Beneath the Hero's Mask

Chapter 17

After the meeting with her father, Haru and Ren were walking back to their respective classes when they were intercepted by a young boy, shorter than either of them. He looked like student, though instead of the reglementary school uniform, he was wearing an animalesque yellow helmet, and no shirt whatsoever.

"Hello, Miss Okumura?"

"Er… yes?"

"My name is Higari Maijima—also known as the Excavation Hero: Power Loader. I'm the head of U.A.'s Development Studio and homeroom teacher of Class 1-H. I was very impressed by your performance today." He said. "Tell me, Okumura. Would you be interested in lending your talents to the Support Department."

"Really?!" Haru asked.

"If you have time, I would like to discuss the details of your transfer to my class."

Seeing how he was the odd man out, Ren didn't want to intrude. "I'll leave you two to it. I have to go get ready."

"Thanks for everything, Ren. I'll see you later. Oh, and good luck!" Haru said, waving goodbye.

He returned the farewell and excused himself. He checked his phone to find a message from Izuku.

IM: Krisihima just lost against Kacchan. They're setting up for the next round.

IM: By the way, have you seen Ida? He's not back yet.

"Hmm… guess he took defeat harder than expected."

While Ida was normally very composed, he could get quite prideful at times. Ren could only hope he'd get over it eventually.

With time to spare and the need to refuel, he headed to the concession stand to get a fresh cup of coffee. However, taking a sip made it abundantly clear that calling that foul decoction of stale beans 'coffee' would be far too generous. Coming from a humble upbringing, Ren was never one to care much for luxury, but boarding in the best café in town would turn anyone into the most pretentious of coffee snobs.

Either way, caffeine was caffeine, and he was in no position to be picky. He took another disappointing sip and began wandering the stadium concourse with no particular destination in mind, pacing leisurely and taking in the scenery. Crowded stalls, television crews, Pro Heroes patrolling the perimeter… it was hard to gauge the extravagance with only limited experience in sporting events. One time, the orphanage organised a field trip to a championship baseball game; the occasion had been monumental for a pack of primary schoolers, but in retrospect, it was completely insignificant in comparison to the U.A. Sports Festival.

His stroll ultimately reached an isolated corner, where he stopped to take a break away from the masses. He had failed to notice someone else was already seeking solitude there.

"Worried about the upcoming match?" Said a voice behind him.

Coming from anyone else, the comment would've sounded like a taunt. But Ren knew that Todoroki was not the type. The boy was leaning against a railing overlooking the arena atrium overflowing with visitors.

"I haven't had the chance to start worrying about it yet." Ren walked up to rest on the same railing. "I was just thinking about how weird this is."

"What is?"

"All of this." He signalled at the sight below them. "Pomp and circumstance on this scale, just to see a bunch of kids punching each other."

"We are not just kids." Todoroki said. "As future Heroes, we are held to a higher standard. It is our duty to be go beyond and be better. Because we are the legacy that will surpass the current generation of Top Heroes and shape the future of society."

Although it was his lips pronouncing them, it was apparent those weren't Todoroki's own words.

"Something my old man always told me."

"Seriously? No offence but that's hilariously ironic coming from him."

"I don't disagree. For Endeavour, heroism has always come second to success. The profession was just a conduit for his ego. To be honest, that is one of the reasons I was so angry at you in the beginning, you reminded me of him…" Todoroki admitted. "I had this idea that you were just another criminal who thinks they are above the law. That you couldn't cut it as a Hero, so you became a Vigilante hungry for notoriety. But I see now that you couldn't be more different—in all his career, he's never cared about any of the people he saved; he only did it to climb through the ranks of the hero charts. He reached the number two spot, and it still wasn't enough for him. He spent years obsessing over the number one title, and came to resent the only Hero he couldn't surpass."

"All Might…"

Todoroki nodded. "He absolutely despises All Might, to the point where he was willing to do anything to best him."

"Anything?" Ren asked instinctively.

"Are you familiar with Quirk Marriages?"

"I've heard about them." He replied. "There were a couple of kids back at my orphanage that were born to Quirk marriages. Their parents abandoned them when they failed to manifest the quirks they hoped for."

With the mention of Quirk Marriages, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together and see what he was getting at.

"I could've easily been one of them. My old man never got tired of reminding me I should be grateful for being born with this power…" Todoroki said. "After years of unsuccessfully trying to take the number one spot, Endeavour realised that no amount of training could erase the inherent limitations of his Quirk. Hence, he spared no expense to search for a woman with a powerful ice Quirk. When he finally found my mother, he paid off her parents and forced her into an arranged marriage. All to create an heir that would be capable of dethroning All Might."

"In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying. He's brought nothing but anguish to my family, and yet the public praises him as a great Hero… It makes my blood boil. We are part of the unlucky few to have seen that side of Endeavour."

Ren frowned as his mind flashed back to the first time he met the Flame Hero.

"I'm sorry for what he did to you."

"You don't have to apologise. You are not your father."

"No. You were right before, Amamiya. Deep down, I am just like my father. The way I treated you… I was so full of anger and conceit. No matter how much I try to push it down, whenever I'm backed into a corner, that side of me always comes out. It happened during the Cavalry Battle, and again during my fight against Midoriya—I used his fire in a moment of weakness."

Todoroki raised his hand to brush the scar around his left eye. "I've tried to ignore it, but I will always have a part of him within me. Even my own mother knew it. She was repulsed by my left side; all she could see was the monster that ruined her life, or so she said before pouring boiling water on my face."

Ren was left aghast. He couldn't find the words to respond.

"But even so, I do not blame her. It's all his fault." Todoroki continued. "That is why I promised myself I would become the number one Hero without using my flames—to show my old man I reject him and his power. That I refuse to be like him."

Before Ren could respond, a loud broadcast interjected. "Take a seat and get ready, ladies and gentlemen. The long-awaited semi-final is about to begin!"

"Well, if you want to be the number one, you'll have to beat me first, right?" Ren started walking towards the pitch. "Let's not keep them waiting."

"On this side we have—oh, it looks like our contestants are walking in side by side!" Present Mic announced. "Doesn't it just warm your heart to see such display of camaraderie and sportsmanship? Give it up for our semi-finalists—from class 1-A: Shoto Todoroki and Ren Amamiya!"

The two classmates assumed the designated positions in the platform, ready for combat.

Once Ren found himself face to face with Todoroki, he didn't see a rival—he saw himself. And he saw Haru. And Ann, and Shiho… every kid that had been left behind; discarded and failed by the adults in their lives. He recognised the hostility Todoroki had shown him was but a reflection of the hatred he had for his father, and for himself. And even though he had left behind the mantle of vigilante, he couldn't go back on the promise he made years ago.

The battle begun, and Todoroki made the first move by sending a ripple of ice spikes towards Ren.

"Goemon! Rising Slash!"

The legendary outlaw appeared, swinging his smoking pipe like a blade to halt the incoming attack. Instead of opting for a direct assault, Ren used ice magic to summon sharp ice peaks arising from the ground. Todoroki maneuverer around them to avoid being impaled, unaware that hitting him was never the real target. Preoccupied with dodging, he ended up ensnared inside a circle of glacial pillars with no exit.

"Now!"

On command, Goemon took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled a breath of gelid wind into the enclosure. The ambient temperature plummeted, and Todoroki felt the cold creeping into his bones, rendering him incapable of using his Quirk without the risk of damaging himself.

Todoroki was brought down to one knee, struggling to breathe in the freezing air. "Exploiting my only weakness… very clever, Amamiya."

Ren shook his head. "It's only a weakness because you allow it to be. You know what you have to do to get out of this."

"I told you, I refuse to—"

"Yeah, yeah… I hear heard what you said. But that was nothing but a bald-faced lie." He interrupted. "You say you reject Endeavour, and yet you still allow him to hold the reins to your life. Trust me, Todoroki. I know how you feel, but I've come to learn that nothing can be solved by restraining yourself."

"No! I will not give my father what he wants."

"You wanna know what I think about your father? Fuck him." Ren said. "What he wants or doesn't want should have no bearing in what you do. Live your life on your own terms. If you really want to spite him, then do it by showing the world who Shoto Todoroki is—that you will not live in the shadow of Endeavour. Steal that power of his and use it against him. You are going to be the number one, not him."

Todoroki didn't react. Signs of incipient frostbite were starting to manifest on his skin. Ren was at a loss. Was his thirst for revenge so zealous that succumbing to the cold seemed preferable to using his left side? He had to snap him out of it quickly.

"Come on, Shoto. Do it! Don't be a prisoner; break the chains that bind you and unleash your flame of rebellion!"

For a moment, time stood still for Todoroki. A door had been open to a long-forgotten past, resurfacing memories of yesteryear and words washed away by time.

You want to be a hero, don't you? Don't be a prisoner of your own blood. It's okay to use your power to become who you want to be…

A spark was ignited within him, and in a flash, a roaring fire engulfed his left side. The heat emanating melted the Ice around him, and Todoroki rose back to his feet.

Ren grinned in awe. "About time."

"You idiot…" Todoroki couldn't contain a smile of his own. "You just threw away your chances of winning, you know that?"

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. Things are just getting interesting…"

"Bufula!" Ren casted an ice spell. Todoroki responded with a fire stream so intense it forced Goemon's retreat. The fire brought his body temperature back up—and reinvigorated to use his right side again—he switched back to his other half to bury his opponent beneath an enormous icy ridge.

In a crevasse inside the frozen formation, Ren rubbed his hands together to stay warm.

Arsène spoke up from the back of his mind. "I must compliment you on your speech; you must've had a great teacher."

"I can't believe he did it. Way to go, Todoroki." Ren said.

"If you are done singing praises to your adversary, have you a plan to escape this predicament?"

He mulled over his options and sighed. "I think it's time we pull out our secret weapon, Arsène."

"Is that prudent? You've never used such a high-level Persona before."

"Well, if our friend Shoto is stepping outside his comfort zone, it's only fair we do the same."

Arsène laughed. "I truly admire the grace with which you saunter the line between bold and reckless."

And thus, Ren prepared to summon the latest addition to his compendium.

"Asterius… Titanomachia…"

"What a development! Todoroki popped off like a firecracker and then dropped a literal iceberg on Amamiya. This could be a technical knockout!" Present Mic's enthusiastic commentary was curbed when he noticed something odd. "Is that smoke coming from the ice?!"

Indeed, smoke seemed to be coming out of the ice. An orange glow inside it slowly intensified, until the glacier exploded in a scorching blaze. From the remains emerged a demonic colossus; its lower half submerged into the concrete platform, and Ren standing atop its taurine skull.

"Now... the real battle begins!"

They charged onwards in a titanic clash between two unstoppable forces. Fireworks of ice and flame lit up the stadium. The two of them had forgone any semblance of tactics in favour of simply blasting one another with raw power.

Now unrestrained by body temperature, Todoroki wielded both halves of his Quirk with brash audacity. Ren was straining to hold Asterius on a leash, still the Persona's movements were vicious and baleful. Midnight and Cementoss were getting ready to intervene before anyone got hurt when the two combatants made their final push for victory.

"Heaven-Piercing Ice Wall!"

"Gigantomachia!"

Todoroki launched a massive ice wave to drive Ren out of bounds once and for all. Meanwhile Ren sank Asterius' claws into the earth and channelled his fire magic, causing it to burst in a pyroclastic eruption.

Heat and cold collided. The sudden shift in temperature caused the air to rapidly expand in a devastating shockwave.

Ren held on for dear life to one of Asterius' horns. But Todoroki—unable to hold his footing—was swept backwards and out of the ring.

The dust settled, and the following moments were filled with silence as the audience processed what had just happened.

"Todoroki is out! Amamiya advances on to the grand finals!"

The crowd erupted with cheers and applause, though didn't last long, for they quieted again when Ren's limp body collapsed to the ground.

Sterile white light and a chemical odour attacked his senses amidst awaking.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake." Recovery Girl said from the edge of the bed.

Ren recognised the location as the infirmary in the Sports Festival stadium. Currently laying on a care bed, he sat back upright and saw Todoroki occupying the bed next to him. He appeared to be drinking something—green tea, from the smell of it.

"What happened?" Ren asked.

"Both of you fainted after the fight. There were some minor scrapes and bruises, but it was mainly due to exhaustion." Recovery Girl explained. "Congratulations on your win, by the way. You should rest before the final round."

Ren hopped off the bed and stretched his body. "I just need some coffee and I'll be good to go."

"You shouldn't be drinking so much coffee at your age. It's bad for you."

He shrugged. "I just survived a flamethrower to the face. I'm pretty sure a bit of caffeine won't hurt me—ouch!"

"But I will if you don't take care of yourself! Now back to bed, young man." The nurse said, putting down her cane and placing a hot cup of green tea in his hands.

Her pager started ringing. "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere. I'll be right back; don't you even think about leaving this room in my absence." She warned before leaving the room.

"Who the hell still uses pagers, honestly?" Ren asked.

"She's right, you know." Todoroki said. "The best you can do is rest and recuperate. You really overexerted yourself."

"I wasn't the only one." He recalled how they pushed each other to the limit. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm uninjured."

"That's not what I asked."

Todoroki was aware, but he hesitated. It wasn't easy to articulate his thoughts on what happened. "During our match, in that one moment, I completely forgot about my father. It was… liberating, but in all honesty, I don't know how to feel about it. For years, I felt as though I was missing something; at first, I thought it was retribution, but now I'm not so sure anymore… You said I should live life on my own terms; I guess I don't know what my terms are yet." He said with a pensive expression. "I still must thank you, Amamiya. You've really given me a lot to think about."

Naturally, no combination of words could magically undo a lifetime of strife. It was going to take time and he would have to face many hard questions, but at long last, Todoroki was finally ready to start looking for answers.

Ren smiled. "Any time. That's what friends are for, right?"

It was then that the door slammed open and four students barged into the room.

Izuku, Uraraka, Jiro, and Kaminari frantically talked at the same time, making it impossible to understand anything. Ren got them to calm down and take turns speaking.

Uraraka was first. "We were worried! Are you okay?"

"I might be dying." Ren said.

"No, you're not." Todoroki chimed in. "We're fine. We had a couple of minor injuries, but Recovery Girl already treated them."

"I'm surprised you got off with only minor injuries. That fight was—"

"It was badass!" Jiro said. "You two are totally going to be swimming in offers from Hero agencies after this. You looked so cool out there."

"No kidding. There was a group of girls in the front row audibly swooning." Kaminari said with the slightest pang of envy.

"It sure was memorable." Izuku said. "I can't imagine how the finals are going to top this one."

"Oh, right!" Ren suddenly remembered the tournament was not yet over. "Has the other semi-final already started? I need to see it."

"They had to delay it to rebuild the arena. We might still be able to make it in time."

Ren put aside his fear of an old woman and her cane and ran out the door with a troupe his classmates at his heels. They arrived at the stands only to catch the tail end of the encounter already in-progress.

Bakugo was overwhelming Tokoyami with explosions. A focused blast from the palm of his hand extinguished Dark Shadow. Tokoyami turned to defend with a hand-to-hand technique, but Bakugo read his intent like a book. Using a small explosion to change direction mid-air, he caught Tokoyami off-guard and pushed him off the stage without giving him time to react.

Bakugo was pronounced the winner, but he didn't look even a little satisfied. He wasn't done. He looked up and his eyes met Ren's. No words were need; his message was clear.

You're next.

Ren left the waiting room for the last time that day. He was caught in deep thought about the finals, more nervous than he would care to admit. After only seeing Tokoyami fight twice, Bakugo read and disarm him without breaking a sweat.

As he walked towards the field, he was mentally drafting a battle plan to defeat Bakugo, when he stopped unexpectedly upon hearing faint whimpers coming from one of the side corridors. Driven by curiosity he peered around the corner, but stopped dead in his tracks when he gazed at the origin of the sound. He was thankful they didn't seem to notice him; he briefly considered turning back whence he came, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt reluctant. Should he go up to them and say something? His better judgement told him not to—he was probably the last person they wanted to see. There was a high chance his presence would only make things worse. Nevertheless. his instinct wouldn't allow him to just walk away. He inhaled deeply, mustered all his courage, and approached them.

"Hey…" Ren awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Amamiya!" Yaoyorozu hurried to rub her eyes and fix her hair, trying her best to disguise the fact she had been crying. "Um, hello…"