The sun's rays filtered gently through half-closed blinds, casting warm stripes across the wooden floor. The soft creak of bedsprings broke the silence as Mineta slowly stirred awake. His eyes blinked open, not with confusion or disbelief—but with a tired clarity.
This was his third morning in this new life.
Two full days had passed since he'd awakened in Minoru Mineta's body—short, awkward, unloved by canon, and known more for being comic relief than anything remotely heroic. He had spent the first day grappling with the shock, the second one gathering his thoughts, and now... it was time to begin.
No more waiting.
No more sulking.
Today marked the beginning of his transformation.
The alarm clock buzzed faintly—an old purple cube with a sticker of a cartoon "Pop-Off!" bubble slapped across the top, half-peeled and faded. He reached over and pressed it off, the habit already forming.
He sat up slowly, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. His muscles were still sore from the small test exercises he'd pushed through yesterday. It wasn't much—just a set of pushups, squats, and a jog in place—but it was enough to awaken the pain in places he had ignored his whole previous life.
That was fine.
Pain meant progress.
He turned toward the mirror sitting on the old wooden desk against the wall. It was small, dusty, and leaned slightly forward. He stared into it.
Still the same face.
Round cheeks. Baby-fat features. The ridiculous grape hair. He looked... unimpressive. The kind of person no one would take seriously, let alone expect to be a hero.
But his eyes, now slightly sharper, held a glint of something different.
Resolve.
"You're Minoru Mineta for now," he muttered to the reflection, brushing his teeth as he spoke. "But you won't stay the same."
He rinsed his mouth and fixed his posture, rolling his shoulders back. It was awkward at first. He'd spent most of his life slouching, subconsciously making himself smaller. But if he wanted to carry presence—even an ounce of charisma—this had to change.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Minoru?" a soft voice came through the wood. "Breakfast is almost ready."
It was his mom.
He blinked. Three days, and he still wasn't used to that. Not really.
She wasn't the mother from his past life, but she had welcomed him into the world. She had raised Minoru Mineta, despite all his flaws. And now, unknowingly, she was supporting someone else inside this same body. Someone who had failed in their first life. Someone who wanted to make it right this time.
"Coming, Mom," he called, voice more natural now.
He dressed quickly—an old training suit, a bit baggy on his short frame—and made his way downstairs.
The kitchen smelled like eggs and miso soup.
His mother stood over the stove, humming gently to herself. Her cardigan was faded, sleeves rolled up as she stirred the pot. She glanced back and smiled warmly when she saw him.
"Good morning, sweetie. You're up early again."
He nodded. "Trying to start strong."
"Starting what strong?" came a gruff voice from the dining table.
His father was seated there, still in a white button-up from his office job. The man was square-jawed, with dark stubble and intense eyes peeking out from the newspaper.
Mineta cleared his throat. "I've started training. Light stuff for now. Strength, posture, mental focus."
His dad raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
A pause.
Then his father folded the newspaper with a grunt, setting it down. "Hmph. Good. Always thought you had more in you than sitting around wasting time."
Mineta blinked. The words weren't warm, but there was approval hidden inside them.
His mother placed a plate of food in front of him—steamed rice, tamagoyaki, miso soup, and grilled salmon.
"Don't forget to eat enough protein if you're exercising," she added with a slight smile. "And drink water. Lots of it."
He smiled. "Thanks, Mom."
He dug in, not just out of hunger, but appreciation.
These people—these parents—they didn't owe him anything. Yet they gave him care, gave him food, and supported his quiet transformation.
He would make them proud.
Back in his room, he stood in front of the mirror again.
Charm Training – Phase 1: Grooming & Confidence
He washed his face, applied moisturizer with careful movements, brushed his teeth again to clear breakfast residue, and carefully trimmed the most awkward hair clumps above his ears.
He straightened his posture. Rolled his shoulders. Practiced smiling in the mirror—not the perverted grin of canon Mineta, but something cleaner, softer, genuine.
Then he locked eyes with his own reflection, maintaining steady eye contact for one minute straight.
He even practiced a basic greeting in a low, friendly tone.
"Hi. My name is Mineta. Let's work hard together."
His voice trembled at first, but steadied by the fifth attempt.
[System Notification]Charm Training Engaged – Phase 1+2% Charm ProgressPosture corrected – Minor boost to presence
He exhaled slowly.
It wasn't flashy. But it was a start.
And beneath the surface, his System UI pulsed softly—gathering training logs, calibrating stat progression, and silently creating modules for future specialization based on his chosen actions.
A new tab flickered faintly in the background.
[Skill Path Detected] – Physical Enhancement, Acrobatics, and Sticky Substance Mastery will become available upon Quirk evolution.Warning: Quirk evolution is locked until life-threatening trigger is experienced.Hint: External tool usage will assist in combat training simulations before Quirk upgrade.
He blinked but dismissed it for now.
Too early to worry about evolution. He needed to build a foundation first.
Strength Training – Phase 1: Bodyweight Basics
Next, he cleared a spot on the wooden floor and laid out a towel. He pulled out the guide he had printed off the community center's public computer: "Beginner Strength Routines – Home Edition."
Pushups.He managed six before collapsing on the seventh.
Sit-ups.Ten shaky reps, barely making it through.
Squats.Fifteen, his thighs burning by the end.
He gasped for breath, wiped sweat from his forehead, and waited five minutes before repeating the circuit.
He repeated the cycle three times.
His arms were noodles. His legs trembled. He had to crawl to the bed just to lie flat again.
But...
[System Notification]Strength Training Engaged – Phase 1+3% Strength ProgressFatigue Detected: Recommend Rest & Rehydration
He smirked, lying flat on the floor, staring at the ceiling.
"Still standing… kinda."
In the corner of his eye, a soft glimmer showed a new training queue being unlocked—one for Parkour and Agility, not yet active, but registered.
He noted it for later.
Intelligence Training – Phase 1: Hero Strategy & Memory
After showering and rehydrating, he sat at his desk with a cheap notebook and two books: one on famous Pro Hero case studies, and another full of logic puzzles and brain teasers.
He opened to the chapter about Rescue Strategy Zones—how Pro Heroes like Death Arms and Mt. Lady divided areas based on structural risk, traffic density, and escape routes.
He read. Highlighted. Took notes.
Then he tackled the logic puzzles—first solving them in 10 minutes each, then aiming to reduce the time per puzzle to under five.
He wasn't a genius, but he could train his brain like a muscle. Just like his body.
[System Notification]Memory Recall Improved – +2%Strategic Thinking – +1%
By the time he finished, the sun had shifted westward and hunger returned like a slow wave.
He grabbed a rice ball and wandered to the small backyard behind the house. It was modest—some potted plants, a shed, and a patch of grass. He sat on the porch step, letting the breeze cool his sweat-damp shirt.
Three days in.
No school yet. No hero classes. No flashy battles.
Just discipline. Habit. Slow, steady change.
And honestly?
It felt good.
This was a second chance. One he didn't deserve. But he was going to earn every inch of the life ahead of him.
He tapped his finger in the air, and the familiar translucent window appeared in front of him.
[STATS SCREEN – END OF DAY 3]
Name: Minoru MinetaAge: 13Quirk: Pop-OffQuirk Proficiency: 5%
Stats:• Strength: 4 → 5• Dexterity: 6• Endurance: 5• Intelligence: 8 → 8.5• Charm: 3 → 3.5• Willpower: 9
Training Focus (Day 3):• Charm – Grooming, posture, speech• Strength – Bodyweight exercises (Pushups, Sit-ups, Squats)• Intelligence – Hero case studies, logic puzzles
System Notifications:• Charm Training Engaged – Phase 1 (2%)• Strength Progress – Phase 1 (3%)• Intelligence Growth – +3% Cognitive Efficiency• Future Skill Modules Unlocked (Pending): Acrobatics, Sticky Trap Combat, Parkour, Charisma Techniques
Back inside, his mom saw him wiping sweat from his neck with a towel.
"You were training again?" she asked, gently touching his cheek.
He nodded.
She smiled and said softly, "I'm proud of you, sweetie. Keep going, okay?"
He froze for a second.
Something in his chest ached.
"...Thanks, Mom."
She kissed his forehead and turned to fold laundry.
Mineta stood there for a moment longer, soaking in the warmth of her words.
He wouldn't waste this.
Not this life. Not their love.
That night, as the stars lit the quiet sky, Mineta stood by the window in his room.
The city outside bustled with distant noise—cars, murmurs, music. A world full of people living their stories.
Soon, his story would join theirs.
"You don't see it yet," he whispered to the world outside. "But I'll be someone worth remembering."
The name that would echo across the Hero world... would come later.
For now, the boy named Minoru Mineta trained in silence.