The atmosphere in the stadium was electric. The two opening elimination rounds had come to an end, and the ring in the center of the arena was prepped for the final portion of the U.A. Sports Festival.
"AND HERE WE HAVE THE FIRST MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND!" Present Mic screamed into his microphone, the echo booming across the entire stadium. "On one side stands the absolute powerhouse of the event so far, the cold and untouchable representative of Class 1-A... MEPHISTO DARKNESS!"
The crowd went wild, chanting my name. I stepped into the ring with my hands in my pockets, completely calm.
"And on the other side, we have the strategic provocateur from Class 1-B... NEITO MONOMA!"
Monoma walked toward me with an arrogant smirk. He slicked back his hair and looked at me with the same contempt he directed at all of Class 1-A.
"So, the famous Mephisto Darkness..." Monoma said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Class 1-A thinks they're something special just because villains attacked them. But you're all just a bunch of arrogant kids basking in the spotlight. Today, I'll show everyone that your celebrated abilities aren't special at all. All I need to do is touch you... and your 'Quirk' will be mine!"
My expression remained entirely motionless. "Is that so?"
Midnight stood beside the ring, whip in hand. She looked at the two of us and snapped her whip in a split-second motion. "The rules are simple! Elimination by ring-out, incapacitation, or surrender! On your marks... START!"
Monoma lunged forward immediately. He wasn't stupid—he knew he stood no chance in a direct physical confrontation, so he used all his speed for a sudden strike.
I remained standing in place with my hands in my pockets.
"Hah! You're too slow!" Monoma shouted in ecstasy, reaching out and slapping his palm onto my shoulder.
SLAP.
In that moment, a triumphant grin spread across his face. "Got you! Now let's see how it feels to be beaten by your own power—"
The words died in his throat.
In less than a thousandth of a second, Monoma's smile vanished. His pupils shrank to the size of pinheads.
BZZZZZZZT!
For Monoma, time came to a complete standstill. He saw my shadow aura engulfing entire star systems. He gazed into a bottomless abyss that was never meant for a ordinary human brainstem to process.
"What... what... IS THIS?!" Monoma's mind screamed in absolute terror.
It was an impact like a child's tiny bucket attempting to contain an entire ocean of molten metal. Monoma's neural system and consciousness were incapable of absorbing even 0.01% of my Quirk's burden.
"Aaaaaagh... AAAAAAAAAAHHH! MY BRAIN! IT'S BURNING!" Monoma shrieked at the top of his lungs.
Before the eyes of tens of thousands of bewildered spectators, Monoma dropped to his knees. Drops of blood spurted from his nose and ears as his nervous system collapsed under the infinite pressure of the Shadow Monarch. His eyes rolled back into his head, foam trickled from his mouth, and his body began to violently convulse in severe spasms.
I hadn't raised a hand. I hadn't used a single attack.
"What is going on over there?!" Present Mic yelled in shock. "Monoma from Class 1-B touched Mephisto Darkness, but instead of attacking, he collapsed to the ground screaming in convulsions! Is this some kind of defense?!"
"Poor little worm," Agron's amused yet cold voice chimed in my mind. "He attempted to peer into your core structure. It's a miracle his tiny head didn't outright explode."
Teachers and medical robots immediately rushed into the ring. Midnight hurried over to Monoma, checked his pulse, and raised her hand with a pale face.
"Neito Monoma is unfit to continue! Mental and physical collapse! The winner is... MEPHISTO DARKNESS!"
The arena fell silent for a second in awe and a hint of dread before erupting into thunderous applause. I glanced back at the medics loading Monoma onto a stretcher. His mind was severely damaged; it hadn't killed him, but he would be recovering from this psychological shock for weeks.
I turned around and exited the ring with calm, steady steps.