Chapter 149 - INTERLUDE 20: TODOROKI

THOSE EVENTS HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME AS KUROHA'S NIGHT

Somewhere, in a hospital room, three people were discussing. 

Even without being told, it was clear that the three were related. 

They all had the same hair. A beautiful snow-white color. 

They were the Todoroki. Rei, Fuyumi, and Natsuo. 

Currently, Rei was looking towards the window while Fuyumi was peeling an apple for her, and Natsuo was looking at the TV. 

As he was going through the channels. A certain pub caught his eyes. Not only him. It caught the attention of all those in the room. 

After the pub. 

Silence fell in the room. 

"Tomorrow is the UA sports festival right ?" 

Natsuo was the first one to break the silence. Still, this question didn't need to be asked, after all they all had memorized this date in their head. 

"Yeah. I wonder how Kuroha and Shoto will fare. Well. I guess we should rather be worried about their opponents."

Natsuo nodded at his sister's words. He couldn't imagine those two lose to anyone. This was even more so for Kuroha. 

"Too bad we can't go watch it. Only heroes can enter UA during the festival. Civils like us have to watch the live broadcast."

Rei gave out a feeble smile at those two's antics. She knew that they were trying to make her less guilty. But she knew the truth, 

'I have failed as a mother.'

Of course, she had many excuses. No one ever thought that it was her fault. But no matter what, 

'It wasn't my husband that poured boiling water on our son's face.'

It was truly ironic and sad. Despite all the abuse Endeavor did, he never really hurt Shoto physically outside of training. But she gave her son both mental and physical scars in one try. 

'I am truly a terrible mother.'

She gripped her bedsheets and did her all to not let out her tears. She did not want to make her other two children worry even more. 

Natsuo and Fuyumi, of course, weren't blind enough to not see it. But they knew that they shouldn't point it out. All parents had a certain pride to maintain in front of their children. Being seen crying wasn't something pleasant. 

Natsuo clenched his fist in frustration. Their mother was very powerful. She might not have been trained as a hero. But simply speaking her ice quirk was incredibly powerful. She would have had no problems during her life. But, such a powerful, but gentle and caring woman was reduced to a mess because of that man. 

'That bastard!!' 

It took a while but Rei finally managed to calm down enough. 

Fuyumi decided to change the subject, 

"Who do you think will win if Kuroha and Shoto meet?" 

They already knew the format, and they knew that there will be a tournament. 

Even before she finished posing her questions, 

""Kuroha.""

Rei and Natsuo simultaneously answered. This brought the room into silence, before, 

"Pfft!" 

"Hahaha!" 

A jovial atmosphere settled and replaced the previous depressing one. 

For them, Kuroha was basically a member of their family. They also respected his strength.

'At the very least, if he does not use his other side then he will lose.'

Finally, Rei said, 

"I hope Kuroha isn't straining himself too much right now."

------

*WHOOSH*

The sound of air rushing before freezing sounded.

"Huff huff huff."

In the garden of a large house, a large block of ice suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Under it, a young boy was breathing hard as he looked at the result of his effort. The air around him condensed into a mist.

The boy was none other than Todoroki Shoto. Son of Todoroki Rei and Todoroki Enji. 

If the students of UA class 1-A should be classed in terms of pure instantaneous destruction. He was without a doubt in the top four. With Midoriya Izuku ,Bakugo Katuski and Yoarashi Inasa on par with him.

'This isn't enough.'

He couldn't accept it. He refused to accept it. 

'I can reach the top. Even if I don't use that man's power.'

He calmed his breath as his eyes began to fill with resolve. He knew he could be much more powerful, but, as he traced the scar on his face, he gritted his teeth in frustration.

Before entering UA, he was sure that he was number one without a doubt even if he didn't use his other power. But… Reality wasn't so kind.

He remembered the fight between Bakugo and Midoriya. He thought back to the power Yoarashi showed once he came back from the hospital. But more than anything,

'That guy!!!'

Even now he couldn't understand how a student could be so strong. For the first time, he really understood what it means to be blessed still,

'I can beat him.'

It wasn't arrogance. But that guy, Hayate Kuroha, used his blood to fight.  No matter how hard he made it, blood was still a liquid.

'I am his perfect counter.'

Yes, be it the power he received from his mother or the one from that bastard, he was perfectly suited to counter those who used some kind of fluid in order to fight.

'I will win.'

---

Meanwhile, in the same house, a man was seated on the ground as he observed the garden from his window.

The man was rather tall and had a very muscular body, the proof of his years of training.

A complicated expression flashed through his eyes before he firmed his resolve. He got up and began to walk toward his bedroom as he murmured,

"Shoto. Sooner or later you'll understand that you simply cannot reject my power. You are… my most perfect creation."