Kapitel 154: Chapter 153: Quirks. Rice Cakes

The so-called meditation, to put it simply, is a technique used to connect with one's inner self—what some might call the "spiritual realm." Through this, individuals aim to enhance their understanding and control over their own body and mind by strengthening their spirit.

However, like all skills, the effectiveness of meditation varies from person to person. While everyone possesses a spirit, their talents in harnessing it are far from equal. Some people can't even master the foundational step of breathing control, let alone achieve any significant spiritual growth. Others, gifted with extraordinary talent, might develop powerful mental abilities.

These mental abilities can manifest as unique Quirks: telekinesis, mental scanning, mind reading, even glimpses into the future. A prime example would be Shinso's "Brainwashing" or Aizawa's "Erasure."

Take Aizawa, for example. His ability to manipulate his capture weapon so deftly is a byproduct of years spent honing his Quirk, to the point where his mental focus allows him to control objects almost as if with telekinesis. It took him six years of dedicated training to achieve this level of mastery.

For someone like Edgeshot, whose Quirk is unrelated to the spirit, achieving even basic spiritual control of the body through meditation was a monumental accomplishment. In that sense, Kaminari was in a similar position. Theoretically, he could spend years training to reach Edgeshot's level—perhaps even longer.

Mastery of these techniques could lead to seemingly impossible feats: controlling one's body in midair when no external foothold existed, for example. But for now, Kaminari's progress remained modest. By ten in the morning, after hours of falling repeatedly, he had only managed to barely "hear" the sound of his own blood flow.

Dozens of falls had left him worn out and exasperated, though fortunately, his Golden God Robe protected him from injuries. The armor's durable alloy surface remained unscathed, and cleaning it was as simple as rinsing it with water and shaking it dry.

Still, Kaminari's face betrayed his frustration. "I thought the point of this was to stay awake while entering a meditative state. But as soon as I start to drift, I lose control and fall asleep completely. Hearing the sound of blood flow is great and all, but it doesn't mean anything if I can't hold onto that awareness. Isn't there any technique to help me stay conscious while meditating?"

He looked up at Edgeshot with hopeful eyes.

"There are no shortcuts," Edgeshot said flatly as he gracefully stepped down from the bamboo pillar. Landing lightly on the ground, he added, "The breathing technique I taught you is the only method. Beyond that, it comes down to talent, persistence, and luck. That's how it was for me, and that's how it will be for you."

"Ugh, fine…" Kaminari sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Edgeshot's progress must have been much slower.

What Kaminari didn't realize was that Edgeshot was quietly marveling at his talent. For Kaminari to even hear the sound of his blood flow after such a short time was extraordinary.

"Let's move on," Edgeshot said, breaking the silence. "We'll head out for patrol and drop him off with the police."

Turning to Kosuke, Edgeshot continued, "I'll tie you up like before to make sure you don't try anything. But this time, I won't seal your mouth. As long as you don't shout."

Abe gulped nervously and nodded. "Got it."

Before Edgeshot could move, Kaminari suddenly chimed in with a grin. "Hey, Kosuke-san, what's your Quirk?"

Kosuke hesitated, looking a little embarrassed. "Quirk? I haven't used it in years…" Slowly, he raised his hand and focused. After a few seconds, his palm turned a soft, milky white, the surface glossy and slightly sticky.

"The hand's… a rice cake?" Kaminari's golden eyes widened slightly, his curiosity piqued.

"My Quirk is called Rice Cake. It lets me turn parts of my body into something soft and sticky, like mochi. But, well…" Abe looked down at his hand bitterly. "Nowadays, I can only manage this with my palms. Back in school, I thought about becoming a Hero, but this Quirk is so useless that I gave up on that dream before I even finished middle school."

A self-deprecating smile crossed his face. "My Quirk suits me perfectly—weak and pathetic, just like I am."

But Abe failed to notice Kaminari's expression shift. For a fleeting moment, Kaminari's eyes flashed with something between shock and excitement before he quickly masked it.

"Transforming into mochi, huh?" Kaminari thought, his mind racing. "If he fully trains this Quirk… he could turn his whole body into rice cakes! That's just like—"

Kaminari's thoughts immediately snapped to a figure from fiction, a character whose abilities matched Kosuke's potential perfectly. "Charlotte Katakuri… the Mochi-Mochi user."

At this moment, Kaminari saw an ocean of untapped potential in Kosuke. "Same Quirk, but completely different people. Just goes to show—there's no such thing as the strongest ability, only the strongest user."

Edgeshot interrupted Kaminari's thoughts. "Alright, let's go." Without further warning, he wrapped Abe in his elongated paper limb, securing him like before, and leapt effortlessly over the camp's high wooden wall.

As Kaminari followed closely behind, he glanced at Kosuke and said with a meaningful smile, "You know, Kosuke-san, your Quirk has a lot of potential. You shouldn't underestimate it."

Kosuke blinked, visibly startled by Kaminari's words. Those few simple sentences had more of an impact on him than Kaminari might have realized. For the first time in a long while, a spark of hope flickered in Abe's heart.

"Potential…" Abe murmured quietly, repeating the word to himself.

"So, what else can rice cakes do, aside from being sticky?" Kaminari asked as they darted through the forest.

To Kaminari's surprise, Edgeshot joined the conversation. "A good question. Mochi has unique properties beyond stickiness—it's flexible, durable, and can even be shaped into tools or weapons. If you think about it, the possibilities are endless."

Kaminari tilted his head curiously. Edgeshot rarely engaged in casual conversation. "You sound pretty interested in this topic, Edgeshot."

Edgeshot's expression remained neutral, but his thoughts revealed a deeper interest. He wasn't particularly fascinated by Kosuke's Quirk; rather, he was intrigued by Kaminari's sharp mind and creativity. He had read Kaminari's file and seen the Sports Festival, and he knew how far Kaminari had pushed a Quirk as simple as electricity.

If anyone could recognize the hidden potential in something as unassuming as Rice Cake, it was Kaminari Denki.

With that in mind, Edgeshot decided to let the conversation continue, silently observing Kaminari's insights as the group moved closer to the edge of the forest.

***

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Kapitel 155: Chapter 154: Practicing Shuriken!

"Mr. Kosuke's Quirk might not seem impressive right now, but if he can train his entire body to transform into rice cakes, there's a lot of potential for creative uses!"

"Oh? Even if there's more rice cake, isn't it still just rice cake?" Edgeshot replied without looking back, leading the way as he darted nimbly through the tree trunks.

"Of course, rice cakes are still rice cakes, but if used cleverly, they can have some incredible effects!"

"For example? How many practical applications can you think of right now?" Edgeshot asked curiously, glancing briefly at Kaminari, intrigued by his confidence in Abe's potential.

"Let's start with the basics," Kaminari began, his tone growing more enthusiastic. "Shape-shifting, immunity to physical attacks, splitting the body apart, even using it for storage."

Kaminari then launched into an explanation, referencing techniques inspired by 'Katakuri' and the 'Mochi Mochi no Mi' from his favorite manga.

"The unique properties of rice cake aren't limited to being sticky. It can stretch, expand, and morph, increasing the effective range of attacks by several times!"

"And with its high stickiness, even if the user isn't as strong as their opponent, they can completely immobilize them."

"As for offensive capabilities, once the opponent is restrained, finishing them off is easy. For instance, just seal their mouth and nose with rice cake—or worse, stuff it in and watch them suffocate."

Kaminari smirked slightly at the thought, but Edgeshot didn't notice.

"But the tricks don't have to be complicated. A few efficient ones are more than enough. For instance, splitting the rice cake into multiple pancake-like discs for rapid strikes against the target."

"Or transforming your arms into rice cakes, wrapping them around a polearm, and spinning it at high speed for a devastating thrust attack—a move I like to call 'Rice Cake Pounding.'"

"And that's just the beginning..."

Kaminari continued for nearly twenty minutes, elaborating on various combat applications, all inspired by Katakuri's techniques. By the time he finished, Edgeshot looked genuinely surprised.

"This kid... he should teach at U.A. High School. He'd make a great instructor in combat techniques," Edgeshot mused silently, impressed by how quickly Kaminari had thought up these ideas.

Meanwhile Kosuke was deep in thought, absorbing every word Kaminari said like a sponge.

"So... I can really become that strong?" he muttered to himself, his expression a mixture of hope and disbelief. "But is it too late for me? I'm already so old… can I still train my Quirk?" This doubt lingered in his heart, even as determination began to bloom.

Eventually, the group reached the edge of Aokigahara Forest, where a small police outpost stood.

"I've brought another one, Edgeshot," said a lean, dark-skinned police officer as he approached the group.

Edgeshot nodded calmly. "He's all yours."

"Understood!"

The officer returned to his desk and began typing rapidly on the computer. His efficiency made it clear that he was experienced with this sort of task.

"Abe Kosuke, don't give up on yourself again. Remember, the one who laughs last is the true winner," Kaminari encouraged, smiling warmly.

"I won't!" Kosuke replied with conviction, his demeanor surprising both Kaminari and Edgeshot.

"Maybe it's the kind of epiphany that comes after a brush with death," Edgeshot thought, though he didn't dwell on it. Over the years, he'd saved many people, few of whom he ever saw again.

"Kaminari, could I get your contact information?" Kosuke suddenly asked, catching Kaminari off guard. After a moment of thought, Kaminari nodded.

"Sure, but on one condition—when you surpass your limits, come find me and tell me that you've won."

"Yes!" Kosuke shouted, determination radiating from his voice.

Edgeshot couldn't help but think, "It feels like Kaminari's teaching him how to become a villain..."

But he let it slide. After all, Kaminari wasn't someone like All Might who'd give long, preachy lectures.

"It's all set. We'll take him from here and make sure he gets home safely," the officer said.

"Alright." Edgeshot turned and headed for the exit. Kaminari said a quick goodbye to Abe Kosuke before following.

"Kaminari-san, thank you for giving me a second chance at life!" Kosuke called after him.

"From now on... I'll climb to the top, no matter what it takes!" he vowed silently, a fire burning in his eyes.

From this moment, the old Kosuke had truly died.

---

As they walked away, Edgeshot began explaining the plan to Kaminari.

"For the next few days, I'll teach you how to move through the forest during patrols. Observe carefully and learn everything you can."

"By the final day, I expect you to complete a patrol on your own."

Kaminari's face lit up with excitement. The opportunity to learn these practical skills was invaluable to him.

"Don't worry! I won't slack off!"

"Good."

Edgeshot then began leading Kaminari through his assigned patrol route, demonstrating everything step by step. He didn't just teach forest navigation or survival techniques—he also covered advanced skills like ambushing, tracking, and intercepting targets. The breadth of knowledge left Kaminari both amazed and thrilled.

When Edgeshot pulled out a few shurikens and announced that he'd teach him the basics of shuriken techniques that evening, Kaminari could barely contain his excitement.

"If I can master throwing shurikens like Uchiha Itachi, I could create a lightning-enhanced version of his attacks!" Kaminari thought, his mind racing.

He eagerly began asking Edgeshot about the possibility of replicating the advanced shuriken techniques he'd seen in Naruto.

"You're saying you want to make shurikens collide mid-air to change trajectory?"

"Or throw them from blind spots to hit a moving target?"

"Or create a technique where the shurikens are completely unavoidable?"

Edgeshot was momentarily stunned. These ideas sounded ridiculous, but the more he thought about them, the more plausible they seemed.

"Can you do it?" Kaminari asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"Uh..." Edgeshot scratched his head awkwardly. "I've never tried anything like that before."

For a moment, he felt embarrassed. After all his years of practicing ninjutsu, he hadn't even considered these possibilities.

"Maybe I should've asked my master about this back when he was alive," Edgeshot thought, suddenly feeling the urge to revisit his old training.

But for now, he needed to manage the eager boy in front of him.

"Alright, I'll… look into it," Edgeshot said, slightly flustered.

Kaminari grinned. "If you can do it, then I'll definitely learn it!"

Edgeshot sighed inwardly. "I've been training for years, and now I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface of shuriken techniques. What a failure."

Determined to rise to the challenge, Edgeshot resolved to delve deeper into shuriken techniques once they returned.

"Let's start with the basics for tonight."

***

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