Aaron's POV
Beep. Beep.
"Ugh…" I groaned as my eyes fluttered open, greeted by the sterile smell of disinfectant and the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment. My head felt strangely light, my body relaxed — almost as if I'd been asleep for days.
"I feel so relaxed and lightheaded… like I've slept for ages," I muttered, stretching slightly against the stiff sheets.
For a while, I just lay there, staring at the white ceiling, replaying the fight against Nomu in my mind. I had gravely miscalculated.
The only time I'd ever used Clear Mind before USJ was while studying. I had never once tested it in battle, never understood its true potential. Now I knew.
I remembered how I had gotten the quirk in the first place — the previous user, so consumed by his focus on his opponent that he never even sensed me slip behind him. One slash to the throat, and it was mine. That clarity, that tunnel vision — it was both dangerous and invaluable.
Still, the advantages were undeniable. I had never been so calm in the middle of chaos, never so… in control. And beyond that, I realized I had pushed past my own physical limits.
Up until now, Titan's Pulse at 100% was equivalent to about 10% of OFA by Midoriya's standards. But in that battle with Nomu, I went further — closer to 12–13%. Add Double Up and Push & Pull into the mix, and I was effectively fighting well above 25% OFA.
No wonder my punches generated shockwaves strong enough to split the air. But against Nomu, it hadn't mattered. Every strike had been absorbed, nullified, as if I were throwing myself against an endless wall.
Still… Clear Mind was a weapon I couldn't ignore. I would just need to handle it with care.
I closed my eyes and looked inward, inspecting the aftermath of my spoils. Two new sparks glimmered faintly inside me. When I called to them, a strange sensation rippled through my body. Unlike the quirks awakened naturally, these ones didn't come with instinct. Stolen quirks were silent, waiting for me to shape them through battle.
But I knew what they were. Shock Absorption. Super Regeneration. Nomu's legacy. I would only truly grasp them in combat, but even now, the power they promised was undeniable.
Sitting up slowly, I glanced around for my things. Relief washed over me when I spotted my phone on the bedside table, charging. I unlocked it casually — then froze.
The date blinked back at me.
"…Don't tell me I've been unconscious for four days," I whispered.
The door creaked open. In strolled Sora, the little brat, happily licking an ice cream cone like he didn't have a care in the world.
My eyebrow twitched. "Oi, brat. Where's my ice cream?"
"Hehehehe," he giggled, clearly enjoying himself. Then, with a smug smirk, he said, "You should be worrying about what Mom is gonna do to you."
I stiffened. "…Wait. What did Aunt do?"
"Oh, nothing much. She may or may not have cursed UA's ancestors. If Dad hadn't calmed her down, she probably would've cursed them till their ears bled."
'Oh, fuck. She will give me an earful too.'
"So… where are she and Uncle now?"
"Dad had to go to work. Mom and I stayed behind. She even gave my school some excuse, so I'll be here with you until the Sports Festival." His grin stretched ear to ear, thrilled at the prospect of skipping class.
"Sports Festival?" I repeated blankly.
"Oh yeah. Nobody told you since you were busy snoring. But your homeroom teacher said it'll happen in ten days." He licked his ice cream smugly.
This brat was enjoying my misery way too much.
"Don't forget those days I used to hang you upside down. When vacation comes, if I'm in a bad mood, I might just pay you a little visit."
That shut him up fast. The smirk vanished, replaced by a nervous gulp.
'So, ten days till the Sports Festival… shouldn't be too difficult.'
The door opened again — this time revealing a towering figure with a tiny creature perched on his shoulder.
"It's good to see you awake, young Aaron," Principal Nezu said warmly from atop All Might's broad shoulder. Then his beady eyes turned toward Sora. "And nice to meet you too, little one."
Sora, wide-eyed and frozen, stared at the Number One Hero like he was gazing upon a god.
I smacked the back of his head lightly. "Wake up, brat."
"That's… that's All Might," he stammered.
Before I could stop him, he snatched my phone and rushed forward, practically bouncing in place. "Can… can I have a selfie with you? Please?"
All Might chuckled, lowering to one knee. "Of course, young man." He snapped the photo, and Sora nearly fainted with excitement.
Meanwhile, Nezu hopped down from All Might's shoulder and onto a stool by my bed. His smile didn't waver, but I could feel the sharpness behind it.
"Do you mind talking to this cute principal of yours, Aaron?"
I knew exactly what this was about. With a sigh, I waved Sora toward the door. "Out."
Once the brat was gone, Nezu and All Might both bowed their heads.
"First, allow me to apologize for failing to provide you a safe environment to grow," Nezu said.
"And I thank you, on behalf of UA, for protecting the students," he added, sincerity in every word.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "Ah, don't worry about it. I'm in the same class as them. I couldn't just… not do anything." Their humility left me oddly flustered.
Nezu's smile deepened. "You're a smart child, Aaron. So I won't waste words. How did you defeat Nomu?"
I hesitated. How much should I tell them? Nezu and All Might were trustworthy, but even so…
As if sensing my pause, Nezu pressed further. "Even if you had a strong quirk, that doesn't explain your proficiency. Nor your calmness. Nor your experience in battle."
I clicked my tongue. Damn. He's sharp.
"Fine," I said. "I used to fight villains as a vigilante. That's where my experience comes from."
All Might's eyes widened in shock, but Nezu only nodded. "I suspected as much. That explains a great deal."
He leaned forward. "You were unconscious for four days. Not because of your injuries, but because your mind was exhausted. Surely that wasn't due to the quirk you've officially registered." His smile sharpened.
He got me.
Nezu would understand — his own quirk was mind-related.
"I need a promise," I said firmly. "From both of you. Not a word of what I say leaves this room."
"You have my word, young Aaron. You can trust us," Nezu replied without hesitation.
I took a breath. Time to lay it bare.
"The body-strengthening quirk I registered… isn't my real quirk. My true quirk lets me steal quirks from others."
Both of them froze, eyes widening in unison. The weight of my words dropped like a boulder.
Their thoughts raced to one place: All For One.
"But don't panic. I've never stolen from heroes or innocents. Only villains — the kind of scum that deserved worse than death."
I continued, voice steady. "I awakened it when I was nine, just after my parents died. I knew immediately it was dangerous. So I disguised it, hid it behind another stolen quirk."
All Might's face hardened. All For One would never pass his quirk to another… he's too selfish. But if that's true, how can two identical quirks exist?
"What else can you do with it?" he asked at last. His tone was calm, but the weight behind it pressed heavy.
"I can give quirks to others, too," I admitted. "And that's why I never told anyone. If word got out, I'd be hunted. Quirkless people, unsatisfied people — they'd all come for me, desperate to gain power."
Silence settled. Nezu slumped slightly on the stool, lost in thought, while All Might's trademark smile finally vanished, replaced with a frown.
The truth was out.
And it confirmed their worst fear: my quirk was exactly like his.
"Thank you for trusting us. Your secret is safe with us. You did well not telling anyone about this, and make sure to keep it to yourself in the future too. We also won't disclose it to anyone," Nezu finally said after a long pause.
He hopped off the stool, brushing himself off. "Your body is already well rested, so just wait for your family to come, and then you can leave. I'll see you at the Sports Festival."
He waved casually as he made his way to the door. But just before leaving, he stopped and turned, his sharp eyes meeting mine.
"You clearly held back. Would you have been able to defeat Nomu without great injuries?"
I only gave him a small nod.
Nezu smiled knowingly before stepping out, followed closely by All Might.
Left alone, I let out a slow breath. With Pyrokinesis and Aerokinesis, taking down the likes of Nomu isn't much trouble at all.