The Tournament, Part 4: Into the Dawn.

The stadium roared with the collective sounds of cheering from the public. The students of Class A looked at the arena expectantly, Sora and Izuku specifically were anxious about the upcoming match, Kyouka just had worry plastered on her face. Somewhere else on the bleachers, Katsuki was watching this as well silently as he was also preparing for his match after this one. Endeavour was also looking in with a keen eye.

The screens showed the two contenders for the next match: Riku Yasue vs Shouto Todoroki.

The torches of the arena ignited as the two fighters entered the field. "The first match of the semi finals! This will be a battle between elites!" Present Mic announced excitedly. "The young swordsman who is considered a hero already by many! From the hero course, Riku Yasue!" He introduced him as he was entering the arena with a calm, yet stern look on his face. "Versus… The son of the no.2 hero and he has made justice to his name! Also from the hero course, Shouto Todoroki!" He introduced him as he entered the ring with a blank look on his face. Both teens glared at each other with similar looks in their eyes.

"So, it has come to this, Shouto…" Riku said to him calmly. Shouto didn't reply, he just glared back at him silently. There was a huge tension that it could be felt in the air, it was like they were lifetime rivals about to clash.

"Now…" Riku summons his keyblade in his right hand, but didn't go in a stance as Shouto got into a stance with his right foot forward, his right hand was expelling cold air. "Start!" The match started.

Shouto wasted no time and slammed his hand on the ground and from it, a huge barrage of ice burst out from it at high speeds at Riku, who didn't even react. In less than a few seconds a huge icicle was created!

"Todoroki goes with everything all so suddenly! Is he trying to avoid hand-to-hand combat against Riku? Do we already have a winner?!" Present Mic commented

Shouto breathed out cold vapor as he kept his eyes on the huge icicle he created.

At Class A's booth.

"It's not of the same scale that it had with Sero-kun. He aimed his attack and also he was careful with what's next." Izuku analysed Shouto's first move being completely calm.

"He knows it won't be enough to take Riku out." Sora commented unfazed. Unlike Tenya and Ochako, who were taken aback.

Shouto looked at the icicle expectantly. Then he noticed that vapor was coming out of the ice, but before he could do something there was huge blast that completely shattered the ice! The ripple effect forced Shouto to jump backwards, when he landed he saw that amongst the falling shards of ice crystals and the fading vapor there was Riku standing completely still, he was surrounded by three small tornados of dark flames. Shouto was shocked at this sight as much as everyone else.

Riku just glared at Shouto with a cold gaze, his eyes shining bright cyan as he breathed out black flames. Riku saw it coming that Shouto would try to use a preemptive attack, so he remained still and focused his magic power to utilize the advanced magic technique: Raging Storm, created using dark flames. That was more than enough to blow all of the ice away.

"U-unbelievable! Riku completely destroyed Todoroki's ice and he isn't even harmed at all!" Present Mic commented as shocked as everyone else, the public went wild with this display of otherworldly power.

"No way! He destroyed it all without even moving?! He's a monster!" Sero was rightfully shocked. Kaminari and Mineta trembled in fear at this. Riku just looked like a dangerous man at the moment.

It was safe to assume that most teens from Class A were scared of Riku's display of power, except for Sora. It's a huge relief he's a good guy.

For the first time in a long time, Shouto felt true fear, his opponent didn't even flinch and he completely nullified his attack as if it was nothing. Riku was just glaring at him with a cold gaze wordlessly.

Then in a blink of an eye, Riku was just a few centimeters from him and was about to perform an upward slash. Thanks to Todoroki's reflexes, he was able to burst ice barriers from his feet, but even so, Riku slashed through them as if they were just a piece of paper, just like Sora did before. Shouto could still see that cold expression on Riku's face, it never wore off.

Riku then went to perform a downward slash at Todoroki's left, but Shouto was able to dodge it somehow. He rolled over and when he stood up again, Riku was no longer there. However, he didn't need to turn around to know that Riku was right behind him. Aiming the tip of his keyblade at his back.

The audience roared like crazy when seeing this display of skill and speed. Riku just dashed behind Shouto using a reversal to then surprise him in the back.

Shouto responded by shooting out ice spikes behind him at Riku. Riku didn't move until the last second, the next thing Shouto knew was that he received a strong hit on the left sending him flying only to then roll on the ground. Riku just used reversal again to attack Shouto on his left side without him even noticing him until it was too late.

Shouto slowly got on one knee as he held onto his sore left arm. "Damn you…" He said under his breath. Riku was being relentless and merciless unlike Sora, then does that mean that Riku is fighting more seriously than Sora did?

"Riku brought Todoroki to his knees! He can't keep up with his inhuman speed and skills! Does this means we already have a winner?!" Present Mic commented hyped.

"Riku didn't just overwhelmed Todoroki with brute power and speed, his attacks were aimed at the left side where he wouldn't be affected by ice. He studied his opponent. He has a great analytical ability that shines in each battle." Aizawa commented. He noticed in each of his matches that he played it smart, with Shiozaki it was about overwhelming her with speed, with Iida was about to wait until the right moment to attack. Now with Todoroki is about hit on the weak point. He's like a combat genius.

"I see, I see." Present Mic replied nodding.

"Todoroki is also moving well, however he's being overwhelmed by Riku's skills and power and also his attacks are simple. After the battle against Midoriya, he seems to be affected." Aizawa added.

Shouto stood back on his feet, he noticed that Riku didn't move at all as if he was waiting for him to attack first. "Just what is he doing? If he can overwhelm me that easily, then why doesn't he just take me out?" Shouto glared at Riku with frustration as he clenched his teeth. Is he just playing with him? Is this revenge for what happened with Midoriya? He knows that their friends and that Riku is protective of those he cares about. Shouto tried to attack Riku by shooting out a big wave of ice at him at high speeds.

Riku jumped over the attack and went flying towards him and then dived at Shouto. The dual-haired boy jumped out of the way of the diving attack, but he didn't know that Riku performed a Dark Break, so when he nailed his blade on the ground pillars of dark energy erupted around Riku, one of these landed a solid hit on Shouto which sent him back flying, he reacted quickly, he waved his right hand and from the ground a wall of ice emerged in which he landed and used it as a ramp to slide away from Riku.

"He prevented going out of the limits with an ice wall! Seems fun!" Present Mic commented.

Shouto used the ice wall he created to shoot an ice pilar at him. Riku sliced through this with a spinning slice as he dashed straight to Shouto, Riku then tried to stab him, but Shouto barely dodged this and was able to grab Riku's right arm with his left hand. Riku's stoic face changed to a subtly surprised one when this happened.

"Use your left side! Use it, Shouto!" Both boys heard Endeavour shouting at his son. Shouto's mind was clouded for a moment and the only thing he was able to do is tighten his grip on Riku's arm to then throw him off, Riku landed on the ground with no injury or difficulty. Shouto jumped off the ice ramp and landed a few meters away from Riku.

Both combatants stood up again glaring at each other. Riku's face was once more stoic while Shouto was glaring at him with a scowl.

Shouto boiled his right fist in frustration. before slamming his hand on the ground again and shot a barrage of ice at him. Riku simply used Dark Barrier to block until it stopped, then using Counter Aura to shatter the ice around him, it sent many big chunks of ice flying away.

Shouto flinched at this. And to make it worse, frost started to cover the right side of his body.

Riku looked at this and he sighed. "What's wrong, Shouto? Are you done after just attacking with ice? Freezing up already?" He asked him in a taunting tone.

Shouto clenched his teeth and glared at Riku with anger. "Shut up!" He shot another barrage of ice at him, but the speed was significantly slower, so Riku just had to sidestep away.

"Looks like you're hitting your limit." Riku taunted him again still with that cold look in his eyes.

Shouto was sick and tired of this, he didn't care anymore if he would lose, he just wanted this senseless fight to stop. "I said shut up!" He dashed at Riku, but his movement was affected by the ice on his body, he's getting desperate. Riku stood still until Shouto tried to shoot ice at him at almost point-blank distance, but Riku simply jumped to the side and shot an Aeroga at him to push him away, making Shouto in response create an ice barrier behind him for him to crash into.

Shouto fell on all fours wincing in pain. "...Why? Why don't you just take me down already…?" He asked him loud enough for him to hear as Shouto tried to slowly stand up again.

"Because you're fooling around, that's why." Riku sternly replied. Shouto looked up at him. "Looks like what Deku said to you went into an ear and out of the next." He added still sounding stern.

Shouto then remembered what Midoriya said to him. "Do you want to make it only using half of your power?! You haven't even given me a scratch! Come at me with everything you got!"

"It's the same all over again. Except that this time your on the losing end." Riku said to him. "Looks like you haven't learned anything, since you're repeating the same mistake again, Shouto." He added now sounding a little frustrated. Shouto was standing back on his feet taken aback by this. "Deku told you that him nor Sora won't lose to a half-assed rival, when everyone else is doing their best here to win. Even I'm trying to win by fighting seriously, but you're still the only one that puts half the effort into this!" He was now visibly angry. "That's why I won't lose to you, but I refuse to win like this. Call my Bakugou for saying something like this if you want, but I won't accept winning like this! I won't let you lose until you come at me with everything you have!" Riku shouted at him from the top of his lungs.

Shouto just looked at him surprised. In fact, most students of Class A were surprised at this declaration. However, Sora and Kyouka knew exactly what he's trying to incite Shouto to use his fireside. Izuku got to the same conclusion, he also knows Riku backstory and knows that what he said can't be the only reason why he's not letting Todoroki lose on purpose.

Shouto then remembered when he utilized his fireside against Midoriya, Riku asking him to do the same thing right now. "Sorry, Riku. Since I fought with Midoriya, I'm not sure what I should do… Or even if I'm right…" The frost on the right side of his body worsened quickly, his will to fight decreased, he was just about to say that he gives up…

"Todoroki-kun!" Then he heard someone calling him. "Don't give up! You can do it!" It was Izuku standing up from his seat, shouting at him, rooting for him.

"Midoriya!" Shouto then felt as if strength was returning to him, Midoriya was rooting for him even after what happened… He can't let him down now!

"Thanks, Deku." Riku smiled internally. Then he saw as Shouto's ice on his body was evaporating in an instant. Shouto's left side of his body then ignited, flames burst out! "Let's do this, Shouto!" Riku then ran forward at him ready to clash with him for real this time!

Shouto aimed at Riku ready to shoot a fireball at him, but then… painful memories flashed through his mind, this immediately discouraged him. His flames extinguished and he looked down unfocused.

"What are you looking at?" Shouto then felt a heavy blow on his abdomen. Riku dashed at him and punched him in the gut pushing him forward until he crashed into a big shard of ice.

Shouto slowly rose up again holding onto his abdomen, it hurt as much when Midoriya punched him, he even said the same thing. "...Why...? Why don't you… just stop…!?" Shouto asked him again feeling humiliated and tortured.

"...Because I won't let you keep doing this to yourself anymore." Riku replied in a deep voice. Shouto looked at him surprised. "I know you're confused, that you no longer know if you're even right. I know how that is, trust me." Riku said to him now with a glint of concern in his eyes.

"What…?" Shouto was surprised and confused at this.

"Shouto, I know about your past too." He confessed to him. "And I felt that I have to do something about it, just like Deku did." He added with a mix of concern and determination in his voice.

Shouto looked at him in shock. When did he learn it? Did Sora or Midoriya tell him? If so why? "That… That has nothing to do with you, so stay out of it." Shouto refuted at him, but his expression wasn't fully that of anger, he more shocked than anything.

"Nothing to do with me? It has EVERYTHING to do with me!" Riku replied raising his voice. "Because I know how you feel, Shouto. I've been there, the same cold, lonely and dark place you been in all of this time. I've felt the same things you felt before. You and I… are the same!" He declared to him putting a hand on his chest with a determined glare in his eyes.

"No…" Shouto looked at Riku in total shock, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That…! That can't be true!" He just couldn't believe Riku, he's just torturing him! "You don't know how I felt through ALL my life! You can't understand how it feels to make someone you love miserable by just existing!" Shouto shouted at him furiously. "What would you know about that?!"

"I made others miserable!" Riku shouted back at him with the same intensity. "I know how that it, Shouto! I made others suffer because of my mistakes, my friends… my family…. I almost killed Sora once!" He confessed his worst mistake to him. "I may not have suffered for as long as you did, but I do know the same feeling of shame, the wrecking guilt that eats you up inside and the constant shadow creeping behind your back, torturing you and tempting you." Riku looked down with a softer tone in his voice, he let his keyblade vanish and looked at his right hand. "I know how it feels trying to shun away something you know it a part of you, of who you are. It was the same for me, the darkness that you see me using now… I used to hate it, I used to hate myself for having this inside of me and for everything wrong that I did to those I care for, I didn't want to accept what I was, who I was. And to make it worse, others like Sora paid for the broken plates I left. I was so ashamed that I didn't dare to show my face home for a year." There was a sense of sadness in his voice. Shouto was just shocked at what he just heard, he just describe almost to the teeth how he felt… "And when I look at you like… I can't help it but remember those dark and lonely days, you're just like me and I'm just like you." Riku looked back at Shouto with a calm face as he clenched his right fist. Riku seemed to be completely transparent with him, he just opened up his heart to him…

But Shouto just refused to believe that someone else knows the same hell as he does. "You're lying… You're lying!" Shouto furiously shot out a massive barrage of ice at Riku, creating an exact replica of the icicle he used with Sero.

The whole stadium was silenced suddenly.

"Riku!" Sora got up from his seat in shock as much as Izuku, Tenya and Ochako. Kyouka was just paralyzed.

Shouto panted, breathing out cold vapor as the right side of his body was covered in frost again. He looked at what he did, he was sure that Riku was buried under the ice. He thought that it was over…

However, much to his shock, he saw yellow-ish white spikes of crystals bursting out of the ice on the left side as bright vapor was coming out of the ice only for a burst of dark flames to erupt from there. Then the icicle fully collapsed and Riku was there standing, his whole body was surrounded by a dark-blue aura on his right side and a yellow-white on the left, the right half of his body ignited in dark flames as the left side of his body he saw yellow-ish white shards on his arm and leg.

Shouto and the whole stadium was in shock. "Look at me in the eyes, Shouto. They don't lie." Riku said to him with full conviction. "We are the same. We had no one to help us, we were completely alone, waging war against the ones that did this to us and our own selves." Shouto just looked at Riku with disbelief, it was almost a spitting image of himself. "But one day I understood that my friends were still with me, no matter how bad I messed up, I was never alone. Then I realized that fighting so hard to hold back this half of my-the darkness inside of me, it led me nowhere, someone made me understand that I didn't have to fear it anymore, that the darkness and the man that tormented me, they didn't have to define me, who I was and what I wanted to become. Just because it's darkness, it doesn't make me evil nor does it have to and that when I learned to use both my light and darkness to grow stronger and stronger to achieve my dream: Becoming a hero!" Riku extended his open right arm to him. "You're not alone anymore, no matter what happens, after today, you'll always have someone that understands you. I promise you, Sora, Deku and I will never leave you alone, because we're friends!"

"My… friends…?" Shouto muttered. Then he realized that only people that would care about him would get this far for him… His friends…

"Come on, Shouto… You don't have run from yourself anymore, you don't have to doubt anymore. Because your quirk belongs to you and you alone, just let it all go, you don't have to forgive nor forget, but you can move past this, leave it all behind and move forward." Riku said to him with sincerity and warmth in his voice. "You're no longer a prisoner of you own blood, you're free to become the hero you want!"

"...!" Those last words hit the hardest inside of Shouto, it was the same thing his mother said to him. "...He's right… They're right…. What was I doing this whole time? It was simple… The old man, nor his blood have to say who I am, only I can!" Shouto then clenched his left fist and the flames bursted in full force! "Dammit… You and Midoriya… Help me twice in a row… You're both crazy." Shouto said to Riku smirking at him.

"If you say that about me and Deku, expect Sora to be crazier." Riku smirked back at him.

"Don't forget you asked for this." Shouto said to him confidently.

"I don't expect less." Riku replied. "The real match starts now, Shouto!" Riku said summoning his keyblade again. In his new state: Shadowbreaker Mode, he focuses his dark and light powers in tandem to amplify his magic powers temporarily at the cost of usage of magic for some time as well exhausting much of his own stamina. He's been sometime training alone in the waiting period of the festival to develop this new skill. With this ability, Riku can imitate Shouto's full power through light and dark magic for a few moments. (Light: Ice. Dark: Fire.)

Both dual-users stomped their left and right foot on the ground at the same time. A burst of cold wind came out, both charging up to attack the other one last time!

Cementoss and Midnight tried to prevent this from getting out of hand, but little that they knew Riku, through his new state applied a magnified version of his Dark Barrier on the sides of the arena so he and Shouto can conclude the match this time without being interrupted.

Shouto and Riku shot immense pillars of ice at the same time and they both clashed at the middle of the ring creating a large and tall pillar of with one half of regular ice on one side and the other with light-infused ice. Sora and Izuku knew what came next when both Shouto and Riku raised the temperature immediately, vaporizing the ice in a second!

"Riku… Midoriya… Sora… My friends... Thank you…" He thanked his friends with a smile on his face as he focused fire in his left hand while the tip of Riku's keyblade was forming a sphere of dark flames.

Both boys shot a regular fireball and a dark-infused mega flare at the same time and when both attacks collided there was an immense blast!

The intensity of the ripple effect was greater than last time. It was like a hurricane inside the stadium! The people that were seated were lucky as those who were standing where thrown off straight at the walls

"Aw c'mon!" Mineta shouted again being held by Shoji in the same exact spot.

After a whole minute the violent wind faded. The arena was completely obscured by vapor and smoke.

"Twice in a day… Seriously, what's wrong with your class?" Present Mic asked Aizawa again being upside down, but this time Shouta was also upside down.

"Don't ask me questions I can't answer." He replied as both stood up again.

"Well, at least it was an epic bam! Oi, who's still standing down there?" Present Mic questioned as Cementoss rose up to see the arena with huge cracks, it seemed like it could collapse with a tiny feather.

Midnight got up like last time, she doesn't get paid enough for this kind of stuff.

Everyone looked expectantly as the vapor faded to reveal who won… and the shocking result was: Shouto was lying against a wall with his jacket off his body and his left hand with minor burns, there was some small lines of blood coming out of his forehead. He fell to the ground knocked out. "...Todoroki-kun is out of the limits…" Midnight declared. The vapor was almost gone and there was Riku on one knee holding his keyblade nailed on the ground with his left hand, his right arm felt limp due to the sheer force of the shot, behind him was a big barrier of light-infused ice right at the edge of the arena, he was almost completely exhausted. "Riku-kun advances to the finals!" The public cheered the winner of the first match of the semi-finals.

Riku looked up and found his friend laying outside the arena. "Shouto… Shouto!" Riku then ran off towards him.

"Shouto!" Sora shouted when he saw him lying on the ground.

"Todoroki-kun!" Izuku did the same.

Riku was quick to pick him up and then ran as fast as he could to the infirmary. "Shoot! I went too far with him!" Riku was honestly fearing that he might have killed him.

Endeavour just looked in total shock, his masterpiece… bested at his fullest…

Shouto was now inside of a dream, he was standing alone with a sad look on his face. The left side of his body encased in ice.

Then he felt a warm hand on his left shoulder. It melted away all of the ice and everything the dark place he saw standing changed to a field with a bright blue sky. He turned around and found Riku, Sora and Midoriya standing then wearing big smiles.

He was no longer alone… his friends were with him. Shouto smiled at this.

In the real world.

Shouto was slowly recovering his senses and opened his eyes. "Riku… Sora… Midoriya…" He fully recovered consciousness and he felt like he was completely exhausted. His left hand and forehead were bandaged.

He sat up, he was in a bed. He looked around and saw that he was taken to the infirmary. He then found Riku, Sora and even Midoriya looking as if waiting for something.

Then Midoriya noticed that he was awake. "Guys! He's awake!" He informed them quickly.

The three of them then approached him quickly.

"Shouto. Are you okay?" Sora asked him worriedly.

"We came in running after Riku brought you here." Izuku informed him.

"Sora and you too, Midoriya? You were worried about me?" He asked the two light-hearted boys with a worried look on his face.

"Of course we were worried about you." Sora replied him. "Riku said it, we're friends." He smiled at him.

"...You think that too, Midoriya? After everything that happened between us?" Shouto asked the greenette.

"I wouldn't have done what I did if I didn't see you as a friend in need." Izuku replied smiling.

Shouto's eyes widened slightly then looked down. "I'm sorry that you had to ended up like that to make me see what was obvious." He apologized to him, he now felt stupid for what he made Midoriya go through.

"I-it's okay, Todoroki-kun, really." Izuku replied waving a hand in denial. "It's mostly my fault to not have control over my quirk, but after this, I'll work harder to control it without breaking my limbs." He added holding his right arm. "Besides, that's what friends are for."

Shouto then had a small smile on his face. "Guess you're right."

"Ahem." The four teens then turned to look at Recovery Girl approaching. "Sorry to interrupt, but you need to know that you sure received a good blow to the head, you had a concussion and there were small fractures on your skull. You left hand was also a little burnt, luckily it won't leave any markings." The nurse informed him. "Good thing your friend brought you here as quickly as possible to treat you. On that note, you two went too far out there. You both could have ended up as flat as a piece of paper on the wall with that huge explosion." She reprimanded both of them giving them a light hit to each of them with her walking stick.

"I should be the one here that says sorry, Shouto." Riku said with a calm expression. "If it weren't for the ice barriers you had behind yourself, you could have ended… well dead. Sorry." He bowed down and apologized. "I was the one who went excessive."

"Don't worry, Riku. Actually, it was the most thrilling experience of my life, fighting with you." Shouto said to him with a small smile. Riku chuckled in reply. "Sora, what about your match?" He then realized that Sora should be at his match right now.

"About that… since you guys left the arena worse than last time, there was to be a break to fix it." Sora explained shrugging.

"Oh, I see." Shouto uttered, he then glanced at Riku. "Now I understand it, why you have the same look in your eyes as mine. Should have figured as much." He said to him. "Everything you said to me, everything was true, right? Even… when you said you almost killed Sora?" He asked him, he just couldn't shake off the doubt, Sora is his best friend, it's just outlandish hearing Riku admit that he almost killed him.

"...All of that is true." Riku replied with a calm look on his face, but the other three boys could pick up a slight regretful tone. "The darkness that I have was always a part of me, but it wasn't as you see it now. It was due to a man seeking to exploit my power, turn me into his pawn, that it evolved into the power you see it now. It was all at my weakest, most naive hour that I let myself being seduced by false promises of power that I would be able to achieve my goal… But at the cost of everything else, lost everything, have nothing… Back then I thought that Sora just turned his back on me, but it was a lie too feed my anger and jealousy I had, Sora's power grew exponentially fast and I thought he simply forgot about me… Stupid thoughts, I know. I was used, and almost killed my best friend when I was so blinded in that depraved power." Riku explained to Shouto with a slight melancholic tone. Shouto was surprised, he glanced at Sora and he nodded in confirmation. "That's why I know how you feel, even the feeling of being used as a tool." Riku added looking at his right hand and clenching it before looking back at his dual-haired friend. "But even then… Sora never turned his back on me, he tried to reach even if it seemed I was a lost cause, he never gave up and thanks to him and other people that cared for me, I'm here. I am who I am because of them." He said to Shouto with a serene smile. "And when I looked at you I couldn't help but remember those times, that's why Sora and I wanted to be there to help you. No way we could have left you like that." He put a hand on Shouto's shoulder still smiling.

"Riku's right, Shouto. Everything you've been through felt personal for us, we just had to do something. Riku had to do something." Sora said to him with a calm expression.

"My dream was always to help people out. It had nothing to do with me, but the essence of a hero is to meddle even when not called. So, I had to do something." Izuku said to him putting his left hand on his right arm.

Shouto looked down again. "You guys did so much for me, just so I could see something so obvious and simple… Why didn't I see it before?" He asked himself looking at his left hand. Everything was so clear now that it made him feel like a fool for not understanding something as simple as that before.

"Sometimes we don't see what's right in front of us, because our perceptions are clouded by resentment, pride or fear." Riku explained to him smiling. "But now you know that no matter what happens, you can count on us to help you out. Because we're your friends." He said to him with a brotherly smile. Shouto glanced at Sora and Midoriya, they were also smiling at him.

A small smile was drawn on Shouto's face. "Thank you, for everything, my friends." He thanked them heartily, it gave him a certain warmth knowing that he had now friends that he can rely on and trust like them. He's no longer alone. "But, there's one last thing I need to do to put the past behind and move forward, to become my ideal hero with this body, with everything I got, as who I truly am." He said to his friends with a different look in his eyes.

Riku nodded in acknowledgement. "Whatever it is, just know that you can always let us help bear your burdens. You don't need to be ashamed to ask for a little help, 'kay?" He said to him keeping his smile. Shouto nodded in reply. "The road I chose when I learned to use both light and darkness in tandem was one unknown back then, I think it's the same one you chose as well. Fire and Ice, back to back, we both have the potential to achieve something unseen before and now that I know that you and I are almost one in the same…" Riku extended his fist to him. "I would be proud to walk the road to a new dawn with ya." He said to him smiling at him.

Shouto smiled at him and bumped fists with him. "I feel the same, Riku." He replied. Shouto was ready to walk the road to dawn with Riku and his new friends beside him.

At a dark alleyway in Hosu city…

"Fame… Money… They called themselves heroes... " A dark raspy voice of a man spoke, at his feet there lies the half-dead turbo hero, Ingenium. He was covered in blood, laying over a large puddle of his own blood. "But you're not heroes…" The shadowy man said before stomping Ingenium's cell phone that had a missed call from his younger brother, Tenya. "Just him… The only one who can kill me… it's All Might." The hero killer proclaimed to his victim, his worn, slightly damaged katana dripping blood, his blood-red eyes shone.

After Recovery Girl said that Todoroki was free to go, the foursome left the infirmary. Now the four teens were standing in the corridor.

"Well, I guess it's almost time for my match." Sora announced to his friends.

The three boys nodded. "Be careful out there, Sora. You might be stronger and faster than Kacchan, but he won't go down easily. But do mind your power output, you have to defeat him, not kill him." Izuku said to him. "But he'll definitely try to blow up your face when he realizes that your not going all out with him." He added with a sheepish smile.

"Then I'll just make him see why I have to hold back so much." Sora said to him, even if he intended to come out as bluff, he said it in a serious tone, as if he really means it… Maybe he does mean it.

Riku could tell that something was off with Sora. "Better listen to Deku, Sora. I would also kick his ass as much as the next guy, but don't let him get under your skin. Both you and him will regret it." Riku warned him with a stern, and yet calm tone.

"I know, it's just that I've been waiting for a chance to shut that swearing mouth for a long time." Sora said understanding as he thundered his knuckles. Ever since he met that explosive teen, he just felt like shutting him up with a keyblade to the face. He has really high patience and tolerance with others, but Kacchan just exhausted it everytime he opens his mouth to shout and swear.

Riku also has this same sentiment of returning all the damage he did to Deku, but he knows that there's a better way to just deflate his ego than beat him to a pulp. He was getting worried that Sora was piling up so much rage towards Kacchan to just forget about his boundaries for a moment… "A little piece of advice. I think the key to defeat Kacchan is an endurance match, you just have to keep parrying him until he hits his limit. He can only tolerate ignoring his nitroglycerin so much until it starts to take a toll on his arms" When he can't keep up anymore, you just throw him out" Riku instructed him, hoping that giving him a plan to follow would prevent him from doing something dangerous or risky for himself or against him. Sora nodded in understanding. "Just keep focus on the match, after all. Who am I gonna defeat at the finals?" Riku said to him smirking, trying to lighten him up a little.

"Heh. Aw yeah? Last time I checked it was one in my favor." Sora replied smirking competitively, pointing at himself with his thumb.

"For now that is." Riku replied back the same way as his best friend. Sora chuckled.

"I'll be watching your match, so I could be ready for our rematch." Shouto said to him, he was wearing a new jacket.

"Right." Sora nodded smiling. "No more holding back, right?" He said to him with a friendly grin, Shouto nodded in response.

"I'll also be watching your match Sora, so I can learn as much as I can from you." Izuku said to his best friend smiling. "We'll be rooting for you." He added cheerfully.

Sora nodded in reply. "Thanks guys, well here goes nothing." Sora then waved his hand in farewell before turning around walking off towards the field.

When he was gone there was something that changed in the air. "Riku, how bad is it when Sora loses control of his temperament?" Shouto asked him, judging by how outraged he got earlier, it might be really bad.

"You noticed too, eh?" Riku replied to him with a calm expression on his face that hid the concern he had. "...To be honest, it can get dangerously bad." He admitted. Shouto just blinked.

"Let's just hope that Bakugou didn't dig his own grave." He replied with a serene tone, but he was also hiding the concern he had.

"C'mon, it's Sora we're talking about. He won't go too extreme with Kacchan, right?" Deku tried to not think about that possibility, but he was well aware that Sora seems to change if he lets himself get too angry.

"If Kacchan can keep his big mouth shut and doesn't provoke him, that is." Riku said to him crossing his arms with a look on his face that said loud and clear that he was serious.

Izuku gulped nervously, concerned for his childhood friend and otherworldly friend. Shouto just remained silent.

Katsuki was walking towards the field with loud steps and a menacing grin on his face. "I'm gonna smash that darn Deku 2 unquestionably, the shitty edgelord is next and then I'll stand on the top!" It was what he was waiting for the longest time, the chance to show the key-freaks that the one that stands above all others here is him! He might never admit it out loud, but he had to admit that the emo is very powerful, he made look icyhot like a weakling when he was fucking around, then he beat him up at his best. He can at least give it to him, he knows how to seek proper victory.

Sora was on his way towards the field. Anger and rage towards Katsuki Bakugou was reflected in his eyes… Which briefly shone on a bright red along with dark red bolts flashing through his body…

To be Continued...