2"You have fifteen minutes to make your teams. Start!" Midnight shouted after she finished explaining the rules. Everyone began speaking to each other trying to find teammates.
"Hmm..." Hakai thought to himself. "Sorry, Midoriya, but I can't team with him this time. He's definitely going to draw the most attention. Though he is smart and has Forest with him, a lot of the maneuvering is going to come from me and the other teammate if I was with him. I can't protect you all the time if you want to grow. Teaming with him would put extra usage on my quirk. I need someone who can make up for that. Shoto will also be a problem. He's definitely going to go for that million eventually. I need someone who could give him trouble, or at least keep him from doing too much to our team. Maybe I could ask Yoyo, she definitely has versatility. Or maybe..." He thought back to the race and remembers how Katsuki was going fighting with Shoto on the last stretch.
"Roiyaru!" Someone shouted. He turned around to see Katsuki walking up to him.
"Speak of the devil," Hakai whispered.
Katsuki, Eijiro, and Hanta stood in front of him. "Since you're not already trying to protect Deku, that must mean you're planning to go after him yourself, right?" Katsuki asks.
"Your quirk is great!" Eijiro shouts. "You're strong, and would be perfect for backing us up!"
"I see. You're going to be the front horse that takes the attacks coming from the front, while Bakugo is the rider. Sero is good for helping keep the set up stable, but you still need another side."
"Right," Hanta responded. "You could help keep the set up stable too while pitching in with the offensive. We also heard that you can lend others energy. That could help us move faster and give Kirishima some more power when charging in!"
"That could work. But if so, you can't rely on me giving that energy constantly, that would tire me out. Attacking will be sparse as well."
"That's fine. I'll be the main attacking force. Just give us energy when the time comes, and I'll take care of the offensive." Katsuki replied.
"Alright then. Let's do this!" Hakai smiled, accepting the plan.
The people talked amongst themselves as the teams got ready. "The festival is really exciting this year!" Yūgure laughed loudly.
"Looks like Hakai's teaming with that explosion guy. I would have expected him to team with Midoriya." Burunei followed.
"It appears he decided against it," Toruyo replied. "Maybe he thinks he has a higher chance of winning with the other one.
Yūgure leaned back against her chair. "It's because of his quirk. Hakai does have great offensive and defensive capabilities, but if he teamed up with Izuku, he would have to focus on both, quickly wearing him out. Possibly he's decided to focus entirely on defense. It's strange for him not going offensive, knowing him, but this way he can still make a big impact when he needs to."
"I understand. Thinking about it, it would be hard for me to make an impact in this situation if I was in it."
"Couldn't you just teleport the wraps to your hand? You would be unable to lose!"
"Not necessarily. I can't teleport something to me if someone is touching it."
"I see. I wonder what kind of games they have for us third-years!"
"Now Let's go!" Present Mic shouts with excitement for the upcoming battle. "Counting down to this Brutal Royale! 3...2...1... Start!"
With that, all the teams charged forward. Most of them heading straight for Izuku. "Is everyone ready?" Uraraka, Hatsume, and Tokoyami all answer in confirmation.
"You're not going anywhere!" A student stomps his foot on the ground. Suddenly Tokoyami and the rest of the team began sinking into the ground.
"I can't move!" Mei struggles.
"We're stuck!" Ochaco follows.
"Turn your faces away!" Izuku shouted as he pushed a button in his hand. The pack, given to him by Mei, powers on. Air blows out of the pack as it lifts the team out of the ground. "I got it!" Kyoka announces as she shoots her jacks at the team, but they were easily deflected by Dark Shadow. The team managed to land but were soon being pursued by Mezo.
"Alright, guys. Their main strategy is going to be flying so we need to be up there to intercept them." Hakai said, running with his team.
"I got it! I'll blow them out of the sky!" Katsuki shouted.
"No, do the opposite. All they have for aerial combat is Tokoyami. You knocked them off balance, we'll come up to reinforce. That'll prevent us from being interrupted by others."
"Whatever! I can do this myself!"
"How are we going to get in the air?" Hanta asked.
"Leave that to me! Hit as hard as you like, Bakugo, but keep them in the air!"
Izuku's team launched into the air again, breaking one of the boots in the process. "Now, Bakugo!" Katsuki blasted up after them. As he shot up, Hakai created a pane of energy for the team. They climbed on, and he lifted them into the air. Katsuki tried to blast Izuku, but Dark Shadow blocked the blast. Katsuki began to fall, but with the team approaching in the air, Sero grabbed him with his tape and threw him back up higher. "Keep going!"
"Alright!" Katsuki laughed. He tried another blast but was again met with Dark Shadow. As he began falling again, Hakai wrapped a chain around him and threw him directly above the group. Katsuki aims at Izuku and lets off a blast. "Die!"
"What's this?! Team Bakugo is also airborne! It's a battle of the skies!" Present Mic declares.
"It's a great move, but it's going to draw on Hakai if he's up there for too long." Burunei comments.
"He's been training for this. I think he has a good handle on it." Yūgure replies.
Dark Shadow barely managed to block the blast of Katsuki's attack, but not enough to stop the shockwave. It knocked Izuku's team back and split them up. The team was actually falling slowly, except Ochaco, who didn't place the zero gravity on herself. Seeing this Hakai grabbed her with a chain and threw her high in Tokoyami's direction. "Don't die on me!"
With Dark Shadow catching Ochaco, Sero threw Katsuki back up. Without the protection, Katsuki grabbed the headband off Izuku. "Got it!" He shouted. Hakai grabbed him and brought back to the team. "Nice!" He said as his head began to thump, a headache coming on from using his quirk. They usually come on like this when he uses energy for forming instead of imbuing.
Present Mic jumps out of his chair. "And like that, Team Bakugo has taken the million!"
"Master Hakai!" Amelia warned. He looked just in time to see that as Izuku was falling, he grabs onto Katsuki's original headband. "We can't end this confrontation with nothing!"
Katsuki tried blasting him away, but Izuku held onto the headband as he got pushed back. "You bastard!" Katsuki shouted.
"Leave it," Hakai said. "We got what we came for." He began lowering the pane of energy back to the ground.
Fumikage Began falling when he grabbed on to Ochaco. Dark Shadow quickly grabbed Mei and brought her back. As they fell closer to the ground, Dark Shadow just grabbed onto Izuku and brought him into position.
"Uraraka! The boots!" Midoriya shouted.
"One of them is broken! It's going to be a rough landing!" As that landed Ochaco used the boot to try to ease the landing but it was unstable. Dark Shadow leaned against the ground and helped stabilize the landing.
"That was disastrous." Fumikage sighed. "Now we have no points."
"I have this," Izuku said, showing the headband he took from Katsuki. "We're still in this. We just need a change of plan. Since we don't have the million anymore, we need to go on the offensive!"
"Oh! It seems that the Midoriya team is still in it!" Present Mic announced. "But beware, everyone, time is more than halfway up!"
Team Bakugo continued moving around. "Nice one, guys!" Eijiro laughed. "Now, we just need to keep it!"
As soon as he finished that sentence Hakai put up a pane of energy, just blocking a wave of ice from hitting the group. "That may be harder than you think." Team Bakugo looks around to see many others running after them.
In the middle, team Torodoki charged forward. "Yaoyorozu, Kaminari, it's time," Shoto ordered. Momo, covered the team while Denki discharged a large amount of electricity. It shocked everyone around them. Hakai enlarged the pane in front of the team, stopping the electricity, and increasing the aching in his head.
Momo made a rod to give to Shoto, which he used to freeze those affected by the electricity. He grabs headwraps on his way to encounter Team Bakugo. "We've been observing your team." Momo starts. "You been forming your energy quite consecutively, Roiyaru. Your head has got to be pounding by now."
Hakai cursed himself. He should have been more careful. "Bakugo, We need to get out of here!"
"What?! We can take em'!" He said letting off small explosions in his hands.
"We have no reason to fight right now. And I'm afraid to admit it, but she's right. With me like this, it becomes harder for me to keep focus. We need to draw this out as much as we can!" He looks over. "Kirishima, get ready! This may hurt for a little!"
"Right!" Hakai began imbuing energy into Eijiro's legs. Team Shoto came charging in forward. Eijiro began running himself, he was keeping a decent distance from them due to the energy in his legs.
"Looks like it's round two!" Yūgure exclaims.
"It seems team Bakugo is avoiding confrontation." Insuta mentions.
"They need to. It would be risky to go on the offense while they have the 'million points' wrap."
Eijiro continues running around. Whenever Shoto shots ice at them, Katsuki would blast it away or Hakai would block it.
"We can't get close! Kirishima is being energized." Momo points out.
"We're running out of time, "Tenya replies. "And we need that million!" He leans down and plants his feet firmly on the ground. "Shoto, you only have a second, but make sure you grab that wrap!"
"What are you planning?" Tenya's engine begins to rev up, getting louder by the second.
"Hand on tight!" Tenya then rocketed forward, quickly making up the distance between him and Team Bakugo. "Reciproburst!"
"Master Hakai, look out!" Hakai just witnessed them approaching. Shit! We won't be quick enough to dodge! If can't dodge, then we have to counter! Hakai stuck his hand out, keeping it open. In a split second, team Torodoki was now in front of team Bakugo, A new wrap in hand.
"Another transfer! It seems the 'million points' has switched ownership again!" Present Mic screams.
Katsuki turns to the opposing team in surprise and anger. "WHAT?!"
"We're super low on points now!" Hanta exclaims.
"Nope. I had just enough time to snag my own. Though that move was incredible." Hakai handed the wrap to Katsuki who grabbed them in anger.
"It's not enough! We're chasing after them! Hurry up!" Katsuki screamed as he tied the band on. Kirishima started running after them but then ran into something stopping him in his tracks. "Hey! Why are you-" Katsuki was interrupted by the feeling of his wraps being yanked off. He looked back to see a blonde student.
"Wow! Class A is more reckless than I thought." The boy said.
"What did you say, you bastard! Give it back!"
"How unsightly! I thought you would be a little more behave given your reputation. But your only famous because of the sludge incident. Maybe that's why your so angry?" Katsuki began to breathe hard as his anger grew.
"Why are you provoking him, Monoma? You'll be just as bad!" The blondes teammate said.
"Your right. It wouldn't be becoming of a hero. But you don't hear about heroes getting beat up by villains for revenge too often."
Katsuki started to shake. "Kirishima... Forget the 'million' for a second."
"But Bakugo, we have no points! With the million, we're-"
"We're taking him down first!"
Eijiro sighed. "Alright... We're counting on you!" He ran forward towards Neito's team.
Katsuki went in for an explosion. As he went forward, his hand was deflected by Neito's. He turns around for another blast, but before he could let one off Monoma let off a blast off his own. "That's a nice quirk you have!" Neito then quickly taps Kirishima's hair.
"Shut up!" Katsuki went in for another one, but Neito blocked it with Eijiro's quirk.
"What happening?" Eijiro asks.
"He's copying them."
"It seems the activation is the same." Hakai deduced. "It would be bad if my quirk got copied." He said it goadingly but, Katsuki understood what he was trying to do.
"Kirishima charge forward!" As they went in, Neito laughed loudly.
"Are you guys completely stupid!" He dodged out of the way of Katsuki's blast and tapped Hakai on the shoulder.
"Now your quirk is mine! It's really powerful if I remember correctly."
"Bakugo, now!" Hakai shouted.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Bakugo jumped forward.
"I'll put a stop to that!" Neito put his hand out and tried to form a pane of energy. But suddenly he screamed out in pain as blood dripped out of his arm. With that Bakugo grabbed most of the wraps off of Neito as he was in too much pain. Hanta then brings him back with his tape.
"What? Hakai what was that?" Hanta asked.
"My quirk is strong, but it's very dangerous. It requires a lot of training to control. If your not careful, all you'll end up doing is hurting yourself, feeling only the drawbacks."
"Woah, good thinking!"
Back to team Midoriya, that chased after team Torodoki.
"We have to hurry! Time is almost up!" Izuku exclaims.
"How are we going to take it?"
"I have an idea, just get me in close on his left." Fumikage rushed in as fast as he could. Izuku gets 'One for All' ready as he reaches in.
Is he serious? Shoto thinks as he witnesses the charging team. I can't with my right without freezing us over! That only leaves...! As Izuku draws close, Shoto's left arm catches fire. Ready to block, Izuku swings his hand, blowing Shoto's out of the way. My arm, it's not broken!
"Huh?" With that open Izuku reaches for a wrap. But which one is it? I'm going to have to guess... Please be the right one! He grabs a wrap and pulls it off.
Fumikage pulls back. "Did you get it?" Midoriya's opens his hand and sees that the wrap is worth a few hundred, but not the million.
"I got the wrong one! We have to head back!"
"Time's up!" Present mic announces. This shocks Izuku deep down. "Alright! Now let's sees the placements right away!" The screen pops into the stadium. "First place, team Todoroki! Second place, Team Bakugo! Third place, team... Shinso? Where were you this entire time? And in fourth place, Team Midoriya! These four teams will advance. Congratulations! Now we'll take an hour-long break for lunch! See ya soon!" After that everyone was free to go.
"That was some nice plays there, Yoyo!" Hakai said walking up. "I knew you were going to be tough."
"Thank you. I had to with all these eager students around." She smiled.
"And Your speed was awesome, Iida! I see you've been holding back on us!"
"I did what had to be done. You weren't bad yourself, Roiyaru. It was hard to get a good handle on you for a bit there."
Hakai looked over to Izuku following Shoto. "Hey, I'll see you guys in a bit." He saw them walk over to the entrance for the teachers and students. He was about to walk in, but he noticed their voices. He stopped and stood next to the opening, leaning against the wall. As they speak, he begins to remember things from the past.
"Shoto! Hey, Shoto!" A young Hakai whispers loudly, tossing pebbles at a window in the dark of night. Soon said window opened up to reveal a young Shoto.
"Oh, Hakai! I'm coming down!" After a couple of minutes, Shoto came out of the front door. He ran up to Hakai and they gave each other a hug. They went to the park nearby. They sat and swung on the swings.
"How has it been going?" Hakai ask.
Shoto stares at the ground. "It's only getting worse. The training only gets rougher and mom is still sad. I want to be a hero, but I don't want to do it like this. It makes me feel bad. It makes mom feel bad..."
"Don't worry, you won't anything like him. Don't forget, we're going to be heroes together!" Shoto looks back up at Hakai, a gives him a smile. "Besides, you're really good at it! Do you want to go at it right now?"
"Heh, Sure!"
They went to the center of the park. Hakai makes a knife and prepares for Shoto.
After a few minutes, the battle is already over with Hakai's legs frozen to the ground. "I win again." Shoto laughs. "You'll have to be better than that if you want to be a hero, Hakai."
"Haha! Nice one!" Hakai chuckles. Shoto begins to free him with his fire. Shoto's face begins to sadden.
"Why do you keep doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Sneaking me out? We could get in really big trouble if we are caught."
"Because you're my friend," Hakai smiles. "You were my friend before you started training, and I want us to continue being friends afterward."
"But what if I end up hurting you? What if I become more like him?"
"Then I'll just have to bring you back!" That comment brought a small smile to Shoto's face.
Some months later...
"Hey Shoto, are you coming?" After a few minutes, Shoto opened the door, with a blank stare on his now scarred face.
"Woah, uh, are you ready?"
"Yeah..." The two walked around for a little, mostly in silence, and decided to go into a nearby wooded area.
"I'm... I'm sorry to hear and Aunt Rei. I hope she gets better soon." Shoto frowned at the comment but stayed silent. "Is your eye okay?" Hakai reached his hand t check, but Shoto slapped it away.
"It's fine."
"O-Oh, Okay. So what do you want to do?"
"I don't know."
"Hmm... How about hero training! Your always great with that."
Shoto grimaced and turned away. "You'll just lose."
"What?! I could win!" Hakai exclaimed.
"My father is training me to be the top hero. No matter how much I resist his ways or try not to be like him, that is what he's trying to do. How can you keep up with that?"
"Hey, my mom was is a hero too! I'm going to be a great hero just like her!" Hakai answered. "Don't forget, we're going to be heroes together!"
"You're not strong enough to do that."
Hakai was shocked but the sudden jab. "H-Huh?"
"I'm going to rise to the top. It's what I have to do. But I'm not going to do it the way he wants me too." Shoto says turning away. "I can't have you getting in the way."
"What?" Hakai couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Then battle me right now! I will prove I can be strong!" He makes a knife and gets ready. Torodoki sighs before stomping on the ground. A line of ice pushed away Hakai's knife and struck him in the faces leaving a large gash across his face. Hakai, on the ground, covered his bleeding face.
"I'm sorry," Shoto said. "But as I said, you're not strong enough." Shoto began walking away.
He's... He's hurt. He's not the same anymore... Hakai thought as he stood up. But I have to help him. I'll get strong enough so he can't push me aside! I can help him!
"No... I'll reject him completely by winning first place without using it," Shoto stated firmly looking into Izuku's eyes. A few moments of silence passed between the two before he turned and walked away. As he left the entrance, he turned his head and looked to Hakai. They both glared into each other's eyes before Shoto continued on. "I don't care what you're secret is with All Might. I'll without only using my right half."
Izuku, after a couple of moments, rushes out of the entrance, not noticing Roiyaru, and catches up to Shoto. "I...I have always been supported by others, just like today. That's how I was able to make it this far. I want to be like All Might. The greatest hero, always saving people with a fearless smile. To do that, I have to become strong enough to become number one. My reasons may seem small to you, but I refuse to lose too. I have to reach the hopes of those who supported me." Shoto stopped and looked back to Midoriya, who lifted his head, gaining confidence in his word. "That declaration of war from before... I'll return that. I'll beat you, too!"
Shoto continued to stare at him for a few moments before walking off. Roiyaru entered the entrance. He looked up to see Bakugo standing at a corner. Their eyes lock for a second, but Hakai kept walking.