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“Oh, All Might. You’re not smiling anymore. A beautiful sight, truly. The world now sees you as I’ve always seen you. A weak, frail man who hides behind a fool’s grin. Sentimental spewing taught to you by your master. She claimed that the strongest are those who smile.” All Might watched as All For One let a wicked smile split his deformed face.
All Might stared up at him, eyes glazed over in despair. He looked on in hopelessness as All For One reared his monstrous arm back and dived toward him to deliver his death.
He closed his eyes and braced for the lethal impact. He heard the blow connect but he felt no pain. Had it been over so quickly? He opened his eyes and instead of finding a fist cratering in his chest he saw a red billowing cape adorned with a yellow colored ‘S’ crest.
A familiar head of green hair came into view. This savior before him was none other than Izuku Midoriya. A powerful young man who had come to him once he learned the truth of his waning strength.
When they met he was a small frail-looking boy who had a timid air around him. Despite this, All Might could see a burning strength in him. A hopeful glint in his eye that looked so familiar. Had he once possessed the same glint?
Izuku Midoriya, the boy who told him he had nothing to worry about. The boy, when asked what kind of hero he wanted to be, answered as easily as if he had made up his mind years ago.
A kind one.
Izuku Midoriya wanted to be a kind hero. A hero who could become a new symbol for people in need. A symbol of hope.
Here he was now, a boy who was growing into the symbol he wanted to be. He was taller now, broader in the shoulders. His hero outfit fit better now than it ever had before and the crest he wore helped ease All Might’s aching heart. He knew everything was going to be okay.
All For One struggled against the new interference. Standing between him and his target was an obnoxiously bright colored red and yellow crested ‘S’ slapped onto a blue suit with equally bright colored undergarments, boots, and cape. The entire ensemble reeked of classic aged hero looks and All For One felt his annoyance begin to grow.
He pulled his fist away from the new foe who looked completely unfazed. The foe’s face was youthful and freckled. He had green eyes and hair and was frowning at All For One in a disapproving way much like a parent scolding a child.
“Who the hell are you?!” All For One demanded to know. Who dared to interfere in his triumphant moment?
The boy relaxed his face as a slight grin spread across it. He floated up off the ground and reared a fist back as he gladly told the villain who he was.
“I’m Superman.”
All For One had no time to react before he was sent flying across Japan and tossed into what would be the greatest one-sided fight of his life.
The day's events would eventually become cemented in hero history. They would be talked about for months after the fact. It would be the focal point for the hopeful shift in the direction of heroics and would forever change the future of well, everything.
This day would be remembered as the day Superman revealed himself to the world.