Chương 37: The Fourth Team

The first thing the Cavalry Battle did was turn victory into a target. The giant screen above the stadium flashed from the final obstacle-race rankings into a new format, and the crowd quieted in the particular way crowds quieted when they knew something cruel and entertaining was about to become legible. Present Mic's voice rolled across the arena.

"YOU KNOW HOW THIS WORKS, FOLKS! Every participant receives points based on their placement in the first event! Teams of two to four! Riders wear the headbands! Steal points, protect your own, and when time runs out, the top teams move on!" The screen filled with numbers. Ren Akiyama saw his name for less than a second. 17th — Akiyama Ren — 65 points. Then Shinso. 29th — Shinso Hitoshi — 35 points. Kenta. 23rd — Mori Kenta — 50 points. Arai. 38th — Arai Mei — 15 points. Sano. 41st — Sano Jun — 6 points.

Ren processed values automatically. Low compared with Hero Course frontrunners. High enough to matter if combined carefully. Not enough to draw the entire field. Good. Then the screen shifted. 1st — Midoriya Izuku — 10, 000, 000 points. The stadium reacted like a living animal discovering blood. Izuku froze where he stood near the finish area, face going pale in real time beneath the massive screen showing his name and impossible number. Uraraka turned toward him. Iida stiffened.

Bakugo's head snapped in his direction with enough force to look painful. Todoroki's eyes narrowed slightly. The crowd roared. Ten million. A score designed to transform one student into prey. Ren's stomach tightened. He looked at the screen. Then at Izuku. Then at the field already rearranging itself around the boy who had won by improvising without breaking. Public reward. Private cost. Present Mic laughed into the microphone.

"THAT'S RIGHT! FIRST PLACE GETS TEN MILLION POINTS! A king's ransom on Midoriya Izuku's head! Can he keep it? Can anyone take it? THIS is the Sports Festival!" Aizawa's voice entered, dry as sandpaper.

"First place is now the least comfortable position on the field" Ren exhaled. Correct. The first event had rewarded course reading. The second would reward predation. Shinso appeared beside Ren without announcement.

"Ten million is stupid""Yes""You're looking at him like you're about to help" Ren looked away from Izuku.

"I am not""Demonstrate understanding" Ren almost smiled. Almost.

"Midoriya's score creates field-wide target load. Chasing him would overexpose us, waste time, and place us in collision with Todoroki, Bakugo, and most of 1-A. Objective is advancement, not moral intervention" Shinso stared at him.

"That was disgustingly healthy""I am trying""Even worse" Kenta reached them at a jog, breathing hard but grinning like the first event had been a personal argument with gravity and he had at least made gravity sweat.

"Team" Sano limped after him.

"Subtle" Kenta ignored him.

"We need a team. You two are doing the murder strategy face" Ren looked at him.

"No murder""Fine. The less dramatic violence strategy face" Arai approached more slowly, one hand near her dampeners, eyes moving over the field rather than the screen. She looked pale but present.

"Nana and Reina didn't qualify" Ren nodded.

"I know""Fujimura didn't either""I know" Sano stopped near them and looked at the ranking board with a forced grin.

"I qualified by divine knee brace intervention" Kenta pointed at him.

"You are not allowed to die in the second event""It's cavalry. Nobody dies""Emotionally, then" Sano's grin faded a little. The rules continued on the screen. Top four teams advance. Fifteen minutes to form teams. Fifteen minutes battle time. All headbands worn by riders. Riders who touch the ground are disqualified. Team members may use Quirks within safety limits. Deliberate severe injury means disqualification. Medical stop overrides competition. Ren looked at the four-team advancement rule. Top four.

Assuming four members per team, sixteen students. Tournament bracket. A narrow door. One seat. Maybe none. Shinso looked at him.

"If there's one team" Ren said "We should not separate unless necessary" Shinso's expression tightened.

"You saying that because it's strategic or because you think I need help?"

"Strategic. Also because I need help" That stopped him. Kenta blinked. Sano looked between them. Arai's shoulders lowered by one degree. Shinso's mouth closed. Ren continued.

"My ribs make horse position inefficient and risky. Rider position allows field mapping and low load if the team absorbs motion well. Your Quirk functions as deterrence and selective control if you remain able to speak. Kenta provides primary drive and stability. Arai provides sensory warning. We have low to moderate points and low initial target priority. That is viable" Kenta pointed at Ren.

"You want to ride?"

"Yes" Kenta looked at Shinso.

"You okay being horse?" Shinso's face went flat.

"Ask that worse" Kenta winced.

"Support base?"

"Better" Arai said "I can support left if pace is controlled. I can warn for approach, but I can't carry heavy load alone" Ren nodded.

"Kenta front. Shinso right. Arai left. I ride low and avoid sudden shifts. We do not chase Midoriya. We collect mid-value headbands. We preserve position. We target fourth" Sano looked at them. His face was too bright again.

"That's four" Silence. Kenta turned.

"Jun" Sano lifted both hands.

"Don't. It's obvious. My knee barely survived the race. I can stand for a team, but I'll slow you. If Ren rides, he needs people who can absorb movement. If Shinso rides, you lose field command from Ren. If I join, someone better doesn't" Kenta's jaw tightened.

"You qualified""By six points and stubborn cartilage""Sano" Sano's grin cracked.

"Don't make it noble. I hate noble" Arai looked at him.

"It can be practical and still hurt" He looked away.

"Yeah. That" Ren said "You can form another team""I know" Kenta did not look convinced. Sano pointed at him.

"If you throw this because you feel guilty, I will use my moral knee brace authority to haunt you forever" Kenta's eyes reddened.

"Shut up""No" Shinso looked at Sano.

"You sure?" Sano snorted.

"No. But I'm right" Ren nodded once.

"Thank you" Sano looked at him.

"Win something annoying enough to justify this" Ren said "Advancement is more likely than victory" Sano groaned.

"Fine. Advance something annoying enough""Accepted" Kenta turned away for one second and scrubbed at his face with both hands. Then he faced them again.

"Okay. Kenta front. Arai left. Brainwashing right. Akiyama rider" Shinso looked at him.

"Brainwashing?" Kenta frowned.

"Is that bad?" Shinso paused. Then shrugged.

"Today, it's accurate" Arai said "Team name?" Ren answered immediately.

"No" Kenta said "Team No?"

"No" Sano said "Too late. I'm telling everyone Team No" Kurose appeared beside them like a consequence.

"No one is calling themselves Team No on a national broadcast" Sano flinched.

"Sensei, please stop manifesting""No" She looked over the group quickly. Her eyes found the absence before anyone named it.

"Sano?" He gave her a two-finger salute.

"Forming secondary team. Knee compromised but spirit legally questionable" Kurose's gaze softened. Barely.

"Medical green?"

"Yellow but stubborn""Yellow and monitored. If you spike red, you stop""Yes, sensei" She turned to Ren.

"Configuration?" Ren reported.

"Kenta front anchor and drive. Shinso right support and verbal deterrent. Arai left support and sensory warning. I ride low and map field. Objective fourth place or higher through mid-value acquisition and preservation. No pursuit of ten million unless forced by field collapse" Kurose nodded.

"Medical risk?"

"Rider fall, rib twist, sudden shift, crowd pressure, Todoroki fragment proximity, overreach for headband""Stop conditions?" Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

"Sharp rib pain, breath loss, scar heat spreading, dizziness, rider instability beyond recovery, instruction to stop""Good" Kurose looked at Shinso.

"Ethical boundaries?" Shinso exhaled.

"Match context targets only. Limited commands. No trauma bait. No unsafe movement commands. No punishing people for being afraid. If crowd reaction pushes yellow, simplify commands or stop using Quirk""Good. Arai?"

"Noise yellow if crowd spikes during close engagement. I will call one-word warnings. If I cannot process direction, I say red and we break formation if safe""Kenta?" Kenta straightened.

"Do not chase anger. Do not yank Ren around. Listen to Arai. Listen to Ren. Don't punch people because they look punchable" Kurose stared.

"Crude but acceptable" Sano whispered "Character growth" Kurose looked at him. He shut up. She stepped back.

"Remember. Advancement is not worth becoming worse" Ren nodded. Shinso nodded. Kenta nodded. Arai nodded. The team formation period became its own competition. Students moved around the arena floor making alliances, refusing alliances, begging for points, calculating value, hiding panic, amplifying confidence. Hero Course students clustered quickly. Some teams formed through trust. Some through convenience. Some through fear. The ten-million-point boy became the center of an orbit he clearly did not want.

Izuku ended up with Uraraka, Tokoyami, and a Support Course girl with bright eyes and equipment that looked more eager for broadcast than safety. Ren recognized the structure from fragments. Mei Hatsume. Probably. Maybe. Do not overtrust memory. Todoroki formed with Iida, Yaoyorozu, and Kaminari. Strong. Balanced. Dangerous. Bakugo formed with Kirishima, Sero, and Ashido. Violent. Mobile. Dangerous. A 1-B team led by Monoma gathered mid-range points and too much confidence.

Several other teams formed around specialized Quirks. Ren's team knelt for formation practice once. Only once. Kenta front. Shinso right. Arai left. Their arms interlocked beneath Ren's thighs and around each other's shoulders. Ren settled low, knees bent, center of gravity compressed, one hand lightly on Kenta's shoulder, the other free for headband grabs. Ribs three. Stable.

Arai whispered "Your weight is fine" Shinso said "Don't sound surprised" Ren said "I did not comment""You were going to" Kenta shifted beneath them.

"Everyone shut up and move together" They took three practice steps. Ribs remained stable. Arai's left step lagged slightly when noise rose. Kenta adjusted without needing instruction. Shinso noticed and shortened his stride. Good. Team rhythm over individual excellence. Ren tied their combined headband around his forehead. Their total points displayed. Low compared to major teams. Enough to steal upward. Not worth immediate attack. Ideal. The timer ended. Teams moved into the starting field.

The stadium trembled with expectation. Present Mic shouted the final rule reminder.

"FIFTEEN MINUTES! STEAL THOSE HEADBANDS! KEEP YOUR RIDER UP! TOP FOUR TEAMS ADVANCE! NO POINTS FOR LOOKING COOL UNLESS LOOKING COOL HELPS YOU WIN!" Aizawa said "That last part is not official" Present Mic laughed.

"It should be!" Ren scanned the field. Midoriya team surrounded by distance and hunger. Todoroki angled toward him. Bakugo locked onto him like a missile insulted by gravity. Monoma's team positioned near mid-field, likely aiming to harvest distracted teams. Several low-point teams clustered defensively. Ren looked down.

"Initial route. Back-right arc. Avoid center collision. First target is a medium team with poor formation discipline. No engagement until first chaos wave" Kenta said "Got it" Arai said "Noise rising" Shinso said "Baseline awful" The start signal sounded. The field exploded. Todoroki's team moved first with brutal efficiency, ice spreading low enough to threaten footing but not freeze riders directly. Teams scattered. Bakugo launched toward Midoriya, explosions blasting air and pressure into everyone nearby.

Tokoyami's Dark Shadow flared defensively around Izuku's team. Hatsume's equipment propelled them sideways in a way that looked barely legal and entirely on brand. Ren's team moved backward-right. Not away. Around. The first wave chased ten million. The second wave chased people chasing ten million. Ren targeted the third wave.

"Left two teams about to collide" Arai said"Slow" Ren ordered Kenta checked pace. A team with a vine-haired rider and two strong bases cut across a smoke trail. Another team using wheel-like feet overcorrected to avoid them. Their formations tangled for half a second.

"Now. Right edge. Shinso, verbal deterrent only" They moved. Ren's team slipped past the outside of the collision. The wheel-foot team's rider looked toward them, headband loose, points visible. Not enough alone. Useful. Shinso called "Your left side is dropping!" The rider answered reflexively.

"What?" Shinso's eyes sharpened.

"Open your right hand" The command was limited. Safe. The rider's fingers opened for one second. His grip on a stolen headband loosened. Ren leaned just enough, right arm extending. Ribs pulled. Three to four. Acceptable. He hooked the loose headband with two fingers and pulled back.

"Out" Kenta drove forward. Arai warned "Right!" A foam burst from another team's Quirk splashed where they had been. They cleared. Ren tied the stolen headband beneath theirs. +42. Present Mic's voice caught up.

"Team Akiyama with the first clean steal! Wait, did Shinso just make that rider hand it over? That is ice-cold!" Aizawa said "The command was minimal. No unsafe movement. Clean use" Shinso's shoulders stiffened. The crowd reaction shifted. A ripple again. Brainwashing on broadcast. Not rumor. Not shelter. Public. Ren looked down.

"Status" Shinso's jaw tightened.

"Green-yellow. Continue" Arai said "Crowd spike. Yellow but controlled" Kenta said "Formation stable" Ren said "Good. Arc wider" The next minutes were field reading and restraint. Teams lunged for Midoriya and lost shape. Todoroki's group nearly caught the ten million once but Hatsume's support gear jerked Izuku's team away in a burst of smoke and delighted laughter from the Support Course section. Bakugo attacked everyone between him and Izuku as if collateral annoyance were a tactical category.

Iida's team held acceleration in reserve, which worried Ren more than Bakugo's explosions. Ren's team stole nothing for two full minutes. Kenta hated it. His shoulders told the story. Ren tapped once on his right shoulder.

"Do not chase" Kenta grunted.

"I know" Shinso said "He knows angrily""Useful anger if contained" Kenta muttered "I can hear you""Good" Shinso said They stayed low-value until three mid-ranked teams began hunting each other near the outer boundary. Ren watched point totals flash as headbands changed hands too quickly to stabilize. A team with 180 points became 260. Then 190. Then 315. High enough. Unstable.

"Target blue rider, center-right. He just gained 315 and is overcelebrating. Approach from blind side after Monoma team feints" Shinso said "Monoma is not on our team""No. He is loud enough to become terrain" Monoma's voice carried across the field.

"Come now, Class 1-A! Is chasing Midoriya all you have? Surely someone else can provide entertainment!" Multiple teams looked at him. Blue rider looked too. Ren said "Now" Kenta surged. Arai adjusted. Shinso's voice cut through from the side.

"Blue! Your back line is splitting!" The rider snapped "Shut up!" Brainwashing activated. One second. Ren did not need more.

"Head down" Shinso commanded The rider's chin dipped. His headband became reachable. Ren leaned. Too far? Ribs four. Breath stable. He caught the headband knot and pulled. It did not release. Knot tight. Yellow. Do not overreach. He let go. Kenta kept them moving past the team. No steal. Shinso released control almost immediately. The blue rider blinked, then shouted.

"You creep!" Shinso's expression changed. Yellow. Ren said "No response" Shinso's jaw tightened. Arai said "Left threat" Kenta turned. Ren touched Shinso's shoulder. Not comfort. Signal.

"Objective" Shinso exhaled.

"Advancement""Good""Stop saying that" The failure mattered. So did not forcing it. They continued. Present Mic shouted over the field.

"Team Akiyama fails to grab the big score! But they don't get tangled! That restraint is keeping them alive in the rankings!" Aizawa said "They stopped when the grab failed. That is harder than it looks" Ren disliked how satisfying that was. Do not overvalue praise. He scanned the scoreboard. Midoriya still first with ten million. Todoroki team second by accumulated points. Bakugo team currently third after stealing aggressively from multiple teams.

Fourth fluctuated between Monoma's team and a team from 1-B with plant-like restraint. Ren's team fifth. Need one decisive acquisition. Time remaining: five minutes. Crowd noise rose as Todoroki's team made its move. Iida accelerated. Not normal speed. A burst. Recipro-like, though Ren would not know the proper name unless heard. Todoroki's team blurred across the field toward Midoriya. For a few seconds, they were untouchable. The crowd screamed. Izuku's team tried to dodge. Dark Shadow flared.

Hatsume's gear sparked. Uraraka lifted weight to shift them. Todoroki reached. Headband taken. Ten million changed hands. The stadium detonated. Izuku's face went white. Bakugo screamed. Ren's scar prickled. Cold image. White flash. A body trapped. No heat spreading. Yellow.

"Present" Shinso said sharply Ren blinked.

"Stadium. Cavalry Battle. Todoroki field engagement. Not match. Scar itch only. Continue" Shinso stared for half a second. Then nodded. Arai said "Crowd too loud. Yellow" Kenta said "Formation stable but everyone's shifting" Ren looked at the field. The ten-million transfer had changed everything. Teams that had been chasing Izuku hesitated, then redirected toward Todoroki. Bakugo altered course violently.

Midoriya's team, no longer ten-million target, suddenly became less visible to the field despite still holding other points. Chaos changed direction. Monoma's team moved too early toward Todoroki's path, trying to benefit from the field shift. A 1-B team with 285 points turned to intercept them. Two mid-value teams collided near the outer boundary. Fourth place became exposed. There.

"Target Monoma's back trail" Shinso's eyes sharpened.

"Monoma?"

"He copies Quirks. Likely limited duration. He will try to provoke. Do not answer emotionally" Shinso looked at him.

"You know that how?" Ren's mouth tightened.

"Fragment and observation. Report later""Convenient""Later" Kenta said "Move?"

"Yes. Wide right, then cut inside after Bakugo blast" Bakugo's explosion carved a shockwave through the field as he launched after Todoroki, furious that someone else held the largest target. Several teams staggered. Monoma's team pivoted to avoid the blast and exposed their rear for two seconds. Ren's team moved. Arai called "Right incoming!" A team from Support tried to block with extendable poles. Kenta lowered his center and drove between pole tips before they locked.

Shinso caught one pole with his forearm and shoved it aside.

"Do not answer them" Ren said Shinso said "Wasn't planning to" Monoma saw them coming. His smile widened.

"Ah, General Studies! How inspiring. U. A. truly lets everyone pretend for a day" Shinso's shoulder tensed. Ren said "No" Monoma looked delighted.

"Not even a reply? How cautious. Perhaps your frightening little Quirk needs permission to be useful" Yellow. Ren felt it in Shinso before Shinso moved. He spoke before emotion filled the gap.

"Shinso. Red condition" Shinso's breath hitched. I am trying to punish someone for how they see me. His eyes changed. Not soft. Controlled.

"Green-yellow" he said"Objective?"

"Headband""Method?"

"Legal""Good" Monoma's eyebrows lifted.

"Oh? How touching" Arai said "Behind his left base. Weak rhythm" Ren saw it. Monoma's team was arranged around him as rider, with a solid front and weaker left support whose attention kept flicking toward Bakugo. Their point headband stack was visible but guarded. Direct grab unlikely. Need misallocation. Ren raised his voice, not toward Monoma. Toward the left base.

"Your rider's left knee is slipping" The base glanced up. Monoma laughed.

"You think that will work?" Shinso spoke at the exact moment the left base answered instinctively.

"Is it?" Brainwashing caught. Shinso's command was immediate.

"Step half-left and brace" Safe. The base stepped half-left. The formation did not collapse. It opened. Kenta drove into the gap without striking. Arai matched. Shinso kept shoulder pressure. Ren leaned inward, hand flat, not grabbing the main high-value headband. Too defended. Instead, he took the lower headband tied beneath it. A previous steal. 92 points. Enough? Maybe. He pulled. This knot released.

"Out!" Kenta reversed angle. Monoma's face shifted from performance to irritation.

"You little" Shinso said "Don't answer yourself" Monoma froze half a fraction. Not Brainwashing. He had not responded to Shinso. But annoyance cost him timing. Arai called "Left!" They cleared before Monoma's front support could pivot. Ren tied the 92-point headband. Scoreboard flashed. Team Akiyama — 4th. Time remaining: two minutes. The crowd noticed. Present Mic screamed.

"GENERAL STUDIES BREAKS INTO FOURTH! Team Akiyama isn't chasing the ten million! They're robbing the middle of the field blind!" Aizawa said "Correct choice. Fourth is enough" Ren's pulse rose. Fourth. Visible. Not safe. Now everyone below fourth wanted them.

"Defensive route" Kenta said "Where?"

"Toward chaos but not into it. Use Todoroki-Bakugo line as deterrent. No direct engagement" Shinso said "That sounds suicidal""No. Adjacent to suicidal""Comforting" They moved toward the outer arc near the main high-value chase, close enough that teams hesitated to enter blast and ice range, far enough not to become part of it. This was the most dangerous part. Holding points felt worse than chasing them. Static value attracts attack. A team from 1-B came at them from the side. Arai warned before Ren saw.

"Fast left! Two riders? No, one rider low!" A twin-bodied Quirk? No time. Ren said "Kenta stop-step" Kenta planted. The attacking team expected forward movement and overshot. Shinso called out.

"Too fast!" Their rider snapped "I know!" Brainwashing.

"Hands up" The rider's hands lifted from his own headband defense. Ren could have taken it. Too far. Ribs risk. Also not necessary.

"Do not grab" Kenta looked shocked but obeyed. They let the team pass uncontrolled after Shinso released. Shinso hissed "Why?"

"Overreach. We preserve""You're allergic to fun""Yes" A second team came from behind, using tape-like extensions to snare headbands. Sero? No, another student. The tape shot toward Ren's forehead. Arai shouted "Down!" Ren flattened against Kenta's back. Ribs compressed. Four. Five. Not sharp. Tape skimmed over his head and caught nothing. Kenta surged forward. Shinso ducked with him. Arai nearly lost footing. Ren's left hand instinctively moved to steady her. Pain flashed through ribs as his torso twisted. Sharp?

No. Close. Yellow-high. He stopped himself before gripping. Arai recovered.

"Stable" Ren breathed.

"Yellow-high. Continue defensively" Shinso said "Medical?"

"After""If you lie""I am not""Good" One minute. Scoreboard flashed. Team Akiyama still fourth. Barely. Monoma's team fifth, 261. Another team sixth, 240. Sano's team appeared near 14th with 43 points and what looked like a headband tied sideways. He was laughing. Good. Maybe. The crowd screamed again. Midoriya's team had launched a desperate counterattack toward Todoroki. Dark Shadow struck. A headband flew. For one second, Ren could not tell whose. The score changed. Midoriya back to first. Todoroki second.

Bakugo third. The field convulsed around the shift. Thirty seconds. Monoma's team made one last charge at Ren. Of course. His smile was gone now. Good. Dangerous. He came from the right, front support strengthened, left gap corrected. He had learned. Ren adjusted.

"He adapted. Do not engage directly. Arai, call rhythm. Kenta, stagger. Shinso, silence unless answered naturally" Monoma shouted "Running away from the fourth spot? How very General Studies!" Kenta growled. Shinso stayed silent. Arai whispered "Left step short. Front step long. Right shoulder high" Ren translated.

"Pivot on long step" Kenta waited. Monoma's front support stepped long. Kenta pivoted inward, not away. Their formations nearly collided shoulder to shoulder. Monoma reached for Ren's headband. Ren did not lean back. Leaning back would expose ribs and pull formation. He dropped forward instead, forehead nearly to Kenta's shoulder, letting Monoma's hand pass over the knot. Shinso used his shoulder to bump Monoma's reach aside without grabbing. Arai called "Now!" Kenta drove. They slipped under the reach and past.

Monoma swore. Five seconds. A tape line shot from another team. Kenta moved. Arai held. Shinso shoved. Ren kept both hands on Kenta's shoulders, no grab, no proof, no flourish. The buzzer sounded. The entire field froze. For half a second, no one trusted it. Then Present Mic's voice exploded.

"TIME! THAT'S IT! HANDS OFF THOSE HEADBANDS!" Ren's team stopped moving. All at once, the formation shook. Fatigue arrived like delayed weather. Kenta's arms trembled. Arai exhaled hard and nearly folded. Shinso's knees bent slightly. Ren stayed balanced. Ribs five. Breath strained. Scar quiet. No dizziness. Yellow. Not red. He lifted the yellow card before anyone asked. A camera drone caught it. Unfortunate. Aizawa's voice came over commentary.

"At least he knows" Present Mic shouted.

"Akiyama throws up a yellow card! Folks, that's not surrender, that's medical compliance! General Studies really brought paperwork to the battlefield!" The crowd laughed. Then applauded. Ren wanted to disappear and be recognized simultaneously. Disturbing. Kenta carefully lowered him. Ren's feet touched the ground. Event over. Allowed. He stood upright and immediately regretted the speed. Yellow remained yellow. A medical staff member approached from the side. Kurose was already there. Of course.

"Report""Ribs five, no sharp sustained pain, breath strained but present, no dizziness, scar quiet, right palm abrasion from first event unchanged, no new fall. Yellow-high" She nodded once.

"Medical check now""Yes" Shinso stood beside him, breathing hard. Kurose looked at him.

"Status""Green-yellow. Used Quirk limited. One stigma provocation. Did not punish. Annoyed enough to count" Kurose's expression softened almost imperceptibly.

"Good" Shinso looked away. Arai said "Yellow. Noise high. Need quiet""Kenta?"

"Arms dead. Pride alive""Medical check after Arai""Yes, sensei" The giant screen began displaying final team rankings. The stadium noise reorganized around numbers. 1st — Team Midoriya — 10, 000, 000+ Izuku's team appeared on the screen. Izuku looked like he might throw up from relief, shock, or the weight of every eye in the stadium. Uraraka was laughing breathlessly. Tokoyami stood composed, though Dark Shadow looked smug. Hatsume waved at the camera with both hands and somehow turned survival into advertising.

2nd — Team Todoroki Todoroki looked unsatisfied. Of course. Iida looked exhausted in a way that suggested his acceleration had cost more than he wanted to admit. Yaoyorozu was steady. Kaminari grinned weakly. 3rd — Team Bakugo Bakugo looked as though third place were a personal crime committed by the universe. Kirishima was trying to be supportive while not being exploded. 4th — Team Akiyama The screen showed Ren, Shinso, Kenta, and Arai. General Studies. Class 1-C. Fourth.

For a moment, the stadium did not know how to react. Then the General Studies section erupted. Not the whole stadium. A section. Loud enough. Sano's voice somehow cut through from the participant area.

"TEAM NO!" Kurose turned like a blade.

"Sano!" He lifted both hands.

"No broadcast name! Personal emotional support!" Kenta laughed. Arai covered her face. Shinso looked like he wanted to disappear. Ren looked at the screen and saw his own face again, smaller now beside his team. Not alone. That mattered. More than it should. Less than it might. Present Mic's voice roared.

"Team Akiyama takes fourth! General Studies punches its ticket to the tournament bracket! That's right, folks! Strategy, restraint, and some very uncomfortable Brainwashing deterrence just made the top four!" Aizawa said "The deterrence was the point. Most teams lost time trying not to answer Shinso. Akiyama used that space. Mori stabilized. Arai's warnings kept them from getting blindsided. Good team structure" The commentary was too precise. Too valuable. Ren looked toward the booth.

Aizawa was not visible from this angle. But his words had done something. Not rescue. Record. The stadium could boo later if it wanted. The broadcast had already heard good team structure. Shinso heard it too. His face remained blank. His hands did not. They shook once. Then stilled. Kenta noticed. Pretended not to. Good. Sano reached them after weaving through participants. His team had not advanced. He had known it before the screen said so. The grin stayed. Mostly.

"You did it" Kenta's face crumpled for half a second before he punched Sano's shoulder lightly.

"You idiot" Sano winced.

"Injured symbol here""You made us leave you out""You made the correct tactical decision""Shut up" Arai looked at Sano.

"I'm sorry" Sano's grin softened.

"No. Don't. I got to call myself a symbol on national broadcast-adjacent grass. That's enough legacy for one day" Shinso said "That is a low legacy threshold""Villain team member insults national symbol. Scandal" Shinso's mouth twitched. Ren looked at Sano.

"You continued" Sano nodded.

"Didn't advance""You continued correctly" Sano stared at him. Then looked away.

"Don't make it meaningful""It already is""Worst possible answer" Kurose stepped in before the moment could collapse.

"Medical checks. Now. Emotional processing later where fewer cameras can smell it" Kenta muttered "Cameras can smell emotion?" Kurose said "Today, yes" They moved. Medical confirmed Ren had not crossed red. Barely, but not. Rib strain elevated from exertion. No new fracture. Mandatory rest before bracket announcement. Hydration. Food. No additional physical activity outside official movement. Recovery Girl, via remote message, sent only three words. Do not celebrate stupidly.

Ren considered sending back define stupidly and decided survival included not provoking elderly medical professionals. Shinso sat beside him in the temporary medical rest area, holding a water bottle and staring at nothing. Kenta was two chairs away getting his shoulders checked. Arai sat in the quiet corner with dampeners adjusted and eyes closed. Sano hovered until Kurose ordered him to sit despite elimination. For several minutes, no one spoke.

Then Shinso said "We advanced" Ren said "Yes""Fourth""Yes""Not by chasing ten million""No""Not by making someone fear me and then punishing them for it" Ren looked at him.

"No" Shinso's throat moved.

"Good" The word was quieter this time. Not contagion. Not sarcasm. Something else. Ren nodded.

"Yes" Across the rest area, Kenta covered his face with a towel. Sano pretended not to cry by loudly accusing the towel of being dramatic. Arai opened her eyes and said "The crowd was loud for us" Ren looked toward the stadium entrance. The roar continued beyond the walls. Waiting for the next thing. Always.

"Yes" She said "It was not only frightening" Ren understood. He wished he did not.

"No" The Sports Festival had seen them. Not understood. Not fully. But seen. And they had not become worse to make it happen. Not yet. The word was important. So was the warning. A staff member entered the rest area with a tablet.

"Advancing teams, prepare for bracket selection after break" The room changed. Ren felt it immediately. Cavalry was over. Tournament waited. Direct matches. Names beside names. Todoroki somewhere in the future like cold behind glass. Izuku with ten million and intact hands. Bakugo burning. Shinso silent beside him. One seat. Maybe none. Maybe more. Ren breathed in. Three. Held one. Out four. Ribs hurt. Not red. He looked at Shinso.

"If there is one bracket" Shinso groaned.

"Don't ruin the line" Ren almost smiled.

"We continue" Shinso looked at him. Then, slowly, nodded.

"Yeah" He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"But if I draw Midoriya, I'm taking him down" Ren looked toward the stadium. He did not know yet that the bracket would give Shinso exactly that. But somewhere in the shape of the day, the future seemed to lean closer.

"Good" Ren said Shinso opened one eye.

"You're getting worse""Repeatable""Terrible" Outside, the crowd roared for replays of the Cavalry Battle. Inside, Team Akiyama sat under medical supervision, eliminated friends nearby, exhausted bodies cooling, points converted into passage, and the next door waiting to open. They had not won. They had not hunted the brightest target. They had not devoured each other. They had become the fourth team. For today, fourth was enough to be dangerous.