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Arc IV - Further [Chapter 3: In Practice]

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The author's musical inspiration:
'Bad Wolves - Savior'
'OneRepublic - Nobody'
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× ???? POV ×
[Secret laboratory, not so far from Tokyo]

Garaki: "Testing of the beta-version. Substance: Trigger. Test subject: Kugisaki Sōga. Quirk: Spike."

My gaze focuses on the test subject, who leans exhausted against the glass wall and stares into space. In his eyes, I see fear and disorientation. Certainly those feelings are intensified by the fact that he can't see us from his side of the one-way-glass. As I examine his face, I wonder how his expression will change when he is affected by Trigger. I grin sadistically. Without averting my eyes, I nod to signal my confirmation.

Garaki: "Okay. Now initiating the injection", *types busily on his devices*

This cylindrical, high-security chamber, installed in the center of our laboratory in a room-within-room configuration, is made of special materials and thus can withstand a wide range of quirks. As an additional safety measure, our test subject is wearing quirk-nullifying metal cuffs on both his ankles and wrists. Their integrated sensors detect any potential exceedance of the acceptable threshold for his quirk activation level and automatically activate the nullifying effect. Even under the influence of a quirk-enhancing substance like Trigger, our calculations indicate that the quirk still can be forcibly deactivated by them.

But that's not all these special cuffs can do. Inside, small injection cells are installed for various substances. Those inside his right wrist contain corresponding Trigger dosages, which Garaki can inject at the touch of a button.

Garaki: "Injection needles now entering test subject."

I observe how the face of our test subject distorts in discomfort.

Garaki: "Full dosage now injecting."

The reaction is immediate. Upon accelerating his quirk factor beyond its natural boundaries, his body spasms to adapt. While his spikes, that normally only can be summoned on his hands and feet, break through all over his body surface, way bigger as well as stronger than before, he staggers more into the chamber. When he's not screaming in pain, he breaths panicking. His clothes being shredded around his frame.

After complete transformation into his new form, he goes on rage mode, just as expected.

Test subject: "What did you do to me?! You fuckers!!"

Growling, he smashes his spike-covered side repeatedly against the chamber glass. To no avail. Our special construction doesn't get one scratch. Good. I'm truly satisfied.

With our high-tech laboratory that was worth its money and effort.

Test subject: "I'll kill you!!"

Satisfied with the dilated eyes of the test subject that now hold a beautiful mix of devastation and wrath.

Garaki: *as much satisfied*, "Trigger effects compliant. Multiplied quirk factor. Exceedance within the estimated threshold. High aggression-level."

And satisfied with the triumph of this beta-testing, which we can conduct quicker than anticipated thanks to the distraction the I-Expo brought.

The successful mission on I-Island to retrieve the substance we ourselves named Trigger cost us quite a bit as well. So, I'm not upset about losing that pawn in the course of the mission although his quirk was extremely useful. In fact, it means one less potential weak spot to worry about and one less payment to issue.

The fury of our test subject continues even though his actions don't cause any damage on the targeted wall. It's getting more and more fierce with each brutal attack that he's now enacting all around the chamber. In his rampage, in which he's even leaving blood on the glass, he doesn't care whether he's more hurting himself than anything else.