Third Person POV
For the next game, only sixteen students were allowed to participate.
Because Aaron's team had only two members, there were now eighteen contenders. But just like in the anime, Ojiro and Shoda withdrew, admitting they didn't deserve the spot since they'd been under Shinso's control for most of the Cavalry Battle.
That left the perfect number of sixteen. Unfortunately, Tetsutetsu and Ibara didn't make the cut for the one-on-ones.
"NOW, LET'S LOOK AT THE MATCH-UPS!" Midnight called, twirling her whip as the giant screen behind her flickered to life.
The names appeared in glowing brackets one after another:
Aaron vs. Shinso
Midoriya vs. Jurota
Bakugo vs. Uraraka
Mina vs. Aoyama
Kirishima vs. Kaminari
Tokoyami vs. Momo
Todoroki vs. Sero
Iida vs. Mei
The audience roared at the brackets, their excitement bouncing through the stadium like rolling thunder.
The students were given an hour to rest and prepare for the tournament. That hour flew by in a rush of chatter, tension, and silent glares exchanged in the waiting room.
And then, the moment arrived.
The first match: Aaron vs. Shinso.
Aaron emerged from the tunnel, his black staff strapped to his back, his steps steady and confident. Across the arena stood Shinso, his expression calm but sharp, a predator's patience hidden beneath his tired eyes.
"BOTH FIGHTERS ARE ON THE STAGE!" Present Mic's voice cracked through the speakers like lightning. "ARE YOU READY FOR A THRILLING BATTLE?!"
The crowd roared back in anticipation.
"Without stretching it any further—BEGIN!" Midnight's voice cut through the noise like a whip crack.
Shinso wasted no time. "Must feel great to be blessed with such a strong quirk," he said casually, his words aimed like knives.
Aaron's smirk deepened. He knew exactly what Shinso was trying to do.
'Should I just end it quickly? Or… should I play along and see if I can break free from his control?' he thought. The smirk widened into something sharper. 'Nah. I came here for fun, not boredom. Let's see what Clear Mind can really do against him.'
Seeing that grin made Shinso falter for a fraction of a second, but he pressed on. "Just because you have a strong quirk, doesn't mean you'll always win!"
Aaron's eyes narrowed. 'Don't lose.' He triggered Clear Mind with a single, absolute command.
The stadium seemed to fade, everything blurring until Shinso was the only thing left in focus.
Aaron opened his mouth, deliberately answering. "True stren—"
But before he could even finish, his body froze. His face went blank.
"WHAT IS THIS?! AARON BLACK HAS STOPPED MOVING!" Present Mic shouted, his voice filled with shock.
Shinso's lips curled into a victorious smirk as Aaron fell into his control.
From the stands, Aizawa exhaled slowly. "Sigh… his own confidence became the reason for his loss."
"Turn around and walk away," Shinso commanded smoothly.
Aaron's body obeyed. He turned and stepped toward the edge of the arena—
But then, something no one expected happened.
The ground beneath Aaron cracked with a deafening BOOM. A shockwave rippled out from him, forming a crater two meters wide.
The crowd gasped in confusion.
Aaron took another step. Another shockwave exploded, this one three meters across, crushing the stone beneath his feet.
"W-WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" Present Mic nearly shrieked, voice echoing with raw disbelief.
By the fifth step, the tremors were reaching Shinso himself. His smirk vanished, replaced by a flicker of fear.
And then came the sixth.
A thunderous blast erupted outward, flattening everything within ten meters. Shinso was launched like a missile, slamming into the stadium wall before slumping unconscious.
Silence.
Aaron's eyes refocused as control returned to him. He looked around in shock. The once-proud arena floor was flattened, broken like fragile glass around him. Shinso's limp body hung from the cratered wall.
"What the fuck did I do?" Aaron muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible to those nearby.
The crowd sat in stunned silence until Midnight raised her whip high.
"The winner of the first match… Aaron Black!"
And then the noise erupted. Applause, screams, cheers—all deafening. Some shouted Aaron's name in awe, others whispered in confusion about what they'd just witnessed.
Aaron left the stage wordlessly as medics rushed to Shinso's aid, his jaw tight.
....
Aaron's POV
'I didn't mean to use Cataclysm in the arena… Clear Mind did it on its own.' I slumped into my chair, frowning.
Every time I experimented, Clear Mind proved stranger than I thought. At first, I believed it only heightened focus, dulled pain, and shut out distractions. But now…
Now I knew it was more than that.
Clear Mind took goals. And once set, it wouldn't stop until the goal was completed or I actively turned off the quirk.
And in cases like the one with Shinso, I couldn't stop it from using Cataclysm as I was not able to do anything because of Shinso. I set "Don't lose." And since Shinso had locked my body, Clear Mind went ahead and used Cataclysm on its own, the most efficient method available.
'Fuuuuck.' The more I use this quirk the weirder it gets. 'Great. Now I'll have to lie my ass off to cover that up.'
.....
Third Person POV
While Aaron stewed over what had just happened, the tournament continued. Cementos had already repaired the arena, and one by one, the battles played out.
Midoriya vs. Jurota: Midoriya scraped by with victory, but not without snapping one finger—his 5% Full Cowling not enough for a clean finish.
Bakugo vs. Uraraka: Bakugo's explosive aggression won out.
Mina vs. Aoyama: Mina slid into victory.
Kirishima vs. Kaminari: Kirishima tanked every bolt of electricity, refusing to faint, and came out on top.
Tokoyami, Todoroki, and Iida also advanced, just as they had in the anime.
The quarterfinal match-ups appeared on the screen:
Todoroki vs. MidoriyaTokoyami vs. MinaBakugo vs. KirishimaAaron vs. Iida
The stadium buzzed with excitement. The first three matches played out with familiar results—Todoroki crushed Midoriya after finally unleashing his flames, Tokoyami overwhelmed Mina, and Bakugo bulldozed through Kirishima despite the latter's impressive durability.
Finally, it was Aaron's turn again.
He stepped onto the stage opposite Iida, rolling his shoulders.
'No more messing around. I'll finish this quick,' he thought grimly.
"STAAART!" Midnight cracked her whip.
Aaron vanished in a blur. One instant he was across the stage, the next he was beside Iida, grabbing him by the collar.
With a single effortless motion, Aaron hurled him clear out of the ring.
The crowd gasped in disbelief before Midnight announced, "Aaron wins!"
Present Mic slumped in his chair, groaning dramatically. "WELL… THAT WAS ANTICLIMACTIC! I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO HYPE IT UP!"
The audience laughed, cheering anyway at the sheer display of Aaron's overwhelming dominance.
The Semi-Finals began with Todoroki facing Bakugo. But without the drive to push forward, Todoroki faltered, conceding victory. Bakugo roared in frustration, only to be dragged away from the arena as he continued raging.
Next came Tokoyami. Dark Shadow was a formidable quirk, but under the glaring sunlight its power was shackled—reduced to a small, sluggish form. Aaron wasted no time, cutting through with his overwhelming speed. In moments, Tokoyami was forced out of bounds.
Now, only one match remained.
Aaron versus Bakugo.
The entire stadium held its breath.
Both combatants stepped into the arena, their eyes locked. For once, Bakugo didn't curse or shout. His usual bravado was replaced by cold, unflinching focus. He had witnessed Aaron's strength firsthand at the USJ, and he hadn't forgotten the mysterious shockwaves Aaron unleashed against Shinso. If he wanted to win, he'd need to go all out.
"STAAAART!"
Bakugo exploded forward, propelling himself with blistering speed. In barely two seconds he was upon Aaron, swinging his right arm wide. With his left, he pulled the pin on his support gear and unleashed a massive blast.
But Aaron was gone. In a blur, he reappeared behind Bakugo, leg already arcing for a roundhouse.
Bakugo didn't see it—he felt it. His instincts screamed. In desperation, he fired an explosion upward, launching himself down to the arena floor just as Aaron's kick sliced through empty air.
"WOAH—THEY'RE GOING FOR EACH OTHER'S THROATS FROM THE VERY FIRST SECOND!" Present Mic howled, his voice nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd.
Bakugo skidded back, panting, sweat dripping down his brow. Aaron only smirked, calm and unshaken.
And then—blink.
Aaron vanished again.
Bakugo spun, detonating an explosion to his left to escape, but it was too late. Aaron had already caught his hand mid-motion.
"Why the hurry?" Aaron teased.
"DIIIIEEE!" Bakugo bellowed, unleashing another desperate explosion straight toward Aaron's face.
Aaron ducked under the blast, his movements sharp and precise. In one swift motion, he slammed Bakugo to the ground, twisting both of his arms behind his back, locking him down. Bakugo thrashed, but his strength meant nothing against Aaron's hold.
This entire tournament Aaron has been using Titan's Pulse with Double UP, there is no way Bakugo could break out.
The arena fell silent for a heartbeat—then Midnight raised her hand.
"AARON IS THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT!"
The stadium erupted.