Chapter 10: The One Acting from the Shadows

On Behalf of the Almighty.

The Yaoyorozu family was in panic upon discovering the disappearance of their daughter. In such a situation, any parent would be anxious, especially considering their influence and status. It was clear that ordinary villains wouldn't dare to do this; it seemed the work of someone much more powerful.

"Calm down, Yaoyorozu-san. I will find your daughter for sure," I confidently stated with a friendly smile, trying to reassure the distressed mother. "And rest assured, I will save her."

"Thank you, Almighty," her husband nervously replied. "Your help is invaluable."

"We've managed to trace their trail!"

An assistant's cry caught my attention.

I glanced at the screen, where a blinking dot indicated their location, and immediately headed there. My abilities allowed me to reach the spot in just a minute.

To my surprise, from a distance, I noticed several people emerging from the building.

In front of me, amidst the rising dust cloud, stood a young man. He wore a worn-out dark sweater and pants, his face concealed by a mask, but his green eyes were visible.

"Perhaps, a rookie hero? No, doesn't seem like it. Vigilante?" flashed through my thoughts.

I shifted my gaze beyond him and spotted two children, likely the ones he had just rescued. So, he wasn't an enemy to me.

"I don't get paid enough for this..." the youth mumbled, and to my amazement, instantly vanished from his spot.

But I was prepared for such a turn of events. Appearing before him instantly, I blocked his path.

"No need to rush, young man," I said, trying to soften my tone. "You've done a commendable deed, and I appreciate it! But please wait a bit; I need to learn some details."

He didn't avert his composed gaze, which was unusual for me. Usually, people greeted me with admiration or fear, but his gaze conveyed neither.

"...Fine," he sighed quietly, responding.

"Excellent!" I exclaimed, feeling relieved.

***

From Toji's perspective:

After the Almight asked me to wait, I assessed my chances in my mind. Certainly, at first glance at this colossus, it was clear I couldn't stand against him. But looking deeper, a sense of withering crept into my mind.

If he tried to detain me, I would have tried to escape without hesitation or taken one of the guys hostage. But if everything could be resolved without unnecessary trouble, I preferred the second option.

Just as the hero opened his mouth to ask, a group of cars approached us, and journalists with cameras started getting out.

Unfazed, the Almight headed towards them, diverting all attention to himself. Well, I promptly made my exit. Since such an opportunity presented itself, it would be a sin not to take advantage of it. Besides, I had fulfilled his request and waited for a bit.

The next few hours, I roamed around the district and even managed to visit a few neighboring ones, trying to cover my tracks. Wet from bathing in rivers and all dirty, I glared at the laughing Kon.

"Ha-ha-ha, just look at... yourself!" he persisted until I punched him in the gut. He began gasping, but I just headed towards the bathroom to take a shower.

After a refreshing shower, I went to the kitchen, where a gloomy intermediary was already waiting for me.

"So, how did it go?" he asked. "I thought I lost such a good executor when you hung up."

"Fine, except for a little trouble at the end."

"You mean the Almight? I saw the news," Kon smirked, playing the video on his tablet. "You're a celebrity now! Not everyone can remove the Almight!"

"I don't care," I waved my hand, pushing the tablet away. "At least, I'm here now and not at the police station."

"Yeah... it would've been unpleasant if it all ended up with the police," Kon, leaning back in his chair, smiled casually. "By the way, I've already transferred the money for the job. You did great. Want to celebrate this with something strong?"

I slowly shook my head, sipping some tea.

"Alcohol doesn't agree with me. But I wouldn't mind a good steak," I replied, placing the cup on the table.

"Ha, you always know what you want," Kon replied, getting up from his chair. "I know a great place nearby. They serve incredibly tasty beef!"

My sixth sense kept nagging at me, indicating that something was off. I had learned to trust it. If it didn't settle down, new troubles would soon appear on the horizon. But for now, I decided to simply enjoy the moment.

***

In the depths of the mountains, amid rocky cliffs where it seemed there wasn't a soul, a spacious underground laboratory was hidden. The walls, covered with metallic panels, reflected the flickering light of modern screens and monitors, creating an atmosphere of cold scientific rationality. Here, among sterile tables and numerous devices, the spirit of cutting-edge research thrived.

In a dimly lit room, behind a monitor, sat an elderly man whose face was illuminated by the flickering glow of the screen. On the monitor, frames of Toji repeatedly disappearing from the scene played endlessly.

"Everything went even better than I expected," the old man muttered quietly, his slender, exhausted body tense with excitement. The electric chair slowly slid towards the depths of the laboratory.

"I spent so many resources and time to create him," his voice continued wearily. "Had to abduct that girl from the Zenin clan for experiments on the offspring."

A photo of Toji appeared on the screen, accompanied by numbers displaying his physical parameters and health status.

"The perfect body... This is the true evolution of humanity, not the disease you spread, All For One. If only my elder brother had supported me, together we could have reached the pinnacle of the world. But he chose a carefree life, leaving behind only a multitude of descendants who formed the Zenin clan. Nevertheless, they proved useful as materials for experiments."

Initially, I hoped the child would inherit the ten shadows and develop them stronger than my brother. But something went wrong, and the child was born without the cursed energy. It was a failure. But when I checked him a few years later, I discovered he possessed immense potential. A superhuman, immune to the quirks, an anomaly in this world...

"A little more, and I will take over your body," Kogoro Zenin grinned widely, his eyes shining with ambition. "But first, I need to ensure you'll be among the heroes, so that All For One cannot seize my creation."

He sat in his electric chair, like a lord observing the world he intended to change. He believed he had created a superhuman, but the truth was different. Even without his intervention, Toji would have obtained the Heavenly Curse. Yet, thanks to Kogoro's experiments, Toji's physical abilities and potential increased manifold, turning him into a true marvel of evolution.

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