Around 5:30 in the morning—before the sun had even risen—our teachers woke us up and gathered us at the training grounds. Everyone lined up in front of the instructors, looking half-dead.
And me? I was completely drained.
Time to rewind a little…
Ryojin: "I'm sorryyy~ T-T"
My head still had a huge bump from being beaten up by Momo, Mina, and Jirou last night. Who would've thought things would turn out like that?!
Now I was kneeling in a prayer pose, arms raised pathetically toward the sky.
Jirou: "You're the worst."
Her cheeks puffed out, her face tinted red. Honestly… it looked kind of cute. But yeah, not the right time.
Momo only shook her head at her boyfriend's behavior, while Mina did the same.
At that moment, I didn't know how the situation would end, but I'd already accepted my punishment.
Momo: "Jirou-san, I'm truly sorry this happened."Mina: "Yeah… sorry about that. We didn't expect it to turn out this way."
Both bowed their heads apologetically—because of me, Jirou had her first time stolen.
But Jirou smiled softly.
Jirou: "It's fine, Yaomomo. I don't really mind anymore."
Her words trembled as she fidgeted nervously, cheeks red.
Jirou: "B-but… Kazuma took my first time, so… p-please take responsibility for me too!!"
Momo, Mina, Ryojin: "HUUUH?!!!"
Momo and Mina immediately dragged Jirou away for a private "discussion," leaving me sitting there frozen.
Minutes later… the three of them returned, robes slipping off their shoulders, smiles on their faces—except for Jirou, who was beet red.
Momo: "So, here's the deal. You're responsible for the three of us now~"
Ryojin: "WAIT, WHAT?!!"
And that… was the end of me, ladies and gentlemen.
Back to the present.
Everyone looked half-asleep. My body was absolutely wrecked. I glanced over at Midoriya—same state as me. Guess the "mysterious moans in the forest" I heard last night weren't just my imagination…
My eyes moved to Uraraka. She looked way too fresh this morning. Yeah. Figures.
Meanwhile, my three girlfriends? Already energetic like it was a brand-new day. Damn.
Oh well. I downed a stamina recovery potion from the shop—perks of being ridiculously rich—and even tossed one to Midoriya. He didn't say a word, just gulped it down in silence.
We waited until Aizawa-sensei and Vlad King began the briefing.
Aizawa: "Good. Everyone's here. Morning. Today marks the start of your training camp. Our goal is to strengthen you, to prepare you for your provisional licenses, and for the increasingly dangerous world outside. This camp is designed to push you beyond your limits."
He tossed me a softball. Instantly, I recognized it—from the Quirk Assessment Test on our very first day.
Aizawa: "Your record back then was 649 meters. Let's see how far you've come since then."
Everyone started betting on how far I'd throw it. But me? I wasn't gonna just throw it.
Ryojin: "Hell yeah!!!"
I tossed the ball up into the air, summoned my guns, and opened fire like a madman.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunfire erupted, unleashing a storm of glowing butterflies that swarmed around me, sticking to my body until it looked like I was wrapped in living wings.
The ball soared into the distance.
When Aizawa finally checked the reading—974 meters.
Aizawa: "Four months since you all entered U.A. You've gained plenty of experience, grown mentally and technically. But most of your Quirks haven't improved much yet."
Vlad King: "That's why we're here. A Quirk is like a muscle. Overuse it, and it'll tear. But that's how it grows stronger. This camp will push you to your absolute limits. Survive it, and you'll come out stronger!"
Their briefing finished, but Kendo raised her hand.
Kendo: "I don't doubt your abilities, sensei. But can just the two of you really handle all 40 of us?"
Aizawa: "…That's why they're here."
???: "That's right~!"
A cheerful voice rang out behind us. We turned around to see four figures striking dramatic poses.
Mandalay: "With eyes that lock on your hearts!"Ragdoll: "Here to lend you support!"Tiger: "Charging in headfirst!"Pixie-Bob: "Cute as a kitty, fierce as a lion!"
All Together: "Wild, Wild… Pussycats!!!"
They struck their signature pose, like something straight out of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Ragdoll explained her Quirk, Pixie-Bob demonstrated hers, Mandalay showed off her telepathy, and Tiger flexed his martial arts.
Okay, I could understand the other three… but what the hell was with the musclebound guy?!
Sighing, I watched as training began.
Eri was placed under Aizawa's care.Momo had turned into some kind of glutton queen while pumping out dolls.Mina was melting rock with her acid hands.Jirou was stabbing at a mountainside with her earjacks.
And me? Aizawa-sensei called me over for a "chat."
Aizawa: "Emi asked me to give you this. Consider it a gift, now that you're officially her student."
He nodded and handed me a sheathed knife. When I drew it, I could tell right away—it was expertly crafted, surprisingly light, clearly designed that way on purpose. Honestly, I was impressed.
I slashed the air a few times, testing its balance, until I noticed an inscription engraved along the blade.
Ryojin: "...Little Rookie?"
Aizawa: "Looks like that's what she calls you. Apparently, she thinks you're the next prodigy who could even surpass Hawks. Be proud of it, kid. And… I won't be discussing what happened the other night."
He left me with just those words, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
I tightened my grip, adjusting the knife perfectly to my hand, then strapped the sheath to my right ankle. Training awaited.
My drills weren't complicated—Aizawa had me focus on mobility and multi-target combat. Makes sense. My kit was already versatile enough for solo ops, but he wanted me sharper, faster. Which meant heading into the forest to face Pixie-Bob's summoned beasts. Time to test the blade.
Still… one thing bugged me. Where was the system? Usually, a mission would pop up by now. But nothing. Dead silent. Strange. Suspicious.
…But I pushed the thought aside. First, I had monsters to cut down.
One hour later.
Every last beast was down. I flopped onto the grass, breathing hard, letting the breeze wash over me. For a moment, it was just me, the sky, and some peace.
Izuku: "Ryojin-kun?"
I turned—Midoriya stumbled out of the forest, looking like he'd just crawled back from hell. I chuckled and patted the ground beside me.
Ryojin: "How's your Float training going?"
Izuku: "Ah—amazing! Aizawa-sensei gave me a private spot to practice floating! It's tough, but… I'm getting there! I'm confident I can really master One For All!"
He clenched his fists with determination, eyes blazing with that usual Midoriya fire. One For All really was incredible—a Quirk that could be passed down, even granting the user powers from previous holders.
The question was… what else did it still have in store?
That evening, training ended with one last task: dinner.
Ingredients were spread out neatly on the tables.
Pixie-Bob: "Remember what I said yesterday? Today, you're cooking for yourselves!"Ragdoll: "And we picked something simple—curry!"
The two chatted cheerfully while everyone groaned in exhaustion. The Pussycats only laughed harder.
Ragdoll: "You all look dead tired, but that doesn't mean you get to make crappy cat food!"
Only Iida perked up, seeing this as another "emergency drill." But everyone else? Hopeless.
I sighed.
Ryojin: "Alright, alright. You guys go shower. I'll cook."
Everyone: "KAZUMA, WE LOVE YOU!!!"
They tackled me in a group hug, nearly suffocating me under the weight of their "gratitude," before bolting toward the baths.
That left just me… and Momo.
I raised an eyebrow as she smiled sweetly at me.
Ryojin: "I thought you'd be tired."
Momo: "How could I let my future husband do all the work alone? Besides, what kind of future wife would I be if I didn't know my way around a kitchen? It's supposed to be a woman's kingdom, you know."
Ryojin: "Yeah, yeah… Well, we've got forty mouths to feed."
Momo: "Lead the way, Chef~"
He laughed when he saw her eagerness in the kitchen. But it reminded him of something…
Back when he was still a soldier, he too had cooked for large groups. Except back then… it wasn't really food. It was just fuel—something to keep them alive for one more day in hell.
Just the thought of it made his hands tremble.
Sometimes he wondered if hell had ever truly let him go. It lingered in the shadows of his vision, waiting, always waiting, creeping back into his dreams whenever his eyes shut.
He once told himself he was used to it. But he never was—never even once.
"War is evil."
"Taking another life is a sin."
He could say that all he wanted—but he still killed, again and again.
He wasn't someone who enjoyed it. But he wasn't innocent either. If anyone deserved to be called a beast wearing human skin, it was him. And he didn't feel proud of that. Not even close.
And yet… somewhere deep inside him—so deep he didn't dare explore—it was possible a fragment of him did like it. Violence. Blood. The madness of it all. Maybe every soul carried it in some measure; it was just a matter of how much, and when it came out.
He didn't know the philosophy behind it. Didn't understand, not from stories, not from books.
But there was one thing he knew for certain:
Every human carried a darkness in their heart.The only difference was time… and circumstance.
And still—right now—he could say it out loud without hesitation:
"I'm happy now… Happy to be with the person I love, and the friends I trust."
His gaze shifted toward Momo. She was washing vegetables at the sink, her expression serene, untouched by the blood and mud he had once drowned in.
He stared at her for a long while, as though trying to etch every detail of her into his memory, burn it deep enough that it would never fade.
Ryojin (thoughts):"Maybe… if I'm the one who has to leave this world first…"
"Will she—no, will they all—still remember me?"
"On that day… will they forgive me for the things I've done, the burdens I've carried my whole life?"
"On the very last day… will they still have the courage to look me in the eyes?"
.
.
.
Kirishima: "So delicious!"Eri: "So delicious!"
She mimicked Kirishima's voice perfectly while sitting beside him, which immediately drew laughter from everyone around the table.
As everyone began to eat, they devoured the food hungrily. Even the teachers and the Wild, Wild Pussycats were stunned by how good it tasted.
Jirou: "Yaomomo… and you, how on earth did you guys learn to cook like this!?"
Momo: "Oh… well, most of it was done by Ryo. I only helped prepare the ingredients."
Kazuma: "That's because I'm awesome, of course! And my little Eri has to eat the most delicious food, right~?"
I leaned toward Eri. She grinned so wide her eyes almost disappeared and nodded eagerly.
Eri: "Mhm~! Daddy's food is the best in the world!"
My heart nearly exploded at her cuteness—I could die happy just from the sweetness of my little girl.
But then…
Kouta: "Uh… Eri-chan!"
Everyone froze as Kouta shouted. Eri turned to look at him. The boy stood stiff, his face completely red.
Kouta: "I-I picked this flower for you! And… I'm sorry about your toy yesterday!"
He held out a small wildflower toward her. I glared daggers at him instantly, the protective gaze of a watchdog father.
Ryojin (thinking):Red alert… this brat's trying to make a move on my daughter!?
Eri: "Thank you, Kouta-kun. I forgive you!"
Ryojin (thinking):No!! Wait! She's way too young to have a boyfriend!! I need to put a stop to this before it's too late—
Smack!
A sharp hit landed on my head.
Momo: "Ryo… I know exactly what you're thinking. Your face gave everything away."
She glared at me. I pouted, sulking, then shoveled some rice into my mouth, mumbling under my breath.
Ryojin: "Damn brat… trying to mess with my daughter…"
Cut to the other side…
???: "All units, are you in position?"
???: "Of course, Scarface… but can I kill a few of them first? Just for fun—before we reach the target?"
???: "Do we… kill, or not kill?"
Toga: "Don't forget our goal… But Kazuma… Kazuma is mine! I'll make him mine before this night is over~"
???: "In the end… who exactly is our real target?"
???: "There's only one… Ryojin Kazuma."
.
.
.
[ERROR//Mission Failure#%$!)$)]&]Data corruption detected#%*$!@#&%$)Process interrupted.Target… not terminated.
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Unknown Interference (untraceable source):???: Die.