The break between rounds felt simultaneously too long and too short.

  Hancock stood on a secluded balcony overlooking the stadium, watching the maintenance crew repair the damage from the first round matches. Her mind was a whirlwind of calculations, strategies, and something else she couldn't quite name.

  She was going to fight Bakugo.

  The thought sent an unfamiliar mixture of excitement and apprehension through her. In all their training sessions, they'd never actually fought each other at full strength. They'd practiced combinations, tested each other's reflexes, pushed each other's limits—but never with the intent to win. To defeat.

  "There you are."

  She didn't turn. She'd recognize that voice anywhere now.

  Bakugo stepped beside her, leaning against the railing. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, just watched the stadium preparations below.

  "You're thinking too much," he finally said.

  "I'm strategizing."

  "No, you're overthinking. There's a difference." He turned to look at her. "You're wondering if you can beat me."

  "Are you not doing the same?"

  "Hell no. I know I can beat you." But there was no arrogance in his voice—just confidence. "Question is whether you believe you can beat me."

  Hancock met his gaze. "I can."

  "Yeah?" A slow grin spread across his face. "Prove it."

  "I intend to."

  They stared at each other, the competitive tension crackling between them like electricity. But underneath it was something else. Something that had been building since the USJ, since their training sessions, since all those lunches sitting in comfortable silence.

  "I'm not gonna go easy on you," Bakugo said.

  "I would be insulted if you did."

  "Good." He looked back at the stadium. "You've gotten stronger. A lot stronger than when we started at UA. But you're still holding back that one thing."

  Hancock's jaw tightened. "My emotional manipulation."

  "Yeah. You used it on Kaminari, but only after you'd basically already won. You use it when it's safe, when you're in control." His red eyes found hers again. "But in a real fight, against a real opponent who knows you, who's studied how you move, how you think—you're gonna need to use everything. Including that."

  "You want me to use emotional manipulation on you?"

  "I want you to fight me with everything you've got. If that includes messing with my emotions, then yeah." He straightened up. "I'm not scared of your Quirk, Empress. I'm scared of you never reaching your full potential because you're too afraid to use it."

  The words hit harder than any physical blow could have.

  "I'm not afraid," she said, but even to her own ears it sounded weak.

  "Then prove it. Out there, in front of everyone." He started walking away, then paused. "And Hancock? When you do use it on me, when you finally stop holding back—I'm still gonna beat you. Because I'm gonna be ready for everything you throw at me."

  He left her alone with those words.

  Hancock gripped the railing, her knuckles white.

  Use everything. No holding back.

  Could she do that? Could she touch Bakugo in the middle of combat, invade his emotions, manipulate what he felt? It was so intimate. So invasive.

  But he was right. In a real villain fight, she wouldn't have the luxury of hesitation. And Bakugo was strong enough, skilled enough that without using her full arsenal, she might actually lose.

  I don't want to lose, she realized. Not to him. Not when he's watching me with those eyes that see everything I'm trying to hide.

  "Hancock?"

  She turned to find Midoriya standing in the doorway, looking nervous.

  "Midoriya. Shouldn't you be preparing for your match against Todoroki?"

  "I should, but..." He walked over, fidgeting with his hands. "I wanted to talk to you first. About Bakugo."

  Hancock raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

  "You two have gotten close. I've noticed. Everyone has." Midoriya smiled slightly. "It's good. Kacchan doesn't really let people in, but he's different around you. Calmer. More... himself, I guess."

  "I'm not sure what you expect me to say to that."

  "I just..." Midoriya looked at her earnestly. "When you fight him, please give it everything. He needs that. He needs someone who won't treat him like he's fragile or scary or too much. Someone who sees him as an equal and fights him like one."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  "I intend to."

  "I know. That's why I think... I think you might be really good for each other." Midoriya's smile turned sad. "I can't be that person for him. We have too much history, too much baggage. But you? You challenge him. Push him. And he does the same for you."

  Hancock was quiet for a moment. "You care about him. Despite everything."

  "He's been part of my life since we were kids. Of course I care." Midoriya turned to leave, then added over his shoulder, "Good luck in your match. Though I have a feeling you won't need it."

  After he left, Hancock stood alone again, processing his words.

  Good for each other.

  Was that what this was? This strange pull she felt toward Bakugo, this constant orbit around each other?

  She didn't have time to analyze it further. The second round was about to begin.

  The first match was Midoriya versus Todoroki, and it was spectacular.

  Hancock watched from the competitor section as the two powerhouses clashed. Midoriya broke his fingers repeatedly, using his Quirk in destructive bursts to counter Todoroki's overwhelming ice attacks.

  But what captured everyone's attention was Midoriya's shouting.

  "IT'S YOUR POWER, ISN'T IT?! NOT HIS!"

  Todoroki hesitated, ice faltering.

  "You want to reject your father, I get that! But you're rejecting yourself too! That fire is yours! Your power!"

  Hancock leaned forward. She understood Todoroki's struggle—the desire to prove yourself without relying on something you resented. Wasn't she doing the same thing with her emotional manipulation?

  The arena temperature dropped drastically as Todoroki's left side suddenly erupted in flames. For the first time, he was using both halves of his Quirk.

  "Holy shit," Bakugo breathed beside her. "He's actually doing it."

  The final clash was catastrophic—ice and fire and green lightning all colliding in a massive explosion that shook the entire stadium. When the dust cleared, Midoriya was outside the boundary, unconscious.

  "TODOROKI ADVANCES!"

  But everyone was talking about the same thing: Todoroki had finally used his fire. Midoriya had somehow broken through his emotional barrier.

  "That's what a rival does," Bakugo said quietly, his eyes fixed on the arena. "Pushes you past your own limitations."

  Hancock glanced at him. "Is that what we are? Rivals?"

  "What else would we be?"

  Friends, Hancock thought but didn't say. Maybe something more.

  "I suppose you're right," she said instead.

  The next matches passed in a blur.

  Iida defeated Ashido with superior speed and strategy, though she'd put up an impressive fight with her acid.

  Tokoyami's Dark Shadow overwhelmed Kirishima's hardening defense, advancing him to the semifinals.

  And then it was time.

  "NEXT MATCH!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "BOA HANCOCK VERSUS KATSUKI BAKUGO! THE EMPRESS VERSUS THE EXPLOSION KING! THIS IS GONNA BE EXPLOSIVE!"

  Hancock stood, her legs steady despite her racing heart.

  Bakugo stood too, rolling his shoulders. Their eyes met.

  "Ready?" he asked.

  "Are you?"

  "Born ready." He grinned, feral and excited. "Don't disappoint me, Empress."

  "I could say the same to you."

  They walked to their respective prep rooms. In the dim corridor, Hancock closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.

  This was it. The moment she'd been simultaneously anticipating and dreading.

  She would fight Bakugo Katsuki—the loud, aggressive, brilliant boy who'd somehow become the first person in nine years that she'd let past her walls.

  And she would do it with everything she had.

  No holding back, she promised herself. Not anymore.

  The door opened. Sunlight flooded in.

  The crowd was roaring, split between cheering for Bakugo and cheering for her. She could see her classmates in the competitor section—Kirishima waving enthusiastically, Ashido jumping up and down, even Todoroki watching with interest.

  And across the arena, Bakugo stood waiting.

  Even from this distance, she could see the intensity in his red eyes. The anticipation. The respect.

  He wanted her at her best. Demanded it, even.

  So she would give it to him.

  Midnight raised her whip, looking between them with an almost predatory smile. "This should be interesting. Fighters ready?"

  Hancock settled into a stance, elegant and balanced.

  Bakugo's hands sparked with small explosions, his grin sharp.

  "BEGIN!"

  Neither of them moved immediately.

  They circled each other slowly, eyes locked, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The crowd's noise faded into background static. There was only the arena, only this moment, only each other.

  He'll expect me to keep distance, Hancock thought. To use my ranged attacks and enhanced mobility. That's what I always do.

  But Bakugo knew how she fought. Had trained with her for weeks. He'd anticipate her usual patterns.

  So she had to do something unexpected.

  Hancock charged directly at him.

  Bakugo's eyes widened for a fraction of a second—surprise—before he grinned and launched himself forward to meet her.

  They collided in the center of the arena.

  Bakugo's explosion erupted where Hancock had been a heartbeat before, but she'd already twisted away, her enhanced reflexes giving her the split-second advantage she needed.

  Her leg swept toward his head in a Perfume Femur kick.

  He ducked, using the momentum to spin and aim an explosion at her midsection.

  She leaped over it, flipping in midair, her hair streaming behind her.

  "PISTOL KISS!"

  Heart-shaped projectiles shot from her fingers. Bakugo blasted himself sideways, dodging most of them, though one grazed his shoulder.

  They separated, both breathing slightly harder.

  "Not bad," Bakugo said, his grin widening. "But you're still being too predictable!"

  He launched forward again, explosions propelling him in a zigzag pattern that made him difficult to track. His hand shot toward her face.

  Hancock caught his wrist—her fingers glowing pink.

  Now, she thought. Do it now.

  But at the last second, she hesitated. Using her emotional manipulation felt too intimate, too invasive, even in combat.

  Bakugo saw the hesitation in her eyes.

  "STOP HOLDING BACK!"

  He twisted his wrist free and used his other hand to create an explosion that sent them both flying backward.

  Hancock landed in a crouch, skidding across the concrete. Bakugo landed on his feet, immediately charging again.

  "You're overthinking!" he shouted, closing the distance. "Just DO IT already!"

  An explosion forced her to dodge left. Another made her roll right. He was herding her, cutting off her escape routes.

  "I trained with you for weeks!" Bakugo continued, relentless. "I know every move you've got! The only way you're gonna win is if you use what I HAVEN'T seen!"

  He was right. She knew he was right.

  But actually doing it...

  Bakugo's palm came toward her face, sparking with building explosion. She had nowhere to dodge.

  She caught his wrist with both hands and activated her Quirk fully.

  This time, she didn't hold back.

  Confusion. She pushed confusion into him, making his thoughts scatter, his focus waver.

  Bakugo's eyes went unfocused for a heartbeat. His explosion fizzled out.

  Hancock released him and delivered a powerful kick to his chest, sending him tumbling backward.

  The crowd gasped.

  Bakugo caught himself at the edge of the boundary line, one foot touching white.

  For a moment, Hancock thought she'd won.

  Then Bakugo looked up at her, and he was smiling.

  Not a grin. Not a smirk. A genuine, fierce smile of pure exhilaration.

  "FINALLY!" he shouted. "THAT'S what I'm talking about!"

  He exploded forward with renewed intensity, and Hancock realized something terrifying:

  He wasn't angry that she'd used her Quirk on him.

  He was thrilled.