Chapter Text
I.
Sung Jinwoo did not believe in reincarnation.
But as he stared above, he could not mistake that what shone brightly above to be anything else but hospital lights.
He already knew that death awaited him. Years of not using his powers and abilities made it gradually fade. What was once a wildfire, never ceasing, has digressed into mere embers of a flickering flame.
He did not have any regrets. He saved the people that deserved to be saved. He remained true to his identity, living as a shadow who protects those without their knowledge. He watched old friends and family have families of their own.
(He, himself, tried to have one with Haein. She was the only person he tried to approach, her personality remaining the same whether it was in a post-dungeons and pre-dungeons era. However, maybe it was because of years of fighting in the dimensional rift made him too used to being alone that he could not imagine his life to be otherwise. Haein understood. She always did, and that was end of that. )
He could hear the hear voices of numerous people. They were hovering over someone below him. He wanted to see who they are, but he couldn't turn his head. He tried to move his hands, but did not have the strength to do so.
It was annoying. Why can't he do anything? Why was he weak? Why is he even here in the first place? This isn't where he's supposed to be━
A sharp cry rang in his ears.
"My, he's a loud one isn't he?"
Oh, that was him.
Two arms reached and carried him gently. His eyes drifted over to a woman's body lying in the hospital bed. She had a face similar to his mother, and it sent a familiar pang inside his chest. Saving the world from the Monarch of Destruction led to sacrifices. Sacrifices that only he was made to do. He could only stand by and watch as his sister and mother walked past through him to greet his father, heart twisting in only a way families react over their own and them being none the wiser.
The woman (his mother, his mother, his mother) seemed to sense his gaze and smiled warmly at him. It was full of love and affection that Jinwoo could not look away. Fate must be cruel, he supposes, for letting him stay in three worlds where only one━now two━gave him a family.
He felt like a rock was lodged in his throat, and he cried harder.
II.
Being a toddler with the mind of an adult was harder in practice than in theory.
"Come here Mizu! Come to mama!"
With legs slightly wobbling, Jinwoo tried to walk to his mother's awaiting arms. On the third step he took, he fell face first into the carpet.
He glared at the cause of his failure (a toy truck, a damn toy truck) as he felt his ears burn from humiliation. When he was in his prime, he was confident he can even best the speed of light only by walking! With a little mana manipulation and speed stat here, he can simply do it.
A switch was pulled.
Shadows that came from everywhere approached him and seeped into his own. Power surged in his veins and he breathed in the familiar feeling of being strong and being close of summoning if he could just━
Faces and voices that followed him until death appeared in his mind. His most trustworthy allies, who pledged their all to follow his cause. Closing his eyes, he knew who he should seek. He passed through each one, until he finally came across them. A link started to form between him and the other, and he could almost laugh at how elated they felt. He felt his back become warmer, the back that he had trusted them with to protect with their sword.
Sung Jinwoo's first shadow.
Jinwoo opened his eyes and spoke, "Igris."
The shadow contracted into a humanoid knight, with purple flames decorating his whole body, and kneeled to him.
"You called, my liege?"
Sung Jinwoo, now named as Shun Mizushino, had attempted to summon a shadow at age three━
And succeeded. Along with unlocking his full power.
III.
Shin Kozue and Shin Iichirou were simple people, with simple dreams, and wished to live simple lives.
However, as they watched their child, a part of them realized that he would not follow in their footsteps.
But, as haunting and menacing the creature he called upon is, they could not bear to be afraid.
Iichirou placed a hand on his wife's shoulders, squeezing it gently before letting go. He approached Mizu, firmly ignoring the shadow that watched his every move, and embraced him. "I'm proud of you for activating your quirk so early, but let's get you checked up to check if you're alright, okay? That must have took a lot of energy to do, bud."
Small hands hugged him back, and Iichirou looked beside him to see that the shadow was no more, as if it had dissipated into oblivion.
"Yeah, okay."
Once they had let the doctor observe Mizu, there were no abnormalities in his body, with his health as fine as it was prior to the quirk manifestation. "Although he developed his quirk, his toes have yet to be single-jointed. But do not worry, as quirk manifestation occurs the latest at age 4. It is likely that the formation would occur by then." The doctor explained, voice calm, but her eyes did not betray her interest and intrigue as she watched their son. "Congratulations on having your quirk, young man, not many do in your age. I can recommend your son to a━"
Kozue felt uneasy at where the conversation was going and held Mizu's hands, quickly thanking the doctor and being on their way. She witnessed how the doctor's eyes widened at the showcase of Mizu's quirk, the strength of the energy the three saw firsthand. Power attracts many, most especially by the greedy. Even if they had only known each other today, Kozue could tell that if she were to let it continue, there would be no stopping where it was going.
(Although Kozue could see the doctor's abnormal curiosity to Mizu, she was not able to see the glint of her eyes, memorizing and planning to make her next move.)
When they finally tucked Mizu goodnight, the couple immediately scoured the web for any research about managing powerful quirks. Both of their quirks were not as nearly as powerful as their sons even when combined, so they had little to no experience in handling such a situation.
They had named Mizu's quirk as Shadow call and described it as an ability to summon a powerful shadow creature. But call it a parent's intuition, and they way Mizu frowned disappointedly, looking as if had expected more from the doctor, they knew that their son's power was more than it seemed.
The two shared a look and held hands, they knew what they had to do.
Shun Kozue and Shun Iichirou were simple people, with simple dreams, and wished to live simple lives.
However, if their son was destined to live the opposite, then they would try their best to give him the support that he rightfully deserves. Even if they had to shun their yearning for simplicity.
They are his parents, and they will act as one, until the end.