Kirishima blinked.
"Bakugo? What's up, man?"
Bakugo ignored him.
His hands crackled with small explosions.
"You slowed down."
Silence.
Yuta's expression didn't change.
"…What?"
"DON'T PLAY DUMB!" Bakugo snarled. "You slowed down at the finish line! I saw it!"
Kirishima stepped forward.
"Bakugo, calm down—"
"SHUT UP!"
Bakugo shoved past him, glaring at Yuta.
"You think you're so noble?! Letting me win?! Like I'm some charity case?!"
Yuta raised his hands defensively.
"I didn't—"
"BULLSHIT!"
[COMMENTATOR'S BOOTH]
Present Mic leaned forward.
"UH OH! IT LOOKS LIKE CLASS 1-A'S BAKUGO HAS GOTTEN INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH CLASS 1-D'S AKUTAMI! WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE?!"
Aizawa's eyes narrowed.
"Look up."
Mic blinked.
"Huh?"
Aizawa pointed at the replay screen.
The feed showed the final seconds of the race.
Yuta sprinting.
Bakugo exploding.
Todoroki skating.
And then—
For just a split second—
Yuta's stride shortened.
His speed dropped.
Just enough for Bakugo to blast past.
The crowd murmured.
Mic's jaw dropped.
"Wait—did he—"
Aizawa's expression darkened.
"He let him win."
Back home
Eri turned slowly to Aiko.
"…He didn't win?"
Aiko stared at the screen.
"…No."
"But he was ahead."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"I don't know, Eri."
The replay started.
Aiko's breath caught.
"…You didn't."
Eri blinked up at her.
"Didn't what?"
Aiko leaned forward, eyes locked on the screen.
The replay looped again.
Clearer this time.
Aiko exhaled slowly.
"…That idiot."
Eri tilted her head.
"Is he okay?"
Aiko rubbed her forehead.
"He's fine. He's just…"
She trailed off.
On screen, Bakugo was shouting at Yuta.
Aiko sighed.
"…going to get himself into trouble."
Eri watched quietly.
Then whispered:
"He's really good though. Right?"
Aiko glanced at her.
Eri was staring at the screen with something that might've been awe.
Aiko's expression softened.
"…Yeah. He is."
She reached over and patted Eri's head gently.
"But don't tell him I said that."
The replay screen looped.
Again.
And again.
The stadium went quiet.
Then erupted.
"HE THREW IT?!"
"WHY WOULD HE DO THAT?!"
"IS HE STUPID?!"
Bakugo's fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
"You…"
Yuta lowered his head with a wry smile. "Right. Forgot they could do that."
"YOU BASTARD!"
"If it helps, I didn't throw the game for you. I honestly thought it would be Todoroki coming in second so ..."
"I'M GONNA MURDER YOU!"
Bakugo lunged forward—
Kirishima grabbed him.
"Bakugo! Stop!"
"LET GO!"
"You're gonna get disqualified!"
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!"
Bakugo struggled, sparks flying. But Kirishima held firm.
Yuta took a step back, hands raised defensively.
'Okay. So maybe I didn't think this through.'
He'd expected some backlash, sure. Maybe a few confused looks. Some whispers.
Not this.
'Should've accounted for the replay screens.'
Another step back.
Kirishima was still holding Bakugo, who looked ready to commit actual murder.
'Well. Better angry classmates than twelve teams trying to rip a headband off my skull.'
Yuta glanced toward where Todoroki stood, arms crossed, watching the commotion with narrowed eyes.
'Oh, Bakugo? He'll be too busy fighting off numerous teams looking for ten million points after this is over.'
The thought almost made him smile.
Almost.
Bakugo's snarl snapped him back to reality.
"When I get my hands on you—"
"Alright, alright!" Kirishima grunted, struggling to keep his grip. "Dude, save it for the next round!"
Yuta took that as his cue.
He turned and walked away.
Fast.
Not too far away,
Mina, Toru, and Asui gathered near the edge of the field.
"So. That happened."
Toru's gloves gestured wildly.
"I can't believe that guy made second place!"
"The one who keeps hitting you. Ribbit."
"YES! THAT ONE!"
Mina snorted.
"Okay, but real talk—he was actually really good."
Toru's sleeves puffed up indignantly.
"That doesn't erase the anything! TRAUMA DOESN'T HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE!"
Asui tilted her head. "Do you think he let Bakugo win on purpose?"
Mina shrugged.
"Looked like it to me."
Toru's gloves clenched.
"…Why would he do that?"
"Dunno. Strategy? Pity? Death wish?
"
"Definitely death wish," Toru said flatly. "Bakugo looked like he wanted to vaporize him."
Asui nodded.
"He's probably going to be a target now. Ribbit."
Mina's grin widened.
"This is gonna be fun to watch."
In another area ...
"I can't believe he really advanced to the next round." Kimura uttered, watching from a distance.
"So much for a weak quirk."
Out of the four of them, only Three had managed to make it to the finish line. Hana moving forward once she reached the second obstacle and was currently somewhere in the stands.
"Should we ... Go talk to him?" At the question, Tanaka beside him fell silent. He hesitated for a moment, seeing Yuta moving further away and ultimately shook his head.
"Probably shouldn't. He's advanced after all. Let's not disturb him." Finishing at the end of the pack, they both knew they had zero chance of passing. "Yeah. .. your're probably right. We can talk after the Festival." Kimura agreed. They both gave the friend they had barely known for a month a look before turning away.
"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE! GATHER AT THE CENTER STAGE!"
Midnight's voice boomed across the arena.
Hundreds of students shuffled together in a messy semicircle around the stage. Yuta slipped into the back, avoiding Bakugo's line of sight like it was poison gas.
Midnight strutted forward with full dominatrix energy.
"FIRST—we'll display the final rankings!"
The jumbo screen lit up.
1. Katsuki Bakugo
2. Yuta Akutami
3. Shoto Todoroki
4. Ibara Shiozaki
...
32. Izuku Midoriya
38. Toru Hagakure
42. Yuga Aoyama
——
TOP 42 ADVANCE.
Gasps, groans, cheers.
Some students slumped in defeat as the bottom ranks were escorted away.
Midnight cracked her whip with a flourish.
"CONGRATULATIONS, FINAL FORTY-TWO!"
The crowd cheered.
"NOW—it's time for our second event!"
The giant screen changed—
A dramatic illustration of All Might grinning heroically while Present Mic and Thirteen dramatically posed around him… with All Might being carried like royalty on the backs of invisible horses.
Midnight winked.
"A CAVALRY BATTLE!"
Groans erupted.
Kaminari threw his hands in the air.
"WHY?! I suck at these! I'm literally built to get kidnapped in this event!"
Midnight ignored him.
"As per usual—participants will form groups of two to four! Work with whoever you want! Trust, betrayal, strategy—it's all allowed!"
Students buzzed, already whispering potential teammates.
Midnight flicked her pointer at the screen.
"However, THIS cavalry battle… comes with a special twist."
The screen changed to a points chart.
"Each student has a point value based on their ranking in the obstacle course!"
"Like the entrance exam…" Ojiro muttered.
"Simple enough," Jiro said.
Midnight continued:
"42nd place is worth 5 points!
41st is 10 points!
And so on… your value increases the higher you placed!"
People began calculating team values in their heads.
Iida nodded firmly. "Logical!"
"BUT—!"
The screen flashed gold.
The crowd held its breath.
Midnight grinned.
"The student who took first place… is worth—"
Silence.
Pregnant silence.
Students leaned in.
"—TEN. MILLION. POINTS!!!"
The stadium went dead silent.
Then—
Slowly…
Every single head…
Turned toward Bakugo.
The boy froze mid-rage, pupils shrinking to pinpoints.
"...huh?"
Then—
Every head turned again.
Toward the far edge.
Where Yuta stood.
Hands in his pockets.
Expression flat.
"…Why are you looking at me?" he muttered while shrinking his head.
'Play ignorant. Play ignorant.'
However, the crowd wasn't ignorant. Neither were many of the hero course students.
Realization dawned.
"Wait…"
"Hold on…"
"If you beat first place, then—"
Midnight's grin widened.
"THAT'S RIGHT, STUDENTS! IT'S SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST! AS LONG AS YOU WIN THE TEN MILLION POINTS, YOU AUTOMATICALLY WIN THE GAME!"
Whispers erupted instantly.
"So second place actually dodged the bullet!"
"Does that mean he slowed down on purpose…?"
"Wait—did he plan this?!"
"Is this why he backed away earlier?!"
"Bro read the future or something—"
It started small.
One person. Then another. Then the murmurs spread.
"How did he even know?"
"Previous sports Festivals?"
If someone could think this much, so could Bakugo.
His eyes widened.
Yuta's last words echoed in his mind.
"If it helps, I thought Todoroki would come in second so…"
Bakugo's jaw clenched.
His fists trembled.
Smoke curled from his palms.
'That bastard…'
Perhaps he wasn't aiming for him. Maybe Todoroki like he said, however, it didn't change the fact that.
'... SET ME UP.'
His head snapped toward Yuta, who was now very carefully not making eye contact.
One twitching finger pointed and roared:
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Midnight smiled.
"This is gonna be fun."
___
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