บท 41: [41] Explosions and Emotions
But when she left the arena, the look on her face... It was more than just pride or excitement. There was something deeper there, something I'd seen building for weeks.
Momo was falling for me. Hard.
On one level, it was flattering. Momo was brilliant, beautiful, and came from an influential family. A relationship with her could open doors, provide resources and connections that would be invaluable to my long-term plans.
But there was Nejire to consider as well. Our "date" had gone better than expected. She was fun, unpredictable, and her position as one of the Big Three made her a powerful ally in her own right.
Two very different girls, both with their own strengths, their own potential. And both, it seemed, interested in me.
But there was something else, something that gave me pause. When I thought about Momo's smile after her victory, or Nejire's laughter in that dusty antique shop, I felt... warm.
These weren't just pawns on a chessboard. They were people. People I cared about, even if I hadn't meant to.
My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. A text from Nejire:
Nejire: Hey wonder boy! How's the Sports Festival going? 🏆✨
I smiled, quickly typing out a response:
Me: Just starting the first round of finals. Won my match.
Nejire: Congrats!!! 🎉🎉🎉 I knew you'd crush it! We're in the finals too!
Me: Nice work! You'll have to tell me all about it later.
Nejire: Oh! Speaking of later... Wanna make a bet?
Me: What kind of bet?
Nejire: If I win the Sports Festival, you have to spend all of Saturday hanging out with me. Deal?
Me: Interesting. And what do I get when I win?
Nejire: Ooh, confident! I like it. 😉 How about... anything you want?
Now that was an opportunity too good to pass up.
Me: Anything, huh? You're on. May the best hero win.
Nejire: Game on, wonder boy! 💪💫
If I played this right, I could have both Momo and Nejire by my side.
The question was, how?
Momo would likely make a move during our planned date after the festival. She was too smart, too observant not to have noticed the shift in our dynamic. And after her victory today, she'd be riding high on confidence.
Nejire, on the other hand, had already shown her hand with that kiss. If she won our little bet (which, let's be honest, was unlikely given the competition she was up against in the third-year bracket), she'd have a whole day to make her intentions clear.
I needed a plan that would allow me to pursue both relationships without either girl feeling like they were second best. It would require careful maneuvering, absolute honesty, and a level of emotional vulnerability I wasn't entirely comfortable with.
But the potential rewards were intoxicating...
And if anyone could pull it off, it was me.
I blinked, realizing I'd completely missed Kirishima and Tetsutetsu's match. I'd have to catch the replay later.
A tap on my shoulder snapped me back to reality. Tsuyu leaned forward, her large eyes fixed on me.
"Midoriya-chan, what do you think about the next fight? Uraraka versus Bakugo?"
I paused, considering the match-up. It was an interesting pairing, to say the least. Uraraka's zero-gravity quirk against Bakugo's explosions. On paper, it seemed like a clear win for Bakugo, but I'd learned never to underestimate Uraraka's determination.
"It'll be tough for Uraraka," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Bakugo's quirk gives him a clear advantage in direct combat."
Mina's finger tapped her chin. "Do you think Bakugo will go easy on her?"
I shook my head. "That's not Kacchan's style. And honestly, it would be disrespectful to Uraraka if he did. She's here to be a hero, just like the rest of us. Her gender doesn't change that."
Jiro frowned, her fingers drumming a nervous rhythm against her thigh. "But Uraraka... she's tough, but her quirk isn't really suited for direct combat. How is she going to stand a chance against Bakugo's explosions?"
"It won't be easy," I admitted. "But if I were in her shoes, with her quirk... I think I'd focus on using the environment to my advantage."
Tsu cocked her head. "What do you mean, kero?"
I leaned forward, gesturing to the arena below. "Look at the stage. It's made of concrete, right? If Uraraka can touch enough pieces of debris, she could create a field of floating rubble. That would give her cover from Bakugo's explosions and potential distractions to use against him."
Kaminari's eyes widened. "Whoa, that's actually pretty smart. But wouldn't Bakugo just blow up the rocks?"
"He might," I nodded. "But every explosion he uses on the debris is one he's not using on Uraraka directly. Plus, the dust and smoke could provide cover for her to get in close."
Yaoyorozu joined the conversation, her voice thoughtful. "It's a sound strategy, but it relies on Uraraka being able to touch enough debris without Bakugo stopping her. His reaction time is incredibly fast."
"True," I conceded. "But Uraraka's trained hard. Her close combat skills have improved a lot since we started at U.A. If she can surprise Bakugo with a direct assault, she might be able to touch him and use her quirk to throw him off balance."
Kirishima, fresh from his match and sporting a few bruises, chimed in. "Man, you've really thought this through, Midoriya. It's like you've got a plan for every opponent!"
I shrugged. "It's just something I've always done. Analyzing quirks, thinking of ways they could be used. It helps me understand both allies and potential opponents better."
"Well, it's impressive," Yaoyorozu said, giving me a warm smile.
Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium, announcing the start of the match. We all turned our attention to the arena, where Uraraka and Bakugo were taking their positions.
As the match began, Bakugo immediately went on the offensive, just as I'd expected. Explosions rocked the arena, forcing Uraraka to dodge and weave. She was faster than I'd realized, managing to avoid the worst of the blasts.
"She's not even trying to attack," Kaminari said, frowning. "Is she just going to dodge the whole time?"
I shook my head, eyes fixed on the fight. "No, look closer. She's touching debris every chance she gets. See how the smoke isn't settling? There are pieces of concrete floating up there."
Yaoyorozu gasped. "You were right, Midoriya! She's creating a field of floating rubble above them. Bakugo hasn't even noticed."
The fight continued, with Uraraka narrowly avoiding Bakugo's relentless assault. But with each near miss, more debris joined the cloud above. Bakugo, focused entirely on his opponent, hadn't spared a glance upward.
Uraraka finally made her move, running towards Bakugo low to the ground, but with a blast that shook the stadium, he sent her flying back, the force of his explosion rippling through the air.
Uraraka hit the ground hard, but she was up again in an instant, her eyes blazing. She feinted left, then right, trying to find an opening, a way past Bakugo's defenses.
Bakugo's eyes narrowed, his hands sparking with barely restrained power. He reached for Uraraka's fallen jacket, expecting to find her there, ready to counter.
But Uraraka was one step ahead. She came at him from behind, her fingers reaching out for his shoulder.
For a split second, I thought she had him. But Kacchan's reflexes were lightning fast. He whirled, another explosion bursting from his palm, slamming into Uraraka at point-blank range.
She crashed to the ground again, her body crumpling like a rag doll. But still, she struggled to rise, her teeth gritted against the pain.
Kacchan didn't let up. Explosion after explosion rocked the arena, the force of his attacks sending Uraraka tumbling.
Then, the boos started.
"Hey, he's going too far!"
"Isn't he supposed to be a hero? This is just brutal!"
"Someone stop the match! She's defenseless!"
Mr. Aizawa's voice came through, calm and measured. "You're all missing the point," he said, his tone flat. "Bakugo is not letting his guard down. He knows the strength of his opponent, and he's treating her with the respect she deserves."
As if on cue, Uraraka suddenly brought her fingertips together. "Release!"
The air filled with the sound of falling debris as hundreds of concrete fragments rained down on the arena. Bakugo's eyes widened as he finally looked up, seeing the storm of rubble descending upon him.
"Holy crap!" Kaminari shouted. "It's like a meteor shower!"
Bakugo reacted quickly, using his explosions to destroy the larger pieces of debris. But the sheer volume of projectiles was overwhelming. In the chaos, Uraraka closed the distance between them.
"She's going for a touch!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed.
But Bakugo wasn't one of the top students in our class for nothing. Even as he defended against the falling rubble, he kept one arm aimed at Uraraka. Just as she was about to make contact, he let loose a massive explosion.
The force of the blast sent Uraraka flying backward. She hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop near the edge of the arena.
"Uraraka!" several of our classmates cried out in unison.
For a moment, it seemed like the match might be over. But then, slowly, Uraraka began to push herself up.
"She's still going," I said, a mix of admiration and concern in my voice. "But she's taken a lot of damage. I don't think she can take another hit like that."
Bakugo stood in the center of the arena, his uniform singed and dirty from the debris. He was breathing heavily, but his eyes never left Uraraka as she struggled to her feet.
"Why won't you stay down?" Bakugo growled, loud enough for us to hear in the stands.
Uraraka's response was barely audible, but I could read her lips. "Because... I'm going to be a hero."
With what seemed like the last of her strength, Uraraka charged at Bakugo one final time. Bakugo's hands sparked, ready to unleash another devastating explosion.
But just before they made contact, Uraraka's legs gave out. She collapsed, her fingertips inches away from Bakugo's boots.
Midnight's voice rang out across the arena. "Uraraka is unable to continue! Bakugo advances to the next round!"
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