"As predicted," Kurogiri noted. "U.A. had indeed set up a trap for us…"
In front of him, on the other side of the bar, was Shigaraki, playing with one of the Quirk Amplification Devices.
There was a dreaminess about his eyes, as if he might fall asleep in the next moment.
However, with time, his mind was coming to a strange and unnerving equilibrium with his traumatic memories.
The red glow in his eyes had dimmed, but it still lingered there.
It felt less like the redness would dissipate over time, and more like it was taking root and settling in.
"The Doctor is a genius…" Shigaraki praised. "The old bastard really did it…"
"That he is," Kurogiri nodded in agreement. "This device is less potent than the original one, but that's deliberate. If the original device boosted a Quirk by 300%, then the one created by Dr. Kyudai boosts a Quirk by only 120–150%. But the real Quirk Amplification Device also ate away at the mind much faster…"
Shigaraki remembered Wolfram.
Dabi had almost succumbed to it as well.
"The new device might be less effective than the original one," Kurogiri continued, "but it would also let the wearer retain their mental faculties for a long time. In a battle against Pros, a rational mind with a mid-boost is much preferable to a big boost with the threat of losing one's mind…"
Shigaraki smirked and began putting the device on himself, adjusting the hands on his face and the back of his head.
"No!" Kurogiri shouted, grabbing Shigaraki's hand.
The interim Leader of the Claws of Conformity glared, making him let the hand go.
"The threat of losing one's mind is less," Kurogiri explained as Shigaraki looked at him questioningly. "But it's still there. Your Master has explicitly ordered that we never use the device directly."
Shigaraki's lips arched as he smiled slyly. "Twice…"
Kurogiri nodded. "Twice can make clones using his Quirk — Double," he explained. "These clones are exactly similar to the originals, with their Quirks, personalities, and intelligence. Even though these clones experience a slight downgrade in their Quirks' strength, the Quirk Amplification Device will boost their Quirks to many levels up… with no repercussions to their original selves."
"I am not that much of a fool, Kurogiri," Shigaraki hissed, eying the bartender through the fingers on his face. "The device would still affect them over time, wouldn't it?"
Kurogiri, who was cleaning a glass, stopped, his eyes falling on the device.
"… Yes," he answered. "The device boosts a Quirk's pros and cons, making no difference between the two. Along with the clones' individual Quirks, it will also boost… Double's weaknesses. So, unless the Quirk Amplification Device is boosting the innate strength of the user, the clones wearing it will be even less durable. Even an attack strong enough to draw blood would make them vanish…"
Of course, Kurogiri didn't mention that if the user already had an unstable personality, his clone would lose its mind even faster… perhaps turning against the original body. That's why he had stopped Shigaraki from putting the device on himself. That's also why they hadn't allowed Twice's own clone to put on the device as well.
Kurogiri did point out how they hadn't given the Quirk Amplification Device to all the members of the Vanguard Action Squad. Because Twice was not able to make more than two clones, only one of the clones, who was wearing the Quirk Amplification Device at the Training Camp, had the highest durability. The rest of the clones, who were created by clones of Twice, were even weaker.
"So, who is it?" Shigaraki asked, treating the entire event like a game. "Come on… tell me…"
Kurogiri noticed how Shigaraki's speech slurred as if he were half-sleeping, and sighed.
"Among the ten people who have gone to the forest," he said, "only four have clones with the device. And the most durable among them is…"
…
Gran Torino shot through the sky, advancing toward the general direction of the campsite.
A ROAR chased him, upending the trees, loud BOOMS echoing against the burning hills.
A figure shot out of the forest like the greenest blur, blasting through the black smoke.
Gran Torino's face paled.
Breaking midair, he instantly changed directions.
Even then, the tip of a massive claw brushed past him, drawing blood from his back.
Wincing as he kept shooting forward, Gran Torino looked over his shoulder and eyed the monstrosity.
It was a green-scaled, lizard-like villain… the size of an SUV, with a device on its head!
…
Sand and Midnight rushed toward the campsite as well, riding on a wave of sand.
A figure appeared in their path, forcing Sand to bring the wave to a sudden halt, Midnight's eyes popping out next to him.
If it were anyone else, Sand would have instantly attacked, crushing the villain under a sea of sand. Unlike the other Pros, he had no moral conflict with ending the lives of the filth. But the person who had appeared deserved his utmost attention.
Long, yellow coat. Gloved hands. A clownish mask on his face, with a magician's top hat…
"… Dr. Blessed?!" Midnight gasped, despite the clear difference in clothing. But that's how he was, finding amusement in ridiculous stuff, she had learned. Also, even if they were prepared for Dr. Blessed's eventual arrival, at this moment, when the children were already in trouble, seeing him here was nothing but disaster itself taking form.
To their surprise, the villain shook his head.
"I am as much Dr. Blessed as you two are Romeo and Juliet," he quipped. "The only thing that's common between that traitor and me is that…"
The villain took out a small, glass marble and flicked it toward the two Pros.
In the next moment, the marble glowed and released the object it held within, making Sand and Midnight stumble back in shock.
"… we both know how to surprise our audience…" Mr. Compress finished his words, taking off his hat and bowing to the Pros, showing the hidden device on his head.
But neither Sand nor Midnight could see the Quirk Amplification Device…
… not with an entire mountain falling on top of them!
********************
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