The crowd erupted into cheers as Midnight strutted onto the stage, her whip snapping dramatically in the air. She waved to the audience, a playful smirk on her face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for staying with us through this incredible day! The time has come for the highlight of the festival—the semi-finals! A quirk-based duel, one-on-one, where only the strongest, smartest, and most creative will triumph!"
The students lined up near the edge of the stadium, their faces a mix of excitement and nerves. Bakugo smirked confidently.
Todoroki stood calm and collected. Aiden leaned back with a grin, his carefree demeanor masking the sharp focus in his glowing mismatched eyes.
The arena transformed into a circular stage, surrounded by glowing barriers to protect the audience. Midnight read the names off the screen.
"For our first match, we have the explosive dynamo, Katsuki Bakugo, facing off against the cunning and calculating Hitoshi Shinsou! Competitors, to the stage!"
Bakugo stomped into the ring, his palms already crackling with tiny explosions. "Tch. Let's get this over with. No way I'm losing to some General Studies reject."
Shinsou stepped forward with a calm, unreadable expression. His hands were in his pockets, but his eyes gleamed with determination.
The crowd murmured, intrigued by the unusual matchup.
"Do you think Shinsou has a chance?" Seraphina asked, leaning forward in the VIP booth.
"Shinsou's quirk is psychological," Maximilian observed. "If he plays his cards right, he might surprise us."
Midnight raised her hand. "Ready… BEGIN!"
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[First Match]
Bakugo charged immediately, launching himself into the air with a blast from his palm. "DIE!" he yelled, sending an explosion toward Shinsou.
Shinsou didn't flinch. Instead, he spoke calmly. "Is that all you've got?"
Bakugo froze mid-air, his face twisting in anger. "What'd you say to me, you—"
Before Bakugo could finish his insult, his eyes glazed over. He dropped to the ground, standing eerily still.
The crowd gasped.
"He fell for it!" Present Mic shouted. "Shinsou's Brainwashing quirk is in play! The fight's over if Shinsou can command him out of the ring!"
Shinsou smirked. "Bakugo, walk—"
But before he could finish the command, a deafening explosion rocked the arena. Bakugo's eyes cleared as he instinctively detonated a blast near his feet, propelling himself backward.
"What the hell?!" Shinsou exclaimed, stepping back.
"Nice try, you brainwashing freak!" Bakugo snarled. "You think I'm gonna lose to some stupid trick?!"
The fight escalated as Bakugo unleashed a relentless barrage of explosions. Shinsou dodged and weaved, trying to bait Bakugo into responding to another taunt, but Bakugo refused to take the bait.
"Shinsou's strategy is solid," Aiden murmured from the sidelines. "But Bakugo's too aggressive to give him time to think."
The match ended explosively—literally—as Bakugo launched a powerful Howitzer Impact that sent Shinsou flying out of bounds. Midnight raised her hand.
"Winner: Katsuki Bakugo!"
-
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[Second Match]
[A/N: Honestly, I don't like Deku that much. His character rubs me the wrong way for soe reason, so that's why I've avoided writing much about him. But I can't just make him dissappear so yeah.]
The crowd buzzed with excitement as the second match was announced.
"Next up, we have Izuku Midoriya, the determined underdog of Class 1-A, going up against Celeste Aran, the brilliant tactician from 1-B!" Midnight declared.
Celeste adjusted her golden-trimmed glasses as she stepped onto the stage, her black and white hair catching the sunlight. She exuded a quiet confidence, her quirk Absolute Reflection already well-known to her peers.
Midoriya, meanwhile, clenched his fists, a determined look on his face. He'd analyzed Celeste's fights during the earlier rounds and knew this wouldn't be an easy battle.
"Ready… BEGIN!" Midnight's voice rang out.
Midoriya charged forward immediately, his legs glowing faintly with the power of One For All. He aimed a quick kick at Celeste, but she stepped aside gracefully, her glasses glinting in the light.
"You're predictable, Midoriya," she said calmly, placing a hand on the ground.
A shimmering barrier formed around her, and Midoriya's next punch was reflected back at him, forcing him to leap away.
"Her quirk's a nightmare for close-range fighters," Todoroki muttered from the sidelines.
"But Midoriya's adaptable," Aiden pointed out, a faint smile on his lips.
Midoriya circled Celeste, trying to find an opening. He picked up a loose piece of debris and threw it toward her. The barrier reflected it harmlessly, but Midoriya used the moment to close the gap, delivering a feint punch to her left before sweeping her legs from under her.
Celeste, however, anticipated the move. She activated her quirk mid-fall, redirecting the energy of her fall into a powerful shockwave that sent Midoriya sprawling.
"Clever," Eleanor noted from the VIP booth. "She's using his strength against him."
Midoriya got back to his feet, his eyes burning with determination. He muttered to himself, analyzing Celeste's movements and patterns. "Her quirk needs her to absorb energy before she can reflect it. If I can limit my attacks to quick, non-damaging moves…"
Using his quick thinking, Midoriya began a new strategy. Instead of direct attacks, he darted around Celeste, using his speed to create distractions.
"You're stalling," Celeste remarked, her tone unbothered. "It won't work."
Midoriya suddenly changed direction, leaping high into the air. He flipped mid-air and came down with a powerful 10% Delaware Smash, aiming just outside her barrier. The shockwave disrupted the ground, causing Celeste to stumble.
Seizing the moment, Midoriya rushed forward, managing to get close enough to grab her arm.
"Now!" he shouted, activating One For All at 10% to throw her off-balance.
Celeste smirked. "Good try."
She activated her quirk again, absorbing the kinetic energy from his attack and redirecting it into a forceful push that sent Midoriya sliding back.
Both combatants were breathing heavily now, their strategies reaching a stalemate.
"Midoriya can't keep this up forever," Shoto observed. "His stamina will give out before hers does."
Midoriya, realizing this, decided to take a risk. He charged one last time, his legs glowing brightly with One For All. As he reached Celeste, he stopped short and slammed his foot into the ground.
The resulting shockwave disrupted her footing, and for the first time, her barrier flickered. Midoriya took advantage of the moment, delivering a light but precise punch to her shoulder, pushing her just outside the ring.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Midnight raised her whip.
"Winner: Izuku Midoriya!"
The audience was buzzing with excitement after the first two matches.
"That was intense!" Present Mic shouted. "Shinsou gave Bakugo a run for his money, and Midoriya showed us just how smart he can be under pressure!"
In the VIP booth, Eleanor turned to Seraphina. "Celeste is still as impressive as ever. I wouldn't mind seeing her duel Aiden again, just like when they were kids."
Seraphina said, "She's good, but Aiden would make a joke out of the whole thing."
Back in the arena, the next matchups were being prepared, the atmosphere crackling with anticipation.
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[A/N: Might be the first time asking for powerstones, donno their purpose but still want em.
Stone me!!!!!]