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Chapter Text

Author's note:

I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, or Boku no Hero Academia.

Mount Paozu, Saturday, March 28th Age 766/2522 [1]

The scene opens in front of a house located in the middle of the mountain where we can see a nine-year old child with dark long hair that reaches his thighs, dressed in a purple gi and bronze grass shoes, standing next to the door house wearing a large hiking backpack, waiting passionately for his father to join him.

"Gohan, you're ready?" called a masculine voice from the inside.

"I'm outside waiting for you, dad," responded the kid, now known as Gohan.

Then, out of the door, came a male in his late twenties, wearing an identical backpack to his son. This man was none other than Earth's mightiest hero, the man who put an end to the Red Ribbon Army, killed the Demon King Piccolo, and avenged his race by defeating and humiliating Frieza, the destroyer and ruler of multiple galaxies across the universe: Son Goku.

Next to him was a woman of the same age with a purple dress that has an orange cloth tied on the top and a yellow sash. Her black hair was tied in a high bun and coming down on the sides. This woman was the boy's mother and Son Goku's wife: Son Chi Chi.

Two years ago, a warrior by the name of Trunks came from the future to warn the Z-Warriors and humanity in general of the arrival of the Androids; war weapons created by Dr. Gero to avenge the RR Army by killing the Saiyan and his friends. Trunks informed them that they have three years until the day of the battle will come. Since then, Earth's mightiest heroes have been training nonstop to be prepared for the upcoming danger.

However, today will be different. After a few attempts to make his wife agree on his plans for the spring, Son Chi Chi was at last convinced to let her husband and son take a few days break of farming and studying respectively to camp in the woods. All three of them together as a family. It was a bit hard for Goku to do so, basing on the fact that she still remembers the danger they faced in the last time they were sleeping in the woods when Cooler arrived with his squadron.

"So, can we go now?" asked Gohan, "I don't wanna leave Killin and Oolong waiting."

"Sure thing, Gohan," replied his father, "The faster we move, the higher chance for us to find a good place in the mountains."

"Goku-san, I guess I don't have to remind you to watch over our son in the trip," said Chi Chi.

"Mom!" cried her son in embarrassment, "I can watch over myself!"

Saturday, March 28th Age 766/2522, 10:25 a.m. at the camp

The sun was in the middle of the sky, sending her rays to the forest sneaking through its trees, and reflecting on the nearby running river. The birds were singing next to the blooming spring flowers that attached them thanks to their sweet scent. It was a beautiful day outside.

The group made it to what seemed to be a secret isolated spot away from all the noise and crowded areas of the other families and field trips. Krill in and Oolong were setting the tents while Chi Chi was preparing their launch. Having two Saiyans with her means to start cooking early. Goku, on the other hand, was busy trying to a catch a few good fishes for dinner with his bare hands.

"Krillin, Oolong, haven't you two settled the tents yet?" called the woman with annoyance, acknowledging how long they've took.

"We would've, if someone worked as hard as I'm doing!" responded the bold human while giving his pig friend a stare.

"Don't look at me that way! I'm just so worried!" yelled the pig-man back before looking around him with worry, "This is the same scenario that happened last time before that Coomer guy or whatever was his name attacked us. Are you sure there aren't any villains near us, Goku?"

The Saiyan, who was still in the river, answered: "I'm not sensing any bad energies nearby. Even if the worst happened, I'm sure we'll deal with it."

"You're always like that. Taking things so simple and easy. Why did I even agree to come with you," sighed Oolong.

"Goku-san," called the woman for her husband, catching his attention, "Can you go and look for Gohan-chan? He' s been in the woods for a long time."

"A long time? It hasn't even been half an hour since he went there," the pig-man thought.

"Don't worry, Chi-Chi," answered the Saiyan, "I told him to be here by noon. Let him have some fun out there."

"You Saiyans," the wife groaned, "You're always reckless and take things easily."

"Come on, Chi-Chi. Let the boy enjoy his time," Krillin added, "We don't always get to camp here every day. Also, Gohan is a strong kid. Even stronger than me. There's nothing on the planet that can harm him."

The woman sighed in defeat. She knew that she can't change Goku's mind. She knew her son will probably be safe. And she knew he needed to take a break from studying and training. Maybe she also needed a break. So, she decided to let it go and enjoy the beauty of nature for a while.

A while earlier, in the forest

The nine-year old kid was sitting on a tree branch, observing his surroundings. In that position, it can't be said that there was much to see, but it was enough. A calm place, full of life, far away from battles and deaths for survival that became part of his life and ruined his innocent childhood. For him, there was no such a thing better than enjoying peace as long as it lasts, even if it was only for a short amount of time.

Then out of sudden, he heard the sound of a child's crying coming from down the tree. Without wasting any time, the half-human jumped from his place and flew down slowly, landing next to the source of the cry.

It was a kid of his own age, wearing a red T-shirt and blue shorts. His hair was fluffy and dark green, resembling the color of the trees. Gohan couldn't tell how his face looked like, due to him covering it with his hands while sobbing.

The poor child was busy shedding tears that he didn't notice Gohan approaching him with a concerned look. "Hey, are you alright?"

The little boy took it by surprise. He didn't feel the presence of anyone near him at all. He slowly moved his hands and lifted his face to meet eye-to-eye with whoever found him, giving the Son child a clear vision of his face.

His freckled face was clearly red from hard sobbing and had large watery green eyes marching the color of his hair. Instantly, Gohan felt pity for him and extended his hand to him with a smile. "Here. Let me help you."

The eight-year-old boy hesitated at first, but then - realizing that whoever this is, he clearly has the intention of helping - took his hand, allowing the older one to pull him up to his feet.

The two stared at each other for a few moments, allowing them to analyze each other. For the green-haired one, he just saw a kid his own age - probably a bit older based on the little gap in height between them - with dark hair with strange clothes smiling at him as if he was saying that everything was gonna be okay.

Goku's son decided at last to break the silence between them and said: "My name's Gohan. What's yours?"

The kid just kept staring with watery eyes before answering with a broken voice while wiping a tear of his right eye: "I-I-Izuku... I-Izuku M-Midoriya... N-Nice to... m-meet you..."

"Hey now, no need to cry. Whatever the problem is, I'm sure I can help you," assured the hybrid, wiping the rest of his tears of his face, "Are you lost or something."

Izuku did not answer. He just nodded calmly.

"Okay. We're getting to a point. Why don't you tell me from where you came? It'll help me find your place."

Midoriya started recalling the events that led to him getting here in the first place, trying his best not to cry again. "I... I came here with my mom today. We... we were sitting at the tent. T-Then I heard that some other kids entered the forest so I... I followed to find them and maybe play..." He turned around and squeezed his eyelids shut in hope to catch his tears and prevent them from escaping, but they already did. "I couldn't find anyone, so I decided to leave... But then I lost track... A-And before I knew it, I dwelt even further and..." His face spoke more than his words did. It was more than enough for Gohan to understand that this child got separated from his mom. He knew the horrible feeling he was facing now. After all, he also got separated from his parents at the age of four.

He couldn't take it anymore, so he pulled him into a one-sided hug and started tapping on his back, reassuring him. "Now, now. It's fine. I'm sure we'll find your mom. No need to cry like this."

Izuku didn't know how to react to this. He felt calm and safe in this strang- Gohan's embrace like he never he felt before, as if it was the feeling a child will have when sleeping with his parents after saying a nightmare. He was trying to calm him with a smile, just like All Might.

In fact, this is the first time someone his age treated him nicely like a human being. Ever since his so-called friends and classmates found out he was Quirkless, he became their victim number one in bullying in all its forms: weather through insults, punches, threats... But again, he doesn't know yet he's Quirkless. Will he treat him the same if he knew? He doesn't know.

"Wait, hold to me," commanded the hybrid, his arms still wrapped around Midoriya, "I'll fly with us to see where your camp is."

"Huh, y-you can fly?" asked the kid in confusion. Gohan gave him a nod as an answer and before he could react, he didn't feel the ground under his feet anymore and when looking down, he saw the ground move away from him. Panicked, the first thing his instincts told him to do was to hold tighter to Gohan.

"STOP! PLEASE!" Izuku cried. "I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

"Hey, easy there!" Gohan said. "It's gonna be okay, I promise. I won't let go of you that easy. Also, I think we found your camp."

Slowly, the green-haired kid opened one eye at a time and had full vision of his surroundings. His eyes widened from the sight. Never in his life had he ever got the chance to see the forest from this height. Without thinking, he let out a deep 'Wow' escape his mouth and kept watching the view until he spotted the field trip, he came with not so far away from them.

"That's it!" Midoriya yelled, pointing to the direction. "That's where mom is!"

"Well, hold on." The Saiyan said. "I won't move so fast, so we'll get there in a minute or two from now." Then he flew with him to the camp.

When the two almost reached it, they were almost deafened by the voice of a woman shouting in a what sounded to be a panicked tone, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WASN'T WITH YOU?!"

"Is that...?" Gohan asked.

"Yes. That's mom's voice!" the boy responded with happiness. "Hurry up, Gohan!" The hybrid did as he ordered and increased their speed a bit. In the end, there's nothing worse than a sick worried mother.

Meanwhile, with the field trip, Inko Midoriya has almost fainted. Her body was shaking, eyes full of tears, a million scenarios playing in her mind. The children in front of her, whom she thought her son was playing with, informed her that they didn't see him at all and that he didn't join them.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Midoriya," one of the boys said, "we didn't see him when he followed us. Maybe he didn't get deep inside the forest and is still nearby."

"What's going on here?" A man asked with worry, all the other families joining him. "Mrs. Inko, is there a problem here?"

The mother didn't respond. She was in a mental shock now. How not and her son, her ONLY child, the child that she was blessed with, the only family member she's living with, could be lost in this large forest. Or maybe worse! Maybe he's sitting on a cold rock crying, hungry, his clothes muddy and torn apart, wild animals watching him from afar! She couldn't imagine how much her child is suffering right now.

"Dad," a little girl said in a worried tone, "I think there's a child that got lost here."

"WHAAAT?!" All the adults yelled in union.

"Quick! Somebody calls a local Hero!"

"We don't have time until they arrive! We must start by forming a rescue team NOW!"

"Wait!" A woman screamed, her head looking to the air above them. "Look! I think it's the kid."

Instantly, at the mention of her son, the broken mother got out of her shock and joined the group in looking to the sky. She saw her little Izuku flying in midair by another boy of his own age. The two then reached the ground where Gohan let go of him. The kid ran at full speed into his mother's lap and hugged her, glad that he found her at last. The woman, once proceeding what happened, busted into tears of joy and hugged her son back.

"IZUKU! MY DEAR BOY! PLEASE DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! I ALMOST THOUGHT THAT I'LL NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!"

"It's okay, mom." The kid reassured her. "I'm fine now. My new friend Gohan saved me." The woman, alongside the others, turned in response to the boy in mention. In the split of a second, he was surrounded by all the kids his age who kept interrogating him with awe.

"Do you have a flying Quirk? That's awesome!"

"How did you find him?"

"How could you find him in such a deep forest?"

"How come you saw him between the dense trees?"

"Alright that's enough, kids," the forest ranger (who's been keeping an eye on the trip) called, approaching the hybrid, "Young man. I'm proud of what you've done, but it's dangerous to wander the forest alone. Tell me, where's your guardians?"

"You mean my parents?" the kid responded, "We actually live in the woods. On Mount Paozu to be specific. And don't worry. They know that I'm here."

"Mount Paozu? Well, that explains it," muttered the ranger, "Okay, kid. I thank you again for your help. Now everybody lines up. We must make sure that we haven't lost any more children. Come on."

The campers started to move to where the man was pointing, preparing for a headcount. As for the hybrid, after making sure that everything was fine, prepared to leave before a familiar voice stopped him.

"WAIT!" The Saiyan turned back and saw the same kid, Izuku Midoriya, waving for him to stop. The Saiyan approached him and asked, "What is it now, Izuku?"

Midoriya didn't know what to say now. At first it seemed like a good idea. But now, he kind of regrets it. He wanted to ask Gohan to stay a little bit longer. But now that he thought about it, they barely know each other. Just because Gohan saved him doesn't mean he wants to play with him or even be friends with him.

He lowered his head avoiding eye contact with him, he's freckled cheeks blushing in embarrassment, words trembling in his mouth.

"I... I was... I was thinking if..."

"If what?" Gohan asked.

"I think he wants to play with you," a voice said from behind Izuku. The green-haired kid looked back only to find his mother standing behind him with a warm smile. She leaned on her knees and lowered to her child's level, putting both her hands on his shoulders. "Your name is Gohan, right?" The older kid nodded in response. "I really thank you a lot for bringing my son back. But could you please stay and play with him a bit? I'll really appreciate it if you do."

The Half-Saiyan looked between the mother and her son - who was hiding his face in his hands from embarrassment - and took his decision. "Okay. If he wants to, why not."

Izuku moved his hands, revealing his face in process, not even trying to hide his surprise. "Y-You mean it?"

"Of course!" Gohan responded with a smile. He approached his new hand and pulled his right arm, leading them to an open field. "Come on. I have 'till noon to play. We can play catch there or sit next to a tree and talk together."

The younger boy felt his heart melt. This is the first time someone treated him nicely since like... forever. If it was a dream, he didn't to wake up from it. At least he can enjoy it as long as it lasts.

His mother, Inko Midoriya, was keeping an eye on them, a shaky wide smile on her face and her tears threatening to flood the entire mountain. At last, her little baby boy has a friend to play with.

"THIS IS SUPER COOL!"

The green-haired boy stared in awe at the small Ki ball Gohan has formed in his hand. This was the first time in his life he saw such a Quirk like this; a Quirk that depends on a person's living energy and can manipulate that energy in many forms, whether in turning it into speed, increasing the user's strength, create what seems to be a laser beam that has the power of a bomb, or even fly by forcing Ki underneath him!

"I know. Isn't it?" Gohan said with a smile. "Be careful and don't touch it. This thing is hotter than boiling oil."

The boy shuddered and pulled his hands back. Still, visible amazement was clear on his face.

"I can't believe this! How could you manipulate your energy to perform float?"

"Simple. I force Ki underneath me, creating a pressing force that pushes me high in the air like a jet or a helicopter."

"Using life energy to push you upward while keeping your balance!?" Izuku exclaimed. "Endeavor can do the same but he can't keep his balance properly in the mid-air! But you, it rather looks more like floating! Wait, hold on a second!"

Instantly, Izuku vanished towards his tent and returned in a matter of seconds holding a notebook in his hand and a pencil in the other. He sat down back in his place, opening the notebook, and turned to Gohan with sparkles in his eyes.

A confused Gohan stared at him and then at the notebook before asking, "What's this?"

"Oh, this? It's my 'Hero Analysis for the Future'!" Izuku responded proudly. "When I observe a Hero or a Villain in action, I examine their Quirks and fighting style so I can learn more about them. It's like a habit, you know. Right now, this is my third notebook. So, mind if I ask you some questions about your Quirk? Please."

At that point, the younger boy was pleading with his puppy eyes, which the hybrid couldn't resist because... who would say 'no' to such an adorable face?

The Saiyan chuckled at his friend's gesture of pleading, giving his agreement. "Fine. I can't let you down now, can I? It's as if cuteness is your Quirk."

Quirk.

At the mention of that word, Midoriya dropped his head, looking at the ground beneath him in silence. He remembered all the comments and insults he kept hearing his entire life. People telling him his useless, he can never be a hero, he should give up on his dreams...

You should probably give it up.

I'm sorry, Izuku! I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

What can you even do? You're Quirkless!

A small tear escaped his eye but didn't go unnoticed by the hybrid.

"Izuku, what's the problem?" Gohan asked with a worried tone. "If it was something I said, then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Gohan," interrupted the younger kid, "will you mind me asking something?"

"Wh-? Of course! Go ahead."

"Do you believe that... someone can be a hero... without a Quirk?"

Gohan looked surprised, not expecting this kind of questions. "That's it? If he really wants to be a Hero, then I don't see why not."

"I'm serious, Gohan!" Izuku cried, tears streaming from his face. "Can a Quirkless nobody like me even dream of being a Hero who inspires hope from those in need with a smile?"

"Izuku!" Gohan said, putting both his hands on his friend's shoulders, "You throw that idea off your mind now! You're not a nobody and you're anything but useless! You don't need a stupid Quirk to be a hero! Now tell me, how many Pro Heroes are physically strong without the need of their powers?"

The phrase caught the boy off guard. He never thought of that before. The Pro Hero Eraser Head for example can beat villains with Mutant type Quirks despite the fact that his own Quirk, Erase, doesn't work on that kind of Quirks. He only relies on his strength and skills.

"I'm not sure if you know this," Gohan continued, "but the Number One Hero: All Might in fact doesn't rely on his power boost Quirk most of the time. His normal level of power is enough to capture countless villains and saves citizens with easy [2]."

At that point, Izuku was shocked. How come he never remembered this!? All Might, his idol and world's greatest hero of all time, never went to use his full power in a fight because he saw it as unnecessary. Yet, his feats surpassed the likes of Endeavor at full power with no difficulty.

But Gohan was far from over.

"Listen, I know that no Quirkless Hero has ever came to the spotlight before, but not because they can't, but because no one has ever tried! They always give up that easy 'cause they can' t handle all the criticism they face in their lives. If you, my friend, believed in yourself, you'll definitely achieve your dreams and more! You'll be a pillar of hope for the society! You'll prove for the world that anyone can truly be a hero!"

The green-haired boy was speechless. Never did anyone before tell him to not give up. Even his mother didn't believe in him. And let's not get started with his former best childhood friend, Kacchan, who once discovered that Izuku is Quirkless, while he has an Explosion Quirk, forgot completely about their past and bullied him, treating him as his punching bag.

But Gohan? They knew each other for less than a day and yet the older boy didn't mock him or show arrogance for having a powerful Quirk. On the contrary, he told Izuku to move on and follow his dreams.

The kid couldn't handle the happiness inside of him and threw himself in Gohan's arms, wrapping his around his neck and pulling him for a one-sided hug.

"Thank you!" Izuku cried tears of joy. "Thank you, Gohan. Thank you for believing in me!"

The Half-Saiyan was caught off guard by this act of kindness, but he didn't mind at all. He smiled and pulled his new friend for a full hug. "I just told you the truth. Believe me, I have a feeling that one day, we will both become the greatest heroes in history! And we will both stand up with our hands high in the air and scream: We Are Here!"

Midoriya chuckled and tightened his embrace. It was cool to imagine both of them together after years from now, saving the world together as a team. "Yes, we will. So... can we start analyzing your Quirk now?" The boy asked sheepishly.

"Absolutely!" Gohan answered.

The two then sat and leaned next to each other, enjoying their time together. Unbeknownst to them or anyone else, two mysterious figures were watching them from afar. Somehow, no one could see them or sense them at all.

"Perfect," the first one said, "They've met just like in the original history."

"Yes, even though some details are different," added the second.

"This is how things most go, remember? You change something in the past, you cause a butterfly effect. Also, things must go this way if we want them to be prepared in time."

"Indeed. Little do these two know, but they will carry the fate of an infinite number of multiverses. I suggest we go now and see how it went in Universe 6, shall we?"

Monday, May 17th, Age 767/2523, Midoriya Appartement

"Sadly, 'till now, the heroes couldn't locate the villain who has caused the death of no less than 400,000 humans. According to some reports by witnesses, he was last seen near Musutafu city in Japan. The Hero Public Safety Commission of the country orders the civilians of said city to stay in their houses for a few other days until further notification, and to NOT open the door to anyone or even approach the window when hearing a voice. The heroes will deliver you food and medicine daily on 12:00 a.m. Don't approach the door at all at any time but that.

The villain in question has an unregistered Quirk that permits him of flying, shouting laser beams, absorbing life... The limits of the Quirk are unknown. Hundreds to thousands of heroes have met their fate at the hands of this monster. If anyone has any information that can help locate him or if you witness him near your house, please call 110."

Inko Midoriya, who has gotten a bit shorter and gained some weight in the past year, has been sitting on the sofa in the living room with her son in her lap, trying to maintain her sanity and not show her fear at all. She could feel her child, Izuku, trembling and even crying in terror of what's happening. She didn't want to make him more nervous than what he already is.

Ever since that villain appeared near their city, the HPSC ordered the inhabitants to enter a quarantine level where no one leaves or enters the house. And how couldn't they do that? With a villain walking freely outside who killed hundreds of thousands of innocents in only three days, they should do anything to guarantee people safety.

"M-Mom," she heard her little boy ask, his eyes are tearing from fear, "W-Why doesn't All Might f-fight this villain and s-stop him?"

"I... I don't know, sweetie," she answered him, trying to calm him with a smile, "Maybe he's not... feeling O.K. lately. I'm sure as soon as he gets better, he'll put an end for him," she raised her fist into the air and encouraged him, "Remember what he says, PLUS ULTRA!"

A small smile appeared on the little boy's face. He raised his fist into the air and joined her: "Plus-"

Boom!

The pair turned their faces to the television in shock once hearing the explosion voice. The reporter thankfully wasn't on its sight, but he was trembling with fear when he was approached by a bug-like creature. Who held some resemblance to the monster that was feared in Japan.

"Kore wa gurōbaru burōdokyasutingu nyūsudesu ka?" spoke the stranger.

"W-What!?" the man asked while shaking, clearly not understanding a word.

"I'm sorry," corrected the humanoid in English, "I asked, is this the Global Broadcasting News?"

"Y-Yes," answered the reporter before gathering enough courage to stand up and try to run away while yelling for help, "Q-Quickly! Somebody call the security or the Her-" Sadly, he couldn't finish his phrase, for the unauthorized visitor lifted one of his fingers and fired a Death Beam at all those who were in the studio, killing them on live.

All those who were following the news have almost got a heart attack from the scene and those who still could move attempted to turn off the T.V. or change the channel, until they gave up when the murderer started his speech: "If I was you, dear watcher, I wouldn't change the channel 'till you hear what I'm about to say, for it is very important.

This is a message sent to the entire Earth from me, Perfect Cell. I know, I know. You must be asking: Mr. Perfect Cell, who are you? We never saw you before. Well to answer that I ask you to take a close look at me. Do any of you notice that I look familiar? If you do then congratulations, you're right! 'Cause I am the evolved form of the monster who absorbed 450,000 men to gain enough bio energy to reach this form, so thanks to those who sacrificed their life to help me."

The viewers froze in shock. This is the villain who terrorized all of Japan in a couple of days? And did he say that by each victim he absorbs, he gets stronger!? Their minds blew up imagining how strong he became after killing such a large number of people, including heroes and villains, no less.

At the time, the heroes all around the world has been informed of terrorist's attack on the global T.V. station and changed the channel to see what he's planning, while those who were settling in the city ran as fast as possible to his direction to stop him.

Meanwhile, in a luxurious skyscraper located in Japan, dozens of computers were circled by multiple Pro Heroes who were watching the news as soon as they've took notice of the attack. The majority of them had heat type Quirks so it's no wonder that the owner of the agency, who just entered the office through a large wooden door, had also a fire type one. In fact, he had a flame beard on his face that he used as a mask to cover himself.

"Sir!" shouted one of the sidekicks, "Quickly! You have to see this! It's the villain we've been searching for!"

The man walked to the closest desk to him wearing an aggressive face and pushed those who were standing there and blocking his view.

"Move!" he ordered them.

"So anyway," continued Cell through the screen, "The reason why I'm here is because, since my goal is to search for fun by fighting powerful opponents, I'm announcing a martial arts tournament." The majority of those of were watching were confused. This is it? He killed all those people just because he wants to have some fun? He must be a psychopath for doing so! "The rules will be the same as the Tenkaichi Budokai tournament held in Japan. For those who don't follow it, the rules are simple: if you surrender, fall off the ring, or can't move anymore, you lose. However, I'd like to add a rule of my own: you are disqualified if you DIE. The competition, which I refer to as The Cell Games, will be held in nine da-"

"Stop in your place, villain!" another voice was heard from the T.V. They noticed how Cell narrowed his eyes in annoyance to one of the corners of the studio. There was no doubt. Some heroes must've reached him in time before he could escape. Some felt a bit reassured knowing that there's a hope that whoever these heroes were, they'll put an end to the monster's terror.

"Villain," another one, clearly a female, said to him, "You are under arrest for the crimes of- ARGH!"

In an instant, the Bio Android disappeared from the screen but quickly returned, holding a man and woman on their necks each with a hand. The first was a large tiger in a Chinese armor resembling those that were used during the Era of the Ming dynasty. The woman was dressed in a pink costume with butterfly wings resembling those fairies in the fairy tales.

"L-Let go of us, you scumbag!" shouted the tiger in pain from the strong grip of his capture.

The woman tried to use her Quirk on him but couldn't. She has to look at him directly and know his name (which she missed) in order for it to work.

"Well, well, well. What do you know?" said Cell with a devious smile, "Two bastards came to me and interrupted my speech, believing that they'll put an end for me. Well, since you have already arrived, I won't disappoint you. Let's give the spectators a show, shall we?"

He then turned the two victims to make them face each other in their latest moments. The viewers were frozen of fear. What was he going to do? None of them had enough courage close their eyes or change the channel.

"Beware, humans," spoke the Android, "let this be a sample of what you'll be fighting."

Then, with his mighty strength, he smacked their heads to each other, smashing their skulls, leaving nothing but fresh blood on his hands.

It all happened in slow motion for the public.

Cries and screams of both children and adults was heard from all around the planet after humanity have witnessed a horrifying crime on live. Even the heroes were in worry the moment they saw the Android smash two skulls at the same time with less effort.

"Now, where were we?" said Cell, recalling the moment before he was interrupted, "Oh, yes! As I said, the championship will be starting nine days from now days from now at area S Point 5 28 miles North-East of Eastern City at 10 a.m. Japanese time. There you'll find an arena that I have designed myself. I modeled it after the one used in the original WMAT. Bring the best fighters from each country and I'll fight them one by one. It doesn't matter whether you're a hero, a villain, a vigilant, or even normal citizen. If you believe yourself to have what's required to win, you are welcomed. And to show how merciful I'll be with you; I'll give my competitive the advantage since I won't rest between matches and the new opponent will enter immediately.

I'm warning you. This is your last chance for survival. If you lose, planet Earth belongs to me! And by the way, I'm not planning to rule it. Instead, with my ultimate power, I'll blow up the Earth and who knows? Maybe also the entire Solar System or even the whole galaxy. Goodbye."

Those who kept watching and didn't faint from shock took notice of Cell's left arm beginning to light up before he fired it at the camera, seemingly destroying it. But in reality, it didn't. It didn't destroy the camera.

It blew up the whole city.

That evening at U.A. High

U.A.'s staff, alongside several Pro Heroes were gathered in the meeting room to discuss this global crisis that frightened the entire planet, trying to find a way to solve it. At the table was the director of the school, Nezu, and the Pro Heroes: Endeavor, Hercule [3], Best Jeanist, Edgeshot, Crust, Yoroi Musha, Ryuku, Gang Orca, the Wild, Wild Pussycats, Snipe, Midnight, Ectoplasm, Vlad King, Erasure Head, Present Mic, Cementos, Hound Dog, Power Loader, and the chief of the police: Kenji Tsuragamae.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the situation," concluded the principal.

"Hmph, as usual," complained the Flame Hero, "a villain who believes himself to be an invincible being and challenges everyone else to prove him wrong.

"The guy, Cell as he calls himself, gave us his location. Why don't we go to him right now and beat the hell out of him?" questioned Vlad King.

"Because, it could be a trap. Woof!" answered the chief, "Unless he's insane or has a huge overconfidence of himself, he wouldn't reveal his location that simply."

"He's undoubtedly crazy, dudes!" yelled Present Mic while raising one of his hands high in the air, "Sure, he killed several Heroes and thousands of innocent people in such a short time but, come on! Destroy the planet!? Or the Galaxy!? No way! I mean, even All Might himself, the strongest man on Earth, isn't that powerful at all. Heck, he can barely destroy a country, sure. But the planet? That's impossible even for him! [4]"

"Speaking of him," grumbled Endeavor, looking around him, "where is that American right now!? The hell is slowing him down!?"

"All Might isn't available for now, Endeavor," responded Nezu, "Unfortunately, we'll have to deal with Cell without him." However, what Nezu knew and hid from the rest was the fact that Japan's Number One Hero was lying unconscious on one of the hospital's bed after having countless surgeries on his body due to the deadly injuries he has received from... another villain.

Suddenly, the door of the room was opened, revealing Naomasa Tsukauchi. A detective from the police force. However, the members of the meeting were taken back by visible shock and fear that was on his pale face. The guy looked like he's seen a ghost or something.

"Tsukauchi!" approached Kenji with worry, "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

"T-T-Twenty..." he said.

"What?"

"Twenty, sir," he clarified, "Twenty. That's the number of times I've re-watched Cell's speech."

"And?"

"N-Not single time did my Quirk go off when he mentioned... blowing up the Earth."

The heroes took a moment to let the information sink to their minds. When it did, the room was filled with cries and screams of shock and disbelief.

"NO WAY! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

"SOMETHING MUST'VE WENT WRONG!"

"MAYBE HE HAS A QUIRK THAT PREVENTS HIS LIES FROM BEING DETECTED!"

"REGARDLESS!" yelled Naomasa back with anger, shutting everyone else, "This man has caused the death of thousands of people in a short time and ended up evolving into a more powerful forum! Even if he can't destroy the planet itself, he's still a global threat! Multiple civilians around the word are suffering from traumas thanks to the crime that happened in front of their eyes! That so called tournament of his will be held in our country! King Furry is demanding as to do something or he'll have no choice but to intervene himself with the national army! We don't want an incident even worse than the Demon King Piccolo! He freakingly blew up Fury's entire private island with a blast!"

The entire room fell to silence. What the detective was saying is true. Even if this guy was lying about blowing up the planet, he still erased an entire city with easy. Add to that the other various Quirks he possess like flying, super speed... Even Nezu himself, for the first time in his life, wasn't sure what to do.

"S-So, what's the plan? What should we do now?" asked Mandalay.

"I say we wait," replied Hercule, shocking all those present besides the principal, "He said that the championship will start in 26 May and ordered us not to show up before. As a hero, I want to put an end to him this instant, but as a martial artist myself I learned to respect the tournaments' rules and never break a promise, even with an enemy."

"What the hell, Mark!? Are you insane!?" yelled Erasure, standing up from his seat in anger, "Are you asking us to let that crazy man free killing whoever he meets!?"

"You heard him, Shota, he said he won't harm anyone 'till then," defended the Number #3 Hero calmly, "According to the reports we' ve got, he's still standing in his arena since his declaration."

"Hercule, are you asking us to take a villain's promise seriously just because of your respect for the Tenkaichi Budokai that you fight in?" asked the chief of the police with a strict tone.

"Of course no, sir. It's not for my love for the championship that made me a champion, but for my respect for martial arts in general. However, I'm only speaking for myself. If you want to fight him then go ahead, but I'm not joining you on the mission. I have a wife and a daughter to protect. I won't show up until the day of the games."

"As if there'll be games at all," Enji cut in, standing from his seat and walking to the exit.

"Endeavor, where do you think you're going!?" asked Naomasa, blocking his pass, "We need to put a plan to defeat Cell..."

"I'll tell you what's the plan," interrupted the Flame Hero, shoving the detective out of his way, "Tomorrow, I, alongside all the sidekicks at my agency, will attack this bastard at once. There's no way he's surviving such a powerful blast. The rest of you are welcome to join as well. However, I doubt you'll make such a huge difference," and then, he left, not turning around to see the others' reactions.

"I... I guess that settles it," spoke Gang Orca, stepping calmly to the door, "One single attack from all the Pro Heroes at once. Not even All Might could possibly survive it."

"I'll join as well," added Aizawa, joining those who are leaving, "With my Quirk, I can erase all of Cell's Quirks. He'll be powerless in front of us."

The rest have all given a similar opinion and walked to the exit, leaving only Nezu, Hercule, Tsukauchi, and Kenji behind.

Nezu just let out a sigh and took a cup of tea, thinking of the possibilities on how it'll go tomorrow. Kenji and Naomasa on their part felt speechless on how they all agreed to fight without a strategy, just hoping that their attack might at least harm Cell. The area was a plain land, meaning that there's almost no way to make a surprise move, but again, it's a one-verses-a-hundred battle.

Mark Savage, on the other hand, had a bad feeling inside of him.

'Why do I feel as if they all are going to die?' he thought with worry.

Tuesday, May 18th, Age 767/2523 at 8:49 a.m.

In the middle of the arena he built himself, the bio-Android stood silently with his eyes closed, waiting for the unexpected guests he sensed approaching him to arrive, preparing to give them the treatment they deserve.

A few minutes have passed. His eyes were still shut, but thanks to his ears and his ability to sense Ki, he could easily tell what was going around him. When noises he heard were gone and the silence was back, he opened his eyes and lifted his head a bit up so he can make eye-contact with the man standing in front of him.

There, was the Number #2 Hero with his flame beards, Endeavor. Surrounding from all the corners were dozens to a hundred Pro Heroes in fight position, ready to react at any moment. In normal situations, anyone will be petrified in such a position, not daring to do anything stupid that may end his life. But Cell? He just smiled and spoke with them in a positive and joyful tone:

"Ladies and gentlemen! It is nice to have you all here to visit me at such a time. You are all welcomed to the Cell Games!" Then, his smile was gone and was replaced with a serious face, "But the games start in eight days. Don't show up before."

"Consider your little tournament canceled, villain, for you are under arrest for all the crimes you committed," replied Endeavor with a cold tone.

The Android on the other hand chuckled and responded: "I don't think so, my friend. Now, it's either you all leave, or die."

Enji looked seriously pissed from such a dumb response, his blood boiling inside of him. He yelled with a high voice: "NOW!"

In an instant, using all the fibers he brought with him, Best Jeanist unleashed "Thread of Hope" to restrain the bug-like creature in his place, securing the area. Cell saw it coming, but instead of dodging it or freeing himself, he decided to play along to show these idiots later his true power.

Erasure Head used his Quirk "Erasure" to erase the opponent's Quirks and gave signal for the rest to act. Gang Orca and Present Mic used their hypersonic waves and high-pitched sounds respectively to paralyze the criminal in his place, giving chance for others to attack. Midnight released a sleep-inducing aroma to force the target to sleep. At the same time, Endeavor was charging a powerful fire blast alongside the rest of the fire type Quirk users and unleashed in at him when everyone was out of the way, burning half of the land and destroying the arena completely.

The rest stood in defence positions, ready for a close range fight in case Cell avoided this, but they assumed he didn't.

Burnin stepped next to Enji, who stood silently glaring at the place were Cell was standing, and told him: "There's no way for someone to survive this, not even All Might. Even if he did, the poor guy must be probably burned completely."

"Man, our presence here was useless," grumbled one of the heroes.

"I told you, there was no need to gather this number of people to kill one man."

"Come on, let's go home."

"Leaving so fast?"

All of a sudden, they all froze when they heard a familiar voice coming out of the dust. They all turned around quickly, not believing what they were saying.

There stood Cell completely unscratched at all. His face was now angry, not showing mercy at all. He looked at his destroyed masterpiece and yelled in anger: "Now look what you've done! Do you know how hard it'll be to fix all of this in time!? I gave you a chance to live the rest of your days in peace, but now, prepare for your punishment!"

"Ryukyu, now!" screamed Mic.

Thinking fast, the Dragon Hero transformed into a large sized dragon with wings and massive claws. The mythological creature flew into the air and in the direction of the villain, ready to grab him with her claws. Unfortunately, at that time, he was pissed off and bored fighting these weaklings.

Cell's eyes turned red and then, a lazer beam was fired from them in the direction of Ryuko. It was so powerful compared to her to the point that when it reached her, exactly at the throat, the horror happened.

Her head was cut and fell to the ground, followed by her body. The rest avoided it in time and moved out of the way. However, they were covered by her blood, completely paralyzed by what happened. They turned around and starred in shock at the dead body of their comrade. Before any of them could say something, Yamada yelled in horror, pointing up to the sky: "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?"

All the Heroes turned to the direction he was pointing at, and when they analyzed it, their jaws dropped, and their feet trembled to the point that some of them fell to the ground in shock.

There was Cell, standing in the air, lifting his finger high. Above it was what seemed to be a Mini Sun glowing with pure energy. Endeavor himself was lost in words and had no idea how to react in front of this.

"Do not fear," spoke the android, "I'm not planning to end the Earth yet. However, I'm afraid your lives end here." And then, he dropped it. All those present didn't have enough time to escape or protect their mates. Each one now thought only of himself. They all prepared to defend themselves against this... ball of fire by either covering their bodies with their own flames, hardening their skins, creating shields... But to no avail.

Once the Ki bomb reached them, they all felt the horrible and torturing feeling of death through having their skins burning completely and the fire reaching their flesh, their nerve system, and even turning their bones to dust. Even the Flame Heroes - including Enji - couldn't resist such a heat that rivals that of the sun and ended up being among the dead.

Luckily, the synthezoid controlled his Ki in a way that it destroys anything that's only in a half kilometer radius. When he was done, he looked around him and groaned in annoyance.

"Great. Now I have to fix the arena and the field. Thanks for nothing, Heroes."

In a private hospital room, a blonde man in his early fifties was lying on a bed with multiple I.V.s attached to his stomach and respiratory system. Bandages were covering parts of his arms, legs, and his entire chest. His body, despite being muscular when he came, was getting thinner and weaker due to being in a coma for the past three weeks.

This man was none other than Toshinori Yagi, who is known to the public as the Number #1 Hero himself: All Might.

Next to the bed was his sidekick Mirai Sasaki a.k.a. Sir Nighteye, standing there, observing his injured and broken friend and idol, trying to summarize what happened.

A month ago, they, alongside Principal Nezu and Gran Torino, were working on locating the Symbol of Evil known as All For One. After all the hard work they've done, they couldn't find him.

He was the one to find them.

At last, it was time for the epic battle between the Symbol of Peace and the Symbol of Evil.

Unlike the previous One For All holders, Toshinori was the only one to match Shigaraki's strength and even had a slight advantage over him. However, All For One - who acknowledged All Might as the strongest person he ever faced - also had tricks of his own. After all, he has over a hundred years of experience in battles, add to this all the Quirks he has stolen during said period of time.

It took hours to do it, but at last, he did it.

All Might smashed All For One's head to the ground, seemingly killing him.

The Symbol of Peace has won.

Sadly, peace doesn't come without a cost in war, nor does it last so long in this life.

All For One didn't just survive the battle and escape with his life, but before he lost, he ripped Yagi's stomach and damaged his lungs, sending him to the emergency room.

And when they thought things won't get any worse, a police officer came today and informed the HPSC that all the heroes that participated in the ride have all been killed with no survivors, and Cell has came to the said man's office and asked him to deliver a threat to his fellow mates: if such an act was repeated then Japan will be wiped out with a blast and he'll move the tournament somewhere else.

At this moment, it seemed as if all hope was lost, that Cell will end them with no mercy, and that the human race will possibly vanish in less than two weeks.

But fortunately, there were still saviors outside.

And some people haven't lost hope yet.

Satan's mansion, 9:05 p.m.

"You're going to fight CELL!"

On the table of the meeting room, Mark Savage [5], known as Tenkaichi Budokai's champion Mr. Satan and to the Hero Society as Hercule, was sitting next to his wife Miguel, a former singer and Karate champion whom he met about twelve years ago in a visit to Spain. Across of them were Hercules strongest and most trusted sidekicks and top studenst: Caroni and Pirozhki, known respectively as Sunshine and War Hammer. Alongside the members of the meeting were Jimmy Firecracker - a ZTV reporter and Hercule's friend - and Satan's promotional agent, Miss Piiza.

"Are you out of your damn mind!" Miguel yelled.

"Cell has killed Endeavor and dozens of other Heroes at once and came out with no injury There's no hope for you to beat him!" Caroni said as a matter of fact.

"I know that, and that's why I'm still planning to fight," argued Mark, "Even if Cell wasn't Planetary level in power as he claims, did you forgot when Endeavor survived an explosion in the Pacific Ocean? One that equals ninety megatons of TNT? If such a bomb was dropped on a city, nothing will be left but dust, and yet he survived. If that villain killed him with zero effort, then imagine how powerful he is. And with the absence of All Might, what makes any of you think that hiding will save us? Add to this, the citizens are terrified because all those Heroes has died and the rest of world's nations refuse to send its Heroes despite King Furry's orders, saying that at a time of crisis like this, each country should protect itself. People need a symbol of hope now, and I'll be that symbol."

They all wanted to protest, but they had no idea what to say. He was right in every single word. There's no difference between dying in the Cell Games and dying in your own house. And knowing Hercule, he prefers dying in the battlefield than dying as a coward.

The only one who didn't support him... was his wife.

"MARK SAVAGE! This is no time to let your pride and ego take over! Have your majesty forgotten that you have an ELEVEN-YEAR OLD GIRL! Who will look after her if you die."

"Mark, your wife is right," Jimmy agreed, "You can't just have a death wish and let your daughter alone without a father figure. She needs her dad to-"

"That's why I'm asking all of you to take good care of her." The room was left silent. "If anything happens to me, make sure she'll have all the love she deserves. As for now, I shall train more for the games and spend as much time with her as possible." He then stood up and left, leaving the rest behind him speechless.

"Is it me or is Master attempting suicide?" Pirozhki questioned.

"I don't know, dude." The blonde responded. "But if Master is going to fight that ugly monster, I say we go with him!"

Cell Games Arena, Wednesday, May 26th, Age 767/2523, 09:55 a.m.

All the people around the globe changed their channels to ZTV, waiting for the tournament to begin.

Five minutes. That's it. Only five minutes until the battle that'll decide their fate. Even those in countries where time has passed midnight has turned on their T.V. or opened the fight in their laptops. At the end, they also have witnessed Cell's power. They all heard his global threat.

They wanted to see if this could the first global threat ever since Demon King Piccolo's rule fourteen years ago.

Unexpectedly, a bunch of unknown heroes who call themselves the "Z-Warriors" appeared there willing to join the fight. It seemed like Cell knew these guys and expected them to appear. Some got goosebumps noticing the similarities between the green guy and King Piccolo. Others felt relieved that more Heroes were ready to save the day, seeing this as a chance to defeat Cell. A third group (mostly people who idolized Hercule) were yelling at them to leave and let the "True" Heroes do their job.

A fourth group screamed joyfully, recognizing the blonde man in the orange gi.

"SON GOKU!" Hercule yelled in surprise.

"Y-Yes, it's me. Do you know me?"

"It's really him!" Jimmy stated in shock. He turned to the camera man - his friend, Nigel Lionel - and stated, "Ladies and gentlemen! It's me, Jimmy Firecracker from KBC News! I'm now here standing next to the previous WMAT champion, a pupil of the Turtle Hero: Master Roshi, and the guy who put an end to the terror of King Piccolo at the age of sixteen, SON GOKU!"

King Furry, who was watching the scene with his guards in the royal castle, was in disbelief from witnessing the man who saved his life years ago, now complete different from what he remembers.

"No way!" he exclaimed, "Is it... Is it really him?"

In the Midoriya residence, Inko was watching the news with her child in her laps, confused from all the attention the new visitor has got.

"S-Son Goku? This name sounds... familiar..."

"Of course, it is!" Izuku cried in excitement, his eyes sparkling. "It's the Hero who defeated the villain known as Demon King Piccolo in 2509 before All Might got the chance to reach in time! He was spotted again in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament to defeat a similar villain called Piccolo who claimed to be Demon King Piccolo's son and reincarnation! Ever since then he was never seen on screen and solved only the crimes he found in his way in the city! He's like an Underground Hero who's a Public Hero at the same time! People theorized that he had... " And with that, the kid started his endless mumbling.

He's recalling events that happened before his birth that even I don't know about, his mother thought, Just how much does he idolize Heroes?

In the Satan luxurious mention, Miguel was sitting in their private cafeteria, a huge screen showing the battle was in front of her. Sitting with her on the same table was her daughter, Videl. She, alongside the rest of the workers, house managers, and pupils who live with them observed in awe the man who they didn't believe will come back to public eye.

"Mom, is that really him?" The little girl asked, "The person who dad told me once about him. Is that really him?"

"I... I'm not sure, sweetheart," the mother responded, "I guess it's really him. Maybe he's here to defeat Cell so your daddy can rest and not waste his time."

"I hope not. Dad promised me that he's gonna kick Cell in the butt to avenge all those pupil he hurt. And I wanna see him do that."

"Well, we're about to see how it'll go now, but sure thing heroes will win."

Back in the arena, Hercule approached Son Goku, the camera now showing both of them, and introduced himself properly. "Son Goku ! It's such an honor for me to meet a fellow hero, warrior, and champion in martial arts like you!"

"Thanks, nice to meet you, too." Due to his pure nature, the Siyan forgot that they were about to start a battle-to-death in a few minutes and started to introduce himself as well, shaking Mark's hand. "You must be that Satan guy who appears on T.V. Can you really turn into a demon?"

"Wh- No! I thought my Quirk was a matter of fact." Mark complained. "My Quirk, Megatron Punch, allows me to increase my fist's strength twice to five times."

"A strength boost, I see. So you increase the fist's strength but not the power, by so you trick the opponent to underestimate you and lower their guards since they won't feel how strong your punch really is. That's awesome. But the problem is, it seems you only increase the strength and not the speed, meaning you'll have some trouble with those who are faster than you in combat."

"I'm not sure about that power sense thing but you're definitely right on speed. That's one of the reasons Endeavor keeps beating me. But I'll overpower him one day!"

The two were then cut short by Jimmy and Mrs. Piiza who approached them in search of answers. "Mr. Goku! Mr. Goku! Will you mind telling us where have you been all this time?"

"Are you still training to surpass the likes of Stars and Stripes and All Might?"

"Why aren't among the top 10 Heroes in Japan?"

"Are you hiding from publicity?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A loud scream from the middle of the arena was all that needed to shut the two reporters silent. It seems everyone were too focused on this meeting that they forgot the reason why they were here in the first place. "Reporters. OFF! Now choose who's the goddamn loser whom I should rip apart first!"

"I'll go first, sensei!" Caroni stated, slamming his fists to each other. "There's no way I'm losing for an ugly bug like him."

"Wait!" Goku yelled, "Cell will kill whoever loses to him. Are you sure you want to fight?"

"Relax, Son-kun." Hercule said with complete relief. "If anything happens, we will react." Then, he started to laugh his famous laugh, pointing at the bio-Android with all pride. "YES, I, MISTER SATAN, WILL NOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE! CELL HAS KILLED MANY PEOPLE IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, BUT NOT TODAY! NOT WHILE I'M HERE! NO ONE SHALL DIE ON MY WATCH!"

"I... I'm sorry. I failed. I couldn't... save him."

It took a day, but King Furry's agents located Son Goku's house. He, companied by Mark, the HPSC President, and a few others went to visit the deceased hero's family.

Three days ago, the world was saved from the destruction at Cell's hands thanks to the young hybrid Saiyan, Son Gohan. But that victory didn't come without a cost. When he refused to kill Cell despite having the chance and torture him instead, the Android turned himself into a living bomb that was going to vaporize all of Earth in a minute or less. Thankfully, Goku reacted fast and teleported himself with Cell to North Kai's planet and sacrificed his life in the progress.

At the end of the day, all those killed by Cell were somehow resurrected. Some believed it to be a miracle from God. Others thought that it was the result of the villain's death or thanks to an unknown Quirk.

But Goku didn't appear to be one of those revived.

In the meantime, King Furry reached the house where the hero's relatives and friends were making a small funeral for him. The group was surprised and a bit worried at first, but Mark explained that they only came to give their sympathies for the deceased hero, promising to keep Gohan's victory a secret to protect them from media. The president added that this is the least that they could do for the family of a man who saved the entire globe twice.

Meanwhile, Gohan was staring in silence to his father's tomb while crying silently, a thousand voices in his head whispers that it was all his fault and that he's the one to blame.

Sure, it wasn't the first time he died. And yes, he knew his father was fine in the afterlife. But he couldn't through away the guilt of feeling responsible for it. If he just killed Cell when he had the chance to do so, mayb- No, surely his dad would've been here with them. But there's no back in time.

What happened... has happened.

While he was still in his depression, he didn't feel a hand patting on his shoulder. Not that he expected it at all. Everyone was currently still in the house, comforting the widowed woman. He turned around, eyes still sobbing calmly. He was met face to face with light-blue eyes of a little girl of the same height as him, about the same age or a bit older, her hair is as black as his, and dressed up in dark clothes like all those present in the funeral.

The hybrid didn't say anything, so she decided to start the conversation. "Are you Gohan?"

Of course, Gohan thought with a bit of anger, they sent her thinking that she might lighten up my mood.

The girl extended her hand for a handshake with a shy smile. "I'm Videl by the way."

The Saiyan wasn't fazed at all. He just ignored her and turned back to his father's grave. The act pained the girl a bit, but she wasn't willing to let go.

He didn't want it, but he definitely needed comfort.

"I know you must be suffering. It's really hard when you lose someone so close to you."

"It's not his death that hurts me," he finally spoke, "It's that I couldn't prevent it."

"Then don't make it go to waste." Gohan looked back to her with a mix of confusion and surprise. "My dad once told me that he lost his mentor who raised him like his son in front of an unknown mercenary. He said that he felt responsible because he left the dojo that day after an argument in him and when he came back, it was already too late. The weight of guilt on his shoulders was so heavy, especially since his last words to him was that he hated him and that he wasn't his father to tell him what to do. But he acknowledged that by sitting down and crying in depression, his death would've been for nothing, so he moved on and accepted that what happened that day wasn't his fault since he had no idea of the consequences." Videl then looked to Gohan in the eyes and wiped out his tears with a smile. "You too don't deserve you have this weight on you. You've got to move on."

For some reason, the Half-Saiyans felt... relaxed. The guilt didn't go, but at least it felt lighter. Surely his father didn't die to see him suffer, but to give him a better future.

He smiled. A sad smile though and looked to the girl in the eyes. "Thank you, Videl."

"You're welcome," she answered with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Gohan. Nice... to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. Though I wish we could've met in better circumstances."

Son residence, Sunday, March 21st, Age 772/2528, 7:56 a.m.

In front of a house on top of Mount Paozu, we can see Son Gohan, whose growth reached 5'9'' now, saying his goodbyes to his mother and younger brother Goten before jumping on a yellow magical cloud and leaving the house to the sky in the direction of the nearby Musutafu city. He was dressed up in dark blue jeans and a white shirt. His hair style has also changed, making it much shorter and stands on end in a spiky formation, with a single bang hanging over the right side of his forehead.

It's been almost five whole years ever since the terror of Cell shaded on Earth. Luckily, the Dragon Team dealt with this monster through the efforts of Gohan and the sacrifice of his father, Goku. Thankfully, to keep media away from the family, the identity of the Savior Boy as people calls him was kept a secret from everyone. King Fury also declared that Cell's death was somehow the reason that all those who died came back to life. No one knew anything about the Z-Warriors or the Dragon Balls.

However, it was hard for the family and the friends to accept the fact that their friend, their best friend no less, has died leaving his wife alone with their two children. Nevertheless, she managed to handle things with the help of her father, their friends, and most importantly, her eldest son Gohan.

It seems that Goku's death affected everyone completely. Vegeta for example became a Hero himself and opened his own agency thanks to the Hero Lessons he got from Master Roshi (He hated them, but there was no other way to be legally a Hero). The Turtle Hermet himself finally got over his pervert nature thanks to the help of Puar, realizing that it has become a weakness and an annoyance even for him. Krillin decided to do his heroic duties regularly from now on, working alongside the Police Force. The same can be said to Yamcha and Tien.

Chi Chi and Gohan were no exception. The mother on one hand cried for days before accepting her husband's death. Even if it happened before, he got resurrected at last. But now, he's dead for good. It shook her hardly, but decided to move forward, for her kids. Speaking of which, she became much less strict with them. She no longer prohibits them from visiting their father's friends - including Piccolo and Vegeta, whom she used to hate so much - and even allowed them to take days break from study and spare with each other as long as they don't neglect their studies. She even went to the point where she taught Goten some moves and techniques in martial artists.

Gohan, on the other hand, took it the hardest. He believed that this was completely his fault. If he just killed Cell, if he ended him when he had the chance to do so, none of this would've happened. His father would be among them now. He tried to hide it, but everyone noticed how he entered a level of depression. They did their best to cheer him up, and despite their apparent success, he still kept that guilt in his heart. He thankfully managed to restore his smile at last, knowing that his father would want to live happily and that his baby brother Goten needs him.

In the past few months, his mother broke to him the news of her decision: sending him to U.A. University [6]. He couldn't believe it at first. After all, he's mother has been against him being a Hero and engaging in battles since his childhood and wanted him to be a scientist. She explained to him that she still wants him to study, but he must also follow his dreams of being a hero, too. Even if he denied, she knew that deep inside of him, he wants to carry his father's legacy. A mother will always know. U.A. will help him became the greatest Hero in history, and of course, take care of his education.

However, the reason why she revealed the news a few years earlier is because, since he's been home-schooled for his whole life, she feared that he may lack the social skills of communicating with his peers. So, she decided to prepare him by enrolling him this year in a middle school where he will make contact and become friends with teenagers his own age. And by next year, he'll enter Orange School High and from there to U.A. University.

After considering things, the Saiyan agreed and decided to enroll in the school by passing the exams in early March. So today, he headed in the direction of Aldera Junior High, ready to pass the exams.

When he almost reached the school, he ordered Nimbus - his magical cloud - to land in a close alley as fast as possible so no one can see them. After doing so, he patted on it as if it was his pet dog and instructed it: "Okay, buddy. You know the rules. You gotta go as fast as you could move so no one can detect you, and don't come unless I call for you. I'll see you after the meeting. Have a good day."

The cloud obeyed its owner's orders and flew away at a speed that exceeds that of sound, leaving Gohan alone. The Half-Saiyan walked then 'till he reached the school's gate. There, a short man with blue skin and dressed properly was waiting for him. You could easily tell from his appearance that he was the principal of Aldera.

"Ah, you must be Son Gohan!" adressed the principal with a smile and extended a hand in greeting, "You're just on time. I introduced you to myself. I am Mr. Yoshida, the principal of Aldera Junior High."

"Thanks. Nice to meet you, too, sir," replied Gohan, shaking his hand, "I apologize for making you come on Sunday. Especially since it's the first day in Spring break."

"Oh, it's not a problem at all. I needed to come anyway to finish some paperwork I had. Even if I didn't come, you would've found other teachers here anyway. However, I shall say, you're the first home schooled pupil we've ever received."

"Don't worry, sir. I might have never entered a real school before, but I promise you, I'll ace these tests."

"That's not what I was trying to say, but it's a good thing to hear that. Now follow me." The two then entered the educational institution towards a room that was filled with teachers of multiple subjects: from math to Quirks' origins and history in general.

The Saiyan smiled and prepared himself.

I'll definitely pass the exams, he thought.

One hour.

That's how long it took him to finish all the exams. Just one hour. Even when the teachers asked him to revise his answers, it took him only a second or two to do so. It was probably thanks to all those years of training that his reaction speed became beyond that of even a Pro Hero.

He sat on a chair in Mr. Yoshida's office, waiting for the results. At last, the short principal came. Gohan couldn't but notice the clear surprise and disbelief on his face. He gulped, fearing the worst.

Crap, did I ruin the tests!?

The blue-skinned male finally reached his chair and addressed the teenager sitting in front of him: "Young man, I have no idea how they were teaching you at home, but your results don't lie."

Is it over already? I should've taken my time in answering.

"You haven't only broken the record in time limit, you've scored a perfect mark in every single exam!"

Wait, I did it? thought the hybrid, his lips beginning to smile, I did pass it! I shouldn't have doubted myself!

"Will you mind me asking, what's your Quirk exactly?"

"Oh, it's Ki, sir," answered the Half-Human, "My Quirk depends on my life energy. I can manipulate my own power to strengthen myself, increase my speed, and other different things."

"Fascinating! It's totally similar to that of Prince Vegeta!" exclaimed Yoshida in awe, "No wonder that your file mentions your desire to enroll in U.A." The principal then cleared his throat and returned to main subject, "Anyway. Son Gohan, you have succeeded in the tests and now, you must become officially a pupil in Aldera Junior High."

"Seriously!" yelled the Saiyan in happiness, jumping from his seat," Thank you so much, sir! It's really an honor for me!"

"The honor is all mine," replied Yoshida," A genius like you must be part of this educational institution. The rest of the school board agree with me as well. I'm sure you'll make good friends with the other students here. You know, by chance we also have two kids of your own age who wish to enter U.A. I think I'll put all three of you together in the same class this year."

"Well, I guess we'll have to train together if we all want to pass the entrance exam," commented the hybrid. "Umm, I know this is rude but... can I leave now?"

"Of course, of course," responded the short man. "We expect to see you in classes on April the 6th then."

And so, he gave his farewells to the principal and left the room, searching for the exit.

Now, from where I entered. God, isn't there any staff member I could ask?

He looked around, but instead of finding an exit, he got deeper inside the school. At last, he spotted a janitor doing his job, cleaning the hallway before starting his vacation. The black-haired teen approached him and questioned him: "Excuse me, sir. Do you know how I can get out of here?"

"Huh, seems like we're getting a new student I guess," joked the janitor, "Kid, I've been working here since before you were even born. I know every corner here. All you gotta do is enter the next hallway, keep walking straight 'till the third turn on your right. There you'll find a stair. Walk down it until you reach the bottom. Then all that's left is to turn left and move forward 'till you find the exit."

"Alright, I got it."

"Wait, seriously!?" asked the old man with surprise, "People usually don't get what I say and end up getting lost, unless they have a special Quirk."

"Nah, no need to a Quirk," responded Gohan, moving in the direction the man pointed to, "I have a pretty good memory. I'm sure I'll handle myself. Thanks anyway."

"You sure? You could wait for the kid inside. I'm sure he'll help ya."

The tall male suddenly stopped in his track and turned to the janitor. "One of the students is also here? On Sunday? And at the beginning of the Spring break no less? He's not in detention, is he?"

"'Course not," said the grey-haired man with a smile, "He's just here to search for a notebook he forgot. The kid is one of the politest people I've ever met. He's always ready to help those even if they won't do the same for him." The janitors smile then turned into a sad look, knowing what he was going to say. "The poor guy dreams of being a hero, despite being Quirkless. His mates keep mocking him and bullying him for this. That's how society is nowadays. Even if you have a useless Quirk, at least you got one. The Quirkless and those born with "villainous" powers are always the victims here."

Gohan couldn't but feel sorry, knowing that all of this is true. People treat harshly those born with powers society believes to be evil, while they forgot that it wasn't their choice to be born this way. It's the acts that decide who you are, not the Quirk. And the Quirkless? They look down to them, seeing them as useless, believing that there's no way for them to be heroes. Have they forgot that some Heroes can still fight without Quirks. Eraser Head's Quirk for example - even if he wasn't known to many due to him being an Underground Hero - allows him to erase Quirks no more. Yet, he still beat the crap out of dozens of Mutant Villains at once.

If only they knew of the existence of Ki, even the Quirkless would beat Endeavor and maybe All Might.

"I... I may talk to him. Make friends with him if I can..." said the hybrid.

The janitors face brightened. Seems like he won't deal with another bomber this year. "You know, kid? People like you are always the ones who give hope to society. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the next Symbol of Peace."

"Thanks, sir." Gohan chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, where's the student you're talking about?"

The man pointed to a class that was in the same hallway where he is. "Right here. Try give 'em a hand in searching for whatever he left. The faster he finds it, the faster he'll get to start his holiday."

The young teen gave a small nod as a sign of agreement and walked to where the janitor pointed, thinking a bit of what the man told him. A Quirkless teen of his own age who wants badly to be a hero? It seems... familiar to him.

He walked to the classroom and knocked on its door, alerting whoever was in the inside of his coming. His hand slowly reached the door handle, turned it, and then opened it. He entered and closed the door behind him calmly, searching on his eyesight for anyone.

"Hello? Anybody there?"

He looked all around him, but no one was there. However, his Ki sense told him that someone is now on the inside with him. He thought for a moment: could the kid be invisible? No, scratch that. He's Quirkless. He can't be. The only other option is that he's hiding somewhere. He bowed on his knees and looked under the desks.

There, he saw someone hiding under one of them, curled almost like ball, his hands covering his head, his body completely shaking.

The Half-Human didn't know how to react to this. Why was he hiding? Or probably, the right question is: From who was he hiding? Did his classmates bully him to this point? He threw the idea out of his mind, not willing to accuse others without evidence.

He approached the teenager slowly, noticing that with every step, he sweated and curled more, so he stopped in his track and decided to talk with him instead with a calm voice, hoping to gain his trust.

"Hey, whoever you are, I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk, no more."

The boy in question didn't know what to do. He couldn't recognize the voice, so he didn't know who's he dealing with. Is it a trick to get him out? It's not the first time he got tricked this way. People claiming that they want to help him and then he ends up a victim of their beating. But he had no choice now. The person who's addressing him is already aware of his presence. There's no meaning of hiding anymore.

He moved from between the desks, stood up on his feet but kept his face down, covering its features, a note in his hands. But when he didn't recognize the male standing in front of him, his heart was assured a bit and slowly lifted his head up.

Gohan stared at him speechless. He was looking at him with wide eyes, giving him a look of someone who's suffering. Someone who's in a lot of pain. Someone who's asking for help. He couldn't believe how a teen of his own age was in such a mess that he didn't dare to show up for him. But wait a minute...

That hair...

Those eyes...

That note...

That look of someone asking for help...

"I-Izuku!" Gohan recalled, but he soon regretted saying it loud.

At that moment, Izuku pushed him aside and run past him through the door towards the stairs. The janitor had already left, and the school board is probably in a meeting now. He has no choice but to run.

"Izuku, wait!" yelled the Saiyan, trying to catch up with him. Thankfully, with his level of speed, it wasn't a hard thing at all. It appeared as if he instantly teleported to him and caught him in the back. He wrapped both his arms around his wrist and even lifted him up a few inches off the ground, not willing to let go of him simply.

The green-haired boy also had something to say about this. He kept fighting back, trying to break free from this stranger's strong grip, but to no avail. He eyes started to water, fearing the worst. He didn't want to start his day with a fight, all because he forgot one of his Hero Analysis notebooks because of his recklessness.

"Please! Let go of me!" he cried, tears storming out of his eyelids. "I'm sorry for escaping yesterday. I'm so sorry for whatever I've done to you. Just please. LET ME GO!"

"Izuku, please, calm yourself down! I'm not gonna hurt you! It's me, Gohan!"

Gohan.

That name.

It had suddenly brought an old memory to him.

A happy memory of two children who met once in a campus.

Before they realized it, they became the best friends ever.

The older kid encouraged his friend in following his dreams of being a Quirkless Hero. Something nobody has believed in before.

It was such a good time.

The shorter teen's struggling has stopped completely. However, Gohan could swear he's hearing him sniff and his heart beating almost a hundred times per minute. At this point, he didn't know whether he stopped fighting back out of relief or if it was out of tiredness and losing hope in escape.

Just what did he pass through in this school!?

He let go of him but stayed prepared in case he tried to run again. Slowly, Izuku turned to face the stranger whom he believed to be his old friend. The hybrid looked into his innocent face, his wide watery eyes, and his messy hair. The kid seemed as if he was expecting to be killed right now!

The two just kept staring and studying each other just like the first time they met. At last, Midoriya broke the silence between them.

"Gohan. Is this... Is this really you?"

Gohan smiled in attempt to reassure him. "The one and only. The same Gohan you met six years ago in this same day in the forest." No response. Izuku just kept staring at him in silence. For the hybrid, it was no good sign. Nervously, he placed an arm on his friend's shoulder and joked with him in an attempt to lighten' the mood a bit, "Sorry for the way a caught you. I just didn't want you to run away like that. God, last time we've met, you and I we're almost on the same height. Did I get that tall or did you just become shorter? [7] So, still chasing your dreams of being a hero?"

Out of sudden, the older male found his partner burying his face on his chest and wrapping his hands around his shoulders. He was at a loss of words on what to do next, especially when he felt his shirt getting wet. Was Izuku that happy to see him?

He didn't think about it much and brought to a full hug. "There, there, now. I told you before that everything is gonna be fine, right? Well, here I'm telling you it again, everything is gonna be fine. You know why?"

"Yes," He answered in a broken tone, breaking the hug between them, and wiping his tears, looking to Gohan's face as if Christmas came earlier this year, "Because you're here."

"No, because we're both here together again." Gohan corrected, ruffling Izuku's hair and gaining a little chuckle from the latter. "Say, why don't we go to the park and talk more about what each other was doing in this time?"

The Half-Saiyan earned a little nod from him in response. He really wanted to know what trauma his friend passed through during these years to become so sensitive. It also was nice to spend some time with someone, since he finished the exams so earlier then what his mother was expecting.

Musutafu's Central Park, 9:34 A.M.

Izuku sat on one of the park benches under the shadow of a tree to protect himself from today's unexpected heat wave, waiting for Gohan to arrive from wherever he went to.

At last, Son's figure appeared to him, holding something in both of his hands. When he got a closer look, Midoriya was surprised to see that he came with two ice cream cones: a chocolate and a vanilla ice cream to be precise.

"Here," Gohan said with a smile, handing him the chocolate one, "I still remember when we you told me about your favorite flavor, unless you changed it in my absence."

"No, not at all." Izuku replied, looking at the two cones, "It's just... you didn't have to buy me one."

"Nonsense," he objected, "Nothing is better than an ice cream in such a hot day. Right?"

"R-Right." Izuku took it from his hand and started licking it, enjoying its taste. Despite not being the first time he ate an ice cream, today's felt... different. Usually, he either ate it alone or with his mother. He never shared the moment with a friend before. Not that he didn't want to, but because no one ever invited him or agreed to hang out with him.

Because he was a useless Quirkless waste of space.

"So, how have you been doing these past years?" questioned Gohan.

"Err, nothing special. Just what an ordinary kid will do," responded Izuku.

"Same goes with me. And how's things are going on with you at school?"

"It's fine."

"Great. So, how's things are really going on with you at school?"

Izuku gulped before noticing Gohan's brightness face has been replaced with a serious expression, realizing he wasn't buying it at all. Of course, no, not after the way he reacted to him in the class.

He didn't want to discuss the matter with him. He must change the subject quickly. "It's... It's nothing. Not such an important thing at all. Hey, did you hear yesterday how All Might stopp-"

"Who's hurting you?" Gohan cut him off.

"W-What?"

"I'm asking who's bullying you? Who's doing this for you? And don't tell me it's nothing, 'cause there's no way that early outburst of yours was out of nothing."

Now he was definitely in a trouble. On one hand, he didn't to tell him of anything at all. He didn't even tell his mother of what's happening with him at school and always lied that everything was fine. Yes, he was bullied, but he didn't want a war to start between them and Gohan. This isn't his war. But on the other hand, he wanted to say what's inside of him. To share his issues with someone.

But it seems luck wasn't with him today, because the war came on its bare feet.

"Hey, Deku."

[1] In Dragon Ball, planet Namek suffered a horrible climate shift in Age 261. The best candidate for Namek in real life is Proxima Centauri b, which suffered from a massive stellar flare in 2017. Thus, Age 0 will be the year 1756.

I'll assume that Dragon Ball's Ages date to the first king who ruled Earth.

[2] All Might's power level in his prime is between 180 and 200. I assume that, even without One For All, a person like him should still be stronger than sidekicks and many Pro Heroes as well. I imagine base All Might will have a power level between 20 and 30.

[3] Hercule is a WMAT's champion but also the Number #3 Hero in Japan.

[4] A wounded All Might is Large Island Level with about 200 gigatons of TNT attack potency. If he was five times stronger in his prime, his attacks should be equal to about 1 teratons of TNT, enough energy to blow away a small country.

[5] I thought for a while about Hercule's names. I decided that his real name would be Mark Savage, his Hero Name is Hercule, and Mr. Satan would be the title he fights under in martial arts tournaments.

[6] U.A. is a university in this story.

[7] It's roughly two years prior to the Buu Saga, but Gohan looks exactly like Great Saiyaman Saga Gohan (or as fans call him Adult Gohan) and not Cell Saga Gohan (dubbed Teen Gohan). The only difference is that Gohan is more muscular since he didn't stop training (but didn't push himself far) and is slightly shorter: about 5'8" or 173 cm. As for Izuku, after a year of training, his height was 166 cm, so I assume that prior to meeting All Might, his height would be 5'3" or 160 cm.

Thus, Gohan is over 5 inches taller than Izuku. 

Chapter Text

Deku. That name and the source of it made Izuku wince and freeze in his place. His face was pale fearing the upcoming. He knew that since Gohan was moving to his school - and probably his class - this year, he'll definitely meet with his old childhood friend, but he wished it won't happen today.

When he returned to reality, he found that the two of them have already been surrounded by three goons from his class, one of them he recognized almost immediately.

"H-H-Hi there... Kacchan..."

Katsuki Bakugo a.k.a. The Explosive boy. Izuku's former best friend from their childhood, and his number one bully nowadays. Dressed in a black shirt and pants alongside a pair of white sporty shoes, and with his notable fierce scowl on his face, the ash-blonde-haired teenager and his two friends (more like his minions) stared at the only person they didn't expect to meet today but were more than glad to find him. They also looked at the strange guest they found with him. Katsuki smiled at the thought.

Two nerds with one explosion.

"Well look who finally crawled out of his hideout and decided to show himself again," mocked the blonde, throwing the ice cream off Izuku's hand and onto his clothes. "What the hell is this supposed to be, Deku? An ice cream date with your boyfriend?"

"Guess you've finally found yourself one of your peers, haven't you?" The first boy insulted.

"Guess a Quirkless nerd will only date another Quirkless nerd like him. Isn't the power of love magnificent?" Joined the second goon.

Sadly for the poor guys, they didn't know they were dealing with an angry Saiyan right now.

"That's enough!" Gohan yelled; his outburst surprised the three to the point that each took a step back. The teenager's voice then turned into a calmer yet still furious tone. "Look, I have no idea who you are or what's your deal with my friend but keep this in mind: I hate the likes of you. So, I'm gonna give you the option to leave this instant and we can forget everything. Otherwise, you'll have to face the consequences."

At this moment, the Half-Saiyan was expecting the three goons to leave them calmly, fearing his dark tone. Instead, he was met with their hysterical laughter, finding his short speech even dumber than Deku's idea of a Quirkless Hero.

Never mind. Not the first time someone underestimated him and then regretted it.

"Oh my god! This is hilarious."

"Yeah, dude! He thinks he's like one of those anime characters who try to scare their enemies with a look!"

Even Bakugo himself, despite his serious nature, couldn't sustain his laughter. "Alright, boys. That's enough. Now is time we get to serious talk." The ash blonde placed a hand on Son's shoulder, a villainous smile on his face. Then, all five could notice the smoke that was emerging from his hand. Horrified, Izuku realized that his "friend" was attempting to use his Explosion Quirk on Gohan. He attempted to stop him but was stopped by Katsuki's minions who strained him in his place from both his arms.

"Kacchan, that's enough!" Izuku cried, his eyes sobbing. "Please! Gohan has nothing to-"

"Shut the hell up, Deku!" Katsuki yelled in anger. "Don't think you're getting out of this alive. I'm still planning to kick your shitty ass for escaping your punishment, yesterday. Now, as for you. He said that your name is Gohan, hasn't he? Seems as if your parents were living in starvation to name their f***ing son after some food. But hey, here's some good news buddy: despite you standing up to me, I'll spare you for the day as long as you leave your boyfriend behind. As you could tell, we have some unfinished business with him. But keep this in mind: this is my area. I rule here, and you're nothing but a mere slave. Of course, unless you had something cool to offer me. So, do we have an understanding?"

At this instant, if Gohan's blood wasn't already boiling inside of his veins from the way they treated him and his friend, then it already is now after this bastard slapped him on the face, his Quirk still active, and cursed. "Get the hell out of here."

Don't kill him, Gohan, he thought. Remember the lessons Mister Piccolo gave you.

He took a deep breath and looked to his right and his left. There was no one here to call. No Hero, no adult. He used his Ki sense and didn't find anyone near them in a forty-meter radius. Only the five of them alone.

"Hey, if you're looking for someone to help you, then don't waste your time. It's either you go or you die."

This time, Gohan found his comment funny, unlike the previous ones, and chuckled. "Help? I'm not looking for help. I'm just making sure that no one is here to witness me using my power."

Slap!

Before what he said could sink into any of the four's minds, Gohan returned the slap to Bakugo stronger than the one he received. A very powerful slap to the point that it literally sent the explosive kid flying over sixty feet away 'till he crashed into one of the trees and fell unconscious to the ground.

The other three - including Izuku - were at a loss for words for this immense power and how Katsuki was down with a single blow. But it wasn't over yet.

Using his super speed, Gohan appeared behind the two goons in the blink of an eye and grabbed them by their necks, putting a lot of strength on them that they dropped Izuku in conclusion.

The two slowly turned their face, and when they did, they froze in fear.

They were met by a furious Saiyan, giving them a deadly smile. One that would make Bakugo in comparison look friendly. They didn't know why, but they felt as if someone was telling them to not move or they'll lose their lives. They wanted to run, to scream for help, but they couldn't. They were so scared to do so. Even Izuku, who landed on his back on the ground, was at a loss for words in front of this dark side Gohan never showed before.

"Listen, you two," Gohan said, his voice is that of a killer delivering his last speech to his victim before torturing it to death, "Here how things will go: you can leave this place harmlessly, take your unconscious teammate from there, and we can all pretend that none of all of this happened. Or..."

One of them gathered enough courage to ask, yet he kept trembling in fear. "O-O-Or what...?"

Gohan's grip tightened, and the two almost wet their pants from the upcoming. "Or we'll go with option number two, which concludes with you joining that 'Kacchan' guy over there. And keep in mind, that if I ever, EVER, catch you picking on someone, especially Izuku, then there'll be worse consequences than just karate chopping you. So, what do you choose?"

"OPTION NUMBER ONE!" they immediately answered.

The Half-Saiyan finally let go of them, with the two falling to the ground, their eyes still wide. "Good. Now take your friend and inform him of what I've told you. And tell him also to watch his tongue."

"YES, SIR!" Not wasting another second, they quickly ran to their partner, picked him up, and escaped as fast as their feet could run. In the end, the last thing they want is to die young by getting beaten to death.

"Man," Gohan whispered, "First day in the city and I already left a bad impression thanks to them." He gritted his teeth, knowing that those were no doubt the ones who were picking on Izuku in his previous years in Aldera, and maybe there were more. Just the thought of what could've happened to him if they didn't meet today made his rage return. He couldn't believe that during the past years, Izuku was being bullie-

Wait...

Izuku!

The Saiyan looked in front of the bench, finding his friend laying on the ground, the ice cream has melted on his clothes, and his eyes were still wide and horrified from witnessing the face Gohan never showed before. He didn't realize that Kacchan and the others were already gone, nor did he even hear Gohan's warning to them. He stayed like that until his friend approached him and shook him back and forth.

"Izuku! Izuku! Do you hear me!? IZUKU!"

With the last yell, Midoriya returned to reality, having no idea what happened since he fell to the ground. The only thing he remembered... was that terrifying face.

"Hey, you're okay? Did you get hurt?" Gohan asked with concern.

"I-I'm fine..." Midoriya responded, "Gohan, may I ask... what did you-"

"Yes, yes. Sorry about that. You didn't have to see my angry face. It's just... I couldn't sustain myself seeing them hurt my friend. But don't worry. I just punched one of them and gave them a warning no more. I guess they learned their lesson now, so no need to worry about them bothering you anymore."

"T-Thanks, I guess." However, knowing Kacchan and how he treats those whom he sees as extras, Midoriya knew that he won't let go that easily. Instead, he'll probably hold a grudge now against Gohan since he defeated him in such a humiliating way. "Gosh, my shirt and pants are now covered in ice cream," he stated sadly.

"Come on," Gohan said, extending a hand to him. Without hesitation, Izuku grabbed it, allowing the hybrid to lift him off the ground. "Say, you wanna another one?"

"No thanks," Midoriya responded, "I need to head to my house to change my clothes." Suddenly, his face lightened up, an idea came to his mind. "Why don't you come with me?"

"Wait, you want me to come to your home? Seriously?" Gohan questioned.

"Why not? If you're moving to Aldera, then we can get to hang out together, like real friends!" Izuku responded. The mere thought of finally having a friend made his heart melt with happiness. For years, he witnessed his peers hanging out together, whether at school or in their spare time, while he, on the other hand, was always the lonely wol- sheep left behind that gets all the beatings and teasing of the angry wolves. However, his smile went as soon as it came. Maybe Gohan wasn't the type to hang out with people. I mean, didn't he say that he lives with his family in isolation on Mount Paozu? He doesn't have the time to hang out with someone. Just having him as a friend is enough.

"But, Gohan," Midoriya completed, looking away, "If you don't want to hang out, I understand. We can just... be friends and keep it simple-"

"Of course, I want to!" The hybrid interrupted, surprising Izuku, "That's what friends are for, right? You accepted my treat for ice cream, so I should accept your invitation to visit your home. Well, only if mom agrees with this."

Hearing his words, a wide smile spread on the green-haired male's face, his eyes shining like diamonds, he grabbed the older teen's left arm, pulling him and forcing him to follow his steps.

It took half an hour to reach the apartment. Gohan wasn't sure what to expect. The last time he met Mrs. Midoriya, she was a very sensitive woman who could be affected by the slightest emotional situation. Heck, she even was one step away from crying a river when she witnessed him befriending her little baby. Now, that he - her son's only "true" friend - came back six years later, the entire city might drown in tears.

Izuku rang the doorbell and called, "Mom, it's me. Open the door please." Then, after a few seconds, the door opened.

Gohan was... surprised. Sure, he knew that Izuku's mom could change in six years. But he didn't expect her to get shorter and gain some weight. But who was he to judge? His mentor Piccolo was already a mature adult by the age of three!

"Izuku, dear. You're home!" Inko greeted before turning her attention to the ice cream spot and to the strange teen who accompanied him. "H-How did your clothes get dirty? And who's this boy?"

"Oh, nothing. I just... I just bought an ice cream and dropped it by mistake. I'm sorry." Izuku lied with embarrassment, clearly not wanting his mother to get involved with his bullying issue. He quickly attempted to change the subject. "But most importantly, do you remember my friend Gohan from six years ago at the camp? Well, guess what, here he is!"

The short lady took a moment to observe the hybrid. He changed in height for sure and his haircut is different. But she recognized that face, those eyes, that smile...

It's her baby boy's only friend.

The emotional situation was so strong for her sensitive heart to handle. Her eyelids have already started watering. A shaky smile of happiness for her son formed on her lips.

The Half-Saiyans smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Hi, Mrs. Midoriya. Long time not seen." he greeted. "I'm sorry for coming without an invitation. Izuku is the one who insisted that I should come and join you for lunch. I... I hope you don't mind my presence."

"Nonsense!" she responded instantly; her eyes still so shiny with tears. "A friend of Izuku is a friend to the whole family. Come in, kids. Don't just stand like that at the doorstep."

Without a second of hesitation, Izuku took Gohan's hand excitedly and pulled him inside to the direction of his room. "Thanks, mom! We'll be in my room!" The two entered and closed the door behind them.

Thank God, Inko thought, her heart melting with joy, my little baby won't be alone again!

The moment Gohan entered, the first thing he noticed was all the All Might posters on the walls and his figures on the desk. Heck, the boy even had a carpet with 'ALL MIGHT' written on it with big letters, curtains resembling the American flag, and even All Might puppets on his bed.

The kid really idolized this man.

"You're... still an All Might fan, I see," Gohan remarked awkwardly.

Realizing what he meant, Izuku felt embarrassed about the situation, his face as red as a tomato. Maybe bringing Gohan to his room was a bad idea. "Oh, it's, err, nothing! I just, what can I say... A Hero Otaku! Yes! And All Might happens to be the numb-"

"Izuku, relax!" The Saiyan interrupted. "You don't have to feel ashamed of this. I'm sure you're the only person in the world who's a huge Heroes fan."

"Y-You think so?"

"Of course!" Gohan assured. "I'm more than convinced that somewhere, there's someone who's a Heroes' fan and idolizes a specific hero just like you."

Elsewhere, in another universe

A ten-year-old Pakistani girl was sitting in front of her computer, re-reading her favorite fanfiction: "Captain Marvel vs. Wonder Woman: World War III". She was enjoying every single word of it, despite reading it dozens of times already.

"Achoo," the girl suddenly sneezed.

Strange, she thought. I felt like someone was talking about me.

Back to the story

The green-haired boy sighed, feeling reassured. He didn't have to explain himself to Gohan. Finally, someone understood his obsession. His lips curled into a smile as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"So, you seem to have gotten stronger since the last time we met," Izuku spoke.

"What can I say? Six years is enough to make a difference," Gohan answered, sitting next to the boy. "Now, will you mind explaining to me who those three were? And why did the blonde one call you 'Deku'?"

"Oh, that," the green-haired mumbled, his head low, a sad look on his face. "It's nothing. Just a bunch of my schoolmates. That's their way of teasing."

At that moment, the Half-Saiyan wrapped an arm around Midoriya and pulled him closer to him. "Izuku," he spoke in a soft tone, "We're friends, remember? You can tell me anything that's bothering you, and I promise I won't judge you. Okay?"

Izuku simply nodded in response. He didn't look at Gohan at all. He was too busy considering his suggestion. A part of him doesn't want to share his history with him or anyone. But another part wants to spell what's inside, to express how he feels. Gohan has already met Kacchan, and if that wasn't enough, he slapped him in the face without hesitation. And judging Katsuki, this won't teach him a lesson, but instead will make the hybrid a target for him. Sooner or later, he will find out the truth.

"Listen, now," Son continued, "I'm not forcing you to tell me right now. You can take as lon-"

"His name is Katsuki Bakugou. And he's my old friend."

The Half-Human was not expecting a quick response, so it took him by surprise. But what did he mean by saying he's 'an old friend'? The answer came soon from Izuku, who was still staring at the floor. "Back when I was four, he was my first and best friend. We played together and talked with each other, we even had sleepovers at my house and his from time to time. I even nicknamed him "Kacchan" and I still call him with it to prove that I still consider him to be my best friend.

But then, when his Quirk manifested and mine didn't... When he was gifted with a powerful explosion Quirk, and I stayed Quirkless... Everything changed. He no longer treated me the same. He told me to give up my dreams of being a hero. He beat me whenever he got the chance to." Midoriya remembered all his memories with his old friend, how he used the brother his mother didn't give birth to, and how it all turned 180 degrees when he got his Quirk, and he didn't. He remembered every time he beat the crap out of him and mocked him, belittled him, and looked down at him in disgust. And today, he humiliated him in front of Gohan! He couldn't take it anymore, his eyes burst into tears. "He even nicknamed me 'Deku' as in 'useless'. All because I simply wanted to help others."

The hybrid was listening cautiously to every word that Izuku said and noticed how they were all full of pain and suffering. He couldn't believe what he had to go through in the past ten years all because of his lack of a Quirk. And that boy Katsuki... He mentally swore that if he caught him once more treating Izuku or anyone the same way he did today, he was going to be a dead man. He's clearly someone who, once he got a powerful Quik at a young age, thought that he was above anyone else and believed himself to be a god among men and that everyone else belong under his feet.

God, how he hated that type of monsters.

He held Izuku tighter than earlier, trying his best to comfort him and calm him down. "Shhhh. It's okay. You're safe now. There's nothing to be afraid of." In return, Midoriya had unconsciously buried his face in his warm chest, doing his best to calm down, his arms wrapped around the taller teen's waist. He didn't understand why, but every time he does it when he was sad, he feels calmer and more comfortable. He feels like he's in safe hands that will never let go of him.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until the green-haired teen completely calmed down and let go of Gohan, giving him the chance to speak.

"Izuku," Gohan spoke, "Listen to me. I know I wasn't with you as long as this Bakugo kid was, but you're in fact one of the first friends my age I ever had and so far the best. I care about you. You're one of the few people who see me for who I am and not how strong my Quirk is. I only want the best for you. That's why... I'm asking you to end this friendship with Katsuki."

The younger teen blinked in surprise. He wanted to protest, but the Saiyan stopped him." Before you say anything, I want to understand that as far as you told me, your relationship with him is not a friendship at all. If he treats you as you told me just because he has a fancy Quirk and you don't, then he is a bully, Izuku. And what he has done to you today proves it. And it seems to me he only befriends those whom he believes have some good powers. If that's the case then he only sees people for how strong and how popular they are and not who they are inside. And let me tell you this, he's unlucky to not see how great of a person you are."

Midoriya took a moment to let the idea sink into his head. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

"Look, I'm not forcing you to do anything." The hybrid continued. "This is your choice to make. I'm just giving you my advice. Okay?" The boy nodded. "Great. Now I'm gonna leave you to change your shirt. I'll be waiting for you in the living room."

Closing the door behind me, the teen walked his way to the sofa and couldn't but notice the smell of food in the air. He turned his eyes gaze to the kitchen and saw Mrs. Midoriya setting dishes on the table. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Midoriya, may I help you?"

"Oh, aren't you a nice kid," she answered with a smile. "But I can handle it on my own. You're our guest after all."

"Yeah, but I insist on it," Gohan replied, taking some plates from her hands. "Don't worry, I'm used to doing house chores at home. It won't be a problem."

"Oh, ok," she murmured. He's really such a nice and polite boy, unlike that ungrateful son of Mitsuki, she thought, the image of Katsuki in her mind. She didn't hold any grudge against the Bakugo family in general. On the contrary, she and Katsuki's mother Mitsuki were long-term friends and used to hang out together with their kids on weekends. However, her child was a different story.

Ever since his Quirk manifested, the kid had... a huge ego and an unimaginable arrogance inside of him. Always believing he's better than everyone else, that he'll always be on top. He has no respect for anyone, even for his own parents. He can't take it easy if someone beats him in something. And his relationship with Izuku? She doesn't understand why he keeps telling her that they're friends and that this is just Kacchan's way of admiring people.

But Gohan? The kid was just... different. He, like Katsuki, has a powerful Quirk. Maybe even more fascinating than that of Bakugo. Yet he showed nothing but respect and a sense of responsibility in front of them. And she couldn't forget the fact that he saved her baby boy six years ago at the camp.

Not to mention that - according to what Izuku told her back then - Gohan was the only one who truly believed that he can be a Hero. Something not even she had shown to him (which she still regrets 'till now).

She placed a hand on her heart, and a warm smile formed on her lips.

Now that was a boy her son could truly call a friend.

After lunch, Gohan (who has proved to have an appetite that rivals that of Izuku) thanked the Midoriyas for inviting him and asked if Izuku could join him tonight at dinner as a way of returning the favor. The two were confused by his statement. After all, he has just reminded them that he lives at Mount Paozu which is located south of the city at a distance of 115 kilometers! However, Gohan reassured them saying that with his Meta Ability, there is a way.

Meanwhile, inside an old fallen tree branch in the forest, a little rabbit was enjoying his afternoon nap in peace, unaware of the danger approaching. A big, grey wolf tracked his smell and approached the little creature in silence, doing its best not to wake him. As the wolf was nearly one step away from entering the branch and devouring the rabbit mercilessly, luck seemed to be on the rabbit's side today as an unidentified object passed between him and the wolf at an immense speed of one hundred and twenty miles per hour, awaking him in process and scaring the big carnivore, making him escape like a coward. [1]

The object was, in fact, a person. Or to be more precise, two persons. Seeing that he couldn't summon Nimbus or fly in the air for obvious reasons, Gohan had no choice but to carry Izuku on his back and run with him at a limited speed to reach his house before sunset.

It wasn't such a hard task at all for Son. For starters, he is used to holding back in speed, and with his Ki manipulation, he created a protective aura around him and his friend to protect themselves from the dangers that come with super speed. Secondly, the boy's weight felt like nothing. In his current level of strength, the hybrid can handle literally quadrillions of tons pressing on him. [2] Even if he was an average person, Izuku was just so short and light even for someone his age. Carrying him wouldn't be a hard task at all.

Midoriya, on the other hand, was watching his life flashing before his eyes. While Gohan was enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful sight of nature, he never got tired of, the green-haired boy was holding tightly to him in fear of letting go. He knew that at this speed if he fell and touched the ground, the least that could happen was his neck getting snapped.

When Gohan told him he was going to carry him all the way here, he thought at first that this was a joke. But when he leaned on his knees and offered him to jump on his back, his expression turned to a face of surprise and then to one of 'Are you serious!?'. The Half-Saiyan had to remind him of his ability to run at super speed and explain that, with the absence of any vehicle, and since someone could see him flying without permission, there was no choice but this. He rejected, refusing to be carried like a little kid, but when his friend insisted, telling him this was the only way they could reach the house in time, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and hop on his back, regretting it the moment Gohan showed his "true" speed. [3]

The fourteen-year-old teen spent most of the trip closing his eyes, praying to be home by now. He couldn't hear his friend calling for him.

"-uku! Izuku! Open your eyes, we're here!"

Slowly, the teen opened his right eye slowly, then opened the other. They were in the middle of a large green field next to a mountain. Not far from them was a dome-shaped house with a more traditional home structure built around it and a hunt a few feet away.

The green-haired male got off his friend's back and observed the area in awe.

"I know. I know. I live in isolation from any modern service." Gohan said. "But we do have internet and phone service, and with my speed, getting to school and hospital isn't so har-"

"It's beautiful." Izuku caught him off guard, surprising him. "I don't care if it does have internet or not. The place represents the beauty of nature! So calm, so peaceful. You don't have to suffer all the noise, smells, and smoke of the city. And I doubt a Villain would even think about coming here." He turned to Gohan and smiled at him with a childish smile. "I love it!"

At this point, the Half-Human has been fighting tears from falling. The words Midogiya said to him meant a lot. For so long, he lived in isolation from society, his only friends were his father's. He never had the chance to make friends his own age. Even when he did, that friendship was for just a day as he had to move on. He was afraid of getting rejected by people.

He can safely say that Izuku is indeed the first friend he has ever made.

However, before Gohan could thank Midoriya for his kind words, their moment was interrupted when a female voice from the house yelled, "Gohan, is that you?"

The hybrid - knowing exactly to whom the voice belonged - turned to its source and replied, "Yes, mom! I'm coming!" He then took Izuku's hand and dragged him along saying, "Come on. I'll get to introduce you to my family."

The Son family, alongside Izuku, were currently sitting in the living room, discussing a topic Midoriya has brought up.

It was such a nice evening for the fourteen-year-old boy. Not just did he get to know his friend better, but he also had the chance to meet his family. His mother, at first, was such a nice woman. The moment Gohan introduced him to her as his friend, she embarrassed him in tears - nearly choking him - and insisted that he joins them for dinner, telling him to bring his mom with him the next time. She reminded him a lot of his mother.

His little brother Goten was such an adorable and cheeky boy. At first, he felt embarrassed when he boldly asked 'Why did you bring a stranger to the house?' but he quickly felt sorry for him when Chi Chi pulled his ear and ordered him to apologize. However, they got to know each other better and even get along at the dinner table when they found out about their shared love for Heroes, especially All Might.

In fact, they were currently discussing a topic about an event concerning Heroes that came to town this year.

"A Heroes' Festival?"

"Yes. Haven't you ever gone to any of them?" Izuku questioned, his eyes sparkling in excitement. "It's one of the greatest events that I've participated in my whole life! There's gonna be everything! From the delicious food to the games with prizes! And the best part is... The top 20 Heroes in Japan will be there! All Might will be there! I mean, sure other Heroes besides them will be there, too, but... ALL MIGHT WILL BE THERE!" The mere thought of meeting his idol at the festival nearly made the boy explode with happiness. Whenever he sees him, it's either on T.V. or from far away in the middle of a huge crowd of fans. He always dreamed of meeting face-to-face. But in fact, if he was ever to meet him, he'll have absolutely no idea what to tell him.

"This sounds fun!" The mother of two commented and turned to her eldest son. "Gohan, why don't you go with Izuku tomorrow to the carnival? I'm sure you'll enjoy it!"

"And why not Goten, mom?" Gohan questioned, "He's more into Heroes. I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Right, buddy?"

"Actually, Gohan, I already got myself a ticket," Goten interrupted sheepishly, confusing his eldest brother, "Did I forget to mention this? Trunks invited me to come with him and I agreed since it's a holiday. Sorry, big brother. I will meet you there, but I can't come with you."

"Okay... Then I guess it's only me and you, Izuku."

"That's awesome!" The younger teen cried joyfully. "Trust me, Gohan. You won't regret it. I'll be waiting for you at the gates by nine in the morning. Oh my god! We're gonna have a lot of fun!"

"Geez, buddy. You seem like you're about to explode with happiness," Gohan commented.

"Sorry. I'm just a big fan. I can't hold myself in such an important and rare event." Izuku admitted rubbing the top of his head. "So, what do you say?"

The eldest teen thought for a moment. On one hand, he wasn't such a big fan of Heroes. Not that he disliked them. On the contrary, he respected them for what they do to protect humanity (even though they couldn't do anything at all against the androids), but he didn't read every single article in news mentioning them. These types of festivals weren't really his type. But on the other hand, Izuku was looking forward to this. His mom works tomorrow, and since he clearly doesn't have any other friends besides him, he would undoubtedly attend it alone if he rejected. They finally met again after years, and this could be the chance to strengthen their relationship like before or even more.

Gohan smiled, taking his decision. "Fine, then. I'll meet you tomorrow at the gates by nine."

The green-haired male couldn't hide his happiness and jumped into his best friend's lap, hugging as tight as possible. "Thanks, Gohan! I really mean it! I promise you won't regret this!"

"Any time," the older teen replied, hugging him back. "Just make sure to be there on time."

"I will!" The shorter teen responded. "In fact, it's time for me to go back home. Thanks again for inviting me! And thanks to you too Mrs. Chi Chi and Goten."

"Your welcome, dear. Our house will always be open to you."

"See ya tomorrow, Izuku-san."

With that, Midoriya stood up, put on his shoes and went to the door, ready to head home. However, the moment he opened it, he found himself in the mild of wilderness, with no means of transport nearby.

"I forgot. We're in the mountains," he murmured.

The Half-Saiyan followed him behind. He saw the expression on his face and understood exactly what was going on in his mind. He sighed, "Well, no choice." Then, he placed an arm on Midoriya's back and the other under his legs and so, much to Izuku's surprise and embarrassment, he carried him in his arms bridal style. And before he could make any objections, Gohan spoke first, "I suggest you hold tighter and keep your mouth closed, 'cause we're going to travel twice the speed we used earlier."

Musutafu's Central Park, Monday, March 22th, Age 772/2528, 8:56 a.m.

The Half-Saiyan arrived half an hour earlier than the specified time to drive Goten to Capsule Corps. before anyone could see them on the flying yellow cloud. He stood by the gates, waiting for his best friend to arrive. After a few minutes of waiting, he saw Midoriya's figure from afar waving at him.

"Gohan!" The teen called. He was dressed up in a white T-shirt - with "Plus Ultra!" written on it in Japanese -, blue jeans, and his remarkable red boots. "Sorry... for making you wait..." Midoriya completed, trying to catch his breath. "I didn't... expect you... to be here earlier..."

"Woah, Izuku! Calm down and take a breath!" Gohan said, putting a reassuring hand on his friend's back. "It didn't bother me at all to wait for you. What matters now is that you're here, 'Kay?"

Izuku nodded with a smile, his heart's beating rate slowing. "Okay. Let's get in, now."

The moment they stepped inside, their jaws - especially that of Izuku - nearly dropped in astonishment. The area was filled with all the different types of stores, games, and activities: from the candy booths to the winning prizes. Not to mention the presence of dozens - if not hundreds - of Pro Heroes here and there. Midoriya covered his mouth with both his hands, trying to hide his wide, shaky smile of joy and happiness. Gohan also, despite not being as enthusiastic as his friend, felt the excitement at the first glance. The place was full of licensed Heroes who have experience in crime-fighting life and who could give him some advice for U.A. He did also recognize some of them who either were on the posts and the screens or were also enjoying their time like any normal civilian. There was Crust, Ryukyu, Yoroi Musha, and...

"Yamcha?"

Even if the two haven't met each other for a while, Gohan could still recognize that haircut and that orange gi from afar. The man in question was talking with a woman in her late twenties and early thirties, she had red eyes and brown hair styled in three bangs with red markings below her eyes. Her costume consisted of a red collared top decorated with three straps and a bell, and a large, ruffled skirt. Oddly, the woman had a tail dangling from her back and silver cat paws in her hands. The Half-Human couldn't tell if it was a costume or part of her body. But it wasn't a big deal. In the end, he and the rest of his race were born with tails.

The pair turned in the direction of the hybrid. Yamcha, for an instant, was surprised at first, but then his lips curled to a smile when he recognized to whom belonged the voice.

"Gohan!" he called. He walked to the two boys with his partner following him, confused about what was going on.

Izuku also was confused and in disbelief. Yamcha, the Number #29 Hero, for some reason, knew who his friend was.

"Y-You know each other?" The woman and Izuku asked at the same time.

"Izuku," Gohan addressed, "You want an interview with a Hero, don't you? In that case, I introduce you to Yamcha. He was a friend of dad."

It took a moment for the green-haired male to process the information. Then, his mind blew up, denying the truth. Gohan, his friend, knows a Pro Hero and maybe even others! Why hasn't he mentioned this before!? How could he hide such a thing from him? But again, they met for the second time in years just yesterday. They spent most of the time bonding together. It must've slipped his mind.

Meanwhile, the female was piecing things together. These kids - or at least the tall one - know Yamcha. According to him, his dad was a friend to him. And judging by the fact that he referred to their friendship in the simple past, his father might be deceased. Could he be...?

"Yamcha, is this...!?"

The forty-year-old man nodded in response, knowing what was going on in her mind. "Yes, this is Son Gohan indeed." He then turned back to the two teens. "Gohan, and... the other kid, nice to meet you at the festival."

Izuku had no idea what to say. This was the first time he ever had a conversation with TWO Pro Heroes! The woman also had turned to a state of surprise and astonishment for some reason. The hybrid, on the other hand, had no problem continuing their talk. "Good to see you, too, Yamcha-san. By the way, who's this woman with you?"

"You mean you don't know her/me!?" Midoriya and the brown-haired finally dared to respond, questioning the boy's unawareness of the woman's identity.

Gohan had no idea what this sudden outburst for was. "A-Am I supposed to know?"

"Gohan," Yamcha spoke, getting Son's attention, "I introduce you to the Number #32 Hero in Japan: Shino Sosaki. Also known as Mandalay. And who happens to be... my girlfriend and future fiancé.[4]" he said the last part with a smirk.

Gohan was caught off guard by the statement, his eyes widening in shock. He knew that Yamcha was going to find a mate one day. One day, not today. And then, he recalled what he said a few moments ago and how inappropriate and unpolite his introduction was.

He instantly regretted it and bowed in respect. "I'm sorry for misbehaving, ma'am!" He apologized, sweat dripping from his forehead. "My name is Son Gohan. It's such a pleasure to meet you!"

Izuku instantly followed him, having no idea what to do next. "I-It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Mandalay ma'am!" He spoke loudly, trembling with anxiety and shyness. "My name is I-Izuku Midoriya! I'm a friend of Gohan!"

The Pro Hero, Mandalay, observed the boys' gesture, trying her best to contain her laughter. "Come on now, you two. You don't have to be so sincere. And drop this "ma'am" thing. It's making me feel old. Mandalay or Mrs. Sosaki is good."

Slowly, the two lifted their heads to meet the couple face-to-face. Midoriya was still having a hard time believing that finally got to talk to Pro Heroes personally, while Gohan was sending Yamcha a questionable look, asking for answers.

The scar-faced man chuckled in response and pulled the two teens close to him, wrapping an arm around each of them and dragging them with him, Mandalay following behind. "Come on, guys." He spoke. "I'll explain everything to you at the table."

A few minutes later at the café

Gohan and Izuku were - to say the least - in an awkward and embarrassing situation. They were currently sitting next to each other at the end of the table, while Yamcha and Sosaki sat together at the other end, sipping their cups of coffee. On their right was the rest of the Wild, Wild, Pussycats: Tiger, Ragdoll, and Pixie-Bob. They were currently sitting with one of the top search and rescue teams in Japan at the same table! And if this wasn't enough, they glanced to their left side, catching a glimpse of Edgeshot, Kamui Woods, and Mount Lady, each enjoying respectively a cup of coffee, some orange juice, and a chocolate crepe. A single word wasn't said at the table.

Finally, Yu decided to break the creepy silence between them. "So, Gohan and Izuku, was it?"

The two silently nodded.

"And Gohan is an old friend of Yamcha while Izuku happens to be his friend."

The two gave a second nod.

"And you happened to visit the festival and by coincidence, you met our partner and his girlfriend on their date. So they invited you to sit with us."

They nodded a third time.

It was then Pixie-Bob's turn to comment. "You know you can simply talk with us like ordinary people, right?"

Yet, the two found it enough to simply nod.

"Come on, now!" Tiger yelled energetically, approaching the teens who backed in fear. "You don't have to act in such a sincere manner like that just because we're Pros. We're also civilians as well. We all came to enjoy the day here! You must take the opportunity to ask us anything you want! ANYTHING!"

"Tiger, I think you're scaring them," Kamui commented from his seat.

"Relax, Shinji," Yamcha reassured, "It's not like he's going to eat them like a... tiger." The last part earned a few laughs from the girls, much to the black-haired man's amusement. "So, kids," he continued, "how does it feel to sit down and talk with the Pro Heroes? Gohan?"

All eyes then turned to the hybrid, much to his displeasure.

"It's, umm," he replied in exaggeration, "It's... really cool, I guess."

"And what about you, green hair?" Ragdoll asked, catching said boy's attention. "You must've been looking forward to talking with a Pro Hero, right!?"

"Y-Yes, Mrs. Ragdoll!" He responded his face completely as red as a tomato. "I-It's really an honor for me to sit down and have a conversation with all of you! I've read a lot about you and your missions! The Wild, Wild, Pussycats and the Lurkers are two of the top teams in rescuing and capturing villains! I really thank you for-"

"Kid, calm down!" The wooden hero interrupted, cutting Midoriya in his track. "Man, your fanaticism is too much. Say, why don't we both go and bring some crepes? We can talk together along the way."

"W-Wait, you're serious?!"

"Of course," Kamui coolly responded. "Unless you didn't want to hang out with me then I understan-"

"IT'LL BE MY PLEASURE, SIR!" Izuku yelled, jumping from his seat.

"Then that settles it." Shinji then stood up and walked to the short teen, wrapping an arm around him and walking away with him. "Come on. You can tell me more about you."

"Make sure to bring some to the rest of us. You know our tastes." Mandalay called.

"And bring me one as well!" Takeyama yelled. "These chocolate crepes are unlike anything I've tasted before!"

"Fine. But you're all paying me back later."

"No promises!"

With that, Kamui and Izuku disappeared from the eyesight of the group, who turned their attention to the other teen. If the situation wasn't already enough embarrassing, then it definitely was now. The hybrid did his best to keep his coolness and not reveal his panicked face, but anyone could simply notice it on him.

Gohan took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down. "O-Okay. Umm... It's... nice to meet all of you... I... I guess Yamcha-san has told you ab- I MEAN he might have not mentioned me! Not that it is a problem! I'm not looking for publicity or fam-"

"Son, relax," Edgeshot spoke with a calm voice that put a stop to the boy's endless speech. "You don't have to be so sincere with us. Even for a Saiyan warrior, your Ki was getting so disturbed, so try to calm it down."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it." He apologized, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Suddenly, it hit him. His awkwardness flew away and was replaced by shock and disbelief. "Excuse me, what did you just say!?"

"You really did it, Edgeshot!" Tiger yelled in excitement. "If I knew that mentioning his secret was all it needed to make the adrenaline burst in his veins, I would've let it out from the start!" The rest nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, the Half-Saiyan was expressing a mixture of feelings, mainly panic, fear, distress, and disbelief.

How could this be possible!? He thought. How come they all know about my secret identity!? Does one of them have a mind-reading Quirk? Or could it be... When the idea crossed his mind, Gohan stood up, his face turned to one of anger, an aura of fury surrounded him, his hair nearly glowing like a Super Saiyan. He lifted his head and looked at the black-haired man who was sitting at the other end of the table with a murderous look. If looks could kill (which in this case can), Yamcha would've been long dead by now if Gohan wanted to.

Yikes! Edgeshot, you idiot! You shouldn't have dropped such a bomb on him! Yamcha knew that he was by now in a situation that he couldn't escape. And clearly from the amused looks on their faces (a cold stare in the ninja's case), his teammates - even his love - weren't willing to stand up for him, either because they knew how strong the kid really is or simply because they wanted to see him suffer. He was all alone by now.

He raised his hands in defense, attempting to calm the Half-Saiyan. "W-Wait, Gohan! It's not what it looks like! Give me ten minutes and I'll explain it all!"

The Half-Human breathed in and out, trying his best to contain his anger. He sat back in his seat, his gaze not leaving the scarred man, gone was his shy tone.

"Explain. Now."

"A Quirkless Hero, you say?"

In the meantime, Kamui Woods was carrying all their orders with a dozen branches thanks to his Quirk: Arbor. The kid did not stop talking all the way about the awesomeness of his power. It didn't bother him the slightest, and in addition, they got to know each other better. Their conversation ended up with Midoriya bringing up how he wills to be a Hero without a Quirk.

"Yes," Izuku responded. "I know it may seem impossible or a fantasy dream. But All Might always says in interviews that if someone is willing to help others, then he'll definitely be a Hero one day. Gohan also supports me on this. He told me that if I trained hard enough, my physical power will reach that of the likes of Present Mic for example. We all know he has a powerful sound-wave Quirk, but he's also skillful and strong in hand-to-hand combat. That's what I'm aiming for."

"Hmm, this actually makes sense," Kamui responded. "People usually speak of our Quirks and their effectiveness, but no one talks about our strength as humans."

"Yeah. That's my point."

A few moments of awkward silence passed between the two until Shinji decided to add something. "You know, kid. We're not that different after all." Izuku noticed the look in his eyes and knew exactly what was coming next. "We both had hard childhoods that made us believe that there's no way we could be heroes one day. I think you understand what I mean since you probably watched that documentary."

"Yes, I guess so." It was true. Nishiya might be a great hero, but he had one of the darkest childhoods ever. His parents were so poor that they couldn't afford to enroll him in a school like the rest of the kids. They were thankful that they could at least buy enough food to feed them. Yet, his parents didn't give up on him. They knew he'll one day be something great. And if wasn't already hard enough for him, he witnessed his parents get murdered in front of his eyes at the age of six by a psychopathic serial killer made of flame who broke into their home at night. The hell did he mean "I won't give the Gardner a chance"!? And the bastard escaped before the Heroes caught him in time. Since then, he was all alone in the streets. He had to work at a young age to earn his living and had to avoid street gangs daily.

He was one step away from being a villain. But thankfully, some officers and Heroes found him during a patrol and saved him just in time, inspiring him to be a Hero.

"I'm sorry about that, sir." Izuku continued. "It must've been hard for you."

"Nah, it's okay. I worked it out already. Past is past. Sure, I had no one when I lost my parents, but now, I have my friends. You also have your friend Gohan now by your side."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled slightly.

"And if anyone bothers you, then he'll have the Lurkers knocking on his door right away," Kamui added.

"T-That won't be needed! I can handle things myself!" Izuku replied nervously. The mere thought of an angry Kacchan blaming him for getting beaten by his friend shook him enough. Pro Heroes will be too much for him to handle.

"Yeah, that's what they all say." Shinji teased.

Back with Gohan

"So, to summarize what's been said, you were approached by Edgeshot to join his team, The Lurkers, since you proved many times to have a speed and a level of strength that rival that of the top ten Pro Heroes." The Saiyan recapped. "You accepted the offer without a second thought, having no idea that he'll search for more information about you in classified archives and police documents.

He discovered that not only you were a pupil of Master Roshi but experienced the same mysterious Quirk Unleashment that your master and your comrades all experienced according to the files, which draw his attention, and felt that you were hiding something, especially since you appeared in the Cell Games with dad and Piccolo years ago and even during the Saiyan Invasion. So, he waited for the right moment to question you and discover the truth.

At that time, your team had a mission in the mountains of the Wild, Wild, Pussycats after an earthquake hit it. You were suspicious that this was the act of a Villain you've been chasing called Atomic who can control molecules. And while searching, the said villain caused another earthquake that nearly caused the mountain to collapse completely. After you knocked him down in a flash with a surprise attack, you saw that multiple rocks were going to fall on your teammates, the Pussycats, and a kid that was there. So, without thinking, you smashed all of them with your bare hands and took everyone to safety before anyone could react. A speed that not even All Might could reach, at least not anymore.

After you made sure everything was fine and the villain was delivered to the police, Edgeshot came clear to you in front of everyone, forcing you to spell the truth."

"Exactly," Yamcha replied. "And honestly, when I think about it, it's kind of rude to investigate peoples' personal lives without their permission. Don't you think, Shinya?"

"I need to always keep an eye on things, Yamcha," Edgeshot responded coolly. "You don't know when a friend will turn out to be your worst enemy."

"Honestly, I'm not against you forcing him to spill the truth to us, but you need to have more faith in us," Yu added. "We're supposed to be a team, remember?"

Shinya gazed at her completely unfazed by her dramatic speech. "Yes. A team I assembled."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" The Mineyama Hero roared.

"It means you could've said 'no' from the beginning if you dislike the way I work."

"Okay, enough of the two of you!" Gohan interrupted, stopping the argument from getting any worse. He took a deep breath, trying to comprehend everything he's been told. He doesn't want to be surrounded by photographers and reporters everywhere he goes, but he realizes that he can't keep the secret from everyone. Some mystery-seekers will discover his truth and he can't do anything about it.

The adults stared at him with worry filled with guilt, especially Yamaha. He knew this was Gohan's secret, not his to share, and yet he exposed him not to one person, but to seven people at once. "Look, Gohan... I'm really sorry and I honestly regret what I've don-"

"It's fine, Yamcha-san," Gohan spoke. "You didn't have any other choice. I understand."

"Come on, don't make a big deal of it. You also did tell someone, haven't you?" Ragdoll teased.

"Wh- No, I didn't."

"Huh?" The answer seemed to confuse everyone at the table. "And what about your friend? The one with green hair who left with Kamui?"

"You mean Izuku? No, I haven't told him. All he knows is that I have a powerful Quirk that allows me to manipulate my energy into strength, speed, flight, and beams. I don't want him to think of me as something else."

"Speaking of the devil, I suggest you change the subject if you don't wanna be exposed. Our delivery team is back," Yu pointed.

Just then, said two have returned to their seats. Kamui handed each one his crepe using his branches. "Well guys, you've got to be thankful that I have a pretty good memory," he said. "Each of you has got the one he asked for. Sorry Gohan, but I didn't know what taste you liked so I brought you chocolate. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he replied, taking his crepe from the branch that leaned to him. "Thank you, Shinji-san." The hybrid's attention was then turned to Izuku who was sitting back in his spot next to him, already enjoying his crepe, and asked him, "So, how did it go?"

"It was awesome!" he answered enthusiastically. Gohan already knew what was coming next. "You won't believe this, Gohan! Not only did I get to hang out with him, but Kamui-san also kept telling me about all his adventures and raids! Like that one time when he solely took down the entire Goblin Squad with little difficulty! Imagine it! It was a fourteen-versus-one, Gohan! FOURTEEN-VERSUS-ONE! Yet he came out of it victorious! "

Yu listened to the boy's speech and gave her partner a smirk. "Guess you found your future sidekick, Kamui." She teased him.

Shinji simply ignored her and turned his focus to Yamcha. "So, I guess you must've had some talk with each other."

Yamcha knew exactly what he meant by that and answered cooly, "Yep, we did. You also seem to have talked quite a lot with the kid, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes, I forgot about that." Midoriya turned to face Gohan with intense interest, his mouth curled into a wide smile. "Did you speak with them at last? If yes, what did you talk about?"

Panicked, the Half-Saiyan said the first thing that crossed his mind. "W-We also were speaking about their adventures in heroic duties." It's not a complete lie, he thought, Yamcha was telling me about the formation of the Lurkers after all.

"That sounds cool!" Midoriya responded. "I'd like to hear it from you later. Of course, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, sure thing, buddy." Gohan watched as his friend returned to devouring his crepe, chocolate covering his mouth. His mind repeated all over again what he discussed earlier.

"Come on, don't make a big deal of it. You also did tell someone, haven't you?"

"Wh- No, I didn't."

"Huh? And what about your friend? The one with green hair who left with Kamui?"

"You mean Izuku? No, I haven't told him. All he knows is that I have a powerful Quirk that allows me to manipulate my energy into strength, speed, flight, and beams. I don't want him to think of me as something else."

The thought of telling Izuku about his true nature, or at least the truth about his powers, crossed his mind. Should I tell him? He thought. Maybe not tell him about my history, but what about Ki? He will finally be a Hero just like he always dreamed to be. He's the only friend that I have now that didn't befriend me in battles and life-or-death situations. Perhaps... Perhaps now's not the time. When the right time comes, I promise to tell him everything.

"Hello? Earth to Gohan."

"W-What?" The hybrid said after he woke up from his thoughts. He was surprised to find the table completely empty, with the only one left with him is Mandalay who was standing right next to him. "Where did everybody go?"

"Weren't you listening?" She replied with a bit of annoyance. "We said that it's time for us to head to the Central Zone. The fans and the rest of the Heroes are waiting there." She then added joyfully, "You and Izuku are invited to come with us as well."

"Huh!?" The Saiyan was taken aback by the sudden news. He wasn't ready to be in the spotlight and surrounded by paparazzi for hanging out with Pro Heroes as if it was a daily activity. "B-B-B-But-"

"Not buts! We ain't taking no for an answer." She exclaimed, dragging him from his right arm. "Come on! You can eat your crepe on the way. We've got to catch up with the others. They're already ahead of us!"

Having no choice, the Saiyan obeyed and followed her, unaware of the two who were watching them from afar.

"Good. They'll get to meet the others there." The first one said.

"Yes. The Universe 7's team will, at last, be formed." The second added, then both of them vanished in the shadows as if they weren't there at all.[5]

Chapter Text

Musutafu's Hero Festival, Monday, March 22th, Age 772/2528, 9:38 a.m.

Among the large crowd that attended the carnival, the daughter of the Number #3 Hero was enjoying her time in companion with her best friends. She was a pale-skinned young teen of slim yet athletic figure, standing at the height of 5'2''. Her hair was straight black and had low pigtails that reached her chest, wrapped with gold hair clips. The girl was dressed up in a white T-shirt, black spandex shorts, and yellow shoes alongside dark fingerless gloves.

The second girl was, despite being the youngest of the group, of the same height and similar figure as her. With shoulder-length brown hair - matching the color of her large round eyes - which sports two long locks beside her face and a short bob at the back and a pink perpetual blush on her cheeks, she was wearing a pink T-shirt, blue shorts, and light-pink shoes.

The third was a blonde girl with sky-blue eyes and a lined green tube top and blue jeans, slightly a few inches taller than the other two.

The fourth was rather a tall muscular blonde male with brown eyes wearing a purple sleeveless t-shirt and blue shorts, alongside a green baseball hat on top of his head.

"This place is so much fun!" Exclaimed the brown-haired girl.

"I thought you'd think so. That's why I brought you," said the dark-haired girl next to her, taking a sip of her drink. "Glad you all liked it."

"Like it? I love it!" The blonde female answered joyfully. "Can you believe it! All the activities and the games they have, all the delicious food they serve, and all the HEROES that joined the festival! Maybe some of them could give advices on how to properly use my Quirk to win a seat in U.A.'s hero course."

"In that case, you've got to ask Engenium. He's the one who has better experience with speed quirks," spoke the blonde male, before letting out a sigh. "Mine on the other hand isn' t similar to anyone. I mean, sure there's my baseball hero Yamcha. He could shoot laser beams from his hands. But as far as I know, he can't shoot it from his eyes."

"How about X-Less," the black-haired girl spoke, her tone almost sounding bored. "Rings any bells in your mind?"

The muscular boy thought for a few moments before he responded with a simple 'no'.

The girl rolled her eyes. Of course he didn't know him. He's not a 'Top Hero' after all. But never mind that. She had a day to enjoy it with her best friends. "Anyhow, thanks again for coming with me, guys. You don't know how much it means to me."

"I'm the one who's supposed to thank you, Videl," replied the brown-haired girl enthusiastically. "You didn't just invite me for this whole super-awesome event, but you also provided us with FIRST-CLASS GOLDEN TICKETS! This is a one-time-in-life chance! Do you think we could finally meet ALL MIGHT IN PERSON!"

"Geez, girl. Calm down."

"S-Sorry." She apologized sheepishly while rubbing the back of her head. "I'm just so excited about the whole thing. This whole thing is a once-in life chance to happen."

"Speaking of which, I believe we must head on to the private party," stated the black-haired girl known as Videl. "Our electrical friend must be waiting for us there."

"Right behind you, Vi," responded the blonde male.

Musutafu's Hero Festival, Convention building, Monday, March 22th, Age 772/2528, 9:43 a.m.

In the meantime, the Lurkers and Wild, Wild, Pussy Cats - alongside Izuku and Gohan - were on their way as well to the convention building, fans greeting them on their path and asking for their signature. When they reached their destination, they went to the back stage's door.

"Here we are. I hope Puar and the others made it in time," said Yamcha.

"Puar is here!?" asked Ragdoll with excitement. "It's been a very long time since I met my little fluffy cat! I can't wait to play with him and tickle his little belly!"

"Sure. Two days is a very long period of time, Ragdoll," commented Mt. Lady sarcastically.

"You guys came to just invite us! I didn't get to play with him back then!" The heroine defended herself.

"Girls, calm down!" Yamcha intervened between the two. "We came here to have fun, remember?"

"Hmph! She's the one who started it," said Tomoko with irritation.

"Umm, guys," spoke Gohan, catching the attention of the group, "I really appreciate that you are inviting us in, but... Are you allowed to get in?"

"Kid, behind this door is like the Heroes' private restroom. Of course we're allowed."

"Mr. Kamui, sir, I think Gohan was referring to both me and himself." Izuku clarified. "N-Not that I don't want to get in. W-We're really honored for coming with you but... Like you just said, it's a private room for heroes only, right?"

"Well," Mandalay responded titling her head, "it says 'Heroes and their private guests', and it happens that some heroes have brought their families and friends in, sooo..." Then, a cheeky smile crossed her lips. "I don't think they'll mind if we brought two guests in."

"Wait! I'm not sure if-"

"Too late, Gohan." Yamcha interrupted and placed his mart card on the scanner, allowing the door to open automatically. "You two had already got involved in this."

The boys opened their mouths to argue more but found themselves speechless when the others ignored them and entered. They looked at each other and sighed in defeat before following the rest's lead.

However, the moment they had a clear look of the place, all their worries were replaced with disbelief and awe.

They observed what they - especially Izuku - could call a "Heroes' heaven". Pro heroes were enjoying what seemed to be a small party, chatting with each other and eating from the buffet. Some of them even removed whatever mask was on their faces.

"This place seems nice." Gohan stated.

"It's beautiful~!" Izuku said, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

"Well, well, well. If it weren't the Pussycats and the Lurkers," spoke a masculine voice.

"If it weren't my old friend, Death Arms. How are ya doing, pal?" Kamui responded. The man in question was a huge muscular man dressed up in a cyan-colored cardigan, which exposes his lower torso and the center of his pectorals, and a large headband with a yellow and black-striped caution pattern, matching his thick wrist-guards and the belt around his waist.

He approached the team with a grin on his face and a plate full of brownies on his hand. "As good as always. Just like I promised you all, I saved a full plate of brownies just for you, guys. Hope you enjoy it."

"You bet I will!" Mount Lady screamed enthusiastically, taking a piece without hesitation. "I knew I could rely on you, big guy!"

"Guess you never change, Yu." Death Arms joked. But at that same moment, he took notice of the two teens that were standing in the back and asked, "And who might these fellows be? Are they relatives to any of you?"

"Kind of." Yamcha answered. "The tall one is the son of my best friend. And the one with green hair is his friend. They're here with us."

The large man felt reassured knowing these two didn't sneak into the room and approached the two teens with an extended hand. "Well, ain't it nice to meet ya. Name's Death Arms, kids."

"Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Gohan by the way." The hybrid replied with a handshake.

"What about you, short fella?" He asked Midoriya. "What's your name?"

Izuku, who was shivering and sweating of nervousness, extended his shaky hand slowly to greet the Pro Hero. "D-Death Arms, sir! I-It's really an honor to meet you! I really am impressed with your physical strength, like that time last month when you caught a speeding car before it hits the citizens on the walkway!"

"Wait, you read that!?" Death Arms replied, surprised and seemingly happy that someone brought this up. "Now that's a compliment I don't get praised on a lot."

"That's Izuku for you." The Saiyan commented, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "He's probably the biggest Heroes' fan out there. He's making his way to be a pro hero someday."

A look of surprise and amusement formed on the Hero's face. "A Hero you say. Then this is your chance, kid. You'll get to learn from the best Pro Heroes in Japan."

"T-Thank you, Death Arms!" The young teen uttered while bowing in respect. "It's really a pleasure to me!"

"So, still not willing to join us?" Edgeshot questioned.

"Sorry, Edgeshot my buddy. What can I say? I prefer to work alone."

"It's fine. We respect your choice." Yamcha spoke. "Took some time before I agreed to join him. If you ever change your mind, we always have an empty spot for ya."

"Guess that spot will stay empty forever." The big man joked. "Well, I've got to go now. See ya later, guys." With that, he left waving to the team.

The scarred man then turned his attention to the two boys and suggested: "I believe it's better if we split here. Gohan and Izuku, you stay with me and help me find Puar."

"O-Okay."

"Fine by me."

"Hey, Yu." The wooden hero called. "How about we... hang out together?" The woman thought of it for a second before she uttered a 'Fine' in response.

"Guess I'll have to leave you now, Yamcha-san." Mandalay said. "The Pussycats always stick together."

"What about you, Edgeshot? Don't you have someone to hang out with?" Kamui asked.

"I think I'll talk with some of my peers. There isn't a lot for me to do here." Shinya answered in a calm voice before walking his way. "We'll meet after an hour from now at the entrance. Don't forget."

"Okay, that settles it. See ya all later." Shinji spoke and left with Mount Lady and were followed by the Pussycats, leaving only Yamcha behind with the two teens.

"Well, I guess it's just us three now."

Vegeta IV, also known as "Prince of All Saiyans", but here on Earth, he is the Number #4 Hero in Japan: "Prince Vegeta". The Saiyan was currently standing still in his place with his grumpy expression as usual, leaning his back on the wall. He was dressed up in his Hero costume - which happens to be consisted of his armor and his royal red cloak - thinking of how he let his wife drag him into this silly festival while he could have been training now or at least doing his heroic duties.

Speaking of her, Bulma Brief, CEO of the Capsule Corporation, was standing nearby of him, a cup of drink in her hand and a magnetic skateboard in the other. She brought it essentially for her son, Trunks Brief, but the latter left it under her watch and went with Goten to God knows where. She let out a sigh of annoyance and searched right and left. At last, her eyes caught the two boys racing to her between the crowd.

Trunks was the first to arrive, followed by Goten. "Yes! I won!" The lavender-haired kid shrieked.

"Not fair!" Goten complained. "You cheated. You started before you told us we were even racing!"

"Well, it was about time 'till you returned, young man!" Bulma scolded, making the kids flinch in fear. "Tell me, do you know how long I've been waiting for you!"

Trunks finally found his voice to respond to her apologetically. "S-Sorry, mom."

In the meantime, Vegeta stayed still, not willing to get involved in this argument. It was enough that he was drugged here against his will to a stupid party he didn't want to be part of in the first place. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

"I didn't expect to see you here, boss." Scratch that. It did get worse.

The prince sighed and turned to the woman who happens to be one of his multiple sidekicks. "I also find it hard to believe that I am here, Thunder Wave."

"Oh please. We're in a private party for heroes. Just call me Chikarasora or at least Kaminari-san." Chikarasora Kaminari a.k.a. Thunder Wave. A Pro Hero and a sidekick in the C.C. Agency. She is a woman in her middle to late thirties. Her golden hair, marked with a black streak resembling a lightning bolt, was wrapped in the form of a long rope ponytail that reaches her thighs. Her Hero costume consisted of a black shirt and matching pants, metal bracers that function in gathering electrical energy, and orange sunglasses that operates like the Saiyan scouters in communication and measurement of power levels.

The heroine then turned her attention to Bulma and greeted her with a charm smile. "Mrs. Brief! Can't say the same thing to you. After all, a festival like this must attract you to participate in it."

Proudly, Bulma responded to her. "What can I say? It's a chance for me to present the C.C.'s new products. In addition, I got a special invitation since I'm one of the sponsors so I couldn't say no."

Meanwhile, Goten approached Trunks and whispered in his ear. "Psst, Trunks. Who might this lady be?"

"It's Thunder Wave. She's a sidekick in my dad's agency." The lavender-haired boy answered.

Despite whispering, the boys' voices were loud enough for Chikarasora to hear. She leaned down to the kids' level and spoke with them cheerfully. "Hey, Trunks! Nice to see you here! Are these two your friends?"

"Hello, miss. Nice to meet you." Goten greeted with childish innocence. "My name is Son Goten."

"Well aren't you two nice young heroes." Chikarasora said, ruffling Goten's hair and earning a giggle from him in response.

"Say, Mrs. Kaminari," Goten said innocently, "Would you like to see me perform a trick with the flying skateboard?"

"Hey, wait!" Trunks yelled while holding the skateboard closer. "First of all, it's called Magnetic Skateboard C.C. 3.0 and not Flying Skateboard. Secondly, I can't allow any of you to use it. Especially you Goten. You nearly broke it last time!"

"Aww, come on!" Goten groaned in disappointment.

Thunder Wave comforted the little boy while ruffling his hair. "It's okay, kiddo. You can show it to me another time." This little act of kindness earned her a little giggle from the kid. "You know? You two remind me a lot of my son when he was just a little kid like you."

The Pro Hero Yamcha a.k.a Savage Wolf was looking all around him, searching for Puar. The place was bigger than what he imagined it to be.

At the same time, Midoriya and Gohan, who were standing not far from him, were enjoying some fresh orange juice served alongside the drinks on the table.

"Thank God they have drinks other than alcohol."

"Indeed. Mom will definitely kill me if I got drunk one day." Gohan muttered. The mere thought of his enraged mother with a pan fryer in her hand made him shiver in fear.

"Chi Chi will always be Chi Chi no matter what." Yamcha joked. Then, he eyed the place around him with a concerned look. His best friend Puar didn't seem to be anywhere near them, and this made him feel worried.

"Hey, listen boys," he addressed the two, "I'm going to search for Puar here and it could take a while. Can you stay here and wait 'till I return?"

"You can rely on us." Gohan responded.

"Yes, we can wait 'till you return, Yamcha-san." Izuku added.

"Okay then. Don't disappoint me." And with that, he left searching for his friend.

"So, what do you wanna do now, Izu?" Asked Gohan.

"I... I don't really know." Izuku answered, looking to all the Pro Heroes on his left and on his right. "There's a lot of things to do here. And I honestly didn't expect to end up here."

"Maybe we can meet one of the Pros here." Gohan suggested. "If we're going to be heroes in the future, we better learn from them. After all, they're the ones with exper-"

"LOOK OUT!" Came a yelling voice. When the three turned their direction of sight to the left, they only caught a glimpse of a blonde teen riding a floating skateboard before said teenager was one inch of bumping into them, or more specifically, into Izuku's face.

The green-haired boy closed his eyes in fear, waiting for the skateboard to hit him hardly in the face. He waited, but the pain didn't come. Instead, he felt an arm wrapped tightly on his wrist. He slowly opened his eyes one by one to see Gohan holding him with one arm and grasping the front of the skateboard with the other. The blonde teenager who was riding it losed his balance and fell to the ground on his butt.

Nearly everyone, save for a few, we're surprised from how fast Gohan reacted to the danger and how he held the speeding skateboard with one hand. Even the blond teen was shocked from this speed and strength. He wasn't that good in math, but he knew that an average teenager cannot do such a thing unless he had a special Quirk.

Soon, the Pro Heroes approached them, checking if everything was fine.

"What happened here!?"

"Are you kids alright!?"

"Is anybody hurt!?"

"Are you kids alright!?"

Some of the adults helped the blonde up while a Pro Hero took the skateboard from Gohan's hand and examined it. Then, a realization came to him and turned to the blonde male with a strict and serious face and asked him, "Kid, were you skating with this thing in here?"

The teen gulped, no idea what to say. In this situation, he couldn't lie, nor did he want to. His conscience told him that he deserved this and that he should take responsibility to his action. He finally found the courage to respond. "M-Maybe... You see-"

"DO YOU REALIZE HOW RECKLESS YOU WERE!?" The teen flinched from the man's furious voice. "You nearly hit a KID in the FACE with it! Do you know that this could've possibly KILLED HIM?!"

The boy wanted to say something in defense but decided not to. He sure had gotten into lot of troubles in the past, but what he did today was unforgettable. He deserved the scolding he was getting now.

And so, the Hero went on.

"I know that you didn't do it on intense but even so, you could have caused a tragedy today! And these skateboards aren't even for closed and crowded places in the first place!"

The blonde stayed silent and lowered his head in shame. At this point, Midoriya and Gohan started to feel bad for him.

At first, Izuku didn't know what to think of the boy, but Gohan clearly didn't like him at all. The fact that he nearly killed his friend has made his blood boil in his veins. Yes, it might have been an accident, but this incident wouldn't have happened in the first place if it weren't for this boy's recklessness.

However, now that they were seeing how regretful he was, whatever emotion they had was replaced with sympathy.

The Pro also seemed to notice this, so he took a deep breath and addressed the kid again. "Look, I know you're sorry for this, so I'll let it slide this time, but I'm confiscating your skateboard. And I expect you to be more careful in the future. Do I make myself clear!?"

The blonde nodded. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

"Don't apologize to me," he replied and pointed a finger at Midoriya. "Apologize to him."

He obeyed the orders and turned to the direction of Izuku and his friend. "I'm sorry... Both of you."

"Good." The Pro spoke, before he left with the skateboard. The crowd also started leaving the scene with some of them whispering a few things like 'how immature' and 'is that kid crazy?'. And of course, he did catch a few of what they said, which didn't help him feel better at all.

He turned to look at the two teens whom he nearly hit with a guilty expression and noticed how the two were wearing a concerned expression now.

"Again, I'm sorry for what just happened." The teenager apologized again. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Nah, it's fine," the short teen said, before he extended his hand for a hand shake with a bright smile as if nothing happened at all. "I'm Izuku Midoriya by the way." The boy was surprised at first, but he gladly then took the handshake.

The Saiyan hybrid then stepped in and introduced himself as well. "And I'm Gohan Son. Nice to meet you, too. Although I wish we met under better circumstances."

"Well, the name is-"

"DENKI!" The teen flinched at the mention of his name. He slowly turned his head around, only to be met face-to-face with his enraged mother. "WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU NEARLY KILLING SOMEONE TODAY!?"

Gohan and Izuku took a step back from this angry woman who clearly was Denki's mother while the blonde gulped and started shaking in his place. Gosh, did the news spread so fast and reach her already? "M-Mom, I... I can explain-"

"SO IT IS TRUE!" His mother shouted, making the teen back-off in fear. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say. Now he was going to get a second harsh lecture. "DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY FOR YOURSELF, YOUNG MAN!"

"W-Wait, ma'am," Izuku finally found his voice to speak, getting the attention of the furious mother. The fourteen-year old teen nearly jumped back in fear once he saw the enraged eyes of the woman but nevertheless, he didn't want Denki to get another scolding, especially since he clearly regrets what he had nearly done. So he continued, "I-I know you're mad at your son for this, but I'm still fine as you see. He didn't mean to hurt me at all."

"It was an accident, ma'am," Gohan added. "And Denki had already been scolded and apologized properly for his mistake. And his skateboard has been already confiscated."

The mother has suddenly fell silent and calmed down. She was confused and taken aback by the fact that two strangers were not afraid to defend her son as if they knew him all their lives. And did the short one say that he's the kid who's been nearly killed today? When she heard about the incident, she expected the poor kid to be enraged towards her boy. Yet of all people, he's the one defending him.

She eyed her son and noticed how regretful he was, his head down in shame. If he did indeed get scolded by a Hero or any adult for that matter, it won't do better to scold him a second time.

She turned back to the green-haired kid and asked him with a strict tone, "You're the kid who's been nearly hit, aren't you?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Midoriya answered.

"And here you are now, ready to defend him." He nodded. The mother closed her eyes and took a deep breath, thinking of what to do in this situation. Then...

"Listen, Denki," she spoke, getting said boy's attention, "Since you've already been scolded, I won't do that to you a second time. But still, your recklessness today cannot be ignored at all, and simply confiscating your skateboard isn't enough of a punishment. We'll discuss it together at home. But for now, keep enjoying your day." And with that, she left without adding another word.

As for Denki, he let out a deep sigh of relief. He wasn't surprised for getting grounded, he had seen it coming anyway. But thankfully, he skipped the scolding part, which would have been tens of times worse than any punishment.

"Hey, Denki," called the voice of the hybrid, getting the blonde's attention. "Sorry for your punishment. I know it must-"

"Nah, don't be," the teen cut him, "I deserved it anyway. Also, it's not the first time I got grounded, so it's fine by me." Then, he looked at both teens with enthusiasm and admiration. "Never mind that. What you two did was both cool and brave at the same time! Honestly, I didn't expect you guys to stand up for me like that."

"What can I say, that's what friends are for after all." Izuku answered him shyly.

Denki however seemed surprised with this response. "Wait, we're friends?"

Both Gohan and especially Izuku were taken aback. However, the more they thought of it, the trio barely knew each other for ten minutes. This isn't enough time for anyone to trust them.

"Well, you see," Gohan spoke, "If you don't want us to be friends than okay-"

"No! On the contrary!" Denki stepped in. "I just thought you wouldn't want to befriend me after... you know? Our little incident? But if you want to, I'd be more than glad to call you two as friends!"

Izuku, who was overwhelmed with happiness due to making a new friend, couldn't keep the emotions inside of him so his eyes started to water and sob tears of happiness.

"D-Did I say something wrong?" The blonde questioned with worry.

"It's fine." Gohan answered while patting his best friend on the back reassuring him. "It's just Izuku's way of showing his happiness."

"Oh, good." Denki responded, feeling reassured. "Hey, tell ya? I've got to introduce ya to my pals. I'm sure they'll find you both cool just like me. And you'll definitely love them as well. After all, one of them is the daughter of a famous hero, just like me." He said the last part with a proud tone.

Hearing him, Izuku has stopped sobbing and focused on his new friend's sentence. What did he mean by 'just like me'? Was he referring to his mother? He remembered the costume she wore and remembered her long golden hair, marked with a black streak in the Form of a lightning bolt.

Then, it hit him.

"Oh, god." Gohan whispered, knowing what was coming next.

"Denki," Izuku started, his fanatism kicking in, "Don't tell me that your mother... IS THE PRO HERO THUNDER WAVE!"

Meanwhile, somewhere else...

Tule Valley, Millard County, Utah, United States

Sunday, March 21st, Age 772/2528, 10:05 P.M.

"Yeehah! This is the life, babe!" In the late night, when nearly everyone in the state was sleeping, three young adults were riding their motorcycles on the large flat hardpan of the desert, passing the boulders and the hillocks of the valley.

"I told you guys!" One of them yelled. "I told you that you won't regret coming here!"

"Man! This is the best way to start our holiday!"

However, the three riders weren't expecting that what seemed to be a simple ride in the desert will turn into a disaster that started when one of them witnessed something.

"Hey, bros. What's that over there?" The other two turned their attention to where the man was pointing at. It was a huge thing sitting still in the middle of the desert, approximately one mile away.

"Is that... a huge tent?"

"What's that light coming from it?"

"Guys," the former spoke, "I think that's... an alien ship!"

A moment of silence passed. Then, all three started laughing loudly.

"Ahahaha! Yes, alien ship! Just like in the movies!"

"Yeah, I mean, if they were truly aliens, the government would have found them by now!"

"Hey, tell ya, I'll race you two there. The losers pay for the winner's dinner tonight."

"Challenge accepted!"

And so, all three of them raced into the mysterious object at full speed, determined to win this race. With every second they got closer, the object was becoming clearer. However, once they were near it, when the race was about to end, they all stopped in their tracks. They stood like that for a few seconds to observe this thing once it became clear enough.

Slowly, one of them moved his helmet, his arms were shaking. His face was pale from shock and fear.

This thing didn't look like an alien ship. It is an alien ship!

"What. The. Hell!?" One of them muttered.

"Indeed. What the hell are you three doing here?" A calm voice came from behind them. The horrified men jumped and turned around.

They were face-to-face with two humanoids with teal colored skin. The tall one had a sword in his hand and the short one was covering his head with what seemed to be a purple headcloth like those used in Arabian countries. Behind them were dozens of armored creatures. Some of them resembled humans while others looked like the ugliest of monsters.

The riders trembled in fear. Whether these were real aliens or just humans pretending to be ones, they were clearly trouble. None of the three had a useful Quirk for combat, but one of them brought a gun just in case they run into some bandits.

He pointed it at the short one - who, alongside the tall one, were clearly the leaders - and shouted, "BACK OFF! Or I swear, I will shoot this bastard in the head!"

The soldiers were about to attack, but the tall man gave them a signal not to.

"I'm serious you scumbags! I'm gonna KILL him!"

The teal-colored male was unfazed. He just kept staring. Then, much to the horror of the rider, his gun has somehow turned into sand in his hands. Does this guy's Quirk allow him to turn things into sand!? If that's the case, he really hoped it didn't work on organic beings.

"Take these three to the ship," ordered the swordsman. "We can learn a bit more about these 'Quirks' from them." without hesitation, the soldiers captured the three man and pulled them into the inside against their will, all three knew what was coming next.

"WHAT THE!? ARE YOU GOING TO EXPERIMENT ON US!?"

"NO! STOP! PLEASE! I'LL SPEAK EVERYTHING I KNOW! YOU CAN HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT! JUST LET US BE!"

However, all their pleadings were simply ignored and were taken to whatever fate awaits them.

The two leaders stayed behind in the calmness of night. The swordsman was the first to speak. "I doubt these three has great powers. Otherwise, they wouldn't have used a weapon. But if the so-called heroes and villains are anything like we've been told, we'll make a lot of money from selling them."

The other one smiled at the thought and said, "And then we can have the planets for us and use the weakling as slaves for our service. I'm pretty sure Bojack will be pleased with this."

Chapter Text

Sitting on a bench outside in the clear air, the Turbo Hero: Ingenium was looking at the confiscated skateboard, observing its front that was smashed with a strong handgrip.

Back earlier, he was so mad at that teen because he nearly killed someone to the point that he forgot to thank the other one who saved the boy. To say the least, he was... impressed. Not only did he see it coming, but in that short span of time, a period that should've been less than a second, he was able to react quickly and with the correct thinking.

Usually, if someone else was in his place, he would've simply the green-haired boy out of the way, leaving another person to take the hit. But he? He first secured his friend and then stopped that skateboard with great strength that smashed it!

Great power, quick thinking, and saving people as fast as possible.

Those were the qualities Ingenium saw in a true hero.

Perhaps, if the kid was willing to become a Pro Hero in the future, he could offer him an internship in his agency and maybe even accept him as a sidekick.

"-and so, the King of Beasts fell on the ground unconscious until the police came and took him to prison, after investigating him of course. Thus, mom claimed victory. Again."

Over the past few minutes of wandering in the party, and under Izuku's request, Denki has been telling a few tales of his mother's heroism, with Midoriya taking notes in a notebook he brought from who-knows-where while Gohan just listened, finding Kaminari's stories a bit interesting.

"You must be really proud of your mother, Kaminari-san." Gohan noted.

DenkI shrugged in response. "Yes, you can say so. I mean, it's cool to have a family of heroes. You get to hang out with the cool kids and all. You can also-"

"Wait, 'family'?" That caught Izuku's attention. He didn't know a lot of the Kaminari household, but as far as he knew, Thunder Wave was the only Pro Hero who held the name Kaminari. "Do you happen to have other relatives who happens to be Pro Heroes? Your dad for example?"

At the mention of his father, the blonde stopped in his tracks and went silent with a sad look on his face. The pair knew exactly that look. A look they both experienced before in their lives.

It's the look of someone who lost his father.

"Kaminari-san, are you okay? " Gohan asked with concern. "You don't have to answer the question if you don't want to."

"I-I'm also so sorry," Midoriya said apologetically. "I shouldn't have brought this subject in the first place."

"It's okay guys." Denki replied. "To answer you, yes. My dad is a Pro Hero. He calls himself Storm Rage."

"Storm Rage? Isn't this the Number #8 Hero in the United States?" The oldest teen noted.

Kaminari nodded. "Yes, that's him. The truth is... My parents are divorced."

The statement earned nearly identical reactions from the pair. While Gohan's eyes widened in surprise and understanding, Midoriya couldn't handle it and gasped in shock.

"Yeah, it's true," he continued. "All three of us used to live together under one roof. We used to laugh together, talk together, they even taught me how to properly use my Quirk since we're kind of an electricity family. But then, by the age of nine, dad wanted to move to America and continue our lives there. But my mom refused. We built a life here that she grew attached to and didn't want to let go. By time, things turned into the worst when this small argument grew into fights and shouting.

At the end, they had no choice but to divorce."

A moment of silence fell between the trio,none of them deared to add a word. Gohan and Izuku didn't what to say at first, not just because they felt affected by the story, but also because it brought them memories from the past.

"You know... You're not the only one who's separated from his dad." The green-haired teen spoke. That caught Denki off guard. "My parents may not be divorced, but it's been so long since I had seen my father for the last time. When I was a kid, he received a work post abroad. At first, he said it was a matter of just a month or two and then he'll return. Yet, it's been years since I last saw him in person. I'm not even sure if either of us will recognize the other once we meet again."

You didn't need to be a genius to notice the sad tone in the boy's voice when he was speaking. He was deprived in his childhood from the paternal love. Something no child in the world deserves to suffer. Gohan remember Izuku mentioning the subject briefly when they were in his appartement. He had questioned him about the whereabouts of his father before the latter answered him.

From his tone alone, he could tell that he was suffering with each time he mentioned it. Yet, he had the courage to do so just so he could comfort their new friend and make him see that he's not alone in this.

If Izuku can do it then so can he.

"I also did lose my father." Gohan spoke, catching the attention of his two friends. "He left us, but in a different way."

"In a different way?" Kaminari questioned. While he was confused of what the older teen meant, Izuku understood it, and it made his bones shiver.

"Wait a second. Gohan, are you saying that your father is... is...!" He couldn't continue. He didn't have the power to say what's next. However, a simple nod from his friend was all he needed to confirm it. This made him gasp in horror.

Finally, it hit the blonde's head, which made him realize that what Gohan was trying to say was that his father has-

Oh, sh*t! He cursed.

"Yes, he's dead." Gohan continued with his face lowered down. "He died. He died protecting me. He died protecting everyone. He died protecting the whole planet. He... He..." The boy clenched his fists, struggling to keep going.

But he succeeded.

"He died a hero." He said it with his hands finally resting, a tear escaped his eye.

You weren't so weak prevent it.

Stop it.

You did have the strength to end Cell with a single powerful attack.

Stop it!

You were just so selfish.

God damn it, stop it!

You thought you could keep things under control.

I said STOP IT!

But you couldn't.

Leave my mind!

Your father died... because of you.

"Gohan! Gohan! GOHAN WAKE UP!"

With the sudden yell of the green-haired male, the tall teen's mind woke up and returned to reality. He saw Midoriya shaking him in order to wake him up and noticed the worry on Izuku and Kaminari's faces. Of course, they would be worried with how stressful he was. It was as if he nearly had a panic attack.

They pity you, while you don't deserve it.

"Yo, Son bro. Stay with us!" Denki yelled. "Look, whatever happened, it must've been hard on you. But that's the past, man. You can't stick with it. Just let it go!"

"I'm sorry for bringing this subject in the first place!" Midoriya apologized, still holding Gohan's shirt. "Listen, it's okay. I'm here now. We're ALL here, remember? Whatever happens, we will support you and be by hour side! I'LL be by your side!"

He's saying that just because he doesn't realize that he's standing next to a freak son of nature.

Wait 'till he finds out about your origins, about your monstrous race.

He doesn't know how dangerous you could be when you go berserk.

Then, he'll cut all ties with you.

That, only if he survives your rage.

The half-human pushed those thoughts away from his mind. No, it was wrong. Izuku is his friend. He'll never hate him. He'll respect him no matter who or what he was.

As for Denki? They didn't know each other that long, but he was clearly a good and generous person. He could tell that from his attitude and the ki surrounding his body.

Sure, they may react with shock and disbelief once they find out, but they'll stay friends no matter what.

That if he ever tells them.

"Thank you. Both of you." He said, wiping his tears. "It really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, man. Though I doubt I did much." The blonde replied. "You know, it's kinda funny when you think about it."

"What's funny?" Midoriya asked.

"The fact that all three of us have lost our fathers in some way and we're aiming to be Pro Heroes. Not to mention that we're all the same age and we want to get to U.A."

The two thought of it, then they both had a look of realization on their faces.

"When you put it that way, you're right!" Izuku spoke. "We do have a lot of similarities between the three of us."

"Yes, indeed! It's as if it was fate that gathered us here together and not a mere coincidence!" Gohan added.

"Who knows? Maybe we're destined to team up in the future with other heroes to defeat some kind of an extra-dimensional threat that wants to rule reality, like in the game of Empires of Iron and Gold." Kaminari joked. The three of them started chuckling before the chuckle turned into a full laugh, finding this as some kind of funny yet silly idea.

Unbeknownst to them, there was some truth to this subject.

"Hey, say what," Denki spoke, catching the two's attention, "You will be coming here tomorrow for the second day of the festival, right? How about you meet me at the entrance at about nine in the morning and I'll introduce ya to my friends? Or better yet! Perhaps we can all participate in tomorrow's tournament together! What do you think?"

Gohan opened his mouth to ask about what tournament Kaminari was referring to, but Izuku beat him to answering.

"That sounds like a great idea! We agree!" Izuku said.

"Then it's settled!" Kaminari replied. "Believe me, you won't regret meeting them at all! See ya tomorrow, dudes!"

"See ya!" And with that, the blonde parted in his own way, leaving the two behind.

"Tell me, Izuku," the hybrid started, "what tournament was Kaminari-san referring to?"

"You didn't hear about it?" The green-haired male questioned in a surprised tone. "It's a martial arts championship that is meant to take place on the second day of the festival."

"A martial arts tournament?" The half-human repeated. "You mean like Tenkaichi Budokai?" Though he never participated in said famous championship before or even watch any of the previous events, Gohan has already heard plenty of stories about his parents and friends fighting in it. He was told that its battle arena was the place where his father has proposed to his mother and where he fought and made friends with Tienshinhan and Master Piccolo. Not to mention, Cell based his game on it and turned the strength-testing challenge into a survival challenge just for his own selfish desire for fun.

"Exactly!" Midoriya answered. "In fact, the tournament is sponsored by none other than the Number #3 Hero: Hercule himself!"

Hercule? Yeah, Gohan remembered that guy. He was the only Pro Hero who came to fight Cell with two of his sidekicks. Despite the fact he nearly got killed multiple times that day, but he refused to run like a coward in front of the world and wanted to help with any way possible. When Gohan thought about it, he did help defeat the Android somehow. He was the one to bring Android 16's head so he could encourage the boy into releasing his hidden energy...

...before the poor kind-hearted robot was smashed mercilessly beneath the foot of Cell.

"Perhaps you can participate in it, Gohan." Midoriya added.

"Wait, me!?" The Saiyan asked with visible confusion.

"Yes, you! You told me yesterday that you came from a family of martial artists, right?" It was true. His mother, despite not showing it much, is a professional fighter who reached the semi-finals of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. His grandfather, Gyūmaō, was a pupil of Master Roshi. His father was the famous Son Goku. His Saiyan ancestors were also a blood-thirsty race of warriors.

"Then you should participate! I believe that you're more than capable of winning. And don't worry about Quirk usage. You're pretty strong even without your Quirk active." Yeah, he almost forgot about that. Three years ago, a new law was announced globally that criminalized the usage of any Quirk in any type of sport tournaments in the world - other than the ones held in heroic schools.

However, he wasn't so sure about participating in this upcoming championship. Sure, he loved martial arts. And yes, he kept training in the past five years, but not to surpass his limits or something. He just trained to keep his body in shape and make sure he doesn't get weaker. And it's been so long since he last sparred with someone. However, knowing the limits of normal humans, Gohan should be able to outmatch all of his opponents in energy, speed, skills, and strength. Winning should not be a problem. But what will his mother think? Will she be mad? Will she prevent him from participating?

He didn't know what to do.

"Look, Izuku," he started, "I can't promise you anything, but I'll see from now 'till tomorrow if I'll join the tournament or not. But perhaps, I may join it."

"Awesome!" Izuku shrieked. "If you join, I'll make sure to cheer you, 'cause I'm pretty sure you'll win it! It'll be your time of glory!"

Gohan smiled in response. It was really good to know that he made friends with Izuku. A good and nice friend who will always be by his side no matter what.

Until he finds the truth.

"Oh my god, the time! We forgot about the time!" The short teen yelled in panic, while Gohan starred at him in confusion. "We were supposed to meet Edgeshot and the rest ten minutes ago! We must hurry up before they lose patience! Hurry!" Then, he took his friend's hand and ran with him as fast as his legs could carry him.

Between the hundreds to thousands of people who attended the festival today, you could spot a certain ash-blonde hot headed teenager walking amongst the crowd with his two partners. The latter two thought that bringing him will help him clean his mind of all the anger he had from yesterday's encounter with the mysterious new kid.

However, it did zero effect.

"Yo, Katsuki. Are you still mad about yesterday?"

"And do you expect me to simply forget about it!?" The blonde teen yelled in anger. "How I was knocked down with one hit from a damn NERD! Of all people, some damn bastard like him thinks he could stand up to me and tell me what to do!?" Of course, the only thing he could remember from this little accident was the conversation he had with him before he felt a horrible pain in the head, with everything going dark, before he woke up on a bench and heard the rest of the story from his terrified friends.

"Dude, we must be thankful that he simply let us go with a simple warning. You were literally burning his shoulder, yet he stood still like a rock! And did you see the size of his muscles!? His Quirk isn't just powerful; he's also physically stronger than even a high schooler!"

"What was that!" Katsuki growled with fury. "Are you implying that he's stronger than me!?"

"I-I'm just saying dude."

"I swear, once I find Deku and his nerdy boyfriend, I'm gonna give both of them the beating of their lives!" Bakugo shouted in fury, kicking a nearby bottle with all his force. Just then, he spotted from afar a head with curly green hair he'll recognize anywhere.

Deku.

There he was, standing in his place, going on with his stupid fanatic state of admiring Heroes. And look who else beside him: Nerdy Boy himself. The two of them were talking with a bunch of other teens but who cares. Seems like today he was finally gonna settle the score. He took some slow step forwards towards the two, clenching his fists. His two partners on the other hand were hesitated whether to follow him or not. They only knew the older teen for one day or even less, yet what they witnessed, the way he took Katsuki down, and the way he threatened them have left both of them terrified from him.

Suddenly, Katsuki stopped in his tracks. A scene he could never imagine in a billion years.

Deku's group has just been approached by no other than Pro Heroes! And not any Pro Heroes; it was the Lurkers and the Wild, Wild Pussycats. The top of the top standing there, talking with Quirkless Deku and his boyfriend as if they knew them all their lives, before they all went together in the same direction.

The scene has left all three frozen in their places. Bakugo said nothing. His mind was still trying to process what he has just witnessed. No way these were real Pro Heroes talking to Quirkless Deku! They must be just some losers dressed like them and pretending to be them!

His two partners, on the other hand, were trembling in their places with their eyes widen.

"K-Katsuki. S-Saburou. A-Are you two seeing what I'm seeing?"

"What in the world are Pro Heroes like Edgeshot doing with Deku!?" Saburou exclaimed, trying to understand what's going on. Then, a possibility came to his mind. One that had made his face pale. "Masao, could it be that Midoriya's new friend has any connection with them!?"

"WHAT!?" Masao shrieked in fear. "Do you think he told him about US!?"

While the two teenagers were freaking out about possibly getting beaten up by the hands of Heroes, Bakugou was still focusing his gaze on the group, glaring at Nerdy Boy and Deku with pure hatred and anger. The fact that Deku of all people is hanging out with Pro Heroes is something he'll force him to spill the truth about it next time he sees him. He would let them go today, just because they've got "company" with them, but...

"If those two think that they'll be safe from me just because they're hanging out with some Pros then they're damn wrong!"

"That was reckless of you, Yamcha-san." Puar whispered in his best friend's ear.

"Oh, come on! Not you too, Puar." Yamcha complained. "I left them so I could look for you."

"You could've brought them along." Kamui argued.

"You're partially to blame, Yamcha-san." Ragdoll added.

"A child nearly died on your watch." Pixie-Bob spoke.

"I'm honestly considering not leaving Kota with you in the future." Mandalay declared.

"How am I supposed to know that if I left them, a flying skateboard will be racing towards the face of one of them!? Boys, say something!" The two teens however didn't say anything in the defense of the scarred man and tried to pretend they did not hear him. Part of them felt bad for Yamcha, but the other part told them that he was supposed to watch after them since he's the one who forced them inside in the first place. So technically, he was responsible.

Realizing that even the boys weren't going to defend him (which kind of hurt him), he turned to his leader. Hopefully he'll stand by him. "Edgeshot?"

"Leave me out of your arguments." The Pro Hero answered.

"Ugh, why does nobody take my side in arguments." Yamcha groaned.

"We can talk about your misery another time. We still have a day to enjoy, so don't you dare ruin it!" Mount Lady exclaimed, making the majority of the group (mostly the males excluding Edgeshot) shiver in fear.

She can be scary when she wants to. They thought.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" A loud voice called, getting the attention of the group. "THE TIME HAS COME TO WITNESS THE MIRACLE WITH YOUR OWN EYES!"

"Oh my god! It's the voice of Atsuhiro Sako himself!" Yu shrieked in excitement as if she wasn't angry a few seconds ago. "Come on, guys! Let's see it!"

Not having an idea who the man was, they followed the young adult's suggestion and made their way through the crowd of people that gathered there until they reached the front line. There, on a small wooden platform, stood a tall brown-haired man in his early thirties, with a pale skin and short black eyebrows, dressed up in a dark orange shirt, a black waistcoat, black dress pants, knee-high white BOOTS, and a black cape attached to his shirt.

On top of the stage, it was written 'Atsuhiro Sako: Magician of the Century'.

"A magician? Seriously?" Yamcha said.

"Don't we see enough magic in our modern quirky life?" Shinji added.

"W-Well, although many attempt to entertain people with their Quirks, there's still those who perform impressive tricks using only their skills and fitness m. I-It's worth admiring." Izuku defended in favor of the performer, knowing so well that what he does could very easily be done by anyone, even Quirkless people.

Using the microphone to speak to the crowd, the performer continued the introduction, "THANK YOU ALL FOR GATHERING FOR THIS MOMENT. NOW..." Then, while still eyeing the people, he moved to the right, much to everyone's surprise and excitement, he proceeded to climb the air like a normal person who's climbing a stairway, which increased the crowd's enthusiasm.

"... I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU MUST BE THINKING THAT THE SECRET BEHIND MY TRICKS IS JUST A QUIRK. DON'T YOU THINK?" He then jumped high into mid-air and covered himself with his cape. A second later, dozens of pigeons appeared out of the cape and flew high in the air. When the magician landed back on the stage, the watchers moved their attention from the birds back to the man and noticed how his shirt, waistcoat, and pants' colors changed into white, matching his cape and boots.

"WELL, I ADMIT THAT SOME OF MY TRICKS DO INDEED RELY ON MY QUIRK AND ON THE HELP OF MY COMRADES ON THE STAGE. BUT THAT DOESN'T ME THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TO OFFER. A TRUE MAGICIAN MUST RELY ON ALL HIS SKILLS, INCLUDING HIS SPEED AND POSSIBLY HIS STRENGTH, AND NOT ONLY HIS QUIRK!

SO FEAR NOT, PEOPLE! WHAT I, ATSUHIRO SAKO, HAVE TO OFFER YOU TODAY IS FAR FROM LIMITED BY MY QUIRK!"

The people yelled in excitement.

"FOR THE FIRST TRICK, I WOULD REQUIRE ONE OF MY ASSISTANTS. PLEASE, STEP IN." Then, a figure dressed up in a black bodysuit that covers all of his body, with black boots and white eye sockets stepped into the scene. From his bodybuilding, you could say that he was a man, but it was nearly impossible to identify who he was.

"You better not get me killed with this trick, Atsuhiro," the man thought with worry. If it weren't for his face being covered, it would've been clear how he was sweating in anxiety. I shouldn't have agreed to this in the first place. YES, I SHOULD'VE! NO, I SHOULDN'T!

"FOR THE FIRST ONE, WE HAVE A USUAL LEVITATION TRICK. BEHOLD!" Pointing both hands at his assistant, Atsuhiro raised them slowly, resulting in the man's slow levitation up. The audience got more excited, and to make the atmosphere more exciting, the magician did a quick move with his hands, throwing the man over fifty feet up in the air. While some gasps of shock were uttered from the watchers, it soon turned into sheers of excitement and admiration.

This encouraged Sako to keep throwing his assistant up and down in the air and make him fly like Superman, which he himself found a bit funny.

The assistant, on the other hand, wasn't having the best time of his life.

"SAKO-SAN, STOP IT! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! YOU SAID IT WILL BE A SIMPLE AND HARMLESS LEVITATION TRICK! I'M GETTING A BIT HUNGRY HERE!"

"Geez, does this man have some mental problems or what?" Gohan uttered.

"Gohan, did you say something?" Izuku asked.

"N-No, never mind it." Gohan responded. He forgot that, thanks to being a Saiyan-Human Hybrid, his senses were far enhanced than those of an average human. While the people - including his friends - were enjoying the show, he was the only person to hear the man's cries from that distant between all the voices surrounding him.

Sadly for the assistant, Atsuhiro decided to add salt into injury by throwing extremely high, far higher than earlier. In an instant, the man reached the height of thirty meters above. Then, the magician put his hands behind his back, signifying that he was no longer controlling the level of levitation, which meant...

"KAMI-SAMA, SAVE ME!"

Now under the mercy of gravity, the man was falling to the ground at full speed. It didn't take a genius to realize that once he touches ground, all his bones will be broken, resulting in said person's death. The majority of people was getting worried. This seemed to be so terrifying to just be an act. Even the Pro Heroes that came to witness the scene were getting ready to catch the falling man.

"He's falling so fast!"

"Is this part of the show!?"

"He's not gonna make it!"

Just as he was a few feet away from ground, when the heroes started racing to save him, the man has already stopped mid-air. He slowly turned around, his body still shaking in fear and shock. That's when he noticed that Atsuhiro was pointing his hands again at him before he put him back on his feet. Seems like he was just waiting for the last moment to do so.

The spectators applauded to the magician as if someone didn't nearly die a few seconds earlier, with Atsuhiro bowing to them.

"THANK YOU! BUT PLEASE, KEEP YOUR EXCITEMENT FOR OUR OTHER TRICKS!"

As for his partner, he made his way out of the scene, trying to suppress the shock and trauma that the fall has left in him and the anger he felt towards Sako for putting his life on the line. Nevertheless, he didn't hesitate to approach the man and whisper in his ears bitterly: "I will remember this, Compress." Yet the man did nothing more than roll his eyeballs in annoyance.

He turned his focus back on the show. He had spectators to please now. He announced, "ALRIGHT, FOLKS. YOU WANT MORE?" They all yelled together 'Yes!' loudly, but not loud enough. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU." The repeated again but louder this time. "GREAT! THEN OFF TO THE SECOND SHOW!"

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

Inside their lab, a group of alien scientists have been doing their usual tests. After kidnapping the three riders a few hours ago, they decided to experiment on them one by one in order to find more about the 'Quirks' from them. A while ago, they took them and slowly, they studied the parts of their bodies: the organs, the skeleton, the nervous system, and muscular system. As far as they could tell, every gene in the body contains the Quirk DNA, even if the person was Quirkless. In the latter's case, the Quirk is simply deactivated similar to unused DNA in the body. 

However, farther studies were required. Sooner or later, they'll need to kidnap more individuals for more experimentation.

They were getting closer to their goal: creating an alien hybrid with a Quirk.

Then, the automatic door opened, revealing the short, teal-skinned humanoid walking accompanied with a big grey wolf with sharp teeth dressed in dark blue pants and brown boots. This got the attention of the scientists, with their chief approaching the pair.

"Bujin-sama, Kalvanos-sama, it's good to have you two here," he greeted.

The short man, now known as Bujin, didn't waste any time and went directly to the subject. "Tell me, Namo, how are the studies going?"

The doctor cleared his throat and answered, "While I request farther test samples to confirm it, our experiments showed that indeed, with the right tools, we could transfer the Quirk DNA into another individual from a different race. In fact, while we were surfing through the human internet, and through hacking into some of the government files, we find out that the humans did attempt to do this in the past by transferring the DNA into an animal and in some cases, another human, before it was criminalized in their laws."

Bujin raised an imaginary eyebrow. "And did they succeed?"

Namo nodded. "Yes. Well, only once to be precise. The only successful attempt was in Japan. The result was the creation of some type of a human-animal-like-hybrid called Nezu, possessing a Quirk called 'High Spec' which grants him unparalleled intelligence."

Kalvanos, the huge wolf, growled and said, "If these humans succeed in transferring a Quirk with their limited technology, then you better succeed in giving me a few good and powerful ones, doctor."

"You are underestimating me, Kalvanos." The scientist replied, feeling offended with these words. "Transferring genetics and DNAs and creating hybrids is my specialty. I have created an immense number of hybrid races in my life that even you cannot count. A few supernatural genes won't even be a difficulty at all. However, it's your job to bring me test subjects. You want powerful Quirks? Then find ones and bring them here. I'll take the rest from there."

The two glared at each other for a few moments in silence. The scientists stayed in the back, not daring to add another word in this intense moment. Bujin also didn't interfere and kept a neutral look on his face. He will do something only if things got worse, which clearly (at least for him) wouldn't.

The Wolf snorted on Namo's face with his dirty breath and clenched his fists, but he didn't deliver a punch. Instead, he turned around and left, saying, "Fine. Prepare the lab. You'll have some test subjects in no time." And the doors closed behind.

Finding his targets was never a hard task for Kalvanos, the most dangerous assassin in the north quadrant of the universe who enjoys the screams of his victims while he prays on them. No matter how powerful the Quirks he's searching for will be, its users will be nothing more than a terrified sheep in front of a hungry wolf.

Chapter Text

Son Residence

"Of course, you can participate in the tournament!" The voice of Chi-Chi was heard across the living room. "This is a chance to meet some people your age and make friends with them. You can also get the attention of some Pro Heroes who'd like to recruit or at least teach you in the future. Not to mention, a prize of 500,000 yen for the winner is an opportunity we cannot miss."

"Wait, you're serious?" Gohan asked. He was a bit... surprised of how easy it was to convince his mother to let him join a championship concerning martial arts. "I... I honestly didn't expect you to simply agree. After all, you never liked it when I trained or did anything concerning fighting. You always yelled at me that fighting will only turn me into a bad boy and ordered me to focus on my studies instead."

"Honey," the mother whispered softly. She decided that, maybe, this is the best moment to address a topic she wanted to discuss with her son for a while but didn't know how. "Listen, Gohan. When you were a child, I never wanted you to become a fighter or a hero because... I was afraid. Afraid that I may lose. Just like every mother, I feared that heroism may one day cost you your life, especially after I saw how your father had nearly died in front of Piccolo. That's why I wanted you to be a scholar; it was a noble and respective job that won't put your life on the line. However, in the past few years, I came to realize something I was so stupid not to see earlier."

She looked at her elder son in the eyes. She remembered how she gave birth to him and how she cared for him in the past fifteen years. One and a half decade of his life passed in front of her like it was just one day. Now, he was a grown up teenager. He was strong and smart enough to look after himself.

She told him, "You're not a child anymore."

The hybrid blinked in confusion at first and wanted to ask, but Chi-Chi. "Now, you're still and will always be my little baby boy, but I won't be always there to protect you. Ever since you defeated that Cell monster, I finally understood that you were given a power unlike anything the world has ever seen, and it'll be a shame if this power wasn't put for good use. You could be making a change for the better in people's lives out there.

Gohan, I'm no longer forcing you to be what I want you to be. This is your own life. If you wanna go outside and play a hero, then it's fine by me. But you don't want to do that and want to have another career, then that's also okay. This is your choice and I'll respect whatever you'll choose."

Silence. No one said anything to anyone. Chi-Chi waited for the response of her eldest son. But instead of hearing his opinion, she felt herself being pulled into a hug by him, which she kinda of wasn't expecting. But she didn't care. From how he was hugging her tightly as if he wasn't willing to let go of her, she could tell that Gohan was now expressing his feelings the best way he could.

She hugged him back, showing her motherly love. And when she heard him whispering "Thank you, mom... for everything", she shed a little tear of happiness and pride.

He may have grown up, but he still was her baby boy.

"In recent news, the streets of Lyon in France had witnessed today at 8:10 A.M. according to the city's local time a shocking incident: the French Number #4 Hero "Le Chevalier de Paris" has been attacked and kidnapped by an anonymous person with a wolf-based Quirk. Whether the Villain's Quirk is classified as Transformation or Mutant is still unknown. The police officers are still trying to identify the kidnapper.

It should be noted that Le Chevalier de Paris - real name Ryan Bourgeois - posses a Quirk called Metal Control; as the name indicates, it allows him to fully control any type of metal.

What you're about to see now is a recording from the phone of one of the witnesses."

The T.V. then showed a humanoid with a wolf like appearance, holding a man dressed up in a metal knight armor with one of his arms. The screams of civilians were heard in the recording, even including the scream of the Hero. The Villain was being attacking by metal sharp weapons in the forms of bullets and spears - clearly controlled by Le Chevalier - but his skin appeared to be so durable that the pressure created by the weapons had no effect on him. The Villain kept jumping from one roof to another until he finally disappeared with his victim from people's eyesight.

"These disgusting villains. They are getting worse day by day." Chi-Chi huffed.

"Yeah. To think someone is bold enough to kidnap a top Hero and with his identity uncovered. It's a matter of time before the police and the rest of Pros find him and put him in his place in jail." Gohan added.

"Wait 'till they meet the greatest hero on Earth. They'll definitely regret ever hurting anybody." Goten said excitedly.

Gohan chuckled a bit. His brother indeed idolized heroes as much as Izuku did. "I'm sure All Might won't hold back against any of them. If they ever run to hi-"

"I wasn't talking about All Might." Goten cut him, surprising the pair. "All Might is great, but he isn't the greatest."

Chi-Chi and Gohan looked at each other in confusion. They both knew how much the young Saiyan admired Japan's Number #1 Hero. He never missed any of his battles or achievements in news. If he wasn't talking about him, then who?

"I was talking about you, big bro." Goten answered with an innocent smile. "You're Earth's greatest hero ever!"

"Me!?" The older male replied in confusion and surprise.

"Yes! Mom always told me before how you were the true hero who saved the world from Cell. I'm pretty sure that once you graduate from U.A., you'll be the next Number #1 Hero in the world! You'll become a symbol that everyone looks up to!"

At this moment, Gohan's heart warmed from the innocence of Goten. He forgot that despite the fact that his little brother could be cheeky and disobedient at times, he was a child after all. A child who, in the opposite of him, didn't have to ever carry the weight of the world on his shoulders and wasn't deprived from his childhood. In the mean time, his mother has brought Goten to her embrace and hugged him (nearly crushing his bones) while crying tears of emotion and telling him that he has a pure heart just like his father.

More like a symbol of failure or monstrosity.

Gohan's P.O.V.

I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself in a green garden full of flowers. I look all around me, then, I noticed a man sitting in a poor land on top of a mountain. I don't know why, but his appearance resembled that of a gardener. Perhaps he's the man who planted the field.

"Excuse me, sir. But where am I?" I questioned, but the man didn't answer. Instead he was looking after... something. I looked closer and noticed that what he was taking care of was a small green flower that grew up on the dead planet, different and isolated from the rest.

The gardener was taking good care of her, before suddenly, he put his fingers on one of the petals and cut it off.

"AHHHHHHH!" A loud voice yelled painfully. Turning around, I saw what seemed to be a dark figure standing not so far, one of his hands was up in the air holding a short green-haired boy whom I easily recognized.

"Izuku!" I could see it. I could see the pain he was having. He was suffering at the hands of that... whatever that was. "Let go of him, you bastard!" I run at full speed to them, the only thing in my mind was saving my friend by putting this monster in his place.

I ran and ran, but the closer I got to them, the farther they got away from me. Nevertheless, I didn't give up on my best friend. I kept running non-stop, but to no avail. They were now far away from me, while I for some reason was now standing next to the gardener.

I saw him extending his hand, removing another petal.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! GOHAN, HELP ME!" Izuku screamed in horrific pain, pleading for me to come and save him. At that moment, I swear I saw red stains of blood on Midoriya and the figure. If that was indeed Midoriya's blood... This monster is going to pay darely for laying a finger on him.

I tried hopelessly to move, but for some reason I couldn't. Damn it, what's the problem with me!? I greeted my teeth. I saw the figure raising his free arm and pointing it at my friend as if he was... No. No, no, no, NO! Is he going to impale his hand THROUGH his body!? No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't dare to!

If I just could move... If I just wasn't stuck here...

Once it was in the right position, his hand accelerated towards Izuku's body, and then...

The gardner grabbed the flower and cut it in half.

I woke up with a terrified look on my face. I looked all around in me. I was back in my room. Thank God. This was just a nightmare, no more.

Goten was sleeping peacefully next to me. I'm not quite sure if he's truly still sleeping or if he was just pretending to be asleep. Hopefully, the latter is wrong.

I slowly rested my body, trying to get back to sleep. Little did I know, another nightmare was awaiting me.

Here I am, wandering in the streets of the city, watching people pass by me. However, I could hear them all whispering something about me. And they weren't nice things.

"It's the monster."

"That stupid creep."

"Someone like him shouldn't walk freely like that."

"Why doesn't anyone arrest or even execute him once and for all?"

I couldn't understand what was going on. What did people start acting cruelly towards me? I tried to brash it off but no matter what, their harsh words kept ringing in my head. But at last I found myself in an empty alley, far away from anyone. It was quiet here. I can finally have some calmness.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Izuku appeared in front of me, but he didn't look happy or cheerful at all. He looked... shocked. His face was pale as if he had seen a ghost.

"Izuku?" I called with a worried tone and took a step forward towards him. "Izuku, what's the ma-"

"Stay away from me!" He yelled with fear, taking a step back. It was my turn to be shocked from his reaction, but what shocked me more was the next. "Y-You liar. You lied to me. You made me and EVERYONE believe that you were just a human with a powerful Quirk, while in fact you're just a MONSTROUS Alien! You and your race just wanted to conquer us! You are Villains! You are a MONSTER, Gohan!" He yelled the last part in tears.

I couldn't believe my ears. Did Izuku find out about my Saiyan origins!? Oh, no.

"Izuku, wait!" I tried to reason with him. "It's not what it might look like. The thing is-"

"You LIED! That's what it is!" He snapped back, his eyes tearing already and his face was red from anger and sadness. "I thought I could trust you. I never hid anything from you. I told you all of my secrets. But you, you just... You hid your true identity until you could finally get the chance to kill me. Isn't this true!?"

"Izuku, please! Let me explain-"

"SAVE IT!" He cried. "I don't wanna see your ugly face ever again you FREAK!" Then, he ran away in tears.

"Izuku, NO!" I screamed, waking up from my sleep. By this point, I was pretty sure Goten has woke up by my sudden yell. Just great.

"Big bro," he called me, rubbing his eyes, "Is everything okay?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine." I lied to him. The last thing I wanted is for him, or anybody for that matter, to be worried about me.

"You were asleep and suddenly you started yelling your friend's name in horror. That doesn't look fine to me." Goten pointed out. While he didn't show it, he was so smart for his age.

"It's really fine, Goten." I insisted. "Don't bother yourself. Just go back to sleep."

"Okay, but if you ever want to talk about it. I'm always here for you, you know. And so is mom and Mister Piccolo. We're all by your side."

"Thank you, Goten." I replied with a smile. "That really does make me feel better."

"Anytime. That's what brothers are for."

I tried to go back to sleep and forget about my nightmares. They were nightmares after all, not real. None of that happened. However, no matter how much I tried, the question stayed in my head.

What if Izuku found out?

End of P.O.V.

Hera Ship

The doors to the control room opened, revealing the Hera swordsman and member of the Galaxy Soldiers, Kogu. He walked towards his partner Bujin who was alone in the room, sitting on one of the main control chairs. His head cloth was removed, revealing his short orange hair. He was busy surfing through the human net, scrolling the screen in front of him.

"Hey, Bujin," Kogu called while walking to him, "Did you send the report to Bojack? You know he wants us to keep him updated on every move."

"I already did," he answered, his eyes not moving from the screen, "I decided to just check out Earth's internet in hope of finding something useful."

"And?"

"Not much. It seems like the human civilization also has its version of the Nadria Market. They call it 'Dark Web'."

"Okay. If you're done texting him, how about you get down to the lab with me?" Kogu suggested. "Kalvanos has brought a few new test samples a couple of hours ago. You can come and supervise the experiments with me."

"Not now," the magician replied, "There's still a couple of things I need to check." A moment of silence passed, but the swordsman didn't leave. He just stayed there, gazing at his partner, which was really annoying him. "Kogu, is there something you want from me? If not, then leave!"

"Hey, I'm trying to help you right here!" Kogu said.

"Help me how? By stressing me more than I already am!?" Bujin backfired, only for the taller man to smirk.

"So you do admit you are stressed right now! Come on, Bujin. We're friends and we've known each other for years. I know when you have a problem and we both know how unhealthy it is to keep it for yourself. So why not talk out with someone? Me for example."

The short man closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he let out a sigh. Then, he addressed his partner. "Fine, but what I'm about to tell you should stay between the two of us. Not even Bojack should know of any of this. Remember four years ago when those massive energy waves that hit our planet and caused the entire universe to shake?"

"How could I forget," Kogu responded, recalling those previous events. "The last two waves caused me to fear for a moment that our entire galaxy was about to be shattered to pieces. What does that have to do with the mission anyway?"

"Check this out." The Hera-seijin pressed a button, revealing on the screen a picture of a green insectoid figure and explained, "Four years ago, which is five years according to Earth's cycle, a person called Cell appeared on this planet. In a matter of a few days, he killed over four hundred thousand humans by absorbing them one by one. His power evolved to the point that he challenged everyone on this planet to fight him, threatening to destroy the whole solar system. A bold and overconfident statement no one dared to claim before him."

"Hold on a second. Are you trying to say that this Cell person is the source of one of those waves?" The tall Hera-seijin asked in disbelief. "Bujin, it takes a power level less than 10,000 to destroy Earth's Solar System. Well, perhaps 20 million in this case since humans now consider a solar system to be the galactic nebula they live in [1]. The energies we felt was estimated by the most advanced scooters to vary between 1.2 Billion at its lowest and 2.6 Billion at its highest. It's more than enough to blow up galaxies! Not to mention that the Quirks are the only advantages the human race has. When it comes to power, the strongest out of all of them can't even shatter the planet's moon. A laughable feat that is considered a sign of weakness and inexperience in battle and energy control. And these humans proved to be more pathetic than that.

And to add more, they barely have any knowledge of the existence of Ki. They live thinking that the ultimate energy source that is part of every living being, the power that makes them alive in the first place, the embers of the Phoenix Force itself, is just some folklore and mythology that has no connection to reality. I honestly believe that Cell was either bluffing or planning to use some kind of reality warping Quirk or something."

"I highly doubt that." Bujin said. "Take a look. These people fought and defeated Cell on their own." The screen then showed a photo of some people (possibly warriors) standing before Cell.

Kogu examined it perfectly, and the first thing that caught his attention was that, among these people, stood Vegeta IV and a Namekian.

It was weird.

First of all, the majority of the Namekian race in this universe have went extinct and there weren't many left now. Planet Namek exploded and wether its inhabitants survived or not is unknown, though it's possible that Frieza killed all of them before destroying their planet.

As for Vegeta, the last they've heard of him, he was attacking the planets under Frieza's rule and slaughtering all of his soldiers with no survivors. Then, he simply vanished, and no one heard of him again. If he was on this primitive planet that has no connection to other lifeforms, then that explains his sudden disappearance.

However, the golden-haired man and boy also caught his attention. He didn't know why, but something was odd about them. He examined them.

Big muscles.

Green eyes.

Golden hair.

Power to destroy solar systems or even galaxies.

Then, it hit him.

The swordsman gasped; his eyes widened in disbelief. It couldn't be...!

"S-Super... S-Saiyan!?" The words escaped his mouth. Bujin nodded, confirming his speculations.

Through his life, Kogu encountered many Saiyans, especially before the destruction of their planet. Their power level generally ranged between 1,000 and 3,000 with the strongest being Prince Vegeta with a power level of 18,000 last time it was measured and recorded. Then, things changed after the seemingly death of emperor Frieza. According to reports he and his gang stole from the empire's bases, Frieza was defeated in his final form at the hands of a Super Saiyan, indicating that the Super Saiyan has a level of power superior to 120 Million.

However, he wasn't that scared of them after Bojack recruited him and his friends of mercenaries to be soldiers in the new empire he was building. After all, he became since then leagues above the likes of the Frost Demons. However, he once ended up meeting with a Super Saiyan who survived the Saiyan's genocide and...

Kogu unconsciously put a hand on his chest, remembering the scar that he received that day. Now, Bujin was telling him that there is TWO Super Saiyans on the same planet!

He took a deep breath and relaxed, fear and shock finally left him. "Okay, I admit. These people may indeed be a problem later."

"That's not all." The magician continued. "While there aren't any other threats to us, there are some that could be a potential problem in the future if not paid attention."

"Like whom?" The screen then showed a hand drawing of a face of a man with short white hair and red eyes smiling a sinister smile. "And who might this guy be? Earth's greatest villain?"

"You've got it right. I hardly found anything about him in the net, but the Dark Web provided enough answers. Whom you're seeing now is an over one hundred-year-old man who once ruled the country of Japan using not only his Quirks and physical strength, but also through mind and influence. They call him the Quirk Boogeyman, but he goes by the name of All For One."

"All... For One." The swordsman repeated, leaning on his partner's chair. "Let me guess, he can take people's Quirks at will, right?"

"Not only that." Bujin responded. "He can take it and give it."

"In that case, let's ask one of our computer scientists to track him down for us. If he's a mastermind criminal who can steal Quirks and lived for that long, I can imagine that his genes are full of powerful Quirks and could potentially store more and help us easy the transference of Quirks to alien individuals. His DNA will definitely be worth a lot. Annnd maybe we can convince him to join us and be a member of the Galaxy Soldiers. Of course, under our command."

"While his blood could indeed be useful, I'm against leaving this man alive. This man originated from the Pre-Quirk Era, when the humans didn't have superpowers and were "normal". With the sudden appearance of Quirks, the world went into complete chaos. However, while the rest were terrified and didn't know how to react to this sudden phenomen, All For One stayed calm and started to play with people as if they were chess pieces. In a matter of a few years, he ruled all over his country and was followed by a massive army of loyal followers. Combined with his mind, strength, and stolen Quirks, he crashed anyone who stood in his way."

"Which means?"

"If this man met sentient life from outside the planet, he'll be shoked at worst. But soon he'll accept the truth and enlarge his vision of world domination to ruling the universe. And don't tell me he's too weak to do so. Remember, his influence has no limit. He could recruit an army of soldiers who are ready to sacrifice their lives for him.

And even though they don't use or know about Ki, they nearly embraced the truth of its existence. The scientists of Earth have theorized for a long time the existence of Ki, auras, strings, and higher dimensions. And the sudden appearance of Quirks is what forced them to focus more on controlling and assimilating Quirks into society."

"You want to say... Quirks stood between them and technological advancement?"

"Exactly. If All For One met a Ki master or a sorcerer, it's about time until he masters life energy and magic. And honestly, we already have enough rivalry in the universe. We shouldn't give opportunity for another rivalry to appear."

The swordsman let a 'hmm' out of his mouth, processing all the new information he's just received.

"There's still more." Bujin continued. "I don't know why but... it seems like this Japan country for some reason houses all of our potential enemies." He clicked on a button, showing the photo of a young man with short hair who was wearing a mask in the form of a beak, which Kogu kind of found weird. "This is Kai Chisaki, also known as Overhaul, former leader of the yakuza group called Shie Hassaikai. And before you ask, the yakuza is a Japanese organized crime syndicate. Kind of a bunch of gangsters. Anyway, Kai's codename is based on his Quirk Overhaul. It allows him to disassemble and reassemble matter at will through touching the object or living being."

"A man with a Quirk that controls matter on a molecular level." Kogu thought for a moment. "A powerful Quirk indeed, but not strong enough to defeat us. If he needs to touch us to activate his Quirk then it won't work because 1) We're faster than him 2) Our Ki auras work as protective shields around our bodies that block his attacks and even prevent him from touching us at all if the guy isn't powerful enough to overpower the shield. If Kai attempts to touch us, he'll only come in physical contact with the energy aura surrounding our bodies, which will render his Quirk useless since he can't manipulate energy and will allow us to defeat him with one punch. And 3) We have perfect Ki Control over our bodies. Every single cell, molecule, and even atom is under our control. Even if Kai somehow touched us, all we got to do is focus our energy on the electrons of the atoms to prevent him from either bonding them or splitting them. And there you've got it! Resistance to molecular manipulation!"

"I said Overhaul is the former leader, not anymore. Someone else took his place."

"And by 'took' you mean..."

The sorcerer knew what was in the swordsman's mind and nodded his head in confirmation. "And the new boss was generous enough to share one of Kai's arms on the dark web. Sadly, someone has already bought it."

"Damn it," Kogu cursed. "We could've bought it and sold it for a higher price. So, if this Kai guy is dead, who's their new leader?"

Pressing a button on the keyboard, a picture of Shie Hassaiki's leaders and commanders appeared. When examining the photo, Kogu was shocked when he recognized some familiar faces he knew. People who were supposed to be dead and yet here they are.

"Are those...!?"

"Yes, definitely them."

Musutafu's Central Park, Tuesday, March 23rd, Age 772/2528

Between the civilians and Pro Heroes that attended the festival, Gohan and Izuku were walking their way to tournament. This time, they were accompanied by both Goten - whom Gohan brought with him - and Trunks - who was waiting alone for Goten - as the two were excited to see Gohan's performance in the battles. Well, at least Goten was.

"This is unfair," Trunks complained loudly. "Why isn't there a section for kids in this tournament?"

"This isn't a big championship like the Tenkaichi Budokai," Izuku explained. "If this makes you feel better, there isn't a section for adults either. It's a tournament for teens between the age of fourteen and seventeen."

"But it's sponsored by the same companies," the son of Vegeta argued. "How come they favor you over us!?"

"Trunks, even if there was a junior division, you should be at least seven years old in order to enroll. You're still six." Gohan answered.

"Well, they should put in mind that even us youngsters can put more of a fight than any grown-up could," the boy huffed.

The older teenager rolled his eyes and decided to shrug it off. Trunks may still be a kid, but his father's ego started to grow up inside of him. Hopefully he won't try anything stupid that will put them all in a trouble.

"Pst, Gohan," Izuku whispered next to said teen, getting his attention. "May I speak with you privately?"

Gohan nodded in response and asked the two chibis to get ahead and they'll catch them soon. When they were finally a good distance away, he addressed his friend, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

The greenette was silent at first, but then he gathered the courage to ask, "Gohan, is a something bothering you?"

If the hybrid didn't notice the worry in his best friend's voice, then he did notice his concern for him when he saw his shimmering emerald wide eyes staring at him with concern. He tried his best to hide it saying, "W-What? Me? W-What gives?"

"Well, for one," Midoriya started, "when you arrived this morning, you didn't look fine to me. You were sweating a bit and your mind was focusing on something else, hence why you didn't answer me the first time I greeted you. Secondly, I did notice how you oddly kept staring at me with that nervous expression."

"R-Really? Guess I'm not that good in hiding my feelings."

Suddenly, the greenette stopped in his track and turned to be face-to-face with the boy who stood always by his side and told him to keep following his dreams. If Gohan had a problem, then he would do his best to help. And he needs to assure that Gohan realizes that. "Listen, Gohan. When you first came to the town, you knew something was wrong with me and you wanted to help me. However, you didn't force me to tell you. You gave me the right of choosing whether to tell you or not. So, it's your right as well you tell me your problem or not to. But I want you to remember that no matter what, I'll always be by your side. So, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm always here for you."

Wow! That was... deep. It made Gohan feel happy for having Izuku as a friend. But he still didn't want to tell him what was bothering him. He doesn't want him to freak out of his true nature.

Come on, Gohan. Think! I can't just tell him that I dreamed of him getting tortured to death or that he found out about a secret I've been keeping from him.

The Half-Saiyan took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts to know what to say next. "Look, Izuku," he started, "I really appreciate the fact that you're trying to help me right now but believe me, it's all fine. It's just a personal matter no more. I can handle it myself. And if I need help, I'll ask you."

"... Alright then. If you think so," the younger teen replied. "But remember, I'm always willing to help you no matter what."

"Thank you for that," Gohan said before changing the subject. "So, how do I get enrolled in this tournament.

"It's simple," Midoriya answered, "All you've got to do is punch a punching machine with all your force and try to reach the top sixteens in score. Although you have to wear a Quirk canceling bracelet. You know, so no one can cheat. But I'm sure you'll score first place even without a Quirk!"

After scoring 149 points while holding back in order not to destroy the machine, Gohan scored among the top sixteen who will participate in the tournament. Making his way to the main arena, Gohan could only look shocked from all the spectators that were cheering for them. He felt nervous from all these hundreds of eyes that were staring down at him. After all, he was a 'Mountain Boy'. He wasn't used to being at the spotlight. Nevertheless, he gathered his courage and kept walking his way. He should get used to it if he was going to be surrounded by media and fans when he will become a Pro Hero in the future.

You're no hero.

You're a failure.

"Gohan!" "Onii-san!" "Gohan-san!" Three familiar voices yelled from the stadium whom the Half-Saiyan recognized. He turned to his left and, from all of the hundreds of spectators in the section, he recognized the familiar faces of Izuku, Goten, and Trunks cheering for him. Their smiles and cheerfulness were enough to fill Gohan with confidence. He walked tall to the arena, preparing for the fight.

There, on the other side, was a black-haired teenager and pointed teeth, dressed up in a white shirt and black pants. Though he tried his best to look courageous in front of his opponent, Gohan could notice how he wad sweating a bit from nervousness. It seems like this is also his first time participating in a tournament.

The announcer, Kenji Suzuki, declared, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO TODAY'S MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIP OF YOUNGSTERS! I AM KENJI SUZUKI, AND YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE ME IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE WORLDWIDE KNOWN COMPETION: TENKAICHI BUDOKAI. AND IT HAPPENS THAT THIS LITTLE TOURNAMENT IS SPONSORED BY IT.

NOW, WE'RE GOING TO START WITHTHE FIRST MATCH OF THE FIRST ROUND! HERE, WE HAVE A BOY WHO CROSSED ALL HIS WAY FROM THE MOUNTAINS JUST TO JOIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, STANDING AT A HEIGHT OF 1.73 METERS AND WEIGHTING 59 KILOGRAMS: SON GOHAN!"

The crowd cheered for the teen, which caused him to blush and smile awkwardly while waving with his hand.

"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, STANDING AT 1.69 METERS AND WEIGHTING 58 KILOGRAMS: KIRISHIMA EIJIRO!"

Another cheer was made for the other participant who was now in a battle position.

"ALRIGHT PARTICIPANTS! PREPARE YOURSELVES!" Gohan took also his fight position while the other boy, Eijiro, greeted his teeth, showing them to be sharp and pointed. "THE BATTLE STARTS IN THREE, TWO, ONE. FIGHT!"

Dashing with all his speed towards his opponent, Kirishima prepared to deliver the first punch. Gohan on the other hand stood still, waiting for the right moment. Once the fist was one inch away from his face, the hybrid moved his head at a superhuman speed, dodging the attack.

However, Kirishima wasn't done yet. He used his other arm to surprise Son with another punch while he's off-guard. Yet, the teen dodged it again. The shorter male greeted his teeth and attempted to hit Gohan in the face multiple times, but to no avail. Then, he tried to hit him in the stomach, but to his shock and everyone's amazement, the taller teen saw it coming and flipped in the air, grabbing Kirishima from the head, before landing behind him and throwing him to the other side of the arena without knocking him out.

"Geez, I knew I wouldn't fight someone as powerful as Piccolo-San or the androids or even the Saibamen. But this? This is boring and disappointing. No wonder our planet is always at the risk of being destroyed." Gohan thought.

On the meantime, the other black-haired teen was slowly getting back on his feet while holding his head painfully. When he was told that using Quirks wasn't allowed in the tournament, he had some hope to win. And when he was announced to be one of the sixteen among dozens of people to qualify into the battle royals, he felt his heart filled with an immense amount of joy and proud. So why was he having a bad time in his very first fight?

"Man, what's the problem with this guy!?" He thought while greeting his teeth. "He simply threw me away like I'm nothing and kept dodging me with ease. It's like he's reading my mind or something. He can't be using his Quirk, right? That's cheating and not manly at all!"

"I know what you're thinking." Gohan said, getting Eijiro's attention. "You're wondering why you can't hit me. The problem is that your moves are so simple and easy to read. And you take a second or two to deliver the next punch. It may be a short period of time for you, but for me it's enough to analyze your moves and counter them. You want to win? You've got to be a little tricky."

The boy looked confused. "You... do realize that you're giving me advice on how to defeat you, right?"

"I do." He answered with a smile. "I just couldn't handle seeing someone doing something the wrong way and not correcting him. Believe me, martial arts could save your life one day."

"That's... That's so manly!" Kirishima uttered.

"IT SEEMS LIKE DESPITE BEING IN A BATTLE, OUR TWO FIGHTERS HAS STARTED TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER! THAT'S THE TRUE SPIRIT AND RESPECT OF MARTIAL ARTS!" The announcer commented, followed by the loud cheer of spectators.

"Alright, let's keep on, shall we?" Gohan said.

"Yeah, dude! These people came all the way here to see a battle, so let's give them a good one!" Eijiro added.

Dashing in a second attempt to hit the teen, Kirishima aimed this time to the stomach before he changed his fist's direction back to the face. Surprisingly, Gohan saw it coming and instead of dodging, he caught his punch with his hand.

"Sorry, bud. But I guess our match ends here." The Half-Human said with a smirk. Then, using only one arm, he lifted him mid-air from the hand he caught and threw out of bounds.

"AWESOME! KIRISHIMA IS OUT OF BOUNDS! SON GOHAN HAS CLAIMED VICTORY!"

The spectators screamed joyfully, admiring the skills of the mysterious warrior.

"What a skilled young man!"

"He's really fast, too!"

"You don't see someone like him every day!"

"Nice job, big bro!" Goten praised from the stadium.

"Way to go, Gohan!" Trunks joined.

"I knew he'll do it! I knew it!" Izuku yelled joyfully.

Meanwhile, the human hybrid wasn't paying too much attention on the thousands of cheers he was receiving. Instead, his attention was on his now defeated opponent, Eijiro if he remembered correctly. He could see the look of defeat and self-disappointment on his face. After all, he's been beaten easily in the first round. Imagine how devastated he was.

Gohan jumped off the arena and approached him, extending a hand to him. Though he hesitated at first, Kirishima took the hybrid's hand, allowing him to help him stand up on his feet.

"Hey, you did great there." Gohan told him.

"Thanks, though I must admit, I clearly stood no chance in front of you," Kirishima said.

"Don't be ashamed. I've been training since a young age. I honestly doubt anyone here may give me a good fight." The Saiyan admitted.

"That... kinda makes me feel better. I really appreciate it." Eijiro replied with a smile. "But don't get so cocky with yourself. There's a participant who may defeat you or at least give you a hard time."

"Really? Who?" Gohan questioned.

"Umm, excuse me," a third voice spoken. The two teens turned to its source, finding it to be the tournament's announcer. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but you two need to leave now. As you can see, the next battle is about to start."

"S-Sorry, we didn't realize." Kirishima apologized. "Come on, Son-kun. We can keep chatting outside."

With that, both teenagers made their way out, leaving the arena for the next competitors. While doing so, the announcer, Kenji, was following them with his eyes, or more specifically, he was following the hybrid, examining head to toe. That face of his remained him of the previous champion of WMAT. The one that freed the world from Piccolo Daimaō years ago and later defeated his son, saving him that day when he decided to stay while everyone fled with their lives.

"Son... Gohan." He thought. "Could this really be the son of Goku-San?"

Capsule Corporation Agency

Vegeta IV, known on Planet Earth as the Pro Hero: Prince Vegeta, the Number #4 Hero in Japan, leader of the C.C. Agency, and the husband of the famous scientist and CEO of Capsule Corporation: Bulma Brief.

Vegeta is a very popular hero in the country. Despite his aggressive personality and egoism, he tried his best to assure civilians that everything was fine, and he never dared to push a child away just because he asked for an autograph, unlike a certain flame-bearded man. His wife once asked him if he was doing that to make up for sins of his past.

Honestly, even he didn't know the answer. Was that really the reason why he became a Pro Hero in the first place? Or was it the fact that Earth became his new home world, and he didn't want to lose it just like he lost Planet Vegeta? Or maybe because now he has a family that he cares about and wants to protect it? Or maybe the Cell Games are the reason; the sacrifice of Kakarot - his rival-, the humiliation he faced at the hands of Cell, and his failure to save his son could have twisted his personality. Perhaps all these reasons together are what changed him, not just one.

Thankfully, there were no surviving video recordings of him during the Saiyan invasion and Bulma has mentioned that she used the Dragon Balls during the three years prior to the androids' attack to wish for the people who saw him either through television or the reporters themselves to forget how the Saiyans looked like. However, paparazzi are still bugging him about his appearance during the Cell Games and questioning him about the golden-haired form he used and why he never used it again. His only answers were, 'Cell was a monster that should've been dealt with as fast as possible. The form I used back then is called Super Vegeta, and for why you don't see me use it is because there's no one strong enough to force me to transform'.

But the prince's true debut in global fame came between three or four years ago. Back then, he stopped a radioactive bomb in West City before it blew up and killed millions of people. Soon, after doing some searching with his sidekicks and interrogating the bombers, he discovered that they were part of a bigger organization called Humarise: a cult that believes in the Quirk Singularity Doomsday Theory postulated decades ago by a researcher called Kyudai Garaki. According to the beliefs of their leader, Flect Turn, they are destined to "cure" the world of the disease brought by Quirks.

Thanks to having the greatest resources to knowledge in Capsule Corps, it was a matter of a couple of days before all of the cult's bases around the world has been located. Using his ability to fly at faster-than-light speeds, the prince reached every city instantaneously (of course, after having permission from the countries authorities) and tied the cult's member and left to inform the police of their location before any of them could even realize what's going on.

Finally, he located Humarise's main and final base. After beating all the members, he stood face to face with their founder: Flect Turn. Vegeta already had enough information about him; a broken man who felt cursed by his Quirk and believed that Quirks are a plague that should be destroyed. At first, he tried something he wasn't used to back then: talking sense to him. It worked twice before. The first was when he talked a teenage girl out of committing suicide and the second was when he convinced a vengeful father into not shooting his deceased son's bully and that it was not worth it. So, it was worth a shot.

However, no matter what he said, Flect just didn't listen and kept trying to kill the Saiyan. Deciding that it was useless, Vegeta attacked the Villain in order to arrest him. He knew of his Quirk, so he kept adding more energy to his punches, each stronger than the previous. Thankfully, the force of the punches that was reflected on him wasn't even enough to make him flinch since he was holding back a lot, not even using one out of a thousand of his base power. He needed to find the correct level of power to hit the Villain with it without killing him.

At last, after hundreds to thousands of punches, he noticed that Flect felt some pain from the last, so he multiplied its force tenfold, finally knocking his enemy unconscious.

And with that, Vegeta became one of the top five Pro Heroes of Japan and a celebrity known worldwide.

In addition, people admired his strength. It was no secret that, despite ranking fourth in the Billboard Chart, Vegeta's power ranked in the top among the likes of All Might. If only the people of Earth knew, the prince was born with a massive amount of energy that even surpasses that of Prime All Might, but there was no machine capable of measuring past Endeavor level of strength without breaking to pieces, let alone that of a Saiyan, and no one could believe that surpassing All Might is possible at all. However, ever since he once tanked a full powered blast from the Flame Number #2 Hero and sent the man flying to the wall during an argument - causing him to bleed from his mouth and have a grudge towards the prince - people finally speculated that the true amount of his energy rivals that of All Might and that his Super form could possibly be on par or even superior to Japan's Top Hero.

While he didn't hold any grudge towards the man, Vegeta didn't like him either. In fact, his attitude of showing mercy, sparring his enemies, defeating them with quick blows, and showing people that everything is fine kind of reminded him of Kakarot. Nonetheless, he was also as annoying as him. And he didn't understand why he keeps acting like everything is just fine. Sure, he does that when rescuing civilians to calm them down, but why speak nonsense in interviews as if they were living in a fairy tale that always has a happy ending? It's like he pretends that he wasn't sometimes too late to prevent casualties.

He met him on a few occasions and the tall muscular man couldn't keep his mouth shut for a damn minute. He tried to befriend him and even dared to joke with him, telling him that his attitude was on the line between his and Endeavor's and asking if they should one day battle each other to determine which one of them is stronger.

Thankfully for the blonde, Vegeta had no interest in beating and humiliating the hell out of him in public or even privately.

The proud Saiyan was now in his office, staring at West City through the window glass, waiting for the news to come. Despite her efforts, Bulma has completely failed to convince him on going to the festival for the second day. Vegeta has argued that he had more important matters to attend, like training or doing his hero career.

Soon, he heard a knock on his office's door. Based on the person's Ki, the good news has finally arrived.

"Come in," Vegeta said.

The door opened, revealing a short police officer with black hair holding a file in his hand. The officer greeted the prince, "Hey, Vegeta. It's nice to see you again."

"Let's get directly to business, Klilin."

"It's Krillin." The officer corrected in annoyance. "Anyhow, me and my partners have succeeded in our task. You were right, the Vigilante Blueflame - or Dabi as the underworld call him - was responsible for killing, or more specifically burning three rapists in the city."

"That's basic information. I want good news."

"Okay, calm down." Krillin said, putting his hands in a defensive way. "Thanks to our spies, we identified who his next target is. Tell me, do you remember the Creepers, or at least their member Moonfish?"

"Yes," he answered slowly. He remembered the Creepers perfectly: a small group of roughly twenty people that were wanted for committing the crimes of cannibalism and murdered no less then thirty-five victims. For such crimes, they were all put on death penalty and the Commission ordered Vegeta to arrest them all and if possible, kill them. Thankfully, due to the prince being on a whole different league, he effortlessly eliminated each one of them. However, Moonfish was the only one who succeeded to escape. "So, we find that freak son of nature, we capture Dabi."

"Yeah, about that," Krillin started nervously, "I'm not sure if you consider this good news or bad ones, but you see..."

"Just spill it out already!" Vegeta ordered.

"Okay, okay! Calm down! Here. Look for yourself." The cop then handed the Saiyan a picture taken by one of his spies. "It seems like this time, Dabi has company."

Vegeta examined the picture in his hand. It showed two individuals sitting together at a table (probably in a bar or something): the first one with black-hair and burns attached to his skin via piercings. There was no doubt it was Dabi. The second one had a lizard-like appearance with a red scarf and a mask that covers his eyes. He remembers hearing about this person. His name was on his tongue. Spinner! That's it! It was the Vigilante who's been recently classified as Villain, Spinner.

But wait, if Spinner was in West City, then...

Vegeta hummed. "Hmm, interesting. So, the Hero Killer is now targeting my city."

Chapter Text

The doors to the waiting room opened, revealing Gohan, followed by his former-opponent-now-friend Eijiro as they both walked inside.

The room had three ranges of bench seats in front of a large window that opened on the battle arena, allowing the participants to observe the fights from there. The moment the two set feet in there, all attention shifted to them, allowing the hybrid to take a better look at the participants.

Sitting at the first range of seats were a girl and four boys, two of whom wore glasses: the first one had short dark blue hair while the second kind of reminded Gohan of the legendary Big Foot, considering his beast-like appearance with brown hair covering most of his body and two sharp teeth popping upwards from between his lips.

On one end of the same bench was a male with a messy, indigo-colored hair with his most notable feature being the dark eye bags beneath his purple eyes. On the other end was a blonde boy whose right eye was covered by his bangs. Next to him was a girl with long orange-colored hair tied into a high a ponytail on the left side of her head.

The second range consisted entirely of girls who seemed to have been chatting together before the two came in. The first one was pink-skinned with a hair matching her skin's color and two yellow slim horns, her eyes had black sclerae and yellow irises. The second one had teal eyes and long brown hair that was just above her waist. The third had auburn hair that matched her eyes' color and was shoulder-length with short bangs, and the style is bobbed with two long strands framing her face. The fourth one was a slim girl with short blonde hair and blue eyes who was wearing golden rings in her ears. The fifth girl had green eyes with long lower eyelashes, her hair is a dark moss green, collectively reaching just below her shoulders aside from a short clump that hangs in the center of her forehead.

The last range however had only two boys: the first had long, chin length, messy gray hair and black eyes which are tilted dramatically inwards, each lined with a very thick, jagged, tan-colored substance, which are presumably his eyelashes. The second was a blonde with brown eyes who had quite a muscular body.

However, considering that there are sixteen participants in total, it was evident that two of them were missing, probably because they already went for the next round.

"Ahh, hello," Gohan awkwardly greeted, "I assume this is the waiting room."

"No, this is the neighbor's kitchen," the blonde from the front range answered sarcastically, "Of course it's the waiting room you dumba- AGH!" He was cut off when he received a smack on the head from the girl next to him. He turned to her and said painfully, "What!? Is he blind to not read the sign?"

"Yes, this is the waiting room," the blue-haired male with glasses answered, "You two may come in."

With that, both boys walked to the seats in the last range. On the way though, Gohan could've swear that he heard the girls in the middle range chuckling and whispering things like him being a cutie or "He's my type" which made him blush in embarrassment, although he failed to notice the teal-eyed girl with long brown hair starring at him as if she was trying to recognize him.

However, as they were about to sit, the muscular blonde stopped them. "Sorry, there are two seats reserved here. Only one of you can sit."

"Aww come on, man," Kirishima complained.

"It's okay, Kirishima. You may sit here. There's still a place in the front range," Gohan explained.

"Okay. Whatever makes you feel comfortable, then."

The indigo-haired boy, however, didn't like what he just heard as the only available sit is right next to him. And frankly, he didn't want to share it at the cost of his comfortable zone. So he closed his eyes and hoped that the spiky-haired teen won't come to him.

Please don't talk to me. Please don't talk to me. Please don't talk to me.

"Hey there."

God damn it.

He opened his eyes slowly and saw the same boy standing right before him. He grumbled something beneath his breath before asking, "What do you want?"

"Well, I was hoping you two will let me sit in the empty seat between you," he said, addressing both him and the other beast-like teen.

"Of course, sir," replied the beast-boy before the indigo haired teen could say anything, "I have no problem with that."

Gohan then turned his attention to the other boy, waiting for his answer. He sighed and replied, "As long as you stay silent, you may sit."

"Thanks!" The Saiyan spoke before taking the seat. He looked at the clock on top of the wall. Only five minutes left until the next match starts. Perhaps he could use this time to get to know the other fighters.

That, if they even wanted to know you.

"Pst, Takayama-san. Do you know him?" Thanks to his enhanced senses, Gohan was able to clearly hear the girls behind him whispering about him, which made him blush a bit. The voice seemed to come from the pink-skinned girl. He knew that it was bad to eavesdrop, but since a girl among them seemed to know him, perhaps he should listen a bit more.

"You've been starring at him since the moment he stepped in," another voice said, probably the voice of the green-haired one, "Don't tell me he's your boyfriend~" At this moment, Gohan's face was as red as a tomato.

"W-What!?" The shocked voice was nearly loud enough for everyone in the room to hear them. This one came from the girl with long brown hair and teal eyes. "That's not the case. It's just... He kinda of remind me of a person I've met five years ago." Now Gohan was indeed curious. "They both share the same name and surname and they both should be the same age, but... The one I met had greenish-blue eyes and blonde hair. I'm not sure if they're the same person."

Five years ago, Gohan thaught, That was during the androids' attack and the Cell Games. That's when I first turned into a Super Saiyan. The only time I walked publicly in that form was after exiting the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and before the Cell Games. That's when me and dad were trying to master the form. However, the only girl I talked to back then who could have remembered me was-

Then, he realized.

He slowly turned to the middle range and took a closure look at the girl. She may have a longer hair, but the brown color and teal eyes can not be mistaken.

"Umm, excuse me, miss," the hybrid asked awkwardly, catching the attention of the girls, "Takayama-san, was it?" The girl nodded her head. "Does your first name happens to be... Lime?"

"Y-Yes," the girl replied, her tone is visibly surprised, "How did you know?"

Gohan replied with a smile, "It's me, Gohan. I met you and your grandfather Mr. Lao five years ago at Chazke Village. Remember?"

"Wait, YOU'RE Gohan!?" The girl yelled in surprise. "No way! I'm darn sure the Gohan I knew had yellow hair. Unless he dyed it?"

"No, I didn't dye my hair," the hybrid explained, "Let's just say, it was the result of me using my Quirk back then."

"So you're truly him!" Lime shrieked joyfully. "Man, who thought we'd meet again after all these years and in a martial arts tournament nonetheless. It feels like just yesterday, you saved me from drowning in the river."

"You what!?" That was the reaction of most people in the room.

"Dude, and I thought you couldn't be more manlier than that!" Eijiro yelled.

"Saving a girl at such a young age! You're basically a Hero already!" The grey-haired boy exclaimed.

"Could this be love at first sight!?" The pink-skinned female wondered excitedly.

"You must have some fancy Quirk to perform such a thing!" The auburn-haired girl added.

"Or maybe he's just so skilled physically!" The orange-haired girl spoke.

"If so, he'll probably be a though opponent for whoever he'll face," the female blonde added her two cents.

"Hey, don't you dare to look down on us just because you had a chance to show your strength!" The blonde from the first range warned.

"All of you, stop!" The blue-haired kid ordered, "You're all causing a lot of disturbance here!"

"All I wanted was a moment of silence," the indigo-haired boy whispered to himself.

"ENOUGH!" The sudden outburst of the demi-Saiyan silenced everyone in the room. He lived his life alone in the mountains, so he was never used to being the center of attention. And with all of these loud simultaneous voices talking to him, he just couldn't handle it more, which - alongside his Saiyan nature - caused him to stand up and yell aggressively.

When he regained his senses, he realized what he had just done and looked at everyone around him. They were all stunned and silenced, their eyes still on him.

"I-I'm sorry," he said it more like a whisper, "Look, I come from an isolated area. I'm not used to loud shouting or people violating my own space. If you want to talk to me, then please do it calmly and one at a time. My name's Son Gohan by the way." Man, I truly hope this is the best way to fix this mess.

"You know what? That's a good idea," the beast boy next to Gohan spoke, "If we were to go against each other in a friendly competition, then it's better to introduce ourselves." He then stood up and faced the rest of the competitors. "My name is Shishida Jurota. Nice meeting you all."

"In that case, I also should introduce myself," the teen with blue hair announced before standing up and facing the others formerly, "I am Iida Tenya from Sumei Academy. I came hear today to test myself in this tournament. I'm looking forward to fighting you all and for you to give your best."

"Alright then," the pink girl followed excitedly, "The name's Ashido Mina. Nice meeting you all."

"I'm Takayama Lime," Lime spoke, "although I believe most of you already know my name."

Well, I guess we're doing it then, Eijiro thought before declaring loudly, "I'm Kirishima Eijiro! And I gotta admet that Son Gohan over there is one of the manliest people I've ever met!"

He was then followed by the grey-haired teenager who yelled, "I am Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu! I came here today to compete against you all and prove my worth of being a Hero! Don't you dare to hold back because I won't go easy on any of you!"

"My turn," spoke the blonde girl, "I'm Hayase Erasa and... I'm kind of new into fighting. I don't have as much of an experience as most of you so please... don't go so hard on me." She said the last part while rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"I too am new to martial arts," the auburn-haired girl said surprisingly, considering that she was silent most of the time, "I'm Uraraka Ochako, by the way."

"It's no problem," the orange-haired girl spoke while standing up, "I'm Kendo Itsuka, by the way. I've been trained in martial arts ever since my childhood and I'd like to say that in these types of tournaments, it's not a matter of either winning or losing, but rather to test our limits and to improve better." Her comment caused Ochako and Erasa to smile after self-doubting themselves.

The girl, now known as Itsuka, gave the blonde next to her a knowing look. He sighed and then stood up himself, "Fine. I'm Monoma Neito, and like Tetsu-san, I also am here to prove myself worthy of being a Hero. That's all I have to say."

"My turn," yelled the green-haired girl excitedly before jumping from her seat with a smirk that showed her long and pointed teeth, "Tokage Setsuna is the name. Don't forget it once I knock the lights out of ya in combat."

So enthusiastic and self-confident, thought everyone.

"Fine, then," spoke the blonde in the last range, "If all of you were to introduce yourselves, then I don't wanna be left out. I'm Kase Sharpner, a pupil at Mr. Satan's dojo. I also am here to see where my training has got me to. So be aware because, as a pupil of the Number #3 Hero, don't expect me to go easy on any of you."

All eyes was then on the indigo-haired boy who wasn't as enthusiastic as everyone else. He felt their eyes on him, but honestly, he didn't want to give a care. He wasn't here to make friends. He just wanted to get stronger, to show everyone that he can be a Hero even without his so-called 'villainous' Quirk.

However, he also knew that they wouldn't let him off peacefully and will keep bugging him until he reveals his name. So, with a deep breath, he said, "Shinso Hitoshi. That's my name."

"..."

"..."

"Aren't you gonna add anything about yourself, man?" Eijiro questioned from the back.

"Grr," the teen, now known as Hitoshi, groaned, "Look, as much as I'd like to chat with you people, the next round is going to start at any given moment. So, how about we all sit down and watch it silently?"

While some wanted to complain about the boy's rude way of talking, they couldn't disagree with him. They needed to watch the match in order to have an idea about who might they fight. Everyone sat back on their respective seats silently, their eyes focused on the arena through the window.

Considering who's fighting who, the winner is already settled, Sharpner thought with a smirk.

Meanwhile, in the spectators' stadium

"This is so boring!" The lavender-haired kid, Trunks, complained loudly, "Why don't they start the next round already?"

Between the hundreds of spectators who came to watch the tournament, whether it be civilians or Heroes (or Villains in disguise?), a certain greenette was sitting with two Saiyan-Human hybrid kids, one of them happened to be his best friend's little brother and the other was his friend. They were sitting together while eating their snacks and drinking juice, all while enjoying today's championship. However, the main reason why they were here was to cheer Gohan during his fights in hope of him winning (Although that was something the boys were certain of).

"Trunks-kun, be patient please," Izuku said, "Just a little bit more and the match will start."

"You said that five minutes ago, and yet even the fighters didn't arrive 'till now," replied the boy.

"Yeah, makes me wonder what big bro is doing inside," added Goten while shoving some popcorn into his mouth.

"Excuse us! Sorry! Coming through! Coming through! Sorry, miss! Sorry, sir! Sorry!"

Hmm, sounds like some people came late, thought Izuku.

"Hey, there!" A feminine voice called. The three boys turned their heads to the left, only to be met by three older teens next to them. The first was a tall young man with blonde hair, beady blue eyes, and a smile on his face. The second was a young, pale-skinned man with elf-like ears and indigo messy hair, though he somehow kind of seemed nervous about something. The third, however, was a girl (probably the one who called him) of average height with wide, curious eyes and a long periwinkle hair that reaches all the way down to her knees.

"Umm, can I help you?" Izuku questioned.

"Actually, yes," the blonde responded, "As you can see, me and my friends kind of arrived a liiiitle bit late and as a result, all the seats are now full except for the ones next to you so-"

"It's okay," Izuku cut him, "You may sit in it. It's empty anyway."

"Really? Thanks!" The tall teen said before turning to his companions, "See, guys? Told you we'll find seats somehow." Then, the three made their way between the boys, with the girl's hair tickling them a bit, and sat next to them.

"Excuse me, miss," Goten called, catching the girl's attention, "Why is your hair so long?"

"Goten!" Midoriya hissed, "I'm so sorry, miss! He didn't mean it that way!"

"Nah, it's okay," the girl replied while waving her hand, "I hear that everywhere. And drop this whole 'Miss' thing, boys. Nejire is fine by me, and if you insist, just call me Hado-san."

"P-Pleasure to meet you, Hado-san," Izuku greeted shyly.

"Nice meeting you, too, Nejire," Goten said innocently.

"Aww, aren't you such a cutie~" Nejire spoke, "I feel like a could cuddle you like a teddy bear for the rest of my life!"

"Yeah, you look like the cutest child in the world!" The blonde added while patting the child on the head, earning a few giggles from him.

"Hey! What about me?" Trunks yelled, popping up from his seat. He didn't like it when Goten got all the praise while he was left behind.

"You?" The blonde then starred into the older child's face before making his mind, "You look like a troublemaker."

"WHAT!?"

"That's because he is a troublemaker," Goten added with no shame.

"DON'T YOU DARE THINK THAT YOU'RE AN ANGEL, GOTEN! YOU GET YOURSELF INTO AS MUCH TROUBLES AS ME!" Trunks defended aggressively.

"You're the one who drags me to trouble, Trunks."

"Geez, your brothers must be giving you a headache a lot of times, don't they?" The blonde teen commented.

"Actually, they're not my brothers. I'm just babysitting them, that's all," the greenette answered, "I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way."

"Nice meeting you, Midoriya," the older teen greeted with a smile, "I'm Togata Mirio. You've already met Hado Nejire, and this here is our friend, Amajiki Tamaki." Nejire smiled at the boy, telling him how nice it is to meet him. The other teen, Amajiki, however turned his face to avoid the greenette's gaze, probably out of shyness. Izuku could barely hear him stutter a 'nice meeting you' to him.

"WELLCOME AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" Kenji Suzuki announced. "I HOPE YOU'RE ALL HYPED FOR THE SECOND ROUND! ON ONE SIDE, STANDING UP AT 165 CENTIMETERS AND WEIGHTING 56 KILOGRAMS, HE'S HERE TO SHINE BRIGHTLY AND REIGN VICTORIOUS: KAMINARI DENKI!"

Wait, Kaminari is participating in the tournament? Izuku thought. He couldn't recognize the male participant's face from afar, but when taking a closure look, he did notice that, alongside the blonde hair, he had the remarkable lack lightning-shaped streak his new friend has. It was definitely him.

"AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, STANDING AT 155 CENTIMETERS AND WEIGHTING 47 KILOGRAMS, NOT ONLY IS SHE THE CHAMPION OF THE VERY FIRST EVER JUNIOR DIVISION IN THE TENKAICHI BUDOKAI, BUT SHE IS THE SON OF THE NUMBER THREE HERO" HERCULE", KNOWN ALSO AS TENKAICHI BUDOKAI'S CHAMPION "MISTER SATAN"! SHE'S THE ONE AND ONLY: SAVAGE VIDEL!"

There, standing in the opposite side of Kaminari, was none other than the Champion's daughter herself, Videl. With her black hair and light-blue eyes, the short young girl was standing in battle position while wearing a serious expression, ready to fight at any moment.

Denki, on the other hand, wasn't having the best time of his life.

Damn it! He gulped. If I were to use my Quirk, I would've had a better chance at beating her or at least last a bit longer. But a hand-to-hand combat! There's no hope for me! I won't stand a chance against Videl! Nevertheless, I won't go down without a fight.

The boy also took a battle position, preparing to fight.

"ALRIGHT PARTICIPANTS! PREPARE YOURSELVES! THE BATTLE STARTS IN THREE, TWO, ONE. FIGHT!"

Denki was the first to rush towards his opponent while Videl stood there waiting for him. The electric boy's plan was simple: attacking his opponent as fast as he could from anywhere. That way, she won't read his moves.

He got closer to her while Videl waited until he got closer to her. Finally, she found the right chance to strike.

One punch. That's all it took. One strong punch to the guts was enough to stop Kaminari in his tracks, collapsing on the ground painfully while the girl stood victorious.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" Kenji shouted, "VIDEL WON WITH A SINGLE PUNCH! SHE'S TRULY A CHAMPION FOR A REASON! ALL OF YOU, CHEER FOR VIDEL SAVAGE!"

The spectators, indeed, cheered the girl for her victory. However, she wasn't paying any attention to that. She didn't care if people were cheering her or not. She only had one thought in mind.

So, after five years, I guess we're finally meeting again, Gohan.

Tartarus Prison, Japan, Tuesday, March 2nd, Age 772/2528, 9:38 a.m.

Every guard in Tartarus, the most secure prison in the entire world, knew that Prince Vegeta was no strange visitor.

Throughout the last four years he spent as a Pro Hero, the Saiyan has sent many villains to this place after giving most of them (if not all) the beating of their lives. In addition, as the husband of Bulma Briefs the C.E.O. of Capsule Corps, and as a former soldier in the Frieza Force, he gave his wife ideas of devices and inventions that helped contain the prisoners: from bracelets that cancel one's Quirk and supress his physical strength to that of a child, to weapons, guns, and tranquilizers for the guards that can shoot at near light speed. He even made them scouters like the ones the Saiyans used for communication, locating one's location, and measuring the amount of power they have (but instead of using the ordinary unit of PL, it measures the battle power in joules).

Not to mention that he strengthened the walls to prevent any attempt of breaking them. In addition, Tartarus is now surrounded by three thick walls that reachas as high as two hundred meters above sea-level and are completely indestructible (by human standards of course), between each wall and the other is a hundred meters. The only way to travel between the walls is through a couple of stations that are present all around the walls, each station is guarded by hundreds of armored and trained soldiers. The stations also have armored boats to travel from one wall to the other. Attempting to swim in the water will be a death wish considering that its full of sharks and many other deadly sea animals.

On top of all of that, the whole thing - including the walls - is surrounded by an electromagnetic barrier, where coming into contact with it will result in momentary paralysis.

In other words, Vegeta has basically turned Tartarus into a prison that no one on Earth (minus the Z-Warriors) could ever enter or escape at all. Not even All Might himself.

Oddly, the changes he did extended to bringing therapists for the prisoners. When asked about it, Vegeta explained that from experience, he learned that many people turn to the way of villainy due to trauma and heartbreaking events, forcing them to express their anger by committing crimes. Thus, the prison has been turned into a rehabilitation facility in hope to fix the prisoners and give them all a new hope in life. Some has changed, while others... are still being dealt with.

And today was the prince's monthly visit.

After passing through all of the security levels, Vegeta was now on the main part of Tartarus where the prisoners are being kept. At the entrance, he met with the prison's warden, Homura Sasaki.

"Prince Vegeta," the man greeted with a smile, "Just on time as always. Came for the monthly visit I see."

The Saiyan nodded his head silently, then walked with the warden to the cells.

"Sir, no matter how much I say it, we can't thank you and your wife enough for the upgrades you've done here. Ever since then, not only did we not come face-to-face with any more incidents or containment breaches, we also successfully curred many of the dangerous villains here. In fact, since that day, about 29% of the prisoners who've been sent here since then received parole for good behavior; those who've been released are keeping their files clean 'till now and each has a good job and a house to live in, and the ones still here will be released soon."

"That's all good," Vegeta said sternly, his facial expressions still as serious as always, "We don't want another breach again after all."

"Yeah." It was true. One of the many reasons for why Vegeta did all of this was because three years ago, a villain who goes by the alias of Dictator was sent here. While he was being guided to his cell, he somehow broke free and controlled the guards, nearly causing a massive security breach here. Thankfully, was already theresince he came to continue investigating Flect Turn and successful stopped Dictator before he continued his rampage.

"Changing the subject," Homura said, "Should we star with the cameras' footage as usual? Of course, after you're done checking the cells."

"Yeah." The two then kept walking between the different levels and parts of the prison, eyeing each cell's door carefully and sensing the ki inside. All the doors were perfectly locked. The criminals are all inside. Their power levels are suppressed as always. Nothing seemed to be wrong.

Despite the fact that the walls was made out of strong material and soundproof, using Capsule Corps. Tech, the cells' walls were completely invisible, allowing both sides to see each other should the cameras malfunction or the prison hid in a blind spot of the camera.

There were also sensors in the cells to make sure that the villains were truly inside, including a sensor that measured their full kinetic energy. Should their power levels be over 40 joules of energy or should they suddenly gain the ability to use even a small percentage of their Quirks, a sleep-inducing gas will be released to their cells through the vents, knocking them unconscious. After thirty minutes of releasing the gas and fulling the cell with it, thus making sure that the prisoner isn't pretending to be knocked out, the guards should enter to retrieve the villain. It shouldn't be a problem considering that all of the guards' helmets function as gas masks against such threats. Then, the villain in question should be taken away to analyze what went wrong in case there was a malfunction in the Quirk and Energy suppressing bracelet.

Their journey finally took them to the surveillance room. There, multiple guards greeted them before returning to their duty of observing the security cameras. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Now came the last part of visit: checking on some of the inmates.

And he had a certain inmate in mind to check on.

"Inmate 656698,  you've got a visitor. You know the rules; stand up and face the wall with your hands on your back so the guards can put the handcuffs."

Kaina Tsutsumi, formerly known as the Pro Hero: Lady Nagant, was sitting in one corner, reading a book when she received the call inside of her cell. She put her book aside and followed the orders. The guards came in and guided her out, no incident recorded. The inmate didn't struggle or fight back not only because she knew it was useless with this bracelet in her leg, but also because - although she wanted to break out of this hell in the soonest time possible - this monthly check-in visist was the only good thing this place offered her. In fact, it's the only good thing that happened to her in the last fifteen or so years.

Truth be told, while she was approaching the visit's room, a smile curled on her lips.

When they reached the door, one of the guards opened it for her to get in. Once she was inside, she took a seat across of the bulletproof glass. On the other side, Prince Vegeta was already waiting for her.

"Lady Nagant. Hope you're doing well," The prince greeted through his communicator.

"If it weren't the Number #4 Hero himself: Prince Vegeta. Glad to see you back here again," she replied.

"Thanks, and it's former Number #4 Hero. Tomorrow, I'll be announced as the new Number #2," Vegeta announced with pride.

Kaina whistles lowly, "Man. Endeavor must be having nightmares. After all, you and All Might are his greatest obstacles to greatness, alongside that mysterious Savior Boy who killed Cell. And now, you're his former position in the ranking."

"Enough with that, let's go back to the main subject. How have you been here?" Vegeta asked.

"Mmm, not bad, I guess," Nagant responded, "It's just the same as always. Just me, the containment chamber, the therapist, and my books. Nothing out of the ordinary. Things became better ever since you showed up."

"Good to hear we're making an improvement. First time we met, you simply left the room after telling me in the face to 'F*** off'," The Saiyan said with a chuckle.

"Yeah. When I think about it now, that was hilarious!" the former heroine replied with a laugh.

The two kept talking together for a while, enjoying chatting with each other, until the prince finally decided to adress the elephant in the room.

"Well, this brings us to the most important question: what brought you here to Tartarus?" Vegeta asked. At that moment, the woman's laughter died and turned into a serious face. She lowered her head, trying to avoid looking at the prince in the face.

"According to your files, you've been arrested for killing a fellow hero during an argument. However, the punishment for such a crime is only three to five years in prison. Yet for some reason, you've been given a life sentence. It's either you've done something horrible that they're hiding, or that the HPSC simply doesn't want you out."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Kaina said with a sigh, "It's not like there's anything you can do anyway."

"You seem to have forgotten that you're talking to a man with a strong influence around the globe and who runs a Villain Rehabilitation Program. I personally thaught over a dozen Villain who now are either civilians or doing heroic duties. I can help you, Nagant! I can stand up for you in court, Kaina! All I need is-" The Saiyan explained.

"With all due respect, Vegeta," the woman interrupted him while standing up, "but Lady Nagant and Kaina Tsutsumi are both dead. I'm just Inmate 656698 now and nothing more. It's just... so complicated than you can imagine. And I believe your visit today is over." With that, she walked to the guards and asked to be escorted back to her cell.

Vegeta opened his mouth to say something, but then decided against it. Nagant and the HPSC were clearly hiding something for him, something bad. He had to find out what it is.

As for now, his visit is over.

Well, thought Vegeta as he walked out of the prison, I guess things could have gone much worse.

"Hey, Vegeta!" A feminine voice called. The prince was surprised to see his wife, Bulma, waiting for him with a giant white private helicopter with the C.C. mark on it. "I was flying by and figured out it'd be nice if I peaked you up myself." Without adding a word, the Saiyan prince walked silently to the cabin knowing full well that he can't say 'no' to his wife, and while he didn't show his gratitude, Bulma swore that when he passed her, he uttered a 'thanks' to her.

Typical Vegeta, she thought with a smile, Too pride to show his true feelings. Then, she followed him inside and closed the door. Soon, the rotorcraft's engine went on, spinning its blades before to went off in the air.

"You know I can fly on my own, right?" Vegeta said from his seat with his usual grumpy expression.

"Yeah, but then, how will we discuss the employment of your new sidekicks?" Bulma replied.

Before the Hero could add something else, he noticed that, next to his wife, was a familiar black-and-white armor with a white helmet, a belt which had the letter "P", and a star on the left side of the armor's chest. He knew that this was the Hero Costume of one of his sidekicks: Positive.

But if the armor was here, that means...

Vegeta groaned at his wife. "Don't tell me he's the one flying this thing."

Bulma, on the other hand smirked and called, "Hey, Pigero! Why don't you greet your boss?"

Inside of the pilot cabin, the pilot turned to the back to greet his employers with a smile. He was a young man in his mid twenties with light brown hair, dark-colored eyes, his head had some scratches and minor scars, and a orange headband tied on his forehead.

"Hey, sensei! Hope your visit went well."

"I suggest you focus on flying this thing, Positive. Or you might end up blowing it up like the last one," Vegeta roared back.

"Hey, I thought we got that over with," the Pro Hero, now known as Positive or Pigero, replied with annoyance, "Plus, we're not at work now. You can just call me Pigero. And what's this I hear about new Sidekicks? Some rumors say that they actually work with Endeavor."

"Used to work with him, but not anymore," Bulma answered, before pulling her computer, "Honestly, I'm surprised that he ended up kicking them. I mean, sure. He fired a lot of workers in recent years, but to throw out his best sidekicks? The ones who worked side-by-side with him and were technically second-in-command at his agency? That's so low even for him."

"Yeah," Pigero agreed, "I know the guy was a hot-headed a**hole since his debut, but he got even worse in recent years. I guess it's because he died for real against Cell and when he was somehow revived with the others, he found out that Cell was defeated by some nine or ten-year old kid. Not to mention that in the same year, his ranking dropped down to #4 on the Billboard Chart. Things must've been rough for him with that ego of his."

"That doesn't excuse his behavior with others, nor does it allow him to release his anger on them," Bulma interjected, "Well, back to the main topic. Have you took your decision, Vegeta? You had two whole days to think about it, ya know. We gotta give an answer now!"

The Saiyan thought for a few moments. He then sighed and answered, "Considering that they already worked with an agency for a couple of years - even though it's not the best -, I won't treat them as a bunch of interns or newbies. Should I take them in, they are to take things seriously from the beginning."

"I'll take that as a yes," Bulma simply replied while typing a few buttons on her computer, "There. I sent them a message. They should be at the agency by noon to discuss their application."

"So, I take it they're part of the team now," Pigero said from his seat while rubbing his chin worriedly. Sure, they may not be like their former boss, but they were a lot energetic to deal with, especially a certain woman among them. Last time he met her, he couldn't get a word of what she said due to how fast she spoke.

And now, he'll have to work with them all the time.

He knew for a fact that the agency was about to get on fire. Literally.

Somewhere in West City

Inside of a small appartement, three people were sitting at a table across of each other while playing cards together. The first was a man dressed up in a flak jacket over a short sleeved shirt and gry pants and had his entire skin covered by bandages like a mummy. The second man wore a horned happuri alongside a black shirt marked with a large white X on his chest. The third one was a woman with long hair that was literally a yellowish-green fire. Her Hero Costume consisted of a light-gray mini dress with black mask, collar, belt, and wrist guards alongside silver buttons. She also had black knee-high socks, and short black boots.

These two were the Pro Heroes: Kido, Onima, and Burnin. Three of the Flaming Sidekickers at the Endeavor Agency.

Well, former Sidekickers at said agency.

After a heated argument between Burnin and Endeavor, she found herself in the streets with her two teammates following behind and refusing to leave her side. The three were now jobless with no agency to work with. After all, the contract they signed with the Flame Hero indicated that, should they quit or get fired, they are not allowed to join any agency or open one in Musutafu or the neighboring cities. Clearly so Fire Beard won't face any competition considering that they know a lot of the agency's secrets.

And the last thing the three wanted was to face a lawsuit that could end their lives once and for all.

With no other choice, the three had to pack their stuff and move to another city. And after discussing for a while, they decided that the best place to start with was West City or as people call it: Japan's utopia.

With a population of over thirty million inhabitants, the city needed a lot of Pro Heroes to protect it. Their chances of finding a work there was so high. When their plane lent, they quickly moved to their appartement and settled there before open a laptop and sending an application to almost every agency there. The reason why they were even wearing their Hero Costumes in the first place was so they could get to work the moment someone agrees to have them as Sidekicks.

It's been two days now and over 80% of the agencies had refused their request.

F***ing Endeavor and his sh*ty reputation, they all thought simultaneously.

At last, Burnin decided to break the ice.

"You know, guys," she started calmly, "I appreciate the fact that you two are standing by my side. I truly do. But you didn't have to quit your jobs for me. I could've just-"

"Are you NUTS!?" Onima snapped. "Kamiji, we've known each other for years now! You've done a lot for us all! There's no way we're letting you face this alone!"

"Yeah!" Kido showed his agreement, "Seriously, Burnin. That crazy bastard could've simply knocked you out easily, yet he decided to unleash all of his rage on you by beating you to an inch of your life before firing you out of the agency, both figuratively AND literally! And for what!? For standing up to him when he was beating a new Sidekick just because he failed in his first mission!?"

"I swear, that man hadn't been the same ever since we died to Cell," Onima said.

"Please don't remind me of that," Kido replied, "Not only was that a traumatic event to all of us, but Endeavor also didn't allow us to take a couple of days off to attend therapy, claiming that it's just a waste of time and that if we couldn't handle the incident, we don't deserve to be called heroes. Heck, the man himself is clearly traumatized and instead of going to a therapist or bying some punching bags to release hid anger on, he's beating the hell out of all of us in the obligatory weekly training sessions, expecting us to somehow get stronger!"

"His pride is probably hurt since he found out that Cell, the same monster who absorbed thousands of people and killed him and all the other heroes with a single blast, was defeated by some mysterious kid," Burnin joked.

"Not an excuse," The mummy man said, "Hey, you know what? If no agency picks us, why don't we open one of our own?"

"Are you kidding?" Onima answered, "The three of us are barely managing this apartment, let alone an entire agency! Plus, we can't afford to build one. We already spent a lot on moving and settling here. Plus, we may need to move again in case no one wanted us."

"Yeah," Burnin said with a deep sigh. It was true. West City was the only place on Earth where Endeavor and his Sidekicks were not allowed to set a feet. All of the inhabitants hated him for not doing jobs he considers "beneath him" and for his ways of treating Villains and Criminals. His Sidekicks and fans tried to justify his actions, saying that those people broke the law and deserve punishment no matter what circumstances led them to choosing this path.

And then, three years ago, the broadcast news showed him attempting to arrest a man who stole money for his starving family.

To say that people were outrageous is an understatement.

Years ago, their connection to the former Number #2 Hero (now Number #5) gave them a lot of benefits in society. Now, it was biting them back.

Well, we did support his methods when dealing with crime. The city is now treating us the same way we treated all Villains and Criminals alike: discriminating us for our past actions without listening to our part of the story. I guess Karma finally hit us.

You've just received a message from the Capsule Corporation Agency.

Without a warning, Burnin jumped from her place to pick her laptop at the sudden voice of the sudden voice of its A.I. She's bedn doing that every time the A.I. informed her of a new message from a Hero Agency, hoping that someone decided to hire them. She was still hanging on to what's left of a glimmer of hope for her and her friends.

"Capsule Corps? Isn't that Vegeta's agency?" Onima questioned.

"Forget it. There's no hope," Kido spoke, "That man already hates us. He was the first one to criticize our methods and he probably still holds a grudge for the few times we interacted with him. If no one wanted us, no way he'll do. I can't blame him though."

The two men suddenly started to hear some creepy chuckle coming from somewhere in the room. It turned out it was coming from Burnin. Her chuckle then grew into a full loud mad laughter, scaring both her teammates.

"YES! YES! YES! YEEEEEES! AT LAST! AT LAST, SOMEBODY ACCEPTED US!"

"Hold on a second, you don't mean-!?"

"Boys!" Burnin yelled excitedly with a wide smile that showed her pointy teeth, "Get your a**es up from your seats and head on to Capsule Corps! We're finally back in action!"

Well guys, that's it for today's chapter.

Honestly, I felt like the three Flaming Sidekickers will be a nice edition to the team, especially if they were Vegeta's Sidekickers.

And for those who don't recognize Pigero, he's a DBZ filler character who met Gohan during his training with Piccolo. And him being the Pro Hero Positive is a reference to the My Hero one shot by Kohei Horikoshi that paved the way for My Hero Academia. In this case, Positive is not Snipe.

And sorry for not introducing Bojack 'till now, nor revealing his goal. I prefer to take my time to introduce characters and give them time to shine and bond together.

Think of it as the MCU. We' re now assembling the Avengers (in this case, the Z-Warriors) and preparing them to fight Bojack (who'll be a Thanos level threat).

Also, I want to make something clear. I believe some of you didn't like the way Bakugo is being introduced and I believe you also will have the same problem with Endeavor. But you've got to understand: this ISN'T Post Final Act!

These two didn't learn from they're mistakes yet. In fact, Endeavor became worse since he died at the hands of Cell and then was revived only to find out that a ten-year-old child defeated that monster. Imagine how hurt his pride is. And to add salt into injury, Vegeta emerged as the first known person to surpass All Might (not in ranking, but in raw power).

The same thing can be said to Katsuki since now, there's someone in his class who is clearly much much stronger than him and is standing by Dek- Sorry, Izuku's side.

So yeah. These two hot-headed characters will have a long path to reach their redemption.

So, see you next chapter!

Power Levels

Prime All Might: 45.948 [3.1752 × 10^12 Joules]

Prime All Might (One For All): 189.3169 [6.276 × 10^21 Joules]

All Might Post Injury: 38.766 [10^12 Joules]

All Might Post Injury (One For All): 177.23 [1.15 × 10^21 Joules]

Prime All For One: 187.65 [5.0208 × 10^21 Joules]

All For One Post Injury: 176.065 [1.00416 × 10^21 Joules]

Endeavor: 172.82 [6.276 × 10^20 Joules]

Hercule/Mr. Satan: 167.84 [3 × 10^20 Joules]

Burnin: 144.01 [6.276 × 10^18 Joules]

Crust: 155.24565 [4.184 × 10^19 Joules]

Miruko: 160.722 [1.00416 × 10^20 Joules]

Average Pro Hero: 28.566 [1.2522 × 10^11 Joules]

X~X~X

Master Roshi (21st Tenkaichi Budokai): 32 [1.3765 × 10^14 Joules]

Master Roshi (21st Tenkaichi Budokai/Max Power): 80 [2.7154 × 10^11 Joules]

Master Roshi (21st Tenkaichi Budokai/Max Kamehameha): 800 [4.01664 × 10^37 Joules]

X~X~X

King Piccolo: 260 [1.893 × 10^25 Joules]

Goku (King Piccolo Saga): 260 [1.893 × 10^25 Joules]

So apparently, starting from the King Piccolo saga, Dragon Ball characters one-shot the entirety of the MHA verse including Final War Deku and Shigaraki.

Yeah, I know Roshi's power level in base is 139, but that was years after the 21st WMAT. He himself said that he spent those years secretly training. And his so-called Moon Busting Kamehameha in fact has enough energy to destroy the Earth over 160,000 times.

Chapter Text

Hi, there. Yes, I'm still alive. And I'm here with an apology, an explanation, and an announcement.

I know, I know. It's been over two years since the last time I update it this fanfic or any other story. For that I apologize.

The problem was that I got very busy with exams. But most importantly, I completely lacked inspiration. I didn't abandon the story, but I simply didn't know where to go next. In fact, I'm still working on the next chapter for this and the other stories and no, it is not done yet, I'm trying my best to make a good product. Quality over quantity.

I won't make any promises, but I'll try my best to update DBHF the next month or the following one. And if I don't manage to do so, I apologize in advance.

However, something I must make clear is that the story will end with the Bojack arc. I'm sorry, but I won't be making anything farther beyond that. Sure, the Z-Warriors and Pro Heroes will deal with other DBZ and MHA villains until they reach Bojack as the big bad, but I won't make adaptations of Super arcs like Black Goku or Tournament of Power. I'm sorry, but this is my decision.

Now that the apology and explanation are out of the way, it's time for the big announcement: I'm starting a new series!

Yes, you heard it right. I'm starting a whole new series of stories set in one single massive ultimate universe which the series will be named after: The Prime Universe. I've had this crazy idea for about a year now and since then I've been working on this big project, making early drafts and trying to figure out how to accomplish this task. Now, I have a much clearer vision of how it'll work.

Aside from Dragon Ball: Heroes of Future, any other story I'll write will be set in this universe unless I say otherwise, thus it'll be a massive amalgamation of multiple fandoms. Yes, there will be crossovers between multiple stories but don't worry, you don't have to read the other fanfics to make sense from what's happening. It won't be a homework like the MCU. Instead, I'm leaning to the DCU and Image Comics' approach of a shared universe: all the stories happen in the same world but they're all independent from one another. And even when I'll write crossovers between two fanfics, everything will be explained in a way, so the reader doesn't miss anything.

For example, if I write fanfic A and fanfic B, the two stories take place in the same universe, but you don't have to read A to understand what's happening in B. And when I write a crossover between A and B, prior events will be explained in the cross so you can understand what's happening.

The first entry in the Prime Universe was my Sonic the Hedgehog fanfic "Family by bond, not by blood". It has currently two chapters and I'm working on the third. And by the time this note is posted, the second entry will already be available.

The second entry will also be a DBZ x MHA crossover titled "A legend among heroes". However, the plot will be different from this one, for while DBHF tackles the idea of Gohan meeting Izuku and other Hero hopeful students five years after Cell and one year before U.A., "A legend among heroes" will be based on the idea of All Might being Grandpa Gohan's pupil, with the two finding Goku in his ship alongside another comer. Thus, the story will firstly focus on early Dragon Ball and pre-MHA threats (e.g. Pilaf, King Piccolo, Prime All For One, Dr Gero and Dr Garaki's early creations, etc.) until we reach Dragon Ball Z, Super, and beyond. I'll also include elements and storylines from the Z movies, Ovas, GT, Heroes, Vigilantes, and even games.

I hope this is clear for everyone and I promise I'll update whenever possible, because honestly, I'm really excited to write the Prime Universe.

See ya!