Summary:

The story was supposed to go like this:

"Once upon a time, a lonely little boy, angry and vengeful and hungry for power, wandered into the manifestation of the collective unconsciousness.
In the deserted tunnels, he faced humanity's worst and resolved to burn its rotten core away until only chaos remained."

That was the plan.
Until an accident in the form of a black mask happened.

—

Or, what if Akechi Goro had a little more guidance when he first awakened his power, even if it came from the most unexpected source?
Namely, a black-masked criminal who knew a lot more than they let on, and a one-sided cat-and-mouse game that lasted two years and counting.