Chapitre 43: Chapter 41
The new year's have come and passed, Their group ---I should really ask about the name sometime-- have yet to return.
True to nature of mirroring the mundane realm, the winter season's cold has blanketed the eternal night of the other side. The supernaturals carry on with their lives as per usual even amidst the falling snow.
Despite my continued presence in their office base, there is not a person, spirit, or entity that even deigned to attack. Both Cen and Reiko-nee are well known and well connected, their friends and allies would have kept watch even with me here.
I wonder if this was Cen's indirect way to let me take a break. Once is enough of a scare so now she's actively making me relax? Perhaps so.
No matter. I suppose that I'll take her up on that before school starts. After all, if not paperwork then it would most certainly be patients that I would have to tend to.
From the window of the office, I saw a wandering street stall temporarily set up nearby. I decided to head on over for a bite ---after leaving heads for security-- of oden. A hot meal on a cold winters night lit only by lanterns hit the spot.
And as I expected, nothing of note has happened.
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The school began it's third and final term for the school year. This is also the shortest term, consisting only of two and a half months to finish.
What is on my mind, however, is not the lessons or lectures that we were about to have but rather it was something else.
The rate of appearances for instant villains have shown a steady decline almost as soon as the new year has begun. In hindsight, this seemed like a good thing to celebrate over, but wouldn't this just logically mean that different variations of trigger and other quirk boosters have started to stabilise?
Or is it that I have played a hand into it by-... Hold on, is it possible that the info I gave to Nezu to crack down on are the ones that are unstable to begin with? Information that was easily acquired precisely because it was no longer needed and had to be culled.
Culled by their enemies which are us. They could have also used the opportunity to weed out any potential moles, but I suppose that doesn't count since some else just walked through the front door unnoticed but still.
I couldn't help but click my tongue in frustration as it felt like I was played.
It could still count as a small victory as the numbers of instant villains continued to decrease. The amount of heroes and public servants wouldn't have to be stretched thin now that trigger wouldn't be so readily available en masse. On the other hand however, the instant villains that do appear would be stronger and generally higher quality than the ones that appeared before... Or they would have bought the more stable and cheaper option that somehow survived so I supposed that it cancels each other out.
Then of course, there is also the matter of the bio-engineered villains.
Another thing to worry about is that while instant villains are still in the notions of declining, a new factor like this cropped up.
Jogging my memory, I remember that the first time I encountered such a specimen would be in Shibuya during my patrol back in Halloween. They had been rare enough back then that I had the eel villain to be dismissed as a transformation quirk or a mutant quirk.
Granted, I should have noticed something was remiss with the scene and connected it to the plot of canon [BNHA: Vigilante]. Fading memories aside --I refuse to write it down. Mind readers and physics are a thing here goodness' sake, let alone literal magic!--, the fact I do remember for sure that it was supposed to happen in Naruhata and not Shibuya was not lost to me.
I shook my head to focus and bring back my original train of thought.
Point of the matter is that someone, somewhere out there is going through the time, energy and resources to purposely prod and alter someone's physiology to create stronger villains. If memory serves me right, the new drug is administered orally and makes the quirk rampage.
The new drug is less effective than the old form and lacks the psychotropic element. Meaning, that these are not meant to make people full-blown villains. That makes it easier to spread it around the streets as a casual designer drug. The ones behind this, aptly named Villain Factory, would then choose who to kidnap next by the display of enhanced quirks because of course they have moles in the police to gather data, or at the very least, A hired eye to keep watch somewhere.
Rumor has it that Mixers are a common place for this drug to appear in but I could only lament the fact that I look anything but mature for something like that even with a disguise. I can only look for other avenues.
No matter, I would still try and conduct a limited form of investigation on my end. It would hinder any long term plans from AFO if I am successful. After all, it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together to figure out that these villains are simply the prototype for the Nomu.
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"-And that's about it." I said to the officer in front of me.
"All right." He nodded and tucked away his notepad. "Take care and have a good day."
Due to the increased appearances of dangerous individuals, I had to postpone much of my combat lessons to my friends. Though admittedly, Uiharu was happy she was freed from excruciating exercises.
My friends are strong, yes. They can handle themselves in an normal hostile encounter but instant villains became a thing and now remodeled villains are the taking the spotlight. I cannot, in good conscience, allow them to cross paths with such a thing.
Which is why I am doing both my standard patrols and 'volunteered' patrols, as I've just done taking care of that now-apprehended ruffian. To finish the day with a job well done, I decided to go the grocery store and to buy a treat for myself with a warm dinner of mushroom hotpot.
And speaking of friends and lessons, Kuroko has been doing well with her studies of wards. It helped that part of her aptitude is space which aided her.
Before, she was only able to teleport herself or whatever she touches but now, with great effort, she can teleport something or someone else without the need for direct physical contact. I mean, the accuracy is pretty low and she can't do it with larger sizes yet --So many heads lost to walls-- but still, progress is progress.
Likewise, I feel that we have also naturally gotten a bit more closer as friends with how much time we've spent in each others company. She has been very eager to know more about my side of the world considering that she grew up with stories of the supernatural.
There's also the time when she consulted me about a potential haunting cause in her school. When I snuck over at Tokiwadai late at night to check it out, there wasn't really anything amiss that was found so she figured it was someone's quirk or a prankster in their midst.
In any case, that was how I'm was put on her speed dial. Both for supernatural consultation and Recovery Healing Services.
But of course, my friends are not the only ones that have progressed in the past few months. Excluding the slight across-the-board increase in my capabilities, I have also been making strides in studying how to use unassisted f-
It was right then, when my instincts started screaming at me.
"Ah..." I slowly looked over at the source of sound with bated breath. There was no denying it, The white hoodie and open jacket, that exact same spiky hair held up by gel. "It's you from back then. Thanks for fixing me up and all that. How have you been?" And that appendage. That dreaded weapon he calls a hand.
"Right..." I started while taking a few steps back. "It was Sensei who did most of the work at that time so if you're thanking anyone, it should be him." 'Calm down, me. Subtle breaths. And don't forget to keep your eyes on the insta-kill hand.'
"I already did." He laughed a bit as he scratched his cheek. "I get hurt a lot, see? So I ended up in the hospitals often."
"I see..." Is he alone? How about index? Or are there any mages nearby? My scans aren't picking up anything, the only anomaly is the blank space where Touma stands. "Do you want me to heal you again?"
"Nah." He waved his deadly hand in a casual dismissal. "I'm not that hurt. Just a few minor bruises here and there."
"Hm." I nod. "Small injuries can't be helped if you're that unlucky after all." 'Does he not know about the dragons yet? Sports festival already passed and- it's another canon divergence isn't it?' I groaned internally.
"So you knew... Is it my medical records or something?"
"Not at all." I lightly shook my head. 'I should tell him a bit so he wouldn't accidentally kill me.' "One look at your right hand was all I needed."
His expression shifted from a casual smile to suprise and finally, understanding. "Wait so... Is that why, wait. Why was Index glaring at you, then?"
"Long story short, I'm different." I said vaguely as we're still in a public space. "If you wanna know more about the details, ask her or someone similar. But for now-" I moved in closer to his left ear to whisper, the grocery basket in my arm shielding me from his hand. "Don't touch me with your right hand. Me, and others like me, will die from your touch so be careful."
"Oh. I-is that so." He nodded stiffly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Good." I smiled, although it wouldn't be obvious through my winter scarf. "Now then, as a celebration for our meeting, how about I pay for your groceries?"
"What? No, I really shouldn't-"
"You should." I cut him off. "Think of it as a favour then. Next time you see someone like me, reign in your hand first and hear them out. Not everyone is a bloodthirsty villain."
"But-"
"All right, let's go~" I ignored his weakening denials as I gently pushed him along from behind. After all ven without meta knowledge of his story, it wouldn't take a genius to know that his misfortune also affects his wallet. Not to mention the appetite of the little glutton of a roommate referred to as Index.
'Might as well earn some brownie points from the magic-killer. Could come in handy. Heh. Handy.' I mused a slight bit.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Yumiko_Tamade
Yumiko_Tamade Another time skip. As you may have noticed, Kizuki is the 'right people for the right job' kind of guy so he doesn't interact with EVERY plot of a story he encounters. Stuff in the background happens by itself and is only mentioned in passing. Lazy protag? maybe, sure. But I'd say realistic cause no one can do everything by themselves even with an army of heads.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone