Denki's body crackled with electricity, sparks jumping between his fingers and crawling up his arms.
Togaru remained crouched against the wall.
His blades were lowered.
His eyes never left Denki.
The timer continued to fall.
13:21
Denki swallowed.
'Control, control, control...'
He still wasn't ready for this level of control, that wasn't something he wanted to admit.
Not even to himself.
He'd felt the difference the moment Togaru struck him.
That wasn't the Togaru he remembered.
The same loudmouth.
The same idiot who'd spent half his childhood trying to convince everyone that he was the strongest person in the room.
But...
He was faster, more precise, more controlled.
Denki's fingers twitched.
'So you've been training too, huh'
A small grin appeared.
"Guess I can't let you have all the fun."
Togaru's grin widened.
"That's what I've been waiting to hear."
He pushed off the wall.
The blade struck the floor where Denki had been standing.
Denki jumped backward.
"WOAH!"
Another slash.
He ducked.
Another.
He jumped sideways.
The blade passed inches from his face before embedding itself into the wall.
Denki's eyes widened.
"Jiro, go find the bom-"
Togaru zipped past Denki as he stood at the crossway leading to the stairs.
"Hahahah, like the Mantis god is that foolish."
Jiro stumbled back as his speed was intense,
"... pretty arrogant of you, jackass."
Togaru pulled a blade out of his shoulder.
"Get ready."
Lightning suddenly surged around Denki.
"Okay."
He lowered his stance.
"Let's see how fast you really are."
Togaru's eyes sharpened.
For the first time...
His smile disappeared too.
"That's more like it."
And then both vanished down the hallway.
-
Back in the observation room, Sanemi watched the monitor without blinking.
He hadn't expected this.
His eyes followed Togaru's movements.
'His footwork changed.'
The way he moved wasn't reckless anymore.
Every step had purpose, every slash forced Denki somewhere.
He wasn't simply attacking, he was controlling the space around him.
Sanemi's eyes narrowed.
'Just how much has changed?'
Then Denki's electricity exploded across the screen.
Sanemi's attention shifted.
"...And Denki..."
He paused.
'He's gotta be more aggressive.'
-
Ducking under Togaru's blade, he shot 4 balls of electricity, each dodged as they both reset again.
Togaru's blades scraped against the floor as he lowered himself.
Denki watched him carefully.
'He's waiting for me.'
The thought barely finished before Togaru launched himself forward.
"DENKI!"
The blade swung.
Denki twisted his body sideways.
The blade passed directly in front of his chest.
"Too slow!"
Denki fired electricity toward Togaru.
Togaru twisted through the attack, his body almost folding around the electricity as he landed against the wall.
"You're telegraphing your attacks!"
He pushed off.
Denki's eyes widened.
'Again?!'
Togaru crossed the hallway in an instant.
Denki raised his arms.
The impact knocked him backward.
"GAH!"
His shoes scraped against the floor.
Togaru's grin returned.
"Come on, Denki!"
Another slash.
Denki ducked.
Another.
He jumped forward.
Another.
He barely avoided it.
'I can't keep doing this.'
Denki glanced toward Jiro.
She was still keeping pace behind him, watching the fight carefully.
An idea formed.
It was stupid.
Probably dangerous.
Definitely going to piss Togaru off.
Denki grinned.
"Jiro!"
She looked over.
"What?!"
"I need you to make as much noise as possible!"
Jiro's eyes widened.
"...What?"
"You heard me!"
Denki pointed toward Togaru.
"Give me everything you've got!"
Togaru stopped.
"...What?"
Jiro immediately understood.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You better have a plan."
Denki smiled.
"I always have a plan."
Jiro stared at him.
"You absolutely do not."
"JUST DO IT!"
She sighed.
"Fine!"
Both of her earphone jacks slammed into the walls.
Jiro's eyes widened.
"Here goes!"
The hallway shook.
Togaru's eyes widened.
"What th-"
Another shockwave exploded through the corridor.
"AHHH!!!"
Togaru staggered.
His blades shook in his hands.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
Jiro gritted her teeth.
She pushed more sound through the building.
The walls vibrated.
The floor trembled.
Togaru's vision blurred.
'Too loud.'
He tried to move.
His legs didn't respond properly.
Another wave hit.
BOOM!
Togaru was thrown against the wall.
"YOU CHEAP BASTARD!"
Denki laughed.
"HAHA!"
He grabbed Jiro's wrist.
"NOW!"
The two sprinted past him.
Togaru tried to push himself off the wall.
"GET BACK HERE!"
Denki looked over his shoulder.
"Catch me first!"
Togaru's eye twitched.
"You little..."
Denki laughed harder.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THAT SPEED?!"
Jiro ran beside him, shaking her head.
"You're really enjoying this."
Denki smiled ear to ear.
"Of course I am!"
Behind them, Togaru finally regained his balance.
His expression had changed.
The grin was gone.
His blades slowly lowered.
"...Alright."
He stared down the hallway.
"You wanna play dirty?"
A smile slowly returned.
"...Fine."
He crouched.
"Let's play."
The timer continued ticking.
10:29
And for the first time...
Togaru stopped chasing Denki.
'Momo, so about the plan...'
Momo was beyond satisfied that Togaru's plan didn't work.
"Yes, as I said, they have too many tools to keep you at range, but with a couple of traps they shouldn't be able to jump very far, so I could supply air su-"
Togaru stopped listening and just wanted to know his part of the plan.
"So what's my part?"
She sighed,
"You need to locate them, they should be on floor 3 by now. Just fight them, and I will call out when to move, alright."
He stood as multiple joints cracked, stretching.
"Sounds like payback is coming, hahahahah."
He disappeared from his spot, bolting up the stairs
-
Back in the observation room...
The class watched as Togaru disappeared up the stairs.
All Might stroked his chin.
"Well!"
He looked toward the monitor.
"That certainly changed the battle!"
Kirishima leaned forward.
"He got completely stopped by Jiro's sound waves."
Ojiro nodded.
"Not only stopped."
He pointed toward the screen.
"Disoriented."
"Young Kaminari's greatest advantage is his mobility. Once his balance and senses were disrupted, he couldn't properly utilize his speed."
The only thing they could do was watch.
Mina leaned against the railing.
"So Denki basically figured out the one thing that could slow Togaru down."
Todoroki shook his head.
"Not exactly."
Everyone looked toward him.
"They didn't defeat him."
He pointed toward the monitor.
"They created distance."
The screen showed Togaru rushing up the stairs.
"And now he's adapting."
All Might nodded.
"Precisely!"
Iida interjected,
"Young Kaminari was caught off guard by the sound attack, but he now knows what he is dealing with."
Iida adjusted his glasses.
"Which means Young Kaminari and Young Jiro cannot rely on the same tactic again."
All Might's smile widened.
"Correct! Combat is not simply about finding what works."
He stared intently into the monitor.
"It is about understanding what your opponent will do once they realize what works!"
Tokoyami watched the monitor carefully.
"The battlefield has shifted."
His eyes followed the camera as Togaru disappeared onto the third floor.
"The heroes have gained distance."
"But the villains have gained information."
Genya nodded slowly.
"And they're still looking for the bomb."
Kirishima rubbed his chin.
"So neither side really has the advantage yet."
Tsuyu shook her head.
"Not necessarily."
She glanced toward the timer.
10:01
"They've already lost almost five minutes."
"The heroes need to locate the bomb before Young Kaminari forces another engagement."
All Might's expression became more serious.
"And that is where the battle becomes interesting."
He looked toward the monitor.
"Young Kaminari and Young Jiro have successfully prevented a direct confrontation..."
"But Young Togaru and Young Yaoyorozu still have the objective."
"The heroes have bought themselves time."
A pause.
"But time..."
All Might looked toward the countdown.
"...is something neither team has enough of."
Sanemi remained silent.
His eyes stayed on the screen.
Togaru had stopped chasing blindly.
He was thinking.
'Good.'
Sanemi's gaze shifted toward the other camera.
-
The third floor.
Denki and Jiro slowed as they reached the intersection.
The floor was quieter than the others.
Jiro immediately plugged one jack into the wall.
She closed her eyes.
"...Wait."
Denki stopped.
"What?"
Jiro stretched her hand out, almost searching telepathically
"Don't move."
He froze.
Jiro listened.
The building creaked around them.
Pipes.
Footsteps from somewhere below.
The faint hum of the ventilation system.
But nothing else.
"No movement."
Denki frowned.
"Then the bomb isn't here?"
She pulled her jack free.
"Not necessarily."
"They could've hidden it somewhere my hearing can't reach."
Denki looked around.
The hallway was lined with identical doors.
"...That's annoying."
He walked toward the nearest one.
Instead of opening it, he knocked against the wall.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
His expression changed.
"Jiro."
She cranked her head over almost robotically
"What?"
"Listen to this."
He knocked on the wall again.
The sound was different.
Jiro approached.
She placed her jack against it.
Her eyes narrowed.
"...There's a hollow space behind here."
Denki's eyes widened.
"You think?"
"Could be a maintenance shaft."
Denki grinned.
"Finally!"
He raised his hand.
Electricity sparked across his fingers.
"Move."
Jiro stepped back.
Denki pressed his palm against the wall.
A controlled burst of electricity cracked through the surface.
The panel broke apart.
Dust filled the hallway.
Denki coughed.
"Okay..."
He waved the dust away.
"...Not the bomb."
Behind the wall was nothing but a narrow maintenance passage.
Jiro stared into it.
"...But somebody's been through here."
Denki looked down.
There were faint marks in the dust.
Recent ones.
"You're kidding."
Jiro crouched.
"These aren't from the building staff."
She followed the marks with her eyes.
"They lead toward the stairwell."
Denki immediately stood.
"Then let's move."
They rushed toward the stairs.
Jiro stopped halfway.
"Wait."
Denki turned.
"What now?"
She pointed upward.
A faint metallic vibration traveled through the railing.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Something's moving."
Denki looked toward the upper floor.
"Someone?"
Jiro shook her head.
"No."
Another vibration.
"Something mechanical."
Denki's expression tightened.
"Then we're getting close."
They continued upward.
The moment they reached the third-floor landing, Denki looked around.
Nothing.
No movement.
No sound.
Just another empty hallway.
His shoulders dropped.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
Jiro walked past him.
"Don't get frustrated."
Denki weaved a hand through his hair
"I'm not frustrated."
Jiro deadpanned,
"You are absolutely frustrated."
Denki pointed toward the hallway.
"We've been searching this place forever!"
Jiro looked at the clock,
"We've been searching for three minutes."
He just folded his arms,
"Still, feels like forever!"
Jiro rolled her eyes.
"Then think."
Denki stopped.
He looked around again.
The building suddenly felt different.
Not empty.
Organized.
Every hallway seemed designed to funnel them somewhere.
His eyes widened slightly.
"...Momo."
Jiro looked at him.
"What?"
"She made this."
"What do you mean?"
"She's not gonna hide the bomb somewhere obvious."
He looked toward the branching corridors.
"She's making us search."
Jiro's expression hardened.
"So while we're looking..."
"...They're buying time."
Denki nodded.
"And Togaru's hunting us."
Jiro then thought too,
"and he is leading us farther from the bomb"
Denki slapped a hand to his face shocked, they had not thought anyone would hide the bomb THERE...
"She hid the bomb on the first floor, didn't she?"
Jiro sighed a heavy, deep sigh, but before they could turn to the stairs, she heard a heavy breath echo from the hallway behind them.
Jiro slowly turned.
"damn, too late, he's here."
Denki's eyes widened.
Togaru stood at the end of the corridor.
He was bent slightly forward, breathing heavily.
His blades rested at his sides.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"Caught you."
Denki's expression dropped.
"...Togaru."
Togaru straightened.
"Momo."
His eyes never left Denki.
"I located them."
A brief pause.
Momo's voice came through his earpiece.
"Good."
Togaru wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"What's next?"
"Get ready."
Togaru's grin faded slightly.
"For what?"
"I need you to listen carefully."
He stopped moving.
Momo continued.
"I've prepared the hallway."
Togaru's eyes shifted.
He finally noticed the small mechanisms embedded within the walls.
"...Oh."
"They'll try to evade you."
Momo's voice remained calm.
"When they do, the traps will limit their movement."
Togaru nodded slowly.
"Got it."
Momo took a deep breath. It was likely they figured out where the bomb could be, this stall MUST work...
"Wait for my command."
Togaru lowered his stance.
Denki's fingers began sparking.
Jiro's jacks rose.
Neither side moved.
Then...
Momo spoke.
"Now."
Several panels snapped open.
Jiro's eyes widened.
"DOWN!"
Darts shot across the hallway.
Denki grabbed Jiro and pulled her beneath them.
The projectiles embedded themselves into the opposite wall.
Togaru launched forward.
"NOW!"
His blades came down.
Denki rolled away.
The blade struck the floor where his head had been.
"TOGARU!"
Togaru twisted.
Another slash.
Denki ducked,
Jiro slammed both jacks into the wall.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
A shockwave tore through the hallway.
Togaru braced himself, hands clasped around his ears with all his might.
His shoes scraped backward.
But this time...
He didn't lose his balance.
His eyes narrowed.
"Not falling for that again."
Denki's grin disappeared.
"...He's already adjusted."
Togaru pushed forward.
"Of course I did."
He disappeared from their sight.
Jiro's eyes widened.
"Denki!"
A blade struck the wall beside him.
Denki jumped.
"Gotcha!"
Togaru spun.
Denki fired a burst of electricity.
Togaru twisted around it.
The attack barely missed.
He landed against the wall.
Denki stared.
"...You're getting annoying."
Togaru grinned.
"Funny."
He crouched.
"I was thinking the same thing."
The timer continued ticking.
5:58
And somewhere deeper inside Ground Beta...
Momo watched the cameras.
Her eyes moved between the two teams.
The heroes were searching.
The villains were controlling the battlefield.
And the bomb...
Still hadn't been found.
'Exactly as planned.'
-
Back in the observation room...
The class watched the monitor in silence.
The image showed Denki and Jiro trapped on the third floor.
Togaru had them cornered.
Genya leaned forward.
"...They figured it out."
Kirishima looked toward him.
"Figured what out?"
Genya pointed toward the screen.
"They weren't actually looking for the bomb."
Kirishima blinked.
"What?"
Genya's eyes followed the hallway.
"They were looking for where Momo wanted them to look."
"Every time they got closer to something useful, they were pushed somewhere else."
Genya continued.
"She didn't just hide the bomb."
He paused, watching the monitor intensely
"She made them waste time trying to find it."
Iida adjusted his glasses.
"That would explain their movement throughout the building."
Todoroki nodded.
"They've been getting dragged farther and farther away from the objective."
He looked toward the timer.
5:43
His expression tightened.
"And now they're running out of time."
A few students shifted uncomfortably.
Mina frowned.
"So they just have to get past Togaru and get back downstairs, right?"
All Might shook his head.
"It's not that simple."
He pointed toward the monitor.
"Togaru knows they're trying to get past him."
"And Momo knows exactly where they are."
Jiro's shockwave hit the screen.
Togaru barely staggered.
Genya's eyes narrowed.
"And now he knows how to deal with her sound."
Denki fired.
Togaru twisted around it.
"He's learned their tricks."
The room became quieter.
All Might was smiling, to have such a high-level match from students was appalling. Their teams were almost evenly matched
Kirishima rubbed his chin.
"So..."
"They've got five minutes."
"Togaru knows what they can do."
"Momo knows where they are."
"And the bomb is probably on the first floor."
Genya nodded.
"Yeah."
Kirishima stared at the screen.
"...That's rough."
Genya didn't answer.
His eyes shifted toward Sanemi.
Sanemi had barely moved.
His arms remained folded.
His eyes stayed fixed on Togaru.
Genya noticed.
"...You, uh, knew he'd adapt."
Sanemi didn't look away.
"Yeah."
Genya looked intently at Sanemi almost trying to figure out a puzzle.
"You weren't surprised at all."
"No."
Sanemi's eyes followed Togaru as he moved around Denki's attack.
"He always hated losing to the same thing twice."
Genya blinked.
"...Always?"
Sanemi finally looked toward him.
"He's stubborn."
A pause.
"Really fucking stubborn."
Togaru narrowly avoided another shockwave.
Genya watched him.
"...He's different."
Sanemi's eyes returned to the screen.
"So are you."
Genya went quiet.
Sanemi continued.
"That's the point."
His gaze remained cold and focused,
"You all fought villains.
"You all changed."
"And now you're fighting each other."
Genya looked back toward the monitor.
Togaru was already moving again.
"...Yeah."
He nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
Genya's hands tightened around the railing.
Sanemi's eyes never left the screen.
Neither said another word.
The class could feel it.
There was something underneath this fight.
Something they didn't fully understand.
The way Sanemi watched Togaru.
The way Denki and Togaru fought like they had been doing this for years.
All Might noticed the silence.
He looked toward the class.
"...Interesting."
Nobody responded.
All Might turned back toward the monitor.
"Then let us see what our young heroes do with the time they have left."
The timer continued falling.
4:59
-
Denki leaned against the wall as Jiro heaved missiles,
The intercoms came to life.
"YOUNG HEROES!"
All Might's voice echoed through the building.
"YOU ONLY HAVE FIVE MINUTES LEFT!"
Denki's eyes widened.
"FIVE MINUTES?!"
Jiro glanced toward the clock.
4:57
Her eyes narrowed.
"...Damn."
Denki stumbled backward.
His breathing had become heavier.
His arms were beginning to shake from the constant output.
Jiro looked toward him.
"Denki?"
He raised a hand.
"Back up."
Jiro blinked.
"...What?"
"Just..."
Denki's electricity began crawling across his entire body.
"...Back up."
Jiro stared at him.
His sparks weren't the same anymore.
They were louder.
Brighter.
Violent.
Her eyes widened.
"Denki..."
He looked toward Togaru.
"I'm going full blast."
Jiro immediately understood.
She grabbed her jacks and backed away.
"Don't fry yourself."
Denki grinned.
"No promises."
Across the hallway...
Togaru stopped.
His blades lowered.
His breathing slowly became calmer.
The heavy panting disappeared.
His shoulders relaxed.
His eyes sharpened.
For several seconds...
He simply stood there.
Watching Denki.
Watching the electricity building around his body.
Then...
He touched his earpiece.
"Momo."
Her voice answered immediately.
"Yes?"
Togaru mouthed quickly
"I'm done."
A pause.
"... Alright, You've done enough."
Togaru looked toward Denki as Momo's voice blared through again.
"You bought me enough time."
Momo's voice became more focused.
"I have the bomb secured."
Togaru's eyes widened slightly.
"...Already?"
Momo laughed,
"While you kept them occupied."
A small grin formed.
"So..."
"Now I just need to finish this."
Momo paused.
"Exactly."
Togaru lowered himself.
His blades angled outward.
His breathing slowed even further.
"Got it."
He looked directly at Denki.
"Let's end this."
Denki's electricity surged.
"Yeah."
The hallway became strangely quiet.
Even Jiro stopped moving.
Two old friends.
Two people who had grown up together.
Two completely different fighters from what they had been years ago.
Togaru's eyes narrowed.
"Mantis Breathing..."
Denki's entire body erupted in electricity.
"INDISCRIMINATE SHOCK!"
Togaru vanished.
"FIRST FORM..."
Denki's eyes widened.
"Two..."
A massive burst of electricity exploded from his body.
"Million..."
Togaru appeared directly in front of him.
"GREEN HURRICANE!"
"VOLTS!"
BOOOOOOM!!!
The hallway disappeared in a flash.
Electricity ripped through the walls.
Togaru's blades were knocked from his hands.
His body was thrown backward.
He slammed into the floor.
Silence.
Smoke slowly drifted through the hallway.
Jiro slowly lowered her arms.
"...Denki?"
Nothing.
Then she saw him.
Denki stood completely still.
His eyes were blank.
His hair was standing straight up.
A stupid grin was plastered across his face.
"...Heh."
Jiro stared.
"...Idiot."
Denki groaned,
"...I can't feel my legs."
She grabbed him by the collar.
"Because you're an idiot!"
She dragged him around the corner.
"We have two minutes!"
Denki's body limply followed behind her.
"Two minutes...?"
Jiro just hurried down the stairs with Denki in hand.
"Yes!"
Denki meekly scratched his head
"...That's not a lot."
"I KNOW!"
Jiro released him.
Denki immediately stumbled forward.
"Come on!"
She sprinted down the hallway.
Denki followed as best he could.
Behind them...
Togaru remained motionless on the floor.
His blades lay several feet away.
The timer continued counting.
2:01
Jiro glanced toward the stairs.
"We're getting that bomb."
Denki gave a thumbs up.
"Yeah!"
He stumbled.
"Probably."
Jiro sighed.
"You're hopeless."
The two disappeared down the hallway.
And for the first time since the battle began...
The heroes had a clear path toward the objective.
1:54
But as they descended the stairs, a sharp pain was felt as Denkis fell face-first.
"DENKI!"
She turnt to see Momo with a dart gun in hand, pointing towards Jiro's leg,
"We won..."
Looking down was a dart, suddenly, sleep felt more appealing than fighting at the moment.
"Shit."
Jiro slumped to the floor as the intercom came to life.
All Might's voice rang through the building.
"THE MATCH IS OVER!"
For a moment...
Nothing.
Then the observation room erupted.
"WHAT?!"
"WHEN?!"
All Might stared at the monitor.
His usual grin had turnt to a wide smile.
He was genuinely stunned.
Then...
His fist slowly clenched.
"Villain Team..."
A pause.
"WINS!"
---------------------------------------------------------------
so i had this one in the bag i only took 5 hours to make this and it really is a carrer low, i really enjoyed this chapter for many reasons, i felt the chemistry between both team just made this so easy to write and iddk im so excited also people geniunely be reading my shii so they see how much gibberish i actually write like and why writing all formal is so unatrual to me but this chapter just flowed so perfect imo of course but lmk if yall agree also leave a positive review pls helps other see this peak (self glaze i know)
we finally gon see sanemi fight genya vro im sorry but i told yall imlocked in stop playin....