Do You Believe in Gravity?
"Do you believe in gravity?"
About ten minutes after the incident at the underpass, the police were conducting their post-incident investigation. Right now, Midoriya and I were getting checked by the paramedics for injuries and our condition.
"First off, Midoriya, you don't have any external injuries overall. But since that villain tried to get inside you, there could be organ damage, so make sure you go to the hospital for a full checkup, okay?"
"..."
"And Sakatsuki, if your back had twisted any more, you could've ended up paralyzed from the waist down. You should head to a major hospital, get an X-ray, and check your spine. Got it?"
"..."
"Kids? Are you listening to me?"
We weren't listening. The paramedic had just said something serious to me, but it didn't really register. Midoriya's and my eyes were fixed solely on that man talking to the police officers.
"Wow— as expected of All Might! We were in a bind this morning with no heroes responding to the incident, but you took down the villain so quickly. Thank you!"
"Hahaha! No, no! Those boys lured the villain right to me, so I could handle it easily!"
Massive back muscles, a broad lat spread, thick forearms—even from the back, I knew. I'd memorized his appearance from TV. The No. 1 Hero drawing attention not just in Japan but worldwide, All Might, was standing right in front of us.
"Mitchan, that's the real deal, right? The guy we're seeing right now is really All Might?! Whoaaa... seeing him in person is a whole different vibe!!!"
Midoriya was talking to me in total excitement. Well, not really talking to me—he wasn't even looking my way, just freaking out on his own, unable to contain himself. He looked like he might die of happiness just from seeing All Might live. The guy's been an All Might otaku since we were kids; it'd be weirder if he didn't react like this.
But even I, who isn't that close to Midoriya, almost joined in the hype. Honestly, I wanted to go off with him about All Might right now. Like, 'Did you see that?! All Might's Texas Smash blowing up! He burst that slime villain just with the shockwave! And we saw it live!!!' Or some weird crap like, 'Midoriya, see that?! The V-shaped hair that always looks like he's smiling! Whoa... I'm losing my mind! I wanna touch it! Think he'd let me if I asked?!' I'm a true All Might fan too, after all.
"Well then, officers, I'll go check on those boys, so take good care of this villain. Since its whole body is liquid, I've sealed it in a PET bottle—don't open it by mistake!"
"Thank you for your hard work as always! Take care!"
With his chat with the police done, All Might approached us.
"Boys, you okay?"
"Y-Yes! No problems here!"
"Glad you're safe! Sorry for dragging you into villain business! I don't usually miss stuff like this, but it was my day off, and I got too excited in an unfamiliar neighborhood? Ahahaha—!!!"
...It was surreal. All Might, from a world so far removed from mine, was right here up close. It felt like a fantasy had jumped straight into reality. Of course, I'd never thought All Might couldn't shatter reality itself. But I hadn't realized that even my reality would shift just from him being next to me.
He was the man who always turned the impossible possible. Even when anxiety and chaos crashed into the world, All Might smashed through reality with his beaming smile. Just minutes ago, he'd saved me from near death. And now, he was looking at me. So I had to ask. This chance wouldn't come twice. I believed he could smash even the reality denying my dream.
"All—"
"All Might! If it's okay, could I get an autograph?!"
...Midoriya's loud voice drowned me out.
"An autograph? Of course! But where should I sign?"
"Just a sec! My notebook's in my bag... Huh? Where's my notebook? I swear I put it in here?!"
Midoriya rummaged frantically through his bag, but the notebook was gone. Serves him right.
"Is that so... Sorry, kid, but I gotta head out soon. Next time we meet, I'll definitely sign it!"
"W-Wait! You're leaving already?"
"Pros are always fighting against villains and time!"
All Might turned away. He was really about to go. But he couldn't leave yet. I still had something to ask him.
"Then in the future—"
"Wait! All Might!!! I still have something to say—"
BOOM—!
"Ugh!?"
The moment All Might leaped, a massive shockwave and gale hit. Cherry blossoms and dust swirled, blocking our view, but as the wind died down, things cleared. But he was already soaring stylishly into the sky, away from me. All that remained was the echo he'd left behind.
"I leave my fans in your hands⸻!!!"
...I never got to ask.
The area fell quiet again, and everything that happened felt like a dream. Once more, only harsh reality was left. All I had now was Midoriya, moping over the missed autograph—
"?"
Huh? Midoriya was gone. He was right next to me a second ago. Where'd he go?
"Whooooaaa⸻?!"
...That scream was Midoriya's. But why did it sound like it was coming from the sky? With a bad feeling, I looked up toward where All Might had flown. I could still faintly see All Might. And clinging to his leg, flying with him—Midoriya?!
"You crazy bastard!!! Where the hell—?!!"
A curse slipped out loud before I knew it. No, anyone would curse in this absurd situation. I got that he loved All Might—we're both fans—but grabbing his pant leg mid-flight was beyond insane. Midoriya, who was always such a wimp, had no reason to go that far—
'I wanted to ask Sakatsuki. If even someone like me could be a hero.'
...Yeah, there was a reason.
"Hey, kid!"
"?"
A police officer approached me.
"Hm? Wasn't there another friend with you?"
"Ah— Midoriya flew off with All Might."
"What? Flew off with All Might?"
"Specifically, Midoriya grabbed one of All Might's legs as he was about to take off, and then All Might jumped. So Midoriya's flying with him now."
"..."
It must've shocked him pretty bad— the officer's face twisted.
"I-I see. Well, All Might will get him down safely, so no worries there— but this is a bit of a problem."
"Problem?"
"You're both minors, and this was a villain incident, so legally we have to notify your parents."
Thump—
"We'll look up Midoriya's address and inform them ourselves, so don't worry about your friend. You're Sakatsuki Michito, right? If it's okay, could you give us your parents' contact info?"
"Um— do you have to call my parents?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
Silence fell. The officer stared at me curiously, waiting for an answer. But I didn't open my mouth. Sensing my intent, he wrote something on a paper and handed it to me. It had the police station's address.
"If it's hard to talk about, come to the station tomorrow with your parents. It's just filling out a simple statement—no big deal. I wrote the address here, so make sure you come. Okay? Skipping will just complicate things."
"..."
I nodded silently and took the paper. Then I turned and left without another word.
About fifteen minutes later? The underpass, chaotic earlier, was now eerily quiet. Another thirty minutes past that, and I'd be home. The thought made my steps even heavier.
"?"
A notebook lay on the ground inside the underpass. I picked it up—Hero Analysis for the Future. Midoriya's notebook. Come to think of it, he'd said he lost it earlier. Must've dropped it during the villain attack.
"..."
Not sure what curiosity struck me, but I flipped it open. It was packed with detailed notes on heroes' traits, Quirks, ultimate moves, and behavior patterns. This wasn't just a hobby. It was the earnest effort of someone dead set on becoming a hero. A quirkless guy like Midoriya was thrashing against reality for his hero dream. Meanwhile, me—
"You're feeling anxious."
"!?"
A voice came from behind me. Goosebumps prickled my skin. Short words, but they carried an eerie echo like All Might's. Yet distinctly different... chilling, cold intimidation.
I whipped around fast, bracing for an attack. But the mysterious man didn't lunge or move. He just stared straight into my eyes, silent. The underpass shadows hid his face clearly, but his outfit was so unique it left a strong impression. Black priest robes like a church father, hair shaved but styled, dark skin. At a glance, like a black priest from abroad. But his eyes weren't ordinary. That confident gaze, like he knew everything about me, sent chills down my spine.
But what he said next plunged me into terror.
"...Sakatsuki Michito, 15, Orudera Middle School. Three-person family with mother and father. Aspiring for U.A. High School, but 'quirkless' means no hope."
I'd never seen this guy before. Atheist—never set foot in a church. His style was too distinctive to forget from a street encounter. But I'd never met him. No clue who he was or what he wanted. A total stranger. Yet he recited my personal details. I didn't know him, but he knew me inside out.
"W-Who the hell are you? How do you know all that about me?!"
"...Does reciting personal info mean I know you well?"
"What?"
"Indeed. I suppose I'd have to say this to prove I know you. You're running away right now, aren't you? From that 'reality' denying your dream."
——For a split second, my mind went blank. Not that I didn't understand. Reality. The word I loathed and hated—I'd thought it a thousand times in my head, but never spoken it aloud. Yet he said it casually, like he'd read my mind.
"Who... are you?"
"Me? You don't know me? Even though I've come before you myself, you fail to recognize me?"
"Cut the crap! Who the hell are you?!?"
"...Impatient one. It's natural to be wary. We just met, after all. I'm merely drawn here by fate."
"Fate?"
"Your arrival here, the villain attack, our meeting now—all have meaning. I call it fate. And I am but a priest from abroad, traveling along that fate."
"...A foreign priest comes all the way to Japan just to find me? What's the purpose?"
"I said it moments ago. Merely following fate on my journey. Meetings are but attraction by gravity, no?"
"Gravity? You've been spouting nonsense—get lost before I call the cops or a hero—"
"Do you not wish to shatter reality?"
Stop—
My retreating foot halted.
"Do you not wish to change the fate you're trapped in now?"
I didn't know why I'd stopped.
"Quirkless as you are, do you not wish to enter U.A. High School?"
But I was staring straight at the priest's face.
"Do you not wish to make your dream reality?"
The mysterious priest stared back at me just as intently. That exchanged gaze somehow inspired trust, even from this crazy cultist. An inexplicable silence flowed between us.
The priest broke it first. He extended his hand to me. His palm was smooth and clean. But more eye-catching was what lay upon it—a golden arrowhead.
Then the priest uttered more incomprehensible words.
"Do you believe in gravity?"