Hikari: 『Volume 2 - Omakes』

◆Island Rescue Mission II½◇

◇

In a control room at UA:

All Might stared up at the plethora of screens in front of him, fingers knotted over his mouth as he watched the situations playing out with each of the teams on different parts of the island. The room was dim, so his anxious expression was well-hidden from the other teachers who'd been watching the exercise for the last few hours, too. Next to him, Aizawa reclined in his chair, eyes fixed on the screens as much as him but with a more relaxed look on his features.

"They're all making better time than I thought," Aizawa commented. He turned his gaze to the Ant team and his eyebrows raised slightly. "Most of them are, at least, given the obstacles they're each facing."

"The ones you helped design," Midnight said as she crossed one leg over the other. "How did you even find the time to manifest such monstrosities in the first place?"

"The principal decided on most of them during the design stages. I just finalised," Aizawa answered casually. "They're better, and more practical, than them facing down ordinary robots."

Midnight tapped her cheek. "Is it? These robots are just covered in fur."

"Anyway, who do you think's going to get there first?" Power Loader asked, looking on with interest as the Armadillo team ducked out of the way of a collapsing tree. "Without their Quirks, it's going to be much more difficult to survive this supernatural forest."

"Supernatural?" Ectoplasm inquired, turning to look at him.

"What made you put such a measure in place, Aizawa-Kun? On their Quirks, I mean," All Might finally spoke up, looking away from the screens. "They're training to be heroes in a superhuman society. Their Quirks are a vital aspect of their growth as heroes."

"I hear you, and I agree," Aizawa said, his expression shifting slightly as he watched the Lion team take down the giant beast they had encountered, Katsuki standing on top of it with a triumphant smirk. "Which is why I put them in place. It may seem cruel now, but there's a point they need to reach right now in this society saturated with heroes and villains making bigger moves than they have before - to unlock the full potential of their Quirks in a moment."

"You're right," All Might said. He turned his attention back to the screens and a slight crease appeared between his brows at what he saw there. "That is cruel."

"It looks like Falcon P. have made it out safely," Ectoplasm said, watching as Tenya, Izuku, Miyuki, Momo, and Fumikage subdued the last of the chipmunks. "And team Lion are making significant progress towards the site already."

"I'm not surprised. Bakugo-Kun had his whole team charging through the area the moment they got down," Midnight said. She sighed, hands clasped together as she blushed. "Oh, the vivacious love of youth! He's the last person I thought would be so chivalrous in this place, but it makes my heart pound to see him rushing to her aid so heroically... Oh, how romantic!~"

"What are you going on about, Midnight...?" Power Loader asked, sweatdropping at her last English sentence.

At the front of the control room, Aizawa glanced out of the corner of his eye at All Might. The former number one hero had fallen quiet again and he knew right away from the tense expression on his face what was bothering him.

"They'll all be fine," Aizawa said, his tone calm as he loosely folded his arms across his chest. "So you can stop worrying, All Might. You remind me of an old woman when you make that face."