"Handstand!"
"Turn around!"
"Jump!"
…
Commands echoed through the abandoned factory—and instantly, the surrounding Nomu began to move.
After a short series of tests, Shina Etsuha quickly realized something surprising.
These Nomu could follow extremely detailed instructions.
In fact, sometimes he didn't even need to finish speaking—Nomu seemed to understand his intent halfway through. When he casually tossed his shoes aside, one of them even picked them up without being explicitly told. It understood what "shoes" were.
That result made Etsuha pause.
"…So they're not mindless."
That meant Nomu weren't just brute-force monsters. They were closer to humans than expected. The fact they understood everyday concepts suggested they might even retain fragments of their past memories.
That thought alone was chilling.
"It seems I underestimated how Nomu function… I thought they could only carry out simple commands, but they've reached this level already. No wonder intelligent Nomu can be developed later."
Etsuha narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If I ever get the chance… Kurogiri is the first one I'm killing."
The Nomu's eyes shifted slightly, though it was unclear whether they understood.
Etsuha changed his phrasing.
"Kurogiri has betrayed the League of Villains. When you see him, kill him first."
"ROAR!"
Several Nomu let out low growls in response.
"Perfect."
Etsuha nodded in satisfaction.
These particular Nomu weren't especially powerful—likely incomplete experimental models—but they were more than useful.
Then—
He noticed something unusual.
One Nomu hadn't moved at all.
It was submerged in a tank filled with pale green liquid, its body connected to numerous tubes. Around it were complex instruments Etsuha couldn't fully understand.
But one thing was clear—
This one was different.
"…This one's a finished product."
From it, he could sense a distinct aura of power.
Its body structure was closer to the original Nomu that fought All Might—a pure power type, even featuring a sharp, bird-like head.
Etsuha tried calling out to it in Shigaraki Tomura's voice.
No response.
"…Not activated?"
He frowned.
"That doesn't make sense. If this place were that poorly secured, they wouldn't have left me here and closed the portal so casually…"
After a moment of thought, Etsuha used the Transformation Technique again.
A cloud of white smoke burst outward—
And when it cleared, he had become All For One.
"Open your eyes."
His voice was deep and commanding.
Hiss—!
The green liquid began to bubble violently, as though boiling.
Then—
The Nomu's eyes snapped open.
They locked directly onto Etsuha.
"…It worked."
Etsuha's heart lifted slightly.
"Issue a command… let's see."
He spoke calmly.
"When you see the doctor and Shigaraki Tomura, kill them immediately."
No response.
Etsuha wasn't surprised.
The "doctor" was one of the creators of the Nomu—someone with top-level authority. It made sense that Nomu wouldn't act against him.
So Etsuha adjusted his command.
"When you see Shigaraki Tomura, kill him on sight. The same goes for Kurogiri."
He paused, then added:
"From now on, Shina Etsuha is your second master. You must never disobey him."
CRASH!
The containment tank shattered.
The Nomu stepped out, standing before Etsuha—before All For One—and nodded.
"…An intelligent type?"
Etsuha narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
If this one had true intelligence, it might see through his Transformation Technique.
But it didn't matter.
This was just an experiment.
From what he had observed so far, the Nomu here could execute commands but lacked the ability to express themselves or think independently beyond that.
Just then—
A portal suddenly opened.
Etsuha's expression changed instantly.
Kurogiri.
Without hesitation, he slipped into the shadows and activated the Transformation Technique again.
In the next moment—
He had turned into a small Nomu.
A foot stepped out of the portal.
Then another.
Several figures emerged—villains, all of them. They stood in the factory, looking around in confusion.
"Didn't Kurogiri say he sent him here? Why are the Nomu just standing around?"
"This doesn't make any sense… There's no sign of a fight!"
"And why aren't the Nomu moving at all?"
They looked completely baffled.
According to Kurogiri's report, Shina Etsuha should have been torn apart the moment he arrived.
But this place—
Showed no signs of battle whatsoever.
"Hey!" one of them shouted into the portal. "There's no sign of Shina Etsuha here! The Nomu aren't doing anything either! What's going on? Did you send him somewhere else?"
"That's impossible!" Kurogiri's voice came back immediately. "I definitely sent him to the Nomu facility. There's no mistake. Search again!"
He didn't dare step inside.
After witnessing what Etsuha had done earlier—even All For One nearly being burned alive—Kurogiri was cautious to the extreme. Entering blindly could mean walking straight into a trap.
The villains searched again.
"Nothing! No injuries, no bodies, no blood—nothing at all! It's like he was never here!"
"…What?"
Even Kurogiri fell silent for a moment.
After confirming repeatedly, he finally said:
"…Then I'll come in myself."
The next second—
Kurogiri stepped through the portal.
Just as they had said, there were no signs of combat anywhere. Not even a trace of blood.
It was as if Etsuha had never existed.
"…Could the teleport have gone wrong?"
Kurogiri couldn't believe it.
But reality left him no choice.
Then—
Something felt off.
Very off.
Kurogiri's gaze slowly lifted.
And he realized—
Nearly every Nomu in the facility had turned to look at him.