Chapter 17: The Surgeon and the Flame
Inside the surveillance room, the tension was suffocating. All Might stood at the forefront, his towering presence unshaken, yet his expression betrayed his concern. Behind him, the students of Class 1-A, donned in their hero costumes, stared at the monitors in disbelief. Their faces reflected a mix of shock and terror at the sight unfolding before them. On one screen, Todoroki stood amidst shattered ice, his body rigid with shock, while in the same frame, a man with a long blade and a distinctive air of confidence grinned calmly, holding Todoroki's severed arm in his hand.
"How is this even possible?" Kaminari muttered, his golden eyes wide with fear as he gripped the back of a chair. The screens illuminated his spiky blonde hair, reflecting the chaos below. "That guy… he just cut off Todoroki's arm like it was nothing."
"This has to stop," Yaoyorozu whispered, her lips trembling as she clutched the edge of the console. Her dark eyes, normally calm and calculating, darted back and forth between the monitors.
"All Might…" someone in the room whispered, pleading for their mentor to act.
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Back in the arena, the tension was no less palpable. Among the shattered remains of Todoroki's ice, Trafalgar D. Water Law stood, an air of confidence radiating from his composed posture. His iconic black-and-white spotted fur hat sat snugly on his head, contrasting with his yellow-and-black patterned shirt. In one hand, he held Todoroki's severed arm. In the other, his long sword gleamed under the artificial lights of the training facility. Not a single drop of blood stained the scene.
Todoroki was frozen, his left hand clutching his right shoulder where his arm had been moments ago. His mismatched eyes—green and gray with a haunting darkness—trembled as he stared at the empty space where his arm should have been. He reached out hesitantly with his left hand, feeling the void, disbelief and helplessness etched into every line of his face.
"No blood…" Todoroki murmured, his voice barely audible. "But… it's gone. My arm is really gone."
Above the arena, All Might's voice thundered through the loudspeakers, laced with urgency. "Emergency! This match must be stopped immediately! I repeat, this match must be stopped!"
---
On the second floor, Yaoyorozu's hurried footsteps came to a halt. She froze mid-stride, her gaze snapping upwards toward the loudspeakers. "What's going on?" she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the silence that now enveloped the hallway.
On the third floor, Kaminari, who had been guarding the missile room, furrowed his brows. His usually carefree demeanor was replaced with confusion as he scratched his head. "Huh? What does he mean? Is something serious happening?"
---
Before the panic could spread further, Law raised his voice, cutting through the chaos with a calm yet commanding tone. "Yare yare… You're overreacting, All Might. This is just my ability."
The statement hung in the air as Law began to manipulate the severed arm with a flick of his fingers. Inside the blue glow of his Room, Todoroki's arm floated in midair, twisting and turning as if on invisible strings. Law's voice was steady and detached, almost clinical, as he explained, "This is my true power. Inside this blue field, I can do many things. The primary function of my ability is cutting and reassembling. I can perform surgeries, both minor and major, without a single drop of blood. What you saw earlier, the teleportation? That's just a minor application of my ability. As for Todoroki's arm, I can reattach it anytime I want. Can't you see? There's no blood here."
In the surveillance room, gasps rippled through the crowd of students. Even All Might, usually unshaken, looked momentarily taken aback. "You could have told me this earlier!" All Might's voice boomed through the loudspeakers. "I had no idea this was the case!"
Yaoyorozu and Kaminari, still in their respective positions, were no less bewildered. "What… is happening?" Yaoyorozu muttered, her voice tinged with uncertainty. Should she continue her mission to find the missile or return to help Todoroki?
Kaminari, on the other hand, clenched his fists, sparks of electricity crackling faintly around his body. "I don't really get what's going on," he said, his tone suddenly serious. "But it looks like Todoroki could use some backup up there."
With a grin breaking across his face, Kaminari burst into a sprint, sparks dancing along his path. As he reached the door, he shouted, "Alright! Time for the shining star to take the stage!"
Yaoyorozu hesitated, her hands trembling as she weighed her options. Finally, her face hardened with determination. From her forearm, she produced a long metal staff, gripping it tightly. "No," she whispered to herself. "I have to focus on finding the missile."
---
On the main floor, Todoroki steadied himself, taking a deep breath as Law's words echoed in his mind. Stay calm. Focus. He said he can reattach my arm anytime. That means I can still fight.
Todoroki's thoughts shifted as he noticed something peculiar—his severed arm, still floating in the air, began to move. His fingers twitched ever so slightly. I can move my fingers? His mismatched eyes widened. How is this even possible?
Law smirked as he noticed the subtle movements. "Trying to take it back, are you?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement. Gripping Todoroki's arm firmly, he added, "Sorry, but I can't let you have it just yet."
Todoroki's lips curled into a rare smile, one filled with restrained anger. "Trafalgar D. Water Law… I have to admit, you've managed to piss me off."
A layer of ice began to encase the severed arm in Law's hand. The frost spread rapidly toward him, catching him off guard. "What the—?!" Law exclaimed, tossing the arm aside. He watched the frost creep toward him, his mind racing. That was close. He can still use his power, even without his arm? No… that makes sense. His hands are his conduit, but his Quirk must originate from within him. How did I miss that?
The frost reached his right hand, forcing Law to discard his sword momentarily. He glanced at his now-frozen hand, realizing it was unusable for the rest of the fight. "Hmph," he muttered, gripping his sword with his left hand. His composure cracked ever so slightly as a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek.
---
Todoroki's half-red, half-white hair swayed as flames erupted from the left side of his body. The air around him warped with the intensity of his heat. The fire reflected in his eyes, which burned with a newfound determination.
For the first time, Law took a step back. His usual confidence wavered. This isn't supposed to happen. Has his anger completely taken over?
Todoroki's voice was steady, yet filled with unyielding resolve. "Just this once… I'll use my father's cursed power."
Law's eyes widened as he muttered under his breath, "Tch… This complicates things."
Without hesitation, Todoroki hurled a torrent of flames toward Law. The searing heat tore through the air, the sheer force of the attack overwhelming. Law turned and bolted, his mind racing. I need a strategy. Now.
The flames consumed everything in their path, the roar deafening. "Wait—!" Law barely had time to react as the inferno engulfed the building's entrance.
---
When the smoke cleared, the lower floor was an inferno of flames and destruction. Among the chaos, Todoroki stood tall, his flames casting an imposing shadow. He approached the doorway, his gaze sharp. Among the embers, a single object caught his attention—Law's iconic hat, scorched and smoldering.
"He ran…" Todoroki muttered, his voice quiet but resolute.
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