The Emperor's Dragon

Is It Really A Fight?

"Can you hold my bag?" Izuku asked Ochaco, holding out his book bag.

She took it but gave him a look with worried eyes.

"I'll be fine," Izuku reassured her.

"You're sure?" Hitoshi asked. "He's been practicing since your last fight," the purple-haired boy reminded him. Again.

Izuku gave him a small smile. "So have I," he said. It was maybe a bit cocky, but he had been practicing since their last fight. "And it's better to get this over with," he added.

At that, Ochaco nodded, though it was apparent she didn't like that thought.

Gatarui waited a whole week into the start of Middle School before the spider-quirked boy had strolled up to them and issued his challenge. He had, of course, intimated that Izuku's disappearance was because he was scared.

Izuku had agreed it was because he was scared, adding that he was scared his dad would die after a relapse. The slap down hadn't gone unnoticed by the others. Gatarui had then issued his challenge. Izuku had sighed and agreed but said it had to be quick.

He honestly wondered why the teen was doing this. It wasn't even the first month of school, and he would give them a reputation. But if he did this right, then he wouldn't have trouble with Gatarui for a long time.

"You know, it's odd to see him without Arata," Izuku commented.

Ochaco snorted. Arata Ogawa had gone to a different Middle School. Gatarui Kumou had managed to find another follower. Minato Amano. His old friend had officially moved into the former category. Izuku thought it hurt more for Ochaco to see him since she had been friends with him long after he transferred schools.

"Anyway, I'm on a time limit, so we'd better get going," Izuku said. After school, he had some time to make his way to the office for Kurogiri to pick him up, but he knew he couldn't be too late.

Today, Izuku's hair was a brilliant red, to go with his green eyes. He couldn't change his eye colour as much at school since people knew what his eye colour had been. He could claim he was using contacts, but dying his hair was a more acceptable excuse. He turned to Gatarui.

The spider-quirked teen was flexing his muscles. He'd taken off his outer gakuran. Izuku wondered how he grew with all that chitin, but that wasn't a question he'd get to ask today. Probably never, though there were others with similar quirks he could ask that question of. He'd seen some of them when Giran brought them in for practice. Except he wasn't allowed to talk to those guys. One day he'd find someone.

He took a huge breath as he walked forward. "Let's get this over with," Izuku invited Gatarui. He could take Gatarui's quirk, and that would end the fight. It's what Gigantomachia would expect him to do, but Izuku had a feeling if he did that they'd both get into trouble. Knocking someone out was going to attract too much attention.

Plus... Izuku wanted to find out if his training was bearing fruit. He'd never beaten Gigantomachia, but he was getting better. He wanted to see what that would mean against someone his age, with... well, Gatarui was built more heavily than him but was a featherweight compared to Gigantomachia.

"Yeah, I'm gonna pound that arrogance right out of you," the spider-quirked boy said as he fell into a fighting stance.

Izuku didn't do that. Gigantomachia's training was more rough and ready. The huge man taught him a style of fighting that focused on winning. Gigantomachia reminded him that the victors wrote history, though, in society, it was Heroes. It told Izuku that if he wanted the truth to be out there, he had to win.

Gatarui snorted at his stance. Izuku just cocked his head, giving the other boy a soft smile. He'd try fighting without a quirk first, but if he needed to, then he could probably use Caeli Imperium stealthily. It was one of the ones he liked to use against Gigantomachia. However, just for some protection, Izuku let scales from under his uniform. Gatarui would not be as strong as Gigantomachia, but he also would not have the giant man's control, and while Regeneration would heal him, it was better to be safe. The other boy took a step forward and swung his right hand. It was so slow!