Chapter 64: Sports Festival part 12

[Third Person's PoV] 

"NOW THEN FOLKS IT'S THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, IT'S TIME FOR THE SEMI FINAL ROUND OF THE SPORT FESTIVAL!!!" 

There was heavy and excited cheering as Present Mic gave the announcement before he then introduced the first Match of semi final round of the sport festival. 

"EVERYONE GET READY AS WE'RE ABOUT TO WITNESS A FIGHT AGAINST TITANS. IT WILL BE A BATTLE OF ENDURANCE, A BATTLE WITH SIMILAR SKILLS, A MECH BATTLE FOR DAYS TO COME, LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF FOR ANTHONY STARKKKKKK AND HIS OPPONENT MELISSA SHIELDDDDD!" 

Everyone suddenly looked towards the skies, Tony did a superhero landing cracking the floor on one knee, while Melissa had her feet together and arms to side as she casually floated down facing him. 

Although they couldn't see it due to their mask they both had smirk on their faces,

They both then raised their arms as their repulsors hummed, both waiting for Present Mic to give the signal. 

"LET THE SEMIFINALS BEGINNNNN!!!" 

Both Tony and Melissa released a large beam of repulsion towards each other, The arena lit up with the clash of their repulsor beams, the force creating a brilliant explosion of light and energy at the point of impact. The ground shook as Tony and Melissa pushed against each other, neither willing to give an inch.

Tony was the first to change tactics. He disengaged his repulsor beam and activated his thrusters, launching himself to the side to avoid the energy clash. Melissa quickly adjusted, her suit's sensors tracking his movement. She followed suit, boosting into the air to keep the battle dynamic.

"Nice move," Tony said through their comms, his tone playful. "But can you keep up?"

"We'll see about that," Melissa responded with a grin.

Tony fired a barrage of micro-missiles from his shoulder compartments, each one homing in on Melissa. She countered by deploying a swarm of mini-drones from her suit, each intercepting and neutralizing the missiles mid-air.

The arena was filled with explosions as the drones and missiles collided. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tony flew in close, aiming to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Melissa met him head-on, their armored fists clashing with thunderous force.

They exchanged a rapid series of blows, their suits enhancing their strength and speed. Each hit sent shockwaves through the air, the ground beneath them cracking from the intensity of their battle. Despite the ferocity of their attacks, both fighters remained focused and composed, their training and experience evident in their movements.

Tony aimed a powerful punch at Melissa's torso, but she deflected it with an energy shield, countering with a kick that sent Tony skidding back. He quickly recovered, using his thrusters to stabilize himself.

"Now this is what I'm talking about," Tony remarked, his voice filled with excitement.

"Heh, but I'm not done yet," she replied, launching herself at him again.

This time, Melissa activated her suit's energy blades, swinging them with precision. Tony dodged and parried, using his own energy blades to counter. Their blades clashed, creating sparks and arcs of energy with each strike.

Tony switched tactics again, using a burst of repulsor energy to create distance between them. He then activated his suit's electromagnetic pulse, aiming to disrupt Melissa's systems. The pulse hit Melissa, causing her suit to flicker, but she quickly regained control, her suit's advanced AI compensating for the disruption.

"Nice try," Melissa said, her voice steady. "But I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too."

She fired a concentrated energy beam from her chest arc reactor, aimed directly at Tony. He countered with his own beam, the two streams of energy meeting in the middle and creating a massive explosion. Both fighters were pushed back, their suits absorbing the impact.

As the smoke cleared, Tony and Melissa faced each other, their suits showing signs of the intense battle but still operational. They took a moment to catch their breath, their eyes meeting through their visors.

"Ready for round two?" Tony asked, a smile evident in his voice.

"Always," Melissa replied, her determination unwavering.

They charged at each other again, their suits humming with power. The crowd watched in awe, fully engrossed in the incredible display of skill and technology. This was a battle that would be remembered for years to come.

The crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch as Tony and Melissa clashed again, their suits glowing with energy and power. Their movements were a blur as they exchanged blows, each strike calculated and precise.

Tony took the offensive, using his suit's thrusters to dart around Melissa, firing repulsor blasts from multiple angles. Melissa's suit's AI tracked his movements, and she deftly blocked or dodged each shot. She retaliated with quick bursts of her own, keeping Tony on his toes.

"Not bad, Melissa. It looks like all these years training wasn't for nothing, " Tony said, his voice filled with genuine pride.

"Thanks, Tony. But I know all your tricks," Melissa replied, launching a volley of missiles.

Tony activated his suit's countermeasures, deploying flares that diverted the missiles away. The explosions rocked the arena, but both fighters remained unfazed. They met in the center again, their energy blades sparking as they collided.

This time, Tony used a different approach. He activated his suit's magnetic field generator, aiming to disrupt Melissa's suit once more  and pull her towards him. Melissa felt the pull and quickly countered by boosting her thrusters to full power, breaking free from the magnetic grip.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Melissa shouted, her suit glowing as she charged her energy output to maximum.

She released a powerful pulse of energy, creating a shockwave that knocked Tony back. Seizing the opportunity, she followed up with a flurry of rapid punches, each one landing with a resounding impact. Tony's suit absorbed the blows, but he could feel the pressure building.

Regaining his footing, Tony retaliated with a blast from his arc reactor, sending Melissa flying back. She managed to stabilize herself mid-air, her suit's systems compensating for the sudden shift. As she landed, she quickly assessed the situation, realizing that they were evenly matched.

"Time to end this," Tony said, his tone serious.

"Agreed," Melissa replied, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

They both activated their most powerful weapons, their suits glowing brightly as they charged up. Tony's arc reactor and repulsors emitted a blinding light, while Melissa's suit hummed with energy. The crowd held its breath, anticipating the final clash.

In an instant, they released their energy beams, the two streams of power colliding with immense force. The arena was engulfed in a brilliant light, the ground shaking from the impact. Both fighters poured everything they had into the attack, neither willing to back down.

The energy beams pushed against each other, creating a massive shockwave that swept through the stadium. The force of the clash was incredible, but slowly, Tony's beam began to overpower Melissa's. Her suit's power levels were draining rapidly, and she could feel the strain, due to her previous fight against Shoto. 

With one final push, Tony's beam broke through Melissa's, hitting her suit and sending her crashing to the ground. The impact created a crater, and for a moment, everything was silent.

Tony stood there, breathing heavily, his suit's systems cooling down from the intense exertion. He looked at the crater, concern etched on his face.

"Melissa?" he called out, his voice filled with worry.

There was a moment of stillness before Melissa's voice came through the comms, slightly strained but steady. "I'm okay, Tony. Just... a little singed."

The crowd erupted in cheers as Melissa slowly got to her feet, her suit battered but still functional. She looked at Tony and gave a weary smile.

"You win this one," she said, her voice filled with amusement.

"AND THE WINNER IS... ANTHONY STARK!" Present Mic's announcement echoed through the arena, the crowd going wild.

Tony walked over to Melissa, extending a hand to help her out of the crater. She took it, and he pulled her up, their suits whirring softly.

"You fought well, Melissa," Tony said, his voice sincere.

"Thanks, Tony. You too." Melissa replied, her smile genuine.

As they left the arena together, the crowd continued to cheer, celebrating the incredible battle they had just witnessed. 

"Do you see now why I was only going physically with Kirishima?" Tony asked her as they exited the stage. 

Melissa nodded, "At first I thought you were just playing around with him but you were saving your energy for your fight with mine" 

"WHAT A FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE FOLKS. LET'S REMINISCE ABOUT WHAT WE JUST WITNESS AS THE ARENA GETS FIX FOR OUR NEXT CONTESTANT!!" 

And it didn't take long for cementoss to fix the stage, 

"LET'S GET ON WITH THE NEXT MATCH, THE LAST MATCH OF THE SEMIFINAL ROUNDS!!! LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR OUR TWO CONTESTANT IZUKU MIDORIYA AND HIS OPPONENT KATSUKI BAKUGO!!" 

The air was thick with anticipation as the two rivals faced off, their eyes locked in intense focus. Midoriya's green arcs of energy flickered around him, while Bakugo's palms crackled with fiery explosions.

"COME ON, DEKU! LET'S SETTLE THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL!" Bakugo shouted, his voice echoing through the arena.

Midoriya nodded, determination etched on his face. "I won't hold back, Kacchan!"

"LET THE FINAL MATCH OF THE SEMIFINALS BEGINNNNN!!!" Present Mic's announcement barely finished when Bakugo launched himself forward with a powerful explosion, aiming a right hook at Midoriya.

Midoriya reacted swiftly, dodging to the side and countering with a swift kick infused with One For All at 25%. The impact sent Bakugo skidding back, but he quickly recovered, launching a barrage of explosive attacks.

Midoriya weaved through the blasts, his agility enhanced by Full Cowling. He closed the distance and landed a punch on Bakugo's side, but the explosive hero retaliated with a fierce blast that sent Midoriya flying. Midoriya tumbled across the ground, but he rolled to his feet, his body already showing signs of strain from using One For All at such a high percentage.

Bakugo grinned, a wild look in his eyes. "You think you can beat me with that half-assed power, Deku?"

Midoriya's eyes blazed with determination. "I'm not giving up, Kacchan!"

They clashed again, their movements a blur of speed and power. Midoriya landed several powerful punches and kicks, each strike fueled by 25% of One For All. But each time, Bakugo responded with explosive counterattacks, the force of his blasts ripping through the air.

The crowd watched in awe as the fight grew more intense. Both fighters were giving their all, neither willing to back down. Bakugo's relentless attacks began to take their toll on Midoriya, his muscles straining and small tears appearing on his skin from the immense power he was channeling.

Blood trickled down Midoriya's arms, and he winced in pain, but he kept pushing forward. Bakugo, too, was showing signs of fatigue, his breaths coming in heavy pants, sweat dripping down his face.

In a desperate move, Midoriya charged at Bakugo with all his remaining strength. He unleashed a powerful punch, shouting, "DETROIT SMASH!"

Bakugo met the attack head-on, his own fists blazing with explosive energy. "HOWITZER IMPACT!"

The collision was catastrophic. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves through the arena, debris flying everywhere. Both fighters were thrown back, crashing into the ground with tremendous force.

The dust settled slowly, revealing Midoriya struggling to stand, his body battered and bloodied. Bakugo lay a few feet away, also attempting to rise but clearly spent. Midoriya's vision blurred, but he forced himself to his feet, using every ounce of his remaining strength.

Bakugo managed to get to his knees, glaring at Midoriya. "D-Damn you, Deku...!"

Midoriya took a deep breath, blood trickling from his mouth. "This...isn't over, Kacchan."

With one final effort, Midoriya launched himself at Bakugo, delivering a powerful, full-body tackle that knocked Bakugo to the ground. The force of the impact was too much for Bakugo, and he finally went still, unconscious.

"AND THE WINNER IS... IZUKU MIDORIYA!" Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium, the crowd erupting in cheers.

Midoriya collapsed next to Bakugo, gasping for breath, his body wracked with pain. Despite the agony, a small smile formed on his face. He had done it. He had won.

Medics rushed to the stage, attending to both fighters. As they were carried off, Midoriya's eyes met Bakugo's for a brief moment. There was no animosity, only a mutual respect forged through their fierce battle.

"Good fight, Kacchan," Midoriya whispered, before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

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A/N: I know some of you are growing bored with the Sports Festival but tomorrow's is the last chapter of it, don't worry

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