BNHA: God of Explosions-Chapter 22: Winds of Change (3/4)

"Yeah," Bakugo replied with a short grunt.

"Alright... are you sure?"

"I fought that thing face-to-face, detective. I'm sure. The final blow only worked because either I pushed the limits of that freak's absorption or I aimed straight at its eyes. Pick whichever explanation you like, but I know what I saw."

Naomasa wrote a few more lines before putting the notebook away in his coat pocket and looking at Bakugo. "Alright, Bakugo-kun. Let's talk about the outcome of all this. Under normal circumstances, a student who caused the death of a villain would be suspended from all hero-related activities. You'd go through a full investigation to determine if your actions were justified."

Bakugo stiffened, listening closely.

"But in this case, The Hero Public Safety Commission and U.A. decided to cover up your involvement," Naomasa explained. "They credited the resolution of the incident to All Might. This decision was made to protect you from legal and public consequences, Bakugo-kun. Whether you wanted it or not, you eliminated an individual who, according to our investigations, was the villains' main weapon against All Might."

"Ok..."

"Because of this, any kind of interview has been strictly forbidden for the students of Class 1-A. And it is extremely important that you stick to this version of events if the topic ever comes up. No talking about what actually happened. Are we clear?"

"Yeah..."

"Good." Naomasa placed his hat on his head. "Don't let this situation haunt you, Bakugo-kun. You faced something that even few pros ever encounter and came out victorious, saving your classmates and teachers. Be proud of that."

'I don't see anything to be proud of,' Bakugo thought, but nodded at the detective.

"Well, I'll leave you to recover in peace." Naomasa turned and exited the room, leaving Bakugo alone.

"Haa..." Bakugo looked down, examining his new 'hands' more closely. 'I don't care about the scars, but I guess I can use this as an excuse... yeah, I'll stop by the Support Department later,' he thought, already planning to put into action something he had imagined weeks ago.

"BAKUGO!"

A chorus of voices suddenly burst into the room, the door slamming open with a bang that made Bakugo jump in his bed. He nearly slipped off the mattress, catching himself at the last second with a grunt. "WHAT THE HELL?!" he growled as a crowd of familiar faces flooded into the space.

"I told everyone you were awake!" Kirishima led the group, his grin so wide it practically lit up the room. Behind him came Mina, Kaminari, Sero, Tsuyu, Momo, Iida, Hagakure, Midoriya, Uraraka, Ojiro, Kyoka, Tokoyami, Mineta, Kouda, Shouji, and Satou.

"I was the only one sure you'd wake up!" Kaminari exclaimed, pointing dramatically at Bakugo.

"You really scared us, Bakugo!" Mina said cheerfully, getting ready to leap onto the boy, but Tsuyu held her back by the arm.

"Calm down, Mina-chan, he's still recovering," Tsuyu said, tilting her head.

"Tch, you're all so damn noisy!" Bakugo snapped, crossing his arms. Despite his grumpy tone, he was relieved to see them all there, alive and well—though it was something he'd never say out loud.

"Nothing major?" Uraraka, who had remained at the back of the group, stepped forward, her fists clenched at her sides. "You almost died!" Before anyone could react, she dashed over and threw herself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"ARRGH!" A cry of pain escaped Bakugo as the pressure of the hug hit his burned back and injured ribs. "CHEEKS, GET OFF ME, YOU MANIAC!" He tried to push her off, but the weakness in his arms betrayed him, and he could only let out a frustrated grunt.

Uraraka immediately backed away, eyes wide, hands covering her mouth. "A-ah! I'm sorry, Bakugo-kun! I didn't mean to—!"

"Trying to finish what that monster started, huh?!" Bakugo snapped, his face flushed with irritation. But before he could continue his rant, the room erupted in laughter. Kaminari doubled over, clutching his stomach, while Sero leaned on Kirishima to keep from falling.

"Tsk, laugh all you want!"

"I think I speak for everyone when I say we're really happy to see you awake, Bakugo-san," Momo said with a small smile, walking over to his side.

"Yaoyorozu-kun is right," Iida added, adjusting his glasses. "We're also deeply grateful for what you did. Your bravery saved us, and as future heroes, we're committed to training even harder so we can fight alongside you one day!"

Bakugo huffed, turning his gaze to the window. "No need to get all sappy about it. I just did what any of you would've done."

"Come on, man, cut it out!" Kaminari said, having calmed down. "You faced that monster practically by yourself! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be here right now."

"It's true!" Hagakure exclaimed, waving her arms excitedly. "You blew that villain up like it was a fireworks show! I was like, 'Yeah, go Bakugo!'"

Tsuyu placed a finger on her chin. "You always act like you don't care, Kacchan, but your actions say otherwise, kero. Thank you for protecting us."

'If she calls me that one more time, I'm throwing her out the window.'

"Your determination lit the darkness of despair. We are grateful, Bakugo," Tokoyami added.

"I thought it was all over," Mineta chimed in, "but then you showed up, blowing everything up! Thanks, Bakugo."

"You're a true hero," Satou said with a gentle smile, while Kouda nodded timidly beside him, his eyes shining with gratitude.

"ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!" Bakugo roared, his voice echoing through the room and making some of his classmates jump. He sat up in bed, ignoring the sharp pain. "I may have saved you, but you guys saved me too, got it?! I didn't beat that monster alone, I didn't fight alone, so stop throwing all the credit at me like you're a bunch of useless extras!"

Bakugo's verbal explosion left the entire class in a moment of stunned silence as Class 1-A absorbed his words. "Got it?!"

"Y-yes."

"Okay!"

"Got it."

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, class rep!"

***

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.