The moment Sadako said "labs," Deku grabbed her ankle and twisted it, causing her to fall to the ground.
"I don't think so, Deku," she sneered, shaking her head as she pressed a button on her remote.
His body trembled violently as he struggled against her control.
Krista kneed the Hanyou holding her in the stomach. "Leave Deku alone!" she shouted, sprinting toward Sadako with the intent to grab the remote.
"You can't save him now, Kraehe," Sadako said, slipping the remote into her pocket and grabbing Krista's wrists. "You lost once—can you bear to lose again?"
With a sharp motion, Sadako knocked Krista to the ground. Everything around her spun, and Krista felt herself shaking. Chaos had brought her to her knees again. Just like before. If Sadako had killed Krista's beloved through her before, wouldn't it be just as easy for her to kill Deku? Krista had thought she was invincible. She had forgotten how dangerous Sadako could be with the right ammunition. She should have faced her alone.
Sadako raised a hand to strike her, but before she could land the blow, she was grabbed from behind and thrown across the room.
Krista looked up, blinking in surprise. Deku was standing over her, his breathing heavy, his eyes filled with determination.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice steady despite the chaos around them.
"You…" Krista stammered in shock. "Never mind…sorry. Let's just get her, okay?"
"Okay," Deku nodded.
Krista lunged at Sadako, pinning her against the wall and forcing her hands to her sides so she couldn't reach the remote.
"Deku, get the remote," Krista commanded. "She can't move."
Deku sprinted over, grabbed the remote from Sadako's pocket, and smashed it to pieces.
"What did you do with One For All?" Deku demanded.
"I'm not telling you where it is," Sadako said, her voice strained under the pressure Krista was applying.
Shoto, Bakugo, and Rachel appeared behind them, dragging four angry Hanyous into the room (not counting Deku and Krista).
"There are eight of us, and only one of you," Deku said firmly.
"I could just probe your mind," Krista said, her tone sharp and impatient.
"Try it, and I'll kill you," Sadako snapped. "I'm not putting One For All back into play just yet. I thought maybe… just maybe, we could make a trade."
"What do you want?" Deku asked, narrowing his eyes.
"My sister back on her side," Sadako replied, her gaze shifting to Krista. A smirk crossed her lips. "Release her. Release her from your claws."
"You're not considering this?" Deku asked Krista, his voice rising with alarm.
"No more deaths," Krista said softly. "No one else gets hurt."
"I promise," Sadako said smoothly. "I just want to make things right. To be the same again."
The room felt like it was spinning again.
"You can't just trade yourself!" Shoto yelled from behind her.
"She's lying to you!" Bakugo shouted, his tone filled with frustration.
Sadako remained silent, her expression calculating. She was testing Krista.
"You… you can't do this," Deku pleaded.
"You did," Krista replied coldly. She stepped to Sadako's side.
Without hesitation, Krista grabbed Sadako's arm and dropped a strange, syringe-like device onto the floor in front of them.
Deku recognized it immediately, cradling it in his hands almost reverently. "One for All."
But then his gaze cut to Krista as he remembered All Might. All Might wouldn't want this.
"Even trade," Krista said, her voice steady but her heart heavy. She led Sadako out of the room, leaving everyone behind in stunned silence.