As the high-pitched crackling of electricity filled the air, Midnight, who had been watching the battle intently, felt an uneasy prickle down her spine. This sound was sharper, more intense than before, almost like thousands of birds screeching in unison.
The memory of something she'd once seen and heard during a deep training exercise flashed through her mind, and an instinctive sense of danger welled up inside her.
"Stop! Kaminari, stop!!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the arena. Without hesitation, she tore the fabric from her arms, releasing her sleep-inducing pheromones, and directed the pink gas towards Kaminari.
But the intense heat radiating from the stadium floor prevented her quirk from reaching him, the gas evaporating before it could get close.
Meanwhile, Cementoss and Vlad had already moved to intercept. Even All Might on the teacher's bench and Endeavor in the stands looked tense, realizing the severity of Kaminari's next move.
"This attack... it could be dangerous!"
But Kaminari's speed in his high-voltage mode was no joke.
With his hand outstretched, holding a dense orb of dark-gold electricity, Kaminari launched himself off the top of the ice formation, tearing through the arena with blazing speed. Shards of ice shattered in his wake, leaving a trail of golden afterimages and fractured ice along his path.
CRACK!
Kaminari tore through the lingering flames and searing waves of heat, charging straight at Todoroki.
"Can't even stop it with fire?!"
Todoroki's eyes widened as the dark-gold glow grew larger in his vision. But he wasn't about to back down.
"So what!" he shouted defiantly, summoning twin streams of ice and fire from both sides of his body, the two elements surging forward in tandem.
In that instant, the arena was split into a world of fire and ice, Todoroki unleashing the full power of his Quirk, pushing beyond anything he'd done before. He was combining his flames and ice at once, pushing both sides to their limits.
The collision of superheated air with intense cold created a massive pressure wave, an explosive air burst that roared through the stadium.
BOOM!
Kaminari's golden pupils narrowed as the explosion and shockwave barreled toward him. "Let's finish this!"
With a fierce shout, he poured every ounce of electricity in his body into the energy ball in his right hand, even drawing power from the high-voltage field that protected him. His golden aura faded visibly, while the electricity in his hand intensified, forming a dark-gold spear of energy that extended from his fingertips.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The arena was engulfed in blinding light as Kaminari's "Raikiri" met Todoroki's fire and ice head-on, creating a brilliant white flash. The sheer force of the impact unleashed a shockwave that obliterated the massive iceberg, scattering it into tiny shards that evaporated almost instantly in the extreme heat.
For what felt like an eternity, the light and noise were overwhelming, a deafening roar that rattled every corner of the stadium. The audience shielded their eyes, and an intense wind whipped across the arena, tearing through the stands with the force of a typhoon.
When the dust began to settle, and the harsh light finally dimmed, a heavy silence blanketed the stadium. Thick white mist filled the arena floor, obscuring everything from view. The audience held their breath, waiting for any sign of the two fighters.
Slowly, the white mist began to dissipate, swirling as if disturbed by a force within. As it cleared, the crowd squinted, trying to make out what had happened.
The first thing they noticed was that Midnight, who had been in the stands, was now plastered against the wall above the audience, clinging to it like a portrait in an awkward position.
And, pressed up against her… was a grinning Mineta, his nose bleeding profusely.
"Ah… I can die happy now…" Mineta sighed dreamily, reveling in his proximity to Midnight.
Midnight, clearly uncomfortable, pushed herself off the wall and grabbed Mineta by his collar, flinging him aside. Her face flushed, not from Mineta's antics, but from the embarrassment of being thrown into the wall in front of the entire stadium. She quickly tried to regain her composure as the mist continued to clear.
Finally, the field came into view. But instead of Todoroki or Kaminari, the first thing the audience noticed was All Might, standing firmly in the center of the field, gripping Kaminari's right wrist tightly. Kaminari's hand still crackled faintly with residual electricity.
And nearby, Endeavor lay in a crater against the stadium wall, looking somewhat battered, having apparently been flung there during the final clash.
"Kaminari… what was that move?"
All Might, towering over Kaminari, looked down with a serious expression. Held by cement restraints and a few blood ropes, Kaminari couldn't move. He met All Might's gaze and replied with a slight smirk.
"Raikiri…" He hesitated for a moment, then added quietly, "An upgraded version."
He'd considered calling it "Chidori" before, but somehow, the name "Raikiri" felt like a better fit for him.
"Raikiri…" All Might repeated the name to himself, committing it to memory. After a moment, his expression grew stern again.
"Kaminari, tell me honestly. Did you use this 'Raikiri' intending to kill Todoroki?"
Kaminari looked up, meeting All Might's gaze directly. A faint smile touched his lips as he spoke calmly.
"Look closely at where my hand was aimed. I didn't go for his vital points—I aimed for his right arm."
All Might glanced at Kaminari's right hand, still faintly glowing, and after a moment, nodded in agreement.
"You're right."
With All Might's grip holding him in place, there was no way Kaminari could have shifted his aim. Even Endeavor wouldn't have been able to change his trajectory in that situation.
Seeing Kaminari's measured expression, All Might's stance relaxed slightly.
"Kaminari, I have a request," All Might said, his voice carrying a weight of authority.
Kaminari sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, Do I even have a choice? He nodded.
"Go ahead."
All Might released Kaminari's wrist, still looking down at him with a serious expression.
"Kaminari, I want you to temporarily seal this 'Raikiri' technique. Don't use it on your classmates again. And even if you face villains in the future, use it only as a last resort."
"Understood."
Kaminari agreed without hesitation.
***
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