All Might, in his skinny form, was walking down the road while holding Akira's hand. His pace was relaxed as he guided the boy through different parts of the city, occasionally pointing things out like a tour guide trying his best.
He showed him a playground where children laughed and ran freely, a large mall filled with people going about their day, an ice cream shop with a small line of customers, a sweets shop filled with colorful desserts, and many other places that made up a normal, peaceful life—something Akira had never truly experienced before.
Akira walked beside him quietly, observing everything. He held a cookie in one hand, occasionally taking small bites as he watched the world around him.
His gaze shifted constantly—from civilians smiling and talking, to heroes patrolling the streets, to the overall atmosphere of safety that surrounded the area. It was peaceful…unbelievably peaceful compared to anything he had known.
They eventually stopped when a commotion up ahead caught their attention. A hero and a villain were fighting in the distance, their clash drawing a small crowd of civilians who stood at a safe distance, watching nervously.
All Might's expression subtly changed as he observed the situation carefully, his body still relaxed but his mind alert, ready to step in if things escalated beyond control.
Akira watched the fight for a few seconds before speaking. "What makes a person a hero?" he asked, turning his head slightly to look at All Might.
All Might was visibly surprised by the question and remained silent for a brief moment as he thought about his answer.
Then, slowly, he began to speak.
"What makes a person a hero is not their power or their quirk," he said, "It's their innate willingness to act… their selflessness… and their ability to smile in the face of fear, to give others hope."
"The essence of being a hero," All Might continued, "is taking action to help someone—even when it isn't your responsibility, even when it's dangerous."
His gaze remained fixed ahead, watching the ongoing fight.
"A hero acts from a place of service. Not for fame. Not for money. Not for approval."
"A true hero's body moves to save someone before they even have time to think about their own safety."
As he spoke, the fight in front of them reached its conclusion.
The hero landed the final blow, subduing the villain, and the civilians around them began cheering in relief and admiration.
All Might smiled slightly at the sight before looking down at Akira again. "You shouldn't think too deeply about that question right now," he added. "There are infinite answers to it. Every person has their own reason to become a hero."
After a brief pause, he asked, "Are you interested in being a hero?"
Akira looked at him for a moment before lowering his gaze, his thoughts drifting between his past life and his current one.
His voice came out quieter than before. "If I become a hero… will I be able to save people? Not just from villains… but people who are troubled by things that don't even involve villains?"
He paused slightly before asking the question that mattered the most to him. "Can I save people who went through things similar to mine?"
All Might froze for a second as those words hit him harder than expected. For a brief moment, he didn't see Akira standing in front of him—he saw his younger self instead, standing before his master, Nana Shimura, asking if a quirkless boy like him could become someone others could rely on. The memory passed in an instant, but the feeling remained.
"You can," All Might said firmly, his voice filled with absolute conviction. He smiled brightly and raised both his hands, placing his index fingers at the corners of his lips and stretching them outward. "And if you ever feel like you can't do it, or if things get difficult, remember to smile. It will help you."
Akira looked at All Might's smile. This was the first time someone had smiled at him with such genuine warmth. It wasn't forced, it wasn't fake—it was real. Something inside him shifted. The weight of his past, both from his previous life and this one, cracked ever so slightly. His lips moved just a little, forming a small, barely noticeable smile.
All Might noticed it immediately. His eyes widened for a split second before a delighted expression appeared on his face. 'Success!' he thought internally, trying his best not to show how happy he was.
Time skip.
Akira was now sitting inside Might Tower, across from Sir Nighteye—or rather, Uncle Mirai.
A chessboard was placed between them as Mirai calmly explained the rules of the game while guiding him through each move.
Akira listened carefully, quickly understanding the basics before making his move by pushing his rook forward.
A short distance away, All Might sat on a sofa with Gran Torino, speaking in a low voice. "See? Parenting is easy," All Might whispered confidently. "I just have to be myself."
Gran Torino sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead as he thought, 'He's definitely raising a red flag.'
His gaze shifted toward Akira, and his eyes landed on the diamond-shaped holes present in the boy's palm.
The sight made his expression turn serious. He leaned slightly toward All Might and asked in a low voice, "When are you going to tell him about his quirk?"
All Might went silent for a moment, thinking about it carefully before replying, "Tomorrow. I'll start training him in using his quirk."
Gran Torino nodded slightly, accepting the answer, and both of them continued watching as Mirai patiently taught Akira how to play chess.
[Give Quirk Ideas]
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