Chapitre 33: Do You Want To Be A Hero? (14) | The Meaning of A Hero
"What is a hero?" the young man, Izuku, asked the frail-form hero, All Might.
The hero blinked for a moment, seemingly confused by the young man's rather simplistic question.
"What is... a hero?" he echoed, trying to confirm if he had heard him correctly.
"Yes..." Izuku affirmed, his eyes locked onto All Might's.
All Might began to ponder what seemed like a simple question... but was laden with deeper meaning.
"You're not talking about the definition of the word 'hero,' right?" All Might asked, raising an eyebrow.
The frail hero wanted to ensure there was no misunderstanding, especially given how adamant this young man had been to ask him a question... as the young man, from All Might's point of view, had previously risked his life for it.
Izuku had even uncovered the truth about All Might's actual health condition to boot. It would be quite a disappointment if, after all that, this brave and almost reckless young man just wanted to ask something he could have easily found in a dictionary.
"Of course not. I'm not asking about semantics," Izuku retorted, his voice firm in response to All Might's cautious inquiry. "I know the definition of 'hero.' It's common knowledge at this point, with heroes and villains being a dime a dozen in this day and age."
Hearing the young man's response, All Might couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
"Well, you're not wrong about that," he commented with a melancholic smile. His chuckle stopped as he looked at the nonchalant young man with a more serious expression. "So... you're asking WHAT I think of a hero... is that it?"
Izuku nodded, confirming it. All Might then wore a thoughtful expression as he considered the young man's seemingly philosophical question.
"Sorry if I'm asking you again, but..." All Might hesitated before answering, "... is there any particular reason why you want to know that exactly?"
The frail hero couldn't help but give the young man a suspicious look. Answering the question itself would be easy for him, but...
He found the green-haired high school boy in front of him to be quite... odd.
The question that the young man had thrown at him was simple and seemed genuine... but the No. 1's gut feeling told him there was something about this young man that felt out of place, as if there were another intention behind his question.
And his gut feeling was usually on point.
Izuku himself actually paused at the hero's interrogative question, contemplating it.
"A friend of mine... that I have a very complex relationship with... she and I had... a fight about the topic of heroism," Izuku revealed, his voice thoughtful.
"Is that so?" All Might asked sympathetically, showing a bit of understanding upon hearing the young man's reasoning. He too knew about such conflicts between friends and those close to you.
"Yes, sir," Izuku confirmed, continuing, "and she said something to me... that made me question the idea behind heroism and what it truly means."
Hearing this further explanation made All Might reconsider his impression of the young man. He had found him a bit suspicious from the way he had been acting, but...
The hero believed that the young man's question was truly genuine—as if he was truly contemplating the meaning of a 'hero.'
"All right... I'll tell you about the meaning of a hero." All Might finally agreed to the young man's question, which brought a small smile to Izuku's face.
After dragging it a bit too long due to his suspicion toward the green-haired young man, the hero was finally convinced to answer. Although some semblance of doubt still lingered within him, he chose to set it aside for the moment.
All Might looked deeply into Izuku's eyes. Even in his current frail, shriveled form, the weight of his experience was evident in his gaze toward the young man.
"A hero," he began, his voice carrying the conviction of someone who had lived through countless battles, "is someone who saves the innocent and those who need help, no matter the cost. It's not about recognition, rewards, or even the gratitude of those you save... It's about doing what's right... simply because it is right."
He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing with a softer tone.
"True heroism is selfless," the hero continued, his gaze locking with the young man's, "it is standing up when no one else will... risking everything, even if there's nothing in it for you. Because in the end... a hero is defined not by their power, but by their heart."
When All Might finally answered Izuku's question, silence ensued between them.
The frail hero watched closely as the expression on the green-haired young man's face shifted ever so slightly.
The young man... was carefully contemplating the hero's words.
His initial intention toward All Might might have been for something else at first, but hearing the hero's answer... seemed to have made him fall into deep thought.
"Is my answer what you were looking for, young man?" All Might asked, noting the pensive and contemplative expression on Izuku's face.
Izuku remained silent, still deep in thought over the hero's answer. His eyes lowered... no longer meeting the hero's steady gaze.
"I don't know, honestly..." Izuku finally replied, his voice filled with uncertainty. It wasn't a statement of defiance, but... it was one of deep internal conflict.
All Might observed the young man before him, noticing the subtle shift in his demeanor. It wasn't the answer he had expected, but it told him more than words ever could.
"You're not really questioning what it means to be a hero, are you?" All Might said, his voice gentle yet probing. "It seems to me that you're questioning... yourself."
All Might's words seemed spot on as Izuku flinched just a bit, a reaction that the hero, even in his husk-like, shriveled state, managed to catch.
All Might took a slow breath, his gaze softening as he continued. "You know, thinking this deeply about heroism... it usually means one thing..." He paused again, letting his words sink in for the young man.
"It's because you want to be a hero yourself, isn't it?"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone