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📢 New Week, New Chapter, New Goals! 💎
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Now that we're kicking off a new week and new chapters, that means a new round of Powerstone goals. These goals will be permanent as I have no plans of changing them in a short term and this will be the last time I interrupt a chapter with this message — I know it can break immersion, and I want to keep things clean and story-focused moving forward.
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The bar was dim, smoke curling lazily from abandoned ashtrays.
In the midst of the establishment, a portal opened.
Following which, two figures stepped out.
"Damn! What a pain." Tomura Shigaraki plopped on a chair, hunched over the counter, scratching at his neck with four fingers.
"Has your curiosity been sated, Tomura Shigaraki?"
Kurogiri asked as he moved to the other side and began to pour a glass of something dark.
"Yeah .... I guess."
The television droned on about hero rankings, but his attention was elsewhere. Kurogiri noticed.
"You seem to have a lot of your mind."
Before Shigaraki could reply, the mounted screen flickered to life as the hero reports were replaced by something else static scree. Following which, a distorted voice filled the room—calm, authoritative, and carrying the weight of absolute power.
"Tomura, you've returned. Did you enjoy your outing?"
Shigaraki's hand stilled on his neck. "No ... Not really. For some reason it all boggles me master."
"That's good. It show's you're thinking. Tell me your thoughts on what you observed."
"The prototype," Shigaraki said, finally turning to face the screen. His red eyes gleamed with irritation. "He doesn't look like much. Just another pretentious hero wannabe. A failure."
"Failure is subjective. It is not wrong to call him a failure based on our initial expectations of what we wanted him to be. But sometimes failure is a good thing, as it opens the doors to more interesting possibilities."
"I still don't get it. What makes him so special? Why not just kill him and be done with it?"
A soft chuckle emanated from the speakers.
"These are very simple reasonings, Tomura. I felt Kurogiri must have told you."
"I did," Kurogiri confirmed, setting down a clean glass. "But perhaps a more detailed explanation is warranted."
The screen flickered, displaying a grainy surveillance image of Ken walking down a street, his posture casual, unaware of being watched.
"Tell me, Tomura—what do you know of creation?"
Shigaraki frowned. "You mean like... making Nomus?"
"Precisely. But this one was different. Prototype 47 was not meant to be a mindless beast. He was designed to retain his humanity while gaining power. A perfect synthesis of control and capability. A ... High end, NOMU, if you will."
"High end huh? But he failed," Shigaraki said.
"Like I said, failure is... subjective." The voice paused. "He rejected our modifications, yes. But he survived procedures that killed dozens of others. His body adapted, evolved, and now has become something we can't fully understand or control. This alone means he has value. Value that makes him worth more alive than dead."
Another voice suddenly crackled through the speakers—higher, more excited, tinged with scientific fascination.
"Oh, this is fascinating! Simply fascinating!" Dr. Kyudai Garaki's voice practically vibrated with enthusiasm.
"Possibly in his body lies the key to finally completing our research. Kurogiri, you observed him directly, yes? Tell me everything! His movements, his reactions, his Quirk manifestations!"
Kurogiri straightened. "The subject displayed no recognition of any past connections of any kind. His behavioral patterns suggest genuine amnesia—no deception detected. However... He moves, thinks, and acts like a completely functional human being. No degradation, no instability, and hardly any signs of lingering trauma. If not for our records, I would assume he was simply a natural individual."
"Intriguing! Intriguing indeed! Plus the Multiple Quirks..." Garaki mused.
No, not Multiple Quirks. Possible a single one.
Just one that looked like more.
It was no wonder the doctor was so excited.
The boy's body had neutralized all Cell Transplants, and somehow after years of silence, managed to awaken a composite double quirk.
Yes, double. In his eyes, the Enhanced Physique was normal for all NOMU. That wasn't a quirk, it was the result of genetic experimentation.
The other two however, were different.
All For One's voice cut through the doctor's enthusiasm like a blade.
"From your analysis, Kurogiri, what threat does he currently pose to our operations?"
Kurogiri considered this carefully. "Given his current state—amnesia, civilian integration, Hero Commission oversight—I deem that he is currently no threat to our existence. He appears to be living as a normal citizen with no knowledge of his past."
"Very well. Let's make sure it stays that way."
Shigaraki's eyes narrowed as he took the drunk Kurogiri had poured out.
"That's what irritates me. It's one thing if we choose to lay low. But this makes it feel like we're afraid of them."
The screen shifted, displaying Ken's Hero Commission file alongside footage of his confrontation with the sludge villain.
For his student, All for one patiently replied.
"Now is not the time to reveal ourselves in any way, Tomura. His Quirk combination makes his situation all the more interesting. For now, pay utmost attention to him and everything he does. He will be under surveillance, and we will approach him when it is time."
Shigaraki went silent.
"Yes master. It just .... It just ..."
He droned, his reaching for his neck and scratching.
".... Irritates me to think that one of our pets is out there playing heroes."
"My student, patience is a virtue you have yet to master. He is currently under All Might's protection and Hero Commission oversight. Any aggressive action would draw unwanted attention to us."**
The image on screen zoomed in on Ken's face, frozen mid-smile as he spoke to reporters.
"But more importantly—he may yet prove useful. Ten years of development suddenly outside our control has created something... unprecedented. Such potential should not be wasted."
From his penthouse hideaway, All For One's lips curved into a predatory grin beneath his breathing apparatus. The boy had grown strong—stronger than anticipated. And strength, properly channeled, was always valuable.
"To be a great leader, it is imperative you understand the answer to a simple question Tomura. What is power?"
Shigaraki blinked, surprised by the shift in tone.
"What is power?"
There was silence for a few seconds.
Shigaraki frowned. "…Control."
"Good."
His voice was pleased. Almost faintly approving.
"Control is the beginning of power. But control over what? Others? The battlefield? No. The first thing one must learn to control is timing. A wasted move is a loss of position. A premature strike can expose the king. That is why you must learn to be above impulse."
Shigaraki stared at the screen.
"That boy is alive because of our experiments, yes. But we do not yet understand what he is. That makes him more valuable than most of our current assets. However, you must always keep in mind, Tomura. Even if he is not in our labs, he is a product of our will, and will one day return to our fold—by choice or force. So if that is the source of your irritation, rest assured that you will get your chance to put an end to it yourself sooner or later..."
The screen displayed a close-up of Ken's glowing red eyes during his Quirk awakening.
"Tell me, what ... have I taught you?"
"That it is my right to get rid of anything I don't like."
"Excellent. The world is changing. U.A., the Commission, All Might—they are all investing in the future. But so are we. Best keep that in mind."
There was a pause. A soft hiss of breath underneath the mask.
"Kurogiri." He called out.
Kurogiri looked toward the blackened screen. "Your orders, Master?"
"Minimal surveillance. No contact. No engagement. Watch. Learn. Let him grow. And Doctor," All For One continued, "I want you to review his original files. Cross-reference his current abilities with his baseline measurements. I'm curious to see how much he's evolved."**"
Shigaraki grunted. "And if he remembers?"
"Then we can always remind him where he came from. Things will play naturally from there."
The screen faded to black. No flourish. No sound. Just the dull electric hum of silence returning.
Shigaraki stood, the old floor creaking beneath his feet. "This is annoying."
He said, getting up and heading for the exit.
"Where are you going Tomura Shigaraki?"
"Out." Shigaraki muttered. "I want to hit something."
"Fine, but no ..."
"Yeah, yeah. I heard him." Shigaraki stepped toward the door, then paused. "Hey Kurogiri."
"Yes?"
"Do you think he's really lost his memory? Or is he just a good actor?"
Kurogiri considered the question. "I believe his amnesia is genuine. And I will continue to watch to make sure it is truly so. If it is not the case, he will show his flaws eventually."
Shigaraki let out a wide grin. "I hope he does. Breaking things is so much more fun than asking nicely."
Those were his last words before he stepped out of the bar.
____
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