How long had the battle lasted?
Ten minutes? Thirty minutes?
No one knew—not even Kaminari, who was still in the middle of it.
All he knew was that his world was filled with flashing red lights, white mechanical bodies, golden lightning, and the dark sky above.
All he could hear was the crackling of electricity, the explosions of machines, and his own heavy breathing.
At some point, the tears had stopped. The only thing running down his face now was sweat—hot and relentless.
[Crack!]
[Boom!]
He had thrown countless punches. What was this move even called? A Lightning Fist? Thunder Fist?
Call it whatever.
At some point, he had started using this simple yet powerful punch to tear through wave after wave of incoming security robots.
As for Raikiri, well… he had to admit that this technique wasn't suited for prolonged combat. It drained too much power, and the excessive output was difficult to control.
These security robots had about as much resistance to electricity as the training dummies back at U.A.
"Haah... haah..."
Relying purely on instinct, Kaminari dodged the steel cables shooting toward him. The ones coming from the front, he avoided. The ones from the sides and behind, he used his Coat of Justice to deflect and slide past.
At the same time, his slender fingers moved swiftly, brushing against the steel cables like a butterfly gliding through a field of flowers—conducting golden currents straight into the machines.
With punches at close range and electricity in the mid-range, he methodically fought his way through. Carrying Tetsutetsu on his back, he stepped forward step by step, leaving a trail of motionless robots behind him.
"Hahh..."
Just as he threw another punch and met nothing but air—just as his body reflexively dodged, only to realize there were no more cables coming at him—he finally understood.
The battle, at least for now, was over.
A deep exhale escaped him.
To be honest, this was probably the longest battle he had ever fought.
"I really have to thank Black Hood. If it weren't for my Electricity Absorbing Physique, Tetsutetsu and I would've been captured a long time ago..." Kaminari muttered to himself. He could get caught, that wasn't a big deal.
But if Tetsutetsu didn't get medical attention soon, he wouldn't survive.
"See? These scrap heaps were no match for me, right?"
Kaminari turned slightly, making a joke as he walked forward, stepping past the fallen machines.
But the moment he laid eyes on Tetsutetsu's pale face—his closed eyes—he froze.
His golden pupils contracted sharply.
[Thud.]
"Tetsutetsu? Wake up! Open your eyes, open them now!!"
Kaminari knelt down and set him on the ground. He slapped his face—once, twice—then resorted to outright hitting him.
But no matter how much he shook him, no matter how loudly he screamed, Tetsutetsu didn't respond.
Panic surged through Kaminari's chest.
Then, he noticed something, the electrical charge he had left on Tetsutetsu's body was completely gone.
That's when he understood.
The God-Speed had faded, and with it, Tetsutetsu's body had returned to its weakened state.
[Zzzzzzzt—]
Without hesitation, Kaminari sent another surge of electricity into him, trying to reinforce his body again.
But still—Tetsutetsu didn't open his eyes.
Tears spilled down Kaminari's cheeks once more.
Never before had he imagined that he'd cry twice in one day for this dumbass!
"Wake the hell up!!!"
His suppressed emotions exploded.
In a fit of frustration, Kaminari balled his fist and punched Tetsutetsu's chest.
[Bang!]
Maybe he didn't realize it himself.
Maybe his instincts just knew.
Either way, the punch carried just enough electricity to act as a makeshift defibrillator, correcting Tetsutetsu's irregular heartbeat.
His body jerked violently, his fingers twitching. His eyelids trembled.
Kaminari's breath hitched.
He glanced down at his own hands, then immediately understood.
Hadn't he done this once before? Back before he even got into U.A.?
A technique from One Piece—Enel's Electrotherapy!
[Bang!]
"Get up! Get up!"
[Bang!]
"Didn't we agree?! Didn't we agree that you'd use the Hero name I gave you to become the strongest hero?!"
"Colossus! Colossus!!!"
[Bang!]
Like a drowning man clinging to his last hope, Kaminari hammered his golden, electrified fist against Tetsutetsu's chest over and over.
Tears streamed down his face, relentless and endless, as if someone had turned on a faucet that wouldn't stop.
Some of those tears fell onto Tetsutetsu's face.
[Bang!]
"Cough! Cough—huh... Kaminari? Why the hell are you crying?"
Tetsutetsu suddenly gasped for air, coughing violently as he forced his eyes open.
He blinked in confusion at the scene before him.
Had Kaminari... been crying?
It was the first time he'd ever seen him like this—disheveled, desperate, genuinely sobbing.
Kaminari didn't answer. He simply stared at him for a long moment, then wordlessly picked him up again and resumed walking.
Tetsutetsu didn't ask any more questions.
But the warmth trickling from his own eyes seeped into Kaminari's white shirt, soaking into the fabric.
---
Meanwhile, although Midoriya, Melissa, Kyoka, and the others hadn't fought like Kaminari, they were just as exhausted.
Why?
Because they had been climbing stairs.
Yes, ever since Kaminari and Iida had rushed out of the central tower, they had been climbing nonstop.
At the very front were Midoriya Izuku and Todoroki Shoto, who had reached the 64th floor.
A bit behind them were Momo Yaoyorozu, Tsuyu Asui, and Minoru Mineta on the 57th floor.
And trailing at the very back—on the 45th floor—were Kyoka, Uraraka, and Melissa.
"Ahhh, Asui, that's cheating!"
Mineta panted heavily as he struggled to keep up with Momo, his eyes burning with jealousy at Tsuyu, who effortlessly climbed using her sticky fingers.
"Mineta-chan, you can always use your sticky balls to bounce upward," Tsuyu replied nonchalantly.
"You think I wouldn't if I could?! We have to climb to the 200th floor! Do you know how many of those I'd have to pluck?!"
Mineta groaned. "I'd die of blood loss before we even got halfway!"
"Really? Well, do your best then," Tsuyu said casually, paying him no mind.
But in reality, Mineta wasn't just following Momo for strategic reasons.
No.
He was purposely staying behind her, because from this angle, he could admire the way her beautiful back moved…
And how her round, perfect.
"Even though climbing stairs is exhausting… getting to watch Momo from this angle makes it so worth it!"
(To be continued.)
***
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