You Can Be a Hero Too

Chapter 41: Joking Matter

[Previously]

"I was planning to take you out first, but you're persistent!" Mirio remarked to Izuku as he lunged at him. In an instant, Izuku now was the last one standing. A smirk played on his lips as his green eyes gleamed.

"Come forth."

[Project 42 Arc] Joking Matter

"Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star." - W. Clement Stone

-You Can Be A Hero Too-

Mirio's strike against Izuku propelled the young boy through the air. With a graceful roll, he managed to touch down on the ground, utilizing Sasami's wings for balance. 'Can't believe Uncle Aizawa insisted on no shadows, talk about bias.'

Izuku surged forward, maintaining his vigilance as he closed the gap between them. Emerging from the floor, Mirio reappeared behind Izuku and launched a spinning back kick, connecting squarely with his skull. Mirio soared through the air but quickly regained his composure. In an instant, he plunged beneath the ground, surging towards Izuku with remarkable speed.

Both boys deftly evaded each other's strikes, with neither having landed a blow yet. Izuku's heightened speed allowed him to anticipate Mirio's approach, yet his actions remained too predictable to score a hit. Conversely, Mirio remained convinced that Izuku's attacks would fall short against his present speed.

After another seemingly inconsequential exchange of words, the two separated, their energy seemingly inexhaustible. They could keep this up for quite some time.

"Well, this is enjoyable!" Mirio exclaimed exuberantly, his voice resounding in the air. "It's a rare occasion to find someone who can truly challenge me. However, our return to class is imminent. I suppose I'll have to cease my restraint."

"Wait, you were holding back all this time?" Izuku's eyes widened as he voiced his disbelief.

Koyami couldn't help but burst into laughter. "It was pretty evident, Izuku; facing someone with a quirk that renders them invulnerable and a second quirk that's practically the mightiest in the universe would be quite a challenge."

"Indeed!" Mirio admitted. "I merely aimed to demonstrate the disparity between us without causing harm. Yet, you don't appear fragile, so my concerns are somewhat assuaged," Mirio stated, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips, which Izuku interpreted as condescension.

"Right," Izuku retorted, his power surging to a halt, the aura dissipating around him as his gaze sharpened. "Holding back won't cut it in this battle," he sneered at Mirio. "I'll stop holding back too." Mirio's smile only widened in response to the retort. Of course, Izuku was lying, if he actually stopped holding back, Mirio would be leaving with some broken bones.

He shed his shirt, tossing it to his teacher, who effortlessly caught it. After years of exposure to Tomura and Itsuka, Izuku had developed a penchant for the dramatic. While Izuku and Mirio shared height, their builds diverged; Mirio boasted a more robust physique while Izuku sported a lankier frame, yet his musculature appeared more defined. Scars adorned his arms, akin to those on Mirio's, albeit smaller and more scattered.

A shirtless showdown ensued. Despite one of them being nearly unclothed, the atmosphere was set. Some might dub it a destined clash between titans, a battle of giants.

"What's the idea, Kayama?" Shota queried, approaching him with a raised brow.

"I'd rather not ruin my shirt,"

"Why does your attire..." Shota's words trailed off as realization dawned on him. He briefly contemplated ending the spectacle before it escalated, but the determined glint in Izuku's eyes prompted second thoughts.