Chapter 45: Sports Festival Arc (10)
~Toshinori Y. POV~
[UA High School, Stadium, Japan]
After the fight against Shoto Todoroki, I was smiling at the results of the battle. Truly, my student went above and beyond in against that match a bit too much, in my honest opinion, but his words seemed to have resonated with young Shoto to use his full power.
The other matches soon followed with the young Quirkless Boy Izuku Midoriya and Himiko Toga leading to their equal disqualification by rind out at the same time. Without any blood to access Toga didn't have the advantage of using her quirk anymore without a blood source.
But she managed to get a drop on Izuku transforming into him by biting down. Drastic but in her case was a desperate gamble.
Even so, she managed to ring both out at the same time. It led both to lose, but their determination and fight managed to move the crowd.
But to think the boy I dismissed his dreams to make it this far… how far have I fallen to encourage the next generation telling him the impossible for a Quirkless person like him can make it?
And yet he defied expectation, making it through his own merits. Despite my words, he moved forward, making his dream a reality.
I've even heard over the news that Nezu might contemplate adding him to the Hero Course, being the first Quirkless to make it. However, if there isn't anything concrete, it would be a moving tale.
But my eyes also landed on the next generation of students with Ren's opponent being gone, he essentially made it to the finals, observing the other matches. I received a text message that he recently gained new skills during the match with young Shoto Todoroki.
It's something he's supposed to do when given the chance to inform me or Nezu of the development of his Quirks and skills. Hmm… reading it seems that [OFA] allowed him to access the ability of [Bio-Electricity Manipulation] and [Bio-Electric Aura].
Judging from the info, he was genuinely surprised to discover it already using [High Spec], informing the possibilities and reasoning why this one skill appeared. It seems his copy couldn't produce the power.
It only manifested when he digested and got used to the original. I suppose the theory that it relied on the stockpile power to produce the effects is possible.
With my student growth progressing, it's astounding, to say the least. But his progression is becoming slowed down by the laws for him to truly grow stronger.
Hopefully, the internships with other heroes would open more opportunities. I should discuss this with Nezu, the best possible means to train young Ren Yuki about gaining some EXP to level up.
Hmm… I wonder if we should give the okay to allow his classmates to level up. With his party system, it's possible, but we don't know exactly the effects it would have on them… I wonder how Nezu would go around this for him.
Regardless, the other matches have been quite intriguing to watch the other students of Class 1-A fighting for the top. But unfortunately, the one who made it to the finals in the end is young Katsuki Bakugo.
Seeing that fight against Ren and Shoto seemed to have enlightened no rather than motivated him to push forward seeing the clash between the two. Although it seems my students have gotten quite a few offers.
I wonder which hero he'll join under…
/////
~Ren Y. POV~
[UA High School, Contestant Prep Room 2, Japan]
Ah, man, it was so embarrassing! I couldn't help myself as my classmates all stared at me with starry eyes at my fight against Shoto, doing my best against him.
It earned me a level up, sure. But I didn't expect to form my fan club because of my showing off. It was for my future internships that I provided the goods.
Still, though, I'm glad to have a moment of peace knowing that the matches with Bakugo ended with his victory. Although some of my classmates took it hard losing they accepted to learn from their mistakes.
But… what the fuck Toga. She fucking cocked block me out of my EXP!
I felt like this whole Sports Festival, the perfect place to grind, was a grand failure. I only fought like only 1 FUCKING TIME?!!
And the first round didn't even count since I was helping Mei spread her Support Gear, showing off gaining that free win. On the bright side, I did get her to help me in future projects again in the future.
*BAM*
My eyes widened abruptly as someone came forward inside. It seems that Bakugo entered as he looked confused and stunned, "Huh? Huh?! Why're you in here…? Prep room – ah, crap. This is room two!!"
I couldn't help but chuckle at this guy in a shameless tone with a smug grin on my face, eyeing him, "Heh. And here you have me concerned for my match against you when you can't even know the right way to the prep room, man. Thanks for the encouragement."
He had this pissed-off expression on his face as he swaggers over to me, kicking over the table in his outburst, "Hey, I mean, I get that I walked into the wrong room… but giving your final opponent the poor excuse? What's the big idea, you idiot!"
*Thud*
Ah… stop poor table-chan abuse.
But taking on a semi-serious face, I responded, apologizing lightly to his face in a chill tone facing him, "I get it, my bad, man. But in all seriousness, congrats on making it here to the finals."
He merely scoffed, pointing out my lack of victories in a smug tone, rubbing it in, "Yeah, whatever. At least I had to fight my way other than your poor excuses of cop-outs you've been given, thief."
Ack! Feeling that emotional damage, I mumbled in a defeated tone, "Ack!"
He merely grunted, scoffing at my actions as he continued speaking in a determined tone, glaring daggers at me, "Tch. Anyway, you better not go easy on me, thief! Not after how you showed off against the ice-hot bastard! I don't care if you have All Might's power or anyone second-rate hero or villain Quirks! I want everyone to know that I've beat you at your best, so if you don't want to die yourself, you better not underestimate me."
Expressing a maniacal grin on his with a mix of anger, I returned with a sly grin, responding seriously, "If that's the case, then hold it against me when you lose. At the very least, a brawl against you will certainly be an interesting experience."
He merely scoffed at me as he turned his back to leave. I suppose I should do the same since our match is the final one.
/////
[UA High School, Stadium, Japan]
Stepping onto the arena on one end, staring at Bakugo, I noticed sweat dripping from his forehead. Bakugo secrets nitroglycerin as sweat from his palms and can ignite them, resulting in an explosion.
He must have warmed himself up before the match to produce more sweat. But my thoughts were cut off by Present Mic announcing the match, "YEAHHHH!! At last, we've arrived!! The best of the best among UA's First Years will be decided! It's the final match… Yuki versus Bakugo!! Now, START!!"
Taking on a defensive stance I saw Bakugo prepare himself unlike his usual matches from before took caution against me. Bakugo, on the other hand, adjusts his hands before making them burn with explosive energy as he gives me a smug look…
*KABOOOM*
Bakugo propels himself with his [Explosion] Quirk and launches a barrage of fireballs at me to retaliate I activated my [Attract and Repel] canceling out his explosions with my repulsion force.
*VUMM*
Soon he shifted his battle style using his [Explosive Speed]. I've seen him use this during the Quirk Apprehension Test and the first time during the obstacle race for a pseudo flight growing ever stronger. [Observe].
[Katsuki Bakugo Lv.30 UA Student].
Interesting… he certainly has gotten stronger, but last I checked, he was only Lv.20 during the first week. I wonder how he reached level 30 in that time, or rather did he learn a new skill to increase his jump in levels?
No matter. I fight to win.
*BAM*
I punch the ground to make a tile rise to shield myself from the explosive barrage. I then strike the tile towards Bakugo, who attempts to slow down the tile's trajectory with a stream of fire from his hands, but in doing so, ends up creating an explosion that launches him back once the tile encounters him.
*KABOOOM*
I rushed towards Bakugo and leaped in the air using [Attract and Repel], arriving right behind the King of Explosion Murder and grabbing his leg before slamming him on the ground enhanced with [Full Cowl].
*BAM*
He groaned in pain from the impact I gave him. But got to give the man his due since Bakugo bounces away from the impact, as he uses the momentum to launch himself away with [Explosion], thwarting my attempt to hit him once more.
I spin around and send a series of repulsion beams toward Bakugo, which he avoids by propelling himself with his Quirk. Bakugo then launches himself in the air and uses explosions to propel himself in a circular motion to create a tornado. This tornado builds up oxygen to fuel the incoming explosion – ah.
That explains the jump in levels. He got his ultimate move [Howitzer Impact]. If I recall correctly from the source material, Present Mic compared the effectiveness of the technique to that of an actual missile. Yup, that'll do it being a high enough level.
He tried to land a [Howitzer Impact] on me, I dodged and punched a large rock out of the ground, which I threw at Bakugo. It was super effective.
*BAM*
He got hit by my rock throw managing to give me a few seconds of his vulnerability available as I began to throw a [Thunder Punch] 3 times before kicking the wild Pomeranian away giving him a shock to his system.
*BAM**BAM**BAM*
*Bzzzz*
I rushed forward with [Sprint] and began to pummel him, but this time, he defended himself from the strikes with his arms, although he was unable to prevent himself from being launched away once more.
*BAM*
Finally, he dodges by projecting himself in the air while spinning before thrusting himself downwards and slamming my face to the ground. Not only that, my [Instinct] skill kicked in, activating my [Bio-Electric Aura] in response to the incoming threat.
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
*BOOOOM*
Bakugo subsequently releases explosive energy on me three times, the third of which sends me flying before I crash on the ground. I took a check on my PP Bar, flinching lightly as my [Bio-Electric Aura] took the hits up close from his attacks, and my ears rang from hearing the explosions up close.
I can hardly hear, but that wasn't my concern. What was my concern is what Bakugo was doing caught my attention, though. I noticed Bakugo's hand movements changed. Katsuki stretches out one of his hands and uses his other hand to form a circle on the palm of his outstretched hand.
I manage to get up, taking him seriously as Bakugo, smug as ever, aims his hand at me. I activate [Full Cowl] with a clenched fist gesture.
I rushed forward one final time with him, who waited for me to arrive his hands glowed with ominous explosive energy as he prepared to fire up his attack in a smug tone, "Let's see you handle this just for you…!! [AP Shot]! DIE!!!!"
*PEW*
*KABOOOM*
It clicked right then and there why Bakugo got stronger. He had BOTH his ultimate moves and judging from his combat and observation he must've developed that trying to fight against me in long-range distance.
Not bad. Not bad at all. But…
*RMBL*
Not enough. Released from his hand pointed at me he releases a stream of explosive energy that looks to be a concentrated blast beam. But slamming my feet onto the ground I create a crater that releases chunks of rock from the ground which shields me.
Using [Spring], I jump over the crater and hurl myself towards Bakugo, whose smug expression changes to a worried one. Activating my [Thunder Punch] skill, I then proceed to pummel him, yelling out loud in jojo fashion throwing my hands down, "Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! ORA!!!"
*BUZZZZZ*
*BAM**BAM*
*BAM**BAM*
Getting his ass beaten from my assault of pummeling him I soon throw him towards a wall which he crashes into with one final yell, "ORA!!!"
*THUD*
[You gain 30 EXP]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
He fell as I panted hard from having to pummel a guy who could take a punch. Midnight soon checked on him as he was knocked out, making her call in an excited tone, "Bakugo is unconscious. Ren Yuki is the winner!!"
I smirked, soaking in the cheers from the crowd. I fucking won and looked good while doing it.
At the very least, my existence seemed to make Bakugo take fighting me seriously. Or at least make him adapt to create new skills faster because of me.
This is gonna be one hell of a heroic journey. Good grief…