𝑩𝑨𝑫 𝑨𝑷𝑷𝑳𝑬 | ˢ.ᵗᵒᵈᵒʳᵒᵏⁱ ˣ ᵒᵖ!ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ ˣ ᵏ.ᵇᵃᵏᵘᵍᵒ

𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐍 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄

Chapter Nine: The horrifying truth

BAKUGO CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND, almost yelling out in pain if it weren't for the blood spurting from his mouth. He barely managed to roll away in time as your boot came flying towards his face for the nth time that day.

"Close call!"

"FUCK OFF!" He yelled out of anger as you launched another attack which was narrowly dodged. Yeah, whatever, he shouldn't have underestimated you but — such raw power was obscene. Not a single one of his attacks had landed — hell, he'd been on the defensive for the entire battle; not to mention his shoulders were beginning to scream out in pain from the force of his explosions.

That quirk...

You'd warned him about it before the match had started, but as always it flew over the top of his massive ego.

Perfect Adaptation, he roughly recalled, scowling as your foot clipped his cheek. You'd really hit the jackpot with a power like that. As the fight drew on, the boy began to despair. There was no way he could beat you — someone so powerful with so much experience. Maybe he should be thanking you for training with him. For even seeing him as strong enough to put up a decent fight. That exact thought ran through his head as he released another half-assed explosion. Alas, it was fruitless, as he watched you avert is easily with naught a scratch. The gap between you was so big. He could feel the power — not only as it punched him in the gut — but as it radiated from your soul.

"Are you gonna wallow in self-pity our whole fight?" Bakugo's brilliant vermillion eyes snapped up at the sound of your voice. "Or are you gonna give me a real challenge?"

There it was.

That small flicker that burst into a roaring flame in the explosive boy's heart. He can't beat you. He can't beat you, but he's gonna do every damn thing he can to make sure that one day he will. To become the best.

"YOU'LL BE EATING THOSE DAMN WORDS WHEN I WIPE THE FLOOR WITH YOUR FACE, SHITTY WOMAN!" He yelled, a crazed shit-eating grin plastered across his face which mirrored your own lazy one.

Bakugo continued to avert and avoid as you overwhelmed him with a barrage of blows using your legs, as that was what was naturally the most strong — not to mention had been enhanced by Mirko. He quickly noticed a recurring pattern in your technique. A glimmer of excitement glinted in his eyes as he began to read your attacks.

"Figured it out yet?" He completely disregarded your statement, instead reaching for your ankle as your leg flew out, and pulling it towards him.

"GOT YOU NOW, BITCH!" You threw your head backwards as a crackle of light began to ignite in his palm. "CHOKE ON MY SMOKE!"

Seems the threat fell upon deaf ears, as his explosion had hit absolutely nothing apart from the back wall of the arena.

"Shit." Bakugo didn't even have time to react as your head came flying back up, crashing against his own with an audible crack. His eyes grew wide as the space between his eyebrows turned numb, and he started to be lifted into the air still clinging onto your ankle.

He didn't even need to look at you to know that you'd be smirking like the self-righteous brat that you are. He didn't even need to prepare as your foot had already connected to the back of his head, slamming him mercilessly into the ground.

The boy groaned, his voice muffled and pained. You were a fucking dirty little bitch.

"Hey, I'm pretty good right?"

Bakugo glanced up, gaze piercingly sharp with rage. "The hell did you just say..?" He growled, blood dripping from his busted lips and nose. You smirked, ripping your gaze away from your fisted hand to stare down at his beaten body.

"I said I'm pretty fucking good." You repeated; Bakugo said nothing in response. That momentary anger quickly faded from his eyes. Despair, and confusion returned, and remained. Was this how it felt? That damned nerd, was this what he had felt like this entire time?

"Damnit." He hit the floor with a fist. "FUCK!" You moved away momentarily, ignoring his outburst and seconds later returning with a med kit in hand.

"Here." You tapped his shoulder, trying to get him to sit up. As you waited, you pulled out some air-bacterial wipes, plasters, and gauze. His wounds weren't too bad. A few nasty bruises, some small cuts, but nothing too broken. Maybe his ego, but that might be a good thing. "Your mom will kill me if I send you home like this. Get up." Painstakingly, he did as you said, albeit with a nasty bitch face.

"I can do it my fucking self." He snapped, snatching away the items from your grasp. You again, said nothing, but used the time to think back to your fight. Bakugo was a strong opponent. He has good battle sense, and almost got you a few times. You knew as soon as he launched his first attack that you'd have to beat him quickly, or else you'd run out of stamina and he'd take the victory.

Perhaps I was too cocky. He would have had a field day rubbing it in my face if I got caught out.

You supposed it was a nice wake up call. Your quirk was only just beginning to become useful. For it to be a true asset, you'd have to continue training by one on one fights like this, and general fitness. The only thing you had going for you right now was your technique. Close combat was definitely your forte, due to your prolonged history of home-taught martial arts. But you were weak. Your muscles were only able to inflict such deviating hits due to your quirk, and enhanced reflexes. Apart from that, you might as well have been quirkless.

"Are you coming tomorrow?" You finally asked, watching as he wiped the blood from his face. He looked at you skeptically, as if he couldn't tell if those words had truly just come out of your mouth.

"And why the fuck would I do that?"

Ouch.

You quickly recomposed yourself. "Well, I'd like to be as prepared as I can for my exam. I'm sure you do as well. And you're a good training partner."

Bakugo snorted. "Good punching bag, you mean?" You could tell there was quite alot of brewing emotions from his loss. "I'm too easy for you aren't I? Fucking big shot like you? Well I'm not a fucking toy either, got it?"

You frowned, trying to figure out what to say. "I don't think of you like that Bakugo." The boy raised his brows slightly, halting in whatever he was doing. "You might not have noticed, but If it weren't for my quirk saving my ass, and your weak mentality I would have been bested within ten minutes."

You took the silence as an excuse to continue, watching as his expression began to soften. "I wouldn't train with you if I got nothing out of it. I don't do shit from the good of my heart." You scoffed. "I surround myself with strong people, who I can use as I please. And in return, I'll let them use me too."

"That's fucking stupid." He finally grumbled, meeting your surprised gaze.

You smirked at his response, standing up. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah." He affirmed. "Just wait until I figure you out. Then I'll beat your ass."

You laughed. "I'll hold you to it. Can't wait to see what you've got planned for me." Bakugo merely rolled his eyes in response.