After a couple of months of exercise, the Third became physically stronger and could now walk on his own, albeit uncertainly. At the same time, Kyudai taught him the language. The lessons were very useful, the Third absorbed information like a sponge, so they increased the frequency of lessons and delved into theories. From basic grammar, they gradually moved on to the literary level. He was allowed to read newspapers, magazines and books, he did not miss the opportunity to steal literary punishment from some inattentive grandmother. Sometimes he succeeded, sometimes they caught him, but they forgave him for his cute eyes, which, as he understood, have a greater effect on women than on men.
On the first day in the hospital, Jaku, the Third did not eat first, but watched the others and tried to awkwardly copy their movements. This is how he learned to hold chopsticks.
Rehabilitation went faster than planned, so in a couple of weeks, Kyudai planned to discharge him and settle him in his house. The scientist is rarely at home, preferring to work. Besides, All For One has become more active lately and may well come for a visit.
-"A child's rapidly developing organism, what can you expect from him." He chuckled to himself. As a quiet knock was heard in his office. The door opened, and a curly-haired boy with black hair peeked out from behind it. As far as the scientist could judge, the Third was more impressed by the doctor's company than, for example, other children. Maybe he understands that he gets more from Kyudai than from others.
-Taiko, do you want another lesson? Have you really already completed what I asked you to do?
-Father, stealing that newspaper was as easy as pie.
-Oh, what turns of speech we use, young man. And what lesson did you learn from this?
-If you see weakness, use it to your advantage.
-Uh-huh...- the flattered old man chuckled. He liked to instruct the miniature copy of All for One, who, by the way, considers him his father. - So you are ready to go further. - The old man of small stature got up from his chair and went to the bookcase. - Here is an encyclopedia for you. - On the colorful cover with beetles and mammals it is written: Biology. Encyclopedia, school course.
- Finally, something new. - he said calmly, knowing that the old man does not like it when it is loud, partly he himself adopted this dislike. Loud and irritating sounds interfere with concentration.
Seeing Taiko's unusual interest in biology, he wondered if he would like to delve into something more after this encyclopedia and help in his lab. First as an assistant, train him, and then he will decide for himself. Taiko only needs to ask. - "Considering Sensei's growing appetites lately, very soon he may demand something grandiose and unusual. I could use some help."
***
Without looking up from his book, Taiko read an encyclopedia under a tree, looking at pictures of interesting organisms from the inside and outside. First there was the not entirely clear microbiology with bacteria, then the more interesting entomology with beetles, ants and other insects, until he moved on to the section on human anatomy.
First he saw male and female genitalia and reflexively looked away in embarrassment. - "Who prints this on half a page?!"
Having overcome his embarrassment, he calmed down and began to examine them through the prism of materialism, rejecting all emotions. If you remove emotions, genitals become nothing more than an organ performing a certain function, for example, reproductive. Taiko saw the whole world from this angle, without the shackles and prejudices imposed by society. No one had yet managed to impose this on a four-year-old child, and Kyudai treated him with respect.
While other children were fanatical about heroic themes and showed off their quirks, Taiko loved to do mischief and study, but biology seemed the most difficult of all the sciences to him. Even the math textbook turned out to be not so difficult, basic arithmetic turned out to be very simple when you have. Kyudai did not want to let Taiko go far from himself and send Taiko to school, and Taiko himself did not like this idea, at least being close to a doctor has its advantages.
The section on quirks came, where the main facts about quirks are recalculated, but compared to other paragraphs, this one seemed very meager and as if unsaid. People are born with abilities, in particular, these abilities violate the fundamental laws of physics. The biggest example is the law of conservation of energy. Where do users get the energy to do such tricks? This is illogical and contradicts the very nature of the world.
- I'll have to ask Father these questions. - He remembered where he came from. These were some vats or aquariums, in which apparently there were others like him, because there were ten such vats. He didn't ask about it yet, but the question was sideways.
Suddenly, a wasp flying past stung him.
- Ouch! - the pain hit his head with a pulse. For a moment, he wanted to just crush it. He quickly removed the sting from the wound, but the pain was still pulsating along his arm. The wasp had managed to fly away, leaving an unpleasant aftertaste of unfair defeat.
- Grr-r-r. How painful. - tears began to appear in his eyes. Taiko filtered out the pain itself and tried to forget about it, and the pain did become less, but not enough to stop cursing the wasp.
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Having looked around with a sober mind, he saw a couple more insects similar to wasps flying towards the forest, then began to follow their route. - "Where there are wasps, there is a hive."
Having entered the thicket of the forest, he began to rummage and look for the treasured hive, in order to then destroy it. Half an hour later, he was able to find it on the very crown of a tree, which was impossible to climb, at least with his capabilities.
Having found a couple of stones, he tried to knock it down, but the nasty hive was hidden behind a branch and it was also almost impossible to hit it. Time passed, and the sore spot swelled. Taiko gave up on the hive and saw a large beetle on a tree. At first, he was afraid to approach it and poked it with a stick. Seeing a horn on its nose, he realized that it was a rhinoceros beetle, like the ones he had seen in the encyclopedia.
He was afraid to touch it, afraid that something would bite or sting him again, but to his surprise, taking the beetle by the sides, it began to actively move its paws, helplessly trying to get out of the invisible trap. The side and belly are its vulnerable spots. The side, because it turns slowly due to its massive horn, and its belly has no shell. If you turn the beetle over, it will take a very long time to turn back.
- What a slow beetle. - having overcome the desire to crush him, he went to the former edge of the forest, where he decided to build an arena out of sand and placed ants from different settlements there so that they would start a fight.
However, the ants' fight exceeded expectations. A strong gladiator ant appeared in the arena, who stood up to three other ants. He was particularly aggressive and attacked everyone who immediately entered the arena. He could not stand for long against the onslaught of ants and was eventually torn apart by several other ants.
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