40 Rise of Kurogiri

Kurogiri had just initiated the fusing process of All for One and One for All, and as these powerful quirks combined, all of Kurogiri's individual quirks would receive an incredible surge of power by flowing through All for One. While he was in the midst of this fusion, Kurogiri found himself in a vast, empty white space.

Realizing that he had become unconscious, Kurogiri could only wait for something to happen. Despite being unconscious, he could still sense all of his quirks and even noticed that part of his subconscious mind was still operating, maintaining his connection with Rin and handling ninja tasks.

As Kurogiri pondered over this, the space around him started to change, transforming into a scene from his first life. He watched as the version of himself in this vision was overlooked and disregarded by every member of his family. Going by the name Jason, Kurogiri had never been wanted, always told that he was merely an accident.

To make matters worse, his siblings, or the kids his parents actually wanted, would use him as their outlet for anger. This display captured the sad reality of his life at that time, and strangely enough, it may have been the best period because, being so young, the abuse had not turned physical yet.

However, everything started to change as Jason began attending school. It turned out that he was actually exceptionally smart and earned his first A grade. Jason had hoped that his parents would finally take notice and care about him when they saw his intelligence. However, his parents barely acknowledged his achievement, simply telling him that it was the least he could do.

The worst part was that Jason's brother, consumed by jealousy, began physically tormenting him even more. He would punch Jason hard enough to cause pain but made sure to leave no visible bruises. As for his sister, she never bothered to acknowledge his existence since his birth.

Jason couldn't recall a single instance where his sister actually looked at him, and his parents treated him as nothing more than a nuisance whenever he approached them. Realizing that no one in the household cared about him, Jason did his best to fade into the background.

Sadly, he was unable to make friends due to the rumors his brother had spread about him being a weird boy who killed small animals. The only solace in Jason's life came from his love of anime, manga, and light novels. For a while, he was able to borrow these from the library without any worry.

However, one day, his brother discovered his library books and noticed that Jason had been disappearing into the house, escaping his daily beating, so he destroyed the books, manga, and DVD anime. From that point on, Jason could no longer get any more books from the library. The library became the only place where he could still find solace in reading.

This was how Jason's life continued until his brother and sister went off to college. He thought this would finally free him from the abuse. However, to his shock, his parents informed him that they were leaving and had secured an apartment for him, paying for the lease, but they wouldn't be doing anything else for him.

Jason was barely given any time to process this information, but having grown accustomed to taking care of himself, he felt a sense of excitement at the prospect of finally being on his own. Jason had always tried to go with the flow, suppressing his hurt and pain, and imagining himself as the protagonist in a story, believing that his time would come.

Living on his own proved to be incredibly challenging for Jason. He had to balance a part-time job to pay bills while still in his final year of school, trying to maintain his high grades that he had never stopped achieving. However, the job began to take a toll on his academic performance, and despite his best efforts, Jason's grades suffered.

Nevertheless, he continued to persevere and managed to graduate. It was during this time that he discovered his parents had never provided him with his personal information or allowed him to obtain a driver's license. Realizing the arduous process of obtaining everything required, Jason knew it would cause him to miss his first semester of college.

It was at this moment that Jason began to feel the full weight of pain, hurt, and frustration that he had always buried deep within. He realized he had no one to rely on, and his own parents had left him with virtually nothing.

At this point in his life, Jason came to the harsh realization that he was never the protagonist or even a character who would have a significant role in a story. If anything, a person with his background would be cast as the villain. Jason resigned himself to living a basic life, finding solace through the characters in the stories he consumed.

Meanwhile, as Kurogiri sat and reflected on all his memories from his past life as Jason, he recalled the turning point where he started to align with the viewpoint of villains, who sought to change an uncaring society. Among the villains that stuck out to him the most was All for One, as he believed in advocating for a world where individuals are recognized and celebrated for their unique abilities or quirks.

Kurogiri remembered how, as Jason, he had felt that this should be the case since he was always intellectually superior to his brother, but his intellect went unnoticed and unacknowledged by everyone, even his teachers.

As Kurogiri watched within the white space, a mirror image of his past self, Jason, appeared next to him, looking at him with disdain. "Ha, see how weak we were, how we just accepted what others did to us, hoping things would get better with time," sneered past Jason, directing his gaze towards Kurogiri.

Past Jason continued to taunt Kurogiri, his voice dripping with disdain as he said, "Now look at you, trying to be a Demon King. But we both know you're just a boy with a toy, trying to look cool." His words tore into Kurogiri, ripping away the facade of his dream, revealing it to be nothing more than a childish yearning for attention.

Kurogiri couldn't meet the gaze of his past self, instead averting his eyes from the memories of his past playing before him. The young Jason's sneering face stared back at him, a reflection of his own doubts. Deep down, he knew that his pursuit of becoming a Demon King was nothing but a shallow dream, a mere cry for attention.

Past Jason pressed on, casting doubt on Kurogiri's perception of the people around him. Mockingly, he questioned, "Do you even see the people around you as real? Have you thought about what you've done? Killing those who come after you may seem justifiable, but mind-controlling innocent people... How could you do that to so many? And all for the sake of Rin, as if it were some noble cause. We both know you're just trying to fill the role left by our big brother for this world."

In a fit of anger, Kurogiri bellowed, "I WILL NEVER BE LIKE HIM OR ANYONE FROM OUR WRETCHED FAMILY!" His voice reverberated through the space around them, causing it to shake, but past Jason remained unaffected by his outburst.

With calm determination, past Jason pointed out the bitter truth. "But you have already become like them. You possess the power to change the suffering in this world, and what are you going to do with it? Ruin it with this 'Demon King' ideal. Because in the end, you stand for nothing, just as we always have. The only thing that has changed is our outward appearance."

As Kurogiri heard his past-self and continued to remember why he admired All for One, a realization struck him. It wasn't truly because of the Demon King ideal, but rather All for One's willingness to challenge the world and enact change according to his own vision. Past Jason, aware of Kurogiri's thoughts, looked at him and spoke with a sad tone.

"Yeah, remember now. It was never about being a Demon King. It was about changing the world so others wouldn't have to suffer if they didn't want to," Jason said, his words resonating with Kurogiri.

Now facing a world where he saw countless individuals suffering, Kurogiri possessed immense power. But his past-self raised an important question, "Do you have the will and determination to not lose yourself in this power? You don't have to be a hero, but you should aspire to be more than just a lowly villain. You should allow yourself to be free, to escape the confines of a single mindset."

The look on past Jason's face softened, an expression of genuine concern. Kurogiri could only stare at his past self, finally finding his voice to speak. "You claim to be my past self, but I never had the courage to speak this way. Who are you really?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the image of his past self.

His past-self stared back, and as his form transformed to resemble Kurogiri's own appearance, he spoke. "I am you. I am the part of you that longed for change, the part you buried amidst pain and sadness. My existence took shape through the Velocity Mind Quirk, amplified by the spiritual boost from One for All. My goal is to make us better," past Jason revealed.

Curiosity piqued, Kurogiri questioned, "And how are you going to make us better?" To his surprise, past Jason smiled at him, replying, "I'm not going to make us better. We will become better as one. But in order to achieve that, you must first acknowledge the truth you buried, recognize my existence, and face the emotions you've forced me to hold. By doing so, we can grow."

His past form dissolved, returning to his original appearance. Jason locked eyes with Kurogiri, his gaze filled with determination, as he posed a series of thought-provoking questions. "Are you ready to face your trauma? Are you ready to be whole? Are you ready to accept yourself, mistakes and all?" He extended his hand towards Kurogiri, waiting for his response.

Staring back at the memories that played before him, Kurogiri saw himself settled into a mediocre life, content to live through the protagonists of the stories he consumed. He even accepted his own death during the tragic fire, accepting it as an escape. A bitter irony struck him as he realized his willingness to embrace death, yet his reluctance to work towards changing himself.

But now, presented with an opportunity to not only transform himself but also make a positive impact on others, Kurogiri felt a newfound determination. With resolve burning in his eyes, he turned back to Jason, who wore a genuine smile on his face.

In a surprising twist, instead of reaching out to take Jason's hand, Kurogiri pulled him into a heartfelt embrace. As their bodies connected, a radiant glow enveloped them, signaling the merging of their beings. The once vast white space around them began to collapse, resolute in its purpose.

While their spiritual growth unfolded within Kurogiri's mind and spirit, his physical form underwent profound changes, guided by his subconscious desires. His massive, dark-skinned, humanoid figure shrank, condensing into a smaller, more human-like form.

The deep black hue of his skin began to lighten, transitioning from midnight black to a gentle shade of ash grey. Simultaneously, his muscles expanded and contracted, growing stronger, denser, yet maintaining a sleek and slender stature, hair remain white but streaks of black appear spiking upwards. The newfound fusion of their unique quirks, now united as All for One, worked seamlessly to adjust Kurogiri's body, enabling him to handle the heightened power.

Gaining a deeper understanding of his subconscious desires, Velocity Mind even subconsciously created an adaptation quirk to ensure Kurogiri's body could accommodate the newfound abilities.

As the transformative changes neared completion, Kurogiri's spiritual growth reached its climactic zenith. The culmination of this energy erupted from the ground in a brilliant pillar of chakra, visible for miles and resonating throughout the ninja world. Opening his eyes, now adorned with hues of a vibrant rainbow, Kurogiri emanated an aura of clarity, acceptance, and unwavering determination for his new life and purpose.