"SEEEEEEMIFINALS… MATCH START!"
The arena exploded.
BOOOOM!
Bakugo didn't waste a nanosecond. He launched himself across the concrete the instant Midnight cracked her whip.
Tokoyami slid back, boots grinding against the arena floor as Dark Shadow surged out to meet the assault.
WHAM!
Black talons intercepted Bakugo's outstretched arm, sparks and shadow clashing in mid-air. Bakugo snarled—more animal than human—and spun with the recoil, blasting himself up and over.
"DON'T THINK I'M LETTING YOU STALL ME!"
"Hmph. Dark Shadow, defend!" Explosions resounded throughout the arena as Bakugo and Tokoyami engaged. The battle sent excitement through the crowd as their roars shook the stadium.
However, in the tunnel, the thunderous boom from the arena was the only sound accompanying the tense silence in the corridor.
Yuta felt the explosion rattle the concrete floor beneath his feet, a useful reminder of the ongoing threat he was walking toward.
'Great. Just what I needed.'
He forced his shoulders to relax, but his heartbeat didn't get the memo.
'What the hell does he want?'
Revenge for Shoto? A warning? Or was he going to intimidate him into forfeiting the finals?
One thing was certain. Endeavor looking for him was never a good thing. Having only watched up to season four of My Hero from his previous life, yuta's impression of the Flame Hero was in no way favourable.
Akutami Yuta," Endeavor finally spoke, his voice more menacing than he intended. " Tell me about your Quirk."
Yuta raised an eyebrow. "Is that an invitation to join your agency, or a formal interrogation, sir? Do I need a lawyer?"
Endeavor didn't acknowledge the sarcasm. His gaze dropped to Yuta's arm, then back to his face.
"Twice. You forced Shoto to use his other half subconsciously," Endeavor stated. "It says a lot about your strength. And in watching you, I've noticed your power doesn't fit the regular classification of most quirks."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. You've shown five different sub abilities so far that seem to have nothing to do with each other. Tell me. What exactly is the core of your power?"
He took a slow step forward, the temperature in the corridor climbing sharply.
"Tell me the parameters of your Quirk," Endeavor commanded, his eyes burning with proprietary intensity. "I need to know the capabilities of the power that stands in the way of my son."
A silence stretched, broken only by the muffled roar of the crowd far away.
Until,
Then, Thud! Thud! Thud!
Yuta casually dropped his shoulders and resumed walking past Endeavor, heading toward the faint red glow of the Nurse's Office sign.
Endeavor's body stiffened, his flames flaring momentarily brighter from the shock of the dismissal.
"Where are you going?" he demanded.
Yuta shrugged. "I was called to the Nurse's office."
"You aren't deaf or something, are you? Didn't you hear my question?"
Yuta stopped a few paces away, his back still to the Pro Hero. His brows shot up.
"Huh? Oh, that. I did."
Endeavor frowned. "Then why don't you answer?"
He shrugged. "Well, it sounded like a stupid-ass question, really. So I elected to ignore it."
Endeavor's face darkened, the fire around his jaw intensifying. "Are you mocking me, brat?"
"Not really," Yuta replied honestly. "I mean—why would anyone answer that?" He gestured.
"Demanding personal information about my Quirk? In a sports festival? From a hero I've never met? That's just… dumb. And weird."
He tilted his head.
"Most Pro Heroes don't reveal the specifics of their Quirks, right? Kind of seems like common sense."
Endeavor released a nasal grunt.
"I am the Flame Hero, Endeavor. Do you truly believe I would use your information to sabotage you? To… 'sell you out'?"
Yuta blinked innocently.
"Don't you want the information to make sure I never stand in Shoto's way again? You know—his destiny to surpass you and all that?"
The heat in the corridor suddenly became unbearable.
Endeavor's eyes were blazing
"Where did you learn that?"
"You practically said it while we were fighting, remember? "With My Blood In Your Veins, You'll Surpass Me. You Will Live Up To The Reason I Created You", or something like that."
".."
'Well, I guess I'm right.'
From Yuta's understanding, Enji Todoroki's motivation was purely legacy and his position as the number two hero.
'So it's pride and ego.'
Todoroki was his masterpiece. It was one thing to be beaten by another student. It was another to be beaten by someone not even in the Hero course.
'A kid from General Studies doing it must have been upsetting.'
Worst still, it wasn't close.
While not an instant kill, Todoroki had been mostly on the defensive the entire fight. Only landing the first hit after being forced to use his left side in an unexpected attack.
Even then, Yuta had easily healed from the burns.
Such a performance from a kid with no training made Yuta a variable. One Endeavor wouldn't tolerate being outside his knowledge base after witnessing it.
His demand for Yuta's quirk information was to determine whether Yuta had the potential to be a problem and how to train Shoto to curb that problem.
"You defeated my son," Endeavor hissed, taking another heavy step. "If you possess a power that can negate the flames of my lineage, I have a right to understand it."
He paused, seemingly thinking of something. "Of course I won't let your troubles go unrewarded. Your goal must be to join the hero course. I'll send a internship offer for you once this is done. You'll have the opportunity to intern with Shoto alongside me to learn what it means to be a true hero."
Yuta blinked again.
Was that supposed to be a benefit?
'Does Endeavor think too highly of himself, or is it just me?'
Well, early stage Todoroki's attitude had to come from somewhere, right? This guy must be delusional.
"Forgive me. But my quirk is none of your business."
Yuta shook his head.
"And besides, even if you weren't planning anything shady, it's still a stupid question."
Endeavor's flames snapped violently at that… but Yuta remained unmoved.
"Well, it was a pleasure to speak to the 'Number Two' hero."
He said with slight emphasis and an innocent smile.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get medically bullied by an old lady. Goodbye."
Yuta waved and kept walking.
The hallway turned into a oven.
"You brat!" Endeavor roared, the sound magnified by the narrow concrete corridor.
He stepped forward. The temperature spiked—forty, fifty degrees in an instant.
Yuta felt sweat bead on his neck.
But he didn't stop walking.
"Careful, Endeavor," he said without looking back. "Threatening students on U.A. property is a bad look. Especially after your son just lost."
Endeavor's flames sputtered violently, his massive frame trembling from the insult and the near-violation of Hero law. He had expected terror, submission, or at least a frantic dodge.
He got a casual admonishment.
"Watch your tongue, boy. I will not take this disrespect."
"Or what?"
Silence engulfed the tunnel.
"I see we have the same answer. Now I am going to the finals, Mr Endeavor. I won't be joining your agency in the future. And I won't be giving you a cheat sheet. Now, if you attempt to physically assault me again, I will not simply walk away."
Yuta didn't wait for a response. He turned and resumed walking, leaving the towering, enraged Hero standing alone in the overheated corridor, his flames roaring silently in frustration.
___
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