"HAHAHA! I am here... to bring gifts!" the rather large man—presumably All Might—declared with a giant smile on his face.
Once everyone recovered from the initial shockwave, they quickly swarmed the stage, holding out various toys and accessories bearing All Might's likeness.
Laughing once more, All Might accepted every piece of merchandise from their hands and swiftly signed each one.
"Haha! Now, everyone, please settle down. I came here for one reason—well, multiple reasons," All Might said, still smiling.
After receiving their autographs, the crowd gradually calmed, their attention fully fixed on him.
"As you all know, towns like yours don't often receive much attention from heroes, so a pro hero visiting your town isn't a common occurrence," All Might explained.
The crowd nodded almost in unison.
"That's why I'm pleased to announce that your quiet little town has received a grand prize! At least two children here will be given the chance to pursue a future as pro heroes!" All Might proclaimed, striking a heroic pose.
However, his announcement failed to spark immediate excitement. An awkward silence settled over the crowd as All Might remained frozen in his pose, unsure of what to do next.
Thankfully, someone in the crowd raised their hand.
"Haha! Yes, you there with the giant hat!" All Might said, pointing toward the man.
"Um... what does this really mean for the children? How would they actually become pro heroes?" the man asked.
"I'm glad you asked!" All Might replied. "As some of you may know, I, All Might, will be attending U.A. High this year as a special guest. Since not everyone can attend the U.A. Sports Festival in person, I wanted to give back by offering two children from this town the opportunity to travel to Musutafu with their guardians and watch the festival firsthand."
"But how does that give them a chance to become heroes?" a girl in the crowd asked.
"I was getting to that!" All Might said, momentarily flustered. "Ahem. As the festival unfolds, multiple hero agencies will be observing the students. A few of them—including myself—will be sponsoring any promising individuals who wish to study under a professional heroes!"
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
"This means that two lucky children could be given the opportunity and resources to pursue their dream of becoming a hero—if they choose to," All Might added.
"But where would they train? Would they have to live with the heroes?" a mother asked, holding her child close.
"Not at all!" All Might replied quickly. "We would never separate a parent from their child. If your child is selected, the family will be provided with a new home—fully paid for by the Japanese government. The parents will retain full custody. Isn't that wonderful!"
That was enough to ignite the crowd.
Parents immediately began asking their children if they wanted to become heroes.
The same question soon reached me.
Mother crouched down to my level, meeting my eyes.
"Toji... this is a very big opportunity. You know I only want what's best for you. Whether you want to go or not, the choice is yours, okay?" she said gently.
I looked into her eyes, then back toward the stage, where All Might was handing out small slips of paper to parents who approached him.
As I watched the names being written down, I wondered if it was really worth it.
The odds of winning were incredibly small. Still, if we somehow did win, Mother and I could finally leave the forest and live in a proper house.
She wouldn't have to climb the mountain every day just to work anymore.
But then another question surfaced.
"Mother... if we win... where would you work?" I asked. "I know you love being a shrine maiden, but I don't like seeing you come home exhausted every day after climbing the mountain."
She smiled and placed her hand gently against my cheek.
"Oh, my sweet boy, you don't need to worry about that. No matter what happens, I'll always support you. And even if I'm no longer a shrine maiden for Lord Ōmononushi, I will always pray to him to keep you safe," she said before pulling me into a warm hug.
In that moment, my decision became clear.
Letting go of her, I turned toward the stage.
All Might was still waiting as parents finished submitting names.
Before I could second-guess myself, I leapt into the air toward him.
The sudden movement startled him, but he quickly recovered and caught me with ease.
"Well now! Hello there, little one. What's your name?" All Might asked.
"Toji, Mr. All Might, sir," I replied.
"Haha! A fine name for a fine young man," he said, handing me a slip of paper. "Here."
Before I could write anything, Mother rushed onto the stage, panic clear on her face.
"I'm so sorry, All Might! I didn't know he would do that!" she exclaimed, quickly bowing again and again.
"Haha! No harm done!" All Might laughed. "He's quite the spirited young man."
After one final bow, Mother hurried off the stage and set me back on the ground.
I handed her the paper All Might had given me. Though still embarrassed, she took it and carefully wrote down my name before placing it into the ballot box.
After that, all there was left to do... was wait.
---
"Alright, everyone! It's time to choose our lucky winners!" All Might announced enthusiastically as he plunged his arm into the ballot box.
After rummaging around for a moment, he pulled out a slip of paper.
"And our first winner is... Mezo Shoji!"
Cheers erupted as the boy's parents lifted him into the air, hugging him tightly.
"And now, for our second winner!"
All Might reached into the box once more and drew another name.
"Congratulations..."