Absolute In/Existence

Waking up early in the morning, Sora was stretching his body like usual. A routine that came before training in his Great Body Tempering Technique.

Clank…

His chains bangs against each other but Sora had long grown used to their noise whenever he did anything. His mind was as still as great body of water. Calm and with no ripples, Sora moved his body and continued to stretch.

Sh…

Sora's ear twitched and he opened his eyes.

He turned to look at the door to his prison cell to which someone began banging on it.

"As a courtesy for being the one to create the Inhubitors, you will be allowed to put it in yourself," Shig said as he opened a little window in the door.

His eyes looked at Sora and he passed a thin collar to him that was as thin as a ribbon.

Looking at the collar and up at Shig, Sora grabbed the inhibitor and placed it around his neck. The instant the collar clicked and locked itself around his neck, Sora felt his quirk stop.

It felt strange.

He's had it ever since he was four, always active and passively healing him at every moment. His stamina, his fatigue, his tiredness… yet now… it's gone.

Clenching his hands as he got used to the feeling, Sora looked up at Shig.

"Good. Now you can step out."

Shig closed the little window and opened the door. He smirked and pushed Sora forward and took him to a place that Tartarus has been fixing up for a while. The place was under Tartarus, but it was very well lit, like they had brought the sun down to the 'little basement' that Tartarus built.

"This is where you, and a couple of other inmates will go. Only those who have been in good behavior for a year will be allowed to come here. The first offense here will keep you locked up for a whole year before coming back here. Second offense will have you locked up for five years before you can return to this area, and so on…"

Shig pointed to a couple of prisoners already out there. They were all standing around nervously. They were sitting in their room when they suddenly fell asleep. When they woke up, they found themselves here in this underground area with something around their necks.

But what worried them was how they couldn't use their Quirks! Try as they might, they couldn't summon a single ounce of power or even receive some form of feedback.

"These are the prisoners who have been on good behavior," Shig said, pointing at the 27 prisoners out in the yard.

Despite being the one who had suggested this idea, Sora could care less about being here. Neither did he really care about being with these people here. For all he cared about, they were all better off dead, but they were already serving their sentence here, but… if they did something in his presence…

Sora smirked, his narrowed eyes giving off a dangerous vibe.

Approaching the others, Sora looked at all the individuals in front of him. All dangerous criminals who have done evil and carried an evil aura around themselves. With experience as a martial artist, and in life, Sora could see through each of them.

They were all bad people. All except one.

Looking over at a woman, Sora could see her tethering between good and evil. Right now, she was leaning into evil, but there is still a point of salvation.

Not to mention that she's a beautiful woman.

She's an ex-Pro Hero known as Lady Nagant, real name Tsutsumi Kaina.

…

Sora smiled and approached Kaina, ready to use a super cheesy pick up line.

"Hey," Sora began. "Are you from hell? Because you're super hot."

To finish it off, Sora winked.

It was quite funny to him, but Kaina just rolled her eyes at him. He smiled and stood in front of her, a couple feet away.

"Did you like my gift?"

Kaina raised an eyebrow, confused as to what Sora meant. She took a step forward, looking deeply into his Galaxy eyes.

"Stay away from me. I don't like people like you." She barked at him and walked away.

However, Sora didn't stay still. Following behind her, Sora continued speaking. He pointed at himself and asked, "People like me? What kind of people are those that are like me?"

Kaina stopped walking and turned to look at Sora with a frown.

"People who kill for fun, who rob, stash, and commit mass hysteria for their own pleasure."

"I'm one of those?" Sora asked as he pointed at his own face with raised eyebrows.

Without bothering to respond, Kaina turned around and was about to leave. But as she raised her foot, she felt he a hand on her shoulder and instinctively went to protect herself and restrain the pervert.

She grabbed his hand, pulled it forward and turned her body, ready to use Sora's weight against himself. But as she pressed her body against Sora's and continued to attempt to throw him over her shoulder, she felt an immense weight.

"Huh?"

With no other choice, Kaina released Sora's hand and quickly stepped away. She looked at Sora closely and that's when she finally noticed the weird circular cuffs on his body. Some on his legs, some in his arms, one on his torso, and the last one around his neck.

"There's no way I'm one of those," Sora said, shaking his hand. "Watch!"

Turning around with a smile, Sora looked over at Shig and waved his arms in the air.

"Captain! What crimes did I commit?!"

Sora yelled and asked from across to where Shig was. He was smiling and calling out to Shig, causing every inmate and guard to turn and look at Sora and Kaina.

'What is he doing?'

Kaina frowned at what Sora was doing. She looked at him and turned to look at the captain, wondering what he was going to say. She didn't care and neither was she curious, but she had nowhere else to go.

"What's with the ruckus?!"

One of the guards yelled, wanting the place to get quiet. Yet as he was planning to do something, Shig appeared beside him.

"Stop."

Shig shook his head at his subordinate and ordered him to back away. Turning to Sora, Shig narrowed his eyes before deciding to reply.

"Sora, your in here for… public destruction and harming 16 heroes…"

It went strangely quiet afterwards.

That was it?

The exact same thought went through everyone's heads. Guards, inmates, and even Shig himself were confused and speechless.

Why is Sora here if his crimes are so… minor?

Kaina turned to Sora, looking at him in a new light.

'Strange, why is he here?'

She thought to herself as she looked at him in the face. Kaina can see how Sora still looked very young, but he was giving her such mixed signals. His eyes filled with so much wisdom and experience unfit for his age, he carried such a manly aura, but his face…

Sora's face contained such youthfulness that Kaina thought that Sora is still a teen. Scratching his growing beard, Sora lowered his head to Kaina's level. He narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"So… tell me… who are you?" Sora's voice lowered and turned gentle as he approached her.

"Me?"

Kaina felt Sora's gaze and felt weird.

"Yeah. Why are you here?" Sora's gaze deepened and Kaina felt like she was being seen through. "Did you come here because of the mean pumpkin pie they are giving out here?"

Kaina furrowed her eyebrows, confused as to what Sora was talking about. Talking as if he had come to sleep at a hotel for a night.

"No?"

Sora chuckled.

"Psh! Me neither. I came for the fruit smoothies they make here."

"Huh?" The corner of Kanai's lips curled in amusement and she looked at Sora weirdly. "You're a weird one, aren't you?"

"Me? No way. If we're talking about weird, I'd say it's Shig," Sora said, moving over next to Kanai. He whispered at her, a small smirk on his face. "Look at him… do you think he neighs when he gets mad or surprised?"

"Huh? H-he should… right?" Kanai asked, momentarily distracted by Sora.

Sora nodded.

"Let's see and find out."

But just as Sora was going to do something, the bell rang and the time for recess ended. With a disappointed smile, Sora turned to Kanai with an amused look on his face.

"I think Shig the captain heard us," Sora said with a chuckle.

Kanai gave Sora a small smile and giggled.

"So silly…"

***

After talking for a while, the guards sent everyone back to their cells. Including Sora who returned to his cell to complete his training for the day.

Repetition after repetition, Sora tired his body out as he trained in the Great Body Forging Technique. His muscles burned, his bones creaked, and his organs felt like magma.

Still, he didn't stop, no matter how sluggish he felt or how hazy his mind was. But like always, in the last repetition, Sora's body was giving out. His feet refused to move and his arms felt like he was carrying a mountain. His body yelled at him, telling him to stop or he will die.

Still, with a will tougher than diamonds and stronger than a whale, Sora pushed.

For this was the reason he didn't train in martial arts.

He devoted everything to the Great Body Forging Technique. With no talent at all, Sora can still improve. What would take a normal person a day to learn, Sora would need a decade. What would take others to master in 5 years, Sora would need centuries to do the same.

For that reason, he didn't bother learning martial arts. With no talent, this is what he could only do.

For now.

Focusing his all on the Great Body Forging Technique, Sora honed in on it. He gave up swordsmanship… he gave up basic fighting training… he even gave up on his pleasures like sex and love.

As long as he grows stronger, he will find it. The turning point where he can gain talent or find something to counter his lack of talent.

Unknowingly, Sora began to bleed from his ears, eyes, and nose. His skin began to break open and even his bones began to crack. The immense pressure he was feeling began to change, from carrying a mountain to being submerged to the deepest recesses of the sea and enduring the pressure with his body.

The pressure continued to grow, his movements slowing down.

His heart pumped loudly, like a gun shot with every pump, his blood felt like it was boiling. It burnt him from inside.

And then… his heart exploded.

His vision went dark and his mind fell into the deep dark. His life, had just ended, like a snap of one's fingers. Quick and easily.

Nothing.

He had accomplished absolutely nothing in this life of his. He died without accomplishing anything he could be proud of. Sora watched as it all slipped away.

His families, his friends… it all disappeared as he died and left silently.

But…

Why?!

The anger in his soul burned brighter than the hottest flame! He was unwilling to die!

He tried moving, but there was nothing he could do in his state of death. Yet he refused to give up!

Sora was dealt a shitty hand, one that prevented him from ever accomplishing his dreams and desires. How could he let himself lose to life and be told that he will never accomplish anything? It felt like he was told he is useless.

His mother… she was waiting for him at home. His friends… they waited at school. And the women… he just can't leave yet.

He refused to let talent dominate his life…and now, how could he let life and death control that too!

As Sora fought against death and his looming inexistence, his spirit began to sublimate. He was changing and the fire in his soul grew ever so stronger.

His dissipating consciousness began to take shape into a golden spirit. He stretched out his hand in the darkness, searching for something, anything!

Then, his hands touched the thinnest of strings. It didn't contain anything, it was lifeless and it was in the verge of snapping. Without thinking, Sora grabbed ahold of it tightly and didn't let go as he pulled hard on it.

As Sora's spirit grew stronger and his will resisted death and broke through any known limits, Sora grasped his body. Still lifeless, Sora cared about nothing as he forced himself to continue with the Great Body Forging Technique.

Ta!

With a swing in his arm, Sora felt something in him crack. Moving his legs, the crack began to grow. His torso, his pelvis, his fingers…

As he continued moving in his terrible state, without a heart and without life, Sora continued to break something within himself.

BANG!

And then, it completely broke!