Chapitre 144: Chapter 143: Matagi Hunter?
It was Sunday, ten o'clock in the morning, the day everyone was heading to their respective internship workplaces.
At Shizuoka Shinkansen Station, the entire Class 1-A had gathered, their presence drawing a noticeable crowd. Nearly twice the usual number of passengers stood nearby, whispering excitedly as they recognized the students.
"Hey, isn't that Kaminari Denki?"
"It's him! I didn't think I'd see such a famous guy here!"
"Denki! Denki! Mom, look! It's Denki over there!"
"And those kids… aren't they all from U.A.'s Hero Course? What do you think they're doing here?"
"I have no idea. Does anyone know?"
Despite the stares and chatter, Aizawa remained completely unfazed. His half-lidded eyes scanned the students as he spoke in his usual calm, monotone voice.
"Everyone brought their combat uniforms, right?"
His words carried a slight edge, even though his demeanor remained characteristically indifferent. Ever since the USJ incident, Aizawa seemed to hold them to an even stricter standard.
"Remember, you're not allowed to wear combat uniforms in public. Keep them packed safely, and don't lose them," he instructed.
"Got it!"
Ashido Mina, her lively personality shining through, practically bounced on her feet as she replied with enthusiasm. Her excitement mirrored Tetsutetsu's from the previous evening, she was clearly thrilled about her workplace partner.
"Don't drawl, Ashido. Just say 'yes' properly," Aizawa chided, his tone sharp.
"Yes, sir," she muttered back, pouting slightly before her attention returned to the crowd around them.
"Speaking of which, Kaminari's really popular, huh? It feels like people recognize him wherever he goes!"
Kaminari, who was carrying his suitcase, merely smiled politely at the crowd without saying much.
"Kaminari," Kyoka said softly, "the place you're heading to sounds pretty far away. Is it near Mount Fuji?"
"Yeah, it is. But honestly, it's not as far as Tokoyami's trip to Kyushu. I mean, if I were him, I'd just take a plane," Kaminari replied with a shrug, glancing at Tokoyami Fumikage, who stood silently nearby.
Tokoyami, ever stoic, replied in his calm, deep voice, "We have to pay for our own tickets if we fly."
"Hahaha, that's so blunt!" Kirishima burst out laughing.
---
"Alright, enough chatter," Aizawa interrupted, his serious tone cutting through their conversation. "A quick reminder, be polite and respectful to the Heroes hosting your internship. Avoid doing anything rude or inappropriate, or you risk being dismissed early."
"While such incidents aren't common, they've happened before in Hero history. So don't test your luck."
Aizawa's sharp gaze swept over the students, as if silently warning them all. After a brief pause, he added, "Alright, you're dismissed."
"Yes, sir!"
The Class 1-A students responded in unison, their voices firm, drawing another wave of murmurs and admiration from the surrounding crowd.
---
As the students began saying their goodbyes, Midoriya and Uraraka hurried to catch up with Iida, who had been trying to slip away unnoticed.
"Iida-kun!"
Iida stopped and turned to face them.
"If you find yourself in a situation you can't handle, promise you'll let us know," Midoriya said earnestly, his expression filled with concern.
"Uh-huh!" Uraraka nodded in agreement, her small eyebrows furrowing as she looked at Iida with equal worry.
"We're your friends, aren't we?"
Kaminari, watching the scene from a short distance away, let out a small sigh. He had already seen the news about the Turbo Hero Ingenium's grave injuries at the hands of the Hero Killer.
However, Kaminari chose not to approach Iida. While they were classmates, he wasn't as close to him as Midoriya or Uraraka were. Besides, Kaminari believed that what Iida needed most right now wasn't words of comfort, but quiet space to process his emotions.
After all, Iida had always given the impression of being calm, disciplined, and responsible—a model student and leader.
"Thank you," Iida said, his voice steady as he turned to give Midoriya a small smile. But as he walked away, heading toward the train to Hosu City, the smile faded, replaced by a shadowed expression.
---
Soon after, the Class 1-A students began to scatter, each heading toward their destinations.
Kaminari stood silently at his assigned platform, carrying his combat suit box and wearing a Pikachu-themed backpack. The crowd's gaze and the occasional flashes from cameras didn't bother him much as he waited for the Shinkansen Express to arrive.
"Minamituru County, Yamanashi Prefecture… close to Mount Fuji," he murmured, checking his itinerary.
Five minutes later, the express train pulled into the station on schedule, coming to a smooth stop in front of Kaminari. He didn't board immediately, though. He stood back and waited patiently for the departing passengers to disembark and for the cleaning crew to finish tidying the car.
About ten minutes later, the cleaning staff, dressed in light blue uniforms, exited the train with their equipment. Only then did Kaminari follow the rest of the passengers into the car.
He placed his Pikachu backpack on the luggage rack near the car door, it only held a change of clothes and toiletries, so it wasn't particularly valuable. His combat suit box, however, was a different story.
Unlike the mythical "Sacred Cloth Box," it couldn't fly back to him if it got lost.
Carefully, Kaminari placed the box on the shelf above his seat. At the same time, a young man seated in the row ahead of him moved to store something wrapped in a long strip of black cloth on the same shelf.
Clink.
The box and the black cloth accidentally bumped into each other, producing a distinct metallic sound.
"Metal?" Kaminari thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. Judging by the weight and thickness of the cloth, there wasn't just one metal object inside, it seemed to hold several.
"I'll put this up first, then you can place your box," the young man said casually, his tone polite.
"Sure," Kaminari replied, stepping back. As he did, he glanced at the man out of curiosity, but the glance turned into a double take.
"Wait… who's this guy?"
Kaminari's gaze drifted further, landing on the old man seated beside the young man. The old man's appearance was… peculiar, to say the least.
His black-and-white hair was tied back, and he wore a black leather vest paired with fur trousers and boots that looked hand-stitched from animal hide. His muscular arms were bare, the definition of his muscles visible even beneath the dim train lights.
It wasn't just Kaminari who noticed, the other passengers nearby kept sneaking glances at him as well.
"That's my grandfather," the young man said proudly when he noticed Kaminari staring.
"He's Japan's most senior and strongest Matagi hunter!"
"…Matagi hunter?"
***
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Chapitre 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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