Hiroko Kori/Synopsis

History

Hiroko grew up in a household of two heroes, Setsu (father) and Mizu (mother), also known was the hero duo Azure, the No. 3 heroes. Her parents originally, were not married and were friends from college. However, Setsu and Mizu developed a wanting to surpass other heroes, and they decided on a quirk marriage. A marriage in which they could have a child with a quirk powerful enough to surpass other heroes. They were disappointed at her birth of their first child Yuki (daughter), and they decided to have more children. After having Hiroko they were once again disappointed, but it changed when her fusion quirk manifested at the age of six, which by then they had already had three other children, Kai (son), Fuyu (daughter), and Kazahana (son).

However, after having four children they fell in love, and decided it was wrong of them to force their children into being heroes. For then on out, they were trained nicely at the ages of nine, but weren't forced into it if they didn't want to train. Hiroko looked up to the heroes on television, and her parents who she thought had the coolest quirks. Mizu encouraged Hiroko to follow her dreams and become a hero, and so she did.

Her happy upbringing gave her a life to look up to and well set goals, as well as a great support system from her siblings. She was able to partake in the U.A. Recommendations Entrance Exam where she met Inasa Yoarashi and Shoto Todoroki. She immediately hit it off with Inasa as they were both excited to take the exam, but didn't with Shoto, as he seemed to be cold and arrogant. After the exam is over and she takes second place in the practical exam she tries to talk to Shoto again, but he walks away without listening to a word she says.

Synopsis

Quirk Apprehension Test Arc

On the first day at U.A. High School, Hiroko meets Ochaco Uraraka in the hallway and they walk to class each other. Upon arriving at class Hiroko meets Izuku Midoriya who she finds to be really nice and genuine. After this greeting, their homeroom teacher Shota Aizawa who brings them to the field to take the Quirk Apprehension Test, a test that will test how well they can use their quirk in physical situations, such as running, strength, jumping, ect. Hiroko places first, from almost a close tie to Shoto Todorki.

Battle Trial Arc

The next day of school, All Might gives the class a Basic Hero Training lesson. He announces that the class will take part in combat training and instructs them to suit up in their hero costumes. Hiroko is paired up with Asui. During Katsuki Bakugo and Izuku Midoriya's fight, Hiroko is pleasantly surprised at Midoriya's ability to mold to the situation and avoid Bakugo's explosions.

For the second match, Hiroko and Asui are the Heroes against Shoto Todorki and Mezou as the Villains. When entering the building, Shoto freezes the whole building, making it harder for Asui to move around. Hiroko moves the ice to the side as they walk, and Hiroko notes they must be careful as Mezou could easily know their movements. Although upon arriving at Shoto, Mezou had exited the building. Shoto tries to freeze Asui to the ground, but Hiroko manipulates his ice away, and she keeps him busy. Hiroko takes out the Cascade d'étoiles and captures him in it as Asui touches the fake weapon securing their victory.

Hiroko and Asui have a high five as she looks over to Todoroki who wears a slightly surprised expression. She tells him not to be surprised, as he saw her abilities at the exam, but he walks away again coldly just as he did at the exam.

U.S.J. Arc

During their next homeroom class, Class 1-A is instructed to choose a Class President, and Tenya Ida suggests they take it to a vote. Unlike other students in the class, Hiroko doesn't vote for herself, and instead votes for Momo Yaoyorozu knowing she is responsible and would be up for the task.

In Hero Basic Training class, Class 1-A is assigned to Rescue Training in an off-campus facility. During the bus ride there, Hiroko sits next to Uraraka and Izuku talking to Uraraka talking to her about her quirk. Hiroko says she thinks Uraraka has a really cool quirk that could be extremely useful in battle, and Uraraka says she is very smart for her thinking during the Battle Trail. In response, Hiroko gets kind of shy, Eijiro Kirishima notes that her quirk would be perfect to become a famous pro hero one day.

The class reaches the training facility, Unforeseen Simulation Joint, and are greeted by Space Hero, "Thirteen", who built the facility. It was built as a training area for aspiring heroes to practice using their Quirks to save people. However, rescue training was interrupted by the arrival of several villains. While many of his classmates are paralyzed in fear, Hiroko activates her earrings and tries to contact U.A. with on avail. Hiroko states that the villains have a Quirk user among their ranks that can stop communications. She figures that the villains have a concrete objective in mind, understanding that no villain would plan this ambush without any scheme in mind.

Hiroko tries to evacuate with her class, but they are separated and warped into different simulation zones of the U.S.J. Hiroko ends up in the Squall Zone with Tokoyami and Koda. Due to the rain around them, she stops the rain and freezes it, turning it into sharp ice spikes and points them all at the villains. She tells them she will let go of the spikes if they don't spill information on why they are there, but to no avail, she then surrounds them with more spikes and they answer. The fearful villains tell her they came there to U.S.J. to kill All Might.

After this, she drops the spikes are covers the villains in ice so they cannot escape, and leaves Tokoyami and Koda to get rid of the rest. She then makes his way to the central plaza to find All Might trapped by Kurogiri and Nomu. Hiroko freezes half of Nomu's body to help All Might get free, and boasts that the Symbol of Peace will not die on this day. After getting up, All Might refuses any help from the students, so Shoto stays back and watches in awe of All Might's incredible power as he defeats Nomu.

Hiroko believes All Might will handle the rest of the villains as well and decides to stay back, but Izuku Midoriya rushes in to help All Might. Just as Kurogiri and Tomura Shigaraki attack, Tenya returns to the U.S.J. with Pro-Heroes as reinforcements.

The villains are then forced to retreat, and Hiroko gathers outside the facility with her classmates. She overhears Koda talking to Tokoyami about the battle in the Squall Zone and talks about how amazing Hiroko was. But she never realized that she was there and thought on how she could have accidentally restrain her with her ice after activating her quirk. Afterward, Hiroko and the others return to school.

U.A. Sports Festival Arc

Two days after the attack on the U.S.J., Hiroko and his classmates return to school and are lectured about the importance of the upcoming U.A. Sports Festival during their homeroom class. At lunch, Hiroko sits with Ochaco Uraraka and Tenya, and they talk about All Might taking a liking to Midoriya.

As the school day ends, Class 1-A is unable to leave their class thanks to the mob of students blocking the exit. The students are from other classes and are there to scope out their competition for the festival. Katsuki makes them all angry with his arrogant comments, putting a target on the backs of the students in Class 1-A. Hiroko tries to take back the words that Bakugo had said, but it was already to late.

For the next two weeks, Hiroko and her classmates train in order to prepare for the Sports Festival. When the day comes, Hiroko and her classmates prepare in their designated waiting area by changing into their P.E. clothes. Then, Shoto approaches Izuku and tells him that despite All Might's interest in Izuku, he thinks he is the stronger of the two of them. He goes on to express his intentions to defeat Izuku in the Sports Festival. Eijiro tries to diffuse the tension, but Shoto refuses him and reminds everyone that the festival is not a team effort. Before Shoto leaves, Izuku admits that although Shoto is stronger, he will still try his best to come out on top in the festival. Hiroko then realizes his competitiveness, maybe being the reason why he was so arrogant at the exam.

Once Midnight explains the rules and directs the pledge, the preliminary games begin. The first round is an obstacle race four kilometers around the area. Shoto gets a head start when he freezes the cluttered corridor but she trails behind by riding on a wave she created. Not long after, robots block their path, and Hiroko uses her water as blades to slash the robots into pieces, right after she makes supports of ice to keep them up.

Keeping her second place lead, Hiroko easily clears the next obstacle: The Fall. It is a large canyon that must be trekked by crossing tightropes. Similar to Shoto, she freezes the tightropes to slide on, but she notices that Bakugo is close behind her and she must get more clever since they are all to close to first. Hiroko reaches the final leg of the race; a Mine Field meant to burden those in the lead. Hiroko then creates a wave allowing her to ride it across the mine field allowing her to get ahead, and Bakugo to take second place. Angered, Katsuki states that Hiroko and Shoto issued his declaration of war to the wrong rival and the three begin to fight for first place as they traverse the field.

Moments later, Hiroko watches in amazement as Izuku flies towards her, Shoto and Katsuki after riding the momentum from an explosion he created. Izuku manages to pass them, but Hiroko catches up to him quickly by making her wave bigger. Hiroko realizes this will make it harder to pass the Mine Field, but she doesn't care if it gets muddy, cause it's her goal to win. Before she, Katsuki, or Shoto are able to reclaim the lead, Izuku triggers another explosion that momentarily stops them both. Although close behind, Hiroko crosses the finish line second after Izuku, and just milliseconds before Shoto. U.A. reviews the footage and claims her and Shoto to be in a tie for second place. Even though she is unhappy about being tied for second, Hiroko still qualifies for the second event; The Cavalry Battle.

After Midnight explains the rules of the Cavalry Battle, Hiroko watches as teams unsure of who to join, Shoto calls her over to join his team, although wanting to join Midoriya's team. Shoto explains to them that this is the strongest formation he could think of. After Shoto explains this strategy to their team, Hiroko asks if Shoto will use fire to create diversions. She watches as Shoto responds, when he looks deeply into the stands. He then claims he never uses his left side in battle. Shortly after the Cavalry Battle begins, Team Todoroki confronts Team Midoriya, who Hiroko wished they wouldn't approach.

Rival teams rush to the scene as well, forcing their team to make a move quickly. Shoto orders Denki to electrocute the other teams while Hiroko covers him in pure water as insulation (pure water doesn't conduct electricity, water with salts and minerals do) to protect himself. Afterwards, her and Shoto freezes the opposing teams and she snatches a few of their headbands, handing them to Shoto to take care of.

Even though Shoto's team corners Team Midoriya, Izuku has them keep their distance and remain on Shoto's left side. In this position, Shoto asks Hiroko to freeze them, but she to is unable to freeze them without hitting on her teammates. With time running low, Tenya uses his Recipro Burst special move, and in an instant Shoto snatches Team Midoriya's headband. Tenya's special move leaves the team immobilized, giving Team Midoriya the chance to try and reclaim the headband. Izuku charges at Shoto with his Quirk, and Shoto instinctively uses the fire from his left arm to try and counter. Izuku uses his Quirk to break Shoto's defense and steal a headband, albeit not the ten million point one because Shoto switched the headbands around to trick Izuku, but Hiroko notices he seems to busy berating himself up for something based on his expression.

Time continues to run down and Team Bakugo joins the fray. Both Teams Bakugo and Midoriya make one final effort at the ten million points, but time is almost over. Hiroko notices last few seconds dark shadow is making a move on one of the headbands. She tries to block his steal with ice, but the second time ends and he has already secured the headband, allowing Team Midoriya to go to the next round.

Midnight reveals that the finals will be a one on one fighting tournament and everyone draws lots for their matchups. Hiroko is set to face Ibara Shiozaki. Although she is unaware of Shiozaki's quirk and how it works. Before her match stars, Hiroko goes to get a drink of water to suffice hydration. Upon walking down the hallway she walks passed Endeavor, who comments on her exceptional quirk and her parents place as No. 3 heroes. Before leaving, she snaps back wittingly, realizing Shoto is the result of an abusive quirk marriage, and she leaves the hallway angrily. She arrives at the field, realizing that rain has started despite the weather report being clear all week. Regardless, the festival must keep going, and they fight underneath the rain.

As the match begins, Ibara shoots her vines at Hiroko, but she slices them in half with her water. Hiroko still angry with Endeavor, unleashes an enormous wave the size of a Tsunami, sweeping Ibara out of bounds. Hiroko is declared the winner. She manipulates the water into vapor and apologizes for using such an outrageous attack, reaching out a hand to help her up. Suddenly, the rain stops, and the clouds clear completely, reciprocating Hiroko no longer feels angry.

Returning to the stands, Uraraka and Izuku congratulate her with a large applause. She sits down trying to suppress the smile on her face, when Denki turns around from his seat below her, and he tells her not to suppress it. Hiroko agrees, letting the brilliant smile spread across her face, and Denki smiling in return.

During one of the next matchups, Uraraka vs Katsuki, Hiroko watches in amazement to Uraraka despite facing a very strong opponent. Upon the fight ending she checks up on her at recovery girl's room, complementing her on her strength during her fight and her wits, despite her losing. Once the calling of the next match is announced, she returns to the stands.

The matchup Izuku vs Shoto starts, and Hiroko quickly wonders about Izuku's quirk, as it's close resemblance to All Might's is uncanny. She over hears Bakugo telling his gang about Izuku originally being quirk-less, leading her to believe he could possibly posses the same quirk from chance. Although this thought is canceled once she realizes Izuku's body cannot seem to handle the repercussions.

As the second round continues, Hiroko is put up against Ida, where she starts the fight by creating a wall of ice, making Ida have to go around it. Ida goes on the side for a kick, but Hiroko rebounds it by her sword of ice which breaks, bouncing Ida away. Hiroko creates another wall of ice this time taller and thicker, as she releases fog making it harder to see. Ida jumps above the ice, ready to use his recipiro burst. But his kick only goes right through her due to her water body, but still making her fall.

Quickly getting up she leads Ida almost the end of the boundaries, although this time with a plan. Hiroko covers the ground stage in water to get ready for her attack, Ida looking confident has already jumped up getting ready to shoot another kick. As he gets near Hiroko she unleashes her Water Strike, shooting Ida further up into the air out of the boundaries. With that, Hiroko is declared the winner moving onto the next round.

In Hiroko's semi-final match up she will go against Shoto, but first she takes her time off before it starts. Getting ready to leave the stands, she hears four familiar voices. Realizing they are her siblings she runs out of the stands where her siblings Yuki, Kai, Fuyu, and Kazahana are. She hugs them all tightly in a big family hug, and she asks them where their parents are. Fuyu states they are out of the prefecture for a trip. Hiroko is put down by this, but she is encouraged by her siblings to do well. Kazahana gifts her a tall water bottles of high alkaline water which she drinks whole sufficing her energy and hydration. Her and Shoto are called to the field, and they indulged in one last hug before she leaves for the field.

With the countdown over, Hiroko and Shoto's match has finally started. Shoto starts off the battle with a massive mountain of ice, which she the manipulates out of leaving a whole in the ice. Hiroko wonders why he won't use his fire, knowing he cannot win without it, otherwise she will just manipulate his ice. Suddenly, Shoto walks out of the ring, forfeiting the match. Hiroko is left with her jaw wide open as she returns to the stands, sitting next to Uraraka, who pushes her jaw up to place. Uraraka asks her questions, but she is stuck into her thoughts on Shoto's restraint to fight, as she thought it was his goal of winning the tournament. Sighing, she looks up at the sky.

Instead of watching the next fight of Katsuki vs Tokoyami, she decided to go get another drink in the waiting area. Upon arriving she takes a seat, taking a large drink from her water bottle. In complete silence, she thinks about what could happen in the next round, as the only reason she won against Shoto is because he forfeited. She tries to call her parents on the phone, going straight to voicemail. With little confidence, she heads to the battle field where she is called.

The fight has officially started, and Hiroko hears booming voices from the crowd which appear to be her siblings, giving her more confidence. Hiroko starts off the match with a tall wall of ice trying to throw Katsuki off, but he outruns it, using his explosions to make her roughly scrape against the platform. Katsuki sends more explosions her way on the ground, but she easily cancels them out with water. Quickly, she gets up but is overwhelmed with Katsuki constant explosions despite cancelling most of them out.

Her fight continues as she tries her best to cancel Katsuki's explosions, but Hiroko feels her hydration is getting very low. She calls the last draw when she is punched to the ground with an explosion, twist her ankle causing her to hiss in pain. Have had enough with being beat up, Hiroko stands up, putting her weight on her left foot which isn't twisted. She fills the field with thick fog and uses her water slicer to throw Katsuki off guard, trying to use up all of his explosive power. Soon the stadium is cleared of fog, and Hiroko uses her one last attack idea she got from Uraraka. By saving us ice spikes in the sky above Katsuki throughout the match, she is able to use the ice spikes in a final attack which he can barely miss due to his lack sweat to use.

Almost about to fall over due to her lack in hydration, Hiroko releasees light mist and all the spikes she has been holding in the sky. The mist clears showing Katsuki frozen on the ground from the spikes, Katsuki unable to move, Hiroko is announced as the winner of the U.A. Sports Festival as she falls blank onto the battlefield ground.

Hiroko wakes up in the recovery room with Uraraka, Izuku, and Shoto standing secluded at the corner of the room. She stands up in her bed and asks what happened, her memory slightly hazy from the field. Uraraka tells her she won the sports festival and Shoto turns his head about to speak, but her siblings burst into the room. Gathering around her bed they ask her is she is okay, after talking with them for a bit they leave the room for the ceremony in the field

Shoto speaks us quietly saying she put up a good fight despite suffering injuries. Instead of replying with a thanks she asks him why he left the field when he did. He replies stating he wouldn't have won so there is no point, then brushing it off as nothing. Shoto then leaves the room, Hiroko catching a slight smile on his face. Izuku and Uraraka then reassure her what happened, and say they must leave for the ceremony. With Uraraka helping her out onto the field she is presented the gold metal for first place in the U.A. Sports Festival. Once returning to class they are excused for two days of school.

Hiroko Disappointed In Herself

Although instead of returning home Hiroko sits down in the hallway displeased on how she preformed during the festival. She thinks about her rough plans throughout, especially during the last fight in which she sprains her ankle badly, and running out of her hydration. Her thoughts are cut off when someone walks in front of her lending a hand for her to stand up. She looks up to see Shoto with his head turned the other way saying "Winners don't deserve to be on the ground." Hesitantly, Hiroko takes his hand, and he helps her to the entrance where he siblings are.

Vs. Hero Killer Arc

Once class resumes at U.A., Hiroko joins her class in learning about Hero Informatics. Shota reveals the Pro-Hero draft results, with Shoto leading the entire class with 4,123 offers from pros, and her close behind with 4,067 offers. Midnight joins the class to help the students choose their hero names. Hiroko opts for the name "Koriko," for her hero name.

After choosing code names concludes, Shota informs his students that they will choose a hero agency to intern at for a week from a list of their nominations. Hiroko notices her parents agency is among the choices. When the first day of the internships arrive, Hiroko meets with her classmates at the train station to get her new costume and travel to the office of his choice. Before she departs, Shoto notices that Tenya appears to be perturbed by news of his brother's assault at the hands of Hero Killer: Stain.

Hiroko arrives in Tokyo at the Azure Hero Agency, which she is greeted by her parents. She states she has chosen their agency, but she would like to follow her own path to becoming a hero. Setsu and Mizu test her skills inside to train. After, they head out to Hosu City to track down the Hero Killer.

While looking for the hero killer in Hosu, Hiroko and Mizu notice an explosion in the distance. Mizu rushes towards the event, but Hiroko gets a message on her earrings from Deku with a location attached. She tells her mother to go handle the scene while she heads to the location, and requests that her mother send enforcement as soon as possible.

Hiroko arrives at the scene just in time to save Tenya from Stain and forces the villain back with her water slicer, just behind her arrives Shoto. Shoto scolds Izuku for not supplying any more details in the message since they could have died if Hiroko hadn't arrived before him. Hiroko tells Izuku that she figured out his message was likely a call for assistance and that pro heroes are coming. Her and Shoto use waves of ice to keep Stain at bay while securing their allies at the same time. Stain evades another strong strike of water and her and Shoto declare they won't let anyone at the scene die.

Izuku warns them that Stain's Quirk can paralyze them if he gets some of his blood. Hiroko states he cannot get blood since she is made of water, unless she is extremely low on hydration. Shoto states they need to fight from a distance, and a knife head from Shoto's head when Hiroko stops it with her Cascade d'étoiles. Stain tries to attack them from above from above, but Shoto blocks it using a block of ice. Hiroko tries to capture stain with her whip, but she sees stain threw his katana at the same time as a distraction. Stain tries to slash Hiroko close in combat, but is in shock as the knife goes right through water instead. With him close in combat, Shoto backs him away with his fire.

Stain praises Hiroko and Shoto for their strength and is forced back by a combination of ice attacks and fire attacks by Shoto. Tenya pleads for them to stop fighting because "Ingenium" must be the one who defeats the hero killer. Shoto replies that his statement is strange because he never saw the scowl of vengeance on Ingenium's face that he sees on Tenya and he knows there is a lot going on behind the scenes in his family as well. Hiroko creates a massive wall of ice, but Stain slashes through it and tells Hiroko that it is foolish to block his own view when his opponent is farther than him. Stain then stabs Shoto's left with two throwing knives and moves above him.

Just as he is about to stab Shoto from above, Izuku unexpectedly grabs him and tackles him away. Hiroko suggests that Stain's Quirk must have a limit, but Native explains that Izuku was the last to suffer from it, so that cannot be the case. Izuku comes to the conclusion that Stain's Quirk's effectiveness varies depending on blood type, which the hero killer confirms.

Shoto states that he and Hiroko would have liked to carry the injured away but Stain will not give them an opening to do so. Hiroko, Shoto, and Izuku decide to hold the villain off until reinforcements arrive. With Shoto already bleeding, Hiroko says she will fight the closest as she cannot bleed, and with Izuku not far behind her. Shoto agrees to protect Tenya and Native together with Izuku. She remembers worrying about Tenya ever since his older brother Ingenium was attacked because she knows how someone will act on distress. Hiroko also has experienced first hand on how anger can extremely fog and mess with ones judgement.

She recalls slowly making amends with her parents, and how ti is slowly clearing her judgement of them. Hiroko feels bitter of originally being from a quirk marriage, but they apologized for being selfish when deciding to have kids to be the No. 1 hero. Her parents encouraged her to take her own path, whichever way she wants to take, and to follow it without anything ever holding her back against her dreams. A reason she decided her parents agency, because she wants to forgive them and learn from the number three heroes. She realized things could have been made easier, but not if she didn't meet Izuku at U.A.

While the ferocity of the battle is continuing to rise, Stain heightens his strength and overpowers Izuku. He cuts open his leg and licks the blood to paralyze him. Hiroko attempts to capture him again in her whip, but Tenya pleads for them to stop fighting. Hiroko and Shoto reject together his plea and Shoto tells Tenya to stand up if he wants them to stop. Stain dashes towards the both of them, evading the ice and water the latter sends at him. Stain slashes through a wall of ice and water and goes to attack Shoto, who responds by releasing his fire and encourages Tenya to never forget who he wants to become.

As Hiroko tries to force the hero killer away, he gets closer and closer every-time he evades her attacks. Shoto uses his ice as well, but Stain is too fast and closes the distance between them. The Hero Killer comments that they are too careless because they are too focused on their Quirk and nearly takes Shoto out using the katana. Tenya breaks free from the paralysis in time to save Shoto using his Recipro Burst to break the katana and kick Stain flying back.

Tenya apologizes for getting his friends involved as he states his eyes have been opened, but Stain refutes this and states that Tenya will never reform into a true hero. Hiroko states to Tenya not to listen to the villain's words, but Tenya agrees that he is not a true hero. Nevertheless, Tenya believes he cannot give up or else the name of Ingenium will die. Stain attacks again, but Shoto forces him back with her water. Native urges Hiroko and Shoto to leave, but she declines and says that Stain will not give them any opening. Hiroko notices that Stain's Quirk is not very effective against many people, and he also isn't especially physically strong either as he relies on his Quirk and weapons. Shoto says that Stain has only gotten more tenacious in his attempts to kill his targets.

Hiroko continues to keep Stain at bay with medium to long ranged water attacks, and Tenya asks Shoto if he can regulate temperature. Shoto responds by admitting he is not used to doing so with his left side yet, but Tenya asks him to freeze his legs without blocking the exhausts. Annoyed with Hiroko's interference, Stain throws a knife at her head, but she grabs it with her whip in her free hand, breaking it in half. This gives Shoto enough time to do as Tenya asks and cools down the radiators on his leg. This allows Tenya to unveil his new special move: Recipro Extend. Then Tenya and Izuku rush Stain by using their Quirk's to scale the alleyway and strike the Hero Killer simultaneously.

Stain reels back from the students' teamwork and tries to slash Tenya, but he evades and kicks the villain higher into the air. Realizing that this is his chance, Shoto blasts Stain and finally connects with a stream of fire. Hiroko secures her allies by using ice to lighten their falls and tells them to get ready to continue fighting. However, Hiroko looks up and sees they have already defeated the hero killer stain.

Shoto asks Hiroko about her whip, and she tells him her whip is extremely strong and extendable. Hiroko restrains the Hero Killer using her whip and walks next to Shoto following Tenya, and Native carrying Izuku out to the street. Shoto comments that they barely won four on one with Stain making several mistakes and that it is likely Stain became flustered and forgot Izuku's recovery time, making him unable to compensate for their last joint assault. They are met by several Pro-Heroes who offer to call an ambulance and the police. Tenya cries and takes a moment to ask for his friend's forgiveness and Shoto says that Tenya is the class president and needs to pull himself together.

Then suddenly the last Nomu swoops down from the sky and snares Izuku. Before it gets too far away, Stain breaks out of the tight grip of Cascade d'étoiles, recovers and uses his Quirk to stop it. Then he saves Izuku by grabbing him and stabbing Nomu's brain. In spite of being heavily injured, Stain states that the "fake" pro heroes and the pathetic criminals in society must be purged to create a more just society. Hiroko and everyone are extremely taken aback by his actions. Stain challenges all the heroes to try and stop him. The bandages over his face fall off and he releases a malicious aura that paralyzes everyone with fear, including Hiroko. The Hero Killer prepares to attack, but his perforated lungs cause him to lose consciousness.

Hiroko, Shoto, Izuku, and Tenya are taken to Hosu General Hospital and spend most of the night without sleep. The next morning, the quartet discuss their encounter with the Hero Killer and Hiroko says he appeared to be holding back, for a reason she is unsure. Their conversation is interrupted when the Chief of Hosu City Police, Kenji Tsuragamae arrives. He informs them that Stain is undergoing treatment for his injuries and because they acted on their own without permission, they must be punished.

Hearing this news, Hiroko talks out that is unfair the Police would expect them to follow the law when people's lives were at risk, refuting that the job as a Hero is to save people. Hiroko stands up from her bed walking up the Police Chief when Gran Torino stops her to hear Kenji out. Since there were not enough witnesses to report the incident regarding Stain the incident will remain undisclosed. However, as a result, Izuku, Hiroko, Shoto, and Tenya will not get any recognition for their valiant efforts. After Kenji shows his gratitude Shoto says that the chief should have lead the conversation with that, and the four thank him for pardoning them.

The following day, when Izuku returns to their room, Shoto informs Hiroko and Izuku that Tenya got his medical results back. Tenya reveals that his hand was badly damaged in the battle and it will not heal so it serves as a reminder of his un-heroic deeds. Izuku promises to do the same and they make a pact to become stronger.

Shoto apologizes for supposedly being cursed, as it seems that whenever he is involved in a skirmish, his friends' hands get messed up. Izuku and Tenya are surprised that Shoto can crack a joke, but he claims to be completely serious, calling himself a "hand crusher" and leading the young Heroes to laugh together.

Once the week concludes and the student internships ends, Hiroko returns to U.A. High. Her classmates question Izuku, Tenya, about the incident in Hosu City. Sworn by the Police to be completely silent, Shoto and Hiroko tell their classmates they were saved by Endeavor and Azure at the incident and that they were not included in any fighting. In their next Basic Hero Training class, the class participates in rescue races.

Final Exams Arc

One week before the final exams, Aizawa reminds Class 1-A to study hard for their written and practical components before ending class. Denki and Mina admit they haven't studied at all because of the events that have taken place throughout the term. Having placed second on the midterms, Hiroko states that if they paid more attention in class they wouldn't have placed so bad on the midterms.

During lunch, Hiroko sits with Izuku, Tenya, Shoto, Ochaco, Tsuyu Asui, and Toru. She listens as they discuss what they believe the practical test will contain. They learn from Itsuka Kendo that the test may consist of fighting against robotic villains. Back in class, Denki and Mina are delighted by this, but Katsuki is annoyed by their behavior. He yells at them, and then openly claims he will receive a better grade than both Shoto, Hiroko, and Izuku before storming out of the classroom.

A week passes and Class 1-A finishes the written section of the finals. They change into their hero costumes and join their teaches at the practical exam area. There, Principal Nezu announces the practical portion will involve pairs of students facing off against one teacher. Hiroko is pared up with Denki Kaminari.. Prior to that day, the teachers discussed the pairings. Nezu stats he paired Hiroko with Denki because he believes Denki can learn a lot from Hiroko.

During Shoto and Momo's battle against Eraser Head, Hiroko pays close attention to Shoto when he uses his ice, as she isn't as confident in her abilities to use her ice. She is amazed by Momo's smart and quick thinking intellect, and Shoto's ability to control his ice. Hiroko both compliments them when they return from their match against Eraser Head, with both of them winning cleverly.

After the next match passes, Hiroko and Denki meet in Ground Gamma. She asks if Denki is nervous, to which he shakes, Hiroko reassures him that she has a rough plan. The match starts with Hiroko and Denki running throughout ground gamma away from Nezu, although her original plan was to run. She decides they need to hide to think, and she distracts Nezu while using her whip to make him think they are going another way.

Once hidden, Denki states Nezu is little, if they can isolate him he can electrocute him. Hiroko realizes Nezu's weakness from Denki's idea. She says Nezu's weakness is his size since he isn't physically strong. Because it is his intellect keeping him afloat. To counter this, she attempts explaining her plan, but Nezu bursts through their hideout making them have to runaway again. Nezu destroys everything behind them, giving no opening. While running, Hiroko thinks about her plan, as even if she went for it, it is unlikely to work due to his intellect. She says she could unleash a mountain of ice, but Nezu uses his wrecking ball to make a large pipe fall onto Denki. Nezu says she should have talked over her plan more clearly, and he leaves for unknown reasons.

She looks in distress at Denki who is struggling to get the pipe off of him. Denki asks her about the plan she created, but she tells him it is unlikely to work. Pondering her thoughts, he encourages her to trust herself, and he points out her strong intellect at the Sports Festival. Denki also says he believes in her leadership with a reassuring smile. Hearing this revitalizes Hiroko's confidence. She destroys Nezu's wrecking ball with Cascade d'étoiles by wrapping it around many times, and pulling on it tightly breaking it into thousands of pieces. The breaking of the ball gives Hiroko enough time to use her water slicer to break the pipe on top of Denki, and she claims she has a unique plan to defeat their principal.

Denki asks Hiroko what her pan is but Nezu interrupts to attack them. Quickly, Hiroko grabs a hold onto Denki's waist, and she uses Cascade d'étoiles to lift them to the to the top of Ground Gamma where Nezu is. She tells Denki he must be away from close facility; he runs away to the side of her. As Nezu closes near her, she unleashes a mountain of thick, towering spikes of ice, which Denki comments to reach to the heavens calling it Prickling Haven Spikes.

Now protected from the spikes of ice, Denki asks Hiroko what her plan is. She explains it is a largely modified version of her original plan and goes on to share the entire plan with Denki. He doesn't object a word and Nezu breaks through the mountain of spikes with a seemingly improved wrecking ball. However, his vehicle seems to have a rough time traversing due to the damage it endured in the ice. Nezu moves quickly in his vehicle to get up to Denki and Hiroko. Denki appears far to the side of him, and turns around roughly to go to him. Sipping his tea joyfully, Hiroko appears, kicking him out of the vehicle. She throws Nezu in her whip, allowing Denki to electrocute him. With Denki now short circuited, principal Nezu sits dizzily unable to move.

Hiroko handcuffs their soon after and Denki asks dizzily if their plan went how it's supposed to. Hiroko says she barely got Nezu's opening to kick him, but besides that it all went smoothly. Nezu asks why she didn't take the opening he gave them at the start, to which she replies defeating him would have been to easy. Denki comes more slowly to his senses and thanks Hiroko for her brilliant plan. She starts to feel faint due to her extremely low hydration, and Denki and her walk back to U.A.

Once they reach U.A. Shoto stands in the front with a large water bottle. He puts it in her hands, before walking away without a word. She looks at the water bottle noticing the high alkalinity sticker, Hiroko is impressed of Shoto's remembrance of her need of high alkaline water. Back at the watching room she approaches Shoto. She thanks him for the water, saying she desperately needed it. He replies saying it was nothing, and Denki interrupts saying she was great during the match. Hiroko notices Shoto's put off expression, but she is pulled to the side by Denki again.

After all practical exams conclude, Class 1-A returns to class the next day. Hiroko learns she passed both the written and practical portions of the finals, and will attend training camp over the summer. Her classmates opt to go to the mall to prepare, and she agrees happily. She asks Shoto as well, but he says he has plans for other things which Hiroko respects.

The next day at the mall, Hiroko is shown trying on various outfits for summer camp.