Chapter 24
Tsuyu stood beside Vesemir, who was lying on the ground, leaning against a tree branch. His breathing was shallow, and his face was pale. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to cry, but she held back the tears, knowing she had to be strong now. She couldn't show weakness. No pro hero had pulled her away yet. The man known as Eraserhead... Vesemir's father, was currently using bandages to stop the bleeding on the white-haired boy.
Tsuyu simply knelt beside him, helpless, her heart leaping into her throat. She noticed Vesemir grab her arm and say to his father.
"It's not...her fault...she got lost...she didn't...know."
Tsuyu's eyes widened. Vesemir had just lied to keep her out of trouble. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to react. Being in such a bad state... he thought of her...
Aizawa narrowed his eyes at his son.
"It's alright, son. Don't talk... just breathe."
Vesemir sighed weakly, as if he wanted to say something more, but his strength was fading. The sound of an approaching helicopter could already be heard clearly in the distance. The wind from its rotors began to stir the leaves and branches above the clearing.
Burnin sent a fireball into the sky, letting the rescuers know where they were.
Present Mic gently grabbed Tsuyu, pulling her away from Vesemir.
"You did well. Now step aside for a moment so the medics can work."
Tsuyu didn't protest. She allowed the pro hero to pull her a few steps away.
The helicopter hovered in the air. From inside, ropes were lowered, and three rescuers descended. They immediately reached the boy. One of them put a brace on him. They slowly and gently placed him on the stretcher. They lifted him and walked him to the ropes.
Aizawa stood nearby, watching them silently. His eyes, usually cool and focused, now held a worry he couldn't hide. Tsuyu held her breath, following their every move.
"Sword..."
The boy whispered. Earlier, one of the rescuers had unhooked his equipment. Aizawa had held the sword belts in his hands.
"Don't worry about it, young one! It'll be alright!"
One of the rescuers told him. His voice was partially drowned out by the helicopter's engine.
Vesemir stared at the magnificent machine... a machine that allowed people to fly... his mother wasn't lying... it was exactly like in the stories.
Aizawa looked at the sword belt in his hands for a moment. He felt its weight. He hadn't had a chance to grasp Vesemir's sword yet. Now he held the black hilt as if to give him strength. He knew he couldn't fly with him. There wasn't enough room. He'd only get in the way.
The gathered pro heroes watched as the stretcher carrying the injured boy was pulled onto the helicopter. The doors were locked from the inside. The engine revved, allowing the machine to gain altitude. The sound gradually faded, leaving only a puff of wind behind.
Burnin exhaled heavily, wiping the sweat from her brow. Present Mic lowered his gaze, his hand still on Tsuyu's shoulder, who was still staring at the sky. Aizawa stood still. Endeavor slowly approached, his heavy footsteps drowning out the last of the silence left by the helicopter's departure. He looked at Aizawa.
"This isn't a playground. That brat shouldn't be here."
Gang Orca abruptly approached Endeavor and stood face to face. He spoke in a low, hollow tone that carried not a request, but a promise.
"The kid fought better than any of us against those creatures, and where were you? Were you scaring kids in the park again?"
Endeavor narrowed his eyes, the flames around his arms growing alarmingly.
"I don't have time to listen to morals from someone who's only 10th in the rankings." Gang Orca didn't move an inch. He fixed his gaze on Endeavor. Burnin thought a fight was about to break out.
"That 'bastard,' as you called him, was fighting for civilian lives and ours while you were looking for a suitable spot to show off for the cameras."
Endeavor clenched his fists, and the flames around his arms flared higher, illuminating them both. His voice was cold, full of contempt. Suddenly, his fire went out completely. Aizawa stared at him and used Erasure.
Endeavor gritted his teeth, his face hardening. For a moment, he looked like he was about to say something, but then he just snorted angrily and turned away.
"I'm going to burn this nest down."
Then he headed towards the old bunker.
Urnin took a deep breath and finally spoke, trying to defuse the tension.
"Okay, enough show of force. We have work to finish. And you, Eraserhead, go after Vesemir. We'll manage here without you."
Aizawa nodded. Present Mic followed him to the exit.
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The roar of the helicopter filled the interior of the helicopter, but to Vesemir, everything seemed muffled, as if he were hearing it through a thick layer of water. He lay on a stretcher, strapped in with a seat belt, his body shaken by the vibrations of the machine. One of the paramedics was leaning over him, checking the bandages...
Vesemir felt a prick somewhere near his arm...no...under his arm...after a moment, he felt cold seeping into his veins...
The paramedic checked that the cannula was properly attached. He was already pumping the appropriate fluids to keep the boy alive...he removed the makeshift bandages, expecting a massacre...he blinked a few times...the bleeding had almost stopped...the wound was slowly closing on its own. He couldn't have known it was the effect of the 'Swallow' potion.
Vesemir heard words...UA...Recovery Girl...
He closed his eyes...he slowly drifted away.
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A day later. UA press conference.
The conference room was silent. Representatives of the most important Japanese media and several foreign journalists had gathered. A long table on a raised platform was full of microphones. Nezu, Aizawa, Hound Dog, and Doctor Osaka entered the room. All cameras were trained on them. Photographers were taking pictures.
Nezu sat down, raising his paw to silence the journalists.
"Welcome everyone to the press conference regarding recent events. Before you start asking questions, allow me to introduce the people here with me and provide a few facts upfront to save us all time. Please be patient. With me are Aizawa-Sensei, known as Eraserhead. Inui-Sensei, known as Hound Dog, and Doctor Osaka. He specializes in psychotherapy for children and adolescents."
Nezu looked around the room slowly. All the journalists waited for him to continue.
"Yesterday, an incident occurred in Aokigahara Park. Creatures we now classify as 'endrega' appeared. These are predatory, highly dangerous creatures, previously unknown. Their origins, as well as the manner of their appearance in our world, are the subject of an intensive investigation.
Aizawa Vesemir is the son of Aizawa-Sensei. As you may have noticed, he carries quite a bit of armor. He is a Witcher. Witchers are a guild of warriors trained to kill monsters. Witchers are trained from a very young age.
Aizawa Vesemir is the son of a vigilante who is presumed missing. Her name is Phantom Wolf. These older journalists remember her swordsmanship and teleportation well. It turns out that Phantom Wolf has the ability to teleport between other worlds. Vesemir comes from just such a world."
For a split second, there was silence. Then a veritable storm erupted.
Cameras began to flicker, flashbulbs illuminated the room like lightning in a storm, and the journalists began shouting questions almost simultaneously, shouting over each other.
"Did Eraserhead know about Vesemir's existence!?"
"Did Eraserhead pay child support!?"
"What kind of threat do these monsters pose to ordinary citizens!?"
"Why was a teenager, unaffiliated with any hero agency, involved in direct combat during the park incident!?"
"What is the current medical condition of Vesemir!?"
Nezu raised his paw again.
"Please calm down. I will answer your questions, but one at a time."
Nezu pointed to one of the journalists.
"I will point out people one by one. Each of you will have one question. I'm listening."
The young journalist raised the microphone to her mouth.
"Does that mean there are different dimensions? Different 'Earths'?"
Nezu nodded.
"Apparently so. I'll preempt the next question: Vesemir has no idea how he got here. I suspect his mother sent him here, and he has no idea."
Nezu pointed to the older journalist.
"What's the boy's condition? He looked poisoned on the cameras."
Aizawa decided to answer.
"My son underwent a series of... treatments. He's currently recovering. The poison has been neutralized. He has several broken ribs, and he won't be able to walk for a while. Besides, Recovery Girl assured me he'll be fine within a few days."
"Eraserhead. Were you aware of Vesemir's existence?"
Aizawa bowed his head in shame.
"No. I didn't know anything about him. If I had, I wouldn't have allowed what he became...."
"And what did your son become, Eraserhead?"
For a moment, Aizawa was silent, staring off into the distance, as if searching for the right words. The room waited tensely, and cameras recorded his every move. Finally, he raised his eyes and spoke.
"My son was forced to fight because he had no choice. I'm not talking about yesterday's fight, but about the life he had in... his world. He had to run his entire life. His grandfather, who is also a Witcher, taught him how to fight, because you must understand that his world is similar to our Middle Ages. It is an unforgiving world. Vesemir had to fight and kill monsters."
People stared at Eraserhead... they knew he hadn't finished his sentence yet. Aizawa drew in a breath and continued.
"Vesemir... he didn't have the chance to be a child. From a young age, he had to learn how to survive among monsters. Not only those that eat humans, but also those in human form."
"Does that mean Vesemir killed humans too?"
Aizawa hesitated. Hound Dog spoke instead.
"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to my friend, Doctor Osaka. She has a very interesting quirk. She can create music videos from someone's memories. Last night, while Vesemir was resting from... procedures, he came to UA to create a music video for you, so you can understand Vesemir's reasoning. I warn you, people will die in the recording."
Doctor Osaka stood up and walked over to the CD player. The lights in the room dimmed. A screen slid down from the ceiling. Hound Dog continued.
"What you are about to see is not fiction. These are the memories of a child forced to survive."
The image brightened.
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Vesemir rode slowly on horseback, followed by a man with two swords and white hair. Both were clad in armor. They rode through the smoldering ruins of a village. The boy looked around, and the camera followed his gaze. The villagers were slaughtered. No one was left alive.
They ask me what I've done,
How many fell beneath my hand.
But they don't see the fire,
That burned down my promised land.
The screen flickered. Now it showed the unit Vesemir rode with. Over a dozen armed men rode into the village, which had been overrun by deserters. The bandits planned to do the same thing to this village as they had done to the previous one. But first, they decided to make a stop to... boost morale. That was their mistake.
I was forged in blood and fear,
In a world that knew no grace.
I didn't choose this path. I walk—
I just tried to find my place.
The unit rode between the wooden buildings, slashing and chopping at the enemy. Vesemir dismounted to continue the fight on foot. He cut down the first deserters with a single swing of his blade.
I'm only a boy with a blade,
Don't put your blame on me.
I never asked for the war,
Or the monsters I had to see.
When the situation was under control, Vesemir and the young knight reached a small hill where they saw what the bandits had done to the men from the village. Several deserters were fleeing through a wheat field. Both boys gave chase on horseback.
I carry more than my years,
More than your eyes believe.
I'm only a boy with a blade,
And a heart I try to keep.
The rest of the unit followed immediately behind them. They caught the criminals, tying them with ropes. They lined them up under a tree with wide-spread branches. From the growing wheat, a legless creature appeared, levitating towards them. The figure looked like the emaciated corpse of a woman in a white dress. Vesemir grabbed his second sword, reflecting the rays of the sun, which was at its zenith. The reflection flashed before the camera.
I was never given time
To be weak or run away.
When your world was full of peace,
I had to learn how to slay.
The camera now showed Vesemir fighting this monster. The reflection of the sun caused the scene to change again. Now Vesemir was fighting a Wraith under the bridge. A few blows were exchanged. The flash of one of the cameras brought Vesemir back to the wheat field, fighting in the daylight.
I'm only a boy with a blade,
Don't put your blame on me.
I didn't ask to survive
A world that broke me piece by piece.
For a moment, both worlds merged. Vesemir defeated both creatures in the same manner. Two knights joined him, following the tracks across the field... they reached the body of a girl dressed in a white dress. Today she was to be married... unfortunately, those bandits arrived.
I carry silence and screams,
Locked somewhere deep beneath.
I'm only a boy with a blade,
And the will to still believe.
Vesemir covered the body with his own cloak. The body lay in an unnatural shape... With legs spread wide. The knights headed toward the deserters... Vesemir followed right behind them, murder etched in his eyes.
If you call me killer—fine.
But know the reason why I fight.
Not for glory, not for fame,
But so others sleep at night.
A young knight who looked not much older than Vesemir nodded to him. Ropes were already hanging from the trees. The deserters were clearly begging for their lives. The white-haired man just shook his head.
I'm only a boy with a blade,
Don't put your blame on me.
I was shaped by the darkness,
Still I fight for what could be.
Together with the young knight, Vesemir kicked out stools from under the bandits' feet. The camera focused on their kicking legs, searching for ground.
I don't need to be your hero,
Just let me breathe and be—
I'm only a boy with a blade,
Trying to be free.
Vesemir rode away on horseback with his squad. Behind them, six bodies could be seen dangling from a tree.
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The screen slowly faded to black and retracted back into the ceiling, and the room's lights returned to full brightness. But no one moved for several long seconds. The journalists sat stunned, some wide-eyed, others with their gazes downcast, as if trying to process what they had just seen.
One of the younger reporters slowly pulled the microphone away from her mouth. Her hand was trembling. Beside her, a senior journalist leaned heavily on his cane, clutching the microphone.
The first question came from a middle-aged woman representing one of the country's largest news agencies. She was the first to recover from her shock.
"Was... was that real? Were those his memories? Are you sure it wasn't staged?"
Dr. Osaka nodded calmly.
"We didn't add a single second. What you saw were pure, raw memories. Experienced and remembered by Vesemir."
Several voices erupted in the room at once.
"Will he be held accountable for the executions!? We just saw him hanging people!"
"Was it a lynch mob, or an execution consistent with the laws of his world?"
"Will UA be able to handle a student with such a dark past?"
Aizawa raised his hand and replied coldly, but with a palpable tension in his voice.
"These were actions within the laws of his world. In a land where there are no heroes, no police, and no courts to protect people from villains, there are people like you saw on screen. Like knights and samurai in the Middle Ages, they meted out the only form of justice they knew. If they hadn't hanged them... those bandits would have done the same to another village."
The older journalist with the cane finally spoke.
"So... there are monsters in his world too... we already know about the Wraith. There was a similar monster in the music video."
Nezu nodded.
"Yes. Vesemir's world is full of creatures that can be compared to our worst nightmares. Some of them resemble our own monsters from legend. To him, they aren't legends. Monsters are real there. They hunt. They murder. And they aren't always something that can be understood scientifically."
Hound Dog spoke up, regarding the room with a stern gaze.
"What you saw was brutal. It was a response to the evil that destroyed the lives of innocent people. Vesemir didn't seek violence. He fought because he couldn't allow more people to suffer."
A gloomy silence fell upon the room. It was obvious that some of the journalists were struggling with their emotions, because after all, this was about a boy... a child. Some looked down at their shoes, others struggled to hold back tears or nervous tics. The questions were no longer accusatory.
"Will the boy receive mental health care, instruction, and care?"
Aizawa didn't even hesitate.
"Yes! He's my son, and I'll take care of him to the best of my ability."
Nezu spoke up, placing his paw on the table.
"Vesemir has the right to an education. To live without fear. To a chance. U.A. isn't just a school for heroes. It's an institution that gives hope to young people. And Vesemir will receive it from us."
A young reporter from a local station volunteered.
"Will Vesemir join regular classes at U.A.? He'll be a student in one of the classes."
"Vesemir hasn't yet reached the age where he can become a first-year student. However, he will remain at U.A. to learn everything a student his age should know."
"Does the boy… Vesemir… know that the entire media is talking about him now? Does he know that his life… his trauma… was being shown to the world today?"
"...No. This was the decision Aizawa-sensei made, as his father."
People turned their gazes towards Aizawa. He took a deep breath, then raised his head, looking directly into the crowd.
"I made this decision...because I don't want to hide anything from the public. My son comes from another, terrible world. Monsters from his world appear in ours. My son has the knowledge and experience in...fighting monsters. We will all need his knowledge."
Nezu spoke up.
"U.A. takes full responsibility for Vesemir. We will protect, support, and educate him. Just like we would any student who walked through our doors. Regardless of where such a student came from. From Japan, abroad, or even from another world."
A group of reporters chatted quietly among themselves. One of them raised his hand.
"How do we know Vesemir isn't just some criminal in his world, like his mother?"
An almost audible shiver ran through the room. Hound Dog shifted nervously. Aizawa froze. Doctor Osaka stood up to speak.
"People like to simplify reality. Good. Evil. Hero. Villain. But the world Vesemir comes from doesn't offer such convenient labels. Where there are no state structures, law as we understand it doesn't exist. There is only survival."
Nezu decided to reassure the journalists.
"His mother, Phantom Wolf, was a vigilante. She operated outside the system. But she wasn't a criminal in the moral sense. She used her gift to protect people. Not for profit, not for power. And everything points to her sending her son here because she knew it was the only place he would be safe."
"And why would she send him here?"
"Because Vesemir's mother holds a certain position in her world, and there are many people who would like to influence her... actions by kidnapping or murdering Vesemir."
At these words, a quiet murmur of understanding and concern echoed through the room. The journalists whispered among themselves, realizing that the situation was far more complicated than the questions had suggested.
"Will the White Wolf be able to give us information about himself and his world?"
Nezu straightened.
"That will be up to Vesemir and his legal guardian, who is, of course, Aizawa-sensei. That's all for today. Thank you for coming."
End of Chapter 24