We led Class 1-A through the campus towards Ground Delta, Momo and I at the front. The group was buzzing with energy after hearing from us that we would be having a special class today. Some voices were sharp with nerves, others already hyped for whatever was coming. We ended up telling them just a little, but it should be fine. I didn't actually give them the full details.
Sero nudged Sato. "Yo, maybe it's gonna be a battle royale. Like one where it's a free for all between the entire class!"
"It can't be worse than USJ, right?" Uraraka tugged on Midoriya's sleeve, and he gave a nervous laugh in return.
Mina slinked up beside me and shot me a mock glare. "Kyūta! You knew we were coming here and didn't spill? What gives?"
I put on my best innocent look. "Hey, don't blame me. All Might said to keep it a surprise. There's probably stuff that he hasn't told me either."
She puffed out her cheeks in mock annoyance, then grinned. "Fineeeee. I'll let it slide, but only this time."
Ground Delta stretched out ahead of us. It was yet another city, but it had a sort of futuristic, sci-fi look. The roads were colored red and blue, dividing the city into two halves. You could infer that this training ground was more for large-scale team fights.
"This place kinda looks like that city training ground from our first lesson with All Might," Kirishima said, leaning towards Kaminari.
"It's like a video game map," Kaminari added. "Red and blue roads? C'mon, that's straight out of a PvP shooter."
Ojiro glanced around, his tail twitching slightly. "But where's All Might?"
Five minutes passed without incident. Just as I was beginning to wonder where All Might was, a booming voice echoed overhead.
"I AM HERE… from the sky!"
The ground rumbled underfoot as All Might touched down in his heroic stance, hair lifted slightly in the breeze. The smile that split his face was as bright as I've ever seen it. "So sorry I'm late, everyone! I was on my way when—wouldn't you know it?—a pesky villain turned up, just begging to be dealt with!"
Gasps and laughs rolled through the students, tension lifting in an instant.
Kaminari pumped a fist in the air. "Yo, sensei! What's the training today? A battle royale or like a boss fight against you?"
"You're off the mark, Young Kaminari!" All Might's laughter rolled out across the massive training lot. "Today's lesson is all about teamwork! I've already divided you all into two teams of ten, our largest match-up yet! They will be led by your class representatives."
He pointed towards the east and west ends of the mock city, "You'll work with your teammates in separate zones on opposite sides of Ground Delta to start. Unlike previous exercises, the entire city is your battleground. Think big: alleyways, rooftops, office blocks, and market squares. Any one of them can be a future location you'll have to fight in as Heroes."
"Team captains!" he called, giving me and Momo a nod, "lead your groups to opposite ends. You'll have fifteen minutes to strategize. Plan wisely. And one more thing—when a student is captured or unable to battle, they are eliminated. However, I won't announce any eliminations. Stay sharp with your team, it's all on you!"
Did he seriously forget?
I glanced at Momo, who seemed just as confused. The class shuffled in place, waiting for a hint. When it was clear All Might was about to let us go without a word more, I raised my hand.
"All Might, you haven't announced the teams yet."
He froze, index finger still pointing grandly at the city. There was a second of silence before he looked away, scratching the side of his face with that same finger. Then came his booming laugh. "Good catch, Young Henshin! I was so swept up in the theatrics that I nearly skipped the most important part!"
He extended a hand towards me. "The red team will be led by you and will include: Ashido, Asui, Bakugo, Hagakure, Kaminari, Kirishima, Mineta, Ojiro, and Shoji!"
His other hand swept dramatically towards Momo. "The blue team is led by Young Yaoyorozu and will consist of: Aoyama, Iida, Jiro, Midoriya, Sato, Sero, Todoroki, Tokoyami, and Uraraka!"
Midoriya raised his hand quickly. "All Might? Will we be given any communication devices to coordinate with our teammates? Like in previous trainings?"
"Excellent question, Young Midoriya!" All Might gave an approving nod. "No, you will not receive any communication gear this time. This exercise is designed to simulate sudden, large-scale engagements where you may not have such luxuries. You'll need to rely on planning, observation, and good old-fashioned teamwork to succeed. That includes finding ways to share information and adapt to changing conditions. Think on your feet!"
All Might clapped his hands together. "Now! If there are no further questions, team captains, take your teams to your starting zones. I'll give you fifteen minutes to come up with a strategy. Make it count!"
I turned on my heel and motioned for my team to follow. We headed towards the cluster of buildings at the far edge of Ground Delta. The red roads marked our side.
As we walked, I started thinking through what I could put together. I'm not exactly a strategist, but this shouldn't be too bad. The lineups are pretty balanced. While we etch them out in raw power, they have a slight advantage in speed. I guess we also have stealth with Toru on the team.
Though neither side has a huge edge in communication. They've got Jiro, we've got Shoji. Both can gather intel, but it won't be game-breaking without a monopoly.
Which means it'll come down to the biggest hitters of each team. They've got Todoroki, who can lock down wide areas. Midoriya's on the other team, but unless he's learned how to use Full Cowl already, he's still a glass cannon. Meanwhile, my team has me and Bakugo. That's already a big plus. I'd say we win the pure power contest.
I couldn't help but feel a little confident. It might be close, but I think we've got this in the bag. Either way, this doesn't matter too much. It's just a warm-up for the Sports Festival.