The calm waters rubbed against his body, washing him of all impurities of the body and the soul. Izuku felt like he was floating in an ocean, deep beneath the surface as the waters ebbed and flowed. His heart was beating with a strong pulse, his breath filled with energy as the underwater waves took him somewhere safe, somewhere no one could harm him. His eyes opened slowly, his vision returning to him at long last. What remained as a blurred picture, something so out of focus, was returning in full detail and color. When he woke up, he felt the soft touch of someone's skin against his cheek, and he blinked.
"Erm…" he groaned.
"Izuku?" A voice asked.
The boy slowly raised his head, and when he blinked once more, he saw him. His friend, whose white hair was soaked in water. His hair was swept to the side in a messy manner as he took his pale hands and washed his face once more. Izuku blinked again, and he soon saw the boy before him.
"I-Inari…?" He asked with a tired and horribly exhausted voice.
"Yeah, it's me buddy." Inari said softly as he adjusted himself. He sat up straight against the wall of the tub.
Izuku rubbed his eyes, and that's when he noticed the water on his hands. He felt extremely hot, and when he looked down, he noticed that he was naked, and sitting in a vast body of water.
"Are we… taking a bath?" He asked.
"Yeah, just take things nice and easy right now," Inari replied. "You were very weak earlier, don't try to go too fast."
"No.. I-I don't remember coming here…"
"That's because I had to move you here on my own." Inari replied, Izuku looked up and noticed that he was blushing. "I uh… had to take your clothes off and carry you in here with me. It was pretty awkward trying not to… uh…"
"What?" Izuku asked, he raised his head from Inari's shoulder and managed to sit upright. As he looked at the kami, who blushed and raised his shoulders.
"Uhmm… touching your-"
"OH!" Izuku cried. "Oh uhm… t-thanks for trying not to!" He cried, just like Inari he started blushing immensely.
"So how did I get here?" Izuku asked. "It's all so… hazy…"
Inari grunted much to Izuku's confusion. He sat up once more and looked the boy straight in the eye. His golden irises shined like a star in the middle of the night, his chest puffed outward with strength. Izuku noticed the glowing kanji on Inari's chest. He was enthralled by the golden luster of the characters, the lines of text that were tattooed to his pecs, and that's when Izuku felt his own chest. He looked down and gasped in shock as the kanji on his skin was glowing the same color. The warm gold covered the kanji to every point, no marks missed, no brushes missing the stroke.
"Woah! What's going on?!" Izuku asked as he stood up in shock. The cold air brushed against his body swifty, causing a brief chill.
"Calm down, your body and mind are healing thanks to the bath," Inari warned as he raised his arm. He gently grabbed Izuku's hand and pulled him back in. Izuku sat down quietly and looked at Inari.
"This is one of Sukuna's Misogi Rooms, they're special bathes made purely for healing the sick and the wounded." the silver skinned boy explained. "They're meant to cleanse the body and the spirit. And right now, we're both sitting here to speed up your healing, since you and I made this Contract, we're… 'bound' to each other if that makes sense."
Izuku gulped and slowly sat down again in the hot water. Like Inari before him, he clenched his face as the water's heat struck him hard, but alas, once he was sitting comfortably, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Besides, I don't really wanna stare at your balls the whole time, heheehhe." Inari chuckled. "Not bad for someone your age."
"That's NOT what I had in mind!" Izuku yelled as his face turned a crimson red. He covered himself, and turned his face away from the kami..
"HAHAHAHHA! Haa…" Inari laughed. "Neither did I! I'm just messing with you Izuku geez."
SPLASH
Suddenly, Izuku swept his right arm and splashed a wave of water all over Inari, and the god raised his arms covering his face. The water sprinkled over onto the floor, and Inari looked back at Izuku with a smirk.
"Okay okay I deserved that one!" He laughed. "Doesn't mean I can't do it back!"
SPLASH
Inari swept a wave onto Izuku, and the boy raised his arms to protect himself. He looked back, and grit his teeth feeling energy, and the thrill of having fun.
"Oh yeah?!" Izuku cried.
The boy brought both of his arms upward and heaved a tsunami of water into the air. He gasped in shock as all of the water from the onsen was floating in the room, and he was afraid. He looked at his arms, and his eyes widened.
"WHAAAAA?!"
Inari gasped as well and came to his side. And as the boys looked at his arms… they were covered in black kanji, the same as on their chests. Inari grabbed Izuku's arm without hesitation, and pointed his fingers at the water. He motioned his hand downward, and with the gesture of his hand, the water slowly dripped, and soon it flowed back into the tub. The steam rose once more into the air, the water filling the tub's rectangular shape with ease, and soon, the water rose on their legs. Inari slowly sat down in the warm waters, and brought Izuku down with him. This time, they were facing each other quietly, and there was a subtle eeriness that lingered in Izuku's soul.
He couldn't understand what was happening. The water dripped from his soaked hair, much like it would on a tree leaf during a storm. Every breath he took became disturbed and afraid, he took a gulp trying to understand his surroundings, and as he started shaking, he looked at his arms. The ink which covered his arms, every kanji character written, melted away into the water… until it evaporated on its surface, steam rising upward like smoke from a candle.
"Izuku… I want you to relax and breathe."
Izuku looked upward and took notice of the deep seriousness of his voice. The soft and playful nature that Inari just showed him vanished without a trace. His golden eyes stared at him with a deep focus, one that worried the poor boy.
"What was that? I didn't mean to do-" Izuku stuttered.
"It's fine," Inari replied, his smile returning like it were, soft and small. "Your powers are becoming stronger, and it's all the more reason why we need to get you trained."
Izuku looked up at the god, who suddenly grabbed his hands softly, his eyes unmoving.
"Well, here I thought we could just have a nice bath, but I guess duty calls."
As they sat there, Izuku watched as the glowing gold kanji on Inari's chest soon drifted away, and Inari watched as the kanji's light faded on Izuku's chest as well. The light vanished, and only the darkness of the black ink remained.
"There, you're fully healed, how do you feel right now?" the god asked as he let go of Izuku's hands, he sank himself lower into the water, and only his neck and head were visible.
Izuku looked down at his hands and arms, stretching them forward. He took another breath, allowing the warm air to fill his lungs. He waited for a moment, the moon blanketing them once more in its light, it was almost as if Tsukuyomi was watching them at this very moment. The room was dark, no candles lit for them, no lights beating down in this display, only the moon and its soft touch. Izuku laid against the wall, crossing his legs under the water, and looked at the ceiling.
"I feel fine actually. I'm feeling way better than I was earlier too, nothing's wrong or anything, it's like what happened at Tsukuyomi's place never happened." he said.
"And do you remember what happened to you? What Susanoo did to you?"
Izuku grunted as he stared at the ceiling, his thoughts racing back to that horrifying experience. He remembered a man being maimed by another, a soldier burning to death, he could feel the very heat of the fire burning at his skin, and the flails of pain were something that seared itself into Izuku's mind. The charred smell of flesh rushed into the boy's nose, and Izuku covered his face trying to make it stop.
"GAH!" He screamed.
"Hey! Calm down." Inari said punctually as he rushed to Izuku's side, he hugged Izuku quietly. "It's not real, what Susanoo did to you is a taboo here, everything that happened was just a dream to throw you into chaos, into despair.
Izuku took his hands away slowly, his fear eating away at his soul. He looked at Inari again, who was much closer to him this time than before, and the boy… grabbed Inari and hugged him back. He buried his face into his shoulder, and as he started crying, Inari held him with care, like an older brother.
"All I remember is seeing all of these people being killed left and right. It was… it was!"
"Shhhh it's alright, like I said they were visions, nothing more." Inari replied. "Susanoo used a forbidden technique called Rend, and invaded your Niwa. He did this to attack your soul directly, and he could've killed you if he went on for any longer."
Together they remained in the bath, the minerals washing away any impurities. Izuku didn't want to let go of Inari, but he did lift his head from his shoulder and chest, and he separated himself slightly. He sat against the wall, still holding Inari's hand that was wrapped over his back and around his chest, and he looked at the reflective surface.
"Rend? And my Niwa?" He asked quietly. Inari gave a short nod.
"That's right, your Niwa," Inari replied. "The Niwa is the innermost part of your soul.. It's something that we all have. You, me, Tenko and Akiba, Mayu and Kyoka, your mother too."
"The innermost part of… my soul?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, it's the most sacred and important place for living creatures. It's what keeps us, 'us,'" Inari explained. "It's our lifeforce, it's what keeps us alive, and when you… *sigh* when you eventually die, it's what remains of your whole body afterward…"
Izuku looked Inari in the eye.
"And Susanoo attacked my… 'Niwa?'"
"Yeah, he used a technique called Rend," Inari continued. "Rend is a deplorable, disgusting ability meant to torment and corrupt a Niwa. Some evil spirits use it to torture their victims, show them things that aren't really there. Others use Rend to kill, some… use Rend to break people, I've seen it too many times to know what kind of evil it can do."
Inari looked at Izuku and pat him on the chest.
"When you're done we can get out and get dressed, then your training will really begin this time, and after what happened with Susanoo, I promise you that I'll train you to protect your Niwa from any invader."
Izuku pondered the thought, and cupped his hands. He brought water onto his face and rinsed off as fast as he could, his body still trembling as the burning man whispered in his ear. Whispers of pain, agony, and silent screams of mercy. Izuku brought his knees to his chest and held them tight, and Inari watched as Izuku held his face in the darkness.
"Izuku, it's not real." Inari said with a stern voice.
Yet Izuku, didn't listen, the boy only cradled his legs trying to drown the man's screams from his mind.
"HELP ME! YOU! WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE! GRAB WATER AND MAKE IT STOP!"
Inari placed his hand firmly on Izuku's back.
"DO SOMETHING!"
Yet Izuku could only hear the man's words.
"Niwa."
Izuku shot his eyes open, and he could suddenly hear again. Something was so… peaceful in the air, the sounds of tree leaves bustling in the wind, water flowing seamlessly down a river with elegant dance. He was still curled in a ball, his knees attached to his chest, and as he slowly took his face out of that darkness, Izuku gazed at the light ahead of him. The light and serenity of the sun.
"Woah…" He muttered.
As Izuku slowly stood up, he noticed that he was no longer soaking wet or naked, instead, he was clothed in his everyday attire. He was wearing a thin blueish-green t-shirt along with a pair of denim shorts, and bright red sneakers. When he was finally on his feet, he found himself in a small home, one with open windows and a fresh fire ablaze. On top of the fire was a small pot, and inside, Izuku could smell a delicious aroma.
"It's fresh Miso."
Izuku turned around as Inari approached him, adorned in a black haori and a white kimono. He was barefoot and sat in front of the pot, pouring a bowl of the soup. Izuku watched as he poured in the commodity, and grabbed a soup spoon from the nearby kitchen.
"Have some, it will ease your Niwa." he said quietly.
He offered the bowl to Izuku, who took it quietly. He grabbed the soup spoon, lowering it below the soup's surface and watched as the soup, bits of tofu, scallions, and small onion bits all poured in. He picked up the spoon, blowing on the soup, and drank it back.
"Mm!" He grunted as he put the spoon in his mouth, his face turning to one filled with happiness. "This is really good!"
"Thanks," Inari said kindly as he returned to this room. "Come on, let's head outside. Oh and take the bowl if you like, I hate wasting good food."
Izuku nodded and stood up, following Inari as he opened a door outside. The light blinded the poor boy as he tried to follow, and he set the spoon in his soup. He covered his face with the other hand trying to go through the doorway, and when he did, he felt his heart slow to a crawl. His senses overwhelmed by this sudden… beauty.
"Well, this is my Niwa, Izuku." Inari said quietly.
As Izuku stepped through the door, he gazed upon a gigantic Wisteria tree, its purple flowers blooming in a full spectacle, its sweet scent masquerading the area. The violet branches hung low to the ground, its everlasting pedals caressing Izuku's hair as he walked through its vines, and he stopped for a moment. He grabbed one of the branches gently, his eyes bubbling to the sweet aroma and extravagant sight of these flowers. His smile formed as the soft pedals touched his fingers, and the wind blew subtly, causing the leaves to fly and dance into the air. As he watched the pedals fly, Izuku took another spoonful of Miso, and followed Inari to the base of the grand Wisteria. Next to the tree was a small river flowing throughout this small piece of land, and sitting on the water's edge was Inari, who peacefully gazed forward. The kami kneeled at the base of the grand tree, and as Izuku joined him, he saw Inari place several coins in an offering box, and the young god clapped his hands together in prayer. As Izuku approached him, still drinking away at his soup, Inari suddenly raised his right hand, and shushed the boy.
"Prayers require silence." He spoke.
Izuku gulped and nodded, not saying a word as the shrine waited quietly for Inari's vow. His eyes were closed as he clapped his hands once more, and while he was praying, Izuku caught wind of something in the distance. He walked past Inari quietly so as not to disturb him, and he looked beyond the small fence. His mouth fell open with wonder, as he gazed… at an ocean. One crystal clear and stretched towards the horizon, with no end in sight. And yet, when Izuku stared outward at the endless sea, a large Torii gate appeared, one even larger than what he's seen in his own Niwa. It towered over this small home, and on its grand gate laid an ofuda talisman. This talisman, a large piece of rectangular paper, had kanji characters written on its front, black ink still dripping into the waters below. Each droplet, as large as a bus, sent ripples through the ocean, and the waters washed on the shore of the beach. Izuku however, despite this grand view, couldn't take himself away from the Miso, and started drinking once more. The fresh stock was delicious, every morsel that hit his taste buds overwhelmed him. The onion and scallions added the perfect punch, and the tofu was the right mix of protein.
He took the bowl and tiled his head back, sucking down the delicacy like it was a fresh glass of water. Once he finished, he held the bowl firmly, that is, until it suddenly disappeared before his very eyes.
"Huh?" he gasped.
Inari then approached him from behind, and just like he did in the bath, he wrapped his right arm over Izuku's shoulder and behind his neck.
"This is where I come when I need to be alone for a bit. It's beautiful, isn't it?" He asked as they gazed out at the Torii gate. "Every Niwa has two consistent factors. The Torii right over there, and a vast ocean. They always appear somewhere, in some way."
"Really? You mean like… like mine with all those flowers!"
"That's right, your Niwa hasn't really taken shape yet. For right now, it's just an ocean of spider lilies." Inari said. "I still remember when I entered it the first time, who knows, it might remain that way."
"What do you mean by 'taken shape?'" Izuku asked.
Inari turned himself around, and he awkwardly turned Izuku around as well. When they looked back, Izuku gazed upon the Wisteria tree, and the small house where they existed. What Izuku didn't see however, was a small den of foxes. As he looked at the small trunk, he noticed several foxes all huddled up and sleeping in a group, all of them cozy and unmoving.
"They say the home is where the heart is. Well… my heart is with this small home I found centuries ago. And these foxes are rather precious to me," Inari said fondly as he stared at the stump. "Yours will form with time, the more practice you get with traveling to your Niwa, the clearer shape it will take."
"Okay, it sounds like something most Heroes do anyway." Izuku said. "Each and every one of them is always training to make their Quirks stronger, right? The same logic applies here.
Izuku grabbed his chin for a moment, then he lifted his head in shock.
"THAT'S RIGHT!"
"Oh?"
"This reminds me of some of the shrines I'd walk by on my way home," Izuku said. "I always saw these big gates whenever I passed a shrine in Shizuoka."
As Inari listened, he noticed that Izuku's face became energetic. His shoulders were raised, his eyes glittered almost, and his shining white teeth peered outward for the first time since the boy woke up.
"Oh yeah! I remember walking home the other day seeing Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods facing off against a giant villain! It was so cool how Mt. Lady was able to keep that guy on the defensive with her strength, and Kamui Woods was able to use his Quirk for crowd control and keeping everyone safe!"
Suddenly, Izuku started scribbling in the air, such a strange sight to behold, even for Inari. He chuckled nervously as Izuku suddenly… muttered. Inari could feel this deep perscense, something inside Izuku that was so potent, so strong. A mind unlike any other, Inari was so shocked that he felt like he was being sat down for a lecture, like Tenjin himself was tutoring him on the Human World and the vast prowess of these so called "Quirks." Yet… Izuku went on… and on… and on… and on… and-
"Okay Izuku I-I think I got the picture." Inari said.
"Oh, uh… sorry!" Izuku chirped in embarrassment.
"It's fine, but you know what? Hearing all that praise coming from you, it tells me you're ready. You're finally back at full strength."
Izuku blinked for a moment and felt a sense of curiosity overflowing.
"That soup wasn't ordinary, it was an ancient countermeasure to Rend," Inari explained. "It's called Mend. Pretty simple name, but its purpose is to heal a corrupted or broken Niwa, which is why I brought you here."
Inari grabbed Izuku and pointed towards the Torii gate.
"I'm amazed Sukuna didn't notice that your Niwa was fragmented, while we were bathing I noticed your little panic there."
"Yeah, there was… a man, he was on fire. I couldn't-"
"It wasn't real, it was a hallucination that Susanoo put into your head to twist your Niwa, but it's all fixed now, he won't bother you again." Inari explained. "This is all part of becoming a Kaiho-sya."
Izuku snapped his head around.
"A what?" He asked.
"Kaiho-sya, a Liberator," Inari replied. "That's the name we give ourselves, like how you call those people Heroes and Villains."
Izuku lowered his head.
Kaiho-sya… it's a name alright, but I guess I have to make it work for now…
"So what now? I'm ready to do whatever you need me to do! I want to help, and I'm not just some weakling anymore! I don't want to be a burden, and it just means I have to work harder than ever!"
And as Izuku shouted that proud and confident gesture, Inari smiled. Soon, the world went black, and only darkness remained. Suddenly, Izuku woke up once more, and felt a steaming and warm sensation as he looked around. He was back in Sukuna's bathhouse, sitting naked in the large bath next to Inari. He was soaked from all the water and felt extremely warm. Yet as he looked to his right, he saw that Inari was still asleep, his hand placed on his back.
"Hey, Inari?" he asked.
Suddenly, the god woke up, and he sat up.
"Welcome back to reality," he said. "I think it's time we get out, spending too much time can make you-"
Yet as Inari tried to stand, he suddenly felt dizzy.
"Inari?!" Izuku cried.
The god lost his balance and started to fall backwards, he stumbled in his steps and his body started to fall into the water. With the speed of the fastest wolf, Izuku shot up from the tub and caught Inari with his body. He shot his arms under Inari's, and wrapped them around his chest and belly.
"Are you okay?!" He cried.
Inari looked up and gulped quietly.
"Sorry… *huff* this bath took way more out of me than I thought." He said in a dazed and exhausted voice.
"Well let's get out then."
Izuku carried Inari slowly, and as he grabbed the silver handlebar with free arm, he managed to pull himself out of the bath with Inari. The god managed to stand on his own feet and used both hands to grab the handlebar.
"Hey are you alright?"
As Inari looked up, he saw Izuku… lent a hand out.
"You're not sick are you?"
Inari smiled while closing his eyes, and took his hand.
"No, like I said I spent too much time in there, I need to dry off."
Izuku helped him out and together they slowly walked into the changing room. Both of the boys were starting to feel the fatigue of remaining in bath for so long, yet at the same time, Izuku was strangely energetic, like he had woken from a good night's rest. As Inari grabbed a towel and rubbed his legs, he looked up at Izuku, who was drying himself off and quickly changed into the suit that Inari laid out for him. He grabbed the underwear and put them on first, followed by the pants laying on the bench. Inari however didn't move, and he continued to stare at the green-haired boy.
Strange, he doesn't appear to have any after effects. Inari thought as he let out a large yawn. And judging by the way he was able to manipulate the bath earlier, and the kanji on his arms…
Could he also have the Dominate Will, like Tenko?
"Hey, Izuku," Inari said as he sat on the bench.
"Yeah? What's up?" Izuku asked as he was in the middle of putting on a shirt."
"Take your shirt off for a second."
Izuku blushed, yet he did as the god asked. He removed the shirt once more, and when he turned around, he blushed even more knowing that Inari was still nude. The gray-skinned god suddenly walked up and pat Izuku on the chest.
"Uh! What are you doing?!" Izuku cried nervously.
"Just checking you out." Inari replied. Izuku gulped.
Wait, checking me out?! Like, is he- interested in me?!
"Okay, you seriously need to strengthen your body,"
"W-What?" Izuku asked.
"Just look in the mirror," Inari replied as he pointed at the full body mirror. "Your body's nothing but skin and bones. Your Blessing drains your body of your natural energies when you use it, so in order to mitigate its effects you need a much healthier and well… muscular body."
As he said this, Inari suddenly approached Izuku from behind, much to the latter's embarrassment. Inari then pointed at his own chest in the reflection, at the black kanji they both shared on their bodies.
"And like I keep saying, as long as we have this Contract, I'll do anything if it means protecting you or making you stronger." He said.
Izuku gulped and nodded.
"Alright, thanks for helping me out so much!" He cried as he bowed.
"Any time," Inari said with a smile. He looked downward, and then… he blushed. "Oh… oh my! Uhm, I take it I should probably get dressed now."
"Yeah, weren't you the one who said he didn't want to stare? Well I'm feeling the same way right now!"
Inari blushed, his face turning a deep red. With great speed he suddenly ran over to his clothes, putting on a pair of traditional pants, followed by what looked like a white t-shirt. He then grabbed his blue kimono and put it on top of the shirt, making for his signature look. Lastly, he hailed over to another basket and draped his haori over his kimono. He looked at Izuku, whose jaw had dropped to the floor and his body shaking in excitement.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone's dying to see you ya know." Inari said in a boastful voice.
"R-Right!"
Izuku quickly grabbed the shirt Inari lent him and draped it over his head, then shot his arms through the sleeves. He was, surprisingly, wearing a regular t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He grabbed a pair of black socks, and then grabbed the sandals waiting for him and put them on as well. Inari then motioned for him to join him at the door, and once Izuku met him there, Inari pat him on the back one more time.
"Your training will start tomorrow, for real this time," He said. "I know we just spent all that time in the bath, but your body still needs time to rest. You need a proper good night's rest and some food as well."
"That's fine, whatever you want me to do." Izuku said.
"Good, but there's also the issue of the Council, a lot happened today." Inari continued. "Word has gotten out that you're in the Spirit World now, that makes you the fifth human to come here, and the Council… probably has some questions."
"Uh, I'm not sure how much I can help."
"You leave the Council to me and Tsukuyomi, it's ultimately my responsibility since I Blessed you last week," Inari said. "But… you coming here, then Susanoo attacking Tsukuyomi's shrine? The Council will want answers, but that's enough about that, it's time to say hi to everyone again."
Izuku smiled.
"You've got that right."
Izuku took a deep breath, and grabbed the shoji door.
You're right Inari, a lot did happen today…
He slid the contraption open.
I wake up from a coma and I'm told that I was attacked by a spirit, got this scar on my chest, and now I'm told I can actually be a Hero…
Izuku stepped out of the changing room and into the lobby, where so many familiar faces were waiting.
It's only been a few hours, but I've already met so many people.
As he looked to the right, he saw his mother waiting next to Masaomi. Across from them were Tenko, who held a sleeping Akiba on his lap, and Kyoka, who was listening to music on her phone. She had one of her earphone jacks from her ears plugged into the device, but Tenko quickly tapped her shoulder, alerting her to the event.
All of these guys, I still don't get it, but they want to help me grow strong too…
And next to all of them… were Tsukuyomi and Satoshi, whose face was suddenly a scaly blue. He was in his human form, but his brown skin was replaced with blue scales, and his antlers were long, sharp, and glowing. Everyone shot out of their seats and ran towards the boy, who was still walking proud. Inko sprinted into his arms and squeezed him tight, tears running down her cheeks. Tenko woke Akiba up, and the small boy gasped in shock as Izuku appeared.
And after that attack, there's no way I can just quit!
Izuku hugged his mother, and as he did, he looked past her at everyone's faces. He stared at Tenko, whose red eyes stared back. It was like they were entranced in each other's eyes, yet Tenko's were dry and showed several scratch marks. Izuku gave him a stern but determined look, like he was ready for anything. He gaze then met Jiro, who was shocked to see him so well. However, her shock quickly turned to that of a confident smile, and she gave him a quick nod. Tsukuyomi helped Satoshi to his feet, and wrapped the dragon's arm over his shoulder. The god of the moon stared Izuku in the eye, his sight piercing his soul, and yet, he smirked. Satoshi let out a deep laugh which garnered everyone's attention for a moment.
"I knew since I first laid eyes on him that he had a strong heart!"
Yet as he said this, he let out a blood curdling cough, and Tsukuyomi immediately set him down.
"Don't try to laugh you fool." Tsukuyomi said in an irritated tone.
Despite these events, Izuku still couldn't stop thinking. All the while, Inari looked at him with a smile.
They all believed in me when no one else would…
And in the back of his mind, the image of All Might once again appeared. He was standing with his back turned, fists at his hips in a proud stance, and as he turned around, his smile shined in the darkness like the sun itself.
Yeah!
Izuku looked up as he held his mother, and let out a confident cry.
"I'm ready! I'll become a Kaiho no matter what it takes!"