28 MHA : Evolving : Chapter 28

' Endeavor '

Gripping the railing, Endeavor looked down to the arena where Shoto and that Midoriya boy were stepping up for the first fight of the Semi-Finals. This fight…this fight could either help Shoto heal further from the events of the USJ or break him further, being forced to fight the one his son had injured so grievously.

He hoped that this Midoriya could help, he knew his own methods were only able to do so much, even if Shoto had started listening to him more since then.

At that thought, he remembered the flames his son had used against the Yaoyorozu girl, the talk he'd had with him after the match, and the revelation his son had made to him. Shaking those thoughts away, he focused on the fight, the Microphone and cameras picking up Shoto shaking like a leaf.

Several of the pro heroes in the crowd started shouting for Shoto to 'man up' and other callous comments, Endeavor feeling a hot spike of rage in his gut at their words. Before he could say anything, or even think of what to try and say, the Midoriya boy had grabbed the microphone from Midnight.

"SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!" the boy's eyes had gone from gentle and compassionate when looking at Shoto to suddenly livid as he glared out at the pro heroes. Those in the stands who'd been shouting demands were stunned to silence on the audacity alone.

"I…I can't." Shoto was clenching his fists, gazing almost fearfully at the ice forming around his hands. It would seem that even with all Shoto's training, the thought of using that same power against one who'd been hurt so grievously by it before was still too much.

"The USJ?" Midoriya asked as Shoto gave a nod, unable to meet his classmate's eyes. At the mention of the tragic incident, many of the previously eager for combat Heroes in the audience seemed to lose much of their fire.

They remembered that these were still students, potential heroes, and ones who had experienced something traumatic far sooner than they ever should have. The fact that they were competing like this, pushing themselves like this, spoke volumes of their potential and raw determination but it was not a flawless thing.

"Then we won't use our quirks." Midoriya gave Shoto a reassuring grin, "Heroes get into situations all the time where their quirk either wouldn't help or would make things worse. Let's show these people what we can do without our powers."

"I…yeah." Shoto nodded, back straightening as his resolve seemed to harden.

"Miss Midnight, if either of us uses our powers in this fight, please disqualify the user."

When Midoriya voiced his agreement, Midnight made yet another declaration of how it turned her on and called for the match to begin.

"I'm really glad that woman isn't in charge of teaching Sex Ed." Endeavor ran a hand down his face.

Down in the arena, Midoriya and Shoto charged each other, each readying their raw combat ability. Midoriya, he noted, fought like a brawler, powerful punches and kicks, but little in the way of finesse or form.

Shoto, on the other hand, showed flawless form for the various hand to hand techniques he'd included in his son's training. The downside was those had all been designed around the use of Shoto's quirk.

His son, lacking the same kind of frame he had, didn't have enough strength behind those blows to make the kind of damage needed to put Midoriya down.

Shoto was distinctly the better hand to hand fighter as they were, landing far more hits than Midoriya was. But he just couldn't manage the raw strength needed to put down the stronger, and clearly more resilient, opponent.

"The winner, and the first of our finalists, Izuku Midoriya!" Midnight declared as the audience gave a mixed response at best. Shoto was a crowd favorite given the boy's own power as well as Endeavor's status.

Midoriya though, through both his quirk and his declaration, was far less popular amongst the Heroes attending and scouting the event.

...

' Shoto '

"Oh Shoto!" Fuyumi fretted over him as he sat in the Nurse's office for the stadium, his sister not all that happy at the large black eye he was sporting. Natsuo's comment of 'nice shiner' had earned him a hard hit upside the head from their sister that honestly looked like it hurt more than Midoriya's punches. Hell hath no fury like a sister irritated.

"Don't worry Fuyumi." Shoto tried his best reassuring smile even as Natsuo whimpered, "It looks worse than it is."

"I'll be the judge of that young man." Recovery Girl scolded, although it didn't have much heat. Maybe she was just glad there were no Quirk related injuries to treat from this fight.

"On another note." Natsuo whimpered, hoping to change the subject away from Shoto's black eye "You used your fire? What's that about? I thought you swore you never would?"

"I…I've been doing a lot of thinking."

Shoto admitted, looking at his siblings even as Recovery girl checked over him "About the kind of Hero I've been trying to be…about the kind of hero I want to be.

About what could have been different if I'd used my flames at the USJ. About what would happen if someone got in the future because I didn't use everything I could. And then…then there's this." Rummaging around in his bag, he fished out an old journal.

"I found it in the attic."

Casually, he tossed the old book to Fuyumi who caught it and flipped to the inside cover.

"Property of…Shoto Todoroki?" Natsuo read out confused.

"Our Uncle…the quirkless one." Shoto spoke about his apparent namesake, having been stunned that his father named him after someone 'weak' like a quirkless person, no matter what affection there might have been.

"The book…it talked a lot about what it was like growing up with our grandparents.

Talked a lot about…about Father. And it even had ideas that our Uncle thought up for him, ideas he wanted 'the Great Hero Endeavor' to be able to do but they never got finished.

I took the bits in here, our Uncle's idea of this 'Hinokami Kagura' and I'm making it my own. Being a hero…my way." Fuyumi's proud smile made the forgoing of his pledge worth it.

...

' Izuku '

Face set in a serious line, Izuku stared down at the ring. In the fist round, Bakugo had fought Ururaka and had clearly enjoyed getting to battle and 'beat' someone Izuku was close to.

Last round, Shinso had actually managed to hurt Bakugo. Breaking the bomber's nose and giving him 'a cup check to end all cup checks' as Mina had put it, leaving Bakugo livid and still wanting more combat, the blond's anger only made worse upon noting how Shinso had joined Izuku's circle. Now…now Bakugo was going to be fighting Reiko.

"I don't like this." Tokage frowned as she watched the two fighters approaching the ring, "That Pomeranian jackass looks out for blood."

"He is out for blood." Izuku scowled, fingers turning white as he clutched the arm rests of his chair.

"And…and I don't know if Reiko can win. I've never seen her be able to move fire with her quirk before and while she can make shockwaves, I don't think they'll be as strong as his. Her chance, her only chance, is to knock him out of the ring before he can do anything."

"Begin!" Midnight shouted as Reiko lashed out with her quirk, trying to throw Bakugo from the ring. The blond bastard had been expecting it through, throwing explosions out behind him to push himself forward and resist the force trying to shove him back.

His quirk, already stronger than the previous rounds thanks to the worked up sweat, got him closer and closer until he was right on top of Reiko. Bakugo's savage grin sent a chill down Izuku's spine just before a first crashed into Reiko's face, sending her hard against the ground.

"He…didn't use his explosions." Mina was stunned, biting her nails nervously as they saw Reiko work to get up, the punch to her head dazing her.

"He doesn't want to end this too fast." Izuku snarled, feeling his blood boil, feeling his rage demanding he go in there and stop the fight, to deal with Bakugo himself.

But he didn't. Izuku stayed in his seat, praying for Reiko to make a comeback, to do something, as Bakugo battered her around until Midnight had enough and called the fight, a bruised and half-conscious telekinetic being carried off to Recovery girl for treatment.

"Midoriya." Kirishima growled, Izuku's friends were just as livid as he was at the treatment Reiko had undergone. At least when Izuku and Todoroki had fought without quirks it was to show respect and still let a shaken Todoroki put in a good showing, not to draw out and cause pain "Break him."

"Trust me." Izuku's voice deepened as he growled, his quirk boiling inside him "I plan to." He'd had to sit in his damn chair and watch what had just happened, and he hated himself for it.

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yeah, next chapter is the finals of the tournament. Izuku Vs. Bakugo plus what comes after. We've got the Stein arc coming up after that and I can't wait to get to who Izuku's going to do his internship with.

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if you want to read ahead of the public release you can go to p atreon :

p atreon.com/Huvnn