A few days later,
Behind a thick, transparent glass, Dabi lay unconscious on the bed, breathing through the medical apparatus.
The Leader of The Claws of Conformity, Hero Killer: Stain, watched the boy with his red gaze, stroking the exposed brain of the Nomu's head on his waist.
"Magnificent!" the voice echoed behind Stain, making him turn around.
Dr. Kyudai, All For One's most loyal subject, was examining the Quirk Amplification Device.
They had collected the Dabi from the mainland using Kurogiri's Quirk, despite him not knowing the coordinates.
For Stain, who was connected to the other Claws by something deeper than mere bonds, pinpointing their instant location wasn't hard.
However, the Dabi who had arrived here was barely alive.
A few moments longer, and the boy would have met the same fate as Wolfram — whose picture was being circulated pompously to celebrate All Might's latest victory overseas.
"Is it really that fascinating, Dr. Ujiko?" It was a low, deep voice — as if darkness itself had spoken the words — with a touch of humor.
Stain turned around and stared at the shadowed region, far behind Dr. Kyudai, where many tubes were disappearing into, seemingly melting into the space.
There, seated majestically on a high-back chair, wearing a metallic helmet, was All For One.
"Oh, it is, it is, Master!" Dr. Kyudai lifted his face off the microscope. "Wonderful piece of biotech. Once I reverse engineer it, perhaps we can do something about your…"
The scientist left the rest unsaid. Because of the coalition of so many Quirks into one body, All For One's body was failing to keep up with the evolution.
Mutation had become a core part of his life, now. With every passing day, the struggle between power and sickness was accelerating. Dr. Kyudai believed that with the Quirk Amplification Device, they could rein in the stolen Quirks as the device only amplified one's own Quirk.
With his master's All For One amplified, perhaps the control he had over them would strengthen even more.
And these thoughts of Dr. Kyudai weren't foreign to Stain.
Normally, and under different circumstances, he couldn't have cared less what Dr. Kyudai did with the device and to whom. However, things had changed.
Now, he couldn't let anything happen to All For One.
Hisses and incomprehensible mumbles bombarded Stain's mind, making him wince, nerves twitching on his face.
"… Yes…" Stain mumbled under his breath. "… I understand…"
He stepped forward and stood next to Dr. Kyudai, eying the device. "It won't work," he said. "This will only worsen your situation."
"Oh…?" All For One leaned forward, letting the metal on his face peek out from the darkness.
All For One was quite intrigued by Stain — and the strange powers he held within him. When the Hero Killer had approached him, asking for an alliance, he had thought that it was only for the injured Villains.
However, All For One had soon realized that he had been wrong.
Hero Killer Stain not only commanded respect from many Villains because of his ideology, but he was a member of an Organization, turning him from a potential pawn to a needed commander.
It was just — the guy was a bit crazy — and had an unpredictable, annoying tendency to stick his nose where it didn't belong.
"You have already given enough proof of your sincerity regarding this alliance, Stain," All For One said. "But — it doesn't give you power to contradict Dr. Ujiko's intelligence with no explanation."
Dr. Kyudai, hearing his Master taking his side, felt so much joy that he almost teared up.
However, All For One hadn't done that to please his loyal subject. He was just interested in hearing out Stain. Despite the craziness he carried around him, Hero Killer was quite an interesting specimen.
All For One was looking forward to the development if Stain kept providing his services to Shigaraki's League of Villains, despite him openly contradicting the man.
That would certainly hint that Stain wasn't as crazy as he was letting on and had much deeper reasons to be here than a mere societal reform.
"Indeed, I have my own reasons to be here, All For One," Stain said, still looking at the device.
"…" All For One's smile hung on his lips as if someone had frozen it. Slowly, the smile flattened, the tips of fingers throbbing.
"No," Stain continued. "I cannot read your thoughts, but I know men. Do you experience visions, All For One? Of people whose Quirks you have stolen…"
"Vestiges?!" Dr. Kyudai worded out.
"… I have never minded those fools," All For One admitted, losing the humor.
"Well," Stain said, smiling. "You would — if you were to put this thing on your head. It will not only amplify your Quirk, but it will also amplify the Vestiges, making them more — real."
All For One again sensed the oddness in Stain's words.
Why was he having a feeling that Stain wasn't lying, but knew it as a fact?!
"If we are to put this device to use," Stain said, "then we need to somehow separate its ill effects."
"And how do you propose we do that?" All For One asked.
Stain grinned. "I do not know that…"
"… then, why…"
Before Dr. Kyudai finished his angry remark, Stain added, "But I can figure it out… the same way I knew where to find Dabi."
All For One stood up and walked out of the darkness, towering over Stain. "What do you want?"
Stain remained unfazed against the thickening air pressure.
"That ice…" he said, his voice suddenly gaining a targeted vileness. "… It didn't belong to Endeavor's pawn. It was him. Dr. Blessed."
Dr. Kyudai gasped. "That can't be…"
All For One raised his hand, quieting the scientist. "Continue."
"The world is changing," Stain said, looking up at the metal mask. "The Sinner is getting stronger. Soon, Dr. Blessed will have enough power to barge through those doors and rip your mask off. If you want to defeat him and claim the world for yourself, then there's only one way."
All For One could ignore the fool named All Might, but he couldn't ignore the redness staring back at him. "What way?"
"Faith…" Stain hissed. "To make the world bend its knees in front of you — you must accept the faith of my lord —
" — Conformity!"
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