NOVEL NEXT Chapter 72: Apex Predator
He was once again left with jotting to want... It was beginning to get tiring, how he threw himself fully into an act and then was left with nothing except what he had. What was the cause of it, he still couldn't say, but soon he might understand and forget completely.
Maybe it was his wish to stay possible to beat... but there was no true way to bring him down. He threw away this mindset which kept him low in his own eyes. And just accepted that he would have to come in terms with it and just take life fully on with all that he had. He gave a sigh, accepting his conditions and gathered with the other students.
"The first game for the first year is finally over, and what a game it was. Now let's take quick look at the where you are standing shall we?" Midnight said as a projections of the placings were shown, him being in 41st, meaning he was one place away from the end of the list. "Only the top 42 will advance to the next round, but don't be too let down if you didn't make the cut, we've prepared other opportunities for you to shine." Midnight said, as Eth's eyes widened realizing how close he was to falling off the competition. He left like he lost and he didn't like it, which only fueled his acceptance of how powerful he is. "Nah, this ain't happening again..." He murmured to himself as he realized
"Now the real fun is about to begin. The chance to fully move yourself into the limelight. Give it your best!" She said before whipping with the thing she held and the screen projection appearing again same animation. "Lets see what we have in store for you next. Will your wildest fantasies come to life? What could it be? The waiting is torture. Prepare yourselves for this!" The animation stopped onto Cavalry battle "Allow me to explain, the participants will form teams of two to four people as they see fit. In theory it's basically as a regular playground game, but there is one difference, each player has been assigned a point value based on the results from the obstacle course." The students began using her words to theorize and make conclusions. "Maybe you should Shut up and let me explain things to you!... Now then, the point design goes up by implements of five starting from the bottom, for example 42th place is worth five, and 41st is worth ten... And the point value assigned to the first place contestant is... Ten Million!" Midnight said bring everyone's attention to Midoriya...
"Hey, Midoriya, I wish you Goodluck cause you are screwed." Eth said with a cheerful tone, yet his words were mocking as he was going to take those point really easily. Etheral was capable of doing too many things, it was just the choice of weapon that made him struggle... Not anymore.
"Fourty-two of you made qualified to move on to the next round, prepare for your next test, a Cavalry battle. Those of you at the top will suffer the most. Of course that's something you will hear over and over again at UA. Show us what plus ultra means! Izuku Midoriya placed first in the qualifier he will be worth ten million... First Years! This are the rules that you will abide by. The game itself will have fifteen minutes. Individual point values will added together to reach your team total, everyone will know how much you are worth thanks to your headbands. Swipe as many headbands as you can to raise your team's score. Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up, so the more you steal the harder it will be to manage them. And another thing, even if your headband gets stolen or your team falls down you can keep playing till time's up." Midnight explained.
"This is going to be rough, you may use your quirks as much as you like, but there are still rules. Make a team fall on purpose and I will slap you with a red card. You will be disqualified!" She said as another projection appeared being the one of a times. "Now you've got fifteen minutes to build your teams. I recommend that you get started."
With that Eth looked around for allies, but he was either turned down or was put into a position where he was the one to carry so he refused it all, he didn't find any Allies and was left alone in the end. "Nah, fuck this." He murmured to himself as an idea popped up in his head a larger hound which would take the role of the one to carry. Midnight went up to Etheral and asked if he was going to make a team, and he just gave a mocking smile. "Who even needs them?!"
He was serious he had a better teammate in the face of every single entity in the backrooms, and they want him to team up with people? In the end everyone were in their corresponding spots, Eth was alone because he was an exceptions until, a larger and stronger hound emerged from the wall ready to take on this challenge with him, everyone were confused as to what this creature was, he wanted to give them the middle finger for this gesture of theirs, but he ignored it...
Eth got on the hound's back before preparing for the chaos as Present mic count the beginning down. The moment he told them to begin, Eth smiled as he felt a rush of energy. He was literally telepathically communicating with the hound as it began quickly riding towards Midoriya. "EY MIDORIYA, I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS MINE!" He said as Midoriya attempted to make an escape, but it was too late, the hound jumped with a fracture of its might, and Etheral took hold of that head band. "YOU ALL ARE UNRELIABLE!" He yelled out them, seeing how valuable his connection with the entities was. As he began terrorizing the rest of the game, whenever someone made an attempt to grab His headband, either the hound would dodge or he will neutralize them and counter take from them, leaving many with nothing and few with little. He was on a rush as the hound quickly made its way towards the last who had anything.
He went towards another team rushing their points down but that person touched him. Nothing happened... instead he felt a tingling sensation over where the person touched him. In the end of this confrontation he took the point and left yet another team with no points.
He took the whole game and dominated everything in it, in the end he spared just one by giving him his ten point headband. "Count this as a spare from me. Be grateful or I am taking it back." He said mockingly, knowing that he was undefeatable, until Bakugo just raged and used his explosions to get over to him away from his team, on the way everyone else joined in, immobilizing the hound, which pissed Etheral off to no end.
He just float away from the hound so it isn't also targeted, before he summoned on his arm one of the gauntlets before sending Bakugo in the ground, deeming his attempt to stop him futile and unsuccessful. He held on the front helping the hound get out of many situations by causing its feet to noclip out of traps. He ran and ran until the time was over, leaving just one team with points... His. He laughed at them without any remorse, he stomped them out like some bugs. He felt satisfied by this victory. He hopped of the hound and pat it before sending it off to freedom in the backrooms. "Thank you... my friend..." He seemed to show more kindness to the hound than any of them.
He felt slightly exhausted, he gave a sigh of relief as the heat of his actions slowly dispersed, allowing him to cool off. "What?! One one team has made it to the next round... And not just a team, but a single person! Yo Eraser, what do you suggest we do?"
Aizawa though for a bit. "The teams who did more to try and stay in the competition will advance to the last round. Etheral advances forward and three people from teams out of the chosen teams will join in. Etheral is first, team Todoroki is second, team Bakugo is third... and team Midoriya is last." He replied as the placements were settled.