Chapter 29 - Stay Down

Everyone sat on the benches in the observation room overlooking Ground Beta, eyes glued to the massive screen that showed every movement, every impact, every spark of light between Bakugo and Yuuki. The tension was palpable—no one was laughing, no one was talking. Even Kaminari and Mina, who usually couldn't resist making jokes during training matches, sat still and wide-eyed. Aizawa stood at the front of the room with his arms crossed, his tired gaze following the two figures on-screen. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp eyes missed nothing.

On the battlefield, Bakugo's explosive power lit up the smoke-filled arena, the blasts echoing through the speakers with deafening force. Yuuki—Lumi—was small compared to him, quick but hesitant, darting between cover as her quirk shimmered faintly around her hands in soft waves of pink light. She was trembling slightly, her breathing uneven, but she refused to back down. Her pulse quirk flickered like a heartbeat, matching her emotions—fear, determination, and something fierce glinting in her wide eyes.

Bakugo clenched his teeth as he watched her from across the smoke. He could see how tired she was, how every dodge was taking more energy out of her. "Tch," he muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling in his chest. He didn't want to drag this out. He didn't want to keep attacking her. One hit, he thought to himself. One hit and it's over. She won't even feel it.

Then, with a sharp inhale, Bakugo's palms ignited again, the air shimmering with heat as smoke billowed around him. Yuuki saw the flare of light and gasped, trying to move, but he was too fast. His voice cut through the roar of the explosions. "You're wide open, Lumi!"

Before she could react, the explosion hit. The impact rippled across the field like thunder, sending a gust of wind outward that shook the observation windows. Everyone watching flinched. Uraraka gasped loudly and covered her mouth. "Yuuki!" she cried out, standing halfway from her seat.

On the screen, Yuuki was flung backward, her small form swallowed up in smoke and dust. For a moment, no one could see her. The pink light of her quirk flickered faintly through the haze before vanishing entirely. The silence that followed was suffocating. Even Kaminari's usual nervous laugh was gone. Midoriya stood up quickly, hands gripping together tightly, eyes wide. "Kacchan!" he yelled instinctively, his voice echoing in the observation room even though Bakugo couldn't hear him from down on the field.

Mina turned toward Aizawa, her eyes filled with worry.

Aizawa didn't move right away, his sharp eyes still fixed on the screen. His scarf shifted slightly as he exhaled. "Let's wait," he said in his usual calm but low tone. "Yuuki's tougher than she looks."

Kirishima leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes darting back and forth as the dust began to clear. "Man, Bakugo really went all out," he said, his voice uneasy. "He's not holding back at all."

Then, out of the smoke, a faint pink light flickered again. Yuuki was on her knees, coughing softly, one hand clutching her chest as her quirk pulsed faintly around her. Her eyes were dazed, but she was still conscious. She looked up, her vision blurry, and saw Bakugo walking toward her through the haze, his expression unreadable.

From the screen, his voice came through the speakers, low and rough. "Stay down. You're done."

Yuuki swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. Her arms trembled as she tried to get up, voice small but determined. "I—I'm not done yet."

Uraraka's hands balled into fists, whispering softly, "Come on, Yuuki... you can do it..."

But Bakugo's pace didn't slow. His palms sparked again, the familiar crackling of heat filling the field. The way he looked at her wasn't cruel—there was frustration, worry even—but his pride wouldn't let him stop. If I hold back now, he thought, she'll hate me more for it.

Up in the observation room, the class sat frozen as Bakugo lifted his hand again, light blazing in his palm. The tension broke when Kaminari whispered, voice shaky, "Oh, man... this is bad..."

•••

The arena rumbled with the echo of explosions as Bakugo and Yuuki continued their fight, each clash shaking the ground beneath their feet. Smoke and dust filled the air, turning Ground Beta into a battlefield of chaos and light. Bakugo's attacks were relentless—sharp, precise, and powerful. Yuuki darted between blasts, her movements becoming slower and heavier with every passing second. Her quirk flickered weakly around her hands, the pale pink glow sputtering like a dying flame. Sweat rolled down her face, her breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. She was reaching her limit, but she refused to stop.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes, watching her stumble after another dodge. He could tell her energy was nearly gone—her balance was off, her timing faltered with each movement. Every instinct in him screamed to finish it. "You're pushing yourself too hard, Lumi," he muttered under his breath, his palms crackling with sparks. He could have walked away, could have let her yield, but something in him knew she wouldn't. Not her. Yuuki didn't quit, not even when she should.

She gathered what little strength she had left, her quirk flaring bright for one last desperate strike. She lunged forward, releasing a pulse of energy toward him, but Bakugo dodged with ease, blasting himself high into the air with a roar of heat and light. For a moment, he hovered above the battlefield, looking down at her struggling form below. She was panting, trembling, her knees threatening to buckle. And yet, when she looked up at him, her eyes were fierce—defiant.

Bakugo clenched his jaw. He didn't want to drag this out. He didn't want to see her fall apart trying to fight him. He had to end it now, clean and fast. "Guess I've got no choice," he said quietly, raising his arms. The sound of his explosions built rapidly, louder and louder until it became a roar that shook the field. "HOWITZER... IMPACT!"

The world erupted in light and thunder. The blast was enormous, spiraling downward in a tornado of fire and force. The explosion hit the ground with devastating impact, scattering dust and debris in every direction. The shockwave rippled outward, rattling the observation windows where the rest of Class 1-A watched in stunned silence.

Mina gasped and stood up, hands flying to her mouth. "Oh my god—Yuuki!" she shouted, eyes wide with horror. Uraraka's heart pounded in her chest as she pressed her face closer to the glass, trying to see through the smoke. "That was too much! Sensei, she's—she's—!"

Aizawa's eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression remained calm. "Wait," he said quietly, though even he looked tense now. "Let's see."

When the smoke began to clear, the scene came into focus. The field was scorched, the air still shimmering with the blast. Yuuki's small form was falling limply through the air, her arms dangling at her sides, her quirk's glow completely gone. But before she could hit the ground, a blur of motion shot forward—Bakugo.

He caught her in his arms, skidding across the ground as the dust settled around them. His expression was unreadable, jaw tight, eyes sharp but oddly soft. He looked down at her, her head resting against his shoulder, her breathing faint but steady. The match was over.

The crowd in the observation room erupted into overlapping voices.

"Holy crap, he actually caught her!" Kaminari said, stunned.

"Of course he did," Kirishima muttered, though his brow was furrowed with concern. "He's not heartless."

Mina's eyes were wide, shimmering with worry. "Yuuki... oh, she looks so hurt..."

Bakugo stood slowly, still holding Yuuki. Her costume was torn, streaked with soot. He exhaled sharply, looking down at her face for a moment before glancing toward the observation deck where everyone was watching.

Aizawa's voice came through the speakers, calm and firm. "That's enough. Match over. Bakugo wins."

The announcement echoed through the arena, and the rest of the class fell silent. Bakugo didn't celebrate. He didn't even smirk. He just adjusted his grip on Yuuki and started walking toward Recovery Girl's office.

Behind the observation glass, Mina pressed her hand to her chest and whispered, "He could've really hurt her..."

Midoriya stood quietly, watching Bakugo carry Yuuki away. "He didn't want to," he said softly, almost to himself. "That's why he caught her."