Kapitel 205: Chapter 204: A Cloud That Can Be Either Virtual or Real

As the fourth period of class ended that morning, Kaminari stood up, packing away his textbooks and pondering what to eat for lunch. Just then, a smartphone screen was shoved in front of him, the device held by a small, pale hand.

"Kaminari, check this out," Kyoka said, holding out her phone.

Kaminari glanced up at her, curious, then turned his attention to the screen. Tetsutetsu, sitting behind him, leaned forward to get a better look as well.

The video displayed on the phone seemed to have been recorded on a rooftop. The frame was steady, and judging by the warm sunset in the distance, the footage was taken in the late afternoon.

"Hey, isn't that Kazama?" Kaminari asked, raising an eyebrow as he recognized the boy on the screen.

"Kazama? Who's that?" Tetsutetsu asked, confused.

"He's a friend of Kyoka's, from the Hero Course at Shiketsu High. He's also the backup keyboardist for our Pikachu Band," Kaminari explained casually.

"Shiketsu?" Tetsutetsu's voice rose in excitement.

Kaminari's mention of Shiketsu immediately grabbed the attention of the surrounding students. Midoriya, Uraraka, and a few others quickly gathered around to see what was happening.

"Yeah," Kaminari replied, keeping his eyes on the phone. "That's him."

The video continued playing, showing Kazama facing the camera with a confident smile.

"Watch closely, Kyoka! My 'Cloud Fist' move was a huge hit today!" Kazama announced proudly.

"Alright, alright," Kyoka's voice replied from behind the camera, sounding exasperated. "You've told me that like five times already. Just show me."

The camera wobbled slightly before steadying again.

"Cloud Fist, huh?" Kaminari muttered, the name vaguely stirring a sense of familiarity in him. Where have I heard something like that before?

On the screen, Kazama's expression shifted, becoming serious. White clouds began to swirl around him, forming rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

But these weren't ordinary clouds—they looked dense and tangible, more like large tufts of marshmallow than the wispy vapor one would expect.

"Take this! Cloud Fist!" Kazama shouted, throwing a punch straight into the air.

The clouds surrounding him seemed to come alive, surging upward and coalescing into the shape of a massive fist. The cloud fist rocketed into the sky, its sheer size and speed making it look powerful and imposing.

The camera followed its ascent, revealing just how high and fast the construct was traveling.

"Well… that's something," Kaminari muttered, scratching his head as the video ended.

"How can clouds pack that much power?" Tetsutetsu asked, his tone mirroring Kaminari's confusion. "I mean, clouds are supposed to be soft, right? How do you turn them into something like that?"

Kyoka put her phone away and pursed her lips before responding. "Kazama said his Quirk, Flowing Clouds, might not produce normal clouds at all. He thinks they're 'super clouds'—clouds that can shift between being intangible and solid depending on his intent."

"Super clouds?" Kaminari repeated, intrigued.

"But there's still a limitation," Kyoka continued. "He can only use his Quirk if there are clouds in the sky for him to draw from."

Before Kaminari could say anything, Midoriya spoke up, his expression serious as he touched his chin in thought. "A Quirk like that… If it really can toggle between being virtual and real, it's incredibly versatile. That level of adaptability is impressive. It's no wonder he's in Shiketsu's Hero Course."

Midoriya immediately pulled out his ever-present notebook and began scribbling furiously, muttering to himself as he tried to analyze Kazama's abilities further.

The rest of the group was used to Midoriya's behavior by now, so while Uraraka smiled in amusement at his enthusiasm, the others began heading out of the classroom to grab lunch.

---

"Kaminari, do you have any ideas for Kazama?" Kyoka asked nervously as she followed him to the cafeteria. It was clear she wanted to help her friend but didn't know where to start.

"I might have a few ideas," Kaminari replied thoughtfully, "but it depends on whether Kazama is open to suggestions. You should ask him first. Some people don't take kindly to advice, no matter how helpful it might be."

Kyoka nodded, realizing Kaminari's point. "Yeah, you're right. I'll check with him before bringing anything up."

---

Soon, the group gathered in the cafeteria, food trays in hand. Kaminari dug into his Chicken Rice Bowl while continuing to think about Kazama's Quirk.

"You can tell him this," Kaminari said between bites. "If his clouds can be used for offense, they can probably be used for defense too. He could try gathering them into a shield or a barrier."

Midoriya, still jotting down notes, chimed in eagerly. "I thought of something too! He could use his clouds to restrain targets. As a Hero, control and crowd management are often more important than raw offensive power."

Tokoyami, usually quiet during such discussions, suddenly spoke up. "He could ride the clouds. Flying would be an invaluable ability."

"That's a good point," Momo added, sipping her tea with a smile. "He could also shape the clouds into tools. The versatility is incredible."

Before long, the entire group was brainstorming ideas for Kazama's Quirk, each suggestion sparking new possibilities. It even made them reflect on their own Quirks, wondering if they'd overlooked any untapped potential.

---

After school, Kaminari asked Tetsutetsu to wait for him as he made his way to the first-year teachers' office.

When he entered, the room fell silent, and more than a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward him. Aizawa, sitting at his desk, looked up from his papers and frowned.

"Kaminari? Why aren't you heading home?" Aizawa asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

"I'm here to see Ms. Midnight," Kaminari replied calmly, unfazed by the attention of the teachers.

Midnight stood up from her desk, surprised. "You're looking for me? What's this about?"

"Could I borrow one of the training grounds tomorrow afternoon?" Kaminari asked, his tone polite yet hopeful.

Midnight raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that's fine, but what do you need it for? Are you developing a new move?"

She trailed off as a thought struck her, her expression shifting as if she'd realized something. She chose not to elaborate, however, leaving Kaminari slightly confused.

"No, it's not for developing new moves," Kaminari clarified. "I want to use it for a sparring match… with Snatch. We couldn't find a suitable venue, so I thought of asking you."

"What?"

"You're sparring with Snatch?!"

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Kapitel 206: Chapter 205: Ready

Although Midnight was visibly surprised by Kaminari's request, she eventually agreed to let him use the training hall. Her curiosity about the match was enough to win her over.

After Kaminari left with a satisfied grin, murmurs began to spread through the office.

Cementoss: "Snatch… isn't he Endeavor's former assistant?"

Ectoplasm: "Not anymore. He started his own agency a while back."

Cementoss: "Really? Shows how out of touch I've been. I haven't been keeping up with agency news."

As a long-time Hero, Cementoss tended to stay informed about top-tier Heroes but had lost track of the up-and-comers in the professional sphere.

"But still," he continued, "Snatch isn't weak. Why would Kaminari want to spar with someone like him?"

Vlad King, the Class 1-B homeroom teacher, joined the conversation. "Good question. What's he trying to accomplish? I mean, Snatch is no pushover." His gaze drifted toward Aizawa, the Class 1-A homeroom teacher.

Aizawa leaned back in his chair, speaking in his usual calm tone. "Snatch is Kaminari's father's personal bodyguard now. Kaminari might just want to see how capable this bodyguard really is."

He paused briefly before letting out a quiet sigh. "Still, I wouldn't want to be in Snatch's shoes right now."

The room fell silent. The teachers collectively recalled Kaminari's incredible performance during the U.A. Sports Festival.

Midnight nodded thoughtfully. "If Snatch loses, it could really damage his reputation."

As professional Heroes themselves, most of the teachers in the office understood the importance of reputation in their line of work. A Hero's credibility was everything. Losing to a student—no matter how skilled—would undoubtedly create doubts about Snatch's abilities.

"What I don't get is why Snatch agreed to this," Vlad King said, frowning. "Even if he wins, what's in it for him?"

Aizawa shrugged, his tone indifferent. "Maybe he never considered the possibility of losing. He's only been running his own agency for a couple of years. He might not fully understand the stakes yet."

It was true. Though Snatch had separated from Endeavor on good terms and had been successful in his independent endeavors, his career had been relatively smooth. The agency received steady support from Endeavor, and Snatch's reputation as Endeavor's former chief assistant attracted clients.

But Aizawa knew how brutal the competition among Hero agencies could be. In Japan's saturated Hero market, maintaining an agency's standing required constant effort. Winning over clients often felt like a battle in itself.

---

Meanwhile, Kaminari and Tetsutetsu had just stepped out of the school building. They were chatting casually when Kaminari's phone began to ring, breaking into the opening lines of Kyoka's version of "Only My Railgun."

Tetsutetsu smirked. "Didn't your ringtone used to be the male version? When did you switch it?"

Kaminari grinned but ignored the question as he answered the call. "Hello?"

A familiar steady voice came through the line. "It's me, Tenma."

"Dr. Tenma! What's up?" Kaminari exchanged a confused glance with Tetsutetsu before returning his attention to the call.

"Your combat suit has been updated. If you're free, you can come pick it up."

"So soon?" Kaminari was taken aback by the news.

"It didn't take long," Dr. Tenma replied simply. "We weren't making an entirely new suit, just upgrading the existing one."

"Got it. I'll head over right away!" Kaminari ended the call and turned to Tetsutetsu with an excited smile. "Hey, want to come with me to check it out?"

Tetsutetsu scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I'd love to, but I can't today. There's an internal competition at my judo hall, and I can't skip it."

"Ah, too bad," Kaminari replied, a little disappointed but understanding. "By the way, why don't you ever use your judo moves when we spar?"

Tetsutetsu chuckled as they walked. "For one, you're way too fast for me to grab. And second, trying to grapple you when you're covered in lightning? No thanks."

"Fair enough," Kaminari said with a laugh.

After saying their goodbyes at the subway station, Tetsutetsu headed home while Kaminari transferred to the line that would take him to Shimizu District.

---

About half an hour later, Kaminari arrived at the Mitsui Research Institute, where Dr. Tenma was already waiting for him.

"Doctor, you seem to be in a good mood," Kaminari said, noticing the subtle spark of joy in Tenma's otherwise stoic expression.

Dr. Tenma nodded, his gaze drifting toward the display case in the room's center. "I'm quite satisfied with how your new battle suit turned out."

Kaminari followed his gaze and froze. Inside the glass dome stood… Pikachu.

A life-like, vividly detailed Pikachu sat inside, its small paws pressed against the glass. Its bright lightning bolt-shaped tail wagged playfully as it let out a cheerful "Pika, Pika, Pikachu!"

"Whoa…" Kaminari's breath hitched. Even though the Pikachu design had been his idea, seeing it brought to life left him stunned.

"Wow," he whispered, stepping closer to the dome. "It's like seeing the real thing. I feel like I just caught my first Pokémon."

Tenma chuckled, his voice carrying a rare hint of amusement. "In that case, should I call myself Professor Oak?"

Kaminari laughed, shaking his head. "Do you actually watch Pokémon?"

"Of course," Tenma replied, his tone light. "I watch it with my son every weekend. Speaking of which…" He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Tobio's birthday is coming up on June 14th. Would you mind bringing Pikachu to our house for the celebration? I think it'd make him very happy."

Kaminari didn't hesitate. "No problem at all!"

****

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