1 A Shift in Reality
(A/N: Tensei Here, and I hope you enjoy the rewrite! I know I put in there that I would drop the chapters starting April 20, but to show you guys I am taking this seriously, I am going to be releasing the chapters when the volume associated is complete.)
The automatic doors slid open, and an elderly woman stepped into the convenience store, her wrinkled face lighting up as she spotted me behind the counter. "Good evening, young man," she greeted, her voice filled with warmth.
I looked up from my math textbook, a smile forming on my lips. "Good evening, ma'am. How can I help you today?"
The woman approached the counter, holding a few items in her frail hands. As I scanned her purchases, she glanced at my name tag. "Haru Takahashi," she read aloud, her eyes crinkling with a gentle smile. "Such a nice name for a hardworking young man. Your parents must be proud of you."
I felt a pang in my chest at the mention of my parents, but I maintained my polite smile. "Thank you, ma'am."
After bagging her items and handing her the change, I bowed slightly. "Please take care and have a wonderful evening."
The elderly woman nodded, her eyes shining with appreciation. "You too, Haru. Don't work too hard now."
As she left the store, I returned to my textbook, trying to make sense of the complex equations before me. Balancing school and work was never easy, but I knew I had no choice. My mother's death and father's absence had forced me to grow up faster than most teenagers, and I had to do whatever it took to keep myself afloat.
Minutes ticked by doing that until my silence was broken by the shrill ring of my phone, startling me from my concentration.
I glanced at the screen and felt my stomach drop. It was the landlord. Great, Just what I needed during a long ass day. A sigh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I answered the call, forcing a polite tone. "Hello, Mr. Nakamura. How can I help you?"
"Haru," the landlord's gruff voice came through the speaker, "I'm calling about your rent. You're two weeks behind now."
I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves. "I apologize, Mr. Nakamura. I've been working extra shifts to make ends meet. I promise I'll have the money to you by the end of the week."
There was a brief pause on the other end, and I could almost feel the landlord's frustration. "Fine. But this is the last time, Haru. I can't keep making exceptions."
"I understand. Thank you for your patience."
I glanced at the clock, realizing that my shift was almost over. Just one more hour, and I could return home and try to squeeze in some more studying before the night's end.
Turning my attention back to my homework, the automatic doors slid open once more, and a group of high school students entered the store, their laughter and chatter filling the air. I straightened my posture, putting on my best customer service smile. "Welcome! Let me know if you need any help finding anything."
One of the students, a girl with short, dark hair, approached the counter with a handful of snacks. As I rang up her items, she tilted her head, studying me curiously. "You look familiar. Do you go to Sakura High School?"
I nodded, surprised that she had recognized me. "Yeah, I'm a third-year student there."
The girl's eyes widened. "I thought so! I've seen you around campus. You're always studying during lunch breaks. I'm Yumi, by the way."
I smiled politely. "Nice to meet you, Yumi. I'm Haru."
As I handed Yumi her change, she hesitated for a moment. "Hey, if you ever need help with homework or anything, just let me know. I'm pretty good at math and science."
I was taken aback by her offer, "Thank you, Yumi. I appreciate that."
Yumi smiled, waving as she joined her friends. "No problem! See you at school, Haru!"
As they left, I continued finishing up my homework. As I was finishing my last problem, a woman came running into the store. Her once-elegant dress was now ripped and stained with dirt, the designer label barely visible beneath the grime. Her eyes, wide with terror, scanned the store before settling on me. "Please," she gasped, her breaths ragged, "I need your help. They're after me."
A flicker of doubt, a voice in the back of my mind whispering for me to look away, to protect myself... then, I motioned towards the back. "Hide there," I said softly, pointing to the storage room. There was no time for doubts; her fear was enough to convince me.
Moments later, the door's bell rang ominously as a group of large, intimidating men entered, their intent clear in their menacing gaze. Just as their leader was about to speak, the woman let out a choked gasp, her trembling hand flying to her mouth as if to stifle a cry.
"We know she's here," their leader announced, his voice rough, a scar marking his face as a testament to his past. "Hand her over to us."
Attempting to mask my nervousness, I feigned ignorance. "Sorry, it's been a slow evening. Haven't seen anyone," I lied, hoping my voice sounded more convincing than I felt.
The air was thick with tension when suddenly a well-dressed young man entered, his presence commanding attention and respect. The group of men immediately showed deference, greeting him with, "Welcome, young boss."
The so-called young boss approached me, a smirk on his lips. "I'm sure we can resolve this. What's your price?" he inquired, confident in his ability to bribe.
I met his gaze firmly, integrity fortifying my resolve. "I'm not for sale," I stated, feeling the weight of my words.
His smirk faded, replaced by irritation. With a subtle nod, he ordered, "Hold him." As the men restrained me, he casually produced a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket, his intentions now ominously clear.
At that critical moment, a police officer appeared inside yelling "What's going on?". Our eyes met briefly before the young boss stepped towards him, offering a wad of cash whispering "This never happened." The officer accepted the bribe with a nod, then disgracefully turned away, leaving me to my fate.
With the law on his side, the young boss smirked. One of the men pinned my arms back while he handed the young boss the brass knuckles, the metal glinting coldly in the dim store lights. A bitter, metallic scent filled the air with the promise of blood.
The first blow struck my cheekbone, a burst of white-hot agony exploding behind my eyes. I tasted copper as my teeth bit into my own cheek. His next punch shattered something beneath my skin, and the world tilted crazily.
With each blow, he hissed those insidious words, branding them into my mind. "Strength...power..." The world exploded with another fist that smashed into my chest. He laughed, low and mean. "Money..." Another blow, darkness blooming behind my eyes. Just... make...it...stop.
Was that a whimper? The woman? I couldn't think, couldn't protect her. Another punch, and my cheekbone shattered. The floor, hard and cold beneath me. I was failing. Failing her, failing myself.
Then, the siren's wail. It grew closer, a flicker of hope piercing the haze of pain. But it was fading, fading like me. "No," I rasped. Not here, not like this, there has to be more… then silence.
My eyelids felt weighted with lead. Struggling, I forced them open. Pain lanced through me as I shifted – my head was on something hard and unyielding. Not hospital lights above me, but the faded brown of a desk. My neck screamed in protest as I sat up, rubbing the back of it.
Confusion gnawed at me. Who had brought me here? Where's the men, the woman... was that all a nightmare? But the throbbing ache in my face was all too real.
Then, in the air directly in front of me, something materialized. A rectangle of brilliant blue light hovered, shimmering slightly. It was as out of place as a neon sign in a candlelit church. And on it, clear as crystal, were the words:
[Welcome Player.]
My pulse hammered in my ears. Had the beating scrambled my brain? I blinked hard, but the screen remained. This couldn't be real. It had to be another sick hallucination. Yet, a strange dread settled in the pit of my stomach. And somewhere, behind the terror, a flicker of curiosity stirred.
I hesitantly reached out towards the blue screen. I expected cool glass, the familiar touch of a tablet... something to prove this was a trick of my broken mind. But my hand passed through the screen as if it were nothing but air. My fingers tingled at the lack of resistance, a bewildering sensation that overrode my panic for a moment.
The laws of the universe felt warped right in front of me. This was no device, no hologram... this was something beyond anything I'd ever imagined.
What do I do now? My hand hovered, useless. Physical interaction was out. Maybe... maybe it would respond to my thoughts? Focusing with an intensity I'd normally reserve for a life-or-death exam question, I pictured words pressing against the screen like invisible keys. "Help," "Exit," ... each word flickered in my mind, a desperate attempt to get a reaction.
And then, "Status." The word formed itself, clear and demanding.
The screen pulsed and expanded before my eyes. The simple welcome message was replaced by a whole panel of information, a virtual display suspended in thin air.
Name: Izuku Midoriya
Age: 16
Title: Quirkless Loser
Quirk: None
Quirk Mastery: Null
Level: 1 (0/500)
Skills:
Analytical Mind: Lvl 2
Attributes:
Strength: F
Agility: F+
Intelligence: C-
Sense: D
Vitality: F+
Charisma: D-
Attribute points: 0
Inventory: (Closed)
Haru Takahashi was gone. Instead, it flashed the name Izuku Midoriya, a vague flicker from some anime, a world of heroes and superpowers, of... quirks. I knew almost nothing about it, only whispers overheard from excited classmates. An impossible idea took root – was I... inside that world now?
If this was some insane twist of fate, then maybe it was also a chance. The thought of attributes, skills, of leveling up... it was a beacon in the darkness of my existence, a possibility more intoxicating than anything I've done before.
Even so, the reality of the status screen was grim. My attributes were pathetic – and that title...
Was there any point? I was still weak, useless... just in a different world.
But that defiance in me flickered again, stubborn as a candle flame refusing to go out. This was a chance, no matter how crazy it sounded. I couldn't give up now. I wasn't broken-down Haru anymore. I was... Izuku. A nobody, sure, but maybe a nobody with potential. And I owed it to Haru's memory, and even to this strange new version of myself, to figure this out.
Forcing my attention back to the screen, I searched for any hidden commands, any clue to how this worked. Nothing. Maybe this wasn't an all-knowing guide, just a stat sheet. "Explain," I muttered under my breath. "Guess you're not sentient."
My eyes drifted to the "Inventory (Closed)" line at the bottom. An idea sparked. Could that function like a menu? I focused on the words. "Open Inventory."
A series of boxes blinked into existence below the status panel. Bingo.
Inventory:
- Basic First Aid Kit:
A simple kit containing bandages, antiseptic, and pain relief medication.
- Smartphone (Low Battery):
An outdated model, its screen is cracked but still functions.
- Hero Analysis For The Future Vol 13:
Filled with descriptive notes on various heroes.
- 100 Yen Coin:
A small amount of currency, unlikely to be of significant value.
-New Beginnings gift box:
A gift box able to be opened after completing the first quest
The list left me with more questions than answers. A first aid kit? Hero Analysis notebook? Was I… truly supposed to be some kind of fighter in this place? Forget it, I'd focus on what I could control. That phone might offer some clues if I could get it charged. And this "gift box"... it sounded like there was a task in store for me.
The only way to find out more was to keep going, to somehow complete this mysterious quest. A fresh wave of fear washed over me, but this time, determination burned through it. Haru might have hesitated, but Izuku... He'd at least try.
(A/N: Tensei Here, and I hope you enjoy the rewrite so far! I know I put in there that I would drop the chapters starting April 20, but to show you guys I am taking this seriously, I am going to be releasing the chapters when the volume associated is complete. Also, so you know how power scaling will work in this new rendition, here are three stat sheets: One being prime All Might, One being All Might during the start of U.A., and one being Katsuki Bakugo after the entrance exam. The way the letter grades work will be explained in later chapters so be sure to pay attention to that.)
Prime All Might:
Strength: Z+
Agility: Z+
Intelligence: SS
Sense: SSS-
Vitality: Z
Charisma: SSS+
Current All Might (With OFA Active):
Strength: SSS-
Agility: SS+
Intelligence: SS+
Sense: A SS+
Vitality: SSS+
Charisma: Z-
Katsuki Bakugo (Entrance Exam):
Strength: A-
Agility: A-
Intelligence: B
Sense: B+
Vitality: A-
Charisma: C-
