"I Reincarnated in Boku no Hero but They Forgot to Give Me a System"

Chapter 42 – Protection Gifts 

The day after the party, Aoi was already back to training with Mirko around the mansion — more specifically, in a dense forest that surrounded the estate. The early morning light filtered through the thick canopy, casting shifting shadows across the ground as they clashed at high speed. Their movements were sharp and precise, blurs of motion amid the trees. Aoi focused his Haki to dodge her relentless attacks, condensing his flames into his Armament Haki to endure the hits he couldn't avoid.

Mirko, on the other hand, wasn't holding back at all. She charged with full power and agility, her strikes fierce and explosive. With a sudden burst of speed, she delivered a spinning kick that caught Aoi off guard, sending him crashing through a few bushes and skidding along the forest floor.

Even injured, Aoi flipped mid-air, using a burst of flame to stabilize himself. Landing on his feet, though wincing slightly, he looked at her and called out, half-laughing and half-breathless:

— Mirko! Are you trying to kill me? What kind of hit was that?!

Mirko grinned with wild excitement, launching another high-speed kick toward him:

— You told me to fight seriously! Villains aren't going to go easy on you, remember?

— I just wanted to warm up before the physical training part! — Aoi grumbled, barely avoiding her attack by twisting to the side.

Their training didn't slow down. The forest echoed with the sound of impacts, grunts, and occasional laughter. They continued exchanging strikes, Aoi clearly holding back so he wouldn't actually injure her, and Mirko clearly enjoying herself far too much to stop.

From a distance, Ryuko and Midnight stood near a tree, observing them with amused expressions. Their arms were crossed, and they seemed both entertained and mildly concerned.

— Those two are absolutely insane — Midnight said with a smirk. — They're going to break each other and still call it "fun."

— I think that's just how they communicate — Ryuko replied calmly, watching as Aoi narrowly dodged another powerful blow. — They both enjoy this kind of madness. For them, this is totally normal.

The training session finally came to a stop when both Aoi and Mirko collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. Their clothes were dusty and torn in places, and their bodies were marked with light bruises and scratches. Despite the rough session, they were both smiling.

Aoi turned his head toward Mirko and muttered between breaths:

— You always overdo it... Seriously, how are you planning to patrol the city all banged up like this?

Mirko shrugged, brushing dirt off her arm.

— This? It's just a scratch. I can still work normally. I've had worse on a coffee run.

Aoi sighed, clearly used to her stubbornness by now. He pushed himself up with effort and said:

— Wait here. I've got something for you.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and jogged back toward the mansion, disappearing among the trees. Mirko tilted her head in confusion but didn't move.

Midnight and Ryuko walked over to her, still chuckling.

— Only you two would find joy in beating the hell out of each other like that — Midnight commented.

— You really need to take it easier sometimes — Ryuko added, kneeling slightly to check a scrape on Mirko's arm. — Unlike Aoi, you don't have rapid healing. If something breaks, it takes time to fix.

Mirko scratched the back of her head, laughing sheepishly.

— I know, I know... But when I'm fighting him, I just get hyped up! Before I even realize it, we're both flat on the ground like idiots.

The two heroines sighed in unison, clearly used to this kind of thing.

A few minutes later, Aoi returned, carrying a large rectangular box with both arms. He approached and set it down in front of Mirko, who looked at him, puzzled. Without a word, he opened the box, revealing a pair of sleek combat gloves and matching boots — both dark-colored with reinforced plating and a subtle rabbit emblem on the front.

He picked them up and handed them to her, smiling:

— I wanted to give you something special for your birthday. At first, I thought about a necklace, maybe a ring or some kind of jewelry... but that's just not your style. So I made these instead. These gloves and boots are tough, reinforced for battle, and right here — he pointed at the emblem — I infused my flames. If you get injured, just open this compartment. My flames will come out and heal you. Once they run out, just call me, and I'll recharge them.

Mirko was visibly touched, though she tried to play it cool. She quickly put on the gloves and boots, flexing her hands and feet with satisfaction. She stood up, looked around — and without warning, punched a large nearby rock. The stone cracked instantly, splitting down the middle.

Then, stepping forward, she delivered a powerful kick to a thick tree. The tree shattered on impact, and the shockwave continued, snapping three more trees behind it with a loud crack-crack-crack.

She turned toward Aoi with her usual wild grin, but her eyes were gleaming with emotion. Without hesitation, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

— Thank you. I seriously loved it.

Aoi hugged her back with a warm smile, relieved and happy that she liked the gift.

Then, turning to Ryuko and Midnight, he reached into his jacket and pulled out two small boxes. Inside were two elegant necklaces — one featuring a dragon symbol, the other a delicate rose.

— And these are for you two. I made them with each of you in mind. I also infused my flames into them. Just open the lid on the symbol and the flames will be released to heal you. I was planning to save them for your birthdays... but honestly, this might be the difference between surviving or not in the field. I figured I'd rather give them now than regret not doing it if something ever happens.

Ryuko and Midnight were clearly moved by the gesture. They exchanged a glance and then, without hesitation, each stepped forward, giving Aoi a soft kiss on the cheek and a warm, grateful hug.

— Thank you, Aoi — Ryuko said softly. — This means a lot.

— You're a sweetheart. Don't go changing — Midnight added with a wink.

Even though he was tired and sore, Aoi felt a quiet warmth inside him. The weight of exhaustion faded under the joy of seeing the people he cared about smile. In that moment, he knew it had all been worth it.

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