SWNOVELXO Chapter 34: Marauder
Jaku City,
Japan
Standing on top of a multistory building, at the corner where two edges met, Luke eyed the Jaku General Hospital.
It was midnight, but, unlike the city, the hospital was still well lit.
With Nyx perched on his shoulder, Luke felt the wind against his face, feeling good.
He was in his Hero Costume, the black greatcoat flapping like a banner in a storm behind him.
He had his hood on, darkening his face. However, for an extra layer of protection, he had dyed his hair black and was wearing contact lenses, turning his eyes black as well.
On his face, he was wearing a black mask, showing only his eyes.
But even all this didn't feel enough to Luke.
So, he pressed a switch on his belt.
A buzz resounded around him.
In the next moment, the black greatcoat changed color, becoming white. It was like he was wearing a lab coat and not a high-tech bulletproof hero costume.
This was one of the many "useless" features he had made the manufacturers install in the costume.
Reacting to a particular frequency, the greatcoat could change colors between black and white.
Of course, Mr. Reijirou and Sand had taken it as a boy's fantasy, finding it Luke's way of keeping the Blue Site in mind and the influence of the scientists on him.
That's also why Luke didn't ask for many colors, but only white.
"It suits you… white," Nyx cawed, cocking her head at the hospital. "Reminds me of our days at the Blue Site… before we died."
Luke nodded, wind playing with his hair.
"How do you feel?" Nyx asked.
Luke took his hands out of his pockets and clenched them into fists, feeling power. Miss Justice?
…
[
I am amazed as well, Blessed.
You seemed to have digested over half the potion right after drinking it. I should have taken your acts of stealing ingredients from the Blue Site into account because —
— Theft is the essence of Acting as a Marauder.
]
…
After dinner, Luke had already brewed the Marauder Potion.
However, to his surprise, when he practiced Cogitation after consuming the potion, he had a feeling as if the potion was breaking down, resonating with his spirituality.
In the case of the Seer Potion, he had such a feeling only after he had figured out one of the Seer Principles after performing Dream Divination.
And with that came power.
…
[
Blessed Stats:
Quirk: Bioalchemy
Sequence:
— Seer
— Marauder
Stats:
— Spirit: 305
— Stamina: 160
]
…
His Spirit Points didn't increase much, but his Stamina Points increased by a whopping 20 Points.
As Luke clenched and unclenched his fingers, he could feel that the mobility of his wrists and hands had increased a lot.
Also, his muscle coordination had improved as well, making him feel every part of his body as if he could do acrobatic movements without ever learning them.
Not only bodily, but Luke's observation skills had also been enhanced, giving him an intuition targeted toward valuable items.
Then there was this feeling — a great urge to steal.
…
[
The act of stealing may not be for enjoyment or survival, Blessed.
However, you can take it as a Marauder's Calling or Passion.
Of course, how you choose to Act as a Marauder is on you.
Are you sure you are going to do this today?
]
…
Luke eyed the hospital again and nodded.
If he hadn't digested over half the Marauder's potion, gaining a boost in his physical prowess, then he might not have pushed things ahead.
Now that he had, it was as good a time as any.
In the public eye, founded and run by Dr. Kyudai Garaki, the Jaku General Hospital was only that — a hospital.
Underneath its facade, however, was the location of Kyudai's secret laboratory, where he created Nomus — biologically modified artificial humans with multiple Quirks.
Dr. Kyudai was a loyal follower of the All For One and had been working on these Nomus for many years, hiding his experiments behind the public facade.
Luke wasn't sure how many facilities Dr. Kyudai had in Japan.
However, even he knew that the villain's main laboratory was in the hospital's basement.
That's also why Luke hadn't just let Pro Heroes know about this place yet. He didn't know the true sequence of events during his previous life.
What if the Nomus in the basement were only in the initial stage?
What if Dr. Kyudai was keeping mature Nomus at some other place?
What if the villain released all Nomus at once if he saw things going wrong?
What if All For One decided to go all out, seeing things going out of his hands?
There were so many things that could go against Luke before he even began his plans.
So, instead of going nuts on Dr. Kyudai, he had decided to first collect info by infiltrating the hospital's basement and — following his urges — stealing info.
The only info Luke had in his hands right now was a name — Twice.
He knew this villain was part of a league that supported many villainous activities. However, he had no idea who was leading this league or what its goals were.
The only large group of villains Luke remembered from his past life had the name — Paranormal Liberation Front.
He also knew it shared a part with the current Meta Liberation Army, but that's about how far his knowledge went on the events.
That, too, only because the scientists at Blue Site had told him, letting him know about All For One, One For All, and Nomus to assist his research.
When he left the Blue Site, eight years had already passed since the Final War.
So, now, he needed to know more, and even if he couldn't afford revealing Kyudai's secrets, he could get his hands on something crucial; something to help him in his quest.
"Nyx…" Luke said, snapping his fingers.
…
[
Quirk Bestowal Successful
…
Quirk: Descorrer
Complexity: S
Consumption:
— Spirit 110
— Stamina 30
Contact Time: 11 seconds
Activation Time: 5 minutes
]
…
All cards were already set. Using a rat, Luke knew exactly where the secret corridor was that led to the basement.
A shine passed over Nyx as if someone had reflected a mirror from very far.
In the next moment, she flicked her wing, causing a static distortion in the space next to her. The space split apart, blackness almost spilling out through it.
This was how he had arrived here as well, without ever leaving his room.
Even a single use of this Quirk left Nyx beyond exhausted because of her Spirit Points. So, he had been waiting for her to recover before using it again.
However, just as Luke was about to step into the black void, he paused.
The Seer within him was having an uncanny feeling. He had already divined that there was a threat to his life tonight, but if he were to be cautious, he could make it out alive.
Descorrer was the best caution, in Luke's opinion.
"… What?" Nyx asked, already sounding out of breath.
It wouldn't be so bad to take one more "caution", Luke thought.
From his pockets, he took out his mobile phone and dialed a number he had stolen from Midoriya's mobile today.
"… Hello…" the person on the other side asked groggily, "… who is this?"
Toshinori Yagi, who had already passed his Quirk — One For All — to Midoriya, had been so exhausted that he had fallen asleep in his clothes after returning from a meeting.
"All Might," Luke said, the black mask giving weight to his voice. "Your old friend, All For One, is on the move again…"
"WHAT?!" Toshinori Yagi thundered, transforming into All Might. "WHERE?! Who are you?!"
"… Come to Jaku City…" Luke told All Might. "And, as for who I am…"
Luke needed a new identity.
Something that wouldn't relate him to a 1st-Year high school boy, attending the Pro Heroes course at the country's most prestigious school — UA High.
Something that he could use to unravel the mysteries regarding his family's death and fulfill Mr. Fool's tasks.
"You can call me —," Luke said, stepping inside the blackness, "— Dr. Blessed."
*********************
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