"Izuku!"
Todoroki rushed into the smoke.
Inside, Izuku was kneeling on one knee. Dark bruising spread across his right arm and left leg. He was breathing hard.
"Stain… this time… I win."
He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth, and forced himself to stand. Across from him, Stain slumped against the wall, unconscious. His broken blade lay nearby.
"Izuku… are you okay?" Todoroki asked, his voice tightening.
Izuku turned his head slightly. His lips parted, but instead of speaking, he answered without moving his mouth.
"I'm… fine."
The streaks of blood at the corners of his mouth said otherwise.
"I can't speak out loud right now," he added, still using ventriloquism. "It'll just make things worse."
He took an unsteady step forward, moving toward Stain.
"Hero Killer Stain. You are under arrest for multiple violations of hero law and criminal law."
He pulled a thick rope from his belt and bound Stain tightly.
"…Mission complete."
The moment the words left him, his body gave out. He started to collapse—
—but someone caught him.
It wasn't Todoroki. It wasn't Iida.
It was the pro hero who had been immobilized earlier.
"Sorry," the hero said, supporting Izuku's weight. "I only just regained movement. You kids ended up saving me… That's embarrassing for a pro."
—
Twenty minutes later, more pro heroes arrived.
They took in the ruined alley, the unconscious Stain, and the aftermath of the fight.
For a moment, no one spoke.
These students…
They secured Stain.
Endeavor stood among them, watching silently.
—
"Izuku, can you stand?" Todoroki asked, walking beside him.
"I'll be fine once I get to a hospital," Izuku said, swallowing back blood and forcing a faint smile.
"Let's go."
Todoroki helped Iida forward while the pro hero carried Izuku on his back. Together, they moved out of the alley.
"We'll leave Stain to you," Todoroki said.
The other heroes nodded and took custody of him.
—
Izuku's vision blurred. The pain and exhaustion were catching up to him, but he kept himself upright, refusing to let it show.
"Todoroki… that last punch… looked pretty good, right?"
"…Midoriya."
"Come on… say something…"
"Izuku?"
Todoroki turned—
A red figure with wings swept down from above.
In an instant, it seized Izuku.
"Izuku!"
Todoroki reacted immediately, raising his hand. Ice spikes shot into the air toward the flying Nomu.
The creature twisted midair, letting out a harsh, distorted cry as it dodged the attack.