Mineta, You are Up

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Having left the classroom behind, the students of Class 1-A quickly gathered in the gymnasium, the energy buzzing in anticipation of the friendly bout that was about to ensue.

The students lined up on one side, their varying expressions reflecting their mixed emotions. Some were clearly eager, others apprehensive, but all wore a hint of anticipation. Facing them, Mirio Togata and Tamaki Amajiki stood ready.

Nejire was still hovering near Mokami, her hand lingering near his arm, her curiosity and enthusiasm still radiating brightly. Togata crossed his arms over his chest, his stance oozing confidence. "Are we doing this or what?" he called out, his voice echoing in the gymnasium.

Mokami, unperturbed by the energy in the room, chuckled, "I guess, I play Zhang Xuan," he responded. His cryptic statement was met with confused glances from the class, but Mokami ignored them. His gaze fell on Mineta, who looked visibly nervous. Mokami beckoned him over, and Mineta hesitantly stepped forward.

As the two whispered together, the room fell silent, every eye watching them. A few moments passed before Mineta, bolstered by whatever Mokami had told him, straightened his posture and walked towards Togata, determination etched on his face.

"Are you sure about this, Mokami?" Nejire asked, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Mokami only offered her a small smile in response, his eyes never leaving the center of the gym.

Mineta squared up to Togata, a palpable tension filling the air. The class watched with bated breath as the unlikely challenger stepped up to face the Pro Hero.

Togata smirked confidently, seemingly unimpressed by his opponent. Yet, as soon as the signal was given, Mineta sprang into action. Despite his diminutive stature, his movements were fluid and calculated.

Mineta crouched low, his small form nearly invisible as he prepared himself. The once-quiet gym was now filled with hushed whispers, all eyes focused on the center of the makeshift battlefield. Everyone watched, waiting for the action to unfold.

"Go!" Aizawa called out.

Without wasting a moment, Mineta sprang into action. His hand shot out, launching a cascade of tiny spheres that filled the air. It was his signature move, but with an interesting twist, thanks to his training.

"Ballistic Barrage!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the gymnasium walls.

As his spheres whizzed through the air, they began to demonstrate different properties. Some were sticky, others bounced with high elasticity, and some even seemed as hard as rocks. His once singular quirk had evolved, providing him a versatility he had never had before.

Mirio leaped into action. His quirk, Permeation, allowed him to phase through solid matter, but Mineta's barrage of spheres created a unique problem. He could phase through the projectiles, but not without the risk of running into the sticky ones.

Meanwhile, Mineta continued to fire his spheres strategically. He coated parts of the floor with sticky spheres, making a treacherous obstacle course. At the same time, he launched high-elasticity spheres that ricocheted wildly across the gym, forcing Mirio to keep his Quirk activated and be constantly on the move.

"Keep going, Mineta!" Mokami encouraged from the sidelines, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Mirio, attempted to make a quick charge at Mineta, but was met with a wall of hardened spheres. Mineta had used his quirk to create a makeshift barrier, forcing Mirio to rethink his strategy.

Taking the moment of respite, Mineta continued to cover more of the floor with sticky spheres. He could see Mirio growing more cautious, which was exactly what he needed. The match was playing out just as Mokami had foreseen.

With a newfound determination, Mirio rushed forward again. He tried to outmaneuver the bouncing spheres while also avoiding the sticky patches. His eyes darted across the battlefield, carefully gauging his next move.

However, just as he thought he had found an opening, Mineta launched a hardened sphere right at him. Mirio reacted instinctively, phasing through the projectile. But as he re-solidified, Mineta had another surprise waiting.

The moment Mirio deactivated his Quirk to drop and avoid the sticky traps, Mineta launched another "Ballistic Barrage." This time, elastic spheres rained down from all directions, leaving Mirio no room to dodge.

Caught off guard, Mirio was bombarded by the spheres, which bounced him around erratically. Before he could recover, he was thrust onto a patch of sticky spheres.

"Gotcha!" Mineta shouted triumphantly.

Silence filled the gymnasium as everyone processed what had just happened. Mirio Togata, a Pro Hero, had been outsmarted and outmaneuvered by Mineta.

"Well, that was to be expected," Momo remarked, her eyebrows arched in mirth.

Mirio sat up, looking at his body in disbelief. His uniform was covered in sticky spheres, effectively immobilizing him. The bravado he had previously exuded was replaced with a stunned silence. He had boldly declared he would take on the whole of Class 1-A and here he was, incapacitated by a single student, one considered underdog by most. He blinked, trying to process his defeat.

A collective gasp filled the gymnasium. Mirio, the Pro Hero who was almost impenetrable due to his Quirk, had been defeated. He was stuck fast to the floor, his attempts at freeing himself proving futile. The silence in the room was almost deafening as everyone's gaze shifted towards Mokami.

"Mokami," Bakugo said, breaking the stunned silence. He scowled, a hint of respect in his tone. "You planned this, didn't you?"

Mokami, seated on the bench, only responded with a slight nod and an enigmatic smile. The classroom buzzed with surprise and admiration. Had he predicted Mirio's moves? Was he that knowledgeable about their quirks, or was it just a stroke of luck? His demeanor suggested the former.

"Wow, Mokami," Uraraka said, a mixture of awe and surprise on her face. "You really are something."

Kirishima clapped Mokami on the shoulder, his eyes shining with respect. "That was some impressive strategy, man."

"Truly," Todoroki mused, his usually impassive face showing a hint of admiration. "Your understanding of Mineta's capabilities and Mirio's Quirk... it's remarkable."

Mineta, still standing in the center of the gym, blushed at the praise, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. He looked towards Mokami, gratitude in his eyes. "Thanks, Mokami," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Nejire looked between Mokami and Mirio, a slow smile spreading across her face. "You really got him, Moka-chan!" she said, her eyes dancing with mirth.

Mirio, finally free of the sticky spheres, rose to his feet. Despite his defeat, he was grinning. "Well, that was unexpected. Good game, Mineta," he said, extending his hand towards the shorter boy. Mineta shook it enthusiastically, his cheeks still pink from his victory.

Turning towards Mokami, Mirio raised an eyebrow. "And you," he said, "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"

Mokami simply shrugged in response, his face unreadable. His eyes, however, were full of amusement.

Jiro, leaning against the wall, caught Mokami's gaze. She smiled at him, a hint of admiration in her eyes. It wasn't often she was taken aback, but Mokami had done just that. Asui, standing beside her, nodded in agreement. Even Momo, who knew her brother best, seemed pleasantly surprised by his quick-thinking.

"Seems like Mokami isn't just a pretty face," Jiro teased, causing Asui to giggle and Momo to roll her eyes fondly.

Mirio dryly laughs, "Well, I had prepared a different lesson plan, but I suppose your strategy today taught us all something important."

Aizawa, who had been observing the match from the sidelines, spoke up. "Care to enlighten the class about the lesson learned, Togata?"

With a broad grin, Mirio addressed the class. "Never underestimate your opponent, no matter how seemingly weak their Quirk may appear. And," he turned to look at Mokami, "never underestimate the power of a good strategy. I'm impressed, Mokami."

The class fell silent at Mirio's words, eyes darting towards Mokami, who simply remained seated, observing everything quietly.

Aizawa cleared his throat. "Good. Now, I'd like to ask the rest of the Big 3 to share their experiences from their internships."

Tamaki, who had been watching everything unfold from the sidelines, shuffled forward nervously. He shared his experience interning under the Pro Hero Fat Gum. It was a simple, heartfelt recollection that highlighted the struggles he faced due to his shy personality and the growth he experienced throughout the internship.

Nejire's recounting of her time with Ryukyu was a whirlwind of energy and excitement. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and the students of Class 1-A found themselves captivated by her stories. She painted a picture of intense training and real-world hero experience, all wrapped up in her bubbly personality.

Mirio, of course, had a lot to share about his internship under Sir Nighteye. Despite his recent defeat in the friendly match, he remained the charismatic, passionate hero that the students looked up to.

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