Melissa walked out of her father's hospital room, barely holding onto her tears.
Somehow, putting up a strong image, she returned to her home near the Central Tower and threw herself on the bed, bawling.
Her father had done nothing wrong.
He had gone against the Shareholders' monopoly on his research, hoping to give it to All Might for the betterment of society.
It was Sam who had hired the real Villains.
Still, Melissa was strong enough to see her biased thoughts.
Sam could never have gone ahead with what he did without her father's approval.
So, knowingly or unknowingly, a great part of the I-Island's disaster's responsibility fell on her father's shoulders.
The Shareholders had already removed David Shield from the Chief Scientist position.
Even if they weren't sending him to prison, he would be confined to I-Island, working under the Shareholders' thumb for the rest of his life.
For a man who cherished freedom in life and thoughts more than anything, this was a much worse punishment, Melissa knew.
Yet, seeing some light in all this, she was just thankful that her father was alive.
Melissa still remembered those moments… when everyone was doing everything they could to get her father back.
All Might and Midoriya had pushed their bodies beyond limits to defeat Wolfram.
But then one more Villain arrived, injuring All Might and kidnapping her father again.
Even the rest of the students had been injured by the end of it, especially Deku — his helpless scream echoing in Melissa's ears.
Helpless…
Yes. Now, she realized why she was feeling so sad and relieved at the same time.
She, the 18-year-old prodigy, daughter of renowned scientist David Shield, couldn't do anything but stand there, letting others get injured in her place.
Uncle Might had almost died… died…
If it wasn't for that man's sudden appearance, she would have lost everything.
"There are other ways to thank me, Miss Shield," a voice echoed in her bedroom. "… I prefer laughing insecurities out loud, rather than letting them become tears…"
With a chill running down her spine, Melissa turned on her bed and looked at the source of the voice.
Leaning against her door, wearing a white greatcoat, a black mask, and a white top hat — it was the International Criminal and Terrorist —
"… Dr. Blessed," Melissa stuttered out the name, barely feeling her body. It was like a snake was eying her from a distance, goosebumps rising all over her body.
"Quirkless, indeed," Luke said, deactivating Spirit Vision. "Is that the source of your helplessness, Miss Shield? Or is it the fact that somewhere deep in your heart… you know that it isn't over yet?"
Melissa's heart skipped a beat. "… What… What do you mean?"
From the corner of her eyes, she spied her mobile on the table. But even she knew she wasn't nearly fast enough to call anyone before Dr. Blessed acted.
Moreover, there was something about his words — about the feeling in her heart.
"What happened yesterday was just a trailer," Dr. Blessed said. He casually walked over to the table where Melissa's mobile was and sat down. "The Villains have now gotten a taste of Quirk Amplification Device… like an animal getting addicted to human blood. They will come for you — to get to your father — to make him their puppet…"
Melissa put her hand on her mouth, letting out a terrified, crying gasp.
",,, and all this without knowing that the Device itself is flawed since the beginning," Dr. Blessed added.
What?! Melissa stared at the man who had saved her father's life and who was calling her father's life's greatest work, a flawed one.
"You see, the Quirk Amplification Device works by rapidly multiplying the Quirk Factors," Dr. Blessed explained, rolling Melissa's phone between his fingers. "Normally, and as per the prevalent knowledge in our world, this should have been fine. But… what if the knowledge itself is tampered with?"
Melissa was about to ask why he said so when, suddenly, she remembered seeing Wolfram at the hospital. That Villain was barely alive and was in a coma.
"There are these things called Spirit Particles," Dr. Blessed discussed. "They are part of one's Spirituality… Soul. Quirk Factors are nothing but a physical manifestation of these Spirit Particles.
"What Quirk Amplification Device does is rapidly multiply these Spirit Particles where they are gathered, taking the form of Quirk Factors in the real world. Unlike the Quirk Factors that don't truly interact with human biology, Spirit Particles are different, as they are the core part of the Soul. Do you understand what I am trying to say, Miss Shield?"
Melissa hated herself.
She had just been crying over her father's fate.
Now, she was sitting in front of a Villain… lunatic Villain, if she were to believe Midoriya, completely understanding his ridiculous words.
"… Cancer…" Melissa uttered the word.
"Bingo!" Dr. Blessed said, beaming at the girl. "What Cancer is for humans, Corruption is for Spirituality, Miss Shield. So, in a way, your father and his assistant have created a device that grants unlimited strength — at the cost of permanently corrupting one's soul.
"Of course, the Villains who must have gotten their hands on the Device wouldn't take long to realize that it isn't a grand treasure as Mr. David had claimed to be. So, what option would they have left, then?"
The tips of Melissa's fingers throbbed.
"Peace is relative, Miss Shield," Dr. Blessed said, getting up. "When evil grins at one place, devils laugh all across the world. A War is coming — and it will begin by sacrificing your father… Yes. You are Quirkless. But that doesn't mean that you need to be helpless as well."
Barely able to see the masked man through the tears, Melissa stuttered. "… How?"
Dr. Blessed put the mobile right next to the girl. "By taking one's fate in one's own hand…"
Melissa involuntarily looked down at the mobile and saw a number on the screen, saved under the name of Dr. Blessed.
Her head spun to the room's entrance, where a blackness had taken shape.
"… Why…" Melissa asked. "… Why did you help Papa and Uncle Might?"
"Because —" Dr. Blessed faced the girl, took off his top hat, and bowed, stepping back into the blackness.
"— Mr. Fool wished it so."
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