The Arena - Round 5
"NEXT UP!" Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium. "YAOYOROZU MOMO VERSUS TOKOYAMI FUMIKAGE!"
Tsubaki watched from the Class 1-A section as his vice president walked onto the arena floor. Yaoyorozu's posture was perfect, her expression composed, but he could see the slight tremor in her hands as she adjusted her ponytail.
'She's nervous,' he observed. 'More than usual.'
"BEGIN!"
The match was over almost as quickly as his own had been, but for very different reasons.
Yaoyorozu created a shield, then a staff, trying to find an opening against Dark Shadow's overwhelming presence. But Tokoyami's control was excellent, and Dark Shadow's range and power kept her constantly on the defensive.
Every item she created was batted away. Every strategy she attempted was countered. Within minutes, she was driven to the ring's edge and pushed out of bounds.
"Tokoyami Fumikage wins! He advances to the semifinals!"
Tsubaki's eyes narrowed as he watched Yaoyorozu walk off the arena floor. Her head was down, her shoulders slumped. She looked... defeated. Not just physically, but mentally.
'She's questioning herself,' he realized. 'Doubting her abilities. That's dangerous for someone with her quirk—Creation requires confidence and quick decision-making.'
He made a mental note. 'I need to talk to her after this is over.'
Round 6 - Hatsume vs Iida
The next match was... unconventional.
Hatsume spent the entire ten minutes demonstrating her support items, using Iida as an unwilling test subject while Present Mic provided commentary like it was a product showcase rather than a combat match.
"And THIS baby can increase mobility by 30%!"
"Hatsume, this is supposed to be a fight!" Midnight called out.
Finally, Hatsume stepped out of bounds herself, waving to the cameras. "Thanks for the advertising opportunity!"
Iida stood in the center of the ring, looking completely baffled.
"Iida Tenya wins by... ring out?" Midnight announced, sounding equally confused.
Tsubaki couldn't help the slight upturn of his mouth. 'Hatsume achieved exactly what she wanted. Smart, in her own way.'
Round 7 - Bakugo vs Uraraka
This match was different.
Uraraka fought with everything she had—using her quirk to create a meteor shower of debris, forcing Bakugo on the defensive, showing strategic thinking that surprised many in the audience.
But Bakugo was relentless. He saw through her strategy, blasted apart her attack, and ultimately won when Uraraka's body gave out from quirk overuse.
"Bakugo Katsuki wins!"
The crowd booed when Bakugo didn't help Uraraka up, but Tsubaki understood. 'He respected her enough to fight her seriously. To him, that's more important than empty gestures.'
Round 8 - Kirishima vs Tetsutetsu
A battle of hardening quirks. Two students who refused to back down, trading blow after blow until both their quirks reached their limits and they engaged in a simple arm-wrestling contest to determine the winner.
Kirishima won by the smallest margin.
"What a manly battle!" Present Mic declared.
Tsubaki watched with analytical interest. 'Both have strong quirks and determination. But neither has the tactical flexibility to adapt to unexpected situations. That will limit them against more versatile opponents.'
Class 1-A Section - After Round 8
The remaining Class 1-A students gathered during the brief break before the quarterfinals.
Yaoyorozu sat slightly apart from the others, her hands folded in her lap, her expression distant.
Tsubaki observed her for a moment, noting the way her shoulders were drawn in slightly, the way she wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.
'She's been questioning herself since the recommendation exam,' he thought. 'Always comparing herself to others, always worried she's not good enough. And losing to Tokoyami so decisively just confirmed her worst fears about herself.'
The pain in her expression was subtle, but he recognized it. It was the same pain he'd carried for years the feeling of not being good enough, of being a failure, of disappointing everyone who believed in you.
'I need to talk to her,' he decided firmly. 'After my match. She needs to hear that one loss doesn't define her worth.'
But for now, his attention shifted to the arena floor, where the quarterfinals were being announced.
Quarterfinal 1 - Midoriya vs Todoroki Shoto
"AND NOW FOR OUR FIRST
QUARTERFINAL MATCH!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "MIDORIYA IZUKU VERSUS TODOROKI SHOTO!"
The crowd's reaction was deafening.
Tsubaki leaned forward in his seat, his blue eyes intense as he watched his brother walk onto the arena floor.
Shoto's expression was still cold, still distant. But there was something else there now a flicker of uncertainty that hadn't been there before.
Midoriya stood across from him, his broken fingers wrapped but clearly still painful. His green eyes were determined, almost desperate.
"BEGIN!"
What followed shocked everyone.
Midoriya didn't just fight to win. He fought to make Shoto use his flames.
"IT'S YOUR POWER!" Midoriya screamed, breaking his fingers over and over with devastating attacks. "NOT HIS! YOURS!"
Shoto's ice grew larger, more desperate. "SHUT UP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
"I DON'T NEED TO UNDERSTAND!"
Midoriya charged forward, his body breaking under the strain of One For All. "I JUST KNOW THAT YOU'RE HOLDING BACK! AND THAT'S NOT THE TODOROKI I WANT TO BEAT!"
Tsubaki's eyes widened. 'He's willing to destroy himself just to make Shoto acknowledge his own power? What kind of—'
And then he saw it.
Shoto's eyes changed.
The cold distance shattered, replaced by something else realization, acceptance, determination.
"You're right," Shoto whispered.
Then flames erupted.
Not small flames. Not hesitant flames.
An inferno.
The left side of Shoto's body ignited with overwhelming heat, fire roaring to life with a power that matched his ice. The temperature in the stadium skyrocketed, the air shimmering with thermal distortion.
The crowd went absolutely wild.
"TODOROKI SHOTO IS USING HIS FIRE!" Present Mic screamed. "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS TOURNAMENT, HE'S USING BOTH SIDES OF HIS QUIRK!"
Midoriya smiled actually smiled despite his broken body. "THERE IT IS! COME ON!"
He charged forward, green lightning crackling around him as he put everything into one final attack.
Shoto raised both hands—ice and fire, cold and heat, both sides of his power united for the first time.
"EVERYONE, GET BACK!" Cementoss shouted, cement walls erupting to protect the audience.
Midnight raised her whip, seeing Midoriya's body beginning to fail. "THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS—"
The collision was thunderous.
Ice and fire and raw power met in the center of the arena. The explosion of force shook the entire stadium, the shockwave so powerful that it shattered windows in the upper levels.
When the dust cleared, Shoto stood at the edge of the ring, breathing heavily, his left side still wreathed in flames.
Midoriya lay outside the boundary line, unconscious, his body broken but his face peaceful.
"MIDORIYA IZUKU IS OUT OF BOUNDS AND UNABLE TO CONTINUE!" Midnight announced. "TODOROKI SHOTO WINS AND ADVANCES TO THE SEMIFINALS!"
The stadium was in absolute chaos—cheering, screaming, shock, and awe all mixed together.
Medical personnel rushed onto the field, carefully lifting Midoriya onto a stretcher.
Class 1-A Section
"THAT WAS INSANE!" Kirishima was on his feet, tears streaming down his face. "MIDORIYA GAVE EVERYTHING! AND TODOROKI FINALLY USED HIS FIRE!"
"They both pushed each other beyond their limits," Yaoyorozu said quietly, temporarily distracted from her own pain by the spectacle.
Bakugo's hands were clenched so tight they were shaking. His red eyes were locked on Midoriya's unconscious form being carried away.
Tsubaki's Thoughts
Tsubaki sat frozen in his seat, his blue eyes wide with something that might have been shock.
'Midoriya was willing to destroy himself just to make Shoto acknowledge his own power. To help him, even while they were fighting.'
His eyes shifted to Shoto, who stood in the center of the ring, staring at his left hand where flames still flickered.
'And Shoto... he actually did it. Used the flames. Not for Father. Not to win. But because someone else made him see them as his own power.'
Something twisted in Tsubaki's chest—an emotion he couldn't quite name.
'I pushed him to use his flames through anger and taunts. Midoriya did it through... what? Genuine desire to see him at his best?'
He shook his head, trying to clear the complicated feelings.
'It doesn't matter. What matters is winning. Everything else can wait.'
Quarterfinal 2 - Tsubaki vs Shiozaki
"TODOROKI TSUBAKI!" Present Mic's voice called out. "VERSUS SHIOZAKI IBARA! QUARTERFINAL MATCH TWO!"
Tsubaki stood, his expression settling back into cold determination.
'Focus. Win. That's all that matters.'
He walked onto the arena floor.
Shiozaki stood across from him, her vine-hair already extending in preparation. Her expression was serene but focused.
"BEGIN!"
Shiozaki's vines shot forward immediately, trying to overwhelm Tsubaki with sheer numbers and speed like she'd done to Kaminari.
But Tsubaki moved.
Not frantically. Not desperately.
He simply... moved.
His body flowed like water, dodging the vines with minimal effort. Each movement was economical, precise, avoiding attacks by the smallest margin necessary.
'She's strong,' he observed, his mind calm despite the flurry of vines. 'Her control is excellent. But her attacks are predictable. Linear. Easy to read.'
A vine came from his left. He shifted right.
Three vines from above. He ducked and rolled.
A massive cluster trying to surround him. He created a small ice platform and launched himself over them.
It looked effortless. Like he was dancing through her attacks rather than fighting them.
"TODOROKI TSUBAKI IS DODGING EVERYTHING!" Present Mic shouted. "IT'S LIKE HE CAN SEE THE ATTACKS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN!"
"He's reading her movements," Aizawa explained. "Watching her eyes, her shoulder movements, predicting where the vines will strike before they do. That's combat experience and spatial awareness most first-years don't have."
Tsubaki closed the distance while dodging, getting closer to Shiozaki herself despite the forest of vines between them.
Then, with a single fluid motion, ice spread from his feet.
It raced across the ground, up Shiozaki's legs, freezing her in place before she could react. The vines went still, their controller unable to move.
"Shiozaki Ibara is immobilized!" Midnight announced. "Todoroki Tsubaki wins and advances to the semifinals!"
The crowd cheered, though the match had been so one-sided that it lacked the dramatic tension of the previous quarterfinal.
Tsubaki thawed the ice immediately, and Shiozaki collapsed to her knees, exhausted from the quirk usage.
He offered his hand again, the same gesture he'd made with Mina.
Shiozaki took it, allowing him to help her stand. "You're very strong, Todoroki-san. May God bless your path forward."
"Thank you," he said simply, then turned and walked toward the exit tunnel.
Quarterfinal 3 - Tokoyami vs Iida
The next quarterfinal match was announced, and Tsubaki settled back into his seat to watch.
"TOKOYAMI FUMIKAGE VERSUS IIDA TENYA!"
Iida charged onto the arena floor with determination blazing in his eyes. His engines roared to life immediately.
But Tokoyami was ready.
Dark Shadow spread wide, creating a barrier of living darkness that Iida couldn't penetrate. Every time Iida tried to circle around, Dark Shadow was there, blocking, countering, forcing him back.
"Iida's using his speed!" Present Mic called out. "But Tokoyami's range is incredible!"
Iida activated Recipro Burst, his trump card his engines glowing bright blue as they overclocked, giving him explosive speed for a short burst.
He shot forward like a missile, trying to reach Tokoyami before Dark Shadow could react.
But Dark Shadow was faster.
The sentient quirk expanded massively, overwhelming Iida's charge with sheer power and reach. It grabbed Iida mid-burst and slammed him to the ground, then pushed him steadily toward the ring boundary despite his struggling.
"Tokoyami Fumikage wins!" Midnight announced as Iida was forced out of bounds. "He advances to the semifinals!"
Tsubaki watched thoughtfully. 'Tokoyami's quirk is powerful, but it has clear weaknesses. Bright light weakens Dark Shadow significantly. Bakugo's explosions will be a problem for him.'
Quarterfinal 4 - Bakugo vs Kirishima
The final quarterfinal was announced.
"BAKUGO KATSUKI VERSUS KIRISHIMA EIJIRO!"
The two friends if Bakugo would ever admit to that term faced each other on the arena floor.
"Let's have a manly battle, Bakugo!" Kirishima grinned, his entire body hardening.
"Tch. Don't hold back, Shitty Hair, or I'll blast you into next week!"
The match was intense. Kirishima's hardening allowed him to withstand Bakugo's explosions, and his determination kept him pushing forward despite the punishment.
But Bakugo was relentless, each explosion more powerful than the last, wearing down Kirishima's quirk until cracks began to appear in his hardened skin.
Finally, with one massive explosion, Bakugo blasted Kirishima out of the ring.
"Bakugo Katsuki wins! He advances to the semifinals!"
Kirishima lay on the ground outside the boundary, his hardening fading, but he was smiling. "That was so manly, Bakugo!"
"Whatever!" Bakugo shouted back, but there was a hint of respect in his eyes.
The Semifinals
The brackets were set now.
Semifinal 1: Todoroki Tsubaki vs Todoroki Shoto
Semifinal 2: Tokoyami Fumikage vs Bakugo Katsuki
The crowd was buzzing with anticipation. A battle of brothers in the semifinals. The student who'd declared he would win facing the one who'd finally accepted his full power.
Preparation Room
Tsubaki sat in the quiet preparation room, his breathing steady, his mind already moving ahead to the battle that mattered.
Through the walls, he could hear the sounds of workers repairing the arena after the destructive quarterfinals. The murmur of the crowd. Present Mic's voice building anticipation for what was to come.
His mind was focused, his determination absolute.
'Shoto is using both sides now. Ice and fire. The complete power Father always wanted him to have.'
A cold smile touched his lips.
'Good. I wanted to beat him at his absolute best. To prove that even with both sides of his quirk, he's still not enough to surpass me.'
The semifinals. Everything he'd worked for, everything he'd trained for, came down to this.
The battle of brothers.
The stage was set. Everyone would be watching the crowd, the pro heroes, the agencies, his classmates.
And most importantly, their father.
'I'll show him,' Tsubaki thought, his hands clenching. 'I'll show Father what he threw away. Show him that his "failure" surpassed his masterpiece.'
He stood and walked toward the tunnel that would lead him to the arena, his footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor.
His mind was focused, his determination absolute. Nothing would distract him. Nothing would—
He stopped.
Standing in the tunnel, blocking his path, was a wall of flames.
And in the center of those flames stood Endeavor, his turquoise eyes locked on Tsubaki with an intensity that could melt steel.
The Number Two Hero. His father. The man who'd declared him a failure and cast him aside.
Tsubaki's hands clenched at his sides, his blue eyes meeting those flames without flinching.
Neither spoke.
The fire crackled in the silence.
And outside, the crowd waited for the semifinals to begin, unaware of the confrontation happening in the shadows below.
To Be Continued...