Chapter 45: The Meaning Behind 'Garaki'

'How did it all go so wrong?'

I remember thinking exactly those words at least once a day. When my life took a turn for the absolute worst. When the only man that I considered to be a friend perished in the heat of battle. He had nobody to save him. No one wanted to save him. The so called 'heroes' who were there on the battlefield, even the ones who were not on there and could only remain on the sidelines, everyone, the entire world sought the end of my Master, Shigaraki.

Not the false Tomura Shigaraki that my Master gave away on a whim to a pathetic boy who had just destroyed his entire family, but the 'True Shigaraki.' He has been there for me for as long as I could bother remembering. Those days when I sought to achieve my dreams. I published a book once upon a time. The Quirk Doomsday Theory. My theory, if proven right, would cause the end of the world. I was absolutely dedicated to having someone, anyone notice it. Notice what I have conjured from the depths of my mind after endless studying and examination of the Quirks that had been bestowed onto my world's people. But those people they-

"You honestly expect us to believe that one day Quirks will become unable to control? Hahaha! That's utter rubbish!" They laughed at me. They laughed at what I had worked to achieve for my entire life. My dream that I worked so hard for. I ignored so many chances to do something else. Friends? Don't need them. Family? Don't need them. Children? Don't need them. I only wanted one thing. Just one thing! For my dreams to become reality. For my dreams, I worked countless nights, writing, and writing, and writing to the brink of exhaustion and starvation at my desk making doubly sure that what I have written was able to be understood by the common folk.

AND THEY LAUGHED AT ME!

I couldn't accept that what I had dedicated my entire life to achieve was all for nothing. I just couldn't accept that. I was at the end of my life. In a matter of a few years, I will be six feet under. And no one will remember my name. I'll be forgotten forevermore. I couldn't allow such a future to occur. So, if I was going to die…

… Then I was going to take all of those people who laughed at me with me to the grave! But before I could-

"This book. You wrote it right?" A particular individual asked me that one day out of the blue when I was developing a plan that would ensure my name would be remembered in history. I was in the middle of developing a bomb. An ordinary citizen like me couldn't exactly order the parts for it. That would only incur the suspicions of my homeland's police. I would be arrested for sure. That's why I had no choice but to make a homemade bomb. But I wasn't well versed in constructing such a contraption. I was a doctor after all. I didn't have any experience making bombs to this point. But even still, I couldn't help but be taken aback by those words.

"You… read my book?" I replied with a look of utter astonishment. I couldn't believe my eyes. But there it was! In his hands was my book! I had never seen the man before in my life. And it wasn't like he was someone with power to change the world. (Or so I thought at the time.) But even if he was just some nobody, the fact that he read it, gave me immense happiness when I thought that I would never feel such an emotion ever again.

"Yes. I admit that the title made me think that everything in this book would have been the theories of a delusional man. I was not expecting your words to form a cohesive theory that I would be able to understand on my first reading. I thought for sure that it would have been routed in superstition and have many words that would have been utterly foreign to me and would have resulted in something that would not qualify as literature." The man replied to me, his words were harsh and unforgiving. They made me look toward the ground knowing that I was about to be ridiculed and laughed at like I had been by those bastards! But then…

"But I was wrong. Your book was a rather easy read. I was able to grasp everything that you were trying to convey with your words. You could have probably gone further with your words and made it much harder for the average man to understand unless they had a PHD. But you accounted for that. You made sure that anyone, even a child, would be able to understand what you wanted others to understand. It must have been difficult trying to appeal to everyone in this world, wasn't it? How long did you work on this single book? Months? Years? No, it was decades, wasn't it?" The man continued as I couldn't believe my ears.

But my eyes told a different story. I couldn't believe it, but I was crying. Wet, hot tears spilled down my cheeks as for the first time in my life someone recognized my efforts. My dream… was it actually not all for nothing after all?

"You mustn't cry. It must have taken a long time. An uncountable amount of time that you'll never be able to get back. You dedicated your life to this one book. I think that's something worth cherishing. Because even if no one values it as something worth being read in schools or libraries or anywhere else, the fact that you completed it, even if it took most of your life to do so, is something that deserves applause. Congratulations, Doctor Shiga." The man congratulated me with a slow clap of his hands. It wasn't anything special. Much less than what I wanted to hear after all my hard work. But even still I… I-

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" I yelled out as I collapsed to my knees as my tears fell onto the ground below me. For the first time in my life, I felt a sense of accomplishment. One that had eluded me time and time again. Because even if it was only one person who recognized my efforts, that no longer mattered to me. I finally felt that my life had been worth something. My dream…

… Had finally been realize-

"But is that really how you want things to end? With only a single person recognizing you for the brilliant piece of literature that you spent your entire life creating. I highly doubt that. No. You were planning something, weren't you? Something that would have made you be remembered for quite some time, but not as the author of the 'Quirk Doomsday Theory.' Just what had you been planning?" The man asked as my eyes shot wide open. Before I knew it, I was gritting my teeth and clenching my fist tightly.

Of course. I knew that there was something 'different' about this man. He wasn't a fan of my work. No. He sought to destroy what little I had left! He's part of the police, isn't he!? No. There's no doubt about it! I must have tipped the police off somehow! I don't know how when I had been so careful up to this point. But that's beside the point. This man knew what I was planning. Which means that what he learned will spread like wildfire until I die without having killed a single person! But that won't happen! Because if I can kill just one man…

… THEN IT'S GOING TO BE THIS MAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!

"Screw you! If I'm dying, then you're going to hell first!" I yelled out from the depths of my soul as I grabbed something out of my pocket. A screwdriver. I just so happened to be carrying it because it was necessary in constructing the bomb. I then gripped it tightly in my hands and knew that there was no going back from this! So, I had no choice but to-

'STAB!' Stab him right in his throat! If I pierce the juggler, then I will be able to ensure his death for sure! If no one will remember me for my dream, then they will remember me as the man who murdered this man! I will never be forgotten! My name will always be remembered by the loved ones of this bastard! That way, until the end of time, I will leave my mark on history! Or at the very least that's what I desired since I had nothing else to lose. But as the blood seeped down his throat, I was met with a look that I had never expected to see in my wildest dreams.

"H-How are you?!" I managed to whisper under my breath even though I might as well have been speechless. I just couldn't believe my eyes. Even as the man had received a wound that would have been utter agony for any normal man to receive, somehow, he was-

"Oh this? Is it really all that surprising? Don't worry, you didn't do anything that would have killed me. Your efforts might have been in vain, but they weren't all for nothing. You've shown me something very few men have. A 'killer instinct.' You see, most men would falter when trying to kill another person. It only makes sense because this society has groomed people to be weak and forgiving to those that have hurt them." The man spoke as the screwdriver fell out of his throat while his wound quickly closed as if he had never been hurt to begin with.

I couldn't believe it! What are the odds that this man had a Super Regeneration Quirk?! But even though I had failed to kill him. I was not saddened by this. In fact, his words, just like before, were saving me.

"But you are not one of those people. You desire the death of someone even if it will not benefit you within your lifetime. I could use someone like that. Someone willing to cull the weak so that the strong can thrive. I may not have the power to have your life's sole achievement recognized as the truth. But what I do have instead is something that I believe will bring you just as much happiness if not more so. Join me, and together, we can save the world together!" The man declared as my eyes shot wide open as if my life regained color.

Up to this point, everything had been lacking color. I saw everything as black and white. That's how life had appeared to be ever since I could last remember. But now that was no longer the case. Everything had such vivid details that I was not able to make out before. And since that man was right in front of me, he was the first thing I saw in this colorful world I found myself in. He was wearing an extravagant suit. Was he someone from a high-class family? No, I doubt that. If he was then he would have the power to change the minds of those bastards that laughed at me with money. Then if it's not wealth that he possesses, then what else could he have?

"What if I told you that I had a Quirk that allowed me to steal any Quirk that I desired to have for myself. Would you believe me, Doctor Shiga?" The man asked as I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A Quirk that allowed him to steal the Quirks of others? Don't make me laugh. Something like that couldn't exist. Something of that scale would be all powerful! There's no way that power can be bestowed all for a single individual! It's impossible!

But then again… was it really impossible? If my theory is correct, that Quirks grow stronger and stronger with each passing era, then would it be impossible for such a Quirk to come into fruition. No. If I denied such a possibility then I would only be denying my life's work. That was something that I would never do for as long as I live. That's why I had no choice but to accept what the man had told me. That his Quirk was something that could actually exist. A Quirk that allows its user to steal the abilities of anyone and everyone. A power that nobody but him could have. An almighty superpower that was…

… All For One.

"I believe it. That you have such a Quirk. But there's one thing that I don't understand. What do you mean by 'saving the world?'" I replied while looking up at the man who was much taller than I was. But I only just now noticed how much of a difference our statures were when compared to each other. To me, he seemed like a combination of an unstoppable force and an immovable object. One person that has the power to destroy anything in his path and remain part of the world until the end of time itself. I wholeheartedly believe that even if the man in front of me were to die, that his 'legacy' would be able to persist until the world itself came to its end.

"Hahaha." The man quietly laughed as if he read my every thought before taking a few seconds to revel in what he referred to amusement before continuing.

"Don't you already know what I'm suggesting? You are a man of high intelligence. No matter how long I live and learn everything that this world has to offer, it still won't be enough to understand what only you can comprehend. That's why I desire someone who can understand what I cannot. You can be that person for me. And together if we cannot change the minds of those who cannot understand us… then we all can do is rid them of their meaningless lives, don't you agree?" The man asked as I was taken aback by what he was suggesting.

However, there was no doubt about it. What he was insinuating was murder on an unimaginable scale. But how could that qualify as saving the world?! No… there must be something I'm missing. Though if he doesn't seek the eradication of everyone… then what does he intend to achieve… no. Could it be that what he's suggesting is not just murder but control?! Is his plan to snuff out the lives of those at the top while keeping everyone else below him, right where they belong?! Something like that… sounds… so…

… Wonderful! A world like that sounds so wonderful! And if I could work alongside him and become his valuable ally then I too could be above all those ignorant monkeys who couldn't even comprehend something that a child should be able to understand! And to those above me. I'll kill them all. I'll kill them all. I'll kill them all. I'll kill them all! I'll kill them all! I'll kill them all! I'll-

KILL THEM ALL!

"I wholeheartedly agree. Together with your power and my brain, we can kill them all." I replied with the widest smile I had ever made in my entire life up to this point. For the first time in my life, I had finally achieved true happiness.

"Then it's settled, Doctor Shiga. Together we can realize a dream where society bows down to us. A perfect world." The man replied but there was one thing I disagreed with him about. And that was-

"I'm abandoning the name 'Maruta Shiga.' I have no longer have any use for it. I want a new name befitting my newfound purpose. Do you have any ideas… wait. I didn't catch your name. You are?" I asked while maintaining my smile as I never felt happier in my entire life. The man noticed this and grinned.

"My name is Shigaraki. But if you wish to abandon your name then… how about I give you part of my name. Since you no longer have any use for the 'Shiga' then how about you be called from this point on, Garaki?" The man named Shigaraki asked with a beautiful smile on his face as I nodded in affirmation. From that point on, I was Garaki. Later in life, after my Master granted me a Quirk that was able to extend my life well past the lifespan of any normal human, (With the drawback that my body was left old and frail) I gave myself the name 'Kyudai' to go with Garaki.

But that was all so I could have a full name. I had no attachment to the 'Kyudai' portion of my name. All I desired to be called was 'Garaki.' But I couldn't allow the world to know that since it would risk my connection to my Master being leaked. That's why I donned fake names such as 'Daruma Ujiko' among countless others. But no matter how long I lived I would truly only be Garaki. That was the precious name that my Master gave to me after all. My only friend, the one man who truly saw me for who I was. I wanted to live forever along with that man.

However, he was taken away from me by none other than All Might's successor! Izuku Midoriya! That fucking piece of shit took everything away from me! My role within society, my life's purpose, my only friend, all of it! That's why I took everything from him! He'll never see his precious friends ever again! An eye for an eye! If I can't ever see my friend ever again then I'll make damn sure that he loses what few friends, he has in this world! But I can't take those puppets away just yet. I want them to grow closer so that their bonds can grow stronger. So, that when my Master's true successor decides to cut the strings keeping them alive…

… Izuku Midoriya will feel the immense pain and suffering that I feel on a daily basis knowing that my friend will NEVER come back to life! That I'll never see him again for as long as I live! For that, I will make him suffer again and again and again, not killing him because that would only his suffering. I want his pain to be everlasting, so I'll keep him alive. I'll force him to stand back up, only knock him back down again and repeat that process till the end of time itself. That is the only thing that I, Garaki, seek to achieve! And no matter what…

… I will make that dream of mine into reality! I've already taken away All Might and that 'Airi Sakura' girl away from him. Next on the agenda should be making him lose someone he truly loves above everyone else in this world. And I have just the girl in my possession.

"Isn't that right, Hiyori Shiina?" I asked while the young girl named Hiyori Shiina was unconscious on the floor. It wasn't yet time for her to awaken. But in the not-so-distant future, she will wake up and when she does… hahaha! It will be absolutely wonderful to see the look on Izuku Midoriya's face when they see each other again. Hahaha…

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I laughed hysterically at the top of my lungs to no one in particular. But just as I was truly enjoying myself-

'Ding, ding, ding!' My obnoxious ringtone went through my eardrums as I clicked my tongue in annoyance before answering the phone. I was so frustrated that I was interrupted that I didn't check the caller id. But I was completely sure that the person on the other end of the line was none other than Kiyotaka Ayanokoji. He was the only person that had access to my phone number. Except that wasn't the case. Because there was one other person who had my phone number recorded in their phone.

"What is it? I'm busy. Call back some other time." I replied but the phone went silent as I blinked my eyes a few times out of confusion. All I could hear was nothing at all. Not even breathing. The amount of time that passed by quickly turned into a minute. In that span of time, I was becoming more and more confused as I repeated the name of my Master's successor to no response whatsoever until-

"… You finally answered… Garaki." The voice of the last person I expected to hear on the other end of the line reached my ears as my eyes shot wide open. I let out a scream before throwing my phone against the floor! But it was then that I realized my fatal mistake! That was the phone that I used to communicate with Kiyotaka! Without that phone, I won't be able to call him here! Maybe it's al-

'Shit! The screen won't turn on!' I thought internally while gritting my teeth to the point that they could break. Not only was the screen so damaged that all the cracks made it look like a spider's web, but I must have damaged the phone's internal processor! That means it's broken beyond repair! No, no, no! This is bad! A minute definitely passed by the time 'he' answered which means the chances of him tracing the call is high! And if he did that, then he knows my location!

No, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Sure, there are apps out there that can do just that. But would Izuku Midoriya really do something like that. I doubt it. No. There's no way he would think of that when there was a high chance that the call would have gone straight to voicemail like all the other times, he called this phone when he first awakened in this world. But if someone had been influencing him to make this decision. Then…

… I'VE GOT TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!

I couldn't help but run as fast as I could out of my office! I was currently at AN since there was paperwork that needed to be filled out. (Shiina had been unconscious on one of the beds in the room. She was no use to him unless she were to wake up. Which seems unlikely to happen anytime soon.) But I could care less about her when there's a chance that Izuku Midoriya may be coming here! I had to escape no matter what! If I don't then all my plans will be foiled just like they had been when those pesky heroes invaded the hospital I worked at! I can't let someone like that happen again! I refuse to suffer such a pathetic defeat! Especially at the hands of the piece of shit who took the life of my only friend!

"Haah… haah… haah!" I gasped for breath as I made my way out of the school! It didn't take long for me to go beyond the school's entrance and into the city that surrounded it! There! I made it! I'm home free! It's only Seven at night! All the students are still outside doing whatever they want! This is perfect! I might stick out like a sore thumb among the students but if I'm just minding my own business then Izuku Midoriya won't suspect me! After all, we only met one time when I diagnosed him Quirkless at the age of four! There's no way that he actually remembers my face-

"Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" The voice of that same person asked as I froze completely as if I was ice. No. I-It couldn't be! But that voice! I recognized it instantly! How could I forget it!? After all, it was the same voice of the man who took everything away from me! But I had to move! If I could just walk away, then maybe I can still escape-

"Midoriya! That's him!" The voice of someone that I did not expect to hear made it through my eardrums. It was the voice of Ken Sudo. And if he was here t-then a-am I-I-I-

"There's no doubt it! That's the Head Doctor! That's Ujiko!" The voice of Suzune Horikita yelled out as I instinctively turned my head the moment, I heard her call me by my fake alias. And that was when I saw them. Suzune Horikita, Ken Sudo, and-

"… It's you… you're the same from back then." Izuku spoke as he recalled what I thought his feeble mind would never be able to remember for as long as he lived! But there was no doubt about it! He… he actually-

'Sorry kid, it's not going to happen.' Those words that I said when I crushed his dreams. I could never forget that pathetic look on his face as I took immense pleasure in shattering his dreams to pieces much like how those pieces of shit undoubtably felt when they did the same thing to me! But now that I think about it how could he ever forget them!? I never forgot the words of those fuckers who laughed at me! Which means there's no room for doubt. He remembers me. Which means I am-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I let out a scream from the depths of my soul while my eyes shot wide open, and snot burst out of my nose! How the hell could this have happened?! I had taken such precautions to avoid this scenario from playing out! But now… now I have been… just…

HOW THE HELL DID IT ALL GO SO WRONG?!

Fifteen minutes earlier…

"Wow! I can't believe that actually worked!" Sudo exclaimed out of sheer disbelief over their plan coming together. (Though their plan was designed by Suzune.) Either way, it worked like a charm!

"Like I said, this was the only way to go about it since the Head Doctor is a very 'elusive' person. I was only able to meet him once. And that was all the way back at the entrance ceremony. And since me and Sudo had no way of contacting him, there wasn't much we could do on our part. Thankfully, you have his phone number… for some reason. Though I have no idea why he kept repeating the name 'Kiyotaka.' Just who is that person supposed to be?" Suzune remarked as she felt her contributions weren't all that large, but I highly disagreed with her.

"You both did more than enough though. I never would have gotten the idea of using that app to trace his location. Thanks, guys!" I replied with a bright smile on my face while closing my eyes. That's right. If it wasn't for Horikita suggesting contacting the Doctor, then I would have never gotten the idea to try calling him again. But even though I had his phone number (The same number that he used to text me All Might's debut video not long after I first arrived in this world.) There wasn't a guarantee that he would pick up the phone. This was one heck of a miracle! And it was all thanks to my reliable friends! But as for this 'Kiyotaka' character that Garaki mentioned, I have a hunch who that person may be. Though it's probably for the best to not elaborate further when I'm not one hundred percent sure.

"Aw shucks. It was nothing." Sudo replied with a bashful look on his face while Horikita muttered 'Even though I was the one who suggested for him to download that app.' Under her breath with a slightly annoyed look on her face. But I was too ecstatic to notice that last part. Finally! We were making progress! At this rate we should be able to corner Garaki and save Shiina too! Now let's see what my phone says regarding his location… oh wow!

"He's at the school!" I spoke as I stared at my phone which pinpointed the Doctor's location as none other than AN. Both Horikita and Sudo were taken aback by this sudden revelation as they checked my phone to see the truth for themselves.

"Wait! Really?! … Holy shit! You're right!" Sudo yelled out with a dumbfounded look on his face. Horikita was equally surprised but was also confused by this.

"Wait. Why would he still be at the school at this time? It's almost seven. Classes end at three and the faculty should be out of the premises no later than four in the afternoon. There's a chance that this could be a trap." Suzune remarked with a serious look on her face but before she knew it, I was already at the front door of Sudo's apartment.

"Come on. Let's go! We have no time to lose!" I replied with a bright smile on my face as both Horikita and Sudo were surprised to see that I made it to the door without their help. The first to voice his concerns was none other than Sudo.

"How did you get there? Shouldn't you not be able to walk?" Sudo asked and the moment I realized what I had done, I collapsed to my knees. Horikita then rushed over to help me stand back up again. But in the midst of that Sudo stood there as he was in deep thought and recalled something similar happening earlier today when we retrieved Hirata's body and put it inside of the karaoke building. He was rather confused and couldn't understand why I could walk in those two instances but why now was a problem. But before he could reach an answer-

"Sudo! What are you doing just standing there?! Help us!" Suzune snapped back with an annoyed look on her face. But it was then that Sudo reached the answer he was seeking.

"I think I got it!" Sudo exclaimed while lightly tapping his left fist against his right hand. This piqued my curiosity. 'Got what?' I asked but Sudo only chuckled to himself until Horikita said, 'Just get to the point already.'

"Okay. So, I think I know why you've been struggling to walk even though you used your legs quite a bit already to do just that. The answer is… that you think you 'can't' walk." Sudo replied with a smug grin on his face feeling rather confident in his theory that was nothing more than a guess without evidence. At least that's what Horikita believed.

"Y-You're joking right? There's no way it would actually be that simple. Do you have anything to back up that claim?" Suzune asked as Sudo thought about it for a moment before replying to her.

"I mean, face the facts! One moment, he's walking, and the next he isn't?! That's a contradiction!" Sudo yelled out as he was pretty sure of himself. Horikita still didn't think much about it and thought what Sudo was proposing was just plain crazy. But the more I thought about it, the more that I thought that he raised a good point.

"Actually… I think Sudo's onto something." I replied while maintaining my smile. But Horikita still couldn't believe it.

"Midoriya, you don't have to humor him. You know that right?" Suzune asked but what she was proposing wasn't the case at all.

"You've got it all wrong. It really is as he said. One moment I was walking and the next I couldn't. But allow me to go further in depth about that. Whenever I'm walking it's completely on instinct. But whenever I know that I'm walking, I collapse. I think… it might be because a part of me is scared to walk. Because if I do… then I'm going to have to shoulder my responsibility. In fact… that has to be it." I admitted with a serious look on my face as Horikita was taken aback by my words. She thought about it for a moment before responding.

"So, what you're trying to say is that it's some form of PTSD that's causing this. That… actually makes sense. After all… what happened to you would gave anyone a severe amount of trauma." Suzune replied as I nodded in affirmation. That's right. I saw Sakura die right before my eyes. I can't remember Sakura without recalling her demise at the hands of the High-End Nomu. But during my fight with that monster my legs weren't hurt in any shape or form. So why would they not be working right when there were other parts of my body that I used way more in that battle. Namely my fingers.

This can only mean that what's holding me back is PTSD. I can't accept that I'm walking because I couldn't use my legs to stand back up and save Sakura back then. Not because they were damaged but since I was on the brink of passing out after overexerting my body so much. That was the 'truth' behind why I can't walk right now. But even knowing that, that doesn't solve anything. I still have to find the resolve in order to walk again. But that's something I can only do by finding it within myself. So, for now I'll have to keep depending on my friends to get by. But mark my words…

… It won't be much longer till I'm running again. I was determined to run so that I could save Shiina. Even if it kills me. But before I could do that, there was one last thing to talk about.

"So, I actually did some digging in Ujiko while you were on the phone, and I learned a few things about him on the school's website. First, his full name Is Daruma Ujiko. As you are already aware, he's the Head Doctor of AN. It also listed a long, impressive career history. He's even received quite a few prestigious medical awards. And finally, he's eighty-nine years old." Suzune explained as I blinked my eyes a few times out of surprise. Wow, eighty-nine. That was younger than I thought he'd be. Especially after Jokata said that Garaki lived for well over a century.

'No doubt about it. They are covering up the truth. They probably wouldn't want someone who's not far from reaching two hundred years old to be revealed to be that damn old. Because it would contradict the lifespans of humans as we know it.' Jokata spoke within my mind as I listened and nodded in agreement. But my thought process was broken by Sudo who voiced his own opinions.

"Huh. Eighty-Nine. That's quite an advanced age. Shouldn't he be… you know, retired?" Sudo asked with a dumbfounded look on his face. But this time, Horikita agreed with him.

"Yeah, that's rather suspicious now that I think about it. If I was eighty-nine being a doctor is the last thing I'd want to do, along with any other job." Suzune admitted while maintaining her serious look that made it crystal clear she was dead serious about not wanting to work at such an old age. On the other hand, I personally didn't mind it.

"Really? I wouldn't mind working till I'm a hundred years old." I admitted with a smile as I was the type of guy who couldn't stand still for long. And if I do live long enough to reach one hundred, I'll definitely be doing something involves as much moving around that I can handle. But in response both Sudo and Horikita stared at me as if I was someone they had never seen before in their life. I muttered 'What?' Under my breath only for them to reply to me a moment later.

"… You're crazy." Both Sudo and Horikita said in sync.

Not long after that, we made our way out of Sudo's apartment and into the streets, there by luck or perhaps Fate, we encountered a suspicious looking individual who appeared to be a doctor. I remembered that same man as the one who prescribed me as Quirkless when I was four years old. And combined with that both Horikita and Sudo recognized him, it was without a shadow of a doubt that Ujiko…

… Was none other than Kyudai Garaki. But just as we successfully cornered him-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Garaki screamed at the top of his lungs while running away from us. I was extremely surprised by this. But I wasn't alone in this sentiment. All three of us were taken aback over how fast the Doctor was when running away. So much so that-

"I-Is he really eighty-nine?!" Sudo exclaimed and before he (Or we all for that matter) knew it, Garaki was in the middle of his getaway and was about to vanish from our line of sight. But I couldn't let that happen! Not after we finally got him out in the open like this!

"After him guys!" I yelled out as Sudo and Horikita responded with 'Right!' We then chased after him as the hunt for Garaki had begun! But this really was just the beginning of a rather short but eventful night near the end of October with no end in sight. And things would only get worse for us as the night went on.

But I didn't know what this night had in store for me. And it wouldn't be much longer until I learned firsthand just how perilous things were going to get.

To Be Continued…

Next Chapter: Angel of Death

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