The training grounds of U.A. shimmered under the midday sun. Class 1-A stood in a loose circle, eyes fixed on the arena where the impossible was about to happen. The number one hero himself, All Might, stood at one end of the open field, his cape fluttering behind him. Opposite him, Kael stood with his hands in his pockets, his posture lazy, like this was nothing more than an annoying chore.
Aizawa had been against this from the start. Putting All Might up against him is a waste of time… or maybe a way to remind him not to play god. But Kael had insisted—no, invited—the challenge, with that same smug, knowing smirk that made Aizawa's blood boil.
"All right, young Kael!" All Might's booming voice cut through the air. "You've been mouthing off about being untouchable. Let's see how you handle a hero at full power!"
Kael tilted his head. "Full power, huh? I'll give you a few minutes to make it count."
Gasps rippled through the students. Even Bakugo looked insulted on All Might's behalf.
The Clash Begins
All Might moved first—no surprise there. His massive frame blurred forward with a shockwave of wind and force. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he closed the gap in a heartbeat, fist cocked back.
Kael didn't move.
The punch hit the air in front of him—and stopped. Not because Kael blocked it, but because the space between them refused to let All Might's fist pass. A ripple of distorted reality shimmered like heat waves.
"Spatial lock," Kael said casually. "You'll have to be more creative."
All Might gritted his teeth and switched tactics, ducking low and delivering a sweeping kick. This time Kael allowed it, letting the impact send him sliding back across the field. Dust clouded around him.
The Illusion of Hope
Kael stepped out of the dust cloud with a faint smirk. "Not bad. Keep going."
The words lit a fire in All Might. He blurred forward again, this time feinting high before slamming his fist into Kael's ribs. The thud echoed, and for the first time, Kael actually staggered.
Students gasped. He's actually hurting him!
All Might pressed the advantage, hitting Kael with a rapid barrage of blows, each one accompanied by a deafening BOOM. The ground cratered, shockwaves shattered nearby windows. Kael was forced back, his footing breaking. The hero's fist connected with Kael's jaw, snapping his head to the side.
He's got him! the thought raced through every onlooker's mind. Even Aizawa's eyes narrowed. Could Kael… actually lose?
The Truth
All Might reared back for one final, crushing blow.
And Kael caught it. With one hand.
The entire arena went silent.
Kael slowly straightened, brushing a speck of dust off his shirt with his free hand. His eyes locked onto All Might's with a calm that made the hero's stomach sink.
"That was cute," Kael said, voice low, almost pitying. "But you've been hitting an illusion for the last thirty seconds."
All Might's eyes widened. "What—?"
Reality peeled away like layers of paper, and suddenly the scene rewound. The punches, the staggering, the visible struggle—it all vanished. Kael stood exactly where he had at the start of the fight, completely untouched. Not a single speck of dust on him.
"I wanted you to feel like you had a chance," Kael continued. "A little hope before I took it away."
The End
Without a gesture, without a movement, Kael's presence pressed down on All Might like a collapsing star. The hero's knees buckled. His body refused to move, as though every molecule was frozen in place. The air shimmered around them, reality itself bent under Kael's will.
"Lesson over," Kael said flatly.
With a flick of his fingers, the weight vanished, and All Might dropped to one knee, panting—not from exertion, but from the crushing realization that he'd never even touched his opponent.
The students were silent. No cheers. No murmurs. Just stunned disbelief.
Kael glanced at them lazily. "That was… mildly entertaining. But I thought it'd be more of a challenge."
He walked away, hands in pockets, leaving the number one hero kneeling in the dust.