章 7: Chapter 6: Discovery

The school's auditorium stage wasn't particularly large, yet the teachers had gone to great lengths to create the best atmosphere for Kaminari's performance. They replaced all the curtains with thick, black, light-blocking fabric.

As the lights dimmed and the entire auditorium was engulfed in darkness, the teachers, students, and parents remained calm. After all, this kind of setup was quite common here, and everyone was familiar with the process.

Snap!

The moment the colorful spotlights above the ceiling converged on the center of the stage, Kaminari was already standing there, an electric guitar slung casually around his waist. He flashed a warm smile at the crowd as he gripped the microphone stand.

Several music teachers, serving as backup musicians, held bass guitars or sat behind the drum set, their presence complementing Kaminari like stars surrounding the moon.

But instead of bursting into cheers, the students waited in an expectant hush, as if collectively holding their breath for what was to come.

Without saying a word, Kaminari strummed the pick across the guitar strings, launching into a rhythmic intro with practiced ease.

The familiar melody swept through the auditorium like a wave, instantly igniting the crowd. Deafening cheers and screams erupted, their energy turning the entire venue into a boiling cauldron of excitement.

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

"The future can be forsaken too!"

The moment he belted out the opening line, his powerful voice resonated alongside the fierce accompaniment. It felt like the air itself burst apart, the combined shouts of the students surging like waves, crashing against the walls and filling every corner.

This was their idol—someone who walked the same halls, shared the same classes, and was, incredibly, one of their own.

The sense of pride, connection, and the quality of the music left a lasting impression on everyone present. Kaminari wasn't just another talented student; he was a symbol of excellence in their midst.

"I don't recognize boundaries!"

"Meaningless!"

"This power shines like light!"

After Kaminari finished the first half of the song with an almost feverish tempo, the crowd finally joined in as he reached the line, "If the path I've walked can only be retraced." Together, they sang along, a chorus of hundreds merging into one voice.

"Might as well destroy everything here!"

"A town that's fallen into the abyss of darkness!"

"How long can people keep fighting?"

Even Kaminari's mother, who was sitting among the audience, was astonished. The sheer scale of the students' response left all the parents in the guest section wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

What on earth was happening?

Was this really just a junior high school graduation ceremony? It felt more like a rock star's cross-country tour than an ordinary school event.

Previously, they had heard their children rave about how cool Kaminari was, how well he could sing, and how popular he was at school. They hadn't taken it too seriously at the time.

After all, parents usually cared more about his academic performance and his impressive feat of being the only student from Taniben First Junior High to apply for U.A. High School's Hero Course and pass the written exam.

But now, witnessing this firsthand, they realized just how exceptional this boy was.

In Japanese society, test scores aren't the only measure of a student's worth; they aren't even the most important factor. What truly matters is the student's overall character and achievements.

However, despite being so well-known within the school, Kaminari wasn't a household name beyond its walls. Two years ago, he had posted a music video online where he played and sang "Only My Railgun" on his electric guitar, gaining some attention for the quality of the performance and his good looks. But he was still just a small-time singer, with songs that were better known than his face.

The performance ended before long; the song was only a little over four minutes. As the last note hung in the air, it signaled not only the end of the performance but also the closing of Kaminari's three-year middle school journey.

What lay ahead was the more demanding world of Hero High School, where a multitude of challenges related to becoming a Hero awaited him.

In this world, the Hero circle is the pinnacle of achievement. Now that Kaminari had been given a second chance at life, there was no way he'd let it pass without aiming for the top.

After the ceremony concluded, Kaminari and his mother left the campus together, accompanied by the well-wishes of friends and classmates. Perhaps feeling a touch of nostalgia, Kaminari glanced back at the school's name "Tanibori No. 1 Junior High" one last time.

Then he turned around and continued down the path to his future with his mother by his side.

"U.A. High School… I can't wait. But why did that female teacher come to mind?"

As soon as they arrived home, his overjoyed mother announced that the family would have a grand dinner to celebrate—barbecue!

Kaminari certainly had no complaints; in fact, he welcomed the idea. He was still growing, and some extra protein couldn't hurt.

But with some time to spare before his father got off work, Kaminari changed out of his school uniform, carefully folding it before placing it in the closet. He then hung his guitar bag on the wall.

Today was February 6th, and there were still twenty days until the practical exam at U.A. High School. He had already prepared as much as he could, so for the next few days, he would allow himself to rest and recharge, ensuring he was in peak condition when the time came.

Changing into casual clothes, Kaminari flopped onto his soft bed. It's worth noting that his pillow and blanket were both adorned with Pikachu designs, and a Pikachu figure model sat on his computer desk.

He hadn't bought these items himself. Considering he could draw Pikachu by heart, there wasn't much point in buying merchandise. It was all made at home.

Before he knew it, his eyelids grew heavy, his breaths became deep and even, and he drifted into sleep. The excitement from earlier had taken its toll.

The Pikachu clock on the wall quietly ticked away until nearly five in the afternoon, when the wooden door to his room suddenly creaked open.

"Hey, still sleeping?"

A middle-aged man with thick blond hair entered. When he saw his son dozing, he reached out and flicked Kaminari's forehead with two fingers.

Crackle!

But as soon as his fingers touched Kaminari's hair, a bright spark of electricity shot out, causing the man to quickly pull his hand back.

Oddly, silver-white sparks crackled from his fingertips but fizzled out before forming a complete current.

"Dad… seriously?" Kaminari rubbed his forehead, looking at his father with a mixture of irritation and helplessness.

"I've told you countless times, it's dangerous. My self-defense currents are stronger than your low-level lightning immunity can handle."

Kaminari's father also had an electrical Quirk, which was why the doctors had anticipated Kaminari's abilities and taken extra precautions for lightning protection.

But Quirks have levels. His father's Quirk was a lower-level "static" ability, capable only of releasing tiny amounts of static electricity that could cause a tingling sensation at best.

He also possessed a passive trait common to lightning-based Quirks—partial immunity to electricity.

This is similar to those with fire or ice-based Quirks, who are generally resistant to burns or frostbite. However, this resistance had its limits; with enough output, even they could get hurt.

"Haha, my bad," his father chuckled sheepishly, rubbing his slightly numb fingers. "I didn't expect your currents to be that strong."

His tone turned serious, "But is it because your Quirk level is naturally high, or… have you been training in secret?"

"Well…"

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章 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!"