Iida plummeted, delivering a high-speed axe kick aimed for Todoroki's head.
The kick landed squarely on his shoulder and upper torso with concussive force.
'ugh!'
The shock drove the air from his lungs.
Todoroki was sent skidding violently across the concrete, tumbling backward several meters until he managed to slam his right hand down to stop his momentum, leaving a fresh sheet of jagged ice in his wake.
'Dammit! What was that move?'
His mind moved rapidly as he struggled to his feet. Icy residue already forming on the shoulder Iida had struck.
Before Todoroki could even fully regain his footing, Iida was already moving again.
He used the momentum from the Burst to spring off the ground, rocketing past the startled Todoroki and grabbing him by the collar.
'Eight seconds left on Recipro.'
Iida shot straight for the arena boundary. 'I'll use the remaining engine power to force him over the boundary line and—'
An ice cold hand clamped his own.
KSSSHHHH!!!
Frost exploded across Iida's arm then spread to the rest of his body. His exhaust froze mid output, his legs were engulfed with ice.
"I have more than ranged attacks, you know."
Ice crawled up Iida's legs, locking them in place. Iida's momentum died. His torso followed. Within seconds, he was encased from the waist down.
Iida tried to pull free, but his body wouldn't respond.
The chill seeped into his bones.
'No—!'
Todoroki stepped back, chest heaving with heavy breaths. A sharp pain throbbed where Iida's kick had landed.
"You almost had me," He muttered. "To think you still had that up your sleeve."
Iida grit his teeth. "Almost… isn't enough."
"Iida Tenya is immobilized!" Midnight's announcement came through. "Todoroki advances to the semifinals."
The crowd cheered.
"AND THERE WE HAVE IT. TODOROKI ADVANCES WITH ONLY HALF OF HIS POWER. INCREADIBLE NOTE IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED. HE'S ONLY BEEN USING HIS RIGHT SIDE ALL THIS TIME!"
'Hmm. This is the speed I'll have to deal with in the next round.' Todoroki looked to the viewing area.
'It'll be tricky.'
His gaze shifted to class 1A before turning away.
"Oh. Poor Iida." Uraraka said with a twinge of worry in her voice.
Midoriya couldn't utter a word. He knew how important winning meant to him. Unfortunately, Todoroki was just too strong.
Todoroki's left side heated up, melting the ice encasing Iida.
Within moments, he could move again.
He stumbled slightly, legs stiff from the cold.
"You fought well," Todoroki uttered.
Iida straightened, subconsciously adjusting his glasses despite the lingering chill.
"As did you, Todoroki. Congratulations."
He bowed stiffly, then walked toward the exit.
Brows furrowed enough to show his simmering frustration.
'I was so close. If I'd been just a second faster—'
He shook his head.
'No. Excuses won't help. I lost. That's all there is to it.'
[HOSU CITY — HOSPITAL WING]
Tensei Iida sat on the edge of a medical bed, wincing as a nurse wrapped fresh bandages around his ribs.
"Hold still, please,"
"Sorry."
His eyes were fixed on the TV mounted on the wall across from him. The Sports Festival broadcast played on mute, but the visuals told the story clearly enough.
Tenya, frozen in place.
Todoroki, standing victorious.
The REPLAY showed a wonderful match, albeit one ending in Tenya's lost.
'He got so close.'
The nurse finished securing the bandage and stepped back. "There. Try not to overexert yourself for the next few days. Those ribs need time to heal."
"Understood. Thank you."
She left, closing the door behind her.
Tensei stared at the screen.
Tenya walked off the stage, head held high despite the loss.
'You did well, Tenya.'
His hand moved to his side, where the bandages pressed against bruised ribs—a reminder of his own recent encounter.
'It seems both Iida brothers suffered losses today.'
Mask removed, he couldn't help but clench his fist.
'No. I couldn't even land a proper hit. While Tenya… he nearly won.'
Looking at Tenya on the screen, he sighed.
'He's already got down the Recipro. Eventually, he'll surpass me.'
The thought didn't sting. It filled him with something quieter—pride, tinged with worry.
'Just… don't push yourself too hard, little brother.'
__
"ALRIGHT, FOLKS! WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN! NEXT UP—QUARTERFINALS MATCH THREE!"
The bracket updated.
QUARTERFINALS — MATCH 3:
FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI vs. RIKIDO SATO
"FROM CLASS 1-A—THE DARK SHADOW WIELDER HIMSELF—FUMIKAAAAGE TOKOYAMIII!"
Tokoyami stepped onto the stage, expression stoic.
"AND HIS OPPONENT—ALSO FROM CLASS 1-A—THE SUGAR-POWERED STRONGMAN—RIKIDOOO SATOOO!"
Sato walked forward, already tearing into a sugar cube.
Midnight raised her whip.
"BEGIN!"
"Dark Shadow!"
Dark Shadow exploded outward from his stomach.
Sato charged, fist cocked back.
Once dark shadow was in range, he threw a punch.
"Haha!"
The shadow dodged flexibly,
'Dammit!' Sato tried to pull back but it was too late. Dark Shadow slammed into him like a freight train, launching him backward. He hit the ground hard, barely reacting when he was hit by another attack.
BANG!
Sato was knocked back.
"Stay on him Dark shadow." Tokoyami yelled from behind. "Don't give him a chance to counter. Wear him down."
The shadow hissed, weaving through Sato's high-power swings Every time Sato's fist came close to making contact, the shadow elongated or contracted, avoiding his attacks and delivering stinging jabs.
Occasionally, Sato would get one back, but Dark shadow just recoiled before attacking again.
It dodged his punch, and swung from under upwards.
Sato was sent flying mid air. A finishing blow threw him backward with triple the velocity. He sailed through the air, his sugar rush finally bottoming out, and landed firmly outside the concrete ring.
Midnight's whip cracked.
"Rikido Sato is out of bounds! Tokoyami Fumikage advances to the semifinals!"
"THERE IT IS!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "A CLASSIC SHOWDOWN OF RANGE VS. RAW POWER! TOKOYAMI TAKES IT WITH A CLINICAL FINISH!"
"THE ARENA ISN'T DAMAGED THIS TIME. SO LET'S SEE WHO WE HAVE UP NEXT."
QUARTERFINALS— MATCH 4: BAKUGO KATSUKI VS. EJIRO KIRISHIMA
"ALRIGHT, LISTENERS! THIS IS THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! TWO POWERHOUSES FROM CLASS 1-A GOING TOE-TO-TOE!"
Bakugo stepped out, his palms already producing small, rhythmic pops.
Opposite, Kirishima was already hardening his skin, arms turning jagged.
"Ready to go down, shitty hair?" Bakugo sneered.
Kirishima grinned, slamming his fists together. "Bring it on, Bakugo! I'm the only one who can actually take what you're dishing out!"
"BEGIN!"
Five Minutes Later,
BOOOOOOOM!
The stadium rocked. A massive cloud of soot and debris obscured the arena. When the wind cleared it away, Kirishima was on his hands and knees near the edge of the ring.
His hardening was crumbling and his uniform was tattered.
The strain of maintaining it against that much concentrated heat finally breaking his limit.
"Stay down," Bakugo growled.
Kirishima looked up, gave a weak, respectful smirk, and collapsed forward.
"Kirishima Eijiro is unable to continue! Katsuki Bakugo moves on!"
"AND THE SEMIFINALS ARE SET!" Present Mic screamed over the roar of the crowd.
The board updated, showing the four names remaining in the tournament:
* YUTA AKUTAMI
* SHOTO TODOROKI
* FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI
* KATSUKI BAKUGO
MATCH 1:
YUTA AKUTAMI vs. SHOTO TODOROKI
MATCH 2:
FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI vs. KATSUKI BAKUGO
The visual on the big screen shifted, locking the four names into a new configuration.
The stadium tension, already high, reached a fever pitch.
Yuta watched the bracket finalize.
'Todoroki first. Then Bakugo.'
He stood, stretching his arms overhead.
"I guess I'm up again."
Hana immediately grabbed his sleeve. "Yuta! You're up against Todoroki!"
"I have eyes, thank you very much." He rolled his eyes. "Wish me luck."
"Yep. Go for it."
"Show em what class 1D can do."
A few other classmates chimed in as well.
"Beat him, Akutami!"
"Make GS proud!"
"You're the dark horse—ride it!"
"Yeah, yeah."
He stepped into the hallway, the noise of the stadium fading behind him.
The corridor was quiet—just the hum of overhead lights and the distant rumble of the crowd.
'Alright. How do I do this?'
He had been thinking about this for a while. As without a doubt, this would be the first fight he'd have to take seriously.
'Fast Ice. Long range. He'll definitely be defensive just like he was with Midoriya from canon.'
'I did instakill my last two ...'
"…Akutami."
Yuta stopped.
"Huh?"
Hitoshi Shinso stood there with his hands in his pockets, back against the concrete.
"You've made it pretty far," Shinso said, tone dry. "Farther than anyone expected."
Yuta raised a brow. "…Thanks?"
Shinso huffed. "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't know you. And you don't know me."
'Wasn't that obvious?'
He pushed off the wall, finally meeting Yuta's eyes.
"But if someone from General Studies is going to make the school rethink its precious hierarchy… it might as well be you."
Yuta blinked again, not fully understanding where this was coming from.
'Is he ... Putting his hopes for getting into the hero course in me?'
___
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