Chapter 52: NO. 52 - Siblings

Chapter 52: NO. 52 - Siblings

With a single leap, I crossed through the sky and watched the streets below pass me by in a blur of lights. The dark sky above hung over me as I moved through the city of Tokyo with no real direction.

"Was she going to kiss me? Hah... no, she definitely was." I muttered as I stared up at the crescent moon above. "Has our relationship been leading up to this point, and I haven't been able to see it? No... I just didn't want to acknowledge it."

My mind replayed back to the events of a few nights ago when Himiko leaned in to kiss me in the kitchen. I had always thought that our relationship was more of a platonic friendship rather than a romantic one. After all, her future was to someday fall in love with Izuku. Just like in-

"Just like in canon." I sighed and shook my head. "At this point, I've messed with this world so much that nothing is guaranteed. Shit! What if I pushed Izuku away from his future of meeting All Might?!"

Landing on a tall water tower, I stared out the twinkling city skyline with an annoyed look.

"Should I have not gotten involved?"

Despite my thoughts, it was too late to complain about what my actions may or may not have done to the future. What was done was done. I just have to go with the flow and make sure that Izuku got One For All. Somehow, at least.

"What am I going to do about you, Himiko?"

It's not that I didn't think she was attractive. No, she was a very pretty girl. She was also one of my closest friends. I'd tear this whole city to shreds for her, but I never thought of her in that light. Or anyone, for that matter.

Sure, I've ogled some of the female heroes here and there. But who can blame me? They walked around in these ridiculous skin-tight costumes all the time; what's a young man like myself supposed to do?

I've never considered pursuing a relationship with anyone, mainly because I was always busy. My time was filled with various responsibilities: working at my job, helping Mei with her babies, gathering evidence on the HPSC, training Izuku or Keiko, spending time with Jin, Kaina, Himiko, and Eri, writing my books or manga, developing my body and skills, and going out at night as Sukuna.

My plate was stacked.

Not to mention the upcoming headache that will be UA.

"Would it be so wrong... to be with her?" I sighed for what felt like the hundredth time and looked over at Zaiko. "What do you think I should do?"

"Geuh."

"Go for it? But what if something goes wrong and we... you know? Stop being friends."

"Geuh?"

"Yeah. That would be bad. We do live in the same house, too. Maybe I should act like that almost kiss never happened?"

"Geuh..."

"You're right. That would be a pussy move." I nodded at my wormy inventory and rubbed the side of my head. "You can be pretty wise, you know that?" Hearing that, Zaiko nodded sagely.

"I guess I'll sleep on it." I jumped up and used the window ledges of the apartment building in front of me to reach its roof. Landing in a crouch, I looked out at the now peaceful city with a small grin.

It's nice to see my hard work pay off.

(Hey, Boss.) Crow Maki said as she landed on Zaiko's head. (I found something nearby.)

So much for that.

(Bonito flakes.) Crow Inumaki nodded as he perched himself beside my foot.

"That right? Let's go check it out then."

x x x

[General POV]

Todoroki Fuyumi and her younger brother, Natsuo, walked leisurely together towards their home. Due to having been behind on some of her work, Fuyumi ended up working into the long night. But when she finished and noticed the time, she had called her brother to help walk her home.

Despite the city streets being safer now than a few years back, Fuyumi was still a little nervous about walking home alone.

Todoroki Fuyumi is a young woman of average height with grey eyes. Her hair is mostly white, with noticeable strands of crimson throughout. It is shoulder-length, except for the ear-length side bangs she has and a short clump that falls down her forehead.

Fuyumi, Natsuo, and the remaining robber all turned to Sukuna as he stepped over the unconscious man below him with his staff over his shoulders. Panicking, the robber tried to move toward Fuyumi to try and use her as a hostage or shield, but before he grew too close, the man's upper face exploded with blood by a long slice that ripped his eyes apart.

"GAH! M-my eyes!" The robber cried as he fell onto the ground, his blood spilling everywhere.

"Pull your shirt down already," Sukuna muttered as he walked past Fuyumi and Natsuo. "A-ah, right!" Fuyumi quickly pulled her shirt down and kneeled over her brother. They watched as Sukuna stood over the robber and stared at him with a dismissive look.

Flipping his staff, Sukuna slammed it down onto the bleeding man's head with a thud, knocking him out.

Shaking his head, Natsuo's vision started to clear. As he looked up at Sukuna, he couldn't shake the feeling that the man seemed familiar. Suddenly, it clicked. This was the same man who had burned a person to death in the streets of Yokohama. Natsuo recalled the hastily recorded video taken by a pedestrian that day, and there was no doubt about it: this was the very same person.

"F-Fuyumi. Get behind me." Natsuo gritted his teeth and forced himself up. His grey eyes focused on the very dangerous man before them.

"How pathetic," Sukuna said as he turned to Natsuo, causing the college student to balk. "You couldn't even protect your sister. You call yourself a man?"

"What?! Who-"

"Be quiet," Sukuna muttered in a low tone, promptly causing Natsuo to grow silent. "Trash like you don't get to talk."

Walking over to the other two men, Sukuna swiped his hands and sliced their eyes apart as well. Seeing the violent sight, Natsuo flinched and stepped back in fear. Just as Sukuna was about to leave, Fuyumi stepped forward with trembling legs.

"T-thank you. For saving my brother and me." Fuyumi said with her hands in front of her. She then gave him a slight bow. "Thank you."

Remaining still, Sukuna didn't offer a response before he leaped into the night sky. Leaving the two Todoroki siblings alone on the street with three mutilated men.

x x x

[Shimizu Souta POV]

I watched the cops and paramedics collect the three bleeding but still alive fools that were strewn around on the street. Off to the side, Fuyumi and Natsuo were being attended by a curvaceous young woman who had big red-orange eyes and pointy teeth.

Her most distinguishing feature is her long, flaming yellow-green hair, with two bangs on each side and a wider bang extending from the center of her forehead to the right. This is the Pro Hero Burnin, also known as Kamiji Moe.

"So that's Burnin." I stood in the shadows down the street and watched everything proceed with an appreciative nod. "She's a looker alright."

Moving on from the attractive hero, I looked over at Fuyumi and Natsuo. The female Todoroki looked shaken and was being comforted by Moe. Off a few feet away, Natsuo had a bandage around his head. He had a thoughtful but angry expression on his face.

"I think you went too far." Standing beside me, a clone said as he looked Moe up and down. "It was a tough situation he was in. You can't expect everyone to be a kick-ass fighter."

"Yeah, I know." I nodded and leaned against the cool wall behind me. "Hopefully, he can get over this so he can grow from it. I know Endeavor ain't teaching him how to be a man. Or, well, raising him at all."

"It was a three-on-one! With weapons!" My clone thumped my chest with an eye roll. "Cut him some slack. I'm sure after tomorrow, he'll join a martial arts gym and hit the weights... Either that or blame it on his dad."

Nodding, I watched the scene continue for a while longer. Looking around, I still didn't see a sign of Endeavor showing up. An action that Fuyumi seemed to copy me in.

"Poor girl."

"A very fine girl, though."

"Dude."

"...right. My bad."

Dismissing my clone, I turned around and leaped up onto the rooftops to begin to head home. As I moved around, I looked over at my accumulated points.

[Total SP: 5701]

"Use 1500 SP," I said while spinning the Gatcha machine dial in mid-air.

[You have pulled: Inumaki Toge's Cursed Technique, Cursed Speech! Rank: Diamond.]

(Mustard leaf.) Crow Inumaki said as he, Crow Maki, and Crow Panda flew alongside me.

"Couldn't have said it better myself."