Chapitre 8: Chapter 7: Small Goals, Big Dreams

"Hahaha!"

Seeing his handsome son looking slightly embarrassed after being teased, Kaminari's father couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

"So, you figured it out, huh?"

Realizing his father was just joking around, Kaminari relaxed, got out of bed, and asked curiously, "When did you notice?"

His dad put on a mock-serious expression, "Son, never underestimate the wisdom of adults!"

"Especially since you've chosen the path of becoming a professional Hero. You'll definitely face dangerous people in the future, so you should never let your guard down."

His father's tone was a mixture of concern and expectation. It was clear he was worried for Kaminari's future and didn't want to see the tragedy of a parent outliving their child.

"Okay, okay, Dad, I promise I'll take your advice to heart."

Even though Kaminari knew he was only aiming for U.A. High School to get the Hero license, with no actual intention of pursuing a career as a professional Hero, he understood his father's worries. There was no need to argue, so he just went along with it. With a grin, he stepped forward and hooked his arm around his father's, his tone playful.

"I'm starving. I can't wait to eat some of that delicious barbecue."

"You little glutton... fine, fine," his dad said, shaking his head and smiling. He could only hope his son had really taken his words seriously because they were extremely important.

"Your mom and I are ready to go. We've just been waiting for you."

With that, the family of three happily made their way down to the apartment's parking lot, not wasting any time.

Without further ado, they piled into the car and headed to a well-known barbecue restaurant in downtown Saitama. It was a popular spot, though the prices were a bit above the average.

As the car cruised through the city, Kaminari, seated in the back with his mom, glanced idly out the window, watching the scenery roll by. His attention was particularly drawn to the professional Heroes patrolling the streets in their unique, sometimes flamboyant costumes.

Seeing those so-called Heroes, he found himself drifting into thoughts about the nature of Hero society. With nothing else to occupy his mind at the moment, he indulged in some reflection.

His opinion hadn't changed from over a decade ago: these professional Heroes, who had essentially become state-employed civil servants, were more like "specialized police officers."

Funded by the government, they carried out duties like patrolling, arrests, disaster relief, and maintaining public order. If that didn't make them akin to policemen, what did?

Some might argue that Heroes are also ordinary people who need to make a living, so it's fair for them to be paid for their work. While this was a reasonable perspective, Kaminari felt there was a flaw in such reasoning.

Becoming a Hero should not be primarily about the money. If someone thought about how much they could earn from a rescue or whether the government would compensate them before taking action, then their motivations were questionable. If they were rescuing people solely for the reward, could they truly be considered Heroes?

In Kaminari's view, such individuals were perhaps better described as "good people" rather than genuine Heroes.

What is a Hero, really? A Hero is someone who acts selflessly, who risks their life for the well-being of others and the nation, enduring hardships without hesitation. A Hero is someone who makes great sacrifices and contributions, even to the point of giving their life.

The title of Hero is the highest honor a society can bestow upon its members, and it should carry significant weight.

It shouldn't be handed out lightly, not for minor deeds like rescuing a stray dog. At best, those people could be called "kind-hearted individuals."

If anyone could be labeled a Hero simply for small acts of kindness, then what would that make those who sacrifice their lives for their country? Wouldn't it cheapen the sacrifices of true Heroes?

Thinking further, Kaminari pondered on the concept of compensation. A person with the ability to be a so-called professional Hero, someone who could handle dangers far beyond what regular people could face, should not be dependent on the "Hero salary" to survive. Wasn't it possible for them to find other ways to make a living?

Take examples from other worlds, Spider-Man was a journalist while working as a Hero, and Superman held a job at a company. Characters like Wonder Woman, The Flash, and the Fantastic Four all balanced Hero work with other occupations.

While those were fictional cases, Kaminari knew that in this world, many Heroes did the same. Plenty of professional Heroes held one or more other roles in society.

For instance, U.A. High School's teachers were all professional Heroes, yet they also served as educators. Midnight, the "R-Rated Hero," wasn't just a teacher; she was also a celebrity, frequently appearing on TV due to her stunning looks.

Then there was Present Mic, who taught at U.A. while also working as a popular radio DJ. Cementoss ran a construction company, while Mt. Lady was a top model and a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, with multiple endorsement deals.

Death Arms ran a martial arts training gym. There were countless examples of professional Heroes who found ways to integrate into society beyond just Hero work.

In Kaminari's opinion, this demonstrated that anyone qualified to be a professional Hero could find other means to support themselves.

If a person couldn't even manage that, what made them think they were capable of handling the dangers associated with being a Hero?

Therefore, Kaminari genuinely believed that the current system of professionalizing Heroes was unnecessary. If the government needed these roles to be formalized, wouldn't it make more sense to incorporate them into the police force?

The term "Hero" itself seemed almost superfluous under such circumstances.

Interestingly, his middle school history teacher had once explained that when Quirks first started appearing, law enforcement chiefs had insisted that police officers refrain from using Quirks during duty.

To Kaminari, this reasoning seemed baffling. How did using Quirks contradict law and order?

Aren't Quirks, at their core, tools wielded by humans? Besides, he was pretty sure that militaries worldwide had their share of powerful Quirk users.

However, it wasn't as if he harbored any extreme opinions about it. He was just airing out some idle complaints.

Kaminari did hold onto a personal principle, though. Even if he obtained a Hero license, even if he found himself in situations where he could save others, he would never accept the so-called Hero remuneration from the government.

To put it simply, he wasn't going to profit from the Hero title, nor did he feel he needed to. Helping others shouldn't automatically be equated with being a Hero, just like he didn't consider every patrolling professional Hero to be the real deal.

To him, the term "professional Hero" was just a unique job title, similar to being a ninja or a pirate. It was merely a profession, nothing more.

That being the case, his goals were clear. He was an entertainer, a star who helped others as a hobby. The Hero license was just a small step towards achieving something bigger...

As for his ultimate ambition, how about becoming the world's top lightning-based Quirk user? That didn't sound bad at all.

"Heh, heh."

As Kaminari imagined a bright future, the corners of his mouth curled up. His mother, sitting beside him, couldn't help but wonder what her son was so happy about.

Just then, the car pulled to a stop. His father in the driver's seat unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, announcing, "Alright, we're here!"

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Chapitre 9: Chapter 8: The Bloody Iron Fist

"You know, it feels like forever since we last had barbecue here," Kaminari remarked, a hint of nostalgia in his voice as he followed his parents into the restaurant.

When exactly had it been since their last family outing to this place?

He still remembered the owner vividly not because of the food, but because his appearance was so startling. The man was nearly a spitting image of Saitama from One Punch Man. Seeing someone who looked that much like a famous manga character had definitely left an impression on Kaminari.

However, it seemed the owner wasn't around today. Kaminari glanced around and felt a small pang of disappointment.

"Yeah, it must've been a few years," his dad agreed as he spoke to the hostess and then followed her to their table. "The last time we were here was when I resigned and we celebrated the successful founding of our family's company."

"Please, take a seat here," the waitress, who looked like a college student working part-time, said with a polite smile as she led them to an empty table.

"Thank you," Kaminari's dad replied, sitting across from him, while Kaminari and his mom took seats on the opposite side. Being the one who knew the menu best, his dad took charge of ordering. The family had similar tastes when it came to barbecue.

"We'll start with two servings of grade-3 Osaka beef tenderloin, two glasses of ice water, and a Coke," he said, opting for plain water since he had to drive. Kaminari, of course, got his usual Coke.

"By the way, Dad, how's the company doing?" Kaminari asked casually as he leaned back, listening to the music playing softly in the restaurant. The DJ responsible for the playlist was none other than UA's teacher, Present Mic, Japan's top voice-Quirk user.

"It's doing great!" his dad replied enthusiastically. He never hesitated to discuss the company with Kaminari since its success was, in part, thanks to his son. "Pikachu merchandise is selling really well, and your 'Railgun' song is steadily climbing in popularity on MTV."

"Actually," he continued, "the song has just reached number seven on the TOP list. We're also seeing some decent revenue from the various copyrights. Overall, things are looking up!"

Kaminari nodded in satisfaction. Even without the support of the Pokémon franchise from his previous world, Pikachu's iconic design was still making waves in this one. It wasn't the cultural phenomenon it had been in his past life, but it was enough to sustain a small company and keep his family financially comfortable.

"But," his dad hesitated, "I think our product lineup is a bit too limited. Pikachu's great, but it would be better if we had a few more characters like it."

"No problem. I'll draw a few more when I get some free time," Kaminari said without hesitation. While he had no intention of becoming a full-time manga artist, he could definitely add a few more iconic characters like Squirtle or Charmander to expand the company's offerings.

"And then there's the matter of new songs…"

Kaminari didn't say this out loud but kept it in mind. He enjoyed singing far more than drawing, though he'd have to choose his next track carefully.

"Let go! A dream engraved in my heart!"

"You can also ignore the future!"

At that moment, the familiar intro to his song suddenly filled the restaurant, followed by his own voice coming through the speakers. Surprisingly, it was his mom who reacted first.

"Hey, isn't this your song?" she asked, recognizing it instantly since she had just watched Kaminari perform at his solo concert earlier that day.

"Yeah, it is," both Kaminari and his dad replied in unison. His dad, especially, had heard the song so many times due to work that he was nearly sick of it. Yet, it also highlighted a peculiar situation—Kaminari's music was popular, but he himself wasn't. Despite his song playing, no one in the restaurant seemed to realize that the artist was sitting right there.

Kaminari didn't mind, though. He was still a student, and there would be plenty of time to worry about fame when he was older. As long as he continued to release high-quality music, the recognition would come eventually.

Just then, the food arrived. The young waitress deftly handled the meat with a pair of clean spatulas, grilling the beef on the iron plate. Her movements were smooth and efficient, cutting the meat along its natural grain. There was a certain artistry to the traditional Japanese style of cooking, and Kaminari couldn't help but appreciate the show.

"All done! Now, you can add any seasonings you prefer. It's best enjoyed right away," the waitress said with a polite bow before moving on to prepare the next batch of beef.

Kaminari was used to the routine. He took the black pepper his mom handed him and sprinkled it lightly over the sizzling meat. Then, he picked up a piece with his chopsticks and savored the rich aroma before placing it in his mouth.

As mentioned earlier, their family shared similar tastes, and black pepper was a favorite for barbecued meat. But just as the three of them were settling in to enjoy the meal, a news report suddenly interrupted the background music on the restaurant's TV.

"This is NHA News. We are broadcasting an urgent update. Just an hour ago, police on patrol discovered the remains of professional Hero Plastique on Okasa Street."

"Based on preliminary investigations, authorities suspect the notorious 'Hero Killer.' The Saitama City Police Department, in cooperation with professional Heroes, has launched a full-scale search for the criminal."

"The Police Chief has also issued a warning advising professional Heroes not to act alone for the time being and urging citizens to limit their outings until further notice."

"The Chief, Yasuhei Yanai, assures the public that every effort is being made to bring the Hero Killer to justice and restore peace to Saitama City."

The broadcast ended as abruptly as it began, and the usual program resumed. But now, no one in the restaurant was paying attention to the show. Instead, whispers filled the air as customers discussed the sudden appearance of a super-criminal in their city.

It wasn't surprising; the thought of a nationally wanted criminal who had murdered over a dozen professional Heroes lurking nearby would unsettle anyone.

"The Hero Killer, huh… pretty straightforward name," Kaminari mused, taking a sip of his Coke.

"Looks like no matter what world you're in, there will always be villains like this."

Still, he had no intention of doing something reckless, like tracking down the killer to play hero. He'd just gotten a second chance at life and wasn't about to throw it away. He was only fifteen, after all. This was clearly a job for the professionals.

But just as Kaminari was lost in thought, a passionate voice rang out from a nearby table.

"Dad! I'm going to become the best Hero, and I'll catch all these bastards who harm people! If I meet this Hero Killer, he'll get a taste of my iron fist!"