The silence in the toolshed was suffocating. Koda knelt on the ground, trembling, his hands stained green with sap and dirt. The vines still wrapped tightly around the attacker, who was unconscious, their mask cracked to reveal a pale, twisted sneer.

"Koda," I said softly, my voice shaking despite myself. "It's done. You stopped them."

He didn't look at me. "It doesn't fix anything," he whispered. "They're still gone... the people I... I..."

He broke off, his sobs filling the room. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that he'd done the right thing, but the words wouldn't come.

Because he was right.

This wasn't a victory. It was just... survival.

The door creaked behind us, and I spun around, shovel still in hand, only to see Todoroki standing there, his expression grim.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping inside cautiously. His eyes flicked to Koda, then to the unconscious figure tangled in vines.

"Define 'okay,'" I muttered, letting the shovel drop.

Todoroki's gaze lingered on me for a moment before he sighed. "The teachers are on their way. I sent an ice signal before I lost the others."

"Great," I said dryly, leaning against the wall. "That'll be a fun conversation."

"They'll understand," Todoroki said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You saved him, Midoriya....well we and us..."

I glanced at Koda, who was still hunched over, his hands clutching his head.

"Did we?" I muttered under my breath.

By the time Aizawa and the others arrived, the sun was just starting to rise, casting an eerie glow over the wreckage. The unconscious figure was taken into custody, their mask removed completely to reveal a scarred, unrecognizable face.

Koda was silent as Recovery Girl fussed over him, her kind words doing little to soothe the storm in his eyes.

I stood off to the side, watching as the teachers worked, their voices low but urgent. Every so often, one of them would glance at me, their expressions a mix of relief and suspicion.

Aizawa approached me last, his gaze sharp.

"Midoriya," he said, his tone neutral. "You want to tell me what happened here?"

I crossed my arms, meeting his gaze head-on. "I think the unconscious guy over there has more answers than I do."

His eyes narrowed. "And Koda?"

I hesitated, my chest tightening. "He's a victim, like the rest of us."

Aizawa studied me for a long moment before nodding. "We'll take it from here. You did good, problem children."

"Yeah," I said, my voice hollow. "Sure."

As the teachers escorted Koda away, his eyes met mine one last time.

"Thank you," he mouthed, his expression a mix of gratitude and regret.

I didn't respond.

Because deep down, I wasn't sure if I deserved his thanks—or if he deserved saving.

Later, as I sat alone in the dorm common room, exhaustion finally hit me. My body ached, my mind raced, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw their faces—the ones we couldn't save.

The League was still out there. This wasn't over.

But for now, at least, we'd survived.