Chapter 66

We took an hour break at the end of the first test.

I pretended to be indifferent to the announcement, although I was actually relieved.

My crash landing had taken its toll on my knees: if it hadn't been for appearances, I would have been rolling around on the floor begging someone to get Recovery Girl. If someone had asked me to get up, I don't think I would have been able to.

I'd never been happier to have made the decision to learn Iryô Ninjutsu many years earlier.

The pain was gradually gone, my legs were healing, and my urge to curse at every opportunity was diminishing.

- I can see why the old man limits his speed, I grumbled, still sitting on the sandy arena floor and pretending to stretch.

Strengthening myself with chakra almost turned me to soup…

I looked up and met the dark gaze of an enraged Kachan.

- Pissed off because I have taken the number one spot and single-handedly eliminated three quarters of the contestants ?

I smiled contemptuously, amused by the way the veins in his forehead were throbbing.

- The number two spot only underscores your mediocrity.

He walked toward me, sweat puddling on his palms.

He wanted to fight, but that didn't impress me in the least: I waited cross-legged, eyebrows slightly raised.

The speakers crackled.

- Bakugo, Aizawa-sensei warned, annoyed and exasperated.

The blond stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes glaring at me. I patted the sand next to me.

- Sit down, we'll have to wait a long time until everyone finish.

His eyes darted suspiciously between me and the ground.

- Don't give me orders.

I shrugged and looked away.

- As you wish.

Students began to trickle out of the tunnel, some almost skewering my ice wall (which Bakugo had blown unevenly upon arrival).

Bakugo watched them enter, boredom beginning to take shape on his face.

I saw him look at me, then at the other kids, before he finally decided to sit down - though further away than I'd suggested.

I pointed with my chin at the newcomers (Inaza had come in third, Iida just behind).

- You came before all those losers.

- They're pathetic, he grumbled. There's nothing glorious about it.

- There's always someone stronger than you, Bakugo. And right now, that person is me. He threw a pebble at me (rather violently, as if to turn me blind) and blinked.

- You're arrogant.

I bent down and dodged the projectile.

- Says the one with the superiority complex.

His back was hunched, his posture almost making me ache for him.

- The only time I can stand you is when you keep your mouth shut," he growled.

- Whether you keep your mouth shut or not, no one can ever stand you, I insisted.

Accept that being stuck with me is the only option for the next three years of our lives and you'll sleep better at night.

He looked at me again, this time confused.

- Why are you pushing so hard? You and I aren't buddies.

- Sure, but you're the least obnoxious guy in the class. You don't spend all your time yelling that I'm too mean and not heroic enough and blah blah blah. (I shrugged) We're going to be doing group work and team activities in the next few weeks, and I'd rather do it with the only person who doesn't make me want to strangle him with my bare hands the moment he breathes too hard.

He smiled thinly, but I was deadly serious.

There were a few moments of silence, during which I focused all my attention on tending to my legs; they would soon be completely healed.

- By the way, why are you wearing a mask? (I turned to the blond) Do you have an even more nasty scar than this one (he shook his index finger from his eyebrow to his eye to mimic mine) to hide?

- Horrible, I murmured in a low voice, running my index finger along the line that crossed my eyebrow and eyelid, ending on my cheek.

This scar was annoyingly badass - only the coolest characters had them. And I was one of the coolest characters around.

- It was really just a matter of anonymity, I replied with a shrug. Since my father is famous…

My eyes wandered; I thought back to Kensei, that infamous day…

No matter how much I racked my brain, I could never understand why he would sacrifice his life for me - if I were him, I'd have served the kid I was on a platter.

At last, he died, and everyone moved on, showing how pointless one of the hardest and most frightening event of my life was. - But I guess there's not much point now.

There were still camera flashes in the "media" section of the audience, some even calling us by our first names and asking us to look at them.

- So you're going to take it off ?

- Would you take off your pants just because I asked you to ?

Bakugo squinted.

- What kind of stupid question is that?

- So you have your answer, I said.

Silence fell between us as I thought about the list of lies I'd just told. Anonymity ?Hard to do when you're a kid with heterochromatic eyes and hair of two different colors.

I glanced at Bakugo who kept glaring at all the other students.

If I'd told him it was to avoid ending up with someone else's blood in my mouth again, would he have understood ?

*

Back in the locker room, I took my time to really stretch this time.

Then I opened my locker (self-appointed, of course) and got out a kraft paper bag. I sat down on the bench and ate quietly, not paying attention to the boys changing.

I smiled thinly when I saw my dad's text, sent just before the first trial.

Dad : Shoto…

I put my cell phone in my pocket, imagining his dejected expression and the tiredness with which he must have rubbed the bridge of his nose.

I looked at the other students in 1-A, listening with a distracted ear to the conversations going on around me. They spoke in low voices and carefully avoided looking in my direction.

I took the opportunity to eat my noodles even louder, enjoying the obvious effort they made not to look in my direction, even though the irritation was clear on their faces.

Bakugo slammed the door of his locker, drawing all eyes to him. The other students' little game had not escaped his notice.

- Cut the crap, he snapped, He's not going to eat you.

There was was silence, no one daring to look at Bakugo or me.

Except for Inaza, who, as usual, was oblivious to the general atmosphere, casting confused glances around with his stupid face.

- I've seen a lot of the other students, Séro murmured, his eyes fixed on the ground. Many of them ended up in the hospital.

I swallowed my noodles with a loud gulp.

Bakugo gave me a meaningful look before turning back to the others.

- So what? They deserved it, those sore losers (judging by the closed faces, that wasn't the right thing to say, so Bakugo corrected himself). If Todoroki hadn't been a hundredth as good as he is, he'd have ended up on a stretcher and you'd have felt like shit for letting him face 200 students alone.

- 241, I corrected.

- Stop acting like kids and focus on the tournament. I'm the damn class rep, and I won't accept anyone who gives less than 400% !

Some of them looked more confident, their expressions gradually relaxing.

I didn't like it at all.

- The next person I face, I'll break every bone in his body.

Silence followed my declaration.

Suddenly, Bakugo threw a shoe at me (Denki's, judging by his little cry of protest), which I dodged by moving my head to the side.

It hit the locker and fell in- the liquid from my noodles splattered on my jacket.

I stood for a moment, staring at my ruined meal.

Slowly, I set the bowl down on the bench, took off my jacket, and threw it on the floor.

- When did you get so familiar with me, bitch ?

I stood up and walked slowly towards Bakugo.

The teenagers shifted nervously to let me pass.

- Since you think you're the godfather, he scolded, approaching in his turn.

We came face to face, our faces only inches apart.

- Remember ? he whispered, a mocking smile on his lips. If we fight here, we'll be expelled of Yuei.

- Oh yes, that's right, I said and move back a few centimeters. That fucking rule I made up

I headbutted his nose so hard that he collapsed to the ground.

He pissed blood like a fucking fountain, but that wouldn't stop him, and I was glad.

- I'll fucking kill you!

He jumped to his feet, ready to tear down my throat – literally.

- Bring it on!

- Todoroki! Bakugo!

Arms wrapped around my shoulders and legs, preventing me from moving forward.

Other students jumped on Bakugo, trying to pull him back.

He was screaming like a mad man to be released.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the hands of my attackers.

I leaned forward, lifting nearly 300 kilos of human weight onto my back.

My face was flushed, my muscles tense with the effort.

If I turn this side I can throw them at Bak-

The door to the locker room swung open.

We all turned towards the newcomer.

Aizawa blinked once, then a second time more slowly.

Everyone fell silent.

Only the sound of drops (from my bowl) falling regularly echoed through the changing room.

- Todoroki and Bakugo, in my office.

*

I cleaned my ear with my pinkie and looked at the applauding crowd. The rules for the next event had been announced and the teams were already formed.

- Shoto, Midnight called out to me.

A pillar of ice rose from beneath my feet and grew until it was level with the highest bleachers in the stadium.

My platform was wide, almost eight meters in diameter.

Midnight looked at me quizzically, probably wondering if she should force me down before I twisted my neck and accidentally fell.

She opened her mouth, but immediately closed it again, putting two fingers to her earpiece to better hear the last few commands being transmitted, nodded, gave me one last look, and turned to the other students to see if all the other riders were well in the saddle.

- Ready to go ?

I turned my eyes to Bakugo, who was looking at me, grumbling, smoke coming out of his palms.

His nose was still a little red, and if Aizawa hadn't threatened us with detention for the whole semester (on top of the two weeks we'd already got), I know he would have wanted us to settle the score before this ordeal.

Still…

I crouched down on the ledge, half my feet above the void.

I gave Bakugo a little wave, forcing myself to be exaggeratedly expressive on the only part of my face he could see - my eyes crinkled into a crescent moon, and I heard him shout obscenities.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Inaza, who had teamed up with

He was serious, just like the time he'd stood up to me. His dark eyes were focused, and I knew he was already thinking about what to do next.

I was precariously balanced, perched so high and unstable; one gust of wind and – theoretically- I was done for. If he brought me down with his Quirk…

He looked at Bakugo.

It was too risky, since the blonde was a variable that would most certainly get in his way - if he didn't manage to catch me in time after dropping me, I could be seriously injured or even die.

Since he didn't know how long it would take me to activate my Hell Flame - or even if I was still capable of it - he couldn't afford to take such a risk. Therefore, he would simply fly to me himself and rip off my fold.

I turned to him; his gaze was determined, and I was sure I hadn't misjudged him .

I waved at him - he waved back, a little surprised but happy - before my hand turned into a fuck.

He was outraged.

I respected his integrity, but what an idiot he was.

If I'd been him, I'd have blown up the pillar - I wouldn't care if other teams got the debris, it would just mean I'd have fewer opponents to deal with.

But he was a good guy, and good guys - in addition to being very predictable - were all about the top.

The whistle blew.

I placed my hands flat on my ice tower and sent an immense amount of chakra into it.

Bakugo and Inaza jumped off their horses at the same time, the former roaring and the latter reaching me much faster.

I activated my Sharingan.

I didn't want to miss a moment of what was about to happen.

There was a deafening rumble, as if the earth itself was shaking. I saw the professionals in the audience rise to their feet and look around anxiously. Some students exchanged anxious glances, hesitating what to do next - would the test continue ?

A huge layer of ice formed at the base of my pillar, freezing the arena floor in seconds. It didn't stop there, though, as the ice began to eat away at the walls until it was beyond them. The nearest spectators quickly moved away for fear of being caught in the ice as collateral damage.

Ice also emerged from the top of my platform, spreading out like a dome to join the layer rising toward me.

Bakugo, realizing what I was up to, launched his explosions at my pillar in an attempt to damage it. But it was too thick, and he wasn't fast enough to prevent me from reaching my goal.

Inaza, on the other hand, was closing fast - so I did the only thing I could do to get rid of a nuisance like him: I raised my index finger.

He hesitated for a moment, trying to understand the meaning of my gesture, and that's what cost him his fall; a platform of ice jumped from my tower, and he took it right in the face.

He fell like a bird with its wings clipped, and I was amused to see his horses scramble to catch him.

I met Bakugo's gaze as the dome closed; his scream of rage echoed long after they'd all disappeared, trapped inside my frozen bubble.

I nodded, satisfied as I saw my handiwork; my ice was thick, and wasting time trying to break through it would leave anyone free to be stormed by the other students.

This dome was my Hunger Games; I was Snow, and there would never be a Katniss Everdeen to stop me.

The silent audience rose to their feet and cheered me on with thunderous applause. I gave them a quick wave - yes, yes, this championship is nothing more than a mundane activity on my Wednesday - before meeting Midnight's worried gaze.

- I left them a vent, I said before she could ask.

Wrong, of course, but if something went wrong, I'd blame Bakugo for using up all the oxygen with his explosions.

She nodded, seeming to take my word for it.

The speed with which she accepted my shaky answer surprised me.

Are all heroes so gullible ?

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and slowly turned towards the commentary room, where Aizawa was glaring at me, his Quirk activated.

He didn't need to speak for me to know what he was getting at; I made a quick gesture with my wrist, clearing a small opening at the top of the dome, between my feet.

Aizawa deactivated his quirk.

I swear, this guy has a second quirk specifically designed to recognize when I'm talking crap.

Sometimes it was downright creepy.

Bonus 1 :

Bakugo raged, foam forming at the corners of his mouth.

Never in his life had someone managed to piss him off so much for three different reasons in the same day.

He shook with rage, sweat puddling on his skin, black smoke billowing from his skin and curling around his neck and arms.

- Let's slaughter them all down there and then blow up the pillar, he ordered the other members of his team.

Kirishima and Denki exchanged glances; with so much ice above them, such a plan would result in many casualties from the debris. However, neither of them was willing to face Bakugo, who seemed to be in a state of near unconsciousness, his red eyes focused on the top of the dome.

- Okay.

Bonus 2 :

Ochaco wiped the sweat from her brow and concentrated on their opponents.

Inaza was still a bit out of it, and their strike force would be halved by the time he woke up - if he woke up before the ordeal was over.

She and Tsuyu had to do most of the work since Izuku didn't have the right quirk for the situation.

He sometimes got in the way when other opponents attacked them (especially Denki) and although she pretended to talk him out of it at first, she let him continue without saying anything.

What ? He was useful, and she wouldn't deny his help.

Although the smell of his blood and burnt flesh was a bit disturbing, she didn't mind it too much.

As for Tsuyu, she turned green at more or less regular intervals; in order not to look strange next to her, Ochaco wore a deliberately strained smile and turned up his nose to show her disgust.

Her eyes returned periodically to the top of the dome, where she knew he was still standing, no doubt enjoying himself for having taken them all by surprise.

Ochaco felt her heart pounding with anticipation; the laces of her shoes pricked skyward without her realizing it.

There was a million dollars waiting for her with the horrible, hateful boy who had locked her in that cage; losing here and now wasn't even an option.

*

Author's note :

This arc definitely won't be a long one.

Also, there are canons events that I greatly dislike and thus won't appear in this story.

For example, the Stein, Stain or whatever arc - it made absolutely no sense to me. Dude is a murderer without the slightest legitimacy who thinks he has the right to say who is a 'real' hero and who is not. And, what a surprise, Izuku is one but not the other kids.

The provisional licence exam : how stupid can you be to let teens who've been in school for 2 months get their hand on a document that give them authority over civilians and make them semi-professionnal. 

I know it was made so they could use their Quirks on public spaces or whatever, but I don't like how the Commission or anyone hasn't ever thought that yeah, vilains are gonna targets Heroes in training to avoid them becoming professionnals : that's the smart thing to do if you want to fuck a country's next generation.

That's it for today.

If you want to support me/read ahead of schedule up to 50 chapters ahead you can do so on my P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !