**Chapter 18: The Frozen Inferno**
The basement of the training building was a furnace, a hellish corridor where the air itself seemed to writhe in agony. The walls glowed faintly, reflecting the flickering hues of orange, red, and gold as flames danced wildly around Todoroki Shoto. His heterochromatic eyes, one a cold gray and the other a fiery turquoise, scanned the room with an intensity that matched the inferno he had unleashed. The heat was oppressive, a living thing that clawed at the lungs and made the air shimmer like a mirage. The flames licked at the ceiling, casting long, flickering shadows that danced like specters on the walls. The floor beneath his feet was scorched black, and the remnants of what had once been a pristine white hat with black polka dots—Law's hat—lay smoldering in the corner, its fabric curling and disintegrating into ash.
Todoroki's flames began to recede, the fire that had engulfed his left side retreating into his body as if it had never been there. The sudden absence of heat left the air heavy and stagnant, a stark contrast to the inferno that had raged moments before. He raised his right hand to the communication device in his ear, his voice calm but laced with urgency. "Kaminari," he said, his breath visible in the now-cooling air, "I've lost track of both of them. Yaoyorozu and Law are somewhere in the building, likely on the second or third floor."
Kaminari Denki was already on the move, his footsteps echoing through the stairwell as he descended from the third floor to the second. His finger pressed against his own communication device, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Huh?! How'd you let both of them get away? I was just about to head down and join you!"
Todoroki's expression remained stoic as he placed his right hand against the wall, the surface still warm from the flames. His left hand stayed on the communication device as he replied, "No, don't. Turn back, Kaminari. Head to the rocket room. Now."
"What?! Why should I do that?" Kaminari's voice crackled through the device, his confusion evident.
Todoroki exhaled, and a visible cloud of cold air escaped his lips, crystallizing in the dim light. "Because," he said, his voice low and resolute, "I'm going to freeze this entire building solid."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Todoroki's right hand, pressed firmly against the wall, began to emit a chilling frost. The ice spread rapidly, crawling across the surface like a living thing. It branched out in intricate patterns, jagged and beautiful, as it consumed the wall, the floor, and the ceiling. The frost moved with unnatural speed, a wave of cold that devoured everything in its path. The basement was the first to fall, its scorched walls now encased in a thick layer of ice. The frost surged upward, climbing through the floors, freezing pipes, walls, and furniture in its wake. The second floor was next, its corridors transformed into a frozen labyrinth. By the time the ice reached the third floor, the entire building had become a crystalline tomb.
Kaminari, still in the stairwell, felt the cold before he saw it. The frost crept up the steps, coating the metal railing and the concrete stairs in a thin layer of ice. He turned, his eyes widening as the ice surged toward him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he shouted, breaking into a sprint as he tried to outrun the freezing wave. But it was too late. The ice caught up to him, encasing his feet in a solid block. He stumbled, his momentum carrying him forward, but his legs were trapped. He fell to his knees, his hands slamming against the frozen ground. "Hey, Todoroki!" he yelled, his breath visible in the frigid air. "I'm stuck here too!"
There was no response. Todoroki, now fully encased in a shell of ice, stood motionless in the basement. The frost had consumed him, covering his body in a thick layer of ice that glistened like a diamond. The communication device in his ear was frozen solid, its delicate circuitry shattered as it fell to the ground and broke into pieces. Todoroki's breath was slow and steady, a faint cloud of white escaping his lips as he pulled his right hand away from the wall. The ice around him cracked and splintered as he took a step forward, his movements deliberate and unhurried. He began to climb the stairs, his boots crunching against the frozen steps as he made his way to the second floor.
Meanwhile, Kaminari gritted his teeth, his body trembling from the cold. "Damn it," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. But then, a grin spread across his face. His yellow hair began to stand on end, crackling with electricity. His eyes glowed with a fierce determination as sparks of electricity danced around his body. The ice around his feet began to crack and shatter, the intense heat from his electricity melting the frost. He stood, his feet now free, and brushed the ice from his pants. "Who cares about Todoroki's orders?" he said, his voice filled with newfound confidence. "I'll stop them on the second floor for sure!"
The second floor was a frozen masterpiece, a gallery of ice and frost. Every surface was covered in a thick layer of ice, the walls and ceiling glittering like diamonds in the dim light. The air was cold and still, the only sound the faint creaking of the ice as it settled. In the center of the room stood Trafalgar Law, his yellow shirt with black accents standing out against the monochrome backdrop. His black jeans were dusted with frost, and his long sword, Kikoku, was planted firmly in the ice beside him. His black hair, usually hidden beneath his hat, was now exposed, giving him a more rugged appearance. He stood with a calm confidence, his golden eyes scanning the room as if he were waiting for something—or someone.
Behind him, Yaoyorozu Momo knelt on the ground, her breath visible in the cold air. She looked exhausted, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "That was too close," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "The ice almost got me."
She looked up at Law, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and curiosity. "I heard an explosion earlier," she said. "How did you manage to escape?"
Law pointed to the corner of the room, where a speaker had once been mounted on the wall. The space was now empty, the speaker nowhere to be seen. "On the third floor," he explained, his voice calm and measured, "the speakers are placed in the same position as they are here. I used the speaker in this room to teleport us. What Todoroki burned earlier was the speaker from this floor."
Yaoyorozu's eyes widened in realization, and a small smile tugged at her lips. "That's brilliant," she said. "But what do we do now?"
Law turned to her, his expression serious. "I can teleport you to the third floor," he said. "We'll switch places with one of the speakers there."
Yaoyorozu nodded, her smile growing. "Let's go together, then."
Law shook his head. "Only one of us needs to reach the rocket. Besides, we need someone to hold them off here."
"Hold them off?" Yaoyorozu asked, her brow furrowing. "You mean Kaminari is coming too?"
Law looked up, his golden eyes narrowing as he focused on something only he could see. "Room," he said softly, and a blue sphere of energy expanded around him, covering the second and third floors. He glanced at Yaoyorozu, a faint smile on his lips. "I'm counting on you."
"Wait!" Yaoyorozu shouted, but before she could say more, Law raised his hand.
"Shambles," he said, and in an instant, Yaoyorozu was gone. In her place, the speaker from the third floor clattered to the ground, its surface cracking against the ice.
Yaoyorozu found herself on the third floor, the cold air biting at her skin as she landed on the frozen ground. She opened her eyes, taking in the icy landscape around her. "This is… the third floor," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Back on the second floor, Law stood alone in the frozen room, his sword in hand. The room had two doors, both encased in ice. He swung Kikoku, the blade cutting through the ice with ease. He picked up a few shards of ice, holding them in his hand as if they were stones. "I can use these to teleport during the fight," he said to himself.
But before he could act, a voice cut through the silence. "I'm afraid I can't allow that."
Todoroki stepped through the first door, his right side covered in ice while his left burned with intense heat. The ice around him began to melt, steam rising as the two opposing forces clashed. His dual-colored eyes locked onto Law, his expression unreadable.
From the second door, Kaminari appeared, his yellow hair crackling with electricity. Sparks danced around his body as he grinned, his eyes glowing with excitement. "Yo," he said, his voice filled with confidence. "Am I late to the party?"
Law smiled, his golden eyes gleaming as he raised his hand. "No," he said. "You're just in time. Kaminari… Room!"
The blue sphere expanded once more, enveloping the room as the battle began.
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