章 28: Chapter 27: Exposed
"Exam—OVER!!"
Present Mic's announcement echoed from the loudspeakers, followed by an alarm-like buzzing sound that resonated throughout all seven 'simulation communities.'
But in Area C, none of the candidates moved. Instead, they stood there, wide-eyed, staring in the direction of the enormous beam of light that had just obliterated the Zero Pointer.
The giant robot continued to explode in a spectacular fashion, a constant reminder of what had just transpired. And, of course, the song "Only My Railgun" kept playing on a loop in the background, adding to the surreal atmosphere.
To be fair, the candidates weren't the only ones caught off guard. The teachers back at U.A. were equally shocked. Most of them had been focused on the events in Area B, where Midoriya's punch had taken down a Zero Pointer. No one had seen the massive beam of light coming from Area C until now.
One thing was clear: whatever had just happened was well beyond the capabilities of the average student. It was one thing for Midoriya to destroy a robot with a punch, even at the cost of serious injury. But in Area C, the Zero Pointer had been completely annihilated, its core pierced clean through.
The thought crossed their minds, what if that beam had been directed at a person?
"Let's not jump to conclusions!" Nezu, the principal—a small, white, rat-like creature clapped his paws to gather the teachers' attention. "We'll know more once we review the footage."
With quick, practiced movements, he typed on the keyboard before him, merging six of the small screens into one large display. Soon, they were watching the event unfold from a satellite view, capturing every moment of Kaminari's actions from above.
Yes, U.A. had satellites, and it seemed they had more than one. Quite the powerful school, indeed.
On the screen, Tetsutetsu whose skin had turned dark due to his steel Quirk stood shirtless in front of Kaminari. The tattered remains of his clothes lay scattered around, making the scene look a bit... unusual.
But Kaminari's expression was completely serious. He stretched his arms forward, placing them parallel to either side of Tetsutetsu's steel frame.
Golden electricity began crackling between Kaminari's arms. The currents were controlled, obediently flowing between his hands without leaking. This steady buildup lasted for about twenty seconds before small sparks started dancing across Tetsutetsu's body.
Then, something remarkable happened.
Tetsutetsu's steel form began to rise slowly off the ground. Though he only floated about ten centimeters into the air, the effect was clear, he was hovering, kept within the field of energy between Kaminari's outstretched arms.
Tetsutetsu, looking visibly tense, closed his eyes and lifted his arms, bringing his palms together as if in prayer. In this moment, he entrusted everything to Kaminari, putting his complete faith in his friend.
Gradually, Tetsutetsu's body shifted from upright to horizontal, transforming him into a human-shaped steel missile aimed directly at the approaching Zero Pointer.
And then Kaminari's eyes sharpened.
Golden electricity erupted from him, filling the rooftop with an intense surge of power. The current was so strong that even the residual charge lit up the surrounding area, turning the rooftop into a danger zone crackling with energy.
"Super—SUPER! ELECTRIC! MAGNETIC! RAILGUN!!"
The words barely left Kaminari's mouth before the electricity condensed into a blinding golden beam, shooting forward with incredible speed. The beam tore through the air and pierced the center of the Zero Pointer, effortlessly cutting through its metal frame like a hot knife through butter.
Only after the massive robot exploded did Kaminari's voice catch up to the action. The teachers watching the footage heard his triumphant shout at the same time they witnessed the Zero Pointer's fiery destruction.
"..."
Silence hung over the U.A. staff room.
Principal Nezu, All Might, and the rest of the teachers were speechless for a moment.
What had they said during their meeting a few days ago?
Kaminari's control over electricity was nowhere near that advanced, right?
Hadn't they concluded that Kaminari wasn't as strong as other top candidates like Yoarashi Inasa or Todoroki Shoto in terms of raw combat power or mobility?
Could those two even beat Kaminari in a one-on-one duel now?
Kaminari was supposed to be mediocre when it came to academics and strategic thinking, right?
Then how in the world had he pulled off a move that involved electromagnetism? That was no beginner's trick.
The string of rhetorical questions left the teachers with nothing to say. If Midoriya's punch in Area B had surprised them, then Kaminari's electromagnetic railgun had left them completely floored.
Well, they'd subconsciously ignored Tetsutetsu's role in all this. There wasn't much to say about him after all. He'd been launched like a projectile, but Kaminari was clearly the star of the show.
But… what was Kaminari doing now?
On the screen, Kaminari's posture had changed. He was giving two enthusiastic thumbs-up, strutting around aimlessly, his expression oddly triumphant.
"Is he… congratulating himself?" All Might muttered, a confused look on his face. This strange behavior felt… familiar.
No! All Might quickly reminded himself. I'm a teacher at U.A. now. I can't think of these students as anything other than potential heroes.
No! I must remain professional!
But I can't... I can't hold it back anymore…
"He looks like an idiot," came a cold, deadpan voice from behind.
All Might, along with the other teachers in the room, exhaled as if a huge weight had been lifted from their shoulders. They'd been thinking the same thing but hadn't dared to say it out loud.
They turned to see Aizawa, better known as Eraser Head, standing behind them.
"This is probably his Quirk's limit," Aizawa continued, his tone thoughtful. He wasn't making a joke; he was seriously assessing Kaminari's condition.
After all, with Kaminari looking like a shoo-in for Class 1-A, Aizawa knew he'd be responsible for him soon. Understanding Kaminari's limits was crucial.
"Yes, there's a note in his file," Principal Nezu confirmed, his sharp mind recalling all the candidate data. "Kaminari Denki is prone to short-circuiting his brain if he releases more electrical power than his body can handle in a short period of time."
On the screen, Kaminari seemed to snap back to normal. He glanced around nervously, as if checking to make sure no one had seen his embarrassing moment. After confirming the coast was clear, he casually adjusted his clothes and hair, trying to look as cool as possible.
With a confident smile, he walked to the edge of the building, standing amid the sparks and fire of the destroyed robot. The fast-paced melody of "Only My Railgun" was still playing as he gave a thumbs-up toward the ground below.
Jiro Kyoka, looking up at him, couldn't help but smile.
"..." All Might.
"..." Principal Nezu.
"..." Aizawa Shouta.
"..." The rest of the Hero teachers.
Among the incoming students of U.A.'s Hero Course, they were witnessing the rise of a truly unique individual. A boy with incredible power… and a flair for theatrics. All the teachers couldn't help but smile, albeit with some exasperation.
Meanwhile, over in Area B…
*BOOM!*
Tetsutetsu, forgotten by everyone in the aftermath of the Zero Pointer's destruction, had been launched by Kaminari's blast. Driven by the force of the impact, he crashed into the ground, creating a crater.
Coincidentally, he landed right next to Midoriya, who lay unconscious, his injuries already healed by Recovery Girl's Quirk.
"..."
Recovery Girl stared at the unconscious Tetsutetsu, a confused look on her face.
"What in the world…?"
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章 29: Chapter 28: Withdrawing From The Group
"Sigh..."
Kaminari, now drained of electricity, stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. The elevator's quiet hum filled the air, the only sound as he descended. No BGM, no explosions just the soft whirr of the machinery.
This was a rare moment of peace, giving him time to think.
It wasn't that Kaminari didn't want to keep up his cool, "high-speed movement" entrance, with "Only My Railgun" blasting as he heroically swept Jiro off her feet from outside the building. But his body had other plans. The "super electromagnetic gun" he'd just used had wiped out all the electricity in his system.
Luckily, the glove on his right hand had started recharging him. The crystal on the back of his glove emitted a soft, glowing blue light as it worked.
Now, about that electromagnetic railgun…
In truth, that move was Kaminari's strongest attack, but before this, his "railgun" had only been a knockoff version of Misaka Mikoto's technique, using coins as a medium. The range was short, and the power output was capped, with a maximum distance of only fifty meters.
The reason for using coins aside from being easy to carry was his control over electromagnetism. It simply wasn't strong enough for anything more complex. Unlike the Misaka Mikoto of another world, Kaminari had some serious limitations to consider.
That's why when he told Tetsutetsu and Jiro he had a 50% chance of success, he was honestly overselling it. The actual odds were way lower. If the railgun failed, the worst that would happen was that he'd run out of power without being able to launch Tetsutetsu at the Zero Pointer.
Still, it had been a gamble worth taking.
After all, what's life without a little risk?
As long as you're prepared for the consequences and can handle them, why not go for it?
And this time, it had paid off. Not only had Kaminari secured passing marks for himself, Tetsutetsu, and Jiro, but he'd also grabbed the attention of U.A.'s teachers. Most importantly, though, he had gained a deeper understanding of his railgun technique.
This wasn't something he could have learned from studying electromagnetism in textbooks. It was the kind of knowledge that came from real experience, from pushing his limits in the heat of battle. While the payoff might not be obvious yet, Kaminari knew that in the future, this experience would be crucial for developing more advanced electromagnetic techniques.
"Still... I should brush up more on electromagnetism..."
*Ding!*
The elevator reached the first floor, the soft chime snapping Kaminari out of his thoughts. The metal doors slid open with a cold, mechanical precision, as if to silently remind him it was time to leave.
"Kaminari!!"
Jiro Kyoka's voice echoed through the entrance hall as she rushed toward him, clearly relieved to see him.
"Huh?"
Jiro looked around the elevator, puzzled. "Where's Tetsutetsu?"
"Oh, him..." Kaminari started, walking out of the elevator as he explained the chaotic events that had unfolded on the rooftop. Jiro listened, her mouth opening in disbelief. By the time Kaminari finished, she managed to distill her complicated emotions into one simple phrase:
"So the light that just shot out was... Tetsutetsu?"
When they stepped outside, Jiro frowned as she stared in the direction Tetsutetsu had been launched. "Is he going to be okay?"
"He'll be fine," Kaminari said, shaking his head. "The force from the electromagnetic push would've died down after it penetrated the Zero Pointer. I aimed to send him far, but not too far."
After all, the weight difference between a coin and Tetsutetsu was massive. Just because Kaminari could shoot a coin fifty meters didn't mean he could launch Tetsutetsu the same distance.
"After that, it was just inertia. But with Tetsutetsu's steel body, he'll be alright. Plus, we're still within U.A.'s grounds. Heroes must've already recovered him by now."
That said, only Tetsutetsu could have survived that kind of high-risk stunt. If anyone else had tried it, things might not have ended so well.
"Recovered..." Jiro muttered, her lips twitching at the odd choice of words. Still, the mention of U.A. heroes reassured her, easing her worry about Tetsutetsu.
Soon, Kaminari and Jiro reached the exit of Area C. The space was filled with candidates, many of whom looked battered and bruised after their encounters with the robots. But the moment Kaminari and Jiro appeared, all eyes were on them.
They all wanted to know what had caused that massive beam of light and why Kaminari had bothered with the Zero Pointer, knowing full well it didn't award any points. Most of the candidates had enough brains to figure out there had to be more to the story.
But Kaminari wasn't in the mood to explain. He was exhausted. Ignoring the stares, he gestured to Jiro and led her toward the exit, slipping through the crowd and heading toward the large iron gates.
He knew that once they left the 'simulation community,' there would be little chance for him to see or interact with the rest of the candidates anytime soon. Their paths were likely to diverge.
Well, except maybe if they liked his music. Some might brag about taking the U.A. exam alongside Kaminari Denki, the rising star with the hot new single.
But let's be real when it came to exams like this, any talk of "friendship before competition" was just an empty platitude. The cold, hard fact was that only forty out of over a thousand candidates would pass. Well, actually, excluding the four recommended students, only thirty-six people would make it through those gates wearing the U.A. school uniform tomorrow.
Kaminari climbed onto the bus, returned to his seat, and closed his eyes. He needed rest. There was so much to look forward to, becoming a hero, meeting new friends, and, of course, facing new villains.
Having watched tons of anime in his previous life, Kaminari knew all too well that in a world filled with Quirks, heroes, and villains, conflict was inevitable. It was part of the balance.
Although Kaminari didn't aspire to be a typical, professional Hero, by choosing this path, he'd knowingly stepped into the middle of that conflict.
But wasn't that what made life exciting?
In his old world, a world without Quirks, Kaminari had spent countless hours fantasizing about moments like these. Now, those fantasies were becoming reality. How could he back down now?
This was why he'd spent 80% of his free time studying, training, and preparing himself.
Otherwise, wouldn't it have been easier to just copy songs and animations, become a pop star, and make a fortune that way?
But then what? What if a villain threatened him or his family? Was he supposed to just sit on his wealth, hoping some professional Hero would show up in time to save them?
No way.
It was better to be strong. To have the power to protect the people around him.
And as for being a star? Well, why not have both? Kaminari Denki wanted it all. With a new life ahead of him, why not make it as extraordinary as possible?
If that meant trading away his leisure time, sweat, and hard work to achieve it, then so be it. He had no regrets.
Meanwhile, the buses carrying candidates from all the major 'simulation communities' were making their way back to U.A. High School, where their fates would soon be decided.
In the teacher's lounge, the principal and the instructors began their final discussions about who would be placed in Class 1-A of the Hero Course. U.A.'s rules were strict, only forty students would be admitted into the Hero Course, with Class A and Class B each having twenty members.
Four names were already set in stone: Kaminari, Tetsutetsu, Jiro, and Midoriya. They had passed with flying colors in terms of their performance, their Hero spirit, teamwork, and the potential of their Quirks. No debate was needed.
As for Midoriya, his performance spoke for itself.
The real discussion, however, was focused on two candidates: Minoru Mineta and Eijiro Kirishima. Mineta had the lowest score in the practical exam, and his Quirk was more suited to support than direct combat.
Kirishima, on the other hand, had a high score, but his Quirk overlapped significantly with Tetsutetsu's, and his overall performance hadn't been as strong as Tetsutetsu's.
Now the question was clear: who would be asked to withdraw from Class 1-A?
*******
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クリエイターの想い
Junkdog
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