"Greetings, dear readers! It's KaleidoMirror here once again.

This new project marks my final pending story for Alex-Keller's writing contest. From now on, I'll focus on catching up with chapter updates, finally giving priority to the most requested ones. The truth will become more apparent later, with the intention of creating other crossovers. Well, I hope you like it. I'm not sure how it will be perceived, but I hope it's well-received. Currently, I'm halfway through a crossover between Fate Stay Night and Go-Tōbun no Hanayome, but I think I'll leave it as a last option.

I trust you'll enjoy this proposal, written with sincerity and a deep appreciation for the works and franchises of My Hero Academia and Fate/Stay Night.

Without further ado, I present to you the prologue of 'Lonely Golden Ashes.'

Are you ready? Let the adventure begin!"

Kyudai Garaki currently enjoyed an exceptional social standing. Recognized as a skilled and respected scientist and physician, he projected an ideal and noble personality in all humanitarian aspects. His great wit and potential allowed him access to government funds and sponsorships from medical institutions since his student years, earning multiple degrees and leading socially impactful projects that left a mark on both the government and the private sector.

In less than ten years, Garaki ascended to a new level, gaining prestige and connections that allowed him to discreetly obtain resources. He presented his research as advancements in medicine and surgical science, skillfully camouflaging his true purposes.

At the age of 30, Garaki formed strategic alliances with powerful individuals and clandestine organizations that shared his goals, taking the first step to meet the person who could make his dreams a reality.

The dark and clandestine world of Kyudai Garaki became a reality thanks to the existence of a being he considered a deity on earth. All For One's sponsorship, based on a blend of personal interests, unbridled scientific aspirations, and a shared vision of a world where the power and evolution of quirks played a crucial role in creating a new order.

With dedication and loyalty, Garaki proved to live up to his master's expectations. Enhancing his abilities thanks to the great lord, he showed utmost passion and obsession with the improvement and evolution of human quirks. He thanked All For One from the depths of his heart for providing the resources and power necessary to conduct his experiments without restrictions.

In this new collaboration, the first step was to fund hospitals and create specific auxiliary locations to initiate pressing experiments. "The General Specialty Hospital" in the Akita prefecture marked only the beginning of this dark collaboration that would leave its mark on the underworld's history.

But nothing is eternal; now, at the age of 50, Garaki witnessed the fall and reform of society, but he always remained in the shadows, using code names and false identities. He became an essential element in new alliances, both nationally and internationally, providing additional funding and a certain degree of impunity to operate clandestinely. In return, he offered exclusive scientific and surgical advancements that strengthened his partners' positions in their respective fields of influence.

By the time he reached 80 years old, adapting and flowing with the new governments became essential. To mask his activities, Garaki implemented a cunning strategy: the creation of orphanages. These places, seemingly intended to care for and educate underprivileged children, became a perfect facade for his experiments and illegal activities. His closest collaborators had selected strategic locations for these orphanages, close to his hospitals and laboratories built decades ago, facilitating the manipulation and transfer of test subjects.

The orphanages not only provided convenient cover but also allowed him to recruit test subjects subtly. Garaki ensured that orphaned children went unnoticed by society, facilitating their disappearance without raising significant suspicions. Additionally, he ensured that the orphanages were well-funded and operated efficiently to maintain the appearance of a charitable organization.

Behind this facade, unspeakable and depraved experiments were conducted on the children, testing and perfecting his theories on quirks and surgical modifications. The lack of attention to orphaned children and the apparent nobility of the orphanages were essential to keep his operations secret and off the authorities' radar. Laughing all the way to the following decades, promoting his twisted science due to his distorted perspective on ethics and morality, allowing him to engage in cruel and unethical experiments in the name of scientific progress.

Now, at over 100 years old, Kyudai Garaki, with a new identity, had undergone no significant changes in appearance thanks to AFO's powers, allowing him to continue his respective activities. However, everything had changed just under 3 months ago, and he found himself analyzing the beginning of something he stumbled upon inadvertently.

Within one of his latest underground laboratories, disguised as the facade of a newly inaugurated hospital with second-level services in Chiba Prefecture, Garaki immersed himself in deep contemplation.

"This is impossible, it has to be an error," his voice turned fascinated, saliva dripping from his mouth. "I need to verify it again! This is a miracle!"

Kyudai wasn't concerned about his clandestine operations because the superior architecture that concealed it was quite modern, designed with a humanitarian touch to provide a pleasant stay for all convalescents and patients. It aimed to create an atmosphere of hope for their swift recovery. The pure white walls blended with glass panels that provided clarity and satisfied the natural sense of security associated with medical pavilions. The facilities, updated and specifically designed to meet the demands of heroes and patients with specialized quirks, made this place a cutting-edge medical center.

Although this mega project had been completed just six months ago, the response from the population in the surrounding areas of Chiba Prefecture and even the Japanese capital was already seeking attention in these facilities. Its inauguration became the focus of media attention, a "sensation" that captured public interest. Half of the funds needed for this undertaking were gathered through donations and subsidies from charitable organizations, drawing attention thanks to the success of a previously orchestrated homologous project.

Garaki, hidden behind this hospital facade, was eager to see the results of this new experiment carried out in the shadows while society applauded his seemingly altruistic contribution.

"This could become a new beginning for us," he smiled contentedly as he observed strange swords retracting from the child's body, emanating an unknown power. Lines of golden light crystallized on his dark skin, leaving him as if nothing had happened.

The room sank into darkness, barely illuminated by the flickering lights of monitors and screens that blinked in the shadows. In the heart of the shadows, Kyudai Garaki gazed at the screen with admiration, sharing the joy of beholding the imposing figure to which he had pledged his loyalty decades ago.

"Greetings, Doctor! I hope the urgency of your call is justified."

"I assure you, my Lord, there is no cause for concern," Garaki affirmed as he adjusted his glasses and pressed some keys on the monitor. "The shortage of quality supplies for our artificial quirk cultivation methods has significantly hindered our progress in the most crucial research."

"Are we still facing issues with the Hero Public Safety Commission?"

"I'm afraid, momentarily, yes. New regulations have forced us to indefinitely halt our most vital activities until our collaborators reach higher positions in the Government. But it won't take long once the proper arrangements have been made; personally, I have devised the relevant countermeasures to solve this problem."

"I am pleased to hear that, Doctor," responded All For One, his laughter reflecting satisfaction as he reviewed the data on the screen. "We've maintained our influence in the most important spheres of influence. But I'm pleased to know that the creation of orphanages as a facade has proven to be a truly necessary strategy for decades."

Although the tone between them remained polite, fatigue and disappointment began to seep into All For One's voice.

"Nevertheless, I don't believe that justifies wasting my valuable time on trivialities, does it, Garaki?"

"Of course not!" The Doctor's voice trembled, but he maintained his firmness as he looked at him. "That's only half the story. Although we have taken the first steps, I must inform you that I have discovered an exceptional specimen among the new subjects we obtained from our usual sources."

"Exceptional?"

"Yes," he began, his voice vibrating with excitement, "This individual is truly unique, something that in all my years by your side, my master, I had never witnessed before."

All For One's curious laughter filled the room. "Garaki, you always manage to surprise me, but... What exactly makes this subject so exceptional?"

Kyudai moistened his lips before detailing his findings: "It's a young boy. We haven't accessed all the information in his records because it's completely useless," he sighed frustrated, "In all his previous files, crucial information has been limited; we've only confirmed the most basic data like his name and his status as a seven-year-old orphan. However, for some reason, medical records with clinical studies and corresponding tests have been omitted, and we even found indications of forgeries. That's why..."

"Garaki," AFO's voice was direct and icy, "I don't care about anything regarding the subject's personal history. I just want to know what makes him so special."

"You are right, and I offer my apologies," the doctor's shaky expression was evident, "It's... because of that, due to the previous difficulties, I had to personally intervene to fill in those gaps. So, during my initial investigations, I noticed a combination of unique abilities."

On the screen, the image of a child with dull skin tone, gray hair adorned with strange golden patterns running through his body, and a strange tribal tattoo on his back was projected. The young boy was inside a capsule filled with strange liquids, breathing through a tube that kept him in a state of suspended animation.

"Are you sure about what you're saying, Doctor?" All For One's voice reflected fascination as he examined the data and files. "Swords, energy, steel, different anatomy," rereading the titles, the smile on his face began to grow in intensity, "This, undoubtedly, is worth my time." He leaned slightly from his seat, and his dark, penetrating eyes fixed with curiosity on the young boy through the screen.

"Among the most notable observations is that, despite showing no signs of possessing a quirk, his skin exhibits a hardness similar to steel. I assume this is because among his cells, there are components similar to swords that constantly change. Furthermore, the presence of a strange energy that I have never seen before is detected; it only reacts to certain stimuli provoked in the subject. I suspect there could be more secrets if I had the time and resources to study it thoroughly."

"Strange energy, you say? That sounds interesting, Garaki." All For One arched an eyebrow, intrigued.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. After my initial impressions, this entity responds in ways I had never imagined; the results go beyond the limits, challenging everything related to the science we know."

All For One remained silent, his dark eyes reflecting deep attention.

"But that's not all," the Doctor continued, excited. "In his body, we have discovered an unnatural series of nerve connections that I had never, in all my years as a doctor, encountered and even dared to explore in other subjects unsuccessfully, despite redoubling my efforts using my contacts in various medical institutions throughout Japan."

The room's environment, shrouded in darkness, seemed to come alive with the Doctor's revelation. The lights flickered, creating a mysterious and frenetic atmosphere, a reflection of the intensity of the shared information.

"And what was the result, Doctor?"

"It's incredible," the Doctor's voice trembled with excitement, "There was no previous result. It's something completely new that I've had the opportunity to study!" His unhinged excitement knew no bounds, but he continued to express his findings, "Furthermore, I found certain connections in very specific areas of the body; to be exact, there are 27 zones throughout the body that show similar and homogeneous readings. But here's the most fascinating part: these circuits seem to produce, in some way, an energy that accumulates and reinforces the subject's body to limits that I am tempted to keep checking."

The Doctor's words echoed in the room, creating a tense silence interrupted only by the hum of the monitors. All For One remained silent for a moment, processing the information.

"So, we are dealing with a child, more precisely, someone without a quirk capable of producing effects that could pass for a kind of body reinforcement similar to swords, not to mention the unknown extent that this strange energy could provide. Interesting, Garaki, very interesting."

"Exactly, my Lord!" Garaki exclaimed, excited. "Just imagine the possibilities. We could start studying his DNA in depth to understand more about this energy and its nature. We could even create mutations with quirks from it, going so far as to develop new and powerful abilities that allow us to surpass the evolution of quirks."

All For One smiled maliciously. "You're thinking big, Garaki. But tell me more."

"Of course, my master. I have been experimenting for over three months, and these are just some of the results of the preliminary research," explained the Doctor, excited despite the sweat dripping down his face. "If you can provide us with your divine power in physical and mental tests on the subject, we could obtain more fruitful data, my Lord."

All For One's smile widened. "Garaki, I have always admired your dedication to science and our cause."

Garaki nodded fervently. "I have never disappointed you, my Lord. I am eager to begin the experiments, but..."

"You don't have to make that face, Doctor. I'll be there in a month to offer my help. For now, I have some matters to attend to," announced All For One, pleased smile as he opened a portal and sent a series of chips to the Doctor's palm. "But don't feel disappointed." He sighed with pride. "I have received promising results from my collaborators abroad in the field of quirks and bodily mutations. Use this data to test the subject's limits. If he survives, as you say, he could be useful to us in the future."

"With this subject, we could create perfect soldiers, individuals with the power to control the world," the Doctor continued, gesturing with enthusiasm. "This could be the key we need to reach new heights of power and control."

All For One leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Do it, Garaki. I am eager for the results you will show me."

"I will do my best to meet your expectations, my Lord," Kyudai replied, bowing before the figure on the screen in a gesture of complete submission.

The screen went black, but the lights in the laboratory still illuminated the plethora of experiments and horrors within the room.

"This is just the first step toward the limits of human evolution," Kyudai murmured, gazing at the tank containing the young boy while caressing a small dagger with a blackened and rusted appearance. "And you, you have become the key that will allow us to control the world, my beloved Shirou."

Hello again! I'm KaleidoMirror, and I bid farewell after sharing the prologue of this new saga titled "Lonely Golden Ashes." I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing it.

I'm eager for the next chapter and to share more of this thrilling story with you!

See you soon!