Location: U.A. Arena – Backstage Prep Area
The moment Mikado stepped off the stage, the atmosphere in the prep lounge changed.
Before the match, people ignored him.
Now, they parted like water.
A few students gave polite nods. Others avoided his gaze altogether. One tried to speak—froze—then turned away without finishing the sentence.
He walked in silence, golden aura now dormant. His footsteps made no sound.
Iida approached him, ever formal.
"Your close-quarters technique was… impressive," he said, trying not to show how tight his posture had become. "Very calculated. Is that truly only part of your Quirk?"
"No," Mikado said without looking at him. "It's the weakness."
Iida opened his mouth to respond—but stopped.
He had no idea what that meant.
And Mikado didn't elaborate.
Nearby, Midoriya scribbled furiously in his notebook.
"Domain Amplification: visible, golden. Mid-range reactive enhancement. Not full control—still using footwork. Every move perfectly timed. Possible predictive element? No wasted motion. Calculated combat logic."
He paused.
Then underlined the next sentence.
"He's not using the Quirk to fight. He's using it to understand."
Bakugo sat against a far wall, arms crossed.
He hadn't said a word since the match.
But his eyes hadn't left Mikado.
He hadn't seen arrogance. Or weakness. Or hesitation.
He saw someone mapping everything.
Someone treating combat like math.
Like chess with physics.
"He's holding something back," Bakugo muttered. "I can feel it.
In the Staff Room above, Aizawa pulled up Mikado's file again.
"His entrance score in practical exams was… mid-level. But his observation scores during group trials? Perfect."
Nezu sipped from his tiny cup.
"He's not reacting to the world," he said softly. "He's measuring it. Every student. Every movement. Every rule."
All Might stood beside them, arms crossed, face unreadable.
"And what happens when he stops holding back?" he asked.
Nezu smiled.
"That's what the Sports Festival is for."
---
Location: Hidden Broadcast Hub – Unknown Operator
A dim-lit server room flickered with live footage from the stadium.
Screens zoomed in on Mikado's steps. His movements. His aura readings. His neural activity.
On one screen, red-highlighted nodes glowed across Mikado's joints and spine.
A voice crackled from a headset:
"Preliminary modeling confirms subatomic pressure modulation. Domain fragment output confirmed."
A second voice replied:
"He hasn't shown the inside of it yet. He's saving the real Domain."
"Should we move?"
"No. Not yet."
---
Location: U.A. Dormitory Annex – Later That Evening
Mikado sat in his room, alone, cross-legged on the tatami floor.
His cloak hung neatly on the wall.
His hand extended outward, palm open.
The golden aura flickered to life—low, humming, obedient.
He shifted his fingers through a slow kata. Every movement clean, controlled, precise.
The aura bent and curled like smoke under command. No instability. No distortion.
Still… it felt shallow.
"Good enough to not lose," he murmured. "Not enough to win everything."
He turned his hand over.
"The edge of the Domain is still too thin…"
---
Location: U.A. Bracket Hall – Next Morning
The board displayed the updated tournament bracket.
Mikado's next opponent: Yasuto Kenzaki.
Quirk: "Velocity Burn" — the more ground he covers, the hotter and faster he becomes. An aggressive forward-rusher. A crowd-pleaser.
Yasuto stood in the locker hallway with a smug smile.
"Yūgami, huh?" he muttered, flexing his arms. "Cool name. Let's see how long he lasts when I turn up the speed."
He turned to the student beside him.
"If he's all brain and fancy footwork, I'll just cook the floor under him. Let's see how perfect his stance is when the stone's melting."
He laughed.
Behind him, someone muttered: "Just don't let him touch you."
Yasuto rolled his eyes.
"Please. He's not untouchable. Just quiet."
---
Backstage – Mikado, mid-prep
He stood at a mirror, uniform buttoned, eyes calm.
His golden aura lit around him once—then vanished.
He whispered to himself.
"I won't need to open the Domain for this one either."
A pause.
"But I'll test the edges."