The screen flickered.
Crackling flames danced across it, blue, orange, violet. Animated destruction wrapped in clean lines and dramatic sound effects.
"Man… Fire Force really doesn't miss," the boy muttered, eyes glued to the screen.
He was sprawled on his bed, half-empty cup of instant noodles on the desk, the faint hum of his laptop filling the cramped apartment. Outside, the city slept. Inside, Shinra Kusakabe was kicking flames into the sky, defying gravity like it was an optional suggestion.
The boy smiled.
Funny how something so destructive could look so… beautiful.
That was when he smelled it.
Smoke.
At first, he thought it was just part of the episode, his brain slow to switch gears. By the time he realized it was too late.
Then his eyes stung. His throat burned.
The lights flickered.
"What the—?"
The fire alarm screamed.
He jumped up, heart slamming against his ribs. Thick black smoke was already crawling along the ceiling like a living thing. Somewhere beyond his door, something exploded.
Panic set in.
He rushed to the door. Hot, too hot. The handle blistered his palm the moment he touched it.
"Shit—!"
The windows were worse. Flames licked up the sides of the building, cutting off any escape. Heat pressed in from every direction, merciless, suffocating.
His lungs screamed for air.
He stumbled back, coughing violently, vision blurring. The anime was still playing behind him—Shinra shouting something heroic, flames roaring.
So this is it? They say death by fire is one of the worst way to go. I'm not even a proper adult yet.
The thought came strangely calm.
Dying to fire… while watching Fire Force. That's almost funny.
The smoke swallowed everything.
Then came screams.
Later silence and crackling flames.
_________________
He opened his eyes, there was no more pain, no heat, not even a body to begin with.
He floated in a vast white expanse, endless and empty, like the space between thoughts. His mind felt… clear.
"Well," a voice said cheerfully, "that was unfortunate."
The boy spun or tried to. There was no up, no down. Just presence.
In front of him stood a figure.
Or rather, a concept pretending to be one.
A humanoid silhouette made of shifting light and shadow, its form constantly changing. Young, old, male, female, all and none at once. Eyes like distant stars regarded him with mild curiosity.
"Who…?" the boy tried to speak. His voice echoed without sound.
"Call me ROB," the being said easily. "Random Omnipotent Being. I have other names also but this one will work."
"…Am I dead?"
"Oh, very much so," ROB replied. " Apartment fire? Fast smoke inhalation? Third degree burns?
You had a very short life and statistically a tragic death."
The boy let that sink in.
"... Now what?"
ROB tilted its head. "You were a fan of stories. Other worlds, other lives. Power beyond the ordinary, something supernatural."
"…Yeah. After my parents got divorce and I had to live alone, this is how I was coping "
"Then I'll get to the point." ROB snapped its fingers.
The white space rippled.
"I'm reincarnating you."
The boy's heart skipped. "What? Really?"
"Another world," ROB continued. "A better chance. Compensation for your early death."
His thoughts raced. "Where I will be reincarnating? Can I get any powers? "
ROB smiled.
"A world where nearly everyone is born with power," ROB said. "They call it a quirk."
The boy frowned. "So… My hero academia?"
"In a sense."
Something felt off. This guy still haven't told everything.
"And ?"
ROB's smile dropped a little.
"You will forget everything about that world."
"Names. History. Heroes. Villains. Even the story itself," ROB said. "You will not know who matters or what is coming."
The boy stiffened. "Then what's the point? Please don't make things difficult for me. I really want to live this second live fully."
"That's why I'm doing this, I have reincarnated few people, giving them the plot knowledge, they treated everything like a script, a game. But you see, I am fond of you. I'm making sure you will live honestly," ROB replied. "No treating lives like checklists. No future knowledge to lean on."
"You are going to keep your old life," ROB said again. "Your memories, your identity, your experiences, earth, all of it."
"Then can you give me a powerful quirk? " The boy asked, hopeful.
ROB snapped its fingers.
Flame burst into existence, but it didn't burn randomly. It responded.
"Ignition Ability. Arthur Boyle's. You generate and shape plasma through sheer belief."
The boy showed a shocked expression.
The flame vanished, replaced by thick black smoke pressing down on his senses.
"Black Smoke. Kurono's power. Fear made physical."
Then came a pressure, it was suffocating.
"Voltage Nova. Leonard Burns' destructive output. All of them into a single quirk"
The void trembled.
The boy was very happy, if he had eyes he would probably be crying right now.
"Thank you really. I mean it. "
'There was no arrogance in him, no demand for greater power, no greed. He wasn't a degenerate seeking wish fulfillment. He was simply grateful, happy to be given the chance to live once again. He knew this rebirth, and the power that came with it, was not a right to be claimed, but a privilege to be cherished.May you live a life truly fulfilled, young soul. I shall grant you a modest measure of talent, here and there.' The ROB thought as he looked at the smiling boy.
"Are you ready? I hope I don't have to explain your powers. Just so you know if someone copies your quirk, they are only going to only get plasma generation and black smoke. No one can take Voltage Nova, think this is a gift from me. "
"…Thank you, I am ready now. "
"You sure are. Now go. "
___________________________
Pain exploded.
Air tore into burning lungs as a high-pitched cry escaped his throat—his new throat.
Light stabbed his eyes. Voices echoed around him, distant and distorted.
"It's a boy!"
"He's crying—he's healthy!"
"Look at his hair—"
This is how Kasumi Ren was born into the "My Hero Academia ."