adjusts glasses and settles into my cozy writing chair
"Alright everyone, let's talk about these amazing milestones we've been hitting!" I grinned at my audience, pulling my Stitch onesie hood up. "We're approaching 1500 powerstones, which is absolutely incredible. Your support means-"
A soft, melodic laugh drifted through my writing space. I paused, tilting my head.
"Did you guys hear that?" I spun my chair around, scanning the dimly lit room. Nothing but my collection of hero merchandise and scattered notebooks stared back at me. "Weird."
Turning back to address my readers, I noticed something off. My pristine white Monster can - the fuel of the gods that kept me going through these late-night writing sessions - had vanished.
"Hey! I just opened that!" I protested, shuffling papers around. A folded note caught my eye, sitting precisely where my drink had been. Opening it revealed elegant handwriting in what appeared to be... was that blood? No, just really fancy red ink, thank goodness.
"Jane was here" the note read. Below the text, I found my latest Izuku doodle - the one I'd absentmindedly sketched during a plotting session. A perfect red lipstick mark now adorned it.
Another laugh echoed, closer this time. I hugged my notebook protectively to my chest.
"Listen here, Miss Phantom Thief - that's my energy drink and my Izuku doodle you're messing with!" I called out to the empty room. Only silence answered.
Sighing, I turned back to my audience. "Well, this is... concerning. Though I suppose I should be flattered that characters are literally walking off the page now?" I attempted a smile, though it probably looked more nervous than confident. "Anyway, before any other characters decide to start stealing my beverages..."
I cleared my throat, trying to regain my professional composure (as professional as one can be in a Stitch onesie).
"First, I want to thank all of you for your incredible support. The fact that we're approaching 1500 powerstones is mind-blowing. Your theories, comments, and enthusiasm make all those late-night writing sessions worth it. Even when certain rat burglars steal my caffeine supply."
Another ghostly laugh, further away this time.
"And since we're hitting these milestones, I've been brainstorming some exciting developments. I was thinking about exploring more of Hitomi's perspective during the tournament, maybe diving deeper into-"
The lights flickered. I clutched my notebook tighter.
"Okay, you know what? Maybe we should continue this discussion when I've secured my writing space against phantom thieves. And gotten a new energy drink. And possibly some security cameras." I glanced nervously over my shoulder.
A whisper of movement caught my attention. On my desk, a new note had appeared: "Your security is cute. Like your little hero. ♥"
"Right! Definitely time for a break. Don't worry, everyone - I'll be back with those extra chapters once I've figured out how to thief-proof my workspace. And maybe invested in some motion sensors. And a really good lock. And-"
The Stitch ears on my hood twitched. I froze. That... wasn't supposed to happen.
"...I'm just gonna go now. Thanks again for all your support! Chapter updates will continue as scheduled. Plus Ultra!"
======
The monitor flashed with highlights from the previous match as Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers again.
"AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE FINAL MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND!"
I leaned forward in my chair, one hand still intertwined with Camie's. On screen, Bakugo stalked onto the concrete platform, hands shoved deep in his pockets, his face set in its perpetual scowl. From the opposite entrance, Uraraka emerged, her round face determined despite the obvious nerves in her slightly hunched shoulders.
"IN THE RED CORNER, THE EXPLOSIVE PRODIGY WITH A TEMPER TO MATCH! CLASS 1-A'S VERY OWN WALKING DEMOLITION TEAM—KATSUKI BAKUGO!"
The crowd roared. Bakugo didn't acknowledge them, his red eyes locked on Uraraka.
"AND IN THE BLUE CORNER, THE GRAVITY-DEFYING WONDER WHOSE SMILE COULD FLOAT YOUR HEART AWAY! GIVE IT UP FOR OCHACO URARAKA!"
The crowd cheered again, though noticeably less enthusiastically than for Bakugo. I frowned. People already expected this to be one-sided.
"Doesn't look good for Ochaco," Camie commented, echoing my thoughts. She'd managed to sit up properly now.
"No," I agreed, studying Uraraka's stance.
The camera panned to Midnight, who raised her whip. "Begin!"
Uraraka charged immediately, sprinting straight toward Bakugo. It was a bold opening move—one that caught me by surprise. Judging by the slight widening of Bakugo's eyes, it surprised him too.
"Damn," I muttered. "That's gutsy."
"What's she thinking?" Camie asked, sitting up straighter. "Direct attack against Dickhead?"
I analyzed Uraraka's movement. "She knows she can't win at range. Her only chance is to get close enough to touch him."
Bakugo recovered from his surprise quickly. His right hand came up, palm facing Uraraka, and an explosion erupted. The blast kicked up a cloud of smoke, obscuring both fighters momentarily.
When it cleared, Uraraka was nowhere to be seen.
"Did she get blown out of bounds?" Camie asked, leaning forward.
"No..." I scanned the arena. "Look."
The camera angle shifted, revealing Uraraka circling around, using the smoke as cover to approach from Bakugo's blind spot. It was a smart move—exactly what I would have done in her position.
"Clever girl," Camie murmured appreciatively.
But Bakugo wasn't fooled. He spun, tracking her movement through the dissipating smoke. Another explosion erupted from his palm, larger than the first, forcing Uraraka to dodge to the side.
On screen, Uraraka tried another approach, feinting left before darting right. Bakugo tracked her movement perfectly, another explosion forcing her back.
"BAKUGO SEEMS CONTENT TO PLAY DEFENSE!" Present Mic's commentary filled the room. "IS HE TOYING WITH HIS OPPONENT?"
I scowled at the monitor. "He's not toying with her. He's being smart."
"What do you mean?" Camie asked.
"Look at his positioning." I gestured toward the screen. "He's not advancing or retreating. He's controlling the space, forcing her to come to him on his terms."
Camie studied the fighters for a moment. "Huh. That's... actually pretty strategic for Mr. Rage Issues."
"He's always been strategic," I corrected. "People just see his personality and assume he's all brute force."
The battle continued, Uraraka making several more attempts to close distance, each thwarted by Bakugo's precisely timed explosions. The crowd grew restless, murmurs spreading through the stands.
"Is he just going to keep blasting her back?" Camie asked, frowning. "Seems kinda... excessive."
"He's fighting to win," I replied. "Just like you did against Kendo."
The camera cut briefly to the stands, where spectators were beginning to shout.
"Stop bullying the girl!"
"Just end it already!"
"This is cruel!"
The indignation in their voices grated on me. They didn't understand what they were watching—didn't see the respect Bakugo was showing Uraraka by treating her as a serious threat.
"LOOKS LIKE THE CROWD IS GETTING RESTLESS," Present Mic announced. "MAYBE IT'S TIME TO END THIS MATCH BEFORE IT GETS UGLY!"
That pushed me over the edge. "What the hell?" I snapped, glaring at the monitor. "He's not being cruel. He's treating her like a real opponent!"
"Whoa, easy tiger," Camie squeezed my hand. "You're getting worked up."
"Because they're wrong," I insisted. "Why should underestimate Uraraka just because she's a girl? That's insulting to her as a hero-in-training."
On screen, the crowd's displeasure grew louder. Bakugo ignored them, focused entirely on Uraraka, who was breathing hard but still pressing her attack. Her determination shone in every movement, every attempt to break through his defenses.
Suddenly, Aizawa's voice cut through the noise. The camera panned to the commentator's booth, where he'd apparently grabbed a microphone.
"Who just said he's playing around? Are you a pro? How many years of experience do you have?" His tone dripped with contempt. "If you're saying he should end this quickly, then you're telling him to recognize his opponent as weak and finish her off. It's precisely because he doesn't see her as weak that he can't let his guard down."
"Damn right," I muttered, satisfaction coursing through me. Leave it to Aizawa to cut through the bullshit.
The stadium fell silent, spectators properly chastened by Aizawa's rebuke. The camera returned to the match, where Uraraka had paused, catching her breath while Bakugo remained in his defensive stance.
"She's planning something," I said, noting the calculated look in Uraraka's eyes. "This whole time..."
Camie leaned closer to the screen. "What do you mean?"
"Above," I said, pointing.
The camera angle widened, revealing what I'd suspected. Floating above the arena, were dozens of concrete fragments—debris from Bakugo's explosions that Uraraka had touched and sent upward while everyone's attention was on the ground battle.
"Holy shit," Camie breathed. "She's been setting up an orbital strike this whole time?"
"Exactly. She knew she couldn't beat him head-on, so she created an alternative win condition."
On screen, Uraraka suddenly charged again, her movements more desperate now. Bakugo prepared another blast, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously at her reckless approach.
"Look at him," I said. "He knows something's off."
Sure enough, just as Uraraka closed distance, Bakugo's gaze flicked upward. His eyes widened fractionally as he spotted the floating debris.
"RELEASE!" Uraraka shouted, clasping her hands together.
The concrete chunks began to fall, an improvised meteor shower aimed directly at Bakugo. The crowd gasped collectively as they finally understood Uraraka's strategy.
"WHAT AN AMAZING SURPRISE ATTACK!" Present Mic shouted. "URARAKA HAS BEEN PLANNING THIS ALL ALONG!"
Bakugo looked up at the falling debris, then back at the charging Uraraka. In that split second, I saw something in his eyes I rarely witnessed—genuine respect.
Then he raised his arm toward the sky and unleashed an explosion that dwarfed all his previous attacks. The blast consumed the falling debris in a fiery shockwave, disintegrating the chunks into harmless dust that rained down on the arena.
"Damn," Camie whispered. "That's some firepower."
The force of the explosion sent Uraraka tumbling backward, her surprise attack neutralized in an instant. She struggled to her feet, wobbling slightly, clearly exhausted from overuse of her quirk.
Bakugo lowered his arm, his face set in grim determination. He'd been forced to show more of his hand than he'd intended.
"She almost had him," I said. "If he'd been a second slower..."
"WHAT AN EXCHANGE!" Present Mic's excitement was palpable. "URARAKA'S SURPRISE ATTACK NEARLY SUCCEEDED, BUT BAKUGO'S EXPLOSIVE COUNTER SAVED HIM!"
On screen, Uraraka steadied herself, preparing for another attempt. Her legs trembled with exhaustion, but her eyes remained determined. Bakugo watched her, his stance shifting from defensive to ready.
"She's at her limit," I observed. "Using her quirk on that much debris took everything she had."
"She's not giving up though," Camie noted admiringly.
Uraraka charged again, but her movements were sluggish now, her earlier speed diminished by fatigue. Bakugo stood his ground, waiting until she was almost upon him before unleashing another controlled explosion.
The blast caught Uraraka directly, sending her flying backward. She hit the concrete hard, skidding several feet before coming to a stop.
For a moment, the stadium held its breath. Then, incredibly, Uraraka began to rise again.
"She's insane," Camie muttered. "In the best possible way."
I nodded, speechless at Uraraka's sheer determination. She'd pushed herself far beyond what anyone expected, refusing to stay down despite the overwhelming odds.
Bakugo watched her struggle to her feet, his expression unreadable. There was no triumph in his stance, no gloating—just the intense focus of a fighter facing a worthy opponent.
Uraraka managed to stand, swaying slightly, her gym uniform singed and dirty. She raised her fists, preparing another charge, but her body had reached its limit. Mid-step, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the concrete.
Midnight rushed forward, checking Uraraka's condition before raising her whip. "Uraraka is unable to continue! Bakugo advances to the next round!"
The crowd erupted in applause—not just for Bakugo's victory, but for Uraraka's incredible showing. Even in defeat, she'd proven herself a force to be reckoned with.
"That was something else," Camie said, leaning back against her pillows. "Round Face has serious guts."
"Yeah," I agreed, watching as medical robots entered the arena to collect Uraraka. "She nearly had him."
"You sound proud of her," Camie observed, her head tilting slightly.
"I am," I admitted. "That meteor shower strategy was brilliant. Exactly what I would have done with her quirk."
"And what about Explosion Boy?" Camie nodded toward the screen where Bakugo was exiting the arena, his face as impassive as ever. "You kept saying he was being strategic."
I studied Bakugo's retreating form, noting the subtle differences in his movement, his stance, his overall approach to the fight. "He's changed since our battle trial. More controlled. More calculating."
"More like you," Camie said softly.
"What?"
"Think about it." She shifted to face me more directly. "You analyze everything. You look for openings, weaknesses. You're always three steps ahead. And now Bakugo's fighting the same way."
I considered her words, replaying the match in my mind. Bakugo had maintained distance control, conserved energy, analyzed Uraraka's patterns, and anticipated her strategy. He'd fought smart rather than simply overwhelming her with raw power.
"You might be right," I conceded. "But why would he adopt my style?"
Camie shrugged. "Maybe he respects you more than he lets on. Or maybe he's just adapting. Either way, he's definitely upped his game."
The monitor switched to showing the updated tournament bracket. Bakugo's victory meant he would face Tokoyami in the next round—an easy matchup, given Dark Shadow's weakness.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Present Mic's voice boomed again. "WE'LL TAKE A SHORT BREAK BEFORE THE START OF THE SECOND ROUND!"
The camera changed to show the second round matches:
Izuku Midoriya vs Manga Fukidashi
Hitomi Todoroki vs Tenya Iida
Katsuki Bakugo vs Fumikage Tokoyami
Camie Utsushimi vs Momo Yaoyorozu
"That'll be interesting," I commented, turning my attention back to Camie. "How are you feeling?"
She stretched cautiously, testing her limits. "Better. Still tired, but not about to pass out anymore."
"Good." I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Recovery Girl should be back soon to check on you."
"Think she'll let me fight now?"
"Depends on how much energy you've recovered." I squeezed her hand.
The door opened and Recovery Girl entered, Queen trailing behind her. They'd clearly been busy—Queen's perfect hair showed signs of disarray, and Recovery Girl looked more tired than usual.
"How's our patient?" Recovery Girl asked, approaching the bed.
"Better," Camie replied. "Can I go now?"
Recovery Girl eyed her skeptically. "Let me be the judge of that, young lady." She performed a quick examination, checking Camie's pulse, pupils, and energy levels. "Hmm. You're recovering nicely, but you're not fully restored."
"But I can leave, right?" Camie pressed. "I promise to take it easy."
Recovery Girl glanced at me. "You'll make sure she doesn't overexert herself?"
"Of course," I promised. "We'll find seats, and she'll stay put."
After another moment of consideration, Recovery Girl nodded. "Very well. But at the first sign of dizziness or excessive fatigue, you bring her straight back here. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," we replied in unison.
Queen stepped forward, handing Camie a sports drink. "Electrolytes," she explained. "Drink it all before you leave."
Camie accepted the bottle without complaint, uncapping it and taking a long swig. "Thanks, Nurse Hottie."
Queen rolled her eyes. "That's 'Nurse Queen' to you, brat."
Despite her tone, I caught the hint of a smile tugging at Queen's lips. For all her professionalism, she seemed to have developed a soft spot for Camie.
"So we good?" Camie asked, already swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "My man's match is next."
Recovery Girl stepped back. "Go on, then. But remember what I said about taking it easy."
I stood, offering Camie my arm for support. She took it, leaning against me as she found her balance. "Thanks for patching me up," she said to Recovery Girl and Queen.
"Just doing our job," Recovery Girl replied. "Now off with you both. We have to focus on Uraraka."