"Good luck, Kyo!" Lena cheered, her voice ringing out with enthusiastic support, as she beamed broadly at me, her smile a beacon of encouragement. "You've got this match, absolutely no doubt about it!"
"Cheer up, Kyoka! Kick his ass into next week!" Toru exclaimed, her invisible form punching the air with gusto, simulating a boxing match, her excitement palpable.
My lips stretched upwards into a small, appreciative smile. "Thanks, girls, I'll kick his ass, I promise!" The support from my friends filled me with a quiet determination.
After that brief, morale-boosting exchange, I headed towards the preparation room for my confrontation, the anticipation building within me.
Momo's confrontation was... peculiar. It was both boring and, in a strange, anticlimactic way, almost fun at the same time. I hadn't even remotely expected Koda to surrender in less than a second, his voice cracking with fear. But seeing how incredibly seriously Momo was taking the Festival, her intense determination practically radiating from her, I could see how it might have unintentionally scared Koda off, overwhelming his gentle nature.
Lena, at first, was utterly confused about who Koda even was, asking if he was perhaps from another class. This genuine lack of recognition made me look at her in surprise, before I simply shrugged it off. Lena, despite being quite animated and friendly in small groups, wasn't one to initiate conversations with everyone, often preferring to observe. It was actually nice to see her more reserved side when there were a lot of new people around her, showing a different facet of her personality. I've noticed that she usually doesn't look to start a conversation, but she has absolutely no problem following one once it's begun. So, it was only natural that she wouldn't have crossed paths with someone as quiet and unassuming as Koda, even if her presence was still just as striking.
I gently bit my tongue, the slight pain helping to dispel these trivial thoughts, forcing my mind to focus.
'Kyoka, concentrate on your current target,' I sternly lectured myself, my internal voice firm. 'You absolutely don't want to disappoint them after they've placed their unwavering trust in you, do you? You owe it to them, and to yourself.' I looked into a mirror, meeting my own gaze, my eyes reflecting a steely resolve.
'You're not in high school anymore... you have true friends now... real, forgiving friends who support you wholeheartedly and genuinely care about you,' I gritted my teeth, a fierce determination overriding the oppressive feeling that still sometimes gripped my heart, making me involuntarily swallow saliva, a lingering echo of past insecurities. 'You're going to win this, whatever it takes... you're going to show everyone, especially yourself, that you're not a weak person anymore, that you've grown.'
I let out a deep sigh, attempting to calm the pervasive nerves that were slowly invading my body, and forcefully refocused my mind on my target: Tokoyami and his strange, enigmatic companion, Dark Shadow.
'Time to come up with a solid plan, huh? This isn't going to be easy.'
"ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE AUDIENCE, LET'S GET TO THE THIRD ELECTRIFYING BATTLE OF THE TOURNAMENT!!!" Present Mic announced, his voice booming through the stadium, as he secretly prayed, almost pleading, that the upcoming battle would finally be to the crowd's liking, a true spectacle worth their attention.
"ON ONE SIDE, WE HAVE CLASS 1-A'S MUSIC AND SOUND SPECIALIST! THE ONE AND ONLY JIRO KYOKAAAAAAA!"
"ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE THE ENIGMATIC LORD OF DARKNESS AND SHADOWS! THE FOREBODING FUMIKAGEEEE TOKOOOYAMIIII!"
After their dramatic introductions, both participants stood facing each other on the platform, their gazes locked in a silent stare-down. Neither seemed overtly nervous or scared; instead, a profound, almost unsettling indifference resonated from their eyes, making the audience a little uncomfortable, unsure how to react to such composed combatants.
"I wish you luck in our battle," Tokoyami said formally, executing a slight, polite bow, his voice calm and steady.
"Same to you, Tokoyami," Kyoka replied, returning the slight bow, her own voice equally composed.
"THREE!"
Quickly, both Kyoka and Tokoyami returned to their original positions on the platform, but with a subtle yet significant difference: Kyoka adopted a low, ready fighting stance, her body tensing, poised for action.
"TWO!"
The stadium stirred with palpable excitement, a collective buzz rising from the stands. This battle, unlike the previous two, promised to be a truly thrilling and unpredictable spectacle, a clash of unique Quirks and tactical minds.
"ONE!"
The stands erupted with cheers, students shouting encouragement for both participants, their voices echoing through the arena.
"BEGIN!"
"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami, without wasting a single precious moment, swiftly summoned Dark Shadow, sending his formidable companion hurtling towards Kyoka with incredible speed, intent on ejecting her from the platform. "Envelop our opponent with darkness, Dark Shadow! Leave her no escape!"
Dark Shadow zigzagged rapidly, its shadowy form a blur as it approached Kyoka. But Kyoka didn't move an inch, her eyes fixed intently on Dark Shadow, her fighting stance remaining unchanging, unyielding. Tokoyami, seeing her stillness, mistakenly assumed she had given up and thought nothing more of it. Dark Shadow extended its shadowy palm, ready to push her away, but then....
BROOOM!
A loud, concussive vibration suddenly erupted from Kyoka, pushing Dark Shadow away with immense force. Tokoyami reacted just in time, bracing his hands on the ground, preventing himself from being sent flying out of the arena by the unexpected shockwave.
"Um... interesting," Tokoyami murmured, turning his gaze back to Kyoka, who now had one of her earphone Jacks pointed directly at his position, the other firmly planted on the ground. "I honestly didn't expect your vibrations to be so incredibly powerful, Jiro."
Without giving him even a second to fully recover or get back to his feet, Kyoka ran towards Tokoyami with all her might, her earphone Jacks moving like two agitated snakes around her, poised to strike.
Tokoyami, still recovering, swiftly sent Dark Shadow to intercept her as he struggled to stand, but kept his stance low to the ground, attempting to avoid another sonic attack that could potentially knock him off the platform.
Dark Shadow lunged at Kyoka, launching a series of rapid, slashing attacks with its sharp claws.
Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Kyoka jumped backward with agile grace, narrowly dodging his relentless attacks. She was momentarily forced to retreat, recognizing Dark Shadow's incredible flexibility and blinding speed. She crouched low to the ground in a strange, almost unnatural posture, expertly dodging another brutal blow from Dark Shadow. And then, with a mischievous grin, she simultaneously sent both of her earphone Jacks hurtling directly at Dark Shadow.
"Gotcha!" Kyoka exclaimed triumphantly before activating both of her Jacks, unleashing a powerful, concentrated sound wave directly at Dark Shadow. The concussive blast sent him flying high into the sky, more specifically... right above the blazing, unforgiving sun, exposing him to his greatest weakness.
"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami shouted, a rare note of genuine panic in his voice, as he felt the crucial connection with his Quirk/companion weaken considerably, a chilling sense of loss washing over him.
Shooting out towards Tokoyami, Kyoka shouted, "You should worry about yourself now, Tokoyami! Your companion is out of the picture!"
Tokoyami, momentarily distracted by his concern for Dark Shadow, quickly tried to throw a desperate punch at the left side of Kyoka's head, but Kyoka stopped him effortlessly with her forearm. Before he could react, she swiftly kneed him hard in the stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs, and then delivered a quick, precise slap to his chest with her other hand, pushing him forcefully backward, causing him to lose his balance and fall ungracefully to the ground.
Kyoka, seizing the advantage, sent both of her earphone Jacks towards Tokoyami, causing him to freeze in place, his eyes wide with surprise and a hint of fear.
"Do you give up now?" Kyoka said between breaths, her voice calm but firm, as she looked directly into Tokoyami's eyes, her resolve unwavering. "Or do you want me to physically push you out of the arena?"
"How could you possibly push Dark Shadow? He's... he's a shadow, an intangible being..." Tokoyami spoke, his voice laced with pain and confusion as he placed a hand on his aching stomach, struggling to comprehend.
"He may be a shadow, Tokoyami... but he can still physically touch and move things, which means he's tangible, at least to a degree," Kyoka explained patiently, her earphone Jack still pointed at Tokoyami, its tip almost touching his chest. "I noticed it during the previous test when a Class 1-B team attacked you; your Dark Shadow easily pushed them away. And I overheard from Midoriya's mutterings that Dark Shadow was severely weakened by intense light, especially direct sunlight. So, I simply decided to separate you two and damage Dark Shadow with the sun's scorching rays. At this hour, the sun is incredibly hot and at its zenith, so I assumed I would be able to hold him there for a while, effectively taking him out of the fight."
Tokoyami simply stared at Kyoka, his eyes narrowed in deep contemplation, absorbing her astute explanation. 'Dark Shadow is almost fully recovered now... I just need—'
Suddenly, Tokoyami was knocked off the platform by a loud, concussive sonic blast that sent him hurtling into the soft grass outside the arena, his body tumbling to a stop.
'Looks like we still have some serious work to do, Dark Shadow...' Tokoyami thought, a wry, almost self-deprecating smile playing on his lips, hidden from view as he closed his eyes.
'That looks like Toko...' Tokoyami received Dark Shadow's thought, a faint echo in his mind, accompanied by a small, almost apologetic feeling from his cute shadow companion.
"THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH IS.... JIRO KYOKA!!! SHE ADVANCES TO THE SEMI-FINALS!" Present Mic's voice boomed, confirming Kyoka's victory.
"Looks like our little girl is doing incredibly well, doesn't she, honey?" A woman, bearing a striking resemblance to the girl now displayed triumphantly on the stadium screen, exclaimed excitedly. Her voice was filled with a profound sense of pride and joy. "She's grown so much since she started at U.A., becoming so much stronger, so much more confident..."
"So it seems, my dear... so it seems," her husband replied, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Although I still believe she'd be far better off if she were a composer, writing beautiful music for a living..." He sighed, earning a playful nudge and a sigh of exasperation from his wife, a familiar, loving exchange. "But I must admit, I had no idea our little girl could be so remarkably good at fighting. It's truly a revelation."
"Fufufufu... our Kyoka is always full of delightful surprises, isn't she?" His wife chuckled softly, a knowing smile gracing her lips, her gaze fixed on the screen, brimming with unwavering maternal pride.
Walking towards the stands at a slow, measured pace, a short, black-haired girl with a pair of distinct wires in her ears could be seen. This was the triumphant winner of the third round, Jiro Kyoka. And right now....
'I'm ravenously hungry...' Kyoka thought with a profound sense of resignation, her stomach rumbling faintly in protest. 'Lena and Momo are absolutely influencing me... what I've already eaten in the cafeteria is literally two times more than I usually consume, and this new diet of mine is incredibly weird... although, I'm certainly not complaining about the subtle growths that have mysteriously happened to me in the last few weeks... however small and imperceptible they may be to others.'
"Hey! Kyo!" A very familiar voice, loud and cheerful, shouted from in front of her. Before Kyoka could even react, she was met with a tight, suffocating hug from a girl much taller than her. It was Lena, her embrace warm and overwhelming. "You were absolutely amazing out there, Kyo! Simply phenomenal!"
"You could have at least waited for me to reach the stands, couldn't you, Lena?" Kyoka said, her voice slightly muffled by the hug, as she returned Lena's embrace, deliberately ignoring the two large, distracting personalities currently colliding with her face.
"No! It was much faster this way, Kyo! And besides, I couldn't wait another second to congratulate you on winning the third round!" Lena exclaimed, breaking the hug and smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling with unadulterated joy. "Tokoyami literally didn't stand a chance against your genius!"
"Don't yell, Lena, I hear you perfectly fine... and thank you," Kyoka murmured, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks, as she nervously fiddled with her earphone Jacks, unaccustomed to such effusive praise. "Who's competing now, anyway? I seem to have lost track."
"Ehhh... It was the robot against the mechanical girl, if I'm not mistaken," Lena replied, placing a finger to her chin and thoughtfully furrowing her brow, trying to recall the names. "I don't really know the mechanical girl, so I have no idea who might win this one."
"You really should stop giving ridiculous nicknames to people you don't even know, Lena," Kyoka said with a resigned sigh, shaking her head in exasperation.
"Nah, it's far more fun that way, Kyo! Now come on, we don't want to miss the show, do we?" Lena said, shaking her head playfully, her smile unwavering.
"Alright, alright, let's go..." Kyoka sighed again, but this time, a small, genuine smile graced her lips, a reflection of her enduring affection for her eccentric friend.
The match featuring the robot, or rather, Iida's rather peculiar confrontation, was, to say the least, an experience unto itself.
"THIS IS INVENTION NUMBER..."
For Iida's sake, and perhaps for the sake of everyone's sanity, we really don't want to delve into the excruciating details of that particular bout. Let's just say it was less of a fight and more of a protracted, somewhat bizarre, infomercial.
While the peculiar match was unfolding at the U.A. stadium, a horrifying, brutal scene was simultaneously taking place in a desolate alleyway in Hosu.
"Mercy! Please..." A man, dressed in a tattered Lion suit, whimpered, his voice a desperate plea. His eyes, wide with primal fear, reflected the stark terror of impending death. His body was bloodied all over, grotesque lacerations marring his skin; he could barely speak, much less move, utterly incapacitated.
"Kukuku... so the Lion begs for mercy, does he? How pathetic..." A masked man, his face contorted into a murderous grin, a crazed smile stretching his lips, sneered with chilling amusement. He was dressed in tattered, blood-stained red and black rags, which somehow served to highlight the array of sinister weapons he possessed, conspicuously strapped to his back and waist. "Too bad this is the jungle, little Lion... and in the jungle, there is no such thing as mercy. Only the strong survive."
This chilling phrase alone was enough to make the Lion Man literally pee his pants in sheer terror, his body trembling uncontrollably as he began to cry and desperately beg for his life, his dignity long forgotten.
"Stop, Villain!" A sharp, authoritative shout suddenly echoed from another side of the alley. The masked man swiftly turned his head, his gaze sweeping to see a silver knight, clad in gleaming armor, rapidly approaching their grim meeting place, launching a powerful kick.
The masked man, with a fluid, almost unnatural movement, jumped backward, gaining some distance to get a closer look at his new opponent... no, his new fake hero.
"Kuku, another insignificant fly approaching the predator, eager to be swatted..." The grim masked figure chuckled, a chilling sound, as his long, serpentine tongue sensuously licked his lips, savoring the impending confrontation. "Heroes... you will all learn your lesson, one way or another. Your demise is inevitable."