Chapter 17: Invisible Weight.
The aftermath of the first match was chaotic. The medical robots rushed onto the stage, their heaters humming as they began the delicate process of thawing Midoriya out. The boy was shivering violently, his teeth chattering, his broken fingers throbbing as the numbness of the cold wore off.
Aokiji walked through the concrete tunnels beneath the stadium. The noise of the crowd was muffled here, a distant roar like the ocean.
He turned a corner and stopped.
Standing in the middle of the hallway, blocking his path, was a tall man in a sharp business suit. He had the same black hair as Aokiji, but his eyes were sharp, calculating, and utterly devoid of warmth.
Soichiro Kuzan.
"Father," Aokiji nodded, leaning against the wall. "Enjoy the show?"
"What was that?" Soichiro asked. His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of a boardroom execution. "Attempting to forfeit? Calling the fight 'pathetic'? You are representing a legacy, Kuzan. The investors do not want to see a reluctant hero. They want to see dominance."
Aokiji sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I won, didn't I? Midoriya is a popsicle. I moved to the second round. What more do you want?"
"I want attitude," Soichiro stepped closer. "Your 'lazy genius' act is wearing thin. You are telling the world that you do not care. If you do not care, why should they trust you to save them? A hero's image is their currency."
Aokiji looked at his father. He thought about Midoriya's broken fingers. He thought about the desperate look in the boy's eyes.
"He's going to be a hero," Aokiji said, pointing vaguely back toward the arena. "That kid. Whether he wins or loses today, he has the heart for it. I'm just... doing a job."
"Then do it better," Soichiro snapped. "Take it seriously. Stop playing with your food."
The older man turned and walked away, his shoes clicking sharply on the floor. "Do not disappoint me in the next round."
Aokiji watched him go. "Yeah, yeah. Taking it seriously. Got it."
He didn't head back to the class seating area. The idea of sitting amidst the screaming students gave him a headache. Instead, he walked into the Waiting Room 2. It was empty. There was a long couch.
"Perfect," Aokiji murmured.
He flopped onto the couch, pulled his sleeping mask over his eyes, and was asleep in three seconds.
Match 2: The unseen Battle
Back in the arena, the cement had been repaired (mostly). Midnight stood ready.
"ALRIGHT! LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING!" Present Mic yelled. "THE SECOND MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND! THE GRAPE JUICE HERO, MINORU MINETA! VS! THE STEALTH HEROINE, TOORU HAGAKURE!"
Mineta walked out, trembling. He looked around the vast arena.
"I can do this," Mineta whispered to himself. "I survived the cavalry battle! I survived the USJ! I'm a hero!"
From the other side, a pair of gloves and boots walked out... and then stopped.
Hagakure began to strip.
"Wait! What is she doing?!" Kaminari yelled from the stands, grabbing binoculars.
"Strategy!" Ojiro noted. "If she removes her clothes..."
Hagakure kicked off her boots. She threw her gloves to the side. Now, there was absolutely nothing visible in the ring. No floating clothes. Just air.
"START!"
"Where is she?!" Mineta screamed, panic instantly setting in. He ripped the purple balls from his head. "POP OFF STORM!"
He began throwing the sticky spheres randomly. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. They stuck to the ground, creating a minefield.
"I'll trap you! I'll stick you to the floor!" Mineta yelled, spinning in circles. "Come out! I know you're there!"
"Over here!" a voice chirped from his left.
Mineta threw a ball to the left. It hit nothing.
"Nope! Over here!" The voice came from the right.
Mineta threw to the right. Nothing.
"I can't see her!" Mineta wailed. "This isn't fair! This is a horror movie!"
He backed away, trying to keep his distance. He backed up toward the edge of the ring.
"You know, Mineta-kun," Hagakure's voice whispered right in his ear.
Mineta froze. She was behind him.
Hagakure hoisted Mineta high above the ground, his tiny hands and feet flailing wildly against the empty air. To the crowd, it looked as though a ghost had snatched him—an unseen force dangling a panicked student like a toy.
"You're very light, Mineta-kun"
"NO! NO! STOP!"
"EEEEEK!"
Because they were so close to the lines, Hagakure easily threw Mineta out of bounds.
"MINETA IS OUT OF BOUNDS!" Midnight announced. "TOORU HAGAKURE WINS!"
"YAY!" Hagakure's voice cheered. "I did it!"
Mineta lay on the stone, defeated by a girl. "I wanted to look cool..." he sobbed into the dirt. "I wanted the girls to watch..."
In the waiting room, the sound of the announcement woke Aokiji.
"Hagakure won?" he yawned, sitting up. "Seriously? Now I have to fight a girl?"
"AND NOW!" Present Mic announced. "THE THIRD MATCH! THE MULTI-ARMED TANK, MEZO SHOJI! VS! THE SON OF ENDEAVOR, SHOTO TODOROKI!"
"Shoji..." Aokiji whispered. "Good luck, buddy. You're gonna need it."
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