NOVEL NEXT Chapter 36: Chapter 35
Maybe this is a feeling of reliance. Although Shoto Todoroki is not one to rely on others, sometimes his heart is inevitably too shackled and too heavy. He also needs to relax and be cared for.
At this moment, he felt that Akira was like a hero, standing in front of him. This feeling was strange, but very real.
"Thanks a lot." Shoto Todoroki was still not good at expressing himself. After all, he wasn't very familiar with Akira, but their relationship was good, even if they barely knew each other.
"No need to be so polite," Akira smiled, then asked seriously, "How are you?"
Shoto Todoroki glanced at his left arm, gritted his teeth, and said, "My hand is useless, and I won't be able to use it again until I go back to school. This guy is strong. Now my strength is halved, so I might not be much help to you."
Without hesitation, Akira took out the red quirk supplement from his pocket. "Take a sip."
Shoto Todoroki glanced at Akira, wondering why he offered this at such a time. But trusting Akira, he took a sip. To his shock, he immediately felt sensation in his left arm, and within seconds, it had nearly recovered.
"Such a valuable thing…" Shoto Todoroki began, but Akira interrupted, "No matter how valuable it is, it's just a tool. Now, focus on the fight."
"Save Points +50, Shoto Todoroki, the saved person."
Akira smiled to himself; Todoroki was still pretty cute.
"Roar!" A roar sounded from below as Nomu surged forward.
Akira wasn't sure how this Nomu compared to the previous one he'd fought, but this one was clearly more focused on raw power, similar to the black Nomu.
Shoto Todoroki nodded and returned the quirk supplement to Akira, unsure how many uses it had left, maybe only this last one.
"Mr. Boom, I'm ready!" Akira pressed his hands together, forming an azure blue thunderball, which he then raised to the sky, letting it grow bigger and bigger.
Shoto Todoroki saw Akira needed time for his move, so he attacked with two intense icy waves directed at Nomu.
Nomu pushed through Todoroki's ice waves, but a larger ice burst appeared, freezing it solid as a massive ice sculpture.
"Thunder Strike!"
Akira swung his hand down, and the thunderball, like a truck-sized bolt, plummeted toward the frozen Nomu. Such a large attack took time and energy to condense, as its lightning purity and power were doubled.
In front of Todoroki, Akira could only use his thunder quirk, though sometimes he used air manipulation when unnoticed.
Nomu, designed as a killing machine, broke through Todoroki's ice. It attempted to dodge the massive thunderball.
But Akira wouldn't let it escape; gripping with both hands, he pinned Nomu's feet with blasts of air, immobilizing it.
Akira's breath grew labored from the effort. Noticing this, Todoroki asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Akira replied, focusing on Nomu. "This isn't even the strongest one. The black Nomu is worse. With Mr. Aizawa here, we need to finish quickly."
The thunderball struck Nomu, producing a massive flash that lit up the area. Shoto Todoroki shielded his eyes, unable to look at the blinding light.
Akira watched Nomu closely, knowing the thunder strike alone wasn't enough. Using the moment Todoroki couldn't see, Akira took a stance, his hands clenched tightly, and with full power punched Nomu's chest.
"Maximum Air Shock!"
The air around them cracked with a loud pop. Todoroki heard it but still couldn't open his eyes.
Nomu's upper body caved in, all its internal organs shattered. Akira's thunder attack destroyed its head, leaving him on his knees, exhausted.
The light faded. Shoto Todoroki opened his eyes to see Akira kneeling, Nomu's lifeless form in front of him, with its head and upper body obliterated.
Todoroki was stunned. Akira had done all of this with only minimal help. He began to realize that Akira was truly stronger than him. Such skill wasn't something even a professional hero might have.
Some pro heroes weren't as powerful as Akira. How had he advanced so much?
"Can you still move?" Shoto Todoroki asked Akira with concern. Akira had saved his life; without him, they wouldn't have stood a chance against this Nomu.
"I just need a moment," Akira replied, sitting cross-legged and starting to absorb the ambient energy to recover.
Shoto Todoroki set up an ice wall around them to prevent any surprise attacks. He sat nearby, regaining his strength, as his previous big ice burst had also taken a toll.
Todoroki glanced at Akira, finding it odd that he was cross-legged, resembling something out of a movie. But that was impossible; they didn't live in a world of movies.
In this world, quirks were everything. Only by refining quirks could they overcome any obstacle.
In time, perhaps Akira would become a top professional hero, or even lead a hero agency himself.
Thinking this, Todoroki made a silent resolve to work harder. Akira was now the standard he aspired to. Only Akira's strength had earned his respect, the mark of a true hero.