37 Chapter-37

Naruto remained silent, gazing in various directions. However, his attention shifted to Midoriya, who, having secured first place, received the cheers of applause and victory from the spectators. Naruto felt that Midoriya truly deserved this win, and he didn't regret letting him win this time.

"It's good to see you again, Naruto-kun," a calm, feminine voice caught the teenager's attention. He turned to see Ibara approaching him. "You put on an impressive performance back there. I noticed that although you started the race calmly, you took more risks towards the end to secure third place," she calmly remarked to the green-haired teenager.

"What can I say, Ibara? I'm unpredictable." Naruto replied, glancing at the screens for a moment. A smile formed on his face when he saw that the girl with unique hair had finished in sixth place in the race, which was impressive considering her unconventional quirk. "I have to admit, I'm impressed to see you secure sixth place. I didn't expect you to be such a high-performance athlete. Well done," he praised the girl. He was briefly captivated by her soft and innocent smile but quickly refocused on the professional heroine.

"The first 42 to cross the finish line advance to the next round. For those who didn't make it, don't be disheartened. We have prepared other activities where you can showcase your talents!" Midnight announced, her words causing a mix of disappointment among those who didn't make the cut. "Now, the real competition begins. It's your chance to shine in front of the cameras, so give it your all..."

With Midnight's statement, several students glanced at those who had secured top positions, including Naruto. They knew that attracting the cameras and the attention of their department was a valuable opportunity. Many had already set their goals. Naruto couldn't help but smile with a hint of danger, fully aware that he had become a prime target for many. It would only make things more interesting for him.

"Now, onto the second event," everyone directed their attention to Midnight as the screen behind her displayed the same one used for the first event. "What could it be? I already know, but nonetheless, the element of uncertainty is exciting," she added with a slight, somewhat sadistic laugh. "For the second event, we have..." Here, Midnight paused dramatically, drawing out the suspense as the screen froze. "A cavalry battle!" she declared, prompting an enthusiastic eruption of cheers from the audience, who were eager to witness some intense competition. "Allow me to explain," Midnight continued, quieting the students' conversations. "Participants can form teams of two to four people as they prefer."

"...which means each team's worth will vary depending on its members," observed Ochako innocently, her focus on the screen, oblivious to Midnight's momentary silence.

"You're absolutely right," agreed a pink-skinned girl beside her. However, both of them were caught off guard by Midnight's stern rebuke.

"Perhaps you should hush and let me finish explaining!" the heroine scolded her students, who promptly fell silent, abashed by their interruption. Clearing her throat, Midnight resumed her explanation. "As I was saying, each student has a score. For instance, the last place has 5 points, the next 10 points, and so forth in increments of five, culminating in the second place with a total of 205." She gestured toward the screen, where rankings, student names, and their corresponding scores were displayed. However, the first place displayed only Izuku's name without a numerical value.

Meanwhile, as everyone's attention was focused on the race winner, Naruto stood rigid with one eyebrow twitching uncontrollably. He had to form teams, charge his teammates, and snatch pieces of cloth with point values? This test struck him as utterly absurd. Though this world resembled his own in many ways, this was one of the most foolish assessments he had ever encountered. He felt tempted to simply walk away and leave this nonsense behind, but he had to reign in his frustration.

While Naruto wrestled with his frustration, the green-haired teenager, Midoriya, was grappling with his own conflicts. "Ten... Ten... Million," he muttered, his voice trembling like a leaf. He felt the gazes of all the participants fixated on him, and he trembled even more, swallowing hard. Being worth ten million points meant that everyone would come after him. Anyone could win the battle by acquiring his ten million points, even someone currently in last place. As he contemplated the disadvantages of having so many points, all eyes in the stadium, from fellow students to the entire nation, were locked onto him, marking him as the next target.

"That's correct," affirmed Midnight, observing Midoriya like the rest. Evidently, the pressure was weighing heavily on him, yet he managed to maintain composure, more or less. He kept glancing in different directions, attempting to evade the piercing glares of his competitors. "It's a survival of the fittest, offering those at the bottom a chance to claim the top spot. Now, let me explain the rules of the battle. First, the battle has a 15-minute time limit," she informed the audience, prompting several nodding heads as they absorbed the basic rules. They had approximately 15 minutes to fight among themselves. "Each team's total score is the sum of its members' points. For instance, if the riders are worth 5, 10, and 15 points, and the rider is worth 20 points, the team's value is 50 points." On the screen, an image of All Might riding three other heroes, serving as "steeds," illustrated this point. "This value will be carried by the rider, who will wear a headband indicating this score. However, it's not permitted to use the headband anywhere else..." Midnight clarified as the screen shifted to show All Might wearing a headband with a value of 50 points wrapped around his head. "Each team will attempt to capture as many headbands as possible before the time expires to increase their team's points. The stolen headbands must be worn around the neck and are attached with Velcro for easy removal and placement. Importantly, if your headband or your team falls..."

"It doesn't mean you're out of the event; you can continue participating until the event concludes," the heroine concluded.

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