The villain stumbled toward the exit, and for a moment, I allowed myself to breathe. The kids were safe, the orphanage was still standing, and I was still alive. Every part of me ached, my head throbbed from the overuse of my quirk, but it was done.

Or so I thought.

Just as he reached the door, the villain paused, his movements jerky like he was fighting with himself. My breath hitched.

"No..." I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He turned around, his grin back and more sinister than ever. His eyes locked onto me, and his body tensed, muscles coiling like a predator about to strike.

I tried to get up, to summon my quirk again, but my body wouldn't listen. I was spent, my limbs trembling and weak.

"Did you really think I'd just walk away?" he sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

He charged at me, faster than I'd expected, his massive frame barreling toward me like a freight train. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. My brain screamed at me to run, but my body refused to cooperate.

This is it, I thought.

And then—

"Get away from him!"

A familiar voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

Before the villain could reach me, a blur of red and gold feathers streaked past, slamming into him with enough force to send him skidding back.

Hawks.

I stared, wide-eyed, as he stood between me and the villain, his wings spread wide and his sharp gaze locked onto the enemy.

"Thought you'd pick on someone your own size, huh?" Hawks said, his tone light, almost teasing, but there was an edge to his voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

The villain snarled, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "You shouldn't even be standing, hero."

"Yeah, well," Hawks flexed his fingers, feathers hovering around him like a shield. "I'm full of surprises."

The two of them clashed, and it was like watching a storm. Hawks moved with a speed and precision that left me breathless, his feathers slicing through the air like blades. But the villain was relentless, his raw strength overwhelming. Every blow he landed made the ground quake, the walls tremble.

I wanted to help, to do something, anything, but I was frozen in place, my body too drained to move. All I could do was watch as Hawks fought with everything he had, his movements growing slower, more strained with each passing second.

"Come on, Hawks," I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists.

The villain laughed, his voice booming. "You're not at your best, bird boy. Face it—you're done."

Hawks smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "You talk too much."

He darted forward, faster than I thought possible in his condition, and delivered a series of rapid strikes with his feathers. The villain roared in frustration, swinging wildly, but Hawks evaded him with a grace that seemed impossible for someone so injured.

But I could see it—the way his shoulders sagged, the slight stumble in his step. He was running out of steam.

"Hawks!" I shouted, finally finding my voice. "You can't keep this up!"

He glanced back at me, his expression unreadable. "Stay back, kid. I've got this."

But he didn't. Not really.

The villain lunged, and this time, Hawks wasn't fast enough to dodge completely. A massive fist connected with his side, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Hawks!" I screamed, my voice raw.

He struggled to his feet, coughing, but he didn't back down.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, a cocky grin plastered on his face despite the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

The villain growled, charging again, and Hawks met him head-on. The room shook with the force of their clash, and I could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the fight pressing down on me.

I wanted to help. I needed to help. But I was powerless, trapped in my own uselessness as the battle raged on.

"Hawks..." I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please, be okay."