The thunderous roar of the stadium was a physical force. It pressed in on the forty-two student teams assembled on the vast, sandy field of UA’s festival arena. The air crackled with a mixture of sweat, determination, and sheer panic.
Suddenly, a spotlight sliced through the ambient noise. It illuminated a towering figure on a raised platform.
Midnight: Hello, my little listeners! Are you ready to get carried away?
The R-Rated Hero, Midnight, stood posed. Whip in hand. A devious smile played on her lips. The crowd’s volume skyrocketed in response. She let the adulation wash over her for a moment before cracking her flogger against the air with a sharp thwip that silenced the field.
Midnight: That’s the spirit! Now, for the main event of the first round: the Cavalry Battle!
She purred into her microphone. Her voice echoed through the stadium.
Midnight: The rules are simple, so do try to keep up.
On the giant screens flanking her, a digital display lit up.
Midnight: You will form teams of two to four students. One will be the ‘rider’ at the top, and the others will be the ‘horses’ providing support below. Easy-peasy, right?
She chuckled. A low, knowing sound.
Midnight: But here’s the delicious twist. Each of you has been assigned a point value based on your performance in the obstacle race.
The screens flashed. Showing a list of names with most students assigned a paltry five points.
Midnight: The majority of you are worth a measly five points. But…
She dragged the word out. Building the tension to a fever pitch.
Midnight: There is one exception.
The screen changed. Zooming in on a single, staggering number next to a single, stunned boy’s face.
Midnight: The winner of the obstacle race, Izuku Midoriya… has been assigned Ten Million Points!
A deafening silence fell over the field for a split second. Followed by an explosion of noise. All eyes, every single one, swiveled to lock onto a green-haired boy who looked like he’d just been handed a death sentence.
Midnight’s grin widened.
Midnight: Consider him the ultimate prize! The game will be played in a series of timed sessions, and your goal is to grab the headbands from other teams’ riders and wear them on your own. You can form your teams however you wish, but you must protect your own points! The top sixteen teams with the highest cumulative scores will advance to the next round!
She let the implications sink in. The students began to shift. Eyes calculating. Alliances forming and shattering in the space of a heartbeat. The air was no longer just tense; it was predatory.
Midnight: A few additional rules, my dears.
She continued, tapping her chin with her whip.
Midnight: Teams are forbidden from using their Quirks to intentionally cause serious injury to their opponents. Any team whose rider is touched by the ground, or whose formation is deliberately broken up, will have their points frozen for thirty seconds, making them easy pickings! And most importantly…
She pointed a dramatic finger at the terrified Midoriya.
Midnight: You must keep your headbands visible at all times! No hiding them in your clothes or swallowing them!
She took a deep, theatrical breath. Surveying the field of panicked, scheming students.
Midnight: You have fifteen minutes to form your teams! Starting… NOW!
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Light: A Neglected Izuku Story
FanfictionIzuku Midoriya, neglected and bullied due to his lack of a quirk, endured abuse from his family and friends, especially his twin sister Izumi and Katsuki Bakugo. One fateful day, when locked outside his home, Izuku was kidnapped and taken to a secre...
