Chapter 21: Cavalry Battle

The first round ended with Izuku Midoriya winning first place. This surprises everyone including himself and his mother. He was followed by Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo. Meanwhile, Araki placed 11th overall.

"Dude, you're not even panting?" Kaminari asked who placed 24th.

"It's just a lap around the stadium. It was a good warm-up." He said while stretching his arms and legs.

"Warm-up? They filtered out almost everyone except the hero course. This is the most important round." Yaoyorozu said, still with Mineta on her back. Araki pulls the panting Kaminari next to her and forcefully puts the latter's hands-on Mineta's face.

Mineta saw this and panicked – seemingly confused. "Oi, man. Don't do that."

Denki then looks at Araki who was looking at Mineta. Then, he started to count.

"Three." Of course, Denki understood his job.

"What do you mean by three?" Mineta asks. Araki's eyes then moved to the hands attached to the balls, then to Yaoyorozu. This made Mineta understand Araki.

"Two."

"Wait, dude. Let me rest first." Mineta pleaded.

"One."

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Mineta then starts to release his hands one by one. However…

"ABABABABABABA!!!" A strong electrical current came out of Denki's hands.

Mineta then falls to the ground, passed out. Araki then releases Denki's hands who has a surprised look on his face. When Araki left, Denki saw Momo's surprised look too.

"I think you overdid it. Still, thanks." She said as she looks at Denki, then left too. This made Denki dumbfounded again.

'What the fuck? I didn't even do anything? I didn't even activate my quirk! Why is it my fault?'

…

"And Izuku Midoriya, who placed first… Is worth TEN MILLION POINTS!" Midnight announced. This gathers everyone's attention to the timid boy.

"Ten million?"

Meanwhile, after hearing this, Araki and the three others are all looking at each other.

"Should we team up?" Denki asks.

"I don't think so," Araki said.

"Why?" Momo asks. However, Araki just points his eyes at Momo's back. There, they see Todoroki walking up to them. They of course noticed his look on Araki. Without him even saying anything, he pushes Momo and Denki to him.

This earned him their looks to which he responded.

"Make sure that they win." The two, confused, were then persuaded by Araki.

"Great minds think alike. He has the same plan as me, but I don't have his abilities. So you can trust him."

He then left and calls Jirou. "Whatever, he says, don't reply." He whispers to her as they approach a group. There, Jirou saw a purple-haired guy. The same guy that approached them weeks before in the cafeteria.

"Hey, Shinso… right? Looks like you got one already. Can we join?" Araki said, offering his hand. Jirou then sees Ojiro standing near him. However, something is off with him.

"Yeah… Are you sure though?" He was asking but a smile was on his face.

"That's a deal then. I guess you already know our names, so I won't introduce us anymore. I'll be the front horse."

The smile on his face changed to a surprised look. Just then, he was starting to get the reason why Araki approached him.

…

"Cavalry battle… Starts… NOW!!!"

" " "UOOOHHHHHH" " "

The hyped crowd roared at the start of the second game.

The teams have all gathered in the wide arena. Almost all of them though have one team in their eyes. The Midoriya Team. Hearing the start of the round made them all rush to their location.

"Shouldn't we be getting that too?" Jirou asks Araki who was at the front.

"Nope, too many competitors. Let's wait and see. Our rider here has a plan."

The four then strolled around the arena. Given the combination of their abilities, they would have to engage in close combat to get a headband. However, this didn't discourage them as even Jirou trusts Araki.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

"OI, FUCKER! You're under a weakling now?!" The loud explosions alerted them of Bakugo. They just turned around to face him before Shinso's action shocks the enemy.

He quickly removes his 400 points worth of headband and outright gave it. Without even bothering, Bakugo took it and left.

"Don't act proud in front of me again! Or I'll show you where you belong." Bakugo screamed to Araki before leaving.

"He's really troublesome," Jiro said.

"Yeah, just ignore him. We can still get points."

--10 minutes later--

"Let's go," Shinso said as he sees a prey.

"Aye, aye."

The team of four then moved to the nearest group of class B students. Shinso, knowing their name, calls out to them.

"Ibara! Tetsutetsu! Awase! Honenuki!" Ibara, hearing her name, turns around and replies. But that's when her body froze. Seeing that one of them stopped, the three all looked at her and spoke in panic, making them freeze as well.

Jiro watch this in fear while Araki is in amusement. They continued their routine until they saw a barrage of ice form and many groups gathering. They decided to watch in silence as loud booms, jolting, screaming, and ground breaking sounds came from the area of the group.

Some people opted to attack them when they saw them but they always manage to get away in breath's hair and before one could reach them, the buzzer sounded.

The students all stop in their tracks as they protect their headbands for the last time in case someone tries to steal them. Luckily, none of them did. Some groups celebrated while many lamented their defeat seeing how they don't have any headbands.

Not long after, they all gather at the stadium as Midnight announces the winners.

[First Place: Team Todoroki

Second Place: Team Shinso

Third Place: Team Bakugo

Fourth Place: Team Midoriya]

Hearing their team win, Izuku can't help but cry in flooding tears which surprises his teammates. Meanwhile, Ojiro snaps in his daze as he looks around and sees what is happening right now.

"Thanks for the carry, man. You can be a good hero you know. You should try to ask the office. If you want, I can put a good word for you." Araki said as he jokingly punches his shoulder. He then watches as Araki and the others leave for a break time.