Disclaimer: I do not own the rights for any of the preexisting characters. This novel is made merely for entertainment purposes.
A/N: Hey, everybody, it's me. I just wanted to confirm what I said yesterday, I'll be uploading the chapters moving forward at around this time, sometimes a bit earlier sometimes a bit later, but it should always be around the this time of the day, whichever might be for you.
Also, I did my best to create a fitting speech for Endeavour but writing characters that already exist in new dialogues seems to be my greatest weakness when it comes to writing, so I'm sorry if the dialogue doesn't sound 100% like what Endeavour would say, but I still hope you enjoy it.
…
[BACK AT THE START OF THE 1ST ROUND]
Walking along the corridor for his first round, Todoroki made the final turn when he was met with the last person he wanted to see.
"You're in my way." He in an annoyed tone.
"You're acting disgracefully, Shoto," Endeavour spoke, though Todoroki tried to pay no mind as he resumed his walk. "If you used the power of your left side, you would've had an overwhelming victory in the obstacle course and the cavalry battle."
Still, Todoroki kept walking, doing his best to ignore his father. "Stop this childish rebellion already."
Yet Endeavour didn't seem to need Todoroki to respond, only to listen. "You have a duty to surpass All Might… Don't you understand? You're different from your siblings. You're the greatest masterpiece!"
[Damian, I know what you're feeling, but let's not do anything harsh-]
As Eva and Damian were eavesdropping in the 'father'-son conversation in spite of Eva asking him not to do it, she felt vividly how Endeavour's words were pushing the wrong buttons for both Todoroki and Damian, yet her words couldn't quite dissuade him. 'Don't worry, Eva. I have no designs on killing him, his fate is for Shoto to decide.'
"Is that all you can say, you bastard?" Responded Todoroki to his father, this time with an even colder tone. "I will win and advance with just Mom's power. I won't use your power when I fight."
Side-eyeing him, Endeavour spoke with the same self-righteous assurance. "Even if that works for now, you'll soon reach the limits of that power."
After seeing Todoroki reach the main stage, Endeavour decided to turn around and leave for the stands, but that's when another person appeared right in front of him.
"Are you proud of yourself? Or are you that desperate?" Spoke Damian with a chill-inducing tone, hands behind his back and with a smile that didn't quite reach his face as he tilted his head mockingly.
Endeavor blinked, startled that he hadn't noticed him at all. The air seemed heavier here, the fluorescent lights flickering in unnatural rhythm. "Who are you, brat?" He growled, taking a step forward.
But behind him, the corridor bent and fractured in a kaleidoscope of glass. The Mirror Dimension unfurled silently as Damian chanted silently and made mudras with his hands behind his back.
Feeling something was off, Endeavour turned around again only to be met by a bizarre sight as the world behind him rippled like it was a living being.
"What the hell-?" Before he could question anything, he was sent flying into the moving ripple in space-time as he was flung to the main stage.
Getting up, he noticed that there didn't seem to be anyone in there anymore, not Shoto, not his opponent, nor a crowd in the stands.
Damian followed him in, still calm, still wearing that polite, disarming smile. "Now we can talk without interruptions."
Flames licked around Endeavor's fists. "You've got ten seconds to explain yourself before I-"
"Before you what?" Damian interrupted, voice low, steady. "Burn me like you burned your family?"
Endeavor froze. The smirk on Damian's face vanished, replaced by a chilling neutrality.
"Tell me," Damian continued, pacing slowly. "Are you proud of being a man who bought a woman for her Quirk–treated her like breeding stock, just to pump out children who could do what you couldn't?"
Endeavor's jaw tightened. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know exactly what I'm talking about," Damian shot back. "I know about Rei. I know about the scars–hers, and Shoto's. I know about Toya."
The name struck like a punch. Endeavor's flames flickered, the heat warping the mirrored floor. "Watch your mouth, boy. You've got no idea what it means to dedicate your life to surpassing your limits-"
"Limits?" Damian snapped, his voice now cutting like glass. "You think obsession is dedication? You think breaking your family to chase your ego makes you strong? You're not a hero, you're a sociopath with good PR."
Endeavor's aura flared. "I've done more for this country than any civilian ever could! My strength matters. My will matters! You think the world can be saved with soft hands and pretty words?"
Damian's expression softened–not with pity, but disappointment. "Ha. This is why you will always be his shadow," he laughed mockingly. "Thinking that the end result justifies the means is the thinking process of a tyrant, not of a hero, much less of someone that wants to be the number one hero."
The mirrored planes around them rippled, glowing faintly with Damian's power. "I've met those like you before, Endeavor. The type of man would sacrifice anything and anyone if it meant reaching their goal. The difference between them and you is that they never pretended to be heroes."
The Flame Hero's growl deepened. "You think you can judge me? You're just a kid with an inflated sense of justice trying to play hero."
"Maybe," Damian said quietly. "But at least I don't hurt the ones who love me just to feel like one."
The two stood in silence for a moment, the Mirror Dimension humming between them, the world as still as them both. Then Damian asked, this time with genuine curiosity behind his voice. "Tell me something. When you close your eyes at night… do you ever feel remorse for Toya?"
Endeavor's jaw clenched. For a heartbeat, the man beneath the title looked human. But then he looked straight at Damian, his voice low and cold. "What would remorse change at this point?"
The air went still as Damian's eyes darkened. "Tsk. After all, I really just don't like you."
That's when the world blurred in Endeavour's eyes as he was flung away, hitting the rock walls of the mirrored stadium hard enough for a giant spiderweb like crack to form around him.
Walking out of the debris with nothing more than a pissed off expression, Endeavour almost growled out his words. "Do you know what happens if you attack a pro-hero, brat?
Sneering, Damian started to levitate as he taunted, eyes shining for a brief second. "What? Too scared to fight back, or you can only abuse children when they are your own?"
And then something snapped.
Flame erupted from his back in a thunderous burst, propelling him forward like a blazing meteor. The air warped under the heat as a hulking mass of fury barreled up to Damian.
Damian's hands moved in a circular motion, smooth and fluid. The wind coiled around him in translucent streams, and as Endeavor's flame wave crashed forward, it struck an invisible wall. The blast dispersed into a thousand flickering embers, scattering harmlessly against the mirrored air.
Yet that didn't stop Endeavor. He closed the gap in an instant, his gauntleted fist blazing as he swung with enough force to crush concrete.
Damian pivoted the right side of his body as Endeavour's strike grazed his shoulder, a blast of heat licked his cheek, burning a shallow line across his skin. But even as Endeavor turned for the next blow, Damian's left hand lashed out, a compact sphere of compressed air detonating point-blank against the Flame Hero's right ribcage.
The impact boomed like a cannon. Endeavor was thrown backward again, smashing into another mirrored wall hard enough to fracture its surface in spider-webs. 'Righ. He was a CQC specialist, tough match up for you, dipshit.'
"Is that all you have, eternal number two?" He taunted again.
Endeavor snarled and surged forward again, his body blazing brighter–Hell Spider arcs of fire cutting through the air like molten whips.
Damian's fingers flicked. The wind spiraled, forming slicing currents that split the flames apart mid-flight, scattering them harmlessly around him. A few tongues of fire still grazed his uniform, singing the fabric. But he didn't flinch. "Tsk. I'll have to mend that."
Endeavor's boots struck the ground, cracking it. He spun, punching downward with a roar. "PROMINENCE-!"
But he didn't finish when Damian was already there. A burst of wind exploded from under his feet–bolstered by a touch of Will–propelling him forward at impossible speeds. His elbow slammed into Endeavor's side, driving the air from his lungs before the hero could ignite again. Damian followed it up with a palm strike that sent another burst of compressed air through Endeavor's armor of flame, extinguishing it for a heartbeat.
The mirrored space thundered with the clash. Each blow echoed infinitely, reflections of the two fighters fracturing with every impact.
Endeavor swung again, the right straight heavy with molten heat as it transitioned to a left hook, every strike as strong and hot as an industrial furnace. Damian weaved between them; calm, measured, his footwork precise as if he knew beforehand where Endeavour planned to strike. Because he did.
A twist of the wrist here, a touchless redirection of the elbow next. He wasn't just fighting against Endeavor, he was fighting through him. The overwhelming difference in sheer technique and Strode's precognition permitted Damian to use Japan's number two hero like a grinding wheel.
Each time he evaded the distance between the danger zone and Damian became slimmer and slimmer. A real fight really was the best teacher, more so for someone with the bearings of a genius like the current him.
And someone as experienced as Endeavour would've noticed this had he been in his right mind. Damian's strikes landed like a water jet cutter cutting through steel. Dodge into a knee to the ribs, a millimetric step back into an uppercut to the jaw, a sidestep into an elbow to the solar plexus. Endeavor tried to retaliate, catching Damian's forearm with a burning grip, but Damian's other hand struck upward. An open-palm blast of wind subtly empowered with the Aspect of Energy, sending him flying back.
Looking at his half charred elbow, he was thankful of his super regeneration as it healed him in real time while he bit down the impulse to scream.
'Remind me to work more on dulling my pain receptors with the HM.' He said to Eva who was inside him, watching with the sharpness of a blade, ready to give support wherever needed.
[Mhm.] She muttered.
Damian didn't advance immediately. His voice rebounding over the ever shifting mirror dimension.
"Man. Prime All Might would've at least blown a limb or two off of me. No wonder you'll never catch up to him. No wonder you're so obsessed with creating an heir better than you… You're pathetically weak."
Endeavor rose slowly, coughing smoke, his body still burning with residual flame. "SHUT UP! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!"
He threw both hands forward, unleashing a torrent of fire hotter than before, a white-orange inferno that lit up the entire mirror dimension.
Damian's eyes flared gold this time. His hands moved as intricate hexagrams surrounded by runes of ancient tongues adorned his fingertips. The air bent, spiraled, and then collapsed inwardly–an implosive gust absorbing the flame's advance. The world went silent for half a second before the wind burst outward again, cutting through the fire in a shockwave that sent glass and heat scattering in opposite directions.
When the smoke cleared, Damian was standing right in front of him. Unburned, calm, eyes steady. Though internally he reproached himself for being forced to use more complex spells in the fight even with all his advantages.
"Well, you're not thaaat weak. I'll give you that." He said while waving off the residual smoke.
Endeavor's only answer was a guttural roar as he reignited his flames and charged once more. In response Damian lowered his stance, one leg sliding back over fractured concrete as he moved his hands into a spear-holding stance.
The air coiled around his arm, forming a shimmering vortex. This time, there was no restraint.
In a fraction of a second he channels the wind to gather between his hands. Then he calls upon Order to command the ever dancing wind. As a result the particles of wind align into invisible spirals that intersect and merge.
Then he infuses that structure with Energy, golden-white light seeps through the wind, not from any external source, but from within the very structure he's created. The spiraling currents begin to pulse, each layer feeding the next, a self-sustaining rhythm of living motion. The now somewhat visible lance hums with silent thunder, its edges warping the light around it.
It looks like a spear made of liquid air and sunlight, transparent yet radiant, its shape defined not by matter but by a delicate balance of fundamental forces, something that can only exist outside his home universe due to the uniqueness of his existence.
A small masterpiece of Damian's relentless effort in honing his control over the mystical arts. One he could proudly call 100% his own original work.
When Damian thrusts forward, the sound is delayed; The air around his arm stretches like silk drawn to breaking point, then snaps as the lance launches forward. Endeavour was still more than 15 meters away from him, but that didn't seem to matter at all–for this lance did not fly, it existed in different points of space-time, one frame at a time.
It didn't tear through the air; it rearranged as it passed. Every point in space touches aligns momentarily to its flow, like soldiers falling into formation, before collapsing back into the natural chaos of existence once it's gone.
Upon impact, the effect is devastating yet eerily elegant. There's no explosion of energy, no cutting of flesh. Just a flash of light as the lattice structure transfers its perfect symmetry into whatever it strikes.
And Endeavour was no exception. For an instant, the molecules of his chest are forced into that same impossible harmony, just to then fail to maintain it, breaking apart in a burst of released potential energy. A smooth, gaping hole where his half of his heart was supposed to be was all that remained.
Then his momentum dies off, he glides to the ground like a doll who had its strings cut off. Falling miserably in front of Damian.
Surprisingly enough, the man still had the will to try and stand up, even if he was only running on fumes.
Crouching down just outside of the dying man's reach, Damian spoke uninterestedly. "Jeez, learn when to quit, you piece of shit. I can't have you actually dying on me just jet."
After saying such he smacked Endeavour's head hard enough to break the concrete floor below them as the man finally lost his consciousness.
Putting his hand over the back end of the hole, Damian closes his eyes as he concentrates. From his palm, filaments thinner than hair extend outward, gliding through torn skin and shredded muscle without resistance. They shimmer faintly, liquid silver veins of artificial life, each one pulsing with soft light.
The filaments split and weave like roots of light, forming a temporary lattice where flesh used to be, a scaffolding of programmable matter that hums with structural coherence. Micro-reactors within Damian's hands channel bio-synthetic material, atom by atom, through the filaments, laying down new muscle fibers, collagen strands, and bone fragments reconstructed from stored cellular blueprints.
Finally, he exhales and pulls his hand away. What remains is Enji, his chest moments ago an open cavity, now rises and falls with quiet breath. And while at it, he heals all the other wounds that were a product of their fight.
As a last touch, he forms a sphere of water on his other hand, using it to clean the blood and grime off of Endeavour and he repairs his suit for the most part, leaving some shallow cuts here and there. Also repairing his own school track suit in the process.
[Crazy how effective magical manipulation is on muggles, super or not.] Commented Eva sarcastically as she memorized the energy and soul signature of Endeavour, in case Damian might want to assimilate his powers.
'Well, he may be a piece of shit, but the number two hero of the country wouldn't fight a kid ten years younger than him to the death due to a few words.' Responded Damian as he sat down in front of the unconscious man.
'Now, hope I don't go overboard with this one, don't want him forgetting his name and his crimes.' Thought Damian as he chanted a minor spell for memory manipulation, a far cry from the Runes of Kof-kol that Strange–and himself–will learn in the future, but it was more than enough for altering a single defenseless non-practitioners brain.
Chanting out loud and making the necessary mudras, he made sure to carefully erase everything that had happened in the last ten minutes and implanted a fake memory to explain how his clothes had been damaged in a small scuffle. Making Endeavour remember this embarrassing moment where a child had managed to push him back.
[Are you really risking that Nezu guy finding out about your fight just to humiliate this dumbass even more.] Asked Eva rhetorically, even if she knew he was indeed petty enough.
'Why ask questions when you already know the answers, dear?' He repeated his words before muttering one last sentence. 'Besides, you know it's not just that.'
Dragging Endeavour back to the corridor where everything started, Damian made sure there wasn't anyone close as he used a bit of lightning to shock the man awake before throwing him against the wall.
Showing the composure of a seasoned veteran, Endeavour managed to stay on his feet even as he was waking up. Looking around in confusion for a split second, he soon honed in on Damian who was standing with his hands crossed and the same fake smile he greeted him with.
"What? Do you seriously want to fight with a student, Mister Number Two?" Asked Damian teasingly, acting in accordance with the fake him in Endeavour's memories.
As his eyes narrowed, Endeavour stared at Damian for a second too long before clicking his tongue and walking away.
…
[BACK TO THE PRESENT]
Walking away from the lounge, Damian hummed contently to himself, satisfied by the little seed he had planted.
Reaching the stands again, he was met with the stares of his classmates.
Smiling at them in response, Damian spoke with a lighthearted tone. "Why are you all looking at me like I just got sentenced? Relax everybody, the school needed to confirm some information about my Quirk. Just some paperwork and stuff."
Kirishima blinked. "Wait, they pulled you out during the matches for paperwork?" He asked, more fazed at this than at losing against Damian.
Damian shrugged as he made his way down the steps. "Heroes' bureaucracy waits for no one."
That earned a few laughs, even Jirou cracked a small smile before turning back to the arena. By the time Damian reached his seat between Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami, the tension had diffused enough for the group to resume their conversation.
He sank into his spot, exhaling quietly. "What did I miss, Momo, Yami?"
Yaoyorozu blinked, her composure cracking just a little at the nickname–still not used to it–while Tokoyami, sitting upright and calm, inclined his head slightly.
"Bakugo advanced," he said in his measured tone. "The match was… intense."
Yaoyorozu sighed softly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Uraraka fought bravely, but Bakugo's offense was simply overwhelming. She held her ground much better than I expected."
Damian nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds like her. You got grit, Uraraka." Said Damian, turning around as the parched-up Uraraka just arrived at the stands, shyly scratching her head at the unexpected compliments as she walked down to take a seat.
"Thanks, Damian-kun." She muttered.
Then his gaze turned toward Yaoyorozu. "And you? How'd your match go?
Her expression faltered, eyes downcast, posture tightening slightly. "I… lost. To Tokoyami-kun."
Her voice was composed, but the faint tremor behind it gave her away. "I overthought everything," she admitted, almost to herself. "I planned for too many possibilities and froze when things didn't go as expected. It was… embarrassing."
Damian leaned back, arms folded, studying her quietly. "Embarrassing? Momo, you're talking like you failed a national exam, not a sports festival round."
She gave a weak smile. "It feels like I did."
Tokoyami looked slightly uncomfortable beside her, his usual stoicism tinged with guilt. Dark Shadow peeked out from his shoulder, whispering, "She's really sad, boss."
Tokoyami muttered, "Quiet, Dark Shadow." Then, after a pause, added awkwardly. "You fought with conviction, Yaoyorozu-san. That is more than most can claim. The fault lies not in failure, but in stagnation."
Yaoyorozu blinked, half-surprised at the unusual warm words of Tokoyami. "Thank you, Tokoyami-san." She said softly.
Damian smiled faintly. "Well, I'd use different words, but he's right," he turned toward her again, his voice gentler now. "Look, Momo, your problem isn't your intellect. You think ahead, which is good. But sometimes you've got to let your body act before your mind can. Planning is fine, but adaptability and reaction is what will keep you alive out there."
Yaoyorozu muttered hesitantly. "Adaptability…"
"Exactly. You've got all the tools, you just have to let instinct drive for a bit." He paused, tapping his temple with two fingers. "I can help you with that, if you want. There are ways to train your mind to stay fluid. Reacting without freezing. It's not a magic trick, just experience."
She looked up, surprised. "You'd… help me?"
Raising an eyebrow at her words with a face that said 'are you for real?' He said: "Of course, what are friends for? Besides, you've got plenty of talent, you just need a bit of guidance."
Her lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "That's kind of you, Damian. Thank you."
He smirked. "Don't thank me yet. I tend to make my training sessions a little... intense."
Tokoyami tilted his head slightly, shadowed eyes glinting with faint amusement. "Then perhaps she'll finally learn the art of unpredictability," he said. "You, of all people, seem to have mastered that."
Turning to look at Tokoyami for a second, Damian suddenly laughed, startling the boy of shadows. "Turns out you know how to joke too, Yami."
The three of them sat quietly for a moment as Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium, announcing the start of the quarterfinals.
The crowd roared again, the floor trembling underfoot.
"The first match of the second round! At this year's sports festival, both have shown top class performances!" He exclaimed animatedly. "MIDORIYA!!!... VERSUS… TODOROKI!!!"
…
As Midoriya was running on the last fumes of his full cowling, his right hand fingers mostly unusable after going beyond the safe 10% to counter Todoroki's attack time and time again, both teenagers seemed to be engaged in quite the bromantic talk as Shoto's left half suddenly lit onto a blazing tornado of flames.
"The fire's here…" Muttered Uraraka while raising her hands.
"SHOTO!!!" Screamed Endeavour before shamelessly spewing his one-sided wishes onto Todoroki.
"Have you finally accepted yourself?!" Asked the man while walking to the edge of the arena, hands on the cement railing. "That's it! Good! It all starts here for you! With my blood you will surpass me… YOU WILL FULFILL MY DESIRE!"
[Ugh. You should have beaten him some more.] Winced Eva, cringing at the lunatic screaming loud enough for the whole arena to hear.
'Couldn't agree more,' muttered Damian in his head. 'Still, this is gonna get ugly.' He said, though he couldn't help but smile, satisfied with how far Midoriya has come with just a bit of training.
They both prepared for the last hit, Cementos screamed for reinforcements as he prepared to erect multiple barriers between the two. "Midnight!"
But they were too late, as Todoroki extended a giant pillar of ice horizontally towards Midoriya, Deku jumped while running at full speed, this time he didn't need to sacrifice his legs again.
Where one motioned an open palm with a hand covered by flames, the other jumped as his right arm got covered in pink-ish veins and red lightning, making a palm of his own. Simultaneously multiple walls appeared in between them, but it did jack shit to stop their clash.
*BOOM*
The stadium vibrated under the force of the final clash between Midoriya and Todoroki. Their attacks collided violently. Concrete and the remnants of the arena's floor exploded outward, creating a massive shockwave. A violent current of wind and debris surged toward the stands like a tsunami.
Gasps erupted from the audience. Students instinctively shielded their eyes and mouths. Teachers' expressions stiffened. Even the commentator cabin trembled under the force.
But then, almost imperceptibly at first, the winds of the explosion began to curve inward before reaching the stands as if some invisible hand had guided them. A translucent dome of swirling air materialized around the stadium, separating the aftermath of the last attack from the spectators by way of an invisible barrier.
Endeavour, standing a few meters off, swiped at a few pebbles that had struck his face, the only ones that made it through a tiny gap in the dome. His jaw clenched as he scanned the area, confusion and irritation clearly etched on his face. "What the-?" He stomped his foot, glaring at no one in particular, unaware that it was Damian's doing.
A moment of stunned silence overtook the stands before murmurs erupted.
Kirishima's hands flew up. "Wait, what-what just happened?! Why isn't any of that hitting us?!" His voice was a mix of awe and confusion.
Iida Tenya's sharp gaze swept across the dome. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed a hand raised lightly inside the swirling air. His lips parted. "Damian…-kun? Was that…?"
Turning to look at Iida, Damian guided the wind to take the debris down towards the ground of the stage as he asked with a chuckle. "Depends, are you gonna yell at me for using my Quirk without permission?"
Iida blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "I… No, I… well…" His usual composure faltered just a bit, uncertainty in his voice.
Yaoyorozu's eyes widened. "You… you stopped it?!"
Present Mic's voice erupted over the stadium speakers, cracking with enthusiasm and confusion. "WHOA-okay, okay, folks! Did anyone just-wait a second! Something stopped all that debris from hitting the stands… but who did it?! Was it a student?! Or… maybe a quirk we haven't seen before?!"
While everyone around him was preoccupied asking too many questions and overreacting, Damian had his eyes on the stage as he answered to his classmates patiently, curious to see if a miracle would happen. Sadly, his spatial perception already told him everything he needed to know, but a man could dream, right?
"Jeez, I can't see a thing!" Complained Present Mic. "Hey! Who won the match?!"
Getting up, Midnight looked around in the stage as the smoke cleared out, discovering the result at the same time as almost everybody else in the stadium.
As the green-haired boy fell to the ground, unconscious, Midnight spoke with uncertainty in her voice before recovering her bearings. "M-Midoriya-kun is out of bounds… Todoroki-kun advances to the third round!"
And the crowd went crazy, cheering and hollering, enjoying the 'show'.
…
"…But you know, meddling when you don't need to… is the essence of being a hero." Spoke All Might, imparting his worldview to encourage Midoriya after his defeat as he rested in the hospital bed, both hands bandaged.
Opening up the door, Damian pushed his head through with a cheerful smile, as if oblivious to the somber vibe in the room. "Yo!" He greeted, waving a hand.
All Might turned, speaking to Damian. "Damian-shonen, did you come to visit Midoriya-shonen too?"
"Something like that. But first, mind giving us a second in private, All Might, Recovery Girl? Need to speak with Izuku, bro to bro type of thing, you know?" He spoke in a disarming tone.
While both were taken aback by the sudden request, after considering for a second they both went to the hall for a second.
Once they were alone, Midoriya looked puzzledly at Damian, trying his best to hide his sadness. "Damian-kun… what do you want to talk about?"
Looking at this kamikaze who always took things too far for his own good, Damian sighed as he walked up to the boy, his left hand shifting from organic to robotic without any signs. "Haa. I tried to hold back, but your disregard for your own body pisses me off, Midoriya. So at least do me a favor and keep what's about to happen a secret for the time being."
…
The quarter-finals had gone more or less as originally intended, Todoroki won, Tokoyami won against Ojiro too, though it had to be said the tailed boy put up much more of a fight than Ashido originally did. Same goes for Iida vs Asui, both had a more interesting battle even if Asui ultimately lost, the terrain too much of a disadvantage for her Quirk and too favorable for Iida's.
Musing over the matches, Damian casually walked up to the stage as it was his turn for the quarter-finals match and his opponent was none other than Katsuki Bakugo.
His gait was tranquil and relaxed, as if it wasn't his turn to do the fighting. As he stood there the audience's chatter grew louder as Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! The next quarter-final battle is about to begin! Stepping onto the stage on one side is… ROSSI DAMIAN!! Winner of the obstacle race and the first-year prodigy of Class 1-A!"
"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE! His opponent! Explosive! relentless! And fierce! KATSUKI BAKUGO!!"
Bakugo stormed onto the stage, fists clenched, eyes blazing with competitive fire. His usual scowl was sharper than ever, his muscles tensed and the explosive aura around him made the crowd flinch slightly.
Present Mic continued with his hyper-energetic commentary. "OHHH! LOOK AT THAT! Bakugo's ready to blow, literally! And Damian… Damian is as calm as ever! This is going to be intense, folks! Two totally different styles; raw explosive power versus controlled, deadly precision!"
Next Aizawa spoke from the cabin, giving his opinion on the match. "…Careful observation is required. Both are capable of unpredictable maneuvers, but Rossi's control and composure could make Bakugo overextend."
Midnight's voice cut crisply across the stadium, slicing through the crowd's excitement. "Competitors, to your marks. The quarter-final match between Damian Rossi and Katsuki Bakugo… begins… now!"
Bakugo immediately let out a roar, eyes blazing as his words reflected his personality. "YOU! STOP ACTING ALL CALM AND UNBOTHERED, YOU BASTA-!
Before he could even finish, a sudden, invisible force slammed into him. An air cannon, precise and devastating, hit him square in the chest, propelling him backward with terrifying speed. He crashed against the stadium wall with a loud thud, rebounded, and skidded across the ground before landing heavily on the floor, gasping for air.
The audience froze for a heartbeat, mouths agape.
"Ah, my bad. I went a bit too hard." Apologized Damian, though his tone was anything but apologetic.
Shaking her head, Eva reproached Damian's behaviour. [You're really too petty to be acting like this with a kid, for god's sake.]
'Maybe, but I think this dumbass needs to curb his arrogance a little bit, as a character it may be cool to some, but with my interference I can't predict how he'll develop if gone unchecked and unchallenged.' Explained Damian, though he didn't care much about Bakugo, if at all, he might as well try to compensate for his interference in this world, if this could be called compensation.
The silence was broken by scattered murmurs, then eruptions of disbelief.
Present Mic's voice exploded over the stadium's speakers, equal parts excitement and shock. "WHOA-HOLD UP! DID YOU SEE THAT?! ROSSI DAMIAN JUST-HE-HE! Oh man… that's-THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE!"
Midnight's brow furrowed as she strode closer, scanning the stage with a mixture of confusion and authority. "B-Bakugo-kun is out of bounds… Rossi-kun advances to the third round!"
Back in the stands, Class 1-A collectively reacted in stunned amazement.
Yaoyorozu Momo's hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide. "I… I can't believe it… he didn't even have time to move!"
Tokoyami remained calm, as always, but his shadow quivered slightly in response, betraying his astonishment.
Kirishima punched the air in disbelief. "No way… that was insane! He just—he just threw Bakugo like he was nothing!"
Midoriya arrived just in time to see the 'fight', still panting from running to the stands. His eyes widened, reflecting a mix of awe and disbelief, his fist clenching beneath his bandages due to the sheer gap between them. "H-He… he didn't even-he didn't even give Kacchan a chance…"
Bakugo groaned from the floor, clutching his chest and glaring up at Damian, who stood in the center of the stage before turning around, walking away as calmly as he had arrived.
The crowd erupted into excited chatter, some cheering, some stunned into silence. Even Bakugo's usual confidence seemed shaken, leaving him speechless and defeated before he had even properly begun.
Present Mic turned toward the camera feeds, voice booming with exaggerated energy. "FOLKS! I… I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY! ROSSI DAMIAN… JUST ONE-SHOT BAKUGO! THE STAKES JUST WENT THROUGH THE ROOF, AND THIS–THIS–IS ONLY THE QUARTER-FINALS!"
…
Unlike the last round of the quarter-finals, the semi-finals had gone without as many shocking surprises, as it was expected, Todoroki won his match against Iida in the first ten seconds while Damian and Tokoyami took longer, engaging in a back and forth that showcased the abilities of Dark Shadow before Tokoyami was ultimately pushed beyond the stage, he accepted his loss gracefully.
Now the stadium roared with the sound of tens of thousands of voices. The air shimmered with heat from earlier matches, anticipation buzzing like static as two figures stood opposing each other on the main stage.
All around Japan commercial monitors were streaming the stare down between the two strongest students from class 1-A and the first year overall.
Midnight stepped forward to the center, the gleam of the sun reflecting off the edge of the arena. The corners of the arena spewing flames to add fuel to the hype as Present Mic presented the last match of the sports festival.
"IT'S FINALLY THE LAST BATTLE OF U.A. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FESTIVAL, EVERYBODY!" He started. "The top of the first years will be decided with this one match! THE FINAL MATCH!"
While he yelled the big screen on the stadium showed a graphic of the two finalists. "From the hero course, TODOROKI SHOTO!... VERSUS!!! Also from the hero course, ROSSI DAMIAN!!!
Everyone observed the two, the tension in the air palpable. Yaoyorozu clasped her hands nervously. "This match… it's going to be incredible, both of them are so composed that it's hard to tell who'll take the upper hand."
Tokoyami's eyes were zoomed in like a hawk's, unwilling to miss any detail. "Damian-kun's control of the wind borders on artistry… and Todoroki's dual nature makes him a natural counter. The clash will be… fascinating."
Kaminari laughed, leaning forward over the rail. "Yeah, no kidding! It's like watching a natural disaster fight another natural disaster! Wind versus fire and ice? Sounds like a match straight out of a fairytale."
Kirishima's grin was wide and fierce. "Man, this is gonna be epic! Damian's calm and cool–but Todoroki's got that fire, literally! I can't even pick a side! They're both so manly!"
Uraraka smiled nervously, clutching the rail. "They're both so strong… I just hope they don't hurt each other too badly. Damian-kun is scary when he gets serious…"
Midoriya, seated beside him, nodded silently, his eyes fixed on the arena. His heart pounded as he waited for the match.
And this time Present Mic announced the start himself. "Now… START!!!"