Chapter 15: Perplexing Strategy
"Yes!"
In the family stands, Grandpa Max threw up a fist in triumph as Upgrade's mechanical body was the first to emerge from the last tunnel of the race. He smiled ear-to-ear as his grandson awkwardly waved a hand, still transformed, looking around him. Cameras flashed and videos streamed the race live, and everyone watching, in the stadium or anywhere else, had their eyes on the new hot topic.
"Hmph." Tetrax snorted, not even moving from his position, sitting down with his arms folded.
"Oh come on, lighten up Tetrax. We both know that Ben would be behaving differently if this were a real combat situation." Max still couldn't change the Petrosapian's heart.
"First, he chose a poor form for the job. Second, he got distracted and lost sight of the primary objective. Third, he had to rely on someone else to win. I pray to whatever god watches over this planet that you are right Max." Tetrax pointed out Ben's flaws, blunt as always. His gaze was still locked onto Ben, watching him as he moved aside to make room for the rest of the racers.
"I will concede, however, that he proved his adaptability is as sharp as ever. Even if he somehow still hasn't figured out why he mistransforms sometimes, or hasn't fixed his child-like attitude which gets the better of him, he made what he got work." Tetrax begrudgingly admitted.
"And there it is. Was it that hard?" Max gave the fighter a pat on the shoulder.
"It at least proves that the qualities that made Azmuth entrust the Omnitrix to him still remain, and are as strong as ever. The fact that Ben can only grow from here on out is honestly terrifying. With his natural ability to create a fighting style for each of the species he transforms into, alongside his adaptability and tenacity, he could become a hero the likes of which has never been seen." Tetrax then watched as Ben accepted a water bottle from some of the helpers managing a refreshments desk for the exhausted students. Ben fumbled while unscrewing the bottle and attempted to drink. Still transformed. And Galvanic Mechamorphs can't even absorb moisture. The water washed over his face and fell to the ground. "Of course, he still has a long way to go."
"He's 11, almost 12 Tetrax. I know he has innate responsibilities due to who he is, but give him time. No Plumber was ever trained in a year, or ten for that matter." Max turned his attention back down to the field as runners poured out of the tunnel, many falling over from their mad dash to qualify for the second event.
"What do you think of the other contestants?" Max tried to strike up the conversation again.
"Weak. But it is as you said. They are young, without proper training or real world experience. They rely solely on their human 'quirks' and gut instincts." Tetrax started to point out several students individually.
"The exploding one." Tetrax pointed out Bakugo. "As an ex-mercenary myself, I can tell you he's a warrior. A solid ability, decent intuition and drive. More than what I can say for the others in the race. But his attitude needs an overhaul. Your society wants heroes, not warriors. He also seems to have issues controlling his emotions. His instincts, as I said, are solid for not having professional training. But the moment he gets angry, he loses all semblance of form and gets sloppy and predictable."
Then he pointed at Todoroki. "I have a bias against this child, as I have fought many species with ice-based abilities. And won easily. This child is far too confident in his own fighting capabilities for what he really brings to the table. He expects to win in the first moments of battle. As the exploding child kept up with him, he grew irritable but made no moves to widen the gap. When he was overtaken, he didn't fight back. He needs to get out of whatever mental cage he's in if he wants to grow."
"But those two are easy to label. That one." Tetrax finally motioned towards Midoriya. "Is a wildcard. His mannerisms are completely different from how he acts. He acts weak but is willing to use daring strategies that no one else would even think of doing. Everyone used their natural abilities, except this one. Does he not think his quirk is useful in a race? Is he so skilled that it was not needed? Does he lack control so he does not use it for his own sake? Many questions still remain, but there still are two more events. He will be entertaining to watch at least."
In the regular seats, another adult figure was watching Midoriya, although with much more favoritism than the Petrosapian. One who was stationed there to protect his identity.
'Well done Young Midoriya!' All Might thought while clapping his hands in his skeleton form. 'An exceptional performance, a top 3 finish!'
Truth be told, All Might was worried about Midoriya's mindset on heroism. Too many of Japan's hero hopefuls in the modern age have the wrong idea of what it really means to be a hero. Modern media coverage of heroic actions as well as the implementation of hero rankings and salaries depending on said rankings have altered what the youth perceived as heroism. All that seems to matter now are numbers: where one places in the rankings, how many arrests made yearly or how many one shoves beneath them as they rise. The Sports Festival magnifies this, forcing the students to fight one another in a fierce competition. Although, in Midoriya's case, the Festival has forced him to shed his nervous outer layer, and reveal what All Might was searching for.
'An unprecedented move like that may have secured him first in any other year, but this year is different.' All Might shifted his gaze to look at Young Tennyson, in his strange new form. Every form he took was strange in some regard, but this one was a step above. This one was especially dangerous.
'Powerloader will not be happy.' The UA robots were state-of-the-art, and not just in their design, weaponry and construction. They had digital defense that was far above average. It would not do UA any good if their go-to method of testing applicants and students were to be compromised and maim an unsuspecting student. Nezu personally checked every robot to make sure they were up to code, in both physical condition and any anti-hacking protocols Powerloader gave them. But this was new. Young Tennyson did not 'hack' the robot in the first obstacle in any traditional way. Rather, it seemed as if he enveloped the zero-pointer, and became the machine. Technological powers such as that had never been seen before, and therefore no countermeasures existed. Any and all digital defenses Powerloader may have put into the zero-pointers were rendered useless in the face of such a unique power. He wouldn't be the only one frightened by this new form of Young Tennyson. Who knew what else this form could do? Bypass bank security, military documents, government secrets... the potential damage this form could cause in the digital age is catastrophic.
No. All Might shook his head and slapped his forehead. Young Tennyson was not villainous, not in the slightest. His dear friend, Detective Tsukauchi, as well as Nezu himself vouched for him. He showed vast amounts of potential, regardless of his unknown past. A past that he, Tsukauchi and now Aizawa were working on figuring out. At the end of the day, quirks did not determine character. His successor was evidence of that.
'You are unrecognizable from when I first met you years ago, Young Midoirya.' All Might then saw the boy tremble and wipe away tears threatening to run down his cheeks. 'Although, the sooner you grow out of being a crybaby, the better.'
"What did I tell you? The potential of this year's hero students is through the roof!" All Might was startled out of his thoughts by an excited voice from behind him, in the next row up. A bunch of boys in uniforms were in deep discussion. They must be the fourth UA course, the department of management. Students that delved deep into economics, sales and publicity in order to join the other side of the hero industry. Rather than being heroes themselves, or building their gear, these were the ones that would run their agencies, win sponsorships and deal with finances.
"No one doubted you Kanbei, we just told you that the green haired one surpassed our expectations." Another boy responded, as he fixed his glasses.
"Yes, I believe his name is Midoriya. A top 3 finish in such stylish fashion is sure to garner attention. A never-give-up attitude and quick thinking only add to his appeal. But I can't help but notice one crippling issue." The third boy with blushing cheeks raised a finger sternly. "He decided not to use his quirk during the event, which therefore makes his future hard to read and sell. No doubt the hero agencies watching also noticed this, which makes him less desirable. Without demonstrating a quirk and one's proficiency with it, their fighting style and potential areas of expertise are harder to identify. Is he suited for rescue or anti-villainism? What type of role will he play in a combat or rescue situation? Does he have any potential synergies with existing professional heroes? Agencies look for certain qualities in their interns, and Midoriya's refusal to show his hand may be detrimental to his potential options after the Festival."
"That is true. Well spoken Kagami." Kanbei admitted.
"At least he shows some control over his emotions. He remained calm and collected, even when behind. Surely that is something in his favor. Unlike that blonde, Bakugo was his name?" The third boy interrupted. "Cursing, yelling, demeaning fellow heroes, he would be a PR nightmare. The only thing he has going for him is his quirk, which admittedly, is powerful. His usage of it shows his dedication, but we will have to see if his fighting potential is worth his attitude."
'Ah.' While nothing the boys said were lies, All Might felt a twinge of both annoyance and guilt. Annoyance in how Young Midoriya was already being doubted because of the modern hero culture. Guilt in that he probably would have stood out more if he could use his quirk. 'Maybe if I were a better teacher, he would be in a better position right now.'
"But enough about future prospects!" Kanbei leaned towards his friends eagerly. "Let's talk about the gold mine in the room: Tennyson Benjamin!"
'Oh?' All Might shifted his head ever so slightly to listen in better.
"Oh yes, that one is someone to invest in without second thought." Kagami immediately responded.
"Who would have thought that someone like him even existed? Actually, it might be for the best that no one knows about him. You all know what sells: the new, the unexplained, things that are unique, one-of-a-kind! Tennyson has all of that, and a first place finish!"
"It also helps that there has been a noticeable shift in hero popularity lately favoring those with mutation-based quirks. Hawks, Mirko and Ryukyu have all broken into the top 10 ranks and are massively popular. A major part of their appeal are their mutation quirks."
"But we also must consider other factors. Mainly his nationality. No foreign hero has ever made it into the top 100 in Japan. It just doesn't happen."
"Are we comparing boring old farts who migrate to Japan to leech off of the high hero salaries when they are past their prime, to Tennyson? He's only a student, with unique powers and limitless potential! Didn't you hear Present Mic? He said Tennyson can assume many different forms. Imagine what else he can do!"
'It is good to know that the management kids were the same as they were when I attended UA.' All Might gently laughed to himself as the trio behind him argued and squabbled good-naturally among themselves.
There was, however, someone present at the stadium who was not happy. He was someone there not for entertainment, nor to cheer, or even to scout. He was there on a mission. And he was a hero of renown. He was Endeavor.
He was a large man, even though his quirk did not involve anything about physical strength. His physique, one which nearly rivaled All Might in his prime, was a result of his never-ending quest to become stronger. To surpass the one who could not be surpassed. As his body grew stronger, his power over his quirk, Hellflame, did as well. However, despite his best efforts, Endeavor stagnated at second, where he remained for years. This plateau created a sense of desperation within the man, and he began to delve into questionable subjects behind the scenes. One of those things was the study of quirks and how it tied with genetics; more specifically in how they were passed down to children. If he could not surpass All Might, his lineage would. In pursuit of that knowledge, Endeavor became knowledgeable of all types of quirks. He thought he had seen it all.
Then the unthinkable happened. During UA's entrance exam, a student had achieved an astounding 172 points, within spitting distance of All Might's score. Someone, in the same year as his creation, was also chasing the number one spot and had the score to prove it. He vividly remembered his rage, how his mood fouled for weeks after receiving that news. It only worsened when he couldn't find out anything about the damn kid! UA was tight-lipped about the whole thing, and refused to tell him anything more. But being the number 2 hero has its perks, and his network of informants eventually revealed to him what he had spent the better part of a month piecing together. The anomaly was an American student, and went by the name of Benjamin Tennyson. This Tennyson soon proved to be beyond anything he could have imagined.
Papers started to pile on his desk, reports on who this Tennyson was and what he and his quirk were capable of. Each report was more unbelievable than the last. A red giant with four arms and strength rivaling that of All Might. Some speed-based form that outpaced every hero and modern vehicle by a considerable margin. An orange dog-creature whose senses were so sharp even full invisibility was ineffective against it. At the USJ, confidential footage was snuck, illegally, to him showing an aquatic deep sea creature with powerful jaws and claws. Few quirks could surpass or even match these forms individually, yet all of them were linked to a single pre-teen boy. It made Endeavor furious. How, in his years of quirk research to find the best compatible partner to make his legacy, had he missed a power like this?
Assuming this was a result of generations of quirk marriages, he started uncovering family records. To his shock, he found only an American family with no history of heroics. The only remotely heroic thing about the family was the boy's grandfather, who had a record of service in the United States air force. That couldn't be right, so Endeavor decided that he would just have to meet the family face-to-face. The mother and father were working back in the USA, out of reach. Endeavor couldn't meet with the parents, they were too far. Leaving Japan was out of the question, as he had never done so before, excluding specific missions regarding international villains, and that would attract too much attention. The only option left was to find Maxwell Tennyson, the grandfather who was in the air force and current guardian of Ben Tennyson. If he could not get through to the grandfather, then he would move onto the child himself. Crossing his arms, Endeavor leaned back, his face set in stone, masking the turmoil within. He only needed to wait for the lunch break period. Then, he could make his move.
Center Stage-
"Whew!"
Ben wiped his brow with a large, flat hand, flicking off non-existent sweat from his brow. It was then that he finally noticed that he was still transformed, still in his Galvanic Mechamorph form.
'Wow, was that whole race less than 10 minutes?' Ben thought, but really he already knew the answer. Many battles revealed to him that time seemed to flow differently when fighting, or in a strenuous situation. While the race seemed like an eternity, with its 3 seperate obstacles, it was a race at the end of the day. The whole point of a race was to finish it as fast as possible. Remove the standard quirk restriction that was placed on most competitions, and it was shocking how fast even high schoolers could finish a race. Choosing not to reveal his time limit, Ben decided to just transform back. His hand tapped the Omnitrix module, and in a flash of green returned back to human form.
'Feels good to have blood and guts again!' Ben ignored the chattering crowd all around him, pointing and talking about his transformation, to pat his body down. Upgrade's nanite-composition always made Ben feel a little strange, but after dozens of battles as the mechamorph, he had gotten used to it. Mostly. Busy with his check-up, Ben was unaware of rapidly approaching footsteps of a recovered support course student.
"Omph!" Ben was caught unaware as another body crashed into him, the UA blue with pink crowding his vision as the person put her hands on his arms and spun him around. Rigid with shock, Ben could see the excited face of Hatsume Mei centimeters from his own. With her goggles off, Ben could see her eyes had a unique cross-shape in her pupils. Her quirk perhaps? Something ocular based? That line of thought was quickly abandoned as the girl began shaking him.
"Wow, wow! What was that green light thingy? Was that your quirk? Can you transform into your techno-form at will? What else can you assimilate? Does the type of metal or composition affect what you can possess? What is it like when you possess stuff?" A barrage of questions left Ben dazed. When he started a response Hastume just started another question. She began shaking him back and forth, her excitement starting to leak from her body. Then her eyes found the Omnitrix, and widened even further and her excitement rose even higher, if that was even possible.
"What... what is that? Some sort of support device? Does that regulate your transformation? It's so strange! I've never seen a watch like that, much less one that supports a quirk. Who made it? Can I touch it? I'm gonna touch it." She started to reach her hand out, causing Ben to fly into action.
"No, don't!" Ben flung his arm away, but Hatsume was undeterred. Ben was a little shorter than Hatsume, so he couldn't just raise his arm, he had to extend it behind him. As Hatsume reached closer and closer, Ben lost his balance and fell backwards. His breath was knocked out of him as Hatsume landed on top of him, her eyes still glued to the Omnitrix. Ben stretched his arm as far back as he could, but Hatsume was as tall as he was, and she was in a better position. He remembered what happened the last time someone touched the watch when he didn't want them too. The defensive energy blast the Omnitrix emitted sent Vilgax flying and dented a building. Hatsume was no alien warlord conqueror, so Ben did not know if she could survive it. As her fingers were about to graze the faceplate, Ben shut his eyes, bracing for the inevitable.
Then the weight on him was lifted. Opening his eyes, Ben saw that Hastume was being raised by her uniform's collar by a callused, scared arm. His unknown savior was a strange looking man, with a strange sense of fashion. The most apparent style choice was foregoing a shirt, leaving his torso exposed. Small scars and burn marks dotted his pale skin, showing time spent working inside a lab. His head was encased in a personalized helmet, looking like the claw of an excavator with his hair bristling out the back. Slim pants and boots covered his lower body. He wore massive gloves with large fingertips and a black mesh sticking out above his wrists.
"Hastume, remember our deal? I'd let you participate as well as overlook your dozens of safety violations if you behaved yourself. That includes what happens outside of the sanctioned events." The man's voice radiated tiredness, as if he had dealt with this girl's craziness for years.
"But Powerloader-sensei! I can't just not when something as groundbreaking as that watch is right in front of me! Just look, look!" Hatsume frantically gestured towards Ben, who was pushing himself up off the ground.
"And that is why we have requisition forms so that we don't have to literally throw ourselves on top of others. You know, like civilized people? I can't believe I'm telling you this." The hero shook his head, muttering under his breath. Swinging Hatsume so that he could be in the middle of the two students, Powerloader dropped his gaze to look at Ben. It was dark in the helmet, but Ben could see the small, but bright glow of his eye. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah. She just surprised me, that's all." Ben dusted off his palms on the pants of his uniform.
"Hmm. So, you're the famous Tennyson eh? Heard a lot about you from my colleagues." Ben saw a familiar gleam in the hero's eye, not too dissimilar to the one Hatsume had, just more controlled. "Name's Powerloader. I teach the support course. That's some transformation you pulled off back there. I'll have you know that in the multiple decades I've worked on UA's robotics, I've never seen a quirk interact with them like you did."
"Eheh." Ben let out a weak chuckle. "That's Upgrade's shtick. Should probably use him more often."
"A well-deserved name. You guys came out of the first event at the top, even beating Endeavor's kid. Gonna pair up in the next event too? That one usually showcases great synergies between quirks."
"No!" Hatsume's cry caught both hero and student off guard. "I can't show off my babies properly when teamed up with him! They were upgraded artificially, not by my own hands, and the support companies watching know that. If I want to get noticed then I have to start showing what I can really do, on my own!"
"Really? You do know that most support items are designed to supplement a quirk, not to be used on their own." Powerloader spoke back.
"It's not about the devices, it's about me!" Hastume threw her arms down and pouted. "I only got second because of him. I know that, he knows that, everyone knows that. I need to prove that I can stand on my own two feet! That even without someone as overpowered as that boy, I can still make a difference!"
"Well, that's the most insightful thing you've said all year. At least now I know you do think about things other than inventing." Powerloader turned back to Ben. "Regardless, after all this is over, you should come on down to the support laboratories. We could really do some amazing things with a quirk like that." Ben couldn't see it, but Powerloader was smiling.
"Yes, come every day! Just because I can't team up now doesn't mean we can't work together in the future! I can make the most amazing babies with you! Just think, if he made the Hover Soles that strong, what could he do with a jetpack? Or my latest baby: The Juicer!"
"Alright, that's enough." Powerloader turned around to carry Hatsume, still rattling on about her 'babies' to cool off on the sidelines. Before going, the hero craned his neck to yell to contact his homeroom teacher for directions to get to the support laboratories.
Ben awkwardly waved goodbye, before mentally letting out a massive sigh. That was draining. He pictured the head of UA's support branch to be a nerdy engineer with large glasses and a pristine coat. Not that he disliked Powerloader's appearance, it was certainly memorable and unique, but it was very different from what he envisioned. Ben chose to spend the next few minutes watching the rest of the racers pour in through the tunnel, all of them desperate to be the first 42 to make it.
Right after the first group Ibara made it in, with that other class B guy right behind her. Neither showed much emotion or exhaustion. A bunch of class A boys followed, with Ida leading them, but with an annoyed expression on his face as he removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. Tetsutetsu and one of his classmates followed suit, then a storm of class A students. Among them was Yaoyorozu, who looked exhausted and humiliated, as she turned to reveal that the sticky-ball haired midget from gen ed, Mineta, had stuck himself onto her, forcing her to race with the weight of another student. Most of class B followed, with some class A sprinkled in there. Ben did see the purple gen ed guy in the crowd, much to his disappointment, with a satisfied smirk on his face. No doubt happy that he had not gotten in last. Speaking of last place, Aoyama staggered across the finish line, face tight with pain and clutching his stomach. His passing caused Midnight to sound a horn, letting everyone else know the top 42 had been selected.
Once the last of the racers had made it back into the arena, the same gate that they used for the entrance appeared to close off the course. It looked like the rest of the Sports Festival would take place in the confines of the arena. Ben gave waves and thumbs up to everyone he knew as they passed. Some like Kendo returned the gesture with one of their own. Others like Aoyama and Shoda could only barely prop themselves up right to give a pained smile. But it seemed that the show would stop for no one as Midnight signaled to the commentator's booth above and Present Mic started hyping up the crowd for the next event.
"Once again, a first place finish. Congratulations." Shoji's voice rumbled behind Ben. Ben didn't turn around, merely waiting for the large student to make his way beside him.
"You didn't do too bad yourself. I saw you enter right behind Asui and that guy with a bandana around his head. What was that, 15th place?"
"14th actually." Shoji raised his arm to point at the largest stadium screen, which showed the times and placement of the 42 qualified students. "Looks like everyone from our class made it in. Hmm. Actually, all fourty hero students made it in"
"Really? Not a single one dropped?"
"Wait, the screen just flickered. Never mind, it says 19 out of 20 students from class B made it in. 20 from our class, 19 from class B, 2 gen ed and one support. Totalling 42." Shoji scanned the screen one last time before confirming. The pair spotted some class B students comforting a student on his hands and knees, quivering with emotion. His head, mutated from his quirk, resembles a japanese character. Apparently he had gotten caught in Todoroki's initial ice attack in the first tunnel, and couldn't use his quirk to break himself free without causing harm to the people around him.
'Poor fella.' Ben felt for the guy, he really did.
"Unfortunate that one of our class couldn't make it, but to be fair, it was due to the actions of one of class A's students. So whose fault is it really?"
'This guy again.' Ben's thoughts soured as he spun around to see the infuriating smirking face of Monoma. Shoji, sensing this was not his fight, just stood to the side.
"What do you want?" Ben kept his sentences short and curt.
"Well, just to apologize for what happened at the beginning of the race. It was an accident. They happen, you know? I couldn't see and I tripped and you just so happened to be in the perfect position to break my fall." Monoma leaned in, and Ben could see just how strained that fake smile was. He put a hand on Ben's shoulder, and a little too close to his neck for comfort. Then his thumb extended to brush against his throat. Ben could feel his skin tingle where the skin made contact. Felt weird.
Ben swiftly raised his hand to smack Monoma away. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Oh, it won't." Monoma's smile grew wider, and he backed off. Turning away, he walked off to join his own class. He got what he came for anyways. Monoma now had confirmation that Tennyson's quirk was indeed compatible with his own. The contact he just made wouldn't last to the next event, but it was important to remember. Monoma smirked to himself. The scales were even now.
"What a nice guy." Shoji sarcastically remarked as he stepped back beside Ben. "Creepy too. You feel alright? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"Nah, I'm good. Just, give me a minute."
But there was no time to relax, as Midnight cracked her whip into a microphone, echoing the sound throughout the stadium. The audience quieted and the students started moving. The 42 that could advance moved towards the podium right below the big screen and the rest of the students moved to the sides. A clap from Midnight brought the spotlights to her, and all the screens blinked as they transitioned to showing her.
"It was a hard-fought battle, but the top 42 students have emerged, and have earned the right to advance to the next stage! For those that did not make it, don't let it get to you! There are two more attempts in your future, so take this as an opportunity to evaluate yourselves in what you did wrong and what you can do to improve your standing! However, we require the stadium grounds for the post-preliminaries, so please proceed to your designated viewer's box from the tunnel on my left!" With a flourish, Midnight jabbed her whip's handle at a tunnel whose entrance blinked with red lights. The defeated students marched through, heads low and spirits lower. Polite clapping from the audience sent them off.
"Now, for the rest of you!" Midnight brought the focus back on her. "I hope you aren't bottomed-out, because this was only the first of potentially three challenges! Over half of you got cut in the first event, and the same thing will happen in this one. 42 of you will enter, but only 16 of you will make it to the third, and final round. The first event was a free-for-all, but this one will be a team event! But which team-game will be chosen? Let us find out!"
WRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
The screen behind Midnight flashed to show the list of events, with the same layout of before. A large and bolded 'Post-preliminary 1' and the two smaller titles above and below it featuring: 'Conquest' and 'Defend the President.' The words then were spun in a fast downward spin, letters blurring together.
WRRRRRRRRrrrrrr- DING!
"Human Cavalry Battle!" Midnight announced and the audience cheered.
"You all will form teams with a minimum of two people and a maximum of four. You will form a cavalry formation with one person being the 'rider' who is supported by the others. The rider will have a headband with a score total equalling to the entire team's points earned from the last event. The rider is the only person allowed to wear the headband and must be worn on an area above the neck. The objective of the game is to attempt to steal other team's headbands while simultaneously protecting your own. The same rules from the race apply here: quirks are allowed, but excessive force and malicious intent will get you disqualified!"
While Ben had never heard of such a sporting event until just now, it was not that difficult to understand it. While the formation was strange, the game would require a mix of offense, defense and knowledge. Offense in order to steal headbands and defense to protect yours. But while Ben was confident in those two categories, he was less sure on the last. He didn't know everyone's quirk, and that would make it difficult to choose an alien. The last event was easy, but he just had an unfortunate mistransformation. He would be in his element in a one-versus-one bracket, as he could pick the optimal choice for each battle. But in a chaotic stadium with about 10 teams each full of powerful quirks that he didn't have exact knowledge on? Not to mention how to best suit his own team.
"Remember that this event will require perseverance! If you are knocked down or get your headband stolen, you are not out of the game! Get up, dust yourselves off and jump back into action! As long as you keep your rider the same, anything goes! Change up your formation! Switch up your tactics! The game will last 15 minutes, at that point the headbands in your team's possession will be counted. So fight to the very end!"
Ben froze. 15 minutes?
Shit.
Ben's previous train of thought was instantly derailed as this new information sent him into panic-mode. He could only fight transformed for 10 minutes max! Not to mention countless other times where the Omnitrix just felt like being lazy and transforming back early. Ben looked down at his palms, up his arms and flexed his legs. His conditioning training with Aizawa-sensei had definitely increased his strength and stamina, but would that last him 5 minutes in arena combat? Every time he fought without the aid of the Omnitrix before he either had some sort of technological device to assist him, like his hoverboard or a blaster, or he had Gwen and Grandpa Max to back him up. Would he have to rely upon his team for 5 out of the 15 minutes?
"As for points, the amount increases depending on what place you ended up in the first event!" Midnight broke Ben's musing and he looked up to see the screen behind her shift from displaying the event name to an empty graph. The graph had two columns and 42 rows. At the very bottom, in the left cell, there was Yuga Aoyama and to the cell on the right, was the number 5. "42nd place is worth 5 points, 41st is 10 points, and so on."
After some quick mental math, Ben realized that his first place finish earned him a score of 210. A high point total, but not that bad all things considered. That put him only 15 in front of Todoroki, 20 for Bakugo, and so on. Depending on how teams formed, Ben's score could easily be brought down by his teammates. That was good, as it would alleviate pressure off him, giving him time to evaluate the situation to best choose an alien to compete with.
"There is an exception!" Midnight put special emphasis on this statement. "While first place would normally be worth 210 points, consistent viewers will know we here at UA always throw something special at the first place finisher. This year, we chose to alter the point total of said finisher. So, for this event, the first place scorer will be worth 10 million points!"
Shit!
Well, that's just peachy! Ben kept his cool facade, but he could feel the stares and glares from all sides, burning into his very being. Throw away the plan he made earlier out the window, because there is no way he can bring down a point total that high! Ben could feel his heart rate jump. This was bad. He thought his most difficult hurdle was behind him, but this was so much worse! An event that was too long and a target over his head. For five minutes in this event, he would be essentially quirkless. How could he compete like this?
"Alright, now that you all know the rules, start forming your teams! You have the same amount of time as the event: 15 minutes!" With a final crack of her whip, Midnight turned to talk to some approaching technicians, and the student body immediately started talking amongst themselves. But one thing stood out. Rather, a person stood out. As soon as Midnight cracked her whip, Ben soon found that people were distancing themselves from him. Then, he remembered. What his classmates had said to him at that lunch period a little over two weeks ago.
"Just don't get cocky, kid! Everyone's gonna be training their asses off for the Festival, trying to knock you off your pedestal as number one."
"Despite your age, you have been number one at anything that was ranked. The entrance exam, the assessment on the first day, and then there was the USJ. If someone disagreed with your power before, you proved them wrong then. But that just makes everyone much more driven to beat you. Hope you're ready."
'No Ojiro, I'm not ready! I wasn't prepared for this!' The target on Ben's back wasn't just for the sake of points and the Sports Festival, although that did little to help the situation. No, what the rest of class 1-A was concerned about was evening the score. This was their big chance. Those at the top like Bakugo and Todoroki saw this as the perfect opportunity to take Ben down. The rest just wanted a chance to fight him. No matter their 'rank' in the class, everyone in Ben's call was aspiring to be a hero. They had high hopes and big ambitions. Everyone was in the endless quest of self-improvement and this was just one of the stops. For most, this was not done with ill-intent. They just wanted to prove themselves at who they perceived was at the top. It just so happened that this left Ben alone, in an event where he needed at least one other partner. Ben was just irked that so many people flocked to Bakugo, despite how the guy treated everyone. Ben then overheard that the blonde had the gall to tell everyone to their face that he didn't remember their names. Ben's shoulders started to sag and the reality of the situation started to settle in.
Thump
"Oof!" Ben staggered under the weight of an unnecessarily heavy hand landing on his head. As the hand started to ruffle his hair, Ben reached up to grab at the offending limb to stop it, opening his mouth to retort.
"Can't believe the rest of your class left you hanging like that. Not manly at all."
"Tetsutetsu!" Ben couldn't stop the relief flooding into his body and voice as he looked up at Tetsutetsu. The boy's face was split with a massive smile, his sharp teeth exposed. He really was similar to Kirishima. Were they related?
"I noticed that no one seems to have approached you yet. Mind taking me on?" Ben nodded vigorously at the offer.
"Of course!" Ben stuck out his hand, to which Tetsutetsu shook.
"Still can't wrap my head around why no one from your class didn't at least try to approach you. I mean, you're you!"
"Yeah, but I also got that 10 million point bounty on my head. Everyone's gonna be after me. And they know that all the other top dogs of class A will be after me. They'd rather try their luck elsewhere, and I can't really fault them for it." Ben shrugged. What else could he say? If they were willing to go to Bakugo, then there was nothing he could say to persuade them to join him.
"Bah, I've only seen you in action once and I know you're a sure bet. Still, it would be better if we had more people. Got anyone on your mind?" Ben and Tetsutetsu started scanning the crowd, but most people were already in clearly defined groups. That divide was mostly between class A and B. However, aside from Ben's group, there were some interesting developments. Midoriya seemed to be talking to Hatsume. True to her word, she never approached Ben. She must really be trying to sell her abilities and devices. It also looked like Mineta was concocting a strategy with Shoji and Asui, an interesting trio of abilities. But all the groups were talking not about groups anymore, but rather strategy. It seems like the time for finding members is over.
"Pardon me, but are you open to accepting another team member?" A soft voice caused the boys to turn behind them, and their eyes widened.
"Shiozaki? I thought that everyone in our class would be fighting to have you on their team." Tetsutetsu uttered in surprise as the serene girl approached them. Ben didn't know much about her, save that one time he ate lunch with her and some other class B people. Judging by how she was mostly looking at Tetsutetsu made Ben think that she was gravitating more towards him.
"Yes, well I was forming a nice team with Honenuki, but then Monoma gathered our class and started his usual talk. Do you remember the plan he was trying to recruit people into while we were in the waiting room? It appears more people are in it than I thought." Shiozaki sighed.
"Damn, he's serious? I thought it was just Monoma being Monoma, but are people actually joining in? Yikes." Tetsutetsu frowned at this new knowledge.
"Um, is this something I should know?" Ben awkwardly injected himself into the conversation.
"Well, you know that blonde guy in our class? His name is Monoma Neito. He did that speech thing in the hall, remember that a couple weeks back? Don't know why, but he's always held some sort of grudge against your class, as early as the first day. After the USJ hit the news, it just got worse. He used to be tolerable, kinda like a motivational speaker you know? Gave us something in common to work towards. Then he started spouting stuff like how you guys think and act like you are superior to everyone else. Started saying some really unmanly stuff about you guys. In our waiting room, he came up with a plan that changed how he'd approach the festival. Instead of trying to win, he'd make sure people from 1-A lost. I didn't want anything to do with it, so I just ignored him. Didn't stop him from trying to recruit me all the way until we hit the field. But it looks like he's got enough people to make the plan plausible." Tetsutetsu explained.
"Huh. He has been acting kinda like a jerk to me, so I guess I'm his prime target." Ben thought back to the weird interaction they had after the first event. Was that a part of Monoma's plan?
"Indeed. My teammates started agreeing with him, so I excused myself to join another team." The vine girl turned to look back at her class, squabbling among themselves. Her gaze focused on Pony, who wore a polite smile that covered her confusion as she struggled to understand what was happening. It looked like Monoma's small faction was talking to her, and she was just nodding along. "Poor Tsunotori, that girl is too nice for her own good. She just can't say no."
Shiozaki brought her attention back to Ben. "Hopefully by joining with you two, I can show to our classmates that such animosity between our classes does not need to exist. I wish to end this silly war that Monoma is instigating. So, do you accept my proposition?"
"Uh, sure! Love to have you." Ben shook her hand the same way he did with Tetsutetsu. Stealing a glance at the area where the majority of class B gathered, Ben couldn't help but notice that some people looked out of place.
"Hey, it looks like Monoma's talking with Kendo. I thought I was on good terms with her. Is she still angry at me?" Ben turned to ask his partners.
"Oh, no. Quite the opposite really. Our class president and vice president are doing damage control. While I commend them for trying, I feel that they are fighting a losing battle." Shiozaki also turned to look at the class B representatives arguing with Monoma. She then turned to Tetsutetsu. "Be honest with me Tetsutetsu, Monoma is not the only reason why you joined Tennyson, is it?"
"Guilty as charged!" Tetsutetsu said with an unapologetic smile. "I want to get noticed by some high-up agencies, but my quirk and fighting style are a bit plain and easy to miss. I mean, I just kinda ran through the race, nothing special about it. I need to get to the third event to really show my stuff in single combat. The best way to get there is through Ben. But don't worry! It wouldn't be right if I just rode on your coattails. I'll pull my own weight, and I weigh a lot!"
"Well, if I'm being honest as well, Tennyson's power is very tempting. However, I too do not want to seem as if I can not stand on my own. Your power may be immense Tennyson, but we will not stand idle. All of us must do our best to achieve victory." Seeing their smiles made the pressure too great. They were going in without any real knowledge of how the Omnitrix worked and were expecting something from Ben he just couldn't give. They gave their trust to Ben, so Ben needed to place his trust in them. He had to tell them. A series of quick glances around showed Ben that 6 minutes had passed and people were talking strategy. No one was looking or eavesdropping, so Ben beckoned the other two into a huddle.
"Look, you guys need to know something." Ben's tone caused an immediate mood shift. Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki leaned closer in, a mixture of confusion and apprehension on their faces. "I... may have a time limit on my transformations."
"Really? Well, I guess you aren't all powerful. But why tell us?"
"My limit is 10 minutes."
A pause.
"You aren't joking, are you?" Tetsutetsu gave Ben a blank stare.
"Remember the entrance exam? How I transformed back from Four Arms in that flash of red light? That was me reaching my time limit. I can't push it any further, it only gives me about 5 seconds warning before turning me back." Ben recounted the events of the practical examination.
"This is an unprecedented issue." Shiozaki hummed, closing her eyes in thought. "We already have the most attention on our team due to Tennyson's point bounty, and now this. For a third of the event, our most powerful member will be out of commission. That is the most pressing issue we must plan for."
"Well, I just wanted to tell you guys in case you wanted to reconsider team options." Ben hung his head. "I understand if you don't want to team up anymore. Didn't want to lead you guys on a lie."
"What? Are you kidding?" Tetsutetsu looked at Ben incredulously. "Hell no! I chose to be on your team Ben, and I ain't backing out now! What kind of man would I be if I backed out of a situation the moment things looked rough?"
"These scenarios will happen in a hero's career. Encountering obstacles, overcoming them, and learning from them is just a part of life. As students, we should not run from these situations; rather we should embrace them. Only in truly rough times can true heroism be found. And Tetsutetsu is right. What kind of hero students would we be if we abandoned one of our own?" Shiozaki gave Ben a soft smile, but one with conviction behind it.
Ben almost shed a tear. "Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. I do."
"Don't cry. Save that for the lunch break. After we qualify." Tetsutetsu hooked his arm around Ben's body and shook him good-naturedly.
"As much as this masculine bonding is touching, I believe we have pressing matters to attend to." Shiozaki broke them up in her soft, but firm, voice. "We need to plan how to pass this event."
"Right." Ben nodded. Time to get down to business.
"I say we just have Ben transform right off the bat! Someone strong and beefy, really send the competition flying!" Tetsutetsu pounded his fists together. "Gather as many headbands as possible in the beginning to expand our lead."
"I don't think so." Shiozaki shook her head. "Midnight said that the headbands will be counted at the end of the match, so I think we should be patient and wait out the first five minutes and make our move in the last half. If we defend our 10 million headband for 14 minutes and 59 seconds, but let it get stolen at the very last second, we will be eliminated."
"Yeah, but it's that 10 million headband that won't let us play it safe in the beginning! Everyone's gonna be gunning for it! We won't be able to be passive if every other team is after it!" Tetsutetsu argued.
Then Ben had an idea.
"Wait a moment!" Ben held up a hand, silencing his teammates. The two looked at Ben, eyebrows raised. "Repeat what you just said Tetsutetsu!"
"Uh, that everyone is gonna be after the 10 million points?" Tetsutetsu frowned.
"Right. The headband is worth 10 million, not our team. What you are saying is that everyone is after the headband, not us in particular. Am I right?"
"Tennyson. Are you really suggesting that we give up our headband without a fight?" Shiozaki deadpanned.
"Yup!" Ben cheerfully nodded.
"Ok, I've heard crazy strategies before but this one is on a whole new level. No offense, but what kind of stupid plan is that? Just give away our guaranteed ticket to the next round?" Tetsutetsu bristled, his fists curling up and jaw clenching.
"Look, it's the best way to combine both of your plans." Ben tried to explain. "Shiozaki is right in that the most important part of the event is how we finish, not how we start. But you are also right, we are the prime target of any team looking to win. I'm also as good as quirkless for 5 minutes, nothing but dead weight. Once the other teams see I'm not transformed, they will all come after us, and we will probably lose our headband at that point and exhaust ourselves in the process. If we don't have any points for them to steal, then they have no reason to target us. Even Monoma won't have a good reason to fight us. If we don't have points, we are in last, in position to be eliminated. He'll go after some other class A team."
"There is some merit to this. While the others fight it out, we can conserve our strength and observe from a distance. It is not like we are waiting until the last minute to retaliate either; we will still have two thirds of the event left to earn back our points." Shiozaki reasoned.
"I'm not saying to just give the headband to a team in particular either. Midnight never said the headbands had to be attached to us at all times, just that they had to if we wanted them to count at the end. If we just throw it away, into say the center of the arena, then we can change who the other teams fight. Instead of being a common enemy, we can pit them against each other. It's only for the first 5 minutes Tetsutetsu. Then, for the next 10, we'll get the 10 million back and then some." Ben saw Tetsutetsu's expression shift from frustration to worry and back again as he thought it over.
"...you sure you can get the 10 million back?" Was all the boy said.
"I thought you knew who I was. I'm Ben Tennyson. Should be a piece of cake." Ben wore a confident smile.
"Alright. I'm game. So how are we gonna form up?" Tetsutesu clapped his hands and shook himself out.
"Again, Midnight said that we can adjust our formation, as long as the rider stays the same. So, as long as I'm not the rider, any formation should do. Don't want to risk transforming into something too heavy for you guys to carry. Even my forms that are roughly humanoid are significantly heavier than what I am now. Also, we are only three people. Not much variety in how we can do this." Ben responded.
"The rider has the most flexibility with their attacks, so shouldn't Shiozaki be our rider? Her vines have a large radius, and would be able to buy us space." Tetsutetsu creased his brow in thought.
"Actually, I was thinking you should be the rider Tetsutetsu. From what I saw in our training exercises you have great reflexes. Once we start gathering headbands we will need to make sure we can keep them and guard against sneak attacks. With Tennyson in the front and your Steel quirk on defense, I doubt anyone could steal back their headbands." Shiozaki then beckoned to her hair. "I would also like to be closer to the ground. I have been working on a new approach to combat, after seeing the many strategies our classmates used in our basic hero training. Observe."