Many matches later, the stadium roared louder than it had all day.
The stands vibrated, concrete humming beneath the sheer force of thousands of spectators stomping their feet in unison. Chants collided like clashing armies—
"BA-KU-GO!"
"MI-DO-RI-YA!"
The air itself felt thick with anticipation, charged and restless, as if the entire arena knew what was coming.
This was it.
The final match of the U.A. Sports Festival.
Two names glowed on the massive screen above the arena, pulsing in bold letters like a declaration of war.
IZUKU MIDORIYA
KATSUKI BAKUGO
The last two standing.
Izuku Midoriya—the monster rookie who had turned the festival into a personal showcase. After dismantling Shoto with terrifying calm, he had torn through the remaining bracket like a storm given human form. No theatrics. No unnecessary flair. Just overwhelming power paired with flawless control.
Opponents barely had time to process what was happening before they were on the ground, staring up at the sky, wondering what they'd just faced.
Only one person had truly pushed him.
And now—
The one who had been chasing him since childhood stood at the end of the road.
Katsuki Bakugo.
In the waiting room, the noise from the stadium bled faintly through the walls, a constant rumble like distant thunder. Izuku sat on one of the benches, arms folded behind his head, legs stretched out comfortably. He looked more like someone killing time before a movie than a finalist about to face his longest-standing rival.
Ochaco hovered nearby, hands clasped nervously. Mina leaned against the wall, barely containing her excitement. Mei Hatsume had somehow reappeared, crouched close and inspecting Izuku like he was a prototype she wanted to dismantle and rebuild.
"Okay, okay," Mina said, pointing at him with a grin. "Don't get too relaxed. You've got this in the bag, but still—final match vibes, y'know?"
Ochaco nodded quickly. "Yeah! Just… be careful, okay? Bakugo's not going to hold back at all."
Mei leaned in far too close. "If he blows you up, can I study how your bones don't break? For research."
Izuku waved them all off lazily, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'll be fine. Promise."
He stared up at the ceiling, eyes unfocused, completely at ease.
'What should I do after this?' he wondered idly. 'Go eat? Take a nap? Maybe check if Mirko's actually available for internships…'
The door to the waiting room rattled slightly as someone slammed a fist into it from the other side.
A voice snarled through the walls.
Izuku's smile widened just a fraction.
On the other side, Katsuki Bakugo was pacing like a caged animal, explosions crackling in his palms, teeth clenched so hard it looked painful. His eyes burned with obsession, fury, and something dangerously close to desperation.
This wasn't just about winning.
This was about finally standing above the one person he refused to acknowledge as his equal.
In the waiting room, Izuku sat up and stretched, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for a light jog.
'Guess I'll deal with that first,' he thought calmly.
The stadium lights flared brighter.
Present Mic's voice thundered through the speakers, shaking the walls.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—ARE YOU READY FOR THE FINAL SHOWDOWN?!"
The roar outside surged like a tidal wave.
The buzzer from the intercom jolted the silence. Present Mic's voice exploded across every speaker in the stadium, vibrating through bone and concrete alike.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!"
His voice climbed higher, sharper, feeding off the crowd's frenzy.
"THE FINAL MATCH OF THIS YEAR'S U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL! TWO RIVALS, TWO PRODIGIES, TWO POWERHOUSES READY TO TEAR THIS ARENA APART! IZUKU MIDORIYA—VERSUS—KATSUKI BAKUGO!!!"
The reaction was instant and overwhelming.
The stadium erupted.
Flags bearing their names waved wildly in the stands. Camera drones swooped lower, lenses locking onto the battlefield. News tickers across Japan updated in real time as anchors leaned closer to their screens. This wasn't just a school event anymore—it was a national spectacle.
In the VIP lounge, Japan's top heroes leaned forward almost in unison.
"Midoriya again," Aizawa muttered, his tired eyes sharp beneath his capture goggles. "He hasn't even broken a sweat all day. This won't be a normal final."
Endeavor's flames crackled higher, heat shimmering around his massive frame as a smirk crept onto his face. "Let's see if Bakugo can force him to bleed. That Midoriya brat is strong… but raw strength alone doesn't win wars."
All Might, seated quietly in his slim form, said nothing.
His gaze was locked on the massive screen displaying Izuku's name. The cheers seemed distant to him, muffled beneath the weight of his thoughts.
' He moves naturally… too naturally,' he thought. ' I wonder… could he inherit One For All?'
Down on the arena floor, the massive gates groaned open.
From the left side—
Katsuki Bakugo marched out like a walking detonation. Each step sent sparks popping from his palms, the sharp crackle of nitroglycerin sweat echoing against the concrete.
His jaw was clenched so tight it looked like it might shatter, red eyes burning with unrestrained fury.
The crowd screamed his name, but Katsuki didn't even acknowledge them. His entire world had narrowed to one person.
From the right side—
Izuku Midoriya strolled out with the same calm, almost infuriating casualness he'd carried all day. His U.A. gym uniform clung to his frame, scuffed and damp from earlier matches, but he looked untouched—unbothered.
He lifted one hand and gave the crowd a brief wave, earning a deafening surge of screams before lowering it and rolling his shoulders like he was warming up for a jog.
Present Mic was practically losing his mind.
"FROM THE LEFT SIDE! THE UNSTOPPABLE BLAST CANNON OF CLASS 1-A—KATSUKIIIIIII BAKUGOOOOOO!!!"
Explosions flared in response, Katsuki's palms hissing violently.
"AND FROM THE RIGHT SIDE! THE BOY WHO TURNED THIS FESTIVAL UPSIDE DOWN! THE WALKING ENIGMA! THE POWERHOUSE WITH A SMILE—IZUKUUUU MIDORIYAAAAAA!!!"
The stadium trembled under the sheer volume of it all. The concrete walls vibrated. The air felt tight, electric, heavy with anticipation.
Midnight stepped forward, whip in hand, her expression serious despite the playful tilt of her lips. She raised her arm high.
Katsuki leaned forward, explosions roaring louder as his body coiled like a spring ready to snap.
"DEKU!!!" he screamed, veins bulging in his neck. "I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF FREAK POWER YOU'VE GOT—I'M ENDING THIS HERE AND NOW!!"
Izuku tilted his head slightly, green eyes calm, almost amused. A smirk tugged at his lips—not mocking, not cruel, just confident.
"Try me."
Midnight snapped her arm down.
"START!!"
The moment the word left her mouth—Katsuki wasted no time.
His palms erupted with furious blasts, twin detonations screaming as he launched forward like a living missile.
The arena floor shattered beneath his takeoff, cracks spider-webbing outward as chunks of concrete were ripped free and hurled into the air. Smoke and flame trailed behind him in a violent arc, the pressure alone making the crowd recoil.
In the blink of an eye, he was on Izuku.
"DEKU—!!"
Katsuki thrust his palm straight toward Izuku's face.
BOOM!
The explosion detonated point-blank, a concussive blast that swallowed the space in fire and dust. Heat washed over the front rows, the shockwave slamming into the stadium walls hard enough to rattle steel supports.
But Izuku was already gone. He slipped under the blast with almost insulting ease, body folding low as if he'd predicted the attack seconds ago. The heat skimmed over his back as he swept his leg out, aiming cleanly for Katsuki's base.
A textbook takedown.
Katsuki snarled.
"Tch!"
He sprang back at the last second, boots scraping against shattered stone as he flipped away. Both arms came up, palms glowing brighter—unstable, volatile, dangerous. Veins stood out along his forearms as a feral grin split his face, teeth bared like a cornered animal.
"DIE!!!"
At point-blank range—
BOOOOOM!!!
The explosion lit up the entire stadium like a second sun. Concrete disintegrated where Izuku had been standing, the ground collapsing inward as debris and fire blasted skyward. The shockwave hit the stands hard enough to make people scream, hands flying up to shield their faces from the blast of heat and smoke.
"HE'S GONE!" someone yelled in panic.
For a split second, even the commentators fell silent.
Then—
A blur tore through the smoke.
Izuku reappeared out of the haze, his figure snapping into focus mid-motion. No burns. No hesitation. His speed distorted the air around him as he closed the distance instantly.
Before Katsuki could even register it—
BAM!
A brutal side kick slammed into Katsuki's hip.
The impact sounded like a cannon firing. Katsuki's body went flying, spinning end over end as he was hurled across the arena. Gasps ripped through the crowd—but Bakugo wasn't done.
Midair, he twisted.
BOOM!
An explosion detonated behind him, halting his momentum with violent precision. He corrected himself in the air, boots skidding as he slammed down near the very edge of the ring. Stone cracked beneath his feet, pebbles tumbling into the drop just centimeters away.
"KATSUKI GETS HIS FOOTING—MILLIMETERS FROM THE EDGE! HE'S STILL VERY MUCH IN THIS!!" Present Mic shouted, voice cracking with adrenaline.
The stadium erupted again, chants colliding in a chaotic roar—half screaming Bakugo's name, half chanting Midoriya's.
Katsuki straightened slowly, chest heaving. Smoke curled off his shoulders, sweat streaking down his face. His glare sharpened, rage boiling so hot it looked like it might spill out of his eyes.
"You better take this seriously, Deku!!" he roared.
Then he moved.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions hammered rhythmically beneath his feet as he charged, each blast propelling him faster, harder. He zigzagged across the arena, movement unpredictable, erratic—like a missile constantly changing trajectory.
At the last second, Katsuki redirected a blast straight down.
He spun. His leg came down like an executioner's axe, wrapped in explosive force, aimed straight for Izuku's skull.
Izuku raised his arms.
The impact hit—
THOOM!
A shockwave rippled outward, cracking the ground beneath them. Izuku didn't budge. He absorbed the force effortlessly, boots grinding slightly into the stone before he shoved Katsuki back with a single push.
Katsuki landed on his feet instantly. No pause. He threw a punch.
Another explosion flared, his fist rocketing toward Izuku's face.
Izuku tilted his head just enough for it to miss, then snapped back with a clean uppercut. The blow grazed Katsuki's chin—
—but Katsuki blasted himself backward immediately.
BOOM!
The recoil launched him out of range as he hurled another explosion straight at Izuku. This one detonated fully, fire swallowing Izuku whole.
The arena vanished behind smoke and flame. Cheers. Gasps. Shouts. When the smoke finally cleared—
Izuku stood there.
Unmoved.
His uniform was scorched and torn, fabric smoldering faintly. Steam curled off his shoulders where heat met skin—but there wasn't a single burn. Not a drop of blood. His posture was relaxed, almost lazy.
The crowd went dead silent.
"…No way."
"That was a direct hit…"
"He's… fine?"
Up in the VIP lounge, pro heroes leaned forward, eyes narrowed. This wasn't just toughness. This wasn't normal endurance.
This was something else.
Izuku sighed, brushing soot from his sleeve as if annoyed by the mess. His eyes glowed faintly beneath the stadium lights as he looked at Katsuki—panting, furious, burning himself out in real time.
'Aight,' zuku thought, flexing his fingers as a faint grin spread across his face.
' This is getting boring.' He took a single step forward. ' But I'll drag it out a little longer.'
His smile sharpened—not cruel, but confident.
'Time to really break him.'
Katsuki charged first, fury exploding out of him in raw, unfiltered violence.
BOOM!
The initial blast tore into the arena floor, concrete shattering as chunks of stone were hurled skyward. Heat washed over the battlefield, the pressure of the explosion bending the air itself. Spectators flinched as debris rained down like shrapnel.
Izuku reacted instantly.
He rolled low, body compact and controlled, letting the shockwave roar harmlessly over his back. Dust curled around him as he slid to a stop, eyes locked on Katsuki's center of mass.
Katsuki followed up without pause, swinging into a spinning kick and detonating a blast beneath himself to stabilize mid-motion, fire roaring under his heel.
Izuku ducked beneath the leg by a hair's breadth, rolled behind him, and planted his palm squarely between Katsuki's shoulder blades.
THUD!
The strike wasn't flashy—but it was precise. Katsuki stumbled forward, boots scraping across fractured concrete.
CRASH!
He recovered mid-air, snarling as he blasted the ground to rocket backward, trying to create distance.
Izuku had already read it.
He sidestepped smoothly, caught Katsuki's incoming palm at the wrist, and redirected the explosion downward into empty ground.
BOOM! BOOM!
The detonations ripped craters into the arena floor, shockwaves rippling outward—but Izuku was untouched, his movements fluid, seamless. Every dodge flowed into a strike. Every strike flowed into another opening.
Katsuki surged forward again, unleashing a furious combination— he through wild punch followed by a sharp elbow and a downward kick reinforced with a blast.
Izuku ducked, twisted his torso aside, and snapped a spinning elbow into Katsuki's midsection.
THUMP!
Before Katsuki could recover, Izuku followed with a low sweep that took his footing clean out from under him.
Katsuki slammed a palm down instinctively—
BOOM!
The ground erupted as he tried to stabilize, but Izuku had already leapt high, somersaulting through the smoke and fire. He landed lightly behind him, boots barely making a sound.
Then—
A rapid succession of jabs hammered into Katsuki's sides and shoulders. Each strike landed with surgical precision, rattling his ribs and knocking the breath from his lungs.
CRACK! BOOM!
Katsuki whirled, trying to counter with an aerial explosion—but Izuku was already sliding low across the arena floor. He caught Katsuki's ankle mid-spin and flipped him clean over in a textbook throw.
BOOM! CRASH!
The crowd gasped as Katsuki slammed down hard, skidding across broken stone. Dust billowed as he scrambled back to his feet, chest heaving, eyes wild. Explosions sparked erratically from his palms, control slipping.
Izuku stood calmly across from him.
Hands in his pockets.
For just a fraction of a second.
Then he vanished.
Izuku ducked under a wrist-blast, rolled cleanly through an explosion with perfect timing, and drove a sharp knee into Katsuki's chest.
THUD!
He spun low, his foot smashing into Katsuki's shin.
CRUNCH!
Katsuki lashed out with a desperate elbow, but Izuku caught it, twisted his arm behind him, forcing Katsuki to detonate a palm explosion just to break free.
BOOM!
Izuku leapt back as the blast tore through the arena, dirt and stone exploding outward.
Smoke hung thick in the air. And then Izuku sprinted forward. Each step was measured. He ducked under a midair kick, slipped past a forward blast, and unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes— to Katsuki's chest, his ribs, his jaw.
Each hit staggered him further. Each movement tested his balance. Katsuki tried to create distance with another palm explosion—
—but Izuku was already there.
He sidestepped the blast and snapped an uppercut into Katsuki's chin.
BOOM!
The recoil sent Katsuki spinning backward through the air. The arena shook from the constant detonations, smoke curling around Izuku like a cloak—but he remained untouched.
Untouchable.
Katsuki tried everything—midair spins, reckless blast chains, overwhelming force—but every attack was countered. Blocked. Parried. Evaded. Izuku danced around him, reading him completely, dismantling him piece by piece.
Finally—
Katsuki overextended.
A desperate palm explosion combo left his chest exposed for just a moment too long. Izuku crouched. Coiled. Then surged forward in a single, fluid motion.
His fist moved faster than the eye could track.
BOOOOOOM!
The punch landed squarely in Katsuki's chest. The combined force of Izuku's strike and the lingering recoil from Katsuki's own blast sent him flying across the arena like a broken missile.
He slammed into the ground hard. Dust and debris erupted in every direction. Silence. When the smoke cleared, Katsuki lay sprawled on the cracked concrete, chest heaving violently, eyes wide with disbelief. His explosions fizzled weakly, hands trembling.
Izuku stood tall at the center of the arena, breathing evenly, hands clasped behind his back.
Not a scratch on him.
Midnight's voice rang out, clear and decisive.
"IZUKU MIDORIYA WINS!!"
The stadium exploded.
Cheers thundered from every direction, the VIP stands buzzing with stunned murmurs. Heroes leaned forward, students screamed, cameras zoomed in relentlessly.
Izuku walked over and extended a hand. "Good fight," he said calmly.
Katsuki slapped it away, teeth clenched, chest still rising and falling violently.
Izuku just smiled wider.
"Don't forget our wager."
Katsuki's eyes went wide.
'…Fuck. I totally forgot about that.'
His stomach dropped.
'This twerp is about to make me do something horrible.'
TO BE CONTINUED