Kamen Rider Duelist: Hey everybody! Kamen Rider Duelist here with an all-new story! Yeah, I know I've uploaded Kamen Rider GX not long ago, but this story here is something I wanted to try for a while now. And helping me out is none other than HackerEX!

HackerEX: Ayo! Nice to be here with ya, bro!

Kamen Rider Duelist: So you're probably wondering what kind of story I'm doing. And it happens to be… My Hero Academia! That's right! I'm diving into the world of My Hero Academia!

HackerEX: I mean, when he offered me to join him on a fic based on one of my current fave shounen manga? You bet your ass that I jumped at the opportunity to write a My Hero fic!

Kamen Rider Duelist: And on another note, Kuro's not in this! Nope! It's an all-new OC character I made!

HackerEX: Yep, and just letting you guys know. There will be a LOT of fighting game references here. Given this OC's theming and, well, because I've been around the block with fighting games.

Kamen Rider Duelist: Exactly. I still need to watch the rest of the anime but HackerEX will help me out here if I need clarification.

HackerEX: I'm caught up with the manga anyways, so I can fill in any details that Duelist is missing. So, might as well do the normal disclaimer for Duelist's fics in this starting chapter.

Disclaimer: We do not own My Hero Academia. All creative rights go to Kōhei Horikoshi, first and foremost, Kenji Nagasaki, Tomo Ōkubo, Masahiro Mukai, Kazumasa Sanjōba, Hiroshi Kamei, Naoki Amano, Hirokazu Hara, Natsumi Mori, Wakana Okamura, Kōji Nagai, Yoshihiro Ōyabu, Hayato Saga, Sōkichi Onoda, Mirei Tsumura, Hiroya Nakata, Yōsuke Kuroda, and Yuki Hayashi. All creative rights go to them. Also any and all insert songs in this story don't belong to us at all. In other words, we don't own anything except our OCs and all other OCs © original creators.


Flashback - 6 Years Ago

"Damn Hero! Always getting in my way!"

A man wearing a costume resembling a martial arts gi stood in the Villain's way. Flames surrounded the two as they stared each other down, not willing to back down. The Karate Hero looked worse for wear, as his clothes were tattered and/or burnt due to the flames. The patches of dragon scales on his body and fists were dry and cracked, other parts of his body that were human were bruised or bloodied, and his face had seen better days as blood trickled down the side of his face.

Off to the side was a woman with short black hair, having black tiger ears, stripes, and a tail as the rest of her skin was human, being light. She was holding her son as tightly as she could, the boy scared and crying of what was happening in front of him.

How could this have happened? It was supposed to be a fun camping trip in the mountains, only for it to be ruined by this Villain.

"Ryūha!"

"Go, Torako! I'll hold him off!" The Karate Hero shouted to the woman.

"Tou-chan! No~!" the boy cried out, reaching out to him, but the mother held him back. To their horror, the building shook as the frames began crumbling down around them. The smoke became heavier and their window of escape was closing fast.

"Die!" The Villain roared, as the sickening sound of muscles tearing and repairing themselves rang out. Those same muscles shot towards the Karate Hero, but the latter enveloped his fists in a blue aura, punching them with great force to block the attacks. Unfortunately, the muscular whips the Karate Hero pushed away, destroyed more of the building's structural integrity. It became more unstable, rocking ominously, as one piece of debris nearly fell on top of the wife and son.

"Tch… you ruined my fun." The Villain clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Whatever, at least I got to kill some people, so no skin off my back! I'll let these flames kill the rest of you! Have a miserable afterlife!"

With those last words, the Villain used his muscular whips to hook onto a support beam and pulled himself out, catapulting out of the building.

"Get… back here!" Ryūha shouted, but to no avail. The building shook dangerously, with mere moments of falling apart. The Karate Hero gritted his teeth, before limping over to his wife and son.

"Tou-chan…" The boy sobbed. "What's going to happen to us?"

"Son…" The Karate Hero muttered, holding him in his arms. "Listen to me. No matter what happens… from here on out, you have to live for yourself. Never forget what I taught you. True strength flows from the heart."

"Tou… chan…?"

"He's right," Torako said, as she looked at her son with tears in her eyes while still smiling. "No matter what happens, we'll always love you and watch over you…"

"Kaa-san… what are you-"

With a nod from the mother to the Karate Hero, the latter thrust his hand out. An aura sphere formed from his hand before shooting it off. It sailed across before crashing through the wall, creating an opening large enough for the boy to go through. Ryūha then held his son for the last time in his arms, embracing him.

"I love you…"

Those were the Karate Hero's last words before tossing the boy out of the building. The boy could only look on in horror, watching the hole being filled. The last moments of seeing his parents was them smiling at him with tears in their eyes, as the building collapsed around them.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"


A large gasp escaped and echoed in the air, as a young man shot up awake from his bed. His heart pounded furiously as if he ran a marathon, while ice cold sweat fell from his numbing face. His head became light-headed, overcome with exhaustion as he looked at his arms and over himself. He had athletic musculature, with abdominals visible to show a six-pack. His looks were finished by the tiger striped dragon scales over his upperbody, arms, and legs.

With a long sigh, he plopped back down on his bed, his arm resting on his forehead, while staring at the ceiling.

"That nightmare again…" He muttered.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*

"Mamoru? Are you alright in there?"

The young man, now named Mamoru, uttered a noise of surprise, before getting out of bed. He quickly went to his drawer to pull out a white t-shirt, putting it on, before walking towards the door to open it. Standing in front of him was a woman in her early 30's with brown eyes and red hair styled into three bangs going across her face. Her attire was a very reserved fashion, choosing a knee-length skirt, dark leggings, high-heeled shoes, and a turtleneck sweater with a loose collar.

This was Sosaki Shino, a Pro Hero that goes by the name of Mandalay, and is Mamoru's adoptive mother.

"Kaa-chan…" Mamoru muttered.

He remembered.

Six years ago, he was saved by her and her team that day.


Flashback

After the building collapsed, the Villain attempted to cause a landslide in hopes to destroy whatever was left of the mountain resort. He didn't care if civilians were caught up in it. However the landslide was not as strong as he wanted it to be as it instead, ironically, put out the fire. Disappointed by his strength being sapped by the fight with the Karate Hero, he fled the scene. By the time the Pro Heroes and rescuers had arrived, they were too late. But that didn't stop them from hoping and trying to find someone still alive.

There were several survivors thankfully, and as Mandalay searched for more, she heard the sound of a boy crying.

"Hey, do you hear that?" A 25-year old Mandalay asked. Her Hero costume consisted of a sleeveless, collared top decorated with three straps and a bell. A large ruffled skirt, tail, orange belt with pockets, and silver buckle resembling a cat paw with blue pads was added to the costume as well. Finishing her look were large white cat gloves with retractable claws, boots with vertical stripes lined with white fur, and a communication device designed to resemble cat ears. She wore the red version of it and had red markings beneath her eyes, which resemble cat whiskers. "Ragdoll, can you pinpoint their location?"

["It's just a bit aways near you."] Another voice reported in the cat ear device, ["There should be a small air pocket."]

"Got it." Mandalay said, as she kept walking, looking around.

["Keep going… going… going… there! On your left!"]

Mandalay turned to the left and saw nothing but dirt, meaning the boy was buried underground.

"I think I found them!" Mandalay reported. She then got on her knees and started digging. "Hey! Can you hear me?! I'm here to get you out! Just hang on!"

As she moved more dirt and rubble away, the boy saw a light breaking out from the darkness. Mandalay kept digging and digging until finally seeing the boy curled up in a fetal position. He was definitely dirty, but was seemingly fine. The boy looked up with tears in his eyes, and Mandalay's heart sank, seeing how sad he looked. But she had to put on a brave face for him.

"Don't worry, it's gonna be alright." she reassured him, reaching out for the boy. With little resistance, she was able to pull him out of the hole he was in. "There you go. Are you okay?"

"Sniff… Tou-chan… Kaa-san…" The boy sobbed as tears streamed down. "They're… they're dead… they're dead!"

Mandalay couldn't help but think back to the currently climbing list of casualties, feeling sorrowful for the families of the victims, and now this boy has joined the ones left behind.

"Tou-chan… he…" The boy choked up.

"Your father?"

"He was… *sniff*… fighting a Villain that was killing everybody…" the boy continued, trying to wipe his tears. "But he… couldn't beat him… and then he… he…"

"Oh no…" Mandalay murmured in horror.

"The Villain got away… and Tou-chan… threw me out as it… came down and… and…"

It was at this moment, that the boy finally broke down and spilled his heart out, hugging Mandalay as tight as he could.

She said nothing, closing her eyes, as she let the boy cry in her arms.


"Mamoru? Mamoru."

"Huh?" The young man snapped out of it, looking at his adoptive mother.

"Are you alright? You were spacing out." Shino said, worriedly.

Mamoru hung his head down, while looking away, "I'm okay… I was just… remembering."

Shino frowned sadly, then walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his form. "It's going to be okay… you're okay." She murmured soothingly, combing his hair.

"It's been six years… I miss them so much…"

"I know." She said, "I promise, that man will be brought to justice." She then looked at her adopted son, holding his cheek with a soft smile, while pressing her forehead against his. "Until then, try to keep smiling."

"Mm… pfff… pfffhahaha…" Mamoru chuckled, his lips quivering into an upwards curl. One thing he couldn't beat was his adoptive mom's infectious smile. That smile soon became genuine, much to Shino's relief.

"See? There you go." Shino giggled. "Now go get ready. I gotta get Kota up."

"Hai, Kaa-chan." Mamoru nodded.


Chapter 1 - Mamoru Hadōken: Origin

While Shino went to wake Kota, Mamoru used this time to do his regular bathroom routine of brushing his teeth and washing his face. He looked up to see his reflection, and staring in front of him, was himself. He had eye-length brown hair unkempt and sectioned in two layers, the second layer of hair bangs were in the middle, curving inward towards the right side of his face. His looks were finished with his blue eyes positioned between the layers closest to his face, and three small tiger stripes of dragon scales on each cheek. Once he saw his face looking fresh and alert, he went back to his room to change into his school uniform, which was pretty standard. Giving himself a once lookover, he nodded in approval and grabbed his school suitcase, before going downstairs.

When he arrived in the kitchen, he set his suitcase aside, putting on an apron to start cooking breakfast. While he was grateful that Shino took him in to be his legal guardian, he had an obligation to give back and do his part around the house.

The smell of breakfast soon filled the room as someone came towards the kitchen, looking grumpy as ever. He was a small boy with short spiky black hair, wearing a short-sleeved collared shirt with buttons and dark shorts. He also wore a red hat with two golden spike-shaped horns on the front and black shoes.

This was Izumi Kota, Shino's cousin once removed. He, like Mamoru, was taken in by Shino as his legal guardian. His parents, who were Pro Heroes known as Water Hose, died in the line of duty, and Kota has hated Heroes ever since. Kota had developed a cynical and jaded view of them, believing that his parents abandoned him by choosing to work as Pro Heroes. Since then, he remained distant and closed his heart to Shino, his only remaining relative, and clearly dislikes her and her team for being Heroes, but does as they say since he has nowhere else to go.

As for his relationship with Mamoru, however…

"Ohayo, Kota-kun." He smiled a bit.

Kota looked towards him, but said nothing, as he went to the table to eat.

Mamoru sighed lightly. It was a work-in-progress. He knows that Kota doesn't outright hate him, because Mamoru told him that he was in the same position, the only difference being that Mamoru still loved his parents. So their relationship was more or less neutral.

"Ah! I see you've finished cooking!" Shino said with bright eyes, seeing the food on the table. "Good work, Mamoru."

"Arigatou, Kaa-chan." Mamoru thanked, before taking off the apron and got his own serving of breakfast, sitting down at the table after. "Itadakimasu." He said, along with Shino, with both hands in prayer before digging into his food.

"So, you're finding out the results of your finals today, isn't it?" Shino asked.

"Hai. I don't think I did too bad." Mamoru said sheepishly, "At least, I hope I didn't do bad." The boy then looked down at his meal, "Oh gosh, if I fail my finals, I feel like my parents will rise from the grave just to scold me."

"Relax. You'll be fine." Shino reassured the teen. "You did your best and that's all there is to it."

"Right, right…" Mamoru sighed to himself.

"Have you decided what high school you're going to for next year, too?" Shino asked, to which Mamoru's face slightly faltered.

"Er… no, not yet…" he muttered.

"And what about your…" Shino trailed off.

"Not yet." Mamoru answered. He knew what she was talking about.

Quirks.

They were superhuman abilities that a person can possess, said to be the next stage of evolution in the human race.

Though rudimentary, a person can be diagnosed whether or not a person has a Quirk by analyzing the presence or absence of an extra joint in their pinky toe. People with only one joint tend to develop a Quirk, while having two joints usually indicates that the person is Quirkless.

A person's Quirk will normally manifest anytime before the age of four, sometimes even straight after birth. Though, there are late bloomers who don't develop their power until a bit later in life. In Mamoru's case, it was exactly that. He was diagnosed at age four to have a Quirk, having that missing joint in his pinky toe, but it hadn't manifested since then.

Many people thought he was misdiagnosed, which wouldn't be the first time it would happen. There had been several cases of people diagnosed as either having a Quirk or being Quirkless, yet the opposite became true.

"It's… not like I really need it now."

"Even though you were impatient for it back then?" Shino asked matter-of-factly, making him flinch.

He didn't like to be reminded. Ever since his parents died, he had been upset at himself for being helpless to save them, taking out his frustrations at any and everyone for his misfortune, even demanding his Quirk to manifest. During his days at elementary, he would get into fights just to get attention.

"Please don't remind me of my edgy days. I hate how I acted back then." Mamoru groaned, sinking into his chair.

"Well you certainly were a handful back then after I adopted you." Shino added. "Stubborn, selfish, and bratty come to mind."

*SHANK!*

"Please stop…" Mamoru whimpered pathetically, feeling a metaphorical arrow pierce his skull, "Have mercy…"

"I'm just saying," Shino shrugged. "But… at least you've matured. And your feelings back then… I couldn't blame you. It was your way of coping and sorting out your emotions."

"Yeah I know…" Mamoru sighed with slumped shoulders. He knew what he did back then was wrong. He had hurt others, because he himself was hurt. It was a vicious cycle that Shino and the other members of her team were able to break. It was out of guidance, kindness, patience, compassion, and love from Shino, that he was able to finally accept the loss of his parents and move on… mostly.

"Anyways, you better finish your breakfast. You don't want to be late for school."

"Hai…" Mamoru trailed off, before the rest of breakfast was finished in silence.


With a wave goodbye, Mamoru left the house with his school suitcase in tow, while Shino went to drop off Kota at his school. The walk wasn't far, but was still a pain to get to school due to traffic. It doesn't help that Villains can run amok during the day, especially during rush hour.

"Haaaaaaa… end me now!" Mamoru sighed to himself, trudging along the city sidewalk to get to his destination.

*BOOM!*

"NOT LITERALLY!" He screamed to the heavens. He looked towards the source of the explosion, and saw a Villain rampaging. It was a Giant type of Villain, and worst of all, he was cutting traffic during rush hour!

"Great… I need to find another way to school…" He grumbled, taking an alternate road. "At least I'm nowhere near there…"

Before he could take another step, a fallen car from the rampage blocked the new alternate path… to Mamoru's annoyance.

"Really?!" He cried out. Mamoru shook his head. He went down yet another alternate path, to make his way to school. 'If there's one more interference from a Villain, I'll beat the crap out of them.' He thought to himself.

He turned the corner that led towards an intersection on the streets. Once he crosses it, he can take a left and his school would be right there. "Okay, almost there. Just gotta get there without any-"

"STICK 'EM UP! ONE MOVE AND YOU'RE SWISS CHEESE!"

*WHAM!*

That was it. Mamoru had enough.

His potential mugger had his light knocked out by the boy, who threw out a strong punch.

"WILL YOU BUZZ OFF AND LET ME WALK TO SCHOOL IN PEACE?!" Mamoru snapped, "ONE DAY! I JUST WANT ONE DAY OF WALKING TO SCHOOL WITHOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?!"

"Ugh… ahhh…" The mugger groaned, unable to speak as he was left completely dazed.

"You people are always a pain in the butt! Get a life, ya piece of crap!" Mamoru shouted, kicking the downed mugger one last time for good measure, before stomping away, grumbling under his breath. A few bystanders could only look on in confusion about what just happened.

"What's his problem?" One citizen, a boy with mossy green hair, asked. "Kinda reminds me of Kacchan…"


*DING DONG DING DONG! DING DONG DING DONG!*

"Haaaaaaaaaa… finally made it… got here before the bell rang too." Mamoru sighed in relief as he sat down at his desk.

"What happened to you?" One of his classmates asked, "You look like crap."

"Some Villain decided to mess with rush hour, then a car crashed in front of me because of said Villain and then some random thug tried to mug me, but I sucker punched him in the face and kicked his gut for good measure…" he growled as he recounted his commute, "But other than that, everything's fine." he said, returning to his normal attitude.

"…Ooookay?"

"Sorry… it was just a crappy day to walk to school…" Mamoru sighed. "Anyways, did the results come in?"

"They just posted it in the hall." The classmate informed him.

"Cool. I'll go check it out." Mamoru said, getting out of his seat and went out into the hallway. There he could see a crowd of students gathering around a certain part of the wall. Walking towards it, he saw the Final Exam results posted and looked for his name in the list. "Where is it… where is it… where is it…"

Sure enough, he saw his name in the upper part of the results board. Not enough to reach the top 10, but was able to pass. Mamoru felt a wave of euphoria wash over him. "Hahhhhhhhhhh… thank goodness… I passed." He sighed in relief. "I'll be a third year student…"

He then saw the various students either happy that they passed or are wallowing in despair over their failure.

"I wonder who took the No. 1 spot though," Mamoru said curiously as he looked to see the ranking. His eyes squinted, but he was able to make out the name. "Kendo… Itsuka…?" He murmured.

He then shrugged and was about to leave when he accidentally bumped into someone. "Ah, sorry, didn't mean to-"

Whatever he wanted to say next didn't leave his mouth, as his eyes widened slightly at who was standing in front of him. She was a beautiful girl of medium height and slim build with teal eyes, while having long orange hair, tied into a high ponytail on the left side of her head. Her bangs are split into three clumps around her eyes, and some of her hair stuck up in large tufts at the top of her head. Her attire of course was a girl's school uniform.

"Ow, that hurt…" she muttered while massaging her head.

"Uh…" Mamoru got out, catching her attention as he bowed in apology. "Ah! S-Sorry, I-I didn't mean to bump into you!"

"It's all good. I wasn't looking where I was going either." the girl reassured him, before her face had a look of realization. "Wait a minute… aren't you the guy who stomped into school today?"

Mamoru felt a metaphorical blade stab his being, as his shoulders slumped with his head hung down. It seems that misfortune continues to hover over him.

"Yeah, about that… I just chose a bad day to walk to school…" he tried to explain himself. He then heard the sound of giggles coming from the girl, causing him to look up and pout at her. "Nandayo…?"

Immediately the girl froze and stammered, "W-Wait, I wasn't laughing at you, I promise!"

Mamoru sighed at this, "It's fine… though I feel like I'm cursed with bad luck today."

"I wouldn't worry about it." The girl smiled easily, causing him to look at her in mild surprise. "We all have one of those days. So try and push through, and it'll get better."

"I-"

*DING DONG DING DONG! DING DONG DING DONG!*

"Oh shoot, we gotta get to class!" The orange-haired girl gasped as she took off. "Hope you feel better!"

Mamoru reached out, but to no avail as the students returned to their classroom, leaving him by his lonesome. He didn't even get the girl's name, let alone introduced himself to her. That feeling stayed with him as the rest of the school day continued, with him barely able to find or even reach out to the mysterious girl whenever he saw her.


Meanwhile…

["Do you have eyes on the target?!"] A helicopter pilot shouted over the radio in their headset, as said aircraft was flying over the city. Sitting behind the pilot were police officers, tracking down a Villain from the air, but this Villain was evading them too well.

["Negative! I don't have a visual! He's too fast!"]

Said Villain was running away on all fours, snarling and growling like a wild animal. The Villain in question, for all intents and purposes, looked like a werewolf. The fur was gray and white, with maroon pants that were shredded and torn. He was especially tall if he were to stand and his chest actually showed some abs underneath the fur. His tail was bushy and his eyes were yellow with rage, his jaws armed to the teeth with teeth.

The werewolf Villain sniffed the air for any scent that would catch his attention. He knew that there had to be someone, anyone who could satisfy his hunger for battle. After entering a nearby building to hide from the cops, he caught that scent.

"I smell… fresh meat!"

Like a lightning bolt, the werewolf Villain dashed off, the cops completely baffled by his disappearance.

["Contact HQ… Tell them we lost the target…"] One of the pilots announced, grimacing that a dangerous Villain escaped them. They only hoped that some Hero will stop him before any more lives are lost.


*DING DONG DING DONG! DING DONG DING DONG!*

"Mmmmmm…" Mamoru stretched his arms to loosen up whatever parts of his body were stiff. Classes were finally over, much to his relief. "Haaaa… finally done…" He muttered to himself.

"Hey, we're gonna head over to the mall and play some arcades. Wanna join us?" One of his classmates offered.

Mamoru looked at his watch, "Hmm… sure why not? I got some time. Not like Kaa-chan's gonna scold me for coming home late on a school night."

"Sweet! Maybe we could pick up a few dates," Another spoke delightfully.

"Geez, is that all you ever think about?" The first classmate rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Hey, we're close to highschool! We gotta enjoy our youth while we still can! And I'd rather not be like you losers, all alone!"

"That's your problem. You leap before you look," Mamoru sweat dropped.

"Hey, at least I can boast about having a few before you, Mamoru! I bet you won't find someone until you're old!"

"Unlike you who's ready to get it on, I'll take my time until the right person comes along." Mamoru deadpanned, then got up from his seat, slinging his school suitcase over his shoulder, before walking off. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Yosha! I'm gonna get the highest scores in the fighting arcades!" The first classmate said pumped up.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" The second classmate called out, running after them.


"You lost them?!" A Chief of Police shouted over the phone.

["We're sorry, sir! He was too fast for us! We're still searching!"]

"I knew I should've hired a top Hero for this mission…" The Chief sighed, "Send out a distress call to any Hero nearby and give them the run down. We need to capture this Villain before another massacre occurs! I don't want to have to explain to the States that we lost their No.5 Fugitive!"

["Yes sir!"] They said, before hanging up.

The Police Chief sat back in his seat with a heavy sigh escaping his lips. They had been on this case for weeks, and still they haven't been captured.

'It would be best to inform All Might about this… Given how he was the one to stop Saberfang… I hope the victims that moved to this country to get away from him, don't know about his escape either…' The chief grimaced. He knew the few families who moved to be out of that Villain's 'target prey', only to be followed later on. Some of these victims have already fallen prey to this Villain. And it was only a matter of time before the list dwindled down to the last victim.

*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK*

"Enter." The Police Chief said, as one of his aides came in.

"Any updates?"

"They've lost contact… but they're searching." The Police Chief answered. "They're doing well to avoid us, I'll give them that much, but…"

"We can't have the public learn and panic. That'll make them eager to slaughter more people… we need a trap."

"But what could we use as bait?"

"I wish I knew… let's just hope we can find that answer soon."


*PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW, PEW!*

"Come on, come on!" Mamoru said, playing a shooting arcade, firing the handheld arcade gun on the screen, firing on any and all targets he could find.

[GAME OVER~!]

"Oh come on!" Mamoru complained, looking at his current score.

"I told you to watch out for those guys. They always hides those secret grenades." The first classmate sighed.

"How was I supposed to know?" Mamoru groaned. "Man… maybe Bang Bang Shooting isn't my style after all…"

"Sounds like a skill issue to me." The second classmate snickered. "Meanwhile…"

[GAME CLEAR~!]

"Top score again for Mighty Action X!"

"Showoff!" Mamoru growled, with comical angry soulless eyes, while shaking his balled up fist.

"Eh… you sure that's the top score?" A third classmate spoke up, pointing to the one truly above them, [Nu0va-Sp1d3r], as it showed. He used Proto-Mighty to get the true top score of the game.

"Huh?! No way!" The second classmate gawked. "Who the heck is Nu0va-Sp1d3r?!"

"He seems to be the only person who always finishes Mighty Action X at the top, no matter where it is… I heard he even did it at the rare Gold Plated Arcade in New York." The third classmate mentioned.

"You're kidding!"

"Kidding I am not…"

"Well… I'm done for the day." Mamoru sighed, having no more tokens to use. "Should we all get something to eat?"

"You're kidding, right? We still have a lot of hours!" The second classmate whined.

"Yeah, and?"

"And?! Come on, man! You can't just go back home now!"

"I'm not going home yet. I just asked if we should get something to eat."

"Ehh… we're still on our gaming rage. You can go get something if you want." The first classmate shrugged.

"Alright, suit yourself." Mamoru shrugged back, before walking out of the arcade. He sighed in relief upon feeling the fresh air of the outside world. "Thank goodness… as much as I like hanging out with them, I can't stay around crowds for too long."

"Oh, it's you."

"Huh?" Mamoru turned to the source of the voice and looked to see that same girl he bumped into. "Wait, you're…" He trailed off.

"Didn't expect you to be here." The girl said.

"Oh, yeah. Me and the guys were hanging out inside the arcade." Mamoru pointed at the door with a thumb. "Didn't wanna stay there for too long."

"Heh, not much for people, huh? I can get that." She nodded to him, "How about we walk together? I was planning on some food before heading home."

"Oh, I was just about to head out for food too." Mamoru blinked in surprise, before realizing the implications. "Wait… this isn't a date, is it…?"

"Hm? You were expecting one?" The girl teasingly smirked.

"W-What? No! Of course not!" Mamoru stammered, blushing heavily, waving his hands frantically. "I mean… not that I mind, but… no wait, hold on!"

She giggled at his reaction, "Relax. Think of it as more of me wanting to know you more. Gotta make more friends, no?"

"Uh… yeah, I guess so." He said. "Oh, right. We haven't really introduced ourselves, have we. I'm Hadōken Mamoru."

"Kendo Itsuka, it's nice to meet you, Mamoru-kun."

"Kendo… Itsuka…" Mamoru trailed off, before another look of realization hit him. "Wait, you're the one that aced the final exams perfectly?"

"Yup." She smiled brightly, "Will admit, you did good work too."

"Ah, no. I mean, it wasn't that great." He chuckled sheepishly, scratching his cheek. "I was just happy to pass. Don't wanna get left behind after all."

"Hey, don't doubt yourself. I honestly think you did great." She reassured, patting his back. "So, what do you plan to do for highschool?"

"Uh… actually, I… don't really have a plan." He trailed off, awkwardly. "Namely cause… my Quirk didn't manifest. I'm a late bloomer."

"Really? Huh, that's rare these days." Itsuka noted, yet she didn't see prejudice over him being a late bloomer. "Well, what do you want to do with your future? Any ambitions, dreams or desires? Surely there has to be something that drives you."

"There was, but…" Mamoru trailed off, his memory flashing back to six years ago, but then shook his head to rid himself of it. "Sorry, it's… hard to talk about."

Itsuka quickly took notice, and decided not to pry further, nodding to him, "Well, keep doing your best. Hopefully your Quirk will manifest, eventually."

"Heh, you and me both." Mamoru chuckled.

"But until then, how about we grab lunch like we planned?"

"Right, we did plan that, didn't we?" Mamoru nodded with a small grin before the two went on their way. Unbeknownst to them, the three classmates had caught a glimpse of them walking together, peeking their head out the arcade door.

"How did Mamoru catch a babe like that?! Mamoru, you traitor!" The second classmate said clenching his fist with a comical angry look.

"They're just getting acquainted with each other." The first classmate said.

"Are you kidding?! Do you even realize who that is?!" The second classmate gawked.

"Yeah, the top student of our school. And?" The third classmate questioned.

"AND?! If he somehow got her number or even worse actually get to date her, we'd be ruined! We're the ones who must get girls before him! Otherwise the world order and balance will be destroyed!"

"You're reading into this way too much." The first classmate, sweat dropped.

"Shush! We need to fix this by ruining their date! Onward, minions!" The second classmate announced, taking the lead.

"Should we ditch him?" The third classmate asked.

"No… if we leave him, he'll make things worse. Let's go and stop him before he does something stupid…" The first classmate sighed.


"Sir!" A police officer shouted, rushing into the Police Chief's office. "We got eyes!"

"Hurry! If Saberfang makes it to the city, he won't hold back anything!" The Police Chief urged. He and the officer then rushed out of the office and into a control room. Surveillance equipment and computer screens plastered the wall, showing maps of various areas of the city and cameras showed every angle of each part of the city, as much as possible. "Give me an update!"

"Saberfang is heading towards a nearby mall! We need a Hero immediately! We won't make it in time to stop him from hitting it!"

"Who's the nearest Hero near that mall now?!" The Police Chief asked.

"All Might, sir! But he's dealing with another Villain at the moment! It'll be some time before he can get over there!"

"Damn it…" The chief gritted.


At that same mall, Mamoru and Itsuka arrived at its food court and both of them decided to grab an American classic: Double Bacon Cheeseburger, Fries, and Cola. Mamoru offered to pay for both their meals, to which Itsuka had no problem with. After a few minutes of waiting, both of them received their order and the two of them sat down at a table across from each other. Both said their thanks of prayer, before digging in.

"Mmm! So good!" Itsuka said with delight as she bit into her burger.

"No kidding. The beef's cooked to order, the bacon is savory, and the fries aren't bad either." Mamoru agreed.

"Ahh… I'd love to go to America one day!" Itsuka dreamed.

"You've never been there before?" Mamoru asked.

"No, have you?"

"Only one time." Mamoru answered. "California."

"Lucky!"

"Well, it was sort of work related. Tou-chan was invited to attend a Hero summit in America as a representative of Japan. And he wanted to take Kaa-san and I along for the ride." Mamoru recalled.

"Heh, your parents sound amazing." Itsuka smiled.

"Yeah, they… were…" He trailed off.

"Oh…" Itsuka realized, frowning sadly. "I'm sorry…"

"It's… fine. Not your fault." Mamoru shook his head with a sad smile.

"Well… I'm sure they're proud of you for being strong. Who was your father?"

"Hadōken Ryūha. You might know him as the Karate Hero: Dragon Fist."

"DRAGON FIST WAS YOUR FATHER?!" She gasped with delight, suddenly leaning towards him across the table, causing Mamoru to back up.

"H-Hey, easy now." Mamoru raised his hands.

Itsuka blinked before recomposing herself, "Ahem, sorry… Dragon Fist was my favorite Hero. I was inspired by him to become one." She confessed.

"R-Really? You idolized my father?"

"Of course!" Itsuka smiled as she held up her fist… only for it to expand?!

"Whoa!" Mamoru backed up his seat in surprise.

"He fully inspired me to be a Hero, and I have ideas on what I'd wanna be… Even took up a few martial arts classes." Itsuka revealed with a smile, while shrunking her hand back to normal.

"I see." Mamoru smiled a bit. "He does have that kind of effect on people. When I was young, and my Quirk didn't manifest, he had me train with him. He told me that if I worked hard, trained diligently, and persevered, my Quirk would surely manifest. And his smile… the fact that he had that much faith in me… I truly believed what he said. So I continued, hoping that one day it would."

"Mamoru…" Itsuka said softly.

"It's been ten years since that day, six when my parents passed… and… my Quirk still didn't manifest." Mamoru continued. "There are days when I thought I wouldn't manifest it at all. But I knew… I couldn't betray my parents' memories. I had to keep going… for them."

"Mamoru…" Itsuka said, before praising him saying, "…I think you've done a good job remembering them."

"Huh?" Mamoru looked at her with slightly wide eyes.

"You wouldn't be able to say such things about them, if you haven't kept their memories alive. By giving up, it's guaranteed that it wouldn't happen… yet you haven't. That means you're doing exactly what your parents would've wanted, keeping them alive in you." Itsuka stated, with a smile.

"Kendo-san…" Mamoru muttered.

*BOOOOOOM! CRASH!*

"?!" Mamoru and Itsuka gasped in surprise when they heard something crash and explode.

"RUN!"

"IT'S A VILLIAN!"

"SOMEONE CALL A HERO!"

Mamoru and Itsuka looked to where the crash came from and their eyes widened to see the werewolf Villain in the midst. The Villain sniffed the air, before it licked its lips, "I smell some delicious prey! Wonder how these civilians will taste?" He said, turning to some running innocents.

Mamoru's eyes widened. "No way… that's Saberfang! He's the United States's No.5 Fugitive!"

"How did he get here?" Itsuka managed to ask.

"I don't know, but… we gotta do something!"

"Are you kidding? We're not licensed Heroes! We can't do anything against a villian!" Itsuka stated, knowing the laws that were placed for those with Quirks. "We need to call a Hero first, then we can focus on helping others."

"But-"

"Listen, I know how you feel! Believe me, I do! But we can't do anything at this point!" Itsuka said.

"Gh…" Mamoru gritted his teeth in frustration. And rightfully so. What could he do?

The werewolf Villain looked around, eventually deciding that the innocents he saw were not worth his time. He sniffed the air again… before his vicious eyes turned towards Mamoru and Itsuka. Their blood ran cold, as the mere presence of this Villain, was unfiltered, filled with raw bloodlust, and worst of all… felt inhuman.

"Kendo-san… we need to run… NOW!" He shouted.

Itsuka nodded, grabbing his hand and ran. They needed to run for their lives and not look back. The howl of Saberfang made their blood run colder. It sounded as if he was already next to them. But they couldn't look back.

"Come here, you two! I'm hungry!" Saberfang snarled with sadistic eagerness.

Itsuka panted, and used her Quirk to enlarge her hand, grabbing a nearby trash can, and tossing it behind her, hoping to stun the Villain. But the werewolf Villain slashed it with one swipe of his claws.

'Not good! Not good at all! We can't outrun him!' Itsuka grimaced in her thoughts. But before she could think of anything else, she noticed Saberfang grabbing something heavy and tossed it at the ceiling ahead of them, Cracking and falling, upon impact. Itsuka knew that the werewolf Villain was trying to trap them. Running even faster, she gulped down her fears and grabbed Mamoru with her Quirk hand, tossing him aside just in time.

"KENDO-SAN!" Mamoru shouted, sailing across the floor. He looked up as he saw the ceiling above them coming down. His eyes widened considerably as memories flooded back. Seeing his new friend, it was replaced with the flashback of his parents smiling back at him with tears, as the debris came down on them.

Mamoru eventually snapped out of his trance, feeling himself crashing on the floor, and sliding to a stop. After what seemed like an eternity, he got up to his feet and rushed over to Itsuka. He tried to find some semblance of her alive, finding a small hole from the rubble to let him peek under it. Itsuka was there, but the sight of the blood dripping down her face was more concerning.

"Kendo-san! Kendo-san!" Mamoru called out. "Can you hear me?! Kendo-san!"

Itsuka wasn't responding, meaning the rubble knocked her out. This was even worse than before, as he now had to worry about his friend alongside the Villain.

"Hehehe… nowhere for you to run now."

Mamoru's blood froze, slowly turning around, while face-to-face with Saberfang, seeing that he jumped towards the opposite side of the rubble, giving Mamoru no way to escape.

"You'll make a fine first prey… I can't wait to hear your screams and the despair of your family when they find out about you!"

"Gh…" Mamoru gritted his teeth, feeling his body trembling, while slowly getting up on his feet. As much as he feared this Villain, as much as he wanted to run… he couldn't. His friend was trapped under the rubble. He had to protect her.

"Hate to break it to you… but I won't let you have that satisfaction…!"

"Ho~? Feeling brave, eh? Hehe… good… it'll make your despair all the more sweeter!" The Villain howled, before lunging at the boy.


"Gahhhh… this took too long…"

A very skinny man with sharp, angular features and long limbs, arms, and absent eyebrows, ran towards his destination. He had just received a call from the police that Saberfang had attacked a nearby mall. Unfortunately, the Villain he had finished taking care of, was a formidable foe and it took too long for him to get the job done.

He was already over his limit, having had to take care of a sludge Villain not long ago, but he had to push on. He was THE No. 1 Hero. He has a duty to protect everyone as much as he can as much as possible.

"Please, let me make it in time…"


"GAHHHHHH!" Mamoru yelled in pain, after being slashed by Saberfang's claws. He was then tossed near the debris Itsuka was stuck in, his back slamming against it, while knocking the wind out of him.

"HAHAHA! Ohh, how divine!" The Villain cackled, turning towards the rubble, "Wonder who's under there that made you stop?" He said, taking a look. "Ho~? That bratty girl, eh? Hmm… maybe I'll start with her instead?"

"Don't… you dare touch her…" Mamoru growled, grabbing the Villain's leg with his hand.

"Hehe… glad you volunteered…." Saberfang grinned, kicking hard in the boy's stomach.

"GAH!" Mamoru coughed out blood from the impact, but kept his hold on the Villain's leg.

"HAHAHA! YES! Scream! Beg for your life! I want to hear it all!" Saberfang cackled, continuing his assault on the boy.

As the werewolf Villain continued his assault, Mamoru's vision started to blur, his life fading. Time seemed to slow down with each passing second. But then… as just as he was about to lose consciousness… he heard a voice.

"You have to live for yourself. Remember what I have taught you."

In that moment, his mind went down memory lane.


Mamoru's spirit found itself at a traditional Japanese home. He was inside that home, particularly standing in a training dojo, noticeable by the wooden walls and floors, as well as the training dummies on one side while there were two wall scrolls flanking an altar of sorts.

"Hah! Hah! Ei!"

Mamoru blinked when he saw a younger version of himself in a karate gi, practicing his martial arts.

"That's it, son! Keep it up!"

Mamoru's eyes widened when he looked to another part of the room and saw his father, Ryūha, standing there. He remembered this. It was one of the many training days he had with his father.

"Ei! Hah! Oryah!" Young Mamoru shouted, doing several punches and kicks before ending his session with a stance. He then stood up, slowly inhaling and exhaling. He looked down at his hands and waited for something to happen, only to frown. "Ahhh mou~ why isn't my Quirk manifesting?! What am I doing wrong?!"

"Nothing you're doing is wrong, Mamoru." His father assured, "Manifesting a Quirk isn't as easy as it seems. Like a muscle or skill, it will need time to develop."

"But I wanna be a Hero now~!" Young Mamoru complained with a pout.

Ryūha laughed heartily, as if Young Mamoru's complaining were a joke. "In time, son. In time." He said, before kneeling on one knee to his level, patting his head. "No matter how long it takes… a day, a week, or even a few years, I promise your Quirk will manifest. If you train hard enough, discipline yourself, and persevere, it will definitely happen. Guaranteed."

"Really? You mean that?" Young Mamoru asked, hopefully.

"I do. But, you must steel your resolve. Find your reason to fight and protect. Otherwise, there is no honor in getting a Quirk if you use it selfishly."

"Fight and protect…" Young Mamoru muttered.

"That's right, son. That's what your name, Mamoru, means: to protect." Ryūha nodded. "Look at your hands." He instructed, and Mamoru looked at them. "Tell me. What are your hands used for?"

"For… fighting, right?"

"Yes, but they're also used for something else." Ryūha replied. "What is the main function of your hand?"

"To punch!"

"Hehehe… besides that, son." Ryūha chuckled. "Think about it. What do you do with your hands everyday, besides fighting and punching?"

"Um… hold something?"

"That's right, Mamoru." Ryūha smiled warmly. "Your hands show your emotions. As a Hero, you must learn how to properly convey them. The only time you close your hands is when you're justifiably angry or protecting someone, especially those whom you cherish dearly. They should never be closed for anything else. And when your hands are open, you can hold it out to offer others your compassion and kindness in times of dire need. It is through compassion and kindness that true strength flows from within. And it's in your heart."

"In my… heart?" Young Mamoru asked, looking down and pointing at his chest.

"Yes. It is something that I hold dearly to this day, from my Master." his father recalled, "It's more than just a power to defeat your enemy. It's a power used to save lives. When that day of your Quirk manifesting comes, you will understand. Remember it always, Mamoru."


Mamoru's consciousness returned as he was about to be stomped on by Saberfang again, only this time, he managed to stop the stomp.

"Ho~? Still alive?" The werewolf Villain asked.

Mamoru said nothing, slowly getting up to his feet while still holding Saberfang's foot, gripping it tight, and leaving the werewolf Villain hopping on one leg, much to his surprise. Afterwards, he tossed the foot away and kicked him, causing the werewolf Villain to slide back.

"Well, well, looks like you're not as helpless as I thought you were. Good… all the more reason to kill you and that girl!" The werewolf grinned in satisfaction, lunging at Mamoru to swipe both claws at him, only for Mamoru to block with both his forearms, the claws digging deep into his skin.

"Gaaah…!" Mamoru groaned in pain, feeling his claws stabbing deep, his one eye shut tight. "You're not… killing anyone…!" He growled, keeping his stand, but his legs were buckling.

"You think you can stop me?!" Saberfang asked, pushing harder on Mamoru.

"No… I need to stop you!" Mamoru spat back, "Monsters like you… think you can do whatever you want… and get away with it, but I won't let you!"

"You're just a stupid kid that's going to die!"

"I… will not… die!" Mamoru gritted, slowly pushing himself back up. The werewolf Villain's claws dug deeper into his arm, but he kept fighting through the pain, despite his body screaming for him to give in.

"Don't make me laugh! So many of you Heroes keep spouting the same one-liners of not dying! Your platitudes about truth, honor, and justice makes me puke! Do you know what happened to them?" Saberfang laughed, then licked his teeth, "They were all left broken and ripe for the slaughter!"

"Wrong!" Mamoru snapped. "Heroes risk their lives everyday for the sake of others! They use what they have to do something worthwhile! Because at the end of the day, it's always about protecting the people they serve!"

"And what makes you any different?! You think you can save everybody?!"

"No, but it's all the more reason that I have to try!" Mamoru countered, "You may think of me as soft and naïve, but if the opportunity of helping someone presents itself, I will not hesitate to reach out to them!"

"You don't have the resolve! You may think you're a Hero, but you're going to die… like a dog!" Saberfang laughed, before taking his claws out of Mamoru's arms and decided to bite one of his arms instead.

*CRUNCH!*

"GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mamoru yelled in pain, feeling the werewolf Villain's teeth sinking into his skin.

"What's the matter, boy? Where's that resolve you showed earlier!?" Saberfang taunted, while still biting. "You're all bark and no bite! And when I'm done making a meal out of you, that girl you're protecting is next!"

"I won't… let you!" Mamoru growled. "I told you before… I will do whatever it takes to protect her!"

*BA-DUMP!*

"With these hands, I will protect those who can't fight for themselves!"

*BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!*

"With these hands, I will hold onto those I cherish dearly!"

*BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!*

"With these hands… WITH THESE HANDS!"

The last moments of his parents smiling at him with tears in their eyes as the building collapsed around them flashed in his mind.

"I WON'T LET ANYONE DIE IN FRONT OF MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"


BGM OST: You Say Run

A powerful blast of energy burst from his body, leaving him in a brilliant blue light around himself. Saberfang was involuntarily sent flying by the shockwave, prompting him to let go of Mamoru's arms. The werewolf Villain slid to a halt, but the amount of energy the boy was emitting was so intense, that he could barely keep himself tethered to the ground.

"W-What?!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

His war cry forced the aura to disperse outward, ridding the debris that Itsuka was buried under. The ground continued to shake as Mamoru screamed his heart out, leaving Saberfang with a sense of… fear? Awe? He couldn't tell.

Itsuka slowly regained consciousness, her eyes opening at a snail's pace, prompting her to slowly get up on her knees after.

"What? What's going on?" She murmured, before finally noticing the bright blue aura. "Ma… Mamoru… kun?" She stuttered in complete shock and awe.

His screaming eventually stopped as Mamoru stood there, eyes glaring daggers into the werewolf Villain. An aura cloak, shaped like wisps of flames surrounded his form. He then snapped out of it, looking at his hands and body, earning a sharp gasp. "No way… I did it… my Quirk finally manifested…" He said with wide eyes, before tears streamed down his eyes, closing his eyes. "Tou-chan… arigatou… because of your memory, and all that training… I was able to manifest my Quirk…" He said, before wiping his tears then opened his eyes once, glaring at his opponent.

"Y-You don't scare me!" Saberfang snarled, quickly breaking out of his stupor. "Y-You had a Quirk all this time?!"

"Sou da-na. I may be a late bloomer, but I've finally manifested it," Mamoru declared, getting into a fighting stance.

"Tch, so you're a mutant then." He said, striking a nerve from Mamoru, "I may be a Villain, but even I know that most will see you as a freak who should have manifested your Quirk early."

"I don't care about that. As long as I use it and my fists to protect others and beat the crap out of Villains like you! Here I come!" Mamoru shouted, before running towards Saberfang.

Mamoru quickly went on the offensive, delivering a series of quick strikes on the werewolf Villain. Afterwards, he quickly performed an uppercut, his fist now powered by his aura.

Annoyed, Saberfang swiped one of his claws from front to back, knocking the boy away before delivering a couple of slashes from his claws.

The pair traded blows as they clashed fist to claw, neither of them giving the other an inch. The werewolf Villain bit Mamoru on the leg and proceeded to slam him on the ground multiple times. Not wanting to become Saberfang's chew toy, Mamoru quickly kicked the werewolf Villain in the head to stun him. Afterwhich, he grabbed the fur and tossed him onto some nearby trash cans with all of his might.

The werewolf Villain staggered to his feet, clutching his head. Mamoru gritted his teeth while two of his limbs were still full of holes. After taking him to the ground, Mamoru delivered several punches to Saberfang before kicking him off. Upon getting up, Mamoru could tell that the werewolf Villain didn't have much left in the tank.

Getting into a fighting stance, his aura flared with an intense fiery glow.

'Tou-chan… watch me… this is the results of my training!'

Once he felt his aura at max, he quickly ran towards his opponent at high speed. As he ran, his aura enveloping him trailed behind. Then, in spectacular fashion, that same aura trail reshaped itself into that of a Japanese dragon. Once he was face-to-face with Saberfang, he plants his left foot forward and pulls back his fist, before striking.

"RYŪ~ SŌ~ KEEEEEEEEEEEN!"

With all the force he could muster, Mamoru delivered a lunging straightforward punch, slugging Saberfang in the face. A large shockwave burst out from the impact, as the dragon shaped aura flew right through said Villain, sending him flying across and crashed against the wall, embedded into it before finally falling face first on the floor.

End BGM


Mamoru panted heavily, bringing his arms to rest before his aura dissipated. However, Mamoru growled and gritted, finally feeling the adrenaline wearing off. The pain followed in his right arm and left leg, forcing the latter to buckle while clutching his right arm with his left.

"Mamoru-kun!" Itsuka called out, rushing over to him, which made him turn around.

"Kendo-san…" Mamoru panted heavily, showing a pained smile. "You're okay…" He muttered, then collapsed, but not before she caught him in time with her Big Fist Quirk, shrinking back when holding him in her arms.

"It's okay, I got you." Itsuka said.

"Kendo-san… I did it… I did it." Mamoru said weakly.

"Yeah, I know. I saw. You did it. You beat a Villain." Itsuka smiled down at him proudly. "Everything's going to be alright now."

"Damn… you…" Saberfang growled, causing the two to look towards the werewolf Villain, slowly getting up on his feet. He looked at the duo menancingly, his mouth now frothing. "How… dare you…!"

"Gh…" Itsuka gritted her teeth.

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIE!" Saberfang roared, having enough energy to charge at the duo, his arms raised and claws ready to swipe. Itsuka enlarged her free hand to cover both her and Mamoru, closing her eyes shut to await their impending doom.

Just as Saberfang was about to reach them, a voice suddenly bellowed.

"TEXAAAAAAS… SMAAAAAAAASSSHHH!"

Itsuka felt a burst of wind fly past her. When she opened her eyes and shrunk her hand, she was met with the sight of Saberfang struggling lamely to his feet and a muscular man standing proud.

He was very large with an equally-muscular and well-defined physique, almost resembling a typical western comic book superhero. Chiseled features were etched onto his face with a strong jawline, pronounced cheekbones, and bushy eyebrows, along with short blond hair, swept backwards. Two distinct tufts stuck up above his head, leaning slightly to each side. His strong features casted a dark shadow over his face, hiding everything but his bright blue eyes.

His costume on the other hand consisted of a skin-tight blue bodysuit, decorated with a red symbol that somewhat resembled a "Y". A white diamond was designed at its center, while white lines connecting to it traced from his chest to his back shoulders; the lines trimmed with the aforementioned red symbol. That same symbol appeared to have wings on the side that ran from atop his torso before ending around his back, over which was a similar red and white design, absent of the white diamond. Large white patches were lined with red, covering each side of his hips before ending at his lower thighs, while wearing a gold belt that had a silver buckle with red eyes. His forearm sleeves were colored in gold, each having white lines that were covered in blue accents over his wrists, and had spiked fins on the sides of his arms. Finally, his feet were covered in shin-length gold boots trimmed with white and red accents.

"Fear not, citizens! I am here!" He declared with a smile on his face.

"All Might!" Itsuka cheered.

"All… Might…" Mamoru said, with wide eyes.

"I apologize for arriving late, but you have nothing to worry about anymore! HAAA! HA! HA! HAAA!" All Might laughed heartily, then looked at Mamoru. "Shōnen, you did well fighting courageously against this Villain! Allow me to finish a job I shouldn't have left half-way!"

"H-Ha-hah! Y-You couldn't keep me locked up last time! W-Wha-What makes, now, any different?" Saberfang laughed pathetically, as he was finally on his feet albeit with legs shaking. He was defiant to the end, his injures be damned.

"Very well, your loss!" All Might said, rearing back his fist.

"DETROOOIT… SMAAAASH!"

All Might rushed in and let loose a strong punch that quickly knocked out Saberfang. Never again will they have to deal with him any longer.

"He did it!" Itsuka said with a wide smile.

"Thank… goodness…" Mamoru murmured, before finally passing out from his injuries.


*BEEP!*

*BEEP!*

*BEEP!*

*BEEP!*

Mamoru slowly opened his eyes, the light blinding him briefly, causing him to close it momentarily. After a moment, his vision slowly adjusted and focused. His eyes told him what he saw. He was in the hospital, wearing a hospital gown, as his head was propped up by the bed. Looking down, he saw that his right arm and left leg had a cast. An IV was stuck in his arm, with bags of saline hanging on the hooks. There was even a heart monitor next to his bedside as well.

Itsuka was there, sitting at his bedside with bandages wrapped around her head and a patch on her right cheek, hoping for him to wake up. When she saw the boy's eyes open, her face lit up.

"Mamoru-kun, you're okay!" she cheered, before… hugging him?!

"Itetetetetetetete! Kendo-san, still hurt! Still hurt!" Mamoru wheezed.

"Oh! Sorry about that! Forgot you have two casts on." She quickly apologized after letting go.

"It's fine…" Mamoru sighed. "What about you, though?"

"I'm fine. The doctors said that I should take it easy for the next few days." She explained.

"I see." Mamoru said. "What happened to Saberfang?"

"All Might sent him to jail. He's going to Tartarus this time around." Itsuka recalled, "Still, congrats on finally manifesting your Quirk!"

Mamoru looked surprised, "You… don't see me as a mutant?"

"Of course not. Why would I?" Itsuka asked, confused, "You have a Quirk. Does it really matter if you manifested it late or not?"

"I… well…" Mamoru trailed off. "It's just… it hasn't really hit me that I manifested my Quirk now of all times, even if it did take a Villain to attack."

"Maybe you needed the right push," She guessed, "A lot of Quirks pop up like that."

"Yeah, I guess so." Mamoru nodded.

"Still… Thank you, Mamoru-kun." Ituska smiled at him. "For saving me."

"Uh… it's no problem." Mamoru blushed, looking away. "I just did what anyone else would've done."

"Well… it was still very brave of you." Itsuka smiled as she then leaned in, pecking his cheek with her lips.

*WOOSH! SLAM!*

"Mamoru, are you okay?!" A familiar voice called out, when a familiar Pro Hero came rushing into the room, surprising the two.

"Ka-Kaa-chan?!" Mamoru stammered with a heavier blush, thinking he had been caught being kissed by Itsuka.

"I was so scared and worried when I got the call!" Shino said, hugging the boy tightly, "My poor baby boy!"

"Itetetetetetetetetetetetete! Kaa-chan! Hanase! Itai! Ita~i!" Mamoru cried out in pain.

"When we get home, I'm going to injury proof your entire room! Oh! And add padding to your clothes too!" The Heroine went off, completely going into 'mom mode'.

"Kaa-chan, you don't need to go that far! Seriously, let go! You're hurting me!" Mamoru wailed.

"Huh? Oh! Gomen ne." Shino smiled sheepishly, letting go, allowing him to breathe. She then noticed Itsuka who was staring at her wide-eyed. "Oh, I'm sorry, you are?"

"Kendo… Itsuka." She murmured. "You're… Mandalay, right? Of Team Wild, Wild Pussycats."

"I am, and Mamoru's adoptive mother."

"Wait, what?" Itsuka gasped, looking at Mamoru in surprise.

"Uh… yeah. I forgot to mention that, before Saberfang attacked." Mamoru said sheepishly. "Speaking of… Kaa-chan, look." He said, before his left hand produced a blue aura that covered it.

Shino gasped with delight, "You finally got your Quirk!" She said, this time hugging him gently.

"Yeah, all that training paid off, and I was able to save Kendo-san because of it." Mamoru explained.

"Hehe, I knew that one day you'd manifest your Quirk. And all it took was saving your girlfriend." She giggled.

"K-Kaa-chan! We're not like that! We just met! And it doesn't work that way!" Mamoru stammered. "Besides, i-it's not that! I just… remembered what Tou-chan told me when I was young! That's what triggered my Quirk to manifest in the first place!"

"But your thoughts tell a different story." Shino pointed out with a playful smirk.

"Don't know what you're talking about!" Mamoru vehemently denied, shaking his head.

"Well then. Kendo-san, was it? Mamoru thinks that you look really pretty with that side ponytail." Shino confessed to the girl.

"Don't put words into my mouth, Kaa-chan!" Mamoru snapped comically with soulless eyes and sharp teeth.

"Well… I thought his Quirk and fighting style was really cool to see." Itsuka confessed back with a soft smile.

"EH?!" Mamoru gawked at her.

"Hoho~? Looks like you do have the hots for her." Shino smirked with wiggling eyebrows.

"KAA-CHAN!"

The two girls laughed together while Mamoru was left with a cherry red face. It was a very touching moment for the group as well as the start of something great for the young boy.


One week later…

"Whoa! Mamoru, you look like crap! Are you okay?!" One of his classmates asked shocked. The rest of his classmates have gathered around his desk, being as equally surprised.

After Mamoru was discharged from the hospital, he was in his arm cast and an orthopedic boot. Thankfully for him, while the injuries were bad, it didn't require surgery. But the puncture wounds were deep enough that they had to be stitched. And he would have to wear his cast and orthopedic boot for the next two to three months.

"Ahh… I'm fine. I got caught up in Saberfang's attack at the mall." Mamoru said sheepishly.

"HAAAAAAAAAAH?!" The classmates shouted in unison.

"You were attacked by that Villain from the States?! I thought that girl you tried to ask on a date beat you up!" The second classmate got out.

"Huh? Where did you come up with that?" Mamoru asked, but then deadpanned at the implications of that question. "Hold on… were you spying on me last week after I walked out of the arcade?"

They remained silent, not wanting to say anything else. Mandalay taught him about learning from those who lie, and their face and body reaction easily gave it away. "Omaera…" He growled, clenching his free fist while his aura coated his hand, much to the surprise of the class.

"No way, is that his Quirk?"

"It finally manifested?"

"I thought he was Quirkless."

"You got some nerve…" Mamoru snarled, with a twitching eye and sadistic smile.

"C-Come on, man! We couldn't let you get a date before us! We're meant to be more recognizable!" The second classmate stuttered.

"Oh really? Then I'll help ya be even more recognizable… when I beat the crap out of you with my free fist…" He threatened.

"C-Come on! W-We're friends! S-Sides, you clearly had no chance with-"

*POP!*

"TEN-BA-TSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

"II-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


"Mattaku…" Mamoru grumbled, while limping back home, as the sun set through his neighborhood. For his idiotic classmate, he was sent to the nurse's office after dealing him a punch to the stomach, knocking him out. Mamoru would've been punished, but due to his injuries and the Saberfang Incident at the mall, he was let off with the proverbial 'slap on the wrist'. And speaking of punishment, he was lucky enough to not be punished for using his Quirk.

He was no licensed Hero, and having no license, meant he would have been punished as a Vigilante. But due to his Quirk manifesting at the last second, and given how he had no choice but to defend himself and Itsuka, it was labeled as self-defense. It was thanks to All Might putting in a good word for him that he did the right thing. He was truly lucky that the No. 1 Hero was there in the end. Mamoru was unsure if they'd take his word for it. But then again, this is All Might they were talking about. Anything he said was trustworthy.

"Still… now that I got my Quirk to manifest… what's next for me?" Mamoru pondered, as he kept walking.

"Let me answer that, because I am here!" A familiar voice shouted as a familiar muscular figure showed up from one side of the road in a running stance.

"GAHHHHHHHHH! All Might?!" Mamoru gawked as he wobbled on one foot awkwardly, threatening to fall down, but managed to keep his balance.

"It's good to see you, shōnen! HA! HA! HAAA!" The Hero bellowed a laugh, "I tried to find your home address, but it seems it was more difficult than I thought."

"You could've asked Mandalay…" Mamoru sweat dropped.

"…I suppose I could've! HA! HA! HAAA!" All Might laughed again, with Mamoru's sweat drop becoming larger. "Anyways…" He cleared his throat. "I came here to thank you for your bravery at the mall last week, and to give you this." He handed the boy a letter.

"A letter? From who?" Mamoru asked.

"Open it, and you'll see." He said to the boy.

"Er-hem…" Mamoru cleared his throat intentionally, gesturing to the arm cast.

"Ah, right. Almost forgot. Ha, ha, ha! Not to worry," All Might chuckled as he opened the letter for him, and a circular device dropped into his hand. It brought itself to life and a hologram of All Might appeared from it.

["HA! HA! HAAA! I am here as a projection!"] The hologram bellowed, ["Hadōken-shōnen. This letter was given to you, because you were hand picked to partake in the U.A. High School's entrance exams."]

"I was… handpicked…? By who?"

"It will get to that."

["I showed your fight with Saberfang to certain associates, and they believed you should be given the opportunity to prove yourself worthy of entering, U.A. High. But…"] The hologram said before giving a more heartwarming smile, ["We were already thinking of it before that. A certain someone wanted to give their message to you."] The hologram of All Might disappeared and was replaced with…

"Tou… chan…?" Mamoru said with wide-eyes.

["Hello, son."] Ryūha's hologram smiled. ["If you're watching this, I would assume that you've finally manifested your Quirk. Congratulations. All your hard work finally paid off. I'm sorry your mother and I weren't there to see it. But… we are proud of you nonetheless. Now that you finally manifested your Quirk, your journey to becoming a Hero starts now. I asked All Might to ensure that you would be given the chance to enroll into U.A., whether or not you manifested your Quirk. But I had faith that you would and you did. And now, you can carry on my legacy with honor and pride. Follow your dreams, don't forget your training, and remember what I taught you. We love you, son. And thank you… for being our Hero."] And with that, the message ended.

"Tou-chan…" Mamoru muttered as tears streamed down his eyes.

BGM OST: You Can Become a Hero

"I had the honor… and privilege of fighting alongside your father, Hadōken-shōnen." All Might began, approaching and standing in front of him. "He was a true Hero. You did well coming this far and continuing his legacy. You have your father's courage and charisma, as well as your mother's kindness and compassion. There are stories about every Hero, how they become great. Most have one thing in common: Their bodies move before they have a chance to think… almost on their own."

Mamoru looked up at him, "That's… what happened to me… didn't it."

"That's right, shōnen. Many would run or fight the Villain, avoiding saving the people. You, on the other hand, thought about Kendo-shōjo first and then fought. A true Hero always puts others first before themselves. I saw that much that day."

"You… saw…"

"When I arrived, I saw the devastation. When I saw the fight, I was ready to help, but then… I saw your Quirk manifesting. The courage you showed when you unleash your father's Ultimate Move… for a moment… I truly saw your father within you…"

"All Might…" Mamoru shuddered, his voice and body trembling, while his head hung down. More tears streamed down his eyes. "Then I can… I can…"

All Might placed a hand on his shoulder with a warmer smile, saying the very words that will change him and the course of his life forever.

"Yes, Shōnen… you too can become a Hero."

On this day, Mamoru finally begins his journey on becoming what he always wanted to be.

This is the story of a Hero whose hands protected those in need, a story of continuing a legacy left behind, a story… of that who became one of the greatest Heroes to ever live.