Chapter 23 - Tenya Iida & Todoroki VS Endeavor

Walking with the others, Yuuki smiled softly as they all chatted about what was coming next. Mina and Uraraka were talking excitedly about how amazing Yuuki's fight had been, while Midoriya kept rambling about her quirk and its similarities to All Might's energy output. Kirishima and Kaminari were worried about Yuuki so they waited for them at the front. Kirishima joked with Kaminari about how hard their upcoming fight would be, and even Bakugo—though silent—was walking beside them, his usual irritated expression in place.

Yuuki was too caught up in everyone's laughter to realize the ground dipped slightly in front of her. Her foot caught on the uneven floor, and she gasped, stumbling forward.

Before she could even process what was happening, a sharp crackle of sound filled the air—Bakugo's quirk. Sparks burst from his palms as he propelled himself forward in an instant, moving faster than anyone could react. His arms wrapped around her waist just in time to keep her from falling.

The sudden contact made Yuuki freeze completely. Her face turned pink almost immediately, her heart racing as she looked up at him, her eyes wide. Bakugo's expression was his usual mix of irritation and intensity, but there was something softer in the way he looked at her—just barely noticeable.

"I—um... th-thank you, Bakugo," Yuuki stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

He scoffed, setting her back on her feet and crossing his arms. "Tch. You're seriously hopeless. Can't even walk without tripping?"

Yuuki pouted, her cheeks still red. "I-I can walk! It was just a small trip..."

Mina, who had seen the entire thing, giggled and elbowed Uraraka. "Oh my gosh, Bakugo caught her again! He's like her personal bodyguard now."

Uraraka laughed softly, whispering back, "He acts all grumpy, but he's definitely keeping an eye on her."

Bakugo shot them both a deadly glare. "You two wanna shut up before I blast you into next week?"

"See? Protective!" Mina teased, sticking her tongue out before ducking behind Kirishima, who just laughed awkwardly.

Yuuki tugged on the sleeve of her sweater nervously, trying to steady her breathing as they all arrived at the viewing area. Ground Beta stretched out before them, a massive field filled with the sounds of explosions and quirk energy crackling through the air. The big digital board glowed brightly overhead, showing the next matchup:

Tenya Iida and Shoto Todoroki VS Endeavor.

Everyone gasped when they saw the names, murmurs spreading through the class. "Whoa, Todoroki's fighting his dad?" Kaminari said, looking both impressed and nervous.

"Yeah," Midoriya said softly, his expression serious. "This match is going to be tough. Endeavor won't hold back."

Yuuki swallowed hard, sitting down beside Uraraka and Mina as they all settled on the benches that lined the field. Her legs still felt a little weak, and she sat quietly, Bakugo stood behind them, arms crossed as always, his expression unreadable.

As the match began, the sound of wind gusts and flames filled the air. Iida charged forward at incredible speed, while Todoroki launched waves of fire and ice at his father. Endeavor stood firm, countering every move with powerful bursts of fire that made the air ripple with heat.

"Whoa," Kirishima muttered, eyes wide. "That's insane. Todoroki's flames are so cool!"

Midoriya nodded, analyzing every move like the hero nerd he was. "Yeah, his timing's improved a lot. And Iida's speed... it's on another level now."

Yuuki watched in awe, her pink eyes wide as the arena lit up with flames. She could feel the intensity of it in her chest—the emotion, the power, the drive behind both of them. Todoroki's expression was calm but determined, and Yuuki couldn't help but admire how strong he looked standing against someone as intimidating as Endeavor.

Mina leaned toward her and whispered, "They're really amazing, huh? Even when they're fighting someone like Endeavor, they don't back down."

Yuuki nodded slowly. "Yeah... they're so brave."

Uraraka smiled softly at her. "You were just as brave today, Yuuki. You and Deku did incredible."

Yuuki blushed, ducking her head a little. "I just tried my best... I didn't want to let anyone down."

Bakugo, standing behind them, grumbled quietly, "You didn't."

Yuuki blinked and turned slightly to look at him. "Huh?"

He crossed his arms tighter, refusing to look directly at her. "You didn't let anyone down. You did fine. So stop overthinking it."

Her chest warmed at his words, a small smile spreading across her lips. "Th-thank you, Bakugo."

He clicked his tongue and muttered, "Whatever," before turning his attention back to the match, though his ears were faintly red.

The crowd erupted with cheers as Iida and Todoroki pulled off a coordinated attack, their quirks colliding in a brilliant explosion of heat and wind that lit up the sky. Yuuki clapped with everyone else, her eyes bright with admiration.

•••

The battle between Todoroki, Iida, and Endeavor continued to rage across Ground Beta, a symphony of fire, wind, and determination echoing through the air. Everyone was glued to the screen—each explosion and blast of flame reflected in their eyes. Yuuki sat forward slightly, her hands clasped together, her heart pounding with every impact. The sheer power of the match was incredible, and she could feel the heat even from where she sat, the fiery aura almost radiating through the monitors.

Then, a familiar voice—calm, cheerful, and full of warmth—broke through the tension.

"Ah, what an intense match this is, young heroes!"

Everyone turned their heads at once. Standing just behind them, in his slim, lanky form, was All Might, his usual dazzling smile stretching across his face even though he looked smaller, less imposing. Despite his frail appearance, there was something about him that still filled the room with energy.

"All Might!" Midoriya exclaimed excitedly, waving. "You're here to watch too?"

"Of course!" All Might said, chuckling as he took a seat behind the students, right between Midoriya and Yuuki. "I wouldn't miss seeing such promising young heroes in action. Plus, I wanted to check on how my two students from earlier are doing after our little sparring session."

Midoriya immediately straightened up, his eyes shining. "All Might, thank you so much for the fight earlier! It was an incredible learning experience. Lumi and I really pushed ourselves!"

All Might smiled proudly at him, his eyes soft. "I could tell, young Midoriya. You fought with your usual determination and heart, and you made me very proud. You've grown so much."

Deku's cheeks flushed slightly, his eyes wide. "Th-thank you!"

All Might's gaze then shifted toward Yuuki, and his smile gentled even more. "And you, young Yuuki—no, I should say Lumi—you were absolutely remarkable out there. I could sense your energy, your passion, and that spark of heroism shining through. You handled yourself admirably, especially for your first major battle."

Yuuki froze for a moment, not expecting to be singled out. Her heart skipped a beat as everyone turned to look at her, smiling encouragingly. She fidgeted slightly with the sleeve of her sweater and whispered shyly, "T-thank you, All Might... I-I was really nervous, honestly. But fighting beside Midoriya helped a lot. And I really didn't want to disappoint you."

All Might chuckled warmly, the kind of laugh that filled the air like sunlight. "You didn't disappoint anyone, Yuuki. If anything, you exceeded every expectation. It takes great courage to face an opponent like me, especially when you're still learning to master your power. But you stood your ground, and that's the mark of a true hero."

Her face turned pink, her eyes brightening as she smiled softly. "I... I really appreciate that. It means so much coming from you."

Bakugo, sitting a little ways behind her, glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He didn't say anything, but his expression softened just a fraction, the faintest hint of pride flickering in his gaze before he turned back toward the screen.