Envisioned (Bakugo x Reader x Todoroki)

17 - Festival Competition [Part III].

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With the endless cheers from the crowd hyping them up, the competitors moved to their class section in front of the platform where Midnight stood, to proceed with the instructions for the 2nd round.

"Forty-two of you qualified to move on to the next round! Gird your loins and prepare for your next test." Midnight announced as the list of games began to fly by the screen, then stop abruptly on the words, Cavalry Battle. Midnight gleamed. "A CAVALRY BATTLE!! Those of you at the top will suffer the most. Of course~ that's something you'll hear over and over again at U.A."

Midnight tilted her head to the side, tauntingly. "Show us what 'Plus Ultra' means!!" She snapped her whip towards the green-haired student amidst the crowd of students. He flinched slightly.

"IZUKU MIDORIYA PLACED FIRST IN THE QUALIFIER. HE'LL BE WORTH 10 MILLION."

Everyone's eyes were now on Midoriya, eyes scanning their target as Midnight continued. Midoriya felt his body shake, frighteningly, as he tried to shake off the gazes of the students, including those of his own class.

His heart was beating a mile a minute, thumping loudly against his chest. He was now the main target.

He remembered what others would say to him. What Bakugo would say to him.

'YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO HANG WITH THE BEST OF THE BEST!! YOU'RE JUST A QUICKLESS WANNABE!!"

Midoriya caught Bakugo's pointed gaze as he glanced over to him, nervously. 'Things have changed so much since junior high, but I'm still a target. I'm only in first place right now because of some good luck... Not that it matters now...' Midoriya thought to himself, still sensing the burdening feeling of a great amount of eyes staring right at him.

'What they say is true... Its hard being at the top. Right, All Might?'

"FIRST YEARS!! THESE ARE THE RULES THAT YOU WILL ABIDE BY:" Midnight said, enthusiastically with another loud snap. "The game itself will last 15 minutes!! Each individual point value will be added to reach you team goal. Everyone will know how much your worth, thanks to your headbands. Swipe as many headbands as you can to raise your team's score. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up. So the more you steal, the harder it'll be to manage them! And another thing!! Even if your headband gets stolen or your team falls down, you can keep playing until time's up!!"

Students began to murmur among themselves in groups between the few seconds of silence.

"Its anyone's game then." Yaoyorozu muttered, holding her chin, pensively.

"And since there's 42 contestants, there will be 10 or 12 teams on the battlefield the entire time." Sato added on.

"Sounds hard..." Aoyama mumbled, holding his stomach.

"So, if you lose your headband at the beginning, you have more time to make up a plan." Ashido explained out loud.

"I don't know, Mina. Maybe be should wait and see how the teams turn out before we start strategizing." Asui noted.

"THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. You may use your Quirks as much as you like. BUT... There are still rules. Male a team fall on purpose and I'll slap you with a red card. YOU'LL BE DISQUALIFIED!!" Midnight said, playing with the strips of her whip.

"Tch." Bakugo clicked his tongue at the last rule, annoyingly, before the screen revealed a 15 minute timer ready for the start.

"NOW!! YOU'VE GOT 15 MINUTES TO BUILD YOUR TEAMS. GOOD LUCK, FIRST YEARS."