Chapter-105

The nights used to be cold at this end of the winter season, transitioning into the approaching spring. In the apartment areas, a silhouette defied the laws of physics and gravity by climbing the walls horizontally. This hooded figure, adorned in a white sweatshirt and dark pants, reached the terrace of the building and settled on an air vent.

As minutes passed, nothing occurred until the door to the roof swung open, revealing Midoriya Izuku, a green-haired teenager in cloth pants and a jacket to shield himself from the cold. The freckled teenager wore a restless expression as he noticed the silhouette sitting in the darkness, gazing at the sky.

"You know, when I was a child, I used to look at the stars for hours..." The hooded man spoke for the first time, his back turned to the UA students who stood near the door. "Sometimes when my Oto-San was not busy, he used to accompany me and tell me stories about great people who tried to change the world, only to fail and be forgotten." These bitter words hung in the air as the hooded figure lowered his head in silence, creating a tense atmosphere that Deku broke.

"May I know... what is this meeting about... Sensei?" Deku asked with seriousness, causing the hooded man to smile slightly. He calmly lowered his hood, revealing Naruto's characteristic blonde hair, and continued facing away from Midoriya.

"I find it hard to believe that just a few months ago you were a scrawny brat, destroying himself with a quirk that was inherited..." Standing up, the shinobi disappeared like a shadow, reappearing next to the serious Midoriya. With hands in his pockets, Naruto admired the view from the roof. "Apparently, like coal, being under so much pressure turned you into a diamond..." Opening his jacket, he took out a decanter and took a long swallow, much to the green-haired man's annoyance.

"If that's all you're going to say, I have to go," Deku said, attempting to turn around, but the door was kicked shut by the shinobi, who crossed his arms. Deku swallowed nervously, standing forehead to forehead with his 'master,' the tension thick in the air, but it dissipated when the blonde gave a heavy sigh.

"All for One began to move among the shadows, and there is nothing worse than an enemy who moves freely among the shadows, doing whatever he wants," the blonde walked across the roof, speaking seriously before sitting on an air duct.

"How come you…?" Izuku looked at his teacher in surprise. He knew Naruto was intelligent and skilled, but how could he know about All for One? According to All Might, only a few knew the identity of that man, who remained anonymous and hidden from the rest of the world.

"I should know who is the bastard who wants my head as an ornament for his fireplace?" Naruto responded seriously, taking another sip from his bottle, feeling the burning of alcohol running through his body. "All Might is not the only one who knows what's happening around him... Has he told you anything interesting about our mutual enemy?" He asked with interest, looking at his student, who remained silent for a few seconds.

"…" Only to shake his head, making the blonde frown.

"You are terrible at lying, but what you know must not be relevant either... listen, you must be attentive above all. If they came for me, it means that the other students of Class-A may also be at risk," those words made the green-haired boy clench his fists and look furiously at the ground. "That they attacked the few people I care about was a low blow from that bastard," Naruto growled, taking a last drink from the bottle and throwing it over the edge of the building.

"What should we do?" This time Deku asked, waiting to hear if his teacher had any plan or countermeasure for everything that was happening.

"Continue as if nothing was happening. I will not give that son of a bitch the satisfaction of seeing us affected by this cat-and-mouse hunt." Naruto did not show a single moment of doubt; all his attention was now focused on a single objective.

"But if he attacked the owner of the construction and his daughter... it means" Without being able to finish, Deku could only bite his lower lip helplessly.

"That sooner or later, they will come for you or your mother. It is possible that they know you are the heir to One for All, making you a key target. I don't know what Toshinori was thinking when he put you in this situation," with a sigh, the shinobi walked to stand on the edge of the building, looking at the city. "Not only did he give you his powers, but also the burden of having to deal with his enemies. Congratulations, child; in a few years, you will have more enemies than you can count."

"I will face them," was Deku's determined response, earning a cold look from Uzumaki. "I don't need you to remind me what awaits me, Sensei. I know that my path to being a true hero will be difficult and full of obstacles, but I assure you that I will defeat whoever tries to hurt the people I value. You said it yourself, we all have codes, and protecting innocent people is one of them. It is part of my path to be a hero," he said firmly, hitting his fist against his chest with a somewhat fearful but confident smile.

Crossing his arms, Naruto had a flash, seeing himself at the age of nine next to Midoriya. Both had the same smile and eyes that shone with determination, causing a bitter smile to form on the Uzumaki's face. "Tell me again... What is your dream?" He asked with a low voice, leaving the green-haired teenager confused, who shook his head to smile.

"Save everyone with a smile! Like All Might!" He shouted confidently, not noticing the dark look from his teacher.

Naruto stood there, looking at an image of his childhood self, now covered in blood and crying inconsolably on the ground, only to look up and see eyes radiating pure hatred. Closing his eyes, the shinobi opened them again to see only Midoriya in front of him. Giving a sigh, he turned around to walk to the edge of the building. "Just stay alert..." Before leaving, he stopped to look over his shoulder at the green-haired boy. "What he told you before... on the roof," he began slowly but was interrupted by the freckled teenager.

"It's okay... you were right; I'm not going to deny it." With discouragement, the boy rubbed his neck with a regretful smile. "I'm not as strong as you or All Might. I know I need a lot of training, as well as learning several other things. I know that you have your ideology, and I also know that I couldn't make you change your way of being..."

In silence, Naruto listened to the boy who had trained at least in the basics for months. He was talented and skilled. In days, he figured out how to use 5% of his power and learned hand-to-hand fighting katas that would take others weeks. It was a shame that all that potential was buried by his lack of confidence and doubt of his own abilities.

"When I see you, I know that... maybe All Might was wrong to give me One for All." Clenching his fists, the boy with freckles looked at the shinobi's back. If only All Might had given his power to Naruto, it would be enough. strong to fight all the battles that he couldn't win. She was still too weak compared to him. "You're faster, smarter, stronger than anyone I've ever met... and from what you've done so far, I know you'll be a 'Pro-hero' great that you surpassed everyone..."

"No... you will be," turning around, the blonde looked into Midoriya's eyes, approaching and patting his right shoulder. "Boy, one of your worst obstacles is your low self-esteem, which doesn't let you see what you are. Many consider this a problem, but in your case, maybe not." That confused Deku, who just stood still looking at the serious shinobi. "Because you at least try to improve yourself again and again, you see others on a pedestal so high that you alone want to reach them, without knowing that maybe you have already surpassed them. I am sure that in your current state, you could beat Bakugo."

In silence, Izuku could only feel a strange feeling... of recognition? That someone other than All Might supported him in this way was something he never expected.

"Do you know what your true power is, Izuku?" asked the shinobi, who, separating himself from the green-haired man, approached the edge of the building. "Having the courage to get up and never give up, that's something that few have." Giving a sigh, the blonde had to smile, turning to look at the teenager, only for his smile to disappear. "Are you crying?" He asked with a confused expression, seeing how the boy with freckles had a trembling shoulder and the corners of his eyes filling with tears, which the boy struggled to contain.

"No-o." With teary eyes, Midoriya shook his head, but with a smile forming on his face. This was perhaps the first time that someone had faith in him, recognizing something beyond his current state, but his teacher was encouraging him and telling him what he saw in him, that was something that neither his mother nor All Might did.

"Very well, I hope not, or I would throw you off this building right now." Naruto finally turned his back on his 'student,' and before he could jump, he raised his right hand. "See you, Midoriya." Saying that, he jumped into a free fall. Deku quickly ran to the edge of the building to look down and see that his teacher had disappeared. Smiling, he could only return to his home; his mother must have worried in his absence.