"Hahaha!" Kaminari's father burst into laughter. "It looks like we won't have to worry about the sales of Kaminari's merchandise in the future!"
However, Momo had a different take on it. "We're classmates, and we're also part of the same band. Shouldn't Kaminari's merchandise be gifted to us?"
"Haha, of course! Absolutely!" Kaminari's father replied enthusiastically. "Whenever we launch new products, you two will be the first to get them!"
At that moment, Kaminari, staring at the tablet, suddenly had an idea. "Dad, what if we added these two," he gestured to Momo and Kyoka, "into the manga? They could go on adventures with me and Pikachu!"
Momo and Kyoka exchanged a glance, surprised but intrigued by the idea. It actually sounded... pretty fun.
Kaminari's father scratched his head, thinking for a moment. "I'd have to run it by Junichi, our writer, and of course, we'd need to check with the Mitsui Corporation, too. I can't give you an answer just yet."
"You guys finish reading those two chapters first, then let's start recording the song," he added, standing up. "I'll have my secretary check on it in the meantime."
He had a good feeling about this idea, though. After all, the comic was still in its early stages. Adding new characters or tweaking the storyline wouldn't be too difficult. Plus, having characters based on actual U.A. students would be a massive draw.
U.A. High School was legendary in Japan, the dream school for so many young kids. Just the idea of a comic that featured real Hero Course students from U.A. would send excitement through the roof.
"Uncle, I'll need to check with my family about this too," Momo said apologetically. As the eldest daughter of the Yaoyorozu family, she couldn't just decide something like this on her own. Her family would definitely need to approve any public use of their name or image.
"Of course, that makes sense," Kaminari's father nodded in understanding.
About ten minutes later, after finishing the first two chapters of the Pokémon manga, Kyoka and Momo leaned back, digesting what they'd read. The story was definitely different from what Kaminari remembered from his past life, but for now, it still captured the same spirit of adventure and discovery.
"So, it's about this ten-year-old kid named Denki who goes on a journey with Pikachu," Momo summarized. "They travel together, meeting other Pokémon and battling along the way."
Kyoka nodded thoughtfully. "The theme song you've prepared, it must fit with that magical, adventurous vibe, right?"
"Exactly!" Kaminari said, standing up and clapping his hands. "Alright, let's get started. I'll do a solo run first, and then we can record it together."
He handed a USB drive to Daigo and reminded him, "This one's a bit different from my usual songs. It'll need some extra work in post-production."
Dawu, who was already in full work mode, nodded. "Got it," he said, fully understanding the task ahead.
Kaminari grabbed his guitar affectionately nicknamed "Pikachu" and headed into the recording booth. Kyoka and Momo stood by the glass window, watching him as he set up.
"Do you notice how different Kaminari seems when he picks up the guitar?" Kyoka whispered to Momo. "His whole vibe changes."
Momo nodded, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "He's completely focused. It's the same way he gets when we're studying together." She smiled slightly, recalling how serious Kaminari could be when he put his mind to something.
Kyoka just stared at Momo, her words sinking in. Somehow, that comparison made her feel... weird. Maybe a bit jealous, though she couldn't quite place why.
---
Meanwhile, in a Hero Agency office in Saitama City, Midnight the sultry and fierce pro Hero was seated at her desk, staring intently at nothing in particular. The steaming cup of green matcha tea beside her was completely ignored as she lost herself in deep thought.
"What exactly was that technique?" she wondered. "Why did it feel so... dangerous?"
Her mind drifted back to early that morning, just before dawn, around six o'clock. She'd been at Omiya Park, under the pretense of jogging, secretly hoping to run into Kaminari. She wasn't there to flirt, but as his educator, she felt it was her responsibility to check in on him.
She had dressed down for the occasion simple white athletic wear, nothing too revealing. She wanted to keep it professional, despite her usual reputation for sultriness, she had taken her role as Kaminari's mentor seriously and opted for something more practical than provocative.
In truth, she'd gone there hoping to "accidentally" run into Kaminari. And she did, but not in the way she expected.
She spotted him running not at the park's entrance, but deeper inside, where fewer people usually went. Curious, and sensing something unusual, she trailed him from a distance, her instincts as a Hero kicking in.
At first, she thought he was just out for a jog, but something about the direction he was heading seemed... off. He was moving toward a secluded area, which immediately raised her suspicions.
Choosing to stay back, Midnight activated her most basic tracking techniques, keeping herself hidden as she followed him into the thick, quiet woods.
But then, to her surprise, she lost him.
How? There was no way he could've just disappeared, there were no paths, just a small trail lined with cherry blossoms. Puzzled, she scanned the area but found no sign of him.
That's when she heard it. A faint crackling sound, like electricity, coming from deeper within the trees. It wasn't loud, but in the silence of the forest, it stood out clearly.
Following the sound cautiously, she came across a clearing, and what she saw next made her heart skip a beat.
Hidden behind a tree, she peeked out to see Kaminari standing in the middle of the clearing, his right hand crackling with a bright, intense electrical charge. The sheer concentration of power in his palm sent a chill down her spine.
"What... is that?" she whispered to herself, watching in awe as golden lightning flickered and sparked from his hand.
She had seen Kaminari use electricity before, but this... this was something else entirely. There was a palpable sense of danger in the air, a feeling she only got when she was near someone truly powerful.
Before she could react, the crackling stopped. Kaminari lowered his hand, a look of frustration and disappointment on his face as he muttered to himself, "Failed again... I was so close."
Midnight's mind raced. What exactly had she just witnessed?