Chapter 129: Clever Kyoka

"Can you stop arguing and just do your job? Arrest him and save that girl, she's dying!"

Kaminari, clearly frustrated, took two steps forward, placing himself between Kyoka and ROPE-MAN. His tone was firm but controlled, making it clear he was done with the back-and-forth.

"You!"

ROPE-MAN turned to Kaminari, his face twisting in irritation. But before he could retort, the stone man, who had been watching their exchange, erupted with a furious shout.

"Stay back!"

"Don't come any closer! If any of you try to stop me, I'll… I'll strangle her!"

The stone man's face was a mask of desperation, his massive hands trembling as they gripped the unconscious girl. His frantic gaze darted between the Heroes, his resolve slowly cracking under the weight of his own guilt and despair.

"Damn it…"

ROPE-MAN's expression darkened. He wanted to act, to subdue the stone man and save the hostage but he hesitated. His ropes weren't fast enough to stop the man before he could harm the girl.

Kaminari's fists clenched tightly by his sides. This wasn't like the time he'd rescued the elderly man. This wasn't a simple save; it required him to directly attack someone. And with so many people watching some of whom clearly recognized him, he knew that every action he took would be under heavy scrutiny.

The repercussions of his decisions wouldn't be the same as for an ordinary person. A misstep could tarnish his reputation as a rising Hero.

"Kaminari, look!"

Kyoka's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She raised her phone, the screen glowing with a live video call.

"Midnight-sensei?!" Kaminari exclaimed when he saw the familiar figure on the display. Midnight appeared to be rushing somewhere, her surroundings a blur of movement.

"Kaminari Denki!"

Kyoka had turned the volume all the way up, so everyone present, Heroes, civilians, and even the stone man could hear the conversation.

"In the name of the Pro Hero Midnight, I hereby authorize you to use your Quirk in this situation!"

Her voice was clear and commanding, leaving no room for hesitation.

"Repeat: I, Midnight, as a Pro Hero, authorize you to engage in combat to save the hostage!"

"Save her immediately, she doesn't have much time!"

The moment Midnight's declaration ended, Kaminari felt the weight on his shoulders lighten. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he glanced at Kyoka, who was holding up the phone with a determined expression.

"Good work, Kyoka."

"You… You're connected to Midnight-senpai?!" ROPE-MAN stammered in disbelief, his confidence wavering.

The younger Hero standing beside him, who seemed fresh out of an ordinary university's Hero program, leaned in and whispered, "Midnight is a Hero course teacher. That means… he's a UA student!"

The crowd, many of whom had already recognized Kaminari, began murmuring excitedly.

"Tap, tap, tap…"

Ignoring the growing whispers, Kaminari reached out to gently pat Kyoka's head before stepping forward. His expression was unreadable, his movements calm but deliberate.

"Stay back! This is your final warning! If you come any closer, I'll crush her!" the stone man shouted, his voice thick with desperation.

To emphasize his threat, he began to tighten his grip around the girl's neck. The sight made ROPE-MAN pale, his panic evident as he tried to intervene.

"Wait! Don't do anything rash—"

Crack!

A blinding flash of golden light cut him off mid-sentence, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.

The intensity of the light left the stone man momentarily dazed. But as his vision returned, so did his rage.

"I told you not to push me!" he roared, his voice shaking with anger. "I begged you to understand! You still want to stop me?! You're forcing me!"

The desperation in his tone turned to fury as he shouted, "If this is how it's going to be… then I'll take her with me! You leave me no choice!!"

His hand began to squeeze tighter, his knuckles cracking under the pressure. But before he could finish his grim declaration, something unexpected happened.

Boom!

The stone man's right leg suddenly buckled, sending him crashing to the ground with such force that the stone slabs beneath him shattered.

"What… what's happening to me?!" he gasped, his voice laced with confusion and fear.

No matter how hard he tried, his body refused to respond properly. Every attempt to stand ended with him collapsing again, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

Kaminari, who had already retrieved the injured girl, carefully laid her down on the ground. The golden electricity that had enveloped his body faded as he returned to his normal state.

His voice was calm but firm as he addressed the fallen man. "I understand you're desperate. I know you feel like you've run out of options. But no matter how dire your situation is, you can't justify putting someone else's life at risk."

Kaminari glanced briefly at the stone man, then turned his attention back to the girl, checking her condition with a grim expression.

"You're lucky she's still alive," he said softly, though there was no warmth in his tone.

The girl's blood loss was severe, and the wound wasn't clotting. Kaminari's frown deepened as he realized how critical her condition was.

"If this keeps up, she won't make it to the hospital in time," he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, the surrounding Heroes and onlookers finally began to process what had happened. ROPE-MAN, in particular, was stunned.

"What… what did he do?" ROPE-MAN whispered, his mind racing. "How did he take down that guy so quickly?"

As Kaminari continued to assess the girl's injuries, he suddenly made a decision. Golden electricity began to flicker around his hands.

"What's he doing?!" ROPE-MAN shouted, his voice filled with alarm as he saw Kaminari channeling electricity into the injured girl.

The sight sent the older Hero into a panic. Thinking Kaminari was harming the girl, he raised his rope and launched it at him.

"Stop this right now!"

Snap!

Kaminari's hand moved with lightning speed, swatting the rope aside effortlessly.

"Don't interfere!" Kaminari snapped, his voice colder than before.

The golden electricity intensified, wrapping around the girl's body in a controlled current. The crowd gasped, unsure of what to make of the sight.

"Relax!" Kyoka shouted, stepping forward to address the onlookers. "Kaminari's using his electricity to stimulate her body. It's a temporary boost to help her hold on until we get her proper treatment!"

The explanation seemed to calm the murmuring crowd, but ROPE-MAN, now sprawled on the ground from the shock of Kaminari's counter, looked both humiliated and furious.

"You could've told me that earlier!" he groaned, twitching slightly as residual sparks danced along his body.

Kaminari ignored him entirely, his focus locked on saving the girl's life.

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