Ren Takeda and Mirio Togata stood facing each other at the center of the arena.
Silence—then a rising wave of noise.
The entire stadium buzzed with anticipation.
The final match.
Sniper stepped forward, boots echoing, revolver already spinning.
"Well now, folks… this here's the moment we've all been waitin' for!" he roared. "The lightning colt versus the ghost that walks through walls!"
He pointed dramatically between them.
"Ren Takeda… and Mirio Togata!"
The crowd exploded.
"Which one of these two stallions is ridin' outta here as U.A.'s strongest?!"
Bang!
Bang!
"DRAW!"
Mirio grinned.
"Firstie, you've really come a long way!"
And then—
He sank into the ground.
Gone.
Ren's lips curled slightly.
An attack came from behind—
But Ren had already seen it.
Eagle Eye.
He sidestepped smoothly, the punch grazing past him, and immediately countered—
His fist passed straight through Mirio.
"…Heh."
Mirio chuckled lightly.
Ren's eyes narrowed just as another punch came.
He dodged again.
And Mirio vanished back into the ground.
'Annoying,' Ren thought.
Then—
'Let's try this.'
White energy began to rise from his body.
From his hands.
From his feet.
Pure.
Radiant.
Waves of power pulsed outward.
Sniper nearly dropped his revolver.
"Well I'll be damned sideways—!" he shouted. "That ain't lightning—!"
The crowd leaned forward.
"That's… that's just like Nejire Hado's power!"
Murmurs spread instantly.
Sniper squinted, trying to make sense of it.
"With his Quirk, Energy…" he muttered, thinking out loud, "he can generate raw energy and twist it into whatever form he pleases…"
His eyes widened.
"Don't tell me—this kid took one look at Nejire's Quirk and figured out how to mimic it?!"
The stadium erupted in disbelief.
"Ain't that the work of a born genius?!"
Ren didn't care about the noise.
He was focused.
He pushed the energy downward—
And lifted.
He rose into the air.
Floating.
Controlled.
Effortless.
'…So this is what it feels like.'
The world looked different from above.
Smaller.
Clearer.
His smirk deepened.
'Not bad.'
Ren extended his hand toward the arena.
"...Heaven's Wrath."
The energy shifted—
Condensed—
Converted.
Lightning.
And then—
It fell.
KRAAAAACK!!!
Bolts of white lightning rained down across the entire arena like a storm unleashed.
Sniper threw his arms wide.
"GOOD LORD ABOVE!" he shouted. "That boy's callin' down thunder like he owns the sky itself!"
Cheers exploded through the stands.
Below—
The ground split open.
Mirio emerged—
And froze.
Lightning.
Everywhere.
Bolts crashed down around him, tearing into the arena floor.
"…Whoa!"
He reacted instantly—
And dropped back into the ground.
Permeation activated.
Gone again.
...
Underground—
No air.
No sound.
No breath.
Mirio clenched his teeth.
He couldn't stay like this for long.
...
Above—
Ren hovered calmly, lightning continuing to fall for a few seconds before fading.
But Mirio didn't reappear.
Ren tilted his head slightly.
'Still hiding, huh…'
He didn't know the limits of Mirio's Quirk.
Didn't know about the lack of oxygen.
Didn't know how long he could last.
He just observed.
Then exhaled softly.
'Well… I've still got more to try.'
Ren shifted in the air, moving freely now, testing his control as he flew across the arena.
Then—
An idea sparked.
A familiar shape formed in his mind.
Nejire's Pike.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Storm Spear…" he murmured.
But this time—
The energy didn't simply condense into a straight weapon.
It spiraled.
Twisted.
A massive, drill-like pike of lightning and pure energy took shape in his hand—rotating, humming, alive with violent energy.
"Let's play..."
He tilted forward.
And dove.
Below—
Mirio burst out of the ground, gasping for air—
Right into Ren's attack.
"Whack-a-mole."
BOOOOM!
The Storm Spear tore through the space where Mirio was—
But Mirio had already reacted.
He dropped back underground instantly.
The spear slammed into the arena, electricity exploding outward.
Mirio, beneath the surface, exhaled sharply.
'How is he this fast?!'
His chest burned.
'I barely got a breath in…'
Ren hovered up again, spear still spinning in his hand.
"I missed…" he said casually.
Then he chuckled.
"…This is actually kind of fun."
He waited.
Watching.
...
Seconds passed.
Underground, Mirio's vision started to blur.
His lungs screamed.
'Damn it… I can't stay down any longer—!'
He surged upward—
GASP!
The instant his head broke the surface—
A streak of lightning descended.
FAST.
'Shit—!'
He inhaled sharply—
—and dropped back down just in time.
The Storm Spear struck again.
Closer.
Faster.
...
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time Mirio surfaced—
Ren was there.
Waiting.
Striking.
Faster than before.
Inside the ground, Mirio's condition worsened.
Less air each time.
Less time.
More pressure.
'This is bad…'
His thoughts slowed.
'He's controlling the pace…'
Another surge upward—
Another desperate breath—
Another near-death dodge.
The cycle repeated.
Until—
Mirio emerged one last time.
Slower.
Just a fraction.
But enough.
THUNDER CRACK.
The Storm Spear struck clean.
A direct hit.
Mirio's body was launched across the arena—
And out of bounds.
He crashed onto the ground outside the ring, rolling before coming to a stop.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Mirio laughed weakly, lying on his back, gasping for air.
"Firstie… pant… you're way too strong…" he said between breaths. "What did your parents even feed you…?"
Ren descended slowly from the sky.
The Storm Spear dissolved into fading sparks as his feet touched the ground.
He just smiled.
At the edge of the arena—
Sniper stood frozen.
"…Ren…"
A beat.
"…Ren…"
Then he exploded.
"THIS AIN'T A MATCH—THIS WAS A DANG OL' HUNT!"
He pointed dramatically at the arena.
"That boy just turned Mirio Togata into a whack-a-mole critter!"
The crowd ERUPTED.
Cheers shook the entire stadium.
"REN TAKEDA!"
"REN TAKEDA!"
"REN TAKEDA!"
Sniper fired into the air.
Bang! Bang!
"AND YOUR WINNER—THE CHAMPION OF THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL—REN TAKEDA!"
The roar became deafening.
"A FIRST-YEAR!"
"TOPPLIN' ALL THREE YEARS!"
"STRONGEST STUDENT IN U.A.!"
The chant spread like wildfire.
"REN TAKEDA!"
"REN TAKEDA!"
"REN TAKEDA!"
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Liked it?
Did you like this arc guys? Did I write it good?
Also, my AOT fic is out. AOT: Anomaly. It talks about an Ackerman kid living together with Historia since they were little kids (not the love interest by the way).