章 10: Chapter 9: Colossus!
The passionate declaration managed to draw the attention of those nearby, including the Kaminari family. At first, some people thought it was just a kid making empty boasts, but when they saw a young man standing there with a confident expression, the adults' faces softened into amused smiles.
In a society like this, people were generally very forgiving towards the boldness of youth. If an adult had made the same proclamation, they might have been met with derision or even outright sarcasm. But when a teenager said it, it was taken as a sign of energy and spirit.
After all, wasn't that the kind of atmosphere a healthy, modern society should cultivate?
Of course, anyone with a bit of common sense could see that the boy's words were reckless, even dangerous. Ideally, someone would step in to caution him, but nobody did.
"Tetsu!"
The boy's father, a burly man with a flat-top haircut, suddenly stood up and delivered a sharp knock to his son's head. The young man yelped, clutching his head in pain as his father scolded him.
"Don't get carried away! I'm telling you right now, don't go around talking about things you don't understand!" His father's voice was stern. "Remember, if you ever find yourself face-to-face with the Hero Killer, you turn and run. Use your Quirk to get away and don't look back until you're in a crowd!"
Yes, it was the role of a parent to teach these lessons. Guardians were responsible for grounding their children in reality, and any adult with a proper education understood this.
"But why?" the boy protested, still rubbing his sore head. "I've already been accepted into the Hero Course at U.A. High School! And with my Quirk, no one's going to be able to hurt me!" He was fuming inside, thinking that if it hadn't been his dad, he'd have used his Quirk to defend himself.
"If I used my Quirk, you wouldn't have been able to land a hit at all!"
His loud response quickly drew the interest of other customers and even some of the waitstaff. U.A. High School's Hero Course was known for training the top future professional Heroes, and hearing that this boy had already made it in was impressive news.
In Japan, many students applied to U.A., but fewer than forty actually passed the entrance exams for the Hero Course each year. With only two classes Class A and Class B comprising about twenty students each, it was a highly selective program.
Of course, U.A. wasn't the only high school with a Hero program, but it was the undisputed top choice. The reason was simple: nearly half of all professional Heroes who had ever ranked in the top ten were U.A. alumni. The school had earned its reputation step by step through sheer results.
"Sit down!"
The boy's father's voice was gruff, yet filled with a father's pride tempered by caution. As a retired soldier, he knew how overconfidence could lead to disaster. He'd seen enough to know that if his son didn't curb his arrogance, it could cause irreparable harm in the future.
"Don't start boasting just because you passed the written test. The practical exam is still ahead. Let's see you stand out there before you start talking big."
The boy, whose Quirk made him as blunt as his personality, just grinned. "The written test was the hardest part for me, and I passed that already. The practical exam will be a piece of cake! I'm definitely going to get into Class A!" He then added to himself, Even if I end up in Class B, I won't let myself lose!
By now, the surrounding patrons had gone back to their meals and conversations. Watching a father and son bicker, even if it was amusing at first, only held so much interest.
Just then, Kaminari's father, who had been quietly observing, set his glass of water down, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and addressed the other table.
"Excuse me, may I introduce myself?"
"Huh?" The boy's father turned towards Kaminari's dad, looking slightly confused. He listened as Kaminari's father continued.
"It's just that I overheard your son mention the practical exam at U.A. My son is also taking it, so I thought it might be good for them to get to know each other beforehand. You know, just in case they can look out for each other when the time comes."
Kaminari's father was a businessman through and through, and he saw no harm in helping his son make connections. In his view, there was no downside to Kaminari befriending someone who could potentially be a future classmate.
Of course, the boy might not pass the practical exam, but if he did, great. If he didn't, no harm done. What mattered was seizing every opportunity to create bonds.
And if anyone questioned whether Kaminari himself would pass, his father didn't want to hear it. He was confident in his son's abilities, and that was that.
"Oh? What a coincidence!" The boy's father seemed genuinely interested, glancing at Kaminari, who was also sizing up the boy.
"You're taking the exam too?"
When the boy realized there was a fellow aspiring Hero in the room, his eyes lit up with excitement. "My name's Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu! I'm from Anohana Junior High!" he announced with enthusiasm.
"Kaminari Denki, from Tanibori Junior High," Kaminari responded naturally. He then asked, intrigued by Tetsutetsu's earlier confidence, "You seem pretty sure about your Quirk. Mind if I ask what it is?"
Living in a world full of extraordinary Quirks, Kaminari had developed a fascination with learning about different powers. Unfortunately, most of the Quirks he had encountered up to this point had been mundane or impractical—things like changing the color of nose hairs or altering the shape of pupils. While mildly interesting, they fell short of the kind of superhuman abilities he'd been hoping to see, something like the powers from X-Men.
So, when Tetsutetsu spoke with such conviction, Kaminari's curiosity was genuinely piqued. He was eager to learn what kind of Quirk could give this boy such confidence.
Of course, there was a bit of strategy in his question as well. The practical exam didn't involve teams, so everyone was essentially competing against each other. Any information Kaminari could gather about a potential rival could come in handy.
Yet, it seemed neither Tetsutetsu nor his father had picked up on that subtext. In that sense, the father and son were very much alike both straightforward and quick to trust.
"Hehehe, my Quirk's awesome!" Tetsutetsu declared proudly, not noticing the subtle probing in Kaminari's question. "It's called 'Steel!' I can turn my entire body into metal, giving me super strength and toughness. It's like having the strongest shield and the strongest spear combined!"
"Your body turns into steel?" Kaminari's eyes widened as he finally encountered a Quirk that seemed genuinely impressive. Instinctively, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Colossus! Just like Colossus!"
週次パワーステータス
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