Chapter 7: A Flicker of Hope

Izuku Midoriya—Deku—wandered through the bustling town square, his thoughts swirling as the noise and energy of the other players washed over him. Despite the commotion, he felt more isolated than ever, his mind still locked in the shadows of the past. It had been months since Melissa's death, and yet, the pain felt as raw as it had the day she had slipped away from him. He carried her last words with him like a weight—"Become the hero of Aincrad."

He had tried. For months, Deku had fought on the front lines, pushing himself harder and harder, but it hadn't erased the grief. It hadn't filled the empty space Melissa had left behind. And then there was Asuna... Why was she so worried about him? He was just a stranger to her, a cold and distant player who kept telling her to get lost.

Why couldn't she just let him be?

"Deku!" a familiar voice called out, pulling him from his thoughts. It was Klein, one of the few people who still spoke to him with any warmth.

Deku turned, forcing a small smile as Klein jogged over, his ever-present grin lighting up his face. "Hey, man, you've been hard to find lately. Thought you were avoiding us," Klein joked, clapping a hand on Deku's shoulder.

Deku shrugged, the forced smile fading quickly. "Just... busy. You know how it is."

Klein gave him a curious look but didn't press. "Yeah, sure. Busy grinding, I bet. Anyway, a bunch of us are grabbing some food later. You should come. It'd be good to hang out with people for a bit, ya know?"

Deku hesitated, glancing away. "Yeahh. I'll... think about it. Thanks."

Klein studied him for a moment longer before nodding. "Alright. You know where to find us if you change your mind." With a friendly wave, Klein disappeared back into the crowd.

Deku stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. He had no real plans other than continuing his solo journey through the next floor. It had become routine for him—wake up, fight, survive, repeat. There was no room for anything else, and yet... something tugged at him.

Asuna's words echoed in his mind. She had been trying to reach out to him, to understand him. But he had pushed her away, just like he did with everyone else. He didn't know why it bothered him so much—she was just another player, someone who would eventually move on from this game, from him. And yet, he couldn't stop thinking about the look in her eyes, the concern she showed even after he told her to stay away.

With a frustrated sigh, Deku made his way toward the outskirts of town, hoping to clear his mind with some quiet. But as he reached the edge of the plaza, a loud, energetic voice cut through the noise.

"YO, MIDORIYA! Is that you, my man?"

Deku's head snapped up, his eyes widening as he spotted a tall figure with spiked blonde hair and vibrant green shades striding toward him with a wide grin plastered on his face. It was none other than Present Mic, or in SAO known as WaveKing. Present Mic was one of loudest and most recognizable pro heroes. Deku had met him briefly before, though they hadn't spoken much. Seeing him in Aincrad felt surreal.

"Present Mic?!" Deku blurted out without thinking, his voice betraying his shock and excitement at seeing one of his favorite pro heroes in the game. His fanboy instincts breaking through his cold exterior before he could stop himself.

WaveKing—Present Mic—let out a loud laugh, shaking his head as he threw his arm around Deku's shoulders. "Kid, keep it down! Not everyone here knows who I really am. Most people just know me as WaveKing, and that's how I like it. Not everyone's a hero fanboy like you, y'know?"

Deku winced, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry... I just... I wasn't expecting to see you here."

WaveKing waved off the apology, his grin wide and friendly. "Relax, kid, I'm just messin' with ya. So, what's got you all gloomy, huh? You've been walking around with a cloud over your head for a while now."

Deku tensed slightly, caught off guard by the hero's casual energy. For a split second, the familiar voice of Present Mic from the real world brought back a flicker of excitement inside Deku. But just as quickly, the excitement faded, and the reality of the situation hit him. This wasn't the same world. This wasn't his old life.

"I'm not... I mean, I'm just—" Deku tried to speak, but WaveKing interrupted him.

"Relax, man," WaveKing said, his tone softening a bit as he pulled away to give Deku some space. "I've been keeping an eye on you, ya know. And I gotta say, you've been looking pretty down lately."

Deku blinked, surprised by how direct the hero was. "I... I'm fine."

WaveKing raised an eyebrow, his green shades catching the sunlight. "Sure you are," he said, clearly not buying it. "Look, kid, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but it's pretty obvious you're carrying some heavy stuff. You don't have to pretend with me."

Deku's shoulders slumped slightly, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him. He hadn't expected to run into WaveKing, let alone have a heart-to-heart with him. But something about the hero's presence—his unrelenting positivity—made it hard to keep up the act.

"I guess... I just don't know what I'm doing anymore," Deku admitted quietly, his voice barely audible.

WaveKing tilted his head, his grin softening into a more thoughtful expression. "You wanna talk about it?"

Deku hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I... I had this dream. It seems stupid now, but... I always wanted to be a hero. Ever since I was a kid, I've looked up to All Might. I wanted to be like him—to save people with a smile, no matter how hard things got. But... then I got trapped here."

Deku paused, glancing at his feet before continuing. "And... even my name in here, 'Deku,' it was a stupid glitch." He let out a bitter laugh. "I wanted my username to be something cooler, like 'Medoru,' but the system bugged out and changed it to Deku. The same stupid name my former best friend, Kacch- Bakugo, gave me." he paused briefly before starting again.

It's another way to spell my name.. It-it means 'useless,' and I should've realized right then... it was a bad omen. I ignored it, thinking it was just a game. But here I am, stuck with it."

WaveKing stayed silent, letting Deku speak, his expression thoughtful as the boy continued.

"I should've known better. I was useless in the real world, and... I'm useless here, too," Deku whispered, his voice growing weaker. "I thought this game would be an escape, a chance to prove myself. But it just keeps proving me right. I was useless then, just like I am now."

After a brief pause Present Mike spoke, "Mydori-" before getting cut off by Deku.

Deku's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I'm quirkless. I've always been quirkless. And no matter how much I trained, no matter how hard I worked… it was never enough. People laughed at me, told me I'd never make it. Even my friends… they turned on me."

WaveKing listened quietly, his usual exuberance replaced with a more serious demeanor. He knew better than anyone how hard it was to chase a dream, especially when the world seemed determined to tell you no.

"And then this game," Deku continued, his voice shaking slightly. "I thought it would be an escape—a place where I could prove myself. But… I couldn't save her. My best friend… she was... she was the only person who really understood me, the only one who didn't see me as the useless waste of space everyone else did, and she was quirkless, just like me. Of all places to find here it had to be in this god-forsaken world. We were supposed to get out of here together, but I couldn't protect her. I failed her... and now I'm in a world that doesn't have quirks and I'm one of the strongest, and yet I still couldnt save her."

WaveKing's expression softened as Deku spoke, his heart aching for the kid. "Midoriya, I'm sorry you went through that. I really am. Losing someone… it's one of the hardest things in the world."

WaveKing's expression softened, his heart going out to the kid who was carrying so much guilt. He stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Deku's shoulder.

"Kid, let me tell you a story," WaveKing said quietly, his voice losing its usual bombastic tone. Deku glanced up at him, surprised by the sudden seriousness in the hero's voice.

"There was a time when I was a lot like you," WaveKing began. "Back in high school, I had this friend. His name was Oboro Shirakumo, and he was one of the brightest, most positive guys I'd ever met. We did everything together, trained together, dreamed of being heroes together."

Deku listened quietly, his eyes widening slightly. He had heard of Shirakumo before—another hero fan had mentioned him in passing—but he didn't know much about the story.

"We were both working under a pro hero for a work-study. Everything was going great... until one day, it all went wrong," WaveKing continued, his voice growing quieter. "We were on a patrol, just like we always were, but that day, things got out of hand. We got separated... and Shirakumo didn't make it."

Deku's breath caught in his throat. The weight of the story hit him hard, and he could see the pain flickering in WaveKing's usually cheerful eyes.

"I blamed myself," WaveKing admitted, his voice rough. "I thought... if I'd been faster, or stronger, or just more prepared, I could've saved him. But the truth is, even the greatest heroes can't save everyone. And that includes the people they care about most."

WaveKing took a deep breath, his hand tightening on Deku's shoulder. "But the real heroes... they're the ones who keep going, even when they've lost someone. They get back up and keep trying, no matter how much it hurts."

Deku swallowed hard, his throat tight as the weight of WaveKing's words sank in.

"I'm not saying it's easy," WaveKing continued. "But that's what being a hero is about. It's about pushing through the pain, the doubt, and the loss. It's about remembering why you wanted to be a hero in the first place, and honoring the people you couldn't save by never giving up."

Deku's eyes were wide, and his chest ached with a mixture of emotions—grief, guilt, and, for the first time in a long while, a glimmer of hope. He hadn't expected this conversation with WaveKing to be so profound, so deeply personal. But hearing about someone else's loss, especially from a hero like him, made it all feel a little less isolating.

"But... how do I do that?" Deku asked, his voice trembling. "How do I move forward when it feels like everything I do is a reminder that I couldn't save her?"

WaveKing smiled softly, his usual energy tempered with empathy. "You take it one day at a time. You remember why your friend believed in you, why she saw you as someone worth fighting alongside. And you use that to keep going. You'll never forget her, and you shouldn't. But you can't let that pain be the only thing you carry with you."

Deku sniffed, looking up at WaveKing with a small, uncertain smile. "You really think so?"

WaveKing grinned, his usual enthusiasm returning as he patted Deku's back. "Hell yeah, I do! You've got the heart of a hero, Midoriya. I've seen it. Even in this game, you've been looking out for people, whether you realize it or not. Don't let the darkness swallow you, man. There's still light to fight for."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Deku felt a flicker of hope stir inside him. The weight on his chest didn't disappear, but it felt just a little lighter with WaveKing's words. Maybe... maybe he could still be the hero Melissa had believed in. Maybe he wasn't completely lost. He could still find a different path. Even if it wasn't the one he initially hoped for in the beginning.

Deku straightened up, wiping away the last of his tears. "Thanks, WaveKing. I... I needed to hear that."

WaveKing patted him on the back, his grin as wide as ever. "Anytime, Midoriya! You've got this, man. Don't forget who you are."

For the first time in months, Deku allowed himself a small smile. He wasn't sure if he was ready to fully let go of the pain, but maybe, just maybe, he could take a step forward. He might not be able to save everyone, but he could at least save as many as possible.

As the sun began to set over Aincrad, casting a warm glow across the floating city, Deku found himself wandering aimlessly through the path of a forest. The conversation with WaveKing lingered in his mind, a small spark of warmth in the cold isolation he had imposed upon himself. For the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of his old self—a version of Izuku Midoriya who still believed in dreams and heroes.

While Deku stood silently in the peaceful forest clearing, the echo of Present Mic's parting words still lingering in his mind. A soft breeze ruffled his black cloak, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt lighter. His thoughts, once heavy with guilt and self-doubt, were now buoyed by a small flicker of hope. Maybe he could do this—keep going, keep fighting, and somehow honor Melissa's memory.

As he started to walk, the crunch of gravel beneath his boots filled the quiet space, and his eyes scanned the lush trees around him. The sun was beginning its descent, casting golden light across the world of Aincrad, and for the first time in months, Deku felt a strange warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the artificial sun.

"Well, if it isn't the silent hero!"

A loud, cheerful voice broke through his thoughts. Deku turned to see Klein approaching, his usual grin plastered on his face. Klein jogged over, his red bandana tied securely around his head, a symbol of his ever-present enthusiasm.

"Hey! Imagine running into you twice in one day... I should buy a lottery ticket," Klein said, catching his breath as he reached Deku. "Thought you were avoiding us or something."

Deku smiled—an actual smile. It felt good, if a little foreign. "Avoiding you? Well maybe.. uh-I guess you could say I'm a work in progress.

Deku continued, "Still running around getting into trouble?"

"Oh, always," Klein grinned. "But you know me, trouble's just my middle name."

Deku raised an eyebrow, his voice teasing as he responded, "I thought it was 'hopeless.'"

Klein blinked, taken aback by the playful jab. "Whoa, did you just... did you just make a joke?" he asked, his grin widening in shock. "What happened to the brooding, quiet Deku I've been seeing for months? This new guy... he's, I don't know, warmer or something."

Deku scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed but still smiling. "Warmer, huh?"

Klein nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I mean, not that you look like—well, I don't want to say you usually look like shit, but... you kinda did."

Deku laughed at the bluntness, his face flushing slightly. "Oh, so I usually look like shit? Thanks for that."

"Ah, crap, I didn't mean it like that!" Klein said, waving his hands frantically in front of him, but his own laughter soon joined Deku's. After a moment, the two calmed down, the light-hearted banter easing into a more comfortable silence.

Klein's expression softened as he looked at Deku. "But really, man... what happened? You seem... different."

Deku hesitated for a moment, his gaze dropping to the ground. He didn't want to get into the full story—wasn't ready to—but Klein's concern was genuine, and for once, Deku felt like opening up, even if just a little.

"I've just... been going through some stuff," Deku said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still trying to figure things out. But for the first time in a while, I think... I think I'll be okay."

Klein's smile softened. "Well, that's good to hear. Honestly, it's like you're a completely different person. Not that I didn't like the old you, but this version seems... happier."

Deku smiled shyly, his voice quieter. "Maybe you can get used to it?"

Klein chuckled, slinging an arm around Deku's shoulders. "Oh, I could get used to this real fast! Seriously, it's good to see you like this, man. We all need those moments when we can just... breathe, you know?"

Deku nodded, the warmth in his chest growing. It felt good—talking to someone, even if he wasn't fully back to who he had been before. There was a balance he was slowly finding, and he was grateful for friends like Klein who gave him space but still reached out when they could.

"Hey," Klein said after a beat, his grin returning, "I was actually gonna ask—my guild's about to head out on this new quest we found. You should totally come with us! We could always use a strong guy like you, and I swear you'd love the rest of the guys. Plus, it'd be fun!"

Deku's smile faded slightly, and he shook his head. "I appreciate it, but... I don't think I'm ready for something like that yet."

Klein sighed, clearly disappointed, but he nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that. Still, you can't blame a guy for trying, right?"

Deku chuckled. "No, I can't."

"How about to make me a promise instead then," Klein said, his tone more serious with a hint of playfulness. "If you ever decide to quit the solo life, you come join us. We'd be happy to have you."

Deku's eyes softened, and he found himself laughing softly. "Alright. I promise."

Klein seemed satisfied with that, the lightheartedness returning to his face as he let his arm fall from Deku's shoulders. "So, what's next for you, then? Got any big plans?"

Deku glanced out over the rolling hills, the horizon stretching endlessly before them. His expression grew thoughtful, his voice quieter as he spoke. "I'm still working toward the same goal. To clear the game. But... I think I'll just go wherever it seems like I'm needed."

Klein's grin widened. "Now that sounds like a plan! You'll always find someone who needs a hero, especially in a place like this."

Deku smiled, but his mind drifted momentarily to Melissa. She had believed in him—believed he could be the hero of Aincrad. And now, for the first time in a long while, he believed it too, even if just a little.

"Guess we'll see," Deku said, his tone lighter. "I'll just take it one day at a time."

Klein gave him a firm pat on the back, his grin as wide as ever. "That's the spirit! Well, I gotta head back to my guild. But don't be a stranger, alright?"

"Yeah, I won't," Deku replied, his smile lingering as he watched Klein start to walk away.

Klein paused for a moment, turning back to give Deku one last wave. "Take care of yourself, Deku. And don't forget—promise is a promise. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find us!"

Deku chuckled, raising a hand in return. "I won't forget."

With that, Klein turned and continued on his way, disappearing over the crest of a hill. Deku stood there for a moment, watching the sunset as it bathed the landscape in a warm, golden light.

For the first time in months, the weight on his shoulders didn't feel so heavy. He wasn't completely healed—far from it—but the warmth of the setting sun reminded him that he wasn't alone in this fight.

"Wherever I'm needed, huh?" Deku muttered to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He glanced back at the path Klein had taken, then turned his gaze forward, toward the horizon. There was still so much to do, so many floors to clear, so many people to help.

But for now, he would take that first step. And possibly he'd find a way to become the hero Melissa had believed in.

AUTHOR NOTES: Thought it would be fun to throw Present Mic in there. He seems like the type of person who'd play SAO, and he definitely fits for this chapter. Also gonna be throwing in my own chapters here and there that don't take place in the SAO franchise. Mainly because they will be introducing other MHA characters into the world of SAO. Have a good one :)