Chapter 53: Aftermath of the Battle

I slowly opened my eyes, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my head. As my vision cleared, I saw that I was in a hospital bed, surrounded by the familiar white walls of the UA infirmary. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back onto the bed. Aizawa sensei was sitting beside me, a concerned expression on his face. "Easy, kid," he said, his voice soft. "You're going to need some time to recover." I tried to speak, but my voice came out in a croak. Aizawa sensei handed me a glass of water, and I took a sip, feeling it soothe my parched throat. As I looked around, I saw Bakugo sitting in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on me with a mixture of concern and annoyance. I tried to remember what had happened, and slowly, the events of the battle came flooding back. Aizawa sensei smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You did well, kid," he said. "You managed to take third place in the tournament." I felt a surge of pride, mixed with relief. I had made it out alive, and I had even managed to place. Just then, the door burst open, and a tall, blond-haired man strode in. He was dressed in a sleek black costume, and his eyes gleamed with amusement. "Ah, congratulations are in order, I see," he said, his voice smooth. "Third place, wasn't it? I'm Hawks, the Number 3 Hero." I stared at him, feeling a little awestruck. I had heard of him, of course – who hadn't? – but I had never met him in person. Hawks walked over to me, a smile spreading across his face. "I've been watching you, kid," he said. "You've got potential. I'm glad to see you did well." He turned to Bakugo, his eyes glinting with amusement. "And I see you're still as... protective as ever," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Bakugo scowled, but Hawks just chuckled. "I'll let you two catch up," he said. "I have some business to attend to. But I'll be back, kid. I want to see more of you in action." With that, he turned and strode out of the room, leaving me to wonder what had just happened. Aizawa sensei leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It seems you have a lot of attention now," he said. "Not just from us, but from the heroes as well." I felt a shiver run down my spine. I had a feeling that my life was about to get a lot more complicated.