"Hmph... Moon Breathing, Seventh Form: Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit."
I transformed my blade into its greatsword form and unleashed a wide-range technique. Five massive vertical slashes surged forward like a gale, while smaller, irregular crescent blades carved semi-circles into the ground around them.
"Moon Breathing, Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail."
With a massive horizontal sweep resembling a dragon's tail, I sent out a singular, titanic slash. It was a technique that mirrored, yet opposed, the Sun Breathing's Eleventh Form, Dragon Sun Halo Dance.
The slashes, materialized through my Blood Demon Art, sliced through concrete walls like soft tofu and sheared through steel pillars as if they were nothing.
"Sigh... stagnant again today? It feels as though I've hit a wall I cannot climb..."
My skill level hadn't budged in years. No progress, no regression—just a perpetual standstill.
I sheathed Kyokuseibo and wiped away the sweat. I took a drink of my sports drink, but my reflection in the mirror looked frustrated rather than refreshed.
"...Training alone... truly has its limits."
I was in a slump. No matter how much I increased the difficulty of my solo sessions, there was only so much I could do. I once asked Yoriichi for a spar, but he knocked me unconscious in a single exchange. The shock of accidentally wounding his own brother was so great that he now refuses to spar with me, no matter how much I plead. It seems he's still traumatized by it.
As I was pondering how to break through this plateau, my phone rang. It was Momo, my adorable fiancée. I answered without hesitation.
"I am here."
—"Ah! Husband? Did I catch you during your training?"
"No... I have just finished. Do not trouble yourself."
She truly is a wonderful fiancée, always putting my needs first.
"I shall begin preparing for school shortly. I will wait for you."
—"Ah! Not this time! I'm going to be the one waiting for you today!"
"Very well... do your best."
Ever since I became Kokushibo, my mind has synchronized with his personality. I find small talk and unnecessary pleasantries tedious. My brief, blunt responses often lead to people thinking I'm socially inept or cold, which has caused its fair share of headaches.
Thankfully, Momo has been by my side long enough to decipher my true intentions. She's the only one I can truly be open with.
—"Oh! Look at the time! I'll see you later, Husband! I love you! ♡"
"Yes... I hold you in high regard as well... Momo."
The archaic filter on my speech is a curse I must simply live with.
After a quick bath, I put on my school uniform. I secured Kyokuseibo to my waist—keeping the blade magically sealed just in case—and went to meet her.
"Husband! ♥"
A voice as sweet as honey reached my ears as a beautiful girl with a black ponytail and a stunning figure ran toward me. This was my fiancée, Momo Yaoyorozu. She leaped into my arms and rubbed her cheek against my chest.
"Mmm~ Recharging my 'Husband energy'... ♥"
"You truly are... eccentric, Momo."
"Phew... do you dislike having such an eccentric fiancée?"
She looked up at me with teary eyes, but I knew it was an act. While her eyes were welling up, her lips were fighting back a smile. I found these little pranks of hers quite endearing.
I patted her head and spoke with as much sincerity as I could muster.
"Eccentric or not... you are my fiancée. Never forget that."
"Husband... ♡♡"
Seeing her look at me with such moved eyes made the corners of my mouth twitch upward slightly.
"Hehe! You smiled! You really are so handsome, Husband! ♡"
"Is that so? Most people... find it terrifying."
Personally, I can't stand looking at my own smile in the mirror. Even though it's my own face, it's unsettling.
"In my eyes, you're the most handsome man in the world. Better than anyone else."
"If you say so... then I thank you."
When I pulled my hand away from her head, she let out a small, disappointed sigh. She was incredibly cute.
.
.
.
"Hey, Yaoyorozu, are you really okay in the head?"
"Dating that eye-monster? Come on, tell us the truth—does he have some kind of dirt on you?"
Momo had gone to grab our lunch boxes, and when she didn't return, I went looking for her. I found a group of male students pestering her. There's always this type—jealous that the most beautiful girl in school belongs to me. I had personally beaten sense into those who tried to challenge me directly, so they'd gone quiet, but now it seemed they were targeting my fiancée instead. It was pathetic and irritating.
Lacking the courage to face me, they chose to harass her.
"Be honest! You seduced him with that body of yours, didn't you? No wonder Tsugikuni is obsessed with you!"
"That fossil-looking freak is still a man, after all... You're way out of his league, Yaoyorozu! Ditch that monster and come to me. My dad is making big moves in politics; I can help your family's business way more than he can."
"You're just clinging to his family's prestige anyway, aren't you? Seducing him with that scandalous body? Why don't you give us a turn? We'll pay you well~"
Their words became increasingly vulgar. They weren't just insulting me; they were sexually harassing Momo and trampling on her dignity. It sounded less like human speech and more like the braying of filth. I couldn't stand it. Just as I was about to step out and punish them for insulting my woman—
SLAP!
The sound of a hand striking flesh echoed through the hallway. The boy who had been speaking the loudest had his face snapped to the side.
"You are truly... a vulgar, disgusting person. Michikatsu Tsugikuni is not a man that a piece of trash like you is allowed to belittle!"
Momo's shout rang through the classroom. It was the first time I had ever seen her truly enraged.
"I can endure you insulting me. I can ignore the vulgarity of a man as lowly as you. But... how dare you... how dare you try to bolster your own pathetic ego by dragging down my husband! It is loathsome and cowardly!"
Watching her stand up for me with an expression like a vengeful spirit actually made me feel a surge of pride.
"You bitch! I've had enough of—!"
The boy Momo had slapped raised his hand to strike her. In an instant, I used a burst of speed to close the distance, grabbing his wrist with enough force to crush the bone.
"You have... quite the lack of restraint."
"Husband?"
"Tsugikuni..."
I glanced at the stunned onlookers before looking down at the trash who had dared to try and lay a hand on my fiancée.
"How unsightly... Tell me, is it enjoyable? Targeting those you deem weaker than yourself?"
I stared at them with all six of my eyes. The boys scrambled back in terror. The one in my grip was trembling, yet he still managed to bark insults at me—the usual repertoire: 'eye monster,' 'you'll regret this,' 'do you know who my father is?' Boring. Cliché.
"Tedious... is that all?"
Creeeeak...
I tightened my grip. I intended to snap his arm as a warning for even thinking about touching Momo. However, I felt a soft hand on my arm. Momo shook her head.
"Husband... it's alright. Let him go. He isn't worth your time."
"He shamed you. If an example is not made... he will only repeat his folly."
"I won't let a man that disgusting cause trouble for you. I don't want you to face repercussions because of a person like him."
Looking into Momo's clear, steady eyes, I finally let go of his arm, tossing him aside like a piece of refuse. I released a concentrated wave of killing intent.
"Begone."
"H-Hieeeek!"
With a pathetic scream, the boy scrambled away. I turned and pulled Momo into a hug.
"Were you startled? Were you afraid? I apologize for being late."
"I'm fine... I knew you would save me."
"You... always know exactly what to say."
She looked up at me with a soft smile, looking so radiant that, without thinking... I kissed her.
Her lips were soft and tasted faintly of peach. It was a brief kiss, but I had been drawn in by her charm, unable to resist the impulse to claim her lips.
When I pulled back, Momo looked like a startled rabbit. I immediately felt a pang of guilt for letting my desires get the better of me.
"Forgive me... Momo."
"You're a dummy... but I liked it (///////)."
Her face was bright red, but she was smiling. My fiancée was incredibly precious.
"Husband... kiss me again."
"Are you certain? Looking upon this... hideous face?"
I didn't get to finish my sentence. This time, she was the one who claimed my lips. The sensation of her soft, warm lips sent a thrill through me.
"I am constantly reflecting on my past... the foolishness of when I judged you by your appearance and pushed you away. Back then, I was a child who only saw the surface of the world."
Momo's words made me feel a bit awkward. I was hurt at first, but I had long since forgiven her. Honestly, given my appearance, her initial reaction was the logical one. I would have avoided me too.
"But after you saved me from those kidnappers... after you stopped them from selling me away... I truly saw you. Your face is gallant and handsome to me now. I love you... even if you were to grow tired of me and take other wives, I would be content to remain even as a concubine."
"How could I... ever discard you? That shall never happen."
"I have fallen in love with Michikatsu Tsugikuni with all my heart. If you ever decide to bring others into our family, I will gladly help you."
"Why... would you say such a thing?"
"Because it's only natural for a man of your caliber to have many women by his side. You are a great man. I have already accepted that our family might grow beyond just the two of us one day."
"You are too generous..."
In this world of Heroes, unlike my previous life, polygamy and polyamory are legal. In an age where power and talent are everything, it is common for high-ranking individuals to have multiple partners, and it's often viewed with envy rather than scorn.
I didn't expect Momo to be the one to suggest a harem—every man's dream—without me even bringing it up.
"Will you... truly have no regrets, Momo?"
"Even if you grow bored of me, I will serve you with all my heart."
"Why go so far...?"
"Because I love you from the depths of my soul. Is that not enough?"
To be honest, I couldn't guarantee I would only ever look at Momo. This world is filled with many incredible women, and I did have aspirations of a harem. But hearing Momo offer to help me build it was a shock.
One thing was certain, though.
"I shall... never neglect you. That, I promise."
As a seal of our pact, I pressed my lips to hers once more.
"I swear it."
She was my favorite character, after all. Momo will always be my primary wife.
"That is more than enough for me! ♡"
We kissed again, confirming the depth of our love for one another.