Chapter 5 — Letter
A day later.
Kuro was now successfully able to leave Shiro's body. His spiritual state had grown stronger and solidified, allowing him to wander outside Shiro's body within a limited distance. Though, he was similar to a ghost that couldn't be seen or touched.
[Hey, I finished planning your exercise routine. It should be hard but bearable to the current you. Write them down. This is long because it also contains the nutritional plan you must follow.]
Shiro soon started to list down the words that left Kuro's mouth. Eventually, he couldn't help but ask a question.
"This is so detailed! What are you? A fitness instructor!?"
[I'm what people call a fitness addict. I used to be a member of a circle called Body Improvement Club. In that club, I learned about exercise and muscle from my seniors. They even held a crash course about nutrition so I could plan my own diet. Man, what an old, nostalgic memory…]
"I never expected you to be so knowledgeable about this kind of stuff."
[Yup! For some reason, my brain works better for muscle stuff.]
As they chatted, Shiro finally finished writing and organizing everything that Kuro had said.
When he gazed at the content, he couldn't help but feel scared internally.
"This looks so difficult… Can I really do it?"
Shiro wasn't confident on accomplishing everything everyday. Setting aside the amount of intense exercises he needed to do, he also needed to intake lots of foods along with protein shakes that made him nauseous just by looking.
[Baby steps! I know it's scary to start something new, but if you try it once even If you can't accomplish everything now, it's the effort you put in that matters. Trust me, you'll soon find this routine to be not as scary and hard as when you started. The efforts you put in will not betray you as bit by bit they accumulate into something greater.]
Kuro encouraged while patting Shiro's head.
"I'll do it…"
Shiro nodded as he had already longed to overcome his weakness.
[That's my Shiro!]
Kuro looked satisfied with that answer.
[Before you officially begin your fitness journey, you must remember to always repeat this special chant.]
He spoke in great seriousness.
"A chant?"
Shiro asked curiously. He wondered if it had any mystical effects of making the exercise much effective.
Kuro nodded.
[This is the chant passed down to me from my club seniors… The 'Body Improvement! Fight On!' Chant!]
"Why do I have to…?"
Shiro cringed at the thought of having to chant those words.
[Now, now. This chant has actually been proven to increase your focus and resolve when exercising. Why? Because it fills you with fighting spirit! Exercising isn't exactly pleasant for everyone, but saying this chant helps to strengthen your focus and resolve by constantly reminding you of your goal!]
"Now that I think… It does seem logical, similar to psychological self-suggestion."
[Now repeat it after me.]
Kuro took a deep breath from his diaphragm before shouting loudly.
[BODY IMPROVEMENT! FIGHT ON!]
"Body Improvement… Fight on…!"
Shiro repeated with a flushed red face.
[Where's your fighting spirit, huh!? Scream out your guts! Or did a worm already ate it away?]
For a moment, Kuro became like those strict military instructors.
"But it's embarrassing…!"
[I don't care! Thicken your skin! Oh, I have a good idea… Starting today, I'll make you exercise at public parks while saying the special chant!]
Shiro was so shocked that his expression paled like a ghost.
[Now, where's the shout!?]
"Body Improvement..! Fight on..!"
[Louder!]
"Body Improvement! Fight on!"
[MORE!]
"BODY IMPROVEMENT! FIGHT ON!"
Shiro shouted at the top of his lungs, causing even veins to visibly pop out of his throat.
[That's the spirit!]
Kuro smiled in satisfaction.
[How was It? Feels good, right? Shouting allows you to release everything you have been bottling inside of you. Things you normally want to hide and never want to show.]
Shiro went silent as he felt his heart beating rapidly. His whole body felt hot and light as his brain throbbed refreshingly.
Indeed, it kinda felt liberating…
[Now start running! Stamina is the king of fitness!]
And thus, his hellish training began.
…
A week later.
Tuesday, March 5.
"Shiro, your letter from the U.A. High has finally arrived!
Shiro was still sleeping when his excited mother abruptly barged inside his room.
At a glance, Shiro's mother had normal black hair and black eyes like many of the Japanese. The same went for his father who was frequently busy at work.
Shiro looked different because he was born with Albinism, but he inherited some of their good features.
"The letter is here? Really!?"
He immediately shot up from his bed to approach his mother. In the process, he almost fell clumsily out of his bed.
"Geez, calm down. The letter won't run away."
His mother laughed softly as she saw her son being clumsy as always.
"But your appearance sure has changed a lot this week. I thought it was your quirk awakening late, but the doctors said it wasn't…"
She was happy when she thought it was a late quirk awakening, but was quite sad when it wasn't the case as she knew how much her son wanted to awaken a quirk before. Although her son seemed to say he no longer need a quirk.
"However, I'm glad the condition of your body has greatly improved because of it… Though, I'm still worried…"
His mother was worried to see the sudden change of her son's appearance. After all, her son already suffered from albinism and an innately sickly body, so she didn't want a new one to arrive.
The change started when their son dreamed of wanting to become a hero again, applying for the hero department of U.A High School instead of the support department.
In the past, his hair was entirely white, but the left side of it slowly started to turn into black. Now the left side was completely black, while the right side was completely white. And overnight, his left eye that was previously blue turned into red like those of rubies
However, when they came to the hospital for a medical examination, the doctors didn't find any anomalies within their sons even after several tests.
In fact, their son's condition was proven to be improved. Not only did his skin complexion gain a healthy color, his previously blurry vision became clear and it wasn't no longer as sensitive to the light.
Aside from those, she noticed her son visibly growing taller. In just a week, his height increased by several inches. What amazed her further was to see her son starting to exercise and eat lots of foods as if his sickly body and weak metabolism disappeared. As a result, he appeared more healthy as he gained weight alongside some developing muscles.
Although the sudden changes in his appearance were rather concerning, she was still happy to see her son growing healthy and stronger. What kind of mother wouldn't? She just hoped such changes wouldn't turn harmful later in the future…
After a week, Shiro had finished inheriting the traits from Kuro, making his transformation finally complete. Moreover, after exercising for a while now, they guessed the Hero Crystal helped not only with the growth of their souls, but also with the physical recovery and growth of the physical body as their progress was improved effectively at a fast efficient rate compared to their initial estimation.
As for the changes, he couldn't think of a good reason, so he had to get medical examination to ease his mother's worries, leaving the explanation of the changes to the mysterious workings of genetics or mutations.
"Share the good news later, okay? I'll leave now so you can have your time with the letter. I don't want to ruin such a special moment."
[I suggest looking at the letter with her. I believe it's more fun and happy that way.]
As an orphan, Kuro thought such special moments should be shared with such loved ones to create beautiful memories together.
Shiro silently agreed.
"We can see it together. A shame Dad is still at work…"
"Geez, Mama really raised you right! Let's just tell your Dad about this later."
[Yup, open it now. I'm curious!]
Shiro nodded as he opened the envelope and saw a small circular metal disk.
"As expected of U.A High School, they used holographic technology even in their official letters…"
Seeing it, Shiro got the urge to dismantle and understand the mechanism behind it.
[I used to dream of owning holographic glasses and other stuff, too. Parallel world is really different…]
"Let's watch it now.]
The disk shone dimly before forming a holographic screen.
On that holographic screen, there was the Number One Hero, the Symbol Of Peace, All Might!
Shiro and his mother were speechless to witness this screen.
"Oh my, dear! All Might..!? What is he doing in the video?"
Shiro couldn't help but excitedly gaze at the screen.
[I wonder what's so great about this guy… Well, I thought you've quit the fanboy phase… Oh, that's why you still bother to keep those countless figurines and merchs in the basement…]
"..."
Shiro was quietly embarrassed. He wanted to threw those things away when he realized he couldn't become a hero like All Might, but in the end, he didn't have the heart to throw them away into trash.
[Hello, young boy! You're probably wondering what I am doing here on this screen just like many other students. Well…]
All Might puffed his chest and energetically pointed his thumb at his chest. His trademark pose.
"...I have been hired as a teacher at U.A. High School!"
"Unbelievable… U.A. High School was really the best school to join…!
Shiro was eager to witness All Might himself in his flesh. Not everyone could receive lessons from the Number One Hero itself.
"Young boy, I'm pleased to announce that not only did you pass the written exam perfectly, but you've also obtained first place in your practical exam!"
"Additionally, because of your selfless spirit to help other students gain scores for themselves, even destroying the zero-point robot in the process to protect them, the teachers who secretly judged the practical exam had decided to give you eighty rescue points!"
All Might looked at him in admiration and pride.
"Young boy, you are the first quirkless person to achieve these kinds of scores. In fact, you've performed better than anyone in the past. I'm proud of you!"
He showed a thumbs up with his usual flashy large smile.
"Congratulations, young boy! You've officially become a student at U.A. High School! I welcome you to the Hero Department!"
"Plus Ultra!"
With those last words, the holographic screen turned off.
"First place, Shiro! Even All Might praised you! My son… You really did well!"
His mother hugged him in tears after hearing those words from All Might. In the past, she remembered the times where she wept in secret upon witnessing her child crying in despair when he was told he was quirkless.
At that time, she thought it was her fault that he didn't have a quirk. She was a failure as a mother for not being even able to grant her son's greatest wish of becoming the greatest hero like All Might.
All she could do was hug him, not even being able to offer comfort or apologize to her sorrowful child. Because what could she say? Anything she would say would only end up hurting her son's feelings.
She remembered the times her son often returned home covered in bruises and wounds after being bullied by everyone in his school due to being quirkless.
Those were the times she didn't know what to do other than to protect him from those that harm him.
That's why they taught their son skill and knowledge in replace of power.
"Mom, look! Look at this first tool I created with Dad's help! With this, I'll become a hero that can protect you!"
To protect him.
'Yes, Mama and Papa will root for you, Mr. Handymight.'
Then, they witnessed how his dream was crushed once again after being constantly rejected and mocked to the dirt by those around him.
To protect him.
His wounds and constantly destroyed inventions were unbearable to see, so they protected him home. At the same time, they saw how their son lost his light and denied his own heart to accept the cruel reality, choosing another path in his life.
Others also experienced this reality, but for a child to realize it so early, it was simply cruel…
But now look at their child!
He got first place as a quirkless in a school where every aspiring hero with powerful quirks desires to attend!
Being constantly rejected and denied by everyone…
Using the skills they taught him…
Their son was shining once again, forging his own path to become the hero he dreamed of!
"First place?"
As his expression shook, he saw his name above all the list.
[Oh, we're first place? We performed better than I expected. I hope others from the same center as us also passed.]
"It's all thanks to you. Without you, I couldn't have done it."
Shiro wasn't arrogant enough to think he could obtain this result alone. Nor did he think he was better than those who scored lower than him.
After all, without Kuro's help, he might not have even passed.
[You've also played your part, so don't downplay yourself too much! This just shows you still have many rooms to improve. Baby steps, right?]
"You're right… So, I'll train harder."
Shiro was slowly loving the sensation of gradual improvement. Although exercise itself was still unbearable and unpleasant.
[That's the spirit! But comfort your mother first… She is a good mother…]
"Yes. The best Mom here is…"
Shiro tenderly gazed at his mother who was hugging him in tears while smiling brightly.
"Mom, stop crying. It's supposed to be a happy celebration with smiles. If you keep crying, I will cry too."
"T-These are tears of joy!"
She rubbed her eyes and smiled wonderfully at him.
"See? You look much prettier when smiling."
Shiro said while wiping the tears his mother couldn't wipe away.
"Ara, when did my Shiro learn how to be good with his tongue? Your starting to resemble your father when he was younger…"
His mother let out a bunch of 'fufufufu' soft laughs.
"Speaking of your father, I'll go tell him your results through a call. He would surely be proud of you!"
"Okay…"
Shiro smiled.
Later that night, they had a warm celebration.
[I, too, want chicken! I want to taste them!]
A pitiful soul cried.
…
After the inheritance of traits finished, Shiro and Kuro decided to finally transform into Hero X to see its changes. Now that Shiro finally inherited Kuro's traits, it also meant that his traits were completely inherited by the Hero Crystal.
"Henshin!"
A brilliant starry light exploded from his body as the Hero Space overlapped with the physical plane, covering his whole body within its domain.
As the light faded, the new appearance of Hero X was finally revealed along with its new additions.
Now satisfied with checking the new changes, Hero X experimented with its new form before realizing an unseen major change!
He smiled.
Now, it was time for school!
…
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