Chapter 43: The Way of The Raikage

The decision to form the 'Pikachu' band was made so casually during lunch that Jiro only began to process her emotions after returning to the classroom.

"Wait... I'm already in a band with Kaminari?!"

Oh, right, and the band's name... Pikachu?

In her mind, an image popped up of a bright yellow electric mouse, shredding on an electric guitar and jamming out to "Only My Railgun."

"Pfft—"

Jiro couldn't help but laugh out loud, smiling to herself. "That's a pretty cute name, actually."

At that moment, the sound of steady footsteps echoed from outside the door. Before the door even opened, a familiar voice boomed into the room.

"Wa-ta-shi-ga-kitaa!!"

The moment that voice reached the classroom, Midoriya was the first to react. While most people were only somewhat familiar with the voice, Midoriya had no doubt. He knew that voice by heart.

*BANG—*

"Come in through the door normally!!"

The door swung open violently, and in the next moment, the towering figure of All Might stepped into Class A.

"Ohhh—"

"Whoa!!"

"It's All Might!!"

"I can't believe it! He really is a teacher here at U.A.!"

Excitement rippled through the class. Most of the students couldn't contain their enthusiasm at seeing Japan's strongest Hero. Even usually composed students like Shoto Todoroki and Yaoyorozu Momo looked impressed.

After all, this man wasn't just any Hero—he was the "Symbol of Peace", recognized as the greatest Hero of the modern era. Everyone had grown up hearing stories about him or seeing him on TV. For most students, this was a surreal moment.

There might be kids in Japan who didn't know the Prime Minister's name, but there wasn't a single person who didn't know who All Might was.

"Finally, I get to meet All Might in person."

Kaminari wasn't as starstruck as some of the others, but he still acknowledged All Might's presence with due respect. There was no denying the awe-inspiring aura surrounding the man. Kaminari had watched enough videos to know that All Might's power was on a completely different level compared to other Pro Heroes.

Even Endeavor, Japan's second-ranked Hero, didn't quite measure up to All Might in terms of raw strength and impact in battle.

One particular video stuck in Kaminari's mind, a short clip that only lasted about thirty seconds. It showed All Might fighting a villain with a cloning Quirk.

With just one punch—

The sheer air pressure from a simple straight punch sent nearly twenty clones and the ground beneath them flying hundreds of meters into the air.

And in the final moments of the video, Kaminari could faintly see layers of clouds being dispersed by the force of All Might's punch, which he later confirmed after multiple viewings.

Kaminari still remembered how that day he couldn't help but blurt out the words, "One Punch Man." His father, not understanding the reference, even praised him for the apt description.

In his mind, All Might was akin to a living, breathing nuclear bomb in human form. As he stood at the podium, Kaminari couldn't help but acknowledge the sheer destructive potential this man held.

All Might struck a pose similar to that of a bodybuilder and, with a voice that had inspired hope in countless people, announced:

"Without further ado, today's lesson is…"

"Combat training!!"

The one who reacted most excitedly was, unsurprisingly, Bakugo, who had been itching for a fight. His mind instantly conjured up scenarios of facing off against Midoriya, Kaminari, and Tetsutetsu, imagining glorious victories in each battle.

Needless to say, in his mind, he was never the one getting beaten.

"And with that comes this!"

"Look here!"

All Might gestured toward the wall, where four rows of large cabinets slid open, revealing rows of boxes marked with green numbers.

"These are your battle uniforms, customized based on the 'Quirk Reports' and 'Requirement Ideas' you submitted before enrollment!"

"Whoa!!"

Kirishima, Tetsutetsu, and others couldn't hide their excitement. They hadn't expected to be putting on their own Hero costumes so soon!

At that moment, All Might's gaze fell on Kaminari, who had been quietly observing him. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, Kaminari was caught off guard.

All Might smiled warmly, thinking Kaminari might be one of his fans, similar to Midoriya.

"Young Kaminari, your battle suit was temporarily transferred to a different support company, so the newest version hasn't been completed yet. For today, you'll be using the one crafted by your previous support team."

"Got it."

Kaminari nodded, then walked over to retrieve his gear. Once he returned to his seat, he didn't immediately open the package like the others. Instead, he glanced at his right hand and thought to himself, "If the electric gloves are still part of the set, then it's good enough."

He shook his head slightly, resigning himself to the temporary gear. He then turned his attention to the white and gold battle suit laid out on the desk. Compared to some of his classmates' armored or high-tech suits, his outfit was rather simple.

It consisted of a white robe with gold accents, paired with a small, headphone-like device that seemed to function as a wireless communicator, assuming the support company had followed his original design.

"Whoa—"

Kaminari pulled off his school uniform jacket and slipped into the robe with casual ease. His dramatic movements caused the long back hem of the robe to float in the air briefly, revealing the characters emblazoned on it.

"The First Raikage..... Kaminari, what does that mean?" Tetsutetsu, sitting behind him, asked curiously. His question caught the attention of Yaoyorozu Momo, Jiro, and several others who were nearby.

They exchanged confused glances none of them seemed to understand the reference, even Yaoyorozu, who prided herself on her vast knowledge. She knew what "First Generation" meant, but what about 'Raikage'?

"It's a title I've given myself."

Kaminari finished adjusting the communicator in his ear, then turned around with a confident smile. He explained, "The will of thunder follows like a shadow, always present. That's the meaning of 'Thunder Shadow.'"

He paused for a moment, his smile deepening. "And as for 'First Generation,' it represents my ambition. I plan to be the founder of a new legacy, a new way of the thunder quirk."