Non-licensed individuals weren't allowed to use their Quirks in public.
For the first time, Kurose Kuro felt grateful for that rule.
He pushed himself upright and staggered forward, heading toward school. After repeated use, his Pain Recall had dulled his sensitivity. The pain was still there, but his body responded less sharply.
That was progress.
Just not enough to help right now.
"I'm gonna crush you, you scared freak!"
Katsuki Bakugo got back on his feet almost as fast as Kuro. If anything, he moved even better. If they weren't on the street, Kuro was sure he'd already be a smoking crater.
Kuro clenched his teeth and ran.
Bakugo grabbed his bag and chased after him. The two of them tore down the street, one masked and battered, the other wild-eyed and furious.
People stepped aside instinctively.
"What's going on?"
"Is that some kind of villain?"
"No… they're just middle schoolers. Still—look at that one, he's about to get caught."
Kuro's stamina was nowhere near Bakugo's. His breathing turned ragged, his chest tightening as he pushed forward.
Then—
A hand grabbed his collar.
"Running again?" Bakugo yanked him off his feet and dragged him into a narrow alley.
The bystanders didn't intervene. Both of them looked like trouble. It was easier to pretend nothing was happening.
Bakugo threw Kuro against the wall near a pile of trash. Small explosions popped in his hands as his grin twisted.
"You scared little—"
Kuro forced himself up, breath uneven. He couldn't take another beating like this.
"Wait—wait. Let's talk this out."
"Talk?" Bakugo slammed him back against the wall. "We're settling yesterday first."
Kuro gave a strained laugh.
There was no way he could win.
"Do you know how long I was stuck cleaning the front gate after security caught me yesterday?" Bakugo snapped, veins bulging. "Huh?!"
Kuro flinched, pulling his head back slightly.
"…I didn't know."
Of course he didn't.
Using a Quirk at the school entrance, loud enough to draw attention, flashy enough to be impossible to ignore—getting caught was inevitable.
Pain Recall, on the other hand, left no visible trace. No one else could see it.
Kuro exhaled quietly.
This wasn't going to end easily.
He might miss his morning classes.
"Whatever. You're lucky today."
Bakugo suddenly shoved a bag into Kuro's face.
Kuro blinked, catching it awkwardly.
His name was written on it.
…His school bag.
It had been destroyed during yesterday's escape. He'd assumed it was gone for good.
He glanced at Bakugo, confused.
This didn't match his image at all.
Bakugo grabbed him by the collar again and started dragging him forward.
Kuro's thoughts spiraled.
Where was he being taken?
Some empty lot? The docks? Was he about to get buried somewhere?
Instead—
They arrived at the school gate.
Right on time for morning classes.
"…Huh?"
Bakugo let out a breath, then cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face.
"Now I can finally enjoy this—beating you into the ground."
Small explosions flickered in his palms, tightly controlled. Kuro could tell he'd refined his output. A single hit like that could easily take half his face off.
So it was happening after all.
Kuro closed his eyes.
He couldn't run.
The punch didn't come.
He opened them slowly.
Bakugo stood there, expression darker than before. Not explosive—contained. That made it worse.
"Are you looking down on me?" Bakugo said, voice low. "Not using your Quirk. Not even trying. You think you're above this just because you got into U.A. by recommendation?"
Kuro said nothing.
Bakugo had spent the night digging into the Kurose family.
A hero family known for stepping into danger without hesitation. Healers who could fight. Specialists in close combat, weapons, and survival. They weren't just support—they could hold their own on the front lines.
And Kuro was one of them.
So where was it?
Where was his strength?
"Don't give me that 'healing type' excuse," Bakugo snapped. "Dodging, hiding, cheap tricks—cut it out. Fight me properly."
To him, everything Kuro had shown so far was avoidance.
An insult.
A refusal to acknowledge him as an equal.
Bakugo's jaw tightened.
Then—
The bell rang.
He let go of Kuro's collar and clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Fine. You wait."
He turned, walking toward the school building.
"One day, I'll make you fight me for real. I'll beat you so hard you won't even recognize yourself."
Kuro stood there, silent.
What… just happened?
He hadn't fought back. Hadn't argued.
And somehow, that had made things worse.
"Why are you still standing there?" Bakugo called over his shoulder. "Class is starting."
Kuro stared after him.
Only then did it click.
Bakugo was one of the top students in the grade. Recommended internally. Consistently scoring at the top in mock exams.
He had just—
Given up a fight…
So he wouldn't be late to class?
Kuro blinked once. Then again.
…So he's actually a serious student?