31 Ice and Fire

Recovery Girl watched her young apprentice leave the room, a fond smile on her face. She had planned to give both Midoriya and All Might a talk about how she wouldn't heal these injuries either once Midoriya had recovered. But it seems that Nick had beaten her to it, and the kid was right to do so. Treating such foolish behaviour would lead to further harm.

In fact, she had never thought about blaming All Might as much as Nick did but now she knew that the older man was just as wrong as Nick was, he wasn't training his apprentice like Nana trained him. Since the beginning, All Might had been strong enough to handle 100% Because he trained so much beforehand and because Nana trained the boy properly. The crash course that Midoriya had gotten was extremely lacking.

Shaking her head she knew that the talk she would have given would not have hit the two as Nick's had. He had stuck every point that he needed to and brought up how both were to blame for their foolishness… she was not able to be that harsh. But she knew that it was what the two needed right now. Nick had done, at least in her mind. What was right.

---

Yagi sat there on one of the uncomfortable infirmary chairs, looking at young Midoriya with nothing but guilt plaguing his mind. It was his fault that the boy was hurting like he was. When he had inherited the power from his master she had made sure that he was strong enough to handle it, yes he had worked out beforehand. But she had pushed him, driven him to do better. Try harder. She had trained him for almost a year before giving the torch over.

Despite her time is filled with many more villains, she had always made time to train him. He had no excuse, his time had many more heroes inspired by his symbol and a much lower crime rate yet he focused more on beating small-time purse thieves and lowly alley criminals than training his own apprentice. He was a fool, he just… didn't know how to teach though.

If only Nana was still with him… she would know what to do. Maybe he should ask Gran for some advice? No, the man would berate him unendingly if he showed how incompetent he was… maybe his old sidekick? Even Endeavor had trained his own son properly. He… he was a fool.

---

Midnight's start signal resounded through the air sending the crowd into a wild frenzy, the intensity of the last match was making them ache for more action. For the brutality that fighting with quirks brought. Seeing Ashido dash towards him he just sighed. It wasn't fair on her to fight him and he was in no mood to be kind so he would end this quickly.

As she approached the ground that she normally slid so gracefully on vanished beneath her feet. Seeming to predict this she tried to gain some more momentum with a blast of acid but the dust in the air reassembled around her. Trapping her in place. With a crack of a whip, he was declared the winner.

Walking over to Ashido he put his hand on the stone and gently lowered her to the ground before releasing her saying, "ah sorry pinky, I just am in a terrible mood…"

"Awh nothing to be sorry about! It didn't hurt a bit, how are you so strong? Got any tips that I can use." She said as she reached up and pat him on the shoulder.

Shaking his head a bit at her unending energy he walked back to the waiting rooms as he answered most of her questions minimally but still answered them nonetheless.

---

Kirishima was surprisingly able to beat dark shadows. Because of the intense light of the sun dark shadow wasn't able to inflict much damage on Kirishima's hardened body but he was able to deal out quite a bit of damage turning it into a slug-fest that ended as soon as he pinned Tokoyami to the ground.

Nick was a bit surprised, it must have been because dark shadow hadn't had time to properly recover from Nick's punch.

But with that, Kirishima moved on to the third round.

Now for the fight that he was looking forward to.

Giving some parting words of encouragement to his friend, Mezo nodded his thanks before making his way down to the stadium. The introductions sounded through the air as the two contestants emerged. Mezo looked as calm as ever but Bakugo. He was already crackling with fire from his palms as he made his way forward, he was clearly pissed. Probably because Mezo was Nick's friend.

Watching the boy storm forward into the ring Nick couldn't help but think that he was going to win. As much as he liked Mezo he didn't have the power output that the rage-fueled boy could put out. And he wasn't as durable as Kirishima, so in the end, unless he could get some good strikes in at the beginning he was going to lose.

As the whip cracked down the match started with explosions sounding as Bakugo launched forward at an upwards angle. Mezo dashed furthering the ring as his arms combined together to both block better and punch harder.

As Bakugo flew into the sky suddenly changing his ability to a downward dash towards Mezo the latter stopped and waited, planting his feet firmly.

Coming down from the sky Bakugo held his hands forward ready to blast Mezo but just as his palms started to ignite Mezo swung his fist. The explosion sounded as smoke filled the air, both Bakugo and Mezo covered in the haze stopping anyone from seeing the clash of the first confrontation.

With another crackle, Mezo stumbled out of the smoke burns clear on his arms. Bakugo had instead used his explosions to stop his momentum making the swing miss by a hairs breath. As he flew back out of the smoke it was clear that his nose was fucked, practically laying sideways against his face, the glancing blow having shattered the cartilage.

Dashing forward again Mezo spread his right arm acting as a wing blowing the smoke away just as Bakugo came through it, the large right hook swinging with power already gathered but Mezo was prepared.

Splitting his left arm countless hands grabbed the oncoming arm even as the explosion went off, bending the wrist to point it upwards. Holding the arm tightly he reached to grab the other arm as Mezo with strength far greater than normal people swung Bakugo into the floor in an attempt to pin him.

Just before Bakugo impacted the floor though two explosions rang true. One from his right hand that was facing the ground and the other from his left that had twisted around just before Mezo could grab it. Both faced the floor.

With the loud crackle of the explosion Mezo was forced back as Bakgo pushed off the floor, the large boy stumbling as Bakugo flipped through the air above him as the grip was forced open by the explosions force pushing back on both of them. Although Bakugo's arm clearly dislocated from its shoulder.

Above Mezo who was trying to readjust Bakugo was just a step too quick and right on the taller boy's forehead and an explosion rang forward knocking the boy's head back with a crack as he fell against the floor. Toppling like a tower. His neck cracked back fast from the force of the explosion.

Hitting the ground unconscious Bakugo tumbled to the floor himself. Standing up and holding his shoulder as he waited for the declaration of the winner. Hearing his name he turned and walked away towards Recovery Girl. Mezo being taken on a stretcher.

Getting up from where he was sitting Nick made his way to the waiting rooms, a bit worried about his friend, the neck movement wasn't quite that of something broken and with Mezo's durability while not on par with Eijiro it was still impressive. He should be alright just unconscious.

With a good-luck coming from Eijiro, he smiled his thanks as he made his way down into the back area of the stadium, walking through the halls as he cracked his neck, ready for his battle against Todoroki, he hoped that Endeavor was watching, he wanted to show the man the difference between his perfect creation and his power.

Hearing the starting talk for the match he stood up and waited in the corridor.

Hearing his name be called as he was introduced he walked into the stands, he and Todoroki were two of the fan's favourites since the latter had really gotten to shine during the tournament fights, especially in his fight against Midoriya.

Walking onto the stage he waited for Todoroki to come up as well, a smile on his face as he said to the other boy, "Looks like we do get to fight again. At least give me a challenge this time, I've grown tired of you chasing my coattails throughout this entire tournament. At least try to grab them."

Seeing Todoroki grit his teeth he grinned a bit. Scratching an itch on his head as he waited for the sound of the whip. Looking at Midnight and Cementoss that were already in ready stances. Not that the former could do anything if things actually got serious between the two.

Raising her whip Todoroki was just glaring at Nick, clearly waiting for the start signal and ready to act as soon as it happened.

CRACK!

The sound of ice quickly followed but it never touched Nick, instead moving around him forming a half dome over his head, not making contact with any point near him. Wondering what this all was about he turned back to his opponent.

Seeing he wasn't planning on using his fire Nick said, "fine we can do it your way, you don't use half of yours I only use half of mine. Only internal manipulation from me got that?"

Hearing this Todoroki's eyes widened but he grit his teeth, he was being looked down on, all the time by this boy. If he wasn't going to affect the ice then he was going to bury him in it.

With a wave of ice crashing towards Nick, he saw the ice pass over him but just as he was about to start to relax it exploded. Leaping from the cracked ice Nick reformed the air that he had turned into almost a bomb, crashing into the floor as he dashed towards the other boy who could barely keep up. Sending another wave of ice towards Nick he saw the boy quickly change directions, leaping over the ice and landing behind Todoroki as he grabbed the back of his head.

Feeling the hand against him he knew that he would have lost that instant if it wasn't for Nick not using his external manipulation but he also knew the power Nick had, if he wanted Todoroki would be unconscious right now.

"I used to not use half my power because I was scared. While the lesson I learned was not the same as yours, it is your power Todoroki, don't hold yourself back to spite someone else. Your dad had a talk to me and I think I might hate him as well, but you don't have to be shaped by his influence anymore. Everyone here is trying there hardest, those that have fought me have put there best foot forward despite there being no hope and you know you cannot beat me without it. Use your own power. Stop being so scared."

Nick wasn't nearly as good at Midoriya at main character speeches but whatever he said had snapped something inside of Todoroki as he yelled. "STOP LOOKING DOWN ON ME!"

A wave of fire blasted out of his left side and washed over Nicklaus as the boy dashed away. In the smoke and rubble people saw the vague figure of Nick regrowing a limb before the smoke cleared, the top half of his costume gone as his eyes glowed a dull gold. Grinning he replied to the now frosty and hot Todoroki, "I have never once looked down on you. I see you as one of the few that can fight me. But I see you as much of a fool as I see myself."

Dodging the wave of ice he put his hand against it and turned it into a sea of water that he sent crashing back towards the other boy. With a massive expelling of fire, the water just vanished as steam filled the entire stadium fogging glasses and raising the heat massively.

With another blast of ice crackling through the air and fire roaring the steam was blown away to see Nick having backed away from a duel attack. Pulling the stone from the ground he opened up a pit beneath Todoroki, tendrils rising from it trying to grab him but the other boy used both ice to block and fire to throw himself into the air.

Making an ice ramp he slid down aiming to get closer to Nick who allowed it to happen. "That it fight like you mean it kid!"

With another crash of ice sounding through the stadium the same result as the first time occurred as it formed a half dome around Nick. At the same moment, however, a blast of fire roared through the air and into the dome. Melting the ice in an instant but for a moment it turned it into a furnace so intense that the stone melted.

Waiting for the steam to clear a blast shook through the entire stadium as Nick stood there. Black muscle fibres coiled around his body and skin as carbon as the Nomu's. Body was taller and lithe as plates adorned his figure as he said in a voice that growled with a deep intensity. "That was impressive Todoroki, you truly are powerful. I had to actually defend myself, I shall give you everything I have then." He could have dodged yes, but he wanted to take it head-on and show some respect for the kid. The heat had actually melted his skin even with his raised defences.

With shocked eyes the crowd watched as the entire stage exploded into dust, the ground cracking as Todoroki was attacked by waves of rocks and stone hands that sought to bury him. Letting out a scream so fierce the determination sounded through the voice fire exploded from the other boy as he unleashed a wave that warped the air from the heat. Ice blasted out of his other side as if he put his everything into avoiding this one attack.

As the stone settled, the dust, steam and smoke cleared. The air warped from heat shimmering down as soon as the final blast settled. Standing in a warped crater of a stadium floor was Todoroki, panting as to his right the stone had melted into slag and lava that had cooled and frozen, and to his left was nothing but ice holding masses of stone frozen in its glistening midst.

Dropping to his knees he looked at Nick who rippled as the carbon skin turned back to normal in all but his scar that he couldn't change. His eyes glowed with power as he smiled. "I dropped the entire stage on you but you still stood? You really are impressive Todoroki."

Walking forward he saw Todoroki put a hand on his knee as he tried to push himself to his feet. But as he started to rise a hand on his shoulder made his body relax unwillingly. "Rest, you have proven yourself enough."

With that, Todoroki fell unconscious. Collapsing and being lowered to the ground. For a moment there was silence but soon Midnight stuttered out the winner, not even cracking her whip as she looked towards Cementoss, why hadn't he tried to stop that?

Cementoss looked at Nick, he had tried to but his quirk control had been crushed by that boy. The amount of power that had flowed through every inch of cement changing it just enough that he could no longer control it was shocking. He even felt it now, turning the stage and rubble back into cement… the entire stage. This boy had been going easy in something that looked like a final move.

---

The next round between Kirishima and Bakugo was relatively the same as canon, the former being able to last for a bit longer than he did originally. Seeing this Nick couldn't help but smile, but soon Bakugo did move on to the finals. From the stadium ground, he turned and looked back up at Nick. A glare was fierce in his eyes, determination to win. He would not be showing Bakugo anywhere near the same respect as he showed to Todoroki.

With that match soon starting Nick made his way down to the stadium. Glaring at his opponent as the whip was raised.

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Fight against Todoroki and Nick! Hopefully it was as good as I thought it was. I had a lot of fun writing it. As normal let me know what you think!

Reviews and comments are always welcome! Thanks for all the support so far!