The stadium quieted as Todoroki stepped onto the field, the usual roar dimming into an uneasy hush. Flames flickered openly along his left side while frost crept outward from his right, the air around him visibly warping from the temperature difference. Across the arena, Takeru hovered calmly above the ground, arms loose at his sides, eyes fixed on Todoroki without a hint of tension.
Present Mic broke the silence first. "OOOH, HOLD UP, HOLD UP! TODOROKI IS COMING OUT DIFFERENT THIS TIME, FOLKS! BOTH SIDES ARE ACTIVE, AND HE IS NOT HOLDING BACK AT ALL !"
Aizawa leaned forward slightly, eyes sharp beneath his bandages. "He's stabilized the output of his ice and fire sides. He is going for an all out attack Ice to drop the temperature, fire to detonate the pressure afterward. If this lands cleanly, it's his strongest opening move."
The signal sounded, and Todoroki moved immediately. Ice exploded outward, not just coating the ground but freezing the air itself, crystalline fog erupting as the temperature plummeted across the arena. Before the shock could settle, flames roared from his left side, blasting directly into the super-chilled space. The collision triggered a massive thermal explosion that rolled outward in a violent wave, the stadium trembling as protective barriers flared to absorb the force.
"THAT'S A COMBINED ATTACK!" Present Mic shouted, barely audible over the shockwave. "ICE AND FIRE AT THE SAME TIME! HOLY SHITTO !"
Steam and debris swallowed the battlefield, visibility dropping to nothing. For a brief moment, there was only the sound of cracking ice and roaring heat.
Then Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "He's gone."
The smoke parted just enough to reveal Takeru no longer standing where the attack had struck. Instead, he appeared behind Todoroki, floating effortlessly in the air, completely untouched by the blast. Gasps rippled through the crowd as cameras scrambled to keep up with the sudden shift.
"He didn't tank it," Aizawa said evenly. "He moved before the attack finished forming Kurogane movement speed is beyond what most people's eyes can track. This is Check mate."
Present Mic's voice spiked in disbelief. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! TODOROKI THREW EVERYTHING HE HAD, AND KUGOGANE JUST VANISHED!"
Todoroki barely had time to react before Takeru moved. A single clean strike dropped from above, precise and controlled, landing at the base of Todoroki's neck. Todoroki collapsed instantly, unconscious before his body hit the ground Takeru caught him by the scruff of his neck gently dropping him out of bounds.
The siren blared as the steam finally cleared.
"TODOROKI SHOTO IS DOWN!" Present Mic yelled. "THE MATCH IS OVER! TAKERU KUROGANE WINS THE FINALS!"
He stepped back as the crowd erupted, the message unmistakable.
Takeru had Shun had planned the whole thing "First match against Ibara was to show his overwhelming strength. Second match against Bakugo was to show his nigh invulnerability. The final match was to showcase his unmatched speed."
Present Mic let out a long whistle as the stadium roared. "FOLKS, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CLEAR FUTURE NUMBER ONE!"
Takeru bowed deeply to the crowd displaying the humility that was expected of a hero who had such overwhelming strength.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SEEN IS HISTORY! THE U.A. SPORTS FESTIVAL HAS A WINNER—TAKERU KUROGANE!"
The medal ceremony followed shortly after, the arena floor repaired just enough to support the podium. Students lined up as cheers rolled over them in waves. When Takeru stepped forward, the reaction was immediate and deafening. All Might himself stood at the center, back in his hero form, his smile broad as he placed the gold medal around Takeru's neck.
"You fought splendidly," All Might said warmly, his voice pitched low enough for only Takeru to hear. "You gave the people hope today." Then he pulled Takeru into a hug in front of everyone. "Thank you, Kurogane-shounen, for everything."
Takeru nodded and patted his back. Camera shutters clicked with such ferocity that even the roar of the stadium was drowned out.
It was only after security escorted the students away that Takeru finally slipped out through a side exit, ducking past reporters and into the parking lot. The noise faded behind him as he answered his phone.
"You broke every projection," Shun's voice said immediately, the words tumbling out in rapid succession. "Trending number one on every platform. Engagement metrics are insane. Clips of the Bakugo fight alone passed ten million views in minutes. Internship offers are going to flood in—top-tier agencies, no doubt. You'll be more famous than most of the pros, and they'll want to cash in, want the distinction of training the future number one. You'll have sponsorship offers as well, but I suggest you wait until you graduate before undertaking anything of that sort. Take the highest-ranked hero, someone with the highest popularity. I'd suggest Best Jeanist. That's how you lock in momentum."
Takeru half-listened, his eyes drifting across the lot. "Yeah. Got it," he replied absently.
In truth, his mind was already elsewhere. Hawks, he thought. They could just hang out after work. It had been a while since they'd done that. Other heroes didn't interest him.
Shun kept talking numbers, projections, and public sentiment, but Takeru's attention snapped back when he spotted a familiar head of ash-blond hair near the exit. Bakugo was storming across the pavement, a thick bandage wrapped around his head, shouting at a woman with the same sharp eyes and explosive presence. She was quite the beauty, with flawless skin and a banging body. A malicious grin formed on Takeru's face.
"I'M FINE, OLD HAG! STOP TREATING ME LIKE A KID!"
"YOU GOT FLATTENED ON LIVE TV, YOU IDIOT!" Mitsuki snapped, stopping short and jabbing a finger at Bakugo's bandaged head. "THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL YELLING AT ME?! LET'S GO HOME! I AM STARVING!!"
Takeru appeared behind them smoothly, stepping in and placing a hand on Hanabi-chan's shoulder. "Katsuki-kun, I just wanted to check if you were all right. I must say, you fought well. That flashbang attack was very clever."
Bakugo's eyes twitched in confusion, surprised that Takeru was being nice to him instead of mocking him. Then he noticed the hand on his shoulder. "GET AWAY FROM ME, MEATHEAD! I DON'T NEED YOUR SYMPATHY! I'LL KILL YOU NEXT TIME! YOU GOT LUCKY! DON'T THINK TOO HIGHLY OF YOURSELF!!"
Mitsuki turned away from the car door to see what her son was yelling about and met Takeru's eyes. He paused, then smiled apologetically. "Oh—my mistake. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had an older sister."
Mitsuki blinked, then laughed, a faint blush touching her cheeks as she caught the implication. She stepped closer and, without hesitation, rested her fingers lightly on Takeru's arm while she looked him over. "Older sister, huh? My, my—aren't you a gentleman." Her tone warmed. "Congratulations on winning, young man."
"THAT'S MY MOM!" Bakugo screamed.
"SHUT IT, BRAT!" Mitsuki barked instantly, not even looking at him. She kept her hand on Takeru's arm, shaking her head with a sigh. "See what I deal with? Every day. Loud, stubborn, impossible to manage."
Takeru chuckled softly. "Well, Katsuki-kun is near the top of the class, Mrs. Bakugo. I'd say you've done a splendid job."
"Oh, aren't you sweet!" Mitsuki said, squeezing his arm for emphasis. "Raising him is a full-contact sport." She glanced at Bakugo again and scowled. "AND DON'T BE RUDE IN FRONT OF YOUR FRIEND, AND DON'T CALL ME AN OLD HAG, YOU BRAT!!"
Bakugo spluttered incoherently, trying to come up with a response as his already sore head pounded harder.
Takeru met Mitsuki's gaze, unfazed by the chaos.
"Don't mind him, Mrs. Bakugo," Takeru said calmly. "He's concussed."
His gaze lingered over her voluptuous body for a second longer than would be polite as he looked her over, then he smirked. "Some people simply can't appreciate a fine woman, even if she's right in front of them."
Mitsuki blinked, then laughed, a warm blush spreading across her cheeks. "Well, aren't you a smooth talker, young man," she said, clearly amused. "You've got good taste and good manners." She crossed her arms and shook her head fondly. "Meanwhile, this one's been impossible since he was five."
"HEY!" Bakugo roared. "STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I'M NOT HERE!"
Mitsuki ignored Katsuki completely and leaned a little closer to Takeru, a grin tugging at her lips. "You know," she said casually, "after a performance like that today, I bet you've got girls lining up already."
Takeru let out a slow sigh, like it was a mild inconvenience, then looked back at her with a sharp, unmistakably flirtatious smirk. "Yeah," he admitted. "That does tend to happen." His gaze held hers steadily. "But I've always preferred women." Mitsuki laughed as her hand reached out and patted his chest, her hand lingering for a second longer than appropriate. "Stop it ! You're spoiling me, young man."
Takeru gave her a wink. "You look like someone who could use a little spoiling."
Mitsuki froze for half a second, then laughed, a real blush rising to her cheeks. "I need to be careful, you seem like trouble."Mitsuki said giggling, openly flustered now, clutching his arm to her chest a little tightly. "Such a charmer aren't you ? " She shot Katsuki a sideways glare. "YOU SHOULD TRY LEARNING FROM YOU FRIEND BRAT?!"
"HE IS NOT MY FRIEND !!!!" Bakugo screamed. "STOP FLIRTING! LET GO OF HIS ARM, YOU OLD HAG!"
Mitsuki ignored him completely and turned back to Takeru with a grin. "You should come over for dinner sometime. I'll make mochi—fresh. And maybe you can knock some sense into this idiot while you're at it."
Bakugo nearly short-circuited. "WHAT?! DON'T INVITE HIM! WHY ARE YOU FEEDING HIM?!"
Takeru inclined his head politely, eyes gleaming. "I'd be honored. I'm sure your mochi is delicious."
Mitsuki blushed, giggling and clearly enjoying herself now. "Oh, it is. It always is."
"WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT?!" Bakugo roared.
Mitsuki finally snapped at him. "QUIET, KATSUKI! YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOURSELF!"
Takeru stepped back with an easy smile, leaving Bakugo yelling in the background while Mitsuki waved to him, still flushed and amused.
"What happened Takeru-Kun you hung up the phone" Shun said over the phone . "It is nothing. My new fans clamoring for autographs. Shun-san i need any information you can gather on a Mitsuki Bakugo. I want a file sent to my email. We can discuss my hero career later." Takeru hung up the phone and cackled evilly to himself. Revenge for hitting my Kendo chan.