Chapter 54: A Dance of Bandages and Sparks
The moment hung in the air, thick and heavy with unspoken potential. The stadium was a sea of a hundred thousand silent, watching eyes, all focused on the two boys on the stage. Izuku Midoriya stood as a living conduit of raw, untamed power, his body wreathed in a beautiful and chaotic web of azure lightning. Opposite him, Rock Lee stood in a state of profound, impressed shock, recognizing the impossible will of the boy before him. The air crackled, the stage was set, and the world waited.
Lee's surprise melted away, replaced by a wide, brilliant, and deeply respectful smile. This was it. This was the true spirit of his rival. This was a power worthy of his own full effort.
The air around him began to shimmer, not with the intense pressure of the higher gates, but with a gentle, gathering light. A faint, ethereal green flash, the color of pure life force, pulsed around him for a single instant.
He took his stance, his voice a low, powerful declaration that was a promise to his opponent and to himself. "Gate of Opening: KAIMON!"
He slammed his foot on the ground, his energy surging.
"Gate of Healing: KYŪMON!"
The gentle aura around him exploded outwards, not with the violent rage of the higher gates, but with a controlled, humming intensity. His black hair lifted and vibrated, and his presence on the stage magnified tenfold. He was no longer just a boy in a green jumpsuit; he was a focused storm, a warrior ready for battle.
Midoriya watched, his own blue sparks dancing around him, his mind racing. Two gates, he thought, his analytical mind instantly recalling his own notes. Kaimon for speed and power release, Kyūmon for stamina and recovery. He's starting with a foundation of controlled, sustainable power. He's not underestimating me.
The crowd, sensing the shift, erupted in a deafening roar. In the stands, the students of Class 1-A leaned forward, their knuckles white.
Midoriya grit his teeth, his own resolve hardening. He's coming.
But with the speed of a whisper, Lee was already there. He didn't just run; he flowed across the concrete, appearing directly in front of Midoriya in a silent, green blur. Midoriya, shocked by the sheer velocity, reacted on pure instinct, throwing a lightning-wreathed punch at the space where Lee's head had been.
But Lee was already gone.
A flicker of motion below him. Midoriya's eyes widened in shock as he looked down. A single, pristine white bandage was now wrapped snugly around his stomach. It had been tied there with a speed so incredible, so precise, that he hadn't even felt it.
"Damn it," Midoriya breathed.
Lee, now standing several feet away, simply tugged.
With a powerful heave, he pulled on the long bandage, and Midoriya was helplessly lifted off his feet and yanked into the air. He was defenseless, a puppet on a string, soaring towards his opponent. Lee leaped into the air to meet him, his legs cocked back, ready to deliver a devastating double kick to end the match.
But Midoriya was not the same boy who had frozen at the start of the festival. He crossed his arms before his chest, pouring a focused burst of Full Cowling into them. He met Lee's descending kicks with a solid, resounding BLOCK. The impact was immense, a sharp crack echoing through the air. The force of the blow sent Midoriya hurtling back towards the ground, but he had successfully defended himself. The strain, however, was too much for the bandage; it tore with a sharp snapping sound.
Midoriya hit the ground hard, rolling to dissipate the impact. The moment he opened his eyes, a shadow fell over him. Lee was already there, descending from above, his leg raised high, ready to bring it down like an axe.
There was no time to get up. Midoriya reacted on pure instinct, throwing his hands behind him for support and kicking both of his legs straight up.
CRACK!
The sound of their feet colliding was like a thunderclap. Lee's axe kick met Midoriya's desperate block, and for a single, incredible moment, they were locked in a stalemate of pure physical force. Midoriya had stopped the attack.
With a grunt of effort, Midoriya pushed Lee's leg away and used the momentum to spring back to his feet. He raised his guard, his eyes wide and alert, scanning for his opponent. But Lee was already there, standing directly in front of him, closer than he should have been.
Time seemed to slow down. Midoriya's green eyes widened, and in their reflection, he saw it. A fist, tightly wrapped in white bandages, was already inches from his face. It seemed to approach with a serene, deliberate slowness. And then—
BASH!
A direct, powerful, and perfectly placed punch connected with the side of Midoriya's face. The world exploded in a flash of white light. He was sent flying sideways, tumbling across the concrete before finally skidding to a halt near the edge of the ring.
The stadium erupted. "AN UNBELIEVABLE FLURRY OF ATTACKS FROM ROCK LEE!" Present Mic screamed. "HE'S NOT GIVING MIDORIYA A SINGLE MOMENT TO BREATHE! MIDORIYA IS STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THIS BLISTERING DISPLAY OF PURE TECHNIQUE!"
Midoriya pushed himself onto one knee, his head spinning. He raised a trembling hand to his face, and his thumb came away with a small, bright red drop of blood from his nose. He looked across the stage at Lee, who stood patiently, his stance perfect, his expression serious.
His mind was a whirlwind of analysis, even through the pain. He's only using two gates, he thought, his thoughts sharp and clear. Based on the festival so far, his absolute maximum is likely the Fifth Gate. Each Gate is exponentially stronger than the last. The power he's displaying now… it's overwhelming. I can't keep up with the speed of the Second Gate at this rate. My five percent is not enough.
He looked down at his own hands, at the azure sparks dancing around them. He thought of All Might. He thought of his promise to himself. He thought of the long, painful road that had led him here.
He grit his teeth, a new, dangerous, and utterly reckless resolve hardening in his heart.
He clenched his fists, so hard that the veins on his arms bulged. The blue sparks around him crackled and intensified, their color deepening, their sound growing more aggressive. His eyes, which had been wide with a mixture of pain and determination, now shone with a brilliant, almost feverish light.
I don't care what happens to me, he thought, the voice in his mind a defiant roar. I will not be defeated here. Not like this. I refuse to lose without risking something! Go Beyond Your limits, Izuku! Plus Ultra!!
He focused all of his will, all of his pain, all of his hope, into a single, desperate command to the ocean of power within him.
"ONE FOR ALL: FULL COWLING… TEN PERCENT!"
A scream of pure, unadulterated agony tore through his mind. It felt as if his very bones were grinding against each other, as if his muscles were being stretched to their breaking point. The pain was immense, a white-hot fire that consumed his every nerve. A puff of white air escaped his lips as he fought to contain the new, overwhelming power. His teeth were clenched so tight he thought they might shatter.
But through the agony, there was a new, exhilarating strength. He could feel it. The power was immense, but it was his.
He looked up, a wild, pained, and triumphant grin spreading across his face.
I can do it, too!