Chapter 28 - Strength and Sovereignty

The tension in the arena was thick with anticipation, the crowd's chatter gradually dying down as the announcement echoed through the speakers. "Y/N L/N vs. Fumikage Tokoyami." The name was familiar, but today, it felt different.

You slid off the bench with a smirk tugging at the corners of your lips, your eyes narrowing in Fumikage's direction. You weren't one to back down from a challenge—especially one that came wrapped in shadows. The warm air was thick with the scent of impending battle, and the ground beneath your boots felt almost alive, vibrating with the energy of eager spectators.

"Guess we'll have to see now, won't we, Grapehead?" you said coolly to Mineta, who was still fixated on the last match. His eyes flickered over to you, and then back to the match, the words hanging in the air between you two. You could feel the weight of his gaze, but your focus was already on the battleground ahead.

Mineta sighed, shaking his head. "I know, but how would you defeat Dark Shadow? I mean, you're a dragon, but still..."

You could feel the subtle stir of your Quirk—an ancient, primal power, sleeping beneath your skin, just waiting for a reason to ignite. You were a dragon, yes, but that didn't mean you couldn't feel the thrill of this challenge. There was something almost poetic about it. A dragon facing off against the shadows. The odds were never your concern.

As you made your way to the arena floor, the heat from the battle in the air pressed down on you like an invisible weight. Fumikage was standing at the other side of the ring, his silhouette cloaked in the dark, his feathers rustling ever so slightly. Dark Shadow—his eerie, formidable companion—was already hovering around him, almost as if it were alive. You could feel its dark presence, an overwhelming sense of something that didn't belong to this world.

The arena fell into a silence so deep it felt like the breath of the entire stadium had been sucked away.

Fumikage's expression was unreadable, his eyes hidden beneath his black hood, his stance unwavering. He wasn't just the shadowy figure that everyone knew. No, he was a force. You could tell. This wasn't going to be easy. But you weren't exactly known for taking the easy route either.

A wave of energy surged through you, your muscles rippling beneath your skin. The dragon within you stirred with eager anticipation. The crowd's eyes were on you both, but in that moment, you were more focused than you had ever been. Fumikage had his Dark Shadow, but you had centuries of experience. Your eyes locked onto his, a challenge in your gaze, the words unspoken but clear.

The moment the signal went off, Fumikage raised his hand, and with a single motion, Dark Shadow expanded rapidly, filling the arena with its monstrous form, nearly drowning out the light. The crowd gasped in unison as the shadowy mass reached toward you, quick as lightning.

But you were already moving.

Your body surged forward with the power of a coiled spring, faster than the eye could follow, your foot kicking off the ground in a single fluid motion. Dark Shadow surged forward, the beast lunging at you with ferocity, but you were already weaving through the darkness. The shadows lashed out, but you danced between them, as light as a whisper on the wind.

You couldn't help but smirk. "Is that all you've got?"

Fumikage's focus never wavered, but you could see the concentration in his eyes. His bond with Dark Shadow was strong, but you were more than just your Quirk. You were a force in your own right.

In an instant, you summoned your full strength, and a surge of raw power flooded your veins. You felt the ancient, primal energy swell up from deep within, like a tidal wave rising within your chest. It was your turn.

With a single motion, you shot forward again, your body moving with a speed that rivaled lightning. Dark Shadow was close now, its massive form almost swallowing the arena, but you were already past it. You grinned as you shot past Fumikage, feeling the wind rush through your hair.

Before he could react, you sent a pulse of energy surging toward the ground beneath his feet, a shockwave that rattled the arena and sent the shadows reeling. Dark Shadow shrieked as it was forced back, its tendrils whipping wildly in the air, trying to regain control.

The crowd was on their feet now, a murmur of excitement rippling through the stands.

Fumikage's expression shifted. For a split second, you could see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Dark Shadow surged forward again, faster this time, surrounding you from all sides. It was relentless, a powerful beast with no intention of yielding.

But neither were you.

With a roar, you focused all your energy into a single strike, your form blurring into motion as you made your move. The arena was alive with energy, the sound of your footsteps drowned out by the roar of the crowd and the crackling intensity of the battle.

Fumikage, for all his power, was no match for the sheer force of your will.

The final moment came swiftly—before he could react, before Dark Shadow could save him—you'd already closed the distance. A final burst of energy shot through the arena, and with it, the fight was over.

You stood, chest heaving, your breath the only sound in the now-silent arena. The crowd had gone still, unsure whether to cheer or catch their breath.

Fumikage, eyes wide beneath his hood, had been pushed out of bounds, his shadowy companion retreating into the shadows.

You gave him a nod of respect, a smirk playing at your lips. "Not bad, Tokoyami. But not enough."

And with that, you walked out of the arena, the crowd erupting into applause behind you.

----

In the dimly lit room, Shigaraki sat on his throne-like chair, his fingers tapping absently against the armrest. His eyes were locked on the screen before him, where the matches from the spectator festival played out. The tension in his posture had shifted. No longer was he a mere observer; this was personal now. As each match passed, his attention grew more intense, more fixated.

He was no longer just watching the other students. His eyes were on you—the one who had dominated every match with a strength and ferocity that seemed to command the arena itself. You were untouchable, and that very untouchability, that dominance, fueled something dark and obsessive inside him.

He couldn't tear his gaze away.

"She's perfect," Shigaraki murmured under his breath, his voice almost reverent. His obsession was evident now, not just in the way his eyes followed every movement you made but in the way he fantasized about you standing beside him. He could already see it in his mind—You, his queen. Strong, unyielding, an equal to him in power. Together, you could reign over all, his queen by his side, commanding the chaos he wished to unleash.

Kurogiri stood quietly nearby, his face expressionless but observant. As the seconds dragged on, he sensed the shift in his boss. Shigaraki had always been dangerous, always consumed by his desires and obsessions, but now, with every victory you claimed, those obsessions seemed to deepen.

Kurogiri approached, his steps silent as ever, and handed Shigaraki a cup of tea, his eyes flicking over to the screen. "What are you watching, boss?" he asked calmly, as if he hadn't already guessed the answer.

Shigaraki didn't look away from the screen, the edges of his lips curling into a rare smile, one that was more sinister than any joy Kurogiri had seen in him before. "Our queen," Shigaraki said softly, his voice filled with a kind of dreamlike reverence. "Just being the best, that's what."

Kurogiri, ever the loyal servant, understood instantly. His boss's infatuation was not just fleeting admiration; it was obsession. The way Shigaraki spoke, the intensity behind his eyes—it was clear he saw you not just as a powerful force to be reckoned with but as someone he needed by his side. The thought of you standing beside him, in perfect harmony with his chaotic ambitions, was intoxicating.

Kurogiri had seen many things in his time with Shigaraki. He had seen the flames of rage, the sparks of madness, the relentless hunger for destruction. But this—this was different. This was the first time he had seen Shigaraki so... calm in his obsession. And it made sense. You were the one who had stood tall against him and his fire-wielding squad during their assault on UA. You had been a wall, unyielding, fiercely defiant. You had not flinched in the face of his attack.

The strength, the beauty, the unwavering determination you exuded—who wouldn't be captivated by it?

Shigaraki leaned forward, his eyes never leaving the screen. "She's everything," he muttered, more to himself than to Kurogiri. "She would make the perfect queen, wouldn't she?"

Kurogiri didn't respond immediately. He could feel the weight of his boss's obsession pressing down on the room like a suffocating fog. But he knew better than to comment on such matters. Shigaraki's feelings weren't something easily shared or understood—his mind worked in twisted, unpredictable ways. But even Kurogiri could see the depth of his fixation.

"Yes, boss," Kurogiri said quietly after a pause, his tone measured but resigned. "She is everything."

As Shigaraki continued to watch your victories unfold on the screen, Kurogiri couldn't help but wonder how much longer this obsession would simmer before it boiled over into something far darker. For now, though, it seemed that all he could do was watch his boss's twisted admiration grow, wondering where it would lead next.

The spectacle before them was no longer just a festival. For Shigaraki, it had become a form of courtship, and you—unwittingly—were the queen he intended to claim.