Chapter 8: The U.A. Hero Festival
Standing amidst his classmates in the waiting area, Jace let the ambient noise wash over him. Cheers from the crowd resonated like distant thunder, punctuated by the occasional roar of excitement. Beside him, Midoriya fidgeted nervously, adjusting his gloves for the tenth time. Jace noticed Tokoyami standing still as a statue, his presence commanding yet understated, much like his own.
"You nervous?" Jace asked Tokoyami, his voice low and composed.
Tokoyami turned his sharp gaze toward Jace. "Not nervous, merely prepared. The light of this festival casts long shadows. Let us hope they do not obscure us."
Jace nodded. His own shadows stirred subtly around his feet, almost imperceptible unless one knew where to look. Prepared, he thought. Always.
Midnight's voice boomed across the arena, silencing the murmurs of the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the U.A. Sports Festival! First up, our first-year students will compete in an obstacle race! The path is fraught with danger, so let's see who has what it takes to overcome it!"
The students were herded to the starting line, a palpable tension thickening the air. Jace took his position, his senses sharp and focused. The stadium's cheers grew deafening as Midnight raised her whip, signaling the start.
"GO!"
The explosion of motion was instantaneous. Students surged forward, their Quirks igniting in a dazzling array of colours and effects. Jace held back for a moment, analyzing the chaos unfolding ahead. The first bottleneck was a narrow corridor, quickly clogged by Todoroki's freezing attack. A slick sheet of ice spread across the ground, catching several students off guard.
Jace moved with purpose, his shadows coiling around him like living entities. They lashed out, forming tendrils that gripped the icy surface, pulling him forward while others struggled to maintain their footing. Behind him, Bakugo launched himself into the air with deafening blasts, carving his own chaotic path.
"Keep to the edges," Jace muttered to himself. His shadows obeyed, clinging to the walls as he bypassed the mass of students slipping and stumbling over Todoroki's frozen terrain. The cold bit at his skin, but he ignored it, his focus unwavering.
The next challenge loomed ahead: a massive canyon filled with robotic sentinels. The mechanical giants moved with an eerie precision, their sensors scanning for targets. Jace paused briefly, his eyes darting between the paths others were taking. Todoroki froze one robot in a single, precise strike, while Bakugo tore through another with an explosive barrage.
"Kael, suggestions?" Jace asked internally.
Kael's voice was a smirk in his mind. "Straight through. We'll make them regret standing in our way."
Jace's lips curled into a faint smile. "Agreed."
He surged forward, his shadows exploding outward like a dark tidal wave. The first sentinel turned toward him, but before it could fire, his tendrils wrapped around its joints, yanking it to the ground with a resounding crash. Jace leapt over its collapsing form, his movements precise and controlled. Another robot moved to intercept, but his shadows struck faster, slicing through its circuits with surgical precision.
The canyon was chaos, but Jace thrived in it. By the time he reached the other side, his breathing was steady, his path clear. The minefield came into view, a sprawling expanse dotted with explosives buried beneath the dirt. He could see Midoriya ahead, using a piece of metal as a makeshift shield to propel himself forward. The ingenuity made Jace pause for a fraction of a second before he continued.
He tapped into his shadows once more, using them to lightly tap the ground ahead, triggering the mines safely from a distance. Each explosion sent shockwaves through the air, but his path remained steady. When he reached the final stretch, he allowed himself a brief glance back. The chaos behind him was a stark contrast to his calculated advance.
By the time Jace crossed the finish line, the crowd's cheers were deafening. He didn't need to look up to know All Might was watching.
The next event was announced with Midnight's characteristic flair: the Cavalry Battle. Teams began forming quickly, alliances forged in the heat of competition. Jace found himself approached by Tokoyami, Jiro, and Shoji.
"We need your shadows," Tokoyami said bluntly. "Dark Shadow alone isn't enough to handle multiple attackers."
Jace studied their faces, calculating their strengths and weaknesses. "Fine," he said. "But we'll need a strategy. Shoji, you're our eyes. Tokoyami and I will focus on defense. Jiro, keep us mobile and disorient the enemy with your soundwaves."
The plan was set, and the match began. Chaos erupted instantly as teams clashed in a frenzy of movement and power. Jace's shadows expanded around his team like a protective dome, striking out at anyone who ventured too close. Dark Shadow worked in tandem with his tendrils, creating a nearly impenetrable barrier.
Bakugo's team targeted them early, his explosive attacks relentless. Jace countered with calculated precision, his shadows deflecting the blasts while Shoji called out enemy positions. Jiro's soundwaves disrupted Bakugo's rhythm, forcing him to retreat momentarily.
"We can't hold them off forever," Tokoyami said, his voice strained.
"We don't need to," Jace replied calmly. "Just long enough."
As the timer ticked down, Jace's team made a daring push for the high-point headbands. His shadows lashed out like vipers, snatching a headband from an unsuspecting opponent. The move drew cheers from the crowd, but Jace remained focused.
The final seconds were a blur of motion and adrenaline. When the buzzer sounded, Jace's team stood among the victors, their headbands secured. The crowd erupted into applause, their performance a highlight of the event.
As the students regrouped, Jace allowed himself a moment of quiet. The festival was far from over, but he had played his part well so far. His shadows retreated, coiling around him protectively as he prepared for the next challenge.
Kael's voice whispered in his mind. "You're holding back. Why?"
Jace didn't answer. Instead, he looked toward the sky, the cheers of the crowd echoing around him. The U.A. Sports Festival was a battlefield of light and shadow, and he intended to survive it on his terms.