The elevator doors slid shut, leaving Agent Yoshida and Dr. Tanaka alone in the sterile hallway. The soft hum of fluorescent lights filled the silence as both women watched the floor numbers count down.
"Well," Dr. Tanaka said, hands still trembling slightly from excitement. "That was..."
"Terrifying," Yoshida finished.
Dr. Tanaka blinked. "I was going to say fascinating."
"Same thing." Yoshida turned and walked back toward the testing facility, heels clicking against polished floor. "Come on. We need to talk about this properly."
They made their way to Observation Room C—windowless, soundproof, the kind of place where conversations happened that never made it into official reports.
Yoshida sealed the door and activated privacy protocols. "Speak freely, Doctor. What are your real thoughts about Ken Takakura?"
Dr. Tanaka set down her tablet and leaned back in her chair. "He terrifies me."
"Elaborate."
"Not him personally—the kid seems genuinely heroic. But his capabilities..." She gestured helplessly. "If one of those rods made contact with All Might, what would happen?"
"Same thing that happened to our volunteer. Complete shutdown."
"Exactly. The Symbol of Peace, rendered helpless by a teenage boy." Dr. Tanaka pulled up her assessment files. "And that's just one component. His physical enhancement puts him in the top tier of strength-based quirks. His barrier makes him essentially untouchable. His nullification could neutralize any hero or villain on contact."
Yoshida nodded slowly. "The composite nature is what worries me. Most quirks have clear weaknesses. His seem designed to cover every vulnerability."
"Too perfectly designed," Dr. Tanaka agreed. "I've been studying quirks for fifteen years. I've never seen anything like this. It's as if his abilities were engineered to complement each other."
"You think there's something unnatural about it?"
"I think there's something we don't understand. The lack of energy signatures, the way his barrier operates outside known physics, the fact that his enhancement shows no strain..." She shook her head. "Either he's the most remarkable quirk evolution in decades, or something else is at play."
Yoshida was quiet for a moment. "The Commission has protocols for overpowered individuals."
Dr. Tanaka pulled up Ken's data again, numbers glowing in the dim room. "Three-point-nine tons while holding back. Seventy-six kilometers per hour with obvious restraint. Reflexes that put him in the top percentile of professional heroes. And he's not even eighteen yet."
"Impressive, but manageable—"
"Is it? Most pros don't reach these benchmarks until their mid-twenties. He's seventeen and already performing at elite levels." Dr. Tanaka's voice dropped. "Complete physical invulnerability when his barrier's active. Instantaneous quirk nullification with total nervous system shutdown. This goes beyond anything we've catalogued."
"You think he's dangerous."
"I think he has the potential to be the most dangerous individual in Japan." Dr. Tanaka looked directly at Yoshida. "I hope I'm being paranoid. Right now, he seems like a sweet kid who wants to help people. But if villains captured him, learned about his abilities..."
"They could potentially neutralize every hero in the country," Yoshida finished quietly.
"That's why I want to study the rod. If we can reverse-engineer the suppression effect, it could revolutionize containment. But I also need to know its weaknesses. What happens if it's destroyed while embedded? Can certain quirks negate it? What are its physical limitations?"
"You want to find a way to stop him if necessary."
"The Commission has protocols for rogue heroes, but most assume conventional quirks with conventional limitations. Ken's abilities operate on principles we don't understand."
Dr. Tanaka picked up the containment unit holding the black rod. "The suppression effect alone could be game-changing for law enforcement. If we could mass-produce something similar..."
"Secondary benefit," Yoshida agreed. "Primary goal is understanding. We need to know everything about how his abilities work."
"What about his background? The missing years?"
Yoshida's expression darkened. "That's another concern. A boy disappears at seven, reappears at seventeen with strategic-level abilities, and remembers nothing? That's not coincidence."
"Experimentation?"
"Someone or something is responsible for his development. Until we know what, we can't rule out the possibility that he's not as innocent as he appears." Yoshida opened a secure app on her tablet. "This information needs to reach the right people immediately."
"Who?"
"First, the Commission's Strategic Assessment Division. They need to know we have a potential S-class individual. Second, All Might specifically requested Ken's assessment results. Third, I'm sending a recommendation to U.A. for fast-track application review."
"You want him where you can watch him."
"I want him where Eraserhead and All Might can watch him. If something goes wrong, they're among the few who might handle him. Plus, U.A. has the best support programs for unusual quirks."
Dr. Tanaka nodded. "And if he's as heroic as he seems, he'll get proper training."
"Exactly." Yoshida finished her messages. "How long for preliminary analysis of the rod?"
"A few days for basic composition. Anything detailed will require the main research facility."
"Do it. Full report within a week." Yoshida stood, smoothing her jacket. "And Doctor? This conversation stays classified. Ken seems like a good kid, but we can't afford to be wrong."
Dr. Tanaka secured the containment unit. "What about Ken himself? Do we tell him about our concerns?"
"For now, we proceed as if he's exactly what he appears to be—a powerful teenager who wants to become a hero. We support his goals, provide guidance, and hope for the best while preparing for the worst."
---
Long after the door closed behind them, Observation Room C fell into humming silence.
Minutes passed.
Then, without sound or warning, black mist shimmered in the far corner.
A figure stepped forward from the darkness, moving with unhurried purpose. Gloved hands inserted a small device into the terminal beneath the central console.
No alarms. No lights.
Just a brief data transfer window on the dormant monitor.
And then nothing.
The mist withdrew, taking its passenger, leaving the room exactly as it was.
Undisturbed.
____
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