Location: Singapore – Mainland (Big Red Dot Agency)
Date: Wednesday | 12:00 PM
CLINK.
Kaito tapped his glass of water against Big Red Dot's massive mug.
The open-air breakroom inside the agency was completely packed.
It wasn't just the sidekicks today.
The logistics team, the radar operators, and the support staff were all crowded around the long tables.
It was a massive farewell lunch. The three-month contract was officially over.
"Eat more, Kaito! You're going to get hungry on the flight," Siti said, sliding another plate toward him.
The table was covered in local food.
There were huge bowls of spicy Laksa noodle soup, plates of Hainanese chicken rice, Kaya toast, and a mountain of chili crab.
"I can't," Kaito laughed, holding his hands up. "I've been eating for an hour."
"Then try the durian!" Big Red Dot rumbled happily.
The giant lion-man was sitting at the head of the table, cracking open a massive, spiky green fruit.
He scooped out a piece of the yellow flesh and shoved it into his mouth.
Siti pinched her nose in disgust. "Captain, please! That stuff smells like gym socks and onions!"
"It is the King of Fruits," Big Red Dot argued, chewing loudly. "You just don't have a refined palate. Come on Kaito, just one bite."
"I am perfectly fine with my chicken," Kaito smiled, pushing his chair back a few inches from the smell.
BEEP.
The large projector screen on the breakroom wall suddenly switched to the international news channel. The room quieted down a bit to listen.
["The World Heroes Association has officially released a statement regarding the Pacific Shield," the news anchor said clearly. "The WHA publicly endorsed the maritime network this morning, calling it a revolutionary standard for global security."]
A graphic of the ocean appeared on the screen, highlighting the massive sea route from Japan all the way down to Southeast Asia.
["The oceanic blockade is now fully active," the anchor continued. "The alliance officially includes Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, Timor Leste and Indonesia. Smuggling rates have already plummeted to historic lows across the entire hemisphere."]
"Whoooot!" Raju let out a loud whistle. "Look at that map. We really locked down half the world."
The broadcast on the screen cut to a live press conference in Tokyo.
Madam President of the HPSC stood at the wooden podium.
She looked incredibly smug, wearing a sharp suit and a practiced smile. The microphones from dozens of global news outlets were pointed right at her.
["The HPSC is proud to export our nation's standard of peace to the world through talents like Mr. Arisaka," Madam President told the reporters smoothly.]
Kaito let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. He just rolled his eyes.
"Wow," Pulse groaned, throwing a peanut at the screen. "She basically just stole your credit on live TV."
"It's politics," Kaito shrugged, taking a sip of water. "She needs the PR to keep the commission looking strong. Let her talk."
Pulse pulled his phone out of his pocket. His eyes went wide as he started scrolling.
"Well, the internet definitely isn't giving the credit to her," Pulse laughed, leaning over the table. "Guys, Kaito is trending worldwide right now. The WHA announcement just broke the hero forums."
"Read it," Siti grinned.
Pulse cleared his throat and started reading the live chat logs out loud to the table.
[User_HeroFan99: Bro, he fixed Star and Stripe (US #2) and Captain Celebrity (US #1), and now he just evolved Big Red Dot (Singapore #1)! The Golden Manager is insane.]
[User_SmashBoy:Who is he going to contract next? Salaam (Egypt #1)?]
[User_AllMightFan:Wait, do you think he is actually going to go for All Might?! Imagine All Might getting an upgrade!]
[I'mHeroXFan: Quick question, why doesn't All Might just asked him directly?]
[ImJustAGirl: I'm from Japan, Golden Manager is very famous here. Almost all top pro heroes here contracted him. Regarding All Might contract, I think it should be possible. We're just waiting hehe.]
Siti started laughing so hard she almost choked on her noodles. She patted Kaito on the back.
"You're a global pop star now," Siti teased him. "Are you going to start signing autographs?"
"I only sign tax forms and documents," Kaito joked, pushing her hand away.
Big Red Dot wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned forward. He looked incredibly happy.
"Speaking of Japan, Kaito," Big Red Dot said, ignoring the internet hype. "You didn't tell me Captain Selkie was such a great guy."
"You two are still doing joint patrols?" Kaito asked.
"Every morning," Big Red Dot grinned, showing his fangs. "We share the northern route. The guy is a beast. He ripped a pirate boat completely in half yesterday with his bare hands."
"Yeah, and then he made that weird, cute seal face right after," Raju muttered, shaking his head.
Big Red Dot let out a booming laugh. "It still catches me off guard! But seriously, he's a good man. He loves the ocean just as much as I do. We're actually planning a joint training camp for our sidekicks next year."
Kaito smiled warmly.
That was the real victory. It wasn't just a political alliance on paper, the heroes were actually becoming friends and trusting each other across borders.
Kaito checked his silver wristwatch. It was getting late.
"Alright," Kaito said, standing up from his chair. "I have a red-eye flight out of Changi Airport to catch. If I miss it, I'm billing the agency for another night."
SCREECH.
The whole table stood up. Pulse and Raju immediately grabbed Kaito's suitcase and duffel bag.
Big Red Dot walked over. He didn't offer a handshake this time.
WHUMP.
The giant lion-man grabbed Kaito in a massive, bone-crushing bear hug.
"Ughh" Kaito grunted, his feet lifting off the ground for a second before the Captain set him back down.
"Thank you, Kaito," Big Red Dot said, his voice dropping the joking tone. "For everything."
"You guys did the work," Kaito said, adjusting his glasses.
He looked at the sidekicks holding his bags. "Keep the oceans clean, Big Red. And don't make me come back here to fix your paperwork."
"No promises!" Siti grinned, waving at him.
Kaito grabbed his jacket, took his bags from Raju, and gave them one final wave.
He pushed through the glass doors of the breakroom and walked out toward the waiting yellow cab in the driveway.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Europe – Italy (Gollini Family Underground Headquarters)
Date: Wednesday | 02:00 PM
THWACK.
Valdo Gollini threw a thick paper folder onto the heavy mahogany table. It slid all the way across the wood and hit Bruno's arm.
The underground boardroom was quiet. The air smelled like stale cigar smoke and sweat.
Paulo sat slumped in one of the leather chairs. He looked completely awful.
Thick, dark purple veins pulsed on his neck and crawled up his cheeks.
He was sweating through his suit, breathing in wet, heavy gasps.
The Overmodification was tearing his cells apart from the inside. He was only the unlucky one.
"Two thousand men," Valdo said, leaning back in his chair. He didn't look angry. He actually had a small smile on his face. "Two thousand foot soldiers dead in thirty days."
Bruno looked down at the casualty report on the table. He crossed his massive arms.
"Boss, those two masked guys are just walking through our safehouses," Bruno grunted. "They aren't even slowing down. They're just bulldozing right through."
"Yes, they are," Valdo corrected him smoothly. "They are wasting their time punching low-level grunts. Our men did exactly what I told them to do. They fed themselves to those freaks to buy us the clock."
COUGH. COUGH.
Paulo hacked loudly, spitting a little blood onto the floor. "Boss... please. Tell me the doctors are done. I can't... my chest feels like it's ripping open."
Valdo looked at the dying Capo.
SLAM.
The heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open.
The Head Doctor walked in quickly. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, but he was holding a heavy metal lockbox tightly against his chest.
"Sir," the doctor said, out of breath. "We finished it. We extracted Anna's factors and stabilized the stolen Trigger data."
Valdo stood up. "Show me."
The doctor placed the box on the table and popped the steel latches.
CLICK. CLACK.
He flipped the lid open. Inside the foam padding were dozens of glass syringes.
They were filled with a dark, glowing purple liquid.
"We separated the batches to maintain the family structure, just like you asked," the doctor explained quickly, pointing to a lower tray. "The lighter syringes are for the foot soldiers. It will give them a permanent five hundred percent boost to their base Quirks. It makes them absolute monsters, but it keeps them manageable."
Valdo nodded.
He liked that. You don't give the lowest thugs the keys to the power.
"And the top tray?" Valdo asked.
"The Perfected Serum," the doctor said, his voice shaking a little. "Reserved for you and the Capos. It completely rewrites the DNA and permanently locks the cell structure. It is a straight one thousand percent multiplier. It's not just a boost, Boss. It is a full Quirk awakening."
Paulo let out a desperate whine. He reached his shaking hand out toward the box.
Valdo grabbed one of the dark purple syringes from the top tray. He looked at it for a second, then tossed it across the table.
THUMP.
Paulo caught it. He didn't even wait for instructions.
He jammed the thick needle straight into his neck and pushed the plunger down.
SHHK.
"UGHH!" Paulo gasped loudly, dropping the empty syringe.
THUD.
He fell out of his chair and hit the floor hard. For two seconds, he just twitched.
HUFF-PUFF.
Then, he took a massive, deep breath.
The dark, dying purple veins on his face instantly vanished. His skin flushed with healthy color.
The muscles under his suit violently expanded, ripping the fabric on his shoulders.
Paulo slowly stood up. He wasn't wheezing anymore. He looked down at his hands, opening and closing his fists. He turned and pointed a finger at a heavy leather couch across the room.
VWOOMP.
A massive, pitch-black Erasure Spot instantly manifested in the corner of the room. It completely deleted the couch and a huge chunk of the stone floor underneath it, leaving a perfect, clean hole in reality.
"I'm alive," Paulo whispered. Then he looked up, his eyes wide with shock. "Boss... the power. I feel like I could erase a mountain."
Valdo smiled. He looked at Bruno and Gil.
"Take your doses," Valdo ordered.
Gil walked up and grabbed a syringe. He stabbed his own arm.
FWOOSH.
The moment the serum hit Gil's bloodstream, his body flickered.
He instantly vanished from the center of the room and reappeared sitting perfectly on the edge of the mahogany table.
Gil laughed, a sharp, excited sound. "My range... my Teleportation. I don't just see the room anymore, Boss. I can feel every coordinate in Italy."
Bruno took his shot next. He grabbed a heavy crystal ashtray from the table and tossed it high into the air.
BZZZZT.
A massive, glowing Delay Spot erupted near the ceiling. It instantly froze the ashtray perfectly in mid-air.
The temporal distortion field was so incredibly strong that the air pressure inside the room spiked, making the walls vibrate.
"Unbelievable," Bruno grunted, staring at the frozen space. "The delay is absolute. Nothing is breaking through that."
Valdo walked over to the box. He picked up the last syringe on the top tray.
He looked at his Capos, seeing the raw, god-like power radiating off them. Then, he pushed the needle into his own neck.
Valdo closed his eyes.
A massive surge of dark energy spiked through his chest. His physical density skyrocketed.
The stone floor under his expensive shoes actually cracked from his new weight.
He opened his eyes. He felt completely untouchable.
"My Alchemy," Valdo said softly, looking at his palms. "Before, I could just change the shape of stone or bend metal. But now? I can feel the atoms. I can feel the empty space between the molecules."
He turned and looked across the boardroom.
There was a massive, solid marble pillar holding up the ceiling in the corner of the room.
Valdo walked toward it.
"You all know who I respect," Valdo told his men, not looking back at them. "The rest of the world shakes when they hear All Might's name or All For One or Hero X. True power is dictating reality itself. True power is Hero X."
Valdo stopped a few feet away from the thick marble pillar.
He raised his right hand. He positioned his thumb and middle finger.
"I can't manipulate reality like he does," Valdo said, his voice dropping an octave as his awakened Quirk flared up. "But I can force the atoms to obey me."
Valdo snapped his fingers.
SNAP.
CRR-CRUNCH.
A horrific, screeching sound of grinding stone filled the room.
Valdo's awakened Alchemy violently grabbed the massive 3D pillar. It didn't just break it. It aggressively compressed the atomic depth of the marble.
In a fraction of a second, the pillar was violently flattened.
The molecules were crushed together so hard that the massive, round stone pillar was instantly reduced to a flat, 2-Dimensional stain pressed against the floor.
It looked exactly like a picture drawn on the ground.
"Hehehe... HAHAHAHA!"
Valdo let out a deep, arrogant laugh. It was a terrifying, brute-force scientific copy of his idol's true power.
He turned around to face his men. His eyes were wide and hungry.
"The wait is over," Valdo commanded, pointing at the door. "Paulo. Gil. Take the two thousand men outside. Give them the five hundred percent doses. Then go find those two masked freaks."
Gil cracked his knuckles, already warping a few inches off the table. Paulo grinned, rolling his massive new shoulders.
"Bruno, you stay here with the others and lock down the estate," Valdo added. He looked back at Paulo. "Do not come back here until you bring me their heads."
*-*-*-*
Location: Japan – Naruhata (Kaito's Apartment)
Date: Thursday | 07:30 AM
THUD.
Kaito dropped his heavy suitcase onto the wooden floor of his living room.
Sigh.
He let out a long sigh, took off his glasses, and rubbed his eyes.
The seven-hour red-eye flight from Singapore to Tokyo was quiet. The morning sun was just starting to shine through his windows.
"Home," Kaito muttered.
He walked into the kitchen, turned on the coffee maker, and went back to his bags.
ZIP.
He opened his duffel bag. Half of it was filled with clothes, but the other half was completely stuffed with souvenirs.
He pulled out three bright green boxes of Pandan chiffon cake, five jars of sweet Kaya jam, and a stack of expensive TWG tea tins.
He set them all on the kitchen counter. He needed to drop these off later today. One batch for his grandma, one for Makoto, and the rest for Koichi and the O'Clock crew.
Kaito poured himself a hot cup of black coffee and walked over to his dining table.
He opened his laptop and pulled up his private bank account.
The final payment from the Singapore contract had just cleared. The number staring back at him was massive.
He opened a second tab, looking at a digital map of the Naruhata commercial district.
Two years ago, he bought the very apartment building he was standing in.
But he didn't stop there. Over the last twenty-four months, using the huge consulting fees he got from top-tier heroes, Kaito had quietly purchased six large commercial buildings right in the middle of the ward.
He highlighted a seventh building on the map. It was a nice corner lot near the train station.
He clicked a few buttons, drafting a quick email to his real estate broker to start the quiet buyout process.
RING.
RING.
Kaito glanced at his personal phone sitting on the table. It wasn't his encrypted phone, that one was strictly for his underground dealings with the Meta Liberation Army.
This was his personal number. Only a handful of people had it.
He picked it up and answered.
"Arisaka."
"Welcome back to Japan, Kaito."
The voice was sharp, polite, and very familiar.
"Sir Nighteye," Kaito smiled, leaning back in his chair. "Good morning. Are you tracking my flights now?"
"I keep track of important movements," Nighteye said smoothly. "I called to congratulate you. The World Heroes Association endorsement is a massive achievement. You locked down an entire hemisphere. Japan is very proud of what you pulled off."
"Thanks," Kaito replied easily. "But Captain Selkie and Big Red Dot did the actual fighting out on the water. I just pointed them in the right direction."
Sip.
Kaito took a sip of his coffee.
"It's been a long time since we talked," Kaito added casually. "Not since we tracked down those financial trails and raided all those villain warehouses two years ago. Don't tell me your agency is struggling and you want to hire me?"
Nighteye actually let out a dry chuckle over the phone.
"My agency is running perfectly fine, thank you," Nighteye fired back. "Though if I ever decide I want a serious upgrade, you will be the first person I call."
"Good to know," Kaito smiled. "So, what can I do for you?"
Nighteye's tone shifted. The joking was over.
"I am calling on behalf of a client," Nighteye explained. "He specifically requested you. He saw the results you achieved with Star and Stripe and other pro heroes, and he wants to hire you. He wants to know how to safely break his own ceiling."
"Who is the client?" Kaito asked while already expecting the answer.
The line went quiet for a second.
"All Might," Nighteye said.
"....."
Kaito stopped drinking his coffee. He slowly set the mug down on the table.
'One For All' Kaito thought to himself. He was completely puzzled by the request. 'All Might is perfectly healthy. He's at the absolute peak of his life. He literally changes the weather with a single punch. He still want to get stronger?'
But the idea of helping develop one the strongest Quirk in the world and pushing it even further? Is interesting enough.
"The Symbol of Peace," Kaito replied, keeping his tone perfectly calm. "Alright. I'll take the meeting."
"Excellent," Nighteye said, sounding genuinely relieved. "But you need to understand something right now, Kaito. This requires the strictest Non-Disclosure Agreement in history. His Quirk is the most guarded secret on the planet. You cannot write anything down. You cannot save a single file to a server. Everything stays in your head."
"Understood. No paper trail," Kaito agreed.
"When can you start?" Nighteye asked.
"I need four days," Kaito answered bluntly. "I just spent a month overseas and I just got off a plane. I'm going to sleep, rest, and I have to hand out some souvenir to my friends. I'll see you after that."
"Four days is acceptable," Nighteye agreed. "We will meet at U.A. High School. It is the most secure location we have. Enjoy your rest, Kaito."
CLICK.
*-*-*-*
Location: Japan – Kamino Ward (Underground Lab)
Date: Thursday | 09:00 PM
HUMMMM.
The heavy servers vibrated in the dark lab. Dr. Garaki practically pressed his face against the glowing glass of his monitors. He was typing fast, his eyes wide behind his thick goggles.
"Master," Garaki giggled, pointing a stubby finger at the data streams. "Cellular degradation is at zero. The clones wiped out the Italian vanguard in under twenty hours. The bodies are holding up perfectly."
All For One stood in the middle of the room. His eyes were closed. His mind was connected thousands of miles away through the Bio-Transmitter quirk.
"I know," All For One said smoothly. "They sent two of their commanders to lead the charge. One of them had a true Teleportation Quirk. A very rare prize."
Garaki looked back. "Did you take it?"
"Not yet," All For One smiled. "I broke his hands and beat him unconscious so he couldn't warp away. I kept him breathing. He will make a fine addition to my collection once this is over."
"And the other guy?" Garaki asked.
"A coward," All For One replied. "He traded his family's main location for his life. They just reached the front gates. Doctor, start recording the physical stress levels. I am taking full control now."
Garaki grinned, slamming his hand onto the main keyboard. "Recording now, Master!"
*-*-*-*
Location: Europe – Italy (The Gollini Valley)
Date: Thursday | 02:00 PM
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Heavy boots stepped slowly on the dirt road.
The massive valley leading up to the Gollini estate was quiet. Dry wind blew dust across the high rocky walls.
Paulo walked down the center of the road. He was shaking. Sweat poured down his face and soaked his expensive suit.
Walking right behind him were the two masked clones.
They didn't breathe heavy. They didn't look around. They just walked with a steady, mechanical rhythm.
The Strength clone was dragging something behind it with one hand.
It was Gil.
The Capo was beaten to a bloody pulp. His face was swollen and completely unrecognizable.
Both of his hands were crushed into messy meat, the bones shattered so badly he couldn't even try to activate his Teleportation.
He left a long trail of blood in the dirt as the clone casually dragged him by the collar.
Paulo swallowed hard, staring straight ahead.
"There," Paulo pointed with a shaking finger. "That's the main house. Like I promised. I brought you right to the front door. Please... you said you wouldn't kill me."
The clones didn't answer. They just dropped Gil's unconscious body into the dirt.
Paulo stopped walking. His breath hitched in his throat.
Blocking the massive iron gates of the estate was an army.
Thousands of men.
The remaining forces of the Gollini family all gripped heavy weapons. Their bodies bulged and warped from the five-hundred percent God Serum.
Standing at the very front of the army was Valdo Gollini.
Flanking him were the rest of the Capos, and they looked like absolute nightmares.
Ugo was levitating massive, house-sized boulders in the air with his Telekinesis.
Kamille stood nearby, her Spatial Excursion Quirk actively ripping terrifying, jagged black rifts in the space around her.
Simon was surrounded by massive, three-story-tall summoned monsters that growled and snapped their jaws.
Bruno stood like a spiked fortress, his Delay Spots freezing the falling dust in mid-air around him, while Deborah's Daydream illusions aggressively warped the visual reality of the entire valley.
Valdo didn't look angry. He didn't scream.
He just looked at Paulo with absolute, freezing disappointment.
"Valdo," Paulo cried, falling to his knees in the dirt. He raised his hands, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry! I had to! They aren't human! They wiped out the vanguard like it was nothing! I just wanted to live!"
Valdo took a slow drag from his cigar. He blew out a thick cloud of smoke.
"I gave you the blood of this family, Paulo," Valdo said. His voice was deep, echoing with a thousand percent of awakened power. "I cured your disease. I made you a god. And you bring stray dogs to my front door."
"Please!" Paulo begged.
"You broke the omerta," Valdo said coldly. He didn't even look at Paulo anymore. He looked right at the featureless grey masks of the two clones.
Valdo raised his hand. His Alchemy flared with dark, crushing energy.
"Tear them to pieces," Valdo ordered calmly. "Leave nothing to bury."
"RRRAAAAGH!"
The roar of the mafia army shook the valley.
Thousands of enhanced men charged forward, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. The Capos' giant monsters and flying boulders launched forward with them.
The distance was exactly five hundred meters.
The two masked clones completely ignored Paulo crying in the dirt. They stood shoulder to shoulder.
Inside the Kamino lab, All For One smiled. He pushed his consciousness completely into the vessels. He was driving now.
Through the featureless masks, All For One spoke.
He didn't pause. He didn't break his rhythm. Like a god dictating the rules of the world, the Strength clone rattled off its arsenal in one continuous, overwhelming breath.
"Muscle Augmentation. Hyper-Density. Spring-Like Limbs. Power-Up. Shoulder-Mounted Boosters. Bone Ironization. Impact Recoil. Kinetic Storage. Giant. Stress. Hardening. Shock Absorption. Vibration. Screwing. Cellular Overdrive. Tension. Weight Shift. Air Pressure. Adrenaline Pump. Multi-Arm..... 30+ "
RRRRIIIP.
KACHUNK.
CRACKLE.
The physical blowback was instant and horrific.
The Strength clone's body violently exploded in size, shredding its clothes.
Thick, jagged white metal bones tore right out of its knuckles and spine.
Four massive, extra arms ripped out of its torso. Biological jets burst from its shoulders, blasting blue fire. Its skin turned dark and rocky, throbbing with a sickening, high-frequency buzz.
Before the army could even process the monster forming in front of them, the Speed clone spoke.
Its cold, monotone voice rapidly fired off the second half of the arsenal.
"Engine. Overclock. Friction Diminisher. Jet. Burst. Synapse Acceleration. Light-Weight. Air Walk. Telepathic Prediction. Coil. Hyper-Reflex. Aerodynamic. Tailwind. Afterimage. Turbo. Adrenal Rush. Oxygen Intake. Momentum. Zero Gravity... 30+"
HSSSSS.
FWOOSH.
VMMMMM.
The Speed clone's legs hissed loudly as internal combustion engines flared to life. The dirt under its boots instantly smoothed into sheer glass.
Its body started to blur, vibrating so violently the air around it actually screamed.
Six physical afterimages snapped into existence around it, hovering an inch off the ground.
The physical weight of fifty Quirks activating at the exact same time hit the environment.
BZZZZZT.
CRUNCH.
The dirt road violently cracked and sank. A massive crater formed instantly.
The atmospheric pressure grew so incredibly heavy and thick with raw, unstable energy that Paulo was physically flattened against the dirt.
"Oh my god!!"
He clutched his throat, his eyes bulging. He couldn't draw a single breath of air.
The mafia army was one hundred meters away. The giant summoned monsters bared their fangs, right on top of them.
The clones were ready.
The Strength clone was a hulking, six-armed, spiked nightmare of pure, world-breaking mass.
The Speed clone was a screaming distortion of red heat and kinetic energy.
"Release," All For One said through both masks.
They vanished from the spot.
KA-BOOOM.
.....
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(9 Advanced Chapters)