The next morning at U.A. High…
The Todoroki twins arrived slightly later than usual.
"We're going to be late if you don't hurry," Shoto said in his typically deadpan tone.
Souta only grunted in response but did begin to move faster, albeit begrudgingly.
The morning hadn't exactly been smooth. Despite setting his alarm extra early, Souta had underestimated just how deeply his dislike for mornings ran. What really kicked him into motion, though, was the silent stare-down with his father.
Enji Todoroki had entered Souta's room like a ghost with a flaming presence, when Souta didn't immediately turn of his alarm. He didn't speak, just stood in the doorway, watching. Souta blinked blearily back at him, wrapped in sheets like a reluctant burrito.
"If you're setting an alarm that early, then actually get up and turn it off," Enji finally said, his voice low but firm.
Souta, too tired to muster a snarky comeback, just nodded and killed the alarm. No words exchanged after that. Enji left, heading to his agency without another glance.
'Yeah, okay… That was just mildly annoying,' Souta thought, rolling out of bed. He pulled on some old training gear and spent the extra time trying to get a better feel for the ice side of his recently evolved quirk.
CryoPyre.
That's what he decided to call it. Not perfect, but better than "Half'n Half" or "Hellflame." His had a vibe. Style.
---
Later at School…
Tired and still a bit cranky, Souta followed Shoto through the gates of U.A. They arrived minutes before class, just early enough for Shoto's sense of punctuality, and split off toward their own destinations.
Shoto went towards his seat. While Souta made a beeline for Kirishima.
"Hey man," he greeted, voice sincere despite the fatigue. "Thanks again for yesterday. Really appreciated the backup - you and Shoji came in clutch."
Kirishima grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Ah, don't sweat it! That's what friends do. But dude - your fight yesterday? So manly!"
Souta chuckled. "Speaking of manly… I've been thinking about your quirk."
"Oh?" Kirishima perked up.
"Yeah. What if you made multiple hardening layers? Like… shark teeth. One breaks, the next one's ready. Kinda like a natural armor regeneration. And maybe treat it like a muscle - stress it, break it down, let it rebuild stronger."
Kirishima blinked. "Dude. I never even thought about it like that…"
"Also, work on endurance - how long you can keep it up, how quick you can activate it, how much punishment it can take. Might open up a new level for you."
Kirishima looked genuinely impressed. "I gotta say, you've really thought this through… Thanks, man. That's seriously helpful."
Before the conversation could continue, the bell rang.
---
Math Class… or so he thought.
Only minutes into the lesson, the classroom door slid open with a soft whoosh.
Aizawa stepped in, dark circles under his eyes as always. "Todoroki Souta. You're excused. Come with me."
Souta blinked but didn't hesitate. He stood and followed Aizawa out.
They walked in silence until reaching a secure conference room. Inside were several staff members, including Present Mic, Midnight, Ectoplasm, and All Might. Nezu sat at the head of the table, small paws folded calmly. The air was thick with unspoken tension.
Souta took his seat without being asked.
"We'd like to talk about yesterday," Nezu began.
Souta nodded. "I figured this was coming."
He told them most of the truth, not only about yesterday, but also more - how his quirk wasn't what it seemed. That it wasn't actually a fire quirk, but seemingly a mutated quirk.
He added why he didn't make it clear before, as his quirk seemed very similar to the stories of the Boogeyman of Japan, All For One.Though, afterwards he made it crystal clear that it didn't steal quirks, but copied them upon contact and made them his own.
He described how he first copied Toya's flame, which later manifested its ice counterpart within him, basically making it his own. Then came the body-enhancing quirk from Midoriya, and later… the regeneration from the Nomu. Finally, Warpgate from Kurogiri.
All Might straightened at the mention of Midoriya's quirk. Nezu's eyes sharpened behind his tiny paws.
"Did you feel anything… unusual when you copied any quirk till now?" Nezu asked, voice even but alert.
"Yeah," Souta admitted. "There seemed to be some barrier with Midoriya, but in the end I was still able to copy it."
Nezu exchanged a glance with All Might, who gave the faintest nod.
Souta decided not to mention the way his [Lending] worked, meaning how he could give his quirks to others for the moment. The security cameras should have captured what happened, but not what he did - he didn't want to reveal everything yet. Having an ace up your sleeves was never bad.
After he finished, the room was silent. It was Nezu who finally broke it.
"We received word this morning. The villains that attacked you yesterday… escaped transport. The convoy was attacked. Large, unidentified footprints were found nearby."
Souta's jaw tightened. "Then it's only a matter of time until they come after us again. After me."
"But why tell us all of this now?" Nezu asked.
"Because it was going to come out eventually. Better on my terms. And because I need something."
Nezu gestured for him to continue.
"First, a new suit. My old one is completely gone. Burned to a crisp. I've got sketches, material notes, design ideas. I'd like to work with whoever's in charge. But I need gear that won't fall apart when I push myself."
Aizawa nodded, as if he'd expected that.
"And second?" Nezu asked.
"I need my family safe. I took a big risk showing my hand yesterday. I don't know who's behind those two villains, but I know I'm on their radar now."
There was a beat of silence. Then:
"I'd propose a dorm system," Souta said. "Not just for students. For families too - if they want to. It's safer. I'm sure you've got the resources, and frankly, after what happened… it's not a matter of if something happens again, but when."
The room went still. Nezu looked thoughtful. Midnight had her arms crossed, nodding slightly. All Might looked at Souta with a strange mix of concern and admiration.
"…Very well," Nezu finally said, smiling ever so slightly. "We'll discuss the feasibility with the board. But your points are valid. Thank you for your honesty, Todoroki."
Souta leaned back slightly in his chair, exhaling slowly.
Round one… done.
"Now, I would like to ask you something more private if you don't mind," Nezu spoke again, taking Souta by slight surprise.
Next, Nezu turned to everyone else still present, "Alone if it was possible."
The other Pro Heroes getting the sign that they were not needed anymore, all left the office.
"So, what is this about now?" Souta asked, definitely intrigued. It wasn't everyday that the being, labeled the smartest one on the planet, wanted to chat with you in privat.
"I'm gonna cut to the chase, to not waste both of our times. What you did to your classmate after the fight was over… can you do this again?"
Souta's eyes widened slightly, now getting what this was all about. But, because he shouldn't know anything he had to play the long route. "I'm guessing, you refer to how I healed Ojiro, yes?"
Nest nodded, his face not betraying anything. Well, as much as the face of a giant mouse-bear could actually.
"Well… it is not impossible to let it happen again, but it also has some drawbacks for myself. It would come down to the importance of the matter, and what would come out of it, if you understand."
Nezu nodded once more. "How reliable is this method of yours? And what are it's limitations?"
"I guess you could say, as long as the other person isn't dead, it should work. As to how reliable… frankly, undetermined. But, technically, it should be a complete guarantee." Souta had to think about it for a moment, but was able to make it sound enticing and still quite vague.
Something he was quite proud of. Souta had always hated endless pure strategy games, like chess or shogi. For him, games should always have some undetermined factor in them to make it interesting.
"Okay, I have a friend who has suffered a serious injury a few years ago. An injury that would have killed any lesser man. Would you be able to do this procedure right now?"
Souta leaned back into his seat again. "Director, you still haven't answered me. I already told you that it would come down to the importance and the value of it. I by no mean mean any monetary value, but much rather what kind of sense would it make to heal this person?
Nezu tilted his head slightly, watching Souta with those calculating, knowing eyes.
"I see," he said calmly. "Then allow me to bring him here so you may judge for yourself."
Before Souta could respond, Nezu pressed a button on the small console built into the table. "Toshinori, please come in."
The door opened a moment later, and in stepped All Might - but not in his towering, heroic form. No, this was the real All Might, frail and thin, with sunken cheeks and a body barely able to fill out his uniform.
Souta's eyes widened slightly in realization. So i was right… he thought. They want me to heal All Might.
Nezu spoke, his tone a touch more serious now. "This is something very few people know, Todoroki-kun. All Might was gravely injured years ago in a battle against a great evil. It left him… permanently weakened. His power may still inspire the masses, but the truth is, he can no longer sustain it for long."
All Might gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm not exactly the 'Symbol of Peace' full-time anymore."
Souta leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, fingers steepled in thought. "I see… So you want me to try and heal these injuries. To fix… this?"
"Yes," Nezu confirmed. "However, we understand if you feel this is too much to ask. It is not something we would ever force." His small eyes glinted with a sharp, almost predatory intelligence.
"But… should you succeed, you can expect an appropriate reward. Partly depending on how complete the recovery is… and partly for the sheer value such an act would bring to us - and to you."
Souta sat back, feeling the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. He looked at All Might - at Toshinori Yagi - the man who had carried the world on his back for decades. The man who had suffered, fought, bled, and yet kept smiling. And now they were offering him the chance to maybe, just maybe… give something back.
He tapped the table with a finger, thoughtful.
"This… isn't something I can just promise casually," he said slowly. "Healing superficial wounds, broken bones, torn muscles - that's one thing. But old, deep injuries that never healed right? That's an entirely different beast."
All Might nodded, looking unbothered. "I understand, my boy. Just do your best. That's all we can ask."
Souta inhaled deeply through his nose, then let the breath out slowly. "…Alright. I'll try."
Nezu's smile grew just a little wider, his tiny paws folding together with a soft tap-tap.
"Excellent."
Standing, Souta walked slowly over to Toshinori, who had removed his outer coat and sat stiffly in the chair, exposing more of his gaunt frame.
Souta placed a hand lightly on his chest, concentrating.
"Alright… before I start though, I would ask both of you to cover your ears, he spoke, a certain weight hanging over his words.
The two didn't say anything, and immediately used their hands, or in Nezu's case paws to cover up their ears. Souta wasn't exactly sure how sensitive the senses of these two were, but it wouldn't really matter anyway.
The next moment, Souta closed his eyes, and once more, in the quietest and softest voice he could muster, "Lend Regeneration."
Then, before the eyes of everyone present, All Might was enveloped by a soft green hue.
Nezu could only speculate about what was happening, having really covered his ears, to not damage the trust, given to him by the boy before him.
But All Might-
He could feel it. It wasn't like with Ojiro, who was unconscious at the time. Right now, All Might could feel his body slowly regenerate. His wounds mending themselves.
It was slow.
But, what could one expect of injuries so severe that they would have killed everybody else ten times over by now, not to speak about them being five years old by now.
This whole procedure lasted five whole minutes, before the green glow disappeared and Souta stepped back.
Nezu couldn't hold his curiosity and voiced it, "Toshinori, how do you feel?"
"I feel…"