MHA Fanfiction: Inbound

Sports Festival: Bakugo V. Iylla

Iylla's POV

The roaring of the crowd was almost deafening, but I managed to block it out. I switched to a breathing method that would help me calm my nerves as I waited for the match to begin. I slowly filled my lungs with air and exhaled with purpose. Bakugo was across from me, using his free time to stretch. He glowered at me while pulling his arm across his chest and pulling on it. I wasn't about to let him think he had the upper hand by looking away, so I met his challenge head-on.

The spirit of competition lived in us both; it sparked our fuses. We both had a desperate need to be the best, the strongest, the victor. Those things were only attainable for one of us, and it was going to be me.

Bakugo was going to be a more difficult opponent than I had faced thus far. Yaoyorozu and Mina were small obstacles on my path, but Bakugo was so much more. His domineering quirk was not the only thing Bakugo had going for him; he also had an intrinsic battle sense to rely on. He was a force to be reckoned with.

I've spent a lot of time sparring against Bakugo since the school year started. I've learned a lot about Bakugo and his fighting style in all that time, but that worked both ways. If Bakugo was even half as smart as I gave him credit for being, then he almost definitely had me all figured out. Bakugo and I have fought countless times but went into a draw every single time.

The only time I ever beat him was the only time I hadn't planned on fighting him at all. Bakugo had questioned my acceptance into UA after finding out that Mr. Aizawa was my dad. My response was immediate and merciless. He was defeated before I even realized that I was fighting him. My advanced training kicked in, and he never stood a chance.

That's the plan.

At its core, my quirk was a defensive one. I've been working on improving it and making it more offensive, but it was a work in progress. As it stands now, my quirk is still primarily defensive with only slight enhancements. Which meant that I had to get close to him and fight him hand to hand. This was a strategy that Bakugo would not only expect but be able to counter easily. Uraraka was a perfect example of how wrong my plan could go. When Uraraka fought Bakugo, she had the right idea; unfortunately, she was unable to execute it and lost.

"Let the match..." Midnight's voice went into slow motion while I devised a last-minute plan.

First thing's first; I need to get close. The next step would be to get him into a barrier. Bakugo would expect that sort of strategy, so there's no way he would give me the time I needed to get out of the barrier. That's why, instead of shrinking the barrier, step three would be fighting him. If I fought him while he was still inside the barrier, then he wouldn't be able to use his quirk without damaging himself as well.

That was the plan, but I was open to improvising.

"...begin!"

I opened a barrier immediately. I felt the impact of Bakugo's explosion as I thrust my arms outward. My barrier expanded into the space surrounding it. Soon, my barrier had swallowed up the entire playing field. Bakugo was nowhere to be seen, but I felt him standing on top of my barrier, stomping his feet. I looked up at him, unwilling to be impressed that he made it up there so fast.

My braid fell to my shoulder as I dropped the barrier. Bakugo hovered in the air, probably debating what his next move would be. I couldn't reach him while he was in the air, so I waited. I didn't have to wait long because Bakugo fell from the sky and landed on the opposite side of the field. He knew he had the upper hand and decided to make me be the one to advance.

I accepted the challenge.

I rushed him. My steady footsteps carried me closer and closer to my target, but he was more than ready for me. Bakugo unleashed an explosion that I dodged. I kept running for him, but he was already aiming for me again. Bakugo's hand lit up, and I knew I wouldn't be able to dodge this one. My barrier came up in an instant, ready to protect me.