My Hero Academia: Thunder God

In the days that followed, Kaminari's life returned to normal.

Every morning, he woke up early and took the subway to Omiya Park for his usual morning jog. Sometimes, he was joined by Midnight-sensei, but as she'd told him before, she wasn't the type to push him hard. She kept her word, too—if she said they'd stop at 5:30, they'd stop at exactly 5:30, not a minute more. When time was up, she'd just give him a nod and head off without him needing to say a word.

This made Kaminari grow quite fond of her as a teacher.

Moreover, during their jogs, he'd pick up tidbits about Hero laws from Midnight, along with tips on handling various emergencies without using his Quirk. Though it might seem trivial to some, Kaminari knew that this knowledge could be a game-changer in a crisis.

Meanwhile, with the efforts of pro heroes and the police, the media frenzy about the "hero attacks" started to die down, gradually being washed away by other news stories. Sure, a few people still whispered about it here and there, but it no longer dominated headlines. If anyone took the time to think about it, they'd remember, but for most people, it was a closed chapter. After all, no one had died in the incident—no students, no teachers. If that had been the case, the story would've been much different.

As the buzz around hero attacks faded, a new craze took over the Japanese entertainment scene: "Aim to Be a Pokémon Master," a song Kaminari had released with his Pikachu Band.

To be fair, it wasn't that the song was some musical masterpiece. The hype was largely thanks to a brilliant marketing campaign. After all, Kaminari's band had the backing of two major partners:

Mitsui and the Yaoyorozu family.

These two titans of industry weren't exactly entertainment-focused, but with their massive financial resources, they could make anything popular with the snap of their fingers.

And now, the two of them had joined forces.

The results were immediate and overwhelming. Almost every major website in Japan was plastered with photos of Kaminari, Kyoka, and Momo, along with eye-catching ads for the song. And as the cherry on top, it was promoted as the official theme for Pikachu's new anime, Pokémon.

The marketing team was clever. Framing the song as part of the "Pokémon" launch not only promoted the song itself but also built up anticipation for the anime.

Soon enough, Japanese netizens were looking at the posters featuring Kaminari and Pikachu, surrounded by various adorable Pokémon, and humming along to the catchy tune of "Aim to Be a Pokémon Master." People who hadn't been particularly interested in the anime found themselves curious about Pokémon.

To fan the flames even further, Kaminari's father smartly posted sneak peeks and character designs of new Pokémon on the company's official website, keeping the hype alive.

The results? Kaminari was famous. Kyoka was famous. Even Momo was famous.

This wasn't just a small spark—it was a full-blown wildfire, especially in cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Their faces could be seen everywhere, from subway stations to billboards. Mitsui and Yaoyorozu were clearly sparing no expense. When companies that size decide to back something, they don't hold back. They go all out.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in Akihabara, Japan's otaku hub. Although the anime hadn't even aired yet, the streets were already filled with claw machines stocked with Pokémon plushies. These cute Pokémon characters were already drawing crowds.

The machines had four plushie options: Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and, of course, Pikachu. Unlike the others, though, Pikachu was a rare find—just one per machine.

It seemed that even the Japanese knew how to play up exclusivity.

Everywhere you looked, posters of the Pokémon anime lined the streets, and "Aim to Be a Pokémon Master" played in a constant loop. By the end of a few days, even casual passersby could hum parts of the song.

All that was left was the official release.

Finally, the big day arrived. It was Saturday, and Kaminari's father and Mitsui had decided to premiere the anime over the weekend. Two episodes would air on Sunday, and after that, it'd be one episode every Saturday.

Around noon, Kaminari decided to skip his usual cafeteria lunch and headed to Kyoka's house instead. He was going to meet someone important.

"Hello, ma'am!"

The moment he followed Kyoka inside, Kaminari was greeted by her mother, a striking woman with purple hair and an artistic air. She had the same distinctive ear-jack earlobes as her daughter, and Kaminari bowed respectfully as he greeted her.

"Welcome!"

Kyoka's mother adjusted her glasses and smiled warmly. "You must be Kaminari Denki, my daughter's band leader."

"My little Kyoka always talks about you."

Kaminari couldn't help but glance at Jiro beside him, surprised.

"M-Mom!!"

Kyoka's face turned a deep shade of red as she spluttered, "Don't say things like that!"

It was clear that, for all her tough exterior, she was still a bit of a shy girl in front of her mom.

"Alright, alright, come in," her mother chuckled, leading them inside. "Kazama's already upstairs."

"Is he?" Kyoka raised an eyebrow, her embarrassment quickly replaced by her usual confidence. "So why isn't he down here already?"

Her mother just chuckled, glancing at Kaminari with a knowing look. "He's about to face the most important interview of his life, or so he thinks. He's upstairs in your room, playing the piano to calm his nerves."

"Playing the piano to relieve stress?" Kaminari couldn't help but smile to himself, finding the situation amusing. He gestured for Jiro to lead the way up to the second floor. Her mother, meanwhile, went to the kitchen, saying she'd prepare some snacks.

As they approached Kyoka's room, Kaminari could hear the faint sound of an electronic keyboard playing "Aim to Be a Pokémon Master."

"Huh… I wonder if that's a coincidence or if he's really trying to make an impression." Kaminari thought with a smirk and motioned for Jiro to open the door.

Creaaak—

As the door opened, Kaminari's smile froze. It wasn't that the playing was especially good or bad—it was the sheer volume.

"Come on in!" Jiro grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him inside, closing the door behind them to muffle the noise.

"Ugh, what's up with Kazama? He's copying my worst habit—cranking the volume all the way up…" Kyoka muttered, looking annoyed as she glanced at the blue-haired boy who was completely engrossed in the music.

Kaminari sighed, leaning close to Jiro's ear. "Should we let him know we're here? We don't have much time."

"Ehh… I don't know…" Kyoka replied, leaning back towards him with a sigh. "Kazama's… well, he's a gentle soul. A bit too kind for his own good, really. But when he gets mad… he really gets mad."

Luckily, it seemed Kazama was finishing up. As they waited, the last few notes of the song trailed off, and the blue-haired boy finally took his hands off the keyboard.

As he looked up, his gaze landed on Kaminari and Kyoka, who stood there looking a little too close for comfort.

But Kazama, dressed in his black school uniform with blue hair and piercing blue eyes, seemed to see only one person.

"Kyoka!"