Midnight raised her whip, snapping it against the ground to silence the noise of the stadium. The sound cracked like thunder, and everyone went quiet.
"Before we announce the second event," she said with a playful smile, "let me explain how this round works. Points will be assigned to each of you based on your ranking in the obstacle race. The higher you placed, the higher your points… and the juicier your target becomes."
The massive scoreboard lit up behind her, numbers appearing next to each student's name. Murmurs rippled through the arena as the crowd leaned forward in anticipation.
"First place," she continued, her eyes flicking toward Izuku, "will be worth ten million points."
The entire stadium gasped as the number flashed in huge golden letters beside his name. The difference between first and second place was astronomical. While Todoroki had two thousand points, and Bakugo had fifteen hundred, Izuku stood at the very top with a number so absurd it looked like a joke.
Instantly, every single student turned to stare at him. Their eyes were sharp, hungry, calculating. Even some from his own class shifted uncomfortably.
Izuku just smiled faintly, unfazed.
' Well, this is gonna be fun,' he thought, leaning his hands into his pockets like the spotlight didn't even matter.
Present Mic couldn't hold in his laughter. "OH-HO-HO! That's right, folks! You heard her! Whoever can take Midoriya's headband in the Cavalry Battle will basically guarantee themselves a ticket to the finals!"
Students began whispering among themselves.
"If we gang up on him, we'll crush him easily."
"No way I'm letting Class A hog the spotlight again."
"He's dead meat."
"Tch. Ten million? He's practically wearing a bullseye on his forehead."
Katsuki cracked his knuckles, glaring at Izuku like a predator. "Don't get too cocky, Deku. That ten million's mine."
Shoto, on the other hand, simply crossed his arms, his cold eyes narrowing. "This changes nothing. I'll take him down myself."
Even Class B's Monoma laughed obnoxiously, pointing a finger across the stadium.
"Finally! This is our chance to humiliate Class A once and for all!"
The glares pressed on Izuku from every side. But instead of looking worried, he tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a smirk.
' Keep dreaming '
"Ok listen, before you tear each other apart, let's talk about the following event. Which is the Cavalry Battle!!" Midnight announced, cracking her whip again for emphasis.
The stadium roared with excitement while the students' eyes widened.
Present Mic leaned forward over his desk, practically shouting into the mic. "That's right, folks! For those of you at home, here's the rundown! Students will form teams of two to four, and each team will have one rider wearing a headband with points equal to their ranking from the obstacle race. The goal? Snatch as many points as you can before time runs out!"
The scoreboard flashed again, showing headbands with point values. Izuku's ten million glowed like a beacon.
"Y-You're kidding," Mina muttered, staring up at the number.
"Ten… million?" Ochako squeaked, clutching her head. "That's insane!"
"Ribbit. That means every single team will come for him first," Tsuyu pointed out calmly.
"Damn right they will," Jirou added, her eyes flicking toward Izuku. "He's basically the jackpot."
Izuku just leaned back on his heels, completely relaxed. "Guess I should be flattered," he said casually.
"Flattered?!" Kaminari yelped. "They're gonna come at you like a zombie apocalypse, dude!"
"Not my problem," Izuku replied smoothly. "That's their mistake."
Across the room, Bakugo slammed his palm against the wall. "Don't get cocky, Deku! That headband's mine!"
"Shut up, Katsuki," Izuku said without even looking his way. "You've been saying that since we were kids."
That only made Bakugo's blood boil hotter.
Meanwhile, Todoroki was quieter but no less intense. He adjusted his glove, eyes fixed on Izuku like he was already mapping out strategies.
Midnight clapped her hands together with a sharp smile. "Now then, teams may be formed freely. Choose wisely, because alliances will make or break you here. You have fifteen minutes to decide!"
The room instantly burst into chaos. Students rushed to one another, begging for strong partners. Class B was already trying to outmaneuver Class A. Everyone's strategies orbited around one clear goal: taking down Izuku Midoriya.
Izuku, however, stood perfectly still amidst the storm, hands in his pockets, his calm grin making the girls glance at him with a mix of admiration and worry.
'This'll be fun,' he thought. 'Wonder who's brave enough to join me.'
He didn't even have to say anything, as two girls somehow appeared on either side of him.
"I guess you guys wanna join me then?" Izuku asked with a smirk, already knowing the answer.
"Of course! I mean, you're our friend and stuff, Izu," Ochaco replied, her voice cheerful as ever, though her cheeks betrayed a faint pink blush.
The girl on his other side was less shy and far more… energetic. One he knew all too well from his original world. Mei Hatsume.
"...And you?" Izuku asked, curious how she ended up here so quickly.
"Oh hi! I'm Mei Hatsume!" she chirped, leaning forward with sparkling eyes. "I've heard a lot about you, and might I say, I'm kinda a fan! Honestly, I just wanna be in the spotlight so I can flex my babies—er, inventions—but I wouldn't mind getting closer to the most talked about boy in school."
Ochaco blinked at her. "Babies?"
"My gadgets, silly!" Mei said with a giggle, patting the belt of strange tools she always carried around.
Izuku chuckled, shaking his head. "Really? Well, you should invite me one day, so I can check out your stuff then."
For a girl who usually had zero filter, Mei actually blushed at that, her smile softening just a bit. "W-Will do."
"Right," Izuku said, clapping his hands once. "Now let's discuss our plan here."
The three of them huddled closer while chaos unfolded around the stadium grounds. Students were scrambling, shouting, begging others to team up before time ran out. Izuku's team, however, radiated confidence and calm.
"So, how are we doing this?" Ochaco asked, looking at Izuku with trust in her eyes.
Izuku tapped his chin. "We're the main target because of my headband. Everyone's gonna dogpile us the second the whistle blows. That means we don't run from it—we use it."
Mei's eyes gleamed. "Oh-ho, I like where this is going."
"I'll be the rider, obviously," Izuku continued. "Ochaco, you'll support with your Quirk to make us lighter and faster when needed. Mei, you'll handle… well, you. I trust you've got something wild in that toolbelt of yours."
"You bet I do!" Mei grinned, pulling out a strange-looking device with way too many blinking lights. "Let's just say, anyone who tries to grab us is in for a shocking surprise."
Ochaco sweatdropped. "Uh… should I be worried?"
"Nah," Mei said with a wink. "Mostly safe."
Izuku smirked wider, already imagining the chaos. "Perfect. All we need now is a fourth member—someone sturdy enough to handle the load and keep balance when things get rough."
The girls glanced at each other, and Ochaco asked, "Any idea who?"
Before Izuku could answer, a shadow fell across them. A tall figure with crossed arms and a stoic expression stepped forward.
"I'll join you," came the calm voice.
Both girls blinked, startled. Izuku just raised an eyebrow and grinned.
TO BE CONTINUED