Chapitre 182: Chapter 181: Tokoyami’s Depression

The arrival of Midoriya and Uraraka seemed to spark a ripple effect, as the classroom door began sliding open repeatedly.

With the arrivals of Todoroki, Tokoyami, Iida, and others, the classroom, which had been eerily silent for the past seven days, started to buzz with energy once again.

To put it simply, the atmosphere was becoming lively.

Especially when girls like Momo, Ashido, Asui, and Hagakure entered, the class felt even more vibrant. They enthusiastically shared their "workplace experiences," frequently breaking into laughter at one another's stories.

Unsurprisingly, the loudest voice among them was Ashido, whose exuberance lit up the room.

On the other side, the boys' focus was primarily on Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki. After all, their internship experiences had been undeniably intense and thrilling.

"Thank goodness you're all okay! Just hearing about it is terrifying!"

Kirishima exclaimed, his voice tinged with relief as he looked at the trio.

"Indeed, I was really worried about you all during that time," Momo added, though her gaze flickered briefly toward Kaminari before returning to Midoriya and the others.

In her heart, she thought, If we're talking about danger, Kaminari's experience was probably even scarier. If it weren't for Aizawa-sensei's guidance, Kaminari and his family might have been in serious trouble.

But Momo was careful not to voice this thought aloud. She had noticed that Kaminari hadn't mentioned anything about his ordeal to the others, so she wisely chose not to bring it up.

"I heard Endeavor saved you, right?" Ojiro asked, his voice breaking the momentary silence.

"That's amazing! He really deserves to be No. 2!" Hagakure chimed in enthusiastically. Her invisible figure made her voice the only clue to her presence.

"Yeah, he saved us," Todoroki confirmed after exchanging a brief glance with Midoriya and Iida.

Hearing Todoroki's calm acknowledgment, both Midoriya and Iida smiled, visibly relieved.

"Yeah, we made it out thanks to him."

"But where's Bakugo? Isn't he usually one of the first to arrive?"

Kirishima, Bakugo's closest friend, glanced at the door in confusion just as it slid open again.

The person entering was indeed Bakugo, but his entrance sucked all the warmth and energy out of the room like a gust of icy wind.

He walked toward his seat with a thunderous expression, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

Bang!

The sound of his bag hitting the desk was loud enough to make everyone flinch in surprise. Then, as if on cue, the classroom erupted into laughter, louder and more unrestrained than it had been all morning.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Are you serious?! What even is that hairstyle?!"

Even the usually composed Momo, Uraraka, and Kyoka couldn't hold back their laughter, their faces red as they doubled over.

Kaminari blinked, trying to suppress his own smile, and leaned toward Kirishima. "What's going on? What happened to Bakugo?" he whispered.

"It's so noisy! Shut up! Stop laughing!!"

Bakugo's mood, already sour and embarrassed, quickly turned into outright fury as the laughter grew louder. His face was practically steaming with anger.

"That idiot stylist messed with my hair! I don't even know what they used, but no matter how much I wash it, it won't go back to normal!"

He was practically shaking with rage, his fists clenched tightly.

"And I swear, I've washed it over a dozen times! I've tried everything—hot water, cold water, even white vinegar!"

But no matter what he did, the ridiculous hairstyle remained intact, and his frustration had delayed him that morning. Before coming to class, he had washed his hair twice more, refusing to give up.

"You didn't sleep last night either, huh?" Kaminari thought, holding back a laugh.

"Don't laugh! I'll kill you if you do!!"

Bakugo's threats were met with even more laughter, particularly from Kirishima, Sero, and Tetsutetsu, who were in tears at this point.

"If you've got the guts, go ahead and try it!" Sero taunted between fits of laughter.

"What did you just say, you idiot?!"

BOOM!

As if on instinct, Bakugo's temper exploded, sending an audible blast through the air. But in the process, he angrily ran his hands through his hair and miraculously, it sprang back to its usual spiky mess.

"Whoa! It's back to normal!"

Kirishima pointed at Bakugo, and the classroom erupted into even louder laughter. Even Kaminari couldn't hold back anymore, doubling over as he clutched his stomach.

This guy really has some comedic talent, Kaminari thought, his laughter subsiding as he noticed someone sitting quietly nearby. He turned to Tokoyami, who had been uncharacteristically silent through all the chaos.

"Hey, how about you? You went to Hawks' agency, right?" Kaminari asked, genuinely curious. Hawks had been one of his top internship choices as well, so he wondered what Tokoyami had learned.

Tokoyami looked up at him, his expression unreadable.

"No," he said flatly. "He didn't teach me anything. I spent the entire week following Hawks around, handling his paperwork and follow-ups."

His tone betrayed no emotion, but the frustration in his words was clear.

Kaminari blinked in surprise. "Huh… really? Nothing at all?"

The idea baffled him. Even if Hawks hadn't actively taught Tokoyami, surely observing such a high-ranking Pro Hero in action would've been a learning experience.

What Kaminari didn't realize was that Hawks had been so fast during operations that by the time Tokoyami and the other assistants arrived on the scene, everything was already over. All that was left was cleanup.

For seven days straight, Tokoyami had done nothing but try to keep up with Hawks, only to arrive too late each time. Despite his efforts, he hadn't been able to witness a single battle.

It wasn't for lack of trying, Tokoyami had worked hard, but hard work didn't always lead to results. The reality of the situation was harsh, and it left him feeling disheartened.

"Well…" Kaminari started to say something, but before he could continue, the classroom door slid open again.

Everyone instinctively straightened up and rushed back to their seats as though their Quirks had activated a "teleportation" function.

"Good morning, sensei!"

"Good morning…"

Aizawa entered the room, his tired eyes scanning the class as he walked toward the podium. With his steady, deliberate footsteps, U.A. High School's Class 1-A returned to its usual order. Morning lessons were about to begin.

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Chapitre 183: Chapter 182: Four Groups

The four compulsory classes—Japanese, Mathematics, Science, and English, were completed under the guidance of the respective teachers Cementoss, Ectoplasm, Power Loader, and Present Mic.

Since today was Monday, these core subjects were fixed, and additional classes, such as Midnight's Modern Hero Art History or Aizawa's Hero Information Science and Modern Hero Law, would be held on other days throughout the week.

By now, the time was 12:43 p.m.

As expected, Aoyama stayed behind in the classroom to enjoy his meticulously prepared French lunch alone. Meanwhile, most of Class 1-A gathered in the cafeteria hall, enjoying a lively lunch together.

During this time, Kaminari overheard several conversations, realizing that not everyone had received proper Hero training during their internships.

For many, the experience boiled down to simply observing Hero activities, very basic, often mundane, tasks. Essentially, most students were little more than spectators.

This realization helped Kaminari understand Tokoyami's frustration earlier. It wasn't unusual that Tokoyami had learned so little, it was a reasonable outcome given the nature of internships for most students.

"I guess if I hadn't joined as his disciple, my internship experience would've been just as monotonous—patrolling forests, rescuing people, and maybe dealing with corpses," Kaminari thought to himself.

He recalled how some of the seniors who had followed his master during their internships had ended up with similarly repetitive and uninspiring tasks.

His eyes then landed on Midoriya, whose eyelids were still faintly bruised and swollen from his training.

"Judging by what he said earlier this morning, it seems like he went through the same kind of training I did. His temperament feels sharper now, and his eyes hold a new kind of determination."

This realization left Kaminari intrigued. He was suddenly eager for the next Hero Basics class, it would be the perfect opportunity to see how much Midoriya had grown.

Though Kaminari couldn't quite explain why he found Midoriya so fascinating, something about him stood out. Maybe it was because of the terrifying strength he had witnessed from Midoriya before, those punches were unforgettable.

By 1:20 p.m., Kaminari and the rest of Class 1-A were led by All Might to the training grounds behind U.A. High once again.

This area was divided into two sections: the simulated city district and the training grounds.

Today, they were gathered at the gates of Training Ground Gamma.

As the class prepared, Kaminari donned his previous combat uniform once more. Despite its ordinary design, it gave him an oddly comforting sense of returning to his roots, a sharp contrast to the golden aura he had become accustomed to.

"Wow!!"

"Tetsutetsu! What are you wearing?!"

"Man, when did you get such an awesome combat suit?! And wow, it looks so cool!"

While Kaminari quietly adjusted his robe, the others couldn't help but gawk at Tetsutetsu, who had made an attention-grabbing entrance.

Dressed in a white suit paired with black iron boots, he also wore a striking "Justice" coat draped over his shoulders. The word Justice was boldly emblazoned on the back, and as the wind swept through, the coat billowed dramatically.

"Hahaha! Awesome, right? Totally awesome, isn't it?"

Tetsutetsu puffed out his chest and grinned smugly, striking various poses as if he were on a runway.

"This suit is Kaminari's design! It's called 'Justice.' From now on, I'll be the one to carry the mantle of justice!"

"Ugh, you idiot," Bakugo muttered, rolling his eyes in disdain.

Meanwhile, Kirishima, standing nearby, glanced down at his own combat uniform and scratched his head awkwardly.

"I… maybe I should consider getting a new suit, too."

Indeed, Kirishima's suit was relatively plain compared to Tetsutetsu's flashy new look, and the thought clearly made him a little self-conscious.

"'Carrying justice'—I like the sound of that. Great name, and the suit looks fantastic, too!"

All Might gave Tetsutetsu a thumbs-up, his grin wide as ever, before moving on to the main topic.

"Alright, class, let's get started with today's Hero Basics session. Everyone, quiet down."

The students immediately fell silent, their attention fixed on All Might. Their discipline and focus clearly pleased him.

"Since you've just returned from your workplace experiences, today we'll conduct a rescue training competition!"

"Rescue training? Shouldn't that take place at USJ?"

Iida immediately raised his hand, his voice serious as ever. His tone reflected his typical strict adherence to order and protocol.

"That facility is reserved for training in risk management and disaster relief," All Might explained calmly. Then, with his trademark smile, he continued, "What I'm talking about is a competition!"

He gestured to the vast industrial zone behind him, dense with maze-like structures, and said, "This is Training Ground Gamma!"

"In this intricate, factory-like area, you'll be divided into groups of five and compete against one another to see who can rescue me first!"

The students murmured among themselves, intrigued by the challenge.

All Might then pointed directly at Bakugo, adding pointedly, "Of course, collateral damage to the buildings must be kept to an absolute minimum!"

"Tch. Stop pointing at me," Bakugo grumbled, turning his head away in irritation. His reaction drew quiet chuckles from Ashido, Hagakure, and Kirishima.

Next, All Might announced the teams:

Group 1: Midoriya Izuku, Sero Hanta, Ashido Mina, Iida Tenya, Ojiro Mashirao.

Group 2: Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Kirishima Eijiro, Mineta Minoru, Shoji Mezo, Koda Koji.

Group 3: Kaminari Denki, Todoroki Shoto, Aoyama Yuga, Tokoyami Fumikage, Bakugo Katsuki.

Group 4: Jiro Kyoka, Yaoyorozu Momo, Hagakure Toru, Uraraka Ochaco, Asui Tsuyu.

"Alright, Group 1, get into position!" All Might instructed. "Everyone else, head to the observation deck."

As he finished speaking, the massive steel doors of the training area creaked open.

Then, in the blink of an eye, All Might vanished. He left no trace—no afterimage, no sound just an empty space where he'd stood seconds before.

"Damn, his speed is terrifying…"

Kaminari gazed up at the clear blue sky, lost in thought. "How high is the ceiling of this world? Is All Might the pinnacle, or are there others out there just as strong or even stronger outside of Japan?"

Unbeknownst to Kaminari, the All Might they knew was a shadow of his former self. Yet, even in this diminished state, he remained Japan's number one Hero.

There's a saying that perfectly fits this scenario: "I've grown weaker, but that doesn't mean you've grown stronger."

This sentiment reflected the current state of Japan's Hero society. Since All Might's rise decades ago, Heroes had fallen into two categories: All Might and everyone else.

***

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