Chapter One: jaded

There should be some triggers for everyone, no matter who you were. That cause you to have a drastic change of perspective, or a change in personality.

For Sasuke, that had been learning about the truth of Itachi's life and the Uchiha Massacre…

And for him, it was the death of his dearest friend that became so disillusioned and-tired-of their world that he had all but committed suicide.

In a sense. It was still Naruto himself that dealt the blow that the raven-haired teen didn't bother to avoid or block.

Perhaps this was a metaphor for the fact that at the end of the day, Sasuke was dead because Naruto failed to save him.

It was as simple as that.

He left this world with a smile of...reassurance? relief? knowing that Naruto would still carry on as he had, in saving the world and leading everyone to a better future.

'I trust you.' his eyes seemed to say in those last moments.

The two of them never quite needed words to communicate with one another.

And maybe if it was the person he was before Sasuke's death impacted him...he could do it. He could brush off his personal pain and be the stronger person that everyone...needed him to be.

But that wasn't the actual case in reality.

Both him and Sasuke were...far more fragile than anyone could've anticipated. Including to themselves.

Or maybe it was the fault of those triggers he talked about. Events that changed and altered you forever.

Like how the teme was much more of a quitter and as for him-

He was much less of a hero.

It took a good while of wandering aimlessly in this new world when Naruto finally asked his lifelong companion a question.

"How come you're not mad that I abandoned the world that the Sage of Six Paths...well, created?"

The fox-Kyuubi, now miniature in size (and not to mention quite adorable) pranced on his chest as he himself lay amongst the wet and cold grass with the only source of light coming from the transluscent full moon.

The creature hovered slightly over his face and started to speak.

"My one act of...kindness for those human spawn was leaving them be peacefully for all those millenia." Kurama scoffed derisively.

"But then they just had to start capturing and caging all of us-with that Madara bastard starting the trend and my patience has, unsurprisingly-long since run out for the rest of your kind by now." he huffed, baring those cute and totally harmless canines in the process.

The prices that a great and mighty nine-tail fox demon must pay to...well, not be stuck in his boring stomach all the time. (although sometimes he has to go back in there since 'no pets allowed on flights' and all).

Absentmindedly, the blonde petted the head of his 'small' companion as his ears brushed and tickled against his palm.

"And besides-" he continued with a purr cutting midway through his words

"It's not like you left them helpless to fend for themselves-it's not as though father left them helpless as he granted those puny humans the gift of harnessing Chakra. Either way, the world can't keep continuing to count on extraordinary existences like the 'child of prophecy' to solve all their problems."

His hands scratching Kurama stopped when he heard that.

He sat up and looked down at the orange fox in his lap and then stared into the scarred palms of his hands that seemed to be endlessly lacerated without a single patch of smooth skin in sight.

"...you really think so Kurama?"

"You're stupid as ever aren't ya kid?" and that was the only response he would be getting it seemed.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, decision already made in his mind.

"Once, I did meet a...potential successor." All Might, as 'Toshinori Yagi' tells him one day after the battle with All for One.

"w-what?" Izuku stumbled as the information came too out of the blue.

They were sitting at the infirmary-or rather, Izuku was sitting. All Might was just laying down and resting. ('don't call me All Might. It's just Yagi now...after so long…')

But his teacher just continued in his storytelling.

"He was...hm, strong. I don't think I could've taught that boy. He didn't need my teaching-he was that strong. In fact, he didn't even want 'One for All' even after I tried explaining about its power."

"He told me; I don't need it."

Izuku remained silent and allowed Yagi-san to continue his tale but a part of him was immensely frustrated.

It was the kind of frustration he felt when he looked at Kaachan. Or Shouto. People that seemed to be truly-and somehow also effortlessly strong.

Of course, of course he knows it's not that easy. That everybody's fighting their own battles to improve but-

But every step he manages to take after pouring all his blood sweat and tears...is only one step of the thousand that it takes to merely catch up to them. And yet somehow they're still running the same race so why are their places so different?

So he's frustrated.

Frustrated that he still can't channel All for One's power that well despite the fact he's trying and he wants to, needs to-because Yagi-san's expecting him to carry on being the next symbol of peace.

But he's doubtful as whether he can actually accomplish that task in reality because…

He's still weak. He's still...deku.

"...so in the end, that boy, he didn't want my power and he sure as hell didn't want my teachings. But I continued to believe that he could be the one to carry on my legacy in becoming a symbol for peace against villains."

Izuku clenched his fist and didn't-no, couldn't look up to meet his teacher's eye; nor have the courage to see what kind of disappointed expression he must be making while saying all of this.

Because he knows; from this incident and many others that he's lacking, incapable. And an emotion of hot shame and at the same time envy courses through him.

"But until the end he didn't budge and I couldn't push him any further I realized and that was the end of it." the skeletal man sighed.

"...you know though, I'm glad he was so...abhorrent towards the idea of becoming a hero. If somehow, he had ended up becoming my successor I think I would've made a big mistake in judgement."

Izuku's head snapped up at that and the words 'what do you mean' were right at the tip of his tongue. But as if knowing what he wanted to say, Yagi-san answered just as accordingly.

"Because. Even though he was strong, he didn't have what it took to be a hero." the blonde man proclaimed, jabbing his finger right at the spot where Midoriya's heart was.

"But you! Midoriya have what it takes to be a hero ten times and over compared to him. So fear not! As long as your heart and mind are in the right place, the rest will follow suit in time. And of course, I will teach you with all that I can-with all that I have."

"This will be my last duty...as ALL MIGHT!"

His vision was blurring and Izuku knew that he was crying (yet again) but he couldn't help it as that had simply been way too amazingly cool.

(nevermind if Yagi-san went into a coughing fit immediately after thus alarming the nurses for the doctor to be called)

So, he's your 'trigger' huh.

-was what first came to mind when the man called Toshinori Yagi whom I met (was stalked by) a couple years back had begged me to protect his student named Midoriya Izuku.

The man was...memorable, as he was before. (and not to mention the sole reason for Naruto owning a dusty old hero license that could be found somewhere in his apartment if he was to look hard enough).

You see, he was recruited to be a 'hero' of this world.

But to no surprise, he said-

"-hell no."

Naruto blinked, and watched along with a still kneeling Yagi as Kurama daintily upturned his snout up into the air in a haughty gesture.

"Listen up." he pointed with a small paw at Yagi's gaunt-looking face (even more so than three years prior).

"Naruto's not obligated to do shit for you all. It was like that back then and nothing's changed now. So what makes you think that's going to change just because you come over all the way here and bow your head once?"

There was sound of Yagi clenching his teeth but whether that was in bitterness or to prevent throwing up blood could be up for question.

When the man's deep set eyes turned on him, he simply gave a nonchalant shrug. It's not like anything his partner said had been wrong.

Even after three years he's not keen to play hero. You tend to learn from your past mistakes after all.

For an existence like humans, it was best to live for oneself he realized. Less hassle, more happiness that way.

All this propaganda about self sacrifice for the greater good was what killed Itachi and then drove Sasuke to the brink of madness and back.

And it's what caused him to be exhausted and disillusioned.

"Please. I'm not asking you to be some hero-I just want you to protect Izuku. He's not ready yet and it's too dangerous right now with how many strong villains there are out there."

I sighed and I crouched down, eventually sitting cross legged in front of Yagi and then gestured for him to sit up comfortably as well.

"Here's the thing," I begin my explanation.

"From what you've told me-I'm sure he's a great kid. A heart of gold and everything-" sounds like me when I was younger but cries a hell lot more-was left unsaid.

"But since that's the case, what if a villain attack happens as he's with his friends? And as I'm only tasked with protecting him I'm not obligated to care about the welfare of his friends. They might die, but I won't care." Yagi winced at that.

"But Ibiki will."

"-it's Izuku."

"Right, Izuna will. So what will he do? He's gonna rush out and fight the villains of course! And then not only does my job of protecting him become a whole lot harder-but my option comes to no other choice but to fight all the villains and protect all the kids."

"Now, do you understand?" I ask after finishing my lengthy expression with a deep breath.

"This is a lose-lose situation. For me. So say, why should I accept your little 'request'?" Naruto drawled, with a seemingly bored and half-lidded expression but for an instant those pupils became feral-looking and not to mention red.

Yagi could feel cold sweat pouring down his back, especially with the knowledge that he was now powerless and therefore-completely defenceless if Naruto were to want and try something.

He wouldn't...probably, but sometimes the way he acts and the things he say were as unscrupulous as some of the villains he's met.

But he couldn't back out here just because of that. Or anything else.

Because his student depended on him. To allow him to grow stronger into a great hero. And he can't accomplish that if he dies prematurely at the hands of villains he no longer has any capability to fend off against.

"Please!" once again, he lowered his head to the boy that could pass off being in his early twenties at the most-but at the very least seemed to be in university.

There was a thick silence.

Then-

"Well, fine." came the resigned sigh.

There was the sound of Kurama groaning and face-palming.