After the teams were finalized, everyone followed the positions assigned by All Might and moved to their respective starting points deep within the forest, waiting for the signal to begin.
"Honestly, I didn't expect Bakugo to team up with Todoroki," Masata muttered in surprise. "That combination alone is already scary."
Both of them were incredibly strong—and stubborn. Neither was the type to back down or yield leadership easily. Just deciding who would call the shots would already be a headache.
Not to mention, those two had never exactly gotten along. Todoroki's flame techniques had already made Bakugo uncomfortable before, and Bakugo wasn't the kind of person to forget something like that. If they were working together now, there had to be some unspoken compromise behind it.
"On top of that," Yaoyorozu added calmly, leaning against a tree with her arms folded, "Kirishima and Sero are also on their team. In terms of raw combat power, they're one of the strongest groups here."
Masata smiled confidently.
"Relax. Our team is stronger. Even if we fight one-on-one across the board, we're not guaranteed to lose."
With Masata himself, Yaoyorozu's versatility, Uraraka's outstanding support ability, and Asui's balanced combat skills, he genuinely believed their chances were extremely high.
"Don't forget Mina's group," Asui chimed in thoughtfully. "They're a hidden threat too. Their goal might be to avoid fights entirely and survive to the end."
"Plus Jiro's detection ability," Yaoyorozu added. "If they play it smart, they can avoid direct combat until the very last moment."
"And Aoyama's laser is no joke either," Uraraka said, patting her cheeks lightly. "That thing can be really dangerous."
Before anyone could say more—
"GAME START!!"
All Might's powerful voice echoed throughout the forest, officially kicking off the chaos.
"Let's move directly!" Masata said decisively. "If someone shows up, we take them down!"
He had no intention of hiding in one place and waiting for the end. Passive defense wasn't his style.
After a brief exchange of glances, Yaoyorozu nodded. Holding ground in such a vast forest wouldn't guarantee safety anyway. If other teams noticed them staying put, they'd simply avoid the area.
Taking the initiative was the smarter choice.
"BOOM—!"
A massive explosion erupted somewhere in the distance.
"That's Bakugo," Masata said instantly. "Looks like he's already run into someone."
Curious—and eager—Masata grabbed his teammates and sprinted toward the sound.
Bakugo had run into another team.
Standing in front of him was Kaminari's group.
"R-Run!! We can't beat them!!"
Mineta was already in tears. On his side, only three people could really fight—and standing opposite them were two of the most notoriously powerful students in Class A.
"There's no point in running," Tokoyami said calmly, Dark Shadow already spreading around him. "We can't outrun them—and they won't let us leave."
Ice began creeping across the ground behind them as Todoroki prepared a fallback blockade.
"That means we fight," Kaminari said, his usual carefree expression gone. His eyes were serious now.
Running away at the first sign of danger wasn't how Heroes were made.
Perhaps inspired by his teammates, Mineta swallowed his fear, plucked two sticky spheres from his head, and clenched his teeth.
"I-I'm not afraid of you, Bakugo!"
His voice trembled—but he said it anyway.
Bakugo grinned savagely.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Meanwhile, as Masata's team rushed toward the explosion, they encountered an unexpected group.
"Midoriya? What are you doing here?"
The two teams came face-to-face in the forest.
"We heard the explosion too," Midoriya said honestly. "Are you heading there as well?"
Masata studied him briefly. It didn't look like an ambush.
"Yeah," Masata replied. "I want to grow stronger through real combat."
Midoriya's eyes were steady—no trace of hesitation left.
"Then let's fight."
Masata grinned, excitement surging through him.
"An invitation to battle? I'll take it!"
Neither team objected. They had come looking for opponents anyway.
"Uraraka! Buy me some time!"
Yaoyorozu said as her Quirk activated, light shimmering around her body.
"No problem!"
Uraraka grabbed a steel baton Yaoyorozu created and took a ready stance.
"You can't let Yaoyorozu keep creating equipment!"
Iida shouted immediately, recognizing the danger.
"Stop her!"
Ojiro leapt forward, tail whipping behind him as he closed the distance. Uraraka met him head-on, baton clashing against his strikes.
Sato, powered up after consuming sugar, charged toward Asui with overwhelming strength, shattering trees with every step.
Asui avoided direct confrontation. Using her long tongue and adhesive limbs, she darted through the undergrowth, forcing Sato into a frustrating chase.
Midoriya rushed straight toward Masata.
Since they were classmates, Midoriya believed Masata wouldn't use his most destructive abilities.
That meant—he had a chance.
Green lightning crackled across Midoriya's body as he activated Full Cowl. After multiple real battles, his control had become far more refined.
"You're going to face me head-on?" Masata asked calmly, staying still.
"Then show me—how much power can you really draw from One For All now?"
Masata didn't use magma, just as Midoriya expected. He stood his ground, clearly intending to test Midoriya's limits.
In a true battlefield scenario, facing Masata in close combat was nothing short of a nightmare. Against villains, Masata could simply shift into elemental form, taking no damage while devastating his opponent in return.
But even without relying on that overwhelming ability—
Masata was still terrifyingly strong.
...
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