The Boy Who Wont Forget

The training room was as dim and grimy as ever. The air carried the familiar metallic tang of rust and old sweat, clinging to Ren's nose as he paced around the concrete floor. The fluorescent light overhead flickered, casting jittery shadows along the walls covered in cracks and stains from long-forgotten sessions. His bare feet pressed into the cold floor as he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Two years had passed since Ren first arrived at the compound, and things had changed—just not in the way most people would expect. All For One was now confined to a special life-support system, his once intimidating presence reduced to the quiet hum of machines that kept him alive. But even weakened, the man still had a way of making the entire compound feel like it existed under his control. Ren didn't forget that for a second.

He had spent the last two years carefully walking the line between progress and survival. Blood Manipulation had given him an edge, but the side effects were a pain—literally. His pale skin, sharpened canines, and nagging thirst for blood were constant reminders of the power he'd taken from the vampire in the first world. Worse, prolonged use left him drained, dizzy, and occasionally gasping for air like he'd just run a marathon. He couldn't afford to push it too far without a backup plan.

And that's where Atsuo came in.

Ren cracked his knuckles as he finished another round of controlling a thin whip of blood that snaked around his fingers. "Alright," he muttered to himself, dismissing the whip with a flick of his wrist. "Time to stop relying on this alone."

He already knew what he needed. Atsuo, a low-level grunt who hung around the compound cleaning up after sparring sessions, had exactly what Ren wanted—Minor Regeneration. Atsuo's ability wasn't flashy, but it was useful: small cuts and bruises healed within minutes, and fatigue seemed to affect him less than the average thug.

Ren had been watching him for weeks, biding his time.

Now was the time to act.

He exited the training room and made his way down the hall toward the back section of the compound, where Atsuo was finishing up a training session of his own. The guy was easy to spot: a stocky build, messy black hair, and a permanent scowl that made him look like he was always one comment away from punching someone.

"Yo, Atsuo!" Ren called out, waving as he jogged over. "Got a minute?"

Atsuo paused, wiping sweat off his forehead with a towel. "What do you want, kid?"

Ren smirked. "You've got that healing thing, right? Minor Regeneration?"

The grunt narrowed his eyes but didn't deny it. "Yeah. Why?"

Ren shrugged, keeping his tone casual. "I was wondering how it works. I've been pushing myself pretty hard lately, and it's... not going great. Thought maybe you could show me what it looks like."

Atsuo chuckled. "Trying to copy me or something?"

Ren grinned, his sharp canines showing slightly. "Something like that."

Atsuo wasn't the suspicious type—probably because no one ever thought of him as important enough to scheme against. He sat down on the edge of the bench and held out his arm, showing a faint scratch on his forearm that had already begun to heal. "See? It's not instant or anything. Just speeds up the process."

Ren leaned in, brushing his fingers against Atsuo's arm as he inspected the wound. The system's prompt flickered to life immediately.

Contact Detected: Minor Regeneration

Do you wish to copy this ability?

Ren didn't hesitate.

Copying Ability: Minor Regeneration

Warning: Physical strain detected. Proceeding will cause temporary pain.

Pain exploded through his body before he could react. It felt like someone had set fire to his veins, the burning sensation crawling up his arms and into his chest. His muscles spasmed, and he staggered back, clutching his side as he fought to stay upright.

Atsuo raised an eyebrow. "You good, kid?"

Ren gritted his teeth and forced a laugh. "Yeah. Just—cramp. You know how it is."

The system chimed again, the pain slowly fading to a manageable throb.

Ability Copied: Minor Regeneration

Slot 2 Occupied

Ren exhaled shakily, wiping sweat from his brow as he stood upright. His legs were still trembling, but he forced himself to walk normally. "Thanks, Atsuo," he said, giving the grunt a friendly pat on the shoulder. "That helps a lot."

"No problem," Atsuo said, shrugging as he stood up. "Try not to pass out on your way back."

Ren chuckled and waved as he left the room, his heart still pounding from the experience. The DNA shift was no joke—it had been two years since the last time he copied a new ability, and he'd forgotten how much it hurt.

As he rounded the corner and leaned against the wall, he flexed his fingers experimentally. His body felt different. Minor Regeneration wasn't flashy, but he could already tell it would be a game-changer. The small cuts on his hands from earlier were healing faster, the dull ache in his muscles fading as if they'd been massaged from the inside out.

"Okay," he muttered to himself, smirking. "That sucked, but it's worth it."

—-----------------------------------

Ren leaned against the cold wall of the training room, arms crossed as he watched the dim lights flicker overhead. His breathing had slowed after another long session of testing the limits of Blood Manipulation. He stretched his fingers out in front of him, watching the faint traces of blood seep back under his skin. The muscle strain and dizziness weren't as bad as they used to be. Minor Regeneration had made sure of that.

His body had adapted over the past two years, the side effects manageable now that his healing ability was constantly working in the background. Small cuts healed within minutes, and bruises barely lingered long enough for him to notice them. But even with the progress, Ren wasn't satisfied. He needed more—more slots, more abilities, and eventually, something big.

He pushed off the wall, walking slowly toward the center of the room as his thoughts drifted back to the moments that had frustrated him the most over the past two years. The failed quirk copies.

flashback.

The first attempt had been during one of All For One's supervised training sessions. Ren had deliberately closed the distance, timing his movements perfectly as he grabbed hold of All For One's arm during a demonstration. His fingers pressed against the man's sleeve, and for a split second, Ren's heart had raced with anticipation.

The system prompt had flashed before him:

Attempting to Copy: All For One's Quirk

Error: Insufficient Level. Ability Locked.

The sudden rejection had felt like a punch to the gut. He had masked his disappointment at the time, pulling back and continuing the session without missing a beat. But the sting had lingered long after. Not high enough level—he should've expected it, but knowing didn't make it any easier. All For One's quirk was the pinnacle of power. Copying it at Level 2 had been a long shot, and he'd known it.

Still, failure had a way of sticking in his head like a thorn.

The second attempt had been more subtle. Ren had been walking through the hallway when he passed Kurogiri. The misty man wasn't paying attention, which had made it the perfect opportunity. Ren had brushed his hand against Kurogiri's arm, making it look like an accidental touch.

Once again, the system flared to life:

Attempting to Copy: Kurogiri's Warp Gate

Error: Insufficient Level. Ability Locked.

Ren had clenched his jaw so tightly that his teeth hurt. He hadn't stopped walking, hadn't looked back, but his mind had been a storm of irritation. Kurogiri's quirk wasn't as complex as All For One's, but it was still too much for him to handle at his current level.

That second rejection had been a wake-up call—one that he was still answering to this day. No shortcuts, no easy wins. If he wanted abilities like those, he'd have to earn them the hard way.

Back in the present, Ren sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stepped out of the training room and into the corridor. "One day," he muttered. "I'll be high enough."

Until then, he'd focus on building influence and copying what he could. He wasn't in a rush. Power took time, and he had all the time he needed. For now, he'd settle for the smaller abilities, stacking them until he was strong enough to grab the big ones.

He slipped his hands into his pockets and headed toward the exit. He didn't know exactly where tonight would take him, but the idea of getting outside the compound felt more appealing than ever.