My Hero Academia: Thunder God

All Might's voice echoed across the training grounds, calling the third group of contestants to take their positions. Kaminari raised an eyebrow, brushing his golden bangs aside as he stood up.

He exchanged a quick wave with Kyoka and the others before stepping into the field alongside Todoroki, Bakugo, Tokoyami, and Aoyama.

"It's up to you, Kaminari!"

"Don't worry, I've got this!" he replied with a grin.

"Slap!"

He and Tetsutetsu exchanged a high five, their camaraderie on full display before Kaminari walked off to his starting point.

The third group of the competition was about to begin.

"This time, I'll win!" Bakugo muttered, glancing at Kaminari and Todoroki as they walked ahead of him. His crimson eyes burned with determination as he clenched his fists.

Compared to the Bakugo from the original timeline, this version of him carried a far heavier burden. In this life, Todoroki wasn't the only one outshining him in class.

Not only were Kaminari and Todoroki ahead of him, but even Midoriya someone he used to see as weaker had caught up faster than expected. Add Tokoyami, who had always been consistent, and Tetsutetsu, who had rapidly improved, and Bakugo's frustration had reached its boiling point.

When he first applied to U.A., he'd been determined to become the "strongest" and the "number one hero."

But now? He wasn't even sure he could claim a spot in the top three of Class 1-A.

On the other side of the arena, Kaminari had chosen his starting point: a steel pillar towering high above the industrial training field.

He hadn't put much thought into the location, as All Might's "rescue spot" was different in every round. Still, standing atop the pillar, Kaminari had a perfect view of the entire Sports Field Y.

"Huh… no matter how many times I see this, I can't help but be amazed by U.A.'s resources." Kaminari let out a low whistle, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

"This isn't just a high school. It's a massive, state-of-the-art training organization!"

As he stretched and warmed up, Kaminari began thinking about his strategy.

Should he go straight into God-Speed? Or maybe use his High Voltage Mode right off the bat? Then again, this could be a good chance to practice his Iron Sand Series.

In truth, Kaminari didn't view the Iron Sand Series as a "finisher" or "ultimate move." To him, it was more of an "opening act" or "defensive layer."

In his imagined battle scenarios, the Iron Sand Series was the first line of defense, an initial barrier that the enemy would have to break through before he unleashed his full power.

"Since it's meant to be my first line of defense, I should use it more often to refine it," he thought, nodding to himself.

With his decision made, Kaminari closed his eyes and began steadying his breathing.

"Third match, START!!"

"BOOM!"

The moment All Might's voice rang out, a deafening explosion followed. Everyone on the viewing platform turned their heads as the camera focused on Bakugo Katsuki, who had blasted himself into the air using his explosions. Fire and smoke trailed behind him as he soared across the field.

"The winner is me!" Bakugo shouted confidently, his voice brimming with his usual fiery charisma.

"Whoosh!"

On another screen, Todoroki was seen gliding across a path of ice he'd created beneath his feet, advancing steadily toward All Might. While he couldn't fly like Bakugo, his icy road made short work of the obstacles in his path.

"Zap!"

A sudden flash of light caught everyone's attention. The camera panned to Aoyama, who was speeding forward by firing his naval laser behind him. He struck a dramatic pose as he zipped across the arena, looking far too pleased with himself.

"Did you all see that?!" Aoyama declared, his voice full of flair. "Look at me! Look how brilliantly I shine!"

CLANG!

A thunderous metallic collision rang out, immediately followed by Aoyama's panicked scream.

The spectators groaned in unison as the camera showed Aoyama, now plastered against a large steel pipe. His pose hadn't changed at all, giving him the appearance of a bizarre, humanoid poster stuck to the metal.

"Seriously?" Kyoka muttered in disbelief.

"He was so busy showing off that he didn't notice the pipe behind him," Momo said, shaking her head.

"Well, at least his laser is strong," Asui commented lightly, noting the dent Aoyama had left in the pipe.

With Aoyama effectively out of the running, the others turned their attention to Tokoyami and Kaminari.

Tokoyami's performance wasn't anything extraordinary. Without yet developing the ability to fly using Dark Shadow, he could only rely on his natural agility to parkour through the industrial landscape.

"Hey, look at Kaminari!" Sero suddenly shouted. "What… what is that?!"

"Is that… a black cloud?" someone murmured.

The camera switched to Kaminari's perspective, but the screen was so dark that it was hard to make out anything.

"What's he up to now?" Tetsutetsu wondered aloud, the confusion evident in his tone.

"Wait, zoom in!"

As the camera zoomed in, everyone could finally see Kaminari's location. He was floating above the field on what appeared to be a sleek, black platform.

"Is that a… skateboard?" Asui tilted her head, her expression puzzled.

"No, it's too big. It looks more like a surfboard," Uraraka corrected, leaning forward for a better look.

Indeed, Kaminari was standing on what resembled a black, streamlined surfboard. He balanced himself with a casual surfing posture, his body tilted forward slightly as he glided through the air.

To add a dramatic flair, he'd surrounded himself with a swirling ring of iron sand, which orbited him like a planetary ring.

Kaminari's intent was clear, this wasn't just about winning. This was about looking good.

"As expected of an industrial zone," he muttered to himself, surveying the environment. "There's way more iron sand here than there was back in the forests of Aokigahara!"

From a higher vantage point, the scene was striking. Bakugo's fiery explosions lit up one section of the field, while Todoroki's frosty terrain stretched across another. Kaminari, with his dark, stormy aesthetic, stood out as a menacing presence.

"Are those… iron sand particles?" All Might squinted at the rotating ring around Kaminari, his sharp eyes capturing every detail like a high-definition camera.

"But how is he controlling them?" All Might wondered aloud. "Or… has he awakened a second Quirk?"

***

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