The alarm clock rang with a shrill sound that filled Ryo's small apartment. He opened his eyes slowly, still feeling the weight of sleep on his shoulders, and stared at the peeling ceiling. The temporary apartment provided by the government was small and uninspiring: a tiny kitchen, a cramped bathroom, and a bedroom with a simple mattress, a study desk, and a bookshelf where a few books and notebooks were arranged with mechanical precision. Nothing personal or cozy, just enough to live.
Ryo sat on the mattress for a few seconds, watching the digital clock. 6:30 a.m. He sighed, feeling his body stiff from sleep, and got up slowly. Each step on the wooden floor creaked slightly, breaking the apartment's silence. He walked to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and started the shower. The cold water running down his face fully awakened him, his body responding to the simple movements of shaking off sleep.
After the shower, he carefully put on his school uniform: a white shirt, a blue blazer, and black pants, all impeccable. His shoes were lined up by the door, as always. He grabbed his backpack, placing the books he would need for the day inside, and went to prepare his bento. Rice, egg, vegetables, and a small portion of leftover meat from the night before. Nothing fancy, just functional. Everything was simply necessary to survive and maintain his routine.
Three knocks on the door interrupted his preparation. He knew exactly who it was.
"Good morning, Tanaka," said the voice of the man on the other side of the door. A government-assigned agent, dressed in a black suit and dark glasses, with short, impeccable hair. "You're late. Seriously, you should stop with this bento obsession. There are vending machines everywhere. You'd save a lot of time."
Ryo didn't respond. He simply opened the door and passed the agent, his eyes fixed on the floor of the hallway. The agent let out a restrained sigh, familiar with the boy's indifference, and silently followed him to the car parked outside.
The drive to school was long, but quiet. The agent tried to make conversation, asking about the boy's sleep, diet, and emotional state.
"Sleeping well? Eating properly?"
Silence.
"You know we need to do daily check-ins. It's important for your psychological report."
The boy kept his gaze fixed on the window, watching the gray streets and the flow of hurried people.
"Stop with that," he finally muttered. "These daily reports are getting more and more annoying."
The agent ignored the harsh tone and replied calmly:
"Alright… then it seems things are continuing as usual."
Changing the subject, the agent spoke about the boy's future, reminding him that he was finishing the last year of elementary school.
"So, what do you plan to do next, Tanaka? The future is full of opportunities… maybe one will come for you."
Ryo kept his eyes on the window.
"I don't know. It's none of your business. But I don't expect anything."
The agent remained silent. He only murmured:
"Destiny is unpredictable. Sometimes, it surprises you."
The ride continued in silence until Aldera Junior High School. When Ryo got out of the car, the agent called after him through the window:
"Study well," before driving away, leaving Ryo alone.
Inside the school, Ryo moved like a ghost. No one noticed him; no one looked at him. This was a skill he had developed over so many different schools — learning to disappear in order to survive. He had learned that being invisible was better than being noticed and getting into trouble, especially considering the last time his identity had almost been discovered, at seven years old. That was why he had no friends and spoke only when necessary, exclusively about school matters.
The classes went on quietly, monotonously. Ryo remained silent in the corner of the room, observing the world without truly being part of it. That was until the teacher entered with a wide smile and announced:
"So, class, it's time to talk about the future! Who here intends to become a hero?"
Chaos erupted immediately.
Ryo frowned at the shouting and the small bursts of quirks being displayed like fireworks.
"Hey! No using quirks inside the classroom!" the teacher tried to calm the students, but quickly gave up, laughing. "Ah, forget it… it's the last day, after all."
Ryo sank even deeper into his chair, trying to escape the noise with a nap, secretly wishing he could have simply skipped school that day.
Then, a shrill, egotistical voice cut through the room:
"I'm going to U.A.! Compared to these NPCs, I'm a real diamond."
Bakugo. As always, arrogant, inflaming the class's mood. Some students showed irritation at his words, but he simply taunted:
"Come on, if you've got the guts!"
Ryo sighed. He had known Bakugo's temperament for the two years he had spent at this school. A person consumed by his own ego, obsessed with strength, incapable of awareness of his actions — he would never truly serve as a hero.
And speaking of actions… Ryo remembered the bullying Bakugo had inflicted on someone he knew. Before he could murmur the name, the teacher spoke first:
"Midoriya also wants to enter U.A., right?"
Midoriya shrank in his desk, nervous, while the class erupted in laughter and jeers. Ryo merely observed with disdain. Izuku Midoriya, without a developed quirk, a constant target of bullying… yet always stood tall through it all.
But all that effort made him irritating to Ryo. Why does he try so hard to please those who trample him?
The end of class approached, and Ryo prepared to leave when a small commotion caught his attention in the nearly empty room. Bakugo and two classmates surrounded Midoriya. Ryo decided to ignore it—until he saw Bakugo snatch Midoriya's notebook and explode it in the boy's hands. The burned notebook was thrown out the window.
"If you want to be a hero so desperately… why don't you jump off the roof and try reincarnating with a quirk next life?" Bakugo taunted before walking away.
On the way out, he bumped into Ryo, trying to get his attention. But Ryo only responded with a cold, emotionless look. Bakugo frowned, calling him "weird," and continued on his way.
Ryo turned to Midoriya, still watching some of the ashes of the burned pages drift on the wind. He could have approached, offered words of comfort, but that wasn't his role, and he didn't even want it. Life wasn't made of rainbows or happy endings. After all, he had already experienced the worst life could offer.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his backpack on his shoulders, and left the room.
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The afternoon sun barely touched the buildings when Ryo left the school gates.
The black car was already waiting, parked by the sidewalk. The agent stood there with his usual impeccable posture, opening the back door with a mechanical gesture.
Ryo entered without saying a word. The sound of the door closing echoed like a seal.
As the car pulled away, the man adjusted his glasses and glanced at the rearview mirror. "We'll have to head straight to the facility today," he said calmly. "It's time for your annual examination."
Ryo didn't answer. He just watched his reflection in the window, seeing the world outside rush by too fast.
The silence was broken only by the sound of the tires on the road.
For a moment, he looked down at his own hand, watching his fingers lie still over his knee.
A faint memory flashed through his mind — the smell of smoke, the heat burning his skin, distant screams.
He clenched his fist tightly before turning his gaze back to the window.
Thirty minutes later, the car passed through the gates of a massive complex surrounded by high walls and electric fences.
No identification signs. Only the discreet government emblem engraved on the concrete walls.
Ryo was led through white, sterile corridors into a room that was far too bright, where a group of technicians and doctors waited for him, all wearing protective suits.
The air smelled of disinfectant and metal.
"Ryo Tanaka, subject 47-B," announced one of the men, noting something down on a tablet. "Beginning calibration sequence."
The boy stood still in the center of the room, wires connected to his body, sensors attached to his chest and wrists.
The cold voice of the monitors echoed through the air.
Energy levels: Stable.
Radiation output: None.
Atomic pulse: Dormant.
"All right," said the lead doctor. "Let's begin."
He took a deep breath. And slowly, he let the power flow.
A greenish light began to emanate from his hands, rising in tiny streams of energy that crackled through the air like glowing dust. The glow reflected off the white walls, making everything around him seem almost unreal. Ryo's sclera darkened, and his pupils began to shine with a radioactive green hue.
The meters began to vibrate.
"Incredible…" murmured one of the scientists. "He has enough energy to power all of Tokyo for a decade."
Ryo kept his breathing steady, focusing on containing the flow.
But then he felt a light tug on his pants.
He looked down.
A small, pale child with dark hair was staring up at him with teary eyes.
"…Tanaka-kun… I don't feel well…" she said weakly, blood running from her nose.
Ryo's heart stopped for a second.
The doctors reacted instantly, their voices muffled by the protective suits.
"Tanaka! Focus! You're releasing too much energy!" one of them shouted.
The boy blinked — and the child was gone.
The room spun. He brought a hand to his head, his body trembling slightly.
"Are you all right?" asked one of the technicians.
He took a deep breath, forcing calm.
"…Yes," he replied flatly. "Just… hallucinations."
The tension in the room eased. The glow around him faded slowly until it vanished completely.
Silence returned, broken only by the steady beeping of the machines.
After a few minutes of notes and readings, the head doctor approached, removing his protective helmet. He was a middle-aged man, his eyes tired but steady.
"Your control has improved a lot, Ryo," he said, scanning the digital report. "But the amount of energy you carry is still… terrifying. One mistake and you could devastate part of Japan in an instant."
Ryo kept his eyes on the floor.
"Keep taking the pills whenever you feel stress or hallucinations," the doctor continued. "You know how your emotions affect the core."
The man paused and lowered the clipboard to look him directly in the eyes.
"The government doesn't want another accident like that one, understand?"
Ryo lifted his gaze — that green light was still there, faint, hidden beneath his empty stare.
"Understood…"
The doctor remained silent for a few seconds before stepping away. The metallic sound of the automatic doors opening and closing marked the end of the examination.
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The white, silent corridor seemed to stretch on forever. The sound of his footsteps echoed between the smooth walls, and the sharp scent of disinfectant almost burned his nose. Ryo walked with his eyes fixed straight ahead, one hand gripping the pocket of his pants, where the warmth of the recently removed restraint gloves still lingered. None of the government staff dared to look him in the eye — some averted their gaze, others offered a brief bow before quickly stepping aside.
When he reached the medical ward, the young man pushed the door open carefully. The room was cold, silent, and lit by a harsh white light that stung the eyes. Inside, lying on a bed covered with perfectly white sheets, was her.
His mother.
Her frail, pale body contrasted with the long strands of dark hair spread across the pillow. Her eyes were open, yet they seemed to see nothing. The monitor beside the bed emitted a steady sound — beep... beep... — a cruel reminder that although she was alive, she was far too distant to truly hear him.
Ryo pulled the chair that was always there and sat down, letting his weight sink into the seat. For a few seconds, he just watched her, hands clasped, eyes empty. When he finally spoke, his voice came out hoarse, low, almost a whisper.
"I finished middle school today…" he said, emotionless. "The government people congratulated me. They even wanted to take a picture to put at the front reception… I didn't let them."
He let out a weak, humorless chuckle. "I just wanted to get out of there. Everyone was looking at me like I was a bomb about to explode… and, well, they're not exactly wrong."
Silence.
The woman remained still, her gaze fixed on some distant point on the ceiling.
Ryo rested an elbow on his knee and ran a hand through his messy hair. "I made that bento you used to make for me… or tried to, at least. …I won't lie, it was terrible." A small sigh escaped his lips. "I never get it right. You always made the kitchen smell so good… everything I make just ends up with that bitter, burnt taste."
For a moment, he looked down at the floor, clenching his hands until his knuckles turned white.
"I miss you, Mom…" he murmured. "I miss talking to you, hearing your voice. They tell me to move on, to forget you because you're a lost cause. But… how do I do that, huh? How do I forget the only person who ever really cared about me?"
He laughed again, bitterly. "Some people from the government say you might still get better, that maybe one day you'll really wake up. But I see the way they look at you… at me. They just want to make sure I keep working right for them."
The silence filled the room once more, broken only by the faint sound of the television. On the screen, the news showed images of a missing American hero — the fourth in less than a month.
"The NSA has declared a state of maximum alert. There are suspicions of coordinated kidnappings involving high-ranking members of the hero community…"
The reporter's voice echoed, indifferent to the pain that clung to the air in the room.
Ryo glanced at the screen for a moment, uninterested. The world seemed to be slowly falling apart — and he felt nothing. Just a cold, constant emptiness.
The door opened slowly. A nurse in a blue uniform stepped in, her gaze hesitant.
"T-Tanaka-kun… the director is calling for you in the main office."
The boy turned his head toward his mother, watching her for a few more seconds. The light reflected off his dark eyes, but there was no emotion in them.
He rose slowly, setting the chair back in its place. He stepped closer to the bed, resting one hand on the sheet near hers.
"I'm sorry, Mom… I have to go now." His voice was low, almost breaking. "But I'll come back. I promise."
He lingered there for a moment longer, staring at the woman's motionless face — searching, perhaps, for any sign of response, a twitch, anything. Nothing. Only the cold, steady sound of the medical monitor.
Then, without looking back, Ryo left the room. The door closed softly behind him, muffling the sound of the news and the faint beep of the monitor.
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The sharp sound of Ryo's sneakers echoed through the corridor — rhythmic and impatient. The tension in the air was almost tangible, as if the very concrete of the white walls could feel the weight of his presence. When the double doors opened before him, the boy stepped inside without hesitation — his cold, distant gaze sweeping across the room.
The office was spacious, modern, and impeccably organized. Books stacked with perfect symmetry, a dark wooden desk, and the Japanese government's flag hanging behind it. The man seated behind the desk turned to him immediately, wearing a smile that seemed more rehearsed than genuine.
"Tanaka-kun!" said the complex director in a cordial tone. "It's good to see you in good health. The government has been making efforts to ensure you remain well, both physically and mentally. You know… as a precaution against possible complications—"
"Cut the pleasantries," Ryo interrupted, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "Just say what you want."
The silence that followed was heavy. The director cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable, before another voice echoed from across the desk.
"Oh… so harsh with adults…"
Ryo frowned, turning toward the voice. A swivel chair had been facing away, and it slowly rotated to reveal a small figure sitting in it — a strange creature with white fur, dark eyes, and a cunning expression.
"Pleasure to finally meet you, Rito Takeda… or should I say, Ryo Tanaka."
The boy's eyes narrowed. The complex director coughed nervously, trying to regain control of the conversation.
"Tanaka-kun, this is Principal Nezu," he introduced, gesturing respectfully. "He's the director of the renowned U.A., Japan's top hero academy."
Ryo blinked slowly, his brow still furrowed. The school's name was known across the country — but he couldn't understand what this… thing… wanted with him.
Nezu crossed his small paws over the desk, watching him with curiosity.
"I've been observing you for years, Tanaka-kun. And after several meetings with the government, I was finally granted permission to meet you in person."
"…And for what?" Ryo asked bluntly.
"I want you to enroll in U.A.," Nezu said calmly. "In the hero course. As a special admission student."
The answer came almost instantly:
"No."
The air seemed to split like a blade. The complex director shifted uneasily in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. Nezu, however, merely raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"That fast?" he asked with a faint smile. "Most boys your age would be ecstatic at the chance. To be trained by the best heroes, to gain recognition… Why refuse? Is it because of the lethal nature of your quirk? Or perhaps… the fear that they'll discover who you really are?" The pause that followed was brief — but deliberate. "Or is it… because of your mother?"
The air seemed to grow heavier.
Ryo slowly lifted his gaze, and the cold darkness in his eyes shifted to a burning green glow. The veins at his temples pulsed.
"Don't. Mention. Her." His voice came out hoarse, but dripping with venom.
Seeing that, the complex director immediately intervened.
"T-Tanaka-kun! Please, calm down!"
Nezu, however, remained unshaken. His serene expression didn't waver for a moment.
"I apologize if I touched on something sensitive," he said with a polite nod. "But I fail to understand what stops you from making your own choices. I've followed your story since the Himawari Nursery Incident."
The name made Ryo's body tense.
"The most lethal quirk awakening in history," Nezu continued, his tone now somber. "Seventy-three children, eight caretakers, three staff members. A tragedy that shocked the entire nation."
Ryo's fists clenched tightly. He took slow, deep breaths, trying to contain the surge of emotions flooding his mind.
"The whole country began calling a child a monster," Nezu went on, his voice lower now, each word carefully measured. "But you were only a child — a victim of circumstance. I studied your case. I studied what they did to your mother. I know how she was persecuted, humiliated, destroyed by the media when they discovered who your father was."
Ryo said nothing, but the faint tremor in his shoulders betrayed the storm he was trying to suppress.
"You're not the murderer they claim you are, Tanaka-kun," Nezu said, his tone now almost compassionate. "You're just a boy the world decided to blame for something beyond your control. And that's why I'm here. Because I believe you can still change how the world sees you. You can clear your mother's name. You can prove to her — that you — are not the monster people say you are."
For a few seconds, silence filled the room. Ryo looked down, his eyes glowing green before slowly fading back to normal. When he looked up again, there was something new in his gaze — exhaustion.
He stood up.
"This is all nonsense." His voice was cold, but there was a trace of pain Nezu didn't miss. "I don't understand why I have to change just to please this rotten society. I don't understand why I have to prove them wrong. And I don't understand why the hell I have to try to be better than that man."
He turned toward the door.
"I'm sorry. But this conversation is over."
And without waiting for a reply, he left.
The door shut with a sharp click.
The complex director let out a long sigh, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Nezu, however, remained still, gazing at the empty space where the boy had stood moments earlier.
"Hm… so much anger, so much pain…" he murmured. "Such an unstable boy…"
He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
"What will happen when the world keeps trying to crush him?"
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(A/N: First chapter of the new fanfic! I hope you enjoyed the read, because I'm planning to focus this story more on drama and action. No ships or harems! There won't be any of that "a girl fixes the MC" stuff—at least not for now, of course. It's going to take a long time to get there, but anyway. Leave comments to boost the fic's visibility if you want more people to read it—it would really help your dear author here! See you next time!)