章 37: Chapter 36: Touma or Blackbeard?

The third event was the standing long jump.

Kaminari channeled his electric current into his legs, and with a powerful burst, he jumped 10.8 meters. It was a respectable result, but compared to others, such as Asui Tsuyu who excelled in jumping, Aoyama Yuga who propelled himself with his naval laser, and Uraraka Ochaco who made herself weightless and floated across, Kaminari found himself outshined in this event.

Interestingly, Todoroki Shoto, who had shown impressive control over his ice powers earlier, performed rather ordinarily in this task. He didn't stand out at all, behaving almost like a regular person. Another surprise was Midoriya Izuku.

Midoriya was a complete enigma to Kaminari. Despite watching him closely, Kaminari still couldn't figure out what kind of Quirk the boy had. So far, Midoriya had shown nothing remarkable. "How did he even pass the entrance exam?" Kaminari wondered as he glanced at Midoriya. For some reason, he couldn't shake an odd feeling about the boy. There was something about him that made Kaminari curious, though he couldn't quite place what it was.

Then there was the invisible girl, Toru Hagakure. Kaminari was curious about her too, though not just because of her Quirk. He wondered how she'd look if she were visible. But he dismissed the thought quickly. Once he mastered electromagnetic fields, invisibility wouldn't matter.

The fourth event was the repeated horizontal jump.

Kaminari paid special attention to Minoru Mineta during this event. The boy's grape-like Quirks were intriguing, if not a bit ridiculous. However, Kaminari couldn't help but wonder how strong those "grapes" really were. Could they be destroyed physically? Would his electricity have any effect on them?

Kaminari concluded that Mineta's Quirk would be highly effective in certain situations. If his sticky "grapes" couldn't be destroyed easily, it was actually a pretty strong ability. But Kaminari also noticed a problem. Mineta had to throw the grapes manually or place them on the ground, which meant they had a low hit rate unless there was some strategy behind their use.

Kaminari chuckled inwardly. Mineta's Quirk required tactical brilliance to maximize its potential, but judging by the boy's constant perverted remarks, it was hard to tell if he had the intelligence to back it up.

The fifth event was the pitching test.

When Kaminari saw Uraraka Ochaco throw the ball infinitely far thanks to her zero-gravity Quirk, he immediately thought, "This girl's going to be the next Golden Lion!"

He wondered if Uraraka could eventually manipulate objects she made weightless, much like how the Golden Lion Shiki could control floating rocks. What if she could lift entire chunks of the earth and throw them like weapons? The thought excited him, though he knew she probably wasn't there yet. It was merely speculation about the future potential of her Quirk.

As Kaminari's turn had already passed, the next person called up was Bakugo Katsuki. Aizawa's voice cut through the air, "Bakugo Katsuki, you're next."

"Finally!" Bakugo growled, stepping up with barely contained excitement. He had been stewing with frustration ever since Kaminari and Todoroki had taken the spotlight. He was determined to prove he was the best.

Bakugo's self-esteem bordered on arrogance, and watching others receive more attention than him drove him crazy. He couldn't stand it. Why were those two getting all the praise? Didn't everyone know he was the strongest?

"Boom—!"

With an earth-shattering explosion, Bakugo launched the ball into the air, his palms propelling it with a fiery blast. The ball shot through the sky like a missile, trailing fire and smoke behind it.

"Die!!" Bakugo shouted, as if trying to blow up the very heavens.

Watching this, Kaminari leaned over to Tetsutetsu and muttered with a grin, "Well, when it comes to roughness, even you can't beat him."

"Tch," Tetsutetsu clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had already formed a strong dislike for Bakugo. After witnessing Bakugo's brash attitude and rude behavior especially toward Midoriya—Tetsutetsu concluded that Bakugo was little more than a thug. A bully.

He saw Bakugo's constant explosions as a reflection of his unstable personality. Tetsutetsu couldn't stand people like that. He respected discipline and honor, traits Bakugo seemed to lack entirely.

"705.2 meters," Aizawa announced after glancing at the rangefinder. His voice remained calm despite the impressive result. "That's your current limit. Remember it, and work to surpass it."

"Whoa!!"

"Over 700 meters?! That's insane!"

The other students were astonished by Bakugo's performance. Kaminari had thrown the ball over 400 meters earlier, which had already seemed incredible. But Bakugo had just shattered that by nearly 300 meters.

"Well, I guess his explosive power is a lot better than mine," Kaminari thought to himself, feeling no shame in the comparison. He had been working on controlling his Quirk and improving his physical abilities for years. For Bakugo to reach such heights at his age was impressive, but Kaminari didn't feel the need to compete with a fifteen-year-old over something so trivial.

However, Bakugo seemed to feel differently. As he walked back, he shot Kaminari a defiant glare, as if daring him to challenge his dominance. Kaminari responded with a calm look, making it clear he wasn't fazed. Instead, he turned his attention to the next person.

"And finally... Izuku Midoriya," Aizawa announced, his voice softer this time, as if he knew what was about to unfold.

Ida and Uraraka, both of whom had seen Midoriya in action during the entrance exam, looked hopeful. But others, including Kaminari, Tetsutetsu, and the rest of the class, were simply curious. Midoriya hadn't shown anything extraordinary so far, so how had he passed the Hero Course exam?

Bakugo, however, was filled with disdain. He still believed Midoriya was Quirkless and had no place here. "He's just a Quirkless loser!" Bakugo spat out, confident that Midoriya would fail.

"What did you say?!" Iida, startled by Bakugo's claim, turned to him in confusion. "Quirkless? How could he be Quirkless after what he did in the entrance exam?"

"What feat?" Kaminari perked up, his curiosity growing. He had heard nothing about any major accomplishment by Midoriya during the exam. How had someone who seemed so... ordinary made it this far?

Midoriya, gripping the ball nervously, threw it... but nothing remarkable happened.

"46 meters," Aizawa said, almost in disbelief. The result was underwhelming, to say the least.

"46 meters?!" Kaminari couldn't believe his eyes. How had Midoriya passed the entrance exam with such a weak performance? Had he somehow cheated? Or did he get in through some kind of backdoor?

Just then, Aizawa stepped forward, pulling down the white bandage around his neck. "I erased your Quirk," he said, his voice low and stern.

Kaminari's eyes widened. "Erased his Quirk?!" The implications of Aizawa's words hit Kaminari like a ton of bricks.

The ability to eliminate someone's Quirk entirely? Kaminari immediately thought of Touma Kamijou, a figure from another world with the power to nullify supernatural abilities. But Aizawa was clearly even more powerful than Touma. He could neutralize Quirks from a distance, without needing to make physical contact.

"Is this guy even human?!"

Kaminari's mind raced, but outwardly, he remained composed, merely showing a hint of surprise. After all, someone aiming to be a superstar needed to maintain their cool, right?

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章 38: Chapter 37: A Blockbuster

"Eliminating Quirks…"

Midoriya murmured to himself. As his eyes flicked to the yellow goggles hanging around Aizawa's neck, a sudden realization dawned on him. He remembered something from his endless research on professional heroes.

Staring at Class Teacher Aizawa in shock, he shouted, "Those goggles... I know who you are! You can erase other people's Quirks by looking at them! You're the Erasure Hero, Eraser Head!"

The moment Midoriya revealed Aizawa's true identity, murmurs rippled through the group. The students began to talk excitedly about their teacher, but Kaminari wasn't part of the chatter. Instead, he absorbed the information Midoriya had just shared, his mind racing.

"A Quirk that erases other Quirks just by looking at someone? That's way more powerful than Kamijou Touma or even Blackbeard. They both need to physically touch their targets, but Aizawa can do it from a distance!"

Kaminari's thoughts continued to swirl. "But there must be a limit. No Quirk is truly flawless. If I ever have to face Aizawa, I need to figure out how to deal with his ability."

His curiosity deepened as he observed Aizawa. The teacher's control over his bandages was also fascinating. "What's the deal with that? Is it another Quirk, or just some insane technique? Or maybe there's some kind of telekinesis involved?"

The more Kaminari analyzed Aizawa, the more intrigued he became. There was so much to learn, and he knew mastering these lessons would be key to his future success.

At that moment, Aizawa suddenly lashed out with his bandages, wrapping them tightly around Midoriya as if to make a point. Whatever he said, it had a visible effect on Midoriya, whose face turned pale. But, instead of crumbling, Midoriya's expression grew determined, his resolve hardening.

"He's not giving up." Kaminari watched closely as Midoriya returned to the pitching circle. Something had shifted. The boy's eyes were lit with a fierce intensity that hadn't been there before.

Midoriya prepared to throw again, and Kaminari's heartbeat quickened. He had a strange feeling about what was coming next. Something inside Midoriya had ignited, and Kaminari couldn't tear his eyes away.

Then he saw it.

Midoriya's finger began to glow, the light intensifying with each passing second.

"No way… His finger is glowing!"

Suddenly, Midoriya roared, "Smashhhhhhhh!"

With that cry, the white ball in his hand blasted forward, tearing through the air with a deafening boom, leaving a trail of white airwaves in its wake. The sheer power of the throw seemed to break the sound barrier.

"Boom!"

The air pressure from the throw caused an explosive sound that sent shockwaves across the field. Kaminari and the others shielded their ears from the noise, but that wasn't all. The ground itself rippled from the force, sand and dust kicking up in wild spirals around Midoriya.

Kaminari could only stare in disbelief. "What just happened?!" He looked up at the ball, now a distant dot in the sky. "That power... It might even rival my railgun. No, the range alone puts it way ahead!"

He wasn't the only one floored by the display. All eyes were on Midoriya now, including Bakugo's. The explosion-loving boy was speechless, his usual sneer replaced by wide-eyed shock. This entire time, he had believed Midoriya was Quirkless. Now, that belief was crumbling before his eyes.

For the first time in a long while, Kaminari felt like he was a background character, watching someone else take center stage. He glanced at Midoriya with a complicated mix of emotions, the gears in his head turning.

"705.3 meters!" Aizawa announced after checking the rangefinder, but before anyone could react, Midoriya called out.

"Sensei!" Midoriya's voice cracked with emotion. His entire body was trembling, but his expression remained resolute.

"I... I can still move!"

Those words echoed in the silent field, carrying a weight far heavier than anyone expected. Midoriya's tone, filled with pain and determination, struck something deep within Aizawa and, unbeknownst to the students, All Might, who was secretly observing from a distance.

Kaminari, still trying to process everything, analyzed what he had just seen. "So, his Quirk releases an explosive burst of power in a single moment?"

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If that's the case, I can handle it. As long as I avoid that one powerful hit, he shouldn't be much of a threat."

It was an instinctive reaction one that Kaminari couldn't help. Ever since he became fascinated with manga and Quirks, he had made a habit of analyzing different abilities and figuring out how he would deal with them in combat. It had become a game for him—a game he found endlessly fascinating.

The rest of the test went by quickly. Midoriya, having pushed his Quirk to its limit, didn't do anything noteworthy after that. It was as if his earlier display had drained him of all his power. Kaminari's suspicions were confirmed Midoriya's Quirk was probably an explosive, one-use ability, or perhaps it required time to charge up.

As the test concluded, Kaminari felt a sense of accomplishment. He had gained valuable insight into the abilities of his classmates, and more importantly, he now knew his own limitations. Quirks like Shoto Todoroki's, Ice abilities and Yaoyorozu Momo's creation power intrigued him the most.

"Man, everyone here is so impressive," Kaminari thought with a grin. But the smile didn't last long before he reminded himself, "My Quirk isn't bad either. In any world whether it's here or the Marvel Universe, lightning abilities are always top-tier."

With the test over, Aizawa stood in front of them. "The assessment is finished. You'll be given a lesson plan. Study it carefully. I don't want any of you being late or missing a class."

He turned on his heel, clearly intending to leave, but paused. "And remember... no matter how good you think you are, there's always room for improvement."

The students glanced at each other, then slowly began walking back to class in pairs or small groups.

"I wonder what the next class will be," Tetsutetsu mused, hands shoved into his pockets. He was excited about the prospect of using his Quirk again in the future. He also shot a glance at Midoriya, who was limping toward the infirmary. "That kid is seriously weird. He has a crazy strong Quirk, but he acts all weak and scared around that Bakugo guy."

His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried in the quiet space, enough for Bakugo to hear. Surprisingly, Bakugo, who had been fuming just moments earlier, didn't react. Instead, he stared at Midoriya's back, his expression dark and unreadable.

"You lied to me, Deku," Bakugo muttered under his breath, his hands sparking ominously.

Kaminari glanced at Bakugo, then leaned closer to Tetsutetsu. "Maybe he's not scared of him at all. Maybe he's just worried about accidentally hurting someone else with his power. It's a reasonable assumption, don't you think?"

He wasn't trying to provoke Bakugo, just voicing his thoughts out loud. Kaminari was someone who always spoke his mind, even if it ruffled a few feathers. He didn't believe in holding back when it came to voicing his opinions, especially when they made sense.

But the moment those words left his mouth, Bakugo froze in place. The air around him crackled as tiny explosions popped from his palms.

"What did you just say?!" Bakugo's voice was low, his gaze snapping toward Kaminari. His fiery temper was flaring once more.

********

Bonus chapter for 600 PS

I'm working on translating a Fate ff that I found really interesting. I've read up to chapter 60, and it's pretty decent overall. I've translated some of it, but since it's a typical Chinese ff, there's a fair bit of nationalism and some aspects of the MC's powers that might feel off-putting. But don't worry, I've edited and changed most of the elements that could make it unbearable.

If you're interested, I'd love for you to check it out and help me decide whether it's worth continuing to translate, or if I should wrap it up to avoid spending time on something that might not be well-received.

Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits

Also, please check out my One Piece: King of the World! It's a solid fic, though it doesn't have a lot of traction yet 🥲. Thanks