"Kitore-san, we found your daughter together with her friend."
"Thanks for listening to my request."
"No problem. We are all looking forward to your invention next time around."
After a period of chatting and shooing the police away (politely), Kitore returned to the main issue a floor above. He could hear his daughter's eager explanations about her items about what they did, where the inspiration after each baby of hers had come from and many more details that did not fit the usual sale strategies.
' Maybe that's my little girl's own charm.'
He was making tea for the guest when Shigaraki went down and sat at the meticulously cleaned sofa.
" Some black chai from Indian hills?"
" Yes please. Kitore-san, slurp, let's get to why I am here."
The tea was boiling but Shigaraki paid no mind to the heat. The burning sensation actually fit his palate. The tea was enough to let him judge the person in front of him, or his cover.
" Sure enough. Why does a teenage kid like you wanting specialized equipment?"
" I want to have you in my group. The pay is commission bonus and a base salary."
" No."
" How direct. Would you tell me, Kitore-san, the reason behind your refusal?"
" Your purpose is still a mystery. Why me out of a plethora of other illegal engineers? And do not dare to talk about any good cause. Your eyes and the feeling you gave me when we first met... tell me a lot about you as a person.
I can reconsider with one demand. Tell me what crazy thing you are planning? You are aiming high, but toward what? I need a clear explanation to cooperate with you. Then we will discuss the terms of our contract."
"Sure. I am trying to save people."
"One strike out.."
Kitore was smiling, the smile presented to those he could destroy at a whim of his will. Shigaraki, despite being called out for lying, believed that the conversation was still going his way. The man was still interested in making a deal with him.
"How are you sure whether or not I'm lying?"
"Why do you think I confidently show every thing I have done online?"
"... My purpose is for personal gains."
"Do other people benefit from your gains?"
"They do not benefit directly from my gains but from the process of getting those gains."
"... Give me a week. I will contact you. Tell your men not to touch my daughter if they do not want to watch suicides."
Hearing the direct threat, Shigaraki exchanged any thoughts of blackmailing for surveillance and stalking. The contract was still merely a possibility but it was better than nothing.
"Thank you, Kitore-san. I will take my leave now."
"... You can expedite your progress if you help me with one favor."
"What of it?"
Shigaraki breathed a sigh of tiredness. Oh the burden of being a small team! He had to lay the foundation for his organization before he could leave the boring jobs for others. As if sensing his reluctance to doing the task, Kitore-san gave out a carrot.
"It's just something very simple for someone like you. I have a small grudge against some people. Take care of them for me. And then we will discuss immediately someday later, definitely sooner than a week."
'Full of holes for interpretations without violating anything. But the job does fit my skillset. Think of it like going hunting and you will enjoy it.'
"I accept. Can I know my targets?"
"Look to your right."
The silent operation caused Shigaraki to raise a question.
"DIY?"
"DIY"
Surprised with how smooth the printing quality was and how imperceivable it had been, Shigaraki picked up a list of eleven names from the printer. Carefully rousing the content to see if he knew somebody, Shigaraki was disappointed to see none. Deciding to offload the information gathering to Giran with a strict deadline, he bought something from the eager Mei as a small bribe to get her father to work with him.
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4 days later
"You did really well, Shigaraki-san. Come to this cafe, then we will begin our cooperation."
Shigaraki was decaying the upper torso of a common hero who had come to investigate his last target. Despite his warning to not come, the idiot stated something like 'Justice will prevail! Face your judgement!'. Ignoring his warning and attacking first using her ridiculously huge baton was enough for him to disintegrate her head. Now he had to take care of two corpses to avoid any investigation.
Because the targets were all over the country so Shigaraki also took on the role of an errand boy doing the dirt works. Picking up jobs from Giran that coincided with the targets, Shigaraki went on a violent spree consisted of mostly murders. To send a warning, to enforce the rule of the criminal world, to eliminate risky factors, ... basically murder as a means.
'Is this how low I can go for my goals? This is... a bit embarrassing.'
Taking his time to rest before meeting Kitore, Shigaraki's mind begin to drift back to the confrontation with Hero Killer, Stain. On one occasion had Shigaraki fought him and barely got out before being paralyzed. His target and Stain's were overlapping, a small hero, but their aim was different. Shigaraki aimed for stealthy kill and disposal but Stain wanted to send out a message to the public. It must have been a weird scene for the hero to see two villains duking out to determine how to kill him. After a minute of fighting, both calmed down and decided to separated the victim. Shigaraki had gotten the body and Stain had gotten the head.
Snapping himself out of the pitfall of thoughts, Shigaraki called Kurogiri to make a portal for him. Soon after, he found himself on a side of a coffee building filled with customers. He entered, ordered a glass of expresso with side serving of a piece of tiramisu. Finding Kitore was not difficult as the man even waved toward Shigaraki.
"I have made this contract. Please take a throughout look."
Shigaraki's eyes twitched a bit reading the terms and conditions set by the man.
'Who the fuck would spend 1 million yen a month to hire someone and the transaction only accepts yen?! Overtime bonuses... ridiculous, 200% of the commission and compensation for time loss! R&D complete control '
"What you are reading, Shigaraki-san, is how some companies value my work. I am showing you this to inform you of my values. No information imbalance. Now, this will be the real contract."
'It is ... much easier on the demands then I thought. Complete control over R&D is a must as I have no specialization in the field to do it myself and I need a counterbalance to the Doctor. The salary is the same as that of an office worker but with flexible working hours. Commission is based on the group's funds and can be repaid by favors. Much more reasonable than expected. And also for me to leave his daughter's alone.'
"You want your daughter's record to be clean and without blemishes. I will comply. I will sign the contract saying that I will not bring your daughter into our mess."
"Yes."
"That will be difficult considering your active participation and risk of exposure from whistleblowers and leaks. We will try our hardest to maintain your secrecy but do you have any other suggestions to your security?"
"I want to hear first what your measures would be."
"Keeping everything under wrap using both technology and quirks."
"Good enough. But I suggest contacting two people.
Firstly, La Brava, a young woman who is exceptionally capable in online security and hacking. Last time I checked, she was cooperating with a street villain called Gentle. Find their channel, contact them and propose a deal. Hide your intention behind a good cause and you can get two in your team.
Secondly, Ortis, an experienced smuggler for components and technological products who is now working for the Soaring Heights. Contact him via the underworld phone number and use my name for lower prices. "
"I never thought you will suggest other people to join my group."
"This is but suggestions and first meetings. To maintain their cooperation with you is your business. I will only provide my service to weapons and defense."
"Yes, it's fine. I will sign and you will follow."
"Happy working with you."
Also at the same time back at Kitore's place.
"Oh OH OH! So you notice my babies!?"
"Yes, Mei-san. We are impressed by your ability in making support items and is inviting you to do an internship with us. Please read the contract very carefully and please note the terms and dates. "
"No problem. All ready done. Here."
Kurogiri was not expecting someone to be so careless with their contract but he had not stooped low enough to outright harm a child's future. The contract is merely for her to accept works from them as "opportunities to gain experience" with a relaxing deadline and to "test" her inventions against enemies.
"Thank you for listening to our offer. Please remember to keep this internship a secret from other people since this is our secret program to help talented inventor. The funding will be accessible through this bank account. Please keep it to yourself."
"Goodbye Tatsuno-san!"
"Goodbye."
After getting away from the house and into a secluded corner, the man ripped apart his face. Contrary to any horrifying scene of blood splashing and muscle tearing, the skin came loose easily and from the hole, dark purple mist began to seep out. It was Kurogiri.
"I complete your plan, Young Master."
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"Hoh hoh hoh! You actually bring in an interesting specimen, Master"
The joy behind such sentence reverberated all over the underground lab. Despite the liveliness of the sound, the space soon returned to its dreadful silence, occasionally broken by sound of bubbles bursting in the nutrient-rich, green, vicious liquid.
Kyudai Garaki was having an issue with a new type of Nomu: lack of subjects. How had he not thought of this idea still eluded him (maybe it had come up but he ignored the thought for how absurd it had been and how much it differed from the research goal). But now with a clearer mind in the face of lack of test subjects, he had to innovate.
"Do you enjoy this little fella, my old friend?"
"YES, MASTER! He is PERFECT for your army!"
"I see. And how will you elevate your research even more?"
"Well..."
That was not something Garaki had given much thought to. He was elevated with his research advancing but to apply it to the grand cause of his master was ... peripheral.
"If you will listen to me, old friend. I appreciate your new research but sometimes, it needs to be applicable. This subject here has an interesting quirk. How about ... multiplying it?"
Multiplying the quirk? Garaki could do that. The issue here would be the quirk factor since it was most likely spread throughout the entire body. But if that condition was satisfied... he needed to ask.
"Can his clone multiply?"
All For One smiled at hearing the question. He was expecting more dissection from the doctor before him.
"Yes. His mental state is so chaotic due to anxiety and existential fear since he has no idea if he is a clone or not. And that's whyI let him wearing that mask of his despite how ugly or unhandy it has been. A screaming, thrashing specimen is much much worse than an obedient one."
"Perfect! Master, you will save a lot of money with this maneuver. I will get to it right away."
Teleporting back to a restroom in a luxury restaurant in France, All For One walked out and sat back at his table.
"Le bœuf bourguignon se marie bien avec le pinot noir, monsieur. Puis-je vous en servir un verre ?"
Because of the linguistic quirks at play, All For One had no issue understanding and replying.
"Bien sûr, c'est encore mieux si c'est une belle rose comme vous."
The waitress blushed at the compliment. She quickly got down to the wine cellar to bring out a 10-years-old bottle of Pinot Noir for the charming mister. Thanking her for the good show, All For One gave her some private tip and turned back to his meal. He looked out to the Paris street to enjoy his meals.
Outside was a large crowd of protestors filling the streets below and fighting against the newest piece of legislation. It was about a raising tax to send support military power to a warzone somewhere along the Baltics.
All For One thought, how could there be a better combination than a good meal in this breaking world.
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"I have no spare time nor need for a dead-weight girl. I appreciate your information but I cannot stop my crusade to train some random girl you picked up, Kage."
"Hey Kage, is this man really ... reliable?"
"I can hear that you blondie killer! And a student like you should remain in school, not on the street aiming for people's neck."
Kage was holding his bridge while standing between Toga and Stain the Hero Killer, or Chizome Akaguro. The former eyeing the latter's neck with disbelief and killing intent whereas the latter was ready to slash at the former.
"Stop stop stop. Both of you. I bring Toga with me because I believe in her. And you, Stain, you are fast with your blade but can you be faster than sound? I am confident in my gunwork. Toga, I will not let you have your fill this week if you do not stand back."
Doing a quick draw to aim the pistol toward Stain's forehead, Kage nonchalantly made his threat to break the ice between the two. The attempt was successful seeing the two putting away their weapons.
"We are all civilized people. Let's more talking and less killing. I have a way to let you test her. Give her one of your target. Let Toga do the work while you judge her."
"Hmm I will go along with your plan. But do not go against our deal if she is not up to my standard, got it?"
"Got it. Here is the location, operating zone and timetables of your targets in this city. You usually spend two days in each hunting grounds. Use that time to test her. I know your ability is much more than the recorded victims."
"Can we go now?"
The conversation between Kage and Stain was interrupted by an impatient Toga, who had been playing with the helm of her skirt. Seeing a dejected Toga from being ignored, Kage went ahead and treated her to a hearty meal from a food court in the night market, throwing Stain to the back of his head. She ate like a happy cat and the two of them had a good time together.
Stain had been standing nearby watching the two of them with a distant eye. Kage had bought something for Stain as a small bribe.
"... Thank you."
Said Stain with absolute coldness while looking at the steaming food. His mouth corner was still twitching impatiently but he gulped down nevertheless before signaling Toga to follow him. Before leaving, Kage left her a burner phone to contact him and some change for any late night snack, around twenty thousand yen.
He watched them left and stood there contemplating something before returning to the shadow.