AMP (IzuJirou)

The Final Round

Katsuki stood up with a groan, blood dripping from his face. The right side of his face burned from the friction, his skin peeling away from the bloody scrapes running from his forehead, down his cheek, to his chin. Izuku forced himself to stand as well, raising his fists up.

"You're right about one thing...I-I...I am Deku. But, that's not what you think it means. I'm not weak. I am NOT useless. Not anymore."

Katsuki glared at him for a few seconds, spitting blood on the ground. He was no longer bombastically angry, screaming and yelling at everything.

This time, it was quiet, unyielding, pure rage .

"...We'll see about that."

*BOOM!!!*

*ZOOM!!!*

Katsuki didn't care that his muscles were cramped and ached from overuse of his quirk.

Izuku didn't care that he could feel his bones ache and his muscles stab with pain just from 8%.

They collided, electricity and sparks flying into the air. Izuku's fist was placed firmly on Katsuki's damaged cheek, and Katsuki's open palm was against Izuku's stomach. He fired off another blast, the explosion slamming Izuku's midsection. But, as he was blown back, he grabbed Katsuki's arm, using his involuntary momentum to fling the blonde towards the edge of the ring.

Katsuki flew through the air towards the crowd, the grass below him. He blasted backwards, firing like a missile at Izuku and tackling him, sending both boys tumbling until Katsuki was on top. He threw a right hook, only for Izuku to block it, lift his feet up and kick the explosive-quirk user directly in the nose. Growling, Katsuki blasted again, sending both teens away from one another.

Recovering with a roll, Izuku shot off again and collided his elbow with Katstuki's ribs, then another punch to the jaw. Katsuki countered, slamming multiple blast into Izuku's chest, hitting his open palm onto his torso with each explosion. Izuku quickly activated what he could of his external energy, electricity zapping from his body to Katsuki's as the blonde blasted him again, sending both boys flying back.

"Should uh...Should we stop this? This is getting brutal."

Ignoring Mic, they both pushed themselves up again. Izuku's irritated and burned skin, bruises, and bloody cuts all around his body were getting to him. One For All was even more painful to use. At the beginning of the day, 8% was really painful, but he could work through it. Now, mustering up that much was draining him and making his injuries just hurt far more.

But, he knew he wasn't the only one in pain. Katsuki's hands couldn't form a fist, and they were shaking like mad. The blonde gripped his jacket to keep his hands still, his brow furrowing.

Up in the stands, Ochako sat in disbelief. "How are either of them still standing? Midoriya was beat up badly at the start, but now he's keeping up with Bakugou like it never happened."

"Because Izuku can take it," Kyouka said, turning to her friend. "He'll take a beating unlike any other, and he'll keep coming after you." It wasn't a lie. Izuku spent eleven years of what seemed like a personal Hell, and he was still so heroic. He could take it. Kyouka turned back to the field, her vision focusing on Katsuki standing back up as he wiped the blood from his lip. "That's not the kind of man you want on your bad side. Although, Izuku blurs the line between being determined and being stubborn. But, at least you can say he never gives in."

Ochako nodded, looking back down at the ring with even more admiration for her friend.

Katsuki could feel his hands scream in pain, his forearms going numb. He couldn't hold out much longer. He internally slapped himself for his actions beforehand in the festival. Katsuki had figured that as long as he took out his opponents quick enough, the effect on his quirk's stamina would be minimal. But, his giant blast during the race and his constant use throughout the day was adding up.