Justus enters the tunnel and falls to his knees, defeated.

Justus: (Why… why couldn’t I hit him?)

Colossus stands up from his seat.

Walker: Are you sure you want to do that?

Colossus: Whether I want to or not doesn’t matter, I have to.

Colossus leaves.

Walker: (I’m sure he sympathizes with Justus after that last battle. Guys like them aren’t used to being powerless against someone. Colossus knows that feeling all too well as of late with his relationship with his son.)

Killian stands up from his seat.

Killian: Alright, it’s finally my turn!

Alec: Stop rejoicing and get down there quick before I get jealous.

Killian: Ha, that’s right, you still have three more matches until you get your chance. I’ll make it quick for you, okay?

Alec: No, take your time; I like the way you fight.

Killian: That so?

Alec: You leave a lot of blood.

Killian: Ha, you sadistic bastard, don’t let anyone take my seat.

Killian leaves, he walks past Sydney.

Killian: You’re getting back just now?

Sydney: I’m a slow walker; what can I say?

Killian: Whatever, I’m gonna go get us our second win of the day.

Sydney: Killian.

Killian: What is it?

Sydney: Don’t get too cocky against this one. I don’t know why but I have the feeling he held back in his match.

Killian: He’s a standard punch as hard as you can type; taking those guys down is my specialty.

Sydney: Whatever you say.

Killian leaves, and Sydney takes Killian’s seat.

Kevin: (It sucks that those last three matches were short, my back kills after my battle against Jace, and I didn’t get much recovery time. On top of that, I have to face one of the two guys left that hasn’t had to fight yet, not like Killian’s quirk is that much of a mystery, but I don’t know his fighting style or the specifics of his quirk. So I’m gonna have to play this slow.)

Kevin leaves.

Aaron: The last match before we start the quarter-finals. This tournament is flying by.

Angel: Yeah, but the matches only get harder from here on out. I have to fight Justus; Hayze is up against Sydney, and who knows what the guy you’re facing can do.

Aaron: Yeah, and if Sydney and Tobias were any indications of 1-B’s strength, I might have my work cut out for me.

Ash: What about me, guys?

Angel: Well, you face the winner of this next match.

Aaron: Yeah, and I don’t think you’d like either of them…

Ash: What are you talking about? I took down Gus!

They look at her.

Ash: Okay, you’re right that isn’t that impressive.

Kevin and Killian approach the center of the arena.

Killian: (This guy is going down… I can tell he’s never faced anyone like me.)

Kevin: (I can’t wait to knock that cocky smile off this guy’s face.)

Up in the teacher’s seats, a man with rocket thrusters coming from his elbows approaches Fatal and Walker.

Walker: Well, what do you know? It’s Houston.

Houston: Hello Damien, hello Rachel.

Fatal: Nice seeing you, Houston; you waited for a while to join us. Your class is almost all gone.

Houston: Yes, I’ve been very disappointed; I thought they’d perform much better. It has been nice to see the remaining class members knock Damien’s students around these last two matches. Although I should have expected that Tobias wouldn’t have the ambition to finish the fight.

Fatal: So, what brings you over here now?

Houston: We’re getting into the most fun part of the tournament, plus I want to trash talk.

Fatal: Sounds just like you.

Houston: Of course; how do you feel about this one, Damien?

Walker: Your student seems more confident than powerful.

Houston: That’s exactly what he wants to be. Killian never focuses on something like striking power; he’s built to fight someone like Kevin.

Walker: Well, let’s see what happens.

Madame Mummy puts her hand in the air.

Madame Mummy: Begin.

Kevin: (I’ll start with 20% again!)

Killian gets down on all fours.

Killian: You really think I’m just gonna let you power up!

Killian gets behind Kevin so fast that he looks like a blur.

Kevin: (How is he that fast?)

Killian uses his claws and scratches down Kevin’s back, then uses him as a kickboard to do a backflip sending Kevin into the dirt.

Kevin: *grunts* So you’re fast, huh?

Killian: I got you before your quirk turned on, so you felt all of that, right?

Kevin: Sure.

Killian: Already mad, huh? We just got started!

Kevin stands up and turns on his quirk.

Kevin: (30% from the start is way more fun anyway.)

Kevin starts charging at Killian, but he dodges before Kevin even gets close to him.

Kevin: (That speed again!)

Kevin gets caught off guard again. He looks to his left to see Killian on all fours a distance away from him.

Kevin: For someone who talks a lot, you sure do like running.

Killian: You’re just mad that you can’t keep up with me!

Up in the teacher’s section...

Fatal: That’s some speed he’s got.

Houston: Yes, Killian spends almost all of his time building his speed. His philosophy when it comes to combat is simple: If they can’t hit you, then they can’t beat you. A simple hand-to-hand combat-style fighter like Kevin stands no chance of defeating Killian.

Walker: Interesting theory.

Houston: What, do you disagree?

Walker: How does Killian plan on defeating Kevin? Making sure Kevin can’t hit him is only half the battle.

Houston: Just watch.

Killian gets down on all fours again.

Killian: Let’s see how you handle this tough guy!

Killian charges at Kevin.

Killian: All Four Strike: 1,000 Claws!

Killian attacks Kevin, slicing him with his claws in rapid succession.

Kevin: (He’s too fast! I can’t counter!)

Killian continues cutting up Kevin, then at the end of the attack, he does his backflip kick move again, knocking Kevin to the ground. Killian starts laughing.

Killian: You can’t even lay a hand on me, and now you’re in the dirt! You might as well just forfeit.

Kevin gets up and dusts off his shoulder; his body is covered in scratch marks. Kevin cracks his neck.

Kevin: So, are you actually gonna try soon?

Killian gets visibly frustrated.

Killian: You really think you’re tough shit, huh? Well, I’m gonna put you in your place!

Houston is amazed.

Houston: He’s acting like Killian’s barrage was nothing… How tough is he?

Walker: It was very naive of you to write Kevin off so quickly. He’s not the standard fighter you thought he was.

Houston: What?

Walker: His quirk is much more than just a strength enhancer. Kevin is already strong in his own right; the thing that makes Kevin a unique fighter is his enhanced pain tolerance. Those scratches hurt, but he can barely feel them... and the more he amps up his quirk, the more attacks like those feel like a feather landing on his shoulder. You said Killian doesn’t focus on his striking power, right?

Houston: Yes, Killian believes in quantity over quality when it comes to attacks.

Walker: Then I have one thing to say to him, you might as well just forfeit.

Houston: He’s not done yet!

Kevin examines some of his scratches.

Kevin: (I’m not bleeding profusely, but almost every scratch has blood coming from it, I could get lightheaded, I might have to try and finish this quickly… but with his speed, I don’t know what percent I should go.)

Killian: (So he withstood 1,000 claws, huh? If that’s the case, my normal form isn’t gonna cut it. I have to transform… I should be good for about 20 minutes given that I haven’t fought anyone else, but I’ll have to take him down fast to conserve my form for later.)

Killian’s canine teeth begin growing.

Kevin: (Huh? What’s he doing?)

Killian: I’m gonna tear you apart! Beast Transformation: Werewolf!

Killian starts transforming, his snout forms into that of a dog’s, his body grows fur throughout it, and his shirt rips apart.

Kevin: *under his breath* Lookin’ like Twilight out here…

Killian grows even sharper claws, and his eyes become entirely red. Finally, his transformation finishes, and he lets out a loud howl.

Killian: Time to die!

Kevin: No thanks, Jacob.

Killian suddenly appears in front of Kevin and punches him so hard in the face he goes flying into one of the trees; he then smacks into the ground.

Walker: That’s new.

Houston: Werewolf form, Killian’s most dangerous ability, this fight is over!

Kevin gets up and holds his nose, which is spewing blood.

Kevin: (He got even faster? The first time, I was at least able to see his movement, but that time it was like he teleported…) *pained grunt* (I can actually feel this… he’s stronger in this form too.)

Killian appears in front of Kevin, puts his hands together, and bashes Kevin over the head. Kevin lies face-down, not moving.

Killian: Ha! How do you like that!

Killian turns to Madame Mummy.

Killian: You should call the battle now.

Kevin grabs Killian’s ankle.

Killian: Oh, that’s cute, you still think you can-

Kevin stands up and chucks Killian straight into the wall of the arena. Killian leaves an indent in the wall then falls down into the forest.

Kevin: (60%)

Killian slowly gets to his feet.

Killian: So, he upped the ante on his quirk… fine, I’ll just pound him into the ground even harder this time!

Kevin walks toward the center of the arena.

Kevin: (I’ve got about 4 minutes at 60%... I… man, I can barely concentrate...)

Kevin falls to his knees.

Kevin: (It’s hard to keep myself composed, all I wanna do is punch things…)

Killian comes bursting towards Kevin, but this time, Kevin can perceive his movements.

Killian: Ready for another round, bastard!

Killian gets next to Kevin and attempts a spin kick, but Kevin catches his leg.

Killian: What! You couldn’t stop me before!

Kevin: Adrenaline also increases reaction time, dumbass.

Killian: *frustrated grunt* (Shit!)

Kevin gets up and holds Killian upside down by his leg. Killian struggles, trying to break free.

Killian: Put me down, you bastard!

Kevin: As you wish.

Killian: No, wait, that’s not what I-

Kevin throws Killian into the ground, indenting the ground and making a dust cloud cover them.

Houston: This kid’s quirk is something else. The fact that he could see Killian’s movements, let alone block an attack... is unbelievable.

Walker: Yeah, and he’s not even at his maximum.

As the dust clears, Kevin is breathing heavily.

Kevin: (Only about a minute left… I have to-)

Killian appears in front of Kevin and uppercuts, then kicks him, sending him flying.

Kevin: *groans* How… did… you… get… faster?

Kevin looks up and notices Killian has removed two heavy-looking training weights from his legs.

Killian: (I can’t believe I need this much speed to get past his reflexes. My quirk makes me a monster, but this guy… he is a monster.)

Houston looks excited.

Houston: Killian had to take off his weights; he’s going to go for the kill now!

Walker: He’s never going to outmuscle Kevin.

Houston: *sighs* Alright, Damien, just give me the lecture already.

Walker: Kevin’s quirk grants him the ability to tap into strengths and skills that the human body could never reach on its own. Trying to beat him by striking him hard will never work, he can just keep amplifying his strength, speed, reflexes, and pain tolerance to keep fighting stronger and faster, but all of this comes at a price: fatigue and loss of coherent thought. Kevin can’t strategize at a certain point, plus his quirk will eventually tire him out, causing him to pass out from exhaustion.

Houston: He’s basically a human battering ram...

Walker: That’s exactly how he beat Jace, after all.

Houston: So, if Killian wanted to win this, he shouldn’t have fought Kevin.

Walker: He should be waiting him out, but his arrogance will cost him.

Killian stares at Kevin as he starts to get up; Killian is heavily breathing.

Killian: (Time to end this!)

Kevin gets to his feet, Killian rushes him.

Killian: You’re going down now!

Kevin grabs Killian by the head and holds him up; his eyes are nothing but white. Killian looks into them with fear.

Killian: What the fuc-

Kevin lets out a blood-curdling yell and slams Killian face-first into the ground, cracking the ground beneath them and making a cloud of dust.

Kevin: DIE!

Madame Mummy walks over and looks down into the crater Kevin has created.

Madame Mummy: (I was right, I need to be more careful with his matches.)

Kevin stands above Killian’s unconscious body, hyperventilating. He then falls over and passes out.

Madame Mummy: The winner is Kevin Bohm.

The crowd goes nuts. Houston has a shocked look on his face.

Houston: Well, Damien, I guess you have the better monster.

Walker: No, I have the better student.

Kevin awakens to medics putting bandages over his nose and cuts. He sits up.

Medic: Glad to see you’re awake.

Kevin: *groans* Everything hurts…

Medic: Yeah, I think the other guy would agree with you on that.

Kevin looks at Killian being taken away by stretcher.

Medic: He’s not gonna enjoy waking up tomorrow.

Ash is white and slouched in her seat.

Aaron: Damn, Kevin’s a beast.

Angel: He threw him into the dirt so hard it made a crater like when you C4’d Zach.

Hayze: It looks like everyone has their work cut out for them in the second round.

Ash: Yeah…

Alec scoffs.

Alec: It looks like Killian bit off a bit more than he could chew.

Sydney: Of course, that idiot didn’t heed my warning. Now it’s up to me to win this for our class.

Alec: What about me?

Sydney: What about you?

The bracket updates:

Meanwhile, Justus strolls through the hallway with his head down.

Justus: *groans*

Justus continues walking until he sees a pair of feet before him; he looks up to see Colossus.

Colossus: Hello Justus.

Justus gets a stern look on his face and walks by Colossus.

Colossus: Running away from your problems, I see.

Justus stops and turns around.

Justus: Shut up, dad. I-

Colossus: Don’t call me that!

Justus is taken aback.

Colossus: I gave up my right to be your dad a long time ago; I don’t deserve to be called that. Furthermore, I’m not here as your father; I’m here as Colossus. I know you’re probably tired of being lectured, but I wanted to give you some advice.

Justus: Why would I want your advice?

Colossus: Because I’m the number 1 hero, you want that title to be yours someday? Then maybe you should listen to some advice from the guy you’ll have to defeat to get it.

Justus calms down.

Colossus: What’s the biggest flaw of your quirk?

Justus hesitates.

Justus: I don’t know.

Colossus: It’s your ability to be fatally wounded, although it would take a lot of shots; if just a single bullet pierces your heart, you die.

Justus: Well, I know that, but-

Colossus: Your quirk doesn’t make you immortal. It doesn’t make you a god, so don’t think of yourself as such.

Justus: Oh, shut the hell up! You act exactly like that and our quirk-

Colossus: It’s not OUR QUIRK!

Justus is again taken aback.

Colossus: It’s your quirk, don’t listen to what people like Tobias say about it, our quirks may be the same in almost every way, but there’s one thing that makes them different.

Justus: And what would that be?

Colossus: They belong to different people; your quirk is what you make of it. I didn’t tell you to not think of yourself as a god to lecture you. The mortality of your quirk should be a reminder that you’re not perfect. I don’t think of myself as a god because a god should be perfect, and I have plenty of failures and flaws that prove that I’m nowhere near that. I got to where I am today because I realized that fact, but I let others make me better. My point is, you can’t get to the top by yourself, and you can’t do it by following in someone else’s footsteps. Having people who care about you is the first step towards carving your own path. You are Justus; your path is yours, don’t think that because I’m your father that our paths need to be the same for you to reach your goal, and more importantly than anything, don’t walk it alone.

Colossus walks away. Justus stands there looking at the ground, taking in everything he just said. Then, he hears the applause of the crowd as Kevin’s match has ended.

Boom: Will the other seven remaining competitors please report to the center of the ring! It’s time for the Elite 8 introductions.

The bracket has changed:

The final 8 line up in the center of the arena.

Boom: We have just seven matches left in the first year Sports Festival’s final round! From left to right, it’s time to congratulate our competitors for making it this far! From Class 1-B, it’s Sydney Bowers.

The crowd has a mix of cheers and boos.

Boom: And she’ll be taking on Adam Hayze from Class 1-A in our first match of the quarter-finals!

The crowd boos, loud.

Boom: Then, in match two, we’ll have Justus Grey from 1-A taking on Angel Northcroft also from Class 1-A!

The crowd cheers.

Boom: Next, our third match will be between the destructive Aaron Zamora from 1-A and the mysterious Alec Vyxon from 1-B!

Another cascade of cheers.

Boom: Finally, our fourth match of the second round will be between Kevin Bohm and Ash Wright!

The crowd goes fucking nuts.

Boom: Now, please give a round of applause for the Elite 8!

The crowd applauds and cheers for the eight remaining contestants. Up in the eliminated 1-A students, Gus, Blair, and Alexis have returned from the infirmary.

Zach: Man, I really wish I was still in this.

Wes: Don’t we all…

Gus: Yeah, the six of them are getting their egos stroked; they’ll be insufferable.

Demetri: At Least you guys were in the tournament, to begin with…

Isaiah: Yeah, I feel like I’ve been decaying away up here doing nothing...

Eve turns to Silver.

Eve: These next matches should be intense.

Silver: Yeah, especially because their conditions are going to come into play now.

Eve: What do you mean?

Silver: Look at Aaron and Kevin; they’re both still banged up from their fights. Hell, Kevin even had to fight an extra match.

Eve looks at Kevin and Aaron, Kevin is bandaged and beaten from his fights with Jace and Killian, and Aaron’s forearms and hands still have a slight shade of red to them.

Eve: Yeah… you’re right.

Silver: On top of that, their rest comes into play too. Hayze and I were the second match, and we just completed the eleventh fight. Hayze has had the last 9 matches to recover. Sydney, Justus, and Kevin all just fought, not that Justus and Sydney broke much of a sweat… but it’s still something to consider.

Eve: Hayze would need an advantage to win.

Silver: Well, by the time Angel fights, he’ll have had 9 matches to recover, so you’d have to say the same about him.

Eve: Well, uh… fuck Hayze.

Madame Mummy approaches the remaining competitors.

Madame Mummy: Alright, all but Hayze and Sydney, clear out and head back to your seats.

Everyone starts to leave.

Hayze: (It’s time…)

Justus puts his hand on Hayze’s shoulder.

Justus: Good luck.

Hayze is surprised, so he hesitates for a moment.

Hayze: Thanks; guess I’ll see you in the next round?

Justus: I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The arena clears as Sydney and Hayze face off at the center.

Sydney: I know you think you’re pretty smart, but given that water beats fire, I’d say you’re quite stupid to even partake in this match.

Hayze: Do you ever stop talking?

Sydney: What did you just say to me? *grunts* That’s it; I won’t extend the same pleasantry I gave to my last opponent.

Hayze: (Blair…)

A flashback starts, detailing when Hayze and the other competitors were heading to the arena for the Elite 8 ceremony.

Aaron: Top 8, baby!

Kevin: Yeah! We’re the best!

Aaron: Fuck everyone else!

They pass by the infirmary as Blair is exiting.

Blair: Hey! Hayze!

Hayze turns around and sees her.

Hayze: Oh, hey Blair, I’m glad you’re okay.

Blair: Yeah, I’m fine, but we need to talk.

Hayze: About what?

Blair: Your match with that bitch.

Hayze: I think her name is Sydney, but close enough.

Blair: This isn’t the time for jokes Hayze, you need to forfeit.

Hayze gets a stern look on his face and starts walking away.

Blair: You’re smart, but what can you do against her flood attack? You could die just like I almost did, you can’t win, it’s not possible-

Hayze: Stop.

Blair stops talking, Hayze looks over his shoulder at her.

Hayze: Don’t ever tell me what I can’t do.

Hayze leaves, Blair stands there both frustrated and concerned.

The flashback ends.

Hayze: (I’ve spent too much time being told what I can’t do, I can’t pass the HAE, I can’t get into U.A., I can’t beat Silver, I can’t be a hero… I’m done being told what I can’t do. It’s time for me to show everyone what I can do.)

Madame Mummy raises her hand.

Madame Mummy: Begin.

Sydney snaps her fingers, and once again, the entire arena begins flooding.