MHATG: Chapter 356/360

Chapter 356: Beast Forest Battlefield!

The teacher of Class 1-A, standing beside Mandalay, introduced him in a deep voice before adding, "According to the principal, he may be the strongest first-year student in the Hero Course in Japan."

"A genius?"

Mandalay looked with great interest at the blond boy meeting her gaze head-on. The electricity constantly crackling across his body made him look extremely cool.

"And he's quite handsome too. If I were younger, I might've been tempted," Pixie-Bob joked.

"Well then, let's begin." Mandalay grabbed the railing in front of her with both hands and shouted to the flustered Class A students below.

"This is private territory. You are free to use your Quirks. From now on, you have three hours to make your way through this 'Beast Forest' and reach the dormitory facilities on your own two feet."

"Beast Forest?!"

Midoriya, Iida, Tetsutetsu and the others turned their heads in shock toward the vast, dense, and dark forest ahead.

"No way, what's with this totally RPG-sounding name?" Sero was the first to speak his mind.

"Are there really monsters in there?" Tetsutetsu glanced around warily, trying to spot any strange movement.

"It suits Mandalay's style, doesn't it?" Momo said with a smile, patting her still-pristine uniform.

Whoosh—

"Hold it in! Hold it in! I actually held it in!"

"Hurry, find a tree trunk... Dammit, I'm gonna explode!"

A purple blur shot out from the crowd before anyone else could react, dashing straight into the forest.

"Look how much that kid's trying to hold it in. Heh heh heh," Kirishima laughed.

But at that moment, a terrified scream suddenly rang out, and before anyone could respond, Midoriya instinctively launched into Full Cowl mode, a green flash streaking toward the forest.

"Let's check it out too!" Class Rep Iida shouted, and everyone quickly followed. All of this unfolded beneath the gaze of the three Pro Heroes above.

"By the way, don't you Heroes have another student you consider the 'strongest'? How does he compare to Kaminari Denki?" Mandalay turned toward Pixie-Bob, who was adjusting her smart visor, then looked at Aizawa and asked.

"Mirio..." Aizawa lowered his head thoughtfully, hands in his pockets. He initially wanted to say that Kaminari, being a first-year, couldn't compare to someone like Mirio.

But strangely, those words stopped on his lips.

Because the more he thought about it, the harder it became to determine who was truly stronger.

Logically, Mirio was a third-year, while Kaminari was just a first-year. But Mirio had been a late bloomer—he hadn't stood out much in his first or second year.

Kaminari was the opposite. Now, his strength surpassed that of most Pro Heroes. Could he really still be called a first-year?

"I'm sorry, I can't answer that question right now," Aizawa finally said.

"Oh?" Mandalay raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Looks like this Kaminari Denki really is something else." She turned to Pixie-Bob and added, "You heard that? Don't go easy on him!"

"Got it!"

Pixie-Bob understood immediately and gave a thumbs-up, silently raising the difficulty of the test by two levels.

"But aren't you Heroes being a little chaotic with your schedule, Eraser Head?" Mandalay asked.

Aizawa gave her a sidelong glance, thinking to himself, You're the one who just increased the difficulty and now you're complaining?

Still, since she was a senior, he responded politely.

"Usually, we don't start distributing 'provisional qualifications' until the first half of second year, but this time, we're giving them a chance to earn them early at the dorm. So yes, things are a bit rushed.

"What I mean is, a limited Quirk usage permit for emergencies and a provisional license for Hero activity.

"With villains becoming more active lately, they need a way to defend themselves—and I mean all of them."

Meanwhile, Midoriya, who had just saved Mineta in time and punched a 'rock beast' to pieces, was shocked to find it was reforming itself!

"Whoa, what a monster!"

The others who arrived also saw the creature before Midoriya. Among them, Kirishima—being a gamer—was especially shocked.

"Cool, this must be Pixie-Bob's handiwork, right?" Kaminari said softly, walking over with a girl on each side.

"It's obviously made of earth, so theoretically, as long as the soil's still there, it can keep reforming," Momo said seriously.

"Infinite reforming?" Kyoka stared in surprise at the fully regenerated 'rock beast'.

"But what I'm more curious about is..."

Just as Kaminari was deep in thought, Iida, Bakugo, and Tetsutetsu had already jumped into action.

Since it was clearly not a real creature, Koji didn't try to use his Quirk. He stood back, watching nervously.

"Recipro Burst!"

"Die!!"

Boom! BOOM!

In the wake of their explosive attacks, the rock beast collapsed again—this time still steaming.

"Nice one!" Mina cheered, jumping with excitement.

"As expected of Bakugo!" Kirishima shouted in admiration.

"You morons, it's not over yet!" Bakugo scowled, clenching his fists and looking deeper into the forest.

"Huh?!" Uraraka, Midoriya, and the others followed his gaze—and were stunned to see several rock monsters, each three to four meters tall, marching out from between the trees.

And not just that—more winged creatures burst from the ground and took to the sky!

"Whoa, how many of them are there?" Tetsutetsu shouted, fists clenched.

"I can hear at least thirty sets of footsteps, and the number's going up!" Kyoka said, inserting her headphone jacks into the ground to listen.

"Counting the ones in the sky, there's about fifty!" Uraraka pointed at the treetops in alarm.

"No," Momo corrected. "These rock monsters regenerate, so we should multiply the number by two!"

As she spoke, she touched the golden rings on her hands, and in the next second, they transformed into two strange golden pistols.

Kaminari also noticed Kyoka lightly tap the black ring on her right wrist. The black metal flowed like water, wrapping around her body.

Moments later, a full Batgirl-style combat outfit appeared on her—causing Kaminari to smile faintly. The only one in their class who could carry their hero costume with them was his disciple.

"It looks like U.A. wants to see how much everyone has grown over summer break. In that case…"

As Kaminari thought this, the golden ring on his wrist began to glow, and soon, the familiar Cancer's Golden Cloth appeared on his body.

Crack!

In the next moment, golden electricity surged into the chaotic battlefield. This so-called "Beast Forest" had now become a true war zone!

"Well then, I'll leave the rest to them." Seeing the constant explosions and thick smoke rising from the forest, Aizawa turned and walked toward the bus. He planned to catch up on sleep.

"Right, we're curious to see what these kittens are capable of too!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 357: It's Not Even Close!

Boom!

A golden flash of electricity streaked across the sky, and the airborne 'earth dragon' suddenly dipped its head. Despite clearly being made of clay, it let out a vivid screech as it flapped its wings and plummeted downward.

"Have you seriously become an ammunition expert now?"

Perched high atop a tree trunk, Kaminari held the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword in his hand, watching Momo in the distance as she put on a spectacular display of firepower.

Roar!!

The 'earth dragon' that had just crashed into the ground quickly reformed and lunged again, claws and fangs bared.

But Kaminari paid it no mind. With a casual flick, he released the sword from his grip.

Whoosh—

The next moment, the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword turned into golden light and shot forward, instantly slicing the 'earth dragon' into dozens of pieces—like a true divine weapon.

Elsewhere, Momo, fully focused on battle, remained unaware that someone was watching her.

There were simply too many 'earth monsters'. At this point, every student was dealing with at least one or two on their own.

Roar!

A massive three-to-four-meter-tall 'earth beast' let out a terrifying cry as it swung a thick, beastly arm at her.

Momo, dual-wielding her golden pistols, dodged with impressive agility while firing a rapid volley of shots at the charging monster.

What was fascinating was that each of the two bullets caused different effects on impact.

The bullet to the leg burst with icy mist, freezing it in place, while the shot to the head exploded in a blaze, shattering its cranium in flames.

After taking down the threat in front of her, Momo calmly surveyed her surroundings. Spotting Mineta in the distance—his head bloodied and being chased by two earth monsters—she immediately combined her pistols.

In the next instant, the golden twin pistols emitted a golden glow and swiftly fused and reshaped.

A moment later, a golden spear formed in her hand, and a faint pink light shimmered across her arm as a matching golden magazine materialized.

Click!

The magazine appeared and, before it could fall, was smoothly snatched by a fair hand and inserted into the spear.

The entire sequence of actions was clearly practiced—her composure and precision gave off a strong air of professionalism.

Boom!

She aimed, pulled the trigger, and with a dull shot, a golden bolt of lightning burst from the muzzle.

The electric shot moved at an incredible speed, destroying the earth monster behind Mineta in an instant. Momo then proceeded to snipe the other and continued providing support for her classmates.

Golden electric flashes flew between the trees and the crowd—at first glance, it almost looked like Kaminari's handiwork.

What Kaminari didn't know was that after she seriously studied the proposal he'd written, Momo began making preparations and improvements with the full support of her family.

She spent money to hire retired American special forces instructors and top-tier European sharpshooters. She also frequently sought advice from U.A.'s third-year homeroom teacher, the "sniper" Pro Hero, to refine her shooting technique after class.

As for equipment, she had fired nearly 60,000 rounds of various bullets over the past few months, practicing nearly every day.

At the same time, a research team was brought in—based on Kaminari's proposal—to develop a series of specialty bullets and custom gear. Momo memorized the data from their findings and attempted to recreate them using her Quirk.

The 'Freezing Bullets', 'Explosive Flame Rounds', and even the 'Lightning Sniper Bullets' were all born from this project.

In short, while Kaminari was growing stronger, Momo was also working hard—relying on her wealth and high intelligence.

As time passed, the seemingly endless 'earth monsters' were turned into piles of soil by Class A's efforts. Everyone steadily advanced toward the target area.

However, after more than two hours of intense combat, most of the students were starting to wear down.

Mineta, his head bloodied, collapsed in the center. He could no longer produce even a single grape. Uraraka, having used her Quirk over thirty times, clung to a tree while vomiting.

"Ughhh, I can't anymore! I'm done!"

With tears in her eyes, Ashido groaned in pain as she looked at her red arms—she had used too much acid, causing even her anti-acid body to hit its limit.

"I told you to pace yourself. See how chill I am right now?" Aoyama Yuga said with a smile, running a hand through his blond hair.

"If you've got so much energy, then why are you just standing there?! Use your laser already!" Ashido snapped back.

"That won't do. I know my body well. If I shoot one more time, I'll definitely get diarrhea—and there are no toilets out here," Aoyama replied confidently.

More and more people began retreating to the safe zone in the center.

Hagakure, who couldn't do much, Koji who was too tired and didn't want to disturb the birds, Kirishima whose Hardening had worn off…

Mashirao, whose tail was too sore to move, Shoji, who had sustained injuries, Sero, who had run out of tape, and Tsuyu, completely exhausted.

In the end, the only ones still fighting were Kaminari Denki, Midoriya Izuku, Bakugo Katsuki, Shoto Todoroki, Tetsutetsu Tetsu, Iida Tenya, Tokoyami Fumikage, Kyoka, and Momo.

"Bakugo, fall back and rest for a bit!" Kirishima shouted, looking at Bakugo's back.

"Shut up!!"

Boom!

Though it was his first time saying it that day, the throbbing pain in his arms told Bakugo he needed rest.

"Ka…"

But seeing that the 'lightning bastard', the 'half-and-half bastard', and the 'crybaby nerd' were all still pushing forward, he couldn't bring himself to be the first one to fall back.

His thinking was simple—if no one else could go on, then he would be the very last one standing.

"Ka-chan, stop! Your hands will get seriously injured if you keep going!" Midoriya shouted through heavy breaths, his exhausted body swaying.

"You're so damn annoying—shut up!" Bakugo exploded in frustration. "If you wanna rest, then go! Stop whining to me!"

"Ugh…" Midoriya hesitated. He knew full well his strength was nearly gone.

Just then, Kaminari—at the front lines, slashing through earth monsters with his lightsaber—spoke.

"Midoriya, Bakugo… squad leader, Momo, and Kyoka—you're all past your limit. Let us handle it. Come back in later if we need to switch."

Bakugo didn't take kindly to being included and immediately barked, "Don't go ordering me around!"

But just as he leapt forward to blow up another monster, not only did his Quirk fail to activate, but a sharp pain shot through his arms, making him clench them in agony.

Thud.

"Ka-chan! Watch out!"

Midoriya panicked when he saw the earth monster swinging its massive arm down at Bakugo, who was now doubled over in pain. He tried to run to him—but his body wouldn't move anymore, no matter how much his mind screamed.

Whoosh!

Boom!!

In a flash of golden light, Kaminari appeared, blasting the earth monster's upper body apart with a kick. He landed lightly in front of Bakugo.

"Kr—"

Bakugo, squatting on the ground and clutching his arms, was just about to say something when he heard the 'lightning bastard' speak.

"Get stronger. You're nowhere near there yet."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 358: Yasakani no Magatama

Although Kaminari's words sounded harsh, he genuinely had Bakugo's best interests at heart. Persuasion with kindness would have been meaningless to someone like him.

In fact, it wasn't just Bakugo—Kyoka and Momo weren't in great shape either.

Even with the support of the Bat Suit, Kyoka's Earphone Jack Quirk had limits. Overusing soundwaves caused fatigue in her jacks, soreness, and even tinnitus.

Momo's situation was even simpler. After several hours of constant creation, her body fat reserves had reached a critical low. Even if each bullet consumed a small amount, the sheer quantity used had taken its toll.

Ida's legs could barely keep moving. While he wasn't injured, Midoriya, whose condition was barely better, had already caught up to him.

Elsewhere, the bus still sat at the forest's edge. Aizawa, already wrapped in his yellow sleeping bag, had dozed off under the cool air conditioning.

"How's it looking? Can the little kittens reach the dorms within three hours?" Mandalay, dressed in red, stood at the roadside railing and asked with a smile.

"Well…" Pixie-Bob, in her blue dress, hesitated while observing the forest through her Quirk-controlled devices.

"Huh?" Mandalay looked at her in confusion.

"Most of the kittens have temporarily lost their ability to fight for various reasons… But there are four who, surprisingly, still look like they could fight for a few more hours," Pixie-Bob replied, astonished.

"Which four? I bet that blonde kid is one of them, right?"

"Yeah, him. But honestly, he's been taking it easy—he only deals with the earth monsters that come directly at him," Pixie-Bob pouted, wondering if she should up the challenge again.

Mandalay wasn't surprised. After all, Eraser Head had said he was the strongest first-year. "And the other three?"

"One is the boy with a crow's head. He rarely engages directly, instead using that shadow creature coming from his body. And that shadow doesn't seem to have any physical limitations.

"Another is the boy with half-red, half-white hair. The left side of his body releases fire, and the right side ice. He alternates between them effortlessly, without any noticeable physical exhaustion."

Mandalay listened while adjusting her smart glasses, having already pulled up their basic information.

"Tokoyami Fumikage, Quirk: Dark Shadow. Shoto Todoroki… Huh?! He's Endeavor's son!" That revelation truly shocked her. As a top Pro Hero, Endeavor was second only to All Might in reputation.

"There's also a silver-haired boy. Honestly, he surprised me. He has the most takedowns and is the most active fighter of the group—and he still seems capable of going even further!"

Pixie-Bob muttered in disbelief, "In terms of raw stamina, this kid might even surpass Tiger. He's literally smashing these earth monsters with his fists, legs, and feet alone. And I mean now, not hypothetically."

"Exaggerating, are you?"

"Fists?" Mandalay raised an eyebrow and instantly pulled up Tetsutetsu's info. After reading it, she said, "His Quirk is Steel. If he's smashing them while activated, that's nothing unusual."

Pixie-Bob looked at Mandalay with a complex expression. "I mean without using his Quirk."

Using her smart glasses, she had seen that while Tetsutetsu spent most of the time in his steel form, he regularly deactivated it and fought with raw fists and kicks.

"Stronger than Tiger in terms of stamina, and able to crush earth monsters without Quirks… Are you telling me we've got the 'Bare-Fisted Reaper' over here?" Mandalay said, half-joking.

"No joke. He really fights like one." Pixie-Bob nodded, then smiled slyly. "Since these four kittens are so capable… I think I'll have a little fun!"

"Don't go too far! We've already doubled the original difficulty. If you push it any more, someone might get hurt," Mandalay said, clearly concerned.

"Relax. I'll focus the pressure on just those four big cats. I won't mess with the others."

Deep within the forest, Kaminari Denki, Tetsutetsu, Tokoyami Fumikage, and Shoto Todoroki had formed a solid defensive perimeter.

While neutralizing the 'earth monsters' on all sides, they slowly led their tired classmates forward.

"How the heck are they even doing this?"

After slicing down another airborne 'Earth Flying Dragon' with his sword, Kaminari couldn't help but wonder: How is Pixie-Bob managing ultra-long-range intelligent control like this?

It was at least 400 to 500 meters from the bus to their current position, and the dense forest completely blocked line of sight.

Yet these earth constructs moved like real creatures, distinguishing friend from foe, and even regenerating after being destroyed. It was incredible.

"Kaminari!"

Just then, Tetsutetsu—who had just punched an earth monster in the face—called out, "Have you noticed that their numbers aren't going down?!"

"Hmm?!"

Kaminari looked up and realized that the monsters emerging from the forest's depths had become a thick, swarming mass.

"We're probably close to the campsite, so they've ramped up the pressure," Shoto Todoroki said calmly from beside him.

"The darkness is mounting its final assault, and dawn draws near," Tokoyami murmured dramatically.

Looks like the teachers don't plan on letting me coast, Kaminari thought with a smirk. I just hope they're ready for the forest to be wrecked.

Then, he quickly issued orders.

"Todoroki, launch a large-scale ice attack and coordinate with me to take out the bulk of the monsters!"

"Tokoyami, Tetsutetsu—you two handle the cleanup and make sure to protect the others!"

"Got it!" Tetsutetsu nodded and moved a few meters behind Kaminari, ready to guard the rear.

"Leave it to us." Tokoyami followed suit, positioning himself behind Todoroki. In his eyes, Kaminari wasn't just the leader of their band—he was also the strongest one present.

As for Todoroki?

As cold as ever, he just gave a silent nod. Wisps of frost began curling from his body.

"There's so many of them. Can Kaminari and the others really handle it?!" Mineta cried out, terrified at the incoming wave of enemies.

"Damn it…"

Bakugo clutched his still-aching arm, glaring at Kaminari and Todoroki's backs. Deep down, he knew his frustration wasn't aimed at them—it was at himself.

Why can't my Quirk work like theirs, without all these damn limitations? But then his gaze fell on Tetsutetsu's back, and his thoughts paused.

How is that guy still going? Why…?!

Up ahead, the earth monsters had charged to within 30 meters.

Without hesitation, Todoroki activated his Quirk.

Whoosh—

In an instant, an explosive blast of cold surged outward, sweeping across the forest floor toward the enemy.

Everything in its path—rocks, trees, even ants—froze instantly, including the legs of dozens of towering earth monsters.

At the same time, a golden flash tore through the air—Kaminari soared overhead.

He looked down at the frozen battlefield and the flying 'Earth Dragons' still overhead. Crossing his arms, dazzling golden light gathered in his hands.

Szzzzzzzt—

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

In that moment, Kaminari Denki became a sphere of pure light, and countless golden beams burst from it like a downpour—raining across the frozen battlefield Todoroki had just created…

(To be continued.)

Chapter 359: Thoughts

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Golden beams of light pierced through the bodies and wings of the 'Earth Dragons' one after another, before ruthlessly raining down onto the frost-covered forest below.

Boom, boom, boom, boom…

In the next moment, when the beams made contact with the frost, trees, and 'Earth Monsters,' bursts of scorching thunder detonated like a chain of bombs.

The clumps of lightning quickly expanded outward like massive golden bowls overturned on the ice. Within each impact zone, everything—frost, trees, and monsters alike—was scorched into a wasteland.

"The effect's not bad…" Kaminari thought to himself, secretly satisfied.

The so-called Yasakani no Magatama compressed electricity to a high degree before launching it using a magnetic field.

This method provided not only high-speed projectiles, but also devastating electrical explosions—inflicting widespread damage that included heat, paralysis, electric shock, and even temporary blindness.

"This is…"

Below, Midoriya, Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki, Kyoka, Momo, and the others stood frozen, shocked by the overwhelming spectacle before them.

The golden barrage raining from the sky and the thunderous carpet bombing in the distance created an overwhelming audiovisual feast.

Boom boom boom boom boom!

Above the forest, beneath the clouds, golden light as bright as the sun continued to pour down in uninterrupted beams. Even the 'Earth Monsters' that tried to reshape were annihilated before they could reform.

"He's grown this much…?" Without warning, Aizawa appeared behind Pixie-Bob and Mandalay.

His sudden appearance and voice startled the two Pro Heroes, who had been silently watching the forest in a daze. Mandalay pointed at the golden light flooding the sky and asked in disbelief, "Is he really a student?"

By now, she no longer cared whether he was a first-year or a third-year. In her eyes, this level of destruction was already beyond the scope of any student.

"To be honest, I'm surprised too. This is the first time I've seen this move… but one thing's certain: in terms of combat ability alone, Kaminari Denki may be the strongest lightning-type Quirk user."

After a brief pause, Aizawa narrowed his eyes and added, "I mean in the entire world."

His meaning was clear—although Kaminari wasn't yet the top Pro Hero, when it came to lightning-type Quirks, he reigned supreme.

At the same time, he finally understood why the principal had worked so hard to protect Kaminari after the incident where he had taken out over a dozen people. It wasn't just about discipline—it was about making sure he didn't fall into the hands of the villains.

The stronger he was, the more dangerous he could become. As long as he wasn't completely insane, it was better to win him over.

Meanwhile, in the forest, the golden light raining from above began to dim at a visible rate. The beam density thinned out rapidly.

"Should I keep going?" Pixie-Bob, dressed in blue, asked while adjusting her smart visor. She still had enough energy to shape more 'Earth Monsters' if needed.

"No, absolutely not!"

Seeing the gleam in Pixie-Bob's eyes, the more level-headed Mandalay quickly waved her hands in refusal.

"Look at what that little devil has already done to our forest! You do remember this is private property, right?!"

The term "private domain" wasn't just a formality—this entire forest had been purchased by their ancestors, and every tree here was essentially money.

Staring at the charred ruins in the distance, Mandalay's heart ached. The amount of time and resources it would take to restore everything was unimaginable.

"Eraser Head, do you think your Hero Department can reimburse us for the damage?"

"Please take that up with the principal. I'm sure he'll provide a satisfactory answer," Aizawa replied as he turned and walked back toward the bus.

"Sigh… let's go. We still have to prepare dinner for those kittens." Mandalay sighed helplessly.

At the same time, Kaminari, having just discharged over three million volts of electricity, slowly descended to the ground. When he saw the scorched landscape, smoke still rising from the soil, a satisfied smile crept across his face.

"Damn, Kaminari! You're seriously strong, man! That was insane!" Tetsutetsu ran over, shouting in amazement.

"To think I'd ever witness someone destroy an entire forest with their own power…" Kirishima, who loved games and comics, murmured in awe.

Even in a world with Quirks, where heroes were abundant, the current peaceful era had placed more focus on rescue over combat. Destructive power on this scale was rare—almost mythic.

"Kaminari, what's the name of that move?" Kyoka walked up and asked. She knew he wasn't just good at developing his Quirk—he had serious creative flair too.

That was a great question. Kaminari appreciated how engaged Kyoka was and smiled.

"It's called Yasakani no Magatama!"

"Yasakani no Magatama is one of Japan's three mythical treasures. It represents the light of the sun and moon, and the divine radiance of Amaterasu…" Momo added habitually.

"Speaking of the three sacred treasures, doesn't Kaminari-kun also have a move called Ame-no-Murakumo Sword?" Midoriya asked, suddenly recalling.

"So, does that mean you've got one more to complete the trio? Like the Yata Mirror?" Class rep Iida followed up with a smile.

"Can the light of the three gods purify the darkness of corruption…?" Tokoyami lowered his head and whispered, giving himself a noble-sounding reason for losing.

When Kaminari heard the name Yata Mirror, the first thing that came to mind was Kizaru's from One Piece. After all, his Ame-no-Murakumo Sword and Yasakani no Magatama were both inspired by that character.

But the issue was, he couldn't "become light" like Kizaru. And truth be told, the Yata Mirror in One Piece was kind of underwhelming—he wouldn't want to copy that.

"Unfortunately, I don't have a Yata Mirror… yet." He shrugged, replying casually.

"Alright, let's keep moving. Seems like the 'Earth Monsters' have stopped respawning. I guess Pixie-Bob finally gave up," Momo said with a light laugh.

Naturally, no one disagreed. But the moment they stepped into the scorched wasteland, feeling the lingering heat beneath their feet and smelling the burnt air, everyone was awestruck by Kaminari's power.

"So this is… Yasakani no Magatama?" Todoroki's calm expression briefly shifted, his brows furrowing. He began to wonder—if he were on the receiving end of that move, could he withstand it?

"Damn it… the gap between me and that bastard just keeps growing!" Bakugo clenched his sore fists, flames of frustration blazing in his eyes.

At the front of the group, Kaminari led the others forward slowly, still thinking about the Yata Mirror.

Just like Midoriya had said, since he already had the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword and Yasakani no Magatama, why not complete the trio of mythical artifacts?

But what would the Yata Mirror look like? What would its function be?

Both the Ame-no-Murakumo Sword and Yasakani no Magatama were offensive techniques. Logically, the Yata Mirror should be defensive.

With that thought, Kaminari's eyes flickered.

He already had speed and offense. What he lacked was defense.

"Could I combine my old idea of 'Thunder Aegis' and integrate electricity, magnetism, centrifugal force, and other elements to create a Yata Mirror capable of blocking all physical attacks?"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 360: Elimination and Suggestions

Unknowingly, the time was approaching four o'clock in the afternoon. The sky was now painted in brilliant colors by the setting sun.

Sometimes it turned red, sometimes a pale blue, sometimes tinged with soft purples, and occasionally it shimmered with gold streaks against a crimson backdrop.

Unfortunately, the exhausted Class A students had no energy left to appreciate the beautiful scene.

"Phew, finally found it!"

When Kaminari was the first to emerge from the forest and spot the buildings in the distance, he let out a long sigh of relief. The journey had truly been exhausting.

Although there were no more 'Earth Monsters' blocking their way, a very practical problem still remained—where exactly was their destination, and which direction were they supposed to go?

Mandalay had only vaguely said at the beginning that their lodging was at the foot of a mountain, but which mountain was that?

Besides, since the pro heroes had launched their attack without warning, who had time to remember specific directions?

Early on, the constant appearances of 'Earth Monsters' had served as indirect guides for their path. But as soon as the monsters stopped showing up, everyone quickly became lost in the dense forest.

Kaminari had initially considered having Pikachu produce a map, but Momo stopped him.

She had said, "Finding our way through the forest should be part of the test. We should rely on our own knowledge and Quirks, not support gear, at least for the first round."

And so, on the way forward, combat-focused students like Kaminari, Todoroki, and Bakugo stepped back, while Kyoka, Koji, and Shoji—with reconnaissance-type abilities—took the lead.

Especially Koji, usually low-profile and quiet, had truly impressed everyone this time.

Birds, insects, and even small animals had all followed his commands to help find the path and the location of their goal.

If Mineta, Aoyama, Ashido, and Uraraka hadn't begged for rest breaks along the way, they likely would've arrived much earlier under Koji's direction.

But… Koji's voice was completely gone now.

"Too slow."

Class teacher Aizawa, dressed in black with his usual capture scarf and hands in his pockets, glanced at Kaminari, Todoroki, Midoriya, and the others with narrowed eyes and a heavy tone.

"If this had been a rescue mission, what hope would any of you speedy types have?"

"It's true, you were a little late," Mandalay said with a calm smile.

Everyone in Class A exchanged awkward glances, but no one dared to argue. They had, after all, arrived late. They could only choose to stay silent.

What they didn't know was that these three shady pro heroes had deliberately delayed them.

How?

Simple. Pixie-Bob had secretly modified the terrain—raising mounds, blocking paths, and subtly creating the illusion that certain areas were impassable.

That's why Kaminari and the others had gotten lost so easily and stayed lost for so long.

"You said three hours? How could anyone make it in just three hours?" Class Rep Iida cried out in frustration.

"We said it would take three hours if we were the ones walking it. Hehehe, sorry!" Mandalay said, grinning slyly.

"Showing off the power gap is too much," Kyoka muttered tiredly.

"Enough talk! I'm starving!" Kirishima collapsed onto the ground and sighed up at the sky. He'd only had one piece of toast this morning.

"Hehehe, but honestly, you guys arrived sooner than I expected. I didn't think my 'Earth Monsters' would get cleared so quickly," Pixie-Bob said in her blue dress, glancing at Kaminari through her eyepiece.

But to her surprise, Kaminari was looking back at her—and their eyes met, making Pixie-Bob freeze.

"Uh, what's going on?" Kyoka, standing beside Kaminari, tugged on his sleeve in confusion.

At that moment, Pixie-Bob suddenly struck a flirtatious pose, even licking her lips.

"Oooh? Interested in your big sis, are you?"

"Sure!"

The next second, she threw open her arms and lunged toward him with puckered lips. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what you'll look like in three years! Let big sis warm you up first!"

Szzzzzzzzzt—

Kaminari's expression shifted, and he immediately activated high-speed movement to dodge—only to find, to his shock, that she could keep up!

Thanks to training across multiple areas recently, his high-speed movement was far faster than when he first entered U.A.

Suddenly, in the manually cleared open space, two streaks—one golden, one blue—were chasing each other at lightning speed, leaving Midoriya and the others completely stunned.

"She always like this?" Aizawa pointed toward the blue blur and asked softly.

"Lately… she's been impatient around boys she likes. Probably due to her 'marriageable age,'" Mandalay sighed.

"Huh? Marriageable age? Isn't that—"

Bang!

Midoriya had only just started to speak when a blue blur appeared in front of him, and a large paw slammed over his face like a cat's muzzle.

"What's wrong with being marriageable?" Pixie-Bob growled by his ear, clearly annoyed.

"I-I was just wondering…"

Midoriya, face scrunched in pain, pointed at the distance. "That little boy over there… who is he?"

A child wearing a red cap was standing beside Mandalay.

When the others noticed Pixie-Bob had stopped chasing, they also looked in the same direction and spotted a small boy with an unhappy expression.

"Oh, he's my nephew," Mandalay said, waving her hand. She then gently told the boy, "Kota, say hello. You'll be living together for a week."

"Uh… I'm Midoriya from U.A.'s Hero Course. I look forward to learning together!" Midoriya walked up to the boy and reached out his hand with a smile.

"Humph."

But to everyone's shock, the boy named Kota punched Midoriya straight in the crotch, dropping him on the spot in agony.

Kaminari and the others stood there, dumbfounded.

"Midoriya-san!!" Iida, ever the class rep, rushed over to catch Midoriya before he collapsed. Then he turned furiously toward Kota, who had already begun to walk away.

"Why did your nephew hit Midoriya-san in the… s-system?!"

"I don't want to hang out with people who say they want to be Heroes!" Kota snapped, looking back with clear disdain.

"'Hang out'?" Iida caught on that Kota hadn't used any honorifics, and scolded, "Just how old are you?!"

"Precocious brat, huh," Bakugo snorted, covered in dirt. For some reason, he didn't really dislike Kota's attitude.

"Doesn't he kind of remind you… of yourself?" Todoroki said softly.

"No way!"

Then Kaminari's voice suddenly cut through the chatter, stopping Kota in his tracks.

"If you don't like hanging out with people who want to be Heroes, then why are you hanging out with people who already are?"

"Kaminari!" Kyoka and Momo tried to stop him, worried about where this was going.

"What did you just say?!" Kota turned and glared at him.

But Kaminari didn't flinch under the boy's glare. He simply curled his lip and replied calmly:

"No matter why you hate Heroes, my advice is: don't waste your time complaining about others. It's pointless."

(To be continued.)