Hey guys, this is my first fanfic so please if you have any notes, comments, critiques, or general ideas for the story make sure to let me know.
I just finished watching the first season of To Be A Hero X and saw that there werent any fanfics with him as a template and thought his powers and the power system would be cool to integrate into an anime. Thought on this fic for a bit and deterined that black clover would be the perfect world to do it in (Plus it is a bonus there are not many black clover fics on this site besides a few I have read).
If you havent watched To Be a Hero X you definietly should, and X just seemed like a sick character to write about.
Now enough of all that heres the story hope you enjoy!
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3rd Person POV:
The harsh blue light of Kenji Nakamura's computer monitor cast shadows under his tired eyes as he slumped in his desk chair at 2:47 AM. Empty energy drink cans littered his workspace like metallic tombstones, standing vigil over another soul-crushing day at the accounting firm. His fingers moved mechanically across the keyboard, inputting numbers that would make rich people richer while he slowly withered away in his cramped Tokyo apartment.
Click. Type. Enter. Repeat.
The same routine for the past six years since graduation. Wake up, work fourteen hours, go home, collapse, repeat. No friends—they'd all drifted away when he became a corporate zombie. No girlfriend—who had time for relationships when quarterly reports demanded blood sacrifices? No hobbies except...
His eyes drifted to the second monitor where "To Be Hero X" was paused the final episode. The image showed Hero X standing triumphantly, his finger poised in that iconic snap pose that could reshape reality itself. Kenji's chest tightened with familiar longing.
"Must be nice," he muttered, taking another sip of his fifth energy drink. "Just snap your fingers and change everything."
The irony wasn't lost on him. Here he was, watching an episode about a man who like his worked a dead end office job, but could manipulate reality with a thought, while Kenji couldn't even manipulate his boss into giving him a day off. Hero X—the mysterious top-ranked hero whose true identity remained hidden, whose powers seemed limitless, who could turn 2D into 3D, fold space like paper, and rewrite the very fabric of existence.
What would I do with powers like that? Kenji wondered, not for the first time. First thing? Snap my fingers and make this damn job disappear. Then maybe... actually live for once.
Finding that he could no longer continue working while thinking like this, Kenji finally shut off his desktop and proceeded to watch the final episode of his current favourite anime. He found himself in awe of the way X could simply will things to change, how the animation style itself would shift to reflect his power... it was everything Kenji wished he could do to his own mundane existence.
"In a world where trust determines power," the narrator's voice echoed from his headphones, "Hero X stands above all others, wielding abilities beyond imagination."
Trust. That was the key to the To Be Hero X universe. The more people believed in a hero, the stronger they became. It was such a beautiful concept—power through connection, strength through faith. Unlike this world, where power came from money, connections, and crushing others beneath your heel.
Kenji's vision blurred slightly. When was the last time he'd slept? Actual sleep, not just passing out at his desk for a few hours before the next crisis hit. His chest felt tight, and there was a strange tingling in his left arm.
Probably just stress, he told himself, rubbing his chest absently. Just need to finish these reports and…
The pain hit like lightning, sharp and sudden. Kenji gasped, his hand flying to his chest as fire spread through his ribs. The energy drink can tumble from his grasp, spilling caffeine-laden liquid across his keyboard.
"No, no, no," he wheezed, fumbling for his phone. But his vision was tunneling, and his fingers wouldn't cooperate. The room spun sickeningly as he collapsed forward, his face hitting the desk with a dull thud.
On the screen, Hero X stood motionless, that enigmatic smile hidden behind his glasses as reality bent to his will.
I just... wanted to matter, was Kenji's last coherent thought before darkness claimed him.
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Consciousness returned gradually, like surfacing from deep water. Kenji found himself standing in an endless expanse of white—not harsh and sterile, but warm and comforting, like fresh snow kissed by morning sunlight. There was no up or down, no horizon, just infinite possibility stretching in every direction.
"Welcome, Kenji Nakamura."
He spun around to find a figure that defied description. Sometimes it appeared human, sometimes geometric patterns of light, occasionally resembling characters from the anime still playing in his final moments. The only constant was a white figure floating in front of him.
"Am I..." Kenji's voice came out stronger than expected. "Am I dead?"
"Your physical form has ceased functioning, yes." The being's voice held neither judgment nor sympathy, just simple fact. "It seems your heart could no longer handle the constant intake of energy drinks and lack of sleep, resulting in your current state. How sad, Modern society claims another victim."
Kenji looked down at his hands—still his hands, but somehow more substantial than they'd felt in years. "So this is... the afterlife?"
"One interpretation of it. I am what you might call a Random Omnipotent Being, though I prefer to think of myself as a facilitator of second chances." The entity shifted, taking on a more human appearance—tall, androgynous, with eyes that held the depth of eternity. "You spent your final years dreaming of escape, of power, of the ability to reshape reality itself."
"You were watching me?" Heat flushed Kenji's cheeks. "That's... incredibly invasive."
A sound that might have been laughter rippled through the space. "I observe many souls during their final moments. Most beg for more time, for wealth, for revenge against those who wronged them. But you? You wished for the power to change not just your circumstances, but reality itself. Specifically, you wished for the abilities of Hero X from that animated series you were so fond of."
Kenji's heart would have skipped if he still had one. "You... you can do that?"
"I can do many things. The question is whether you truly understand what you're asking for." The being gestured, and images flashed through the air—scenes from To Be Hero X, showing Hero X's reality manipulation in action. "These powers come with a cost. In their original universe, they function through trust and belief. In the world I'm considering sending you to, that mechanism will remain."
"What world?" Kenji asked
More images materialized—floating grimoires, magic knights soaring through the air, a world where social hierarchy was determined by magical power rather than corporate politics. "The Black Clover universe. A realm where magic is commonplace, where those with power can truly make a difference. But also where discrimination, corruption, and conflict run deep."
"You're offering to reincarnate me there? With Hero X's powers?"
"Yes, but listen carefully." The being's voice grew serious. "Your powers will be limited by the trust others place in you. Start with nothing, and you'll have nothing. Build connections, prove yourself worthy of faith, and your power will grow accordingly. The more people who believe in you—truly believe, not just casual acquaintance—the more of reality you can reshape."
Kenji's mind raced. "So I'd start powerless?"
"Not powerless. You'd have the capacity for Hero X's full range of abilities, but accessing them would require mana generated through trust. Think of it as... a video game where your MP regenerates based on your reputation level."
The analogy was crude but effective. Kenji could picture it—starting small, helping people, building relationships, slowly growing stronger until he could manifest Hero X's reality-bending techniques in full.
"There's one more thing," the being continued. "You'll retain your memories of both your previous life and your knowledge of the To Be Hero X series. However, you'll be placed into that world at a crucial juncture—in the same village where two important figures are growing up. Your presence may alter events significantly."
Asta and Yuno. Kenji knew immediately who the being meant. "What kind of alterations?"
"That depends entirely on the choices you make. Your knowledge could prevent tragedies or cause new ones. Your powers could save lives or create dependency. Free will remains yours, but consequences will follow."
Kenji closed his eyes, thinking of his old life—the endless reports, the soul-crushing routine, the slow death by a thousand corporate cuts. Then he imagined something different: Freedom. He would be truly free to live the life he wants.
"When you say I'll be placed there... what form will I take?"
"A six-year-old child, two years older than the protagonists you know. Your appearance will be... distinctive upon arrival, but will settle into something more normal afterward. Consider it a dramatic entrance befitting someone reborn."
This statement made Kenji a little worried. Nervously he asked "what do you mean by dramatic entrance?" as he began to have cold sweat pour down his back. How am I even sweating right now!!
The being's smile was both kind and slightly mischievous. "Let's just say that your introduction to this new world will be memorable."
Kenji: ". . ."
Seeing Kenji's nervous silence, the beings smirk grew even wider saying "well that is all the time we have. Enjoy your new life and remember power without wisdom is destruction, but wisdom without power is helplessness. Build trust, forge bonds, and perhaps you'll find that the reality you can reshape most profoundly is your own."
The last thing Kenji saw before everything dissolved was the being's knowing smile, and the last thing he heard was a sound that would soon become very familiar—the sharp, reality-altering snap of fingers that could change the world.
Then he was falling through dimensions, through possibility itself, toward a new life where magic was real and he could live as freely as he wanted.
Kenji: "AHHHHHHHHHH"