Dragon of the Academia-14
"Athena." Yang shouted out, as she burst through the nurse's office with Spiderman following close behind. All Might, Nezu, Hound Dog, and Aizawa standing around the bed with Recovery Girl, in which the cocoon was still there. "Why isn't she out of the cocoon yet?"
"We can't really do anything regarding the cocoon. It's alive, and is preventing us from doing what we need to, in order to get Athena out of there." Recovery Girl said.
"This isn't just any cocoon. It's Venom." Spiderman said, after getting a good look at it.
"It's what?" All Might questioned. "I thought we destroyed the last of Venom back in New York."
"Well we didn't. He kept coming back, and even began targeting those close to me. He must have been able to sneak his way onto the fairgrounds somehow but… the plushy. Venom was hiding inside the limited edition plushy of me." Spiderman exclaimed. "The one Athena won in one of the games in the fairgrounds."
"Um, hello, mind filling the rest of us in on what you two are talking about?" Yang questioned.
"Right, right sorry." Spiderman said. "Venom is a living symbiote made from my DNA, by a madman named Doctor Octavius, or as he's more commonly known as, Dr. Octopus."
"Spiderman and I had put a stop to his dastardly deeds when I was helping him settle in New York." All Might said.
"If Venom is cocooning Athena, then it can only mean one thing." Spiderman said. "He's trying to make her his next host."
"How would the symbiote go about that?" Hound Dog asked.
"First off, he'd have to get a strong grip on her mind." Spiderman said.
"Well then we don't really have anything to worry about." Yang said, with a smile.
"What are you talking about?" Spiderman questioned.
"Saffron, will keep Athena safe." Yang said.
"Saffron?" Hound Dog questioned.
"The guard of her mind." All Might said, right before the cocoon began to crack, and Athena burst out of it, looking completely fine, taking in a deep breath.
"What happened, what time is it, where am I?" Athena asked.
"Easy you're in the Recovery Girl's temporary office. You've been encased in that cocoon for about ten minutes now." Nezu said.
"Great, I haven't missed my fight yet, have I?" Athena asked, getting up and on her legs.
"No, but do you really think you should be going out there, just after Venom merged himself to you?" Spiderman asked.
"Oh, Venom is long gone." Athena smiled, dusting off her arms. "Saffron actually killed his mind, and took over his body."
As if to prove her point, the symbiote began to take shape, before it turned into a panther cub with dragon wings, and white bone plating, giving off a gentle mew.
"Ow, it's so cute." Yang smiled.
"Saffron now has a new body, which means I don't have to be asleep to talk with her, and best part is…"
"I can actually talk now." Saffron said, her voice sounding a lot similar to a familiar blue guild cats.
"So, I'll catch you all later." Athena smiled, putting Saffron in Yang's arms and running out the door.
"So… what's gonna happen with Bakugo?" Yang asked.
"He's being detained. But since he's been disqualified, for nearly killing a classmate, the finals are gonna have to be something different." Nezu said.
"I think I might have an idea." Spiderman said.
"I have an idea to, and it involves improving Athena's exhibition event." Yang smiled.
~Hall to the Arena~
"Gotta make it in time." Athena said, running down the hall.
Athena was excited for this fight. Well, she was mainly excited because she could actually hug Saffron again, but that didn't seem to stop her from wanting to go to the fight against Todoroki. When she neared the tunnel, she had to stop, when she smelt the scent of sulfur from around the corner, and saw who the scent was coming from. Endeavor rounded the corner, revealing his full height to her, before looking down as he spotted her.
"Endeavor?" Athena questioned, taking a step back.
"Ah, I was looking for you." The flame hero said turning to her.
"Uh, hi I guess. So what are you doing back here?" Athena questioned as Endeavor stepped towards her.
"I saw the power you demonstrated when defending that brunet girl from Katsuki Bakugo's attempt at killing her. It reminds me of another Quirk. You seem to have much in common with All Might." Endeavor exclaimed pointing a finger at her.
"Well that shouldn't be surprising, since I've been training under him for the past several years." Athena exclaimed moving around the flame hero. "Sorry, but I should get going."
"It's my Shoto's duty to surpass All Might as the #1Hero, and his match with you, will be a good testing ground to see how much training he has left." Endeavor stated causing Athena to stop in her tracks. "So hit him hard. Don't disgrace yourself or him by holding back. That's all I wanted to say. I apologize for bothering you." Endeavor said, as he began to walk away. "If you would like, I could arrange for you and my Shoto to get married after graduation, to produce strong heirs to the empire you two could make together."
"Endeavor." Athena simply said, causing the Flame Hero to stop talking. "I might be fighting your son in this match, but he is my friend. He isn't you, and I'm not some tool to marry off like your wife's family did to her. So if you go anywhere near him, or try to do anything to get me and him married without our consent, and I hear about it, I don't care if U.A expels me, I will tear your head from your body."
"Impudent little brat." Endeavor growled.
"Let me make one thing especially clear to you, and that thick skull of yours." Athena said. "Marriage, isn't something to be forced, it's a relationship that's to be nurtured and cared for. A bond to be made cherished. It's not something that can be made overnight, and it certainly isn't something you can make contrived."
"Watch your tongue little girl. I don't care if you are a crippled child dealing with trauma from what happened at the USJ. I will silence you, if I have to." Endeavor said.
"Making threats on a student now? My, how low the mighty have fallen." Athena said, walking off. Once she was sure, Endeavor was out of range to hear her, she pulled out her scroll, and dialed up Yang's number, after she stopped the recording function. "Hey mom, it's me… He took the bait… Good, everything set for the exposition match?… Perfect."
~Stadium~
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have just received word that Athena Xiao Long is perfectly fine, and will be able to participate in her next fight." Present Mic called out as Yang came back to the announcer's booth with Saffron in her arms.
"Also, due to the fact that there are now an uneven amount of contestants, the final fight in the tournament, will be a three way Battle Royale between the three finalists." Yang said. "For those of you who were hoping Uraraka would move on to the next round, I'm sorry to say, her condition is too severe for that, so we…" Yang stopped as the sound of whispering could be heard before she started to speak again. "This just in folks, I've just received word that Ochako Uraraka has insisted she continue to participate, despite her injuries. Now that's going beyond, Plus Ultra."
"An' now, the moment you've all been anticipating, the fight between the daughter of the #2 Hero golden Huntress, Athena Xiao Long, and the son of the former #2 Hero Endeavor, Shoto Todoroki." Mic called out as the combatants came out of their tunnels, Athena thrusting her right arm up into the air, causing the crowd to cheer on.
"So you're still able to fight, after that thing cocooned you?" Todoroki questioned.
"Eh, it wasn't too scary, plus I got free from its grip, easily." Athena said.
"Fighters, are you ready?" Midnight questioned raising her tussled whip. "Begin."
(Cue Music… All Eyes on You: Smash into Pieces)
As soon as Midnight shouted for the match to start, Todoroki stepped forward with his right foot and sent a wave of ice at Athena, hoping to freeze her in place, or knock her out of the ring with it.
Athena just stood there, and took the hit from the glacier, surprising the crowd as it formed around her, freezing Athena in place.
Midnight was about to declare Todoroki the winner, when the ice began to crack, before it burst out into shards, revealing Athena standing there, but her scales had changed colors. They were now an icy blue, instead of scarlet red.
"What's this? Athena's scales have changed color. Care to elaborate blondie?" Mic questioned turning to Yang.
"It's simple Mic. When Athena focuses all her energy on one element of her Etherion abilities, and no other, her scales change color accordingly, showing she's focused on using that single element." Yang said.
"An' what element could she possibly be using now?" Mic questioned.
"Ice Dragon: Talon." Athena called out, ice claws growing over her hands and feet, as she ran at Todoroki and sent a flying kick at him, to which he dodged.
"You absorbed my ice?" Todoroki questioned.
"I ate your ice. Gave me the boost I needed for focusing solely on the single element." Athena said, swiping her claws at him, charging One-for-All, through her entire body.
Slamming her foot on the ground, Athena sent a pillar of ice up at Todoroki, knocking him on the underside of the chin.
'If I focus on using nothing but my ice, I'll eventually force him to use his flames.' Athena thought. 'Hopefully.'
After regaining his footing, Todoroki sent a pillar of ice at Athena, knocking her back, to the edge of the arena, inches away from going over the line.
After getting up, the young heroine in training ran for her opponent, but before Athena could even make it to Todoroki, she was stopped by another wave of ice speeding at her, knocking her off the platform she stood on. Before she could land on the ground outside the fighting ring, her scales, turned an orangey red, and flames burst from the souls of her feet, shooting her back into the arena before hitting the ground. Curling up and rolling, Athena managed to get back onto her feet, before lunging at Todoroki, returning to using ice, creating a path, allowing her to skate along the surface and go faster.
She threw her fist forward, and was met with a wall of ice, that shattered instantly, as it wasn't very strong, since Todoroki had created it within only a few seconds before Athena's fist could make contact.
With the shattering of the ice, Athena jumped back, giving herself space between herself and Todoroki.
'He keeps countering my attacks with his ice. I have to get him to use his flames, not because his dad requested me to get him to use them, fuck that bastard, but because I don't wanna see him get hurt from holding himself back.' Athena thought. 'Which means I don't really have a choice, but to use that.'
Athena took a stance and braced herself as she held out her right arms with her middle finger and thumb in a flicking motion.
"SMASH." Athena shouted, flicking her finger, and sending a shockwave of air to counter the wave of ice.
As the counter attack neared him, Todoroki propped up a wall of ice to keep himself from being sent flying out of the ring. Causing the wave of arctic cold air to go careening towards the crowd.
'So my gemstone arm, really is capable of withstanding 100% of my One-for-All. It's good to know, but that doesn't matter, as much as getting Todoroki to break his vow.' Athena thought as she looked up to see Todoroki still standing there, looking at her stunned.
"Wow, Xiao Long managed to break Todoroki's insane move, truly incredible." Present Mic called out.
'She had no way of knowing how powerful Young Todoroki's attack was going to be. So she abandoned restraint on her One-for-All, and fired off a shot at a hundred percent.' Toshinori thought as he clenched a fist over his knee. 'She could have countered with a widdled down fire Dragon's roar, but she's sticking to using only ice, so why is she doing this, what's her angel?'
Without restraint, Todoroki sent another wave of ice at Athena, aiming for the same results.
"SMASH." Athena shouted, using her finger to send another shockwave on the barrage.
'I don't know much about Todoroki's fighting style. His attacks are so fast neither Midoriya, nor I can't collect data on him.' Athena thought, her right arm shaking in pain, but held tight with her determined face. 'But he's slowing down, making his attacks simple to deduce based on how he uses his Quirk. So during this fight, I need to focus on getting him to accept who he is, and forget who his father wants him to be.'
"Let's continue." Todoroki stated, placing his right foot forward, and throwing his arm out towards her.
Athena's eyes widened before she felt a heavy pressure wrap around her waist and arms. She looked down, and saw that her body from the waist down, as well as her arms, were enveloped in ice, leaving her in a position, where only the front part of her torso was visible.
'He restrained me in his ice?' Athena thought as she struggled to break free.
"This match is over." Todoroki exclaimed. "I'd have preferred if you had come out unscathed, but I guess it was inevitable."
Todoroki turned around, and began to walk, as Midnight came over to Athena, and questioned whether or not she could go on.
"This match isn't over." Athena growled, struggling to break free. "You hear me Shoto? This match isn't over."
'Move.' Athena thought, as she tried to force herself out of her icy restraints. 'Move damn it.'
"Hey easy, don't try and force yourself to…"
"I'm not done. Shoto I'm not done, until you accept the truth." Athena growled as she interrupted Midnight's warning, about over pushing her limits.
"An' what truth would that be Xiao Long?" Todoroki questioned, without turning back to look at her.
"That your left side, isn't a curse." Athena glared, as the ice encasing her slowly began to crack. "Just because half your Quirk came from that rat-bastard, Endeavor, doesn't mean, it's not your own. It's your power, your own unique Quirk." Athena exclaimed, as she forced more of the ice to crack, and break around her. "So until you learn that truth about yourself, I will not stop, until it's pounded through your skull Shoto Todoroki." With that last outburst, Athena broke through the ice, and went running at Shoto, full speed.
Todoroki turned around and looked at Athena, just as she landed an uppercut on the underside of his jaw, sending him off the ground, before he landed on his back, with Athena straddling his waist, as she continued to slam her fists into his face.
"It's your Quirk Shoto." Athena declared as she paused in her beating on him. "It's your own power, don't let that bastard decide your destiny for you."
Todoroki, slammed his right hand on the ground, creating a pillar of ice that knocked her off him. Picking himself up, Todoroki's back was to her, but he turned around completely and stomped his right foot forward, sending a wave of ice at Athena. To counter it, Athena raised her hand again, and flicked another shockwave at his attack, destroying the barrage of ice coming towards her sending Todoroki flying back, landing just in front of the boundary line, only to stop short, as he created another ice wall that caught him.
Picking himself up once more, Todoroki glared at Athena, as she clenched her fist, and held it out in front of her.
"C'mon Shoto. Fight me with all you have. How can you ever expect to become a true hero using only half your Quirk?" Athena shouted.
Todoroki sent another wave of ice at Athena, using it as a distraction to create a ramp of ice he used to go running up and jumping off of, coming for a straight attack from above.
Athena saw Todoroki's shadow coming, and moved out of the way, before Todoroki's fist hit the ground, creating a geyser of ice that sprouted from that spot.
The instant Athena was air born, Todoroki sent a wave of ice at her, grabbing one of her ankles.
Using only 10% of One-for-All, Athena broke free of the icy restraint, shattering the ice, before flipping through the air, and landing in the middle of the stadium, stumbling a bit before she caught her balance again. The instant she landed, Todoroki sent another, much larger wave of ice at her. She grit her teeth, and clenched her right fist, enveloping it in black ice and One-for-All, before she threw the punch.
"Did the ice just turn black?" Mic questioned.
'She's learned how to forcefully evolve her Dragonslayer magic into Godslayer Magic.' Yang thought. 'How?'
As the shattered ice scattered, Athena was seen panting, standing on unstable legs as she was preparing for another attack to come at her, and her right hand raised and ready for combat. Todoroki had acted quickly, and created an ice barrier around himself, that kept him from flying out of the arena.
'He's not just strong, he's fast to. But that doesn't mean jack when I can clearly see, he's slowing down.' Athena contemplated as she steadied her breathing.
'If the fight drags on like this, Xiao Long's stamina will be drained and Recovery Girl won't be able to heal any injuries she might sustain until it returns. I have to end this fast. I thought restraining her in a position where she couldn't move her arms and legs properly would end the fight, but her drive, and determination, allowed her to overcome her weakness, and forced herself to break through my ice. I need to end this now. But she seems determined to succeed at something, what that could be I have a good guess.' Todoroki thought.
"I'm sorry about this." Todoroki stated. "But thanks for drawing it out. Look at him." Athena turned her head to see Endeavor now standing in the crowd in the stands. Looking more than a little annoyed. "He's furious I'm not using his power." Todoroki exclaimed. "Why don't we end this?"
Todoroki sent another wave of ice in Athena's direction, hoping that she would just take it and forfeit the match, or concede defeat. But to his surprise, the air around Athena grew thicker, as her arms became enveloped in black ice, forming gauntlets on her arms.
"I am not done yet." Athena declared, swinging her right arm in a backhand motion, shattering his ice attack as soon as it made impact with her gauntlet. "I was hoping I'd never have to fully reveal this ability of my Quirk. But you've forced me to." Athena stated, holding up her arms in a fighter's stance, as she swung her arms, creating a huge wave of air pressure, and icicle shards.
'She's able to access that forbidden form of power, just like her mother.' Todoroki thought realizing why her ice was suddenly black.
The air pressure that was caused by Athena's counter swing had gone past the ice, and had forced Todoroki to create multiple ice barriers behind himself so he wouldn't be blown out of the boundaries of the arena.
'Damn it. You're pushing your stamina even further. Why are you going this far?' Todoroki inquired, inwardly as he picked himself up.
"You're trembling Shoto." Athena exclaimed, causing Todoroki to look at her in shock, as he didn't think she'd notice it. "It's easy to forget that Quirks are physical abilities, and that means, there's a limit to the amount of cold your body can take right? I get it, usually you'd make up for the drop in temperature by using the heat from your left side, but you refuse to do that now."
'Xiao Long…' Todoroki thought.
"Listen, everyone here is giving it their all. To try and win, to make our dreams into a reality, to become number one. An' I told you, this match isn't over until I make you realize your left side, isn't his. It's yours. Your power. You think you can win with half your strength? Look at me Shoto. Look at the scars on my body, look at the pain I've put myself through, just to make you see who you truly are. Though you haven't managed to put a single scratch on me yet. So I'm only going to say this once. Come at me with all you've got."
Shoto looked at Athena's arms, and realized something under her left icy gauntlet. Her forearm was broken, and the ice was cracked. She'd used 100% of her power in both her arms, resulting in her bones breaking.
(End Song…)
"Xiao Long. You can't continue. Your arm is broken." Todoroki said. "Just yield, and give up the fight."
(Cue Music… This life is mine: RWBY)
"I already told you Todoroki. I'm never giving up, not until you see, that the power in your left side, is not a curse."
"Xiao Long. What are you trying to do here?" Todoroki questioned. "You want my fire? What did my monster of a dad bribe you or something?" He asked before he went running at her. "Now I'm mad."
"Your dad came to me alright." Athena said, blocking and redirecting his punches. "But I told him he could shove his offer up his ass." She stated, grabbing both Todoroki's wrists. 'His movements are slower. The cold from the right side of his body, and he frost spotting it, is causing his body heat to drop, to dangerously low temperatures, and to slow him down drastically. It's taking his body everything it has to fight against the cold, which is why he's having trouble with the frost, and he's become so much slower.' Athena thought. "I want your flames, because you obviously didn't hear me when we talked at lunch. No body, is gonna trust a hero, who's only gonna use half their power, and suppresses the other half, because he has daddy issues. You're basically becoming like him, without even realizing it.
"Shut up." Todoroki shouted pulling back from her. "I am nothing like that bastard."
"Then prove it." Athena shouted. "Prove you're not like him, and use your left side."
'Now.' Athena thought charging at Todoroki the instant he lifted his right foot, her whole body glowing with the power of her One-for-All.
The instant Todoroki was close enough, Athena threw her fist, and imbedded it into Todoroki's gut, as he went stumbling back to the edge of the arena.
'Why?' Todoroki questioned as he picked himself up.
Todoroki sent another wave of ice at Athena, but it was slower, even with Athena's slowed down reaction speed, it was still easy enough to dodge Todoroki's ice attack.
'The attacks aren't moving as fast now. He's getting desperate.'
The moment Athena's feet landed back on the ground, she had to circle around Todoroki as he came running at her, before sending out another attack.
The force of Athena's counter attack to the ice wave sent them both stumbling back. Athena raised her hand, ready to send another full powered flick at Todoroki.
"Should I step in Midnight?" Cementous asked through his earpiece. "Xiao Long knows that Recovery Girl will heal her wounds after the match, so she's being reckless and hurting herself. Even if she can reduce the backlash damage from her attacks, there's bound to be a limit on what she can take, right? She's full of adrenaline, she probably doesn't even realize how much pain she should be in." Cementous exclaimed. "If she keeps going like this, those injuries probably won't be able to be healed in one go. Even if she wins, she might not be able to fight in her next match. She's sacrificing herself, she might end up with permanent damage."
Athena continued to fight against Todoroki, switching it up from using her Etherion version of One-for-All, to hand to hand combat, and back to her power.
'He's the greatest hero, they're both his disciples, I want to be as strong as Mom, Mama, Uncle Toshi, and even Aunt Ruby, and Weiss. To do that, I need to be able to fight, and become number one. I'll show the world, just how stubborn a member of Team RWBY can be.' Athena exclaimed. 'I'm not able to heal my own injuries, and I can't make a fist, left arm and all my fingers are broken, but that doesn't matter.'
"SMASH." Athena shouted, slamming her right fist through the air, to send another wave of air pressure at Todoroki, knocking him away from her by a good distance, before he stopped himself with an ice barrier.
"Why are you putting yourself through this?" Todoroki questioned.
"I have a dream Todoroki." Athena exclaimed. "An' to achieve that dream, I wanna live up to people's expectations. I wanna be able to smile, while doing something good for them, while protecting them, while saving them. I wanna be a pro, whatever it takes, to be a hero and defend those who can't defend themselves, with a smile on my face."
"Shoto." Rei's voice echoed in Todoroki's head, distracting him, and keeping him from noticing when Athena got close enough to slam her head into his stomach, and sending him flying back.
"That's why I'll give it my all. Just like you should be." Athena shouted. "Your life has been so much different than mine, but right now, stop screwing around, and fight me with all you've got. If you wanna reject your father, then by all means, I can understand why perfectly. He's a rat-bastard who only cares about himself, and surpassing All Might. But you don't have the right to be Number One, if you aren't going to use your full power."
Flashbacks of Todoroki's past began flooding his mind, remembering the time his mother burnt him, remembering the time when his father called him a masterpiece, and remembering how much he hated his father for what he had done.
"I will reject you." Todoroki stated. "I refuse, to use my left side."
"Shoto." Athena growled. "It's your Quirk, your power. Not his, he's not in control of your life. So stop being so prideful. It's your power, not his."
Todoroki's eyes widened, after Athena shouted this, as a memory of an interview All Might had when he was a child, came to the forefront of his mind, remembering how happy he was that day hearing All Might's words, hearing why All Might had his catch phrase, I Am Here, and why he was inspired to be a hero in the first place, then remembered how his mother, had encouraged him to stay true to himself.
'I didn't realize, how much I had forgotten.' Todoroki thought.
"You are not a prisoner of your lineage." Rei's voice echoed in his head as steam began to seep through his skin, as his flames began to come forth. "It's okay to use your power, to be who you want to be."
As those memories passed through his mind's eye, a blazing inferno of flames erupted from his left side, melting away the frost, and cold that had accumulated on his body.
'You made him use his father's power, Athena, don't tell me you were trying to save Young Todoroki this whole time.' Toshinori thought.
"You're helping your opponent." Todoroki said, as he smiled, the flames he was producing continuing to rage on. "You fool, even though you wanna win this battle. Now which one of us is screwing around? I want it to, I'll be a hero."
Athena and Todoroki were starring each other down, both of them smiling, despite the overwhelming odds in either of their favors.
"Yes Shoto." Endeavor's voice echoed from the stands, as he marched down the steps. "Have you finally accepted your purpose? That's it, very good, this is the dawn of a new era for us. With my blood in your veins you'll surpass me, you'll live up to the reason why I created you."
"SHUT THE FUCK UP ENDEAVOR." Athena shouted, her eyes locking onto him, taking the hero by surprise. "Shoto isn't a tool for you to use. He's his own person, so go to hell." Athena declared, before her eyes landed on her classmate's flames. "Amazing." Athena smiled.
"Why are you smiling?" Todoroki questioned. "With that injured arm, in this hopeless situation, you must be crazy."
"You might be right." Athena said, as she continued to smile. "But I succeeded in what I wanted, so win or lose, I still saved someone today."
"Then don't blame me for what happens next." Todoroki exclaimed.
Todoroki stomped his right foot on the ground, and began sprouting ice from the ground, while flames continued to shoot from his left arm.
"Funny." Athena smiled, taking in a deep breath, forcing some of Todoroki's flames to come towards her as she devoured them, replenishing her magic energy. "I was about to say the same to you."
Athena's arms were enveloped in thicker gauntlets of black ice once more, before they dissipated, and her scales turned black.
Jumping back to the other edge of the arena, Athena charged up her One-for-All, at a hundred percent, in her both her legs, and arms, causing the air pressure around her to rise like a twister, as rocks and debri flew through the air as well.
"That's it Midnight. One of them could be killed." Cementous exclaimed sending waves of concrete from his position to stop the fight.
"Her body won't hold up." Midnight said, ripping her suit to release her sleeping gas, to put Athena to sleep.
Before either of the teacher's efforts to stop the fight could land, Todoroki sent the biggest barrage of ice towards Athena. Using this to her advantage, Athena launched herself over the ice, even as Todoroki made it come at her, in a title wave of sheer force and icy power.
'Gotta try and get close, and give it everything I've got.' Athena thought as she prepared her fist for the punch. 'Come at me with your full power Shoto.'
At the same time, Todoroki increased the intensity of his flames, creating a spectacle the crowd had trouble fathoming a student being capable of doing.
"I see now Athena." Todoroki said, raising his left hand, alit with flames. "Thank you."
(End Song…)
At the exact same time they threw their attacks, Cementous's walls sprung from the ground, in an attempt to block them from hitting one another. But his efforts were futile as the cement walls were shattered like glass, with both attacks impacting them, creating a dust storm of concrete and stone sending debri flying everywhere, with the force of the air pressure reverberating around the stadium, impacting the students as well as the audience, knocking while also knocking Midnight and her stand away and to the ground.
"What the hell?" Mina shouted as she, Midoriya, and Jiro had to hold onto the railing to keep from flying away. "How the hell does Athena have this kind of power?"
"Your guess is as good as mine Ashido." Jiro exclaimed as the aftershocks of the attack died down, dropping them back to the ground.
After the storm of debri and dust vanished, everyone was left in stunned silence.
"Having a great power doesn't mean you'll be a good hero. But these two are amazing." Cementous exclaimed standing up from the ground.
"What the hell happened just now?" Present Mic questioned as he was flat on his back with his legs in the air. "What the hell is up with your student's blondie?"
"The air around the ring had been thoroughly cooled down, and then rapidly expanded when heated up." Yang stated.
"Wait, that's what caused the explosion? How hot did those flames get?" Mic questioned. "Geeze I can't see a thing. Is the match still going on or what?"
Midnight picked herself up and rubbed the back of her head. Her mask had been knocked off with the air pressure of the explosion having sent her to the ground. The steam around the arena began to clear, revealing Athena was standing tall, with one foot on Todoroki's chest, half his track suit jacket burnt away. Both were breathing heavily, as they had been caught up in the epicenter of that explosion. Athena's left arm was more than just a little bruised or broken. In fact, most of those who saw it, nearly threw their lunch, and Yang and the rest of Classes 1-A and 1-B, starred mortified, as Athena was missing her left arm, directly from the elbow, blood trailing down the left side of her body, before pooling at the ground, by Todoroki's torso.
With her remaining arm, Athena's raised her fist, high into the air, signaling her victory, stumbling a bit, before forcing herself to keep standing.
"I win." Athena stated.
"I conceded." Todoroki exclaimed.
"Call the match." Athena called to Midnight.
"Uh… Todoroki concedes, Athena advances to the third round… if she is allowed to do so and Recovery Girl doesn't have a heart attack from treating this." Midnight exclaimed.
Wordlessly, Athena lowered her arm, and took her foot off Todoroki's chest, before staggering back to where her arm had landed, but it could hardly be called an arm anymore as it looked more like roadkill. Producing any magic she could from her Maiden Powers, Athena grew back a left arm, exactly identical to her right arm, but was made for her left side, before she felt faint, and passed out.
"Bring a stretcher now." Midnight shouted.
The MP's had already ran out the instant Athena had taken her foot off Todoroki's chest, and as carefully as they were trained to do, they set her on the stretcher, before taking her to Recovery Girl.
"Please." Todoroki said, sitting up. "Don't die, Xiao Long. If you died here, and now…" Todoroki paused, as he felt a pain in his chest. "I don't think I'd be able to handle it, losing one of the very first friends, I've ever had in my life."
After getting up, and brushing off the dust on him, and wiping off the blood he'd gotten on him, Todoroki went back to the tunnel he came out of, and there he saw Endeavor, with a proud smile on his face.
"I'm glad to see you've now abandoned this childish rebellion, and accepted your destiny. We will begin your training right away." Endeavor said as Todoroki walked past him.
"I haven't abandoned anything Endeavor." Todoroki said. "I still despise you, and hate my left side. But in that moment, fighting against Xiao Long… I completely forgot about you, as if you never even existed. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know. I honestly couldn't care less, but I do know, Xiao Long was right. I can't be a hero, with my current mindset. There are some things I'm needing to work through."