Time was limited, very limited, and that only left me with one action to take... Train.
Of course, nothing physical. That would be foolish and counterproductive. Fortunately, that's not entirely my strong suit.
(We need to refine all the power we can. We won't get to 100%, but an optimal 60%.) Meditating with One For All flowing through my body was an excellent exercise. Being constantly focused on the surrounding energy allowed for more than optimal improvement.
I was again in the gym where Gran Torino constantly gave me lessons. Dust was in the place, a clear sign that it had been a while since anyone had set foot here.
Considering that after the internships, my time was significantly reduced... such a state was normal.
That was a crucial factor: time. I haven't been able to keep up with the constant events that have been occurring. At best, they have been small victories, but nothing more.
The joint training with the classes UA gave, combined with the villain attacks and other things, forced me into an adaptation.
Of course, my own oversights played a fundamental role when everything went downhill, but...
(It's still too surreal, this world governed by Quirks and... its very existence in general.) To my regret, I was more distracted than usual. (If this is real, where do the parameters for the concept of "fantasy" or "fiction" that I had in my world lie?) The flow of energy lost some constancy, fluctuating like small waves through my body.
My nerves were playing tricks on me, and I knew it. I couldn't concentrate completely because of it, starting to ramble in the hope of calming the growing stress I felt.
In any case, it was all worse. Trying to make sense of something as complex as the existence of several worlds apart from my own.
When it came to the universe, you couldn't measure it in some indistinct figure. It was a scale for which we were not yet up to par.
Mathematics could be incomplete, or our minds are not yet capable of understanding them completely. Whatever the case may be... there is an imaginary wall that slowed our desire for understanding.
(And I'm not considering that we have only discovered a fraction of it. How much more could there be outside the "observable universe"? It's a fact that...) My ramblings were cut short. One For All released a pulse of energy that caused a general shiver throughout my body. (Damn it! What's happening?!) I stood up instantly, already knowing that I wouldn't be meditating again.
The sound of the door being opened, combined with the distinctive steps approaching, made me understand what was happening.
...It's been a while since I've spoken with him, now that I remember...
"Brat?" Gran Torino observed me with curiosity, and I was late to notice that I was smiling at his arrival. "What the hell are you doing here?"
It's good to hear my mentor's voice again.
"The same, master. Were you expecting someone else, perhaps?" It was strange how much relief it brought to be able to talk to someone in these kinds of situations. "And you know... I was doing what I do best." I ran a hand through my messy hair, a nervous habit I'd picked up over time.
"Training? Why am I not surprised?" He approached the small counter in the place, starting to make himself an instant coffee. "I came here so I wouldn't have to put up with that idiot Toshinori. Things are hectic." His tone was even, but it had a tired edge that could have perfectly been taken as exaggerated.
But it was the complete opposite. They were in the middle of organizing the rescue, and against the clock, so breaks were minimal.
Gran Torino probably came here to rest one last time before starting the operation. What he didn't expect was my presence.
"I can imagine. Too much pressure from the media?" I leaned on one of the corners of the ring, crossing my arms in the process.
"No, those useless people can be considered polite in the best of cases," he dismissed my words honestly. "It's the security commission that's really acting on us." Of course that was the case. In such a situation, one couldn't expect less from them.
The "Hero Public Safety Commission," despite being the highest representative body for the profession, rarely acts publicly, as ironic as it sounds.
They are mentioned very frequently. The media gets its news from there in the first place, but nothing more than that. Their official spokespersons rarely show their faces unless a new hero ranking is to be announced.
I understand their reason for being under a pseudo-anonymity. A large part, if not all, of the dirty work is managed by them. If there were a massive information leak about their actions, it would generate a terrifying distrust against heroes.
And that, in turn, would bring a terrifying imbalance to society as a whole. The villains practically wouldn't have to lift a finger to achieve chaos.
"Are they that desperate?" I couldn't help the mocking comment. The useless giving orders, what a marvel.
"A student from the great, perfect hero school was kidnapped. What did you expect? This has already surpassed their limits." His analysis was correct. The situation was really bad right now.
(Even so, I don't feel bad for Bakugo. My only concerns are purely based on the evil that All For One represents.) That kidnapping didn't eat at my soul. He who harms must pay for it.
"The thing is, everything is going to get worse sooner rather than later, and you, brat..." he pointed at me with the spoon he was stirring his coffee with. "Are going to stay out of all this, you hear me?" I appreciated his concern, but I'm afraid I'll go against it.
(Quite the contrary. I'm more involved than anyone, and I don't plan on getting out. Not until I have them dead.) I kept my face carefully neutral. Gran Torino was treating me like a child by protecting me, which was technically correct, but... "He who is incapable of leading his own battles has no place on the field in the first place..."
I couldn't continue under the constant protection of those around me. Maybe it's because I can express myself out loud and not in simple thoughts, but whatever the case...
I feel the weight behind everything and the impetuous need to carry it on my own, to be able to close that cycle and truly begin the life that was given to me.
How curious the human mind is, going from the cowardly and fearful extreme to the most reliable and secure after a few simple words.
"Do you think you're aware of what your hypothetical future actions can cause?" Gran Torino didn't waste time in deducing my ideas. I was an open book compared to him. "You're not yet capable of seeing the general change that's approaching."
In fact, I have seen it. Maybe in a tertiary and heavily limited way, but the important thing was there.
"I can't say for sure what will happen, only adapt to the present and give my best for it." With all the changes that have occurred, it's impossible to take my meta-knowledge as something useful. "Living in the past is useless, and thinking about the future warrants a life we'll never have. The present is my guide, what defines who I am in this instant and not in the next..." Slowly, an order appeared in my head, the priorities of things giving me the effort I was lacking to understand why I did everything I did.
"What are you getting at?"
That's the point of it all, right? Where am I trying to get to? Probably the question I've asked myself the most since I transmigrated here.
A question whose answer is abstract, varying in meaning and depth depending on the state of the situation, but with a solid foundation at this point.
Because the point of inflection in that aspect was surpassed a long time ago.
"...That I will fight if it must be done. I'm the last person who should stand by with his arms crossed." I had the greatest power of all. Limiting myself to being a mere spectator is disrespectful.
"You carry a legacy, brat. Your life, unfortunately, is no longer just something you control, at least not while the League of Villains as a whole is still at large." Inflexible in his posture, he left the coffee aside, already forgotten in favor of conveying his point. "I know you well. I don't doubt your words, and much less your abilities. If there is anyone destined for greatness, then I have no doubt that it's you."
"Then why so little faith in my ability to face the coming problems?" What was I missing? "I can face All Might on an even footing, adapt to combat and..."
"The impediment doesn't lie there. By many standards, you could even graduate early if things got out of hand for us." With a firmness that no old man should be able to possess, he approached, reminding me that even now, he was still my teacher. "This situation happened because of the oversights we adults committed. If we allow you to get involved, we would be passing the burden to you and openly admitting our mistake."
In the end, it came down to just that?
"Even if I were to completely master One For All... I couldn't fight?" I was clear on the answer. I just wanted to hear it from him.
"Probably not. Toshinori would stop you in advance while he could still fight." All compassion was gone from his voice. His eyes were hard behind the domino mask he wore. "Why your sudden desire to break the rules you had so much respect for?"
"Because...!" The words that seemed to make so much sense in my head didn't come out. I felt like I was taking several metaphorical steps back.
Did I want to battle All For One because it was the right thing to do as the legitimate heir of One For All? No, of course not.
My words were false. The fear I felt was greater than the desire to do the right thing. I wasn't being logical with my actions, and that was too noticeable.
"Listen, you just have to..." Gran Torino's phone began to ring. His attention was directed to that, and he ignored me in consequence.
It seemed to be a text message. He didn't look at it for more than a few seconds before putting it away again.
"I have to go. My break is over." At a sure pace, he began to leave the gym. They probably already have what they need for the rescue. "Stay out of it, kid. It's for your own good." The words echoed throughout the place, contrasting with the silence that lingered moments later.
And there, standing like a fool, having had a nervous breakdown, was me. The pressure that had slowly accumulated within me was beginning to overflow at the worst possible moment.
...I hated being the damn protagonist at this very moment...
(Staring at the mat won't change that either.) Taking a few deep breaths, I moved away from the combat ring, feeling a warm and calming current of energy coming from One For All. (Thanks. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. I argued about something I had already decided in my head like an idiot, and not content with that, I disagreed with the man whose teachings have saved me more than anyone.) I was disappointed in myself. I had lost focus completely, and all for being a useless person.
I never completely agreed with the general actions that Midoriya Izuku had in the original story. Only when he became "Seinen" did I respect him as the powerful hero he was supposed to be.
But at this moment... I would like to have a little of that iron valor he showed in the worst moments. I wanted that willpower for myself.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't get it just by wishing for it. Nothing is achieved without effort in the process. Not the really important things.
If I wasn't capable of gaining that determination on my own, then that's where it ended. Time is limited, and it wasn't going to wait for me to take the place that belongs to me.
Great warriors are forged in the heat of battle. The rest die in the attempt... This was my definitive test.
To be the hero that this boy was originally supposed to be, or to die in the process.
Katsuki Bakugo was definitely not someone useful.
He acted arrogantly, as if he had any chance despite everything. Yes, he had a lot of explosive energy, literally speaking, and any villain would appreciate that.
But... what about the rest of the brat?
"Trash." Another glass was disintegrated by his Quirk. Was it the fifth or sixth? He didn't remember. "As a candidate, he's useful on the outside, Sensei. Outside of that, he's not suitable." He kept his tone carefully blank. He didn't want to show that he was irritated.
"Dismissing people so quickly won't get you anything in the end, Tomura. Wait a little longer, push him to the limit, and discover his true loyalties." The voice of his master came with its characteristic calm, something that had previously made him curious.
Now... he just wanted to understand the factors for such tranquility.
"His attitude is disgustingly heroic at its core. I'd say even superior to most." It wasn't hard to notice that. He had killed so many heroes that he recognized such things. "Just give me the order, and I'll kill him. A touch is all I need."
Theoretically, he could kill whoever he wanted or, in his default, do as he pleased, but there were orders whose nature was definitive.
If someone had to live under Sensei's criteria, then they would live. As simple as that.
And it seems that karma really exists, as Katsuki Bakugo has (had, if his word were the law) the privilege of entering that short and powerful list.
"The boy is a good bargaining chip. You never know how much we might need him to evade the heroes and their associates." That made sense. He would remember the lesson.
But that wouldn't be eternal. At some point, he could turn the brat to dust. He just had to be patient, and he hated being so.
"I understand..." Out of the corner of his eye, he looked back, where the kidnapped hero prospect was being watched by his League of Villains. "How are 'things' progressing, Sensei?" He repressed the curiosity he felt, making it pass for cold indifference.
His curious visit to the doctor's laboratory had thrown quite a few interesting truths in his face, among them what it meant to be Sensei's "Successor."
A power like "All For One" in his hands excited him greatly. He could bring the world to its knees without much effort and, for once, make them go through a little of the treatment he received in his childhood.
Fear, hopelessness, pain...
He wasn't interested in being the "King of Everything" or something similar. He was a villain, and he accepted it with his head held high.
"Better than expected. The pawns remain true to their nature, and the chosen ones ascend." The play on words didn't surprise him at all. He was used to hearing his master's metaphors.
...However...
"Am I a pawn, Sensei?" Normally, that would be a stupid thing to ask. He was the heir, after all. (But that Midoriya has been strangely assertive with his questions.) The boy had a strange wit that he liked, something uncommon considering how much he usually dislikes that which he doesn't have in himself.
Maybe it was just his observation, but that didn't take away from the fact that the heir of One For All continuously sought to manipulate with words as much as he could.
Whether with an "opinion" to express his supposed emotions or to inflict doubt in the mind of the person in front of him.
"Are you seeking the acceptance of a man over two hundred years old? Haven't you thought that he has other plans?... Plans in which you are not involved."
(He always had them. It was the first lesson he instilled in me... "Be the master of the play and not the one who acts in it.") The memory of his now-young days passed through his mind, interrupted by the dust and ash of an old house whose family he burned from the inside.
"What's your reasoning for remaining so loyal to his strategies? Haven't you thought that all your hatred, your goals, your very existence is the result of an endless series of his machinations?"
(And what if it were? All of that can't be changed, only taken as a base and to ascend.) He was destined to be the darkness of Japan. That was what was made clear to him from the beginning...
Something he had believed without thinking too much about it. He was trained, protected, and improved. He had no reason to think otherwise given those circumstances.
But once he began to investigate enough, taking more than a glance at those things he took for granted and questioning everything in general, that's when the irregular patterns presented themselves.
Gaps of information, too-convenient facts and...
"A pawn?... That can't be answered simply, Tomura..." The voice of his sensei brought his consciousness back to reality again, making him instinctively press harder on the stool where he was sitting. "But you have shown a wonderful inclination to be who you are destined to be, so it would be incoherent to give you an inconclusive answer."
"So...?..." The anticipation was winning over logic. He needed to be able to form a complete judgment if he wanted to choose his future moves correctly.
The brief second that passed was eternal, not knowing if the great All For One was doing it to give drama to the situation or if he was simply taking everything too seriously.
"A pawn and a leader share almost nothing in common. They are two different statuses, and that's fine. The slave does not deserve nor should he stand on par with his ruler..." Each word was coldly recited, like an indisputable truth waiting to be accepted in his head. "But even the most useless slave can ascend if he is intelligent, so the real question here is... are you going to ascend as you should, or will you live as the ignorant pawn of others' game?" The communication was cut off after that, leaving him before a screen with worthless static.
Even so, he found himself reflecting on it, analyzing those words and trying to give them a real, applicable meaning.
Currently, he was not a pawn, he was sure of that, but the category of leader didn't apply to him either, so... where the hell did he fit in?
He needed to find out.
(I still don't have a clear answer, but eventually, I will, and the world will suffer for it.) Not giving it any more thought, he stood up, turning to where the gagged Katsuki Bakugo was growling. (I guess I'll settle for the consequences of having this brat as a hostage.) Who knows, maybe hurting him a little will give him answers.
He lost nothing by trying, after all.
It was time. That thought was terrifyingly relaxing, as the cold acceptance of the inevitable combat had already settled within me.
I was not in optimal condition to face All For One on my own and win, nor could I depend on the rest for my survival, and slowly but surely, things were taking a pace that contrasted too much with what already existed.
"If I had had more time..." It was inevitable to wander into the "What if...?" "I could have arrived during the ten months of training or a year earlier. More time for adaptation and planning in my favor, learning how the minds of all these people work... but it wasn't like that..." I frowned in annoyance.
Calmly, I zipped up the burgundy coat I was wearing, distractedly noticing the red sneakers that were next to the bed.
Another of Izuku's habits that I decided to continue... and because I didn't have another damn usable pair.
"Ignoring that, I must say they have their style." Smiling slightly, I put them on, tying the laces calmly despite the slight tremor in my hands.
One For All had remained extremely serene for the rest of the day, being a silent constant whose support was felt.
It seems I wasn't the only one nervous.
I took the backpack that was leaning on the back of the bed, placing it on my back to head towards the exit of the house.
...Or that was the idea...
"Where are you going, son?" Standing at the door, my mother questioned me, giving me a curious and... insecure? look... No, it was something I couldn't identify correctly.
Anyway, that wasn't the point.
"Yes, in fact, I'm going out to the hospital again. It turns out that some classmates have woken up and..." I vaguely gave a functional excuse, smiling nervously so as not to express concern.
"Oh! That's fantastic! I should have prepared something for you to take them!" The surprise on her face was endearing, and I found myself laughing genuinely at it. "Although... does the hospital allow you to bring food like that these days?"
"I have no idea, although it never hurts to find out, don't you think?" Walking, I stood beside her, hugging her with one arm so she could keep pace with me towards the living room. (Doing this is getting easier every day, more comfortable, and above all... normal.) Slowly, I had managed to get used to the crazy life I was subjected to, learning to treasure the new memories I was allowed to form under this body.
"I don't want them to call me because you broke some rule. I raised you better than that, my son," she reprimanded me severely, only to laugh softly the next moment. "But I'm willing for you to try it under my presence." That earned a surprised look from me. I never expected to hear such a response.
"I... can't... believe it..." My mouth was covered with one hand, increasing the drama of the act. "You're a bad influence on my innocent person. How will I talk to you now, knowing your... possible future crimes?"
My words were rewarded with an open, floating book hitting me on the head.
"Hey! Now child violence?! You're a vile villainess!" The blow didn't feel at all, but I still used my arms as a shield.
"That's what you get for calling your own mother a villainess," she crossed her arms with false annoyance.
"I don't actively seek to break the rules." That was super hypocritical, I knew it perfectly well. (But the world isn't saved by following the rules of the book, after all.) To hell with the laws, they would thank me one day.
"Yes..." Arching an eyebrow, she offered me a questionable look, and I found myself sweating at what that meant. "Anyway, didn't you have to go?"
I opened my eyes at that, barely noticing that I was in the living room of the house.
Why is the apartment so small? A great moment was developing and...
I had forgotten what was about to happen in just a few hours. If I screwed up again, I could be talking to my mother for the last time.
Inko... would be heartbroken if I...
"You're right." I didn't let my previous thoughts affect my attitude, approaching the door calmly, preferring to remain silent about everything.
But suddenly, One For All flowed within me, a powerful current that transmitted a simple order to follow.
"Say goodbye properly."
I was ready to ignore that order, supporting the annoyance that those words senselessly caused me.
But... did the anger even make sense in the first place? Of course not, and I was mature enough to understand it.
So, taking a few deep breaths, I opened the exit door, stopping my steps on the threshold and turning towards her.
"Hey, Mom, I... am I a hero?" I asked her calmly, observing how confusion instantly adorned her features, not having expected that question. (And a bit awkward to give an answer.)
Instantly, I smiled broadly and falsely, an action so easy to perform but that didn't bring me pride.
Another lie to the list, I suppose.
"You don't have to answer anyway. I found my old notebooks about heroes, and I still can't get the idea out of my head." The words came out without a hitch, with a deceptive fluency behind them. "Anyway, you said it yourself, I have to go, so..."
Turning, I started walking towards the building's stairs, but my steps stopped instantly upon hearing her voice again.
"Izuku... Of course you're a hero." I didn't need to look at her to know she was smiling. The firm and affectionate tone already indicated it.
Still...
"...Why do you believe that with such certainty?"
It was a stupid question. Any person would be able to foresee the answer that was coming.
But I wanted to hear it.
"I don't need reasons to believe it. I just know it, and nothing and no one can change that. Besides, you're my son. No matter the reason or circumstance, my number one priority is you." The surprise flooded my being at those last words.
After all... they are the same ones I told her when I came back from the camp.
(I need to survive.) Pure realization flowed suddenly, as if the last missing piece had been put in place.
I won't win by saving Bakugo, nor by feeling responsible for my heroic duties.
No... I'll do it to go home to Inko, my mother, the person I must protect at all costs.
The only bond that truly remains united to who this boy once was, behind memories that only brought warmth and security to my chest.
The first person who noticed and accepted the self-imposed changes by me, without truly questioning things and being content with just seeing me happy.
Not the boy before me, but the person I am now.
It's true that she doesn't know that, and it hurts not to be able to express it, but... was it selfish of me to want to keep it that way?
I want to continue feeling the happiness she gives me. It's the only constant that hasn't been altered, and...
I'm fine with it. I'm fine with ignoring that not-so-small detail and continuing to appreciate her happiness.
It was simple, looking at it in perspective. The reason to fight was in front of me from the very beginning. I just had to recognize and accept it.
...This is my reason to be a hero...
"...Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that like you have no idea." Without hesitation, I went back to hug her. It was the least I could do to return so much appreciation, after all.
"Whenever you need it, son... Whenever you need it."
...
Author's Note:
Hey.
Yes, after literally a month, I'm back. Time flies when you're blocked, huh.
Well, I don't have much to say other than to apologize for the terrible absence I've had here. I suffered from a terrible writer's block. When I realized it, August was starting, and I hadn't written anything.
I know this chapter doesn't even come close to making up for the wait. It's also not up to par with its predecessors because it's made from me forcing my mind to work to give it an ending, and that definitely ruined it a lot.
I can only apologize for the delay and my pure lack of skill in writing something worthwhile after so much time with nothing.
I thought that writing my other works, like the Naruto one, would help to clear my head a bit, but it was the complete opposite. It just saturated me even more.
Putting the problems aside, I'll comment a bit on this chapter to explain the attitudes that both the protagonist and Shigaraki have and why (from my point of view) they are justified.
On one hand, the protagonist is facing his greatest challenge to date, being aware that he has a highly experienced and powerful enemy who easily rivals his own power.
This generates stress and, above all, insecurity for him. Having made so many past mistakes makes him unconsciously justify his own fears, and the conversation with Gran Torino takes him to the extreme.
Unwittingly releasing all that accumulated anxiety. That is further deepened with Inko and her role as a constant figure in the new life the MC is leading, causing her words to have an extremely high weight on his conscience.
Let's keep in mind that he has barely been Izuku Midoriya for a little over half a year. He is still adapting to everything, and the objectives far exceed his expectations.
But it's a necessary step for his maturity, and I like to exploit it whenever I can.
Now, as for Shigaraki, I'll just say that... he's a work in progress.
I like to shape his thoughts and decisions. I want to see where everything leads once I advance with the plot and what kind of villain he will end up becoming.
The spontaneity he has as a character is something inherent to the canon, and I just want to expand on that in every possible way.
Anyway, it's likely that I'll be putting out some random works to see if I can clear my head and get back to focusing on what really matters.
I hope that despite everything, this chapter was to your liking.
Take care, see you.