My name is Hanaori Meteor.
I used to be a hero in another world.
After defeating the demon lord,
stuff happened and I got reincarnated in this world
as the hero of the modern age: invincible, popular, beautiful, and the strongest.
However, even a hero like myself has a weakness.
So today's cooking class, huh?
Are you a confident cook, Meteor?
I hate veggies, actually.
Dumb
That wasn't what I asked.
Episode 3
Midnight Run
The Hero's a Picky Eater
You hate veggies? Are you, like, a tyrannosaurus?
Don't put it like that!
I'm a squirrel. A li'l squirrel who only eats fruits and nuts.
Your personality doesn't exactly scream "squirrel."
That green paper isn't food,
and those round, red devils are a big, fat no.
Apologize to the veggies, li'l squirrel.
Tomath: a monster that loves pranks.
They can fly, and they attack in groups.
Their favored attack is...
the body slam.
Fighting Tomaths leaves you covered in juice.
It's their innards.
The Hero's Weakness
I guess even a perfect hero like me has a weakness.
Just one?
First of all, you can't do anything without Wi-Fi.
Meanie! That's everyone's weakness in the modern world!
But only you ditch school when you're out of data.
Even without Wi-Fi, I can still water the flowers.
You let the mint in your garden die.
She's crying?
Hanaori-san's Hero Food
Our group's giving some to Sensei, so let's give it our all.
Let's do our best.
Man...
This is a great opportunity, so make something good and surprise him.
True.
I'll win this match.
Is everything a battle to you?
Oh? You're surprisingly good.
I do enjoy cooking for myself and camping out, you know.
I know how to use a knife, too.
I'm surprised.
What did you think I was?
A useless woman.
Serious
Sorry, but I can't do anything to help.
The real useless woman is over here.
I'm confident about eating, at least.
Matsurika!
I want some sushi.
Distracted
Matsurika!
The Demon Lord Recalls Yesterday
Witches and extraterrestrial lifeforms, huh?
Everything's so convoluted.
What in the world is going on here?
Above all, I'm curious about the magic those girls use.
Sensei.
Spell chanting and magic wands.
Can you hear me?
It's similar to ancient magic.
Man, I wanna know more.
*He's a Bona Fide Magic Nerd
Excited
Hey, Sensei.
I wonder if they'll tell me if I ask.
Ryusei!
Twitch
Oh, Hanaori-kun?
I called you several times, you know.
Sorry. I was lost in thought.
Here. This is for you. It's a lunch we made in cooking class.
Thank you.
How did it turn out?
Die.
This holy lunch is sure to kill a demon lord.
Don't say scary things with a straight face.
Since we're together, wanna go eat on the roof?
They packed a lunch for me, too, and told me to ask you what you think.
Sure.
The Hero and the Demon Lord Eat Lunch Together
How's it taste?
Yeah, it's good.
I'll let everyone know.
This fried egg is just how I like it.
I'm glad.
The food in this world is good, isn't it?
Yeah, it is.
Hehehe
I wonder if I can eat everything on offer before I die.
You plan to eat every type of food?
I heard techniques had advanced in our world, too,
Spices Became Cheaper and Easier to Obtain
Magic for Long-Term Preservation
Development of New Recipes
Magic-Powered Refrigerators
making stuff much better than before.
But they're leagues ahead here.
Heh
Hehehe
You said it.
Since we're talking food, what kind of things do you hate?
Green peppers.
Oh, "hell peppers," huh?
Hell peppers: monsters that disguise themselves as plants.
Their attack and defense stats are low,
but they engage adventurers in groups, meaning they're trouble.
Hell peppers.
Beneath their rind, you'll find their true face in their innards.
That's the evil green monster known as the hell pepper.
Under That Sky
Come to think of it, what did you usually eat as the demon lord?
Miasma.
What did you eat as the hero?
Yucky tough bread.
Being able to eat something good under such a peaceful sky
is like a dream come true.
It sure is.
This is the peace I've longed for.
Although a monster did show up yesterday.
I'm leaving that to those witches.
You're relying on others?
It's so peaceful.
Even if there are monsters around.
The Hero Returns to Class
I'm back.
How did it go?
He said it was delicious.
All right.
Yay!
What did he praise the most?
That's a secret.
Oh, how embarrassing.
Heh Heh
We're talking cooking, so it wasn't yours, Matsurika.
Hey, Ryusei.
I just heard some incredible news!
Meteor's in high spirits.
I have a bad feeling about this.
That's a sign of danger.
I hear there's a dungeon nearby.
I was right!
Chill
While building an underground mall and subway station near Mitsurugi station,
something happened, and construction was called off and never restarted.
Sounds just like a dungeon, right?
True. They called them "Eaters," right?
There's a chance one of them is lurking down there.
It's much bigger than I expected.
And darker.
You're the one who called it a dungeon.
Shut up.
Huh?
My phone's had no reception this whole time.
We are underground.
I don't know how to get back.
Is it possible we're lost?
We're definitely lost.
Seeing one like this, subways are pretty creepy, aren't they?
Uh-oh. What do we do if a tanuki pops out?
Be nice to the tanuki.
What happened to your enthusiasm from before?
Sigh
Why did we have to come to a place like this after school?
That's my line, you know.
I'm tired.
Carry me.
What are you talking about?
Reliable Allies
I wish we had more allies with us on this dungeon crawl.
What's it normally like tackling a dungeon as an adventurer?
Well, for a normal dungeon, we usually form a party of five or six.
After all, we might not be back for a few days if things go wrong.
If this really is a dungeon housing actual monsters,
maybe we should have gathered allies first.
In terms of allies, Battle Fighter Kensuke would be good.
We are!
We
Are
Who?
Then, maybe Dog the Space?
Bark, sir!
Bark, Sir!
A dog?
What a drag.
You're tired. Get some rest without falling asleep—
Vulnerability and Beauty
Hey, wait!
Du-dun
You're so relaxed, you've reverted into a rough sketch.
What's it matter? No one's watching.
Is whether you're being watched really the issue here?
Girls get prettier when people are watching them.
Don't sleep-talk while awake.
It's dark.
Watch your step.
My bones are getting weak.
Your bones?
Hey, what are your thoughts on these "Eaters"?
Those girls said they were life-forms from another planet.
Witches fighting aliens, huh?
This world is crazy.
Another world. Space. Extraterrestrial lifeforms.
The scale of it is so big, I'm completely lost.
For now, we lack equipment and knowledge of our enemies.
So stay sharp.
The hero's next enemy being aliens is so exciting!
Are you listening, Miss Hero?
A man and a woman wandering around as a pair after school.
This is like a date.
Dungeon Date
Is this a dungeon date?!
Plus, we're alone in the dark together.
The danger triggers the suspension bridge effect. Is this a trap?
Damn you, demon lord, with your underhanded scheme! I'll make you pay!
And what is a "dungeon date" anyway?
I don't know.
She's thinking weird thoughts again.
I don't know the first thing about them.
They're a mystery, these dungeon dates.
The Hero's Concern
I'm getting bored.
What were you hoping to accomplish?
How am I supposed to know that?
You're so willful.
I don't know.
Should I fight monsters as the hero?
Should I enjoy a peaceful life as a high schooler?
Should I suppress my hero powers?
Should I use them for others?
Should I fight the demon lord?
Should I let it be water under the bridge?
I always feel uncertain.
What am I really?
What was the "hero"?
I don't understand any of it.
It's called "being a teenager."
Dumb
I'm pretty sure that's not why!
I know.
You're always so strong, so valiant...
so clever, so brave, and so pretty.
Meteor the hero is the coolest person in the world.
I'm the only one who knows.
No fair.
Huh?
No fair! No fair! No fair!
Dumb
I know about you, too, Demon Lord!
No, wait, I lied! I don't! I don't know you at all!
I don't know you! I don't know you at all!
Which is it?
At any rate, no surprise attacks.
Hey, Meteor.
What?
It's the thing we were after.
Isn't it kinda huge?
You good to go?
Dread
Well, uh, I am the strong, beautiful hero.
Yup, that's right.
We have an emergency.
Oz Calamity Forecast Center
We've detected an unidentified life-form.
Location is the construction site for the Mitsurugi City subway.
It's a Category 3. It's a powerful monster!
A Category 3?
When did that get here?
All nearby witches, gather at the site.
Whoever gets there first, please set up a barrier at each exit.
What do we do, Dorothy?
This is bad.
A Category 3 will be tough for Mana and Minto to handle alone.
It needs five at least.
Oz Calamity Forecaster Jogasaki Dorothy
Anyway, get the witches to hurry over there.
Ah, wait a minute!
Someone's fighting it.
They're on par with the Category 3.
No, they're even stronger!
Meteor!
Why, you!
Don't underestimate...
Meteor the hero!
We can't beat it!
Ryusei-san, do something!
All right.
I'll create an opening.
Hell Fire!
That's our demon lord! You go, DL!
Do you have a plan?
Punch it as hard as you can and create a big opening for me.
Roger that.
Death Stinger!
He pierced its thick, rubbery hide from the inside.
Death Stinger? That's supposed to be advanced death magic.
That lethality hasn't changed a bit from when he was a demon lord.
This is Ryusei's current magical might.
This is...
the demon lord's power.
The demon lord really is a threat to mankind.
The hero really is cool.
Blank
Now I can't think straight.
No! No fair!
Is there a problem?
No!
Dejected
With the demon lord reduced to a weakling, this was my chance.
I wanted to lord it over you now that you're so weak!
I wanted to show you the pride of the strong and how generous I am!
No, no, no, no, no, no!
This hero is such a pain.
No!
Shut up.
Spaced Out
Empty
What are you doing, spacing out all day?
It's already lunchtime.
It has awakened. My inner spirit as the hero.
Are you still half asleep?
Wake up already.
Useless Mode
You're being weird. Did something happen yesterday?
N-Nothing happened.
I-I'm going to hand in the reports to Sensei now.
Take care.
Here, Sensei.
I gathered up the reports for you.
Thank you.
Don't you have anything to say to me?
Huh? Uh, I don't think so?
Slump
What's wrong with Meteor?
Slump
No clue.
What's with his attitude? He's acting like nothing's changed.
What was all that about yesterday?
Sure, he wasn't very demon lord-like,
but is he trying to fool me so he can conquer the world?
Hey, Ryusei!
The Evil Plants, Tomaths
Murderer! So you've finally shown your true colors!
Whoosh
You have it all wrong.
I'm alive, you know.
She was attacked by tomato monsters.
Tomato monsters?
Excited
I seriously thought you'd killed her.
Now look, you...
Are you okay?
I feel awful.
Phew
There's more?
I'm gonna check out that scream.
You two, evacuate the school.
Takigawa, take this.
The holy sword, Exracketbur.
Way of the Hero
Let's go, too.
Hold on a minute.
Ryusei, do you think I should be the hero?
Why do you ask?
Because, yesterday, you said the hero was cool.
It's true that you look cool when you're fighting.
But it's not just that.
When you're fighting...
When you're laughing with friends...
When you're happily chowing down... All of it...
Just keep doing it.
Huh?
There's no reason to debate it. Just do everything you wanna do.
That's absurd.
Didn't you know? Demon lords are selfish.
Y-You're so willful.
Tomath
Mana!
Minto, you're late.
You... Wait, is that...
the holy sword, Exracketbur?
Tomaths vs Classmates
They're Tomaths, tomato monsters.
What are monsters from our world doing here?
Those extraterrestrial "Eaters"...
They're from another planet, not another world, right?
But these Tomaths...
Is someone doing something to whatever links our worlds?
At least Tomaths are our weakest monsters.
They can't cause much harm, so everyone's probably safe, but...
Are you okay? Is everyone safe?
Meteor! Matsurika's...
Matsurika!
The Hero Has Super Hearing
Ryusei!
I've finished up over here!
I think it's over everywhere.
Good work.
All right. I'll go change.
Meteor.
You told me the demon lord gave birth to the hero.
Maybe I did rob your life from you due to my own whims.
I'm honestly sorry for that. But...
I'm glad you were the hero.
Crumple
I heard everything!
Blush
The hero has super hearing.
Blush
I'm the Hero!
You okay, bubble-butt?
Thanks for asking, but they were just tomatoes.
You're a brave one.
Of course.
I've been keeping it a secret, but I'm actually a hero.
Don't get carried away.
Dumb
If you're a hero, I'm a saint.
Shock
She got ridiculed.
Epilogue
Hey, "hero."
Yes?
I'm just putting this out there.
This incident involved an outbreak of unknown monsters,
but our investigation revealed someone's opening a gate to another world.
So the person we're looking for is...
Finally.
It finally connected.
Just wait. I'll be right there...
my demon lord.
...a returning hero. A "returner."
Excited
What is that? It sounds cool.
Seriously?
It's Tough
for Those in Oz Too
Dorothy/Oz Ill-Mannered Witch
Hey, Dorothy.
Uehara Ren/Oz Ill-Mannered Mage
Working as a calamity forecaster must be rough.
Yup. It's the worst.
And? The case you're currently in charge of is...
The reincarnated hero.
What's that?
We hit it big with her, too.
Seriously?
Plus, the two they sent to the Mitsurugi region
were Kuraishi Mana and Takigawa Minto.
Huh? The out-of-control witch who always uses double the firepower,
and the haphazard witch who can chant anything and produce fireballs?
They're prodigies Oz is proud of.
They were really short-staffed, huh?
Next Episode Preview
I wonder what a dungeon date was supposed to be.
Huh? What do you mean?
Ah, cat's out the bag.
Scary!
Peace
Dungeon dates are full of mystery.
The thoughts in your head are a mystery.
Episode 4: Unforgiven
What was that?!
Illustration: Sora Tokui