Leo Simon
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All For Myself Chapter 18
🕑 Added 2023-06-03 15:43:54 +0000 UTCKenzo Akakuro nervously played with the collar of his shirt as he stood among a crowd of villains and powerless weaklings in some run down warehouse on the outskirts of Jaku City.
He didn't want this job in all honesty, who would want to be assigned to infiltrate the evil base of a Quirk stealing fanatic, a man who fought All Might to a stand still but he wasn't given much of a choice, the HPSC made it clear that there would be consequences if he refused the job so he had no other options than to grit his teeth and bite the bullet.
The reason he was practically forced into doing this job was because of how perfectly suited his Quirk was for this mission. However he also had next to no experience in infiltration, spy work, acting and his Quirk isn't suited for battle, of course the HPSC just shrugged his worries off and told him to just do the job.
But like he said he wasn't given a choice, he simply needs to get information on this insane group of Quirkless rebels and slip away when the heroes collapse on them and take them all down.
He remained silent as the crowd around him dissolved into whispers that all instantly fell silent when a single man walked into the middle of the stage with a friendly smile on his face.
He looked surprisingly young, as though he were hardly a man himself yet he carried with him an air of confidence and certainty that was enough to catch Kenzo's eyes.
However the moment he stopped red eyes locked onto his own and he felt a wave of fear hit him like nothing else before. It was enough to make him quiver like a leaf for some uncontrollable reason and despite the man's demeanor not so much as twitching he felt like this white haired young man was a falcon and he was a tiny little mouse that was hidden only by thin blades of grass.
However the man seemed undisturbed since he shifted his eyes and attention back to the other people in front of him and in response Kenzo let out a breath he didn't know that he was holding in.
"Hello and before we start I'd just like to say a thank you to all of you for being brave enough to come here and listen to my reasons about why you should join Paragon, it's not easy to go against the grain and just for coming here you've all got just a little bit of my respect." He gave them some words to butter them up and Kenzo narrowed his eyes in response to this delusional fools ideals.
In a moment his demeanor completely shifted to one that made Kanzo subconciously straighten up his spine." However I'm going to have to give you all a warning that what we do won't be easy, we'll shed blood, sweat and tears during the incoming conflict against the status quo, it won't be easy, you'll have to push both your body and mind to your limits and need to fortitude to endure and help us beat this system."
His eyes seemed to dart around the room so that he roughly got to look each of them in the eye as a sign of respect." So I'll ask you now do you stilp wish to join? If not then you can walk away now and wash your hands clean of ever being here. But if you still wish to stay and hear me out then do so, you can leave at any time, I won't stop you nor force you."
Even if Kenzo had a lot of distaste for this maniac there's no denying he's a half decent leader.
The crowd stirred and gazed around each other before looking back at the speaker and to his surprise nobody left despite his words.
In response the man smiled at them charmingly." Wonderful, though before any of you join you should hear my ideals, you can't join a group like mine without having similiar views to ours. To put it simply we believe that this system in place is antiquated and doesn't do enough to actually help the minority groups that don't fit what they see as normal, in this system being a hero is what everyone aspires to be, be it for the fame, money or being able to use your Quirk, if you have no chance of being a hero then your viewed as lesser by others. However not everyone is given equal chances in this life to be happy or successful, this system is far too biased towards those with ideal Quirks to the point of obsession, people born with them are given a massive boost compared to the rest. But what if your not born with a Quirk that's particularly strong? Or one that people don't find pretty to look at? You might even not have a Quirk at all. This imbalance has led to a series of problems and prejudice in this system who is meant to do what's best for all of us, am I powerful? Yes I am, but I'm still just one man, one man can't do everything, and I'm not a fool like All Might who pretends that he can, I need help to achieve my dreams and that's why I'm up here now doing my best to sway your minds, because not all me are born equal but they should be and if you join my organisation then you'll get a front view seat when we do."
Okay Kenzo has to admit he's not too bad of a speak-
Suddenly he burped extremely loudly, he would have been embarrassed with himself if his stomach didn't feel so weird and his mouth tasted like-
"Bleeeghh!" He suddenly threw up a strange grey mud that kept on puring out of his guts until he was completely surrounded by this substance which shut the world around him out.
His world turned dark and he felt extremely scared of what the hell was happening to him before the world returned to him and the back of his neck was being held painfully as he was forced to kneel in front of the crowd he was just a part of.
Instead of confusion all he felt was fear as the infamous Quirk stealer laughed as though he found the whole situation hilarious.
"Hahahaha, I'm sorry Kenzo Akakuro but did you really think that would have fooled me? Oh Jesus you really did! I knew the Commission weren't the sharpest tools in the shed but this is just idiotic!"
The crowd heard the word commission and some even gasped as they looked at Kenzo who was shaking in fear and discomfort that he was now under the hands of Ryoto Saito and knew that he could probably be killed if he so much as budged the wrong way.
Ryoto stopped his laughing but still had an amused smirk on his face which seemed to look down on Kenzo." I knew that the Commission would try and pull something like this, and honestly I expected better, did you really think I'd be studpid enough as to not check out the people who I recruit?"
He then held the man up with absolute ease and seemed to show him off to the crowd as he squirmed and tried to wiggle out of the iron grip that the powerful man had on his neck to no avail.
His words were serious and slightly threatening." I just want to clear something up about my organisation, you can leave any time you want, but traitors? I can't tolerate them."
Suddenly Kenzo felt his body lock up and his muscles felt so lax that hs couldn't resist anymore.
He was then made to kneel down with his neck being in great pain as Kenzo continued to nail in his point." This was a man that claimed to be Quirkless when an ally of mine recruited him however that was a terrible lie, he is an agent sent by the HPSC to gather information on Paragon and take us down from the inside. He is a liar and a coward named Kenzo Akakuro who sailed through life with the use of his Quirk 'Telecommunication', it's a useful ability which allows it's user to talk to someone who they make physical contact with remotely, it works no matter the distance and can be used on five people at a time. A truly rare ability that he's lucky to have."
Ryoto then scanned the surrounding room and his eye met the one of a girl near the front with a red bob cut. He pointed to her, much to the surprise of the girl who looked to be around sixteen or so.
"What is your name?" He called casually as the man who intended to infiltrate the ranks of Paragon remained mostly unmoving. The sight scared the girl a little but she spoke anyway.
"Uhh, it's Kiyomi." She said the word rather timidly and in response he merely smiled in a cordial way that made her relax a little but not completely.
Ryoto spoke as though it were only him and the girl in the room and seemed to radiate an aura that made him easy to talk to despite the fact he held a struggling man with his left hand." Why don't you tell me a little about yourself Kiyomi, what kind of person you are, the life you've led and how you ended up here."
The entire crowd was entirely silent and the girl seemed to be embarrassed at the massive amount of attention she was receiving." Well I was born here in J-Jaku and it's just me and my mum, or well it was until she... passed away."
Ryoto actually formed a sympathetic look and looked at the girl with understanding and comfort as he slowly walked down, with him merely leaving the man behind to collapse to the floor as though he were paralysed." I'm sorry to hear that, though, if your comfortable giving the reason, why was it just your mother and you?"
Kiyomi seemed to wince a little at that but despite the fact that she was holding back tears she still uttered out the words." Well my fat- father was there with us too but he... he left when I was five."
Ryoto saw no indication that he couldn't push further and so he kept on walking off the stage he was on at a leisurely pace as the crowd opened a path for him to get closer to the girl." Was there a reason as to why he left?"
The dam that held the girls tears back seemed to break at those words and she just said quietly." It's because I'm Quirkless." The way she said the word was as though it were poison.
He approached the girl and gave her a hug of comfort much to her surprise." It wasn't because you were Quirkless it was because your father was a fool. The fact that you are alone has nothing to do with being Quirkless itself, it's to do with this system that, not only allowed but actually encouraged such a terrible way of thinking to grow, there's nothing wrong with you. It's this world that's wrong." He gave her his words of comfort as she silently sobbed into his shoulder and got tear marks on his suit, though he didn't seem to mind.
He then took the girl by the hand and guided her on stage and asked her the simple question." Would you like this man's Quirk?"
The audience and the girl herself all had their eyes wide from shock.
"You-you would do that?" The girl spoke with hope in her voice and red puffy eyes from tears.
In response Ryoto nodded with a small smile on his face." Of course, you've been through so much that you didn't deserve, as someone who was once Quirkless I know how hard it is, being denied these amazing abilities that so many undeserving people just have naturally, feeling lower because of it when in reality your bullies are the ones beneath you. You deserve far more than this backwards spies Quirk I can promise you that. So I'll ask you again do you want his ability?"
Kiyomi started crying again but this time she didn't seem as miserable or solemn." Of course."
At those words Kenzo started sweating bullets at the reality of the situation hit him, he didn't want this, he didn't deserve to have his Quirk taken! He has to get out of here before that maniac does something!
Kiyomi got on her knees in front of Ryoto who walked over to Kenzo who's eyes were darting everywhere as the only sign of panic that he could show.
He dragged the man over to where the girl sat and the entire crowd watched in fascination as he placed his hands on both Kiyomi's face and the spy's face.
Ryoto looked at her and gave his advice to the girl." My Quirk is painful if you resist, no matter what you feel just let it happen."
The girl looked at him weirdly but didn't mind a little discomfort if it meant getting a Quirk. Suddenly though her body felt as though cold water was dumped on it as a red aura seemed to surround the three and Ryoto's eyes glowed brightly.
The crowd were fascinated by the display as Kiyomi closed her eyes and felt her new power try to enter her body but did as Ryoto said and simply let it happen.
The process for Kenzo however wasn't as smooth, he clinged and desperately tried to hold onto the power which he's held his whole life, what made him him and couldn't allow some Quirkless nobody to get what's rightfully his.
However in the end he was powerless ti have his Quirk violently ripped out of his body as the red aura dissipated and he fell unconcious as a result and dropped to the floor.
Kiyomi however was feeling the opposite she flexed her hands and touched her face as she felt something inside her that's never been there before. She cried and wiped her tears of joy away as a relieved smile appeared on her face." Thank you so much, I'm forever in your debt. If you ever need anything-"
He shut her feelings of repayment down immediately." You owe me nothing, that man didn't deserve his power, you know what it's like to be weak, and that makes you much stronger than any of your oppressors. Live your life and be proud of yourself, that's more than enough to repay me."
Kiyomi wiped her tears away and rose to her feet with a smile she couldn't shake and a new feeling of life inside of her that made her heart feel like it was bursting with positivity." Of course."
He smiled at her words and turned to the crowd which up until now had been silent. He speaks to them honestly and sincerely as they were captivated by his very figure." What I seek in short is to use my ability, this power which so many people would like me dead for, this power which I've been blessed with to help the people who need it, those of you who know discrimination will understand what I mean, I'm not superior to someone because of my power, I'm not superior to anyone in here who knows the pain I know, what makes a person strong is more than simply their ability, I believe that what makes a person strong is what they do with their life and how they act towards other, that is reap heroism."
He opened his arms out boldly to the crowd and stated." I need everyone here, strength is what will change this world for the better, I need people who are strong like you, because knowing what it's like to not have power is what makes you powerful, you deserve so much more than what this society has dealt you, join me, fight with me, bleed with me and we will make the world a better place. Use the feelings of pain and anger that you feel for the world and make it a better place! Show them that they should have never underestimated you and the people like you because every single one of you is just that much stronger than they ever could hope to be! Because you've been fighting this world's hatred all your lives, lend me your strength and together we'll make this world an equal place!" He passionately spoke to the crowd of people who listened to his speech and were completely captivated by his words eventually people started to speak out.
A mutant man with a Quirk which gave him a snake head said." I have been beaten and harrassed all my life for looking the way I do, I'll help in any way I can." He stood forward with conviction and certainty, the words of the young man in front of him clearly had a big effect.
Several more people stood forward and slowly but surely every single person in the warehouse was looking determined by the words of a leader that they could follow.
Ryoto allowed himself to grin as a purple fog swirled and opened behind him in the form of a portal that would take them to base.
"Then follow me." He spoke as he turned and stepped through the misty gate.
People eyed the portal warily at first, however Kiyomi trusted the man who gave her a power that she's wished for her whole life and steps through, seeing the girl go through was enough of an insentive to make everyone who decided to join, one by one, make their way through the portal, leaving behind nothing but the Quirkless and unconcious form of Kenzo Akaguko in an empty warehouse.
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"What do you mean you failed?!" Kokei Morinaka lost her composure for a moment as she received the news that agent Akakuro was captured basically the moment the enemy layed eyes on him and was now Quirkless. This was bad.
Kenzo Akakuro was picked because of his extremely useful Quirk that could be used for long distance communication with whoever he chooses to speak with being untraceable and undisruptable over long distances, he was tasked with finding the base of this group of villains and they would track his location using GPS however that plan has clearly failed.
Kokei Morinaka is the president of the Hero Public Safety Commission, also known as the HPSC, she was the Vice President until seven years ago when the old president was murdered by the Commission's own hero, Lady Nagant.
Frankly part of Kokei wanted that woman to suffer and die but she controlled that part of herself, Kaina Tsutsumi has spent nearly a decade rotting away in Tartarus and the president has no doubt that spending such a mind numbing amount of time in a cell with nothing to do with her time but age and stare at the ceiling with her own thoughts was a worst fate than death. And hopefully that rifle wielding whore will be there until she's old and gray.
Kokei momentarily thought about putting Hawks on the job but immefiately shot down the idea, that boy was far too soft hearted and was still a relatively knew hero with a job to do in the daylight, he wasn't a coldhearted underground assassin like Nagant was, so involving the boy was likely not a vert good idea.
What's concerning is how fast this group is expanding right in front of their eyes, they've shown that making a big move against them is a mistake, the attacks on both Hosu and Kamino are proof of that, they put all their best heroes on watch and struck both hard and fast, as a result the unshakable image that they've spent decades building up is beginning to crack and the crime rates have risen, not a whole lot but just enough.
At any rate attacking them head on is clearly not the way to go, especially with that things ability to steal Quirks and give them to his allies as though he's handing out candy, so instead of throwing strong Quirks at him to take going for a more subtle approach is the key here, Akakuro was the best man for the job, his Quirk allowed him to become one of their best guy's in the chair and gives him the ability to easily link with an heroes that they have out in the field, it seemed like a good idea at the time but with how he was instantly taken down it's obvious that they went about this the wrong way. And now another useful Quirk is in the hands of the enemy.
This battle feels a lot like a chess match where he's picking off all their pawns one by one, eventually they'll have no choice but to throw their best pieces at him.
The thing is that what Ryoto is doing just doesn't make sense, he's so openly recruiting and expanding his work that eventually he'll be too big too stop, they have to do something to him.
The idea of equality. That is essentially what his group is fighting for, most of them are mutant and Quirkless outcasts of society that grew tired of the way that they are treated. They don't seem to know their place.
Keiko isn't blind to the facts that he brings up but they just don't matter to her, if it means that the majority are content and have faith in them then why does it matter that dying breeds like the Quirkless get called a few names every now and then? She knows that they face discrimination but why does that matter in the grand scale of things?
If there's one thing that Kokei Morinaka has learned in her fifty years of life it's that humans are imperfect creatures, they love to hate and only unite when they choose to hate something together, the Quirkless and Heteromorphs of this world are the ones which bite the bullet so that order can remain, that fact cannot change if the HPSC wants to maintain power by exploiting their hatred.
Plus that thing cannot be allowed to roam anywhere other than the deepest, darkest depths of Tartarus prison, All For One was an overlord of darkness who ruled over Japan with an iron fist without the people even knowing it. 'The Demon Lord of All' he call himself. It's a miracle that he was even taken down to begin with, if a second one who wanted to take over the real world were to gain power and support then society would once again be under their tyrany.
Ryoto Saito has to disappear no matter the means or what they have to do.
