The More You Explain, the Worse It Gets

Silence fell across the USJ. Yuto's words froze everyone. Shigaraki ignored him.

"Game over. We retreat and regroup, Kurogiri."

Iida chopped one hand through the air, voice stiff with urgency.

"Kanzaki, you have already done more than enough!"

Ochaco looked at him with worry filling her eyes.

"Yuu-kun, we all know you did everything you could!"

All Might could not move. His time was almost up, and his body had reached its limit.

"Young Kanzaki," he said. "You're already a hero. You have a long future ahead of you, and U.A. needs you. Don't be reckless."

Everyone tried to stop him.

Shigaraki had wounded Aizawa. Continuing was too dangerous.

Steam rolled off Yuto's red skin.

The Gura Gura no Mi continued feeding energy through his body, making every nerve burn with power.

Was he supposed to give up?

No. That was not his style.

Yuto ignored them and burst toward Shigaraki. His sudden acceleration kicked up a wave of hot wind behind him.

Half of Shigaraki's body had already sunk into Kurogiri's mist.

He looked at Yuto without concern. "Yuto, I will remember you. The next time we meet, you won't be so lucky."

Seven seconds. Six. Every moment mattered.

Shigaraki was about to disappear.

Yuto's hand closed around Wado Ichimonji. He drew.

The force of Yuto's swordsmanship poured outward.

Great Dragon Shock.

The pressure of the technique spread across the battlefield.

For one breath, time seemed to stop. Everyone went still.

The force froze their bodies before they could react. Shigaraki and Kurogiri were no exception.

Fear flashed through Shigaraki's eyes as he looked at Yuto.

A cold line of sword light cut through the air.

Slice. Blood sprayed from Shigaraki's body.

Another flash followed. Then another.

Blood scattered as wounds opened across Shigaraki's limbs and torso. In the span of a second, he collapsed onto the floor, battered and bleeding.

The force of Great Dragon Shock faded.

Everyone recovered at once, cold sweat on their foreheads.

Only a second or two had passed, but it felt much longer.

That was the pressure behind Yuto's swordsmanship.

Shigaraki lay covered in blood, teeth clenched as hatred burned in his eyes.

"Yu... to..."

Kurogiri regained control of himself and saw Shigaraki injured. Shock rippled through the mist.

This was the first time Tomura Shigaraki had been wounded by an enemy.

Kurogiri reopened the warp gate immediately. Yuto was too unpredictable.

Breathing hard, Yuto said, "This is U.A. If you want to leave, you'll have to pay a price first. Next time we meet, I'll take you down as a hero."

Kurogiri's mist wrapped around Shigaraki.

Shigaraki laughed through the pain. "Yuto, I failed this time. Next time, I'll kill you." His smile twisted.

"The League of Villains recognizes you as a real threat. You're worth hunting."

Then he vanished completely from the USJ.

This battle had become Yuto's first true proof as a hero.

Tremor Drive - Gear Second ended.

His skin returned to normal, and the exhaustion crashed down all at once. Yuto's body felt heavy enough to sink through the floor. He swayed.

Ochaco reached him first and caught his arm before he could fall.

Her eyes were red with fear.

"Why were you so reckless? Do you know how dangerous that was?"

Yuto coughed awkwardly. "Everyone is watching. Protect my image."

"Then stop doing things that make people worry!"

Yuto's mood was strangely light after surviving.

"When no one is watching, you can worry about me as much as you want."

Ochaco's face went bright red.

"Idiot! I don't like you like that yet!"

Yet? Yuto had not asked.

The air grew oddly quiet.

Did her brain short-circuit whenever she panicked?

Yuto nodded solemnly. "Don't explain. I understand."

"You don't understand anything!"

The atmosphere between them turned awkward at once.

The other students hurried over, concern still clear in their eyes.

Kirishima clenched both fists, admiration written across his face.

"Kanzaki, taking down the boss like that was seriously cool."

Iida gave him a stiff thumbs-up.

"Excellent work, Kanzaki. Without you, this situation could have become disastrous."

Even Bakugo, still proud as ever, clicked his tongue.

"Damn you. You're not dying before I surpass you."

Yuto smiled faintly. "Thanks for worrying. I'm fine."

He rested a light hand on Ochaco's head.

"Ochaco, you looked like a hero too. You've improved."

"Really?"

"Really."

The praise made her eyes shine with delight, and for a moment she looked absolutely thrilled.

Aizawa, covered in wounds but alive, coughed. "Kanzaki. You were reckless this time."

Yuto straightened as much as his body allowed. "Yes, sensei."

"But overall, you did well."

The words seemed difficult for Aizawa to say, but he said them anyway.

"Keep working."

"I will."

The feeling of surviving a disaster was strange and warm.

Mineta, Mina, and Hagakure were already crying loudly.

"Being alive is the best!"

"Thank goodness. I'm still alive!"

Mineta sobbed and wiped his face.

"I'm so jealous of Yuto. Why can he be so cool? I want to become a cool hero too!"

Then heavy footsteps echoed from the USJ entrance.

A large group of figures appeared at the doorway.

x

x

x

If you're enjoying the story so far, consider supporting me on Patreon ❤️
You'll get weekly early access to chapters, along with some exclusive content:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheDevotedReader