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…
"So, what's all this about being a hero?" Tatsuo asked, looking amused at the bedridden Suzaku, who sighed once he heard the question.
Suzaku shrugged his shoulders, looking at his teacher with a challenging look.
"I'm just planning to become a hero in the future. Got any problem with that?"
Tatsuo scoffed as a faint frown found his way into his face.
"I just never took you for a brat who cared about justice and the like"
"...I'm doing it for the money" Suzaku answered instantly.
Hearing that, Tatsuo grinned as if he had expected that answer.
"Haha… Of course, that's the brat I know"
Shaking his head while chuckling a little bit, Tatsuo then squinted his eyes as his voice turned a little bit icier.
"Either way, if your goal is to become a hero, then I hope you are not planning to become some mere third-rate hero. As my disciple, if you try to aim for anything lower than first place, you will be dishonoring the martial art that I so proudly perfected and benevolently taught you!
However, all Suzaku could do was deadpan at his teacher's expectations.
"Hey, aren't you asking for too much? Haven't you seen those All Might videos? Even if our martial arts are good, guys like him are on a whole another level"
"All I hear is a loser complaining… Though, you're not exactly wrong…"
Scratching his beard with a frustrated expression, Tatsuo groaned as he suspiciously glanced behind him at the room door, before turning towards Suzaku with a discontent expression and flashing a peace-sign-like hand pose.
"Then, I'll allow you to become a pathetic second place. Feel grateful!"
"You're becoming more and more senile as the days pass…"
Sighing with a smile, Suzaku rolled his eyes as he nodded faintly. "Alright, alright. Second place will be"
However, after he said that, an unknown voice suddenly came outside the door, startling Suzaku.
"Hoho! Those are some really ambitious goals!"
The startle only lasted a second or so, however.
After that, Suzaku glanced at the door with curiosity, feeling a certain feeling of familiarity with the stranger's voice.
'That voice, it sounds familiar…'
Though, he couldn't pinpoint exactly where.
-Creeeaaack…-
However, the need to guess never came, since before he could even try to recall, the door opened, and the person's identity was revealed while he entered with some difficulty to the room.
"I am here…!"
He even announced himself as well.
'All Might?!'
All Might, the hero number one of all Japan, and the so-called Symbol of Peace, had arrived at his hospital room and was standing right in front of him.
Seeing that, Suzaku couldn't help but be stunned for a second.
After all, someone Suzaku had only seen in the anime, and through some videos on the internet in this life, was now standing before him in the very flesh.
And so out of the blue at that! Couldn't he have told him he would visit him?
Suzaku felt like it was a surreal situation.
Especially because this was the first time he came across someone from the main cast of the anime.
Well, by now, 8 years after dying and who knows how many more since he watched the show's first season, he no longer could recall who the side characters of the show were, so there was the possibility he might have come across others without knowing. But, as far as his memory would recall, he hadn't.
He remembered the main character, that teacher with eyebags… And uh, well, the blonde brat with anger issues.
'My memory is trash…' Suzaku lamented as he realized he barely remembered anything worth noting.
Nevertheless, he had long come to accept that fact. So he simply shrugged off the issue of his bad memory and instead focused on the matter at hand.
All Motherfucking Might was in front of him.
He wasn't exactly a fanboy of his, but being in front of the biggest superhero of Japan—and maybe even Earth—was of course something that made him feel a tad nervous.
Specially because the man was the closest thing to a Demigod on Earth.
He could probably send him flying kilometers with just one punch, and that subconscious thought unnerved Suzaku a bit.
And his build didn't help to ease Suzaku either.
'He seems bigger than I imagined'
Seeing him up close, Suzaku also finally realized how much of a mountain he seemed in comparison with a normal kid like himself.
Heck, even Tatsuo seemed like a toddler in front of him, and that old man was not lacking in musculature despite being old enough to be senile.
His appearances on TV didn't do him justice.
He was like fucking Hercules doing cosplay.
Seeing such a guy, Suzaku wondered if those muscles were the result of some perilous training or the side-effect of his Quirk.
Maybe it was both.
'But why is this guy here?'
Seeing the most famous person in all of Japan—aside from the president—standing right in front of him, Suzaku felt curious about what he would want from a kid like him.
Of course, the usual intrusive thoughts imagined a few reasons for his visit.
'Let's just hope that this isn't the equivalent in this world of seeing Spider-man or the Avengers appear in your hospital room…'
Involuntarily upon having those thoughts, Suzaku touched his hair.
Still, he didn't voice his worries. He would appear weird if he did so.
However, while Suzaku's mind was busy imagining worst-case scenarios, All Might started ranting about the principles or values of a hero whatsoever.
Apparently, he had heard Suzaku's goal declaration earlier.
"... Becoming the second-best hero in Japan is not an easy goal, even if you have a really good Quirk!" All Might beamed as he put his fist on his chest like certain Titan-fighting soldiers often did. "... While strength is important, you also need bravery to afront the heinous acts of the villains you fight. Not to mention the courage and determination to prevail in the most perilous situations!"
He looked solemnly at the air, completely ignorant of the deadpan that Tatsuo was shooting at him from the side while he continued with his speech.
".... However, the most important attribute a hero must have—Is the ability to bring hope to people" He said as he looked absentmindedly at the air, before then turning to look at the speechless Suzaku. "We heroes are the only light that shines within the endless darkness that is evil. Sometimes, people get swallowed by that darkness, unable to even struggle. Which is why we are the only ones who can illuminate the path in front of them, and help them escape from the darkness…"
Saying so, All Might then looked at Suzaku with a wry smile.
"Money is an important part of life, young Suzaku, I understand that. However, the joy one gets in helping others is beyond that. If you can have that in mind, I'm sure you will become one of the best heroes in no time!"
All Might laughed loudly as he finished speaking before he shot a thumbs-up at Suzaku. Something that gained him a wry look from the kid, and a roll of eyes from Tatsuo.
'Damn, he heard me when I told my real intentions to the old man?'
Suzaku felt kind of embarrassed when he realized that he had shown part of his ugly side to the most famous hero in Japan.
Still, he had vowed not to care about the opinion of others a long time ago, so he forced himself to ignore that feeling.
It was an essential part of his decision to walk the path of a hero in this new world.
Otherwise, who knew how stressed he would become once the critics began raining upon him for small mistakes?
-Nod…-
So, in the end, he simply limited himself to not saying anything and simply nodded his head at All Might's words dishonestly.
While he did that, All Might glanced at Tatsuo who was standing a bit behind him, and shot him an apologetic look. Something that the martial arts master only responded with a faint nod.
"...!"
Seeing his agreement to whatever he agreed to, All Might turned to look back at Suzaku and began explaining the reason for his unforeseen visit.
"Now to the main point, young Suzaku, I've come to ask you a few questions!" He said while maintaining his characteristic wide smile.
'So he just wanted to ask questions… Phew…'
Something that eased Suzaku a lot, causing him to ooze a sigh of relief as soon as he heard him. All Might, however, only tilted his head slightly when he saw Suzaku's unusual action.
Tatsuo, on the other hand, laughed as if he knew what the brat thinking. He didn't say anything, however. He simply observed from the sidelines in silence.
-Creack-
Not minding Suzaku's reaction, All Might approached the bed where Suzaku was lying and sat down on the chair where his father had been sleeping not too long ago.
"I know it must be hard for you to recall those scary memories… However, I need your help!" All Might's fist tightened, glancing at the floor with a dejected expression. "There's a bad guy out there, someone who has caused pain to a lot of people… And with your help, I believe I can capture him!"
That caused Suzaku to raise an eyebrow, before then simply nodding his head as he continued listening to All Might in silence.
"... I have a reason to believe that the doctor who kidnapped you was a subordinate of that bad guy I mentioned… Which is why I need your help! Only you can tell me what evil scheme they were trying to accomplish by kidnapping you"
"...!"
At that moment, Suzaku's expression visibly hardened, as if All Might had touched a delicate matter.
"...Hmm"
Seeing his reaction, All Might frowned slightly. Feeling guilty about having reminded Suzaku of the painful memories he must have had in that laboratory.
However, he was currently desperate for answers, so all he could do was apologize to the young kid.
"Sorry if I'm asking for too much, young Suzaku…
In reality, though, he was simply misunderstanding Suzaku a little.
The reincarnator was simply contemplating if telling him about his body's peculiarity was a good idea.
'Damn… This topic again. Should I tell him? I mean, he is not a bad guy… and seeing how he was a good guy in the anime, I doubt he is actually some late plot twist villain who is acting like a hero…'
…
'Or is he…?'
His intrusive thoughts acted a little bit in the end, though.
Nevertheless, Suzaku ultimately ignored them and decided to tell him. After all, if this monster of a hero was the one in charge of hunting down that asshole of a doctor, and whoever was his backer, then he would gladly tell him everything (Except for the killing spree he caused down there).
The guy would solve terrorist acts in just a few seconds, and his strength was enough to crush entire mountains with a few punches. With a guy like that being the one on the lookout for the whereabouts of his kidnapper, he couldn't ask for more.
Hmm… Well, maybe kicking that doctor in the balls before they sent him to prison would make him happy too. He wasn't asking for much.
Though, he didn't mention those last thoughts.
So, heaving a sigh, Suzaku began explaining.
"... While I was imprisoned, that doctor said that the reason he kidnapped me was to turn me into one of those monsters with exposed brains. He said that due to my body being stronger than usual, he wanted to create an even stronger version of them…"
Then, stopping for a second, Suzaku tried remembering if that psycho had said something else.
And sure enough, a certain part of that doctor's monologue soon crossed his mind.
"... He said that since my body was stronger than normal, I would be able to hold onto more Quirks than those creatures. Though, I'm not sure what that exactly means"
"...!!"
The instant All Might heard those words, his eyes widened as an expression of shock emerged.
A tiny hint of rage was also visible for a second. However, he quickly hid it, and instead, simply grabbed his chin and began thinking in silence.
He didn't let Suzaku wait much, though, since soon, another question emerged.
"Would you tell me what your Quirk is, young Suzaku?" He asked, maintaining his serious expression.
Something that Suzaku didn't hesitate to answer. After all, his Quirk was funnily the most normal thing about him. A reincarnator with an abnormally powerful body, and impostor powers bestowed by an unknown deity of impostor-like appearance.
A glasses-controlling Quirk was pretty chill compared to all that.
So, without minding the worried expression on All Might's face, he began explaining.
"I can control the shape of these glasses" Suzaku pointed at the glasses stuck to his face. "I can also alter their color, their thickness, and even how much of my face they can cover all at once…"
However, when he finished explaining, he noticed that All Might seemed to be waiting for something, so he added "... That's it", just to make sure he understood that those were all the perks of his Quirk.
Something that quickly erased All Might's serious expression and made him look at Suzaku with a strange gaze.
Nevertheless, he didn't say anything and simply nodded his head as he continued to be lost in thought.
In the end, though, he stood up from the chair and smiled reassuringly at Suzaku.
"That was a lot of help, young Suzaku. This was exactly what I needed to continue with the investigation. I promise you that those who hurt you this time will be brought to justice! You have my thanks"
"Oh…" Suzaku nodded, not knowing what to say at such a declaration.
He wanted to ask All Might to let him kick the doctor in the balls if he managed to capture him, but remembering the whole hero speech from before, he restrained himself.
He was already a money-hungry child in the eyes of All Might, what good would do him if he also saw him as a ball-kicking avenger?
No good, that's for sure.
"Ahem!"
After finishing his questioning, All Might turned around and faced Tatsuo, who was looking at him with his arms crossed, before bowing slightly in evident gratitude as he spoke the next words.
"Thanks a lot for letting me talk to him, Tatsuo-san. It helped me a lot. I promise I will repay you"
Something that was answered cheekily by Tatsuo, who first thought in silence for a moment as if reminiscing something, before then smiling wickedly as he spoke.
"Repay me? If you want to repay me then get me a date with that hot model that debuted recently… hmm, I think her name was Ige Aika, at a 5-star restaurant as well… Oh, and if you would also pay for the motel, it would be great"
"T-Tatsuo-san…" Hearing him, All Might eyebrow twitched as his gaze darted between Tatsuo and the innocent eight-year-old Suzaku. Seemingly implying "There's kids present!"
However, Tatsuo's answer to that did not appease his mind in the least.
Rather, it just made him feel worse.
"I'm just joking… I can get that date whenever I want. I don't need a virgin like you to help me score"
"..." All Might looked downcast.
'This old man…'
Hearing his teacher mess with the hero number one of Japan, Suzaku couldn't help but see him in a new light.
He wasn't just an old man with enough age to be senile, he was actually senile already!
"Tsk"
Suddenly, while Suzaku was wondering just where an old man like him had come from, Tatsuo clicked his tongue, before he began shooing All Might with his hands.
"Alright, if you finished your business here, then leave already. I still have to beat up this student of mine who couldn't avoid getting kidnapped even after all I taught him"
"T-Tatsuo-san…" Hearing him loudly declare he would beat up a hospitalized kid, All Might couldn't help but look at Suzaku with a hesitant expression.
Was it okay to leave such a kid with someone like Tatsuo?
He doubted it.
However, in the end, All Might nodded his head and began leaving.
After all, he knew that although violent, arrogant, impatient, bad-mannered, rude, and sadistic to a degree , Tatsuo was by no means someone who would hurt a kid heavily.
…
At least not to his knowledge.
'... Huh…' Of course, all this exchange between the two did not escape Suzaku's eyes, who, seeing All Might obediently leave and the whole interaction between the two during all this time, wondered how that old man knew the famous Symbol of Peace.
Of course, he would just ask the old man for an answer. However, he could already imagine his haughty face and arrogant laugh the moment he dared to ask.
So he kept his curiosity to himself.
Either way, he was sure the answer wouldn't be anything grandiose.
After all, with how many years that old bag of bones had lived, it wouldn't surprise him if he had somehow managed to get acquaintanced with the hero at some point.
Deluding himself to believe that, Suzaku nodded his head, before he noticed that All Might was already at the door, bidding him farewell.
"I hope to hear of the hero you plan to become in the next few years, young Suzaku. Remember my advice, being a hero is much more than fortune and fame—"
"Ahem!"
However, a clearing of throat coming from Tatsuo was all it took to stop him mid-lecture and understand that he should leave right away.
"Ah, yes. Ahem, goodbye—!"
-Click-
However, just when he was about to leave, the door opened once again, and someone else entered the room.
".... Hey, son, there were only cans of Dr.Chili in the vending machine. Do you like them? I bought one in case you liked them, if not then I can just drink it myself—huh?"
Suzaku's dad had come back, and needless to say, the scene he came across when he entered made him speechless.
"All Might?!"
At that moment, Suzaku felt like the rest of the day was gonna be tiring.
…
-To be continued…-
(A/N: Sorry for the wait, I was napping)
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