**POV: Unknown**

"A hero is a symbol of hope, son."

Those words had lingered in Leonardo's mind ever since his father had said them. As a young boy, he was always fascinated by the concept of heroes and the reasons behind their actions. He wondered why they gave so much and received so little in return.

His father had been a prime example of this— a true hero, one he would never forget and would remember until his dying day.

Chuckling, his father had advised, "Always remember, son, a hero never gives up, no matter how tough it gets."

Leonardo recalled the day they met as if it were yesterday. The warmth of his father’s aura and the first smile he had received filled him with a sense of security.

The day was dark and cold in the orphanage where dreams seemed to perish, and children like him were abandoned for being unwanted. He vividly remembered the moment the man approached him, his demeanor radiating confidence and kindness, an everlasting smile on his face.

Leonardo had always been a peculiar child—quiet compared to others, observant when the nannies spoke about him, and intelligent when potential adoptive parents came to visit. However, these qualities didn’t help him. No one wanted to adopt a silent, gloomy child; they preferred a vibrant, cheerful kid who could bring color to their lives. He had mentally resolved that he would never have a family, a belief firmly cemented in his young mind.

“A hero's presence should always scream comfort.”

That was why, when the smiling man approached him, Leonardo was shocked, and his face clearly displayed his surprise.

His father chuckled gently, and for the first time, Leonardo felt embarrassed. He was unaccustomed to laughter around him. The man spoke of various things: his job as a fireman, his love for helping people, his house, and his family, and how he had lost his wife. Leonardo listened attentively, filled with both curiosity and anticipation.

He didn't know why he felt expectant, but in that moment, he sensed his life was about to change. The mysterious gentle smile of one of the caretakers did not diminish his curiosity; he continued to listen.

Then it happened. The hope that had been steadily rising within him finally bore fruit.

"What I'm trying to say is, Leonardo, would you like to be my son?" he asked, extending his arm for Leonardo to take.

Leonardo recalled that moment with utmost clarity. It was the day he smiled brighter than ever, the day he felt his heartbeat with excitement for the first time, and the day he took that offered arm—a decision that would change his life forever.

From that day on, his life transformed. His destiny was rewritten, and he had not regretted a single moment of it.

Leonardo blossomed; under his father's careful guidance, his inner genius shone. His observant nature grew even stronger, and he quickly realized that his father was a remarkable figure, just like him.

His father was, without a doubt, a hero—in his own right, at least in Leonardo's eyes.

Leonardo concluded this with the understanding that yes, his father was indeed a hero!

"Remember, son, a hero always smiles, no matter the occasion."

He had come to realize that his father's job was dangerous. His father took on the risks knowingly, and despite this, he continued to do the job.

"A hero is someone who has been given great power and chooses to use it responsibly."

Despite these dangers, his father always made time for him, ensuring he was never lonely, bored, and vibrant.

"Leo, hurry up! You’re missing a new episode of the best anime ever!"

Chuckling, Leonardo remembered those days, filled with happiness and a mirage of colors that brightened his life.

"You made this, Leo! I’m so proud of you." For the first time, he smiled, despite the pain he felt. He recalled that day when he created his first AI and his father screamed with joy, waltzing around the room with Leonardo in his arms in a chaotic dance.

Did his father fully understand what Leo had created? Probably not. It was simply the fact that Leo was the one who made it that brought his father such joy, and that happiness was infectious.

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He was just ten years old then.

"A hero has several good qualities, Leo, but the best quality for a hero is his heart and spirit."

He remembered that day, a rare moment when they both relaxed, free from their duties. Leonardo had begun to get busy with his scientific practice on machine development and AI integration into society.

That day, they were watching an episode of "Adventure Time," one of his father's favorite shows. He recalled how fondly his father spoke those words, which had stuck with him ever since.

"The heart will always lead the hero on the correct path, and the spirit will ensure he stays strong and never gives up. Always remember that, Leo." "Yes, Dad," he responded, memorizing those words forever.

Those words had truly struck a chord with him. You could say it was mainly because of his father that he had sought to help the world. He desired to aid others, ensuring that, despite his massive wealth, he would not let anyone suffer when he had the power and ability to do otherwise—simply because it was the right thing to do.

"[REPORTING NEWS: ONCE AGAIN, LEONARDO STORMBORN HAS DONE IT AGAIN. HE HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE USE OF AI WITH HIS SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH!

BREAKING NEWS: LEONARDO HAS MADE THE FASTEST-EVER SPACE SHUTTLE, SAFELY LANDING ON MARS!!!

BREAKING NEWS: LEONARDO HAS DONATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ORPHANAGES ACROSS THE GLOBE!!!"

**BREAKING NEWS... THE FIRST EVER HOLOGRAM IS MADE**

**BREAKING NEWS... IS HE THE MODERN-DAY DA VINCI? EINSTEIN? OR IS HE JUST THE SMARTEST MAN THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN? **

**... THE FIRST EVER FULL-DIVE VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM**

**BREAKING NEWS: LEONARDO HAS... LEO HAS... YES, HE'S DONE IT ONCE AGAIN...**

The world had never stopped singing his praises, and Leo had grown accustomed to it. But only he knew how weak he truly was, how fragile he felt, and how hopeless it was for the person he cared for the most to be dying. There was nothing he could do.

"Remember, Leo. To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." His father's smile was ever wide, even as he was taking his last breaths. That smile would persist forever.

Leonardo cried for the first time that day. He completely broke down at the news. He cried and cried, but death was the one thing he could never conquer. The only person who truly understood him was now facing this cruel inevitability.

"Don't cry, Leo. You know this would happen eventually. Everyone dies at some point. My time just came sooner than most, but that's alright. I know you will be just fine without me." His father lifted his weak hand to wipe away the tears from Leo's face, his smile persistent and strong, showing no sign of weakness.

"And you should get yourself some girlfriends! Hopefully someone like Marceline, or maybe Bonnibel. Oh! What about Zelda? Yes, I got it! Koriand'r! You always liked strong women! Don't worry, if you can't choose, why not try wooing all of them? HA HA!" He laughed. They both shared a laugh, a small hope in a desperate situation. But that was all humans could truly do: hope.

His father's laughter was a vibrant wave that momentarily dispelled the heaviness in the high-class room. It even eased the pain Leo felt, if only a little.

His father passed away not long after that, leaving Leonardo feeling empty, like a solitary entity on this vast globe. He felt as if he were the only one who existed.

But he had to keep moving forward, no matter how much he wanted to disappear or how suffocating his grief felt. His father had urged him to never stop, to never give up, and to not let the dark times consume him. Gradually, he began to heal.

"Remember this, Leo: always be happy. Always enjoy this life. Always smile. Even in your last breath, make sure you are content with the life you have lived." His father smiled as he spoke these words—his final smile. It was a beautiful smile that told a story of hardship and struggle, yet it radiated an unbreakable will.

It was the most beautiful smile Leonardo had ever seen, and it belonged to a dying man. It was like a star, in its final glorious moments before going supernova, exploding in an exquisite burst of light. That was how that smile appeared to Leonardo. Nothing could ever match its depth and beauty.

And that was why, even at this moment—while he was dying, while he was bleeding to death, while each breath became more and more difficult—Leonardo was still smiling. It was a smile that only he understood.

He turned to look at the young woman he had saved, noticing that her eyes never left him. They were a beautiful pink color that somehow captured his interest.

Was she shocked? Or maybe she was fearful of what had just happened? Leonardo did not know; he had never been good at reading people's emotions.

He then noticed another woman beside the girl, fretting over her while wailing and checking her body for injuries.

He spotted the ambulance that had arrived quickly, trying to clear a path for him. He could see the crowd that seemed to recognize him, their commotion making the situation worse rather than better.

[BREAKING NEWS: WELL-KNOWN GENIUS LEONARDO STORMBORN HAS SUFFERED A SEVERE CAR ACCIDENT AFTER BEING HIT BY A TRUCK. PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE WORRIED FOR HIS SURVIVAL...]

Leonardo finally noticed a broadcasting news anchor whose voice was hoarse yet powerful.

At that moment, he absorbed all of it at once—the colors, the noises, the people—at a pace he had never experienced before.

"Truck, huh? You finally got me, Truck-Kun," he chuckled softly to himself.

Even now, he found something to be happy about because that was how he had been raised. He felt it was the right time for him, and he did not fear death.

His eyes remained fixed on the girl he had saved. Her gaze never faltered as she looked at his dying body, and Leonardo found solace in the connection they shared.

As darkness began to envelop him, the cold creeping closer, he knew it was time. The paramedics would not be able to save him.

With what little strength he had left, he raised his bloodied arm, bringing it gently to the girl's cheek. For some reason, it felt as if the world had gone silent as if everyone were waiting for his final words to remember him.

"Always... be happy. Always... smile. Always... be glad... with the life... you have lived."

He had seen the mask that the girl wore break for the first time. The floodgates of tears had opened. Cries had started and could not be stopped.

The girl threw herself into his arms, trying to hug him while carefully ensuring she wasn’t hurting him.

Leonardo wrapped his arms around her, attempting to comfort her with the last of his strength, which was quickly slipping away.

"What's... your... name?" For some odd reason, he felt compelled to know. He sensed that this girl was special in some way; he felt there was something about her pink eyes that he wasn’t fully grasping.

This caught the girl’s attention, and she quickly composed herself, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"Adara Angeliki," she said, despite the tears that still flowed. Even in her sadness, Leonardo smiled—a smile reserved just for her. It was the most beautiful smile he could give.

"That’s a... beautiful... name." His strength was exhausted, and his arm fell to the ground. Yet despite this, he remained happy. He was still smiling.

It was finally his time—time for him to embark on his next great adventure.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

...

It is a sad day today.

[The reporter paused, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.]

"The greatest mind of the modern era, the modern-day genius, the kindest human to walk the earth, Leonardo Stormborn, has passed away."

[The camera shifts to various memorial sites filled with crowds of people crying and holding candles.]

"The world will never heal from this wound, and we will all forever remember him."

[The reporter is unable to continue and runs away crying. Another reporter comes to finish the program.]

"At the young age of 23 years old, may the soul of Leonardo Garmadon rest in peace."

The whole world mourned that very day. In fact, for an entire month, people grieved for the loss.

They would forever remember him.

...

A/N:

I started this off with a bang! Even I got emotional while writing this chapter. For those interested, the girl Leonardo saved is important, but she won’t appear until later in the book.

Peace out!

This book is unfortunately not my focus, so I will not be posting it consistently, but I will do my best to post as much as possible.

Let me know what you think about the beginning!

The next two chapters will mostly follow the traditional route of meeting a supreme being and receiving wishes. But rest assured, nothing will be too powerful or too weak; I’d call them standard. And once again, to everyone: this is a harem fanfic! Read further at your own risk.