Although Lancer didn't tell her everything, even just the preliminary plan about him and All Might left her a little at a loss, and her expression became even more unpleasant, especially when she heard that Lancer purpose for becoming the 'ghost' was just to attract attention.
"Sensei, are you serious? Doing this..."
Before Momo Yaoyorozu could finish her words, Lancer hand was already on her head. It turned out that Lancer, who was sitting on the bay window, had stood up at some point.
"Don't worry, it's just the 'ghost,' not me."
Although Lancer said this with a smile, Momo Yaoyorozu bit her lip and said nothing.
The so-called 'name' was just a code name, and both 'Lancer' and 'ghost' were his current code names. Maybe other people wouldn't feel anything, but as the person involved and an insider, it felt a little unpleasant.
"It's fine, isn't it cool to be a 'demon king' anyway? I heard that there are already similar rumors. It's a shame I only have two or three cats as my subordinates, otherwise I would have wanted to do a Four Heavenly Kings thing and then a 'there must be five Four Heavenly Kings' gag..."
Looking at the joking Lancer, Momo Yaoyorozu suddenly had an impulse. She suddenly opened her arms and hugged Lancer waist.
In the past, the heroes in Momo Yaoyorozu's eyes were those people on TV who wore strange clothes to rescue people and protect citizens. And in these few months of school life, she had also learned other things.
The people who often appear on TV are heroes; the people who have never been on TV and just silently dedicate themselves on the front line are also heroes; even the people who just calm the public's mood with their performances on TV are heroes.
Then is a man who sacrifices himself to become a demon king also a hero?
"No! Sensei, you are not a demon king! You are a true hero!"
Lancer, who had a sudden outburst from Momo Yaoyorozu, looked at the girl who was hugging his waist with a helpless face.
"Okay~ okay~ if you say so, then it is. It doesn't matter to me anyway. Also, I think a lady shouldn't be hugging a man's waist..."
Lancer indifferent tone made Momo Yaoyorozu feel a little unhappy, but the second half of his sentence reminded her, and Momo Yaoyorozu, with a red face, quickly let go of her hands and sat back down on the chair.
And Lancer, who was looking down at Momo Yaoyorozu, also showed a knowing smile, but he didn't know if it was because of Momo Yaoyorozu's rude action, or because of what the other party had just said.
'A hero, huh...'
Although Lancer always said that he didn't care about these things, he was not a masochist who liked to be scolded. It was just that he was used to ignoring other people's evaluations. This was a sign of his growth, but he would still feel happy when he was praised, especially when the person giving the evaluation was a disciple. After all, it didn't matter what others thought, but a disciple was different.
On the calm lake surface, three fishing lines were quietly hanging there, and one of them suddenly trembled violently.
"Shoto! Be careful! Slowly let out the line and don't pull it up directly. First, tire it out, and then pull it up all at once!"
"Puff!"
With a strange sound, the fishing line was pulled up violently, and a fish flew out directly, but the next scene caught them off guard. Shoto Todoroki, who had never fished before, was originally full of excitement, but when the fish flew directly towards him, he was at a loss, until—
"Smack~!"
"Haha~!!"
Looking at the fish that was slapped onto Shoto Todoroki's face and then frozen by his reflex, Momo Yaoyorozu couldn't help but laugh out loud.
And Shoto Todoroki on the other side touched his face with a helpless look.
"Sensei..."
Although there were only three people here, he still felt a little embarrassed, but Lancer just shrugged his shoulders.
"It was an accident. After all, who knew that this fish would fly so straight? At least I've never been hit by one?"
Looking at his teacher's calm way of shifting the blame, Shoto Todoroki didn't know how to complain for a while. In the end, he could only throw the fish, which had turned into an ice cube, into the small bucket next to him, tie a new hook to his fishing line, and then cast it into the lake.
And Lancer, after he finished laughing, also comforted himself with, 'This is just a beginner's luck. I was called a 'fishing prodigy no less than his' by Cú Chulainn. How could I lose to Shoto?'
But it was obvious that Lancer had forgotten one thing. Speaking of 'luck,' it seemed that both of their master and disciple's luck was a bit... touching.
But fortunately, this was not a competition, just a simple interaction between a master and his disciples.
The reason for this was that he was about to leave.
One year seemed like a long time, but in reality, when a person is focused on one thing, everything passes by quickly.
And in the last two months of his time, his life could be said to be very peaceful.
Perhaps it was because of his appearance that the 'League of Villains' had completely disappeared. During this period, he had asked Stain and his subordinates to inquire about the League of Villains, but unfortunately, there were no clues. The other party seemed to have completely disappeared. The only thing they found was the 'Nomu production factory' that had been abandoned.
Lancer had nothing to say about this except to admire 'ALL FOR ONE's' decisiveness. He didn't believe that Tomura Shigaraki, who was full of 'rashness,' would be so decisive in retreating. But it was precisely because of this that he became even more vigilant.
Just like before, before he left, he had prepared a letter for All Might, which included information about 'ALL FOR ONE' and what he knew about Tomura Shigaraki.
"Sensei!"
But just as he was thinking about these things, Momo Yaoyorozu let out a cry of surprise, and then Lancer saw that there was a fish even bigger than Shoto Todoroki's on Momo Yaoyorozu's hook!
"That's not bad for a beginner!"
After praising Momo Yaoyorozu, Lancer became conflicted. Should he use a Rune for the sake of 'a teacher's dignity'? He felt that if he used it for this kind of thing, his master would kill him...
He probably wouldn't, right? Although he had never seen his senior brother do this before.
A campfire, roasted fish, cats, and also sake and catnip.
This was almost the standard for every meal. The two cats were lying on the ground with the catnip, making strange meowing sounds, while Lancer, leaning against the tree trunk, was holding a cup of sake in one hand and petting Shoto Todoroki's hair with the other.
It was obvious that although Lancer had not said that he would be leaving the next day, he had hinted at it several times during this period, so today, he, for some reason, uncharacteristically drank several bottles of sake with Lancer. This drink, which Lancer considered to be similar to plain water, was still a bit too stimulating for the underage Shoto Todoroki. At this time, Shoto Todoroki had completely passed out. His red cheeks and occasional mumbling made it impossible to associate him with the usually high-and-mighty Shoto Todoroki.
And Momo Yaoyorozu on the other side was holding a wooden cup in both hands and sipping her juice little by little while looking at Shoto Todoroki with an envious gaze.
"I want to try it too..."
Although her muttering was very low, Lancer heard it.
"It's fine for Shoto because he's a boy, but for a girl, let's wait until you're an adult. When you become an adult, Momo Yaoyorozu, I'll have a drink with you again~"
Momo Yaoyorozu, who didn't expect Lancer to hear her muttering, blushed a little. She originally wanted to retort, but for some reason, she just nodded with a red face as if she were drunk.
And Lancer looked at the other party's cup strangely. After confirming that there was juice in the other party's cup, he touched his head strangely, but then he just thought it was the light from the campfire that made her look that way...
They trained as usual during the day, went fishing after lunch, and after fishing, they grilled the fish themselves under Tiger's guidance. When it was already midnight, Momo Yaoyorozu could no longer hold on and fell asleep in a daze.
On his left was Shoto Todoroki, who was lying on his lap, and on his right was Momo Yaoyorozu, who was leaning on his shoulder. And Jack seemed to know that they were about to part ways and was lying in Shoto Todoroki's arms. As for Aru, he didn't think too much, but he was hugged tightly by Momo Yaoyorozu, who didn't know what she was trying to hug. At this time, he was being pressed against her chest and looked at Lancer with a resentful face, as if complaining that his master was watching him almost being suffocated and didn't come to help, but what he got was a certain person's wicked smile.
"Meow~"
After complaining in a low voice, Aru simply stopped caring about his wicked master and just shook his head and changed his position. After a series of movements, he also fell into a deep sleep.
And Lancer, after picking up Tiger, who had cleaned up the campfire, and holding him in his arms, said 'good night' with a smile and closed his eyes.
The morning dew always carried a hint of coldness. When Momo Yaoyorozu sat up, rubbing her eyes, the first thing she saw was Shoto Todoroki curled up with his head facing her. She looked around blankly, and then her eyes widened, because she found that Lancer, who should have been sleeping between the two of them, was gone.
"Sensei?!"
Momo Yaoyorozu's shout also woke up the sleeping Shoto Todoroki. He rubbed his aching head and squinted his eyes to look around in the direction Momo Yaoyorozu was looking, and then he also found that Lancer was gone.
But at this moment, a person in a tight suit poked his head out from the bushes.
"Did you sleep well?"
After seeing Lancer figure, the two of them were relieved.
Lancer just smiled at this. Although it was just a subconscious action, it made Lancer very happy, because it at least showed that his two disciples cared about him.
After handing two bowls of fruit porridge to the two of them, he shook his head with a smile.
"Did you two think I would leave without saying goodbye? Even if I were to leave, I would at least say hello to my lovely disciples~"
Momo Yaoyorozu, who was drinking her porridge with her head down, shivered a little when she heard Lancer words. The smart her had already guessed some things from Lancer unusual behavior. Although the other party had been deliberately revealing some things for several days, she and Shoto Todoroki had already guessed some things, but she didn't expect that she would still feel a little sad when the time truly came.
"I'm not a very mature teacher, and if my teachers were to see this, they would probably scold me again..."
"Sensei, you..."
"Shoto, let Sensei continue."
Momo Yaoyorozu suddenly placed a hand on Shoto Todoroki's shoulder, and Shoto Todoroki, who was about to say something, also lowered his head and silently drank his porridge.
"I have already taught you everything I can teach you. The rest of the road is up to you to walk on your own. Let me say one last thing before I leave: cherish your companions. They are your most valuable asset."
Saying this, Lancer also squatted down and hugged the two of them by their necks.
The two of them, who were held in Lancer arms, were stunned for a moment, but then they also closed their eyes and gently rubbed Lancer ears with their heads.
Although Lancer was constantly traveling between various worlds, he was not alone. He also had his own bonds in various worlds.
A teacher, friends, and that family member who was working hard to train for him, and now he had two more disciples.
"Although I'm leaving, I'll be back. When I do, let me see your growth."
The two of them nodded without hesitation when they heard the voice in their ears.
Then they felt the thick arms wrapped around their necks suddenly disappear. When they opened their eyes, they found that the man who always had an unserious smile on his face had completely disappeared, and the two of them suddenly felt an emptiness in their hearts.
The small forest in the early morning was a little cold because of the dew, and the young boy and girl holding porridge in their hands were silently looking down. Suddenly, the boy with red and white hair drank the porridge in the wooden bowl in one gulp.
"Momo Yaoyorozu, I want to become the strongest hero! Sensei built this so-called 'era of blood and fire' for us to grow in, even at the cost of being reviled. I want to become the strongest hero! And when Sensei comes back, I'll tell everyone everything that Sensei did!"
Shoto Todoroki had been confused, conflicted, and in pain, and even though his relationship with that man had eased a little now, it was precisely because of this that he was even more conflicted.
The purpose of his desire to become a hero was to defeat that man and then tell him that he was wrong! That even without using his quirk, he could still become stronger than him!
But that wish had already been realized. That man had already admitted his mistake. The reason he was working so hard to improve himself now was simply because he didn't want to disappoint his teacher, but now he had found a new goal!
He wanted to clear his teacher's name after becoming the strongest!
Even if he didn't care, as his disciple, he wanted to do this! He wanted people to look at him with envy and admiration when he proudly said, 'I am Lancer disciple!'
And when Momo Yaoyorozu saw Shoto Todoroki's firm eyes, she suddenly had a feeling that the other party was not just saying it, and that he might really be able to do it, so what about her?
Her feelings for 'heroes' were more of admiration. She didn't have as deep of an obsession with 'heroes' as Shoto Todoroki did. So what was her goal?
'First, become a true lady?'
The 'castle' surrounded by thin mist in the early morning looked even stranger, but All Might, dressed in a suit, was waiting with his arms crossed without saying a word. He was waiting for that man.
"Sorry, I kept you waiting."
Along with that voice he was familiar with, a figure in a black tight suit, carrying a crimson long spear, appeared next to him at some point.
"It wasn't a long wait. Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing, I was just a little at a loss because of those kids."
Lancer was not at all secretive about his feelings, and All Might just smiled and didn't say much, because he also deeply felt it. He still remembered that when he told Izuku Midoriya that his body was getting worse and worse, the other party was also similar, especially when he said, 'I will continue to protect everyone in your place, All Might!' He did feel a little sore in his eyes.
And although Lancer was a little emotional, he didn't waste any time, because the countdown was approaching, and he still needed to make his final entrustment.
"I've given you everything I need to give you. Keep it safe. This is the key to controlling those people and this 'castle'... Never mind, I won't say any more. What needed to be said has already been said. I'm about to leave, so let's just say goodbye one last time~"
In All Might's incredible eyes, Lancer figure gradually faded, and he also felt as if something important had disappeared. He touched the strange wooden token hanging on his chest and didn't say anything more, just bowed solemnly.
'I will not let your sacrifice be in vain.'
After taking a deep breath, All Might also walked into the 'castle' with his head held high...