—Hey?
Dark Shadow, hearing the conversation, emerged with a faint glow in his eyes, peeking out like a snake made of darkness from Tokoyami's shoulder.
"I can carry him, Fumi," the shadow spoke in its deep, enveloping voice. "I can lift him in awkward places, or hold him if he loses his balance. Not so far or high as to fly... but still high enough to keep him from falling."
Ojiro scratched the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable but knowing there weren't many options.
—So you'd go in the back while I go to the front?
Tokoyami nodded, his tone almost a sigh:
"You're more agile than I am in close combat. You have mobility, strength, and a good awareness of your surroundings," he admitted, slowly moving his pickaxe. "If you go in first and I cover you from behind with Dark Shadow, we can open gaps if there are traps or ice."
Ojiro looked at the hallway leading to the upper floor and took a deep breath.
—Okay... but if that frog girl catches me with her tongue, you better save me, Tokoyami-san.
Tokoyami looked down for a second and, as if it were a smile, said gravely:
—I'll do whatever it takes. We're heroes, after all.
A firm silence fell between them. Only the creaking of the old wood beneath their feet broke the calm before the storm.
....
[A few minutes later]
The silence in the hallway was deathly, barely interrupted by the faint squeak of ice cracking beneath Ojiro's bare feet.
He and Tokoyami had reached the fourth floor, only to find three doors closed... and completely sealed by a thick layer of blue-white ice.
Veins of frost ran along the walls like frozen roots, preventing any direct passage.
Tokoyami frowned beneath the shadow of his hood. He extended his arm, and Dark Shadow materialized silently, like a lurking specter.
The shadowy entity lunged at the first door with a guttural scream, its darkness-shrouded claw trying to pierce the icy barrier.
"Break the entrance!" he ordered in a firm voice.
There was a sharp crack, followed by a sharp snap. The ice cracked, but didn't give way completely.
Instead, an aura of frost leaped forth like shards of glass, ricocheting into Dark Shadow, who recoiled back with a pained grunt, covering himself with his blackened claws.
"It's thicker than it looks," Tokoyami warned, looking at the damage with serious eyes. "He reinforced it more than necessary. He's trying to slow us down."
Ojiro, his expression tense, approached with measured steps, ensuring his balance wasn't disturbed on the slippery surface. His tail rose like a snake on guard.
"Leave it to me!" he said determinedly.
With a strong whip of his tail, he directly hit the fracture left by Dark Shadow.
The ice shattered into shards and the door opened with a groan... only to reveal an empty, dark room.
No sign of enemies, no traps or bombs.
Ojiro gritted his teeth. Tokoyami lowered his head slightly, frustrated.
"They're just stalling..." he muttered, his shadow moving restlessly behind him.
In front of them, two more doors blocked the way with the same frozen trapdoor. Every second counted, and time was already running out.
Ojiro nodded, not taking his eyes off the doors.
"This is going to cost us the game if we keep this up..." Ojiro muttered, frowning in frustration.
But what neither of them knew... is that the real danger wasn't right in front of them.
It was on top.
From a high corner, where two walls met at ceiling height, Tsuyu Asui remained completely attached to the surface.
His webbed fingers gripped the concrete firmly, his body shivering from the cold and curled up like a frog ready to leap. His breathing was slow, measured, almost inaudible.
Dangling delicately from its outstretched tongue, it held the papier-mâché bomb, carefully wrapped between two cloth ribbons.
His round eyes followed the heroes' every move with predatory calm.
A drop of water fell from a nearby pipe and slid down his shoulder without a sound.
....
The cracking of ice erupted through the hallway as Ojiro, already panting, slammed his tail for the third time against the thick frozen layer of the central door.
The ice cracked, white splinters flew into the air like shards of glass... but again, the room was empty.
"Nothing again!" Ojiro growled, taking a step back as he brushed frost from his fur. His tail was trembling from overexertion, numbed by the cold and the repeated impact.
"This seems like a joke..." Tokoyami muttered, his eyes fixed on the ice, thinking quickly.
And as the heroes faced empty doors and their own frustration, Asui, clinging like a reptilian shadow to the opposite wall, took advantage of the chaos.
Moving with the precision of a drop sliding on glass, he climbed the wall, twisting his body within the door frame, until his figure disappeared down the opposite corridor.
His barely visible silhouette disappeared into the darkness, the bomb still held by its extended tongue.
Victory was assured.
"Last door," Ojiro muttered, his knuckles white with exertion.
With a stifled cry, Tokoyami nodded, and together they pushed hard. The frost shattered as it fell to the ground. Thick, icy air emerged from the threshold like the breath of an ancient cavern.
And there was Todoroki.
Sitting on a throne carved from ice, built from a structure that dominated the room, with his right leg crossed over his left and his chin resting on his right fist.
His face was a marble mask, imperturbable.
He didn't say a word.
He just raised his hand.
A blast of frost lashed out like a whip of white wind. A freezing wave swept down the corridor with icy fury. The heroes reacted instantly:
Tokoyami jumped back and screamed.
—Dark Shadow!
The shadow reached out like a claw to grab Ojiro, who was stumbling on the ice beneath his feet. It pulled him out of range of the first impact, but the cold was already creeping up their ankles like frost snakes.
Todoroki stood, his gaze steady, effortless. His steps were smooth, as if he were floating in his own air.
"They're not going to pass," he said finally, his voice low, icy to the touch.
Another wave of ice emerged from his palms, covering the walls, floor, and ceiling.
The entire corridor began to close in on the heroes like a winter mausoleum. Every step they took, every attempt to advance, was met with a thicker, faster wall.
It was a one-sided fight.
And the heroes... were being buried alive in their helplessness.
His desperate attempts ended in an instant.
Ojiro barely managed to take a step before an icy snap sealed his fate. The ice crept up his legs as if it had a life of its own, wrapping around him from ankles to thighs with a speed that was impossible to avoid. He screamed with effort, trying to free himself using his tail, but it was no use.
Dark Shadow, still free, launched an attack with fury.
He stretched out like a menacing shadow, claws extended, ready to charge at the two-toned boy...
But with a flick of his wrist, and a stare as cold as ice itself, Todoroki stopped him.
In a blink of an eye, the darkness turned to frost.
Dark Shadow hung in the air, frozen in an attack stance, his claws inches from his target, trapped in glass.
Silence covered everything.
The heroes... had been defeated.
[Observation room]
In the room, All Might, with a proud but somewhat impressed smile, bowed slightly towards the microphones.
—The winning team is... the villain team!
The room erupted in murmurs, applause, and exchanged comments. The girls leaned toward each other, whispering excitedly.
—Did you see how he didn't even move?
—He looked like... an ice prince, didn't he?
"No, rather... a king." A charming sigh pierced her words. "An icy king..."
And among them, Akemi maintained a faint smile, her eyes shining with respect. She didn't speak to anyone, simply crossing her arms, thoughtful.
"Always so cool... ice queen," she thought to herself, a hint of warmth hidden beneath her smile.
A few minutes later, the students began to return to the recovery area.
Asui walked with slightly slower steps, her arms crossed over her chest.
A slight shiver ran through her body, due to the cold that had even seeped through the walls of the building.
"Ribbit... that was so cold..." he murmured, shaking his shoulders with a faint smile.
"Are you okay?" Todoroki asked, walking beside her, showing no trace of fatigue.
"Thanks for not freezing me alive," she joked, in her usual monotone, but with a look that spoke a thousand words.
Todoroki just nodded, his face as imperturbable as ever, but with a slight twitch of his eyebrows... as if that was his version of a smile.
All Might walked at the front of his students. The glow in his smile was genuine, though his voice, powerful as ever, held a hint of fatherly pride.
"Great work, everyone!" he exclaimed, looking at his students one by one. "I'm really proud of the performance you showed today. You had risky ideas, creative strategies, and most importantly... you gave it your all!"
There were a few shy smiles, several sighs of relief, and the occasional chuckle.
"There was only one serious injury," he continued, more serious for a moment. "Young Hades. But don't worry, he's stable and out of danger. Although... he probably won't wake up until the end of the day."
"At least it's okay..." Kaminari murmured.
—Although at this rate I think nursing will return to its second home —Mina laughed.
"This is your second time, isn't it?" Jirou added, glancing at the group of girls.
—No... I think it's the third...
For her part, Akemi laughed softly, before shaking her head.
—Actually, it's your fourth time.
The girls turned their gaze to the girl, surprised by her statement.
All Might, noticing the conversation, just chuckled, remembering that it was the fifth time he had visited her, but not wanting to waste any more time, he raised his voice again.
—Now, before we go back to class, you're all allowed to go take a shower and change. You've worked up a sweat with this first rescue and combat training!
There was a chorus of "yes!" and general relaxation. Some were stretching, others were chatting, and several were already walking toward the locker room.
"Recharge, heroes in training!" All Might added before turning on his heels and running toward the exit with surprising speed.
But as he walked away, his smile didn't disappear.
He thought of Akemi Midoriya, his successor.
"More confident than when I met her... bolder, too. Using a hostage... I didn't expect that from her," he chuckled. "A true heir to the symbol of peace."
....
[UA Nursing]
The atmosphere was calm, almost touching, but the silence was quickly broken by a single exclamation.
"Argh, damn it, you old hag!" a voice shouted from the infirmary.
"Brat!" another, shriller roared. "This is the fifth time I've cured you—the fifth! Are you planning on making my infirmary your summer home?"
Hades, his face still pale and his limbs heavy, had woken up with a start.
After all, when he tried to yawn, a sweet liquid spilled into his mouth, causing him to choke.
—You made me choke, damn it! What the hell was that?
Recovery Girl, still holding a spoon, stumbled over to him with annoyance on her brow.
"An experimental energy drink. I asked Power Loader to make something special for you. It's like an... ultra-concentrated energy serum," he growled, waving the spoon back and forth. "And you're going to put it to the test, understand? Because I don't want to see you lying on this gurney for at least a week!"
Hades frowned.
—I knew it tasted weird. Ugh... too sweet. Wasn't there something else?
"Shut up, diva," the old woman growled. "Be thankful it was strawberry flavored and not lemon!"
Hades looked down, trying to find something to argue about further, but when he did... he fell silent.
—...My hero suit
"Oh, yeah," Recovery Girl replied without the slightest guilt. "I cut it with scissors. It was a mess, and I threw it in the trash."
—You what...? You threw away my suit!
"It had holes in it, dried blood, and smelled like you'd slept in a sewer!" she snapped, giving him a god-defying look. "Enough with your whining. Talk to the support department or Power Loader directly. They'll make you a new one." She raised her cane threateningly. "And you better not be seen around here again this week, do you hear me?"
Hades opened his mouth to protest... but only let out a long, deep sigh.
—Damn old woman... one day I'll get revenge...
"I've been waiting for that day since I first met you. Go on, swallow the rest of the serum," he said, pointing another spoon at her. "And no complaints."
With a resigned look, Hades lay back again, savoring the sticky sweetness in his mouth.
—...At least they could make it in a different flavor...
—Be thankful it's not grapefruit!
And so, as always, the infirmary returned to its routine... with a grumbling teenager and an old woman ready to put him in his place once again.
....
Just a few seconds later, a faint green light began to glow softly on the surface of her skin, running down her arms, her chest, and then her legs like a river of silent energy.
Recovery Girl watched with a clinical eye, nodding with mild satisfaction.
—Hmph... seems to be working.
Taking advantage of the serum's activation, he brought his staff closer and placed his lips on it, activating his Quirk at just the right moment.
Its healing energy synchronized with the serum's revitalizing energy, accelerating the regeneration process of torn muscles, tendons, and fibers.
Within seconds, Hades's body felt lighter... but sleep hit him with devastating force.
His eyes drooped like stones and his head tilted to one side, as a long sigh left his chest.
"Oh, of course you're falling asleep," the old woman murmured, covering him with a blanket. "This damn tonic still needs tweaking... Maybe Power Loader didn't put any caffeine in it or something."
He stroked the young man's hair with unusual tenderness, just for a moment.
—Rest easy, little demon. It's not every day you outlive yourself...
....
[Dressing rooms]
In the men's locker room, the steam from the warm water mingled with laughter, wet towels, and the constant murmur of conversation.
Bakugo walked silently, still shirtless, bandages wrapped tightly around his torso. His knuckles were red, and although the bleeding had stopped, the wound in his pride remained open.
"And then boom! The mouse bit me!" Sero complained, while Shoji raised one of his injured arms, revealing a rather large bite.
Sato, with a pair of patches on his arms, laughed softly as he changed.
—I still feel electricity in my teeth, thanks for that, Kaminari...
—It wasn't me! My Quirk got out of control!
"Yeah, right, it was an 'accident'!" Hanta joked, hanging his shirt on the coat rack.
Nearby, Kirishima was stepping out of the shower, bruises on his sides and damp hair plastered to his forehead. He noticed Bakugo wasn't saying anything, and approached him as he put on his shirt.
"Hey, Bakugo," he called, smiling genuinely. "That was really manly what you did back there. You fought Hades with all your might, without holding back. That was amazing!"
Bakugo, still dejected, clenched his fists.
"...I lost," he whispered, not looking at anyone. "It doesn't matter what I did. I lost."
There was an awkward silence. The other kids looked down, as if the word "defeat" was too heavy to be thrown around like that.
But Kirishima, his eyes shining with sincerity, placed a hand on his shoulder.
—It's not a matter of winning or losing, Bakugo. What matters is the experience you gain in each battle. That power that accumulates... until one day, you become the strongest!
The boy's eyes narrowed for a moment, as if the words were hard to come by... but they came in. He knew it. He felt it.
—Tsk... idiot —he muttered.
—Hahaha! There's the Bakugo I know! —Kirishima laughed, slapping him on the back.
The atmosphere lightened again. Kaminari came over with some gel for the bites, Hanta brought a bottle of water for everyone, and Shoji, with his natural sobriety, simply said:
—We all fight with everything... that's what counts.
Silently, and surrounded by his companions, Bakugo felt the burden a little less heavy.
....
Meanwhile, in the girls' locker room, steam rose gently from the freshly used showers, and the air was filled with giggles, half-folded towels, and soft voices chatting about everything.
Among the murmurs, one conversation stood out above the rest: the boys.
"I say Shoji has something... interesting," Jirou commented, drying her hair with a towel as she sat down on the bench.
"But Sato has such arms! Did you see how she carried Kaminari so effortlessly?" Mina laughed, applying cream to her legs.
"I'll stick with Iida, that perfect posture and straight back are a ten," Jirou added, with the serenity of someone choosing a drink.
"Nah! Bakugo has that explosive body! He's literally pure energy!" Hagakure laughed, thrashing about with excitement even though no one could see her.
"But when it comes to beauty, there's no debate, right?" Ochako said, raising an eyebrow.
They all fell silent for a moment... and then, almost in unison, they responded:
—Todoroki!
There was a chorus of giggles and sighs.
"He's like an ice prince, literally," Mina whispered, fanning her face with her hand.
But then, a voice full of confidence and friendly malice interrupted them.
—Ha... you haven't seen anything, my dears.
They all turned their gaze to Akemi, who was casually combing her hair, a playful smile on her lips.
"What does that mean?" Mina asked, arching an eyebrow mischievously.
Akemi shrugged, but her smile grew wider, more arrogant.
—In terms of aesthetics, proportion, definition, and structure... Hades has, or will have, the best body, without a doubt.
There was a moment of silence. Then Momo, Hagakure, Ochako, and Mina exchanged glances... and nodded slowly.
"He has a... dark, but powerful aura," Jirou commented thoughtfully.
—And that back when he took off his shirt during the quirk apprehension test... ugh —Mina added, with a laugh.
"He's more handsome than he looks! He just never shows himself properly!" Hagakure added excitedly.
"And her tsundere personality is kind of... interesting," Momo added in a low voice.
Then, quite naturally, Tsuyu, from a corner, drying her feet, asked in her direct tone:
—Akemi... are you and Hades a couple?
The entire locker room fell silent.
Akemi, unfazed, threw back her head and laughed heartily, as if the question was the best joke of the day.
"No, no, no!" he burst out laughing. "I adopted him as a stray puppy."
"What the...?" Ochako murmured, blinking.
Akemi crossed her arms, a mischievous look on her face.
—Before I met him, he lived under a bridge. He ate whatever he could find. And yet, he had more presence than many villains! So, one day I found him half-dead, so I brought him with me, bathed him, fed him... and now look at him! —He raised a thumb and smiled broadly. —One of the strongest freshmen at UA.
"He lived under a bridge?" Jirou exclaimed, surprised.
"Literally," Akemi confirmed with a shrug. "And yet, she had that body. Hell forges stronger steel, girls."
The girls were silent for a moment... and then, as if they had witnessed the first chapter of a dark and strange romance novel, they burst into fascinated murmurs.
"This is getting interesting..." Mina said with a huge smile.
"A young girl aspiring to be a hero and a stray puppy...? Sounds like a story I want to read more about," Hagakure added with a laugh.
And while the showers continued running in the background, the girls continued laughing, gossiping, and sighing, unaware that, in another part of the school, that "stray puppy" was dreaming of strawberry flavors and cursing.
....
Time passed, and in the calm silence of the infirmary, Hades slowly opened his eyes.
The light was soft, and her breathing was still heavy. She felt the persistent tingling in her left leg and right arm, but much better than before.
Looking down, he saw the casts covering his limbs, and he let out a long, resigned sigh.
"Tsk... I'm still in this jail..." he muttered, frowning in annoyance.
"You'll be as good as new by tomorrow," said Recovery Girl's familiar, raspy voice, walking up from her desk. "Your body's a freak, but that Power Loader drink... it seems to have done a decent job."
"So that's what made me sleep like a fool?" Hades grunted, trying to sit up.
"Shut up, brat. Be thankful you didn't explode inside," the old woman grumbled, putting a sling on his right arm. "I don't want to see you here for a while, do you hear me?"
With a barely audible groan, Hades accepted the crutch she offered him and, staggering a little, left the infirmary.
....
He walked... with no clear direction.
The corridors stretched out like a maze, and the people around them were no longer paying much attention.
He turned corners, climbed steps slowly, dragging his crutch as his yellow backpack lightly bumped his back with each step.
It was then that, suddenly, a muffled voice made him stop.
"Classes are over, you troublemaker," Aizawa said, leaving the 1-A classroom, his dark circles wider and his scarf crumpled. "But you can come in if you want. I think some people are waiting for you."
Hades looked at him for a second... and without saying anything, he nodded.
With difficulty, he pushed open the door and entered the classroom.
Inside, several of the students were still chatting or gathering their things. Attention immediately turned to him.
"Hey, your name was Hades, right?" Kirishima exclaimed, striding forward. "That was a really manly fight, man!"
"And explosive!" Kaminari added, smiling.
"You were surprised, but you fought with courage," Sato commented, his voice calm.
Hades blinked sleepily, his gaze still half-dead. He nodded slowly, without much enthusiasm, more out of politeness than desire.
Then, wobbling a little on the crutch, he began to move toward an empty seat.
From her place, Ochako raised her voice softly:
—Are you okay? Your injuries...?
"...it's not the first time I've broken my legs," he murmured, his voice raspy, not looking at her directly. "I'm just sleepy..."
Beside the boy's seat, Momo watched him out of the corner of her eye.
Her fingers gently gripped her skirt, visibly worried. But when her eyes met Hades's, he looked away indifferently and continued on his way, as if she didn't exist.
Now in front of his seat, he leaned forward to sit down very carefully.
But before he could do so, Akemi's voice echoed loud and clear from the back of the classroom:
—Don't sit down, sleepyhead. Classes are over. We have to go.
Hades froze in motion.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then let out a sigh even heavier than the previous ones.
—...damn mortal... —he muttered through gritted teeth.
And with renewed effort, he stood up again, leaving the seat empty as his slow steps led him back toward the door.
The students looked at him, some laughing and others curious, but he just wanted a bed and a world without so much noise.
TO BE CONTINUE.