Exiting the restroom and heading out back to the stadium, Renji stopped abruptly, tapping his heel against the patterned tiles.
"What's up, Frosty?" he asked, his voice echoing through the hallway.
From ahead of him, Todoroki stepped into the light with a determined expression. His eyes held a gaze that screamed an ultimatum.
Not taking any of it seriously, Renji observed calmly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes plastered on his face.
"How long were you standing behind that corner?" Renji already knew the answer, of course, but he continued to hold Todoroki's gaze.
Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, Renji moved to walk by him, eager to get into the next part of the Sports Festival.
"I'm going to win." Todoroki finally spoke just as Renji walked by.
His hands balled into tight fists, eyes flashing as memories floated up unbidden.
"All that time ago…" Todoroki began, causing Renji to turn around to face him.
"On the first day, you said that you were the strongest person in the class." He continued, the simple gaze turning into a daunting glare.
"Do you still think that?" He asked, voice cold as ice.
Renji scratched the back of his head, "Uh, did you see me at USJ?"
"I'd be shocked if you could even lay a finger on me." Renji grinned with a mischievous smile, "Especially if you're not going to use your… fiery side."
Todoroki flinched, head tilting and hand unconsciously moving up to cover his dark scar on his face. "…You don't get to talk about that."
"Oh? Did I hurt your little feelings?" Renji mocked him openly, flicking his chin to bring his gaze back up from the floor.
"You're an insult to everyone here." His face shifted into a snarl, "What would Daddy think?"
Todoroki's breath hitched, his composure cracked just enough for the air around him to drop in temperature. Frost began to creep along the walls, tiny crystal veins racing across the tiles between them.
Renji chuckled, watching his breath mist. "There it is," he said lightly. "I was starting to think you left your personality in the freezer."
"You think this is a joke?" Todoroki's tone was sharp. Ice flared at his feet, racing forward like a living thing.
Renji didn't move. There was a deep, sharp crack that split the air.
The ice slowed.
Todoroki blinked with a confused expression on his face. Something's off. The ice that was once creeping up on Renji had slowed and the ground beneath them trembled faintly, thin cracks spreading out from where Renji stood.
His heel had pressed into the tile, a subtle shift Todoroki hadn't even noticed until now. The patterned floor was dented ever so slightly, as if it had absorbed a heavy impact.
"You have a strong Quirk, Todoroki." Renji said, catching his attention again. "Don't squander it by hiding half of it."
Renji's tone had faded from mocking to a subtle calm, almost bored.
"You want to prove you're stronger than me? Then stop trying to scare the room and start fighting like you mean it. Because right now…" He leaned forward slightly, his voice dipping low, "…you're not fighting me. You're fighting yourself."
The words hit closer to home that Todoroki thought.
Before he could respond, the speaker buzzed overhead. "All participants for the next event please report to the arena!"
Renji smirked, gesturing for Todoroki to follow. "Guess that's our cue."
—
"Welcome back, everyone~!" Midnight's voice echoed through the stadium, eliciting multiple cheers as she cracked her whip for good measure.
"We'll be moving on to our next event…" She paused, letting the crowd fade and all the cameras whirred into position.
"The One on One Fighting Tournament!" She shouted into the mic, back arching like a rockstar, almost as if she were imitating Present Mic.
The stands shook as the crowd jumped up in the air, pumping their fists for possibly the most interesting part of the sports festival.
"However, due to… certain circumstances…" Midnight began, gesturing to the screen with the tournament brackets. "Ojiro from Class 1-A and Shoda from Class 1-B have decided to opt out of the tournament."
"What?" Mina yelled from her spot on the stage. "What is he thinking?!"
"Maybe he couldn't handle the pressure?" Kaminari pondered, watching Ojiro and Shoda walk off the stage and into the stadium's corridors.
What a waste. Renji couldn't help but be disappointed at the two, especially Ojiro. Who cares if you were mind controlled, you're on the main stage in front of the whole world! Anyone else would kill for this chance.
Trying to settle the crowd down from their questioning shouts, Midnight pointed to one of the close stands. "In place of them, two members from the 6th place team will take over."
Tetsutetsu shook with excitement at the thought of fighting in the tournament before a wave of realization overcame him.
He turned to look at his former teammates with a reluctant look on his face. "Who should we send in?"
Awase sighed at the look on Tetsu's face, "Go on, I know how much this means to you."
Tetsutetsu stared back with surprise at how fast he had nominated him, but not for long as a confident grin appeared.
"Haha! I knew we were on the same page!" He said as he vaulted over the railing and ran toward the stage with the other combatants.
"You should go too Shiozaki-san." Juzo said, clamping a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you sure, Juzo?" She asked, eyeing the way Tetsutetsu was waving at her to follow him.
With a warm smile, Juzo moved to push her up from the seat. "You and Tetsutetsu did the most work in the last battle, go shine for us a little more."
Shiozaki hesitated for only a moment before standing, her vine-like hair shifting slightly as if whispering in the breeze.
"Very well," she said softly, placing her hands together in prayer. "If this is what the Lord wills."
As she made her way down toward the stage, the crowd murmured with excitement. Class 1-B was finally getting a chance to prove themselves. Midnight gestured grandly toward the two replacements now joining the line of competitors.
"And with that," she announced, her grin widening as she spread her arms toward the holographic display above them, "we have our final roster!"
The bracket shimmered to life, displaying the pairs for the first round.
Match 1: Kanzaki Renji vs. Shinso Hitoshi
Match 2: Todoroki Shoto vs. Sero Hanta
Match 3: Kaminari Denki vs. Shiozaki Ibara
Match 4: Iida Tenya vs. Hatsume Mei
Match 5: Midoriya Izuku vs. Ashido Mina
Match 6: Tokoyami Fumikage vs. Yaoyorozu Momo
Match 7: Kirishima Eijiro vs. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
Match 8: Bakugo Katsuki vs. Uraraka Ochaco
"Oh this is going to be hilarious," Renji said as he scanned the pairings, eyes flicking to Shinso in the distance.
At the same time, Uraraka was shaking with fear and had an almost deathly look on her face as she saw her opponent.
"Eh?!" Bakugo snarled, squinting his eyes at the screen. "Who the hell is Uraraka?"
Beside him, Kirishima balled his hands tightly into fists, eager to prove himself against someone with a similar Quirk.
"Don't choke," Renji said idly, stretching his arms out.
Midnight raised her whip again, signaling for the crowd to quiet down. "And now, without further delay, our first match will begin immediately! Competitors, please make your way to the arena floor!"
—
The crowd's noise dulled as Renji stepped out into the arena floor.
The sun caught on the accents of his uniform. Across from him, Shinso stood calm and still, but a faint hint of unease shadowed his eyes.
Renji studied him quietly, waiting.
Midnight's voice boomed across the stadium, dragging out the moment. "Match One! Kanzaki Renji versus Shinso Hitoshi! Begin!"
The arena was silent, both the crowd and the two fighters at the center of it all.
Neither of them moved, each waiting for the right moment to strike.
Shinso let out a slow breath, eyes narrowing. "You're not the talkative type, huh?"
Renji tilted his head slightly, saying nothing.
Shinso chuckled, though there was hardly any humor in it. "It's not fair you know. People take one look at my Quirk and start calling me a villain. Makes life pretty damn fun."
Renji tilted his head slightly. This guy made Ojiro and that other guy quit?
The words hung in the air before Shinso continued in a thoughtful tone. "You're lucky, you know. Having a Quirk that actually helps you in a fight. A physical type, right? Speed, power, something flashy. People eat that up."
Renji exhaled through his nose.
"You think I was born lucky?" His tone carried no sympathy, only amusement.
Shinso's pupils widened slightly. There was no pull, no mental click, none of the usual feedback his Quirk gave. For a split second, genuine confusion crossed his face before he masked it again.
Renji took a few steps forward, "You think my Quirk gives me strength?"
Renji took another step forward. "You think that everything you've seen me do, the Cavalry Battle, the Obstacle Course, came from my Quirk?"
Another step. The distance between them shrank, but Shinso stood his ground, not willing to back down.
"My Quirk doesn't enhance my body. It doesn't make me faster. It doesn't make me stronger." Renji's tone was as sharp as a knife and it didn't help that Brainwashing seemed to have no effect.
He's not a valid target? Shinso didn't let the surprise show on his face, not in front of everyone in the whole damn world.
"Everything you've seen," Renji began, "Every movement, every dodge, was built. Earned."
Shinso's jaw clenched, an almost audible sound coming from the gnashing of teeth. "Don't spout that kind of bullshit to me."
Renji laughed at the sight. "You really don't get it."
He lifted his hand and tapped the side of his neck. "Nanotech. Years of work, years of pain. That's what you're looking at."
His eyes glinted in the light. "You were born with something that could stop anyone in their tracks, and instead of mastering it, you cry about how unlucky you are."
Shinso froze, feeling quiet humiliation twist in his chest.
"You said people think your Quirk's 'villainous.'" Renji's voice dropped low. "That's not the problem. The problem is that you believe them."
Shinso's mouth opened to fire back.
"Go ahead," Renji said, stepping even closer. "Tell me I'm wrong. Try to make me regret it."
"You think you've got me all figured out?" Shinso growled, the words breaking through his gritted teeth. "You think you're better than everyone just because you can talk down to them?"
Renji didn't answer. All that was left was the same detached look that screamed pity, the kind that made Shinso's blood boil.
"You're full of shit!" Shinso snapped, lunging forward with a wild swing.
Renji shifted half a step to the side, letting the fist cut through empty air.
Shinso spun on his heel, swinging faster this time, but Renji wasn't there.
"Is this it?" Renji asked quietly, his tone bored. "You talk about being unlucky, about people hating your Quirk, but the moment it doesn't work, you fall apart."
Shinso's teeth clenched, his next punch sloppy, desperate. "Shut up!"
Renji caught his wrist mid-swing. The sound of contact cracked through the arena, the crowd gasped.
Renji's grip was unyielding, but he didn't tighten it. He just held Shinso there, their eyes meeting for a split second that stretched far too long.
"You're wasting it," Renji said with a tone that almost sounded like… anticipation. "You've got one of the scariest Quirks here, but you use it like a crutch. You let it define you."
Shinso tried to yank his arm free, but Renji didn't budge. His grip was firm, like he was holding a fragile specimen.
Renji leaned in, the noise of the crowd fading into a distant hum. No one could hear what he said next.
"You could be a god," he whispered. "Do you even realize that?"
Shinso froze.
Renji's voice was soft but sharp enough to cut straight to the point. His eyes held that fanatic wonder that brought all his ideas and inventions to reality.
"One word, and the world bends." He whispered, "You could command nations if you learned control. But instead, you sit here, crying about how unfair it is. You call that strength?"
His eyes narrowed, burning with something close to obsession. "You're sitting on the jackpot and you're too afraid to even look at it."
Shinso's pulse hammered in his throat, the humiliation and anger clouding his judgement.
"You don't know anything about me," he hissed.
Renji's expression didn't change. "I know enough. I know that right now, you're terrified of yourself. You already lost before the fight even began."
Shinso tried again to pull away, but Renji refused to let go. His hand stayed clamped around Shinso's wrist.
"You want to know why your Quirk doesn't work on me?" Renji murmured.
He glared up at him, breathing hard even though he had been standing in place.
Renji tilted his head slightly. "I turned off my hearing, it's not hard to read lips. So go ahead, try and command me again."
Realization flickered across Shinso's face. But then came the disbelief, then the anger.
Renji smiled faintly, the kind that didn't reach his eyes. "That's the difference between you and me. I took action. I built what I needed."
He released Shinso's arm and took a single step back.
"Learn to do the same," he said quietly. "Start making the world see you differently."
The tension snapped as Shinso swung again, one last desperate strike.
Renji easily slipped past it, planted a hand on Shinso's shoulder, and blasted his leg into his back.
The impact was sharp as he flew to the other end of the arena, hitting the ground hard and rolling over, just slightly over the boundary.
The crowd roared, their cheers breaking through the ringing silence that followed Shinso's fall.
He groaned, trying to push himself up. The edge of the ring felt like a wall he couldn't climb. His fingers dug into the ground, trembling with effort as he tried to get up.
Midnight's voice cut through it all, "Kanzaki Renji with a one hit K.O!"
The crowd erupted again, but to Renji, it was all muted. His focus never left Shinso.
For a moment, he just watched as Shinso struggled to rise, a wave of disappointment spreading through his body.
Renji lingered a second longer, then turned and walked to the exit without looking back. It's time you woke up.
The crowd chanted his name now—Kanzaki! Kanzaki! Kanzaki!—but it barely registered. He'd seen enough to know Shinso wasn't weak, he was just unfinished.
And he hated wasted potential.