Blade Against Blue Flame

No one watching the broadcast breathed.

The helicopter camera caught only light, smoke, and heat distortion.

In the forest clearing, Yuto's Three Thousand Worlds tore into Dabi's blue flames.

For one second, the flames seemed endless.

Then the sword pressure broke through.

A white streak cut across the blue fire. Dabi's smirk faltered.

The flames split apart around him.

The next impact shook the clearing.

Trees bent backward. Dirt ripped from the ground. A shockwave swept through the forest and slammed into the helicopter above.

"Hold it steady!" someone shouted inside the aircraft.

The pilot fought the controls, barely keeping the helicopter from spinning away.

Below, the clearing vanished under smoke.

"The attack landed!" the reporter shouted. "We can't see the result yet, but Kanzaki's slash broke through Dabi's flames!"

Across Japan, people leaned closer to their screens.

The forest camp had become a battlefield.

A first-year student had just cut through blue fire powerful enough to terrify even Pro Heroes.

"This is unbelievable," the reporter said, his voice almost breaking. "Yuto Kanzaki is still standing against the League of Villains after multiple battles tonight!"

In the vehicle racing toward the camp, Midnight covered her mouth.

"He used a decisive attack."

Aizawa's gaze sharpened. "Because he had no stamina left for a long fight."

All Might's jaw tightened.

"Young Yuto understood that too."

Yuto had not tried to outlast Dabi.

He had forced everything into one strike. The right choice. The dangerous choice.

The only choice left.

On the broadcast, the smoke began to thin.

The reporter's voice dropped.

"The smoke is clearing. We're about to see the result of the clash."

The country went quiet.

In the League's hideout, Tomura stared at the screen.

All For One said nothing.

At the forest camp, Class 1-A fought on while stealing glances toward the smoke.

Bakugo blasted away a Twice clone and snarled.

"Don't you dare lose after making all that noise!"

Todoroki froze a line of mist in place.

"Kanzaki..."

Midoriya's fists shook. "Yuto-kun, please..."

The smoke finally parted.

A figure stood inside it.

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