Inside the upper chamber, Iida stands rigidly beside the weapon.
"A villain must defend the weapon of mass destruction with unwavering honou—"
A sharp whistling sound cuts through the air.
Iida turns toward the entrance sharply.
A barrage of objects comes screaming toward him.
Small things first—stones, broken concrete, snapped bits of piping—followed immediately by heavier debris. A trash bin spins end over end. A shattered planter hurtles toward his head. Loose metal clatters through the air.
His eyes widen.
He ignites his engines and moves.
Blue flames burst from his calves as he darts across the chamber, weaving between flying objects at high speed. He pivots, slides, leaps—every movement precise as debris slams into the walls and explodes into fragments behind him.
For several seconds, the room becomes chaotic.
Then—silence.
The objects stop coming.
Iida skids to a halt in the centre of the chamber, boots scraping against cracked concrete. The mock nuclear weapon looms behind him, untouched.
He straightens his posture and adjusts his glasses, staring toward the shadowed entrance.
"You cannot defeat me with such crude tactics, Hero," he declares, voice stiff and theatrical. "If you intend to challenge me, then face me directly!"
A beat passes.
Then footsteps.
Uraraka steps out of the shadows, stopping just inside the doorway. Dust clings to her suit, but her posture is relaxed.
"Hi, Iida," she says lightly. "You did a really good job dodging those."
She smiles.
It's not friendly.
Iida stiffens.
"Behold," he begins grandly, "the personification of evil—"
"You should brace for impact."
Iida blinks. "What?"
"You will not distract me with such sloppy—"
BOOM.
A violent explosion echoes through the building. The sound rattles the chamber, making his ears ring.
"What the—?!"
The floor beneath his feet cracks.
Then splits.
Concrete fractures spiderweb outward as the structure groans violently. Sections of the floor collapse entirely, dropping away into open space below.
Iida reacts instantly, engines flaring as he sprints backwards, grabbing the weapon and hauling it toward the remaining wall.
The building shakes harder.
Chunks of ceiling fall. Entire sections of flooring give way.
As he focuses on stabilising his footing, something floats into view beside him.
The weapon.
Weightless.
Iida's eyes widen as he turns.
Uraraka floats beside the weapon, a confident grin tugging at her lips. The device hovers calmly at her side, weightless and obedient.
"What—?!"
The remaining floor collapses further, leaving only narrow sections clinging to the walls. Iida stands frozen at the edge, eyes darting between the floating device and the gaping ruin beneath his feet.
After a few tense moments of looking back and forth, he turns to Uraraka.
"…Are we the villains," he asks stiffly, "or are you?"
The intercom crackles to life.
[Hero TeamWins!] All Might announces.
Iida's shoulders slump instinctively—then he realises where he is and snaps upright, feet planted dangerously close to open air.
Uraraka floats over and taps him gently.
Gravity releases him.
He exhales sharply as he rises.
"…Thank you, Uraraka," he says, adjusting his glasses. "You executed that manoeuvre with excellent timing and restraint."
She grins, relief softening her expression. "You played your role really well too."
Together, they float out through a jagged gap in the shattered wall, the building's collapse having torn open spaces where walls and floors once stood.
As Uraraka drifts downward, her gaze catches on something nearby.
Another rooftop.
Midoriya and Bakugo lie there, separated but facing one another.
Their mouths move—they're talking—but she's too far away to hear what's being said.
Her brow furrows slightly.
They touch down on the ground moments later.
Uraraka releases her Quirk, and both land safely.
UA support robots roll in around the collapsed building, beginning post-battle recovery procedures.
"Iida," Uraraka says, glancing back toward the rooftops, "you go ahead. I saw Midoriya and Bakugo on that building over there. I want to check on them."
He nods immediately. "Understood. I will report in."
She turns and starts toward the roof.
***
Midoriya and Bakugo slam onto the rooftop of the adjacent building.
They hit hard.
The force sends them skidding apart—Midoriya crashes into the low boundary wall and slumps against it, breath knocked clean out of him.
Bakugo rolls across the concrete before coming to a stop several meters away, boots scraping, palms digging in.
For a moment, neither of them moves.
Then Bakugo drags himself upright, sitting hunched as dust from the collapsing structure drifts through the air.
He turns his head—and sees Midoriya slumped against the wall, struggling to stay upright.
The surviving speakers crackle to life
[HeroTeam Wins!]
Midoriya exhales and lets his head fall back against the concrete, every muscle screaming.
Bakugo stares across the rooftop.
Huffing.
Bleeding.
Shaking.
Not from injury.
From something tearing apart inside his chest.
"You…" he growls.
Midoriya looks up.
"No Quirk for years," Bakugo snarls, voice trembling despite himself, "and now—now you're beating me?"
Midoriya opens his mouth.
He wants to tell him.
About One For All.
About All Might.
About his training, the fear, and the pain—about earning something for the first time in his life.
But another voice cuts through his thoughts.
'You need to keep this a secret.'
So instead, he says the only thing he can.
"I'm trying to be a hero, Kacchan."
Bakugo's breathing spikes—fast and sharp, like he's drowning on dry land.
His hands clench.
"You…" His voice cracks. "You LIAR!"
He forces himself to stand and staggers toward the stairwell, boots scraping against the concrete. He slams the door open hard enough for the sound to echo across the rooftop.
It doesn't make him feel better.
It doesn't fix anything.
The door slams shut.
Midoriya is left alone.
He stares down at the concrete, chest tight, breath shallow.
"I'm sorry, Kacchan," he murmurs. "I really am."
The words vanish into the open air.
A short while passes.
Then—
A voice breaks the silence.
"Deku! Are you alright?!"
Uraraka floats down onto the rooftop, boots touching down softly. She rushes over and crouches in front of him, hands hovering uncertainly as she scans him for injuries.
"You're bleeding—wait, don't move," she says quickly. "Does anything hurt? Your ribs? Your head?"
"I—I'm okay," Midoriya says, forcing a weak smile. "It looks worse than it is."
She doesn't look convinced.
"You pushed yourself way too hard," she mutters, worry written all over her face.
Midoriya exhales slowly.
"I'm alright, Uraraka. Just… tired."
The words barely leave his mouth before his eyes flutter.
His head tips forward—and lands gently against her shoulder.
Uraraka freezes for half a second.
Then she carefully supports his weight, letting him rest against her.
She smiles, relief soft and genuine.
"Yeah," she whispers. "You can rest now."
Later, in the monitoring room, the class gathers again.
Midoriya has been handed off to Recovery Girl.
Bakugo stands with his arms crossed, staring at nothing.
All Might clears his throat.
"Everyone did well today!" he announces, clapping his hands together. "This exercise wasn't just about strength—it was about teamwork, decision-making, and adaptability!"
He gestures toward Iida. "Excellent composure under pressure!"
Iida straightens. "Thank you, sir!"
"All Might continues, turning to Bakugo. "Your offensive power was exceptional—but reckless use of force can become a liability. Be mindful of your limits!"
Bakugo doesn't respond.
'He isn't listening.'
All Might pauses, concern flickering across his face—but then moves on.
"Midoriya is currently with Recovery Girl," he says, turning back to the class. "However, his performance still warrants comment."
He smiles gently.
"Excellent battlefield awareness and control. He demonstrated clear tactical thinking under pressure. But—overexertion will cost you dearly in a real fight. Never forget that."
Uraraka nods quietly at that.
"All right," All Might continues, raising a finger. "If I had to name the MVP of this battle—"
The room goes silent.
"—it would be Uraraka Ochako!"
Uraraka stiffens. "M–Me?!"
"Yes!" All Might beams.
"B-But… why?" she asks, clearly flustered.
Before All Might can answer, Yaoyorozu raises her hand.
"If I may explain," she says calmly.
All Might gestures for her to continue.
"Uraraka adapted to a plan with very limited information," Yaoyorozu explains. "She did not know the scale of destruction Midoriya would cause, nor could she predict the villain team's movements with certainty. Despite that, she adjusted her approach in real time—using debris, terrain collapse, and timing rather than direct confrontation."
She pauses, thoughtful.
"Most importantly, she exercised restraint. She didn't rush in, didn't overcommit, and didn't endanger the objective. She trusted her teammate and focused on her own role."
All Might gives a thumbs-up.
"Excellent analysis, Yaoyorozu!"
'She said more than I was planning, impressive.'
Turning back to Uraraka, he nods firmly.
"Your situational awareness, restraint, and clever use of the environment won the match decisively. That is outstanding hero work."
Murmurs ripple through the class.
"She didn't even fight directly," Kaminari whispers.
"That's the point," Tsuyu replies.
Uraraka flushes, rubbing the back of her neck. "I just… trusted Deku to do his part."
All Might smiles.
"And that," he says, "is what makes a true hero."
As the chatter about the match fills the monitoring room, Bakugo stands off to the side, silent.
The class buzzes with excitement, voices overlapping as they talk about quirk usage, and strategies.
Bakugo hears none of it.
His mind loops.
Deku dodging him.
Deku fighting him.
Deku saying, "I've been training."
Deku looking at him like a stranger.
His breath stutters.
Was he laughing at me?
Was everyone laughing?
He lied.
He hid it.
He beat me.
Someone trained him.
Someone saw potential in him.
Someone chose him.
His chest tightens.
The air feels thin.
Bakugo clenches his fists so hard his arms begin to shake, knuckles whitening as his hands tremble uncontrollably. His throat constricts, breath coming in short, uneven gasps.
Kirishima notices first.
"Bakugo?" he says, brow furrowing. "Dude… you okay?"
Bakugo doesn't respond.
"Hey—Bakugo?" Kirishima tries again, louder this time.
The nearby chatter dies down as more heads turn. The class looks over to see Bakugo standing rigid, shoulders tense, arms shaking at his sides.
All Might takes a step forward, concern flashing across his face—
—but before he can speak, Izumi steps away from the group he's been talking with. He walks straight toward Bakugo.
He stops directly in front of him.
"Hey," Izumi says flatly.
"Idiot."
Before anyone can react, he slaps him.
The sound cracks through the room.
The entire space goes silent.
"Stop hyperventilating."
Bakugo's head snaps to the side from the impact. For a split second, his vision swims—but the sting grounds him. The ringing in his ears fades as his breathing returns to a steady rhythm.
He turns his head forward again.
Izumi is standing right in front of him, expression unreadable.
As Bakugo struggles to process what just happened, Izumi speaks again—low, sharp, and precise.
"Get your head back in the game," he says.
"If you let this little skirmish bind you down, you'll stay right here forever."
He steps back.
"If you stay stuck in it, this is as far as you'll go."
With that, Izumi turns and starts walking back toward the others.
That's when it hits Bakugo.
The silence.
The stares.
Izumi's back—already dismissing him.
Something snaps.
"BASTARD!" Bakugo roars. "How dare you give me advice?!"
Izumi stops.
He exhales.
The next instant, he vanishes.
A sharp flash of blue-white lightning cuts through the air.
The class barely has time to gasp before Izumi reappears directly in front of Bakugo—one hand clamped around his throat.
He lifts him effortlessly, forcing Bakugo up onto his toes until their eyes are level.
"Listen closely," Izumi says calmly, staring straight into his eyes.
"I am not Midoriya."
His fingers tighten slightly. Bakugo claws at his wrist, choking, eyes wide.
"I'm not one of the students who'll stand there and let you bark at them."
Bakugo struggles, air burning in his lungs.
"I won't kill you," Izumi continues evenly. "I'm training to be a hero."
His grip loosens just enough for Bakugo to drag in a ragged breath.
"But understand this."
Izumi leans in just a fraction, voice dropping—cold, precise.
"If you ever turn that mouth on me again, I will beat you into the ground."
Another pause.
Measured. Deliberate.
"I'll break the bones in your body," Izumi continues. "I'll crush your hands."
His eyes don't leave Bakugo's.
"So you never use that Quirk again."
Izumi releases him.
Bakugo collapses to the floor, coughing violently as he sucks in air.
Izumi is already gone.
He reappears beside the group, as if nothing happened.
"Sorry about that," he says casually, turning toward Yaoyorozu.
"Please, continue."
For a heartbeat, no one moves.
Then—
"What the hell was that?!" Kaminari blurts out.
"Was that even allowed?!" Mina adds.
All Might clears his throat loudly, stepping forward, his expression stern.
"That was completely unnecessary, young Izumi," he says. "Your intentions aside, violence between classmates is unacceptable."
Izumi turns his head slightly, acknowledging him.
"And you, young Bakugo," All Might continues, glancing down as Bakugo slowly pushes himself upright, "losing control like that will only hold you back."
Bakugo grits his teeth but says nothing.
"Both of you," All Might says firmly, "come see me after class."
His tone softens just a little.
"Now—enough."
The tension slowly eases as murmurs resume. The room exhales.
Ayaka, standing beside Izumi, leans in and speaks under her breath.
"Was that really necessary?"
Izumi glances at her and nods once.
"Yes," he says. "He needed a reality check."
He looks back toward Bakugo, who is now standing again, shoulders stiff but breathing steady.
"Think of it as character development," Izumi adds.
Ayaka rolls her eyes as she straightens.
"Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say."
All Might claps his hands together, drawing everyone's attention.
He waits until the room has fully settled.
Bakugo is back on his feet.
Izumi has returned to his place.
The tension hasn't vanished—but it's contained.
"All right," All Might says firmly, "Let's put our focus back where it belongs."
The monitors hum softly in the background.
He reaches into the two boxes at his side and pulls out a ball from each.
"Hero Team:TeamB!" he announces. "Todoroki Shoto and Shoji Mezo!"
A ripple of interest moves through the class.
"And Villain Team: Team I!
Izumi Adachi and Toru Hagakure!"
Excited chatter breaks out almost immediately, cutting through the lingering unease.
"Whoa," Mina says, eyes lighting up. "Recommended students on both sides."
"And Izumi's crazy fast," Sato adds. "You guys saw the Quirk Assessment, right?"
"Fast, strong, and terrifying," Jiro says, lowering her voice just a little. "Did you see how he moved just now…?"
Aoyama raises a hand dramatically, fingers glittering as he poses.
"Ah, oui~! Such speed! Such presence!" he declares, then tilts his head, smile sharp. "But also… how do I say this… dangerously intense."
He gestures vaguely in Bakugo's direction, careful not to look directly at him.
"That was not very sparkly hero behaviour just now," he adds, tapping his chest. "But it was… very effective."
Kaminari laughs nervously. "Yeah, uh—note to self. Don't tick him off."
Toru claps her hands cheerfully, cutting through the tension. "Hey! I'm still excited! I get to work with Izumi!"
Izumi, already composed again, offers her a polite nod. "Likewise."
The room hums with anticipation—curiosity mixing with unease—as all eyes drift toward the next teams.
From a few steps back, Ayaka raises her voice just enough to carry.
"Good luck, brother."
"And you as well, Hagakure," Yaoyorozu adds calmly.
All Might gestures toward the exit doors.
"The previous building is no longer usable," he explains, "so we'll be moving to an identical structure nearby. Teams, follow the U.A. training robots. They'll escort you to your designated battle area!"
Izumi turns to Toru, extending an open hand toward the hallway.
"Shall we?"
"Heehee—ladies first!" Toru says, already heading off without hesitation.
Izumi follows a step behind her.
Across the room, Todoroki watches Izumi's back.
'Strong.
Fast.
Controlled.'
He's seen it before—during the recommendation exam, during the fitness test.
'Can I beat him with just one side?'
Heat stirs instinctively in his left hand.
Todoroki notices it immediately—and clenches his fist.
'No!'
His expression hardens.
'I will not use his power.
I'll win this with my right side alone.'
"Hey," Shoji says quietly beside him. "We should get moving."
Todoroki exhales once, steadying himself.
"…Yeah."
They head toward the exit together.
As Todoroki walks, the thought stays with him—firm and unshaken.
'I won't use my left side.
Not this time.
Not ever.'
Behind them, Bakugo shifts.
He steps closer to the rest of the class, jaw tight, fights clenched—but his breathing is steady now.
The monitors flicker as the camera feeds change.
Bakugo's eyes lock onto the screens.
He watches.
Not just the match—
but Izumi as well.
***