The stadium buzzed with renewed energy as the students returned from lunch. Hancock walked through the corridor, her mind still turning over Todoroki's words.

  Strong with someone.

  She shook her head. No. She was strong on her own. The teamwork with Bakugo was just... tactical efficiency. Nothing more.

  The other students were already gathering around the large screen displaying the tournament bracket. Hancock joined them, her eyes scanning the matchups.

  First Round:

  Midoriya vs. Shinso

  Todoroki vs. Sero

  Iida vs. Hatsume

  Ashido vs. Aoyama

  Tokoyami vs. Yaoyorozu

  Kirishima vs. Tetsutetsu

  Hancock vs. Kaminari

  Uraraka vs. Bakugo

  Hancock stared at the last matchup. Bakugo versus Uraraka. Then her eyes moved to her own match—Kaminari.

  "Aw man, I have to fight you?" Kaminari appeared beside her, scratching his head nervously. "You're super strong, Hancock. Go easy on me?"

  "I won't," she said simply.

  "Yeah, I figured." He laughed weakly. "Well, I'll do my best anyway!"

  Hancock studied him. Kaminari's Quirk was electricity-based—powerful but indiscriminate. He'd shown at the cavalry battle that he could discharge large amounts of energy, but it affected his cognition afterwards.

  A straightforward opponent. Powerful but with clear weaknesses.

  "HANCOCK!"

  She turned to see Bakugo pushing through the crowd toward her. His expression was intense, focused.

  "Kaminari's your first match," he said without preamble. "His electricity is strong but he's an idiot. Keep your distance, make him waste his charge, then move in when he's vulnerable."

  Hancock raised an eyebrow. "Are you... giving me advice?"

  "Yeah, so what? You're gonna advance. Obviously." He crossed his arms. "Can't have you losing in the first round."

  "Why do you care?"

  Bakugo's jaw tightened. For a moment, he looked almost uncomfortable. "Because. If anyone's gonna beat you, it's gonna be me. In the finals. So you better win your matches."

  Something warm unfurled in Hancock's chest. He wanted to face her. Expected her to make it to the finals.

  "The same applies to you," she said. "Don't lose to Uraraka."

  "Tch. As if." But then his expression grew serious. "She's gonna come at me with everything. That girl's tougher than she looks."

  "You noticed that too."

  "I'm not blind. She's strategic, determined." He paused. "But I'm not gonna hold back just because she's nice or whatever. I'm gonna fight her with everything I've got. That's the most respectful thing I can do."

  Hancock studied him. This was growth. The Bakugo from a month ago would have just sneered about crushing her. But now...

  "That's very mature of you," she said.

  "Don't make it weird, Empress."

  "I'm simply observing."

  "Yeah, well, observe someone else for a while." But there was no real bite to his words.

  Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers: "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! WE'RE STARTING THE FIRST MATCHES IN FIFTEEN MINUTES! COMPETITORS FOR THE FIRST MATCH, PLEASE REPORT TO THE PREP ROOMS!"

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  Midoriya and Shinso headed off to prepare. The remaining students found seats in the competitor section overlooking the arena.

  Hancock sat down, and without discussing it, Bakugo took the seat next to her. It had become automatic now—they gravitated toward each other.

  "Your match is seventh," he said, staring at the arena. "You nervous?"

  "No."

  "Liar. Your left hand is clenched."

  Hancock looked down. He was right. She unclenched her fist deliberately.

  "Anticipation. Not nervousness."

  "Sure." He leaned back, arms behind his head. "You're gonna do fine. Just don't overthink it. Kaminari's strong but predictable. Use that."

  "And you? How will you approach Uraraka?"

  "Carefully. She's gonna have some plan—she always does. I'll need to stay mobile, keep her from touching me." He glanced at Hancock. "Think she can beat me?"

  "No."

  The answer came immediately, without hesitation. Bakugo's eyes widened slightly.

  "That confident in me, huh?"

  "You're the strongest in our class in terms of raw power and combat instinct. Uraraka is intelligent and resourceful, but in a direct confrontation, you have the advantage." Hancock met his gaze. "As long as you don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."

  "I won't. I learned that lesson at the USJ." He was quiet for a moment, then added, "Thanks to you. For keeping me grounded back there."

  It was perhaps the most genuine thing he'd ever said to her. Hancock felt that dangerous warmth spreading through her chest again.

  "We kept each other grounded," she said softly.

  Their eyes held for a long moment, something unspoken passing between them.

  "BEGIN!" Midnight's voice cracked through the stadium.

  They turned their attention to the arena where Midoriya and Shinso were facing off.

  The match started strangely—Midoriya seemed frozen in place after responding to something Shinso said.

  "What's happening?" Ashido asked, leaning forward.

  "Brainwashing," Hancock observed. "Shinso's Quirk activates when his target verbally responds to him. Midoriya walked right into it."

  "That's terrifying!" Kirishima said. "How do you fight someone if you can't even talk?"

  "You don't respond," Bakugo said flatly. "Simple."

  But Midoriya was walking toward the boundary line, clearly under Shinso's control. The crowd held its breath.

  Then suddenly, Midoriya's fingers sparked with green energy—his Quirk activating in what looked like a violent, involuntary burst. He stopped walking, shook his head as if clearing it, and broke free of the control.

  "HE BROKE THROUGH!" Present Mic shouted. "BUT HOW?!"

  The rest of the match was brief. Midoriya, now careful not to respond verbally, charged forward and pushed Shinso out of bounds with a shoulder tackle.

  "MIDORIYA ADVANCES!"

  The crowd erupted in cheers. Hancock watched thoughtfully.

  "That brainwashing Quirk is dangerous," she said.

  "Only if you're stupid enough to talk," Bakugo replied. "Which most people are."

  "Are you calling our classmates stupid?"

  "If the shoe fits."

  Hancock almost smiled. Almost.

  The next match was Todoroki versus Sero. It was over almost before it began.

  Sero shot his tape, trying to wrap up Todoroki from a distance. Todoroki responded with a massive ice attack—a glacier that not only immobilized Sero but froze half the entire stadium.

  The audience gasped at the display of overwhelming power. Even Hancock felt a chill run through her—and not just from the temperature drop.

  "Jesus," Bakugo muttered. "Half-and-half's not messing around."

  "He's making a statement," Hancock observed. "To his father, most likely."

  She'd noticed Endeavor in the stands, the flame hero watching his son with an intense, possessive gaze that made her skin crawl.

  Todoroki melted Sero free and apologized for the excessive force. But the message had been sent—he was fighting at full power. Or at least, half of it.

  "He's still not using his fire side," Bakugo said, his jaw tight. "Idiot."

  "You noticed."

  "Of course I noticed! He's handicapping himself because of some daddy issues!" Bakugo's hands sparked with small explosions. "If I fight him, I'm gonna make him use everything. I don't want a half-assed victory."

  Hancock looked at him. "You want your opponents at their strongest."

  "Why would I want anything else? Beating someone who's holding back doesn't prove anything."

  And there it was—the core of who Bakugo Katsuki really was beneath all the aggression and arrogance. He wanted to be the best, but only if he truly earned it.

  "That's admirable," Hancock said quietly.

  Bakugo glanced at her, something shifting in his expression. "Yeah, well. Don't go spreading it around."

  Iida's match against Hatsume was more comedy than combat—the support course student used him as a demonstration model for her inventions, barely fighting at all before stepping out of bounds. Iida advanced, looking embarrassed but not angry.

  Ashido defeated Aoyama in a battle of ranged attacks, her acid outlasting his laser.

  Tokoyami's Dark Shadow overwhelmed Yaoyorozu's defenses, though she put up an impressive fight with her created weapons and shields.

  Then came Kirishima versus Tetsutetsu—a clash of hardening Quirks that ended in mutual knockout, requiring a contest of strength to determine the winner. Kirishima won by the slimmest margin.

  "THREE MORE MATCHES!" Present Mic announced. "NEXT UP: BOA HANCOCK VERSUS DENKI KAMINARI!"

  Hancock stood. Her heart rate increased slightly—the only sign of her nerves.

  "Empress."

  She turned. Bakugo was looking at her with those intense red eyes.

  "Remember what I said. Distance, patience, then strike."

  "I remember."

  "Good." He smirked. "Now go kick Sparkplug's ass."

  Hancock nodded and walked toward the prep room, feeling the weight of his gaze on her back.

  In the dim corridor leading to the arena, she took a deep breath. Her first real one-on-one match in front of the entire country. Against an opponent whose Quirk could potentially counter hers if he managed to hit her with his electricity.

  But she'd trained for this. Worked for this. She was ready.

  You're strong, she told herself. You don't need anyone.

  But even as she thought it, she remembered Bakugo's confident words: You're gonna do fine.

  And somehow, that helped more than her own reassurances.

  The door opened. Bright sunlight flooded in, along with the deafening roar of the crowd.

  Hancock walked into the arena, her long black hair flowing behind her, her expression calm and regal.

  Across from her, Kaminari waved nervously, trying to look confident.

  "May the best fighter win!" he called out.

  Hancock simply nodded.

  Midnight raised her whip. "READY? BEGIN!"