Defeat.

Kaminari barely has a moment to catch his breath before the Nomu launches itself forward, every bit of its movement a rabid blur of flesh and metal. The mechanical whir of chainsaws and the rhythmic clanking of the hammer in place of its arms close in on him, slicing through the night air. It feels like staring down an executioner's blade, and for the first time, Kaminari can feel a deep, raw fear creeping in beneath his skin. He's alone in this. One wrong move, and it's over.

His mind races back to Aizawa's training camp lecture. Power—control—it wasn't just about reining himself in anymore but knowing how to amplify everything. Control the energy output, focus the amperage, raise the voltage…

He slides sideways, narrowly dodging a drill that plunges into the earth where he'd just stood, gouging up mud and rocks. The force of the strike sends a spray of debris against his back, and he stumbles. The Nomu is relentless, already twisting its limbs to bring the serrated teeth of a chainsaw down toward his shoulder.

With a snap decision, Kaminari grips his hands together and redirects his charge inward, pushing his limits to feel the raw hum of current buzz through his veins. If he's to fight to survive, he'll need every ounce of force.

In a flash, he raises the amperage of his output, fueling the current through his muscles. The surge makes his body feel electric, raw power rippling up his arms. He lunges forward, throwing a bolt of lightning from his hand aimed directly at the Nomu's torso. This isn't just a flashy shock—it's a direct hit with raised voltage, designed to penetrate deep, to burn.

"THOR'S HAMMER!"

The strike hits at the creature's solar plexus, the following detonation hurled the creature away, as did Kaminari, who struggled to keep balance. The Nomu stumbles back, its malformed limbs jittering from the attack, but its flesh mends almost immediately at the point of impact. It retaliates with a grinding, metallic swing of a saw-tipped arm that clips Kaminari across the ribs, tearing through his shirt and nearly grazing his skin. Pain floods his senses, but he grits his teeth, focusing.

It didn't even budge. If current alone won't take it down… He thinks, scrambling backward, …I need to ramp up the voltage.

He channels his quirk, this time letting the volts climb higher, charging energy to increase the destructive force behind each shock. Electricity crackles around him as he lets it build, feeling the burning in his muscles as the strain mounts. He has to force his body to take it, to hold each bolt until he can barely stand it himself. He'll have one chance.

"ROARING...

The Nomu charges again, but Kaminari meets it midway and slams his hands forward, releasing a supercharged electric blast into its chest cavity.

... THUNDER!"

The air crackles with raw power as the attack connects, shattering against the creature's frame with a blinding flare of golden-white light as the point of impact detonates. The Nomu falters, for the first time truly halted by the force as it's body uncontrollably seizures and falls into the ground. Kaminari, even for a fraction of a second, hoped it was over.

Yet, it growls and jerks back up, the six ghastly arms extending out, clawing at the ground as it steadies itself for another charge. For the briefest moment, Kaminari's heart stutters. He'd given it all, the hard earned 30% he thought he had, and it still wasn't enough. But then he recalls Aizawa's words about control: "You have untapped potential, a reserve of energy your body never dared to use."

If he could push himself past the edge—just once, without collapsing…

Without a choice, Kaminari readies himself, summoning all his courage to raise the current and voltage even higher. Each cell of his body feels strained to breaking, but he leans into the charge, forcing himself to become a weapon, pushing his quirk's very limits. This time, there would be no holding back. 

The Nomu leaps onto the air as it slams the claw hammer onto a rock, missing by inches Kaminari's head. Smart, it knows I need to recharge, it won't give me time.

Kaminari barely had time to breathe, the smell of scorched earth and his own burning energy thick in the air around him. He staggered back a step, eyes fixed on the Nomu in front of him, which now looked even more rabid, its saws are rotating, jagged attachments dripping with debris. It dropped the muzzle it was biting down to, revealing sets of sharp teeth.

The six-arm monstrosity moved with relentless ferocity, each tool whirling with a vicious intent to tear him apart.

Kaminari surged backwards, attempting to create enough distance to strike, but the Nomu closed the gap, its serrated arms slashing through the air with shocking speed.

Twisting his body at the nick of time, narrowly dodging a spinning saw that grazed his shoulder, the heat of its friction searing his skin.

But there was no time to register the pain. In a blur of motion, the Nomu's other arm swept up, the blunt end of a hammer-like fist smashing into Kaminari's ribcage, knocking the wind out of him. He staggered, losing his footing as the impact reverberated through.

The world tilted as Kaminari tumbled backward. He scrambled to regain his balance, but the Nomu was already upon him, relentless and unstoppable. It struck again, this time with a blinding speed that sent him sprawling onto the ground.

Kaminari's vision blurred as he felt the jagged earth scrape against his back, his entire body jolted by the impact. His arms shook as he tried to push himself up, but the Nomu's weight bore down on him, its massive frame casting a shadow over him like a shroud of darkness. One hand shot out, seizing his arm and pinning it against the ground, while another pressed heavily against his legs, trapping him.

Struggling, Kaminari looked up into the Nomu's empty, merciless eyes. An evil grin formed as drool escaped it's hot and humid mouth. The spinning drill on its free arm began to whir, the high-pitched sound drilling into his ears as it lowered toward his chest, inch by inch. The sharp tip gleamed, catching the light as it drew closer to his heart, promising a brutal, unstoppable end.

Kaminari's breath came in ragged gasps as he strained, desperate to escape, his heartbeat pounding wildly. He pushed back with every ounce of his strength, but the Nomu's weight was crushing, relentless.

Panic gripped him, icy and paralyzing. He could feel his strength wavering, his vision beginning to blur from the pressure. Desperation clawed at him, and he tried to summon every last bit of his power, charging up, but the Nomu kept his hands pinned, his body helpless under its relentless hold.

The drill inched closer, the scream of the spinning tip mingling with the heavy silence of the forest.

Pinned to the cold, unforgiving ground, Kaminari struggles beneath the unyielding weight of the Tool Nomu. His entire body shakes as he presses his arm against the Nomu's chest, trying desperately to shove it off. But his arm trembled from exhaustion, and the monstrous creature's drill-arm looms ever closer, the sharp, grinding teeth of the tools shrieking in harmony as it inches toward his chest. He can hear it slice through the air, feel the vibrations rattling through his ribcage, each second bringing him closer to the point of no return.

Kaminari grits his teeth, beads of sweat and blood mixing down his face, heart pounding in his ears as the Nomu leans down, its grotesque, blackened mouth gaping open. He feels hot, rancid breath against his face, sees the rows of razor-sharp teeth, ready to tear into him. Panic claws at him as he realizes just how close he is to death—closer than ever before, and with no one coming to his rescue.

His arms begin to give under the Nomu's weight, and he can see the drill-arm's jagged teeth descending, about to pierce his chest. His mind races, filling with fear, the realization that he might not make it crashing down upon him. For the first time, Kaminari feels utterly, helplessly terrified, his vision narrowing as survival instincts scream for an escape that isn't there.

But in the depths of his fear, something primal flickers. No. Not like this, he thinks, anger flaring. He remembers every face he's fought for—his classmates, his friends, his sister Ana. The fear shifts, raw desperation flooding his veins as he lets out a guttural, defiant scream.

With a final burst of strength, Kaminari thrusts his hand up, shoving his arm elbow-deep into the Nomu's mouth, right down its throat. The Nomu's expression widens as its grotesque mouth closes instinctively around his arm, teeth sinking into his flesh. But Kaminari doesn't flinch. He steadies his hand, focusing everything he has left, charging the energy within him.

With every ounce of resolve, he activates his final move.

Burn, you motherf-

"CRITICAL... OVERLOAD!"

His lightning scars light up as they grown larger, an entire storm surges through him, searing and blinding, pushing past his limit breaker. The Nomu jerks violently, twitching as the energy condenses within. Kaminari can feel the burning, the energy so intense that his own nerves are ablaze, but he holds on, his arm wedged in place. His body trembles as he sends everything—every spark, every jolt, every amp—into the Nomu, forcing his quirk to its absolute limit and beyond.

Its insides burst with a searing blaze, every cavity emmiting blue light, and the Nomu thrashes, trying to pull back, but the power surging through its core is unstoppable, it's muscles locked in place. The crackling grows louder, intensifying until, finally, Kaminari feels the Nomu shudder. And then, with a blinding flash and a deafening crack, it happens.

The Nomu detonates from within. The following explosion glassing the ground beneath their feet as the trees around them are flattened from the air burst.

Kaminari is thrown backward by the shockwave, landing hard on the scorched earth. His vision blurs as he collapses onto his back, his arm scorched and munched, chest numb from the strain, not a spark remaining.

Smoke and embers drift in the air around him as he lies motionless on the ground, the singed remnants of the Nomu scattered beside him. He's exhausted, broken, his body beyond its breaking point. Darkness edges into his vision, and the last thing he hears is the faint, distant echo of the forest around him.

Everything fades as he slips into unconsciousness.

...

"Yaoyorozu, you musn't move!" Awase pleads with difficulty, his wounds caused by the Nomu are staggering.

"Never mind me... Kaminari needs us!" A sudden sharp pain almost makes her legs buckle, but she marches forward, the explosion heard and subsequent shockwave had them wide awake, the ground shaking them out of uncounsciousness. Awase reluctant follows behind, paying very close attention to Yaoyorozu as he feels she will collapse at any second.

Now closer, their noses are overwhelmed, the air was thick with smoke and the acrid scent of burnt flesh, the ground was scorched, marking the aftermath of the battle. Yaoyorozu and Awase stumbled toward the scene, exhaustion clinging to their limbs, but adrenaline pushed them forward. Each step felt like a challenge as they navigated the debris and remnants of the confrontation, dread pooling in their stomachs as the sight of the chaos came into view.

When they finally reached the clearing, Yaoyorozu's heart sank. There, amidst the charred earth, laid Kaminari, motionless and vulnerable. Panic surged through her, and she rushed to his side, her breath hitching in her throat as tears welled in her eyes.

"Kaminari!" she called out, desperation lacing her voice as she thought the worst.

At the sound of her frantic plea, Kaminari's eyes fluttered open. Blinking against the haze of pain and confusion, he slowly registered Yaoyorozu's face hovering above him, illuminated by the dim moonlight filtering through the trees. Her tears glimmered like jewels, tracing down her cheeks as she held his gaze, relief and fear mingling in her expression.

"Kaminari, please," she whispered, choking on her sobs. "Stay with me."

He attempted to smile, but the effort sent sharp pain lancing through him.

"I'm... good..." he croaked, voice hoarse, the reassurance feeling like a fragile lie. The reality of their situation crashed back down on him as he pushed himself up slightly, wincing. "What about you two?"

Awase stood a few paces away, panting and wide-eyed, trying to take in the horror unfolding before him. "I'm here. What the hell happened here, dude?" he replied, though his voice was shaky, glancing nervously toward the remnants of the battle.

Just then, a low growl broke through the tension, and all three of them froze, their hearts racing. The Nomu, despite its injuries, began to rise from the ground, staggering to its feet, its grotesque form barely holding together. Its shut eye sockets glared at them, bloodied and furious, but instead of attacking, the creature turned away, retreating into the darkness of the forest, leaving them shaken and bewildered.

"What...?" Kaminari managed to say, confusion etched on his face as he watched the Nomu disappear. It didn't make sense; it should have finished them off.

Yaoyorozu shook her head, refocusing on the task at hand. "We need to track it! It could be heading for the others." She took a deep breath, her resolve solidifying as she reached into her utility pouch. "I'll create a tracker. Awase, can you weld it into its skin? We can follow it back to their base."

Awase stepped forward, now more focused. "Yeah, let's do this. I can weld it in quickly." He took the tracker and prepared to do his part, rushing after the Nomu, who seemed unbothered by the incoming student. Awase quickly used his quirk to 'weld' the tracker into the Nomu's back.

Yaoyorozu looked back at Kaminari, who was still trying to process the events that had unfolded. "Kaminari," she said softly, her heart swelling with a mix of admiration and worry. "I was so scared—I thought I-... We'd lost you."

He met her gaze, and for a moment, the world around them faded away. "I am not going nowhere..." he confessed, the gravity of the fight still weighing heavily on his chest. "Not when you all needed me."

She reached out, brushing her fingers against his cheek, her touch gentle and reassuring. "You fool..." Her voice trembled slightly, her heart pounding in her chest. "Don't act so recklessly!"

He nodded, his spirits lifted just a little by her words, warmth spreading through him despite the pain. "I'll try." he echoed, the bond between them feeling even more profound in that moment.

As Kaminari and Yaoyorozu shared their moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the clearing. Kendo and Tetsutetsu burst onto the scene, their expressions a mix of concern and determination.

"Kaminari! Yaoyorozu!" Kendo called out, scanning the area and spotting the two students kneeling on the ground. "Are you both okay?"

Tetsutetsu, his brow furrowed, quickly approached them, ready to offer support. "What happened? Where's the villains—"

Yaoyorozu straightened up, a surge of relief flooding her as she saw her friends. "We're alright, but it was close. A Nomu attacked us, but we-No... Kaminari managed to fend it off. He fought bravely," she explained, her voice tinged with pride as she glanced at him.

Kendo knelt beside Kaminari, concern flooding her features as she sees the wounds inflicted. It's like she can't grasp what they have faced in the timeframe it took her and Tetsutetsu to get there. His body is covered with lacerations and bruises, his arm burned and mangled beyond recognition, Yaoyorozu and Awase are also gravely injured.

"We need to find help. You guys need medical attention urgently!"

Tetsutetsu moved closer, assessing the situation. "We should get you both back to the lodge. There are medics there who can help."

As they regrouped, Kendo's expression shifted to something more serious. She glanced at Kaminari, the gravity of her words weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Kaminari," she began, her voice low and steady, "there's something you guys need to know."

Kaminari's heart raced, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Kendo took a deep breath, steeling herself. "The villains… they managed to capture Bakugou."

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating and ominous. Kaminari's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. "What? How? When?"

Kendo shook her head, frustration evident in her tone. "We don't know all the details yet. I heard it from some of the other students who managed to escape."

Awase and Tetsutetsu exchanged grim looks, the tension palpable. "We can't let them keep him," he urged, his fists clenching. "He's one of us!"

"Hush, Tetsutetsu!" Kendo said, her gaze hardening. "Right now they need medical attention! Leave this to the pros."

Kaminari felt a surge of anger and desperation. Bakugou was more than just a classmate; he was a rival, but also a friend. He tried to speak once more, but the pain was too much this time.

Yaoyorozu stepped closer, determination in her eyes. "Calm down, Kaminari. Right now the priority is getting us to safety."

A sudden, familiar feeling wrapped around all of them as a recognizable voice appeared inside their minds.

"Attention! All students, the villains have withdrawn, Pro heroes are on the way! Make yourselves visible and form groups if possible!"

Mandalay's voice and reassurance did little to calm their feelings. As Yaoyorozu began to move and create another flare, Kaminari couldn't shake the feeling of dread gnawing at his insides.

We can't let this be. We can't leave him in their hands...

Even if his feelings are urging him to do something, the clear feeling of defeat lingered. In the end, the villains succeeded.