My Hero Academia: The Hidden Pulse

The winter break had come and gone, and with it, a sense of normalcy returned. The days were filled with training, schoolwork, and the subtle quiet of life that seemed to follow the events of the villain encounter. Kairo spent most of his time honing his shockwave abilities, pushing himself further with each passing day. Yet, in the midst of his daily routine, there was something lingering in the back of his mind—something that had been there for as long as he could remember.

The memory of his father's death was never far from his thoughts, and even though the wound had healed with time, a small part of him still carried the weight of that loss. It was a seed planted long ago—one that had grown into resentment, however quiet it had been.

At the time, when Kairo was just a child, he had never fully understood the magnitude of the world he was born into. All he knew was that his father had been one of the strongest heroes to ever live, a man who fought to protect the innocent. All Might was the pinnacle of strength, the greatest hero to ever grace the world. He had been praised for his ability to save countless lives, to defeat powerful villains with nothing but his sheer might. Yet, despite all of this, Kairo's father had still been lost to a villain's hands.

To Kairo's young mind, this was the ultimate contradiction. How could the world's strongest man—the man who could topple any villain with ease—fail to save his father? How could a person like All Might, revered by all, not have been able to save his own hero?

In the small, confused corners of Kairo's heart, it didn't make sense. He couldn't understand why someone so powerful—someone who embodied justice, peace, and safety—hadn't been able to protect the one person Kairo looked up to the most. It was a thought that lingered in his mind for years, an ever-present whisper that fueled a quiet, unresolved resentment.

But as Kairo grew older, so too did his understanding of the world. He saw the truth in his own way—the weight of All Might's position, the toll it took to be the symbol of peace, and the reality of the dangers faced by even the strongest heroes. Slowly, that resentment began to fade, replaced by something more complex, something Kairo wasn't ready to admit to himself at the time: respect.

It wasn't an overnight change. The seed of bitterness, planted so deeply in his childhood, didn't vanish instantly. But Kairo came to realize that the world didn't work in such simple terms. Strength wasn't the only measure of a hero's worth, and sometimes, even the strongest couldn't prevent tragedy. All Might had done his best, just as every other hero did. He had fought, and he had failed in ways he could never have predicted. It wasn't his fault, and it wasn't something Kairo should carry hatred for.

And so, as the days passed after the villain encounter and All Might's praise, Kairo began to reflect. He thought back to the pain and the confusion he had once felt. He remembered the disappointment in his heart as a child when he first realized that even the greatest heroes weren't invincible. But now, he understood something more important. All Might's role wasn't to be perfect or invincible—it was to fight, to never stop protecting, even when failure was inevitable.

As Kairo's memories shifted and his feelings evolved, he found a sense of peace settling within him. He had been so blinded by his grief and the image of perfection that he couldn't see the truth. All Might was human, just like everyone else. And like anyone, he had limitations. But that didn't make him any less heroic. In fact, it made him all the more admirable.

"Maybe I was wrong about you," Kairo murmured to himself as he sat on the roof of his house, gazing at the stars. "Maybe I didn't understand back then."

The change wasn't immediate, and the process was slow. But Kairo knew now that he could carry on without the weight of resentment. All Might's actions weren't about being perfect; they were about perseverance, heart, and the unwavering desire to protect others. That was what truly made a hero.

---

With this reflection, Kairo shifted his focus. The entrance exams for UA Academy were on the horizon, and the thought of them brought a fresh wave of determination. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of preparation—both physically and mentally—and Kairo knew this was his moment to show just how far he had come. But even more than that, he had grown to understand the true value of heroism. It wasn't just about strength. It was about heart, resolve, and the willingness to protect, no matter the cost.

As the day of the exam approached, Kairo's mind was clear. His father's legacy, All Might's inspiration, and his own journey had all led him to this point. It was time to take the next step, and he was ready to face whatever challenges awaited him.

Kairo was determined—he would pass the exam, and he would become a hero not just for himself, but for the people who believed in him, for his father, for All Might, and for the memory of those who had fought before him.

And with that resolve, Kairo stepped into the next chapter of his life, ready to shape his own path as a hero.