As Izuku walked out into the arena he could feel himself become incredibly anxious, he hadn't used his quirk in front of so many people, and the last thing he wanted to do was fall out of the sky in front of so many people.

Though when he looked up to where Present Mic was announcing the contestants, he saw Aizawa, and the man's threat rang clear in his head which thankfully drowned out everything else.

Though when Izuku looked to Todoroki he saw the boys eyes, he clearly was fighting himself over something. Izuku recognized the look in his eyes.

It was the look of someone who had been broken too many times, someone who was still broken.

Though when Izuku looked out to the crowd where Todoroki was particularly glaring at, he saw Endeavor.

(So, that's why) Izuku thought to himself as he then heard Present Mic give all clear to start the duel.

Izuku had watched Shoto's fights, and he knew the boy wouldn't use his fire. So, all he had to do was dodge the ice.

Though what Izuku wasn't particularly expecting was for Todoroki to aim a direct hit for him. Though he narrowly dodged it as he formulated a plan to get close enough to knock Todoroki out of bounds.

But then Aizawa's threat once again rang in his head.

He had to use his quirk, or he would be expelled.

So, Izuku merely stood still as he closed his eyes, allowing his mind to somewhat shut off as he went into autopilot.

He hated when his body would take over his mind, it felt as though he was dead. It only reminded him of what he had to do to survive the hell that he lived through for the past 3 years.

But as Izuku stood still Todoroki used it as the chance to aim his attack directly for him.

The crowd gasped as the boy seemed to be swallowed by the ice, and Midnight tried to look closer into the arena to see if Izuku was out of bounds or unable to move, while the teachers and students watched diligently to make sure nothing bad had happened.

The crowd erupted in yells and cheers when Izuku soared out of the ice and into the air without a scratch, while the teachers and students stared in shock, seeing as they had never once truly seen Izuku's wings.

Though as Izuku landed once again his wings only seemed even more spectacular than before as he spread them out further, they were pure white with only small flecks of gold in them.

Though the initial shock was soon over as Todoroki once again went on the offensive while Izuku quickly grabbed one of his feathers and used it as a sword to cut the ice, while blocking attacks by flying around the ice.

Finally, Izuku saw the ice slowly creep up Shoto's arm to his chin, and then Izuku decided his next course of action.

Izuku launched himself directly at Todoroki while still dodging the attacks, though stopping only about 10 feet from the boy as he landed on one of the larger chunks of ice.

"Do you see this Todoroki!! You haven't laid a single hit on me!! Unlike you I would do anything to stay here! To become a Hero!! If you don't truly give it your all then you have no right to be here with the people who are willing to sacrifice to become a Hero!!" Izuku yelled at Todoroki while the dual haired boy only growled slightly in anger.

Todoroki then sent another wave of ice at Izuku hitting the boy in the arm damagingly, though despite the broken arm Izuku once again summoned his sword and stood back up ready to fight again.

The hit went back and forth with Izuku being able to land a few hits on Todoroki while Todoroki landed more far more than Izuku. Though finally a final wave of ice knocked Izuku out of the air and onto the ground. Though once again Izuku merely got back up and continued to fight.

"Did my father send you to do this?! Is he bribing you do draw out my flame!?!" Todoroki finally screamed at Izuku while the boy merely tried to catch his breath.

"No one sent me Todoroki." Izuku could barely yell back as he dodged yet another wave of ice, while fighting his own mind.

"I can see your in pain!! Your mind is attacking you isn't Takami?!? Why would you put yourself through such pain?!?" Todoroki yelled as Izuku merely pulled down his mask allowing Todoroki to see his face, while Izuku smiled kindly at the boy. Catching Todoroki off guard at the sight of the boy still smiling despite the obvious pain he was in.

"I will do anything to become a Hero Todoroki! I told you, I won't shame my parents any more than I already have. I don't know what you went through as a child, I don't even truly know you. But I do know that you don't deserve to be the best if you won't give it your all!! That's why I'll beat you" Izuku shouted while Todoroki tried and failed to send another wave of ice.

"If you want to be a Hero Todoroki then give it everything you have!!" Izuku shouted as he once again returned his grip to his sword while spreading his wings once again.

"SHUT UP!!" Todoroki yelled as he attacked Izuku once again, though causing the entire arena to be covered in ice as the crowd and the teachers could barely see them.

In Todoroki's mind he recalled everything, his mother, his siblings, his father. And finally, the rage, the pain, the sadness. Everything came to the surface and refueled Todoroki's will to win.

"ITS YOUR QUIRK NOT HIS!!! SO, SHOW ME WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE TODOROKI!!!"

Izuku yelled once more as he flew up to one of the tallest pillars of ice and looked down on Todoroki, who finally met the boy's gaze.

"Takami, thank you." Todoroki muttered quietly as he charged up his flame while he directed the attack back to Izuku, who then spread his wings once more and charged at Todoroki with his sword drawn.

Though as Izuku maneuvered around the ice pillars and somewhat out of sight of the crowd and teachers, he saw his father. He saw the building. He saw his father being shot off the building and falling.

Izuku had flew right by him.

Immediately halting his flight, Izuku turned around only to see the same fog of smoke, and debris. Though Izuku didn't waste a second and he quickly flew in the opposite direction in attempts to catch his father. While the Todoroki's flame chased after Izuku as it encased the arena and Midnight and Cementos stepped in to stop the fight.

Though Izuku didn't notice, he didn't care, and with his only good arm he reached out for the falling body of his father.

Though only for the flame to catch him as Izuku felt the burn on his legs while he quickly activated his healing and directed it onto himself as he was pushed onto the ground by the intensity of the flame.

Everything was black.

It was almost quiet. Except for the loud ringing in his ears

He could feel the slight burn on his skin, though he also felt his quirk healing himself quickly.

Though when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was surrounded by chunks of cement, flame, and ice. While he himself was crouched on the ground behind one of the larger pieces.

But when he looked around at the ground and the sky, he realized he wasn't back there, it wasn't his father. He was gone.

Izuku merely stood as he raised his wings once again to make sure they weren't injured as he kept his gaze to the ground as the crowd cheered and screamed in astonishment.

Izuku didn't turn around, he didn't allow anyone to see his face as he held the now broken mask in his hands.

While Todoroki was kneeled on the ground, he saw Izuku, though he was impressed to see that not only was Izuku still in bounds, but he was healing himself.

Though Izuku said nothing and kept his back to Todoroki and half of the crowd while he allowed his wings to vanish once again. As he then walked out of the bounds and back into the building despite the roaring crowd.

Even when he was inside and out of view of everyone, he still didn't raise his head, though his tears still fell freely and without hesitation.

Though Izuku couldn't care, as the pain resurfaced and came back tenfold, the pain of the past 3 years.

The pain of watching his father, for a second time be so close yet so far out of his reach.

And even though Izuku knew it was in his head, he knew that it was just his mind being cruel to him just as always, he still couldn't shake the guilt of....

He couldn't save him