explosion as it was aiming straight for Deku.
Deku placed his hands together on his forehead, "Masenko!"
The two attacks collided, as once they touched each other, it set off a big explosion that lit up the entire stadium. There was a bunch of smoke covering the ring, for a minute before it cleared to show both Deku and Bakugo kneeling on the ground. Bakugo was panting, and Deku was looking straight towards his opponent calmly as he did not expect for one of Bakugo's explosions to be able to take on a Masenko.
"Wow! You got some really flashy students, Eraser Head! No wonder, you haven't expelled them yet!" Present Mic yelled as just like him, the crowd was greatly enjoying the match between the Rivals.
"I only expel those with absolutely no potential at all. As you can clearly see, these guys have an enormous amount of potential to become great Pro Heroes one day. Which is why I did not expel them, yet." Aizawa said as he too was enjoying the battle between two of the strongest students of the class he teaches.
Bakugo grinned, "You know what they say, don't you Deku?"
Deku remained quiet as he observed Bakugo and whatever plan he was trying to pull.
"When two people are powerful enough, they are able to read each other's thoughts simply by an exchange of fists. Without ever uttering a single word, get it?"
Deku narrowed his eyes. What was he trying to do?
"You have always been naive, Deku! Tell me, do you know my thoughts?" Bakugo fully stood up. "Can you tell what's on my mind!"
Suddenly, Bakugo's Power Level just spiked out of nowhere. Bakugo fired multiple explosions towards Deku. Deku in response, jumped out of the way, but not even a second later, he felt Bakugo right behind him.
'What the? So fast! I didn't even see him move! Where did that speed come from?!'
Bakugo proceeded to punch Deku square in the face, sending him crashing to the floor, making a loud crash as he did so.
"You make me so angry… did you know that, Deku?!"
Izuku got back up on his feet, he felt a throbbing pain in his cheek. That Katsuki really packed a punch. But before he could even register what was going on, Bakugo was already back on him, pummeling him with multiple punches and kicks. He finished his combo, with an explosion sent straight to Deku's chest which sent all the way across the stage. But since it was No Holds Barred, the match wasn't over yet even if Deku had gone out of bounds.
"You have always been following behind me, ever since we were kids! You were always behind me, out whole lives!"
Deku got back up again as there several burn marks over his skin.
"You were stuck to me. I could not get rid of you. No matter how much I tried, you kept coming back!"
Deku got into his stance as he saw Bakugo walking towards him.
"But then out of nowhere, you just kept on getting stronger and stronger. Until, the roles were eventually reversed. Now I ended up chasing after you, who was always so far behind me! Why did a small fry like you get so strong. You got so much better, and for the two preliminary rounds, you made me look like a total fool. You have been looking down on me, this entire time, haven't you?!"
Deku gasped, as Bakugo's words caused him to drop his stance getting his mind off of the fight. 'Is… that…. What you really believe Kacchan?'
Bakugo grit his teeth in anger, "Say something, you fucking dipshit!" In a burst of speed, Bakugo was up in Deku's face. Deku didn't have enough time to react to Bakugo's harsh explosion to his face. Bakugo send him all the way towards the wall. The force was so strong, that it made Deku stuck to the wall, as he has his arms and legs spread out.
Bakugo walked to where Deku was pinned on the wall and smirked.
"What's the matter? Not winning, as easily as you thought?"
Deku looked at him and gave a smirk of his own, "I never said it would be easy."
Bakugo growled, "You won't be winning at all!" He slapped Deku twice as he strong as he could. Deku grit his teeth as he growled at him as well.
"What, Nerd? Are you feeling angry, humiliated, is that it?" Bakugo kneed him in the stomach causing Deku to spit out some saliva. "You son of a bitch! You don't know what humiliation is!" Bakugo proceeded to punch Deku repeatedly in the face making the crowd cringe at the brutal acts of violence that Bakugo was committing. "I will teach you what humiliation feels like just like how you have taught me. Just like how you have been looking down on me, this entire time. The way you have humiliated me in this entire Sports Festival! I will embarrass you in front of all of these people, and give you the humiliation you truly deserve!" Bakugo finished with a flaming hot explosion to Deku's face.
"Hey, watch it Bakugo! This may be No Holds Barred, but all of that is unnecessary! You better calm down!" Midnight said as she swung her whip. For some reason, seeing Izuku get violently beat up, made her mad. She was restraining herself from kicking Bakugo upside the head.
"Shut the fuck up, bitch! This has nothing to do with you! Mind your own damn business!" Bakugo yelled out as he didn't like that Midnight was trying to interrupt their fight.
Midnight started to unseal some of her clothing as purple smoke began to form, "Why you litt-"
"He's right… "
Deku looked at Midnight and told her, "This is between me and him. Nobody else should intervene. Don't worry, I have this under control." Deku was able to convince Midnight to back off as she scoffed at Bakugo.
"You have this under control, huh? How many times are you going to look down on me, Deku?!" Bakugo aimed another explosion to Deku's face, but Deku caught Bakugo's hand before he could hit his target, Deku caught Bakugo's hand.
"Enough!" Deku powered up to Full Cowl 20% and headbutted Bakugo. The resulting blow made the ash blond go across the ring as the headbutt was stronger than what he had anticipated.
"You really are an idiot, Kacchan… "
Bakugo looked up to see Deku flying in the air, with the green electric aura of One For All enveloping his body as he now had a serious and threatening expression on his face.
"What did you say, motherfucker?!"
"I said… "
Deku reappeared in front of Bakugo, faster than the eye could blink.
"YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" Deku landed a Texas Smash square in Bakugo's face and sent him across the entire stage.
"You actually thought, I looked down on you? Is that what you actually believe, all this time? It's the exact opposite, Kacchan. Think about it. If I looked down on you, I would not want anything to do with you anymore. But, I am still here. I noticed things you couldn't all these years because, I had nothing at first! There were things I hate about you, sure. But I could clearly see how amazing you were! You had so much going for you that I didn't have. All Might was my Hero, but you were the one actually in my life!" Deku shouted as his green electric aura began to grow more fierce due to his emotion. Bakugo widened his eyes in shock when he heard Deku's words.
"I thought you were incredible, Kacchan. I wanted to see what you would become. That's the reason, I kept chasing after you! I haven't told you this but the truth is, when I get wild up, my desire to win surpasses my desire to save someone. Without meaning to, I start talking like you. You're so mean sometimes, and I hate it. But my idea of victory is so tied to the image of you in my head that in those moments, I can't help but imitate you! Right now my blood is pumping. For some reason, I don't know why, but I just love the thrill of the fight! Especially when I go up against you. It just fuels my desire to win! That's why I can't afford to lose to you. I may make you really angry. And your Wrath may make you incredibly strong… but your Wrath will NEVER SURPASS MY PRIDE!" Deku yelled out at the top of his lungs as he began powering up and growing stronger. His Pride of a Saiyan increasing his power while the fight continues on.
Everybody could feel the pure power oozing from Deku as he began concentrating all of his power.
"I'm all fired up now, Kacchan! Give me everything you got!"
Bakugo digested all of what Deku just said. He began shaking and seething in Wrath.
"Deku… you have angered me for the last time! You think that just because you feel finally grew a pair and decided to have some Pride, you're going to beat me? Not a fat chance. You were supposed to be just a stepping stone in my path to becoming the Number One Hero. And after I beat you and finish you off with this final attack, you will no longer be a threat or a hindrance to my goal! So get ready to go home crying!"
Bakugo began to focus all of his energy. Smoke started surround him as he used his explosions to spin around like a tornado. He began to pick up more and more speed until he was ready.
"Here I come, Deku! This is everything I have! Don't you dare hold back! Howitzer Impact!"
Bakugo rushed towards at supersonic speeds with his tornado of explosion read to detonate and incinerate Deku.
Deku smiled as he arched his right arm back, "Let's end this Kacchan! DETROIT….. "
Once Bakugo was close enough, Deku finally released his power.
"SMASH!"
The signature attacks collided as the two former Best Friends and now Rivals were clashing for dominance. This lasted for 30 seconds before Deku noticed that Bakugo was getting the upper hand and was actually starting to push Deku back.
"Don't underestimate me, DEKU! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"NOOOO! I REFUSE TO LOSE!" Deku shouted back as increased his power even more.
'One For All: Full Cowl: 21%!'
As soon as Deku increased his power output, there was a huge explosion as the entire stadium was engulfed in a bright flash of took cover as this explosion wa sveen bigger than the clash between Ochaco and Katsuki in the first round. It took a full minute for the smoke to clear and what everybody saw made their jaws drop.
The entire ring was destroyed. There was smoke and ashes everywhere. Half of Deku's shirt was torn off as there was blood spilling from his left shoulder. He also had many more burn marks than before. Bakugo was somewhat in the same state.
However, Deku has his fist implanted into Bakugo's gut.
Deku pulled back his fist as he sensed that Bakugo power reserves were completely depleted.
When Deku released him, Bakugo started stumbling a bit, but before he was about to hit the ground, he muttered…
"I…. w-will not lose to.. D-Deku…!"
Deku gaped in awe. "You're still standing even after all of that. You truly are amazing Kacchan. You are going to become something legendary someday."
"But even so… "
Deku took a fighting stance as he powered up to his maximum 25%.
Then in the blink of an eye, Deku punched Kacchan all over his body exactly 100 times at a speed that was hypersonic.
Deku then aimed his fingers straight at Kacchan's forehead.
"... Owari da!"
Deku flicked his fingers and hit Bakugo with a Delaware Smash straight to his forehead. Bakugo was sent across the stage as he collapsed to the floor. He was completely rendered unconscious.
It took a moment for everybody else to process what just happened before Midnight ran over to Bakugo's collapsed form to check his state.
After nudging him a couple a times and checking his pulse, Midnight raised her whip.
"Katsuki Bakugo has been knocked out! Izuku Midoriya advanced to the finals!"
Izuku turned around and pointed straight at Shoto Todoroki.
"You're next!"
週次パワーステータス
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