Guys, sorry for the delay in posting new chapters, unfortunately I have a life and work that demand my attention. I'll be trying to post at least one chapter a week in each story, I'm sorry but that's all I can do, enjoy, and give ideas on how to improve the story.
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[U.A. Stadium – Sports Festival – Start of the Second Event]
The stands were roaring. It was more noise than my brain could handle.
But there, in the center of the arena, I could only focus on Midnight's voice.
And of course... the announcement that would come next.
Aizawa approached the mic, wearing his usual expression of someone who'd rather be asleep.
"Congratulations to those who passed the first stage," he said dryly. "But if you think you're safe… you're wrong."
Midnight then stepped onto the main stage, with a smile way too cheerful for my taste.
"And now, my sweet freshmen... it's time for the SECOND ROUND !" She raised her hand high. "The faaaamous… CAVALRY BATTLE !"
The crowd erupted like someone had thrown a match into a barrel of gasoline.
'Cavalry Battle...? Seriously ? Is this a festival or a medieval war with superpowers ?'
Even knowing what was coming, the idea still felt uninspired.
She continued, excited as if she were hosting a variety show.
"You must form teams of 2 to 4 people ! Each team picks a 'rider' — the others form the base and help them move. The goal ?" She pointed at me.
"The boy with the TEN MILLION POINT HEADBAND, of course !"
The crowd laughed. I rolled my eyes.
"Teams will try to capture other headbands. The one with the most points at the end wins. But be careful ! Lose your headband... and you're out."
Aizawa cut in, his voice serious and tired:
"You have 15 minutes to form teams. Choose wisely. Trust will be just as important as strength here."
'Everyone's going to target me. Obviously. I'm the "10 million guy." But I can't think like the victim. I have resources. I have options. I have… aliens.'
"Ben !" Uraraka ran over to me, a bit breathless. "Are you alone? Want to team up ?"
"Yeah. You can cancel gravity, right ?"
"Yep !"
"Then I need two more. Strength, speed..."
"Excuse me," Iida interrupted, adjusting his glasses. "Tennyson. I saw your performance. I want to work with you."
"Perfect. Just one more..."
Shoji appeared silently.
"I've got extra arms. I can hold you up easily."
"Then it's settled," I smiled. "Let's hold onto that headband — and maybe grab a few more along the way."
[Start of the Match – Open Field]
The siren blared.
"IT'S ON !!!" Present Mic shouted with insane enthusiasm.
The field erupted in chaos. Teams running, headbands flying, powers clashing in the air.
"Ben, left side !" Uraraka yelled. "A team's coming straight at us !"
Iida sped up, Shoji held me firmly. But we needed an edge.
"Time to improvise..."
XLR8
Green sparks surged through me. The speed hit like a shockwave.
"What the…?! He transformed again ?!" someone shouted in the distance.
Shoji held my legs, Uraraka kept the weight down — and Iida used his Quirk's full boost.
We flew across the field.
"There ! Grab that one !" Uraraka shouted.
I reached out and snatched a headband with XLR8's tail. The kid didn't even notice.
'They're trying to figure out what I am. And that's my advantage: no one has a plan for me. Not even I would.'
Todoroki was freezing the field in front of us.
"We move," he said calmly. "Fast and efficient."
On the other side, Bakugou came in like a flaming rocket.
"I'M TAKING THAT DAMN NERD DOWN !"
Amazing. Never thought I'd hear that sentence...
Ghostfreak
I phased through the attacks. The crowd went wild.
"Is that kid intangible now ? What even is he ?!" Present Mic yelled like a championship announcer.
But it wasn't just defense.
Four Arms
With a leap, I used my extra arms to grip Shoji tighter and launch myself upward.
"Hang on !!!"
I landed with impact, creating a small crater that scattered two teams at once.
Shoji shoved them away, and Iida dodged them with max speed.
Bakugou caught up. Too fast.
Diamondhead
My arms turned into crystal blades.
I blocked an explosion at the last second. The energy ricocheted, but I held firm.
"YOU BASTARD !" he yelled.
"I get you. I hate losing too." I replied, failing to hide a smirk at his spiky, pissed-off face.
[Last Minutes of the Match]
"Two minutes left !" Midnight shouted.
Our team still had the 10 million headband. And two smaller ones I grabbed mid-battle.
But now they were all coming. Not just Todoroki and Bakugou.
Everyone.
Heatblast
Flames encircled our team. I created a fiery ring for protection. Uraraka lifted Shoji into the air, Iida pushed sideways, and I blasted away direct attacks.
"Hold tight ! Just seconds left !" I shouted.
'This isn't a battle of strength. It's a battle of trust. In me. In them.'
"Five... four... three... two... one... TIME !"
The scores lit up in the stadium's giant digital sky.
Team Ben Tennyson – 13.2 million points – QUALIFIED.
The crowd cheered. Some shouted my name. Others... just stared in disbelief.
Shoji smiled. Iida wiped sweat from his brow. Uraraka screamed with joy.
And me ?
I just smiled. A quiet, restrained smile — but full of pride.
"This kid... he's not like the others. He didn't just adapt his Quirk — he adapted the whole game," Aizawa said from the booth.
"It's like watching several students in one body… and they're all shining," Midnight added, smiling.
'Benjamin Tennyson… you have more than just power.' All Might thought silently in the background.
The final whistle still echoed in my head as the dust began to settle.
I was breathing hard, sweaty, hands trembling slightly. It wasn't fear. It was adrenaline. Intense. Almost electric.
The giant screen lit up in the center of the arena, and Present Mic boomed into the mic:
"AND THAT'S HOW THE SECOND PHASE OF OUR SPECTACULAR SPORTS FESTIVAL ENDS ! WHAT A BRUTAL BATTLE, FOLKS ! AND NOW, THE TEAMS QUALIFYING FOR THE FINAL ROUND…"
Lights flashed, the big screen spun with flashy animations, and then stopped on a holographic leaderboard.
FINAL RANKING – CAVALRY BATTLE:
1st Place – Team Ben Tennyson (13.2 million points)
Members: Ben Tennyson, Ochaco Uraraka, Tenya Iida, Mezo Shoji
2nd Place – Team Todoroki (11.6 million points)
Members: Shoto Todoroki, Momo Yaoyorozu, Denki Kaminari, Kyoka Jiro
3rd Place – Team Midoriya (9.9 million points)
Members: Izuku Midoriya, Tsuyu Asui, Minoru Mineta, Mashirao Ojiro
4th Place – Team Bakugou (8.8 million points)
Members: Katsuki Bakugou, Eijiro Kirishima, Hanta Sero, Rikido Sato
5th Place – Team Tokoyami (7.1 million points)
Members: Fumikage Tokoyami, Koji Koda, Toru Hagakure, Yuga Aoyama
6th Place – Team Sato (6.4 million points)
Members: Mina Ashido, Hitoshi Shinso ( and others he controlled )
7th Place – Team Sero (5.5 million points)
Members: Hanta Sero, Denki Kaminari, Mina Ashido, Koji Koda
8th Place – Team Shiozaki (4.9 million points)
Members: Ibara Shiozaki, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Sen Kaibara, Pony Tsunotori
The list stopped there. The screen blinked, making it clear:
Only the top 8 teams advance to the FINAL PHASE.
'So that's it. We're one of the eight qualified teams. Next phase: one-on-one fights.'
I thought, already trying to plan which opponent I might face.
We were sitting around the arena, waiting for the announcements to finish.
Bakugou punched the ground in frustration, sparks flying from his fingers.
"I lost to that damn nerd twice ?!"
Todoroki said nothing. Just gave me a sharp look. Like I was a puzzle he still couldn't solve.
Midoriya… well, he was smiling. Sweaty, nervous, but smiling. "We did it..."
As for me... I let myself breathe.
'I passed. The next stage... is the real test. Real combat.'
Present Mic came back on, as pumped up as if he'd had seven coffees:
"CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FINALISTS ! You've proven you've got what it takes to move forward ! But the next round... ohhh, my young heroes, it's gonna be wild ! ONE-ON-ONE COMBAT !"
Midnight stepped back on stage, twirling the mic like a magic wand.
"And remember, my sweet students… it's no longer about teamwork. It's about technique. Power. Strategy. And of course… spectacle."
Aizawa, always the most grounded, added:
"Prepare yourselves. The matches start tomorrow. Until then, rest. Watch your opponents. And don't forget... here, weakness is not forgiven."
One-on-one battles...
'I've already beaten robots. I've escaped explosions. I've survived coordinated attacks.'
'So why the hell am I nervous about this ?'
It's going to be different.
I looked at my hands. My fingers. The skin that had already been rock, magma, fire, crystal. Every cell felt like it held a different weapon.
'But I've got eleven forms. Eleven chances to win.'
I smiled. Subtly. Feeling Heatblast's warmth still in my veins, and XLR8's hum buzzing deep inside like restrained lightning.
Bring it on.
I'm ready.