The stadium crackled with amplified sounds of explosions, ice shards scraping, and frantic shouts. The Blue Team's initial, aggressive surge had been a clear declaration of intent. Bakugo and Todoroki, the spearheads of their assault, were not just running; they were forces of nature, carving their paths of destruction and freezing cold towards the Red Team's leader building where Minato resided.
The Red Team's forward defense, composed primarily of Tetsutetsu, Ojiro, and Kaminari, had held valiantly against the initial onslaught, even managing to snatch critical flags. But as the Blue Team's general offensive surged forward, their sheer numbers and focused aggression began to tell. Bakugo and Todoroki, unwilling to be distracted for long, poured on the pressure.
"THE BLUE TEAM'S ATTACK IS INTENSIFYING!" Present Mic's voice blared, riding the wave of escalating chaos. "THEY'RE OVERWHELMING THE RED TEAM'S DEFENSIVE LINE! BAKUGO AND TODOROKI ARE UNSTOPPABLE WHEN THEY GET GOING!"
Aizawa's eyes, though as tired as ever, were sharp. "Bakugo's persistence and Todoroki's calculated power are formidable. Their individual strength is enough to break most defenses, especially when combined."
Indeed, the Red Team's defensive line began to falter. Tetsutetsu, though his Steel Quirk made him incredibly durable, found himself pushed back by Bakugo's relentless, concussive explosions, each blast vibrating through his metallic form, testing his limits. Ojiro, agile as he was, couldn't consistently land effective blows on two powerhouses simultaneously, and Kaminari's targeted shocks, while disorienting, weren't enough to halt their momentum completely. The ground around them was scorched or encased in ice, a testament to the ferocity of the battle.
Then, with a final, explosive burst from Bakugo that sent Tetsutetsu stumbling, and a sweeping wave of ice from Todoroki that forced Ojiro to leap clear, they broke through. The path to Minato's building, the designated five-point flag, was now clear for the two strongest members of the Blue Team. Their eyes, once fixed on distant flags, were now locked onto their ultimate prize.
"THEY'RE THROUGH! BAKUGO AND TODOROKI HAVE BROKEN THE DEFENSE!" Present Mic screamed, his voice reaching a fever pitch. "THEY'RE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR NAMIKAZE'S BUILDING!"
As Bakugo and Todoroki surged past the now-beleaguered defensive line, the dynamic of the wider battlefield shifted. With their primary threats gone, the remaining Red Team defenders, like Jiro and Iida, no longer stretched thin, rallied. They had been instructed by Minato to allow Bakugo and Todoroki to pass if necessary, but to stop all other Blue Team members from entering their territory. Now, they redirected their efforts, focusing on the rest of the Blue Team's attacking force.
"NOW THE RED TEAM DEFENSE IS COUNTER-ATTACKING!" Present Mic announced, observing the tactical shift. "THEY'RE PRESSURING THE BLUE TEAM'S SUPPORT ELEMENTS! IT'S LIKE A NEW PHASE OF THE BATTLE HAS BEGUN!"
Aizawa nodded. "This was the contingency. Allow the high-value threats to overextend themselves, then contain the rest. It leaves their leader vulnerable, but potentially isolates the attackers."
At the same time, across the arena, the Blue Team's defensive line, previously content to let Bakugo and Todoroki spearhead the main assault, finally began to push back against Minato's attacking squad. They had been more disciplined, protecting their flags. Now, sensing the shift in momentum and possibly alerted by their leader, they intensified their efforts. They were a more cohesive unit, prioritizing defense.
"ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD, THE BLUE TEAM DEFENSE IS PUSHING BACK!" Present Mic continued, trying to keep up with the whirlwind of action. "THEY'VE RECUPERATED AND ARE NOW AIMING TO RECAPTURE THEIR FLAGS AND SECURE THEIR LEADER!"
Indeed, in a swift counter-offensive, the Blue Team's defenders, utilizing a combination of coordinated movements and defensive Quirks, managed to recapture two of their flags that had been snatched by Minato's attacking team. The score was still in Red Team's favor, but the Blue Team was actively trying to bridge the gap.
Unaware of the shifting tides in the wider arena, or perhaps uncaring, Bakugo and Todoroki raced towards the Red Team's leader building. Bakugo, utilizing repeated explosions, propelled himself up the exterior wall of the multi-story structure, blasting away any obstacles in his path. Todoroki, meanwhile, generated an ice ramp, gliding silently and rapidly up to the upper floors.
Bakugo reached the top floor first, his boots skidding on the rooftop, his breathing ragged but his eyes blazing with furious intent. He located the door leading into the interior where Minato's five-point flag awaited. With a single, explosive kick, he blew the door off its hinges, sending splinters flying.
He burst into the room, his eyes immediately locking onto Minato. Minato stood calmly by a large glass window, his back initially to the entrance, seemingly observing the distant battle. As Bakugo entered, Minato slowly turned, his face placid, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. He was completely ready.
"BLONDIE!" Bakugo roared, recognizing his target. His right arm, already primed, extended in a powerful, explosive punch aimed squarely at Minato's face. "YOU'RE MINE!"
Minato's eyes, however, were already tracking every micro-movement. As Bakugo's hand, radiating explosive energy, lunged forward, Minato's body seemed to dissolve. He didn't move far, but with a barely perceptible shift of his weight and a fractional lean, he slipped past Bakugo's extended hand, a ghost in the path of the explosion. The force of Bakugo's punch whistled harmlessly through the air where Minato had been a split second before.
Bakugo's momentum carried him forward, his hand still outstretched. Before he could re-orient himself, Minato's own hand shot out, not in a punch, but a firm, precise grip on Bakugo's shoulder. With a deceptively gentle twist and a powerful, almost casual shove, Minato sent Bakugo spiraling forward.
Bakugo, still off balance and mid-stride from his over-extended attack, had no chance to stop. His own momentum, amplified by Minato's unexpected force, propelled him towards the large window. His face contorted in shock and outrage as he slammed into the glass with a deafening CRACK! The window shattered outwards, sending a glittering shower of shards into the air.
"WHAT THE--?!" Bakugo's roar was cut short as he was launched from the building. He became a rapidly diminishing speck, propelled by Minato's force and his own momentum, soaring over several city blocks. He landed with a bone-jarring impact on the rooftop of a building three blocks away, leaving a fresh crater.
"BAKUGO IS OUT OF THE BUILDING! LAUNCHED BY NAMIKAZE!" Present Mic shrieked, his voice filled with incredulous awe. "HE JUST SENT HIM FLYING THREE BLOCKS AWAY! A NEW RECORD FOR 'FASTEST EJECTION FROM A BUILDING,' FOLKS!"
Aizawa, for the first time, looked genuinely surprised. "He barely moved... sheer physical force. Impressive. He's showing a different aspect of his Quirk's capability."
Just as the shattered glass rained down, Todoroki stepped through the now-open doorway, his entrance calm and deliberate compared to Bakugo's explosive arrival. He saw the gaping hole in the window, the scattered glass, and Minato standing unflustered. Without a word, Todoroki extended his right arm, unleashing a furious barrage of ice. Jagged spikes, thick sheets, and sharp shards erupted from his palm, streaking across the room, aiming to encase Minato in a frozen tomb.
Minato, however, was already anticipating the attack. A faint, almost imperceptible electric blue aura shimmered around his body, and a low, crackling hum filled the air. He had activated his Lightning Chakra Mode, enhancing his reflexes and physical speed to an otherworldly degree.
As the first wave of ice surged towards him, Minato didn't teleport. Instead, he moved. He became a blur, a streak of blue light, effortlessly weaving and dancing through the deadly path of the ice. He slipped past jagged spikes by mere millimeters, ducked under sweeping sheets, and stepped over frozen protrusions with such speed that the ice seemed to materialize around where he had just been, rather than directly at him.
He attempted to close the distance, moving to engage Todoroki in close quarters. But Todoroki was relentless. Every time Minato shifted, Todoroki unleashed another torrent of ice, creating thick, impassable walls that sprang up from the floor, blocking Minato's path. He didn't aim to hit Minato directly, but to create obstacles, to dodge and defend, buying time and exhausting Minato's speed.
Minato, for his part, had a personal challenge in mind. He had consciously decided to fight purely physical in this particular engagement. No Jutsu, no Rasengan, and crucially, no teleportation unless absolutely necessary for evasion. He pushed himself, constantly analyzing Todoroki's movements, the patterns of his ice, looking for an opening for a clean, non-Quirk-based strike.
For two grueling minutes, the dance continued. Todoroki, despite his immense power, was being pushed to his limits. Maintaining a constant barrage of ice, constantly shaping and extending walls, was draining his stamina. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his breathing grew heavier. He was using his Quirk defensively, desperately trying to keep Minato at bay, unable to land a hit, unable to counter Minato's relentless, almost hypnotic movement.
Minato, observing Todoroki's growing exhaustion, saw his opening. He feigned a move to the left, then burst right, anticipating Todoroki's reaction. He was about to close the distance, about to deliver a precise, incapacitating strike to end the engagement with Todoroki and secure the five-point flag without resorting to a full-power Quirk.
But then, a familiar, furious roar. "GET READY TO DIE, BLONDIE!"
A massive explosion ripped through the air, and a furious Bakugo came hurtling back through the building. He had blasted his way through several walls and floors of the intermediate buildings, leaving a trail of destruction, desperate to rejoin the fight. He burst through the very window Minato had thrown him out of, landing squarely behind Minato, aiming a powerful blast at his back.
Minato's senses detected the sudden shift in air pressure. Without a moment's hesitation, he abandoned his attack on Todoroki, twisting his body in a fluid motion. Bakugo's explosion ripped through the air where Minato had stood a fraction of a second before, leaving a searing scorch mark on the floor.
"HE'S BACK! BAKUGO IS BACK IN THE GAME, BLASTING THROUGH WALLS!" Present Mic screamed, the sheer chaos of the situation thrilling him. "AND HE'S GOT NAMIKAZE CORNERED WITH TODOROKI!"
Aizawa stared, a silent acknowledgment of Minato's overwhelming prowess. "Remarkable awareness. He reacted to a blindside attack while engaged. His physical capabilities are far beyond a typical Quirk user."
Now, Minato faced both of them. Bakugo, enraged, launched a barrage of explosions from his palms, lunging for Minato's flag. Todoroki, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten, unleashed a torrent of ice from his right side while preparing to use his flames from his left, attempting to pin Minato between their two elemental assaults and snatch his five-point flag.
It was a combined assault from two of the strongest first-year students, a relentless barrage of blasts, and ice all aimed at one man. Yet, Minato moved with an almost surreal grace. He was a whirlwind of blue lightning, easily containing both of them. He dodged Bakugo's explosions with infinitesimal shifts, his body a blur. He flowed around Todoroki's ice, sidestepping, ducking, and weaving, never allowing either to connect. Their hands lunged for his flag, but his movements were too fluid, too precise, too rapid. He was an unhittable target, a ghost dancing between their combined might, his own hands often brushing past their attempts, almost tauntingly close to snatching their flags in return. He was simply too fast, too skilled, too in control.
"INCREDIBLE! NAMIKAZE IS FIGHTING BOTH BAKUGO AND TODOROKI AT THE SAME TIME!" Present Mic's voice was hoarse with excitement. "HE'S NOT JUST DODGING, HE'S MAKING THEM LOOK LIKE THEY'RE MOVING IN SLOW MOTION! HE'S UNTOUCHABLE!"
Aizawa stared, a silent acknowledgment of Minato's overwhelming prowess. "His mastery of that physical enhancement is absolute. He's not just powerful; he's on a different level of combat intuition and control."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena, the battle for the Blue Team's leader was still raging. Midoriya Izuku, serving as the Blue Team's leader, was diligently guarding his flag from the persistent infiltrator: Neito Monoma. Monoma had indeed managed to slip past the Blue Team's defense, his Copy Quirk having stolen Tetsutetsu's Steel Quirk earlier, had bypassed some obstacles and contend with Midoriya directly.
Monoma, his body now shimmering with metallic hardness, lunged at Midoriya, attempting to snatch his five-point flag. Midoriya, utilizing a careful balance of One For All: Full Cowl at a 5%, which he had recently mastered, dodged Monoma's hardened punches. He focused on agility and strategic counter-moves, trying to find an opening to disable Monoma without causing serious injury.
"Midoriya's containing Monoma!" Present Mic exclaimed, switching focus briefly. "Monoma copied Tetsutetsu's Quirk! This is a tough fight for the Blue Team's leader!"
Midoriya, while holding his own, was indeed containing Monoma with some slight difficulty. Monoma's copied steel was incredibly durable, and his movements were surprisingly aggressive, making it hard for Midoriya to fully unleash his own power without risking a significant over-injury. It was a tense standoff, a battle of wits and copied strength.
Back at the Red Team's leader building, the seemingly impossible continued. Minato, after effortlessly evading Bakugo's desperate attempts and Todoroki's draining elemental attacks, decided to end the immediate threat. With a swift, almost imperceptible maneuver, he once again created an opening. Bakugo, over-extending in another explosive lunge, found himself suddenly repositioned by Minato's unseen touch.
With another surge of force, Minato threw Bakugo again, sending him flying through the air, out of the shattered window, for the second time. He sailed over the rooftops, landing once more, far from the leader's building.
Todoroki, already teetering on the brink of exhaustion from his continuous Quirk usage and relentless dodging, looked at the departing Bakugo with wide eyes. His breathing was ragged, his movements sluggish. He had poured everything into this combined assault, and it had been futile.
Minato, seeing Todoroki's utter depletion, decided to end it. He moved swiftly, his Lightning Chakra Mode flaring, closing the distance in an instant. His hand moved towards Todoroki's neck, his eyes sharp. He was about to deliver a precise, incapacitating strike, enough to safely knock Todoroki out of the fight.
But then, just as his hand reached out, a loud, piercing horn sound blared across the entire stadium, echoing through the arena. It was long, drawn-out, and unmistakable.
Present Mic's voice, though still enthusiastic, was now delivering the final verdict. "TIME UP, STUDENTS! TIME UP! THE CAPTURE THE FLAG GAME IS OVER!"
Minato paused, his hand just inches from Todoroki's neck, his strike aborted mid-motion. Todoroki, collapsing from exhaustion, could only stare up at Minato, bewildered.
"LET'S GET THE FINAL SCORE! THE TALLY IS IN!" Present Mic roared, building suspense. The giant screen above the arena flickered, displaying the final results.
"THE RED TEAM: 26 FLAGS!"
A massive cheer erupted from the Red Team's side of the stadium, and the Red Team members themselves exchanged triumphant shouts.
"AND THE BLUE TEAM: 14 FLAGS!"
A wave of groans and disappointment washed over the Blue Team and their supporters.
"THE WINNER OF THE CAPTURE THE FLAG GAME IS... THE RED TEAM!" Present Mic declared, his voice full of celebratory zeal. "AN ABSOLUTE ROUT! WHAT A DISPLAY OF STRATEGY AND SKILL FROM NAMIKAZE'S LEADERSHIP!"