[34] Mine Over Matter

The roar of the crowd faded as Midnight strode onto the stage, her presence commanding attention. With a sharp crack of her whip, silence fell over the stadium.

"Now, let's get this show on the road!" Midnight's voice rang out, her arm sweeping towards a massive screen. "It's time to reveal our first event!"

The screen lit up, a giant slot machine materializing. The reels spun, a blur of colors and symbols. My heart raced as I watched, the possibilities flashing before my eyes.

Click. Click. Click.

The reels slowed, aligning one by one.

"OBSTACLE COURSE," I murmured, the words a steady rhythm in my mind.

Midnight's voice cut through my thoughts. "A four-kilometer race around the stadium! No restrictions except staying within the course boundaries. Anything goes!"

I absorbed the key details, filtering out the rest. Four kilometers. No restrictions. Stay in bounds.

"Racers, take your positions!" Midnight's command cracked like a starting gun.

I drifted to the rear of the pack, letting the chaos swirl around me. Closing my eyes, I reached for that well of power within. "Breathe in," I whispered. "Breathe out." The world faded away, leaving only the course ahead.

A buzzer sounded. "BEGIN!" Midnight shouted.

I exploded forward, legs pumping, heart hammering. Present Mic's voice boomed overhead, Aizawa's reluctant commentary barely audible beneath.

"The start is crucial," Aizawa grumbled. "Why did I let you talk me into this?"

The crowd surged forward, a chaotic mass of bodies and quirks. Ahead, a narrow passage formed a bottleneck. Students jostled for position, quirks flaring.

A blast of frigid air hit my back. I shivered, glancing behind to see Todoroki's ice spreading across the ground. Students slipped and skidded, their progress halted.

I maintained my footing, weaving through the struggling competitors. One For All hummed at 3%, giving me just enough edge to stay ahead.

Todoroki and I emerged neck and neck from the passage, sprinting full tilt. A thunderous boom announced Bakugo's arrival, a shockwave of heat and force washing over us.

"Don't you dare think you've won, you bastards!" Bakugo's raw, furious voice cut through the air.

"And there you have it, folks!" Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium. "Bakugo joins Midoriya and Todoroki at the front! What a showdown we have brewing!"

Ahead, a solid wall of gleaming steel blocked our path. Robots, dozens of them, stood between us and the next stretch of the course.

"It's the ROBO INFERNO!" Present Mic shouted. "How will our leaders handle this mechanical mayhem?"

Todoroki reacted first. Ice spread from his right side, creating a slick, uneven surface beneath the robots. They wobbled and teetered, losing their balance as Todoroki wove through the chaos.

Bakugo's approach was as brazen and explosive as ever. He launched himself into the air, propelled by his quirk. "Out of my way, you hunks of junk!" he roared, soaring over the robots' heads.

I seized the opening they created, darting between flailing metal limbs. My movements were precise, fluid. A robotic arm swung at my head; I ducked, feeling the rush of air as it passed. Another tried to grab me; I twisted away, slipping through its grasp like smoke through fingers.

"Would you look at that!" Present Mic's voice boomed. "Midoriya's putting on a masterclass in evasion! That's some fancy footwork, folks!"

I pushed forward, keeping pace with Todoroki and Bakugo. The robot obstacle faded behind us, but I knew better than to relax. This was just the beginning.

"What's next?" I muttered, scanning the path ahead.

As we approached the next obstacle, a gaping chasm stretched before us. Stone pillars jutted out at irregular intervals, connected by thin tightropes. A safety net hung far below, almost mockingly.

I skidded to a halt at the edge, Todoroki and Bakugo flanking me. We exchanged quick glances, each assessing the other's next move.

Todoroki stepped onto the starting platform. "Catching up to me won't be so easy," he said, ice surging from his foot to create a bridge between the first two pillars.

"Bastard!" Bakugo snarled, palms sparking. "I don't need your ice!" He launched himself forward, explosions propelling him towards the next pillar.

I activated One For All at 3%, just enough to enhance my agility without drawing too much attention. Observing their approaches, I formulated my strategy. Todoroki's ice path was solid but slow to create. Bakugo's explosions were powerful but reckless, each blast destabilizing the tightropes.

I stepped onto the first rope, finding my balance. As I moved, I increased my speed, adjusting to the swaying and shaking caused by Bakugo's blasts.

"Looking a bit unsteady there, Kacchan!" I called out.

"Shut it, Deku!" he roared back, intensifying his explosions.

I pressed on, my natural agility enhanced by One For All allowing me to close the gap. Todoroki glanced back, noticing my approach. He increased the speed of his ice path creation, but I was gaining ground.

As we neared the end of the obstacle, I prepared for my final leap. I landed solidly on the other side, Todoroki's frosty arrival and Bakugo's explosive impact following close behind.

We shared a moment of silent acknowledgment before sprinting towards the next challenge.

The final obstacle came into view: a minefield. The ground was pockmarked with circular protrusions, each one a potential explosion waiting to happen.

Present Mic's voice boomed overhead. "Welcome to the final challenge, folks! One wrong step and BOOM!"

Aizawa's dry tone cut in. "It's a test of caution and strategy. Let's see how they handle it."

We approached cautiously, exchanging glances. Bakugo's face twisted into a snarl, while Todoroki's eyes narrowed in calculation.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. The mines weren't just obstacles - they were potential tools.

I sprinted forward, intentionally triggering a mine. The explosion propelled me ahead, giving me a sudden lead.

"Unbelievable!" Present Mic shouted. "Midoriya's using the mines to his advantage!"

Bakugo's enraged roar followed me. "Deku, you bastard!" He started detonating mines himself, using the explosions for propulsion.

Todoroki attempted to create an ice path above the mines, but the uneven terrain made it difficult to maintain.

I navigated the field with calculated steps and leaps, balancing risk and progress. Each move was planned, each detonation timed for maximum effect.

Glancing back, I saw Bakugo gaining ground. Time for a little misdirection. I triggered a cluster of mines in his path, the explosion momentarily halting his advance.

With a final burst of speed, I set off a rapid series of detonations, using the blasts to propel me towards the finish line.

"Incredible!" Present Mic's voice was hoarse. "Izuku Midoriya takes first place with an explosive finish!"

As the dust settled, I turned to see Bakugo storming towards me.

"This isn't over, Deku," he growled, getting in my face. "I'll crush you in the next round."

I met his glare steadily, a small smirk playing on my lips. "Looking forward to it, Kacchan. May the best hero win."

He stomped off, leaving me to survey the aftermath of the race. Todoroki caught my eye from across the field, his expression unreadable. A worthy opponent, that one. I'd need to keep a close watch on him.

I stood in the middle of the field, the roar of the crowd washing over me. Calculated or not, the rush of victory was intoxicating. I raised my hand, offering a wave to the cheering masses. The response was immediate - a wall of sound that seemed to shake the stadium.

My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for one face in particular. There - in the VIP box. Mom. Her eyes were glistening, her smile wider than I'd ever seen it. For a moment, the mask slipped. I waved to her, my smile softening into something real.

"Izuku, you're amazing!" a female voice screamed from the stands. More followed:

"Midoriya, you're so cool!"

"Please notice me, Izuku!"

A tap on my shoulder pulled me from the crowd. I turned to find Momo, her eyes shining.

"Izuku, that was incredible!" she exclaimed, her voice barely audible over the crowd's roar. "The way you used those mines... I've never seen anything like it!"

I grinned. "Thanks, Momo. I just saw an opportunity and took it."

She shook her head, ponytail swaying. "Don't downplay it. You showed real tactical thinking out there."

I lowered my voice, leaning in slightly. "Well, I had a great study partner to help me prepare."

A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Oh, stop it. You did all the work yourself."

"Speaking of work," I said, glancing around at our classmates trickling in from the race, "how did you do?"

Momo's smile faltered slightly. "I... didn't place as high as I'd hoped. Those robots at the start gave me trouble."

I nodded, considering. "Creation takes time. You probably didn't have enough to make anything substantial, right?"

"Exactly," she sighed. "By the time I could create something useful, others had already broken through."

"Hey," I said, catching her eye. "This is just the first event. You'll have plenty of chances to show what you can do."

Her posture straightened, determination replacing disappointment. "You're right. I won't let this setback define me."

"That's the spirit," I grinned. "Now, let's see what Midnight has in store for us next."

As if on cue, Midnight's voice boomed across the stadium. "Attention, students! The top 42 finishers will move on to the next round!"

I scanned the crowd, noting who had made the cut. Todoroki, Bakugo, Tokoyami, Iida... all of our class had pulled through.

"Looks like we both made it," Momo said, relief evident in her voice.

I nodded, already thinking ahead. "Yeah, but we can't relax yet. Whatever's coming next is bound to be even tougher."

Midnight cracked her whip, silencing the murmurs rippling through the crowd. "The next event is... a Cavalry Battle!"

A collective gasp went up from the students. I frowned, running through potential strategies in my head.

"You'll form teams of two to four people," Midnight continued. "Each person will be assigned a point value based on their placement in the obstacle course. But, the person who came in first will be worth... ten million points!"

The stadium erupted in chaos. I felt dozens of eyes lock onto me, I could practically feel the target being painted on my back.

Perfect.

I smiled, meeting the gazes of my classmates and rivals. Let them come. Let them try to take my points. It would only make my victory all the sweeter.