Shoutout to our first Patreon member:
– Adam Cihla!
Thank you so much for being the very first supporter of our Patreon! Your support means everything and helps us keep creating.
Don't forget – you can join our Patreon too to get access to more advanced chapters and exclusive content!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The countdown had begun, and conspiracy bloggers, those who theorized about heroes and villains, various forums, and other internet entities seized upon what Izuku had thought wouldn't have much of an impact. From that, they created what appeared to be a major scandal.
It seemed that the surprises and impact of his actions were still something the green-haired boy couldn't foresee or accurately measure. It was enough to see how the internet went haywire that morning when he woke up to a barrage of notifications on his phone from the forums he was still a member of.
But the satisfaction he felt just seeing what he could generate from his computer was something shocking, and he still couldn't fully calculate the scope of his own actions.
"If this pause drove them crazy, I don't know what will happen once the countdown is over," he said to himself as he continued to review the theories on the internet. Some were quite close to what he would actually offer, while others were at the opposite extreme and didn't even come close to reality.
So she glanced at the clock in her room, which displayed the same countdown as her website. She was well aware that many things could happen in those three days, but she hadn't expected the level of commotion that simple countdown would cause.
Even so, she didn't have too much to do. She had planned to relax and even finish her remaining homework. Everything was already set for when both clocks reached zero, and even that process was automated so she wouldn't have to do anything at that point.
So she decided to turn off her phone and try to keep it all out of her mind for as long as possible, even though it was difficult. But she had already gone too far to start regretting everything she had done in the last few months.
Yes, it had all started as a way to earn money to pay the hospital and household bills. But at the rate things were going, that wouldn't be a problem for quite some time. It might even turn into something very different when the numbers stopped adding up in the future.
Something Izuku had already anticipated. The work excuse would work to some extent, but only in the medium term. In the long term… well, it was a work in progress.
But that was another issue he didn't want to worry about, especially since he had recently paid the fourth monthly hospital payment in full with money from the business and not with money from the emergency card.So he wouldn't slow down. On the contrary, that's why he felt so satisfied with having improved his website and hacked those information-gathering systems so he could use them in the future.
For that reason, that countdown marked a turning point. These new categories and roles implied new challenges and risks, which he would have to face in more than three days.
And for that he needed to switch off his active mind and relax, because after that he didn't know when he would be able to do it again in the short term.
That first day, after doing some research, she decided to disconnect from technology. She finished her homework, cooked some home-cooked food using her mother's recipe book— something that brought her to tears—and then went outside for a while. At first, she just wandered aimlessly until she passed the local library.
"Why not?" he says to himself.
To say he found a kind of hidden paradise was an understatement. The few people there were mostly older than him. There were some children with their parents, but overall, despite its large size, the place was remarkably empty.
Something surprised him, especially seeing that it was still open. But at the same time, it made him reflect on how, with technology and the internet, books could be forgotten… and places like that one too.
So he wandered through the aisles and bookshelves of every section, searching for hidden corners or interesting topics in each area, whether technological, scientific, informational, literary, or fantastical. He envisioned their possibilities and even the chance of finding hidden gems that might be useful to him in the future.
"Is there anything I can do to help you, young man?" said an old woman, surprising Izuku with her stealth. But when he saw her feet, he noticed they were bare and had a slightly larger-than-average, padded shape in relation to her body. "It must be his Quirk," he thought.
—Oh, nothing in particular, I'm just browsing. There are so many books I wouldn't know where to start. For now, it's just curiosity—she replies honestly.
"I can see that. If something helps you, start with your interests or something you need.
Even if that doesn't interest you, looking for something new with a bit of chance helps expand your knowledge," the woman replies.
— Maybe, I'll think about it a bit.With that response, the woman Izuku thought might be the librarian left, leaving the green-haired boy with his thoughts and countless choices. He knew that leaving to pursue his own interests and needs would lead him back to his business, and that was precisely what he wanted to avoid by going off without a plan, so he opted for chance.
The question was, how? He could ask the librarian for a recommendation, but when he turned around he noticed she was no longer in sight, and with his power it would be difficult to find her. So he looked at the bookshelf in front of him. He didn't think twice, didn't read the spine, just picked one up and looked at it:"The Art of War".
— Well, it looks interesting — she says in a low voice, since it was by chance that she chose it.
He looked for a table or somewhere to sit comfortably. He took the book with him and began to read silently. He knew the book, but he hadn't read it before. He knew it was quite old, and finding literature that old was a bit rare, given that those considered classics were still relevant. Well, he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to read it, especially considering the lessons it might offer.
The second day arrived with a message from Mrs. Hatsume inviting him to lunch at her house that day, saying she wanted to talk to him about several things. To say Izuku panicked was an understatement; he still remembered the incident with his classmates, and despite being defended and comforted by the couple, he still felt somewhat guilty. Even though they told him his Quirkless status didn't matter to them, treating him the same, with dignity and without hatred, even with more appreciation and emotion.
But, based on her experience, she thought that invitation might be a bad sign, as if they had changed their minds about everything. So she spent the entire morning planning and visualizing all the possible catastrophic scenarios.
He could only find some comfort and banish those bad thoughts by reading more crazy and nonsensical theories on the forums about what would come in the update of his page.
His surprise upon arriving for the meal was that nothing he had planned or expected had happened. Among other things, he was greeted with euphoria by the Hatsume family's daughter, a daughter he had only seen a handful of times and who rarely acknowledged him unless she was deeply engrossed in her constant experiments and projects.
"I apologize for not introducing myself until now, but my parents kept insisting I meet you. So here I am, being your host. Let me introduce myself: I'm Hatsume Mei, a future businesswoman with Hatsume Enterprises, and you must be the famous Midoriya Izuku. It's a pleasure," greeted a girl with pink dreadlocks and golden, cross-shaped eyes that seemed to zoom in as they flashed, before extending her hand."The pleasure is all mine," he says nervously, taking her other hand, before being pulled closer to her, until they are face to face.
"Is it true that you don't have a peculiarity?" he drops the bombshell, making the green-haired boy even more nervous.
"I... uh..." He didn't know what to say. The Hatsume family seemed fine with the situation. "Or maybe that's why they sent her to meet me, instead of being the ones to throw me out, since I barely know her," the thought crossed his mind before he heard the girl's next words.
"That's fantastic! You have a world of opportunities! Do you think I could try some babies with you?!" That statement brought Izuku back to the present.
— Babies? —he questions, remembering that Murasakime had informed him at some point that that's what his daughter called his inventions.
— Yes! Babies! —the green-haired boy repeats with more excitement than he could possibly believe.
- I...
"Mei! Don't be rude," comes the voice of Mei's mother from the other side of the room, as she comes out the door. "You've already received it, now go set the table, the food is almost ready."
With that, the interaction between the two teenagers seemed to end for the time being.
Before the older woman returned to speak with her guest, she added: "Please excuse her, Izuku. Once she starts, she's hard to stop. She's a good girl, but she has a lot of energy, as you can see."
— I see that.
"Well, don't just stand there, come in. I have a proposal for you; since the holidays are almost over, it's best to talk about it now," she says, giving him the opportunity to enter her house.
And so Izuku entered the house, that upper area of the two shops he hadn't entered before out of respect for the family, but which now welcomed him. The place was filled with the aroma of freshly cooked food, the company of a happy and very energetic family, as well as a series of machines and inventions that made it seem, upon crossing the threshold, as if he had stepped into a kind of time machine into the future.
— Wow, so many inventions.
— Thank you, they're my babies — the younger pink-haired girl replies proudly.
— Now's not the time to brag, Mei. You can do that after lunch.
— Leave her alone, honey, Izuku seems interested.
— But if we let her talk now she won't stop and no one will eat, so food first, inventions later.
With that statement from the mother, everyone heads to the table, which was already set.
— Now, Izuku, as you know, this meeting isn't just for social purposes; we'd like to extend an invitation to you.
—An invitation?—he questions, but quickly falls silent to listen to the offer.
— Yes, an invitation. We'd like you to accept the internship offer now, mainly because of the work you've done here without pay. I know you're a very busy guy and that your visits here will decrease once you start classes. That's why we'd love to offer you an honorary consulting position, since your ideas and knowledge of the business's intricacies would be a great asset. This way, you'll also have more access to materials and information from some clients and improve, on a practical level, all the theory you've learned in class and as my husband's assistant.
— Look at it this way: you'd be supporting the business more, you'd have "private" lessons, and a payment that, knowing you, we'll keep symbolic. And that way, everyone wins.
— he makes his offer, not allowing her to refuse or complain while explaining his reason.
— I... I don't know what to say.
— Say you'll do it, kid. Your contributions have been excellent, to the point that the number of clients has even increased, and you should get credit for your work. Credit. The word echoed in the freckled boy's mind, and he found it ironic that he was being told he should ask for it when, in his illegal activities, he never claimed such recognition. But that there were people who valued his work… well, it seemed that having something to give him a little visibility wasn't such a bad idea. It might even help him in the future, as a kind of alter ego: that of Izuku Midoriya and Nobody's Secret.
- That seems fine to me.
In the end, the conversation went better than he had expected. He even managed to connect more with Mr. and Mrs. Hatsume's daughter, who, despite her energetic personality, wasShe was a very nice girl. She was more than excited to share her inventions and to hear constructive feedback on possible areas for improvement.
So, as he leaves the inventors' family home, he checks his phone and the new contact added to it, showing a small smile.
The third day was no exception, bringing its own surprises. He had decided to visit his mother in the hospital to tell her about what had happened with the Hatsume family and the invitation they had extended to him. In a way, he felt comforted by being able to talk to her, even if she was unconscious.
There were times when Mitsuki accompanied him on his visits; other times, she didn't have the opportunity to keep him company in the hospital room. And sometimes, she was the one who visited him without him. She knew he had been there because of the change in the flowers in the vase on the nightstand.
That's why he didn't expect to find the Professional Hero Ingenium coming out of his mother's room, who apparently recognizes him, since she gives him a friendly greeting with her hand raised, as well as a friendly smile, something that was noticeable because of his lack of a helmet.
— Wow… wow, I didn't expect to find you — he says, somewhat embarrassed and at the same time surprised to see the young man who helped him a while ago in the capture of the villain bomber.
— Me… me neither —is all she can think to say, still in shock from the unexpected surprise of that visit.
"I wanted to offer my support. With so many cases, I barely had time to see those affected. I want to apologize for not being able to prevent your mother and the others from suffering this tragedy," he apologized sincerely, bowing and showing his honesty regarding the guilt he felt for the incident.
"You don't have to do it. I didn't know about the bombs in the buildings. I even think it was more my fault for interfering," Izuku says in response to the hero's words.
"No, kid. Without the information you gave us, however recklessly, that villain could have caused an even greater disaster. There could have been more victims, so don't blame yourself. You were a great help"—she tries to comfort him, to show him that what happened that day wasn't his fault and that, in fact, his help was more than welcome—"You're a very perceptive boy, as well as brave. Keep it up and you'll be a great hero."
As he said those words, he paused, before adding something else, considering the risk that this could entail.— But avoid taking risks. Enroll in a hero training course and I'll be eager to see you on the field.
— Mmgh… —he can only manage to nod his head, so he receives a pat on the shoulder.
— Everything will be alright, you'll see.
With those words, the hero withdrew. There were still some rooms to be filled and possibly more grieving families; there was little he could do at that moment other than apologize for not having done more.
Izuku could only stand blankly in the hallway, which luckily was empty after Ingenium's departure, while those words he had spoken echoed in his head. The only reaction she had was to go to the nearest wall and rest her head against it.
She looked as if she were about to sob from the overwhelming emotions she was feeling: very contradictory emotions that, although seemingly confusing, had in many ways been aligned for quite some time.
"I wish you had shown up earlier and told me that back then," he says to no one in particular.
Anyone watching from afar might have thought he was trembling with helplessness or something negative. Yes, for a moment he thought he'd been discovered and caught in his scheme, but when he realized that wasn't the case, a small smile appeared on his face, at the irony of the situation and the circumstances.
— But it's too late now… chaos has already broken out.
And it was true.
The countdown was almost over.
Could you give me some power stones? :)
Read more than 15 chapters and support me on Patreon.
https://patreon.com/ElVago06