The arena shimmered as the simulation rebooted, restoring the virtual cityscape to its pristine state. This round was different. The rules were clear: One-on-one combat in a simulated arena. Victory earned the winner points. The higher the opponent's ranking, the more points awarded. It wasn't just about winning—it was about how and who you beat.
Jason stood by the edge of the platform, arms crossed as he scanned the digital sky. His opponents were strong, but it wasn't them he cared about. Somewhere in the top tier of this bracket was Midoriya—and Jason knew that fight was inevitable.
Meanwhile, Momo stood near her assigned portal, quietly adjusting her gloves. The teasing from Jason earlier still lingered in her head, much to her annoyance. But now, it was time to focus. I'll show him what I've got.
Match 1: Jason Lax vs Rikuto Kome
The arena snapped into place—an abandoned warehouse district. Jason walked through the cracked concrete, watching flickering streetlights as the simulation locked into detail. Across from him stood Rikuto, a student with a gravity-field quirk.
"Ready to lose, edgy boy?" Rikuto said with a cocky grin.
Jason rolled his shoulders. "Maybe. But let's at least make it interesting."
The battle started with Rikuto pulling Jason into the air, trying to slam him against the steel beams above. Jason twisted mid-air, split into two clones mid-fall, and dashed along the shadows. The original transformed partially into gas, narrowly dodging a crushing blow, and then reformed behind Rikuto.
With precise timing, he struck a clone into Rikuto's side, disrupting the quirk's concentration. The gravity fields collapsed. Jason didn't hesitate. His foot swept Rikuto off balance, and his clone delivered the final blow.
The buzzer rang: Winner – Jason Lax. +4 points.
Match 2: Momo Yaoyorozu vs Kyomi Reina
Momo's battlefield was a forest biome. Her opponent, Reina, specialized in plant growth and toxin release. The two exchanged cautious glances before their fight began.
Vines lashed out at Momo immediately, but she summoned a bladed staff and spun it like a cyclone, deflecting the attack. With precise timing, she tossed flash pellets and crafted a respirator. Reina stumbled, coughing from her own airborne pollen.
"Sorry," Momo muttered before striking. Her staff cracked against Reina's leg, followed by a sweeping motion that ended the duel.
Winner – Momo Yaoyorozu. +3 points.
Multiple Matches Later…
Students were dropping fast. Bakugo had blown through his opponents. Todoroki remained silent but unstoppable. Uraraka had surprised everyone with a creative win. And Midoriya—though still nervous—was racking up quiet, calculated victories.
Jason, now with three wins under his belt, was gaining momentum.
As the scoreboard flashed updates, whispers grew among the spectators.
"Jason's going to fight Midoriya next!"
"I heard he can turn into gas now."
"Did you see how he just disappeared behind Rikuto?"
Momo sat quietly on the bench, watching Jason with a narrowed gaze. He still hadn't taken anything seriously… yet he kept winning. It bothered her in ways she couldn't explain.
Final Match of the Day: Jason vs Midoriya
The simulation loaded a mountain cliff setting, high winds simulated through pressure zones and digital debris. Jason stood near the cliff's edge, staring up at Midoriya who stood a few meters away.
"You don't look worried," Midoriya said, tightening his gloves.
Jason smirked. "Should I be?"
The buzzer sounded.
Midoriya lunged forward, One For All crackling through his limbs. Jason vanished into mist for a split second—Midoriya's punch passing through harmless vapor—before he reformed behind him.
"You're fast," Jason said, blocking a follow-up blow with a shapeshifted gauntlet.
Midoriya grunted, adjusting. He adapts mid-fight… just like me.
The two clashed in a flurry of dodges, clones, and feints. Jason's clones helped confuse Midoriya, but the hero-in-training refused to fall for the same trick twice.
But then Jason did something new—he used a clone to draw fire, while his gaseous form reformed underground using a vent. The final blow came from below, knocking Midoriya off balance.
"Gotcha."
Winner – Jason Lax. +6 points.
Midoriya groaned, looking up from the ground with a surprised smile. "You're… seriously strong."
Jason offered a hand. "You're not so bad either, nerd."
The scoreboard updated again. Jason was now in the top 5.
Momo stared at it with mixed feelings. She should be proud—but instead, her cheeks felt warm and her stomach tight.
What is it about him that gets under my skin so easily?
The round ended. Tomorrow would bring the 1v1 finals—but for now, tension, confusion, and admiration lingered in the air. Jason, Momo, Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki—each a contender, each with something to prove.