Chapter Two: Crow's Deception
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Crow stood still, the air crackling with tension as All For One's figure loomed before him, the sense of power in the atmosphere palpable. But as the dark figure waited for a response, Crow couldn't help but smile. It wasn't a smile of fear or submission—it was a smile born from the realization of his strength, a quiet and ominous grin that suggested something far deeper than what was visible.
"Help me?" Crow repeated, his voice dripping with mock amusement. "You think you can offer me something I don't already have?"
All For One's eyes narrowed, sensing a shift in the air, but he didn't yet understand the full extent of what was happening. Crow's shadow seemed to stretch and writhe in a way that defied natural laws, as though something far more sinister was at play beneath the surface.
With a subtle flick of his wrist, Crow activated the quirk system he'd secretly absorbed, his body humming with the overwhelming power of 1,230 quirks now under his control. Each quirk felt like a weapon at his disposal, and as he focused on the vast range of abilities, a fire of anticipation burned in his chest.
The first of the quirks began to surge to life, the feeling of all that power converging within him was intoxicating. He could sense it all—his new quirk storage filled with limitless potential. The Shadow Monarch class had given him the foundation, but the quirks he had absorbed had made him something else entirely. Something beyond even All For One's grasp.
All For One, sensing the shift in power, watched in increasing fascination as Crow's figure seemed to grow in stature. His eyes widened as the quirk inventory began to activate, creating a chaotic symphony of powers that filled the surrounding space.
Inferno's Embrace. Tempest Eyes. Frostbite Fangs. Thunderstrike Aura. Crystal Claws.
The list seemed endless, each quirk a manifestation of raw, destructive energy, each one adding to Crow's growing power. The air around him shimmered with the constant pressure of amplified elemental forces: fire, ice, thunder, and more. His very presence seemed to tear at the fabric of reality itself.
All For One had seen many heroes and villains wield vast arrays of quirks, but never before had he seen someone take control of so many with such effortless ease. "You... you've taken my power," All For One muttered, his voice full of both surprise and a strange, reluctant admiration.
Crow's smile deepened. "Not just your power, All For One. All of it. Everything. You've been collecting quirks for decades, but I've just stolen 1,230 of them in a single instant. And that's just the beginning."
As he spoke, Crow summoned a massive Vortex Wings quirk, their power casting a shadow over the entire ruined city. They spread wide, slicing through the air as if it were nothing, and he lifted into the sky, hovering above All For One.
"I've also acquired a few more... specialized ones," Crow added with a chilling calmness. "Summoning quirks, for example."
With a single motion, Crow snapped his fingers, and in response, the very ground beneath him cracked open. From the rift emerged creatures of unimaginable power, summoned directly from the quirks he had stolen.
An Inferno Phoenix rose with a roar, flames dancing around it, followed by the deep rumble of an Earthbound Titan stomping onto the field, shaking the earth beneath their feet. A Lunar Dragon soared through the air beside Crow, its moonlit scales glowing faintly in the dim light. And there, creeping from the shadows, was a Spectral Wyrm, its ghostly form writhing like an ethereal serpent.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Crow taunted, watching as the colossal beasts stood at his command. "You've collected quirks your entire life, All For One. But you never considered the possibility that someone might do the same—and better."
All For One's face twisted into an expression of both fury and realization. He could feel the power emanating from Crow now—far more than he had originally suspected. The boy had turned his own power against him and, in doing so, had become something far beyond what All For One had imagined.
But All For One, ever the strategist, refused to be rattled. "You think you can stand against me with those... toys?" he sneered, his voice regaining some of its former confidence.
Crow's smile never wavered. "Not toys, All For One. Weapons."
With a thought, he summoned the Gravity Crush quirk, the world around All For One distorting as the very gravity itself bent to Crow's will. The air grew heavier, crushing force pressing down on All For One's shoulders. But even as the pressure mounted, he gritted his teeth and fought against it, the raw strength of his will pushing back against the force.
Crow's laughter echoed across the battlefield, rich with dark amusement. "You see, I don't need to fight you in the traditional sense, All For One. I've got all the time in the world. And with my quirks—every single one of them—I can erase you, piece by piece."
For the first time in years, All For One felt a flicker of uncertainty. The boy had done something he never could have predicted. Crow had absorbed more power than even he had dared to dream of, and now he was standing on the precipice of something far greater than either of them had anticipated.
But Crow wasn't done yet.
The ground beneath them cracked open, sending spikes of crystal shooting into the air, their jagged edges glowing with raw energy. It was an attack from the Crystal Claws quirk—just one of the thousands of abilities now at Crow's command. He wasn't just a mere shadow anymore—he was a god in the making.
"I'm not here to just fight you, All For One," Crow said, his voice cool and calculating. "I'm here to replace you."
With that, he snapped his fingers again, and the Feral Howl of summoned beasts reverberated through the air. The power of hundreds of quirks coursed through him, and the final challenge was set. All For One had underestimated the true danger Crow posed.
And this time, Crow wasn't going to make the same mistake.
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End of Chapter Two.
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