Chapter 26: The Exhibition Match Begins
The monitors inside the observation room flickered to life for the second match of the day.
Team B, consisting of Shoto Todoroki and Mezo Shoji, walked into the building as the Heroes. On the upper floors, Mashirao Ojiro and Toru Hagakure were guarding the fake nuclear weapon.
"Let's see what the kid with the scar can do," Zoro muttered, leaning against the back wall.
The match barely even started.
Shoji stepped outside the building, and Todoroki simply placed his right hand against the concrete wall. In less than two seconds, a massive, freezing shockwave of ice erupted through the entire structure. The walls, the floors, and the ceilings were instantly encased in thick, blinding white glaciers. Ojiro and Hagakure were frozen solid to the floor on the fifth floor, their Quirks rendered completely useless.
Todoroki casually walked upstairs, his breath pluming in the freezing air, and tapped the weapon.
"TEAM B WINS!" All Might announced, his teeth chattering slightly from the sudden drop in temperature inside the monitor room.
The rest of the class gasped in pure awe.
"He neutralized them in seconds without hurting them!" Kaminari yelled in shock. "He's a monster!"
Zoro, however, didn't look impressed. His single eye analyzed the footage of Todoroki walking down the frozen hallway.
Impressive scale and speed, Zoro noted silently. But that's it. He relies entirely on his power to keep enemies at a distance. His footwork is sloppy, his center of gravity is completely unbalanced, and his entire left side is left wide open as a massive blind spot. If an opponent manages to break through that ice and close the distance... he's dead meat.
The rest of the matches went by quickly. Some students showed promise, like Fumikage Tokoyami, whose dark, shadowy monster completely overwhelmed his opponents with relentless, heavy strikes. Others fumbled nervously, overwhelmed by the pressure of the Battle Trial.
An hour later, the final match concluded. The students gathered around All Might, exhausted but buzzing with adrenaline.
"Excellent work, everyone!" All Might boomed, clapping his massive hands together. "You've all learned valuable lessons today! But we are not finished!"
The class fell completely silent. All eyes shifted toward the green-haired swordsman standing near the back, his arms crossed casually.
"As promised," All Might announced, his voice dropping to a serious, dramatic tone. "It is time for the Special Exhibition Match! I have evaluated all your performances, and I have selected the two MVPs of the day to act as the Villains!"
All Might pointed to the front of the crowd.
"Shoto Todoroki! Your overwhelming control and scale were unmatched! Fumikage Tokoyami! Your tactical offense and defense with Dark Shadow were flawless! You two are the Villains!"
Todoroki stepped forward, his expression completely blank. Tokoyami followed, the shadow beast retreating into his cloak. The class whispered in nervous excitement. That was a terrifyingly strong duo.
"And now, for the Heroes!" All Might turned to Zoro. "Young Roronoa! Step forward and choose your partner!"
Zoro slowly walked through the crowd. The students parted for him, some looking away, intimidated by his sharp gaze. He stood in front of the group, looking them over.
He didn't need a strategist. He didn't need someone to fly around. He needed someone who could take a hit.
Zoro lifted a finger and pointed straight at the spiky, red-haired boy.
"You. The one with the red hair."
Eijiro Kirishima blinked in shock, pointing a finger at his own chest. "M-Me?! Are you serious, man? There are way stronger Quirks here!"
"I don't care about flashy powers," Zoro said bluntly. "I watched your match. You don't hide, you don't run, and you take attacks head-on with that hardening ability of yours. I need a shield that won't break when things get messy."
Kirishima's eyes widened, sparkling with sudden, intense emotion. He slammed his hardened fists together with a loud clack.
"Taking hits head-on... that's so manly!" Kirishima grinned fiercely, stepping forward to stand next to Zoro. "I'm in! Let's crush this!"
"Then it is decided!" All Might yelled. "Todoroki and Tokoyami, head to the fifth floor and guard the weapon! Roronoa and Kirishima, you will start at the entrance in five minutes!"
Ten minutes later, Zoro and Kirishima stood outside a massive, intact fake building. The siren blared, echoing through Ground Beta.
"ALRIGHT! EXHIBITION MATCH... BEGIN!"
"Okay, Roronoa, what's the plan?" Kirishima asked, hardening his arms. "Todoroki is probably going to freeze the whole building right away like he did last time!"
"That's exactly what he's going to do," Zoro smirked, stepping through the front door into the dark, ground-floor hallway.
Suddenly, the air temperature plummeted. A horrific, cracking sound echoed from the floors above them.
A massive, devastating wave of solid ice rushed down the corridor, tearing up the concrete and heading straight toward Zoro and Kirishima at blinding speed. It was meant to freeze them to the walls the exact second they entered.
"Incoming!" Kirishima yelled, crossing his arms over his face to brace for the freezing impact.
Zoro didn't move. He didn't brace himself.
He slowly reached up with his right hand and gripped the pure white hilt of the Wado Ichimonji.
Shing.
The blade slid out of its scabbard, reflecting the dim light of the hallway.
"Let's see how hard this ice really is," Zoro whispered.
.
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For Advanced Chapters :
There are 10 advanced chapters
(Chapter 35 is now available)
We will soon enter the sports festival arc; it's only a matter of time.
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