Nezu watched carefully as All Might flexed his once-crippled hand, a subtle, awestruck grin on his face.
"I feel like I was born anew," All Might said, overwhelmed by the flood of vitality coursing through him.
Souta raised a hand, firm but calm. "That's an illusion."
All Might and Nezu both turned to him, brows slightly furrowed.
"What you're feeling," Souta continued, "could be compared to someone who overcame an addiction, then suddenly relapsed. It feels euphoric, powerful… but it's not real stability. Not yet."
All Might blinked. "Could you explain?"
Souta leaned forward, tone measured. "Your body was moments from collapse for years. What I did could be said to have restarted the regeneration process, triggering your body to rebuild what was lost - replace dead or damaged tissue. But that doesn't make you invincible. It's like planting a seed in dry ground. It'll grow… but only if you don't scorch it again."
Nezu nodded slowly, clearly impressed by Souta's maturity and grasp on the situation.
"If you give yourself time - no heavy combat, no reckless movements - maybe in a year, you'll be close to your old self again," Souta said. "But if you push it now, you'll get one last big fight. And then that's it."
All Might stared at his hands in silence, the brief smile fading, replaced by something quieter. Acceptance. Gratitude.
"…Understood," he finally said.
Nezu folded his paws in front of him on the table. "Thank you, Todoroki. That was… beyond commendable. And we'll keep our word."
"First: you'll have full creative and technical support for your hero costume. Power-resilient materials, temperature-adaptive tech, custom loadout - we'll assign our best support team, and you'll have full design input."
Souta gave a small nod of appreciation.
"Second," Nezu continued, "we'll initiate the dorm program immediately. It will be offered to student families on a voluntary basis, but we'll begin construction today. Security will be top priority."
Souta couldn't help but feel a little relief loosen his shoulders. Finally, a step toward real safety.
"And last but not least…" Nezu turned to All Might. "Toshinori?"
All Might stepped forward with a different expression now - part reverent, part solemn. "There is one more reward. But it comes with responsibility."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a small notebook, worn with time.
"I believe it's time we tell you the truth behind the quirk you copied from Midoriya… One For All."
Souta's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew there had to be something more.
All Might looked him square in the face. "You didn't just copy a quirk. You copied a legacy. A power passed down through generations - stockpiling strength, inheriting will. And now that it's in you… you deserve to understand it."
Souta knew where this was going, but had to play along and stayed quiet for a moment, then nodded.
"…I want to know everything."
Nezu's gaze twinkled with something unreadable. "Then starting tomorrow, Toshinori will be personally overseeing your training. We'll set up sessions in private locations. This must remain off the record, at least for now."
Souta exhaled deeply, the weight of it all settling over him like a second cloak.
"…I understand. And I won't waste it."
"Good," All Might said, smiling - this time, not as the Symbol of Peace, but as a mentor. "Because it will be an invaluable tool for what will await us in the future."
---
When the conversation finally ended was Souta able to get up and leave the office, making his way back to his class. This whole thing had taken way longer than Souta could have imagined, therefore when he arrived back in his class, Math was long over and the next lesson, Japanese had already begun.
Souta didn't say anything special about what had happened or what it was all about, and just sat down back in his seat. Shoto in the seat next to him gave him a quick glance, to which Souta just nodded, before turning his attention back to the lesson.
The lesson jus flew by, while Souta began thinking about some ideas for his new suit. Before, he had only given a brief design and some requirements. Like a material that was fully fireproof, but could also withstand low temperatures when using his ice, as well as fast movements.
Those were the first things that were needed for his new suit, simply because he did not want to suddenly destroy his suit again, by just using a bit too much strength.
Right now, his mind wandered a bit, going over other ideas, like some regulators for his fire and ice, it wasn't necessary, but could help in some situations. Besides them, some shock absorption gear could also help, just so his regeneration wouldn't have to be active the whole time, and because he still felt parts of the pain.
Things that Souta felt were important for his suit were a half mask and goggles, or a full mask with some extra features build into them. He didn't want to be like all those heroes who go out into the world and show all the villains who they are and where the live, after all. Therefore a mask was a necessity.
As for these extra features, for those Souta had something like an A.I. in mind, when he became a hero, it could be directly connected to the Hero Network, making his patrols and dispatches way more efficient.
Nevertheless, Souta was completely pulled out of his thoughts when the bell rang and the class was over. Everyone jumped up from their seats and left the classroom in their groups – his brother and his friends already waiting. Seeing this Souta hurried up a bit, and joined them on their way to the cafeteria, already preparing himself for the questioning.
As Souta fell into step with Shoto and the others, he could practically feel the curiosity radiating off them. None of them said anything immediately, which was almost worse than a barrage of questions.
It was Iida who finally broke the silence.
"Todoroki-kun! You were absent for nearly two lessons. May I inquire what important matter required your attention?"
Souta shrugged, keeping it casual. "Meeting with some teachers. It was about the aftermath of yesterday."
That answer was true enough, but vague enough not to cause a stir.
Midoriya, walking just ahead with Uraraka and Tsuyu, turned slightly, obviously curious but not wanting to pry. Bakugo, predictably, just scoffed and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "damn extras."
When they reached the cafeteria, the noise and warmth helped ease the tension. Everyone split into their usual smaller groups, grabbing food. Souta got himself a tray of curry rice and found a spot with Shoto, Iida, and a few others.
As he dug into his food, Kirishima slid into the seat across from him with a wide grin.
"So… seriously, man, you just gonna pretend you didn't pull some insane stuff yesterday and then vanish on us today?"
Souta smirked slightly. "You know me. Gotta keep things interesting."
Kirishima laughed, banging his fist lightly on the table. "Manly attitude. Respect."
Shoto leaned in a little. "You're planning something, aren't you?"
Souta raised an eyebrow. "Define 'planning.'"
Shoto didn't answer directly. He didn't need to. The brothers knew each other too well.
Instead, Midoriya hesitantly approached their table, clutching his own tray.
"Um… Todoroki-kun? Can I sit here?"
"Sure, Midoriya-san," Souta said easily, shifting to make room.
Midoriya sat down, eyes darting between him and Shoto. He hesitated again before speaking, voice low.
"I just wanted to say… thanks. Yesterday, you really… saved us."
Souta's expression softened for a moment. "We're all on the same team. We look out for each other. That's what being a hero is about, right?"
Midoriya nodded seriously, looking almost starstruck for a second, before diving into his food.
The conversation drifted to lighter topics after that - complaints about homework, jokes about Aizawa's sleepiness, and just overall everything. It felt tranquil. Like a normal school life.