It was bright.
The sun shone through the streets of Musutafu, giving the people warmth as they were doing their daily routine. Heroes were working overtime, handling different situations that occurred through the city. Although, since it was bright out, a lot of people witnessed their heroics, which means that a lot of people would be hurt. Saving people like in comic books became the norm throughout the world, and society learned to live through it. Good vs. Evil, that had structured society for the longest of time.
During this time, someone from China would come and visit.
A very old bike wheeled its way in the streets of Musutafu. Making its owner's presents known with two rings of a bell. The cyclist was known as Guī, a blind master of martial arts. He's a very tall, lean, and muscular man in his fifties. He has blonde hair and covers his eyes with sunglasses. Guī wears a dark yellow zip-up jacket with a Yin-Yang symbol on the back. He wears matching slim-fit red pants and black shoes.
He kept riding before then searching in his right pocket and pulling out to reveal an old looking phone. He pressed on one of his apps and watched as a map appeared on the screen. Along with his current location being shown, another dot was in the destiny he wanted to be, and it was an apartment complex. He checked the distance from his current location to the apartment, before putting away his phone and cycling away.
He stopped in the crosswalk and checked for cars before crossing, but he didn't make it before sensing someone in danger in an alleyway.
In the alley, a man loomed over an unconscious woman. He lifted her up from her ankle and smiled to himself, holding his laughter to not wake the victim up. Before he could do anything, something came flying out of nowhere, like some sort of pink energy knocked him over. The woman fell on the floor, waking up and seeing her savior, Guī.
"Well, well. And here I thought Japan was a place of kindness, but you ain't kind." The women, realizing what was about to happen, left in a hurry. "Honestly, I just came here to meet someone. Then I meet someone like you spoiling my good mood." The assailant stood up, then spikes started to pop out of body, making him grow to the size of Guī. "Bring it." The villain lifted both his hands up and tried to pierce the old man, but got a kick in the face to the wall. "You have an amazing quirk. Maybe even become the next big bad. Too bad you're just too weak." The villain stood up, looking at him with anger. "I bet you bully people weaker than you. That's why you're predictable."
"I'll kill you!" The villain started to transform into some kind of lizard monster. "Don't think you can win against me!"
"Man, I thought you had some common sense. Too bad…" Guī's hand glows with purple energy as he delivers a right hook in the villain's jaw. "Looks like all that powering up still made you weaker than me. Don't worry though, very few people get to be as strong as me."
"You scumbag!"
"Scum calling me a scumbag?" The martial artist said, cracking his knuckles. "That's rich. The only thing that's scummier than trash is you."
"What are you, some type of hero?"
"Nah, I'm just an old martial artist. Trying to beat people who are disturbing the peace. Someone like you."
Guī started to approach the villain as he was scared for his life, "Stay back!" In the alleyway, screams were heard. Then the smell of someone peeing their pants.
Outside, he saw the girl scared and in a panic. From his pockets he grabbed a bar of chocolate and gave it to her. She looks at him in confusion.
"Don't worry, he's been dealt with." The girl looked through the alley and saw the villain unconscious with wet pants. "Here, can you go call the police, I'm sort of in a hurry." The girl nodded and Guī hopped on his bike leaving in a hurry.
The old martial artist made it to his destination as he went on a rooftop. He looked over at the apartment complex nearby, where he saw the person he was looking for, Izuku Midoriya. Guī felt Izuku's life force inside him, and smiled to himself. He then watched as the young man began his test.
Like a tiger to its prey, he started to stalk the young man, watching as his morning routine started with running towards school, and stopping to watch a villain attack the train station. Izuku didn't realize that someone was following him, testing his every move. Guī noted that he was a shy lad, who was also a giant nerd for heroes. He was certain that he was an otaku too.
Afterwards, he went to school as the old master hid in the tree, watching as the entire class laughed at his ambitions. Especially one blonde boy named Katsuki Bakugo. He seemed to know Izuku personally, maybe from childhood?
As the school ended, Guī saw that Izuku's notebook for the future was blown away from Katsuki, who threw it out the window. What he said after shook the old master to the core.
"You wanna be a hero so bad? I've got a time saving idea for you. If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life… go take a swan dive off the roof!"
He continued watching Izuku as he went outside and picked up his notebook from the Koi Fish pond. Guī then followed him through an abandoned tunnel, where he saw Izuku's head be held high, not being discouraged by Katsuki.
He jumped beside the abandoned tunnel and crouched against the side of the entrance to keep himself hidden. He peeked his head and watched Izuku walk through the short tunnel as a sludge villain came out and grabbed Izuku, pulling him into its body.
Guī saw as Izuku struggled to breath, he was about to attack, before the manhole cover was shot open to reveal a pro hero. But not just any old hero, but The Symbol of Peace: All Might. "Fear not, kid! I AM HERE!" The hero reels his arm back and screams out, "TEXAS SMASH!" The hero punches the air, causing the sludge villain to scatter from the air pressure, defeated. With great speed, he gathered the sludge villain into two empty soda bottles he had in his grocery bag. He then looked at Izuku, who was unconscious.
Guī sighed. He was glad that the kid was alright. The aftermath was just All Might trying to wake up Izuku and the young man frantically fanboyed to see his number one hero. However, as All Might tried to leave, Izuku caught hold of his leg last second before he blasted off into the air with a shockwave he left behind.
Guī smiled. That kid was crazy, and he liked crazy. The old man followed suit, landing at the fire escape of the building listening in on their conversation.
"Even without a quirk can I still be a hero?!" All Might stopped for a moment. "Can someone without a quirk become a hero like you?"
"Quirks are…" All Might then felt pain. Smoke started to engulf him as Izuku spoke. Smoke kept engulfing him until he was a skeleton of a man.
Izuku saw this and panicked. "You're all shriveled up! Huh?! A fake?! An impostor?! So thin!"
All might stare blankly until he spoke. "I am All Might." Although, the blood coming from his mouth didn't help.
"No way!" Izuku screamed, not believing him.
Guī heard All Might's story that happened a long time ago. He decided to keep the secret to himself, afterall it was All Might's request to not make it public.
"A pro should always be ready to risk his life. Without power, can one become a hero? No, I should think not." Izuku looked down, covering his eyes. "If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option." All Might wobbles back up, dusting some dirt away. "Those villain custody officers are often mocked but that too is admirable work!" Before he left, he spoke once more, "It's not wrong to dream. However… you need to be realistic, kid."
Guī hated to admit it, but it was the sad truth. With the current age of society, the hard truth hurts. The rest of the day was watching Izuku walking the streets of Musutafu, passing by the Tatooine Shopping District, but was caught with the big crowd surrounding the entrance.
They both saw the sludge villain capture Katsuki, they both saw the heroes not being able to do something, but Guī saw Izuku heroically running towards the danger. He wanted to help, but his trial was just getting started.
"My legs just started moving! Why? I dunno!" There were many reasons. But at that moment, "You looked like you needed saving." Izuku grabbed Katsuki's collar and pulled him out with his entire strength.
The sludge villain then tried to hit him, but was stopped by none other than All Might, "The lesson I left you with… I should practice what I preach!" The old hero ready his arm, "A pro should always be ready to risk his life!" He then punched the air, screaming, "DETROIT SMASH!"
All Might punched the air, creating a small hurricane, which, thanks to the air pressure, it was raining. The civilians witnessing everything cheered for All Might, as he silently looked at Izuku and his heroism.
Afterwards, the heroes collected the villain's scattered body. The police managed to get him into custody. The heroes were really mad at Izuku. Katsuki, on the other hand, got all the praise.
Izuku was walking back home, hoping his mom didn't flood the entire apartment like last time.
I wanted to apologize to All Might, but… Izuku thought, adjusting his backpack. I guess I'll just leave a message on his website when I get home.
"Hey, Deku!" Katsuki yelled behind Izuku. He rumbled and twitched. "I never asked you to save me! As if you could! Huh?! Well?! I could've beaten him myself. How dare a quirkless failure like you pity me. Trying to win me over?! Don't you dare mock me!" He then spinned around, "Stupid nerd!"
What a tough guy! He's right though. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't change anything. But still… he was glad. Now he can focus on a more realistic future…
But just as he nearly finished that thought, a hand reached out from nowhere and carried him towards a rooftop.
"I AM HERE!" All Might zoomed into the scene. He looked around for Izuku until he couldn't find him. "Where did he go?"
Izuku hit the ground. He looked around his surroundings and noticed he was on a roof.
"What just happened?" Izuku looked around trying to find someone responsible for his kidnapping.
Izuku kept looking until he noticed someone on top of the rooftop exit. "Yo!" Izuku scurried backwards, scared of what the man is going to do to him. "The name's Guī. You can call me, Master Guī."
"What do you want!? I have no money but I have some collectibles that can sell for a really high price!?" Izuku kept rambling on and on, which made Guī inpatient. Guī jumps up in the air and lands on the floor crouching, as a bright golden glow of a Yin-Yang symbol appears underneath him. "Is this your quirk?"
Guī got up to his feet, the circle disappearing, dusting away some dirt, "Nope, that was Qi. Here, have some mochi, on me." The old man hands Izuku a bag of mochi, which has many different flavors.
Izuku, pulling out his hero journal, said, "That's amazing! That golden glow looked almost magical in a way but there is no way it was magical and it looked like a Yin-Yang symbol so it must be related to Chinese ways. Also what is Qi?"
"Slow your roll." Guī said, laughing at Izuku's rambling. "Look, I have to tell you something before you answer. Um… I've been watching you."
"What?" He then tried to remember closely what happened today. He kept remembering all of the important stuff with All Might and how a shadowy figure was hiding in the tunnel, he then remembered feeling someone watching him on the roof, then the time at school in the trees. "Wait, you've been following me this whole time!?"
Guī laughed, nearly choking at a mochi he stole from Izuku's bag. "Man the look on your face, you're perfect!"
"Perfect for what?"
Guī finished his snack, "Perfect to be… my successor!"
"Uhhh? Are you sure you're alright?" Izuku then started to look around. "You've probably playing a prank on me. Am I in a reality show?"
"Listen, Midoriya. You ran straight into danger and you didn't die. And you did it without having a quirk. Not just anyone can do what you did." He then stole another mochi from Izuku's bag. "But you did."
"But it's like you said, I am quirkless."
"Phft! So what? You seem like you can handle yourself. After all, you passed my test."
"But I…" Izuku sighs. He started to remember his mistakes. He remembered what Katsuki did to him at school and with his other classmates. He remembers what his mother said when they found out he was quirkless. He remembered All Might telling him to give up on being a hero.
"Look, you proved everyone, even me, that someone who is quirkless like you could become something great. Just believe in yourself. Even someone like you, can become a hero. So, my offer still stands. You want to be my successor?."
Just minutes ago he was ready to give up on his dreams, but in that moment Izuku's only answer was…
"Yes! I want to be your successor!" Izuku felt impulsive, but he was angry at himself for nearly giving up on his dreams.
This complete stranger that followed him was telling Izuku what he wanted to hear for so long. Words that not even his own mother would have said to him as a child. "Starting tomorrow, I'll be teaching you Qi."