The Emperor's Dragon

Opportunity Is Where You See It

"Thank you, Kurogiri," All For One said as his servant dropped the delivery into the room. Gigantomachia was quick to grab it. "Please return to Tomura and Izuku. I don't wish the boys to be alone for long," he added the instruction.

"Of course, Sensei," the misty man replied before he disappeared.

The delivery whimpered.

All For One tsked. "Oh come now Koichi, you didn't truly believe this wouldn't happen, did you?" He was sitting at the back of the room, covered in shadows, so that even as Koichi peered into the darkness, the man couldn't see him.

"I haven't told them anything," Koichi said desperately, struggling against Gigantomachia's grip. The huge man didn't move so much as a millimetre.

"I am aware of that," Hisashi said smoothly.

He detected the moment of hope Koichi felt about his statement.

"But equally you have not been telling me anything," All For One continued.

Those he gifted with quirks who then went out into society as his agents weren't actually expected to report back to him frequently. That was too dangerous and in many cases he had no need of their information. Koichi as the Minister of Education was useful for keeping an eye on politics, not just Education and therefore only passed on information when it was requested, or when something specific needed to be done. He essentially served as a sleeper agent, one who could be activated, and deactivated as the need arose.

It was not an onerous role. It was not even a dangerous role. There were other ways All For One could get the information Koichi supplied but it was a role Koichi had denied.

"I can't!" Koichi said.

"Why not?" Hisashi asked, allowing for some other factor to have impacted Koichi's usefulness. That had happened occasionally. Rarely, one of his agents was discovered by someone else, and if that other power didn't just remove the agent, blackmail was a routine process. He could somewhat forgive an agent who found themselves in that situation but at the same time they should have known to tell him. He did not tolerate rivals.

He knew it wasn't the case this time, but there was a certain way these conversations went and he would stick to the script while it suited him.

"I can't!" Koichi repeated. "You've done..." The Minister swallowed. "Slave rings, murder, human experimentation, extortion... I can't."

This wasn't a rival, this was a moral objection. All For One hated those. It appeared as if Koichi had developed a conscience. And not a very selective one at that, given that he had never had to do any of the listed crimes. The people who performed those tasks for him were far more stable in their moral choices.

"I do not see the problem," Hisashi commented.

At that Koichi gaped. "You've committed so many crimes. You've killed so many-" he objected.

"I do not see the problem," All For One stated again. "I have not asked you to do anything like that," he added. There was little point in denying the accusations. He had committed all of those crimes, and many more besides. They were only crimes if you considered them to be crimes. To him, they were simply business opportunities.

Koichi gasped.

"The terms of our agreement were very clear," Hisashi commented, ignoring the way Koichi was gaping at him. Really, had the man not thought about anything? "Your support, in exchange for your quirk."

"I didn't know I was supporting a monster!" Koichi actually showed some spirit.

Of course, the outburst offended Gigantomachia. The large man growled and shook Koichi hard. Hisashi could tell his bodyguard wanted to do more. He tutted. "You cannot be that naive," he said.