Chapter 4: Revelations

Koneko began her day like any other, getting ready to head to the academy and fulfill her responsibilities as part of Rias Gremory's peerage. Everything seemed routine until she arrived at the academy and encountered one of the few boys she interacted with outside of Kiba: Hideki Saito. Despite his popularity, Hideki maintained a reserved demeanor, which made him somewhat mysterious. He didn't have many close friends, but he always radiated energy and kindness when talking to someone—a trait that had caught Koneko's attention from the start.

As she watched him, Koneko recalled the moment she first met him. It was during lunch break. As usual, she was heading to the Occult Research Club to eat in peace, but along the way, she spotted Hideki lying under a tree, finishing his lunch. The boy pulled a cookie out of his bag, and Koneko couldn't help but stop to watch him, drawn both by the cookie and by the familiar aroma wafting from it. Using her keen sense of smell, she noticed it was homemade.

Noticing Koneko staring at him, Hideki gave her a wide smile and offered the dessert without hesitation. Koneko, slightly surprised, accepted the gesture and silently sat beside him to eat her own lunch. From that moment on, something changed between them—a quiet and simple bond had formed, marked by Hideki's selfless kindness and Koneko's calm acceptance.

Setting that memory aside, Koneko approached Hideki. He seemed to have some kind of sixth sense for detecting her presence, as even though his back was turned, he looked over his shoulder just as she was getting closer. It was worth noting that Koneko was remarkably stealthy, even without trying, which made it all the more curious that Hideki always seemed to notice her arrival. However, what truly surprised her this time wasn't his sharp perception, something she had already grown accustomed to, but the fact that his arm was in a cast.

Koneko quickened her pace, her eyes fixed on the cast, and approached Hideki with evident concern.

—"What happened to you, Hideki-senpai?"—she asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and genuine worry.

As she spoke, a strange scent reached her senses. She sniffed almost imperceptibly, making sure not to make her curiosity obvious. As she focused on the smell, she noticed something unusual: the unmistakable trace of a bakeneko. The scent was especially concentrated around Hideki's cast, sparking even more questions in the young demon's mind.

—"It was an accident at the park,"—Hideki said with a forced smile. It was evident that lying wasn't his strong suit.—"I fell while walking and hurt myself. It's nothing serious."

Koneko frowned, clearly dissatisfied with his answer. She had noticed the bakeneko scent on Hideki's body, which unsettled her. Although her concern was still evident, she seemed to be assessing the truth of Hideki's words, but she decided not to press him further.

—"I hope you recover soon,"—Koneko said, softening her expression.—"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me."

Hideki nodded, grateful for her support. —"Thanks, Koneko. I'll keep that in mind."

With a final glance, Koneko walked away from Hideki, though her thoughts were far from at ease. As she walked through the academy hallways, her mind raced. The bakeneko scent she had detected on him was not something she could ignore. Even though Hideki tried to downplay the matter, Koneko knew that supernatural beings didn't get involved with humans casually.

Having made up her mind, Koneko headed to the Occult Research Club room. She needed to inform Rias about what she had discovered. The possibility that Hideki had encountered a supernatural being deserved to be investigated, and Koneko trusted that Rias would know how to proceed. As she quickened her pace, she couldn't help but wonder how much more of the truth Hideki had left unsaid.

Koneko quickly arrived at the Occult Research Club room, where she found Rias Gremory and the other club members gathered around the table. Rias was focused on a report but looked up when she saw Koneko enter.

—"Koneko, what's the matter?"—Rias asked, noticing the worried expression on her companion's face.

—"Rias-buchou, there's something I need to report,"—Koneko said, approaching with seriousness.—"Today at the academy, I noticed that Hideki-senpai had the scent of a bakeneko. Although he tried to downplay it, I'm concerned that he may have been involved in an incident with a supernatural creature."

Rias frowned at the mention of Hideki's name and the detail about the bakeneko. Her face turned thoughtful as she processed the information.

—"Hideki? Hmm, Hideki Saito, right? The second-year student you mentioned to Akeno the other day, correct?"—Rias asked, recalling the young man.

Koneko nodded. —"Yes, that's him. He said it was just an accident at the park and tried to downplay it, but the scent of a bakeneko was unmistakable."

Rias stood from her chair, her expression now completely serious. —"This is concerning. Supernatural creatures don't usually get involved with humans without a reason. We need to find out exactly what happened and why Saito was caught up in this."

—"What will we do?"—Koneko asked, clearly worried about her friend.

—"First, we'll conduct an investigation to gather more information about the incident,"—Rias responded with determination.—"It might be useful to speak directly with Saito to better understand the situation, but we'll also need to be cautious not to alarm him. Additionally, we should investigate if there are any other signs of supernatural activity in the area."

Koneko nodded, relieved that Rias was taking the situation seriously. —"Understood. I'm ready to help in any way I can."

Rias offered a reassuring smile. —"Thank you, Koneko. I'll keep you updated on the next steps. In the meantime, keep an eye on Saito and see if you notice anything else unusual."

The day had come to an end, and Hideki, after his conversation with Abe about the supernatural world, returned to the restaurant. The customers greeted him cheerfully and jokingly commented on how they hoped he would recover soon, as Takeshi's cooking wasn't as delicious as his.

After the restaurant closed, Hideki was in his room, focused on his academy assignments, when he heard a knock at the door.

—"Come in,"—Hideki called out, knowing the only ones who usually knocked on his door were the Nishimiya couple. Hiro never even bothered to knock before barging in. As he spoke, Takeshi and Kaori entered the room.

—"Hideki, there's something very important we need to tell you,"—Kaori began with a serious tone.

—"What is it, Kaori-san?"—Hideki asked, noticing how unusual Kaori's seriousness was.

Takeshi took a deep breath before speaking.

—"We know this might seem confusing, and we want to be completely transparent with you."—He paused briefly before continuing.—"The truth is, our family has abilities beyond the ordinary. Kaori is an inu-yokai, and Hiro is a half-inu-yokai. As for me, I'm just human, like you."

Hideki looked at Takeshi and Kaori with a mix of surprise and confusion.

—"Inu-yokai? Does that mean...?"

Kaori nodded.

—"Yes. In this world, inu-yokai are a race of supernatural beings with traits similar to dogs. Hiro, as a half-inu-yokai, has a mix of our abilities and human traits."

Trying to process the information, Hideki asked:

—"But... why are you telling me this now?"

—"We know that broken arm wasn't caused by an ordinary accident. It was the result of an attack by a bakeneko. The fact that you encountered a supernatural creature indicates that the world you're now involved in is far more complex than you realize,"—Takeshi explained.

Kaori stepped closer to Hideki.

—"We want you to know we're here to help you. It was never our intention to involve you in the supernatural world; we've only tried to live a normal life. However, we knew that, given our connection to that world, something like this could happen sooner or later."

Hiding his initial shock, Hideki responded:

—"This is... a lot to take in. I didn't know anything about the supernatural world until the bakeneko attack."—He ran a hand through his hair.—"How did you know about the bakeneko?"

—"As I mentioned, I'm an inu-yokai, and I have traits similar to those of dogs. I could identify the bakeneko's scent as soon as you returned home,"—Kaori said.

Hideki took a moment to digest what he had just heard. He had already learned a little about the supernatural world from Kiyome Abe, but this revelation from the family that had taken him in made everything feel far more real and personal.

—"Kiyome-senpai already told me a bit about the supernatural world today,"—Hideki said, glancing at his bandaged arm,—"but I didn't expect you to be part of it too."

Kaori nodded, her expression softening.

—"I imagine all of this must be overwhelming for you. We didn't want to hide it from you, Hideki, but we thought it was best to let you settle in a bit more before revealing it. The bakeneko attack changed that."

Takeshi stepped forward, placing a hand on Hideki's shoulder. The warmth of his gesture contrasted with the cold weight of the emotions Hideki was grappling with.

—"Since you came here, we've considered you part of our family. We don't want you to face this world alone. Kaori and I will help you with whatever you need. Even though I don't have supernatural abilities, you'll always have our support."

Hideki looked up at them, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. The fact that the people who had become his refuge were now so deeply involved in the supernatural world only heightened his sense of being lost.

—"Thank you,"—he murmured, his voice filled with gratitude that barely masked his uncertainty—, "I really don't know what I would've done without you."

Kaori smiled warmly, but the gesture failed to dispel the cloud of sadness surrounding Hideki.

—"You don't need to thank us. But you should know that you'll be more exposed to these kinds of situations from now on. Although we didn't want to pull you into this world, it seems that fate has guided you here."

Hideki let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the situation pressing on his chest like a heavy stone. The bakeneko attack, the conversation with Kiyome, and now this revelation… everything seemed to be happening too fast. Although a spark of hope was beginning to ignite in his mind, he wondered if he could find answers to return home amidst all this chaos.

—"I'm going to need your help,"—he finally said, a mixture of humility and resignation in his voice—. "I don't know much about this world, and I don't want to be a burden to you."

—"You're not a burden, Hideki,"—Takeshi said firmly yet warmly—. "We'll always be here to support you and help you find answers. And if you decide to get more involved in this world, Kaori can teach you how to defend yourself better."

Kaori nodded, her calm smile barely concealing the concern she felt for the burden Hideki carried. She didn't know much about the boy's past, but from the moment they had met him, she had sensed he bore a sadness that weighed heavily on him.

—"That's right. I'd have no problem teaching you how to control your Ki,"—she said kindly—. "You could even learn to use Touki, which is an advanced technique. I've noticed that your Ki is surprisingly strong for a normal human."

Hideki's eyes widened in amazement, but his enthusiasm was tinged with an underlying sadness. He remembered that Kiyome had mentioned something about Touki, but hearing it from Kaori made the possibility of a new hope feel more real—and at the same time, more overwhelming.

—"I definitely want to learn!"—he replied, trying to mask the mixture of anxiety and hope in his voice—. "You can sense my Ki? Could you explain a bit more about what it is, exactly?"

Kaori tilted her head, pleased by Hideki's curiosity, and took a moment to choose her words carefully.

—"Ki is the vital energy that flows through all living beings,"—she began to explain—. "It's the force that sustains you, what keeps you alive and active. The stronger and healthier you are, the more powerful your vital energy will be. Controlling it allows you to enhance your physical abilities, increase your stamina, and eventually develop techniques like Touki, which concentrates that energy to boost your physical strength and defense."

Hideki pondered her words, slowly processing what they meant. The idea of having a hidden strength within him was new, but he was beginning to understand why both Kiyome and now Kaori had mentioned Ki.

—"Do you think I could learn to control it?"—he asked seriously, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and determination.

Kaori nodded again, looking at him with confidence.

—"Of course, Hideki. With proper training, discipline, and a bit of patience, you could master your Ki and use Touki. It's not something that happens overnight, but with effort, I know you'll achieve it."

After the Nishimiya's revelation, the couple returned to their room, leaving Hideki alone with his thoughts. The silence of the night enveloped him as he sat on his futon, staring at the cast on his arm while his mind drifted away from his physical wounds to the abyss of his inner confusion. Everything he had learned that day—from the conversation with Kiyome to the surprising revelation from the Nishimiya family—had left him overwhelmed and emotionally drained.

—"A supernatural world… magic… yokai,"—he murmured to himself, lying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling—. "This isn't just a dream or a fantasy… It's real."

The weight of these revelations was palpable. Before arriving in this world, he had been a boy without a Quirk in an environment where supernatural powers were the norm. Now, he was in a completely different place where the supernatural not only existed but had become a fundamental part of his life. The idea of developing real abilities was both a source of hope and an overwhelming burden, and the connections he was forming in this world made his desire to return home feel increasingly conflicted.

"Could this be my chance to go back? If I manage to master Ki… could I find a way to return home?"

Hope flickered in his mind, but it was quickly invaded by doubt and sadness. He couldn't ignore that, in this new world, he had started building relationships and finding a purpose he had never imagined. Koneko, Kiyome, the Nishimiya family… Here, he wasn't just "the boy without powers" as he had been in his own world. Here, he seemed to have the opportunity to be something more, and that only made his decision to return home all the more complicated.

"But… do I really want to go back?"

The question hit him hard, and the weight of his doubt settled over him like a shadow. Since arriving here, he had always thought that returning home was his only goal, but now, with each passing day, he felt his connection to this world growing stronger. Did he really want to leave behind what he had started to learn and the people who cared about him?

No… Perhaps that thought—the idea of not wanting to return because of the relationships he was building—was just an excuse to cover up what he truly desired. This opportunity to gain power, after so many years of yearning for a Quirk, had presented itself almost as if destiny were offering him a second chance. All he had to do was be in another world to achieve it.

His mind wandered back to a painful memory from his previous life. He was 15 years old, in his first year at UA Academy. During a training camp, a tragic incident occurred: he and Katsuki Bakugou were kidnapped by the League of Villains. The villains were interested in Bakugou's explosive personality, which they saw as the makings of a future villain. As for Hideki, the only one who showed interest in him was All For One.

He never understood the reason behind that interest, but All For One offered him something he had dreamed of his entire life: a Quirk. A power, precisely what he had always longed for. But All For One didn't just offer him a Quirk—he offered him a path to darkness, a path that would betray everything Hideki believed was right.

Despite his deep desire to have a Quirk, Hideki rejected the offer. He couldn't become a villain; he couldn't betray his own values or stop being who he was just to gain the power he had always wished for.

Now, in this world, that opportunity had presented itself again, though under different circumstances. Here, there were no malicious offers from villains, but the dilemma remained: What was he willing to sacrifice to gain power? And how would that affect his true desire to return to his world? Would he have to abandon the idea of going back?

Hideki sat in silence, looking out the window of his room. The moon illuminated the night sky, and he couldn't help but feel the weight of his decisions crushing him. He remembered how, in his world, he had always wanted to be a hero. But now, in this new world, the word "hero" had taken on a different meaning. Could he really consider himself a hero if his desire for power was rooted in something as selfish as the need to feel whole?

"Is this what I always wanted?" he wondered, his mind spinning between desire and doubt.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock at his door. It was Kaori, holding a cup of tea in her hand.

"I thought you might like something to help you relax before sleeping," she said with a gentle smile. Her presence always had a calming effect.

Hideki accepted the cup and nodded gratefully, though his mind remained restless.

"Kaori-san, do you think that if I manage to master this Ki, I could...?" He hesitated before continuing. "Could I use it for more than just defending myself?"

Kaori looked at him intently, as if she understood the depth of his question. She sat down in front of him, speaking with serene calmness.

"Ki is a source of life. It's not just for protecting or attacking. It's balance; it's control over oneself and one's surroundings. But Ki is not a magic key that solves all problems," Kaori explained. "It's a tool, and like any tool, it depends on how you use it and, most importantly, why you use it."

Hideki nodded slowly, taking in Kaori's words, though part of him couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of using it as a means to find his way home.

"Kiyome-senpai already explained a bit about Ki and Touki to me, but... I feel like it's more than just a combat technique. There's something deeper, isn't there?" he asked, searching for an answer that would calm his thoughts.

Kaori gave him a faint smile, though her eyes revealed a mix of understanding and concern.

"You're right, Hideki. Ki can open doors, but not all of those doors lead to what you're looking for. Sometimes, on the path to what you think you desire, you find other things that change your perspective. Power, if not balanced with the right purpose, can lead you down dangerous paths."

Kaori's words echoed in Hideki's mind. "The right purpose." What was his true purpose? To return to his world? To be a hero? Or to continue forward in this new place where he was beginning to find a reason to stay?

"You have much to learn, Hideki. But remember this: true power doesn't lie in what you can do for yourself, but in how you can help others through what you've learned. You've already done that here, without even realizing it," Kaori added with a kind smile. "Take your time. Don't rush your decisions."

Hideki watched her silently, taking in what she was saying. The doubt remained, but clarity was starting to break through. Did he really need to rush to find an answer? Perhaps this new world had more to offer him—something he had yet to discover.

"Thank you, Kaori-san," he finally said. "I really appreciate what you're teaching me... and what you and Takeshi have done for me."

Kaori nodded warmly before standing up.

"Rest well, Hideki. Tomorrow we'll start your training, but for now, you need a clear mind and a rested body."

As the door closed behind her, Hideki was left alone with his thoughts once again. There were still many unanswered questions, but one thing was certain: his life in this world would not be simple. He couldn't ignore the call of power, nor the desire to return home, but now he understood that everything would depend on the purpose he chose to follow.

He looked at the moon once more, closed his eyes, and prepared himself for what lay ahead.

The End

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