Kapitel 145: Chapter 144: Master and Backer

Kaminari blinked in confusion before guessing aloud, "Wait… is that a Hero name? Is this grandpa a professional Hero?"

"Professional Hero?!"

The young man in the black-and-white shirt froze for a moment before waving his hands dismissively. "No, no, no! He's not a Hero, he's a hunter. You know, a hunter?"

"A hunter…" Kaminari repeated, intrigued. He didn't sit down right away, instead leaning slightly forward. "So, what exactly does he hunt?"

The young man brightened at the question, clearly eager to explain. Even the nearby passengers perked up, their curiosity piqued.

"The Matagi hunter is an old, traditional profession," the young man began enthusiastically. "It's got a history of nearly 400 years!"

"My grandpa mainly hunts wild bears, but he also goes after wild boars and mountain deer sometimes. Did you know, we came all the way from Hokkaido just to hunt a bear that's supposed to be three meters long—" (T/N: Reminds me of Golden Kamuy. If you haven't seen it yet, you should definitely watch it.)

"Enough!"

The old man, who had been quietly dozing with his eyes half-closed, suddenly snapped awake and interrupted with a deep, authoritative voice.

"Uh… yes, sir," the young man stammered, quickly realizing he'd said too much. Scratching his head awkwardly, he gave Kaminari an apologetic look before turning back to his seat.

"So… a matagi hunter who specializes in bears…" Kaminari mused quietly, leaning back in his seat.

Although the conversation had been cut short, he felt like he had a decent grasp of their situation. His gaze drifted toward the black cloth bundle.

"That must be their hunting equipment," he thought.

His mind wandered to the train's destination, and he quickly pieced together a likely scenario.

"There aren't many forests with bears near Tokyo… the most famous one is the Aokigahara Forest at the base of Mount Fuji. They're probably headed there to hunt that three-meter bird…"

As the image of a towering, three-meter bear crossed his mind, Kaminari felt a shiver run through him.

"Can they really handle something that big?" he thought, glancing at the old man's rugged figure. "If something goes wrong, this could turn into a disaster…"

Since the young man had said his grandfather wasn't a professional Hero, Kaminari doubted they had any Quirk-based backup. The whole thing felt dangerously risky.

Still, Kaminari didn't have the habit of interfering in other people's business. He could only wish them luck and chalk the experience up as a new bit of knowledge about traditional professions.

---

Four hours later, the train finally arrived at Kaminari's destination. The hunter duo had already disembarked at the previous stop.

As Kaminari stepped out of the station, a cool breeze swept past him, instantly refreshing his tired body.

"Ahhh…" He took a deep breath, letting the crisp air fill his lungs. "No wonder this place feels so different. The air here is way fresher than in the city!"

His gaze drifted upward to the east, where a snow-capped mountain loomed in the distance.

"Mount Fuji," he murmured, a sense of awe washing over him.

The mountain's majestic presence, framed by the clear sky, gave it an almost sacred aura. Kaminari couldn't help but admire its beauty.

"Haha, looks like I'll get to see this view every day for the next week," he said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

Remembering why he was here, Kaminari shifted his focus. "Alright, time to meet my host. Didn't they say someone would come to pick me up?"

Standing at the station exit, Kaminari scanned the area. The town was quiet, peaceful even. There were few cars on the road, and most of the locals rode bicycles. The serene atmosphere made it feel like time had slowed down.

But after nearly 20 minutes of waiting with no sign of anyone, Kaminari began to grow restless.

"Did they forget about me?" he muttered, shifting the weight of his Pikachu backpack and combat suit box as passersby shot him curious looks.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, a deep voice spoke behind him.

"I didn't forget."

"I was just waiting to see how long it would take you to notice me, Kaminari Denki."

The moment Kaminari heard the voice, his entire body tensed. A faint spark of yellow electricity crackled from his fingertips.

"What the—?!"

He spun around, instinctively retreating a few steps. Only when he stopped did he finally get a good look at the speaker.

"Edgeshot!"

Standing before him was a man wearing a blue mask. His gray hair spiked outward in several sharp angles, completely covering one of his eyes. His outfit resembled something out of a ninja movie, with a mix of blue and red fabric that added to his intimidating presence.

It was none other than the No. 5 Hero on Japan's Hero Billboard Chart, Ninja Hero: Edgeshot.

"I'm disappointed," Edgeshot said coolly. "I stood behind you for ten whole minutes, and you never noticed. Your awareness is far too weak."

Although Kaminari felt a little indignant, he knew arguing would get him nowhere. Bowing slightly, he offered a polite, albeit sheepish, response. "My apologies."

Still, the encounter left him deep in thought. His lack of perception was clearly a weakness.

"If only I could develop something like Enel's Mantra," Kaminari mused silently, thinking of ways to improve.

"Let's go," Edgeshot said abruptly, turning on his heel and walking toward the street. "I'll take you to the camp."

Kaminari quickly followed, his head low. He couldn't shake the slight unease lingering in the air, but he didn't dare ask questions just yet.

---

What Kaminari didn't know was that Edgeshot, the stoic and intimidating Hero, was hiding his own embarrassment.

"Phew," Edgeshot thought to himself. "Good thing he didn't realize I was actually ten minutes late."

In truth, the veteran Hero had gotten carried away with early-morning training and had left much later than planned. He'd rushed over at twice the speed of sound to make it in time. After arriving, he'd taken a few extra minutes to adjust his hair and outfit, figuring a little tardiness wouldn't hurt.

Now, as the two walked silently through town, the atmosphere was undeniably awkward. Neither of them were the talkative type, so the tension hung heavy in the air.

---

"Why me?"

Edgeshot suddenly broke the silence, his deep voice cutting through the stillness.

"Huh?" Kaminari looked up, momentarily confused.

"There must have been plenty of other Heroes who invited you. Some of them are even ranked higher than I am," Edgeshot said plainly. "Your performance at the Sports Festival was outstanding. Why choose me?"

"Ah, that…" Kaminari tilted his head thoughtfully before replying.

"I've thought a lot about this decision," he said with a smile.

"And?" Edgeshot pressed, his tone curious but calm. "Why me?"

"Well…" Kaminari paused for a moment, then answered confidently, "Because you're the best fit for me."

Edgeshot raised an eyebrow beneath his mask.

"No matter how famous or powerful other Heroes might be," Kaminari continued, his voice steady, "if they're not the right match for me, it doesn't matter."

"What I want is to learn from someone who can help me grow into my own strengths. I don't care about fame or clout. That's meaningless to me."

Kaminari's golden eyes gleamed with determination as he finished. "I'm not looking for a backer. I'm looking for a master."

For a moment, Edgeshot said nothing. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted into a subtle smile, hidden beneath his mask.

"Well said," he murmured, his voice filled with approval.

***

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Kapitel 146: Chapter 145: Racing

"Where exactly are we going?"

Kaminari followed Edgeshot out of the small town. They were no longer on paved streets there were no pedestrians in sight, and even the sparse buildings had disappeared. The cement road beneath them had given way to dirt.

"We're heading to camp," Edgeshot replied calmly, his tone as steady as ever.

"How far is this 'camp' from here?" Kaminari asked, a touch of helplessness creeping into his voice.

"At this pace, about two and a half hours on foot," Edgeshot replied matter-of-factly.

"Two and a half hours?!"

Kaminari stopped in his tracks, staring in disbelief at the Hero's back. Glancing ahead, he realized they were heading straight for a forest.

"Wait, don't tell me… this 'camp' is literally a camp in the forest?"

"That's right."

Edgeshot nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He glanced back at Kaminari, who stood frozen in realization, and added, "Why else would it be called a 'camp'?"

Kaminari sighed deeply, muttering under his breath, "You've got a point…."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The atmosphere returned to its earlier silence as they continued walking.

---

"Regretting it already?" Edgeshot asked without looking back.

"Uh… no, not really," Kaminari replied, shaking his head. "It's just… we only have a week, and spending hours just walking feels like such a waste of time."

"Calm yourself," Edgeshot instructed, his tone unwavering. "Even walking is a form of training. It's not meaningless. Focus on the sensation of leaving the city behind and immersing yourself in nature."

"…Got it."

Taking a deep breath, Kaminari adjusted his perspective. As his gaze drifted toward the distant forest, he resigned himself to the journey.

"Well, no use complaining now. I just have to go with the flow."

---

For nearly an hour, the two walked quietly. By this point, they were surrounded by dense vegetation. Shrubs and tall grass dotted the landscape, and the occasional rustle of small animals broke the monotony. The air was alive with the sounds of insects and birds, making the trek feel like an escape into another world.

The further they went, the harder the terrain became.

"Kaminari," Edgeshot suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. He was carefully clearing a path through the trees.

"You know a move that lets you move at high speed, don't you?"

Kaminari nodded, curious where this was going.

"Good. Let's turn this into a game—a race," Edgeshot said, stopping to turn and face Kaminari directly.

"A race?" Kaminari raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Since you said my style suits you, you must know that I'm also skilled at high-speed movement," Edgeshot said, his calm expression betraying a flicker of excitement.

"So, what? You want to race me?" Kaminari asked, his tone half-joking. "I don't even know where the camp is. How are we supposed to race?"

Edgeshot didn't seem fazed. "That's one of the challenges you'll have to deal with. If you're slower than me, just try to keep up. But if you overtake me, you'll need to watch my position and adjust your pace accordingly."

"Once we're close to the camp, you'll be free to race ahead without holding back."

Edgeshot's eyes glimmered with anticipation. For a moment, Kaminari thought he caught a hint of excitement in the usually composed Hero's demeanor.

"Alright… is it just a race, then?" Kaminari asked, wanting to clarify the rules.

"If that feels too dull, let's add another rule," Edgeshot said, a faint smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "The one behind is free to attack the one in the lead. However, the leader can only dodge, they aren't allowed to counterattack."

With that, the game had taken on a more interesting twist.

"Now we're talking!" Kaminari grinned, his competitive spirit igniting. After all, his opponent wasn't just anyone, it was Edgeshot, the No. 5 Pro Hero in Japan.

"When do we start?" Kaminari asked, his body tensing in anticipation.

"Now."

Shu!

Before Kaminari could react, Edgeshot vanished, leaping onto a tree trunk and racing ahead with incredible speed.

"Seriously?!" Kaminari shouted, startled. "You're the No. 5 Pro Hero, and you still resort to sneaky starts?!"

Bzzzzt!

"God Speed—activate!"

Golden electricity surged through Kaminari's body as he turned into a streak of light, darting after Edgeshot along the tree trunks.

It wasn't long before he caught sight of the Hero again. But as Kaminari observed Edgeshot's movements, something struck him as oddly familiar.

"Wait a second…" Kaminari muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Why does the way he's running look so familiar?"

Then it hit him.

"That's the ninja run from Naruto! Arms back, leaning forward—it's exactly the same!"

It was true. Edgeshot leapt from tree to tree with practiced grace, his movements resembling a scene straight out of an anime.

"Didn't people prove this running style was inefficient?" Kaminari thought, suppressing a laugh. But instead of judging, it only heightened his interest in the training to come.

---

"Edgeshot, what you just did was cheating," Kaminari teased as he caught up to the Hero.

"This isn't school," Edgeshot replied sharply. "And I'm not your classmate. Don't expect 'fairness' outside the classroom."

"…Got it," Kaminari muttered, his tone serious.

Edgeshot's words struck a chord. The world outside U.A. didn't care about fairness or playing by the rules. It was a harsh reality he needed to face, and this internship seemed determined to hammer that lesson home.

"Is this your full speed?" Edgeshot asked suddenly, his tone calm but laced with challenge.

"Not even close!"

"During your battle with Todoroki at the Sports Festival, you moved far faster than this. Show me that speed, many times faster than you are now!"

Hearing this, Kaminari smirked. He wasn't about to let a little goading affect him. He wasn't some naive kid who fell for obvious provocations.

"Want to see me go faster?" Kaminari called out. "Then you'd better show me your top speed first!"

Edgeshot chuckled under his breath. He was starting to like Kaminari more and more.

Without another word, he activated one of his signature techniques.

"Ninjutsu: Thin Body, Quick Step!"

Kaminari's eyes widened as he saw Edgeshot's body visibly shrink, his form becoming sleeker and more aerodynamic.

Boom!

A sonic boom echoed through the forest as Edgeshot shot forward like an arrow, his speed breaking the sound barrier in an instant.

"So fast!"

Kaminari's golden eyes narrowed as he tracked the streak of movement. The air rippled with Edgeshot's passage, a clear indication of just how far he'd pushed his speed.

"Alright…" Kaminari muttered, licking his lips. A spark of determination flashed in his gaze.

"If that's how we're playing, then it's my turn to get serious."

"High-Voltage Mode—activate!"

Crackle!

Golden electricity surged around Kaminari as his body lit up like a beacon.

If anyone had been watching from above, they would have seen a streak of golden light tearing through the forest, rapidly closing the gap between Kaminari and Edgeshot.

At that moment, the race had truly begun.

***

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