As for why Todoroki didn't normally spar against Igarashi Masata, it certainly wasn't because Masata refused.
There were two very practical reasons.
First—Masata's Quirk was simply too lethal. If he held back, the training lost meaning. If he didn't hold back, someone might get seriously hurt. That made most one-on-one practice sessions rather pointless.
Second—Masata's fighting style was brutally straightforward.
If he didn't use his Quirk, his combat method could be summarized in four words:
Punch. Kick.
That was it.
Yes, there were techniques hidden inside that simplicity—but Masata himself hadn't invested deeply in refining them. Why would he?
When overwhelming strength and extreme speed allowed him to win with a single ordinary punch, complicating things felt unnecessary.
Todoroki, meanwhile, had his own reasons to grow stronger.
Now that Endeavor had become the No.1 Hero, Todoroki felt the pressure more than ever. Their relationship had gradually eased. A few days ago, Endeavor had even told him over the phone:
"I will become a Hero you can be proud of."
Hearing that had shaken something inside him.
If his father was changing—
Then he would change too.
He would grow stronger.
He would become someone his father could be proud of as well.
And now, this was the perfect opportunity to measure the distance between himself and the strongest students at U.A.
Mirio, having finished his warm-up, smiled brightly.
"You can attack anytime! Even all together is fine!"
Despite already understanding Mirio's cheerful personality, Class A still found those words slightly irritating.
"Then, Mirio-senpai—I'll show you what we've got!"
Without hesitation, green lightning crackled around Midoriya's body. One For All activated instantly.
He lowered his center of gravity, bent his knees—
And launched forward.
As he moved, the rest of Class A surged into action as well. Shouts echoed through the gymnasium as the battle officially began.
Masata, however, remained where he was.
"Yaoyorozu, want to give it a try?" he asked casually.
He had no intention of charging in immediately. Fighting in a chaotic group wasn't his style. Besides—
A boss had to maintain some composure.
That's right. Pure dignity.
"Well… he's one of the strongest third-years," Yaoyorozu said thoughtfully. "If I managed to beat him, that would feel pretty satisfying."
She was one of the top students in Class A. Confidence was natural.
Masata shook his head slightly.
"I'd suggest observing first. Ding Ding is strong."
Since awakening Observation Haki—his "seeing and hearing" ability—Masata had discovered it could do more than detect movement. He could sense the presence and intensity of others' auras.
Mirio's was clearly on a different level from most of the class.
If everyone rushed in blindly, they might not stand a chance.
Yaoyorozu paused.
After a moment, she nodded.
Given her Quirk, if she created heavy artillery without careful coordination, she might accidentally injure her own classmates. Better to gather information first.
Chacha, who had already been pulled back by Yaoyorozu, also remained behind. The two had developed a cooperative strategy focused on support and rescue roles. It had worked extremely well during the license exam.
There was another person who hadn't moved.
Himiko Toga.
She wasn't particularly interested in testing her strength. But that didn't mean she was weak.
A few days ago, Ojiro had sparred with her. Despite his martial arts proficiency, he had lost in close combat. The class had been shocked. They had assumed she was merely decorative.
They no longer underestimated her.
At this moment, Toga clung to Masata's arm like melted caramel. Her entire body leaned against him, utterly unbothered by the ongoing battle.
If you can't resist—
Enjoy it.
Masata had recently come to understand the profound wisdom of that saying.
Soft. Elastic.
Extremely comfortable.
Aizawa-sensei glanced at the pair once before deliberately looking away.
Technically, U.A. discouraged dating. So did Shiketsu. But even Principal Nezu had chosen to overlook certain things.
A prodigy like Masata was already considered a rising star in the Hero world.
And Yaoyorozu?
Her family was one of U.A.'s largest sponsors.
If she ever realized that the enormous combat robots she had casually destroyed during the Sports Festival were essentially funded by her own household—
That would be interesting.
Though, knowing her, she probably wouldn't care.
To her, money was just a number.
Meanwhile—
Midoriya had reached Mirio first.
"You're that first-year, right? You've got great spirit!" Mirio praised brightly.
He didn't flinch.
As Midoriya closed in, Mirio inhaled sharply.
Then—
His upper clothes slipped off.
"Ahhh!"
The girls in Class A screamed instinctively, covering their eyes.
Fortunately, Mirio's pants remained securely in place.
"Sorry! My Quirk doesn't allow for fine adjustments!" Mirio laughed sheepishly.
Midoriya was already airborne.
His leg whipped forward—
But his kick passed straight through Mirio's face.
No resistance.
No contact.
Nothing.
Masata's eyes lit up.
"Interesting…"
The display instantly reminded him of Obito Uchiha's Kamui.
"Is he transferring parts of himself to another space? Or is it pure intangibility? Based on how his clothes reacted just now… likely permeability. Still, that's an extremely powerful ability. The key question is whether there are activation conditions."
It was rare for Masata to analyze so thoroughly.
But this Quirk deserved it.
Yaoyorozu glanced at him, slightly surprised.
For someone who usually preferred solving problems with direct action—
His mind was sharper than he let on.