Chapter 3: My Hero Academia, Part 2

Three days had passed since I first met Toga Himiko.

During those three days, we met daily.

I provided her with blood, played with her, and talked with her.

As a result, we became quite close.

Currently, I was in Toga Himiko’s room.

It was late, so Himiko was lying in bed, ready to sleep, and I sat beside her on a chair I had brought over.

“Where do you live, Mister?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because you haven’t told me anything about yourself.”

I felt a slight pang of guilt.

Indeed, I had only told Himiko my name.

“I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

It wasn’t the right time yet.

Himiko was too young to understand the truth – that I came from another world, that this world was fictional.

‘Our bond too…’

While we’d grown closer, it wasn’t a deep bond yet. There was no need to shock her with the truth now.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

“When will that be?”

“Hmm. When Himiko becomes an adult?”

Himiko puffed out her cheeks, seemingly dissatisfied with my answer.

“That’s too long…”

Her sadness tugged at my heart, but I couldn’t reveal the truth yet. She wasn’t ready to accept the reality of this world.

I wasn’t cruel enough to burden a recently stabilized child with such shocking information.

I believed that adults should guide children on the right path.

As I was contemplating this, Himiko spoke, her eyes wide.

“Is there no other way besides waiting until I’m an adult?”

I considered this, then replied, “There is one other way.”

Himiko’s excitement was palpable. “What is it?”

“Hmm… Is it okay to tell a child something like this?”

“I’m not a child!”

“That’s what children usually say, Himiko.”

“So, you won’t tell me…?”

‘This is unfair.’

My favorite character stared at me with downcast eyes, and I couldn’t help but speak.

“Himiko, if you come to love me.”

“Eh… W-What do you mean?”

I watched her blush deepen as I explained, “Exactly what I said.

If you come to love me, I’ll tell you about myself.”

“I already like you!”

“That’s not enough.

You need to love me even more than you do now.”

“It’s not enough now…?”

“No.”

Her dejected expression pained me. Seeing my favorite character sad was difficult.

As I pondered how to comfort her, Himiko lifted her head and declared, “If it’s not enough now, I’ll love you even more! Much more!

And when I do, you have to tell me about yourself…!

Okay…?”

“Okay.”

I smiled, and her face lit up with a bright smile in return.

Another night passed peacefully.

After watching Himiko sleep, I left her house.

It was time to hunt villains.

Villains were more active at night, making it the ideal time for hunting.

I checked my skills.

[Swordsmanship Lv.2
Grants talent in all swordsmanship.]

[Concealment Lv.2
Allows the user to mask their presence.]

Over the past three days, by defeating unknown small-fry villains, my skill levels had increased.

Honestly, as someone who was previously an ordinary person, I was worried about fighting for the first time.

Fortunately, the Swordsmanship skill allowed me to subdue villains without issue.

I hadn’t killed any of them. I wouldn’t resort to killing unless a villain committed heinous crimes.

Moreover, I hadn’t killed anyone before, so I hesitated.

Everything is difficult the first time, but it becomes easier with repetition.

I didn’t want to become accustomed to killing.

Of course, I would have to kill the final boss of the My Hero Academia world.

That individual had committed so many atrocities that killing him would be a mercy.

However, the time wasn’t right. I was too weak, and he was too strong.

So, for now, I needed to hone my swordsmanship. Until the day I could defeat him.

So that Himiko could live in a better world.

I was heading towards a villain’s hideout to improve my swordsmanship.

My destination was a deserted factory.

Machinery creaked ominously, and the air was thick with dust.

Upon arrival, I heightened my senses.

I knew he was somewhere in this factory.

As I expanded my senses, something dropped from above.

The moment I registered it, the battle began.

The villain lunged at me with a knife, and I parried with the knife I had purchased here.

Clang!

Our blades clashed.

The impact allowed me to see the villain’s face.

He possessed human features – eyes, nose, and mouth – yet his appearance was grotesque.

It was like staring into the uncanny valley.

‘Ugh…’

Lacking immunity to such sights, I briefly closed my eyes.

He exploited this opening.

He withdrew his knife and thrust it towards my abdomen.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been stabbed. However, I possessed the Swordsmanship skill.

Instinctively, I dodged, then swung my blade, severing his head.

His head and body separated, his head thudding onto the ground. My hands trembled.

It was my first kill.

‘I didn’t intend to kill him.’

My previous encounters with villains were child’s play. We didn’t fight with lethal intent.

This villain was different. He attacked to kill, and I had to defend myself.

My hands shook uncontrollably for several minutes.

Eventually, my heart calmed, and I could lift my head.

It was my first kill.