Aizawa Shota, despite his usual perpetually tired demeanor, watched the upcoming confrontation with a rare intensity. His sharp, discerning eyes, though often hidden behind his long, disheveled hair, meticulously analyzed every subtle movement, every flicker of emotion, emanating from the two students now facing each other on the combat platform. 'So this battle will be a true test of reflexes and raw speed,' he mused, a mental checklist of his students' capabilities running through his mind. 'Whoever activates their Quirk the fastest will undoubtedly gain a decisive advantage.'
He had a mental checklist for everything related to his students: their unique ways of thinking and acting, their individual fighting styles, their deeply held goals and dreams, and so on. It was an exhaustive, ever-evolving mental database.
Kaminari Denki, for instance, possessed an immense, undeniable potential, his shoulders burdened with the weight of an Electricity-based Quirk. While such Quirks were often quite easy to counter or subtract in terms of raw power, they remained exceptionally useful when it came to stunning or paralyzing an opponent at the opportune moment. And, if he channeled sufficient energy, it could even deliver a devastating blow capable of knocking an opponent unconscious, though the intensity of the discharge could result in painful, lingering side effects.
On the other hand, Kaminari's rather carefree and overtly joking personality, coupled with his unfortunate lack of defined goals or ambitions, regrettably rendered him a somewhat lazy and easily distracted individual. This unfortunate temperament manifested clearly in his rather poor and inconsistent control over his undeniably powerful Quirk, a genuine shame considering its raw potential. 'I really should have a serious talk with him about his future, about harnessing his full capabilities,' Aizawa thought, a brief flash of paternal concern crossing his stoic features, before he swiftly turned his analytical gaze to his other student. 'Oxton... now she is an enigma.'
Unfortunately, Aizawa found himself utterly unable to accurately gauge the true, profound potential that Lena possessed, primarily due to the sheer rarity of her unique Quirk. Speedsters, in the vast and diverse landscape of Hero Quirks, were exceedingly uncommon. Usually, their abilities manifested as a mild and barely noticeable boost in speed, and those rare individuals who genuinely possessed enhanced velocity often experienced severe, debilitating side effects on their bodies after prolonged use. This inherent limitation made the path of a speedster hero exceptionally challenging and often unappealing.
That was precisely why most people born with Speed-based Quirks typically gravitated towards other professions, excelling, for example, in various competitive sports where their subtle advantages could be maximized without the life-threatening risks inherent in heroic combat.
Lena, however, was a genuine rarity, a remarkable anomaly in that regard. She could effortlessly devote herself to something else, something far less dangerous, and very likely achieve immense success. Yet, here she was, standing on the precipice of a demanding, perilous career. Furthermore, Aizawa confessed to himself that he had absolutely no clear idea how to effectively improve her unique Quirk, as he had never before worked with a speedster of her caliber. His only viable suggestion, his solitary strategy, was to somehow enhance her stamina, allowing her to sustain her incredible speed state for longer durations.
Moreover, Lena's overall fighting style, while undeniably commendable for a fifteen-year-old, regrettably left much to be desired in the discerning eyes of a professional combatant like Aizawa. Her current approach relied heavily on quick, almost frantic kicks, combined with small, often obvious feints before delivering a surprisingly strong blow designed to stun the enemy. While not inherently bad on paper, when it came to actual execution, numerous obvious flaws became painfully apparent. Most of her feints were glaringly predictable, her muscles visibly tensed just before she acted, providing her opponents with crucial, undeniable clues as to when and where she was going to strike. Furthermore, she possessed an unfortunate tendency to get impulsively carried away by her emotions, compromising her strategic thinking.
While she undeniably managed to compensate for most of her pronounced weaknesses with a remarkable ingenuity when it came to creatively utilizing her Quirk, that raw, unpolished talent might simply not be enough in the crucible of real combat, against truly formidable villains. It was a concerning paradox.
"START!" Present Mic's booming voice announced, abruptly snapping Aizawa out of his deep, analytical thoughts, pulling him back to the present moment, just as the countdown reached its thrilling conclusion.
Lena, without a moment's hesitation, swiftly activated her 'Acceleration' Quirk, transforming into a sky-blue blur. In a fraction of a second, she materialized directly behind Kaminari, already poised to deliver a powerful kick to his head. The only discernible proof that Lena had actually moved and hadn't merely teleported behind Kaminari was the faint, ethereal light-blue trail she left shimmering in her wake, a ghostly echo of her incredible speed.
Kaminari, despite his outwardly distracted demeanor and casual attitude, was far from stupid. He was not one to be caught entirely off guard. Anticipating, with a flash of insight, that Lena would inevitably move with blinding speed the very instant the countdown ended, he had already sent a powerful, indiscriminate electric shock coursing across the entire platform. 'You can't possibly dodge my attack if you literally have nowhere left to run, Oxton!' he thought, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
The powerful electrical discharge connected squarely with Lena, hitting her full-on before she could even land her intended blow to his head. The sudden, agonizing shock instantly paralyzed her in her tracks, a violent jolt seizing her entire body, and nearly caused her to collapse helplessly to the floor, her muscles locking up.
"Phew... I honestly thought you would put up a more formidable fight, Lena, but it seems you just couldn't manage to counter my genius, could you?" Kaminari said, a smug, triumphant smirk plastered across his face as he turned to look at Lena, who was now trembling uncontrollably from the electric shock. "A shame, really, but seeing a beauty like you in such a… compromised state, well, it does fill me with a strange sense of pride. Good game, Oxton."
"Phew... you talk... far too much..." Lena managed to gasp, her voice strained and ragged, barely audible through the lingering paralysis and the burning sensation coursing through her limbs.
Suddenly, with an ethereal light-blue flash that seemed to pass directly through Kaminari like a ghost, Lena was no longer on the floor, suffering from the debilitating paralysis. She had vanished.
"What?!" Kaminari exclaimed, his cocky smirk instantly dissolving into a look of pure, unadulterated panic as he frantically spun around, searching for his vanished opponent.
From the stands, the spectators watched in bewildered awe as Lena was suddenly seen turning into a reverse wake, a shimmering, sky-blue distortion in the air, before effortlessly reappearing in the very same position she had occupied moments before the fight had even begun. It was an impossible, mind-bending display of her Quirk.
"What happened, Sparky? Cat got your tongue?" Lena spoke haughtily, a triumphant, almost mischievous glint in her eyes, her confidence fully restored.
"WILL YOUNG KAMINARI BE ABLE TO COUNTERACT THAT IMPOSSIBLE MANEUVER?!" Present Mic announced, his voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and frantic excitement, barely able to contain his shock.
"""WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"""" The colossal crowd roared its approval, a thunderous wave of cheers cascading through the stadium. The audience was now fiercely divided, their cheers split almost evenly between the two contenders, unsure of who would ultimately emerge victorious in this unpredictable bout.
"That was incredibly close," Lena murmured, a genuine, grudging impression coloring her voice as she massaged her temples, still a bit dazed from the electric shock. At first, she had foolishly believed this would be an easy, straightforward fight, but her unwarranted arrogance had almost snatched victory from her grasp. "I honestly didn't expect you to react in time, Kaminari, or to think of such a cunning counter-strategy."
"In your previous fight against Shoji, I remember you always tried to attack him in his blind spots, to exploit his weaknesses," Kaminari said, a triumphant, slightly condescending smile returning to his face. He then adopted a cocky tone, one infuriating enough to make anyone want to punch him squarely in the face. "But if I simply activate my Quirk every single time you attempt to get close, you'll never, ever be able to land a single hit on me. So you might as well give up now, Oxton!"
"..." Lena merely rolled her eyes at his predictable bravado, a subtle gesture of dismissal, before disappearing once again in a luminous, celestial wake, a blur of motion.
Suddenly, Kaminari felt an inexplicable sensation. He was falling. And the next thing he knew, he was no longer on the hard combat platform but lying on the green grass of the stadium's outer perimeter, having been thrown out of bounds.
"""...""" The colossal crowd went completely silent, their collective breaths held in profound, stunned disbelief at the sudden, inexplicable occurrence.
"OXTON WINS! AND ADVANCES TO THE SECOND ROUND!" Present Mic announced, his voice finally breaking the stadium's stupor, confirming everyone's silent observations.
"What the hell!" Kaminari yelled in utter confusion, scrambling to his feet, looking around frantically to see that he was indeed out of bounds. "What the actual fuck did you just do, Oxton?!"
"You were on the very edge of the arena, Sparky. I just simply pushed you out, that's all," Lena replied, her voice calm and matter-of-fact, as if stating the most obvious truism in the world. From the spectators' point of view, Lena's quick action had been perfectly obvious, a simple push.
"Shit!" Kaminari exclaimed, pounding the grass with his fist in frustration, his earlier cockiness completely vanished.
Lena merely offered him a few comforting words, a subtle pat on the shoulder, before turning around and walking back into the tunnel she had emerged from, her silhouette disappearing into the shadows.
Kaminari, after a few seconds of cursing his own bad luck and Lena's cunning, did the same, stomping off the field in a huff.
When Lena reached the stands, she immediately headed towards her seat, which had been thoughtfully reserved by Kyoka and Toru. Momo had already departed to get ready for her own match, as the participants had only a precious five minutes to prepare. It wouldn't be long before the next round commenced.
Although...
'Who exactly is Koda...? I don't remember anyone by that name in our class,' Lena thought curiously, a slight frown creasing her brow as she tried to recall any details about this unknown opponent.
"ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S SWIFTLY MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ELECTRIFYING MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT!" Present Mic announced, his voice filled with an almost desperate hope that the upcoming bout would undoubtedly last a little longer than the last one. He could tell, by the collective groans and bewildered murmurs, that the audience was not particularly thrilled with the sheer speed of the previous match.
"ON ONE SIDE, WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF CLASS 1-A! RESPECTED BY HER ENTIRE CLASS BECAUSE OF HER GREAT INTELLIGENCE AND UNPARALLELED BEAUTY! GIVE IT UP FOR YAOYOROZU MOMOOOOOO!!!"
"ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE THE QUIET ANIMAL LOVER! THE UNASSUMING CHAMPION OF THE CREATURES! IT'S KOJIIII KOOOODAAA!"
Momo looked at her opponent with a fierce, unwavering determination etched onto her beautiful face. She was absolutely resolute in securing the victory of this battle, determined to prove to her parents that her decision to pursue the path of a Heroine was not merely a simple impulse of the moment, a passing childish whim. She would, with every fiber of her being, show them that she would not give up easily in the face of adversity, that her resolve was unbreakable!
Koda, meanwhile, was visibly trembling, his body shaking uncontrollably due to the thousands of people watching his every move, their expectant gazes an overwhelming weight. The poor boy, inherently shy and reserved, looked as if he was on the verge of fainting from the sheer pressure. Looking briefly into Momo's eyes and seeing them literally burning with an almost terrifying determination only made him tremble even harder, his anxiety skyrocketing.
"ONE."
"TWO."
"THREE."
"START!"
"I SURRENDER!" Koda shouted, his voice cracking, but filled with every ounce of strength he could possibly muster, his desperate plea echoing through the stadium.
"""....""" The entire stadium fell into a stunned, profound silence once more. The audience, still reeling from the brevity of the previous match, simply couldn't believe what had just transpired.
'WHY DOES EVERY MATCH END SO FRICKIN' QUICKLY?!' Present Mic thought, massaging his temples in sheer frustration. This was not at all what he had anticipated for the tournament, not what he had hoped for the audience's entertainment. He was supposed to be hyping up epic battles, not instantaneous surrenders!
Aizawa, however, merely looked at Koda with a quiet, almost imperceptible nod, thinking that the boy had, in fact, made the precisely correct decision. There were no animals present in the arena to help him, rendering his Animal Voice Quirk utterly useless. Furthermore, Momo clearly outclassed him in almost every conceivable aspect of combat, both physically and intellectually. The only marginal advantage Koda might have possessed was his raw physical strength, but that was assuming Koda would actually hit someone to begin with, which, given his shy and gentle nature, was highly unlikely. It was a pragmatic, albeit anticlimactic, outcome.
"THE WINNER IS MOMO! SHE EFFORTLESSLY MOVES ON TO THE SECOND ROUND AND WILL NOW FACE LENA IN A CLASS 1-A SHOWDOWN!" Present Mic announced, subtly attempting to hide his childish annoyance at the rather disappointing show the audience was getting, trying to inject some excitement back into the proceedings.
"I... huh?" Momo still hadn't quite come out of her daze, her eyes wide with bewilderment as she looked at Koda, who was already making his way off the platform. "What just happened?"
'Next up is... Kyoka vs Tokoyami... now this could genuinely be interesting, a true clash of unique Quirks and tactical minds,' Aizawa thought, a flicker of genuine interest in his tired eyes, finally anticipating a compelling battle.