Chapter 54: The Swordsman's Code
The medical robots quickly rolled onto the smoking stage, carefully lifting Bakugo's unconscious body onto a stretcher to transport him to Recovery Girl's office. The concrete wall he had crashed into remained deeply cracked, a terrifying testament to the swordsman's raw power.
Deep in the stadium's catacombs, Midoriya was limping out of the infirmary, heading toward the waiting room. Recovery Girl's harsh warnings and All Might's desperate pleas still echoed in his mind, but his eyes were set in a dead, unyielding stare. He was determined to fight in the finals, no matter the cost.
At the same time, Zoro was wandering the concrete hallways, trying to find his way to the staging area as the final match approached. True to form, he had taken a wrong turn.
"Where the hell is my waiting room?" Zoro grumbled, scratching the back of his head. He stopped in front of a door he thought was his and reached for the handle.
Before he could open it, he heard voices from inside.
"Deku-kun, please! You can't go out there!" It was Uraraka's voice, trembling with worry. "Look at yourself! You can barely stand!"
Zoro paused. He didn't open the door fully, just enough to peek through the crack. Inside, he saw Midoriya standing with immense difficulty. His legs were visibly trembling, and several fingers on both of his hands were wrapped in thick, fresh bandages that were already slightly stained.
Zoro's lone eye narrowed. He analyzed Midoriya's condition in a split second. How is a match against him supposed to go when he's in that state? Zoro thought, a deep frown forming on his face. I won't enjoy cutting down a cripple. A fight like this... it brings me nothing but disgust.
Feeling a wave of profound disappointment, Zoro released the door handle, turned around, and walked away in silence.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" Present Mic's voice boomed across the entire stadium, whipping the crowd into an absolute frenzy of excitement.
Up in the Class 1-A seating area, the students were whispering nervously among themselves.
"Is Midoriya really going to participate?" Kaminari asked, swallowing hard. "He looked half-dead after fighting Iida!"
"How is he supposed to face Zoro?" Jiro added, looking at the cracked stage. "Zoro just defeated Bakugo with a single strike without even drawing blood. If Midoriya takes a hit like that..."
Down in the hero stands, All Might was a nervous wreck. He gripped the metal railing, his knuckles turning white, his heart aching as he watched the tunnel entrance. Please, Young Midoriya... don't destroy your future for this.
"AND NOW, OUR TWO FINALISTS WILL ENTER THE STAGE!"
Midoriya emerged from the left tunnel. Every step looked agonizing. He was limping heavily, breathing hard before the match had even started, but his eyes burned with fierce determination.
Zoro emerged from the right tunnel. He walked with absolute calmness, his hands resting easily by his sides. However, as he looked across the ring at Midoriya, his gaze was piercing. He didn't look at Midoriya with respect; he looked at him as if what Midoriya was doing was pure stupidity, not bravery or willpower.
The two stood face-to-face in the center of the ring. The atmosphere was electric.
Far away from the stadium, in a dimly lit bar, the finals were being broadcast on a large television screen.
Tomura Shigaraki sat at the counter, glaring at the two boys on the screen.
From a static-filled monitor in the corner, a deep, ominous voice spoke. "Tomura... mark those two well. In the future, those two will be a massive obstacle for you."
Shigaraki's eyes twitched. He raised a hand, furiously scratching his dry neck until the skin turned red. "That is absolute bullshit," he hissed, glaring at the green-haired boy and the swordsman.
Back at the stadium, Present Mic threw his hands into the air.
"START!"
Midoriya immediately dropped into a defensive, awkward stance, waiting desperately for Zoro to launch his terrifying assault. His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared to sacrifice whatever was left of his shattered fingers.
But Zoro didn't attack.
Zoro stood completely still. He looked at the trembling, broken boy in front of him and let out a long, heavy sigh. He didn't even reach for the hilts of his swords. Instead, he calmly turned his back to Midoriya.
Midoriya blinked, completely stunned. "Zoro-kun...?"
Zoro glanced back over his shoulder, his voice loud enough to carry through the microphones and echo across the silent stadium.
"What? Did you actually think I would be satisfied with this pathetic excuse for a match?" Zoro said, his tone blunt and piercing. "This displeases me. If I fight you while you're in that miserable condition, that dream of yours will permanently disappear. What you think is bravery right now is just a suicidal act, nothing more and nothing less."
Midoriya froze, Zoro's harsh words hitting him harder than any physical punch.
"I don't give a damn about first place or a shiny gold medal from this," Zoro continued, looking up at the referee. "What I've done here today is more than enough."
Zoro crossed his arms. "I forfeit."
The entire stadium went completely, painfully silent.
"EHHHHHH?!" Present Mic screamed, nearly falling out of his chair. "WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
Aizawa leaned into the microphone, his voice calm amidst the shock. "It's simple. Roronoa operates on a strict warrior's code. Striking down an already crippled opponent brings him absolutely no honor. To a man like him, a hollow victory is much worse than a loss."
After the initial shock of Aizawa's explanation settled, the stadium erupted into absolute chaos.
Midoriya stood in the center of the ring, his mouth slightly open, utterly shocked by Zoro's immense pride and unyielding principles.
Up in the stands, Class 1-A was in awe.
"He threw away first place just like that?!" Mineta yelled.
"He has incredible pride and principles," Yaoyorozu murmured in deep respect. "He refused to break a classmate for the sake of a medal."
All Might let out a massive breath he didn't realize he was holding. He looked at Zoro's retreating back with overwhelming gratitude. Thank you, Young Roronoa. Beneath that terrifying and strict exterior, you possess the logic, morals, and respect of a true hero. You stepped down so your friend wouldn't destroy himself.
Meanwhile, in Recovery Girl's office, Bakugo was watching the broadcast from his hospital bed. His eyes were wide, bloodshot, and burning with an explosive, blinding rage.
"THAT DAMN MOSS-HEAD!" Bakugo roared, violently thrashing against the bedsheets. "HE BEAT ME DOWN, JUST TO SURRENDER TO THAT DAMN NERD DEKU?! DON'T YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON ME!"
Down on the stage, Midnight raised her whip, her eyes softening as she looked at the swordsman. "Roronoa Zoro forfeits the match! The winner of the First-Year Sports Festival is... Izuku Midoriya!"
The festival had officially concluded. The fireworks went off, and the closing ceremonies began.
All the first-year students gathered in the center of the field. From the ground, a massive concrete podium rose into the air.
1st Place: Izuku Midoriya. He stood at the top, looking incredibly conflicted and unhappy with how he had won.
2nd Place: Roronoa Zoro. He stood on his pillar with his arms crossed, his eyes closed, looking completely bored by the whole spectacle.
3rd Place: Katsuki Bakugo... and an empty spot.
Bakugo was an absolute sight to behold. Furious beyond reason about his third-place finish and Zoro's forfeit, he was thrashing around like a wild beast. To keep him under control, the teachers had literally chained him to a concrete slab and strapped a muzzle over his mouth. He was screaming muffled curses, glaring murderous daggers at Zoro.
"Now then," Midnight announced to the crowd via the microphone. "Regarding the other third-place winner, Tenya Iida... he had to leave the venue early due to urgent family reasons. Thank you for your understanding."
On the top of the podium, Midoriya's eyes widened in shock.
Down in the crowd of students, Uraraka looked up at him with a deeply worried expression.
"Family reasons...?" Uraraka whispered to herself.
He didn't say anything to us when he left... Midoriya thought, looking down at his friends as a heavy pit formed in his stomach.
The press flashed their cameras, capturing the bizarre podium of winners.
"Now, we will present the medals!" Midnight announced cheerfully. "And the one presenting them this year will be, of course, this man!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
A massive shadow fell over the stadium. The crowd erupted into deafening, frantic cheers.
"ALL MIGHT!"
The Symbol of Peace leaped down from the top of the stadium roof, crashing heroically onto the grass right in front of the podium.
"I HAVE BROUGHT THE MEDALS HERE!" All Might boomed, holding up the shiny gold, silver, and bronze awards.
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For Advanced Chapters:
Chapter 63 is Available now
Training week has ended
Zoro has only managed to learn the first step in mastering Armament Haki. Only Flow and Invisible Shield.
When or how Haki will fully master Armament Haki will be revealed in future events.
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