42. False flag!

Mounting my team, I sat Dark Shadow, with Tokoyami up front, Aoyama deceptively placed on my left, and Kirishima gaurding my right.

Then, moving closer to the leftmost wall, I tied the 10 million point headband around my arm, raised my collar high and waited.

I didn't have to wait long as soon the signal was given, and Midnight began the countdown.

"Three....two....one ....Go!" She cried, as we burst into action, strafing the left field wall, heading straight for team Komori.

She spotted me, and raised her arms, expunging spores at me in an attempt to dissuade my attempt, while Pony shot her horns.

Unfortunately for her, I was prepared.

"Kirishima! Dark Shadow! Drift!" I ordered as Aoyama leaned in, pushing Kirishima up front, deflecting the horns, as we twisted back into form, with a spin around.

Dark Shadow for his part spread thin his hands, concentrating his mass over his chest, and then with a deep breath, puffed up to his fill.

The moment we were within range of her spore, it heaved heavy, blowing the spore out of the air, as I raised my hand, aiming for her eyes, something I had learned from watching Mirio in the anime.

It's a simple trick, but quite unbeatable!

She squeaked like a mouse, raising her hands to protect her eyes, leaving their headbands unprotected.

With one smooth sweep, I lifted them off of her, bruising her neck, and breaking their bands.

Tying them onto my arm, I pointed at the next team over, Team Shiobara, who was busy fueding with Momo.

As we circled the left field, an explosion smashed into Kirishima, blindsiding him, almost toppling us.

In the middle distance, Bakugo shot towards us, Iida at his bow.

"What now?" Kirishima asked, concerned.

"Ignore the idiots! Eyes on the prize!

Lets rob the princesses first!" I said, summoning a shelf wall all along our path. Once more we began to run towards the fued, now won by Shiobara, just as she stopped to catch her breath.

"Heyo!" I chirped behind her, sending shivers down her spine, as she swerved, giving Momo the chance at a counter.

Seeing herself trapped, she hesitated in her decision of who to target, such that by the time she chose Momo, it was already too late.

Honenuki, yet tried to stop us, turning the ground to mush. But I had a counter to this too!

"Dark Shadow! Jump!"

Dark Shadow grabbed at the team and leapt, gliding over the marshy trap, as Kirishima kneed Honenuki in the chin, sending Shiobara tumbling back, just put of Momo's reach and into my arms.

Swooning her like a princess, I stroked her cheeks playfully.

"Oh my! Looks like someone's falling for me~" I teased, much to her chagrin as her hair began to wrap around my head.

"Cheh! No sense of humor." I complained, grabbing her and Momo's headbands, before tickling her armpits, as she seized into giggles, her hair loosening.

"You should try laughing sometimes, Ojou-sama!" I chuckled, as Dark Shadow pulled off her hair, and Kirishima hauled ass out of their range.

"You!" She fumed, as Momo blushed a deep red.

"Here!" I said, throwing Momo a headband, sending her a flying kiss, "A gift. For the Ojou-sama with a sense of humor~"

Momo looked at me incredulously, as we ran off, until she saw the look in Shiobara's eyes, and ordered her cavalry to ride away, realising my ploy.

I had just pit them against each other with scraps while I escaped with the meat!

This should keep them stuck in their little catfight instead of chasing after us.

Though there was still the threat of Bakugo, who was slowly closing in on us.

No matter. Just one more heist and my plan will fall into place.

And maybe, even something more!

Now, for the first time, leaving left field we cut across the field, heading for the last weak team on the field, as more and more teams began to aim at us.

Hehehehe! Good.

The more people to scam, the better!

"Kirishima, there. The candy boy." I pointed at our last target, "and Dark Shadow shut our ears please." I added, politely.

Dark Shadow nodded, as we neared the team, who was busy, leisurely robbing team Deku.

"Yo, whinemaster69." I called put, attracting his attention, "Yeah you, loser. You wanted a fight? Well here I am!"

"...." he shouted something, likely sarcastic comeback judging from his expression.

Doesn't matter.

I nudged Kirishima, as we shot towards them, Kirishima first, his expression changed, from rage to confusion to finally fear as he saw the dark bits in our ears, amd made a desperate retreat.

A mite too late though, as Kirishima rammed into the 1B fatty, sending him tumbling onto the floor, dragging Ojiro and Shinso with him, but not before I stole all but two of his headbands.

Time to break the fray!

"Come one, come all!" I hankered like a fishmonger drawing everyone's attention.

Taking off my armband, and a couple others, I raised them high, like a flag, a resplendent 10 million point flag.

"Want it?" I teased, even as all the teams raced towards us, Bakugo and Shoto first and foremost.

"Then catch!" I smiled, balling up the bands, and throwing them over my shoulder, as high as possible.

Though confused and suspecting a trap, the teams rallied behind the ball, making a mad dash past us towards the ball.

As Bakugo and Shoto passed me, they had a sneer and a look of pity on their faces, looking down on me, focusing on the 10 Million points.

A fatal mistake!

The moment there were within range, Dark Shadow, who had been dormant for a good minute now, snapped into action, grabbing their headbands, ripping them off their necks.

The looks on their faces turned spur immediately, and for a moment they considered turning back.

But the allure of 10 Million points and the potential competition, like a stampede turned their ire away, for the moment.

And that was all I needed.

"Aoyama!" I called out with an evil grin.

Aoyama smiled, cockily, as he thrust his hip forward.

With a grunt, he shot a focused beam at the fullest of his power.

Up in the air.

There was a gasp, then more.

The ashes of the 10 Million headband rained upon them, just as the timer ran out on the holo projector and the speakers rang the buzzer.

"What a shocking twist! The daring! The utter daring of Yuji!" Present Mic shouted, astonished at the boldness of my trap.

"In one move, he eliminated the entire competition!"

"Yes. Very crafty. Even I didn't see this coming!" Aizawa exclaimed, excitedly, "Truly ..... astonishing!" He added, lost for words.

"Shall we see the results!" Midnight asked, sobering them up.

"Of course!" Mic replied, tapping his desk impatiently.

Midnight pressed a button on her wrist as the screen changed showing the rankings.

1. Team Yuji - 750 points

2. Team Monoma - 320 points

3. Team Asui - 290 points

4. Team Kendo - 110 points

5. Team Momo - 10 points.

...

"Kind of disappointing, given we started with 10 Million..." Tokoyami whined.

"Is that so?" I asked, pulling out a band from my neck, and holding it up to the camera.

10 Million, it read in blue and gold.

"Holy shit!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"Holy shit!" Present Mic repeated in the tower, as a smack rang out.

"Language! We're live to the nation, Mic!" Aizawa chastised.

"But how?" Midnight asked, gobsmacked, as the points changed on the screen.

I reached into my pants and pulled out a marker, waving it in the air, twirling it between my fingers.

"That's cheating!" Bakugo screamed, "That is cheating! You threw the 10 milli-"

"No, it's not! I never said that the one I threw was the ten million band, did I? You assumed it was, like an idiot." I mocked, "Besides, there's no rule against it." I smirked, "You just have to be smart enough to notice the loopholes! Which you, Bakugo, clearly are not!"

I stuck out a tongue at him, playfully as he fumed with rage, sparks blowing up in his hands.

"Tut tut tut!" I further mocked, "You best keep it in your pants. Don't want to violate your probation, now do we?"

At that he all but fainted from anger, nerves throbbing on his head at their bursting point, as I laughed away.