"Yo, Kaminari!!"
As Kaminari made his way back to the seating area, Tetsutetsu, who had been scanning the crowd for him, immediately waved him over with a grin and pointed to the seat he'd saved.
"Hey, I saved you a front-row seat!"
"Nice. I'm looking forward to the next match… it's Bakugo's turn," Kaminari replied, nodding at Kyoka, Momo, and the others as he took his seat beside Tetsutetsu. He looked around, wondering to himself, "Has Bakugo already gone down to the field?"
"Yep," Kirishima answered from the row behind him, his curiosity piqued. "By the way, does anyone here know what kind of Quirk that Shiozaki girl from Class B has?"
Ashido, Asui, and the others exchanged blank glances and then collectively shook their heads. Just then, Monoma from Class B popped his head out from behind the nearby wall, smirking.
"Honestly, you Class A guys are so arrogant. You don't even know your opponent's Quirk, huh? Just because you've fought some villains, you think you're untouchable."
"Uh…"
The Class B rep, Kendou Itsuka, quickly appeared and, clearly exasperated, dragged Monoma back with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry about that, everyone." Then she glanced toward the field, where Shiozaki was emerging from the dark tunnel. "But… just so you know, she's really strong. Don't underestimate her."
"Maybe," Kaminari murmured, his gaze shifting to Bakugo's intense expression on the other side of the stadium. "But the real fireworks are probably coming up."
The match began with cheers from the crowd and the energetic commentary of Present Mic. Bakugo strode onto the concrete arena, glancing up at the stands. For a moment, his gaze lingered on Kaminari and Todoroki. Their recent performances flashed through his mind—a swift, overwhelming victory from Kaminari, and Todoroki's near-effortless power.
He clenched his fists, seething with frustration. He was determined to make his mark here, to win in a way that would leave no doubt about who was the strongest.
"I'm not losing to them. I'm the strongest in Class A!"
Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium once more, and the crowd's excitement swelled at Bakugo's presence. They hadn't forgotten his explosive prowess during the cavalry battle.
"Man, I hope he does that move again!"
"Yeah, that massive blast was epic!"
"Not likely. He's up against a girl this time, no way he'd go all-out like that."
"True, he acts hot-headed, but he's still here to be a Hero, right?"
"Yeah, that 'Howitzer' move… only someone like Kaminari Denki or Shoto Todoroki could handle that kind of power."
"No, Midoriya's pretty strong too! Did you see the punch he threw in the first round?"
The chatter quieted as Present Mic announced the start of the match, and all eyes turned back to the field.
If you want to make a statement… then go all out…
Bakugo's gaze hardened as he stared down Shiozaki, whose calm demeanor radiated an almost saintly aura. His expression twisted into a fierce snarl.
"Go full throttle and crush the opponent!"
BOOM!
Without a second's hesitation, Bakugo leaped into the air, using his explosions to propel himself upward. Then, with a series of rapid blasts to his left and right, he spun himself into a high-speed rotation, closing in on Shiozaki like a spiraling inferno.
To the crowd, it seemed as if Bakugo had disappeared, replaced by a horizontal whirlwind of flames and smoke.
"Explosive Tornado…?" Kaminari muttered, wide-eyed as he watched the spectacle. Is it really possible to push a Quirk like this?
Using the explosive recoil to stabilize himself mid-spin while generating a high-temperature whirlwind, it was a remarkable display of precision and power.
"Is he really calculating all of this, or… is it just pure instinct?" Kaminari wondered, impressed.
His own fighting style relied on precise, micro-level control of his electricity, while Todoroki could unleash overwhelming power thanks to his Quirk's natural affinity. But Bakugo… he was a mix of both. His aggressive nature and innate combat instincts allowed him to wield his explosions with devastating effect.
Bakugo's move left the students of Class B visibly uneasy. His technique radiated danger, and it was clear he wouldn't hold back.
"Come on, Shiozaki! Block him!"
"Stop that maniac with your vines!"
On the field, Shiozaki turned to face Bakugo's incoming attack. She spread her arms, her green hair rooting into the ground and sprouting into a forest of thorned vines that surged forward to intercept him.
The scene resembled Todoroki's earlier "Ice Barrage," though on a smaller scale. But even so, Shiozaki's vines quickly filled the entire concrete arena.
Yet, to her shock, her wall of vines couldn't withstand Bakugo's spinning assault. Every time her vines approached him, they were blasted apart by the shockwaves from his explosions or scorched by the searing heat.
"A natural counter…"
From the commentary booth, Aizawa-sensei narrowed his eyes, analyzing the scene.
"Bakugo's Quirk generates intense heat and pressure, making it a natural threat to plant-based Quirks. Combined with his greater physical power, Shiozaki doesn't stand much chance in a head-on clash."
"Thunder Idiot… Half-and-Half…" Bakugo seethed in his mind, the faces of Kaminari and Todoroki flashing before him. "Watch closely… this is me, going beyond my limits!"
I will never be weaker than you!
"No way in hell!!!"
With a final, defiant shout, Bakugo unleashed the full force of his right hand in a blinding burst, charging it to the max as he smashed into Shiozaki's vine barrier.
"Howitzer… SUPER BLAST!!"
BOOM!!!!!
The explosion was so intense that the concrete floor vanished beneath a cloud of black smoke and debris. A scorching wave of hot air swept through the arena, leaving the entire audience stunned.
People struggled to breathe, the sheer pressure from the blast leaving them momentarily gasping for air. Hats, loose items, and anything not held down were blown skyward in the aftermath.
It took nearly ten seconds for the explosion's shockwave to subside. When the smoke finally cleared, Bakugo stood alone in the center of a massive crater, his right arm hanging limply from the strain.
The concrete around him was completely scorched, revealing the raw earth beneath. The once-flat arena was now a scene of utter devastation.
"Wha… Where's Shiozaki?"
"No way! That was way too much!"
"Yeah, to go that hard against a girl… does he really want to be a Hero?"
"Is he trying to kill Shiozaki?" Monoma shouted furiously from the Class B section. For the first time, his dislike of Bakugo was genuine and intense.
In the audience, some began muttering complaints, while online chatrooms flooded with angry comments. But this time, Aizawa-sensei didn't step in to calm things down. Even he had to admit that Bakugo might have gone too far.
Though it was respectable to treat one's opponent seriously, Bakugo's attack had clearly exceeded the bounds of a simple competition.
This was an explosion beyond his usual limits, one that could have been lethal if Shiozaki had been caught in it.
However, Bakugo seemed unfazed by the criticism. His focus remained solely on Kaminari and Todoroki, who watched him from the stands.
I will be the one to surpass All Might and become the strongest Hero!
Meanwhile, Aizawa-sensei spotted Shiozaki safely standing at the edge of the arena, with Class B's homeroom teacher beside her.
"Thankfully… we took precautions."
At the last second, the Class B teacher, Vlad King, had used his Quirk, manipulating his own blood to form a rope and pull Shiozaki to safety. He had even created a blood-red shield to absorb any remaining impact from Bakugo's blast.
Aizawa sighed, realizing the intensity of the matches had escalated beyond anyone's expectations.
"I'll need to supervise Kaminari and Todoroki's next fight myself… or better yet… maybe All Might should keep an eye on them too."
With that thought, Aizawa rose from his seat and quietly headed for the door. Present Mic noticed and called after him, surprised.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"To find the principal."
***
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