(A/N: Damn, 5432 words. I must have gotten carried away. Sorry for the delay, a neighbor's house caught fire and I went to play my role as an NPC lol)
_____[POV: ???]_____
Everything was dark and warm. I couldn't see anything, only feel. A warmth that embraced me, that made me feel safe, as if the whole world was just that. I didn't know there was more outside the darkness. Sometimes there was a tightness, but it was nice, like... I was being carried by something big and gentle.
But then... it hurt. A strange pain I had never felt before, as if something was pushing me. And then... suddenly, it got cold. A cold that made me shiver, and there was a light so bright it hurt my eyes, even though I didn't know what light was until that moment.
When I opened my eyes, everything was new and strange. I just wanted to go back to the warm place, but now everything was different. There was so much space around me, and the air brushed against my fur. It wasn't bad, just... weird.
In the first few days, I just slept and ate. Eating was good; it made the cold go away for a while. Then I'd sleep again. But then I started moving my little paws, and I learned to stand and walk. A bit wobbly, but I managed. And then I started playing. There were others like me, my siblings, and we'd run around and bite each other. It was fun.
There were also those big ones, who walked on two legs. They were huge and never hurt me. They were gentle, bringing food and affection. I didn't understand why they liked us, but I liked them.
Over time, my siblings started disappearing. One by one, those big ones would come and take them away. I didn't know where they went, I kept waiting for them to come back, but... they never did. Until one day, it was my turn.
A young one from the big ones picked me up, along with what seemed to be his father. The young one had a happy smell. I couldn't resist and licked his face. He laughed and held me carefully. Then I felt happy too.
I was taken to a new place. It was big and different. At first, I really missed my mom, her warmth. But the young one, who I soon found out was named Sam, played with me and gave me so much affection that I started to like that place. I still thought about my mom, but... not as much.
I grew up and got strong. I ran fast and played with Sam. We went to a big place he called a park. There were other dogs there. Different from my mom, but nice. Still, what I liked most was playing ball with Sam.
But time passed, and Sam started playing less with me. He was gone for long periods. One day, he brought a female of his kind home. He called her Vanessa. At first, I didn't like her. Her smell was strange, and I didn't want her around. But Sam would get mad when I tried to push her away, so I stopped caring.
After a while, Vanessa stopped coming. One day, I found Sam in the room with a sad smell. I didn't like that smell. I went up to him and licked his face to try to get rid of it. He smiled and hugged me. I didn't understand why he was sad, but I just wanted him to be happy.
Later on, Sam brought another female, Emily. Her smell was good, and I liked her. They were happy together, and they always played with me. One day, they had a young one. They named him Anthony. I watched Anthony grow, get strong and full of energy. But I... I was getting more and more tired. I wanted to play, but I didn't have the strength. I ended up just lying there, watching.
One day, I slept a lot, and woke up in a white place. Sam and Emily were there, and another big one was talking to them. The sad smell was strong again. I tried to get up to get rid of it, but I was too tired. I wanted to play with Sam, but I couldn't move.
Sam came close and hugged me. I licked his face, trying to clean the tears that were falling from his eyes. I wanted so badly to have the strength to play again, to make him smile, but I was so tired...
Then, I felt a strong urge to sleep. I tried not to, but... I couldn't help it. I closed my eyes, and everything went dark again.
But then... I felt it. Warmth, pain, cold, and... light.
When the light came, it wasn't so frightening anymore. I opened my eyes slowly and saw the first thing in this new life: my mother. She was big, beautiful, her fur as white as the snow covering the ground outside. Her gaze was gentle, and her rough tongue passed over my face, cleaning me and bringing me comfort. I didn't need to understand the words she didn't say. She was there, and that was enough.
My siblings were there too. Small, like me. They squirmed, seeking her warmth and competing for the best spot to feed. I did the same, because the cold was uncomfortable, and hunger was an instinct impossible to ignore.
The days passed. I learned to walk, to run, to play. Our pack was strong and united, led by a imposing wolf with gray fur and eyes as sharp as blades. My father. He watched over everything, and when I stumbled, I felt his attentive gaze. He didn't say anything, just waited. I had to learn on my own.
But the strangest thing about the pack was what made us different. My siblings had gifts I didn't understand at first. One of them, bigger than the rest, could jump so high it almost seemed like he was flying. Another, with golden eyes, roared and made the snow stir as if it were alive. My mother also had something special. When she ran, she would disappear for a moment and reappear a few steps ahead, as if bending space itself.
I watched, fascinated. And I waited for my moment.
But it never came.
Time passed, and everyone in my litter showed their abilities. I tried. I hunted, ran, pushed my body. I tried to jump like my brother, roar like the other. But nothing happened.
And then came the night when everything changed.
We were gathered, surrounding a pup who, like me, had no ability. But he was smaller, weaker. And the pack decided he wasn't worthy.
He was cast out. Without warning, without mercy. He whimpered, tried to come back, but my father growled. My mother looked away. And the others... just accepted it. He disappeared into the darkness of the forest, and I never saw him again.
Fear settled in my chest. I would be next. I knew it.
So I tried even harder. I hunted until my paws ached, ran until my breath burned. I tried, tried, tried... But my body didn't respond. I wasn't special. Not like them.
And then, on the coldest night I had ever felt, my turn came.
The farewell was quick. My father just looked at me, and I understood. My mother lowered her head but said nothing. No one did anything.
The cold cut through me, and the snow buried my paws as I wandered through the forest. I didn't know where to go. I just knew I couldn't stop. My eyes burned, but I didn't want to close them. I was afraid to sleep and never wake up. I spent days walking, my body growing weaker, my belly aching with hunger. But I kept going.
That's when I sensed them. The ones who walk on two legs. But they weren't like Sam or Emily. Their scent wasn't of home or affection. It was of metal, blood, and something rotten. They surrounded me too quickly, and I didn't have the strength to run. A net trapped me before I could react.
I tried to fight, bit, scratched, but it was no use. They laughed. And then, they put me in a cold cage.
This time, the dark and the cold weren't a safe embrace. They were a prison. And I didn't know where they were taking me.
_____[POV: Ryuji]_____
(A/N: The timelines of the ending of the above POV and the current POV are the same.)
8 years later.
Alright, before anything else, let's get one thing straight: Izuku Midoriya is a walking disaster. Like, pure chaos encapsulated in a 13-year-old kid with an obsession for armor worthy of a Tony Stark wannabe. I don't know how he managed it, but apparently, he found a way to hang upside down from a tree in his makeshift armor.
Seriously, I arrived at the forest, and there he was. Upside down. Stuck.
I didn't even ask what happened. I just sighed, coughed to get his attention, and crossed my arms, staring at that tragic scene.
"Ryuji! Hey, I... uh, need a little help here!" he called out, retracting the helmet of his armor and revealing his slightly flushed face.
"Hmm… what if I leave you there just a little longer? Maybe it'll teach you a lesson about testing armor in the middle of the forest without a Plan B?"
He made that abandoned puppy face.
I sighed and gestured with my hand, enveloping him in a golden energy, lifting the poor guy off the tree and placing him back on the ground. As soon as he landed, he let out a relieved sigh. But before he could even thank me, he started mumbling technical details about the propulsion boots that failed and, well, ended up leaving him in the position of a rookie bat.
Oh, right. It's my fault he ended up like this.
You see, canon Izuku Midoriya is that crybaby who wants to save everyone and has an almost unhealthy obsession with heroes. I looked at that and thought: Hmmm… no. Let's try to improve this. So, on his 5th birthday, I gave him a comic book of Iron Man.
Well, he devoured it like it was some holy Bible because the story was so interesting and different from the usual stuff, and before I knew it, he started wondering how he could be like Tony Stark. And of course, I encouraged him. I said maybe he could create his own armor and fight, even without a quirk. And look where that got us: a genius engineering Izuku with a tendency to hang himself from trees.
Oh, and it doesn't stop there. I had to keep the explosive guy away from him (thank you, well-placed headbutts). Were there tears? Yes. Were there excuses like "I'm not smart or rich enough for this"? Also yes. But that's when I showed off a creation ability from my "quirk." Of course, a nerfed version—I'm not stupid—but I showed enough to convince Izuku that he could, indeed, build his own inventions with my help as a supplier. And also, I used my quirk to boost his brain capacity. Yes, I cheated. Yes, technically, that could be considered "giving him a quirk." But who cares? The important thing is that now he can create absurd things and has even turned down scholarships because "he doesn't want to be away from his best friend."
Was that cute? Yes. Was it also stupid? VERY.
Sometimes, Izuku was dumb in a way that not even superintelligence could fix.
My daydreaming was interrupted by my phone vibrating in my pocket. It was a message from Lucifer. Probably about some new project or, more likely, about that thing...
Lucifer, by the way, is the real genius behind the most influential company in the world right now. Want to know the secret to his success? Me, of course. I gave him everything this world didn't have from my world: manga, comics, game concepts, cell phones, and some technologies. Manga and comics like One Piece, Dragon Ball, Action Comics #1, Akira, The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman… Everything. The guy basically hit the jackpot multiple times in a row, and of course, I'm reaping the benefits too.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and looked at Izuku, who was still talking about armor adjustments. "I gotta go. They released a new volume of that manga I was reading."
Izuku stopped immediately. "Can you help me get to the workshop without being seen?"
I rolled my eyes but made a portal for him. His workshop is in an abandoned shed in a commercial district. As soon as he stepped through the portal, he made a comment: "You know, your quirk is really absurdly strong. If only you'd let me analyze it better and develop—"
"Nope." I cut him off quickly, already opening another portal. I wasn't going to give the young mad scientist a chance to experiment on me and find out I'm a bomb capable of destroying hundreds of galaxies.
Without wasting any time, I created a portal behind me and threw myself backward into it, disappearing before Izuku could insist.
_____[POV: Third person]_____
Ryuji crossed through the portal and emerged into an absurdly well-furnished office. The kind of place that screams, "I'm ridiculously rich and can have anyone killed if they don't like my decor." Persian rugs, polished wood, a bookshelf filled with books Lucifer probably never opened, and a massive window with a panoramic view of the city. Yeah, that demon was living well. He walked over to the desk, plopping into the leather chair with the ease of someone who already owned the place.
It didn't take long for the door to open and two figures to enter. First came Lucifer, the most insufferably efficient CEO in the world. Tall, elegant, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and carrying that sharp smile of someone who always has a plan in motion. And right behind him, as if walking in an erotic fashion show, came Esunami. Or Esu, for short.
Ryuji's second creation and, honestly, more of a manifestation of his desires. With her dark skin contrasting against her short white hair and her fox ears, she exuded a dangerously sensual charm. Her single tail—which was actually nine fused into one—swayed gracefully behind her, giving the impression that she was some kind of folk deity stepping out of a steamy dream. She wore a light blue and white kimono, cut low enough to be a blatant affront to good manners, yet still elegant, though her figure was voluptuous, thick, and curvaceous. Her breasts were ridiculously large—seriously, how does she even walk with those? Her eyes were closed, as always, but her smile said it all: equal parts provocation and mystery.
"Master, it's a pleasure to see you again," Lucifer greeted with a slight bow, while Esunami approached Ryuji, leaning over him with an even wider smile.
"Ara, ara~ My dear master, it's been so long since I've seen you... And I still haven't given you the proper affection today," she said in her soft, alluring voice.
Ryuji sighed and leaned back slightly. "Esu, control yourself. We're in a meeting," he said, cutting off any attempt at physical contact before it was too late. "You called me here for a reason, right?"
Lucifer smiled, clearly pleased with his master's efficiency. "Indeed. We have news about All For One. Until recently, his actions were following the original timeline, but there's been a significant change. He made an overseas purchase and will be receiving the 'shipment' tonight."
Ryuji frowned. "This confirms that my presence is really altering the events of the canon timeline... Nothing too new, but annoying. Any details about the purchase?"
Lucifer nodded. "Our spies haven't uncovered the exact nature of the 'product' yet, but it's something alive. We suspect it's either a rare specimen or a test subject for his experiments."
Ryuji let out a long sigh, processing the information. It was bad enough that Nana Shimura had somehow survived her confrontation with All For One and was now in a vegetative state. Now there was this unexpected variable outside the canon.
"And there's more," Esunami interrupted with a playful smile. "Eri has already fallen into Overhaul's hands. Which means we'll be able to rescue her soon... Ah, maybe we should adopt her. She'd be so cute! And you'd be the father, master~." She winked provocatively.
Ryuji stared at Esunami blankly before rubbing his face. "I hate myself for programming you like this."
Lucifer cleared his throat. "With all due respect, Esunami, this kind of joking isn't appropriate."
"Ara~ ara~, I know, I know," she replied, raising her hands in surrender. But her smile said she wasn't giving up that easily.
"Back to the report..." Lucifer resumed with a slight sigh. "Kaina Tsutsumi has been making great progress at the hero agency we established for her. Lady Nagant has already risen to eighth place in the Pro-Hero rankings, and her influence is growing rapidly. Our oversight of her agency has kept the Hero Association from interfering."
Ryuji crossed his arms, thoughtful. "Good. Let's continue strengthening that position. We need to make sure she has enough power for when things start to fall apart."
Lucifer nodded. "As you wish, master."
Esunami, on the other hand, smirked. "And when will my dear master come visit me at the Nine & Tails Inn? There's a special room waiting for you, you know?"
Ryuji sighed. "This is going to be a problem..."
Lucifer simply smiled and stepped back. "With all due respect, master... you're the one who created this problem."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, feeling betrayed. Wasn't Lucifer supposed to defend him? That bastard...
But speaking of the Nine & Tails Inn, Ryuji decided to ask Esu about its financial status and customer flow. This caused Esunami to shift into a more prideful version of herself, her smile widening with satisfaction.
"Oh, Master~! We're earning far more than any other tourist spot in Japan. Recently, we reached fifth place on the list of the most visited tourist attractions in the world! Customers are pouring in, the reception is always... packed..."
She paused at the word "reception," and her expression hardened instantly. Her sweet smile vanished for a brief moment, replaced by a scowl of irritation.
"But... those disgusting looks from the men passing through the reception are annoying. My body and soul belong only to you, Master. It's a hassle to deal with them, so I usually leave my assistants at the front desk."
Ryuji sighed, unsure how to react to that. But before he could say anything, Esunami muttered something he almost didn't catch:
"And then there was that despicable... that insect... that bastard!" In Esunami's mind flashed the image of an extremely muscular, tall man with short red hair and a flaming beard, standing at the reception with his family while staring intently at her.
Her pupil-less eyes widened, her blue irises glowing with a frightening intensity. The aura around her grew heavy, the three hitodamas floating around her increased in size, their flames crackling like bonfires in the midst of a storm.
Lucifer, unfazed, simply took a step back, clearly already accustomed to Esunami's outbursts. Ryuji, however, who was right in the center of the energy explosion, sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Calm down, Esu. This is getting too dramatic, even for you."
"No, Master! How dare that... that despicable creature look at me with ulterior motives? I should have ripped his eyes out right then and there!"
Lucifer adjusted his tie, muttering, "I would have dismembered him slowly, piece by piece..."
Esunami slammed her hand on the table, slightly cracking the solid oak wood. "It's outrageous! Insulting! Unacceptable!"
Ryuji blinked a few times and then shot a glance at Lucifer before initiating a telepathic conversation. [Can you help me calm her down instead of standing there like a statue?]
Lucifer simply gave a small smile. [I missed the part where that's my problem.]
Ryuji sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I... I'll go to the Nine & Tails Inn, but none of your little games."
Instantly, the heavy aura disappeared. Esunami smiled, returning to her calm and maternal state, her eyes closing again as the hitodamas around her shrank back to their normal size.
"Ara~! How delightful! I'll be eagerly waiting for you, my dear Master~"
Lucifer crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "You realize you just got manipulated, right?"
Ryuji sank into his office chair, closing his eyes. "I know... I know..."
----------------------------------------
The night was cold and dark at the docks, a place where silence was only broken by the occasional sound of containers being unloaded from a ship. The men present, all villains, were busy with heavy labor, their faces hidden by the shadows of the night. Some were on guard, scanning their surroundings with tense vigilance.
One of the containers was finally opened, revealing a single small white creature. A small wolf pup with white, fluffy fur, a large, bushy tail, and bright blue eyes that practically glowed in the dim light. It should have looked adorable, but its face was twisted in anger, and it snarled fiercely at the villains standing before it. Its body was covered in wounds, and crackling electricity emanated from its skin, hinting at the powerful quirk it possessed.
The man who opened the container, with a stern expression, turned to the man beside him, who was dressed in a sleek suit and had the head of a falcon. The falcon-headed man looked at the wolf pup with an impassive expression, seemingly unfazed by the creature's ferocity.
"Everything here is for you," said the first man, his voice rough. "I hope your buyer is satisfied."
The falcon-headed man, with a cold and calculating smile, thanked him for the work. "I'm sure he'll be more than satisfied," he replied, as his gaze shifted to the man in the suit, who was already holding a phone in his hand.
The man in the suit began to perform some actions on his phone and soon received a notification. He looked at the screen and confirmed that a large sum of money had been deposited into his account. He smiled, pleased with the payment.
The falcon-headed man signaled to his henchmen, indicating that they should start loading the wolf pup into the truck. "I've added a bonus for the cargo to arrive undamaged. Now, let's proceed," he said authoritatively, as he walked off to oversee the process.
Meanwhile, someone on top of a container was watching the scene. His face was bored, and his gaze was disinterested. He muttered to himself, "Things are too quiet. I don't see any heroes or even the police around. How boring, I could use a little action."
Bolt, a villain hired as a bodyguard, with his youthful appearance and a quirk related to electricity and thunder, was known for his passion for fighting. His cyan eyes glowed under his thick eyebrows and messy bangs. He wore simple white clothes, including a large cape with a crumpled collar, and his sleeves were rolled up to reveal his bandage-wrapped forearms. (Literally the Kashimo from Jujutsu Kaisen). He was a high-ranking villain, famous for his inclination to fight the strongest opponents. His actions were not motivated by theft or petty crimes, but by an unrelenting quest for combat challenges. The law of the strongest was his motto, and he always sought to fight powerful enemies to become even stronger.
Bolt, however, was frustrated by the lack of battles in the past few months since he arrived in Japan. "What the hell, why did I have to be so far away from where the original plot would take place?"
Before he could continue grumbling, a voice echoed: "So, you're a reincarnated one?"
Bolt jumped up in surprise from the container, looking around for the source of the voice. Then he heard it.
Before he could prepare for what was coming, something tore through the air and landed with a crash on the empty container behind Bolt. The shock was so sudden and powerful that everyone present was stunned. An intense green energy enveloped the area, and the dented container was now filled with a mysterious golden aura.
Bolt turned toward the impact site and observed the dented container, revealing a strange man. He had golden hair, wore a blue shirt and brown pants, and his body was surrounded by a bright golden aura.
"Didn't expect to find one here..." The strange man spoke as he stepped out of the dented container, looking around before turning his gaze to Bolt.
The tension hung in the air as Bolt watched the golden man who had just appeared, his expression shifting between surprise and excitement. Finally, something interesting was happening.
"So, you're a reincarnated one?" the golden man repeated, his voice carrying a tone of curiosity and something else... disdain?
Bolt narrowed his eyes, his sharp instincts detecting a latent hostility in those words. He straightened up, stepping slightly away from the crushed container, his muscles tensing in anticipation.
"What if I am?" Bolt asked, crossing his arms. "It's not like it's a crime, right?"
The golden man smiled, but it was a cold smile. "Depends on who's asking."
Before Bolt could respond, the golden figure vanished from his sight and, in the blink of an eye, reappeared right in front of him. A fist wrapped in shimmering energy shot straight toward his face. The villain, relying on his reflexes, dodged by a hair's breadth, but still felt the overwhelming pressure of the blow, which cut through the air like an invisible blade.
The impact of the punch hit the container beside them, exploding it into pieces and sending debris flying in all directions. The villains below, who were transporting the cargo, looked up, alarmed by the sudden battle.
"What the hell?!" the falcon-headed man growled, retreating while shielding his eyes from the glow emanating from the newcomer.
Bolt landed lightly on the ground, his body vibrating with pure electricity. His cyan eyes glowed intensely, his excitement palpable.
"So, you're not here for small talk, huh?" He smiled, his hand crackling with high-voltage sparks. "Great! I was getting bored anyway."
The golden man remained impassive, his eyes analyzing Bolt with a clinical gaze. "You shouldn't be here. None of you should." He raised his hand, and the energy around him began to intensify. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not the type to leave things out of place."
Bolt laughed, throwing his head back. "Man, you talk like one of those 'balance the world' fanatics or something. You know what? It doesn't matter! If you want to fight, then bring it on!"
Before the last word even left his lips, Bolt lunged forward, turning into an electric blur. His speed was absurd, leaving a trail of electricity on the ground as he charged at his opponent.
The golden man didn't move, leaving Bolt confused as he charged forward. In an instant, he was in front of him, ready to strike. But in the blink of an eye, the golden man vanished from his sight and reappeared behind him.
Bolt's eyes widened, his mind processing the absurd speed of his opponent. He quickly retreated to a safe distance, his heart racing from the adrenaline. "This guy... is way too fast!" he thought, clenching his teeth.
"Allow me to pass for a moment." The calm voice of the golden man sounded behind him, and before Bolt could react, his body was hit by a flurry of invisible blows. It was as if the attacks were delayed in time, only manifesting after the man had already moved past him.
Bolt couldn't withstand the onslaught and fell to his knees, his body covered in deep wounds as his breathing became irregular. He lifted his head, looking at the golden man, who now slowly turned to face him.
Swallowing hard, Bolt tried to argue, his voice trembling: "Wait... I didn't do anything! I was just hired!" His brain was working overtime, trying to figure out who the hell this man was. Then, the earlier question flashed back into his mind like lightning. "You... you're a reincarnated one too, aren't you?" His eyes widened. "We're the same! We shouldn't be fighting! It doesn't make sense for us to kill each other!"
The golden man remained silent for a moment before responding, his voice cold and impartial.
"That's the same thing the other 284,479 said to me before."
Bolt's eyes widened in shock. "Wha—?"
Before he could finish his sentence, he was disintegrated with a wave of the hand, his existence erased as if he had never been there.
The golden man watched the shimmering golden fragments disappear into the air, his expression impassive as the last trace of Bolt vanished. However, before he could reflect further on the matter, a deafening explosion echoed through the area, coming from the container where the cargo was supposed to be.
--- Minutes earlier ---
The man with the falcon head held the wolf pup, which was thrashing desperately to escape his grip. "Stay still, damn mutt!" he snarled, tightening his hold. But his complaint was cut short when he felt a sharp bite on his hand.
"ARGH! DAMN IT!" he shouted, instinctively dropping the pup. Enraged, he retaliated with a brutal kick, sending the small wolf crashing into the wall of the container. The creature whimpered in pain, its fragile body trembling from the impact. Its bright blue eyes fixed on the cruel man before it, filled with fear... and a growing desire. It wanted power. Power to protect itself.
Its muscles tensed as a tingling sensation spread through its body. The pup focused on that feeling, clinging to it with all its might. Suddenly, its body began to change. The villains around it stepped back in surprise as the small wolf began to grow, its bones cracking and muscles rapidly expanding.
The falcon-headed man's eyes widened. "What the...?!"
The creature continued to grow, its paws elongating and its body transforming into that of a gigantic adult wolf. Then, with a deafening roar, it opened its mouth and unleashed a destructive wave of compressed air. The impact was immediate—the falcon-headed man was torn apart before he could even scream, and the blast of wind destroyed part of the container and several pieces of equipment nearby.
Exhausted, the creature collapsed heavily onto its side, breathing heavily. Its body slowly shrank back to its original size. The pain and fatigue were overwhelming, and hunger gnawed at its empty stomach. It tried to move, but everything felt too heavy...
That's when it caught a familiar scent. Something warm. Something comforting.
Its eyes slowly opened, and it saw a golden glow. Its body was gently lifted, and when its gaze focused, it found itself face to face with the golden man.
"You don't look so good... Let me take care of you." His voice was gentle but firm. A golden aura enveloped her, and immediately, the pain vanished. The fatigue dissipated, and the hunger disappeared. For the first time in a long while, she felt good.
"There, that's better, furball."
The pup tilted its head, observing this strange but... familiar human. His scent was good. Attractive. Instinctively, her tail began to wag. Then, without hesitation, she lunged forward and licked his face. At that moment, the golden man's body began to change, taking on a younger appearance and smaller size, reverting to the 13-year-old Ryuji Fugimoto.
"Hey! Take it easy, we just met!" Ryuji protested, pushing her away slightly but smiling at her playfulness. The pup watched him intently, tilting her head to the side. He mimicked the gesture, and she did the same.
Ryuji sighed, holding the little furball in his arms. "Now that I've got you, what do I do with you? Should I leave you with Lucifer? Nah... Esu? No way..."
The pup let out a small bark, as if responding.
"You want to stay with me?" He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if my mom allows pets at home..."
The wolf whimpered, her bright blue eyes filling with a teary, innocent glow. Ryuji felt a pang in his chest.
"Alright, alright, you can come with me. But first, I need to give you a name." He started thinking, mentally listing some names—all of them terrible. But as he looked at the pup again, an idea came to him.
"Rice Cake."
The pup barked excitedly.
Ryuji blinked. "Seriously? Rice Cake?"
She barked again, more insistently.
He laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll call you Rice Cake. Welcome to the team."
----------------------------------------
(A/N: I hope you enjoyed the new chapter 4. I really wanted to change the previous one; it was really bad in my opinion. I also wanted to add new ideas, like the one about other reincarnated individuals. It was an idea that came to me when I thought about challenges for the MC, and then I thought about other reincarnated people. Clearly, each one has their own ambitions and desires, which would create chaos, but the MC would be in the middle of it and would get rid of them no matter what. I won't give too much information, just the basics so no one thinks I'm somehow "ruining" the story. Any other reincarnated individual is purely for entertainment before the MC kills them, and that's it. Also, don't worry about the development of the MC and his interactions with the cast, I'm more focused on that than on conflicts and fights. I don't want the MC to be lifeless and emotionless; I have many plans for him in mind. Anyway, I hope you liked the Rice Cake. I wrote her as a tribute to my late dog, and I really enjoyed writing her part. Well, see you in the next update.)