HAV Chapter 25 progress preview

Here's your feed, you pirahnas. I want to build things up before delving into the epic fight scenes. Might be a super long chapter ahead. Or in parts. Also, check out One Punch DxD: Neo. And Stardust of Remnant.

Alright, shameless advertising over.

"Why do I not kill?"

Garou and Chisaki sat around a table as they discussed over tea.

Snacks were on the table, suchi and tempura laid out while Chronostasis and Shin Nemoto stood beside Chisaki.

It was during the month they were preparing for the invitation event.

"Why should I kill?" Garou asked back.

"A sane person would kill the heroes they detest." Chisaki answered.

"I doubt they would be sane. Have you seen the villains? Are they actually sane?"

Chisaki remained silent.

"That's a good argument." Chisaki admitted.

"Always killing my enemies is a fool's path. I cannot inspire fear if they're all dead. What's the point of being a symbol if all you do is kill everyone? Strength and violence will be all that I am. I want to be something more." Garou answered.

Chisaki widened his eyes at Garou’s argument.

"That is a very unique answer. The common troglodyte would usually call you a coward for not finishing what you started."

"That only counts for short-sighted dregs that only live in the moment. My goals are more long-term. Besides, if I only kill, I would be the symbol of death instead. I want them to fear me, not death itself."

"That is true, true. And you refused to hunt the heroes anymore because…?"

"The effects… of my actions came different than I hoped. And… my expectations did not go as I wanted. I haven't even fully gone all out and I'm already at the level where I can end the world. Me, someone that couldn't even defeat my own master. And I defeated All Might before my first month came to pass… that is when I started to notice something is wrong. Tell me. What would happen if I were to drag All Might’s body to the camera and announce his defeat to the world? Would I truly unite the world through fear if I did that?"

Chisaki remained silent.

Chisaki imagined the scenario, Garou standing before the world holding All Might's head, displaying his victory over heroic oppression.

"...Every Villain in Japan would be spiked by excitement. They would be high on freedom like never before, and all would consider you the top candidate as king of Japan undisputed for the time being." Chisaki decided to be honest. "There will be massive chaos. Villains will be on the rise. We will try to make use of this chaos to our advantage with some difficulty. You will be branded as the number one enemy of the world. Everyone would despair in your presence, unite every hero in the world under one banner."

"And if I continue to crush the heroes and the villains until they're no more?"

Chisaki paused as he imagined the scenario. Shin Nemoto and Chronostasis listened, intrigued by Garou’s unique philosophy.

"The world would despair for a time. You might be able to force the heroes and villains to truce… though there will be others trying to emulate you. There will be people trying to grab power in that hopeless world when people are at their most vulnerable. Mostly those with hidden agendas without the world's best interests at heart."

"...Nothing good would come out of it, would it?" Garou asked.

"No. Humans are complicated creatures. They would soon fight each other in the wasteland… and the world is such a large place. There are seven continents and three land masses separated by water, barring Antarctica. It would be inefficient for a single man to go from country to country to renew the spark of fear. There would be nothing but suffering. And… I think it is good that you decided to spare All Might beforehand now that we talked."

Chisaki spoke honestly.

There would be nothing good coming out of Garou’s intended vision. It was good that Garou sensed the problem in his path, even though indirectly.

Garou inhaled as he looked up at the ceiling.

“You thought about the consequences ever since you defeated All Might, didn't you?” Chisaki guessed.

Garou’s silence answered his question.

"Then what should I do?" Garou asked.

Chisaki tapped the table.

"...A symbol… is meant to bring a message to the world. You want to unite the world indirectly through fear. Why not try to do it directly, be straightforward with your message? That way, you would gain extra hands and comrades that are willing to support and strengthen your cause."

Garou exhaled.

"Will they actually follow me? No… Will anyone even listen to my message?" Garou asked.

"You severely underestimate your reach. You have the spark, you just need to harness it."

Gaeou took a shrimp tempura and dipped it in soy sauce mixed with Wasabi. He crunched it as he chewed, silently ruminating.

"I think I might need time to sort out my message. I have the theme… but I need to make out the context."

Chisaki understood.

"May I hear the draft at least? To get an idea?"

Garou swallowed.

"...I always hated how the world tends to… betray its own moral conduct in the stupidest way possible. I want… to make everyone see the errors of their ways and suffer from it."

Chisaki nodded.

"I hate how this world functions. Giving approvals to those that did not earn their way up. Or fail to give others a chance to truly prove themselves otherwise. I hate unfairness… no, the world will always be unfair. I despise unjust unfairness. Those who do not deserve it, those with the strength and the potential to become something more are all… hindered by useless and warped ideas…"

"Good. Good." Chisaki nodded, getting a good summary of Garou’s ideas.

"...I want to punish the many for their sins against the innocent few. Truly innocent and force them to sin… but the heroes… they're only tools in the end to keep evil away."

"A legacy of All Might."

"...All Might… you know, thinking about it, I was actually going to become something like All Might. Handling all of the world's problems on my own… and doing nothing to actually cure the source. Weakening the world, potentially worsening it in the process… alright. I have an idea now." Garou squinted his eyes at the ceiling.

"...and?" Chisaki asked.

"I would like more food. I have much to think about."

"Of course." Chisaki nodded.

“...She does sound like a strong woman.” Sir Nighteye commented with a small smile as Toshinori sat before him in his agency building.

Toshinori informed Sir Nighteye of everything that Toshinori learned so far that night. He asked for the woman’s phone number so they could talk when her nephew was away regarding how to handle Garou, everything that she knew about him so far.

“This is very valuable information. Still a shame that we could not use it before Garou decided to become the Demon Lord of Hosu.”

“Hahaha… yes.”

The two remained silent as they ruminated in silence.

“...You're back to your full strength now.” Sir Nighteye repeated.

“Yes.” Toshinori nodded.

“How do you feel?"

"...Like a curse has been uplifted after so long. I've forgotten what it's like to breathe properly until now."

Sir Nighteye smiled at Toshinori's recuperation. To think that the prophecy could be so easily broken like this.

"Do you think you can take on Garou?”

Toshinori looked down on his hand, unclenching and flexing his fingers.

His memory replayed his fight against Garou at Dagoba and compared that Garou to the current one.

“...I don't know.”

The current Garou was too strong, way too strong.

“We should prepare for your inevitable confrontation with Garou tomorrow. I just hope Garou will play the script well enough.”

Sir Nighteye sighed.

“...Did you find a place to stay? You could stay at my agency.” Sir Nighteye asked.

“I don't want to embarrass you or your sidekicks. And I'll definitely get caught if I overstay my welcome.”

It was more like he would be embarrassed to face anyone if they knew that he was now homeless and without a coin to his name. Right now he was surviving on donations from his successor and some raw fish he managed to take with him.

It was a bit tricky setting up a fire in an alleyway and roasting them over it. He did it for practice for the hardships to come.

“Shame. Do you have plans on where you might stay?” Sir Nighteye asked.

“...I was thinking of staying at Izuku’s home for a while.” Toshinori confessed.

“Why not a hotel? I can pay for it.” Sir Nighteye asked.

“I can… but I think that it is better if I learn to humble myself in poverty first to prepare myself for what's to come. Also, you've done enough for me. I think it is time for me to learn how to take care of myself a little.”

Sir Nighteye pushed his glasses up.

“...She really is a strong woman for you to finally start considering that.”

“I know.”

They smiled as a warm peace descended between them.

“...And be sure to send the boy my apology. I was wrong about him. It takes strength to give up One For All.”

“I think it is more like he admires me a lot. He has the selflessness of a true hero.” Toshinori smiled.

“Heh. What will you do after you manage to restore trust in our society?”

Toshinori hung his head in thought.

“...I think it is time for me to do more than just making sure people are safe from danger.”

“Are you sure?” Sir Nighteye asked, placing his elbows on the desk. “There are still disasters roaming around Japan. Not as much as they used to since Garou did cull the villains at the cost of the heroes.”

“It is best that I make sure that there won't be anymore victims like Ghin.”

“...Even if it is you, you cannot do much about the general bias against mutant-types. You can bring people together by their idolization of you, but that can only go so far.”

“...Hearing this, I think I am starting to understand why Garou has many idolizing fans as well.”

Toshinori heard a recording of his speech. It was empowering, resonating with those that were betrayed by the world unjustly.

“Do you know where to start?”

“...Not yet. Appealing to the public is all I can think of.”

Sir Nighteye chuckled at his idol’s short-sightedness.

“We’ll figure that out together. But just to make sure… are you finally planning to let the other heroes do their share of the work?”

“Garou is always complaining about them being ‘too weak.’ And that I'm coddling them too much.” Toshinori chuckled.

“Makes me wonder if we should start a training program to rectify that. Unless Garou is planning a way to empower the current heroes himself through some bizarre means, like Chisaki fusing the extra bones and organs into you.”

“Ahahaha, even I know that it is beyond his power to try that. There's only so many spare organs to give.”

Both heroes laughed at the prospect.

“The Quirk Awakening Phenomena…”

Within the conference room, sitting at a massive mahogany U-shaped table, Garou watched as one of his subordinates, a studious researcher mutant with eyes all over his body, approached him. He had no hair, each of his many eyes were iris red, and he was wearing a lab coat.

Something that stood out to Garou was that the many eyes on his body had bags underneath them; like he’d spent a number of all-nighters on the task he had been assigned.

Sitting around Garou were the leaders of the Yakuza groups, Arnold Taronsasu - Ghidora Wyvern, Tenno Sukuito - The Golden Spider, and Kyoretsu Aku - The Vajrayaksa.

They were with their respective bodyguards.

Chisaki was amongst them, listening to the newly hired scribe, their researcher and archivist.

Marko Levaron, the man in a red-visor gask mask and full-body brown duster, Kendo Rappa, the brawler, and Hekiji Tengai stood behind the Demon Lord of Hosu.

Hekiji was a tall, slim man with short, spiky pale hair. His eyes were perpetually closed as he stood behind Garou as one of his bodyguards.

He wore a traditional dark-colored yukata with a pair of geta on his feet, a long white piece of cloth acting as a belt around his waist. He was not wearing a plague mask this time.

The entrance leading to the conference room has a red Tori gate, meant for emergency travel to and fro the top floor.

“Master Garou, I have completed the research on everything you asked regarding Quirk Evolution,” the man with many eyes bowed, his eyes tiredly blinking. “Everything I’ve compiled is right here.”

“Tell us what you know at least since you're here, Takusan Miru.” Garou gestured.

“Y-Yes, Master. The Awakening… it is a very rare occurrence. Under stressful circumstances, it is possible for even a ‘junk’ Quirk to evolve into something greater. Like I said, it is very rare, but I managed to find one prime example with the help of my fellow researchers,” he said with an excited gleam in his eyes, before a tired yawn passed his lips.

The man stumbled forward towards Garou as he placed the binder on the conference table and slid it toward him. At the very front of the presentation were a number of photos with timestamps on the back. The oldest of the photos was of a skinny, college-age guy with sleepy-looking eyes picking up trash while wearing an All Might hoodie. Some of the pictures after that were of him fighting what appeared to be black-tongued Villains with no shirts on. The most-recent of the bunch was a newspaper trimming of the person in question joining the Captain Celebrity Agency over in America, wearing what was clearly a Hero-grade costume, an airliner bobbing in the river behind him like a bath toy.

“Koichi Haimawari, whose Quirk Development and Awakening received the most exposure, was a former College Student, now-Hero. Born in Japan with the ‘Junk’ Quirk [Slide and Glide], this ability allowed him to project a repulsive force to traverse flat surfaces as long as any three parts of his body were in contact with the ground. As he continued to use his Quirk in the Naruhata area however, his Quirk began to… evolve.”

“In what way?” Garou asked.

It was another project Garou wanted, to explore every avenue of improving and evolving Quirks through sheer effort, instead of letting God roll the dice for everyone.

“I-It wasn’t anything so-drastic as ‘Awakening’ right at the beginning. If anything, as his powers grew, it was more on a technical scale, the sort of thing that a more-flexible Quirk with many possible uses could be taught to do through repeated and varied application. Initially he was only as-fast as a bike, he could only go forward, and he couldn’t slow down; but after receiving lessons from Ingenium, he gained the ability to stop on a dime, spin, and completely change his vector in an instant, as well as moving backwards and sideways. His speed later on beat that of a runaway bus, though nowadays he’s capable of catching up to a passenger plane mid-flight.”

“Hoh?” Garou mused, sounding intrigued. “And someone like this became a Vigilante instead of a Hero?”

“W-Well… according to an in-depth analysis of his past before high school, it turns out he was late for his application because he was… well… He jumped into the river to save a little girl who was drowning. Because he was late, however, he was ultimately… cut from the program entirely, so he went on to a normal high school, and then a normal college, acting as a quote/unquote ‘Vigilante’ in his spare time to pick up trash, retrieve lost wallets, and give people directions at the station, before fighting Villains wholesale when Ideo Trigger started spreading in the Naruhata area.”

“...That… is extremely petty and inefficient for a hero system.” Garou scoffed, shaking his head with disbelief.

At the very least, jumping into a river to save someone when a Hero wasn’t around should’ve gotten him bonus points…

“Y-Yes. Another ability of Koichi’s was that instead of a repelling force, he later discovered an adhering ability that let him cling to surfaces with as few as two limbs; and not just walls, he could also cling to ceilings as well. Around the same time he also possessed the ability to fire repulsive blasts from his hands. At first they were around 90 to 110 millimeters in diameter and only projected as much force as much as a thrown rock… but later on when he was protecting one of the Villain Factory victims in a hospital, he’d been shown to be able to hit targets as small as a toolbox from the top of an office building a block away. Another ability of his was the ability to slide up walls as long as he had enough momentum to carry him, adding further verticality.”

“And when exactly was it that his Quirk ‘Awakened’?” Garou asked, since most of this genuinely did sound like the result of lots and lots of hard work. According to the file, the ‘Villain Factory’ in Naruhata was when a new Quirk-boosting drug, Ideo Trigger, began creating ‘Instant Villains’ en masse; civilians caught performing villainous acts with no prior convictions on their records. The common denominator was a blackening of their tongues due to decrease in blood circulation.

“Er, well, see, after a few years of this, right as the Villain Factory incidents started to die down, he was reported being able to ‘double jump’ with his Quirk. Initially its limit was two jumps in mid-air before he had to land… but then the ‘Giant Exploding Villain’ attacked during the Naruhata Lockdown and he just… didn’t have to anymore. He could double-jump and shoot through the air as much as he wanted without any repercussions with speed comparable to a ballistic rocket; an ability he used to escape the Endeavor Agency after rescuing the ‘Instant Villain’, Bee☆Pop,” he said explained, Garou finding a before-and-after shot of a pink-haired girl in a skimpy devil-themed outfit with a skirt so-short it might as well have been a belt, who later had darker skin, a more bee-themed outfit, and explosions going off in the background behind her.

“His repulsive force field was also able to extend over his entire body, allowing him to survive explosions that’d killed many other Heroes previously. His arguably most-powerful ability was compressing his repulsive force to his knuckles, allowing him to deliver explosive punches capable of damaging Villains with Gigantification Quirks, though since that time the Giant Exploding Villain was made of a fiery plasma-like energy, its true power has been hard to assess.”

Garou’s brow once again piqued. A ‘sliding’ Quirk that let you hover over the ground, turning into straight-out flying was most impressive. The still of the ‘Giant Exploding Villain’ having holes blown clean through him during the Naruhata Lockdown as-well, was comparable to the damage of S-Class Heroes back home.

‘And they passed up on someone like him just because he was a little late…?’ Garou mused to himself.

“After the Naruhata Lockdown… There were a great deal of damages, and just-prior to it he’d been able to escape the likes of Edgeshot, Best Jeanist, Ingenium, and Eraserhead simultaneously after the HPSC came down on him after four or so years of active Vigilante activity, while in a prior incident he evaded capture from Endeavor and his Agency when they came out in force. The HPSC lost a great deal of face over the entire thing, because after the Naruhata Lockdown, people started coming forward with sightings of Koichi being placed at the Tokyo Sky Egg Incident; an occurrence that All Might didn’t remedy until the last possible second. As a result, Koichi had to flee overseas to the Captain Celebrity Agency in America where he re-branded himself ‘Skycrawler’. He stuck his foot in it a few times while he was still learning English, reciting parroted lines at the worst possible moments… but lately his popularity’s been on the up-curve. People over there really like an underdog story, I guess, and not being in the shadow of a Hero like All Might has really allowed him to come into his own. That he can stop planes from falling out of the sky has earned him popularity points as well, because as powerful as Quirks can be, very few Heroes can actually use them to catch up to a falling plane, let alone slow them down enough so they don’t crash and kill everyone on board.”

“You sound like you put a great deal of effort into all this research,” Garou said leafing through the extensive report. “Why is that?”

“Ah, yes, well… My wife was on Skyfall Flight 400 when its engines lost power,” the man said scratching his cheek. “When I found out you wanted to know more about Koichi… I figured I should do him justice, so I pulled a few all-nighters pulling every scrap of information I could together.”

“ . . . Seriously? All this growth, and no-one even bothered to check on how his Quirk evolved?” Garou asked, completely baffled. It’d take a while to read everything, but by the cliffnotes version alone, this Koichi Haimawari was already stronger than the majority of Japan’s current Heroes.

Even if he had that dopey, sleepy look on his face and had an obsession with All Might Hoodies he mused spying a picture of him posing with tourists in a ‘I ♥️ N Y’ All Might-style hoodie.

“N-No, Koichi did not go to a Quirk research facility, nor did anyone reach out to him.” Takusan shook his head. “I don't know what to say. He just spent his days doing hero work as a sidekick in America, doing whatever he wants. Government and scientific institutions don't tend to pry into their lives and ask them to be guinea pigs.”

“That is a complete and utter waste of a good opportunity to learn more about Quirks.” Garou shook his head with disbelief.

There were nods from the other heads.

Aaron’s left head spoke, “It is a wasted opportunity.”

His right head spoke, “Tsk, hearing it just makes me angry.”

Tenno, the Golden Spider spoke, “If you wish, I can try and send an envoy to America. Or a team to abduct him for experimentation.”

“No, I have questions. I'm not sure if I can learn anything from him, but I think we just need data from his experiences at least.” Garou shook his head. “I am not sure if it is just pure effort or something more unique to each individual, just like how their Quirk functions. Still, send someone to reach this Koichi for questioning regarding his experiences. We don't have the proper equipment or capable scientists to study the concept of Quirk evolution. Search for anyone that has achieved their Awakening and question them as well. What was their experience, their thoughts, in what situation, everything.”

“Y-Yes, Master!” Takusan bowed before the Demon Lord and ran out of the conference room.

“Well… this is enlightening.” Chisaki tapped his chin.

“No one bothered to research this Awakening?” Garou asked. “With how much media exposure he got?” he said eyeing a comprehensive timeline of when new abilities displayed themselves. Hell, his growth hadn’t even stopped when he went to America, because now he was able to channel his Quirk through vehicles as well, on top of projecting forcefields capable of repelling Gigantification Villains.

“It is extremely rare even in a population of billions. So rare that many didn't consider that criteria.” Chisaki explained.

“Exceptions must be made. A society built on the foundation of power unearned would only bring misery in the long run.”

Everyone nodded, agreeing with Garou’s philosophy.

“Moving on, what's the status of our… political prisoners?” Garou asked.

Kyoretsu Aku - the Vajrayashka - answered, “Shin Nemoto is continuing to extract every drop of worth, their methods, their ways of skirting around the law, how they keep their money's secret, and organizing everything in detail with my team. What should we do with them once they're of no use?”

“Keep them alive, but in case they decide to show any resistance, do whatever it takes to make them docile. See if we can use them to barter some exchange… oh wait, if possible, perhaps we can use Twice’s Quirk to create a clueless spy, one with a listening device implanted in their brain.” Garou offered.

Multiple mutters of approval erupted.

“An ingenious idea. We will see to it at once.” Chisaki nodded.

“How is our purchase of the dwindling stocks of Jahutt Bank, Solohan Food industry, Amidala Pharmaceutical, and the others?” Garou asked.

It was their great plan based on the motives of his followers - sunder the corrupt rich elites, dwindle the stock value of their corporations, and after stealing all of the money of the rich elites, they would use said money to purchase said stock, obtaining a vast source of income.

The Boss, Chisaki, Garou, and Arnold came up with this idea after Marko revealed his purpose, a plan to generate income through more honorable means… despite their methods being subterfuge, theft, identity theft, and blackmail.

“Everything is going smoothly, Master.” Arnold’s left head answered.

“We set up dummy accounts so that the government can't trace it back to us. We got this.” The right head answered.

“And my… personal request?” Garou asked.

Everyone remained silent.

“...We do not know if there is such a Quirk user, but we sent a team as you requested. Finding someone with such a powerful Warp Quirk is… It is not easy finding a specific Quirk that is not within the government Quirk registry.” The Golden Spider informed.

“Tsk. Alright, I can be patient. If all goes well, maybe someone with such a Quirk would come to me.”

“Speaking of someone… we have a message from Giren.” Chisaki spoke out. “There is someone that wishes to speak with you, one of Giren’s most powerful and influential clients.”

Garou turned to his associate.

“Is the person worth my time?” Garou asked.

“...Very. Have you heard of the myth about a man that once ruled the Underworld through the power to take the Quirks of others?” Chisaki asked.

Garou did encounter some rumors in his search.

“I would be a fool if I didn't. I don't even know if he is real, though.” Garou did try to hunt for that man once, but no matter which gathering of scum he invaded, organized or random, he couldn't find a trace of him.

“He wishes to speak with you on a possible alliance.” Chisaki answered.

“Alliance? I don't think someone with a penchant for taking Quirks is looking for an alliance. Maybe long-term domination with every single Quirk here taken or something similar.” Garou scoffed at the notion.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Garou’s assumption.

“Yes. How do you wish to proceed?” Chisaki asked.

“Since none of you met this man, I'll at least grant the courtesy. However, since the man has who knows how many Quirks, tell Giren that I demand the right to choose the location, time, and means of communication. Bring those with long range Quirks by my side and arm them to the teeth. I want to know who I am dealing with before I make my decision.”

“Wise choice. I will inform him of that.” Chisaki agreed. “Next on the list is the stream of new residents. The number is above the projected estimates. Working families and those looking for work are accepted, and the homeless old dregs are being assessed for their worth. We have a few corporations reaching out to us now, sensing a business opportunity with this much money funneled into our Hosu. I suggest we negotiate terms with them and have them at least pay rent.

As for the Arena, we are hiring workers to create a more viable battlefield to suit your needs, Master. It will take a month for full completion, but you can still use it whenever you want.

Our funds are still in the billions. We managed to use some of Shie Hassaikai’s other territories to start weapon production at the very least. We will train our most loyal men with firearms at first with Marko’s guidance and experience. Then let us move to the crux of the matter.

Your training. When and how will we begin?”

There was so much to do that Garou didn't have the time to set up a schedule to personally train the majority.

There were gems with good Quirks and skill sets amongst them, some that Chisaki refined. Goliath had a leg injury when he did battle against Endeavor in the past, one that made him a half-invalid, but he recuperated with the help of Chisaki, his body stronger than ever.

“I am thinking… hmmm, tomorrow or so. As for how, I don't think they have the patience or discipline to go with the traditional methods. I will put them through the basic exercises first and pit them against each other to assess their combat skills. Once their energies are thoroughly stable, I will see if they can learn my martial arts. Also, I need some way to torture them with mind-breaking levels of training. I can't exactly take them to the mountains, so I will settle with them doing something like climbing the stairs with hundreds of floors. While carrying anvils.”

They could only stare at Garou in silence while digesting his approach to training their men into great warriors.

“...I don't know if we can purchase iron anvils en masse like that but… I'll see what we can do.” Chisaki wondered if he could make do with reshaping scrap metal instead of actually purchasing the anvils.

Garou was serious when he said that he would test their mind, body, and soul. They just hope that all of them can pass the test.

“And the crazy girl that tried attacking me?” Garou asked.

“...Some of our followers are advocating mercy in her case,” Chisaki carefully worded.

“Why? I looked up her file. The level of ‘unhinged’ she has under her skin is not something I think I can work with,” Garou asked.

The psychotic girl sneaked into his office while he was alone and attempted to draw his blood from behind with a syringe. Garou caught the hand at the last moment, scaring the girl, and forced the girl to flee. He witnessed her disappearing trick, a unique application of erasing one’s presence. Imagine her surprise when Garou ‘instantly’ appeared in front of her and held her neck to inspect her.

She took out a knife, though Garou immediately took it and brought said knife to her throat. She looked like she was in awe as the guards came and took her away after Garou knocked her out.

“We have a few followers that met and conversed with her. They… bonded before we sent the invitations. They were hoping that we’ll at least spare her.” Chisaki asked.

Garou stared at his associate.

“...Schedule an appointment for me to speak with her. I'll dissect her head before I make my final judgment.”

Chisaki nodded.

“Ahem.” Tenno coughed into his head. “About that casino…”

“I'll inspect it tonight.” Garou answered.

“Ah, thank you. We managed to spread enough advertisement to garner the attention of many high class individuals like you asked.” Tenno nodded.

It was a secret project for the Golden Spider to see if he could curry favor from the Demon Lord before the others. And see if he could entice the Demon Lord a little.

“Good. That will be all. I want to see the income rising in the next week without complication. Intimidate the legal team a little if you want to use my name, but don't overdo it. Oh, and Kai, prepare for your quest. We will need the publicity.”

“Understood.” Chisaki nodded.

Endeavor, now as Enji, entered the hospital.

Ever since Garou defeated him the second time, the past started to haunt him even more.

He realized that he relied on the little worth he still had left as an excuse to push his family to the limits, desperately clinging to it to fuel his desire to surpass All Might.

Only when it was lost did he realize what kind of man he really was.

“I would… like to see Rei Todoroki.”

The giant man with red hair requested the receptionist.

“Um…” She did not need to know who the person in front of her was, the Number Two Hero, Endeavor.

“S-She is in the usual room. But… there is another visitor speaking with her, currently.”

Enji wrinkled a brow. “Shoto?”

Enji walked towards the hospital halls and walked up the stairs. He already knew which room he sent his wife in the psychiatric ward.

He opened the door leading to his wife’s room.

His wife looked back at him from her bed, the light of the sun still shining through the window beside her.

The woman on the bed, under the white sheets, stared at him, her white hair grown over her shoulders and her long bangs covering her face. Her face was gentle, mellow, yet her eyes looked tired.

Sitting in a chair beside her was another man that Enji could not recognize at first.

He had white hair.

Once upon a time, he would have terrible purple scars decorating his face. Normally, he would keep his hair dyed black.

A demon mask was worn on the side of his face.

“...Old man.” The man greeted Enji as he widened his eyes at the man.

“......No… don't tell me…”

The memory of his deceased son overlapped with the man in front of him.

“...It is Touya.” Rei had tears running down her eyes.

Enji fell to his knees as all of the emotions he had buried under the ashes for so long resurfaces like a volcano bursting.

“...W-Where have you… But I…”

“...Mother can tell you.” Touya smiled at him. “I did not expect you to visit… though I should expect it since you are technically shamed. Tell me, how does it feel to be humiliated like that? Heh, Garou knows how to release years of resentment in one fell swoop.”

Enji bit his lower lip trying to stifle his emotions before they could break through the dam in his heart.

“...W-What were you up to? All this…”

“...I was planning a way to get back at you. Once.” Touya answered, giving Enji a sidelong gaze. “I am now Garou’s follower. One of his… Demons.”

Enji grimaced at the name, but he couldn't blame Touya for joining him.

“Joining him was the right choice. I was not in a good state. Should we have meet like this before I joined, you would've seen me riddled with scars.”

Enji did not understand.

“...What…”

“Like I said, ask mother. I don't feel like repeating myself to you.” Touya shook his head. “I will say that I have been busy as his follower. Did you know that we are going to sunder the corrupt elites that run this society? Honestly, it feels… much better than simply retaliating against heroes. I am already a high-level member of Garou’s Silver Fang. I am around the cusp of ‘Disaster Level Demon’.”

Enji did not understand the terms Touya was using.

“...Disaster Level?”

“It is Garou’s personal ranking system. All Might in his current condition is around Demon as well.” Touya smirked. “Though I suppose I am that high because of my Quirk. Garou is preparing to train us and impart his skills to his followers. I now have a path I wish to follow and see through to the end.”

Touya rose from his seat.

“W-Wait…” Enji still had so many questions. There was still so much he wanted to say to his son.

“I still don't forgive you, father.” Touya answered.

Enji knew from the bottom of his heart.

“But I still owe my family an apology. Tell Shoto… tell Natsuo and Fuyumi that their foolish brother is sorry for the trouble he caused. May my message bring them peace.”

Enji was helpless when Touya walked past him, leaving the room.

He stared at Rei, his wife, unable to parse his emotions.

“...Are you here to talk?” Rei asked Enji.

Enji simply hung his head.

“...I lost my words… and will to speak when I saw Touya…” Enji answered.

She smiled kindly.

“I know… but if you don't try now, then you might never hear what Touya had done to survive.”

Enji grimaced as he inhaled.

“...Yes… yes…” Enji exhaled, lifting his head to look into his wife’s gentle eyes.

He slowly walked to the chair and sat down. He inhaled again, trying to muster the strength to continue.

“...I would like to hear it.”

Enji listened as Rei narrated what happened after that fatal accident that day.

How he survived, who pieced him together with the flesh of corpses, and how he escaped the prison called the orphanage to return to his family.

Enji’s expression fell to despair when he heard that Touya did return to his family home and how he reacted to his training of Shoto, how he saw his father discarded him so easily.

How he perceived it.

The only thing that kept their son alive was the sheer resentment he had for his father, for Shoto… as he did not have long to live.

The thing that ironically released him from that curse was that one moment where Garou destroyed his image with that iconic attack.

Rei laughed when she saw the video as well. She didn't think someone like a top ten hero would suffer an embarrassing injury like that, causing Enji to blush.

“...I didn't think he was the kind of man to resort to that.” Enji admitted.

“What kind of man is this Garou?” She asked.

“At first… A violent beast that must be put down. Everything that you heard about his beginnings is true. He was out of control. But he was strong, too strong. He was drowning in his own power… I thought I could accomplish where All Might couldn't.”

“You were wrong.” Rei answered for him.

“Yes… very wrong. Then he started to change… he made an arena and… stopped hunting heroes all of a sudden. He still fights any hero or villain that dares to challenge him.”

There was a small silence between them.

“I didn't have the courage to face our children. Natsuo laughed at me and mocked me when I returned. Fuyumi just… giggled. Shoto smiled for the first time and chuckled…” Enji inhaled and exhaled. “I deserved that.”

“Yes, yes you did.” She smiled.

“...Then things grew more complicated when Garou decided to annex Hosu as his territory. The public is confused, some in an outrage. Now, he has an army, and… he crushed All Might just like that. That was the real All Might… I know it.”

“...did you come here hoping to find the strength to surpass All Might again yourself?” Rei asked.

“...Yes.” Enji nodded. “But… I didn't expect to see Touya. I…”

“...He has been through a lot.” Rei looked down on her hands on the white sheets. “...He has changed. He looks up to someone else other than you, now. He told me how he got fixed. A capable man able to deconstruct and reform anything, even people. And he could use his Quirk to repair even Touya. Touya said… it was like being reborn again. He could finally see, hear, touch, smell… even taste the world again in a new light. He knows he can live again. Which is why he came to me. He… admitted that he was on a dark path. He dedicated his entire life to finding a chance to make you despair for your crimes…”

“...Garou saved him from himself… the consequences of my mistakes. Did he do that intentionally?” Enji asked.

“I asked him the same question after listening to his praises.” Rei giggled. “Garou doesn't have time to know everyone personally. He's always busy finding a way to change the world, he said… Touya said that he was part of a special team responsible for kidnapping the corrupt politicians and business magnates. The ones with the massive scandal that ruined their careers.”

“That was Garou’s doing?” Enji was surprised.

Enji led the crackdown on everyone linked to them.

It was a difficult battle, mercenaries armed to the teeth, hired villains, and more. But they managed to apprehend them all to the court, the judge finding them all guilty in the end.

The same goes for the corrupt lawyers as well, all sentenced to thirty years in prison.

“Touya is happy.” She smiled. “I… want to meet this Garou. Touya will see if he can gain enough favor to bring him here.”

Enji couldn't believe it.

“...I hope he succeeds. I… want to see Garou again.” Enji agreed. “I want to know how he changed.”

He wanted to see if he could change like that as well. He wanted to know why Garou changed.

“...Are you still planning to challenge him?” Rei asked.

“...He took something important from me.” Enji admitted. “I need to get it back, whatever it takes.”

Rei understood the meaning.

“Buuuut… I don't see that happening anytime soon.”

Enji looked away. He had a long road ahead of him.