Todoroki Shoto stood before the towering building, his gaze indifferent, utterly convinced of the inevitable outcome of this particular test. His expression was one of detached certainty, as if the battle had already concluded in his favor. He knew, with an almost arrogant precision, that he would emerge victorious without expending significant effort, a pattern that had consistently held true in all his past confrontations.
"They are situated on the fourth floor. I detect no sounds of movement, indicating they are likely anticipating our arrival, poised to ambush us," Shoji Mezo articulated, his deep voice resonating from one of his extended limbs, meticulously shaped into an ear to enhance his auditory perception. He retracted the limb, turning his multiple eyes towards Todoroki. "What is our proposed strategy?"
"Strategy?" Todoroki queried casually, his voice betraying a hint of mild amusement at the very notion. As the brief preparation time concluded, he extended his right hand, making deliberate contact with the cold, concrete wall of the building. "Simply remain out of my path..."
FUUSSHH!
Without any preamble or further warning, an extraordinary wave of ice erupted from Todoroki's hand, spreading with astonishing speed. In mere seconds, the entire building, from its foundational elements to its highest floors, was completely encased in a thick, shimmering layer of ice. The sudden temperature drop was immediate and profound, transforming the simulated urban environment into a frigid, crystalline landscape.
Todoroki distinctly registered Shoji's gasp of profound surprise behind him, but he simply chose to disregard it, so accustomed was he to the sheer scale of his own power. He began to walk slowly yet purposefully towards the building's main entrance, his movements unhurried and deliberate. "Stay here, Shoji... you would only impede my progress inside."
He proceeded to traverse the frozen interior of the building with an unnerving calm, as if undertaking a leisurely stroll through a winter wonderland rather than engaging in a high-stakes combat simulation. Each step on the newly formed ice left barely a mark, a testament to his innate mastery. Despite his detached demeanor, a faint, almost imperceptible pang of something akin to regret stirred in his heart as he surveyed the long, desolate icy corridors, each turn leading deeper into the frigid silence.
'Let's simply expedite this process and conclude the test...' Todoroki mused, a flicker of boredom in his thoughts as he maintained his slow, deliberate pace. The absence of a true challenge was almost dissatisfying.
His time thus far at U.A. had been largely uneventful, lacking any significant excitement. The subtle threat of expulsion from Eraser Head had never truly bothered him; he had always been the best, and he was confident he would continue to be so. His second-place ranking in Eraser Head's test, while a minor annoyance, was quickly dismissed, as he rationalized that the test inherently favored Yaoyorozu's Creation Quirk, making her victory somewhat expected.
His train of thought abruptly halted as he reached the door to the fourth floor, now entirely encased in solid ice. He could faintly discern some muffled noises emanating from within the room, confirming the presence of his opponents inside. Their movements were subtle, but his enhanced senses, honed by years of training, picked them up.
Once he entered, the scene that greeted him was precisely as he had anticipated, yet subtly different. Lena, her feet visibly trapped in a thick layer of ice, was trying desperately to free herself, an anxious expression etched on her face. Her hands pounded against the frozen surface around her ankles, a look of frustrated panic in her eyes.
"Break! Damn it!" Lena exclaimed, her voice strained as she repeatedly struck the ice binding her feet with her hands, but not even a superficial scratch marred the incredibly hard, crystalline surface. "Why is it so ridiculously tough?!" she cried out in exasperation.
"Give up, it will not yield," Todoroki stated, his voice flat and unfeeling, causing Lena's furious attention to snap towards him. Lena glared at him, a fiery intensity in her eyes, but Todoroki remained utterly unaffected by her visible rage. "Just surrender now, and save us both the trouble."
Lena frowned, her body twisting in a futile attempt to dislodge her legs from the ice. "Never, you freaking Frozone!" The insult, a reference to a fictional ice-wielding hero, was hurled with surprising venom.
"Too bad," Todoroki replied coldly, his tone unchanged as he casually brushed past her, his focus seemingly directed towards the fake bomb. "You would save me the inconvenience of walking all the way to the b—"
Unnoticed by Todoroki, a subtle, almost arrogant smile briefly flickered across Lena's face as she watched his retreating back. "You're a bit overconfident, aren't you, Shoto?" she murmured, her voice just loud enough to carry.
Before Todoroki could fully process Lena's unexpected words, his vision was abruptly consumed by a blinding, intense flash of pure light. The sudden, overwhelming luminosity caused him to flinch, his eyes snapping shut instinctively.
Flash!
It was in that precise moment, enveloped in the searing light, that a critical realization dawned upon him.
He had completely forgotten about the invisible girl. His meticulous plan had overlooked one crucial variable.
'Light?' Todoroki thought, confusion momentarily clouding his otherwise calm demeanor, even as he maintained his composure. 'Wasn't Hagakure's Quirk merely a mutant ability that rendered her invisible? It produced no light... Never mind that, I simply have to—'
Todoroki, still temporarily blinded by the afterimage of the flash, began to lift his foot slightly, preparing to move, to counter.
But his action was sharply interrupted by a powerful, unexpected kick to his side. The force of the blow sent him hurtling sideways, throwing him off balance, before he crashed heavily into a nearby structural column with a resounding impact. The pain, though fleeting, was sharp.
"Serves you right, you arrogant show-off!" Lena's triumphant shout echoed not far from where he lay, her voice ringing with satisfaction.
'She managed to break free?' Todoroki thought, his vision slowly adjusting, the blinding spots gradually receding. 'She was feigning being trapped, then?' The deception stung, adding to the surprise.
Even dazed by this complete reversal of their roles, he swiftly placed a hand against the cold floor of the building, unleashing a rapid counterattack. Hundreds of razor-sharp ice spikes instantly erupted from the ground, spreading across the floor in all directions, a desperate attempt to create distance and gain control. "It was just... a stroke of luck, a lucky break..." he muttered, trying to rationalize his momentary defeat.
Shiz!
Suddenly, a voice, unnervingly close, whispered directly into his ear. "Actually, you're quite right."
With a resounding, sharp blow to his head, Todoroki's already confused world became even more disoriented, spinning into a vortex of pain and fading awareness.
He attempted to move, to retaliate, but his muddled state of consciousness would not permit him to formulate a clear thought, much less a coordinated physical response.
Rapidly, an encroaching darkness rushed into Todoroki's consciousness, overwhelming his senses.
Like a relentless predator devouring its helpless prey.
And so, Todoroki Shoto succumbed to the dark realm of unconsciousness, his form slumping against the column.
"Excellent!" Lena exclaimed triumphantly, swiftly securing Todoroki's hands with specialized hero handcuffs. "Target captured, little baby!" Her voice was light, filled with the exhilaration of victory.
"TODOROKI SHOTO HAS BEEN CAPTURED!" All Might's booming voice announced over the intercom, confirming the successful capture, which caused Lena to beam with unbridled joy.
"For a moment there, I honestly thought we hadn't made it through that," Lena sighed, a wide, relieved smile plastered across her face, the adrenaline slowly receding.
Toru let out a profound, relieved sigh, her invisible form slumping onto the cold, icy floor of the building. A light, almost giddy laugh escaped her. "I genuinely can't believe that actually worked out for us..." she admitted, still in a state of disbelief.
Lena's so-called "Plan" had, in essence, been little more than a desperate roll of the dice, a gamble against overwhelming odds.
During the previous Quirk Apprehension Test overseen by Eraser Head, Lena had meticulously observed all of her classmates, primarily driven by her inherent curiosity regarding the nuances of their Quirks. She had analyzed their strengths, weaknesses, and common patterns of use.
Among them, in Lena's opinion, Todoroki, Bakugo, Yao, and Tokoyami stood out most prominently. Bakugo for the sheer destructive power and raw force of his Explosion Quirk; Yao for the absurd versatility and intellectual application of her Creation Quirk; Tokoyami for the mysterious and powerful nature of his Dark Shadow; and Todoroki for his astonishing control over his dual-elemental Quirk.
Todoroki consistently utilized his ice abilities without showing any signs of fatigue, and only employed his fire Quirk sparingly, primarily to rewarm the parts of his body that had been affected by his own intense cold. His Quirk, Half-Cold Half-Hot, was not only a formidable combination of defense and long-range attack but also a tool for rapid movement, allowing him to slide effortlessly across the ice he generated. Lena had specifically noted his tendency to prioritize ice and his disdain for his fire side.
Lena harbored a theory that Todoroki, true to his strategic nature, would attempt to freeze his opponents once he detected their presence, which had proven partially accurate. Her intuition about his combat style had given them a narrow window of opportunity.
Lena's gamble was predicated on Todoroki's morality: he would not completely freeze them to the point of causing severe bodily injury, as that could inflict serious, lasting harm upon a person's physical body. So, Lena decided to play directly into his inherent sense of right and wrong, leveraging his heroic morality in their favor. She had instructed Toru to remove what little clothing she wore—her gloves and boots being the only visible items—and to climb onto Lena's shoulders immediately upon the onset of the ice, ensuring that the freezing would not encase Toru's invisible form. This would keep Toru mobile and able to act.
However, Lena had not accounted for the sheer scale of Todoroki's power, specifically his decision to freeze the entire damn building, a move far beyond her initial calculations. The entire structure had become a frozen fortress.
The only element that ultimately saved them from utter defeat was Toru's incredibly quick reaction time. The moment she felt the temperature plummet rapidly, signifying the widespread freezing, she instinctively, in less than two seconds, leaped into Lena's arms, clinging tightly, effectively remaining above the rapidly spreading ice. Her quick reflexes were invaluable.
The Goddess of Fortune, it seemed, had undeniably smiled upon them. Todoroki, in his broad-stroke freezing, had not encased Lena's upper body in ice, leaving her arms and torso free. This crucial oversight meant that Toru, safely nestled in Lena's un-frozen embrace, remained mobile and undetected. A fleeting, somewhat awkward thought then crossed Lena's mind: 'Wait a minute, I was holding her while she was completely naked?' She quickly dismissed the thought, the priority of victory overshadowing momentary embarrassment.
Regardless of that minor detail. Knowing what Toru's Quirk, now revealed to have light manipulation capabilities, was capable of, Lena had then suggested a decisive tactic: stunning Todoroki with an intensely strong flash of light.
Lena's role then became straightforward: all she had to do was shatter the ice binding her feet, using a precise combination of her special boots' enhanced strength and the full power of her legs. Then, she would deliver a perfectly aimed kick to Todoroki's head, exploiting his temporary blindness, and secure the victory. GG!
Well, in the heat of the moment, she had actually missed the kick to his head, a slight miscalculation.
Fortunately, Todoroki was still disoriented and stunned enough to launch only a weak, ineffectual counterattack. This brief window allowed Lena to utilize an 'Acceleration,' appearing instantly beside him, and deliver a clean blow to his head, knocking him unconscious. The quick, decisive action secured their unexpected win.
"Haha... I didn't realistically expect that to work either..." Lena breathed, the last vestiges of adrenaline fading as she relaxed her muscles. "Now, only Shoji remains... what about that, Toru? What's your take?"
"It's just... generating those bright light flashes makes me incredibly tired, Lena..." Toru said, her voice weak as she sat down on the cold ice, catching her breath. Despite her fatigue, she was more surprised and elated by their improbable victory over Todoroki than anything else. "Plus, it's really, really cold sitting here..."
'You're essentially naked and sitting on a freezing, damn floor, for goodness sake, woman... get up!' Lena thought, rolling her eyes internally at Toru's exaggerated complaint. "By the way, if you can generate light, that implies you can also manipulate it, doesn't it? Is that the reason why you're always invisible, a constant manipulation of light around your body?" Lena's analytical curiosity was piqued.
Toru emitted an uncomfortable, slightly embarrassed noise before replying evasively. "I've always been invisible since the moment I was born... I'm one of those rare cases where children are born with their Quirks fully active from birth."
"I see..." Lena said, sinking into her thoughts, her mind already racing with new theories. "Perhaps it's related to her Secondary Quirks, a subtle interaction of her inherent abilities..."
"Secondary Quirks? What are those?" Toru asked in confusion, tilting her head to the side, her invisible form conveying curiosity.
"Oh, nothing at all, just me and my usual weird thoughts," Lena replied, sticking her tongue out playfully at Toru. "Anyway, now I'll go take care of Shoji... I know you're exhausted, but I need you to do one more thing. It's not critically important, but it's better to ensure our victory beyond a doubt."
Although Lena couldn't visually perceive her, Toru tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Ensure what?"
"Toru, once the confrontation with Shoji commences, I want you to relocate the bomb to another, safer location. I'll give you a precise signal through the communicator when the time is right, understood?" Lena instructed, her voice firm and clear.
"I... Understood!" Toru replied, her voice now filled with a renewed sense of purpose, despite her fatigue. The plan, however improbable, had worked so far.
"So... who do you guys anticipate will win this next match?" Kirishima Eijiro asked Ashido Mina, leaning forward in his seat, his arms crossed.
"Well... I honestly have no definite idea," Ashido replied, pressing a hand to her chin in a theatrical pose, attempting to appear more thoughtful and wise. "Yesterday, in Aizawa's trials, Todoroki and Lena seemed pretty evenly matched in overall performance, but in a direct sparring trial like this... I think Todoroki definitely holds the advantage."
Kirishima nodded with a sour grimace, a clear sign of his agreement, but also his frustration. "I share the same opinion... Man, this pairing is just not manly at all! Forcing Lena to team up with Toru and then making them fight a defensive battle against a powerhouse like Todoroki and Shoji's strong defense is just not fair. It lacks competitive spirit!"
Ashido simply sighed, accustomed to Kirishima's chivalrous outbursts, before her eyes suddenly flashed with an idea, a mischievous glint appearing. "Yao-chan! Who do you think will triumph in this fight?" she called out to Momo.
Momo had an intensely analytical look on her face as she watched Todoroki place his hand against the building on the monitor. "I wouldn't know for certain, but—"
The very next moment, the entire building on the screen became encased in ice, a stunning display of power.
"—I think the winner will undoubtedly be Todoroki's team," Momo concluded, her voice unwavering, her earlier uncertainty replaced by cold, logical certainty.
A soft whistle of admiration caught the attention of the entire class, the originator of this sound being none other than Jiro Kyoka, who was looking at Lena's screen with a surprised expression.
The others looked at the villains' screen... and saw Lena, frozen in place, seemingly carrying what they assumed to be Toru (represented by her floating gloves and boots) by her gloves. Lena appeared completely encased in ice. After a minute, Toru, with a show of subtle movement, let go of Lena to remove her gloves and hide them in a corner of the room, effectively rendering herself totally undetectable. The implication was clear: Todoroki's ice hadn't fully contained them.
'I see... so Todoroki's overwhelming ice can indeed be circumvented,' Momo thought, a small, intrigued smile forming on her lips, her analytical mind already processing this new variable before her smile momentarily vanished as she observed Todoroki slowly advancing towards the fourth floor. 'Now, what ingenious strategy will they employ to confront him...?' Her mind was buzzing with possibilities.
All Might simply watched the confrontation with a contemplative expression, his thoughts primarily occupied by Todoroki's rather cold and detached attitude, and his complex relationship with his father, Endeavor. 'Perhaps I should have a conversation with him about that emotional distance...' he mused, a flicker of concern crossing his heroic visage.
Now, on the main screen, Todoroki could be seen approaching the door where Lena was standing. Lena appeared to be making a strenuous effort to extricate herself from the ice, her struggles visible.
Momo was absolutely certain that this was Todoroki's inevitable victory. Even if Toru somehow managed to launch a surprise attack, Todoroki needed only to make contact with the floor with any part of his body to unleash another wave of ice, effectively neutralizing them and securing a swift win.
Suddenly, a blinding flash of light emanated from the villains' room, temporarily incapacitating Todoroki and causing him to retreat a few steps, rubbing his eyes. As if that blinding light was a predetermined signal, Lena miraculously broke free from the ice binding her legs and swiftly kicked Todoroki in the side, propelling him away from the simulated bomb and causing him to crash heavily against a structural column. Todoroki attempted to generate a torrent of ice spikes all over the room, a desperate counter-measure, but Lena was quicker. She utilized her 'Acceleration' to appear instantly next to Todoroki and delivered a decisive blow to his head, knocking him unconscious. Then, with practiced haste, she handcuffed him securely.
The entire class in the supervision room was in a state of utter shock, their jaws collectively dropping.
Kirishima smiled fiercely, his teeth gritted in awe. "DUDE, THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!" His enthusiasm was boundless.
"Impossible..." Momo muttered, her eyes wide with disbelief, her previous certainty completely shattered. "I had it all meticulously planned out... no, this is simply impossible..." Her analytical predictions had failed spectacularly.
Jiro blinked in surprise, then a small, impressed smile crept onto her lips. "Now that's what I call a good plot twist..."
"TODOROKI SHOTO HAS BEEN CAPTURED!" All Might's booming voice announced over the intercom, confirming the capture of the class's second-highest ranked student. The declaration sealed the unexpected victory.
Lena waited patiently in a narrow hallway, her senses on high alert, anticipating Shoji's appearance. There were only a few minutes left until the test's time limit expired, which meant the 'Villains' team would automatically win by default if they could hold out. Despite the ticking clock, she felt a slight nervous tremor, primarily due to the confined nature of the hallways and the small rooms within, triggering faint memories of her capsule confinement.
Swallowing her nervousness, she gritted her teeth, meticulously controlling her breathing, calming her racing heart. Every fiber of her being was poised for action.
After a few tense seconds, her opponent finally appeared, his large frame almost filling the narrow space.
"Cheers, love!" Lena greeted, a friendly smile plastered on her face even as her posture remained subtly coiled, ready for an immediate confrontation. She wanted to disarm him verbally, if possible. "How are you feeling on this lovely evening, Shoji?"
"Mnnn, I'm fine, Lena... but it seems my teammate is not so well, after your little 'surprise'," Shoji replied, his voice a low rumble, with a hint of dry humor, acknowledging the unexpected turn of events. "Should we commence with the evening's entertainment?"
Lena let out a short, amused chuckle, her gaze hardening subtly, signaling the shift from pleasantries to battle. "Too bad Todoroki can't join you for this. We'll simply have to begin without him."
Shoji, without uttering a single word, mirrored Lena's ready stance, and they stood there, facing each other in the confined hallway, locked in a silent, intense standoff. The air crackled with anticipation.
'This hallway is far too small for me to maneuver effectively...' Shoji thought, his multiple eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Lena. 'She deliberately chose to wait for me here, didn't she? To hinder my mobility and neutralize my reach advantage...?'
'Why is he staring at me so intently? Does he... like me or something?' Lena mused, an internal flicker of confusion crossing her mind. 'The "Cheers, love" thing was just a joke, you know... a friendly taunt.' She waited patiently for Shoji to make the first move, her mind racing. 'Well... if he's not going to make a move... I will.'
... .. . Shiz!
In less than an instant, Lena's form flickered and disappeared from her initial position, reappearing directly in Shoji's face, her foot already raised for a powerful kick. She grinned wildly, a glint of predatory excitement in her eyes.
Shoji's eyes widened in profound surprise as he barely managed to block the blow with one of his reinforced limbs. 'Damn it! I couldn't perceive her movement at all! She's too fast!' he thought, the shock reverberating through him.
"Well, that was certainly dazzling, wasn't it?" Lena commented, her voice playful, as she disappeared again, rematerializing behind Shoji. This time, he couldn't dodge. He received a strong, jarring kick to the back that managed to push him forward a bit, though it didn't seem to have inflicted significant injury. "Sheesh, you're a tough bastard, you know that?"
Shoji didn't even bother to turn his head as he instinctively sent out several of his fist-like limbs, extending them rapidly to strike at Lena, anticipating her next move.
Lena barely managed to evade the first incoming blow, but the second managed to connect solidly with her shoulder, a sharp impact. "Shit!" she muttered, grimacing.
Seizing the opportunity presented by her momentary distraction, Shoji sent more of his limbs to relentlessly punch her, a barrage of powerful, blunt attacks... only for Lena to flicker and reappear directly in front of him, delivering a swift, powerful hook to his jaw.
"Did you enjoy that, big guy?!" Lena exclaimed, a fierce frown on her face, her eyes narrowed in a challenge. "Because there's plenty more on the way!"
Shoji simply lowered his head, his gaze hardening grimly as he fixed his multiple eyes on Lena. "I'm eagerly looking forward to it, Lena..." he replied, his voice a low, determined rumble.
"Well, that was certainly dazzling, Toru," Lena commented through her communicator, her voice slightly breathless but triumphant. Taking that as her cue, Toru quickly loaded the fake bomb onto her invisible form and, with surprising speed, relocated it to another, more secure room within the building. The plan was working.
"I fervently hope this actually works..." Toru muttered to herself, shivering slightly from the pervasive cold radiating from the icy floor. "I desperately want a hot shower as soon as this is over..."
Shoji was sweating, not from exertion, but from the immense mental focus required, as he intently regarded his elusive opponent.
Lena, despite her own exertion, simply offered him a mocking, almost arrogant look, breathing heavily but with a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Don't tell me you've already had enough, big guy?"
"You wish, Lena..." Shoji replied, clearly annoyed by Lena's incessant speed. That constant super-speed was proving to be a monumental pain in the neck, making her almost impossible to hit. "But this ends right here and now."
Suddenly, a loud, piercing beeping sound echoed through the hallway. "TIME'S UP! VILLAINS WIN!!!" All Might's booming voice announced over the intercom, declaring the match concluded.
"..."
"..."
"Yeah, looks like our little game is over here, hahaha!" Lena replied, bursting into merry laughter, a genuine, joyful sound. "God, but you're incredibly strong, Shoji! My punches barely seemed to hurt you at all!"
With a resigned sigh, Shoji simply offered a slight smile. "And you're truly incredibly fast, Lena. That was a remarkably good fight, despite the outcome."
Shoji had, in the heat of the fierce battle with Lena, completely lost track of the time limit. He had been too singularly focused on defeating and capturing Lena, his personal pride overriding his strategic awareness, and thus missed the crucial timing of the test. Their intense one-on-one combat had consumed all his attention, leading to an unexpected defeat by default.