"Endeavor, the Pro Hero."
Having completed his transformation, the doctor straightened his massive body and looked down at Endeavor, whose entire form was engulfed in roaring flames.
"I've heard your name for a long time," the doctor said calmly.
"But I wonder—just how big is the gap between you and All Might?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Endeavor's pupils shrank.
All Might was a wound that never healed. Being directly compared like this caused Endeavor to freeze for an instant.
"Let me see how much weight you really carry!"
Blue veins bulged violently across the doctor's thick legs. His massive body vanished in a blur, closing the distance in an instant.
"So fast—my eyes can't even keep up!"
Masata and Todoroki, watching from behind, were visibly shaken. Just how terrifying had the doctor become after fusing the monkey and rhino genes? Or had he been modifying his body long before this?
"Burn!!!"
Endeavor snapped out of it instantly. Living up to his title as the No. 2 Hero, he reacted without hesitation. Flames gathered around his fists, forming two massive fireballs that shot straight toward the doctor.
"It's useless!"
Facing the high-temperature fireballs, the doctor took a deep breath—and then exhaled violently.
A powerful gust of air erupted, forming a hurricane that blew the fireballs apart midair.
"Physical strength comparable to a Nomu at USJ—over two hundred times reinforced," the doctor sneered.
"And with intelligence intact. I really am a masterpiece."
Seeing his attack dispersed so easily, Endeavor showed no frustration.
Flames continued to compress around his fists, growing denser, hotter—almost solid.
"Hell Scorching Fist!"
With unstoppable momentum, the blazing punch slammed toward the doctor while he was still airborne.
The distance between them was less than a meter.
There was no time to dodge.
BOOM!!
The terrifying heat instantly carbonized the doctor's skin. Flames tore straight through his body, punching a massive hole clean through his torso.
For a moment, it looked as though Endeavor had ended everything in a single strike.
"…Did he kill him?!"
Masata stared in shock. The sheer temperature of Endeavor's flames far exceeded his own magma. His skin felt dry and cracked just from standing nearby. Since awakening his quirk, this was the first time Masata had felt such overwhelming heat.
"If my magma could reach that temperature," Masata thought,
"the destructive power would increase exponentially…"
Todoroki was just as stunned. This was the first time he had seen his father fight at full power. Compared to Endeavor, Todoroki's flames were vastly inferior in both heat and control.
Watching the doctor collapse onto the ground, flames still burning on his body and the smell of charred flesh filling the air, Endeavor exhaled slowly.
"Is that all you've got?"
Countless villains had been reduced to ashes by this technique. Endeavor had no reason to believe a body of flesh and blood could survive it.
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
The voice came from the ground.
"What?!"
All three froze.
Slowly, the doctor stood up from the flames.
His flesh writhed and intertwined, rapidly filling the gaping hole in his chest. New skin formed at a terrifying speed. The carbonized layers peeled away and fell to the floor.
"You think flames like that can kill me?" the doctor sneered, touching the sharp horn on his nose.
"My quirk has been fully developed. Accelerated regeneration is the easiest part of it."
"Heaven Dog!"
Masata struck.
Taking advantage of the moment when the doctor was still regenerating, Masata had already closed in. His strongest attack slammed forward without hesitation.
BOOM!!
The doctor raised one arm and caught Masata's fist mid-swing.
Gripping Masata's magma-covered arm, he hurled him sideways like a toy.
Masata crashed hard into the metal wall of the passage. Although his magma wasn't as hot as Endeavor's flames, the impact was devastating—his forearm partially melted from the force.
"Masata!"
An ice wall erupted beneath Masata, separating him from the doctor.
Masata was embedded halfway into the metal wall, clearly having taken a heavy blow.
"Cough… I'm fine," Masata said, pushing himself up while leaning on the ice wall.
"No broken bones—just a bit dizzy."
He forced himself to his feet and looked back at the battlefield.
The doctor's severed arm had already grown back.
The regeneration speed was horrifying.
Now he was once again locked in combat with Endeavor.
Endeavor's flames continuously scorched the doctor's body, yet the flesh regenerated just as quickly. At the same time, the doctor's attacks were fierce—fast and heavy. In terms of raw strength, Endeavor was being pushed back.
Blood trickled from Endeavor's mouth.
Yet the flames around his body only grew stronger.
The fire reflected in his eyes burned with unyielding resolve.
"Flame Whip!"
Five blazing streams shot out from Endeavor's fingers, lashing toward the doctor like whips of fire.
The doctor clearly didn't want to take another direct hit. He dodged repeatedly with agile movements, and for a moment, the battle fell into a tense stalemate.
"…His body is shrinking!" Todoroki shouted.
Masata noticed it too.
Before, the doctor had stood nearly three meters tall—almost a full meter taller than Endeavor. Now, he was only slightly taller.
Endeavor noticed as well.
"It looks like regeneration is consuming your body mass," Endeavor said, a grim smile appearing.
"How many times can you keep regenerating at this rate?"
"And your punches—are getting weaker."
The doctor clenched his teeth.
He hadn't expected Endeavor's flames to be so destructive. Continuous regeneration was rapidly draining his reserves. The Rhino-Man's flesh had almost been completely consumed, and his strength was declining fast.
"This isn't over yet!"
With a furious roar, the doctor charged forward, driving the sharp horn on his nose straight toward Endeavor.
"That kind of attack won't hit me!"
Endeavor sidestepped effortlessly and slammed his fist into the doctor's torso.
But the doctor endured the blow and continued charging forward without slowing down.