In the Class A box.
"I'm scared, ribbit."
"Namikaze's gonna do better than the others, at least," said Sero.
"I don't know about that," Kaminari snorted.
"Yeah…" Kirishima rubbed his hands together. "As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think Namikaze has a chance at all. I beat him in the battle trial, and Bakugo beat me, so…"
"Feel free to take that back anytime," Mina growled through clenched teeth, and all eyes fell on her.
Kirishima's eyes widened in shock. "Whoa, Mina, I… I mean, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything…"
"I know. Just shut up already."
"I don't know if Namikaze truly has the motivation to beat Bakugo," said Ojiro.
"I think…" Yaoyorozu leaned forward, puzzled. "I think his look is different from before."
"What do you think, Deku?" Uraraka asked him.
Midoriya folded his hands under his chin, resting his elbows on his knees. "Kacchan's reflexes are superhuman. I mean, he was able to keep you at bay no matter what."
Uraraka pouted. "Namikaze is faster than me, though."
"Even so…" Midoriya's eyebrows furrowed. "Even if Namikaze got within range of Kacchan, what could he do? Try and push him out? Kacchan can propel himself in whatever direction he wants in an instant, and that explosive power definitely overrides normal human strength. I just… I just don't think Namikaze's odds are too good."
Iida still had not returned.
Todoroki quietly left the box to go get ready for his final. He was pretty sure Bakugo would win. I must think about what I'm going to do.
"Ready?" Midnight asked them.
"Mmhmm." Bakugo's face was serious now.
"Am I ever," Haru said.
Midnight gave him a worried glance, and then backed up.
"SECOND SEMIFINAL!" yelled Present Mic. "START!"
Haru got into a defensive position, ready for Bakugo to blast toward him… and nothing happened.
The blonde boy just stood there, watching him solemnly.
Haru relaxed, confused. "What are you doing? We've started."
"I know."
"…"
"…"
Haru stepped slowly sideways. "You were so ready to fight me before. Not gonna attack?"
Bakugo shrugged. "Nah. I saw what you did with Raccoon Eyes. Just pulled her along on a string. I'm NOT letting you make a fool out of me that way." He might have smirked. "I'm not some girl like your last two wins. You want to fight? Fight like a man, crackhead. Come at me." He remained where he was.
Haru's face twitched. "Fine," he growled.
He cracked his neck both ways, and then took two steps forward, punching the air as if loading his fists. The crowd gasped. "OH!" Present Mic yelled.
Haru ran straight at Bakugo, not hesitating, an expression of absolute determination on his face.
"What's your plan, idiot?!" Bakugo swept up an explosion with his right hand as Haru came into range… and Haru flashed backward out of range just as the explosion went off. Before the smoke could clear, Haru warped again through the smoke, and swung an uppercut into Bakugo's chin as hard as he could. Bakugo staggered back, and the crowd roared in shock. Haru shoved him toward the line, pushing as fast as he could, but the explosion user regained his senses. Bakugo grabbed Haru with his left and hand and with his right sent out an explosion behind them both, propelling them forward into the center of the platform. Haru warped sideways out of his clutches.
"NAMIKAZE OPENS STRONG! HE NEARLY HAD HIM THERE… damn it…"
"Wow, I wonder who you're rooting for," Aizawa said sarcastically.
Bakugo looked up, a wildness in his eyes. Blood was dripping from his face. "You're gonna pay for that tricky shit you just pulled," he growled.
Pretense had been abandoned.
Bakugo screamed in fury, and came launching right at him.
Haru warped out of the way of the first explosion, but Bakugo predicted which way he'd flash, and sent out a sideways impact with his other hand. Haru got a faceful of heat and ashes as he warped backward, frantically trying to escape.
Bakugo was relentless. He launched at him again. Haru feigned a flash, rolled under the next explosion, and landed a glancing punch on the other boy's shoulder. When Bakugo's open palm came around in a wide swipe from the left, crackling with fire, Haru nearly warped right to get out of the way… but time seemed to slow, and he saw Bakugo's right fist charging up an explosion at his side.
Haru ducked the left swipe and warped left, crossing Bakugo and punching him again. This time, he got within Bakugo's arm range, and the explosion went past both of them. In the split second before Bakugo grabbed him by the shirt, Haru landed four lightning punches to his stomach.
Haru got ready to flash out, thinking Bakugo was about throw him, but then the boy's other hand lit up toward the ground… and they both went flying, Bakugo carrying Haru several feet into the air. At the peak of their jump, Bakugo slammed down with both fiery fists, and Haru felt his back explode in burning pain as he zoomed back toward the concrete ground.
At the last second, Haru flashed sideways, changing his gravitational velocity and rolling somewhat messily away from where he would have impacted.
"OH! THAT FELT LIKE A FINISHING MOVE FROM BAKUGO, BUT NAMIKAZE NARROWLY AVOIDED GETTING KNOCKED OUT!"
Haru got shakily to his feet, realising his gym clothes were partially charred and torn. Was his back smoking? There had been an explosion of pain, but now he couldn't tell if he felt anything.
Bakugo landed and smiled, his palms crackling. He looked Haru up and down. "I'll give you this much, you're a challenge to finish off," he said. "Come on, attack me again."
Haru wiped sweat off his face, shrugged, and obliged.
Class A watched in increasing shock and awe as the two boys charged each other. "OH, THAT'S A… YIKES, ANOTHER… OOOOOH!" Present Mic kept interrupting himself.
It was the fastest paced fight yet. Bakugo launched himself up and over Namikaze, trying to blow the warper's back, but Namikaze teleported and crossed him again, landing a kick to the back of Bakugo's legs. Bakugo briefly crumbled, but sprang off the ground with two more explosions as Namikaze's fist swiped through open air. Bakugo turned as he went upward and launched two more explosions towards Namikaze, who warped through their smoke to punch Bakugo in the face. The explosion user dodged left by blowing up his right hand out to the right, and brought his left hand up from below, nearly finally landing a conclusive blow on Namikaze… but the warper flashed out of the way. This continued, on and on. They danced with each other at lightning speed. The crowd was going nuts. The constant explosions and smoke made it hard to see, but they could see enough.
"Holy shit," Sero muttered.
"This is insane," said Kaminari.
"Namikaze's fighting completely differently from before," Ojiro pointed out. "In his fight with Ashido, he mostly warped backwards to dodge attacks… but now, he's mostly warping sideways, or even diagonally forwards. He's defending by attacking. He's… matching Bakugo's fighting style."
"Did you not hear their conversation?" asked Jiro.
"I did," Shoji piped up. "We were probably the only ones, due to our Quirks. Bakugo asked Namikaze to attack him. Namikaze is simply giving him the fight he desires."
Midoriya was leaning so far forward that it looked like he was keeled over sick. "I don't believe it."
"What?" Mina asked, talking over Uraraka, leaning toward the green-haired boy. "What is it?" She wanted any insight to what was happening.
"Kacchan's reflexes are insane, like I said before. I've never seen anyone match them consistently… until now."
Bakugo had just taken two more light blows from Namikaze. He screamed in pain and frustration and sent out a flurry of explosions, like a less intense version of what he'd finished off Kirishima with. Namikaze simply warped sideways and forward, only getting grazed by the heat, and kicked Bakugo in the stomach.
The crowd and Class A all gasped as Bakugo staggered back, briefly seeming vulnerable.
"Kacchan's not used to something this hard," Midoriya muttered, loud enough for only Uraraka and the leaning Mina to hear. "Obviously he was somewhat ready for it… but still. I was taken aback but how much he managed to keep cool during his first two fights. But now? I think he's getting frustrated. And that must be what Namikaze wants."
Mina looked over at Haru… who didn't look too great either. He HAD taken hits here and there, and he was battered, his clothes burnt. His limbs seemed to hang limper than before.
"Hang in there, please…" she mumbled. She didn't notice that Tsu was listening.
"You think any of your little flurry punches are doing anything to me?!" Bakugo taunted, launching over his head again. Haru was getting tired, attacking less. He chose to warp backward this time, leaning out of the explosion just in time.
"Grrr! Come on, where's your attack!" Launched at him again. Haru warped sideways.
"DON'T START THIS NOW! I swear I'll blow you to smithereens!" Bakugo sent out another series of fast explosions, spinning as he did it to cover all his sides. Haru had tried to go sideways, and paid the price, getting the full blast of one and flying backward. He warped to slow himself, and skidded on his heels to a stop.
The crowd was murmuring.
"This is crazy."
"Did you hear what the bomb kid said?"
"I'm kinda rootin' for the teleporter kid now."
Haru's eyes flashed downward to the decimated platform. Pieces of concrete rubble had broken apart all over the place from Bakugo's explosions.
Pieces.
Uraraka… hope you don't mind, but I may refine your idea a little bit.
Bakugo launched himself forward again, and this time Haru stood his ground… lifting his arm up, and sending the yellow energy out through his hand. The crowd all noticed at once. "OH?" from Present Mic.
Bakugo hesitated a moment… and Haru warped the concrete chunk over his head, dropping it.
"HOLY SHIIII…"
Bakugo nearly ran out of time, being forced to blast himself out of the way rather than blow the rubble out of the sky the way he'd done Uraraka's meteor shower. The concrete struck the ground loudly and broke into pieces.
Damn, Haru thought as he dodged Bakugo's next relentless attack. His reflexes are still just too quick.
"Round Face's idea is gonna fail just as hard with you doing it!" Bakugo shouted at him.
Haru kept warping back away from the blonde boy's attacks, making sure he stayed oriented and far enough off from the boundary line. My meter limit is my advantage here. Dropping them from less height than Uraraka… gives him less time! And I can do it an instant! As the two of them danced over another section of rubble, Haru warped three more pieces over Bakugo's head, flinging both hands into the air, glowing yellow. Bakugo blasted them to pebbles, and charged again. "This isn't going to work, useless extra!" he growled.
Haru dodged again, and again. He warped another chunk. Bakugo blasted it. "And next…" Haru held one hand behind his back, and flicked it, trying to mask that he'd dropped another rubble piece, but Bakugo blew it away too. "… you'll try some behind-the-back shit. Predictable!"
Haru warped out of the way a second too late, and got another faceful of hot embers. He stumbled backward, choking and waving a hand in front of his face.
Every part of his body ached and felt charred. His clothes were a ruin.
And the boundary line was right behind him.
"NAMIKAZE'S LAST STRATEGY SEEMS TO HAVE FAILED! IS THIS IT?" Present Mic declared.
The crowd muttered.
"Look how tattered he is…"
"He can't go on like this…"
"Sure you don't want to give up?" Bakugo asked angrily, stepping forward slowly. "You may have started trying, thinking stupidly that you could compare to me, but you'll still be an extra," he snarled. "And you were too much of a little bitch for too long. You don't have my respect, Crackhead."
"No one respects YOU, so why should I care?!" Haru yelled back, and the closest crowd went suddenly silent. "Shout at people, talk down to them, do whatever you like! Every time you do, you make the chances of you having ANYTHING besides your stupid powers grow smaller and smaller. But sure, this fucking match matters. Putting me in my place matters, oh of course. We wouldn't want anyone realising they're better than the great Bakugo. So go ahead, come at me! Blow me out of this ring! I won't run!" He put all his fury and determination into his face.
Bakugo roared, and launched at him, corkscrewing in mid-air with spinning explosions, sending beams of smoke out in all directions.
"OH MY GOD!"
"He's gonna kill him!"
Time it right.
"MIDNIGHT!" Cementoss shouted, getting off his throne. Midnight frantically ripped her sleeve.
He'll land…
Bakugo stretched his palms back for the final blow. "HOWITZER…"
… there.
Half of Class A stood up at once. "HAARUUUUU!" someone shouted.
"IMPAAAAAACT!" Bakugo swung his hands forward as he landed with a BOOOOM, and Haru disappeared in a great eruption of light. The explosion was massive, sending a rumble through the stands that reverberated through everyone's skin.
A single chunk of concrete, glowing yellow, was dropped from the sky, landing hard on the top of Bakugo's head.
The crowd went from an uproar to complete silence, like all the air had just been sucked from them.
Bakugo's eyes seemed to bug out cartoonishly as the chunk slowly slid off his head. He swayed drunkenly, and then collapsed.
The smoke cleared to reveal Haru Namikaze, standing behind the fallen boy with his arm up in the air, having warped completely clear of the blast.
A stunned Midnight took her hand off her sleeve. "Bakugo… is out of bounds! Namikaze advances to the final!"
The yellow light faded from Haru's hand, and he closed it into a fist, thrusting it further into the air in silent victory.
The celebrations from the crowd were deafening.