After Killing the Dragon we stepped through the Portal near the Bedrock structure, we arrived at the Village chief's house who congratulated us and even threw a party for us becuase after so many centuries the Curse had finally lifted. The Party was cut short as a notification appeared from the chat.
[Commencing transportation in 5 seconds]
After returning from the Minecraft world, I noticed something—our Minecraft inventory stayed with us. It was empty, and the small crafting interface was gone, but the inventory slots were still there. Odd, but not a huge deal. I didn't dwell on it much and decided to check the chat, curious to see what the others were discussing.
[@Web_Slinger: Yo, anyone else see that the inventory stayed with us?]
[@Byakugan_Princess: Yeah, but it's empty.]
[@Ten_Shadows: And we can't craft anymore.]
[@Spoiled_Brat: What's the point of keeping it if it's useless?]
I chuckled to myself. Tatsumaki was already annoyed, as usual.
[@Blade: It's probably some leftover from the system. Not much we can do about it. You can still use it to store things.]
[@Billionaire_Playboy: Focus on what matters. Check the system shop.]
Bruce had a point. The inventory wasn't the real concern—it was the shop. Everyone had been eager to see what the system had to offer after our victory in Minecraft. I opened the shop, hoping to find something worthwhile.
What I found, though, made my blood boil. Not because there was nothing good—oh no, there were plenty of incredible items. But the prices were absurd. I scrolled past things like a recalibrated Omnitrix and EA, the sword from Gilgamesh's treasury, but I couldn't even see the prices. All it said next to them was too poor to even glance at.
[@Blade: What the hell is this? These prices are insane!]
[@Web_Slinger: Right?! Everything's like a billion CP or more. No way we can afford this stuff.]
[@Ten_Shadows: The only affordable things are useless. Civilian-level chakra and… vampire bloodline? But you don't even get powers, just slow aging and death by sunlight.]
I grimaced. The system wasn't offering anything good unless you were willing to sell your soul for it.
[@Pottah: This feels like a scam. Everything worth having is out of reach.]
[@Spoiled_Brat: Obviously. Why would they give us good stuff for free? You think you deserve a free power boost just because you survived Minecraft?]
[@Pottah: Calm down, Tatsu. It's not like we expected to buy world-breaking gear right off the bat.]
I sighed and closed the shop, too frustrated to deal with it. Everyone was venting, but Bruce was as calm.
[@Billionaire_Playboy: Save your points. Don't waste them on temporary gains. The shop is designed to bait you into impulsive purchases.]
He was right. Still, it didn't make me feel any better about our current situation.
[@Ten_Shadows: Yeah, but how long do we have to wait before we can afford anything worthwhile?]
[@Web_Slinger: I saw a web-shooter upgrade that's cool, but… no way I'm saving up that long.]
[@Spoiled_Brat: Then enjoy dying with it.]
[@Pottah: Super encouraging, Tatsu.]
I couldn't help but chuckle at Rose's response. Tatsumaki was never one to mince words. After a few more grumbles, the chat quieted down, and I decided to head out for a walk. The students at UA were likely busy with exams, and I needed some time to clear my head.
The city was calm today. People went about their business, and for once, everything seemed peaceful. After wandering around for a bit, I spotted someone familiar—All Might in his "Small Might" form, sitting on a bench in an empty park.
"All Might!" I called out as I approached.
He looked up, startled at first, but when he saw me, he smiled. "Ah, Shiro! It's good to see you."
"Good to see you too. Wanna grab some lunch?"
All Might thought for a moment, then nodded. "Lunch sounds nice. I could use a break."
We found a small, quiet restaurant not far from the park and took a seat in the corner, away from the crowd. For a while, we made small talk—discussing UA, the students, and their progress. But soon, the conversation turned more serious.
"I've been hearing rumors," All Might said, his tone shifting. "The League of Villains has been more active lately. It worries me."
I nodded, sensing where he was going with this. "You think All For One is behind it?"
His expression darkened, and he nodded slowly. "I fear that he's planning something. The League's movements are too calculated. It feels like they're preparing for something bigger."
A chill ran down my spine at the mention of All For One. I was stronger than him no doubt, but was I strong enough to protect the people around me?. Even without having met him personally, his reputation alone was enough to instill doubt.
"You think he's going to make a move soon?" I asked.
"I don't know," All Might admitted. "But we have to be prepared. If he's truly coming back, we need to be ready for the worst."
I sat back, processing what he said. The thought of All For One making a comeback didn't sit well with me. I wasn't afraid for myself, but for the people around me—those who didn't know the full extent of his abilities. And speaking of abilities...
Hearing him speak about the looming threat triggered something inside me. My mind wandered back to the moment I had been knocked unconscious after the nuclear explosion. I remembered waking up in a place I hadn't expected. I found myself lying on a woman's lap, a women i knew very well in my past life—my mother. She looked older, her dark brown hair streaked with grey, and her once bright eyes had dulled with age. It had been the first time in years that I had allowed myself to cry.
"I cried so hard, clutching her like I was a child again," I muttered under my breath, my voice thick with emotion.
"Sorry, what was that?" All Might asked, leaning in slightly.
I shook my head and forced a smile. "Nothing, just remembering something."
But the memories kept flooding back. When I saw my mom, all the emotions I had been bottling up inside of me for 19 years came rushing to the surface. I had spent so much time trying to cope with the new reality of this life, trying to push through the loneliness, the guilt, the sadness of never seeing my family again. I had been suppressing it all. The fear, the sadness, the guilt—it had been eating away at me, and I hadn't even realized it.
I remembered how, in that dream or vision or whatever it was, my mom had patted my head, comforting me. She asked me how I was, if I was eating properly, if I was taking care of myself. We talked about everything that had happened in my second life, and then she asked me the question that hit me the hardest.
"What's holding you back?"
I was stunned. At first, I didn't know how to respond. She continued, asking if I was afraid—afraid that I couldn't handle the danger, that I would die again. Or was it something deeper? Was I scared that if people found out the truth about me, they would abandon me? Was I terrified of ending up alone again, like I was in my last moments of my first life?
When she asked if I was afraid, I shook my head. But when she asked if I was afraid of abandonment, I froze. I had never admitted it out loud, but I knew, deep down, that it was true. That was what had been holding me back this whole time.
Seeing me hesitate, my mom had smiled softly, rubbing my hair like she used to when I was younger. "My son was never someone who hid from his fears. He never ran away or lied to the people close to him. The only thing holding you back is yourself, honey. Don't be afraid. Even if we're worlds apart, I will always be with you."
I blinked, coming back to the present. All Might was looking at me with a concerned expression, but I waved him off.
"Sorry, just… thinking about something important."
He nodded, though I could tell he was still worried. "If you ever need to talk, Shiro, I'm always here for you."
"I know. Thanks, All Might."
We finished lunch, and I bid him farewell. As I walked back to my home, my mind was racing. That conversation with my mom, real or not, had opened my eyes. I couldn't keep hiding anymore. I couldn't keep holding myself back out of fear. The people around me—the ones who trusted me, who supported me—they deserved to know the truth. I needed to show them what I could really do, who I really was.
As I stepped through the door of my home, I took a deep breath and sat down, my thoughts racing. How was I going to do this? How was I going to reveal my powers and abilities to everyone? I had no idea how they would react, but one thing was clear: it was time for the truth.