Tetsutetsu's Team Attacks

"Yuto Kanzaki is impressive, but this round is a team battle. He may have a rough time."

"Everyone will target him. He has ten million points. Beating him means instant advancement."

"And even knowing that, he still talks like that. This match is going to be worth watching."

The audience buzzed with speculation.

"Todoroki and Bakugo will go after him. One team can't handle both of them."

"Right. Even the odds people are throwing around don't favor Yuto. Todoroki's team is being put at twenty-to-one, Bakugo's team thirty-to-one, Class 1-B's Juzo Honenuki team twenty-to-one, Neito Monoma's team thirty-to-one... and Yuto's team is five hundred-to-one."

There was no doubt that Yuto had made the match more interesting.

That was one reason his popularity kept climbing.

People acknowledged his strength. Even so, in the Cavalry Battle, few believed he could win.

On the stage, Midnight smiled at him. "You have improved so quickly since the entrance exam that it is hard to believe. I hope you can keep showing that same level of performance in this round."

For all her habit of setting traps for him, Midnight wasn't a bad teacher. Yuto nodded. "I will."

He did not linger and returned to his team.

Only a little time remained before the match began, and every team was still discussing strategy.

Bakugo's team gathered in a tight circle.

Eijiro Kirishima clenched his fist. "So what's the plan?"

Bakugo grinned like a predator. "Take the ten million. Beat Kanzaki."

Kirishima's eyes lit up. "That's manly. I admire Yuto, but this time, I'm going all out to take him down."

Hanta Sero and Mina Ashido psyched themselves up.

"If we beat Yuto, we advance straight to the next round. Let's go!"

At the same time, Shoto Todoroki's team finalized its formation.

Todoroki said, "I chose this lineup because it is the most stable."

Tenya Iida, Denki Kaminari, and Fumikage Tokoyami listened closely.

"Kaminari, cover the left side with electricity and keep enemies away. Tokoyami, guard the right with Dark Shadow. Iida, you will serve as our mobility core at the front and use your body to defend."

Iida adjusted his glasses. "And you will use your ice and fire to attack and control the field?"

Todoroki glanced toward Endeavor in the guest seating area, his voice flat. "No. I won't use my fire in battle."

His gaze returned to the field. "Also, whether for victory or to prove myself, my target is Yuto."

Iida's fist tightened. "I feel the same. As his classmate, I can't accept being weaker than him forever. I want to surpass Yuto, not remain behind him forever."

For this match, Iida had prepared a special move.

Naturally, it was meant for Yuto.

Tokoyami lowered his voice. "Challenging the strong is the path of a hero."

Elsewhere, Class 1-B was making its own preparations.

Neito Monoma, whose Quirk was Copy, smiled thinly. "Most of the audience is only watching Class 1-A. Why? As Tetsutetsu said, those people have gotten far too full of themselves."

His smile sharpened. "Especially Yuto Kanzaki. That arrogance is unbearable. What makes them so different from us? They fought villains once? That's all. Then let us show Class 1-A what Class 1-B can do. Everyone, defeat them and drag Yuto down."

"Yeah!"

At Yuto's team, Mei was practically vibrating. "Good work, Yuto. With that declaration, our exposure went up again."

Yaoyorozu looked serious. "We need to watch Todoroki's team and Bakugo's team. They'll target you, Yuto."

Ochaco nodded. "Right. Todoroki and Bakugo are both really strong, and their teams have Tokoyami, Kirishima, Iida..." Her voice trailed off.

"Wow. They're all strong."

Nervousness crept onto her face.

Yuto gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "You're strong too. You want to become a Pro Hero, right? Have confidence."

Ochaco nodded hard and raised her fist. "I will do my best, Yuu-kun."

Yuto's gaze sharpened. He knew Bakugo and Todoroki were not the only threats.

There was also Class 1-B. Time passed quickly.

The match was about to begin.

Midnight raised her voice from the stage. "All right, it is finally time."

In the commentary booth, Present Mic was ready too.

"After fifteen minutes of team negotiations and tactical planning, twelve teams are standing in the center of the field!"

Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "There are several interesting lineups."

Present Mic threw an arm into the air. "Then let us hear you scream! The classmate-versus-classmate Cavalry Battle begins now!"

The roar that answered him rolled through U.A. like a tidal wave.

"Todoroki!"

"Yuto!"

Even though many people did not favor Yuto's chances, his popularity had not fallen at all. It kept climbing.

An unpredictable competitor who welcomed challenges was hard for the audience to dislike.

The atmosphere burned hotter and hotter.

The long-awaited Cavalry Battle began. The countdown ended.

At the instant the match began, the field made its intentions clear.

Yuto served as the rider, supported by Ochaco, Mei, and Yaoyorozu. He could not touch the ground.

From every direction, four or five teams charged him at once.

Toru Hagakure's team shouted, "Yuto-chan, your points are ours!"

Yaoyorozu's eyes narrowed. "They're attacking immediately. The temptation of ten million points is no joke."

Class 1-B's Tetsutetsu team rushed in with equal force.

As the rider, Tetsutetsu glared at Yuto. "I've had enough of you, Kanzaki. Today, I'm going to tear you down myself and show everyone that Class 1-B is the strongest!"

The ground under Yuto's team suddenly softened into a muddy trap.

Their formation began to sink.

"What's this?" Yaoyorozu cried.

"Someone's Quirk?"

"We need to get out fast, or we will all sink."

By the time she spoke, half their formation had already sunk into the softened ground.

Yuto's gaze turned cold. He swept his eyes over Tetsutetsu's team and locked onto one person.

Juzo Honenuki.

"So it was him."

In the commentary booth, Present Mic shouted, "The match has just started, and Yuto Kanzaki, the ten-million-point target, is already in serious trouble! Against Tetsutetsu's team, will Yuto's team be eliminated right away?"

The audience only grew louder.

"Class 1-B is doing pretty well!"

"Class 1-B is still part of the Hero Course. Of course they aren't weak."

"Tetsutetsu is strong too. His Quirk turns his body into steel."

"Come on, Yuto! Don't lose like this!"

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