HERO WAY

Today in class, our tutor asked the question most students had been eagerly anticipating.

—Well, everyone, as the school year comes to an end, you'll need to submit applications to the schools you're aiming for, and with that, what you want to become.

The word "hero" quickly filled the room. The teacher wasn't surprised at all. He referred to some tests we had filled out months ago, asking about our preferences.

—Aizawa —the teacher called out to me with a smile—, you're planning to apply to UA, right?

—Yes —I replied, averting my gaze to the empty desk on my left.

—That's amazing! —voices began to say—. You'll definitely make it; you're so strong! —Your quirk is awesome! —Then came the comment I didn't want to hear—. And your dad's a pro hero.

It was true, his father was the pro hero Eraser Head. His father wasn't known for being sociable or seeking fame; only true fans knew him. It wasn't that Daiki hated his father, despite their complicated relationship. What he hated was being linked to a hero. He didn't like it much, even though he had decided to become one.

An hour later, classes ended, and he took the subway back home, where he lived with his mother. His parents divorced when he was little, and he was raised by his mom. He saw his father occasionally, as his hero work left him with little free time and a difficult schedule. His mother, Mai, was the head of a well-known insurance and alarm company. Daiki had inherited much of his quirk from her, though ultimately it was a blend of both parents'.

He had been training for seven months, with three months left until the exam. He felt confident about the theory but nervous about the practical portion. It's hard to predict how you'll perform when placed in a new situation. And he wasn't going to ask his dad for help—this was something he had to do on his own.

———

UA's campus was enormous.

Several students were walking toward the briefing session before the practical exam. We had taken the written test a few days ago.

—I noticed a weird kid with green hair talking to himself in the middle of the entrance —I thought—; there's all kinds of people, I guess.

It was Present Mic who explained the practical exam. At first, it sounded simple.

—Fifteen minutes in a city-like area with three types of robots worth different points, plus a fourth type that's worth nothing —he explained.

We were split into different districts so students from the same school couldn't help each other, then bussed to the starting points.

The sheer size of the gate alone was intimidating. We all waited patiently for the siren to sound and the gates to open. As soon as they did, I created a small black cloud with my darkness to move faster and more effectively search for robots. When I encountered one, I used solidified shadow tentacles to destroy it with relative ease, tiring myself out a bit but conserving most of my energy. I had reached 60 points when the zero-point robot appeared.

—For something we're supposed to ignore, it's enormous —I noted—; like a building.

It emerged on the next street over, occupied with attacking another group. But things weren't going to go smoothly for me.

The robot smashed through everything in its path, causing a building adjacent to our street to sway dangerously. There were people beneath it, trapped under debris. Everyone started running, but I froze, watching in horror as the building began to collapse. No one turned back to help the two people trapped.

—I recalled the news of the accident from a year ago, and my body began to move on its own.

I ran, panicking as I tried not to trip, until I reached those who couldn't escape—a girl with short purple hair and a blond boy who appeared unconscious. A beam pinned the girl's legs.

—Are you here to help us? —she asked, struggling to free herself from the beam.

—That's what I'm going to try. We need to hurry.

While lifting the boy into my arms, I used one of my shadow tentacles to remove the small beam from the girl.

—Can you walk? —I asked.

—I think my leg's broken —she replied.

—Alright, don't panic about what I'm going to do.

Chunks of the building began falling rapidly. The girl was surprised to feel herself levitate—a kind of black smoke was carrying her. We started moving, me carrying the unconscious boy and the girl floating on a cloud of darkness. I wanted to use my dark smoke to carry myself as well, but I couldn't focus on that now. We got away just in time before a massive cloud of dust engulfed the area.

—Is everyone okay? —I asked, coughing as we reached safety.

—I think so —the girl replied.

—Great —I said, setting them down before sitting myself—. I've earned a little break.

—Thank you for everything. What's your name?

—Daiki. Yours?

—Jirou.

—Hope to see you in class, Jirou-san. If we survive this, that is.

———

Daiki was sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone. A towel hung around his neck, and his wet hair dripped—he had just gotten out of the shower. The UA practical exam had left him exhausted, and he planned to go to bed early.

His plan was disrupted when a figure appeared at his window, landing in his room. Startled, Daiki sprang off his bed, activating his quirk and flooding the room with black smoke. Though his quirk let him sense the intruder, it obscured his vision.

—So this is what it feels like to have your quirk erased. Interesting.

Daiki quickly recognized the drowsy voice—it was his father. Deactivating his power, he reached for the light switch. As the room illuminated, Daiki studied the man before him: messy black hair, dark eyes, black clothing, and a perpetually sleepy expression.

Once the initial shock passed, anger replaced it.

—What are you doing?! Why didn't you knock? You scared me to death! —he shouted.

—Not bad —his father remarked, looking around the room—. Good reflexes.

—Good reflexes?! Are you insane?

—I called your mom and talked to her —his father said, changing the subject—. I'm a bit hurt. You didn't tell me you were taking the exam. I thought you didn't like heroes.

—I've changed my mind… though I still don't like most of them.

Daiki began to calm down. Apparently, his decision to take the hero exam had caught his estranged father's attention.

—If you'd told me, you could've gotten in by recommendation. But from what I've seen, you didn't need it. I think you'll rank first.

—Really? —Daiki asked, stunned.

His father smiled slightly before looking away.

—Why do you want to be a hero? What caused such a sudden change? —he asked seriously.

Daiki clenched his jaw, making a great effort to conceal his emotions.

—That's personal —he said, meeting his father's gaze—. It's none of your business.

—I'm your father.

—When it suits you —Daiki retorted.

For a moment, Daiki thought he saw a hurt expression flash across his father's face, quickly replaced by his usual serious demeanor. With a sigh, his father softened his tone.

—Daiki, listen to me —he began—. I'm worried about you. I'm afraid you're making a mistake. Do you remember the last time we saw each other? We argued, and you told me all the things you despised about heroes. You were right about most of it. What I want to say, son, is that being a hero is a hard life. You're strong, you have a good quirk and a big heart, but being a hero is more than that. Don't get me wrong—I'm not saying you're not good enough. But look at me as an example. You sacrifice so much in this profession. Are you sure you've thought this through?

This was probably the first time his father had ever given him an important talk—similar to the one he'd had with his mother, who had also expressed concern.

—You have me as an example. You sacrifice so much in this profession.

For the first time, Daiki wondered if he had been too harsh in judging his father.

—I understand your concern, Dad. But I've made my decision, and I'm certain about it —he said firmly—. I'm going to UA and becoming a hero. So please, you and Mom… support me.

His father stared at him for a moment before moving toward the window he had entered through.

—The letter will arrive in six days. Don't be late for your first day.

With that, he jumped out the window.

Just as his father had said, Daiki received the letter, revealing his first-place ranking with 84 points, thanks to some unknown hero points. Tomorrow, he would visit his best friend's grave—he had something important to share.

This was the beginning of his journey to becoming a hero.

Keep reading to know more about Daiki's quirk, past and his way on becoming a hero!!