Restarting My Life After Failing to Protect Girls in My Class – The Day I Was Called the "Demon God of Dragon Slaying" - Episode 3

“If you want to play hero, let Shugo do it. I’m busy.”

An oddly shaped—no, far too bizarre—layout of my uncle’s house.

There’s no bath or toilet on the first floor… when you open the front door, all you see is a vast expanse of wooden flooring.

A ridiculously huge and seemingly heavy sandbag is hanging from the ceiling, resting directly on the floor.

A thick wooden beam, wrapped up in rough rope, is propped against the wall.

Along the wall, there’s a lineup of training equipment, like dumbbells that probably weigh around thirty kilograms each, a wooden stick with a big concrete block attached to one end, and wide-mouthed pots.

This wasn’t a living space; it was a proper karate dojo.

In such a place.

“It’s not playing. I really want you to teach me karate.”

“No way. I don’t know what you’re interested in, but I can’t get yelled at by my sister any more than I already have. She just shouted at me a bit ago.”

I’m standing three steps back, looking up at my uncle, who’s in a T-shirt and shorts.

Even in 2036, my uncle looked pretty young—but back in 2006, at thirty, he had a body that seemed to possess an unnecessary amount of heat, freshness, and intimidation for humanity.

He was nearly 190 centimeters tall. With an athletic build that had little fat, he probably weighed over 100 kilograms.

“Even at grandpa’s funeral, you were fighting somewhere, right? That’s so cool!”

“…Just go home already. It’s bedtime for kids.”

It was 8 PM. The wooden floor was nicely air-conditioned, but my uncle was drenched in sweat.

“I’ll go home if you promise to teach me karate.”

“I could just grab you by the scruff of your neck and take you back to my sister’s place, you know?”

Sweat was dripping from his taut skin.

It made sense since I had barged in during his karate practice.

No… that’s not right. It shouldn’t be like this.

My uncle had been practicing karate, but he was clearly sweating way too much. He was breathing too heavily.

It was as if he had just finished a life-or-death match.

Could someone really get this exhausted just from practicing karate…?

Indeed—there it was.

Indeed—there was something different about Taiichi Homura’s karate.

I just reaffirmed that the “power” I needed to acquire could only come from “ Taiichi Homura’s karate”—and so, I tilted my head cutely, determined not to let my uncle escape.

“Why won’t you teach me?”

“Because it’s a hassle.”

My uncle, looking down at me, placed his thick right hand on his waist and let out a big sigh.

“Even though you’re my nephew, spending time for someone else is a hassle… and getting yelled at by my sister for ‘doing unnecessary things’ is a hassle too. Just go to a regular karate class.”

“Eh~~”

“Not ‘eh.’ I’ll buy you a game.”

His response was cold.

However, I wasn’t flustered; I just chuckled softly to myself.

“I think it’s a pretty good deal for an uncle with a sister complex.”

“…Tch… where did you learn to talk like that…”

I deliberately spoke in a way that didn’t sound very seven-year-old-like to catch my uncle’s interest.

“Yesterday, my dad and mom were talking—there was a robbery in this town called Gohto. They said an old lady died.”

It was a complete lie, 100% made up.

My uncle had just come home today; there was no way he was familiar with the situation in this town. Dangerous incidents usually happen somewhere all the time.

So, I fabricated a non-existent violent crime to persuade my uncle.

“You’re hardly ever home, are you?”

My uncle’s eyebrow twitched slightly at my words.

I thought I hit a nerve, so I continued with a sly smile and a cute tone.

“Can you really protect my mom? What if the Gohto robber comes to our house? Won’t my mom get scared?”

The invincible Taiichi Homura had a severe sister complex.

He adored his older sister—my mom—who was four years older than him, worried about her to the point that he built a house next door.

He hardly ever goes against what she says, and I’ve even heard that he started karate to “protect his sister from some troublesome conflicts.”

So, I asked my uncle, what if my mom got attacked by a robber? I made him imagine that she could get killed or assaulted.

“But you know, once I learn karate from my uncle, I’ll be able to protect Mom properly. She’s at work during the day, and at night she’s always with me.”

And then, innocently and confidently, he says this.

“Mom tells me to be ‘kind,’ but that robber, Gohto, is way stronger than me.”

He might have looked a bit too full of himself, maybe even a little too mature for his age.

The saying that powerless justice is useless must really hit home for my uncle, who has power.

No matter how kind you are or what a romantic comedy hero you may be, the reality is that if you’re targeted by someone with real malice and determination, you’re going to be trampled.

The police won’t be there to protect us all the time.

—That’s why Ms. Noma and Ms. Aoki were brutally murdered—

My uncle looked straight down at me.

“…Who are you?”

He muttered quietly. His serious gaze was akin to that of a fighter in the underground fighting world; it wasn’t the attitude you’d expect to see in front of a nephew.

On the other hand, I was grinning like an absolute charmer.

“It’s Togo. Togo Kizuki. You know, like how it goes ‘Sodachizakari?’ Did that confuse you?”

“……………………”

After nearly twenty seconds of silence, my uncle’s mouth suddenly relaxed.

“A seven-year-old brat trying to intimidate me with a smile…”

He lifted one side of his lips, revealing white teeth, making a devilishly mischievous face.

While scratching his thick neck, he said, “From four generations back to that old geezer and me—another weirdo in the Homura family,” as if he were stifling laughter.

“……………………………………”

Eventually, without breaking that terrifyingly cheerful expression, he chuckled softly and said, “I don’t think Togo can protect his mother, but I’m curious about what you plan to do and what my karate will turn you into—so I’ll lend you a hand.”

Now it was my turn to laugh harder at those words.

“You convince her yourself.”

When I was told that, I was at the peak of my joy.

“You’ll do it, right? Monster elementary school kid?”

It was so obvious and natural that I didn’t want to be asked whether I would.

Once I acquire the same skills as Taiichi Homura—I’m sure Mom will be incredibly, incredibly sad.

I honestly couldn’t care less.

No matter how much she disapproved, no matter how much she cried, it didn’t really matter to me.

I’ve already lived a life where I was a kind man who wouldn’t make Mom cry. As a result, I failed to become a hero.

In my first life, I was there to witness Mom’s last moments alongside Dad.

I understand how much she loved me and how weak she was toward me; I’ve felt it profoundly in my bones.

To have her whims sway me to nod along—it might be a bit of a struggle, but it was nothing less than a certain victory that was crystal clear.

――――――

There’s no way I wouldn’t break into a big smile.

“Got it. I’m off now.”

As I turned on my heel, my uncle called out, “Wait a sec.”

“You know, that face of yours is too evil, so you should be careful.”

That was a welcome warning.

For sure, if I charged at Mom wearing this smile filled with joy and malice, she might be suspicious about what was going on.

Since I truly appreciated that, I decided to give my uncle a little advice too.

“Uncle, you’ve got that face too; Mom will definitely get mad at you!”

I’m probably laughing with the exact same face as Taiichi Homura right now.

With my chin tucked in, stretching my mouth wide open, and my cheeks lifted so high that my eyes formed triangles—

A desire-filled grin that would scare even demons and devils away.

“Seriously, even as a kid, you’ve got a bad look on your face.”

“Hehe♪ When I’m happy, I can’t help but smile like this!”

A room so quiet that the sound of the air conditioner felt obnoxious.

Then the two were laughing and exchanging glances at each other.