I jogged over to the side, my feet lightly tapping the ground as I kept up the casual pace. The adrenaline from the race was starting to wear off, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something else was about to go down. I glanced back at the others. Todoroki was still making his way toward the finish line, looking unbothered as usual, while Bakugo was in the distance, probably swearing at the heavens for denying him another victory.
I looked at the podium, the next round is going to be announced in any minute now. I had to prepare something myself. Breaking laws effectively is not that easy as people think it is... maybe it is.
"All students, please report to the central plaza. The next event will begin shortly."
There it was.
What next?
I closed my eyes and let the sunlight warm my face.
Of course, peace in UA lasts about as long as Mineta's dignity.
"You're looking unusually relaxed," a voice said from behind me.
I cracked one eye open. It was Todoroki, who somehow managed to sound bored, judgmental, and mildly curious all at once. Impressive, really.
"I'm trying to soak in the last few minutes before I inevitably get lit on fire, frozen solid, or punched into orbit," I replied. "You should try it sometime. It's called living in denial."
He didn't smile. I didn't expect him to.
"The next event will test teamwork. You should focus."
"Funny, you say that like I haven't been doing team-based suffering all morning."
He just blinked at me.
Before I could deliver a follow-up sarcastic masterpiece, the speakers screeched to life again.
"This next event," Midnight announced with her usual, borderline-concerning enthusiasm, "will be a multi-team capture the flag—on a constantly shifting battlefield!"
Of course. Because a normal game of capture the flag just wasn't sadistic enough.
"The field will reconfigure every three minutes. Terrain, obstacles, and visibility will change. Each team has a headband. Defend your own, steal others. You're free to use quirks. Try not to die."
"And as they usually say, PLUS ULTRA!" She shouted.
"After taking the first place in the qualifiers, Kaito Arakawa now has ten million points!!" She announced.
Ahh~ son of a bitch. She got me targeted by everyone now. I mean, it's inevitable but I don't give a flying f**k.
"Ten million points, huh?" Todoroki said, his gaze now a little less bored. "That's quite a target on your back."
"Eh, nothing much. Most of the people here, chicken brains." I insulted.
"Chicken brains with powerful Quirks," I amended with a sigh. "Still chicken brains, though. Easy to outmaneuver." I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the last vestiges of the jogging loosen my muscles. "So, teamwork, huh? Any brilliant strategies brewing in that icy mind of yours, Todoroki?"
He considered me for a moment, his heterochromatic eyes assessing. "Forming a strong team will be crucial given the shifting terrain. Individual strength alone will not guarantee victory."
"No arguments there," I agreed. "Though a certain explosive blonde might disagree. Still, a chaotic, ever-changing battlefield screams for adaptability and coordination. Guess just blasting everything won't cut it this time." A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. "Unless, of course, you plan on freezing the entire arena."
Todoroki's gaze flickered towards the stadium. "That would incapacitate everyone, including ourselves."
"Details, details," I waved a dismissive hand. "The point is, raw power needs a direction. So, the million-point question: are you planning on going solo, or are you considering... alliances?" I raised an eyebrow, curious to see his response.
"Yeah, I'll tell you what, let's team up." I offered a handshake.
Todoroki's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered my outstretched hand. A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face before he finally, slowly, reached out and grasped it. His grip was firm, cool to the touch.
"An alliance," he stated, the word sounding somewhat foreign on his tongue. "Your Quirk... it is suited for both offense and defense. And your speed could be advantageous in securing headbands."
"And your firepower and ice abilities aren't exactly shabby either," I countered. "But hey, use that heat sometime. You're limiting yourself."
Todoroki's gaze sharpened slightly at my comment about his fire. A brief flash of something akin to annoyance crossed his features before he masked it again. "That is... a separate matter."
"Separate matter that could be incredibly useful right now," I pressed gently. "Just saying, in a constantly shifting battlefield, having both extremes at your disposal could be a game-changer. Think about it." I clapped him on the shoulder, a friendly gesture meant to ease the tension. "Anyway, so we're a duo for now. Mobile defense, area control. Got it. Now, let's not stand around looking pretty. We need to get a lay of the land."
I started to move towards the edge of the plaza, my senses on alert. The other students were beginning to coalesce into tentative groups, their eyes darting between each other and, more frequently, towards me. The weight of those ten million points was palpable.
"We need to anticipate the first shift," I said over my shoulder to Todoroki. "Will it favor ranged attacks? Close combat? Obstacles? Knowing that might give us a slight edge in positioning ourselves."
...
...
...
"What?" I asked.
"I just didn't expect you to be so strategic, I guess." He replied, 'coldly'. "I thought you were just gonna rush in, after seeing your performance in the battle trial. Proven wrong." He told me.
"Aw, that's a nice compliment. Very cute of you, Todoroki."
He casually brushed away the sarcasm. "What of the other two members we need?" He asked.
"I know the perfect guys." I muttered.
"Wait here." I told him before I ran over to Kirishima and Kaminari in the distance.
I jogged over to Kirishima and Kaminari, a wide grin on my face. "Yo, guys! How's the post-race glow treating you?"
Kirishima flashed his signature toothy smile. Though his voice was a bit uneasy, he spoke. "Uh, hey, Kaito. What's up?" He asked.
"Nothing, you got a team yet?" I asked them.
Silence...
"No?" I asked.
"No." Kaminari replied.
"Oh, perfect, both of you can join me and Todoroki," I told them.
Kirishima and Kaminari exchanged a surprised glance. "Seriously?" Kaminari asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.
"Yeah, seriously," I confirmed with a nod. "Like I was just telling you, Kirishima's defense and Kaminari's offense and crowd control would be perfect for this shifting battlefield. Plus," I lowered my voice slightly, "having some backup when everyone and their mother is gunning for my ten million points wouldn't hurt."
Kirishima's initial hesitation seemed to melt away, replaced by a determined grin. "Count me in, man! It'd be an honor to team up with you and Todoroki!" He clapped me on the shoulder, his usual enthusiasm returning.
Kaminari was beaming. "Awesome! Todoroki and you? We'll be unstoppable! Just tell me who to zap!"
As always, both were surprisingly energetic. If they were in a story, almost every sentence would end with an exclamation mark, probably.
"Now, let's regroup with Todoroki and start hashing out a basic strategy before this chaotic game officially begins."
I turned back towards where I'd left Todoroki, Kirishima and Kaminari falling in step beside me. "With you guys covering defense and providing some serious electrical firepower, and Todoroki's ice and (hopefully soon) fire, we've got a well-rounded team. We just need to coordinate and be ready for anything this crazy arena throws at us."
As we approached Todoroki, I clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, icy hot. Meet the rest of our powerhouse team: Kirishima and Kaminari."
Todoroki regarded the two with a neutral expression. "Kirishima. Kaminari." He acknowledged them with a slight nod. "Your Quirks could prove useful."
"Useful? Dude, I'm like, totally electrifyingly useful!" Kaminari declared, striking a slightly awkward pose.
Kirishima just grinned, extending a hand towards Todoroki. "It's awesome to be working with you, Todoroki! We'll make a super solid team!"
I stepped in before things got too enthusiastic. "Alright, team awesome, let's huddle up. We've got about five minutes before this capture the flag free-for-all kicks off, and with this lovely ten-million-point target on my head, we need a plan. First things first: defense. Kirishima, you're our rock. When the terrain shifts, you'll be our anchor, protecting our headband. Kaminari, you'll be our mobile offense and area denial. Keep an eye out for anyone trying to get close, and don't be afraid to unleash some controlled chaos."
I turned to Todoroki. "You've got the long-range freeze and potentially fire. You can control large areas and create obstacles. We'll need you to be adaptable, ready to switch between offense and defense as the battlefield changes."
Finally, I looked at all of them. "As for me, I'll be the annoying, slippery target with the big bounty. My speed and agility will be key for dodging attacks and, when the opportunity arises, snatching other teams' headbands. We need to communicate, cover each other, and be ready for anything. This shifting terrain means we can't rely on one strategy for long. Adaptability is the name of the game."
I paused, letting my words sink in. "Any questions? Brilliant ideas? Or just general excitement for the glorious chaos that's about to ensue?"
"Yeah, but can't you just stop everyone in their place and they'd have to declare us the winner, right?" Kaminari asked.
"Kaminari, what the f***, bro? Where's your competitive spirit?" I asked.
I sighed dramatically. "Besides, where's the fun in that? This is the Sports Festival. We're supposed to push ourselves, show off our Quirks in creative ways."
"You weren't this excited two weeks ago," Kaminari responded.
"Shut up," I told him.
"Details, details," I waved a dismissive hand. "My level of enthusiasm is a constantly evolving spectrum. Right now, it's hovering somewhere between 'mildly amused by the impending chaos' and 'determined to not get my skull caved in for ten million points'."
I refocused the team. "Alright, less reminiscing about my past levels of excitement, more brainstorming about not getting our headbands stolen. Todoroki, any initial thoughts on how we should position ourselves when the game starts? Do we stick together? Try to find a defensible position early on?"
Todoroki considered the question, his gaze sweeping across the central plaza where the other teams were still forming and whispering strategies. "Remaining stationary would make us an easy target, especially with the ten million points. The initial terrain is open. Perhaps we should move towards the edge of the arena, near one of the exits. It might offer a clearer line of sight and make it harder to be surrounded immediately."
He paused, then added, "However, we must be prepared for the first terrain shift. If it creates obstacles or closes off sections, our initial positioning might become a disadvantage. It would be prudent to stay relatively mobile in the early stages, making it difficult for other teams to predict our movements."
"I like that," I agreed. "Mobile but with a general direction. Sticking near an edge gives us one less direction to worry about being attacked from. Kirishima, you can be our anchor, positioned slightly behind us, ready to intercept anyone who gets too close. Kaminari, you can move in a wider perimeter, using your electricity as a warning system and a deterrent. Todoroki and I can stay closer together, ready to react to threats and look for opportunities to snatch headbands."
"Sounds like a plan!" Kirishima declared, hardening his arm briefly. "Nobody's getting past me!"
"Yeah, and if they do, they're in for a shocking surprise!" Kaminari added, a crackle of electricity bouncing around his fingertips.
"Alright," I said, a grin spreading across my face. "Team 'Don't Touch Our Ten Million Points' is officially in business. Let's move towards that south-east exit. Stay alert, communicate, and remember: adaptability is key. This is going to be one wild ride."
I don't know what happened, but... the feeling of crushing the hopes of the students is exhilarating. A dark chuckle rumbled in my chest. "Exhilarating indeed," I murmured. "Let them come. The more they want it, the more satisfying it will be to watch their faces when they fail."
Ew, so cheesy. Why the hell did I say that? Now, my honour's in shambles.