A/N: This chapter has been modified to combine Chapters 1 and 2 into a single chapter. Enjoy!

"Run…Gohan! Run!"

Petrified. Every cell in his body screamed run, but Gohan couldn't move.

His vision blurred for what seemed like hours, and when the haze lifted, it was like waking from a long dream. His eyes sobered at the sight and realization of the carnage around him. Fire consumed everything, filling the air with the acrid taste of ash. A gust of wind pushed back the smoky curtain, and that's when Gohan saw the bodies, strewn amid the rubble like lost and broken dolls. Slowly, labored gasps pierced the ringing veil in his ears.

Oh, that's why he couldn't move. Two large, meaty hands were firmly gripping his shoulders, giving some semblance of stability in this rapidly spiraling world.

"It's going to be… alright, kid. Everything… is going to be… alright."

His grip was solid steel, both comforting and reassuring the child that he was safe and at the same time, forbidding him from looking beyond, at the devastation, at the pile of bodies and his father's among them.

Slowly the haze lifted completely from Gohan's eyes, replaced by panicked realization.

"Dad? Where's my daddy?"

But All Might brought him close into an embrace. The tears that streamed down his bloodied and ashen cheeks contradicted the smile on his face.

"And you wanna know why?" All Might was sobbing as he held the tiny boy in his giant arms.

"Because I… am… here."

Chapter One – My Hero Origins

Gohan's eyes opened, waking in a cold sweat.

That dream… that vivid, almost lucid dream again. This wasn't the first time he had dreamed such a horrible thing. He shivered in his bed, his heartbeat pounding against his ears as he tried to collect himself. It's just a dream… It's just a dream.

Slowly, his breathing calmed, reality setting in.

It's just a dream...

Gohan sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes and sitting up on his bed with his back against the wall.

"Hey, little guy. You up yet?"

The bunk bed above him stirred and a tiny head hanged over the side upside down..

"Yeah, you woke me up," Goten accused, his hair hanging down comically. "Was it the nightmare again? I heard you crying… for Dad..."

Gohan stared at his little brother's face, so young and innocent yet concerned, it was almost comical. Gohan smiled and patted him gently on the cheek.

"It's just a dream. Come on, let's get you ready for school."

Goten groaned and tossed himself back up to his bed, sheltering himself under the covers.

"Hey, c'mon little guy, work with me here."

Another groan. Gohan sighed and shook his head.

"Okay but if you're late again, you'll have to explain it to Mom."

Goten sighed and tossed the covers off.

"I'm up," he raised his hands in defeat. "I'm up."

"That's a good boy. C'mon, I'll help you down," Gohan said, stretching his arms out.

"That's okay, I've got it," Goten said, climbing down on his own.

Look at you, little guy. You're growing up so fast, Gohan thought with a smile.

As he helped Goten get dressed, he passed by a framed picture. He paused for just a second to look at it as he ironed Goten's school shirt.

The picture had been taken just outside of their farm when Gohan was around two or three years old, laughing happily in the arms of his parents. His mother wore a long blue dress and his father had an olive colored work jacket and a straw hat. They looked so happy. Goten had been born nine months after his dad had died in that terrible accident seven years ago, so he never had the opportunity to experience having a dad.

That terrible accident…

"Gohan, Goten, breakfast is ready!"

Gohan gave Goten the ironed shirt and helped him button up.

"Let's go eat," Gohan said.

"Good idea, I'm starving!"

"Do you have everything you need? Homework? Bus card? Lunch money?"

Goten patted the pockets of his uniform.

"Oh, I'm missing my school badge. I think mom had it relaminated."

"Okay," Gohan said. "Go on and eat, I'll get it for you."

As Goten made his way down to the kitchen table, Gohan searched through the cabinets for Goten's badge. "Here it is," he mumbled to himself. As he pulled it out, the lanyard pulled out some folded papers that fell to the floor. Gohan sighed sadly as he picked them up.

Final Notice – Payment Due Immediately!One read in bold red letters.

The second one was more lengthy.

"Dear valued member, we regret to inform you that at this time your application for emergency personal loan has been denied-" Gohan couldn't read anymore. But the final paper broke his heart.

"Dear Mrs. Son, due to company outsourcing and reduction of staff in your department, your employment has been terminated, effective immediately." The letter had been sent two weeks ago.

"Oh, mom… why didn't you tell me?"

Gohan stuffed the letters into his pocket as he entered the kitchen.

"Radish soup again?" Goten complained.

Chi-Chi turned, looking as tired as ever in her old apron.

"I'm sorry, honey. It's all we… It's… nutritious."

"But we had radish soup last night," Goten whined, poking at the sliced radish with his spoon.

"I hear you, Goten. But not every meal can be a treat. And I made enough soup for the entire day-"

"You mean we're having this for dinner, too?!"

Chi-Chi slammed her hands against the table, making Goten jump.

"That's right, mister," she said, her voice rising to a furious growl. "This isn't a restaurant. You eat what I cook!"

She's masking her sadness with anger, Gohan noted. His mother had always been known for her short temper, but after learning that she had lost her job and that they had no way of paying their bills this month, Gohan was able to recognize the sadness and desperation hidden behind her anger.

"Hey now," Gohan intervened. "You want to grow up to be a big strong hero right? Then you have to learn to eat your vegetables. Look at Popeye, radish gives him his Quirk and you don't see him complain about it, now do you?"

"Popeye eats spinach," Goten corrected him, annoyed.

"Well there you go," Gohan said throwing his hand up. "Maybe your quirk gets activated by radish."

Goten stared at him skeptically, then his gaze lowered at the vegetable soup. "I've had radish soup before, Gohan. Nothing's ever happened."

"C'mon, stop complaining and just be grateful we're not living in the farm anymore. Back then, we had to eat Radishes raw."

"Ugh," Goten nodded, wrinkling his nose. "Okay, fine."

Chi-Chi gave Gohan a tired, thankful glance before serving him and herself.

"We ready?" Gohan said.

"Ready," Goten replied.

The two boys clasped their hands together in appreciation for the food.

"Itadakimasu," they said together.

(...)

The sun shined brightly in the cloudless sky, and the smell of a fresh, humid new morning filled the air, mixing with the low grumble of the cars and buses that dotted the streets of Musutafu. Gohan breathed it all in as he walked down the sidewalk, holding Goten's small hand as they crossed the street.

Goten was looking up at him.

"Gohan," he said, "are you thinking about the farm again?"

Gohan caught himself.

"Yeah," he admitted. Every morning he would look towards the easternmost mountain. Mount Paozu. Home. "I miss it sometimes. The fields are ripe for the harvest around this time."

"Do you think mom misses it, too?"

Gohan gave him a sad smile. "All the time, I'm sure. We had a lot of good memories up there."

"Then why don't we move back?" Goten asked innocently.

We can't. No, Goten wouldn't be able to understand.

"This is home now, kiddo," Gohan said instead, patting Goten on the head. "At least here we are… stable. You just focus on getting good grades. Here in the city, you can be anything, if you put your mind to it."

"Even a Pro Hero?" Goten asked, eyes beaming.

Gohan stared at his little brother for a moment. Like any other child, Goten had big dreams of becoming a pro hero. If Gohan was being completely honest, he did, too. But now that he was older, that dream seemed far more distant than ever before. Two major obstacles stood in their way.

The first was their mother, who for some reason abhorred Pro Heroes and forbade the two from having anything to do with them. And the second, personal obstacle was that they were both Quirkless.

"I'm sure Dad would have found a way to become a pro," Goten muttered. The light turned green for the pedestrians, playing a little tune as Gohan and Goten crossed the street. "Even though he and mom were both quirkless, too."

Gohan stayed silent, processing it all as they reached their destination. From here, the sidewalk led down to the station that would in turn, take Gohan to his school. Gohan kneeled to be at eye level with Goten, fixing his small shirt collar.

"Just remember one thing, Goten," Gohan said, smoothing the collar down. "Not all heroes wear capes. Even quirkless boys like you and I can become heroes, if we're not afraid to do what's right."

Gohan stared at his big brother.

"I don't really get what you mean, Gohan."

Gohan smiled. "When you're older, you'll understand. Hey look, there's your little friend."

Goten turned and waved at the small figure that was standing at the edge of the lake, tossing rocks into the water. "Go on," Gohan encouraged him. "Be safe and don't be late for school."

"Okay," Goten said with a smile and took off running towards his friend.

"Heyyyy, Trunks!"

Gohan watched as his little brother disappeared.

"Have fun, and learn much!" He called out, but Goten was already out of earshot. With a satisfied grin, Gohan turned and walked back home, thinking of what would ever become of the boy when he grows up.

As Gohan rounded the corner of his apartment building, he noticed a shiny red car parked right outside of his door.

That's odd. Mom didn't say she was having company over, he thought. He walked through the door and heard conversation coming from the living room. Curiously, Gohan approached quietly, when he heard the soft sounds of sobbing mixed with laughter. Gohan pressed himself against the wall and peered around the corner discreetly. Four men in expensive suits surrounded his mother. To his horror, Chi-Chi was on her knees, her forehead against the floor.

"Please," she sobbed, "Please tell Sarakin-san that I'll have a payment ready soon, I just fell behind on my bills and on top of that the factory is relocating to China."

"Ah, yeah," the man directly in front of man chuckled. "We heard about that. That's why the boss sent us straight to you before you had the chance to even think of skippin' town."

"Please," Chi-Chi begged. "With what money would I leave? I barely have enough to feed my kids-"

"Shaddup!" The man yelled. Gohan's hand balled into a fist, his blood beginning to boil. "You think Sarakin-san cares about that? Now it's time to make a payment."

"We have nothing!" Chi-Chi yelled in desperation.

The thug slammed his fist against Chi-Chi's head, his icy quirk covering his fist like a gauntlet. Chi-Chi yelped as she fell back.

"Mom!" Gohan ran and caught her. Chi-Chi groaned in pain.

"Why are you doing this? Hitting a woman who is begging for mercy! Don't you have a heart?" he yelled.

The thug cleaned his hand, completely ignoring Gohan. He and the rest of his crew got up to leave. The thug dropped a business card on the ground callously.

"You've got till the end of the day to bring Sarakin-san his money," the thug said coldly. "Sell your body if you have to, but you better have his damn money. Or else!"

Gohan's teeth gritted and his anger swelled up inside him.

"Gohan," Chi-Chi said weakly. "Don't. Please, it will only make things worse."

"Oh, mom," Gohan's pent up tears finally spilled. "Why did you feel the need to go and get a loan from those loan sharks? Why didn't you tell me you had lost your job? I could have helped you!"

Chi-Chi managed a weak smile, wiping away Gohan's tears with her thumb.

"I guess I just didn't realize how big my little Gohan really is," she said. "Please forgive your mother. I was just desperate. After losing your father, losing our farm, losing everything and having to start over in this city raising two boys alone… it's just so much… I just didn't know what to do…"

"Oh, mom," Gohan held his mother in a reassuring, comforting embrace. His eyes came to rest on the business card that the thug had dropped. He reached over and grabbed it, slipping it into his sleeve.

"Everything's going to be alright," he told her. "Everything's going to be alright. I promise."

…

Gohan leaned his head to the side against the window, and the low rumble of the train began to lull him to sleep. According to his GPS map, the loan shark, this Sarakin-san, operated in a financial center at the edge of the city, about a 30 minute ride by train.

But what was Gohan going to do once he came face to face with Sarakin? Well, he wasn't completely sure, but he was already a few minutes away. His body seemed to be moving on instinct, more so than logic. But he had to try something!

As he waited for his stop, the small screen in front of him flashed with breaking news.

"-fiery attack that has left the heart of Musutafu paralyzed," the reporter was saying. "The Sludge Villain took a young student hostage and triggered various explosions, destroying property and putting lives in danger. The Pro heroes themselves seemed unable to stop it. Just as all hope seemed lost, an unexpected hero appeared."

Gohan's eyes widened as a frail boy with messy green hair leaped out towards the sludge villain and began clawing away at it.

"His name is Izuko Midoriya. He is a quirkless boy who attends the same school as the hostage. Despite having no apparent powers, he attempted to save his friend from the slimy clutches of the sludge villain. Just as the Villain was about to retaliate, Hope arrived. All Might saved the day. The two boys were checked for injuries and released with minor scrapes and bruises. It all goes to show you that, as the old adage says, not all heroes wear capes. Reporting live from Downtown Musutafu, I'm Kuri Shimamura."

Gohan's eyes were glued to the image of the green haired boy on the screen. So a quirkless boy really can be a hero…

A soft series of tones brought him back from his thoughts.

"Now arriving at Terminal S," an automated voice said. With a sigh, Gohan got up and waited for the train doors to open.

(...)

Advance Finance Center.

The office that the infamous loan shark Sarakin-san operated out of lay at the heart of a large building that housed other financial services; banks, remittance services, real estate and more. A figure wrapped in white robes nervously paced back and forth, unable to approach the building. It was so unlike him to be this nervous, but with one wrong move, all of this could go from bad to worse.

Nobody had ever stood up to Sarakin-san before. The man had made a reputation for himself for his wealth and his cruelty. But still that hadn't stopped his reckless son from taking on a high interest loan that ended up doubling over the years. Eventually, Sarakin took everything from them. And now…

Now the old man was going to get what he deserved.

The loan shark had hired his own personal army of thugs to shake down his unpaying clients, and the strongest of them stuck to him like leeches, to protect him and his office. Fortunately for him, Sarakin only cared about quantity rather than quality and he had made enemies out of a lot of powerful people.

I'm not alone, he thought. His eyes caught movement from the shadows. On instinct, he reached into his pockets, but eased once he recognized the three figures in the dark.

"I take it you're all in?" he muttered as he joined them in the shadow. "Where's the big guy – Sludge?"

"He got himself tangled up with All Might, of all people. We're gonna have to pull this one off without him."

"Good grief. Well, at least we won't have to worry about All Might showing up. Stick to the plan gentlemen. This will all be over soon and we'll all go home a lot richer."

How had it come to this? He wasn't a bad person, just got tangled up in some bad business. A part of him screamed for him to stop, to turn back and go home, knowing that even if they were successful, such a crime would change his life, sending him on the run at best, and at worst, send him straight to prison. How would his son go on without him? But there was no turning back now. No, this one was on Sarakin-san. This was for his family and all of the other families that had been exploited by the bastard.

Yeah, today the old man was going to get what he deserved.

As he walked back out of the shadows and onto the street, he stepped right into the path of a schoolboy. The two collided, but only the boy fell, the folder with papers in his hand falling and flying everywhere.

"Watch where you're going, kid!" He growled, but the boy was already chasing after the papers.

"I'm so sorry!" Gohan yelled back, collecting the pages and running off.

"You picked the wrong day to visit old Sarakin-san," he said, gritting his teeth as the boy hurried off inside the building. He called the others with a single motion. "Let's go."

(...)

Gohan only noticed his foot tapping nervously when an annoyed customer sitting in front of him cleared her throat loudly.

"Sorry," Gohan apologized and sat up straight. He breathed in and out, trying to calm his beating heart. Why was he so nervous? Well, yes, partly it had to do with the fact that he was about to come face to face with the man that basically owned his family now with a crazy proposition he'd never accept. But it wasn't just that. There was a feeling that Gohan couldn't shake, all stemming from the encounter with the man in the white robes that he'd bumped into.

No, it wasn't his green skin, nor his different clothes. What was it?

As he sat on one of the leather seats that lined Advanced Finance, he let his eyes wonder over the expensive decor that lined the walls, the elegant statues and the bright chandelier in the center of it all in an effort to distract himself from the pit in his stomach. Advanced Finance was located on the seventh floor of the building and from there, large windows provided a view of the city below. Clearly, Sarakin didn't mind showing off his wealth and social status to anyone who came in. Gohan sighed and shook his head. He was so busy daydreaming when he should be thinking about what he was going to say to the loan shark.

Still...

What was it about that man that bothered him so much?

"Look who's here," a loud, painfully familiar voice chimed, pulling him from his thoughts.

It's the man from earlier, Gohan thought. The one who harassed Mom.

"It's the Son kid. I guess Sarakin was right. My fists really do make miracles happen!"

"That's right!" the other one chirped. "Maybe we should pay his family a visit more often. I wouldn't mind taking a swing at that boy's mama myself, if youu catch my drift."

The two laughed. Gohan's teeth gritted and he felt heat rush to his ears.

No, they're only trying to provoke me. If I take the bait, I won't even get a chance to talk to Sarakin.

Gohan breathed in and out, calming himself, when the door opened and a secretary poked her head out.

"Gohan Son, Sarakin-san will see you now."

"Don't you have a heart?" the thug said in a mocking tone as Gohan walked past them and entered the office.

Sarakin-san was a heavyset man. Reddish Orange hair that looped into a crazy receding hairline covered his head and he looked down at Gohan with his piercing, cold green eyes. That's all that Gohan had time to notice as the man finally finished reading the paper that Gohan had handed him.

"Is this a joke?" he spat out, closing the folder and slamming it onto the desk.

"No sir," Gohan said, his head bowed in respect, hands to his side as he sat in front of Sarakin.

"Why are you wasting my time, boy?" Sarakin bellowed. "Even if I did hire you, your mother's got a mountain of a debt with me; the kind of debt that takes years to get out of."

"I know, sir. And I'm a fast learner and one of the top students in my class. Surely-"

"You have no Quirks, boy." Sarakin barked, coldly. "What the hell would I want with a quirkless mutt like you?"

The words stung, but Gohan was determined not to give up. He stood and pushed the chair away, dropping to his knees with his head to the floor.

"Please, Sarakin-sama. Just give me a chance. Everyone knows your reputation and your high standards. I know I can be an asset to you. Give me a job and I'll devote my entire life to paying off this debt. I'm begging you."

Sarakin stared down at Gohan for a long moment, the contempt seemingly turning into amusement.

"Oh really?" Sarakin's voice dropped to a predatory purr. He stood from his desk and walked over to Gohan, putting his foot down next to his head.

"Go on, then," he said cruelly. "Beg."

Gohan's eyes widened and he looked up at the man. Sarakin had a sadistic smile on his face.

"I said beg, you quirkless dog! Show me how badly you want to work for me!"

Gohan's gaze lowered, completely humiliated, but for his family-

He lowered himself to kiss the boot.

The boot came up fast, connecting with Gohan's face and sending him onto his back. Sarakin laughed.

"Like I would ever bring a worthless dog like you to my dining table," he said, ripping the employment contract and pressing a button on his desk. Two men in suits came in and to drag Gohan out of the office.

"Take the trash out. And Gohan? Tell your mommy her debt just went up another 30% because of this little stunt. That will teach you to stop putting your nose where it doesn't belong."

Gohan stood on his own and shook off the thugs' grip, wiping the blood off his nose with his sleeve, refusing to let the tears in his eyes fall. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the office. Outside in the lobby, he could feel the burning gaze of everyone on him.

This beating had been more than punishment for angering Sarakin. He was sending a message to any who might have come seeking for his mercy. The words of his mother from this morning rang in his ears. That will only make things worse.

Oh mom, Goten… I'm so sorry…

As he headed for the door the thug from earlier stepped out laughing.

"Leaving so soon? Why, the fun is just beginning-"

And suddenly, the entrance of Advanced Finance erupted in a ball of flame. The force of the explosion sent Gohan and those gathered near the entrance flying. The fire tore at Gohan's body. His body slammed against a far wall, hard. The blow blurred Gohan's vision as he tried to pick himself up. The building shook and a large pillar tore from its place and fell, landing across Gohan's lap, pinning him down. He screamed in agony as more rubble and fire landed around him.

Up ahead, the entire lobby was gone, the elegant drapes and statues were devoured by fire.

Slowly, the ringing in his ears cleared, replaced by fire alarms and panicked screams – his and that of the people around him. Ahead, large tongues of flame licked away at the black hole that used to be the entrance. Four silhouettes stepped out from the flames.

"V-villains!" a woman cried.

"Torch, seal this place up. AK, round everyone up. Canon, start baggin' the loot!" The lead villain motioned and the other villains got to work while he ran into the main office. Gohan gasped.

That's the man from the alley earlier!

"Everybody move in together and don't move a muscle," one of the villains, the one called AK yelled, aiming the barrels in his fingers at them. Pain coursed through every cell in Gohan's body and he was convinced that his body had been crushed completely. But how am I still alive?

From the edge of Gohan's vision he saw the people huddling together as AK aimed his finger guns at the terrified group. The main villain had disappeared into the office and the other two were going vault by vault, using their gun and fire quirks to break open the doors and stuff its contents into duffel bags.

Outside, the police sirens were getting louder and louder and several heroes actually tried to break through, but each time they got closer, the fire barrier grew thicker, threatening to bring the building down on top of the hostages. With that, the heroes backed off, unable to penetrate the shield.

Searing pain again, white hot. Gohan felt like he was going to pass out. It was getting so hard to breath because of the flames that grew larger around him and also because of the suffocating pillar on top of him. The heat was intense and dizzying. Gohan could feel it running up his fingers – Wait, the heat! If he could still feel it with his hands that meant…

Gohan pulled his arms against the pillar. Intense pain shot up his arm, but he ignored it. Come on! Suddenly his left arm was free. Gohan pushed against the pillar with all of his might, screaming through his teeth both in pain and in desperation as the flames drew ever closer.

"Help the boy!" one of the hostages pleaded with the AK. "He's going to die." The villain glanced over at him, but kept his guns pointed at the hostages.

Come on, Gohan gritted his teeth. Come on! There! The pillar shifted slightly, but that was all Gohan needed to free his right arm.

By now, the flames reached Gohan and his clothes caught fire.

Gohan slammed both of his hands against the pillar with cries of fear and desperation. This couldn't be it. His mother and little brother depended on him. This couldn't be the end. Gohan just couldn't die like this. Gohan's cries became animalistic howls as the flames engulfed him completely.

"Listen to him, he's dying!" the secretary sobbed.

The villain turned to aim all of his fingers at the woman that spoke up.

"Shut up, woman!" He yelled.

"Please help him!" Another elderly man cried.

"I said shut up!"

The eyes of all of the hostages widened together in fear and awe as the pillar that had once trapped the young man was now flying in the air. It flew across the room and slammed into the villain before he even had time to register what was going on.

Before them, where a young schoolboy once laid dying, now stood a blazing figure. Fire had consumed most of his clothes and pure energy flowed out of his body in bright white waves. His skin glowed in a magnificent white aura and static flowed through his body. Gohan stared at his hands and at the sheer power flowing from within him. What is this? Is this… a Quirk? My body is completely intact. No, more than intact! I feel stronger than ever! How can this be?!

"W-what is that?" Torch said.

"He-He's dead!" Canon responded, dropping the duffel bag he was filling. A large canon barrel appeared from his elbow; another gun quirk. He took aim.

Gohan turned towards him, but before he could react, the canon went off, the projectile whistling through the air and landing square on Gohan's chest. The missile exploded, and a wave of fire washed over Gohan. But the fire wasn't burning him. In fact, it wasn't even touching him! The aura around him protected his skin, Gohan realized. The villains looked like they saw a ghost. Terrified, Canon charged up another missile to shoot at Gohan. Gohan took what he thought was a step forward, and suddenly he had closed the distance between them. The villain was now moving exaggeratedly slow.

No, I'm moving extremely fast! Gohan brought a fist up – and missed! But the wind force was so strong that it knocked the villain against the vault, hard enough to tear through the vault door. He crumpled to the floor and did not get back up.

"This would have ended quick and peacefully," said the Torch as he helped AK get out from underneath the pillar. Gohan turned to see them take aim at the crowd of hostages. The hostages cried in terror and Gohan could see, again in slow motion, as their gun quirks rotated to fire onto the crowd. They were too far apart. Even if he could reach one of them on time, the other would be able to hurt many before he got to him.

Wait, Gohan thought. The wind force. Maybe the wind force will be enough to reach them!

Gohan leaped forward, using all of the newfound strength in his legs and reached out, visualizing the wind force, willing it to become an extension of his arm, aiming it squarely at the two villains.

But what came out wasn't wind force. Gohan's palm glowed with power and five powerful blasts of energy shot out from his open palm, shooting off in the direction of the villains. In the blink of an eye, the blasts made contact, sending the two villains flying through the great wall of flames and out of the building, where they landed unconsciously at the feet of the police and the heroes outside.

Gohan was amazed, terrified and confused all at the same time.

What's happening to me? This is insane! I'm Quirkless!

The hostages themselves stared at him in awe.

"He did it," one of them gasped. "He saved us!"

"W-what is he?" someone asked.

"This young man's a damn hero, is what he is!" the elderly man said.

"Wait," the secretary cried. "Where's Sarakin-san?"

Gohan rushed over, fighting for control of his newfound quirk. He was insanely fast, reaching the office door with a single dash. He gasped.

Sarakin's head was pinned firmly under the boot of the one Gohan assumed was the boss villain.

"You're the one making all the fuss," the villain said, digging his heel on Sarakin's head. Sarakin howled in pain.

At least he's alive, Gohan thought. That's good.

"So it is you," Gohan said, trying to keep the green villain talking.

"Wait," he the villain said. "You're… I know you! Yes! You're the Blur! But how is that possible?"

This puzzled Gohan. He … knows me?

"Let him go!" Gohan yelled.

The villain looked genuinely surprised.

"But how? You're… You're supposed to be dead!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gohan gritted his teeth. "I'm not who you think I am."

Suddenly, Gohan felt a twinge of nausea. What was happening to him? His muscles began to tremble.

"Your fire barrier is down and all of your buddies are defeated," Gohan said. "It's only a matter of minutes before the Pro Heroes get here. So just let him go!"

"No, I'm sorry, but no. He owes me and the families of Namek a debt he can only pay in blood."

"You don't have to do this!" Gohan pleaded. "You'll be throwing your life away for nothing."

"I'm gladly throwing my life away to rid Japan of scum like him. Loan sharks who prey on the weak and helpless, feeding them false hopes only to take what little they do have. I know this all too well."

Sarakin grunted under the weight of the brown boot.

"Damn you, Nail. After all I did to help you and your father-"

Nail slammed his boot against Sarakin's shoulder, crushing it. Sarakin howled in pain.

"You did plenty, and now because of you, we're losing everything! But life is balance. And now, because of me, you will have nothing."

"Nail," Gohan raised his hands harmlessly, trying to get his attention. "I know."

"Oh yeah? What do you know, Blur? Have you ever watched your kid go to bed starving? You ever watched your old man die from absolute exhaustion? Have you ever been homeless? Because if you have, then maybe you know what it's like." Gohan could hear a faint echo to Nail's words. His head was starting to spin.

"I'm sorry Nail, but you're wrong. I do know what you're going through, because that's what happened to us, too!"

This made Nail stop. Gohan took a step forward and suddenly felt very weak. The steady electricity that had been flowing through him began to dissipate and an intense fatigue began to blanket him. What's wrong with me? Why am I so dizzy all of a sudden? Was I just running on pure adrenaline?

Gohan swallowed against the dizziness and continued. Nail watched him suspiciously.

"Sarakin has taken everything from me and my family as well. My dad died when I was very little and my mom had to take care of me and my brother alone. Men like Sarakin pretended to want to help, but they took what little food we had out of the mouths of my mother and little brother. So I know what it's like; the desperation of being caught at a dead end. To have nowhere to go, nobody to turn to for help. To watch your family starve and suffer because of someone else's exploitation. I know your pain, Nail, because it is my own."

Nail stared at him for a moment, taking it all in.

In his eyes, Gohan could see that Nail didn't have the same look as the others. Nail was a victim of the same people that exploited and took advantage of those who were less fortunate, like him and Nail. But Gohan could see beyond that stored fear, anger and pain. He could see the goodness in his eyes.

"Nail, please," Gohan pleaded. "Just put him down and go home."

Nail's eyes softened for a moment.

"You're right," he said. "You're not the Blur. Who are you?"

"I am Gohan Son, just a Quirkless boy begging you do the right thing."

Nail's eyes widened briefly.

"Gohan? So you're the Blur's kid, huh? My brother thought you had died alongside the Blur that day, all those years ago. If only he knew…"

This caught Gohan off guard.

"What did you just say?" He asked.

Nail reached over and grabbed one of the duffel bags stuffed with cash and threw it with so much force that it pierced through the roof of the building.

"No!" Sarakin howled. "My money!"

"How about I make you a deal, Gohan Son? Take that money. Get the hell out of here. Buy yourself and your family a new identity. Because what's coming is terrifying and unstoppable and you don't want him to find out you're still around."

And with that, the tables had turned, and now it was Nail who was in control of the situation.

"This opportunity won't repeat itself. Either take the money and skip town, or save him."

With that, Nail's arms elongated and Sarakin screamed as he was lunged out of the office and through the glass window.

"Be seeing you around, Gohan Son." Nail said with a smile and disappeared from the hole in the roof. Gohan wasn't even thinking. His legs were already moving and before he could stop himself, he had dived through the window. As his foot left the ledge, he felt the last vestiges of the mysterious power surge disappear. Still, he had to try to save Sarakin. He twisted his body in midair and made his arms and legs as stiff as he could. This propelled him forward, just in time to wrap his arms around Sarakin and twist his body to land on his back.

The next instant, they landed, cratering into the asphalt down below. Gohan struggled to breath, but to his relief, there was nothing broken, although the rough landing had knocked Sarakin out cold. The medics and heroes rushed them towards them as Gohan laid his head back down on the carpet of grass and his spinning world turned dark. Amid the darkness, Gohan began to dream a feverish nightmare.

"At long last… the Blur," the monstrous voice said. "You've no idea how long I've waited for this moment."

"Go! Get my kid out of here! We'll hold him off!"

"But I can help you, please!"

"Goku… forgive me."

"Is that fear I sense in your voice? Aww, what happened to the smile? Don't you know that such a delicious Quirk should be shared? And now, you're mine!"

"Daddy?"

"Run… Gohan! Run!"

"It's going to be… alright, kid. Everything… is going to be… alright."

"Dad? Where's my daddy?"

"And you wanna know why? Because I… am… here…"

"I am here to teach this year! That rhymed… unintentionally!" The soft volume coming from the hospital TV and the soft footsteps of the nurse woke him up from his nightmare.

"All… Might?" Gohan said in his waking voice.

"Not quite, though they do say all healthcare workers are heroes! Hi there," the nurse gave him a warm smile. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Gohan still wasn't sure where he was, other than in a hospital.

He nodded and his neck felt a bit sore.

"You had quite the scare. You fell seven stories and landed squarely on your back. Amazingly, no injuries."

"None?" Gohan blinked. So my powers are… real? I really have a quirk?

"Your X-Rays show that you're Quirkless," the nurse was saying. "So either you have a guardian angel or you're just that lucky. In any case, we'd like to keep you overnight for observation."

"Yeah, that'd be great," Gohan said. Fat chance! Mom will kill me!

"Wait," he said. "What about Sarakin-san and everyone in Advanced? Is everyone okay?"

A grim expression came over her face and her mouth thinned into a line.

"Most got by with minor injuries, but Sarakin-san himself was really injured, and right now he's in a medically induced coma. It doesn't look like he has any recollection of what happened in the past three months. But unfortunately some of his employees were killed in the fire.

Gohan lowered his head. So the thugs didn't make it.

"Oh," he said.

"Hey, cheer up. You saved his life. There's at least that, right?"

Gohan nodded. "I guess."

"He must have been someone really special for you to jump after him like that."

"Yeah," Gohan sighed with a smile. "Sure. Well, I'm feeling a bit sleepy, so I'd like to lay my head down for a little longer, if that's okay."

"Of course," the nurse said. She turned off the light and closed the door to his room as she walked out. Gohan laid his head back down and as soon as he could no longer hear her, he took off the monitoring equipment and jumped out of bed. Of course, his clothes had all burned up in the fire, so all he had was the hospital gown and his wallet. To his surprise, there was an envelope for him with a Get Well Soon card. It had been unsigned. Gohan carefully opened it.

"Why do Heroes Fall? So They Can Rise Again. Get Well Soon."

A photo fell out from the envelope and Gohan's mouth dropped. Standing next to All Might, wearing a bright orange gi, was his father, Goku. The two shared a firm handshake, smiling at the camera.

"My dad was… a Pro?"

Gohan turned the photo and saw a tiny message written in black ink.

Who is the Blur, followed by coordinates. Clearly, whoever sent this letter knew who Gohan was and was trying to talk with him personally. Could it be Nail?

Taking these things, Gohan opened the window and was about to jump through when he heard it.

"I am here to teach this year!" the TV was replaying the commercial from earlier. All Might stood, the mountain of a man rocking a mustard yellow pin striped suit. "That rhymed… unintentionally! Do you want to protect the innocent? Does your heart yearn for Peace and Justice? Do you have special Quirks that need help developing? At UA High, we pride ourselves-"

Gohan stared at the commercial. All Might…

"… you can schedule your spot in the entrance exams by phone or online! So don't delay and don't doubt yourself. Remember, you can be anything if you take the next step and Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!"

With that the short commercial was over. Gohan stared at his palms. The fact that he was even uninjured was definite proof that at the very least his body was changing rapidly.

That surge of strength back there; that power. The speed, durability, and the blast attacks. Could UA High teach to me master this new Quirk? Maybe if…

Suddenly the door opened and the nurse came in.

"I'm sorry," she was saying. "Silly me. You wanted to nap and I left the TV… on…"

But the room was already empty.