Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Kid, is your Quirk a healing type? It's amazing! But a bit scary..."

"Kid, what's your name?"

"Kid, are you visiting someone? This address sounds familiar..."

Kid Kid Kid Kid Kid Kid Kid Kid Kid

Kirisame, with a blank expression, was being led down the street by a man who called himself Toshinori Yagi, while his relentless barrage of "kid" assaulted her. She seriously pondered how things had come to this.

[Honestly, this guy's got some nerve. Even if it was healing, he just casually followed the girl who stabbed him like two seconds ago.]

[And this kid has no sense of caution either. Even if she was lost, she just casually followed some random old dude.]

The big guy and the little girl, who were thinking completely different things but somehow matched in their thought patterns, simultaneously looked at each other all worried.

"...My name is Kirisame. I don't know who I'm visiting either. Probably my future guardian."

This unusually concise and random remark, paired with the young girl's polite but bitter (?) smile, might've brought back some painful memories for the strongest hero. Whatever he was thinking, his gaze toward Kirisame became complicated—mixed with sadness, hopelessness, and even a hint of self-blame.

—Even though heroes were everywhere, people's misfortunes still persist.

Kirisame felt chills all over from his stare, wondering if she had encountered a pervert. She started planning whether to bolt or beat the crap out of him again if he tried to show her something weird...

And so, talking past each other the whole way, they finally reached their destination.

Looking at the nameplate on the gate, All Might couldn't help but literally cough up blood.

No wonder that address had seemed so familiar!!!

—The nameplate bore two neat characters: "Aizawa."

Aizawa?! And a little girl?!

All Might looked at Kirisame's black hair and golden eyes with a troubled expression, and in his mind flashed the image of that same black-haired man who lived in a sleeping bag and radiated despair, standing lovingly with an elegant woman with golden eyes. His missing stomach started aching faintly...

You've got to be kidding me. Even a guy like Shota Aizawa has a daughter now...

...Damn it, feels like I've lost on something!!

"Hmm... the owner doesn't seem to be home," Kirisame said, knocking on the door.

Ah, right, Shota Aizawa should still be at work at this time... All Might looked at Kirisame. "He might not be back for a while. Any plans?"

[These two actually know each other?]

Kirisame, who had expected this wouldn't be this easy, lifted the hem of her clothes and found a relatively clean spot on the doorstep, squatting down and looking up at All Might, showing her plan through actions.

All Might... All Might couldn't control his curiosity.

Originally, his transformation time for today was already over, and going back only meant treating his injuries. But this girl stabbed him, and now his injury was healed. He wasn't in a hurry to leave either. Besides, this girl seemed completely defenseless—how could he feel at ease leaving her alone?

So, even though he was emaciated from injury, the still-huge strongest hero learned Kirisame's posture and squatted beside her. In perfect synchronization, they both adopted a girlish pose with their cheeks resting on their hands as they squatted in front of Shota Aizawa's house.

—This was the sight that greeted Shota Aizawa when he returned.

Startled, he quickly put in two eye drops.

The black-haired man gave a listless glance at his acquaintance All Might.

"Is this some new way to get revenge?"

he asked weakly.

Kirisame stared wide-eyed at her future guardian before her.

His shoulder-length black hair tangled with the binding cloth around his neck, messily draped over his shoulders and covering most of his face. His eyes, which couldn't even fully open, were bloodshot. Although he looked completely different from the man squatting next to her, both emitted the same subtle aura of "about to kick the bucket any second now."

...Isn't this a Pro Hero?! This is supposed to be a Pro Hero!!

—Doesn't he look even more unreliable than like Mr. Zapp?!

While suppressing the urge to sigh, the girl took out a bright yellow paper airplane from her bosom and handed it to Shota Aizawa as he approached.

The moment the paper airplane touched the man's hand, it automatically unfolded and resumed its original rectangular shape, while its texture became a thin, translucent film, reflecting the stern face of the boss of Libra.

"...I'm really sorry for the trouble, Mr. Aizawa. Please take care of this child for now!"

[So she's not Aizawa's daughter...]

The stern, dignified red-haired man on the screen ended his request. He seemed to try to force a friendly expression to convey his sincerity, baring his teeth in a grin.

All three there shuddered.

Of course, Kirisame was excited. The girl rested her cheeks in her hands, daydreaming: "His little fangs are so cute~"

The other two just looked at her, faces full of emojis...

The short video ended with a clip from the famous cartoon Tom and Jerry, where the little mouse Tuffy (Xiaobai) was waiting at his uncle Jerry's doorstep with his bundle, smiling brightly.

That's clearly Mr. Steven's idea.

Kirisame quickly put on her sweetest expression and showed Shota Aizawa a matching innocent smile.

Shota Aizawa stayed deadpan and put in two more eye drops.

"Let's talk inside," he said, stepping forward to open the door.

There was no movement behind him.

"Huh?"

The two of them, with an eerily synchronized pitiful expression, looked at him: "Legs are asleep QAQ..."

"...Please don't joke around like that, senpai," Shota Aizawa said, turning around and picking up Kirisame by the scruff of her neck to carry her inside, not even glancing at his colleague.

Shota Aizawa's home, well, it was completely different from the mess I expected. It looked empty, as if no one lived there.

"I understand the gist of it, but how did you...?"

The black-haired man glanced at All Might, who had followed, and just barely managed to sit up straight.

"I got a little injured on my way home, and this Kirisame girl healed me. I was worried about her, so I followed," All Might said carefully, still trying to save the girl's face a little.

The man's bloodshot black eyes flickered in surprise.

After giving All Might an unreadable look, Shota Aizawa turned to face Kirisame and flashed a friendly grin.

Kirisame knew what was up, miming a zipping-lips motion to show she knew nothing.

The black-haired man sat back, satisfied.

Many years ago, when he was still a rookie hero, he had once stumbled into a very strange place while chasing a villain. Unlike the world he grew up in, that place was shrouded in thick fog and overrun with monsters. There, he was rescued by Klaus, the boss of Libra, and made the acquaintance of that matchless gentleman.

Maintaining peace in a place like that was extremely difficult, both objectively and subjectively. The efforts Klaus and his Libra had made were enough to shock any veteran hero from here. So his request was something Shota Aizawa had to consider, no matter what.

—Just consider it.

"Knowing how Klaus operates, he must have already talked to the principal. I'll only ask you one thing: do you want to be a hero?"

The girl didn't hesitate: "If it's like Boss, who's skilled, handsome, polite, principled, flexible, and has a big—"

"Okay, okay, I get it," the man said, covering his face.

Interrupted, she observed her future guardian's expression and thought about what he wanted to hear.

"...This is Mr. Klaus's request, so please rest assured. I'm not here to play around. I'll work hard to be a good student."

At the mention of her proper guardian, the girl's glistening golden eyes shone brightly.

"I'll learn to follow the rules here."

But the moment these fine words left her mouth, before Aizawa could respond, Kirisame hugged his thigh. She dropped her serious attitude, clung to her temporary guardian's leg, looked up with tearful eyes, and pleaded.

"So please cut me some slack!! If you don't take me in, I'll be sent back... I'm super capable, super obedient, super useful! Please, Dad, just love me! Waah…"

"Pfft—" All Might wanted to laugh, but if he laughed, blood would spurt out, so he curled up in a corner, trembling and struggling not to laugh.

The black-haired man peeled the girl off his leg and saw the No. 1 hero, All Might, in the corner, covering his mouth to stifle laughter, extending his other hand to give him a thumbs up.

—He'd convinced All Might that quickly?

"What's your Quirk?"

"Huh?" Kirisame looked confused.

"For your registration."

"Oh... I guess it falls under weapon summoning. I can pull out different blades as needed, sometimes with additional effects."

"Eh? Then earlier you—"

"That was one of them. When activated, it has some ability to heal physical injuries, but it hurts quite a bit. You should know, right?"

All Might nodded vigorously: "Anyway, thanks."

"You're welcome. You helped me find my way too. But I thought the peace district would be safer. You guys work hard too."

All Might, the one responsible for the decline in public safety here, had nothing to say and could only force a dry laugh.

"Alright, let's save the chit-chat for later," Aizawa cut in. The tired look on his face receded like a tide, and the black-haired man finally showed a bit of reliability.

"Since you've decided to come to UA, I'll be your teacher from now on." His bloodshot black eyes stared at her. "This isn't HL."

"Don't let me find out you've done anything against the rules."

"Yes, Teacher!! I understand, Teacher!!"

"Too early for that~" Aizawa slumped back into his chair, grinning at Kirisame. "I mean in the future. Who knows about the future?"

When a man like that suddenly widens his eyes and gives a full eight-tooth smile—

No way... A feeling of foreboding rose in her heart.

"You didn't think you could just enroll, did you? Is UA that kind of school?"

"The entrance exam is less than a year away. If you don't want to pack your bags and go home, then work your butt off to pass the exam!!"

"..."

After exchanging contact information, Kirisame declined All Might's offer to escort her back.

[I guess I'm permanently labeled as directionally challenged in his mind...]

The girl held her forehead in despair.

"No need, as long as I've walked it once, I can get back quickly." Smiling, she waved at All Might and turned at the door.

"Well then, see you at school, Teacher Aizawa~"

Black flames ignited from her hand, instantly enveloping the short sword in her grip. Before the last syllable faded, the girl had vanished.

"...Kirisame's Quirk is strong."

"That's not her Quirk," Aizawa said, collapsing back into his chair with a grave expression. "She's still far from it. I get why she was sent here now."

Hellsalem's Lot, though another world, wasn't entirely unknown. As a secret piece of underworld information, many heroes had heard of it, but few could go there, and fewer still returned alive. In the impression of the few who knew, it was something straight out of an urban legend, similar to All For One.

After giving a brief explanation about Kirisame to this overly inquisitive senior, the black-haired man suddenly realized he'd forgotten something important.

"...I forgot to tell her she can't use her Quirk without permission."

"It's fine! Kirisame isn't the type to act recklessly!"

"...You haven't left yet?"

"..."

Back at the citadel, Akashi was being dragged by Aizen to find Hotarumaru when suddenly Aizen slipped from his grip.

"Oh, summoned by the Lord again?" The young tachi, who had collapsed back into his room to sleep, asked drowsily as the short tanto boy came back to tug at him.

The red-haired short tanto boy nodded excitedly:

"Like Yagen said, the Lord has moved to a new place! This time it looks amazing! Feels like a place with lots of festivals!!"

"Ah, then guess I won't be needed then. Finally get some more rest." After a moment, the tachi's lazy reply came from the room.

"I'm both looking forward to it and somehow not quite satisfied."