The air in Ground Beta was thick with the scent of ozone and the looming threat of a legend. As the massive iron gates groaned open, a voice boomed over the intercom system, vibrating in the very marrow of their bones.
"MATCH START!"
The sound hadn't even finished echoing when Katsuki Bakugo began his march. His boots hit the pavement with a rhythmic, angry thud, his shoulders hunched, and his hands sparking with miniature, impatient detonations. He didn't look back. He didn't acknowledge the three teammates standing behind him. To Bakugo, they weren't allies; they were anchors dragging behind his ambition.
"Bakugo, wait!" Itsuka Kendo called out, her brow furrowed in frustration. She adjusted her hero gloves, her sharp eyes tracking his retreating back. "We need to coordinate! This isn't a standard villain capture. It's All Might!"
Beside her, Elizabeth Liones clutched her hands to her chest, her silver hair shimmering under the artificial sun of the training ground. Her eyes turning heterochromatic due to her quirk were wide with a mixture of worry and resolve. "She's right, Bakugo-san! If we don't work together, the gap between the Symbol of Peace is too wide. Please, let's talk for just a minute!"
Izuku Midoriya stood between them, his gaze fixed on the explosive blonde. Deep within Izuku, Rokuro, Natsu, and Meliodas listen quietly, unable to see why that walking personality complex wouldn't listen. Normally, the old Izuku would be the first to try and placate Bakugo with a nervous smile, but today, he was a different man. The pressure of the exam was bringing his problems with the pomiranian to the surface.
"He's not listening," Izuku muttered, his voice dropping a little. He began to walk, his pace quickening until he was side-by-side with Bakugo. "Bakugo, stop! Usually, I'd spend ten minutes analyzing his combat patterns and searching for a blind spot, but we don't have that luxury. It's All Might. It doesn't matter what individual plan you have—he will crush it. We need a unified front!"
Bakugo didn't even turn his head. "Stop following me, Deku. I told you to stay out of my way."
Kendo rushed up to the other side of Bakugo, her temper finally flaring. "You arrogant jerk! Do you honestly think you stand a chance alone? Look at the layout! We should take the side alleys, use the verticality of the buildings to mask our presence. If we stay on the main road, we're just targets!"
"I ain't running from a fight!" Bakugo screamed, finally spinning around, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated rage. "It looks better to take that oversized fossil head-on! I'm gonna toy with him! I'm gonna knock that smile off his face and leave him unconscious for real!"
"That's suicide!" Elizabeth cried out, her voice trembling but firm. "It's not brave to throw your life away for pride, Bakugo! It's foolish!"
Izuku felt a low growl vibrating in his chest—a sound that didn't quite sound human. It was the sound of dragons' territorial instinct and Meliodas's simmering wrath. His eyes, usually a soft forest green, suddenly flashed a piercing, demonic red. The temperature around him rose by several degrees, the asphalt beneath his sneakers beginning to slowly glow yellow from the heat.
"Listen to them, you arrogant bastard!" Izuku shouted, his voice cracking like a whip. "Even with those weights on, All Might is a giant compared to you! You can't beat him! We can't let you throw this exam for us just because of your ego !"
In an instant, Bakugo snapped. "DIE!"
He spun with explosive velocity, the heavy, green grenade-shaped gauntlet on his arm whistling through the air. With a sickening thwack, the reinforced metal slammed into Izuku's jaw. The force was immense, sending Izuku spiraling backward to the ground, his head bouncing off the pavement.
"IZUKU!" Elizabeth screamed, rushing to his side.
"YOU PIECE OF TRASH!" Kendo roared at Bakugo, her fists clenching so hard her knuckles turned white. "He's your teammate! He's trying to help you! You had no right to hit him!"
Bakugo stood over them, smoke curling from the vents of his gauntlets. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a deep, simmering hate that bordered on mania. "I don't want to hear another word," he hissed. "Just because he's getting stronger... just because he's got these new freaky powers... he thinks he can push me around? He thinks he can look down on me? I'll kill him myself before I let him 'save' me."
In the Monitoring Room
The atmosphere in the observation deck was cold with rage.
Tsuyu Asui's tongue flicked out angrily, her large eyes fixed on the screen where Bakugo stood over the fallen Izuku. "That... that was uncalled for, ribbit."
Momo Yaoyarozu's hands were trembling on the console, her face pale with indignation. "He's sabotaging the entire exercise. How can he act like a hero while striking an ally?"
Beside them, the girls were even more vocal. Ruby Rose had her hand on the hilt of Crescent Rose, her silver eyes sparking with protective fury. "I want to go down there. I want to kick his butt. You don't hit your leader!"
"Let me at him," Yang Xiao Long growled, her blonde hair beginning to glow with a faint, golden aura. Her lilac eyes were turning red, mimicking the rage she felt on Izuku's behalf. "If I were down there, I'd blast those gauntlets right off his stupid arms."
Blake Belladonna narrowed her eyes, her bow twitching. "He's a liability. Strength without control or cooperation is just a disaster waiting to happen."
Ochaco Uraraka was silent, but her aura was the heaviest of all. Her fingers were pressed together, and the small table next to her began to float as her gravity quirk reacted to her skyrocketing blood pressure. "He hurt Deku... again..."
Recovery Girl sat in her chair, letting out a long, weary sigh that seemed to carry the weight of her years. She didn't look angry; she looked disappointed. "There is no teamwork in that boy," she muttered, tapping her cane. "He views the world as a ladder where he must be the only one at the top. He has no idea of the wall he is about to run into. All Might won't be as forgiving as young Midoriya."
Back on the Battlefield
Izuku pushed himself up, wiping a streak of blood from his lip. Smoke was literally pouring out of his mouth now—thick, grey embers of fire. He didn't look hurt so much as he looked dangerous.
"Wait, you arrogant bastard," Izuku growled, his voice vibrating with the power of the Impurity Arm. "We need to work together! You can't win this alone!"
Bakugo threw his head back and screamed at the sky, a sound of pure defiance. "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP TO PASS! I CAN WIN IT ALL BY MYSELF! WATCH ME!"
"You're delusional!" Elizabeth shouted, standing her ground even as Bakugo's explosions grew more violent.
Then, the world went silent.
A sound like the crack of a tectonic plate splitting apart echoed through the city. A split second later, a wall of pure white pressure and dust slammed into them. Caused by the sheer displacement of air.
The team was sent flying back like ragdolls. Elizabeth let out a cry as she was tossed through the air, Kendo managing to grab her mid-flight but losing her footing was grabbed by Deku and held close to protect her. Bakugo was sent tumbling backward, his boots scraping deep grooves into the road.
The scene was apocalyptic. The reinforced glass of the surrounding skyscrapers shattered simultaneously, raining down like drops of water. Metal girders were torn from the concrete foundations of the road, and parked cars were tossed aside like toy blocks. The main road, once a clean stretch of asphalt, was completely decimated, reduced to a cratered wasteland of dust.
Crrr-ack.
Silent, heavy steps echoed in the settling dust. A silhouette emerged—massive, looming, and utterly terrifying.
"Who really cares if I destroy the city?" a voice boomed. It wasn't the cheery, heroic tone they were used to. It was the voice of a predator. "If you're thinking about the damage, you're not thinking about the fight."
All Might stepped through the veil of dust. His cape billowed behind him, and his eyes glowed with a piercing blue light from the shadows of his brow. He wasn't smiling with warmth; he was smiling with the thrill of the hunt.
Kendo, Elizabeth, and even the normally stoic Izuku felt a cold shiver run down their spines. When did he get so intimidating? Kendo wondered, her breath hitching.
"If you think this was just an exam," All Might said, his presence expanding until it felt like he filled the entire street, "you were wrong. I am the obstacle you must overcome. I am the end of the line."
"SHUT UP!" Bakugo screamed, his pride refusing to let him feel fear. "I'LL BLOW YOU TO HELL! HOW DO YOU LIKE A STUN GRENADE!"
Bakugo propelled himself forward with a massive blast, his hands coming together to create a blinding, searing flash of light directly in All Might's face. The light was enough to temporarily blind anyone, and Bakugo used that window to leap into the air, his gauntlets clicking as he prepared a maximum-output blast. "IF YOU WANT ALL I'VE GOT, THEN TAKE IT!"
But All Might didn't even flinch.
Through the blinding white light, a massive hand reached out with the speed of a strike of lightning. It clamped onto Bakugo's face mid-air.
Slam!
Bakugo's momentum was halted instantly. He began firing rapid-fire explosions against All Might's arm, the blasts loud enough to deafen, but the Symbol of Peace didn't even move.
"Is that all?" All Might mocked, his voice a low rumble. "These attacks... they're weaker than a bee sting, Young Bakugo."
With a casual flick of his wrist, All Might slammed Bakugo face-first into the concrete. The impact cracked the street even further.
"Hey, All Might take this!" Kendo cried out, leaping forward. She enlarged her hands to the size of wrecking balls, her martial arts training kicking in. She swung with a precision that would have leveled a building, aiming for All Might's ribs.
All Might caught the giant fist with his forearm, looking genuinely impressed. "Excellent form, Young Kendo! Your pivot is perfect!" With a sudden burst of speed, he stepped into her guard and delivered a light palm thrust to her chest. It looked like a tap, but it sent Kendo soaring through the air, crashing into a nearby storefront.
"KENDO!" Izuku shouted.
All Might didn't stop. He turned his sights on Elizabeth, who was rushing toward the debris to heal Kendo. "A healer is the heart of a party," All Might said, his shadow falling over her. "In a real war, the villain takes the heart first."
"STAY AWAY FROM HER!"
Izuku didn't think. He acted.
Inside his mind, he chanted. One For All: 40%! He visualized the egg in the microwave, but then he poured dragon fire into it. He summoned the Impurity Arm, his right arm transforming into a jagged, monstrous limb of dark energy and glowing red seals.
The green lightning that usually danced around him turned a violent, flickering reddish-orange.
Izuku collided with All Might just as the hero reached for Elizabeth. The shockwave of their impact cleared the remaining dust for blocks. Izuku's Impurity Arm locked with All Might's massive hand. They stood there, grounded in a dead heat, the ground beneath their feet disintegrating into fine powder from the pressure of their clashing strength.
"I won't let you!" Izuku roared, his muscles bulging, the heat radiating off him so intensely that the air began to shimmer.
All Might's eyes widened, a genuine flash of pride crossing his features. "Astonishing... the way you've synthesized these powers, Young Midoriya! To think, the boy who once had questioned this very same power is now standing his ground against me!" All Might's grin widened. "I watched your battle against Superman, and my heart froze but still you managed to pull through and for that I am proud...But..."
All Might's arm muscles flexed, the sheer physical mass of his power beginning to overwhelm Izuku's 40%.
"...don't get cocky! You're still just a student!"
Slowly, inexplainably, Izuku's feet began to slide back. The power of One For All in its prime was a mountain that refused to be moved.
"Elizabeth! Get Kendo and Bakugo away from here! GO!" Izuku screamed, his teeth gritted so hard they threatened to shatter.
"Like hell!" Bakugo's voice tore through the air. He had pulled himself out of the crater, his mask torn, blood dripping down his forehead. "Don't you dare give me orders, Deku!"
Bakugo ignored Elizabeth's reaching hand and charged at All Might's exposed side, his hands glowing with a terrifying, white-hot heat. "I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!"
All Might sighed, a sound of disappointment. "Still not looking at the big picture, Young Bakugo."
In one fluid motion, All Might grabbed Izuku's wrist, spun him like a top, and lifted him off the ground. Using Izuku's own momentum and weight, he swung him directly into the path of the charging Bakugo.
"Wait—Kacchan, move!" Izuku yelled, but it was too late.
The two rivals collided in mid-air with a dull oomph. The force of All Might's throw sent them both skipping across the pavement like stones across a pond, finally smashing into a reinforced concrete wall that collapsed on top of them.
In the monitoring room, Recovery Girl shook her head, her eyes fixed on the screen where the two boys lay in a heap of rubble, while Elizabeth and Kendo struggled to regroup.
"One is thinking only of protecting his friends, pushing himself to be a shield," she whispered to the silent room. "The other is thinking only of victory, blinded by a pride that won't let him see the hands reached out to help him. Until those two paths cross... they are already defeated."
Down in the crater, Izuku coughed up a puff of smoke, looking at Bakugo, who was snarling even in his semi-conscious state.
A minute or 2 ago:
The dust in Ground Beta slowly settled, the ground scorched by the lingering heat of the previous exchange. In the wreckage of the storefront, Itsuka Kendo coughed, her lungs burning from the fine concrete powder. She felt a gentle, warm light envelop her, and the sharp, stabbing pain in her ribs began to recede into a dull hum.
Elizabeth Liones knelt over her, her hands glowing with a soft, ethereal radiance. Her face was set in a mask of grim determination that looked out of place on her gentle features. "Stay still, Itsuka-san," she whispered, her voice a soothing balm against the chaos. "The internal bruising is significant, but I can knit the tissue back together. Just a few more seconds."
Kendo breathed a sigh of relief, watching the light fade as the last of her pain vanished. She stood up, testing her weight. "Thanks, Elizabeth. You're a lifesaver—literally." She looked toward the center of the decimated road where Izuku was currently holding back the Symbol of Peace. "We need a plan. If we just keep charging in, All Might is going to pick us off one by one. He's playing with us, trying to show us the gap in our power."
Elizabeth nodded, her eyes darting toward the explosive sounds further down the street. "Midoriya-san is strong, but he's carrying the weight of the whole team. And Bakugo..." She bit her lip. "He's a wildcard that's only hurting us."
"Exactly," Kendo said, her mind racing through tactical maneuvers she'd learned at her dojo. "We need to use the environment. Do you remember the last class we had with Vlad King .There's a drainage system beneath the fake city that leads toward the exit gate. If we can get Midoriya and Bakugo to break line of sight and drop into the maintenance tunnels, we can bypass the main road. But we need to convince Bakugo to work with us."
Back on the main road, the atmosphere was suffocating. Katsuki Bakugo stood up, his legs shaking with a mixture of adrenaline and pure, unadulterated spite. He spat a glob of blood onto the cracked asphalt, his eyes fixed on All Might's towering form.
Izuku stood several feet away, the orange-red lightning of his combined powers flickering around him like a dying star. He didn't look at Bakugo. He didn't want to. Every time he looked at the blonde, he was reminded of the years of torment, the "swan dive" comment, and the sheer, petty arrogance that Bakugo still clung to like a security blanket.
"You can't beat him, Bakugo," Izuku said, his voice cold and devoid of the "Kacchan" honorific he had long since discarded. "He's reading you like an open book. You're predictable, you keep trying to beat him in an all out brawl"
"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!" Bakugo roared, his hands trembling as they sparked. "You think you're better than me now? Just because you got some fancy new tricks? You're still just the same useless, quirkless scum that followed me around! I'm the one who's going to win this! That's what it means to be a hero—to win! And I don't need a damn 'Deku' telling me how to do it!"
Izuku sneered. The sound of that name—Deku—used to make him flinch. Now, hearing it come from Bakugo's mouth just felt pathetic. It was the cry of a boy who was losing his grip on the only world he understood. The "diluted ideal" Bakugo held of heroism—that it was merely a contest of strength and dominance—sickened Izuku to his core.
Suddenly, Izuku's Danger Sense flared like a pulse in the back of his skull.
Banjo: LOOK UP!
Nana: WHAT'S HE DOING WITH THAT!
"INCOMING HERO!" All Might's voice boomed from above.
The Symbol of Peace had leapt into the air, and in his hands, he held a massive, torn-up section of a monorail track, its jagged metal edges glistening in the sun. He brought it down like a divine hammer, aimed directly at the spot where Izuku stood.
"Move!" Izuku shouted.
He didn't wait for Bakugo. He propelled himself backward, his feet carving grooves into the road. As the metal rail smashed into the ground, sending a spray of shrapnel in every direction, Izuku felt the heat of Natsu's flame rising in his throat.
One For All: 50 percent!
The lightning around Izuku intensified, turning from a flicker to a roaring storm, and he vanished. All Might's eyes widened as the boy appeared directly in his peripheral vision, his right fist wreathed in a swirling vortex of concentrated fire.
"FIRE DRAGON... IRON FIST!"
The blow landed squarely on All Might's jaw. The sound of the impact was like a cannon blast. The sheer force of the 50% OFA punch, amplified by the flames of the dragon fire, created a localized explosion. All Might, for the first time in the exam, was sent hurtling backward. He crashed through the brick facade of a skyscraper across the road, disappearing into a cloud of debris and office furniture.
Elizabeth and Kendo ran up to Izuku's side, their eyes wide.
"Midoriya-san, that was incredible!" Elizabeth gasped.
"We need to go, now!" Kendo urged, pointing toward the alleyways. "He won't be down for long. We have a plan to reach the gate through the maintenance tunnels."
Izuku nodded, his breathing heavy but controlled. "I agree. Let's move."
They turned to call out to Bakugo, but the blonde was already sprinting toward the hole in the building where All Might had disappeared.
"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU, YOU OLD MAN!" Bakugo screamed, his pride blinding him to the fact that he was charging into a slaughter.
"He won't listen," Izuku hissed, his fists clenching. "He's going to get himself knocked out, or at the very least, fail the exam for all of us."
Kendo looked at the gate, then back at the building. "Should we... should we just leave him? He clearly doesn't want to be part of the team."
Izuku felt the urge to say yes. Every fiber of his being wanted to leave the bully behind to face the consequences of his own arrogance. But then he looked at Elizabeth. He saw the concern in her eyes—not for Bakugo, but for the person Izuku was. She looked at him as if he were the light of the world, a hero who would never turn his back on someone in need, no matter how much they deserved it.
The memory of his battle in Metropolis flashed through his mind. He remembered the weight of One For All and the reason All Might chose him.
Meliodas: Sate sate
Rokuro: Let's go get that prick
Izuku sighed, the tension leaving his shoulders. "Go hide in the alley three blocks down. There's a manhole cover near the green dumpster. I'll meet you there."
"How will you find us ?" Kendo asked, worried.
Izuku tapped his nose with a grim smirk. "The nose knows. I can track your scents from a mile away. Now go!"
Inside the ruined building, All Might groaned as he sat up among the shattered desks. He rubbed his cheek, where a faint purple bruise was already forming.
Young Midoriya... All Might thought, a smile tugging at his lips despite the pain. Your growth is staggering. To hit me that hard, even with the weights... you've truly surpassed every expectation.
"GET UP!"
Bakugo burst through the dust, his face contorted. He didn't wait for a strategy. He didn't wait for an opening. He just blasted forward, a twin-hand explosion aimed at All Might's chest.
All Might moved with the grace of a man half his size. He slipped under the blast, his hand shooting out like a piston. He caught Bakugo in the solar plexus with a punch that was carefully measured but still devastating.
Bakugo's eyes bulged. The air left his lungs in a single, ragged gasp, followed shortly by a spray of bile as he threw up from the sheer shock of the blow. He was sent flying backward, his body skipping across the floor like a stone before hitting a support pillar.
All Might walked toward him, his boots crunching on glass. "Do you know why you're so angry, Young Bakugo? It's because you're looking at Young Midoriya's back, and it terrifies you."
"Shut... up..." Bakugo wheezed, clutching his stomach.
"He started from zero," All Might continued, his voice stern. "Yet he never gave up, he has faced trials that would break most pro heroes. He stood against the Man of Steel and didn't blink. It is much easier to level up when you are a novice, but Midoriya isn't just leveling up his Quirk. He is leveling up as a person. Are you listening? Do you understand? I am not just talking about combat ability."
Bakugo looked up, his eyes wet with tears of rage. "I don't... care... if I have to lose... if the only way to win... is with help from trash like him... then I'd rather lose! I don't want his pity! I don't want his help!"
To the Bakugo of the past, this might have sounded like conviction. To the old, timid Izuku, it might have been something to admire—a pure, unyielding drive. But to the Izuku who now stood in the doorway, it sounded like the pathetic cries of a child throwing a tantrum because his favorite toy was taken away.
In a flash of orange light, Izuku was there.
He grabbed Bakugo by the back of his hero collar, hoisting him up like a sack of flour. "You don't get to choose to lose when our grades are on the line, you selfish prick," Izuku growled.
All Might stepped forward, but Izuku was faster. He took a deep breath, his chest expanding as he tapped into the core of the Fire Dragon.
"FIRE DRAGON'S... ROAR!"
A massive torrent of golden-red flame erupted from Izuku's mouth, a literal sea of fire that filled the hallway. All Might reacted instantly, crossing his massive arms in a defensive "X" to shield himself. The flames were intense—hotter than anything Endeavor usually produced in a casual skirmish. They licked at All Might's skin, burning away his sleeves and leaving first-degree stings on his forearms.
When the flames finally died down and the smoke cleared, the hallway was empty.
All Might looked at his charred sleeves, a look of genuine shock on his face. His flames... they're getting hotter. He's starting to master the Dragneel legacy. And his speed... I didn't even see them leave.
With Izuku:
Izuku dropped Bakugo face-down on the cold concrete of a secluded alleyway.
"Midoriya-san!" Elizabeth cried out, rushing forward and throwing her arms around Izuku's neck in a tight hug. "We were so worried! We heard the explosion and then the fire..."
Izuku patted her back gently, his expression softening for only a moment before he looked down at the blonde pile of garbage on the floor.
"You bastard..." Bakugo growled, his voice muffled by the pavement. He slowly pushed himself up, his hands shaking. "You... you think you're so great... saving me like that..."
"I should have left you there," Izuku said, his voice flat. "The only reason I didn't is because if I acted as petty as you, I'd be no better than you. I'm a hero, Bakugo. Whether you like it or not, that means I have to deal with your nonsense until this exam is over."
Kendo stepped forward, her hands on her hips. "Enough! We have ten minutes left. Midoriya, the maintenance tunnel is right there. If we move now, we can make it to the gate before All Might finds us."
Bakugo didn't move. He sat there, staring at his hands. His mind was elsewhere. He was trapped in a memory—a memory of his apprenticeship with Best Jeanist.
The streets of Tokyo were clean, but the atmosphere was stifling. Best Jeanist was lecturing him on the importance of 'public image' and 'poise,' but Bakugo wasn't listening. He was listening to two kids standing near a fountain.
"Did you see the news?" one boy asked, eyes wide. "That guy from UA, Midoriya... he fought Superman! Like, THE Superman! And he won!"
"I saw the footage on Herotube," the other replied. "He used those fire powers and dark wings and that crazy arm... he's way cooler than any of the pros. I want to be just like him when I get my quirk. He's the strongest, for sure."
Bakugo had hissed through his teeth, his grip on his hero costume tightening until the fabric groaned. Then he saw the giant screen in the center of the district. It was a live feed from Metropolis.
Lois Lane was standing in front of the Daily Planet, her voice clear and filled with emotion. "Izuku Midoriya is more than just a student. He is a symbol of the strength a hero has against adversity. In the face of the world's greatest hero, he didn't falter. He is an inspiration for future generations of heroes worldwide."
The camera cut to Superman himself. He had bandages across his face, his iconic suit torn and dirtied. He leaned into the microphone, his voice humble. "I want to thank Young Midoriya. When I was under external control, he had the strength to do what was necessary. He saved me, and he saved this city. I owe him a debt I can never truly repay."
Bakugo's blood had turned to acid in his veins. 'It should be me,' he thought, the words echoing in his skull like a funeral knell. 'I'm the one who's meant to be the greatest. He's just a useless nobody. A waste of life. A Deku.'
Back in the alley, Bakugo's eyes snapped open. He looked at Izuku—really looked at him. He saw the confidence, the power, the way the girls looked at him with such open adoration.
"Why...?" Bakugo whispered, his voice cracking. "Why were you the one? Why is everyone talking about you like you're the next big thing? You were nothing! You were beneath me!"
He scrambled to his feet, his face a mask of pure, psychotic jealousy. "Who the hell do you think you are?! I hate you! I hate the sniveling little fucker that used to follow me around! Why couldn't you just stay in your place?! WHY COULDN'T YOU JUST DISAPPEAR?!"
Bakugo lunged. He didn't use an explosion; he just swung a wild, desperate punch at Izuku's face.
Kendo's hands began to enlarge, her face hardening as she prepared to knock the blonde into next week. "That's it, you're done—"
But she didn't need to.
Crack!
The sound of the slap echoed through the narrow alleyway.
Bakugo's head snapped to the side, and the force of the blow sent him sprawling back onto the ground. He looked up, stunned, his hand moving to his stinging cheek.
Elizabeth Liones stood over him. Her hand was still raised, her chest heaving with indignation. There were tears of anger in her eyes, but her gaze was as sharp as a diamond.
"How dare you," she whispered, her voice trembling with a power that had nothing to do with her quirk. "How dare you speak to him that way."
Bakugo stared at her, speechless.
"You speak of him being 'nothing'?" Elizabeth stepped closer, her silver hair shimmering in the dim light. "Sir Midoriya has suffered more than you could ever imagine. He has bled for people who didn't even know his name. He has faced gods and monsters while you were busy nursing your own bruised ego! He is the reason so many people are alive today! WHY I AM ALIVE TODAY!"
She looked down at Bakugo with a look of pure, unadulterated disgust—a look that hurt more than any explosion.
"You think being a hero is about being the 'strongest' or being the 'best'?" Elizabeth shook her head. "A hero is someone who puts others before themselves. It is someone who has the strength to be kind when the world is cruel. Sir Midoriya is ten times the hero you will ever be, Katsuki Bakugo. And if you ever try to hurt him again... you will have to deal with me."
The alley fell silent. Even Izuku stood frozen, his eyes wide at the sight of the usually gentle Elizabeth standing up to the class's most feared student.
In the distance, the heavy thud of All Might's boots signaled that their time was up.
"The plan, Sir Midoriya," Elizabeth said, turning back to Izuku, her voice returning to its soft, melodic tone as if she hadn't just humiliated the top student of 1-A. "We need to finish this."
Izuku looked at Elizabeth, then at Kendo, and finally at the broken boy on the floor. He felt a surge of pride—not for himself, but for the people he called his friends.
"Right," Izuku said, his eyes flashing red one last time. "Let's show All Might what heroes can really do !."
The girls: RIGHT !
Hi everyone! Hope you're enjoying this story and looking forward to new chapters. If you'd like to see more please check out my patreon for 35+ chapters.
Patreon.com/Legendwrites18