Chapter: 8

The doors slid open with a soft hiss, and in stepped the towering figure of All Might, his signature grin wide and bright. The moment Melissa saw him, her face lit up with joy.

"Uncle Might!" she called, practically skipping forward to greet him.

"Melissa, my girl!" All Might boomed, his deep voice filled with warmth. He opened his arms wide, and Melissa embraced him tightly.

Behind him, a shorter, nervous-looking boy followed, his green hair slightly ruffled from travel. His freckled face held an awestruck expression as he looked around the facility. His eyes locked onto Melissa for a second, and then he glanced at Ben, who remained at her side, arms crossed.

After a moment, Melissa pulled back and gestured toward Ben. "Uncle Might, I want you to meet someone! This is Ben. He's been helping me out a lot, and now he's my personal bodyguard."

Ben, clad in his sleek tactical suit, inclined his head slightly. "A pleasure," he said, keeping his tone neutral.

All Might's gaze lingered on him for a moment before his expression softened into approval. "Ah, so you're the one I've been hearing about! David mentioned you've been a great help to Melissa. Good to meet you, young man!"

Ben gave a small nod, but his attention subtly shifted toward the boy behind All Might. Something about the way he carried himself, the nervous energy in his movements, set off a sense of familiarity.

"And this," All Might continued, placing a hand on the green-haired boy's shoulder, "is my student, young Midoriya!"

Melissa tilted her head, clearly puzzled. "Midoriya?" She blinked, then offered a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you!"

Midoriya swallowed hard, still a little starstruck. "I-it's nice to meet you too!" His voice cracked slightly, and he cleared his throat. "I mean, uh, thank you for having me here!"

Ben remained silent, watching Midoriya carefully. There was something about the kid something he couldn't quite place. His instincts told him there was more to him than met the eye.

Melissa, still excited, turned back to All Might. "I can't believe you're here! Are you staying for the expo?"

All Might chuckled. "Of course! It's been far too long since I last visited, and I couldn't pass up the chance to see David and you again."

Melissa beamed. "Well, I'm glad! And now you get to meet Ben, too! He's been amazing he's super skilled, and he's even been helping me with self-defense!"

All Might's eyes gleamed with interest. "Is that so?" He glanced back at Ben. "A bodyguard, a trainer, and an inventor all in one? That's quite the résumé!"

Ben merely shrugged. "I just do what's necessary."

Midoriya, who had been nervously shifting in place, finally found his voice. "Um, excuse me, Ben-san?" he asked hesitantly.

Ben turned his gaze toward him. "Yeah?"

Midoriya hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I-I couldn't help but notice your suit! The design looks incredibly advanced… D-did you make it yourself?"

Melissa answered for him. "We worked on it together! Ben designed most of it, though. He's really talented."

Midoriya's eyes widened. "That's amazing!" He looked up at Ben with genuine admiration. "You must be incredibly smart!"

Ben waved off the compliment. "Just practical."

All Might laughed heartily. "Ha ha! You remind me of someone I know!" He clapped a hand on Midoriya's back, making the boy flinch slightly. "Now, how about we all catch up properly inside? I'm sure David is eager to see us, and I have a feeling there's a lot we need to discuss."

Melissa nodded excitedly. "Yeah! Come on, let's go!"

As they moved inside, Ben walked slightly behind the group, his mind still processing the meeting.

Something told him that this was just the beginning of something much bigger.

And if he was right, he needed to be ready.