[Mc POV]
I opened my eyes, fighting the headache that was flooding my senses. I slowly took in the white room that I was in.
"Ugh," I groaned as I struggled to sit up to get a better look at my surroundings.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," A soft, aged voice spoke up from a far side of the room. I turned to find Recovery girl there, going through some documents. "Your energy was depleted, and the accumulated strain and overuse finally got to you, which resulted in you both collapsing."
I turned to my right, where Nozomi was peacefully sleeping. Her breath was steady and even, which was a good sign. "Thank you for your aid."
Recovery girl looked up from the documents, slight surprise etched on her aged face. "No need to thank me. I am just doing my job."
"How long was I out?" I asked, trying to see how much time I had till the mission. I wanted to have a proper discussion with Nozomi and see how we should proceed with this.
"A day. It is now the morning after the sports festival," Recovery girls answered as she got up from her seat and headed for the door. "I have to go report your updates and contact your mom. Happy recovery." She then left me alone with my thoughts. I leaned back in the comfortable infirmary bed.
'A quest from death, huh? I never thought my second life would include world travel and...well, meeting higher beings.' I chuckled at the last one as I turned and looked at Nozomi. 'Well, except a certain Gooddess.' I then closed my eyes and decided to wait for Nozomi to wake up before talking.
I slowly opened my eyes as familiar voices entered my ears. "No, really, I am fine," Nozomi tried protesting.
"Nonsense, you will not stop me from spoiling you," Akihime shot back with a no-argument tone. I turned to see Nozomi reluctantly open her mouth and get spoon-fed like a kid.
"Baby," I teased as I sat up. Her face immediately turned scarlet as her head snapped in my direction.
"H-Hiro." Her eyes then narrowed. "What did you see?"
I smirked and answered. "Nothing, just a really cute side of my sister." I then turned to Akihime, who was watching us with a warm smile. "Hey, Mom. Hope we didn't worry you."
She put the lunch box she was holding down while shaking her head. "I was a bit worried as any parent would be." She then put one hand on my cheek and the other over Nozomi's. "But I knew my kittens were strong and would get back up."
I put my hand over the hand on my cheek, busking in its warmth. I then turned to Nozomi, and she nodded. Akihime noticed the exchange and tilted her head in confusion. "What? What happened?"
I turned to her with a serious expression. "Actually, Mom, during that final battle, something happened."
She looked at me, worry and confusion morphing into one expression on her face. "Should I be worried?"
"We are not that sure ourselves," Nozomi answered, and then proceeded to tell her about the time stop and the discussion with Death.
Akihime absorbed everything in silence, eyes widening occasionally. When Nozomi finished her story, we looked at her, waiting for a response. "Mom, if you don't want us to go, then we will cancel," I tried to reassure her.
She smiled at me. "Really? Can you even cancel with a being like that?"
"She did leave it up to us," Nozomi answered with a thoughtful expression.
Mom looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Wanna hear a short story about your father?"
My eyes widened. This was the first time she had ever talked about him. We both nodded. She spoke with a warm smile and a distant look.
"Your father," she began, "was a normal man. Truly normal. No quirk. No latent ability. No hidden power waiting to awaken."
She smiled faintly at the memory.
"He was a librarian."
Both Nozomi and I blinked at that.
"He worked in a small public library near the edge of the city. Quiet place. Dusty shelves. He loved books more than people—and that's saying something, because he loved people deeply."
She leaned back, eyes drifting upward.
"I met him on a rainy afternoon. I had just finished a job and needed somewhere to disappear for a while. I was still… running back then. From expectations. From my own name."A soft chuckle escaped her. "From destiny, if you want to be dramatic."
I sat up straighter, sheets rustling at the smallest movement.
Akihime continued, "I knocked over an entire stack of books—clumsy, uncharacteristic of me. And instead of being startled, he laughed. Not mockingly. Just… genuinely amused. Then he helped me pick them up and apologized to me for putting the shelf 'in my way.'"
I tried to picture it, but it was hard.
"He didn't know who I was," she said quietly. "Didn't sense anything strange about me. Didn't feel awe. Or fear. He spoke to me like I was just… a woman in a rain-soaked coat."
Her eyes softened.
"That's why I stayed. I kept coming back. Sometimes to read. Sometimes just to sit across from him while he cataloged books and muttered complaints about misfiled encyclopedias."
She smiled wider now.
"He taught me that strength doesn't always roar. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it just… listens."
Akihime folded her hands together.
"When I told him the truth—about what I was, what I carried in my blood—I expected him to leave. To run. To look at me differently."
She shook her head slowly.
"He just asked if I wanted tea."
We all chuckled at that.
"He said, 'Power doesn't scare me. What scares me is being the kind of person who turns away from someone they care about.'"
Akihime exhaled.
"Your father had no quirk. No superhuman strength. But he chose me anyway. I told him that my parents would oppose, but he didn't care."
Her gaze sharpened slightly as she looked at us.
"That's why I raised you the way I did. Your power doesn't define you. Your choices do."
A pause.
"And if either of you ever doubt yourselves," she added softly, "remember this—your father faced gods without power… and never once bowed."
I was speechless at that. No words.
"Wow. I didn't know he was that cool," Nozomi said, wide-eyed like me.
"Right?" She asked, looking smug. Her expression then grew warm. "So, I will not tell you not to go through with this or force you to if you don't want to. If the world is gonna end, then we will find another way. But, if you want to do this, then I fully support you." She stood up, giving us a side hug.
I smiled and hugged her back. "Thanks, Mom, you have no idea how much this means to me."
She then went back to her seat, holding the lunch box. "But you being chosen by death doesn't mean I won't spoil you." Her tails flickered behind her with excitement. "Now say 'ahh'"
I gave Nozomi a weary side-eye. She just shrugged and opened her mouth, allowing herself to get fed. Akihime then turned towards me, her excitement still full force. 'Why not enjoy being babied?' I allowed myself to get fed too. And with that, our minds were made up. We were going to get stronger in other worlds to save ours.
In a flash, three days were over—well, two days as one was spent in the hospital. We were in our living room with Akihime doing some work on her laptop. She had insisted that we have to be in the same room as her when it happens. Even though we told her that time would freeze for her, she still didn't listen. In the two days, our soul-flux had mostly recovered, and we were ready to go.
I was scrolling on my phone, watching some reels on Instagram. Those who ask if that is even a real thing in MHA. I created it. Since we proved to Akihime our genius levels, when we asked for a branch of Kiri-tech to work with, she didn't question much but told us that all things that are to be sold are to be approved by her first, which was no big deal. Thus, we made software such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Sorry Mark. We also made some common games like Angry Birds and the now-popular Mortal Kombat.
As I was relaxing on the couch, I felt the same sensation as before during the sports festival. Time stopped, the earth peeled away, and we found ourselves in the same void as before. "Are you ready, my champions?" Death was sitting on top of a throne made of bones, her skin pale as ever, and her voice now had a bit of warmth as a mother speaking to her child.
"I think so," I replied with a knot of expectation forming in my chest.
"Um...Death, may I ask for something?" Nozomi raised her hand.
Death looked tilted her head in confusion before nodding with a smile. "Anything for my champions."
"I want to ask if you can keep time flowing in our world while we are on the mission?" Nozomi asked.
Death put on a pondering expression. "I can do that, but I thought you would like to keep it safe by leaving it frozen in time."
"Well, that would be convenient, but I just don't like the idea of the world rotating around us," Nozomi replied.
"And besides," I interjected. "If we gained power in an instant, it would be suspicious, but if we disappeared for a few days and then came back powerful, it would be way more...logical."
Death nodded. "Okay, I'll let the time flow."
"Could you make it like a 1:7 time ratio?" I added quickly.
"What do you mean?" Death asked. "Like one day in the new world, be seven in your world?"
I nodded.
"Not an issue. Anything else?" She asked patiently. I looked at Nozomi, who shook her head. I also shook my head. "Very well." She smiled. "Let me explain a few...rules."
She stood from her throne and walked down the stairs made of skulls. "One. While in any world that operates under me, you can not truly die. 24 hours after your death, you will resurrect. But don't let this make you let down your guard. A lot can happen in twenty-four hours, especially in the world you are going to be sent to."
I simply nodded as she went on.
"Second. You will be granted the power to resurrect others," she paused to let that sink in. "But only if a person's body is largely intact and it has been less than three hours since their death. You can only resurrect two people each, with a cool-down of twenty-four hours."
My eyes were wide at this information, as this was...huge. The power of resurrection. It was a double-edged sword. While it can be a game-changer in battle, if we are not strong enough to protect ourselves, this power could end up in the wrong hands.
"The third and final one. As of this moment onward, you are hidden from the sights of every god." She smiled while placing a hand on each of our shoulders. "Make sure not to misuse these powers. Now, are you ready?"
I smirked as the anticipation in my chest grew and nodded. With that, the void shifted and dissolved along with Death, and we found ourselves standing in a dark alley with Death's final words fading alongside her and the void.
"Good luck."
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How was that? It was a slice-of-life chapter with their Mom and the beginning of the otherworldly adventurer. As for what world it will be, that will be revealed in the next chapter, which is later today.
I am also writing a book about MHA, where the mc is born as Bakugo's brother with the power of Shinra Kusakabe(fire force). But a quick question. Who should be the older brother?
Leave comments below.
Anyway, enjoy.
Leave a review to help me write my book better, and don't forget to drop the power stones.
Peace out.