Akiharu's fangirls are hardly hanging in

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"The finals you've been waiting for are finally starting! Match number one – Even though he's done well, what's with that anxious face? From the hero course, it's Izuku Midoriya! Versus – Sorry, he hasn't done anything to stand out yet. From general studies, it's Hitoshi Shinso! The rules are simple. Force your opponent out of bounds, or immobilize them! You can also win by making your opponent say 'I give up!'

"Bring on the injuries, because we've got our very own Recovery Girl waiting on standby! Put your morals and ethics aside for a moment – Of course, anything life-threatening is crap!"

Cementoss waved to the audience from down below. "I'll stop things if they go too far."

The crowd roared in anticipation, surrounding us on all sides. 1-A had a private area sectioned off in the front row of the stadium seats. I stood with my elbows propped up on the bar, overlooking the field. I couldn't hear what they were saying from the distance, but I could tell Shinso was antagonizing Midoriya down below.

"Ready? Start!"

Before Midoriya ran halfway across the stage, he stopped in his tracks.

"Ah!" Ojiro exclaimed. "After I went through the trouble of warning him, too!"

I rested my chin on my hands. With Midoriya frozen still, Shinso wore a triumphant smile. "He has a mental Quirk, doesn't he? It explains how he didn't pass the practical exam."

Ojiro met me at the bar, his forehead knotted in concern. "Yeah. If you reply to him, he gets control over your mind. That's how I was brought onto his team... and I only came to my senses after receiving a jolt."

Some kind of brainwashing. It was undeniably an amazing Quirk, but when pitted against brainless robots and students with powerful physical Quirks, ones own ingenuity was rarely enough to make it in the top 5% or so of applicants.

Silently, Midoriya started walking toward the boundary. My lips pinched into a frown. After overhearing his conversation with Todoroki, I didn't want him to lose. Simultaneously, I didn't want the purple-haired Shinso's efforts to go to waste.

One of Midoriya's bright red shoes began to reach for the boundary line. Suddenly, a wave of wind rushed through the arena. Midoriya doubled over, panting, his finger bruised and swollen.  The crowd went wild with cheers, including my fellow classmates at my back.

"His fingers..." murmured Aizawa, "Did he explode his fingers to remove the effect of the brainwashing?"

"That's crazy..." Ojiro said, plopping back into his seat.

Midoriya rushed Shinso, overpowering the purple-haired boy's scrawny build. With a defiant yell, he threw him out of bounds.

I drummed my finger across the bar, lost in thought. Shinso's Quirk... It's powerful, but once he's a hero, word will get out about it. Villains who recognize him will be able to avoid getting caught up in his brainwashing, like Midoriya did.

He'll need to be a stealth type. Fast, one-on-one battles will become his specialty –But once people know his voice... A voice-changer? The ability to mimic the opponent's allies – it wouldn't matter if you were prepared, in a group environment, someone would be bound to slip up eventually.

It'd be chaos. I grinned at the thought. With the ability to stanch communication – an incredibly important part of long-term battles – and turn members of a group against one-another, Shinso would become a force to reckon with. A one-man army. Even the strongest enemies would be reverted to mindless zombies. Though, he'll need excellent close combat skills to back his Quirk up...

If Aizawa didn't take him under his wing, I'd personally riot.

Down below, the next match was already beginning. "Thanks for waiting," Present Mic announced. "Next up is... These guys! He's good– he's good, but what's with that plainness he just can't get rid of? From the hero course, It's Hanta Sero!"

God, Mic's brutal...

"Versus! Taking third in the prelims, then first in the calvary battle! You're way too strong, kid! He wasn't recommended for admission for nothing! Also from the hero course, it's Shoto Todoroki! Now, for the second match of the finals... Ready, start!"

In a flash, Sero entwined Todoroki in his tape and started yanking him toward the boundary.  "A surprise attack aimed to push his opponent out of bounds! Don't you think that was the best choice for the situation? Get him, Sero!"

A blast of ice shot from Todorki's feet. Rumbles shook the stadium. In an instant, half of the arena was frozen solid in an ice attack so incredible it extended high over the roof. Sero was frozen where he stood, and even Midnight was half-encased in ice.

"S-Sero, can you move?" she chattered. Sero gawked at her, frozen so thoroughly he couldn't move his mouth. "Sero is immobilized! Todoroki advances to the second round!"

My breath misted in the cold air. Todoroki's ice stretched into the stands, inches away from my nose. In the face of overwhelming power, even the quickest thinking and a strong upper-hand was rendered useless. Sero never stood a chance. For a moment, the crowd was dead silent, until one of the heroes called sympathetically. "D-Don't worry about it!" The call was joined by the rest of the crowd, until they filled the dome.

While the cheers of "Don't mind!" pelted Sero like rain, Todoroki approached him and rested his left hand upon his chest. Slowly, the ice started to steam and melt away into nothingness. With Todoroki's head bowed so slightly, I thought he looked quite sad.

"Aki? Kaminari already headed down... Shouldn't you get going?"

I looked into the concerned eyes of Mina. "Oh. Right." I shook my head, flexing my hands absent-mindedly. A hasty smile replaced my forlorn expression. "Wish me luck!"

I winked and trailed away from the stands and into the hallway. The smile faltered as soon as I was out of sight.

They were desperate. Everyone in the hero course – even those who hadn't made it there yet – they were clambering to the top of an unforgiving mountain of a career. I'd been presented an easy way to the top, but every step closer to the peak made me feel ill.

Separate from my obligations, separate from the Commission, separate from the Chairwoman. If there was a moment I could step away from it all, perhaps I could finally ask that dreaded question: Is this really what I want?

"Why are you at U.A.? Why do you want to become a hero?" Midoriya had asked.

"I've never thought about doing anything else."

It was a half-truth. Really, I didn't deserve to do anything else.

I bumped into someone's shoulder. "Watch it, Pointy!"

"Sorry," I smiled apologetically. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

Bakugo stared back at me with a truly horrified sneer. "What the fuck?"

"I'm a bit lost in thought. Please excuse me." With a slight, polite bow of my head, I started back down the hall and toward the arena entrance.

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"Everyone, sorry for the long wait! The stage that was frozen in the second match is finally dry, so on to the next match! First is the Sparking Killing Boy; From the hero course, it's Denki Kaminari! Versus! Second place in both rounds, coming in from the top at recommendations! This kid's gonna rock your world – get it? Give it up for Akiharu!

"We'll have a super flashy battle this time, too! Ready... Start!"

"When this is over, wanna grab a bite to eat? Sorry, Akiharu! I'm gonna end this in an instant!"

My head tilted as I smiled. "Sorry in advance, Kaminari."

"Indiscriminate Shock... 1.3 Million Volts!"

My foot raised and I stomped. Energy surged through the ground, closing a concrete dome around Kaminari. The tremors settled, and I walked up to the dome. Calmly, I pressed a hand to the surface. As the earth washed away, it revealed the yellow-haired boy stuck neck-deep in the ground.

"Er... Kaminari is immobilized! Akiahru advances to the second round."

I walked to Kaminari's side and pulled him up. He was dazed and pumping a thumbs-up, murmuring something incomprehensible in his idiot language. I gave his back an apologetic pat while Present Mic howled with excitement.

"It was decided in an instant! I'll say it again, an instant! Another show of overwhelming force from Akiharu. Now, it's time for the fourth match! We're just gonna keep rolling along. Rush headlong to the top!"

I plopped down on my seat, rubbing my tired eyes.

"Nice match!" Kirishima said.

"Thanks!" I said brightly, raising a hand to my neck. My eyes trailed back to the arena, where Kaminari was being wheeled out on a stretcher, sitting up on his knees and saying "whey~" to everyone he passed. "I just can't help but feel a bit bad for Kaminari."

"Why? Everyone's trying their best! It's obvious we're not gonna win them all, but we're all working hard!"

My smile thinned. "Right."

"It's like he's the epitome of The middle of the pack! From the hero course, it's Tenya Iida! Versus! Fully-equipped with support items, from the support course, it's Mei Hatsume!"

Hatsume dicked around with Iida for over ten minutes, using him as a walking – or running– advertisement for her support items. Once the boisterous pink-haired girl had shown off everything she wanted, she stepped out of bounds with a satisfied sigh.

"We're gonna keep right on to the fifth match! It's Yuga Aoyama! Versus! Is something going to come out of those horns? Well? From the hero course, it's Mina Ashido!"

"Get him, Mina!" I hollered.

"Aoyama, get her!" shouted Mineta. "Beat her like in those fighting games where..." he trailed off. I felt his terrified stare digging into my skull.

I turned around in my seat, lips pulling into a smile. "You were saying?"

"Oh, n-nothing..."

"You sure?"

Kirishima laughed nervously, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Remember, killing someone isn't heroic!"

I looked to him with a scarily serene expression. "I never said I was gonna kill him."

"W-Well!" The red-head hardly managed to keep his composure. "A-At least wait until after the Sports Festival, okay?"

"Kirishima!" Mineta pleaded.

"You keep quiet, scum!" I retorted. "I said I wasn't gonna kill you. But if you even think about making another explicit comment, I just might."

Sero nudged him. "You hear that, scum?"

Mineta bowed in his seat, trembling like a leaf in the wind. "Y-Yes!"

I crossed my arms over my chest, looking back to the arena field. "Watch your back next hero's basics. After the shit you've pulled today, you're not getting off easily."

"Not fair! Kaminari joined in, too!"

"Yeah? Well, I happen to think Kaminari has some redeeming qualities, scum. Now sit down and watch the match. I don't want to hear another word out of your perverted mouth –That is, if you ever want to speak again."

"Akiharu, when you get angry, you kinda get like Bakugo, huh?" Asui croaked.

Kirishima leaned into her with a whisper. "Between you and me... I think Akiharu's a little scarier..."

"You think I'm scary? Just wait, because unlike Bakugo, I actually mean my threats."

Aoyama opened the duel with a laser shot from his belly button. Mina danced around each of his attacks, one by one, until he fired off one that was a second longer than his stomach could handle. She stepped into close-range and dissolved Aoyama's belt with her acid, finishing off the match with a brain-shaking uppercut to the jaw.

"Aoyama has fainted!" Midnight announced. "Ashido advances to the second round!"

"Yeah, Mina!"

The fights continued rolling along undisturbed. "Offence and defence in one body! The dark samurai accompanied by Dark Shadow; From the hero course, it's Fumikage Tokoyami! Versus! All-purpose creation! She was admitted through recommendations, so her abilities are certified; From the hero course, it's Momo Yaoyoruzu!"

Tokoyami attacked instantly. His shadow performed a fearsome barrage; attack after attack rammed against Yaoyorozu's hastily-constructed shield. Without time to think, Yaoyorozu was forced out of bounds within seconds.

"Okay, let's move on. Next up, next up! The seventh match is a match-up between redundant Quirks," Present Mic said, and I stifled a laugh as I saw the screen above the arena. They're even making the same pose... "Manly and passionate steel! From the hero course, it's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu!"

Who named that kid? They need to serve jail time...

"Versus! Manly and passionate hardening... From the hero course, it's Eijiro Kirishima! Let's start this manly and passionate seventh match!"

Even their intros are the same...

It was a beatdown. The boys repeated the same punches, the same kicks, until they both knocked each-other unconscious simultaneously.

Midnight cracked her whip. "Both contestants are down. It's a draw. In the case of a draw, the winner will be determined by a simple contest, like arm wrestling!"

I remembered what match was next and fled the stands. I wanted to wish Uraraka luck before she went on stage. I knocked on her dressing room door, and when it opened, Midoriya and Iida were already inside.

"Akiharu!" Uraraka said. "I was just heading out... Um, if you're here to help, I... I want to do this with my own power." Her brow was furrowed, her lower lip trembling with anticipation. Still, there was that same fire in her umber eyes.

"Go get him, Uraraka."  I ruffled her hair. "You got this. Give that asshat a run for his money."

She bit down on her lip and met my eyes with a sharp nod. "Y-Yeah! Let's... Let's meet in the finals, everyone!"

"Y-Yeah..." Midoriya and Iida echoed.

The class was chattering nervously as our silent trio returned to our seats. "Next might be the most disturbing match up..."

"I almost don't want to watch..."

"He was kind of famous in middle school!" Mic announced. "This isn't the face of a regular person... From the Hero course, it's Katsuki Bakugo! Versus! She's the one I'm rooting for... From the Hero course, it's Ochako Uraraka!

"Eighth match, start!"

Uraraka ran directly at Bakugo, keeping low to the ground. He swung at her with his right hand, and she ducked below the attack. Bakugo saw the move coming – he knew Midoriya's tricks, and he likely figured Uraraka had knowledge of his habits. He blasted her from the left side, sending her sliding backward. The attack kicked up a bunch of dust and smoke, and Uraraka used the opportunity to slip behind him. Bakugo turned and fired off an attack – but it was to her jacket, not to her body!

While he was distracted, Uraraka ran from behind, fingers outstretched. Bakugo's reaction speed was too fast. Swinging his arm, sent her sprawling back with another cracking boom.

"He moved after he saw her?"

"With that reaction time, it doesn't matter if there's a smokescreen!"

Kaminari and Kirishima were realizing what I already knew. I leaned back in my chair with a bitter mutter. "It's like he was built for combat in every way."

The match was the definition of Einstein insanity. Uraraka would run at Bakugo, close to the ground, and catch explosions to her face, arms, and body. Again, and again; though she was repeating the same failures, she still had an eager and determined look in her eyes. Reading her body language and common sense told me there was more going on than met the eye.

My eyes thinned as I scanned over the smoky arena. Why was she staying close to the ground? It was obviously a pain for Bakugo– His explosions came from his hands, so he had to lower himself considerably, but he was too agile for that to make a big difference. There was something else. Something was missing...

Where's all the rubble? My furrowed expression cleared. All these explosions, and there was hardly anything on the ground... There!

Soaring up through the heavy smoke, I saw a few bits of rubble float to the sky right as Uraraka and Bakugo clashed again.

She was collecting it, I realised. Keeping low to the ground, Uraraka was forcing Bakugo to blow large chunks of concrete out of the arena. Using the smoke and dust as a screen, she was gathering the pieces overhead and out of Bakugo's sight.

I shook my head in disbelief. This girl is amazing. Her improvement from the beginning of the year was unbelievable.

Of course. In order to get into U.A.'s hero course, everyone in my class had to be amazing in the first place. With Bakugo, Todoroki, and Midoriya waltzing around as impossible prodigies, it was easy to forget about the other student's talents, too.

Uraraka began another frontal attack. Taking yet another explosion to her face, she was sent tumbling back. "Uraraka keeps attacking without rest, but... This is..."

Along with Present Mic, murmurs began to rise from the audience. They said Uraraka was getting desperate; that she'd lost her head. They proclaimed that the match was uneven – that it was a one-sided massacre.

"Shouldn't you stop this?"

"Isn't he going too far?"

"Hey! How can you say you want to be a hero like that!? If there's such a huge difference in your abilities, then hurry up and send her out of bounds!"

My jaw clenched. Send her out of bounds? With the smokescreen, with her barrage, how the hell was he supposed to do that?

"I can't watch..."

"Stop bullying and playing with the poor girl!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

Poor girl? What part of that girl is poor right now?

Boos and heckles started to pile up in the air. My hands balled into fists. Calm down, Akiharu. Don't cause a scene. Don't cause a scene. Don't cause a scene. Don't –

A rustling and ringing sounded over the speakers. "Was that a pro saying he's 'playing around?' " Aizawa's harsh voice scolded. "How many years have you been a pro? If you're saying that with a straight face, there's no point in being here, so go home! Go home, and look into changing careers!

"Bakugo's being careful because he's acknowledged the strength of his opponent, whom has made it this far. It's because he's doing everything he can to win that he can't go easy on her or let his guard down."

I released the tension in my clenched fists. Thank god. I thought I was about to punch someone.

Gasps spread through the crowd as they noticed the rubble falling from the sky. "A meteor shower!"

"She had a plan like that up her sleeve?"

An army of debris plummeted through the air toward Bakugo. Simultaneously, Uraraka ran in, closing the gap. I perched on the edge of my seat. Facing both hands to the air, Bakugo's palms glowed. The arena flashed blinding orange and hot wind rammed into the crowd. A crashing boom echoed as bits of rubble were flung into the sides of the arena.

"B-Bakugo delivers a satisfying explosion! He blasts boldly through Uraraka's secret plan!"

I scanned fervently through the wisps of thick dust and black smog concealing the stage from view. Slowly, it creeped into the recesses of the field. Bakugo held out a twitching, smoking hand. Across the arena from him, Uraraka was splayed on the ground. She pushed herself unsteadily to her feet, barely able to hold up her weight. Bakugo raised his hand, preparing for another assault.

The assault never came.

"Uraraka's down!"

Despite collapsing, the girl grasped desperately at the floor, clawing herself forward. She'd passed her limit a long time ago, still, she wouldn't stop. It was a chilling sight.

Midnight knelt by her side. "Uraraka's out of commission. Bakugo advances to the second round!"

"The eighth match of the last round... Oh, Uraraka..." Mic murmured. "Bakugo advances to the second round, I guess..."

"If you're going to comment, do it properly."

"Now, let's pull ourselves together!"

"You're really letting your personal feelings take over..."

Amidst Present Mic and Aizawa's banter, Midoriya and I exited the stands. I wanted to check on Uraraka, and... after seeing that, I needed to get away from the crowd for a bit.

"Woah – Kacchan!"

At Midoriya's exclamation, I ducked back into the hallway. Again? Why does this keep happening...

"What the – What the hell do you want, nerd? Die!" Bakugo managed in a single, ragged breath.

"Oh, well, I'm next, so... I– I was going to get ready in the waiting room... Um, congrats on winning your first round... Later..." Midoriya's footsteps receded, but it seemed Bakugo wasn't quite done with him.

"That was your idea, wasn't it?" he called. "That damned desperate plan! You just have to be annoying, don't you? What the hell–"

"It wasn't." As Midoriya spoke, it was without a single stutter. He always seemed to get like that when his friends were involved. "All of it... Uraraka planned it all, thinking about how she could beat you. If you found it annoying, it's because she was leading you around by the nose!" He marched away without another word, leaving me hiding in the hall.

Damn, Midoriya... You should be like that more often.

"The hell are you smirking at, rocks for brains!"

Ah. I've been discovered. With a simple shrug, I pushed past Bakugo and after Midoriya.

"What, back to ignoring me? The fuck's up with you today!"

I looked back at him, confused. "Hm?"

"You're weird as fucking hell!"

"Huh." I glanced to the side contemplatively. "Guess I'm just a bit too tired to bother dealing with your shitty attitude today."

"You're the one with a shitty attitude, not me!" Bakugo yelled.

I rolled my eyes as I ducked around the corner. "Whatever you say, Blondie."

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