Chapter 62 - [60] Come and Take It
Adjusts glasses and pulls Stitch hood up with a grin
Hey everyone! Wisteria here, and I just had to pop in to say... WE'RE BACK AT NUMBER ONE! squeals and hugs laptop Three thousand powerstones? You guys are absolutely incredible! I may have squeaked so loudly that my boyfriend came running to check on me. Of course, I had to explain I was "studying" the whole time. winks
Speaking of my wonderful boyfriend, I need to thank you all for being so kind while I was, um, definitely focused on my academic pursuits.
Pulls out notebook covered in doodles
You know what's funny? My boyfriend's actually the one who suggested adding Manga to Class 1-A in the first place! He has this amazing creative mind, but whenever I tell him he should write, he gets all shy and starts mumbling about not being good enough. Can you believe it?
Flops dramatically onto desk
"Nobody would want to read my stuff," he says. "I wouldn't know what to write about," he claims. NONSENSE, I tell you! You should hear some of his ideas - they're brilliant! Maybe if enough of you show interest, he'll finally cave? hopeful sparkle in eyes
Oh! And while we're on the topic of writing, if any of you have fanfics you think would be a good fit for him, please let me know!
Straightens up and adjusts glasses seriously
Now, about today's Chapter... grins mischievously Let's just say things are about to get interesting. The Sports Festival is heating up, and I may have had way too much fun writing certain scenes. You know how I get when the action starts rolling!
Glances at clock and yelps
Oh shoot, I should probably get back to actual studying at some point! But before I go, I just wanted to say again how much I appreciate all of you. Your support means the world to me, and every comment makes my day brighter. Even when I'm buried in textbooks and "definitely not" writing new Chapters, knowing you're all waiting for the next update keeps me going!
Pulls Stitch hood down in embarrassment
Also, um, if anyone notices any typos in the next few Chapters, let's blame it on my caffeine-addled brain trying to balance midterms and writing, okay? nervous laugh
Plus Ultra, everyone!
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"Here they come," I said, eyes fixed on the field.
Multiple teams surged forward, their fortress flags fluttering behind them. Just as we'd predicted, most headed straight for us.
"Wow, we're popular," Camie said, her voice light despite the tension.
Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium: "AND THEY'RE OFF! LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE'S GUNNING FOR TEAM MIDORIYA AND THOSE SWEET TEN MILLION POINTS!"
"Predictable strategy," Aizawa's monotone cut through. "Though not necessarily effective."
Tokoyami stepped forward, Dark Shadow expanding from his body. "They approach from the east and south simultaneously."
I spotted Tsuyu leading a team toward our eastern wall, her powerful legs propelling her forward in great leaps. From the south came Kyoka's team, her earphone jacks extended and ready.
"Manga, east wall," I commanded. "Camie, south. Tokoyami, stay central with me. Mei—"
"Already activating defensive measures!" she called, fingers dancing across a makeshift control panel. "Baby number 47 is ready to deploy!"
Manga rushed to the eastern wall, his speech bubble head displaying determination. As Tsuyu's team approached, he inhaled deeply and shouted: "BOOM!"
It slammed into the ground before Tsuyu, the impact sending dirt and debris flying upward. She dodged nimbly, but her teammates scattered.
"Nice," I nodded. "Keep them separated."
On the south side, Camie pressed her fingers to her temples, concentrating. A thick fog rolled from her body, obscuring our fortress's southern approach. Within seconds, the mist shaped itself into what appeared to be a maze of additional walls and traps.
"That should slow them down," she said, grinning.
Present Mic's commentary echoed overhead: "CLASS 1-A'S MANGA FUKIDASHI CREATES A LITERAL EXPLOSIVE DEFENSE WHILE UTSUSHIMI DEPLOYS SOME KIND OF ILLUSION! TEAM MIDORIYA ISN'T MAKING THIS EASY!"
"Their fortress design shows strategic planning," Aizawa added. "Multiple defensive layers with overlapping fields of coverage."
I turned to Mei. "How's that staff you mentioned?"
Her eyes lit up. She reached behind her back, producing a metallic rod about the length of my forearm. "This baby extends to full staff length with a simple twist! It's reinforced with a titanium-aluminum alloy I developed last week, and—"
"How does it work?" I cut in.
"Just twist the middle section and—"
I grabbed the staff and twisted. It extended smoothly to nearly two meters in length, perfectly balanced. The weight felt good in my hands—substantial without being unwieldy.
"Nice work," I said, giving it an experimental spin. The air whistled around it.
"WHACK!" Manga's voice turned into a physical force, slamming into one of Tsuyu's teammates who'd gotten too close to our wall.
At the south wall, Jiro had figured out Camie's illusion and pierced through it with her sound waves. Her team charged forward, only to trigger one of Mei's traps. The ground beneath them shifted, becoming sticky and slowing their advance.
"Extending audio sensing systems!" Mei announced, adjusting a dial on her goggles. "I'm picking up movement from the west now too!"
I spun to look. Sure enough, another team approached—and I recognized that purple hair immediately. Mineta led a group of four, his eyes fixed on our flag with disturbing intensity.
Something cold settled in my chest.
"I'll handle this one," I said, my voice dropping lower. I twirled Mei's staff once more, testing its weight.
"You sure?" Camie asked, catching my tone.
"Very."
I moved to the western wall, standing tall as Mineta's team approached. He hadn't noticed me yet, too focused on planning whatever scheme he'd concocted. His team slowed as they neared our fortress, clearly trying to assess the best entry point.
I vaulted over our outer wall, landing silently twenty feet from their position.
Mineta froze mid-step when he spotted me. "M-Midoriya?"
"Looking for something?" I asked, my voice deliberately calm.
"J-just your flag," he stammered, eyes darting between me and the fortress. "Nothing personal, just the competition, you know?"
"Nothing personal," I repeated, taking a step forward. "Like how it was nothing personal with what you did to Yaoyorozu during the race?"
His eyes widened in panic. "That was an accident! I slipped!"
"You seem to have a lot of accidents, Mineta." Another step forward.
His teammates exchanged uncomfortable glances, clearly not having signed up for this particular confrontation.
"This is a battle trial," Mineta said, attempting bravado. "You can't just—"
"You're right." I spun the staff. "This is a battle trial. So let's battle."
Mineta's face contorted with fear. He ripped three balls from his head, flinging them toward me in rapid succession. "Get him!"
I sidestepped the sticky projectiles easily, closing the distance in two quick strides. Mineta backpedaled, nearly tripping over his own feet.
"WHOA! MIDORIYA'S TAKEN THE OFFENSIVE!" Present Mic shouted. "HE'S CONFRONTING MINETA'S TEAM SINGLE-HANDEDLY!"
"A risky move," Aizawa commented. "Leaving his fortress undermanned could create an opening for other teams."
Mineta's teammates finally sprang into action, rushing me from different angles. I planted the staff into the ground, using it as a pivot point to launch myself into a spinning kick that caught the first attacker squarely in the chest. He flew backward, landing in a heap.
The second teammate came in low, trying to tackle my legs. I brought the staff down, not to strike but to block, forcing him to grab the metal instead of me. With a quick twist, I sent him sprawling.
"Anyone else?" I asked, returning to my stance.
Mineta's remaining teammate raised his hands in surrender, backing away slowly.
"Smart choice," I nodded.
Mineta stood alone now, trembling slightly. "You think you're so much better than everyone, don't you? Just because you got lucky in the entrance exam! Just because you have every woman in the palm of your hands!"
I just stared at him.
He reached for more balls, desperation clear in his movements. Before he could throw them, I closed the distance. The staff whistled through the air, stopping just short of his face.
"Try somewhere else," I suggested, my voice carrying clearly across the field. "This fortress isn't worth the effort."
I'm definitely having a talk with Principal Nezu later.
For a moment, Mineta stood frozen. Then he turned and ran, his teammates scrambling after him.
"AND MINETA'S TEAM RETREATS!" Present Mic announced. "MIDORIYA JUST SENT THEM PACKING WITHOUT EVEN BREAKING A SWEAT!"
I turned back toward our fortress, only to see several teams had paused their advance, watching the exchange. Their hesitation was palpable.
"That goes for the rest of you too," I called out, projecting my voice across the field. "You're welcome to try, but ask yourselves if it's worth it."
I spun the staff one more time for emphasis, then walked calmly back to our fortress.
"Oh my god that was sexy as hell," Camie whispered as I rejoined the team.
"CRASH!" Manga's voice smashed into another approaching team.
"We've got more incoming," Tokoyami warned, Dark Shadow expanding in preparation. "Your display may have deterred some, but not all."
I nodded. "Never expected it to. But every team that hesitates gives us more time to defend."
Across the arena, I spotted Bakugo's team heading our way, his face set in its perpetual scowl. His explosive quirk propelled him forward faster than his teammates could keep up.
"Looks like Bakugo's not impressed," I noted, readying Mei's staff again.
"Let me handle this one," Tokoyami stepped forward, Dark Shadow growing larger as it fed off the shadows of our fortress.
"No," I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Save your strength. We'll need it later."
I moved to the outer wall again, standing tall as Bakugo approached. His eyes locked onto mine, that familiar rage burning within them.
"IZUKU!" he roared, propelling himself forward with an explosion.
I didn't flinch, didn't shift my stance. Just waited.
"AND HERE COMES BAKUGO, CHARGING STRAIGHT FOR TEAM MIDORIYA!" Present Mic's voice rose with excitement. "THIS COULD BE THE FIRST MAJOR CLASH OF THE FORTRESS CHALLENGE!"
Just as Bakugo reached the halfway point between his fortress and ours, something caught his attention. His head snapped to the side, eyes widening.
"What the—HEY!" He changed direction mid-air, blasting back toward his own fortress where a team was slipping inside their defenses.
"Looks like someone's taking advantage of Bakugo's offensive focus," Aizawa observed. "A common mistake in this type of challenge."
I couldn't help but smile as Bakugo retreated, bellowing at his teammates about their incompetence.
"That's one problem solved," I said, returning to our central position.
"Uh, guys?" Manga's voice carried a note of concern. "The staff is getting a little hot."
I glanced down at the weapon in my hands. A thin trail of smoke had started to rise from where the sections connected.
"Mei? What's going on?" I asked, already feeling the metal warming against my palms.
"Well, the prototype had a small issue with heat dissipation during extended use, but I thought I'd fixed it with the cooling system I installed last—"
A loud pop interrupted her explanation as the staff began to vibrate violently.
"Throw it!" Mei shouted, diving for cover.
I hurled the staff straight up, sending it soaring high above the stadium. It reached its apex, hung for a moment, then exploded in a shower of sparks and smoke.
"MY BABY!" Mei wailed, though she didn't sound particularly surprised.
Silence fell across the arena for a beat, then Present Mic's laughter boomed through the speakers.
"LOOKS LIKE TEAM MIDORIYA HAD A SLIGHT EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION! THAT'S THE RISK OF USING SUPPORT ITEMS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT, FOLKS!"
"At least it exploded away from us," I sighed, flexing my fingers. "Got anything else that won't blow up in my hands?"
Mei was already digging through her supplies. "I've got these impact gauntlets that only have a thirty percent chance of short-circuiting!"
"...I'll pass."
The momentary distraction cost us. A team had used the opportunity to approach from the north, already scaling our outer wall.
"Tokoyami!" I called.
"On it." Dark Shadow surged forward, sweeping the intruders off the wall with one powerful motion.
I moved between defensive positions, reinforcing wherever needed. When a team broke through Camie's illusion, I was there to push them back. When Manga needed a moment to catch his breath, I covered his section.
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"FIFTEEN MINUTES HAVE PASSED!" Present Mic announced. "AND TEAM MIDORIYA STILL HOLDS THEIR FLAG! THAT'S IMPRESSIVE DEFENSE, FOLKS!"
"Their coordination is great," Aizawa noted. "Each member understands their role and supports the others."
I landed back at center position after repelling another attack, taking a moment to survey the field. Many teams had given up on us, turning their attention to easier targets. Bakugo's team was engaged in a fierce battle with some blonde guys. Todoroki's ice fortress remained largely untouched.
"We're doing well," Tokoyami observed, Dark Shadow returning to a more manageable size as the immediate threats receded.
"So far," I agreed. "But we can't get complacent. The real challenges will come later when teams get desperate."
Across the field, I noticed Todoroki's team finally mobilizing. She had been conservative so far, defending her fortress while making selective attacks on weaker teams. Now her ice platform glided across the arena, Uraraka and Ashido flanking her.
"Heads up," I warned. "Todoroki's on the move."
"Think they're coming for us?" Manga asked, his face displaying a worried emoji.
"Count on it."
Todoroki's team didn't move directly toward us, instead circling the arena's edge, collecting flags from weakened teams as they went. A smart strategy—building up their point total before risking an assault on the ten million.
"They're gathering strength," Tokoyami observed. "And biding their time."
"Let them," I replied, keeping my eyes on their progress. "We'll be ready."
The next fifteen minutes passed in a blur of constant defense. Teams grew more reckless as time dwindled, throwing themselves at our fortress with increasing desperation. We repelled them all, though not without cost. Manga's voice had grown hoarse from overuse, Camie's illusions had become less detailed as her stamina waned, and even Dark Shadow showed signs of fatigue.
"TEN MINUTES REMAINING!" Midnight announced. "AND TEAM MIDORIYA STILL HOLDS THE TEN MILLION POINTS!"
"But for how long?" Aizawa's voice cut in. "Look at Todoroki's team positioning."
I followed his gaze. Todoroki had completed her circuit of the arena, her team now carrying multiple flags. They had positioned themselves directly opposite our fortress, clearly preparing for their final assault.
"This is it," I said, gathering my team closer. "They've been saving their strength for this moment."
"What's the plan?" Camie asked, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Todoroki's ice is powerful, but predictable. She'll try to freeze our fortress in one move." I turned to Mei. "Any heat-based babies in your arsenal?"
She grinned, pulling out what looked like a modified flamethrower. "Baby number 23! Concentrated heat beam! Only singed my eyebrows twice during testing!"
"Perfect. When she attacks, target the ice at its base." I looked to Manga. "Save what voice you have left for when they breach the outer wall."
He nodded, his face displaying a determined thumbs-up.
"Camie, focus your illusions on Uraraka. She's their wild card."
"Got it."
"Tokoyami, you will handle Ashido. Dark Shadow can neutralize Ashido's acid."
"A sound strategy," he agreed.
"And Todoroki herself?" Mei asked.
"Leave her to me," I said, rolling my shoulders. "I've been waiting for this matchup."
Todoroki's team began their approach, gliding forward on an ice path. Ice spread before them, freezing the ground as they advanced.
"Here they come," I said, moving to the front of our fortress. "Positions."
My team spread out, each taking their assigned defensive position. Across the field, Todoroki's heterochromatic eyes locked with mine. Even at this distance, I could feel the intensity of her gaze, the determination.
"FIVE MINUTES REMAINING!" Midnight called. "AND HERE COMES THE CLASH EVERYONE'S BEEN WAITING FOR!"
The crowd roared, sensing the climactic battle approaching. Todoroki raised her right hand, ice crackling around her fingers.
I planted my feet firmly, hands loose at my sides, ready. This was what I'd trained for—not just the physical challenge, but the mental game. The pressure. The expectation.
"TEAM TODOROKI VERSUS TEAM MIDORIYA!" Present Mic's voice reached a fever pitch. "WITH THE TEN MILLION POINTS ON THE LINE!"