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I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday's and spending time with their families and friends, taking some well deserved breaks and slowing down and recharging.
I've been running around all day before the break of dawn, but I did it with family and friends, just wanted to give you all your next fix right here.
When 2026 finally comes, I promise there will be new surprises and works I'll be sharing.
Enjoy!
Chapter 92: Class A vs Class B Round 1
'Why didn't Hitoshi tell me about this?' Sakura stared at the screen, which had split between the two teams, keeping track of everyone's movement. She felt the humming of everyone around, running along the back of her ears, as they stared at the screen with equal eagerness to see the match that would be the first conflict between classes since the Sports Festival. They were also looking forward to seeing what the general studies student had to offer.
Even so, this needled at Sakura harder. She had known he was training with Shouta to prepare for the hero course. He gave her details of his split knuckles and darker shadows under his eyes, and somehow he couldn't be bothered to mention he was joining them for this class training. Perhaps the real irking reason was that Sakura knew how much Hitoshi wanted to become a hero and study in her course, and she knew that he was determined enough to use whatever was available to him. Yet he didn't reach out a hand for her to fill with information that could've helped him with this evaluation, which would have allowed him to reach his goals.
That's what weighed on her. And admittedly bothered her more than it should.
Since the sports festival was over, Sakura wondered what kind of gateway he had left to join the hero course. But Hitoshi didn't bring up any alternatives.
"I wonder what that mask does for Shinso," Izuku said, appearing beside her, his notebook already wide open to a blank page, ready to transcribe these battles with the usual charismatic and overzealous care everyone had come to expect. This was going to be another collection of treasure added to his trove of information.
Sakura could already see the burning excitement in his face, despite his attempt to hold it back. And it made her feel light enough to answer.
"Well, think about his quirk, he can end a battle if he gets a response, but if you already know what's coming, then you can counter him easily."
"He's wearing Aizawa's scarf too! I wonder if he can use it like him!"
"You think?"
Sakura's fingers tapped her forearm. The match had started; it was Hitoshi, Tsuyu, Denki, Eijiro, and Mezo vs. Class B: Jurota Shishida, Ibara Shiozaki, Kosei Tsuburaba, and Hiryu Rin. Things started off with class A and B gathering to talk but because the camera offered no audio, it was left to the interpretation of the audience what was said.
"I wonder if they're going to split up or just stick together. It doesn't look like it,"
"They probably know who's likely to be targeted first. I'd want to get Hitoshi and Mezo out of the way, if I could only choose two. They would be the hardest to combat alone, never mind as a team."
Class A was moving together, with Mezo taking the lead, using his quirk to scout. It was an advantage to have someone who could track in that maze of metal, but Class B wasn't willing to give them the time. And one came barreling through the grounds, knocking back Tsuyu and Eijiro. This was Jurota Shishida. Jurota seemed to have a type of beast quirk that gave him overwhelming strength, and he was using that to compete against Mezo, Eijiro, and even Denki's electricity, but he also had one of his classmates on his back.
Kosei, of class B, who could create barriers made of air, which he used to trap Hitoshi before he could even tug full on his scarf.
Sakura smiled when she saw this. "They're already at a disadvantage because class B has stayed out of the limelight," Sakura shifted on her feet. "And this is the first time Hitoshi will engage in real combat,"
Hitoshi was about to get an idea of what he was competing with once he got into the hero course, and if he was really made for this. Having dreams was all well and good, but to manifest them was another matter. Hitoshi was a quick study despite the lingering feelings of doubt and worry that he was chasing an unattainable goal.
Here, he was going to find out what it was like to compete against others who share his goal.
..
..
Class A won the first round. However, the match was set as a caution for Class B as it wasn't an easy win. They figured out a way to break communication and turn the battle to their favor. During the joint training match, Shishida and Kosei ambushed and knocked the class A team off balance for a while, but they were quick to recover. Hitoshi was able to use his brainwashing to put many of Class B's students out of commission. Although Class B had a girl, Ibara, whose hair vines were strong enough to ensnare and counter the strongest attacks. They also had a strong tracker on their team; turns out Jurota's beast quirk came with a beastly sense of smell. But thanks to Tsuyu, they were able to counter that.
No one had mentioned that after the battle, each team would need to deliver a report to their homeroom teachers on their performance, win or lose.
Despite Class A succeeding here, he didn't sound too impressed when he asked them to reflect on the match. Even when no one left that arena with an inflated ego of victory, everyone had some flaw to look at. Even Hitoshi lamented not being able to make use of everything he had learned. But Shouta had constructive criticism to offer all around.
Izuku felt a drop of sweat run down his chin, "I guess it's not much of a lesson if Aizawa doesn't lecture us,"
Sakura went up to Hitoshi as he fiddled with his scarf, his violet eyes glazed with frustration; he was trying to hide.
"You did well out there," she said, "Better than most would with your level of experience."
"High praise, coming from you." His fingers absently traced the frayed edges of his scarf. "But I still have a long way to go. I couldn't even use a tenth of what I had learned."
"That's how it'll be in real battles, the grounds aren't always in your favor."
Sakura leaned against the wall beside him, the cold of the concrete seeping through her clothing. "That's the point, isn't it? Wanting to be better?"
He glanced at her, his gaze sharp. "Yeah. And I will be."
"Would've been nice if you'd mentioned you were joining this exercise," Sakura teased, nudging his shoulder with hers. "I could've given you a few pointers."
Hitoshi huffed, shaking his head. "Didn't know if I'd even be facing you."
"And if you were? Would it have made a difference?"
"Yes. Even a single percentage of a difference matters when it comes to competing against you." His voice dropped. "And I'm not the only one who thinks that."
Sakura studied him, the set of his jaw, the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers curled into fists, as if already bracing for a fight he hadn't yet earned.
"Then I'll look forward to seeing you try."
Toshinori came up to Shouta, whose eyes were fixed on Sakura and Hitoshi, catching snippets of their conversation.
"You trained him well, Aizawa,"
"It wasn't just me." Shouta's dull tone didn't quell Toshinori's enthusiasm. "He might be behind the other students, but Shinso understands that isn't going to cut it as an excuse."
The first round ignited both classes, who were now eager to step into the ring for this joint training. Class A had little idea of all the capabilities of Class B, while Class B didn't share the same life or death stakes. So they all huddled into their teams, filling the area with low voices.
Shoto tapped lightly on Sakura's shoulder, "We want to strategize for our match."
Glancing behind his shoulder, Sakura saw that the rest of her teammates had already together, crouched on the ground, everyone ignoring the cold metal floor. Sakura waved a hand dismissively but followed anyway, joining the small circle where Tenya and Mashirao sat.
Sakura waved a hand dismissively but followed anyway, joining the small circle where Tenya and Mashirao were already crouched, their expressions sharp with focus.
"So," Mashirao started, his tail flicking behind him, "what's our strategy?"
What Sakura didn't expect was all heads to turn to her like she was on a podium, ready to give a speech. She had expected them to come up with ideas for themselves with the same vigor during the bell test, but perhaps she failed to realize that her actions this far had made an impact in all of them, a fist-shaped dent that hit more than just their egos and morals but also their way of thinking towards being heroes.
Realizing they weren't going to take the first step unless she gave a light shove, Sakura asked,
"What do you think is the first thing to consider when you're trying to capture an enemy?"
Mashirao frowned, rubbing his chin. "How can they fight back?"
"Exactly," Sakura said, nodding. "This is a hunting game. You need to figure out how to corner your prey and how they'll slip away."
Shoto's fingers twitched, frost curling at his fingertips. "We could trap them with my ice. Iida could lure them out…
"Then we could ambush them from above!" Tenya interjected, chopping the air with his usual fervor.
"Or flank them while they're distracted!" Mashirao added.
The ideas came rapid-fire, each suggestion building on the last, but Sakura noticed the way their voices trailed off after each one, their eyes flicking to her as if waiting for approval.
She sighed, rubbing her temples. "We can't track them. This place is a maze, and they could escape the ice by climbing or just breaking through. Besides, they'll be expecting that. Remember, they're also going to be looking to capture us."
"I don't know how they think they're capturing you," Mashirao said with a rather proud chin up.
"Anything is possible if you believe it is. You need to have that mindset, especially in this line of work where you're putting your life on the line and have other's putting theirs in your hands. Your state of mind is just as important as your body. I don't want any of you thinking just because you couldn't beat me now means you can't at all. I'm just as human as the rest of you," Wiping her forehead, Sakura stopped her ramble. Holding up two fingers. "There are only two things you need to win this. Figure out your opponent's weakness before they use yours against you, and focus on bringing them down. You don't let your opponent define the conditions of your battle. Look, I don't know much about Class B's Quirks, including our opponents'. But they know ours. So you can either waste time planning an elaborate trap that might not work, or-
"Or we adapt," Tenya finished, adjusting his glasses. "You're right. Worrying over what we can't control won't help."
Shoto's gaze flickered to the maze, his jaw set. "Then we move first to find them before they find us."
Sakura smirked. "Now you're thinking like hunters."
..
..
..
The second round ended with a bang, despite both teams looking to be on the more collected and calm side of the table. That was until they tossed their battle area. Class B secured a narrow victory through cunning teamwork and psychological warfare. Like a game of chess with living pieces had taken place. Everyone had a role, and their movements were restrained as Class B worked hard to define the terms of battle, going out of their way to pick their opponents. Fumikage's Dark Shadow was hijacked by Shihai Kuroiro, who had a quirk to manipulate the shadows and hide in them. Momo's exchange with Itsuka Kendo wasn't just physical but a duel of two minds. But even at the last minute, the two were able to create an incredible structure of battle. Class B won their 4-0 win, but both teams realized that victory isn't about overpowering your opponent, but understanding them better than they understand themselves. And that class A didn't go down until their last breath of consciousness.
It was so eventful that the teachers had to call for a break while the arena had some minor repairs, as the debris might end up falling on the next team of students.
"They just had one fatal flaw," Sakura said to Shouto as they both looked up at the screen. "This might be training, but if you treat it like that, don't be surprised when you're taken advantage of. I told you all the same thing before."
'Come at me like you want to kill me,' Shouto could still remember that eerie feeling when he looked at Sakura's cold expression when she said those words. Even thinking about it created such a deep sense of discomfort that it felt like he had to rub it off his skin.
"How can you just enter into that state of mind?" Shouto's question had an extension behind that was seen by Sakura. How can you ever carry that kind of intention as a hero when it could result in something that goes against everything they are meant to encompass, and how are they expected to live with themselves knowing that?
Now, Sakura might have been able to consider a more eloquent and perhaps less volatile answer, but she didn't want to spare a second. Something that's been happening more often as the year drew closer to its end.
"You get enough people to try and kill you."
..
Shotua suggested that they have to switch sectors due to the extensive damage made by class B, which was addressed when they returned to the platform. Izuku was already jotting down so fast it looked like his hand was going to cramp up any second, but he didn't stop. Then Toshinori pulled him aside for a short conversation, but Sakura didn't bother to follow up. If they wanted to expose their special relationship, she wasn't going to intervene; the only promise she made was to keep quiet about Izuku's quirk. Though Katsuki didn't, appearing behind Izuku and Toshinori, scaring them both like cats.
"The third round's going to start, get to your places!"
Sakura, Tenya, Shouto, and Mashirao walked off the platform, followed closely behind by Class B, Tetstutetsu Tetstutetsu, Juzo Honenuki, Sen Kaibara, and Pony Tsunotori. Sakura ignored the eyes on her back as she made her way down the stairs.
..
..
The four moved through the industrial maze of Field Gamma, Sakura being particularly observant of the area. When asked, she'd admit to looking at the different spaces that you could creep through in the shadows if you wanted to launch a sneak attack. However, her teammates rebutted that they couldn't just hide in a single area because of how big the field gammas was, and sitting in a single spot hoping for someone to pass by when they were on a time limit didn't seem like a good strategy.
"Not if you know where their cage is. That's their base point. But that does take in a lot of factoring,"
Shoto walked slightly apart from the group, his mismatched eyes distant, his breath leaving faint trails of frost in the air despite the warmth of the day. Before he left the stand, Fumikage came up to him and said something that lingered on his mind and brought up some unpleasant memories.
"We apprenticed under Hawks and Endeavor. We're honor-bound to uphold their reputations now."
Eyes had fallen on those two particular heroes since the incident with the enhanced Nomu. Even Shouto had requested to go home and see his father when he returned and perhaps it was out of pettiness but he couldn't help commenting on the new scar that ran down the left side of his face like a road carved from his mistakes. Although he was stone faced, somehow his demeanour's changed and emotions had leaked through.
Sakura watched him from the corner of her eyes. He looked like he could hit a pole with his eyes wide open. She fell into step beside him, and he didn't notice until she called.
"That bothering you?"
He looked at her with a still expression but didn't answer immediately. The ghost of his father's legacy was still lingering in his mind, while the weight on his shoulders was tightening every muscle in his body. Although the time at UA had redirected his disposition towards his father rather than soften it, Shouto still had to combat his emotions. Before, there was nothing but anger within his coolness.
"A few months ago, it would have," he admitted finally, staring down at his palm. He felt his palm heat slightly. "But now... I don't feel that same anger anymore. I don't know why."
Sakura shrugged, her gaze tracking a distant flock of birds cutting across the steel-gray sky. "Anger's not a bad thing. But if it's holding you back?" She flicked a pebble, sending it skipping across the cracked concrete. "Then you've got to let it go. Staying weak because of your own emotions won't change anything. Believe me, feelings can cripple you just as much as a broken bone."
"That's our class rep for you! Always noticing when others are in need," Tenya said, stepping into line with the two, along with Mashirao.
"You seem to be in high spirits," Mashirao observed Tenya.
"That's because my older brother has been doing better recently."
"That's good to hear," Sakura said.
Tenya's hand started chopping through the air, "I've also advised him on some of those rehabilitation tips you've given me. He says Thank you for that."
"You're welcome." It was too bad that she wasn't able to meet his brother in a medical setting where she might've been of more help. However, Sakura knew by now that they didn't take too kindly to minors offering medical advice. She couldn't practice in a hospital anymore without severe supervision and under extreme scrutiny. She was still getting that from when she healed Nighteye, but because it only included her "quirk," Sakura was let off with a warning about interfering in a medical professional's business. Even though she argued their diagnosis was the surrender and wait out his last flicker of life.
He looked down at his helmet and then at Shouto. "Remember, everyone has their eyes on us. Just as you, Todoroki, must carry Endeavor's mantle, I aim to inherit Ingenium's. We must prove ourselves worthy successors."
Mashirao's tail flicked thoughtfully behind him as he glanced at Sakura. "Do you feel any pressure?"
She didn't answer right away. The question was almost laughable. Pressure? She'd fought in a war that carried the fate of the world. Compared to that, the expectations of strangers were nothing.
"I know you do things your own way," he pressed, but you've got eyes on you, too. More than you think."
Sakura arched a brow. "What are you talking about? I'm not related to any heroes."
Mashirao's grin was knowing. "There's a whole blog dedicated to you. One article called you 'the new All Might.'"
Sakura's face twisted as if she'd bitten into something rotten. "Please don't ever mention that again." The mere comparison was enough to make her skin crawl, not because she didn't respect All Might, but because the idea of being anyone's replacement sat about as well as a knife between her ribs.
And because she knew, with absolute certainty, that Izuku and Katsuki would hate it.
Mashirao chuckled. "So, no shoes to fill, huh?"
Sakura exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders. "Well. That's not entirely true. Anyway, let's get moving."
THAT'S ALL MY LOVELIES! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to stay strong and keep reading!
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EARLY CHAPTERS FOR MEMBERS NOW: BUYMEACOFFEE
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes chapter ( 93, 94, 95, 96)
-Kunoichi amongst Pirates chapter ( 41, 42,43)
-Crossroads of Fate chapter 33, 34, 34, 35, 36
-Through the Looking Glass chapter 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46
- (Bleach crossover) Kunoichi amongst Reapers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)
- Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover) (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes WHAT IF SPIN OFF: Dorms and Exams
-(SEQUEL) Through the Spyglass chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6
-SPECIAL HALLOWEEN CHAPTER: Shinigami amongst Shinobi