Chapter 30: The Aftermath of Winter.
The image was already traveling at the speed of light across the fiber-optic cables of Japan.
It wasn't a picture of a brutal knockout or a scream of victory. It was a picture of Kuzan Aokiji, sitting on the concrete, leaning back against a building-sized flower of diamond ice, offering a tired, lazy smile to the camera.
In living rooms from Hokkaido to Okinawa, viewers stared at the screen.
"He's so cool..." whispered a teenager in a Tokyo arcade.
"We need him," stated the head of a top Hero Agency in Fukuoka, slamming his hand on his desk. "Draft the offer letter. Now."
Back inside the stadium, the atmosphere was a mix of awe and logistical panic.
"WHAT A FINISH!" Present Mic screamed, his voice hoarse but still electric. "A LITERAL FLOWER OF ICE! AND INSIDE... SLEEPING BEAUTY HIMSELF, BAKUGO KATSUKI!"
In the stands, Class 1-A was buzzing.
"It's beautiful," Uraraka said, pressing her hands to her cheeks. "But also... kinda scary."
"He completely immobilized him," Kaminari gulped. "I'm glad I didn't have to fight him in the finals."
Mineta was squinting. "Hey, isn't that... problematic? How do we get Bakugo out?"
Down on the field, Midnight was having the same thought. She stood near the boundary line, shivering slightly from the residual cold, talking to Cementoss.
"We need to clear the field for the award ceremony," she said, tapping her whip against her thigh. "But that thing is massive. It's turning the stadium into a freezer."
Cementoss looked up at the towering, translucent structure. "It's a magnificent sculpture. Almost a shame to destroy it. But you're right. Bakugo is in there."
He signaled the support team. Within minutes, large industrial heater robots rolled out from the tunnels. The stadium's climate control system was cranked up to maximum heat. Hot air blasted the flower, but the ice was dense. It dripped slowly, like a stubborn glacier, refusing to yield easily.
In the infirmary, the air was quiet and smelled of antiseptic.
Shoto Todoroki sat on the edge of the bed. Recovery Girl had just finished applying a light bandage to his wrist—a minor sprain from his fall. The door opened, and a frantic U.A. staff member poked his head in.
"Todoroki-kun! Are you able to walk?"
Todoroki blinked. "Yes."
"We need your help. We need a fire user with high output. The robots aren't enough."
Recovery Girl frowned, hopping down from her chair. "Now wait just a minute! The boy just finished a high-intensity match. He needs rest!"
Todoroki stood up, testing his wrist. "It's fine. I'll go."
"Are you sure?" the staff member asked.
"If it gets things moving, yes."
Todoroki followed the staff member down the long concrete corridors. He walked silently, his mind still a fog of conflicting emotions. Is it really that bad? he wondered. Aokiji is strong, but surely the teachers can handle some ice.
He reached the end of the tunnel. The bright sunlight hit his eyes, followed immediately by a wave of cold air.
Todoroki stopped. His mismatched eyes widened.
"This is..."
It wasn't just a block of ice. It was art. The 'Sayuri's Flower' towered over the arena, glistening in the sun. The petals were carved with impossible detail, the curves smooth and organic. It was a sculpture that commanded silence.
My ice is jagged, Todoroki thought, staring at the masterpiece. It's raw power. But this... this is control. This is elegance.
Deep inside the central bulb of the flower, he could see the silhouette of Bakugo, suspended in a timeless slumber.
"Over here, please!" the staff member urged.
Up in the stands, Mineta pointed. "Hey! It's Todoroki!"
"Kero?" Tsuyu tilted her head. "Where is he going?"
Momo Yaoyorozu leaned forward, analyzing the situation. "The ice isn't melting fast enough. They likely need his fire side to accelerate the thaw."
Suddenly, a flash of pink shot up from a seat nearby.
"I'm going too!" Mina Ashido shouted, leaping over the railing into the aisle.
"Ashido?" Kirishima called out.
"I can help melt it with my acid! Plus, I wanna see it up close!" She dashed down the stairs, leaving a trail of excitement.
Down on the field, Todoroki reached the base of the giant flower. The heater robots were blasting hot air, their mechanical voices droning: "CAUTION. MELTING IN PROGRESS. MAINTAIN STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY."
Sitting on the dry concrete near the base was Aokiji. He looked exhausted, his UA uniform damp and torn. He was putting his right arm on his right knee.
"Todoroki," Aokiji said, his voice raspy. He looked up, squinting against the sun. "Sorry for the trouble. I don't have a hot side like you to melt this."
Todoroki approached the ice. He placed his left hand on a thick root. It was cold—deeply, painfully cold. The ice wasn't white; it was a deep, oceanic blue.
"You didn't use this kind of ice against me," Todoroki said quietly. "Why?"
Aokiji leaned his head back, watching the light refract through the giant petals. "Bakugo's explosions... they really rattled my brain. I had to focus. And..." He paused, a small, self-deprecating smile touching his lips. "I thought about a lot of things. Mainly, that I didn't want to look pathetic. At least, not while she was watching."
"She?" Todoroki asked. "Who do you mean?"
"My little sister," Aokiji murmured. "No big brother wants to look lame in front of his kid sister, right?"
Todoroki stared at him. For the first time, the lazy, untouchable ice user seemed... human. Vulnerable.
Aokiji shivered. A visible tremor ran through his shoulders. The overuse of his quirk had dropped his core temperature dangerously low.
Todoroki didn't speak. He simply extended his left hand. A gentle, controlled stream of orange flames washed over Aokiji's body. It wasn't an attack; it was a warm blanket of heat.
The frost on Aokiji's eyelashes melted. The color returned to his cheeks.
"Thanks," Aokiji sighed, rolling his neck until it popped. "I think I owe you one."
"Your skin was pale," Todoroki stated simply, now turning the flames from Aokiji to the ice flower. "So, there are limits to your power after all."
"Apparently," Aokiji replied, watching the steam rise. "I've lived a lazy life. I don't remember ever using my quirk for combat like this. I think... I hit a new low temperature today. Especially fighting you."
Aokiji looked at Todoroki's left side, currently ablaze with power. "What about you? You're using your fire freely now?"
Todoroki watched the flames licking the ice. "I don't know exactly. The grudge I hold against my father... it hasn't disappeared." His eyes narrowed slightly. "But... seeing you defeat me, even when I used both sides... it forces me to ask questions. I can't just stagnate."
"Todoroki," Aokiji said, standing up and brushing ice dust off his pants. "You seem calmer than when we started. Back then, I wanted to talk to you. Because... well, we're both just projects, aren't we?"
Todoroki's eyebrow twitched. The ice sizzled loudly under his hand. "I remember you saying something like that. But I think we are different."
Aokiji ruffled his messy hair. "Different upbringing, maybe. But the expectations? The burden?" He looked Todoroki in the eye. "Two sides of the same coin."
Before Todoroki could respond, a cheerful voice cut through the heavy atmosphere.
"Guys! I'm here for support!"
Mina Ashido slid onto the scene, skating on a secrete of acid from her boots. She beamed at them.
"Mina?" Todoroki blinked.
Aokiji smiled, relief washing over his face. "Please. Help me clean up this mess."
Mina walked up to the ice wall. She touched it, seeing her own reflection in the deep blue surface. "Seriously, Kuzan-kun... this is dramatic. You totally overdid it." She peered into the ice, finding Bakugo's frozen face. "Though, if the opponent is Bakugo, I guess overkill is necessary."
She giggled, pulling her smartphone out of her pocket.
Click.
She snapped a high-res photo of the frozen, sleeping Bakugo.
"I wonder what face he'll make when he sees this on the group chat," she snickered.
"Hey," Aokiji groaned. "Aren't you here to help?"
"Okay, okay! Putting the phone away!" She shoved it into her pocket and slammed her hands onto the ice. "High-solubility acid... go!"
"Todoroki. Robots. Let's finish this," she commanded.
The trio went to work. Ashido sprayed corrosives, Todoroki unleashed a torrent of heat, and the robots blasted hot air.
HISS.
The sound was like a giant exhaling. The majestic flower began to lose its shape. The petals drooped, turning into waterfalls. Steam filled the arena, creating a thick, humid fog.
Water pooled on the ground, rising around Aokiji's ankles.
Three minutes passed. The sculpture was gone. The arena was now a shallow lake.
Mina Ashido sat down in the water, panting, sweat dripping from her pink forehead. "Phew! Finally done!" Her pants were soaked, but she didn't care.
Todoroki was breathing heavily, steam rising from his left side. The robots were overheating, their fans whirring loudly.
Beside them, lying in the shallow water, was Bakugo.
He was soaked to the bone. His hair was plastered to his forehead. His eyes were closed.
Midnight waded through the water, the water touching her feet. "Thank you both. You sped up the process significantly."
"Glad to help!" Mina chirped.
"It was necessary," Todoroki nodded.
"Is Bakugo okay?" Midnight asked, looking down at the boy.
Bakugo's brow twitched.
Slowly, his crimson eyes opened. They were groggy, unfocused.
Then, memory returned.
He shot up, splashing water everywhere.
"THE FIGHT?!" he roared, looking around wildly for Aokiji.
He froze.
He saw Mina sitting in the water. He saw Todoroki. He saw the steam. And he saw Aokiji standing five meters away, looking calm and dry despite the water.
"It's over, Bakugo," Mina said gently.
Bakugo looked down at his hands. They were wet. The explosions were gone. The cold was still in his bones.
"Really..." Bakugo whispered, his voice cracking. He clenched his wet fist. "I... lost?"
The realization didn't come with rage. It came with a hollow, crushing weight.
"We need to set up the podium immediately," Midnight announced, looking around at the flooded arena. "But this water is a hazard. It's going to delay everything."
"I think freezing it is the best solution," Aokiji suggested, hands in his pockets.
Midnight hesitated. "We don't want it slippery..."
Cementoss stepped up, his blocky face curving into a smile. "Actually... I think it's a brilliant idea. A fitting stage for the winner."
He leaned down and whispered something in Midnight's ear.
Midnight's eyes lit up. "Oh! That's genius! Do it."
"I'll handle the podium structure," Cementoss said.
Midnight turned to the students. "Todoroki-kun, Mina-chan, Bakugo-kun. Follow me to Waiting Room 2 immediately to dry off and prep. Aokiji... once the arena is clear, freeze the water. Then join us."
Bakugo stood up slowly, dragging his feet through the water, his head hung low. He followed without a word.
Once they were gone, Midnight signaled the booth.
"Present Mic, we're ready for the transition."
"ALRIGHT LISTENERS!" Mic's voice boomed. "THANK YOU FOR AN INCREDIBLE DAY! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW! IF YOU DID, LET ME HEAR YOU SCREAM!"
The crowd roared.
In the center of the flooded arena, one boy stood alone. The cameras zoomed in on Kuzan Aokiji. The water rippled around his shoes.
"IT IS TIME TO CLOSE THIS FESTIVAL WITH SOME STYLE! THE AWARD CEREMONY IS NEXT!" Present Mic announced. "CHAMPION KUZAN AOKIJI! WILL YOU SET THE STAGE?!"
Aokiji sighed. He took one hand out of his pocket and touched the surface of the water.
"Ice Age."
WHOOSH.
The sound was crisp and satisfying. A wave of white spread from his hand. The water didn't just freeze; it transformed. The ripples froze in motion. The surface became a perfectly smooth, glittering mirror. It wasn't just ice; it was a crystal floor that reflected the afternoon sun, turning the battlefield into a ballroom of light.
The audience didn't scream this time. They gasped. Phones were raised. Flashes went off. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Aokiji stood up and began to walk toward the exit tunnel, his reflection walking with him on the ice below.
Up in the VIP box, the mood was different.
While the other pro heroes applauded, Soichiro Kuzan placed his hands on the armrests of his chair. He pushed himself up. He straightened his expensive suit jacket and adjusted his silk tie.
"Sayuri," he said, his voice devoid of warmth but filled with satisfaction. "Wait here until I return."
"Father?" Sayuri looked up, her eyes still red from crying earlier.
"The moment I have been waiting for has arrived," Soichiro said. A predatory gleam shone in his eyes. "The product has proven its worth. Now, we capitalize."
He turned and walked out of the VIP box. Notably, the seat usually reserved for All Might was empty. The Symbol of Peace had left some time ago.
Sayuri turned back to the window. She watched her brother, walking alone, then disappear into the dark tunnel, leaving behind a field of glittering ice that shone brilliantly under the harsh sun.
.
.
.