What Arc Is this? I forgor...

No, like actually, I named Izuku vs Bakugo as "Win Or Save" but what's the Todoroki family supposed to be?

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Weeks passed, and the intensity of Class 1-A's training only grew. Whether it was Izuku, Shoto, Kirishima, and Bakugo sparring in the mountains, Class 1-A refining their skills at UA, or the smaller training sessions held at Momo Yaoyorozu's house, one thing became certain: they were getting stronger.

At the Todoroki residence, the same scene repeated itself—Kurokami Tenshin was once again facing Endeavor in the courtyard. The fiery No. 2 Hero didn't hold back, and Kuro, stubborn as ever, kept throwing himself at him with relentless determination.

Inside the house, Fuyumi and Natsuo watched the battle from the window. Natsuo, arms crossed, leaned closer, a smirk forming on his face as Kuro went flying from a punch. "Come on, Kuro! Kill him!" he shouted, half-joking but not entirely.

Fuyumi shot her brother a disapproving look. "Isn't that a bit much?" she asked, shaking her head as Kuro scrambled to his feet, ready for more.

Natsuo laughed, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Yeah, maybe. I'm just joking... kind of," he admitted, shrugging. "Wouldn't mind if an 'accident' happened though."

Fuyumi sighed but found herself smiling slightly. Despite the dark humor, Natsuo's spirits had noticeably lifted in the past weeks. He was far more lighthearted than he'd been in years. She wondered how much of that had to do with Kuro.

As they sat down together, the dull thuds and crackling sounds of fire and impact from the fight outside filled the room. Fuyumi glanced over at Natsuo. "Are you coming to the Sports Festival? You've got time off?"

Natsuo nodded. "Yeah, figured I'd go. Shoto's going to be there, so... I can't miss it, right?"

She smiled softly, but her concern lingered. "You sure you're okay?"

The question hung in the air for a moment, unspoken but heavy. Natsuo opened his mouth to brush it off like always, but Fuyumi pressed on. "Natsuo, really... Are you okay?"

He paused, rubbing the back of his neck before sighing. "No," he admitted, the facade dropping for a moment. "No, I'm not okay. But that doesn't matter."

Fuyumi looked at him, eyebrows knitting together in worry. Natsuo stared out the window, watching Kuro fling himself at their father again.

"That kid out there fighting Dad?" Natsuo continued, shaking his head. "I don't get him. He doesn't have our hate—doesn't have our baggage—and yet he fights Endeavor like he's got something to prove. Just because we're sad, he's willing to get beaten up. Can someone be that selfless?"

Fuyumi thought about it. "Sounds like you don't trust him."

Natsuo shook his head, eyes still focused on the fight. "It's not that. It's just... it makes me wonder. If I was like him, you know, more willing to go all out for others... would Toya have lived?"

Fuyumi's face softened. "Natsuo... I don't know if it would've made a difference. But Toya wouldn't have wanted this. Blaming yourself—thinking you could've changed things—it won't bring him back."

A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the distant sounds of Endeavor's flames crackling and Kuro's grunts of exertion. They watched as Kuro tried to dodge one of Endeavor's sweeping strikes, only to get slammed into the ground.

Natsuo chuckled softly, though the weight of the conversation lingered. "You know, I think I finally got him. Kurokami, I mean. He's not like us. He lives his life 'all or nothing.' He gives everything in whatever he does—no hesitation, no fear. Maybe that's why he comes across as an idiot sometimes. He's living life exactly how he wants."

Fuyumi sighed, looking at Kuro trying to stand up yet again, his bandaged body battered and bruised. "That's not a reason to fight the No. 2 hero like you're trying to get yourself killed."

Natsuo laughed louder at that, shaking his head. "No, it's not. But it's pretty damn close."

Fuyumi chuckled at her brother's words, though her concern remained. She wondered what kind of toll this was taking on Kuro. He acted like he was invincible, but even someone like him had limits.

Outside, Kuro finally stood, wobbling slightly but still smiling through bloodied lips. Endeavor's expression was unreadable, but the fact that he hadn't walked away yet meant something. The fact that he hadn't outright destroyed Kuro meant... maybe something was changing.

Natsuo took in a breath, eyes on Kuro. "I don't get it. But I respect it."

Fuyumi nodded in agreement, watching as the seemingly endless cycle of Kuro standing back up after each fall continued.

...

Kuro was sent flying one final time, crashing into the dirt with a heavy thud. His body, beaten and bruised beyond belief, refused to obey his will as he struggled to rise.

He clawed at the ground, trying to stand, but the familiar sensation of his body giving out finally overtook him. His muscles locked up, and no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't move.

Endeavor stood over the battlefield, his gaze fixed on his arm—the one Kuro had targeted repeatedly. A bruise had formed a stark contrast against his usually invulnerable skin.1

He counted the number of punches Kuro had landed: 56. Last time it had taken 87 hits to even leave a mark. In just a few weeks, Kuro had shown remarkable growth. It was something Endeavor couldn't ignore.

After a moment, Endeavor turned away from Kuro's body and strode over to where Fuyumi and Natsuo were watching. Natsuo, instinctively protective, stepped in front of his sister, squaring off against their father with defiant eyes.

But what came next left them both stunned.

"Shoto Todoroki," Endeavor said, his voice steady and serious, "is free to do as he wants."

Natsuo's mouth dropped open, disbelief clear on his face. Fuyumi's eyes widened in shock, her heart racing at the unexpected declaration. For years, they had suffered under Endeavor's strict and often cruel control. The idea of Shoto being free to make his own choices was beyond comprehension.

Endeavor, as usual, didn't offer any further explanation until Natsuo, still in shock, mustered the courage to ask, "What... what made you change your mind?" His voice wavered, torn between skepticism and desperate hope.

Endeavor turned slightly and pointed toward Kuro's collapsed body. "That kid... he made a bet. Said if he could injure me even slightly every day for three weeks, I'd have to let Shoto do what he wants." He paused, looking back at Kuro with a strange mix of respect and incredulity. "The kid won."

Without another word, Endeavor turned and walked away, leaving his children standing there in stunned silence. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air.

Natsuo stood there, frozen in place, struggling to process what he'd just heard. His mind raced. No way... Did that bastard actually... have a heart? He couldn't believe it. The man he had despised for so long, the man who seemed incapable of empathy, had just kept his word.

Before Natsuo could fully comprehend the magnitude of what had just happened, both he and Fuyumi rushed over to Kuro. Fuyumi fell to her knees beside him and hugged his battered body, her voice trembling with gratitude. "Thank you, Kuro... thank you..." she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Kuro, his mind still somewhat foggy from the fight, responded in a robotic tone. "Ow. Ow. Ow."

Natsuo, on the verge of tears himself, chuckled at the scene before him. His sister was hugging a guy for the first time in... ever. A mischievous grin crept onto his face as he whistled teasingly. "Well, well, well! Looks like our little sis has got herself a hero crush."

Fuyumi immediately blushed bright red and pulled back from Kuro, sputtering in embarrassment. "It's not like that! I'm just... I'm just thanking him!" she stammered, glaring at Natsuo in an attempt to regain her composure.

Natsuo laughed heartily. "Sure, sure. Don't worry, I know you wouldn't fall for your brother's crazy friend."

Fuyumi, still flustered, crossed her arms and muttered, "I preferred you when you were depressed."

Natsuo couldn't stop laughing as he knelt next to Kuro, clapping him on the back—carefully avoiding his more injured spots. "You did it, man. You really did it. Shoto's free because of you."

Kuro, still lying there in a daze, gave a thumbs-up. "Glad I could help... but can someone get me to a hospital now?"

Fuyumi, her blush still lingering, smiled despite herself and gently helped him sit up. "Let's get you cleaned up first... and then we'll see about getting you somewhere that isn't constantly on fire."

As they worked together to care for Kuro, the tension of the past weeks seemed to fade. For the first time in a long time, there was hope—and maybe even a little bit of happiness—back in the Todoroki household.2