Kirishima and Sato were both spent at this point. Their breathing was ragged, their bodies screaming from the sustained exertion and impacts. Even though Bakugo was physically fine with no injuries, he was no better in terms of exhaustion. The relentless chase and continuous explosions had drained him too.
Thankfully, he had been training his endurance and stamina for times like this, pushing his limits in preparation for the demands of the hero course. So, while he felt the burn of fatigue, it wasn't enough to stop him. In fact, with his sweat glands likely working overtime from the exertion, he was probably stronger than ever right now.
They had run all the way to the top floor, searching frantically for the bomb, but still hadn't even seen it. That could only mean one of two things: either they had missed the bomb hidden on lower floors, having only been able to take a brief look around before running and fighting, or the bomb was not hidden on any of the upper floors.
Kirishima and Sato were desperately hoping it was the latter. They couldn't afford to backtrack and search for a bomb hidden in the floors they had just torn through, because none of those floors were in one piece.
So, the last desperate attempt they could make was to search the basement floor, which they had initially ignored.
They hadn't seen Tokoyami either, so they could safely assume that Dark Shadow's wielder must be protecting the bomb. Since he hadn't appeared on any of the upper floors, it was a logical gamble that both the bomb and he must be in the basement.
Kirishima and Sato looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them.
"Still trying to play hero, huh?" Bakugo sneered, landing heavily in front of them, his palms already sparking. "You extras are too stupid to quit! There's nothing up here, so what's your next idiotic move?!"
Kirishima wiped sweat from his brow, his hardened skin flickering slightly as his Quirk strained. "We're not giving up, Bakugo! We'll find that bomb, no matter what!"
"Tch! You really think you can get past me?" Bakugo scoffed, raising his hands, explosions crackling menacingly. "I'll blast you both to kingdom come before you get another step!"
Sato, his bulked muscles twitching, clenched his fists. "Basement," he grunted, the single word a heavy declaration.
Kirishima nodded, his eyes firm. "Right."
Bakugo's eyes flared, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "Basement?! You think I'll let you just waltz down there after all that?!" With a furious roar, he launched himself at them, a whirlwind of explosive power.
BOOM!
He fired a wide-range blast designed to catch both of them, forcing them to split. Kirishima immediately hardened and lunged left, while Sato bulled right, his powerful legs driving him forward.
Bakugo, however, was too fast. He spun, propelling himself with a smaller explosion, and slammed a concussive blast into Sato's side. WHUMP! Sato grunted, skidding across the debris-strewn rooftop, momentarily dazed. Bakugo immediately pivoted, launching a focused explosion towards Kirishima.
"You're not going anywhere!" he yelled, his voice laced with venom.
Kirishima met the blast with a hardened arm, the impact jarring him to the bone. "Go, Sato! Now!" he roared, planting his feet and charging straight at Bakugo, a crimson battering ram. "You want a fight, Bakugo?! You've got one!"
Bakugo's attention snapped to Kirishima, his grin widening savagely. "WHAT? YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP ME ALONE?!" He unleashed a flurry of point-blank explosions, forcing Kirishima into a brutal exchange of blows and blasts. Kirishima, all hardened defense and stubborn offense, absorbed the explosions, trying to get in close for a counterattack, each impact reverberating through his body.
In that precious window, Sato, still recovering but driven by Kirishima's self-sacrifice, didn't hesitate. He burst into a sprint, his heavy boots pounding across the rooftop. He lunged for the exit leading to the lower floors, a determined, blurred mass of muscle.
Kirishima let out a hearty laugh when he saw this and said, "I know I can't stop you, Bakugo. But I sure can distract you!"
Bakugo, mid-explosion, registered Sato's escape. "DAMN IT! I SAID YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE, YOU MUSCLE IDIOT!" He unleashed a final, powerful blast that sent Kirishima sprawling across the rooftop, smoke curling from his hardened form. Without a second thought, Bakugo pivoted and blasted off, rocketing after Sato with a furious yell. "GET BACK HERE!"
The sound of Bakugo's explosions receded as he plummeted down the stairwell, chasing Sato. Kirishima, dazed but unyielding, pushed himself to his feet, a fresh wave of determination hardening his features. Basement it is. One way or another, we're finding that bomb.
He took a deep breath, ignored the aches, and plunged after them, a lone, crimson figure disappearing into the depths of the building.
---------------
Up in the observation room, Class 1-A watched the live feed on a massive screen, All Might towering above them, Kratos and Mimir standing by his side.
"Whoa, Bakugo's really going all out already!" Kaminari exclaimed, wincing as a blast reverberated even through the screen.
"Poor Kirishima and Sato," Uraraka murmured, "Bakugo's explosions are so strong! They must be having a really tough time."
"Indeed. Kirishima's hardening can withstand significant force, but continuous, high-impact explosions generate immense heat and vibration, which can cause internal stress and eventually break his defense," Momo Yaoyorozu analyzed, her brow furrowed. "And Sato's Quirk, while powerful, it must also have its limit, right?"
"Yeah, but look at Tokoyami!" Hagakure pointed. "He's barely doing anything!"
Mezo Shoji squinted at the screen. "Bakugo's blasting everywhere. That's going to affect Tokoyami's Quirk. He said it himself at the beginning. He can only hope that Bakugo stops both of them till the timer stops."
Just then, All Might, a wide grin on his face, boomed, "That is excellent analysis, Young Heroes. Now, does anyone else have a theory about why these particular pairings were chosen?"
The room fell silent, the students pondering. After a moment, Momo hesitantly raised her hand. "Um... All Might, sir, is it possible... that the teams were chosen based on direct counters to the heroes' weaknesses?"
All Might let out a booming laugh. "A magnificent guess, Young Yaoyorozu! You are indeed quite intelligent! But that's not all, though!"
Then, from the back, Shoto Todoroki's calm voice cut through the air. "The villains' powers are not compatible at all."
A hush fell over the room. Everyone exchanged confused glances. "What?!" Kaminari blurted. "Bakugo and Tokoyami? They're a counter to each other?"
As if on cue, the feed from the basement picked up Bakugo's enraged voice, " TOKOYAMI, YOU USELESS BIRD! STOP STANDING THERE AND DO SOMETHING!"
And Tokoyami's stoic reply, "Your recklessness, Bakugo, diminishes Dark Shadow's potency. A 2v2 engagement under these conditions heavily favors our opponents."
When the students were busy analyzing the whole fight, Kirishima and Sato and managed to reach the basement where they found Tokoyami and the bomb.
A wave of stunned realization washed over the students. "He's right!" Jiro exclaimed, her earphone jacks practically vibrating. "Bakugo's explosions make Dark Shadow weak!"
Their eyes darted from the screen to Kratos and Mimir, who remained impassive. He figured out our weaknesses and their counters within the same class in just one day? the unspoken question hung in the air.
Mineta, always practical despite his antics, hesitantly spoke up again. "But… if the villains are complete counters to the heroes, then even if the villain team themselves are incompatible, how are the heroes supposed to win?!"
This question hung in air for a moment when, Izuku Midoriya, his eyes fixed on the screen, a newfound determination hardening his features, whispered, "By going Plus Ultra!"
Everything that had happened since the start of the class – from All Might's teaching to the very setup of this exercise – led to this moment. They were not stupid enough to miss the point: the first lesson had indeed begun when they stepped into this room.
As this realization solidified, they started looking at each other, thoughts churning about who the next 2v2 would be, who their perfect counter might be, and who would be their partners.
----------
Back in the building, a little while ago, Kirishima and Sato had made it down to the basement, navigating through various rooms and debris. Another blinding flash erupted from behind them, followed by the familiar concussive blast.
Bakugo was actively using his explosions to create chokepoints and collapse sections of the building, not just on the ground floor, but also strategically damaging the upper levels to channel the heroes.
"He's trying to push us into a trap, Kirishima!" Sato yelled over the ringing in his ears, sweat beading on his brow. The constant movement, the dodging, and the powerful impacts were rapidly draining his limited sugar-fueled stamina.
He felt his mind starting to fog, a direct result of his Quirk's cognitive drawback. He reached for another sugar cube, but hesitated. I can't just keep eating these... I'm getting stupid! he realized, feeling the mental dullness set in. His strength was immense, but his clarity was fleeting.
Kirishima, having taken multiple direct hits, felt his hardening waver. The intense heat from Bakugo's explosions was permeating his defenses, making him feel as though his very bones were being cooked. He felt his durable skin sting, his endurance being tested to its absolute limit. "Man, this is brutal!" he grunted, a crack appearing on his hardened arm.
He understood now: it wasn't just about taking hits; it was about the cumulative damage and heat. His Quirk had a breaking point, and Bakugo was relentlessly pushing him towards it.
The air in the basement hummed with a different kind of tension now. Tokoyami Fumikage stood vigil over the mock nuclear weapon, his form a still silhouette in the dim, subterranean light. The basement wasn't plunged into absolute darkness, nor was it brightly lit.
It was a perfect, murky balance, allowing Dark Shadow to operate at its optimal power, a formidable guardian in the gloom. Tokoyami's sharp ears caught the growing cacophony from above—the furious booms of Bakugo's explosions, the heavy thuds of Sato's impacts, the determined shouts of Kirishima. They were getting closer. It was time.
Suddenly, with a deafening CRASH!, the reinforced concrete wall beside Tokoyami exploded inward. Dust and chunks of rebar flew, and through the gaping, jagged hole burst Rikido Sato, panting heavily, his bulked muscles still straining.
He landed with a heavy thud, followed almost immediately by Eijiro Kirishima, who seemed to fly through the same blasted opening, his hardened form a crimson blur. They landed in a crouch, gasping for breath, their eyes scanning the room.
And there it was. In the far corner, starkly obvious, stood the mock nuclear bomb, a large, cylindrical device glowing with an ominous red light. Not far from it, a shadowy figure stood, unmoving: Tokoyami.
"Jackpot!" Kirishima wheezed, a desperate surge of adrenaline cutting through his exhaustion. They had found it. But before they could even fully register their success, an enraged shout ripped through the hole Sato had created, echoing through the basement.
"TOKOYAMI, YOU USELESS BIRD! STOP STANDING THERE AND DO SOMETHING!" Bakugo's voice, raw with fury, preceded him. He was right behind them.
Tokoyami, without a word, extended his hand. From his body, Dark Shadow erupted, a swirling, inky mass of raw power. It lunged forward, a silent, predatory shriek tearing through the air. Its claws, sharper and more defined than ever in the balanced light of the basement, raked towards the exhausted heroes.
Kirishima, despite his fatigue, reacted instantly. He pushed off the ground, his hardening flaring across his body, and positioned himself in front of Sato. Sato, his muscles still rippling, moved to stand just behind Kirishima, their formation a desperate, two-man shield.
They weren't back-to-back, but rather a staggered line, each facing a potential threat. Kirishima braced for Dark Shadow, while Sato prepared for the inevitable arrival of Bakugo.
Then, Bakugo burst through the hole, a blinding flash of light and sound. "YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME, EXTRAS?!" he roared, his palms unleashing a torrent of explosions that illuminated the entire basement.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. As Bakugo's explosions filled the space with blinding light, Dark Shadow shrieked, its form visibly recoiling. The inky mass flickered, shrinking, its powerful tendrils weakening as the raw light suppressed its power. Tokoyami grunted, instinctively pulling his arm back, trying to shield Dark Shadow from the glare.
"NOW!" Kirishima yelled, seeing his chance. Bakugo's light, meant to corner them, was instead creating a crucial weakness in their opponent. He charged forward, his hardened fists aimed at the now-diminished Dark Shadow. The shadowy entity, though still dangerous, lacked its usual overwhelming force, allowing Kirishima to close the distance.
He slammed a hardened fist into the semi-corporeal form, feeling a jarring impact that still sent a jolt of pain up his arm, but it was a hit that would have been impossible moments before. Dark Shadow recoiled further, its wails of protest echoing in the suddenly brightened basement.
Meanwhile, Sato pivoted, his bulked frame intercepting Bakugo's next explosive lunge. "You're not getting to them!" Sato roared, swinging a sugar-fueled fist. Bakugo, enraged by the unexpected turn, met Sato's punch with a point-blank explosion, the concussive force rattling the entire room.
Kirishima, gritting his teeth, pressed his advantage. His hardened fists hammered against Dark Shadow, which, though still present, was a shadow of its former self under the relentless glare of Bakugo's explosions.
Each blast from Bakugo, meant for Sato, inadvertently sent a wave of light into the basement, causing Dark Shadow to shriek and recoil, its form flickering like a dying flame. Kirishima could feel the exhaustion in his bones, his hardening Quirk straining with every impact, but he pushed Tokoyami back, step by agonizing step.
Yet, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't break free, couldn't take a single step towards the bomb. Tokoyami, grim-faced, was a surprisingly stubborn obstacle, using the diminished Dark Shadow as a living shield, always keeping himself between Kirishima and their objective.
Across the room, Sato was a bulwark of straining muscle, his mind growing foggier with each passing second. He absorbed Bakugo's furious, point-blank explosions, his bulked form shaking with the concussive force. Keep him busy... keep him busy...
The thought was a dull, insistent thrum in his sugar-addled brain. He swung wildly, trying to land a hit, but Bakugo was a blur of rage and explosions, dodging with infuriating ease, always pressing his assault. Sato could feel his Quirk beginning to fade, the sugar rush wearing off, leaving him with nothing but raw, aching fatigue.
There was not much time left. The digital clock on the wall, visible through a cracked section of concrete, blinked relentlessly, counting down the precious seconds. Both Kirishima and Sato knew they were running on fumes, their Quirks pushed past their limits, their bodies screaming for rest. This was it. One last push.
Suddenly, Sato's movements became sluggish. His eyes glazed over, the last vestiges of the sugar rush fading, leaving him groggy and disoriented. He stumbled, his powerful legs momentarily giving out. Bakugo, seeing the opening, let out a triumphant roar. "GOTCHA, FATTY!" He wound up, his palms glowing with a massive, concentrated explosion, aiming to finish Sato once and for all.
"HOWITZER IMPACT!" Bakugo screamed, unleashing a blast that filled the entire basement with blinding light and deafening sound.
Kirishima, still locked in a desperate struggle with Tokoyami, saw it. Sato, frozen, groggy, directly in the path of Bakugo's devastating attack. No! His mind screamed, overriding every ounce of exhaustion. He abandoned Tokoyami, pushing off with his last reserves of strength, his hardened form a crimson streak.
"SATO!" he bellowed, launching himself across the room.
It was a desperate, impossible gamble. He wouldn't make it. He couldn't make it. But he had to try.
Just as Bakugo's colossal explosion was about to engulf Sato, Kirishima, with a final, guttural roar, threw himself in front of his teammate. CRACK! His hardening, already pushed to its breaking point, shattered across his body with a sickening sound. The force of Bakugo's blast slammed into him, sending him careening backward like a ragdoll. Even though Bakugo held back a lot, the blast still sent the exhausted Kirishima across the room.
"KIRISHIMA!" Sato yelled, snapping out of his daze, his eyes wide with horror.
The entire observation room gasped. All Might's smile faltered for a split second. "Oh dear!"
Kirishima's body flew across the room, a crumpled, crimson shape. Everyone thought it was game over for the heroes. They watched, stunned, as he hurtled through the air, seemingly unconscious.
But then, a collective, bewildered gasp rippled through the observation room.
Because the direction in which Kirishima was flying was not random. It was a perfect, albeit accidental, trajectory. His body, propelled by Bakugo's furious blast, was hurtling directly towards the mock bomb.
Tokoyami, who had been momentarily stunned by Kirishima's sudden departure, saw it too. His eyes widened in disbelief. "No!" Dark Shadow, still suppressed by the lingering light, flickered uselessly. He lunged, a desperate, last-ditch attempt to intercept.
But it was too late.
Before Tokoyami could even react, before Dark Shadow could manifest a single effective tendril, Kirishima's flying, unconscious body made contact.
THUMP.
His hardened, battered body, fell on top of the bomb, taking it down with him.
A shrill, piercing BEEEEEEEEEP! echoed through the speakers.
The digital timer on the bomb, which had been counting down from 0:05, froze.
0:00:01
HERO TEAM WINS!
A stunned silence descended upon the basement. And the observation room. The abrupt, almost comical, end to the high-stakes battle left everyone bewildered.