Chapter 9

lida couldn't help as he panted, hands and knees pressed to the ground as exhaustion and fatigue filled his body, sweat pouring from his brow from a mix of physical and mental exhaustion. The bout hadn't been going long, far from it but as the sounds of his comrades being eliminated one after the other echoed through the speakers he had found himself pushing himself harder. Again and again, trying new tactics in an area which didn't allow him to fully utilize his quirk.

Yet it had dawned on him soon enough. It didn't matter how fast he went, what side he struck from or what surprise he tried to mix into his assault, he was powerless against the monster in front of him.

This wasn't the top of the class he was facing. This was someone who had seen heroes up close and personal and knew how to compete with professionals.

And here he was, a student who hadn't even been in this academy for a week thinking he could take on this juggernaut before him.

What a fool he was.

"So, tell me, what did you learn?" asked Shirou as he stood over lida, the teenager having successfully brought lida to this state without breaking a sweat.

"You're…. you're too strong," said lida ashamed.

"You already knew that," declared Shirou. "If I wasn't at that level then there would have been no way I could compete against your brother and the other heroes. Try again."

"Then I'm too..."

"If you're about to say weak then I want you to walk out that door and leave this academy with your tail tucked between your legs," said Shirou as he crossed his arms, creating an imposing figure.

"You're trying to become a hero. The moment you doubt yourself is when the battle is lost and those people you were trying to protect die."

"Then what do you want me to do?" asked lida, raising his gaze up from the ground.

"There is always going to be someone better than you, whether that is because they are faster, stronger, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you use everything you have at your disposal to close the gap. Take this experience and learn from it. Treat every fight as if your life depended on it and figure out just what you are capable of. Every time you get knocked down, count it as experience so it becomes harder for them to knock you down again."

lida couldn't help but find himself swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat. Shirou wasn't simply saying this because it was something that he had seen in a self help book. He had been knotked down, repeatedly by the sounds of it and found ways to get back up, no matter how bruised, bloodied and battered he was.

He knew how difficult the journey was, he had already crawled on that path through whatever means necessary to come out the other side. It painted a terrifying picture and lida could find himself understanding the person in front of him that little bit more, however scary that idea was.

Shirou didn't become as strong as he had because he wanted to, his strength had come from the fact it was necessary.

lida didn't resist as the handcuffs were secured around his wrists, eliminating him, and his team from the competition. Though it didn't truly matter, he had been the last one standing from his team after all.

As he stood up and started heading towards the exit of the room, he took one final look back at Shirou and wished that during their battle he had managed to accomplish a single thing. Just one single thing to show that he had been taken seriously.

Shirou had bested him without using his quirk. Not a single weapon had been crafted to battle him.

Next time though, next time they fought lida knew that he would lose to Shirou again. If he could make him use his quirk however, no matter how badly he was beaten it would be an incredible victory.

Shirou looked at Mineta and Hagakure, the two of them having been captured during the last contest. Looking at the bright red handprint on Mineta's face said more than any explanation would. It seemed as if the small student had tried to get a bit frisky at some point and had jeopardized the whole operation in order to cop a feel.

"Have you said you're sorry?" Shirou asked.

"It doesn't matter if he said it or not!" started

Hagakure. "He thought that while I was in front of him he could..."

"I know it won't change the way you feel," said

Shirou, offering the invisible girl a small smile. "It will tell me however if he has even the slightest bit of remorse for his actions."

"Oh, in that case, no he hasn't said sorry," said Hagakure.

"Alright then, there's only one thing that we need to do in order to get him to repent for his sins," said Shirou.

"What's that?" asked Mineta, fear creeping into his body.

Shirou crafted an ancient knife, one which had originated hundreds of years earlier and was crude in design. It did make a solid point visually however and was perfect for what he was about to say next.

"Castration."

Mineta felt his knees go weak under him and he struggled to remain standing. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

I'm sorry!" he begged, fearing for his manhood.

"Don't say it to me," said Shirou as he pointed the knife from Mineat to Hagakure.

"I'm sorry Hagakure! Please forgive me, I'm sorry for everything!" Mineta shouted in desperation.

"This is too much," mumbled Jiro as she found herself rubbing at her temples.

"Emiya, you're not really going to... you know..." said Midoriya, unable to find the actual words.

No answer was given however as All Might's voice came over the speaker system. "Team B, please get ready for your operation, you will be storming the headquarters of...Team E!"

"Oh what a surprise, it's us again," said firo with sarcasm almost visible in her words.

"Hey All Might, can we get the keys to the cuffs!" shouted Hagakure, waving her hands up to the camera, not sure if the number one hero could hear her.

Apparently not.

"While I can't hear you young Miss, I have some unfortunate news for you. You and the young sir by your side were eliminated from the competition, the whole competition," said All Might. "The rest of your team is still in the contest."

"Wait, so we're not only fatigued from our previous fights, but our number advantage is gone," said Jiro, biting at the inside of her lip.

"If you want to take a breather, find some cover and I can do the heavy lifting this time around," said Shiro.

"Are you really going to fight all of them?" asked Hagakure, still bummed out that she couldn't compete in the following event.

"No, I'm just going to fight three of them," said Shiro as his gaze shifted to Midoriya. "I think there's someone in Team B that Midoriya needs to face one on one."

Considering the four people that they were going up against, it didn't take long for Midoriya to figure out just who Shiro was hinting at. "Kaa-chan," he said softly, his palm clenching into a fist.

"We all saw him charge at you after you launched the ball yesterday," stated Shiro. "I won't ask what kind of bad blood there is between the two of you but this is your chance to rectify some issues.

"I don't know," said Midoriya with more than a hint of uncertainty.

"This is your chance to face your demons head on," stated Shirou. "If you can't even face your own fear, how are those you protecting going to know you're a real hero.'

"So, Midoriya, the real question is this...Can you do this?"

Second ticked by as Midoriya did his best to gather the courage necessary to answer. Weeks ago were he given such an option he would never have chosen this but now...now things were different.

"Yes."

"Good, let's go," said Shirou with a cunning smile, wondering whether any of the other three students he was going to target would get him to use anything within his arsenal.

Jiro meanwhile couldn't help but see the smile that Shirou was wearing, an almost playful nature to it.

She along with most of the world had seen just what Shirou and his partner were capable of, the way the two of them had been able to stand up to a multitude of heroes like it was nothing. Hagakure may have reached fangirl levels of obsession but she had been much more on the analytical side of things.

Even during that last bout after she and Mirodiya had succeeded in capturing Kirishima, she had watched Shirou toy with lida all for the idea of teaching him a lesson. Having seen the footage, she was more than aware that Shirou was capable of so much more but he simply chose not to push himself. At any time he could have taken lida out and likely in the next match he would take his time, perhaps even give some random hints of advice as he danced around their coordinated attacks.

Then, once they were tired and out of ideas, he would capture them and end the fight.

It was sadly all too predictable.

It would give her time to rest though for the final fight and after having had to restrain Koda, Sero and Kirishima, she was more than content to take a break.

The general studies class watched as the third bout started only for Bakugo to charge straight forward, leaving his teammates still standing at the entrance. He moved as if a man possessed, a single terrifying thought on his mind. Many of those who had never seen the explosive quirk user felt intimidated, all of them hoping to never be in the path of the teenager who looked more like a villain than a hero in this single moment.

Considering that there was someone who was once called a villain was standing right beside them, that was saying something.

Rin meanwhile couldn't help but feel mildly impressed. Mildly.

What she had been more impressed with thus far was how Shirou was interacting with those around him. She was glad that he wasn't actually using his proper strength against children pretending to be superpowered. She didn't care what kind of ability they possess which they believed gave them the right to be called the pitiful excuse of a hero in this world, they couldn't be any kind of idol if their mindset was that of a toddler. The best lesson that they needed to have beaten into their skulls was that it didn't matter that they had gotten into the top class level of the academy, they were still unprepared for the world.

Which made it all the more surprising as she watched the teenager that had yet to display a single bit of power during all of the fights thus far take the battle to the kid that could create explosions. Rin could hear the panicked whispers of those standing nearby about the thought how someone whose profile stated how the green haired kid had incredible strength but a terrifying self-destructive drawback.

Kid had courage, Rin could give him that.

Unfortunately, it looked like courage wouldn't be enough in this battle. She had been in enough situations where she and Shirou had faced unspeakable odds during the Holy Grail war, not to mention everything that subsequently came afterwards. They had taken on the challenges knowing full well that they were potentially unprepared. Courage, was only good when one had the skills to back up their bravado.

Meanwhile, on one of the other screens, a couple of the students watched as Shirou danced between three sets of attacks almost effortlessly ad if he knew everything that would be coming his way. Rin allowed a smile to grace her lips for only a moment, making sure nobody else saw her reaction.

Just a small smile, one that was gone as soon as it arrived

Shirou had had years of watching the worst of mankind eat away at his soul for decades. Rin knew that he had struggled and did his best to hide the effects that countless inhumane events had had on his psyche. He always did his best to wear that irresistible smile of his but every now and again Rin had seen it waver ever so slightly, telling her that perhaps they were fake smiles being sent her way. Shirou never wished to burden her with anything that would stress her out or make her worry, something which infuriated Rin to no regard. Yet she cared for him, and this was his way of showing that he cared for her.

A gasp from nearby caught Rin's attention, turning her head slightly to view the other screen to see Shirou's teammate on the ground, rubble and debris surrounding his barely moving body. It was Clear that her earlier deduction had been on the mark, though the blood trickling both from the explosive kid's nose and a cut that had formed across his cheek. Saying that he looked annoyed was putting it lightly, infuriating also seemed as if it was an understatement.

Well, it just looked as if there was another person for Shirou to put into place.

Shirou secured the cuffs around Ojiro, the third person whom he had eliminated this bout. True to his style, during the entire time he had been combatting the trio, he had been trying to push them to better themselves. They actually had had some good chemistry, likely chatting amongst one another beforehand and creating some sort of plans.

Sadly it had all been a bit too predictable.

Aoyama's laser instantly made him their long distance fighter while Ojiro had tried to combat him in close combat with Uraraka playing support where she could. They were still a bit green but there was nothing wrong with that. They would learn in the years to come, provided they made it that far.

The wall nearby exploded towards them, Ojiro flinching and closing his eyes as he braced himself for some manner of debris hitting his body.

Nothing hit him however, his body being protected by the unmoving frame of Shirou who had stood in the path to protect him. Whatever rubble and grit collided with his frame did little to move him from his spot and only once the dust had cleared did he step to the side to see who was still around.

"Go," instructed Shirou, Ojiro taking no time to heed his call.

"There you are," snarled Bakugo as he raised a fist, his arm trembling in anticipation for what was to come. His menacing presence was only made more so by the amount of blood that was smeared across his face,red liquid still trickling from his wounds.

"I see," said Shirou as he leant to the side, the explosive palm that Bakugo possessed bypassing his head by a matter of inches. That was only the start as the momentum allowed Bakugo to twist, his leg swinging up in an attempt to strike again at Shirou's face. It failed to strike however as Shirou tilted backwards, allowing the leg to sail above his nose by the barest of margins.

Bakugo skidded off to the side, preparing himself for some measure of counter attack that never came. Instead he focused on the fact that Shirou had yet to move from the position he had been standing in when he had defended Ojiro from the destruction he had caused.

The explosive kid wasn't a fool. He knew that all of the other people in his class were merely pebbles that he needed to move past in order to reach the top. Standing in front of him though wasn't a pebble, it was a mountain. Shirou wasn't like the other students, that much was obvious. Even mountains however were scaled by the strongest and bravest of explorers, and Bakugo knew what the first step would be to ensure that he would be recognized as the strongest. That was to do what no one else had been able to do thus far.

Make Shirou use his quirk.

None of the other students had managed to do so, but Bakugo was determined to make the seemingly impossible a reality. "You better take me serious," he said as he slapped his wrists together, his palms pointing towards where Shirou was standing. "I'll crush you if you don't come at me with everything you've got."

"Everything I've got," repeated Shirou as Bakugo charged at him, the sweat building on his palms.

Those watching on the cameras did so in horror as Shirou didn't budge from his spot as the palms connected with his torso, engulfing his body in an explosion which shook the foundation of the building. Smoke enveloped the human that Bakugo had struck with everything he could have mustered, causing the first year student to shake.

Many might have assumed he was terrified with himself because he had struck someone clean with his quirk, a powerful quirk that had the potential to kill an individual if not used carefully.

During his childhood, while he had constantly been praised, he had also been given fair warning about the danger such a strong quirk could have.

That however, was not why Bakugo was shaking.

The smoke parted to show Shirou still standing there, seemingly unfazed by the attack that had struck him square. An attack that could have crumbled a wall hadn't even damaged the hero costume that Shirou was wearing. Was it the material itself that was able to withstand the attack or was it Shirou himself?

Knowing that potential defeat was coming soon, Bakugo's right arm swung upwards, his fist connecting with Shriou's chin in such a way that it sent the head recoiling backwards. A menacing smile crossed Bakugo's features for only the barest of moments before Shirou spoke.

"A haymaker is meant to end a fight," he said as his face shot down and his eyes connected with Bakugo's. It took only a split second then for Bakugo's insides to nearly collapse on themselves as Shirou's fist embedded itself in his stomach witH enough force to send him crashing against the opposite wall.

Bakugo couldn't help the bile and blood that he coughed up as he found himself on his hands and knees, doing his best to take deep breaths. Hazy eyes went wide as he looked at Shirou and the weapon he held in his hands.

A spear. Crimson red in colour with an intricate pattern etched into the core.

Yet it wasn't these details that Bakugo noticed.

He could feel the power, he didn't know how it was possible but it felt as if the weapon itself was radiating an aura of pure strength.

Bakugo would later go on to stay that it was the weapon that had caught him off guard to which lead to his defeat. The spear never struck him, but being able to see his reflection in the spear face when it was only an inch away from his head with the tip embedded into the wall was an experience he never wished upon anyone else.

Bakugo didn't resist as Shirou placed the handcuffs on him (the pair that he had taken from Ojiro), the explosive teenager more than content to allow this competition to come to an end and allow some himself to have some manner of medical treatment administered. It was very possible that a few of his ribs were broken. It also didn't help that Shirou hadn't needed to summon the weapon to defend himself and the pure amount of strength in his fist alone was terrifying.

Shirou had summoned the spear to make one point obviously clear.

That this was merely a taste of what he was truly capable of.

All Might couldn't help but allow a sigh of relief to sound out as the battle came to a close. Small medic robots were already on their way to pick up Midoriya, the kid having put up more of a fight against Bakugo then anybody could have predicted. He needed to learn how to utilize One for All better though or else he wasn't going to be able to see the rest of the semester through.

He was also glad that Shirou had opted to make a statement with his fist rather than the weapons he could have created. Heaven forbid he terrify all those who were watching by splashing Bakugo's blood all across the wall. Hopefully the explosive child had learned something from this and would be able to use it in the future.

Although he still wasn't sure how to feel about Shirou willingly taking Bakugo's attack head on.

Was he simply that confident in his ability, or did he know he would be okay because he had been through worse in the past?

Now was not the time for idle thoughts however as there was one last bout to occur. Now it would be up to Team A to try and accomplish what no other team could.

Jiro and Shirou.

AsuY, Ashido, Shoji and the son of Endeavour, Todoroki.

On paper it was two to four. Jiro and Shirou would be entering their fourth consecutive match with minimal breaks in order to restore their stamina.

Team A had been able to watch what their opponents were capable of.

None of this would likely give Team A any advantage whatsoever.