The training room shook with tension. Concrete walls, reinforced gss, and screens of observation emanated the blue glow of observation. From the top observation level, Hikari watched as chaos erupted below. Bakugo was a vortex of rage and fireballs—he tore through the mock building like a human bomb. And Midoriya… Midoriya was fighting. Each breath was harder than before. But he wasn't quitting. Not for a second.

  Her fingers curled around the edge of the rail.

  She'd seen that spark in Bakugo's eyes before—dangerous, votile, too far gone to hear reason. Ten years of bottled-up rage aimed squarely at the one boy who wouldn't stop believing in him. But today wasn't about belief. Today was about survival.

  "I'm going," she whispered to herself.

  "Where are you going, Hikari?"

  All Might's voice boomed behind her. Calm, firm, and ced with warning."Don't interfere until the match is over."

  She turned, eyes sharp."Would you like me to just stand here and watch my best friend be killed by my ex? No chance. Not happening."

  "You'll fail the assignment," All Might said quietly. "You'll receive a zero for disobeying direct commands."

  She mocked him with a ugh that was bitter and dry."A hero's work isn't something you pass or fail a test at. It's something that saves lives, even when people don't tell you you should." If that doesn't make me qualified, then it must be you who has lost sight of what justice really means.

  Before he could speak again, she was already gone. The doors hissed open, and she was flying down the corridor, cape streaming behind her like wings of scarlet fire.

  Below, Bakugo roared as another explosion tore through the air, sparks and smoke raining down on Midoriya.

  Midoriya coughed, shielding his eyes, his arm dangling loosely. One more explosion and that would be it for him. He dug his foot into the ground, refusing to go down. I can't give up… not now…

  Bakugo charged ahead, gauntlet primed to blow.

  "DIE, DEKU!"

  But then—A shimmer. A shield of unseen air came into being around Midoriya. A low boom rattled the training room as Bakugo's attack hit the dome hard and bounced in a wave of blue light. The energy shattered windows, rocked the floor, but Midoriya was not harmed.

  There was silence. All the control room personnel rushed forward. Outside, Hikari stood between them, panting for air, arms held high, palms shining with violet-white energy.

  Bakugo recoiled, blinded."You—what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

  She did not look at him. Her gaze was focused on Midoriya.

  "Kari…"Midoriya spoke barely above a breath, staring at the faint shimmer of the barrier still on his body."You… you saved me… "

  Her legs wanted to colpse in tension. She dropped to a knee, drops of sweat making their way down her forehead.

  "You frightened me half to death," she spoke softly. "You bloody fool…"

  Midoriya hurried along with her as the barrier faltered and fell. Her breathing came in big gasps. She'd used two Quirks at once in tandem—her healing had drained all she could, but summoning a mass-level, invisible kinetic shield. that was on the brink.

  "Hey, hey, catch your breath. it's okay," he taught, pcing his hand on top of hers.

  "I wasn't meant to use it like that," she admitted. "But you. I couldn't let you die."

  Bakugo was standing stiff, his gauntlet arm trembling a bit. He wasn't shouting. He wasn't angry. For once, he looked. hollow.

  "I would've stopped," he muttered.

  "Would you have?" Hikari finally gnced at him."Because all I saw was someone who forgot why we are here in the first pce."

  A door was flung open. Recovery Girl was already hurrying towards them, her little legs moving lightning-fast."Out of the way! Let me see his arm!"

  Above, All Might stood silent, looking out through the gss.

  "Inconsiderate," Aizawa muttered beside him. "But she's a force to be reckoned with. I bet she doesn't even know yet the full extent of her power"

  "I don't have the heart to tell her." All Might replied, softer than anyone ever heard him speak. " Yet I fear if I don't guide her properly, we'll lose her to something far worse then just losing a match. She might end up walking down the same path as her mother did. "

  Later, after Midoriya had been stabilized and Hikari had swallowed a bottle of electrolyte water, she sat next to him in the med bay. The room vibrated with a low hum. Machines, fans, energy.

  "You should've let me take the hit," he said suddenly.

  "I did let you," she snapped back, half-ughing. "But then I changed my mind."

  He smiled at her—soft, grateful.

  Outside, Bakugo lingered in the doorway of the hallway, his eyes peering in through the gss. Fists were knotted, eyes vacant.

  And then he moved away.

  To be continued…