Kaminari's bold words echoed across the arena, immediately captured by the stadium's cameras and broadcast on every screen, big and small.
For a moment, the entire place fell silent.
"…(0_0;)…"
Even Kaminari's parents, watching from the stands, were taken aback. Had he… really just taunted everyone else?
But only a heartbeat later, the audience erupted in cheers, laughter, and excited chatter. The students around Kaminari weren't nearly as amused.
"Did you seriously just say that, Kaminari?!" one contestant shouted, eyes blazing.
"Oh, you're going to regret this," muttered another, rolling their sleeves up.
"You're living in a dream, man!" someone else growled.
As the hostility built around him, Tetsutetsu, Kyoka, and Momo instinctively closed ranks, standing firm at Kaminari's side.
"Heh… Thunderbolt idiot," Bakugo muttered to himself, though a rare grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. For some reason, he found Kaminari's words oddly satisfying.
"Guess that's what makes you my rival!"
Meanwhile, Todoroki merely glanced over, his expression calm but slightly intrigued. Kaminari's confidence wasn't surprising to him; after all, he had a similar belief in his own abilities. He wouldn't have voiced it so bluntly, but… he could respect it.
Midoriya, on the other hand, shifted nervously. "Uh, maybe… maybe Kaminari went a bit too far?" he murmured, already worried about what his classmate had gotten himself into. He couldn't imagine facing that much pressure himself.
Nearby, Kaminari caught Momo and Kyoka exchanging glances, both looking mildly exasperated.
"Well, you've done it now," Momo said with a sigh.
Kaminari just gave her a playful shrug, though his smile had a hint of nervousness. "Might as well make things interesting, right?"
The final rules were announced by Midnight, who then gave everyone fifteen minutes to form their teams. Kaminari quickly took stock of the situation and grinned as he looked at the three people who had stuck by him.
"Well, it looks like you're the only ones willing to team up with me," he said, half-joking.
Momo crossed her arms, giving him a mock glare. "I wonder why."
Kyoka just sighed. "Yeah, Kaminari, you really brought this on yourself."
Ignoring the gentle scolding, Kaminari nodded toward Tetsutetsu. "Alright, Tetsutetsu, you're on front defense!"
"Leave it to me!" Tetsutetsu grinned, cracking his knuckles. "With my Quirk, we'll be unbreakable!"
Meanwhile, across the field, Kirishima was having a similar conversation with Bakugo. Both steel-quirk users caught sight of each other, and for a moment, the air between them crackled with competitive energy.
"I'll be the toughest 'horse' out there!" Tetsutetsu declared proudly.
"Not if I get there first!" Kirishima shot back, just as determined.
Kaminari, Kyoka, and Momo exchanged helpless glances at the two boys' rivalry. But Kaminari had a plan in mind and led his group over to the sidelines.
"Where are we going?" Yaoyorozu asked, curious.
Kaminari gave her a sheepish grin. "I'm running low on power after the last round, so I need a quick recharge. If I don't do it now, we'll be at a huge disadvantage."
Kyoka raised an eyebrow. "They're actually letting you recharge here?"
Kaminari grinned, shrugging. "Well, might as well ask, right?"
He managed to get permission from Midnight, who pointed him toward a charging station set up for situations like this. Seeing this, Tetsutetsu suddenly had an idea of his own.
"Hey, can I get some iron to munch on?" he asked, hopeful.
Midnight raised a brow, looking mildly exasperated. "Iron to… eat?"
Tetsutetsu nodded, explaining, "It's for my Quirk! It keeps my strength up."
After a quick call for confirmation, Midnight allowed it, and Tetsutetsu received a few metal plates to chew on. Soon, the four of them were gathered on the sidelines—Kaminari recharging, Tetsutetsu snacking on iron, and Kyoka and Momo watching with a mix of amusement and resignation.
"Alright, let's go over the plan," Kaminari said seriously, his hands gripping the charging station as sparks danced around him.
"Tetsutetsu, you'll be our front shield," he instructed, nodding toward the steel-user.
"Got it!" Tetsutetsu replied confidently. "I'll make sure nothing breaks through!"
Turning to Kyoka, Kaminari continued, "Kyoka, you'll cover our right side. Use your Quirk to destroy the ground if anyone gets too close."
"Understood," Kyoka said, recalling how effective that tactic had been during the entrance exam.
"And Momo," Kaminari said, giving her a nod. "You'll cover the left. I'll need you to make a hundred steel balls for me, fast. We might need to use the 'Lightning Chain' technique again."
Momo smiled, giving him a determined nod. "You've got it. We'll be ready."
With everyone clear on their roles, the group quickly got into formation. Before long, Midnight called everyone back to the starting line, signaling the end of their prep time.
"All contestants, take your positions!"
On the massive screens around the arena, each team was highlighted, introducing the lineups to the roaring crowd.
Team 1: Kaminari Denki, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Yaoyorozu Momo, Jiro Kyoka
Team 2: Midoriya Izuku, Tokoyami Fumikage, Uraraka Ochaco, Hatsume Mei
Team 3: Todoroki Shoto, Iida Tenya, Ojiro Mashirao, Koda Koji
Team 4: Bakugo Katsuki, Kirishima Eijiro, Sero Hanta, Ashido Mina
Team 5: Shoji Mezo, Asui Tsuyu, Mineta Minoru
Team 6: Shinso Hitoshi, Shiozaki Ibara, Kosei Tsuburaba, Bondo Kojiro
Team 7: Honenuki Juzo, Hagakure Toru, Sato Rikido.
Team 8: Setsuna Tokage, Yanagi Reiko, Komori Kinoko, Shishida Jurota
Team 9: Monoma Neito, Kaibara Sen, Kuroiro Shihai, Shoda Nirengeki
Team 10: Manga Fukidashi, Hiryu Rin, Yui Kodai
Team 11: Pony Tsunotori, Togaru Kamakiri.
Team 12: Aoyama Yuga, Awase Yosetsu.
As the final teams assembled, Present Mic's voice echoed across the stadium, hyping up the audience one last time.
"Alright, let's get ready for this brutal cavalry battle!"
He began the countdown, and the crowd joined in, their voices thundering in unison.
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
With a crack of Midnight's whip, she shouted, "Begin!"