章 94: 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.

***

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章 95: Chapter 94: Kaminari vs Midoriya.

"Juzo Honenuki, can you still move?"

On the sidelines, Midnight who was partially frozen herself trembled from the chill as she asked a question she already knew the answer to.

"…I can't…"

Honenuki, feeling the numbing cold all over his body, barely managed to shake his frozen face as he whispered.

"Honenuki is incapacitated. Shoto Todoroki advances to the second round!"

Midnight cracked her whip, her voice echoing through the speakers.

But the crowd stayed silent, staring in awe at the enormous ice formation towering over the arena. The sheer scale of it left them speechless.

"Kaminari's mother stared wide-eyed, muttering to herself. "Was… was our son up against something like that just now?"

"Uh? Y-yeah!" Kaminari's father stammered, snapping out of his daze. He forced a smile, his voice a mix of pride and disbelief. "Our Kaminari… he's really something, isn't he?"

Down on the field, Todoroki approached the frozen Honenuki and placed his hand on the ice surrounding him.

"Sorry… I went overboard. I'm… not in the best of moods."

With that, he used his fire Quirk to thaw Honenuki's body. Then, he pressed his palm against the iceberg and began to melt it down, releasing a controlled wave of flames around him to vaporize the excess water.

As the towering ice structure melted, steam filled the arena, and within moments, the ground was completely dry. It was as if nothing had happened, leaving the audience even more in awe of Todoroki's precise control.

Kaminari chuckled as he rose from his seat, stretching slightly. "Guess it's my turn next," he said, walking down toward the arena under Bakugo's watchful gaze.

When he reached the corridor, he spotted Midoriya waiting with Uraraka and some of the other students who had come to support him. Uraraka seemed calmer now, though a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes.

"Kaminari-kun?" Midoriya asked, a bit confused as Kaminari paused to look at him.

Kaminari just grinned and patted Midoriya on the shoulder. "Nothing much. Let's put on a good show, alright?"

As he walked past, he left Midoriya with a final remark, his voice low but confident.

"I'm looking forward to this, Midoriya."

Kirishima let out a deep breath after Kaminari disappeared down the hall, then turned to Midoriya with a serious expression.

"Midoriya, you've gotta give it everything you've got. Kaminari's no weaker than Todoroki!"

"I know…" Midoriya nodded, clenching his fists tightly. Determination filled his eyes as he added, "I have my reasons for not holding back. No matter how strong he is, I'll do everything I can to win!"

He thought of All Might's words to him, about proving himself and letting his actions speak for his strength. He wouldn't disappoint his mentor.

"Yeah, you got this, Midoriya-kun!" Uraraka said, trying to lift his spirits with an encouraging smile, despite her own recent defeat.

Kaminari's friends, Tetsutetsu, Kyoka, and Momo, exchanged glances but remained quiet, their expressions carrying a hint of worry. They had all seen Kaminari's strength firsthand. It was a steep challenge, even for someone as determined as Midoriya.

---

As Kaminari and Midoriya arrived in the arena, the faculty prepared themselves. Given the intensity of the previous matches, U.A. had assigned an additional teacher to supervise this round: Vlad King, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-B.

Even All Might, sitting at the faculty table, was visibly tense. He was ready to intervene if Kaminari or Midoriya went overboard. He understood both boys' determination, but also the dangers of their respective powers. If either of them lost control, he'd step in immediately.

---

The crowd roared as the four flame towers at each corner of the arena ignited. Present Mic's voice boomed through the speakers, introducing the next competitors.

"From Class 1-A's Hero Course, it's Kaminari Denki, whose electrifying strength we've all seen before! And facing him is none other than Midoriya Izuku, who has shown impressive resilience and strength in previous events!"

The crowd cheered even louder. Kaminari's growing popularity was clear, with fans shouting his name, urging him to deliver another thrilling performance.

"Go, Kaminari!!"

"Knock him out like Todoroki did!"

"Kaminari! Hit him with a hundred thousand volts!"

---

As they faced each other in the arena, Kaminari eyed Midoriya thoughtfully, noticing the faint arcs of green electricity dancing around him.

"So, what exactly is your Quirk?" Kaminari asked, curious. "That looks… a lot like my high-speed movement."

Midoriya hesitated, looking down at the energy flickering around his hands. "Uh… well, it's complicated. I guess you could say it's a sort of… burst of strength?" he stammered, clearly unsure how to explain it.

In truth, Midoriya didn't fully understand it himself. Unlike his canon counterpart, he hadn't meticulously studied how to use ONE-FOR-ALL. His current state was something he'd stumbled into, without any clear method.

"Hmm, all right then. Let's see what you've got, Midoriya!"

Kaminari shrugged, brushing off the lack of a clear answer. His own body crackled to life with golden electricity, signaling that he was ready to go all out.

"Then let's find out how your version of 'high-speed movement' stacks up against mine!"

---

To the crowd's amazement, the two fighters looked almost identical in that moment, both wrapped in crackling energy, each facing down the other with fierce determination.

Without warning, Kaminari moved first, surging forward like a bolt of lightning. The sheer speed of his approach made Midoriya's eyes widen in shock.

"What's wrong? Did you forget already?" Kaminari said, his voice calm yet intense. "Weren't you going to do your best to beat me?"

The words spurred Midoriya to action. With a deep breath, he steadied himself, focusing all his willpower as Kaminari's electrified fist swung towards him.

***

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