Win Or Save. P.3

I believe it was like this right? We're on part 3 right? Also, If you can't see the reference in this chapter...I'll stop posting for a week, it's right there.

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Another explosive clash erupted between Izuku Midoriya and Bakugo Katsuki, their bodies colliding with raw power and unrelenting energy. Bakugo's taunts rang in Izuku's ears, each one hitting harder than the last. "C'mon! Where's that quirk? WHERE IS IT?!" Bakugo shouted, his voice carrying over the roaring stadium.

Izuku's mind was spinning as he fought to keep up, his body aching from the relentless pace. He thought back to the beginning of this fight—how revealing One For All to Bakugo had cost him more than he ever imagined. Not only had it strained their relationship, but it had made Bakugo believe Izuku had hidden his quirk out of some twisted sense of superiority.

Bakugo kept up the pressure, flying and blasting at Izuku from mid-range, explosions lighting up the arena like fireworks. Izuku, dodging and weaving, thought furiously about how to get past Bakugo's barrage. His mind raced as he searched for an opening. I need to show him, he thought, I need to show him that I've never held back.

"It's right here, Kacchan!" Izuku shouted, determination swelling inside him. He replicated All Might's iconic stance, pulling his fist back, and punched the air with all his might. A compressed wave of air shot forward, crashing into Bakugo's gut, and sending him skidding backward.

"It worked!" Izuku exclaimed, his excitement bubbling up. But Bakugo, ever the indomitable force, stood back up, a smug grin plastered across his face. "Is that all, Deku? Sh*tty Hair hits harder on a bad day." He stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as if the attack had barely fazed him.

Izuku's heart sank. Bakugo was relentless, just as he always had been. His stamina, his ferocity—it was like nothing Izuku had ever faced. Aizawa and Present Mic's voices filtered through the arena's speakers, narrating the intensity of the fight.

"OH MY GOSH, TALK ABOUT A RIVALRY! WHAT SAY YOU, AIZAWA?" Present Mic's voice boomed with excitement.

Aizawa, wearing his usual dispassionate expression, responded with an analytical tone. "Bakugo's going to win at this rate. Izuku's stamina is running out, but Bakugo sweats more as he fights, and that makes his explosions grow stronger. From what we saw in his fight with Tokoyami, Bakugo's still holding back."

Izuku heard Aizawa's words and felt panic rising in his chest. Am I going to lose again? Another explosion rocked him, knocking him off balance. His body screamed in pain from the strain of using One For All at 15%, but he couldn't stop. I can't lose here, he thought, I just can't!

Bakugo's taunts cut through the noise, sharp and biting. "ALL THAT TALK FOR WHAT? You should've stayed home and taken a desk job. C'mon, Deku, aren't you supposed to be strong? All Might wouldn't lose like this." His voice dripped with venom, each word stoking the fire of Izuku's frustration.

"Stop..." Izuku whispered under his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He tried to focus, tried to push Bakugo's words out of his head, but they kept coming.

"Still the same even with a quirk. Didn't you say you weren't my punching bag anymore?" Bakugo taunted, his smirk growing wider.

"STOP!" Izuku shouted, his voice filled with desperation as he suddenly closed the distance between them. His speed surprised Bakugo, who barely had time to react. Izuku landed a solid punch to Bakugo's jaw, the impact reverberating through his body. "Can you shut up, Kacchan?! Listen to me! I didn't mean to lie to you! It was the circumstances!"

Bakugo's eyes widened in surprise at the outburst, but his shock quickly turned to fury. "Why can't you just hear me instead of yelling?! All you do is fight! Why can't we be friends again?!" Izuku's voice cracked as he pleaded with Bakugo.

The question triggered something deep inside Bakugo. His face twisted into a snarl, and his eyes blazed with fury. "Why? WHY?! YOU WANNA ASK ME WHY?!" His voice was like a roar, filled with all the pent-up rage he'd been holding back. "Because that's how it is! You're the hero! Always the hero, and I'm just the side character... I always was!"

With a furious yell, Bakugo grabbed Izuku by the collar and threw him into the air. He followed with an explosive spin, slamming Izuku into the ground with a devastating impact.

"Who said that, Kacchan?!" Izuku gasped, kicking Bakugo off him with the last of his strength. "Don't you see it, Deku?!" Bakugo snarled, his voice strained with emotion. "This is how it always is. The hero is always someone like you."

Bakugo advanced again, his eyes wild with frustration. "Helpful!" He landed a punch on Izuku's ribs. "Kind!" Another blow to the stomach. "Shy!" Elbow to the face. "Determined." Punch. "Heroic." Kick. "Timid." Slam. "Inspiring." Jab. "Friendly."

Each word was a strike, each compliment laced with bitterness. Izuku took the hits, his body battered and bruised, but it was the words that hurt more. "Was this it, Kacchan?" he asked, breathless.

But Bakugo wasn't done. He landed a direct explosion to Izuku's stomach, sending him flying once again. "It always was, Deku. Why can't I be the hero?!" Bakugo's voice cracked as he threw himself on top of Izuku, pinning him down and throwing punch after punch. "WHY IS IT ALWAYS YOU?!"

Izuku, desperate, kicked Bakugo off him and the two switched places. They traded punches again, both exhausted but refusing to back down. "It's not just me, Kacchan!" Izuku shouted between blows. "Who says the hero has to be just one person?! We can both be heroes!"

Bakugo paused for a moment, his chest heaving as he looked at Izuku with something other than rage. "Can we?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost calm.

Izuku opened his mouth to say yes, but All Might's image flashed in his mind. I have All Might's quirk... I'm the chosen one... Could he say Bakugo could be equal to him when he had the power of the greatest hero in history?

"You see it too, huh?" Bakugo muttered, his face unreadable. He threw another punch, knocking Izuku back. "SEE?! It's always the hero! WE NEVER WIN!" Bakugo's voice was more broken than angry now, and as he stood there, panting and battered, he seemed lost.

Izuku struggled to get up, his body barely responding. His handcuffs, the ones Kurokami had made for him to use One For All without breaking his body, had shattered earlier in the fight, and now he was pushing himself far beyond his limit. Bakugo noticed the broken cuffs and muttered, "Huh... so you were still holding back..."

This was it. The final stand. Both of them knew it. Bakugo started spinning in the air, his explosions whirling around him like a storm.

...

But then the rage returned, and with a wild grin, Bakugo's hands exploded with energy. "You don't get it, Deku. There's only room for one of us at the top."

With that, Bakugo launched himself into the air, spinning wildly as he charged up his final move. "HOWITZER... IMPACT!"

Izuku, battered and on the verge of collapse, clenched his fists. I can't let it end here. Not like this.

As Bakugo spiraled down toward him, Izuku channeled every last bit of One For All into his fist. "Delaware... SMASH!"

The two attacks collided with a thunderous roar, the sheer force of the impact sending shockwaves through the stadium. Cementoss immediately raised walls of cement to shield the audience from the blast, but even those were barely enough to contain the power.

When the dust settled, the arena was in ruins, the ground cracked and scorched.

Midnight slowly made her way to the center, her whip in hand as she surveyed the scene. Bakugo stood, battered and burnt, but still on his feet. Beneath him, Izuku lay unmoving, his body spent, tears streaming down his face even though his eyes were closed.

"Hey... I won, woman," Bakugo muttered, his voice strained from the effort.

Midnight, slightly irritated by Bakugo's lack of respect, gave him a look before raising her hand. "The winner... BAKUGO KATSUKI!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, but Bakugo barely heard them. He stared down at Izuku, his former friend, now broken and defeated beneath him. "Second loss, third? I don't care anymore, Deku. Just give up... You'll never be strong enough." He turned and walked away, the weight of victory heavy on his shoulders.

As Bakugo disappeared from view, Izuku's body remained still, his tears mixing with the dirt below him. Despite everything... he had failed again.

...

Bakugo walked through the waiting room with a distant look in his eyes, a stark contrast to his usual brash demeanor. As he turned the shower on, letting the water cascade into the drain, he muttered to himself, "I should make sure Deku doesn't give up from just that..."

It wasn't like his usual victories. There was no joy in taunting Midoriya this time, no satisfaction in proving his superiority. This feeling was different—unfamiliar, even. He'd won, but something about it didn't feel like winning. He still had one more opponent, and that was all that mattered now. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as his mind shifted gears.

"You're next, damn dwarf," he muttered, already picturing his upcoming match against Kurokami Tenshin, the class president. The thought of going toe-to-toe with Kuro sparked a fire in his chest, his blood pumping with anticipation.

After cleaning up, Bakugo changed into his clothes, more composed now but still brimming with energy. His hands flexed instinctively, tiny sparks of explosions forming in his palms. He couldn't afford to get too relaxed. Kurokami was no joke, and Bakugo knew he had to be at his best to take down the eccentric president.

As he left the locker room, a single thought nagged at him. Kuro was still in the infirmary, right? He hadn't seen him since Todoroki had carried him off after their match. Bakugo made his way down the hall, heading toward the infirmary.

The walk was quiet, aside from the distant murmurs of the crowd and the occasional footsteps of other students. His thoughts wandered back to his fight with Deku—how that final clash of wills had felt different from anything before. It wasn't just about winning; it was about proving something... to both of them.

Still, he couldn't dwell on that now. Bakugo needed to focus on what was next. As he approached the infirmary door, his hand clenched into a fist, his competitive spirit reigniting.

"That idiot better be ready," Bakugo muttered under his breath as he pushed the door open, ready to see if Kuro was back on his feet.

...

Bakugo stepped into the infirmary only to be greeted by the strangest sight yet: Kurokami Tenshin was stuck on the ceiling, plastered there by some strange purple goo. Kuro grinned down at him, his free hand giving a casual wave. "Hey, Bakugo! Been a while, huh?"

Next to him, equally stuck in the goo, was none other than Mei Hatsume, who enthusiastically waved her hand. "Hi, Kuro's classmate!"

Bakugo's eyes twitched as they lowered to the exasperated figure of Recovery Girl, who sat nearby, massaging her temples. She let out a long sigh. "I don't even know how this happened... I'm getting too old for this."

Shaking her head, she sat down, her expression one of pure exhaustion. Bakugo crossed his arms, assessing the situation with growing annoyance.

"Dreadlocks," Bakugo called out, referring to Mei. "Is it flame retardant?"

Mei, undeterred by the situation, cheerfully replied, "Nope!"

A dangerous grin spread across Bakugo's face as his palm began to glow with a golden hue. "Perfect."

Without another word, a small contained explosion echoed in the room. "Bang."

A few minutes later, Kuro sat on the infirmary bed, his hair messy and slightly singed. Mei, however, was fully engrossed in trying to fix Kuro's hair with intense focus, mumbling to herself, "Three bangs hanging to the right, two to the left... four spikes in the front, three in the back." She flipped her goggles down as if trying to decipher the secret formula for Kuro's signature look.

Meanwhile, Bakugo sat a few feet away, his arms crossed, looking more relaxed than usual. "Alright, dumbass. How exactly did you two manage to get yourselves stuck on the ceiling?"

Kuro didn't seem fazed by the insult, smiling like he always did. "Oh, Mei was testing a sticky bomb, made for clean, non-lethal capture. The actual material was a bit tricky too—"

"I can't bring myself to care, nerd. Keep it short." Bakugo cut him off before he could delve into a full-on explanation.

"Right, right. Anyway, I heard you beat Deku," Kuro said, switching topics with ease. "How'd it go?"

Bakugo leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, beat him. Pretty sure he's off somewhere crying about it, though. He used his quirk this time, even though... he couldn't before. At least, not like that."

Kuro paused, his mind already working through what Bakugo was saying. "Hmm, interesting. Mei, what's the latest on Quirk Evolution Theory?"

Mei, who was just a few seconds away from giving Kuro a haircut instead of fixing his existing style, chimed in. "Still unproven, hasn't moved much in research, and it's probably going to be scrapped soon."

Digesting that information, Kuro continued, "So Izuku could be experiencing a quirk evolution, or... his quirk could be working in ways we don't fully understand. Based on what I've seen, he might not have a pure strength quirk. Maybe his quirk was influenced by his obsession with All Might and manifested as a strength-based quirk, but it's an energy-type quirk, kind of like mine. The lightning we see when he uses his quirk could be a sign of that."

Mei nodded enthusiastically while still tinkering with Kuro's hair. "If that's the case, then Izuku's quirk might respond more to his emotions or even his body's condition. It could've stayed dormant during childhood because it had too much energy for him to control, and only now, with all his physical training, can he survive using it."

Kuro leaned back thoughtfully, nodding along. "That could also explain why his quirk is developing in stages, like mine does, rather than all at once. But it also pokes holes in the Quirk Singularity Theory. Instead of quirks becoming too powerful for people to control, they might just stay latent until their users are strong enough to handle them."

Bakugo stared at them both for a moment before slowly standing up and walking away, clearly done with the conversation. "I'm outta here. I'm not listening to nerd talk for the rest of the day."

As Bakugo left, Mei and Kuro continued their deep dive into quirk theories, while Recovery Girl swept the floor, picking up scraps of purple goo and loose strands of hair. "From a top nurse to cleaning up after kids... how glamorous," she muttered to herself, though her tone was fond rather than annoyed.

She looked over at the two young minds still engrossed in their discussion. Despite their eccentricities, the combination of Hatsume and Kurokami was something special. Where would they go from here? Would they be content to work in the background, designing inventions for the heroes of tomorrow? Or did they have something bigger in mind?

As Recovery Girl mused over the possibilities, she smiled softly. "Ah, young people's futures… not my problem anymore."

But deep down, she couldn't help but wonder just how far these two would go.

...

Izuku Midoriya walked down the halls of U.A., the echoes of his footsteps blending with the hum of the lights above. His body was healed, courtesy of Recovery Girl, but the deeper wounds, the ones carved into his heart, refused to mend so easily. The weight of failure pressed heavily on his shoulders. He had all this power—One For All—and yet, he still couldn't close the gap between him and Kacchan. All the strength, training, and dedication felt meaningless if he couldn't save the one person he cared about the most. How could he call himself a hero if he couldn't even reach his childhood friend?

Lost in thought, Izuku absentmindedly reached out his hand, only to feel something soft beneath his fingers. "Huh?" he mumbled in confusion, giving the mysterious object a small squeeze. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what he was touching, but all he saw was Mina Ashido standing nearby. It didn't make sense—what could he possibly be holding?

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke the silence, one that sent a chill down his spine. "...Y'know, I felt bad seeing how injured you got, Midoriya... but not anymore, since you're clearly well enough to do this."

Izuku's face drained of color as he realized the horrifying truth. His hand was gripping something that belonged to the invisible girl, Toru Hagakure. His mouth opened in a silent gasp, and before he could apologize, Toru, who was clearly furious, exacted swift and painful revenge.

A few moments later, Izuku sat on the floor, a large lump on his head and a fresh black eye. "I-I'm really sorry, Hagakure! I wasn't paying attention—"

Toru crossed her invisible arms, her voice still dripping with annoyance. "Watch where you're grabbing next time, pervert!"

Meanwhile, Mina, who had witnessed the whole spectacle, couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, Midoriya. You've really got your game going, huh? First Ochaco, now Toru? You're really aiming high!"

Toru stomped her invisible foot. "Mina! Not helping!" she scolded, her tone flustered.

Izuku, still utterly clueless and overwhelmed by the situation, blinked in confusion. "W-What do you mean by that, Mina?"

Mina giggled, quickly backtracking. "Oh, nothing! It's just... um... friendship and... rainbows and stuff." She waved her hands frantically, realizing she was treading dangerous ground. One thing you didn't do in Class 1-A was shatter Izuku's pure-hearted innocence. The guy was practically a walking cinnamon roll.

Toru, still annoyed but now feeling a little bad for how hard she'd hit him, softened her tone. "So, what are you doing here, Midoriya? You just wandering around, or eyeing up more targets?"

Izuku's face turned beet red, and he hung his head in shame. "No... I've just been... thinking."

Sensing the shift in his mood, Toru's anger faded. "Wanna talk about it? Sometimes it helps to get things off your chest."

"Yeah!" Mina chimed in, her teasing tone dropping slightly. "Talking always helps me feel better! Plus, I could get Ochaco to come to cheer you up." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, earning a thumbs-down from Toru and another look of utter confusion from Izuku.

Izuku sighed, feeling the weight of his emotions return. "I've been trying to get Kacchan to understand me, but it doesn't feel like it's working. No matter what I do, I can't seem to reach him..."

Mina leaned against the wall, tapping her chin. "Hmm, well, if you ask me, Midoriya... Bakugo doesn't seem like he cares that much. He's pretty happy doing his own thing."

Toru nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I think you might be going about it the wrong way. Bakugo's not the emotional type, y'know? Have you talked to him? Like... without all the shouting?"

Izuku furrowed his brow, thinking back to their past conversations—or rather, confrontations. "I've tried, but... it usually just makes things worse. I can't explain it properly without making him angrier."

Toru tapped her invisible foot on the floor, thinking hard. "Then you need to tell him the truth. Keeping secrets is only going to make things worse. If you don't solve this now, it's going to fester. You guys need to get it all out in the open."

Mina checked her phone, noticing the time. The final fight was coming up soon. "Yeah, and don't take too long, Midoriya! Do you remember that story we had to read for class a while ago? The one about the falcon and the blade? This is just like that! Don't let your friendship fall apart." She gave him a playful wink before grabbing Toru's hand and dragging her toward the stands.

Izuku watched them go, his mind replaying the literature assignment from a few weeks ago. The falcon and the blade—he remembered how that story ended, with two friends turned enemies, their bond severed forever by pride and misunderstandings. That couldn't be him and Kacchan. No, he wouldn't let it happen.

He clenched his fists, a new fire burning in his eyes. "Falcon and the blade, huh? I'll save our friendship, Kacchan... I swear."

Determined, Izuku took a deep breath and made his way toward Bakugo's waiting room. There was no turning back now. Whatever happened, he had to confront Kacchan one last time—for the sake of their friendship.

As he ran through the hallway, his voice echoed in the empty corridors, filled with newfound resolve.

"PLUS ULTRA!"

As the crowd roared in anticipation for the final match, Present Mic's voice boomed through the arena.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FINAL MATCH IS HERE! BAKUGO KATSUKI VS KUROKAMI TENSHIN! THE HIGHEST SCORERS IN THE PRACTICAL EXAM FACE OFF ONCE AGAIN! TALK ABOUT A DESTINED MATCH!!!"

The stadium buzzed with excitement, and even the spectators who weren't as familiar with Class 1-A could feel the weight of this rivalry. Two of the most explosive—and, in Kuro's case, bizarrely charismatic—students were about to face off, and the tension was palpable.

Aizawa, as always, chimed in with his dry commentary, "For once, you're right, Present Mic. Kurokami and Bakugo represent two different sides of Class 1-A. One's a natural-born strategist with overwhelming energy control, and the other's pure, aggressive power. Personally, I would've preferred Todoroki here, though."

All Might and Principal Nezu were watching from the stands, Nezu perched comfortably on All Might's shoulder like some sort of fuzzy mascot. Nezu turned to All Might with a grin, "So, All Might, where's your money? Bakugo or Kurokami?"

All Might, arms crossed and eyes focused on the stadium, replied with a thoughtful tone, "Young Bakugo is relentless. His quirk is destructive, and his willpower is unmatched. But... Kurokami is a wild card. He thrives under pressure and seems to have an instinct for winning. It's hard to bet against him. Plus, I doubt he'd step into this fight without some plan."

Nezu's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Ah, yes. Kurokami does have a way of making every match feel like it's his show. He's the type of hero that embodies the 'fairy tale' ideal—pure-hearted, larger than life. People are drawn to him because he's what they imagine heroes are supposed to be."

All Might nodded in agreement but couldn't help thinking about Midoriya. He knew losing to Bakugo must have been a heavy blow for the young hero, especially considering their rivalry. Young Midoriya... you'll rise again.

Meanwhile, down in the stadium, Kurokami Tenshin made his entrance. He flipped into the arena with his usual flair, floating just inches above the ground as he took in the crowd. His bright, innocent grin quickly faded as he realized the sheer size of the audience.

"...You really forget how many people are watching until you're down here, huh…" Kuro murmured to himself, his wide eyes scanning the roaring spectators, the endless rows of reporters, and the flashing cameras.

Is this what being a hero is like? he wondered, already feeling the weight of the spotlight on him. But in the next breath, he dismissed it all with a casual shrug. "...Boring."

Not far from the stadium entrance, Bakugo Katsuki was heading toward the field, his steps heavy with purpose. But as he neared the entrance, the sound of familiar, fast-paced footsteps made him stop and turn.

"Oh, you're not crying anymore, Deku?" Bakugo sneered as he laid eyes on the determined, though clearly nervous, figure of Izuku Midoriya approaching him.

"I'm here, Kacchan, to tell you—" Izuku started, his voice filled with resolve, but he was quickly cut off by Bakugo's sharp glare.

"I don't care, nerd." Bakugo's voice was cold, his eyes flicking with annoyance. "Whatever you have to say, it won't matter. You couldn't beat me today, and you couldn't beat me yesterday. Whether you get stronger, try harder, or even unlock another quirk evolution or whatever, I'll still crush you. I'll kill every hope you have and prove that a crybaby can never be a real hero."

Bakugo turned away, his focus already shifting back to the upcoming battle with Kurokami. "Anything you try to be... I'll destroy it."

Izuku stood there, shocked by Bakugo's harsh words, but at the same time, he felt a strange sense of closure. Something about Bakugo's tone was... different. It wasn't the usual blind rage or frustration. There was almost a sense of peace, as if Bakugo was finally coming to terms with their rivalry in his own way.

"I... I won't lose, Kacchan! I swear it!" Izuku called out, his voice filled with a mix of determination and desperation. But all he got in return was a lazy wave from Bakugo as he continued walking toward the stadium.

For a moment, Izuku felt like there wouldn't be a need for them to fight anymore, as though their rivalry had finally reached a silent understanding. But then he shook his head. Wait, no. Kacchan said he does want to fight me again…

Pulling out his trusty notebook, Izuku started scribbling down strategies, already preparing himself for the next phase of his growth. "In that case, I'll need a more systematic training regimen..."

Back in the arena, Bakugo finally stepped onto the battlefield. The tension between him and Kuro was like a physical force, crackling in the air as the two opponents locked eyes.

Kuro hovered above the ground, his ever-present grin back on his face as he floated lazily toward Bakugo. "So, Kacchan... think you've got enough to beat me this time?"

Bakugo's hands sparked with small explosions as he cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders to loosen up. "You better be ready, damn dwarf. This time, I'm blowing you out of the sky."

Kuro's grin widened. "That's the spirit! Try your hardest not to disappoint me!"

As the crowd's cheers grew even louder, the final match was set to begin. Midnight raised her hand, signaling for silence before the big announcement.

"Let the final battle... BEGIN!"

And with that, the final, most anticipated match of the Sports Festival commenced. Two forces—Bakugo's relentless, explosive fury, and Kurokami's unpredictable, wild energy—finally clashing head-on, each determined to be the strongest hero in their class.

Only one could walk away, the victor.

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[Auther: Yo!

Anyways, Win or Save is completed here, time for stage 2! "Save To Win" But I'll be refraining from that for awhile since I've got...Tsuyu, Iida, Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, and 4 others to do.

Also, should I drop my JJK Fic? If I do, I'll start Fate.

P.S. I've got my money on Bakugo and if you can't get the clear anime reference I put here, I'll be honest to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, stop posting for a week.]