Chapter 11: Battle Trail

In a room filled with screens, the young heroes of class 1-A were gathered, all wearing their hero costumes. All Might stood before them, his smile shining brightly. Ricolo, wearing the costume Deku had made for him, stood on the far left of the group. The outfit was a bit tight, but Ricolo didn't seem to mind. As he examined his costume, All Might began to speak in a cheerful tone, outlining the rules of the upcoming battle trial.

"During this test, there will be two teams - the villains and the heroes. The heroes must either capture a payload or defeat the villains within the time limit. Conversely, the villains must protect the payload or defeat the heroes. Teams will be randomly selected through a draw, with each team consisting of two members. It's a 2v2 scenario."

The students nodded in understanding and proceeded to draw lots one by one. Once all the lots were drawn and the teams were chosen, Bakugo glanced at his lot, his expression turning into a frown as he directed his frustration toward All Might.

"Why am I stuck with Ricolo as my teammate?!"

All Might looked at Bakugo before letting out a heavy sigh, preparing to respond when Ricolo spoke cutting him off.

" Are we the villains or heroes? " 

"You're on the villain team, tasked with protecting the payload or defeating the heroes attempting to claim it," All Might explained. Ricolo nodded before a faint sound of teeth chattering drew his attention to Deku, who appeared nervous and avoided eye contact. Ricolo glanced at Deku, puzzled, before turning to a screen, his eyes read the screen before he scoffed and started to head towards the door. 

All Might quickly noticed that Ricolo was leaving and instantly asked where he was going. 

" Where do you think you're going, Ricolo? " 

" What do you mean? Aren't we up first? " Responded Ricolo glancing up at the screen, making All Might turn around and look. All Might read the message before he cleared his voice and spoke. 

" It seems you're correct. Will Midoriya, Uraraka, Ricolo, and Bakugo, report to the test building, You will be going first, so please set a good example. "...

Step Step Step

Outside a building, Izuku Midoriya could be seen nervously pacing back and forth with Uraraka watching him worried, Deku's mind was racing with thoughts... 

POV Deku:

Ricolo and Bakugo?? The worst outcome. The two people I didn't want to fight. B-But there's nothing I can do now, I need to figure out a plan, Bakugo will obviously come for me, and that means Ricolo will most likely guard the payload. Meaning if I can stall Bakugo, Uraraka can sneak past us and go for the payload, we might have a- No... there's no chance she can defeat Ricolo in combat, even if she does surprise him. 

AHH, how can we win this test? These teams aren't fair in the slightest- 

" What are you so worried about? Do you not think we can win? " Said Uraraka interrupting my train of thought, I stared at her, before I let out a loud sigh and responded. 

" I don't know, Ricolo and Bakugo sound- " 

" Tsk, don't worry, we can win, besides I doubt Ricolo is going to take this trail that seriously, he doesn't seem like the person to try, all he does is sleep. " She said cutting me off, I-I don't know, Ricolo seemed quite serious yesterday, and if he does try, I highly doubt we win...

As Deku's mind raced, his thoughts swirling with urgency. On the top floor of the building, Bakugo and Ricolo stood side by side, their silence speaking volumes about their lack of intention to work together. Ricolo's gaze shifted towards the payload behind him, just as a thunderous voice boomed out.

"Let the trail begin! START!" 

The moment those words reached Bakugo's ears, his voice turned agitated, his palms igniting with a vibrant orange glow. "Stay put! Guard this with everything you've got! I'll go find Deku." Shouted out Bakugo as Ricolo watched explosions erupt from his palms, propelling him forward through a nearby doorway. The distant echoes of booming explosions reached Ricolo's ears as Bakugo swiftly descended to the next level.

Ricolo just shook his head, while taking a step back, sitting beside the payload. Before leaning on it, while crossing his arms. He sat there peacefully before he crossed his eyes and slowly fell asleep...

" He's going to sleep? " Yelled out a red-haired student in the room filled with screens, the students watched Ricolo in shock until All Might spoke trying to figure out what Ricolo was doing. 

" Hmm? Maybe he is trying to clear his mind before he battles. Quite a bold strategy if I don't say, but let's not focus on him. Bakugo and Midoriya are about to engage in battle. "

The students in unison glanced at a screen that showed Midoriya coming face-to-face with Bakugo, Deku's eyes widened before instantly he dashed back gaining distance away from Bakugo, knowing that beating him close combat was near impossible. Deku balled up his fists getting ready to throw a punch, until Bakugo laughed loudly and yelled out. 

" HAHA! You're going to try to battle me instead of running away, Deku! " Instantly Bakugo fired a blast out of his palm propelling himself forward throwing a kick, the kick soared through the air, aimed at Deku's nose, the kick inched closer until Deku leaned left, narrowly slipping the kick. 

The missed kick caused Bakugo's body to fly past Deku before he somersaulted in the air and kicked off the ceiling launching himself down at Deku, throwing a punch that grazed Deku's chest before slamming into the floor, cracking it. Bakugo snapped his head up watching Deku dash back with sweat dripping off his chin.

The sweat droplet fell down through the air before it landed on the floor, and instantly, Bakugo launched himself towards Deku, throwing a spinning kick. That slammed into Deku's ribs sending him flying through the air, before he collided with a wall indenting it. Deku stumbled out of the indent with blood dripping out of his mouth. Before he dropped to one knee...

" He's already in a bad condition and the fight just started. " Said Momo watching the screen, the majority of the students nodded agreeing with Momo's statement, before All Might suddenly let out a hearty laugh and spoke. 

" You all were to focus on the fight. That Y'all didn't see Uraraka run past Bakugo when he charged at Midoriya, a few seconds of ago. " The students' eyes widened before they looked at a screen that showed Uraraka running up a stairwell, as quickly as she possibly could. 

" Then this battle isn't going to be decided by Bakugo or Midoriya. " Said Momo, All Might nodded before he spoke.

" Correct! This battle is going to be decided by Ricolo and Uraraka. The exchange between Midoriya and Bakugo was all a distraction for Uraraka to slip past. Meaning, that Midoriya is putting the hopes of the mission on Uraraka. "...

The sound of heaving breathing rippled through the stairwell, as Uraraka finally reached the highest floor and stepped out to a barren room, with only a few pillars holding up the roof. She stared foward at Ricolo who was sleeping, leaning on the payload with his arms crossed. 

" He's sleeping? " Murmured Uraraka to herself, as she slowly started to walk towards the payload trying her hardest not to wake Ricolo. She gingerly took her steps, but after the fifth one suddenly Ricolo spoke.

" You know, you're quite bad at hiding your steps. " Said Ricolo snapping open his eyes, glaring at Uraraka who instinctually flew back. Ricolo slowly stood up. Before he stretched while speaking. 

" You're the girl from the entrance exam, nice to meet you again. " Uraraka simply smacked her lips at the comment. It was obvious to her, that Ricolo wasn't taking her seriously. Uraraka took a deep breath and started trying to figure out a way to get past Ricolo...

POV Uraraka:

I can't beat him hand to hand, but he's overconfident. I can use this to my advantage. If I can make him angry enough, he'll make a rash decision and I can slip past him. I slowly start walking with my fists balled, circling the payload, while Ricolo glares at me, not letting me out of his sight. 

" What's wrong? Are you too chicken to come fight me?! " I yell out at him. But... I don't get a reaction, a blank expression remains on Ricolo's face. I let out an audible scoff, before I continued to walk around the payload, until abruptly, he chuckled to himself before covering his mouth with his hand, but even with him covering his mouth, I could still see the grin between the cracks in his fingers.

H-He's clearly not bothered by my trash talk. As a matter of fact, he isn't taking me seriously at all. I stop walking around the payload, before I pivot and lunge at it. If he isn't going to fall for my trash talk, I need to hurry up and touch the payload, Midoriya won't last long against Bakugo.

I take a few steps before Ricolo enters into a stance with his guard up high. I stare at the guard confused, before his body flickers and reappears directly in front of me. His speed is incredible, I watch as his right arm blurs, before I cross my arms, preparing for his fist to slam into my forearm, but the punch never comes. 

Did he feint it? With slight hesitation, I lower my guard, seeing Ricolo staring at me with a grin on his face. Tsk, he's just messing with me. He stands directly in front of me, motionlessly. Until suddenly his right arm snaps foward, seeing his knuckles approaching my face, I immediately dash back. Narrowly avoiding the punch. 

It's just like the entrance exam, his movements don't have any fluidity to them, they just happen. I start to shuffle my feet right before I hear Ricolo laugh and speak.

" You don't have to react so much, they are only jabs. " 

It pains me to admit this, but he's right. I'm reacting so much to simple jabs, it's basically like I'm saying he's better at hand-to-hand. But he probably knows that already. Ah, what can I do- Before I can finish my train of thought, Ricolo lunges at me throwing a left overhand. 

I feel my eyes dilate, before the powerful punch slams into my jaw, rocking my head back. I stumble back, while I taste blood in my mouth. I regain my balance and start walking backward with my fists tightly held to my face. But Ricolo doesn't follow me, instead, he walks back, getting closer to the payload. 

Damn it, I thought he would chase after me. I-I guess, I'm going have to use my quirk on him, but how the hell am I going to touch him? Tch, I'll figure it out. I lean foward before I lunge at him. I feel the air warp off my charging body, before I arrive in front of Ricolo. I quickly throw a barrage of punches at Ricolo but not a single one of them lands. 

He easily ducks and weaves my punches until finally he slips one of my jabs and hooks me in the chin sending me tumbling to the side, sharp pain surges through my face, until I turn and face Ricolo with blood dripping down my chin...

Back in the room filled with monitors.

" There's nothing she can do. " Said Momo staring at the screen with her arms crossed, All Might glanced at Momo pondering before he spoke. 

" You might be right... Ricolo is clearly leagues above Uraraka in combat, and he doing an excellent job of guarding the payload. Hmm, but there is hope. If she can land an attack on Ricolo and float him up into the air, then she will be able to touch the payload. " 

" She just tried that, and it didn't work? Should she just keep trying until it works? " Asked Momo looking at All Might confused. All Might nodded before he responded

" Of course, you will never achieve anything, if you only try it once "...

The sound of grunts echoed through the barren room, as Uraraka tried her hardest to land an attack on Ricolo, who easily avoided her blows, barely moving his feet. Ricolo slipped one more punch until he slammed his knee into Uraraka's solar plexus making her vomit out blood.

The force of the knee sent Uraraka flying back, before her body collided with a pillar, making a loud bang ripple out. Uraraka collapsed face-first on the ground, while Ricolo stared at her battered body coldly. He kept staring at her body before he watched Uraraka gradually push off the ground, standing back up. 

The sound of Uraraka's deep breaths covered the room, it was obvious, that she was completely exhausted. Growing annoyed, Uraraka gritted her teeth before she shouted out. 

" What is your quirk? It's annoying, your body snaps into position without any signs making it impossible to predict your next attack. " 

" Really? I thought it would be quite obvious, to predict my next attack. " Said Ricolo with a grin on his face, Uraraka stared at him confused before her eyes widened, and she started to walk towards Ricolo with unsteady steps. She had done it, she had figured out, what Ricolo's quirk was. 

She took two more steps until suddenly another force slammed into her solar plexus causing blood to pour out her mouth, before her eyes turned white. And she collapsed on the ground unconscious. Ricolo stared at her body before he smirked and spoke.

" Well done. For a support-type hero, you did quite well. "...