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MHA:MPR CH1 - Atonement
🕑 Added 2024-12-28 21:11:26 +0000 UTCHolding the side of his neck, Shiro leaned back against the cold brick wall of the alley, one foot pressed against it to keep himself upright. His free hand fumbled in his pockets until it found the familiar crinkle of the cigarette box. Retrieving it, Shiro pulled out a single cigarette with shaky fingers, placing it between his lips. Another brief rummage yielded his lighter. With a flick, the flame danced, illuminating his blood-streaked face as he lit the cigarette.
Taking a long drag, Shiro exhaled slowly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. 'Refreshing as always... I always said the last thing I'd do before I die was have a smoke.'
His eyes shifted to his shoulder, where a growing patch of crimson stained his once-pristine white shirt. Blood trickled steadily, dripping from his neck and soaking into the fabric. The sight was grim, but Shiro couldn't muster much emotion.
'I was sloppy,' he thought, taking another puff. 'Those bastards managed to graze my carotid artery. A few centimeters to the right, and I'd have been dead before I hit the ground.'
His legs trembled beneath him, and he sank slowly to the dirty alley floor, his back sliding against the rough surface of the wall. He knew the ambulance wouldn't make it in time. The cold creeping through his limbs told him that much. Each breath came shallower.
'If I'm being honest, I never expected to die in some alley at seventeen. I guess that's just the life of a hitman.' The thought lingered bitterly as he brought the cigarette to his lips for another drag.
'I killed so many people... I told myself I wouldn't regret it, but here I am.' He sighed, the weight of his regrets pressing down harder than his impending death. 'It wasn't worth it. None of it. I can't even sleep at night anymore.'
Turning his head weakly, Shiro gazed towards the mouth of the alley. Somewhere deep down, a part of him wished someone would stumble upon him, call for help, and save him. But he knew that was a pipe dream.
"If I was ever given a second chance," he muttered, his voice barely audible, "I'd spend my life atoning for my sins."
As his strength faded, his vision blurred. The cigarette fell from his lips, rolling onto the ground beside him. Darkness began to creep in from the edges of his sight when suddenly—
[Would you like to restart?]
A voice echoed in his ears, clear and firm. His half-closed eyes snapped open to see a vivid blue screen hovering in the air before him. The text was stark white, contrasting sharply against the dark alley.
'Hallucinations,' Shiro thought, blinking slowly. He was dying; his mind must be playing tricks on him. 'This sort of thing only happens in manga.'
But the screen didn't waver.
[Would you like to restart?]
The voice repeated the question, and another screen appeared, identical to the first, overlapping it. Shiro groaned softly, raising a trembling hand to swat it away, but his hand passed through the projection as though it were a ghost.
"Damn thing..." he muttered, his voice cracking.
[Would you like to restart?]
A third screen joined the first two, layering atop one another.
'What a nuisance. Even in death, I can't rest.' Shiro's head lolled to the side. His thoughts grew more chaotic. 'Yes, I'd like to restart. Of course I would. But that kind of thing only happens in fiction, not real life. So give it a rest, will you?'
To his surprise, the screens blinked out of existence. For a moment, the alley returned to its oppressive silence. Relief flooded him, but then the world around him began to shift.
The shadows of the alley twisted and stretched until they consumed everything. Shiro's world plunged into pitch-black nothingness. Panic surged briefly, but before he could comprehend what was happening vibrant colors shot out from the darkness. The lights were blinding, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut.
When he dared open them again, the darkness and lights were gone, replaced by something unexpected.
Before him stood a sleek television on a polished stand. Shiro blinked at his reflection in the screen. Staring back at him was not his usual self but a young boy, no older than five. His wavy blue hair framed a small, pale face, and wide blue eyes stared back in disbelief.
Hesitantly, Shiro raised a hand and waved. The boy in the screen mirrored the motion perfectly.
"This... can't be real," he muttered, his voice light and high-pitched. His own words startled him. The reflection spoke too—exactly as he did.
Pinching himself hard on the arm, he winced at the sharp pain. It was real. All of it.
The realization struck him. "Reincarnation..." he whispered, the word tasting foreign on his tongue. "Then that system... it was the real deal."
His gaze darted around the unfamiliar room. The setting was plain but comfortable—a child's bedroom with toys scattered on the floor and colorful posters adorning the walls. 'People usually get reincarnated into a fantasy kingdom or something like that,' Shiro mused. 'Not this.'
He chuckled, the absurdity of his thoughts breaking through his initial shock. "A hitman talking about reincarnation and kingdoms... My boss would've said I'd finally lost it."
Turning back to the TV, Shiro noticed a remote on the stand. Picking it up, he pressed the power button, flipping through channels until he landed on a news station. A headline scrolled across the bottom of the screen: Breaking News: All Might has defeated yet another villain and saved many civilians!
Shiro's eyes widened. "All Might... Villains... Don't tell me—"
[Successfully reincarnated! World: My Hero Academia! Multiverse Power Roulette Unlocked!]
The blue screen reappeared, interrupting his spiraling thoughts.
"I don't believe this..." Shiro fell to his knees, overwhelmed. "I reincarnated... and into the world of My Hero Academia at that."
[Congratulations, you have been awarded a free rare spin! Would you like to use it?]
The system's voice was calm, almost encouraging. Shiro tilted his head. "Rare spin? For what? What am I spinning for?"
[You are spinning for a power from the multiverse. Once the spin is complete, you will successfully attain a new power.]
"Like a cheat?" Shiro muttered, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "That's even better than a quirk. Wait—do I even have a quirk?"
[You are quirkless. Would you like to spin?]
'Quirkless, huh… I suppose that's fine as long as I have cheats. That way I can live my life doing as I-' Shiro's grin faded as he clenched his fists. He gazed down at his small hands, now trembling slightly. 'No. I was a killer in my last life. But this time... This time, I won't waste my chance. I'll atone, no matter what it takes. I was given this power to save others, not to just use for myself. This time, instead of a killer, I'll be a hero...'
Shiro's resolve hardened as he lifted his chin, determination etched into his expression. Locking eyes with the screen, he declared firmly, "Yes. I'd like to spin."
