My Hero Academia: Tropic Thunder

The sun had barely risen when Aizawa-sensei's voice pierced the morning air like a blade. It was 5:30 a.m., everyone in Class 1-A was still groggy from the day before, muscles sore and minds weary from fighting off beasts in the forest. As we gathered, Aizawa-sensei stood before us, his usual tired expression masking something far more sinister.

...

Just like the quirk apprehension test, Aizawa-sensei wants us to show the progress of our quirks since the start of the semester as he gives the softball to Bakugou, always eager to show off.

He grabbed the softball, the same one he launched on the first day of school. The air tensed as he cocked his arm back, and with an explosion of fire and sweat, he hurled it into the sky. It shot off into the distance, but when the number flashed on the screen, his scowl deepened. Barely any improvement.

"[...] Your quirks haven't progressed enough," he said, his voice blunt, but with an edge that made us all stiffen. "That's why you're here. This training camp is to push your quirks beyond their limits. Prepare yourselves."

Everyone exchanged glances, nervous whispers rippling through the class. If Bakugou, with all his raw power, hadn't progressed much, what did that mean for the rest of us?

Aizawa-sensei's expression didn't change as he looked over our disappointed faces. "This camp is going to be different from what you're used to. We're not just here to improve a little."

He smiled—a rare, chilling sight—and his tone shifted into something darker. "We're going to break you. By the time we're done, you'll be wishing for death."

The weight of his words hit us all at once. This wasn't just going to be training. It was going to be hell.

...

-Kendo POV-

Vlad-sensei's voice boomed ahead of us, leading Class 1-B toward the training ground. His usual stern tone was even more focused today as he laid out what we were in for.

"We're here to push your quirks to the next level. This isn't going to be easy. You'll be training harder than you ever have before. Class A has been on the spotlight for far too long, it's time for Class B to shine!"

I glanced around at my classmates—some nervous, others excited. I was somewhere in between. I knew this training was important, but I couldn't help but wonder how much we'd be pushed. We finally approached the clearing where Class 1-A had already started. The air around the area was thick with the sounds of exertion, groans, and the occasional blast of energy. It wasn't just training; it was chaos.

Every member of Class 1-A was giving their all to improve their Quirks. Although some looked like they weren't pushing themselves too hard, it was clear how much effort they were putting in.

Bakugou-san drowing his hands in boiling water then creating vast explosions, his screams couldn't be differed for pain or rage.

Todoroki-san was inside a vat of water, alternating between creating sheets of ice and lakes of fire around him.

And then I saw it—lightning tendrils whipping wildly atop of a hill.

"Kaminari-san..."

I've never seen him like this. Even at the sports festival he didn't seem to be in as much pain as he was now. His whole body was convulsing, electricity dancing around him in frantic arcs, and it was clear he was struggling. His face was twisted in pain, eyes rolled up as if they were going to pop out of their sockets, teeth clenched together, putting so much force that they looked like they were going to crack. Each surge of power seemed to tear through him, his muscles twitching as if they were being pushed far beyond their limits. The tendrils of lightning shot out unpredictably, some striking the ground, others dissipating in the air.

He wasn't just using his quirk—he was fighting to tame it. It looked like pure agony.

"Kaminari Raio." Vlad-sensei's voice pulled me back to the present. "Looks like even one of Class 1-A's stars isn't exempt from the grueling part of this camp."

I stared up at him, my hands clenched at my sides. Kaminari-san wasn't just training. He was battling his own body, forcing it to obey. His arms were stretched out, bracing against the violent outbursts of electricity, and I could see the faint glow of scorch marks on his skin. Every time the tendrils lashed out, his body jerked, and I knew it wasn't just the physical strain. It was the toll his quirk took on his mind too.

He let out a guttural yell, lightning surging in all directions as he tried to contain it. I could hear faint shouts from his classmates down below, but Kaminari-san was alone up there on that hill, a storm unto himself.

"We won't let Class A get ahead. Class B, get ready!" Once more, Vlad-sensei pulled me back, he's right, I need to set aside any distraction, right now, we must not falter!

...

-Jirou POV-

Between each hit of my earphones on the rock, the pain surged, but I could handle it. Mina is next to me, you can see it on her face that her training was harder, I also wouldn't want to have acid on my hands and have to endure the pain.

It was then, at that moment, that the sound of thunder took my focus, I looked up, expecting to see clouds laden with rain, but I soon realized: the storm was on top of a hill, an acquaintance of mine, too.

Kaminari's body shook violently with each pulse of energy, like a dam barely holding back a flood. His hands were holding two lightning rods stuck into the ground, desperate to ground himself as arcs of electricity sparked off him, sending flashes of blinding light into the surrounding trees. His breath came out in ragged bursts, and I could almost feel the strain from where I stood.

"Keep it steady!" A familiar voice—Aizawa-sensei—called out, but he didn't respond. He couldn't. His focus was razor-sharp, solely on reigning in the chaotic storm that surged through him. The wild energy whipped around him like an untamed beast, a testament to just how powerful and dangerous his quirk was to keep it in check.

A burst of lightning shot out suddenly, cleaving through the air with a deafening crack, and Kaminari's whole body convulsed. His knees buckled, but he forced himself back up, growling in defiance against the torment his quirk was putting him through. The lightning scars that traced his skin seemed to glow under the raw energy, a vivid reminder of the toll this power had taken on him. Every inch of his body looked like it was on fire, searing with the kind of pain only someone like Kaminari could understand.

Then, in a flash, the tendrils of electricity began to twist and writhe together, forming into sharper, more controlled arcs. His fingers curled tighter as if clinging to his last shred of control. The lightning that had been lashing out wildly just moments ago was now being drawn back toward him, circling his form, as if he were becoming the eye of the storm rather than its victim. But the cost was visible—his entire body trembled violently, beads of sweat falling freely as the sheer force of his quirk tried to tear him apart.

I watched, breath caught in my throat, as Kaminari pushed harder, every fiber of his being straining to keep that electricity in check. His face twisted in concentration, eyes half-lidded as he tried to wrestle control from his quirk's volatile nature. There was no victory here, no triumphant moment—only the brutal reality of raw power being honed through sheer willpower and pain. Every time the lightning flared, his muscles spasmed, and I could see the fresh burns forming, but he didn't stop. He wouldn't stop.

Just as it seemed like he couldn't hold it anymore, there was a sudden calm. The wild arcs of lightning dulled, becoming more controlled, though still violently crackling around his form. He took a shaky breath, his body trembling as he kept his hands planted firmly in the earth, grounding himself.

For a moment, there was only the low hum of electricity and his labored breathing. The storm inside him had not passed—it never truly would—but he had gained control, if only for a fleeting moment.

And in that moment, even with his body screaming in pain, a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was small and faint, but it was there. The sheer tenacity that had defined Kaminari since day one.

He wasn't done yet.

...

-Narrator POV-

Kaminari Raio's training was brutal by design. His quirk, a volatile and immensely powerful force of raw electricity, had always been difficult to control. For years, the restraining collar he wore kept that storm at bay, preventing him from unleashing the full, unchecked potential of his quirk. However, his growth and quirk never stopped evolving, and the collar became the only barrier of containment. Therefore, without the collar, his body cannot withstand the electrical output without collapsing. To make matters worse, his quirk is so raw that Kaminari can't use it without losing control.

During the training camp, the goal was simple: to tame that power—to refine it into something Raio could wield without restraint. And build your body's resistance to withstand the tremendous electrical power contained within. Something he could control, rather than fear. In theory it's simple, but in practice...

It was a daunting task, one that required Raio to confront the full scope of his quirk's destructive nature head-on. It's something he can't do alone.

The Wild, Wild Pussycats are here to help. Its remaining members introduced, Ragdoll and Tiger, the group is the perfect choice to help numerous students at the same time. Pixie-Bob has prepared different terrains for each individual, Ragdoll has them all counted and numbered thanks to her quirk, Tiger is a close combat specialist. And Mandalay, one of the most useful with her quirk: Telepathy, can give tips and teachings from a distance.

And it didn't end there, for Kaminari and others with volatile quirks, the triumph card was their own teacher. Aizawa, the ever-watchful, stood nearby with his arms crossed, his tired but vigilant eyes focused intently on Raio. His presence was more than just for guidance—Aizawa was Kaminari's lifeline. If at any moment the electricity surged beyond Raio's control, Aizawa would use his Erasure quirk to stop the storm before it could tear him apart.

Kaminari's training regimen wasn't just about endurance or honing reflexes. It was about mastering control at a molecular level. His body was the conduit, but every time he drew upon his quirk's power, it threatened to overrun him, the sheer energy crackling through him like a storm that couldn't be contained.

"Focus on the flow, Kaminari," Aizawa's voice was calm but firm, his tone carrying the weight of authority that Kaminari had come to respect. "The energy isn't your enemy. You're part of it. Channel it."

Kaminari gritted his teeth, digging his fingers deeper into the rods. The first part of his training involved grounding—quite literally. By placing his hands on lightning rods, he was trying to create a natural pathway for the excess energy to discharge safely. The goal was to release only what was needed—nothing more, nothing less. But that kind of control required more than just strength—it demanded patience, focus, and a near-meditative state of mind.

For someone like Kaminari, whose quirk had always been explosive and hard to reign in, this was agony.

Tendrils of electricity snaked out from his fingertips, like glowing veins of pure light, before they spread across the ground. Each pulse that coursed through him sent a ripple of pain through his nerves. Raio winced but kept his eyes locked on the dirt beneath him, concentrating on maintaining the delicate balance between unleashing his quirk and keeping it from going haywire.

"Too much." Aizawa called out, his voice sharp.

Raio's body convulsed as another surge of electricity shot through him, causing him to momentarily lose control. Before the energy could spiral further out of control, Aizawa's eyes flared red. The electricity fizzled and died, leaving Raio panting and collapsed on his hands and knees, the sudden absence of power like a heavy weight dropping away.

"Understandably, this isn't going to be done in day two." Aizawa walked over, his expression as stoic as ever, though there was a faint hint of concern beneath the surface. "You're pushing too hard too quickly. It's not just about forcing the energy. You need to understand the limits of your body—your mind too."

Raio nodded, chest heaving as he sucked in air. His body was drenched in sweat, and the constant burns that flickered along his arms told the story of his struggle. But he wasn't going to quit. Not now. Not when he had come this far.

For the next phase of his training, Aizawa stepped back, giving Raio more space.

This was the most dangerous part. Raio had to generate as much electricity as he could without losing control. The idea was to push his limits in a safe, supervised environment—to expand the amount of power he could hold and manipulate without endangering himself or others. It was the only way to grow stronger.

Raio flexed both his arms, fists closed at chest height. The air around him began to hum with energy, a low, vibrating buzz that grew louder by the second. Sparks leaped from his fingers, bright and fierce, as the electricity started to gather in visible arcs around him. His body tensed, muscles straining to hold the power in check.

The tendrils of lightning crackled, snaking out like wild, living things. His goal was to keep them contained, to stop them from lashing out and causing damage. But that was easier said than done. The more electricity he gathered, the harder it became to maintain control. His head pounded, and the sharp, burning sensation spread through his arms, chest, and back as the power built up.

"Keep it steady, Kaminari," Aizawa warned. "Feel the threshold."

Raio grunted, pushing past the pain, concentrating on the flow of energy as it swirled through him. But his body was beginning to rebel. His muscles twitched uncontrollably, and the familiar sting of overusing his quirk started to crawl through his skin. The lightning scars on flared, and for a split second, the power slipped out of his grasp.

The arcs of electricity shot out, tearing through the air with a deafening crack. Raio shouted in frustration, his control slipping as the lightning became wild once more.

In an instant, Aizawa activated his quirk again, and the energy dissipated, leaving Raio collapsing to his knees in defeat, the exhaustion finally catching up to him.

"Again." Aizawa said, his voice firm but not unkind. "You're not done until you can hold it steady. I won't always be here to stop you when things go wrong."

Raio's arms trembled as he pushed himself back to his feet, his breath ragged but his resolve unwavering. He knew this was hell, but it was necessary. Every shock, every burn, every failed attempt—it was all part of mastering the storm inside him.

And Raio wasn't one to give up.

Not when he had something to prove. Not when he had someone to fight for.

...

The sun was already setting, the training is over, Aizawa had already descended the hill with Kaminari at his side. Without a doubt, staying counscious alone was already an impressive feat in itself. With great strides, Mandalay approached and joined Aizawa.

"Of all of them, this one and Endeavour's son's potential is off the charts. And yet, every step forward threatens to kill him. I still have trouble going through all your instructions, you put so many points into play that it seems like you are training aimlessly."

Aizawa stood in front of her, eyes half-lidded but sharp as ever. He was never one for unnecessary lectures, but today he knew that Kaminari's training needed more explanation than usual.

"Kaminari's quirk, like all others, has immense potential, but it's far more complex than what most of you may realize," Aizawa began, his voice steady but instructive.

"Electricity isn't something you can just throw around without understanding the intricacies. Right now, his main problem isn't power—he has more than enough of that. His issue is control." He cast a glance at Kaminari, who straightened up, clearly in pain but masking it with fatigue, as if it mattered.

"We've devised Kaminari's training method based on four key concepts in electricity: current, voltage, power, and energy," Aizawa said, raising his hand to count them off.

"First, let's talk about current, or amperes. Current is the flow of electrical charge—how fast the electrons move through a conductor, like a wire… or in Kaminari's case, his body. High amperage can be devastating to enemies, causing severe disruption in their muscles, or worse. But too much current at once causes uncontrollable side effects. That's why Kaminari loses control and risks frying his own nervous system if he overuses it. He needs to train to modulate his current—use enough to disable opponents, but not so much that he shorts out his own body."

Aizawa paused, letting that sink in. "The training camp is going to focus heavily on this. By repeatedly cycling his current in controlled environments, Kaminari will start to learn the difference between high-amperage bursts for heavy attacks and low-amperage output for precision strikes. It's like learning to walk again, but with your quirk. Small steps."

He turned back to Mandalay. "Second, voltage, or the electric potential. Voltage is the force that pushes the current through a conductor. Kaminari's biggest disadvantage at the moment since his body can't handle it yet, is the range his electricity can reach if he uses high voltage. In theory, he can hit distant targets, create electrical arcs, and even overwhelm tech-based defenses. But voltage without control can be just as dangerous. Too much, and he could overload systems, blow out electronics, or even cause unintended damage to civilians or allies."

Kaminari shifted uncomfortably, remembering past incidents.

"Training in voltage control will focus on making sure Kaminari can regulate his electrical output—learning when to use low voltage to contain the damage, and when to crank it up to take out enemies from afar. It's not about raw power anymore. It's about targeted use of force."

Aizawa moved on to the next point. "Next is power, measured in watts. Power is a combination of voltage and current—it's how much energy Kaminari can deliver in a single attack. Right now, Kaminari tends to overload himself by using too much power at once. His body isn't trained to sustain that kind of output, so he shorts out or becomes incapacitated. The training will focus on teaching him to ration his power. Kaminari needs to build endurance, using his quirk efficiently without burning out. Imagine he has a power meter in his body. His goal is to increase that meter while minimizing waste. This will let him fight longer without draining himself."

Aizawa's expression grew more serious. "And finally, energy, measured in joules. This refers to the total amount of work Kaminari's quirk can do. Energy storage and release are going to be critical parts of his development. Right now, Kaminari lacks the ability to effectively store the energy he generates. He either uses it all in an instant or risks hurting himself with the excess. Part of his training will involve exercises that teach his body to act like a capacitor, storing energy and releasing it in controlled bursts."

Mandaly listened intently, as Aizawa continued. "To achieve this, Kaminari's going to work on storing electrical energy in intervals, instead of all at once. He'll practice charging up, holding the energy, and then releasing it at the right moment. This isn't just about making him stronger—it's about making him more sustainable in a fight. And that's how you become a hero."

He paced in front of Kaminari, who absorbed every word. "These four principles—current, voltage, power, and energy—will shape his training at the camp. Kaminari needs to not only understand his quirk but learn to break it down into manageable components. The more he grasps these principles, the more control he'll have over his powers."

Aizawa finished, eyes scanning the field. "This training won't be easy. Kaminari will be pushed to his limits, mentally and physically. But if he wants to reach the full potential of his quirk, there's no other way."

...

Aizawa continued his lecture, now honing in on Kaminari's specific challenge: the output control of his quirk.

"Now, Kaminari's quirk isn't progressing linearly," Aizawa explained, his voice carrying an extra layer of seriousness. "For most of them, improving a quirk is about incremental increases in strength or endurance. But with Kaminari's quirk, things work a little differently. His power evolves in what's called a exponential progression."

Even paying close attention, Mandalay had difficulty understanding the full scope, and Aizawa patiently elaborated. "In simple terms, each increase in percentage of his output is twice as powerful as the previous percent. That means, when Kaminari moves from controlling 1% of his power to 2%, it's not just a small increase—it's double the power. And when he reaches 10% and tries to push to 11%, that next step is exponentially harder than the one before."

The weight of the explanation hung in the air, and Kaminari felt a shiver run down his spine.

"He's currently able to manage around 30% of his quirk, an impressive mark that only someone like Endeavour could get him there in a mere week." Aizawa went on, "But what you need to understand is that the jump from 30% to 31% is more than just another small step. It's twice as difficult as reaching 30% in the first place. The amount of energy his body needs to handle at 31% is double what it took at 30%. This isn't just a matter of training harder—it's about building the resilience and endurance to withstand each new level. And that's why this process is gruelling."

He glanced at Kaminari, the weight of the words hitting harder now that the concept was fully explained.

"To put it in perspective," Aizawa continued, "every time he pushes himself to increase his output by just one percent, he's battling a doubling of power—the electrical current, the voltage, the energy output—everything doubles. That's why it feels like his body is on the verge of breaking down every time he pushes himself beyond his current limits. The strain on his muscles, nervous system, and even his mind increases exponentially."

He gave Kaminari a pointed look. "And that's why control is everything. The higher you push your quirk, the more precise you'll need to be, or you'll end up damaging yourself beyond repair."

Aizawa stepped closer to Kaminari, his voice low but firm. "The training at this camp is designed to help you edge forward in those percentages. It's not just about hitting a higher output—it's about safely managing the leap between each stage. Each time you reach a new percentage of control, your body and quirk will need time to adapt. This is why every increment matters. You'll be grinding to build stamina and mental fortitude, so your body can handle the next stage."

Kaminari took a deep breath, understanding that each percent he gained would be a monumental challenge, more intense than the last.

"Every percent matters, Kaminari," Aizawa concluded. "And every jump in power is going to push you closer to your limits. But if you manage to control it, you will have an entire storm's power at your hands."