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CHAPTER START---
Sitting in the back of a fully armored SUV Law idly taps the armrest and nods along to the soft hum of music.
The windows were blacked out from both sides, making it impossible to know where you were being taken.
All cellular signals were blocked the moment the door shut behind him, and the divider between him and the drivers was up the entire time, without his particular Quirk he would have had no idea that he was currently being taken through a tunnel beneath Mt. Tanzawa, just outside of Tokyo to the south-west.
This was the standard procedure for all of Gild's events, hosted in a multitude of massive private and secret facilities across Japan.
While he didn't have the same level of efficiency in construction or wealth as Nezu, Girl could undoubtedly get the job done over a few years by bribing the right people. And with the wealth of investors and clients he has, hollowing out part of a mountain isn't the most complicated matter.
Feeling the vehicle stop for a moment, Law then notices them moving up a cargo elevator, at least twenty stories.
ROOM!His room spreads out for 1KM in every direction, giving him a full map of the tunnel system, a sonar map of all the other guests and vehicles, and even a full display of the massive octagon he was currently being taken to.
As the elevator stops the vehicle drives for a few seconds before the door opens on its own, prompting him to step out.
And the moment he does he sees Gild Tesoro, the greatest underground showman in Japan. Standing at 2.5meters tall -8ft2-, absolutely towering over Law and even making All Might look small.
Slicked back long blonde hair with shades atop his head, and wide muscular shoulders, all wrapped in a pink suit with gold accents and a white undershirt. Ten golden rings on his fingers and countless other accessories adorning him.
His presence could not be missed, especially when standing next to Law, currently wearing a black suit with a gold undershirt, the Matani Estate logo on each shoulder -his shoulder tattoo of intricate hearts-.
"Always the last to arrive eh?" Gild shakes his head as he gestures for Law to follow him. Now walking through a luxurious hallway, completely unbefitting of what should otherwise be a service entrance.
"Well I've still got a few minutes before the first fight, plus I figure since I'm putting up the cash for the prize and keeping the lights on for tonight, they wouldn't mind waiting a few minutes," Law shrugs.
"True, my usual sponsor got here early as usual, and he's always the last to leave, guess you wealthy people have that in common," Gild chuckles as they enter Law's private booth.
A massive viewing room with a red carpeted floor. A private bar with a gorgeous woman behind the counter, and a slew of illegal drugs off to the side on a trolley.
One-way glass walls separate them from the octagonal ring below, and hundreds of people in comfortable seats below surround the ring. All dressed immaculately, enjoying alcohol and any other vice they wish, some more focused on using the screen built into the chairs to start placing bets and reading the odds.
Law sees a couch closer to the glass with a few scantily clad women enjoying drinks on it, and one pats the spot between them giving him a sultry look.
He only shoots Gild an accusatory glance.
"What?" Gild shrugs. "You pay top shelf, you get the full Gild Tesoro experience."
"Well, might as well get my money's worth."
"That's the spirit," Gild gives him a light pat on the back, which nearly palms his entire back. "And some of these people are dying to meet the mysterious sponsor, this is a good chance for you to kick open some doors and invest in whatever schemes they have going."
"My investment company is maxed out on capital right now," Law says, keeping his cover of a young genius investor intact. "Maybe after I cash in next year."
"Well, I'm sure they'll remember this night, nothing like rum, drugs, and whores to make friends over..."
"Don't remind me," Law groans.
Gild just laughs and begins walking away, "just tell the bartender if you need anything, and that includes her...and try to enjoy the show, you're paying for it after all," he calls out over his shoulder while leaving the room.
Law considers it for a moment, the looks between the bartender and ladies on the couch, all magazine worthy, then back to the bartender, "I'll have a martini, dry..." he ordered before sitting with his temporary companions.
He tunes them out for a minute and focuses on the crowd.
'Politicians, big business types...judges? Must have taken some damn good bribes to be able to afford a ticket to this, hell to even get a invite...'
Law sits back as Gild enters the ring by being raised on a platform in the middle of it, 3 mics floating round him, solid gold.
His Quirk, Gold Manipulation, it allows him to meld and shape any gold he touches for up to 10 minutes after touching it. Since he can't generate the substance however finding a use for it is rare, but he quickly became a world-class jeweler before getting busted for illegal Quirk use.
But now he's 26, and he runs events like this as Japan's best underground showman. After being arrested for such an illegal Quirk use it's difficult to find a job in Japan that will trust you enough to allow you to start building credibility, but he still does love making jewelry, hence him making Law's current favorite black and gold watch and gifting it to him.
A peace offering for their first meeting, a fight involving some whores, cocaine, alcohol, and a lot of ice cream.
Law cringes at that particular memory as the bartender plops down in his lap and leans back against him, raising his martini to his lips.
'Time to enjoy the show...'
"WELCOME EVERYONE!" Gild starts his announcement, earning a round of cheers from the audience. "I'd say 'I hope you're having a good day,' but if you can afford to be here you're certainly doing better than most...and you're about to have one hell of a night!
Well, tonight we've got one hell of an event for you. Tonight's sponsor wants bloody brawls, no fancy tricks, just muscles, knuckles, and blood!"
The crowd goes wild, and Gild smiles at all the rich people and their boring lives, excited to see people kill each other.
"Normally the prize is decided by how much you all paid to get in here...but tonight is a bit different, the pot was decided weeks ago!
That's right, one person is bankrolling it, and I think we can all agree the fighters are gonna be fighting extra hard tonight!"
The screens above the ring show a 32-fighter tournament bracket, four stages then the finals.
"That's right, 32 fighters, one champion, but this isn't winner take all, we want everyone doing their best in every stage!
Every fighter has a wallet, and that wallet, at this very moment, has $500,000 in it!
Every win adds exactly one million dollars.
It takes four wins to get to the finals, that 4.5 Million, to do whatever you want it!"
The crowd falls silent, everyone suddenly realizing that this was almost five times the usual grand prize that fighters get at these events. Many people move to shift their bets, now knowing people will be fighting extra hard for that kind of life-changing money.
"And the grand prize..." Gild smiles wickedly, he could almost see the crowd falling off the edge of their seat as the tension builds. "The winner of the entire tournament, their wallet doesn't go to 5.5 Million....but 50 MILLION DOLLARS! That's 50 mil in untraceable cash...without taxes of course, because you all know what we say about taxes here, right?"
He hears a chorus of laughter from the crowd.
"Taxes are for---"
He lifts his mic to the crowd, "POOR PEOPLE!" they all yell in unison.
"Hahahha, now who's ready to see some blood?!"
The crowd goes wild once again, and Law enjoys his drinks and company as he sits back and waits for the carnage to unfold.
Ready to watch some Power Types brawl it out and kill each other, all the get a better and more up-close understanding of the mistakes they usually make while fighting.
If he wants to shift his combat style a bit then he'd need experience, and this is just a way to fastrack that. Plus he's always looking for new and creative ideas...
As the first match is beginning, Law sees what looks to be a man a simple strength enhancer enter the ring with a guy that has a strange Quirk that generates extra muscle fibers across his body.
'Gross,' was his only thought, and the ladies sitting atop and beside him reel back in disgust.
But luckily for them, that particular individual would only win this round, because Muscular is a big fish in a little pond, while Gild was able to cast a large international net with the cash prize Law offered.
Opening his ROOM one more time Law does another scan of the entire arena, not sensing anything weird, and he recognizes everyone in the other VIP Booths, so he simply closes the ROOM and enjoys his night.
However, on the top level with Law's booth are a few others, only 8, one for each side of the ring.
But in one of the rooms directly opposite him is a large man wearing a simple suit, not currently connected to any lift support systems, sitting on a large chair alone. A black industrial mask covering his head.
All For One, the usual sponsor of these events, purely to scout unique and useful Quirks, this time simply getting to be a guest and save some of his money, enjoying the show.
He always arrives first to take a look at the list of fighters, and always waits until everyone else leaves before getting more hands-on with the fighters.
Because of this, he's fortunate that Law wouldn't sense anything off -not that his ROOM was currently active- but for later when Kurogiri opens a Warp Gate to retrieve his master.
The demon lord sits and enjoys the show, while the future Symbol Of Peace does the exact same.
So close to meeting, but yet so ignorant of the negligible distance between them.
But fortunately for all the otherwise defenseless spectators, and the currently unarmed Law, their meeting was nearly 3 months away, near the end of July.
When Horizon and All For One would finally meet, and the fate of the world will rest in a simple contract...
END CHAPTER---
Just curious, I got done with chapter 90 a few hours ago and that means I'm officially writing the December chapters right now. By then how far into the MHA timeline do you think we'll be?