The sun had barely crept over the horizon, casting a warm, amber hue over the city as Akio Togata sat quietly in his small garden. The early morning breeze played with the tendrils of his gravity-defying hair, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes, that strange light-absorbing blue, gazed out at the waking world with a quiet intensity.

It was moments like these, before the world fully stirred, that Akio found the most peace. His mind wandered, not out of stress, but in a reflective, almost nostalgic way. He thought about the path Mirio had chosen and how proud he was of his son for pushing forward despite the hurdlestheir quirk presented. Akio had once dreamed of standing among the heroes, a vision of himself in bright colors saving the day. But, life had shown him a different path—a quieter one, but no less fulfilling.

He stood, stretching his muscular frame as the world seemed to grow louder around him. With a soft smile, Akio turned toward the house, knowing that Mirio, too, would be up soon, no doubt preparing for another day as the bright, hopeful hero he’d become. Akio's thoughts lingered on the weight of the quirk they shared, the power that had shaped so much of their lives.

The day was just beginning, and though it carried the usual routine, there was anunspoken excitement in the air, a feeling that something significant was on the horizon. Akio couldn't quite place it, but he had long since learned to trust his instincts. Quiet moments, like this one, always seemed to precede something big.