The next match didn't take more than seconds. Though Sero took the initiative to throw Todoroki off his feet and out the bounds, he was frozen less than a second later within a huge wall of ice taking up half the stage, causing a rough rumble.
Sora didn't know which one to do, gape at Todoroki's insane power which manifested literally a few inches from her face, or feel sorry for poor Sero.
" Don't... Don't you think that's a bit too much?" Sero stuttered.
" That's overkilling it," Sora trailed and Yuu nodded. Being so close to the wall made him recall the day he was frozen to unconsciousness. That made him shiver.
As expected, Midnight announced Todoroki the winner of their match.
" Sero-kun is immobilized. Todoroki-kun advances to the second round!"
All of those watching must have realized just how overwhelmed Sero was by Todoroki's unrivaled strength since calls of ' don't mind ' echoed through the stage.
" Sorry, I went overboard." They could hear Todoroki talking to Sero. " I was angry."
Yuu's eyes softened upon hearing him. " Todoroki-san... Sounds sad..." He whispered to his friend. Sora needed not to look at his aura to figure so too.
________________
Next was Kaminari's match, and it too, ended in an instant. His opponent, Shiozaki Ibara, warded off his attack and bound him using her vines in no time, securing her place in the second round. Kaminari on the other hand was brought on a stretcher to the infirmary with a rather stupid look on his face.
" It's bad his Quirk couldn't do much against her." Whisper sighed seeing the boy disappear into the exit.
A blond head peeked over the wall between their box and Class B's. " What's that? Didn't he say he'd settle this in a second? That's strange, he was defeated in a second, wasn't he? Class A is supposed to be better than Class B, so isn't that weird?"
He started laughing off on his own before grimacing and sliding off. An orange head appeared this time with Kendo's apologizing smile. " Sorry!"
The whole of Class A stared off at her in a trance. What was that just now?
Sora laughed awkwardly at that. " Don't know why he gives me the vibes of Slytherin."
" Is it time for you to think about that now?" Yuu pointed.
" This school is cursed with weirdos," Groaned Whisper.
Everyone blinked and looked at their sides when a certain freckled boy started murmuring his analysis of the battle. Everyone was rather startled and Bakugo for once seemed to want to blow him away with an explosion.
" Midoriya-san... Likes analyzing things that much, right?" Yuu wondered.
" Too much for that matter." Sora blinked.
" Another weirdo." Whisper sighed.
" You just finished, but you're already thinking about countermeasures, huh?" Uraraka piped in.
Midoriya clapped one hand over his mouth realizing he was thinking out loud. " Oh, no! It's just, I mean, this is pretty much my hobby..."
Sora blinked. When she had twisted towards Midoriya, she realized Iida's seat was empty. " Where did Iida-kun go?"
" His match is next. Of course he would head out to the waiting room," said Whisper.
" Without us noticing? Woah, he seems like some kind of a ninja!" Sora's eyes sparkled in awe.
" Not at all... You were just too distracted," stated Yuu.
" Either way, your match is after him. Are you sure you want to stay around?" Asked Whisper.
Sora bobbed her head before looking down at the arena when both opponents entered. " I want to watch Iida's battle."
His opponent was Midoriya's teammate, Hatsume Mei from the support course. What mostly surprised them was the fact that Iida was equipped with support items himself.
Midnight pointed that it was a violation of the rules, for unlike the support course, the hero course wasn't permitted any extra equipment without petition.
" I humbly apologize." Iida bowed. " However, my heart was moved by my opponent's sportsmanship. Even though she is from the support course, she said she wanted an even match since she made it this far. She said she wanted to fight fairly. So, she gave me this equipment. I did not think I could ignore her fighting spirit!"
" Oh youth!" Midnight squealed much to their astonishment. " I'll allow it!" She stated firmly, regaining her calm.
" Huh?" Sora rubbed her eyes multiple times, which caught Yuu's attention.
" What's the matter?"
" It's just, I thought something is off with my eyes or something. Hatsume-san, she doesn't intend to attack Iida-kun at all." Sora was rather speculated about it.
" Doesn't intend to? Then why would she give him a support item?... Unless..."
The match went in a very peculiar way not to say the least. Rather than a match, Sora thought it was some kind of advertisement since Hatsume focused on demonstrating her equipment at work.
" Figured so." Yuu exhaled." She wants the support companies to see her products badly."
" Iida-kun... Unfortunately became her guinea pig." Sora sweat dropped.
" Weirdos! Weirdos everywhere!" Whisper was going nuts.
In ten minutes or so, Hatsume stepped out of bounds deliberately, rather proud of herself. Iida on the other hand pulled a Bakugo and was about to lunge at her for tricking him.
Sora had vanished by that time, pulling back to the waiting room and forgetting everything she said about seeing Iida's fight.
Sora sat down on a chair in the Player Waiting Room 2, leaning her elbows on the table and intertwining her fingers. She tried hard not to worry about it but she couldn't. Her opponent wasn't an easy one. She knew that. And she can't overuse her Quirk as well.
Just as she was deep in thought, Uraraka entered, making her snap her head to the door. " Ochaco-chan?"
" Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you." Uraraka wiggled a hand at her.
Sora smiled and shook her head, patting the seat by her side. " Sit down. You're more anxious than I'm."
" You can tell, Sora-chan," Uraraka said with a weak smile as she dropped by the white head.
" I would look worse if I had to face that guy to say the truth," Sora assured her.
" He's really intimidating," Uraraka added with an awkward smile before looking down at her hands balling around the fabric of her pants. " You know... Seeing Iida-kun and Deku-kun today... Something feels off about me..."
She placed her hand on her chest and heaved a sigh as though trying to get rid of a heavyweight. " I don't want to stay behind. I have to reach higher too. I have a reason to do my best after all."
Sora smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. " You do. And you have the resolve to fight till the end for your dream. Have confidence in yourself and go all out."
Uraraka smiled gently at her. " Thank you, Sora-chan... And sorry... You ended up comforting me though your match is almost due."
" Don't mention it. I will always help out my friends." She pushed her chair backwards with a screech as she stood up. " Now excuse me. I'm not giving in to Mina-chan easily."
" Good luck." Uraraka held up a thumb at her while Sora walked off to the door, waving at her friend.
________________
It wasn't before long that she proceeded to the arena, clambering the stairs and facing off against the pinkette while fire pillars rose by their sides, heating the air all around them.
" We're gonna keep right on going with the fifth match! No! She isn't a middle schooler, though she may seem like one! Don't let her short height and innocent face trick you, this girl is able to make you feel pain! From the hero course, it's Shirogane Sora!"
" What kind of introduction is this, Mic-sensei."
" Versus- Is something going to come out of those horns? Well? From the hero course, It's Ashido Mina."
The pinkette was stretching her arms overhead, readying herself. " Let's give it all our might, Sora!"
" Ossu!" She cried performing her usual karate salute.
" Now, why don't we get moving? Fifth match, Start!"
Ashido used her acid to skid on the ground, approaching Sora. " We've been on the same team during combat training so I know a bit about you Quirk." She secreted her acid within her hands and threw it in Sora's direction promptly, forcing her to dodge it. " I won't allow you to grow those wings of yours!"
" Not Bad," muttered Sora as she focused on avoiding the acid. She is pressing on me but also keeping her distance. She knows I'm capable of hand-to-hand combat.
" Why isn't Shirogane-san using her wings?" Midoriya asked from his seat.
" You guys didn't realize it but, Sora needs a moment to grow them," Yuu piped in. " Ashido-san is trying to press on her so she doesn't. She knows if Sora turned it into a midair battle, she will have the upper hand."
" I see," Midoriya murmured. " There's also her flexibility and all, Ashido-san is able to force Shirogane-san to a corner easily."
" Don't you get fooled, soldier." Whispered smirked, pointing his finger at Sora. " Look closely."
The girl maintained her smile as she dodged Ashido's onslaught with small movements. " Sora has a plan."
" I've got you!" Ashido cried once Sora was a foot from the bounds.
" No! Now I've got you!" Sora ducked underneath Ashido's right arm as she closed on her, grabbing it tightly while pushing the pinkette face down on the ground, her other hand pinning Ashido's left arm down while twisting her right arm hard behind her back it made her cry in pain.
" Hoo! Shirogane pins Ashido down on the ground!"
" Quick reflexes, enhanced strength and knowledge of martial arts..." Ojiro blinked at the white head. " ... It's quite amazing."
" That one hurts." Yuu winced just thinking about how much pain Ashido was in.
" Mina-chan, give up!"
" Like I would! I secrete acid from every inch of my body!"
Sora winced, feeling the searing pain of burning on her palms as Ashido produced the liquid around her wrists where Sora was grasping her. Sora however pulled Ashido's right arm harder, making her grunt.
" You forgot! I can withstand it more than normal humans! Give up Mina-chan! Don't force me to hurt you more!"
Ashido groaned from the pain in her right arm before stuttering. " I... Give up..."
Sora breathed out, letting go of the other girl. Midnight waved her whip in Sora's direction. " Ashido-san gives up! Shirogane-san proceeds to the next round!"
" I didn't know Shirogane-san was knowledgeable of martial arts." Midoriya blinked.
" Her family has a small dojo. Learning to defend themselves is a tradition it seems." Pointed Whisper.
" That was rough Sora." Ashido stood up while holding her shoulder. " I thought you would snap my arm out. You're really relentless."
" Mina-chan too..." Sora was cradling her burned hands.
Ashido cackled weakly at their state. " We're beaten up already. Let's have Recovery Girl fix us."
Sora nodded her head in approval.