From my vantage point, I can see the dust settling as the battlefield quiets down. It's eerie, the kind of stillness that's more unsettling than the chaos that came before it. They've been scrambling for a while now—screams, explosions, and the sound of their desperate movements echoing off the ruined cityscape. But now... it's different. They're getting smart.

Finally, they're starting to think. 

Took them long enough.

Down below, I can see Ojiro pulling a group together in the shadow of a half-destroyed building. His tail twitches with every sound, like he's on high alert, ready to fight or flee at any moment. He's not acting as cocky as he was earlier—good. It means he's learning.

Bakugo, of course, isn't hiding. He never does. He's pacing like a caged animal, eyes glowing with that familiar rage. His hands are clenched, smoke rising from his palms as he grumbles something too low for me to hear from this distance.

I crouch lower on the rooftop, careful not to make a sound, even though they're way too busy arguing to notice me anyway.

Bakugo (growling): We're wasting time! That damn ice freak's not gonna sit around waiting for us to figure out a plan! Let me blast him, and be done with it!

Ojiro (calmly): Bakugo, we tried that already. Twice. And all it got us was separated and knocked out. We need to approach this smarter.

Smart. 

Right. 

We'll see how that goes.

From what I can tell, the group consists of Ojiro, Bakugo, Shoji, Tokoyami, and Hagakure—she's there, but, well... invisible. Ojiro and Tokoyami are clearly trying to keep a lid on things, while Bakugo fumes in the background. Classic.

I shift to get a better look, straining to hear the conversation.

Ojiro: Todoroki's been using the terrain to split us up and corner us one by one. He knows how to isolate us, and as long as he can do that, we're sitting ducks.

Shoji (serious): We need to disrupt his control of the battlefield. His strength lies in manipulating the environment. If we can force him to move or limit his ice and fire, we might have a shot.

Force me to move? 

Good luck with that.

Bakugo's had enough. He slams his fists together, the small explosion making the others flinch, but he doesn't care.

Bakugo: Tch, enough of this thinking crap. I'll blast his ice walls to pieces, and we'll make him fight us head-on. No more of this hiding nonsense.

It's not hiding, Bakugo. 

It's called strategy.

Ojiro steps forward, holding out a hand to keep Bakugo from storming off.

Ojiro: We need you to distract him. You're loud enough to keep him busy, but if we don't work together, he'll just trap us again.

Bakugo glares at Ojiro, but after a tense moment, he doesn't argue. Instead, he lets out a frustrated growl, turning his gaze to the rubble around them.

Bakugo (grudgingly): Fine. But if I get the chance, I'm blowing him to pieces. Got it?

Ojiro nods, seemingly relieved that Bakugo hasn't blown up yet. Tokoyami chimes in, his deep voice echoing eerily off the crumbling walls.

Tokoyami: Todoroki's strength isn't just his quirks—it's his mind. He's not going to fall for an obvious charge, but if we can unsettle him, force him into a corner, he may make a mistake.

A mistake? 

You've got it all wrong, Tokoyami. 

I don't make mistakes—I exploit yours.

Ojiro looks around, clearly trying to piece the plan together in his head. He's smarter than people give him credit for. I can see the gears turning, his eyes flicking between his teammates and the destruction around them. He knows I'm watching, even if he can't see me.

Ojiro: Shoji, you and Hagakure are our eyes. Use your range to find him, but keep your distance. If you see any weaknesses in his terrain control, let us know. Bakugo, you'll go in loud, keep him distracted. The rest of us will flank him. He can't block every direction at once.

 Wanna bet?

Shoji nods silently, spreading his arms wide as his extra limbs grow out, preparing to scan the area. Hagakure's voice comes from somewhere nearby, but her body is nowhere to be seen.

Hagakure (whispering): I'm already scouting ahead. I'll let you know what I see.

Great, the invisible girl. 

Always fun.

They're moving now, splitting up while Bakugo barrels forward, sending explosions in random directions, hoping to lure me out. It's reckless, but it'll force me to play my next hand. Not that it matters.

I watch from my vantage point, completely still, my breath steady as I prepare my next move. Ojiro's plan is solid, but they're not fast enough. Bakugo may be powerful, but he's predictable. And as for Shoji and Hagakure... they won't spot me until it's too late.

You think you've got me pinned? 

You're about to learn why that's not happening.

As Bakugo's explosions grow louder, echoing through the streets, I move. Silently, efficiently. I descend from my rooftop perch, ice forming a path beneath my feet as I slide down to street level, hidden behind a thick wall of ice I created earlier.

Let's see how well they handle this.

From behind the cover, I watch as Bakugo blasts through the city streets, his explosions sending debris everywhere. He's drawing the others into position, just as Ojiro planned. But I'm not going to wait for them to corner me. I've already set the trap.

With a flick of my wrist, I raise another ice wall—this one between Ojiro's group and Shoji. They're cut off now, separated just as they were before. Shoji immediately tries to scale the wall, but it's too slick, too tall. His limbs can't get enough grip to climb.

Shoji (calling out): He's cutting us off again! We need to regroup!

Regroup? 

Too late for that.

Before anyone can react, I launch a burst of fire toward Ojiro's group, forcing them to scatter. Bakugo curses loudly as he dives out of the way, but I'm not aiming for him. I'm just herding them now, pushing them exactly where I want them.

They're not ready for this.

I've already won.