Crimson--- so . . . . . ya. . . . . i am shameless, sorry I try my best to update but. . . you guys know me, to be fair a heavy portion of my energy is drained reading the horrors of WW2 and other wars, it does make me a little depressed seeing this side of humanity bit it is also essential for my ORIGNAL, wish me luck least, I kill myself like many other did while reading this stuff.
And Mamedh my well wisher i have no words for your support
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--Add it to you library
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The subdued tension in the room was almost tangible, a quiet energy lingering in the air.
Rei couldn't help but smile as she leaned against the creamy table, her gaze sweeping across the gathering.
The once childish kids had grown—not just in strength but in their understanding of the world. Though there was still so much to be done to shape the future they envisioned, it was satisfying to see the seeds they had planted beginning to sprout.
The problems of hero society loomed large in her mind, a mountain of issues piling higher by the day. It was a system overly dependent on a single figure, where the title of "hero" had become little more than a name—a shallow badge of success, wealth, and fame. 'Gods know which fool thought that would attract great people to the ranks' she thought bitterly, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Her eyes flickered toward Natsu, and a familiar pang settled in her chest. She knew his past all too well. 'Not everyone is All Might' she thought, her expression softening.
She shifted her gaze across the room, taking in the scene with a quiet intensity. Groups of juniors were scattered around, some chatting excitedly about the latest movies, others discussing their recent patrols. A few were engrossed in trivial, mundane topics—little conversations that gave them a rare moment of relaxation.
Her attention landed on Shinso, standing off to the side and listening to his friends in silence. His usual tired eyes seemed a little more hollow today, shadows and wrinkles darkening beneath them. It wasn't a lack of effort or attention that weighed him down, but rather the overload of his mental capacity.
Unlike the others, his trials were unique. He didn't need to prove himself in combat, nor did he need to demonstrate his ability to command or infiltrate the locks or minds of others. His talent was undeniable.
He was perfect.
And that was his flaw, only flaw.
Someone perfect enough to be tested by them. 'The only one' she thought under her breath, her thoughts lost to the quiet hum of the room. Her gaze wandered to the others, studying them one by one. She examined their pasts, their present, and the progress they'd made over the last few months. Her eyes lingered on Setsuna, and she made a mental note to focus more on training the girl.
'She has the spark' Rei thought, her brow furrowing slightly. 'Just a little too volatile.'
Her attention was drawn to the chaos Setsuna was causing. Limbs flew wildly in all directions as she chased Juzo in an impromptu game of cat and mouse, their antics breaking the tranquil hum of the room.
"What's your favorite character, Kumori?" Shishai's voice cut through the murmur of conversations, his tone playful. "I am Batman." attempting to mimic the iconic gravelly voice.
Rei sighed inwardly. 'Sigh~ anyone but him' she thought with a wince, not bothering to hide the slight roll of her eyes.
The disruption drew a few groans and chuckles from the others, though her eyes remained focused on Shinso.
Amidst the noise and camaraderie, he remained a quiet observer, detached yet present.
Hitoshi Shinso, the ever-lonely and sarcastic child, had grown faster than anyone had expected. Now, here he was, a figure shaped by struggles that few could understand.
His eyes remained hollow, shadowed by exhaustion, while his mind drifted aimlessly, like a ship lost at sea. Scattered thoughts haunted him, flashes of his dive into the slums pounding against his perspective. The once-sacred ideals that had steered his course now lay in tatters, fragmented and frayed.
'Revenge. . . To prove them wrong?. . . To show them all. . . but to show them what?. . . To who? . . . And why?'
His face, already weary, seemed drained of life itself, as though his very soul had been stripped away. His once-unshakable dedication, his ambition, his goal—it all felt distant now, unappealing and hollow.
'Is this why you want to be a hero?' A mocking smile tugged at his lips as the realization struck him. The years of relentless effort to prove everyone wrong—the tears cried into pillows, the bruised knuckles from punching walls, the nights spent squirming in self-loathing—all of it now felt... childish, Hypocritical, even.
And for what? Some hateful remark from a six-year-old? 'A fucking toddler tsk!' he thought bitterly.
'And a few sore losers who couldn't find better jobs, dumping their hate on kids who didn't even understand the world.' He sighed deeply, the weight of it all pressing harder on his chest.
'The children who have seen peace and those who have seen war have different values, a beautiful and ironic thought' he mused.
His heavy-lidded eyes lowered further, the chatter of the room fading into a dull hum, a backdrop of white noise. Voices became distant echoes, drowned by the chaotic memories clawing their way to the surface the slums' unending ambience if one can say.
Voices from distant miles fell in his ear, the ever chaotic ambience of slums, the gushing water stored in the drum, the shouts of the vendors of night . . .and the silent sobbing of children in plight
Rugs and rags or naked or thrash, frail and broken in demise, some missing a limb some missing in the entirety of a mile, begging only to get kicked in there ass, lying withering like maggots in the corner trash, under the sheets of plastic bags.
Hoping for A HERO TO ARRIVE, SAVE THEM FROM DEMISE, ONLY TO BE SHOVE GUTTER DOWN IN THE CHILLING NIGHTS
"SHINSOOO!"
"Ah." His head jerked up as Juzo popped up from the floor beside him. The sudden appearance made him flinch, and Juzo grabbed his shoulders, shaking him lightly.
"You okay, man? You don't look good," Juzo said, his worried expression breaking through Shinso's haze.
"Puff~" Shinso shoved his hands away with a sarcastic smile. "Like anyone would be good enduring your shitshow" he quipped, raising his brows as his gaze swept over his friends concerned faces. The silence that followed was deafening.
"We. . . we've been calling you for minutes, you just—"
"Nah~ it's fine, it's fine, i am good" Shinso said, dismissively waving a hand. Forcing a smile, he tried to step back, but his footing faltered.
TAP!
"Shit! He definitely ain't okay!" Juzo exclaimed, the floor beneath Shinso rose like a blob of slime, steadying him in place. Shinso rubbed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath as the cool, pliable support beneath him provided surprising comfort.
"When was the last time you slept?" Kenta asked, stepping forward, his tone steady yet laced with concern.
"It's nothing, just a little bit of coffee—"
"Time!"
Looking at Kenta's serious expression, Shinso hesitated. He knew better than to brush it off. "Hmm... 38—no, 36 hours, I guess?"
'Still not that bad.' he thought bitterly as his mind drifted once more to the slums, to the endless suffering etched on the faces of the elderly and children alike.
Kenta sighed heavily, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Rei, who shrugged dismissively, feigning ignorance.
"Go home and rest properly," Kenta said firmly.
"But I—" Shinso started to protest.
"No." Kenta's sharp tone cut him off. His gaze lingered on Shinso's dark circles, the dry patches on his skin, the messy hair that spoke of neglect, his voice softened. "No practice tomorrow. Groom yourself a little. . . If something happens to you, the world will move on, your health comes first."
Shinso watched as Kenta turned and walked away, his words lingering in the air. Soft, yet heavy with truth, tired as they might be but the blaze in his eyes remained ever so firmly burning in the fleeting back of his senior.
Kenta let out a long, frustrated sigh, looking back at Shinso, whose sharp, unrelenting stare seemed to pierce straight through his back. T
He knew exactly what he was like, not the type to rest. Yet, as Kenta looked closer, he couldn't ignore the exhaustion etched into Shinso's resolute expression, the boy was pushing himself far beyond his limits.
'At the end of the day, he's just a child,' Kenta thought, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The thought carried an unexpected warmth. 'He's just like you.'
"Kumori," he called.
"Yes, sir!" she sprung from her seat to salute him, her movement precise and enthusiastic.
"Put him to sleep."
"WA—"
Thoof!
Before Shinso could even finish his protest, a pale, bell-shaped mushroom sprouted from Kumori's fingertip and shot forward with uncanny precision, striking him dead center between the eyes.
A soft puff of milky-white spores billowed out. The effect was immediate—Shinso's eyelids drooped heavily as he staggered before collapsing onto the slimy, uneven floor, his limbs going limp as though strings holding him upright had been cut.
Kenta watched the scene unfold with a mixture of bemusement and resignation.
Kumori stood triumphantly, her finger still raised like a pistol as she puckered her lips and blew away invisible smoke, a smug grin plastered across her face.
He groaned inwardly, his pride taking a hit as the thought struck him. 'Of course. Why wouldn't she have anaesthetics?' before drifting to sleep.
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THRUM!
THRUM!
THRUM!
'Hmm~... Why is my heart beating so fast?'
THRUM!
THRUM!
THRUM!
'No, this is—'
The sound resonated in his chest, each beat sending faint vibrations through his body. The seat beneath him hummed softly, the sensation tickling the soles of his feet. Though the effects of the mushroom hadn't entirely faded, they had worn off just enough for him to feel his surroundings again.
He twitched his fingers experimentally, brushing them against the surface he was sitting on. It felt rough yet oddly smooth, its texture coarse against his fingertips.
'Metro?' he thought, the familiar sensation bringing a flicker of recognition. Still, he didn't open his eyes, keeping his face as still as possible.
Judging by the stiffness in my neck, I have been here for at least ten minutes—an hour at most. Ten minutes would be enough time for them to carry me to the station and board the metro, but... they weren't making a sound. That was odd.
'They can't be this quiet' he mused. 'That means it's either a single person here or just Shoji and Grasshopper.'
Subtly, he shifted his head, moving it ever so slightly, hoping to appear as if he were still unconscious.
Tap. Tap
The sound of someone typing on a phone reached his ears. His brow furrowed slightly. Grasshopper didn't use phones, and Shoji's shoulders weren't this narrow. Unless. . . they were sitting to his left and this was someone else entirely.
'Sigh~. I'm overthinking this.' he thought, inwardly groaning. 'I really need some rest.'
But curiosity itched at him. Listening to the soft tapping, Shinso decided to crack his right eye open—just the faintest sliver—to glance at the screen.
His breath caught in his throat.
'THE FUCK!'
It took everything in him to suppress a gasp and stop his eyebrows from shooting to the ceiling. Quickly, he shut his eye again, willing himself to believe that he'd imagined it. But no, the words on the screen remained the same, glaring back at him as if mocking his disbelief.
Gremlin: Sister!!!! Where are you!? I called you 7 times! What about dinner!??
Rei: Forgive me, I am such a useless sister! ( ╥ω╥ )
Rei: The company is opening a new subsidiary. I have to work overtime.
･ﾟ･(｡>ω<｡)･ﾟ･
･ﾟ･(｡>ω<｡)･ﾟ･
'The fuck is this?!'
If someone had told him he was trapped in an illusion, Shinso would've believed them without hesitation. The devil instructor. This was the devil instructor!
For half a decade, he and everyone else under her tutelage had known her as a cold, ruthless figure—the "heartless maiden" the devil instructor, the mother of monsters, as they called her. the only time she smile it was the start of harbingers of inhumane pain, and her annoyed glares that seemed like she stepped on shit. The only time they ever saw her smile in approval was when someone scored near-perfect marks in training—never perfect, because no one had ever achieved that.
And now... this?
Here she was, casually typing these cute, outdated kaomojis. A cold sweat trickled down his back, and he swore he could feel it slide into his underwear. Death hung thick in the air.
'If she knew— No, no. I'm asleep. I'm asleep. I'm not even alive,' he repeated in his head like a mantra, trying to convince himself. Still, curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but peek again.
Rei: Even though I promised we'd eat together. ( ╥ω╥ )
Gremlin: It's fine (^人=)〜☆. I'm an adult now. I can take care of myself.
Rei: AND THAT IS WHAT SISTER IS WORRIED ABOUT. (≖､≖╬)
Even though the words were sharp, Shinso noticed a faint arc of a smile playing on her lips. His stomach churned uncomfortably. Logic dictated that reserved people could be cold or indifferent to most, except for a few close family members. But this. . . this was, not easy to digest.
His mind wandered further down the rabbit hole. Does she have a love life? Uhhhhh! The thought hit him like a lightning bolt, and he shuddered. The image of her dressing up for someone, doing normal, cute things, sent a chill tearing through his spine.
Gremlin: Is there some leftover rice and red beans from breakfast?
Rei: Yeah, you can cook—
Rei: WAIT! Σ(°△°|||) NO NO NO OUT! OUT! OF THE KITCHENNNN! NOW!
Gremlin: Oh, come on. I'm not—
Rei: YOU BURNED THE WHOLE KITCHEN LAST TIME!! ٩(ఠ益ఠ)۶ ARE YOU GOING TO BURN THE ENTIRE HOUSE NOW?!
'Yep, she's back.' Shinso rubbed a hand over his face. (－‸ლ)
Gremlin: Okay, okay (￣ヘ￣). I'll order a few pizzas, chicken, tacos, fries, Coke, and... what should I get for dessert? Oh, a dark chocolate cake sounds nice!
Gremlin: Payment shall be sent to the user!
Rei: WHAT??! THAT'S TOO MUCH!
Gremlin: Pleasure doing business with you. Have a nice night! <(_ _)>
Rei: WAIT!
Rei: Hello?!
Rei: HEYYYYYYY! (╯°益°)╯彡┻━┻
A small, involuntary smile tugged at Shinso's lips as he leaned back against his seat, closing his eyes. Rei's frantic typing continued, her messages becoming increasingly futile as the person on the other end stopped responding.
The metro continued in silence, there were hardly any passengers except them due to their destination and those who were near them were either asleep or to old to cause any noteworthy noise
". . . . . . . How much did you see"
'OH SHIT!!!' (⊙_⊙)
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--Add it to your library
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The next chapter will be short 1000-1500 but it will release tomorrow