You Can Be a Hero Too

Chapter 84: Bright Future

[Previously]

Izuku fought back a burst of laughter. "Not even the slightest bit."

Once Izuku disappeared from sight, Hawks released a massive sigh of relief. If it had been anyone else, he would have handled it differently.

[Meta Liberation Arc] Bright Future

"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

-You Can Be A Hero Too-

"It's been two years!" Izuku's voice reverberated through the room as he confronted Liliya. "Two long years, and I haven't taken any action. She trusts me, she knows me like no one else, she even calls me brother. We can't just stand here, we need to go after her."

Liliya wearily massaged her temples, trying to alleviate the tension building within her. "Izuku, you need to listen to yourself. This is not an environment suitable for a child, regardless of trust or familiarity. No child, especially one her age, should be exposed to this dangerous life."

"She said she wants to!" Izuku retorted, his voice filled with frustration.

"She's only eight years old! She doesn't even have an understanding of her own quirk. What if her emotions overpower her and she witnesses one of us taking someone's life? In an instant, we could be reduced to nothing but dust!" Liliya's voice rose with an undercurrent of alarm.

Izuku clenched his jaw tightly, his determination unwavering. "She doesn't belong with them."

"If you truly considered the situation, Izuku, you'd realize that being with the heroes provides her with the greatest level of safety," Liliya reasoned urgently.

"And if you had been paying attention over the past two years," Izuku countered sharply, "you would know that being with the heroes is nothing more than a swift path to her demise."

Suddenly, a subtle tug at the back of his mind jolted him into awareness, signaling his old pal's presence.

"I have to go," he uttered, his body seamlessly melding into the ground as he descended to the lowest level of the base. It had been roughly seven months since his mate, Mirio Togata, had reached out to him.

As he swung open the door, a surge of anticipation filled him as he beheld the familiar face of Mirio Togata.

Mirio, now 20 years old, has an unkempt and disheveled appearance. His once muscular build appears leaner, with a hint of fatigue and weariness. The noticeable scars on his lower arms remain, serving as reminders of his past battles.

His beady blue eyes, which used to shine with determination, now carry a distant and hollow look. Drawn in a simplistic style, they lack any visible sclera, giving them an almost lifeless quality. His round nose, once prominent, now seems reddened and rough, a testament to the harsh elements he has faced.

His blond hair, once neatly styled, is now messy and tangled. The top part, which used to have a distinctive cowlick, now droops down and falls flat against his forehead. The bottom section once swept backward with precision, now appears tangled and windswept, as if he hasn't had access to a proper grooming routine in a long time.

"Hey, my old friend, what can I do for you?" Izuku inquired, settling into his chair.

Mirio's head remained lowered, his lifeless eyes devoid of any flicker of movement. "Why am I still clinging to life..." His voice trailed off, as he sat there for the past two years, enduring a monotonous existence with only three meals a day, a weekly shower, and restless nights that left him with aching neck pain.