Chapter 38: Conflict and Invitation

Bakugo had always seen Midoriya as a weakling, a little tagalong who envied him from the sidelines. That was the natural order, especially after discovering that Midoriya was Quirkless. Bakugo's superiority complex deepened, and he believed that Midoriya's only role in life was to look up to him.

But today had shattered that illusion.

Midoriya, the same kid Bakugo had mocked for being Quirkless, had been accepted into U.A. alongside him. And worse, Midoriya had thrown a ball with enough power to rival his own. That one throw was like a slap in the face, as if reality itself was mocking Bakugo's arrogance.

His anger was palpable Midoriya had deceived him for years. Bakugo felt humiliated, as though all those times he'd lorded his strength over Midoriya had been part of some elaborate joke. What if Midoriya had been pretending all along? What if all the times Bakugo had belittled him, Midoriya had just been holding back, afraid of hurting him?

And then, to make it worse, Kaminari had said it out loud: "Midoriya wasn't afraid of you, he was afraid of hurting you."

Those words were like gasoline poured on a raging fire. Bakugo's vision blurred with fury, his mind filled with violent thoughts. His hands trembled as his palms began to secrete the explosive sweat he was known for.

"What did you just say?" Bakugo's voice was low, strained with rage.

Kaminari turned, meeting Bakugo's intense glare without a hint of fear. "You heard me," he said coolly, showing no intention of backing down.

Bakugo's bloodshot eyes narrowed. To him, Kaminari's calm response was infuriating, like he wasn't worth the effort. Bakugo had never encountered someone who talked to him like this, not since he was a kid. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"You're dead," Bakugo growled. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he swung a punch at Kaminari's face.

"Kaminari!" Jiro shouted in alarm, seeing the punch coming.

But before Bakugo's fist could land, a loud *thud* echoed across the hallway. Tetsutetsu had stepped in, catching Bakugo's punch in mid-air with his own iron-hard hand. His face was a mask of controlled fury as he stared down Bakugo.

"Enough of that, Bakugo," Tetsutetsu said, his voice steady but filled with tension. His grip on Bakugo's fist tightened, and Bakugo, for the first time, felt real resistance. Without using his Quirk, Bakugo wasn't strong enough to overpower Tetsutetsu's steel-like grip.

Bakugo's eyes flickered with frustration. "You're not giving in to me, huh?" His voice was laced with venom as he tried to pull his hand back, but Tetsutetsu wasn't letting go. If anything, his grip only tightened further.

Tetsutetsu stared into Bakugo's eyes with a coldness that matched the steel of his Quirk. "Not everyone is going to roll over for you, Bakugo. Some of us don't care who you are or what you can do."

Bakugo's hand began to heat up, his sweat turning volatile. Small explosions popped in his palm, signaling his growing anger. "Let go before I make you," Bakugo spat.

Before things could escalate further, Iida appeared, rushing over to the scene. He grabbed both Bakugo and Tetsutetsu by the shoulders, his stern voice cutting through the tension. "Stop this at once! We're all classmates now. Fighting won't solve anything."

Despite Iida's intervention, Bakugo and Tetsutetsu stayed locked in their standoff for a moment longer, their muscles tense, before finally relenting. Tetsutetsu released Bakugo's hand, and the explosive boy took a step back, seething.

"Tetsutetsu, let's go." Kaminari gave a slight nod to Tetsutetsu, then motioned for him and Jiro to follow. They walked away, leaving Bakugo to glare at their retreating figures, his fists still clenched tightly at his sides.

"I'll make them pay for this," Bakugo seethed inwardly, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. He had never been so humiliated in his life, and the feeling gnawed at him, pushing him closer to the edge.

Back in the classroom, Kaminari paid no further attention to Bakugo. He sat down and glanced at the schedule on his desk, skimming through the list of upcoming classes. He noticed that while other subjects had only six classes, the Hero Course had seven—four in the morning and three in the afternoon, with a break for lunch. Saturdays were especially rough for Hero students, with classes extending until the sixth period, unlike other departments that got out after the fourth.

"Hero training really is no joke," Kaminari thought with a sigh. He was particularly looking forward to the science classes, hoping he could dive deeper into electromagnetism, which would help him develop his Quirk further.

But after his first science class, Kaminari felt a pang of disappointment. The material covered was too basic, nothing close to what he had hoped to learn about electromagnetism. After class, he approached the science teacher, a bulky Hero with a robotic arm known as "Engineering Robot."

"Sensei," Kaminari started, "When will we start learning about electromagnetism in depth?"

"Electromagnetism?" Engineering Robot scratched his head awkwardly. "That's usually covered in more detail starting in your second year."

Kaminari frowned. "Second year? But I really want to start learning now."

The teacher smiled apologetically. "I'd love to help, but I don't have time for tutoring right now. Between teaching and maintaining the school's infrastructure, I've got my hands full."

"Ah, I understand. Thank you anyway," Kaminari replied, trying not to let his disappointment show. As the teacher left the room, he sighed and turned to go back to his desk. But just as he was about to sit down, he heard a voice behind him.

"You're interested in learning about electromagnetism?" Yaoyorozu Momo's voice was gentle, but her tone carried a hint of curiosity.

Kaminari turned, surprised. "Do you know anything about it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Momo smiled confidently. "Yes, I've studied it quite a bit. While my specialty is in molecular structures and chemistry, I've also delved into electrostatics, magnetic fields, and the basics of changing electromagnetic fields."

She spoke effortlessly, rattling off terms that went over the heads of most of their classmates. Kaminari, however, was impressed. "You really know your stuff, huh?"

Momo shrugged modestly. "I try to keep myself well-rounded. I'd be happy to teach you what I know."

Kaminari hesitated, surprised by her offer. "You'd... really do that?"

"Of course!" Momo's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "I love helping others learn. Why don't you come over to my house after school today? We can go over some electromagnetics for a couple of hours. I'm sure you'll pick it up quickly."

Kaminari grinned. "Sounds good to me."

He didn't notice the slight frown that crossed Jiro's face as she watched the exchange. Her eyes flicked from Momo to Kaminari, a thoughtful expression settling over her features. She said nothing, though, simply turning her attention back to the class schedule in front of her.