I practically skidded into the classroom, my bag swinging wildly as I slid into my seat. My heart was still pounding from my totally normal and not-at-all suspicious encounter with Aizawa. How I managed to beat our teacher to class, I'll never know. Maybe the gods of punctuality were giving me a break for once.

The room was filled with the usual pre-class chaos—chatter, the sound of bags being unzipped, and the occasional obnoxiously loud laugh from someone trying to one-up Bakugo's natural volume.

Speaking of Bakugo, he threw me a sharp glare as I sat down, probably annoyed that I wasn't late enough for him to mock. I offered a weak smile and slouched down in my chair. No need to poke the explosive bear this early in the morning.

Just as things were settling down, the door slammed open with enough force to rattle the walls.

"GOOD MORNING, CLASS!"

All Might stormed in—or maybe exploded in. He was all wide grins and big energy, striking a classic hero pose that practically screamed, Look at me! I'm the Symbol of Peace!

"Like a normal person!" he announced, his voice booming.

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the shattered remains of the door. The hinges were hanging on for dear life, and I swear I saw a screw roll across the floor like it was trying to escape.

This man... this absolute legend... just destroyed school property and called it normal.

"Uh..." I raised a hand, my voice cutting through the stunned quiet. "That... was not normal."

All Might's grin got even wider—if that was possible—and he let out a deep, hearty laugh that echoed through the room. "Young Midoriya! Always so observant!"

I stared at him, deadpan. "The door is literally in pieces."

"HAHAHAHA!" He waved a hand like it was no big deal. "A minor inconvenience! Nothing a little repair work can't fix!"

The class erupted into laughter, mostly out of nervous energy. Even Bakugo looked like he was trying not to smirk, though he quickly buried his face in his arms to hide it.

"All right, my young heroes," All Might said, clapping his hands together. "Enough chit-chat! Time to get serious! Head to the locker rooms and get changed. We're meeting at Training Ground Gamma for your next exercise!"

Training Ground Gamma. The words sent a thrill through the room, a mix of excitement and nerves crackling in the air. Everyone grabbed their things and started heading toward the door—or what was left of it.

I lingered for a second, glancing back at All Might, who was still standing there like nothing had happened. The man had just shattered a door and laughed it off. He really was something else.

"Midoriya!" he called out, catching my eye.

"Yes, All Might?"

"Good instincts this morning," he said, a twinkle in his eye. "But don't get too comfortable. The real challenges are just beginning!"

Oh, great. As if my day hadn't already been stressful enough. Besides what does that even mean?

I gave him a thumbs-up, trying not to look like I was internally screaming, and then bolted to catch up with the others. Time to suit up and see what fresh chaos awaited us at Training Ground Gamma.

The moment All Might announced the team pairings for the mock battle, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and dread.

"Team A: Midoriya and Tenya."

Okay, so far, so good. Tenya and I had been getting along pretty well since our last encounter during the entrance exams. The guy was intense, but his efficiency was something I could definitely work with.

"Team B: Bakugo and Uraraka."

Oh. Oh no.

I shot a glance at Bakugo, who was already glaring daggers at me. The smug, feral grin that spread across his face when he realized we'd be opponents was enough to make me consider faking a stomachache to get out of this.

But no. Not this time.

Bakugo wasn't going to steamroll me, not today.

"Alright, young heroes!" All Might boomed. "The exercise is simple: Team A will defend the target, while Team B will act as the villains and try to capture it. You've got ten minutes! Let's see what you've got!"

As we headed toward the building where the exercise would take place, I could feel Tenya's nervous energy radiating off him.

"Midoriya," he said, adjusting his glasses in that overly formal way of his, "do you have a plan? Bakugo is a formidable opponent, and Uraraka's Zero Gravity Quirk adds an unpredictable element."

I nodded, my mind already working through the possibilities. "Bakugo's going to come for me first. He won't be able to resist."

Tenya gave me a skeptical look. "And what will you do when he does?"

I grinned. "Stay alive."

The buzzer sounded, and within seconds, the building shook with the force of Bakugo's explosions.

"DEKU!" Bakugo's voice roared, echoing through the halls like some kind of rage-fueled war cry.

Ah, there it was. Right on schedule.

"Midoriya, he's coming!" Tenya called out, already moving to secure the target in one of the upper rooms.

"I'll handle him," I replied, my voice steady. "You focus on keeping Uraraka away from the target."

And then, just like that, Bakugo was there, rounding the corner with an explosion in hand and murder in his eyes.

I ducked the first blast, feeling the heat singe the air above me as I rolled to the side.

"You're dead, Deku!" Bakugo snarled, already charging up another attack.

"Wow, real creative, Kacchan!" I shot back, darting down the hallway and leaping over a fallen piece of debris. "Do you ever try, like, anything else?"

"Shut up!"

He launched another explosion, and I vaulted off the wall, using the momentum to swing myself up and over a railing. I landed on the next floor with a thud, immediately sprinting toward the nearest staircase.

Bakugo followed, of course, cursing and screaming the entire way.

This was... exhilarating.

My heart was pounding, my muscles burning, but I felt alive in a way I hadn't in ages. Every step, every leap, every twist and turn—it all came together in a fluid dance of survival.

"Stand still, you coward!" Bakugo roared, blasting apart the railing I'd just jumped over.

I turned mid-run and smirked at him. "You're gonna have to try harder than that, Kacchan."

The look on his face was priceless.

For the next few minutes, it was like a game of cat and mouse—if the mouse was a parkour expert and the cat had serious anger management issues.

I flipped over railings, slid under debris, and vaulted off walls, always staying just out of Bakugo's reach.

Every time he missed, I made sure to throw a comment his way.

"That all you've got?!"

"Man, you're really out of shape, huh?"

"Do you need a break, Kacchan? I can slow down if you want!"

His explosions got more frantic, more erratic, but none of them hit their mark.

I wasn't just avoiding him. I was reading him. Every movement, every attack—it was like I could see them before they happened. Years of watching and analyzing heroes had honed my instincts to a razor's edge, and Bakugo, for all his power, was predictable when he was angry.

"STOP RUNNING!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with fury.

"Stop missing!" I shot back, leaping off a balcony and grabbing onto a dangling pipe to swing myself to safety.

I could feel the tension in the air, the weight of years of history between us pressing down on my chest. But for once, I wasn't afraid.

I landed on a narrow ledge and turned to face him, my chest heaving from the effort.

"I'm not the same Deku you used to pick on," I said, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "I'm not weak. I'm not defenseless. And I'm not going to let you walk all over me anymore."

Bakugo froze for a moment, his eyes wide with surprise. But then his grin returned, sharper and more dangerous than before.

"We'll see about that," he growled, launching himself toward me.

I jumped at the last second, using the ledge to propel myself up and over him. I landed behind him, rolling to absorb the impact, and took off running again.

As I darted through the building, I started to notice something. Bakugo's attacks were getting sloppier, his movements less precise. He was wearing himself out.

Perfect.

I led him into a larger room, one with more space to maneuver, and turned to face him.

"Alright, Kacchan," I said, holding my ground. "Let's finish this."

His eyes narrowed, and he charged, explosions flaring in his palms.

I ducked the first blast, sidestepped the second, and then—just as he overextended—I moved in.

Using his own momentum against him, I grabbed his arm and flipped him over my shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

He lay there for a moment, stunned, before looking up at me with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"Still think I'm just some weak, quirkless Deku?" I asked, my voice steady.

He didn't respond, but the look in his eyes said enough.

I didn't wait for him to recover. I turned and sprinted toward the target room, my heart pounding as I thought about Tenya and Uraraka. The fight wasn't over yet, but for the first time, I felt like I had a real shot.

This is it, I thought, a grin spreading across my face. I can do this.