Chapter 39: Their Own Thoughts

At 4:10 PM, Class A was dismissed, marking the official end of Kaminari and his classmates' first day at U.A. High School. However, for some, school ending didn't mean the day was over, Kaminari and others still had plenty to do.

Kaminari made a quick call home to explain why he'd be coming back later than usual. Afterward, he waved goodbye to Tetsutetsu and Jiro, who seemed a little out of sorts, at the gates of the 'Hero Protective Wall.'

"Alright, lead the way," Kaminari said, turning to Yaoyorozu Momo, who was practically buzzing with excitement.

She was thrilled this was her first opportunity to officially teach someone. For as long as she could remember, Yaoyorozu had been learning on her own, accumulating knowledge far beyond that of her peers. But today, she wasn't just studying; she was going to impart what she knew. The idea of being a mentor filled her with enthusiasm.

"Lead the way?" Momo repeated, momentarily puzzled by Kaminari's words, before understanding dawned. She pointed to a sleek black limousine rolling toward them and smiled. "Our ride is here!"

"Uh... okay," Kaminari said with a casual shrug. It was just a limo, no big deal. Though, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but compare it to the car at his own home, which, while nice, was nowhere near this level of luxury.

Forty minutes later, they arrived at a sprawling mansion in Aichi Prefecture. Kaminari stepped out of the car and took in his surroundings, a bit speechless.

"Seriously? Is this for real?" he muttered under his breath as he stared at the enormous mansion before him. Although he'd figured that Yaoyorozu Momo came from a wealthy family, this was on another level entirely.

To be fair, anyone would be floored by such grandeur. After all, mansions like this only existed in movies and TV dramas, at least for most people.

"Come on, let's go inside," Momo called, breaking his daze. "I've asked the butler to prepare everything."

Kaminari took a deep breath and told himself to stay calm. "I'm just here to learn about electromagnetism," he reminded himself. "Focus on that."

Even so, he made a mental note to research the Yaoyorozu family later. He couldn't believe that a family this wealthy didn't have some kind of public profile.

While Kaminari was in the mansion, sitting in an overly spacious hall, sipping top-quality black tea, and absorbing Momo's explanations about electromagnetism, his friend Tetsutetsu was pouring his energy into another endeavor training at the judo hall.

*Boom!*

For the umpteenth time, Tetsutetsu hit the wooden floor with a heavy thud. This time, the fall left him more dazed than usual. He lay there for a moment, staring up at the glaring lights on the ceiling, his chest heaving.

Not far away stood Goro Daimon, his judo instructor a massive man, well over two meters tall, clad in a white judo uniform. He looked down at Tetsutetsu with calm eyes and asked, "Are you giving up already?"

"No... not yet," Tetsutetsu grumbled, pushing himself up with a groan. He looked at his teacher with frustration. "But when are you actually going to teach me some judo?! All I do is get thrown around!"

Ever since he started training here, all he'd done was get tossed across the mat. It didn't matter if he was facing fellow students or Daimon himself, Tetsutetsu's role was always the same. Where were the throws, the moves, the techniques he was supposed to be learning?

"You can't learn to throw until you understand why you're being thrown," Daimon said, his tone still calm but with an edge of sternness. "Do you feel the movements of the person throwing you? Do you think about how to minimize the impact when you hit the ground? Have you thought about countering their movements?"

Tetsutetsu lowered his head, embarrassed. He hadn't considered any of that.

"Up until now, you've just been reacting without thinking," Daimon continued. "Do you think fighting is just about learning a set of moves like it's some video game? Do you believe that memorizing a few techniques is all you need to win a fight?"

Tetsutetsu's silence deepened.

"Good fighting is about constant thinking. You need to feel your opponent's movements and analyze your own in response. That's what you should be focusing on right now," Daimon said, crossing his arms. "Once you understand the fundamentals of being thrown, then we can move on to the next stage. Mastery of throwing someone is a lifelong journey."

The words ignited something inside Tetsutetsu. His frustration melted away, replaced by determination. His eyes gleamed with renewed energy.

"Got it, Sensei! Let's go again!" Tetsutetsu shouted, charging forward once more, but this time, his eyes were sharper, more focused. He was watching Daimon's every movement, trying to predict the next throw.

In his heart, Tetsutetsu roared: "Kaminari wants to be the strongest lightning-type Hero? Then I'll be the strongest hard-core Hero!"

Though he and Kaminari hadn't known each other for long, Tetsutetsu could already feel how impressive Kaminari was. The sense of urgency to improve weighed on him. He couldn't let the gap between them grow too large he wouldn't allow it.

If a powerful villain appeared in the future, he wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with Kaminari, ready to fight. He didn't want to be the one standing in the background, helpless.

To him, that wasn't a true partnership. He had to become stronger.

"Here I come!" Tetsutetsu roared inwardly, and the sound of bodies hitting the mat filled the dojo once again, but this time, there was a sense of struggle Tetsutetsu was beginning to resist.

Back in Shizuoka Prefecture, Jiro Kyoka walked home in silence, her black schoolbag slung over her shoulder. Unlike her usual routine, she hadn't put on her headphones to block out the noise of the world. Instead, she seemed lost in thought.

Her phone buzzed inside her bag, playing "Only My Railgun" as her ringtone. She unzipped her bag and pulled out the phone, answering the call without checking the screen.

"Hey, Kazama," she said quietly, recognizing the caller's voice instantly.

"How's it going at U.A.?" came the gentle voice of a young man on the other end.

Jiro paused, glancing around at the street she was walking down. It was quiet, peaceful, but something about today had left her feeling unsettled.

"...It's fine," she replied, her voice more guarded than usual.

"Just fine?" Kazama's tone was soft but knowing. He could tell when something was off. "You don't sound like yourself, Kyoka."

Jiro hesitated, her thumb tracing the edge of her phone case absentmindedly. She didn't feel like explaining everything, but at the same time, keeping it to herself was making her feel even more out of sorts. She sighed quietly, deciding to brush off her unease with a half-truth.