Boom!
The dimly lit underground bar remained as it was before. As purple-black mist swirled, the unconscious Shigaraki was gently placed on the wooden bar counter by Kurogiri.
"Hey, Shiggy, what happened to you?"
Himiko Toga, who had been happily sipping juice on the other side of the bar, curiously poked Shigaraki's pale face with her finger, only to immediately pull back as if startled.
"Whoa! He's kinda hot!"
Dabi, the arsonist, walked over for a closer look before commenting, "Doesn't look like he was burned by flames. No visible burns on the skin either. If he's just a little warm, then…"
"It must be some sort of non-flame, high-temperature energy, and whoever used it has incredible micro-control over it. Since there's no real damage to Shigaraki, I'd say he'll wake up on his own soon." Mr. Compress speculated.
Twice looked at Shigaraki and, as usual, made a contradictory remark. "Man, that's rough… Serves him right!"
"It was electricity," Kurogiri said in a low voice. "On his way back, Shigaraki encountered the hero Kaminari Denki."
"Kaminari Denki…?" Dabi scratched the back of his head, feeling that the name sounded familiar.
"Oh! I know! I've seen him in the U.A. Sports Festival on TV!"
Himiko Toga clenched her fists excitedly, her sickly sweet laughter echoing through the bar. She looked both adorable and unhinged.
"My favorite part was when he fought that speedster! The way he tormented his opponent was just chef's kiss! Absolutely intoxicating! It made me wanna torture him myself, bleed him dry and finish him off!"
Kurogiri nodded at her words before walking behind the bar and casually polishing a glass. It wasn't for work—just a force of habit.
"Indeed, that Kaminari Denki has a face more sinister than any of us, yet on the surface, he's not only a hero-in-training but also a rising star idol with a decent fan following."
"Tch, just another one of those too-smart-for-their-own-good types." The androgynous Magne curled her lip in disdain.
At that moment, Spinner, who had been leaning against the bar wall, adjusted the red scarf around his neck—the same style as Stain's—and spoke in a serious tone.
"That just proves Stain was right. The entire hero society is completely rotten!"
"Except for All Might, every single one of these so-called 'heroes,' whether they're pros or U.A. students like Kaminari Denki, are just fakes playing at being righteous!"
Dabi seemed to recall something, his gaze distant. But he resonated with Spinner's words—after all, he had joined the League of Villains because he believed in Stain's ideology.
As the League members engaged in their usual discussions, mocking pro heroes, in another darkened room, All For One calmly observed Shigaraki's condition through a monitor.
After hearing Mr. Compress say that Shigaraki wasn't in any real danger, he dismissed the idea of having Kurogiri bring him in for treatment.
"What do you think of Kaminari Denki's mindset?" asked the doctor in the white coat standing behind him.
"Heh…"
All For One chuckled nonchalantly. "Just a child fooling himself."
He didn't need Kurogiri to report what had happened, he already knew.
"The moment he accepted the new Quirk I gave him, he was no longer standing on the hero side. He just uses his family and friends as an excuse to rationalize it as a 'trade.'"
"If I offer him another Quirk that suits him, he'll take it again. And again, he'll call it a 'trade' if that's what helps him sleep at night."
As he spoke, All For One seemed to find the entire situation amusing. His tone grew lighter, almost playful, making his presence all the more unsettling.
"But in truth, this so-called 'trade' is already tainted. It's an act that no real hero would tolerate. And then…"
"And then, at the right time, you'll expose these 'trades' one by one until Kaminari Denki has no choice but to side with Shigaraki."
The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "But if you expose him, aren't you afraid he'll come to hate you?"
"Why would he hate me? I'm not the one exposing him." All For One's voice was smooth, almost reassuring.
"There are plenty of ways for information to get out, aren't there? And in the end, he is the one making these choices. He's the one who can't resist the temptation to grow stronger to make his Quirk perfect."
The doctor, once again, found himself in awe of All For One's masterful manipulation. From the moment he first met Kaminari Denki, he had planted a seed.
A seed of temptation. A seed of greed.
Over the past century, countless prodigies had fallen under All For One's influence.
Because his power to take and bestow Quirks wasn't just overwhelming—it was irresistible. And paired with his charisma, few could withstand his pull.
"So, when will the second 'trade' take place? And how many 'trades' do you plan to expose?" the doctor asked, curious.
"Very soon," All For One mused. "As for the exposure… hmm. The third time should do."
"The third time?" The doctor was surprised—he had assumed it would be around the fourth or fifth.
"The longer he stays at U.A., the harder it will be to break his attachments. I don't want Kaminari-kun to advance to his second year."
"I'll personally teach him what comes after Year One."
The doctor nodded in understanding. Indeed, if Kaminari spent more time in U.A., his bonds with his peers would only strengthen.
"And what about his parents?"
"Kaminari-kun… won't need them in his future."
"So, you're thinking of changing your heir? Are you planning to give up on Shigaraki?"
"Of course not."
"It's just that once Kaminari-kun steps into the darkness, there won't be an heir. There will only be candidates. And Shigaraki will have to fight for his place as the ruler of the underworld."
"A competition, huh?" The doctor chuckled. "In that case, I'd bet on Kaminari-kun. If nothing else, he's certainly stronger."
"Oh, by the way, what about the location I asked you to investigate?" All For One inquired.
"Found it. It's in Nagano."
"Is that so? Then let Shigaraki know when he wakes up. Whether Kaminari-kun decides to join us or not, my support for him won't change. He can keep trying."
With that, All For One rose to his feet.
"Now then… it's time to find another Quirk suitable for Kaminari-kun…"
***
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