Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 35: Round 1 Begins

The atmosphere in the training grounds is tense, with Class 1-A and Class 1-B facing off, ready for their first round. Kirishima feels the weight of the moment, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He looks over at Bakugou, standing with his own team, a determined scowl on his face. That intensity—that raw fire in Bakugou’s eyes—it sends a rush through Kirishima that he quickly tries to shake off. Focus, Eijiro. You’ve got a job to do.

On the other side of the field, Bakugou's gaze flickers over to where Kirishima stands with his team. The sight of the redhead with that confident grin irritates him, though it’s not really anger that’s bubbling inside him. Why the hell does he have to look so damn good when he’s getting ready to fight? Bakugou grumbles inwardly, his fists tightening. He watches as Kirishima rolls his shoulders, his muscles flexing under his gear, and Bakugou's chest tightens involuntarily. He shakes his head. This isn’t the time to get distracted by him.

The match begins with the sound of a loud buzzer, and Class 1-A springs into action. Kirishima, Tsuyu, Shinsou, and Kaminari are a tight unit, moving as one. Stick together and overwhelm them. That’s their strategy. Shinsou quickly outlines how his brainwashing quirk works, and Kaminari comments on how useful it’ll be for surprising their opponents, but Kirishima can’t focus entirely on their conversation. His mind keeps drifting to Bakugou’s team, wondering how hard his friend is going to push in his own fight.

Bakugou, meanwhile, keeps his focus sharp on his own team’s strategies, but every so often, his eyes slide back to where Kirishima is fighting. Every punch, every move the redhead makes, Bakugou watches closely, his chest tightening in ways that annoy him to no end. Why do I keep looking? he curses internally, shaking off the distraction. He better not get his ass kicked.

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Round 1 Battle

The Class 1-A team moves in unison through the industrial maze of Ground Gamma. As Tsuyu camouflages herself, and Shinsou activates his Persona Chords, Kirishima feels that familiar rush of energy. He throws himself into battle with everything he’s got, his body moving like a well-oiled machine. But then, out of nowhere, Jurota’s Beast Quirk comes barreling through like a freight train. Kirishima barely has time to brace before the massive punch sends him flying through a set of pipes.

Kirishima’s body crashes against the metal, the impact ringing in his ears. He groans, trying to get his bearings. His quirk is barely holding up against Jurota's beastly strength, but the real battle isn’t just outside—it's inside. His dragon quirk stirs, angry and restless, clawing at the edges of his control. Not now, damn it! Kirishima forces himself up, the dragon inside roaring for release, for vengeance.

But he can’t lose control. Bakugou’s probably watching. I can’t look weak. That thought alone grounds him. His dragon snarls, but Kirishima forces it back, pushing through the pain. No, I won’t lose myself again.

Bakugou, from where he and everyone else watches, clenches his jaw when he sees Kirishima go flying. His first instinct is to growl and punch something, his frustration boiling over. What the hell, shitty hair, get your ass up! He leans closer to the screen, eyes locked on Kirishima as he struggles back to his feet. A strange knot forms in Bakugou’s chest. He hates seeing Kirishima in pain like that. Focus, idiot, don’t screw this up.

Meanwhile, Kaminari tries to use his quirk, but the enemy has already accounted for his attacks. Damn it, this is getting messy, Kirishima thinks as he rushes forward to assist. He goes head-to-head with Jurota again, taking punch after punch but refusing to back down. He grits his teeth, I’m not going down that easily.

But the battle quickly turns against them. Kirishima gets thrown into the air, into Ibara’s line of sight. He feels the tight grip of her vines wrapping around him, and before he knows it, he’s dragged to Class 1-B’s jail, stuck on the sidelines as the fight continues without him.

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Round 1 Aftermath

When the match finally ends, and Class 1-A claims their 4-2 victory, the relief is palpable. Back at the observation room, Aizawa pulls his students aside for feedback. Kirishima stands with his arms crossed, feeling the weight of his own mistakes. He listens intently as Aizawa critiques his performance.

“Kirishima, you’ve got the strength, but you need to lure your opponents into your range. Find a way to pull them into close combat so you’re not the one getting tossed around.”

Kirishima nods, accepting the feedback, but his mind isn’t fully in it. He can feel Bakugou’s eyes on him from across the room, and it makes his skin tingle. He sneaks a glance over, and their eyes meet briefly before Bakugou quickly looks away, his scowl deeper than usual. Why is he looking at me like that? Did I screw up that badly?

Bakugou, on the other hand, is barely containing his frustration. He doesn’t care about Kirishima’s performance. He’s pissed off at how hard it was to watch Kirishima get tossed around like that. You’re stronger than that, Eijiro, come on. His hands are itching to grab Kirishima and shake some sense into him, but he knows better than to make a scene in front of everyone. He crosses his arms tightly, trying to rein in his emotions. He better not let that happen again.

When the feedback session is over, Kirishima walks past Bakugou on his way out of the room. There’s a beat of silence between them as their shoulders brush. Kirishima glances over, offering a small, self-deprecating smile. “I’ll do better next time.”

Bakugou grunts, his voice low and controlled, but there’s a fire behind his words. “You damn well better. I’m not babysitting your ass next round.”

There’s a tension between them—an unspoken understanding. They’re not just teammates; there’s something more, something neither of them wants to address but can’t ignore. As Kirishima walks away, Bakugou watches him go, his chest tight. Damn it. Why do I care so much?