A few hours had passed since Ethan had miraculously obtained his system.
During that time, he had come up with a plan to obtain DNA, and he'd also reviewed the only Quirk he currently possessed.
Purify—it was the Quirk of one of the nuns who used to breastfeed some babies, thanks to a technological advancement that allowed women to lactate without postpartum.
The Quirk wasn't anything special; it simply purified almost any liquid or object it touched, removing impurities like dirt, rust, poison, and similar things. However, since he only had 24% of the Quirk, its capabilities were slightly nerfed.
In short, given Ethan's situation, it wasn't truly useful.
The last thing he wanted was to purify something that had DNA and lose it forever.
So, for now, he wasn't going to use it while trying to complete his mission.
Today was Saturday—an ideal time to do it.
Due to his condition, Ethan had no friends, but the rest of the orphans were different. Today was a day people went out, made plans with friends, and the place was somewhat empty. They usually came back at night, pretty exhausted.
Perfect for executing his plan.
Aside from hair, there were other ways to get DNA. Like saliva on used silverware, discarded nail clippings, or on toothbrushes... the latter was his best option.
Sure, it was disgusting—but so was everything else!
Plus, it let him carefully choose the Quirk he wanted. A hair could belong to anyone—same with a fork. But a toothbrush was a personal item; in other words, they had distinctive aesthetics, sometimes even names.
Out of all his options, using toothbrushes was the best. They had the genetic sample he needed—and in bulk—enough to complete the mission, based on what he understood.
The only problem was: if he got caught sticking someone else's toothbrush into his mouth, his lack of a Quirk would be the least of his worries—he could be expelled from the orphanage.
In this world, 15 wasn't quite adulthood, but you could still be judged and expelled from orphan centers. A case like his? No one would care. He was lucky they even let him live there despite being Quirkless.
Most of the nuns ignored him. Only three treated him decently. Ethan knew it wasn't right, but he didn't care. Ethics were what defined society, and society decided that people like him didn't deserve even the slightest affection.
Considering all that, he concluded that his only option was to do it while everyone was asleep—sneak out of his room and head straight to the hygiene area.
The bathroom and the hygiene zone were different. It was one of the biggest orphanages in Japan. It was divided into several sections to avoid crowding.
That was practical, yes—but it also made it riskier for Ethan. Using the hygiene area outside allowed hours led to punishment. He could use the excuse of needing the bathroom, but once there, he couldn't afford to be caught.
Regardless, he trusted that it was the safest method—and going during the dead of night lowered the chances of running into someone.
Especially since young orphans were taught to go to the bathroom before and after sleeping, which made them somewhat automated in that area.
Reducing nighttime traffic.
So, with the plan defined, he went to sleep to get some rest before executing it.
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RiiiiiiingRiiiiiiingRiiiiiiiing
The alarm woke Ethan. It was 4 AM, and he was ready to execute his plan. He was sleepy, but nothing a few slaps to the face couldn't fix.
He got out of bed wearing only his underwear, so before leaving, he put on pants, a shirt, and socks. He grabbed his phone and approached the door of his small room. The creak of the hinges gave him goosebumps, but he didn't overreact. His cover was solid for now.
He looked at the pitch-black hallway, dimly lit by the pale moonlight that seeped through some windows. A shiver ran through his entire body. If it weren't for the mission, he wouldn't be dumb enough to put himself in a situation like this.
Who in their right mind would walk through a super long hallway, completely dark, with the constant feeling of being watched?
Absolutely no one.
Ethan simply moved forward, trying to ignore it all for now. The less he thought about it, the less he'd notice.
There were four different bathrooms—one for each age group. That way, they avoided issues between older and younger kids. A dirty bathroom didn't matter much when you were little—but it did when you were older.
The nearest bathroom was quite far from his room, which wasn't a coincidence. Being isolated was a daily occurrence—and honestly, it didn't bother him much. He enjoyed the peace.
Although, in this particular situation, it only made things worse.
He walked corridor after corridor through the vast place, thinking of all the Quirks he could get if he found the right toothbrushes.
He turned one more corner and saw the small courtyard to the side—an open area where people played during the day. That's exactly why the bathrooms were nearby.
"Ugh~~"
Ethan heard a faint sound from the bushes. Despite the city noise, he clearly heard the sound that slipped through the leaves.
His gaze shifted, noticing how the bushes moved slightly under the dim moonlight.
"Shut up, idiot. We might get caught." A woman's voice followed. Something was clearly going on, and Ethan's curiosity sparked. He hid behind one of the pillars, watching the place where the voices came from.
He was perfectly hidden in the darkness, the pillar blocking the moonlight—making it an ideal spot to spy on the pair in the bushes.
"Tsk, that's what I pay you for, bitch..." Ethan heard the voice much more clearly now. Even whispered, he recognized it. Whether his hearing had improved or it was just concentration didn't matter—there was no doubt.
That was Hiashi! A guy who had bullied Ethan since they were little—a total jerk whose only real talent was being a fighting prodigy.
He'd caused a lot of trouble in the orphanage, but somehow always got away with it. Rumor had it one of the nuns was secretly his mother, but no one really knew.
"Fufufu, it's sad to pay for such a short time, don't you think?" Ethan barely heard the girl's voice this time. He couldn't tell who it was, though it sounded oddly familiar.
He couldn't help but smirk at the brutal insult she gave Hiashi. Ethan peeked out to see better, but it was pointless—so he decided to change his hiding spot for a better angle.
He was risking being discovered, but he had to know who they were—and if he could catch them on video mid-act, blackmail would be easy. He needed opportunities like this to climb up. Life wasn't fair, and neither would he be, if it meant escaping his crappy life.
"What the hell are you saying?" the boy asked angrily, looking down at the girl who was kneeling in front of him, face right by his groin, smirking mischievously, clearly trying to provoke him.
Ethan quietly moved and got a better angle. He could clearly see Hiashi—even partially see his very small "friend," before it was obscured by the girl's hair, hiding her face.
"I mean, even Ethan seems to have a better 'friend' and knows how to use it better." Ethan froze when he heard his name but quickly relaxed upon realizing the girl was just using him to mock Hiashi.
And wow, did it work. Hiashi grabbed the girl's jaw forcefully—Ethan couldn't see it clearly, but Hiashi's eyes were red with rage.
Being compared to a Quirkless?! That was a massive insult in this world!
"Do you really think that trash is better than me?!" Hiashi raised his voice, but the girl remained calm, her expression turning into pure disdain—clearly not pleased with his violent reaction.
She raised her hand to his groin, and a small flame lit up in her palm, threatening to burn away any trace of his manhood.
Ethan froze when he saw the Quirk. He knew without a doubt who she was.
Aiko! One of the older girls in the orphanage! She was 17, about to turn 18 and be forced to leave. Ethan knew her well—she was one of the few who had treated him kindly, even after learning he was Quirkless.
And here she was, doing oral work for money! Ethan couldn't believe it. Not even in his wildest dreams would he have imagined this. Never!
She always acted so maternal—almost saintlike. At least, toward Ethan.
"Let go, idiot. Or do you really want to play with fire?" Hiashi's face filled with terror, and he pulled back. Aiko deactivated her Quirk.
Ethan knew this was the perfect moment to record solid evidence. It pained him a bit that it was Aiko he'd eventually blackmail—but he had no choice. Getting leverage on Hiashi was key for the future.
He pulled out his phone and quickly began recording the scene. Hiashi was clearly visible—Aiko, only barely from the back.
Even so, Ethan didn't care. He was sure she'd slip up eventually.
"Tsk, I paid you for a good time—not for your crap talk," Hiashi snapped, clearly wanting to hit Aiko but afraid she'd turn his balls to ash.
Though Aiko might get into trouble, Hiashi's future as a man would be over.
"What? You really feel that pathetic that it bothers you Ethan might be better?" Aiko asked sarcastically, almost as if stating a fact. It only made Hiashi angrier.
"Listen to me, you damn bitch. Your reputation could fall if I open my mouth."
"I only have less than a year left here. You think I care?"
Aiko stood, facing Hiashi directly. He stepped back at her intimidating presence. Ethan was stunned—Hiashi looked far more submissive than usual.
"If you want to act like an idiot, fine. You're still a failure, Hiashi. Now hide your junk before someone catches us here." Ethan now understood why Hiashi was acting so tame. Angry Aiko was not someone to mess with.
Just as Hiashi was about to respond, a voice rang out from the distance.
"Who's there?!" A nun shouted from the hallway.
Ethan flinched, nearly dropping his phone. Aiko and Hiashi turned—not only did they see the nun, but also a phone recording them.
'Shit…' was Ethan's only thought before taking off in the opposite direction, vanishing into the darkness that filled the corridor.
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