Momo POV
"No... Ryō!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down as if she couldn't breathe. His condition... was too hard to accept.
Nomu floated up slowly. Uraraka had succeeded in using her Quirk.
But my heart was still sinking, fixated on his barely breathing body.
"Die!!" Bakugo's roar echoed, followed by a powerful explosion that blasted Nomu into the sky.Not just him alone...
Everyone unleashed their attacks, pouring all their strength out like a farewell to Ryō who still hadn't regained consciousness.
Because everyone... was hurting from what they saw.
No one knew if he would survive. No one was certain. But in that hopeless moment...
A firm voice sounded from behind.
All Might: "Don't be afraid... Because I'm here."
All Might appeared before us — no smile, no boastful words.Only serious eyes... and a voice laced with fury.
He knelt beside Ryō, gently lifting his fragile body."Kazuma... stay strong," he whispered, but Ryō didn't respond, as if his soul was slipping away.
My heart shattered into pieces. I never wanted to see him like this...
All Might: "Sorry, Kazuma... If I hadn't wasted time, I might have saved you."His words carried deep regret before he carefully laid Ryō down on the ground.
"Hu... hu... I..." sobs escaped from my throat. I couldn't hold them back anymore.
I whipped my head toward the enemy — the one with hands covering his face... the commander of this disaster.
I conjured a pistol immediately with trembling hands, but before I could raise it to aim—
The sound of heavy footsteps thundered as dozens of villains burst through the doors, swarming in waves.
But then...
Bam! Bam! Bam!All Might's punches thundered fiercely, wild as a raging storm.
Everyone looked up with hope. The number one hero was fighting right in front of us.The villains fell like punching bags, no one able to resist a single blow.
All Might was furious beyond limits. His speed was almost impossible to track.Within minutes — it was over.
But then, the masked man lunged at Aizawa unexpectedly.Aizawa dodged, but the power shattered the black mist binding him.
And suddenly, they vanished... escaping using teleportation.
The teachers and police had just arrived, and they saw...a boy lying in a pool of blood, breathing faintly.
No one knew if he would survive, but everyone felt it — this was a catastrophe.
My voice broke. I whispered to myself.
Momo: Please don't die...
Tears streamed uncontrollably down my cheeks. I couldn't do anything to help him...All the plans I was proud of, all the genius mind people admired—
It meant nothing... if I couldn't save the person I love
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Time passed slowly, like drops of water falling in a silent room.The students of Class 1-A and Teacher Aizawa sat quietly outside the hospital's operating room. The faint hum of the air conditioner filled the heavy silence. Everyone waited anxiously for news about Ryōjin's surgery.
Bakugo turned his face toward the window.The streetlights cast cold reflections on his expressionless face.But his hands clenched tightly, veins bulging clearly. His silence wasn't from apathy—he didn't want anyone to see him trembling.He hated Kazuma... or at least he thought he did. But what he knew for sure was that he was afraid.For the first time in years, he felt that he could die.And that feeling... was so terrible he wanted to claw it out of his chest.
Kirishima glanced at Bakugo, then at his own shaking hands.So this is the truth of being a hero... he thought.Though terrified inside, they couldn't stop. They had to move forward—not for themselves, but for the friends still lying behind.
In another corner, Tsuyu, Mina, and Momo sat leaning on a long bench, exhausted from crying.Momo's eyes were swollen and red, dark circles revealing sleepless nights. Her hands clenched tightly as she prayed silently.
Midoriya sat not far away with All Might, whose once-mighty hero frame was now gaunt and fragile. Both bowed their heads, Midoriya's eyes glistening with tears.
All Might: "It's my fault... if I had arrived sooner, if I hadn't neglected my duties..."He clenched his teeth, hands trembling—the pain gnawing mercilessly at his heart.
"Kazuma-kun... he was the first friend to protect me without hesitation…" Midoriya's inner voice trembled.
Uraraka and Jirou sat quietly in a corner, tears streaming silently. They said nothing, waiting only to hear one word from the doctors: Did he survive?
Aizawa, Number 13, and Principal Nezu stood silently at the end of the hallway.Aizawa stared steadily at the operating room door.I should have protected my students better...While Nezu, a remarkably intelligent talking animal, couldn't help but feel ashamed—the safety of the kids had been shattered.
Todoroki sat quietly, eyes fixed on the operating room door, silent.He didn't know Kazuma well... but he remembered the warmth in Kazuma's eyes the first time they met. It seemed to say,"I understand you," without words.Now, Todoroki wasn't sure if he wanted to see those eyes again... or if he feared he might never get the chance.
Footsteps approached softly beside Momo. She slowly looked up to see her mother—Moko."Momo, please... try to eat something. Even some juice would be good."Her gentle voice broke Momo's composure, and tears fell again.
Suddenly—The click of the operating room door opening echoed sharply. Every gaze turned at once. The doctor walked out with a calm face.Immediately, everyone surged forward, bombarding him with questions nonstop.
"Is Kazuma alive?""How is he, Doctor?""Please tell us he's okay!""Please, tell me my brother is okay!!"
The voices crashed like waves but were cut off by Aizawa's sharp command.Aizawa: "Everyone, back up a little. I'll ask."Reluctantly, they stepped back and made way.
Aizawa approached. "How is he?"
The doctor exhaled deeply, then spoke in a low voice."He survived... He's currently recovering. His condition remains stable, but he's passed the critical phase."
The room erupted with a wave of relief.Sobs turned into cries of joy.Even Bakugo let out an unconscious breath.Todoroki closed his eyes tightly.
The doctor continued, his voice trembling slightly."To be honest... with all the wounds he sustained, he should have died. It was too severe for an ordinary human. But he survived... like a miracle."
"Maybe... God still has mercy on him."
The room fell silent instantly at those words. Their hearts were ripped back from the edge.
But Aizawa didn't let feelings take over for long.He spoke firmly, "Okay, he's alive. Everyone can go home. I'll update you on his condition later."
No one argued or spoke.They all knew—now was the time to rest before starting again.In a world full of heroes, it was time to pause. Kazuma needed that rest too.And there was still the word "friend"—the reason they would rise up and face it all again
He sank once again into the vortex of dreams... but this time, the place felt strangely familiar.
Thailand | May 12, Year 2XXX
An old two-story house, slightly worn but still holding the warmth of the past.The laughter of two children echoed through the living room—a nine-year-old boy and his eight-year-old little sister.They ran around chasing each other with innocent smiles. Their family wasn't well-off—just lower middle class, struggling to get by.
That day... was one Ryōjin (Shin) would never forget.
The front door opened, carrying the heavy scent of alcohol.Their father staggered inside, clearly drunk.Their mother hurried to greet him, worry etched deeply on her face—But everything changed in an instant.
Shouts erupted.The sound of fighting.Their mother's cries that she couldn't hold back.Their father started to strike again.She tried to shield her face with her hands—but like every time before… she couldn't escape it.
The two children stood frozen, eyes fixed on the scene, as if nailed to the floor.It wasn't the first time—and it wouldn't be the last.Even the two of us had been through it…
Then, their father grabbed a kitchen knife.He shouted something—I couldn't remember, the voice was muffled, the scene blurred.His face... their mother's... their little sister's... everything became hazy, as if Ryōjin's (Shin's) mind refused to remember.
But what followed was too vivid to forget...
Their father's hand lunged forward, the blade flashing.By accident, the knife missed its intended target... and pierced my little sister instead.
Blood slowly oozed out.Mother's eyes widened as she collapsed to the floor, clutching the small body tightly in her arms.She didn't cry. Didn't speak. Only a terrifying silence filled the room.
Their father froze, as if his consciousness snapped back for a split second.
Then... mother grabbed the knife from his hand.She stabbed back.Again and again and again.
Blood splattered.The small boy stood there, watching.
Tears streaming, body frozen, his heartbeat thundered loudly in his head.
Mother turned her gaze to the boy... her eyes dark red, lips trembling softly.Finally... the dark mist that had hidden her face began to fade.
"Shin… I'm sorry, my child…"
And then... my head felt like it would explode.The world around fell silent. Everything began to spin.
The scene became fragments of the past—a life film rewinding.From the small boy, hands stained with tears...To adolescent hands...To those of a full-grown man.
Yes. That was me.
I stood, looking at myself in the mirror.A boy... growing into a man.Through foolish mistakes, through many wrong decisions.But worst of all... I didn't want to remember any of it.
I wanted to forget—everything.Like a nightmare no one wanted to wake up to face.
The life film kept spinning,Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, moving back and forth.I sat quietly, looking at my life once more.But this time... with a heart so shattered it felt numb
Ryōjin's POV
I don't know how much time has passed... but I started to feel some kind of warmth.
It was a soft touch... someone's hand holding mine tightly.So warm... as if saying, "You don't have to go anywhere yet."
From the darkness, I slowly opened my eyes.A gentle white light poured down from the ceiling.The faint scent of disinfectant mixed with a subtle floral fragrance.Modern medical equipment surrounded me... and more importantly—flowers, letters, and many gifts lay beside the bed.
I was surprised... never expected to be welcomed like this after such a nightmare.
I sighed deeply.My heart was still pounding, but my consciousness had returned.I lay back down slowly.My hand rose carefully to explore my body—wounds everywhere—Even though I knew I was badly hurt, seeing it for real still shook me deeply.
I picked up a small mirror next to the bed to look at myself.I didn't know who had given it, but right now, it meant everything.
In that mirror...I saw myself almost unrecognizable.A large scar marked my left eye, the line stretching long... and would likely stay for life.
I muttered quietly with a bitter laugh."Damn... I'm ruined."A faint smile appeared on my face.
"But at least... I'm still alive."
Footsteps echoed nearby, and a nurse happened to walk by.When she saw me open my eyes, she gasped and rushed over, calling for the others.
Soon after, I was surrounded by doctors and nurses,their voices full of joy and relief.
The nurse told me...I had been unconscious for two full days.The school had announced a three-day break for all students to rest and recover mentally.
The doctor added..."It's incredible that you survived something like this."Smiling, he said I could go home this evening or tomorrow at the latest.
But I chose to go home. I didn't want to stay here.A wave of relief spread through my body, like a thousand-pound weight lifted off my chest.
That evening, I returned to my own room again,with all the gifts they had left behind.
The atmosphere was peaceful.Familiar walls.An old pillow.The scent of my usual soap.Everything was still the same... but I was no longer the same.
I slowly opened my personal menu window.
And there it appeared—once again
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Congratulations, PLAYER!You have survived the attack from a high-level entity... though at the cost of blood, loss, and scars that will never fade.
[The system will increase the difficulty again in 1 day from now]
Prepare yourself — because the world will no longer be merciful.
[System Announcement: "WORLD" Level Mission has been activated!!]
✦ Villain spawn rate increased:From 0.5 → 3.0 times
✦ Overall world difficulty:Significantly increased
✦ Abnormal creatures have begun to appear in some areas(See details on the secret map)
[The system shop has been updated]
✦ Skill system unlocked — you can now purchase skills at the shop
✦ Quirk enhancements available for purchase
✦ New alternative weapons added — powerful and unethical
[Side missions / Subplots] have been unlocked!!Please choose carefully... every decision will change your fate and those around you.
Hope you survive to see the final chapter...Good luck — "The PLAYER who has not yet broken."
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I stared at the system window with complete boredom...
"Villains, huh… Difficulty's going up again…"
I let out a long sigh."Ughhh… damn it all…"A frustrated mumble slipped out, but there was nothing I could do. Life's just like that—never giving a moment to rest.
I swiped my finger to check the rewards from the first chapter with a grim expression, and then…
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Your rewards for surviving Chapter 1
✔ Your Identity has been upgraded.
✔ Unlocked 2 new EGO forms:✦ Wishing Cairn✦ Sunshower
✔ Unlocked Social Link Levels 6 – 10 – Relationships now affect your power and actions.
✔ Skill system unlocked:• First skill acquired: Appearance Modification• Other skills can be purchased from the shop.
✔ New map unlocked:• You can now see groups, gangs, and organizations on the map.
✔ Points earned:+15 Normal Points+10 Points from side missions
✔ EXP gained:+10,000 Normal EXP+10,000 EXP from side missions
✔ Coins earned:+30,000 Normal Coins+30,000 Coins from side missions
✔ Special bonuses:• +3 Identity slots• +5 Passive skill slots
✔ Additional bonus:?? Unlocked Mid-tier Identity: "Cloning"
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I read line by line... item by item...And before I even realized it, a smile crept onto the corner of my mouth—Not the smile of a good person—no, not at all.
"...Oh… now this is what I'm talking about... the good stuff..."
I let out a cold, quiet laugh as the shadow of my own face reflected in the mirror—A face marked with scars and a smile... scary enough to make anyone flinch.
"Alright then... let's see how damn fun the next chapter's gonna be..."
"Well... since I've come this far,"I grinned wickedly, staring at the EXP and Coins climbing into the tens of thousands, alongside the flood of new systems popping up like Christmas morning."And the difficulty's gone up again, huh?"
I immediately opened the map — the glowing screen silently appeared right before my eyes.As soon as it loaded, it showed a massive city littered with colored dots and towering "pillars" scattered across locations.
Black — Level SRed — Level AOrange — Level BBlue — Level CWhite — Level D
Levels B, C, D were everywhere — mostly teens, small gangs, or underground workers.
But Levels S and A... those weren't toys — they were "organizations," for sure.I stared resolutely at the black dots on the map. The pillars swayed slightly, showing signs of movement.
I stood up from the bed immediately — breathing heavy as I walked to the closet.A matte black suit was pulled out.I put it on slowly, piece by piece, like an assassin preparing for a hunt.
Then I reached for something special...A cold, solid .44 Magnum. Not some fake-looking identity-made weapon.This was the real deal. The sound was real. And if it fired—well, it'd send you straight to God.
"This time, I'm not the one getting killed.I'm the one who's gotta kill."
I looked back at the map again —The colored dots were still pulsing, like they already knew "something" was coming for them.
I hoisted the gun over my shoulder, smirking like someone ready to storm hell.
"Time to hunt… Villains..."