The stadium still echoed with the thunderous applause for Minato's team as the first event of the U.A. Sports Festival concluded. Moments later, the giant screen flashed with the next finishers.
"AND IN SECOND PLACE, BLASTING HIS WAY THROUGH WITH PURE EXPLOSIVE POWER, IT'S BAKUGO KATSUKI'S TEAM!" Present Mic roared, his voice laced with the usual enthusiasm for chaos.
Following Bakugo's furious but effective team were Todoroki's strategically adept group, and then, surprisingly, Midoriya's team, having navigated the obstacles with clever teamwork despite their individual Quirks. Aoyama's flashy team rounded out the top five. After them, students from other classes began to trickle in, their expressions ranging from exhaustion to grim determination.
"Alright, listeners! That was an electrifying start!" Present Mic boomed. "We're going to take a 20-minute break now. Grab some refreshments, catch your breath, and get ready for the next round! Only the top 40 students will advance!"
The students, a mix of elation and fatigue, trudged towards the designated rest areas. Minato, Momo, Mina, and Toru found a relatively quiet corner, collapsing onto a bench.
"Man, that was awesome!" Mina panted, wiping sweat from her brow. "We totally crushed it!"
"Indeed," Momo agreed, a rare smile gracing her lips. "Your leadership, Namikaze-kun, was exemplary. And Toru-chan, your force field was a game-changer!"
Toru's uniform wiggled with invisible joy. "I did it! I actually made a force field! Minato-kun, thank you so much!"
"It was all you, Toru," Minato said, offering a reassuring smile. "You just needed to understand your Quirk's full potential. Mina, Momo, good work with your quirks."
Kaminari and Kirishima soon joined them, having finished their own events. "Minato, dude, that was insane!" Kaminari exclaimed. "You guys were so far ahead! That teleportation thing is nuts!"
"Yeah, that was really manly, bro!" Kirishima added. "You absolutely dominated!"
They spent the next few minutes reliving their race, their discussions interspersed with sips of water and bites of energy bars. The adrenaline was slowly fading, replaced by the excited anticipation of the next challenge.
Just as the 20-minute rest period began to wind down, Present Mic's voice once again blared over the stadium's loudspeakers. "ALRIGHT, LISTENERS! HOPE YOU'RE REFRESHED! BECAUSE IT'S TIME FOR THE NEXT ROUND! THE TOP 40 STUDENTS HAVE ADVANCED! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!"
A collective cheer went up from the students. Then, Present Mic's voice gained a new theatricality. "NOW, LOOK AT THE SCREEN, FOLKS! THE NEXT GAME IS..." He paused for dramatic effect, and the screen flashed once more, settling on: Capture the Flag!
"YES! A CLASSIC!" Present Mic roared. "HERE ARE THE RULES! STUDENTS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS! EACH STUDENT WILL BE GIVEN ONE FLAG, WORTH ONE POINT! YOUR TEAM LEADER, HOWEVER, WILL BE WORTH FIVE POINTS! BUT THERE'S A TWIST! THE LEADER CANNOT MOVE FROM THEIR DESIGNATED BUILDING! THEY CAN ONLY MOVE FROM THEIR DESIGNATED BUILDING IF THEIR FLAG HAS BEEN TAKEN!"
A wave of confused and excited murmurs swept through the students. This was no simple free-for-all.
"The goal," Present Mic continued, "is to capture as many of the opposing team's flags as possible within the time limit! The students who perform well will qualify for the next round! So, strategize, cooperate, and go beyond!"
The students immediately began talking amongst themselves, dissecting the rules, their minds already formulating plans. The concept of a stationary leader, a high-value target, added a unique layer of strategy.
"Now, look on the screen to know which team you belong to!" Present Mic instructed.
The large screen above displayed two distinct lists: Red Team and Blue Team. Minato's eyes scanned the Red Team roster.
RED TEAM:
Minato Namikaze (Class 1-A) Hanta Sero (Class 1-A) Mashirao Ojiro (Class 1-A) Denki Kaminari (Class 1-A) Tsuyu Asui (Class 1-A) Tenya Iida (Class 1-A) Kyoka Jiro (Class 1-A) Mezo Shoji (Class 1-A) Toru Hagakure (Class 1-A) Fumikage Tokoyami (Class 1-A) Ibara Shiozaki (Class 1-B) Yui Kodai (Class 1-B) Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu (Class 1-B) Neito Monoma (Class 1-B) (4 students from Support Class) Hitoshi Shinso (General Studies)
Minato quickly noted the composition. A strong contingent from Class 1-A, including some of their most versatile members. Plus, a few key players from Class 1-B, notably Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu, known for their powerful defensive Quirks. And Shinso, from General Studies, whose brainwashing Quirk was a wildcard.
He then mentally reviewed the likely composition of the Blue Team, anticipating the presence of powerhouses like Bakugo and Todoroki.
The Red Team quickly coalesced, finding a designated meeting area. "Alright, everyone," Iida began, trying to take charge, his hand chopping the air. "We need to discuss strategy! Who will be our leader? The five-point flag is crucial!"
A chorus of voices quickly answered. "It has to be Minato-kun!" 1-A students exclaimed.
A snide voice cut through. Neito Monoma, from Class 1-B, stepped forward, a smug grin plastered across his face as he looked at the Class 1-A students. "So, the famous Class 1-A relies on their pop idol to be their immovable flag, hmmm? Getting a little too comfortable after your little villain skirmish, are we? Don't forget, our Quirks might just be the ones to take you down a peg!"
Ibara Shiozaki, the Class 1-B student with the vine hair, calmly extended a few of her thorny vines, hitting Monoma's head. "Monoma-kun," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "concentrate on the game. Keep your evil nature aside for now. We have a strategy to discuss." Monoma visibly flinched, then grumbled but quieted.
"Yeah, he's the strongest!" Toru then continued the discussion.
"His Quirk makes him impossible to catch if he needs to escape!" Tsuyu added, her logic solid.
"His tactical mind is unmatched," Momo agreed, giving Minato a nod of approval.
Minato, despite his internal desire to be on the front lines, leading the charge and engaging in direct combat, knew their reasoning was sound. His Flying Thunder God Technique made him the ideal leader, a mobile, high-value target that could become impossible to pin down once his flag was taken. However, being confined to a building went against his nature as a highly agile combatant.
"I'd prefer to be in the field, engaging the enemy," Minato admitted, a faint frown creasing his brow. "My Quirk is best utilized in offensive maneuvers."
"But that's exactly why you have to be the leader, Minato-kun!" Mina argued, pulling on his sleeve. "You're the hardest one for them to catch! You'll be the ultimate decoy!"
"It's a strategic necessity, Namikaze-kun," Momo stated firmly, her logic overriding his combat preference. "Your presence as leader forces the opponent to dedicate significant resources to your capture, and once they do, your mobility becomes an even greater asset."
The combined pressure from his teammates, all advocating for his leadership, was undeniable. Minato sighed, a small smile returning to his lips. "Alright, alright. I understand. I'll be the leader."
A wave of relief and determination washed over the Red Team.
"Okay, then, strategy!" Minato clapped his hands lightly, shifting into his tactical mindset. "First, let's identify their key players. On the opposite team, there are powerhouses like Bakugo and Todoroki. They are bull-headed, aggressive, and frankly, don't care much for subtle teamwork. They will likely be the ones leading the charge, perhaps even aiming for the leader themselves."
"Indeed," Minato continued, ignoring Monoma's interruption. "Bakugo and Todoroki will be formidable. Our main objective will be to contain them, to prevent them from reaching our building. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow will be crucial for defense around our leader's building, especially in shadowy areas. Tetsutetsu's Steel and Ojiro's Tail can provide front-line defense."
"Now, for capturing their flags," Minato continued, his eyes gleaming with strategic thought. "We need mobile, versatile units. Mina, Kaminari, Jiro, Sero, Tsuyu, and Shoji will form our main offensive units. We need to identify their leader first. Their strategies will likely be more conventional."
Shinso at the side chimes " I will be participating in the attack, but I will go solo."
Minato nods he knows his quirk. Shinso will not reveal his quirk until final round.
They discussed specific routes, counter-Quirk strategies, and emergency rendezvous points. Minato's ability to quickly assess Quirks and formulate cohesive plans impressed even the most skeptical members of the team.
Five minutes later, Present Mic's voice boomed, cutting through their final tactical adjustments. "PLAYERS! ARE YOU READY?!"
The Red Team exchanged determined glances.
"3... 2... 1... START!" Present Mic roared, unleashing the students into the vast, complex arena designed for the Capture the Flag challenge.