My Hero Academia: Thunder God

"Someone must bathe in blood… someone must awaken the true Heroes!"

"Bring it on… Come on, impostors!"

"The only one who can kill me is the true Hero... All Might!"

Stain's bold and extremist declaration echoed through the camp once again. This time, Kaminari was present, sitting alongside Edgeshot, watching the infamous video.

Kaminari's expression was frozen in shock.

"This… this can't be real…"

His thoughts spiraled as the realization hit him, leaving him visibly stunned.

"How… how is this guy's view of Heroes exactly like my own initial thoughts?!" Kaminari muttered, his voice trembling slightly. "The only difference is… he's more radical, more extreme. He actually acts on those beliefs."

It all clicked now—why Edgeshot had been watching him so carefully earlier. Of course anyone would suspect he'd been influenced by Stain after hearing his own musings on heroism.

"The difference," Edgeshot spoke, breaking Kaminari's thoughts, "is that you are an idealist, a dreamer, while Stain is an actionist. He carries out his vision, no matter the cost."

Edging out of his own shock, Kaminari frowned slightly, pondering Edgeshot's words.

"What do you think?" Edgeshot asked, his tone even and calm, yet clearly probing.

Kaminari was quiet for a moment, then answered, "To be honest, I agree with some of his ideals. But his methods? No. I don't agree with that at all."

Edgeshot's gaze sharpened. "Then let me ask you, if it were up to you, how would you approach it?"

The question hung heavily in the air, and Kaminari knew its importance. After a moment of contemplation, he began to answer.

"First of all," Kaminari started, his tone thoughtful, "Stain's method—hunting Heroes—doesn't actually solve anything. It doesn't address the root of the problem he's trying to fix."

"Go on," Edgeshot prompted, his tone measured, though he felt tension creeping up his spine.

Kaminari continued, his gaze calm and steady. "The current professional Heroes system wasn't created by the Heroes themselves. It's a product of government policy and societal structures. If Stain's issue is with the system, then killing a few Heroes does nothing to change that. All he's doing is treating the symptoms instead of curing the disease."

Edgeshot remained silent but couldn't help the faint unease settling over him. Kaminari's words were strikingly perceptive—perhaps even too perceptive for someone so young.

"And what would you do?" Edgeshot asked carefully, palms beginning to sweat despite his composed demeanor.

Kaminari didn't miss a beat. "If I were truly determined to change the Heroes system, I wouldn't have applied to the Hero course in the first place. I would've entered the general studies program, gotten into a top university, and pursued law and politics instead."

"Law and politics?" Edgeshot echoed, his surprise evident.

"Exactly," Kaminari said, his voice confident now. "If the issue lies within the system, then the solution is to enter the system and reform it from within. That's the only way to create real change."

As Kaminari spoke, his thoughts drifted momentarily. He imagined an alternate version of himself—one who had chosen that path, fighting through the bureaucracy and navigating political power structures to enact reform.

People with powerful imaginations like Kaminari's could envision entire lifetimes in mere moments.

"In modern society, the so-called Hero system only has the name 'Hero,' but Heroes themselves hold no real influence over it," Kaminari concluded with a hint of bitterness.

Edgeshot blinked, genuinely taken aback by Kaminari's depth of thought. For all the youth's carefree and sometimes reckless demeanor, his insight was undeniable.

"When did you start thinking about these things?" Edgeshot asked, his curiosity winning out.

Kaminari smiled wryly, rubbing the back of his head. "Probably right before I applied to the Hero course. I figured if I was going to become a Hero, I should think deeply about what Heroes actually are."

Edgeshot's mouth twitched slightly. Was he being serious right now? he wondered.

"If you understood all this," Edgeshot asked, "why didn't you take the path you just described? Why choose the Hero course?"

Kaminari shrugged nonchalantly. "Just because I can see the problem doesn't mean I want to dedicate my life to solving it. Seeing something clearly and committing to it are two very different things."

He leaned back slightly, his tone light and unbothered. "Let's face it—fixing something that massive would be exhausting. Besides, I chose the Hero course because it sounded fun. What's not to like? Getting a Hero license, helping people now and then, and being a star? Sounds like a good time."

Edgeshot blinked, struggling to process the casualness of Kaminari's response. In all his years as a Hero, he'd never met someone who viewed the profession with such… flippancy.

"Alright, Master," Kaminari said with a grin, throwing up his hands. "Does that clear it up? Stain and I couldn't be more different."

Edgeshot exhaled slowly. "It does," he admitted, though his gaze remained serious. "But let me say this, Kaminari."

He locked eyes with his student, his tone firm but not unkind.

"I don't ever want to find us standing on opposite sides of the battlefield one day."

"Neither do I," Kaminari replied softly. Internally, he added, As long as my family is here, as long as they're safe, I'll follow the rules for the rest of my life.

With that, Kaminari returned to his cabin while Edgeshot disappeared into the forest, muttering about needing something other than grilled fish for dinner.

Kaminari exhaled deeply as he settled onto the tatami mat, his thoughts swirling. The video and conversation had left him unsettled, though he wouldn't show it.

"Stain, huh…" he murmured, staring at the ceiling. "If I'd been born into a different life… maybe I would've ended up like him."

His mind wandered to a hypothetical scenario, meeting Stain earlier, perhaps even joining him. Together, they could've formed an organization dedicated to rooting out corruption in Hero society. Something grand. Something powerful.

"An alternate version of Akatsuki, huh?" Kaminari mused aloud, chuckling at the absurdity of his own thoughts. "Except instead of chasing tailed beasts, we'd hunt corrupt Heroes."

The idea amused him, but only briefly. His life now, despite its complications, was too precious to trade for something so dangerous.

With a small smile, Kaminari pushed those fleeting fantasies aside.

"My life's pretty good as it is," he murmured. Then, with a sharp clap of his hands, he called out, "Pikachu, contact Dr. Tenma."

"Yes, Master," the AI replied smoothly, its familiar tone grounding Kaminari as he refocused on the tasks ahead.

***

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