After a delicious lunch, the children dashed back to the stream.
Kirishima joined their playful romp, marveling at their boundless energy.
To be fair, he was mainly keeping a watchful eye on the kids who had just learned how to swim, ensuring none of them drifted away.
"Eijiro, stand still! Let’s attack Eijiro first instead of me!"
"Oh! Bring it on, shark teeth!"
"Sorry, Kirishima."
The sight of the children splashing about was utterly endearing.
Even the crusty little “bombhead” couldn’t help but join in.
Did he finally lose his mind?
With a soft chuckle at the absurd thought, Kirishima obliged the trio—dunking each of their heads into the cool water as they teamed up to drench him.
They played for another three hours after lunch until the kids, thoroughly exhausted, clambered out of the water.
After a full morning of aquatic antics, everyone made their way back to the lodge with their families.
Once they’d washed up and changed out of their soggy clothes, the children gathered once more on the first floor.
The adults were still elsewhere—most likely busy with their own post-swim routines.
"I still think All Might is the coolest!"
"So Deku gets in on it too? Yeah, All Might is the best."
"I mean, All Might is awesome, but Endeavor’s pretty fantastic as well. His flaming beard is incredible—I’d love to give it a touch. It must keep him warm even during winter!"
"Huh? I always found Endeavor a bit intimidating... What about you, Kirishima? You’re an All Might fan too, right?"
"Hmm. I’m not really into All Might as much as you think."
"What? Why not?"
Midoriya, clearly taken aback by the unexpected answer, asked for an explanation.
Kirishima’s thoughts drifted to All Might.
There was no denying that All Might was extraordinary.
His power was off the charts, and his commitment to justice knew no bounds.
In many ways, he was the very embodiment of a hero.
Kirishima both admired and appreciated All Might as a symbol of hope.
Yet, watching All Might in action, it sometimes seemed as if his feats transcended what any ordinary human should attempt.
He appeared to deliberately cultivate the image of an invincible superman.
While it was admirable that he had single-handedly ushered in an era of peace, Kirishima couldn’t help but feel that the times were growing warped.
People had grown so accustomed to the safety All Might provided that they almost suffocated in complacency.
The police, too, were part of this trend.
Having been born and raised in America in his previous life, Kirishima found it astonishing how passive and almost impotent the local law enforcement appeared.
Despite having the power to investigate and arrest, they’d rather set aside a perfectly good weapon and wait for a hero to tackle any villain— a logic that baffled him.
Granted, some villains might be immune to bullets, but most couldn’t withstand modern firepower.
Even when confrontation was possible, a clear line was drawn: actual combat was left to the heroes, and that, to him, was hardly a commendable state of affairs.
Heroes, too, weren’t immune to flaws.
Many relied solely on their Quirks and simply watched from the sidelines when the situation exceeded their capabilities.
Now, as heroes became celebrity figures, many also began to fall prey to greed.
Still, as an outsider, Kirishima couldn’t claim to fully grasp the internal dynamics at play.
Perhaps the restrictions on the activities of both police and heroes were simply reflections of society’s own complexities.
Shaking his head at the depth of his own musings while talking with the kids, Kirishima softly chided himself.
"I just think All Might pushes himself too far. Saving sixty-two cities in one day—that’s a bit much, don’t you think?"
"That’s exactly what makes him cool."
"I guess... So are we just going to hang out at the lodge and crash tonight?"
Midoriya’s eager expression hinted he was ready to extol All Might’s virtues at any moment.
Kirishima ruffled his hair and shifted the conversation.
Then, Ashido’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "Eijiro, the caretaker mentioned there was a fork in the road we passed yesterday, right? If we take a little more to the right from there, there’s a cabin! Let’s go check it out!"
"Deku and I swung by it yesterday—nothing special about it."
"Yeah, I went with Kacchan, and it was just an ordinary cabin."
"Really? Do we really need to go?"
Brimming with excitement, Ashido clenched her fists and waved them energetically. "But it’s a cabin! It’s every kid’s dream! And since we’re parting ways tomorrow, we should make some memories!"
"I don’t really want to make memories with you guys."
"Uh... saying it like that makes me think we should go."
"Haven’t we already made plenty of memories?"
"Aww, Eijiro! Don’t be so mean—get on my side!"
While Bakugo scowled and Midoriya quickly shifted his tone, Kirishima remained impassive—a fact that left Ashido visibly disappointed.
In the end, Kirishima had little choice but to relent.
From experience, he knew that once Ashido was set on something, she wouldn’t stop fussing until she got her way.
"Fine. If we can go, then let’s go. But I doubt the adults will allow it."
"I already checked with Mom. We just have to be back before dinner!"
"Oh. Is that so?"
With his only escape route cut off, Kirishima gathered the kids and left the lodge.
Since they’d had an early lunch, it was just a few minutes past three in the afternoon.
Still, if they were to return by dinner, it was best to make the trip briskly.
After about five minutes’ walk along the fork they’d passed yesterday, a small cabin came into view.
It wasn’t sprawling, but it exuded a neat and tidy charm.
Ashido’s excitement burst forth as she shouted, "It’s a cabin! Eijiro! It’s a cabin! This is going to be so much fun, right?"
"It’s just a cabin. What’s there to be excited about?"
"Poor Bakugo—he just doesn’t appreciate the charm of a good cabin!"
"Don’t give me that look, you black-eyed freak!"
Leaving the bickering children behind, Kirishima pushed open the cabin door and stepped inside.
The interior was embraced by warm wooden walls on all sides.
The only standout feature was an oven that, despite the cabin’s modest size, occupied a large portion of the space.
"Wow. This is just perfect—I love it here!"
"I just don’t get it. Do you really like cramped little houses?"
"Hmph! A barbarian like Bakugo wouldn’t understand refined taste!"
"What did you say? If I’m a barbarian, then what are you?"
"A cute and pretty princess, of course!"
"Ugh. I’ve had enough of your nonsense."
Just as Ashido prepared to retort to Bakugo’s quip, Midoriya smoothly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"But does anyone actually know what that thing is? I saw it yesterday too, and I couldn’t figure out its purpose."
"That’s an oven—used for cooking. But isn’t it odd? It hardly seems like anyone would be cooking here... there aren’t even any ingredients around."
"Deku, you really don’t know, huh?"
What on earth is that?
Scanning the room while ignoring the children’s chatter, Kirishima spotted a small brown stain on the floor.
"I use that for my own purposes."
Before he could lean in for a closer look, a deep, gravelly voice echoed through the snug cabin.
Straightening up, Kirishima whirled around.
The man in the hiking attire they’d seen both yesterday and today now stood in the doorway, having just stepped inside.
With a disarmingly gentle smile, he seized Bakugo—who had been lingering at the back—and snapped handcuffs onto him.
"Let go of me, you damn pig!"
Even as Bakugo struggled, the man, though only about 160 centimeters tall, held him fast with an arm that wouldn’t budge.
"Why don’t you settle down for a bit? I don’t know exactly what your Quirk does, but you were throwing sparks from your hands. That must make it hard for you to resist your own power, right? Struggle all you want—it won’t help. This old man would like you to behave."
"You… you’re not an ordinary person."
Kirishima quickly pulled Ashido and Midoriya behind him before addressing the intruder.
He intended to gauge the man’s reaction, searching for an opening.
After all, in this cramped cabin every exit aside from the door was effectively sealed.
If he was to break free and rescue the kids, he’d have to neutralize the man blocking the way.
"Oh? A tough little kid, are we? You might not seem all that cute, but I’ll humor you—I’m just an ordinary person. Absolutely ordinary, in fact. Hahaha."
"Do ordinary people these days even handcuff kids?"
"Ah, it’s because I’m an ordinary person with a fondness for good food."
Kirishima frowned at him, sensing something unsettling in his tone.
"By 'good food,' you mean… people?"
The shocked inhalations of the children hiding behind him were unmistakable.
The man’s small eyes curved like crescent moons.
With a delighted lilt, he replied, "Ohhh. Correct. You’re a smart kid. But you’re not really my type—I’m not fond of overly muscular people. I prefer children. They’re soft and, well, delicious. And then there are young women. Put it all together, and little girls are simply the best! Hahaha."
The man licked his lips as his gaze settled on Ashido, who trembled behind Kirishima.
Ashido shrank further, pressing her face into Kirishima’s back.
"Don’t move, kid. I never let my guard down just because I’m dealing with children. Heh heh. Listen, let this old man give you a piece of advice. In this society of Quirks, it doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult—this is a world where a child with an angelic face can tear a grown person apart without breaking a sweat."
With one hand still over Bakugo’s mouth, the man produced a knife from his belt with his other hand, casting a grave warning toward Kirishima.
Kirishima had been inching forward, trying desperately to close the gap on his tiptoes, but he was forced to halt.
The distance was scarcely a meter—close enough that a slight step would let him reach Bakugo—yet that very proximity became his undoing.
"Earlier, was it the green-haired kid who wondered why there was an oven without ingredients? Now you understand, don’t you? An old man like me doesn’t need to store supplies— they come to me all on their own."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Bakugo tried to shout, but only muffled sounds emerged from beneath the man’s hand.
Of all the kids, Bakugo, known for his impressive offensive power, now found himself so restrained he couldn’t even resist.
Kirishima clicked his tongue, pondering his next move.
Although Ashido’s Quirk might have landed a hit, Bakugo and the man were pressed too closely together at that moment.
Moreover, wasn’t Ashido the one who had ended up at the kindergarten after injuring someone? It was unclear whether she could even target a person with her Quirk.
And even if she could, there remained the risk that an uncontrolled attack might leave a lasting psychological scar on a child.
Some might argue that in a life-or-death situation, such considerations are secondary, but as an adult, Kirishima felt compelled to protect the children.
"Now then, how about I explain exactly how I plan to cook you? You might not know this—you’ve never had it before—but there’s nothing in the world as delectable as human meat. And do you know which part is the ultimate delicacy? Of course you don’t! How pitiful, to wander through life without ever savoring its finest flavor."
The man launched into a stream of nonsensical drivel.
Kirishima fixed him with an icy, unyielding stare.
For now, he deliberately ignored the desperate expression on Bakugo’s face.
Bakugo’s look, however fierce, was secondary.
All that mattered was that Kirishima had to free Bakugo and wrest the children from the man’s clutches.
In that critical moment, a memory flashed before Kirishima’s eyes.
It was an image from a manga he had read over five years ago: a boy dashing to rescue Bakugo, who was trapped in sludge.
"I already told you—I like children among all people, right? But even among children, there’s one part that’s simply irresistible. Can you guess what it is? The thigh. Roast a cut of thigh meat and you get a delicacy like no other in the world. There’s nothing sweeter or more delicious—ahhh!"
"Let Kacchan go!"
It was then that he realized his error.
He had been so fixated on the man that he’d lost track of the children trailing behind him.
In a reflexive motion, the man thrust his knife toward Midoriya, who had dashed past Kirishima.
Instinctively, Kirishima grabbed Midoriya by the nape and yanked him back just before the blade could find its mark.
Midoriya tumbled out of the knife’s range, but in doing so, Kirishima ended up taking his place.
As a flash of silver filled his sight, Kirishima spat out, "Tch. You pig."
In that cramped cabin, splatters of blood marred the once-peaceful setting.
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