Walking to the far side of the gym so that there would be some starting distance between him and Mirio Nick watched as the older boy began to stretch. Amajiki was standing to the side in a corner head against the wall but he was glancing around. Waiting for the fight to start.
"So what is your quirk? How does it work, I heard you grow arms. Is it similar to Tamaki's or different? Where do you get the resources from? Do you need resources?" And Nejire was next to him, having followed him as she verbally spewed more questions than he could answer.
Smiling down at her he said, "How about you try to figure it out instead? Isn't that more fun? I'll tell you after if you can't though." His voice challenging.
Seeing her pout he chuckled a bit as he heard Mirio call out. "Ready when you are Nicklaus! How do we want to start this?"
"When this rock hits the floor?" Nick said as a rock rose up from the ground by his feet, being thrown into the air by the movement of the ground before landing in his hand.
Seeing Mirio nod his head and stand there casually he just smiled. Throwing the rock high into the air… time seemed to slow as he matched eyes with Mirio. Staring at each other over the open space of concrete. The rock slowly fell. Nejire hurried backwards, her feet a dull echo as she moved. He could feel the air swirling around he let out a held breath…
Thud.
With the rock hitting the floor and cracking down the middle, the single sound like a gunshot setting off the fight as the floor around Mirio suddenly exploded into a violent sea of spikes in an instant. The ground around Nick rose into a pillar that carried him into the air.
Shock quickly overtook Mirio's calm expression. He had expected Nicklaus to run at him or attack with a ranged attack that he could easily just let go through him but instead the entire floor around him had tried to impale him. Activating his quirk on his entire body he cursed mentally, the ground had changed so fast that he didn't know where he would come up.
With Mirio falling onto the floor and both Nejire and Tamaki looking on in shock Nick stared down where Mirio had dropped into. He wouldn't be able to calculate where he was going to come up but neither could Nick. He also couldn't feel the boy inside the ground either like he hoped he would be able to… no, there he was.
As soon as Mirio returned to normal Nick felt the ground rejecting the intrusive matter. Space in that area was being occupied by two things at once and it didn't like it. He could feel the change in the concrete, not the change in Mirio however so he still couldn't affect the boy, but he knew where he would come up at least.
Seeing the trajectory he jumped down from the pillar and as soon as Mirio emerged from the ground he had to make himself non-tangible again as a fist passed through his face. Crashing his fist into the concrete the ground was webbed with cracks as the entire floor deconstructed in an instant throwing up a cloud of dust. A hail of rocks shooting out into the air as Mirio who had tried to find his footing and gain his bearings had to once again fall into the floor to dodge the hail of rocks. Unable to see where Nick was through the dust he didn't know where he needed to come up.
Nick had been able to know where he was coming up, even when Mirio himself didn't his quirk must let him feel him in the ground or something so he had to be careful. Timing his fall he made himself solid again aiming straight up, wanting to gain height.
As he launched from the ground he kept all but his eyes phasing as the attack Nick had prepared went straight through him, gaining height he looked around the room seeing the floor covered in spikes, the odd trajectories would make it almost impossible to move around properly.
This kid was good.
Looking over at Nick he saw the boy's back split open. Two large mechanical tendrils emerged from his back. The core of them was flesh and bone but the stone and concrete plating over the outside which made them much harder and stronger.
Swinging the duo of arms at Mirio as expected the attacks went right through him but that wasn't their main goal of them. As they passed through the boy they suddenly latched onto the ceiling rafters. Throwing himself forward he waited until he felt it, Mirio took in a breath, he could feel the air moving into the boy's lungs and as soon as he did that.
Spores filled the air.
Nick had studied mushrooms outside his home in the woods. Most of them were mundane or only slightly poisonous but after research and connections, he had managed to get his hands on some weak paralytic poisons. From there he just had to work on condensing and refining. This was the first time he was using them so he didn't know how it was going to go.
Holding his own breath the spores released from his arms. Nick slowed his attack enough that Mirio would finish his breath just in time to be able to go intangible again to dodge. As he dodged he felt his body lock up.
Mirio could still use his quirk but his body wasn't responding, eyes widening he saw the faint hue in the air, a very slightly greenish yellow.
Falling he tried to force his body to move but it wouldn't respond to his commands, his muscles were locking up. Feeling he was about to impact the floor he phased into it before letting himself launch back out only for Nick to be waiting. As more spores filled the air. Nick would be there when Mirio needed to breathe. He couldn't move but he also couldn't be hit as long as he was careful, but he would be staying paralyzed… with no way to move and only the choice of dodging left but even that would only last for so long before he slipped up… he had lost without even being able to attack.
Making himself solid he lay against the floor trying to get his fingers to twitch. He couldn't even speak because his mouth was locked up.
Seeing Mirio no longer dodge Nick stopped as he landed on the floor quickly shifting it back to normal concrete, running over to Mirio at a slightly hurried pace he put his hand against the boy and deactivated the poison. He knew that it could get quite painful if left in the body for extended periods. This was the first time he used it in combat, but he had tested it on himself. In a sort of safe environment of course.
Deconstructing the poison and removing it from Mirio he saw him relax as he lay on the floor. His face was adorned by a smile as he said. "Oh wow, that was hard! You almost perfectly countered me there Nick! It's like you knew what my quirk was." His voice was curious as he sat up. Nejire and even Tamaki came over to see if their friend was alright.
"Well, I did, once I heard you were the strongest I got as much information as I could about you. It wasn't hard to find some third years that bragged about how awesome you were." Nick responded as he held his hand out, grabbing Mirio's wrist as he helped him to his feet.
Honestly, the fight had been a lot easier than he expected, then again Mirio couldn't beat him, only dodge him.
"Honestly I am not really someone that is fair to fight, any physical contact with me and you lose. I can activate my quirk through any part of my body after all." Nick said, trying to make sure his senior wasn't too down about being beaten even if he didn't look it.
"That was so much fun though! I really need to get better at predicting wild terrain or people that can shape it, since that means my predictions would be off I could be led right into a trap as you formed for me. Also being more careful about when and how I take breaths. I never thought of someone countering me that way!" Mirio started to talk excitedly.
"Honestly if you just focus on dodging it doesn't matter what I do I can't hit you, I had to spend energy to transform the ground so it is possible to wear me out, if your quirk enough or I am tired enough you could get a hit or two in before I can activate my quirk. I don't think I can win between us every time, I just caught you off guard." Nick reassured as he and Mirio started talking about their quirks and counters.
"Honestly, Mirio, I am really impressed, my quirk has been difficult to learn especially affecting my own body to transform without merging. But I can't imagine how much time and effort you must have put into practice and growing your own quirk. It really is amazing." Nick honestly complimented the boy. It was very impressive, he also didn't want to seem arrogant.
Just as Mirio was about to respond Nejire interrupted, tired of having to stand there silently. "I know he is awesome right! But your quirk is super cool! Do you think that I could fight you? Also, it kind of is similar to Tamaki since he can make other parts too! Is it similar to you that you need something like that? It more looked like you just made them from your body thou-" Nejire started rambling.
Suddenly being interrupted Tamaki said, "Let them both talk Hado…" His voice was tired, but he was looking at Nick with curiosity. No longer leaning against the wall and having joined them in the centre of the gym.
Grumbling something under her breath she just clasped her hands behind her back and turned her face to the side, her expression grumpy but it was clear she wasn't that bothered. Talking again Mirio finally responded, "It took me a long time to master it, yeah, and I still have a ways to go. But it was mostly experience that got me my strength! You seem to have plenty of experience yourself though?"
"Uh yeah, I have fought before, my martial arts instructor has beaten a lot of lessons into me. And he helps me gain experience fighting other students and friends as well." Nick responded as he rubbed the back of his head a bit.
Turning to Nejire he responded, "As for your questions. I am happy t fight you if you want, and I don't know how similar my quirk is to Tamaki, after all, I don't know much about it?" His eyes turned over to the sullen boy as he questioned his quirk.
After an explanation of Manifest and an example, as well as declining a fight Nick soon got enough information he could say things without knowing things he shouldn't. "Oh, that is awesome. A problem that I always have is properly merging my body with external materials in more ways than just simple plating or entirely separate add-ons like my old mechanical arms."
He didn't ask if he could look at Manifest just yet, he didn't want to be intrusive and scare away new friends.
"Can we fight nowwwww." Nejire wined from where she was standing. Tugging at the edge of his shirt as she said though. Clearly eager to get into a battle.
Nodding his head he made his way to his previous starting spot. Grabbing another rock as Mirio and Tamaki stood to the side together. Waiting for Nejire to finally stop bouncing to her spot he called out, "Ready?" Getting an excited yet concentrated nod back.
Throwing the rock into the air he waited for the stone to hit the floor before the ground erupted around him.
Putting up a wall as fast as he could he felt the ground shake as a spiral blast slammed into the raised concrete sending cracks through it and dust billowing out into the air. Leaping over the wall he saw her already preparing another attack as she floated in the air.
The attack came although it was slow. With a simple movement, he spun himself around, back facing towards the ceiling as a single tendril-like grapple emerged from between his shoulders and slammed into the roof yanking him out of the way of the oncoming attack.
As it blasted past him and into the far wall his feet landed against the metal ceiling supports. As soon as he made contact he absorbed them into his body as his legs were encased in metallic muscles.
Pushing off what was left of the beam he blurred from speed as he slammed into the floor before dashing to the right, every movement made his muscles split and strain but he didn't care, he could heal them in the fraction of a second between dashes.
Making a wall appear underneath Nejire as she looked around trying to find a moment that he stopped so that she could hit him he suddenly dashed beneath her. Using the wall to stop his momentum instantly he felt his bones break but didn't care. They reformed before anyone could even see that he had damaged himself he had rebuilt his body. Because of the sudden stop, he was able to leap up before she could move out of the way.
Launching past her he brushed his hand along her back before she could even turn around. As she started to fall her body paralyzed Tamaki and Mirio were about to move forward to catch her but before they could Nick had already hit the ceiling and launched himself back at the floor.
Slamming into the concrete feet first, he felt his legs buckle and strain but quickly rebuilt them and the floor as Nejire fell towards him.
Holding his arms out he caught her gently, and as soon as she landed in his arms the paralysis vanished instantly. In fact, all the stamina she had used in the fight instantly returned to her.
Putting her down on her own feet almost as soon as he caught her Nick took a respectful step back as he felt too close to her. Shaking his legs a bit he felt the feeling start to return, they always tingled a bit when he healed and broke them so quickly, and he really couldn't wait for the next improvement.
Using his tendril he touched the ceiling rafters and returned the metal. Putting both his hands on the floor the entire gym shifted back and fixed itself from both his and Nejire's attacks.
"That was fun." Nick said as he fixed the gym, "Honestly I didn't expect to have to use so much speed but it seemed the best way to beat you. You really are amazing." His smile on his face.
Turning to look at Mirio and Tamaki who had walked over he stood up straight again.
"Why are you using your hands?" Tamaki asked, hadn't Nick been able to use his whole body?
"Ah, my quirk has a wider radius the close to my palms I activate it, it also is a force of habit, before well… dying, I could only use my quirk from my hands," Nick answered.
For once Nejire was just looking at Nick instead of bugging him with questions but as soon as he finished answering she snapped out of it and she said, "Oh my gosh! That was so cool! How were you so fast? And why were your legs black? Is it similar to the scar?"
Smiling in amusement he entertained her questions explaining how he just grew his muscles and changed their structure a bit so that they were stronger. But he still couldn't properly face the kickback just yet and still had a lot to work on. Despite being able to reshape matter for personal enhancements he had to learn the structure of everything and truly understand it in order for him to be able to properly use them.
They talked for a while after that, mostly about their quirks but as they walked towards the gates of U.A. they talked about random things such as hobbies and interests. Since the sun had started to set they all head off to their homes. Going their separate ways.
As Nick boarded the train he couldn't help but smile, it felt like it had been so long since he had… well had friends. He really did hope that he could make a friendship with these people, he felt he could actually learn a lot from them, more than just about his quirk as well. Getting excited for tomorrow since they had told him where they normally go for lunch he felt that he would be busy up until the sports festival. He had a lot to practice.
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Let me know what you think of the fights in this chapter! I felt the way that Nick countered Mirio was cool!
Thanks for all the advice and support as always! It really does motivate me to write more! Might get a second chapter out today since I managed to finish this one early!
Reviews and comments are always more than welcome, let me know what you think and what I can do better!