"Huh? Absolute defense?"
Bakugo looked at the "Thunder Aegis" in front of him with surprise, then sneered with a mocking grin. "Seriously? Didn't think a flashy, wannabe like you would be talking big. What a joke!"
Kaminari just shrugged, still smiling. "Less talking, more doing. If you think you can break it, go ahead."
"Oh, I'll do more than that," Bakugo growled, his face twisting into a fierce scowl. "I'm blowing this stupid shield of yours to bits!"
With a vicious glint in his eyes, Bakugo extended his right hand toward the "Thunder Aegis." He was smart enough not to make direct contact, keeping a safe distance of about a meter, before activating his Quirk with full force.
BOOM!
The explosion erupted, sending fire and black smoke surging toward the "Thunder Aegis" in an intense wave. Bakugo watched eagerly, fully expecting his blast to leave some kind of dent.
But as the smoke cleared, the golden shield remained unscathed, its light undiminished. Bakugo's expression faltered, disbelief filling his face.
"No… no way!"
He stared, stunned, at the unblemished shield in front of him.
"Setting off fireworks for the crowd, are we?" Kaminari chuckled. His calm demeanor only served to make Todoroki and the others feel like he was taunting them.
"Go on, give it all you've got! Let's see what you can do."
In truth, Kaminari was also curious about the limits of his "Thunder Aegis," and he couldn't help but want to test it further.
"You arrogant lightning freak!" Bakugo snapped back, seething. He glanced at his classmates and barked, "Back up! Unless you want to get blown away, don't blame me for not warning you!"
"Bakugo! What are you planning?" Kirishima asked, concerned.
"Quit the questions and just move back!" Bakugo gave Kirishima a light shove, then turned to Sero. "Be ready to pull me back when I give the signal, got it?"
"Huh? Uh… yeah, sure!" Sero stammered, nodding as he processed Bakugo's request.
Meanwhile, Todoroki stood on his ice pillar, conflicted. He considered using his strongest "Iceberg" attack, but hesitated, worried about causing serious harm to Kaminari's team. The last thing he wanted was to be disqualified.
"Fine… let that guy give it a shot first," Todoroki thought, eyeing Bakugo, who was clearly preparing something big.
Bakugo, crouched on Kirishima's back, glared daggers at Kaminari within the golden barrier.
"Lightning idiot, watch as I break through your little bubble!"
BOOM!
With a fierce leap off Kirishima's back, Bakugo propelled himself high into the air. Using explosions from his palms, he rocketed toward the "Thunder Aegis" like a missile.
"Sure, this is gonna strain my arms, but…" Bakugo gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'm sick of that smug grin of yours!"
"Take this!" he roared, his hands coming together in a powerful stance as he reached the shield.
"HOWITZER IMPACT!"
With every ounce of strength he had, Bakugo unleashed a massive explosion, his Quirk roaring to its absolute limit. The resulting blast was so intense that even the spectators on the far side of the stadium could feel its heat. Thick black smoke flooded the screens, obscuring everything from view.
The shockwave forced everyone back—Kirishima and Sero were thrown off balance, and Todoroki, standing on his ice pillar, nearly toppled over, barely catching the edge to steady himself. The powerful wind whipped around him, making his clothes and hair flutter wildly.
"What a massive explosion… I didn't realize he could push his Quirk this far!"
"I hope no one got hurt…"
Cementoss, who was supposed to oversee the match as a referee, had silently joined Midnight on the sidelines. His face mirrored her concern.
"That… that was intense," Midnight muttered, clutching her whip tightly. "We didn't anticipate this level of combat so early in the tournament."
"Yeah," Cementoss agreed, his voice heavy. "If any of the students are seriously injured, it'll mean we failed in our responsibilities as pro heroes..."
In the moment of chaos, there had been no time to intervene.
It took nearly a full minute for the thick smoke to clear, finally revealing the scene within. As the haze lifted, the steady, golden light of the "Thunder Aegis" came into view once more.
"This… this can't be happening!"
Bakugo, who had been yanked back by Sero's tape just in time, sat perched on Kirishima's back, staring in disbelief. The "Thunder Aegis" continued to spin in place, completely unaffected.
"Are you kidding me? That… that was my strongest attack!"
Bakugo's arms were sore, throbbing from the strain. But more than that, his confidence had taken a hit.
"If my max power didn't even scratch this thing… does that mean… that lightning idiot is actually stronger than me?!"
As the realization hit, Bakugo's face darkened.
"Wow… it's holding up even better than I thought," Kaminari murmured, glancing at the stunned expressions of his opponents outside the shield.
"I really didn't expect this lightning-based 'Rotating Shield' to be so durable."
"Wait…"
Kaminari suddenly noticed something odd. Tiny cracks were beginning to form on the steel balls that served as the core nodes of his "Thunder Aegis."
"So Bakugo's attack did have an effect after all."
"If he had hit me with that same blast a second time, this shield probably would've shattered."
Kaminari took note of this weakness. He knew he would have to find a way to strengthen the shield's durability, perhaps by eventually moving beyond the steel balls and manipulating pure electric current alone.
He clenched his fist, looking at the golden current dancing around his hand. He made a mental note to push his technique further in the future.
"One day, this move will be a true 'Thunder Aegis.' A real absolute defense."
Just then, the roar of the audience broke his train of thought. The 120,000 spectators who had witnessed the clash erupted into cheers, their excitement spilling over.
"Did you see that?! Did you see it?!"
"Man, these first-years are something else!"
"Is this what it's like to face off against villains already?"
"Yeah, we haven't seen this kind of strength in a first-year class in years!"
***
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