_____[POV: Third Person]_____
----9 years ago----
Little Ryuji, only five years old, writhed in his bed, clutching his head with both hands as if trying to prevent it from exploding. The pain was unbearable. The experiment he had decided to undertake—creating a telepathic link with all the inhabitants of Earth to map threats beyond All For One—had turned into the worst decision of his short life.
Thoughts, memories, emotions, desires... Everything flooded his mind in a chaotic and overwhelming torrent. Every story, every trauma, every secret whispered in the night, all the smiles and tears of millions of people rushed through him in an instant. Amid the mental storm, he sensed them: those who, like him, did not belong to this world. Reincarnated, like him.
Each of them had an ambition. Each carried a desire. Good or bad, it didn't matter—they were unpredictable variables, elements of an equation that could only result in chaos. The world could not survive so many competing forces. For order to prevail, only one reincarnated should exist. Only him.
Paranoia consumed him. The pain, the voices, the confusion—everything swirled together in a suffocating whirlwind. Was he right to eliminate the others? What about the ordinary people? He had seen so much cruelty, so much corruption in them. He possessed absolute power, so why not rewrite everything? Create a perfect world. A world without suffering. Without prejudice. Without injustice. Without...
But before he could lose himself further in his own thoughts, the bedroom door opened.
"Ryuji?" His mother's voice, soft and concerned, echoed in the dark room. "Are you okay? I thought I heard you moaning in pain."
In an instant, he composed himself, lifting his head and forcing a small smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Just had a weird dream."
Aiko watched him with a hesitant gaze, her blue eyes filled with worry. She wanted to press further but didn't want to push him. After a moment of silence, she sighed and smiled faintly.
"Well... I bought Coffee Jelly today. It's been really popular lately, so I thought you might like it."
She turned and closed the door, leaving Ryuji alone. He sat still for a moment before finally heading downstairs to the kitchen, where Aiko was unpacking groceries. Sitting at the table, he stared blankly at the jelly in front of him.
Aiko noticed her son's behavior. Something was bothering him, but he didn't want to talk. And if Ryuji didn't want to talk, she knew it was no use pushing. Still, maybe she could reach him in another way.
"Your father loved helping others, you know?" she began, pulling a can from the bag and placing it in the cupboard. "He was stubborn... always insisted on doing what was right, even when no one asked."
Ryuji remained silent, but his mother continued, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
"I always said he was a fool. But deep down, I admired him for it." A small laugh escaped her lips. "He never tried to force people to change. He believed everyone had the right to be who they were. One day, I asked him, 'If you had the power to change the world, what would you do?'"
She paused, as if reliving the memory, before continuing.
"He said yes, he would change it... but he wouldn't force anyone to follow his vision. He thought it was wrong to impose changes. Everyone has their own dreams, their own paths. The world... already has its balance, imperfect as it may be."
Ryuji blinked, feeling something stir within him.
Aiko laughed to herself, shaking her head. "And then I asked him what he would do with great power. And you know what he said?" She turned, looking at her son with a loving gleam in her eyes. "He'd probably become a hero. And stop those who tried to force their changes on the world."
Silence filled the kitchen for a moment. Ryuji glanced down at the jelly in front of him, while Aiko returned to her groceries.
"But you know..." Her voice grew softer. "I won't force you to do anything, Ryuji. Never." She paused before continuing gently. "I just want you to know that I'm your mother. And I'm here for you, whenever you need me."
Ryuji remained quiet. He looked at his mother's back for a moment, then turned back to the jelly before him. Hesitantly, he opened the cup and took a spoonful.
The sweet, smooth flavor filled his mouth. Something so simple, so trivial... yet, in that moment, it carried an unexpected weight for him.
A single tear rolled down his cheek. He stayed silent, feeling the jelly melt on his tongue. After a moment, his voice came out low but firm.
"Mom... Can I have another Coffee Jelly tomorrow?"
Aiko smiled without turning around. "Of course you can, sweetheart."
_____[POV: Ryuji]_____
Well, well... This is a really tough decision.
I stand in the supermarket aisle, arms crossed, staring at the coffee jellies as if they were a life-or-death choice. This has never happened before. I've never faced this kind of difficulty in life, but now I'm confronted with a true moral dilemma.
On one side, my faithful and reliable 138-yen Coffee Jelly. I've always been satisfied with it. Perfect texture, impeccable flavor, a reliable experience for my leisure moments.
On the other side, a set of three jellies for just 183 yen. An exceptional price. If each one costs 61 yen, then eating two would still only cost me 122 yen, less than the 138-yen one. Logically, this should be the better choice...
"Mom! That guy has been standing there for a long time..."
Two 61-yen jellies or one 138-yen jelly...
"We shouldn't meddle in other people's lives. Come on, let's go."
After all, which one will bring more satisfaction? Apparently, the obvious answer is the set of three. After all, quantity beats quality, right? But then my eyes catch something crucial.
Net weight.
Oh, crap, how could I forget this detail?!
Looking closely, I notice the difference. The 138-yen jelly has 120g per container, while each one in the set of three has only 70g. This changes everything! So, in reality, the set doesn't double the quantity, it only increases it by 1.714 times. The difference between a solid investment and a scam disguised as a promotion.
That settles it. Quality beats quantity.
The allowance I receive from my mother is 3000 yen, of course, I have much more than that when combined with what I earn from Lucifer and Esunami. But I use that money for other purposes, and besides, it would be strange for a humble 14-year-old like me to spend astronomical amounts of money on daily expenses.
With my 3000-yen allowance, I can buy 21 units of the 138-yen jelly, which is enough to cover the surface of Lucifer's exquisite desk.
But wait... I can buy 16 sets of three with the 3000 yen. So, that times three is... 48? No way! I could even make a bed out of them! There's enough to give one to every student at UA!
I furrow my brow, should I ultimately choose the set of three?
But then, when I turn my head...
Premium Coffee Jelly – 2950 yen.
For those with refined taste.
The sign exudes arrogance. But why? What makes a single jelly cost 2950 yen?! It must be a scam! Who in their right mind would buy something like that? Frankly...
...
Why am I holding one?
I look at my basket, and there it is. The cursed 2950-yen jelly.
What am I doing? This makes no sense. The packaging says it only has 55g. Fifty-five. That's less than any of the previous options! How can something so small be better than 48 units of the set of three?!
But, at the same time... I need to know. If this jelly isn't pure culinary ecstasy, I'll destroy the factory that produced it.
My plans for revenge against whoever created this Premium Coffee Jelly were interrupted by an argument.
The checkout line was at a standstill. The reason? A man in his thirties yelling like a hungry boar at the cashier. She was tall, absurdly tall, with a fox-like appearance and a pair of fluffy ears that seemed to retract with every offensive word that came out of the jerk's mouth.
"Don't touch my groceries, you disgusting freak! Who do you think you are?! I don't want your filthy hands contaminating my belongings!" he spat venomously.
She kept bowing repeatedly, murmuring apologies while trying to avoid looking at him.
"M-My apologies, sir. I didn't mean to..."
"You shouldn't even be working here! Look at those ears, how revolting!" He laughed, and her ears drooped even more. By now, the girl's blue eyes were glistening with tears threatening to fall.
I took a deep breath. Wonderful. I came here to buy jelly and ended up stumbling into the need to teach a basic lesson in humanity.
I placed my hand on the man's shoulder. He turned around, annoyed.
"What do you want, kid?"
Without responding, I slapped him across the face.
The sound echoed through the store.
He stared at me, surprised. "What's your probl—"
Another slap.
He took a step back, furious. "You..."
One more.
Now his expression wasn't one of anger but of confusion and fear. I continued, and minutes later, he was standing there, his cheeks swollen and red, begging for mercy.
"P-Please, stop! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
I let go of the man, who ran out of the store as if he had seen the devil himself.
I sighed and looked at the cashier. She was staring at me with an unreadable expression, clearly hesitant.
I placed my jelly on the counter. She, still a bit flustered, processed my order. As she did, she murmured a timid:
"Thank you..."
"It was nothing," I replied, grabbing my bag. "I just don't want that kind of trash frequenting the little market I visit the most."
She still seemed nervous, her eyes avoiding mine. After all, I had just beaten a customer into public humiliation, so she was probably considering the possibility of being next.
Did I overdo it? Maybe. But I'd call it instant justice with a touch of entertainment.
I grabbed my precious premium coffee jelly and looked at her again. Her ears were still drooping.
An interesting detail. Like a scolded dog. But now that the situation was resolved, I could observe them better. Fluffy. Soft.
Cute.
"Your ears are cute."
The big fox lady n blinked, surprised, and froze completely. It was like watching an operating system crash upon receiving an unexpected command. If she had a processor, it would probably be overheating right now.
I lowered my bag and left the little market, satisfied with my purchase. Behind me, I heard a small, timid "Th-thank you…"
I smirked. Well, at least that made her day a little better. Now, it was time to see if this premium jelly was worth the sacrifice of my allowance. If not… well, I'd have to find the factory responsible and settle this matter personally.
_____[POV: Third Person]_____
Ryuji arrived at his house in a matter of minutes. It could have been even faster, but apparently, the city of Musutafu had a larger population than he would have liked, which meant having to dodge people and resist the urge to simply fly over them. In the end, he opted for the good old method of a dark alley and a discreet portal.
In his hands, he held the bag with his prize: the Premium Quality Coffee Jelly. The crown jewel. The pinnacle of gastronomic engineering. The object of desire that now demanded to be consumed with due respect. He quickly entered his house, determined to taste this supposed gift from the gods before cruel and merciless fate tried to intervene.
It was then that he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. A message. He looked at the screen, and there was Izuku's question: "Ryuji, why are you taking so long?"
Ryuji blinked.
Oh.
Reality came crashing down on him like a poorly designed building. He had completely forgotten that today was the day he was supposed to help Izuku assemble the final piece of his armor. Of all the unforgivable failures, this might have been the worst. But who could blame him? The premium coffee jelly was calling to him like a sweet, tempting siren.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at the package one last time, feeling the weight of the decision. His heart told him to open it and savor it now, but his honor told him that a man must keep his promises. After a long sigh of resignation, he opened the refrigerator with the solemnity of someone locking away a sacred artifact and placed the jelly in a safe spot.
Before closing the door, he pointed at it and whispered with the seriousness of a samurai making an oath:
"I will return for you."
With that, he created a portal and disappeared toward his duty, carrying the weight of the sacrifice he had just made.
----------------------------------------
The red-crested triceratops manager, Rosa, widened her eyes and nearly dropped the bag of snacks she was holding when Josei finished recounting the details.
"¡Que!?" Rosa exclaimed, her strong voice reverberating through the small office at the back of the market. Her short, thick tail twitched with indignation. "¡No puedo creer esto!" she muttered, mixing Spanish and English, gesturing so intensely with her hands that it looked like she might be casting a spell against the intolerant customer. Her visible muscles made it clear that, if she wanted to, she could easily tie the idiot who dared mistreat her employee into a knot.
Josei tried to calm her down, holding her hands up as if soothing a bull about to charge. "Rosa, it's okay... Luckily, someone showed up and handled it."
The triceratops huffed, still irritated. "¡Espero haberle dado una buena lección a ese idiota!"
Josei hesitated but eventually explained about the blond-haired man who had dealt with the situation. How he had slapped the customer until he apologized and ran off like a scared puppy.
To her surprise, Rosa burst out laughing. "¡Ay, of course it was him!" She crossed her arms, a proud smile forming on her face. "I didn't expect Ryuji to be around today."
Josei blinked, confused. "Ryuji? You know him?"
"Of course! He comes here all the time. He's one of our most regular customers, and I can guarantee he's done this before. Trust me, he has no patience for this type of people."
Josei nodded slowly, taking in the information. So, Ryuji didn't have a problem with mutants... Somehow, that made her feel relieved. Her mind drifted back to the scene earlier, to the words he had said before leaving.
Instinctively, she raised a hand and touched one of her ears, feeling their soft texture between her fingers. "Cute," he had said. Was it true?
"Hey, hey, hey..." Rosa's voice cut through her thoughts. When Josei looked at her, she saw the triceratops raising an eyebrow with a sly smile. "What's with that smile, huh?"
Josei's eyes widened, and her imaginary tail would have shrunk if she had one. "N-Nothing!" Her voice came out a little too quickly.
But Rosa wasn't about to let it go so easily. "Nothing, huh? Josei, listen, you're new here, but let me tell you a little secret: I see everything." She pointed to her own eyes and then at Josei with a theatrical flair. "Come on, spill it!"
Josei sighed, knowing there was no escape. "...He said my ears were cute."
Rosa froze for a moment, then let out a laugh so loud that Josei wanted to bury her face in the ground. "Ándale, niña! Now that's what I call an unexpected compliment!"
Josei tried to defend herself. "I-It wasn't a big deal! I just... I don't know if it's true."
Rosa looked at her with a playful glint in her eyes. "Ah, I see... So you're saying if it were true, maybe you'd have a chance?"
Josei's face turned bright red. "What!? Of course not! Look at me! I'm huge! I'm a mutant! He... He would never be interested..."
"Josei." Rosa held her shoulders, now speaking more seriously. "Chica, why are you freaking out? Ryuji is only 14 years old."
The world seemed to stop for a second.
Josei blinked slowly. "W... What?"
"Yeah, 14. A teenager."
Josei froze, feeling as if she'd been hit by an electric shock. "You're joking, right? He's like... 6 feet tall! He looks like an adult!"
"I know, I know, but he's really only 14."
Josei felt her body lock up. She shrunk in embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm such an idiot..."
Rosa burst out laughing again, patting her on the shoulder. "Welcome to the club. But relax, Josei. You're new here, and you've got a lot to learn. And hey, at least now you know your ears are cute."
Josei mumbled something inaudible, but Rosa just smiled. The triceratops had seen a lot in this market, but this was definitely going on the list of memorable stories.
_____[POV: Ryuji]_____
Creating an Arc Reactor from scratch? Piece of cake.
Doing it without revealing that I could do it in under two hours? That's where it gets a bit tricky.
Izuku, as always, was in his natural habitat: surrounded by metal parts, tools, and screens flashing calculations that probably only he understood. I finished the armor's core, pretending to put in effort to keep up appearances. If I finished too quickly, Izuku would freak out and want to analyze my "quirk" even more than he already did.
He picked up the Arc Reactor with the utmost care and installed it into the armor. When the light shone and everything started working perfectly, Izuku smiled with satisfaction. I snapped my fingers to bring his attention back.
"Well, mission accomplished. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an urgent appointment."
He raised an eyebrow. "What appointment?"
"With my Premium Coffee Jelly."
He stepped between me and my portal. "Ryuji, the UA exams are tomorrow. Remember? We need to test the new core in action!"
"Trust me. I built this thing, so it works perfectly. Next concern."
"What about your quirk? You've never let me analyze it properly. Can we do some quick tests?"
I looked him straight in the eye. Soul to soul.
"No."
And I threw myself into the portal before he could argue.
Finally, home. Finally, my dessert.
I went straight to the kitchen, already salivating at the promise of creamy, caffeinated perfection. But as I entered, I felt a shiver down my spine. Something was wrong. The fridge... was open.
I rushed to it, searching the shelves. Nothing. I looked around. On the floor, a brutally torn package, its remains scattered like evidence of a heinous crime. My heart stopped. I followed the trail: dog footprints stained with jelly led to a sleeping figure in the corner of the kitchen.
Rice Cake.
The dog was lying there, her snout smeared with MY Premium Coffee Jelly.
I stood there, staring at the scene of destruction for several long seconds. A single tear rolled down my face.
[Lucifer.]
[Yes, master?]
[Buy three batches of Premium Coffee Jelly. Immediately.]
[Understood, master. Did something happen?]
I looked at Rice Cake, snoring peacefully, completely oblivious to the tragedy she had caused.
[Nothing that can be undone. Just... complete the mission.]
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(A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and with this, I conclude the MC's initial arc. The next chapter will be the UA Entrance Exam, and I'll try to make it as long as chapter 4. The girl I'll pair with the MC has already been chosen, basically the same as the first time, but this time I'll try to do a better job of developing the relationship between the two. As for who will end up with Izuku, it can be decided by voting—I have no idea who to pair him with, maybe he'll end up with a harem? See you in the next update.)