Eria

The first battle of the tournament was Midoriya versus that annoying brainwasher, Shinsou. Midoriya almost lost in the beginning even though Ojiro had warned him about Shinsou.

The second battle was Todoroki versus Sero. It was a complete one-sided slaughter. A large ice mountain froze the poor Sero within seconds, rendering him immobile. The sharp edges of the ice mountain nearly scraped my face as it loomed over the participants' seats.

Not mad my ass! He's definitely pissed!

I remembered the small smile he gave me. It was genuine and warm. Did something happened to him that pissed him off?

Now, it was my turn to get ready for my round. Ochako and Midoriya sent me off with cheers. I walked to the waiting room, with my mind completely blank of any winning strategies. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach and I felt like I wanted to hurl. Fighting Ashido Mina was one thing, but fighting in front of a large audience and live on national TV was another. I imagined thousands of pairs of eyes trained on me and it was nerve-wracking.

Todoroki was walking towards me as he returned from his previous round. His face was still emotionless, although slightly tinged with anger.

"You're up next?" Todoroki asked as he saw me.

"T-thanks. Just feeling a little nervous," I said. My palms were sweating.

"You can do it. Good luck." He left before I could ask if he was doing okay.

Worrying about Todoroki made me more nervous. I decided to stop thinking about him until the tournament was over.

***

"We're going to keep right on going with the fifth match!" Present Mic's voice boomed in the rowdy stadium. "A normal girl with normal looks! But never judge a book by its cover! From the hero course, Takasaki Eria!"

W-why does my introduction sound...... too normal?

"Versus! Is something going to come out from those horns? From hero course, Ashido Mina!"

I felt uneasy with all the attention on me. On the other hand, Ashido looked calm as she stretched her body.

Ashido Mina's quirk was not particular strong like Todoroki or Midoriya's. However, acid might harm me bad. I should avoid close combat but close combat is my only fighting style. Should I gamble?

"I really like your demonic horns. They are awesome. Do you think they might grow back if my quirk accidentally melts them?" Ashido asked cheerfully, though her smile slowly transformed into a determined grin.

"We'll see," I said.

Life's a gamble in every step anyway.

"LET THE MATCH START!" The battle commenced.

Ashido stood firmly on her ground, watching me carefully from a distance as I activated my quirk. She knew well not to get too close to me. I knew well not to get too close to her too.

Let's gamble then.

I lurched forward, aiming for her directly. Even with her sharp reflexes, Ashido barely dodged my attack. The moment I was close to her, she immediately released her acid at me. I parried it with my left arm. The acid burnt through my clothes and touched my skin. The pain seared but still bearable.

Ashido quickly slid off with the acid she produced beneath her feet. It was a smart move to move away from me quick.

I touched my left arm. It wasn't bleeding but it was searing red. Parts of the scales on my forearm were burnt.

"Is that the best acid you can produce?" I asked.

"Not quite. Usually at this level it should have corroded your skin," Ashido replied confidently. "Looks like I need to give my all."

I chuckled. "If you think acid can harm a demon, then bring it."

Ashido grinned. "Don't regret this."

Stakes are high. Life's a gamble. I won't improve if I play on the safe side.

"I won't." I lurched at Ashido once more, who had read my moves and slid away like a snake.

Let's see how far you can run.

Ashido was enjoying the run as I chased after her. I wasn't afraid of her acid, but she couldn't let my claws touch her.

I need to predict her moves.

I launched myself again, this time faster then before. Before she could react, I had appeared beside her. I finally grabbed onto her shoulder while she retaliated with a highly lethal acidic palm print on my right arm. The pain seared my skin worse than the first time. I could feel my flesh melting. My left claw reached out and grabbed her throat, thrusting the girl onto the ground. She yelled in pain while I held back my screaming.

Ashido was not going down without a fight. She kicked, in which her feet secreted acid at my abdomen. The pain was unbearable that I accidentally let her go. She quickly took the chance to flee as I fell to the ground.

"You're crazy!" Ashido shouted, touching her injured neck and shoulder. "But I'm not going down that easily!"

I don't believe it. I could resist elements as hot as a raging volcano and as cold as Todoroki's ice. There was no way some mere acid can beat me down.

No freaking way.

The pain coursing through my veins slowly ebbed as my demonic quirk helped my body to adapt to it. Ashido begin to slide around; her strategy to avoid being caught again.

"You know, your sliding is really a pain in the ass," I said. "Slide on this, then." I jumped into the air, with my right arm outstretched, and punched the ground. The entire stadium rumbled like a minor earthquake as the floor of the stadium shattered into rubble.

"Are you kidding me?!" Ashido shrieked as she lost her balance, falling to the ground face first.

I walked to her, confident that she would had a hard time to escape. I hovered my claws over her face as she turned around to look at me. Her face twisted in horror.

"Is this the hand you used to...shatter the ground?" she sheepishly asked.

"Yes," I said as I pinned her to the ground.

"Ehehehehehehe......"

"TEAR HER CLOTHES OFF!!! BURN THEM OFF!!!" A familiar shriek from a familiar pervert in my class resounded in the stadium.

Mineta that scum.

"I hate to knock you out so..." I carried the poor girl over my shoulder, ignoring her tiny retaliation of acid attacks on my back and put her outside of the ring. Finally, I was relieved.

Hearing Present Mic's voice reassured me of my victory. "An easy victory for a demon!"

Ashido lent me a hand to pull me up to my feet. "That was a nice fight, Takasaki! Let's fight again!"

"Sure. I'd like to test myself with more of your acid. You can run pretty fast too," I said. She laughed.

"Say... since I lost, could you do me a favour?" Ashido asked as we retreated to our seats.

"Okay," I replied.

Her smile turned into a wicked grin. "So... what's your relationship with Todoroki?"

I choked.

"Come on! Tell me! You're like the only person who's been so close with the most handsome guy in class!" She shook my body fervently.

"We're just friends," I replied.

She looked at me incredulously. "Hmm......"

"I'm telling the damn truth."

"Hmm...... we'll see." Ashido snickered as she waved me off to her seat. I sighed and walked to the waiting room, where Ochako, Midoriya and Iida had gathered. Soon, it will be Ochako against the crazy porcupine, Bakugou.

Ochako's brows creased as if they had been knitted together. "Eria! Congratulations on your first round!" she forced a smile onto her face.

"...Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded her head unconvincingly.

"I... I can do this... I think," she muttered sheepishly. It made me worry.

"Uraraka, I have devised a plan for you to go up against Kacchan. It's rough, but it's better than nothing," said Midoriya as he offered his worn-out notebook.

"Thanks, Deku. But I think I'll be fine," Ochako rejected.

"Uraraka! Are you sure?" Iida gasped.

Ochako took in a deep breath and looked back at us, with determination gleaming in her eyes. "During the cavalry battle, I thought it was easier to team up with friends. Now that I think about it, I might have been trying to rely on you. That's why when Iida said he'd challenge you, I felt embarrassed. When I saw Eria gambled herself against Ashido's acid, I just thought...... I'll be fine on my own. Everyone's facing their future and trying their hardest. I have to do my best as well, without counting on anyone."

Shakily, the brave girl gave us a thumbs-up and a wide smile on her face. "Let's meet in the finals!"

Midoriya, Iida and I shared looks. I smiled. "Let's meet in the finals, then! We're waiting!"

Ochako nodded back and left for her match with a steeled gut.

***

I held my breath in as I watched the battle between my friend and Bakugou.

Bakugou had the upperhand as he possessed overwhelming firepower. However, this did not deter Ochako from using a great strategy by gathering and floating rubble amidst the explosions Bakugou throw at her. Visually it was horrifying to look when Bakugou's explosions could easily tear the girl apart. A lot of the audience were siding with Ochako and dissing Bakugou. If I haven't knew Bakugou, I would also thought that he was bullying Ochako.

In fact, the boy was being very cautious of Ochako, making sure she did not come too close. He knew Ochako could win if she touched him.

Even though he looks like a blockhead, he's actually smart, huh?

Finally releasing the ace in her sleeve, Ochako released all the debris that floated above Bakugou, sending them straight towards him.

Ochako, you're going to win!

However, Bakugou calmly faced his palm upwards, and let out a huge explosion that blew away all the debris above him. The shockwave threw Ochako away and resonated within the tense atmosphere of the stadium.

IN ONE SHOT?!

Oh god, I'm reconsidering my chances against him.

Everyone was shocked to see how easily Bakugou fended off the attack. In the end, Ochako passed out due to fatigue and Bakugou advanced into the second round.

And that was the end of the first round.

What was more nerve-wracking was the first match of the second round: Todoroki versus Midoriya. Everyone was anticipating for the match while I was getting quite jittery, owing to Todoroki's backstory and his determination to win Midoriya.

"I can't watch this!" I moaned.

"Shut your blabbering," said Bakugou grumpily as he took a seat above me.

"You played a nice villain back there," said Tsuyu.

"I'd like to believe he is a villain," added Sero.

"SHUT UP!" Bakugou roared as usual. I wondered how his throat fared from all that angry shouting.

"I can't believe you aimed such a huge blast at a frail girl. I couldn't help but to hold back," said Kaminari.

I shook my head. "And let her kick your ass? Nice."

Kaminari stiffened at my comment. "Takasaki~" he whined.

"Shut. Up." Bakugou hissed. "What part of her was frail?"

I stared at Bakugou, slightly surprised to hear that. He glared at me. "What?"

"Nothing," I said as I left my seat. I felt the urge to look for Midoriya. I wanted to know what he was planning to do with Todoroki.

I was halfway to the waiting room when I met Midoriya. He was already going to the match.

"Takasaki?" Midoriya called.

"Err...... can we talk? About Todoroki," I said.

He froze. "W-what about him?"

"I kinda' eavesdropped on you two just now, so..."

Midoriya stiffened. "O-oh. Ermmm... So you knew, too, huh?"

I scratched my head. "Yeah... so, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure. But I'm not letting him win, even if..." Abruptly, the poor boy froze and stuttered. "En-en-en..."

I turned around. Speak of the devil.

Endeavour.

"Ah. I've been looking for you," said the tall muscular man covered in flames.

My heart jumped. Me?! Why me?!

Oh wait he's pointing at Midoriya. Phew.

Endeavour glanced at me, mouth opened to say something but pushed the words back down his throat. He turned to Midoriya instead. "I watched your fight. You have a wonderful quirk. If we are talking about power alone, yours is comparable to All Might."

I glanced at Midoriya, wondering why everyone kept comparing Midoriya's power to All Might's. The boy's face paled in horror, as if Endeavour had poked a taboo.

"S-sorry, but I have to go." Midoriya walked away and I followed him, feeling the atmosphere here getting tensed.

"It's my Shouto's duty to surpass All Might," Endeavour abruptly spoke.

Midoriya and I stopped.

What the—what do you mean his duty?

"His match with you will be a very instructive test bed. Please don't disgrace yourself in it," the arrogant adult added.

"You son of bitch. Todoroki is not your puppet—" I would have shouted at Endeavour if Midoriya hadn't stopped me. He looked at me, with a newly profound determination in his eyes.

"I'm not All Might," replied Midoriya.

Endeavour turned around. "That's obvious—"

"That's obvious, right? Todoroki isn't you, either."

Endeavour glared back at the boy, while the latter stared back without faltering.

"Let's go, Takasaki," said Midoriya as he walked. I followed him, assessing what had happened.

"Midoriya, what are you planning?" I asked, eager for his response.

Midoriya took in a deep breath and finally looked at me, his eyes clear and unfazed.

"I want to help Todoroki."

***

Two chapters in one week! Are you excited? 'Cos I am! 

I've been having a lot of free time and ideas popping in my head lately so i'm doing my best to write and post chapters as many as I can before i start working XD 

Hope you guys enjoy this!!! Love ya!