My Hero Automata

Chapter 17: Heroics Tournament - Day 1

Summary: The Heroics Tournament begins! Obstacle Course is a go...but very different than the sort they ran in canon!

Chapter 17: Heroics Tournament - Day 1

The entirety of the first-year heroics department was gathered in a single auditorium. Admittedly, since UA only admitted forty students a year into its heroics track, that wasn't a staggering crowd. But the fact that all of them were in Mark II versions of their hero costumes certainly made it a visually busy one. Given that there were also a number of instructors, support staff, and a double fistful of observers, the room wasn't feeling particularly empty despite the low number of students. At the moment, it didn't matter much anyway, as the Dean had taken the podium and all attention was laser-focused on him.

"Good morning, students! Welcome to your first day of the Heroics Tournament. As all of you have by now been made aware, first years such as yourself spend the first two days out of public view, going through a series of trials intended to seed you for the 1 vs 1 tournament. I will warn you now, since there's always someone who thinks they can game the system. Do not try. While these events are not open to public viewership, Hero Agencies can and do request to view them. Indeed, those most interested in taking interns may even be watching the events via livestream! As such, underperforming in an attempt to influence your seed position will only harm your chances of being offered internships."

Izumi...actually hadn't considered that. A quick look around showed a few of the Group B students looking a little pale, though. She frowned at that, noting them down. She wouldn't judge them too harshly without knowing their reasoning. But she was struggling to see any way that it wouldn't have been a scummy move, since they'd essentially be trying to push down others hero potentials in order to make themselves look better. That wasn't exactly heroic behavior. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Now! Since all of you have already been given packets with the rules and regulations for today, let's get right into the day's event! Which...is a combat obstacle course!"

With that dramatic pause and well-timed bit of showmanship, the lights dimmed and the screen behind the Dean lit up. The large display first showed a sweeping view of an obstacle course significantly more dangerous looking than anything they'd run with Midnight so far. Instead of passive obstacles, this one had moving walls and platforms...as well as energy turrets, steel tentacle whips, saw blades, and goo guns whose payload quickly hardened into capture foam. After they'd all gotten a good look, clips of students, presumably from previous years, began playing on loop. Some made it through, others fell prey to one or another of the various dangers.

"As you all can see, this is a major step up from the difficulty you've faced so far! Each of you will be given three attempts at the course, though the obstacles will shift and change for each attempt! As a result, some of you will likely fail to complete the course, even with three attempts. Even if that happens, rest assured, you will be judged on how far you got and how well you improved with each attempt. Others, who manage to finish, will be judged on their time of completion and the methods they used. Do your best and good luck!"

The Dean, looking entirely too cheerful at the expressions of concern on many of the students' faces, quickly handed them off to Ectoplasm. The Professor quickly split into eight clones and called the first set of students forward. Apparently, the staff would be running several courses simultaneously. Which made sense, given that they had 120 runs to get through...

... ...

Izumi's grin was huge as she spun in place, knocking a trio of tentacles away with her copy of Virtuous Dignity before half-dancing through the gap she'd created. Her replica of the original spear wasn't perfect, since she'd been creeped out by the face on the original version. She'd tried to replace it with All Might's face when she was younger...only for 2B to aggressively talk her out of it. Instead, it bore the YoRHa emblem. Even if 2B had mixed feelings about the organization, they were still a part of her identity, and it was less tacky than sticking 2B's face on it in place of All Might's. Which had also been a proposed option by younger Izumi. One that she'd only given up on when she'd been reminded that her transformation looked more like 2B every day. A fact which would likely have ended with her being accused of plastering her own face on the spear if she'd gone through with it.