Chapter 209: The guy’s a hero, let him be one.

--Monday, May 26, 2172

For her part, Nemuri remained silent and simply looked at Kai while sipping her cup of tea, feeling no need to speak, as she knew her man well enough to get an idea of what he was thinking. And just as she expected, after a few seconds, Kai spoke in a serious tone.

“Although I'm not entirely against forming a team, the truth is that place is dangerous—so much so that I’m certain Mirko, whom I met before, would die easily there even before facing one of the truly large and dangerous monsters. So instead of being a help, they would end up being a burden.

“But even setting that aside, there’s something else that makes forming a team completely unappealing, and it’s this: if the true extent of my powers becomes public, I’m absolutely certain those parasites in their plush chairs won’t rest until they find a way to put a collar around my neck—which would inevitably result in a ‘tragedy.’”

“…”

Upon hearing Kai’s words—especially the strange emphasis he placed on the word ‘tragedy,’ a blatant threat—All Might, Nezu, and even Nemuri frowned. After all, that was a scenario with a high chance of happening, since if the politicians found out the true power of the young man, who knows what foolish thing they might try.

After all, although the young man before them was comparable in power to All Might, he lacked the connections and fame of the Symbol of Peace, who returned to Japan already as a world-renowned hero with important contacts across the globe—especially in the United States. This, in a way, made Kai more vulnerable, something that would inevitably plant ideas in certain people’s minds. At that moment, Nezu spoke in a serious tone.

“… Although that is certainly a likely scenario, all the selected heroes have been thoroughly vetted, and none have any affiliations with the government. They are also discreet and trustworthy. And let’s not forget the Pussycats, who have your full trust—not to mention that All Might will be the one leading the team.

“But even with all that, there’s something else you mustn’t forget, Kai-kun: nothing stays hidden forever in this world. The revelation of your powers is only a matter of time, so a wise course of action would be to start building connections that could help you avoid the worst-case scenario.”

“…That’s also true.”

Upon hearing Nezu, Kai could only nod, knowing it was inevitable that he would eventually come face to face with the politicians. After all, he was still completely convinced that the reason he lost track of those involved in the attack on his parents was due to government interference—and he had a special place reserved for those bastards in Alcatraz.

“So, what do you say, Kai? Will you give working as a team a chance?” After a few seconds, Nemuri asked in a calm voice, which inevitably made Kai sigh before he replied in a serious tone.

“As long as I’m not held responsible for those heroes’ lives, it’s fine with me. But before we depart, I need to prepare my gear—and I also want to have a private conversation with the Pussycats. I’m still not fully convinced they should be going.”

…

After discussing a few more details, it was ultimately decided that the incursion would take place that same weekend. Nezu then asked Kai for the island’s location in order to prepare everything—only to be surprised upon learning that the place was actually in constant motion and could only be accessed by approaching sea level. At the same time, though, that explanation cleared up many of his doubts about why they hadn’t been able to locate it.

“Kai-shonen, may I speak with you for a moment?”

By the time Kai left the principal’s office accompanied by Nemuri, the Symbol of Peace approached him and asked in a serious tone. Nemuri took that as her cue to smile and excuse herself, wanting to give them a bit of privacy since it seemed like something important.

“Then I’ll head off—I’ve got a class to teach. See you later.”

“See you at home.” Kai said goodbye to Nemuri, then turned to face the imposing Symbol of Peace, asking in a calm tone.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“I’m thinking about accepting the proposal you made me, but first, I want to ask you a couple of questions.” All Might replied in a serious tone, slightly surprising Kai, who quickly nodded and responded in a composed manner.

“Then let’s talk in my workshop.”

…

Upon arriving at his workshop in U.A.—which, despite not having visited it in two weeks, was completely spotless—Kai served tea to All Might and poured himself a cup of coffee. He then sat down across from the Symbol of Peace on one of the comfortable sofas in the living area of his elegant workshop.

“So tell me, what questions do you want to ask?”

“There are several, but the two most important ones are these…” All Might said in a serious tone, pausing for a moment as he looked directly into Kai’s blue eyes. Then he asked, in a weighty voice.

“Do you really have a way to restore my strength without leaving any kind of backdoor? And more importantly, are you truly willing to restore my strength without trying to control me in any way?”

Upon hearing the question, Kai smiled calmly and studied the serious, blond-haired hero in front of him. He then took a sip of his coffee and explained quietly, speaking with sincerity.

“I truly will restore your strength without leaving any backdoors or means of control—you have my word on that. And the reason I’m willing to do it is very simple: you’re a true hero, All Might. And if something were to happen to me, you would be the one to keep my family safe after I’m gone. And for that to be possible, your powers need to function even if I die.”

Seeing the surprise and disbelief on the Symbol of Peace’s face, Kai couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle—but he was completely serious. That defeat at the hands of the spiders had made him realize just how much his family’s safety depended on his strength. That’s why he had begun working on ways to strengthen them permanently—methods that would work even without his aura.

This was the case because, although in Hunter x Hunter—the original series where Nen was introduced—it was shown that parasitic Nen beasts could continue to exist even after their creator's death and would only disappear when their host died. There was nothing that guaranteed to Kai that the Accomplices would work the same way. That’s why he needed a backup plan, and having a powerful allay like All Might was a solid complementary measure.

For his part, All Might couldn’t help but study Kai carefully, which allowed him to realize that the young man was completely serious—he was truly preparing for the possibility of his own death. This inevitably led him to speak in a serious tone.

“Kai-shonen, you’re still very young… It’s possible I’ll die before you. You don’t have to be so fatalistic…”

“Life is far too unpredictable. No one can say who’s going to die first.” Kai replied in a casual tone, then added with a slight smile.

“That fight with the spiders made me painfully aware of that. And unlike me, you’ve been a hero for 40 years, and you're still alive, while I—on my very first serious battle—almost died and only survived by a stroke of luck. So it's far more likely that you'll outlive me, which makes restoring your strength a solid investment on my part.

“You, as the hero you’ve been your whole life, will try to keep this country safe no matter what. And if we add your boy Midoriya, Mirio, all the kids from the class I’m training, and the strength and resources of my own family, there’s a good chance that even after my death, they’ll still be safe.

“So don’t worry—I won’t try to control you or anything like that. Your legacy speaks for itself. I just need you to keep doing what you’ve always done. As the head of my family, I’ll simply focus on increasing the odds that they remain safe and happy even when I’m no longer around.”

Upon hearing Kai’s words, All Might felt a lump form in his throat, as he could sense the boy was speaking sincerely and from the bottom of his heart. This boy—whom he had always distrusted and suspected—was now confessing that the only thing he truly cared about was his family and that he was willing to give everything for them, making him more heroic than many professional heroes.

But, even though he was undeniably moved, All Might still didn’t lower his guard around Kai. After all, wanting to protect one’s family didn’t necessarily conflict with being a villain. In his long career as a hero, he had seen villains so contradictory that they could commit a cold-blooded massacre without blinking—only to become the most loving and affectionate people when around those they cherished.

“I’m going to believe in you, Kai-shonen. So I’m willing to regain my strength. What do I need to do?” After a few seconds, All Might declared in a serious voice—causing Kai to smile and quickly reply with visible enthusiasm.

“For now, nothing. I'm still studying One for All in Midoriya to finalize the procedure, which, I assume, will take a little over a month.”

“So it won’t happen before going to Spider Island?” All Might asked with a serious tone, to which Kai nodded and replied.

“Exactly, which is why it's better if you don't go. Your strength has declined significantly, and at any moment you could lose your powers completely. So, if everything goes well after the trip to the island, I’ll come back and focus entirely on restoring your powers.”

“…I can’t do that. That place is too dangerous for me to sit on the sidelines.” After a few seconds, All Might said solemnly, looking Kai straight in the eyes, to which Kai quickly responded with a serious tone.

“Look, I’ll be honest with you. Since it’s very likely the Pussycats will be going to the island, my goal there is just a preliminary scouting mission to check on a few minor things and then come back as quickly as possible. That way, they'll calm down, and I can go alone to handle the important matters. You can come with me then. For now, stay—it’s what's best for everyone.”

“…”

Seeing Kai’s seriousness, All Might couldn’t help but stare at him for a moment, once again realizing how subtly manipulative the boy in front of him was—interweaving half-truths to force a mistake. In this case, agreeing to go as a group to the island just to appease his worried relatives, with no real intention of carrying out a serious operation.

And though what he was saying was probably true—Kai’s concern for his family was real and sincere—All Might still had no intention of listening to him. Even though he wasn’t sure, his instincts told him that Kai could easily abandon the other heroes there or use them as shields or cannon fodder if things got out of control, just to keep his family safe. That was something All Might couldn’t allow.

“No. I’m going.” All Might replied in a firm tone that allowed no debate. Then, looking Kai directly in the eyes, he added.

“No matter what happens, I’m still the symbol of peace. And no one knows what could happen in that place, not even you. So I’m going. Think of it as having a second layer of security for your loved ones.”

“I guess I won’t be able to convince you…”

Kai replied with a small sigh as he studied All Might’s silhouette in his black-and-white vision. The outline was almost completely still and even fainter than the last time he saw it. It was clear that All Might’s powers were about to disappear. At that moment, he added with a serious tone.

“Then there's nothing more to say. Let’s go—but it’s at your own risk. Even though I consider you a valuable asset for my family’s safety, you’re not worth enough for me to risk them to save you. Don’t forget that—they come first. Everything else comes after.”

Kai’s comment only strengthened All Might’s resolve to go, as he was practically admitting he would abandon the other heroes if necessary. So the Symbol of Peace quickly began discussing the details of the trip, then left the workshop. At that moment, once Kai was completely alone, he commented casually.

“Sage, schedule All Might’s procedure,  if he comes back alive, that's the first thing we have to do; that guy is too used to being invincible; if he stays in the state he's in, he's going to end up dead sooner or later.”

“Understood, Master.” The beautiful fairy with reddish hair and a blue dress materialized out of nowhere and responded in a serious tone. She then looked at her master and asked curiously.

“Are we really not leaving any kind of backdoor, Master?”

“We’re really not leaving any.” Kai replied as he got up from his seat, adding as he walked toward his office.

“Even though it’s highly likely I’ll end up facing All Might at some point—especially if he tries to protect someone involved in my parents’ case—everything I said was absolutely true. And I’m not about to risk losing such a valuable safeguard for my family’s security just to try to control him foolishly. The guy’s a hero—let him be one.”

“Understood, Master. I’ll make all the necessary preparations.”

Upon hearing her master, Sage nodded calmly and replied, then began manipulating various holographic screens that materialized in front of her. At that moment, Kai spoke seriously while turning on his computer.

“Alright, Sage, let’s do the final checks for the new energy core. Everything with Keiko this afternoon has to go perfectly—my new armor and the girls’ armor depend on it.”

“Right away, Master.”

With his reliable assistant’s response, Kai began working with full concentration, while Sage supported him flawlessly, sitting on his head with a smile.

………

Upon returning from U.A., Kai gave Momo and Nejire a quick kiss before hurrying off to his engineering workshop, where Keiko was already waiting for him. She wore a simple black dress beneath a white lab coat, which—along with her elegant black-rimmed glasses—gave her an academic air that elevated her already immaculate beauty to another level.

“You look excited.” Keiko said with a smile as she saw Kai enter. She walked up to him and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek, to which Kai responded with visible excitement.

“Of course I am. If this works, not only will we have a new energy core, but we’ll be opening the door to levels we never even imagined.”

“Fufu, then let’s not delay any further—let’s begin.”

Seeing the bright glow in her beloved Kai’s eyes, Keiko felt her heart melt with love and spoke with a beautiful smile. The blue-eyed young man quickly nodded and replied enthusiastically.

“Let’s go!”

Hearing Kai’s words, Keiko smiled warmly and swiftly let her lab coat fall to the floor. Then, she slipped off the delicate straps holding up her dress, causing it to slide gently down her body and pool at her feet, revealing her toned and sensual figure—unashamedly exposed in only a tiny black thong and a sheer bra that did little to cover her ample chest.

Seeing Kai’s smile freeze slightly, Keiko let out a light, melodic giggle and began walking toward a table in the corner of the spacious workshop, swaying her hips seductively as she moved. She lay down on her stomach, putting her firm, round rear on full display. Then, she unhooked her bra, leaving her back completely bare, before turning her head to look at Kai and speaking with a soft smile.

“Don’t just stand there.”

“…I’m coming.”

After a few seconds, Kai replied, holding back the instinctive urge to swallow hard. He then approached the beautiful woman, channeling aura to the tips of each of his fingers, and began massaging Keiko’s back with a focused expression.

As Keiko let out soft moans of pleasure from the massage, Kai couldn’t help but sigh discreetly—he had finally noticed a change in Keiko’s attitude. After all, massages were such a common thing among the family members that they even had special clothing for it. While some skin exposure was needed, a pair of shorts and a sports top were usually more than enough.

Still, even though the change in her demeanor was clear and Keiko’s beauty was undeniably tempting, Kai chose to play dumb and focus on finishing the modified version of the massage he had developed—one specifically designed to temporarily empower a quirk without any side effects, something necessary for the madness they were about to attempt next.

“It’s done.” Kai said seriously once the massage was complete. Keiko, stretching and sitting up, replied in a relaxed voice.

“Your massages are the best thing in life… Oops.”

Keiko, who had “forgotten” that she had unhooked her bra, noticed Kai’s subtle glance at her exposed chest and let out a cute little sound as she brought her hand up to cover herself—though a mischievous smile inevitably appeared on her face.

Meanwhile, acting as if he hadn’t seen anything, Kai turned around and walked over to a comfortable chair surrounded by various medical devices in another corner of the workshop. He began checking over the equipment while speaking to his reliable assistant.

“Sage, temporarily pause all other processing threads. We need every ounce of computational power we can access—this is critical.”

“Understood, Master.”

As Sage replied in a serious tone, she began running calculations at high speed, causing her wings to shift colors rapidly like a living kaleidoscope. Keiko, meanwhile, finished fastening her bra and walked over to the chair, where she sat calmly and allowed Kai to hook her up to various medical instruments and an IV bag filled with specially selected medications.

“Here we go.” After finishing, Kai commented in a restrained voice, then looked at Keiko and began to explain calmly, more to determine if there was a problem with her lucidity than to inform her, since she was fully aware of what they were going to do.

“Sage will take control of your body, and through your Quirk, we’ll attempt to materialize the exotic element we designed as the reactor’s core. So far, it only exists in simulations—but if we can create it, we could be in a position to fabricate any theoretical element with subatomic precision.”

“Let’s begin.”

Keiko replied with a beautiful smile, feeling happier about the wide grin on her Kai’s face than the groundbreaking breakthrough they were about to attempt. At that moment, Kai turned to Sage and gave a solemn command.

“Sage, begin.”

“Immediately.”

After responding, the beautiful fairy flew over and hovered above Keiko’s abdomen. She placed her tiny hands on the woman’s skin, taking control of her body. Then, she began to use Keiko’s Quirk to transform her fat cells, creating a powerful and purely theoretical structure that had, until now, existed only in computer simulations.

Meanwhile, Kai placed his hand on Keiko’s shoulder and began monitoring her physical condition, though his gaze remained completely fixed on the woman’s flat stomach. After some time, a nearly metallic, triangular-shaped figure slowly began to emerge from it, glowing with an almost magical blue light.

As he watched the object take form, Kai unintentionally gripped Keiko’s shoulder a bit too tightly, causing the beautiful woman slight pain. However, she chose to stay silent, focusing entirely on how Sage was manipulating her body—making full use of her Accomplice’s ability to accelerate her thoughts.

After nearly 30 minutes, the small triangular object, barely 3 cm in size, finally separated completely from Keiko. At that moment, Kai moved with impossible speed, grabbing it with a pair of tweezers, and immediately gave a solemn command while rushing to store the strange glowing triangle in a specially designed cabinet that looked like crystal, lined with thick cables.

“Sage, check Keiko’s physical condition down to the last detail.”

“Right away.”

Sage responded quickly as she examined Keiko’s condition—almost checking cell by cell. Meanwhile, the beautiful black-haired woman stood up from the chair and removed the IV needle from her arm. She then walked over to Kai, who was fully focused on the artifact in his hands, and spoke in a cheerful voice.

“Looks like we succeeded.”

“We still have a lot of testing to do, so it’s too early to declare victory,” Kai replied with a wide smile on his face. He turned his head to look at Keiko, who smiled warmly and opened her arms for a hug, then said in a joyful tone.

“We did it.”

“You could say that.” Kai replied with a slightly amused tone, then stepped forward and gave Keiko a strong hug. She embraced him back without the slightest concern about being in nothing but her underwear.

***

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