*First-Person POV – Sasaki Kenjiro*
---
All Might's grip on Bakugou's wrist is ironclad, his usual grin replaced with something sterner.
"Young Bakugou," he says, voice low but carrying the weight of a man who could level cities, "that was unacceptable."
Bakugou's teeth grind together, his free hand sparking. "He—"
"No excuses." All Might's eyes flick to Midoriya, still panting from the fight, then back to Bakugou. "A hero does not attack a defeated opponent. A hero does not let anger cloud their judgment. And a hero certainly does not ignore the rules of engagement."
Bakugou's nostrils flare, but for once, he doesn't explode. He just seethes, his pride boiling under his skin like a live wire.
All Might releases him. "Whether you won or lost, you must reflect on this experience and move forward. That is what separates a true hero from a mere brawler."
Bakugou doesn't respond. He just stalks off, shoulders hunched, explosions popping faintly in his palms.
I smirk as he passes me.
"Problem child," I mutter, just loud enough for him to hear.
His glare could melt steel. "Shut your damn mouth, mochi freak."
I raise an eyebrow. "Make me."
For a second, I think he might actually try. But then All Might clears his throat, and Bakugou storms off to the corner like a kicked dog.
Pathetic.
Back in the observation room, the class is buzzing.
Kirishima rubs the back of his neck. "Man, Midoriya, you were crazy out there! Since when could you move like that?"
Midoriya flushes, scratching his cheek. "Ah, well, I've been, uh, training a lot?"
Uraraka beams. "He totally saved my butt! That flip thing he did? So cool!"
Iida chops the air. "Indeed! Though I must admit, I am disappointed I did not have the opportunity to test my own capabilities!"
Kaminari slings an arm around Midoriya's shoulders. "Dude, you just styled on Bakugou. That's, like, illegal levels of badass."
Bakugou, lurking in the corner, growls but says nothing.
All Might claps his hands, drawing attention back to the front. "NOW! LET'S REVIEW THE MATCH PROPERLY!"
The screen replays key moments—Midoriya's dodges, Uraraka's sneak attack, Bakugou's… temper tantrum.
All Might pauses the footage on Midoriya's final counter. "YOUNG MIDORIYA, WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN YOUR STRATEGY?"
Midoriya stiffens, his mutter-kickstarting like an engine. "Well, I knew Kacchan would come straight for me, so I used his momentum against him—wait, no, that's not—I mean—"
Yaoyorozu cuts in smoothly. "He analyzed Bakugou's predictable aggression and turned it into a weakness. Textbook tactical adaptation."
All Might nods. "PRECISELY! WHICH IS WHY YOUNG MIDORIYA IS TODAY'S MVP!"
The class erupts into cheers—well, most of them. Bakugou looks like he's about to combust.
Todoroki, silent until now, studies Midoriya with newfound interest. "You're stronger than you look."
Midoriya squeaks. "Th-thank you?"
I lean back in my chair, arms crossed. "And so the golden boy rises."
All Might pulls out the lottery box again. "FOR OUR NEXT BATTLE… HERO TEAM: TODOROKI AND SHOJI! VILLAIN TEAM: JIROU AND… SASAKI!"
Jirou blinks. "Wait, me and him?" She jerks a thumb at me.
I smirk. "Problem?"
She narrows her eyes. "Just don't get in my way."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Kaminari whistles. "Ooooh, icy-hot versus mochi-man. This'll be good."
Todoroki doesn't react, but Shoji cracks his knuckles. "We won't hold back."
I roll my shoulders. "Neither will I."
All Might claps. "TEAMS, PREPARE YOUR STRATEGIES! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE DEPLOYMENT!"
---
Jirou tugs me into a side room, her earphone jacks twitching. "Alright, genius. What's the plan?"
I lean against the wall. "You scout. I brawl."
She stares at me. "That's it? That's your whole strategy?"
I shrug. "Why complicate it? Todoroki's strong, but he's predictable. Shoji's versatile but slow. You can hear them coming a mile away. We set up near the bomb, you give me intel, I crush them when they get close."
Jirou crosses her arms. "You're way too cocky."
"And you're way too loud," I counter, tapping my ear. "Your heartbeat's been erratic since we got paired. Nervous?"
Her eye twitches. "No. I just don't trust flashy types who think they're hot shit."
I grin. "Good. Distrust keeps you alive."
She scowls but doesn't argue.
---
On the other side of the monitor, Todoroki and Shoji are strategizing.
Shoji's voice is calm. "Sasaki's Quirk is elastic mutation—close-range powerhouse. Jirou's is recon and sound-based attacks."
Todoroki stares at the building schematic. "Freeze the halls. Limit their mobility. Jirou's useless if the vibrations can't travel."
And that is Todoroki mistake.
Shoji nods. "And Sasaki?"
Todoroki's left side frosts over. "I'll handle him."
The building looms ahead of us, a concrete maze waiting to be turned into a battlefield.
Jirou plugs her jack into the wall, listening. "They're moving. Todoroki's taking the east stairwell. Shoji's flanking west."
I crack my knuckles. "Right on schedule."
She eyes me. "You're enjoying this too much."
"Damn right I am."
The buzzer sounds.
"BEGIN!"
The moment the buzzer sounds, I'm moving.
Jirou's voice crackles in my earpiece: "Todoroki's taking the east stairwell—he's freezing the walls as he goes. Shoji's circling west. You sure you don't want backup?"
I smirk. "Just keep an ear out. This won't take long."
The hallway ahead is already frosting over, jagged spikes of ice creeping across the floor like frozen claws. Todoroki's work, no doubt. Predictable.
I don't slow down.
My legs liquefy for a split second before snapping back solid—Mochi Boost—propelling me forward faster than any normal human could move. The ice shatters under my feet as I round the corner and—
There.
Todoroki Shoto stands at the center of the stairwell, his left side encased in frost, his breath curling in the air. His mismatched eyes lock onto me, cold and calculating.
"You came alone."
I crack my knuckles. "Didn't need backup."
His right foot slides back, frost spreading. "Mistake."
A wave of ice erupts from the ground, a jagged glacier surging toward me fast enough to impale a lesser fighter.
I don't dodge.
I counter.
My arm expands, hardening mid-swing—Mochi Hammer—and smashes through the ice like it's made of tissue paper. Shards explode outward, glittering in the dim light as I close the distance in a single stride.
Todoroki's eyes widen—just for a fraction of a second—before he throws up another ice wall.
"Pathetic."
My fist morphs, elongating into a spear-tipped tendril that pierces straight through his defense. The ice shatters, and before he can react, I'm inside his guard.
"You rely too much on that ice."
My knee slams into his gut—hardened—and the air leaves his lungs in a choked gasp. He stumbles back, but I don't let up. My fist liquefies, wrapping around his wrist like a vice before yanking him off balance.
"You're slow."
A spinning heel kick—Mochi Whip—catches him across the jaw. He crashes into the wall, ice cracking under the impact.
For a second, he just stares at me, blood trickling from his lip. Then—
"ENOUGH!"
A blizzard erupts from his left side, the temperature plummeting so fast the air itself crackles. The stairwell becomes a frozen tomb in seconds, ice encasing everything—including me.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
CRACK.
The ice splits as I flex, my Quirk hardening my skin to diamond-like density. The frozen prison shatters like glass, and Todoroki's composure shatters with it.
"Impossible—"
I'm on him before he can finish.
One punch—Mochi Impact—to the solar plexus.
His eyes roll back.
He's out before he hits the ground.
Jirou's voice screeches in my ear: "Shoji's closing in on the bomb! He's—wait, how did you—? Todoroki's down already?!"
I'm already moving, my legs elongating to cover ground faster. "Told you it wouldn't take long."
"You're insane," she mutters before snapping back to business. "Shoji's on the third floor, west corridor. He's got ears everywhere—he'll hear you coming."
"Then I'll be quiet."
I don't bother with the stairs. I leap, my arms stretching to grab the railing and fling myself upward. Three floors in three seconds.
Shoji's there, just like Jirou said—his extra arms forming ears and eyes, scanning for threats.
He doesn't see me until it's too late.
My fist extends, shooting across the hallway like a bullet—Mochi Gatling—and slams into his chest before he can react. The force sends him crashing through a wall, drywall exploding outward in a cloud of dust.
He's tough—I'll give him that. He's already scrambling up, two of his arms morphing into massive fists.
"You took down Todoroki," he growls. "Impressive."
I shrug. "He wasn't that tough."
Shoji charges.
I end it.
My body shifts, hardening at the last second as I sidestep his punch and drive my elbow into his ribs—Mochi Elbow Cannon. The impact cracks something, and Shoji stumbles.
I don't give him time to recover.
A spinning kick—Mochi Tornado—takes his legs out from under him. Before he can hit the ground, my fist expands, wrapping around his torso like a constrictor before squeezing just enough to pin him.
"Yield."
Shoji goes still. Then, reluctantly: "...Yield."
The buzzer sounds.
"VILLAIN TEAM WINS!" All Might's voice booms through the building.
---
The moment I step back into the observation room, the class explodes.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Kaminari screeches, pointing at the screen replaying my fight with Todoroki. "YOU WRECKED HIM!"
Kirishima's eyes are practically sparkling. "That was the manliest beatdown I've ever seen!"
Mina bounces in place. "Dude! Your Quirk is broken! How are you even real?!"
Midoriya is scribbling in his notebook like a madman, muttering at mach speed. "Elasticity combined with density manipulation—almost like a hybrid of Kamui Woods and Fat Gum's Quirks—but the speed—the precision—!"
Bakugou is silent, which is somehow worse than his usual screaming. He's just staring at me, his hands clenched so tight his palms are bleeding.
Jirou saunters up beside me, looking vaguely impressed. "Guess I shouldn't have doubted you."
I smirk. "Guess not."
All Might claps his hands, drawing attention back to the front. "NOW! WHO CAN TELL ME WHO THE MVP OF THIS MATCH WAS?"
Yaoyorozu raises her hand. "It was Sasaki. His tactical efficiency was unparalleled—he neutralized the biggest threat immediately, then secured the win without unnecessary destruction."
All Might nods. "CORRECT! YOUNG SASAKI'S PERFORMANCE WAS… WELL, PERFECT!"
The class erupts into chatter again, but I tune it out.
Todoroki, now conscious but still pale, is watching me with something between resentment and interest.
Bakugou hasn't looked away.
And Midoriya?
Midoriya looks at me like he's seeing me for the first time.
Good.
Let them stare.
Let them wonder.
Because this?
This was just the *warm-up.*