Bakugo’s headband was gone.

  Just gone. Yanked right off his forehead like it was nothing. No sneak attack or a clever plan. He’d let his guard down for half a second, and that smug bastard had taken it.

  “Your class is too simple minded,” Monoma called. His voice was light, taunting. “Think bigger. Oh hey! You’re kinda famous, huh? For being attacked by that sludge villain. It must be strange to always find yourself in the role of the victim.”

  Bakugo’s grip tightened. His fists twitched. Every muscle in his jaw locked into place.

  “Kirishima,” he said slowly, voice trembling with heat, “we have a slight change of plans.”

  “Calm down, Bakugo. You’ve got to keep a level head or we’ll never get our points back,” Kirishima said, looking up at him over his shoulder.

  Bakugo exploded his palms together, the crack echoing like a cannon.

  "SHUT UP!" Bakugo roared, clapping his palms together with a concussive blast.“I’ve never been calmer. Can’t you tell?” he added, a feral grin spreading across his face. “Now get after them, Kirishima.”

  “Please don’t make us regret this,” Kirishima muttered as their unit charged forward, feet pounding the ground.

  Bakugo roared. “DIE!”

  But the blast hit something. It didn’t land. It bounced. For a second, Bakugo couldn’t tell what stopped it. Another explosion?

  No. That was his own power.

  The hell? That wasn’t mine. Why does he-

  “I see why you like this quirk so much,” Monoma said, smug as ever.

  “Whoa! Weird! That guy has your quirk!” Kirishima yelled.

  Bakugo didn’t respond. He didn’t blink. He swung a huge right hook, lined with a full-force explosion. “BASTARD”

  Try blocking this, copycat. You can’t stop everything.

  The smoke cleared.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Monoma was still standing. His skin was shiny, rippled. Hardened.

  “You both have impressive powers, but I think you’ll agree mine’s better,” Monoma said flatly.

  “Huh? now he’s got mine!” Kirishima barked.

  Bakugo’s mind kicked into gear. That’s not explosion. That’s hardening. That’s Kirishima’s. Bastard. His quirk... he can copy other powers.

  “Very good,” Monoma said. “So? Even an idiot can figure it out.”

  His team turned and started to run. Another 1-B student shot forward and sprayed thick glue at their feet.

  “Kirishima!” Bakugo snapped.

  “It’s too sticky! Crap, I can’t move!” Kirishima shouted, foot half-trapped. “Who the hell-?”

  Some guy named Bondo. Didn’t matter. They ran. Monoma was still holding one headband, keeping them in fourth. They were getting away.

  Bakugo shook with rage. Can’t chase. Not yet. Damn it.

  Mina started leaking acid at her foot. “Hang on, I’ll melt it!”

  Monoma turned back while his team ran away.

  “No hard feelings, right? Oh, and what was it you said in your little speech before the games-?”

  Bakugo didn’t hear the rest. Didn’t care.

  This isn’t over. I’m still gonna come out on top. And not just first. I’ll be the undeniable champion.

  Monoma’s team kept moving. Confident. Arrogant. They didn’t even look back.

  “Hey losers! Come back here!” Bakugo shouted after them.

  “Knowing you’ve been bested is an important part of being a hero!” Monoma called, right before a boom split the air.

  Bakugo rocketed toward them, separating from his team.

  “Hey, don’t just fly off on your own!” Kirishima shouted.

  Monoma’s eyes widened. “Tsuburaba! Stop him!”

  Tsuburaba blew a wall of air into place just in time. Bakugo slammed into it with a snarl, his fists hammering the invisible surface.

  “You look pretty stupid fighting with air!” Tsuburaba laughed.

  Bakugo screamed louder, his palms flashing. The next punch cracked through the barrier, and he reached in, yanking headbands off Monoma before anyone could react.

  “Told you to warn us before you jumped,” Sero said as he reeled Bakugo in with tape.

  Monoma’s team bolted, still hanging on to one headband. Still in fourth.

  “We’re not done!” Bakugo snapped. “We’re going to be the indisputable champions of this game!” He repeatedly slammed his fists against Kirishima’s hair. “I couldn’t brace myself when I jumped. Get closer!”

  “Got it!” Kirishima shouted as they accelerated.

  “We’ll get our points back from this idiot, and then go for the big one!” Bakugo yelled. He raised his leg. “Elbow guy, tape up!”

  “My name’s Sero!” he shot back, launching tape toward Monoma’s team, but it veered wide, landing to the left of them.

  “Raccoon eyes, lay down some acid in the direction we’re going!”

  “It’s Mina Ashido!” she groaned, but the acid went down.

  Bakugo flung his arms behind his back and detonated. The team launched, sliding over the acid on a perfect line. Sero’s tape held them steady. The angle was clean. The impact would land.

  Bakugo’s fist broke through the next wall of air with a thunderous crack. He grabbed Monoma’s final headband.

  “Bakugo reaches second with a merciless force! That was a shieldbreaker around the arena! And I can’t wait to watch the replay!” Present Mic’s voice blared through the stadium.

  Bakugo turned. His eyes locked on the jagged ice barrier at the edge of the arena.

  “Now... we’re going after Deku and Todoroki.”

  “The game is almost over! Time for a countdown! Ten seconds!” Present Mic shouted.