WebNovels

Chapter 23 - Chapter 23 : Dance Against the Shadow

As the medics carefully carried Izuku Midoriya's broken body from the arena, a solemn silence fell over the stadium. We had all just witnessed something more than a fight; it was a sermon on heroism, delivered through broken bones and an unbreakable spirit. That battle, in all its brutality, had cleared the air. The shallow competitive tension had been replaced by a deep respect for sacrifice and true strength.

"AFTER A BRIEF ARENA REPAIR, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT MATCH!" Present Mic's voice boomed, trying to bring the spirit back to the crowd.

My name and Tokoyami's flashed on the giant screen. It was time. I rose from my seat.

"Tatsumi-kun," Toru called out, her voice filled with concern. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

I turned to her and gave her a small, genuine smile. "I'm not going to break myself like Midoriya did, if that's what you're worried about. I have a plan."

I walked past Momo. She didn't say anything, just gave me a small, meaningful nod. Her eyes said, 'Show them what a strategist can do.' I understood her message.

As I walked down the dark tunnel, I didn't feel the same fear I had when facing Kaminari. Midoriya's fight had given me a new perspective. The fear of my own power, the fear of failure—it all felt small compared to the courage I had just watched. I closed my eyes, focusing on the calm heartbeat of the dragon in my chest. I no longer saw it as a wild beast to be conquered, but as a source of strength that was a part of me. 'We'll face this together, partner,' I thought, a silent promise.

I stepped into the blinding light of the arena. Across the concrete stage, Fumikage Tokoyami stood with a calm demeanor, Dark Shadow hovering protectively over his shoulder. The shadow creature's red eyes stared at me warily. I met its gaze, not with hostility, but with curiosity.

"BOTH CONTESTANTS HAVE ENTERED THE ARENA!" Present Mic yelled. "ON ONE SIDE, WITH HIS MYSTERIOUS AND POWERFUL LIVING SHADOW QUIRK, FROM THE HERO COURSE, TOKOYAMI FUMIKAGE! ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE MAN FULL OF SURPRISES, OUR MASTER STRATEGIST, TATSUMI!"

I glanced up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly, with hardly a cloud in sight. This was my biggest advantage. Under such strong light, Dark Shadow was at its weakest. But I wouldn't underestimate it. 'Weak' for Dark Shadow was probably still on par with the strength of some pro heroes.

"BEGIN!" Midnight shouted, cracking her whip.

Tokoyami wasted no time. "Go, Dark Shadow!" he commanded.

The shadow creature shot toward me. In the sunlight, its size was not overwhelming, perhaps as large as a grown wolf, but its speed was incredible. It lunged with shadowy claws extended. Instead of facing it head-on, I began to dance. I used all of my agility and parkour training, moving lightly around the arena. I dodged its every attack, sometimes by a mere matter of inches. I wasn't running; I was observing. I was studying its attack patterns, its range, and how it coordinated with Tokoyami.

"He's just dodging!" someone yelled from the crowd.

Tokoyami himself was starting to look a little frustrated. "Stop dancing and fight me seriously, Tatsumi!" he called out.

I smiled faintly. "I am being serious, Tokoyami. I'm just learning." After a few more dodges, I saw the opening I was looking for. Just as Dark Shadow retracted after a failed attack, there was a split-second delay before it could return to a defensive position around Tokoyami. In that moment, I lunged forward. I wasn't aiming for Dark Shadow. I was aiming for its master.

Tokoyami was surprised by my sudden change in tactics. He tried to back away, but I was already too close. I launched a powerful straight punch to his gut. The blow landed cleanly, making him gasp and stagger back a few steps. It wasn't enough to take him down, but it sent a clear message: you may have a monster, but you are still a fragile human.

Realizing his vulnerability, Tokoyami changed his strategy. "Dark Shadow, Defense Mode!" The shadow creature quickly enveloped Tokoyami's body, becoming a living cloak of shadow that covered his front like a shield. "You won't be able to touch me again."

Here was the stalemate. I couldn't break through Dark Shadow's defense with my own physical strength. The creature was too fast and could regenerate itself. I could keep dodging, but that would end in a loss by exhaustion. I needed something more. I needed power.

I paused, standing about ten meters from him. I closed my eyes for a moment, ignoring the confused murmurs from the crowd. I focused inward, on the steady heartbeat within me. 'I need the strength to break through,' I thought, not as a desperate plea, but as a calm request to a partner. 'Not to destroy. Just to open a path. Lend me your right arm, partner.'

I felt the response. Not the chaotic explosion of pain from before. This was different. It was a focused, sharp, and... controlled wave of energy. The pain was still there, like hot metal being poured into my arm, but it was bearable. It was pain with a purpose.

I opened my eyes. My entire right arm, from my shoulder to my fingertips, was now encased in the black, jagged armor of Incursio. The chitinous scales looked solid and radiated a faint aura of power. At my fingertips, short, sharp claws had formed. Just one arm. I had done it. I had managed a partial summoning.

The entire stadium went silent, then erupted in shocked cries. In the commentary booth, Present Mic was speechless for a moment. In the Class 1-A stands, I could imagine my classmates' reactions.

Momo watched with bated breath, her hand covering her mouth. "He… he did it," she whispered. "He's controlling it." Toru, beside her, was probably just jumping up and down with excitement.

In the heroes' lounge, Ryukyu smiled with satisfaction. "I see," she murmured. "So that's his first step. He's starting to learn how to negotiate."

Aizawa, from the commentary room, stared intently, his usually tired eyes now wide behind his bandages. 'A partial manifestation at will. This kid's growth rate... is completely irrational.'

In the arena, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow stared at my transformed arm with wariness. The aura radiating from the armor was clearly making the shadow creature uncomfortable. I grinned, feeling the immense power flowing through my right arm. "Alright, Tokoyami," I said, my voice sounding slightly deeper. "Let's continue."

I charged forward. Tokoyami sent Dark Shadow to intercept me. This time, when the shadow claws met my armored gauntlet, the result was different. With a loud clang, it was Dark Shadow that was thrown back, shrieking as if it had touched something it disliked. Incursio's primal power seemed to be a natural antithesis to Dark Shadow's nature.

The fight turned into a game of spear versus shield. I used my right arm as my primary weapon, parrying, blocking, and striking at Dark Shadow's defense, while the rest of my agile body kept moving, looking for an opening to get close to Tokoyami. Tokoyami, on the other hand, used Dark Shadow with great skill, trying to entangle me or attack from my blind spots.

He was a tough opponent. But I had an advantage he didn't expect. As Dark Shadow launched a rapid flurry of blows, I braced against them with my arm. I could feel the energy from each blow not just being blocked, but partially absorbed by the armor. Incursio's power… it was adapting.

Tokoyami, sensing the stalemate, grew desperate. "Finish him, Dark Shadow!" he yelled, sending his monster in a final, all-out assault. Dark Shadow grew larger, opening its maw as if it were going to swallow me whole.

I saw it coming. I didn't back down. I waited. Just as it was about to engulf me, I made my planned move. I didn't attack Dark Shadow. I ignored it. I used all my speed to dash forward, past Dark Shadow's attack, and straight for the now-unprotected Tokoyami.

He gasped in surprise, with no time to react. Before he could command Dark Shadow to return, my armored hand had already gripped his torso. I didn't crush him. My grip was strong, but controlled. I lifted him off the ground.

"You can't call Dark Shadow back if I'm holding you, can you?" I said calmly.

Dark Shadow froze in mid-air, turning back frantically, but it couldn't attack its own master. It could only hover there, roaring silently.

I calmly walked to the edge of the arena and gently placed the shocked Tokoyami on the grass outside the boundary line. "A good fight, Tokoyami," I said with a respectful nod.

Midnight, after recovering from her shock, cracked her whip. "Tokoyami is out of bounds! The winner... is Tatsumi!"

The crowd exploded in cheers louder than before. I had won again, and this time, I had shown a glimpse of my true power, and more importantly, I had shown that I could control it. I stood in the center of the arena, feeling the armor on my arm recede back beneath my skin. The process was still painful, like a strained muscle being pulled back into place, but it was far more bearable than before.

I looked up at the updating tournament bracket. My opponent in the semi-finals was… the winner of the Bakugo versus Kirishima fight. I knew exactly who would win. The path to the finals was now wide open. And that path would lead me straight to a raging volcano. I was ready for it.

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