The moment Shigaraki Tomura heard that the robber's victims were all women, children, and the elderly—
His expression turned glacial.
He had already known the man was a fugitive murderer responsible for twenty-six deaths. That much had been confirmed before he ever set foot in Kabukichō.
But he hadn't expected this.
All defenseless civilians.
All tortured to death.
That crossed a line.
Originally, he had considered granting the man a quick death—after all, the attitude of surrender had been satisfactory.
Now?
Before dying, the man would experience the same agony he had inflicted.
Call it interest.
Call it justice.
Call it balance.
Shigaraki glanced sideways.
"Finish him, Sludge."
Then, after a brief pause, he added calmly:
"And try not to let him die too quickly. Make sure he understands what suffering feels like."
"Yes, Shigaraki-sama."
The next moment—
The man's screams echoed through the dim bar.
"AAAAAAAHHH—!"
…
While the Sludge Villain carried out his work, Shigaraki returned to his room and closed his eyes, reviewing the changes in his system panel.
Name: Shimura Tenko (Shigaraki Tomura)
Race: Human (Normal individual stat baseline: 10, growth cap: 20)
Level: LV1 (40/100)
Due to Host simultaneously undertaking Main Quest 1 and 2, level-up conditions have been modified.
Defeating Villains or Pro Heroes grants Evolution Points and EXP.
Experience increases Quirk Level.
Evolution Points increase Host Level.
Each level grants 2 free attribute points.
Note: Upon reaching LV6, Host may choose to leave this world and travel to the next.
Attributes:
Strength: 15
Constitution: 16
Agility: 12
Intelligence: 13
Perception: 16
Total: 72
Quirk: Decay (LV3, 60/100 EXP)
Note: Frequent use of Quirk in daily life also grants small amounts of experience.
Apocalypse: Unlocked, awaiting activation.
Upon activation, grants "God-tier" learning, analytical, and comprehension ability.
Main Quest 1: Become the Savior of Villains
Break the old order in the guise of evil and establish new rules.
Phase 1 Objective: Establish a Villain organization with no fewer than 5 members.
Main Quest 2: Become a Pro Hero
Misfortune and fortune walk together. Challenge is opportunity.
No matter the method—become a Pro Hero.
Phase 1 Objective: Enroll in U.A. High.
Shigaraki leaned back in thought.
One robber of this level granted approximately 40 Evolution Points and 40 Experience.
Which meant—
He needed to defeat at least two more at similar strength to level up.
Looks like I won't be lounging around before U.A. starts.
His lips curled slightly.
Time to hunt.
And perhaps—
Find more promising "talent" like the Sludge Villain.
…
About thirty minutes later, the door opened.
The Sludge Villain entered—now fully transformed into the robber's appearance. He knelt respectfully before Shigaraki.
"It is done, Shigaraki-sama."
Shigaraki's eyes lit with interest.
"Well? Results?"
"I have obtained his Quirk. Under the enhancement effect of my own ability, the host body's physical strength has improved. Additionally… the legs you previously severed have regenerated."
Shigaraki blinked.
Then exhaled slowly.
He really had picked up a treasure.
He had suspected the Sludge Villain's Quirk held potential—but this exceeded expectations.
He could:
Steal Quirks
Reinforce the host's physical body
Restore injuries while possessed
And from the outside, the identity swap is almost impossible to detect.
That last part was particularly valuable.
"Your Quirk… is absurdly strong."
"You overpraise me, Shigaraki-sama. Everything I am today is thanks to your guidance."
Shigaraki gave a noncommittal smile.
Loyalty spoken aloud meant little.
Loyalty proven through action—that was what mattered.
Time would test everything.
He shifted topics casually.
"What happens if you abandon this body?"
"Since the original host is deceased, once I detach, the body will revert to its pre-attachment condition. In this case—the legs will return to being severed. Nothing more."
Shigaraki narrowed his eyes.
So the regeneration only persists while possessing the host.
Interesting.
He stored the information mentally.
"And how does the Quirk feel to use?"
The Sludge Villain hesitated.
"…Not ideal."
"Oh?"
"I lack experience fighting in a human body. I cannot draw out the full potential of his blade transformation Quirk."
Shigaraki nodded.
No disappointment.
He had never believed in perfection.
If the Sludge Villain could instantly master every stolen Quirk at full capacity, he would have become infamous long ago instead of scraping by as a petty criminal.
There were always limits.
"Then we'll treat this body as temporary."
He waved his hand lightly.
"Make do with it for now. When we find something more suitable…"
His gaze sharpened.
"We'll replace it."
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