Chapter 26: What would you do?

Inside the intercom room, Eraserhead and Present Mic, could both be seen drinking water, getting ready to commentate the next battle. They glanced at each other before Present Mic smirked and spoke to Eraserhead asking a question. 

" Eraserhead, between the two matches so far. Which one was the most interesting? " Eraserhead stared at Present Mic slightly annoyed until he sighed and answered. 

" Ricolo. Todoroki vs Tokoyami might have been more flasher, filled with eye candy. But in terms of depth, Ricolo vs Mina was far more interesting. Both of them clearly had a plan. The opposite can be said for Tokoyami who didn't have a plan to beat Todoroki, giving up before the fight even began." 

Present Mic's grin grew wider as he suddenly spun in his chair and looked out the window staring at the stage, before he yelled out.

" You heard it from Eraserhead! But enough with the questions, let's get back to the action, currently standing on the stage, there is none other than, Katsuki Bakugo and Mezou Shouji! " Eraserhead eyes widened before he looked at the intercom, he had no clue that his answer to that question was broadcasted to the audience, he could only grunt annoyed, as Present Mic screamed out.

" Start! "

As this word swept through the stadium, Bakugo inhaled deeply staring at Shoji, who was staring at Bakugo with his mind racing trying to figure out how he could beat Bakugo. Seeing, Shoji in deep thought, Bakugo grinned cockily and spoke while walking towards Shoji causally. 

" You really don't think you're going to win this? Right, Shoji?! " Right when, Bakugo screamed out Shoji's name, explosions spewed out Bakugo's palms, propelling him towards Shoji, whose eyes quickly widened. 

What Bakugo said was true, Shoji had zero clue about how to defeat Bakugo, Bakugo was faster, stronger, and his quirk was far better. The only thing Shoji had in his opinion was intelligence, if he could outsmart Bakugo, maybe, just maybe, he could win this. The only problem with this plan...Was, Bakugo isn't going to give Shoji time to figure out a plan. Immediately a powerful punch slammed into Shoji's ribs making him grit his teeth in pain.

The force of the punch caused his burly body to slide back, but before Shoji could recover another explosion rippled through the air, as Bakugo flew above him, somersaulting in the air, Shoji could only see Bakugo's silhouette blocking out the sun, before a kick slammed into his black mask rocking his head back. 

Shoji stumbled, as another punch slammed into his torso, punch after punch slammed into his body, with each punch, Shoji's body inched closer and closer to the edge of the stage. Shoji was completely on the defensive until suddenly one of his arms flicked out grabbing Bakugo's arm tightly. Underneath Shoji's black mask, a grin crept onto his face, as he glanced up locking eyes with Bakugo.

As soon as he locked eyes with Bakugo, in a single swift motion, he twisted, flinging Bakugo towards the stage's edge. Bakugo flipped in the air, hurling towards the stage before his palms glowed orange and he shot out explosions, propelling himself back into the stage. But when Bakugo landed back on the stage, Shoji appeared in front of him, throwing a barrage of punches with six arms, instantly Bakugo was overwhelmed, as several punches slammed into his body.

Bakugo could only stare at the barrage of punches raining down on his body, until through the barrage, an opening appeared and he quickly propelled himself to the right while ducking under a punch. Bakugo slid to a stop with smoke spewing out of his palms, he grinned and spoke while bending his knees.

" Nice try, Shoji! But you've got to try far harder to even have a chance to defeat me!" Instantly more explosions spewed out, from Bakugo palms. As Shoji was once again on the defensive...

As this was happening, inside the stands, sitting down was Momo, who was sweating nervously watching the fight between Bakugo and Shoji, she watched each punch, each explosion, and each throw by Shoji, until finally, a contestant flew off the stage and a winner was announced. 

" The winner is Katsuki Bakugo! " 

Immediately, the crowd roared, but Momo remained quiet her mind racing, until suddenly, a voice spoke towards her. 

" Hey! Momo Yaoyorozu! It's an honor to be your first match. " This voice stemmed from Lida who was also watching the fight between Bakugo and Shoji before he saw Momo sitting nervously by her lonesome. 

" Yeah likewise, Iida. But the winner between us is going to battle Bakugo in the second round, do you have any ideas on how to beat him? " Iida shrugged his shoulders at this question before he smirked and spoke. 

" I have been focusing on how to defeat you Momo. But let's get going, they're about to call our names to arrive at the tunnels. "...

Ten minutes later, standing on the stage, Iida and Momo faced each other, several feet apart. Both of them were ready, for Present Mic to begin the match. They both inhaled deeply, as Present Mic screamed.

" Start! " 

Instantly, Iida sprang forward. Exhaust spewing out the engines in his calves, his hair flowed wildly as he appeared in front of Momo, who created a long metal pipe out of her chest, Lida quickly threw a punch that slammed into Momo's side launching her through the air, Momo body repeatedly bounced off the floor until abruptly she slammed the metal pipe into the floor stopping her momentum nearly instantly. 

She quickly created another pipe leaving the other pipe in the floor, sticking up into the air. She inhaled deeply as Iida sprang forward, twirling, throwing a roundhouse kick. Momo quickly rolled narrowly dodging the kick, as she stabbed the metal pipe into the floor once again. Iida quickly pivoted and shot forward, as Momo created another pipe. 

The same action of Momo either dodging or getting hit by Iida and getting flung through the air repeated, over and over again. Until Iida eventually stopped charging forward and glanced at the stage. A dozen of metal pipes stuck out of the ground, he stared at the pipes until he smirked and mumbled under his breath.

" She wants to limit my speed doesn't she, not a bad plan...If my speed was only going straightforward, unfortunately for her, my agility is not half bad. " Instantly, Iida shot forward zigzagging through the assortment of pipes, until he appeared directly in front of Momo throwing a punch, she narrowly slipped. She quickly threw an elbow at Iida's chest but before it could land, Iida caught it and flung Momo through the air.

Momo flew while tightly holding her chest until she slammed into a pipe denting it, making a loud ding ripple out. She dropped to the ground gritting her teeth, slowly getting back on her feet, as Iida smirked and got into a sprinting formation, before shooting forward at Momo, who could only look up at the charging Iida who got closer and closer, her face was filled with panic...Until suddenly a grin appeared on her face and Iida's wide stride closed and his legs shot together bound. 

Iida quickly fell face-first on the ground scraping across the ground, hurling past Momo, before slamming into a metal pipe splitting it in two, and sliding to a stop mere inches away from the stage's edge. Lida quickly looked at his legs confused, as a thought ran through his brain. 

" String? No. String would melt off my engines, this is some type of malleable metal, she created a line of this metal connecting it with the pipes when I chucked her through the air earlier. She wasn't trying to limit my speed in the slightest, she was creating a single big trap for me. " 

Iida slowly pushed off the ground before reaching towards his legs trying to snap the metal off but before he could Momo sprinted over slamming a powerful kick into his chest, sending Iida flying off the stage, slamming into the grass. Grass gushed out wildly, as Iida rolled to a stop and Present Mic screamed out.

" The winner is Momo Yaoyorozu! "...

12 minutes later in one of the stadium's hallways.

Pov: Momo 

Someone, who would know how to defeat Bakugo. Who would know that? I could ask Todoroki or Midoriya but I doubt either would tell me. Todoroki would just most likely ignore me and Midoriya would stumble over his words till the point, I would confused about the plan he'd give me.

Which means, the only one left is Ricolo. During the fight between him and Mina, it was obvious that he was a good strategist and a great hand-to-hand fighter. Defeating Bakugo hand to hand, is something I have to do be able to do, to win. After asking a few staff members, such as janitors, security, etc.

Eventually, I figured out where Ricolo was, he was in an isolated room, far away from the crowd on the base floor, I walked towards this room for several minutes until I reached the door, and quickly turned the doorknob to enter the room. I slowly open the blue wooden door, just to see, Ricolo sleeping on a brown couch shirtless, with his hands behind his head. 

Of course, he's sleeping, that seems to be the only thing he does. But why is there stitching on his shoulder? Is that why Mina was targeting his shoulder so much? But surely, Recovery Girl could heal his shoulder, right? Speaking of injuries, old scars cover his lean body, sort of like tattoos, but I guess with close combat skills like his, scars would have to cover his body.

I slowly walk towards him, until suddenly his eyes snap open and he slowly raises into a sitting position, he looks at me slightly annoyed, until he sighs and speaks. 

" I went to this room, so people won't bother me, first it was Endeavor, secondly it was reporters asking why Endeavor came to talk to me, and lastly it's you. "

He seems to be quite irritated, but I need to ask him this question, I let out a gentle cough while covering my mouth before speaking.

" Sorry for bothering you Ricolo. I know we don't know each other but I need to ask you a question, what do you think is the best way for me to defeat Bakugo? " He stared at me slightly confused. This stare remained for several seconds glaring at me silently, as he gazed at me, a thought dawned on me, he probably doesn't know my quirk, as soon as I was about to tell him my quirk, he abruptly spoke cutting me off. 

" Create water. Your quirk is the ability to create anything non-living right? In that case, if you can create enough water, in theory, you would be able to wash away the sweat building in Bakugo's palm and limit his explosions use, but truthfully, I doubt water with fully cancel out his explosions. The plan is also flawed because you have no chance in hell to defeat him in hand to hand. " He gives me a shrug while I stare at him surprised, he looks at me confused before speaking. 

" Why are you staring at me like that? " 

" Nothing, I'm just surprised you know my quirk. " I responded, he just scoffed at me before speaking.

" Just because I slept the majority of the class doesn't mean I didn't pay attention, Eraserhead just likes to ramble about non-important things. " Eraserhead likes to ramble? In my opinion, he's quite a straightforward person. I just nod and speak.

" Well thank you for letting me waste your time like this. I'll keep your strategy in mind, but I'll let you go back to sleep. " 

" Don't worry about it. Also, one final piece of advice, after Bakugo consecutively uses his explosions, he typically relaxes his muscles, that would be the best time to strike. But good luck Momo. "...