By 7:30 in the evening, Kaminari had just returned home, feeling a bit drained after a long day. He had spent an hour studying electromagnetics at Momo's house after school, and while he found the session productive, the effort had left him a little weary.
During dinner with his parents, his father brought up some exciting news.
"'Blue Bird,' the song you released today, is already a huge success!" his father said with a wide grin.
"Really?" Kaminari's face lit up, his tiredness briefly forgotten.
"It's already ranked seventh on the Japanese MTV popularity list, and judging by the current momentum, it might even break into the top three by the end of the week."
"That's amazing," Kaminari replied, genuinely happy with the results.
"And that's not all," his father continued, pouring himself a glass of soju to celebrate. "Since this afternoon, we've had people reaching out to license the song for covers and broadcasts. There's even a language school called 'Aozora' that wants to use it as their school song!"
As his father took a hearty sip of soju, clearly in high spirits, Kaminari felt a swell of pride. However, he had other pressing matters on his mind tonight, so he didn't linger in the living room. After finishing dinner, he excused himself and went back to his room.
---
"Hoo... Okay, let's see which 'big shots' want me!"
Kaminari exhaled as he sat down at his desk. He was dressed in a bright yellow Pikachu onesie, complete with a hood featuring Pikachu's face and ears. The one-piece pajama was undeniably cute, though Kaminari would probably deny it if anyone else pointed that out.
Turning his attention to the task at hand, Kaminari focused on the stack of workplace invitations in front of him. Over 6,000 agencies had expressed interest in him, an overwhelming number to go through in detail.
To simplify the process, he decided to narrow his search to the top twenty professional Heroes on the Hero Billboard Chart. Even with this filter, it still took him over thirty minutes to sort through the names and find their invitations amidst the sea of papers.
Eventually, Kaminari had a dozen cards left on his desk. He began scanning the names one by one.
Gravel Hero, Snatch – Ranked 17th
BMI Hero, Fat Gum – Ranked 15th
Foreshadowing Hero, Sir Nighteye – Ranked 13th
Forest Hero, Kamui Woods – Ranked 11th
Orca Hero, Gang Orca – Ranked 10th
Dragon Hero, Ryukyu – Ranked 9th
Full Hero, Yoroi Musha – Ranked 8th
Shield Hero, Crust – Ranked 5th
Rabbit Hero, Mirko – Ranked 6th
Ninja Hero, Edgeshot – Ranked 5th
Fiber Hero, Best Jeanist – Ranked 4th
Wing Hero, Hawks – Ranked 3rd
However, his expression darkened slightly when his eyes landed on the final card.
Flame Hero, Endeavor – Ranked 2nd
Kaminari raised an eyebrow, frowning in confusion. "What is Endeavor even thinking? Why would he invite me, the guy who almost beat his son to a pulp during the sports festival?"
Shaking his head, he set Endeavor's card aside. "Yeah, no. Not happening. I wouldn't have chosen him anyway, but even if I had, his style isn't a good fit for me."
For Kaminari, the purpose of this workplace experience was to learn specifically, to refine his fighting style and gain valuable combat insights. While Endeavor was undeniably powerful, Kaminari doubted he'd benefit much from his instruction.
"I need someone who can teach me advanced physical techniques that match my speed and fighting style. That rules him out completely."
With that, Kaminari moved Endeavor's card, along with the invitations from Kamui Woods and Fat Gum, back into the pile of over 6,000.
---
Next, he eliminated a few more based on their combat focus.
"Alright," he muttered, pulling out more cards. "Snatch, Mirko, Gang Orca, Ryukyu, and Crust—they're all amazing Heroes, but their styles don't really align with what I'm looking for. I need agility, speed, and precision. Fast-attacking Heroes who can teach me something new."
Soon, four more cards were set aside, leaving Kaminari with a smaller, more manageable pile. He turned his attention to the remaining invitations.
Armored Hero, Yoroi Musha – Ranked 8th
Ninja Hero, Edgeshot – Ranked 5th
Fiber Hero, Best Jeanist – Ranked 4th
Wing Hero, Hawks – Ranked 3rd
He paused for a moment, picking up Yoroi Musha's invitation.
"His style is pretty different from mine, but his mastery of Japanese swordsmanship and ancient martial arts is incredible. That could be worth learning..."
After some thought, Kaminari set the card aside in a "maybe" pile.
---
Moving on to the others, Kaminari began weighing the pros and cons.
"Edgeshot's speed and precision are phenomenal. His techniques could definitely complement my fighting style. But…" he trailed off, considering whether ninjutsu was something he could fully incorporate into his own abilities.
"Best Jeanist," he continued, "is another great option. His attention to detail and precise control are unmatched. I could learn a lot about battlefield awareness and discipline from him."
Finally, Kaminari picked up Hawks' card.
"This guy," he muttered. "He's in his twenties and already ranked third in the entire country. A genius, no doubt about it. His agility and tactical thinking are on another level…"
The more he thought about it, the harder the decision became. Each Hero had something unique to offer, and choosing between them felt like an impossible task.
---
By the time Kaminari glanced at the clock, it was already 9:00 PM. Letting out a long sigh, he leaned back in his chair.
"This is going to take more time," he admitted to himself. "Luckily, I still have a few days to decide. I'll look into their records more carefully and see if anything stands out."
As he stared at the four remaining cards, another thought came to mind.
"Actually… what about Aizawa-sensei?" Kaminari muttered, recalling how effortlessly their homeroom teacher had handled dozens of villains during the USJ attack. His calm demeanor and practical combat style had left a lasting impression.
"Maybe I should ask him for advice. He might have some insight on which agency would be the best fit for me."
Rubbing the back of his neck, Kaminari chuckled lightly. "Man, this is tough… Who should I choose?"
(T/N: Can you guess which Agency he'll end up picking?)
***
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