Although Bakugo Katsuki's 'Explosion' quirk could also create shockwaves from a long distance, its power was far inferior to a close-range explosion. Izuku Midoriya had also already proven that unless he broke through head-on, he would be completely dragged into a war of attrition by Shoto Todoroki, which was undoubtedly very unfavorable for him. Even the oil used to create the 'explosion' in his palms could be frozen.
Shoto Todoroki had obviously also guessed Bakugo Katsuki's plan before the match started. Walls of ice were constantly being erected around him, which seemed to be to strengthen his defense, but after Bakugo Katsuki shattered the ice walls, ice spears were erected next to Shoto Todoroki.
"Go!!"
"Don't think that these half-assed moves can stop me! I'm not like that half-assed Deku!"
"Boom!!"
An explosion powerful enough to twist a steel spear could naturally also directly shatter solid ice. Several ice spears were also completely turned into shattered pieces in mid-air, but Bakugo Katsuki's brows furrowed fiercely. The wound on his right palm once again seeped out bright red blood.
Shoto Todoroki on the other side also furrowed his brows when he saw the broken wound on the other party's hand, and the movement in his hand unconsciously slowed down...
"Boom!!"
"Are you looking down on me?! Bastard!!"
Along with the sound of the explosion was the splashing blood and Bakugo Katsuki's even more twisted face.
"Who do you think you are?! Pitying me?! I'm Bakugo Katsuki!!"
He aimed his injured right hand behind him to create thrust for himself, and his left hand constantly blasted the ice spears that were attacking him. The distance between the two quickly closed due to Shoto Todoroki's hesitation and Bakugo Katsuki's outburst, which also forced Shoto Todoroki to engage in close-range combat with the other party.
An ice-made stick, or rather, a katana without a blade, was constantly attacking various parts of Bakugo Katsuki's body under his swing, but there is no doubt that he had not specifically learned how to use a weapon. He was just relying on his eyesight to find Bakugo Katsuki's flaws and swung it. He couldn't use the katana to block Bakugo Katsuki's attacks at all. Even during this period, he was mostly on the defensive.
Under the other party's step-by-step pressure, Shoto Todoroki was forced step-by-step into the corner of the arena, but his expression remained calm. At first, he was indeed shocked by Bakugo Katsuki's fierce attack, but then he also noticed something wrong with the other party.
Although the other party's personality was irritable, he was even more strange this time, even directly giving up on testing and going all out. This obviously did not conform to the usual style of this seemingly rough but actually meticulous Bakugo Katsuki.
"Huff... huff..."
Just at this time, along with an explosion, a slightly heavy gasp entered his ears. At this moment, Shoto Todoroki seemed to have been awakened and covered his chest.
Although he hadn't felt it before, now that he thought about it, in the previous few battles, Bakugo Katsuki seemed to have consumed more stamina than he did, and the other party also had an injury...
'Are you looking down on me?! Bastard!!'
'Who do you think you are?! Pitying me?! I'm Bakugo Katsuki!!'
But at this moment, Bakugo Katsuki's previous roar once again entered his mind, and at the same time, the other party's gritted teeth appeared in front of his eyes.
"Bang!!"
Using the recoil of the ice blade being shattered by Bakugo Katsuki, Shoto Todoroki did a somersault and landed in the corner of the arena. He was only one step away from failure, but at this moment, he suddenly raised his head.
His originally cold expression had disappeared, replaced by seriousness and concentration.
"I see! In that case, let me give you a glorious defeat!"
"How can there be glory in failure?! But if you want to defeat me!! Show me your real skills!!"
Bakugo Katsuki, who was gasping for air, had his expression ease for the first time, but then he once again charged toward Shoto Todoroki.
"You've already lost!"
With Shoto Todoroki's 'declaration,' the shattered ice that had been flying around when the two were fighting before had unknowingly floated around the two of them, and with Shoto Todoroki's control, these shattered ice were constantly sticking to Bakugo Katsuki's body!
Bakugo Katsuki, who noticed something was wrong, began to constantly use his quirk to try to clear them, but it was a pity that they wouldn't disappear even if they were vaporized. When Shoto Todoroki's outstretched right hand clenched fiercely, a huge ice hand had already lifted Bakugo Katsuki into mid-air.
"I win!!"
「Task completed: Shoto Todoroki————Champion, Momo Yaoyorozu————Top 8」
「Task reward: Attribute weapon————Ice Katana, Protective suit————Ice Reinforcement」
As Shoto Todoroki won amidst the cheers of the crowd, the sound of the task being completed also came to Lancer ears, but when he saw the task reward, his expression became extremely subtle.
'As expected, compared to a spear, a katana is more suitable for Shoto Todoroki? And this protective suit looks like it's for a woman, right?'
But fortunately, Lancer didn't plan to get anything from the task. These two things could be given as gifts to the two of them.
——————
During the final award ceremony, Shoto Todoroki stood on the champion's podium with an excited face, and at the same time, his eyes were looking straight at the location of Lancer and Jack. Lancer just smiled and didn't react too much to this. After all, in his opinion, this was just a 'competition,' but Jack, who was in Lancer arms, was extremely excited and constantly waved his claws.
Bakugo Katsuki, who was standing in the second-place position, was also surprisingly 'calm' to everyone.
With his hands in his pockets, he glared fiercely at Shoto Todoroki, who was standing in the champion's position, and then looked at Izuku Midoriya and Tokoyami Fumikage beside him. His entire expression became extremely gloomy.
'I will never lose again! And you guys can forget about surpassing me!!'
If the reactions of these two were still relatively normal, then Izuku Midoriya, who was standing in the third-place position with Tokoyami Fumikage, seemed a little 'shy.' Although he had been watched by the crowd during the competition before, his entire mind was on the competition at that time. Now that he finally realized that he was being watched, his body appeared extremely stiff.
He didn't gradually calm down until All Might came over and personally put the third-place bronze medal on him...
However, compared to the happy crowd, a certain man who was standing in the entrance tunnel at this time was clasping his arms and frowning.
Logically speaking, his goal was to have his son surpass All Might. Now that the other party had won the U.A. Sports Festival, he should be happy, but for some reason, he couldn't be happy at all, especially since his son didn't even use the quirk inherited from him, which made his mood complicated.
'Did I do something wrong?'
This thought was just formed before he pushed it out of his mind!
He was not wrong! If his son followed his request, he would only be stronger!
This persistent man stubbornly believed in himself. There is no doubt that to succeed, confidence is the most basic element, but too much confidence can also lead to tragedies that should not have happened...