The UA students were called back to the arena after the break, and there were still 16 students left in the competition. Present Mic announced the third challenge—a one-on-one fighting battle.
The reactions among the students were mixed. Some were excited, while others looked nervous.
"Alright, this is it! Time to show what we're made of!" Kirishima exclaimed, pumping his fists.
Midoriya glanced around nervously. "This is going to be tough... but we have to give it our all."
I felt Katsuki's eyes on me. I couldn't quite tell if he was excited about the upcoming battles, angry, or just his typical Pomeranian-self. When I looked back at him, he quickly looked back to Ms. Midnight. Weird. Maybe he was sizing up the competition, or perhaps he was just curious about if I'd fight for real now. It was hard to tell with Bakugo.
Ms. Midnight stepped onto the stage to announce who would be fighting whom, but before she could even start, Ojiro—one of my classmates whom I had barely spoken to—raised his hand to speak. I was visibly confused when he announced his withdrawal from the competition.
"I can't in good conscience continue," Ojiro said firmly.
"Why are you giving up this chance?" Mina asked, her voice filled with surprise and concern.
Ojiro took a deep breath before explaining. "I was in the team with that guy with the purple hair and tired eyes—Shinso. Something was off. I don't remember much from the cavalry battle, and it feels like I wasn't in control of my actions. I can't fight in these conditions, knowing I wasn't myself."
The students started murmuring among themselves, the atmosphere filled with curiosity and confusion.
"He must have some kind of mind control quirk," Midoriya speculated, his eyes widening with realization.
"But giving up just because of that?" Bakugo scoffed. "Pathetic."
"No, it's not pathetic," I interjected, stepping forward. "Ojiro is doing what he believes is right. If he thinks he wasn't in control, then it's honorable of him to step back."
Ojiro nodded gratefully at me. "Thank you, Y/N. I just wanted to be honest. I can't compete if I don't know if my actions were my own."
Ms. Midnight nodded in understanding. "Very well, Ojiro. Your withdrawal is accepted. Now, let's proceed with the matchups."
The screen lit up with the tournament bracket, and everyone's eyes were glued to it. The matchups were announced as follows:
· Midoriya vs. Kaminari
· Y/N vs. Shinso
· Todoroki vs. Sero
· Iida vs. Aoyama
· Mina vs. Tokoyami
· Kirishima vs. Tetsutetsu
· Bakugo vs. Uraraka
· Yaoyorozu vs. Jiro
"Looks like I'm up against purple guy myself, great," I muttered to myself. The thought of facing him, especially after Ojiro's warning, annoyed me.
As Shinso realized he was up against me, his eyes narrowed, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. Every muscle in his body seemed tense, ready for action, as if he couldn't wait to prove himself and show that he deserved a spot in the hero course just as much as anyone else.
He didn't say a word, but the intensity of his gaze at me spoke volumes. I knew that this guy wanted to beat me, badly. He'd been bitter ever since, thinking I had it easy because of my family name. This wasn't just a match for him; it was a chance to challenge the status quo and prove his worth. And he was ready to do whatever it took to make that happen.
YOU ARE READING
Amethyst. (Katsuki Bakugo x Reader)
FanfictionI'm the fourth of five Todoroki children. Not the prodigy. Not the favorite. Just the one who stayed quiet. Who followed orders. Who stepped into the fire when no one else would. For almost two years, I fought as a licensed Pro-Hero. I wore the name...
