Many matches later, the stadium roared louder than it had all day. The seats vibrated under the force of thousands stomping their feet, the chants of "BA-KU-GO!" and "MI-DO-RI-YA!" colliding in the air like rival war drums.
It was now time for the final match of this year's U.A. Sports Festival.
The last two standing: Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo.
After dismantling Todoroki with calm efficiency, Izuku had strolled through the rest of his opponents as though they were little more than practice dummies. No tricks, no wasted effort—just clean strength and flawless technique. The only one who had even made him pause was Todoroki, and now the stage was set for the one person who had been clawing at his back since childhood.
Katsuki Bakugo.
In the waiting room, Izuku sat casually with his arms behind his head. Ochaco, Mina, and even Mei crowded around him, throwing words of encouragement, but he waved them off with a faint smile.
"I'm sure Izu's got this in the bag." Mina teased.
Izuku shrugged, eyes on the ceiling, clearly not the least bit worried.
' What should I do after this? Maybe sleep. Or take Mom out tomorrow, I've been meaning to try those toys I bought. Yeah… sounds better than thinking about this fight. '
The buzzer from the intercom jolted the silence. Present Mic's voice boomed across every speaker.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! 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 crowd erupted. Flags bearing their names waved in the stands, cameras zoomed in, and every news outlet around the country cut to the live feed.
Inside the VIP lounge, Japan's top heroes leaned forward in their seats.
"Midoriya again," Aizawa muttered, eyes narrowing. "He hasn't even broken a sweat. This will be… interesting."
Endeavor's flames crackled around his shoulders, smirking. "Let's see if Bakugo can force him to bleed. That Midoriya brat is strong, but strength isn't everything."
All Might, in his slim form, said nothing. His eyes, however, were fixed squarely on Izuku's name on the board.
' I wonder if he can inherit One For All' he thought.
Back down on the arena floor, the gates opened.
From one side, Katsuki marched out, explosions sparking in his palms with each step. His expression was pure rage carved into stone. The crowd cheered wildly, but he ignored it, eyes locked forward.
From the other side, Izuku strolled in with the same calm casualness he'd carried all day. His UA gym uniform clung to his frame, faint scuffs from earlier fights still visible. He raised a single hand to the crowd, eliciting another round of screams before lowering it and rolling his shoulders.
Present Mic nearly leapt out of the booth.
"FROM THE LEFT SIDE, THE UNSTOPPABLE BLAST CANNON OF CLASS 1-A! KATSUKIIIIIII BAKUGOOOOOO!!!"
"And from the right side, the boy who's turned this festival upside down, the walking enigma, the powerhouse with a smile—IZUKUUUU MIDORIYAAAAAA!!!"
The stadium trembled under the sheer noise of it all.
Midnight raised her hand, ready to signal the start. Katsuki leaned forward, snarling, explosions hissing louder.
"DEKU!!! I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF FREAK POWER YOU'VE GOT—I'M ENDING THIS HERE AND NOW!!"
Izuku tilted his head slightly, smirk tugging at his lips.
"Try me."
"START!"
Katsuki wasted no time—his palms erupted with furious blasts as he rocketed forward like a missile. The arena floor cracked under the pressure of his explosions, smoke trailing in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he was on Izuku, thrusting his palm straight at his face.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion tore through the air, heat and dust flooding the space. But Izuku had already ducked under it with almost casual ease. His eyes narrowed as he swept his leg under Katsuki, aiming to trip him.
But Bakugo wasn't so easy to catch—he snarled, springing back and raising both arms, palms glowing with unstable light. A crazed, wild smile spread across his face, teeth bared.
"DIE!!!"
At point-blank range, the detonation lit up the entire stadium.
BOOOOOM!!!
Chunks of arena floor disintegrated into rubble where Izuku once stood. The shockwave rattled the stands, forcing spectators to shield their faces from the rush of smoke and fire.
"HE'S GONE!" someone shouted.
But in the next instant, Izuku reappeared through the haze, his figure untouched, his speed too sharp for the eye to follow. Before Katsuki could react, Izuku slammed a side kick directly into his hip.
BAM!
The impact sent Katsuki flying across the arena, his body spinning. But he wasn't about to lose so easily—he ignited another blast behind him, halting his momentum midair and forcing himself upright. He landed right at the edge of the ring, boots skidding against the stone, the drop only a hair's breadth away.
"KATSUKI GETS HIS FOOTING, MILLIMETERS FROM THE EDGE! HE'S STILL VERY MUCH IN THIS!!" Present Mic roared, voice echoing with excitement.
The crowd's cheers rattled the stadium, half screaming for Bakugo, half for Izuku.
Katsuki's glare sharpened, rage boiling in his crimson eyes. "You better take this seriously, Deku!!" he roared, launching himself forward again, explosions booming rhythmically with every step.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each blast propelled him faster, his body like a living rocket. At the last second, he redirected his explosion downward, spinning in midair. His leg came crashing down like an axe aimed straight for Izuku's skull.
Izuku raised his arms and blocked it effortlessly, the force of the impact kicking up a shockwave that rattled the ground. With one push, he shoved Katsuki back.
Bakugo landed on his feet, immediately throwing a fist forward. Another fiery explosion flared as his punch rocketed toward Izuku's face.
Izuku tilted his head just enough to dodge, then countered with a swift uppercut. The blow barely grazed Katsuki's chin, but before Izuku could follow up—
BOOM!
Katsuki blasted himself backward, using the recoil to escape while hurling another explosion directly at Izuku. This time, the flames swallowed him whole.
The arena erupted in cheers and gasps as smoke cloaked the battlefield.
But when it cleared—Izuku stood tall, not a single scratch on his skin. His uniform was scorched and torn, steam rising off him, but his expression remained calm. Almost bored.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"NO WAY!"
"That was a direct hit—he's… fine?!"
Up in the VIP lounge, heroes leaned forward in their seats, eyes narrowing in curiosity. This wasn't just durability. There was something unnatural about how untouchable the boy seemed.
Izuku sighed, brushing a bit of soot from his sleeve, his emerald eyes glowing faintly under the stadium lights.
'Aight, this is getting boring,' he thought, flexing his fingers. A faint grin tugged at his lips as he looked at Bakugo's wild, panting form. 'But I'll drag it out a little longer. Time to humiliate him.'
TO BE CONTINUED