Chapter 64: Choice.

The distant hum of helicopters and the blaring of sirens filled the air, signaling the arrival of reinforcements and medical personnel. Floodlights lit up the battlefield as law enforcement, heroes, and emergency responders swarmed the area, taking stock of the surreal aftermath.

Kurokai lay motionless on a stretcher, his pale face smeared with dried blood. Around him, students of Class 1-A watched anxiously, their faces painted with worry. Mirko stood nearby, while Hero Best Jeanist tried to explain the situation to the bewildered medical teams.

"Secure the area first," Jeanist instructed the personnel who just arrived. 

"Yes, sir!" the staff replied, quickly coordinating with his team.

Nearby, Pixie-Bob sat wrapped in a blanket, her hands trembling as she processed everything. Hero Tiger stayed close, watching over her protectively.

"It feels unreal....," Pixie-Bob murmured, her voice shaky. "I remember… dying. And then Kurokai… he…" She trailed off, her eyes filling with tears.

Hero Tiger nodded repeatedly while wiping away the tears flowing from his eyes.

"That kid.....he saved us....."

Pixie-Bob nodded, her gaze drifting toward Kurokai, seeing him being carried away filled her with a newfound worry.

------

Kurokai was sprawled on a stretcher, his body pale and lifeless-looking as paramedics carefully loaded him into an ambulance. Nearby, the students of Class 1-A gathered, their faces painted with exhaustion and worry.

"What did he do?" Mirko muttered under her breath, her gaze fixed on the unconscious boy.

Best Jeanist stood next to her and examined the scene.

"He did it before too, during the previous incident, saving many heroes."

He continued in a calm voice.

"Perhaps this time, because the amount of people was too large in comparison, he ended up pushing himself too much, resulting in the injury."

"A quirk overload? That makes sense.", Hero Miriko nodded her head in agreement.

Pixie-Bob, wrapped in a blanket and seated nearby, silently listened to their talk but didn't say anything, maintaining silence.

She was the only one who was revived, everyone else who died remained dead.

She even believed Kurokai's current condition wasn't because he healed the injured, but because he pushed himself to great lengths, to bring her back to life.

Hero Tiger silently looked at her, understanding her intention he closed his mouth, sealing it shut.

Hero Best Jeanist and Mirko continued their conversation, examining the scene.

---

At the hospital.

Kurokai woke to the sound of faint beeping and the sterile smell of a hospital room. He blinked slowly, his body feeling like it had been run over by a train. The events of the previous night came rushing back in fragments, his domain, the souls, and the overwhelming strain on his mind and body.

"You're awake."

Hearing the familiar voice Kurokai turned his head to see Mirko leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and her sharp eyes watching him intently.

"How long…?" he asked, his throat felt sore.

"About two hours," she replied.

Walking up to him she poured him a glass of warm water from the flask.

Kurokai took it and slowly drank it, feeling better.

"Doctors said you're lucky. Whatever you pulled out there nearly killed you."

Hero Miriko commented, casually sitting on the edge of his bed, looking at him with curious eyes.

Kurokai looked back at her, noticing the familiar white coat she was wearing.

"You just saved almost a thousand people, so be proud.", Hero Miriko commented seeing his static expression.

Kurokai didn't say anything, maintaining his silence.

Hero Miriko clicked his tongue, leaned forward, and roughly patted his head.

"Stop.", Kurokai said in dissatisfaction.

Hero Miriko smiled and retracted her hand, then suddenly her face became solemn and she said in a serious voice.

"You need not feel down kid, those who died had nothing to do with you, if anything it was because of our weakness that so many...", Hero Miriko's gaze lowered as she tightly clenched her fists.

Kurokai looked at her, then his eyes landed on her head, it was oddly close so he raised his hand and patted it.

*Pat*

Their roles were instantly reversed.

Silence enveloped the room.

With slow movement, Hero Miriko raised her head and looked back at him.

Her sharp eyes stared at him.

Kurokai simply blinked then suddenly started rubbing her head.

The corners of Hero Miriko's mouth twitched, opening her mouth she couldn't help but say in an almost shouting voice."

"Oi."

She continued in a threatening voice.

"Just what do you think you are doing?"

Kurokai clearly heard her threats but instead of retracting his hand he started rubbing her head faster.

He didn't believe she would hit a kid who just saved her and many other's lives over a head pat, especially when he was injured.

Of course, it was hard to tell what she would do after he recovered.

And as he expected, Hero Mirko shook but actually allowed it, her eyes kept changing along with her face as if continuously struggling with whether to hit him or not. 

Finally, after letting out a sigh she said in a low voice.

"Next time you try, I'm throwing you out the window."

Kurokai smiled and continued patting her head.

It was actually one of the tasks on his to-do list.

Suddenly the door to the hospital room creaked open, and Hero Best Jeanist entered.

As soon as he did, his eyes fell on Kurokai patting Miriko's head.

And Miriko, the crazy rabbit demon was actually allowing it.

Hero Best Jeanist blinked his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating, but seeing them looking at him, he finally said in a hesitant voice.

"Am I...interrupting something?" 

"Not at all," Mirko replied, standing up from Kurokai's best and leaning against the wall like nothing happened.

"Just making sure the kid doesn't start brooding over things that aren't his fault."

Best Jeanist looked at her then approached the bed and gave Kurokai a nod of approval.

"Your actions were nothing short of heroic. The number of lives you saved is amazing, including ours."

Best Jeanist suddenly gave him a ninety-degree bow.

Hero Miriko looked at him in silence.

"It's alright.", Kurokai shook his head telling Best Jeanist to raise his head.

Best Jeanist raised his head and placed a hand on the bed's railing, his expression softening. "You have saved my life twice now, if there's ever a time you need my help, then just call and this Jeanist will be at your service."

"Same here.", Hero Miriko interrupted, saying in a strong voice. 

Kurokai smiled and nodded at them.

"Understood."

Hero Best Jeanist straightened and adjusted his tie. "Rest is your priority now. The aftermath of the incident is being handled, and you've done more than enough. Take this time to recover."

Suddenly he came close to him and said in a small voice.

"You can tell me if she's troubling you, I'll throw her out."

Kurokai fell silent and glanced at Hero Miriko who looked back at him in confusion.

He highly doubted Best Jeanist's claim to be able to throw her out.

"It's okay."

Hero Best Jeanist looked at him and then nodded his head, leaving him and Miriko alone in the room.

After he was gone, Hero Miriko stopped leaning against the wall and looked at him.

"You're tougher than you look kid but---"

Before she could continue, the room's door was pushed wide open and Hero Pixie-Bob rushed in.

Seeing the confused Kurokai and Miriko, Pixie-Bob said in a hesitant voice.

"Can I…...come in?"

"Go ahead," Mirko said then walked out of the door, closing the door.

Pixie-Bob approached the bed, her expression a mixture of gratitude and confusion. "I don't know how you did it bu----"

Before she could continue, Kurokai suddenly blocked her mouth with her finger.

Looking at her confused eyes, he quietly pointed at the door to his ward using his other hand.

Using his cursed energy, he clearly felt Miriko silently leaning against the room's door listening in on their conversation.

Hero Pixie-Bob's eyes widened.

Seeing her lightly nod her head, Kurokai withdrew his finger.

But as soon as he did.

A farm feeling enveloped his face.

Hero Pixie-Bob suddenly rushed in without any warning, burying his face in her chest.

Taken aback by the sudden turn of events, Kurokai raised his eyes and looked at her.

"That....I just felt like doing it....", Hero Pixie-Bob said in an embarrassed tone while her face turned red.

But instead of releasing him, she instead tightened her hold, burying his head further along her chest.

Hero Pixie-bob's eyes kept moving, she didn't know why but as soon as she saw Kurokai her heart started beating faster and she ended up doing something so embarrassing and immature! Especially to a child!

She felt like a criminal!

But her hand refused to let go!

Kurokai gave her a thumbs up.

Pixie-Bob blushed even harder.

Outside the room.

Hero Miriko kept pressing her ear on the ward's door but didn't hear a thing.

The reason she was spying like this was to ensure Kurokai's safety, it was the instruction given to her by those above and also her personal wish after he saved her. 

'Did something happen?', Her eyes narrowed.

Suddenly a big figure appeared behind her.

Sensing the presence, she turned back.

"What are you doing? Hero Miriko?", Toger said with a dark look on his face.

Hero Miriko smiled showing her teeth.

"It's called 'None of your fcking business' cat."

----

After Hero Pixie-Bob left, Kurokai was finally left alone in his ward.

Lying down on the hospital bed he started thinking deeply about everything that happened.

First of all the new power he gained.

[1000 Faith points collected, congratulations on receiving Suguru Geto's technique

"Cursed Spirit Manipulation."]

He received it right after Mechamaru nuked the place but because of his unorganized mind at the time, he didn't see it.

Cursed Spirit Manipulation.

It was a powerful technique in JJK world, but it seems useless in Mha since there aren't any cursed spirits here, except for maybe the shikigami he could summon using the ten-shadow technique.

A sad reward for a sad battle.

Kurokai released a sigh.

In a sense everything that happened...was pointless.

The fight, the deaths, the resurrection.

Except for Pixie-Bob who he revived, more than ten thousand people died, including many heroes at the scene.

All of it, was because of a small error, the breaking of his domain by All Might.

It could have been avoided.

All of it could have been avoided.

Or perhaps, none of it should have happened in the first place?

His mind went back to the first day he traveled to this world.

It was the day he received Jogo's flame ability.

That was the start of everything.

That was the day, the crazy thought spurted into his mind, one which he couldn't help thinking about no matter how hard he tried.

The reason he decided to play with the heroes.

The reason he decided to join the villains.

The reason he staged those acts, changing the flow of the original story.

It was all because of two reasons.

First the surface lie, a non-truth he made up and used as an excuse.

To farm faith points.

Of course, they were still important.

But after he gained Gojo's ability, faith points mattered little to him.

So what was the second reason? The real truth he has hidden away from everyone?

An imaginary scene appeared in Kurokai's mind.

It was of a battlefield, divided into two.

On one side stood the Heroes.

On the other side stood the villains.

But surprisingly, they were not fighting against each other.

Instead, there was another.

A single person standing in between, facing their combined strength alone.

Kurokai's eyes glowed.

It was a stupid, crazy, and nonsensical dream which most people will never think of.

Why would they? If they can use the powers from JJK, most would go around becoming a hero, beat the villains, pursue their dream girl, get married, and maybe even have children.

A happy family.

It was a dream for many.

A goal to be achieved.

It was also his goal in his previous life.

But after he came to this world, his thoughts changed.

His mind shifted, no it didn't shift, instead his true self was brought out.

The pranks he performs on the heroes, he found them fun.

The way he affected the villains, he found it enjoyable.

Similarly.

When he thinks about the day he reveals the truth to the world, in front of everyone....glorious.

Beautiful.

Out of the world.

Their shock, anger, betrayal, sadness, disgust. And everything they will show, when faced with the inevitable reality.

It will be a scene to behold.

But...

Kurokai sighed, his thoughts changing again.

The death of thousands of innocents.

It was not something he wanted to happen.

As well as the death of Hero Pixie-Bob.

But.

If he was being honest.

The only death that really affected him was of Hero Pixie-Bob.

It also opened up his eyes to his hypocrisy.

He was unwilling to see them die.

And at the same time willing to betray their trust.

The two contradicting emotions kept hitting his mind making him feel weary.

'How about I just.....end it all?'

Kill the League and be done with it.

Cut down the tree he planted with his own hands.

To live a life most dream of.

A confused look appeared in his eyes.

'But...is that really what I want?'

Using his weakened cursed energy, he established a connection with the many spare bodies of Mechamaru he had created and hidden away.

Inside a metal coffin, the green lights of a mechanical construct lit up.

Mechamaru, the Machine Overlord was back.

Ready to make a life-changing decision.