Chapter 24: The Execution of Kaminari
"Kacchan!" Izuku Midoriya couldn't help but cry out as he saw Bakugo get injured. Even in his own precarious situation, he was still deeply worried about Bakugo.
This enemy is strong! Based on his observations from the screen, Midoriya had already gotten a partial read on the enemy's abilities. To put it simply: high attack, high defense. The enemy possessed a powerful physique and incredibly fast reflexes, several times greater than Bakugo's at his current level. For Kacchan to try and defeat him alone... from the looks of it, it was completely impossible.
Izuku Midoriya glanced at the man standing beside him, who hadn't made a move. He was being forced to watch his classmates fight an enemy, but because of Kaminari, he couldn't act.
"I'm sorry, Kaminari-kun," Midoriya silently apologized to the now-fried Kaminari.
A few minutes earlier, the man had switched the main screen to Bakugo's first-person perspective, and Bakugo's rough voice had instantly filled the room.
We're wearing surveillance devices!
The possibility instantly flashed through Midoriya's mind. No wonder the enemy on this ship could hear what he was saying. No wonder he had seen so many strange camera angles... Although he didn't know how this enemy had done it, his classmates were all equipped with monitoring devices!
He couldn't let this continue. If this man was constantly communicating with the enemy Bakugo was facing, all of their plans would be overheard. It would be incredibly difficult for Bakugo and the others to rescue Todoroki. He had to subdue this man, right here, right now.
His decision made, Midoriya launched himself at the man, intending to defeat him with the techniques he had trained so hard to master.
Midoriya didn't plan on using his Quirk. In such a confined space, even if he didn't consider himself, he had to think of the incapacitated Denki Kaminari.
Closing the distance, Midoriya threw a punch, aiming for the man's side, his other hand already poised for a follow-up left hook.
"Oh? You want to defeat me here?"
Amadeus Mask showed no surprise, as if he had already considered the possibility of Midoriya attacking at any moment. He simply sidestepped the punch to his kidney, then parried the incoming left hook. He swept his leg out in a semi-circle and—just as Midoriya had done to Bakugo—executed a perfect shoulder throw.
Midoriya was completely powerless to resist. He could only watch as his body flew into the air and then slammed, back-first, onto the hard floor.
"My, how troublesome..." The man rubbed his hand, looking down at Midoriya with interest. "I really don't know if you all are brave or just plain idiotic. We have hostages, yet you attack us without any hesitation."
The man crouched down, poking Midoriya in the chest. "Did you really think this was one of those games where you can't harm the hostages?"
"That other guy might have his principles, might not attack an enemy who can't fight back. But I'm different..." Mask took out the remote and pressed a red button with his index finger. "I'm going to show you the consequences of attacking me."
Midoriya instinctively turned his head toward Kaminari. As Kaminari shook his head frantically, a surge of electricity shot down from a wire connected to the top of the chair, enveloping his entire body.
Kaminari's eyes instantly shot wide open. His yellow hair stood on end like a Super Saiyan's as his body glowed with yellow light.
After a violent series of convulsions, Denki Kaminari went limp in the chair, his eyes vacant. His hands twitched uncontrollably, and a faint, sweet smell of barbecue wafted from his body.
"KAMINARI-KUN!" Midoriya struggled to get up, but the man's leg pinned him to the floor. He glared at the man with pure fury. "Why would you do that!? He did nothing wrong!"
"Are you a child?" Mask sighed, releasing Midoriya. "In this society, only children talk about right and wrong."
The man walked over to Kaminari and pressed the button again. Amidst a shower of golden arcs, he said to Izuku Midoriya, "I'm different. If an enemy poses a threat to me, I will not hesitate to use every means at my disposal to ensure my own safety, however brief."
"Then why not torture me? I was the one who attacked you..." Midoriya said, staggering to his feet.
"If beating you down would make you give up the idea of attacking me, then I would. But you seem to be the type who doesn't care how much you get hurt, don't you?"
Midoriya was silent. If the man had attacked him, he would have endured it, even if it meant forcing himself to use his Quirk once. But this man had instantly found his weakness. He couldn't risk Kaminari's life by fighting recklessly.
"So, you see, young man, as long as you don't do anything dangerous, I have no reason to be your enemy, do I?" Amadeus Mask patted Midoriya's shoulder and walked to the large screen. "For now, let's just watch their performance."
"...Is that person your partner?" Midoriya asked suddenly.
Looking at the man on the screen, Mask scratched his golden hair. "How should I put it? In form, he is my partner, but his complete lack of subtlety is honestly a bit concerning..."
"But that has nothing to do with you!" Mask placed a hand on Midoriya's head and began to ruffle his hair. "By the way, who do you think will win?"
Although his head was being pushed around, Midoriya had lost the will to resist. As long as he doesn't hurt Kaminari, he can do what he wants, he thought.
But still... Kacchan and the enemy... Although he had great faith in Kacchan, from their earlier clash, it was clear that the only way to win was for all the students to work together. However, he had learned from Mask that the other enemy wouldn't harm Todoroki. That was good news.
Did Kacchan sense that? Is that why he insisted on fighting him alone? To make the enemy feel like he has the upper hand, so he won't get desperate and harm the hostage?
"Since you have no intention of fighting me, why did you call me here alone? You're not with the League of Villains, are you?" With the battle in the central plaza seemingly stable, Midoriya now turned his attention to Mask.
This man claimed to be a remnant of the League of Villains, trapped at U.A. High, but he showed no signs of panic. And he was in control of this ship with all its surveillance equipment. He seemed to have no intention of escaping...
Is this a test from the school? The thought suddenly popped into Midoriya's head.
To prevent us from getting complacent after the attack, and to prepare us for the Sports Festival, the school arranged this special training exercise to keep us on our toes... The biggest piece of evidence for this theory is that the enemies haven't actually tried to kill us.
Just as Midoriya was becoming more and more certain that this was just a test, his gaze on the masked man growing stranger by the second, the man spoke.
"Izuku Midoriya, you think I'm someone sent by U.A. High to test you, don't you?"
"Am I wrong?" With more and more evidence supporting his theory, and seeing Kaminari slowly regaining consciousness, Midoriya said confidently.
The masked man gave a strange smile. "In that case, let me show you what the person you think is a 'tester' is capable of."
The man pressed another button on the remote.
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