Jiro and I stood outside Building D, awaiting the start of our match. I took a moment to mentally prepare, reflecting on the strategy I had prepared.
It's almost poetic. All Might's successor, the guy with the most powerful Quirk in the class, and I just happen to hard counter both him and his teammate.
Earlier, I congratulated Kirishima on his victory with a high five, seizing the opportunity to copy his Hardening Quirk. I'd normally ask, but I didn't want to risk Midoriya noticing. I felt more than confident of my ability to withstand a hit from Midoriya with One For All, he'll probably hurt himself more than me if he does. As for Kaminari, I'm going to reveal that I can absorb his lightning.
Jiro glanced at me with a thoughtful gaze. "I know you said you're confident in your ability to beat both Midoriya and Kaminari, but don't you think you're underestimating them a little? Midoriya has a lot of power, and Kaminari's electricity could be a problem."
"You're right; Midoriya does have power." I said while looking at her "But he can't use it effectively without hurting himself. He'll likely avoid using his quirk, saving it for one desperate moment, which I'll be ready for."
She raised a brow. "And Kaminari?"
"I've got a way to deal with him too." I replied. "You don't need to worry about the fighting; just leave it to me."
She nodded, accepting my explanation. "Fair enough. I guess I'll just focus on finding them, and then we'll go from there?"
"Good. I think we can ignore the bomb. We can win by capturing both villains instead, so if you see an opportunity, don't hesitate to jump in."
"Understood."
All Might's voice echoed from the speakers, signaling the start of the match. "All right! Let's begin, Team E and Team J. Your time starts now!"
"Alright," I said, scanning the building's facade. "We've got fifteen minutes. Let's start on the fourth floor. If they're on the fifth, we can hit them from below. If they're on the third, we'll drop in on them from above."
Jiro nodded. "Good call. They'll be expecting us to enter from the bottom.
"But how are we getting up there?" she asked, glancing at the building.
In response, I raised my hand and morphed my fingers into clawed tips. "Simple, I'll scale the building. You hold onto me."
She blinked, then gave a short nod. "Okay."
I crouched slightly and let her climb on my back. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, hesitating just a second before pressing in close.
"Ready," she said, her voice a little quieter than usual.
I dug my claws into the side of the building and began ascending. The concrete gave under my grip letting me get a solid hold, and I moved quickly, planting each hand and foot with precision.
Within moments, we reached an open window on the fourth floor. I slipped inside, landing quietly. Jiro released her grip and dropped down beside me.
"Now it's your turn," I said.
She stepped forward, piercing the nearest wall with her earlobes and staying perfectly still. I kept my eyes on her while she focused.
"I found them," she said after a moment. "They're on the fifth floor, in the same room. Not far apart—probably on opposite ends of an entrance, hoping to ambush us. They're doing their best to minimize sound, but one of them keeps shifting their weight."
"Excellent, lead us directly beneath them."
She walked ahead silently, turning a corner, then another, before halting in the center of a long hallway.
"Here," she whispered.
I reached down and pressed my hand against the copper section of my belt. The transformation spread instantly, my body now covered in a polished copper sheen.
"You should step a short distance away." I told Jiro.
She stepped aside.
I focused, my right hand swelling outward, growing heavy as I reshaped it into a massive copper fist.
I smashed my copper fist into the ceiling above us with a deafening crack. The metal tore through concrete and support beams alike, and a second later, the floor gave out beneath Midoriya and Kaminari.
They didn't have time to react.
Both of them dropped down through the collapsing floor, landing hard on the fourth level with a thud and a mess of broken debris.
Kaminari panicked the moment he hit the ground. "Crap—crap—!" he shouted, electricity flaring from his body like a live wire.
But I was ready for it.
I started reshaping my left hand, narrowing and lengthening it into a polished lightning rod. The surge of voltage veered toward me immediately, crackling as it was pulled in.
I absorbed the charge, letting the energy flow into me. A tingling heat rushed up my arms as I compressed it into a volatile sphere of lightning in my right palm.
Without hesitation, I hurled it at Midoriya.
Only to watch, dumbfounded, as Kaminari did the exact same thing I did—redirecting it with his own body and soaking the energy right back in.
"Oh, come on," I muttered under my breath.
It didn't matter though; I could work around it.
I shaped another ball from the leftover current still dancing along my skin. This time I didn't throw it, instead I held it in my palm as I closed the distance between me and Midoriya.
He saw me coming and tried to sidestep, but I was already too close.
I slammed the lightning sphere directly into his chest.
He hit the ground with a grunt, feeling the shock. But to his credit, he rolled through the pain and scrambled back to his feet.
"We can't do this!" he shouted, his voice tight with urgency.
Then he bolted. Kaminari, still rattled from the fall, looked up just in time to see Midoriya take off. He also turned and ran in the opposite direction without a word.
Jiro appeared at my side, quickly assessing the situation.
She plugged her jacks into the ports on her boots. "I've got Kaminari!"
From her speakers, a focused blast of sound roared down the hallway, chasing after him. I didn't stop to watch.
Midoriya was already sprinting in the opposite direction.
I took off after him, my boots slamming against the floor. We were about the same speed, but with his head start he was a few meters ahead.
I understood what their plan was: to force a chase scene and drag out the clock.
Smart, but it wouldn't work.
I tapped the rubber segment on my belt and focused, morphing both my feet into rubber.
Each step sank slightly, compressing the impact, then springing back with added momentum. A rebound effect. Stored energy returning with every push.
Bit by bit, I started closing the gap.
Midoriya darted around a corner. I followed, quickening my stride—then extended my fingers into flexible tendrils and lashed forward, grabbing hold of the weird bunny ear things. They looked like All Might's hair, and for a second, I wondered if he'd regret that fashion choice.
As I yanked him back toward me, I reeled my right fist and threw a heavy straight punch.
He twisted just in time, barely slipping beneath it.
We were now face to face.
He didn't try to run again.
"You're not going to win this," I told him, already stepping forward.
I lunged forward again, trying to grab his arm without hurting him. "Just accept it," I said, reaching for the capture tape. "This is a mismatch."
Of course, I knew he wouldn't. He wasn't the type.
Midoriya ducked under the grab and twisted around, planting his feet. With a grunt, he shoved me backward.
It only moved me a step.
"Fair enough," I said, adjusting my stance. "Guess we're doing this the hard way."
He pivoted like he was about to run again.
I didn't let him.
My arm stretched across the hallway in an instant, barring his path. He froze—too late.
I lashed the limb forward, snatched him by the waist, and reeled him in once more.
Then I punched him.
Not full force—just enough to send him staggering into the wall behind him without a sound.
Midoriya muttered to himself, "I have to use it..."
His right hand began to glow, red vein-like lines pulsing across his skin.
I felt a flicker of anticipation.
So, he's going to use One For All. I wasn't actually sure he would—I thought he'd hold it back, worried that other students wouldn't be able to handle it.
I reached for the dense alloy made by Mei. My body tensed and reshaped, metal crawling across my skin as I transformed into the ultra-dense armor. Limbs thickened, joints locked, and the weight pressed down, anchoring me in place. Easily my heaviest transformation to date.
Furthermore, I activated Kirishima's Hardening Quirk on top of it, layering additional resilience over my already fortified frame.
Midoriya's eyes locked onto mine. He clenched his fist, and the glowing lines intensified. Then, with a sharp exhale, he punched the air.
"SMASH!"
The shockwave hit like a freight train. A deafening boom echoed through the corridor as a concussive blast of wind and pressure surged toward me. I braced myself, stomping my feet into the floor, the tiles cracking beneath the force.
Dust and debris swirled around us.
When the air finally settled, I looked up. Midoriya stood panting, his right hand trembling. His glove was torn, and the skin beneath was already bruising.
"Kyūta! I got Kaminari," Jiro's voice crackled through my comms, tinged with relief. "He's wrapped up in tape, but I heard a huge blast. Are you okay?"
I glanced at the chaos behind me—the walls of the hallway were cracked and splintered, chunks of concrete scattered from the shockwave of Midoriya's punch. "Nice work," I said into the comm. "I'm fine. I'll capture Midoriya now."
When he looked up, his eyes widened, haunted by the fact that I was still standing after taking the full brunt of his blast without getting knocked down.
"Woah," I muttered. "That was pretty tough."
Stepping closer, I spoke more clearly. "And you didn't even hit me directly. I can only imagine how bad that would've been."
His gaze flickered to my armored form—dense metal combined with Kirishima's hardened shell—and he shivered.
I lunged in and grabbed his wrist before he could react. The moment our skin touched, something roared inside me. One For All's power surged through the connection, hotter and heavier than any Quirk I'd ever absorbed. Even at ten percent, it threatened to crack my control.
My muscles tensed, breath hitched. For a second, my thoughts scattered—I almost felt like I saw shadows flickering at the edges of my vision. But they were gone in an instant.
"You know," I murmured, voice low enough only he could hear, "I've been fascinated by your Quirk since day one. So much raw power… and so little control." My fingers curled tighter around his wrist. "Let's see what I can do with it."
Focusing, I channeled the energy into my other hand. Midoriya's eyes widened as I drew back my arm and drove a concentrated punch into his gut.
He flew backward, crashing against the wall with a resonant crack. The wind knocked out of him, he slumped to the floor in a heap.
I whistled softly, watching his chest rise and fall. "Wow. Ten percent and my hand's already stinging. No wonder you break yourself when you go full power."
I pulled out the capture tape and quickly wrapped it around his torso, securing him against the wall. He winced but didn't protest.
Above us, All Might's voice echoed through the speakers. "Victory to Team E!"
I knelt beside Midoriya and offered a hand. "You did good, all things considered."
He met my gaze, nodding weakly.
"I probably overdid it," I admitted, lifting him onto my shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Let's get you to the nurse's office."
As I carried him off, every step reminded me of the weight of that power.