Kyudai Garaki/Synopsis

History
Kyudai Garaki was born approximately 120 years ago, manifesting a Quirk that granted him great longevity, Life Force, although he made everyone believe that he was Quirkless. Overtime, he became a doctor and a scientist dedicated to the study and research of Quirks.

About seventy years ago, Kyudai theorized the "Quirk Singularity", according to which as the generations pass, the Quirks will become so powerful that they will be uncontrollable. However, his theory was dismissed by society, who viewed the concept as ridiculous and didn't want to listen to a far-fetched doomsday theory when society was still struggling with assimilating Quirks into society. As a result, Kyudai was ostracized and disappeared from the public eye.

Left alone and with nowhere to go, he was approached by All For One, who believed his theory and lent Kyudai his aid. It was then that Kyudai began working with All For One. As a gift of loyalty and appreciation, Kyudai duplicated his Life Force Quirk, and gave his original Quirk to All For One, keeping the duplicate. Thanks to this, both he and All For One continued to live to this day.

Sometime later, All For One found a discarded boy named Tenko Shimura on the streets, after having gone through the traumatic event of killing his family when his Quirk, Decay, manifested for the first time. At his master's request, he brought forth several sets of hands belonging to the boy's family who were accidentally slaughtered when the boy's Quirk manifested. Kyudai watched as the boy started experiencing episodes from recalling the events. Kyudai questioned All For One if he should modify Tenko, but All For One declined and stated that he will teach him how to take his feelings and frustrations and give them purpose.

Shortly after, Kyudai accompanies All For One to see how Tenko takes his first steps as a symbol of fear, deliberately killing two hooligans with whom he had problems before. Kyudai expressed surprise at the events, believing that Tenko had lost his memories, only to be corrected by All For One saying that his memories were just shut away. He was "reborn" as "Tomura Shigaraki", as the two continued to watch over and raise him.

He eventually became All For One's personal doctor after he was defeated by All Might, being critically injured. It was also during this point in time that Kyudai and All For One began work on their next major project, the Nomu: bio-engineered creatures created through a combination of human corpses and several Quirk factors, all for the purpose of creating incredibly powerful fighters that could possess multiple Quirks. They had also already started re-animating corpses and re-tooling them into soldiers for their own use, like turning Oboro Shirakumo into Kurogiri, and the many re-tooling done to the body of Hood.

Despite being ostracized by society, Kyudai managed to rebuild an impressive reputation as the founder and chairman of Jaku General Hospital, becoming known as a whimsical yet philanthropic doctor who was devoted to his research regarding Quirk-based healthcare. He also opened several numerous care homes and orphanages, while partnering with several private clinics as a means of researching Quirks. However, this was all a cover to hide his true work for All For One and the development of the Nomus.

One of All For One and Kyudai's experiments involved a young nameless boy they took in known as "Experiment Number 6." He suffered from a case of agnosia, having absolutely no awareness of his own self, whether due to a brain defect or childhood trauma. While Kyudai believed his state to be unfit as a pupil, All For One disagreed, seeing his "blank slate" as someone they can shape like a wad of clay into whatever form he desires, potentially even the twisted entity they seek.

Number 6 was in fact one of many lost children that Kyudai and All For One had taken in; ones they considered to be "warped seeds" and worthy vessels for All For One's successor were anything to happen to Tomura. Among these children were Toya Todoroki, who All For One rescued from being nearly burnt to death. Due to the damage to the body, all his missing pieces had to be replaced with regenerative tissue, and they ultimately failed in the restoration process, with Toya unable to use his power like he once could due to all his senses now being dulled.

Toya eventually awoke three years after being rescued, intending to leave and reunite with his family, but is told by a voice of everything that happened when trying to rebuild him, noting him as a "failure". Despite this, they intend to still welcome him into their group to be raised, and wanting to restore his fire to its former glory, but Toya viciously denies this, with no intention of being trained by anyone other than his father.

Toya managed to burn down the nursery and escape, with Kyudai and All For One deciding to let him go, as the former figured that he only had a month left to live before his body gave out and died, while the latter found himself unable to manipulate the boy beyond his obsession with his father.

Kyudai would proceed to assist All For One in various Quirk-related experiments, referred to by the Police Force as the "Villain Factory". Thanks to a matured Number 6 and the Queen Bee, they utilized the Trigger drug in order to make normal civilians' Quirks go crazy, resulting in them becoming Instant Villains. Using the data collected, they proceeded to kidnap and bio-engineer their bodies, turning them into Next-Level Villains, as a way to test the body's capabilities to handle Quirks.

This extended to the creation of the Bombers and Anonymous, mindless drones made up of Bomber cells that could be commanded and detonated. The culmination of their experiments was Number 6's Operation Anonymous, however that resulted in his own destruction. Despite this, All For One was inspired enough by the results that he and Kyudai began to take all that they learned into developing the ultimate being that could take on any Hero: the Nomu.

While under the alias of Dr. Tsubasa at one of his clinics, he attended an appointment with a young Izuku Midoriya and his mother, Inko. It is here where he diagnosed Izuku as Quirkless, bluntly telling him that he can't be a hero because of this and that he should give up on it, much to the boy's devastation. After questioning Inko about her and her husband's Quirks, telekinesis and fire breath respectively, the doctor explains that Izuku should have manifested either of their powers or a combination of the two by this point. He then reveals that early research on Quirks had found a link between the bones in a person's foot and their likelihood of developing a Quirk; since an x-ray revealed that Izuku has two joints in his pinky toe, he is one of the few people who will never manifest a Quirk.

At some point, Kyudai also interviewed Nine as a candidate for an experiment, which is research for the All For One Quirk. Kyudai points out that despite having a powerful Quirk that results in the destruction of cell tissues, Nine has managed to live out a normal life, without anyone noticing anything peculiar about him. Kyudai then questions Nine's motives, to which he bluntly refuses to explain at first. However, Kyudai points out that keeping secrets will only disqualify Nine from the experiment, forcing the latter to open up about his past.

After listening to Nine's explanation of his past, Quirk, and ideology, Kyudai concludes that Nine is the perfect candidate, as his body and mind are in the right condition. Kyudai would then put Nine into a status pod, undergoing the experimentation process Kyudai planned out for him.

U.S.J. Arc
At the same time as the start of the first year of U.A. High School, Kyudai completes his work on their Nomu, giving it to Tomura to accomplish their plan of using it to kill All Might. Using the name of the "League of Villains", Tomura, Kurogiri, the Nomu, and many Underlings storm the U.S.J. to attack the students and kill All Might.

Ultimately, the plan fails, All Might defeats the Nomu, and Tomura and Kurogiri are forced to barely escape, returning to their hideout. Recovering, Tomura reports of his mission's failure to All For One and Kyudai, with the latter expressing his annoyance at his Nomu being defeated and them having been unable to retrieve it, before All For One calms him down, since they've found something intriguing about one of All Might's students there.

Vs. Hero Killer Arc
Shortly afterward, Tomura requests more Nomu to sick onto Hosu City, as petty revenge against the Hero Killer: Stain, with All For One and Kyudai allowing him to utilize three of their currently completed Nomu. The Nomu are eventually defeated and Tomura is forced to sulk back to the hideout.

Meanwhile, All For One is surprised that Stain was captured but is still happy that things are going as he has foreseen. He exclaims that Tomura's position is to supervise and unify the new villains who have come to join the League of Villains. Kyudai expresses doubt that Tomura can do his job and says that if All For One stepped in things would be proceeding faster. All For One then replies that Kyudai must patch him up faster, while the Doctor on still being years away from achieving Hyper Regeneration, even though it would do little to help with his current injuries. All For One says that he will let Tomura do all the hard work so that he may become his successor as Tomura was born to do so.

Pro Hero Arc
After Endeavor and Hawks' fight with Hood the High-End Nomu, Dabi confronts the two heroes and initiates a fight with them. He is interrupted by Mirko, prompting Dabi to retreat by asking Kyudai for help, warping Dabi away.

Meta Liberation Army Arc
A month prior to the Hero Billboard Chart JP event, the League of Villains were facing Gigantomachia. As they were struggling against the behemoth, Kyudai contacts them from the radio that Gigantomachia is wearing, as he implies Tomura's uncertainty in the League's current state and need for help. Tomura is shocked to hear his voice.

Kyudai asks Tomura if he's keeping his remaining allies healthy, in which the latter admits that the League is running short on members. However, a sad and tearful Gigantomachia proceeds to destroy a majority of the landscape. Kyudai gives more info on Gigantomachia to the League, explaining that he once served as All For One's bodyguard. The doctor points out that the colossal beast possesses unlimited stamina and capable of welding multiple Quirks without any complex modifications. The doctor adds on that as All For One's power began to wither away thanks to All Might, the megalomaniac knew that he'll eventually meet his defeat, thus leading to him hiding Gigantomachia from the public eye.

Before Gigantomachia prepares to unleash another one of his devastating attacks, Kyudai plays a voice recording of All For One from the radio that effectively calms Gigantomachia as he cuddles up to the voice of his "beloved" master. An irritated Tomura claims that he doesn't want to handle Gigantomachia. The doctor tells the young pupil that he spent too much time with Kurogiri and tells him to grow up. Suddenly, black ooze emerges from the League's bodies, transporting them all to a secret laboratory filled with multiple Nomu hybrids.

After bringing them thanks to the Warping Quirk used by his mini Nomu, Johnny, he reveals that All For One did this just to make sure his legacy would live on through Tomura's command. He also reveals to the League the beings around him are called the High-Ends, being much more advanced than the old Nomu. Tomura then asks if the Doctor can duplicate the Quirk-Destroying Bullets.

Mr. Compress tries to get close to see the Doctor's face, leading him to rush and hide in a dark tunnel. The Doctor apologizes and explains how he wants to keep his identity a secret for now, introducing himself as Daruma Ujiko, an admitted alias. Kyudai tells Tomura that he's only helping out of loyalty to All For One. He claims Tomura himself hasn't accomplished anything and that he must prove that he can carry on All For One's will.

Kyudai listens when Tomura confesses that he felt empty before meeting All For One and that the hands he wears on his person make him feel both nauseous and at peace, yet his heart feels heavy which causes his rage. However, Tomura explains that it's this juxtaposition of feelings that makes him hate everything and want to destroy everything. Tomura tells Kyudai that he will show heaven and hell if he will help. Amused, Kyudai responds that it's a childish dream but is impressed by how serious Tomura is in his dream. Kyudai agrees nonetheless.

Mr. Compress notes how easy it was to convince the doctor. Kyudai admits that the plan was to always help but he wanted to see Tomura's development. He also admits that he will not help until they get Gigantomachia to submit. Dabi interrupts saying he will not go back to fight Gigantomachia, leading Kyudai to interject that Dabi can stay back to help him test the High-End Nomu Hood. Kyudai sends the remaining League of Villains members back to Gigantomachia at Tomura's request using Johnny.

Kyudai specifically wanted Dabi's help due to recognizing him as Toya, initially taken aback when Giran had first brought him to their attention, wanting to know personally how he had survived all these years. After being introduced to Hood, Dabi asks Kyudai if he was the one who had brought him back to life, causing him to ask how he is still alive. Dabi looks at Hood, stating that seeing the Nomu gives him an idea of what he was planning to do with him, while Kyudai realizes that he'd kept his dying body alive through his pure unfiltered grudge.

During the following month and a half, Tomura and the rest of the League members almost constantly fight against Gigantomachia, having only a few hours of rest between combats. Keeping his word, Kyudai refuses to fully help the League until Gigantomachia submits. He only gives them a one-time meager allowance. During one of these breaks, they receive a call from Re-Destro, Grand Commander of the Meta Liberation Army. Re-Destro explains that the Army desires to destroy the status quo and allow people to use their Quirks freely, but the League's popularity is interfering with their plans, so they have kidnapped Giran.

He explains that only the Army can be credited with the revolution that changes society, therefore the League of Villains must be eliminated to signal the Army revival. Re-Destro informs Tomura to go to Deika City in Aichi Prefecture within the next hour if he wants to get Giran back. He ends the conversation, giving Tomura two choices: 1.) stand against the Army and be destroyed or 2.) do nothing and be captured by the heroes when he gives their location.

Tomura decides to accept the challenge, saying he has a plan. He radios the doctor, who is surprised to hear that the Liberation Army still exists. Mr. Compress thinks that Tomura is going to ask Kyudai to send a High-End Nomu, but the doctor clarifies that is not possible because they are not ready for testing and he cannot do much in regards to producing more Nomu without All For One's help. Tomura comments he did not want to rely on the Nomu, his plan is to kill two birds with one stone: use Gigantomachia against the Army. Once the Meta Liberation Army is decimated by Gigantomachia's rampage, he plans to attack Gigantomachia, hoping the Army weakened him enough to finally take him down.

The doctor yells how underhanded Tomura is being and wonders if Re-Destro was bluffing. Tomura replies, "Then the fool dies. Plain and simple." They still have over two hours until Machia wakes up, and Tomura asks the Doctor to warp the entire League of Villains to Aichi. Once in Deika City, they are attacked by members of the Liberation Army.

Later on, members of the League endure almost an hour of battling the Meta Liberation Army and cause a large number of casualties to the opposing side, but members of the League begin to show weariness by the consistent battles and increasingly powerful enemies. Overhearing everything from his lab, Kyudai decides to help by waking Gigantomachia prematurely and ordering him to the League's location. Doing so causes Gigantomachia to erupt from under a wooden mound.

When Gigantomachia heads for Tomura, Mr. Compress called the doctor to warp them out, but Kyudai declines, saying that the League first needs to get the Liberation Army to stop tracking them. Compress then states that Tomura might get killed and asks if that's what All For One would've wanted, but the doctor replies that because Tomura is his master's successor, he needs to get pushed into a corner.

After the fight with the Meta Liberation Army and the merging with the League of Villains, Tomura contacts the doctor. Kyudai is pleased with the progress such as Tomura regaining his memories, taming Gigantomachia, and comments on the reinforcement of the Paranormal Liberation Front and before granting him more power, asks Tomura to do one last little favor.

My Hero Academia: Heroes: Rising
This favor turned out to be for Tomura and the League of Villains to transfer a completed Nine to a specific destination. Shortly before this, Kyudai finished the experimentation on Nine, discovering him to be compatible with All For One's Quirk, granting him the ability to steal eight more Quirks, alongside his original Weather Manipulation for a total of nine Quirks. The League utilizes Twice clones of Spinner, Dabi and Mr. Compress to drive the truck carrying their cargo, which is eventually intercepted and destroyed by several Pro Heroes, but not before Nine is able to escape and reach his rendezvous.

The League have no idea about who or what they were carrying except for Tomura, who remembers him from their original meeting, and recalls Kyudai telling him not to bare it any mind and just forget all about it, to Tomura's increased annoyance.

Nine and his crew are eventually defeated by Class 1-A during his attempt to steal Katsuma Shimano's Cell Activation Quirk, and Tomura is warped, presumably by Kyudai, to Nine's location, using his Decay to personally kill him, with the intention of taking his place for his plans. It is unknown what Kyudai's exact reaction to these events are, and it is implied the experimentation process was to prepare for when he eventually gives Tomura the original All For One Quirk.

Endeavor Agency Arc
While the Paranormal Liberation Front prepares for when the time comes to attack, Kyudai prepares to perform an operation on Tomura to transfer All For One to him. Given that he is already very powerful, Kyudai asks Tomura why he wants even more power. Tomura gives two reasons: first, because he had promised him more power if he met his requirements. Secondly, because he wants to use everything he has at his disposal to obliterate the dregs All Might left behind.

Kyudai likes Tomura's proclamations and explains the situation. Thanks to the operation he will perform, he will obtain a suitable body to control a power much greater than that of All For One, to the point he can even obtain One For All. However, Kyudai also assures Tomura that the medical process will last four months, and he will endure four months of hellish agony.

With the situation clarified, Kyudai begins to operate in Tomura.

Paranormal Liberation War Arc
At some point prior to the War, Kyudai was able to create replicas of the Quirk-Destroying Drug, finding the use of the Quirk it was originated from fascinating, and using it as proof of his Quirk Singularity theory. He ended up creating one version of the drug that was focused on the Quirk's original effect, and leaves it behind in one of their safe houses, a secret underground cave, for All For One in case something were to happen to him by the time of his eventual escape from prison.

Alongside the drug, and a new, improved version of his mask, Kyudai leaves behind a pre-recorded message, explaining everything about the drug to All For One, cautioning him that it can only be used once as a last resort, as it will Rewind a person's body to nothingness, but that he's sure it'll help him achieve his dream. He ends by stating that his voice, eyes, and smile bring joy to his heart and he wishes his heart be filled with hate.

A month has already passed, and Dr. Garaki is excited at how well his operation on Tomura is going; in fact, it seems to be going even better than he planned. Kyudai is impressed with Tomura and cheering him on from the sidelines while contemplating how, in the operating room, Tomura goes through a painful and gruesome process to obtain more power.

In late March, on the day that heroes vanished from the city, Dr. Garaki is seen walking through a hospital. He greets a nearby nurse, who remarks that it's a rare sight to see him. Kyudai is in a pleasant mood, whistling while he thinks about the progress Tomura has made. He remarks that Tomura will be complete in under a month and that he can't wait. However, he's interrupted by Endeavor, who knows the truth about Kyudai and his relationship with All For One, causing the doctor to scream in terror.

Kyudai attempts to flee, but Eraser Head grabs him with his capture weapon, then uses his Erasure Quirk on him. Kyudai rapidly begins to age, revealing that he is not Quirkless, but has a longevity Quirk similar to All For One. Naomasa deduces that Kyudai managed to artificially create Quirks, replicating the rare Regeneration Quirk for the Nomus and offering his power to All for One. Present Mic grabs Kyudai by the collar and demands to know why he's using his power for evil. Kyudai demands the heroes to let him go, smiling as he waits for reinforcements to arrive.

Suddenly, several Nomu burst out of the floor. Kyudai's body begins to melt, and he reveals that he's a clone made by Twice. The real Kyudai is still in his workshop, preoccupied with his "masterpiece". Even so, he begins to panic at the fact the heroes discovered his laboratory underneath the hospital, revealing the countless number of quirks he's replicated throughout the years as well as the High-End Nomu he's still developing. He laments the choice but ultimately orders Johnny to warp him and Shigaraki far from there. However, the hero Mirko bursts into the laboratory, killing Johnny before he can warp them and causing the doctor to scream in terror once again.

Kyudai watches in horror as his laboratory starts crumbling apart thanks to Mirko sending multiple pieces of metal flying straight at his multiple test tubes and replicated Quirk jars. This also destroy some of his High-End Nomus in the process. Mirko attempts to subdue the Doctor but the latter tells the Pro Hero that he is indeed the real deal. However, one of his Nomu "Mocha" intervenes by using Twice's Quirk. Mirko manages to destroy Mocha before it does any harm and scrapes a bit of Kyudai's clothing. Having no choice but to flee, Kyudai reluctantly activates the remaining five High-Ends to hold off Mirko as he retreats to his workshop to awaken Tomura prematurely.

While Mirko fights fiercely against several of the High-Ends, Garaki works on his computer, complaining about how producing just one of those creatures is a hard process, especially without All For One. He also says that the High-Ends barely had any sort of trial run, but with Mocha and Johnny dead, Kyudai mentally pleads them to hang on for as long as they can while he begins the process to wake Tomura up.

After spending several minutes fighting against the High-End, despite having managed to eliminate one of them, Mirko understands that she is starting to lose the upper hand, so he decides to prioritize stopping Kyudai instead of continuing to fight. To the doctor's horror, she manages to catch up to him and Tomura in his capsule. One of the High-End catches her by stabbing through her right leg with its Quirk, but at that moment, heroes like Endeavor, Eraser Head, Present Mic, Crust and several more stormed the laboratory and attack the High-Ends. This gives Mirko the opportunity to uses her Super Move Luna Arc to damage Tomura's life support, before being dragged away by the Nomu.

Panic is reflected on the doctor's face when he sees the destruction caused by Mirko's attack, but still, the damage is not enough to stop the process, so Mirko desperately yells her allies to destroy the capsule containing Tomura and take down Kyudai, whose name is heard by an irate Eraser Head and Present Mic, as they can't let Tomura awaken no matter what. As much as he didn't want to wake Tomura because he is still in an incomplete state, Kyudai figured it would be better than waiting until all the solution inside the capsule is lost. As he laments how all his work with All For One was falling apart, he pulls out a switch and tries to press it while yelling for Tomura to wake up.

Before he can awaken Tomura, Present Mic appears and uses his Voice Quirk to shatter the capsule completely, leaving Kyudai aghast. Then Present Mic quickly runs up to him and delivers a DJ Punch right to his face to confirm he is not a clone, and in retaliation for what he did to Oboro Shirakumo and the emotional pain he caused to both him and Shota Aizawa because of it.

The hero X-Less checks on Tomura and notes his heart is not beating. Crying out in despair, Kyudai reveals he put Tomura into a deathlike state to better withstand the stabilization. He proclaims he lived for Shigaraki's sake but he failed. With more and more heroes storming his lab and defeating his Nomus, Endeavor proclaims that the Devil's Dream has finally ended.

Present Mic then drags Kyudai across the lab, demanding him to stop the Nomus. Kyudai tells him about society's rejection of his Quirk Singularity Theory and how everyone hated the idea of a collapse for the future, to the point where he was ostracized and exiled, until All For One accepted him. Kyudai reveals that the name of his longevity Quirk is Life Force and he gave it to All For One as an offering, while keeping a copy of it for himself. Kyudai then rhetorically asks Present Mic if he is a friend of Kurogiri, confessing that back then when his friend Oboro died, he actually wanted to get his hand on Shota Aizawa's Erasure, leading Hizashi to resent him while he grins madly.

Despite having previously verified that his heart was not beating, Tomura Shigaraki awakens. Seeing the situation, he immediately uses his Decay, which spreads rapidly through the laboratory. Garaki and Hizashi notice the lab starting to disintegrate, with Kyudai smiling maniacally as it reached closer to the two of them. Gran Torino charges in and quickly grabs the two.

The laboratory begins to crumble, and the heroes try to flee as they can from the destruction. Most of them die because of the Decay, which destroys the entire hospital, spreading to the city. An ecstatic Kyudai declares everything the Heroes built will disintegrate at Tomura's hands, so this is their victory.

Once in safety, Present Mic takes Garaki to the nearest police force, while the few surviving heroes face Tomura and a new batch of Nomu. During the fight of Tomura and the Heroes, Kyudai Garaki reveals to Present Mic that the strength he gave Shigaraki isn't on par with All Might because excessive modifications to the body would take its toll on the brain, but it is close to it. Eraser Head wonders if this is what a perfected Nomu is supposed to be.

A flashback reveals Tomura's meeting with Kyudai and him asking if the Nomu will go out of control, but he said they won't. Kyudai explains that they will only move once an electric current flows through them, and all he needs is to tap the device given to him to wake them up, after which they are programmed to obey only his orders. In the present, Tomura considers the Nomu servants befitting a king.

The doctor praises Tomura for saving the High-Ends and they were activated when he used "Radio Waves". He does admit they haven't reached the testing phase so they can't think for themselves, but their strength is phenomenal, so he classifies them as 'Near High-Ends'.

Mic takes Kyudai to the nearest police force and is informed of the situation by a policeman: Gigantomachia is heading towards where Tomura is, destroying everything in his way. Hearing this, Kyudai begins to brag and Hizashi listens with concern as the doctor boasts that the heroes have lost the battle. He also tells the police and Present Mic that Gigantomachia is a calamity that lives and dies for the sake of his master, and that in fact, the Nomu were modeled after him.

Kyudai is ultimately arrested alongside most of the Paranormal Liberation Front, however many of the soldiers, including Tomura (controlled by All For One), escape, immediately followed by him breaking into Tartarus and freeing most of the inmates, including the original All For One.

Final War Arc
Within the next month, Kyudai is forced into several interrogation sessions, where he reveals that Tomura's procedure, due to being incomplete, would take another two months to fully settle in, as well as learning as much information as they can about the Nomu to assist in their restorative research.

Eventually, the Heroes plan their second assault against the villains and another War begins. At the same time, an imprisoned Kyudai speaks to a lone officer, asking if the big day has come, having noticed the few amount of guards remaining. He proceeds to speak his mind about all he and All For One did to prepare for this day, including collecting all of their "warped seeds", specifically making mention of Toya.

He continues that they were all spares in case anything happened to Tomura, a "seedbed of hatred", full of vessels for the Demon King, and that Dabi was one of them, but was a failed experiment, due to both his bodily issues, and how he had already been too molded by his upbringing for them to lead astray, with not even All For One able to exploit his obsession with his father.

The officer asks what he's talking about, inquiring if it's another example of All For One having everything planned from the beginning, but Kyudai says it's simply a warning, since that boy never bought what they were selling. He mentions how heat is energy born from all living things, and All For One, who wants to live forever, had no use for the mad heat rushing toward death; even the Demon Lord had to abandon that frenzied flame of death.