The participants of the obstacle race began entering the finish area one by one. Their breathing was ragged, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they tried to gulp down as much oxygen as possible. Sweat poured down their faces and P.E. uniforms, soiled by dust, dirt, and the remnants of mine explosions. They leaned on each other's knees, struggling to stand upright after enduring such brutal physical torment.
Among the crowd of exhausted participants stood Midoriya, Bakugo, Todoroki, and Tokoyami. The condition of the four young men who had once led the front pack now looked utterly chaotic and pitiful. Their clothes were covered in black scorch marks and tears from taking the consecutive mine explosions directly—purely caused by Fuse's sudden mischief from the sky above.
Bakugo appeared to be the one most consumed by explosive rage. Every muscle in his body trembled violently, restraining his emotions. His bleeding lips quivered, and from between his tightly clenched teeth, he hissed curses in a low voice that sounded incredibly threatening.
"AGAAIN?! DAMN IT!! BASTARD...!!"
Bakugo shifted his sharp gaze. His red eyes glared at the figure of Fuse, who was standing casually not far from him. He remained silent for several seconds, his breathing rapid. But realizing that throwing a tantrum wouldn't change anything, he finally bit his own lower lip to suppress his frustration. Without uttering a single word to the perpetrator, Bakugo spun around roughly and walked away from that place, stomping his feet hard against the ground.
Seeing him leave with a face so clearly fighting back fury, Fuse—who had been the center of attention since earlier—could only grin wide. A very infuriating smile of satisfaction adorned his face, which was clean without a single drop of sweat.
At this moment, Midoriya, still panting and enduring the stinging pain on his skin, walked toward Fuse. Though he looked incredibly exhausted, Midoriya's face radiated genuine admiration.
"Y-you're truly amazing, Fuse-kun!" Midoriya praised, trying to catch his breath. "You managed to catch up to all of us in such a short time!"
Fuse glanced at Midoriya from the corner of his eye, raising one eyebrow with a dismissive air. "Wasn't that obvious from the start?" Fuse said in a flat tone, as if he'd just done the most normal thing in the world. "A king always walks last to claim his crown."
"A king never stands alongside his soldiers at the starting line. They choose to wait, letting ordinary people run and tear each other down first, while they only step forward in the final moments to claim victory."
Hearing that arrogant answer, Midoriya could only smile awkwardly and scratch the back of his head that wasn't even itchy. "Ah... y-yeah. Of course. You're right, Fuse-kun."
Not long after, a dark silhouette glided toward them. Tokoyami stepped forward through the remaining dust on the field. His bird-shaped face looked completely flat, showing no emotion whatsoever.
Seeing Tokoyami's arrival, Fuse couldn't help but smirk, intending to tease his friend. "How about it, Tokoyami? Surprised by my performance earlier?"
"Honestly? Not really," Tokoyami answered in his deep, hoarse voice. "Actually, this might not be something you should be proud of, Fuse. But for some reason... I knew immediately that you would do something crazy at the end of the race. Especially when I remembered that back at the starting line, you had no intention of running right away like the other normal participants."
Tokoyami crossed both arms over his chest, staring at Fuse with narrowed eyes. "There's no way someone like you—a maniac who always wants to act like the main protagonist—would suddenly pass up a golden opportunity to stand out and steal all the camera spotlight for yourself alone."
A soft laugh escaped Fuse's lips. He lifted both shoulders very casually, accepting the criticism as if it were praise. "You seem to know my way of thinking very well, Tokoyami. Just as I'd expect from a shadow friend who's always been by my side. This was simply an inevitable outcome."
"But still, your action really surprised all of us, Fuse-kun!" Midoriya, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly cut in with a very enthusiastic voice.
Midoriya stared at Fuse with sparkling eyes. "Earlier at the starting line, you did look far behind us. It was obvious you were deliberately waiting for the right moment. But to actually overtake everyone from the air... that was insane! You even got past all those robots and mines so easily. At least, if I measure it against my current abilities, doing something like that still feels like a very distant dream."
Fuse turned to look at Midoriya's admiring face. "Oh? So you think what I did earlier was something unreasonable?"
Midoriya looked confused, searching for the right words. He fidgeted with his fingers. "Umm... it's really hard to explain with the right words. But... yeah, that's roughly how it is. It felt impossible."
"Use your logic, Midoriya," Fuse responded in a tone like a teacher lecturing his student. "Why should I exhaust myself running and sweating on the ground with my own two legs when I have the ability to fly freely through the air and bypass every obstacle below?"
Fuse then pointed toward the exit gate with his chin. "Besides, wasn't cutting through the route the same thing Bakugo did when he used his explosions to fly and chase you from behind earlier?"
Hearing that very logical argument, Midoriya froze for a moment, then slowly nodded his head. "Ah... that's true. Come to think of it, there's actually a point to what you're saying, Fuse-kun."
"You were all just unlucky," Fuse said, ending the chat session. He boasted again. "The potential of my magnetic quirk is truly limitless. So it's only natural that I can do crazy things like that. This is all just the natural destiny of a protagonist like me."
Hearing that endless arrogance, Midoriya and Tokoyami could only exchange glances and laugh awkwardly, not knowing what to say in return.
The sound of high-heeled footsteps echoed across the main concrete stage. The hero Midnight raised her microphone high, a seductive smile gracing her face.
"Attention, everyone! The next preliminary match is about to begin!" Midnight shouted, her voice cutting through the stadium noise. "And now, the first round is officially over! Let's see who managed to survive!"
The giant monitor screen behind her flickered, displaying a list of names.
"From first place through forty-second place and above, you all have the right to advance to the next round!!!" Midnight announced with full spirit. "Sorry to those participants who failed to reach the finish line or placed in the lower ranks. But don't be sad—take it in stride! There are still plenty of exciting festival events prepared especially for you outside the main arena! And now, since the obstacle race is finished, it's time to move on to the next event. Time for the second round!"
Midnight spun her flexible body, her whip cracking through the air with a sharp sound.
"For this very exciting and thrilling second-round event... this is the Human Cavalry Battle!"
Midnight then pressed a button. On the giant screen, animated graphics began appearing, explaining the rules of the game at length. Each team would consist of four people. The points earned by each participant would be calculated based on the ranking they achieved in the first preliminary round. And those points had to be protected in the form of a headband worn by the rider on top of the human horse formation.
The atmosphere on the grass field suddenly became tense. Every student began glancing at other students with calculating, wary eyes.
"BUT THERE IS ONE SPECIAL RULE!" Midnight's voice suddenly rose, reverberating to every corner of the stadium. She pointed directly at the cluster of participants with her slender index finger. "FOR THOSE WHO MANAGED TO SECURE FIRST PLACE IN THE PRELIMINARY ROUND JUST NOW..."
The atmosphere fell deathly silent, like a graveyard. All participants held their breath, waiting for the head judge to continue.
"THE REWARD POINTS THEY POSSESS ARE... TEN MILLION POINTS!!"
Instantly, upon hearing that insane, nonsensical number, the eyes of every participant from various classes and departments on the green field shifted and locked onto one person. Their gazes were filled with the lust for victory and a very dense aura of hostility.
They all stared sharply at Fuse!
Unlike the other participants who looked shocked or frightened, Fuse simply stood still in his place. He lowered his head, hiding a thin smile on his lips. In his mind, he didn't feel panicked at all. On the contrary, he had predicted with certainty that this unfair rule would be applied to him. After all, he had already followed the story's plot firsthand. The announcement didn't manage to surprise him in the slightest.
Immediately after Midnight declared that the time to form teams had begun, chaos erupted. The atmosphere on the field became noisy again. Participants started running around, shouting for their friends, and rushing to form teams with people they deemed to have matching strength.
However, in the midst of all the busy people searching for teammates, a circular empty zone formed.
A deserted area leaving Fuse standing alone in the middle of the field. Not a single student—whether from his own class or others—dared approach him or offer to join.
Seeing this, Fuse let out a long sigh, feeling puzzled. "Not a single person wants to form a team with me? You've got to be kidding me. Seriously? Even though if they joined me, my victory and my team's victory would already be guaranteed, wouldn't it?"
Feeling that this ostracization was completely illogical and damaging to his reputation as a leader, Fuse finally decided to move. He walked toward Midoriya and Uraraka, who appeared to be having a serious conversation not far from him.
The sound of Fuse's footsteps approached them. "Oi, Midoriya. Have you finished forming your team for this event?" Fuse asked in a casual tone. He stopped and stood right in front of his two classmates. "How about it? Want to be on the same team as me?"
Hearing that direct offer, Midoriya and Uraraka instantly froze. The two of them looked into each other's eyes with very awkward expressions, as if engaging in telepathic communication. Then, slowly, they turned their faces back toward Fuse in silence.
"Why are you two just standing there like statues?" Fuse narrowed his eyes suspiciously, sensing something was off.
"Oi, don't tell me you've actually already formed a secret team and made some sort of plan behind my back without my knowledge at all?" Fuse asked, his tone starting to sound a little disappointed. He let out a rough sigh. "Hah... so this is what it feels like to be betrayed and cast aside by your own classmates."
While Fuse was staring sharply at Midoriya and Uraraka, a heavy voice suddenly came from behind his back.
"Forgive our actions, Fuse. But... it doesn't feel right for ordinary people like us to join the same team as a protagonist like you."
It was Fumikage Tokoyami's voice. The bird-headed young man walked slowly toward them. He kept his eyes shut tight and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, as if unwilling to look at his childhood friend's face.
Hearing that clearly fabricated excuse, Fuse's face immediately furrowed. "The lies coming out of your mouths are incredibly obvious. Are you guys even trying to lie to me?"
But the next second, Fuse's facial expression returned to calm and flat. "Your panicked faces are as clear as glass. Completely transparent. Even a street beggar could lie with far more conviction than all of you. I'm not stupid. That ridiculous explanation is just a blunt rejection. The bottom line is, you're all planning something and don't want to be on the same team as me, right?"
Fuse stared sharply, looking directly into the eyes of Midoriya, Uraraka, and Tokoyami in turn. He waited for the real explanation.
"..."
Silence.
Not a single word of reply came from the mouths of those three. All of them just stood with their heads down, feeling guilty for having rejected the direct offer from their own class rep.
Seeing their speechless reaction, Fuse let out another long sigh. "A wise man once said, silence means consent."
His expression did look slightly disappointed, as he felt he'd been ignored—but in truth, he had already predicted that this would eventually happen. What sane participant on this field didn't have ambition and wouldn't want to target the first-place position worth ten million points? Of course they would all treat him as an enemy to compete for those points.
This is the heavy price that must be paid. Being number one and standing at the very top means being prepared to bear the loneliness and isolation, Fuse thought. It does feel a little sad. But it doesn't matter to me. I understand perfectly well the main purpose behind all of your actions.
"Planning to work together to take down the number one, huh. Fine. Isn't that a very noble life purpose for all of you." Fuse lifted both shoulders very casually, as if completely unaffected by the betrayal.
"Then go ahead and try to take my headband."
After issuing that open challenge, Fuse immediately spun around. He walked away with steady steps, taking several paces forward, away from the group. But before he walked too far, he slightly turned his head back toward them over his shoulder. A very mocking smile was carved wide across his face. "Of course... that's if you feel you can actually go up against me."
Fuse had already walked quite a distance away from them. But his sharp ears could still catch the echo of a soft voice spoken from behind him.
"I'm sorry, Fuse-kun."
The whispered voice, full of regret, clearly came from the mouth of Izuku Midoriya.
Hearing the sincere apology from his friend, Fuse didn't stop walking. He only raised one hand and waved it in the air without bothering to turn around.
He responded to Midoriya by shouting in a slightly louder voice so it could carry across the distance between them. "There's no need to feel guilty about apologizing to me! In fact, I should be the one thanking all of you. With your hostility, it means this competition won't bore me. I'm really looking forward to your attacks in the next event!"
After saying those parting words, Fuse's gaze began sweeping across the green field, searching for new prey.
At this moment, his eyes caught something. He immediately walked toward someone who was standing alone in a corner of the field with a very panicked, cold-sweating expression.
"Hey, gooner," Fuse greeted. He stopped right in front of the short figure and lowered his head to meet his face.
Before him, Minoru Mineta suddenly felt something very large block the morning sunlight shining on him. He quickly looked up to see who dared to obstruct his view.
Seeing Fuse's arrogant face staring down at him, Mineta immediately felt very irritated. "Hah?! What do you want, getting close to me?!" Mineta shouted, furrowing his brows in displeasure.
Instead of taking offense at the rude reply, Fuse stared at Mineta with a thoroughly dismissive look. "Join and become a member of my team. This is an absolute order from me. No refusals are allowed for this sentence. It is a direct decree from the mouth of a great protagonist."
Hearing that very forceful and arrogant invitation, Mineta was beyond shocked. His eyes bulged. But then, sensing something unfair, he immediately asked in a protesting tone. "Wait a second! What about my own opinion? Don't I have the right to refuse your invitation?!"
"Your opinion has absolutely no meaning and is not needed here. I am the class rep, so I possess full authority. And I am exercising it right now on you," Fuse replied coldly.
After delivering that feelingless decree, Fuse immediately turned away and began walking in another direction, leaving Mineta still frozen in place.
Hearing Fuse's incredibly selfish words, Mineta's face flushed red with anger. "What did you say?! Authority?! What kind of bullshit is that?!"
Mineta glared at Fuse's back as he walked away. He started running after him, shouting loudly behind Fuse like a little kid whose favorite toy had just been snatched by an adult. "Hey, you! Get back here and face me! Don't you dare ignore me like that, damn it!"
Feeling his ears very disturbed by the noisy, deafening drivel of the small kid behind him, Fuse narrowed both eyes and stopped in his tracks abruptly.
Because he stopped so suddenly, Mineta, who was running behind him, couldn't brake in time and crashed hard into Fuse's long leg.
"Ow!" Mineta yelped in pain. He stepped back a pace while rubbing his head that hurt from crashing into Fuse's leg. Then he looked up at Fuse's face. Instead of being angry, Mineta suddenly grinned wide. "So you finally decided to stop and listen to me, damn it!"
"Shut your mouth and be quiet," Fuse hissed, squinting his eyes sharply at Mineta.
Fuse then let out a long, silent breath. In his heart, he felt deep regret. Good grief... for me, a great hero, to actually get ragebaited and have my emotions provoked just by the stupid drivel of this short person.
Trying to calm himself, Fuse looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. He then leaned down slightly and spoke to Mineta in a quiet, secretive whisper.
"Listen to me carefully, Shorty. In my house, I have a certain secret document file. You know very well what kind of file I'm talking about. If you're willing to cooperate with me today, I'll give you that file later after this event is over. For free, of course, without you needing to pay a single cent. So shut your mouth tight right now and just follow all my instructions without a lot of protesting."
Hearing that incredibly tempting bribe, Mineta's eyes instantly went as wide as saucers. Saliva nearly dripped from the corner of his lips. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?! A SECRET DOCUMENT FILE?!" Mineta shrieked in an extremely high-pitched voice because he was too excited.
Hearing Mineta's ear-piercing scream, Fuse instantly panicked.
"HEY, DON'T BE NOISY, YOU IDIOT!" Fuse shouted back in a panic, his face turning red as he covered it, then hurriedly placed his index finger in front of his own lips to tell Mineta to shut up.
But it was too late—the rice had already become porridge. Mineta's scream had already been heard by many people. Fuse could feel many eyes from students of other classes suddenly turn and lock onto him with strange looks.
Faintly, Fuse heard some of them standing not far away whispering among themselves about him.
"Tch, damn you, Mineta," Fuse cursed, feeling extremely irritated that his cool image had just been shattered. But before long, he could only let out a long breath, resigning himself to his embarrassment.
"Wow, Fuse... honestly, I never would've guessed that you're actually the type of pervert who likes that kind of thing behind your oh-so-cool facade," Mineta whispered mockingly near his feet while chuckling softly.
"What do you mean by that, huh?! I'm also just a normal teenage boy like you!" Fuse, still very irritated at feeling slandered, immediately leaned down and glared at Mineta with a killing gaze.
"Forget about that! So what's your decision now? Are you in or not?" Fuse demanded impatiently.
Mineta suddenly went quiet. He held his chin, putting on a deep-thinking face as if mathematically calculating all the pros and cons he would get from joining Fuse's team.
Not long after, a perverted smile reappeared on his face. He nodded quickly.
"Alright, if that's the offer. I agree to fight on the same team as you, Fuse!"
"Filthy mind. Discussing things at length with you truly just wastes my precious time," Fuse grumbled, massaging his temples.
He immediately spun around and walked away again without caring about Mineta, who was now faithfully jogging behind him like a little duckling.
Then, Fuse stopped once more, right in front of another young man who was standing alone.
"Hey you, ordinary person. Join me."
...
A/N: I should have updated this chapter yesterday. I'm sorry. Tomorrow I'll try to update another one on Patreon!