Location: Tokyo – Sir Nighteye's Agency
Time: Two Hours Later
The office was dark.
Hmmmmm.
Only the hum of the A/C and the soft light from the wall of monitors filled the room.
Mirai leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes behind his glasses. He checked the live feeds, keeping an eye on the city's pulse.
RING.
RING.
The red phone on his desk sat silent for a second before he reached out and grabbed it.
"Sasaki," he said.
"Mirai. It's me."
Mirai froze. He recognized that voice immediately.
He shifted in his seat, his posture straightening up. "Toshinori? Where are you? It's late."
"I'm up on a roof in Musutafu," All Might replied.
The sound of heavy wind whistled through the phone. "I just saw something I didn't expect."
Mirai's fingers danced over his keyboard, pulling up the local feed for the Musutafu sector. "Did you stumble onto a villain hideout? Give me the location, I'll send a team your way."
Sigh.
"No, nothing like that," All Might sighed. "I was just patrolling, and I happened to catch a vigilante taking down that a minor villains with a sludge quirk in an alleyway a few hours ago. He packed the thing into a container like it was nothing and called the police anonymously."
Mirai paused, his hands stopping mid-air. "A fluid-type villain? That's not easy to handle without a specific power. Did he use a Quirk to trap it?"
"That's the thing," All Might said, and Mirai could hear the weight in his tone. "He didn't use a single power. He used some kind of custom metal gear on his arms and an electric net. I'm 80% sure he was a kid, Mirai. And his only partner was a cat that could polymorph. I'm not sure if he's hiding his quirk to avoid detection but I also trusted Nezu on bis judgment."
Mirai looked at the wall of screens.
He thought back to that day at Might Tower. when Kaito stood there, refusing the power, telling them they needed to look for an 'empty cup' to carry the future.
"A unknown quirkless kid holding his own against villains for years," Mirai murmured. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"I'm staring at the reports now," All Might said. "Nezu actually has a file on him. He's been tracking this kid for a while. The street in Musutafu calls him Greenhood. Nezu thinks he's just a middle schooler, but he's already been out there doing this for a long time."
Mirai swiveled his chair to face the massive display. "If Nezu is already onto him, why call me? Why not just talk to the principal?"
"Because Nezu is playing a game," All Might said, his voice dropping. "He's treating this kid like a riddle to be solved. But this is the real world. This boy is out there every single night, fighting guys with knives and guns, all while having zero legal protection. If the local cops or some HPSC squad rolls up on him, they'll lock him away for good. He'll never get a chance to even apply for a hero academy in the future."
All Might went quiet for a moment.
"I need a favor, Mirai. A private one," All Might said. "Use your satellite network. Track Greenhood and that cat. I need to know who he is, where he lives, and what his life looks like before anyone else finds him."
Mirai looked at the map, then at the empty room around him.
He thought about what Kaito once said about grabbing the steering wheel instead of just watching the crash happen.
"You think he's the one?" Mirai asked.
"I saw him fight," All Might replied. "He's got the heart for it. I'm not saying he's ready for the power yet. I just need to see if he's the person I'm looking for."
Mirai grabbed his mouse. "I'll do it."
He hammered a few keys, bypassing the standard protocols and locking two of the high-orbit satellites onto the Musutafu district.
"I've got the grid locked," Mirai said, watching the high-res feed sharpen on his screen. "I'm running the facial recognition now, and I'll cross-check the tech he's wearing with the local support shops. I'll let you know the second I get a name."
"I appreciate it, Mirai. Seriously," All Might said.
"Just stay out of sight," Mirai warned. "I'll handle the rest."
CLICK.
The line went dead.
Mirai stared at the monitor as the feed zoomed into the dark, rain-slicked streets of Musutafu.
*-*-*-*
Location: Naruhata – Kaito's Apartment
Time: Next Day | 02:00 PM
DING.
DING.
Kaito walked across his living room and pulled the front door open.
Kimiko stood in the hallway hugging a massive stack of thick paper folders against her chest.
Kenji stood right behind her, holding baby Emi in one arm and carrying a diaper bag over his shoulder.
"We brought the homework!" Kimiko grinned, stepping right past Kaito and walking into the apartment.
"Come on in," Kaito laughed, pushing the door shut.
"Say hello to Uncle Kaito," Kenji smiled. He bounced the baby gently.
Bababa.
Emi made a happy bubbling noise. She reached her tiny hands out toward Kaito. He smiled and poked her soft cheek.
Kimiko walked straight to the kitchen island.
She dropped the heavy stack of folders right onto the marble counter.
THUD.
She pulled her jacket off and tossed it onto a barstool.
She looked totally fired up. Kaito walked to the fridge, grabbed three bottles of cold water, and handed them out.
"Okay, show me what you got," Kaito said, opening his water.
Kimiko opened the top folder. She spread a bunch of glossy photographs across the counter.
"I followed exactly what you said on the phone yesterday," Kimiko pointed at the photos. "I looked through the list of those twenty-two distressed commercial properties you bought after the earthquake. This one right here is the absolute best."
Kaito looked at the pictures. It was a massive, empty retail space with huge glass windows facing the main street.
"It is right next to the Naruhata main train station," Kimiko explained. "It used to be a giant clothing store. The floor space is massive. You get thousands of commuters walking past those doors every single morning and evening. And best of all, you already own the building. We don't have to deal with annoying landlords or pay rent."
"It looks perfect," Kaito nodded, looking at the layout. "We use the front for the dining area and the back for the kitchen."
Kaito pulled a yellow notepad across the counter. He showed them a quick sketch he drew last night.
Kenji leaned over Kimiko's shoulder to look at the drawing.
"That doesn't look like a normal restaurant kitchen," Kenji pointed out. "It looks exactly like a factory production line."
"That is the goal," Kaito agreed. "I am going to call my contacts at Detnerat-Shield. They are going to install heavy-duty industrial conveyor belts, automated flash-grills, and a long row of deep fryers."
Kimiko crossed her arms. She looked at Kaito with a very serious face.
"Kaito, I thought about our phone call all night," Kimiko said. "You told me we are going to hire guys with telekinesis to run the fryers, and guys with heat-sense to watch the grills."
"I did," Kaito nodded.
"It won't work," Kimiko stated flatly.
Kenji raised his eyebrows and looked at his wife. Kaito just smiled and waited for her to explain.
"If we are building a massive global franchise, we can't rely on finding a telekinetic fry cook in every single city," Kimiko explained, tapping the marble counter. "What happens when we open a branch in Hokkaido or Tokyo and nobody with telekinesis applies for the job? The whole kitchen stops. The hiring model just doesn't scale."
Kaito's smile grew wider. He loved that she caught the flaw.
"You are exactly right," Kaito told her. "Telekinesis was just an example. We are going to hire based on broad Quirk categories."
Kimiko tilted her head. "Categories?"
"The Detnerat-Shield machines are going to handle one hundred percent of the actual cooking," Kaito explained. "That guarantees the burger tastes exactly the same here in Naruhata as it does in America or Egypt. The human workers just handle the assembly and movement."
Kaito tapped his pen against the drawing of the fryers.
"We need someone to pull baskets out of the hot oil," Kaito said. "We hire anyone with an Object Manipulation Quirk. That could be mild floating, stretching fingers, extra arms, or even sticky pads. It doesn't matter. They just need to grab the basket from a distance."
He pointed the pen at the flash-grills.
"We need someone to make sure the machines don't burn the meat," Kaito continued. "We hire anyone with a Sensory Quirk. Enhanced smell, microscopic vision, or heat-sense. They just act as quality control."
Kimiko's eyes went wide as the whole picture clicked in her head.
"Eighty percent of the world has a Quirk," Kimiko whispered. "We can literally open a branch anywhere in the world, and we will instantly find hundreds of civilians who fit those broad categories."
"Yes," Kaito nodded. "A lot of people have minor, everyday Quirks that hero agencies don't want. We are going to give those people high-paying, specialized jobs. The public will absolutely love the brand."
Kimiko grabbed her pen. She wrote everything down furiously on her notepad.
"This is bulletproof," Kimiko said, her voice full of excitement. "I am going to call the construction companies right now and get the quotes for the conveyor belts."
"I will spend this weekend finalizing the recipes," Kaito told her. "I am going to write down the exact spice ratios for the meat and the measurements for the signature sauce. We will mix the spices centrally and ship them out in bags. The kitchen staff will never have to guess the recipe."
Kenji rocked baby Emi back and forth. He gave Kaito a huge grin.
"So, since we are family, do we get free burgers for life?" Kenji asked.
"You get the burgers for free," Kaito joked right back. "You still have to pay for the fries."
"Haha! Fair enough!" Kenji laughed out loud.
"Alright, we need to go," Kimiko yelled, packing her glossy photos back into the folders. She shoved them into her bag and grabbed her jacket. "Come on, Kenji! I have phone calls to make!"
Kimiko practically ran toward the front door.
Kenji waved at Kaito and followed his wife out into the hallway.
CLICK.
The front door shut.
Kaito stood alone in his quiet kitchen.
Sssk.
He grabbed a blank piece of paper, clicked his pen, and started writing down the exact spice blend for the perfect burger patty.
*-*-*-*
Location: Unknown Ward – Abandoned Basement
Time: Two Weeks Ago
CHATTER.
A few street thugs and other members of the undergound organization of x sat on old wooden crates.
They scrolled through their phones, checking the dark web boards.
FWOOSH.
A massive wall of dark purple mist erupted in the center of the room.
The mist made absolutely zero noise.
Before the criminals could even look up, a thin portal snapped open right next to the ceiling.
CRASH.
"Aghhh!"
"What's going on?"
"Who?"
"Let me down!"
The portal crushed the security camera instantly.
Total blackout.
Zero evidence left behind.
Tomura Shigaraki stepped out of the fog. He wore a plain black shirt. He slouched forward and dragged his fingernails hard against his own neck.
"This place smells like garbage," Tomura complained. "Kurogiri, I hate starting from the bottom of the map. This grind is completely boring."
The other guys finally panicked. They dropped their phones. They pulled out heavy handguns and thick metal pipes.
"Who the hell are you?!" the biggest guy yelled, aiming his gun. "This is a private network! We belong to Vigilante Organization!"
Scratch.
Scratch.
"What a trash!" Tomura groaned.
He stopped scratching his neck. He crouched down and pressed a single finger against the concrete floor.
SWOOSH.
A wave of grey ash shot across the ground. It moved with terrifying speed.
The ash climbed right up the criminals' shoes and completely ignored their skin.
CRUMBLE.
Every single gun, knife, and metal pipe instantly turned into fine dust. The weapons vanished right out of their hands.
"...."
"...."
"...."
The criminals stood completely frozen. They didn't have a single scratch on them, but they were entirely disarmed.
Tomura stood up. He dusted his hands off.
"Your base stats are complete trash," Tomura told them. "You group up in a tiny room and just wait here. You make yourselves an easy target for a total wipe."
Kurogiri floated forward. He carried a heavy metal case. He unlatched the top and opened it up.
Three glowing vials sat inside the foam padding.
"We have these," Kurogiri explained smoothly. "You can understand it as a enhanced and a different type of trigger drug that can permanently make you stronger. It is incredibly rare."
Tomura pointed at the three biggest guys standing near the wall.
"I only want players with decent potential," Tomura said. "Take the item. Get enough power to actually fight back, and join my party. If you refuse, I will touch the turn you into dust."
Scramble. Scramble.
The three guys dropped to their knees. They scrambled across the floor and grabbed the glowing vials.
They were terrified of the grey ash and desperate for the power.
"We accept!" one of them yelled frantically. "We will join you! What do we call ourselves? What is the name of our group?"
Tomura scoffed.
"We don't have one," Tomura answered immediately.
He knew exactly what name he used to have.
The League of Villains.
But that guild got wiped out in the last global patch.
He was never using that name again. It would just draw high-level aggro from the top pros before they were ready.
"We are a new party," Tomura told them. "That is all you need to know."
*-*-*-*
Over the next two weeks, Tomura and Kurogiri repeated the exact same process.
They hunted down safehouse after safehouse. They moved completely in secret, crushing cameras before stepping into the room.
Tomura offered the diluted serum to the strongest fighters.
Anyone who refused or looked weak turned into grey ash on the floor.
The criminals who drank the serum went through massive physical changes.
Their muscles grew. Their quirks mutated. They turned into a loyal, completely overpowered strike force following Tomura's every command.
Location: Tokyo – The Underground Hub
Time: Present Day | 10:00 PM
The main room of the Hub was incredibly tense.
Giran sat at his heavy metal desk. He rubbed his tired eyes and took a drag from his cigarette.
He stared at the giant digital map on the front wall. Hundreds of little green dots blinked across the screen.
BEEP.
Another green dot turned red and vanished completely.
Sigh.
"We lost another one," Giran sighed.
Mr. Compress stood behind the desk. He slowly shuffled a deck of cards.
"It is way too quiet," Compress said. "If the HPSC or the Pro Heroes were raiding our locations, the media would broadcast it everywhere. The heroes love showing off. Whoever is taking our members is doing it in total silence."
Spinner gripped the handle of his massive sword.
"They are stealing our guys," Spinner growled. "Every time we send backup to check a dropped signal, the place is totally empty. No signs of a fight. Just empty rooms."
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
The main console flashed a bright red warning.
An emergency live video feed popped up on Giran's monitor. It came from one of their biggest active safehouses in the city.
"I am putting it on the main screen," Giran said. He typed quickly on his keyboard.
The giant map vanished.
The live video feed took over the wall. Everyone in the Hub stopped talking and stared.
On the screen, dozens of network members were hanging around a massive warehouse.
FWOOSH.
The center of the warehouse violently ripped open.
The massive storm of dark purple mist erupted from the floor.
Tomura Shigaraki stepped out of the mist.
This time, he didn't walk out alone.
Heavy footsteps shook the warehouse floor. Dozens of serum-boosted fighters marched out of the gate right behind him.
They were different.
Their eyes glowed.
They have absolute confidence. The members Tomura recruited over the last two weeks were now his elite team.
The warehouse members on the screen panicked and backed away in pure terror.
Tomura ignored them. He walked straight toward the security camera.
He looked directly into the lens. He knew exactly who was watching on the other side.
[I know you are sitting in spectator mode,] Tomura said, giving the camera a cold, cruel smile. [My name is Tomura Shigaraki. The stealth mission is over. We are taking control of your server.]
Tomura raised his hand. He placed his palm flat against the camera lens.
ZZZT.
The massive screen inside the Underground Hub instantly turned to grey static. The video feed died.
Giran dropped his cigarette. It hit the floor.
Compress stopped shuffling his cards. Spinner stood perfectly still. They all stared at the static screen.
*-*-*-*
Location: Okuto Island Aquarium
Time: Monday | 08:00 AM
SPLASH.
A massive killer whale broke the surface of the outdoor pool, sending a huge wave of saltwater crashing against the glass walls.
A group of little kids screamed happily, pressing their hands against the viewing glass.
Kaito walked past the outdoor exhibits and headed toward the main lobby doors.
He wore a dark blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and carried his usual black briefcase.
Slid.
The heavy glass doors slid open automatically.
Kaito stepped inside.
The lobby was packed with early morning tourists.
Massive glass tunnels completely surrounded the walkways, showing thousands of tropical fish swimming through bright coral reefs.
"Make sure the filtration system in tank four gets checked before noon. The tiger sharks are getting restless," a deep, booming voice echoed near the front desk.
Gang Orca stood there in his sharp white suit. He was handing a clipboard to a nervous aquarium staff member.
Orca turned his head and spotted Kaito. He immediately handed the clipboard away and walked over.
He looked completely in his element here.
He was the boss of the agency and the director of the aquarium, and he clearly loved it.
"Manager Kaito," Orca smiled, offering his massive hand. "You made it exactly on time."
Kaito shook his hand firmly.
"Traffic was clear on the coastal highway," Kaito said. "The facility looks great, Orca. The kids outside are having a blast."
"Thank you," Orca nodded proudly. "I try to keep the public side running smoothly. It helps the locals feel safe. Come with me. The team is waiting in the back."
Orca led Kaito away from the crowded public exhibits.
They walked down a quiet side hallway and stopped in front of a heavy, reinforced steel door.
BEEP.
Orca scanned his ID card.
The heavy door hissed and swung open, revealing the private agency wing.
They walked into a wide staging room.
Three of the dozens of sidekicks were present stood in a perfectly straight military line.
They wore matching blue and white aquatic hero costumes.
Barnacle was a huge guy covered in thick, rocky skin patches.
Shira was a tall woman with sharp, shark-like teeth.
Iruka was a young guy with smooth skin and a small dorsal fin on his back.
They looked incredibly nervous. They were sweating and standing totally stiff.
They all knew exactly who just walked into the room.
Kaito was the legendary Golden Manager. He was the guy who made All Might be able to unleashed that continental punch that split the sky in the past, made Endeavor hotter, and turned Best Jeanist into a terrifying fighter.
Having him walk into their local coastal agency felt completely unreal.
"It is a massive honor to meet you, Sir!" Barnacle yelled loudly. He bowed so fast he almost hit his head on his knees.
"Thank you for coming to help us!" Shira shouted, bowing right next to him.
Kaito stopped walking. He looked at the three of them.
He gave them a warm, highly relaxed smile.
"Hey, you guys can relax," Kaito laughed softly. "Stand up straight. You are going to pull a muscle bowing like that."
Barnacle slowly stood up, looking a little embarrassed. Shira and Iruka relaxed their shoulders.
"Did you guys actually rest this weekend?" Kaito asked, looking them right in the eyes. "I know things got incredibly rough in Tokyo. J want to make sure you actually slept."
Huff-puff.
Iruka let out a long breath.
The simple acknowledgment of what they went through made a huge difference.
"We slept, Manager," Iruka answered honestly. "Boss forced us to take two days off. We just stayed home."
"Good," Kaito nodded. He spoke in a calm, highly reassuring voice. "Now we move forward. I am here to make sure you guys never feel defenseless in a fight ever again. We are going to build a completely new combat system for this agency."
The helplessness in the sidekicks' eyes faded away.
Real excitement and relief took over. They felt incredibly safe having him here.
Gang Orca watched the entire interaction from the side.
Sigh.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief. He was worried about his sidekicks all weekend, but Kaito just stabilized their mental state in two minutes.
"Let me show you your workspace," Orca said, gesturing down the hall.
Step. Step. Step.
Kaito followed Orca into the main command center.
The room was massive.
One entire wall was made of thick glass, looking directly into the deep, dark water of the main whale tank.
Deep blue light shined through the glass, lighting up the entire room.
A large, custom-built wooden desk sat right in the center.
A heavy leather chair was placed behind it, and a fresh pot of hot coffee was already brewing on a side table.
"This works perfectly," Kaito said.
Dozens of sidekicks followed them into the room.
Kaito sat down in the leather chair. He picked up his pen. He completely shifted back into his focused, strategic work mode.
"Alright, let's get right to work," Kaito said looking at all of them.
"Now tell me everything I need to know."
...
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(9 Advanced Chapters)