At this moment, Takeshi Tsuda rose from the ground, his movements quick and efficient. He seized the opportunity to grab his discarded pants, hurriedly pulling them back on. One side of his face was visibly swollen, and confusion was etched onto his features.
"I clearly used my Quirk just now. Why was I still hit?" The thought replayed in Takeshi's mind, his expression darkening.
For as long as he could remember, his Quirk had never failed him in combat. Today marked the first time someone had bypassed his intangibility and landed a direct hit.
"What kind of person is this Akira Kitagawa...?" Takeshi muttered under his breath, his gaze locked on Akira, who stood calmly with a faint smile.
The tension between them was palpable as Akira slowly raised his right hand. In an instant, dozens of sharp sand spikes materialized, floating menacingly around him.
With a flick of his hand, Akira sent the spikes hurtling toward Takeshi.
In the past, Takeshi would have ignored such an attack, relying on his Quirk to let the projectiles pass harmlessly through him. However, after the earlier incident, he didn't dare take any chances.
With a swift leap, Takeshi evaded the incoming spikes.
**Bang! Bang! Bang!**
The spikes slammed into the ground, leaving deep craters where they struck.
Akira didn't relent. He gestured again, and the ground beneath Takeshi cracked and crumbled, turning into loose sand that began to rise and coil around him like a living creature.
Takeshi activated his Quirk, phasing through the shifting sands and disappearing underground. Moments later, he reemerged behind Akira, ready to strike.
But as he surfaced, he froze. Akira was hovering in mid-air, effortlessly evading his reach.
The momentary hesitation was all Akira needed. With a wave of his hand, countless sand arrows formed and launched toward Takeshi in a relentless barrage.
Forced to activate his Quirk again, Takeshi phased through the arrows and retreated to safety, his mind racing.
"He's completely suppressing Takeshi," commented Hitoshi Yamada from the sidelines, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Yeah, he's not just strong—he can even fly using his Quirk!" added Riko Uzumaki, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"It's incredible," Hitoshi said, his tone serious. "Akira has taken two Quirks that normally wouldn't conflict and turned them into a seamless combination. His mastery over them is on a completely different level."
"I want to ask him so many questions," Riko said, her voice filled with curiosity and admiration.
All Might stood silently nearby, observing the fight. The sheer potential Akira displayed left even the Symbol of Peace awestruck.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the training ground, Midoriya, Todoroki, and Tokoyami watched the battle unfold in stunned silence.
"I thought Akira was just strong," Todoroki muttered, his usual composure shaken. "But seeing him overwhelm one of the Big Three like this... it's on another level entirely."
Tokoyami nodded solemnly. "He's completely eclipsing heroes at the top of the rankings. It's like we're not even in the same league."
Midoriya clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes. "Akira's strength is incredible, but it's also inspiring. I have to push myself even harder."
As the students processed what they were witnessing, Takeshi's voice rang out across the training ground, loud and clear.
"You win."
The declaration stunned everyone present. The thought of Takeshi Tsuda, one of the Big Three, conceding defeat was almost unthinkable.
"He actually admitted defeat..." Hitoshi muttered, disbelief etched on his face.
"It's surprising," Riko said, a grin spreading across her face. "But this freshman... he's fascinating."
Akira descended gracefully to the ground, his expression calm. "Admit defeat? If I'm not mistaken, you haven't gone all out yet."
Takeshi smirked as he adjusted his pants. "And if I'm not mistaken, neither have you."
Akira didn't deny it. The acknowledgment hung in the air, unspoken but understood.
"You're strong—like a monster," Takeshi admitted, his voice tinged with respect.
Akira smiled faintly. "I'll take that as a compliment."