MHA: The Hero With the Sun (HIATUS)

The waiting area buzzed with a mixture of anticipation and tension. After the first round of one-on-one matches, students who had advanced were either strategizing or finding ways to manage their nerves. Those who had been eliminated either offered support to their classmates or kept to themselves, lost in thought.

Kenji sat on one of the benches, a water bottle in hand. He leaned back, letting the cool plastic press against his forehead, as his mind replayed his victory in the last round. It hadn't been an easy win, and his body still ached from the effort.

"Hey, Saito!" a cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.

He looked up to see Kirishima and Kaminari approaching, both wearing broad smiles.

"Nice work out there, man!" Kirishima said, giving him a thumbs-up. "That counterattack with the solar burst was insane!"

Kenji chuckled. "Thanks. I wasn't sure it'd work, but it seemed like the best shot I had."

Kaminari flopped onto the bench beside him. "Man, you're making it look easy. I got knocked out so fast I barely remember what happened."

"Don't sweat it," Kenji said. "You've got skills, Kaminari. Next time, just focus on keeping your energy under control. You'll crush it."

The blonde grinned, clearly grateful for the encouragement.

Across the room, Momo was deep in conversation with Todoroki. Kenji caught snippets of their discussion about tactics, and he couldn't help but admire how calm and analytical Momo remained even in such a high-stakes environment.

On the other side, Bakugo sat alone, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. Most students gave him a wide berth, though Midoriya occasionally cast him wary glances.

Kenji's attention shifted as Iida approached him, his usual precision evident in his posture. "Saito, congratulations on advancing to the next round. Your performance has been commendable thus far."

"Thanks, Iida," Kenji said, offering a small smile. "You're doing great, too. That speed of yours is something else."

Iida adjusted his glasses, a hint of pride in his expression. "I appreciate the kind words. However, the competition only gets tougher from here. We must all remain vigilant."

Kenji nodded in agreement. The next round wasn't just about power—it would demand adaptability, strategy, and sheer determination.

The Second Match: Kenji vs. Tetsutetsu

Kenji stood at the edge of the arena, his heart pounding in his chest. His next opponent, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu from Class 1-B, was already in the ring, cracking his knuckles with an eager grin.

"Ready to throw down, Saito?" Tetsutetsu called out, his voice brimming with excitement. "Let's see if that fancy solar Quirk of yours can keep up with my steel!"

Kenji smirked, stepping into the ring. "Bring it on, Tetsutetsu. Let's give them a match to remember."

Midnight raised her arm, signaling for silence. "The second match of the quarterfinals: Kenji Saito versus Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu! Begin!"

Tetsutetsu charged immediately, his body glinting as he activated his Steel Quirk. Kenji barely had time to dodge as Tetsutetsu swung a heavy fist, the force of the blow sending a gust of wind past his face.

Kenji leaped back, raising a hand to generate a quick burst of light. The flash momentarily disoriented Tetsutetsu, but the steel-skinned student recovered quickly, shaking his head and smirking.

"Nice try, but you'll need more than that!"

Kenji narrowed his eyes, circling the arena as he formulated a plan. Tetsutetsu's steel form gave him a significant defensive advantage, meaning brute force wouldn't be enough. Kenji would need to exploit his Quirk's versatility.

As Tetsutetsu charged again, Kenji focused his energy into his palms, creating a concentrated sphere of light. With a precise throw, he aimed it at Tetsutetsu's feet. The resulting explosion of light and heat forced Tetsutetsu to stumble, giving Kenji an opening.

He darted forward, landing a rapid series of strikes to Tetsutetsu's midsection. The impacts weren't enough to cause serious damage, but they drained Tetsutetsu's stamina little by little.

"Not bad!" Tetsutetsu admitted, his voice strained as he swung wildly. "But I'm not going down that easily!"

Kenji ducked under the attack, his movements growing sharper as he adapted to Tetsutetsu's rhythm. He needed to end the fight quickly before his energy reserves ran low.

Drawing on the sunlight he'd absorbed earlier, Kenji unleashed a concentrated beam of heat directly at Tetsutetsu's shoulder. The steel began to glow faintly, and Tetsutetsu grimaced, realizing his armor was heating up.

"You're overheating, Tetsutetsu," Kenji said, stepping back. "Might want to cool off."

The audience erupted in cheers as Tetsutetsu faltered, his movements slowing. Kenji seized the opportunity to deliver a final, calculated strike, knocking Tetsutetsu off balance and sending him to the ground.

Midnight's voice rang out. "Winner: Kenji Saito!"

Kenji exhaled deeply, offering Tetsutetsu a hand as the crowd roared.

"That was one hell of a fight," Kenji said.

Tetsutetsu grinned, accepting the handshake. "You're not bad, Saito. Next time, I'll be ready for that heat trick."

Kenji laughed. "Looking forward to it."

As he left the arena, his classmates greeted him with cheers and congratulations. Despite the exhaustion weighing on him, Kenji couldn't help but smile. The Sports Festival was far from over, and he was determined to keep giving it his all.

Word Count: ~1,126