MHA 17

(Haruki Mizushima's POV)

"Perfect, with a unanimous vote, Sky Wolf has been elevated to rank A," the chief announced, his hands clapping together in evident delight, though some of the others in the room seemed less enthusiastic, offering reluctant applause.

His attention then shifted to his assistant, and he spoke with authority, "I want to see the paperwork on my table after the meeting. Also, notify her about the development." The assistant acknowledged the command with a nod and promptly left the conference room to carry out the chief's instructions.

"Moving on to the next item on the agenda," the chief's expression turned into a grimace. "A menace to society!" he declared, capturing everyone's attention.

"Are you talking about that vigilante group?" someone asked from the back.

"No, but we will be talking about them later," the chief responded, shaking his head. "I'm talking about a single individual. He's been active for less than a week, yet he's caused property damages in the millions, attacked and defeated more than fifteen heroes, and even sexually assaulted three of them on live television!" His voice rose, causing gasps of shock to ripple through the room.

As I listened to the chief's description of the villain, I couldn't help but roll my eyes discreetly. The true situation was far from what the chief had made him out to be. From our gathered intel, the so-called menace had actually shown restraint in his actions, refraining from unleashing the full extent of his power, which could have resulted in far greater chaos and destruction.

The chief's words may have painted a terrifying picture, but it was evident that there was more to this individual than met the eye. That, however, didn't absolve him from the bad he has done.

"While he's using unconventional means to achieve his plans, he's capable and by all accounts incomprehensibly strong," the chief continued, snapping his fingers and making the screens display a person in a neon-green... swimsuit? Was that a swimsuit?

"He looks ridiculous," commented Endeavor with a grimace, and I couldn't help but agree with him.

"From the accounts of witnesses, he claims he wears that disgraceful outfit because, and I am quoting, it is aerodynamic and grants enhanced maneuverability in battle, while also looking fashionable" the chief explained, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Preposterous!" and similar comments echoed through the room before a voice in the back shouting "He's packing!" made the room descend into an awkward silence.

"Just by the list of his crimes, he would still fall under a mid-tier villain. Not someone we should be overly concerned about. However, you also said 'incomprehensibly' strong, correct?" Mirko cleared her throat, dismissing the awkward tension in the room, and with a vicious grin that did nothing to hide her well-known battle-junky persona, asked. "How correct is that information, and where does it come from?"

"I can help with that," I chimed in. "At the location of his last villainous act, the villain in question attacked two police officers. I had the privilege to interrogate one of them." The attention of the entire room shifted to me, and I continued, "The officer in question has a power estimation quirk, and it seemed that it was what saved him. While I wanted to question the other one... It became impossible." I said with a wry smile.

"You say it like the other officer died, however, I can't see murder on the list of crimes," Gravo, the gravity hero, interrupted with curiosity.

"You're right, he did die." I replied with a nod, "The thing is still under investigation, but the younger officer died shortly after his meeting with the villain. However, the circumstances were, let's just say, more than suspicious," I explained, leaving the room in an atmosphere of intrigue and concern.

"What do you mean?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well, it was as if the younger officer had been cursed with misfortune," I said with a sigh. "On his way home, his phone malfunctioned and exploded in his pockets. He was robbed in three different instances, and stabbed twice, once by complete accident. He also slipped on a banana peel, of all things, and broke his wrist. However, it wasn't any of this that killed him, but a piano."

"A piano?" The room filled with shocked voices.

"Yes, a piano." I repeated myself, "Someone was moving into an apartment on the sixth floor, and the crane lifting it malfunctioned, dropping it on his head and killing him on the spot. All of this could have been just an accident, but it all happened in a span of ten minutes, all on the same street. No one noticed anything out of the ordinary, and so many things went awry that I don't think it could have simply been a coincidence," I explained, and everyone's face mirrored my grimace, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"So the ducks are just a ruse, and he has the power to alter fate?" Someone asked the question that was on all of our minds.

"Maybe, or maybe not. We don't have concrete proof. I said, but my words didn't hide my true thoughts. "However, let's get back on topic." I changed the topic, "The older policeman, the one with the power estimation quirk, said that the moment he saw him, he almost had a heart attack." I took a deep breath and added, "I asked him to compare him to any of our heroes he had met, and he said the only one he could compare him to was All Might, and even he fell short." The room fell silent as everyone processed the gravity of the comparison and the implications it carried.

"That's bullshit!" Endeavor voiced his displeasure, his flaming hair blazing with renewed radiance. "How could he be stronger than my rival?"

"Shut your pie hole, Endeavor," calmly commented the dragon hero, Ryuko, while exaggeratedly rolling her eyes. "You call him rival, yet it has been a while since you've been in the top ten."

"Shut your mouth before I burn it off, Ryuko," Endeavor retorted through clenched teeth.

"Ohhh... I want you to try candlelight," Ryuko taunted him with a smile, making him activate his quirk and scorch the floor and table. But before he could launch a full attack, I intervened, activating my quirk, Absolute, and issuing an absolute command.

"Endeavor doesn't have a quirk," I declared. The moment those words left my lips, reality bent to my command. Endeavor's flames were suddenly snuffed out, and he looked in my direction with a grimace, saying, "Oh come on! Not again!"

"You'll get it back after the meeting is over. Now sit down and shut up," I ordered, squinting my eyes at him.

His behavior had been getting worse since he lost his rankings, with sudden outbursts and occasional death threats, but he was still an important figure in the association. We couldn't just kick him out, not even with his child abuse history.

"Fuck you..." He grumbled like a child, crossing his arms and sitting down, before adding. "All I'm saying is, that Quacker bastard cannot compare to All Might!"

As if summoned by those words, a muscular blonde man appeared out of thin air, falling onto the sturdy conference table before us, startling the whole room. Everyone took up a fighting stance, lighting up the room in a myriad of colors and quirks, expecting an imminent attack, yet all I could do was marvel at the table's sturdiness.

"Is that... All Might?" Gravo asked, his voice sounding both shocked and surprised.

"It seems so," replied Mirko, getting closer to the body. "There is a note on his forehead."

However, before she could get a closer look, All Might wake up. He drew in a swift, startled breath, swiftly sat up, and in his alarmed state, swatted away Mirko, sending her crashing into the reinforced concrete walls with a disgusting squelch. His breathing was all over the place, his heartbeat could be clearly heard even in the chaos, and his body crackled with ethereal power that immediately vaporized the table and shot bolts of lightning throughout the room, piercing through two nearby people, killing them instantly.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed, startled by the sudden surge of power. Amidst the screams and panic, I declared swiftly, "All Might is calm!" The lightning covering the room immediately vanished. I turned my attention to the twitching body on the other end of the room, "Everyone in the room is completely fine!" I shouted, feeling an extreme energy drain.

Reality bent to my will, and Mirko's neck snapped back to its rightful place; the brain matter painting the walls flowed back into her split-open skull, which miraculously healed before our eyes. The holes in the chests of the other two fallen heroes mended themselves, restoring the spark of life to their visages.

"Shit," I wobbled on my feet as all three once again took a breath. "That took a lot out of me," I said through clenched teeth before emptying my stomach and falling to my knees.

"Shit, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" All Might appeared right next to Mirko, fumbling over her and pleading for forgiveness.

"What the actual fuck, Yagi?" groaned the revived rabbit hero.

"I'm so sorry; I was fighting this guy on another planet, and I thought I died," All Might stammered while breaking down, my earlier command unable to keep him composed. "I thought I failed. I thought everyone died!"

An awkward silence descended into the conference room as we tried to understand what he just said.

Someone patted my back, and after brushing away the bile from my lips, I looked up. "Umm... It might be a bad time, but can I have my quirk back?" Endeavor asked awkwardly, scratching the side of his head, and making me groan in annoyance. But just as I was I was about to reply, as if time itself had stopped, everyone simultaneously froze in place.

(Andrew's POV)

I was already sprawled out on the sofa, simultaneously watching the mind-numbing TV show before me and using a parallel mind instance to diligently continue observing the meeting through a stealthy spatial gate.

The association had finally acknowledged the might of the Quacker, albeit for the wrong reason. Still, I couldn't be more excited about it. There would be a lot of thrilling fights in the future, and the thought of it had me genuinely vibrating with excitement.

I watched the events unfold after I teleported All Might back to Earth and right into the meeting. His behavior was atypical, and what resulted after his sudden awakening seemed to be the remnant effect of the Merciless title, although I wasn't completely sure about that.

A sigh left my lips as I helplessly watched the sticky note, that I lovingly stuck to his forehead, get vaporized as a result of his outburst. Poor little thing was unable to accomplish its quest to deliver my thanks for the scenic date.

However, I didn't dwell on the fate of the silly little paper; instead, I focused my attention on the person on all fours, puking out his guts.

Olivia had mentioned him previously, and from what I could remember, she said he had a quirk called Absolute. While she couldn't provide any more information about it, she did state that despite his lackluster stats, the person was a tier four and had a dangerous air around him. Now, I understood the reason why. The sheer power he displayed was both fascinating and terrifying.

Ignoring the mind-numbing TV show for a moment, I activated [Comi-Coat], donning my previous ninja-like outfit, and with a swift bend of space, I materialized in the meeting room. The guy's true potential was terrifying, so I didn't take any chances. The moment I appeared, I froze time in my surroundings, only to be shocked that it didn't affect him.

"Damn, dude, you do have an interesting quirk there," I couldn't help but mumble, drawing his attention to me.

His eyes widened in surprise, but the earlier expenditure of energy left him in a vulnerable state. With the potential of that ability, I didn't waste time or wait for his response. I immediately sent a pulse of mana through the room, saturating it to the brim. Just as he opened his mouth to issue an absolute command, I warped my perception of time and activated [Assimilate], permanently stripping him of his quirk.

I was everything but gentle, and the sudden tug he felt deep from within his soul left him experiencing a sudden, continuous throbbing pain.

"Sorry about that," I said with a less than apologetic tone, a wide grin spreading across my face as the new skill integrated into my being. "I couldn't risk you activating your quirk."

"He is dead!" He forced those words out, gritting his teeth in pain. However, reality refused to bend to his will, and his eyes widened in surprise. "W-what did you do?" he stammered, utterly shocked.

"Not much, just stripped you of your quirk," I shrugged nonchalantly.

"You will reveal your name!" he ordered, once again, reality ignoring his request.

"Seems like you're not getting it," I walked closer, squatting beside him, and with a smile said, "Your shirt is pink." Before our eyes, his blue shirt warped into pink, leaving him absolutely stunned.

I gently patted him on the shoulder and conveyed, "Please pass along my regards to my old friend All Might. Our dinner date in Europe was truly delightful." A smile formed on my face as I continued, "It's a shame the restaurant had to close down due to his emotional outburst." With a playful shake of my head, I activated [Absolute], altering the fabric of reality itself. "You're no longer immune to time." As those words left my lips, I sensed a significant drain in my stamina reserves, yet I felt a distinct shift in the world around me, and the man, Haruki, finally succumbed to my temporal stasis.

Now that the situation was under control, I stood up and adjusted my outfit with flair. The thrill of my newfound ability was exhilarating. "I can see myself having a lot of fun with this," I said, a mischievous grin spreading across my face as I began to envision the possibilities.

I shook myself out of my musing, coming back to reality, "You keep doing this Andrew... Time and place, time and place." I grumbled to myself, as my eyes caught sight of an overweight person in an astronaut outfit sitting across the room.

Of course, I couldn't leave without taking another memento, and this time, it came in the form of Gravity Manipulation, which I planned on stripping away from the person called Gravo. He wasn't a hero I recognized from the series, but a quick [Mental Domain] probe revealed how he became a top hero in this reality.

"Hmm..." I muttered in surprise as I sifted through his memories.

It all boiled down to one simple word – Bullying.

At first, his quirk was similar to Ochaco's, allowing him to make things levitate. However, due to his appearance and overweight stature, he endured severe bullying during his school days. Locked in a locker and forgotten there for a night, his quirk underwent a sudden and explosive evolution caused by stress, resulting in the collapse of the entire school.

I couldn't help but sigh at his story. He was the epitome of a typical Japanese main character. If it were anyone else gaining the power to manipulate spacetime using gravity as a medium, they might have sought revenge and turned to a life of crime. Yet he used his newfound strength to help others, even saving his bullies from danger at one point.

Disappointed by the world's naivety, I rolled my eyes and commented, "This world is incredibly idealistic..." Drawing on my mana, I activated [Assimilation], permanently stripping him of his quirk. "Let's see how the world's perception changes once they discover you're quirkless."

With those words echoing in the room, I finally deactivated my temporal stasis and simultaneously warped space, mysteriously disappearing from everyone's sight.

The fabric of space contorted, and I reappeared on the sofa in our apartment, facing the still-tuned TV. After dismissing the conjured clothes, I settled in comfortably and eagerly inspected my newly acquired skill.

[Absolute Command LVL: N/A]

- Grants the user the ability to issue an absolute, incontestable command, allowing them to impose their will on objects, living beings, and even fundamental forces of reality in their vicinity.

- Issuing a simple command with a minor effect on reality may have a negligible cost, while giving complex or far-reaching commands that defy natural laws and have significant consequences will impose a substantial cost in health and stamina.

I gazed at the astounding power of the skill before me, realizing the concept of limitations seemed almost nonexistent thanks to my other abilities. While I couldn't simply command an entire reality to perish, I had a clever workaround through spatial manipulation. By warping spacetime, I could make my 'vicinity' encompass 'everywhere' simultaneously.

My health pool currently stood at a staggering 75,679,427 with a rapid regeneration rate of 738,181 per second. Comparatively, Olivia's health was 100,558,693 with a regeneration rate of 1,196,025 per second, for anyone curious.

Considering my health reserves and regeneration capabilities, the health cost of using this skill would be practically negligible. However, my stamina, which was only one-third of my health pool, presented a challenge. Thankfully, I possessed the [Energy Assimilation] skill, allowing me to seamlessly convert between different energy types, which would come in handy for managing the substantial stamina costs.

Yet, even with its grandiose name, I instinctively grasped that the skill wasn't truly absolute. Anything significantly powerful or possessing reality-warping abilities could easily contest and break through my commands, just as All Might did when he defied Haruki's order to remain calm.

With the analysis of the new skill's capabilities and limitations now clear, I shifted my focus to the other new skill, [Gravity Manipulation], and delved into profound contemplation.

Initially, my plan was to immediately merge it with my existing space and time-related skills, but my instincts told me that if I were to do so, I would be elevated to the next tier. The temptation to merge them right away was strong, but I couldn't ignore the fact that doing so might result in a decrease in WP rewards and experience gain.

I found myself at a crossroads, torn between two choices. Should I throw caution to the wind and go for it, risking potential future consequences, or should I take the more logical approach and wait, first exploring some lower-level worlds before merging the skill?

As I pondered these options, I couldn't help but mutter to myself, "Decisions..." lost in the depths of contemplation.