Chapter 13: The Smell of Gunpowder and the Instinct of a Dragon
The monitoring room was dim, illuminated only by the glow of the massive screens broadcasting a live feed from various angles of the dilapidated building in Ground Beta. The students stood transfixed, watching in silence and tension.
Natsu stood at the very front, his onyx eyes shining with an unusual focus. Beside him, Kirishima clenched his fists anxiously, while Happy sat on Natsu's shoulder, munching on a dried fish he had pulled from his tiny backpack.
"All Might-sensei..." Kirishima asked, his voice shaking as he pointed at the screen. "Will Midoriya be okay? Bakugo's look... he looks genuinely insane, like he wants to kill him."
On the screen, Bakugo had just launched his surprise attack. A deafening explosion filled the corridor with smoke, nearly taking Midoriya out if not for the green-haired boy's lightning-fast reaction.
"Cheating!" Mina cried out. "A sneak attack? That isn't manly!"
"It's a battle," Natsu said calmly, cutting through the students' complaints. Everyone turned to look at him. His face was devoid of its usual goofy grin. "In a real fight, villains don't wait for the starting bell. Bakugo knows how to start a brawl... The problem isn't the timing of the attack."
"Then what is it?" Kaminari asked.
Natsu pointed at the screen, where Bakugo's face filled the frame, twisted in demonic rage as he screamed at Midoriya.
"The problem is that his eyes aren't looking at the 'Target' or the 'Mission,'" Natsu said seriously. "He's only looking to crush the person in front of him. That's not strategy... that's a grudge."
Natsu tilted his head, asking in genuine confusion, "Aren't they friends?"
Tsuyu placed a finger on her chin. "Kero... They went to the same middle school."
"I heard they've known each other since childhood," Sero Hanta added, looking at the screen with concern. "But that doesn't look like a normal friendship."
"Aye..." Happy agreed. "He looks like a raging bull."
The fight continued. The students gasped when Midoriya grabbed Bakugo's arm and threw him over his shoulder with a perfectly executed Judo move, shattering Bakugo's pride in a single second.
"Ooh!" Natsu whistled in admiration. "I didn't know Midoriya could fight up close! I thought he'd just cry and run, but he's fighting smart!"
However, the battle soon turned into a hunt. Bakugo used his gauntlets to change his trajectory in mid-air, attacking ferociously. Midoriya ran and hid, leaving Uraraka to go search for the nuclear weapon.
Suddenly, the scene changed. Bakugo stood at the end of a hallway. He raised his arm, aiming his massive gauntlet directly at Midoriya. His other hand gripped the safety pin on the gauntlet.
All Might intervened over the microphone: "Young Bakugo! Stop! Are you trying to kill him?!"
"He won't die if he dodges!!" Bakugo screamed and pulled the pin.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The monitoring room physically shook. Even through the screens, the glare of the explosion was blinding. A massive beam of fire and destruction tore through the building, vaporizing the side wall completely and shattering windows for blocks.
The students screamed in terror.
"That's insane!"
"Did he kill Midoriya?!"
Amidst the panic, Natsu's eyes went wide. A broad, slightly terrifying grin spread across his face. He felt the phantom heat of the explosion caress his face.
"What power..." Natsu whispered, his body trembling not with fear, but with excitement. "That explosion... it's awesome!!"
"Natsu!" Momo Yaoyorozu scolded him, shocked. "How can you say that? Our classmate could be hurt!"
"I know, I know," Natsu waved his hand dismissively, his eyes still locked on the destruction. "I'm not saying what he did was right... but the sheer scale of that firepower? I can't help but respect it. That guy, Bakugo... he has destructive power that rivals a Dragon."
The smoke cleared. Midoriya was alive, though his costume was shredded. The battle reached its climax. The two rushed at each other. Bakugo used explosions to propel himself, and Midoriya readied his arm for a Smash.
"They're gonna collide!" Sato Rikido shouted, covering his head.
"Look up!" Momo Yaoyorozu suddenly shouted, pointing sharply at another screen. "Midoriya isn't attacking Bakugo... he's aiming for the ceiling!"
At the critical moment, Midoriya changed the trajectory of his punch upwards.
"DETROIT.... SMAAAAAAASH!!"
The resulting air pressure was so immense it punched through every floor of the building all the way to the roof, destroying the floor beneath Iida's feet on the top level and creating chaotic debris.
Uraraka leaped through the dust, hugging the nuclear weapon pillar tight as she rolled on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs:
"RETRIEVED!!"
"HERO TEAM WIIIIINS!!" All Might announced over the speakers.
Midoriya collapsed to the ground, his arm completely broken, his body wrecked, while Bakugo stood frozen, unable to believe what had happened.
Silence descended on the monitoring room.
"Oh my god..." Tsuyu whispered, her eyes wide. "He destroyed the building to win."
"Ouch..." Natsu put a hand behind his head, looking at Midoriya's twisted arm on the screen with sympathy. "His arm looks more damaged than the building..."
"He's crazy," Happy said, shivering. "I'm glad you don't burn your lungs every time you breathe fire, Natsu."
"Yeah," Natsu chuckled lightly. Then he tightened his scarf, his expression turning serious again. "But he won. The goal is to win the game, not the individual fight."
Happy looked at Natsu with narrow, suspicious eyes. "Are you sure you actually understand that rule? You usually destroy everything just to win the brawl."
Natsu flustered slightly, speaking quickly. "O-Of course I understand! Of course!"
After Midoriya was taken to the Nurse's Office and Bakugo returned (looking completely shell-shocked), All Might and Momo Yaoyorozu began analyzing the battle. Natsu listened to the analysis with half an ear; he preferred learning with his body, not with words.
"Alright!" All Might shouted, trying to lift the mood after the bloody start. "Let's move to the next match!"
All Might pulled two new balls from the boxes.
"Team J (Villains) vs Team H (Heroes)!!"
Villains: Natsu Dragneel & Eijiro Kirishima.
Heroes: Mezo Shoji & Hanta Sero.
"Oh!" Kirishima shouted, slamming his fists together. "We're the Villains, Natsu! And our opponents are the Multi-Arm Guy and the Tape Guy!"
Natsu grinned a wide, wicked smile, revealing his canines, while small flames flickered around his shoulders.
"Villains, huh?" Natsu laughed, a deep, amused sound. "Hehe... this sounds fun! I'll be a villain who burns everything!"
"Don't burn the building down!" All Might warned quickly, remembering what Bakugo and Midoriya just did.
"Aye, aye!" Natsu said, heading toward the door with Kirishima.
"Good luck, partner!" Happy flew beside him until they reached the exit.
"Dragon nose?" Natsu paused at the door, thinking. Then he smiled confidently and pointed to his nose. "Don't worry, Happy. They might have many ears or tape... but a Dragon's nose never misses."
Natsu and Kirishima entered the dark building, taking their positions as Villains guarding the bomb on the middle floor.
Inside, Natsu placed a hand on the paper-mache nuclear weapon.
"So, Kirishima," Natsu said, standing casually next to the rocket. "What's the plan? Do we wait here and drink tea? Or do we go hunting?"
Kirishima grinned, activating his hardening. "Waiting isn't manly! But leaving the weapon unguarded isn't good either."
"Right." Natsu took a deep breath, inhaling the air of the building.
Sniff... Sniff...
Natsu's nostrils flared.
"I smell... adhesive stuff, like tape," Natsu muttered, scenting the air. "And another smell... weird, kinda like an octopus. They're coming from the ground floor, North entrance."
Kirishima looked at him in shock. "You can smell them?! Are you a police dog?!"
"I'm a Dragon!" Natsu corrected proudly. He cracked his knuckles, and his fist ignited with bright orange fire, illuminating the dark room.
"Listen up, Spiky-Head. You stay here and guard this toy," Natsu said, walking toward the door. "I'm going to welcome our guests."
"Natsu!" Kirishima called out. "Don't be reckless!"
Natsu waved his hand without looking back, his white scarf fluttering behind him in the darkness.
"I'm all fired up!!"