Yagi seemed strange. I didn't know what it was, but there was something about him that was off. Not 'off' as in psychotic or sick—because we're all sick in this business—but 'off' as in secretive.

It's normal for teenage boys—such as himself—to keep to themselves; however, it felt as if he was harbouring a dark secret. Besides, something about Shigaraki Tomura's death seemed off to me. The way it had been told to me, both the boys ventured off in the middle of the night—alone—without telling anyone where they had been going, or what they had been doing.

Now, I had heard that the two saw each other as brothers and such, and it was quite normal for brothers to sneak out, but to go after Nine without backup was a dumb move that I couldn't see someone as intellectually-mature as Yagi making. It was a simple-minded move at best—unlike Yagi. Although I hadn't known him as well as I'm acting I do, I do understand the basics of character reading.

Yagi is the type of person to hustle someone in a game of pool. Yagi is the type of person to make a plan and completely think it through before acting. He's cautious. Not the type to dive headfirst into a match he knew he couldn't win. Not the type to fight a man as powerful as my latest test subject with only Sigaraki Tomura and himself as backup.

Though, I had sent Sigaraki Tomura to transport my test subject—Nine—to my laboratory, and retrieve him once he had escaped, and he failed—which wasn't completely absurd—it didn't seem convincing. Something else must have gone wrong, and Yagi was the only other person there.

Even Yagi's story didn't seem convincing. Why would Yagi instruct Shigaraki Tomura to fight Nine alone—knowing Nine's power had been superior to that of their own. It was all odd.

I had heard that All For One had explained to Yagi that he would be next in line to inherit All For One's cloned quirk—after Shigaraki Tomura, of course. That was my first tip-off.

All For One also seemed partially skeptical; however, he wasn't in the proper mindset to think rationally. All For One had really loved and cherished Shigaraki Tomura. He saw him as a son—which was obvious, seeing as he gave the boy his name.

Although he had taken Shigaraki Tomura off of the streets and into his home to spite All Might originally, over the years of nurturing and raising the child, they had developed a bond. Now that the child is gone, All For One was in a deep grieving state. Nevertheless, he still decided to go forth with his plans of passing on a form of his quirk, even through his pained tunnel vision.

He might not have been in a proper state to make rational decisions and see-through deceptions, but I was.

All For One believed in me and my words when no one else did. He funded my research and became a dear friend to me, and for that, I owe him everything. He couldn't imagine that the person Shigaraki Tomura had grown so fond of would even consider arranging the child's death. No. He wouldn't imagine it. I, on the other hand, have much less faith in humanity. The boy had made All For One soft. His new-found tunnel vision limited him to such thoughts, which is why I was here.

A second opinion is always important.

A second opinion could save a life.

This was the reason I had suggested All For One not give Yagi the original copy of his quirk, which he had planned to do. We had the back up prepared in case of an emergency, yes, but All For One was planning to give up his original quirk to Yagi and save the copy for himself. I, however, intervened. I didn't trust that child, Yagi. I didn't understand what exactly happened on Nabu Island to cost Shigaraki Tomura his life, but I knew Yagi was lying. I knew something was wrong.

I still proceeded with All For One's new successor as I would have Sigaraki Tomura because this was what All For One had asked of me. Regardless of whether or not Yagi truly had anything to do with Shigaraki Tomura's death, he was my masterpiece. My greatest work. I've been occupied with Yagi for quite some time, so I left my double in charge of my other duties in the hospital and such. It all seemed to be going well and according to plan—which is why I hadn't been expecting a pro hero to come barrelling into my laboratory through my medicine wall.

"Are you..." The pro I recognized as Mirko started, out of breath. "The real one?!"

It was so simple. Being a child—that is. Quirks ruined humanity. Or maybe the world had always been as broken as it was is now. Maybe it wasn't just the appearance of quirks that ruined the world. Maybe it was just the human mind that was flawed. When quirks first appeared, those with power were ostracized. Now, in the current day, those without power are ostracized. It made no sense to me. What do these people want? What does society want?

I had always worn a smile as a child. Before my friends began getting their quirks. Before I didn't. It was all sunshine and rainbows back then. I grew up too fast because of the harshness and brutality of society. I was bitter and I was vengeful.

I remembered the day Bakugou had received his quirk. We had all snuck into a restricted area of a forest, and I was scared. I didn't like being in places we weren't supposed to go. I didn't like breaking the rules; however, Bakugou, Todoroki, and Izumi did.

They teased me about not wanted to go into the forest—surrounded by fencing—until I complied.

I suppose they had always been pushy and harsh towards me...

As we walked through the covered wood, I could barely focus on anything but my own fears. Fears of getting caught in a place we weren't supposed to be in. Fears of getting hurt, being in the middle of a forest—restricted to public access. Fears of something going wrong.

I was deep in thought, when all of a sudden, a large explosion sounded from in front of me. My head snapped up to see Bakugou staring down at his palms.

He was the first in our friend group to develop a quirk.

We all ran home and immediately—praising Bakugou. I think I was the most excited for Bakugou. I might have even been more excited than he was.

I watched in awe as one-by-one, all of my best friends developed their quirks—waiting patiently to develop my own. Both Izumi and I were late. For different reasons, of course.

Izumi's quirk was so damn powerful, it needed the extra two weeks to develop into the great force it is now; meanwhile, I wasn't getting a quirk. I was born quirkless.

Izumi had developed her quirk while we were at the quirk doctor's office; meanwhile, I was told that I would never develop one of my own.

My life went to shit after that, but this was the moment that all of that would change. That of all that pain would turn around. All those years of constant abuse and suffering would be thrown right back into the faces of those that mocked and harassed me for almost the entirety of my life.

It felt like a dream, reliving what few happy moments I had held onto through all of these years.

Then, being sucked into the nightmares of my past, watching—helplessly from the sidelines—as my childhood self was tormented.

Right up until the day I stood, gawking down at the concrete beneath me from the height of that rooftop.

I watched as my body fell—gracefully—through the air, as I neared the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me. It was familiar and warm as the owner of the voice spoke out with care and compassion.

All For One.

I walked to him as he smiled at me with open arms, inviting me to join him in the special world—built just for him. This was the road less travelled. The one too difficult for the average person to take, but the one most rewarding at the other end of the path. This was the end of my suffering. Once I traversed to the other end of this bridge between my past and my future, I would be strong enough to save the world from those horrid hero-scums that roam the Earth with not so much as a care for anyone but themselves.

My past will no longer hold me back after this moment. I will be liberated, and therefore, I will be able to liberate those around me. I will save the world, and break the earthly chains holding me down. I will correct those that mocked me in the past. I will correct those that hold me back. I will correct everything.

My eyes opened slowly as I felt the cold embrace of reality envelop my body. There, looming over me, was some hero.

Heroes make me sick.

All of the philosophical, humanitarian bullshit they spit left and right gave me headaches.

I watched in hysteria as the energy and life drained from the face of the hero that held me down, and added to my own. As the hero in front of me was dying—slowly, and painfully—I was gaining energy, to use at my disposal.

Feeling that I had enough power, I expelled it in a slash of my whip, creating a blast of power—stronger than the one that claimed the entirety of Deika City just a few months ago. The world around me enveloped in white as I activated Ghost and floated to the sky.

Get ready...

Because I am here...

Izumi...

Izuku...

I could feel him...

Through One For All...

"He's coming..." I mumbled softly.

Todoroki and Kacchan glanced back at me in dismay as I spoke—turning to face the hospital in which the other group was supposed to be situated—as a loud banging noise sounded. I felt a wave of white encompass my vision as my body was blown backwards.

As the light dispersed and a wave of quiet overtook us, the public began to break into a state of panic. The buildings and ground were all in disarray; meanwhile, those that hadn't evacuated fast enough were running around like headless chickens with heroes trailing behind them all.

"One For what?" I heard a hero say in the midst of all the chaos.

One For All...

He's after me...

I felt a grin creep onto my face as I realized what was about to ensue. A battle between brother and sister. A battle between gifted and giftless. A battle between good and evil—with me fighting for justice, and the bitch that shares my name fighting for his own, selfish needs. This would be our final battle because I knew—and I knew he did as well—that only one of us would leave with our lives. Only one of us would survive after this day, and I knew damn well that I wasn't going to die today.

I would come out of this rematch as the only Yagi child on Earth.

This is a battle to the death...

I'm going to enjoy this.

Bring it, Loser.