"Alright! Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome today to the first publicized World Martial Arts Tournament!" The announcer shouted with a beaming smile that radiated all around the audience.
Even some of the martial artists that where competing cheered as well.
"First off, I would like to thank you all for your presence and patience for this event. Second of all, let us begin the matchups!"
A whiteboard that was barely visible to the audience but readable to the competitors. It read the names of all the fighters that joined today.
Gine Midoriya vs Akane Tendo
Setsuna Tokage vs Ryoga Hibiki
Izuku Midoriya vs Ranko Satome
Ukyo Konji vs Itsuka Kendo
Mu-Tsu vs Mineta Minoru
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu vs Ranma Satome
Sen Kaibara vs Taro
Hiryu Rin vs Xian-PU
The few of the audience more specifically Inko and a few others were a concern. All of the competitors were young, ranging from young teens to late adolescence to young adults. Izuku, on one hand, was anxious, he never partook in any form of an event such as this. Still, he was grateful for the opportunity no matter how important winning this tournament meant.
With the masses sitting in a bigger box-shaped surround the arena and the competitive tension arising. Izuku felt the pressure, but it wasn't a bad kind of pressure. No, this was something that he would gladly take in stride. A test of his personal confidence.
Looking at the roster one more time he noticed something, "Gine Midoriya" it read for the first match. Looking over to his girlfriend who was keeping a straight face from another aggressive look from the girl who had yelled at them earlier, Izuku wanted to ask but decided there was a better time than now.
"Now then! Let's get ready to rumble!" The announcer wielded a charisma that carried across the entire island. Fighters and spectators cheered, even Gine cheered which got Izuku quirking an eyebrow while smiling. Much to the Sayian's embarrassment when she was witnessed by her boyfriend, the teenage alien still continued to go along with the spirit of things.
"Will the fighters except for the first two leave the ring now." As the announcer commanded, all the fighters say Akane Tendo and Gine Midoriya left the ring, watching from the sidelines just below the audience.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, let's kick it off with the first match! On my right, we have the youngest daughter of the Tendo family, Akane Tendo age 24. Specialist in Kempo and part of the infamous Nerima gang! Her fury is unmatched from what the story entailed and she is the heiress of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts! Her opponent, on my left, we have one of the newest students of the Turtle School of Martial Arts, Gine Midoriya, age 15. This young lady has yet to show us what she can do but let's not dismissed a new face. Now then ladies, here are the rules that apply to you and the rest of the fighters. One: No killing your opponent when they request mercy or are unable to continue. Two! Any weapons are allowed if it's tied to your martial arts! And three! Draws are not accepted, you only win if the other admits defeat, send them out of the ring, or as aforementioned mentioned-killing your opponent through mutual consent!"
Immediately the hype that raised drastically had grown solemn at the news of being able to kill your opponent if the feeling was mutual. The fact that they allowed it puzzled them. To the fighters both ladies and the rest new that there were occasions and factors that can lead to that outcome. That was the dark side of combat.
"Are you ready?!"
"Hai!" Both young ladies shouted.
"Fight!" The announcer back steps as the ladies charged at each other.
Gine threw the first punch which was blocked by Akane. The blue-haired girl grabbed the Sayian, a roundhouse kick aimed straight at the temple. Leaning to the side, Gine used this momentum to flip herself giving the older opponent a kick of her own. Akane growled at the impact, she expected such crafty nature from the monkey-tailed girl but not the amount of force behind the counter.
Gine landed in a low position allowing her to follow up the counter. Performing a sweep kick, Akane stopped Gine midway with a hard stomp. The Sayian winced a bit of the feeling her feet being pressured to the concrete. Turning over and with incredible flexibility, she swung her other leg around. Because of the position she was in, her leg could only hit Akane's hip, the latter of which took the blow.
Steeling herself, Akane back stepped before dashing forward to land a strike down upon Gine. With quick reaction, the Sayian deflected the fist to aim towards the ground.
The sound of the ring cracking under one punch shocked the crowd. Both fighters were amazed at each other. Gine knew that Earthlings had the ability to be capable fighters as examples being Roshi and Izuku, so she wasn't surprised when Akane displayed such strength. Given that it seems her opponent only knew how to use KI for combat purposes only. Akane was impressed with this monkey-tailed girl, she didn't know what being a student from the Turtle School meant but she wasn't about to get careless.
Gine did a kick-up, getting on her feet with a normal stance. She circled around Akane for a few moments before making her move. Gine locked her body with Akane's into a hold. A rear-naked chokehold. Using a little bit of her energy, she increased her chances of submission by a couple.
"Hang tight."Akane grins before elbowing straight into Gine's abdomen, targeting her ribs, and making the teenage Sayian flinch. Again the older fighter repeats her action once more, this time getting the desired outcome. Gine coughed out a gasp as her hold failed. Akane grabs her GI and performing a classic Judo throw. The slam was hard and loud. The once cracked stone area was now a crackled arena. Gine let out a yelp before glaring at nothing particular. Just letting her pain low.
Fighters wing.
The match began strong. Izuku was really impressed at the short display of skill and speed. He knew that Gine could take the win if she used her energy but Master Roshi forbid them too. It was another training session. To test their skill in Martial Arts.
Given the fighting style that his girlfriend mostly focused on, Izuku wasn't all that concerned. Akane from he heard of her was a Kempo Martial Artist for the most part. So seeing a Judo throw or any other technique from a different discipline wouldn't surprise him.
"Akane sure is giving your sister a tough break huh?" A familiar voice joined him. Izuku turned to look at this senior. Ranma.
"Girlfriend and I think it's a good warm-up call for her."
"Girlfriend? I don't know a lot of unmarried couples sharing the last name and I am not one to judge, but it can leave many others misunderstood without explanation."
Izuku had a thoughtful look, wedding his girlfriend, he would love the thought but first, he would need to be a proper lover and take them out on dates, show he is indeed committed to her, and even more willing to be there for her in her time of need. Plus that would take years. Or how long it would take for a Sayian such as Gine to feel mutual about courtship. So for now, that thought would remain in the back of his head. Deep in the back of his mind.
"In the future, I wish to marry her. Also, she is my adoptive sister, if you want to be technical." Izuku explains. Man, his mother had to do some legal affairs without his notice.
"Hey, I ain't one to judge." Ranma nudged the teen, giving a sly grin. He actually related to the teen in some form.
"Then don't, after all, judging others before knowing them is a mistake for all Martial Artist or even people in general." Izuku scoffed off the red hue on his face.
"Heh. Your right Kouhai." Ranma admitted. Both males watched their female companions danced on the arena once more.
"Say, is Master Roshi famous?" Izuku asks, curious as to how his Sempai knows his master.
"You really don't know?"
"I don't know about you, but our master doesn't say much about himself even if we asked him."
Ranma laughed at a similar feeling. "Welcome to the club."
"Anyway, you see, Elder Roshi is my father's teacher's master; Happosai. The Elder even taught one of my ex-fiancée's grandmother back in her day. You can say he is like a great grandfather figure to me and some others."
Izuku looked at him with a surprised expression. How many students did his master teach before him and Gine? Would he be able to meet them? Are they still around? Who was he kidding, some of them like the young adult next to him was a descendant of his master's practice!
These questions filled Izuku with the excitement of learning about the previous students. Which also begs the question. How old is Master Roshi?
Sponsors Wing.
"You are over three hundred years old?!" Inko was almost falling out of her seat, but thanks to the helpful cane that Roshi always brought along, he spared Inko the fall.
"Hard to believe isn't it? The world has changed so much compared to the days of my youth." Roshi looked down at his student's match with some pride.
"That can't be true! How?!" Inko begged for the answers. The other Masters and Sponsors of the fighters were noticing her worrying behavior.
"Let's just say I drank the fountain of youth, though youth in a sense of keeping my worst traits from my adolescence."
The suited old man followed the fight below. His eyes were still good. Gine was definitely fast, faster than him in his current state. Although if he powered up to his maximum form, then the Sayian still had some room left to catch up.
"Master." A third and fourth voice joined the two spectators. Inko looked to find a pair of elders much shorter due to obviously age but the elderly woman was sitting on a wooden staff with perfect balance.
"Cologne and Happosai. I see you two are finally back together."
The woman smiled before the short old man chuckled.
"Was it a compromise or did you force him to give up the perversion Cologne?" Roshi asks with a joke, knowing full well that he was the cause for Happosai's two-timing traits.
"Compromise, still it will be hard to have him not give in to temptation."
"Hey! I can speak for myself just fine, thank you very much! Master who is this young lady? A friend? Student?"
Inko left her chair to bow before the elderly couple. "I am Inko Midoriya, mother to two of Roshi's students. It's nice to meet you."
"As it is for me, say? The girl and the boy that share your last names? Are they your children?"
"My son, of course, Gine is my adoptive daughter."
Happosai hummed. "Pretty close for a brother and daughter relationship don't you think?"
"On paper that is," Inko added getting Cologne to smirk. "My, young love."
"Indeed." Happosai agreed. "Well we shouldn't keep our Master away from his current student, let us go milady." The short old man offered his other half a hand, Cologne stepped off her staff and accepted the offer. Both of them continued on. Inko felt nice after that interaction. For some reason.
"Who were they?" The woman asked the old man who was still keeping his sights on Gine who by now is on the offense.
"They are my graduate students. Being little less than a century since the last time I taught them anything." Roshi explained before sipping some of his sake.
Inko nodded before taking her seat and watching her daughter-figure competing. Gine had some bruises and parts of her GI were ripped but nothing too bad.
The Match.
The Sayian landed a barrage of punches straight towards the body. Akane who was worse off, more bruises, and some internal damage. Both ladies held on to their position. Gine couldn't just wait for Akane to break her guard, the Sayian knew better and was tempted to something underhanded.
Yet she held off for now. The basics haven't failed her yet.
Akane gritted her teeth before landing a blow straight to Gine's side. Leaning to her pain, the Sayian returned it. The sound of her palm hitting Akane's chest creating an echoey thud. One that the audience even heard.
As a result, the Tendo Girl was sent flying towards the end of the ring. Gine noticed that Akane was about to land inside so she followed up her attack with a hard dropkick to her opponents back. The older martial artist yelled in pain as she hit the wall outside the ring.
Gine won.
The crowd cheered for the young fighter in such a great first match to kick it off.
"Yea!" Gine cheers, for the first time, people outside of her group of friends/family noticed her abilities. She would take the win in stride.
"There you have it folks, the first match of the 1st World Martial Arts Tournament. Gine is the winner by ring out!" The announcer's charisma boosted the cheers tenfold.
Gine was bowing to the crowd before walking towards Akane. Jumping off the ring, she offered her opponent a hand. The senior fighter had a look of stunned pride but nevertheless, she accepts the hand from her Kouhai. With the ladies standing facing each other, both of them nodded with respect and good sportsmanship.
"Your good, sorry for my outburst earlier." Akane apologizes as she and Gine walked back to the fighters wing.
Gine shook her head. "No it's alright, I am pretty much use to it."
"It's just you remind me of my ex-fiancé. So I am kinda going through something right now." Akane explained that it made sense to the teenage Sayian.
"Oh, well I hope you the best. I assume it's not easy going through that isn't it." Gine gave an empathetic smile.
"Thanks, kid." Akane smiled back.
The pair headed inside.
"Good fight out there Akane." Ranma congratulates followed by Izuku exclaiming "You won! Your amazing!" Before hugging his girlfriend. Gine returned the hug with a few wincing, from her bruises. Still, she enjoyed the comfort in her boyfriend's warmth.
After breaking apart the hug, Izuku turned to Akane. "That was a great fight! Tendo-Sempai!" His formal attitude gave Akane a smile on her face.
"Thanks and I am sorry for how I acted in the diner."
Izuku shook his head. "It's no worries, I am pretty sure your just as surprised as the rest of the people who were in there."
"Yea. I guess I am not used to seeing other people outside of my family eat the way you do, and then some..." Akane gave Ranma a glare who smiled nervously.
"Anyway, I want to say good luck in your matches, and hopefully someday we will continue where we left off Gine." Akane departed along with Ranma just after Gine shook arms in the promise of hopefully meeting each other again in the future.
"Next match up is Setsuna Tokage and Ryoga Hibiki! Please step out into the ring!" The announcer's voice echoed outside and inside the building.
"Well if it isn't the infamous Muyona Hentai?" shouted another voice who immediately got an immediate glare from Gine and a neutral glance of Izuku.
To their right, the monkey-tailed couple saw a girl, about the same age as them, approached Izuku. Her green wavy hair and those sharp-like teeth. Her outfit was a light green GI with a purple cloth wrapped around her waist.
Izuku didn't say anything as did Gine. Both didn't want to make enemies at this tournament.
"Didn't think the pervert would be this silent. Maybe it's adding to the menacing title you earn." Her steps stopped in front of Izuku, both green eyes staring at each other.
"Who are you?" Gine asks defensively in place of Izuku.
"Tokage, Setsuna. I go to the same school like your brother." The wavy green-haired introduced herself, she smiled sharply at Izuku and Gine.
"Really? What class?" While everyone in school knew Izuku(especially after the USJ incident), but he didn't really know anyone outside of his class.
"1-B, the neighboring hero class."
As Setsuna said this, a man with a built physique walked past the three teens. Sporting a yellow tank-top and black-baggy pants. His eyes were set at the stage and so he went there, waiting for his opponent.
"Well then, it was nice to finally meet you "Muyona Hentai"." Setsuna winked before walking over to the stage as well.
"Seriously, why do your classmates have to be so offensive towards you?" Gine asks crudely. Izuku looks at her.
"I think this time it was more of a tease. Anyway, you want to watch this match?"
"Not really, I am going to find Master and Inko-San."
"Alright then, my match is after this one, so I will stay here." Izuku nods.
"Okay!" Gine affirmed before jogging to find her mother-figure and master. Izuku lost his smile and became stern, turning back to the match he looked at the fighters.
The Ring
"Alright, folks! Let's kick it off with the second match competitors! On my right, we have the Crane School's current generation Setsuna Tokage! Let us see what she is made of folks! And look at her already receiving the crowd's praise!" The crowd cheered for the teenage girl. Setsuna was basking in the attention by blowing kisses and waving brightly.
"Thank you, thank you!"
"On my left, we have the lone wanderer! He has traveled many lands with no end destination. A young man is known as the Eternally-Lost Boy. His association with the Nerima Gang is not one to be taken lightly! One of our previous contenders from the old tournament, this young man has displayed massive durability and earth-shattering strength! Age 25, Ryoga Hibiki! Will you give it up for the Boar!"
The young man facing Setsuna held a stoic expression. The crowd cheered for his entrance. His sights were at this anticipation; his opponent.
"Your quite a hunk you know that?" Setsuna flirted.
"...." Ryoga narrowed his eyes.
"Not much for words huh? Well, it certainly adds the mystery element to you." The teen got into her stance.
"Begin!"
Without a second hesitation, Ryoga stepped fast leaving a footprint on the area. Setsuna widens her eyes in shock and pain as her gut was sucked in.
"You talk too much young lady." Ryoga states before sending the teen to the edge of the arena. The wavy-haired girl did a flip to land and regain herself. Rubbing the wound, she smirks. Dashing towards the man, she throws a barrage of punches and chops. All of which are blocked or dodged.
"Come on handsome! Let me see you move!" Setsuna throws some kicks in the mix trying to get her opponent to back down. Ryoga at this point didn't find his opponent amusing. With a solid liver blow, the teen leaned over.
"Guh!"
With a strong kick, Setsuna went down. Wincing and clutching at her leg, she groaned and wine in pain. Unamused, the man walked away. He knew that the teen was not taking the fight seriously, which the knowledge of knowing her teasing, made Setsuna more inclined to tease him some more.
"Oh, ~ is the big strong man retreating already?"
No response.
"C'mon hot stuff, you can't let a woman do all the work." Setsuna got up on her feet. She grinned at the man.
"I don't see a woman, just a little girl." He says bluntly.
"What makes you think that?" The teenage girl faked her hurt expression.
"A woman wouldn't bother being in this tournament just for shits and giggles. At least they have a purpose, so why don't you do us all a favor and leave the ring princess." Ryoga insulted. His arms crossed on his chest while wearing a disproval expression.
The teasing grin faded into a frown than morphed to a glare. "What was that bastard?!" She charged at him throwing combinations of punches and chops. All of them in a futile effort.
"Ugh, you know what?!" She leaped back before getting into a semi-horse stance and crossing her arms in front of her. Her energy raised, channeling the power within to activate a technique.
Her screams of concentration and followed by the duplication she performed three times was amazing to the audience!
"Young Setsuna has seemed to copy herself? Could this be a quirk?" The commentator said in astonishment.
"Hehe, you impressed now?" The four girls chuckled with smug. Ryoga merely just shook his head.
"So you can duplicate yourself, big deal, there are quirks that can do that." The young man dismissed.
The four girls got into her fighting stance with nothing but anger towards the jock in their sights. "Keep talking jerk!"
Ryoga saw each fist, kick, swipe, and chop. Dodging wasn't even worth it. Instead, he just let the girls hit him with all they got but they didn't faze him.
Each girl was feeling absolutely enraged that nothing was hurting their opponent.
"You realize that technique divides your strength by half with each clone?" Ryoga said before he delivered strong blows to the girls. The one behind him, received a back-kick, a back-fist to his left, a devastating elbow-blow to his right, and a mean headbutt to the girl in front of him.
All four did have a chance to yell as Ryoga blind-sighted all with blows for days. Once he smacked the last girl down to the ground with the other copies, the real one groaned in pain. Her desperate attempts to push herself off the ground were futile. Soon she collapsed hard with no sign of continuing the match.
"Setsuna is unable to continue, Ryoga the Boar is the winner!"
The crowd had mixed feelings towards the match, some were cheering with all their applause at the display of unshakable strength, while others felt intimidated that such a man didn't go easy on the girl which for those who did: receive a berating from fellow spectators.
Ryoga walked towards the girl and slowly turned her over. Setsuna was bleeding and bruising on her head, which will leave a mean concussion for sure. Sighing, he carried her to the main entrance to the fighters wing where the tournaments paramedics had met halfway. As the man set the teenage girl down on the stretcher, he saw her staring back at him with a sad look in her eyes. Ryoga knew that look too well, it was the look of defeat but also one that showed shame for not giving it your all.
"Don't take it to heart princess. Losing is part of life, a martial artist's life especially. You did what you could."
"Don't say that...I couldn't do anything against you."
Ryoga grasps the young girl's hand giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"You have most likely been training for less than a few years, judging ...I had many experiences over the span of two decades. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Take this loss as a lesson, not in a demeaning way but in a more productive manner."
The defeated teen laid there, shedding some tears. There were obvious motives behind her attempts in the tournaments but that was for her to know. So instead of anything else, she nodded her head, understanding the words of wisdom from her Sempai.
"Good, rest and train hard in whatever is your pursuing because life isn't without its shortcomings and most definitely won't pull any punches," Ryoga assured kindly as the paramedics carried the stretcher, taking Setsuna into the medical wing of the island.
Fighters Wing
Izuku felt for the girl, he too felt defeated at some point in his life before Gine and Master Roshi came along. Still, he held hope for her as well when he silently agreed with Ryoga's kind lecture.
Speaking of...he was approaching him now.
Izuku looked up to meet the similarly green eyes of the young adult before him. Both were silent before Izuku broke the ice.
"Hello, I'm Izuku."
"Ryoga. You are the next one up yea?"
"Yep, against someone related to Ranma? Ranko I believe?"
Ryoga broke his stoicism with a smile. "Best of luck, you're going to have a hard time with her."
"Thanks, Hibiki-San."
"Ryoga is fine. If you're still feeling honorable just add Sempai at the end." Ryoga dismisses himself from their small talk with a smile and wave.
"Next up is Izuku Midoriya versus Ranko Saotome. Please step onto the ring!"
Izuku breathed deeply before exhaling slowly. His eyes were closed before he re-open them to meet a beautiful young woman. Red hair tied into a pony-tail with sapphire eyes looking at him with eagerness.
Izuku nodded as did she. The pair walked outside as the crowd welcomed them both already. Both were famous and they knew why.
"And the third match will begin! Facing off on my right is the second student of the turtle school, the savior of his class in the prestigious U.A. Academy, all at the age of fifteen folks. Give it up for Izuku Midoriya!"
Izuku felt something in him swell when the cheers welcomed him. A sense of pride that he knew he did well for his classmates.
"On my left is a young woman who is a blazing fire of her crowd. She has participated in the old tournaments many times with her father. A master of her art from age 17. Now 25 and still demonstrating promise. Please give a grand welcome to Ranko Saotome!"
The red-haired woman waved at the audience before gazing back at her opponent. Izuku felt a lump in his throat. He immediately got into his stance, ready to prepare for the match.
"My husband talks about you. You really intrigued him with your performance at USJ. Give another year or two and you will be a master at the rate your excelling at."
"Such words, from a master. Thank you Saotome-San." Izuku bowed quickly before returning into his stance.
"Begin!"
"Ranko is just fine." Was all Izuku heard before he felt a blow to his chin. She's fast, faster than he could react. His guard was slipped through.
Recovering quickly from the attack, Izuku gave a high kick to the still air-borne girl. To his surprise, the kick made contact but didn't connect. Ranko blocked the blow before landing with grace. Izuku didn't hesitate, he couldn't, these guys were more capable than him in martial arts than he could ever imagine at the moment.
A long time ago, back when the Nerima Gang was getting noticed by pro-heroes and villains alike. Izuku read that all these guys were Quirkless just like he was. So to see a band of late adolescence with no powers against fierce foes of the hero society, it puzzled the boy. Could he have been like them, if he hadn't given up so soon in his life? Capable of dishing out the impossible of feats of speed, power, durability, and combat prowess. It was possibly the only real regret Izuku still carries to this day.
But, Gine, she never gave up on him. Lectured him sure, made sure he didn't go astray, yes, but never given up on him. And he shouldn't now, not ever.
"Ya know, it's funny. How did you come across Master Roshi? I mean, my husband and his friends tried looking for him in the past five years or so. But you found him at a mere happenstance." Ranko asks Izuku as she dodges each blow the young teen gave.
"In the second-lowest point of my life. He showed me that being quirkless doesn't mean your weak it just means you have to work harder!" Izuku finished his answer as well as his chain of attacks with a gut punch which by mere luck. It landed and connected well.
The young woman almost doubled-over but flinched at the blow.
"Jeez...you hit just as hard as Ryoga."
Izuku smiled before attacking her again. "Thanks, Ranko."
He was leading the offensive making sure each attack lead one step closer for her to fall off the ring. Ranko knew this of course but couldn't do anything but block the attacks, the last gut-punch gave her a winded stomach. Because her diaphragm was upon inhaling.
'Almost there!' Izuku screamed in his mind to push further. 'Faster, harder, leave nothing behind' Izuku only knew basic martial arts principles since most of his training with Roshi was just conditioning his body to be on a level playing field with the rest of the teens in his class.
Still...he was close to victory.
Ranko at this point was at the edge of the ring. The audience was silent seeing what would come next. Once the woman's foot fell off the ring, she used that extra space to counter Izuku with the same high-kick he delivered to her earlier. The teen was felt his body flip before hitting the ground, Ranko remained in-bounds still staying to continue this match.
Izuku quickly got up before getting into his stance again.
At this point, Ranko dropped her stance and put her arms behind her back in a relaxing manner. "I don't enjoy this, ya know?" She spoke in a soft manner that only the announcer and Izuku could hear.
"Fighting, martial arts, it's all the same to me. Just violence with or without reason. Truthfully I didn't even want to participate in this tournament. But I had to do a favor for my hubby. You see Izuku, I can call you that yes?" Izuku nodded at the girl with suspicion. "But do you? Do you enjoy fighting."
Izuku pauses for a moment. He never really cared for fighting besides stopping a necessary evil that threatens his life, family, and the innocent. But to be strong yes, he cared for that. Hell, he was even tempted to risk his mental well-being for strength after each near-death experience. But to be strong means you have to fight, but when did he ever enjoy it. Definitely the sparring between him and his girlfriend, those were fun as hell, very intimate; maybe when he fights against other opponents who only want to challenge him, that's happened before during the ten-month training. Finally, the one he absolutely abhors, the cases where fighting to the death is necessary, no the only way out. That's how his dad died.
"I can't say I enjoy all aspects of fighting. Only the ones where it's just mere sparring. But that's with my girlfriend." Izuku admitted.
Ranko closed her eyes before sighing. "I see. Announcer, I forfeit."
Izuku and the announcer were shocked but not only them. Some of the people from her group friends threw a fit. The crowd was in an uproar, they were robbed by a potentially good match! Ranko bowed all sides of the ring for their audience before dismissing herself from the ring. Izuku quickly followed.
"Ranko! Wait!" Izuku caught up to her inside the building.
The red-head stopped to glance at the teen.
"Why? I don't get it? What were you trying to accomplish?"
"That's for her and me to know and for you to find out." A familiar voice came from a distance.
"Ranma?" Izuku questions.
"Ranko thank you for doing this."
"Sure Ranma, imma go see what the others are up too."
"Sure babe." Ranma kisses Ranko before the red-haired girl walks away from the males.
"Ranma, I don't understand."
"You don't need too. I needed Ranko to fight to see something for myself. Anyway, I got what I needed, go rest up. Your second round will be way more difficult than your first round was." Ranma turned to leave in the same direction of Ranko while Izuku, still confused about this whole ordeal just made tracks to find his family.
Ukyo Konji versus Itsuka Kendo. Please step out into the ring.
Izuku ignored this fight altogether, he held mixed feelings. He was a little bit bummed that Ranko forfeited the match so quickly and what Ranma had told him bothered the young man. Izuku made his way into the spectator's wing. There he saw his auntie and uncle eating some food while Katsumi just sat there watching the perplex short fight.
"Oh! Izuku! Come here!" Mitsuki hollered the young lad. Soon the teen was reunited with his second family.
"Hey, auntie, uncle, Katsumi." Izuku greeted. The two adults greeted back while Katsumi stayed quiet. She was still thinking about this whole "Izuku got a girlfriend" ordeal.
"So tell me Izuku, how did you two meet?"
Izuku told his story(fabrication by his mother)of how he met Gine one night at the beach. She was alone and away from family and Izuku offered her a place to stay. Soon she got to meet Inko and the sludge incident happened. Everything from that point on was the truth.
Izuku made sure to leave out the fact that his girlfriend was an alien to his other family. In actuality, he would have gladly spoken about Gine's crash-landing appearance to his uncle and aunt that night hadn't been for the fact that Katsumi was glaring from start to finish.
"Well congratulations Izuku, on your progress to U.A., your recovery, and your love life." Uncle Masaru cheered followed by the next words that would sting both teens present.
"Ha! It's a shame though that you didn't date our daughter, for the longest time we thought that you two were hiding your relationship but it seems it never happens to begin with. Anyway, congratulations kid!" Mitsuki gave Izuku a hug as Izuku didn't really smile at the remark. He knew his aunt was playing around being her usual go-happy-self but it did open some scars from his past feelings for the girl sitting next to him. Subconsciously, he gave Katsumi a glance to which his heart was straining.
He saw the visible discomfort of his childhood friend. Her eyes half-lidded but clenching her teeth. There was no anger or pride, just regret. Izuku sighed but immediately spoke up.
"Thanks for coming auntie, uncle it means a lot. But I got to find my mother and Gine." He excused himself from the table with understanding nods.
Mid-way before leaving their area. Someone called to him.
"Wait! Deku, let me come with, I actually want to catch up with Auntie Inko." Katsumi joined him without any refusal. Soon the pair went off in search of the boy's family.
"Being a while hasn't it?" Izuku started the conversation.
"Yea it sure has." Katsumi agreed, losing that firecracker attitude.
"Is something the matter?" Izuku scanned her features. She never was once this quiet or even docile in body language. Katsumi looked so reserved.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want too." He added.
Immediately, without a word, Katsumi stepped in front of Izuku.
The teen held a concern but cautious expression. He didn't know what to think of this. Something happened between Gine and her. But his mind doesn't comprehend the female mind that well.
"Who is she...Izuku?" The use of his first name meant this was something really bothering her. Katsumi stepped closer, almost chest to chest, she tip-toed up to his height while reach around and stroking his green appendage. Izuku shivered at the harassment and wanted to say something to tell her to keep a few spaces back but his tail was now at her clutches. He was helpless.
"I won't let go until you tell me." She pleaded as her grip tighten. Izuku was close to screaming in pain.
"My...girlfriend..."
"Oh, I know that already, you made that so vividly clear as you pinned her to the walk and made out after I had just met her. What I want to know is what the hell did she do to you?" Katsumi continues to interrogate him all the while Izuku is visibly sweating from his suffering.
"She...loves...me." Those words cut deep into Katsumi, so deep that something else resurfaced beneath all the ego.
"No! She doesn't love you! I know what she did to you Izuku! The blood she gave to save your life! It's making you into her plaything. I know you're stronger than this, just resist her and you will be free. With me."
Izuku eyes widen. He understood, his thick fucking skull finally understands. The girl in front of him was jealous of the relationship he had with another woman.
"With...you," Izuku said seething. Katsumi nodded with a sad look on her face. "WITH...YOU!" Izuku glared so hard that it melts ice between the two of them. Katsumi openly cried at the sight of her love being mad at her, she realized her mistake for a long time now and she will do anything to get him back.
"Yes! Because she isn't normal Izuku! Look what she did to you! A girl that shows up out of nowhere brings you back from the brink. Makes you grow a tail similar to the one that she has! You didn't think I noticed? The days when you were wearing that purple shell on your back and ran to the beach, I heard enough about her. An alien from some faraway planet that just stumbled here and chooses you? The weakest and most beta of all of the males in the history of males to be her mate?! It wasn't hard to believe that she was from space with you two digging a hole big enough to put her space pod in the sands of the beach. So tell me? If you really care about her leave her for good and cut this godforsaken tail." Katsumi gripped harder causing Izuku to scream in pain. The blonde ignored his cries.
"No...I won't...leave." Izuku rebels stressfully. His hand climbing the pant leg of the girl. He was halfway up her knee when something burned and blasted his tail causing him to fall down to the ground.
"I don't think so," Katsumi said with tears. "Please Izuku, leave her. You promised me that you will always stay by my side. I know you don't go against your word. Your mine, no matter how much you stand up against me, I will push back harder."
Izuku felt rage for his childhood crush but so what? It not like he can move right now. The pain won't go away.
"Hey, Bitch! Let him go!" A voice cried with might from a small frame.
Katsumi lost her sad look in exchange for one of rage for the one daring to interrupt her and Izuku's moment. Izuku looked at a figure charging at Katsumi. Without warning, the figured tackled Katsumi against the wall.
"Grape boy?!"
Izuku widens his eyes in disbelief. Mineta? Soon the grip and pain on his tail were released. Izuku got up to see Katsumi bind to the wall with a purple ball on her wrist to it.
Sitting up, he saw his savior.
"Mineta?"
The small figure smiled brightly while pulling a thumbs up.
"Right here, pal! Surprised you didn't see me earlier before the first match, I was waving at you."
Izuku smiled. "My bad for not noticing you, but how come you are participating in the tournament?"
"We can talk about later, first things first." Mineta pointed at the binding blonde.
"Right." Izuku became stern before walking towards her. Katsumi had returned her broken expression. Izuku allowed her to speak.
"Please Izuku, don't let her take you away. Once you're gone then I will be all alone."
"You were never alone. You always had someone by your side because of your power. You don't need me, you just want me to be around." Izuku said with confidence that lacked anger but instilled disappointment. The girl shook her head vigorously. Izuku sighed and began to walk away, he didn't want to but this relationship needed to be stopped or halted. He made eye contact with his shorter friend and he got the message. The two were willing to leave a girl here bound to a wall, someone would come and free her eventually.
"You're all I got left, the one person who knows me in and out. Will you just abandon a person in need of your help? What happens when I am taken advantage of just like the sludge villain did to me that day? Would you just turn a blind eye of a person in need?"
Izuku gritted his teeth, this wasn't supposed to happen today! Not when there are other fighters he will have to compete against. For once, he needed just to let things go.
"Bro, I know you are conflicted and she is manipulating you but understand if something does happen to her, she will just blame it on you. Our class already is divided into half about their thoughts about you but she won't stop there. Girls got a lot of social power against you. Whatever decision you make here, I am with you dude, doesn't matter which. Just make sure you don't regret it." Mineta whispered to Izuku.
"Grape-boy! Don't fill his head with your perverted ideas!" Katsumi barked.
Izuku closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the last fond memory of him and Katsumi. Them in a pool making a pinky promise that he and she will stick together through thick and thin. Izuku realizes it was a promise of courtship. Something he was too young to understand at the time. Even now but at least he was beginning to learn.
Making his way back to the girl, he raised a hand to use his energy to disintegrate the purple ball. Once Katsumi was free, she looked at him with hopeful eyes. Maybe he had changed his mind.
Izuku pinned the girl against the wall, not in the loving manner he gave to Gine but a pressuring one.
Katsumi for once experienced fear, not for Izuku's well-being but what he might do to her.
Leaning in, Izuku whispered his promise to her.
"I will be there for you as a friend, from now on. But cross me one more time Katsumi or threaten my happiness or anyone else's that I hold dear, you will pay. I will personally make sure of that."
The vile-twisted sensation of something primal in Izuku made the boy want to gag at his own nature. Still, she had pushed him and now he needed to make sure he was the dominant one in their friendship.
"Are we clear?" The cold tone he gave her sent shivers down both of their spines. Katsumi nodded before Izuku relented his pinning.
"Good, from here on out, we are just friends. Remember my promise Katsumi, because I still remember yours." Izuku finished glaring at the blonde who now looked so defeated.
"Now, are you coming with me to see mom, or was that an excuse to come and convince me to leave my happiness.
"I'm going to see her."
"Fine, let's go."
The trio made way to the spectator's wing. Izuku and Mineta did all the talking while Katsumi followed closely behind, silently.
Apparently, Mineta came to the tournament because he was so inspired by Izuku and his prowess in martial arts. There was also a reason that maybe Izuku can introduce Mineta to his teacher to see if they were willing to have another student.
"You think can manage it? With hero studies and training from my master?" Izuku asks more so curious if Mineta was really determined to be a better ally to society, given his status as a pervert.
"If you could do it then what's stopping me from doing the same."
"It's gonna be difficult, you will have no time to socialize or even look at other girls Mineta. I did my training in my last year of middle-school and that alone felt like hell. But recently...it kinda pales in comparison when I had to fight that creature."
"I bet it does, but I want to give it a shot. Not a lot of people have faith or even are kind enough to me like you are, so maybe this can be my chance to get stronger to be a better hero." Mineta urged.
"Alright then, once this tournament is over, I will talk with my master and see if he will approve. But I hardly doubt he wouldn't dismiss you, it's just the training that you have to be worried about."
"Thanks, bro." Mineta held his fist up, Izuku smiled and fist-bumped.
Looking over his shoulder, he glanced at the blonde girl who continued to avoid his gaze. Looking forward, Izuku sighed. He wasn't sure if he approached the situation as best he could've, granted he wanted to leave her be and never associate with her again but his history with her told him to give one last chance. Maybe things will get better, maybe she will move on with nothing to worry about. Izuku hoped in the future that this would be a memory the two can share laugh at or at least burry it to be lost to time.
Once they landed in the spectator's wing, they managed to find Inko, Roshi, and Gine all sitting down and looking at the match.
Gine was the first to look over but she was hesitant when Katsumi was with Izuku. Inko noticed Gine's hesitations before seeing her son and surrogate niece.
"Izuku! Katsumi! So glad you came by. I am happy you won your match baby!" Inko gave the two teens a motherly hug. Katsumi smiled and returned the gesture and Izuku did the same but this time no at enthusiastic about the victory.
"Thanks, mom," Izuku said.
"And who you might be?" Inko looked over to the short boy who gladly introduced himself.
"Minoru Mineta, Ms. Midoriya! Izuku's friend and classmate."
Izuku chuckled at the salute Mineta gave while Inko was crying happy tears. "Oh, my baby is making many friends! Thank you for being one of them Mineta-San!"
"It's a pleasure ma'am, Izuku here is an inspiration to me."
"Well, I am glad he is. Hopefully your not as reckless he."
The pair shared a laugh while Izuku walks over to Gine and Roshi.
"Master, Gine, I want to introduce you to a classmate of mine. He wants to be training under you, Master Roshi." Izuku motioned Mineta to come over. The short boy dismissed himself politely before the Midoriya Matriarch talked to Katsumi.
"This is Minoru Mineta."
"Master Roshi and Midoriya-San. I want to train at your school." Mineta bowed.
"Alright," Roshi said absentmindedly. Causing Mineta to fall over comedically. Looking up at his friend to make sure this wasn't a joke, Izuku nodded. "Told you he didn't mind students." Mineta smiled at that.
"Thank you, Master! I won't let you down." The short boy gratefully thanked.
"Starting tonight we train. But before all that, your match is coming up right after this yes?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'd suggest prepare yourself, these kids are stronger than you have in mind."
"I will sir, I will do my best."
"That's all I ask for." Roshi dismissed. Izuku felt the need to follow the short boy to see from the fighter's wing but Roshi stopped him.
"Not so fast, we need to talk, the both of you." Roshi gestured to Izuku and Gine as Mineta ran towards the lobby to prepare himself.
Gine nodded as she sat next to Izuku. The latter of which looked over to see his mother still occupied by Katsumi's audience. Giving the master and pupils time for privacy.
"Izuku, you need to be more careful. A lot of the competitors saw what happen between you and Bakugo-San." Gine places her hand on-top of Izuku's, massaging them with her thumbs.
"Yea, now a lot of people know my weakness. That's what Ranma-Sempai was getting at with our interactions. Even having his wife participate in our match but forfeiting before it could've gone somewhere. Speaking of, did you and Master noticed something between the two? It almost felt like their energy was the exact same." Izuku inquired thinking back to the short exchanges with Ranma and the fighting against Ranko.
"I felt that too. It was odd, usually, every person has their own signature of KI, but they do share the same kind."
"That's because they were one person at some point," Roshi informed getting both Izuku and Gine's attention. The old man hummed to himself before continuing. "Ranma was the original before there was no Ranko but under certain circumstances, Ranma was cursed with a girl body. I don't remember the full details but he could change genders with water. However, somewhere down the line, Ranma must have figured out how to "cure" himself, which as a result allowed the female curse to become an actual person. But this came with a price since they were part of the same being, their spirits are tied to each other. So in your case Izuku, if the fight did drag out, and if she had sustain damage, really devastating damage, Ranma would be affected by it. Though that's my two-cents on this matter. What should be a concern is that Ranma knows your fighting style and physical weakness that can be exploited. He ain't a prodigy for nothing."
Gine looked over to her boyfriend, the visible clenching of his jaw showed how frustrated he was with himself.
"Izuku, the martial arts world, and the real world are similar. You need to be more attentive and aware of your surroundings. You might be powerful then you were ten months ago, but you don't have the twenty plus years of experience Ranma has as well as some of the others in his bandwagon." Roshi lectures the naivety in Izuku's trusting manner. He needed the boy to learn this fact, he needed to be able to hold secrecy for his sake and the sake of others he holds dear.
"I understand." Izuku bit his tongue, he couldn't argue or question it.
The Winner of the fourth match is Ukyo Konji!
The crowd applauded, getting the two teens' attention. Izuku leans outside the window to see a very beaten blonde girl who was most likely unconscious and a woman holding an abnormally large spatula.
The woman known as Ukyo took her to leave with no signs of any harm. Izuku noticed that a lot of the competition so far had between the ages of fifteen to twenty-five/six. Izuku started to dread Mineta's fight between whoever his next opponent would be, curse him for not paying attention to the names on the board earlier. He could have warned his friend ahead of time who was he dealing with.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Turing over he met Gine's gaze. She could see his worry, as he made little effort to hide it.
"Have faith in him. Just like I have with you." Izuku nodded as the announcer called the next pair.
"Fifth pair-up, Mineta Minoru Versus Mu-Tsu. Please make your stance on the stage."
Izuku watched with anticipation as the adult and teen made their way to the stage together before walking to take their spots and stance on the arena.
From Izuku had seen, no words were exchanged, both fighters staring at each other. Mineta obviously held the disadvantage in courage. The short boy was slightly shaking at the long-haired teen's eye contact or lack thereof.
"You're going to fight with your eyes closed?"
"The darkness is what I see nowadays fellow competitors. I was unfortunately born with defective eyesight but that hasn't stopped me from getting to the point I am today."
Mu-Tsu calmly explains.
"Begin!"
Mineta didn't bother with the formalities, he needed to prove himself. While Master Roshi was easygoing about accepting him into the art, the short-teen didn't want to overestimate himself.
Is idol, his friend, someone he aspired to become. Izuku had put himself through hell and back for the class, redefining the definition of a hero in front of Mineta. The short-teen knew that day at USJ, he was gonna change, and for the better!
Charging at his opponent, the blind man pulled a set of chains out of his long sleeves. In one quick motion, he dashed towards Mineta, the latter of which was caught unprepared and grabbed his purple balls to throw at the man in the hopes halting his movements. Mu-Tsu didn't hesitate with the next attack, the purple balls were all sliced into nothing within an instant.
Mineta felt his body shivered in unexpected nervousness. He tried to leap back but the man was many steps ahead. The chains wrapped around the young teen. Mineta screamed out of pain and tried to get free but it was futile.
"It's over." Mu-Tsu declares as he unchains the unconscious teen outside of the ring. He leaves the stage with nothing more than the stunning silence of the audience.
"Mu-Tsu has won by ring out!"
Izuku saw the fight, as much as he believed that Mineta would do his best, the outcome would be his loss. Narrowing his eyes at the sight of his friend being carried out by the stretcher. He needed to see him, to make sure nothing fatal had damaged him.
"Don't." The words of his master stopped him. Looking at the man who still had his eyes on the injured teen.
"Ranma is next. This is your chance to see what your up against."
Izuku didn't want to agree but he understood the reason very well.
Gine cast a look between her master and her boyfriend. She knew that more than anything right now, they have to win. Studying your potential next opponent was the best way to prepare and make up new strategies in the meantime.
Izuku tunes out the sounds of the audience and focuses on the next pair of fighters walking together to the ring before facing one another.
The match...
Tetsu Tetsu had never felt such a pressuring feeling. The kind that there was a constant weight that landed on his very being. To any other regular person, his opponent seemed like a laid-back, confident guy. However, to the eyes of a martial artist, he didn't have any openings.
He saw in his peripheral that the announcer stepped between them.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Our sixth matchup for today is a legend across Japan. He is a prodigy since the day he took up martial arts from his now-deceased father, from heir-to-patriarch of the Saotome Family! He has been known to be an exceptional martial artist from the Everything-Goes-Martial Arts school! A vigilante in the eyes of society, he is wanted by both heroes and villains! His name is Ranma Saotome!"
"His opponent, another student from the famous Crane School of Martial Arts. An aspiring will of Iron! Tetsu Tetsu!"
The audience clapped for the two fighters but more so for young adults dressed in baggy black pants and a red-sleeveless Chinese shirt.
"Fight!"
Tetsu Tetsu dashes towards his opponent. The speed that seems out of this world. Hardly anyone could see his movements as he was a blur. With a mighty shout, Tetsu Tetsu attacked Ranma his fist aiming for the chest. Only for him to phase right through his opponent.
"What?!" The youngster shouts as his body phases through the man. Ranma is seemingly unaffected. Tetsu made a rough U-Turn to face his opponent who was merely smiling at him.
"Show me what you got." Ranma gestures with his fingers.
With a growl, Tetsu rushes and gives barrages of blows that would all not even touch him. Every punch was phased through.
"Here let me make this easy for you," Ranma says as he physically dodges the blows now. Still not giving the younger teen a chance to hit him.
"Damn it!" Tetsu curses as each punch didn't land on him.
The next minute was just hit-and-miss for Tetsu, he was severely outclassed by Ranma who was starting to get bored of his opponent. Dashing at him, Tetsu goes for a block but he didn't see his opponent anymore.
"You lose." Tetsu felt a quick and hard hit to the back of his head. Falling over and getting knocked out.
"The winner is Ranma Saotome."
Izuku shuddered at the match. "Afterimage." He whispered as Gine nodded.
"You half-right." His master says. "It's a better form of Afterimage. The one you use requires a lot of skill that drains you physically. However, in Ranma's case, he was using the aura of that young man as a way to reduce the fatigue of the afterimage. It's an afterimage with a strike to follow up, one that is as deadly and punishing to the opponent.
"When he chopped him in the neck?"
"Yes. As Tetsu continued to attack Ranma, his fighting aura was building up. Ranma has the talent to use other people's auras against them." Roshi lectures.
Izuku nods at that technique. So it's not KI that makes these guys strong but their use of auras. Once Master Roshi has lectured him on the topic of auras, it's a part of KI but it needs momentum and builds up to be used properly.
"Which explains why Ranma and his peers didn't strike me as strong because their natural energy is smaller compared to me, Gine, and you Master," Izuku says as he backs away from the sight of the match and went on his way to see Mineta.
"I will be back Master."
Roshi nods at him. Izuku walks past Gine who gave him an understanding smile as she watched the next matches with their master. Passing by Inko and Katsumi he gives the two women a nod as he walks towards the nurse's wing.
Upon reaching there, he saw his friend his whole torso was bandaged up. Though awake he didn't realize Izuku was sitting down next to his bed. Mineta looked up at him. "I lost, really bad right?"
"Yea, but don't take to heart. You went against someone who likely spent their whole lives doing this." Izuku assures his friend. Mineta smiles before looking at him with a determined look on his face.
"I will do better! So that the next time I fight, I will be the victor." Mineta raises his bandaged fist from the bed covers. Izuku smiles before returning the gesture.
"That's all we can do. I believe in you."
Part one is done! Thank you guys for reading my story.