Chapter 54— The Weight of Rest
Arriving home, Aoi flopped onto the sofa with a long, exaggerated sigh, sinking deep into the cushions as if the weight of the entire day pressed down on him.
— What a tiring day…
Rei, who was tidying up some papers on the table, looked up at her son with a gentle, affectionate smile.
— How was the exam, my son? — she asked, her calm, motherly voice carrying the effort to hide concern. — Did everything go well?
Aoi stayed silent for a moment. The image of Toya immediately flashed into his mind — alive, intense, and disturbingly vivid. The memory made his chest tighten, and for a fleeting second, he almost forgot to breathe.
It was impossible to tell Rei about that. She wasn't ready. Not yet.
And deep down, Aoi understood that Toya and Endeavor needed to settle the fractured past between them.
I'll only step in if innocents are involved…
Other than that… let Dad handle his own karma.
Shaking off the dark thoughts, Aoi forced a small smile and said lightly:
— It went fine. I just… had to use my quirk to heal several people at once. — He stretched across the sofa, every muscle complaining as exhaustion lingered. — And honestly, I hate how I feel afterward when using a domain expansion… I end up completely drained, like a lifeless ragdoll.
Rei released a resigned sigh at the sight of her son, who seemed barely able to lift a finger.
— So… that means you won't make dinner today? — she asked, a playful glint in her eyes.
Nemuri, who had been observing from the armchair, immediately perked up. In less than a second, she leapt onto Aoi's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck like a determined little cat.
— Aooooiii! — she whined, swinging her legs. — Please make dinner. I can't eat normal food anymore… it's like chewing styrofoam!
Aoi sighed again but smiled, gently running a hand through her hair to calm her.
— Okay, okay… let me rest just a little while.
He turned his gaze toward Rei.
— Mom, where are Mirko and Ryuko? Shouldn't they have arrived already?
Rei paused, thinking for a moment.
— Ryuko mentioned she had a mission today, so she won't be back for dinner. And Mirko… she should be arriving any minute now.
Aoi stood up, still holding Nemuri as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
— I'll take a quick shower. When I come back, I'll make the food.
Rei simply shook her head with that familiar, tired smile of someone who had witnessed this countless times. While tidying the table, she mused quietly to herself:
Which one of them will give me my first grandchild?
She chuckled softly, imagining all the possibilities.
A short while later, Aoi emerged from the shower, dressed in fresh clothes, walking side by side with Nemuri. He stretched his arms, feeling the fatigue slowly melt away.
— Alright, let's prepare dinner before—
The sentence abruptly died as Mirko leapt onto him, knocking him back onto the sofa like a well-timed, surprise attack.
Aoi grabbed her by the arms in shock but quickly wrapped her in a tight embrace, laughing.
— Did you forget how doors work? — he teased, gently rubbing her ears.
Mirko grinned with that wild, untamable charm she always carried.
— I fought so many villains today and kicked all their asses — she said proudly. — But now… — she wrapped herself around him, swaying her hips teasingly — I just want my boyfriend's affection.
She kissed him without hesitation, and Aoi returned her passion with equal intensity, a playful fire igniting between them.
Rei watched the scene with a mix of amusement, fatigue, and quiet happiness.
Aoi's house was… alive. Every corner vibrated with sound, warmth, and the subtle chaos of life. It was a place of love, laughter, and small, precious moments that made all the hardships worthwhile.
Meanwhile, across the city…
Toya stood on top of a towering skyscraper, the cold wind slicing across his scarred, burned face. The faint blue flames flickered weakly around him, their light reflecting off the glass and steel of the city below. He looked out over the illuminated streets, his expression unreadable yet intense.
— I'm sorry, little brother… — he murmured softly, almost to himself. — But my revenge won't stop just because of that piece of shit father of ours.
His gaze hardened, eyes narrowing as the old, burning hatred coursed through him.
— This sick hero society… where even trash can rank number two… — he smiled, twisted and dangerous. — It's going to collapse.
The blue flames around him flared stronger, licking the air like tiny tongues of a personal inferno. They illuminated the rooftop, casting eerie shadows across his face, revealing just how far he had fallen into obsession.
Every thought Toya had was sharp and precise, honed over months of plotting, rehearsing, and remembering every slight and every pain he had endured. He had become a ghost of his former self, a spirit forged in hatred and driven by the need for vengeance.
And now, as he stared over the city, the gears of fate began to turn, slowly but inexorably, setting the stage for events that would ripple through everyone's lives.
Toya's hand clenched into a fist, the flames reflecting his inner torment.
— Nothing… nothing will stop me. — he whispered, voice low and threatening. — Not my father, not my brother… no one.
The wind howled around him, carrying with it the faint, distant sounds of a city unaware of the storm looming above. The blue fire pulsed rhythmically, a heartbeat of vengeance ready to be unleashed.
And with that, destiny started to move, quietly, like a predator circling its prey.