To be honest, Shigaraki Tomura had considered letting Sludge possess a Nomu.
He really had.
But after thinking it through carefully, he ultimately dismissed the idea.
First, creating a Nomu required a base body, and raising one to completion took time.Sure, rushed production was possible—but the result would be inferior. That didn't align with his standards.
Second, he had a long-term plan in mind—one that would require the Sludge Villain's cooperation.
And for that plan to work, the Sludge Villain needed a body that could walk around in public without causing chaos.
A Nomu clearly didn't meet that requirement.
Too ugly.
Therefore, after weighing everything, Shigaraki shelved the idea of letting the Sludge Villain take over a Nomu body.
"Everything will be as you decide, Shigaraki-sama."
The Sludge Villain had no idea he had nearly been fused with a Nomu. His tone remained utterly respectful.
And perhaps—even if he had known—he wouldn't have resented it.
After all, compared to the robber's body he was currently inhabiting, a Nomu's physical specs and Quirks were overwhelmingly superior.
For someone eager to repay Shigaraki's "kindness," that level of power would have been tempting.
Strength meant usefulness.
And usefulness meant repayment.
As for appearance?
Nomu were ugly—but were they uglier than his original form?
Probably not.
Unfortunately for him, he remained unaware of Shigaraki's brief consideration—and thus unknowingly missed that opportunity.
…
Shigaraki clapped his hands lightly.
"Good. Sludge's body situation is temporarily resolved."
He looked toward Kurogiri.
"Kurogiri, take Sludge with you for now."
"I have something important to discuss privately with Sensei. Since it involves multiple moving parts, it's better if you two step out for a while."
In truth, this so-called "great plan" was nothing more than discussing enrollment at U.A. High with All For One.
But something as risky as infiltrating U.A. under a hidden identity—
The fewer who knew, the better.
Less knowledge meant less chance of exposure.
Thus, he casually invented an excuse to send them away.
"Understood, Shigaraki-kun."
"As you wish, Shigaraki-sama."
With respectful nods, Kurogiri opened a warp gate and vanished with the Sludge Villain.
…
Once they were gone, Shigaraki waved toward the monitor.
"Yo, Sensei."
On the screen, the silhouette of All For One appeared.
"You're as lively as ever, Tomura."
His distorted, sinister voice echoed through the empty bar.
Shigaraki remained perfectly composed. After a month of proximity, he had grown accustomed to that noise.
"Not at all. You, on the other hand, haven't changed one bit, Sensei."
All For One ignored the polite flattery.
"I hear you have a… grand plan. What is it?"
Straight to the point.
Just as expected.
Shigaraki dropped the pleasantries.
"Sensei, when does U.A. start its term?"
Silence.
A long one.
Even through the screen, the pause was obvious.
After all—
Shigaraki was a Villain.
Not just any Villain—but one who had publicly declared himself the "Savior of Villains" in front of multiple Pro Heroes.
Even in the presence of All Might.
And now this same Villain wanted to attend—
The academy that trained Pro Heroes?
For a brief moment, even All For One seemed unsure whether to praise his disciple's boldness or question his sanity.
Then—
"Hahahahahaha…"
A low, demonic laugh spilled from the speakers.
"So… you intend to infiltrate the enemy's heart?"
He had drawn his own conclusion.
"I knew it, Tomura… You truly are the perfect Villain."
Shigaraki smiled innocently.
"I'm not sure about that, Sensei. Please don't misunderstand."
He had no intention of correcting the misunderstanding.
"After all… in the future, I'll be graduating from U.A. as a Hero."
He placed a hand to his chest lightly.
"Not a Villain."
The smile on his youthful face was radiant.
Pure.
Bright.
So clean it felt capable of washing away sin itself.
Watching through the screen, All For One's laughter only grew more manic.
"Hahahahahaha! Excellent! Tomura, you truly are my finest masterpiece!"
"I can't wait to see the day you stand at the summit."
Shigaraki's smile deepened.
"Rest assured, Sensei. I won't disappoint you."
"I will stand at the top of this world."
Whether you'll still be around to see it…
Is another matter.
His eyes gleamed faintly—
Still smiling.
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