Melissa rushed inside the control room, half-supporting her father as they moved.
David immediately pulled himself together despite the lingering shock from everything that had just happened. He moved toward the main console, fingers flying across the keyboard with practiced precision.
The screens flickered rapidly.
System overrides.
Security protocols.
Emergency controls.
He gritted his teeth slightly as he typed.
Even in this chaos—He was still a scientist. Still the man who built systems like this. Still someone who refused to stand still.
As his hands moved, his voice came out, strained yet curious.
"Melissa… that masked person… who is he?"
Melissa hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Her grip on her father tightened slightly.
"He's… my friend," she said.
Her tone was vague.
'Friend…'
Even she wasn't sure if that word truly described Arata.
A boy who could create inventions that mimicked quirks.
A boy who could create a stone the size of a walnut to manipulate space.
A boy who hid behind a demon mask.
'Just who are you…?'
She didn't say his name.
Something about him—The mask. The way he moved. The way he spoke.
It told her clearly—He didn't want to be known.
David glanced at her for a moment, then nodded.
He chose to trust her.
His fingers pressed a final sequence.
Across the island—The glowing restraints binding the heroes flickered—and deactivated.
Back on the battlefield, heroes surged back to life. Hawks broke free instantly, wings flaring as he shot toward the Nomus.
Godzilla roared, breaking his restraints through sheer force. The tide began to shift.
David let out a small breath.
"It's done…"
He turned toward Melissa.
"We need to get to the safe room—"
His words cut off.
A gunshot echoed.
David's body jerked violently.
Pain exploded through his shoulder.
"AAH—!"
"DAD!"
Melissa caught him as he staggered, blood already seeping through his shirt.
Her eyes widened in horror.
Both of them turned.
Standing at the doorway was none other than Samuel, David's assistant with a Gun in hand, Suitcase in the other.
"Samuel…?" David's voice trembled with disbelief. "Why!?"
Samuel smirked.
"Why shouldn't I?" he said.
His eyes gleamed with resentment.
"Because of you… our life's work was sealed away."
Melissa blinked.
"What… work?" she asked hesitantly.
Samuel sneered while raising the suitcase slightly.
"This," he said.
He opened it. Inside—A headset like device rested.
"This is the Quirk Amplification Device."
His voice carried twisted pride.
"It can amplify any quirk with… one hundred times it's power."
Melissa's breath hitched.
David's expression hardened despite the pain.
Samuel continued, his voice growing sharper.
"We poured years into this. Our knowledge. Our effort. Everything."
"And what did you do?" he spat.
"You let it get locked away like it meant nothing!"
David gritted his teeth.
"It was dangerous—"
"Of course it was!" Samuel snapped. "That's what makes it valuable!"
Melissa stared at him, shaken.
"This isn't right…" she whispered.
David looked at Samuel, pain and disbelief mixing together.
"You could've talked to me… we could've figured something out—"
Samuel laughed.
A hollow, mocking sound.
"You still don't get it."
He raised the gun pointed it directly at David.
"The villains want you alive," he said calmly.
"They need you to mass-produce this."
His eyes shifted toward Melissa.
"And they need me too."
"Because only the two of us together… can complete it."
Melissa stiffened.
Samuel's voice turned colder.
"So you're coming with me."
The gun shifted slightly.
Toward her.
"Or she dies."
David's expression broke.
"No—leave her out of this!" he shouted. "She's just a child!"
Samuel shrugged.
"Then cooperate."
Silence fell, heavy and Suffocating.
David clenched his jaw.
Then—He gently pushed Melissa back.
"Be strong," he said softly. "Hide somewhere. Don't worry about me."
Melissa froze.
Her hands trembled.
"No…"
Her voice came out shaky.
"I won't let this happen again."
Her fingers tightened.
Slowly—She pulled out the ring Arata had given her.
She slipped it onto her finger.
Samuel frowned.
"What are you—"
Melissa raised her hand and pointed towards him.
The ring glowed brightly.
In the next instant—Lightning burst forward.
"AAAAAGHHHH—!!"
Samuel screamed as electricity surged through his body, his muscles locking up as the current coursed through him.
The gun fell from his hand.
His body collapsed to the ground.
Unconscious.
Silence returned.
David stared, completely stunned.
"That… ring…"
'How can something so small generate this much power?'
Melissa didn't answer.
She rushed forward, quickly picking up the gun.
She aimed it down—Then used the ring again.
A controlled burst of electricity fried the weapon, rendering it useless.
She kicked it aside.
Then grabbed the suitcase.
Her other arm wrapped around her father, supporting him.
"We need to move," she said quickly.
David nodded weakly.
"Where—?"
Melissa hesitated for just a moment. Then said, "To… the masked man."
'Arata…'
Meanwhile—Far away in Japan.
Inside a darkened facility—A figure sat connected to IV lines.
Monitors beeped softly in the background.
The air felt heavy.
Oppressive.
All For One sat calmly in his chair.
Before him—A screen displayed live footage. Captured through the eyes of a Nomu.
Even without eyes, he could still see within a fifteen-meter radius, the world was still visible to him—granted by one of the many quirks he had stolen over his long existence.
On the screen— A figure in a demon mask moved.
Fought.
Dominated.
All For One tilted his head slightly.
"…Interesting."
He picked up a phone.
"Garaki," he said.
Kyudai Garaki's voice came through.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Order the Nomu," All For One said calmly. "Locate the device and have the strongest one wear it."
Garaki paused.
"…But we require the device intact for replication."
All For One smiled faintly.
"I have no interest in using it."
"It would destabilize my body… and disrupt my quirks."
His tone darkened slightly.
"And I have no intention of letting the heroes or anyone else have it either."
A low chuckle escaped him.
"So why not… use it?"
His voice turned almost playful.
"Let the Nomu wear it."
"Let it destroy everything."
"The island."
"The people."
"The heroes."
"Until the device breaks."
Garaki fell silent, understanding immediately.
"…As you wish."
All For One leaned back slightly.
His attention remained fixed on the screen.
On the masked boy using a high leveled space quirk.
"I've found something… entertaining," he murmured.
"I think I'll enjoy this game."
A twisted grin formed on his face.
"I only regret one thing…"
His voice dropped.
"…that I cannot see All Might's expression."
"When he learns that his dear friend…"
"His niece…"
"and an entire island…were erased."
A soft, chilling laugh echoed through the room.
On the screen—The demon-masked figure continued fighting.
A wielder of a high leveled space quirk.
One that had just caught the attention of the world's greatest villain, who was interested in acquiring it.