I didn't stop moving.
Not for a second.
The Chase Ignites
I blinked across the training field—
Left.
Right.
Up.
A portal snapped open beneath me and I dropped through, reappearing on the roof of a nearby building.
"Okay—okay—just think—" I muttered.
A flicker.
A ripple.
A presence—
"FOUND YOU~!"
I spun—
Too late.
A blade flashed past my face as Himiko Toga landed behind me, giggling.
"Your portals are getting better!" she chirped. "But so am I~!"
"…Why are you like this?!" I snapped, opening another portal and diving through.
Across the Campus
I reappeared in a hallway inside U.A. High School's adapted training wing.
Students scattered instantly.
"REN?!"
"Toga's back—RUN!"
I didn't even slow down.
"Sorry—sorry—coming through—!"
I slid across the floor—
A knife embedded itself in the wall inches from my head.
I ducked.
Spun.
Opened a portal behind me—
And sprinted straight through.
Outside – Courtyard to City Edge
The world flipped again.
Grass.
Wind.
Open sky.
I landed in the outer courtyard—
Then immediately jumped again.
I wasn't just teleporting randomly anymore.
I was thinking.
Routing.
Predicting.
"…She tracks my exit points…"
I opened three portals at once—
One fake.
One delayed.
One real.
I dove through—
And still—
She was there.
Standing on the other side.
Waiting.
"…You're predictable now~" Himiko Toga sang, twirling her knife. "You think in lines… but I think in feelings~"
"…That doesn't even make sense!"
"It does to me!"
She lunged again.
Into the City
I forced a larger portal open—
One that stretched farther than usual—
And leapt through.
The environment shifted instantly.
Concrete.
Buildings.
Distant traffic.
We were at the edge of the city.
I hit the ground running.
"…Okay… more space… good…"
I vaulted over a railing—
Opened a portal mid-air—
Reappeared on a streetlight—
Then jumped again.
Every move was faster.
Sharper.
Cleaner.
My control was improving in real time.
But so was hers.
She didn't hesitate.
Didn't slow.
Didn't think the way I did.
She felt it.
Tracked it.
Followed it.
I turned a corner—
And she dropped from above.
Knife first.
Close Combat
CLANG.
I barely deflected her wrist with my forearm.
"…You're insane!"
She giggled.
"And you're fun~!"
I twisted away—
Opened a portal beneath her—
But she flipped mid-air, landing on the edge and launching right back at me.
"…You're adapting…"
Her voice softened slightly.
"…So am I."
Fatigue Sets In
My breathing was getting heavier.
My portals—still stable—but taking more focus now.
"…Can't keep this up forever…"
I jumped again—
Rooftop.
Alley.
Street.
Wall.
Portal.
Portal.
Portal—
She was still there.
Still smiling.
Still chasing.
The Mistake
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
One wrong step.
One miscalculated landing—
And that's all she needed.
Impact
A sharp pain exploded through my side.
"…—!"
I froze.
My body locking up for just a moment—
I looked down.
The knife was already in.
"…You got me…"
My voice came out quieter than I expected.
Toga's Victory
Himiko Toga stood close.
Really close.
Closer than she'd ever been.
Her expression… different.
Not wild.
Not chaotic.
But focused.
Satisfied.
"…I finally caught you~"
She slowly pulled the blade back.
Pain flared—
I stumbled slightly.
But she didn't attack again.
Didn't rush.
Didn't chase.
Instead—
She reached into her bag.
And pulled out a small cup.
My eyes widened.
"…No—"
Too late.
She caught the blood as it dripped.
Carefully.
Delicately.
Like it was something precious.
"…Perfect…"
Her voice was soft.
Almost… gentle.
The Shift in Tone
I stepped back, clutching my side.
"…Toga…"
She looked up at me.
Eyes shining.
"…Now I can be even closer to you."
Silence.
"…That's not how that works," I said, breathing unevenly.
She tilted her head.
"…Isn't it?"
Escape
I didn't wait.
I couldn't.
A portal snapped open beneath me—
And I dropped through instantly.
Back to safety.
Back to distance.
Back to breathing.
Aftermath
I landed hard on the ground back near the others.
Kaito rushed forward.
"REN—?!"
Midoriya's eyes widened.
"…You're bleeding—!"
I held up a hand.
"I'm fine—just—give me a second—"
But my mind wasn't on the pain.
It was on her.
Standing alone on that rooftop.
Holding that cup.
Smiling.
Final Scene
Back in the city—
Himiko Toga stared into the cup.
At the blood.
At me.
"…Now I can understand you better…"
She smiled wider.
"…Maybe even be you."
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
"…Ren~"
And far away—
Even through space—
I felt it.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.