(Kata POV – Monitoring Room)
"Did I miss anything?" I ask All Might as we walk down the hall toward the Monitoring Room.
S&S had already undone the rule disabling my quirk, which I noticed the moment All Might reappeared on my radar. He flexes his arm and hand, testing how well it's been healed.
"I think I feel even better than before we fought!" He laughs, swinging his arm like it's brand new.
I nod slightly. "If you really think so."
He just laughs louder, his usual unshakable grin never faltering as we reach the door.
I push it open, and the room's silence hits me instantly.
Dozens of wide eyes stare back at me. Most are shocked, some impressed, and a few burn with frustration.
'Shouldn't they have recovered by now?' I think dryly.
Momo is the first person I notice. She's smiling proudly. A quiet, knowing smile that practically says "As expected of Kata."
I'm not sure why she's being smug, but I give her a smile and nod, and her smile brightens.
Todoroki stands stiff, his hands clenched at his sides, face tense but eyes sharp. Midoriya, in contrast, looks like someone just told him Santa wasn't real. He's probably still processing that his idol lost.
Mina's eyes sparkle with excitement, while Toru is staring at me in awe. Even Kirishima seems to barely be holding his own excitement.
Everyone else shares a mix of these emotions.
Then Kaminari breaks the silence.
"Y–you beat All Might!" He blurts, pointing at me like I'm an alien.
That's all it takes to make chaos erupt.
"You vaporized the whole city, dude!" Kirishima shouts, grinning ear to ear. "That was so manly!"
"I couldn't even tell what was happening. There were just flashes and explosions everywhere!" Mina adds, shaking Toru in excitement. "It was like watching 2 gods fight!"
"Kata never disappoints." Momo says calmly. "I couldn't imagine him losing."
"I know we joked about fighting All Might over Kata once," Sero chimes in, "but man, I didn't think you were actually stronger."
Toru claps her invisible hands. "It was amazing! The light show was so pretty before everything exploded!"
Jirou smirks. "You guys call think it's pretty, but I'd call it terrifying. Just thinking about how all those explosions would make my ears bleed gives me chills."
"Maybe All Might's just not as strong as everyone says…" Kaminari starts, scratching his cheek.
He doesn't get to finish as Jirou's earphone jack snaps out like a whip, smacking the back of his head.
"OW! What was that for?!"
"Show some respect!" She glares at him. "Take a look around before spouting nonsense."
Right on cue, All Might steps in through the open door, as Kaminari realises why he got smacked.
A dry cough echoes. "Ahem… I can hear you, young man."
Everyone freezes, taking a few steps away from Kaminari and leaving him to his fate.
"Heh—ah—sorry, All Might!" Kaminari stammers, bowing quickly. "Didn't mean—uh—you're still super strong, sir!"
All Might just chuckles, scratching the back of his head. "No harm done. Though I'll admit, that was quite the workout. You know what they say. The next generation will always surpass the previous one. I'm glad that the future is in good hands."
All Might's impromptu motivational speech earns nods of admiration, and amid the noise, Todoroki steps closer to me, looking serious.
"You've gotten much stronger again." He says softly, more as an observation than praise. His eyes search mine, holding a silent question.
"If you're wondering how I got stronger…" I begin, and everyone around us quiets down to listen. I sigh. "There's no secret. I just keep training."
A collective groan rolls through the room.
"Ugh, that's it?" Mina complains. "There's got to be a secret shortcut!"
Kaminari slumps. "Figures. The strong ones always say that. Maybe this is the Gulf in talent?" He says in a hollow voice as he states at the ceiling.
Yet Todoroki just nods, his resolve hardening.
I can tell he doesn't doubt my words, and can feel his determination to train harder.
'I can relate.' I think.
Even though I won, the fight taught me something uncomfortable.
For all my strength, I still have glaring flaws. I rely too much on my quirk. And if it ever fails me, or was somehow countered…
'That shouldn't be an excuse.' I conclude. 'Next time, I should be capable of fighting even without it.'
Sometimes, all the preparation in the world still isn't enough… but it's a start.
While I'm still lost in thought, a sharp clap echoes through the room as Nezu hops up onto the console, his paws coming together with cheerful finality.
"And with that…" He says, voice full of delight, "The practical exam is officially over!"
Around him, the gathered UA teachers straighten, looking calm and composed like guards. Although, I can sense a hint of satisfaction and pride in some of them. Mainly the ones who lost to their students.
Cathleen sits besides Nezu with a wide grin as she locks eyes with me.
A few of my classmates, lingering near the back, tense immediately, and the air grows thick with nerves.
Nezu's whiskers twitch in amusement.
"Now, now," He says, tone dripping with playful menace. "No need to look so frightened. You may all go home, rest, and wait for your scores. You've earned it."
The tension dissipates as we begin filing out in small, exhausted clusters. Some chatter excitedly, while others whispering nervously.
But I stay behind.
When the door closes, I glance at the only two people still watching me. Nezu, tail flicking idly, and Cathleen, who waves to me.
"Do you need something?" I ask her directly, given the heated look she had been giving me.
She rises to her feet with a grin. "Nezu and All Might weren't exaggerating." She says, striding over and clapping me on both shoulders. "You were impressive out there, Kata. Didn't think I'd live to see someone best All Might in a fight!"
"It was a hard fight because of your quirk." I reply simply.
Almost everyone else rolls their eyes dramatically in doubt. Given how casual it must have seemed, they probably think I'm being polite, but…
'I'm serious.' I think, and decide to clarify aloud.
"It was my hardest fight so far. The first time someone's actually forced me to dodge and block seriously."
Cathleen's laughter rings out. "That's the spirit! You're tougher than you look. Maybe you and I should have a go sometime! I'd love to experience it for myself."
Nezu coughs delicately. "While the idea is thrilling…" He says in his polite, razor-edged tone. "I'm not sure we have any more training areas that would survive such an exchange, Ms. Bate."
'And there isn't really a point.' I think, though I keep that to myself.
The main reason All Might had pushed me so far was that his strength was amplified by New Order. Without that, Cathleen wouldn't be nearly as fast or dangerous even if she made herself immune to Telekinesis.
Cathleen chuckles, hands on her hips. "That so? Thats too bad. I was looking forward to it."
She pauses, then tilts her head slightly, a glimmer of thoughtfulness beneath her grin. "Anyway, that reminds me why I wanted to talk to you."
"Oh?" I ask. "And what was that?"
She taps her temple with one finger, mock thinking. "Right—how would you like to do an internship with me in America?" She asks bluntly, like she's offering lunch instead of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The entire room freezes.
Even Nezu blinks, a rare moment of visible surprise. The other teachers exchange startled glances, Midnight whispering, "Is she serious?" under her breath.
Nezu recovers first, adjusting his tie. "That's a very interesting offer." He says smoothly. "Have you already gotten approval from your superiors, or were you planning to surprise them?"
Cathleen waves a hand dismissively. "Oh, I'm sure they'd love it. They'd be furious if I didn't try after what I've seen." Her eyes flick back to me. "So, what do you say, Kata? It'd be fun."
It's an offer anyone else would've jumped at.
But for me…
"I'll have to decline." I say. "I'm already interning under Mirko."
Cathleen raises an eyebrow. "Ah, the Rabbit Hero. Fierce one, isn't she?"
'Fierce' is one word for it.
'Unhinged, volatile, chaotic… and vengeful are also on the table. Even if internships are over, she'd break down my door and try to kick me to death of I interned under anyone else.'
"I still need her training." I add simply.
Cathleen sighs, crossing her arms again, but there's no irritation in her voice. "That's a shame. You'd have done great things overseas."
"I'd be happy to visit when I have time, though." I offer.
That earns me another wide grin. "Good enough for me."
We exchange contact information, and as she pockets her phone, Nezu speaks again, voice soft but curious. "You've made quite an impression today, Kata. I imagine both Japan and America will be watching your progress closely."
"That's fine. I don't really care as long as it doesn't interfere with my personal life." I say simply.
Nezu's smile sharpens. "Splendid."
With that, I finally excuse myself, glad the entire ordeal is over.
'Time to pick up Eri and Himiko.' I think.
The thought brings a small sense of peace amid the chaos.
'The summer camp will be next… huh. Time really does move fast.'
*************
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you? Of you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So, this chapter was a bit on the shorter side. Mainly because the next segment kinda needs to be continuous, and this accomplished everything I had planned for the chapter... (And definitely not because I was having issues with reaction and stuff... Never!)
So, yeah. I might have them go to America at one point, for one reason or the other. Not too sure if it'll be business, or just a fun little side chapter. Not much happened, so I don't even know what this A/N should be about, so I'll end it here💀.
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I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your day/night 🌉