MHA Universe, Earth, Japan, Musutafu.
Dashing forward, Tatsuo and Izuku met in the middle. This time, Izuku was the first to attack, throwing a flurry of punches that whipped up the wind and dust in the arena. Yet, not a single one of his punches landed as Tatsuo swayed back and forth, slipping each of Izuku's punches with a narrow margin.
*Bang!*
"I thought I told you, don't just use your arms, Midoriya." Tatsuo said as he slipped in a low kick that landed on the nerve cluster just above Izuku's right knee. "Your legs are three times stronger than your arms, anyway. So, you can hit harder that way."
"Urgh!" Izuku grunted in pain
Even so, Izuku's balance was rock solid, allowing him to continue pushing forward. He even took Tatsuo's advice and started mixing kicks into his onslaught. Even so, he was still unable to land any solid strikes, as Tatsuo either dodged, parried his punches, or checked his kicks. Though, he could feel a dull throbbing in his shins after so many blocked low kicks.
'Damn it... He's too experienced in hand-to-hand combat.' Izuku analyzed as he continued attacking. 'At this rate, we could go on like this forever, and I'd never hit him. I need to do something different. The only question is... what?'
"Are you thinking of how to break this deadlock?" Tatsuo asked after observing the expression on Izuku's face.
Immediately, Izuku's expression morphed into one of surprise.
"It's not that hard to figure out, you know?" Tatsuo replied. "Because if you don't, although you won't tire yourself out, I'll end up picking you apart with little counterattacks. It will be something like death by a thousand cuts at this rate. So, what will you do?"
"The only thing I can." Izuku replied as he stopped his torrential assault. He then took a deep breath and reeled his right fist back, pushing all the energy he was cycling around his body with [Full Cowl] to that arm. "Go... PLUS ULTRA!!! [Smash]!!!"
With that roar, Izuku threw his fist forward, the power behind it kicking up the surrounding wind. Then, when Izuku's arm was fully extended...
*Boom!*
... a shockwave was fired in the direction his fist pointed.
Seeing that, Tatsuo smiled. Then, he side-flipped to get away from the shockwave, his long ponytail flapping fiercely in the wind. He then kicked off the ground as soon as he landed, once again trying to close the distance.
However, Midoriya had no intention of letting Tatsuo back into his preferred range. Throwing more punches that caused shockwaves, whipping kicks that sent wind blades flying in their wake, Izuku did all he could to keep Tatsuo at a distance.
"Not bad.' Tatsuo said as he made a quarter turn to let a wind blade skim past him. "You're taking advantage of your strength to turn melee combat into ranged combat. That's the best thing to do when you're at a disadvantage up close."
As he reached that point, Izuku had once again reeled his fist back to throw a powerful right straight that would blast a shockwave in Tatsuo's direction.
"But I think you forgot about something." Tatsuo said as he reeled his own right fist back, seemingly to meet Izuku's force with force of his own.
In the next instant, both Tatsuo and Izuku threw their punches, the distance between them making it clear that they would never be able to clash fists. As a result, Izuku's punch sent another shockwave flying at Tatsuo. Meanwhile, Tatsuo...
*Bang!*
... [Blinked] away from where he stood, the shockwave rocketing past his previous location, just before his fist was fully extended. And when he reappeared, Izuku's head snapped back as Tatsuo's fist slammed into his chin.
"Damn..." Izuku groaned as he slammed the elbow of his outstretched arm towards Tatsuo.
However, before the blow could connect, Tatsuo [Blinked] once again, reappearing on Izuku's other side.
*Bang!*
He then threw a hook into Izuku's abdomen. Yet, thanks to the durability afforded to him through [One for All], Izuku barely even flinched. Instead, he threw a side kick as a counter.
But just like last time, Tatsuo [Blinked] away from Izuku's counterattack, reappearing above Izuku with his right leg raised before slamming it down with the aid of gravity.
*Bang!*
But this time, Izuku reacted quickly enough, raising his arms in a cross guard to block Tatsuo's kick. He then pushed his arms upward with great force to try and create some distance, causing Tatsuo to summersault backwards from the counter force.
Unfortunately for Izuku, Tatsuo was ready for such a defensive maneuver. Once again [Blinking], Tatsuo reappeared level with Izuku's chest, his momentum perfectly preserved.
*Bang!*
As a result, before Izuku could react, Tatsuo's foot shot up, connecting squarely with Izuku's chin, lifting the smaller boy off his feet.
"Urgh!" Izuku grunted in pain as stars exploded in his vision that started to spin from the brain rattling impact.
Stumbling back, the image of Tatsuo continuing his flip before landing steadily on his feet, was little more than a blur in Izuku's eyes. Even so, the determined expression on his face never disappeared.
"I'll admit, you've gotten a lot better since we first met, Midoriya." Tatsuo said with a genuine smile. "But I've just got way too much experience for you."
"Yeah, you're right." Izuku replied while trying to shake off the aftereffects of Tatsuo's kick. "Even so, I won't give up."
"Good." Tatsuo replied as he took his fighting stance again. "Because if you did, I would be really disappointed."
*Bang!*
As soon as Tatsuo finished speaking, he [Blinked], reappearing on Izuku's right. He then threw a hook into Izuku's solar plexus. Then, as Izuku tried to counterattack, Tatsuo [Blinked] again, landing a straight on Izuku's jaw from the other side.
And for the next minute or so, Tatsuo [Blinked] around Izuku at a high frequency, each time landing a powerful blow that chipped away at Izuku's stamina.
'His reaction time is too fast.' Izuku thought to himself. 'No matter how fast I am, he always [Blinks] away before my attack can land. Is there really nothing I can do to turn things around?'
*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*
Right hook to the abdomen... Right straight to the jaw... Left low kick to the inner left leg... Right straight kick to the lower back... Left uppercut to the chin... Right hook to the abdomen... Right straight to the jaw... Left low kick to the inner left leg... Right straight kick to the lower back... Left uppercut to the chin... Right hook to the abdomen... Right straight to the jaw... Left low kick to the inner left leg... Right straight kick to the lower back... Left uppercut to the chin...
As time passed, Izuku's counterattacks, though not noticeable at first, began to slow, the power behind each a little less than the one before. However, after another two minutes, or so, a light began to shine in his eyes as he came to a realization.
'There's a pattern to his attacks...' Izuku thought to himself as he stumbled from an uppercut to the chin. 'The next attack should be a hook to the gut... Urgh! Yup... Next is a straight to the jaw... Argh! Right... Then that means this should be a...'
"Left low kick to my left calf!" Izuku shouted as he stepped into the incoming kick, reeled his fist back, and threw the strongest punch he could muster. "[Smash]!!!"
Yet, to Izuku's horror, the punch he bet everything on connected with thin air, a shockwave ripping past where he expected Tatsuo to attack from. Then, while bewildered and before he could react....
*Bang!*
*Thud!*
Izuku slumped to his left with his eyes rolled back as Tatsuo's left heel landed on his right temple, knocking him unconscious in one blow.
A moment later, Tatsuo, after [Blinking] behind Izuku and throwing a jump roundhouse kick, landed softly while watching Izuku lay unconscious on the ring.
"I knew you'd see through my pattern." Tatsuo said softly. "The only issue was... would I be able to see the moment you acted on it? And I was lucky that I didn't miss it. Otherwise, that punch would have hurt like a son of a bitch."
"Winner! Soramoto Tatsuo by way of knockout!" Nemuri shouted into her microphone.
*Cheer~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!*
Hearing the cheers, Tatsuo raised his head. Then, with a smile on his face, he raised his right hand and waved.
*Cheer~~~~~~~~~~~~~!*
Seeing Tatsuo wave at them, the crowd cheered even more fervently. And the cheers continued as Tatsuo stepped out of the ring. At the same time, members of the medical staff came on stage, loaded Izuku onto a stretcher, and took in back towards Recovery Girl.
"I wanna fight him again." Rumi said while leaning over the guard rail of the seating section.
"Okinawa." Alfonzo said calmly without even turning to look in Rumi's direction.
"Grr!" Rumi's growl let Alfonzo know exactly what she thought of his comment. And when she heard Ryuko giggling at her expense, her growl grew in intensity.
"Anyway, the next match should be pretty good." Alfonzo said while completely ignoring Rumi's indignation.
"It's between the kid with the explosions and the other girl who has been training with you and your cousin, right?"
"That's right." Alfonzo replied.
{"Alright, boys and girls!"} Hizashi's voice sounded over the speaker system. {"Are you ready for the next match?"}
*Cheer~~~~~~~~~~!*
{"What's that?"} Hizashi asked, trying his best to rile up the crowd. {"I can't hear you!"}
{"Enough."} Shota said, sounding more tired than usual. {"Just introduce the next fighters already."}
{"Come on, Eraser."} Hizashi whined. {"I'm just trying to make things more exciting."}
{"The match will be exciting enough."} Shota shot back. {"No one wants or needs to hear your overly loud voice."}
{"Fine."} Hizashi replied, the fact that he was pouting clear in his tone. {"Introducing first, the modern day kunoichi who could take you out before you even realized she was there, Hanekura Shizuka!"}
With that, Akatsuki walked out of the tunnel, making her way to the ring with a determined expression on her face.
{"And her opponent..."} Hizashi continued. {"The student with the most explosive personality in the festival, Bakugo Katsuki! The winner of this match will face Soramoto-Kun in the finals. So, there's a lot riding on this match! Is everyone ready for the tension...? The excitement...?"}
Shortly afterwards, Katsuki stepped out into the stadium, as well. Like Akatsuki, he also wore a determined expression. However, unlike Akatsuki, there was a craving for violence shining in his eyes. Clearly, he was looking forward to beating up his opponent before making it to the finals to finally defeat Tatsuo.
Eventually, Akatsuki and Katsuki stood across from each other in the ring.
"You better not make this too easy for me." Katsuki said in a harsh tone. "Otherwise, I'll take it out on that guy when I fight him next."
"Okay, there are at least two things wrong with what you just said." Akatsuki replied nonchalantly. "First of all, you'd have to be able to actually beat Tatsuo-Kun to take anything out on him."
*Bang!* *Bang!*
The explosions generated in Katsuki's palms made it clear what he thought of Akatsuki's response.
"And second, to fight Tatsuo-Kun, you'd have to actually be able to beat me." Akatsuki added with a shrug. "But we've never actually fought each other. So, no one knows how this fight will go, right?"
"You're just one of that pretty boy bastard's extras." Katsuki shot back. "There's no way you could beat me."
"We'll just have to see." Akatsuki said, shrugging once again as she turned to look at Nemuri, who was enjoying the trash talk.
Seeing that Akatsuki had no intention of responding anymore if he replied, Katsuki also turned to look at Nemuri, his gaze practically shouting: "Start the match already!"
In response, Nemuri's smile widened as she raised her whip over her head while bringing the microphone in her other hand to her lips.
"It looks like both contestants are ready." Nemuri said into the microphone. "Well then, the second match of the semi-finals, Hanekura Shizuka versus Bakugo Katsuki…"
*Crack!*
"Begins!" Nemuri shouted as she slapped her whip onto the stage.
MHA Universe, Earth, Japan, Yokohama.
"That's the boy I intend to bring into the League of Villains." Tomura, watching the U.A. Sports Festival in the abandoned bar he and Kurogiri use as a hideout, said while pointing at the image on the newly replaced television hanging on the wall. "As soon as the opportunity presents itself, we'll find a chance to kidnap him before I show him the light of villainy."
Though Kurogiri was in the bar with Tomura, he did not respond to the young man's statement. Instead, he turned his attention to the black screen mounted right next to the television showing the U.A. Sports Festival.
{"I see."} A deep, magnetic male voice said from the black television's speakers. {"Judging by his attitude, it might be worth trying to convert that boy into one of ours."}
Hearing that his idea had been recognized, Tomura could not help smiling gleefully. And there was only one person who could make him show such an expression with so few words.
And that was naturally, the one who helped him when he was at his lowest point and raised him into what he is today, his mentor, All for One.
Though, it should also be mentioned that All for One was the one responsible for him falling to his lowest point in the first place, as well.
{"But I don't want you to focus all of your effort on such an endeavor."} All for One continued. At the same time, the television showing the Sports Festival froze. Then, it started to rewind until it stopped on an image of Tatsuo smiling at the crowd. {"I also want you to find a chance to bring this young man to me."}
Seeing Tatsuo's face, Tomura could not help gritting his teeth. It was because of Tatsuo and Alfonzo that his plan to kill All Might at the USJ was thwarted, after all. So, nearly every waking minute, he was looking for a chance to take revenge on the two who ruined his plan.
"I only have to bring him back alive, right?" Tomura said, malice dripping from every word. "You won't be angry if he's missing all of his limbs, right? Just as long as he's alive and you can take his [Quirk], right?"
{"That is correct."} All for One replied calmly. {"But I urge you, Tomura-Kun, don't underestimate him. His [Quirk] is much more versatile than I thought originally. Otherwise, there was no way that he would still have it in his possession."}
"I understand, Sensei." Tomura replied while politely bowing his head.
Though, All for One doubted that Tomura truly took his warning to heart.
{"That is enough for now."} All for One said. {"With Dr. Garaki's untimely demise, I have more work to do personally. So, I'll leave you to handle the rest, Tomura-Kun. Just remember, you'll have to find another way to get close to the Soramoto boy. Otherwise, if you try to use Kurogiri, things will end up just like they did at the USJ."
"Yes, Sensei." Tomura replied with another polite bow. "I won't make the same mistake again."
With that, the television with the black screen turned off and All for One's voice was not heard again. At the same time, the television showing the Sports Festival returned to the live feed, where Akatsuki and Bakugo had begun their match, leaving Tomura and Kurogiri to watch the rest of the tournament.