Part 23

10 reviews = bonus chapter

200 stones = bonus chapter

3 patreon subscriptions = 10 bonus chapters

Fully support the story at:

patreon.com/FanFictionPremium

***

I scratched my cheek thoughtfully.

Who should I choose as my partner?

Tsuyu will refuse, she and I agreed that we'll meet in the finals and fight there. Shoto and Katsuki? It's not even funny, they'd rather have my armband.

My gaze slid over the people around me....

Hm...

Noticing a girl from class 1-B who was standing alone, I quickly walked over to her.

- Hi, I'm Izuku Midoriya, you can just call me Izuku.

- Hi... Setsuna Tokage, you can just call me Setsuna. I've heard about you...

She nodded at the commentary desk.

- My quirk is Self-amputation. I can split my body into thirty parts, but I'm training and soon I hope to increase the number of parts I can separate....

- Can you levitate body parts?

- Yes...

I was looked at with suspicion.

- Fuck, you're a femme! Buggy!

- А?

The girl was confused.

- From a manga that was popular in the days before fads. There was this character called Buggy the Clown, a pirate. One of the side characters, actually, but very, very charismatic...

- Wasn't he?

- Yeah... if you want after the Festival, I'll send you the manga. Maybe you can pick up a few interesting ideas to further your quirk.

- Hmm. Okay.

- And while I'm at it.

- I'm in. That way I'll have a chance to make it to the next round... Are we going to take anyone else?

I shook my head.

- No, we don't need anyone else.

- Okay, I hear you. I'm relying on you.

The rest of the time we just turned down other helpers who wanted to join our team.

- So...

Midnight's voice boomed out as soon as the report on the main screen ended.

- ...While we were on break, I was reminded that I had left out one important thing. Namely, that the bandages you will be picking must be at or above the neck. Also, I'd like to additionally point out that the use of fads in this round is allowed. BUT! I would like to remind you that this is a cavalry battle and if you intentionally interfere with the match, you will be disqualified.

- What happens if the armband is taken away?

Mina asked that question.

- Didn't I say?

There was a unanimous denial.

- Nothing. You have until the end of the tourney to grab other people's armbands. You also have nothing to lose if your cavalry is defeated. You'll just have to gather them up and continue hunting for your opponents' armbands. So, I hope you're all ready!

- Yes!

A chorus of cheers answered Midnight's question.

- Then, one by one, approach the stage as a team and you will be given your armband....

Within five minutes all the teams had received their armbands, we put ours on Setsuna's head, after which I, grinning, put her on my shoulders.

- Look, we haven't discussed the plan, but... you can separate your head, right?

- Yeah. Should I put it in the air?

- No, no, no.

I'm shaking my head.

- Can you manoeuvre it in the air, though?

- Well.

- Not too fast?

- Yeah.

- Then don't. Too many people can get your head in the air.

- Then where to?

- In my hands.

I grinned and took the girl's head in my hands, while carefully attaching myself to it and the bandage, I also attached Setsuna to my shoulders.

- On your marks! Attention! This is the battle of the cavalry! Let's go!

- Yoo-hoo!

It was Setsuna who shouted as I just jumped up and forward at the moment of the start doing an incredible somersault and additionally pushing off the head of Katsuki who was closest to me.

- Oops...

I cast a glance at Setsuna's hand which had returned to its owner and tied Katsuki's bandage around her neck.

- Can you still do that?

- Sure.

I grinned and began to just do incredible somersaults on the available field. As I ran from one side of the field to the other, Setsuna was stealing the bandages and squealing happily.

Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut!

I spun around in mid-air and spotting a giant hand I sharply pushed off before it shrank back, grabbing us.

- Do you see what he's doing?!

- I see...

Midnight's voice was extremely erotic, but Mick was too shocked and couldn't believe his eyes.

It's my gut again!

I turn around and push away from the plants that literally shot up from the ground trying to braid us, but in doing so I get blasted by Katsuki. I had to turn around and put my back under the blast so that my partner's head, which I was holding in front of me, wouldn't get hurt.

A short flight, a turn in the air and I land on the ice.

Shoto is trying to get closer, but my coordination is at a very high level, and I with ease immediately after landing just continue to glide, and after pushing off the ice just jumped over Shoto's cavalry.

There was a guy from B class next to me, but I just ignore him.

- How is that possible?! What is he made of?! How do you train them in your class?!

That question was clearly asked to Sotrigolova.

- Huh, it's nothing special, it's just that this year's A class has some really quite interesting and gifted students.

I'm doing another somersault in the air at this point, bouncing off the ribbon of one of the contestants....

- Meanwhile, five minutes have already passed!

Essence Mick's voice echoed over the stadium.

- And in that time, no one had been able to even come close to the headband of Team Midoriya's rider! By the way, Midnight, is it even allowed to move the headband like that?

- Well, I guess so. It's their team armband and it's supposed to be on the rider's head, so it is. And the fact that Setsuna can come apart... well, that's our fault... At the same time, she ties all of her loot around her neck....

- I see. Sotrigolova, do you think your student can keep up this pace for the rest of the tour?

- I think so. Yes. Midoriya has a lot of stamina and doesn't neglect his training. He wants to be a hero and he works harder than anyone else.

- Is that so?

- Yeah.

- Well, okay... How come?!

I grinned as I continued to do seemingly impossible tricks... and continued to do them for the rest of the time remaining.

- Five to go! Four! Three! Two! One! Finished!

And just seconds after Ghost Mick announced the end of the round, Midnight took the floor.

- Team Midoriya! Asui! Todoroki! Bakugo and Kendo are through to the third round! Naturally, first place went to Izuku Midoriya! Second place went to... Katsuki Bakugo! Third place went to Todoroki Shoto, fourth place went to Team Tsuyu Asui, and fifth place went to Team Itsuki Kendo! Congratulations! You've done well! The next stage will be one-on-one bouts! You have half an hour to rest!

I sighed and returned Setsuna's head back to her, before saying goodbye to the girl and heading to the dining hall.

- So?

I looked at Tsuyu who had decided to eat just like me.

- We're in the finals...

She put up her hand and I gave her a high five.

- All that's left is the fights.

- Yeah.

- Well, we've done more than well, but I have to win or Rumi will eat me instead of carrots.

- Huh, you're already in a relationship like this?

- What's that?

I arched an eyebrow questioningly.

- I can hear jealousy in the voice of my perfect Tsuyu, who was the one who suggested that I collect a harem?

- I didn't suggest...

I grinned.

- Okay, okay! Nothing is working out between us other than friendship. So for now, you don't have to worry about having a rival.

- I wasn't worried...

I nodded my head.

- You don't believe me?

- Tsuyu, we know each other very well and we know that our jokes about the harem have not gone further than jokes at this point.

I look her carefully in the eye.

- I don't know if we will go further than jokes in the future, but... It will definitely only be consensual, so don't be jealous of me.

She sighed.

- I... I don't know what... why I'm reacting like this right now....

- It's jealousy.

- I guess...

We smiled at each other.

- Wow! Those are the two finalists!

I cast a glance at the approaching heroine. Lady Mountain, or Mountain Lady, is rumoured to be a narcissistic bitch who is obsessed with her own reputation.

I cast a glance at Tsuyu, and slightly arched an eyebrow. She shrugs her shoulders just as subtly.

- Do you need something?

My voice wasn't exactly cold, but it definitely wasn't friendly.

- Oh that's cold, but I was just coming to see you, handsome. You know, I thought I'd be the first to approach you and tell you that regardless of the finals, I'm inviting you to intern as my assistant.

She smiles charmingly. But I'm not attracted to it at all.

- Thank you.

- You'll accept my invitation, of course.

There's no question in her voice; she's sure I won't refuse her offer.

- Thank you, but no.

- А?

- I was invited to an internship before the festival. Unofficially, of course, but...''

I shrugged.

- ...I don't know who would have to invite me to turn down that offer.

- WHO?!

Wow! Am I glitching or did her hair stand on end like a live snake.

- Rumi Usagiyama.

- THAT OLD WOMAN?!

I frowned.

- I would ask you not to insult my friends in my presence.

- Come on! She's an old woman! Look at me! I'm young! I'm beautiful! I'm sexy! Я...

- You're a bitch.

She hit a wall. She just froze with her mouth slightly open.

- You're--

She started to grow, and her face, hidden by the half-mask, showed rage.

- You...

- What's going on here?

The Almighty's voice boomed through the dining room, catching the Mountain Lady's attention and causing her to deflate to her usual size.

- W- Almighty...

She smiled ingratiatingly at hero number one.

- ...It's nothing like that...

- Yes?

- Yes, yes...

- All right, may I speak to young Midoriya?

- C-c-c-c-certainly!

The Mountain Lady immediately hurried away.

- Thank you, Almighty.

- You're welcome... she's not a bad girl, just a little...

- Bitchy.

- Well... yeah...