Chapter 7: A Harsh No
Izuku clutched his burned notebook, the pages wrinkled and smeared with pond water. His heart weighed heavy with the realization that his dreams faced a seemingly insurmountable barrier. As he walked home, he pondered his existence in a world dominated by quirks, questioning the cosmic injustice that labeled him as different.
Taking a shortcut under a bridge, Izuku's thoughts were interrupted when a slimy force snaked around his leg. Before he could react, a sludge villain emerged, delivering a cold ultimatum. Panic set in as the noxious substance enveloped him, and the world blurred as his struggles proved futile.
Inside his mind, the entity observed with an indescribable expression. A brief flicker of anger passed through its white pupils. The world was shaking, and as Izuku teetered on the brink of darkness, three thoughts crossed his mind: his inability to save himself, the impending pain for his mother, and a resigned acceptance of his fate.
Suddenly, a distant voice roared, "Smash." A jolt of energy surged through Izuku as he gasped for air. Blinking back consciousness, he found himself saved by none other than the Symbol of Peace, All Might.
In the entity's perception, amazement mirrored the flame on the other side of the barrier, burning brighter than ever. Back in reality, Izuku was awestruck, stammering his gratitude. Overwhelmed, he managed to squeak out a request for All Might's autograph.
The hero complied, signing Izuku's notebook with a practiced smile. The entity chuckled internally, finding the scene oddly amusing. All Might, with a booming voice, assured Izuku not to fear and directed his attention to the autograph already adorning the notebook.
As All Might prepared to leave, Izuku, a shade redder with embarrassment, summoned the courage to ask a burning question that had lingered for a decade. "Can I ask you one more question, All Might?"
The hero, crouching in preparation for takeoff, regretfully declined, citing his duty to apprehend a villain. However, as All Might soared into the sky, he discovered an unexpected hitchhiker clinging to his cargo shorts – Izuku Midoriya.
Baffled, All Might exclaimed, "What the- Young one, what are you doing?!" Izuku, realizing the recklessness of his actions, could only gasp, "I-I don't know."
Surveying the cityscape, All Might spotted a public apartment complex rooftop and landed carefully. Turning to the breathless teen, he questioned the impromptu airborne journey. Izuku, still catching his breath, could only manage an unsure response.
As Izuku caught his breath, relief washed over him as All Might stood beside him, a beacon of strength and reassurance. Yet, the moment was abruptly shattered as All Might coughed, spurring out a bit of blood. Smoke surrounded them, and in its midst emerged a frail form of a man, so thin he resembled a skeleton.
All Might's voice, once booming and confident, now carried a hint of vulnerability as he began to explain a secret not widely known. He revealed the toll hero work had taken on his body – the near disappearance of his stomach, a brutal encounter with a villain kept hidden from the public eye, the strict time limit of his powers, and the scar that marked his struggles.
Izuku listened intently, his eyes widening with each revelation. The realization dawned on him that even the Symbol of Peace, the pillar of heroism, was not invincible. The weight of All Might's words hung heavy in the air as he finished his explanation.
As the smoke cleared and silence settled between them, Izuku found the courage to voice the question that had haunted his thoughts for years. "All Might, can a quirkless person become a hero?"
All Might's expression softened, a mixture of empathy and solemnity in his eyes. He placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder, a gesture of both comfort and truth. "No," he said, his voice gentle yet firm. "Even someone like me can get seriously hurt in the line of hero work. There are many powerful villains, young one, and if someone like me can get hurt, then it is not safe for you to become a hero. Dreaming is okay, young man, but they must remain a bit realistic."
Izuku's heart sank at the resolute answer, the reality of his situation crashing down upon him
As All Might left the roof, Izuku's world shattered. The barrier that had held back the encroaching darkness finally crumbled, and the Entity walked freely around the now-diminished green flame. It ordered the shadows to stay put as it extended a hand above the weakened remnants of the once-vibrant light.
Back in the real world, Izuku stood at the edge of the roof. The weight of All Might's words pressed heavily on his shoulders, and the despair within him mingled with the shadow of darkness that had been steadily growing. Contemplating following Kacchan's advice and taking a swan dive, he teetered on the edge of a precipice.
Yet, as the echoes of Katsuki's harsh words lingered, memories of his mother flooded his mind. The warmth of her smile, the tenderness in her voice – a lifeline that kept him anchored to reality. Deciding against the leap, Izuku turned away from the edge and approached the door leading to the stairs of the apartment complex.
Unbeknownst to the boy, the reason his mother's image popped into his mind was because the Entity had made it so. It understood that too much darkness would not bode well for the boy. While it couldn't care much about his well-being, it preferred that the kid stay on the path he was currently treading – the path toward becoming a hero.
You see, in a few days, the Entity would introduce itself to him. It would reveal what it was and why it had taken residence inside his mind. Now, why would an entity of chaos steer its vessel toward heroism? Well, for entertainment and amusement, of course. And the path of the hero promised far more entertainment than the path of a villain ever could.
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