---
POV: ???
Dark. Warm. Quiet... but not completely.
That was the first thing I felt—before everything began to shift. At first, it was all hazy, like a half-remembered dream. Then, little by little, I started hearing something. Not clearly. Just... sounds. Faint. Gentle.
Was I... alive again?
I couldn't tell when my consciousness actually came back. There was no lightning bolt. No system message saying "You've been chosen." No big-breasted goddess with a smug attitude telling me I'd been summoned.
Just time. Endless. Unmeasurable. Flowing by as I drifted in silence.
I couldn't move. Couldn't open my eyes. But I could hear. A woman's voice—soft and soothing. She spoke often, though I had no clue what she was saying. Still, I liked it. Her tone, her rhythm... it felt like being hugged by music.
Over time, I began to understand the language.
Japanese.
That threw me off a bit.
(Wait… am I in Japan? Or worse... did I get isekai'd into an anime world?)
I couldn't confirm anything yet. But the voice grew clearer. I started feeling physical sensations. Then one day… a warm hand touched my forehead.
"Aka-chan… mama da yo."
Right then, everything clicked.
Awareness flooded in, like fog lifting.
("Mama"? That means... mom, right?)
Somehow, I just knew—this woman was my mother. Even though she didn't sound like my real mom from before. Even though she was speaking a different language. I instinctively wanted to respond.
My throat was dry. My tongue clumsy. But I had to say it. It felt right. No—like it was the only thing I could do.
"M... ma..."
She gasped. "Eh? Eh!? Akane? Did you just—? Come on, say it again, sweetheart!"
(Akane...? Is that my name now?)
(Yeah, this definitely isn't just a dream anymore. What was that white room, anyway?)
"Mama," I whispered. A little clearer this time.
And in that moment, I felt the warmest, softest, most soul-melting hug I'd ever experienced—across both my lives. She held me like I was the most precious thing in her world.
And something inside me changed.
Everything became real.
(So this is my new mom... wow, she's gorgeous.)
Her voice, her face, her smile—gentle and glowing. Long black hair, flawless skin, and somehow elegant even in casual home clothes. She looked like a character straight out of a slice-of-life anime.
(If she's my mom, then I hit the jackpot.)
While I was thinking that, someone hugged her from behind. Must be my dad.
"Ohh! Looks like our little Akane is a genius! Only eight months old and already saying 'mama'!"
(Sorry, Dad. No offense, but you're kinda forgettable. Your face just screams "default character." Then again, I'm a guy—of course I'm not paying attention.)
After that moment, they started getting all lovey-dovey. Things moved quickly. My awareness kept sharpening. I could feel my body responding better. Still a baby, yeah—but mentally? I was fully online.
I saw them discussing something I couldn't understand yet. Probably 'cause I hadn't picked up enough vocabulary. They looked busy though.
Then, my mom gently laid me in the crib—an absurdly luxurious one I'd never seen before.
I mean, back in my old life I had super sensitive skin. One wrong fabric and I'd itch for hours. But this crib? Not a single itch. Either the mattress was luxury-grade or my new body was just built different. Maybe both.
That's when I started putting the pieces together.
(This doesn't feel like a full-on reincarnation. Or... maybe it's something else. I'm still not sure. From what I know, reincarnations usually start from zero. But this—my motor skills, the things I can do...)
I rolled to the side and pushed my tiny body up. Managed to sit.
(Holy crap, sitting up is already a workout. Being a baby is no joke.)
I glanced around. The bed looked expensive. The walls were white with gold trim. Furniture was elegant—classy, not tacky.
(Yep… rich family, for sure.)
(Beautiful mom? Check. Wealthy household? Check. Healthy body? I'll test that later.)
(Now I just need to see my face. Maybe once I get near a mirror.)
Then I heard voices outside the room. Guess my parents hadn't left yet.
(Good chance to eavesdrop. Gotta speed-run Japanese.)
Over time, I started picking up more words. Stuff like "business," "tech innovation," and "medical patents" came up a lot.
Clearly not your average household.
Oddly enough, learning Japanese felt... easy. Too easy. I could remember when and where I first heard a word without any trouble. Like my brain had perfect indexing.
(With this pace, I'll be fluent in no time.)
My body started to feel heavy. (Guess babies aren't built for long shifts...)
And just like that, I drifted off to sleep.
---
Next morning, I was being breastfed by my mom in the living room. I could hear the TV in the background.
"All Might once again rescued civilians from the building collapse in District XX today—"
And I froze.
(No freaking way... did they just say All Might?!)
I tried to move, to look at the screen—and yep. The news was covering "Hero Activity," "Villain Threat Levels," and "All Might saves the day again."
I swallowed hard.
(Shit. I can't enjoy my morning milk like this.)
And that's when it hit me.
(I'm in the world of My Hero Academia.)
Oh god. I got reborn in a shounen anime.
(Please... don't let me turn into a crybaby like Deku. I don't think I can handle that much emotional monologuing.)
More clues kept popping up on screen—quirk-based sports, hero rankings, agency debates…
It was undeniable. This was the MHA universe.
And the craziest part? I'd never even finished the anime.
Back then, I just knew it was a big deal 'cause the manga had ended. I'd seen fanart, Reddit threads, and Twitter meltdowns. Some people loved it. Others hated it. And the shipping wars? Absolute madness.
Me? I watched a few episodes. Then dropped it.
(Why? Because Deku cries too damn much. And those inner monologues were secondhand cringe.)
Still, I remembered the names—All Might, Bakugo, Todoroki… and, of course, the shipping chaos.
(I used to joke about it online. People losing their minds over OTPs. Memes, essays, death threats—even over fictional characters.)
Now? I'm part of it.
But honestly?
Could be worse. At least I didn't end up in the Marvel or DC universes—where entire planets explode every other week.
(I probably shouldn't overthink this yet. I'm literally still in diapers.)
(I'll figure it all out later.)
Right now, I need to play it safe.
Gotta make my parents believe I'm smart. Curious. Special. Ask for advanced toys. Pretend I can read complex books. Slowly build up the image of a "child prodigy."
So that one day, when I say—"I want to create a new element"—they won't send me to therapy.
They'll believe I can.
I don't know how or why I ended up here. Fate? Some cosmic joke? Who knows.
But this is my new life. My second chance.
And I'm not wasting it.
---