My Hero Academia: Thunder God

June in the Japanese calendar is often referred to as "Minazuki" (Waterless Month), an ironic name given that it coincides with the Tsuyu season—weeks of persistent rainfall that obscure the sky and drown out the moon. Because of this, it's also jokingly called the "Waterless Moon" by locals.

For Kaminari, this month was shaping up to be particularly packed.

The midterm exams had just ended at the beginning of June, and on the 14th, he was scheduled to attend Dr. Tenma's house to celebrate his son Tobio's birthday. But the real highlight of the month was slated for June 23rd—a five-hour performance by the "Pikachu Band," featuring Kaminari, Kyoka, and Momo. Essentially a mini-concert, the event had been meticulously organized by Kaminari's company in collaboration with the Yaoyorozu family.

Though only a small group of fans had been invited to attend in person, the concert would be livestreamed for wider audiences. It was an announcement that had already begun to generate buzz both online and in real life.

After that, July 1st would bring the final exams for U.A. High School. As a result, Kaminari and his bandmates not only had to rehearse for their upcoming show but also balance their studies and tutoring sessions. Falling behind in academics wasn't an option.

Today, however, was June 10th, a rainy weekend afternoon. It had been six days since Kaminari's last encounter with villains. At 2:26 PM, he stood at the gate of the office building where his company was headquartered, gazing up at the structure.

"One day," Kaminari sighed, "I hope my family can have a headquarters building of its own..."

Flanked by Kyoka and Momo, Kaminari couldn't help but lament how, despite the massive success of the Pokémon IP, his company still lacked the deep financial roots or longevity to secure its own property.

"The Yaoyorozu family could help you find a suitable building," Momo suggested, brushing her bangs back as the wind blew them over her forehead. Above her floated a golden umbrella formed from Kaminari's golden sand, catching every raindrop. "But no matter how reasonable the price, the cost would still be astronomical."

She glanced at the umbrella thoughtfully and added, "Kaminari, these 'golden sands' of yours are truly convenient. If you add a license plate and some other features, you might even create a 'golden car' with intelligent automatic driving."

Her gaze drifted to Pikachu, resting comfortably on Kaminari's shoulder. A thought struck her, one that was hard to suppress. "Perhaps I could get something similar for my Vulpix," she mused. Though the Yaoyorozu family didn't have much SIS alloys, they certainly had no shortage of other materials.

"Let's head out," Kaminari said, unaware of her thoughts. He walked toward a sleek black luxury car parked by the roadside. Today's goal was simple: visit the Yaoyorozu family to examine the support equipment for her Vulpix.

Unlike Kaminari's fully functional Pikachu, Momo's Vulpix equipment was classified as support gear rather than a battle suit. Limited materials meant that it couldn't transform into a complete battle outfit.

The three of them slid into the back seat of the luxury car, which began its smooth journey toward Shizuoka Prefecture. Kaminari sat in the middle, sandwiched between Momo and Kyoka, and couldn't help but feel an odd sense of privilege.

"By the way," Kaminari said, breaking the quiet atmosphere, "what's the name of your driver?"

The man in the front seat, whom Kaminari had seen numerous times before, remained silent, focused on the road.

Momo chuckled lightly and answered for him. "He's part of the Yaoyorozu family. His name is Yaoyorozu Manzo."

"Manzo? Really?" Kaminari blinked, stunned by the unimaginative naming convention. "Why do your family members have such... numerical names?"

"If I had to guess," Kyoka chimed in from the other side, "he's more than just a driver, isn't he?"

"Correct," Momo said with a smile. "He also serves as my bodyguard. Don't underestimate him, he has a Hero license."

"Can I ask about his Quirk?" Kaminari asked curiously, his golden eyes locked on the driver's back. Jiro nodded in agreement, equally intrigued.

Manzo's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. He frowned, but Momo, trusting Kaminari completely, answered without hesitation.

"His Quirk is called Shadow Warrior. It's a rare, purely combat-based ability in our family."

"Shadow Warrior?" Kaminari and Jiro exchanged confused looks.

"Yes," Momo clarified. "He can transform his shadow into various weapons. Initially, he could only create cold weapons—swords, spears, bows—but now he can even manifest firearms."

Kyoka's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, so that's the kind of 'Shadow Warrior' it is!"

"What other kind could it be?" Momo asked, puzzled by Jiro's reaction.

"Wait... haven't you ever played video games?" Jiro asked, tilting her head.

Momo paused to think. "I've never played them before. Growing up, my entertainment consisted of horseback riding, piano, dancing, and such." Her face lit up with a smile. "But recently, I've been playing Pokémon. My Vulpix evolved into Ninetales three days ago, it's so beautiful!"

Kyoka's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? I've been playing too! I even converted some of the Pokémon I owned in the anime—Squirtle, Jigglypuff and the others. They're all in my team now!"

Caught between their lively conversation, Kaminari could only sigh inwardly. The topic had shifted from Yaoyorozu Manzo's Quirk to animated Pokémon, leaving him as a bystander.

In the anime, many of their classmates had prominent roles, each serving as gym leaders with unique Pokémon types. Midoriya specialized in Bug types, Bakugo dominated with Fire types, and even Tokoyami and Hagakure played dual roles as Ghost-type gym leaders.

Todoroki was another standout. In the show, he was portrayed as the protagonist's greatest rival, a dual Fire and Ice trainer with a formidable lineup that included Ninetales, Charizard, Arcanine, and Frosmoth.

Todoroki was even set to obtain Articuno in future storylines, cementing his reputation as a genius trainer.

As the car pulled into the sprawling, opulent grounds of the Yaoyorozu estate, Kaminari couldn't help but admire the grandeur of it all.

After stepping out of the vehicle, Kaminari turned to Momo with a mischievous grin. "Hey, if your Vulpix gear is good to go, how about a Pokémon battle?"

The suggestion immediately caught the attention of both girls. Their eyes lit up as they exchanged excited glances, then turned toward Pikachu.

"A battle between Vulpix and Pikachu?" Momo asked, her enthusiasm evident.

"Yeah," Kaminari replied, teasingly. "Don't you think it'll be fun?"

To be honest, even Kaminari himself was looking forward to it.

***

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