Jake wakes up to the sound of his alarm, and he turns it off. The time is 1:43 p.m.
Jake:
*yawns loudly*
Jake gets up and goes downstairs.
Jake's Dad:
Hey, champ! How are you-
Jake holds his hand up.
Jake's Dad:
Oh right, sorry, do your thing.
Jake grabs some chicken nuggets out of the freezer and puts them in their toaster oven.
Jake:
*groans*
The toaster oven finishes. Jake grabs the nuggets and starts eating them immediately.
Jake's Dad:
Aren’t those a little hot?
Jake:
Nope.
Jake's Dad:
Okay… Well, how are you doing, buddy?
Jake:
I’m good. I got up a little earlier than usual for the festival.
Jake's Dad:
Oh right! Isn’t that match between your classmates supposed to start at 2?
Jake:
Oh yeah… they’ll probably be fine.
Jake's Dad:
Are they your friends?
Jake:
Uh… yeah.
Jake's Dad:
That’s good! I’m glad you’re doing so well at school, Jake, making friends, and getting good grades. I’m really proud of you.
Jake:
Thanks, Dad.
Jake's Dad:
Your sisters and I went to the Festival on Saturday. They had a ton of nice booths set up and great eats. I hope you have fun there.
Jake:
I will.
Jake's Dad:
I’ll tell you what. How about you, me, and your sisters all have chicken nuggets for dinner on Sunday!
Jake slams his fist on the table.
Jake:
That’s what I’m talking about! HELL YEAH!
Jake's Dad:
Well, good luck with your friends today, bud. See you tonight.
Jake gets up to leave.
Jake:
Yeah, I’ll try not to get lost, but no promises.
Jake's Dad:
Good luck, Jake. I love you.
Jake:
Love you too, Dad.
Jake departs for the Showcase.
Jake's Dad:
*under his breath* He’s a good kid.
The stadium where the Sports Festival took place is filled to the maximum capacity. Madame Mummy is standing in the center of the arena. Walker is sitting in the teacher’s section.
Walker:
(Just as expected, a fight involving the top student of U.A. drew more than just a crowd. This is pandemonium.)
Adrian:
Hey!
Adrian takes the seat next to Walker.
Walker:
Oh… hey.
Adrian:
It feels like we were planning this event just yesterday, and now it’s here.
Walker:
Yeah… Time flies.
Adrian:
Uh… are you doing alright?
Walker:
I’m fine. I just want to watch the fight and relax.
Adrian:
Oh, okay, do you want me to go?
Walker:
You’re fine.
Adrian considers continuing to pry but decides against it.
Adrian:
So, what do you think?
Walker:
Of what?
Adrian:
The fight, Damien, what else?
Walker:
Oh, it should be interesting. Hayze finalized a very…
interesting
composition of students.
Adrian:
Is that a good “interesting” or a bad “interesting”?
A flashback begins. Hayze walks into Walker’s office with two pieces of paper.
Walker:
Ah, Hayze. Are you finally submitting your selections for the Showcase?
Hayze:
Yeah… it took a while, but I think I got my team right.
Hayze hands him the papers, and Walker examines them.
Walker:
This is… not what I was expecting.
Hayze:
That’s kind of what I was going for. I don’t think Aster will be expecting it either.
Walker:
Tell me… do you actually think you can win this match?
Hayze:
You’re making judgments based on my selections, aren’t you?
Walker:
Hayze, it was my call to give you this honor. I knew you wouldn’t just pick the top 5 students of your class and call it a day, but I want to know your goals for this match. Are you simply looking to put up a fight or make a statement?
Hayze:
Mr. Walker.
Walker:
Hm?
Hayze:
There was something you said on the first day of school that I’ve carried with me ever since.
“
Walker:
You're all here to become heroes, and this school is world-renowned for its ability to produce some of the finest heroes in the business, so don't expect this to be easy, and don't expect us to allow anyone to slack off here. There are plenty of people that would gladly take your spot, so don't give me a reason to throw you out of here and replace you, got it?
“
— Chapter 6
Hayze:
I understand if you can’t answer or don’t want to… but was that directed at me?
Walker stares at Hayze for a moment.
Walker:
Yes, it was.
Hayze:
I had a feeling, given the fact that I was just a novice with my quirk at the time, but I took that as a challenge. My class is filled with prodigies, descendants of magnificent heroes, goliaths of human beings, and underdogs with limitless potential. So, it was overwhelming when I arrived as the guy who was just learning the basics of his quirk. Nobody believed I could beat Silver, I was just cannon fodder for his path to the finals, and I proved every person in that stadium wrong. So, I plan on doing it again. Does that answer your question, Mr. Walker?
Walker smiles. The flashback ends.
Walker:
It all depends on what Hayze does as a leader.
Adrian:
Well, I have faith in the kid.
Dr. Moore is standing by herself, looking over the railing of the stadium.
Dr. Moore:
(It’s crazy how this started with me being curious, and now we’re here.)
Fatal:
Hey, sis!
Dr. Moore turns to see Fatal walking up to her.
Dr. Moore:
Rachel? I thought you would be in the teacher’s viewing area.
Fatal:
No, I wanted to watch this with my sister. After all, this wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for you.
Dr. Moore:
I know… I was just thinking about that.
Fatal:
I yelled at you for using the serum again… but you did a great thing here, and I’m happy to admit I was wrong.
Dr. Moore doesn’t respond.
Fatal:
Kelsey… What's wrong?
Dr. Moore:
It was never supposed to happen… I just wanted to meet him. Brad told me all about his failed H.A.E tests and his quirk problem. I didn’t go to him that night expecting to use the serum.
Fatal:
But you did, and now look. Hayze is getting the opportunity to show off to hero agencies all across the country, he was selected amongst all of his peers for this, and he wouldn’t be here if you didn’t do what you did.
Dr. Moore:
I only needed one moment to know that being a hero meant more to him than anything, and the guilt in my heart built up knowing I could give him a chance. But… after what happened with you and Saige… I can’t believe I’m putting him through the same exact mess.
Fatal puts her hand on Dr. Moore’s shoulder.
Fatal:
Kelsey, just watch the fight, and you’ll see how it was all worth it.
Dr. Moore stares at Fatal for a second.
Dr. Moore:
Okay, I will.
Boom is in the broadcast booth.
Boom:
What’s going on, party people! My name is Boom, and today U.A. is bringing you a special treat, the first-ever Showcase!
Fireworks go off, and the crowd roars.
Boom:
The rules of this match are the same as any other. The first team to have all of its members incapacitated loses! Of course, when I say “team,” I’m only referring to one side! This is a 6 versus 1 match with the one being the top student of U.A! That’s right! Our top student is facing off against six second-year students. One of whom was selected by their teachers based on their performance in the Final Exams! So let’s bring him out! He tied for 3rd place in the first-year Sports Festival. It’s Adam Hayze!
Hayze walks out to cheer from the crowd.
Hayze:
(This is it…)
Hayze reaches the center of the arena.
Boom:
Hayze was tasked with selecting the other five team members from a list of his peers who excelled during their first year! So let’s bring them out!
The crowd cheers.
Boom:
First, the runner-up of the first-year Sports Festival, Kevin Bohm!
Kevin walks out.
Boom:
Next, we have Blair Maddox!
Blair walks out.
Boom:
Then we have Ashley Wright!
Ash walks out, and the three students join Hayze in the center of the arena.
Kevin:
I missed this feeling! It’s just like back in the Sports Festival.
Ash:
I’m still pretty nervous after all this time!
Blair:
Me too… but at least we’re a team now.
Ash:
Right!
Kevin turns to Hayze.
Kevin:
So… who else is joining us?
Hayze:
Oh right… sorry for the surprises, but they were kind of last-minute ideas on my part.
Kevin, Blair, and Ash are all confused.
Boom:
Hayze, Kevin, Blair, and Ash are all from Class 2-A! So, next up, we have Alec Vyxon from 2-B!
Kevin, Blair, Ash, Adrian, Fatal, and Dr. Moore are shocked. Alec walks out.
Alec:
Ah… it feels good to be back in the arena!
Alec walks up to the team.
Kevin:
Hayze, you can’t be serious!
Hayze:
Glad to see you could make it.
Alec:
I may not like any of you, but I wouldn’t pass up the chance to compete.
Blair:
Yeah… Well, we don’t like you either.
Alec:
I’d cut back on the attitude, missy. We’re teammates now! Shouldn’t you be a little nicer?
Blair:
You literally just said the same thing!
Alec:
Yup.
Blair:
*frustrated grunt*
Kevin has an aside with Hayze.
Kevin:
What are you thinking? We’ve never been anything but enemies with this guy. How can we work with him when we’re going up against odds this steep? Wouldn’t Zach have been the wiser choice here?
Hayze:
Don’t worry about that. I’ve got it handled. I wouldn’t have brought him on if I didn’t think he would help the team. You know that, right?
Kevin is quiet for a moment.
Kevin:
Okay… I trust you.
Hayze:
Thank you.
The last member of the team begins walking down the tunnel.
Boom:
And finally, from class 2-B, it’s Verity Larson!
Everyone is surprised once again.
Alec:
Verity, huh? I guess I should give credit where it is due. That’s an intelligent choice.
Adrian is shocked.
Adrian:
He picked two students from 2-B? They’ve never even been friendly, let alone worked together!
Walker:
Have some faith.
Adrian:
I do have faith… it’s just that now doesn’t seem like the time to be trying out new ideas!
Walker:
As I said… It all depends on what Hayze does as a leader.
Adrian:
I guess…
The remaining students of 2-A, minus Aaron, Saige, and Jake, are gathered in their own separate seating area.
Zach:
He picked that jerk over me!
Jace:
I thought Hayze was smart, but… this is idiotic.
Gus:
There’s a higher chance that guy turns on them than actually helps them.
Lilith:
This could be really bad…
Angel:
I sure hope Hayze knows what he’s doing.
Verity joins the group in the center of the arena.
Kevin:
Well, this is quite the rag-tag team we have here.
Verity:
You’re jealous you didn’t think of involving Class 2-B.
Kevin stares at Verity.
Kevin:
This isn’t going to work if
that
becomes a thing.
Alec:
Welcome to our world…
Hayze:
Verity and Alec are here because they are essential pieces of our strategy, this isn’t going to be easy, but if we all play to our strengths and work together, we can make a difference against Aster.
Blair:
So… what’s the plan, then?
Hayze reaches into his pocket and pulls out a rectangular case.
Hayze:
First, everyone takes one of these, then I’ll explain.
Inside the other tunnel, Aster makes his way to the arena.
Voice:
Are you ready for this?
Aster stops and sees another U.A. student waiting for him.
Aster:
Hey, Yul. Of course, I’m ready.
Yul:
You don’t seem it. You haven’t looked like your usual self all festival long. Is something wrong?
Aster thinks for a moment.
Aster:
I just feel bad… There’s a packed stadium out there, and I’m about to end this in only two minutes.
Yul:
Two minutes? Isn’t that a little optimistic? I know they’re a year behind us, but there are six of them. That’s 20 seconds per opponent.
Aster:
I’m using “that” move, Yul.
Yul looks at Aster sternly.
Yul:
That’s not like you. You appreciate honor when fighting and respect your opponents. But, using “that” against them? It’s against everything you stand for.
Aster:
I know.
Yul:
Then why?
Aster:
Because Yul… sometimes family comes first, and this match is vital for my family. I respect all of them, I genuinely do, but there’s something more valuable in play today. Combat is all fun and games until there are stakes… then, things become real.
Yul:
What are you talking about? What stakes?
Aster:
I can’t say, but I’m doing this for the right reasons. Trust me.
Aster continues walking down the tunnel.
Yul:
Pride comes before the fall, Aster. Remember that.
Aster:
I appreciate your input, Yul.
Hayze finishes explaining his plan to his team.
Hayze:
Got it?
Kevin:
Alright, that makes sense.
Ash:
Okay!
Blair:
I’ll be sure to do my best!
Alec:
Whatever, as long as there’s bloodshed.
Verity:
My job will be completed to the best possible degree.
Hayze:
Good, then let’s-
The crowd roars as Aster emerges from the tunnel.
Boom:
And now, introducing the Top Student of U.A.! Aster Maddox!
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
The crowd roars even louder.
Boom:
Not only did he win both his first and second-year Sports Festivals, but he also has been working with the number five hero himself, Exciton, during his hero work-study!
Kevin:
Exciton, huh?
Alec:
He seems like he’s full of himself.
Blair:
Shut up.
Alec:
What! Now I can’t talk bad about our opponent too? You chicks are annoying.
Aster reaches the center.
Aster:
Well, let’s make this a fun match for ourselves and the spectators. This is all about the show after all, right, Hayze?
Hayze:
Yeah… something like that.
Madame Mummy:
Aster and Hayze, please join me in the middle.
Aster and Hayze walk up to Madame Mummy and stand face-to-face. Hayze holds out his hand, and Aster shakes it.
Madame Mummy:
The environment you’ll be battling will be selected via a coin flip. As the challengers, Hayze, you will call the-
Aster:
There’s no need.
Madame Mummy is surprised.
Aster:
He can pick.
The crowd is stunned.
Zach:
What’s he up to?
Karma:
He can’t really be that confident, can he?
Lilith:
Hayze is smart. Letting him pick the battlefield is not a good idea!
Silver and Justus are sitting higher up than the rest of the class, with an empty seat between them.
Silver:
This guy is so arrogant. He should know better than to hand Hayze another advantage.
Justus:
Funny, I recall hearing that during your fight with Hayze.
Silver:
I wasn’t
that
arrogant.
Justus:
Don’t worry, we both were, but thanks to Hayze… we changed for the better.
Silver:
Yeah… I guess that’s true, and that’s why he’s down there leading the charge and not us.
Justus:
Indeed.
Madame Mummy turns to Aster.
Madame Mummy:
Are you sure?
Aster:
Trust me, I don’t need a unique environment to fight at my best unless Hayze, of course, declines my offer.
Hayze:
We’ll fight in flatlands.
Aster and Madame Mummy are shocked.
Zach:
Flatlands!
Jace:
What’s he thinking!
Lilith:
I’m confused… What’s wrong with Hayze’s choice?
Karma:
Hayze is asking for no arena alterations. There will be no cover or any places to hide.
Angel:
He beat Silver and Aaron by utilizing his environment to hide and formulate plans. I would have expected him to choose a forest to continue that strategy.
Alexis:
Hayze is cooking something up, that’s for sure. He’s made some strange calls already, and the match hasn’t even started.
Silver’s eyes narrow.
Silver:
What’s his game?
Justus:
I don’t know… but I have faith.
Saige:
Me too… for some reason.
Saige plops herself in the seat between Justus and Silver.
Silver:
Saige?
Saige:
Hayze is going to clobber that arrogant Aster into the dirt!
Justus:
You think so?
Saige:
I know so, Hayze is out for blood in this match, and he wants to win like nobody’s business. So I can guarantee you he’s pulling out an ingenious strategy none of us could have possibly thought of!
Silver:
You have a lot of faith for someone who declined to participate in this match.
Saige:
Faith is essential, Silvy!
Silver:
Don’t call me, Silvy…
Saige:
Okay, Silvy!
Silver:
What did I just say?
Madame Mummy looks at Hayze.
Madame Mummy:
Are you sure? That basically amounts to the arena remaining the same as it is now…
Hayze:
Yup, that’s fine.
Aster notices that not a single member of Hayze’s team is showing concern for his choice.
Aster:
(He has some plan in mind… and the fact that Blair is confident in it may be something to note, but it won’t matter soon enough.)
Aster looks at Alec and Verity.
Aster:
(I wasn’t expecting 2-B students… I don’t know what their quirks are from memory, eh, it won’t matter in a few minutes.) That’s cool. Keep things simple. I like it.
Madame Mummy:
You are allowed to fight as hard as possible, but if I deem the situation too dangerous, I will stop you before lethal force is administered. Aster, if that happens to you, the match will automatically favor team Hayze. And Hayze, if that happens to an individual team member or a set of members, they will be removed, and the rest of your team will be allowed to continue. Please return to where you were standing before so we can start the fight.
Aster and Hayze nod and start walking. Ewing watches from his private skybox overlooking the stadium.
Ewing:
(Go on, Aster, show the world and Ivan what U.A. has to offer.)
Aster and Hayze’s team face off.
Aster:
Good luck, you’ll need it.
Hayze:
You too.
Aster:
Pfft, I don’t need luck.
Madame Mummy:
Begin.
Madame Mummy jumps back, but there is no movement on either side.
Hayze:
Alright, you guys know the plan.
Everyone nods.
Hayze:
Alec, Kevin, you’re with me.
Alec, Hayze, and Kevin start walking forward towards Aster. Kevin cracks his knuckles and neck while Alec brandishes his scythe.
Aster:
Only half power to start? Seriously?
Aster reaches in his pocket.
Aster:
It’s okay, though. You’ll be at zero power in just a few minutes.
Aster pulls out a small white pill.
Adrian:
What is that?
Walker:
Something dangerous.
Alec, Hayze, and Kevin stop walking.
Aster:
Ladies and Gentlemen! I have more than just a treat for all of you! Today, you will witness the most powerful of all techniques!
The crowd’s interest is piqued by Aster.
Alec:
What’s that?
Hayze:
It’s a cyanide tablet.
Kevin:
What’s he planning on doing with it?
Hayze:
I don’t know. Let’s find out.
Hayze looks back at the girls and winks.
Aster:
Madame Mummy, don’t stop the match in the next minute.
Aster ingests the cyanide tablet. Shocking everyone in the audience.
Zach:
What the hell!
Gus:
Did he just kill himself!
Karma:
Oh my god!
A few seconds pass before Aster keels over and dies. After that, the stadium is dead silent.
Alec:
What now?
Hayze:
The plan doesn’t change. Just be careful.
Kevin:
Got it.
Dr. Moore is mortified.
Dr. Moore:
He just… he just killed himself!
Fatal:
Kelsey, calm down.
Dr. Moore:
What do you mean? Calm down! We just had a student kill themselves on national TV in front of a stadium full of tens of thousands of-
Fatal:
Kelsey. Calm. Down, and watch.
Madame Mummy stares at Aster’s lifeless corpse.
Blair:
Ash, now would be a good time to do your thing.
Ash:
Right, keep me safe.
Ash passes out, and Blair catches her body.
Blair:
Come on.
Verity:
Okay.
Blair and Verity run off to a different part of the arena.
Madame Mummy:
(That… that didn’t just happen… did it? Did I just let a student die?)
Aster’s body starts smoking. The crowd gasps.
Hayze:
(There it is.)
Aster’s entire body becomes engulfed in blood-red flames. The fire then beams up and forms into a phoenix that screeches so loud it pierces the ears of all that can hear it.
Aster:
Like a Phoenix, I rise from the ashes of my death better and brighter than I was before!
The fire forms into a human with wings coming out the back.
Aster:
This is Phoenix Mode! In this form, I’m invincible!
The crowd cheers loudly.
Boom:
Woah! It looked like Aster had died, but he entered into this insane new battle mode instead! How will Hayze’s team respond?
Aster lands on the ground and looks at Hayze, Kevin, and Alec. None of them seem phased by this transformation.
Aster:
(What the hell?)
Adrian looks shocked at what has transpired.
Adrian:
What just happened?
Walker:
Aster Maddox, Quirk: Phoenix. In his standard form, he can conjure flames that burn with such intensity that they take on the color of blood. He has complete control of the temperature of these flames, so he can safely use them without killing his opponents. But the real danger of his quirk comes from his ability to seemingly manifest the fire wherever he wants.
Adrian:
What do you mean by that?
Walker:
Most quirks that involve the manifestation of some form of substance either secrete from the body or emerge from some orifice. Examples would be Blair, Silver, Gus, Zach, and Demetri. Then there are examples of quirks like my own. I can create portals at any distance as long as my hand points where I want the portal to open. Basically, the palms of my hands act as the point of creation. Hayze’s fire quirk works similarly. On the other hand, Aster doesn’t seem to fall into either of those categories. His flames just appear.
Adrian:
Okay… that makes sense, it makes dodging his attacks seem impossible, but that doesn’t explain why he just came back from the dead!
Walker:
What I just described to you is what Aster believed his quirk was for most of his life, until just a few months ago… he was on a mission with Exciton when a villain made a sneak attack and tried to take Exciton’s life, Aster protected him and died. However, after a few minutes, he was revived, and the true nature of his quirk was revealed. This is Phoenix mode. In this form, he gains the ability to control and shape his flames, creating the armor that surrounds his body and the ability to fly.
Adrian:
That sounds intense.
Walker:
Yes… I’m surprised he would use it in this match… it seems like overkill.
Adrian:
What? Overkill!
Aster examines the situation.
Aster:
(Why didn’t they react? It’s almost like they expected it.)
Alec:
If you want to continue bragging about your “awesome” transformation, that’s fine, but I’d prefer we fight.
Aster:
You should be careful what you wish for.
Alec:
Oh? And why is that?
Aster:
Because I can take you down in just a single hit with my power!
Alec laughs.
Alec:
Prove it.
Aster:
Gladly!
Aster rockets forward and punches Alec directly in the chest, scorching away his shirt and burning his chest to the third degree.
Aster:
Phoenix punch!
Alec goes flying through the air before slamming against the ground.
Aster:
One down, five to go.
The crowd goes nuts.
Crowd Member:
He just took that kid down in one hit!
Crowd Member:
I knew this guy was good, but I didn’t think he was that good!
Ewing smiles.
Aster:
So, which of you is next?
Hayze:
Alec.
Aster:
Very funny, but he’s down-
Alec starts laughing.
Alec:
That was it? How pathetic.
Alec sits up. His burn mark is gone; Aster is in shock. The crowd is as well.
Aster:
What? But how… how is he-
Hayze:
Alec Vyxon, Quirk: Damage Absorption, he can absorb any damage he’s about to take or has already taken and reduce it to 0.
Aster:
So that’s his quirk… I see why you brought him…
Hayze smiles.
Silver:
So that’s why…
Justus:
He figured that Aster’s strength would be too much for most of our class to handle.
Silver:
So he brought the one guy whose specialty is taking a beating.
Zach:
If that was me… There’s no way I’d be conscious, let alone laughing… I guess I’m not mad he didn’t pick me anymore…
Karma:
Me too.
Aster chuckles.
Aster:
Okay, so one of you can withstand my attacks! That’s fine. I’ll just wipe out the other five of you and finish him off later, and I think I’ll start with you, Hayze!
Hayze lunges to his left as a ball of flame is created right where he was standing.
Aster:
What!
Hayze:
Nice try.
Aster:
(What’s going on here! How did he know I would light him on fire!)
Suddenly Kevin grabs Aster by the waist and chucks him through the air.
Aster:
(He just grabbed my flames!)
Aster starts flying midair.
Aster:
Who did that!
Aster looks down at Kevin. His hands have third-degree burns on them.
Aster:
(What!)
Hayze:
Kevin, what percent are you at?
Kevin:
50.
Hayze:
How are your hands?
Kevin:
They’re burnt badly, but my bloodstream is so pumped full of adrenaline I can barely feel it. I’ve got 10 minutes on the clock, so I’m gonna keep my foot on the gas pedal, alright?
Hayze:
Okay, just be careful.
Kevin leaps into the air after Aster.
Aster:
Not so fast, big guy!
Kevin ducks and dodges as Aster conjures another ball of flame.
Aster:
(Again!)
Kevin grabs Aster’s leg and chucks him to the ground.
Aster:
*groans* (How are they predicting my moves? They shouldn’t be fast enough!)
Alec walks up to Hayze.
Alec:
I gotta say, this is going way better than I expected.
Hayze:
It’s easy to outplay someone when you know what move they will make next.
Alec:
Yeah… but how long until he figures it out?
Hayze:
He’s the top student for a reason; it won’t be long.
Alec:
Right, then I guess I shouldn’t waste any time.
Hayze:
Be careful.
Alec laughs.
Alec:
I don’t need to be careful!
Alec charges toward Aster. Hayze looks back at Blair, Ash, and Verity.
Verity:
Kevin, once you get close enough, he’s going to fly right past you and Alec in an attempt to attack Hayze.
Kevin continues approaching Aster.
Aster:
(That’s right… get closer… get closer…)
Kevin is right next to Aster.
Aster:
(Now!)
Aster attempts to fly past Kevin, but Kevin grabs Aster’s ankle and stops him.
Aster:
(Oh, come on!)
Kevin slams Aster to the ground. Alec laughs.
Alec:
Some top student! You can’t even get yourself out of the dirt!
Aster is pissed. The crowd is shocked by what is transpiring.
Adrian:
What the hell is going on… the top student of U.A., and he can’t even get an attack off!
Walker:
If there’s one thing Hayze is good at, it’s taking advantage of arrogance.
Adrian:
Hm?
Walker:
I guess I should explain. Hayze also had to hand me a list of all of the gadgets his team would be bringing into the battle, and one… or I guess six of them were small earpiece communication devices.
Adrian:
Oh…
Walker:
Makes sense?
Adrian:
Yeah… it does.
Adrian looks at Verity.
Adrian:
(That’s why he brought her… he knew Aster would never expect him to bring 2-B students onto his team, and therefore he wouldn’t have done research on all of their quirks. Aster has no idea that Verity is relaying all of his strategies to her teammates. That’s why they’re always a step ahead of him. They weren’t phased when he entered Phoenix Mode. They knew it was coming!)
Aster flies away from Kevin and hovers in the air.
Aster:
(WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! HOW ARE THEY DOING THAT! I WAS SUPPOSED TO COME IN HERE AND OBLITERATE THEM!)
Aster takes a deep breath.
Aster:
(Calm down… you’re better than they are, you’ve fought against actual villains and worked alongside the number five hero! Don’t let them get in your head! Just think… The answer has to be right in front of me.)
Aster looks at Blair, Ash, and Verity.
Aster:
(That chick… she’s the only one whose quirk I haven’t been made aware of. She must have a future sight ability or something, once I take her out, they’ll crumble!)
Aster flies towards the girls.
Verity:
He’s coming towards us.
Blair:
Right, I’ve got this!
Blair forms a ring of lava around her, Verity, and Ash.
Blair:
(I didn’t know about your Phoenix Mode, Aster, but you’re not the only one with new tricks up your sleeve!) Volcanic Defense: A.D.S.!
The fire ring hovers into the air and splits into a hundred lava bubbles surrounding the girls in a dome.
Aster:
(What? I’ve never seen Blair do that!)
Aster attempts to set Verity on fire; however, his fireball ignites on one of the lava bubbles.
Blair:
It’s working!
Aster attempts, again and again, to set fire to Verity; however, the lava bubbles keep blocking his line of sight and igniting instead.
Aster:
(Dammit!)
Aster begins hovering above the three girls.
Aster:
(Blair’s never been able to use a bubble shield because of how much strain it puts on her to maintain the shield’s integrity, but this accomplishes almost the same effect for less cost. She can hover individual bubbles around as much as possible without any problems. I can’t fly at them, so I have to keep trying to ignite her from the outside, but-)
Kevin comes flying at Aster.
Kevin:
Don’t forget about me!
Aster dodges Kevin, but he quickly jumps after Aster again.
Aster:
Keep trying, big guy, you won’t-
Suddenly Aster notices Alec’s scythe is flying at him and dodges.
Alec:
I’m here too, you know!
Aster:
I know, and I’ll deal with you in a second!
Aster flies at Kevin and begins punching him repeatedly, burning his shirt and scorching third-degree burns at each point of contact.
Aster:
Burning Barrage!
Kevin slams to the ground with his chest smoking.
Aster:
I wouldn’t even attempt getting back up if I were you!
Kevin starts getting back up.
Aster:
Oh, come on! These attacks should be wiping you out, no problem!
Kevin brushes off his shoulder.
Kevin:
Why? I can barely feel a thing.
Aster:
*frustrated grunt*
Suddenly Alec’s scythe wraps around Aster.
Aster:
How is this rope not burning!
Alec:
It’s tungsten rope, you oversized match!
Alec begins spinning Aster around over and over again.
Aster:
(How is this happening? I should have ended this match by now! I’m the top student in this school! How are they standing up to me!)
Alec launches Aster into the arena wall; Aster falls to the ground. The crowd is silent with shock.
Adrian:
I can’t believe what I’m seeing.
Walker:
The formation that Hayze has put them in… it’s unbelievable that a second-year would be able to come up with it. He knew no matter who he brought into the arena, Aster would be stronger and more experienced than his entire team combined. So he didn’t aim for strength. He instead sought to have an edge in almost every other conceivable category.
Adrian:
Intel gathering is maybe the most underrated aspect of combat. Having more information than your opponent is key to being able to outthink them, and frankly, most battles are won by the side that has more details on the other. So he brought Verity in to act as that intel gatherer. She could read Aster’s thoughts just by seeing his eyes and relay that information to the rest of the team.
Walker:
Which is why Hayze asked for the battlefield to be flatlands so that Verity could have a line of sight on Aster at all times.
Adrian:
He may be stronger than all of them, but if they’re able to stay one step ahead of him at all times, that strength becomes a non-factor.
Walker:
But Hayze knows that it takes more than just strength to become the top student. He had to know Aster would figure out Verity’s quirk eventually.
Adrian:
So he stationed Blair, Aster’s sister, and a defensive fighter to protect Verity. She not only has a strong set of moves that can keep Aster from attacking Verity, but she also knows Aster’s moves and fighting style better than anyone growing up with him. So she’s perfectly suited to be able to stop him.
Walker:
Then there’s Alec and Kevin. Alec’s quirk makes him the ultimate damage sponge, Aster will have to commit a lot of time and effort to take him out, and Kevin’s quirk gives him such a high level of pain tolerance that he can withstand Aster’s moves like they’re nothing. Hayze picked them to act as their offense, they aren’t as strong as Aster by a longshot, but they can take a beating.
Adrian:
It wouldn’t take long for Aster to finish under normal conditions, but they can dodge his attacks no matter how fast they are and make perfect counterattacks because they know what Aster is thinking.
Walker:
Plus, they’re able to help defend Verity when needed.
Adrian:
The offense makes the defense impenetrable, while the defense makes the offense unstoppable.
Walker:
And we haven’t even mentioned Ash.
Adrian:
Oh right, I forgot about her.
Walker:
She’s in her astral form… somewhere in this arena, waiting… and if you’ve been paying attention, you can tell he’s been thinking about it.
Adrian:
That’s why he hasn’t stopped moving and flying around; he’s afraid of her attempting to hijack his body.
Walker:
When you add stress to frustration, you can throw even the mightiest of heroes off their game.
“
Hayze:
Nobody believed I could beat Silver, I was just cannon fodder for his path to the finals, and I proved every person in that stadium wrong. So, I plan on doing it again. “
Walker:
What Hayze has put together here is nothing short of remarkable. He came into this stadium looking to topple an opponent much mightier than him. But instead, he used every resource and opportunity available to his advantage. He’s trapped Aster in a box where escape is no simple answer. He successfully exploited Aster’s arrogance and the stigma that this match was always his to lose.
Dr. Moore is amazed.
Fatal:
You see, sis. Do you know what I’m saying?
Dr. Moore:
I… this is incredible. They’re actually putting up a fight… and winning.
Fatal:
And look at Hayze.
Dr. Moore looks at Hayze.
Fatal:
Do you notice anything about him?
Dr. Moore:
No, what?
Fatal:
He isn’t even using that quirk you gave him.
Dr. Moore’s eyes widen.
Fatal:
Everything happening in this match results from his passion for being the best he can be, his tenacity to succeed, and his will to achieve his dreams. He never needed the quirk to reach his potential. He needed it so that people would finally give him the chance to do it. He understands something special about fighting. He knows that it’s not just a strength, skill, and talent game. That’s what makes him capable of things like this, and the reason he understands those things is because he didn’t have a flashy quirk growing up, he had a mediocre healing quirk, and that was it. If he wanted to be a hero, he had to learn a different way of fighting, his course of action.
Fatal places her hand on Dr. Moore’s back.
Fatal:
Kelsey, never feel bad about what you did because you saw this in him well before any of us did. You just didn’t know it yet.
Dr. Moore starts tearing up.
Dr. Moore:
I… I… I don’t know what to say.
Fatal:
Well, then just keep watching. The battle isn’t over yet. Just look at him down there. He’s just watching and analyzing, and you know why?
Dr. Moore:
He’s doing the same thing he did against Silver. He’s watching for Aster’s weakness.
Hayze looks closely as Aster slowly gets to his feet.
Hayze:
(Everyone has a weakness, and I will figure out what yours is, Aster, mark my words.)
Aster gets to his feet and screams at the top of his lungs.
Blair:
(I’ve never seen him this mad before…)
Aster stares directly at Hayze.
Aster:
You think this stupid little formation will carry you to victory? WELL, IT WON’T! I’M GOING TO BREAK THROUGH YOUR LITTLE PLAN AND SHATTER IT TO PIECES! I CAME IN HERE TO WIN THIS MATCH BY A LANDSLIDE, AND I STILL INTEND TO DO SO! YOU’RE GOING DOWN HAYZE! YOU’RE JUST A SECOND-YEAR AND I AM THE TOP STUDENT AT U.A. YOU CAN’T WIN!
Hayze smiles.
Hayze:
Says who?
