"Why did things turn out like this...?" Midoriya stood beside the female host, staring blankly at the rock formation before him.
On the stage, Bakugo, Kaminari, Todoroki, Melissa, Uraraka, Kyoka, Momo, and others watched Midoriya in silence.
As All Might's disciple, no matter his personality or actions, he was always the center of attention.
"So!"
"What kind of results will this new temporary challenger achieve?"
"Since you've made your decision, you must give it your all!"
As the host's words echoed, Midoriya clenched his fists and placed them on his waist, his expression turning serious as he stared at the "imaginary enemies" atop the rock formation.
"ONE FOR ALL!"
Pink energy streaks spread across his exposed face, while green electricity crackled around his body, resembling Kaminari's [God-Speed] mode.
"Full Cowl!!"
Boom!
As Midoriya swung his arms, a powerful gust of wind burst forth, sweeping across the area.
The surging wind lifted the host's long orange hair and clothes, while even Kaminari and the others in the stands had to squint against the forceful air current.
"He's definitely gotten stronger!"
Kaminari, who had faced Midoriya before during the Sports Festival, knew that back then, Midoriya couldn't stir up the airflow with just a single move like he did now.
"Ready—go!"
In an instant, Midoriya became a green blur, dashing up the rock formation with precise, fluid movements—almost as if he had memorized his landing spots in advance.
And in truth, he had. The moment he set eyes on the course, he had already mapped out the fastest route in his mind!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Midoriya's crisp movements and rapid attacks drew gasps from the spectators, sparking murmurs among the crowd. However, Kaminari frowned.
Because he felt a bit disappointed.
Midoriya had indeed grown stronger, but that was all.
Compared to the improvements of Iida, Bakugo, and Todoroki, Midoriya's progress seemed almost negligible.
Still, Kaminari had his suspicions. Perhaps Midoriya wasn't going all out—it would be in line with his usual character. Kaminari didn't underestimate him.
Based on his own understanding of how this world worked, Midoriya was most likely the protagonist. And protagonists couldn't be judged by common sense.
"This is still really impressive!"
"The final time—sixteen seconds! I'm in third place today!!"
As Midoriya returned to the stands, scratching the back of his head, Uraraka clenched her fists in frustration.
"Ahh, so close!"
"I think you did great. This is exactly what I expected from you, Midoriya-kun!" Class rep Iida walked over to reassure him.
"I didn't expect to get this close to Kacchan's record. What a surprise!"
"You're annoying!"
"I want to go again!"
Midoriya's words immediately triggered Bakugo, who exploded with rage.
But before he could do anything, Kaminari, had already leaped into the arena with some equipment he received from Momo.
"Is it finally Kaminari-kun's turn…?"
Iida stepped forward, gripping the railing as he watched Kaminari's back—the very figure that had been the benchmark of his relentless training.
"Kaminari Denki…"
Todoroki, Bakugo, Midoriya, Kirishima, and others also remained silent, focusing entirely on him.
Though unspoken, everyone in Class A knew: Kaminari Denki was the strongest in their class—no, the strongest among all first-years in the Hero Course!
"I wonder how long Kaminari will take," Mineta muttered, gripping the railing tightly.
No one responded.
Everyone was afraid to blink, fearing they might miss something incredible.
"And now, let's turn our attention to this new challenger once again!"
The female host, more animated than before, spoke rapidly, her excitement evident.
"Many of you here should recognize this young man—he's the inspiration for the protagonist of the hit anime Pokémon!
"Kaminari Denki!!!"
"But that's not all! He's also an accomplished songwriter, the leader of the [Pikachu Band], its lead singer, and guitarist!
"And most importantly, he's a Hero Course student at U.A. High School!"
It was clear from her enthusiasm that the host was a Kaminari fan herself. However, a sharp voice from her earpiece quickly reminded her to stay professional.
"Now then… get ready!
Ready—go!"
"High Voltage Mode—activate!!"
At the starting signal, Kaminari immediately entered his High Voltage Mode.
With a smooth motion, he flicked six coins into the air.
"Kaminari is…?"
The moment froze in time, pulling everyone's gaze toward the six coins now suspended in mid-air, held in place by golden electricity.
Super Electromagnetic Cannon—Six Rounds!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid succession of electromagnetic pulses fired off, launching the six coins at blinding speeds.
Each turned into a streak of golden light, covering the distance in an instant and piercing through the imaginary enemies positioned across the rock formation.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before the audience could even process the blinding afterimages left on their retinas, the "imaginary enemies" began to explode, one after another.
A storm of light, flames, thick smoke, and scattered mechanical debris filled the air.
For a moment, the entire venue was silent.
Then, some spectators quickly snapped out of their daze, calculating Kaminari's time.
"Wait… was that even one second?!"
Meanwhile, the female host, jolted back to reality by the results in her earpiece, immediately raised her microphone in disbelief.
"F-Four seconds!!"
"Kaminari Denki has shattered all records, completing his attack in just four seconds!"
"This is the fastest time in history!!!"
Wow!
Hundreds of spectators erupted into cheers.
Many were residents of I-Island, well aware of past records for this challenge.
Even professional heroes had taken part before, but none of their times—let alone Midoriya's or Bakugo's—could compare to Kaminari's unbelievable four-second completion!
"Well… all I can say is, that's Kaminari-kun for you," Asui murmured.
"Yeah!" Kyoka nodded enthusiastically, watching Kaminari with clear admiration.
"AHH!! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! THIS PISSES ME OFF!!!"
Bakugo, completely losing his composure, repeatedly slammed his fists against Kirishima.
It wasn't just that his record had been utterly crushed.
What infuriated him most was the realization that—even at his peak—he couldn't pull off something like that.
Not unless he blew up the entire rock formation.
But that was impossible. His Quirk required momentum, the more he fought, the stronger his explosions became. He couldn't unleash full power right from the start.
Just as Kaminari and the others had pushed the excitement to its peak, elsewhere on I-Island, in a desolate room.
Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu hung against a steel wall, restrained by massive metal spikes.
His body was battered, his once pristine white suit now in shreds, stained with blood.
Scarlet pooled beneath him, and a pair of leather boots lay abandoned in the crimson puddle.
Nearby, his battle uniform, the Cloak of Justic, was carelessly discarded—its fabric pinned under a heavy black boot.
A group of masked assailants in black body armor stood around him, weapons in hand.
Among them, one figure stood out, a red-haired man, far more imposing than the rest, his face concealed by a metallic mask.
His gaze, cold as steel, locked onto Tetsutetsu.
"So… curiosity killed the cat, huh?"
(To be continued.)
***
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