Author's Note: Turns out I made a mistake with the limit on how many people could pass — I think I wrote 41, but I looked it up and it's actually 42. I'll fix that a little later, sorry for the mix-up! Thanks everyone for your patience, and enjoy the chapter — the next one is going to be a battle!
The students moved immediately, the exhaustion from the obstacle race temporarily forgotten in the wake of fresh anticipation. The forty two qualifiers gathered in the center of the stadium as the crowd's energy hit its peak.
Midnight returned to her platform with her whip coiled in one hand and her fan in the other. The enormous screens around the arena lit up, displaying what looked like the interface of a giant slot machine.
"The top forty two are moving on to the next round!" Midnight announced, her voice amplified throughout the stadium. "The real competition starts NOW! The press is gonna go wild with this, so give it EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!"
She snapped her fan through the air with a sharp crack and then turned to give the cameras a better angle. Her hips swayed exaggeratedly as she moved, making her already prominent bust bounce.
Ren's eyes followed the movement involuntarily.
Haa... to think I actually got to touch those beauties during that patrol, he thought, momentarily captivated by the size and movement of Midnight's chest.
But his brain kicked back into gear almost immediately. He already knew what was coming next: the Cavalry Battle. And he had the perfect team composition in mind.
"Here's the second event!" Midnight shouted, posing as the giant screen began to spin. "THE CAVALRY BATTLE!"
The screen stopped, showing an image of All Might riding atop Thirteen and Present Mic in formation.
Midnight cracked her whip against the ground and let out a playful giggle as she sashayed across the platform with a dominant look.
"Silence, my dear, passionate youths! Pay attention, because I'm about to explain the rules of this delicious chaos!" she exclaimed with a provocative smile. "You're free to form teams of two to four members however you please... Ah, youth and its free will, how stimulating!"
She stopped short, pointing at the crowd with her whip.
"It's basically a traditional cavalry battle, but with a twist that'll make your blood boil! Listen up: based on your results from the previous trial, each of you has been assigned a point value!"
The screen changed, showing a breakdown of the point system.
"The person in last place, position forty two, is only worth a sweet five points!" Midnight pointed at the screen with an elegant flick of her fan. "But don't be discouraged, because every rung you climb toward the top adds another five points to your value! Forty first is worth ten, fortieth is worth fifteen... and that's how things start getting more interesting!"
Ren did the math in his head quickly. Fourth place would be worth one hundred ninety five points. Not bad at all. With Ochako also in fourth, they'd start with three hundred ninety points just between the two of them.
"Buuut...!" Midnight's voice dropped to a dangerous purr that made more than one person's skin crawl. "There's a delicious exception to this system!"
The screen flickered dramatically, bathing Midnight's face in crimson light.
"Whoever finished in FIRST PLACE will be awarded a... scandalous figure!" She paused and licked her lips for maximum effect. "TEN MILLION POINTS!"
The number flashed across every screen in the stadium in massive red digits: 10,000,000.
The reaction was immediate and explosive. The students' heads whipped around to look at Inko, who'd frozen in place near the front of the group.
Ten million?! Inko's mind went blank with shock. That makes me public enemy number one to everyone here!
She turned slowly, scanning the faces around her. Every single person was looking at her with predatory hunger in their eyes.
Bakugo's smile was feral, small explosions already popping around his clenched fists. Here it is. My chance to crush her and prove I'm the strongest.
Todoroki's expression remained neutral, though ice crystals were already forming along his right side. Ten million points. If I can take them, victory is guaranteed.
Ren's gaze, however, was focused a little lower than everyone else's.
Well, what else am I supposed to look at when I already knew how this point assignment works? he thought with some amusement. In the anime, Izuku got the ten million points, and in this version it's Inko. At least canon isn't changing too much from what I remember.
It's possible his eyes lingered on Inko's ass a moment longer than was strictly necessary for tactical evaluation.
"It's gonna be way harder for those at the top!" Midnight announced with obvious delight. "That's what it means to aim for the summit! That's what it means to go PLUS ULTRA!"
She cracked her whip again and pointed directly at Inko, who looked like she wanted to disappear.
"Now then, let me finish explaining the rules!" Midnight continued. "Each team's total point value is the sum of all its members! The rider will wear a headband displaying that number on their forehead, and any stolen headbands have to be worn around the neck!"
She paused.
"Most importantly: even if your headband gets stolen and your team falls apart, you won't be disqualified! You can use your Quirks however you like, but if you intentionally take down another team, you'll be penalized and potentially disqualified!"
Midnight raised her whip above her head.
"You've got FIFTEEN MINUTES to form your teams! BEGIN!"
The field exploded into motion.
Ren didn't hesitate. He'd already made his decision during Midnight's explanation, and he turned and walked straight toward where Hagakure was, reaching out his hand to grab empty air.
His hand found hers.
"You're not getting away from me, invisible girl," he murmured, quiet enough that only she could hear.
Toru went completely still for a moment, then let out a delighted laugh.
"Ren-kun! You picked me first?"
"Of course. Your Quirk is perfect for what I've got planned."
Nobody could see her, which meant nobody saw the way she leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his lips. Ren felt the soft warmth, and then she pulled back just as fast.
"That's your reward for being a gentleman," Toru whispered. "Now let's go find the others!"
They moved together through the chaos of team formation, heading toward where Ochako was looking around uncertainly.
"Uraraka!" Ren called.
Ochako's head whipped around, and her face lit up immediately.
"Ren-kun! Are you... do you want me on your team?"
"Obviously. We work well together, remember?" He pointed toward where they'd crossed the finish line in perfect sync. "That coordination we had during the race... we're gonna need it again."
Ochako's smile widened.
"YES! Of course, Ren-kun! Phew, what a relief, I was seriously crossing my fingers hoping you'd ask me!" She bounced on her heels with excitement. "If we use the same strategy from the end of the race, but this time we coordinate calmly from the start... it's gonna be amazing! Let's give it our best together!"
"Exactly what I was thinking," Ren confirmed.
Toru's voice came from his side.
"So that makes three of us! Who's our fourth?"
Ren's eyes scanned the field. He saw Tsuyu talking to someone, and then Mina Ashido appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Tsuyu's arm and dragging her off with animated gestures.
Well, there goes that option, Ren thought.
His gaze shifted and landed on Momo, who was standing a bit apart from the main chaos. She seemed to be waiting for someone to approach her, though her posture suggested she wasn't particularly optimistic about it.
She's the one.
Ren walked over with Ochako and Toru following him.
"Momo," he said, stopping in front of her.
Momo looked up, surprise clear on her face.
"Ren-kun? I... are you looking for someone? I think I saw Tokoyami over there, maybe..."
"I'm looking for you," Ren cut in. "I want you on my team."
Momo blinked several times, clearly processing this information.
"Are you sure, Ren-kun?" Her voice was careful. "My performance in the first phase wasn't exactly exemplary. If you're looking for an optimal team composition, there are probably more strategic options than..."
"Your Quirk is perfect for what I've got planned," Ren cut her off again. "Besides, we already work well together, right? You just helped me prove that a few minutes ago."
Momo's hand moved unconsciously to where he'd repaired her shirt. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she remembered the three of them working together, Ren and Tsuyu carefully mending the torn fabric while she sat between them.
"I... yes, I suppose we do work well together," she admitted in a low voice.
"So?" Ren extended his hand to her. "Are you in?"
Momo looked at his hand, then at his face, searching for any sign of doubt or uncertainty.
"Understood," she said finally, reaching out to shake his hand with a small but genuine smile. "I'll do my best not to disappoint your expectations."
"I know you will," Ren replied.
"YES! Momo-chan's joining us!" Ochako celebrated, jumping up excitedly. "This is gonna be amazing! We've got such a good team!"
Toru's voice piped in.
"Welcome aboard, Yaoyorozu-san! This is gonna be so much fun!"
Momo's smile widened slightly at the enthusiastic welcome.
"Thank you both. I'm really looking forward to working with all of you."
Ren looked around the field, doing a quick mental calculation.
"All right, team huddle. Let's find a spot away from the chaos where we can hear each other."
They moved to a relatively quiet corner of the field.
"Okay," Ren began once they'd gathered. "Let's talk strategy. Our total points are..." He ran the math quickly. "I'm worth 195, Uraraka is also 195, Hagakure is twenty five. Yaoyorozu, what place did you finish?"
"Twenty second," Momo answered. "Which should be 105 points."
"That puts our team total at 520 points," Ren calculated. "Not the highest, but respectable enough that we'll have targets on our backs."
"Although everyone's gonna be focused on Midoriya-san and those ten million points," Ochako pointed out. "At least at first."
"Which is exactly what we're counting on," Ren confirmed. "Here's the plan. Uraraka, your Zero Gravity Quirk is the key to everything. You can make us weightless, which means we aren't limited to ground movement like everyone else."
"Exactly! And combined with your telekinesis, we can basically fly!" Ochako said.
"Right. We'll be operating in three dimensions while most teams are stuck in two," Ren continued. "Hagakure, you're our secret weapon. Nobody can see you, which means you can snatch headbands without anyone knowing where the attack came from."
"I can totally do that!" Toru's enthusiastic voice came from the floating uniform. "They'll never see me coming!"
"Yaoyorozu." Ren turned to Momo. "I need you to create specific objects when I ask for them. Shields, defensive gear, ropes, weapons, whatever the situation calls for. Can you handle that?"
"I can," she confirmed. "Do you have something specific in mind for the initial engagement?"
"To start, I want a light but durable shield. Something that can block direct attacks without weighing us down when Uraraka makes us float."
Momo was already calculating in her head.
"A composite carbon fiber frame with an impact resistant polymer coating would provide an optimal strength to weight ratio," she said, her voice taking on an expert tone. "I can incorporate a grip system that allows for quick handoffs between team members if necessary."
"Perfect. Make it happen."
Light shimmered along Momo's arm as she activated her Quirk. Within seconds, an elegant oval shield materialized, exactly as she'd described. She passed it to Ren, who tested its weight and balance.
"This is excellent work, Yaoyorozu."
"It's simply a matter of proper molecular composition and..."
Momo interrupted herself, her analytical mind working through the possibilities. "Wait. Ren-kun, I've been thinking about the combination of Uraraka-san's Quirk with your telekinesis."
"What about it?"
"If Uraraka-san makes our entire team weightless, your telekinetic control would be significantly amplified," Momo explained, her eyes gleaming with strategic calculation. "Reduced mass means less resistance to your telekinetic force. You could maneuver us at speeds that would be impossible if we kept our normal weight."
She kept going, getting more excited about the topic. "Furthermore, if we coordinate the release and reapplication of the Zero Gravity effect with your telekinetic pulses, we could create a pulsing thrust effect. Weightless for acceleration, normal weight for stability, then weightless again for the next burst."
Ochako was nodding enthusiastically.
"Oh! Like pumping your legs on a swing to go higher! We use gravity as a rhythmic tool instead of just an on off switch!"
"Precisely," Momo confirmed.
Ren looked at the two of them with respect.
"All right, strategy revised. Yaoyorozu, you're not just our equipment provider. You're co strategist. If you see an opening or think of a better approach during the battle, speak up immediately."
Momo straightened up a little, a determined expression settling onto her features.
"Understood. I'll put all of my capabilities at the service of this plan. I won't fail."
"And none of us will!" Toru's voice vibrated with contagious confidence. "We're gonna show everyone that strategy and teamwork can beat even the biggest brute force!"
"Well said, Hagakure-san," Momo replied with a warm smile.
Ren looked across the field and saw Todoroki approaching them with decisive steps. Iida and Kaminari flanked him.
"They're coming this way... why?" Ren murmured.
Todoroki stopped a few meters away, his heterochromatic eyes scanning the group before settling on Momo.
"Yaoyorozu," he said in a flat tone. "I'd like you to join my team. Join my team. Your Creation is the most versatile resource for the formation I have in mind. You'd be the most efficient piece to secure victory."
There was a moment of silence.
Momo looked at Todoroki, then at Ren and the rest of her team, and finally turned back to Todoroki.
"It's a logical offer, Todoroki-san, and I appreciate that you'd consider my capabilities," Momo answered, maintaining impeccable courtesy. "However... I've already given my word to this team. We have our own strategy and I trust it completely. I'm sorry."
Todoroki's eyebrows rose by barely a millimeter, a fleeting flicker of surprise at what, to him, was a tactical calculation rejected on a question of loyalty.
"I see," he replied after a brief silence. "That's a shame. Good luck."
He turned and walked off without another word, with Iida and Kaminari following him looking somewhat uncomfortable.
Ren watched him leave and then looked at Momo.
"That's probably the first time anyone's ever turned him down for anything."
"He'll find another partner," Momo answered calmly. "Todoroki-san is excellent, but he's not the only one who knows how to play his cards. Now, back to business. We need to finish the plan."
Across the field, Inko was surrounded by a small group. Tsuyu, Mina, and Kyoka had apparently decided to team up with her despite the enormous target the ten million points represented.
"Kero. Don't worry, Inko-chan. We'll protect those points no matter what, so keep calm," Tsuyu said, watching the surroundings with her usual calm expression.
"Exactly! We'll be like an impenetrable, super shiny wall!" Mina added, giving a little hop and clenching her fist with energy. "Nobody's gonna lay a hand on you, I promise!"
Kyoka spun one of her jacks around her finger, keeping a serious eye on the other teams.
"I'll keep watch so nobody sneaks up on us. If they try something, they're getting a nasty buzz. We're winning this."
Inko looked at the three of them, her nervousness giving way to determination.
"Thank you, all of you. I won't let you down."
The fifteen minute timer on the giant screens was counting down rapidly. Teams were finalizing their formations all across the field.
Midnight's voice boomed through the speakers once again.
"FIVE MINUTES LEFT! IF YOU STILL DON'T HAVE A TEAM, YOU'D BETTER FIND ONE FAST!"
*******
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