Denji returned home after that day, and life went on as usual. About two days had passed.
That day, he left to let Midoriya and All Might talk privately. Denji felt that All Might wanted to speak with Midoriya alone...
Denji didn't mind much. After all, whatever it was, he believed it couldn't be anything bad.
Before heading home that day, All Might also talked to him about a few things.
He was home now. It was early, and there was no school today.
On days like this, Denji usually liked to relax at home, and when he felt like it, he would train by doing push-ups.
Well, he usually did that when no one was around.
He was in his living room, more precisely sitting on the sofa, relaxing.
When suddenly a malicious figure appeared right behind him.
Denji felt a murderous intent coming from behind and turned around.
Damn, a sneak attack... I don't have time to dodge..., thought Denji.
A direct blow, heading straight for his head...
It hit him squarely. Luckily, it was just a pillow.
"Ow, ow, oww, HANA, you maniac! Are you trying to kill me? I almost died..." said Denji... angrily.
"Don't exaggerate, Denji-kun. I'm sure it didn't even hurt that much. But that's what you deserve..." said Hana with a displeased look.
"I know... but... what do you mean 'what I deserve'?"
Besides, what has she been eating? These thin little arms have a lot of strength, huh? Her quirk has nothing to do with strength, as far as I remember...
"Hana... are you a gorilla...?" Denji murmured quietly, but she heard him.
"What did you say, Denji?! Is that how you talk to a GIRL?!"
Damn, I made her even angrier... She was already mad about something...
Hana raised her deadly weapon again and was ready to deliver another fatal blow when she stopped as negotiations began.
"Wait, wait... I'll do whatever you want... But don't hit me again, okay?"
Hana stopped and lowered her weapon.
"Go on... I'm listening..."
"I'll buy you whatever you want with my allowance money..." Denji murmured, a little sadly.
My precious allowance, my hard-earned little money... well, my mom gave it to me, but STILL..., thought Denji.
Hana, who had a serious, battle-ready expression, suddenly changed.
"Okay, okay. I guess I can accept that... I want sweets... How much do you have?" asked Hana.
Denji heard her, got up, went to his room, and came back with a little jar where he kept his money.
And he handed it to her...
"Wow, that's so little... But it'll do..." Hana murmured.
Denji clicked his tongue.
Damn this girl... Takes my money and still complains... How can she be... so... me?
"But I'll be nice and bring some sweets for you too, if you apologize for what you did," she said.
"Apologize for what?"
Denji looked at her as if he didn't understand anything...
"You... forgot, didn't you? You're the worst, you know? You remember... You promised to go buy a new phone with me and didn't show up..."
"Oh... That's right. That day, I forgot."
Denji turned to her seriously and said:
"Hana, I'm sorry. I am the worst..."
Hihihi, after that apology, I'm sure she'll feel bad and forgive me...
"It was a good apology, but I don't accept it. However, if you get on your knees and beg like a dog, I'll forgive you."
"Like a dog?.."
This girl... Denji lost his cool.
"Look here... Hana, if you want war, then we'll have war! May the strongest win!" said Denji, grabbing another pillow.
Before a war could break out, someone arrived, spoke, and stopped them.
"Hi, Hana! Long time no see... You've grown up and gotten prettier too... I'm sure you must be getting the boys' attention," said Denji's mom.
Only if they're blind, thought Denji.
Hana, who was nearby, felt Denji thinking something bad and pinched him.
"Ow... Why'd you do that..?"
"You were thinking something bad, I know it..." Hana replied.
"Ignoring this idiot, thank you very much, Mrs. Maho," Hana replied with a calmness Denji wasn't used to.
"Denji, isn't it true? Hana has gotten very pretty, hasn't she?" his mom said with a little laugh.
Denji just turned his face away as if to say:
I don't think so...
But it was true. She had grown up and become quite cute. Purple hair, not too long, and her bangs covered one of her eyes most of the time.
"Just a little bit..." Denji murmured quietly.
"What did you say, Denji? I didn't hear you," his mom said with a little laugh.
Hana, who heard him, got a little shy, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Denji, you idiot.
"Denji, let's watch something..." said Hana.
Denji agreed. That was pretty much what he was already doing anyway.
During that time, his mom stayed home, tidying up the house, while Hana and I watched some movies. Most of them were about superheroes. Denji didn't like them much, but there wasn't much else to watch.
But at some point, someone rang the doorbell.
"Who could it be? Is it Dad?" Denji wondered.
Hana, who was next to him on the sofa, didn't seem too keen on getting up to answer it...
"Denji, get the door! I'm busy..." his mom said.
Fine. It always falls on me...
Denji got up and went to the door...
Arriving there, he found a skeleton, a corpse perhaps?
Joking aside, it was All Might in that skinny form.
It was really strange to see him like that. Denji didn't expect to run into All Might again so soon...
And how did he even find my house...
"Young man, can we talk...?" asked All Might.
"Of course, All Mig-- I mean, yes... of course."
All Might saw that and thought:
Damn this kid... Does he want to ruin my reputation or...?
"Mom, I'm going out... Bye, Hana..." Denji yelled.
"Who was it?" yelled Denji's mom from the kitchen.
"NO ONE!" Denji yelled back.
All Might heard the word "no one" and felt a little bad...
After leaving, Denji accompanied All Might to a place where they could talk, not too far from home.
"How can I help you, All Might? I mean, there's no one here, so can I call you that? Or should I use another name?"
"My real name is Toshinori Yagi, young man..." replied All Might.
A pretty common name, huh... I thought he'd have a more, how do you say it? Different name, maybe.
"I see. So, Toshinori-san? Is that okay?"
"Of course, young man. But what about you... what's your name?"
"Denji. Denji Saito. But just Denji is fine, All Might."
"I see... Alright then. I'll be direct with you, young man... You discovered my secret, and I can't ignore the fact that you also have the potential to be a hero. That day, it wasn't just young Midoriya who risked his life and proved himself a hero. You were also ready to risk your life, weren't you?" said All Might.
That's true... but I don't know if I would have done it or cared so much if it weren't for people I already knew...
"Yes, All Might..." Denji replied.
"HAHAHA, I knew it! But it really is as young Midoriya said. You really are a very special person, young Denji."
Denji heard that and felt a little shy.
"Midoriya... did he tell you where I live, by any chance? What have you two been talking about, huh? That lucky Midoriya... You two seem to be getting along well," said Denji.
"Haha, that's true. But let me tell you why I'm here, young Denji..."
Denji gulped.
"Train and enter U.A. In ten months, the entrance exam will be held, and I want you to be there. So, what do you think?"
Train and take the U.A. exam? Well, I was kinda already planning to do that...
"All Might, no offense, but I was kinda already going to do that..."
"HAHAHA, I know. From the little I know and what Midoriya told me about you, I already figured. But I don't think you understood. The one who will train you WILL BE ME."
Will be me? No way... Really? Hihihi, let's see, seems like I'm in luck. All Might is a legend... I should accept... and become stronger.
"I ACCEPT! TRAIN ME, ALL MZP-SEN--" Before Denji could continue shouting those words, All Might covered his mouth, preventing him from speaking correctly.
"Young Denji, keep your voice down...."
"Sorry, sensei. It won't happen again..." Denji said that, but he was sure he'd forget at some point...
"Now, let me tell you a few things about your training... You're not the only one I'm training... But this, young Denji, is a secret and you must not tell anyone, understand?"
"My lips are sealed, sensei..." Denji replied.
"Great. I'm training Midoriya. You will train with him. Until the day of the U.A. exam, you two will train together."
I see... So that's why they're getting along so well. All Might saw potential in Midoriya... But he doesn't have a quirk, so how will he get into U.A.? Never mind, it would be rude to ask... Besides, he's All Might; he must have a way, right?
"I understand, sensei. I won't let you down. I will train and become stronger...."
All Might, analyzing Denji, thought:
What's with this kid? Why all this respect all of a sudden? Is it just because I accepted him as a student that he respects me more now? Doesn't matter. All Might likes this attitude.
"RIGHT, RIGHT, THAT'S THE SPIRIT! I LIKE THAT ATTITUDE, YOUNG DENJI! NOW TELL ME, WHAT IS YOUR QUIRK? MIDORIYA TOLD ME YOU HAVE ONE BUT NEVER SHOWED IT... DON'T BE SHY, SHOW ME SO I CAN GUIDE YOU!"
My quirk?
Don't touch my weak point, All Might, thought Denji.
"My quirk?"
"THAT'S RIGHT!"
"My quirk, huh?"
"YES, THAT'S RIGHT!"
"Mine?"
"YES, YOUNG MAN, HURRY UP WITH IT!"
"OKAY, OKAY, OKAY!"
What's wrong with this kid, huh? Is his quirk very strange, or is it very weak? Because if so, depending on what it is, I might have to hurt young Denji's feelings... If it is, I'll have to ask him to give up right now... thought All Might.
"So... I can make chainsaws come out of my body..."
Chainsaws come out of the body... I think I heard wrong.
"I didn't understand, young man..."
"Chainsaws. They come out of my arms, and one also comes out of my head. I think I can make one come out of my leg too, but I've never tried..."
I think I didn't understand again...
All Might gulped and asked again:
"How?"
"CHAINSAWS COME OUT FROM INSIDE MY BODY, CUTTING EVERYTHING AND SPINNING WHEN I WANT! ON TOP OF THAT, I'M MUCH STRONGER THAN A NORMAL HUMAN! GOT IT NOW, ALL MIGHT? I KNOW MY QUIRK IS WEIRD, OKAY, BUT DON'T MAKE ME REMEMBER THAT!" said Denji angrily.
I see... Chainsaws that come out from inside the body.
But WHAT KIND OF STRANGE QUIRK IS THAT?! That's the most bizarre thing he's ever heard. And he's seen many bizarre quirks, but this was something way beyond anything before. If there were a ranking, this would be the weirdest quirk of all.
Still in disbelief, he asked again, hopefully:
"Young Denji, is this some kind of joke..?"
Denji and All Might were in a sort of cafe.
After being asked that, Denji couldn't take it. Reality hit hard. He rested his head on the table and reflected.
I know my quirk is weird, okay? I've always known. But now being judged even by you, All Might... I don't know if I can take it... What's this in my eyes? Are they tears? The truth is, I'm crying....
Seeing this, All Might finally understood. This was not a joke.
After spending some time reflecting on how hard and unfair life was, Denji, who was feeling somewhat dejected, decided to lift his spirits.
I can't be weak in front of All Might... Sensei wouldn't be proud...
When Denji lifted his head, the first thing he saw was All Might looking at him.
The expression on his face was one of disgust...
Don't look at me like that, damn it! What kind of face is that...
Denji suffered another critical hit and once again rested his head on the cold, dirty table of the cafe.
Noticing this, All Might spoke.
"YOUNG DENJI, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! LET ME EXPLAIN..."