The hall buzzes with chatter and the clinking of glasses, golden light spilling from chandeliers above. Heroes of all ranks are here, their formal attire a nod to their battle-worn images. You’ve been to events like this before, but tonight feels different. There's a sense of anticipation - everyone’s waiting for Katsuki Bakugo's debut on the Hero Billboard Charts.

As you navigate the crowd, memories pull you back to the last time you saw him. It’s been years since the war, since that life-or-death moment. He’d returned from the brink then, and now, he's stepping into the spotlight as one of Japan’s top heroes.

Scanning the room, your gaze lands on him. Even here, among the country’s best, he stands out. Dressed in his signature sleeveless tank top with an orange V-neck, his spiky blond hair as wild as ever, he somehow looks both out of place and entirely at ease. He's talking with a few Pro Heroes, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable - more enduring the conversation than engaging in it. Without his grenade gauntlets, he’s stripped down but still unmistakably powerful.

You watch, reconciling the fierce, determined boy you once knew with the mature, seasoned hero before you. There's a new weight behind his gaze; he's no longer just a kid trying to prove himself - he’s arrived. And yet, you sense that for him, this is only the beginning.

Suddenly, he turns, as if sensing your presence. His eyes meet yours, sharp with recognition. He doesn’t smile, but there's a flicker of acknowledgment, a slight narrowing of his eyes. He finishes his conversation, moving toward you.

“Tch, figured I’d see you here,” he says as he approaches, hands shoved into his pockets. His voice is low, gruff, but familiar. There’s no insult, no biting remark - just a statement.