Chapter 45. Deku vs. Todoroki
I shook my head seeing Uraraka pass out soon after that attack. “It was just about the only thing she could do, but I don’t think it was best to reveal what she was doing at the end.” Kyoka scoffed. “Of course you think that. You don’t like to reveal anything.” I nodded in agreement while Hagakure laughed from the seat behind us. Just as Deku and Ida were about to leave to check on Uraraka, I held Deku back to talk.
“Can you still only do 100% power still?” He was surprised why I brought this up now, but answered anyway. “No, but my body can only handle 3% without breaking.” I laughed at the way he phrased it, but he thought I was laughing at the lack he could handle. “It’s ok Deku, I definitely wouldn’t be able to use more than that, if I had that much power dormant inside of me. I just laughed at the way you phrased it.” He looked confused. “What was wrong with my phrasing?” I just ruffled his curly green hair while smiling. “I can’t tell you that, or that would be giving you the answer of your quirk. I think ours are similar in a few ways. So think about what you said, and try to find the answer from that.”
He looked at me stunned and frozen. I gave him a shove toward the stairs to get to his battle while he kept muttering his sentence under his breath. Snickering, I sat back down in my seat to the stares of Momo, Kyoka, and now Hagakure seemingly demanding an explanation of what my quirk is, and how it is similar to Midoriya’s. “Sorry that is also Deku’s secret, it’s not my place to say.” Kyoka quickly came back with “His quirk yes, but you can still explain yours without revealing his.” I thought about it before shaking my head. “I’m not sure I can actually.”
‘Our quirks really are similar except his quirk grants strength, while mine grants mostly speed.’ All the girls let out a sigh as this was something they couldn’t really demand of me. Not long after we finished discussing it, the match between Deku and Todoroki began. Looking at the both of them I could see they both had something on their minds.
The fight started and the second it did Todoroki let out an enormous amount of ice toward Deku. Deku, seeing this, flicked his finger to destroy all the ice and hopefully push Todoroki off the stage. However Todoroki, knowing this would happen, put up a barrier of ice behind him. Repeating the same action Deku had to break another finger to not get frozen. This kept happening until Deku ran out of fingers on his right hand.
That is when Todoroki rushed in to end the match quickly. He was close to freezing Deku’s feet. However, in that split second, something amazing happened. Deku, thinking back to what I had said earlier, something must have clicked in his head. He activated One for All on his whole body with 3% to escape. Nobody but me noticed this as a bunch of steam was blocking most of the view, but I knew. I stood up in shock with my mouth agape.
‘He really got the idea right now!?’ Just then Todoroki started walking towards Deku. “Is defending and dodging all you can do?” Then he proceeded to freeze the ground in the direction of Deku. trying to end the match right now. Only for Deku to use his unbroken left finger to push it away. “You’re shivering Todoroki… quirks are still just physical abilities there must be a limit to how much cold you can bear. But then you could use your left to thaw yourself out right? Everyone is giving their all to make it to the top. And you are going to win with half your power!? You are laughing at the face of everyone else here who are trying their hardest to achieve their dreams! You still haven't put a scratch on me… So come at me with all you got!!”
Todoroki scowled at Deku, wanting him to use his left side. “What are you planning? Did my father pa-” He then suddenly looked toward the audience, toward me and my sad yet happy grin. He then looked back toward Deku who was charging him with his left hand punch to the gut. While doing that Todoroki was able to freeze his right and damaged hand. I sighed ‘Good he can’t use those fingers anymore’ Putting his attention back towards Deku his scowl loosened, and tried to freeze Deku again although this time it was much slower.
“Not only are your moves getting slow, so is your ice.” Deku flicked his finger again to stop any ice Todoroki was making. Todoroki was on the ground from the wind pressure, while getting up he asked Deku something. “Why do you two care so much? Go this far?” Deku immediately knew who else Todoroki was talking about. “Because we want to live up to his expectations! Of a hero that can save anyone with a smile! That is what we want to be! Just like Kaminari I don’t know the pain of what you went through, but this is your power not his! But you refuse to use your full potential! That is why I cannot lose, I must win!!”
After a few seconds of silence a sudden burst of flames erupted from the stage. “Seriously… First Kaminari telling off my father… Now you, trying to save me during our match… I wonder who isn’t taking things seriously.” He gained a smile, and kept talking “I want to be a hero too.”