My Hero Academia: Thunder God

Kaminari ignored the fat man's absurd request for a stronger Pokémon and calmly ordered Pikachu to take action. The next moment, 300 kilograms of golden sand swirled in the air, transforming into waves that crashed toward the villains from all directions.

"Retreat!"

Seeing the golden sand surging toward them, the purple-glowing leader wasted no time. He grabbed the scarred man and the fat man and began to flee.

"Nokawa, cut a path! Fatty, cover our backs!"

"Leave it to me," the scarred man replied, still floating mid-air due to the leader's telekinesis. He moved to the front, his blade-like arms ready to carve through the sand.

"Got it…" the fat man muttered, sounding a little dejected. Even as he followed orders, he couldn't stop thinking about the feeling of holding Pikachu earlier—and the electrifying jolt of 100,000 volts he'd received.

"I really want to experience that again…"

His gaze lingered on Pikachu standing near Kaminari, his eyes becoming misty. It was clear he genuinely adored Pokémon.

During his time as a wanted man, hiding from the law, watching Pokémon had been his sole comfort. It was the only thing that brought him happiness and relief from his pain and fear.

Shiiing—clang!

At the front, the scarred man's blade-arm slashed into the golden sand wave, but no matter how much force he exerted, he couldn't move forward an inch.

"This isn't normal sand!"

Suddenly, the scarred man felt a constricting force on his arm. As he tried to pull back, he realized the sand had wrapped around him tightly. Golden grains spread along his arm like an army of crawling ants.

Panic filled his face as he struggled futilely, his movements growing frantic.

Behind him, the purple-glowing leader let out a low grunt. The purple light surrounding him surged, shaking off the sand threatening to entangle the scarred man.

At the same time, sweat appeared on the leader's forehead, revealing the strain he was under.

"Oh?"

From above, Kaminari observed the scene with interest. His sharp gaze fixed on the purple-glowing man. "I'm curious. Why are you still flying with them?

"Your Quirk must have a cost. So why not save your strength and focus on breaking through instead of wasting it on floating?"

His words were direct, pointing out the inefficiency of the leader's actions.

Hearing Kaminari's question, the purple-glowing man visibly flinched. Ignoring the confused looks from his companions, he silently lowered them all to the ground.

"Pfft!"

Watching this, Kyoka couldn't hold back her laughter. "What's with that guy?"

"Pika, pika!" Pikachu nodded in agreement, shaking its head as if mocking the villains' poor decision-making.

"Well, what they did was pretty dumb…" Kaminari admitted, smirking as he observed the trio now struggling on the ground to fend off the golden sand's relentless assault.

Their efforts didn't last long. The golden sand overwhelmed them, binding their bodies tightly. Soon, they were dragged toward Kaminari and Kyoka, completely subdued.

Except for their heads, the trio was entirely encased in golden sand, unable to move.

Kaminari turned his attention to the fat man, who was still staring longingly at Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"Fat man, let me ask you something. Back in the carriage, you said you were a fan of mine. Was that true, or were you just acting?"

The fat man pursed his lips before softly replying, "It's true."

"…It's true, huh?"

Kaminari's expression softened slightly as he realized the fat man's acting had been so convincing because he hadn't been acting at all. He'd simply been himself.

This revelation eased Kaminari's hostility toward him, though it didn't mean he'd let him go.

"What I said earlier still stands," Kaminari said.

"Huh?"

The fat man blinked in confusion before realizing what Kaminari meant. Gratitude filled his face, and he smiled sincerely. "Thank you. As long as I can still see Pokémon, I don't care where I am."

Kaminari nodded, appreciating the fat man's genuine love for the franchise. Out of curiosity, he asked another question.

"By the way, what's the deal with your 'immunity' Quirk? Are there any limits to it?"

Ordinarily, asking about someone's Quirk restrictions was considered rude, but the fat man didn't seem to mind.

"If it bothers you—" Kaminari began, but the fat man interrupted him.

"It's fine," the fat man said, smiling wryly. "My Quirk lets me become immune to all damage, but it burns through my body fat to do so."

"…" Kaminari paused, processing the explanation.

"What an enviable ability," Kyoka remarked, sounding genuinely impressed.

"There's not much to envy," Kaminari replied, shaking his head. "If he wants to stay immune for extended periods, he has to remain overweight all the time.

"It's similar to Momo's Quirk. Have you ever seen her let herself gain weight just to improve her abilities?"

Kyoka thought about it and nodded in agreement. "That's true. She wouldn't give up her figure just to get stronger."

"Exactly. Momo still prioritizes looking good, like most girls do. But if she ever chose to bulk up like this guy, her power would skyrocket," Kaminari concluded.

The envy Kyoka had felt earlier quickly faded. Between strength and beauty, she firmly chose the latter.

With the trio restrained, Kaminari retracted the golden sand from the surrounding area, leaving only the portion binding their bodies. Then he led them off the railway tracks to a nearby roadside.

Shortly after, the professional Heroes and police arrived in response to Pikachu's earlier call. Two police cars pulled up as the Heroes began assessing the situation.

The villains were handcuffed and searched, but the Heroes found no injuries on them. They turned to Kaminari and praised him for his skill, especially after learning he was a student at U.A.'s Hero Course.

Kaminari didn't linger on their compliments. As the fat man was about to be pushed into a police car, Kaminari quickly walked over and handed him the notebook he'd signed earlier.

Looking the fat man in the eyes, he spoke sincerely.

"Even though this will probably get confiscated, I want you to have it. And… thank you for being a fan. It's my honor, Kaminari Denki."

Kaminari's words left everyone—Kyoka, the Heroes, the police, and even the other villains—silent.

"Thank you… thank you…"

The fat man stared at Kaminari, his emotions bubbling to the surface. Finally, he broke down, tears streaming down his face as he choked out apologies between sobs.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Thank you!"

Two minutes later, Kaminari, Kyoka, and Pikachu stood silently by the roadside, watching the police cars disappear into the distance.

"What's his name?" Kyoka asked suddenly. She found herself curious about the fat man's identity.

Kaminari paused for a moment, then smiled. "I didn't ask. But I'd rather find out when he's out of prison and tells me himself."

With that, he turned to Kyoka.

"Let's go. Dr. Tenma is still waiting for us."

"Yeah…"

The city lights shimmered in the night, forming a river of brilliance stretching far into the distance. Amid this ever-moving stream of life, the young boy and girl walked forward, their thoughts full of memories, heading toward the next story waiting to unfold.