Chapter 25: Believe

I've been getting the same question over and over, and I'm tired of answering it. So, I'll just leave this here.

The MC doesn't know anything about MHA because it didn't exist in his world. If he seems like he's got a handle on things, it's because he's clever. He's watched tons of anime and read plenty of comics, so he can figure out common themes and patterns in a world like MHA. Any knowledge he shows comes from his own smarts and observations, not because he knew anything about the series beforehand. And if you can't stomach that, there are countless fanfiction stories on this platform besides this one, to be honest.

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"There's definitely a big flaw in this exam."

Kaminari streaked down the street, sparks and lightning crackling in his wake. Any candidates who had tried to approach him didn't last more than ten seconds before storming off in frustration, dark looks on their faces.

They quickly realized that unless they had Quirks that enhanced their speed, there was no way they could keep up with Kaminari. While it might take others three or four seconds to take down a robot, Kaminari could do it in just one, barely breaking a sweat. He didn't even need to use his hands, just a quick brush of his clothes as he sped past was enough to short-circuit the machines.

What the others didn't know, though, was that Kaminari's actions weren't as random as they appeared. It wasn't just about running fast and zapping anything in sight. His movements were precise, calculated. Every time he passed a robot, he intentionally grazed the core, the red light at the front of each machine, which housed its control center.

That was the key. While dodging their attacks with lightning speed, Kaminari targeted that spot and let his electricity burn out the internal power supplies.

But to the other candidates Kaminari's finesse went unnoticed. All they saw was someone dominating the battlefield, mowing down robots with ease thanks to his Quirk and his speed.

Back at U.A., the principal, along with the Hero instructors including All Might watched the exam unfold on their monitors. Kaminari's performance hadn't escaped their attention, and they couldn't help but nod in approval.

His control over his Quirk, his ability to read and react to the robots' movements, and his composure while moving at high speeds were all clear signs of his skill. After years of effort, Kaminari's potential was finally blossoming.

But as Kaminari sped through the exam, he couldn't shake the thought that something was off about the whole setup.

"This exam is unfair."

It had only been four minutes since the test started, yet Kaminari had already cleared an entire street of robots. Now, standing atop a tall building, the wind swirling around him, he surveyed the area. His gloves, with their blue gems gleaming in the sunlight, pulsed with electricity as he considered the problem.

The exam's goal was to simulate a scenario where the candidates, as stand-in Heroes, would be fighting off 'villains' attacking the city. But the issue was that these 'villains' were robots.

That meant the difficulty of the test depended entirely on the candidates' Quirks. Kaminari himself was the perfect example. Even if he wasn't relying on his high-speed movements, his electricity alone would have made short work of the robots. The only difference would've been the speed at which he racked up points.

But what about someone with a Quirk that was ineffective against robots? What if their powers were more suited for taking on biological enemies? In that case, they'd be at a severe disadvantage.

"If I had been born with a Quirk like the Sharingan, for instance," Kaminari mused to himself, "there'd be no way I could pass this test." He'd have been forced to rely entirely on physical combat, which, while possible, would be far from ideal.

But thankfully, Tetsutetsu and Jiro didn't have that problem. Their Quirks were still useful here, even if their method was less flashy than his.

As Kaminari's thoughts wandered, he finally spotted his two friends down below. Tetsutetsu and Jiro had teamed up, working in tandem. One would distract the robot, drawing its attention, while the other would use their abilities to deliver the final blow. Jiro would plug her headphone jacks into the ground, sending shockwaves that disoriented their competition long enough for Tetsutetsu to smash the robot with a punch.

They swapped roles seamlessly, with Tetsutetsu using his steel body to block anyone trying to muscle in on their fight. Their teamwork was impressive, even if they were slower than Kaminari. They were methodical, and that made them stand out to U.A.'s teachers as well.

Seeing this, Kaminari grinned as golden electricity crackled around him. It was time to lend a hand.

In an instant, Kaminari leapt from rooftop to rooftop, dashing toward Jiro and Tetsutetsu. His sudden appearance caught the attention of the other candidates, especially those who had been frustrated by his earlier performance.

What's his deal? They thought. He already took over one street, now he's coming here to steal more points?

They watched as Kaminari made his approach, glaring at his seemingly endless greed.

"So selfish!"

"This guy's unbelievable!"

Meanwhile, Jiro and Tetsutetsu had just taken down another robot when they spotted Kaminari approaching. Their faces lit up with surprise and excitement.

"Kaminari!" Jiro called out, waving.

"Come on, follow me!" Kaminari shouted, not wasting any time. He gave each of them a quick pat on the shoulder, and suddenly, both Jiro and Tetsutetsu felt an electric surge run through them. Their bodies hummed with energy, temporarily boosted by Kaminari's Quirk.

"What the—this is high-speed movement?!" Tetsutetsu exclaimed, feeling his body lighten instantly. Jiro's eyes widened in shock as she too felt the unfamiliar rush of speed.

But neither of them hesitated. They knew exactly what Kaminari was doing, and without missing a beat, they chased after him as he bolted ahead.

The other candidates could only watch, stunned, as the three of them sped off together.

"Hey, hey, hey! That's too much!"

"He's boosting them too?!"

"That's basically cheating!"

Cries of outrage filled the air, and some candidates even accused Kaminari of breaking the rules. But as time passed and no reprimand came from U.A., it became clear that Kaminari had done nothing wrong.

Back at U.A., the teachers were surprised by Kaminari's decision to help his competitors, but after careful review, they found that he hadn't violated any rules. The exam guidelines prohibited using Quirks to attack others, but there was nothing against helping fellow candidates. Still, no one had expected Kaminari to use his abilities to assist his competition.

With their newfound speed, Tetsutetsu and Jiro easily destroyed the robots Kaminari had disabled ahead of them. Kaminari hadn't completely fried the machines this time. Instead, he had wrapped them in electricity, scrambling their systems temporarily.

It was almost like putting the robots in a mechanical version of paralysis. The momentary confusion allowed Jiro and Tetsutetsu to finish the job before the other candidates could catch up.

As they chased after Kaminari, both Jiro and Tetsutetsu couldn't help but admire him. This wasn't just about scoring points anymore Kaminari was proving himself to be someone worth following.

But then, suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled violently.

For a moment, the candidates thought it was an earthquake. After all, this was Japan, where quakes were frequent. But the rumbling stopped as quickly as it started, and when they looked up, they realized the true cause.

A massive robot taller than the buildings around it loomed ahead of them. It was the Zero Pointer, a giant machine meant to test the candidates' ability to handle overwhelming threats.

"No way! That thing is huge!" Tetsutetsu gaped in shock at the towering figure in front of them.

"Present Mic said we're supposed to avoid those," Jiro reminded them, watching as the other candidates scattered in a panic, fleeing from the enormous robot.

"And we've probably got enough points to pass," she added, already starting to back away.

"No!"

Kaminari's voice cut through the chaos, stopping both Tetsutetsu and Jiro in their tracks. "We need to take this thing down!"

"What?!" Tetsutetsu and Jiro turned to him, confused. The Zero Pointer was worth no points, there was no logical reason to fight it.

But Kaminari stood firm, electricity sparking at his fingertips. "Right now, we're acting as professional Heroes, remember? When you're a Hero, and you come across a 'villain' that poses this much danger to the city, you don't just ignore it because there's no reward!"

Tetsutetsu and Jiro fell silent, his words sinking in. Even the teachers watching through their monitors at U.A. were momentarily speechless. None of them had expected Kaminari to understand the deeper meaning behind the test so quickly.

Meanwhile, in Area B, Midoriya was sprinting toward the Zero Pointer himself, determined to save the girl trapped beneath the rubble.

"I've got a plan," Kaminari said, turning back to face his friends with a confident grin. "But it's only got a 50% chance of working."

He paused for a moment, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"Do you trust me?"