"Then try this!"
Although the lava wall had blocked Yaoyorozu's previous attack, it also cut off Masata's line of sight. As Yaoyorozu's voice rang out from beyond the wall, a cylindrical object suddenly arced over the top.
"This is— a flashbang?!"
The cylinder detonated directly above Masata's head, releasing an intense burst of blinding white light. The sudden glare forced him to reflexively raise an arm and shut his eyes.
"Hm?"
Even with his vision blocked, Masata didn't rely on sight alone. A sharp change in airflow brushed past him. Instinctively, he crossed his arms in front of his body.
Clang!
A solid black iron rod slammed into his forearm, producing a sharp metallic impact.
"Still blocked… damn it!"
Yaoyorozu had taken advantage of the flashbang to sprint around the lava wall, attempting a surprise attack. She hadn't expected Masata to defend himself so precisely even without being able to see.
"I already told you—these little tricks won't work on me."
As the blinding light faded, Masata opened his eyes and looked at Yaoyorozu. She was biting her lip in frustration, yet somehow still looked oddly cute. He sighed, rubbing his arm.
"Tch. Don't get so cocky."
Knowing she couldn't overpower him directly, Yaoyorozu released the iron rod and retreated to what she believed was a safe distance.
"This is complete suppression," Aizawa Shouta commented flatly beside Present Mic.
"From a tactical standpoint, Yaoyorozu's choices were excellent—her tools, timing, and execution were all on point. Unfortunately, they're meaningless in the face of such an overwhelming power gap."
He adjusted his capture scarf slightly.
"Compared to the start of the school year, Igarashi's Quirk control has improved dramatically. His ability to regulate output alone puts him in a different league. I can only call that talent."
As expected of U.A.'s teachers—Aizawa had already noticed Masata's growth.
All Might, standing nearby, remained silent. He understood the reason behind Masata's sudden progress better than anyone, but this wasn't something that should be discussed openly. The final clash between Masata and Bakugo replayed in his mind—raw, extreme destructive power. Given enough time, Masata might truly surpass even himself.
Back in the arena, Yaoyorozu realized she had run out of conventional options. Her standard grenades were useless. Close combat was unthinkable—ever since middle school, even her family's security guards couldn't challenge her physically, let alone someone like Masata.
That left only one path.
Bigger firepower.
Masata stood calmly in place, clearly waiting. Seeing this, Yaoyorozu steadied her breathing and began creating something far heavier.
"Take this!"
She tossed several small spheres forward. Midair, their shells split open, unfolding into jointed mechanical limbs—each one resembling a metallic spider.
"A high-tech weapon!" Present Mic exclaimed.
"Yaoyorozu Momo's arsenal really is endless—I can't even tell what that is anymore!"
In terms of raw knowledge, perhaps only U.A.'s principal could rival Yaoyorozu. Even Mic sounded impressed.
Masata, however, recognized them immediately. They were compact electrical generators—once attached, their legs would pierce the skin and discharge paralyzing currents. Non-lethal, but extremely effective.
"That's pretty ruthless," Masata joked lightly.
"What if you actually shut me down?"
Despite his words, his expression was relaxed. Magma coated one of his arms as he swept it forward. The mechanical spiders plunged straight into the molten surface, instantly releasing blue smoke before dissolving completely.
"Still not ready yet?" Masata asked curiously.
"So what's the real trump card?"
Most people would've given up by now. But Yaoyorozu kept producing weapons methodically, clearly confident in what she was preparing next.
"I'm really curious what kind of present you're giving me, Momo."
Masata casually dealt with each hidden device that came his way, barely breaking a sweat.
"Done!"
At last, the weapon Yaoyorozu had spent so long creating came into view.
"That's… a cannon?"
Present Mic's eyes widened. "Yaoyorozu Momo really deserves the title of weapons expert!"
"Do you really think I'd be scared of something so old-fashioned?" Masata asked, eyeing the dark barrel.
"Hmph. You'll find out soon enough."
Yaoyorozu's confidence was unmistakable.
"Fire!"
The fuse ignited, and a massive white shell blasted out of the cannon.
White?
The audience had already grown numb to Yaoyorozu's inventions and didn't immediately question the odd color.
BOOM!
The shell exploded midair instead of striking Masata directly, scattering clouds of white fragments across the arena.
"The temperature's dropping!"
Present Mic froze. "That shell was—!"
"Dry ice!"
The realization hit instantly. The massive amount of dry ice rapidly absorbed heat, causing the temperature to plummet.
The spectators suffered as well—dry ice wasn't ordinary ice. Its heat absorption was brutal. With so much dispersed at once, it felt like the entire stadium had been transported to the Siberian tundra.
The arena temperature plunged even further.
Masata, surrounded at the epicenter, bore the worst of it. His already half-destroyed sports uniform offered little protection. It looked as though he'd taken a sudden vacation to Antarctica.
"So you're using extreme cold to counter me… smart."
Masata shivered violently as the freezing air invaded his body. While he wasn't particularly sensitive to cold, temperatures this low were impossible to ignore.
"But I'm not going down that easily."
Yaoyorozu, already wearing insulated gear, watched closely.
Masata grinned.
Heat began to surge from his body.