NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 243(Final Exam)
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CHAPTER START---
"You've all got 15 minutes to plan before he gets here," Aizawa says. "Build a team and form a strategy in that time, this is a luxury you wouldn't get on a real battlefield."
With that, he walks off in the direction of the dorms.
Most of 1A and 1B were standing around in an open industrial area.
A training ground in UA was built to represent a large factory with metal buildings and pipes clustered together.
Some of the students had winter versions of their Hero Costumes, to combat the chill in the air.
Pinky had a small fur-lined jacket atop her usual colorful outfit. Bakugo was also much more covered up with a black long-sleeved top that had a high collar, allowing him to stay warm and produce more sweat.
Genesis had the most obvious change, now wearing a cape that was large enough to close at the front and conceal her entire body.
"Alright, let's put our heads together and figure out how to achieve this objective!" Genesis declares, getting a mix of cheers and groans from everyone.
Battle Fist -Kendo- immediately approaches her, representing Class 1B as their representative.
"So what's the plan, you should know a lot about him right, how do we win?"
"Um, well," Genesis scratches her cheek awkwardly, "I actually have never sparred with him. He mostly just helped me with ideas, not much direct training."
"Lucky you," Simon -Shinso- grumbles out.
Most of the students eventually scatter about into their own little groups, deciding to skip the planning process since they didn't have anything to contribute.
Trying to get some rest to be ready if the thinkers of this group decide they need to be on the team.
Moments later, only a few students were sitting in a small circle.
Aside from Simon -Shinso-, the other members of Team Horizon had no choice but to join the strategy meeting. According to him he's 'not good at things like this, and my Quirk doesn't work so I can't really help...'
Mudman -Juzo-, is 1B's best strategist, which is what got him a spot on Team Horizon. And Cellophane has been training with Horizon longer than anyone, so he knows him the best.
With them is Genesis -Momo-, Battle Fist -Kendo-, Deku -Midoriya-, Shoto, Bakugo, Froppy -Asui-, and Phantom Thief -Monoma-.
Phantom Thief's Hero Costume was a full tuxedo with stopwatches on his belt.
"Alright, so what's his weakness?" Kendo asks.
"..."
They all look at Mudman and Cellophane, but neither of them answers.
"Uh, he doesn't really have one," Cellophane shrugs. "Horizon is basically invincible, unless you really surprise him. But the only person who could do that was All For One, and he had like a hundred Quirks Horizon couldn't predict."
"Normally yes, but this isn't a fair match for either side," Genesis says, getting a thoughtful look on her face. "Mr. Aizawa said Horizon won't be allowed to use Scalpel or Shambles, because this is supposed to be a test for him as well."
"So he's fighting with one arm and a leg tied behind his back, but he's still Horizon," Battle Fist says. "He can still zap anyone who touches him."
"Or hit you hard enough to break bones," Deku adds. "But all we have to do is get the sash from him, just like at the UA Sports Festival, so if we can just grab it then we'll win."
"Yeah but if we get it too early that's also a problem," Froppy adds. "Remember he can always take it back before time runs out, then we can still lose. It would be more fair for the sash to be somewhere that we have to find, but I guess we have enough advantages as it is so him starting with it makes sense."
"Ok, so lets think about what abilities he has," Bakugo says, without yelling surprisingly. He was taking this more seriously than anyone else. "If he can't warp then I can just blow him up, but he has that barrier..."
"Antibacterial Curtain," Shoto says.
"Too strong to break," Deku says, noticing Bakugo glaring at him. "Uh, not that your explosions aren't strong, but if Horizon is growing as fast as he wants us to think, then its probably like in an impenetrable shield by now."
"Pretty much yeah," Cellophane takes off his visor. "The version your broke and the UA Sports Festival was a prototype, the current one is a lot more refined and efficient, it was even too strong for Wolfram to break, and he threw everything but the port island itself at Horizon."
"But he can't use it while moving," Mudman says. "If you get him on the defensive you'd have to keep hammering the barrier until the time ran out, and this is all assuming you can get the sash in the first place."
"Why not just grab it?" Froppy asks, causing everyone to look at her. "What? Horizon mentioned it a while ago after the USJ, but he said that the Nomu from back then was too fast for his body to react to, so he used Shambles to out-speed it. If he can't use Shambles then I bet Deku can move faster than his body can react to."
"Uhhh..." Deku's tries his best to come up with any excuse to avoid fighting Horizon.
"That won't work," Bakugo says. "Horizon has his freaky Scan ability, doesn't that give him a 3D model of everything around him 24/7, he can use that to avoid Deku just like he did to me during our fights. And he'll just predict his moves and beat him up, or just discharge a bunch of electricity and fry him for getting close."
"We also have to account for his psychology," Sero says, causing everyone to look at him. "Horizon won't just stall until the 15 minutes is over, he'll hunt down everyone and take you down before that. Because anything less than absolute victory won't be good enough for him."
"Too strong," Genesis says. "Counter Shock, Booster Shot, Scan, Antibacterial Curtain, his physical power and combat skills. Any one of them is a problem, but all together victory is all but impossible."
"No one Quirk can match Hand Of God," Deku says. He clenches his fist and feels the bitter taste of acceptance. "I used to think if I got strong enough, with enough power and speed it wouldn't matter, but he keeps making new abilities. Every time I hit a new level he basically manifests a new Quirk."
Mudman snaps his fingers, startling the group, "That's it!"
"What's it?" Sero asks.
"That's our advantage!" Juzo says excitedly. "Without Scalpel Horizon can't use Amputate or Incision, and he definitely can't use Injection Shot, so that's his big and indefensible attacks out of the way.
His physical power is probably weaker than Deku's, and his speed is definitely slower, we have that advantage. But the problem is that even if he doesn't have Shambles or his ranged attacks, he can still use Takt to throw thing."
"And he probably knows our Quirks better than us," Froppy says.
"He definitely does," Mudman says. "But just because you know about the Quirk, doesn't mean you can expect it. Plus we'll have numbers, because it'll be him against 4 of us. 1 Quirk, against at least 6..."
They all look a bit confused for a moment, then realization dawns on them as they turn to Monoma.
His Quirk, Copy, allows him to copy multiple Quirks for a limited amount of time. But to do this he has to make direct physical contact with his target, and not all Quirks are usable.
For example, trying to process all the information needed to activate Hand Of God will overload his brain. Copying Eri's rewind worked, but the Quirk was useless as he can't hold it long enough to stockpile Chronons to use it.
The same goes for One For All and Fatgum's Quirk.
"Alright, so what Quirks should I use, and how do I surprise him with them?" Monoma asks. "It's not like he doesn't know what I can do, he'll expect me to have multiple Quirks."
"Yes, but Horizon doesn't have as much information as us," Mudman explains. "He doesn't even know the current capabilities of his own classmates because of how little time he spends at UA or in Hero Classes. So to him, we 1B students who aren't on Team Horizon will fight like brand new people, that's how much we've grown these past months."
"Hey!" Bakugo yells. "Even if we have to depend on you 1B losers, don't think you're getting me out of the fight, if anyone gets to blow him up, it's gonna be me!"
"Well then let's figure out the specifics," Juzo says. "But if this is gonna work, Momo, I need to create some things for us..."
As he begins breaking down his scheme, everyone but Sero is left very impressed.
They knew he was good at commanding a battlefield and making strategies, but under the guidance of Horizon, Gang Orca, and Crust, his skills were quickly taken to new heights.
This is the kind of talent it takes to be a member of Team Horizon after all...
After they've finished planning and preparing, Horizon makes it over to the training grounds.
Walking beside Aizawa.
He wore casual clothes, still his merch.
Nezu was on Aizawa's shoulder, wrapped in his Capture Scarf, and Eri was on Horizon's, wearing a large sweater with his symbol on it.
Seeing him everyone gets ready for the battle to start, and Kirishima can't help but say.
"Dud you should put on your Hero Costume, this is gonna be intense!"
"Its being repaired right now, and refit, but I'll be fine. After all, it only you people..."
END CHAPTER---