"I created him to be the hero who surpasses you. That is the sole reason for his existence."
Sitting in the faculty spectator area, I found myself haunted by the words Endeavor had spat at me during the lunch break.
The Number Two Hero.
The Flame Hero: Endeavor.
He was a man who had fought alongside me through an entire era. I knew his track record well, and I trusted his abilities more than anyone. We had stood on countless battlefields together. Even though he often rejected the idea of a formal team-up, he was a reliable presence who would always lend his strength when the situation demanded it.
Because of that, even though I knew I wasn't particularly liked by him personally, I respected and acknowledged him as a hero. That was why I had asked him for advice. I wanted to know how he had succeeded where I had failed—how he had raised a child as exceptional as Shoto Todoroki. I wanted to learn his "educational methods."
And finally, I realized it.
I realized something I should have noticed a long time ago.
I saw the scorching obsession he had been carrying all this time.
The thirst for the top spot.
A fixation that had smoldered until it turned into a pure, localized madness.
His body, his thoughts, his heart. He was willing to burn everything he had to ashes, and even then, it wouldn't be enough to sate him. His attachment to the throne of the "Number One" was nothing short of pathological.
...Was it me? Was I the one who drove him to this?
I thought we were standing shoulder to shoulder. But looking at his profile today, I realized he never felt that way. For the first time, the weight of my own existence hit me.
My achievements. My popularity. Everything I had built as a hero had served only to corner him. And likely not just him. How many other heroes had stopped in their tracks because of the wall I had built?
Visible crime had plummeted. Smiles had increased. But there were those who were lost along the way. It wasn't just the villains we had to defeat; I had lost the people who should have been my friends and equals.
I still believe a Symbol was necessary. I believe that even now. But as I sat there, I couldn't help but wonder if there had been a better way.
Endeavor... what exactly are you forcing that boy to carry?
"Mr. All Might? Did you say something?"
The words had slipped out. Thirteen, sitting next to me, tilted their head in confusion. It was hard to tell through the space-suit-style helmet, but the gesture was clear enough.
"No, it was nothing. More importantly, that last match was excellent. Young Yaoyorozu's judgment and courage in the face of Young Kaminari's opening attack were truly remarkable."
Thirteen nodded thoughtfully as I changed the subject. "Indeed. Facing those bolts of electricity and making a calm decision without flinching... it's impressive. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had panicked even a little. The growth of these students is not to be underestimated. Perhaps it's the fearlessness of youth?"
The fearlessness of youth, huh...
Thinking back, I was quite the handful in my younger days as well. I certainly didn't have the right to act all high-and-mighty toward the students. My career was built on nothing but reckless gambles that happened to pay off.
"Were you reckless in your youth as well, All Might?"
"Haha, you could say that. I certainly didn't do anything I could brag to them about. It was one reckless stunt after another. People praise me for it now, but back then, I was constantly being scolded."
"You... getting scolded? I can't even imagine it."
"Hey now, even I was a young man once. I got my fair share of lectures. Though, I can say with confidence that I was never as much of a headache as Young Midoriya."
"Haha, well, I should hope so. It's a rare day when that girl isn't getting a lecture. However..." Thirteen trailed off, turning their gaze toward the arena. They were looking specifically at the Class 1-A seating area. I knew exactly who they were watching. "I don't actually dislike her."
The unexpected comment caught me off guard. To be honest, I hadn't assumed the faculty held a particularly high opinion of her.
Seeing my silence, Thirteen waved their hands frantically. "Wait! I mean as a student! I'm a teacher, after all!"
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just surprised. She's constantly disrupting classes, so I assumed most of the staff found her to be a nuisance."
"You certainly don't pull your punches, do you? Well... you're not wrong. There are moments when I seriously wonder if there's any way to fix her attitude."
"Right?"
"Yes. But that's all it is. Her personality... I suppose it's magnetic. She's always at the center of a crowd. I don't know about the other teachers, but I think having one student like her is a good thing. She brightens up the whole class."
"Is that so?"
"It is. In the Hero Course, students usually see each other as rivals. Even if they aren't hostile, things can get tense and awkward. We teach them cooperation, but we don't necessarily encourage them to be 'buddies.' In the end, they are business rivals. They're bound to clash."
That was true. We had to teach them how to face reality—not just their dreams—before they entered society. As their seniors and their teachers, that was our duty.
"And yet, she's always laughing. The people around her are laughing, too. Some might look at that and think she's an idiot who doesn't take things seriously... but I don't believe that. Not after seeing her that day at the USJ."
Thirteen's comment brought back the memory of the students trembling in fear.
"She understands the danger perfectly, and yet she still chooses to smile. I find that kind of strength dazzling. I almost envy it."
"Is she really that strong...?"
"Pardon?"
She had told me herself. That she wasn't strong.
"I had a serious talk with her once," I said softly.
"Oh?"
"She told me, quite clearly, that she isn't strong."
I remembered the pained expression on her face. Thirteen stayed silent for a moment before letting out an amused huff. "Is that all?"
I'm not sure what kind of face I was making, but Thirteen's reaction told me I looked hilariously bewildered.
"All Might, you're worrying way too much about a teenage girl's words."
"I don't think I am..."
"You are. Even if what she said is true in her own mind, to me, she is still an incredibly strong student. Do you see what I mean?"
Before I could ask for clarification, a low chuckle sounded from Thirteen's other side.
"Snipe! You shouldn't laugh!"
"Sorry, sorry. I just can't help it when I see the world-famous All Might being wrapped around a teenage girl's little finger."
"Honestly! He's being serious!"
"I know." Snipe turned his masked gaze toward me. "All Might. What Thirteen is saying is that both her words and her actions are the truth."
"Both?"
"It's not a contradiction for her to feel weak while Thirteen sees her as strong. Their values are simply different. That's all there is to it."
Finally, I realized where I had gone wrong. I had been doubting what I had seen with my own eyes simply because of her words.
"All Might," Snipe said. "Tell me. When you look at Nico Midoriya, what do you see?"
I thought about it. "I see... someone worthy of being a hero. A kind girl who will dive into danger for the sake of others."
"Then that's enough. You can't see into someone's heart that easily. So, trust what you see first. Then, little by little, talk to them and get to know them. You've only just taken the first step, All Might. Those words of hers aren't her entire world."
Snipe's words settled into my chest. I realized I had been too focused on my own perspective. Thirteen nodded vigorously in agreement.
"They're at a sensitive age. They'll say things that are wrong. They'll get lost because they don't know the way forward."
"They'll get depressed when reality hits them too hard. They'll lose sight of themselves and act out."
"All Might," Thirteen said firmly. "Supporting them through those times is a teacher's job. You don't have to do anything as grand as 'leading' them. None of us can really do that perfectly. So, at the very least, just tell them what we've seen."
"What I've seen?"
"Yes," Thirteen nodded. "Tell her. Even one thing. What you've seen will mean more to her than any of my words. Because you're the one who built this era, after all."
Next to Thirteen, Snipe scratched his cheek, looking a bit sheepish. "...Not to be blunt, but for a first-year teacher, you're trying to carry way too much on your own. I respect you as a hero, but as a teacher, you're still a rookie. Talk to us more."
"Exactly! We might not be much as heroes compared to you, but we're your seniors when it comes to teaching! Leave it to us!"
Looking at the two of them, I couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"I've shown you a pathetic side of myself. It's embarrassing. Please, keep this between us. If word gets out that All Might can't even handle one female student, I'll never be able to show my face in public again."
"Fahaha! Fair point!"
"No doubt about that."
As I watched them laugh, I felt a sense of relief. I had almost lost my way again. I had been so busy reflecting on my impact on Endeavor that I had forgotten the present. There were people here who acknowledged me. People who believed what I had done wasn't a mistake. That was an answer in itself.
I need to talk to her again.
I don't need to force my expectations on her anymore. She already knows them. So, from now on, I'll just tell her stories. Stories about the path I've walked. Stories that prove it wasn't just a path of pain like she thinks.
But for now...
『Sorry to keep you waiting!! Next up... we have these two!』
Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, and we turned our attention back to the field. It was the boy I was currently most concerned about: Shoto Todoroki.
『Excellent!! He's excellent, but why is he so plain?! From the Hero Course—Hanta Sero!』
Young Sero made a face. I felt a bit bad for him being the butt of the joke, but it was the expression on Young Todoroki's face—dark, cold, and utterly humorless—that sent a chill of foreboding down my spine.
『The thoroughbred boy with Endeavor for a father!! His grades today have been a bit shaky, but his skill is guaranteed! Also from the Hero Course—Shoto Todoroki!!』
The match began the moment the signal was given. Sero moved instantly, firing his tape to bind Todoroki. He began swinging Todoroki around, aiming for an immediate ring-out. It was a brilliant move.
But I couldn't take my eyes off Todoroki. While Thirteen gasped in surprise and Snipe murmured in appreciation of the tactical maneuver, I was focused on Todoroki's dark, stagnant eyes.
"...Sorry."
I read the words on his lips a split second before the world changed.
An enormous wall of white exploded into view, filling the entire stadium. The sudden drop in temperature and the sheer scale of the ice made the audience scream.
A massive glacier now dominated the arena. Sero was pinned against the wall, frozen solid. Standing before him, completely unscathed, was Shoto Todoroki.
It was an overwhelming, total victory.
The "Don't Mind" chant for Sero began to echo through the stadium. To most, it was a humorous moment to break the tension. I could hear people laughing.
And yet...
Young Todoroki's back looked so incredibly lonely.
As he used the flames from his left side to melt the ice and free Sero, I looked at his profile and asked him the question again in my heart.
Endeavor.
What exactly are you making this boy carry?
***
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