Kapitel 29: Unfinished Business
-Kaminari POV-
The sterile, quiet atmosphere of the hospital room was a stark contrast to the chaos that had unfolded just hours ago. We sat together, our bodies bandaged, but the tension in the air was thick with the weight of what had happened. Each of them was lost in thought, processing the events with weary minds.
"Still can't believe we did it." Midoriya said, pride and yet a sliver of fear drowned his speech.
"No kidding." Ilda was next to speak, his face overwhelmed with guilt. I've heard why he'd chosen Hosu, he purposefully sought the Hero killer.
"I'm just glad we're got through this alive and well." Todoroki chimed in, a hint of enthusiasm in his voice, surprisingly.
"Hehehe... 'Well' is overstretching." Managed to get a smile out of them, Ilda specially was the one I was looking for the most. Laugh is the best remedy, some say, and I'm gonna need it all.
"Girls dig scars." Was what dad told me once.
The door slid open, and we all looked up to see Chief of Police Kenji Tsuragamae entering the room. His canine features were calm but stern, exuding the kind of authority that immediately made the room feel smaller. Behind him stood Gran Torino, a living legend, silent but observant alongside Manual, Ilda's pro hero supervisor.
"You kids sure made a mess," Chief Tsuragamae said as he came to a stop before them, his eyes scanning our injuries. "Let's talk about what happened. Woof."
Woof?! I can't.
We don't know what to expect, it feels uneasy. Even after defeating Stain, we couldn't escape the consequences of our actions.
"Straight to the point you all took part in a reckless, illegal fight. Stain is a villain, but you're still students, woof." the chief continued, his tone steady but sharp. "Vigilantism is against the law, and both you and your supervisors will receive punishments accordingly. Woof."
I knew it, it's no different than back home, only perhaps the fact that over there we would've lost our chances at being heroes there and then. I can't help but to feel a pang of guilt, I know the chief is right. I look at Ilda, who had been silent since the chief started. The look on Iida's face was pained, his guilt written plainly for everyone to see. Can't say I blame him, family makes us do unspeakable things.
"Wait a minute!" Todoroki of all people interrupted the chief, his face filled with anger and frustration. "If Ilda and Midoriya hadn't acted, Native would've been killed! If Kaminari and I hadn't come, all would've died!"
"So because everything turned out alright, we should excuse your behavior and allow the law to be broken? Woof." His monotone voice is sharp, cutting straight through each of us like Stain's blades.
"If that's the case, we should let Stain go, after all he broke the law, but saved the young Midoriya from that flying monstrosity. Woof." Like hammer to the anvil, he crushed our excuses and silenced our feelings.
"Because of your situation as unlicensed heroes and lack of permission in the involvement, we cannot officially acknowledge that first year students where the ones who defeated and captured the Hero Killer, woof." Chief Tsuragamae went on, folding his arms. "Instead, we'll credit his defeat to Endeavour. woof."
At the mention of his father's name, Todoroki's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
Midoriya, his eyes wide, leaned forward. "But... Will this be enough?"
The chief looked at him for a moment before sighing deeply. "Stain's injuries are consistent to what would happen if he faced Endeavour: broken bones, bruises, lacerations, second and third degree burns, in addition to internal damage. Furthermore, we are lucky that there were no witnesses to what happened in that alley. Woof."
This woof is killing me.
"Don't get me wrong, What you did was brave, but the law is the law. We can't have children fighting villains on their own. What would the be the public's reaction if we allow children to solve adult problems? Your efforts, although courageous and worthy of praise, are a direct hindrance to the image our society sustains of Pro Heroes and the Police Force. Which is why your involvement will be erased, there shall be no trace of what you did. Woof."
Iida bowed his head lower, the guilt of his personal vendetta burning inside him.
But then, to their surprise, Chief Tsuragamae did something unexpected. He lowered his head in a deep bow, his tone shifting as he spoke with genuine respect. "That said, this is the official police report. We are not going to punish good deeds, specially not those that saved lives. It's with regret that I say that the world shall never know that four first year students saved innocent people and defeated one the most dangerous villains of our time, but know that I'm deeply grateful for your actions. Thank you, all of you. Woof."
The room was silent as the we took in the weight of the chief's gesture. Despite the stern lecture, it was clear that the chief recognized the heroism, even if it couldn't be acknowledged officially.
Although tired and injured, I may have found a sense of pride welling up inside. We had fought hard and saved lives. Despite the consequences, despite the law, we had made a difference.
Gran Torino stepped forward. "You've all done something remarkable. It won't go unnoticed, even if it can't be celebrated openly."
Midoriya let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Thank you," he muttered, barely above a whisper.
...
-Narrator POV-
After Chief Tsuragamae left the room, the weight of his words still hung in the air. The boys sat in silence for a moment, processing everything that had just been said. The exhaustion, both physical and emotional, was evident on their faces.
Iida, who had been the most quiet since the Chief's speech, finally broke the silence.
"I have something I need to say."
The others looked at him. His usually stoic face was filled with an unusual vulnerability.
"My injuries... The doctors told me that my hands will never be the same. Even with rehabilitation or surgery, I may have limited mobility." He raised his heavily bandaged hand slightly, his voice quieter now. "I've lost something precious because of my reckless actions. If you three hadn't come for me... I don't know what would have happened. I owe you all my life."
There was a heaviness in Iida's words that made the room feel smaller.
"Ilda, we did what anyone would've done for a friend." Midoriya's voice was soft but resolute. "You would've done the same for us. You've done it before."
Todoroki, leaning back in his chair, finally spoke, his eyes focused on the floor as he said, "Revenge clouds your judgment. I've been there. It took a lot of strength to stop chasing that. We're all here because we refused to let you face it alone. That's all." His words, as always, were blunt but carried weight. The camaraderie between them was growing stronger with each shared battle.
Kaminari, leaning forward slightly, grimaced from his own injuries but managed a small smile. "You know, I'd have preferred not to get stabbed again, but I guess it was worth it." He glanced over at Ilda, his tone light but with an undertone of sincerity. "We're in this together, right? No one gets left behind."
Ilda, looking around at his friends, felt a lump form in his throat. He had been carrying such a heavy burden, but these three – Midoriya, Todoroki, and Raio – had shared it without a second thought.
"Thank you... all of you. You didn't have to do any of this, but you did. I will never forget it. Even with this hand... I will continue to push forward. Because that's what a hero does."
Midoriya nodded, his usual optimism shining through. "We'll get stronger together. All of us."
Todoroki, still thoughtful, turned his attention to Kaminari. "You really threw yourself in there... even after everything you've been through."
Kaminari shrugged, though the weight of his injuries was clearly taking a toll. "I guess I have a thing for throwing myself at lion's mouth." He paused for a moment, his voice dropping slightly. "But... I also didn't want to lose anyone else. We've all got our demons, but I'm not letting any of us fall to them. Not today, not ever."
The room fell into a comfortable silence, the four of them feeling a new, unspoken bond. They had faced death, defeat, and the harsh realities of hero society together. And now, even with their bodies battered and bruised, their resolve had only grown stronger.
Todoroki glanced at Kaminari again, a rare softness in his tone as he said, "Next time, don't take all the cuts yourself. We're a team."
Kaminari chuckled weakly, leaning his head back. "Noted. But if you keep melting ice, I'll keep zapping it. We make a good team."
Midoriya and Iida couldn't help but smile at the banter between the two. In their own way, Todoroki and Kaminari were building a bond that could rival the one they shared with Midoriya.
The exhaustion of the night finally began to set in, and as the four heroes-in-training rested, they all knew that the path ahead would only get harder. But at least, now, they wouldn't be walking it alone.
...
...
As I sit up in this hospital bed, no sense standing around any longer. The healing factor had kicked in, and while the soreness lingered, my body was already bouncing back faster than expected. The bandages around my arms and chest are needed for the deeper wounds, can't help but keep remembering the blood and pain from their battle against Stain. The boys, still resting, seemed peaceful for the first time in days.
Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki were in various stages of recovery, each one battered but alive. As I moved to gather his things, I guess the sound caught the attention of Midoriya, who blinked awake.
"Already heading out, Kaminari?"
"Well, when you heal like me, there's no point in sticking around. You three take it easy now."
Todoroki, sitting up slightly from his bed, shot me a side glance. "Don't run into any knives out there."
"I'll do my best, but no promises."
Iida, still reclining with his bandaged hand, raised a fist slightly in solidarity. "Kaminari, I can never repay you for your help, you have my deepest gratitude.
I can't help but grin.
"Don't worry about repayment. We ride or die now, watch my back and I will always watch yours."
As I turned to leave, I wave them goodbye as I gave them a thumbs-up over his shoulder without turning back. "Rest easy. See you guys at school."
...
Once outside, I feel extremely lazy to walk back home, my quirk is dormant until my healing factor finishes the job. It isn't until I start to walk that I spotted a sleek, black car waiting for me. The passenger window rolled down, revealing the stern face of no other than Endeavour, his signature flame beard flickering slightly.
"Get in."
I raise an eyebrow but complied, sliding into the car. The moment the door shut, Endeavour didn't waste any time tearing me a new one.
"What you did in Hosu was reckless. You disobeyed direct orders, and nearly got yourself killed and three others killed."
This isn't like one of father's lectures, I can't just block his words, so I just stay there feeling the sting of the reprimand. And he isn't done.
"You let your emotions cloud your judgment. You're strong, but strength without control is nothing. Fighting Stain holding back, pathetic. Couldn't even attack without risking exploding your comrades as well."
My fists clenched out of instinct as the weight of Endeavour's words start hitting hard. He knew I had made mistakes—big ones—but the memory of saving my friends pushed back against the criticism.
"I couldn't stand back and do nothing. I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission if it means not letting my friends die in a stinking alley."
"And now you're standing because of pure luck and healing. Understand this—your training is not over. The week isn't finished, and neither are you. If you have any hope of becoming a hero, you will learn to master that power of yours. And you will do it now."
Is he serious? The scars of the battle were are fresh, not just on the body but in the mind. But... there was something else, too. A drive.
"Then let's finish it, then."
I can see his expression softened, only slightly, as if he was pleased but would never admit it.
"Prepare yourself. The real work starts now."
...
-Narrator POV-
As the car pulled away from the hospital, Kaminari looked out the window. His body was still aching, and his mind was a storm of emotions—guilt, anger, fear, but also determination.
If there was one thing he could do, it was push forward. He owed it to his friends, to his sister Ana, and most of all to himself. He had to face his turmoil head-on, even if it meant enduring more pain.
Endeavour was right. His training wasn't over. And Kaminari is ready to overcome his past—once and for all.
...
Kaminari stepped out of the car, gazing up at the imposing structure of Endeavour's Agency. The weight of the past days settled on him, but he shook it off, focusing on what lay ahead.
As they entered the agency, Burnin was waiting in the lobby. Her eyes lit up when she saw Kaminari, her fiery hair flickering with excitement.
"Look who's back on his feet! Good to see you in one piece, Kaminari."
He managed a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, still kicking."
She slapped him on the back with enough force to make him stumble forward, laughing. "You've been through a lot, kid. But you're still here, and that says something. You ready for what's next?"
Kaminari nodded, but as he walked past her, heading deeper into the agency toward the training room, his thoughts turned inward.
"Ready? I don't know if I am. Hosu... Stain... the fear of losing everyone—it's still so fresh. I thought I was ready back there, but I wasn't in control. I couldn't protect them like I wanted. Midoriya, Iida, Todoroki... they all got hurt because I wasn't strong enough. It's always like that. I'm always reacting, never in control of my power, never able to push myself without risking everything."
His pace quickened as the weight of his emotions fueled his steps. "I have to get better. I have to take control. I can't let my friends suffer because of my lack of it. Not again. I need to be stronger—not just for me, but for them."
As he entered the training room, Burnin followed behind him, her usual teasing tone replaced with a more serious edge.
"Your training's gonna start in just a few moments. Don't worry, your partner is already here."
Kaminari furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
She grinned and stepped aside, revealing Endeavour stepping into the room, arms crossed, his intense gaze fixed on Raio.
"Meet your new training partner."
Raio's eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat. "Endeavour...?"
"To gain the control you so desperately desires, you will tame the storm within. The path is gruesome, there is no room for rest. I will show you the stairs, you will climb them yourself."
The air around them seemed to hum with tension as both of them stepped forward, facing each other in the center of the room.
"This is it. This is what I wanted, right? To face him, to push myself to the limit... No more hesitation. No more holding back. If I can get through this, I can get through anything."
Endeavour's flames ignited, casting a fierce glow across the room. Raio's hands vibrated with a faint electricity, the familiar static charge tingling up his arms.
"Come at me."
With no more words exchanged, the two charged toward each other, the weight of Raio's resolve driving him forward.
"This is it... I'll take control... I'll be the hero I need to be."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein