One Year Later
The Musutafu Kindergarten was a loud, chaotic ecosystem of snotty noses, bright colors, and screaming five-year-olds.
Choso sat at his desk, staring out the window, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the wood. He was five now. His hair was longer, tied back in two messy pigtails that bounced whenever he moved—a style his mother adored and he had grown to accept as his trademark.
Synchronization is at 7%, he mused, spinning his pencil like a miniature baton. It's slowing down. Meditation isn't enough anymore. I know how the techniques work in theory—I can visualize the compression for Piercing Blood, the rotation for Supernova—but my body is still playing catch-up.
He glanced around the classroom, offering a small wave to a girl who was staring at him. She giggled and hid behind her hands. It was peaceful. Or, well, as peaceful as a room full of quirk-manifesting toddlers could be. But the important thing was who wasn't here.
He needed to get stronger. Blood Manipulation was a double-edged sword; it used his own vitality as ammunition. If he ran out of blood, he passed out. If he used too much, he died.
Maybe Reversed Cursed Energy can help with this, he pondered. If he could unlock positive energy to regenerate his blood cells instantly, the drawbacks would vanish. But that was high-level sorcery, a distant dream for a five-year-old.
For now, he needed endurance. He needed efficiency. He needed to learn how to fight without relying solely on his quirk, just like the Choso from the manga.
Martial arts, he decided, clenching his fist excitedly. I need to learn how to move. Wing Chun? Karate? Something that looks cool but is actually practical.
Riiiiing!
The recess bell cut through his thoughts.
"Yay! Recess!"
The class erupted into a stampede. Choso jumped up, slinging his bag over his shoulder with a grin. While he was serious about his goals, he wasn't going to be a complete recluse. He walked to the playground, humming the opening theme of an old anime he remembered.
He sat on a bench under a tree, opening 'Basic Anatomy and Circulatory Systems for Kids' (a simplified version Kaori had bought him after he begged for it).
"Hey, Itadori-kun!"
Choso looked up. Three boys stood there, holding a rubber ball.
"We're playing Heroes vs. Villains," the leader, a kid with elastic fingers, grinned. "We need a villain. You can use your blood thingy to be the vampire!"
Choso blinked. Being cast as the villain was expected given his power. In another life, he might have been offended, but here? He just chuckled.
"A vampire? That's a bit cliché, isn't it?" Choso teased, flashing a friendly grin. "Besides, vampires are weak to sunlight. I'd turn to dust out here."
The boy frowned, confused by the logic. "But... don't you want to play?"
"Not today! I'm getting to the good part of this book," Choso said, tapping the cover. "Maybe next time when you guys are playing something cooler, like... I don't know, Spaceship Defenders?"
"Spaceships are cool..." the boy muttered, distracted. "Okay! See ya, Itadori!"
"Have fun!" Choso called out, waving as they ran off.
He watched them go, his smile softening into something more genuine. I'm a twenty-two-year-old soul in a preschooler's body. Playing tag is fine, but I've got priorities.
He turned back to his page. Now, where was I? Right. Platelet regeneration rates...
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The afternoon sun cast long shadows as the school gates opened. Parents milled about, chatting and waving.
"Choso!"
He looked up to see Jin waving from the sidewalk. Choso's face lit up—not an act this time—and he jogged over, his backpack bouncing.
"Dad!"
Jin crouched down, ruffling Choso's hair. "Hey, champ. How was school? Make any new friends today?"
"It was good!" Choso chirped, grabbing his father's hand. "I didn't play much, but I talked to some kids. And I learned a lot about blood cells!"
Jin laughed, a warm, hearty sound. "Blood cells, huh? You really are focused on that quirk of yours. Well, as long as you're having fun."
"I am!" Choso beamed. And he meant it. He had a goal, but he was enjoying the ride.
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Dinner at the Itadori household was always a lively affair, mostly because Kaori was an excellent cook and Jin loved to eat. Tonight was pork cutlet bowls.
Choso ate with enthusiasm, shoving rice into his mouth while his mind raced with plans. He waited until Jin had finished his second helping before he put his chopsticks down with a determined clatter.
"Mom, Dad," Choso said, wiping sauce off his cheek.
Kaori looked up, smiling. "What is it, sweetie? That was a serious bite of pork."
"I want to start training," Choso stated, eyes bright.
Jin blinked. "Training? Like... soccer? Or swimming?"
"No," Choso shook his head, bouncing slightly in his seat. "Martial arts! Like kung fu or karate!"
Silence descended on the table. Jin and Kaori exchanged a look.
"Choso," Kaori started gently. "You're five. Are you sure you don't want to just watch cartoons? Martial arts is hard work."
"My quirk relies on my body," Choso explained, animating his hands to emphasize his point. "If my body is weak, my blood is weak! I want to be a Hero, remember? The number one Hero! I can't do that if I just wait until I'm older. I need to be super strong, like All Might, but with cool blood moves!"
"But martial arts..." Jin rubbed the back of his neck. "It's tough. You'll get bruised."
"I don't care," Choso said, puffing out his chest. "I want to be strong enough to protect people! To protect you guys! I'll work really, really hard, I promise!"
His eyes burned with an intensity that was equal parts childish wonder and mature determination. It was a look that said he was ready to take on the world, one punch at a time.
Jin stared at his son for a long moment. Then, he sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked at Kaori.
"He gets this stubbornness from you, you know," Jin joked.
Kaori chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, hush. He gets the energy from you." She turned to Choso, her expression softening. "Okay, Choso. If you're really sure."
"I am!" Choso nodded vigorously.
"We'll look for a dojo this weekend," Jin promised. "But if your grades drop, or if you get hurt too badly, we stop. Deal?"
Choso's face broke into a blinding, genuine grin.
"Thank you! Thank you, Dad! Thank you, Mom!"
He picked up his bowl and began shoveling the rest of his pork cutlet into his mouth with renewed gusto, abandoning his earlier table manners entirely.
"Mmph—thish ish sho good!" he mumbled through a mouthful of rice.
"Slow down!" Kaori laughed, reaching over to pat his back as he coughed on a piece of cabbage. "The food isn't running away, little warrior. Chew before you choke!"
Choso gulped down some water, his face red but his spirit soaring.
Step two: Martial arts. Let's go.
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