Elysium

5

It was supposed to be a standard patrol. Nothing too special, nothing that required the entire class. Just a routine mission for a few members of Class 1-A to get some real-world experience under the guidance of pro-heroes. Shinjuku had always been a quiet, middle-tier city, known more for its business districts than villain activity. But recently, a series of incidents had caught the attention of the Hero Public Safety Commission—minor disturbances, strange quirk activity, and a growing whisper of vigilantes operating in the shadows.

Bakugou Katsuki, naturally, had been eager to prove himself. He hated routine, despised anything that felt like a waste of time. Even as a student, he craved real action, something that would let him explode onto the scene and show everyone why he was destined to become the number one hero.

That day, he had been teamed with Kirishima, Todoroki, and Midoriya. A strong group, all things considered. The mission brief was simple: investigate strange disturbances that had been reported in a warehouse district on the outskirts of Shinjuku. There were rumors about a new vigilante operating in the area—someone dangerous. The Commission wanted them to report any suspicious activity and to be cautious. But Bakugou had scoffed at the word "cautious."

"Who cares about some low-tier vigilante? Let me blow 'em up and be done with it," he had growled, walking ahead of the group.

"You know we can't just do that, Kacchan," Midoriya had replied, his voice calm but firm. "We're supposed to investigate, not engage recklessly."

"Tch. Whatever, nerd. Just stay out of my way," Bakugou had shot back, already clenching his fists in anticipation. His palms crackled with small sparks of nitroglycerin, itching for a fight.

The sun had been setting, casting long shadows over the warehouse district as they moved between the rows of old buildings. Kirishima had looked around, a little on edge. "Man, it's way too quiet out here. You'd think with all the rumors going around, there'd be more people out patrolling."

"Maybe that's why it's so suspicious," Todoroki had said, his voice low, his dual-colored eyes scanning their surroundings.

For a while, it had felt like a dead-end mission. No villains. No signs of disturbances. Just the eerie quiet of abandoned warehouses. Until they heard the first explosion.

BOOM!

A flash of light from a few blocks away, followed by the unmistakable crackling sound of a fight breaking out. The ground rumbled, and the distant sound of crumbling concrete made their heads snap toward the source.

"Finally," Bakugou had said, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Looks like someone's having some fun."

"Kacchan, wait—!" Midoriya had called, but Bakugou was already sprinting ahead, propelled by the blasts from his quirk. Kirishima, Todoroki, and Midoriya had no choice but to follow after him.

They had rounded the corner of an old building and come face-to-face with the scene of a fierce battle. It was a group of low-level thugs, clearly outmatched by a lone figure. But it wasn't a pro hero handling them—it was her.

The moment Bakugou had laid eyes on her, he'd known something was off. She moved with precision, fluid and deadly. Her quirk—light manipulation—was unlike anything he'd seen. Beams of pure light cut through the air, illuminating the dark alleyway as they struck down the thugs one by one, incapacitating them without hesitation. She wasn't killing them, but it was clear she had no problem with violence.

Her face was hidden beneath a hood, but her presence commanded attention. Bakugou's instincts told him that she wasn't some random vigilante. There was intent behind every action she took, every move calculated. This wasn't someone just playing hero on the side—she was a professional in her own right.

"Oi!" Bakugou had shouted, his voice cutting through the sound of battle. "Who the hell are you?"

The woman had paused mid-fight, her hooded head turning slightly toward him, but she didn't answer. Instead, she continued dealing with the last thug, pinning him against the wall with a chain of light that had materialized out of thin air.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Bakugou's temper flared as he launched himself forward, explosions propelling him toward her. He wasn't about to let some random vigilante steal the spotlight.

Before he could close the distance, though, a wall of light erupted in front of him, forcing him to stop short. The force of it sent him skidding back, his boots scraping against the concrete.

"Kacchan, wait!" Midoriya's voice had called out, but Bakugou barely heard him. His eyes were locked on her, the light that surrounded her flickering in the dim alley like a halo.

The vigilante lowered the last thug to the ground, her hand outstretched as she wove the light with ease. She turned to face him fully now, and for a moment, Bakugou thought he caught a glimpse of [hair color] hair beneath the hood, but it was too dark to tell.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Bakugou snarled, his hands sparking with the urge to fight. "You think you can just mess with villains and act like some wannabe hero? Get out of my way!"

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, as if sizing him up. "You're in over your head," she had said finally, her voice calm, steady.

Bakugou's eyes widened with anger. "What'd you just say to me?"

"You don't understand what's really going on here," she continued, her hand lowering as the chains of light dissipated into the air. "This isn't your fight."

Bakugou gritted his teeth, the sparks in his palms crackling louder. "Every fight is my fight! I'll blow you to pieces if you think you can tell me what to do."

Kirishima had finally caught up, panting as he placed a hand on Bakugou's shoulder. "Whoa, whoa, man, let's take it easy for a second. We don't even know who she is."

Todoroki had approached more cautiously, his eyes narrowing at the mysterious vigilante. "She's not a villain," he had said quietly. "But she's not a hero either."

Bakugou growled, his patience wearing thin. "I don't care what she is. She's getting in my way."

The woman didn't flinch. Instead, she took a step back, melting into the shadows as her light faded. "You don't have to get involved in this. I'm handling it."

Bakugou's fists clenched tighter, but before he could respond, the woman turned and disappeared into the darkness of the alleyway, leaving only a faint trail of light behind her.

"Damn it!" Bakugou shouted, kicking a nearby trash can in frustration. He hated it—hated being left out of the loop, hated not knowing who she was, and most of all, hated that she'd gotten away without so much as a real fight.

"Who was that?" Midoriya had asked quietly, still staring at the spot where the vigilante had vanished.

"No clue," Kirishima replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "But she seemed... strong."

Todoroki's gaze lingered on the fading light. "She's dangerous, but she doesn't seem like she's working with villains."

Bakugou didn't say anything, but his mind raced. Who the hell was she? And why had she gotten under his skin so much? He didn't know her name, didn't know her motives, but he knew one thing for certain—this wasn't the last time they'd cross paths.

As they left the alley, Bakugou couldn't shake the feeling that she was watching them.