Chapter 135: Chapter 134: Career Choice
"These are the results, but regardless of whether you received any applications or not, everyone will participate in what's called a workstudy experience," Aizawa announced, standing at the podium with his usual no-nonsense expression.
"Workstudy experience?" Midoriya repeated, tilting his head in confusion.
"That's right," Aizawa replied. "After the USJ incident, you've already had a taste of real combat against villains, earlier than most students ever do. But the school still wants you to gain a broader understanding of what it means to be a professional Hero, beyond just fighting."
The room was filled with thoughtful silence for a moment before Tetsutetsu clenched his fists and grinned. "Does this mean it's time to choose our Hero names? Because I've already decided mine!"
"That makes it even more exciting!" Uraraka cheered, raising her hands with enthusiasm.
"While the Hero names you choose now are only tentative," Aizawa continued, his tone deadpan, "I hope no one picks something ridiculous—"
Bang!
Before Aizawa could finish his sentence, the classroom door swung open dramatically, drawing everyone's attention.
"I'll make sure no one picks a stupid name!"
It was none other than the R-Rated Hero, Midnight, stepping in with her signature theatrical flair.
"Whoa, it's Midnight-sensei!"
The students' reactions varied wildly, ranging from awe to visible discomfort, though one person in particular, Mineta, was practically vibrating in his seat. His eyes weren't exactly on her face…
"After all, plenty of Heroes end up sticking with the names they come up with during their student years. Those names could become your professional identities, recognized worldwide," Midnight said, walking with exaggerated elegance, her figure exaggeratedly outlined by every step.
As she struck a pose, her words nearly turned Mineta into a fountain of blood.
Kaminari, seated near the back, instinctively glanced at Kyoka sitting next to him. For some reason, the sight of her rolling her eyes brought him a small sense of relief.
"At least there wasn't much trouble after we left," Kaminari thought silently, thinking back to the events of the previous day.
"Now then," Aizawa continued, "Midnight will help judge your sense of taste when it comes to naming. I don't care much for this topic."
He paused, pulling a familiar yellow sleeping bag from under the podium. "Think carefully about what kind of Hero you want to be. Your name will help shape how others see you, and it's a commitment to the person you want to become."
And with that, Aizawa lay down inside the sleeping bag on the floor and promptly closed his eyes, leaving the students stunned.
"…This guy," Kaminari muttered, his face darkening. The sight of a teacher sleeping on the job was surreal, even for U.A. "This really is another world. What kind of teacher would dare to do this in my previous life?"
---
Soon, a stack of whiteboards was passed around the classroom, eventually reaching Kaminari. He picked one up and handed the last to Tetsutetsu behind him.
"Take your time," Midnight said cheerfully. "After all, this name could impact your future."
"Take time? No way!" Tetsutetsu said confidently, immediately grabbing a marker and scribbling something down.
Kaminari smirked lightly at his classmate's enthusiasm. "Well, I already know what I want too," he thought, picking up his marker.
Without much deliberation, he wrote two kanji characters on his board: 雷影 (Raikage).
He'd briefly considered longer names like "The First Raikage" or even "Thunder God," but dismissed them for now. The former was too formal, and the latter felt like an overly ambitious title he wasn't quite ready to claim.
Still, the name "Raikiri" had already become tied to him after his match against Todoroki, appearing in news headlines and online discussions. As for "Thunder God"… Well, maybe one day. When he was truly strong enough, he hoped the world would grant him that title on its own.
---
Ten minutes passed quickly.
"Time's up!" Midnight announced with a grin. "Let's start sharing your names with the class!"
"Wait, we have to say them out loud?!" Kirishima blurted, his voice a mix of surprise and nervousness.
"That takes guts!" Sero added, looking equally shocked.
Kaminari stood up first, his expression calm and composed as he walked to the podium. The room fell silent, all eyes on him.
"Although I've mentioned this name before, I'd like to officially present it to everyone now," Kaminari said, placing his whiteboard on the podium.
The bold characters written on it gleamed under the classroom lights: 雷影 (Raikage).
"Thunder Hero, Raikage!" Kaminari announced confidently. "The path of thunder and lightning follows me like a shadow, which is what this name signifies. It also reflects my lightning-fast fighting style."
"Cool name!" one of his classmates whispered, and Midnight clapped enthusiastically.
"That's a strong start, Kaminari-kun! Well done!" Midnight praised, her applause spreading energy through the classroom.
---
"Alright, my turn!"
As Kaminari stepped down, Tetsutetsu marched up to the podium, his whiteboard held high.
"Steel Hero, Colossus!"
Midnight nodded approvingly. "Very fitting! It gives off a strong, reliable vibe, just like you!"
Inspired, Kirishima immediately stood up next.
"Strong Hero, Red Riot!" he declared, his whiteboard proudly displayed.
"Red Riot," Midnight repeated, smiling warmly. "A clear tribute to Crimson Riot, isn't it? A great senior Hero."
Kirishima nodded, brushing his hand through his bright red hair. "Exactly! Crimson Riot has always been my inspiration. I want to carry on his legacy as a hardcore Hero!"
"You'll need to carry the weight of that name," Midnight reminded him.
"I'm ready for it!" Kirishima grinned, clenching his fists with determination.
---
As more students presented their names, Kaminari noticed some interesting choices. Iida and Todoroki opted to use their real names, keeping things simple. Midoriya surprised everyone by choosing "Deku," a nickname that once meant "useless" but now symbolized his determination.
As for Bakugo…
"You can't use that," Midnight said bluntly, glaring at the name "King Explosion Murder" on Bakugo's whiteboard. "That's completely inappropriate as a Hero name."
"Fine!" Bakugo snapped, crossing his arms with a scowl.
"How about Explosion Hero: Nuclear Blast?" Kaminari suggested casually.
Bakugo blinked, caught off guard. Despite his dislike for Kaminari, the more he thought about the name, the more he liked it.
"That's… not bad," he admitted.
Midnight's expression darkened. "No. Absolutely not."
---
The bell rang soon after, and Midnight collected everyone's whiteboards before leaving the classroom.
"Alright, now that you've all decided on Hero names, let's return to the topic of workplace experience," Aizawa said, standing at the podium once again, seemingly refreshed from his nap.
"It will last for one week. Students who received offers will get a list of agencies to choose from. Those without offers will be assigned to one of forty agencies the school has partnered with."
"Make your decisions carefully," he concluded, dismissing the class.
---
Kaminari looked down at the stack of agency offers on his desk, the sheer number overwhelming.
"So many…" he muttered, flipping through them.
Still, he wasn't too worried. He already had a few agencies in mind and just needed to see if they were on the list.
"When there are this many options," he thought, "it's all about picking the right one."
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