After going through so much, he finally recognized his own weaknesses and took a step forward.
The kind of person who understands what it takes to become a hero.
The kind of person who, when faced with towering walls and vast rivers, refuses to give up.
The kind of person who, even after feeling powerless and discouraged, chooses to move forward toward new goals with renewed determination.
The final exam for U.A. High School's Class 1-A ended amidst a whirlwind of victory, defeat, and the beautiful, unforgettable first kiss between a boy and a girl, like a sunset slowly sinking beyond the western mountains.
---
Saitama City
Kaminari and Tetsutetsu, both wearing their U.A. uniforms, dragged their weary bodies out of the crowded train station.
Behind them trailed 'Pikachu,' attracting curious stares from passersby. Excited children tugged at their parents' sleeves to point at the small, golden creature. But Kaminari and Tetsutetsu were used to the attention by now and paid it no mind.
"Still heading to the Daimon today?" Kaminari asked.
"I was planning to tell him that I passed the exam," Tetsutetsu sighed, his shoulders slumping.
"Planning to? Changed your mind already?"
"Yeah," Tetsutetsu admitted, glancing up at the twilight sky. "I don't know why, but the second I smelled the Saitama air, all I wanted to do was go home and take a hot bath."
Cars lined the highway beside them, headlights glowing like pearls on a never-ending chain. The distant hum of traffic filled the air.
"A bath, huh?" Kaminari folded his arms behind his head and grinned. "Now that you mention it… a hot soak sounds pretty nice."
"That's great!"
Kaminari arched an eyebrow. "What's great?"
Tetsutetsu clapped his hands together with excitement. "We can take a bath together!"
"...Now?"
"Yeah! Now!"
"Absolutely not." Kaminari's rejection was immediate.
In his mind, if he wasn't bathing alone, he'd rather be sharing the moment with his girlfriend. A bro bath? Hard pass.
"Why not?" Tetsutetsu asked, sounding genuinely hurt.
"No reason. Just no."
As Tetsutetsu opened his mouth to argue, Kaminari abruptly stopped and pointed toward the right side of the street.
"Looks like this is your turn-off. See you tomorrow."
"Wait—"
But Kaminari didn't stick around. He waved over his shoulder and walked briskly away, the streetlights casting a long shadow ahead of him.
Tetsutetsu watched him go with a disappointed sigh. "Man… a hot bath with the bros is a rare bonding moment."
Then his eyes lit up with inspiration. "I'll ask Kirishima next time! That guy might be a little dense, but he's definitely manly enough to appreciate a good soak!"
---
Kaminari didn't go straight home. Instead, he turned into a dimly lit alleyway and pulled out his phone.
The screen glowed faintly in the shadows, displaying a single unread message. The text was too small to read from a distance, but Kaminari's sharp eyes narrowed as he took in the contents.
Suddenly, a smooth, magnetic voice resonated from deeper within the alley. It carried the tone of a refined gentleman, confident, calm, and unnervingly pleasant.
"Kaminari-kun… you performed exceptionally well in the final exam. The result, however, was… less than ideal."
Kaminari's head snapped toward the voice.
From the shadows stepped a man dressed entirely in black: polished shoes, crisp suit, and a thick, ominous hood concealing his face.
"Still with the all-black look," Kaminari said, forcing himself to appear unfazed. "What's the deal? Colorblind?"
His casual tone was a mask. Internally, his muscles tensed, and his Quirk hummed in anticipation.
But then a realization hit him. His eyes narrowed. "Wait… how do you know my phone number? Actually, how did you see the exam in the first place?"
The man chuckled softly. "Kaminari-kun… if I want to see something, there's nothing in this country that can hide from me."
Kaminari's jaw tightened. So he's even more dangerous than I thought.
"Alright, fine. You win," Kaminari said after a moment. "Impressive stuff. Seriously. You've got the whole 'mysterious villain' vibe nailed down."
The hooded man tilted his head slightly. "Heh… I'm flattered."
The atmosphere thickened with tension.
"So," Kaminari said, shifting his weight slightly, "what do you want?"
"I'm here to give you a gift."
Kaminari froze.
Gift?
His mind raced. Only one thing came to mind, a possibility that made his heart pound in his chest.
The hooded man gave a knowing smile. "Ah… it seems you've guessed what it is."
He raised his right hand. A faint yellow glow formed in his palm, crackling with microscopic sparks of electricity.
The sight sent a chill down Kaminari's spine.
"Is that…?"
"Yes," the man confirmed, voice soft. "Exactly what you think. A Quirk perfectly suited for you."
---
Kaminari's pulse quickened.
"You mean that crazy idea I gave you actually worked?"
The man's hood shifted slightly in a nod. "Yes. You were right. You are, after all, a genius, Kaminari-kun."
Kaminari didn't respond. His brain buzzed with both excitement and dread.
"In recognition of the insights you provided," the hooded figure continued, "I've brought you a gift. Look closely."
The yellow light in his palm intensified. Kaminari squinted, recognizing tiny glowing particles floating toward the man's skin.
"Is that… electricity?"
"Indeed. This Quirk is called Electricity Absorbing Physique. It allows the user to passively absorb ambient electrical charge from the surrounding air."
The man took a step closer, his voice turning colder.
"The original owner of this Quirk couldn't release the absorbed electricity. Over time, it built up until it… exploded. His parents were terrified of him. His coworkers avoided him. Even his girlfriend left after being injured in one of those unpredictable discharges."
The man stopped a few feet away. The light from his palm illuminated Kaminari's face.
"When I found him, he was desperate, begging me to take his Quirk away. He wept with gratitude as I did. I still remember the tears of relief in his eyes."
Kaminari listened in silence.
There was something disturbingly compelling about the story. Whether it was true or not, the man's tone made it hard to dismiss.
"Okay," Kaminari finally said, licking his lips. "What's the price?"
"Price?" The hooded figure let out a low chuckle. "My dear Kaminari-kun… I said this was a gift. No strings attached."
The electricity in his palm crackled louder.
"So, Kaminari-kun… do you dare?"
The particles of energy swirled in the air like fireflies. The man's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Do you dare let me place it inside you?"
***
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