A Few moments ago…
Midoriya carefully placed Denki on the sofa as Jirou headed inside to check on the kids. By this point, Kaminari was completely knocked out, mumbling incoherent nonsense in his sleep.
"Oh, Kyoka… I love you…""Hana, your papa is awesome…""My boy… sensei will teach…"
Midoriya chuckled at the drunken ramblings but remained focused on settling Kaminari down. However, he was so distracted that he failed to notice someone else had entered the house—until he heard a loud thud behind him.
Turning around, he spotted a teenage boy with dark brown hair standing in the doorway. The boy had dropped the bottle he was holding, his mouth hanging wide open in shock.
Midoriya offered a polite smile. Ah, must be a fan.
"Hello, you are—" Before he could finish, the boy suddenly pointed at him, eyes wide in disbelief.
"W-WHAT THE HELL?!" he practically shouted. "D-D-D-DEKU?!"
Midoriya blinked at the reaction before his smile grew slightly awkward.
"In the flesh," he replied, his usual warmth returning.
For a second, he could have sworn the boy's eyes glowed.
"C-C-Could I-I-I g-get an a-autograph?!" The kid stammered so hard he could barely get the words out.
Midoriya let out a small laugh. Yep, a fan.
"Sure, kid."
The boy nearly lost his mind as he hurriedly handed over a notebook. Midoriya signed it, amused by how much the kid was trembling with excitement.
"OH MY GOD!" the boy gasped, clutching the signed notebook like it was a sacred artifact. "Thankyouverymuchthiswillbepasseddownasafamilyheirloomthroughoutmylineage!" He spoke so fast that the words practically blurred together.
Midoriya couldn't help but smile. The enthusiasm reminded him of someone.
"Seems like you got to meet him, Tetsuo," Jirou's voice came from behind.
Midoriya turned, realization clicking in his mind. So this kid's name is Tetsuo…
Watching the boy's sheer excitement, he couldn't help but think back to his first meeting with All Might.
It was nostalgic. And honestly? Kinda adorable.
All of them sat down as Jirou prepared some tea. Meanwhile, Midoriya and Tetsuo sat on the couch, engaging in small talk. The teenager had finally calmed down, at least a little.
"So, you're planning to join U.A.'s hero program?" Midoriya asked, slightly surprised. Heroism wasn't as popular a career choice nowadays.
"Yup! Kaminari-san has even been training me," Tetsuo replied proudly.
That was unexpected. Midoriya hadn't imagined Kaminari taking on a mentorship role. But now that he looked at Tetsuo properly, he could tell—the boy was well-trained. His physique wasn't bad either.
"Hmm… Tetsuo, mind telling me why you want to be a hero?" Midoriya asked. He knew it wasn't his place, but curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know what heroism meant to this kid.
Tetsuo lowered his head slightly, his fingers curling into his pants.
"I-I don't know."
Midoriya blinked, slightly taken aback, but he didn't interrupt. He waited.
"I think… as a kid, I thought being a hero was cool and all," Tetsuo began slowly, his voice unsure. "But I feel like there's something more to it."
Lifting his head, he met Midoriya's gaze. His eyes held determination, but also something deeper—something unresolved.
"If I have the power to save someone in need and I don't… then what's the point of having these gifts? That's what I think being a hero is, helping because I have the power to do so."
Midoriya listened carefully. There it was—his reason. A drive to help others, but not just out of admiration for heroes. It wasan obligation.
That made Midoriya pause.
Tetsuo had a good heart. That much was clear. But his view of heroism was risky. Yes, quirks were meant to be used for the good of society, but feeling obligated to save others suggested something more than just a sense of duty. It hinted at guilt, or perhaps a deeper burden that weighed on him.
But Midoriya had no right to push for answers. Not now.
Instead, he smiled.
"Well, Tetsuo, I'll be waiting for you at U.A.," he said. "And if you make it, I promise to take you under my wing for an internship."
Silence.
"You okay?" Midoriya asked after a moment.
Jirou walked in, placing a cup of coffee on the table. She glanced at Tetsuo and smirked.
"I think his system crashed," she said. "Give him a sec."
Suddenly—
"REALLY?! YOU MEAN IT?!" Tetsuo nearly shouted, eyes wide with disbelief.
Midoriya chuckled, giving him a warm smile. "Yes."
After some more conversation, Midoriya eventually stood up to leave.
"Well, see you at U.A., Tetsuo-kun."
"Thank you for driving us home," Jirou said, walking him to the door.
"No problem! And thanks for the coffee and snacks," Midoriya replied, pointing at the backseat of his car, which was now filled with neatly packed food.
"Ochaco will need this, you hear me?!" Jirou called after him with a grin.
Midoriya just laughed, waving as he drove off.
Jirou turned back to Tetsuo, who was still gripping his signed notebook like a priceless artifact.
"So, how was it?" she asked, amused.
Tetsuo exhaled sharply, eyes practically sparkling. "It was unreal."
A second later, he jumped up, fists clenched.
"U.A., HERE I COME!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Jirou watched him with a small, soft smile.
Somewhere far away…
A towering skyscraper loomed over the rain-soaked city of Tokyo, its glass windows reflecting the stormy night.
At the very top, in a lavish office, the golden insignia of Kurogane Industries gleamed on the wall—one of the world's leading manufacturers of quirk-related technology.
Behind a massive desk, Genji Kurogane sat in his chair, gazing out at the city below. Now in his mid-forties, the founder of Kurogane Industries carried an air of quiet authority. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest as he spoke.
"You must be ready, Ryo," he said, his voice steady but firm. "After all, you have a name to uphold."
Standing beside him was a boy with jet-black hair streaked with silver.
Ryo Kurogane.
His expression was unreadable, his posture straight.
"Yes, Father," he replied, his tone eerily devoid of any emotion.
Genji finally turned to face him, his sharp gaze unwavering.
"Show them what you're capable of. U.A. High is just the first step."