--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Izuku's P.O.V.)
Two years. Two long, grueling years since the day my family threw me out like garbage. I still remember the way they celebrated my banishment, their laughter ringing in my ears as they turned their backs on me. I remember Izumi's cold words, her sneer as she wished I had never been born. Those memories fueled me through the dark nights, kept me going when the cold bit at my bones and hunger gnawed at my stomach.
Life on the streets is a cruel teacher. At first, I thought I could handle it—I thought I could survive on my own. But the reality was harsher than I ever imagined. The streets of Musutafu are unforgiving, especially to someone like me. I was just a kid, quirkless and alone, easy prey for anyone looking to take advantage of the weak. The world doesn't care about people like me, and the heroes… they're no different.
The heroes I once admired, the ones I dreamed of joining, are nothing but hypocrites. I've seen them with my own eyes—turning a blind eye to crimes, taking bribes, even participating in the very acts they claim to fight against. The truth is, they only care about their image, about being in the spotlight. The real heroes, the ones who truly care about saving people, are few and far between. Most are just in it for the fame and money.
There were times I was sure I'd die out here. I've been beaten, robbed, and left to freeze in the rain. I've had to scrounge through trash bins for food, eating whatever scraps I could find. Showers? The closest thing I've had to that is standing in the rain, letting the cold water wash away the grime as best as it could. My clothes are nothing but dirty rags, torn and filthy, but I still have my old shoes. They're worn out, barely holding together, but they're the only thing I have left from my past life.
My hatred for them, my so-called family, grows with each passing day. They didn't just abandon me—they erased me. To the world, Izumi is their only child, the heir to the throne. They've hidden the fact that I ever existed. It sickens me to my core, but I promise myself, one day, I'll make them suffer for what they've done to me. Even if it's the last thing I do.
I wander the streets aimlessly, my thoughts consumed by anger and pain. I don't care what happens to me anymore. No one does. I'm just another lost soul in a city full of them. But I refuse to give up. I won't let them win. I'll survive, somehow. I have to.
(General P.O.V.)
As Izuku continued to walk under a bridge, the sky darkened with the approach of a storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the air was thick with the smell of rain. He clutched his stomach, the pangs of hunger almost too much to bear. He hadn't eaten in days, and the constant gnawing in his belly was a cruel reminder of his dire situation.
Suddenly, a sludgy form emerged from the shadows, oozing across the ground toward Izuku. It was a villain, one of the many petty criminals that roamed the streets, preying on the weak and defenseless. Izuku's heart raced as he tried to back away, but the villain moved too quickly. Before he knew it, the sludge was wrapping around his legs, pulling him down to the ground.
"Help!" Izuku's voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. But he knew it was useless. No one would come for him. No one ever did.
The sludge began to engulf him, its foul stench filling his nose as it tightened its grip around his chest, making it hard to breathe. He struggled, kicking and thrashing, but it was no use. The villain was too strong, and Izuku was too weak.
As the world began to fade to black, something inside Izuku snapped. All the anger, all the pain, all the hatred he'd been holding in for years surged to the surface, a white-hot fury that consumed him.
His vision blurred, and he felt a searing heat spreading through his body, starting from his chest and radiating outward.
(Izuku's P.O.V.)
The heat… it's unbearable. My body feels like it's on fire, like I'm burning from the inside out. But the pain… the pain doesn't matter. Nothing matters anymore. I can't die here. I won't die here!
And then, everything explodes.
(General P.O.V.)
In an instant, Izuku's body ignited, flames erupting from every pore. The heat was so intense that the sludge villain recoiled, screeching in pain as the flames licked at its gelatinous form. The bridge was bathed in an orange glow, the air crackling with the sound of burning fire. The villain tried to retreat, but it was too late. The flames engulfed it, burning away the sludge until nothing was left but a charred, smoking mess.
Izuku's body was a beacon of fire, his green eyes glowing with an otherworldly light as the flames danced around him. For a moment, it was as if he was the fire itself, a living, breathing inferno. But just as quickly as it began, the fire began to sputter out, leaving him standing in the middle of the scorched ground, steam rising from his body.
His vision blurred, and the world tilted dangerously to one side. He swayed on his feet, the adrenaline that had fueled his transformation draining away, leaving him weak and exhausted. As his legs gave out and he crumpled to the ground, the last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a figure landing in front of him, a giant of a man with a broad grin and a booming voice.
"All Might…" Izuku whispered, his voice barely audible as he finally succumbed to the darkness.
(General P.O.V.)
All Might stood over the unconscious boy, his usual smile fading as he took in the scene before him. The villain, or what was left of it, had been reduced to a smoking pile of sludge, the area around them charred and blackened by flames. But it was the boy who held his attention—the one who had somehow unleashed that power.
Kneeling down, All Might carefully picked Izuku up, his eyes softening as he cradled the boy in his arms. "You've been through a lot, haven't you, young man?" he murmured, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.
Without wasting any more time, All Might sprang into action, leaping away from the bridge and heading straight for the nearest hospital. He couldn't leave this boy out here alone—not after what he'd just witnessed. As he soared through the sky, his thoughts raced. Who was this boy, and what kind of quirk did he possess? Whatever the answers, All Might knew one thing for sure: this boy was special.
And he was going to make sure that whatever had happened to this boy, it wouldn't happen again.