BOOM!
A huge explosion on the fighting stage.
"INCREDIBLE! THE TWO OPPONENTS ARE ALREADY GIVING IT THEIR ALL!"
The dust settled, revealing Mato and Bakugo.
"Don't go cry to your mom after I beat you up," grinned Bakugo.
"You neither," said Mato. "And for the record, my mother is dead."
Bakugo lunged forward once again, and Mato sidestepped to avoid it.
(Even if his Quirk is powerful, he can't overuse it,) he thought. (Just like me. I have to be careful with the use of my Quirk.)
Mato punched Bakugo in the face.
"Gah!" Bakugo coughed. "How dare you?"
"I have to beat you," said Mato. "And I'm not going to do it by caressing your head."
"I'm about to gag!" Bakugo exclaimed, using his explosions once again. Mato ducked.
"INCREDIBLE! THE MATCH IS GETTING MORE INTENSE!"
"Die!" Bakugo exclaimed as he created explosions from his hands.
"You know you can't kill your opponent, right?" Mato asked while dodging. "If you want a battle to the death, I'll give you one outside school."
"YOU DARE CHALLENGE ME?" Bakugo screamed, attacking Mato again. This time, the attack landed, but Mato shielded himself.
The boy rolled a few feet away, but quickly regained his position.
(I think I might need to use my trump card in this final... I mean, I have nothing to lose...)
Mato smiled.
"What are you smiling at?" Bakugo asked, annoyed.
"Nothing," replied Mato, calmly. "It's just that your face makes me laugh."
"DIE!" Bakugo dashed forward once again. Mato did the same. The two of them clashed powerfully.
The dust rose.
"THEY DISAPPEARED IN THE DUST!"
Mato and Bakugo continued to clash inside the dust.
Bakugo punched Mato.
Mato punched Bakugo.
Bakugo kicked Mato in the guts.
Mato blocked.
Bakugo placed his hand on Mato's face and used an explosion. "DIE!"
BOOM!
Mato's face nearly exploded. He jolted out the dust and fell on the floor.
"ATTENTION! SHIRAKAWA IS ON THE FLOOR! BAKUGO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO END THIS!"
Bakugo swept away the dust with his arm. "Already done?"
He slowly walked towards Mato. "I thought you were stronger."
Mato got up. His face was scarred, but nothing irreparable.
"SHIRAKAWA GOT UP! THE MATCH CONTINUES!"
"You really thought blowing up my face was enough to defeat me?" Mato asked, smiling.
"I didn't think about that," Bakugo said. "I was sure of it."
"You miscalculated, I guess," said Mato, prolonging his hand in front of him. "And now it's time for me to get serious."
__________
"Dark Cannon: Advanced Version!" A dark pulse started to form in Mato's palm. "Full Power!"
The dark pulse got released, and Bakugo had to jump to avoid it. The dark pulse created a hole in the fighting stage.
"YOU WOULD HAVE KILLED ME IF YOU HAD HIT ME!" He yelled, landing on the floor.
"Nah," said Mato. "My attacks are planned to avoid killing."
"MINE AREN'T!" Bakugo yelled, dashing forward. "SO DIE!"
"Holy anger issues," Mato sighed. "Dark Shie--"
BOOM!
Bakugo's explosion hit Mato before he could hit Bakugo.
"INCREDIBLE! BAKUGO DELIVERS A POWERFUL BLOW TO SHIRAKAWA!"
"Whaddya think of this, extra?" Bakugo asked.
The dust settled, revealing Mato.
The left side of his face was dirty, his body was stiffer, and the right side of his uniform was gone, revealing his abs.
(Oh, shit... girls are watching, dammit.)
"Oh, crap..." Bakugo widened his eyes.
"What's wrong? Did you fall in love with me?"
"W-WHAT?! I'M STRAIGHT!"
"Looking at your face, I wouldn't think so."
(Oh, God... he's sooooooo hot!) Itsuka's face became redder than a tomato. (Those abs... that physique... I want him to be my husband!)
"Is that even legal...?" Setsuna's eyes widened.
"I'd never think Hid had such a badass physique!" Tetsutetsu grinned.
"You're making me blush, Shirakawa..." Midnight whispered.
"I guess I have to thank you, Bakugo," Mato ripped off the left side of his uniform. "You're making all the girls fall in love with me."
"PLEASE, YOU SUCK!" Bakugo said.
"Dark Punch: 50%!"
SBAM!
The two opponents collided again.
They exchanged powerful blows, with Bakugo using his explosions and Mato using his darkness to block and dodge.
Suddenly, Mato stopped. (I guess the time has come...)
"DIE, EXTRA!" Bakugo lunged forward. Mato smiled.
"Dark Mirror."
Mato reflected Bakugo's own explosions at him.
"That's my trump card," he said. "It allows me to reflect anyone's attacks. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"INCREDIBLE! SHIRAKAWA HAS SHOWED HIS TRUMP CARD!"
Bakugo stumbled backwards. "I... didn't expect that..."
"Guessed so," Mato said calmly. "Are you gonna give up?"
"NOT EVEN IN A LIFETIME!" Bakugo decided to release a final, even more powerful explosion.
"Fine, I'll play your game!" Mato exclaimed, dashing forward.
(I have to do it again... this time, my arm will remain intact, I'm sure of it!)
"Dark Punch: 100%!"
BOOOOOOOOM!
Another huge explosion echoed through the fighting stage.
"INCREDIBLE! BOTH SHIRAKAWA AND BAKUGO HAVE RELEASED THEIR FINAL ATTACKS!"
The crowd held its breath.
"Hideki-kun..." Itsuka hoped his beloved had won.
The dust slowly settled. When it did, Mato was standing bare-chested on the fighting stage, which was half broken after the explosion. Bakugo was out of bounds and fainted. Present Mic shouted at the top of his lungs.
"BAKUGO IS OUT OF BOUNDS! SHIRAKAWA DESTROYED THE FIGHTING STAGE AGAIN! WHAT'S WITH THIS STUDENT, VLAD KING?"
He pointed at Mato.
"THE WINNER OF THE SPORTS FESTIVAL IS... CLASS B, HIDEKI SHIRAKAWA!"
On the screen, Mato's face appeared with the text 'winner' below. The crowd exploded in applause. Mato looked around with a mix of confusion and relief. He was tired, injured, and barely conscious. He looked at his arm.
(It... it isn't broken... I managed to use a 100% Dark Punch and not injure myself!)
Slowly, Mato raised his fist in the air in Class B's direction and thumbed up.
"You're the best, Shirakawa!"
"The best, best!"
"We made the right choice, believing in you!"
Mato smiled.
"And now, we will begin the award ceremony!" Midnight announced.
__________
Award Ceremony
The students were regrouped, waiting for the top 3 students to show up. Finally. the podium rose.
Top 1: Hideki Shirakawa.
Top 2: Katsuki Bakugo.
Top 3: Shoto Todoroki/Tenya Iida.
"Good job, Hideki-kun!" Mato heard Itsuka's voice from the crowd. He smiled at her.
(He smiled... he smiled to me...!!!)
"Now, we will award the medals!" Midnight said. "The presentation of the medals will, of course, be by this man."
From up above, All Might descended. "Here I am!"
"Young Todoroki, congratulations," All Might said as he gave Shoto the 3rd place medal.
"Young Bakugo, congratulations," the #1 Hero gave Bakugo the 2nd place medal. Bakugo snorted.
"Now then, Young Shirakawa," All Might approached Mato. "You did what you said you would during the presentation. You're very strong and have potential!"
"Thanks, All Might," Mato smiled.
"You sure deserve this," All Might gave Mato the 1st place medal. "Now, all eyes'll be on you."
All Might hugged Mato.
"All Might, can I ask you a question?" Mato said.
"I'd be a fool not letting the winner of the festival ask me a question!" All Might said.
"Do... do you think I can become a hero?" asked Mato, looking at his hands. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not worthy enough..."
All Might placed his hand on Mato's shoulder. "You can, Shirakawa. You can."
Mato smiled.
"Now, you can descend from the podium and go celebrate with your friends!" Midnight announced.
Mato jumped off the podium. (3... 2... 1...)
"Hideki-kun!" Itsuka hugged him.
(I knew it...)
"You're the best, Hideki-kun!" Itsuka said.
"You have our respect," said Shiozaki.
"And our trust," Tetsutetsu added.
"Now, let's carry him in victory!"
Class B carried Mato on their shoulders and launched him into the air.
"Shi-ra-ka-wa! Shi-ra-ka-wa! Shi-ra-ka-wa!"
Mato was strangely happy. He looked in front of him and saw Monoma leaning on a pillar. He thumbed up. Mato smiled at him.
(I don't know why, but... even if I managed to do what All For One and Shigaraki told me, I don't feel like I accomplished my duty...) Mato thought as his friends carried him. (And that question to All Might... am I really starting to feel like a hero? Am I really starting to appreciate my classmates, the friends I've made in this school, and everything else? Am I starting to not feel a villain anymore?)
(One thing is for sure, though: I'm not the same Satoru I was before stepping into this school.)
Chapter 20 - End