Blind Rage and the Boiling Point
As soon as Present Mic's voice blasted through the speakers to announce the start of the match, Iida launched himself forward. He didn't wait. He didn't analyze the situation like he usually did. He fired up his engines to maximum output and shot off like a cannonball.
Fast! Midoriya's eyes widened as he desperately threw his body to the side to dodge the incoming flying kick. The air pressure alone was enough to scratch his cheek and throw him off balance.
What is this? Midoriya's analytical mind raced through the sudden spike of adrenaline. His center of gravity is way too high... He didn't even try to feint or read my defense. His attack angle is completely straight! This isn't Iida-kun's usual fighting style!
Midoriya scrambled backward, trying to create a safe distance, but Iida gave him absolutely no room to breathe. He kept attacking ferociously. A flurry of kicks, left and right, with absolutely no defensive strategy whatsoever.
Midoriya caught a glimpse of his opponent's eyes behind his glasses, and he noticed it... They were bloodshot, filled with a blind rage and a deep despair he had never seen in his highly disciplined friend. What is making him so angry? And why is he so rushed to end this match at any cost? I don't understand... Midoriya gritted his teeth, ignoring the agonizing throbbing of his shattered fingers. But I have a reason to win, too! I can't back down here!
"WHAT'S WITH THIS RUSH?!" Present Mic yelled in surprise from the commentator's booth. "IIDA IS ATTACKING LIKE HE'S LOST HIS MIND!"
Aizawa sighed lazily beside him, but his sharp eyes tracked the screen closely. "He's attacking with blind recklessness. And Midoriya is reading his movements... Even though his fingers are shattered and he can't launch a counter-attack, his situational analysis is giving him the edge."
"You won't get away!" Iida shouted, his voice cracking as he leaned forward. "Recipro Burst!"
Blue flames erupted from his calf engines, and his speed multiplied insanely.
Up in the stands, Uraraka suddenly stood up, covering her mouth in terror. "His speed is terrifying... Deku-kun!"
Beside her, All Might gripped the metal railing so hard it nearly bent. His eyes tracked his student with intense fear and anxiety. Don't do anything reckless, Young Midoriya!
Near the entrance tunnel, Zoro's eyes narrowed with intense focus as he watched Midoriya's movements. Speed alone isn't enough to win if the attack is too obvious. Are you going to give up here, Midoriya?
Midoriya's eyes narrowed. Suddenly, faint red sparks of electricity began to violently crackle around his body. Instead of retreating, he focused the last of his remaining stamina into his tired legs and charged straight forward at Iida. He ducked fluidly under the devastating kick, using Iida's own reckless momentum and maximum speed against him. He drove his uninjured shoulder right below Iida's center of gravity, forcefully redirecting his trajectory into a blind spot Iida couldn't protect.
Iida launched into the air, completely unable to brake his engines. He crashed and tumbled away... rolling right past the white boundary line.
Complete silence fell over the stadium before Midnight raised her whip. "Iida is out of bounds! Izuku Midoriya advances to the finals!"
The stands erupted in deafening cheers, but Midoriya didn't celebrate. As soon as the red sparks vanished, he dropped to his knees, and then collapsed onto the concrete, completely unconscious.
The medical robots rushed in to carry his battered body away. Up in the stands, Uraraka couldn't even smile; she looked at her friend's broken body in sheer horror. All Might swallowed hard, pure terror and worry evident in his eyes, wishing he could jump down and carry the boy himself.
Outside the ring, Iida slowly got to his feet. He didn't say a single word. He turned his back and walked away from the stage. He headed straight to the Class 1-A waiting room, gathered his clothes, picked up his school bag, and left the stadium entirely, completely ignoring the cheers of the crowd. His destination was set... Hosu General Hospital.
In the infirmary, Midoriya slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on a hospital bed. Recovery Girl stood over him, her face twisted in absolute fury.
"I healed you... with extreme difficulty!" she scolded harshly. "I will not heal you again today! Your body doesn't have enough stamina left to handle the healing process!"
Midoriya stayed on his back. He felt agonizing pain shooting up his legs from overusing One For All, and his fingers throbbed mercilessly after landing hard on them while they were still bandaged and broken. Despite all of that, his eyes shone with pure stubbornness. "I know... but I have to fight in the finals. I have to prove myself, no matter the cost!"
Recovery Girl sighed in despair. At that exact moment, the infirmary door opened, and All Might walked in, in his skinny form.
"You are responsible for this too!" Recovery Girl yelled the moment she saw him. "Look at what you're doing to him! You aren't teaching him how to preserve his own life. This suicidal fighting style is going to destroy him!"
All Might lowered his head in shame. He approached the bed and looked at Midoriya with deep sadness. "You've proven yourself more than enough, Young Midoriya. You made it to the finals, and that is a massive achievement. But your health right now is far more important than this festival... Please, forfeit the final match."
But Midoriya's head was harder than stone. "I can't, All Might... I have to stand in that ring."
Before All Might could continue trying to convince him, the door suddenly swung open. Uraraka, Mineta, and Tsuyu rushed in, their faces painted with worry.
"Deku-kun! Are you okay?!" Uraraka asked frantically as she rushed to his bedside.
They paused for a moment, looking in confusion at the frail, skeletal man standing next to the bed. They didn't recognize his true form at all.
Tsuyu tapped her chin with her finger. "Ribbit... Who is this man? Is he one of your relatives, Midoriya?"
Midoriya and All Might panicked violently. Midoriya waved his uninjured hand slightly. "Ah... yes! Something like that!"
After letting the friends check on his condition for a few brief seconds, Recovery Girl waved her cane and shooed them all out. "Shoo, shoo! The patient needs absolute rest right now. Out, all of you!"
The moment they left, Present Mic's hyped-up voice echoed through the speakers in the clinic, announcing the approach of the highly anticipated event.
All Might sighed and gave Midoriya one last look. "Well, think carefully about what I said... I'm going to go watch what Zoro does now."
The scene shifted to the stadium, which was boiling like a volcano about to erupt. Massive pillars of fire shot up around the edges of the ring to heat up the atmosphere, while the crowd screamed with absolute, frantic excitement.
In the right tunnel, Zoro walked in complete silence, his steady footsteps echoing in the dark. In the left tunnel, the fierce sparks of explosions lit up the shadows, preceding their owner.
Present Mic screamed at the absolute top of his lungs: "AND NOW, FOR THE SECOND MATCH OF THE SEMI-FINALS! IN THE RIGHT CORNER, THE SWORDSMAN WHO TERRIFIED EVERYONE WITH HIS MYSTERIOUS SKILLS... RORONOA ZORO! AND IN THE LEFT CORNER, THE EXPLOSION MACHINE THIRSTING FOR BATTLE... KATSUKI BAKUGO!"
The two of them emerged from the tunnels at the exact same moment. They walked up the steps and stopped, face-to-face. The distance between them generated a pressure so suffocating that the entire stadium fell silent for a few seconds in sheer anticipation.
Zoro stood perfectly still, his hand resting coldly on the hilt of his sword. Bakugo stood across from him, cracking his knuckles with popping explosions, a bloodthirsty, unhinged grin spreading across his face.
"Don't think you're gonna survive me, you damn moss-head," Bakugo growled.
Zoro looked at him, a slight, dangerous smirk appearing on his lips. "Try not to cry when I cut you."
.
.
For Advanced Chapters:
There will be 9 to 12 Advanced Chapters
Chapter 62 will be available soon.
(Stain vs Zoro face-to-face)
Pat re on is one of the biggest way to help your author to write more and also to get advanced chapters;
Pat re on.com/AZTh
Apple users should subscribe through the website, not the app, because the app costs about five extra dollars due to Apple's fees. That's why I strongly recommend using the web version.