Speedster's Ascent

Chapter 1

The rain poured heavily from the sky, a steady downpour that turned the world into a blur of grays and blues. Water cascaded down the car windows, distorting the view outside into a hazy mess of shapes and colors. Four-year-old Izuku sat quietly in the backseat, his small legs dangling off the edge of the seat, his hands gripping the soft fabric of his coat. His wide, green eyes watched the raindrops race down the glass as his father drove in silence.

"Dad, when will we get there?" Izuku asked, his voice small, barely audible over the drumming of the rain against the car roof.

His father's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles turning white. He glanced at Izuku in the rearview mirror but didn't immediately answer. The usual warmth that filled his father's gaze wasn't there today, and Izuku couldn't understand why. After a moment, his father forced a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"We're almost there, Izuku," he said, his voice calm but strangely distant.

Izuku blinked, glancing out the window again. There was nothing but trees, their tall, dark forms looming on either side of the road like silent sentinels. The road stretched ahead endlessly, and the farther they drove, the more isolated it felt. Izuku shifted in his seat, a small pit of unease forming in his stomach.

The minutes dragged on, the sound of the rain filling the silence between them. Finally, after what felt like hours, the car began to slow. Izuku looked out the window, confused. They had pulled off the road onto a narrow, gravel path surrounded by trees. The rain continued to pour, creating a thick curtain of water around them. There were no buildings, no lights—just the forest and the steady hum of the car engine.

His father pulled the car to a stop, the tires crunching over the wet gravel. For a moment, neither of them moved. Izuku glanced at his father, his small voice breaking the silence once more.

"Dad, is this really the place?"

His father didn't answer right away. He turned off the engine, the sudden silence almost deafening after the constant hum of the car. He stared ahead for a long moment before finally unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Yes, Izuku," he said softly, his voice carrying an unsettling finality. "This is the place."

Izuku's confusion deepened. He looked around again, but there was nothing—just trees and rain. "But... why are we here? What are we doing?"

His father turned to him, his expression hard to read. "Izuku, I need you to get out of the car and wait here for a little while. I'll be right back."

Izuku's heart skipped a beat, a cold wave of fear washing over him. "But... why?"

His father didn't answer. Instead, he opened the driver's side door, the sound of the rain growing louder as the cold, wet air rushed into the car. Without looking at Izuku, he got out and walked around to the back door, opening it for him.

"Come on, Izuku. Out you go."

Reluctantly, Izuku slid out of his seat and stepped onto the gravel, the rain immediately soaking through his shoes and clothes. His tiny body shivered as he hugged his coat tightly around himself, staring up at his father with wide, questioning eyes.

His father didn't meet his gaze. Instead, he quickly closed the car door behind Izuku, glanced at him one last time, and then got back into the car.

"Wait here," his father repeated, his voice muffled by the rain.

Before Izuku could say anything else, the car's engine roared back to life, and the tires began to turn.

"Dad?" Izuku called, his voice trembling.