"Thanks, David!" All Might said, regaining his muscle form. "I will see you at the party!"
David Shield, the Chief Scientist of the I-Island, watched his friend go, smiling. As soon as All Might disappeared, though, his smile settled into a frown.
After making Toshinori go through checkups, he found out that All Might's Quirk Factors had gone down immensely. Compared to six years ago, it was like looking at the peak of a mountain and the bottom of a sea trench.
David had known a Villain had injured All Might after going back to Japan years ago. However, it was to this extent, he couldn't have imagined. This made it all important to get back the device.
The door to his lab opened, and Samuel Abraham, assistant to David, entered the room. The source of thɪs content is 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵
"They have neutralized the security guards," Sam said, his eyes becoming hard behind the glasses. "Are you sure, David? I can still call them off… With All Might here…"
"No." David shook his head.
After All Might's sudden appearance today, he had indeed contemplated calling off the Villain attack. However, that was then, and this was now.
With those injuries, David wasn't sure if All Might could continue to be the Symbol of Peace.
"We need our device back, Sam," David said, taking out his mobile and looking at All Might's image he had taken when he was in America. "We need it — for him."
After years over years of research, David and Samuel had invented a device to amplify one's Quirk Factors without affecting the body. For this, they had taken the notorious Trigger as the basis, which had caused panic all over Japan years ago.
Trigger could amplify one's Quirk using a chemical dose, but it also enraged the user, causing severe mental harm. If taken frequently, a few doses were enough to cause permanent, irreversible changes.
Of course, these weren't the effects David had been looking for.
The device they had created, though, had succeeded in amplifying one's Quirk Factors without causing any physical harm to the user.
David had named it — Quirk Amplification Device!
However, after seeing its potency, all the shareholders of I-Island, backed by governments from all over the world, decided to never let the device go public. They were afraid of the device falling into the hands of Villains, causing loss of lives and wealth all over the world.
David had scoffed at their unfounded worries. If given to a Pro Hero like All Might, then it could be in the safest hands, bringing peace and prosperity instead.
Despite David and Samuel's constant pleadings, the sponsors had rejected their requests, locking the device in the I-Island's Security Vault.
But neither David nor Samuel could bring themselves to let it go so easily.
After waiting for months, they went so far as to hire fake Villains, hoping to use them to steal the device.
To their utter surprise, though, the day they decided to follow through with the plan was also the day All Might just happened to arrive on the Island.
"We cannot afford to lose more time, Sam," David said, putting away the mobile with a smile. "This is it, my friend. This is it."
"What about All Might?" Sam asked.
"… I will think of something," David replied. "Make sure you tell them not to hurt anyone."
Then, patting his assistant on the shoulder and sharing a warm smile, David went deeper into the lab.
Behind him, Sam let the warm smile on his face linger a while longer before spitting it out.
"You have gone soft… David," Sam said, narrowing his eyes. "If you had just let me take control of the device when it was still time, then I wouldn't have gone this far…"
Unknown to David Shield, Samuel Abraham hadn't hired fake Villains… but real Villains.
It hadn't been difficult, either. A scientist like him had an immense reputation even in the underworld.
I-Island had a security that was on par with the most secure prison — Tartarus.
So, not many Villains were ready to take on this job, given there would be many Pro Heroes attending various events on the Island as well.
However, after many days of searching, someone had called him, offering his services for the job.
That had come as a surprise, though a much-welcomed one.
Now, Sam wanted to sell the Quirk Amplification Device to those Villains, instead of giving it to All Might.
With how All Might was, if the governments asked him to turn over the Device, he would gladly do that. Wouldn't that make all they were pointless again?! What would be the point of stealing the Device and giving it to All Might, then?!
No. Sam couldn't have that.
It was his. The Device was his! Why must David alone decide to whom it should go?!
Grinding his teeth, Sam took out his mobile and sent a text — All Might is here. You are allowed to do anything you want to get the Device.
In the security room of the tower, Wolfram, the Villain hired by Sam, read the text and grinned. "All Might? … Haha. Will sure do, Boss. That was the plan."
His crew readied the weapons, donning masks.
As Wolfram put a mask on himself, one of the crew members approached him.
"Yes?" Wolfram asked, looking around to see if anyone else from his crew was listening.
"Do not kill the scientists," the man in black clothes said, his eyes darkening behind the mask.
Wolfram frowned. "That wasn't what Master…"
"Your Master isn't here…" the man warned. "I am."
Wolfram narrowed his eyes as the crew member returned, joining his fellows. "Tch!" he grumbled under his breath. "Fucking psycho!"
As if All Might wasn't enough, this bastard had to tag along with him as well.
But then Wolfram remembered what his Master had gifted him for this mission, and a sinister grin surfaced on his face. "Let's go!"
Around the same time, at the Expo outside —
— Luke found himself surrounded by all the girls.
AN: Up to 60 more chapters are available in advance across three Tiers. [Use the link in my NovelHub profile to access all options]
You can even subscribe Trial Tier for just 1 dollar to have an experience of exclusive chapters for an entire month. I hope a few of you will consider supporting the work.
100 Power Stones: +1 Bonus Chapter