Just as Igarashi Masata sat on the ground, lost in thought as he reflected on his Quirk, hurried footsteps echoed behind him. Yaoyorozu Momo came running in, slightly out of breath.
"Masata, you're too fast! Don't run off without waiting for me," she said, puffing her cheeks slightly as she spoke. Then her large eyes lit up with curiosity, blinking like an excited child. "Hurry up and show me your Quirk! I've never seen magma before!"
Seeing Momo look at him with such an adorable expression, Masata felt his face heat up.
This is way too cute…!My inner lolicon soul is about to explode—no, no, calm down!
Forcefully suppressing those dangerous thoughts, Masata quickly jumped to his feet. He planted his hands on his hips, turned his head to the side, and let out a smug snort through his nose.
"Hmph! Let me tell you first—my Quirk is super powerful and terrifying! Don't start crying after you see it!"
"I don't cry that easily!" Momo shot back. Then she suddenly narrowed her eyes. "Also, Masata, you're a pervert! Why aren't you wearing any clothes?!"
Masata, who had been waiting proudly for praise, twitched at the corner of his mouth. Three imaginary black lines slid down his forehead.
"Hey, don't worry about the details," he said awkwardly. "My Quirk is magma. I don't want my clothes getting burned."
"Well… I guess that makes sense," Momo replied after a moment. "Anyway, hurry up and show me! I'm really curious!"
Masata pursed his lips and quietly activated his Quirk.
As his power flowed, his hands gradually began to glow red. A layer of molten magma coated his fists, and droplets fell to the ground, releasing faint wisps of smoke as they hit.
"Momo, stand a bit farther back," Masata said seriously, turning to her. "My Quirk is very dangerous. If you're not careful, you could get hurt."
He glanced over—only to find that Momo had already retreated several steps.
Seeing that, Masata couldn't help feeling slightly dejected.
"Hahaha, I'm not that stupid," Momo said proudly. "Magma is dangerous—I'm definitely staying far away. But even from here, it feels really hot. Your Quirk is amazing."
Then she tilted her head and asked curiously, "So… are you really planning to become a Hero in the future?"
"Yes," Masata replied without hesitation. "Being a Hero is definitely cool, and life would be full of exciting things. That's the kind of life I want. Plus, Heroes earn a lot of money. No matter how you look at it, becoming a Hero is absolutely the right choice!"
"That's great!" Momo said brightly. "I want to become a Hero too! That way, I won't be separated from you, Masata. Hehehe."
Her small, chubby face flushed red, like a ripe apple. It was hard to tell whether she was shy or simply excited.
Masata was just about to smile and respond when a sudden wave of weakness washed over him.
It felt like the exhaustion that came from sprinting a thousand meters under the blazing summer sun and then being forced to climb five flights of stairs immediately afterward. The magma coating his hands vanished, revealing their normal, pale color once again.
"Why do I suddenly feel so tired?" Masata thought. "This reminds me of those nightmare physical exams from my last life… And I can't activate my Quirk anymore."
Turning around, he asked curiously, "Momo, does your Quirk ever become unusable?"
Momo blinked, slightly startled. "Unusable? Yes, it does. You know my Quirk is Creation, right? I use my body fat to create objects. When my fat reserves run low, I can't use my Quirk at all."
She smiled innocently. "That's why I eat lots of sweets and high-calorie food. Even then, I'm not afraid of gaining weight!"
So that's how it is…
Masata fell into thought.
It seemed that using a Quirk always came with conditions. Momo's Quirk depended on body fat—so did that mean his own Quirk was linked to physical stamina?
"That must be it," Masata concluded silently. "A Quirk this powerful must require a strong body to support it."
If he had a body as powerful as All Might's, combined with the destructive force of magma…
He would be invincible.
Absolutely invincible.
…Right?
Lost in these unrealistic fantasies, Masata continued chatting with Momo. Once he felt his strength gradually returning, the two of them left the training grounds together and headed back to the mansion.
"Masata, stay for dinner tonight!" Momo said cheerfully. "I'll have the butler take you home afterward."
"Okay," Masata replied with a smile. "But I need to call my parents first."
He had no intention of refusing an invitation to spend more time with Momo.
That evening, Momo's parents also returned home and had dinner with the two children. During the meal, Masata and Momo were teased relentlessly by Momo's mother.
It seemed that teasing children was a universal hobby shared by middle-aged women everywhere.
Still, Momo's parents were gentle and kind people. Masata endured the teasing with a forced smile while thinking this to himself.
After returning home, Masata took a shower and collapsed onto his bed. He stared quietly at his hands.
"It still hurt a little during dinner… so why doesn't it hurt at all now?"
Testing his Quirk had drained a tremendous amount of energy that day. Too tired to think further, Masata quickly drifted off into a hazy sleep.