Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Ignition
A brilliant blue flame suddenly engulfs Toya's body, its luminescence a testament to the power he commands. 'It's now or never,' he thinks, gritting his teeth against the searing pain that accompanies the heat he's generating. He pushes past his limits, the flames growing hotter and brighter with each passing second.
As the heat intensifies, the shadowy bindings restraining him begin to dissipate. Seizing the opportunity, Toya propels himself forward using jets of flame that emanate from his feet. His escape doesn't go unnoticed. The shadow avatar lunges to recapture him, but Echo intervenes, landing a powerful punch on the avatar's wrist.
Despite the instability of his situation, Toya manages to maintain control over his flight. He breathes a sigh of relief, but the fear of recapture spurs him on. He soars upwards, the bustling city below coming into view. With renewed determination, he heads towards the city, seeking refuge within the confines of the local hero agency.
Back at the fight scene, the battle between Echo and Phantom rages on. The two are evenly matched; Phantom's shadowy form is vulnerable to Echo's energy aura, but the cover of darkness allows him to regenerate. Their attacks are relentless, creating a stalemate where the slightest misstep could prove fatal.
After twenty grueling minutes, Phantom decides to change tactics. 'She will be a bother in the future,' he thinks, deciding to eliminate Void. He conjures a flurry of shadowy daggers, launching them at Echo. However, their true target is the unconscious Void.
Echo manages to deflect most of the daggers, but one slips past his guard, flying straight towards Void. Time seems to slow as the dagger pierces her forehead. The sight leaves Echo momentarily stunned, giving Phantom the opening he needs. He swings his massive shadow sword, sending Echo crashing into a wall.
The impact triggers a painful memory in Echo, a flashback of his brother's death. He rises to his feet, his expression void of any emotion. Phantom watches him warily, aware that Echo's calm could potentially unleash a surge of energy.
Anticipating an attack, Phantom raises his shadow avatar as a shield and begins to create a shadow portal for his escape. But Echo is faster. In a blink, he's in front of the shadow avatar, his fist buried deep into its chest. The impact shatters the avatar, the sound echoing through the area.
As the avatar disintegrates, revealing Phantom plummeting towards his shadow portal, he manages to get out a final taunt. "You'll never get your revenge," he sneers, "Bye-bye." With that, he disappears into the portal, the shadow avatar vanishing as if it had never existed.
Echo stands alone, his gaze fixed on the spot where Phantom had vanished. "I'll have my fun when I'm breaking you in half, Phantom," he vows, his voice cold.
Turning away, Echo walks over to Void's lifeless body, a dagger protruding from her forehead. He kneels down, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "I'm sorry for not protecting you," he whispers, his voice barely audible.
Returning to Toya, who is on the brink of sleep but manages to keep his eyes open until he reaches the city. The flames propelling him from his legs flicker weakly. 'I'm so tired, just a little further and I can rest,' Toya thinks.
As he nears the city, he lowers his altitude, fearing he might doze off mid-flight. It takes him 15 minutes to reach the city outskirts. He's practically skimming the road.
"I've made it," Toya murmurs as his body finally gives in to exhaustion. He collapses on the side of the road, too drained to stand. His last conscious thought is of relief before he succumbs to sleep.
Passersby notice him and quickly call an ambulance.
...
The next morning, Toya awakens to find his feet bandaged. He catches sight of his reflection in a mirror – his hair has turned completely white.
"Oh, I'm still alive, and this isn't a dream," Toya muses aloud, examining his reflection in the mirror. His gaze then drops to his bandaged feet. "Hmm, the stinging sensation is gone. That was hot as hell," he remarks.
He turns to look out the window, his eyes distant. "I never thought I'd survive by such a narrow margin. I owe my sensei's lover for protecting me. My deepest thanks to her," he says, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
'Upon reflection, this whole situation is a result of the butterfly effect. The world reacts to every new change I did. Endeavour wasn't supposed to have any enemies, but because of me, Phantom, Echo, and my sensei, Void, came into existence. All I wanted was to live a peaceful life, to own a house in the countryside and live quietly,' Toya thinks to himself.
"Butterfly effect sucks ass. I nearly met my end at the hands of a new villain due to the changes I made," Toya mutters under his breath.
'I'm pretty sure there's a burn scar on my feet from pushing my flame limit to increase my speed,' Toya thinks, 'If I don't learn to create a freezing flame soon, I might end up becoming Dabi.'
Toya heaves a sigh, his expression serious. "My Quirk is powerful, but I need to find a way to overcome its weaknesses. If I don't learn to control it, this Quirk could very well be my downfall," he says, a determined glint in his eyes.
Suddenly, the door to his room opens, and his family enters, followed by a doctor. They rush over to Toya, enveloping him in a group hug.
Rei and Fuyumi are the only ones shedding tears, having feared the worst when Toya went missing.
Enji hides his feelings, but his face betrays his deep love for his son.
"I'm perfectly fine, remember to smile, smile, smile," Toya says, grinning.
Rei gently pinches Toya's nose. "You are not fine. You have second-degree burns on your feet."
"Second? I thought it was fourth," Toya replies.
"Why would you think that?" Enji asks.
"Because I don't have fire resistance," Toya explains.
Enji nods, understanding the situation as the doctor had already explained Toya's condition to them.
"But the important thing is that you're fine," Rei says, hugging her son and cradling his head against her chest.
'Ah, heaven,' Toya thinks to himself.
After they break the hug, Fuyumi holds Toya's hand tightly.
"Onii-chan, I missed you," Fuyumi says.
"I missed you too, my cute snowdrop," Toya replies.
"Onii-chan is the best," Fuyumi says, hugging her brother tightly, as if she never intends to let him go again.
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