Chapter 1
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow over Hosu City, Tokyo, Japan. In the heart of the city, a bank experienced a tense standoff, the once-bustling building now eerily quiet.
Masked robbers, clad in dark clothing and armed with firearms, shouted orders at the terrified hostages huddled together on the bank's once-pristine marble floor.
Their voices were muffled by their balaclavas, but the underlying menace was unmistakable.
"Nobody moves, nobody dies!" one robber snarled, his six team-mates busy robbing the money.
The robber’s eyes darted around the room, ensuring that everyone who was kneeling, complied and stayed that way, shaking on their spots.
Scattered belongings and shattered glass littered the floor, evidence of the chaos that had erupted just moments ago. Hostages trembled, their eyes wide with fear and uncertainty as the robbers barked commands and paced around the room. Some whispered quiet prayers, while others simply stared blankly ahead, their minds racing.
Outside the bank, a group of policemen had formed a perimeter, their weapons drawn and focused on the entrance.
Despite their attempts at negotiation, the robbers had been unyielding, threatening to harm the hostages if their demands weren't met. The police negotiator, a Lieutenant, a middle-aged man with graying hair, wiped beads of sweat from his brow as he tried to keep his voice steady.
"Please, let's work this out peacefully," he implored through the megaphone. "We don't want anyone to get hurt."
The police man grumbled when he received no reply.
Frustration and fear were etched on the officers' faces as they exchanged glances, unsure of what their next move should be. Tension crackled in the air, and every second that ticked by felt like an eternity.
As the tense situation continued to unfold, a man in a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and pants approached the scene.
“Huh? Who the hell is that?”
Passing the barricades posted around the bank, he walked towards the bank from a corner where the robbers most likely couldn’t see.
His casual attire contrasted sharply with the seriousness of the situation, but there was a sense of determination in his stride. He wore a weird mask made out of a paper bag, with holes in the place of the eyes, that concealed his identity. Yet, his eyes seemed to emit a bright, radiant light.
Bystanders watched him warily, unsure of his intentions.
“Shit, who the hell is that nut-job?”
The police lieutenant growled and wondered if he should shoot or not. That crazy bastard was threatening the lives of all the hostages!
The masked man surveyed the scene, posing behind a boulder, and taking in the panicked expressions of the hostages visible through the bank's windows. He ignored the desperation on the faces of the police officers. From his body language, he knew that time was running out, and that he couldn't stand idly by any longer.
As the man neared the entrance, a police officer near his position shouted a warning in a hushed voice, so that the robbers inside didn’t hear.
"Hey! Get back! This area isn't safe!"
The masked man ignored the officer's words, moving closer to the bank with unwavering focus. As he reached the door, he took a deep breath, gathering his resolve. He could feel the power coursing through him, hot yellow energy that was both a gift and a burden.
"I'm going in," he muttered, to no one in particular since his voice barely audible as he slipped inside the building through a back door.
Yes. Today was his official debut to the public, since cameras were taking this scene and live broadcasting it. He was about to change the course of the standoff, aware that his actions would also change the course of his own life.
-x-X-x-
—First Person Point of View—
As I slipped inside the bank, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I knew I had to act quickly to save the hostages and put an end to this nightmare.
As I prepared, my hands began to glow with a fierce yellow energy, it was the energy of the sun.
It was solar power.
My power lit my muscles with beams of light inside my body, making me stronger, and I was ready to leap into action.
I slowly entered the room, moving slowly towards the room where the hostages and robbers were.
Taking position behind a table after reaching the room, I scanned the area, taking in the frightened faces of the hostages and the smug expressions of the robbers, who seemed to think they had everything under control.
The seven robbers were wearing masks and covering clothes, but I still could tell a few of them were Mutant Quirk users. It’s always those guys… Though I do sympathize with them.
In any case, they are stronger than your average humans, I will have to be careful, I can’t allow them to use their Quirks..
Now that they had finished robbing the vault and all seven of them were on their way to leave, they were laughing. Their laughter grated on my nerves as they barked orders, but my anger only fueled my resolve further when I saw one of them hit an old man on his head with the back of their gun.
In a sudden burst of movement, I sprang forward, aiming a blast of solar energy at the nearest robber's weapon.
My movements were blurring, but my beam was faster. It was a beam of solar energy, after all, it moved fast enough that the guards couldn’t react. Their gun disintegrated in a flash of light, leaving the man staring at his empty hands in disbelief.
Empty hands, as in his hands were missing too, down from his elbow. His forearms were gone.
It took a moment for him to register the scene, before he screeched in pain. His teammates were confused and that confusion quickly turned to fear as they looked up and met my gaze, I was still rushing towards them.
"Who the hell are you?! Punk!" one of them demanded, his voice shaking.
Before I could respond, not that I was planning to, another robber charged towards me, his gun raised.
I instinctively dodged to the side, now near the group of six armed men and one who was crippled.
I used my solar powers to create a blinding flash that left the attacking robber disoriented. Seizing the opportunity, I unleashed a concentrated beam of energy that sent him flying into a wall, his weapon clattering to the ground. This time I didn’t use enough heat in my power to melt any flesh, otherwise he would have died.
The remaining robbers finally realized the gravity of the situation and began to panic.
"Take him down!" one shouted, but his bravado was tinged with fear.
I moved swiftly, disarming and incapacitating them one by one with a combination of agility, strategy, and precise bursts of solar power.
Shiing, Shiing, Shiing, Shiing, Shiing – just five beams to their chest, that made them fly back and hit the wall, and they were done with.
As the last robber crumpled to the floor, the hostages stared at me in awe and disbelief. I gave them a reassuring nod and gestured towards the exit.
"Go. You're safe now." I told them, my voice reinforced with solar energy to be unrecognizable, as the crowd began to move in a panicked wave right away.
Right, I saved them, and that was their reaction. Just because I am not wearing a hero costume…
The police quickly came to the scene, and ushered the former hostages to safety. Amidst the panic, a few of those guys’ grateful eyes never left mine. That made me feel a little better.
However, their gratitude was short-lived.
The officers' attention soon turned to me, the masked man who had saved the day. Since I wasn't a licensed pro hero, they viewed me as a potential threat and moved to apprehend me.
"Freeze!" one officer shouted, his gun trained on me. "You're under arrest for unauthorized use of a Quirk!"
I couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation, but then again, I already knew this would happen when I decided to step in.
Scoffing at the bizarre system that would punish someone for saving innocent lives, I decided it was time to make my exit.
"You should be thanking me," I retorted, my voice dripping with disdain. "I just saved those people's lives."
I nimbly evaded the police officers' attempts to capture me, using my solar powers to create dazzling light displays that left them disoriented and confused.
As I fled the scene, I couldn't help but reflect on my unique situation. After my first life as a normal citizen, now I was running from the police in my second life…
I disappeared into the cityscape, leaving the chaos of the bank robbery behind me. My heart raced as I thought about what had just transpired. I was a man with incredible powers, yet the very system that was meant to protect and serve viewed me as a criminal.
It was a cruel irony that stung deep.
-x-X-x-
Having given the police the slip, I quickly returned to do the things in my mundane life, pretending as if I didn’t nearly kill seven people a few hours ago.
“Come again.”
I was working as a cashier at a local grocery store. It was a small, cozy establishment, nestled in a quiet neighborhood. The aisles were lined with neatly stacked shelves, and the gentle hum of the air conditioning provided a soothing backdrop to the day.
As customers passed back and forth through my checkout lane, I greeted them with a warm smile, scanning their items and engaging in small talk.
"How's your day going?" I asked one elderly woman, who chuckled and shared a story about her mischievous cat.
"Oh, Mr. Whiskers has been getting into all sorts of trouble lately," she said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "He somehow managed to open the pantry and help himself to a whole box of treats!"
I laughed along with her, empathizing with her feline troubles. Cats were one thing I didn’t have to fake a laugh when chatting about.
"Cats can be quite the handful, eh?" I agreed, handing her the receipt. “Still waiting on getting one. Maybe someday…”
“At your age, you should be worried about marriage, not cats, boy. Haha, farewell.”
I gave her a wry smile and watched her leave. I was just 21, what was she talking about? Not that age mattered at all, I wasn’t planning any sort of marriage in this life.
As I continued working, my coworker Yumi, a dark-haired young woman with a lively personality and an infectious laugh, strolled up to my register.
She leaned against the counter, flashing me a teasing grin. "Heya~, I saw you flirting with the customers again. When will you give me a bit of that attention, Akira Yuji the Smooth Talker?" she playfully accused.
I chuckled, feeling my cheeks warm slightly. "Well, I just enjoy making people feel welcome and comfortable, you know? It’s not flirting. I am pretty sure I treat you well too, what else can I do?" I said, trying to play it off casually.
Yumi was interested in me. But female care isn’t something I am craving at the moment. I can hook up with her a few times, but I am sure that’s not what she wants. As one of the 20% who doesn’t have a Quirk, she is a lot more self-conscious than others. I don’t want to break her heart.
On that note, I am going by the story that I don’t have a quirk either.
Yumi winked at me, her eyes sparkling. "Well, keep it up, Mr. Charming. It's definitely working," she teased, before sauntering off to attend to her own duties.
Making a fake laugh, while sighing in my head, my gaze drifted to the TV hanging on the top of the wall.
It played the hottest news, and it wasn’t the robbery incident earlier. No, these people like seeing kids compete more than those.
On the TV, I caught glimpses of the recent UA entrance exam, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The familiar faces of Izuku Midoriya and his friends filled the screen, reminding me that I was living in the world of My Hero Academia. The iconic scene of Izuku breaking his hand to save Uraraka played out on the TV, and my eyes narrowed in contemplation.
'So the time is finally here...' I thought, realizing that the events I had known from the anime and manga were about to unfold. And it did unfold, as Izuku punched a robot to save Ochako. It was nice to see it on TV.
“Fuuuh…”
In the quieter moments between customers, I looked to my previous life and the unique circumstances of my existence.
Yes, I am a reincarnator, someone who had died once. I have been gifted with the extraordinary opportunity of a 2nd life. If that wasn’t enough, it came along with the ability to produce and manipulate solar energy.
I wish I had unlocked that Quirk like a normal child, but it was something that awakened out of pure rage. Unlike the usual children who unlock their Quirks before the age of 4, I lived 9 years of my life thinking I was one of the quirkless people.
My Quirk [Stellar Flare] was incredibly powerful. I got it 12 years ago, when I was 9, when that stupid tragedy happened.
With a Quirk on the caliber of [Stellar Flare], I would have joined the UA years ago, in a normal scenario. But my life was anything but normal. Because here I am, pretending-playing like a normal man, with the power to destroy cities in my fingertips.
Despite my abilities, I had chosen to remain a vigilante, outside the rigid confines of the pro hero system. But now that the events of the canon timeline have started, it means I don’t have much time.
The world was changing, and heroes like Izuku were on the rise. His One-for-All was dangerous, even for me. This was a sign that I needed to accelerate my plans. There wasn’t much time left anymore.
‘My plans…’
The plans to tear down this fake and flawed society that we live in, that had led to my tragic past. I wish to rebuild this world into one where no one else would have to suffer as I had, and for that it needed a reset.
“Hey~!”
…As I continued to ring up customers, my thoughts raced. I set my body into auto-pilot, chatting with the people, while in my mind I considered the steps I would need to take to dismantle the current system.
I needed allies…
Every conversation, every interaction could hold the key to furthering my goals. I couldn't afford to waste any opportunities.
It was time to get started. It was time to destroy this society for sure.
