Renji didn't turn back as he left the stadium's arena and entered the waiting room nearby. He had the choice of sitting in the private stands, but he preferred the quiet here.
It's not like he wasn't aware of everything happening around him, of course.
Sitting patiently on one of the couches, Renji gazed lazily at the screen ahead displaying the next match.
"Let's begin with the next battle, folks! Todoroki Shoto versus Sero Hanta!" Midnight announced with a crack of her whip, acting as the signal to begin.
The second the match began, Sero cocked his arm back, ready to unleash a barrage of tape to trip or capture Todoroki.
However, it was all for nought. The ice cold devil didn't even move before a giant wave of ice blasted through the arena with a sharp shriek.
Instantaneously, half of the arena was covered in a large block of glistening ice.
Back in the waiting room, Renji winced as the camera panned to a frozen Sero, whose limbs had snapped stiff, his face in shock as he found himself unable to move.
Luckily, the staff was prepared. While Midnight shouted Todoroki's victory, multiple personnel began melting down the ice, utilizing new equipment provided by the higher ups.
"Good to see my tools working properly," Renji said casually, grabbing a snack from the nearby vending machine before sinking back into the couch.
"Boy, Nezu really paid a pretty penny for those," he chuckled, remembering the furry principal shaking the gadget like it was a new toy.
After a short intermission with the last of the frost fading from the stage, the next battle began.
However, Renji only looked on in disappointment as the fight concluded pretty quickly with Kaminari's electricity doing no damage to Shiozaki's vines.
"Oh and that's game!" Present Mic commentated from his booth. "Looks like this festival's gonna end prematurely at this rate!"
Match after match, the results were about as predictable as he expected.
Iida barely had to do anything as Mei simply launched into a marketing scheme she had prepared. All while her opponent just stared in shock when she surrendered.
The next few fights went by uneventfully, Midoriya winning with pure grit and Tokoyami eeking out a victory after a long battle.
But one fight caught Renji's attention.
"For our next battle…" Midnight drawled, pausing for dramatic effect. "We have Kirishima Eijiro and Tetutetsu Tetsutetsu!"
The crowd cheered in delight as the two contestants appeared on the stage.
"Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu?" Someone murmured from the stands. "Just what kind of name is that?"
Tetsutetsu twitched as he heard the faint whispers from nearby, glaring up toward the stands.
Kirishima chuckled from across the arena, calling out to him. "Ignore 'em, bro. Let's show everyone what a real manly fight looks like!"
The steel skinned student blinked, then broke into a wide grin. "Heh, now you're talkin'!"
Midnight raised her whip with a smirk. "Glad to see the testosterone's already flowing. Begin!"
The instant she dropped her arm, both boys charged forward, fists colliding with a deafening clang that rattled the entire stage.
"And they're going straight for it!" Present Mic yelped, noting the ferocity at which the two fought. "Both of them have similar Quirks so they've got a lot to prove on the stage, folks!"
Blow after blow, the two traded hits, neither of them letting up the pressure.
Kirishima's skin turned rigid and taut like a string, ready to withstand each strike. At the same time Tetsutetsu's body turned to steel, each hit from Kirishima turning into a resounding clang.
Sparks flew with every punch, their blows heavy enough to send shockwaves through the floor.
"HAHAHA!" Tetsutetsu roared, grinning wildly. "You're tougher than I thought!"
Kirishima smirked through gritted teeth. "You're not so bad yourself, bro!"
Tetsutetsu swung again, aiming for Kirishima's ribs, but the redhead braced and took the hit head on, returning a blow that sent the metal man stumbling back a few steps.
"Not bad!" Tetsutetsu laughed, steadying himself. "But you'll have to hit harder than that!"
He charged forward, shoulder checking Kirishima so hard the tiles cracked. The crowd went feral as every hit resounded through the stadium.
Kirishima slid back, shoes digging into the fractured ground. "Heh… bring it on!"
He rushed in, slamming his hardened fists into Tetutetsu's guard with wild abandon. Each strike rang out like a drum.
Tetsutetsu met him head on, their movements turning into more of a brawl now.
Back and forth, hit for hit, neither willing to fall first.
A final collision of fists split the air, pushing them back. They stood panting, steam rising from their bodies.
Through it all, Tetsutetsu kept a grin on his face. What the world thought of him didn't matter. Not here, not now.
Right now and then, all he wanted to do was keep fighting. If his Quirk reached its limit then he'd push past it! If he ran out of iron, he'd find a way to store more! Because that's what it means to go Plus Ultra!
—
I can't give up now. Kirishima thought as he swayed slightly. If I give up now… It'll be just like before!
Memories of the past flashed forward like streaks of lightning.
The first time he had activated his Quirk, accidentally cutting his own face and giving him a scar.
Freezing in fear when people were in danger, having to be saved. No more!
His breath came out rough as he braced for another metallic strike.
He remembered that feeling before, that fire. Back then, during the Cavalry Battle, the crowd had roared his name alongside Renji's.
"Kirishima! Kirishima! Kirishima!"
It still echoed in his ears, even now. The sound of thousands cheering for him.
Those people were counting on him to keep standing. To fight until there was nothing left to give.
His muscles screamed, Quirk flickering at its limits, but he refused to let his body give in.
"I won't—" he growled, parrying another hit, "—let it end here!"
Tetsutetsu grinned, blood running from his lip. "Took the words right out of my mouth!"
Their fists collided once more, the impact sending cracks splintering through the floor beneath them.
Neither of them backed down, neither could.
The crowd rose to their feet, voices blending into one another as the two stood locked in place, refusing to fall.
In the waiting room, Renji leaned forward slightly. "Not bad."
The two stood there, fist against fist as the crowd waited with bated breaths.
Both their eyes were half lidded as exhaustion crept closer.
"Oh, come on." Renji said as he shifted deeper into the cushion.
For a moment, not a single sound was heard from the crowd as the dust cleared.
"Hold up, folks!" Present yelled into the mic, flipping his hair back. "Are you guys seeing this?!"
The cameras panned closer to the two students, allowing everyone to see the lack of movement.
"Both challengers have fainted on the battlefield!" Present's eyes widened in surprise. "We have a tie!"
The crowd exploded in a chorus of cheers and whistles. Half of them shouted Kirishima's name, the other half Tetsutetsu's. Neither of them had actually won, but no one seemed to care.
It was enough to see how far they'd pushed themselves to stand toe to toe.
From her place, Midnight clapped with an approving smile. "Now that's what I call a match! Give it up for these two knuckleheads!
Even as the unconscious pair were hauled away by medics, the applause didn't stop. The stadium shook with the rhythm of their names echoing from the stands.
Behind the arena's barriers, Recovery Girl and her team were already waiting.
Kirishima's knuckles were split open, the skin underneath raw and trembling. Tetsutetsu wasn't much better off either. His forearms were bruised black and blue beneath the metal sheen of his Quirk.
"Idiots," Recovery Girl muttered, pressing her lips against Kirishima's arm. The faint glow knitted muscle and bone back together.
"You'll both be fine for a rematch," she began, "But don't expect another all out brawl like that anytime soon."
"Heh…" Kirishima groaned, half-conscious. "Worth it…"
Renji exhaled softly through his nose, arms folding into place. "Guess I expected too much."
The monitor flickered, switching to a new camera angle as the field was cleaned and prepped for the next match. The staff worked fast, he could tell Nezu had made sure every round flowed without delay.
A faint chime signaled the next match announcement.
—
After watching Kirishima arm wrestle Tetsutetsu once both boys were up and running, Renji began stretching his limbs as his next match finally came around.
The last match had been relatively boring, with Bakugo heavily injuring his opponent. It had been interesting to see so many blocks of the stage defy gravity but that was pretty much it.
He's ruthless. Renji thought as he made his way out of the waiting room and into the hallway toward the stage.
"I expected him to win but he really didn't hold back." He murmured, playing the events of the battle in his mind.
It was time to focus now. Bakugo would put up a much harder fight than Shinso ever could.
But I'd still win.
Renji swung the doors open and was met by the sun instantly, glaring onto his face. Luckily, his eyes were much stronger than the average human being. I'd probably go blind otherwise.
The sound of the crowd washed over him like a typhoon the moment he stepped out. Their voices blended together in a mixture of anticipation and excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Present Mic's voice boomed across the arena, louder than ever. "Up next, we've got one explosive match in store for you! Give it up for the boy who blasts through everything—Bakugo Katsuki!"
The stadium erupted as Bakugo strode onto the field with that same feral grin plastered on his face. Small pops of nitroglycerin crackled from his palms as he flexed them.
"And his opponent!" Midnight added with a dramatic flair of her whip. "The dark horse of this year's festival, the one man wrecking crew—Kanzaki Renji!"
Cheers and camera flashes filled the air. Renji's calm stride contrasted perfectly with his opponent's explosive energy.
Bakugo clicked his tongue. "Tch. About damn time."
Renji tilted his head slightly, his tone light. "You seem eager."
"You bet your ass I am." Bakugo cracked his neck, glaring down at Renji. "You've been running your mouth all semester long, sitting back and watching like some smug bastard. Let's see if you can live up to it."
Renji smirked, beckoning him forward. "You'll find out soon enough."
The air between them grew heavy, the people in the stands leaning forward.
Midnight raised her hand. "You both know the rules. Don't kill each other—"
Bakugo grinned. "No promises."
Renji sighed softly, rolling his shoulders. "Typical."
"BEGIN!"
Bakugo blasted forward instantly, a roar echoing through the arena as he launched himself like a missile. The explosion cracked the tiles behind him, dust bursting into the air.
Renji didn't move.
The moment Bakugo came within striking distance—
BOOM!
The explosion ripped through the space he'd been standing in, shards of tile scattering like bullets.
But Renji had already moved, his body gliding seamlessly out of range.
Bakugo's grin widened midair as he spotted Renji's silhouette through the smoke, palms sparking with energy. "I got you—"
Renji's hand snapped out with a sharp crack, intercepting the motion. The backhand connected with Bakugo's cheek before the explosion fully formed.
The hit wasn't enough to send him flying, but it sure got his attention. Bakugo slid back, boots grinding against the tile as smoke curled from hsi palms.
A faint red mark streaked across his face like a scar.
"Tch… fast," he muttered, wiping at it. "But not fast enough."
Renji titled his head calmly, a mocking smile on his face. "You sure about that?"
Bakugo grinned, teeth bared like a tiger. "Yeah. I already figured out your rhythm."
He blasted the ground, propelling himself forward. Skirting around Renji, the explosions came in a chaotic pattern, forcing Renji to track multiple afterimages through the smoke.
Renji pivoted smoothly, gaze always on the real Bakugo. He could see everything, but his opponent's movement wasn't reckless anymore.
He's watching me just as closely.
Bakugo appeared behind him in a burst of flame, aiming low this time, the explosion ready to knock Renji's legs out.
Without exerting himself, Renji lazily shifted to block, but Bakugo had already twisted mid blast, feinting upward and detonating behind him. The resulting shockwave kicked Renji forward, throwing off his balance just enough for Bakugo to capitalize.
A follow up blast slammed into his side. It didn't hit clean, but it was close.
The crowd roared.
Renji steadied himself, boots skidding against tile. His sleeve smoked faintly in the wind but he didn't even look at it. "Clever."
"Damn right," Bakugo spat, hands sparking again. "You're not the only one who learns fast."
Renji exhaled softly, shaking off the remaining sparks from his arm. "You want to know something, Bakugo?"
Something in his tone made Bakugo wait, watching closely for any sudden movements.
Renji's gaze drifted to Bakugo's palms. The sparks snapping from his hands seemed brighter than before, too bright.
Each flash burned against his vision like flares in the dark, scattering through the dust and rubble in slow motion.
"I hate explosions," he said quietly.
For a moment, the roar of the crowd seemed to fade. The scent of burnt concrete and fumes filled his nose—just like that day.
Then, just as fast, the look was gone. His hands twitched once, then steadied. The cold light in his eyes refocused, smothering the memory as quick as it came.
A manic grin spread across his face like that of a villain's.
"Now," he spat, eyes locking onto Bakugo's, "let's wrap this up."
The arena shuddered as the next blast lit the stage.