Chapter 12: Training with Shoto

Nine more months slipped by like a blur, and during that time, Yuki and Shoto's friendship had blossomed into something truly special. Their encounters became frequent, and their bond grew stronger with each passing day. At first, Shoto sought solace in his new friend, finding refuge from the pressure of his father's expectations.

For Yuki, the past nine months had been a whirlwind of excitement and personal growth. He no longer felt alone in the world, knowing that he had a true friend by his side. One could say that Shoto is Yuki's first friend of two lifetimes, because in his first life he was an introvert who was only interested in reading manga and watching anime and who, just like the Yuki of nine months ago, never had a friend.

As he spent more time with Shoto, he realized that friendship was not just about having someone to talk to or play with. It was about sharing the burden of each other's struggles, finding strength in unity, and becoming better together.

Meanwhile, in the midst of their friendship blooming, Yuki's family had another reason to celebrate. Yuki's mother had become pregnant, and the Takehara household was bustling with preparations to welcome a new member into their family.

The training grounds were abuzz with the crackling of ice and the crackling of wind as Yuki and Shoto pushed their limits once more. The two friends had been at it for hours, their determination unwavering, their goals clear in their minds.

"I must surpass him, using only the ice side of my quirk," Shoto's voice echoed in his head. He had come a long way since they first met, but he knew he still had much to learn and improve. He wanted to prove to himself and the world that he could stand on his own as a hero, relying solely on the power of his ice abilities.

On the other hand, Yuki couldn't help but feel a tinge of annoyance as he watched Shoto limit himself. 'I wish he'd use his full power against me,' Yuki thought, craving a challenge that would truly test his abilities. However, he knew he couldn't force Shoto to change his ways. The scars from his past were still fresh, and Yuki understood that healing takes time.

In the midst of their training, Yuki's thoughts wandered to a moment in the anime when Izuku managed to help Shoto embrace his fire quirk. 'Maybe I could try something like that,' Yuki pondered, seeking a breakthrough that would allow Shoto to fully utilize his powers.

However, as Yuki carefully approached the subject, he realized that Shoto's trauma was still too fresh and deeply rooted. Izuku's success had only come due to the many years that passed.

Yuki's mind is fully focused on controlling his quirk. He wanted this training match with Shoto to be challenging, exhilarating, and above all, fun. Therefore he was holding back on his other abilities, Yuki concentrated solely on using his quirk without using any abilities his wish to become a Flügel granted him.

Shoto, on the other hand, unleashed his ice, creating a frozen landscape within the training room. Walls of ice rose around them, and frost coated the ground, turning it into a slippery battleground. The temperature dropped significantly, but neither of them seemed bothered by the freezing chill.

"Take this, Wind Blade!" Yuki's voice rang out, blades shooting forth like razor-sharp projectiles. He watched with anticipation as Shoto reacted with lightning speed, conjuring a shield of ice to intercept the incoming assault.

The ice shield clashed with the wind blades. The collision sent a gust of chilled air swirling through the training room. Shoto's determination shone in his eyes as he held the defense, his shield standing firm against Yuki's onslaught.

Seeing that Shoto had blocked his initial attack, Yuki's mind raced with excitement. He knew he had to keep the momentum going if he wanted to gain the upper hand. With a swift motion of his hand, he began condensing the moisture in the air, shaping it into formidable clouds.

'Let's see how he handles this!' Yuki thought. But he knew that manipulating the clouds would take a few precious seconds, and in that time, Shoto could mount a counterattack.

And indeed, as if reading Yuki's mind, Shoto was quick to retaliate. With a focused gaze and swift movements, he condensed shards of ice and flung them towards Yuki with precision. Yuki's instincts kicked in, and he nimbly dodged the ice shards, narrowly avoiding their trajectory.

'Close call!' Yuki thought. He couldn't afford to get caught off guard. The icy projectiles zipped past him, leaving trails of frost in their wake.

But Shoto wasn't done yet, he crafted a path of ice beneath his feet. The ice track allowed him to glide forward with remarkable speed, closing the distance between him and Yuki in an instant.

In his hand, Shoto clutched another ice shard. He was prepared to strike at any moment, but Yuki had a surprise in store for him. As Shoto lunged forward, the clouds that Yuki had carefully condensed were ready, charged with electricity.

'Let's see how he likes this!' Yuki thought, a sly grin crossing his face. With a snap of his fingers lightning shot forth from the charged clouds. The electric bolts streaked towards Shoto with blinding speed, forcing him to quickly abort his attack and retreat into defense.

As the lightning closed in on him, Shoto's instincts took over, and he created a barrier of ice above his head, shielding himself from the electrifying assault. The powerful bolts crashed against the icy barrier, the clash of elements echoing through the training room. Quickly to guard against any follow up attack, he enhanced the barrier forming a 360-degree defense in the area around him.

Yuki's eyes gleamed with excitement as he saw an opening in Shoto's defenses. With his hands enhanced by his wind quirk, he moved in swiftly, the air around him forming razor-sharp blades due to its high speed. His attack was precise and relentless, targeting the barrier that Shoto was struggling to maintain.

'This is my chance!' Yuki thought, a thrill surging through him as he closed the distance between them. He unleashed a flurry of wind blades at the barrier, causing it to crumble under the pressure.

But Shoto was not one to lose easily. Despite the barrage of lightning strikes from above, he remained steadfast, his ice barrier holding strong. With lightning crackling around him and Yuki approaching dangerously close, Shoto's focus sharpened. He fortified the remnants of his barrier while simultaneously conjuring icicles through it, ready to counter Yuki's advance.

In a split second, Yuki breached Shoto's 360-degree defense, exploiting a small opening he had cut through. Shoto swiftly reacted, hurling the newly formed icicles towards Yuki. The shards of ice flew through the air, their chilling intent evident as they sought to halt Yuki's invasion.

'Think, Yuki, think!' Yuki's mind raced as he analyzed the incoming icicles from every direction. He knew he had to act swiftly, or he would be overwhelmed. Without hesitation, he focused his wind quirk and triggered a powerful wind burst. A fierce gust erupted from his body, forming a protective barrier of wind around him that deflected all the incoming icicles.

'Good, that bought me some time.' Yuki's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned his surroundings for any sign of the next attack. But just as he caught his breath, he saw the second and third waves of icicles hurtling towards him. He gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the battle bearing down on him.

'I can do this, I can handle this!' Yuki thought, trying to keep his composure amidst the chaos. He was already trying to keep up the offense of the lightning strikes, and now he had to deal with Shoto's relentless assault. The pressure was immense, and his concentration was pushed to its limits. But Shoto wasn't faring any better. Yuki could see the strain in his friend's eyes as he maintained the barrier while launching attacks.

Yuki created more wind bursts, using them to deflect the incoming icicles. But he didn't stop there. He concentrated intensely, channeling his quirk into his hands, forming wind blades that shimmered with power. With a swift motion, he launched the wind blades at Shoto, aiming for his defenses.

Shoto felt the weight of the battle intensify as Yuki's wind blades closed in on him. He knew he couldn't afford to make any mistakes, the consequences could be dire. With his attention solely on defense, he halted his own attacks, bracing himself to withstand the oncoming assault.

But as Shoto focused on protecting himself from the wind blades, Yuki seized the opportunity. With the support of his wind, Yuki quickly closed the distance between them and delivered a powerful kick. Shoto's eyes widened with surprise as the blow connected, pushing him back.

As Shoto stumbled back from the force of Yuki's kick, his mind raced to regain his balance. His heart pounded with both exhaustion and exhilaration, knowing that victory was within Yuki's grasp. For a moment, he felt the weight of defeat looming over him, but he refused to succumb to it.

Yuki, seeing Shoto's unyielding spirit, smiled with admiration. With his heart racing, he activated his quirk once more, propelling himself forward with a burst of wind. In a flash, Yuki closed the gap between them, quickly standing next to Shoto who was still lying on the ground.

"I win," Yuki declared with a grin, his voice full of excitement and triumph. Then he extended his arm to offer Shoto a helping hand. Shoto took Yuki's hand, allowing himself to be pulled back up to his feet.

"Next time, it's my win," Shoto declared with a fiery glint in his eyes.

"Sure, if you use your fire, that is," Yuki teased, ever persistent in his encouragement for Shoto to embrace his full power.

"NEVER," Shoto retorted. "Even without using that accursed power, I will still become a strong Hero!" He spoke with absolute conviction, as if he had already proven his strength.

Meanwhile, just as their battle concluded, Yuki's keen ears caught the sound of a servant approaching. "Young Master, your father called you into the hospital. Your mother will soon be giving birth," the servant informed, breathless from the hurried journey.

"Understood," Yuki replied. He then turned to Shoto. "Looks like we need to end today's training session for today," he said.

Shoto nodded, understanding the significance of the moment for his friend. "Of course," he said with a warm smile. "Family comes first."

"Want me to quickly take you home?" Yuki offered to Shoto. Shoto knew well enough that Yuki's teleportation could send him away in an instant, and the idea of skipping the tedious commute home appealed to him.

"Sure, why not," Shoto replied. Without wasting a moment, Yuki uttered the familiar word, "Shift!" In an instant, they vanished from the training room. The world around them blurred, and when everything came into focus again, they were standing in front of Shoto's home. As a friend, he had visited Shoto in the past, so he knew exactly where to teleport.

"Thanks, Yuki," Shoto said, genuinely grateful for Yuki taking him home.

"No problem," Yuki replied. "Shift," Yuki whispered once again, feeling the familiar surge of magical energy as he teleported to Central Hospital. He was eager to be by his mother's side during such a momentous occasion. As he arrived, a servant from his family was already there, waiting to guide him to the room where his mother was giving birth.

His heart raced with excitement and nervousness. Being a big brother was a whole new experience, and he couldn't wait to meet the newest member of their family. The servant led him down the hospital corridors, and the distant sounds of medical equipment added to the anticipation building within Yuki.

Finally, they reached the room, and Yuki could hear the muffled voices of the doctors and nurses inside. "Congratulations, she's a healthy girl," he heard the doctors announce through the walls of the hospital.

He took a deep breath and stepped inside. The sight before him was heartwarming, his mother, glowing with happiness, cradling a tiny bundle in her arms. His father stood beside her, wearing a warm smile that spoke volumes of his happiness.

"Yuki," his mother said softly, reaching out her hand. "Come meet your little sister." Excitement and curiosity surged through Yuki as he approached the bed where his mother cradled the newborn bundle. Gently, he leaned in to catch a glimpse of the newest addition to their family.

"Welcome to the family," Yuki whispered, his eyes filled with wonder. Her small, angelic face looked up at him. Curious, he turned to his parents. "What's her name?"

His father, chimed in with enthusiasm, "It's decided, we name her Yuna." The name rolled off his tongue without a moment's hesitation, as if he had already known it in his heart. Shinji's quick decision brought a smile to his wifes face.