Chapter 93: Kaminari’s Troubles.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

In the corridor connecting the players' lounge to the arena within U.A.'s gymnasium, Todoroki walked forward with a calm but steely expression. Unlike his classmates, he hadn't watched the previous match between Uraraka and Shinso with the others. Instead, he had spent the time alone in the lounge, quieting the turbulent emotions that had surfaced after witnessing Kaminari's performance.

Now, he was ready.

"Hmm?"

Just as he turned a corner, his expression turned icy upon noticing the man blocking his way. "Don't stand in my path," he said flatly.

It was Endeavor—his father, the current No. 2 hero in Japan, standing there with an imposing presence.

"You're wasting your potential, Shoto," Endeavor replied, his eyes just as cold. In fact, they mirrored Todoroki's own, though in a different way.

"In your last match, if you'd used the power of your left side after creating that iceberg, you would have easily overwhelmed Kaminari's 'Thunder Aegis.'"

Endeavor's voice was filled with scorn, as if he couldn't understand why his son would choose to limit himself. "There's a massive difference in potential between you and someone like him."

Todoroki kept walking, choosing not to respond. But as he moved past Endeavor, the older hero spoke sharply.

"You need to stop acting like a rebellious child. You have a duty to surpass All Might." Watching Todoroki's retreating figure, he continued, "You were born different from your siblings. You're my finest creation."

Those words hit a nerve. Todoroki halted just before stepping into the sunlight streaming in from the other side of the corridor. His fists clenched, and he spoke in a low, shaking voice, struggling to contain his anger.

"If that's all you have to say, then pay attention…" He took a breath. "I'll win this festival without using your power. I'll do it with my mother's strength alone."

Endeavor's expression didn't change, though he looked unimpressed. "Even if you manage to scrape by this time, you'll reach your limit soon enough, especially against someone like Kaminari. It's not as easy to freeze electricity."

Todoroki took a step forward into the bright sunlight, his face set in determination. "Then watch closely. I'll defeat Kaminari without ever touching your fire."

With that, he walked away, leaving Endeavor to shake his head slightly, murmuring to himself. "Stubborn fool. That boy Kaminari has a far better grasp of his Quirk than you do…"

The next second, any trace of Endeavor's thoughts vanished as cheers from the stadium echoed through the corridor.

---

The arena lit up as the flame throwers stationed at each corner flared, setting the stage for the next match.

"Thank you for waiting, EVERYONE!" Present Mic's voice boomed as he amped up the crowd, more enthusiastic than ever. The last match hadn't exactly been thrilling, but this one had all the signs of a crowd-pleaser.

"Our next match is between these two competitors!"

The screens around the stadium lit up with photos of Shoto Todoroki and Juzo Honenuki. The audience's excitement reignited as they recognized Todoroki from his previous dominating performances.

"Here we have two highly talented students who were admitted to U.A.'s hero course by recommendation! This should be an intense showdown!"

On the field, both Todoroki and Honenuki faced each other without a hint of emotion. Todoroki stood with his usual cold composure, while Honenuki's expression was unreadable, his body language calm and steady.

The audience seemed drawn in by their stoic attitudes, as if expecting something special from the "elite."

Meanwhile, in the Class 1-A stands, Kaminari glanced over at Bakugo, who was watching Todoroki intently.

"Aren't you going to check on Uraraka?" Kaminari asked with a hint of curiosity.

Bakugo gave him a side-eye, then turned back to the arena. "I don't care about some crying girl. Besides…"

He scowled. "Deku already went, didn't he?"

Kaminari chuckled. "You really trust Midoriya, huh?"

"Trust? What kind of idiot do you take me for?" Bakugo snarled, his voice filled with irritation. "Say something like that again, and I'll kill you."

Kaminari shrugged, unfazed. By now, he understood Bakugo a bit better, underneath all that bluster, he wasn't as harsh as he seemed. More than anything, he was just a guy with zero filter.

---

"Alright, let's get this next match started!" Present Mic announced, and immediately Honenuki made the first move, stepping forward as he activated his Quirk. The cement floor beneath his feet softened visibly, spreading toward Todoroki in a wave. His Quirk, "Softening," allowed him to turn solid ground into a squishy, malleable surface, though it had no effect on living beings.

Seeing the darkened, softened ground approaching him, Todoroki's eyes turned sharper. He didn't move from his spot, instead extending his right hand. A massive wall of ice erupted from the floor, surging forward like a tidal wave.

Honenuki observed calmly. "It's no use. Even if it's ice, I can still soften it."

And he was right, when the ice wall made contact with the softened ground, it began to break down, almost melting into a slushy mess. But Todoroki's ice kept coming, layers piling on top of each other faster than Honenuki's Quirk could break them down. Within seconds, an enormous iceberg, fifty or sixty meters tall, had formed in the center of the arena.

The weight and size of the ice formation caused the stadium to tremble slightly, like a small earthquake. Even the professional heroes in the audience looked on with wary admiration, impressed by Todoroki's control.

Yet despite the overwhelming display, Todoroki's face showed no signs of satisfaction. Frost coated the right side of his body from the strain, but his gaze remained locked onto Honenuki, who had been entirely buried beneath the ice.

"Sorry…" Todoroki muttered as he exhaled a cloud of cold air, his eyes distant. "There's just too much of a difference in our levels."

Up in the stands, Kaminari watched the entire scene unfold with an impassive expression.

"This guy really doesn't hold back, huh?" he muttered to himself, impressed by the sheer scale of Todoroki's power. "But if I end up facing him… how am I supposed to counter something like that?"

He knew the rules prohibited him from bringing in any equipment besides the standard hero course items. No steel balls, no coins without those, his Railgun, Lightning Chain, and even his defensive Thunder Aegis were all rendered ineffective.

As Todoroki stood in the arena, catching his breath, Kaminari found himself thinking hard about what he'd need to do if he wanted a real chance against his classmate.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 40+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.