Chapter 62: The Price of Power

Sunlight filtered through the windows of the makeshift medical wing inside the hero headquarters. The light was soft, yet it couldn't dispel the weight in the air. A sterile silence hung over the room, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of heart monitors and the occasional shuffle of feet.

Midoriya lay unconscious on a hospital bed, bandaged and still. White gauze wrapped his arms and torso, traces of blood visible through the fabric. Electrodes were fixed to his chest, connecting him to machines that blinked and pulsed steadily. His breath came shallow and even. Beside him, Eri rested under light sedation. A special wrap secured her horn to suppress any residual Quirk activity. Her small hands were curled tightly against her chest, her brow furrowed even in sleep.

Reiji sat across the room, arms crossed, his hoodie pulled up over his head. He hadn't moved in nearly an hour. His eyes were focused on the two of them—not with pity, but with the quiet intensity of someone trying to understand the full cost of what they had just survived.

[System Diagnostic Complete. Adaptive Shadow Sync Upgrade: Integrated. Skill Slot Unlocked. Pending Selection.]

The prompt floated across his vision, but Reiji blinked it away without a word. Not now. Not while they were still healing.

The door creaked open quietly. Aizawa stepped in first, his tired eyes scanning the room. His scarf was coiled loosely around his shoulders, his usual sharpness dulled by exhaustion. Hawks followed close behind, arms folded, wings slightly wilted.

"Still no movement?" Hawks asked, his voice low.

Aizawa shook his head. "The doctors say he's stable. Just a matter of time now."

Reiji stood slowly, stretching stiff limbs. "He'll wake up. He has to."

Aizawa studied him for a moment. "You've barely sat down since they were brought in. You need rest too. This wasn't just a battle—it was a war."

Reiji looked down at his hands, fingers twitching unconsciously. "I'll rest after I know he's okay."

In the hallway just outside, Todoroki leaned against the wall with arms folded, one leg crossed casually over the other. He was bruised, and the ice burn on his left cheek hadn't fully healed yet, but his presence was steady. The rest of Class 1-A had been debriefed and were recovering in separate quarters.

"They say he broke through his limit," Todoroki muttered, speaking more to himself than anyone else. "But I don't think it was just power. He had something else. Something that pushed him further."

Aizawa's eyes softened slightly. "He had purpose. That's what separates power from resolve."

Back in the room, Eri stirred slightly.

Nighteye stood silently in the corner, arms folded. His own injuries were bandaged beneath his coat, and fatigue lined his face. But his eyes remained sharp.

He looked at Midoriya with something between curiosity and disbelief. "I didn't see this outcome."

Reiji turned his head slightly. "And you call that a bad thing?"

Nighteye's gaze met his. "It's... rare. My visions don't usually change."

"Maybe he's the one who breaks the rules."

Before Nighteye could respond, the heart monitor beeped slightly faster.

Midoriya's fingers twitched.

Everyone froze.

His eyes fluttered open, dazed and sluggish.

"Eri...?"

Aizawa stepped forward immediately, placing a hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "You're safe. You both are. Rest now."

Midoriya blinked slowly. His eyes welled with tears as he caught sight of Eri sleeping peacefully beside him. A weak smile formed on his lips.

Relief swept through the room like a quiet wave. For a moment, the tension lifted. Hawks let out a sigh. Todoroki lowered his head in silent gratitude.

But then—

The door burst open.

A pro hero, breathing hard and clearly flustered, stumbled into the room. "Sir! It's Overhaul—he's being transported now!"

Nighteye's face tensed. "Already? I thought they were holding him until the evening."

"They moved him early to avoid exposure. But there's chatter... something's wrong."

Reiji's brow furrowed. "What kind of chatter?"

The hero hesitated, glancing toward Aizawa. "Intercepted comms. Unknown signals detected near the transport route."

Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "Where's the convoy now?"

The pro hero swallowed. "Just outside the city perimeter. They've gone dark. No response to HQ calls in the last four minutes."

Everyone exchanged looks.

Nighteye turned toward the window, his voice low. "The League of Villains."

End of Chapter 62

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