Chapter 98 Last 2 Minutes

As Ashido Mina shouted in alarm, her team turned their heads upward.

Sure enough, Akira was descending rapidly from the sky, his team in tow, closing the distance in mere seconds.

The atmosphere grew tense as everyone realized the stakes. The battle was nearing its climax, and the melee had become chaotic. Even Akira's team couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Akira, slow down! We're gonna crash!" Kaminari yelled, his voice tinged with panic.

Yaoyorozu and Hatsume were too frightened to even speak, clutching onto their positions tightly.

Meanwhile, Shoto Todoroki's team braced themselves. "Tokoyami, get ready!" Todoroki shouted.

"Understood!" Tokoyami replied firmly.

A dark shadow surged from his abdomen, expanding rapidly and reaching toward Akira and his team.

Akira smirked, his confidence unshaken. "I was planning to chase you down, but since you're making the first move, I'll make it worth your while!"

With a swift motion of his hand, a massive sand construct rose from the ground, gripping Tokoyami's shadow firmly and pulling it toward him.

"No! My Dark Shadow is restrained!" Tokoyami called out, his voice grim.

Midoriya and the rest of the team exchanged anxious glances, the pressure mounting. The horseback battle rules restricted their full strength, leaving them at a disadvantage. They lacked the coordination of an experienced team, and their improvisation wasn't enough against Akira's precision.

"This is bad… he's catching up to us," Mina muttered, a nervous edge in her voice.

"Stay calm!" Todoroki barked. "We can't afford to panic now. Adapt and react!"

Akira's team landed smoothly as the shadow broke free from the sand's grip. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow retaliated with a powerful punch aimed directly at Akira and his team.

Kaminari grinned. "Leave this to me!"

Before Akira could reply, Kaminari unleashed a burst of electricity, countering Dark Shadow's attack. The shadow recoiled, shrinking back to Tokoyami.

"Careful not to short-circuit yourself!" Akira reminded, his tone sharp but steady.

"I got this, no worries!" Kaminari said confidently, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Todoroki wasn't one to waste time. He waved his hand, raising an ice wall to separate his team from Akira's.

Present Mic's voice boomed through the stadium. "Only two minutes left, folks! Can Akira Kitagawa take the coveted 10 million points from Todoroki's team? The tension is unreal!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement filling the air.

"Damn it, two minutes!" Akira muttered, his gaze darting to the scoreboard.

Todoroki's team still held the top spot with the 10 million points. Akira's team was in second place, followed by Bakugo's. Meanwhile, Monoma's team lagged far behind, their earlier schemes falling apart.

"Time's running out—move, move, move!" Akira ordered.

Using Hatsume's equipment and Yaoyorozu's modifications, Kaminari propelled their team forward. In seconds, they closed the gap between themselves and Todoroki's team.

"They're catching up!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Not yet!" Todoroki shouted, freezing the ground in a desperate attempt to slow them down.

But Akira waved his hand, and the ice shattered into harmless fragments, leaving a clear path for his team.

"They're here!" Mina cried out, panic creeping into her voice.

"Dark Shadow, block them!" Tokoyami commanded.

The shadow surged forward, expanding rapidly. But Akira was ready. With another sweep of his hand, a massive sand construct emerged, grappling Dark Shadow and holding it in place.

In mere moments, Akira was face-to-face with Todoroki. His speed and precision left no time for a counterattack.

"What?!" Todoroki gasped, his instincts urging him to unleash his full strength. But before he could act, he felt a tug at his neck.

When he looked down, the headband carrying the 10 million points was gone.

"How… when…?" Todoroki was stunned. Akira's movements were so fast and precise that he hadn't even noticed the headband being taken.

"It's over," Akira said calmly. "Time to find Bakugo next."

He turned, leading his team away with a composed demeanor.

Midoriya clenched his fists. "We can't let him get away! We have to chase him!"

But before they could act, Todoroki's voice cut through. "Stop."

The team turned to him, confused.

"As long as we still have the 10 million points, we'll stay in first place. Chasing him now will only risk everything," Todoroki explained, his tone measured despite his frustration.

The team hesitated but ultimately nodded. Chasing Akira at this point was a gamble they couldn't afford to take.

The clock ticked down as the stadium buzzed with anticipation, the final minutes promising an unforgettable conclusion.