Recovery

Hiro sat hunched over his workbench, the dim glow of the overhead lamp casting long shadows across the cluttered space.

Ever since that night when Sandatsu had torn through Kyoto and killed Genma, Hiro had been consumed with understanding their enemy. He couldn't shake the image of Sandatsu's cold, monstrous eyes.

"How is this even possible?" Hiro muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. He was so focused that he failed ot notice when Orochi entered the room.

She leaned over his shoulder as she spoke. "They're calling for you."

His thoughts still swirled with data and theories, but he pushed them aside as they approached the principal's office. Orochi gave him a reassuring nod before stepping back, leaving Hiro to enter the room alone.

The office was sparsely decorated, with a few framed photographs and certificates on the walls. Principal Karaburan sat behind her desk. Rosethorn stood beside her, arms crossed.

"Hiro," Principal Karaburan began, her voice steady but stern. "Take a seat."

Hiro complied, feeling a knot form in his stomach. He knew this meeting was serious.

"We've been discussing your situation," Karaburan continued. "Given the nature of these recent events, we've had to reevaluate your place in this school."

He knew this was coming. "I understand, Principal Karaburan."

Karaburan nodded, her gaze unwavering. "You've already been held back for your vigilantism. That night, you disobeyed direct orders and put yourself in grave danger."

"With all due respect," Rosethorn interjected, "Hiro had no choice. There was no way to contact the heroes, and his hunch about San- the villain's target was correct."

Hiro clenched his fists, struggling to keep his composure.

Karaburan sighed, rubbing her temples. "I understand your point, Rosethorn. But Hiro's actions still endangered himself and others. Not to mention, Hiro, you suffered crippling injuries and lost your quirk to Sandatsu. These factors make it incredibly difficult for you to pursue a career as a hero."

Karaburan leaned forward, her expression softening slightly. "Hiro, I'm not questioning your resolve. But you need to consider your future realistically. Without a quirk and with your injuries, the hero course may no longer be the best path for you."

Rosethorn stepped closer to Hiro, her eyes filled with empathy. "There are other ways to fight, Hiro. The support course could be a perfect fit for you. You have a brilliant mind. You could still make a difference."

Hiro felt a wave of frustration and helplessness. 'I don't want to be sidelinded.' he thought.

Karaburan sighed. "I know this is hard to hear. But sometimes the best way to fight is to use your strengths in new ways."

Rosethorn placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder. "Think about it, Hiro. Your contributions could save lives in ways you can't even imagine right now."

Hiro looked between the two women, feeling torn. "I... I'll think about it," Hiro said finally, his voice heavy with resignation.

Karaburan nodded. "Take your time. This isn't a decision you need to make right now. But know that whatever path you choose, we'll support you."

Hiro exited the principal's office, his mind racing. Orochi was waiting for him just outside, her face a mix of concern and curiosity.

"How did it go?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Hiro's expression was one of pure determination. "We have to move on to the next phase now,"

Orochi frowned, placing a hand on his arm. "Hiro, you shouldn't rush things."

But Hiro shook his head, not listening to her words. "There's no time to be careful. We have to be ready." he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Orochi's family was very wealthy, and their resources had been a great boon for their project. Hiro had set up an improvised lab in one of the properties under her family's name. The property was an small and old unused building on the outskirts of town, far from prying eyes.

It was a bare-bones setup, with equipment taken from the school's labs and workshops, or salvaged from clinics and support offices that had been attacked by Sandatsu. The result was a chaotic, makeshift laboratory that was an affront to any form of safety regulation. Wires and cables snaked across the floor, half-assembled machines hummed and buzzed, and the smell of chemicals filled the air.

But Hiro didn't care about safety. All that mattered to him was the plan.

As the reality of Hiro's plan set in, Orochi began to waver. "Hiro, I don't know about this."

Hiro, preparing his instruments, looked up with a wry smile. "Orochi, are you chickening out on me now? We've come this far, and you're getting cold feet?"

Orochi frowned, her worry evident. "It's just... this is more fucked up than I thought it'd be."

Hiro chuckled, trying to ease her fears. "Well, I guess I can't blame you for being scared. But don't worry, I've got everything under control." He motioned for her to come closer and showed her a secured container. Inside was a vial containing a swirling, iridescent fluid mass—his reconstructed quirk sample.

"Here it is," he said, his tone more serious. "This is the isolated and reconstructed sample of my quirk. It took me weeks to refine it to this state. I had to piece together the fragments, stabilize the compound, and ensure it's ready for reintroduction into my system."

The container was a high-tech device he had salvaged from one of the labs. It was a compact, insulated unit that regulated temperature and kept the sample in perfect condition. Layers of biohazard containment measures ensured that the precious fluid was safe from contamination.

Hiro moved with a meticulous precision, laying out tools and equipment with the kind of focus that came from knowing there was no room for error. Orochi watched, her concern still evident, but she helped where she could, handing him devices and instruments.

"I'm glad I managed to get some of these tools and equipment from Hijack's storage unit before it became a crime scene," Hiro said, his tone more relaxed as he explained. "Without them, this would be impossible."

He pointed to a series of robotic limbs, each equipped with various surgical instruments. "These are pseudo-automatic assistance units. They can perform delicate operations with extreme precision, controlled by a neural interface I'll be wearing. They might be prototypes, but they’re a godsend for something like this."

He then pointed to a cylindrical chamber in the corner of the lab, its surface gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. "And this is the isolation chamber. It's modeled after the prototypes made by Endless Horizons Ltd., but mine is... well, let's just say it’s a bit more 'DIY.'"

The chamber was made from scavenged materials, its construction haphazard but functional. Hiro had used anything he could find: metal plates, glass panels, and salvaged electronics. The result was a crude but effective containment unit.

"It might not look like much," Hiro continued, "but it will keep me safe and isolated during the operation. Once I’m inside and the procedure begins, the chamber will seal, and it won't open until the timeframe for the operation concludes. I set it up on a timer because the locking mechanism is unreliable otherwise. Like it or not, we can’t stop the operation once it starts."

Orochi's eyes widened. "Hiro, are you really doing this?"

Hiro continued his explanation, seemingly ignoring her. "Once the chamber seals, it's a one-way trip until the timer runs out. It's a failsafe to ensure I can't back out halfway through. If I stop or if anything interrupts the process, the shock to my system could kill me."

He started laying out an array of syringes and surgical tools, explaining each one to Orochi. "These are the drugs I'll be using to keep myself awake and numb the pain. I've modified a mix of anesthetics, stimulants, and regenerative compounds. The goal is to stay conscious but not feel anything, and keep my body from shutting down."

He picked up a syringe filled with a clear liquid. "This one here is a stimulant to keep my heart rate up. Too much of it, and I'll go into cardiac arrest. Too little, and I'll pass out. Just the right dosage, and I can pull this off without resting."

"Hiro."

Next, he pointed to a vial of a viscous, dark red substance. "This is a regenerative compound. It should help my body heal as I go, but it's experimental. I don't know exactly how my body will react to prolonged exposure."

"This is insane." Orochi frowned as he continued talking, not acknowledging anything she said.

"And this," he said, holding up a syringe filled with a light blue liquid, "is the primary anesthetic. It will numb me completely, but it has to be administered continuously. If I slip up, I'll feel everything."

"I know I've sided with you so far, but I think you're going to end up killing yourself!"

"The surgery will last at least two days," Hiro explained. "I'll be cutting into my own body, implanting the quirk sample directly into my central nervous system. I'll use a series of micro-operations to integrate it with my existing physiology. It's going to be brutal, and I'll be awake the entire time."

"Stop ignoring me."

He continued, turning his back towards her as he finished setting everything up. "But I've made sure to focus on the survival aspect. I won't die, I promise you that. But if I mess up, I'll wish I did."

As Hiro continued to rattle off the intricate details of the procedure, Orochi's frustration reached a boiling point. Without warning, she reached out to him, turning him around and grabbing him by the collar, and lifted him off the ground, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Stop ignoring me!" she shouted, shaking him slightly. "You keep talking about this like it's some kind of science project, but it's your life on the line, Hiro! Do you even realize how dangerous this is?"

Hiro's eyes widened in surprise, but as Orochi held him there, she saw something in his face that made her pause. His expression, usually so composed and determined, was twisted with fear, anger, and sadness. He was biting his lip so hard it bled, and his eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

Orochi's grip on his collar loosened, and she slowly set him back down. The anger in her eyes softened, replaced by a deep, aching empathy.

"I want my life back, damn it!" he said, his voice cracking. "Of course I'm not trying to kill myself. This is the only way I can actually live!"

He looked away, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.

Orochi understood Hiro’s desperation better than anyone. She had been helpless against villains, both in the past when she was almost killed by Feral, and more recently during Sandatsu's attack. She could understand the feeling of being powerless. In Hiro’s case, he had actually died. And what’s more, his quirk had been stolen, and he had been left physically crippled for life.

Hiro took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his voice steady and his emotions in check. "Every time I see the victims of recent villain attacks suffering in the hospitals during my checkups," he began, his voice wavering slightly, "I reflexively think of making something to help. Only to realize... I can't. Because I have no quirk."

There was a heavy silence in the room after Hiro finished speaking. Orochi stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She wanted to say something profound, something that would ease his pain and give him strength. But all she could manage was a simple, heartfelt promise.

"I guess I’ll see you again when the isolation chamber opens up," she said, her voice soft but filled with confidence. It was both a reassurance and a declaration of faith in his abilities. She believed in him, believed that he would make it through this.

Hiro nodded, his eyes meeting hers. "Yeah. I'll see you then."