Iwao Oguro opened his eyes, whiteness blurring in his vision.
There was a distinct buzz in his ears, as if someone was screaming from afar. His mouth felt dry.
When he couldn't remember where he was, his experience forced him to feel his fingers, trying to assess his physical situation.
But, as per habit, he didn't try to move his toes because doing that would pain him like hell.
The moment he thought of his legs, though, Iwao's eyes shot open fully, getting blinded by the sudden exposure.
Yes.
Now, he remembered.
The screams coming from afar weren't of someone else's, but his.
His heart beating loudly against his chest, Iwao propped himself on the bed, moving his toes.
It was gone, Iwao's eyes widened. The pain was gone. He could feel his legs… They almost felt foreign to his body, which had become accustomed to not using them without support.
Yet, Iwao knew they were his.
Better than ever.
Suddenly, the door to the Surgery Room opened.
Seeing Iwao, who had slid off the bed at some point, and was doing jumping jacks, Kazuho's eyes popped out, her mouth hanging low.
"Master…" Kazuho said, dumbfounded. "… He did it?"
Iwao shared Kazuho's shock, a thrill coursing his veins.
Yes. Dr. Blessed had really done it.
The fanatic had contacted them a few days ago, saying he had finished creating a new underground lab.
Then, he had offered to resolve Iwao's leg issue first.
Unfortunately, Dr. Blessed told them that no matter how powerful a Healing Quirk he might use, Iwao's legs would never be healed fully.
This was something Iwao had already confirmed.
If the injury had been fresh, then it could have been healed entirely.
However, with years already passed since the Naruhata Incident, his legs had lost their original strength, making such Quirks useless.
It was then that Dr. Blessed had proposed something outrageous.
Outrageous enough to even make Iwao think it over a dozen times.
I will break your legs thoroughly, Dr. Blessed had him. Bones. Flesh. Everything. Then, taking advantage of the fresh injuries, I will heal them from the scratch. Your legs will regain their original strength. They might even get stronger.
If these words hadn't come out of Dr. Blessed's mouth, he would have never gone with it.
Let's not even mention the sheer dangers and variables involved. What if the procedure ended up failing? Wouldn't he come out in a much worse position than the one he already had?
Despite these unnerving questions, Iwao had sensed an alarming confidence in Dr. Blessed's voice. It had felt like the man was too proficient in handling surgeries and bloody procedures like this.
The feeling had shocked Iwao because, if he wasn't wrong, then Dr. Blessed couldn't be older than 16-17. Even if he possessed a youthful face, he could be as old as 20, perhaps.
Still, too young to possess such confidence.
But the truth was right in front of Iwao.
Dr. Blessed, as claimed, had done it.
Iwao and Kazuho looked at each other, a smile surfacing on their faces.
"Master!" Kazuho's eyes blurred as she threw her arms around Iwao, congratulating him.
"If you two have caught up," a voice entered their ears, "then please come with me. Master is waiting for you."
Iwao and Kazuho's heads snapped toward the entrance, but they couldn't see anyone.
"Down…"
Their eyes landed on a black cat, licking her paws. Then, saying nothing, she turned around and walked away, giving them an annoyed look.
Iwao and Kazuho's mouths twitched, a question rising in their hearts simultaneously.
Just what is Dr. Blessed's Quirk?!
…
Kazuho, dressed as Pop*Step, with a fake left eye, and Knuckleduster, wearing his normal Vigilante clothes, and with a jump in his steps, entered a dimly lit, circular hall.
There was a long table in the middle of the hall, with many chairs on either side.
Dr. Blessed, in a white lab coat and black mask, was seated on the far end of the table.
Iwao and Kazuho exchanged a glance and proceeded to sit on the chairs next to Dr. Blessed, opposite each other.
Dr. Blessed looked to his right at Iwao.
Then, slowly, he looked to his left at Kazuho.
"Before beginning," he said, "I want you two to think it over. This is it. Once you step into it… there's no turning back. The enemy you saw a few days ago was just a hint. Things will get bad. Then, they will get worse.
"It's possible that both Con and Sin will come after us now. They might come after the people you love. Your family. Your friends. If you decide to leave, then I will not stop you. Consider my treating Mr. Iwao's legs a gesture of goodwill."
Iwao's fingers balled into fists under the table. Was Dr. Blessed really a kid? If the man behind the black mask was indeed that young, then why was he… an old man… feeling so much weight in his voice and words?
Opposite him, Kazuho looked down at her hands as well, twisting her thumbs.
"Will…" Kazuho asked, hesitating, "… Will I be able to jump again, too? Like before…"
Dr. Blessed looked at her and nodded.
Iwao and Kazuho shared a final glance.
It wasn't about gaining power.
They knew it in their hearts.
It was about being involved. Last time, in Naruhata, they had been in the thick of all the events. Yet, till only a few months ago, they had remained aloof to the true enemy.
Now that they knew that the true enemy might be some god-like figure, they couldn't just sit it out, hanging around at the periphery.
And Dr. Blessed, for all the madness this man carried around him, gave them a chance to step out again… with confidence.
"As long as you wouldn't harm innocents," Iwao said, nodding at Dr. Blessed, "I don't mind becoming Mr. Fool's follower."
Kazuho took a deep breath. "I want to help, too," she declared. "I don't want… the people around me keep getting hurt to save me."
Nodding at them, Dr. Blessed snapped his fingers, and a set of white lab coats and black masks appeared in front of Iwao and Kazuho.
Dr. Blessed stood up and opened his palm between them.
"I don't know what the future holds for us," he said, making a fist. "But, I can promise you one thing —
"— In the coming War, we, the Apostles of Mr. Fool, will dictate our own fate."
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