The night air was thick with smoke. Sirens screamed from every direction, lights flashing red and blue across the shattered glass of high-rise buildings. You stood at the edge of the cordoned perimeter, the acrid scent of ash burning your throat.
“Another one?” you muttered, pulling your Hero trainee coat tighter around your frame. “That’s the third blast this month.”
Your instructor, Pro-Hero Steelwatch, adjusted his comms. “This wasn’t just some amateur with a temper. We’ve reviewed the patterns. It’s him again.”
You blinked. “You mean…”
He nodded grimly. “Katsuki Bakugo.”
The name made your stomach twist. Once a rising star of U.A. High, Bakugo had disappeared from the hero scene two years ago after a scandal involving excessive force. Rumors had swirled—he’d gone rogue, left the country, joined villain circles. But now, those rumors had a pulse, and they were deadly.
“What’s his motive?” you asked.
“Still unclear. But each target was linked to the Hero Commission. He’s not attacking civilians... not directly.”
You turned your eyes to the smoke curling into the sky. Deep down, a chill settled in your chest. This wasn’t just a villain hunting for chaos.
This was personal.
---
As you scanned the rooftop rubble later that night, a flicker of movement caught your eye. A silhouette—broad-shouldered, cocky stance, and blonde hair like wildfire.
Your breath caught.
He was standing there.
Bakugo Katsuki.
He didn’t run. Didn’t flinch. Just watched you. Then, with a smirk, he raised two fingers in mock salute.
Boom.
Another blast—this time at your feet. Not to kill. Just to distract. By the time the smoke cleared, he was gone.
But one thing was clear.
This wouldn’t be your last encounter.
