By Master All Might's decree, the first round of the exercise came to a close.
However, it was a catastrophic conclusion. Midoriya was a physical wreck—the result of the backlash from his uncontrollable Quirk and the full weight of Bakugo's relentless assault. Uraraka was hunched behind the model, retching from the strain of her power. Himiko was nursing bruises and groaning after being slammed into a wall by the shockwave, and Bakugo... he simply stood there, catatonic, seemingly paralyzed by the shock of his loss.
The building itself was in a pitiable state. A jagged hole pierced through every floor like a hollow core, complemented by the scorched ruins of the section Bakugo had demolished. As a training facility, it was now utterly useless.
Kirishima and I had repeatedly urged All Might to call a halt before things reached this point, but though he clearly struggled with the decision, he never stepped in. As a result, I found the outcome difficult to accept.
Regardless of my feelings, Midoriya was prioritized for the nurse's office. I wished to accompany him, but I knew that wasn't an option. Instead, to offer what little help I could to Master Recovery Girl, I performed emergency first aid on him, using my Force to amplify his natural recovery efficiency before sending him off. Fortunately, he was still conscious, so I instructed him to explain exactly what I had done to the Master when he arrived.
As for the medical supplies, I had Yaoyorozu create them on the spot. I felt a pang of guilt for asking her to use her Quirk before her own exercise, and I promised to repay the favor later.
As I watched Midoriya being carried away, I noticed something interesting. Himiko, still transformed into me, was using amplification on Uraraka—specifically targeting her vestibular system to counteract the motion sickness.
During the match, she had looked like the very incarnation of the Dark Side, but she had settled down now. Or rather, "depressed" was a better word for it. Looking at her, I was reminded that she is, at her core, just a young girl. It seemed she was terrified that Uraraka would hate her.
I sent a telepathic message to reassure her: If you explain things properly, Uraraka will understand. She's that kind of person.
Of course, a fear like that doesn't vanish overnight. I would have to be patient and keep reminding her that she is safe. Furthermore, Himiko needs to learn to open her heart to people other than me. If I am her only pillar of support, she might collapse into the Dark Side the moment anything happens to me.
『Later... please let me have a little taste...』
...I see. Judging by that reply, she'll likely come looking for me the moment class is over. As for a private place where we won't be seen... perhaps the restroom? If blood spills there, we have water and cleaning supplies readily available.
I sent back a confirmation and returned to the monitor room.
It was time for the post-match evaluation.
"Now then, with the first match concluded, let's review! As for the MVP... it's a difficult call, but I believe Young Uraraka takes the title!"
"Wh-!? Me!? Really!?"
"Indeed! The primary reason was your decisiveness. Even when cornered, you never gave up and kept searching for a path to victory! It was magnificent! And you made no glaring errors throughout the match!"
"Oh wow... th-thank you so much!"
"HOWEVER! It is also a fact that another student was neck-and-neck for the MVP title! Can anyone tell me who that was, and why!?"
"I can, All Might-sensei."
Yaoyorozu raised her hand immediately, accepting Master All Might's challenge to think for themselves. The Master nodded for her to continue.
"The other contender was undoubtedly Toga-san. She adapted to the scenario more effectively than anyone else. Her performance as a 'Villain' was flawless; she even showed consideration for the weapon despite using it as bait. However, her repeated behavior of 'playing' with her opponent through her Quirk—despite being in a position to secure Uraraka-san at any time—must be viewed as a negative point.
As for Bakugo-san and Midoriya-san, they are out of the question. They acted purely on personal grudges, and as you mentioned, sir, large-scale destruction indoors is a foolish strategy. One could say they left the actual objective entirely to their partners."
The room fell silent after Yaoyorozu's fluid, unhesitating critique.
Excellent analysis, I thought, and began to clap. Following my lead, the room filled with applause. Even the Master looked slightly taken aback by how thoroughly she had hit the nail on the head.
"W-well... yes. While 'playing' Villains aren't exactly rare, meaning the point deduction isn't too severe given the role-play... you are essentially correct. Gwah...!"
"One cannot become a Top Hero without constant self-improvement and total devotion to the craft!"
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