"This will be the last time... I'm sorry for everything you've been through."The scientist's eyes held a faint trace of guilt, hidden behind the cold gaze he cast on the syringe in his hands. A tiny drop escaped the needle's tip, ensuring the dosage was exact.
In front of him stood a large capsule, connected to hundreds of different machines and valves, all meant to maintain optimal functionality. Inside, everything was flooded with a strange, semi-transparent green liquid, revealing the body of a boy floating naked in the center.
His body was utterly destroyed—hundreds of scars covered his skin, along with burns, bruises, and cuts that slowly regenerated at a noticeable but sluggish pace. Dozens of needles were embedded in him, constantly monitoring his vital signs with an annoying beep.
His eyes were fixed on the scientist, watching his every move, listening to every word. His mind was completely blank, waiting anxiously for it all to end.
"We've discovered cures for multiple diseases thanks to you—even a safe cure for cancer..." the scientist continued, his hands moving toward the serum connected to the machine that kept the boy alive.
He slowly lifted the syringe and connected it precisely to the side port of the intravenous line, right where the serum flowed down toward the capsule. The colorless liquid slid smoothly into the tube, mixing with the existing solution. From there, it traveled to the main system feeding the containment chamber, infiltrating the boy's bloodstream.
"But as you already know, all things come to an end. Your body can no longer withstand further analysis. The latest results show your regenerative factor is weakening..."His words carried a tone of exhaustion and disappointment. The project had lasted for years, and it was finally over. If he was tired, he couldn't imagine what the boy in front of him must be feeling—if he could still feel anything at all.
"The higher-ups have decided to cut all funding. If the public ever learned how these breakthroughs were achieved..."He paused, glancing at the other scientists around him, all silently watching their leader speak to the boy. It was clearly a subtle reminder to them as well."I don't even want to imagine what that would cause..."
The boy's lifeless eyes stared at the familiar face before him. In the early years, he had felt nothing but hatred for this man—his main tormentor. The one responsible for turning his life into hell. But over time, every emotion within him had shut down.
"Even if the world never knows... you're a hero to all of humanity," the scientist said, his voice calm as he locked eyes with the boy.
A word echoed faintly in the boy's mind: Hero.
A hero is someone who saves others without expecting anything in return—just an act of pure altruism. Was he really a hero?He didn't want to think about it. None of it mattered anymore.
His life had been a sacrifice for the greater good. That brought him a strange sense of peace. His suffering had bought life for thousands, maybe even millions of people. Peace and safety—something he had longed for so desperately.
Wasn't that a noble enough reason to die?
"Shut it all down. Decontaminate the area, then destroy everything!" the lead scientist commanded firmly. Nothing could be allowed to leak out. Even if people found out, without hard proof, who would dare question anything?
"Yes, sir!"
The once silent lab exploded into motion. Assistants began collecting data, deleting records, dismantling equipment, cleaning every trace that might expose them.
The boy watched the chaos one last time. His eyelids grew heavier. His body gave out.To an outsider, it might've looked like sedation. But he knew the truth: this time, he wouldn't wake up.
This time was forever. He reached weakly toward the glass that separated his capsule from the outside world...He had wished—just once more—to see the sunlight.
"Everything has an end... and this is mine..."he thought, closing his eyes as his consciousness faded. Among all the noise in the room, the soft tone of the heart monitor filled the space like a funeral bell.
The scientist approached the machine and turned it off with a quiet sigh.
"Rest in peace… son."
***
"He's coming! Mrs. Toga, push harder!"
The urgent, tense cries echoed through the cold hospital corridors like voices bouncing through a sterile cavern. The metal wheels of the stretcher squeaked with every turn, racing over the polished floor.
On the stretcher, a woman panted through contractions. Her hospital gown was soaked around the abdomen, her forehead beaded with sweat, and her legs spread and secured in mobile supports. Her face twisted with pain, barely held back by the fierce determination of a mother who just wanted her child to be born safely.
Beside her, a doctor with sterile gloves spoke in a firm but steady voice. Her hands moved skillfully around the lower region, guiding the baby through each contraction. A nurse held up the IV connected to the woman's arm while another prepared surgical tools on a steel tray.
"Full dilation! The head's crowning!" the doctor shouted, eyes focused on her task.
"On three… one, two, three, push!"
The woman let out a scream that reverberated through the walls. Her entire body arched, muscles tightening in brutal synchronization.
And then, it happened.
A subtle burst of energy rippled through the room—barely perceptible, yet everyone felt a faint jolt in their chests, as if the air itself had thickened. The lights flickered for a fraction of a second. Monitors beeped with minor interference. Nothing that halted the procedure, but enough to make the more seasoned staff frown.
The doctor didn't stop. Her hands moved quickly, and with a careful tug, a tiny figure emerged into the world.
"He's here! It's a boy!"
The blood-covered infant, still slick with amniotic fluid, moved slowly. His eyelids trembled before opening. And then… his eyes met the light of the world—not with a cry or a wail, but with a silent, empty stare. Far too intense for a newborn.
The doctor's face tightened with concern, ready to act if his airways were compromised.
Then, suddenly, the baby cried out.
"Stabilize his vitals! Get him to the incubator for immediate evaluation!"
The mother, panting and spent, smiled through tears as she tried to see her son.
"My baby..." she whispered, before passing out from exhaustion.
As she was wheeled away for postpartum care, the newborn was carefully placed in a thermal cradle. His vitals were stable, but there was something... more. Something the monitors couldn't explain. Fluctuating energy levels. An organic anomaly still undefined.
But for now, to the staff, he was just another baby—possibly showing an early Quirk activation. Not unusual in a world like this.
It wasn't common for newborns to manifest Quirks instantly, especially non-mutant types, but it wasn't seen as a bad omen either. After all, the first baby ever born with a Quirk had glowed at birth too.
***
'A second chance…'
That was the thought echoing through the baby's mind as he lay in the arms of the woman who had, just hours earlier, brought him into the world with almost inhuman effort. His tiny, trembling body was wrapped in a hospital blanket, resting on her chest, absorbing the warmth of her skin and the rhythmic beat of her heart. It was comforting. Not because of the touch itself—but because that presence… was real. Human. Warm. No cold coats or syringes stabbing his skin.
He slowly opened his eyes. The light was dim, but enough to make out the outline of the face watching him. A young woman, with light blonde hair and warm brown eyes that sparkled with tenderness, held him with both hands, as if afraid a single wrong move might hurt him. Her features were soft, and though exhaustion still clung to her face, an honest smile lit her expression.There was no coldness in her gaze, no calculation or hidden agenda. Only deep, restrained joy—as if she had received something too precious for words.
"Hi, my love…" she whispered, voice hoarse and tired but full of love. "You're so beautiful..."
The baby looked at her in silence, his tiny face showing no expression. But inside, his awe turned into a quiet thought:
'She… is my mother'
That woman wasn't looking at him like a lab subject, or a precious test subject. She wasn't analyzing him. She was caressing him.
Moments later, the door opened softly. A slim man with slicked-back brown hair and an ordinary-looking face stepped in, his expression a mix of nervousness and joy. He held a small, messy bouquet of cheap flowers, but his face changed the moment he saw them.
"How are you two?" he asked with a smile he couldn't hide.
"Come, look... he just opened his eyes," the woman said, gently offering him the baby.
The man stepped closer, moving as if afraid his presence might ruin the moment. When he reached them, he looked down at the child. The baby stared back in silence, studying his features. No judgment, no coldness—only clumsy, real emotion. His lips trembled, and his eyes welled up without warning.
"Hello, little one…" he finally said, softly touching the tiny hand peeking from the blanket. "I'm your dad."
The baby's consciousness trembled again.
'Dad'
The man who had once led him into a life of torment had also called himself father.But this time, there was no cold gaze. No fake promises. No hidden guilt.
Only a look of pure love rested on him now. Both of them looked at him with a tenderness that washed away the pain of lifetimes past.
"And what should we name him, sweetheart?" the woman asked gently, her eyes never leaving the man beside her.
The man looked at the baby, mind sifting through every name he'd considered since she'd told him they were expecting another child.
He slowly opened his mouth, uncertain at first, staring at the fragile being held by the love of his life.
"Reiji… his name will be Reiji Toga," he said with a soft smile, meeting the innocent eyes of the baby, who gave them a small smile in return.
'Reiji… It's a good name…'