4 14 Years Old

-----(Time skip 2 years - Yasuo age 14)-----

"Nao, pass it to me!" Yasuo yelled as he sprinted down the field.

It was the Shizuoka Prefecture's Middle School Regional Soccer League, where the participating middle schools would compete with each other for the coveted champion trophy.

Yasuo had joined the soccer club in the first year, since his mom had made a big deal about wanting to join come after class activities. He initially saw it as just a way to keep his mom off his back, and also a way to keep himself physically active, but soon fell in love with the sport.

Initially, he was pretty bad at the sport and athletics in general since he relied on his quirk for nearly everything in his life. So being forced to use his physical body and exerting effort was something Yasuo was not familiar with. But he trained, practiced and ran until his previously soft, thin and generally unathletic body became fitter, and his skills with the soccer ball became better.

In his second year of middle school, he was drafted into the the soccer club's starting lineup thanks to his improved skill and physicality.

Nao, his team captain and senpai, heard Yasuo's cry and glanced down the field before lobbing the ball right to where Yasuo was running towards.

In a display of excellent acrobatics, Yasuo jumped and twisted his body in mid air before landing a bicycle kick that launched the ball straight into the corner of the net.

"GOALLLL!!! New comer Kurogami Yasuo has just gotten himself a hat trick! It's 3-1, ladies and gentlemen! Going into the final 5 minutes of the game, all hope seems lost for Musutafu Private Middle School." The announcer shouted.

Yasuo got back up to his feet only to be mobbed by his teammates.

"Nice one kouhai!"

"Sick shot, Yasuo!"

Getting into the spirit of the team, Yasuo cheered along with them.

"Damn it! Who the hell is that guy!" One of the opposing team's defenders roared in frustration.

"Don't worry, we still got 5 minutes. 2 more goals to a tie. It's crunch time now, boys. Let's get that bread!" The captain, indicated by the red armband around his bicep, barked. His team responded with a determined nod.

Unfortunately for the Musutafu Private soccer team, their determination was for naught as 5 minutes came and went, and the score remained 3-1.

The game ended with Yasuo being carried on the shoulders of his team with half of the crowd cheering wildly while the other half solemnly looked on as the team they supported languished despondently on the field.

After the match, Yasuo went to celebrate with his team at a local shopping mall. Although he had only joined the soccer club half-heartedly in the beginning, he could really feel the camaraderie with his team. They were his comrades, his brothers-in-arms, and precious teammates. Seeing how happy they were celebrating their victory made Yasuo feel justified in his use of his quirk in the matches.

Sports in this world was generally dominated by mutant-quirk users. Because quirks were not allowed to be used by emitter-types and transformation-types, only mutant quirk users could justifiably use their quirks without really 'using' their quirks. As a result, most of the sports team in school were generally made up by these mutant quirk users.

Yasuo was considered an anomaly. He was one of only two non-mutant quirk users in the team, but could still dominate the soccer field with just his regular physique. Or so everyone thought.

To keep up with the mutant-quirk users, Yasuo in fact used his Psychokinesis to enhance his physical capabilities. Not by a large extent, but definitely significant enough to make a difference.

He did this by coating his body in a thin layer of psychic energy, not unlike his barrier, and moved his body by manipulating the psychic energy. This let him run at a faster speed than with just his regular legs. The soccer ball kicked by his enhanced physical capability also flew faster and harder.

All the others saw was just a weirdly fast and strong teenager who was apparently more athletic than his build would suggest.

The one thing he refused to do was change the ball's trajectory with his quirk. That was just too unfair an advantage and would take all the fun out of the game. He justified to himself that he was only using his quirk to enhance his physical capability to stand on an even ground with his teammates and competitors, as without that slight boost, he would be physically unable to compete with the mutant quirk users.

Oh, and he also occasionally used his psychic sense to grasp the location of every player on the field, allowing him to make miracle-like plays with the soccer ball. But everything else, his skills and techniques, were all his own.

"...and then you went whoosh, jumping to the air, and then KAPOW with that bicycle kick! That was so awesome! Definitely play of the year material, Yasuo!" One of his teammates excitedly praised, making large exaggerated motions with his arms to simulate the his last score.

The rest of the team laughed at his antics and Yasuo chuckled, "I couldn't have done that without the captain backing me up. It was a team effort, guys."

Nao, a gazelle-hybrid mutant quirk user and the captain of the soccer team smiled, "Don't be modest, Yasuo. I only made that pass knowing it was you who was receiving it. Surrounded by three defenders ganging up on you, only you could have made that shot."

Yasuo rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment at the praise coming from his usually stoic captain, unsure of how to respond.

"That's right! Only Yasuo could have made that crazy shot!" One of his team members, a fellow striker exclaimed.

The coach cleared his throat, getting the attention of the team, "Yasuo, have you thought about becoming a professional soccer player?"

Yasuo widened his eyes at the sudden, unexpected question, "Coach?"

The coach continued, "Your skills are good enough to be accepted to one of those preparatory, specialised sports school that trains its students for the Youth Olympic Games and U-17 World Cup. Have you considered it?"

Nao nodded, "That's right, Yasuo. You should join me there when you graduate next year."

The team went wild, "Captain! You didn't tell us you were going to a specialized sports school!"

The captain smiled, "I only just received confirmation after the game we just played. The recruiters were impressed with my performance and handed me the invitation after the game ended. But they were even more impressed with you, Yasuo."

The boy in question looked back slack-jawed before shaking his head helplessly, "Sorry captain, I'm going to a hero course when I graduate. I want to be a pro-hero when I grow up."

Nao frowned slightly, "Your skills are too good to be wasted at a hero course. If it is money and fame you want, with your skills, you can be the most famous and most sought after player when you debut."

Yasuo shook his head, "I don't want to be a hero for fame and money..."

Nao looked like he wanted to argue more, but was stopped by the coach, "Nao, it's okay. Yasuo has made his decision. All you can do is wish him luck."

The captain reluctantly agreed, "Fine, I'll stop asking. But on one condition - Yasuo, starting next year, you will be the captain of the soccer club."

There was a moment of silence before the team cheered wildly, getting glares and shushes from the waitress in the family restaurant they were in.

Yasuo chuckled, "Looks like I have no choice but to accept then."

BOOM!

At that moment, the wall of the family restaurant was broken down in an explosion of dust and debris. Chunks of the debris flew towards Yasuo's table, and a solid brick cracked against his head before he could even react.

A humanoid creature, 12 feet tall, twice the height of any average man, stepped through the broken wall. His body was made up of a strange mixture between fur and skin.

The monstrous mutant quirk user had the head of a bear but with the snout and ears of a pig. Its torso, rippling with muscles was half covered with fur and half of it human skin. Its left arm was a muscular human arm but its right arm was entirely covered in fur and looked more like a muscular bear's arm. It stood on two feet that was an odd hybrid between a bear's paw and human feet.

"W-what the hell!? Monster!" Some of the diners yelled out while some servers screamed in fear.

Yasuo, whose head had been struck by a flying debris fell to the ground, unsure of just what had just happened. His vision blurred heavily, while his body lacked the strength needed to get up after the last impact to his brain.

"Get out here you shitty manager! I'm going to kill you!" The creature roared.

"Wh-what in the world is that? It's like a half-man, half-bear!"

"And half-pig!"

"No, wait, it's like a half-man, half-bear-pig!"

The manager who had been called out initially cried, "It's a manbearpig!"

The villain turned towards the manager who spoke and snarled, "You! You molested my daughter who came here for an interview! You're dead!"

The manager blanched at the accusation but said nothing to deny it.

Taking his silence as admittance of guilt and provocation, the monster strode forwards threateningly.

Yasuo shakily sat up, his vision still blurred and his head swimming in a fugue state due to his concussion. 'A... villain? I-I have to... stop him!'

He thrusted his hand forward, willing his psychic energy to crash into the villain, but his quirk did not respond. 'What the, why?'

The villain, who by now had reached the manager who was frozen in place, his legs trembling in fear, reached forward with his massive fist and picked up the manager.

"You perverted scum! She cried for days! My precious baby girl! And she refused to tell me what happened when I asked! Then she finally broke down and cut her own wrists in despair! She almost died if I hadn't found her lying in her own blood! Because of you! My baby almost killed herself because of you!"

The manager shakily responded, "Pl-please, s-stop, I, I didn't do it!"

"LIAR!" The manbearpig exclaimed in a weird mixture between a scream and a squeal, "She told me everything at the hospital! How she came here for an interview, and you started touching her! Then you threatened her to keep quiet! You're dead!"

The villain tightened his grip on the manager, who seeing his lie had no effect, opened his mouth where bubbles came out and popped harmlessly on the bear's snout. Seeing that his last ditch effort had zero effect on the monstrous, mutant quirk user, the manager sank deeper into despair.

"N-no, spare me! Please, I-I didn't mean to t-touch those girls!"

The villain's eyes widened at that, and he growled, "Those... girls...? You laid your filthy hands on more than just my daughter!? You will die, here and now by my hands! No one else will be hurt by you anymore!"

His bear head reached forward and widened his maw, as though he was going to rip the manager's head off with his teeth. Just as his fangs were about to sink into the manager's trembling figure, a chair crashed into the villain's head.

The mutant quirk user snarled and turned to where the chair had flew from, only to see Yasuo trembling on the ground with his hand reached out. Blood was pouring profusely from his nose while the side of his face was already damp with blood that had flowed from the cut on his scalp, courtesy of the brick that hit him before.

"Stop!" Was the only word Yasuo could force out, all his energy having been squeezed out just for that one last act of desperation. Summoning the last shred of his psychic energy, wrapping it around a nearby chair and tossing it at the villain was the only thing he could do.

The injury on his head and subsequent concussion that rocked his brain left him with little to no control over the psychic energy within him. That very last act had left him with a massive, pounding headache - more painful than any he had ever experienced before. It was a sharp, blinding pain as though someone had driven a railroad spike through his cranium.

"Stay out of this boy! Did you not hear what he said? He is more of a villain than I am! He deserves to die!"

"E-even so! That is not up to you to decide! His punishment should be handled by the courts!" Yasuo forced out, his hand falling to the ground as his arm no longer hand the energy to remain outstretched.

"Childish! Naive! He deserves to die for all he has done! No one will ever be hurt by him again! No matter what happens to me, he must die here and now!' The villain ignored Yasuo and proceeded to lean forward again, determined to bite off the manager's head.

The manager who had previously felt a last strand of hope began screaming, "Save me! Boy! Do something! Why are you just laying there you useless idiot! Somebody, do something! HELP!"

"Please! Don't do this! I understand you are angry, and I know you want him to pay. But this is not the way! Before anyone is killed, you can still be forgiven. Don't do anything you will regret!" Yasuo continued pleading with the monster, even though deep down he knew the scummy manager deserved what he was going to receive.

"The only thing I will regret is if I let this bastard live!" The manbearpig shot back.

"What about your daughter!?" Yasuo screamed.

The villain froze. Seeing that his words was getting through to the man, he continued.

"Your daughter who is laying in the hospital right now, what is she going to do when she finds out her father is in prison after murdering a person? She needs you, now more than ever. You can't do something foolish and leave her alone!"

For a moment, it seemed like the mutant quirk user accepted Yasuo's desperate plea. Until he shook his head, "It's too late now. After all I have done, I will be sent to prison regardless. Might as well finish what I have started."

"No, wait-!"

"You're a good kid, boy. You will be a great hero in the future. Sorry for hurting you, I didn't mean to do it." With those final words, the manbearpig tightened his grip, and with a sickening snap, crushed the bones in the manager's body.

Blood spurted out of the manager's orifices, and his eyeballs almost popped out from the pressure. His lifeless body fell from the villain's grasp and dropped to the ground motionlessly.

"NO!" Yasuo screamed, and so did the rest of the people in the restaurant.

Which is purpose fulfilled, the mutant quirk user, who now revealed himself to actually have been a transformation quirk user, shrank down and turned back to his regular human form - a furry, pig-faced man that looked like as harmless as any regular civilian.

Silently, he walked out of the restaurant to the sounds of sirens and knelt on the ground with his hands up, in a clear position of surrender.

The police and heroes soon arrived to take the man into custody. After a room full of witnesses just saw him committing murder, his fate was already set in stone.

Emergency medical services swarmed into the restaurant, providing medical treatment to anyone who needed them. Mostly, it was Yasuo's soccer club teammates and the coach that had suffered the most injuries from the initial wall being blown apart. Most of them received scrapes and bruises, and Yasuo was the only one who got severely injured.

The witnesses gave their testimony, pointing out Yasuo as the only person who had tried stopping the villain and reasoning with him, to obvious failure.

The police and heroes who had arrived praised Yasuo for his efforts, although slightly chiding for putting himself in danger like that. Yet, they could still respect his efforts, seeing him as someone who possessed a true spirit of heroism.

Yasuo wasn't listening to them at all. The whole time, while he gave his testimony and received medical attention, and eventually being sent to the hospital for further treatment, all he could think about was his failure.

'You will be a great hero in the future.' Those words echoed repeatedly in his head. Words that had been said to him years ago when he was younger.

'I couldn't do anything... Even with my powerful quirk, I couldn't do anything! I... I was too cocky, too conceited. I thought that there was nothing I could do so long as I had my quirk. I was wrong... Great hero? Don't make me laugh. I am still lacking.'

That was the day Yasuo buried his ego and threw away his pride. It was also the day Yasuo's passion and ambition to become a hero was re-ignited.