The morning sun hadn't even peeked over the city skyline, but Tokyo was already humming with life. Trains rumbled, horns blared, and the endless chatter of morning news echoed from windows as millions prepared to face another day.
In a quiet neighborhood on the edge of the city, however, the calm was shattered by a sharp, guttural yell.
"KATSUKI! WAKE YOUR ASS UP, NOW!"
The shout cut through the silence like a blade. In a cluttered bedroom upstairs, an ashy-blonde teenager bolted upright in bed, hair a chaotic mess of spikes. His crimson eyes narrowed in irritation as he kicked off his blanket.
"I'M ALREADY UP, YOU OLD HAG!" he roared back.
A second later, her voice came again, even louder.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING TO LIKE THAT, HUH? YOU NEED TO LEARN SOME GODDAMN RESPECT!"
Katsuki Bakugo growled under his breath, the words lingering like smoke in his throat. He swung his legs out of bed and stomped toward his dresser. "Tch. Every morning with this crap."
He quickly dressed in his outfit for the day. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and stomped downstairs.
His parents were already at the kitchen table. Mitsuki, his sharp-tongued mother, scrolled through her phone while sipping coffee. Masaru, his quieter father, flipped through the morning paper with his usual blank expression. They barely looked up as Katsuki plopped into a chair and poured himself a bowl of cereal.
The TV in the corner of the kitchen buzzed with breaking news.
"Authorities continue to investigate the aftermath of yesterday's devastating incident at Rainbow Bridge. Officials believe the attack was caused by a mutant, though no suspects have been identified. This marks the fifth such incident this month…"
"Wow," Mitsuki muttered, not looking away from her phone. "Whoever that mutant was… they've got some serious power."
Katsuki didn't respond immediately. He just stared at the screen, spoon halfway to his mouth. The bridge on TV was a wreck. There was twisted metal, collapsed supports, vehicles scattered like toys. Something about it sparked something deep in his chest. Not fear. Not even awe.
Desire.
"Strong, huh…" he muttered, lowering his spoon. "I'll be stronger. Stronger than any of 'em. Mutant or not."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn trading card. It was old and the edges frayed, colors faded from years of handling. But the image was still clear. Captain America, standing tall and proud with his shield raised high. Katsuki's fingers brushed the surface gently, almost reverently.
"I'm gonna be the greatest hero just like you," he thought. "They'll respect us. They'll respect mutants. Because I'll make them."
He shoved the card back into his pocket and stood abruptly, chair screeching against the floor.
"Old man. Old hag. I'm heading to school. Don't wait up because I'll be back late."
Before they could respond, the front door slammed shut.
The day passed slowly, as school days often do when you feel like you're meant for more. Katsuki sat through each class, tapping his fingers against his desk, barely listening. He was never the type to care about grades or rules. He had one goal, one mission and school was just something he had to tolerate until he could go back to chasing it.
As the final bell rang, he was already out the door. He didn't head toward the train station like everyone else. Instead, he took a different path. One that led to the city's outskirts, to the edge of the forest.
By the time he reached the woods, the sun had begun to dip toward the horizon. The trees stretched high above, blocking out the last rays of light. Katsuki dropped his bag beneath a tree and stripped off his shirt. The evening air was crisp, but his skin was already starting to warm.
He took a deep breath and held out his palm.
Boom.
A small explosion burst from his hand, lighting up the forest in a flash of orange and gold. The shockwave rustled the leaves and sent birds fleeing from their nests.
He grinned.
"It's been three months," he said to no one. "Three months since this power showed up."
He crouched low, then leapt into the air. His hands blasted backward, the explosion propelling him forward like a missile. He landed hard, knees bent, palms down and BOOM. Another explosion rippled beneath him, launching him upward again.
He shot through the forest, bouncing off tree trunks, skimming treetops, blasting holes in the ground where he landed. Each time, the force was stronger. His control was better. His smile was wider.
Finally, he skidded to a stop, standing in the center of a smoking crater, chest rising and falling.
"Getting stronger," he muttered, his voice low with satisfaction. "I'll show them. I'll show the world."
But Katsuki didn't realize that someone was already watching. Two very different forces had taken notice of the boy in the woods. The boy with the explosions, the raw power, the untapped potential.
And each of them wanted him for their own.
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters – Westchester, New York
Charles Xavier sat quietly in his office, fingertips steepled beneath his chin. His eyes were closed, but his mind was open, far open, spanning continents, seeking out the flare of new mutants around the globe.
Suddenly, he flinched.
A shockwave of raw power slammed into his consciousness like a tidal wave. He gasped, eyes snapping open.
"An omega-level signal," he whispered, voice tight with awe. "But young… unstable…"
He pressed two fingers to his temple and reached out telepathically. "Hank, meet me at Cerebro. Now."
Within minutes, Charles stood at the core of Cerebro, the massive spherical chamber glowing with psychic energy. He lowered the helmet onto his head, and the world around him vanished.
He reached across oceans and skies until he saw it in Tokyo and in the center of the forest near the city, he saw the boy. Explosions radiated from him like miniature suns.
"He doesn't know what he is yet," Charles said softly. "But the power… it's extraordinary."
Genosha – Island Fortress of Magneto
Mystique strode through the grand hallways of Magneto's throne room, her boots echoing on polished stone. She moved with the grace of a predator, but there was urgency in her stride.
She entered the main chamber and bowed before the man seated on the high throne, cloaked in metal and power.
"Magneto," she said, voice sharp, "we've found a new omega-level mutant. Young. Male. Tokyo, Japan."
Magneto leaned forward, eyes narrowing.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. Cerebro confirmed it only moments ago."
Magneto rose from his throne, a low hum of magnetic energy surrounding him.
"Then we cannot afford to waste time. Gather Sabretooth. Bring Pietro and Wanda and Multiple man. You, too, Mystique. I want that boy brought here. Alive."
Mystique bowed again, then turned and left without a word.
Back in Tokyo, Katsuki stood at the edge of the crater he had created, chest heaving with adrenaline and pride. The sky had grown darker, the stars beginning to pierce through the twilight.
He looked up and smirked. "One day," he whispered, "they're gonna write legends about me."
But even as he spoke, eyes were already turning toward him. Wheels were being set into motion.
Two paths lay before Katsuki Bakugo. There was one forged by hope and unity, the other by rebellion and domination.
And both sides wanted him.