Unexpected Buff

"Cough... Hack...!"

I stayed low to avoid the shattered window fragments. After a moment, a painful groan from nearby made me cautiously lift my head, and I looked at the woman who had just smashed through the window.

"Are you okay?"

I reflexively asked after her well-being. The attack she'd taken would have killed an ordinary person, but fortunately she quickly pushed herself up.

"Citizen...? I-I'm fine. Please stay hidden like that... cough!"

She realized belatedly that the building she'd crashed into was a restaurant and that a civilian was hiding inside. She tried to smile and reassure me, but the sharp pain made her grimace and cough dryly.

"Grr... Graaaawr!!"

The monster that had sent her flying let out a victorious roar and began scanning the area for new prey. Luckily, thanks to Astra drawing its attention as much as possible, all the civilians near the monster had already evacuated. Even the drunkard from earlier had been thrown clear by Astra; he was now stumbling to his senses and fleeing into the distance.

When the monster found no other prey after looking around, it roared in dissatisfaction and began smashing nearby buildings with its forelegs, venting its frustration.

"Haa... Haa... At least I've bought some time..."

Astra gazed at the building the monster was destroying. Sensing no civilians inside, she let out a sigh of relief. She then fiddled with the watch-shaped communicator on her wrist and began speaking to someone.

"Ten minutes..."

I was close enough to catch parts of the exchange. It sounded like another monster had appeared besides the giant one, and it was heading straight for the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shelter. They were dealing with that first, which explained the delay.

Astra's expression hardened. She glanced out the window once more, bit her lip, and ended the transmission.

"...Understood. I'll hold out somehow."

[Sorry....]

"It's fine. This is my job."

After finishing her call with the operator, she edged closer to the window to observe the monster and met my eyes. Looking slightly awkward, she gave a small bow and asked for my understanding.

"Um... Citizen. I'm sorry about the window. If you contact the Hero Association later, they'll compensate you for the damage—"

"Oh, no, it's alright."

I had no intention of complaining about a broken window and cracked wall to someone who'd just been fighting desperately to protect people. Honestly, there was something far more pressing visible right outside that window.

When I looked frightened, Astra forced a smile to calm me.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you no matter what. Just stay hidden here quietly. It'll all be over soon."

"Y-yes..."

The monster looked far more terrifying up close than it ever had on TV. Yet listening to Astra's steady, reassuring voice somehow calmed my racing heart.

This... this is what a hero is.

Watching her smile at me even while grimacing in pain moments earlier, I felt the true weight of being a hero for the first time. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The peaceful daily life I took for granted was only possible because of people like her fighting in the shadows.

"Grrrrr...!!"

I was still staring dazedly at her dazzling smile when the monster's blood-curdling roar echoed outside again. After smashing one building in frustration, it scanned for its next target. Its snout twitched as it sniffed the air—then its gaze locked onto the exact building Astra had crashed into.

The building I was in.

"Huk...!!"

I felt its eyes through the window and flattened myself against the floor, frozen in terror. But Astra, who had been catching her breath, set her jaw with grim determination. Despite her slight limp, she planted her feet as if ready to charge outside once more.

"W-wait!"

I called out to her without thinking. I'd overheard the comms earlier—support was still ten minutes away. She would have to buy time all by herself until then.

She was getting pushed back so hard earlier.

From what I'd seen of the fight outside, Astra had held her ground but was consistently overpowered by the giant monster. If she'd struggled even at full strength, how could she fight like this, limping badly?

"It's too dangerous."

We'd only met today, but after she'd smiled and reassured me, I couldn't just watch her stagger out there in that condition. I moved to stop her.

Instead of brushing me off, Astra's smile grew even brighter at my concern.

"Thank you for worrying about me. But... I'll be fine."

Unlike her earlier reckless charge, she now advanced carefully, watching the monster as it approached with caution. Even with the beast right in front of her, the hero didn't retreat. She steeled herself to fight. She could have escaped alone easily, yet she chose to stand her ground for the sake of protecting people.

Ah.

The sight was so strong, so beautiful, that it stole my breath. An impulse surged through me and I spoke before I could stop myself.

"Then... just a moment, please."

"Yes?"

The power I'd kept hidden all this time—the ability I'd never shared with anyone so I could live a quiet life far removed from heroes and superhumans—I decided to offer it to her. She was stepping forward to protect the citizens. To protect me.

Good thing there's still food left....

Fortunately, some of the late dinner I'd prepared earlier remained. And since I'd made it myself, it was eligible for my ability.

I lifted the bowl of corn soup and activated my power. As always, an invisible force flowed out from my body and sank into the food. I handed her the still-warm bowl.

"Here! Eat just a little before you go. It'll give you strength!"

I spoke in a rush—there wasn't time for a proper explanation. She stared at me with wide eyes, but my desperate sincerity must have reached her. She smiled softly and accepted the spoon.

She took one mouthful, wiped her lips, and smiled.

"Thank you. I do feel stronger."

She must have thought I was simply trying to cheer her on. After thanking me, she set the spoon down, having taken only that single bite, and stepped onto the windowsill to face the monster now nearly upon us.

"Grrrl!"

The monster roared at the sight of her and raised its massive foreleg. If left unchecked, that paw would reduce this building—and me inside it—to rubble.

I can't let that happen.

She kicked off the ground and leaped. The pain in her injured leg seemed to have faded, though whether that was my imagination or not, I couldn't say.

-Crackle!!

"...Huh?"

The instant she leapt and instinctively activated her power, something neither she—who had eaten the food—nor I—who had provided it—could have predicted occurred.

I'd only wanted to help her even a little, but I never imagined my cooking would make this much difference. My ability let me bestow buffs on food I prepared. The buffs I'd tested on myself during the day only slightly increased strength and stamina. That was the limit I'd established.

...At least, that was the limit when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠used on myself.

-Ruuuumble...!!!

Astra had used her power out of habit, but she immediately realized the lightning's potency had changed completely. What had only annoyed the monster before now burned through its thick hide and inflicted real pain.

"Grrk!?"

The monster, expecting the same weak output as before, charged straight into the lightning and recoiled in shock.

"How...? Wait, right now...!"

Astra felt a completely different power surging inside her and wore a stunned expression. Still, she sensed she couldn't waste this chance. She shook off her confusion and charged.

She released the overflowing power without restraint. A thick yellow bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky toward the monster's head.

-CRACKLE!!!

The lightning was so massive and powerful that even Astra was shocked. Streetlights around them exploded from the aftershock, yet she kept firing bolt after bolt, pressing her attack.

"Grrrk...!!"

The monster, pushed back the entire time, realized it was hopeless. Its eyes burned with rage as it turned to flee.

But the moment it showed its back, Astra drew out every last drop of the surging power within her and unleashed her ultimate technique.

-CRAAAAACKLE!!!!

The dark night sky flashed yellow. A lightning bolt shot forward at blinding speed, faster than the fleeing monster could react, and struck its entire body.

"Kerrrk...."

The monster tried to endure for a moment, but it couldn't withstand the overwhelming force. Its whole body charred black as it let out a final death cry and collapsed with a heavy thud.

Later, the Hero Association's investigation would classify the giant monster as B+ rank. Yet it had been defeated by a C-class hero whose job was simply to protect a quiet neighborhood.

"Haa... Haa... Did I... really just do that...?"

Astra stared down at her arms in a daze. The strange power that had been circulating through her body was already beginning to fade.

"Astra! I came to help—...huh?"

Another hero she knew arrived just then. She scratched her head at the sight of the perfectly cooked monster.

"...What the? They said it was urgent, so I rushed over as fast as I could, but it's already over?"

She was also C-class, responsible for the neighboring district—Snow White. Listening to her, Astra stared blankly at the scene she'd created.

Then a memory flashed through her mind.

'Eat this before you go! It'll give you strength!'

'...No way?'

The image of the man offering her warm soup right before she charged resurfaced. Astra turned and hurried back toward the restaurant.

"Hey! Astra! Where are you going?!"

"Sorry, Snow! I'll leave the cleanup to you! There's something I need to check right away!"

"Don't call me Snow—call me Snow White!"

She left the defeated monster and cleanup to her friend and colleague, rushing back to the restaurant she'd crashed into earlier.

-...Rip. Riiip.

In her haste, she failed to notice that the moment the power inside her vanished, an odd tightness had settled in her chest—and that her suit was making ominous tearing sounds.