Chapter 61 - [59] Mr. Ten Million
Hey everyone. So... yeah. This is a bit awkward. I'm Wisteria's boyfriend and she asked me to handle this since she's buried in textbooks right now. Midterms are brutal, especially when you're trying to balance school with writing a story that's gotten way bigger than anyone expected.
scratches head
I'm not really sure what to call myself here. She's got this whole "Wisteria-san" persona, but I never thought about what I'd go by. Just call me whatever, I guess? The guy dating the girl in the Stitch onesie works too.
Anyway, she wanted me to let you all know that we're getting close to 2,250 powerstones, which is kind of insane when you think about it. I remember when she first started this story - she'd bounce ideas off me while we were getting coffee, talking about how cool it would be if Izuku was more like... well, more like how he is now. Strong, confident, but still fundamentally a good person.
picks up one of her notebooks
She's got all these detailed notes about character development and plot points. Half the time I find her passed out at her desk after our dates, ink smudges on her face and empty coffee cups everywhere. But she loves it. You should see how her eyes light up when she talks about where the story's going.
Speaking of which, I should probably mention the current arc. The Sports Festival's heating up, and from what she's told me... flips through notes Actually, I probably shouldn't say anything. She'd kill me if I accidentally spoiled something.
puts notebook down carefully
Oh right, she also wanted me to thank everyone for their support. The comments, the theories, the discussions - she reads them all. Sometimes she'll call me at weird hours just to read me something someone wrote that made her day.
I'm not as good at the whole dramatic presentation thing as she is. No fancy metaphors or flowery language. Just a guy who's proud of his girlfriend for creating something people genuinely care about.
looks at watch
I should probably wrap this up. She's got a calculus exam coming up and I promised to quiz her after I finished this. But before I go - the Chapter's ready to go. She finished it before diving into her study marathon, so you're getting the real deal, not my amateur attempt at writing.
stands up
Hope you enjoy it. And Wisteria, if you're reading this - get back to studying. I know you're probably taking a "quick break" to check the comments.
Anyway... yeah. That's it from me. Chapter's right below. Have fun with it.
awkwardly waves before realizing no one can see me
Right. Text. Just... enjoy the Chapter, everyone.
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The crowd's attention bore down on me like physical weight, but I stood tall. This was nothing new. Every hero worth their salt became a target eventually—might as well get used to it now.
"Looks like you're popular," Camie said, sliding her arm through mine. Her grip tightened slightly. "But they'll have to go through me first, fam."
I glanced down at her. "So you're in?"
"Like you even need to ask." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "We're basically unstoppable together."
"We need more than just us two." My eyes scanned the crowd, landing on Momo who stood a few feet away. Her calm demeanor would balance our team perfectly. "Give me a second."
I approached Momo, who seemed deep in thought as she surveyed the other students. Her finger tapped against her chin—a habit I'd noticed when she was formulating strategies.
"Yaoyorozu," I said, stopping beside her. "Would you join our team? Your creation quirk would be perfect for fortress defense, and your tactical mind would—"
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"Not this time, Midoriya." Her voice was gentle but firm. She straightened her shoulders, meeting my gaze directly. "I meant what I said earlier."
Something in her expression shifted as she glanced past me toward Camie. A subtle understanding passed between them—the kind of wordless female communication that always left me feeling like I'd missed an entire conversation.
"Did you two talk about this already?" I asked.
Momo's lips curved into a small smile. "Let's just say we both have our reasons."
"Fair enough." I nodded, respecting her decision. "Good luck out there. Don't hold back."
"I wouldn't dare." Her eyes sparkled with determination before she turned away, moving toward where Todoroki stood with her team already forming.
I returned to Camie, who shrugged. "I knew she'd say no."
"You could have warned me."
"Where's the fun in that?" She grinned, then pointed across the field. "Besides, looks like we've got an eager volunteer."
"MR. TEN MILLION!"
Mei Hatsume barreled toward us, nearly colliding with three other students in her rush. Her crosshair eyes locked onto me like a missile guidance system.
"Perfect timing! I need to join your team!" She skidded to a stop inches from my face, her breath smelling faintly of motor oil and energy drinks. "This is the ideal opportunity to showcase my babies to potential sponsors!"
She patted the bulging utility belt around her waist. "I've got thirty-seven different support items that would be perfect for fortress defense! Retractable barriers, adhesive traps, reinforced structural components—"
"For a fortress challenge, having a support specialist would be good," I admitted, considering the strategic advantage. "What else can you bring to the table?"
"My zoom quirk lets me spot structural weaknesses from a distance." She tapped beside her unusual eyes. "I can identify the best points to attack enemy fortresses or reinforce our own."
I nodded. That actually made sense. "Alright, you're in."
"YES!" She pumped her fist in the air. "This is going to be amazing exposure for my future company!"
While Mei rattled off invention specifications to an increasingly bewildered Camie, I surveyed the field. Teams were forming rapidly. Bakugo had already secured Kirishima and Sero, their quirks complementing his explosive style. Across the arena, Todoroki had assembled an impressive group—I spotted Yaoyorozu, Kodai, Uraraka, and Ashido gathering around her. The combination of ice, creation, size manipulation, zero gravity, and acid created a versatile offensive and defensive unit.
Smart. Very smart.
Given the target on our backs, we needed to focus on defense. Two more members would round out our team nicely.
"Yo, Midoriya!"
I turned to see Manga bounding toward us, his speech bubble head displaying an enthusiastic exclamation mark. Perfect timing.
"Manga. Just the man I wanted to see."
"For real?" His face shifted to display sparkling stars. "You want me on your team?"
"Your quirk is ideal for this challenge."
"BOOM! You got it!" His face morphed into the word 'YES.' "Whatever you need, boss!"
"Welcome aboard." I clasped his shoulder. "Now we just need one more member."
My eyes scanned the crowd until I spotted our final target—Tokoyami stood apart from the chaos, arms crossed as he observed the frantic team formations. The shadow quirk user would complete our defensive strategy perfectly.
I made my way through the crowd, stopping before him. "Tokoyami."
He turned, red eyes assessing me coolly. "Midoriya. I assume you seek an alliance for this trial."
"I do. Your Dark Shadow would be invaluable for our defense. The fortress will create shadow areas where your quirk can operate at maximum strength."
He considered this, head tilting slightly. "An astute observation. You've analyzed the strategic applications of my abilities."
"I've studied everyone's quirks. Yours offers both defense and offense in a single package."
"And you're not concerned about being the primary target?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "The ten million-point man will draw all enemies to his doorstep."
I shrugged. "Better to know your enemies are coming for you than to wonder."
A small smile crossed his beak. "A perspective worthy of consideration." He uncrossed his arms, extending a hand. "Very well. I shall lend you my darkness."
We shook hands, sealing our alliance.
"Come meet the others." I led him back to where Camie, Mei, and Manga waited.
"Our team is complete," I announced as we approached.
"Sick!" Camie gave Tokoyami a peace sign. "Dark and mysterious vibes, I dig it."
"Ooh, can I scan your head?" Mei leaned uncomfortably close to Tokoyami, a measuring device already in hand.
"Please maintain appropriate distance," Tokoyami stepped back, clearly uncomfortable with her proximity.
"Guys, focus." I clapped my hands once, drawing their attention. "We have less than five minutes before fortress construction begins. We need a strategy."
"I vote we make our fortress look weak!" Manga suggested, his face shifting to show a crumbling building icon. "Trick them into thinking we're easy targets!"
"No good," I shook my head. "With my point value, everyone will target us regardless. Better to build something truly formidable."
"I can create illusions to make our fortress appear differently," Camie offered. "Make them see weak points where there aren't any."
"And I can reinforce the actual structure with my babies!" Mei patted her utility belt. "I've got expandable support beams, rapid-hardening foam applicators, and—"
"Dark Shadow can patrol the perimeter," Tokoyami interrupted. "He functions well as both sentry and defender."
"Good. And Manga can create havoc as needed." I nodded, pieces falling into place.
"What about our fortress design?" Tokoyami asked.
"I've got some ideas about that," I replied. "The key is maximizing shadow areas for your quirk while maintaining clear sight lines for Camie and Mei."
"THREE MINUTES REMAINING FOR TEAM FORMATION!" Midnight's voice boomed across the stadium.
"Remember," I said, meeting each team member's eyes in turn, "everyone will be gunning for us. Stay calm, stick to the plan, and we can turn their aggression against them."
"Hell yeah!" Camie pumped her fist. "Team Ten Million for the win!"
Manga's face displayed a thumbs-up emoji while Tokoyami nodded solemnly. Even Mei seemed focused, her hands already sorting through various gadgets in preparation.
As other teams cast wary glances our way, I felt a surge of confidence. We had a solid team with complementary abilities, and more importantly, everyone understood their role.
"TEAM FORMATION TIME IS COMPLETE!" Midnight announced, cracking her whip for emphasis. "Now, each team will be assigned a base fortress location! You'll have fifteen minutes for construction and preparation before the battle begins!"
Stadium staff appeared, directing teams to their designated areas. Ours was positioned near the eastern edge of the arena—not ideal, but workable. The base structure they provided was simple: a square platform with four waist-high walls and a central pole for our flag.
"This is it?" Mei scoffed, hands on her hips as she surveyed our starting point. "I've built better structures in my sleep!"
"It's just the foundation," I reminded her, already assessing the materials provided. "We'll build up from here."
"FIFTEEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK... STARTING NOW!" Present Mic's voice echoed through the stadium.
"Let's get to work," I said, rolling up my sleeves. "Mei, what can you do with these materials?"
Her crosshair eyes scanned the pile of wooden planks, metal sheets, and various construction materials. "Oh, I've got ideas. So many ideas!" She dove into the pile, pulling out components and immediately beginning to assemble something complex.
"Tokoyami, can you and Dark Shadow start moving the heavier materials? We need to build up these walls."
"As you wish." He summoned Dark Shadow, who emerged from his body with a screech before grabbing several metal sheets.
"Manga, head with Tokoyami. Figure out where you would like to be positioned."
"On it, boss!" His face displayed a saluting emoji before shifting to concentrate on his task.
I turned my attention to our foundation. The basic square structure wouldn't be enough—we needed something with multiple layers, escape routes, and defensive positions.
"Mei, can we create a second level?"
"Already on it!" She was assembling what looked like retractable support beams. "These babies can extend to three times their length and support up to 500 kilograms each!"
"Perfect. Tokoyami, let's position these walls to create shadow zones for Dark Shadow."
"A wise strategy." He directed his quirk to place several metal sheets at strategic angles.
As our fortress took shape, Camie returned, slipping through a gap in the materials.
"Report," I said, not looking up from where I was securing a support beam.
"Todoroki's team is building an ice fortress—pretty impressive. Bakugo's group has a tower design with explosive traps. Most others are just reinforcing the basic structure." She glanced at our progress. "We're definitely in the top three for design so far."
"Good." I stepped back to assess our work. We'd transformed the simple square into a two-level structure with angled walls, strategic openings for Dark Shadow, and reinforced corners. Mei's inventions added retractable barriers and what she called "surprise defense mechanisms" throughout.
"FIVE MINUTES REMAINING!" Present Mic announced.
"Time for final touches," I said. "Manga, position yourself. Camie, prepare illusions to make our fortress appear differently to approaching teams. Tokoyami, find the shadiest spot to maximize Dark Shadow's power. Mei, set your traps."
Everyone moved to their assigned tasks while I secured our flag—a simple banner displaying our team's combined point value: 10,000,385 points.
"This is it," I said as we gathered for a final strategy check. "Remember, we're playing defense. Let them exhaust themselves trying to breach our fortress."
"What about you?" Camie asked. "Everyone will be targeting you specifically."
I smiled. "Let them try."
"ONE MINUTE REMAINING!"
We took our positions—Tokoyami in the shadows of our second level, Manga near the east entrance, Mei at her control panel for her various "babies," and Camie beside me at the center, ready to deploy illusions.
"TEN SECONDS!"
My team exchanged determined glances. Whatever came next, we were ready.
"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"
A horn blared across the stadium.
"BEGIN THE FORTRESS CHALLENGE!" Midnight announced.
And just like that, chaos erupted across the arena.