In the coming week, a great upheaval stormed across the entire country.
But the knowledge of this upheaval was limited to only the upper echelons of society, the top-level Pros, high-ranking police officials, and… some Villains.
There were two reasons behind this upheaval.
First, it was the matter reported by Sir Nighteye Agency related to three drugs — Compound Monocle, Erasure, and Trigger.
That report finally acknowledged, with undeniable proof, the involvement of Shie Hassaikai with a foreign organization to smuggle Compound Monocle, while simultaneously trading Erasure with them.
The mention of Erasure — a drug that could erase Quirks — was already eye opening.
However, the Compound Monocle took them even more by surprise, turning out to be a drug that could grant abilities… just like the rumored Apostles of Mr. Fool, who were known to be Quirkless.
It was needless to say that this report was buried so deep by the higher-ups that no hint of it could ever get out, even if someone wanted it to.
The panic this report could cause, not only in the country but in the world at large, was not something either the Japanese Government or its Hero Public Service Commission was ready to deal with.
The fact that some part of this report was circulating among the Villains was already a disaster.
Of course, in all this, the courageous feat of Lemillion, Nejire Chan, and Suneater working together to foil this drug trade was easily overlooked. Fortunately, their failure in securing either the Yakuza member or a sample of those two drugs was also swept away under the rug.
As if this weren't a terrible catastrophe already, the upheaval was boosted by the second reason.
Unlike the first reason, the second one wasn't a report, but a man.
The Symbol of Hope — the retired, Quirkless No. 1 Hero — All Might!
…
Conference Hall,
The Apostles of Mr. Fool's HQ
Dr. Blessed sat at the head chair, with all the Apostles seated in their positions on either side of him.
"Things are settling down somewhat," Iron Mentor reported. "The matter of a Shigaraki-like, Quirkless Monocle running amok in the country has riled up the entire Commission. It was good that All Might himself backed this anonymous tip."
Luke ignored the question-like sentence.
Trick*Step nodded, oblivious to the exchange of punches between two Cryptologists.
"For a moment there, I felt like I wouldn't be able to come here even with Raven's help," she admitted. "Pros were literally in my backyard… just a few meters away from the drug vial."
The Cyborg leaned forward to add its comment, too.
"Shield and I couldn't spam more AI-generated reels of Mr. Fool's benevolence, either," Mushroom said, showing displeasure. "Pros are monitoring all the content and where the requests are coming from…"
"…" Dr. Blessed.
"…" Iron Mentor.
"…" Trick*Step.
Melissa blushed, touching her chin against her chest.
Luke took a deep breath and leaned back into the chair.
"Did Raven find out anything?" Iron Mentor asked, sounding concerned.
Luke shook his head. "It's not easy to divine such a High Sequence Beyonder, especially one with means of anti-divination," he told them. "She could be anywhere…"
A darkness settled on the Apostles' faces.
A Sequence 5 Wraith… especially an outright evil one… could kill hundreds if she wanted to before any of them could even know of it.
Even without it being said, the Apostles knew that the red-haired woman had unwantedly become their top priority, even surpassing the matter of Amon Himself.
And it was when Luke hadn't even told them about the evil God… just outside The Boundary.
"How did she reach Sequence 5 so fast, though?" Shield asked. "Even if He has a way to replicate the Potions from other Pathways, Acting should still be indispensable, right? In the best-case scenario, assuming that all Monocles know the Acting Method, it should still have taken her several months, if not a year, to reach Sequence 5…"
Luke, fully agreeing with Shield's doubt, tapped on the table, decrypting and deliberating… over and over.
"It's possible that…" Dr. Blessed said after a while, attracting eyes, "… that He is… personally recruiting individuals… Individuals who can digest a particular Sequence Potion… instantly."
A chill ran down all their spines, even the Cyborg shifting on the floor, all the mushrooms on their body trembling.
Because, after banging their heads against a wall of questions and imagination, for the first time, what the leader said made… sense.
Unfortunately, there was no room for doubt as to whether such individuals even existed.
Because they already knew of such an individual, as he was seated right in front of them.
Iron Mentor scratched his beard nervously, Trick*Step twisting her thumbs under the table. Melissa took out her mobile and nervously began doom-scrolling, Mushroom thinking of modifying the coffee seeds' genes for the next plantation.
Luke could feel their emotions written on their faces.
He let out a sigh because he had one more piece of bad news for them.
Or… a good one, perhaps?
"I called you all here not only to discuss the matter of Wraith and drugs, but…" Dr. Blessed said, making all snap their heads toward him, "… but also to talk about the Beyonder Characteristic."
The Apostles sat up straight.
"You already know of the Law of Beyonder Characteristic Convergence," Luke said, instantly making a frown appear on Iron Mentor's face. "There's another law… Law of Beyonder Characteristic Conservation. Even I'd thought that it would never be relevant to our world, but… here we are.
"Basically, for us, it means that when Beyonders die, they leave behind Beyonder Characteristics that contain the characteristics of all their previous sequences."
Melissa and Trick*Step gasped.
Iron Mentor's eyes widened.
Luke maintained a calm expression. "Yes," he nodded, admitting their dark thoughts. "With so many Beyonders popping up left and right, it may result in… chaos. But, in this, we have an opportunity, too."
"Opportunity?!" Iron Mentor asked, stunned, keeping his voice low. "I have seen people killing for far less… what could be…"
"There are many ways to use Beyonder Characteristics," Luke said, intervening. "One way is to turn them into a potion…"
"Something we cannot do because of these Beyonders having His corruption," Melissa added.
Luke nodded with a smile of praise. "The other way is…"
And, instantly, without the leader naming it, the Apostles knew what the other way was, making them all almost shout it together.
"Sealed Artifacts!"
********************
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