Angel: Thank you to the people who answered the question I brought up last time, love you guys! And after hearing the answers, yeah I still stand by Izuka not winning. As for desireepurnellsandi, will Izuka have that same kind of awakening? Uhh, yes and no. Because she will unlock something similar to what your explanation was, but unlocking something like that is still too soon—imo. I'm not gonna spoil it too much further than that, but it's definitely not a harpy form. There are definitely moments later on in the anime where it will happen. Emphasis on later because we're still in the Sports Festival stuff. Also, this is probably the only time I'll do this, but I will be uploading 4 chapters this weekend instead of 2 because I think I've kept people waiting long enough on Izuka's hero name. So I won't keep torturing the more curious ones but also I'm not doing this in the future for the other major storylines XD
There was a guest reviewer who spoke in Spanish about Izuka using her shooting stars as like a build-up of power where she can fire multiple from one shot, there is actually an episode where something similar happens, but it's not in season 2.
Is there a connection between Galaxy and One for All? Hmm...I haven't gotten to the episode where the topic is directly addressed, so I guess you'll just have to wait and see! I can't really say much on that since it doesn't come up again until much later. Can Izuka control electricity? No, that's Denki's power. Like I've said before, it becomes hopefully more clear as she learns about her power.
"My father is the hero Endeavor," Shoto informed the twins in the hall. "He's the number two hero. You must know him."
"It's my Shoto's duty to surpass All Might as the number one hero," Endeavor told Izuku just before his match.
Shoto stared the twins down as if he was intimidated by them. "So if you are somehow connected to All Might, the number one hero, then...that would mean...I have even more reason to beat the both of you."
Izuka let out a small gasp, staring at him curiously.
Izuku walked down the hallway towards the arena. "In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying. I remember she called my left side unbearable...before she poured boiling water on my face."
Shoto was stepping up to the arena. "I'm going to show my old man that I don't have to rely on his damned fire Quirk. I'm going to show him that I reject his power...and I can take first place without using it."
Izuku then stepped up next, determined to win. "I suppose your relationship with All Might doesn't actually matter. I will defeat you both using only my right side."
They stopped a few feet away from each other. "I can't lose this, either," Izuku spoke up while narrowing his eyes. "I owe it to everyone who's supported me to try my best. I will beat you."
Shoto hid into his mother's shirt while crying, clutching at the fabric. She placed her hands on his shoulders to comfort him. She gently rubbed the back of his head. "But honey, you do still wanna be a hero, don't you?" She asked him gently, causing him to look up. She had a gentle smile on her face. "Just remember...stay true to yourself."
I had forgotten...so much of what she said in those days.
The stadium erupted in cheers while the rest of Class 1-A waited in anticipation. Shoto was strong, they knew that much. But Izuku himself had been proving himself in other areas, such as in strategy or careful deduction. And considering his match with Hitoshi, he could take them by surprise again, just like he did in the cavalry battle with Shoto. However...Shoto was also one of the most powerful students in the class, so it would be a tough battle for Izuku.
The teachers were watching patiently too, though Endeavor had a frown on his face from his spot. The screen showed Izuku's nervous look versus Shoto's stoic one.
"It's the first match of the second round! These two heroes in training have both been frontrunners in the Sports Festival!" Present Mic announced with a big grin. "It's Midoriya!" Izuku glared towards his opponent.
He'll start with an ice attack.
"Versus Todoroki!"
Shoto kept his narrowed eyes on Izuku. He may not know all of the details of his opponent's power, but he knew that it was strong. He had seen Izuku punch that Nomu, after all, even if it wasn't successful. I can't allow him to use that power of his too much. There doesn't seem to be any indication that he shares any powers with his sister...but their individual reactions to his Quirk are certainly strange. It hadn't escaped his mind at all of how powerful they were getting, and that Izuka happened to faint right around the same time her brother snapped out of his mind control. Either way, I have to remember what he's capable of.
"But which of these rivals will advance to the next round?" As Present Mic continued speaking, Izuku moved his wrist at the same time Shoto moved his foot.
So, as soon as we start... Both of them thought in unison.
"BEGIN!" Present Mic announced at the top of his lungs.
Now! And just as Izuku predicted, Shoto sent a path of ice towards the green-haired boy. Izuku held up two fingers towards it.
Smash! He then sent a bunch of wind pressure towards the ice, causing into pieces. They were then sent flying back towards Shoto, who was caught off guard by this. The crowd from behind him gasped as they were affected by a combination of ice and wind.
"Whoa! So cold!"
"Feels like this wind is gonna freeze me solid!"
Shoto braced himself from the aftermath, looking up after it stopped. Hmph. Just as I expected. He looked towards Izuku, just as Izuka put down her arms as she had used them to shield her face. She opened her mouth in a bit of shock as she saw what Shoto was seeing: Izuku had broken a finger from that attack. He's prepared to injure himself to counter me.
Izuku groaned in pain while holding his wrist tight, his broken finger shaking. He gritted his teeth with an intense look on his face. "Wow! Midoriya managed to break Todoroki's insane opening move!" Present Mic relayed as Izuka bit her lip nervously. Ochaco glanced at the girl as she seemed to be more on edge than relieved Izuku wasn't hurt worse.
He broke his finger alone from just counteracting that attack. Which is progress, but how long does he plan on doing this with Todoroki-San? He's not gonna break his bones again just to win, is he? The thought of that scares me. Knowing my brother, he must have a strategy by doing this, but at what cost?
She already knew that Izuku wouldn't be able to use his power at all if he planned on keeping this up. After that, she had no idea what his strategy would be. She was still rooting for him, no doubt, but she really hoped that he had planned for what to do after breaking his body...
He had no way of knowing how powerful Young Todoroki's attack was going to be Toshinori thought while staring at the arena. So he abandoned restraint and fired off a shot at 100 percent. He then clenched a shaking fist. It's true that this was likely the only thing he could do against the ice barrage. However...
Todoroki-San has much more control compared to most of our classmates, and it would be an easy win to use his fire, but he wouldn't. Not unless he was forced to realize that he is not his father Izuka bit at her thumbnail in thought, squeezing her eyes shut as sweat flew from the side of her head. Damn it, Izuku, I really hope you can make something out of this match for not only him, but for yourself...
Katsuki glanced at the girl, noticing her worried stance as she didn't seem okay. He gave a small hum to himself of the fact that something seemed to be on her mind about this match; though he really hoped it wasn't about Shoto, otherwise that would get his blood boiling. He then turned away, his eyes closed. Why am I thinking about that mouse so much? The fact that she put up a fight makes it harder for me to even call her that anymore...I shouldn't even give a damn. And yet when I see her with anyone, it pisses me off...the most is with Icy-hot.
Shoto sent another ice attack towards Izuku. "SMASH!" The green-haired boy fired off another shot, the ice flying around him instead of at him.
"He countered again!" Present Mic shouted as there went another finger broken. Shoto again had to brace himself by covering his face. He looked up with a slightly annoyed expression.
I don't know much about Todoroki's fighting style. His attacks are so fast that it's hard to collect data on him. So, during this fight, I need to focus on finding an opening somewhere Izuku thought as his hand was shaking again from the second broken finger. His other broken fingers from his match with Hitoshi weren't even fully healed yet, so now he had even less free fingers to attack with... He then noticed the ice wall behind his opponent. The ice wall behind him is probably how he plans to keep from being blown out of bounds by my smashes. Which means...I was right to break my fingers He looked at his right hand. He then thought of how he saved Ochaco in the entrance exam. If I'd spent my whole arm on a full-powered smash and the ice held up, I'd be doomed. A sweat drop went down his face. I can figure this out. Come on! Find a weak spot!
However, it was hard to do that when it was with the son of the second-highest hero, regardless if Shoto cared about that fact or not. And from what he had seen so far of Shoto, he barely had any weaknesses.
I've only got...six more chances.
An icy breath escaped Shoto as he spoke. "Let's continue," He stepped forward, Izuku's eyes widening in alarm. Shoto moved his foot to send another path of ice at Izuku. He held out his arm again, throwing it up as he yet again broke through Shoto's ice. He grunted in a bit of pain as ice and wind flew around him.
Five more chances.
I really hope he knows what he's doing Izuka's eyes softened at her brother as she was counting down how many fingers he had left as well. Ochaco noticed the girl's look and placed a hand on her shoulder to silently comfort her. Eijiro then ran up, having recovered from his arm wrestling match with Tetsutetsu.
"Oh no, crap!" He cried out at the fact he had already missed the beginning of the match. Hanta and Denki looked up as he ran down the stairs. "I'm missing it!"
"Hey, nice job making it to the second round, Kirishima," Denki told the red-haired boy.
"Thanks, man!" He gave a small grin. "Looks like I take down Bakugo next."
Katsuki just looked up ahead towards the match, his eyes small and his arms crossed. "I'll kill you," He simply remarked, earning a laugh in return.
"Heh. Yeah, sure. In your dreams. No, but, seriously," Eijiro glanced up in thought, a hand on his hip. "It's crazy how you and Todoroki both have moves that blast the whole stadium! Must be pretty nice." It almost wasn't a shock that two of the strongest people in the class had similar ways of fighting.
Hanta squinted towards Katsuki accusingly. "Plus, you don't have to pause between attacks," He pointed out, a bit jealous.
"It's not as easy as you think, ya morons," Katsuki retorted back, Eijiro blinking in confusion. Denki and Hanta were a bit surprised as well to hear this from the angry blond. "If you overuse your muscles, you risk tearing them apart. If you sprint too much, you run out of breath," He then looked down at his hand, remembering using that huge attack to stop Ochaco's meteor shower. And when he kept firing off explosions at Izuka. We all have a limit to how much power we can produce. That's why I designed my costume the way I did—so I'd be able to fire off bigger blasts than my body usually allows me to. And that was why he added the gauntlets so that it wouldn't overexert his body during a battle.
"Quirks are physical abilities too. They can get worn out. You can't just use them nonstop," Katsuki explained while the wind was decreasing from the arena.
"It makes sense when you put it that way," Eijiro then turned back to the arena. "I wonder if that's how Midoriya thinks he's gonna beat Todoroki. Weird that Mido went for the opposite strategy of biding her time so she could use a bigger move."
"The only reason it didn't work was because it was against me," Katsuki huffed a bit, closing his eyes. "Anyone else, they would've gotten worn out eventually."
"Ohh, so you thought she had a chance against you, huh? I guess to you, she was putting up enough of a fight. You did hesitate out there with her, after all," Denki teased and Katsuki was about to explode him like he promised when Eijiro stopped him.
"Come on, Kaminari! Both of them fought as hard as they did and she managed to prove herself to the people who didn't believe in her Quirk," Eijiro grunted while holding him back.
"You're gonna regret those words...!" Katsuki growled out, some of their classmates staring. Izuka blinked in alarm to hear him and glanced over her shoulder. She was confused as to what was going on as she was too focused on Izuku to really hear anything. The girl blinked and then slowly turned back to the match.
"You want an endurance match," Shoto guessed correctly to Izuku. "But I'll end this quickly," He sent more ice and Izuku flinched. He held up his right hand.
"SMASH!" There went another finger, this time drawing blood. That's all the fingers on my right hand!
Shoto then lunged forward, creating another path of ice. "Todoroki withstood Midoriya's power and is now rushing his classmate!" Shoto then ran up the path. Izuku growled while holding up his hand with the bandaged fingers.
"NO!" He screamed as red veins surrounded one of them. He fired off another shot as Shoto jumped into the air, ice particles flying around him. Izuku looked up and jumped just as his opponent punched the ground, ice surrounding the spot. He glanced up in alarm as Izuku went flying, ice heading right towards him. It then captured his foot, and he tried to move. Oh no! Not good. He saw Shoto creating even more ice behind him.
He let out a grunt as one of his fingers glowed. He then made his hand into a fist as he recoiled it back and sent out a wind pressure blast so strong that it covered the arena. He then let out a painful scream from doing this, parts of his uniform shredding to pieces. Shoto braced himself yet again, Izuku looking up and then he grew frustrated. All he could see up ahead was icy wind and Izuka gasped sharply as she stood up, worried for her brother.
Then the icy wind cleared, and Shoto was surrounded by blockades of ice.
"That was much more powerful than any of your previous attacks," Shoto pointed out and Izuku let out a gasp. "You're trying to keep me away. Smart," He moved away some ice as he got onto his feet. Izuku let out a pant as his entire left arm was broken now, he could barely move it. And he hadn't had that feeling for a while. His fingers from his right were completely broken as well. Izuka sat back down, though her concern never wavered either.
It's not just that his Quirk is powerful. His judgment, mobility, reasoning...all of his abilities...are incredible!
Shoto had some frost over his right cheek and the right side of his collar. He only stared up ahead towards Izuku. He then exhaled to let out a breath of air. The pro heroes continued to watch the match, as everyone had been silent given the matchup.
"That kid's already better than the average pro."
"Guess that's what you can expect from the son of the number two hero."
Izuku gritted his teeth, looking towards the ground. He just couldn't understand why it had to be like this. "What's the matter?" Shoto challenged the boy, who didn't respond. "Are you really that worn out from defending against my attacks?"
Izuku let out a small growl and then noticed the frost from Todoroki's right side. It had started to spread to his arm and sleeve. His arm also couldn't stop moving. He's shaking. Is he reaching some kind of limit? He narrowed his eyes in thought, shaking. I've got to keep fighting!
"I'm sorry about this," Shoto continued to stare at him, though noting quietly Izuku's lack of speech. "But thanks for drawing it out," He glanced up to somewhere in the crowd. "Look at him. He's furious I'm not using his power." Endeavor still had that deep frown on his face, an expression Shoto wanted to see from him. Anything other than that would suggest that he cared about pleasing his father, which he didn't in the slightest.
Izuku gritted his teeth intensely, sweat dropping from his face. He could tell what direction Shoto was looking at. "I don't have to rely on his damn fire Quirk. You see...I'm going to show that bastard that I reject his power, and take first place without using it."
Izuka didn't seem too pleased with Shoto's statement either, a small frown on her face as she crossed her arms. Her eyes darted a bit in thought. I get why he wouldn't want to please his father, I really do. But this isn't something he should be doing if he wants to become a pro hero, regardless of who he's related to. Todoroki-San could be so much more if he stopped worrying about Endeavor and started thinking of himself. I did the same when Izuku wanted me to enroll into UA. The big difference was that she still cared about Izuku seeing her grow, and he never pushed her to use it to his liking. Whereas Shoto couldn't seem to get past the simple action of just using everything he had to satisfy him and what he could do. Just because Endeavor was his father didn't mean Shoto had to be just like him as a hero...she could understand and also not understand at the same time why he was fighting against his fate and instead using what he had to his own advantage.
"With your hands like that, you can't fight anymore, can you?" Shoto guessed correctly while looking at Izuku's arms. "Why don't we end this?" He then sent a brigade of ice towards his opponent.
"Whoa! Todoroki continues his overwhelming attacks!" Present Mic announced while Izuka and Toshinori watched in anticipation. "Could this be his finishing move?"
Izuku could only watch as a mountain of ice headed for him and he looked up with intense eyes. "I am not done yet!" He declared, catching Shoto off guard. The green-haired boy then sent another smash, knocking his opponent backwards. Toshinori, Katsuki, Ochaco, Tenya, and Izuka all gasped at this action. Shoto could barely hold himself together this time as he slid backwards, the ice breaking around him as he was about to be sent out of bounds. He managed to stop himself just in time before he could, looking up ahead.
Damn it. He then noticed that one of Izuku's fingers was now a darker purple. With your broken finger? Why are you going this far? He slowly got onto his feet.
"...You're trembling," Izuku pointed out, gritting his teeth. "Todoroki." The white/red haired boy gasped as he looked up wide-eyed. "It's easy to forget that Quirks are physical abilities...and that means...there's a limit to the cold your body can take, right?" He slowly raised his right arm, not even looking Shoto in the eye. "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." He grunted as he looked at his broken hand. Izuka blinked at her brother, wondering what he was doing. "Listen. We're all giving it our all...to try and win. To make our dreams a reality."
His classmates and Hitoshi listened attentively to what he was saying. "To become number one!" Katsuki took special attention, as this was one of the few times where he could admit that Izuku had a point. "You think you can win with half your strength? Look at me, Todoroki. You haven't managed to put a single scratch on me yet," He clenched a shaking fist, Shoto giving a small growl. "So come at me with all you've got!"
Toshinori watched as he had a feeling he knew why this was happening. Young Midoriya...
Endeavor let out a small huff, as he was not impressed with Shoto's fighting so far. He then remembered what Izuku told him just before the fight. "He may be your son...but he isn't you. My sister is her own person that makes her own path, not one chosen for her. So you can't decide for someone you don't even know."
That boy... He didn't think he'd hear words like that from another student, let alone someone who hadn't used his Quirk much until now. No one had ever said something like that to him before. He looked at Izuku, who was panting slowly while clenching his broken fist.
"Midoriya...what are you trying to do here?" Shoto narrowed his eyes suspiciously, wondering why Izuku was challenging him like this. "You want my fire? What, did my monster of a dad bribe you or something?"
Izuka's eyes slowly widened as she realized what her brother was up to. The question was...would it really work? Izuku and I both agree on the same thing, but...is it really our place to push Todoroki-San like this? His family has been through a lot. Honestly, it was a very delicate situation, and she wasn't sure if she'd do the same thing Izuku was during this match.
Shoto then charged towards Izuku. "Now I'm mad!" He seethed, Izuku gritting his teeth as Shoto looked angrier than he was before. And that was when the twins both noticed something about the boy.
He wasn't like that before about a minute ago Izuka noticed as she squinted her eyes a little.
His movements are...
Slower They weren't the only ones taking note of this, as Katsuki was thinking the same thing as the Midoriyas. He then placed a hand on his chin in thought. Is it because he's got so much frost on his body?
Even the strongest have their limits, they're not immune from getting exhausted. Mr. All Might for example can't keep his form for more than an hour now, but that's because his Quirk works in a different way Izuka stared at Shoto in thought; his limit wasn't something anyone had seen because he didn't let them witness to it. But it seemed that Izuku was the exception now. Probably because he moved very fast so that it wouldn't be a problem for him.
Maybe his Quirk is like a magic meter in a video game Katsuki theorized since Shoto would get tired at some point. If that's true, he could be running on empty. Did he waste all his energy fighting against Tape Arms? He thought back to when Shoto fired that huge ice blast at Hanta earlier to freeze his whole body solid. If Shoto had used up his energy with Hanta earlier, he wouldn't be lasting this long though...
Shoto continued running, but he wasn't any faster. In close quarters...there's no way he'll be able to dodge me. He pushed himself off the ground, and Izuku moved, causing him to gasp. The instant I lifted my right foot...he's coming!
Izuku kept his eyes narrowed at his opponent. "Imagine...the egg in the microwave," He reminded himself, and Shoto let out a breath of shock as he saw Izuku's right arm. It was surrounded by veins as he was powering up. Izuka opened her mouth in surprise to see this as well. It won't explode. I've got this. Come on, I've got this! He then punched Shoto right in the gut.
"A solid punch!" Present Mic shouted, but Shoto was still able to touch Izuku's arm. It froze over and he went flying backwards, almost out of bounds. "That's the kind of action I like to see!"
Izuku let out a shout of pain from his arm, the crowd just as shocked as Shoto. "Whoa! He landed a hit on Todoroki!"
"Even though Midoriya looks way more beat up at this point." Izuku clutched at his frozen arm, wobbling off balance. "I can't believe he went on the offense there! He must get it from his sister."
Izuku panted as blood flew from his broken arm, trying to gain his balance back. Shoto coughed up some air, slowly standing up as he stared at the boy. Why? He then sent a path of ice to Izuku, who jumped out of the way since the attack was slower. Much like Shoto's energy, the ice wasn't as fast as it should've been.
The ice attacks aren't moving as fast now. He grunted as he landed, looking up as Shoto ran up to him. He circled around izuku briefly, sending ice to the ground and knocking them both backwards. Izuku bared through the pain he was feeling and then raised his arm, even though his fingers were getting beyond repair.
Izuka clenched her fists in hope that this would end for her brother's sake, her body shaking a little. I need to have faith in him, but at the same time, if he keeps this up, he might not be able to use One for All...
"Should I step in, Midnight?" Cementoss wondered from his spot, a hand pressed to his ear. "Midoriya knows that Recovery Girl will heal his wounds after the match, so he's being reckless and hurting himself. He's full of adrenaline." Midnight watched as Shoto sent more ice, Izuku running around to avoid it. He then sent an attack of wind pressure towards the ice like he had been doing from the start. "He probably doesn't even realize how much pain he's in, or how much he's worrying his poor sister." He couldn't see the girl, but he did know that having to watch this was not easy for her. "But those injuries are bad."
Izuku slid backwards, his arm still frozen as he pressed his fingers together. The state of his limbs weren't bothering him, but it was bound to get worse the longer he was doing this. "They probably can't be healed in one go. Even if he wins, he might not be able to fight in his next match."
Toshinori clenched his fist tight as Izuka bit her lip hard and shaking. They were the only two in the stadium that knew the real consequences of this fight...if Izuku did win, and his limbs could barely work by the time he was recovered...it wouldn't be much of a match for him. Not helping was that if he were to win, his opponents would exploit this weakness against him...
Tenya's eyes softened towards the girl, as he wanted to tell her to not worry, but it wouldn't be accurate. But he silently hoped for Izuka's sake that Izuku would win the match.
"He's sacrificing himself. At this rate, he might end up with permanent damage."
Mr. Aizawa watched closely, remembering what he told the twins after combat class. "Work harder. And don't give me the excuses that you don't have control over your Quirk or that you haven't used it growing up."
His power has lessened while Mido's seems to be increasing, but they've gained some control. Even if it was a new power, Mido still seemed like she knew what she was doing during her fight with Bakugo. That she wanted to grow despite her loss. It's not that he's fighting recklessly or worrying her on purpose. He's just doing everything he can to win the match within his current skill level and show her what she needs to do to be a hero.
Izuku kept dodging Shoto's ice attacks, determination in his eyes. But man...even if it can be healed, to go through such intense pain and still be putting up a fight requires an absurd amount of resolve He thought while Present Mic was giving commentary. What's driving him? Why's he so intent?
Toshinori continued to watch closely, although at the back of his mind, he didn't forget what he promised Izuka. "My brother already broke his limbs just to be here. This kind of teaching has to change, All Might. I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle something like this again." Her words echoed in his head and he glanced towards the ground. He wished he could apologize for making Izuku think he needed to go this far. After all, he did kind of put pressure on the twins about being symbols...that might be another reason why Izuku was fighting this hard.
He's the greatest hero, and I wanna be just like him. In order to do that...I have to be strong enough to become number one. Izuku was running towards Shoto, though unable to move his left arm. I know my motivation might seem stupid compared to yours.
Shoto narrowed his eyes while sending more ice towards Izuku, whose fingers from his right hand twitched. I can't make a fist, but... He put his thumb inside of his cheek, Shoto straightening up in alarm. "SMASH!" He sent a strong wind pressure attack to Shoto, who had to stop himself with a blockade of ice.
"...Why are you putting yourself through this? What about Mido? Don't you think she's gone through watching you enough?" He demanded as Izuka's eyes were worried, but her face softened. Because...he had a point, she hated seeing her brother be in pain just for the sake of getting a chance to be recognized. That wasn't even his sole reason for continuing on, and she knew that. Deep down...there was a part of her that realized this was the only thing he could do right now. But a small part of her wished that he didn't have to do this to himself.
"I wanna live up to people's expectations. To show my sister that her belief in me isn't misplaced, and what she can do if she pushes herself," Izuku spoke up, earning a light gasp from Shoto. "I wanna be able to smile while doing something good for them," He was running towards his opponent, though he wasn't looking up. He then thought of All Might. "I wanna be a pro! Whatever it takes to be a hero with Izuka as she finds herself!"
Izuka's eyes slowly widened at her brother, gasping. She then remembered Izuku's never-fading encouragement for her to use her Quirk, even though she believed that it wasn't necessary to even have it...
"Shoto," His mother spoke up as he looked towards the TV in awe.
His eyes shook and Izuku let out a grunt. Shoto let out a grunt as Izuku hit him so hard he slid backwards. "That's why I'll get it my all just like you should be!" Izuku shouted towards him, gritting his teeth. Shoto slid to a stop. "There's no way I can know what you've gone through, or why you're even here. Your life has been so much different than mine or Izuka's...but right now..." Izuku stumbled forward as much as he could. "Stop screwing around! If you wanna reject your father, fine, but you don't have the right to be number one if you aren't going to use your full power."
Memories of his harsh training and his mother's comfort as a child came to mind like flashes. His eyes widened as he could only stare...
He coughed as he kneeled, Endeavor standing over him with an intense expression. "Now stand up. If you get hurt that easily, you can forget about beating All Might, or even a small-time villain." Shoto had just thrown up as he couldn't handle this level. Nor did he even want to at this rate. He felt like he couldn't handle this...
"Please, stop pushing him!" His mother kneeled to her son. "He's only 5 years old!"
"He can take it," Endeavor declared while Shoto had tears running down his face. "Get out of my way!" A smack was heard as his wife let out a yelp. This stopped the boy from his tears as he looked up wide-eyed.
"Momma...?"
Ice covered Shoto's right leg as Izuku was heading towards him. Shut up... Frost started to overtake his entire right side as he could remember what happened after that day in training.
Shoto sobbed while hiding his face into his mother's chest. She hugged him in silence. "I don't want to, Mom," He cried out to her, clutching at her shirt. After seeing what his father did...he wasn't sure he could handle his mother getting hurt again. "Please...I...I don't wanna be the kind of guy he is. I don't wanna be someone who bullies you and hurts people, Momma!"
She reached out to the back of his head. She then stroked his hair gently. "But honey...you do still wanna be a hero, don't you?"
He faltered at the question, slowly looking up at her. She had a gentle smile on her face, despite everything that happened. The reason why she could smile like this now...was because she wanted to see Shoto grow. Even if Endeavor kept being the way he was to them...
And he still remembered that smile as Izuku was a few feet away from him. "Just remember, stay true to yourself." Izuku gritted his teeth while clenching his fist with his fingers entirely purple. "You can be the kind of hero you want to be when you grow up."
"That's why...I'm going to win this!" Izuku declared while punching Shoto and sending him flying once again. "I'll surpass you!"
Frost flew from his body, the words his opponent just said being all too familiar with him...
Shoto watched as his brothers and sister played together from the railing. The nanny was nearby watching with a small smile. He wanted to be with them too...ever since training, it felt like he hardly ever saw his siblings anymore. One of them fell, causing laughter within the three. Meanwhile, Endeavor walked up and grabbed his son's hand, dragging him away.
"Ignore them, Shoto. They live in a different world than the one I'm training you for," He stated, despite the look on Shoto's face saying he didn't want this at all. And yet he was being forced into a goal that wasn't even his own...
Shoto continued flying across the arena, having so many feelings right now...conflicting ones, sad ones, enraged ones...
"Mom?" He asked, but there was no answer from her.
"I feel like I'm going crazy," His mother stated while he yawned, rubbing at his eyes as he stepped into the kitchen. "I can't take it anymore. Every day, the children seem more like him," He looked up curiously as his mother sobbed, brewing some tea. She was on the phone with someone, and she sounded scared for her life. "And Shoto. That child's left side sometimes looks unbearable to me. All I can see is his father. I can't raise him anymore. I want to run away from this life."
"Mom..." He started off sadly, as he thought his mother cared about him. And to hear these things...it felt like almost all his hope was lost. And only one person had made her feel this way to say these things... "What're you saying?"
She gasped after hearing his voice, moving the phone away from her ear. The pot of water had just finished as steam came from it. It overflowed as she twitched, looking over her shoulder in terror.
Shoto looked up towards the sky. I remember...
A sound was heard and then later...Shoto had a bandage over his left eye. He stood there while Endeavor found out what happened. "Moronic woman. To hurt you at such an important time," Endeavor grumbled, though his focus was because of Shoto's abilities as the 'perfect child' to surpass All Might. Not because he had sustained an injury that could've been way worse.
"Where did Momma go?" Shoto asked his father.
"Huh? Oh, she hurt my masterpiece, so I put her in a hospital to keep you safe," He replied with little care in his voice.
His body shook in anger, especially after hearing masterpiece and that he was blaming his mother. When in reality, she wouldn't have been driven to hurt him if it wasn't for the abuse. "That was your fault!" Endeavor turned around in confusion to being blamed for what happened, failing to see that he did cause all of this by terrifying his wife. "You're the one who made her hurt me...!" Shoto declared with hate, tears falling down his right eye. Endeavor looked disappointed with him.
I will reject you Shoto thought as he was kneeling on the ground. He refused to want anything to do with his father after that day. "I refuse...to use my left side," He told Izuku, and this caused him to snap.
"It's yours!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "Your Quirk, not his!"
Shoto gasped while looking up at him; these were words no one in his whole life said to him, not even his mother. "Yes. That's right," All Might spoke from an interview, one of very few. It was the interview he gave after his debut. "Children often do inherit Quirks from their parents, or develop similar power sets. But the most important thing to remember is that a Quirk is what you make of it, regardless of your history. You decide how you use it." Shoto gave a look of awe as he watched the hero with his mother. "That's what I mean when I say I am here. Only you can decide to become a hero, no one else," He then grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Take this to heart, kids! You've got it!"
"Honey," His mother spoke up softly. "You do still wanna be a hero, don't you? Just remember, stay true to yourself," She placed a hand to the side of her awed child's head.
I didn't realize...how much I'd forgotten.
"You are not a prisoner of your lineage. It's okay to use your power...to become who you want to be."
Shoto's eyes shook as the woman from back then...was so different from when she hurt him. All because of someone who didn't deserve any satisfaction of seeing his left side. And yet...he couldn't help but desire...pleasing not his mother, but himself as a hero. No matter what side he used, he wanted to be a hero his own way, not anyone else's.
He then growled as flames came from his left eye, and then expanded in a bunch of flames, catching Izuku off guard. "Is that...?!" Present Mic gasped in shock, everyone else in alarm as well. Izuka let out a small gasp of shock that Shoto was using it. Ochaco leaned back, holding up her fingers.
"He's using his fire!"
"So strong!" Izuka cried out, an arm in front of her face. Tenya then remembered what Shoto said before the cavalry battle started.
"When I'm in battle...I never use my left side."
He couldn't believe Izuku had gotten through to Shoto enough for him to do something he swore he wouldn't. "Incredible..." He murmured towards both of his classmates.
Toshinori was in shock as well. You made him use his father's power. Midoriya...don't tell me you were trying to save Young Todoroki this whole time! Izuku gritted his teeth up ahead. You're helping your opponent.
The boy then gasped as Shoto's right side began to defrost thanks to the flames. "You fool. Even though you wanna win this battle...now which one of us is screwing around?" Izuku could only stare at Shoto, his mouth opening a little at seeing this side of Shoto for the first time. Shoto looked in control, not scared like he would've been in the past. "I want it too," He declared, fire coming from his left arm, and frost over his right leg and arm. "I'll be a hero!"
Izuku then slowly smiled hearing this. Shoto gave a big grin, as he knew of Izuku's intentions now. The feeling of flames running through him...it was different, but not in a way he felt demeaned him.
Endeavor gave a big grin himself, pleased with Shoto. "YES, SHOTO!" He screamed happily, earning a small frown from Izuka.
Does he have to be so obvious about it?
"Uh?" Present Mic looked baffled, as did other people surrounding the staircase as Endeavor walked down.
"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 will live up to the reason I created you!" Passion was in his eyes as he got a closer look for himself, just to take in the moment.
Shoto wasn't even looking in his direction. "Endeavor suddenly shouts words of...encouragement? What a doting father," Present Mic commented since everyone heard it for themselves. A bright glow came from Shoto that it dimmed out the lights around him. Izuku continued to smile as he stared.
Amazing.
Shoto looked a bit annoyed. "Why are you smiling?" Izuku's smile then dropped after hearing the question. "With those injures...in this hopeless situation...you must be crazy." Izuku then narrowed his eyes; maybe he was, but he was still crazy enough for his words to work on his opponent. "Don't blame me for what happens next." He pressed his right foot against the ground, ice surrounding the boot as the entire field started to get covered in it. He still maintained his half-and-half form. Izuku stepped forward, veins coming from his leg. His pant leg also started to rip off, a strong wind surrounding him. It was enough to make the frost from his arm come right off.
Cementoss then pressed his hands on the ground. "That's it, Midnight. One of them could be killed!" The boys stared each other down intensely, ignoring what was going on from everything else.
"His body won't hold up!" Midnight ripped away her sleeve so that smoke could come from it.
Shoto then sent a powerful ice attack while Izuku jumped, flying across the sky. Izuka had her hands in front of her mouth in anticipation, but also a little fear. Gotta try and get close and give it everything! More ice headed for him and he watched as Shoto recoiled back his arm, fire and ice appearing in waves. Come at me with your full power, Todoroki! Shoto then sent a huge orange blast behind him as he powered up, raising his left arm.
"I see now, Midoriya..." He pointed it towards his opponent. Izuku moved his hand, green energy sparking from it as veins covered his arm. "Thank you," He then held out his hand while Izuku threw his arm forward, holding out his own hand. Cementoss held up the barriers, only for a huge explosion to occur from both sides as it covered the arena. Then rocks flew around everywhere.
Midnight flew backwards in alarm from the strong winds.
Minoru was about to be blown away, but didn't thanks to Mezo grabbing his leg with one of his arms. "Holy crap balls!" He yelped while trying to keep his balance.
"This is crazy!" Denki shouted at the top of his lungs, everyone else bracing themselves from the winds.
"What's happening down there?" Momo wondered as she could barely keep her eyes open.
Izuka held up her arms in front of her face, her hair flying. She couldn't even see anything, making it too risky to block the impact herself.
All Might and Endeavor watched closely, though the latter was still glowing with fatherly pride, not that he deserved it...A bunch of smoke went into the sky, slowly clearing. Death Arms and Kamui Woods both looked up wide-eyed in shock.
"Having a great power doesn't mean you'll be a good hero," Cementoss commented while standing up, the smoke still heavy in the center. "But these two are amazing."
"What happened just now?" Present Mic questioned as he was knocked backwards in his chair. "What the heck is up with your students?"
"The air around the ring had been thoroughly cooled down, and then rapidly expanded when heated up," Mr. Aizawa explained simply for him.
"Wait, that's what caused the explosion?!" Present Mic fully sat up in shock. "How hot did that fire get? Jeez, I can't see a thing! Is the match still going on or what, huh?"
Midnight slowly stood up, rubbing the back of her head. Her mask had been blown off and then she saw something in the smoke. Izuka slowly looked up and then gasped sharply, getting onto her feet in realization. "Izuku!"
As the smoke cleared, his entire class and his sister waited with bated breath. Even Katsuki was wondering who had won. Endeavor gave a big grin...as it was revealed Izuku was now out of bounds, smoke coming from his body. He then slowly fell to the ground. Izuka let out a shocked sound and got up quickly, running past the others to go tend to him.
"There. Midoriya is...out of bounds," Midnight revealed out of breath. Shoto was in shock, half his clothes now burned off. Midnight then pointed her whip. "Todoroki wins! He advances to the third round!"
The crowd cheered while Shoto was left panting, wondering himself what just happened.
Izuka made it out to the arena, sliding to her brother as she saw his injuries, and they weren't looking good. She let out a soft sigh as she placed his head on her lap, patting his head. "You fought as hard as you could out there, little brother..." She stated, knowing that he wanted to advance because of the people who helped him get here. "I'm proud of you even if you did lose today. But I know this is only the beginning for you as a hero..." She murmured since all of the pros witnessed what happened. While his opponent did win, and being Endeavor's son would play a factor...she knew that there would be at least one person who saw her brother's potential.
Toshinori hummed a little watching them, knowing that despite everything, Izuka would always be there for her brother. Even if at the start, he was more concerned with his sister's Quirk than his own.
Shoto stared up ahead at the two, as...he felt like he could see him and his mother in the twins. The way she was comforting Izuku wasn't unlike how his mother would do with him. Mido...even though her own goals are clear, she's still by his side. She's just like my mother...kind, gentle. Someone who wouldn't hurt anyone unless they gave her a reason to. I wish I could've fought against her just to see what it was like. Would it have been just like with her brother...?
Katsuki stared at Shoto, gritting his teeth at the way the boy was eyeing Izuka, and he didn't like it at all. It made him wanna punch something or someone right about now. What the hell is going on between them? Does he like her or something? I know I'll face him in the finals...and when I do, I'll remember this moment. The way he's eyeing her...he must be drooling.
He gripped his knee tight as his hand twitched. This nagging feeling wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. He had the exact same feeling when Shoto wanted to talk to the twins, or when he declared war on them. Izuku wasn't even his focus anymore, it was just always Izuka getting the attention of someone who was supposed to be his rival. He was the one destined for number one, not the Midoriyas. And he certainly didn't want any guys eyeing Izuka like she was a piece of meat or something; it was annoying as hell. It was getting more and more likely that Izuka was thinking of Shoto during his match with Izuku, even though she hadn't once looked at Shoto yet. Nor did she seem to notice the boy staring at her the way he was. Either way, Katsuki was definitely not a fan of the thought of her with Shoto as he glared at the boy intensely.
Damn you. She's supposed to be focusing on beating me. You just wait, you half-and-half bastard.