Author's Note: Believe it or not, this single chapter took me longer than writing three chapters combined. It was completely exhausting—I didn't even sleep to finish it, so I'm not entirely sure if the editing is up to par since sleep deprivation is finally catching up with me. It clocks in at over 4,000 words, so I'd like to think the time was worth it. I hope so, anyway... Enjoy the read! And yeah, I honestly have no idea what was going through my head while writing this chapter.
Ochako walked toward the platform with her fists clenched and her breathing under control. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, but she forced herself to focus on the ground beneath her feet and the weight of each step she took.
On the opposite side, Inko waited with a nervous smile, her green hair pulled back in her usual ponytail. She raised a hand to wave when she saw Ochako approaching.
"Uraraka-san!" Inko exclaimed brightly. "Let's have a good match!"
Ochako gave her a smile back while her heart pounded hard in her chest.
"Yeah! Let's give it our all, Midoriya-san!"
Midnight stood at the center of the platform with her whip resting against her hip and an expectant look on her face. She gestured toward both competitors as her voice rang out through the microphone.
"The first match of the second round brings us a truly stimulating display of youth! Two girls from Class 1-A face to face!" she announced with a captivating laugh. "On one side, the student who dominated the cavalry battle with overwhelming strength and speed! A wild power that has the entire stadium buzzing! INKO MIDORIYA!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, and several green signs bearing Inko's name waved in the stands.
Midnight turned toward Ochako with an even wider smile.
"And on the opposite end, the strategist who earned her place among the top eight! A tenacious fighter who defies gravity and refuses to back down under pressure! OCHAKO URARAKA!"
The applause was just as loud, though Ochako could pick up on some doubt mixed in with the cheers of support. She knew a lot of people figured she didn't stand a chance against Midoriya.
They always underestimate me because of my support Quirk, but that's okay. I'm gonna make them see who I really am, and even if I lose, even if I fall, I wanna show them that Ochako Uraraka can fight head-on too.
In the waiting area, Ren leaned forward with his arms braced on his knees while he watched the arena. Momo sat beside him with her hands folded on her lap.
"She's nervous," Momo observed quietly.
"Of course she is," Ren answered without looking away from the arena. "She's about to fight someone with insane raw power. But being nervous doesn't make her weak."
Toru bounced excitedly at his side, her uniform shifting with every movement.
"Come on, Uraraka-chan!" she shouted toward the platform. "You got this!"
Down in the arena, Midnight raised her whip.
"Competitors, are you ready?!"
Ochako settled into a defensive stance with her fingers spread and her weight balanced. Across from her, Inko took up a position almost identical to All Might's classic pose, right fist drawn back and left arm extended forward.
"BEGIN!"
Green lightning crackled along Inko's legs as she shot forward with a burst of speed that warped the air behind her. She crossed the ten meters between them in a blink.
Ochako barely had time to react before Inko was right in front of her, her right fist loaded with emerald sparks.
She's too fast!
Ochako threw herself sideways in a desperate twist, her shoulder slamming into the floor just as Inko's fist passed through the space where she'd been a heartbeat earlier. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air around Ochako.
BOOM!
Inko's fist drove into the platform and the concrete shattered into fragments that flew in every direction, cracks spreading from the point of impact like a spider web.
"Eek!" Inko pulled her fist back and shook out her hand with a grimace. "I'm so sorry, Uraraka-san! I didn't mean to swing that hard!"
Ochako pushed herself up quickly, her breath catching in her throat. Her shoulder throbbed from the impact against the floor, but she forced herself to ignore it.
She's holding back because she doesn't wanna hurt me. That means I have a shot if I use her hesitation against her.
"Don't apologize, Midoriya-san!" Ochako called out as she moved toward the rubble. "This is a real fight! Give me everything you got!"
She tapped three pieces of broken concrete in quick succession to activate her Quirk. The stones lifted off the ground and began floating around her.
Inko's eyes widened slightly when she saw the debris rise.
"You're already using the environment?" she murmured in surprise. "That's really smart, Uraraka-san."
"I learned from the best!" Ochako shot back with a grin.
She grabbed one of the floating rocks and hurled it at Inko with everything she had. The chunk of stone spun rapidly through the air.
Inko reacted on instinct and brought her right hand up to deflect the projectile. The rock crumbled against her palm as the fragments scattered to the floor.
But Ochako had already moved. She'd used the throw as a distraction to circle Inko on her left while she dealt with the rock. Now she had a clear path to close the distance.
If I can just touch her, I'll cancel out her speed advantage!
Ochako pushed forward with her hand outstretched, fingers splayed. Inko spun at the last second thanks to her reflexes and leapt backward to put space between them.
WHOOSH!
Green lightning flared along her legs as she used One For All to propel herself across the platform. She landed a good distance away.
"You're so fast too, Uraraka-san!" Inko exclaimed. "I almost didn't see you coming!"
"OHHHHH! LOOK AT THAT TACTICAL PLAY FROM URARAKA!" Present Mic roared through the speakers. "URARAKA'S USING HER HEAD INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MATCH MIDORIYA'S RAW POWER! THAT IS SMART FIGHTING, LISTENERS!"
Ochako didn't waste time on a reply. She tapped more concrete fragments to send them floating up and then pressed her hands against the intact sections beneath her feet. Large slabs of the floor began to lift off the ground, forming a stone barrier between her and Inko.
In a matter of seconds, she'd built a wall of rubble that completely cut off Inko's line of sight.
On her side of the platform, Inko studied the floating barrier as she listened to Ochako's footsteps moving on the other side of the concrete.
She's trying to control the battlefield. If I can't see where she is, my speed doesn't matter. I've gotta get past those rocks.
She switched on Full Cowling and let the green lightning spread across her entire body. The energy coursed through her muscles as she crouched low to prepare.
"Here I come, Uraraka-san!"
BOOM!
Inko launched straight up and cleared the wall of floating debris in a single jump. The air rushed past her face while she scanned below for Ochako's position.
"There!"
Ochako was sprinting across the platform, tapping more chunks of stone as she ran. She wasn't even trying to hide anymore.
She was staring straight up with a determined smile on her face.
Wait... this is a trap.
Ochako jumped.
She used the floating concrete fragments as stepping stones and hopped from one rock to the next with surprising agility. Each leap carried her higher, the distance between her and Inko closing fast.
"Gotcha!" Ochako shouted, stretching her arm out.
Inko twisted midair and pushed One For All's output higher to generate a burst of wind with a swing of her arm. The pressure of the air shoved Ochako backward before she could make contact.
"Aah!"
Ochako spun in the air and grabbed one of the floating rocks to steady herself. She managed to stop her fall, though the movement left her dizzy.
Both of them dropped back down to the ground at the same time, eyes locked on each other.
"You almost got me!" Inko said with genuine admiration. "That was an amazing move, Uraraka-san!"
Ochako wiped the sweat off her forehead, her breathing ragged. Her legs were starting to feel heavy from the effort, and she could feel the nausea creeping in from overusing her Quirk.
I can't keep this up much longer. I gotta end this soon or I'm gonna run out of gas.
"I'm not done yet, Midoriya-san!" Ochako called out. "I promised myself I'd give everything I have in this fight!"
She tapped the floor and used her Quirk on herself to drop her own weight to zero. Then she grabbed two of the larger floating rocks and positioned them in front of her like a shield.
Inko watched the preparation with respect.
She adapts her strategy on the fly. All Might told me never to underestimate an opponent because of the nature of their Quirk, and Uraraka-san's proving exactly why.
The green lightning intensified around Inko's body as she pushed One For All up to fifteen percent. The energy surged through her muscles, sharpening every one of her movements.
"I'm going to start getting serious, Uraraka-san!" Inko warned. "Please don't take it personally!"
"Bring it on!"
Inko shot forward at blinding speed and crossed the distance in under a second, her fist ready for a controlled strike toward Ochako's shoulder.
Ochako swung one of the floating rocks into the path of the blow.
CRASH!
The stone shattered under the force of Inko's punch, but the cloud of dust gave Ochako the cover she needed. She deactivated her Quirk on herself and ducked low to slip past Inko's guard.
She stretched her hand toward Inko's ankle.
"Almost!"
Inko caught the shift in the air immediately and jumped to avoid contact by a hair's breadth. She twisted midair and landed several meters away in a defensive stance.
"INCREDIBLE REFLEXES FROM BOTH FIGHTERS!" Present Mic shouted, fired up. "THIS IS THE HIGH-LEVEL COMBAT WE CAME TO SEE! NEITHER ONE OF THEM IS GIVING AN INCH!"
Ochako pushed herself up, leaning against one of the floating rocks for support. A thin trickle of blood started running from her nose while her vision blurred at the edges.
The nausea's getting worse. I'm hitting my limit.
But she couldn't stop now.
Ochako activated her Quirk on every piece of rubble she'd touched throughout the fight. Dozens of concrete fragments floated up across the arena, surrounding both competitors.
Inko's eyes widened at the sheer number of rocks.
"Wow," she murmured. "This is incredible, Uraraka-san."
"Release!"
Gravity caught up with all the debris at once and the rocks came crashing down from every angle, a hailstorm of stone aimed directly at where Inko was standing.
Inko reacted instantly and stomped down hard on the platform, channeling One For All into the motion. The energy generated a massive circular shockwave.
BOOOOOM!
The force of the impact sent the debris flying in every direction, fragments slamming into the arena's barriers while others broke apart against each other in midair, and the entire stadium rattled from the power of the blow.
When the dust cleared, Inko stood at the center of the crater she'd carved out, her breathing slightly heavier. Her uniform had dust and a few scratches on it, but she was unharmed.
Across from her, Ochako swayed on her feet. Blood dripped from her nose and she could feel the bruises forming on her arms and legs from dodging the closer pieces of debris.
I'm running out of time. I gotta do something big or this is gonna be over.
In the broadcast booth, Aizawa watched the fight with his usual stern expression, his fingers pressing against the armrest of his chair.
"She's pushing herself too hard," he muttered. "Her body won't hold up much longer."
"Should we stop it?" Present Mic asked quietly, concern in his voice.
"Not yet," Aizawa replied. "Let's see how it ends."
Down on the platform, Inko took a step forward. The green lightning grew brighter as she prepared to end the match with one final, decisive move.
"Uraraka-san," she said gently. "You've already shown how strong you are. Nobody here is going to doubt that. You don't have to keep hurting yourself."
Ochako looked at her through the strands of sweat-soaked hair sticking to her face, her expression firm despite the exhaustion.
"You're wrong, Midoriya-san," she answered, her voice steady. "I have to keep going. If I give up now, all the work I've put in to get here won't have meant anything."
"I didn't come this far to quit," she continued. "I'm gonna show everyone what Ochako Uraraka can do!"
Inko saw the determination burning in Ochako's eyes and felt something shift inside her chest. She remembered All Might's words about what it meant to be a hero, about never giving up no matter how hard things got.
She's not gonna back down. Even knowing how this'll end, she's still fighting with everything she has. That's a real hero.
"Alright, Uraraka-san," Inko said softly. "Then I'll give you everything I have too. It's the least I can do to respect what you're putting on the line."
The green lightning exploded around her with growing intensity as One For All climbed to twenty percent, pushing her muscles to their absolute limit. The energy was so dense that the air started shifting around her from the pressure, and small cracks formed beneath her feet.
An electrical hum filled the arena when Inko launched herself forward at the fastest speed of the entire match. The concrete under her feet shattered from the force of her push-off.
Ochako saw her coming and knew this time she couldn't dodge.
She had one shot. If she missed, it was over.
With a single touch, she sent the surrounding debris floating up. The fragments shot forward and locked together, building a wall of stone several centimeters thick. There was no time for more; Inko closed the distance like a green lightning bolt and slammed the full weight of her strike into the shield.
The concrete disintegrated under the blow, sending fragments flying everywhere. Before the dust cloud finished settling across the platform, Inko's fist was already cutting through the floating remains without resistance, heading straight for Ochako.
I can't dodge it!
Ochako crossed her arms in front of her face in a desperate defensive gesture.
WHAM!
Inko's fist connected with Ochako's crossed forearms, the impact echoing through the entire stadium. The blow wasn't meant to break bones, but it carried more than enough force to end the match.
Ochako was sent flying backward.
Her body tumbled through the air, spinning out of control, her vision blurred and the whole stadium reduced to a high-pitched ringing in her ears. Her arms burned with an intensity she'd never felt before.
She's gonna knock me out of the ring. This is it.
But then she spotted the floating debris still scattered across the arena.
I still have a chance!
She reached out and tapped one of the larger fragments as it drifted past her. Her body slammed into the rock with an impact that drove every bit of air from her lungs.
"Ugh"
Ochako clung to the floating stone with trembling hands while she coughed to get her breath back. Crashing into the debris had hurt almost as much as Inko's fist, but at least she'd kept herself from being thrown out of the ring.
She fell to her knees on the platform and braced herself on her hands to keep from collapsing completely. Blood dripped from her nose onto the concrete, forming small red puddles.
In the stands, the crowd fell silent.
"URARAKA'S STILL STANDING!" Present Mic roared in disbelief. "AFTER TAKING THAT DEVASTATING BLOW, SHE STILL HASN'T BEEN ELIMINATED! WHAT DETERMINATION! WHAT WILLPOWER!"
Inko stood frozen in the middle of the platform, the green lightning still crackling around her. Her eyes went wide as she watched Ochako slowly rise.
"Uraraka-san..." she murmured.
Ochako trembled as she pushed herself to her feet, her legs threatening to give out at any moment and her vision still blurred. Every breath sent a sharper ache through her chest.
Not yet. If this is gonna be my limit, then at least I wanna fall knowing I gave a real fight, that I didn't hold anything back.
She took a shaky step forward.
Inko watched with concern as Ochako advanced toward her with unsteady steps.
"Uraraka-san, please," Inko said gently. "That's enough. You don't have to keep hurting yourself."
"Yes I do," Ochako rasped. "Because if I stop now, I'll have wasted this chance."
She raised her fists into a fighting stance even though her arms were shaking. Blood kept running from her nose, staining her shirt.
"I came here to prove something..." she continued, tightening her fists. "I wanna prove that someone like me can stand up to someone like you. So I'm not gonna give up... not until I can't move anymore!"
Inko's green lightning flickered for a moment as she turned Ochako's words over in her head.
Even knowing she's going to lose, she keeps going. At this point, she's not fighting to win anymore...
Inko tightened her own fists, feeling the respect grow inside her chest.
"Then I'm not gonna insult you by asking you to give up," Inko said firmly. "If you're gonna keep fighting, I'll keep giving you everything I have. Because that's what you deserve."
Inko surged forward again. Ochako tried to move out of the way, but her muscles weren't responding fast enough anymore and the blow caught her square in the shoulder. The impact knocked her off balance, sent her spinning, but she refused to fall; forcing her legs to hold her up, she raised her hand to swing back.
Inko dodged effortlessly and answered with another strike to the stomach that drove the air out of Ochako.
Ochako doubled over, her mouth open as she struggled to breathe. Tears mixed with the blood on her face.
She forced herself back into stance just as Inko came at her again. Ochako brought her arms up to block, but the force of the strike sent her stumbling back several steps to keep from losing her footing.
I gotta touch her. If I can just touch her once, I can turn this whole fight around.
She lunged forward with her hand outstretched, ignoring the pain shooting through her entire body. Inko sidestepped easily and Ochako's fingers only caught empty air.
The momentum carried her stumbling forward and she fell to her knees on the concrete.
This isn't over yet, not yet...
She braced her hands against the floor and pushed to stand up; it took her three tries to manage it.
In the waiting area, Toru had her hands over her mouth as she watched in horror.
"This is too much," she whispered. "Somebody's gotta stop her."
Momo nodded silently, her hands clenched tight on her lap.
On the platform, Inko and Ochako stared at each other from opposite sides.
Ochako was breathing in ragged gasps while the edges of her vision went dark and the ringing in her ears grew deafening. She knew her body was on the verge of collapse.
Just... a little more. Give me... just a little more time.
She lunged forward one more time, running straight into one of Inko's strikes. Instead of dodging, Ochako took the impact in the chest on purpose; using that fraction of a second, she reached out toward her opponent's arm. Her fingertips just barely grazed the fabric of the uniform, but Inko reacted in time and pulled her arm back before the Quirk could activate.
The blow sent Ochako staggering backward again.
I almost had it.
She tried to push forward again, but this time her right leg gave out completely. She dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Uraraka-san!" Inko cried out in alarm, taking a step toward her.
Ochako dragged herself forward with her hands. She couldn't stand back up, but that didn't mean she had to give up.
Please, body, get up... just one more time.
She pressed her hands against the floor and pushed, her arms shaking under her own weight. She managed to get to her knees, but when she tried to stand her legs simply refused to respond.
Her vision went completely blurry; she couldn't make out Inko in front of her anymore, just a hazy green blur surrounded by sparks.
Is this how it's gonna end? On the ground, unable to get back up?
The green blur shifted. Ochako knew Inko was launching the final blow.
A strike meant to knock her out of the ring.
MOVE.
Ochako bit down hard on her tongue. The sharp pain cut through the fog in her mind and gave her a single second of clarity.
Inko's fist was closing in.
Ochako threw herself sideways with the last bit of energy she had left. The strike passed within centimeters of her cheek, the wind from the impact ruffling her hair.
She stretched out her hands and grabbed Inko's jacket with both fists. Her fingers locked into the fabric with every ounce of strength she could gather.
"Gotcha!" she gasped.
Inko froze in surprise as she looked down at Ochako, who was clinging to her jacket and barely conscious.
Ochako tried to activate her Quirk to lift Inko off the ground, but her awareness was already fading. The darkness crept further across her vision and the ringing in her ears became overwhelming.
J-just a little more... please.
I can still... do this...
And then her Quirk responded.
A wave of pink energy rippled out from Ochako in every direction, kicking up dust and debris from the ground. Small stones and concrete fragments began to lift into the air, and even the drops of blood that had fallen from her nose started floating upward.
The entire stadium went dead silent at the sight.
Inko felt her own body grow lighter. Her feet started lifting off the ground even though Ochako was only touching her jacket.
"What is...?" Inko murmured, her eyes wide.
The pink glow intensified around Ochako's hands. Her Quirk had responded in her moment of greatest need, expanding its range of effect well beyond direct contact.
In Ochako's fading mind, only one thought remained.
I can do this.
The altered gravity field expanded to cover a wide radius. Everything inside that space began to float, including Inko.
"OH MY GOD!" Present Mic roared, the stadium speakers shaking with his voice. "Are you seeing this, everybody?! Uraraka's Quirk is changing right before our eyes, live and direct! This isn't just an upgrade, folks! This is an awakening! We're witnessing a real-deal Quirk Awakening!"
In the waiting area, Ren shot to his feet.
"No way," he whispered. "She's forcing an awakening while her body's shutting down."
Momo stood up beside him with a worried expression.
"We should..."
"There's nothing we can do," Ren cut in, his voice tight. "Only she can control this now."
On the platform, Inko watched the pink glow radiating from Ochako. She could feel her body floating while gravity lost its grip on her.
Uraraka-san is giving absolutely everything she has. Her body's on the brink of collapse and her Quirk is still answering her will.
For a moment, a thought crossed Inko's mind.
I could... give up here and let her have the win she's worked so hard for.
But then she remembered something All Might had said to her when he passed on One For All.
"The greatest gift you can give to someone who fights with all their heart isn't compassion. It's the respect of facing them with everything you've got."
Tears began to well up in Inko's eyes as she remembered her own past: the years of being mocked for not having a Quirk, the weight of being told her dream was impossible, the loneliness of growing up as the only one without a power in her entire class.
Until All Might found her, believed in her, and by passing on One For All, gave her the chance to prove her worth.
Uraraka-san wouldn't want me to hand her the win. She wants to win through her own effort or lose knowing she gave it everything. Giving up now would be an insult to her.
She gritted her teeth and let the tears roll down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Uraraka-san," she whispered. "But I'm going to honor what you've put on the line by giving you everything I have."
One For All began to circulate through her entire body. The green lightning grew so bright it was almost blinding as the energy fought against Ochako's altered gravity field.
Inko channeled the power into her legs and pushed against the air. The force of One For All was enough to break through the floating effect and her feet touched the ground again.
She drew back for one final strike. One that would knock Ochako out of the ring cleanly and decisively.
Across the arena, Ren clenched his fists as he watched the scene unfold. His telekinesis was already active, ready to act the moment Ochako was thrown out of bounds.
You're not getting hurt any worse than this, Ochako. Even if it breaks the rules, I don't care, I've done it before.
Inko took a step forward, her fist crackling with green energy.
At that exact moment, Ochako's strength gave out and she dropped to her knees. The pink glow around her flickered before going out completely, the weight of exhaustion finally taking her consciousness.
Even as she fell, her hands stayed locked around Inko's jacket. With the last trace of energy she had left, Ochako simply let her head rest against Inko's chest.
All the floating debris dropped to the ground at once. The altered gravity field dissolved completely as Ochako lost consciousness.
The stadium went silent.
Inko slowly lowered her fist, looking down at Ochako, who hung from her jacket with her eyes closed and her face streaked with blood.
"Midnight-sensei...," Inko called out softly. "Please."
Midnight stepped forward to check on Ochako's condition. It didn't take her long to make the call.
"Uraraka is unable to continue!" she announced clearly. "The winner is Inko Midoriya!"
In the broadcast booth, Aizawa placed a hand on Present Mic's shoulder and pressed down firmly, keeping his partner's microphone off.
"Quiet, Mic," he said in his usual flat tone, his eyes not leaving the arena. "Send in the medical robots, now."
The crowd slowly rose to their feet and started to applaud. It was a respectful acknowledgment of two warriors who'd given everything in their match.
In the waiting area, Ren felt a wet sensation on his cheeks. He raised a hand to his face and discovered he was crying.
Why am I...?
His telepathy had picked up one last thought from Ochako before she lost consciousness. A thought so powerful that it had crossed the barrier between their minds without Ren even trying to read it.
"It doesn't matter if people remember my name or not... I gave everything I had. I fought to the very end. And if someday I can help even one person just a little... then that already means something."
The tears fell harder down Ren's face as he tightened his fists.
"You did it, Ochako," he whispered. "Nobody who saw this fight is ever gonna forget you."
********
Author's Note: Why are you giving me that look, man? Yes! Ren has a heart too... Hey, even bald guys cry sometimes!
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Hey everyone, my beloved readers — hope you're all doing amazing! Just wanted to give you a heads-up that Chapter 114 is already up on Patreon, and Chapter 115 is coming very soon, exclusively at patreon.com/itszeroo!
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