**Chapter 37: Todoroki's struggle**
As the dust of battle settled, Natsu's team had been all but forgotten. Their headband—once a prized possession—had been ripped away by Todoroki's lightning-fast strike, and now, the attention of every remaining team and spectator shifted toward the new leaders. The crowd no longer cared for those who had fallen behind, their eyes glued to the two-man powerhouse: Tenya Iida and Shoto Todoroki. The roaring excitement in the arena was deafening, and even those watching on screens around the world couldn't tear their eyes away from the brilliance of their performance.
Yamada, the exuberant announcer, couldn't contain himself. "Can you believe it, folks? A team of two just snagged the ten-million headband! What a show of power from Todoroki and Iida!" His voice surged above the wild cheers as the camera zoomed in on the determined faces of the two students. "They're the ones to watch!"
From across the field, Bakugo's fiery gaze locked onto Todoroki. His hands crackled with explosive energy as he grabbed Kirishima by the hair, yanking him forward. "Move it, hair-for-brains! We're going after that half-and-half bastard!"
Kirishima winced but quickly hardened his crimson locks with a smirk. "Good thing I can harden this hair, or you'd rip it out!" he muttered under his breath, bracing himself against Bakugo's aggression.
Meanwhile, Team Kendo, consisting of Itsuka Kendo, Ibara Shiozaki, and Yui Kodai, had their sights set on Todoroki as well. Kendo's massive hands flexed in anticipation, while Ibara, playing the role of their "horse," sent her vines snaking across the battlefield toward Todoroki and Iida. The first attack that reached the duo came from her—sharp, green tendrils lashing out toward the unsuspecting pair.
Iida felt a pulse of energy leave his legs, the engines still overheated from their previous burst. "My engines need time to cool down," he panted. "I can't use them for a while."
Todoroki, ever composed, ignited his left hand with a burst of fire. "I'll handle the defense. Just run—normally."
With a roar, his flames erupted toward Ibara's vines. The fire consumed them swiftly, crackling as they burned to ashes mid-air. The searing heat melted through the foliage, and the scent of singed plant life filled the air. Ibara recoiled, yanking her burning tendrils back just in time to avoid being scorched entirely. "Fighting someone with fire..." she murmured, cutting her vines loose. "This is a disadvantage for me."
Iida, sweat dripping down his face, continued to push himself, his legs moving without the aid of his engines. His hair whipped back, catching the breeze as they darted across the battlefield. But just as the sweat rolled down his brow, both he and Todoroki froze.
A looming shadow fell upon them.
"Dark Shadow," Tokoyami whispered, his voice a low growl as his quirk lunged toward them. The creature snarled, rushing forward like a force of nature.
Todoroki, reacting with instinctive precision, raised his right hand, summoning an ice wall that shot up from the ground in a blast of white. The towering structure of frost met Dark Shadow's attack with a resonating *crash*, sending shards of ice flying across the field.
"That was close!" Uraraka cried, her fists clenched with tension as she watched from afar.
Midoriya, standing beside her, allowed a faint smile to curl on his lips. "But that's not the end of it... Right, Tokoyami?"
"Of course," Tokoyami replied. His eyes gleamed with intensity as he gave the order. "Dark Shadow, go over the wall!"
The dark beast obeyed, soaring above the frozen barrier with a menacing growl. It descended upon Todoroki with terrifying speed. But Todoroki's face twisted in frustration. In a burst of heat, flames erupted from his body, licking at the edges of Dark Shadow. The fiery inferno forced the creature to retreat, whimpering back to Tokoyami's side.
"I won't attack him again," Dark Shadow muttered, visibly shaken. "Not that guy."
Tokoyami raised his head toward Midoriya, his voice low and measured. "What now, Midoriya? What's the plan?"
Midoriya's eyes never left Todoroki. "We don't need to fight him directly. Our goal is to advance to the next round, so we'll just target the weaker teams and take their points."
But before they could act on their strategy, Iida's sharp gaze caught sight of a familiar fiery blur—Bakugo, rocketing toward them with a predatory grin. "Todoroki," he warned, "Bakugo's coming. Running won't be easy now."
Todoroki furrowed his brow. "How much longer do you need?"
"Three minutes," Iida replied, glancing at his legs. "At least."
Todoroki began formulating a plan, but before he could speak, a sudden surge of energy crackled through the air. His eyes widened in shock as he sensed the approach of something—or someone—terrifying.
Natsu Dragneel shot through the sky, flames and yellow lightning spiraling around his body. His fiery aura flickered dangerously as he flew straight toward them, a determined smirk crossing his lips.
Iida and Todoroki barely had a moment to react. The very air around them seemed to hum with the intensity of Natsu's power, and time slowed as Todoroki's ice began to form instinctively along his arm.
"Fire Dragon Lightning Mode!" Natsu roared, the words barely escaping his lips as his right fist, wrapped in both fire and lightning, collided with Todoroki's raised arm, encased in its thin layer of ice.
*Crash!*
The sheer force of the blow sent shockwaves through the arena. Ice shattered and scattered across the battlefield, and the collision sparked an eruption of light and heat. Todoroki and Iida were driven backward by the impact, their feet skidding against the ground as they fought to regain balance. The crowd gasped as fog and debris filled the space where the clash had taken place.
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Yamada's voice echoed through the speakers. "That was a MASSIVE blow! Are Todoroki and Iida okay?!"
From within the cloud of smoke, Yaoyorozu's grappling hook shot forward, attaching to Natsu's waist and yanking him back just before he hit the ground. In an instant, he was pulled back to safety, his body still radiating heat and electricity as he returned to his team. The flames and lightning that had surrounded him flickered out, leaving him breathless but standing tall.
His teammates, visibly shaken, couldn't help but scold him.
"You can't just touch the ground like that!" Yaoyorozu huffed, pulling him up with the rope.
Natsu grinned, wiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek. "Guess I'll just jump back in. I wasn't done yet."
As the dust began to clear, Todoroki stood, his right arm trembling slightly. A thin layer of frost covered his skin, but the look on his face betrayed more than just physical pain. His mind raced as he processed what had just happened.
'What... was that power?' he wondered, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Natsu's retreating form. 'He's never used anything like that before.'
Iida turned to him, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright, Todoroki?"
Hiding the discomfort in his arm, Todoroki nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Let's just move—while we still can."
The battle raged on, but one thing was certain: Natsu Dragneel had unveiled something new—something Todoroki couldn't ignore.
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