By the time Kaminari and Tetsutetsu arrived at U.A. High School's gates, the events that had unfolded on the Shinkansen had already been posted online by some passengers.
"Tetsutetsu…"
"Hm?"
Walking alongside Kaminari in the school's hallway, Tetsutetsu glanced at his friend, puzzled by his unusually serious tone.
"You really think Todoroki is more handsome than me?" Kaminari asked, pouting slightly in irritation.
Tetsutetsu immediately realized where this question was coming from. He sighed in exasperation, muttering under his breath, "Why are you even asking me this? I'm a guy, for crying out loud!"
"Exactly!" Kaminari snapped, gesturing animatedly. "I don't see how he's supposedly better-looking than me. Ice and fire are cool, sure, but they don't have the flashy, electrifying effects of thunder and lightning!"
Tetsutetsu frowned. "What do special effects even have to do with being handsome?" He gave up trying to understand and instead offered a shrug. "Maybe girls these days just prefer his cold and mysterious vibe."
Kaminari was quiet for a moment, then sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Alright, fine. Let's drop it. Anyway, let me tell you what's happening this afternoon."
"This afternoon?" Tetsutetsu thought for a second but couldn't recall anything significant scheduled for the day. There wasn't even a Hero training class on the timetable.
"After school, I've got a sparring match with Snatch at the training gym in the Midnight Agency. Wanna come watch?" Kaminari asked as they approached the classroom. "It's not far—only about a twenty-minute walk."
"Hmm…"
Tetsutetsu hesitated. While he'd love to see Snatch in action, he also remembered how many times he'd already asked for leave from Dr. Powerloader. Did he really want to risk skipping again?
After a moment of internal debate, he shook his head. "I think I'll pass this time. It's not great to keep asking for leave. But hey, if someone records it, I'll watch the video later."
"Oh?" Kaminari raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Tetsutetsu was never one to miss an exciting event like this.
Still, Kaminari didn't push the issue. He had only extended the invitation out of courtesy. Soon, the two entered the classroom, sliding the door open.
Predictably, 'Pikachu' immediately drew everyone's attention. The lively chatter began almost instantly.
"Whoa, how did you do that?!" Ashido exclaimed, leaning forward in excitement.
"It's so realistic!" Uraraka marveled, her wide eyes glued to Pikachu.
"Is that some kind of dyed animal?" Asui asked, tilting her head curiously.
"No way," Kyoka chimed in, skeptical. "You can dye fur, sure, but what about the tail? Where would you even find something with a lightning-shaped tail like that?"
As their questions flooded in, Kaminari decided not to beat around the bush. "It's not a real animal—it's my combat suit."
The revelation stunned the room. Many of his classmates, including Mineta, looked utterly baffled.
"No way! I don't believe it!" Mineta declared loudly, crossing his arms. "There's no way something like that could transform into a suit!"
To be fair, most of his classmates hadn't seen the combat suit's transformation abilities yet. After all, the suit had been taken back for upgrades shortly after Kaminari received it during their workplace internships.
"Alright, let me show you," Kaminari said confidently. He gave a small smile and then turned to the golden creature on his shoulder.
"Pikachu, conbat mode!"
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped in excitement. It jumped into the air, and in a burst of golden light, its form began to stretch and reshape.
"Whoa!"
"Awesome…"
"So cool!"
Midoriya, Uraraka, and the others watched in amazement as Pikachu transformed mid-air, morphing into a sleek and shimmering 'Cancer's Golden Cloth' that hovered momentarily before settling into its new form.
"Tch. What a showoff…" Bakugo muttered from his seat in the front row. He glanced back briefly before scoffing and turning away, visibly annoyed at Kaminari's moment in the spotlight.
Among the students, the one most affected was Momo. Kaminari's display had struck a chord, reminding her of their earlier conversations about custom combat uniforms.
"So, he's already finished it…" she murmured to herself, her heart racing. Seeing his success reignited her own excitement. If Kaminari had completed his design, that meant her idea for the "Six Stars and Nine Tails" was entirely possible too.
Shua!
The sound of the classroom door sliding open interrupted the moment. Everyone quickly returned to their seats, their lively chatter dying down in an instant.
Even Kaminari sat down quietly, and without anyone noticing, the 'Cancer's Golden Cloth' reverted to its Pikachu form, sitting obediently under his desk.
"Good morning," Aizawa said as he stepped into the room, his tired eyes scanning the class.
"Good morning, Sensei!" the students replied in unison.
"Mm." Aizawa nodded lazily, walking to the podium. After a brief pause, he addressed the class.
"I have an announcement before we begin. Next Saturday is the midterm exam, so the Hero Basic Training classes for this week and next week will be suspended."
"What?!"
"Are you serious?!"
"That's not fair! We only have two Hero training classes a week!" Kirishima exclaimed, his voice tinged with frustration. "If you cancel those, it's going to be so boring!"
Bakugo, sitting beside him, surprisingly gave a small nod of agreement.
Aizawa ignored their protests, his tone unchanging. "To be a good Hero, your theoretical knowledge must be solid. This isn't just about passing the midterm, it's preparation for the final exams next month. I hope none of you fail."
As he spoke, his gaze suddenly shifted, landing on something unusual at the side of the room.
"...What is that?"
The entire class turned to follow his line of sight.
"Is that… a rat?" he muttered.
Ashido, spotting Pikachu, burst into laughter. "No way, Sensei! That's Pikachu!" she said cheerfully. "Don't you watch Pokémon?"
"So… why is it here? Pets aren't allowed at school," Aizawa said, his crimson eyes narrowing as he focused on Kaminari. A faint aura of intimidation radiated from him, making his displeasure clear.
"Uh, sorry, Sensei!" Kaminari stood up hastily, his voice apologetic. "It's not a pet—it's my combat suit."
"Combat suit…" Aizawa muttered, his expression softening slightly as he studied Pikachu more closely. "This is the one made with SIS alloy, right? Looks more like a little robot to me."
"Sensei, I'll put it into standby mode so it won't disturb the class!" Kaminari promised quickly.
Truthfully, Kaminari had once asked Dr. Tenma if Pikachu could be compressed into a Poké Ball for easier storage. The idea of throwing out a Poké Ball and having Pikachu emerge dramatically had seemed incredibly cool to him.
But Dr. Tenma had rejected the idea outright, explaining that the SIS alloy wasn't capable of nano-level compression.
"For now, have it sit at the back of the classroom so it doesn't distract anyone," Aizawa said flatly, picking up his textbook.
"Yes, Sensei!"
"Pikachu, go sit in the back," Kaminari whispered.
"Pika!" Pikachu responded obediently, hopping down and scurrying to the back of the room.
With that, Aizawa glanced around the class and announced calmly, "Let's begin."