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2019-09-28
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Good and Evil

Summary:

Izuku Midoriya, having been bullied his entire life, falls into complete despair upon being rejected by his idol. However, having been discovered by the League of villains he finds a new reason to live in this world. Villain Deku.

Chapters fully updated and corrected as of 06/08/21

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't My Hero Academia

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Descent into Darkness

Summary:

Izuku Midoriya, a quirkless teenager, is driven to his breaking point after being rejected by his idol, leading him to make a fatal decision that will forever change his life.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Musutafu city was quiet.

It had all been but deserted, save for one walking through the streets.

A boy dressed in black, his face obscured by a black metallic mask.

The boy walked slowly through the streets. He was in no rush to arrive on time. Then again, no one in his position would be.

It was a matter of life and death, in every sense of the phrase.

As he walked, he couldn't help but admire the Hero Commissions work. True to her word the President had ensured this area would be evacuated so there would be no unnecessary casualties.

He didn't know how she did it, nor did he particularly care. The fewer distractions, the better.

Ah. He had arrived at his destination.

Making his way up the stairs, the boy felt a strong wave of nostalgia wash over him.

It had been over a year since he was here last, and in that time so much had changed.

Or rather, he had changed.

His experiences had moulded him into something else entirely.

He was stronger than he used to be and more knowledgeable.

Growing up, he tended to see the world in black and white like many children did. However, now that he was grown up, he realized it was far more grey.

Not all heroes were perfect saviours, nor were all villains complete monsters.

As much people tried to portray it as that simple, it was not, nor had it ever been.

Oh no, the concepts of good and evil were much deeper than that.

Upon reaching the rooftop, the place for his final battle, he stared out into the vast city, now a quiet shadow of what it once was.

While it had been a year, it felt like an eternity since that fateful day, and in essence, it was. He had experienced much more in that year than he had in his entire life.

Looking out into the city once more, he reflected on that day and everything after and wondered:

'Would I do anything differently?'

April, one year ago

"Can someone without a quirk become a hero?" asked Izuku Midoriya.

Currently, he was speaking to All Might, his idol and the number one hero in Japan, on the rooftop of a building after being rescued from dying at the hands of a deadly sludge villain. Izuku was asking this question because unlike most of the world population (80% to be precise) he had been born quirkless. Although it was quite rare today it did happen.

Quirkless people were often subjected to prejudice and bullying from society as they were deemed weak, worthless and easy targets for villains because they could not fight back. In relation to being a hero, there had never been a quirkless one before, so Izuku was wondering if it was possible.

"I don't think it's possible kid," replied All Might in a flat tone.

Izuku's blood froze.

"Pros put their lives on the line each day. So, I can't honestly say that being a hero without a quirk is possible." Izuku felt a sudden pain in his chest upon hearing this.

"I see," he said while trying not to show the pain he was going through.

"If you care about saving people then become a cop. Sure, it's a job that's ridiculed for being on the receiving end for captured villains but no less admirable." All Might said before turning to leave.

"It's not wrong to dream. Just make sure it's achievable." He finished before leaving down the stairs.

When he was gone, Izuku stood still for a minute before he finally collapsed and started crying hysterically.

No one believed in him.

No one ever believed he could become a hero, not even his own mother. His classmates, especially Kacchan (Katsuki Bakugo), his childhood friend turned primary bully, mocked his dream and bullied him relentlessly because of both it and being quirkless. To add insult to injury, he was even given the nickname Deku, an alternate spelling of his name meaning worthless

Memories of all the torment he had endured suddenly came flooding back.

"You quirkless piece of shit."

"As if someone like you could ever become a hero, you're completely useless Deku."

"Why does he even try, a quirkless person can never hope to do anything meaningful in this world."

One particular memory came back to him, one from earlier that day. Kacchan had just destroyed his notebook on quirk analysis where he described the quirks of other heroes.

As he was leaving, with a smug smile, he told Izuku, "You know there is one way for you to get a quirk. Just take a swan dive off the roof and pray you'll be reborn with useful one."

Coming back to reality Izuku felt truly broken.

He no longer wanted to be a part of this world.

He didn't want to exist at all.

He just wanted his pain to end.

It was then he realised that no one would actually care if he died, well except his mother who loved him unconditionally.

It was there and then he decided, for the first time in his life, to take Kacchan's advice.

"I'll wait until tonight," Izuku thought. "Before I do this, I'd like to say goodbye to her."

Izuku took out his burnt notebook (the same one Kacchan destroyed) and threw it off the roof. He wouldn't be needing it anymore.

Izuku took a quick route home to avoid Kacchan and his friends. He heard some sort of commotion going on in the city but paid no attention to it as it wasn't his problem.

He arrived home where he was greeted by his mother Inko. They sat down and had dinner where they had their conversations about school and how the day had been.

Inko noticed that Izuku had some new bruises and burns but didn't say anything. She knew exactly who was responsible. She was going to call her friend Mitsuki (Bakugo's mother) and the school later and finally sort this out.

'This has gone on long enough,' she thought furiously.

"Mom I'm going out for a walk," Izuku announced suddenly. "I've got my keys so you can go to bed."

Inko was surprised since it was 10.30 but didn't say anything as it would have been a good opportunity to make those phone calls. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted however by Izuku hugging her tightly.

"Thanks, Mom, for everything. I really love you for it," Izuku told her.

Inko was taken slightly back by this but simply smiled and replied, "I love you too sweetie."

It was then that Izuku left, trying not to let her see his face. While she found his behaviour suspicious, she said nothing and reached for the phone.

Izuku arrived at the building where he had spoken to All Might. Because it was a vacant building, he didn't have any trouble getting in.

As he stood on the edge of the roof, he saw his life flash before him. It was mainly of him being bullied by everyone (especially Kacchan).

No one had ever once defended him, not even the teachers who just watched him get trampled on like it was nothing (some even laughed at it). He had been tortured and torn apart, and for what, wanting to save people.

And now Kacchan was moving on to be a hero at UA (the top school for producing heroes) where he would probably get everything he wanted, everything Izuku wanted. How was that fair?

Well, it didn't matter anymore, nothing did.

And Izuku, he just didn't care.

"I'm sorry Mom but I can't take it anymore. Thanks for everything. I love you," he whispered with tears streaming down his face.

It was then that he jumped. However, instead of hitting the ground Izuku fell into a dark mist and lost consciousness.

Notes:

I recently added the new section at the start. I thought it would be more interesting as a sort of prologue.

Chapter 2: The League of Villains

Summary:

Izuku awakens from his attempt, only to come face to face with a certain group of individuals with an interesting offer for him.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on a couch but made no attempt to move or examine his surroundings.

"I see you're awake, good," came a voice to Izuku's left.

He sat up and turned to see who was talking. While doing so he saw that he was in some sort of bar. There were two people there.

One was behind the counter wearing a classic bartender suit and whose head and hands looked like a black mist.

The other was a man with messy grey hair, dark trousers and top and, disturbingly, a disembodied hand covering his face leaning against the counter.

"Is this heaven or hell?" Izuku asked tiredly. "I honestly couldn't care less at this point."

The other displayed no reaction whatsoever. They just stood there staring at him.

"You're not dead if that's what you think. My associate here saved you before that happened," replied the man with the hand on his face.

It took Izuku a minute to fully register what he said, and when he did, he snorted.

"Yeah right. Why would anyone bother saving me?" asked Izuku in a depressed voice.

Maybe he shouldn't be speaking that way to his 'saviours', but at that moment, he legitimately didn't care.

He had wanted to die, but he couldn't even do that properly. He truly was a Deku.

"I asked Kurogiri to bring you here," said a deep voice.

Izuku turned slightly to see a TV with a man broadcasting himself on it. From what Izuku could see he had no face, no eyes, ears or even nose, just a mouth.

"Hello Izuku," the man greeted politely. "My name is All for One. This is the League of Villains."

Izuku was confused. "The League of Villains?" he asked.

Izuku was fully aware these were criminals, dangerous people he should be afraid of. For some reason, however, he got the feeling they weren't going to hurt him. Why save him otherwise?

Curious he started to speak.

"Wait you were looking for me, what would you want with someone like me?" he asked still confused.

All for One held up a burnt notebook and said, "Tomura here found this while he was out and brought it to me. I must admit, my colleagues and I were impressed by these notes of yours. You've got quite a talent."

Izuku was caught off guard by this statement. Someone was actually praising him for his work!?

For him, that was… abnormal. No one ever praised him for anything.

"It's also because of this that we would like you to work for us," All for One continued. "Personally, I would like to make use of your abilities to further the status of our organisation. With what you are capable of I bel-".

"Hold on a minute," Izuku interrupted. "Do you even believe what you're saying?"

Regardless of what he had heard Izuku felt it was too good to be true. The mere idea of someone needing him or even thinking he was an individual worth having seemed absurd. The two at the bar were a little taken back by this. All for One didn't react.

"What would you want with a quirkless reject like me?" Izuku asked. "There are plenty of people out there with powerful quirks you could ask. So why me?"

Regardless of what anyone said, quirkless people were, are, and always would be looked down on by those with quirks (even those with a weak quirk). Someone who saw them as equals and disregarded society's view did not exist. Not as far as Izuku knew.

All for One must have been able to tell what Izuku was thinking.

"Growing up without a quirk, I'm guessing you've lived a harsh life?" he inquired.

Izuku answered with silence, which was more than enough for him.

"Suicide rates for quirkless people are exceptionally high," All for One continued. "Although, they don't occur without reason. It takes a lot for them to reach that point. Young man if you are willing, would you mind telling us how you reached that point."

Izuku contemplated this for a moment. These were complete strangers who he had no reason to trust let alone tell them about his past.

However, hearing his words, Izuku felt all of his emotions and frustrations built up over the years reach the surface. All his pain, all his suffering, he couldn't hold them in any longer.

"Well," Izuku started. And he told them. How he had been bullied for years. How he desired to become a hero and why. His encounter with All Might. What Kacchan said to do. Basically, how his entire world just shattered.

All for One seemed rather annoyed when All Might was mentioned but remained silent. When Izuku finished speaking All for One spoke again.

"Midoriya, I understand what you're going through I really do. However, I meant what I said about you. The fact that you are quirkless is irrelevant. What I was impressed with was your intelligence and observational skills, not a quirk. Which is why I will ask again. Will you join us? If you do, we will give the chance to be something this false society never gave you," he promised.

Just then, Izuku felt something in his heart he hadn't truly felt in a while. Hope. He felt hope. He felt a desire to live again.

"Alright I accept," he said simply. "But I have a few conditions."

"And what would those be," All for One asked.

"1. I will have free reign over what I do. 2. I would like to be provided with living space as I have no desire to return home," he said thinking of his mother. "And finally, regardless of what happens in the League or whatever situation we are in, I will not have to kill anyone. That is one line I will not cross."

The one covered in hands growled in annoyance. Already this brat was starting to get ahead of himself.

"There is no problem with any of those terms," All for One replied with a positive tone.

"Kurogiri give him one of the vacant apartments close to here, don't worry about rent since I own the building," All for One said, while the mist villain, whom Izuku realized was Kurogiri, nodded in agreement. "Tomura Shigaraki, please stay behind. I have something I need to discuss with you."

Tomura nodded in understanding but still had something he needed to say.

"Not to kill the mood but," he intervened, "since you're a villain now you'll need a code name."

Izuku thought about it for a moment, and one came to mind, one he had held like a scar on his back his whole life. It would serve as both his identity and a reminder of why he was choosing this life.

"Call me Deku," he said in a serious voice.

Meanwhile at an unknown location

"Are you sure about this All for One," asked a woman with green hair, eyes, and dressed in green clothes from neck to foot. "I personally see nothing wrong with letting a quirkless child like him join us, but Atrocity is quite against this. He may actually step in and kill the boy himself."

All for One however was not the least bit intimidated by this.

"Worry not Viper I will deal with him if the need arises. You forget my dear he isn't nearly as powerful as me," he replied calmly.

"I suppose," she murmured. "Well anyway, goodnight."

And just like that, her image disappeared from the screen.

Viper the Leagues chief scientist, her quirk was her name which basically allowed her to do anything a snake could and granted her immunity from all poisons.

Atrocity was one of the Leagues other leaders. He was cruel, sadistic, merciless, and evil right down to the bone. His quirk was power stockpile, similar to All Might's quirk One for All, however, not as powerful. His view on quirkless people was much stronger than societies. He only saw them as sacrificial lambs for experimentation and others practising their quirks on.

"Let's see how far you will go Izuku Midoriya," All for One soliloquized. "Can you survive our world?"

Notes:

Hi there. I hope you all liked this chapter. Please review. In the next one you will all see Deku adapting to his life with the League.

I changed some of this to show more of Izuku's feelings and because I thought it would be more realistic if the League members didn't automatically reveal who they were to a potential recruit.

Chapter 3: First day with the League

Summary:

Izuku adapts to his new life with the League.

Notes:

All for One will be addressed as AFO because it is shorter, though later its just mostly Sensei because his fellow members identify him as that.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku wearily opened his eyes.

He glanced over at the clock and realised that it was past 10 AM. Normally he would have woken up earlier, but frankly, it had been the best sleep he had experienced in ages. For once, he wasn't going to have to go through the usual routine of being pushed around at school. He was safe from all of that. For once, he truly felt relaxed. Well, maybe not entirely.

'Mom has probably noticed I'm missing by now,' Izuku thought.

It was very rare that Izuku missed breakfast with his mother. She might have thought he left early for school which was natural. However, she would definitely know by the end of the day when he didn't return home (if the school didn't notify her first). Izuku may have been a bit hasty about his decision to join the League, however, he did not join just because of AFO's kind words.

There were a number of reasons.

His mother being one. Izuku wasn't proud of leaving her, quite the opposite in fact. He loved his mother deeply because she had always been there for him when he was suffering. However, he knew that if he had stayed with her, she would have been in great danger. He was never great at lying to her, so it was highly possible she would have become suspicious of his actions sooner or later. When that did happen, well, Izuku had a good idea of what would be done to silence her. Furthermore, he couldn't stand lying to her so this would hurt her less if she ever found out about his predicament. To summarise it, Inko would be safer if he wasn't around.

AFO was another reason. Despite his generous words, Izuku was not stupid. He was not normally the type to judge by appearances, however, he got the strange sense that AFO was not the type to take no for an answer. He must have had some other plan to ensure Izuku joined if he refused. So Izuku was just being cautious.

The conditions Izuku had demanded also bettered his position. Because of them, he had full control over his actions. Furthermore, the final condition he had set meant that he would never have to cross that line, ever. An image of Kacchan briefly flashed through his mind.

'No, not even him,' Izuku thought.

Despite everything Kacchan had put him through, Izuku did not want him dead. Though that wasn't to say he didn't hate him, because he truly did. It was the first time he had realised it.

At the bar

Since the fridge in his apartment was empty, Izuku went to the bar to see about breakfast. Upon entering, he was suddenly flipped forward and landed on his back. Izuku moaned in pain. He was then hauled up by someone and placed in a chokehold position.

"If you even try to move, I'll snap your neck," said a soft cold voice.

It belonged to a female.

"Alright you little shit, why don't you tell me how you got in here and who you work for. If you answer honestly, I'll make your death quick and painless. Don't and it'll be the opposite," she snarled while tightening her grip.

Izuku tried to speak but he couldn't, he was still struggling to breathe. It was at that moment when Kurogiri entered the bar and witnessed what was happening.

"Razor let that boy go. He is a new recruit, one chosen by Sensei himself," Kurogiri informed the woman.

After a few seconds of reluctance, Razor finally released Izuku. Gasping for air Izuku lay silently on the ground. Slowly, he got back on his feet and turned to face his assailant.

From what he could see Razor was a young woman (probably in her 20's) with short silver hair and eyes. Her entire outfit consisted of dark leather clothes and black high heels. As he examined her Razor glared at him with murderous intent.

"Why wasn't I told about this Kurogiri?" she questioned while still glaring at Izuku.

"He only became a member last night," the other villain replied. "And besides, you've been away for the past couple of days without any way for us to contact you."

Razor said nothing more and simply sat down.

Shortly after the commotion Kurogiri sorted out breakfast for Izuku and informed him that his fridge would be filled later, something which Izuku was grateful for. When he had finished eating Kurogiri ordered Izuku to follow him. Izuku had been more than happy to get away from Razor who scared him. Kurogiri led Izuku to a dark room with various monitors. It was then that AFO appeared on one of them.

"Good morning Izuku, I hope there were no issues with your apartment as it was the best we could do on such short notice," he greeted.

"There were no issues at all," Izuku replied. "Thank you for your concern, however, I'm guessing you didn't call me here for that."

"Right you are Izuku. I called you here because would like to discuss what you will be doing for the League," AFO told him.

Izuku shifted slightly in response. Tasks? When AFO said this Izuku realised that he must be doing more than quirk analysis.

"What did you think you'd just be writing down notes for Sensei you little twerp," snickered Tomura.

Izuku jumped when he heard his voice. Tomura was leaning against the wall next to him, Izuku hadn't even noticed him.

"Tomura enough," said Kurogiri sternly. "He only arrived last night, and Sensei didn't exactly explain things properly to Deku last night."

'Sensei, do they mean All for One,' Izuku wondered.

Tomura glared at Kurogiri.

"Enough both of you. I'd like to speak alone so would you both leave?" AFO requested commandingly.

Tomura looked surprised at this. Kurogiri however simply bowed and then proceeded to drag Tomura out of the room. Seeing Tomura in the hall Razor proceeded to leave as she hated the man.

At the bar

"Why is Sensei so interested in that quirkless brat? What could he possibly do that's useful for us?" Tomura raged.

Kurogiri stared at him. He understood Tomura had been against this from the beginning. Tomura had only been polite last night because Sensei ordered him to be. He also told them to remain silent during the ordeal as he believed it would be easier for him to convince Deku to join.

"Why did he even try convincing him to join when he could have easily forced him? He has quirk or two for that sort of job," Tomura continued.

"Now, now, Tomura Shigaraki. By offering him the choice to join us it will further his trust and loyalty," Kurogiri softly explained. "And if his mind is left undisturbed, he will work much more efficiently."

This did nothing to convince Tomura who continued to glare at the counter.

"It doesn't matter. Deku's quirklessness makes him a handicap," he said angrily. "Like it does anyone else."

Upon hearing this, Kurogiri felt something snap inside him. The image of a red-haired girl appeared in his mind.

"Listen here Shigaraki!" Kurogiri yelled. "Deku was not welcomed into the League because he was quirkless. Sensei was impressed by his intelligence and thought he could be of use to us. Quirks are not everything in this world. Just because someone does not possess one does not mean that they are a handicap. They are capable of many things. So, listen here you spoiled brat, don't you dare look down on someone for being quirkless, cause last time I checked your quirk isn't overly useful either. Do I make myself clear?"

Tomura was shocked at his outburst. He couldn't ever remember Kurogiri yelling or even being angry.

"I'm going to get some more drinks," declared Kurogiri and left the bar.

Kurogiri then headed to the storeroom. As he reached for a crate of drinks the soft voice of the girl he had thought about before entered his mind.

"Hey Kuro," she said sweetly, "who's your new friend?"

Kurogiri froze. After a minute, however, he replied.

"His name … is Deku," he told her sadly. "And he's a lot like you, Laura."

He turned to face the girl, but no one was there, no one ever was. Kurogiri felt tears coming but held them back.

"I miss you, Laura," he whispered. "I miss you so much."

Back at the communications room

After Kurogiri and Tomura left AFO started speaking with Izuku.

"What I would like you to do for the League is to take notes on quirks for both heroes and villains. From what I saw from your notebook you analysed and noted both the strengths and weaknesses, you even came up with several ways to improve them," he informed Izuku. "I would like you to do the same with our group, particularly ideas on how to improve our quirks. In relation to other heroes, I want you to investigate their weaknesses and assist in coming up with ways to defeat them easier."

Izuku pondered over this for a moment. He would basically be trying to take down the very people who protected society. Innocent people would most likely be hurt by this decision. He thought of his mother as one of those people and shuddered.

'No,' Izuku thought. 'There's no point dwelling on this. I already said yes to joining, meaning there's no going back now.'

AFO interrupted Izuku's thoughts. "There's something else I would like you to do, Tomura wasn't joking about that."

He held up a document to Izuku. Izuku jumped to his feet in surprise. It was his school file.

"How did you get that?" Izuku asked surprised.

"An associate of mine procured it. Your school doesn't exactly have the best security," he chuckled. "She said it was almost too easy." Izuku stared at him blankly. "That aside, from what I read your grades for most subjects are average."

'Where the hell is he going with this?' Izuku thought.

AFO had already asked him to be a part of the League because of his observational skills, he couldn't understand why he would look into his school life.

"Most of your grades were average. However, you received top marks in your science subjects, biology and chemistry," he continued. "It's because of this that I would like you to work with someone from our science branch. It is with this person that I would like you to develop certain drugs that can enhance other's abilities."

Izuku finally understood. However, something was bothering him.

"Um if you don't mind me asking," Izuku said nervously. "Why are you being so open about everything with me? I literally just joined, and it seems strange you would trust me with this kind of information. Last night, you were even very clear about your intentions."

"Well how else am I supposed to earn your trust?" he asked simply. "It's better for you to find out now than later."

Izuku wanted to believe him, however, part of him doubted that AFO was telling the whole truth. Unfortunately, Izuku did not have enough information to act so he would just play along for now.

"Okay I'll do it," Izuku said with a serious expression. "When do I start?"

AFO simply smiled in response.

At an unknown location

"Should you really have told him all of that?" Viper asked AFO with a worried tone.

"I only gave him the necessary information," AFO responded calmly.

Viper sighed and looked at him again. "You haven't told him about any of our plans, have you? Especially not about 'those' things."

"No dear I'm not that stupid," he replied simply.

Though he was impressed with Izuku AFO was not about to just go and trust him with all the League's secrets. He didn't completely trust the boy yet.

"Does he know who he's working with?" asked Viper.

"No. I just told him that he would be collaborating with one of our scientists via voice chat on his computer. He won't even see your face," he responded. "He doesn't even know what I truly want to use his science skills for."

At the mention of this Viper was relieved.

Viper was about to leave when she remembered that she had one more question. "If you don't mind me asking," she said hesitantly.

"Go on," AFO urged her.

"Why did you reveal yourself to him so quickly?" she asked. "Even by your standards that isn't normal. You always hide in the shadows, and it's incredibly rare for you to interact with other members of the League."

AFO considered this for a moment.

"The reason I revealed myself…... was because Midoriya caught my interest. Much like Tomura and Kurogiri, something, as you know, is very rare," he explained.

Viper didn't say anymore. She was satisfied with what she had heard and decided to leave.

After Viper was gone AFO thought a bit more about Izuku. He hadn't told him everything, but he had told him enough. What Izuku didn't know wouldn't hurt him, at least not yet. He had plans for the boy, but given his…troubled past, it was best to let things play out slowly.

While dwelling on it AFO started laughing.

"All Might, I promise we will meet again, and when we do, you will suffer for what you took from me," he vowed.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? There was a bit of insight into why Izuku joined the League and what he'll be doing, as well as Kurogiri's own backstory. The next chapter will feature a short timeskip. Please Review.

Chapter 4: A talk with Razor

Summary:

Izuku has one on one, heart to heart (sort of), talk with his vicious trainer Razor.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"So, what do you think?" asked Izuku. "If this works the enhancement drug should be stabler and the duration use extended."

"Let us hope that you are correct," replied S1. "Considering how the last test went."

Izuku grimaced slightly at the reminder. He had seen the state of the unlucky individual who had sampled the drug.

The enhancement drug Izuku created had not been completely successful so far. The drug itself, when injected into a quirked individual, gave the user a boost in quirk efficiency and power, as well as an increase in that user's physical attributes such as speed, strength, endurance, and stamina.

However, it also provided a boost in aggression and a big decrease in intelligence. Furthermore, it only lasted for a few minutes. And when it wore off the user, was left in a weakened state and unable to use their quirk for at least six hours.

It was a little similar to the drug Trigger, however with a few major differences:

The power-ups were stronger.

The side effects were more devastating.

It did not last as long.

Unlike Trigger, this drug did not force the user's quirk to activate. If injected the user (willing or not) would feel a surge of power course through their body but it would not force their quirk to activate.

Izuku had made several attempts to improve it, but with little success. So far, all he had managed to do was increase the allotted time for usage to twelve minutes as well as reduce the effects on the mind (well the intelligence part) slightly. Izuku was hoping for a bigger improvement this time but kept his fingers crossed.

"Deku," S1 called. "You need not worry. These things take time, and for most scientists, it takes years to properly create and perfect compounds like this. So, take your time."

Izuku looked up at the screen.

"You shouldn't give me this much credit," Izuku told them. "My idea came from your formulas and theories. All I did was derive inspiration from them."

"Regardless of that you have made progress and for that we are grateful. I will message you the results later. Goodbye," S1 finished, and the screen blinked out.

Izuku sighed. It had been 3 months since he joined the League. In that time, he had carried out his duties with quirk analysis rather well.

Some days he would go out to different cities (with help from Kurogiri) and observe either fight between heroes and villains or heroes saving people from accidents and record their quirks.

Other days he worked in his lab (a small space provided by the League not too far from his apartment) working on mixtures and formulas he developed.

He had mostly adapted to his new life rather well.

With members such as Kurogiri and Tomura, he was on reasonably good terms. Sensei and S1 (whom he only knew through voice chat) he worked well with.

Razor on the other hand, well, she hated him. Why? Even he didn't know.

Speaking of which, it was time for training with her. Sensei had not planned on using Izuku in the field of battle, however, the decision to learn self-defence had been brought on after a few… incidents. Most of which occurred when Izuku was out doing his job.

The first was when he was studying a fight between Endeavor (the no. 2 hero) and a shapeshifting villain, he almost got caught in the man's fire when the villain dodged.

The second was when another villain took him hostage. Fortunately, the media was not present, and no one there recognized him, so he was able to slip away unnoticed when freed.

Other incidents involved being attacked by thugs leading to Kurogiri coming to save him. In the end, Sensei ordered that he be taught self-defence, specifically by Razor considering it was her speciality.

In a training room next to the bar

Razor spin kicked Izuku hard in the face and he fell to the mat in agony.

"Seriously is this the best you can do you shitty brat," Razor complained. "Because if it is then you may as well just quit while you still have the chance. This isn't a place for little boys like you. Hell, even that bastard Tomura can put up more of a fight."

Izuku glared at her.

'I swear she's just like Kacchan,' he thought.

Noticing this Razor kicked him again. Izuku let out a groan as his face hit the mat.

"Well, you sure are a glutton for pain," she stated. "Unfortunately, I'm feeling tired at the moment so take a break you little shit." Razor then left.

Izuku just lay on the floor. He had been trying to work with Razor for two weeks now, but every time they met, she swore at him, insulted him, and attacked him. It seemed like she really did hate him, but Izuku couldn't fathom why. He couldn't remember doing anything that offended her.

At the bar

Unbeknownst to Izuku, Kurogiri was attempting to find out himself.

"So, why do you hate Deku so much exactly?" Kurogiri asked.

For a minute she said nothing. Finally, she took a deep breath and said "I don't hate him exactly. It's just, well it's complicated."

Kurogiri frowned. "This isn't like you," he told her.

And it wasn't. Razor had always hated other members for various reasons. There was hardly a person she didn't hate. Kurogiri and Sensei being exceptions.

Perhaps AFO was not an exception. More of someone she did not interact with enough.

"Would it be because he is quirkless?" Kurogiri asked.

It was the most likely reason. Razor looked straight into his eyes.

"No. I could care less about that. I've never been biased about that sort of thing," Razor admitted. "In my view, whether someone has a quirk or not is irrelevant. On the battlefield, we are all equal."

Kurogiri was confused. "Then what is it?" he asked. "I've seen how you treat him. You are harder on him than any other member I've seen you with."

Razor sighed. Not seeing a reason to keep it from him she explained why she treated Deku the way she did. Kurogiri remained silent during the entire confession. Whatever he had expected it wasn't this. It was very rare for Razor to show concern for anyone.

"Then you should tell him this yourself," Kurogiri explained. Razor gave him a look. "If you ever hope to work with him properly then you should both have an understanding of each other," he explained.

Razor growled in annoyance. She knew he was right, and she hated it. She got up and headed back to the room.

'I'd better do this before I change my mind,' she thought.

However, she stopped before exiting. She turned to face Kurogiri with a solemn expression.

"Mind if I ask you something Kurogiri?" she asked.

Curious, he nodded in response.

"The reason you've been so good to Deku, would it be because of Laura?" she asked.

Kurogiri didn't react, he just stared at her. The silence was enough of an answer for Razor. She then turned to leave.

One of the things about her and Kurogiri's relationship, they both knew heavily personal things about each other, and they neither judged each other by them nor went around telling other members.

At the training room

Razor walked in to see Izuku still lying on the floor.

'God he really is pathetic,' she deadpanned.

Hearing someone entering Izuku sat up to see Razor leaning against the wall staring at him. He groaned in annoyance. He hadn't recovered from her last assault.

"Listen up you little shit," Razor growled. "We need to talk."

Razor moved to sit down in front of Izuku.

"I was told that," she started but then stopped.

Expressing her feelings (in a non-violent manner) was not something she excelled at.

Taking a moment, she collected her thoughts.

'Just be honest with him, tell him what you think,' she thought. 'Regardless of how insensitive it might sound.'

Staring into Izuku's eyes she took a deep breath.

"I want to tell you, to explain to you," she quickly corrected, "why I treat you the way I do."

Izuku was quite surprised. Razor wasn't acting like herself.

"The reason I do is that I heard about your past from Kurogiri," she said. "Honestly …. I thought it was pathetic, and I mean you."

Now Izuku was just confused.

"Don't get me wrong I understand that you had it very rough, but at the same time, it's your own fault since you let it happen," Razor explained.

This made Izuku even more confused. "What do yo-," he started but was cut off by Razor.

"Deku during the time you were bullied did ever once stand up for yourself or even try to fight back?" she asked him.

Izuku considered this for a moment and said "Not really no."

Fight back! She couldn't have been serious! What was he supposed to do against a guy who could blow him up at any time, not to mention the other students who would gang up on him?

"Then how about this. Did you ever report what was going on or even go to someone for help?" she asked. "Like your mother." Izuku looked at the floor and said nothing. Razor put her hand to her head and sighed. "So basically, if I'm understanding this right, you allowed yourself to suffer, to be kicked around like a punching bag so much that when your 'idol' said you couldn't be a hero you tried to throw yourself off the roof," she stated.

Izuku still said nothing.

Having said her piece Razor got up and headed toward the door.

"Wait," Izuku said.

"Go home for today and think about what I've told you," Razor ordered. She then turned and faced him with a sincere look.

"Izuku I will train you, but I want something in return," she said. "The next time you face the one who hurt you, the one who drove you to suicide. Stand your ground. Fight. Let him know that you won't allow him to hurt you anymore. You have to. People like him break people like you on daily basis. And he will continue to break you unless you take a stand and fight back."

Izuku could do nothing but stare at her.

Razor turned to exit and said, "Not taking any action is basically the same as inviting him to hurt you, because he knows you won't fight back." She then left.

At Izuku's apartment

Izuku collapsed onto his bed. He lay there for over an hour thinking about what Razor said. As he took it all into consideration, he realized that she was right.

Over the years, whenever Kacchan or someone else had bullied him, he never fought back, he always let them beat him down.

It was also true that he had never told someone about what he was going through, not even his mother. He always told her he had fallen over, though her facial expression made it clear she wasn't fully convinced.

"God I'm an idiot," he said to himself, and he meant it. When his life was going to hell what did he do, nothing? He allowed himself to be pushed around every day because he thought (and at the time believed) that there was no way for him to fight back.

Well not anymore.

Razor was right he needed to change. He couldn't afford to be weak, not anymore. That person he used to be needed to die. If he was going to survive being in the League, he needed to be stronger. He had to be stronger.

As he thought about all of this he got up from bed and took out some scissors. He headed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

"This will be my starting point," he declared.

At the training room the next day

Razor walked in and saw Izuku waiting for her. He was all geared up for training, his hair had been cut short as well. But that wasn't what caught Razor's attention. What caught her attention was the look in his eyes, one she knew all too well. It was the look of a warrior, a look of determination.

Izuku approached her and bowed.

"I'm ready," he said. "And willing."

Razor gave a look of admiration.

"Good," she replied. "Let's get started, you shitty brat!"

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of Deku and Razor during this chapter? I wasn't sure about the opening of this chapter but I hope it was ok. Please review. The next chapter will be set during the entrance exam. Hope you enjoyed reading.

Chapter 5: UA Entrance Exam

Summary:

Ten in months have passed since Izuku's disappearance. And in that time life has changed for the people who knew him, and the people he has yet to meet. Now the UA Entrance Exam is upon them.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Inko Midoriya

As per the orders of her boss, and many urgings of her friend Mitsuki Bakugo, Inko was having a day off to rest. The reason. Because she had been out late so many nights searching for her missing son and they were beginning to take a toll on her health, both physically and mentally. She had been at it since his disappearance ten months ago.

"Izuku baby, please come home. I miss you," she sobbed.

Inko spent most of her days crying. Each night she looked for him by going around the city and asking random people if they had seen him, to which she always received a no.

Additionally, she made regular visits to the police station at least once a week to see if they had made any progress, but the answer was always the same.

Another action she took was placing posters around the city with Mitsuki's help.

The result ended was the same. Izuku was still missing.

"It's all my fault," she whispered. "I should have done something sooner."

Her son was in pain, and she did nothing. Every day he would come with bruises and burn marks (likely from Katsuki) which he tried to hide. Inko however had a sharp eye and could see them from the edges of his sleeves. Other times she could tell from the way he walked that he was limping.

Izuku usually gave the excuse "I fell over", but Inko knew he was lying. The only reason she didn't press the issue before was that she knew it would upset him, and because she knew he would deny it.

She tried talking with Mitsuki about it, who in turn was furious with Katsuki but nothing she did seemed to get through to him. The last time she was with Izuku was the last straw. She decided to visit the school the next day to inform the principal of her son's situation. She made another phone call to Mitsuki about Katsuki.

"I can come in with you tomorrow if you'd like," she told her. "Honestly, we should have done this sooner. His behaviour, well, it's gone on long enough."

It seemed Miitsuki had finally reached her limit with Katsuki. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

The next day when she got up, she noticed Izuku wasn't in bed or at home, so she assumed he'd gone to school early. It was when she arrived at the school with Mitsuki that the trouble started. According to the principal and the teacher, Izuku did not turn up that day. It was then Inko got worried.

As she wondered where he could be she recalled her last conversation with him. "Thanks, Mom, for everything really. I really love you for it," he had told her while hugging her.

"No," she murmured horrified. "He wouldn't."

She called the police afterwards and they started investigating his disappearance but found nothing. Shortly afterwards Inko began her current routine of searching.

"Please don't let it have been that" she begged. "Anything but that."

Inko had an idea of what Izuku meant when he said those words to her, but she didn't want to believe it.

Whatever her son had been going through, he had clearly reached his limit.

"Your body hasn't been found so I know you are still out there," Inko said to herself.

Regardless of the situation or the progress, she was not going to give up.

"Izuku. Despite what you've done I still love you. No matter what happens I will find you. I will bring you home," she swore.

Ochaco Uraraka

'Well, this is it,' Ochaco thought.

She stared at the large building in front of her. UA Highschool, the best hero school in Japan, if not the world, where anyone could become a hero. Though it did offer other opportunities in other departments known as General Education, Support, and Business. Ochaco was aiming for the Hero course.

'Mom, Dad, I will become a hero,' she promised herself. 'And when I do, I'll earn enough money so that you never have to work again.'

While walking to the entrance she saw a girl running straight past her. However, one of her shoelaces was open, causing her to trip. Before she could hit the ground. Ochaco poked her elbow activated her quirk to make the girl float.

"Easy there," Ochaco cautioned the girl. "It would be bad if you injured yourself before the exam."

Ochaco deactivated her quirk and the girl landed softly on her feet. The girl then turned to face her.

From her perspective, the girl was rather pretty. She had long blonde hair and grass green eyes. Her figure was rather thin, and she was roughly the same height as Ochaco.

"Thank you," the girl replied with a Russian accent. She then raised her eyes slightly. "And you are?" she asked politely.

"I'm Ochaco Uraraka," she replied cheerfully. "What's your name?"

"Elena Belikov," she stated simply. "Are you here for the entrance exam?"

Ochaco nodded in response.

"I see. What course are you applying for?" Elena asked.

"Hero. You?" she replied.

"General Education," she admitted. "My quirk isn't exactly useful in the field of heroics."

Her answer surprised Ochaco because Gen Ed was usually where the applicants who didn't get the hero course ended up. It was rare for someone to apply for it directly.

"What's your quirk?" Ochaco asked curiously.

"Empathetic Vision. When I touch someone, I receive glimpses of their past related to what they are feeling. If someone feels a certain emotion very strongly, like despair or love, I can see all memories that are associated with that emotion. However, if the emotion is too powerful it will overwhelm me and I will lose consciousness," she explained.

Uraraka was amazed. She had never heard of a quirk like that before. Though, she could see why it wouldn't work for the hero course.

"My quirk will be useful in the field of psychology," she stated. "When I finish high school, I'm planning to move on to college and study to get a degree."

She then turned and resumed walking.

"Hey, wait," Uraraka called out while running after her.

"You were wondering why I didn't ask about your quirk, right," Elena mentioned. Ochaco nodded in agreement. "Well since you just used it on me it's obvious that it's an anti-gravity quirk. Also, I don't mean to be rude, but we've got an exam to do so, can we maybe resume this conversation later?"

Realizing she was right, Ochaco started walking faster to the exam.

Katsuki Bakugo

Katsuki could hardly contain his excitement. The test laid out before him to get into UA was a combat course, his speciality. All he had to do was destroy whatever robots got in his way and earn as many points as possible.

'Easy,' he thought. 'Like taking candy from a fucking baby!'

This was the ticket into UA, his first step to becoming a hero greater than All Might.

"Say, that reminds me. Midoriya, you wanted to go to UA too right."

The words he'd heard ten months ago echoed in his head. A boy he bullied also came into his mind.

'The fuck,' he thought annoyed. 'Why the fuck am I thinking about that quirkless piece of shit now?'

In truth, he had avoided thinking about Deku ever since his disappearance.

The day after the incident with the sludge villain, Deku had disappeared. At first, he thought Deku was being a coward and avoiding him.

He was hoping that after their little 'talk', the nerd had finally given up on trying to become a hero. A quirkless freak like him had no right to be one in the first place, so it was just better for everyone. However, that was not the case.

Later that day the police came to the class and questioned everyone on Deku's disappearance. They asked questions about what he had been doing that day and his regular school life. Most denied any knowledge as they were not friends with Deku, which was completely true.

When it was his turn, he told the police, "That quirkless moron isn't my problem. Don't say he's my friend because he isn't. He's just an obstacle in my way. Now if that's all can I go back to class? I've got more important things I need to do."

The police were shocked at Katsuki 's attitude but relented since they could not get any useful information out of him.

'That fucking nerd isn't my problem. He can go and die for all I care,' he thought aggressively.

What happened to Deku was not nor would it ever be his problem.

It wasn't as if he had done anything wrong. Nobody at school ever spoke against him for the way he treated Deku. Other students treated him the same way and even the teachers were ok with it.

In fact, a few days after his disappearance everyone seemed to have completely forgotten about Deku because his existence was never brought up again.

"Applicants please make your way to your selected field," announced Present Mic.

Katsuki snapped back to reality.

"Shit," he growled. "Even when he's not around he's still a pain in my ass. Well, fuck him. Just focus on the exam."

Katsuki arrived at the entrance of his selected field. As soon as the doors opened, he started running.

"Time to kick some ass," he said grinning as sparks went off in his palms.

All Might

All Might watched with the other teachers as the applicants made their way through the exam. Since he was not an official teacher at UA yet, he wasn't a judge.

He was there for a more important reason. Scouting out possible successors to his quirk, One for All.

Since he was only able to take part in hero action for three hours a day locating a suitable successor to being the next symbol of peace was crucial. Though there were other students to look at.

"From the way points are gathering it looks as though we'll have an interesting bunch this year," Principal Nezu stated.

He was an animal (appearance mixed with a dog, bear, and mouse) with a quirk that made him highly intelligent. The teachers nodded in agreement.

"With their quirks, it looks as though they'll become fine heroes," All Might said.

"Can someone without a quirk become a hero?"

"I don't think it's possible kid."

All Might gasped but no one seemed to notice, they were all too preoccupied with the exam.

'Why am I thinking about that now?' he wondered.

Ever since his encounter with that boy All Might had been recalling that memory every now and then.

He was not proud of what he did. He had destroyed another person's dream after all. But at the same time, it needed to be done.

Personally, All Might had nothing against quirkless people, however, he did believe that they were disadvantaged against those with quirks. He should know better than anyone, after all, he used to be quirkless.

The reason he had said those things to that boy was that he believed he would be safer, that he would be less likely to die. It wasn't out of prejudice. Aside from that even if he applied for a hero school there was a high chance he would be rejected. There were very few hero schools that allowed quirkless people to apply, and even then, hardly anyone ever got in, so there was really no point.

To his own knowledge, All Might had never even heard of a quirkless hero before.

"Only five minutes left," Nezu announced.

All Might snapped back to reality and looked at the exam.

'Focus,' he thought. 'You'll be teaching these kids this year so pay attention.'

Later that day at Nezu's office

All Might sat alone in front of the principal. "Quite a selective bunch we've got this year," Nezu said with enthusiasm. "Did anyone catch your eye All Might? Any possible successors?"

All Might shook his head and said "It's too soon to be sure. But I can see there are a bunch of gifted youngsters so maybe in due time."

Nezu seemed happy at this statement.

"Now on a side note, what were you gasping at during the exam?" Nezu asked. "It wasn't one of the children that's for sure."

All Might froze.

'He noticed,' All Might thought.

He mentally berated himself.

"If something is on your mind you should tell someone. Don't hold it all in," Nezu told him with a concerned voice.

All Might contemplated his answer for a moment. After a minute's silence, All Might took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Nezu was a friend so there was no problem telling him.

"About ten months ago, there was an incident," he started explaining.

And so, All Might told Nezu all about his encounter with the quirkless boy and everything that had transpired between them. He even told him about how the boy saw him in his weakened state, though he didn't know about his powers.

Nezu just listened silently, never making a move to interrupt him. When he'd finished speaking Nezu said "I see."

All Might was surprised at his calm demeanour.

"Don't you think it was wrong for me to say that, to ruin that boy's dream?" he asked confused.

Nezu gazed at him with an unreadable expression.

"Why would I say that?" he asked. "You were just speaking your opinion, as well as from personal experience. I don't think I can begrudge you for that."

All Might was relieved that Nezu was so understanding. However, he had another question.

"Principal what is your view on what the boy asked me?" All Might asked.

Nezu got up from his seat and gazed out the window.

"Honestly," he said. "I see no reason why it can't happen."

All Might remained silent.

"I can understand why you would think the way you do about them. When facing a villain or trying to save someone from an accident quirkless people would be at a disadvantage. However, quirks are not everything. They don't define someone as a hero or a villain, their actions and capabilities do. Take Aizawa for example, his quirk may be useful for stopping other quirks but that's all it's good for, most of the time when fighting against villains he would need to rely on hand-to-hand combat," Nezu explained.

All Might stared at the floor; he had never thought of it that way before.

"Now a quirkless person," he continued. "They could be a hero through excessive training in martial arts and reliance on gadgets and weapons. With these, it would be quite possible for them to be on equal par with other heroes and villains."

All Might considered it for a moment.

"When he says it like that it does sound possible," he thought.

"Here at UA, we believe that anyone can become a hero, even someone quirkless. It's why we allow them to apply," he continued. "Although I must admit we've never actually had a quirkless student before, in any department."

All Might could tell from the way Nezu was speaking that he was disappointed at that last statement.

"Anyway, enough of what I think," Nezu said changing the subject. "I'm afraid you will have to leave now Toshinori. I have a lot of paperwork to attend to and you must get some rest. You're going to be quite busy over the coming days with all the holographic recording you will be making."

He was referring of course to the messages that would be sent to the students who successfully passed the entrance exam. All Might sighed knowing that he was right, it was going to be a long couple of days. With that, he got up and proceeded to leave the room while waving goodbye to Nezu.

As he walked towards the exit All Might thought very hard about what Nezu had told him. He wanted to believe that it was possible, he really did. However, he still had his doubts. Whenever he tried being a hero while he was quirkless it always ended up backfiring. It was only after he had received his quirk One for All that he was able to do something meaningful.

As he came to the exit he halted. With the thought of quirkless people being heroes, the image of that boy came into his head again.

"Wonder what he's doing now," he said softly.

Notes:

Hi there. I hope you enjoyed it. I thought it would be best to show the situation with other characters around the events of Deku's disappearance. If you are wondering why I included Uraraka and a new OC it's because they will be playing certain roles later in the story. Please review.

Chapter 6: Big news

Summary:

Sensei reveals some big news for the League concerning their next move, as well as Izuku's.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku just barely dodged Razor as her foot brushed by his hair. When she landed, she spun her other leg at him. but Izuku moved forward and caught it firmly in his arm. He then pulled her back to trip her, but Razor jumped and performed a flip kick which hit Izuku square in the chest. He flew back onto the mat.

"Not bad you little shit. You are improving. However, you need to work on your reaction speed," Razor explained coldly. "A second is all it takes and then you're dead."

Izuku glared at her and stood back up.

"Again!" he demanded.

"Well, would you look at that, demanding something from me? It seems you've got a pair of balls after all," Razor said sounding amused. "Did you grow them while I was training you?"

"I'll leave that to your imagination," Izuku said sounding very annoyed.

He had been training with Razor for months now and had progressed. He did not need to call Kurogiri as often anymore because he could handle thugs all by himself.

In spite of this, Razor insulted him at every opportunity by saying things such as "God you're so weak", "Try harder you little shit", "I swear even Tomura could kick your ass if he wanted to", "Too scared to stand up, when will you grow a pair of balls". The list went on and on.

She was literally like Kacchan. Well, almost. Unlike him, she pushed him to be better and wanted him to improve.

"Can we just get back to training?" he asked impatiently.

Razor grinned at Izuku. "As much as I would love to kick the shit out of you again I can't. Sensei called us for a meeting, so we have to suspend training for the rest of today."

Izuku was very annoyed at this.

"Don't give me that face," she snapped. "There's nothing we can do about it. Now hurry up, or else that whiny little bitch Shigaraki will never let us hear the end of it."

Judging from the sound of her voice, Izuku could tell she was angry. He would say he was surprised but with the number of derogatory terms Razor had spewed about Tomura, it was clear she hated him.

Then again, Razor hated a lot of people, so it was nothing special.

At the bar

Izuku gathered with Kurogiri, Razor and Tomura. They turned to the monitor where Sensei appeared.

"Good afternoon everyone," he announced. "I trust you know why I've gathered you all here."

"No clue," Izuku and Razor replied in unison.

And they meant it. The two had been completely absorbed in their jobs and training the past weeks so they had not been paying attention to anything that happened in or out of the League. Tomura snickered while Kurogiri tilted his head to the side.

"It seems neither of you has been watching the news," Sensei realized.

"Just tell us already," Razor snapped impatiently.

Sensei sighed and took a deep breath.

"All Might has taken up a teaching position at UA," he informed.

Razor didn't react. Izuku however shifted slightly.

'That's right the entrance exam was just a few days ago,' he thought. 'That means Kacchan is now a student there.'

Despite his hatred toward Katsuki, he knew the teen was skilled enough to get in, both in quirk and intelligence.

'That means he's going to be taught by All Might,' Izuku realized.

Despite having become a villain, he couldn't help but feel jealous. The hero he and Kacchan idolised, the one who had rejected him, was now training the very person who had made his life hell to be a pro hero.

'Another good thing gets handed to Kacchan on a silver platter. How the fuck is that fair?' he wondered angrily. 'He's a total dick yet he still gets everything.'

In Izuku's mind, it just wasn't fair how everything went Katsuki's way, yet he did nothing wrong and still got screwed over.

Razor interrupted his thoughts. "And why is this important?" she asked uninterestedly.

"Razor please listen to everything Sensei says before judging," Kurogiri told her politely.

Razor rolled her eyes. "Go on."

Tomura glared at her and started to say something when Sensei interrupted him.

"It is important Razor because All Might is one of our primary targets for elimination," he explained with a bit more fury. "He is the biggest threat to our organisation and our plans. Therefore, killing him is a top priority."

Izuku was surprised. He had never seen Sensei angry before, he usually acted calm and hardly ever raised his voice. Then he suddenly remembered.

Ten months ago, when he first met Sensei, he had told him about why he tried to kill himself, even about his encounter with All Might. Back then he had had a negative reaction also. With that time and this one, it was obvious that they were both related to All Might.

'Did something happen between them?' Izuku wondered.

He could tell that Sensei genuinely hated the number one hero; it was the same way he felt about Katsuki.

"Your organisation, your plans, not mine," Razor pointed out. "Do I need to remind you of my place here?"

"No Razor you don't. However, until that time comes you will do and listen as I tell you," Sensei replied with authority.

With that, she nodded in understanding.

Izuku was confused. What was Razor talking about? Wasn't she a member of the League?

'I've been working with her months now and I still don't know anything about her,' he thought sadly.

Despite training with her Izuku knew very little about her, he didn't even know what her quirk was. He had tried asking her about some of these things, but she refused to answer. Razor made it clear that this was just training, there was no need for them to get personal with each other.

"Sensei can you just ignore this bitch and get to the good stuff already?" Tomura asked rudely.

However, Izuku detected a hint of excitement in his voice.

Sensei sighed again. "Earlier today I sent Tomura and a few of his 'friends' to UA to do a little investigating."

"Yeah, I destroyed the gate and let the press in. While the heroes were dealing with them, I managed to get a hold of some juicy info," he boasted with a childish sense of pride.

"That he did," Sensei told them. "And what he learned was that tomorrow Class 1A will be conducting their rescue training in the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. From the list Tomura acquired it appears All Might along with Eraserhead and Thirteen will be there."

Izuku recognised the names. Eraserhead was a hero who could stop any quirk just by looking at them, aside from that Izuku had seen videos of him that showed he was highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat.

Thirteen was a hero dressed in a spacesuit that possessed a quirk known as 'black hole' which sucked any object into it and reduced it to dust, this was mainly used for rescue.

"Get to the point already," Razor said irritated.

"Tomorrow we shall launch an attack on UA, more specifically the area with All Might and the students, where we will kill the Symbol of Peace," Sensei said all in one go.

Izuku was surprised at this. Kill All Might. He didn't think it was possible. He had watched nearly every video and read every report about him, he knew more than anyone that he was impossible to beat.

"How exactly do you plan to do that?" Izuku asked nervously.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Is there a problem Deku?" Kurogiri asked. Tomura was more hostile.

"What are you scared that your idol might die? Did you forget what group you're a part of now?" he growled. "Villains fight against heroes all the time. They try to catch us; we try to kill them. What did you think we'd be doing?"

Izuku flinched. Although he and Tomura got along most of the time he could still be hostile from time to time.

"I don't mean anything like that," he said quickly. "I'm just curious. This is All Might we're talking about. Defeating him is practically impossible, killing him even more so."

There was silence. Sensei laughed. "You are mostly right Deku, however, you are also wrong. It isn't impossible to do those things. There has simply never been anyone who could match All Might, until now."

Izuku was baffled.

'Do they have someone as strong as All Might?' he wondered.

It didn't seem likely, but not impossible. If they did, why had they not used them already? Then a thought struck him. 'Until now'.

"Are you talking about my enhancement drug?" he asked.

Sensei nodded in confirmation.

Izuku had spent several months working on the drug as well as other things such as a regeneration drug (for healing) and an intelligence drug (to make other members smarter). So far, he had increased the time limit to thirty minutes and decreased the side effects to four and a half hours. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing.

'When you add the drug to the mix it does seem possible,' he thought.

"Please continue Sensei," he requested.

"Tomorrow Tomura and Kurogiri will lead a group of villains to the USJ and kill All Might. Razor your job is to guard the place where "they" are kept," he explained.

Razor nodded in understanding. Tomura was excited while Kurogiri remained indifferent. Izuku found Razor's behaviour strange, she was usually the type to want to fight someone, yet here she was just accepting guard duty without any argument.

He was also slightly curious as to what "they" were but said nothing.

"Deku you will remain here and continue your work," Sensei informed him.

Normally Izuku wouldn't object, however, he was curious about something.

"Sensei do you have a list of the students attending that class?" Izuku asked. "Cause if you do may I see it?"

"Yes, there is, but why?" he asked. "Do you think that boy who wronged you will be there?"

Izuku nodded in confirmation.

Despite his position in the League Izuku wanted to go with them tomorrow and see if Katsuki was there. There were several reasons for this of course.

Flashback 4 months ago

Izuku landed flat on his back after Razor flipped him. He moaned in pain.

"Seriously is this the best you can do little shit," she sneered. "Cause if it is you will die the second you get dragged into a fight."

Izuku glared at her.

'I swear this is all she ever does, insult me,' he thought.

Razor just stood there waiting for him to get up.

"Out of pure curiosity," Izuku started. "This hellish training you're giving me. Did you go through it yourself to be the way you are now?"

Razor looked at him with cold eyes.

"We've already had this discussion. This is training, nothing more. You and I are not friends Deku. So, stop trying to get to know me better," she replied icily.

She meant what she was saying. There was absolutely no reason for him to know about her past or her personal life. Though that wasn't to say that she hated Izuku. Surprisingly enough he had moved into her list of people she could actually stand, though that was mainly through her teaching him how to fight.

She was amazed at how quick Izuku was learning, she even admitted to Kurogiri that she had underestimated his observational skills, something she did very rarely.

"I've known you for a few months now, but I still know nothing about you, I don't even know what your quirk is. I tried asking Kurogiri and Sensei, but they told me to ask you," he explained.

Razor rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Look you little bastard," she growled murderously. "There is nothing you need to know about me. There is nothing you will ever need to know about me so give it a rest."

Izuku felt intimidated by this but decided not to back down.

"Isn't there anything I can do to change your mind?" he asked seriously.

Razor groaned in annoyance.

'He really isn't gonna let this go, is he?' she thought. 'What would change my mind?'

Razor didn't have any real reason to tell Izuku about her life. There wasn't much to tell, and most of it wasn't pleasant. However, no one had ever pushed to know as much as Izuku (usually people didn't like her enough to ask). Razor didn't feel like just telling him though, she believed he should earn the right first. But how? Then a thought came to her mind, making her smile sadistically.

"Okay, there is one thing you can do," she informed him. "You can show me the results of your training."

Izuku looked slightly confused at this. He knew what she wanted him to do but he couldn't figure out how to do it.

"I want you to fight someone of course. However, it's who I want you to fight," she explained. "The one I want you to fight is that bastard, you know the one who turned you into the weak little shit you are now."

Izuku froze.

"Fight Kacchan! She wants me to fight Kacchan!" he thought.

He had trained well enough that he could hold his own against most quirked individuals, but Katsuki, he was on another level.

As if noticing the uncertainty in his eyes Razor spoke up.

"Don't get the wrong idea. This is also for your sake," she told him.

This confused Izuku.

"He was your primary tormentor, right?" she asked.

Izuku nodded in confirmation.

"Then facing him should be good for you. If you defeat him then you will have overcome him, and he will no longer be someone you should fear," she said. "If you can do that then I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Izuku said nothing, he was still trying to process what Razor said.

"Alright that's all for today," she said before turning to leave.

Flashback end

Wanting to know more about Razor was one of his reasons for going. Another was that he wanted to face Katsuki, he needed to know if he could defeat him.

He also had a third reason, revenge.

Over the course of his time with the League, mostly with Razor, Izuku had built up a desire to get back at his former bully. He wanted to give Katsuki a taste of his own medicine. He wanted to repay him for all the years of torment he gave him. This was the perfect opportunity to do it.

"I don't know if he will be there or not, but I would like to know. Facing him is something I need to do. If he isn't on the list, I'll stay here, if he is I would like to go with Tomura and Kurogiri if that's alright," he told Sensei.

Sensei stared at him in silent contemplation for a minute before ordering Kurogiri to show him the list. The shadow man used his quirk to send it to Izuku. Izuku read through it quickly until he came across Katsuki's name.

"He's there," Izuku said. "So, can I go?"

All for One remained silent for a minute.

"I suppose," he said, however, Izuku could detect a small amount of reluctance in his voice. "However, you will need a costume, or at least a mask to disguise yourself. No one knows about your association with us. If your identity gets compromised, then it will be impossible for you to walk around freely like normal."

Izuku nodded in understanding.

"Um sir, is this really a good idea?" Kurogiri questioned nervously.

Izuku blinked, a little surprised by Kurogiri reaction. He knew he could handle himself in a fight, so why?

Perhaps it was because he would be fighting Katsuki. Given the nature of their…relationship, Kurogiri's concern was natural.

"Deku has proven himself capable in the field of battle Kurogiri," Sensei explained with a slight edge to his voice. "If he wishes to confront his bully, then I see no reason to deny him the opportunity. It may provide him with the closure he needs."

Izuku was happy to hear Sensei had faith in him, but at the same time, suspicious. The way he said it, he still sounded reluctant.

There was also the way he said "closure" like it was the most vital thing that mattered. Izuku wouldn't deny it was important but the way he said it felt like there was a deeper meaning behind it.

"You know I think Kurogiri's more concerned about the idiots Shigaraki hired for this job," Razor said in a mocking voice.

"What do you mean?" Tomura demanded. "They'll be perfect for this job."

"Oh really," Razor replied in an unnervingly calm voice. "Did you run a background check on them to see if they are mentally prepared for the task?"

Tomura didn't answer, and surprisingly, neither did Sensei or Kurogiri.

"I mean they could be suffering from some form of trauma or mental illness," Razor pointed out softly. "If that is the case, do you really want them breaking down on the job because they can't handle it? After all, you never know what might trigger them."

In that one sentence, Izuku felt the entire mood of the room shift.

At first, it was light, but now, now it had switched to something much darker.

Razor glared at Sensei in a way Izuku had never seen her before.

Kurogiri just stared solemnly at the counter in what appeared to be shame.

Tomura was unusually quiet. He had not even tried to argue with Razor on her claim.

The whole thing was making Izuku uncomfortable.

'What the? Why are they acting this way? Did something happen?' he thought.

"Their backgrounds have been looked into, of that, I can assure you," Sensei promised. "If you would like to examine them yourself you are more than welcome. However, perhaps we should continue this conversation privately in person."

"We should," Razor said. "And we shall."

She continued to glare at him while Sensei never took his gaze off of her.

Izuku was really confused now. Just what had happened between them. Was it something from before he joined the League?

"Shouldn't you at least discuss this with 'them' first?" Kurogiri asked attempting to change the subject.

"Yeah. If Atrocity finds out he'll flip," Tomura added.

Izuku had an idea of what they were talking about. He knew that AFO was not the only leader in the League, however, up until now, he hadn't received much information about them.

He knew their names though, Atrocity and Viper. Kurogiri deemed it fit to inform him because Atrocity, from what he had been told possessed an extremist view of quirkless people.

"Don't worry about it. If Deku wishes to go let him but be sure to bring him back," Sensei said. "You will all leave tomorrow at 10 AM sharp so I suggest you get some rest."

With that, the atmosphere returned to normal and the meeting ended.

Izuku's apartment

Izuku lay on his bed. He was exhausted from the day.

Razor had guessed why he was going and told Kurogiri to give her the details on his fight with Bakugo. Her only words of advice to him were "Give him hell", though that was all he needed.

He was still confused by what happened at the bar but decided not to investigate it. Right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

He got up and went to the bathroom where he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. His appearance had changed in recent months. In addition to cutting his hair short, he had also dyed it black to make himself less recognisable. His body was more muscular and had a few scars, courtesy of Razor. He wore darker clothes as well.

Throughout his life with the League, he had done many things. He had analysed quirks and marked out weaknesses and ways they could be greatly improved. He had developed many types of enhancement drugs and (from what he could tell) toxins with S1.

Izuku had also been working on a secret formula by himself. This was something none of the League knew about. They were willing to keep many things from him so he didn't see why he couldn't keep one secret from them.

"All right time for bed," he said to himself.

As he lay in bed Izuku made a silent promise to himself. "I will see you tomorrow Kacchan. And when I do, I will break you the same way you broke me. That's a promise."

Izuku then drifted into a deep sleep.

Notes:

Hi there everyone. Well, what did you think of that? Not a lot happened I know but during the next one you'll be seeing the 'unforeseen simulation joint' battle. However I will mainly be focusing on the fight between Izuku and Bakugo. Please review.

Chapter 7: Deku vs Kacchan

Summary:

Izuku faces off against his former tormentor, Katsuki Bakugo, at the USJ. How will he fare against the explosion user

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Regarding Izuku's helmet in this chapter, think of it like Vanitas from Kingdom Hearts in terms of appearance.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku woke up early that morning.

He quickly got dressed into his "villain" outfit which consisted of a black hoodie vest, black pants, black metal arm and shin guards and a black metallic mask that covered his entire head.

He also wore combat boots and a belt with various tools such as a taser, a grappling hook and several small projectile blades.

The outfit he had mostly forged himself except for the helmet (provided by Kurogiri).

He had a feeling he would one day be out fighting with the League, but he wanted to make sure his identity wouldn't be compromised. Still, he was ready to face Katsuki.

At the bar

Izuku met up with Tomura and Kurogiri where he also met their large entourage. Izuku was not sure what to think of the group. He had not seen them in action yet, but at the same time, they just looked like regular thugs.

What caught his attention was the bird-like creature who looked as tall and muscular as All Might.

'This must be the guy,' he realized.

Izuku didn't have much time to think however as Kurogiri's quirk completely absorbed him and everyone around him.

Unforeseen Simulation Joint

They arrived at an area that had various buildings with different natural disasters going on for each one.

The group of villains looked up to see the students and teachers at the entrance, who had also noticed them. Strangely enough, All Might was not present. Izuku didn't care though, that wasn't why he was here. He scanned across the student's faces until he came across a familiar one.

Wearing gauntlets and an outfit that matched his personality was Bakugo giving his usual glare. The moment he saw him Izuku felt a sudden flood of anger. He wanted to fight him, he wanted to hurt him, however, to do that he would need to get him alone first.

"Kurogiri could you warp me and 'you know who' to an area where we won't be disturbed?" he asked politely.

"Of course. I'll also send the students to other zones where they won't be able to interfere," he replied.

"Here comes Eraserhead," Tomura butted in.

The pro hero launched himself at the group and started fighting off the thugs like they were nothing. Meanwhile, the students and 13 were running toward the exit.

"Kurogiri," Tomura started.

"I understand," he replied. "While I'm at it I'll send you Deku to a place for your battle. Expect that boy to be there within a few minutes." Izuku nodded.

Kurogiri's power took hold again and Izuku was in a ruined city area. It was desolate and he was on flat ground.

"Perfect," he whispered.

Here he could fight Katsuki without interference.

After waiting for two minutes Kurogiri's mist appeared again bringing an angry Katsuki with it. At first, Bakugo did not take notice of Izuku, he just swore about Kurogiri.

"That fucking bastard! Those fucking villains! I'll fucking kill them!" he shouted.

'Swearing and death threats,' Izuku thought. 'Nice to see that he hasn't changed a bit.'

Katsuki examined the area around him when he noticed Izuku.

"You one of them?" he asked in a murderous tone.

He didn't pay attention to his classmates, not that he needed to, they were all beneath him. Izuku answered by taking up a fighting stance.

Katsuki smiled sadistically and punched his right fist into his left hand while causing an explosion as a form of intimidation.

"This will be fun," he snarled.

Izuku felt slightly nervous about fighting Bakugo.

"Give him hell". Razor's words echoed in his mind, and he was calm again.

He glared at Bakugo.

'That's right I've trained for this,' he thought. 'I'm not the same weak individual that you used to beat to a pulp. I'm Deku, the villain that will defeat you.'

With that, he charged at Katsuki.

Seeing his enemy move Katsuki started to swing his right arm. However, Izuku was prepared for this and much faster too. As soon as Bakugo swung his arm Izuku grabbed it, turned, and flipped him onto his back.

"When you get someone on their back get on top of them and punch them as hard as you can and as many times as you can."

Izuku started doing just that. While doing so every memory of Katsuki bullying came back to him which made his punches more vicious.

'This is strangely satisfying,' he thought.

Knowing he would be knocked out soon Katsuki released an explosion to faze Izuku and then another one to get him off. Katsuki stood up.

His mouth was bleeding from the punches, this made him pissed as hell. He screamed out in anger and unleashed a flurry of explosions on his opponent.

Izuku flipped from place to place dodging them with relative ease.

"This is the guy I was scared of," he thought.

He couldn't believe how well he was holding his own against Katsuki. Months of training were paying off, meanwhile, it seemed that all Katsuki had to rely on was his quirk because he had no training whatsoever in hand-to-hand fighting.

'So much for having a powerful quirk,' Izuku thought.

Having no luck at long range combat, Katsuki swapped to close range by rushing towards his enemy and swinging his right again.

'Seriously does he think that will actually work this time,' Izuku thought.

However, he was wrong. Katsuki used his quirk to propel himself over Izuku.

"Got you now," he shouted while successfully hitting Izuku with a lot of explosions.

Izuku lay on the ground with his clothes slightly torn and a crack in his mask.

"How'd you like that?" Bakugo sneered.

He assumed he had won but he couldn't have been more wrong. A few seconds later Izuku stood up not showing any sign of feeling injured, greatly shocking Katsuki.

"No fucking way," he spluttered.

Katsuki's attacks may have been painful, but they did nothing to dissuade Izuku. He was used to this sort of pain, well actually he was used to much worse. Razor did not play around.

Katsuki moved to attack again but Izuku came in very quickly and kneed him in the stomach. Katsuki flinched with pain. Izuku didn't stop.

He grabbed Katsuki by the shoulder and started to repeatedly punch him in the stomach, which caused the latter to vomit a little.

Izuku then grabbed him by the shoulders and headbutted him so hard that part of his mask broke off showing his right eye. In the process, he had broken Katsuki's nose causing blood to flow from it. Izuku then let go of Katsuki, leaned back, and side kicked him up into the air.

Katsuki tried to retaliate but Izuku was quickly behind him and grabbed him by the collar. He then ran and threw Katsuki into one of the ruined buildings where he was sent crashing through the wall.

Seeing no movement, Izuku assumed he was unconscious.

'I did it Razor. I won,' he thought as he turned to leave.

Izuku was hit by another explosion on the back, though this time he managed to remain standing.

"Hey," came a hoarse voice. "This fight isn't over you bastard. So don't turn your fucking back on me."

Izuku turned to see Bakugo standing, blood running down from his forehead and one or two bruises on his arms. He looked rather pitiful, like the state he'd put Izuku in for years. Oddly enough, it made Izuku happy to see him this way.

'I should have expected him to not go down without a fight,' he thought.

Katsuki stared at his opponent's eye for a moment. There was something familiar about it.

'Don't think about it. Just finish him off,' he thought.

For the first time in his life, he was hurt all over. He was used to dishing out pain, not receiving it. The whole sensation was strange. Which was why he needed to finish it quickly.

He held up his arm and reached for his gauntlets trigger. They stored up his sweat, which was nitro-glycerine which allowed him to create explosions. With the amount stored up in them both, it would be like firing a rocket launcher.

Izuku didn't know why but something told him to get as far away from Katsuki as possible. If he was reaching for his gauntlets, then they clearly weren't just for show.

He started running and as he did Katsuki shouted "DIE!"

From the gauntlets came a massive torrent of flames that moved very fast while consuming everything in its path.

Izuku instantly pulled out his grappling hook and shot it towards the nearest building on his left. Unfortunately, the explosion was too fast for him. While he managed to avoid death, the bottom part of his legs had been burned.

Izuku examined the damage Katsuki had done, it was very wide scale.

'What the fuck is wrong with him? He could've killed me or one of his allies in that,' Izuku thought alarmed.

"Ha. How'd you like that?" Katsuki yelled under the delusion he had won.

"Ok I've had enough of this," he said to himself.

He walked toward Katsuki who could not believe his eyes.

"Why won't you just stay the fuck down!" he screamed as he prepared to attack him again with his other gauntlet.

Izuku was prepared this time though. He threw one of his blades at one of Katsuki's hands, causing him to howl in pain.

"When you're in pain put all your power into that point of pain and deliver the final blow".

Izuku ignored the pain in his legs and charged at Katsuki. His bully tried to defend himself with his quirk, but Izuku leapt up, spun and delivered a kick to Katsuki's face with full force. Katsuki fell back and his face landed hard onto the ground. This time he did not get up. Izuku checked his face, he was unconscious.

"I won," he declared before walking off.

"Kurogiri I'm finished over here," Izuku told him over the communicator in his mask.

"That's good to hear. I had a camera or two around your area, so your battle has been recorded for Razor to see," Kurogiri informed him. "All Might's here by the way, and the pros will be here soon also. I suggest you make your way back to us at the centre."

"I will," Izuku replied.

As he walked, he could really feel the pain in his legs. Katsuki did a better job than he thought.

"I'm almost there now," he said to himself as trudged along.

Suddenly he heard a scream. He turned to see a girl in pink being held to the ground by one of the thugs. She looked terrified.

"Now then," the thug declared. "Let's have some fun shall we."

Izuku had a very good idea of what he was about to do and headed towards them. He may have been a villain now, he may be a colder and serious person, he may be willing for heroes to die, but rape, that was a different story. Despite his time with the League Izuku still possessed a certain degree of morality.

The girl's terror increased when she saw another villain appear.

The thug turned to Izuku and said "What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Izuku, annoyed with his tone, tased him in the neck knocking him out cold. The girl was stunned at what just happened.

Noticing her expression Izuku said, "If you don't want that sort of thing to happen to you then I suggest you run. Find your friends and get to safety."

At first, she didn't move, she was still shocked. Izuku glared at her and yelled "Now!"

With that, she scrambled away while still looking at Izuku. He then turned and proceeded to where his allies were.

He arrived just in time to see All Might blast that bird-like creature out of the building. There were a bunch of unconscious thugs. Tomura was also there with Kurogiri looking very pissed off.

"Are you guys alright?" Izuku asked them.

"Nomu got beat," Tomura raged.

'So that's what that thing was,' Izuku realised.

He made his way to them. He also looked at All Might. It was strange, his childhood idol was now his enemy and a kill target for his new group.

All Might was staring at the new arrival.

'Great just what I need, and I've already gone past my limit,' he thought.

He inspected him further. There were burn marks over him and he was limping.

'He's injured,' he realised. 'Those marks, did Bakugo do that to him?'

He knew the boy well enough to know what kind of damage he could deal.

"I take it you finally defeated that explosion user," Kurogiri said.

'They are talking about Bakugo,' he thought.

"Yeah, I beat him," the new villain said with pride. "I beat him to a bloody pulp."

All Might tensed slightly in anger at this.

"You," he said in a furious tone.

The villain turned to look at him (he had a green eye from what he could see).

"Relax he isn't dead, just unconscious," the villain told him.

All Might was both relieved and surprised at this.

"What the hell Deku" Tomura yelled. "Why didn't you finish him off?"

"You know very well that I don't kill," he retorted. "That was one of the conditions I set when I joined this group remember."

Now All Might was definitely surprised. Deku wasn't a killer yet he joined this band of villains with some conditions. Just who was he?

Izuku noticed that All Might was steaming.

'He's reached his limit,' he realised.

Izuku remembered that from their last encounter All Might had told him that he can only use his power up to three hours a day, when he steamed, he reached his limit and reverted to his real form, something no one else knew about.

Izuku did not know why but something told him to keep his mouth shut at that moment. He was in possession of a very valuable piece of information. If he blurted this out now All Might would most definitely know who he was. Not only that but they were at a disadvantage with so few forces and the pros on their way.

"Tomura, Kurogiri, let us withdraw for now," he told them. "We're at a serious disadvantage with him here and the pros on their way. Also, our ace was just blasted out of here and our forces are down."

The two just stared at him.

"He's right Tomura. The situation isn't in our favour," Kurogiri stated.

Tomura scratched his neck in frustration.

"Fine," he relented.

He turned to face the Symbol of Peace.

"All Might beware because your days as the symbol of peace are numbered!" Tomura swore.

All Might grunted in response. "We'll see about that."

For some reason, though he was still staring at Deku.

'From the sound of his voice, he seems to be in his teens. Also, that eye, why does it seem familiar?' All Might pondered.

This boy probably wasn't that much older than his students. It made him sad to think that someone that young had become a villain.

Kurogiri's mist surrounded his allies, and they disappeared from the area. During the transport, however, Izuku lost consciousness.

At his apartment

Izuku woke up surprised to see that he was in his apartment. He moved his legs slightly, but he felt no pain in them. He inspected his body. There were no signs that he had ever been injured.

"It wasn't a dream if that's what you're thinking," came a voice he knew all too well.

Izuku looked to his right to see Sensei sitting at the table drinking what could've been tea or coffee.

"Hello Deku," he greeted the boy. "It's good to see that you're awake."

"Sensei you're here," Izuku replied stunned.

He had spoken with the man before but had never met him in person.

"Why are you here?" Izuku asked before he could stop himself.

Was he in trouble? Once again Sensei seemed to know what he was thinking.

"You're not in any trouble. I came today to sort out a few issues with the League and just thought I would check up on you. You came back with severe burns and have been out for nearly two days now," he explained. "We had to use your regeneration drug to get rid of all life-threatening injuries and scars. Otherwise, you might have died."

"Thank you," Izuku replied. "However, I'm guessing you didn't come to just check up on me."

He knew Sensei well enough to know that he wouldn't come here in person unless it was very important. Sensei grinned.

"Observant as ever I see," he said. "You're right I came here to discuss something with you. Something that happened during the assault on UA. And I'm not talking about your fight, that was impressive."

Izuku sat up straight and faced him.

"It's about your decision to retreat. There were cameras around the area, so I saw the entire ordeal. While your reasoning was logical, and the pros did show up shortly after you had left, there was something else that made me curious," he informed Izuku. "Why didn't you tell the others that All Might had reached his limit?"

Izuku was definitely surprised now.

'If he knows about that then he must have a history with All Might,' he realised.

He took a deep breath. He needed to be careful about his answer.

"It's because I knew it that I didn't tell them," Izuku explained.

"Oh," Sensei responded amused.

"Let me point out something. I told you about my first encounter with All Might. During that encounter I learned about his little weakness, however, I also learned something else. He told me that not a lot of people know about this. Therefore, since I am one of these people blurting it out would have led to my identity being exposed," he explained. "Besides, you clearly know about it too, yet you didn't tell the others so you're in the same boat. How did you know it? From what I have seen of you every time All Might has been mentioned you got angry, meaning you've some sort of history with him. So, tell me, am I wrong?"

There was silence.

'Maybe I went a little too far,' he thought nervously.

However, Sensei started laughing. Izuku was now confused.

"It appears I underestimated you Deku. You are correct with that assumption," he told the boy. "Your answer for not telling the others is also acceptable."

He wasn't joking either, if Deku had figured all that out from observing then he was a lot smarter than he originally thought.

"My past with All Might, well to explain I would have to tell you about my origins, something which I have no intention of doing," Sensei told Izuku. "However, if you know about his weakness, then I can tell you about his quirk."

Izuku shifted slightly in response. No one knew the exact details of All Might's quirk, people just assumed it was strength enhancement.

"All Might's quirk is known as One for All, one passed on for generations."

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you all think of that? This was my first time writing a fight scene and I hope I did alright. When I imagined it I thought it would be one where Izuku could kick Bakugo's ass but still struggle against him, given that he's already more powerful than most pro heroes. Anyway please review. The next chapter will feature an aftermath of the battle for UA.

Chapter 8: Aftermath of the USJ Incident

Summary:

The effects of the battle at the USJ weigh heavily on both the students and the teachers. Three in particular.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Several days after the USJ Incident, the students were buzzing with activity.

After recovering from their experience, they started preparing for upcoming sports festivals where they would get their chance to show off their quirks and skills to pro heroes in hopes of being scouted by them.

Although, some individuals did not have the same spirit.

Katsuki Bakugo

Katsuki was less than enthusiastic. He was still furious about his battle with the dark dressed villain.

"How the fuck could I have lost? I'm supposed to be the best and the strongest. But I still lost," he raged.

As much as he hated to admit it, he had lost the fight, and it really pissed him off.

When he woke up in the Recovery Girls office he was covered in bandages. Later that he was informed of the injuries he sustained with x-rays to back them up. That bastard did more than mess up his face. Those shots to his stomach had broken two of his ribs.

It was the most humiliating of his life.

Sure, his injuries had healed, but his pride, his pride had been damaged in a way that would never heal. Not unless he got some payback on that bastard.

'Damn, being beaten like that, it reminds me of how I used to kick the crap out of Deku,' he thought.

At the thought of his former friend, Katsuki froze stiffly.

"Deku," he said to himself.

He remembered the villain's eyes. They were green, the same as Deku's.

'Then, does that mean the one I fought was Deku?' he thought horrified.

He pondered over the idea for a little bit before smirking.

"No fucking way. That couldn't have been Deku. He's a useless quirkless piece of shit who can't do anything right. He could never beat me," he realised. "That villain must have had an endurance or strengthening quirk of some sort to be able to take that sort of damage from me."

He knew Deku well enough to know he wasn't a fighter, he wasn't anything. A quirkless reject like Deku would never be able to put him in the state he was.

"I'm just stressed out," he decided. "I should just prepare for the Sports Festival. It's there that I'll be able to prove to everyone at this school, no, the world, that I'm the best and the next number one hero."

Ochaco Uraraka

Ochaco wasn't overly enthusiastic about the Sports Festival either. Of course, she was excited and wanted to prove herself to the pros, so she would be one step closer to realising her dream. However, she still couldn't get that villain dressed in black she'd met a few days ago.

During the assault, she had been captured by one of those villains. She screamed for help but none of her classmates or teachers was around.

Then he came along the villain in black.

At first, she thought he was there to help the other one. However, she was not prepared for what happened next. Rather than help his ally he tased him unconscious and urged her to run.

The entire event had been shocking for her. She had been saved by a villain. She still couldn't believe it.

The only person she had told was Elena (the two had become good friends in such a short amount of time).

'Why did he save me?' she wondered. 'He's a villain so shouldn't he be a bad person who enjoys hurting others?'

Her thoughts were interrupted however when she bumped into a large figure. It was her most famous teacher, All Might. He was wearing a suit for a meeting with the teachers.

"Watch where you're going Young Uraraka, you might get hurt otherwise," he cautioned her.

"Sorry sir," she apologised quickly before trying to move on.

"Hey, is something bothering you?" he asked politely. "You've been spaced out since the incident. At least that's what I've noticed from class."

Ochaco said nothing.

"If something is troubling you, don't hesitate to come to one of us for help. It's what we're here for," he assured her.

Ochaco wasn't sure what to do. Then a thought came to her. 'All Might was there most of the time before the pros arrived, maybe he saw him.'

"Um, All Might during the assault a few days ago did you see a villain dressed in black, wearing a broken helmet and looked as though he had been burned by something?" she asked nervously.

All Might's eyes widened in recognition.

"Yes actually. His name was Deku I think. He was one of the few villains that escaped," he told her.

Ochaco didn't know why but she was relieved at that information.

"Why, did something happen?" he asked noticing her expression.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking up again. "It's like this." And she explained what had happened to her.

"I see," he said surprised. "Well, I'm very relieved that you weren't harmed."

"So am I," she replied. "But that's not what's troubling me. I can't understand why he, a villain, would save me."

All Might gave her a contemplative look.

"I don't understand it either but perhaps it was because he wasn't a completely bad person," he told her.

She stared at him.

"You really think so," she said. All Might nodded.

"Villains vary in personality. Some are pure evil, some aren't," he explained.

Ochaco considered what he had just said and decided to accept it.

"Thanks All Might," she said cheerfully.

"No problem. When in need come to us for help, it is what we are here for," he replied.

"I'd better get going then. I need to prepare for the sports festival," she told him.

"Good luck," he said to her as she turned and headed back to class.

The staff room

Principal Nezu had called a meeting of some of the teachers at UA. In attendance were himself, All Might, Midnight, Blood King and Snipe.

Naomasa Tsukauchi, a detective from the police force was there as well giving a report on the League of Villains. He revealed that there wasn't any information on the villains that escaped.

The teachers discussed Shigaraki's character as well as the Nomu creature. Despite these discussions, All Might was still curious about something.

"Naomasa are you sure you don't have any information on the villain Deku?" All Might asked his friend.

"No," the detective replied. "There are no records on him, no previous appearances, no known crimes. It seems like this was his debut."

"Is something on your mind All Might?" Nezu asked.

All Might stared at the desk.

"It's just that Deku, he was different from all the other villains," he explained.

"In what way?" Midnight asked curiously.

Everyone else there was now curious also.

"It's strange but despite being a villain he didn't seem like one," he told them.

Now everyone was confused.

"It's like this. He beat Bakugo to a pulp but didn't kill him, more like he refused to. He stated he didn't kill and that was one of the conditions he made when he joined their group. More than that he seemed like the reasonable member of the League since he pushed for them to retreat when the odds were seriously stacked against them," he told them.

No one said anything.

"But that's not all," he continued. "I just learned that from Uraraka that when one of the villains attempted to rape her Deku intervened and rescued her before telling her to run."

The teachers and detective were stunned at what they had just learned. The idea of a villain saving one of their students seemed absurd, yet it had happened.

"You're right that doesn't seem like a villain," Blood King stated.

"He still attacked one of the students though so he's still our enemy," Snipe piped up.

"All Might do you have any more information you could give us?" Naomasa asked.

The Symbol of Peace thought hard about his answer.

"His mask was slightly broken so I could see that he had a green eye. Also, from the sound of his voice he seemed around the same age as most of the students," All Might explained.

"Someone that young becoming a villain, that is sad to hear," Nezu lamented. "Although, from your description, he hasn't been a villain for too long. If given the right push, he could become a hero. Though that depends on him really."

Everyone stared at Nezu. A villain turning into a hero was something that very rarely happened. Also, he was saying the exact same thing about Shigaraki a minute ago but realised the naivety of it. With this boy, he seemed to think it was possible.

"Well thanks for that," Naomasa said. "With very little information we need all the help we can get. We don't even know what his quirk is. Though that boy Bakugo thinks it was some sort of strengthening or endurance quirk."

"He could be quirkless you know," Nezu told him.

Everyone stared at him.

"I'll make a note of that," the detective replied uncertainly.

The idea of a quirkless person being able to do this sort of thing seemed absurd. All Might remembered what Nezu had told a few weeks ago about how quirkless people could be on par with those with quirks.

"Perhaps we should consider it a possibility," he told Naomasa. "Quirks aren't everything in this world."

Most were surprised at his statement, Nezu on the other hand was happy that All Might was taking his words to heart.

Naomasa took note of that and left. The next thing the teachers did was discuss the upcoming sports festival. Shortly afterwards the meeting ended.

Later that day

All Might walked to the staff room finished for the day. He was planning on watching the sports festival closely to look for a potential successor.

The meeting from today was still in his mind.

"A quirkless person, could they really have done that?" he wondered.

Since his conversation with Nezu, he started to consider it more. However, part of him still found it difficult to believe, especially considering how powerful Katsuki was compared with most individuals.

"Can someone without a quirk become a hero?"

"I don't think it's possible kid."

All Might stopped.

'That again,' he thought.

Ever since he talked to Nezu he had started thinking more about that boy. He could still remember his voice. How he had admired him. His face when All Might had told him that he could not become a hero. He could have sworn tears were about to erupt from those green eyes of his.

'Green eyes,' All Might suddenly realized.

He remembered that Deku had possessed similar eyes. And his voice. All Might thought very hard about his and the boys.

'They're the same,' he thought horrified.

"He could be quirkless you know." Nezu's words echoed in his ears.

"No don't tell me. That boy couldn't be," he said without realising it.

That boy was Deku.

'Don't tell me I pushed him to that point,' he thought.

He really did not want to believe it.

"What am I going to do?" he wondered. "If he's Deku then that means I'll have to."

He knew he would have to stop him. As a hero and the Symbol of Peace, that was his job.

He thought about it a bit more. That boy had idolised heroes, he was a good person. Deku had saved Uraraka and refused to kill.

"He hasn't been a villain for too long."

Those facts made it seem more realistic. And he was quirkless also.

As he pondered over his options, he decided to keep this to himself.

'Until I have more evidence I can't act,' he thought.

He would have to find that boy first, but how? He didn't even know his name. However, he did know what he looked like.

"The government has a list of people who are quirkless. Maybe I could get Naomasa to show me it," he said to himself.

He needed to find out the truth. If that boy had become a villain, maybe there was still a way to save him.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Next chapter will be set during the Sports Festival Arc. Please review.

Chapter 9: The Sports Festival

Summary:

At Sensei's orders, Deku goes on an undercover mission at the Sports Festival where he gets a better look at the class he attacked.

Meanwhile a surprise awaits him back at the hideout.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku walked along slowly to the Sports Festival, seeing as he had plenty of time before it started.

He wore a black hoodie, trousers and combat boots. He also wore a black face mask to cover his face and red contact lenses so he wouldn't be recognised.

Sometimes when he went out, he would see his mother out searching for him. Whenever he did see her, he always felt a strong sense of guilt for leaving her without an explanation. Occasionally, he got the urge to walk over to her and come back home but always held it back after remembering why he left in the first place. That 'home' of his was part of the very society that rejected him, and he didn't belong there, not anymore.

Besides Inko was safer without him in her life, though he imagined she must be very lonely since his father went off to work in some other country for…reasons when he was a child and had not been heard from since.

'Pull yourself together. You've got a mission to do,' he thought.

Two nights ago, he was given a mission by Sensei to attend the UA Sports Festival and analyse the quirks of the students participating. According to Sensei, they were likely to become future enemies of the League, so it was best to have knowledge on their abilities beforehand, although, Izuku had a feeling they were looking for potential members or at least worthy quirks for Sensei to steal.

Izuku was surprised when he learned what Sensei's quirk was because he had never heard of someone being able to give others quirks before. He was only told about it because he needed to explain about All Might's quirk, which came from him. He didn't go into much detail about it because it would involve explaining his past.

Izuku continued to the festival with his backpack full of notebooks (seven to be precise).

He was going to be recording like crazy.

UA staff room

All Might was sitting alone getting ready for the festival. He would be expected to make an appearance towards the end to present the medals to the victors. This would also be a good chance to look for a successor.

However, his mind was focused on another matter. He had spoken to Naomasa about seeing the list of quirkless people who had promised that he would be able to see it. Surprisingly, the Government didn't place much security around or care who looked at it, which All Might found strange.

Naomasa would be coming next week to talk with him as he still had a lot of work to do. Knowing how busy his job was, All Might didn't mind.

While he didn't want to believe it, he had to consider the possibility that the boy he'd met nearly a year ago was Deku. If he was then it was possible that the boy's dark transformation was his doing, meaning he would need to be the one to fix it.

However, despite his assault on Bakugo, Deku had displayed certain qualities of a hero. That meant that there was still hope.

"I will find out the truth," he swore. "If you are Deku then I will stop you, and I will save you."

UA Sports Festival Stands several hours later

Izuku had been recording what he saw like mad.

Throughout the first and second rounds, he watched as each of the competitors used their quirks and recorded them for analysis. Thanks to the monitors he was able to keep up.

It was the rounds of combat that he watched intently. The competitors that had made it that far were the most skilled and dangerous. Most of the 1A group (not surprisingly Katsuki included) made it to this round.

Izuku knew each of them of course, he had looked at the list from the USJ enough to remember their faces. Some however stood out more than others.

Shoto Todoroki was the son of the infamous hero Endeavor and possessed a quirk that allowed him to manipulate ice. Although from what Izuku had seen he clearly had inherited his father's quirk as well, though he appeared reluctant, more like repulsed, to use it, though he didn't know why.

The other was Tenya Iida. Izuku recognised his family name as the one who embodied the Turbo Hero Ingenium, his quirk only added further proof.

As the battles progressed, Izuku recorded everything he saw, how people used their quirks and their battle styles. He watched Bakugo's first fight with Ochaco Uraraka, who he recognised as the girl he rescued.

'Kacchan's as violent as ever I see,' he thought grimly.

He watched as the girl tried to fight back with her anti-gravity quirk but was ultimately defeated. Seeing the state she was in Izuku couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, as it was the same state he'd been in many times.

The battles went on and on until it was Bakugo vs. Todoroki. At first, Todoroki seemed to have the upper hand with his ice quirk but Katsuki managed to utilise his in a way to win him the match. For some reason, Katsuki was not happy with his victory and started shouting at an unconscious Todoroki. Before things could escalate, Midnight rendered the explosion user unconscious with her quirk.

Izuku was going to leave at the presentation of medals when he noticed the position Katsuki was in. He was chained to the champion's podium where he was struggling violently to get himself free, in Izuku's mind he looked like he was about to go on a murderous rampage.

Unable to restrain himself, Izuku started laughing at his former tormenter's situation.

He also took note that Iida was not there despite having qualified for 3rd place also.

Then All Might arrived with a big entrance and catching the audience's attention and awe. Izuku however felt nothing but contempt towards the Symbol of Peace. This had all stemmed from when he learned about his quirk.

Flashback

"Passed on? What do you mean by that?" Izuku asked confused. "Do you mean by bloodline?"

"That would be the logical idea," Sensei replied. "But no. I mean it's passed on from person to person through DNA."

Izuku was very surprised. He had never heard of anything like this before.

"The quirk originally came from me when I gave it to someone. That person however stood against me and passed it on to a successor to fight against me. The process has continued for several generations. As to why it came from me well my quirk allows me to take and give quirks to and from others," Sensei explained.

"Why are you telling me this? And several generations?" Izuku asked more confused.

He couldn't understand why Sensei would just trust him with this sort of information.

"Considering everything you've done for the League I think you've earned the right to know. Besides the others know as well so there is no point in keeping it from you," he told the boy. "And as for the generation's part. Well, I simply stole a quirk that prevented me from ageing."

As Izuku processed all this information he decided to accept what he was hearing as the truth. Normally he would look for more evidence to see if this were the truth, however, knowing Sensei, he wouldn't joke about something of this scale.

Then another thought came to mind.

"What is All Might's quirk exactly? You called it One for All," Izuku questioned.

"It's a quirk that stockpiles power, granting the user large boosts in strength, speed and agility," the older man explained.

"If he inherited that quirk then what happened to his old one," Izuku asked curiously.

He had not heard of All Might doing anything other than what Sensei described, so it was either he'd lost it or just hadn't shown it yet.

"Nothing," he stated. "A quirk wouldn't be affected by getting a new one. You see Izuku he used to be like you. He was quirkless."

Flashback end

Izuku had been furious when he found out.

'That bastard!' he thought. 'Looking down on me for being quirkless when he used to be just the same.'

He could not believe his childhood idol had the nerve to say those things to him when he used to be in a similar position.

Having amassed enough data for analysis, he took his notebooks and left the stadium.

At the bar

'I wonder if Razor's back,' he thought.

She had been on a job for Sensei since his battle at the USJ and had yet to return.

Kurogiri notified him that she had watched the fight via recording. He had also been told that she would keep her part of the bargain, much to his delight.

Aside from martial arts, he had learned much from his master. Under her tutelage, he had become fluent in French and English (two languages he studied in school) and improved his computer skills by learning how to hack and use various programs.

There were now words to describe how grateful he felt towards her.

Upon reaching the bar, he was met with a disturbing sight.

An armoured assailant lay on top of Tomura holding him down on the floor with a knife in his left shoulder while holding another in his right.

Razor and Kurogiri were just standing there silently observing the scene. Razor was no surprise but Kurogiri, Izuku would have expected him to intervene, especially with Tomura's life in the balance.

The assailant leapt back with a destroyed knife (probably from Tomura's quirk). However, he didn't seem to notice Izuku. Tomura complained about his wounds.

"Welcome back Deku," Kurogiri greeted him. "I trust your mission went well."

Izuku nodded in confirmation.

The assailant turned to face Izuku, having finally become aware of his presence. The assailant had bandanas covering his face, a red scarf and wore a surprised yet intimidating expression.

"What the hell Razor?" he snarled. "You kids join this psycho group."

'He and Razor know each other,' Izuku thought.

"He's my student," she replied simply. "A runaway the League took in. I believe I told you about him Stain."

Stain examined Izuku from head to toe. Izuku felt like the man was judging him, and in a sense he was.

One could only glean so much information about a person just by looking at them, and in Stain's case, he was getting a lot. Going by Razor's words and examining his body he could tell he had been trained thoroughly (and presumably hellishly) however, his eyes told another story. There was something strong, determined, yet sad, and broken.

He was not a fake like the rest of them, however. Of that, he was certain.

Returning his attention to the man child Stain smirked. In spite of his opinion, the visit had not been a total waste.

"You! We are opposites yet we seem to have the same goal. I have seen it in your eyes. They say those at death's door reveal their true colours. Even you have a creed you follow. Like me, you are working to destroy the current society," Stain acknowledged.

Tomura glared hatefully at Stain. He didn't want this man here, or part of the League despite what Sensei or Kurogiri said. As much as he would have loved killing him then and there, he knew it was a stupid move with his current wounds.

As much as he hated Stain and what he stood for, he placed some value on his life and did not want to see it end here.

"Tomura, Kurogiri, he isn't going to join. Your ideals just don't mix. So let it go." Razor ordered.

'Something is wrong here,' Izuku realized. 'Very wrong.'

Razor's behaviour was legitimately scaring him.

Normally she would have full-on attacked a guy like this, yet here she was being reasonable. Additionally, she was smiling, genuinely. Izuku couldn't ever remember her smiling except with sadism.

"Since you're here though I have a favour to ask if you'll follow me?" she asked politely.

The villain grunted and followed her out of the bar.

"Okay, would someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Izuku demanded as he took out one of his regeneration drugs (he always kept a few with him just in case).

He then injected Tomura with it causing the villain to heal quickly. Kurogiri quickly briefed him on the situation.

Stain was the notorious hero-killer who had been eliminating various hero's he came across. Due to his combat experience, they had hoped to recruit him for the League but Stain took an instant disliking to Tomura (a mutual feeling they both shared) saying he's the type he despises most and tried to kill him.

Tomura still pissed about what Stain had said, stormed out to clear his head.

While Izuku understood the situation there was something still bothering him.

"Kurogiri what's up with Razor?" he asked. "She was acting odd. By that I mean she wasn't being violent, wasn't swearing and was smiling in a non-sadistic manner."

"I'm afraid I can't answer. She has some sort of history with Stain, or so she says," he replied honestly. "She didn't go into much detail."

Their conversation was interrupted by the two villains return.

"Well now that that's settled Deku tonight you'll be going out with Stain, and then you'll be spending the entire week with him. This will be a sort of educational experience for you as there are a few things you can learn from him," Razor explained. "Also, you could use a small break from the League."

"HUH!" Izuku and Kurogiri shouted in unison.

"But Razor I-", he started.

"Don't worry there will be no killing. Stain has agreed to put his crusade on hold for a week," she told him.

No one said anything for a minute.

"Razor just what kind of relationship do you have with this guy that he would just agree to it. A few minutes ago, he was ready to kill Shigaraki," Kurogiri asked curiously.

"Stain here's a friend of mine, something I have very few of," she replied nonchalantly.

They couldn't believe what they'd just heard. Razor had friends, actual friends. There was barely anyone she could stand being around.

"You're both wondering how this is possible right. Despite my personality, I am not without friends. Now Stain and I tried to kill each other many times in the past but eventually came to respect each other's skill and became friends through fighting," she explained.

'That's how she makes friends. Through death matches,' Izuku and Kurogiri simultaneously thought.

As much as they wanted to voice their surprise, deep down, they weren't. This was Razor after all.

"I've already gotten permission from Sensei so it's alright Deku," she told him.

"And just how did you get this permission?" Kurogiri interrogated with a slight edge to his voice.

"I asked nicely," Razor replied calmly. 'After six hours of arguing and convincing.'

Kurogiri's eyes narrowed dangerously at Razor. He was amazed she would want Izuku to apprentice with Stain considering what his training might entail or remind him of.

After all, she had argued against him going to the USJ with Sensei. Why was now so different?

Just like before, the tone of the room had shifted. It was not as tense as before but still noticeable.

Izuku wondered if Kurogiri was just worried because of what happened with Tomura. It would make sense since hardly anyone would trust someone who stabbed a colleague of theirs with another.

Izuku gazed at Stain who gazed back. their eyes locking onto each other.

"Don't worry kid. Everything is as Razor put it," he grunted. "I'll see you tonight at around 8."

Knowing he was in no position to refuse Izuku nodded begrudgingly.

"May I know what your quirk is first though? If I'm going to work with you, I'd like to know what you can do. Razor you too, you promised you'd tell me everything," Izuku stated.

"I will. However, you just reminded me of something," she said walking over to him.

Before he could react, Razor flipped and brought her foot down hard on his head. Izuku fell to the ground and just barely prevented his face from colliding with the ground.

"During your fight, you turned your back on the enemy, in doing so you almost died. Make sure it won't happen again you little shit," she scolded.

'And she's back,' Izuku deadpanned.

"As for my quirk," she said while facing Izuku.

Multiple blades of different sizes and shapes emerged from her body, not tearing her clothes.

"I can manifest blades from any part of my body. One of which is sharp and strong enough to cut All Might," she explained.

"Mine is Bloodcurdle which lets me paralyse my enemy by tasting their blood, it varies with blood type though," Stain piped in.

"There, are you happ-" Razor stopped.

Izuku was rambling like an insane person at an asylum. She, and even Stain, found it weird.

"Deku what the fuck are you doing?" she asked.

"Oh, that's right you've never seen Deku in his state," Kurogiri realized. "Whenever he sees a quirk, he starts thinking of its uses, weaknesses and ways to improve it."

"Okay, when he snaps out of this tell him to get some rest for tonight. And send Stain to where he needs to go," Razor told the mist villain before leaving.

"Fine," Kurogiri relented. "But you and I shall be having a serious discussion about this later."

Razor nodded as she turned to leave. She expected this reaction from Kurogiri, so later she would indulge him in some answers. For now, she had work to do.

Kurogiri opened up a portal to Hosu which Stain entered. With a time and place in mind, he began to make preparations for the upcoming week with Deku.

By the time Izuku had finished Razor and Stain were gone and Kurogiri cleaning out some glasses with two cups of hot tea ready.

It was going to be a long week.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? When I thought about Razor's quirk I was going to have her with metallic nails like Lady Deathstrike but later changed my mind. Also, something I need to let you all know, Izuku will not get a quirk in this story. He's reached a point where he's competent enough that he doesn't need one. Anyway, next chapter will be Izuku with Stain. Please review.

Chapter 10: Internship with Stain

Summary:

As ordered by Razor, Izuku goes to study under the Hero-Killer Stain for a week in Hosu.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku wasted no time in getting ready for tonight, and the week in general. His villain suit and mask had been repaired so he would be able to go out without anyone recognising him which was a relief. However, he was still nervous.

Following their encounter, he extensively researched Stain's career as the hero-killer. He discovered he had killed at least seventeen pro heroes and his most recent attack, which was during the festival, was on Ingenium. The turbo hero was not dead, he had been found and taken to hospital where he was currently in critical condition and undergoing treatment. What was strange however were the effects of Stain's murders in which crime rates decreased.

On a side note, he was angry that Razor was unavailable (again) to tell him about herself. Apparently, Sensei had sent her out on another job, or so Kurogiri said. Either that or she was purposely avoiding him, though he somehow doubted it. Razor did not seem like the type to run from her problems.

Izuku packed his taser, grappling hook, some knives, some ice grenades (made by him) and several doses of regeneration drug. Kurogiri provided some cash to last him the week and a phone. He didn't know what he would be up against this week, so it was best to be prepared.

"Well, it's nearly 8. I'd better go and see Kurogiri," he said to himself before exiting the room.

Hosu City

"So, you're here," the hero-killer greeted him. "Good, then we can get started."

"Before we do, I'd like to know exactly what we'll be doing," Izuku replied. "If that's alright."

Stain frowned.

"Well to put it simply I'll be going through knife skills and working on your senses and mobility. I will also be attempting to teach you how to channel your killing intent," Stain explained.

Izuku was slightly surprised. Those were things that Razor could have taught him herself, so why would she want him to learn from this man. Maybe it really was just a way to give him a break from the League. However, he was curious about this killing intent.

"From the look in your eyes I can tell your wondering why Razor isn't going to teach you these things herself," Stain assumed.

Izuku internally cursed. Why was he so easy to read?

"When she said this was an educational experience it wasn't a joke. While you are with me, I shall be teaching you my way of life. The way I see the world," Stain told him.

He then started jumping from wall to wall until he was at the top of a building.

"Follow me," he called out to Izuku.

Seeing no reason to disobey Izuku started to do the same thing but used his grappling hook to bring him the rest of the way. As soon as he'd reached the top Stain motioned him to come over and sit with him on the edge.

"Before we start, I think it would be best if we get to know each other a little first. So go on tell me a bit about yourself," Stain told Izuku.

Izuku hesitated for a moment. Then he decided that if he was going to work with this man, he was going to have to get along with him.

"I'm 15. I lived with my mother until I joined the League. My hobbies are quirk analysis, science and reading. My work for the League involves the first two hobbies. Also, I don't know if Razor told you, but I happen to be quirkless," Izuku told the hero-killler.

Stain didn't appear phased by this.

"I'm 31. My parents died a long time ago. Up until about three years ago, I worked as a vigilante called Stendhal and eliminated criminals until a certain incident changed all of that. My hobbies include martial arts, listening to music and sword collecting. And my primary goal is to rid society of the false heroes who plague and corrupt it," Stain explained. "By the way, Razor did tell me you were quirkless, but I couldn't care less about that. The fact that you do not possess the quirk doesn't mean that you are weak."

Izuku was slightly surprised at this. Most generally saw people like him as weak and worthless, though there were exceptions. However, something Stain had just said caught his attention.

"When you say false heroes, what do you mean?" Izuku asked.

Stain's face contorted into one of contempt.

"What I mean is everyone, except for All Might, who bears the title hero are not heroes at all. All they care about is fame and money and nothing else. Female heroes parade around like sluts to increase their popularity and male heroes display their quirks like they are the most impressive thing in the world garnering attention. The only true hero in this society is All Might, who does not care about any of those things. As such, it is my duty to free this society of all its pretenders and make it a place of true heroes," Stain preached.

Thinking on what Stain just said Izuku couldn't help but agree with him. Most of the heroes were as he said. In fact, it was the reason so many of his classmates, Katsuki included, wanted to become heroes. However, Izuku had mixed feelings about All Might.

"If you're goal is to eliminate all false heroes then why is Ingenium still alive? You don't seem like the sort of person that would leave things to chance," Izuku questioned.

"A vigilante by the name of the Crawler stopped me before I could. He told me that Ingenium was willing to help him master his quirk and even offer him a place at his agency as a sidekick, despite not having a hero license. It was also from him I learned that Ingenium was more interested in saving people, it was the reason why he was interested in taking the man as a sidekick," Stain explained. "Had I known any of this I wouldn't have attacked him the way I did? Unfortunately, there isn't anything I can do about it now."

Stain genuinely regretted crippling Ingenium. He should have investigated him more like the other heroes. He did not want a repeat of…them.

Izuku was stunned. Ingenium sounded like a noble hero compared to most of the others.

"If you are so hung up on heroes then why didn't you ever try to become one?" Izuku asked curiously.

"At one point, I did. When All Might debuted, I was deeply inspired, so I worked hard to become one. However, after I entered a hero school, I started to see how the world truly was. It disgusted me to no end, which lead to my crusade today," Stain told him.

Izuku was starting to see the similarities between him and Stain. He had been the same once until shit happened, and everything went to hell.

"I can relate. I used to look up to All Might and at one point I wanted to be a hero as well. I wanted to do it because I wanted to help people with a smile as he did," Izuku replied.

Stains eyes widened.

"What changed?" he asked curiously. "Razor never told me about your past or why you joined the League?"

Stain really was intrigued by this boy. From the way he spoke about himself Deku seemed like another version of All Might. Strangely enough, Stain could see a bit of himself in the boy. Someone who had dreams and aspirations, only to have them shattered by the deeds of others.

Not really seeing a reason to keep it from him Izuku decided to tell him.

"Since you're curious I may as well tell you. It all started when I discovered I was quirkless," Izuku started.

And so, he told him. How he had been bullied for not having a quirk. How he had so badly wanted to be a hero but was put down every time. His encounter with All Might (though he left out the details of his weakness). How he tried to commit suicide at Katsuki's suggestion, and why he joined the League. He even talked about his training with Razor and how he had gotten revenge on Katsuki.

While he was listening Stain could not help but feel sympathy for Deku. Being quirkless was not a crime, nor was wanting to be a hero. He didn't deserve to suffer for either.

At the same time, he was also furious.

"Assaulting someone without power just to boost their own ego. Great now I have another reason to hate this society," Stain thought. "I swear some these false heroes and those who would become heroes are even bigger villains than most of the villains I've encountered."

He was slightly interested by the encounter with All Might. Despite what he said Stain figured there must have been a specific reason All Might acted the way he did. The Symbol of Peace wasn't the type who looked down on others.

Stain himself had nothing against quirkless people and didn't see why they couldn't become heroes. Sure, he relied on his quirk but most of the time he needed to use hand-to-hand combat to defeat his enemies. Quirkless people could do the same.

Society's view of them was outright pathetic. To make matters worse they were openly discriminated against by not being allowed to attend most hero schools and had a hard time finding employment (due to the preference for quirks that were suited for the job). From Deku's description, it seemed that even in schools they were made a mockery of and excluded from activities.

"Your reasons for becoming a villain are understandable. As for All Might, he may have had a specific reason for acting that way towards you. From everything I have seen of him, he is not the type of person to just look down on someone. He is a true hero who instils those with hope, not despair," Stain told the boy sitting next to him.

Izuku pondered over what Stain had just said. All Might had been quirkless, maybe he had gone through something similar. That would explain why he seemed so hesitant when answering him.

Regardless, he still viewed All Might as a hypocrite.

It did not matter now though; he was a villain, and nothing would change that. Izuku leapt to his feet.

"Whatever the case let's get started. This is a learning experience, or internship if you prefer," he said.

Stain could not help but grin at the boy. He was enthusiastic he'd give him that. He leapt to his feet.

"Alright first I'm going to teach you how to channel killing intent. This might sound like a bad thing, but it can be pretty damn useful," Stain started explaining.

At the bar

It had been an hour since Deku had gone out with Stain. Razor was currently drinking some red wine served by Kurogiri. Tomura was still out trying to cool off after his encounter with Stain.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Kurogiri questioned with a judging tone. "Deku going out with Stain?"

Razor took a sip of her drink and spoke up.

"It will be a good experience for him," she replied.

"Good experience?" Kurogiri repeated. "Given the man's reputation, how do you know he won't?"

"Because I asked him to!" Razor snapped. "This might come as a shock to Shisa, but I trust Stain. I trust him to look after Deku and hold up on my request, more than I do most people. If I didn't then he wouldn't be out there!"

Kurogiri frowned at his surname being invoked.

It meant Razor was serious about this.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" he interrogated. "When he wanted to go to the USJ you argued with AFO for hours before finally giving in. So, why?"

"When I watched the video, I saw he didn't get triggered once. No matter what that explosive fucker threw at him, he maintained level-headed the entire time," Razor explained. "And that's when I thought, if he was fine during that then he could handle a week with Stain."

Kurogiri took a moment to consider this. Razor may have had a point about Izuku's stability, however, Bakugo was not the best example to show it.

"I doubt he would be seeing as how he put up with it for ten years," he pointed out. "He is accustomed to dealing with violence from that boy, among others. I doubt he would be triggered by it. But Stain, his way of life could end up with small flashbacks of."

"OKAY!" Razor yelled. "I see your point. However, I stand by what I said. I know I was stupid to do what I did four months ago, but with Chizome I'm certain. He won't kill anyone, he won't let Izuku fall to any harm, and he won't cause him to remember. I spoke with AFO before this, and he reapplied the process. So, we don't have to worry about him remembering anything, not yet at least."

Kurogiri was (albeit only a little) relieved to hear that information. That meant they were safe for the time being.

It seemed Razor was taking extra precautions with Izuku, not that he blamed her. Despite her attitude, she genuinely cared about Izuku.

"Kurogiri what do you think of Izuku?" Razor asked him in an attempt to change the subject.

The black mist villain was caught off guard by the question.

"I think he's intelligent, loyal, courageous, kind, but also sad. He's passionate about what he does and is not afraid to speak his opinion," he responded. "He looks out for us like family, and we do the same for him. Personally, I think he's the nicest member we've had so far."

"Yes, he is a nice person," Razor said. "And he doesn't belong with the League."

Now Kurogiri was surprised. It seemed that she was showing was the closest to her soft side.

"Is this because of what you saw in the video?" he asked. "Or maybe a few months ago?"

"Both," she responded.

She and Kurogiri watched the video of Izuku's battle with that explosive little bastard. She watched with pride as her student stood his ground and fought using everything, she had taught him.

However, when it came to the part where he saved that girl, Razor saw that despite how much he had changed with the League, deep down he was still a good person. He still possessed morality, much like he had shown a few months ago. Not that she cared, she had a certain degree of morality too, a certain line she would not cross.

"You know, part of me thinks he would be better off as a hero," Razor told him. "He'd be one of the few that are actually in it to help people rather than the usual bullshit reasons."

Kurogiri said nothing. He knew this wasn't the place to be saying those things, yet part of him wanted to agree with her. At one point in his life, he had wanted to become a hero like most. However, 'that' event happened, and he became a villain.

"I can understand where you're coming from. However, at the same time, it isn't possible. Society would never accept someone like him as one of them. I know from experience," he explained to her. "And given everything else that has happened, I don't believe it would be a good idea."

Razor remained silent.

"It was just a thought. Thanks for the drink," she said before walking off.

She had purposely avoided Izuku so that he could prepare for his week with Stain. She would keep her promise though.

She thought a bit more about the type of person Izuku was and who he had been. An idiot that was more interested in helping others than himself. Razor sighed as it made her think of another person, she knew all too well.

"He's just like you used to be Toshinori. Why couldn't you have seen that?"

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? Izuku and Stain are quite similar so I thought they'd go well together.

Next chapter will involve the Nomu and Iida, Todoroki won't appear however. Since he never met Izuku there would have been no reason for him to work with his father. However, someone you won't expect will be turning up, though some of you may never have heard of that person.

As for Kurogiri's backstory, that will be discussed later.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review.

Chapter 11: In the name of the brother

Summary:

Izuku's internship with Stain takes an unexpected turn.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

At an unknown location

"Haha, so that brat Tomura is planning on taking some Nomu to Hosu city," the voice said.

"Yes," Viper confirmed. "He has become jealous of the Hero-Killer and seeks to remove his name from the news. To achieve that he intends to create chaos using these creatures."

The voice giggled.

"And just how many is AFO giving him?" asked the voice.

"Three," Viper informed.

"Perfect. Three is rather small so give him 'that' one as well. This will be the perfect opportunity to do it. Accidents do happen after all," the voice replied sinisterly.

Viper shifted uncomfortably. This man was one of few that could scare her.

"Sir is this really necessary?" Viper asked carefully. "He has contributed so much to the League and has even perfected the enhancement drug as well as others. Is it really necessary to kill him?"

As soon as she had said that Viper felt a sharp pain in her head and dropped to her knees. Gasping for air she stared up at the screen.

"Have you already forgotten who you serve Viper, or do I have to remind you? Why are you even questioning my orders anyway?" the voice demanded.

"No, I have not. However, AFO has grown rather fond of him. I just want to avoid starting an all-out war over the death of something you despise," she explained.

It was the best explanation she could give, rather the only one he would accept. Personally, she had nothing against Deku. When she had hacked his school's system (it was one of her side jobs for the League) she had been impressed with his intelligence, even more so when she saw his quirk analysis abilities. Working alongside him as S1 had moved some of the League's projects faster. Honestly, she found it hard to believe his school had treated him like dirt when he was this gifted.

"Don't worry about him. As long you complete 'that' it should be no problem. Besides with what I've got planned well, even he won't expect it," the voice laughed. "Anyways you've set the Nomu the way I wanted it right?"

"Of course. When it is deployed it will seek out and eliminate its target. In this case Deku," Viper explained.

"Good. And Viper because you want to avoid suspicion so much you can have it kill that quirkless shit quickly. Pretty nice of me don't you think?" the voice said with glee.

Viper nodded. Compared to what he usually did to quirkless people a quick death was rather nice. Nothing more was said between the pair, so she logged off to continue her work.

The man who had been talking to her walked over to the sink to wash his face. When he stared in the mirror, he saw a man with a muscular build like All Might. Short hair (shaved around the sides) and eyes as red as blood. Dressed in a crimson armoured suit, he grinned with malice.

"AFO, your day is coming. The same can be said for all those brats who work for you. And as for that quirkless filth you brought to the League, well, his death will be the first stepping stone to achieving my goal. One more atrocity to add to my list."

With that Atrocity walked out.

Hosu City

"You've definitely gotten the hang of all this," Stain applauded.

It had only been five days since he and Deku's 'internship' began but things were progressing quickly. In a short span of time Deku had learned to focus his senses so they would be even sharper than before and mastered the knife skills he was taught.

As for killing intent, that had been a little harder to work with as he had no desire to kill. To help Stain told him to think about the one that made him suffer so much and what he wanted to do to him, he told him to channel his anger and rage to attribute it as some form of bloodlust. It took a while, but he was finally able to produce some form of it, though not very powerful.

Still, it was better than nothing.

To add to it all his mobility and balance had increased drastically from climbing and parkouring across various buildings.

"You've done enough for today so take a break," Stain told him.

"You sure?" Stain nodded.

Their conversation was cut short however by an assailant's face kicking Stain at high speed.

He was wearing All Might themed clothes (mainly a hoodie), a black mask to cover his face, gloves and goggles.

Stain staggered slightly but regained his balance and readied his sword until he saw who it was.

"Managing to land a hit on me, you've gotten stronger," Stain complimented the assailant. "Still though, I never expected to see you here. Shouldn't you be out with Knuckleduster and Pop-Step patrolling your own area?"

"Don't try and flatter me," the man snarled. "I was just passing by. As for my friends, they can handle things just fine without me."

Izuku had no idea what was going on. Stain clearly knew this man, yet he didn't seem annoyed by the assault. Furthermore, he was not irritated by his appearance, which meant he couldn't have been one of the false heroes Stain hated.

As Izuku inspected him further he noticed how he was crouched down in a crawling position. Given this information, Izuku guessed that this must be that vigilante Stain told him about.

"Um, excuse me," he started attracting the man's attention. "Would you be the Crawler by any chance?"

Suddenly the man moved toward him with such speed and grabbed his hands. It looked as though he were about to cry tears of joy.

"You're absolutely right," he said with joy. "Finally, someone gets my name right."

Izuku looked at Stain who simply shrugged. Crawler changed to a serious expression.

"Wait hold on. If you're with him, is he trying to kill you?" he asked.

"No, I'm sort of on an internship with him for the week learning new fighting skills and how the world works," Izuku explained a little sheepishly.

Crawler was stunned, but that quickly turned into anger.

"What the hell Stain!" he yelled. "I thought you said you didn't involve children in your so-called war."

The hero-killer sighed. "I'm doing this as a favour to a friend of mine. I'm not involving him or anything, I'm just teaching some new things, one of which isn't how to kill. I even put my crusade on hold because I was asked to."

What he didn't mention was that Razor had made him swear not to kill anyone while he was out with Deku. It seemed that of all the things he was she did not want him to become an accomplice to murder. He understood. Once you crossed that line there was no going back, ever.

"Wait so is he a vigilante then. Someone training to be a hero wouldn't work with you?" Crawler said suspiciously.

"No, he's a villain. Not your usual one though, he is mainly an analysis and support one. Kids actually a member of the League," Stain explained. "Though let me tell you now, he is one of the nicer members."

Crawler slowly digested the information. He had heard of the League even before the attack on UA. One of the perks of being a vigilante meant you heard about things heroes normally would not.

Also, he knew Stain well enough to know that he wouldn't just work with villains, the man absolutely despised them. However, if he did have a friend for who he was willing to do this for then it was possible.

"So, wait does that mean you don't kill?" Crawler asked Izuku.

He just wanted to be sure. The boy in black nodded in response. With this, he relaxed. However, he moved towards Stain and punched across the face.

Izuku was surprised that Stain was just letting this happen. He could've easily dodged.

"I'm guessing this is about Ingenium," he mentioned.

"You're damn well right. The guys never gonna be able to walk again thanks to you. His life as a hero is over," Crawler yelled. "You put a good man out of commission. He wasn't even one of those false heroes you hate so much, he was genuine."

There were tears in his eyes now. Izuku felt bad for the man. He remembered how Stain had described Ingenium, rather the Crawler's description. Izuku could tell he looked up to the man a lot. It was the same way he had looked at All Might.

Stain wore the same stoic expression. He was about to speak when they all heard an explosion in the distance. Stain immediately started climbing towards the roof.

Crawler was about to protest when Izuku grabbed him and used his grappling hook to hoist them both to the roof. Climbing up, Izuku could see fire coming from another part of the city. A figure flew out from the smoke, one Izuku recognised.

"Nomu," he whispered.

The other two turned to him.

"You know that thing," Crawler inquired.

"It was a weapon the League created that was supposed to defeat All Might. But some things are not right. That one was defeated. Also, it didn't have wings or grey skin," Izuku explained. "This one must be brand new."

"I bet it's that brat from before," Stain snarled. "Uh, I should have just killed him when I had the chance."

Izuku knew he meant Tomura. Given the man's personality, Izuku wouldn't put it past him to do something like this.

"Maybe we should all get off the roof first so we can work out our next move," Crawler suggested.

Stain leapt to the alley below. Izuku grabbed Crawler and used his grappling hook to bring them both down. Stain ordered them both to wait while he checked things out.

"So, if you know what that thing is do you know how to defeat it?" Crawler asked.

"No sorry. The first time I even saw Nomu was during the USJ Incident, and even then, I didn't know about any of his powers. I was only there to get revenge on someone," Izuku told him.

The Crawlers eyes narrowed at this.

"Revenge?" he questioned.

"The person I fought against, and won, was my childhood bully. He used to beat the crap out of me every day for being quirkless, until that one incident when I finally put him in his place," Izuku said with a bit of pride. "What about you though, Stain said you were a vigilante."

"Well yeah. I work with two others to keep my area safe from threats most heroes and police wouldn't see or deal with. We're considered villains but technically we're heroes," Crawler replied.

For a moment they said nothing.

"You don't seem like a bad person. Just how did you end up becoming a villain?" he asked.

Izuku hesitated for a moment. This man was a stranger whom he had just met. He didn't have any reason to tell him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Crawler apologised after noticing Izuku's discomfort. "I guess that was a bit insensitive. We just met and…why would you tell a guy you just met your life story?"

"Don't forget you kicked my mentor in the face," Izuku reminded him. "And punched him for good measure."

Crawler chuckled. "Fair point. Question just came out of nowhere. Forget I said anything."

Beneath his mask, Izuku pursed his lips. Crawler was not pushing him for answers (much to his relief), however, there was a part of Izuku that wanted him to know. He really didn't have a reason to tell him the whole story, but maybe he could just give a general outline.

"I told you I was bullied for being quirkless. When I was pushed to a certain point where I could no longer take it and tried to end it all. The League saved me and took me in," Izuku told him. "They saw something in me no one else ever had and filled me with hope and reason to live again."

Crawler said nothing. He knew quirkless people did not have an easy life in society. His colleague and master Knuckleduster was quirkless but that never stopped him. He always fought any villains that came his way and even defeated Stain once. Strangely enough, Koichi had never once asked the older man about his daily life, since there had never been much reason to.

"What's your name?" he asked the villain. "You don't have to tell me your real one. I'd just like something to call you."

"It's Deku," Izuku replied. "By the way. Does it seem weird that we're just having a casual conversation while a crisis is going on?"

"Probably but fortunately, there's no one here to judge us," Crawler said.

They both laughed which ceased as soon as they heard yelling a few feet away. They immediately ran to the source only to find Stain standing over a defeated teenager wearing an Ingenium like costume. Stain's sword was covered in blood.

Izuku inspected the teenager's face who was glaring hatefully at Stain. He recognised him as Tenya Iida from class 1A.

"He was a splendid hero who gave me a dream!" Tenya yelled at Stain who returned with a glare.

Izuku and Koichi were confused as to what was going on. Why was Tenya here? Was he looking for Stain?

"I'll kill you!" he roared.

The pair froze at Tenya's words. He had come here to kill Stain.

"Becoming consumed by vengeance for the sake of satisfying your own selfish desires. That is the furthest act from being a hero," Stain scolded.

Not able to stand this any longer Koichi spoke up.

"Stain what the hell is going on? He's just a kid," he asked.

Tenya looked up to see the new arrivals. One was dressed up kinda like All Might, the other dressed in black. There was something familiar about him though.

"He attacked me, what was I supposed to do, just let him kill me?" Stain retorted. "He came after me with the full intent of attaining revenge for my assault on his brother, Ingenium."

"Ingenium," Crawler responded surprised. "You're Tensei's little brother."

Tenya, along with Izuku were surprised. Stain made no change in expression.

"You, you know my brother?" Tenya stammered.

Koichi nodded. "Yeah, I do. He is a good man and an amazing hero. He helped me master my quirk even though I didn't have a hero license." He gazed down at Tenya with a solemn expression. "I truly am sorry about what happened to him."

Tenya didn't speak. Izuku was going over all this in his head. If Crawler knew Ingeniums identity, then they were obviously closer than he thought.

"You should be grateful," Stain piped up. "Crawler here stopped me when I was about to kill your brother and gave me the same rant you were giving me. The only difference was that I actually let him hit me. Well, the second time."

Tenya glared at Stain again.

"Stain would you please leave I'd like to talk with him. Deku you can stay. I need you to help me treat his wounds," Koichi said.

Stain nodded and informed them he would just be in the next alley. Crawler placed Tenya sitting up and motioned for Izuku to come closer to help. He then took out a first aid kit in his pocket.

"Is it just your right arm he got?" Izuku asked.

Tenya nodded as a reply, which was all he needed to hear. He took out one of his regeneration drugs and injected it into his arm causing him to yelp in pain.

"Relax it'll go away in a minute. That'll be faster than treating you," Izuku assured him.

True to his word the wound cleared up as though it had never happened, much to the shock of the other two.

"Well now that that's taken care of, we can talk," Koichi said as he sat across from the boy.

"Tenya," he started. "YOU COMPLETE IDIOT. ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?!"

The two boys were taken back, however, Crawler wasn't done.

"I understand you're upset about your brother but what the hell? Stain has killed multiple pro heroes all by himself and you thought you could beat him alone. What would Tensei say if he could see you now?" he scolded.

Hearing this only angered Tenya further.

"I inherited my brother's name. I'm the one who has to do it," he angrily retorted. "So don't you dare tell me I shouldn't. If you did save my brother then you should know the condition he is in, you should understand."

"I do understand. However, Tensei happens to be my best friend, so I know about the type of person he is. Believe when I say he wouldn't want you to get revenge," Crawler told him. "He loves you more than anything, and one thing he truly wishes for is for you to become a hero. Can you even imagine the state he would be in you just died or killed someone yourself? Are you that selfish?"

Tenya looked away. Izuku couldn't tell if he was ashamed of his actions or not, but he decided it was finally time to speak up.

"I don't know anything about Ingenium but if he is anything like Crawler described, then I doubt he would want this," he said.

Tenya turned to look at him.

"I know you want to be a hero like your brother, but this isn't the right way. Murder is hardly a heroic act no matter how much one might deserve it. If you did manage to kill Stain, which I seriously doubt is possible, what do you think would happen? Hmm. Do you think you would be praised? No, you would be considered a villain and thrown in prison. So let me tell you now, stop before you can't. It won't end well for you if you don't."

Izuku was not sure where his words were coming from because they felt so natural. He had never been fond of killing by anyone, hero or villain.

Through some miraculous means, Izuku's words resonated with Tenya. Tears were beginning to form. Izuku saw a variety of emotions in his face: shame, regret, anger, and sadness.

Crawler pulled him into a hug.

"It's alright. You don't have to hold it in," Koichi assured the boy.

With that Tenya began to cry hysterically. They were right. He knew they were right. What kind of person was he? To suddenly decide on something this severe. He wasn't a hero; he was a fraud. He had no right to call himself Ingenium.

"Brother I'm sorry," he whispered while still crying.

No one said anything. Izuku and Koichi acknowledged that Tenya had a lot going on and needed to sort it out himself. After a few minutes, Tenya stopped crying and stood up and faced the two.

"Thank you and I'm sorry," he said.

"You've got nothing to apologise for," Koichi told him.

"No, you were right. I shouldn't have acted the way I did, it was foolish of me," he admitted and then turned to Deku. "Thank you also. And, out of curiosity, were you involved in the USJ incident. It's just that you look familiar, and I haven't encountered that many villains."

Izuku nodded. Koichi tensed slightly at this fearing how Tenya would react. Surprisingly, Tenya grinned.

"So, you were the one who defeated Bakugo," he realised.

"How do you know about that?" he asked curiously.

He seriously doubted Katsuki would brag about a loss to anyone.

"I heard a report about it. Also, he was swearing "When I find that bastard in black, I'm gonna kill him". He really hates you," Tenya explained.

'If only you knew,' Izuku thought sarcastically.

Their conversation came to an abrupt end when something large came crashing into the ground near to them generating a loud impact.

It was the winged Nomu from before.

"This thing," Tenya recognized. "What's it doing here? I thought the police had captured it."

The Nomu was staring intently at Izuku.

Recognising its target, it moved with great speed and swung its arm at him. Izuku barely dodged as the creature destroyed the wall behind him. He had Stain and Razor's training to thank for that.

Nomu moved to attack him again, only this time he was pushed out of the way by Crawler using his quirk (a mobility one that required him to be on all fours).

'Why is it attacking me?' Izuku wondered. 'Aren't we on the same side?'

Izuku figured it must be on the enhancement drug. However, from the damage, it was doing it was not as powerful as the first one.

It moved to attack him again only to have its leg chopped off by a familiar katana. Stain stood next to Izuku ready to strike again while the leg quickly regenerated.

"You okay Deku?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah. Although, that thing is trying to kill me for some reason," Deku replied.

"Well then, we had better finish it now. All of you get ready, that includes you Ingenium," Stain exclaimed.

Tenya glared at him.

"Just once I'll do this, after that we're back to being enemies," he explained.

Working with Stain was the last thing he wanted right now. However, he also knew just how dangerous Nomu was. His teacher wrapped in bandages and his classmates' descriptions were enough reason to be worried.

If he hoped to live to see another day to rectify his mistakes, he would need to cooperate with him. Luckily, he would not be alone in this endeavour.

'If he is using the drug then it should wear off in ten minutes, it has been at least twenty since this all started,' Izuku thought.

Standing beside each other the vigilantes, the student, and the villain began their fight against the monster before them.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? I bet you didn't expect me to include characters from the spin-off manga. When I read it I couldn't help but wonder if Koichi had some involvement in Ingenium living since he knew both men, also Stain doesn't actually seem like the type to just let someone live to spread his name. Also, what did you think of Atrocity? I've been meaning to introduce him for a while. Next chapter will feature a battle between the four and Nomu. Please review.

Chapter 12: The battle of Hosu

Summary:

The showdown against Nomu begins with destruction following.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Stain threw two knives at Nomu and jumped.

Tenya and Crawler used their quirks to move to opposite sides to flank Nomu.

Deku charged forward with great speed and his grappling hook out at the same time.

"If this thing is after me then it's probably only gonna focus on me," he informed everyone.

True to his word the creature flew up avoiding his grounded opponents and straight towards him with both fists held out straight. Deku flipped sideways to avoid it. There was a loud impact that sent everyone but Stain flying.

The hero-killer came to the ground and attempted to slash Nomu only for it to recover quickly and dodge. It then directed a kick at Stain who moved gracefully to the side and directly next to Nomu. He then impaled the creature straight through the heart with his katana.

Nomu wasn't even remotely fazed as it punched Stain away and moved quickly to grab him, fly up and throw him to the ground where he created a small crater. Stain grunted in pain and tried to get up. Nomu launched itself down to try and finish off Stain However, Crawler was faster as he managed to move Stain out of the way.

'It's strong. We should have about nine minutes until the drug where's off,' Deku thought.

Nomu removed the sword from its stomach and threw it away. Deku watched in horror as the wound regenerated as it had never happened.

"Everyone be careful, this thing has multiple quirks. Regeneration and flight are two, but it may have others," he announced.

Having spotted Deku Nomu moved to attack him with his arm. Deku threw an ice grenade at the ground and moved to the side. Nomu tried to turn but it tripped and skidded across the ice and crashed into a wall.

"Deku let's aim for the head," Tenya called as he rushed forward using his quirk.

"Right," he agreed while running towards Nomu.

The two boys jumped and spun in opposite directions. Deku put all his strength into his left leg. Tenya used his special move 'Recipro Burst' to give him extra speed and power. The two kicks collided with Nomu's head simultaneously. The impact was so powerful it caused blood to burst from Nomu's head.

For a minute it didn't move. Tenya and Deku thought it may have been unconscious. Wanting to be sure they hadn't killed it Deku raised one of its arms and let it drop. There was no reaction. However, Nomu grabbed Deku and slammed him into Tenya and sent them flying back.

Nomu stood up. It began to regenerate its body again but at a slower rate.

"If this thing has multiple quirks, then maybe it's possible that shock absorption is one of them," Crawler stated.

"When did you get so smart?" Stain asked.

"Oh well," Crawler started. "Hey!"

Deku wondered how they could bicker at a time like this. That wasn't what concerned him though. What concerned him was that Nomu was healing at a slower rate than before. Why? The drug couldn't have worn off yet as there should be at least five minutes left.

He examined Nomu further. The head part of it had a brain like pattern and gas mask. Deku had not given it much thought before but what if that brain pattern was its actual brain. Since it had been damaged that was why it was taking so long to recover. Quirks were part of the body, and like every body part, they were controlled by the brain. This was no different.

It was surprising that such weakness was made so obvious. Then again it was also smart since no one would anticipate it.

"Everyone. The brain part of it is its actual brain, that's why the quirks are running slower," Deku announced.

As everyone processed this information Nomu fully recovered. Once it did Stain threw two knives which struck its head perfectly. Rather than attacking Stain it removed the knives first so it could heal.

"Guess that proves your theory," Stain told Deku. "We'd better finish this quickly then. Crawler, get me one my sword or one of those knives. I want to try something."

Crawler didn't question Stain. Dashing forward he grabbed his katana.

Stain then licked the blood off it. At this Nomu froze completely. Stain grinned maliciously.

"It isn't immune to my quirk," he stated. "Let's end this now."

Stain and Crawler moved to attack while Izuku and Tenya recovered. Unfortunately, Nomu flew up to dodge them. Stain couldn't believe his eyes. His quirk had only lasted for ten seconds. Regardless of blood type, it should have lasted much longer. Nomu attacked Stain again, but the latter dodged by jumping backward side to side against the walls.

Crawler was not so lucky. Nomu managed to successfully smash into him and pinned him to the ground. Crawler coughed up blood. Nomu was about to finish the man off when Stain threw two daggers at it. Nomu blocked them with its arms and threw them on the ground next to Crawler. Its attention had changed to the larger threat.

"That regeneration must be shortening the time my quirk works for," Stain growled in anger. "However, if given the right moment it may be just what we need to win. Deku get ready. You and I are going to do 'that' move."

Deku's eyes widened. He knew what move he was talking about. Stain only taught it to him recently, so he had practised very little with it.

"Here we go," Stain yelled as he charged at Nomu.

Not having much choice Deku charged at the monster. The latter did the same. Deku took out a knife and his taser.

"This is a sort of fake-out move that can only work when you've got at least two weapons. Though there is rarely ever a time when it's used. It can be pretty effective if you wanna blind an opponent and then take them down."

It had taken a while for Deku to get the hang of it but eventually, he managed.

He first threw his knife at the monster's head. Nomu instinctively brought up left its arm to protect itself, temporarily blinding it. It was then Deku moved at max speed so that he was directly in front of Nomu. Using his taser he jammed it straight in Nomu's face and electrocuted him. The shock absorption was the only thing stopping its head from exploding. Nomu staggered slightly and swung its arm. Deku however used his grappling hook to soar up.

"How do you like it?" he shouted.

Stain, who had gotten behind Nomu, sliced off its legs, causing to fall flat on its stomach. Before it could react, Crawler (who looked like he was about to collapse from pain), had two of Stains daggers moved toward it at incredible speed.

"Improvise Special Move: Slip Slide Slice," he shouted as he slid over Nomu and sliced off both its arms simultaneously.

Nomu looked helpless. However, it still had its wings which it used to fly up. Unfortunately, Stain wasn't having it. Licking the blood off his sword, Nomu became paralysed mid-air.

As it started to fall Deku released his grappling hook and dived straight toward it while pulling his fist back to punch it. Tenya who had recovered from using his special move had a similar idea and used his quirk to leap into the sky.

"Recipro Extend," he shouted as the engines in his calves accelerated even more.

Deku put every last ounce of strength he had into his right fist as Tenya did with his right knee. Their blows collided with Nomu's head causing even more blood to spill.

The impact though broke Deku's hand and he and Tenya fell to the ground along with Nomu. Crawler pulled Tenya out of the way and Stain caught Deku.

Once Nomu crashed to the ground Stain wasted no time in cutting off its wings. Nomu lay motionless. It started to regenerate but stopped after a few seconds.

'The drugs aftereffects must have kicked in,' Deku realised.

When he realised this, he knew. It was over. They had won.

"Guys, we won," Deku announced. "Trust me. This thing is definitely down for the count."

He left out the part of the drug as that was League business. He didn't even want to think about what would happen to him (or his mother) if he just casually told people about it. His past was fine as long as he didn't reveal too much.

While the other two were convinced Stain kept up his guard just in case. Deku couldn't blame him though.

On a side note, they each had different injuries. Tenya's leg was sprained and out of commission from using his quirk.

Crawler's body was sore all over, he could have sworn some of his ribs and internal organs had been damaged.

Stains body was hurt from being thrown down but nothing more.

Deku's right arm had problems also. The impact from Tenya's special move had broken his hand and burst several blood vessels in his arm causing him to feel immense pain.

Fortunately, he still had some regeneration drug left over. The only reason they hadn't gotten smashed during the battle was because of the container they were kept in.

Taking out the medicine Deku injected himself first. He felt a sharp pain in his arm as it fully regenerated. After he was healed, he moved to do the same to the others. After a few minutes, they all appeared as though they hadn't been hurt in the first place.

"Hey um, so what are we gonna do about that?" Crawler asked while pointing at Nomu.

"We should leave for the 'law enforcers'," Stain stated. "If not, I will finish it off."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Tenya interjected who had his phone out. "I can notify the heroes. It seems their battle is over now. Someone has been broadcasting it live, whether it's the news or some crazy fan I don't know."

"If that's the case then the three of us should probably leave. We aren't heroes and Stain is a notorious serial killer so things might get worse if we stick around," Crawler informed. "By the way Tenya how are you going to explain your absence to your superiors? I mean the fact that you're here all dressed must mean that you're on an internship with someone. There's no way your absence at UA would go unnoticed."

Tenya said nothing.

"Iida what are you going to do?" Deku asked. "What are you going to tell them?"

Tenya waited about a minute or so speaking again. He decided to be honest with them.

"I'm going to tell them the truth about what happened," he stated. "All of it."

"Won't you get in trouble for that?" Deku asked.

"Oh, I will, a lot actually," he sighed. "But there's something I need to say to Stain first."

The Hero-Killer shifted slightly in response. Tenya turned to face him.

"You attacked my brother and I despise you for it, regardless of what happened here that hasn't changed. However, you were right about me. What I attempted was the furthest act from being a hero. Crawler and Deku, you both helped me realise that and I am grateful. However, it's because of those things that I need to tell the truth," Tenya explained. "That's why, until I become a true hero, one worthy of the name Ingenium, I will accept the consequences of my actions. This will be my first step."

No one said anything.

Crawler was looking proud of Tenya.

Deku was grinning beneath his mask.

'He's learning. Willing to learn from his mistakes and try become a true hero,' Stain thought. 'Maybe there's hope for this false society after all.'

"I still intend to catch you one day," Tenya declared.

"I look forward to it," Stain replied. "Stray from the path you are on however and I'll add you to my list."

"Ok guys we just survived death. Let's not ruin it by threatening each other," Crawler intervened.

Tenya then turned to Deku.

"Thanks especially for the advice you gave me. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't have realised my flaws," he told him.

"There's no need to thank me. Remember I'm still a villain who attacked you and your classmates," Deku retorted.

"Still though thanks," Tenya said. "And it was just Bakugo so don't worry about it. If anything, his defeat at your hands had some good impacts."

Deku was surprised.

"He doesn't underestimate his opponents now and he's willing to respect those who actually challenge him, even remembering their names," Tenya explained. "He's still foul-mouthed and looks down on others but he's improving."

"So basically, what you are saying is that he's slightly less of a dick than he was before," Deku translated.

Tenya nodded. When he did Deku couldn't help but laugh at how direct and honest he was about this. Tenya and Crawler joined in, but Stain remained silent.

On top of a building

Tomura was pissed as hell. Not only had the Nomu's been defeated but one had flown off left the scene. It completely ignored his orders and went off the moment he arrived. He heard sounds of impact a few streets away but couldn't see who it was fighting.

"So, are you satisfied Tomura Shigaraki?" Kurogiri asked.

"You'll know tomorrow when we see the news if we are on the front page," he stated furiously. "What about that Nomu though. Don't you think its behaviour was odd?"

"Yes actually. It looked as though it was searching for someone. Maybe there were a few flaws Viper didn't know about when it was conditioned," Kurogiri suggested as he opened up a warp to the hideout. "Let's ask Sensei when we get back."

Tomura grunted in annoyance and followed him. He wasn't the only one pissed off about what had happened.

At the exact same time, a bee that had been observing the fight returned to its host. A girl who was a student and part-time villain at the same time.

"Atrocity is gonna be pissed about this," she said. "I didn't expect a student or that vigilante to be here. Seriously first he stops the distribution of 'Trigger' and now this, it's like he's stalking me. Well anyway, I'd better get back. May as well get this report over and done with."

And with that Kuin Hachisuka headed off.

Back with the others

Tenya said goodbye to the three and headed to where Manual was. Boy, was he going to get it!? Still, if he wanted to be a hero being honest was the first step.

Crawler had said he'd be checking in on his brother so he would see him soon. Stain and Deku left to continue their 'internship'. Despite what he felt about Stain he had to admit he liked Deku. If he wasn't a villain there may have been a chance, they could be friends.

"Tenya where were you?" Manual shouted while running towards him. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Tenya bowed his head in shame.

"I'm sorry. I betrayed your trust," he said.

Manual was taken off guard by this, though this was also because of the way Endeavor had been fighting. He was angrier and more brutal than normal.

"Tenya, what did you do?" he asked despite already knowing the answer, he knew it was why Tenya had become an intern at his agency.

"This what happened," he started while still bowing his head.

The next day

The aftermath of the attack on Hosu had been rather quiet. The situation was different for each person though.

Koichi had stayed the night with Izuku and Stain in an abandoned apartment block which surprisingly wasn't all that bad. He was getting ready to leave but still had something to do first. It was something he had to say with Deku.

"Hey Deku, I was just leaving but I wanted to give you something," he said while holding out a card.

It was his phone number and address. Deku took the card and stared at it. He then looked at Koichi.

"I know you're a villain right now but, if you ever want to stop and be a hero, well a vigilante really, then why not join my team. It would be great to have you there. You'd be the youngest though," he said.

He was surprised when he had seen the boy's face, he couldn't have been much older than fifteen. Additionally, he had seen what type of person Deku was. He wasn't a villain, he was good, and Koichi couldn't help but feel that he would be better off as a hero.

Stain who was eavesdropping on their conversation had been having similar thoughts throughout the week. In his mind, Izuku seemed like someone who could be a true hero. However, at the same time, he knew that he had been hurt by society one too many times to want it now. That League regardless of how pathetic it was had saved him from the depths of despair. There was no going back for him.

"Thanks for the offer but I'm happy where I am," he said while accepting the card. "I'll let you know if I change my mind though."

Koichi was somewhat saddened by this but accepted his answer. He then said his goodbyes and left. He was going to have quite a story to tell his comrades when got back.

Stain was still tired after last night's ordeal and told Izuku that they would train later. He needed to talk with Razor about this. Fortunately, Izuku made no complaints and went back to sleep.

Tenya was in the hospital for a check on his health.

Last night after he told his story Manual harshly berated him for acting out of revenge. However, after that, he hugged him tightly and told him he was relieved he was not harmed.

An hour later Tenya was questioned by the police about Stain and those with him. He told them everything he knew about their quirks and their battle with Nomu. He felt like he was betraying them but knew he had to tell the truth.

Following this, the police let him go. They released the story out to the public but excluded Tenya. Due to his information, he had been pardoned, however, would still be punished by UA who had been informed about the incident. The story was bigger than the Nomu's the heroes fought.

Tenya was not looking forward to facing Aizawa but knew he had to face the consequences of his actions. Manual would be here shortly also to pick him up to go out on patrol. However, he made it clear that he would be keeping a closer watch on Tenya this time.

However, the information he had provided did catch the interest of Naomasa. Knowing that All Might was interested in Deku he decided to take it to him. He had something he needed to talk about with him anyway, along with the list of quirkless people he requested to see.

On a side note, Naomasa was curious as to why Nomu was after Deku (according to Tenya). He was a member of the League, wasn't he? If so, why was he suddenly a target? Had he betrayed them? Those were questions he needed to find the answers to.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you all think of that? I hoped you liked the fight scene, it was surprisingly easy to write out. Anyway the next chapter will see Izuku return to the League and will mainly feature All Might and Naomasa. Please review.

Chapter 13: A talk with Inko

Summary:

In an effort to learn more about Midoriya, All Might resolves to meet with his mother, Inko.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The last two days of his internship with Stain had gone by quickly. They trained constantly but did so while hiding. The police knew Stain was in Hosu so they were on high alert.

Their battle with Nomu was all over the news (though Tenya had been left out of it). Neither of them was mad at Tenya though since he was following through on his decision.

The time had come for Izuku to finally return to the League. He and Stain arrived at the location where Kurogiri was supposed to pick him up in a few minutes. Before he did, Izuku and Stain had some things to say to each other.

Facing Stain Izuku bowed his head. "Thank you, for everything. I learned a lot from you this past week and for that, I am truly grateful."

"It's no problem. I actually enjoyed training you," Stain admitted. "It was refreshing from my usual line of work."

Izuku laughed.

"Razor trained you well," Stain continued. "Languages, different fighting styles and pain endurance."

While he was right there were other things Razor had taught him, he did not want to discuss them.

The two men said nothing for a moment. Awkward as they might have been at the start, they ended up enjoying their week together (brush with death aside). Stain saw a lot of himself in the boy and the latter felt the same.

"If you don't mind me asking what's your name, your real name that is?" Stain asked.

"Izuku. Izuku Midoriya," the boy replied.

"Mine's Chizome Akaguro," Stain informed him.

No one said anything, but at that moment the two men had established deep respect for each other. Before they could continue talking however a black mist appeared behind them and Kurogiri emerged to greet them. With his arrival, Izuku and Chizome said their final goodbyes.

"Farewell Deku. I hope that the path you walk will give you the happiness you seek," Chizome said.

"Goodbye Stain. Thanks for everything and good luck with your crusade," Izuku replied as he disappeared into the mist.

At the bar

Razor was away on another job for Sensei, but for once, Izuku did not care. Not when he had something more important to ask.

"Shigaraki, Kurogiri, were either of you in Hosu a few days ago with a couple of Nomu?" he asked.

"We were," Kurogiri confirmed.

"I was going to use them to cause such destruction that everyone would forget about the hero-killer. However, two of them were beaten and one flew off," Tomura raged. "And in the end, it wasn't the top story in the news. He was. Him, you and some vigilante defeating Nomu received full attention."

Izuku was beginning to see that Tomura was a childish individual that was just desperate for attention.

"Speaking of which why did you fight against Nomu anyway?" Tomura asked while glaring at Izuku. "Aren't you supposed to be our side?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Next time one of them comes to kill me, I'll just let it so you can soak up all the attention," Izuku bitterly retorted.

His response earned him shocked reactions from his co-workers.

"What do mean it was trying to kill you?" Kurogiri asked. "Even if it attacked you how do you know you were its target?"

"Well, it's like this," Izuku started.

And so, he explained the entire event. How Nomu attacked him. How it rarely changed target unless threatened by another individual. Throughout the explanation, Kurogiri and Tomura remained silent, never interrupting once.

They remembered how the Nomu just took off suddenly and started flying around like it was looking for something. Sensei had told them that Viper couldn't find the reason why it acted the way it did since it had been functioning properly before. If it was trying to kill Izuku then it must have been under orders from someone else.

Fortunately, they didn't need to narrow down a list of suspects. There was someone in the League who hated the quirkless, and this would have been the perfect chance to get rid of him. How Atrocity had done this, well that was something to take up with Sensei.

"Izuku you've had an eventful week. Why don't you rest for the day?" Kurogiri suggested. "I'll let Sensei know."

Izuku was overwhelmed with relief. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, so he left the bar to get some sleep. As soon as he was gone Tomura and Kurogiri started talking again.

"You think Atrocity did this?" Tomura offered.

"Who else could have done this?" Kurogiri replied. "Whatever the case, I'm going to let Sensei know."

Kurogiri left. Tomura shortly followed afterwards. If Atrocity had done this then he was also the reason he hadn't gotten much attention. It really pissed him off.

Later that day at the UA staff room

AM and Naomasa had just finished talking about the Nomu from the USJ Incident. While the part about him having multiple quirks from at least four different people was surprising Naomasa also mentioned that there was some sort of lingering substance inside him that affected his body. Though they still were not sure what it was.

AM was furious, however. The fact that Nomu had been given multiple quirks meant that this was the work of someone who could transfer quirks.

"That man. He's back," he whispered furiously.

AFO had returned. There was no other explanation. And he was leading the League of Villains. Sensing his friend's agitation Naomasa spoke up.

"That Nomu aside. I have something else to tell you about," he said. "Did you hear about the attack on Hosu a few days ago?"

"Briefly, I have been busy with work, so I haven't been watching the news much. From what I did hear it involved several Nomu and the hero-killer," All Might replied. "Why did something else happen there?"

"It seems Deku was present also. He was fighting with the hero-killer, a vigilante and a student here against one Nomu," Naomasa explained.

That definitely caught All Might's attention. He had been thinking a lot about how Deku and that boy may have been one in the same. But why was he fighting against Nomu? They were both members of the League, weren't they?

"According to the testimony we received it seems as though Nomu was trying to kill Deku. As to why I don't know. He could have betrayed them or someone within it could be out to kill him," Naomasa explained while AM remained silent. "On a side note. You wanted to see that list of quirkless people well here it is."

AM took the list and quickly scanned through faces until he finally came across a familiar face.

Izuku Midoriya, so that was his name. His eyes were as he remembered them, green, just like Deku's. His age also matched the way his voice sounded.

"This boy," he said.

"You think he's Deku don't you?" Naomasa asked causing AM to look up at him in surprise. "I'm a detective. When you requested to see this list after discussing the possibility that he may have been quirkless it wasn't hard to figure out."

AM nodded. Naomasa glanced at the picture and his eyes widened in recognition.

"Izuku Midoriya. I know him there have been reports about him since he went missing last year," he explained.

"Missing!" All Might repeated. "What happened?"

"It was about a year ago. According to his mother, he went out for a walk late at night and never came back," Naomasa explained while AM listened intently. "She didn't think much of it at first but when she went to the school the next day to talk to the principal about her son only to discover that he hadn't shown up. Later she called the police, and the search began. We questioned his classmates and teachers at the time, but no one had any information they could give us. Other than them he had no known associates."

Toshinori gulped. A year ago, that was about when he had encountered him.

"Hey um this may sound strange to ask but when exactly did he disappear?" he asked nervously.

"Actually, it was the day of the sludge villain incident," Naomasa replied.

Toshinori's eyes widened in horror.

'If he disappeared on that day, then that means I, I did more than just destroy his dream,' he thought terrified.

"Why? Do you know something I don't?" Naomasa enquired noticing his expression.

Toshinori hesitated before answering. He hoped Naomasa wouldn't react badly to what transpired between him and young Midoriya. The man was quirkless himself.

"I met him that day," AM started. "And I destroyed his dream of being a hero."

Toshinori explained about his encounter with Izuku. He even recited their conversation as though it were happening again. Naomasa said nothing.

"I'm not offended Toshinori," he replied honestly. "You were just speaking from personal experience. Also, you aren't wrong."

Toshinori was relieved Naomasa wasn't offended but he still had something else to say.

"Originally, I believed that," he admitted. "However, after a talk with Nezu, my views have somewhat changed."

Somewhat, not completely. Toshinori was more open-minded to the idea, but at the same time, still held some doubts.

Naomasa stared at Toshinori for a moment before smiling.

"Thank you," Naomasa replied. "But that's not important right now. Finding out if that boy is Deku is."

He then stood up and took out his phone to check something.

"Izuku's mother will be stopping by the police station in about an hour or so. She visits at least once a week to check in on our progress. If you want to know more about him then I suggest you come with me. As Toshinori Yagi," he explained.

Toshinori simply nodded and stood up. He texted Nezu to let him know he would be busy for the afternoon and would finish whatever work he had tomorrow.

He could not afford to pass up this opportunity. He needed to be sure that Izuku was in fact Deku and speaking with the boy's mother was the only way.

At the police station

Inko was sitting in a room all by herself waiting. She was quite tired. Every day she went out looking for her son with no success. Whether he was in the city or the country she didn't know. Whatever the case was it seemed Izuku didn't want to be found.

Since his disappearance, a lot had changed for her. Her routine, her social life, and her appearance (she had lost quite a bit of weight and looked exactly like she did ten years ago).

And here she was today for another report on the search for her son. While she was annoyed with the police, she understood that they did not have much evidence to go on. There were no witnesses, no sightings, no clues as to what he had done that night. There had been no sightings of him either.

Her thoughts were interrupted by two men, a thin blonde man, and a dark-haired man, who came in and greeted her. Then came the report where there were still no leads much to her frustration. She was about to get up and leave when the blonde man started to speak.

"Mrs Midoriya if you don't mind me asking," Toshinori started. "Could you maybe tell me why your son went missing? It's just that I'm new to this case."

Inko eyed the man suspiciously. If he was new, shouldn't he have received a report about it? She had given a testimony after all.

'I don't know where this is coming from but if he wants to know I may as well tell him,' Inko relented.

"If you really want to know I'll have to start from his childhood," she stated.

Toshinori nodded in understanding.

"As a child, Izuku was quite happy and got along with other kids. Like most children his age, he looked up to heroes. All Might being his favourite. He had action figures and posters of the man," Inko told him. "He even watched that video of his debut a lot. I think that is what inspired him to become a hero."

Toshinori tensed. He suspected the boy had admired him when he encountered him, but he did not think it was to that level.

"The trouble started when he was outed as quirkless," Inko continued. "The doctor told him he couldn't become a hero and to give up on it, which of course he didn't. Unfortunately, things only got worse from there on out. When word got out, his classmates started to bully him because of it. Katsuki Bakugo, you might know him from the sports festival, used to be Izuku's friend until he was established as quirkless. After that, he started to use his quirk to torment him."

Toshinori froze at this statement. Bakugo and Midoriya knew each other. What is more, Bakugo bullied him; he could not believe it. Toshinori knew the boy could be aggressive, but he never thought he would bully another person.

He reflected on the conversation Deku had with Kurogiri at the USJ. He had known exactly what Bakugo's quirk was when the other students mentioned the villains didn't know what their quirks were.

'Does that mean he was there that day to get revenge on Bakugo?' Toshinori wondered. 'If what Mrs Midoriya says is true then it does seem likely.'

"Every day he would come home with new bruises or burns," Inko continued. "However, he always made some silly excuse like he fell over. I didn't say anything because I knew it would upset him and he'd deny it. However, I should have done something sooner. He was in pain, and I did nothing."

She was really getting emotional now.

After much reflection, she realized she should have done something much sooner. It didn't matter how upset Izuku got because of her decision. Doing nothing was far worse.

"What about his father?" Naomasa interjected. "I read that he no longer lives with you."

Inko's face became even sadder at the mention of her husband.

"Hisashi moved off to some other country shortly after it was revealed that Izuku was quirkless," she informed them. "Apparently, he had been suffering ridicule at work for his son's status, something which he and I endlessly argued about. He said he couldn't stand it anymore and said he was leaving. I know he doesn't hate Izuku, but I don't think he could stand the fact that his son was quirkless. He still sends money overseas to support us but that's it, other than that we've had no contact with him."

Since Hisashi left he hadn't been involved in Izuku's life at all. It was the reason why they normally told people he left after Izuku was born to work in another country. It was better than the real reason though.

Even now, she could visibly remember the day he left them. The two of them were having the worst in the history of their marriage. It escalated into full-on shouting which ended in him leaving.

Toshinori was beyond shocked. He knew quirkless people were looked down on, but he never believed it was bad to the point where someone would abandon their own child. The prejudice had gotten much worse since his day.

"What about his high school years?" he asked nervously/desperately.

It couldn't get any worse, could it?

Inko sighed. There were tears running down her face now.

"They were even worse. He had no friends because he was quirkless, and possibly due to Katsuki who was in the same class as him. He continued to bully him, and others joined in. They all made fun of him for wanting to be a hero," she told them. "He was such a kind boy who wanted to become a hero so he could help others, and nothing anyone said or did could deter him."

Toshinori didn't know how to respond. The description of Izuku's life he was receiving was horrific, to say the least. Yet at the same time, from the way Inko described him, he sounded much like Nana Shimura, his predecessor. In essence, he was the sort of person he would have wanted as a successor.

"Mrs Midoriya this may seem strange to ask but does the name 'Deku' mean anything to you?" he asked.

Inko stared at him confused for a moment before suddenly remembering.

"Actually yes. It was a nickname Katsuki gave my son from the Kanji of his name. It's supposed to mean worthless though," she told them.

Toshinori's blood froze. In that moment, his worst fears about Deku were confirmed. There was no denying it now. He and that boy, Izuku Midoriya, were one in the same.

"Why does that matter though?" Inko asked. "Where did you even hear that name?"

That was a nickname he was given; it wasn't his real one. There was no real way the police could know it.

"It's something Naomasa read from the interviews conducted with his school," Toshinori lied. "I believe Bakugo was the one who said it."

Naomasa looked at him surprised. All Might took no notice of it though. He didn't know why, but in that instant, every fibre of his body told him to lie. Part of him just couldn't tell Mrs Midoriya that her son might be a villain.

Fortunately, Inko's suspicions were not aroused. To her that sounded like something, Katsuki would say.

"The day he disappeared," she continued. "I don't know what happened, but it was clear that he had reached his limit. He came home acting like nothing had happened like everything was okay. Later at 10.30, he said he was going out for a walk and that he would let himself back in. It was then that he hugged me and thanked me for everything. He told me he loved me for it and left. That was the last time I ever saw him."

Tears were streaming down her face now. She had been holding this in for so long she couldn't take it anymore. Naomasa handed her some tissues which she took.

Toshinori was too shocked to speak. He didn't even know what to say at this point. All he could feel was a mixture of sadness, guilt, and shame.

'He was hanging off a cliff of hope,' he thought. 'And I pushed him over the edge and into the abyss. He needed assurance, but I gave him despair. What kind of hero am I?'

Inko stood up ready to leave. She had wiped away her tears and stopped crying. She then bowed to the men in front of her.

"Thank you for listening," she told them. "It's been a long time since I opened up to anyone about this."

"Thank You for telling us," Naomasa replied.

"Please," Inko begged them. "Find my son. Bring him back to me."

Naomasa nodded and said, "We will I promise."

It was then that Inko left, and it was just the two men.

"Why did you lie to her?" Naomasa asked. "If we ever do catch Deku she'll find out then."

"I know but, until that happens, until this is resolved, this has to stay between us," Toshinori stated. "I caused this, so I need to be the one to fix it. So please, for the time being, just keep quiet about this."

Naomasa looked at him in disbelief. He could tell Toshinori wanted to save this boy but with the hole he had dug himself in there may be no way to save him.

The only things he had going for him were saving that student from being raped and stopping a Nomu.

However, he had still attacked UA, worked with known criminals and committed an act of vigilantism. Basically, he was still a villain.

"I will let you try but don't expect things to go your way," Naomasa told him. "At the very least inform Nezu. He can be trusted."

Toshinori nodded.

Regardless of what anyone said he had caused this, so it was his duty to solve it. it wasn't just that he wanted to save Izuku, he needed to save him. Now more than ever.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? The next chapter will feature some Class 1A in the aftermath of their internships. Please review.

Chapter 14: Internship Aftermath

Summary:

The aftermath of the UA internships affects different students in different ways.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

A week passed since the incident at Hosu and the students of UA were settling back in while preparing for exams.

However, things were not the same for three students.

Ochaco Uraraka

Ochaco sighed as she walked along. The day had finished, and she was just about to go home, but first, she wanted to check in on Iida, who had been in detention since he returned.

According to Mr Aizawa, he had crossed a certain line during his internship and was currently receiving punishment for it. The entire class found this incredibly strange because Iida was the type to follow all rules, not break them.

The worst part of all, he wasn't even allowed to tell them what he did much to their annoyance.

Iida aside something else had been on her mind. It was the villain who had saved her during the USJ incident, Deku. She had seen the news; he had been in Hosu fighting against the Nomu alongside the hero-killer and some vigilante called the 'Hauler'.

She had forgotten about him during the Sports Festival, but during her internship, he had slowly returned to her thoughts and distracted her.

Her behaviour did not go unnoticed. Gunhead, the hero she interned with, asked if she was worried about a friend of hers. She denied it of course but then he asked an even more awkward question. "Is it a boy you like?"

'Why did he have to go and ask something like that?' she thought frustrated.

She denied it, of course, however, she only did so after a few seconds and rather franticly while blushing. She didn't like Deku, not that way. They only met once for crying out loud.

However, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Last night she actually dreamt about him.

Her friends were gone, she was all alone surrounded by villains who were going to kill her. She was terrified. One of the villains moved to kick her and that's when he showed up.

Deku entered by delivering a flying side kick to his face. He then proceeded to beat up every other villain there until they were all down for the count. He then moved towards her and picked her up and started to carry her in a princess-like fashion. She didn't know how to respond. He looked at her and said, "Are you alright?" She blushed heavily and struggled to answer.

That's when she woke up, still blushing.

'Do I like him?' she wondered.

Honestly, she didn't know how she felt about Deku, but she knew she didn't hate him. He was a villain sure but, part of her could see good in him, or at least she wanted to.

While walking she suddenly remembered where she was going and snapped back to reality.

"Come on focus," she told herself. "You're here to check on your friend."

Tenya Iida

Tenya was currently cleaning Power Loader's workshop where a lot of the Support Couse (including that infuriating girl Mei Hatsume) built their inventions. The entire room was soundproof so students could build new things without disrupting anyone. Naturally, there were a lot of work tools lying around so he had a lot of cleaning to do.

Tenya didn't mind. After what he did during his internship, he deserved it. While the remainder of it had gone smoothly his return to school the next day had not been pleasant.

Nezu and Aizawa berated him for his foolish actions and sentenced him to cleaning duty as detention. Aizawa was furious with him and informed him that he would be doing this for a month (barring weekends as he would need to catch up on homework and study), though Tenya considered this rather merciful since he wasn't being expelled or suspended. And so here he was cleaning the workshop on his first evening, afterwards, he was off to clean the toilets.

'I wonder what they're all doing right now,' he thought.

He was of course referring to Deku and Stain. Koichi (Crawler), he knew was back with his own team. They had met during a visit to his brother who was asleep at the time. Tenya figured out who he was but said nothing.

While he was committed to being a better and more honest hero, he did not see the problem with certain people trying to help others, even if they were vigilantes. That was one thing he had learned during his encounter with them. And hey, who was he to judge. After the stunt, he had pulled.

Koichi aside Tenya had often wondered about Stain and Deku as there had been no news of them. Stain appeared to be laying low for the moment as there had been no reports of hero deaths. Deku had also made no appearances recently, though he hadn't made many before. Despite his villain status, Tenya was hoping he wouldn't get caught. He had helped him get back on the right track to being a true hero after all.

"Hey Iida, just thought I'd check-in and see how you're doing," Ochaco said.

"Thanks, Uraraka really," he replied. "There's not much to see though."

The brunette giggled.

"Aw don't be like that. I was just concerned," Ochaco said. "Still though, I can't believe you have detention. Just what did you do during your internship?"

Tenya shot her a look.

"You know I'm forbidden from speaking about that so please don't ask me," he told her. "Besides, I'd rather not get into any more trouble."

This caused Ochaco to pout a bit. She should have known that Iida wouldn't just tell her. While she had come to check on him, she was also curious about something, and she wasn't about to give up now.

"Was it something to do with the hero-killer?" she asked.

Tenya froze. It had been the most logical answer. She knew about his brother, she knew it had happened in Hosu, so she must have figured out why he interned there.

Tenya mentally cursed himself.

'Don't say another word. No point digging yourself in further when you've already gotten in far enough,' he ordered himself.

"Look Iida I understand if you don't want to talk about it but," Ochaco started. "Could you at least tell me if you saw Deku? He's the villain who defeated Bakugo."

Tenya gave no response, fearing that he would give away information. Still though, now he was curious. What did Uraraka want with Deku?

"If you wish to tell her Mr Iida then by all means do," came a voice from behind them.

The pair turned to see the principal standing behind them.

"Sir what are you-" Tenya started before Nezu interrupted him.

"I just happened to be walking by when I noticed the door was open," Nezu told them. "I couldn't help but overhear Ms Uraraka pry about your punishment."

The latter started to fidget nervously.

"As to why I am letting you inform her, well it's because you both share something in common, or rather someone," he continued. "You both share an experience with that someone which you haven't shared with others. So just this once I will allow it. However, Uraraka you must not tell others of Iida's ordeal. If you did then he would be in trouble with the police."

The brunette nodded. Nezu took that as his cue to leave and exited, unaware that Bakugo was hiding near the door listening in.

"So can you tell me what happened now?" Ochaco asked impatiently.

"Alright, alright," Tenya replied. "This is what happened when I was interning in Hosu."

And so, he explained the entire ordeal to her. How he hunted Stain, how he nearly got killed, how Deku and Crawler helped him, how they fought against the Nomu and what happened afterwards. Ochaco never once interrupted him when he spoke. She did have mixed feelings about it though.

She was glad Iida was safe but at the same time furious at what he had done. When it came to Deku it only made her more curious about him. She was convinced he was not a bad person but was confused as to why he was a villain at all.

"Okay, now it's your turn. Why are you so hung up on Deku?" Tenya asked her.

He knew something must have happened between them if she was interested in him. Uraraka stared at the ground before speaking again.

"I met him during the USJ Incident," she said.

She explained everything from how she met Deku and how he saved her,

Tenya was blown back by what he just learned. What happened to Uraraka aside he was stunned at what Deku had done. Back when he first met him, he didn't think he was a bad person but now, now he was certain.

"This doesn't make any sense," Tenya said. "He isn't evil but he's a villain."

"I know right," Ochaco piped up. "All Might told me that villains vary in personality but with him."

"What is it?" Tenya asked curiously.

"Up until now I just thought villains were bad people who enjoyed hurting others and creating chaos. But now, now I'm starting to think that there's more to it than that. The same with heroes," she replied.

Tenya didn't even know how to respond to that. He never really thought about it before. He had just accepted what he had been taught growing up.

'She has a point,' he thought. 'Deku is a villain but wasn't evil. Koichi is a vigilante but goes around saving people. Stain is a cold-blooded murderer, yet he believes he is doing society a favour. Then there are heroes like Mt. Lady and Captain Celebrity who only care about fame and wealth. Though there are also heroes like my brother and All Might who actually want to help people.'

It was all so confusing.

"What are heroes and villains anyway?" Ochaco asked.

"Honesty, I don't know. I thought I did, but now I'm not so sure," he replied.

Katsuki Bakugo

Katsuki was walking along as fast as he could. There were a lot of things racing through his mind right now which were brought up from the conversation he had just heard between four-eyes and round-face.

What happened to them was surprising enough, not that he actually cared. What was causing him to act this way now was the name of the villain he'd fought. He hadn't heard it from the police, and he hadn't watched the news, so had not known.

'Deku,' he thought furiously. 'That bastard I fought was fucking Deku. It isn't possible.'

He still couldn't believe it. He remembered that asshole had similar eyes, but he didn't think much of it then.

'Could they be the same?' he wondered.

He still found it impossible to believe. Deku was quirkless. Deku was weak and useless. Deku never fought back. Also, there was no way in hell he could ever beat him. But still, some of it made sense with him disappearing and having that name.

'What the fuck does he think he's doing?!' he snarled. 'That hero loving nerd decided to become a villain. Does he even realise the state he's put Inko in?'

Despite his hatred toward the boy that didn't actually extend to his mother. On occasion, she had acted more like one to him than his own.

'If he has become a villain if he was then the one who did that to me. Well, I'll have to remind that quirkless shit of his place,' Katsuki growled.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? I hope you all don't mind some of the changes I made to Tenya's personality, since it was a different encounter he had he also had a different outcome. Anyway, next chapter will see Izuku and Tomura talking. Please review.

Chapter 15: New recruits

Summary:

Izuku arrives back at the hideout only to witness a startling scene.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku was having a normal day. He had just been doing quirk analysis and had headed back to the bar for a break and a nice drink (Kurogiri always had his favourite soft drink).

However, when he arrived, he was greeted by the sight of Kurogiri using his quirk to stop Tomura and two others (a man in black with dark hair and a teenage high school blonde girl) trying to kill each other. A man dressed in purple was there smoking also. He seemed to be enjoying the scene before him. No one seemed to have noticed his presence yet. Kurogiri moved to speak with Tomura while still holding everyone in place.

"Please calm yourself Tomura Shigaraki. If your desire is to be realised, then we must increase our numbers. Now that we are in the limelight, this is the perfect opportunity. Don't reject them straight off, you should use them, and what there is of Stains ideology," the dark mist villain explained.

"Shut up!" Tomura snapped as he started moving towards the exit. "I'm going out."

He barged past Izuku while shooting him a murderous glare. As soon as he was gone Izuku turned to Kurogiri.

"Okay what the hell is going on?" he asked frustrated.

"Hey, Kurogiri is this that boy I've been hearing about recently, the one called Deku?" the guy in purple asked.

Izuku didn't know how this man knew about him. Either he was a member of the League or some shady information broker. The other two had different reactions.

"Deku," repeated the man in black. "As in the one who fought alongside Stain in Hosu."

"Oh, what's Mr Stainy like. What's his blood type? Was he bleeding while fighting? Wait what's your blood like? Can I taste it?" the girl asked with a crazed expression while also holding out a knife.

Izuku took a fighting stance in case she attacked him. He only just met her and could already tell she was a psychopath (being in the League taught him to recognise certain individuals).

"You can relax Deku. They won't harm you," Kurogiri informed him. "They are actually here as potential recruits."

And so Kurogiri explained the entire situation and who they were.

The guy in purple was called Giran a broker in the underworld who associated with League. The man in black was called Dabi and the blonde was called Himiko Toga. Both were here because they heard that Stain was affiliated with the League and was inspired by his ideology when they saw a video uploaded about him in which it detailed his past and ideals.

Izuku briefly wondered how a video like that got out since Stain wasn't the type for publicity. However, he was more concerned with why they were here.

Stain wasn't exactly affiliated with them, mainly just him and Razor. The media must have come to that conclusion based on the attack in Hosu where Stain and the Nomu were present at the same time. However, Kurogiri was motioning him to say nothing.

"You let kids join this organisation," the one called Dabi said surprised. "Are you that desperate?"

"We took him in when he was on the verge of death," Kurogiri explained. "Since then, he has proven to be a valued member of the League in providing both tactical and scientific support."

"Well, whatever the case I intend to be the one to carry out the Hero-Killers will. However, I don't want to do it while being led by a guy like that," Dabi explained.

'I'm guessing he means Shigaraki,' Izuku thought.

"Seriously, that guy makes me want to vomit," Dabi continued.

"He's just upset that's all," Kurogiri went on. "Twice in the past, he has been humbled, once by All Might, the other by Stain. That's why he left, to sort out his issues. Until he does though would you like to talk about recruitment at a later date?"

Izuku had been listening but kept quiet till now.

"Why don't you all wait here. I'll talk to Shigaraki myself," he offered.

Everyone turned to face him.

"Are you sure about this Deku? He doesn't like you very much," Kurogiri stated.

While Tomura usually acted polite towards Izuku but that was only because Sensei ordered him to be. Truthfully, he hated the boy, no longer because he was quirkless, but because it seemed as though Sensei favoured him more than himself. Izuku was aware of this, yet he never commented on the subject. Kurogiri couldn't understand why he would want to do this.

"I know, but still, I'd like to talk with him," he said with a look of determination.

Kurogiri chose not to argue. This may have been necessary for Tomura's growth, and by extension, Izuku's.

Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall

It took him a while, but he finally tracked down Tomura. He received information on where he usually goes from (shockingly) Sensei. Kurogiri must have informed him of the situation but that didn't matter right now, finding Tomura did.

Izuku had not been lying when he said he wanted to talk to him, however, he had his own reasons. Mostly, he was curious about the man and his past.

Izuku knew Tomura was Sensei's protégé. The man once bragged about it and later Kurogiri confirmed it, yet they never said why. How did someone like Tomura, a spoilt, childish brat, become protégé to someone like AFO? How did he even join the League at all?

Izuku wanted to know.

His thoughts were interrupted by a girl bumping into him.

"Oh sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," the girl said bowing her head.

"It's no problem," Izuku replied with no malice. "I wasn't watching where I was going either."

As soon as he got a good look at her he recognised her. It was the girl he had saved from the USJ Incident.

"Ochaco Uraraka," he murmured.

The latter stared at him surprised. As soon as he realized what he had done he quickly moved to correct himself.

"I recognise you from the Sports Festival," he said while grinning. "You put up an amazing fight against that explosion boy, Bakugo was it."

Her surprised expression didn't go away, however.

"Wow, I can't believe people still remember that," she replied. "A few minutes ago, these guys recognised me and my class saying we were awesome at the Festival."

That last part Izuku's attention. Class 1A was here. He kept calm however and continued talking.

"Class 1A is here?" he asked sounding like an intrigued fan.

"Yeah. Most of us are doing some shopping for a school field trip," she explained. "I was just going to buy some bug spray."

'Shit,' Izuku mentally cursed. 'Does that mean Bakugo is here also?'

While he was certain he could handle him, it raised the risk of exposing his identity and compromising the League.

He quickly calmed himself down. He needed to be sure if he was here or not.

"Hold on, most of you? Is there anyone who didn't come with you?" he asked.

This was a risky question likely to raise suspicion. Luckily, Uraraka didn't seem to notice.

"Just Bakugo and Todoroki. They aren't the most social in our class, Bakugo especially, but otherwise they're alright," she replied.

Izuku breathed with relief. He was safe for the moment. He then remembered why he was there.

"I have to go now I'm meeting a friend so please excuse me," he said politely.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you up," Uraraka said apologetically. "Before you go can I ask you something? Have we met before? It's just that, there's something familiar about you."

She wasn't lying. There was something about his eyes that was just familiar, but she couldn't think of what it was.

"No, I don't think we have," Izuku lied. "I think I would remember meeting someone as beautiful as you."

As soon as the words left his mouth he froze. Uraraka started blushing.

"Uh well I really need to get going, so um bye," Izuku told her in a frantic manner as he started running towards another location.

Uraraka still stood there blushing. She then wondered why she hadn't bothered asking for his name. He seemed so nice.

Izuku was currently having similar thoughts.

'Why did I say something like that?' he wondered frustrated.

He didn't spend much time pondering about it however because at that moment he saw a familiar hooded figure. He reached for him only to earn a cold glare from the man.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tomura angrily demanded. "In fact, how the fuck did you even find me?"

"Doesn't matter," Izuku said firmly. "We need to talk, like now."

Tomura grunted in annoyance.

"Oh really, and just why should I do that?" he asked arrogantly.

"Look I get you don't like me, and you've been screwed over twice," Izuku told him. "There are some things I'd like to clear up between us. So could you just please lend me five fucking minutes of your time."

Tomura flinched. He'd never heard Deku swear before, so he must have actually been serious.

Tomura would have liked nothing more than to disintegrate his face at that moment but then an idea came to his mind.

'Deku was with Stain,' he thought. 'So maybe he can tell me why people are more focused on him than me.'

"Okay fine let's talk. But not here, someone might overhear us," he said while walking towards an alley as Deku trailed behind.

When they were alone Tomura started talking again.

"Alright you little brat," he snarled. "Me and Stain, what's the difference?"

The question caught Izuku off guard.

'What's gotten into him?' he thought.

He genuinely couldn't understand Tomura's actions. The difference between him and Stain, why did he want to know?

"Why do you want to know? I thought you hated him," he responded.

Tomura glared at Izuku.

"Of course, I hate him. I despise everything about him," he growled. "However, he seems to have outshined me in that everyone is now more focused on him and have forgotten about the attack on the USJ and the Nomu I released in Hosu. Why is that I wonder? In the end all he really does is destroy the things that he hates like me. Yet he's got sympathisers and people willing to support and look up to him, and they couldn't even give a shit about his ideals. I can't understand it, and it really pisses me off."

Izuku was beginning to see a different side of Tomura. He was willing to change so he could improve, in essence, he was growing.

"So Midoriya what do you think the difference between us is?" Tomura asked again.

"Okay I'll tell you, but I want something in return," Izuku replied causing Tomura to growl. "I want you to tell me about how you joined the League, about how you became Sensei's protégé."

If Tomura wanted him to give an answer, then he should give one in return. God Razor was really rubbing off on him. That whole if you want answers then earn it thing, she pulled on him before was now coming into play.

Tomura on the other hand was stunned at what Deku had just demanded from him. Why the hell should he tell him about his life prior to the League? Then again this was his only chance to understand why people noticed Stain more than him. Suddenly an idea formed in his mind. If this kid wanted his life story so badly then fine, but with a couple of conditions.

"Okay I'll tell you, but only if I find your answer to my question good enough," Tomura declared.

"Fine then," Izuku accepted. "I will."

He spent a minute thinking about his answer before speaking again.

"Well, you I don't get at all. I don't understand your goals and ideals," Izuku said carefully. "Stain is a different matter. He doesn't just destroy things that annoy him, he has genuine reasons for doing what he does, unlike you. During my week with him, I learned that he and I had a lot in common, one of which was the defining factor in what we became, All Might, who inspired us both. Also, despite what he encounters Stain never wavers in his beliefs unlike you. That is the difference between you two, that's my answer."

Izuku hadn't noticed it before, but Tomura was actually smiling now, and it looked very disturbing.

"Uh that feels like a weight off my chest," he exhaled. "I see it now. Why I hate him so much and why you irritated me. Everything makes sense, it's All Might, he's the problem. It was in front of me the whole time and yet I couldn't see it. He's the reason these morons are smiling like they haven't got a single care in the world. They feel so safe because their so-called Symbol of Peace is smiling like there's no one in the world he couldn't save."

He then faced Deku.

"Thanks. I'm glad we had this chat. I feel better Deku since I don't have to change my ways at all. Because now, now I know what I must do," he told the boy.

'You know it's ironic Hero-Killer. In many ways, I'm your opposite but you let me live. And now your convictions and ideals will become a steppingstone for me,' he internally monologued. 'I had those things myself, I just never realised it. Create a world without All Might. And show them all how fragile their justice system truly is. That's my conviction, my ideal. From this day forwards, it's all about destroying All Might.'

He started to walk away but called out to Izuku at the last second, "I find your answer acceptable Deku. However, I need to do something first, so I'll tell you about my backstory later. See ya."

When he was gone Izuku just stood there.

'I swear this is Razor all over again,' he thought.

Izuku hadn't seen her in a while because she was still away on business. He did what she asked and yet she still had not talked to him.

Admittedly, he found it frustrating. He nearly died fighting Katsuki, the least she could do was uphold her end of the bargain.

Razor aside he really didn't know much about the others from the League. Even with Kurogiri, who was the nicest member by far, he didn't know much about or how he had even joined the League. To be fair their relationship was more of a professional one, they weren't friends.

'I wouldn't know what that's like though would I since I've never really had friends,' he lamented. 'Sure, here was Bakugo when we were children, but then he got his quirk and I never got one. And that's when my life went to hell. Since then, I haven't had friends.'

It was sad, but it was the truth. His mother had made it all bearable though. She loved him unconditionally and tried to be there for him through all his struggles. In all honesty, she was the one thing about his former life that he missed, the only thing. Whenever he saw her out on the streets looking for him, he always resisted the urge to run over and go back to her. He missed her so much, and he hated hurting her like this.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone groaning.

Izuku turned to see three students kicking another student to the ground. They were ganging up on him using their quirks.

The Ringleader summoned fire to his hand. He was going to burn the other student. Izuku started walking away since it wasn't his problem. There was also no need to attract attention in this place.

"That's right you quirkless reject just stay down and it won't hurt as badly," the leader threatened.

Izuku stopped dead.

The other boys were snickering and jeering "God he's so pathetic. So useless he can't even defend himself, though I guess that's to be expected from a quirkless person."

Izuku didn't say anything, but in that instant, a variety of thoughts were flowing through his mind.

Memories of the abuse he had endured for being quirkless flowed through him like a river. He remembered how helpless and weak he had been, the injustice of it all, and the scars he bore (not all of which were caused by Bakugo).

When he remembered all this, he pulled up his hood and his scarf to cover his face. He then turned to the bullies and charged at them.

They never saw him coming.

He went for the leader first. He delivered a powerful punch straight to the jaw that sent him crashing to the ground.

The bullies were caught off-guard by the sudden new arrival. Before they could react Izuku turned and performed a back rising kick into one of the students. The kick connected with his stomach and sent him up into the air (slightly vomiting) where landed on his back.

He was clutching his stomach in pain afterwards.

This time the third student did react and so he manifested some spikes from his body and shot them at Izuku. Izuku easily dodged the projectiles by flipping forward over them. While doing so he spun quick and close enough to the student to land a solid axe kick on his face, thus sending him crashing to the ground.

The kick split a part of his lip causing blood to ooze out, however, the rest of his face was left unscarred by the impact.

'Wow. I'm a lot stronger than I thought. That's Stain and Razor's training for you,' he thought. 'Ruthless but effective.'

"Hey, you! What the hell do you think you're doing?" yelled the leader who had gotten back up.

"Stopping you guys from beating up this kid," Izuku stated honestly. "What did he ever do to you to deserve this?"

"That quirkless runt wants to become a hero which is complete bullshit," the leader barked furiously. "Someone like him has no right to be a hero. That's something only people like me deserve. He even wanted to go to UA which is dumb. There's no way a prestigious school like that would ever let in a weak pathetic loser like him. It would be a disgrace to their reputation."

Izuku was pissed as hell. This guy was a lot like Bakugo. Arrogant, cruel, abusive, prejudiced, a complete and utter bully.

In short, he was the sort of person who Izuku hated, the sort who had driven him to become a villain.

"He can't be a hero because he's quirkless you say. Well, that's funny because I happen to be quirkless and look at what I just did," he said catching the boy's attention. "A hero can be anybody, even someone quirkless, but not you no. A scumbag like you could never be one. Wanna know why? It's because you're a coward who only preys on the weak to boost your own ego. If you came face to face with someone stronger, you would run away because that's the kind of person you are."

The leader's face contorted with anger. He activated his quirk and prepared to attack but Izuku was too quick for him. He grabbed the leader's arm, twisted it, and brought his knee up sharply to it.

It snapped like a twig.

The leader howled in pain as he clutched his now broken arm. His two sidekicks had recovered and moved to aid him. The three of them glanced at Izuku fearfully and started running with hopes of reaching a hospital.

Izuku didn't even bother to pursue them because he had made his point perfectly clear.

"Why did you help me?" asked the victim who was staring at Izuku in awe.

"Because I understand how you feel," he replied simply. "I too was bullied for being quirkless. For so long I allowed it to happen, and most of the time it felt like I was dying. It was only when I learned how to defend myself that I took a stand."

The victim said nothing. He was still staring at Izuku in amazement.

"Let me give you some advice that someone gave me a long time ago," he said now looking at the victim. "Go to someone for help, or at least try to defend yourself. Otherwise, they will always torment you as they tormented me."

The victim just stood there completely stunned.

Having achieved his objective Izuku departed towards the hideout.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? What did you think of Izuku? The next chapter will be him hearing the backstory's of Razor, Tomura and Kurogiri. Pleases review.

Chapter 16: Villain Origins

Summary:

Izuku learns the villainous origins of his comrades.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku arrived back at the bar only to see Dabi and Toga exiting. Dabi wore the same emotionless expression but Toga was jumping up and down with excitement. They nearly bumped into Izuku.

"Well we've officially joined," Dabi announced. "That Shigaraki is surprising. A world without All Might huh, at least he's got some sort of creed."

"I'm looking forward to working with you," Toga said enthusiastically. "I hope I can try some of your blood sometime also."

Okay Toga was actually starting to scare him. Dabi looked annoyed at this.

"I know, she's crazy. But I'm sure you'll get used to her eventually," he assured Izuku. "And so will I probably."

Toga just giggled at this. So far Izuku was liking Dabi, so far. Nothing more was spoken between them. The duo then moved off down the alley and were gone.

Izuku walked into the bar and was surprized at what he saw. Razor was there drinking some wine while Tomura lounged on the couch and Kurogiri managed the bar. Feeling he'd been patient long enough Izuku spoke up.

"Okay time for answers people," he announced attracting everyone's attention. "Razor and Tomura, you both owe me answers as part of our deals. You both owe me the truth about your pasts. Kurogiri I made no such deal with you but I would still like to know about your past, or rather, why and how you joined the League if that's okay."

Everyone just stared at Izuku. Tomura looked irritated. Razor looked amused. Kurogiri looked surprised and slightly uncomfortable.

"Demanding something from me. You've finally grown a pair of balls Izuku I'm so proud of you," Razor told him.

"They were always there. I just didn't know it," he replied.

Razor laughed at his response. Izuku had transformed into a different person from the one she met a year ago. He'd even learned how to make proper comebacks.

"Oh alright, I suppose you've earned them. Tomura you fucking bastard you'd better own up also," she said.

"I will. You don't have to tell me bitch," he snarled.

"Kurogiri do you want to tell Izuku," Razor asked.

The black mist villain said nothing. Izuku realized that this must be a painful subject for him.

"Um Kurogiri," Izuku started. "You really don't have to do this if you don't want to. I was just curious that's all."

"No it's alright. I'd like to tell you. You'll probably find out someday anyway," he said. "I'd like to go last though if that's alright."

Izuku nodded.

"Okay then ladies first," Izuku said while looking at Razor.

"There's a lady in the room," Tomura joked. "Really where?"

Razor glared at Tomura.

"You know Izuku you're right it should be ladies first," she said. "So go on Tomura you're up first it seems."

This time it was Tomura who glared. Izuku and Kurogiri were both wondering if they would be able to get through this without insulting each other.

"Razor please go first," Izuku politely requested.

Still glaring at Tomura Razor relented and turned to Izuku. It was then that she started telling him about her past.

Flashback

Her name was Razor, at least that's what she had been told. She didn't have a real name since she did not have parents. She was abandoned by them, or so she had been told, either way it didn't matter. Not where she was. It was a place which would have been known as Hell at the start, but over time it became her home.

Razor was the name given to her when she was four, when she manifested her quirk. That was how it worked for all the children adopted by the organisation. It was called BUTLER. Where they even came up with such a stupid name she did not know or care. However it was kind of appropriate. Hired servants doing their employers bidding, that's what they were. BUTLER was a mercenary organisation that took on any job, be it assassination, protection of someone or something, acquiring information, you name it. Whatever it was they would always take it on (well not always depending on whether or not the available people would accept it or not). They took jobs from anyone, hero, villain or some other individual. It didn't really matter as long as they were paid.

Most who were recruited were orphans, those who'd been abandoned and forsaken, or those who were runaways. She happened to fit into the abandoned category. Each child was usually given a name based off of their quirk. When taken in they were cared for, educated and trained (in the same hellish manner she taught Izuku, though with less swearing). They were also taught to mainly rely on themselves, something she excelled most in. That wasn't to say you couldn't be friends with anyone because it was allowed. Though she preferred to be on her own most of the time (even back then there were few who she could actually stand), even she had managed to make two friends whom she genuinely liked and respected.

They didn't keep in contact most of the time though. An odd thing about BUTLER was that it allowed people to willingly leave it and live a normal life. It was even allowed that you be able to live a normal life while still working for the organisation, something which she found stupid since it was quite dangerous. Razor had never understood why it was allowed but she never questioned it either. One friend of hers lived the first life while the other lived the second. She had always lived the usual though, it had been the only she had ever known, also she didn't really fit in with society because of her personality.

She took on all sorts of jobs which were mainly centred around combat, something she really enjoyed. Along her missions she encountered many individuals, including Stain and All Might, whom she came to befriend or despise. At one point she had a lover, well, really it was only for a few days then she broke it off by disappearing. It was best for both of them.

She had spilled blood, saved lives, tortured and defended all because she was ordered to. The only thing she had not done was take the life of a child. She acknowledged she was a bitch but not that big of one. That was one line even she would never cross, it was one of her few morals.

There was no time limit for how long she worked for her clients. Whenever they declared the mission was completed she would return to BUTLER. Other times being when the employer was arrested or killed.

That was her story. This was her life. It was all she had.

Flashback end

No one said anything. Izuku however was especially surprised.

"Razor's a mercenary," he thought.

Thinking back to the day before he fought Bakugo he remembered what she had said to Sensei.

"Your organisation, your plans, not mine. Do I need to remind you of my place here?"

It made sense now. Razor wasn't actually part of the League. She was just a hired gun. That meant she wouldn't always be here, something which upset him. Despite her personality he genuinely liked her. Razor had completely changed him. When he was a weak scared kid she helped him and made him stronger. When the time for her to leave would come he was going to miss her.

"Seriously, someone actually did it with this thing," Tomura said shocked. "What was he, blind or mentally unstable?"

"He was none of those things. So shut the fuck up or so help me I will slice up every single one of your precious hands," Razor threatened. "And we both know how devastating it would be if you lost your dear father."

Tomura glared murderously at her, which she returned. Kurogiri intervened and calmed them both down however.

Razor didn't know why but she felt happy that she had told Izuku her story. Though she hadn't told him everything. She didn't tell him about that man she was in a relationship with. Because seriously, if he knew she had dated his idol he would go all hero otaku on her, the reaction from the other two wouldn't have been great either. Besides, what happened between her and Toshinori, or more specifically All Might, stays between them.

"Ok now that you're both done threatening each other Tomura it's your turn," Izuku informed him.

Tomura stopped glaring at Razor and turned to face Izuku. He then began talking about his past.

Flashback

Long before he was Tomura Shigaraki, before he was Sensei's protégé, he was someone else. He was Tenko Shimura. Or at least that’s what he’d been told. In truth, he didn’t remember much about his life before the League. He had flashes, none of which were pleasant, but that was it.

He remembered walking through the streets alone, injured, bleeding, broken. He walked by people who took a brief notice of him before turning away and moving on. They could tell he had been in trouble, that he had been hurt, and what did they do?

Nothing!

Nothing at all!

They walked on like nothing had happened. They didn’t help him. Whatever his problem was, whatever danger he had been in, they didn’t care. Why should they? They believed a hero would come and save him, like they did with everyone else.

They were wrong!

A hero never came to help him. No one did. Except for him.

Tired from walking for so long Tenko collapsed in abandoned ally, tired and exhausted from walking around aimlessly.

“Why do I continue walking?” Tenko said to no one in particular. “What’s the point? Where am I even moving towards?”

He didn’t know why he walked. He didn’t remember. He was an empty shell of whatever he once was. He didn’t feel any desire or care, only emptiness.

“Perhaps it’s because you have a reason to continue pressing forward,” came a voice from the shadows.

Tenko looked up and saw a figure walking towards him. It was a man. Tall, young, well-built, with short blonde hair, light coloured eyes, accompanied by a tuxedo.

The man was smiling. His smile wasn’t cruel but it wasn’t kind either.

“Who are you?” Tenko asked without thinking.

“A friend,” the man answered. “At least I’d like to be.”

Tenko wasn’t sure what to make of him. He didn’t seem like a good person, but he was the first person in a long time who didn’t turn away and ignore him.

“I’ve been watching you for some time now,” the man informed him. Tenko wasn’t sure how to react. Surprise, anger, he didn’t know. He was empty. “It is an unfortunate fate that has befallen you, Tenko Shimura.”

“Tenko Shimura,” he softly repeated. “Is that my name?”

The man stared back at him, this time wearing an expression of surprise. Did the boy really not remember.

“I’m sorry,” Tenko apologized. “I don’t remember much about my life, even my own name. I should be bothered but instead I feel nothing. Why is that? why do I feel empty inside? And why did I end up like this?”

Tenko stared at his hands, for some unknown reason feeling revulsion. He didn’t remember, but he knew it was important.

“I’ve walked for so long,” he admitted. “And, those people.”

The man started moving towards him again. He hadn’t been lying about watching the boy. He’d seen what he’d done, why he did it, and how and why people treated him the way they did.

“Nobody came to save you did they?” the man asked catching Tenko’s attention.

“It must have been so painful Tenko Shimura.”

It was.

“It must have been so scary.”

It was.

“It must have been so painful.”

It was.

“That’s why you ran searching for a helping hand,” the man continued as he stretched his own hand out towards the boy. “It must have been so horrible.”

Tenko stared at him unable to comprehend. Was he actually offering to?

“Surely a hero will… Just leave it to the heroes to… Everyone used excuses like that to ignore you didn’t they?”

They did. They all did.

Tenko didn’t understand why but the man’s words resonated with him and he began crying. The man was close enough now and seeing the tears in Tenko’s eyes he pulled the youth into an embrace.

“Who in the world could do something like this to you?”

Who? He didn’t know, but it felt like he should.

“It’s fine now. You have me now.”

That embrace, that comfort he hadn’t realized he’d been desperately craving. Of all the things in his memory, that hug, Sensei’s embrace, that was what he remembered most. Why? Because it made him feel something that he hadn’t in a very long time.

Hope.

Sometime later

After that, All for One took him in; one could even say he adopted him which wasn’t entirely inaccurate. All for One gave him a room of his own and told Tenko he would be his ‘Sensei’, though the boy was curious as to what he would be taught.

“Doctor,” All for One called.

Tenko hadn’t noticed him before but there was another man in the room. He was short statured man who was bald and possessed a large moustache. In addition, he wore goggles.

That wasn’t what caught his attention. What caught his attention was what was on the table in front of the doctor.

It was a series of mutilated hands.

“These are your family members’ remains,” the Doctor informed him.

‘W-What?’ Tenko thought disbelievingly.

Surely he heard him wrong. The remains of his family. That meant they were dead!

“You suddenly developed a previously unheard of quirk,” the Doctor continued before dropping the bombshell. “And killed your family with those hands of yours.”

Tenko felt a sharp pain in his head. A large wave of nausea began to come over him and he felt the urge to throw up. He had a flash of a dog, then some ashy remains. The more he thought about it the more his head hurt and he started pulling on his face. Vomit started coming up in his throat.

“Do you remember?”

There was a flash of decayed bodies. A flash of a girl with black hair in pigtails. And a flash of a man with a horrified expression that sent chills down his spine.

In the end he couldn’t hold it in anymore and vomited.

What remained in his mind were fragments of his past, and unexplained surge of anger that overwhelmed his urge to vomit.

He didn’t really understand it. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to understand it. Yet at that moment he felt the incredible urge to be near those hands as he started crawling towards them with a broken, mortified expression on his face. When he reached them he clutched them for dear life, all while Sensei and the Doctor just watched.

“Shall I fix him?” the Doctor offered.

“No,” All for One declined, his attention never wavering from Tenko. “Even if your memories never return, your ‘feelings’ will remain embedded in your heart. I can’t take away your feelings, your anger. But I can teach you where to direct those feelings.”

He didn’t understand why but he believed him. Tenko believed this man. He believed he could help him, save him, when no one else could.

After this incident, he began his long road as All for One’s successor. Shedding the name Tenko Shimura and becoming Tomura Shigaraki.

Flashback end

Tomura just stared at the ground. He hadn't told anyone about this in so long. Everyone had gone silent with each having different thoughts on the matter.

Razor, despite how much she hated this brat, actually felt sorry for him.

Kurogiri who had heard this story before looked away sadly.

Izuku was beyond shocked. He never would have imagined Tomura had gone through something like that. To be left broken like he was, only for Sensei to come in and save him at the last minute. It was more than that though. The fact that those people, those civilians just left him to fend for himself while assuming a hero would come and save him made Izuku realize for the first time how fragile society truly was. They had to be if they depended on heroes to that degree.

Still, he sympathised with Tomura, in more ways than one.

"People think quirks are so great. But they aren't. That's why I hated you starting off. I wish I was still quirkless. It would've been better than what I have," Tomura exclaimed. "I'm surprised Sensei didn't even offer you one."

"Oh he did. However, I said no. Wanting a quirk was actually me wanting to be accepted by society, which will never happen," Izuku replied.

Still though he was surprised as to why Tomura had hated him. He'd never heard of someone wishing to be quirkless before. It appeared as though Tomura believed the world of quirks was a very dangerous place.

"Sensei doesn't favour me you know," Izuku stated. "He likes the work I do but that's it. Other than that, there's nothing else, so you don't need to feel threatened by my presence."

Tomura glanced at him with an unreadable expression. He then sighed.

"Whatever," he said. "Anyway, it's Kurogiri's turn."

All eyes were now on Kurogiri who was somewhat nervous. Aside from Razor and All for One, no one knew about his past or about Laura. Taking a deep breath he began to speak.

"My rise to villainy is somewhat similar to Izuku's. The only difference is that it involves a quirkless person in my life who went through what he did. Her name was Laura, my younger sister."

Flashback

Kuro Shisa used to be his name. He lived with his sister Laura who was four years younger than him. Their parents passed away when he was fifteen, leaving him to raise his sister all on his own. It wasn't entirely difficult. The money their parents left them enabled them to both go to school. His part-time job payed remarkably well also, so they could afford to pay rent.

Back then his body wasn't completely covered by black mist. That was something that was optional for him. He could turn his body into dark mist at will. It was because of this that his sister gave him the nickname Kurogiri, which was the kanji for black mist. Like his sister he had red hair and green eyes. His was also tall and muscular (perk of doing his job).

Laura was such sweet girl. She was always good to others and always looked out for the well-being of others rather than her own. She had this dream of being a singer too. She didn't even care that she was quirkless. Kuro loved her deeply. When he was with her he felt like his life had a purpose, a reason to live. Things were happy between them, or so he thought.

When Laura was in high school she changed. He didn't notice it at first but after a while he could tell something was wrong. She wasn't socialising as much as she used to. Most days when she came home she would head over to her room and stay there until dinner. Usually when they talked it was about school and work. When the topic of her friends came up Laura always said that they were busy with study like she was. She was always smiling during these conversations so he never questioned her.

As the years went on Kuro began to notice certain changes in sister, most notably physical ones. When she came back from school some days Kuro could see faint outlines of bruises on her wrists. Also, there were times when he noticed some from her neck. She covered them both up but he still noticed them. Whenever questioned about it Laura would make up some excuse about how she fell or hit into something when she wasn't looking. Though he knew otherwise.

He came to the conclusion that she was being bullied at school and confronted her about it. Laura denied it, but she was a poor liar so he saw right through her. When she realised this she pleaded that nothing was wrong and everything that happened to her was just an accident. Not wanting to upset her he did nothing. It was the biggest mistake of his life, one that would forever haunt him.

There came a day when she returned home more exhausted than usual. Her eyes, they had the look of a dead person. That did it. Kuro couldn't take this anymore, so he was going to go to her school tomorrow and speak with the principal and teachers about this.

Laura suddenly announced she was going out for a walk despite that it was late. She told him she had her keys so she would let herself back in, he could go to bed. She then said something that he would never forget even if he tried.

She hugged him tightly and said, "Thanks for everything Kuro. Thanks for being my big brother. Thanks for always being there for me. I really love you for it."

He was slightly taken back by this. However, he returned the hug and told her he loved her also. It was then she went for a walk. That was the last moment they shared with each other.

The following day when he noticed she wasn't at home he figured she must be at school. Of course, when he arrived at the school, he discovered that she hadn't been there all morning. It was then he remembered what she said to him last night, the way she said it, and state she had been in. Fearing the worst, he called the police only discover they were about to call him.

Approximately an hour before he called, Laura's body had been found in a local river. She had drowned. The moment Kuro heard that he froze, he couldn't breathe. The nausea he felt at that exact moment was overwhelming, so much that he collapsed.

When he woke up, he was in hospital. There were two police officers outside talking. Apparently, he had been asleep for total day. What's more they were talking about Laura.

"Have the school been questioned yet?"

"Yes but no one is saying anything, or rather they're denying it. Despite what Ms. Shisa's diary says no one is confirming anything."

They stopped talking when a man came up to the room and entered. He wore a black coat and hat. He possessed blonde hair, chocolate brown eyes and was quite tall.

"Hello Mr. Shisa. My name is Reo Yagami, Detective Yagami," the man informed him. "I know this is sudden but I'm here to ask you a couple of questions about your sisters passing."

Passing. What a polite way of putting it.

"You mean her suicide," Kuro retorted. "You don't have to sugarcoat it. I realised when I heard, the way she acted last night made that possible."

The detective frowned.

"And just what do you think made her fall to that point?" he asked.

And so he explained to the detective about Laura's behaviour and her injuries. When he finished the detective was silent. Kuro knew from the way he was acting that he knew something he didn't and so he demanded answers. Detective Yagami, feeling the man had a right to know what happened to his sister decided to tell him.

Laura had been bullied at school. The primary reason, she was quirkless. It wasn't a major issue at first, but after a while it got worse. From what the police got from her diary (they had to search the apartment for evidence) she was mainly tormented by a girl called Nen Riki. In her own words the girl used her telekinesis to trip her up, steal from her, shove her around and abuse her in a variety of other ways. She also called her a variety of names such as quirkless bitch, and some far worse ones. It wasn't long before others joined in and things got worse.

Her friends stopped talking to her as well, apparently Nen (whose father was a lawyer) had threatened them to stay away from her or else their parents would lose their jobs. Nen always made fun of Laura's dreams saying she would never be anything more than what she already was, the girl even bragged about how she was going to be a hero admired by everyone more famous, and rich than any other.

To put it simply, she was a self-absorbed bitch. The only reason she hadn't been arrested was because her father defended her, and no one was willing to speak against her (mostly out of fear).

The detective didn't tell him everything, but he told him enough. There were certain details that he left out for specific reasons.

Kuro shook with rage. He was angry at the school and Laura's friends for what they had done to her. But most of all he was angry at that girl for making her life hellish for no real reason other than the fact that she was quirkless.

He thanked the detective for his information and said it made him feel more understanding of why his sister died. When the detective exited the room he began to sob hysterically. He apologised to Laura for failing as her big brother and not protecting her when he should have.

It was at that moment he made silent dark promise to himself. To get revenge.

This was achieved a couple of weeks later. It wasn't hard for Kuro to get details about the girl, he had gone to one of Laura's friends who (out of guilt for not helping Laura) gave him information about Nen and picture of what she looked like. Then using his quirk (people at the time thought it was transporting something as far as his mist could go at the time) he stalked her to learn everything about her daily routine.

Eventually he decided that he'd waited long enough. When she was alone, he struck. First, he sliced off her hands with a large knife to render her quirk useless. She was caught totally surprised by the assault. She started screaming in agony and then for help. She tried to run but Kuro wouldn't let her. He used his quirk to get in front of her and stab her repeatedly.

As she coughed up blood she pleaded for mercy. He coldly refused and informed her why she was about to die, much to her surprise. He then icily told her that no threat she used, or even her quirk would save her, she was going to die and nothing could change that. She stared at him in fear.

Furious at what was happening Nen began gloating at how she tormented Laura. She referred to her as a quirkless whore and admitted to advising her on drowning herself. Enraged, Kurogiri stabbed her in the neck to silence her. Watching her die satisfied him in ways he couldn't describe.

After this he went into hiding, or rather he disappeared from the world. He didn't want to be part of a society that didn't have Laura.

Sometime after this he met Sensei and joined the League. His villain name became the cute nickname his sister gave him. While to others it was just a name that matched his quirk but to him it had a deep meaning.

Flashback end

Everyone (barring Razor) was shocked.

Tomura remembered how Kurogiri reacted to quirkless people before, now it made sense. He felt an odd amount of sympathy for the man.

Izuku felt a deep sadness and sympathy for Kurogiri. He was also disturbed at how similar Laura's situation had been to his.

"If I had actually died, my mom, would she have, to Kacchan?" he thought horrified. "No she wouldn't, she would never."

Izuku didn't want to think that his mother was capable of such action. He wouldn't have been alive to know it but he couldn't bear the thought. He had been so selfish, he never even considered what might happen if he had committed suicide.

"Well that's all of us. Are you satisfied Izuku?" Razor asked.

Izuku nodded as a response. He felt somewhat closer to them now that he knew their stories.

Tomura and Razor started to leave but he called out to them.

"Thanks for telling me. I'm quite grateful. You too Kurogiri," he informed them.

They all turned to look at him.

"We aren't good Izuku but we aren't totally evil either," Razor told him.

"We all have something that defines us for who we are, much like heroes," Tomura added.

It was Kurogiri's message that affected him the most.

"There's something you should know Izuku. Good and Evil, they aren't born they are made,"he informed the boy.

It was then that they all took off. Izuku returned to his apartment overwhelmed from the day he had just had. He collapsed on his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? What did you think of the characters? Kurogiri's backstory I made up. Kurogiri's quote is also borrowed from Once Upon A Time because I believed it fit in perfectly here, it's also something I believe. When I came up with this story I wanted to show a more human side to the villains rather than just simply being evil. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this. Please review.

Chapter 17: Calm before the Storm

Summary:

A year has passed since Izuku joined the League, and he takes the time to celebrate with Razor while reminiscing about his past. Meanwhile, Tomura begins to make his move alongside Atrocity.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

At an unknown location

"So that brat Tomura is planning on kidnapping a student from UA during this training camp of theirs," Atrocity said.

"That's correct. There is someone he feels would be a valuable and worthy recruit for the League," AFO informed them. "He will be sending his team to retrieve the student while he stays behind and gives orders."

"The brat's become a leader, finally grown up, has he?" Atrocity joked.

"Quite a bit actually," AFO responded seriously.

He wasn't joking either. In the past few weeks, Tomura had matured and acted less childish than usual.

He was even starting to think more for himself.

'And it's all thanks to Deku,' he thought. 'Quirk analysis, scientific gifts and helping to develop Tomura. He is one of the best things that I brought into the League.'

He meant it. Deku had done so much for the League, even though he didn't know it.

His notes had improved their tactics, his experiments had empowered their members.

And though they had yet to be properly utilized, his analysis notes would serve as the upcoming downfall for several heroes.

He was a treasured asset, one AFO couldn't afford to lose, especially not because there were certain individuals who despised him for being quirkless.

Case point, Atrocity. AFO didn't know how he had managed to tamper with a Nomu but he knew it was him as there were very few individuals that knew where they were being kept. Even then it was hard for anyone to get in without him or Viper knowing about it. Yet he had still achieved it somehow.

He knew Viper couldn't have been involved. She served herself and no one else, furthermore, she despised Atrocity (and feared him to a degree).

AFO made no direct accusation, he merely mentioned that Deku survived an assault from Nomu, something Atrocity said was a pity.

"Will they require any of the Nomu?" Viper asked. "Or any of the drugs that have been developed?"

Deku's safety aside a meeting between the leaders of the League of Villains was occurring.

The main topics: The status of the Nomu, Tomura's mission, the League's experiments (Vipers department), and their current allies and technology.

"No that won't be necessary," AFO answered. "He would like to do this on his own. He wants to show what his team is capable of before even resorting to those options."

There was no reaction from Atrocity, but Viper nodded in understanding. With that, the meeting concluded.

With Atrocity and Viper

"Have you completed it Viper?" Atrocity asked impatiently.

"Yes, it's done. Earlier, I tested it on another individual to your specifications. It was successful," she informed him.

Atrocity grinned evilly which scared her.

Viper had worked hard to complete the device just so she wouldn't suffer this man's wrath. It's not as though she had a choice anyway. That chip he put inside her made sure she did whatever she was told.

"Good. Everything's going according to plan then," Atrocity stated.

"What exactly are you planning?" Viper asked curiously.

"Something bad," Atrocity responded while still grinning. "Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. For now, just keep on working like you normally do and leave everything to me."

This was enough for Viper who quickly left to continue her work.

What he was planning involved Tomura's attempted kidnapping and several devices he had secretly placed around the bar AFO owned.

"This time I won't fail," he vowed. "I'll eliminate both AFO and that quirkless bastard he employed."

He was furious when Deku survived his assassination attempt. He started breaking anything he saw, even his own henchmen. Kuin had fled before she suffered the same fate, but he didn't care. He was so angry he didn't even give a shit.

It was bad enough that AFO had a lot more power and influence over the League than he did, but when he wanted someone dead and they didn't die, well there was hell to pay. He did acknowledge that it was because of the hero-killer, the vigilante (that Kuin referred to as the Hauler) and that pesky student were the reason he had failed. Their quirks had been powerful enough to defeat the Nomu.

He seriously doubted that Deku could have done it, he was just a useless quirkless piece of flesh and nothing more.

Well, maybe not entirely useless. Atrocity would never outright admit it, but the bastard did take somewhat decent notes on quirks.

Despite his frustration, he decided not to let it bother him. He had a plan. One that would get him everything he desired and more. AFO would never know what hit him.

To relieve him of his stress Atrocity decided he needed to do his favourite hobby, torture.

He liked to choose his victims and then either stab them with various sharp objects, cut off or crush certain body parts, burn them, and psychologically torture them in various ways.

His main victims were the quirkless since the only thing they were good for was being punching bags for others to test their quirks on. His other victims included one's with animal quirks (subhuman half-breeds like Viper), one's with a freakish appearance like Kurogiri's, and some human-looking one's with weak quirks (if they were weak then there was no point in them being alive, not in his world).

Atrocity took out a hammer from his collection of torture weapons. With this, he would be able to feel every blow, every impact. The image of his victim's face in agony, the magnificent screaming that would follow.

The mental images made him smile with sadism and glee.

"Time for some fun," he declared as he headed for the torture chamber.

On top of a building a week later

"I don't do this often Deku, so you'd better enjoy it," Razor informed the boy sitting next to her.

"I am," Izuku barely replied as he sampled the sweet sensation in his mouth.

Izuku and Razor were currently sitting on top of a building having doughnuts and hot chocolate with marshmallows. Both of which were quite delicious.

The reason they were doing this: Razor decided to take Izuku out as a special treat for this current event.

They both raised their cups.

"A toast, to you, actually managing to survive your first year with the League," Razor announced. "Just barely."

Izuku ignored the insult at the end. He was surprised himself.

"Has it really been a year?" he asked. "Time sure does fly."

"I know right," she agreed. "It seems like only yesterday that I had you in a chokehold ready to kill you. Until Kurogiri interfered of course."

It had been a little over a full year since Izuku had joined the League. Razor had surprisingly taken him out for this occasion. It seemed that she was into normal things like sweets which were somewhat reassuring.

So much had happened. He had changed a lot as well.

"Izuku," Razor addressed him. "Is there anything about your previous life you miss at all?"

Izuku stared at her surprised.

"Where is this coming from?" he asked.

Razor stared out at the city below them.

"Just curious, I guess. It's been a year now, so I was just wondering that's all," she explained. "Is there anything you miss?"

Izuku was about to answer when he saw her stopping by a lamppost across the street. She was exhausted and had lost weight. Was she eating properly? It didn't look that way. Izuku felt a pain in his heart that hurt worse than any pain dealt with him by Razor and Bakugo. Without realizing it, a tear fell from his right eye.

Razor noticed his reaction and looked at the woman across the street. As soon as she saw her face her question was answered.

"So that's her huh," Razor said softly to which Izuku nodded. "Wow. When you said you had your mother's looks you weren't kidding."

Inko Midoriya did indeed look like her son. Same face, same eyes, and her hair was the same as his used to be before he dyed it black. Though it seemed she had lost weight in the past year. At least that's what Razor gathered from Izuku's description of her.

When she and Izuku had breaks from training he would sometimes talk about his mother. Razor remembered that Izuku was always smiling when he talked about her. He described Inko as a kind and caring woman who always stood by him when times were tough. He talked about things they had done together, some of which were the happiest moments of his life. Razor could tell from all this that he loved her deeply.

Inko started moving again until she was out of their sight. Izuku dried his tears.

"She's still looking for me. I can't ever go back though," he said sadly. "I left to keep her safe. Despite that, I still hurt her in the worst possible way."

Razor was silent. She would not admit it, nor would she show it, but she felt sympathy for Izuku. She knew he saved a girl from rape, and helped a student get back on the right track (she heard from Stain). He didn't belong in the League. He was a fifteen-year-old who should have been in school and making friends. He should have been living his life.

Unfortunately, that was no longer possible. The moment AFO wanted him Izuku's fate was sealed. It wouldn't have mattered he had refused to join; he would've joined the League anyway under Sensei's influence.

To put it simply, he was doomed to the life of a villain, of a criminal, the moment he was discovered. Any shot he had at a normal life was taken from him.

As they finished up their dessert Razor started talking.

"I'll be away for the next couple of days. Sensei has some jobs for me to do," she informed him. "I'm not allowed to say what though."

"You never are," Izuku responded. "While you're gone Shigaraki's big operation will be taking place. It's actually supposed to start in about an hour or so. However, it seems he wants to keep quiet about the specifics, at least to me."

"Typical," she replied. "I guess he wants to be able to brag about it when it 'succeeds'. Whatever the case be on your guard while I'm gone. You never know what could happen."

Razor didn't know why, but she got the feeling something was about to happen.

Whether it was good or bad she did not know, but she knew something would happen. She was never wrong about this sort of thing either. She had always gotten this feeling before a major fight or some sort of tragedy that was about to occur.

Years of fighting had carved this into her very being. Call it paranoia or precognition she did not know or care, something bad always happened.

This time she felt it was about Izuku and she didn't like it.

"I will," Izuku replied. "I'll keep up the training while I'm at it also."

"You had better. If you slack off, you'll get weaker," Razor informed him. "And then I'll have to whip you back into shape."

Izuku knew she meant it literally. As they finished cleaning up, they headed to the alleyway where they began to part ways. Izuku wished her luck with her missions and Razor asked him to tell her the details of Tomura's mission when it failed, most notably his reaction. It was then that they parted ways.

Outside the bar

Izuku had no intention of checking in for Tomura's mission. He had done all his work, so he was finished for the day.

While walking he saw Dabi leaning against the wall outside.

Of all the new recruits Tomura had gathered Dabi was the one Izuku got along with the most. He was also the one Izuku interacted with the most. He didn't seem like a bad person though he didn't have the best manners.

He interacted with the other members of the League as well.

Twice was nice, but complicated. Izuku could tell he was not a bad person based on their…experiences together.

Compress seemed nice but ones such as Moonfish and Muscular were complete psychopaths.

Toga who was also a psychopath was also somewhat nice. Her primary reason for being in the League was that her life was too hard, and she wanted to make it easier to live in this world, at least in her words. Izuku knew it went much deeper though.

The other members also had their reasons for being in the League, some tragic, some noble and some pure evil. Izuku had a little bit of information on each of them. These interactions happened rarely though since he was always busy with work.

"Good evening," Dabi greeted him in a dull tone.

"Hello Dabi," Izuku replied. "How're things? Are you getting ready for the mission?"

Dabi grinned. He too found Izuku easier to get along with than most of the League. Once when they were talking, he asked about Izuku's encounter with Stain which the latter explained in great detail. It seemed that the hero-killer was nobler than he thought which was why he was going to work even harder to carry out his will.

Dabi actually liked the boy more than he cared to admit. When he heard about his past, he was sympathetic because like Izuku, his life had been ruined by a hero's when he was young.

The only difference was he loathed 'that man' with all his existence.

"I suppose I'm okay. I've already prepared along with the others," he informed the teenager. "What about you? You here to just check-in?"

Izuku shook his head in denial.

"No, I'm just heading home since all my work for the day is now done," he replied. "I don't know anything about the mission anyway so there's no point. Shigaraki doesn't want me to know about it for some reason."

Dabi frowned.

'Is it someone Deku knows?' Dabi wondered. 'Our mission is to kidnap a student after all.'

"Don't tell Shigaraki I told you this, but our mission involves kidnapping a potential recruit for the League," he explained. "He's a slightly well-known figure. I can't tell you any more than that though."

Izuku blinked in surprise. Tomura was kidnapping someone. Why was that such a big deal? Maybe he didn't want him to know in case he got captured and interrogated.

For some reason though, Izuku got the sense that it was for a completely different reason.

"Also, Shigaraki is staying behind for this one. He's trying to lead from here and ensure no one realizes it's the League," Dabi added.

"His first big assignment and he's not even going," Izuku said. "Whatever, when you've completed it, call me over. Until then good night Dabi."

"See ya," the villain in black responded.

At this apartment

Izuku finished brushing his teeth and stared at his reflection.

His fingers traced over his body where there were once a number of injuries. Places where there had been bruises and scars, not all inflicted by Bakugo.

Some his scars were . . . . . . self-inflicted.

Back then he went through so much that he sometimes did things that relieved him of stress. They had all disappeared due to the regenerative drug, but sometimes he still felt like they were there.

Thinking about it all now Izuku shuddered. A year had now passed. He was different, he was stronger. However, memories of the days when he was severely bullied still haunted him.

"That doesn't matter now. You're here, you're free from all that," he told himself. "You're safe, you never have to back to that."

For some reason, he still felt unsure.

Not wanting to dwell on it any longer he drifted into a deep sleep, unaware of the chaos that was soon to follow.

Notes:

Hi there. What did you think of that? For those of you who are wondering about Dabi he will be playing a certain role in the story. Also what did you think of Atrocity? I don't think I need to explain what the next chapter will be about however, it will involve a divergence from the canon. Anyway please review.

Chapter 18: A nasty surprise

Summary:

Izuku awakens to a nasty surprise at the bar.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku awoke at the sound of his phone buzzing. It was a message from Dabi.

"Mission was a success. If you want to see who we caught you had better come over now."

Izuku guessed that he must've only sent it now because he didn't want to disturb him while he was sleeping. That aside he was curious as to who this big shot they had kidnapped really was. Quick as he could Izuku got dressed and hurried down to the bar.

Little did he know, he was in for a nasty surprise when he arrived.

At the bar

Upon arriving Izuku was greeted by Dabi and Kurogiri. Kurogiri appeared anxious about something.

"Deku before you see who we've captured," Kurogiri started nervously. "Tomura believed he would be a good addition to our ranks."

Izuku was confused by Kurogiri's behaviour.

"Just who did you kidnap?" he asked concerned.

"A student," Kurogiri exclaimed. "One you know rather well."

Kurogiri really seemed nervous now.

"A student I know well. Who-"

Then it dawned on him. There was only one person that matched his description.

"No," Izuku said horrified. "Not him. Anyone but him."

"See for yourself," Dabi piped up.

Izuku walked into the bar to see that everyone was there. They had all come back from the mission safe. Well, mostly everyone, Mustard and Moonfish weren't present for some reason.

What caught his attention was the person at the centre of the bar chained up so that he couldn't escape or speak. A blonde he knew all too well.

'Bakugo was their target. This can't be happening,' Izuku mentally screamed.

Katsuki turned to look at the new arrival. The moment he did he stopped squirming and went completely silent. He couldn't believe his eyes. He suspected but he never actually believed.

'What the actual fuck! Deku is with these psycho a-holes!' Katsuki thought.

Neither boy said a word. The two just stared at each other in shock. The other villains picked up on this.

"This has got to be the first time this kid has stopped making a fuss," Magne stated.

"Yeah, it is," Twice added. "He's been raging the whole time!"

Snapping back to reality Izuku scanned the room until he came across Tomura who was sitting at the bar area watching TV. Izuku marched over to him angrily.

"Shigaraki, why is he here!?" Izuku roared.

Everyone in the room was taken back by this. Barring that one time, they had never seen Deku this angry.

"Well if it wasn't obvious, he was what the mission was about," Tomura explained. "He'll be a great addition to our ranks."

Izuku couldn't believe his ears. Was Tomura really that stupid? No, he wasn't, he just didn't know Katsuki like he did.

Tomura was amused at the reactions he was getting from Izuku. It was the first time since they had met that he looked so annoyed and angry. Though he really couldn't blame Izuku, this was the kid that ruined his life after all.

"Why couldn't you have picked someone less volatile, less of an asshole, and you know, not him," Izuku demanded. "Getting away from this thing was one of the reasons I joined the League."

Katsuki, who had been listening to them started making noise and struggling again. He wanted to know why the hell Deku was with these villains. What use could he possibly be to them? He was a quirkless loser who was useless at just about everything. What could they possibly hope to gain from having him around? Also, who did he think he was spouting crap like that about him?

The other villains were beginning to pick up on who Katsuki was to Deku. He was the boy from his story, the boy who bullied him to the point of becoming a villain.

Izuku turned to glare at Katsuki. He was so angry he couldn't stand it.

The latter gave him a surprised look, most likely because Izuku wasn't acting like he usually did. Izuku didn't seem afraid of Katsuki. He was angry also, that never happened.

"May I have a minute alone to speak with Bakugo?" Izuku asked as politely as he could. "There are some things I'd like to get off my chest with him."

"I'll allow it because of your history. However, Kurogiri will be staying to make sure you don't kill him," Tomura replied while getting up and motioning for the others to follow him. "Also, Deku, try not to damage him much. My team went through a lot of trouble to retrieve him."

Izuku nodded. It was then just him, Katsuki and Kurogiri. While Kurogiri removed the restraints around Katsuki's mouth. The moment he did the shouting started.

"Deku you bastard! Why the fuck are you with these guys? Have you been with them since you went missing last year? Do you even realize how much stress you put your mom through?" Katsuki roared.

Izuku remained silent. He was so angry he could barely keep it in. Even after a year, Katsuki still had the nerve to treat him like he always had. He really hadn't changed at all.

"Hey, you quirkless fucker I'm talking to you so answer!" Katsuki barked.

That did it.

Izuku stepped back, raised his right leg, spun it and delivered a kick to Katsuki's face. He then rushed forward and grabbed him by the head where he punched him in the jaw.

He was about to punch him again when Kurogiri stopped him with his quirk. Tomura had stated not to damage him much. Izuku didn't look at Kurogiri, he simply stepped back. His face was filled with rage and hatred.

Katsuki stared at Deku with utter disbelief. Deku attacked him. What's more, it actually hurt. This made no sense. Deku wasn't strong, he never fought, so how was this possible?

"Shut up. Just shut the fuck up!" Izuku yelled.

Katsuki froze. For as long as he had known Deku he had never once sworn.

"You wanna know how all of this happened. You. Because of you. You, everyone at school and even All Might. You and everyone at school always beat the crap out of me simply for not having a quirk. When I said I wanted to be a hero you all laughed and made fun. If that wasn't enough, you and most of our classmates humiliated me on a daily basis," Izuku told him. "You know the last day you saw me I met All Might. He saved me from the sludge villain, and I got the chance to talk to him. When I asked if it was possible to be a hero without a quirk, he told me it wasn't. That was the last straw, I couldn't take it anymore. So, you know what I did? I went home to say goodbye to my mom and then I came to the top of a building to take your advice. I jumped."

Katsuki just stared at him in shock. He had never seen this much emotion from Deku.

It wasn't all his fault. No one ever stopped him, others even joined in. The dork never once defended himself or went for help so there was no problem. Bakugo's mother (having heard from Inko) argued about it with him over it constantly but never more than that.

He couldn't believe the last part, however.

"You jumped off a roof, yeah right," Katsuki snorted. "Like you would ever have the balls to do that. You can't even take a few insults without bawling your eyes out."

Izuku and Kurogiri stared at him shocked. Why was that so hard for Katsuki to believe? Back then maybe he seemed weak and cowardly enough to not actually try it.

"Believe what you want but that's what happened. As to why I'm with the League. Well, when I jumped they, Kurogiri specifically, saved me and brought me here. They were impressed with my work and offered me a place among them," Izuku explained.

"What use could they have for a quirkless piece of shit like you?" Katsuki barked. "You can't do anything right."

This time it was Kurogiri who spoke up.

"Deku is far from useless. Those quirk analysis skills surpass those of any professional. He is also quite gifted in scientific areas," Kurogiri stated. "Perhaps you should stop and consider that before jumping to conclusions. Quirks aren't everything in this world."

Katsuki scoffed like he couldn't believe his ears.

"Yeah right. Quirks dominate this world and determine who is strong. Always have always will," Katsuki stated arrogantly. "Deku is still Deku. He's always going to be a weak nerd and nothing more."

Izuku was about to hit him again when Kurogiri spoke.

"Weak you say. Well, that's funny because the last time I checked, he beat you to a pulp at the USJ," he said softly causing both boys to freeze in surprise. "And he did it without a quirk."

Katsuki looked like he didn't have a counter to that statement.

Izuku stared at Kurogiri in surprize.

Though he did not show it Kurogiri was actually furious. This boy was just like 'that girl' who drove his sister to her death.

It was a good thing Tomura came back in, or else things may have escalated. It was clear that this conversation was over.

Izuku, not wanting to be in the same room as Katsuki went to the training room to clear his head. No one followed. Everyone seemed to understand that he needed to be alone.

When he was, he sat curled up in a ball in the corner.

"I thought I was over this. When I beat him, I thought I had moved on, but I haven't. Bakugo right, I'm still the same kid I was from back then," Izuku said to himself.

Images of his past flooded his mind. All the times he had been beaten and humiliated were there.

"It doesn't matter what I do. That happened to me, I can never change it," he whispered.

Part of him felt betrayed by the League for bringing Katsuki here. They knew how he felt about him, yet they still brought him. Granted most of them didn't know Katsuki was his tormentor.

Tomura knew, as did Kurogiri and Sensei. Izuku wasn't nearly as angry with them as he was with Tomura though.

All Might

All Might stepped out of the UA Meeting Room to answer his phone. He and the teachers had just been discussing the recent attack on the training camp for the students.

During the attack, several students and a pro were injured. To make matters worse a pro had gone missing and two students had been kidnapped. It was a complete disaster. The media had also criticized them heavily, though they weren't wrong too.

How the League of Villains had found the Camp no one knew. The possibility of a traitor was suggested but there was no definite proof.

Young Bakugo had been taken most likely because of the violent behaviour he displayed at the Sports Festival. That was easy to understand.

But why was she taken? What use was she to the villains? He heard from the report she had been captured by a villain known as Muscular who overpowered Vlad but nothing more.

It didn't matter though, he would get them both back, even if it killed him.

That aside All Might felt shame and guilt for not being there to protect his students. Some symbol of peace he was.

He checked his phone to see that it was Naomasa.

"Sorry, what is it Tsukauchi?" All Might asked.

"We just took their statements. There's been an unexpected development. We may just be able to locate the League of Villains hideout," Naomasa explained.

All Might tensed. This was potentially good news.

Naomasa explained how one of his men had been investigating the area a couple of weeks back. A description of someone entering a building that supposedly had no tenants matched up with the description of one of the villains who kidnapped the students. The location of the hideout was a bar instilled within the building. Once enough evidence was collected, they were going to raid the place. They also wanted him, and several other heroes to assist in the operation.

"You truly are a good friend. I promise when I come face to face with those bastards I will tell them, for I am here to return the favour," he replied while transforming into his heroic form.

"I'm glad but you know, what if Deku's there?" Naomasa asked.

All might hesitated to answer. He knew that they would come face to face eventually. He didn't know if Izuku had any involvement in the attack on the camp, no one saw him.

Then there was Inko. All Might had checked up on her from time to time to make sure nothing bad had happened to her. She was still out searching for her son but as usual, having no success. She didn't know he was watching her; All Might kept his distance to make sure she was safe.

He dreaded the moment when she found out her son was a villain.

"When that time comes, I'll treat him as a villain and stop him," All Might finally responded.

It was the best answer he could give. Fortunately, Naomasa didn't argue and simply told him to be ready since 'that man' maybe there before cutting contact.

All Might didn't doubt that AFO would be there. This was why, much to his despair, that he was going to get his old teacher to join in the fight. The mere thought of him terrified him. He then thought about the students that had been captured and Izuku Midoriya.

"Don't worry. I'll be there soon."

The training room an hour later

Izuku had stayed sitting in that position for the past hour without moving. He still had a lot going on. No one had come to see him, so he just sat there.

"Wonder what they're all talking about now," he murmured.

He didn't need to move from where he sat to hear them. He had learned from Stain how to channel his senses, so they were sharper. He closed his eyes and focused on the sounds around him. He listened carefully for the people that were at the bar.

"Sniffle."

'What was that?' he thought.

Izuku's attention was drawn away from the bar. He stood up and tried listening again.

"Sniffle."

There it was again.

It sounded like someone was crying.

What's more, the voice belonged to a female.

Izuku followed the sound to another corridor. He moved along until he came across the door where the sound was emanating from. Not wanting to be unprepared he took up a fighting stance and kicked the door open.

He was shocked at who he saw inside.

She was around his age, wearing dark summer clothes. She was held in place by shackles and her mouth was gagged so she couldn't speak. She possessed pink skin and hair, dark eyes with yellow irises, there were also two horns sticking out from her head.

Izuku instantly recognized her. He'd seen her at the sports festival. One of Katsuki's classmates.

"Mina Ashido," Izuku said in almost a whisper.

The girl eyed him with both surprise and terror. There were tears in her eyes.

'Is he here to torture me?' Mina thought horrified. 'I haven't even done anything. I didn't try to escape.'

Mina was terrified. During the training camp while she was with her classmates and friends several villains attacked. They were completely unprepared for it. Their main target had been Bakugo surprisingly.

However, the villain referred to as Muscular had been targeting her specifically. Why? It wasn't to recruit her like Bakugo, oh no it was much worse. It was to be as a new torture toy for his boss 'Atrocity'.

Mina was told that the man loved children like her, children with high hopes and dreams. He loved breaking them, ruining them, and shattering those thoughts completely until there was nothing left but despair.

He especially loved subhuman freaks (people who took on a less human appearance due to their quirks) like her. To put it simply, he was a monster.

Muscular then began to explain how his boss would 'break' her in grand detail. He even went so far as to taunt her by saying that no one would come and save her and that she would die all alone in an effort to make her cry, which he succeeded.

He hadn't harmed her yet though; he had been given strict instructions not to.

Izuku was stunned to see her here. Why though? Tomura had clearly stated Bakugo was the target. Even Dabi said they were only after one person.

But someone brought her here. Who though? What's more why? Mina hadn't displayed any villain like tendencies at the Sports Festival.

Izuku took out his phone and texted Kurogiri to show up at this spot without speaking a word to anyone. He mentioned using his quirk so people would think he was gone. Thirty seconds later he appeared demanding an explanation. Izuku motioned to Mina who was still chained up.

"What on earth? How and why is she here? She wasn't with the others when I warped them here," Kurogiri exclaimed.

"So, she wasn't a target?" Izuku asked.

"No. It was just Bakugo. This girl wasn't with the others when I warped them back to the bar, not that I saw anyway," Kurogiri explained.

Mina who'd been listening was rather surprised. The other villains hadn't been in on her abduction.

Izuku moved closer and removed the gag in her mouth.

"I think we should just ask her what happened," Izuku stated. "Ms Ashido could you please tell us what happened? Don't worry, we won't hurt you. Though that depends on how well you cooperate."

Mina quickly weighed her options. Depending on the answer she gave things may get better or worse for her. Though if she didn't answer they would force it out of her. She decided to tell them since things couldn't get much worse for her.

"I was with everyone when you used your quirk. As to why you didn't see me if I had to guess, Muscular his me underneath his cloak. I was unconscious when he did though. He came to the cabin I was at while chasing after one of the pros relatives, fortunately, he got away," Mina explained. "As to why I'm here..."

Mina explained about her conversation with Muscular. It was because of this that Izuku and Kurogiri realized that Muscular was working for Atrocity.

"Why didn't you try and escape?" Kurogiri asked.

"I couldn't, these shackles prevent me from using my quirk. Also, I was told that the room was guarded so there was no point," she responded.

Izuku silently debated over what to do next. Part of him wanted to let Mina go, on the other hand, he knew he couldn't just let her leave. He knew exactly what kind of person Atrocity was. Razor told him about the things he usually did to people like him and Mina.

Personally, he didn't think Mina deserved what Atrocity was going to do to her but at the same time, there was nothing he could do. Or was there?

"Did Muscular say when he would be back to get you?" Izuku asked.

"Yes actually. He said it would be in about a day or two," Mina replied.

So, the man was willing to let her starve and dehydrate. Adding to it all, he revealed too much information to his victim and kept her in a place where she could easily have been found. He was clearly an idiot by Izuku's standards.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kurogiri intercepting a powered punch aimed at Izuku's head using his quirk.

It was Muscular. He was right next to Izuku and smiling sadistically.

'How did he get behind me? I would have heard him,' Izuku thought.

'He's incredibly fast,' Kurogiri realized.

The mere sight of Muscular terrified Mina. He had come for her.

"You know I did say that. But I couldn't help but check to make sure you were still here," Muscular chuckled before turning his attention to Deku. "You really shouldn't meddle in other people's business. You might attract unwanted attention."

As he pulled his arm back, he shoved by Izuku and went straight for Mina.

"I was going to take you away later but now's as good a time as any I guess," Muscular said to the girl who was shaking with terror.

"Please," Mina whimpered.

That only made Muscular laugh and look at her with pure sadism and malice.

"Yes, yes, make that face, make those sounds. Atrocity loves it when his toy's do those things. Make sure to do those things when he starts playing with you," Muscular gloated. "Oh. Make sure to scream and cry as well. He loves those things."

Izuku felt sorry for the girl in front of him. He wanted to help her; he really did. But could he? Could he do so without getting into trouble with the League?

Mina closed her eyes and cried. Her thoughts wavered back to the friends she had made growing up, her family, the dreams she'd had of being a hero, and most of all her friends from UA. They were all precious to her.

'Goodbye, everyone. I'm glad I got to know you all. I wish could become a hero along with the rest of you but sadly it isn't meant to be,' she thought sadly. 'All the times we shared; I will always treasure them just like I treasure all of you.'

As Muscular reached for Mina Izuku, in the split second, made a choice.

"I'm afraid you can't do that," he said. "Ms Ashido is not your responsibility. She's mine."

Everyone had different reactions.

Kurogiri gave him a worried glance.

Muscular turned gave him a look that said, 'what the fuck'.

Mina looked up at him in shock.

"Hah. Very funny kid," Muscular snorted. "You're a real comedian ya know. You shouldn't make jokes like that though, otherwise, you'll end up dead."

"Do I look like I'm kidding," Izuku retorted seriously. "This girl is my responsibility. AFO's orders."

Izuku was lying of course. AFO hadn't given him any such orders. He was making a risky bet in the face of a man who could kill him quite easily.

"What do you mean AFO's orders?" Muscular demanded, he was beginning to get irritated.

"It's exactly what I say it is. AFO gave me orders to handle any students that weren't targeted for the mission," Izuku lied smoothly.

Dabi hadn't known Izuku was unaware of the mission's details, so it was highly likely the others didn't know either. Muscular still looked like he didn't believe him.

"Tell me Muscular how exactly do you think I found her in the first place?" Izuku questioned. "I spend most of my time in the bar, training room and out on the streets. I don't go wandering around the building because there's absolutely nothing to see. The majority of these rooms are void of objects."

For once the bulky villain didn't look like he had a response. He checked the rooms beforehand, so he knew Deku was telling the truth.

"There are cameras all around the building that only Sensei has access to. Last night when you all returned Sensei captured footage of you bringing someone here. Granted he didn't know it was Ms Ashido but he knew it was someone. As such he sent me here to collect this person," Izuku explained.

Izuku didn't know if the building had cameras or not, but it must've had some means of notifying the League of intruders.

However, Muscular didn't seem to accept this. He grabbed Deku by the throat and held him up while suffocating him.

"Don't screw with me," Muscular snarled. "That can't be true."

"Shall we test that?" Izuku challenged. "I could call Sensei right now if you like and confirm it for you. I'll also be sure to mention that you are currently choking me, but I don't think he'll be happy with that."

Kurogiri was getting nervous. Deku was playing a very dangerous game.

He wasn't the only one. Mina was nervous also. This villain, it almost sounded like he was trying to help her. Why? He was a villain, wasn't he supposed to do things like that? Still though, she would've preferred him over Atrocity.

"Listen you quirkless bastard. I could snap your neck right now if I wanted to," Muscular snarled.

Izuku didn't even look remotely phased. There was no fear in his eyes.

"Oh, I know you could. However, are you prepared for what follows afterwards?" Izuku asked politely.

Muscular was confused at what he meant.

Kurogiri understood though.

"Let me tell you what will happen. Sensei will hunt you and your boss down and kill you both in whatever way he pleases. Why you ask? It's because I happen to be an important member of the League, unlike you. I have done more for them in a year than you probably have in your whole life. Imagine how he'll react when he discovers you killed me. And don't think he couldn't because we both know he damn well could. I'm sure that even someone as stupid you know Sensei is a lot more powerful than Atrocity. So, I suggest that you let go of me and forget about this girl. Otherwise, you'll be the one that ends up dead," Izuku threatened with more authority than he had ever used in his life.

Everyone was silent.

Kurogiri had never once heard Deku speak like that to someone.

Mina thought this boy was extremely brave.

Muscular was shocked and slightly terrified. This boy, he wasn't screwing around. He meant what he was saying.

"Well said Deku," applauded a voice coming from the corner via monitor.

It was AFO. Had he been listening to everything?

"You see Muscular everything is as Deku says. Please give my apologies to Atrocity but he will have to get himself a new toy," Sensei stated calmly, he then switched to a more sinister tone. "Also, get your filthy hands off Deku. He is a valued member after all. If dies due to a tantrum from you, then your entire group burns from a tantrum from me."

Muscular released Deku instantly. He knew this man wasn't joking, if he didn't do as he was told he would most certainly end up dead.

He glared at Mina for escaping from him. He then glared at Izuku with a burning hatred. This boy, he was the reason he would be in trouble with Atrocity now.

Quickly he left to go and report the situation.

For a minute no one said anything.

"Sensei I," Izuku started.

"There's no need for that Deku. I'm sure you have your reasons for doing this. Besides, with Bakugo here I'm sure you're having a hard time dealing with it," Sensei interjected before motioning to Mina. "However, because you started this Ms Ashido is now your responsibility. Ms Ashido I am sure you are already aware of this, but we cannot simply let you leave."

"Um yeah," she replied uncertainly.

She was still scared of what was to come, but, not as much as before. In fact, she was relieved. She no longer had to go with that man to become an object of torture for someone's pleasure. This villain, Deku, had saved her. She wanted to know why.

"Sensei how did you know we were here?" Izuku asked.

Despite being grateful, he found it strange that AFO had shown up when he needed him. How did he even know what room they were in?

"Kurogiri informed me when you texted him. I would've spoken up sooner, but I wanted to watch and listen first. I must say you put on quite a show," Sensei complimented. "I never knew were so commanding."

"I'm not normally," Izuku replied sheepishly. "But thanks all the same."

The screen in the room went blank and he was gone.

"Kurogiri please take us to a room where we can talk and where she can get some rest," Izuku requested as he undid the shackles.

Izuku picked Mina up in a sort of princess carry like fashion as Kurogiri's surrounded them. The next thing they knew they were in another room.

It was a sort of living room with two large couches, a coffee table, an area to make tea and coffee. Izuku placed Mina on a couch and sat opposite to her. Kurogiri made tea for the two and stood in the corner. Mina didn't drink it though, she just stared at the cup.

"It's not poisoned if that's what you're thinking," Izuku said.

Mina looked up at him. She seemed unsure.

"I didn't think there was," she replied. "It's just there's a lot going through my head right now."

"Understandable considering the situation," Kurogiri interjected. "Listen Deku I need to go and check on Shigaraki. So, I'll leave it to you to explain the situation."

It was just the two of them. Noticing how uncomfortable she was Izuku decided to speak up.

"Ms Ashido do you have any questions you'd like me to answer?" Izuku asked.

Mina stared at the floor and then at him.

"Yes, a couple actually," she replied. "To start why, just why did you help me? You're a villain, so, just why?"

Mina hoped she hadn't offended him anyway. However, Deku remained calm.

Of course, she would ask that.

"To be honest I'm not sure myself. You just seemed like you needed help," he said much to her surprise. "I suppose the best description I can give would be that I didn't want you to suffer since you hadn't actually done anything wrong. I know what sort of things Atrocity does to people and I didn't really want you to go through that. Furthermore, my status as a villain is irrelevant. I might be a villain, but I am not evil, the same goes for a lot of villains. Heroes and Villains are not the same as Good and Evil."

Mina was shocked at his answer. She had never even considered that. Certainly, he had a point, they weren't the same. She drank some of her tea which she found sweet and refreshing.

"What's your relationship with Bakugo? That man from before mentioned something about it," she asked.

Izuku's face soured slightly.

"He and I knew each other as children and up through school. He bullied me relentlessly simply for being quirkless," he responded.

Mina was a little, but not entirely shocked. She knew Bakugo was a violent person with anger issues. He had shown some signs of being a bully from his former school,l but this was the first actual confirmation. Mina despised bullying so she sympathised with Deku a bit.

"I kinda understand what that's like," Mina said. "Growing up pink wasn't always easy for me. People made fun of it at first, but I eventually made friends and things worked out well for me."

Izuku was slightly surprised at this. Discrimination against people with quirks that altered their appearance these days wasn't as common as when quirks first showed up. Back then, and even now they were cruelly referred to as subhuman by some people.

However, it still existed. Spinner was proof of that.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do with me?" she asked.

This had been the question she had been the most scared to ask.

"Are you going to make me fight against people or use my quirk to harm others?" she asked nervously.

"Not if you don't want to," Izuku replied. "And I won't force you either. But you will be working for me. I guess you could be my assistant and help sort out my work."

Mina didn't respond. This boy, he clearly wasn't a bad person, however, she couldn't trust him, not yet anyway. At the very least she was relieved that she wouldn't have to hurt others. But there was still something bothering her.

"What sort of work do you do exactly?" Mina asked. "I'm just curious as to what I'll be doing."

"I do quirk analysis for the League and am part of their science division in developing things. I'm not really a field agent. The only time I did something like that was the USJ Incident," Izuku explained. "I was there to fight Bakugo in an attempt to get even with him, which I did."

To his surprise, Mina laughed.

"So, you're the one he was ranting on about. Before and after the Sports Festival he was swearing 'When I find that bastard in black I'm gonna kill him'. He really wasn't happy about losing to you," she informed him.

"He never did like it. That's the first time I think he's ever lost anything," he replied.

It was true. Katsuki had never lost at anything before. Whatever was thrown at him he would always find a way to win and come out on top. Back when they were children, he took on kids bigger than him and still won. His strength and passion to win were part of the reasons Izuku originally looked up to him.

"How is Bakugo exactly?" Mina asked since she was concerned about what happened to him.

"Shigaraki is trying to convince him to join the League. However, he is tied because of his volatile nature," he explained.

Mina said nothing. She kinda had to agree with that statement, given the guy's personality. She doubted the villains would hurt him since they needed Bakugo.

"Let's leave it at that for now," Izuku declared. "You look very tired so you may want to get some sleep."

He wasn't wrong. Mina had been up early the day before and hadn't gotten much sleep the night before as part of her punishment for failing the exam. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night either. Muscular woke her up to explain her horrific situation and she cried for most of the night. Being chained up made it less comfortable. To point it simply, she was exhausted. A few hours wouldn't hurt.

Izuku took out a blanket and handed it to her. Lying on the couch with the blanket over her she fell asleep quickly. Izuku, who was still tired drifted off shortly after.

Though Mina didn't fully trust him, she felt safer with him around.

At an unknown location

"WHAT? THAT QUIRKLESS SON OF A BITCH TOOK MY NEW TOY," Atrocity roared.

He was pissed. More than he had been in a long time. He wanted to break something or someone. Unfortunately, his last toy just died and none of his henchmen were around so couldn't take his anger out on them.

He wasn't angry at Muscular. He had done his job like he was told. He wasn't wrong to walk away when AFO got involved, if anything it was a smart decision. He even ordered him to remain with the League not to arouse suspicion because there was still a chance he could get his toy back.

Then there was Deku. He was outraged when that quirkless abomination evaded him the first time but now he utterly loathed him. That boy had stolen from him, no one did that, no one. Especially not when it came to his toys. He didn't like him before, but now, now he hated him with a burning passion.

"That does it he's dead," Atrocity declared. "Whatever future he had, it's gone."

He would see to it that Deku was given a slow torturous death, and he would do it tomorrow when the plan went forward.

Hell, he may even take him as an extra toy to play with.

"Enjoy today while you can Deku and AFO. For it will be your last," Atrocity swore.

Notes:

Hi there. That was a long chapter I know but there was a lot I wanted to get in. Anyways what did you think of it all? I really hope it was enjoyable. The next chapter will most likely be a long one also. Please review.

Chapter 19: The tears they never received

Summary:

As others begin to make their move something surprising happens at the League of Villains hideout.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"So, you are all going then," Tenya questioned the students now before him. They all nodded in confirmation.

Currently, Tenya was outside the hospital with Todoroki, Kirishima and Yaoyorozu. They were planning on rescuing Bakugo and Ashido from the villains.

Yaoyorozu had planted a tracking device on one of the villains who had escaped with the aid of a student in class 1B. The idea was to rescue them without actually getting into a fight, or so they said.

The two boys were going because they couldn't do anything before when they were captured, but now they could. Yaoyorozu was going because she trusted Todoroki and would be there to stop the boys in case things got worse.

"Looks like we'll never be able to see eye to eye. Since that's the case then take me with you," Tenya asked. "I'll be there to stop you all from getting into trouble."

There were looks of surprise from everyone. Kirishima changed to a grin.

"Be honest. You were planning on coming with us all along," he said.

"Only if I couldn't convince you," Tenya replied. "At any rate since we're avoiding combat the five of us should extra cautious."

Kirishima nodded with enthusiasm. Todoroki and Yaoyorozu looked suspicious though.

"The five of us? Did you tell another student about this?" Yaoyorozu asked nervously. "Getting someone else involved doesn't sound like you, Iida."

"It isn't a student actually," Tenya replied. "While you were planning this, I thought I wouldn't be able to convince you so I made a phone call. You could say I called in a favour."

"Who is coming with us?" Todoroki demanded.

"Relax it's not a pro hero. It's-"

"Please leave the introduction to me," a female voice rang out. "Up here just so you know."

Everybody looked up to see a woman with pinkish hair tied up in pigtails standing on top of a lamppost. She was dressed mostly in black. She wore elbow-length gloves, a mask covering her face, boots, a mini super-miniskirt held by a three hearts belt and a succubus themed leotard with a heart at its centre. She leapt down to properly introduce herself.

"Internet pop-star and vigilante Pop-Step here!" she greeted them. "Nice to meet you all!"

Flashback

"Hey there Tenya. Are you alright? I heard about what happened at your training camp," Koichi said over the phone.

"I'm fine but that's not why I'm calling. I called because I need your help," Tenya replied.

Tenya explained Kirishima's plan and when it was taking place.

"So, you're planning on going then," Koichi asked concerned. "Did you learn nothing from that time in Hosu? The trouble you got in then will be nothing to the trouble you get in now!"

"I know," Tenya replied frustrated. "I will only go if I can't convince them, which I doubt I will. That's why I'm calling Koichi. If we do go, we'll most certainly encounter trouble. Our combat authorisations have been revoked meaning we'll be powerless. Is there any way you could come over, or even send someone to help us?"

Tenya realized that if this rescue mission were to succeed, they would need help. They would need a way to bend the rules. A way to fight without actually fighting.

Koichi seemed to understand. He knew if even if he tried, he couldn't stop Tenya from going. While he did not want Tenya to get in trouble again he knew it would happen anyway. At the very least he could make sure he had a better chance of coming out unscathed.

"Well Knuckleduster and I are busy now but there is someone I can send over to help. She's actually a popular idol online. One warning though, she can be a bit of a diva," Koichi cautioned.

Flashback end

The students couldn't believe their eyes or ears. Iida was in contact with vigilantes. That was completely out of character for him, and the opposite of what he was saying to them a few minutes ago.

"A lot more happened to me in Hosu than you think," Tenya explained. "I met people; I changed a bit."

The others looked uncertain. Vigilantes were after all technically villains. In other words, they would be working with a criminal.

"Before you go complain about working with a vigilante, or a criminal as you see it, let me ask you this. What are you planning to do?" she asked. Her question earned her uncertain looks. "Exactly. What I am and what I do may be against the law but guess what. What you're planning to do is also, so don't act so high and mighty."

This time she got looks of guilt and shame.

"I know most of you are against this but please believe me this will up our odds. Our combat authorisations have been revoked so we can't attack, Pop-Step on the other hand can. Technically speaking she is a villain, but in reality, she is a hero," Tenya reasoned. "Let me ask you something. When was it wrong to actually help someone?"

They all stared at Iida in shock. They couldn't quite tell, but something had changed within him.

He was like a completely different version from the one they already knew.

"Fine we'll accept your assistance Ms Pop-Step," Todoroki said. "But only until we've rescued the others."

Pop-Step nodded. Tenya was relieved. The other two looked determined. With the issue settled they headed off into the night. Their rescue mission began.

At Izuku's apartment

"So, you take all these notes simply from observing other people's quirks," Mina exclaimed. "I can't believe it."

Mina had looked through one book out of curiosity. The way it so detailed in how the quirks were structured, their weaknesses and how they could be improved. Mina couldn't deny she was impressed.

Currently, she was in his room helping him move around some notes as his 'assistant'. It had been stated that she may be helping him in the science department also but not much more. So far Deku seemed to be keeping to his word about what she would be doing for him.

Why was she going along with it? It was a much better option than being a torture toy, and she decided it would be better to go along with it for now, at least until someone came for her.

"Thanks. The ones from the sports festival are to your right if want to look at them. Notes about your quirk are in the fourth notebook," Izuku offered. "The rest are filled with notes on all the competitors."

Mina's jaw wide dropped open. She was speechless.

Izuku laughed at her reaction, though he really couldn't blame her. There weren't many who were actually capable of that sort of thing.

"Y-y-y-you took notes on every single competitor," Mina stuttered.

Izuku nodded.

"I had the monitor to help me. I'm not that fast," he reasoned.

That did nothing to take away her shock.

"Speaking of the sports festival there's something I'd like to ask you, about one of your classmates actually," Izuku said.

Mina replaced her shocked expression with a confused one.

If Deku had been at the festival, shouldn't he know enough about her classmate's quirks already?

"Since you've been honest with me, I'll be honest with you. I don't know how well I'll be able to answer though," Mina replied.

Izuku nodded in understanding.

"Shoto Todoroki. From what I saw at the festival he can manipulate both fire and ice with each half of his body representing those powers. Yet for some reason he doesn't use his fire. In fact, from what I could see he seemed disgusted by it. I was just wondering why," Izuku stated.

It had been something on his mind for a while now.

He remembered at the festival exactly how Todoroki reacted when he used his left side during the cavalry battle. It hadn't been intentional, just a heat of the moment choice. In the aftermath of the event, he appeared quite furious with himself for even using it.

Mina went silent. She didn't exactly have a good answer.

She didn't speak with Todoroki much, or at all even. He wasn't social with his classmates. He barely even interacted with anyone unless someone spoke to him first.

"I don't know if this will help but it may be something to do with his father, Endeavor," Mina explained. "Whenever their relation to each other was brought up, which is very rare, he always gets angry. That's all just a guess though. Todoroki isn't really social with any of us in class 1A."

"You probably aren't wrong. I've had an encounter or two with Endeavor while performing quirk analysis. Believe me, he is not a nice person. The first encounter, I nearly got caught in his fire, he didn't even apologise," he replied. "In contrast to other heroes, he is quite violent and hot-tempered.

"You aren't wrong. It's been stated by others online. Still though," Mina said with a sad expression. "Todoroki can be a bit cold to others, but sometimes, he just looks sad, like he's hurting in some awful way."

Izuku said nothing. It seemed that Todoroki was reluctant to use his pyrokinetic quirk due to psychological trauma, one possibly caused by his father.

Mina looked at the notebook that contained data on her quirk. She was curious at what Deku wrote about it.

'Hmmm, he's definitely right about my gliding. My weakness it seems is that rely too much on my hands and feet to use it offensively, also the range at which I can shoot acid isn't very far. There are also questions about whether I can use it without excreting it from my body,' she thought.

Then she came to the improvement section. 'If I increase my acid's solubility and viscosity, I may be able to create a gelatinous substance which could be used for defence. To improve my range of fire put my palms together and shoot through the gap. Wow, these are some interesting ideas.'

Deku really did a good job at quirk analysis. He was probably better than most professionals, and at such a young age.

At that exact moment, Izuku received a text from Kurogiri saying he (and by extension Mina) was requested at the bar.

"Mina we're needed at the bar, well mainly me but you have to come also," Izuku said. "I don't know if the other villains are aware, you're here or not but I won't let them bother you. They're not as bad as you think."

Mina looked slightly nervous but said nothing. She felt safe with Deku, she believed she could trust him with this.

Besides, after getting to know him a bit she was slightly curious about the other villains. While she had fought against villains before she had never really interacted with them. Deku was the real first encounter.

Muscular and Kurogiri didn't count since she hadn't really had a conversation with them. Before they left Mina had something she wanted to ask Deku.

"If you don't mind me asking, and you don't have to answer if you don't want to," she started.

"Go on," Deku urged.

"I was wondering. How, how did you become a villain?" she asked nervously.

Izuku's eyes widened slightly. He wasn't angry, he knew she would ask this question eventually. But did he want to tell her? Mina had only become his assistant. He didn't want to entrust her with all his secrets, especially since there could be a time when she might escape, or if possible, he could free her with the right circumstances without getting into trouble.

Perhaps he could just tell her about how he joined, leaving out the events that led up to it. He didn't feel ready to talk about that stuff.

"I'll tell you how I joined, but I'd rather leave out the events that happened until that point," he stated to which Mina nodded.

Taking a deep breath Izuku spoke. "About a year ago, I had a lot going on with my life. I had a lot of pain that built up. One day, some bad things happened and, I just couldn't take it anymore. So, at the end of the day, I climbed to the top of a building where a certain event happened earlier that day, and I jumped, hoping I'd be reborn with a quirk in another life."

Mina's blood froze. She stood there, unable to respond in any way, she was too shocked to. Deku had tried to commit suicide.

It was all too much to take in.

"Kurogiri saved me on Sensei's orders. He'd seen my notes on quirk analysis was quite impressed. He asked me to join as a result. I accepted of course, though I did set some conditions to better my situation," he explained.

Mina was curious about how that man from before, Sensei he referred to, came across Deku's notes. She was more curious about something else.

"Conditions?" she questioned.

"1. I have free reign over what I do, it lets me control what happens. 2. I am provided with this living space since I didn't want to go home, my mother is much safer with me not around," he replied. Mina saw a slight shift in his eyes, a hint of sadness. "3. Regardless of the situation the League is in, I will not have to kill. That's one line I will never cross."

Mina said nothing. Deku was a villain not for bad reasons, but because he had been pushed to that point. And his mother, from the way he spoke about her it was clear he loved her. Leaving to keep her safe was enough proof.

At the same time, Mina was relieved he wasn't a killer. He didn't want to cross that line and he was right to.

"Since I told you about how I became a villain would you mind telling me why you wanted to become a hero?" Deku continued. "I'm just curious."

Mina's face brightened into a smile.

"I don't mind at all actually. In fact, I'd love to tell you!" she said energetically. "It all started in Middle School."

Izuku was surprised at how quickly she had changed her tone. This must have been something Mina really liked talking about.

"Back then I was popular with the school and my classmates, well most of them. My quirk was strong, I had good looks and personality, so it was encouraged. What made me really want to be one, however, was the way I dealt with bullies. I told you before I didn't always have it easy growing up pink but that all stopped a while before I entered Middle School. Whenever I saw someone being bullied, I would intervene and manage to make everyone get along, even if I was scared of a bully, I would do it. I can't quite describe it but, when I did, the feeling I got after helping someone, I wanted to get it again. I wanted to help someone again. And I think that's when I realised, I wanted to become a hero, to help others," Mina explained.

Well, this was a surprise. Mina wanted to be a hero for the same reasons he had, she was quite passionate about it too. It was sort of admirable really, there weren't many aspiring heroes like her around.

At that exact moment, Kurogiri appeared using his quirk.

"Sorry to interrupt you both but Deku you are requested at the bar. Ms Ashido I do apologise but you must come also since we cannot leave you unattended," Kurogiri explained.

"Oh, that's alright. But um, will 'he' be there?" Mina asked nervously.

"You mean Muscular, yes he will be there I'm afraid. However, he will not try anything. Not unless he wants to end up dead in a ditch," Kurogiri replied seriously. Muscular knew better than to stand against Sensei. "There is something I should mention. The rest of the villains, Shigaraki included, are unaware that you are actually here."

The two teenagers were surprised. Mina may have only been here a short while but it's still something the others should have been told about.

"I did not inform them about your presence because now Shigaraki is mainly focused on Bakugo. To put it simply it wasn't the right time to tell them," Kurogiri continued. "While you may not agree with it that's the truth. A quick warning though Ms Ashido, some of them can be a bit extreme."

Mina gulped but nodded in understanding. Izuku was annoyed with the situation but made no complaint. He did however advise Mina to stay near him, something she was fine with.

And so Kurogiri transported them to the bar.

At the bar

"Ah, Kurogiri, you've brought Deku," Tomura started. The moment he saw Mina however his tone changed. "What the hell! Who's she?"

Everyone turned to look at Mina. The majority, Bakugo included were surprised to see her.

Muscular grunted in annoyance.

"This is Mina Ashido from class 1A. Like Bakugo she was kidnapped and brought here," Kurogiri introduced. "And now she is Deku's assistant."

Everyone gave looks that held a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"Explain," Tomura demanded.

And so, it was Izuku who explained the situation.

How he found Mina, why she was here, and that she was now his responsibility. He made sure to include that it was all on 'Sensei's orders' so Tomura and everyone else would understand the situation.

"So, you went on your own little mission did you Muscular, why does that not surprise me?" Tomura stated. "I was warned that you were one of Atrocity's group but didn't really care since you were of use to me. I still don't care because the mission was a success. However, since you are part of this group try to act like it. I won't tolerate something like this next time."

Muscular flashed a glare at Tomura and turned away, he didn't really want to be part of this conversation.

Dabi also remained silent. He knew Deku hadn't known about the mission until last night, so there was a high probability he would get in trouble. Besides, he didn't like Tomura much, Muscular even less, a lot less.

Tomura wasn't sure how Deku knew about the mission's objective, but he didn't care. If he was doing this on Sensei's orders, then that was enough.

"Listen up you," Tomura threatened, turning his attention to Mina. "If you try anything I'll kill you. You so much as try to escape, and I'll disintegrate your face. Understand."

Mina nodded fearfully. She knew full well what this man was capable of; she remembered the injuries Mr Aizawa sustained during the USJ Incident.

"You'll do nothing of the sort Shigaraki," Izuku stated loud and clear. "Mina is my responsibility, not yours. Therefore, what happens to her will be my decision. That applies to all of you. She is not to be harmed, not unnecessarily at least. But you are definitely not allowed to kill her."

The villains (except Kurogiri) and Bakugo were surprised at this. Mina on the other hand was touched to the core. She hadn't known Deku long, but in the short time she had, he had defended her from both harm and death. He was a good person.

"Fine whatever just make sure she doesn't do anything rash," Tomura replied.

As Tomura turned his attention back to Bakugo several villains moved towards Deku and Mina. These were Dabi, Toga and Twice.

"Toga here, Himiko Toga," Toga said while blushing. "I hope we can become friends."

Mina was taken back at this girl's attitude.

"Hi there. I'm Twice. Nice to meet you. It's not nice to meet you," Twice exclaimed.

Mina was confused by Twice's speech patterns. He said something one second, and the next he was saying the exact opposite. There was no logic to it.

"Name's Dabi," Dabi introduced himself. He said nothing more after that.

Mina didn't know what to make of him. Aside from that, they didn't seem too bad.

"Can I try some of your blood?" Toga asked enthusiastically.

Then again.

"No Toga you may not," Deku told the girl. "I said no harming her."

Toga pouted with annoyance. Mina wasn't comfortable though.

Sensing this Dabi spoke up.

"Don't worry about it. She's like that with everyone. Something to do with her quirk," Dabi explained.

"Yeah, she is," Twice added. "She's the sanest person in the room."

"If you say so," Mina replied as she turned to Toga. "You wouldn't want to try my blood anyway sweetie. It's acidic."

Everyone was amused by her response. It seemed the girl had a sense of humour, even in the strangest of situations.

"Hey um, my classmates. I know you encountered some of them during your mission," Mina said. "Basically, what I'm curious about is-"

"They aren't dead if that's what you're thinking," Dabi stated. "The majority of them got injuries but no more. Once we got Blasty over there we retreated."

Mina sighed in relief. She had been worried about the status of her friends.

"They're really something though," Dabi continued. "Not the sort that should be underestimated."

"Ochaco and Tsuyu are really cute too. I'm glad I could become friends with them," Toga stated. "Ochaco especially, she's a girl in love, I like people like her."

Mina ignored the 'friends' part completely. It was the last part that had her complete attention. Mina quickly moved in front of Toga.

"No way! Ochaco has the hots for someone! Who? Someone from class 1A? It can't be Iida, they're just friends. It definitely isn't Mineta, he's such a huge pervert! Todoroki possibly since he's the most handsome in class! Don't know about the others," she said quickly and loudly. "Oh, and it definitely can't be Bakugo since he's such an obnoxious jerk."

The latter having heard her comment started shouting.

"Watch what you say acid bitch, or I'll kick your ass," Bakugo shouted.

Mina promptly ignored him much to his fury. She, along with the rest of her classmates, was pretty used to Bakugo's outbursts now.

That aside her attention returned to Toga.

"Who is it?" she asked impatiently. "Who does she have a crush on?"

Toga giggled. She really liked this girl.

"I don't know," Toga responded with a grin on her face. "But I could tell just by looking at her. When I brought it up, she was blushing like crazy, so I knew I was right."

Mina was disappointed that Toga didn't know who Ochaco had a crush on but was excited, nonetheless. This was big news, the kind which she would be bringing up the next time she saw the girl. Her reaction would be something to look forward to.

"How could tell just by looking at her?" Dabi asked confused.

Toga blushed again. "Girls, we just know these sorts of things," she stated.

At that moment, no one had a response to that. The three men standing there just stared at Toga blankly.

"Well, that's good for you," Twice said. "You shouldn't have something that awful."

"Um Mr Twice, are you okay?" Mina asked concerned. "It's just that you're saying something and then contradicting yourself repeatedly."

Twice flinched at being called 'Mr.', he had never been addressed so politely before.

The other villains were surprised at how polite Mina was being to them. Shouldn't she be scared of them? They were the reason she was here after all.

"Oh, that's um, well, it's a personal problem that stemmed from me using my quirk," Twice informed her. "I can make clones of different objects, myself and other people included. When I was younger, I made a lot of clones of myself and made them do what I wanted. I was their ruler you could say. However, they had their own wills and soon started arguing amongst each other. We argued about who was the original and who was a clone. Eventually, things got violent we began a fight which lasted for nine days where we killed each other. It was quite brutal. At the end of it all, I was the last one left standing. Now I don't know whether I'm the original, or just a clone created."

Mina gasped. She couldn't believe the trauma this man had gone through. Didn't anyone ever try and help him?

"That's kinda why I act this way," Twice explained. "It hasn't been easy though. My personality made it difficult to get a job and there was never anyone who knew how to help me. It's also one of the reasons I joined the League, to make a society where people like me can live. Well, that and I was inspired by Stain also."

Mina felt a pang of sympathy in her heart. Like Deku, Twice was a villain due to terrible circumstances. All he really wanted was a better life than the one he had now, that wasn't wrong, his methods may be but his intentions. Mina couldn't help but wonder if anyone ever actually tried to help Twice. Surely there must have been some way, therapy perhaps. Mina couldn't help but wonder about the other villain's reasons for being here.

"If you don't mind me asking. Why are most of you villains?" Mina asked.

Dabi frowned. Toga's blushed more profusely. Mina knew her question was slightly daring but she couldn't suppress her curiosity. From all she had seen and heard she knew they had their reasons for choosing this life, just as she and her classmates had their reasons for wanting to become heroes.

"Well, the majority of us were inspired by Stain to do more, to create a better society. As to why were villains well," Dabi started.

"For me, life is too hard. I just wanna make it easier to live in this world," Toga spoke up. "My quirk involves me consuming people's blood and it's kinda become addictive in a bad way for me so."

Mina felt sad for the girl next to her. Toga had a quirk that basically ruined her life, and she hadn't done anything to deserve it.

Izuku frowned as he knew it was far worse than what Toga was describing.

"I'd rather not say," Dabi muttered. "It's something similar to theirs though."

He did not want to talk about his past to anyone, especially a stranger. It was painful enough just remembering it.

What 'that man' put him and his family through, he would never forgive. Once he made Stains will a reality, he would hunt 'that man' down like a dog and kill him in the slowest way possible.

"I'm sorry," she said barely keeping tears back.

"What for?" Dabi asked confused. "It's not like it was your fault?"

It was then that tears ran down Mina's face. Deku, Twice, Toga and Dabi were stunned at her reaction. They couldn't understand what they had done to make Mina so upset.

"I know it's just that, those things that happened to you all. You didn't deserve any of it, but it still happened. And what's worse no one ever tried to help you," Mina sobbed. "How can I not feel terrible, how can I not feel sad for you?"

The villains were shocked at what they had just heard, though it was only the ones nearest to Mina that showed it. The others tried to pretend as though they hadn't heard it, they were still surprised though. Even Katsuki was stunned at Mina's reaction.

For the ones who had told their story, no one had cried for them, much less felt the remotest bit of sympathy for their situation. Perhaps it was because they were villains that people didn't care, but still, the fact that this girl did care made them feel a warmth they hadn't felt in so long, it made them feel happy.

Notes:

Hi there. I know last time I said it would be All Might vs All for One but it was too long so I've split it up. I thought it would be good also to show some of Mina's time with the League rather than just have her rescued this chapter. What did you think of it anyway? The next chapter will feature All Might vs All for One. Please review.

Chapter 20: All Might vs All for One

Summary:

An epic clash takes place between the most powerful hero and villain in Japan.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

With Atrocity

Atrocity was shaking with excitement. It was almost time for his plan to come into full effect.

AFO didn't need to die just yet, Atrocity needed him alive for just one thing. It was the very reason he had Viper working on the device.

"The police and heroes should be starting their assault sometime now," Atrocity sneered. "Why wouldn't they? Especially when they were tipped off about the hideout's location."

Atrocity may have let it slip where AFO's base of operations was. His group were the only one that anyone was focused on these days as the police and heroes were unaware of the League's other branches.

When Tomura's group is captured AFO will step in and use a quirk to bring them to his location while sending several Nomu to distract the heroes. However, the moment that quirk appears the devices Atrocity planted around the hideout will lock on and follow through. And that's when the real show begins.

As he thought about all of this, he laughed to himself. "It's finally time. Get ready boys, because here I come!"

With others

Different groups were ready to make their move.

The heroes and police were ready to raid the hideout and take back the kidnapped students, as well as deal with the Nomu warehouse.

All Might was prepared to face AFO. He was ready to put an end to the League once and for all. He was ready to save his students. He was ready to save Izuku from his dark fate.

Tenya's group was currently at the warehouse where the tracker was emitting its signal. They were all wearing disguises so the villains wouldn't recognise them. Pop's outfit was already a disguise itself.

So far, they had been fortunate enough not to encounter any trouble. Nevertheless, Pop was ready should the moment arrive. She was a lot more formidable than she was when she first started off as a vigilante and had even learned how to use the whip she was currently carrying.

Utilising her quirk, Leap (which allowed her to jump very high provided there was something to jump off), she jumped taking Kirishima to the top of the wall to gaze into the warehouse using binoculars he purchased earlier. He, and the rest of the group, were shocked to discover that the entire warehouse was stored with Nomu's. That just left one question.

Where were Bakugo and Mina?

At the bar

Mina and Izuku were watching the press conference from UA, and she didn't like the way it was going.

The reporters were making the teachers and school look like the bad guys when it wasn't really their fault that the camp was attacked. Mina was even more surprised that Mr Aizawa was doing this considering how much he hated the media. Since he was a teacher present during the event it did kind of make sense. They paid no attention to Tomura's conversation with Bakugo.

The sound of an explosion brought them back to the people around them. Mina and Deku turned to see Bakugo freed and the hand that usually covered Tomura's face was blown off.

"I tried being quiet for as long as possible, but I can't stand it anymore. If I hear one more word out of you, I'm gonna throw up," Katsuki snarled before switching to a more menacing grin. "Basically, you guys want me to join you right. You gotta be kidding me. I've already been won over by the way All Might looks when he wins. And nothing you say or do will change that."

Mina panicked slightly. It looked like things were about to get violent.

Izuku wasn't the least bit surprised by Bakugo's reaction. Despite his personality, he had always deeply admired All Might. The way he looked when he won a battle is what inspired Bakugo to become a hero.

The UA interview continued. One reporter was questioning Aizawa about why he urged the students to fight, to which he and Nezu replied honestly (they imagined a scenario where there were deaths).

Then came the part about the kidnapped students. Bakugo was believed to be kidnapped because of the villainous qualities he displayed during the Sports Festival.

What he said about Mina next stunned her as well as others in the room.

"As for the girl Ashido. Despite not showing any villainous qualities she does possess a dangerous quirk, one that could easily be used to kill others. What if the villains kidnapped her as a potential weapon for them to use?" the reporter accused.

Mina flinched. Was that what people really thought about her quirk and herself? She was usually quite careful when she used her quirk to avoid causing any harmful damage to anyone. She had to be, otherwise, someone could die.

Some of the villains couldn't believe what they had just heard. Mina wasn't kidnapped for any such reason. Where the press was getting these idea's, they had no idea.

"Ms Ashido," Kurogiri spoke up. "I wouldn't let a statement like that bother you. The press is clearly just trying to get your teachers to say something negative so it will damage their reputation, nothing more."

Mina glanced at Kurogiri, unsure of how to respond. That was when Deku spoke up.

"What they are saying about your quirk isn't wrong, however, it's the same for every other person with a quirk," he explained. "Take a look at your classmates and teachers. Can you say that none of their quirks could be used to kill?"

Mina considered this for a moment. Deku wasn't wrong. Quirks like Bakugo's and All Might's could be used to take life unless they were exercised with great caution. So, she was in the same boat as others.

"I guess you're right. I was just surprised that people would think those sorts of things about me," Mina explained.

Unfortunately for her, the reporter was not done.

"Furthermore, given that Ashido is a mutant, is the risk of defection not greater with her?" Mina and Spinner froze. "After all, it is a widely known fact that mutant types shift to villainy more often than others."

The entire room was rendered quiet by that question.

Most were left speechless, Mina included.

Toga dropped her knife in shock.

Spinner was spluttering as he eyed the screen with a horrified and hurt expression.

Muscular whistled in amusement.

Tomura and Izuku were both in a state of disbelief.

Hell, even Katsuki was in a state of shock over what the reporter said.

"Okay! That was just racist!" Twice exclaimed. "And he said it on live television!"

For those that knew Twice, it was incredibly rare to hear him say something without contradicting himself. And when he did, you knew it was serious.

"T-T-That s-son of a bitch!" Spinner stuttered.

The gecko villain was shaking with rage. That man, how dare he!

Izuku glanced over towards Mina. She was still staring at the screen in shock.

Thinking back on their conversation, and his interactions with Spinner, he wondered just how bad discrimination was for heteromorphic types.

They weren't the only ones shocked. Some at the press conference appeared offended by the comment while the teachers were trying (emphasis on trying) to appear neutral. However, it was evident enough to know they were angry.

At that exact moment, they heard Aizawa's voice.

"Any lapse in his behaviour is my failing. His behaviour at the festival was the result of his strong convictions and ideals because he pursues the rank of the top hero with everything he's got. If the villains saw this as a weakness to exploit, then they are stupider than they appear. And as for Ms Ashido, throughout the entire year, and the course of her life, she has displayed a great deal of control over her quirk and has displayed nothing but a positive attitude towards becoming a hero. Why was she kidnapped? We don't know. However, I seriously doubt it's for the reasons you are suggesting," Aizawa stated.

"Bakugo's emotions and Ashido's capabilities aside, do you have a counter-strategy?" the reporter questioned.

"It's not like we're sitting around doing nothing. Currently, we are working with the police in their investigation. Make no mistake we will rescue our students," Nezu declared. "Also, if it is not too much to ask. Please keep such comments to yourself as they extend to more than one person."

His tone sounded soft but contained a darker edge that promised trouble.

Aizawa's faith in them, and Nezu's declaration to rescue them broke Mina out of her shock. It was clear that they hadn't been abandoned.

Katsuki thanked UA for sticking up for them and made more threats to the League.

"Just so you know my combat authorisations haven't been revoked so I can still kick all your asses," he shouted. "That goes for you too Ashido. Stop being nice to these guy's and actually fight back."

While the villains commented on Bakugo's attitude Mina started speaking. "Bakugo use some common sense for once. We are outnumbered. And to top it all off, even if you do attack Mr Kurogiri will just block it like back at the USJ."

Everyone was seriously surprised at how polite Mina really was being, especially considering the situation. Had she gotten that comfortable around them in such a short span of time? Katsuki glared harshly at her.

"The fuck is wrong with you!?" Katsuki snapped. "How can you be so buddy with them? Did you forget they kidnapped us?"

"He kidnapped me," she pointed at Muscular. "And he rescued me." She pointed at Izuku. "And as long as I play nice no one is going to hurt me. Of course, I'm going to try and be civil. Because unlike you, I'm smart enough not to fight a battle I can't win."

Katsuki scowled at her in disgust. "With that cowardly attitude, it's no wonder you ranked low in the Sports Festival."

Mina, fed up with his attitude, shot her own glare.

"I'm not the one who had to be chained to the podium when All Might was handing out medals over a stupid tantrum now am I?" she yelled.

Tick marks appeared on Katsuki's forehead at the reminder of the humiliation he endured.

"She has a point darling," Magne admitted. "Your conduct during the event was hardly heroic."

"Are you kidding!?" Spinner asked incredulously. "He looked like an insane asylum escapee about to commit mass murder!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Katsuki roared.

"Ugh, so loud," Dabi complained. "Is he always like this?"

"You have no idea," Izuku deadpanned.

"Ehhhhhhh," Toga groaned. "Shigaraki, I don't like this one. Can we send him back and then kidnap someone less annoying?"

Tomura did not like his decision being called into question. Although with the way Katsuki was acting he was finding it hard to disagree.

No wonder Deku hated him.

"EXCUSE ME! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" he screamed completely offended. "THERE ISN'T ANYONE YOU COULD GET BETTER THAN ME!"

"That's just a matter of opinion," Toga replied unfazed by the volume of his voice.

Other members (like Dabi) covered their ears at how loud Katsuki was. They were really starting to regret kidnapping him now.

Izuku and Mina were unaffected due to being used to tirades.

"THAT DOES IT! I'M GOING TO KILL EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF YOU!" Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, you want to kill everyone," he said impassively. "Get a grip Bakugo! For once in your life, just get a grip!"

"If that's not so much to ask," Magne added as she caressed her ears. "Ugh, my poor ears."

"That makes two of us," Compress groaned.

Just when they thought he couldn't get any angrier, Katsuki's rage skyrocketed. If one were to look at him now, all they would see was a volcano on the verge of eruption.

"DEKU YOU BASTARD! I AM GONNA BEat THE SHIT OUT OF YOU SO BAD YOU'LL BE RECOVERING FOR MONTHS!" he roared.

He had never wanted to hurt Deku more than he did now. He wanted to remind Deku just how weak and pathetic he truly was. He wanted to remind him that he was the best, and he always would be.

"You're welcome to try," Izuku challenged.

He wasn't the least bit frightened of Katsuki's threats, not anymore.

Kurogiri was worried that Tomura was about to go berserk from what Bakugo just did, considering just how much that hand meant to him. Tomura, however, remained surprisingly calm. He picked up his father's hand and placed it back on his face. He then ordered everyone not to attack since Bakugo was a valuable pawn. Knowing that Bakugo wouldn't agree with him willingly he turned to the monitor.

"Sensei please lend me your strength," he asked his master.

"Excellent decision Tomura Shigaraki," Sensei replied.

"That voice, you're from before," Mina exclaimed recognising the voice.

There was no mistaking it, this was the man that appeared on the monitor she was held captive in.

"I'm glad you remember me Ms Ashido. I do hope you are settling in alright," the voice replied politely.

Mina simply nodded as a response.

Deku was surprised he was there at all. How long had Sensei been there? Was he just here to observe Tomura's efforts?

"Sensei? You're not the boss, well now that's just pathetic," Katsuki barked.

Tomura ignored Katsuki's outburst and told Kurogiri and Compress to put him to sleep.

Katsuki continued to stand there and threaten them. He really wanted to beat the crap out of them all, Deku especially. He was so close, yet he couldn't reach him.

At that precise moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Hello, Kamino Pizza Delivery."

It was then that the wall Spinner was leaning against exploded. Or more correctly, All Might smashed right through it. Kamui Woods closely followed by used his special move, Laquered Chain Prison, to restrain everyone. Katsuki and Mina weren't caught in it. Dabi was knocked out with a quick kick by an elderly hero Izuku didn't recognise.

"League of Villains, there's no escape for you. Why you ask? Because we are here!" All Might announced.

It was then that the no. 5 hero Edgeshot entered through the door along with the police.

"It must've been terrifying for you young Bakugo, you did well to hold out. I am sorry I was not here sooner but you're ok now," All Might said causing the boy to make an embarrassed expression. "Speaking of which, where is young Ashido?"

"I'm here," Mina called out.

Mina was unharmed much to his relief; however, it was who she was standing next to that had his complete attention. His hair was shorter and was now black instead of green. His face was the same, and his eyes, he recognised them from the USJ.

"Izuku Midoriya," All Might murmured. "I suspected you were Deku, but I didn't want to believe it."

Izuku was stunned that All Might knew who he was.

"How could you have possibly known?" Izuku questioned. "We've only ever met twice, and the second time my face was covered."

It didn't matter whether he confirmed it or not. He had already been exposed as a villain. Now people would know exactly who to look out for.

"I'll explain that later after we've finished this ordeal," All Might replied. "There's a lot I'd like to talk about with you."

"What could you possibly want from me?" Izuku coldly retorted.

He didn't see why he should tell this man anything. He owed him absolutely nothing. The two students were surprised. Deku and All Might knew each other. The way Deku was being hostile towards the man suggested their relationship was negative.

"No way around it then, Kurogiri bring them all over," Tomura shouted.

"I'm sorry Tomura Shigaraki, but the Nomu set for us are gone," Kurogiri pointed out.

Izuku didn't know what had happened to the Nomu but he didn't care either. After his last encounter with one he personally never wanted to see them again. He didn't look at Mina, he wasn't going to beg for help in this situation. Besides, she was safer now that she was being returned to UA.

He didn't really care what happened to him anymore, this was his fate since he joined the League after all. He was still sad about it and for his comrades. Prison, he had never even thought about what that was like, though he probably should have. Up until now, he had felt safe with the League, well safer than he had ever been in his life. But now that had come to an end, and it was deeply unsettling for him.

"You have a lot to learn Shigaraki," All Might informed him, much to the latter's confusion. "There seem to be a few things that you and your little League have underestimated. Like this boy's indomitable spirit, this girl's incredible perseverance and the relentless police investigation. And most of all our rage. Your pranks have gone on long enough. It ends here, Tomura Shigaraki."

Tomura couldn't accept this and went on a rant. Izuku didn't pay attention because struggling to breathe as Kamui Woods tightened his grip. Mina who was still looking at Deku noticed this.

"Hey, be careful," Mina said to Kamui. "You're suffocating him."

"What?" Kamui replied confused. Then he noticed the way Deku was breathing and slightly loosened his grip. "Sorry about that."

Mina moved closer to check on Deku, not caring about the situation. He hadn't known her but when the time came to it Deku protected her from even greater danger, twice. The least she could do was make sure he was okay.

"Deku are you alright?" Mina asked concerned.

"I'm...I'm fine," Deku panted. "Believe me I've been through much worse."

"What's going on here?" Gran Torino asked curiously.

He wasn't the only one. The heroes and the police were curious about what was going on also. The way Mina was behaving towards Deku was odd. She wasn't scared of him in the slightest, on the contrary, she appeared to be quite comfortable around him. She had to be if she was more concerned about his well-being than her own.

"Deku isn't a bad person. He actually saved me," Mina reasoned with them.

Her statement received surprised looks from everyone (excluding the villains) in the room. They couldn't comprehend why a villain would save Mina. She had already been kidnapped, what could he have possibly saved her from that was worse? All Might was more relieved than surprised. He didn't know what Izuku had done to aid Mina, but it did better his situation.

While the heroes were distracted Tomura called out to Kurogiri to get them out of here, he never got the chance though. Something pierced through Kurogiri's side and rendered him unconscious. Magne believed him to be dead.

Izuku knew what had really happened though.

"He isn't dead, just unconscious," he explained. "It's Edgeshot's quirk. He can make his body super thin and stretch his limbs. He's even capable of transforming at the speed of sound, just like what he did now."

"Very impressive," the pro applauded. "There aren't many who know what my quirk is capable of. Since this guy was the biggest threat, I just meddled around with his insides. We realized that despite being made up of mist even he must have a physical type of body to keep his form. Don't worry, he's just going to be taking a little nap."

With Kurogiri out of the picture they really had no way to escape now. Their capture was all but assured. It was then that Gran Torino started listing off all of their names (with the exception of Dabi).

"There's nowhere left for you to run, so tell us. Where's that boss of yours?" Gran Torino demanded.

"You gotta be kidding me," Tomura replied with a voice that held a mixture of rage and disbelief. "Beaten just like that. No freaking way. Disappear...Go to hell."

Everyone present was disturbed by Tomura's behaviour.

Mina felt uncomfortable. Was this man having a nervous breakdown? It seemed that way. However, she couldn't help but feel there was something more to it.

Izuku understood where it was coming from since he knew Tomura's story. All Might asked the same question, but the latter screamed about how he hated him.

"It's alright now. I'm here."

Without warning, several Nomu appeared through a black liquid substance similar to Kurogiri's quirk.

The Nomu's began fighting against the heroes while the liquid absorbed every League member and the two students (Mina was caught by accident when she reached for Deku).

As it did the devices Atrocity planted locked on and followed through flying straight past the heroes.

All Might screamed out as the children were taken from him again. He was about to dash for Tomura but switched to Izuku at the last second. Like the others, he disappeared also, much to his frustration.

"Oklahoma Smash," he shouted as he shook off the Nomu by twirling around at major speed.

He didn't have any time to waste. He needed to go after them. The way Izuku spoke and looked at him bothered him but there was no time to think about it. He promised his mother he would find him and bring him back. That was all there was to it.

A destroyed warehouse where the Nomu were stored.

Everyone arrived gasping for air. That black liquid was awful, it reeked of death. All for One stood there to greet them.

"My apologies Bakugo. And to you Ms Ashido I hadn't planned to bring you along," he addressed the two students. He then turned to his apprentice. "It appears you've failed again Tomura. But that's okay. You just need to keep trying. That's why I brought your team. And this boy because you deemed him an important pawn. So, try again. That's what I'm here to help you do." He then held out his hand to Tomura. "It's all for you."

He wasn't lying either. He genuinely did care about Tomura. Ever since he had saved him from his accident, he had grown to care about him, although he was surprised at who he was related to.

That didn't matter though.

AFO wasn't prejudiced against anyone, whether they were related to an enemy of his, had a weak quirk, a quirk that altered their appearance, or even quirkless. He had been born in the age where quirks first appeared, so he knew better than judge someone.

It wasn't just Tomura he was concerned about, there was Kurogiri and Deku also.

Kurogiri had faithfully and loyally served the League since his sister's suicide, AFO wasn't about to let him be captured.

Then there was Deku.

Despite having gifted abilities AFO couldn't help but see a little bit of his brother in him. They were alike in so many ways: both originally quirkless (Deku still), both highly intelligent, both aspired to be the kind of hero people looked up to despite whatever odds were stacked against them. Deku had also done so much for the League, so there was plenty of reason to be concerned about him.

AFO detected All Might coming at him and blocked his attack with equal strength, causing a shockwave that sent everyone flying.

'I knew Sensei was powerful, but I didn't think he was this powerful,' Izuku thought impressed. 'He's definitely as strong as All Might.'

Meanwhile, the two rivals began to utter insults to each other about being weak while everyone watched.

"I'm not going to make the same mistakes I made five years ago AFO. I'm going to take back Bakugo, Ashido and Midoriya. Then I'm going to throw you and the rest of your League into prison where they belong," All Might shouted as he charged towards Sensei.

The part in that statement about Izuku confused everyone. Just what did All Might want with him? Did he think he had been brainwashed into joining the League?

AFO, not caring about All Might's statement in the slightest, unleashed a combination of quirks from his arm that blasted the Symbol of Peace across the city, destroying several buildings in the process.

"Air propulsion, musculoskeletal coiling, four instantaneous impact quirks, and three physical strength amplification quirks. This is a fun combination, I think I'll add a few amplifier quirks to it next time," Sensei mused.

"Multiple quirks," Mina whispered. "That's not possible. No one can have that many quirks."

Izuku wasn't surprised at Mina's reaction, having more than two quirks would be abnormal in this society. It didn't kill All Might, but it stalled him long enough for AFO to forcefully activate an unconscious Kurogiri's quirk so the others could escape.

"Tomura remember, there's still plenty of time for you to grow," Sensei urged his apprentice as he faced his arch-nemesis.

At Compress' urging Tomura ordered everyone to capture Bakugo while Sensei held off All Might. Izuku offered to look after Dabi, who Compress had transformed into a marble for being unconscious since he had absolutely no intention of helping capture Bakugo.

If anything, he was hoping they wouldn't succeed since he didn't want Bakugo in the League.

Compress seemed to understand this, so he gave Dabi to Deku without question. The League members then began trying to desperately capture Bakugo, of course, he wasn't making it easy for them. Even Muscular was taking part, though only out of fear of Sensei.

With everyone's attention focused elsewhere, now was as good a time as any to do it. It was time to free Mina.

"Mina," he addressed the girl next to him. "You need to run, and you need to do it now. Go left here and by the buildings where no one will see you. Then head to the city centre where there are lots of people. It'll be easier for you to escape."

"What about you?" Mina responded fearfully. "If you stay here, you'll-"

"I won't betray my comrades. I owe them everything. But you need to escape, you won't get another chance like this," Deku insisted.

Realising he was right Mina did as she was told. However, she called out to him just before disappearing.

"Thank you De-, Izuku, for everything really. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. Whatever happens from now on I hope it works out for you. Goodbye. And good luck," she said to him. And she was gone.

Tenya, who was hiding behind a wall with his friends noticed this and felt a great wave of relief. Mina was safe. That meant they only had to rescue Katsuki now.

All Might, who had been battling Sensei rushed to help his student. Sensei pulled him back however to stop his interference.

"It seems Ms Ashido has escaped," Sensei murmured. "No matter. She was never part of our plans."

Sensei wasn't not particularly bothered by Mina's escape. He knew very well that Deku had freed her, he figured he would. The reason he allowed Deku to keep her was that he rarely, if ever, asked for anything in the League. Also, Mina never did anything against his plans so there was no reason for her to suffer any unnecessary cruelty, especially from Atrocity.

That was another reason he did it. In part it was just to piss Atrocity off, he was the one person who he hated about as much as All Might, for so many reasons.

All Might was silently happy that the girl escaped. That just left Bakugo.

As he stood up again, he noticed Izuku just standing at the side watching as the other villains tried to capture Bakugo. It appeared he had no desire to join, though from Inko told him about their relationship it made sense. That was a big mistake.

Once he noticed his enemy distracted Sensei launched himself at him to deliver a full-powered punch to All Might's face that sent the Symbol of Peace flying.

"Now don't ignore me All Might. I'm your opponent, not them," Sensei mocked. "Why do you care about Deku anyway? Last time I checked you were the one who told him he couldn't become a hero. Were you feeling guilty about it and trying to make things better?"

All Might gritted his teeth. So, AFO knew about that. Of course, he did. All for One had many methods of getting information. However, All Might had something he had been wanting to know for a long time now.

"Why?" All Might asked much to AFO's confusion. "Why is he with you? What did you do to get him to join your organisation?"

A few seconds after hearing what his nemesis said AFO began laughing.

"Why? You want to know why?" AFO taunted. "Alright, I'll tell you. He's with us because of you, that boy you're so desperately trying to save, and most people that ever knew him."

All Might froze.

"Though Deku did tell us about his past I couldn't help but look at his memories to learn a bit more about him," AFO explained. "I must say I was surprised when I saw it was much worse than he described. The things that those children and even his teachers put him through for being quirkless are all worthy of being called villains themselves. Take Bakugo for example, he abused Deku quite a bit back then. In fact, the day he met you, an hour or so earlier Bakugo told him to kill himself by jumping off the roof so he could be reborn with a quirk in another life."

AFO didn't attack All Might, he wanted to see his reaction first. His eyes widened in shock and horror, much to his satisfaction. He knew Bakugo wasn't the nicest person, but he never believed he could be that cruel.

"And you told him he couldn't become a hero, well, that was the last straw for him. After that he went home to say goodbye to his mother before returning to the same building, he met you. Tell me All Might, just what do you think happened then?" AFO gloated.

All Might was frozen with shock. For a few seconds, he couldn't even breathe.

'No,' he thought horrified. 'He couldn't have. I didn't mean to, I never thought he'd.'

While it may not have been the best time to gloat, the sight of his mortal enemy suffering was too good to resist. As the old saying went 'Revenge is sweet', and it most certainly was in this case.

"He jumped, of course, hoping to put an end to it all. Kurogiri saved him at my orders and brought him here. I, politely, asked him to join us and he accepted, albeit with some conditions," AFO continued. "Just things such as accommodation, work control, and not having to kill."

The last part of that sentence caught All Might's attention.

"Why did you want him?" he asked nervously.

AFO grinned.

"While you and the rest of this society looked down on him for being quirkless I actually noticed his talents and put them to good use. Thanks to his notes and formulas, our group has advanced in scientific development and our strategies and tactics have evolved much further than they were before."

All Might frowned. Just what did Midoriya do for the League that made it so powerful? It was clear he wasn't an active field agent.

"Enough chat," All for One declared. "Let's get down to business."

All Might snapped back to reality. He decided to think about all this later. Now he needed to deal with All for One. No words were spoken, the two enemies simply charged at each other and clashed once again.

Meanwhile, Tomura and his group were having a lot of trouble trying to capture Bakugo, who was shooting explosions at anyone who came near him, especially Compress. Muscular successfully grabbed him at one point. That is until Bakugo unleashed a massive full-powered explosion (like the one he used against Uraraka at the festival) in his face. This temporarily blinded Muscular before he tried to capture him again.

"Not to be fussy guys but we need to rescue him now. It doesn't look like All Might's fighting at full strength since explosion boy is there," Pop announced. "And since the villains haven't noticed us yet it's the perfect time to do it."

The students knew she was right. The only question was how to do it? Tenya surveyed the situation very quickly. From the looks of things, Bakugo wasn't too far from them. In fact, if he and Pop used their quirks right, they could leap up with someone and beckon him towards them. Bakugo would be able to use his quirk to propel himself towards them.

However, there was only one person who he would accept help from, someone he respected as an equal. Kirishima.

"I have an idea that might work," Tenya started drawing everyone's attention.

Tenya explained his idea quickly. Everyone, especially Kirishima, agreed with it. And so Tenya and Pop, holding Kirishima by the legs, used their quirks to leap up into the sky.

"Bakugo," Kirishima shouted catching everyone by surprise. The latter of which even put on stunned look. "Take my hand."

Not hesitating in the slightest, Katsuki propelled himself into the air and grabbed his hand. Magne tried to use his quirk (Magnetism) to send Compress after them, but Mt. Lady got up to block him with her body before falling again.

Unfortunately, that did nothing to stop Muscular. He launched himself after the students.

And he was definitely pissed with Bakugo after being blasted in the face.

"That little bastard, I'm gonna kill him," he swore.

"I don't think so," Pop retorted. Pop released herself from Kirishima.

Using her whip, she caught Muscular by the neck and pulled herself in to deliver a drill kick to the face. Muscular fell back to his allies.

The rest of the villains were quickly knocked out by the arrival of Gran Torino. With that, the students finally escaped, much to Tomura's fury. Izuku on the other hand was delighted that he wouldn't have to put up with Katsuki.

"Foiled by a single move," Sensei mused. "No way around it then."

It was then he forcefully activated Magne's quirk to pull Tomura and his allies through the warp gate. As an extra precaution, he had set Kurogiri's quirk to send Muscular to a different area since he did not trust him.

"Wait Sensei. You can't, with that body you'll, you can't," Tomura screamed frantically. "I'm still-"

Izuku didn't know what Tomura meant but he knew he should be concerned. Was Sensei injured? He knew the man was old but he was not aware of any major health problems.

Before they were dragged through the warp gate Sensei called out to them.

"Tomura. Continue the fight. Deku. Help him," Sensei said.

With Atrocity

Atrocity who had been watching the events up until now had other plans. He wasn't about to let Deku slip away from him, oh no, he was going to kill him right here and now.

It was then that he activated the devices around the area.

Deku who was being sucked into the warp gate was shot from behind by a laser beam. It sent him flying away just in time for the warp gate to close. Because it was just a test shot it did not kill him. T

These devices were mini-pods, small flying devices that that shot laser beams at their target. Normally they were invisible but appeared when they used energy to fire.

There was a special one just lying around for AFO, but now wasn't the time to use it.

Atrocity watched as Deku stood up, confused as to what had hit him. Atrocity sent out his six mini pods to deal with Deku.

"You quirkless scum. You took my toy from me, and then you let it escape," he growled before switching to a more psychotic grin. "A knight rescuing the princess, my how awfully 'heroic' of you. If you want to play hero so much, then fine let's play hero. You be the hero, and I'll be the villain."

Back at the Warehouse

"What the hell?" Izuku muttered bewildered as he stood up slowly. The blast hurt but not that much.

He noticed six small, thin figures flying towards him. They began shooting beams of light at him. Izuku immediately dodged them by cartwheeling to the side.

Sensei and All Might stopped fighting for a moment to look at this.

"What on earth?" AFO said. "You brought mini-pods with you. Are you that desperate to capture him?"

"No, I came here on my own," All Might retorted. He then noticed the kind of damage those devices were causing. "Wait. I don't think those things are for capturing him. Look at the power of their beams."

It was true. The beams were burning the very earth around them.

"Sensei don't worry about me," Izuku shouted. "Just focus on defeating All Might. I can handle this."

"Very well, I'll leave it to you," Sensei replied.

All Might, however, couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're just going to leave him to fend for himself," he yelled.

"I, unlike you, have faith in his abilities," AFO declared. "I know he can handle this, and he will. So please, stop pretending to care about him when all you're really trying to do is correct a mistake, probably the biggest of your life, you made."

The two rivals began exchanging blows of strength with each other. They caused shockwaves but none of them was affecting Izuku, Gran Torino, or the heroes AFO defeated earlier.

"You destroyed all my comrades so you could become the magnificent Symbol of Peace. How's the view from standing over a bunch of defeated bodies? It's nice right," AFO taunted.

He prepared to use the quirk combination from before. All Might was ready for it this time though. He cancelled it with a 'Detroit Smash', the impact of which forced them both back.

"I'm not going to let you fight as freely as you want. Heroes like you always have something that needs protecting," AFO stated.

"Just shut up!" All Might shouted. "That's how you always toy with others. You break them, steal from them, use them and rule them! All while you mock them from your throne."

All Might then dashed forward with immense speed. So much that his enemy couldn't react.

"I will never allow such evil to continue existing," he said as he smashed through All for One's mask, revealing the scarred, faceless man inside.

"Such beautiful words All Might. Unfortunately, I've heard them all before, from your predecessor, Nana Shimura," AFO replied weakly.

Upon hearing his master's name All Might became enraged. He tried to attack again, but he was blasted by a weaker version of that quirk combination.

He was caught by Gran Torino who berated him for losing his temper and reasoned that he needed to stay calm to win. Helicopters arrived to broadcast the entire ordeal. They even caught Izuku dodging back and forth from the mini pods.

So, all of Japan was watching, all of it.

Kamino City Centre

Tenya's group had successfully escaped from the area and were now watching the battle on a large screen TV.

"Hey, you guys," Mina shouted as she rushed towards them.

Yaoyorozu immediately embraced her while the others (except Bakugo) expressed their concerns.

"It was lucky you escaped when you did," Yaoyorozu said. "Things are pretty crazy over there."

"It was Deku who freed me. While the other villains were distracted, he told me where to run," Mina explained.

"Deku," Tenya said. "Was he the boy you were standing next to?" Mina nodded in confirmation.

'So that's who he is,' Tenya thought. 'Wait then that means.'

His attention drifted back to the screen as did Mina. They looked just in time to see Deku's shoulder grazed by a laser beam. They didn't know why, but for some reason, that got the feeling that Deku was in more danger than anyone here. Whatever those things were, they certainly didn't belong to a hero. They weren't the only ones who were staring at Deku.

Stain, who was watching via phone, quickly recognised what was really happening. Someone was trying to kill Deku. He cursed as all he could do was watch.

"Kid you had better not die," he growled.

Razor had a similar reaction when she saw it on TV. However, she was more composed than Stain.

"So, someone's actually trying to kill him. Good luck with that. With the training he's received there's no way he'll die," she stated. "Also, Toshinori, stay focused on your enemy. Otherwise, you'll end up dead."

Nezu, who was watching with his colleagues quickly got to a computer. He might not have been able to help All Might, but he could at least stop those mini pods from trying to kill that boy. "Alright, here we go."

Inko who had been watching over at Mitsuki's (she was worried her son) had the strongest reaction. The moment she saw him on TV she felt her heart stop. Though his appearance had changed she knew her son when she saw him.

"I-I-I-Izuku, my baby," she whispered with tears forming in her eyes.

She stood up ready to leave but Mitsuki stopped her.

"Don't go Inko," she warned. "The area is a war ground right now. Even if you did go there's no way anyone would let you near it."

"So, you're saying I should do nothing. My son, my baby, is there, and he's in danger. I finally know where he is, and you, you're saying I should do nothing," Inko nearly yelled.

Mitsuki remained calm and composed.

"I'm not saying that at all. But the way things are now, you would just be getting in the way. You need to leave this to the pros, have faith that Izuku will survive this ordeal," she replied.

Inko gritted her teeth. She knew her friend was right. Grudgingly, she sat back down and focused on the screen.

"The second this is over I'm heading down to the police station," she stated.

Back at the warehouse

All Might and AFO continued to exchange fists, neither one letting up. AFO formed a whip made of light and attempted to hit All Might with it. The latter of which caught it (though it did sting) and used it to pull AFO close enough to deliver a powered kick to his gut that sent flying in the air.

In retaliation, AFO sent a blast of fire at All Might and strengthened it with air to increase the power. All Might held it back with another 'Detroit Smash'.

All Might then leapt into the air, only to be caught and kicked back down. AFO then unleashed the quirk combination from before, only this time he added a few more amplifier quirks. All Might tried a 'Detroit Smash' in mid-air, but it only lessened the power slightly. All Might crashed on the ground taking on the full force of the attack.

The impact from that attack had damaged the surrounding area but Izuku was still safe as far as he could see.

All Might stood up slowly.

His body was damaged from that attack, with blood running from his head and mouth. AFO was in no position to brag, he was extremely exhausted. His body was in bad condition and been ever since All Might defeated him all those years ago.

"No matter what you put me through, no matter how beaten my body is, my heart will continue burning bright as the Symbol of Peace," All Might declared.

"How wonderful. I forgot how strong your pride was. However, I wonder if it will remain that way after you hear this. You see," All for One said. "Tomura Shigaraki is Nana Shimura's grandson."

The second those words left his mouth All Might froze entirely. His smile vanished and was replaced by an expression of complete and utter shock. AFO was laughing inside at the way his nemesis looked right now. He had gotten the reaction he was hoping for.

"I've been waiting a long time to tell you that. It's funny, isn't it? You and Nana, you both fought against me, you tried to stop me, and yet you're both responsible for giving two wonderful things. Because she abandoned her son it led to me getting Tomura. And because you shattered Deku's dream I received him," AFO jeered. "That attack on the USJ was just to get you two to meet. And you beat him into submission with a smile completely unaware. Oh, and this isn't a lie, you know I wouldn't lie about something like this."

All Might said nothing. At that exact moment, he was screaming internally. This couldn't be possible. He was related to Master. Him.

'Those two, what have I done?' All Might thought horrified.

His face had changed to one of complete despair. AFO had never been as happy as he was right now. His mortal enemy was broken, it was all he could have ever hoped for.

"Don't give up. All Might," came a ragged voice that belonged to a woman. She was trapped beneath some debris, and she was crying. "Please, save me."

All over Japan

All over Japan, people were cheering for All Might. Encouraging him not to give up, encouraging him to win.

"Don't give up All Might."

"You can do it."

"He'll save the day. He always does."

"All Might win the day."

Everyone believed in him.

With Nezu

Nezu was hacking as fast as his paws could go. These machines weren't so easy to override. He had seen the state All Might was in but wasn't particularly worried. All Might would win, he just knew it.

Right now, he needed to help that boy. So far that boy had been lucky enough to dodge all the beams fired at him, but he wouldn't last much longer.

"Ugh," the boy howled in pain.

He had finally been hit from behind and hit the ground. The pods then shot at him repeatedly.

"Hold on just one more," Nezu said as he finally took control. "And there we go. Now let's stop this shall we."

And just like that the mini pods deactivated and fell to the ground.

The boy who had been attacked stood up slowly. He was injured but alive which was a relief. Just then Nezu saw a video chat link with the pods. Curious as to who was behind them, he connected to it.

A new image appeared. One he, unfortunately, knew rather well. The image also knew him and was quite surprised to see him. Nevertheless, he switched to a malicious grin.

"Well, well, if it isn't my little mascot," Atrocity greeted. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Likewise," Nezu murmured.

He didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't him.

"Ah, how I've missed you," Atrocity said.

"I can't say I feel the same way," Nezu retorted.

"Don't be like that we used to have a lot of fun together," Atrocity said. "I was sad when you ran away. So much that I slaughtered anyone in my view at the time."

Nezu said nothing. He felt sorry for the poor souls that were dead because of his escape but at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it.

"Why are you trying to kill this boy?" Nezu asked. His question made Atrocity angry.

"You mean Deku?" Atrocity spat.

Nezu raised an eyebrow. He knew all about this boy from All Might.

"That quirkless bastard took my new toy from me. Then he let it go," Atrocity raged. "He deserves to die as painfully as possible for stealing from me."

"Toy? You mean Ms Ashido?" Nezu asked barely keeping the rage he was feeling back.

The reason for Mina's kidnapping was finally revealed.

He knew exactly what sort of person Atrocity was. He had been a toy for him once.

He had been experimented on by him, tortured by him. It was how he received the scar over his right eye.

Knowing he was going to do that to one of his students just made him angrier.

"The pink subhuman? Yeah her," Atrocity stated. "Listen mascot as much as I'd love to catch up, I have an important errand I need to run so, see ya."

And just like that, the screen blinked out, and it was just Nezu and his colleagues. Nezu turned his attention back to All Might. Regardless of how angry he was at seeing Atrocity again, he needed to give his friend his support.

Back at the warehouse

Though All Might could not see them, he could feel the chants and hopes of the people cheering him on telling him to win. That alone gave him the strength he needed to push forward. He stood up and stared at AFO who was hovering in the air. He only had one option left, one attack that would finish this.

His ultimate special move.

All Might poured every ounce of power he had into his right arm and stood up.

"Never fear," he said, his voice filled with strength. "You know you're right AFO, heroes do have many things they need to protect. It's for that very reason why they can't lose."

"Use every bit of strength you have. Wounded heroes are always the most fearsome," AFO mused. He then began preparing to use his quirk combo again. "Since you're going all out it would be impolite of me not to do the same."

At that moment the other heroes (Endeavour, Edgeshot, Kamui) arrived. Endeavour cancelled out AFO's attack with his flames.

Edgeshot followed up with a quick attack to his face.

Kamui focused on rescuing the defeated heroes (Mt. Lady, Best Jeanist, Gang Orca).

AFO, however, having had enough of these interruptions exerted a force from his body that sent everyone (minus All Might) flying.

Izuku was also pushed back, but he managed to remain standing since he wasn't as close. He looked up at Sensei and say he had put an amalgamation of quirks on his right arm.

'This is it,' Izuku realised. 'This will be the deciding factor.'

"In order to kill you, I'll need the best and most suitable quirks I have, and strike you with them," All for One declared.

He briefly glanced over at Izuku to make sure he was out of harm's way. After confirming his safety, he resumed his battle with All Might.

The two enemies charged at each other once more in an effort to end this.

With Atrocity

"Well now, this is a glorious battle AFO. Truly inspirational. Unfortunately, I can't take the chance that you might win," Atrocity declared. "That's why I saved a very special mini-pod just for you."

Atrocity aimed at the pod from where AFO was charging.

He locked on and fired.

At the warehouse

AFO felt something hot pierce through the left side of his chest. It wasn't critical but it made him lose his focus, which was more than enough for All Might.

The Symbol Peace flew full force at AFO and delivered a powerful blow to his face.

"UNITED STATES OF SMASH!" All Might shouted.

The impact blasted AFO halfway across the city. When he crashed, he didn't get up.

It was over.

All Might had won.

The citizens who had been watching were cheering like crazy.

Despite his victory, All Might quickly glanced over where Izuku was. He saw that the boy was lying against a pile of debris unconscious. He must have been forced back from the impact of his attack.

It didn't matter though, he had found him, and that was what that mattered. Defeating AFO was an added bonus.

"I did it Inko. I kept my promise," All Might said.

Notes:

Hi there. God that was a long chapter. There was a lot I wanted to put in it. Anyways I really hope you enjoyed it. The fight was a bit different from the canon but I wanted to add on my own twist to it. Next chapter will be an aftermath of this attack, Izuku will be questioned by the police and maybe some other stuff. Until next time. Please review.

Chapter 21: Interview with the Police

Summary:

The effects of the battle of Kamino have already begun to reverberate through society.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own my hero academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The following day, in aftermath of All Might's victory, society was in a state of chaos.

News reports covering the previous night's events were in the papers and being discussed on talk shows.

It was the only thing on anyone's mind. Who could blame them really?

Tenya's group

Tenya and his friends walked silently through the streets.

Since they were headed to the police, Pop thought it would be a good time to leave their group.

"Guys, I'm glad that went well and all but I'd rather not get arrested so I'll be going now," Pop announced. "Also, I don't think you'll wanna get in any more trouble than you are. So, if the police ask, we just ran into each other."

Tenya nodded and bowed to her. Those that met her at the start did the same.

"Thank you for your assistance Pop-Step, we really couldn't have succeeded without you," Tenya said.

"I agree," said Yaoyarozu. "If you hadn't come, if you hadn't been there to intervene, then we wouldn't have escaped."

Todoroki and Kirishima said nothing but had the same opinion. Bakugo and Mina just stood there wondering who this woman was.

"I'm happy things worked out, but from now on you might want to avoid this sort of thing," Pop told them. "Otherwise, you'll just end up getting into major trouble. Wait until you become pros, then you can do this sort of thing legally."

"Don't worry, we will," Tenya assured her.

Pop then said her goodbyes and leapt up to the buildings where she jumped across them and disappeared from the group's sight.

The students eventually encountered the police who asked Katsuki and Mina to come with them. The pair both did as requested but were unusually silent. Though who could blame them after what they just went through.

The remaining students headed to the train station where they parted ways. They each returned home to get some much needed (and well-deserved) sleep.

Mina and Katsuki

Mina and Katsuki were questioned by the police for over an hour. Questions about why they had been taken and the villains they encountered were asked, all of which they answered honestly.

Mina provided them with a full explanation about her encounter with Deku and what he did for her. She told the police what Deku did for the League since she didn't see anything particularly dangerous about it.

Katsuki, who'd been listening remained silent. He never thought much of Deku's quirk analysis obsession, but the League of Villains certainly did. That must have meant there was more to it than he thought.

"Um sir, please tell me, is Deku alright?" Mina asked nervously.

She had been watching him during All Might's fight and worried when he was left unconscious afterwards.

"He's fine. He's currently unconscious but he's fine," the detective replied. "Some of my colleagues will be questioning him when he wakes up."

She felt a wave of relief that he wasn't dead.

Bakugo couldn't believe how friendly she had gotten with Deku in just one day. Was there something wrong with her? It didn't matter that he helped her, he was a villain and nothing more.

"Well thanks for all the information you've given us. It's been a great help. For safety reasons, police will be escorting you home," the detective notified them.

The pair nodded in understanding.

As they left the room, the two students were deep in thought over Deku.

'I hope he's alright. I wonder if the police will go easy on him since he helped me. What he did wasn't too bad so he may get off easy,' Mina thought hopefully. 'Whatever the scenario, I hope things work out for you Deku. I really do.'

'Damn that bastard Deku. Who does he think he is? Acting like he's above me. That quirkless piece of shit, he's lucky that he's far away from me right now otherwise I'd kill him. Still, could he have actually jumped? Yeah right, a year ago that guy was too spineless to even talk back to me, let alone jump off a roof. Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter now. After today I'll probably never see him again,' Katsuki thought.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Inko Midoriya

"I want to know where my son is," she yelled at the man in front of her. "That was him on TV in Kamino, I know it. I came here last night and they refused to tell me anything. Why shouldn't I be allowed to see him? I'm his mother."

Inko was currently at the police station trying to get information about her son's whereabouts. She had come the previous night only to be turned away. All she had been told was that he was unconscious and being treated.

"He's at the hospital for villains Mrs Midoriya," came a voice from her right.

She turned to see a detective she had met several times over the year when she came to visit. One who had heard about her son's case but wasn't working on it due to preoccupation with a variety of other cases.

"Detective Yagami," Inko murmured. "What do you mean?"

"Surely you must understand. Your son is a villain, or at least associated with them. We heard it from one of the two villains captured at the camp. The statements from the captured students also confirm it. Therefore, we need to question him about what he did for the League," Yagami explained.

Inko couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her son, a villain. It wasn't possible. Izuku had always wanted to become a hero, so why would he suddenly just decide to become the opposite. It made no sense.

"If you want to know the whole story then I suggest you listen quietly on the way there," Yagami stated. "Though please know that we still need to question him first before you two can reunite."

Inko stayed silent. This man, was he saying what she thinks he's saying?

"I will take you to the hospital, however, you will not be allowed to see him until we have gotten what we need," Yagami told her. "Now let's go."

He turned and started walking towards the door. Inko quickly followed. There was no way she was going to miss this opportunity.

'I'll be there soon Izuku, I promise,' she swore.

The League of Villains: Tomura's group

Things had not been going so well for Tomura.

His master had been defeated (thanks to a cheap shot) and was gone, his group had lost Deku, Dabi (who was still in Deku's possession) and Muscular (who Sensei had intentionally sent away).

He had no idea where they were, though Kurogiri said it was a secret facility Sensei owned, one only he and Kurogiri had the coordinates of. That aside, there was something else on his mind.

"Just how the hell did they find?" Tomura wondered. "Even if Moonfish and Mustard gave statements about the bar there's no way they could've known which bar exactly we were occupying. They only saw it because Kurogiri granted them entrance."

"Maybe someone else told them," Magne suggested.

"He's got a point," Compress butted in. "AFO was an important figure in the villain community. It wouldn't be wrong to think he had enemies inside the League."

Tomura stopped pacing and started thinking. Compress had a point. Also, even if the police had taken their captured teammates statements there's no way they could have found them that quickly.

That just left one option, someone ratted them out. Someone had those mini pods planted, just waiting to strike when the time was right. Additionally, they hadn't just been aiming for Sensei, they had been trying to kill Deku. The most powerful figure in the League and its only quirkless member. There was only one individual who hated them both, who would be daring enough to do something like this.

"Atrocity," Tomura seethed venomously. "That son of a bitch! He ratted us out to the police."

The others looked at him concerned.

"You sure?" Spinner asked much to Tomura's irritation.

"Definitely, he always despised master for being more powerful and having more influence than him. He despised Deku because he was quirkless, even more when he took his new toy from him," Tomura explained.

Toga and Twice remained silent. They knew exactly what Atrocity was going to do to Mina until Deku intervened. If anything, they were happy when she escaped. She was different from most people, and they liked her for it.

"Then it wouldn't be wrong to assume that Viper is working with him," Tomura continued. "How else could he have gotten hold of the Nomu that tried to kill Deku in Hosu?"

"That may be true, but I doubt that she would be doing it willingly," Kurogiri interjected. "She hates the man with all her soul."

No one said anything for a minute.

"Kurogiri, you have a USB stick with all the work Deku did for the League, don't you?" Tomura asked.

The black mist villain nodded in confirmation. "He gave it to me in case of an emergency."

"Good. By now the police will have already raided his apartment and found his notebooks, though I can't say the same for his lab," Tomura replied. "We need to make do with what we have."

Though he didn't like it they were on their own now. They would need to do whatever they could to survive.

Atrocity

Atrocity was excited. So far everything was going according to plan. Step 1 was defeating AFO (and also killing Deku which failed), incapacitate him in a way he wouldn't be able to fight back.

Step 2 involved breaking into Tartarus (special prison for criminals whom the death penalty isn't enough) where AFO would most likely be sent given his past deeds. Fortunately for him, Atrocity already had his route in there.

It was there he would commence Step 3, which was what he was looking forward to most. He also had a side job or two to do, one of which he was about to do now.

"Queen Bee I have a mission for you," Atrocity announced to Kuin who was sitting on a couch.

The girl looked up at him surprised. He then placed a large case in front of her and opened it to reveal a series of blue liquids. Before he could speak again she seemed to know exactly what he wanted her to do.

"Let me guess. You want me to go to the villain hospital where Deku is, inject a bunch of beat-up villains with what I'm guessing is a new version of trigger so they can go on a full rampage which in reality is a distraction so you can kill Deku with something better," she exclaimed.

"How the fuck did you know?" Atrocity responded stunned. "Your quirk lets you control bees, not look into the future."

"Because I know you. You've never been the type to just do things quietly. Well sometimes you do, but most of the time you like to cause a bit of destruction and chaos because it's more fun," Kuin explained. "Also, I had one of my babies follow Deku in just case you wanted to know. Tracking is a speciality of mine remember? How else do you think Shigaraki found the UA Training Camp?"

Atrocity said nothing. This girl nailed all the right points. About him and herself. She didn't know everything though.

"Mostly right. This is kind of a new version of trigger. You remember the enhancement drug some of our members have been using," he said.

"The one used for Nomu, the one that provides a boost in quirk usage and physical stats?" Kuin asked. "Yeah, I know it. Haven't tried it myself but I know it. What's that go to do with Tri-"

She froze suddenly.

"Wait, you don't mean."

"Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking. Trigger and Achilles are powerful enough on their own but join them together and what do you get, a recipe for disaster," Atrocity boasted.

Kuin frowned at the name he used for the enhancement drug.

"Achilles? As in the Greek hero?" she asked intrigued by the name.

"Achilles was a hero who possessed immense strength and invulnerability but had that nasty little weakness in his heel. It perfectly describes the drug don't you think? The user is provided with great strength and boost in all areas; however, its weakness is that it won't last as long as before and the aftereffects will be even worse than before," Atrocity explained. "As to why I chose to name it, well, enhancement drug just sounds stupid in my opinion. It also makes me feel like it belongs to me even more."

Kuin didn't argue, not that she had any reason to, or even care for that matter.

"Fine. Call it what you want but let's get one thing straight. If, huge if, Deku doesn't die this time don't go blaming me. I'm just providing a distraction that's all," she stated.

"Sure thing. Oh, and don't worry about my method to kill Deku, another one of my henchmen will be taking care of that," he replied.

With that Kuin got up, took the case and left. Atrocity followed shortly after. He was all too eager to finish what he started. Soon, very soon, the League would be all his. AFO and Deku would be dead and Tomura's group would soon follow.

It was all too perfect.

All Might

All Might was currently in UA's medical room recovering from his battle with AFO.

In the room right next to his were Naomasa and his old mentor Gran Torino. They had just been discussing the possibility of Shigaraki being Shimura's grandson. They knew Nana gave her son up after her husband's death but told them to never get in contact with her family, even if something happened to her. All Might wanted to find him, but Gran Torino said he would handle it since Toshinori no longer saw him as a villain. Regardless of the man's lineage, at the end of the day he was a criminal.

Then came the topic of Izuku.

"Say what you want about Shigaraki but I definitely need to do something about Young Midoriya," All Might said. "Speaking of which how is he?"

"Currently he's being treated at the villain hospital where he's unconscious. He suffered some burns from those pods and has a few bruises but otherwise, he's okay," Naomasa explained.

All Might was relieved to hear that.

"Look Toshinori I get that you feel guilty about what happened to this boy but, he's still a villain. You can't treat him differently because he's a kid or because of something you said," Gran Torino told him.

"I know but, I want to help him. He isn't as bad as you might think Sensei. During his time as a villain, there have been moments when he did help others, most notably the students," All Might replied much to Gran Torino's surprise. "He saved Uraraka when she was about to be raped, he put Iida back the right path when he was seeking revenge against the Hero-Killer, and I don't know how or why but he saved Ashido from something when she was held captive."

Gran Torino was stunned at what he was hearing. This kid, he wasn't so much a villain but certainly wasn't a hero.

"If you are wondering about what happened to Ashido I can tell you. We finished interviewing her and Bakugo an hour ago. She had quite a bit to say," Naomasa said.

And so, he explained everything Mina went through during her time with the League.

All Might became furious when he heard why Mina was kidnapped. He too had heard of Atrocity and knew exactly what kind of person he was, and what did to people. Knowing he was planning to do that to Mina made his blood boil. He was surprised at AFO's intervention. If he let Izuku have Mina, then he really must have held him in high regard.

When it came to the part about what Izuku did for the League All Might was quite surprised. He didn't know how but this was what made the League so powerful.

"All right he's said his piece now you say yours, what did AFO tell you about Deku?" Gran Torino asked. "Since you were so desperate to find this kid, you must've asked him."

All Might silently scowled. His former mentor knew him all too well.

"This is what AFO told me when I asked him about why Izuku was in the League," he started.

All Might explained his entire conversation with AFO regarding Izuku.

"Damn," Gran Torino muttered. "Discrimination has gotten worse since my day. Can't really blame the kid for wanting to get away from it all. But I still don't understand how a few small notes were so valuable to Japan's greatest villain."

"I can explain," Naomasa intervened. "We found where he was living and raided it. What we found were a bunch of notebooks with details on the quirks of many pros and students from the Sports Festival. We've examined them thoroughly, and I must say, Izuku's quirk analysis abilities aren't something to be looked down on. They contained information about weaknesses, strengths and ways to improve quirk usage. We couldn't find anything about science experiments in the room so I'm unable to tell you anything about them."

All Might didn't respond. When he thought about it, he could see how those sorts of things would enable the League to become stronger. As for the science experiments, he had a feeling they were much worse.

"What he's done for the League aside there's something else we need to discuss. Those mini pods that attacked him. They weren't ours, and they certainly weren't AFO's," Naomasa stated. The two heroes knew what was coming next. "Someone was trying to kill Midoriya."

"You're not wrong but who? It had to be someone within the League who knew where that warehouse was," Gran Torino said. "Also, why? From the sound of things, he hasn't done anything major to make any enemies."

"We don't know," Naomasa replied. "However, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. The Winged Nomu that appeared in Hosu, Iida clearly stated Midoriya was its target."

"You think the one who sent the pods was also behind that Nomu?" All Might asked.

"It's possible. Not everyone in the League may have liked Midoriya. However, given that AFO favoured Izuku if he were harmed it would be met with serious consequences. Therefore, if he died because a Nomu went out of control it would just look like an accident to most," Naomasa deduced. "I may be reading into it a little too much though."

All Might said nothing. As crazy as it sounded, it did certainly explain a lot.

"I gotta go now and check on Midoriya. See if he's awake for questioning. My partner Yagami won't be happy if I'm late. Goodbye," Naomasa said as he got up to leave the room.

All Might and Gran Torino were on their own then.

As soon as they were, Torino wasted no time in berating him for his reckless behaviour.

Izuku Midoriya

Dream Flashback

Izuku and Razor

Izuku was lying on the mat sweating profusely while Razor stood over him.

"Not bad you little shit, you nearly had me that time," Razor complimented. "But you need to be faster than that, otherwise you'll end up dead."

Izuku didn't answer back. He was too busy panting and trying to get his breath back.

Despite his state, Razor couldn't help but admire his progress. Izuku was advancing so quickly that it surprised her.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Go home and rest. You're improving I'll give you that much, but you've still got a long way to go," Razor said as she walked towards the exit. "Who knows, maybe you'll achieve a state of awakening one day. Though it will be a long time before that can happen."

Izuku never got the chance to ask her what she meant by that.

At the villain hospital

Izuku slowly opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a minute before turning his head to examine the area around him.

Currently, he was lying on a bed in what looked to be some sort of hospital surrounded by some sheets. He tried to sit up he discovered that he was handcuffed on both sides. What surprised him was he was still wearing his clothes from before, well the lower half anyway. He thought his clothes would be replaced with new ones. This, however, made him realise that he had bandages wrapped around his body.

Considering the damage, he took from those flying mini-pods and the impact that knocked him out when he smashed into the wall it wasn't surprising.

Speaking of damage, Izuku moved his body slightly only to feel no pain which was surprising. Whoever treated him must have been a skilled doctor or had a really powerful healing quirk.

Izuku groaned. 'If I'm in a hospital that means I was captured.'

It was the only logical explanation he could think of. However, that also meant Sensei had been captured. After those mini pods ceased attacking him, he noticed another shooting straight through Sensei while All Might delivered an immensely powerful final blow to him.

At the realization of this his stomach churned.

'If Sensei's been captured then that means Razor's gone also. She only remained with the League as long as Sensei was around. Which means she'll be heading back to BUTLER now,' he thought sadly. 'That means I'll never see her again.'

In the time he had known her, Izuku had grown to respect, appreciate and like Razor. She was his teacher. She made him a stronger man. And now she was gone. It was one of the saddest moments for him.

That said, he wondered about Tomura, Kurogiri and the others. Were they safe? Or had they been captured as well? He had witnessed them get transported away so they must have been okay, right? However, given that they didn't know his location he couldn't count on them to come and save him. He was on his own.

'Who was trying to kill me back there?' he wondered. 'I haven't made any enemies, except maybe Muscular. Atrocity perhaps? Razor mentioned he despised Sensei for being more powerful than him and the quirkless. Although, Muscular was working for him, so he must have reported that I freed Mina. I doubt he would be happy about that. Still too soon to be sure though.'

There was one question that was weighing heavily on his mind.

'How did All Might know who I was?' he thought.

They had only ever met twice, the second of which he didn't even know it was him. What's more just what did he want with him? The Symbol of Peace had clearly been looking for him and wanted to talk with him about something. But why? Did he feel guilty about what he said to him on that rooftop a year ago?

Well, it was a bit late for that.

He had already chosen his path in life and there was no turning back. He couldn't just switch sides just like that, it wasn't that simple.

If anything, he should thank him. If All Might had never said those things to him then he never would become stronger, he would still be weak little Izuku trying to achieve something that wasn't possible.

Even if he had entered UA, he never would've become a hero. It had taken him a long time to realize, but a quirkless hero is something society would never allow.

They were too prejudiced to allow it.

Izuku's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of two men. One wore a brown coat and hat that covered his dark hair. The other wore a black coat and hat that covered his blonde hair.

"Izuku Midoriya," the dark-haired man greeted. "I am Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi, and this is my partner Reo Yagami. We came to ask you a couple of questions."

"And what if I refuse to answer?" Izuku asked back.

"That's your choice. However, you should know we have some people in the force who get the truth out of you in a more forceful manner," Reo informed him. "So, unless you want to end up in a worse situation than you are now I suggest you cooperate."

"Go on then, I dare you," Izuku challenged. "Whatever torture you plan to put me through I can take. So do your absolute worst."

He wasn't scared of what they would do to him. He had been trained well enough that he wouldn't break under torture for prolonged periods of time.

Reo was slightly taken back at Izuku's boldness. That threat normally worked. This boy, whatever he had been through, it had hardened him.

"Yagami that's enough. Threatening him isn't going to get anywhere," Naomasa interjected. "You really want to do that when you brought his mother here."

Izuku felt as though he had been punched in the stomach, by a Nomu filled with enhancement drug.

His mother, was here, now of all times.

'No, I'm not ready for this,' he thought.

It wasn't as though he didn't want to see her, he really did. He just wasn't sure if he wanted her to see him, this him. He was a villain, he wasn't the sweet, innocent child she had raised all on her own anymore. He was a villain, a criminal, nothing more. How could she look at him after what he did?

"We'll be sending her in to see you after we're done questioning you," Reo said having noticed Izuku's reaction. "Or we could call her in now and listen in while we question you. So, tell us, kid, are you still going to remain silent?"

There was silence for a minute before Izuku spoke again.

"I'll answer what I want and only what I'm able to," he responded.

He wouldn't reveal any sensitive information, not that there was much anyway.

Reo and Naomasa nodded. Naomasa started asking him questions.

"How did you join the League?"

"They sought me out after finding one of my notebooks on quirk analysis. They saved me when I tried to commit suicide."

The detectives flinched at that piece of knowledge. Reo hadn't expected that kind of response. Naomasa on the other hand was more concerned.

"And why would you try to do that?"

"Because I couldn't take it anymore. My entire life I was bullied for being quirkless, both by my classmates and my teachers. Everyone mocked me, hurt me, and humiliated me because of what I was, especially when I wanted to be a hero. Then one day, after several encounters with different people, I had had enough. So, at the advice of someone else, I jumped, hoping to put an end to it all."

Izuku had answered this question rather angrily. This was a rather sensitive topic for him, but if the police wanted the truth, they may as well know how screwed up his life was before.

Reo was stunned.

Naomasa was concerned, everything Izuku said matched up with what All Might told him.

"We know about your conditions, however, why did you choose to leave your home?"

"It was to keep my mother safe. I didn't want to lie to her or risk her finding out. She's many things but stupid is not one of them. Eventually, she would've gotten suspicious, and when that would happen, well, I think you can guess."

The detectives nodded in understanding. That was as good a reason as any.

"We know you did quirk analysis and science experiments for the League. Did you do anything else? Also, what sort of experiments did you do for the League?"

"Not really. I wasn't a field agent, though I did learn self-defence. As for the science experiments, I'm not gonna tell you anything. Say or do what you want to me, but I won't say a word. Oh, and before you ask, I didn't work on the Nomu at any stage. The first time I saw one of them was the day of the USJ Incident. I had no prior knowledge of them. I don't even know how they're made."

"Why were you at the USJ then?"

"To get revenge. Katsuki Bakugo was my primary tormentor for most of my life and this was a good chance to get payback. I fought with him. I defeated him. After that, I returned to Kurogiri and Shigaraki and convinced him to retreat since we were at a disadvantage."

The detectives went silent. Naomasa remembered Inko's statement about Bakugo bullying Izuku, it made sense that he would hold a grudge against him.

Reo was starting to feel sympathy for the kid. Throughout the entire interrogation his quirk, 'Lie Detector', had been active, thus allowing him to verify everything Midoriya said.

However, Izuku had phrased his answers carefully since he did not want them to lead back to Razor.

"Did you go near UA and its students again after this?"

"I went to the Sports festival to analyse their quirks on AFO's orders but that's it. Interactions I had with them afterwards were all indirect and by chance."

"What were these times?"

"First was Iida at Hosu when he was on his internship where we fought against the Nomu. The second was Uraraka at the shopping mall in the Kiyashi Ward, we spoke briefly but didn't talk about anything major. The third time was the whole kidnapping scenario involving Ashiso and Bakugo. I had no knowledge that Bakugo was a target. If I had I would've argued against it since I really do hate him. Ashido I just happened to stumble upon by accident. Most of the League didn't even know she was there."

While they didn't know about his meeting with Uraraka the mention of Hosu caught their attention.

"Tell us about Stain. He wasn't at your hideout. And from what we gathered from the two individuals we captured, well Mustard mostly, he hasn't been seen with your group. From whom does he take orders?"

Izuku frowned at the new information. So, Mustard and Moonfish had been captured during the mission. That explained why he hadn't seen them at the hideout. As for Stain, there was no information he had that would hurt him.

"Stain takes orders from himself since he isn't a member of the League, he never was. As for where he is, I don't know. I haven't seen him since Hosu."

The detectives were surprised at this information. They thought Stain was a member of the League the whole time.

"Why were you with him in Hosu then?"

"It was a sort of internship set up by a friend of his who worked for the League but no longer does. It was sort of a break from the League for me, and a good chance to hone my fighting skills. He even put on his crusade for the week for it. There was absolutely no killing."

"Who arranged the meeting?"

"I won't say. You don't need to worry about that person though. Since you captured Sensei, they no longer work for the League."

Despite knowing that he was telling the truth Reo couldn't help but feel frustrated. They weren't receiving any useful information.

"Where is Shigaraki now?" Reo demanded. "Where did AFO send him and his team?"

"No clue," Izuku replied rather bluntly.

"Then tell us the location of the League's other bases, they must be at one of them then," Reo continued. He was getting impatient now.

Izuku stared blankly at him.

"Unfortunately, I don't know of any other bases since I was never told about them. I wasn't told a lot of things, only what I needed to hear. I had two jobs to do, and nothing more, so just why would they tell me confidential information when it wasn't necessary for me to know it?" Izuku asked. "Ask as many questions as you want but I don't have any sensitive information that could hurt the League. I never pried into their secrets because it would just get me into trouble."

"Then just why did you join at a first offer if you didn't know that much about them?" Reo snapped.

He was really annoyed now. Naomasa was also annoyed at the lack of information Izuku possessed. They thought he was more important than that.

"AFO is why," Izuku retorted catching both the detectives off guard. "I don't normally judge at first glance but the moment I met him I knew; he wasn't the type to take no for an answer. Do you understand? Even if I said no, I would've ended up joining anyway."

The detectives went silent. There was nothing else to ask Izuku. They stood up and prepared to leave.

"Thank you for that Midoriya, it was very helpful," Naomasa said.

"I doubt it," Izuku scoffed.

Once the detectives were outside and had put a bit of distance between them and the room they began to talk.

"Were you using your quirk in there?" Naomasa asked his partner.

"The entire time," Reo responded in an annoyed tone. "Everything that kid said in there was the truth. Everything."

Naomasa didn't reply. He knew "everything" meant everything. What's more, it only contributed to AFO's statement about Izuku's past.

"So, what now?" Reo asked. "We can't just let him go home with his mother, and we don't know if the League will either try to kill him or get him back. and even if he hardly did anything, he's still a criminal."

"I don't know," Naomasa replied. "Despite everything, he has suffered a lot himself, most of which was unjust."

"I know. Believe me, I know," Reo said solemnly. He thought back to Laura Shisa and her brother. "I've met people like him before."

Neither of them said anything for a moment.

"There is one thing we need to do. And you brought it here," Naomasa said.

"I know," Reo replied. "I know."

A few minutes later

Izuku was looking outside the window from a distance. The wind was blowing the blinds back slightly and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful day outside. He was so immersed in what he saw he didn't notice someone coming into the room.

"I-Izuku," a familiar female voice called.

Izuku froze. He felt as though his heart had stopped. The biggest reason he left was now here speaking to him. He was too shocked to respond.

"Izuku," the voice, his mother's voice called again.

He turned slowly to gaze at her. Though he had watched her from a distance seeing her up close was a completely different thing.

She had lost weight, a lot of weight. She looked completely like she did ten years.

Her face, her face was a mixture of things. She was smiling happily, but at the same time sadly.

There were tears streaming down her face.

"Izuku," she said again this time arching towards him before breaking into a run.

She embraced him and began crying loudly into his shoulder.

"Oh Izuku," Inko sobbed loudly. "Oh, Izuku my baby. It's you, it's really you. You don't know how much I've missed you."

He liked the embrace more than he admitted. That was the worst part.

He was happy with her there. He wanted her there, near him. He needed her there. He had wanted this for so long, his heart longed for it, and now, here it was. His mother, the one person in this world he loved more than anything.

Before he even realised it, Izuku had started crying also.

"Hi mom," he said softly. "I've missed you too."

Not too far from the villain hospital

Kuin was near the hospital now. In an alleyway, she took opened the case and had her bees take some of the 'Achilles' drug.

"All right my babies go wreak havoc," she ordered.

The bees spread out with the drug and advanced towards the hospital.

"Well, this should be interesting," Kuin mused.

Meanwhile, Atrocity's henchman activated the device. Upon activation it didn't move immediately, it would wait until the chaos started before acting.

At that moment, nobody knew nor could have guessed. A fierce battle was about to take place at the villain hospital.

Notes:

Hi there. Well what did you think of that? Next chapter focuses on the battle of the hospital. Please review.

Chapter 22: Showdown at the villain hospital

Summary:

Deku puts his skills to use when he's forced to defend his mother and two police officers from a dangerous threat.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

All for One

AFO sat strapped to a chair on life support in his prison cell in Tartarus. His living conditions were...less than ideal.

If he moved even a little the guns in his cell would lock on instantly, even if all he did was scratch his back. They monitored his every movement, brain wave and vital sign. If you so much as you used your quirk, well, the rest was gibberish.

This prison was appropriately named. Tartarus, in Greek mythology, was Hell, where the wicked ended up being punished for their sins. It was mainly for criminals for whom the death penalty wasn't enough. AFO had more pressing issues on his mind, being captured wasn't one, he didn't even care about that.

'Deku, are you alright? Are you still alive?' he wondered.

He knew Tomura and his group were safe. However, Izuku was the one he was more concerned about right now. Someone had been trying to kill him during his battle with All Might. But who? Atrocity was his biggest bet since he absolutely loathed Izuku for being quirkless, and for taking away his new 'toy'. He had tried to kill him before, there was no reason he wouldn't try it again.

Also, that cheap shot that defeated him, that meant someone wanted him dead too, or at least captured and left to rot in prison. Atrocity was the only one daring enough to try something like that.

It surprised AFO that Atrocity was intelligent enough to come up with a plan like that. He was always the sort of individual who tortured and killed anything he wanted for amusement and without thought, it was rare for him to ever think things through first and in a quiet fashion no less.

'Deku doesn't possess any sensitive information, so he'll be of no use to the police. I made sure of that,' he thought. 'There are his experiments, but he won't give them up, not without a fight. Although, if I'm not around to readminister the quirk, things will not bode well for him.'

While he trusted and cared about Izuku he kept many secrets from him to protect him from many unwanted sources.

Though those sources did find their way to Izuku once, and he regretted it to this day.

He couldn't even remember why or how Razor managed to convince him that it was a good idea, but it had been one of the worst decisions of his life. Following that time, Izuku had been so traumatised he needed to rewrite his memories so he could live normally, a process which required reapplication once a month or else the memories would return.

Then there were his other memories.

AFO was not lying to All Might when he explained Izuku's past. However, much like the boy, he severely downplayed them, albeit intentionally.

He didn't know how he had gotten so attached to the boy, but he supposed it was because in many ways Izuku reminded him of Yoichi.

AFO chuckled. Thinking about his brother now of all times was kind of ironic.

"Well, I've been beaten," AFO muttered sadly. "After decades of battles I've finally been defeated, just like you wanted. I hope you're happy up there. Knowing that your plan finally succeeded."

Though he tried to avoid it AFO did think about his younger brother every now and then. Why had he avoided it? It was one of the very few things that could make him sad.

His brother was the very first holder of OFA, bestowed upon by himself. He gave it to him because at the time he didn't possess a quirk, nor was he physically strong. AFO had wanted him to be at his side when he took over society, which was in a state of chaos at the time since quirks had just emerged.

There was discrimination and crime, a lot it. Controlling society would've stopped it. His brother however thought that what he was doing was wrong and turned against him. Despite his pleas, his brother stood against him, and they fought many times, all of which there was no clear victor. Eventually, his brother somehow passed on his quirk to a successor to defeat him, which repeated for several generations. Sometime after this, his brother passed away, an event that devastated him.

Regardless of what had transpired between them, he was still his brother and AFO loved deeply and still did to this day.

Ever since they were children it had just been the two of them since their parents had hardly been around. It was mainly him who looked after his brother, heck he practically raised him, especially after his quirk manifested and there was 'that event'.

His brother was the primary reason that he fought against every user of OFA, even that infuriating All Might. That quirk was all he had left of him, all that remained of his spirit. He was always a spirited one, always trying to do the right thing.

In that sense, he was very much like Izuku, though Izuku was a much colder person (for good reason) than him.

AFO's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his cell door opening. He heard someone enter but he couldn't see them. Five years ago, when he was defeated by All Might he lost his sight. He was able to make out his surroundings utilising his other senses and using an infrared quirk. It wasn't easy but he had managed to adapt and live with it. Well, more like survive given his condition.

The figure stopped directly in front of him. All for One didn't react. He waited until the figure spoke.

"My how the mighty have fallen," a voice gloated. "You look so pathetic in this state."

The moment he heard that voice AFO felt a chill run down his spine. This was the last person he wanted to be near right now.

"Atrocity," he growled. "So, you've come."

"Indeed," Atrocity chuckled. "We don't have a lot of time, so I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible."

Villain Hospital at the exact same time

Naomasa and Reo were outside Izuku's hospital room listening in on him and Inko. So far all they had heard was Inko crying and sobbing from being reunited with her missing son again.

After about a minute Inko released her son from the embrace and just stared at him, tears still streaming down her face. Izuku returned her stare, still crying at seeing her again.

"You look different," she sniffled. "Did you dye your hair? You definitely cut it."

"Yeah. I did it to make myself less recognisable," Izuku responded. "You look different as well. You've lost weight."

Inko stared down at the floor.

"I was out looking for you, my eating habits became disrupted and well, this is the result," she explained.

"I know. I sometimes saw you," he said.

Inko's face shot up immediately. She hadn't expected her son to have seen her out. That meant he was a lot closer than she thought. She still couldn't imagine why he would stay away from her.

"T-Then why didn't yo-" Inko started before Izuku cut her off.

"The same reason I left," he said.

He knew she was going to ask these questions, but he wasn't ready to answer. He didn't know or understand why but he wasn't sure about telling his mother about everything he went through. She wasn't like the other people he had told so far. He knew her, he knew exactly how she would react if she learned the truth.

"Why?" Inko asked in a low voice that sounded almost like a whisper. "Why did you leave? What were you planning to do that night? Why were you with villains?"

Izuku remained silent. He couldn't even look at her face.

"Izuku please," Inko begged softly, tears falling again down their face. "I deserve to know."

He knew she was right, and he hated it. Part of him wanted to tell her but another part of him was too scared to.

"Did you ever report what was going on or even go to someone for help? Like your mother."

Razor's words echoed in his mind. When he thought about it he never told his mother just what he was going through, even though he should have. She deserved the truth, all of it.

"It's complicated," he said softly.

Inko wasn't fazed however and said, "Tell me."

"Well, it's like this," Izuku started.

He stopped when he heard a loud noise beneath him that made the ground shake. He heard another sound just like it further away, there was rumbling also.

"What on earth?" Inko said in a bewildered tone.

The detectives came rushing back in to see that things were alright (and to make sure Izuku hadn't tried anything).

Izuku heard a buzzing sound and looked to see a bee headed towards a patient across from him. That's when he saw it, a small injection needle with blue liquid on its stinger.

Izuku instantly knew what it was, he would recognise it anywhere. He created it after all.

'Forced quirk activation isn't something it could do before, but then again S1 could have made a few changes to it,' Izuku thought horrified.

"MOM RUN," Izuku shouted at the top of his lungs.

It was the first time Izuku had ever yelled at his mother, something which shocked her.

The detectives had a different reaction. Reo attempted to take Inko away while Naomasa moved quickly towards Izuku.

The bee injected its prey with the enhancement drug and triggered a reaction. The villain started squirming a few seconds until his quirk activated. Shadows started to shoot out from several parts of his body, namely his hands, feet, eyes and mouth.

With the drugs help it was quite powerful as it easily destroyed the objects in the room by either crushing, slicing, or throwing them. It even slashed several patients, damaging them further.

Reo dived out of the room with Inko who screamed for her son.

As Naomasa tried to undo the handcuffs Izuku noticed one of those shadow beams heading straight towards them. Instinctively, he used his strength to flip the bed sideways while dragging Naomasa down with him.

Fortunately, the chain connecting the left handcuff to his bed was cut off so he could move more freely now. Naomasa wasted no time in undoing the other handcuff so that Izuku's other hand was free.

Quickly he dragged him up and they ran out of the room to Reo and Inko while the villain continued to rampage.

"Izuku are you alright?" Inko asked her son concerned.

"I'm fine really. Believe me, I've been through much worse," he replied.

As curious as she was about that statement Inko knew they had bigger problems to deal with.

"Ok start talking kid. What the hell was that thing?" Reo demanded. "And I don't mean the bee I mean the stuff it was carrying."

"Yagami this isn't the right time to be discussing this. We need to move," Naomasa informed his partner.

Before Reo could retort the villain came out of the room with shadows still emerging from his body and destroying everything in sight. The villain had no control over what he was doing.

The detectives grabbed the pair and prepared to run and take them to safety. Izuku had a different reaction. He shook off Naomasa and charged at the villain.

"Izuku!" Inko screamed.

"Are you insane boy? That guy will kill you," Reo admonished.

Izuku ignored them both. He had left to protect his mother, yet here she was in danger now. He would be damned if she was injured or killed now, especially when he had the means to protect her.

The villain sent swarms of shadows at Izuku however, he was much faster, so he dodged them with relative ease. Whoever treated his wounds did a seriously good job because he felt no pain from moving.

When he got in close enough the villain shot shadows straight at him. Izuku jumped up and delivered a spin kick to the villain's head on his right side. The kick was so powerful that it sent the villain crashing into the wall, stunning him briefly.

Not giving him any chance to recover Izuku lunged at the villain. Putting all his strength into his right hand, he delivered a punch to the villain's jaw. The impact caused the villain's head to bounce off the wall.

He slumped to the ground with the shadows ceasing to come out from his body. It was clear he was down for the count.

Izuku turned to see the stunned expressions of the people behind him.

Naomasa wasn't that surprised since he knew from Iida and Bakugo that Izuku possessed proficient fighting skills.

Reo was shocked at how easily Izuku had taken down that villain.

Inko was the most surprised. Her son just attacked a person straight on and beat him with relative ease. Also, with that serious look in his eyes, it was obvious he wasn't the same boy she knew from a year ago.

The boy she knew from a year ago wasn't violent, wasn't this serious, he was shy, quiet, and gentle.

"We need to move," he declared as he approached the group. "Others may be coming."

Taking his mother's hand Izuku started moving in the opposite direction they were facing. The detectives quickly followed.

Atrocity's Device

The chaos had begun.

It was a distraction.

It was what it needed.

It was its trigger.

As soon as explosions occurred the device activated.

It stretched out its body, not that it could feel it. It was not human after all.

With the ongoing destruction of the hospital, it snuck it through a destroyed window.

It knew where its target was. Such information had been provided beforehand.

As it moved through the hospital it stopped. The target had been located. It was walking with three figures, not that they mattered.

The device had been given specific orders to kill its target and anything standing in its way.

Sighting its target, it moved to eliminate him.

Tartarus Prison

While AFO was annoyed that Atrocity had come he still had some questions he needed answered.

"Why have you come here? I'm in a powerless state I can't recover from. I seriously doubt that you would come here just kill me," he asked the man in front of him. "You want something, and I want to know what it is."

Atrocity chuckled.

"Why yes, you are correct. I was going to tell you afterwards, but I can't hold it in any longer," Atrocity exclaimed. "You see AFO...I hate you. I've always hated how you had more power than me, both quirks and influence. I hate those under your chain of command, especially that snivelling brat Tomura. Worst of all, I hate how you brought a quirkless abomination into the League, how you praised it, how you favoured it, and how you defended it, especially when it took my new toy. I hate all of it."

"Get to the point already," AFO demanded.

He wasn't hearing anything new.

Atrocity grinned. "What I'm saying is I want it all. I want everything that's yours, including your quirks. And I want to destroy whatever's yours I don't like. For example, that quirkless shit Deku. I want him to die a slow and brutal death."

As AFO processed all this there was one thing he did not understand.

Atrocity wanted his quirks?

"I'm sure you're curious so I'll explain. The transference device that Viper developed can steal a person's quirk or quirks entirely and bestow them on another through injection. It's kind of like your power but way more efficient since it can steal every quirk they possess at a much faster rate," Atrocity explained with a hint of smugness in his voice. "I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this."

Indeed, he could. This is why, knowing it was inevitable, AFO activated a quirk, one only he knew about. It was one he had gotten back when he started off centuries ago but had never used it due to the risks involved.

Despite this AFO was afraid for the first time in many years. When you mixed Atrocity with his powers, he knew exactly what it meant, and it was the worst.

"You're probably wondering how I got Viper to join me. I implanted a control chip inside her, so she does my bidding without question," he explained.

That made perfect sense. Because of Atrocity's racist views on mutant types, Viper utterly loathed him.

There was no way in hell she would ever willingly serve him.

"What are you planning to do to Tomura and his group?" AFO asked managing to hide the worry in his voice. "The same thing I'm guessing."

Atrocity laughed again.

"When I come across them, I'll kill them, but not before making them suffer first. As for taking their quirks, well it wouldn't be wrong for me to take them, Shigaraki's especially," Atrocity told his nemesis. "I mean after all; I was the one that gave it to him."

Upon hearing that AFO froze entirely. Of all the things he expected to hear from this psychopath's mouth, this was not one of them.

"Why?" he asked.

Tomura was originally quirkless.

Atrocity despised the quirkless.

So why give him a quirk at all?

"I have my reasons," he admitted. "Unfortunately, I'm on a tight schedule so I can't give you the details. However, I will say this." Even if he couldn't see his face, AFO knew Atrocity's smile had gotten bigger. "Watching him kill his family while blubberingly trying to stop was hilarious. The kid had no control whatsoever."

AFO was too shocked to speak.

He knew Atrocity was an incredibly cruel being, but forcing a child to kill his family was too much even for him.

During his life, AFO had done terrible things to achieve his goals, but there were limits to what he was willing to do.

He was never cruel for the sake of cruelty, only out of necessity.

Atrocity was different. He was a complete monster, an entity that was evil simply for the sake and fun of it.

"Enough chit chats. Let's get this show on the road, shall we? I'm a busy man after all and I've got other matters to attend to," he declared.

The transference device was a cylinder (roughly about the size of Atrocity's hand) an injection needle. The outside layer was made of reinforced glass and a small red container with a button on top at the end. On the inside, there was a tube connecting the needle with the container supported by three layers of insulated metal to hold it together.

Without further delay, he injected AFO in the chest and activated it. The red container lit up while the tube shone brightly as the quirks were sucked up.

AFO felt a massive surge of pain coursing through his body. The process was supposed to be quick, but for him, it felt like an eternity. Every quirk he had stockpiled over centuries left him one by one until there was nothing left.

Once completed, Atrocity wasted no time in injecting himself with the device. In doing so, he felt a mixing surge of pain and power coursing through his body.

When it finished Atrocity laughed manically.

"I've done it. It's mine. It's all mine," he exclaimed. There was pure joy in his voice.

AFO had never felt so helpless in his entire life. Atrocity had truly outdone him.

For the first time in his life, he hated someone more than All Might, a whole lot more.

All that was left for him now was death.

"Any last words?" Atrocity asked politely.

"See you in hell," AFO spat.

"It'll be a long time before that will ever happen, especially since I've now got that quirk that stops me from ageing," Atrocity responded.

Without saying anything else Atrocity pierced AFO's stomach with his hand and pulled it back out slowly.

AFO collapsed to the ground coughing up blood while Atrocity licked the blood off his fingers.

As he lay there All for One's entire life flashed before his eyes, several thoughts racing through his head.

'Tomura, Izuku, Kurogiri, forgive me. I lost.'

'All Might, as much as I hate you for what you did to me you better not lose to this psychotic bastard.'

'Yoichi, my little brother. I wish I could say see you soon but we both know that is not possible.'

With those last thoughts, AFO drew his final breath…and died.

At the hospital

At the sight of something at the end of the corridor,

It was a figure, tall (close to his height but slightly taller), grey, wearing no clothes, but most of all, it was not human, at least that's how it appeared. It faced them, but strangely enough, it appeared as though Izuku was the one it had its eyes on (well it didn't really have eyes, but it was looking).

It stared at him intently.

'Why does this feel like the time in Hosu?' Izuku wondered anxiously.

True to his thoughts Metalloid (he wasn't going to keep calling it figure) came charging at him, its hands shapeshifting into blades.

Acting on instinct Izuku shoved his mother out of the way and skipped to the side just in time for Metalloid to backflip forward transforming its feet into blades also to slice him in two. When it landed it moved to slash Izuku again, only this time with its hands. Izuku quickly dodged by jumping back.

It didn't stop there.

Metalloid repeatedly slashed at Izuku in various ways while the latter continued to dodge with a mixture of side steps and flips.

'He's more athletic than he was a year ago,' Inko thought as she watched her son hold his own against that thing. It was obvious that he had learned to defend himself in the past year. 'You've changed a lot, haven't you Izuku.'

Reo had his gun out ready to shoot but Naomasa stopped him since they didn't have a clear shot.

Meanwhile, Izuku continued to dodge.

Metalloid tried to spin kick him again but this time he was ready for it. As soon as it launched its attack Izuku ducked and spun his leg at the figure's standing leg to trip it up.

Once it landed on its back Izuku was on it instantly. He punched the figure's head with all his strength. When he did though he heard a clang sort of noise and felt pain in his hand.

"What?" Izuku exclaimed surprised.

He hadn't expected to suffer recoil from his attack. He looked down at the figure, his left hand still placed on its shoulder.

'The skin is hard and appears to be protecting it from regular attacks. It's cool and grey so.' Then it dawned on him. 'So that's what it is. Then, oh shit.'

Izuku just barely avoided being pierced through the chest as a spike shot straight up from the figure's upper body. It didn't stop there though as another spike came up from the figure's head.

Izuku reacted quickly enough to avoid being stabbed through the head but not enough to avoid being grazed on the left side of his forehead. Blood trickled down the left side of his face. Fortunately, it didn't go into his eye.

"Izuku," Inko yelled concerned.

"I'm fine. It just grazed me," he explained as he watched Metalloid get back up. "Tsukauchi, Yagami, if either of you have guns use them now. I need to verify something about this thing."

Under normal circumstances, the detectives wouldn't take orders like that from civilians, much less a villain, but these weren't normal circumstances.

The two detectives took out their guns and opened fire at Metalloid. However, the bullets merely ricocheted off its skin. The detectives starred in disbelief.

Izuku wasn't as surprised. He had only suspected but now he was certain.

"Tch. I thought as much," he muttered.

"Care to explain?" Naomasa interjected.

"That thing is metallic," Izuku explained. "I don't know what kind, but it's definitely composed of metal. That's why regular attacks aren't working. Furthermore, it appears as though it can mould its body into whatever shape it desires."

No one questioned him. What Izuku was saying did make sense given the evidence.

Before anyone could say anything, Metalloid was up and charging at them again. Izuku got ready to dodge and defend again. However, much to his surprise Metalloid ignored him and flew towards the detectives. They both shot at it, but it was useless. Blades stretched towards them but they both shifted to the side to avoid being slashed. Unfortunately, Metalloid didn't stop.

Once it got between them spikes shot out from its body. Naomasa was stabbed through the shoulder and was pinned against the wall.

Reo was less fortunate. He had fallen on his back to avoid being stabbed only for Metalloid to shoot out a spike from its leg and pierce Reo's right leg. Both men howled in pain.

Realising that they would be killed if he didn't do something soon.

"Hey, oversized tin can, I thought I was your target. Don't ignore me," Izuku shouted.

That caught Metalloid's attention. It immediately changed from trying to kill the detectives to trying to kill him. The process of slashing and dodging repeated itself again until Izuku tried to turn to kick the figure away.

Unbeknownst to him, it was waiting for that.

The second he kicked; Metalloid opened a hole in its chest to catch Izuku's foot. Rather than stab him right there it started throwing him against the wall to wear him down, and it was working.

Inko who had finally seen enough picked up Naomasa's gun and started to shoot at the figure.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Metalloid let go of Izuku, who was quite weak at that current moment and moved towards Inko whom it deemed the larger threat. Upon reaching her it disarmed her by ripping the gun from her hand and then held her by the throat against the wall. Inko gasped for air as Metalloid shoved her upwards

At closer inspection Metalloid noticed she had the same face as the target. If she had the target's face that made her a target, which meant she needed to be killed also.

Holding her against the wall the figure sharpened its free arm, it would aim for her heart so death would be assured. It pulled its arm back ready to strike its prey.

Inko realising what was about to happen tried to look at her son but was unable to because of Metalloid's hold on her. She tried to speak but couldn't.

Knowing it was inevitable she closed her eyes and accepted her fate. The figure's blade shot towards her.

But it never arrived.

Izuku who had seen the position his mother was in, watched in horror as the figure's blade positioned itself in front of her heart. The moment it did, every single memory he had of his mother played through his mind, the things they had done and the time they had spent together.

Dream sequence

Izuku watched in horror as a man leapt up to stab a small girl and her friends.

He moved.

And then.

Blood.

Dream sequence end

He didn't know what happened but, in that instant, something awoke inside of him. He didn't know or care about what it was, he just knew he had to get to his mother as soon as possible. The next thing he knew he was running at top speed towards the figure who was moving very slowly from his point of view.

He launched himself and performed a jumping side kick on the figure. The kick sent the figure flying halfway across the hallway.

"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY MOTHER!" Izuku roared.

The detectives were stunned at the incredible feat of speed and strength Izuku displayed.

Izuku checked on his mother who was getting her breath back but was otherwise unharmed.

Then they checked on the detectives, whose injuries were far more serious. Reo couldn't walk properly, and Naomasa was clutching his shoulder.

They needed to get away from here, and fast. There wasn't any time to treat their wounds, so Izuku gave Reo a piggyback, Naomasa said he didn't need help.

Meanwhile, Metalloid had recovered and was preparing to attack them again.

Fortunately for them, a villain under the effects of the drug came crashing around the corner close to the figure. It was a large villain with the appearance of a toad. It stared at the figures in front of it intently. Without warning, it shot out its tongue and grabbed Metalloid (as it was closest to it) and swallowed it. It was about to do the same to the group when the blade started to pierce it from several different places.

"We need to move. It's unlikely that we'll get another chance like this again," Izuku informed everyone.

No one argued. They all started running as fast as they could.

Atrocity's device, once free, started searching for its prey again, leaving behind a bloody mess of what was toad villain.

Nezu

"I'm telling you that's what happened," Nezu explained to the police.

Nezu was currently explaining to the police about his hacking of the mini pods as well as who was controlling them.

"So, Atrocity was aiming to kill Deku and AFO," one of the police officers said.

"I don't know about AFO, but he was definitely trying to kill Midoriya. He was furious about Midoriya rescuing Ms Ashido from his clutches. I can't say I'm surprised considering he never liked having his 'toys' taken from him," Nezu exclaimed disgustedly. "I should know, I was one myself once."

The police were surprised at this information. They were about to ask when their phones buzzed with messages. Upon reading them their eyes widened.

"Looks like we're gonna have to cut this short. The villain hospital is under attack, and we're needed as backup."

This time it was Nezu's turn to be surprised.

Great security (for obvious reasons) was placed around the villain hospital. It wasn't easy for anyone to just break into it, even with a full-on frontal assault.

"That's alright we can talk again later. There are some things I need to take care of," he told them.

"Would this be about turning UA into a boarding school?"

"Yes. After everything that's happened, I believe it would be a better way to protect and nurture our students."

While that wasn't a lie Nezu had another idea in mind, though he would need to get special permission for it to work.

"We'll leave you to it then," one of the officers said as they turned and exited.

Nezu hoped All Might wouldn't hear about the hospital because he needed to recover.

The rest of the faculty were currently preparing for converting UA into a boarding school.

However, that other idea of his would need a bit of convincing for it to work, but he would deal with that when the time came.

At the hospital

Everyone was currently hiding in a storeroom from Metalloid. Izuku and Inko had just finished bandaging the detectives.

Reo was sitting with his back against the wall while Naomasa was sitting on a box next to his mother.

Izuku stood in the centre deep in thought. He was thinking about what their next move should be.

Finally, Reo couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay I've waited long enough now talk," Reo demanded. "What did those bees inject the patients with? What the hell was that thing? What's more why is it trying to kill us, or more specifically you? I saw the way it was looking at us. You were the one it was after."

"Yagami calm down. This isn't the time to be arguing," Naomasa interrupted. "In case you forgot he did just save our lives. So, stop being so hard on him."

Reo scowled. He was frustrated, Naomasa could understand that. There was a lot going on right now that he didn't understand.

Inko had her own opinion about the matter.

"Izuku, how," she started. "How did you know what would happen to that man?"

Izuku stared at her, unsure of how to respond. He couldn't just tell them about the drug. Then again after today, the police would probably find out what it was from examining the patients. Still though.

"Because it's something you created, isn't it Izuku?" Naomasa questioned.

It was a reasonable explanation; he had performed experiments for the League. Izuku retained an emotionless expression.

"What do you mean he created it? What are you talking about?" Inko asked confused.

"Your son worked in the League's science division," Reo informed her. "He also did quirk analysis."

Inko was having trouble believing all of this. Her son wasn't a bad person, she knew that. He would never want to hurt innocent people.

"It's true, all of it," Izuku said catching everyone's attention. "I did do those things. I did make what was injected into those patients. And I did it all of my own free will."

Inko stared at him in complete shock. Izuku had anticipated this kind of reaction from her. It was time for him to state things as they were.

"Mom I know you don't want to hear this, but I am a villain. I joined the League and did things for them all of my own free will. I was not forced to do any of it. No matter how much you want to deny it, it's the truth. I promise I'll give you the full explanation when and if we survive this," he stated.

All Inko could do was stare at him. There were no words to describe what was going through her mind right now.

The detectives did agree with what he said though, he was a villain. They did admire that he was being honest about it and not making any excuses.

"You still haven't answered our questions," Reo interjected.

Izuku sighed deeply. It had been a really stressful couple of days for him.

Seeing Bakugo again.

Nearly dying several times in a row.

He had been captured and was most likely going to spend the rest of his life in prison after this.

More people (including his mother) had nearly died in front of him.

And now that someone was trying to kill him again.

To put it simply, he had reached his limit. If these men wanted some damn answers so badly then he would fucking give them some.

"The patients were injected with an enhancement drug I developed. As the name implies it enhances quirk efficiency and other physical attributes, though there are some nasty side effects. It shouldn't force quirks to activate, it never happened before. My guess is someone made some modifications to it. As for what that thing is or why it's trying to kill me, I don't know. Probably the same person who tried to kill me yesterday. And no, I don't know who it is. So there, are you satisfied now?" Izuku snapped.

Naomasa didn't reply.

Reo made no comment.

Inko however could see how stressed her son was. And who could blame him?

'Forced quirk activation, that sounds like trigger. Still, this does partially explain why AFO favoured Izuku,' Naomasa thought. 'A drug like that is quite dangerous in the wrong hands.'

"Now that I've answered your questions stop asking me," Izuku ordered them. "Focus on the current situation at hand. We need to decide on our next course of action since I seriously doubt that thing is going to stop hunting us."

"There isn't really anything we can do. My quirk, 'lie detector', isn't any use in this situation, Tsukauchi is quirkless, and your mother's quirk isn't exactly suited for fighting. Also, as strong as you are there's no way you can beat that thing without a quirk," Reo pointed out. "The only thing we can do is wait for a hero to come and save us."

Izuku gritted his teeth. Was this man serious? Of course, he was. He lived in a world where heroes always came in and saved the day. God this was the type of world Tomura described, the type of society people lived in.

"People walked by me like was nothing. I was a broken child covered in blood wandering the streets by myself who needed help but despite that they just went about doing their own business like nothing was wrong. Wanna know what they said to me? They said, "I'm sure a hero will come by and help so don't worry." But you know what, no hero did."

Reo's comment made Izuku remember just what made Tomura become a villain. It made him remember just how truly dependant society was on these heroes. Even in situations like these, they depended on them.

Honestly, it was pathetic. Even if what he said was possibly the opposite was just as assured.

"And if one doesn't come?" he asked in almost a snarl.

His remark earned him silence.

"Don't think like that. We have to," Reo started before Izuku interrupted him.

"Hah," Izuku snorted. "Have to what? Hope that help will come? I'm sorry to disappoint you detective but things don't work like that. Maybe in a comic book that would happen, but this is real life. Things don't always go the way we want, not everyone gets saved. Believe me, I know."

Everyone (especially Inko) was stunned at Izuku's speech. He was clearly serious about what he was saying.

"I'm not saying a hero won't come but until one does, we can't sit around waiting for death. So, for the time being, we need to rescue ourselves. Quirks aren't everything, there are other ways to win a battle. You two are both detectives for a reason. Use those brains of yours to try and figure out a way to beat that thing," Izuku commanded. "During the last encounter, did anyone notice anything about that thing? Aside from it being made of metal?"

They all thought really hard about that.

"I don't know if this helps but it only seemed to be able to use metal from its body. It can't make it from nothing, which is why the distance from the spikes is limited, and why it can't shoot more than one at a time," Reo said.

"It doesn't appear to be human but even still, it would need a core to hold it all together," Naomasa added.

Izuku pondered over all this. They did make good points, Naomasa especially.

A being like that would need a core to sustain itself. It was such a pity they didn't have a way to find the core.

Since it was made of metal it probably held the same properties. Someone with magnetism could probably take it apart quite easily, or someone with a fire quirk could put it under intense heat and melt it.

'Wait for a second a fire quirk,' Izuku realised as it dawned on him.

He had forgotten until now. But wouldn't he have been searched by the police? Then again, he had put him in a hidden pocket of his. Izuku searched his pockets quickly until he came across a marble.

"Good, he's still there," Izuku said earning him confused looks from everyone. "Let's see now, I think Compress said you do it like this."

During the time he had known him Compress had shown Izuku how his quirk functioned. His quirk 'Compress', as the name implied, allowed him to "compress" any object into a small marble without damaging it. Most of the time only Compress could undo it himself however, there was another method.

Someone else could undo his quirks effects if they, a) know the person, b) have a good enough relationship between the two of them, and c) if they willed it very strongly.

Izuku's analysis as well as the praise of his quirk made Compress like him enough to tell him, that and they sometimes had conversations with each other which were fairly decent.

Focusing on the marble in his hand he thought about how much he needed his strength. Using the current events as leverage he willed the marble open.

There was some white smoke, but before him lay a man he knew all too well.

The figure groaned while clutching his head before standing up.

"Deku what the hell," he groaned.

"Sorry Dabi. Right now, I'm kinda in the middle of a life-or-death situation and I could really use your help," Izuku explained.

Dabi raised an eyebrow. He quickly examined his surroundings. He then sighed deeply.

"Explain," he said.

"It's like this," Izuku started.

Izuku quickly explained what had happened since Dabi was knocked out by Gran Torino. When he was finished Dabi nodded his head in understanding.

"I get it. Sure, I'll help you," Dabi answered.

"Wait what? Why?" Reo asked suspiciously. "Why help us at all? Why not try and escape?"

Dabi sighed. He anticipated this kind of response.

"I highly doubt that I'll get very far considering the situation. There are probably several heroes on their way here now. Also, since I like Deku the most out of all the League I'm willing to help," Dabi told them.

Reo didn't appear to be convinced. Naomasa and Inko were different.

"Yagami we should accept his assistance. The way things are now we need all the help if we're going to survive this," Naomasa reasoned. "So, for just once don't argue."

"If Izuku trusts him then so do I," Inko stated.

Dabi glanced at the woman and saw that she greatly resembled Deku. It dawned on him who this woman was. He couldn't help but grin at the Deku.

"Oh, is this her?" he asked the younger male with a hint of amusement.

"Um yes, Dabi. This is my mother, Inko Midoriya," Izuku replied turning his face away.

Inko looked at them surprised.

"Deku talked about you quite a bit back at the League," Dabi informed her. "It's nice to finally meet you. Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

Inko didn't get a chance to reply.

At that exact moment, a metal spike pierced through the door. Metalloid had found them, and it was slicing its way into the room.

"This isn't really the best time to be getting acquainted," Inko said.

"We can do that after we're done not dying," Dabi replied.

Izuku saw a fire extinguisher and ran to grab it. Melting Metalloid may not have been enough therefore, he needed a backup plan. He didn't get to it, unfortunately.

Metalloid came smashing through the door straight at him, blades ready to cut him in two. Acting on instinct Izuku back-flipped out of the way so Dabi could attack.

Blue flames erupted from Dabi's hands and shot towards Metalloid consuming it instantly.

That did nothing to halt it.

Metalloid shot out a spike at Dabi who easily avoided by skipping to the side where he attacked again, this time increasing the temperature and power of his flames. It appeared to be working as Metalloid looked slightly liquidly but not much.

Metalloid spun its leg at Dabi's head only for him to lean back and avoid it, well mostly, his chin was cut. The fact that the metal was hot from his flames only made it more painful.

Dabi grunted in annoyance and glared at the figure while he continued to dodge and strike. He wasn't making much progress.

"This thing's really starting to piss me off," Dabi exclaimed.

He wasn't the only one. Reo was trying to move so he wouldn't be in the way, which wasn't easy given his legs condition.

Naomasa had Inko behind him as if trying to protect her.

Izuku couldn't help but growl at how frustrating the whole situation was.

'Dammit! If I could only get that fire extinguisher then my plan would work,' Izuku thought. 'If only those two would knock it over here then-'

Suddenly an idea came to him. There was a way to get that extinguisher. And she was in this room.

"Mom," he called out catching his mother's attention. He moved quickly to her and pointed at the object of interest. "The fire extinguisher. Can you use your quirk to bring it over here?"

Inko stared at her son. "Izuku that's mainly for small objects."

"Try it with both hands. Focus all your power on them and it'll increase its strength."

Inko didn't look so sure.

"Please, trust me," Izuku implored her.

Inko saw the look in his eyes. He was serious, he trusted her, he had faith in her. Then it was only right that she does the same.

Moving out from behind Naomasa she extended her hands and focused her quirk on the fire extinguisher.

Seeing what she was about to do Izuku called out to Dabi.

"Dabi hit that thing with everything you've got. Go max temperature with your flames," Izuku shouted. "When I say 'now', stop and I'll do the rest."

Dabi held out his hand close to Metalloid and consumed it with his quirk. His blue flames burned stronger than before. The figure could hardly move as its body started to melt.

Inko focused all her quirks power on the fire extinguisher. As she did the object started to move towards her until it came directly into her hands. She immediately gave it to her son who charged the metallic monstrosity.

"NOW," he yelled.

Dabi ceased using his quirk. The figure was almost a grey puddle. Within the liquid Izuku could see a red eye, at least that's how it appeared. It must have been its core.

He didn't care about that though. He aimed the fire extinguisher and fire it at the liquid. Almost instantly it was frozen solid.

"When an incredibly heated substance is met with a cold one it'll cool and solidify, or in this case freeze, quickly," Izuku explained. "This was my plan all along. But it's not over yet."

Izuku broke down on some of the ice so he could rip out the core. He took it over to Naomasa who still had his gun.

"You want to do the honours," he offered while holding out the core to him.

"With pleasure," the detective replied as he took the core off Izuku's hand.

He placed it on the ground and shot it multiple times until the red light went out signalling its demise.

It was over. They had won. They were alive.

Dabi, Naomasa and Reo all sighed in relief. They were all tired from the ordeal, Dabi especially since being in that marble for so long hadn't been a great experience for him.

Inko was so happy that she hugged her son tightly, something he returned. He was thankful that she was alright. If she had died, well he didn't even want to think about it.

From the sound of things outside the drug's effects must have kicked in and everyone exposed to it was lying motionless.

And with that, the battle at the villain hospital came to an end.

Notes:

Hi there. I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I didn't intend for it to be this long but things don't always go the way we plan. The next chapter will feature an aftermath of the battle as well as a few more things. Please review.

Chapter 23: Aftermath of the hospital battle

Summary:

The effects of the fight weigh heavily on everyone, Izuku in particular. Little does he know he's about to experience another tragedy.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Tartarus Prison

Atrocity raced through the hallways of Tartarus, all the while eliminating anyone unfortunate enough to cross him. It would take some time to get used to his new powers but for the moment he was just enjoying himself.

At long last that thorn in his side was finally gone, and with his death, the League was all his now. There was still Tomura's group, but he would deal with them when the time came. Just then his phone started buzzing.

"Who is this?" he demanded.

"The guy who helped you break into this shithole," a deep voice answered.

"Deathbolt!" Atrocity recognized.

Deathbolt was one of his best henchmen. He was a good fighter, intelligent and possessed an electric type of quirk that did more than just shock individuals.

With his quirk, he could interfere with electronic devices such as cameras, computers, and traffic lights. However, a greater aspect of his quirk was that he could convert his entire body into electricity and move between electrical devices while gaining complete control of these said devices.

Like now.

It was how he had managed to sneak in undetected. While he was using his quirk Atrocity quietly broke in from the underground system, though he did have to take out most of the guards first.

"No, it's Kamui Woods," Deathbolt responded sarcastically. "My identity aside is the job done?"

"Of course," Atrocity gloated. "It all went according to plan. And now all that's left to do is to make some new friends."

Deathbolt flinched at that declaration. When Atrocity said friends, he actually meant to recruit more individuals to his force. And with the people locked away here, it would certainly be deadly.

"I'll call you back when I'm done," Atrocity finished before hanging upon him.

A few minutes later he stopped outside the cell he'd been looking for. While he did want to recruit the other villains in this shithole this one held a particular interest. Viper recommended him. In fact, she had worked with him several times due to similarities in their quirks. Atrocity messaged Deathbolt to open the cell door and headed inside.

Upon entering he saw a man wrapped up just like AFO.

Sensing his arrival, the man looked up at him. Atrocity could see that he had long purple hair that went down past his waist and purple eyes that resembled poison, it was befitting given the nature of his quirk.

"Well, well, well. Atrocity," the man greeted in a high voice. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"You know who I am," Atrocity replied. "Good that saves me time. I'll cut to the chase. I have a business proposition for you."

"Oh," the man responded both amused and intrigued. "Madame Viper's recommendation I'm guessing. I know about her association with the League of Villains and about you and AFO from working with her. So, tell me. What is this proposal you're suggesting?"

"Ok first let me just say that AFO is dead. I stole all his quirks and killed him not too long ago in this very shithole. Now the entire League is in my hands. Secondly, what I'm proposing is that you join us, or more specifically me," Atrocity explained all in one go. "So how about it?"

The man thought about it for a couple of seconds before answering.

"Will I be allowed to fight and kill whomever I want?" he asked.

"As long as they're not members of my group sure, I mean you can fight with them just don't kill them," Atrocity replied.

"No problem. In that case, I will join you. I'm sure it'll be much more fun and interesting than this place," the man said. "I will need some new gear though."

"That can easily be arranged," Atrocity replied happily.

That had gone much easier than he expected. With an ally like this man, his force would be a bit more powerful. Atrocity undid the bindings, and the man was free.

He stood up to reveal he was only slightly shorter than Atrocity. He ripped open the top half of his prison uniform to reveal a more muscular build. Some purple gas came out from him when he did this, it didn't bother Atrocity though. He had built up a resistance to poison a long time ago, a benefit of his power.

"Aw now that's much better," the man said. "Now then let's go. I'm guessing I'm not the only one you're releasing."

"Right you are," Atrocity agreed. "By the way Viper didn't tell me your real name."

The man snorted.

"I abandoned it a long time ago. Now I just use my villain name," he explained. "It's Toxic. Toxic Chainsaw."

At the villain hospital

It had been ten minutes since they had defeated the metallic enemy that was trying to kill them. Everyone had been silent. It wasn't surprising given they were trying to recover from what just happened.

The detectives sat next to each other against a wall.

Dabi stood leaning back against the wall across from them.

The mother-son duo was sitting on a box next to each other, Inko holding Izuku close to her as though he might disappear.

'You've got a good mother Deku,' Dabi thought. 'She's just like mine.'

Despite his respect for Deku, Dabi couldn't help but feel a bit of envy at his current situation. Inko reminded him of his own mother.

Flashback

"Now Touya, I know can trust you with this," his mother said to an eight-year-old him.

"Don't worry mama, I'll look after them I promise," he replied enthusiastically. "You can count on me."

The woman smiled warmly at him before pulling him into an embrace.

"I'm glad to hear it."

Flashback end

Truthfully, his mother was not dead, physically at least. The same couldn't be said mentally.

Back then he had made a promise to her, one he failed to keep. He had regretted it every day since then. It was all 'that mans' fault, but also slightly his since he wasn't strong enough at the time.

When Dabi looked at Izuku and Inko, he couldn't help but remember those happier times.

His thoughts were interrupted by the police arriving with pro heroes Manual and Gunhead.

"Bout fucking time," Dabi sighed. "All of us nearly died you know."

The police exchanged awkward glances with each other. Gunhead recognized Dabi and was about to attack him when Naomasa intervened.

"Don't attack him. If it wasn't for Dabi, and Deku, we wouldn't be alive right now," he explained.

Upon examining the area around them, or rather the people present, the police moved to help them. Gunhead moved to help (and keep an eye on) Dabi while Manual checked on Izuku and Inko.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked.

"I'm not really hurt. That thing just held me by the throat for a couple of seconds," Inko told him. "Izuku was hurt more than me."

Manual turned his attention to the boy next to her. From the looks of things, he had been roughed up quite a bit. There was a plaster on the left side of his forehead, most likely where he'd been cut. He knew who he was though.

"So, you're Deku," Manual said.

"I am," Izuku confirmed.

Inko tensed. She didn't like where this was going. Much to her surprise Manual smiled at him.

"I need to thank you for before, what happened in Hosu I mean," he said. "You really helped Iida when he needed it. You put him back on the right path."

He had been wanting to say that for a while now. Tenya had told him all about Deku when they interned together. At first, he was surprised that a villain had done such a thing but, in the end, he was glad.

When Tenya was at his lowest point, it was him and the vigilante Crawler that helped him back up. He was quite grateful.

Izuku looked at him surprised; he hadn't expected this. Inko was just as confused.

"It was nothing," Izuku replied. "I just didn't think killing someone was a heroic thing to do."

Izuku wasn't trying to be a hero. He was just trying to stop someone from making a mistake they'd spend their entire life regretting.

"Still, I'm grateful," Manual said. "Anyway, aside from your head, where is it you're hurt?"

"Just my body," Izuku replied. "That thing threw me around quite a bit."

Though it wasn't much, his body was a little sore.

"What exactly was trying to kill you?" Manual asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. It was some sort of metallic device, it seemed to be targeting me for some reason. We all fought it until we had to retreat. I brought in Dabi who melted it with its quirk. I froze it with a fire extinguisher and Tsukauchi shot the core to finish it," Izuku explained. "As to who sent it, well I don't know. Probably the individual that was trying to kill me yesterday."

Manual frowned at that. The culprit from yesterday's mini-pod incident during the rescue was still a mystery to most pro heroes. Though it had been confirmed that Nezu was the one who stopped the pods and was currently discussing it with the police.

"Let's get you both checked up and healed then," Manual declared.

Izuku had other ideas though, or rather he had something he needed to do first.

"Before you do any of that would it be possible for me to speak with my mother, alone?" he asked politely. "There are some things I'd like to talk with her about."

Manual raised an eyebrow.

The police force glared at him suspiciously.

Dabi, Reo, and Naomasa retained stoic expressions.

Gunhead just tilted his head slightly.

"Everyone, clear out so they can talk," Reo ordered much to everyone's surprise. "Gunhead stay outside and guard just so he doesn't try anything."

He had promised Inko he would let her speak with her son. And after everything that had happened, she deserved it.

Gunhead nodded silently.

Dabi gave Izuku and Inko one last look before being escorted out of the room. No doubt the police would want to question him.

Reo and Naomasa were assisted out of the room by the remaining officers and Manual.

When the room was cleared it was just Izuku and Inko. The boy turned to look at his mother who did the exact same.

"It's time for the truth," Izuku said. "What is it you would like to know first?"

Inko thought about it for a second. It was the one question that had weighed on her mind over the past year.

"The night you disappeared, just what happened to you?" she asked.

"I tried to kill myself," he said.

The response couldn't have been more honest or blunt, but it was the truth.

Inko's reaction was expected, she was completely shocked. Her eyes had widened in horror. She suspected but she never actually believed.

"I jumped off the top of an abandoned building, that's when Kurogiri from the League intervened and saved me," Izuku explained. "The League scouted me out because of my quirk analysis abilities. They offered me a place and I accepted, albeit with some conditions."

Inko was still trying to get over the shock of her son trying to commit suicide. Curious as she was about him becoming a villain, she was even more curious about what drove him to that point.

"Why would you do that? Try and kill yourself I mean," she said. "I would like to know about you being a villain, but only after you've told me about what led up to that."

"It's a really long story," he sighed as he began to tell her the whole truth.

UA Students thirty minutes later

There had been news reports about the attack on the villain hospital circulating online and on TV for the past few minutes. Naturally, it caught the eyes of some students.

Ochaco was surprised that the hospital had been broken into given that it was such a heavily guarded place. That wasn't the only thing on her mind though. She had seen the fight between All Might and the League of Villains boss, she had seen 'him' fighting to stay alive.

It was the boy she encountered at the shopping mall. His name hadn't been given by the news, but she knew it was him. She would never have thought that he was a villain, he had been so nice. There was something about him that was so familiar that she knew she had met him somewhere before, but she just couldn't remember.

Most likely he had been transferred to the hospital to be treated and been attacked during that incident. While she may not have known him that well, but she hoped he was alright, since he didn't seem like a bad person. In time there may be more information released about him, that way she could figure out who he was.

Katsuki had also witnessed the news and was annoyed by it. It seemed that Deku was in another state of trouble. Typical, it was just like him to get into situations like this. He was probably helpless during the entire ordeal not that it was anything unusual.

When Katsuki arrived home, he went straight up to his room. His parents expressed their concern and understood that he needed to be left alone.

His mind was still on Deku. He couldn't actually believe he had been beaten by that quirkless loser, unfortunately, he had to accept it. He was still in denial about Deku trying to kill himself, but he was even more annoyed that he couldn't get his revenge on him.

"I hope you got hurt during that fight, really, really bad," he muttered.

Tenya had been sleeping for a few hours when his phone started buzzing. His friends were messaging about the assault on the villain hospital and that woke him up immediately. He looked at the news to learn more and saw reports of the hospital being in serious damage, patients and doctors in serious conditions, there were even some deaths.

Surprising as this all was his primary concern was Deku who was likely taken there. He remembered during that ferocious battle; someone had definitely been trying to kill Deku. Villain or not he had been the one to get him back on the right track to becoming a hero. He owed him for that. When he saw him on TV he was quite surprised since he didn't look that much older than him and wondered what could have driven someone as young as him to becoming a villain.

However, because he lacked any real information, Tenya went back to sleep.

Mina was just as stunned as the others when she saw the news. She thought the villain hospital was impossible to break into. She was more concerned about Izuku who had been transferred there.

"Worried about that boy?" her father asked. Mina nodded as a reply.

When she arrived home, she told her parents about the entire ordeal. They were both horrified and outraged that she was kidnapped for such reasons. At the same time, they were shocked at the fact that another villain saved her from such horrific circumstances. While they were shocked, they were quite grateful to Izuku for protecting their daughter.

"Someone tried to kill him during All Might's battle, maybe that person was trying to do the same thing again," she said. "I just hope he's alright."

Izuku had done a lot for her. She didn't want him to die.

In fact, part of her was hoping he would get released.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," her mother said. "Mina why don't you go and take a nap. You've been through a strenuous ordeal. We'll call you when dinner's ready."

Mina raised no arguments. She was tired and a couple of hours would do her some good.

Dabi

Dabi was currently being examined by doctors and the police. He had been fortunate enough not to receive any serious injuries.

The detectives were given more attention considering how bad their wounds were. Doctors with different healing quirks came forward to help.

Other doctors from different wards arrived to assist the patients who were in critical condition.

"So, what happens now?" he asked Naomasa who was seated opposite him.

"You will be questioned about your activities with the League," Naomasa replied honestly. "Afterward you and Izuku will be detained until we decide what to do with you."

Dabi scoffed at that statement.

"Hate to break it to you pal but I hardly know anything about the League since I only joined a few weeks back. The first job I did for them was that whole kidnapping operation," Dabi explained. "Speaking of which, that girl, Mina Ashido. Did she get away safely?"

Naomasa raised an eyebrow. Why did he care about Mina?

"Yes, she escaped during the battle between your leader, and All Might," he replied.

"Good. She's a nice girl, not like others I've encountered," Dabi said.

Reo was using his quirk on Dabi so he knew he was telling the truth.

"Izuku told us that most of you didn't know Ashido was there, is that true?" Naomasa asked.

"Oh, it's true alright. Muscular was the one who kidnapped her for his boss. Atrocity I think his name is. He kept her hidden while we were all transported back and then hid her somewhere in the building. Deku found her later and managed to lie his way into keeping her from Muscular by saying it was on 'Sensei's orders'," Dabi replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Naomasa asked confused.

"Deku didn't really know the details of the operation until an hour or so before it started. And by that, I mean I only told him we were kidnapping a potential recruit. I didn't tell him it was Bakugo," Dabi stated. "When he found Mina Muscular showed up and he managed to lie his way into saving her by saying he was ordered by Sensei to handle the extra students that weren't targeted. No one else knew that he hadn't known prior, so it was perfect."

The detectives were silent. They hadn't known Izuku did that sort of thing to help Mina.

"What was his reaction to Katsuki Bakugo?" Reo asked curiously.

They had heard much from Izuku's interaction with Mina but not about his interaction with Bakugo. Dabi's face darkened at this.

"He wasn't happy when he found out. Actually, no scratch that he was furious. Barring this one time a few weeks before, I don't think I'd ever seen him that angry," Dabi said. "He was shouting and swearing, which was rare."

He could still remember how upset Izuku had been when Bakugo was brought to the League. It made sense considering their past but still, it was strange to see him behave that way.

Naomasa and Reo weren't the least bit surprised at this information. From what AFO and Inko said about Izuku's relationship with Bakugo it was completely natural for him to act that way.

"Who taught Izuku how to fight?" he asked. "He never said who it was."

"No clue," Dabi sighed. "I've never met her or heard her name. Deku said she was a friend of Stains and that she wouldn't always be with the league, whatever that meant."

Reo frowned while Naomasa raised an eyebrow.

So it was a woman who trained Izuku. Thinking back on when they interviewed Izuku he always phrased his trainer as 'the person who trained me', he never stated the gender. Pretty clever of him.

However, if that woman was no longer part of the League there was no reason to be concerned about her. Wasn't there?

"Sir's urgent news," the officer said while panting. "There has been a mass breakout at Tartarus Prison. Most of the guards are dead and all of the inmates have escaped."

There was silence for a few seconds until the people present finally registered what had just been saying.

"WHAT," Reo shouted. "That's impossible. That place is one of the most secure and impenetrable places in Japan. It can't have been broken into."

The officer lowered his head and stared at the floor.

"It's true I'm afraid. We just received a report about it."

The other officers exchanged nervous whispers while Reo stared at the officer in disbelief.

Dabi was both stunned and impressed that such a feat had been accomplished. He had heard about Tartarus from other villains, he also knew that no one had ever escaped from it.

Naomasa was worried about something else though. If the inmates had escaped, then that meant AFO had escaped as well.

"Additionally, the villain that was just captured recently, AFO, was found dead in his cell a few minutes ago," the officer continued.

Reo widened his eyes in surprise.

Naomasa and Dabi froze at this information.

'AFO's dead,' Naomasa thought. 'I don't believe it. After everything that's happened, all we went through to capture him, he's just gone.'

'This isn't good,' Dabi thought. 'Shigaraki is gonna lose it when he hears about this. Deku, things are only gonna get worse for you from now on, much worse.'

Dabi knew very well that not every person in the League had a high opinion of Deku. However, no one took any action against him because of AFO. Now that he was gone there was nothing to stop anyone from trying to kill Deku.

Nezu

Nezu was currently in his office filling out some paperwork. Since he was planning on converting the UA into a boarding school it required a lot of time and effort. As he finished writing one stack of papers Chiyo (Recovery Girl) entered the room.

"Good afternoon Chiyo. What can I do for you?" he asked politely.

"I came to drop off the forms you requested. They arrived just now," Chiyo replied quietly. "That and I came to check on you."

Nezu frowned. What was this about?

"I heard from the police. You saw him, didn't you," she said. "You saw Atrocity."

Nezu could have sworn he felt the fur on his body standing up. She knew, of course, she knew.

Chiyo was the only one who knew what that man did to him.

After all, it was her who rescued him from the doors of death when he escaped from that monster over twenty years ago.

Flashback

He was running as fast as his legs could carry him. He had been running for a very long time, or at least that's what it seemed like to him.

Pain coursed through his half-naked body but he somehow managed to ignore it. His body contained a mixture of scars and bruises with stains of blood etched into his fur.

Not all of the blood belonged to him, some belonged to a henchman he killed in self-defence. He didn't dwell on it much since he was just focused on getting the hell away from these monsters, from these humans. Atrocity was away for a couple of days, so it was his best and only chance to escape.

Every day since he was captured and brought to that place, he'd had to endure various knives and needles being stabbed into him, injections of excruciatingly painful substances, and the cruel sensation of having his bones broken with a hammer.

Why just the week before (he counted the days to keep himself sane) his 'master' had given him the scar across his right eye. He cut into his face in a way that kept his eye intact just so Nezu would look at him properly when he tortured him.

Atrocity would usually heal him up (using one of his subordinates) afterwards so could do it all again. As if that wasn't enough, he suffered horrendous ridicule of the highest order from him.

"An animal with a quirk, you gotta be fucking kidding me," Atrocity sneered. "You're not a human yet you possess something that rightfully belongs to them. To make it worse you go around acting like them, as though you're one of them. You're not and never will be human, so stop trying. I swear you're even lower than the quirkless filth that lives in this world, and that's saying something. Things like you and them, have absolutely no right to exist in this or any other society."

There were more insults that were equally as cruel as that. Due to his position Atrocity dubbed Nezu as his 'mascot' to let him know that he was his pet, his toy.

Nezu was running by a park when fatigue kicked in and he tripped and fell down the hill. He groaned as he tried to stand up but collapsed again. He was exhausted, there was no denying that.

"Goodness what happened to you?" a female voice called out.

Nezu glanced at the source of the voice. It was a woman, with short blonde hair and diamond blue eyes. She was of moderate height and looked to be in her forties (though he was just guessing). She was wearing a yellow t-shirt, white jeans and heels. She wore an expression of horror and concern.

Nezu tensed up when he saw her. He was frightened. It was a human, a monster.

It probably wanted to hurt him.

"St-st-stay away from, y-you monster," he stuttered while shaking uncontrollably.

The woman flinched at that statement. She eyed the creature before her with curiosity and concern. He was evidently afraid of her even though she had done nothing.

"What happened to you?" she asked. "Did someone do this to you?"

Nezu gazed back at her. This woman, why did she care about what had happened to him? Did she want to know so she could do the same?

The woman moved towards him; her hands stretched out as if to pick him up.

"Please, let me help you," she pleaded. Her voice sounded so sincere.

Nezu still believed she was trying to trick him.

"No, stay away from me!" Nezu shouted. "Human, monster."

The woman didn't take no for an answer. She scooped Nezu up into her arms and started running to her apartment nearby.

Nezu tried to fight back but he had no more strength. Eventually, he lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he was lying in a bed in a small room with the window open and the sun shining in while the curtain was blown back and forth by a light breeze.

Nezu sat up to see he was wrapped in bandages and some of his bruises had vanished completely. What's more, he didn't feel any pain. He felt a little bit drowsy sure but other than that he was completely fine. Well, maybe not entirely since he didn't know where he was.

Nezu got out of bed and went to look at himself in the mirror. He examined both sides of himself to see that all bruises on his body had disappeared and that there were no bloodstains.

The scar across his right eye was still visible but there was nothing he could do about it.

His thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from behind him.

He turned to see a child, dressed in a blue t-shirt and shorts and white socks, with navy coloured hair and the same eyes as the woman from before. He wasn't that much bigger than Nezu. From the looks of him, he couldn't have been much older than five.

The child stared at Nezu with a stunned expression.

"You're awake," the boy exclaimed in a high voice.

The two stared at each other silently. Neither was sure of how to respond. It wasn't until the sound of someone entering the apartment did the silence break.

It was the woman from before.

"Grandma he's awake," the boy called out.

The woman arrived at the entrance of the bedroom. As soon as she saw Nezu she smiled.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake," she said before turning to the boy. "Thanks for looking after him while I was gone, Shin. Would you mind putting on the kettle for me? There are some things I'd like to talk about with our guest."

The boy nodded and ran off. It was just the two of them then.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

Nezu stared at her for a moment. She didn't seem like a bad person. Or rather she didn't seem like the humans he had encountered so far. He was still wary of her.

"I'm fine," Nezu responded honestly. "My wounds have been healed. Were you the one who did that?"

"Yes," she replied. "They were quite serious too. Broken bones, scars, bruises, loss of blood and I found traces of several substances lingering within you. I had a friend of mine who specializes in treating those suffering from toxins deal with that. The rest I dealt with myself. I would've taken you to hospital but since you would've died if hadn't acted sooner. Others came to examine you, but I asked them to allow you to remain here until you fully recovered. The way you were acting before made me think that you wouldn't have enjoyed being around so many humans."

Nezu said nothing. She was quite right about that part; he would not have enjoyed it.

"My name is Chiyo Shuzenji. I'm a pro-hero that specializes in healing, and my hero name is Recovery Girl. The boy you just spoke to is my grandson Shin," she explained. "What's your name?"

"It's Nezu," he stated softly.

"What a cute name," Chiyo said while smiling.

Nezu tensed at hearing that. It had been a long time since anyone complimented him. That aside he was curious about something.

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"Five days," she replied. "You've been unconscious the entire time."

Nezu was stunned at this information.

Five days! He had been here for five days!

That meant it had been five days since he had escaped from hell, five days since he escaped from Atrocity.

What's more this woman just kept him here the entire time?

"Why did you help me?" he asked suspiciously.

This question confused Chiyo.

"You were injured. What was I supposed to do? Leave you there to die. It's my job as a hero to help those in need," she explained.

"Even if they're animals," Nezu responded bitterly.

"Yes," Chiyo retorted. "All those who are in need, human or animal."

Nezu was surprised at her response. He hadn't expected humans to be caring for animals like him.

"I'm guessing this is coming from whoever did all of that to you," Chiyo continued while eyeing where Nezu's wounds originally were.

Nezu looked away with a pained expression. Chiyo didn't stop there, unfortunately.

"You're one of the rare cases of an animal developing a quirk. I found out shortly after I brought you here. Most quirks that give someone animal-like features don't completely alter their biology; they retain a little of their human DNA. Yours was completely animal, however," Chiyo explained. "I'll admit I was surprised when I found out but, I didn't care. You were someone who was suffering from life-threatening conditions. And as such, it was my duty to save you, and I wanted to."

Nezu was speechless.

This woman definitely wasn't like Atrocity. In fact, she was his complete opposite. She was different from other humans, at least, he thought she was.

Chiyo stared at him some more before turning to leave. The kettle had finished boiling.

"I'm going to make some tea. If you would like a cup don't hesitate to ask," she said. "Oh, and if you need a place to stay, you're more than welcome to stay here for the time being."

While Chiyo went to make the tea Nezu stood there completely shocked. First, she heals him up and now she was allowing him to stay with her for the time being. It was a highly bizarre situation he had gotten himself into.

Nezu quickly weighed his options. He had no place else to live and returning to his old home was out of the question.

There was a high probability of being captured again, which he didn't want to risk.

The people here didn't seem bad but that didn't mean he could trust them. Then again, he was being allowed to stay here for free, also, since he needed to lay low for a while this was very convenient.

Eventually, he reached a decision.

He headed out to where the kitchen was and saw that Chiyo was making tea while Shin was helping himself to a juice box. Making his presence known he requested that cup of tea she offered which she gladly made.

They sat there in silence for a while until Nezu finally asked Chiyo about being a pro-hero to which she was more than happy to explain.

That was to be the first of many sittings between them.

In the following weeks, Nezu got to know Chiyo and Shin rather well. He built up enough trust to tell Chiyo about what had happened to him (Shin was far too young to know).

When he told her, she was livid and angry at Atrocity for what he had done to him. Then she embraced him saying it was alright and he didn't have to face this alone.

In time Nezu managed to become a pro-hero himself and eventually moved to become the principal of UA.

The threat of Atrocity was still present, but Nezu took special measures to ensure that he could never come after him or anyone else he cared about. At his request, Chiyo became a nurse there and the two had remained close friends.

He was also quite close with her grandson Shin, but that was a story for another day.

Flashback end

"You're absolutely right," Nezu told her. "I did see him, briefly. Nothing much happened though."

Chiyo narrowed her eyes.

"How do you feel about it?" she asked.

"A little shocked, but mostly, mostly angry," Nezu replied. "He was planning to do to Mina Ashido what he did to me."

Though he wore a calm expression Chiyo could tell he was furious behind that.

"Do you think he'll try and come after you?" she asked worriedly.

"Who knows? Whether he chooses to make war with this school is up to him. However, at the current moment it seems that we are not his main target," Nezu explained.

"I see," Chiyo replied understanding what he meant.

She turned to leave.

"If you do want to talk about it let me know," she said before stopping at the exit. "One more thing. I might be on board with you for what you have those documents for but that doesn't mean the others will."

"Believe me I know. That's why I am holding a meeting this afternoon to discuss it with everyone," Nezu said. "After today though it may actually be possible for me to get it permission for it to work."

Chiyo didn't reply to that. She simply nodded and exited.

Nezu returned to filling out forms.

His thoughts turned towards the meeting in a few hours. All the staff, including All Might, would be there. Some might agree with him, others would be against it.

But his decision had been made and he would go through with it.

Atrocity

Atrocity had finally managed to bust all those villains out of Tartarus, and they were all quickly heading through the sewers to a more secure location.

There were one or two who slipped away during the chaos but he wasn't too bothered because he now had his hands on a number of powerful individuals.

Toxic Chainsaw was looking forward to working with Viper again. They created so many wonderful poisons to kill others together. He was also hoping to get some new gear from her since his old ones had probably been disposed of.

When Atrocity had offered the other villains a way out of that shithole in exchange for their services they all immediately accepted. They were all eager to get back to doing what they did before.

He had received a call from Kuin saying that she had done what he asked but didn't know if that quirkless shit was dead or not. He seriously doubted that Deku could have survived that. He may have been lucky before, but everyone's luck runs out eventually.

If by some great miracle he did survive, he would find whatever prison they're keeping him locked away at, break-in and personally slay him there.

He tried not to think about Deku though. Right now, he just wanted to focus on his current plans. On the other hand, he was looking forward to seeing his 'mascot' again. They used to have such fun together, and they could have it again.

Razor and Stain

Razor had called Stain to meet up. The two met in an abandoned building to discuss the day's previous events.

"Razor," Stain greeted.

"Stain," she returned. "How's your crusade going?"

"Same as ever. I fought Endeavour recently, but he managed to survive and burn me," Stain replied bitterly. "I spent a short amount of time recovering before returning to work. I swear I'll kill him next time I see him."

Razor laughed before turning serious again.

"As interesting as that all is we've got more important matters to discuss," Razor declared. "Yesterday, for instance, quite the show wouldn't you say."

"Indeed, it was a ferocious battle, between All Might and AFO. It could have gone either way if that cheap shot hadn't occurred," Stain replied. "Their battle aside there was the attempt on Izuku's life. Anything to say about that?"

Razor stared at the wall.

"My guess, Atrocity was trying to kill him," she stated. "He was never happy about Izuku joining the League because he was quirkless."

Stain flinched at the name. He had heard of this man before, and he knew exactly what type of person he was, as well as what he did to people.

"There's no proof but, it's speculated that he was behind the Nomu that tried to kill Izuku in Hosu," Razor said.

There was silence. If Atrocity had already tried to kill Izuku once it made sense he would try again.

"Still, we trained him up rather well don't you think?" she continued.

Stain nodded in agreement. Izuku had done well to avoid dying during that battle. At the rate he was going he could probably take on pros.

"Where is Izuku now?" Stain asked his friend.

"If I had to guess, the villain hospital. Since he was injured, it makes sense that he would be transferred there. Speaking of which it was only attacked recently," Razor replied. "Pretty convenient don't you think?"

Stain knew where she was going with this and groaned.

Whether Izuku meant for it to happen or not he was always being targeted by someone.

Razor was just as perturbed about the situation. She was curious as to why Atrocity would go this far to kill Izuku. He never pursued anyone to this level before. Even if he was quirkless it didn't make any sense. Maybe Izuku did something that pissed Atrocity off more than he already was.

"So, what happens now?" Stain asked.

"Well, my affiliation with the League is terminated now that AFO's in the slammer. I think I'll stick around for a bit, things may get interesting," Razor said. "You?"

"I think I'll do the same," Stain declared.

At the villain hospital

"And that's the whole story," Izuku said having finally finished explaining to his mother everything that happened.

Inko didn't know how to respond to all of that.

She was horrified at the bullying he endured from not just Katsuki, but also his peers as well. She was even more furious at Katsuki for what he said to Izuku. The next time she saw him she would make sure to let him know how he felt about it.

"I know I should have gone to you, and I didn't, it was stupid of me," Izuku admitted.

"You're damn well right. You should've told me before it got so out of hand. I may have been able to help you," Inko muttered angrily. There were tears streaming down her face. "But it's also my fault for not acting sooner than I should have. Back then I should have tried to get you to talk to me rather than sitting back and doing nothing. So, I'm to blame also."

Inko had done well to keep quiet the entire time but now she just couldn't hold it in anymore. Part of her wanted to just scream at the whole thing.

"And Katsuki, when I see him, I'm going to give him a well-deserved smack across the face," she exclaimed.

"You don't need to do that. I already beat him at the USJ."

"I'm still going to do it. I'll be informing Mitsuki about this as well."

"Don't be mad at her now. This isn't her fault. I don't think even she thought Katsuki would say something like that. Hell, he doesn't even believe I did it."

Despite his relationship with Bakugo, Izuku still liked his parents and didn't want them to get into trouble.

Furthermore, Mitsuki, who had her sons temper, was going to be furious when she found out.

"Mom I know you're not happy about it but leaving was the best thing I could do to keep you safe," he reasoned. "Also, they helped me to live again when most would've preferred it if I didn't exist."

Inko didn't reply to that. While she understood why he left and what those villains did for him she was still angry and upset.

Gunhead entered and interrupted them.

"Sorry to interrupt you both but would you please come out for a minute? The police and Dabi would like to inform you about something important," he said.

Izuku frowned. Why would they have Dabi with them? Didn't they want to question him?

Curious as to what this was about Izuku stood up to go and talk to the people outside, his mother following close behind him.

Outside were Naomasa, Dabi, and a few police guards.

"What is it you wish to tell us about?" Izuku asked wasting no time.

Naomasa and Dabi stared at him solemnly.

Izuku was getting the sense that something terrible had happened.

Taking a deep breath Naomasa spoke.

"There was a break-in at Tartarus Prison, where AFO was being kept. Someone set most of the inmates free," he explained.

Izuku tensed slightly at this. That meant Sensei may have escaped.

"Most did escape," Naomasa continued. "The one exception was AFO, who was found dead in his cell."

Izuku's blood froze. For a few seconds, he was unable to breathe.

When he recovered from his shock, he grabbed Naomasa by the throat and pinned him against the wall. The detective anticipated this kind of response which is why he asked no one to interfere.

"What the fuck! What kind of sick joke is this? If you're doing this just so I'll give you more information let me tell you now I don't have anymore," Izuku yelled. "Sensei isn't dead. He can't be."

Inko was stunned to see her son act this way. She had never seen him this angry before. Whoever this man was he must've been important to him.

"Deku," Dabi addressed the boy in front of him. "It's the truth. I was in the room when the report was given."

Izuku gazed at Dabi. Disbelief and anger stretched across his face.

"No matter how much you wish for it to be different that is the truth. That won't change. I'm sorry," Dabi said with a sorrowful expression.

It took a few seconds for it to sink in. Izuku finally released Naomasa and stood there for a few seconds. Inko was about to comfort her son when he turned and headed back into the room, slamming the door behind him. The police didn't even try and stop him because they knew there was no way to escape from that room. Inko was about to follow when Dabi stopped her.

"Don't," he said solemnly. "Just give him some time."

They all heard the sound of things smashing in the other room.

Izuku was breaking whatever he could find. He was angry, confused, and sad at the same time. He needed to vent his frustration out on something.

"AFO is the leader of the League isn't he?" Inko asked concerned. "Were he and Izuku close?"

Dabi thought about this.

"Considering he was furious when Deku was harmed, I'd say close enough," Dabi informed her.

This allowed Inko to understand her son's behaviour better.

"And with his death, things are only going to get more dangerous from here on out," Dabi stated.

That caught everyone's interest.

"What do you mean?" Naomasa asked.

"Not everyone liked Deku for being quirkless. I heard a rumour that one member tried to kill him once," Dabi said. "AFO usually kept them away. But now that he's gone, there's nothing to stop anyone from trying to kill Deku."

There was something else, something only he knew but now wasn't the time to discuss it.

The last thing he needed was Izuku breaking down even further.

Meanwhile, inside the room, Izuku had stopped destroying things and sat curled up in a ball. Unable to keep it all in, he started crying.

Someone important to him was gone and he'd never see them again. Sensei had been a father figure for Izuku, one he'd never had before. He supported him, encouraged him and protected him.

And now he was gone, just like that.

Memories of the man flooded his mind, causing him to sob harder.

All who listened outside felt sympathy for the poor boy.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I bet you didn't expect me to include Toxic Chainsaw in this. His design is mostly made up since he hasn't made an appearance in the manga yet. Also, what did you think of Nezu's backstory? Also, Dabi's past will be revealed much later. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this. Please review.

Chapter 24: A new destination

Summary:

Still recovering from his loss, Izuku is sent to last place he expected while hiding from Atrocity.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

UA Principals Office

It was just one surprise after another for Nezu.

First, several students of his were kidnapped then returned. Next, he reunites with his former torturer, bringing back many painful and traumatic memories. Then there was the assault on the villain hospital and the breakout at Tartarus Prison.

And now there was this, one of the Police Officials paying him a visit.

"Good evening Principal Nezu," the Official greeted. "Sorry to drop by unannounced but there is something I need to discuss with you. It concerns that special request you are planning on making."

Nezu raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know about that? I hadn't even filled out the paperwork yet," Nezu questioned.

The official chuckled.

"We are the police. Requests like the one you're making usually go through us, before or after," he explained.

Nezu internally sighed. He had never made something so obvious before.

"Due to recent events, we've decided to approve of it," the official stated.

Nezu's eyes widened.

So much for a large amount of convincing he needed to do.

"May I ask why?" Nezu asked. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but still, it seems a bit odd for you to decide this out of the bloom."

The officials face turned serious.

"Up until now, there have been several attempts on his life, mainly because certain individuals knew where he was. So, this is sort of a protection detail," the Official explained. "His life was in danger before, but now it is in even more. A few hours ago, the villain AFO was found dead in his cell."

Nezu tensed. He wasn't expecting to hear that.

"With his death, nothing will stop certain individuals in the League from trying to kill him. That's what we've learned anyway," the Official continued. "So, by transferring him here, no one will know to look for him."

Nezu nodded in agreement.

"Furthermore, having this boy on the side of the heroes would be better than the villains. I've seen his notebooks. What he wrote about quirks, they aren't something to look down on," the official warned. "We don't know anything about his experiments, but he may open up about them in time. He is also a skilled fighter, so don't let your guard down. Quirkless or not, he's still dangerous. What class do you intend to put him in?"

"Class 1A," Nezu replied. "Izuku Midoriya has already established relationships with some of our students in that class so it's for the best. There may be some trouble with Katsuki Bakugo, given their history, but we can handle that."

Truth be told he had been thinking about transferring Izuku Midoriya into the hero course for quite some time. He thought he had potential after saving Uraraka.

He knew he wasn't a bad person after his encounter with Iida.

However, the incident with Ashido was the final factor that led him to make this decision.

That and he wanted to protect him from Atrocity, since he knew what that monster did to quirkless people.

"You do that," the official said. "By the way, since this was a police decision the transfer will happen regardless of the other staff member's approval. We can assist in informing parents since they likely wouldn't take it well that a villain was attending the same school as their children. I think you can handle informing the students on your own though."

"Of course, that would be most helpful. We'll only be informing the students in Class 1A though since there's no need for the rest of the school to know," Nezu explained. "Thank you for your assistance."

"No problem," the Official said before leaving.

With his departure, Nezu looked towards the meeting in an hour's time. All the staff would be there. He knew that not all of them would be okay about it but now they had no choice.

Nezu selected Class 1A for the stated reasons but also because he believed Aizawa was the best choice in handling Izuku.

All Might would be there too. He had been discharged from the hospital. He wondered what his reaction would be like.

Razor

Razor had contacted BUTLER to gain access to the footage from the hospital. She also requested a leave of absence for an extended period, which came as a major surprise to them since she usually took on whatever job was available. That and it was very rare for her to request something, very rare.

She watched his fight against that metallic being. He did well to hold his own.

The detectives weren't much use in that situation.

Izuku's mother, Razor had to give her credit for her bravery, she really did love her son if she was willing to put her life on the line. She hadn't been able to capture the rest of it, but it was obvious Izuku's group had won.

That wasn't what had her attention though.

What had her attention was the moment when Inko was about to be killed. The way Izuku reacted. While it was quite natural, it was the way he had done it.

When Izuku saw that his mother was about to die his eyes turned bright, he moved with speed and strength that could only be described as inhuman.

Some may have interpreted it as a quirk awakening but she knew otherwise. She had seen this before, but very rarely.

Humans these days are focused on quirks alone. They had forgotten how powerful they could truly be, well most had.

What Izuku had done was brief, but it had happened.

Razor always thought he had potential but for him to have shown signs so soon.

"A state of awakening," Razor murmured. "You continue to impress me, my young student."

At the villain hospital

Izuku had been in the storage for a few hours now. He was curled up in a ball in the centre with a bunch of broken objects scattered around the room.

He had stopped crying and was just sitting there motionless, his face buried into his legs. He was still trying to process what had happened, but no matter how hard he tried it was pointless. The fact that Sensei was gone forever weighed heavily on his mind.

A knock on the door brought him back to reality.

"Izuku," his mother called out. "Can I come in?"

Izuku thought about this for a moment. He really didn't want to talk with anyone. On the other hand, he really didn't want to be on his own.

"No one's stopping you," he replied emotionlessly.

He had never spoken that way to his mother before, but then again, something like this had never happened to him.

Inko understood this.

The moment she entered she moved towards her son and wrapped her arms around him.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Inko said.

She hadn't known the man, but she knew he was important to her son. She knew exactly how he felt. She had lost friends and relatives that were important to her.

"I just can't believe he's gone," Izuku vented. "After everything that's happened. After everything, I've been through. He's gone, just like that."

Inko hugged her son tighter. This situation reminded her of the time when Izuku was outed as quirkless. The despair he went through because of it.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now," Izuku admitted.

Inko was silent. She had been in this situation before herself. When her parents died in an accident when she was in her teens, she had thought the exact same things. However, she had friends to help her get through it. They made her realize what her parents would have wanted her to do.

And now it was her turn.

"You live," she said simply.

Izuku looked up at her. Inko could see tear stains across his face. He also appeared to be rather exhausted.

"I didn't know AFO as you did, so I can't form a perfect opinion of him," Inko told her son. "But I do know he cared about you, as you did with him. I don't know what he would say in this situation, but I do know he would want you to live. He would want you to keep moving forward. Even if you don't know the path you're meant to follow he would want you to continue living. That's what I believe."

Izuku stared at her in shock. He stared at the ground and contemplated her words. Deep down he knew she was right. That is what Sensei would've wanted him to do. Even if he didn't know how. Sensei would want him to press forward.

Now knowing this Izuku returned his mother's embrace.

"Thanks, Mom," he said. "I needed that."

"No problem sweetie. I've been in the same position as you have. Believe me, losing someone you love is never easy, and it's something you never get used to," Inko returned.

Izuku didn't respond to that. He knew about the people his mother had lost in her life. While growing up she had confided in him a lot about her life, like how she became friends with Mitsuki.

Although, she had avoided talking about his father since it was a painful subject for her, and by extension himself.

Their discussion was cut short by Naomasa entering.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need to talk," he informed them.

Inko groaned. "What's happened now? If it's something that concerns my son, can't you leave it until later? He's been through a lot."

"And I sympathize with that, I do," he countered. "But this can't wait."

Inko was about to protest when Izuku stood up. He offered his hand to help her up.

"Mom it's fine. Whatever it is, I'd rather get it done and out of the way," he assured her.

Realizing he was going to go through with it Inko took his hand and stood up.

Dabi was still outside, much to Izuku's surprise and relief.

Gunhead and Manual were also present (probably to keep an eye on Dabi).

Manual had returned after sorting out most of the security.

Naomasa led them all to an office.

Reo wasn't there surprisingly, probably because he was injured the most during that fight.

There were two others in the room. An officer with a cat-like appearance, and an important-looking official with a dog-like appearance.

"Good evening," the one with the dog appearance greeted. "Dabi, Inko Midoriya, and you Izuku Midoriya. I've heard quite a bit about you. My name is Kenji Tsuragamae. I am the Chief of the Police Force. The officer here in case you're wondering is Sansa Tamakawa."

Dabi was mildly surprised that he was acknowledged by this man. He, along with the other two, was curious as to why the Chief of Police of all people was here.

What could have happened that brought this on? Inko started fidgeting nervously (a trait her son inherited but didn't do as much nowadays).

"Um, I don't mean to be rude but, why did you call us here?" she asked. "Did something serious happen?"

"In a manner of speaking," Kenji said softly. "It's been decided where your son shall be transferred Mrs Midoriya."

That surprised her and the other two.

'Why would that be so important?' Izuku wondered. 'Is it some Juvenile Prison or is it one abroad? Or perhaps even a hidden one? Also, why wouldn't they say where Dabi would be transferred?'

Noticing their confusion Kenji decided to be bluntly honest.

"Due to you not committing any serious acts of crime, as well as helping out students from UA on numerous occasions, it has been decided that you will remain in the custody of UA within the hero course. It was Nezu who was going to request this but due to recent events, the police officials have decided to transfer you there immediately," Kenji explained in one go.

The response he got was silence.

Izuku took some time to process what he had heard.

Dabi and Inko were both stunned.

Of all the things they were expecting this was not one of them.

Even the heroes were surprised.

Izuku quickly regained his composure.

"Is this some kind of joke? Because if it, is I'm not laughing," he stated firmly.

"No joke," Kenji countered. "You are to be transferred into UA's hero course. You will also be living in the dorms at UA as it is currently being converted to a boarding school. The class you will be placed in is 1A since there is a vacant spot and you have already built up some relationships there."

This sounded completely absurd to Izuku. They wanted him, a villain, to attend the top school for heroes. Did they seriously think he could just switch sides that easily?

What angered him the most about it was that it was Class 1A, it was Bakugo's class. Sure, there were some people in there he liked but he was there also.

In all honesty, he would much rather be in prison.

"No. I can't agree to this," Inko stated.

Kenji raised an eyebrow. Naomasa wasn't surprised. He knew exactly why she didn't want her son going to UA.

"I'm afraid it's already been decided," Kenji replied.

"But why UA? Or better yet why Class 1A" Inko countered. "Surely there are other classes you could put him in."

"She's got a point," Dabi piped up. "Why put him in the same class as Katsuki Bakugo? In case you forgot, the two don't exactly have a positive relationship. And that's because of half the shit that guy put him through."

Manual was confused by what he meant.

Gunhead understood though. He had been listening in on their conversation earlier. When he heard the things that boy had gone through in his life, he couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. He too didn't think that putting the two of them in the same class together would end well.

"For the same reasons, I just stated," Kenji explained. "I'm sorry but that's just the way things are. If it means anything you won't be on the same floor as him in the living space provided by UA."

That didn't mean anything at all.

Izuku just stood there with an unreadable expression. Right now, he was cursing very existence. Just when he thought today couldn't get any worse.

"I'm guessing I don't have any say in this," he said.

"No," the police chief replied. "It was an official decision made by us police."

"How are you going to handle students and their parents? I doubt they'll be happy that a villain is attending the same school as their children," Izuku stated.

"I and UA staff will be informing them. The students won't be told until they return in two weeks though, and your status will be limited to Class 1A's knowledge," Kenji explained. "I don't think you'll go boasting about what you did before attending to other students will you?"

Izuku scowled. In all honesty, he would much rather avoid talking with people altogether.

"What's going to happen to Dabi?" he asked.

"He's going to be detained for a while," Kenji answered honestly. "Depending on how cooperative he is he may be released within a few weeks. He hasn't committed any major crimes, barring the kidnapping, and did fight to defend some civilians here."

Dabi wanted to say he had only done it because he liked Deku (and it was self-defence) but it probably wouldn't have done him any good. So, he just kept his mouth shut and listened.

"You two can stay in contact if you'd like. If that makes it more bearable," Kenji continued.

"Why is this happening to me exactly? Why am I not being shifted off to prison, a place I'd much rather prefer, instead?" Izuku asked irritated.

"To keep you safe. Given recent events and truths, we've deemed UA is the safest place for you because it's the last place anyone would find you. You weren't aware of this but according to our sources, a villain by the name of Atrocity was trying to kill you. Considering what happened here it's likely he'll try again," Kenji told the teenager.

Izuku was surprised at that information. He hadn't known it was Atrocity trying to kill him before. If he had to guess what it was about, it was most likely because he had freed Mina and was quirkless. He still wasn't happy about it.

That left just one option.

"Dabi," he started.

"Know what you're gonna ask, and the answer is no. I am not going to burn you alive, or in any way," Dabi stated firmly. "I get you're upset but that's no excuse to do that."

The people in the room didn't know whether to be amused or disturbed by what Izuku wanted.

Inko wasn't surprised Dabi had figured out what Izuku was thinking. Her son had always been easy to read. It was nice to see that part of him hadn't changed.

Izuku sighed in defeat.

"When am I going to be transferred?" he asked sullenly.

He knew there was no way out of this, so he may as well accept it and figure out what to do later.

"Within two weeks," Kenji admitted. "You will be allowed to return home to select what you'd like to bring of course."

Izuku flinched. Home. The place where he grew up. He never thought he'd return there (for obvious reasons). And the idea of going back scared him for some reason.

"Since I can't back out of this can I make one request?" Izuku asked.

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be? Woof!"

'Woof?' Izuku thought. 'Well, he is a dog, so I guess it makes sense.'

"I know you raided my apartment. Did you by any chance come across a black outfit with a helmet? It's the one I used as my outfit when I went on a rare field mission," he asked politely.

Kenji seemed to understand what he was asking.

"If you'd like to use that as a hero costume by all means do. But only after we've examined it," he explained.

Izuku nodded in understanding. He still felt depressed, however.

"Any more questions? Woof!" Kenji asked.

"Just one. I've been through a lot these past few days and I was just wondering. In this hospital, is there a large flight of stairs I could throw myself down?" Izuku asked seriously.

No one dared to answer that question.

UA Staff Room

Nezu had just finished explaining Izuku's sudden transfer to UA. As expected, most of the staff weren't happy. Some were unsure.

All Might who had gotten permission from the hospital to attend was shocked. He had hoped Midoriya would get off lightly, but he hadn't expected this. While it would be good for the boy, All Might was slightly nervous about seeing him again, considering how the boy currently felt about him.

"Sir, are sure this is a good idea?" Mic asked.

"Whether you all like it or not it will happen. A police official came here earlier and announced he would be transferred here," Nezu justified.

The teachers still didn't agree with it.

"Won't this be dangerous for the students?" 13 asked.

"They have dealt with villains before. Also, he has already forged several relationships with them so it should be easy for him to get along with them. More than that, our intelligence says Midoriya isn't hostile unless of course he's provoked or it's with Bakugo," Nezu explained.

Considering what type of person Bakugo was made them uneasy.

"Eraser, how do you feel about this? It's your class he's being put in," Mic asked his friend.

Class 1A's teacher wore his usual stoic expression. He looked uninterested but it was the opposite.

"If he's being transferred without say then there's nothing I can do about it. I'll keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't try anything," Aizawa stated. "If he uses his quirk in a way, I don't like I'll erase it and subdue him. Speaking of which what is his quirk? I don't think you said."

Nezu didn't respond immediately.

All Might and Recovery Girl didn't reply either.

The three of them knew they would all be shocked when they found out.

"Midoriya doesn't have a quirk actually. He's quirkless," Nezu said loudly enough for all of them to hear.

There was silence. People had looks of surprise and disbelief.

"This is the same person who defeated Bakugo, and survived an assault from Nomu in Hosu?" Midnight said.

"Yes, it is," Nezu replied. "You don't have to believe me but that's the truth."

They all looked uncertain. The idea that a quirkless person could defeat Bakugo wasn't very realistic. They didn't hate the quirkless but they didn't believe something like this was possible. Aizawa was a different story.

"Then he must be highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat, as well as versed in the use of weaponry," he said.

"Indeed, he is," Nezu said. "He's also quite intelligent having done both science experiments and quirk analysis for the League."

"I see," Aizawa agreed.

Unlike most, he didn't underestimate quirkless individuals. Quirks weren't the only things that could make a person dangerous. What they were capable of doing also added to it.

"It wouldn't be such a bad thing," All Might spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "He may be a villain, but he has performed some heroic acts."

"All Might has a point. He did defend our students on three occasions," Cementoss reasoned.

"Having someone as gifted as him on the side of heroes might not be such a bad idea," Ectoplasm added. "Though that really depends on whether he wants to become a hero or not."

"Whether he does or not is entirely up to him. However, his being here is mainly a safety precaution for him. He has been targeted several times in the past and will be unless he remains hidden," Nezu explained. "I assume you all heard about the assault on the villain hospital earlier today."

Everyone nodded. All Might was frustrated that he hadn't been able to do anything about it since he was asleep in bed.

"During that time, a mass breakout at Tartarus Prison took place, wherein all of the inmates escaped," Nezu told them.

The entire staff were stunned by that piece of information.

Tartarus Prison was one of the hardest places to get into in Japan. Whoever broke in must've planned it carefully and was quite powerful.

All Might had different thoughts.

'If they all got away then that means he did as well. Damn it, and after everything, I went through to capture him,' he internally cursed.

"The one exception was AFO, who was found dead in his cell," Nezu continued.

The staff froze. They hadn't expected to hear that.

It had a stronger impact on All Might.

'He's gone, just like that,' he thought.

He didn't understand why, but he didn't feel anger or hatred towards his nemesis at that point. Instead, he felt…nothing.

"With his death, villains within the League will be after Izuku Midoriya more than ever now. I understand you all don't like it, and the situation is dangerous, but it is going to happen regardless of what you think. So please try to deal with it," Nezu begged.

The staff didn't have an argument to make after that.

Nezu's office

"Well, that went better than I thought it would," Nezu said.

"Yes, it could've gone much worse," Chiyo agreed. "You're lucky they didn't argue with you. Well mostly."

The sun burned through the window as it had begun to set, signalling the end of the day. And what a day it had been. So much had happened, not just today, but over the past couple of days.

"Nezu there's something I wanted to mention to you earlier, but it wasn't the right time," Chiyo said seriously. "It's about Shoto Todoroki."

Nezu looked at her concerned. "Did something happen?"

Chiyo stared at the floor. "When I was treating him after the training camp, I noticed he had several injuries. At first, I thought they were from the villains but some of them were like that for a while. He possessed several bruises, a broken rib, and some burn marks. He had some of those bruises back when he competed in the Sports Festival." Her expression darkened. "I have a very good idea where they came from."

Nezu's face contorted into anger. He also knew where he had gotten them from.

"We need to hurry with the transformation of UA into a boarding school," Nezu stated. "It'll be best for everyone, and safer."

Within two weeks

Within the following two weeks, UA had been successfully converted into a boarding school.

Nezu had successfully managed to convince parents to allow Izuku to attend. Though they had their reservations at first it was a mixture of Mina, Katsuki, and Ochaco's (she had finally told them) parents who vouched for him. That ultimately convinced them. Though they did want him to be watched closely.

Endeavour was busy with hero work, so he didn't attend, thankfully.

Izuku returned to his old home for the first time in so long. Much to his surprise, everything was as he'd left it about a year ago. His room still looked the same. It felt strange seeing the posters of All Might, but he didn't let it bother him. He just grabbed what he needed and exited the room.

For the past two weeks, he had been detained, he had mourned AFO's death. Whether it had been made public knowledge or not he did not know. He did know that he missed the man, in the same way, he had missed his mother.

Speaking of which, Inko had yet to speak with Mitsuki about Katsuki as she had been occupied. Still, it was strange having her son home after so long. And now he had to leave again. This time though she wasn't as bothered because he knew where he was. It had been made clear that she could visit Izuku, much to her relief.

Izuku stood outside UA with Naomasa. It was strange. A year ago, he would have been ecstatic to attend this school and now here he was, only this time he had no desire to become a hero.

"Whatever lies ahead I will face it head-on. This I swear to you Sensei," Izuku swore.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I had been planning on transferring Izuku to UA for quite some time now. I want to develop some of the relationships he's established as well as give him some interaction with All Might. Maybe even establish some new relationships as well. Also, being in the same area as Bakugo is sure to be interesting. Some of you may question this but Izuku is only a villain by My Hero Academia's definition. He isn't actually evil. Anyway next you'll see Izuku interacting with UA students and adapting on his first day. Please review.

Chapter 25: New Home

Summary:

Izuku arrives at his new home at UA. His 'classmates' are not far behind. They are in for quite a shock.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku was currently standing outside what appeared to be some sort of mansion with 1A at the centre to show which class would be living here. Heights Alliance the area was called, perfectly fitting in his opinion.

He was here with Naomasa beside him quite early in the morning. Or rather an hour before the other students would be arriving. They had yet to be informed of his presence, and no doubt it would be quite a shock for them when they did.

Izuku, despite having decided to press forward, was nervous. He was re-entering the very society that persecuted him, which drove him to try to commit suicide. In other words, he was in enemy territory, and there's no telling what could happen.

'Considering the past two times that students from UA were assaulted by the League, the security has likely increased drastically,' Izuku thought. 'Making it impossible to break in or out. And with so many pros here there's very little chance of me be able to escape.'

"Am I actually doing this?" Izuku unknowingly said out loud.

"Unfortunately, yes," Naomasa replied.

He couldn't blame Izuku for acting the way he did. He was going to be spending every day with the person he hated most and attending a school against his will. That would make anyone angry.

"Izuku Midoriya I presume," came a deadpan voice.

To his right, Izuku saw two figures. The first he recognised as Eraserhead. The second he recognised as Nezu, principal of UA, and the one who had admitted him to this school in the first place.

"Nezu and Eraserhead," Izuku announced so they wouldn't have to introduce themselves.

"So, you know our names. Well, that makes things simpler," Aizawa stated. "My name is Aizawa and I'll be your homeroom teacher."

Izuku made no response to that. Personally, he didn't mind having the underground hero as his teacher.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you young Midoriya," Nezu greeted. "I've heard a great deal about you."

Before anyone could do anything, Izuku faced Nezu and bowed to him. Not just as a sign of respect, but also as a sign of gratitude.

"And to you as well. Thank you for saving my life during that battle," Izuku replied. "If you hadn't interfered I would most certainly be dead right now."

Izuku had been informed by Naomasa that it was Nezu who stopped the mini pods during Sensei's battle with All Might. He was grateful to the principal for being alive.

"I should be thanking you. You helped our students out on more than one occasion," Nezu said. "But enough about that. We need to get you sorted. So, let's give you a tour of where you'll be living."

They all headed into the building where Izuku saw what it looked like for the first time. The ground floor contained a mess hall, a living room (with several sofa's, chairs, a flat-screen TV), a kitchen area (fully stocked), bathing and laundry area's (gender-segregated of course).

Nezu explained where the dorms were and what they contained. These were a bed, closet, fridge, toilet, balcony, desk and air conditioning. It was incredibly luxurious by Izuku's standards.

"You'll be staying on the fifth floor between Todoroki and Iida," Aizawa explained. "Any problems with that?"

"As long as I'm not near Katsuki I'm fine," Izuku replied.

"He's on the third floor so you don't have to worry about him," Aizawa stated. "Believe me we know the full extent of your relationship so that's why we'll keep you both as separate as possible."

Izuku was relieved to hear that. He didn't mind being near Iida since he knew him from Hosu.

They arrived at Izuku's room. There were boxes there already, so he was ready to unpack.

"That's all for now so we'll let you get unpacked," Nezu declared.

"Thank you," Izuku said.

The three figures exited the room leaving him alone.

Seeing as how he had nothing better to do, Izuku started unpacking. When he finished he lay on the bed (which was quite comfy in his opinion). Tired and nervous about what was coming he fell asleep.

"I have to get back to the station," Naomasa informed them. "Please let us know if he gives you any new information."

"Of course," Nezu replied.

Naomasa then left.

"That went pretty well don't you think?" Nezu asked his colleague.

"It went okay. The other students have yet to arrive though," Aizawa pointed out. "When they do, that's when it really begins."

League of Villains: Tomura's Group

For the past two weeks, Tomura and the others had been in hiding at one of Sensei's secret hideouts. An impressive feat all things considered.

In addition to the police and heroes, Atrocity's group were now hunting them. It literally seemed as though the whole world was against them, and in some ways, it was.

They needed to depend on one another to avoid being caught and to survive.

Tomura wasn't doing so well, unfortunately. Ever since the news about the break-in at Tartarus prison had gotten out, or specifically, ever since Sensei's death had been made public, Tomura had fallen into a deep depression. He felt sad and broken that the very man who had given him a reason to live in this world again, who acted as a mentor father to him, was now gone.

The others didn't know what to do about it.

Kurogiri was a different story. He suggested that they leave Tomura be because the only way for him to get through this was with time. He knew from personal experience.

When his sister died, he had been in a similar position. For a while, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He had claimed vengeance on the very person who tormented her but after that, he was at a loss. It wasn't until Sensei recruited him that he had a new reason to live again.

"Hey, I just got off the phone with Giran," Compress said. "He has some information he'd like to share with us, for free."

Kurogiri flinched.

Giran giving information for free was never a good sign. It usually meant that something serious had happened, or rather, something serious enough to scare him. He took the phone off Compress and started talking.

"What happened?" Kurogiri demanded.

"Some terrible," Giran replied. His voice was filled with fear. "I just found out. That man Atrocity. He recently became a whole lot more dangerous."

That information frightened Kurogiri.

"Tell me everything," he demanded.

UA Heights Alliance Dormitories

Class 1A had just arrived at the dormitories and were very excited. From now on they would all be living together, and in a mansion to boot. They were all still troubled by the events that transpired over the Summer.

Two of their classmates and pro were kidnapped for terrible reasons. With Katsuki, they were concerned about when they heard why he was taken, they were horrified when they discovered why Mina was kidnapped. The very thought of it all was sickening, to say the least.

Mina hadn't told them about Deku yet. She was planning to, but only after she had settled in here.

Over the Summer she heard about the break-in at Tartarus, and about AFO's death. Even though she hadn't known him that well, and despite who he was and what he had done, she felt sad for him.

He was one of the reasons why she was still here after all. If he hadn't interfered when he did alongside Deku then she would most likely be rotting away right now. She would never get the chance to say thank you for that.

Class 1A's teacher greeted his students who in turn expressed their relief that he was still with them after what happened at the press conference, which he was grateful for. He said something about Provisional Licences but skipped to a more important topic.

"This is important so listen up. Todoroki, Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, and Iida. On that night, the four of you went to that place to rescue Bakugo and Ashido. What's more, you did it with a vigilante, a criminal present. From what we've gathered you all encountered her by chance, that doesn't change the fact that you still worked with her," Aizawa noted.

The entire class (Mina and Katsuki excluded) gave them shocked looks.

They knew about their little plan before, but they didn't think they would go through with it. To make matters worse they had done it with a vigilante. Technically they were heroes, but at the end of the day, they were still criminals.

It was also surprising to know that Iida had gone with them since he was the most against it before.

"Judging from all your looks you all knew about this yet did not try and stop it. In that case, let me say this now. If the Principal wasn't such a benevolent being I would've expelled all of you except for the kidnapped and the unconscious," he stated. "The four of you who went without saying, and with a criminal, but with the students who knew about it but said and did nothing to stop them are just as guilty. Regardless of your reasons, the fact that you betrayed our trust remains. So, I suggest that you work towards restoring our trust in you."

The students nodded in understanding.

"Now, to move on to the more important issue," Aizawa continued.

That caught the students interest. They wondered what was more important than their great crime.

"As you all may have seen during All Might's battle with the leader of the League there was another villain present. One who was under attack by mini pods and was captured alongside the leader," Aizawa said.

The students nodded, they had seen that, but they were more focused on the bigger fight. Why was Sensei mentioning this now?

Katsuki scowled at the mention of Deku since he didn't want to think about him.

Mina and Tenya were curious about why Aizawa was bringing him up.

"Well, due to recent events, that villain has been transferred here to UA. Or specifically, to this class where he'll be spending time and attending class with you," Aizawa explained rather bluntly.

For a few minutes, there was complete silence.

Then came their reactions.

And they were strong.

"Are you serious?" Kaminari shouted.

"You're letting a villain attend the same school as us," Hakagure piped up.

"Won't this be dangerous?" Shoji asked.

"What if he tries to kidnap or kill one of us?" Mineta yelped. "Did ever even think about that?"

"Sensei what brought this on?" Asui asked.

Katsuki was furious at what he had just heard. Deku was being allowed to attend UA, even though he was quirkless, even though he was a villain.

"What the actual fuck!" he shouted. "He's one of the bastards who fucking kidnapped us! And you thought it was a good idea to bring him here! why isn't he locked away like he deserves to be!"

"Hold on a second man," Eijiro said placing his hand on Kastuki's shoulder to calm his friend. "Maybe we should hear Sensei out first."

Katsuki didn't listen and threw his handoff.

Right now, he was angrier than usual.

He wanted to yell at his teacher and demand an explanation, only for Mina to beat him to it.

"Hold on a minute. Izuku's coming here?" she questioned.

Aizawa nodded as a response. The entire class turned to stare at her. Jirou was the first to speak.

"You know him Mina?" she asked.

"Yes. Izuku, or Deku as he's called, was the one who rescued me from Atrocity. He found me by accident and when Muscular was about to take me to his boss Izuku intervened and managed to gain custody of me. He couldn't let me leave of course but he didn't do anything terrible to me. In fact, he defended me on an occasion or two," Mina explained.

Most of the class were completely shocked at what they had just heard. Mina was saved, by a villain. Very few of them could believe it.

'Wait a second, Deku, he's Deku. Then that means, he's the one who saved me during the USJ Incident,' Ochaco realised.

"Wait, you said his name was Deku right. Does that mean he was the one who released you while the villains were dealing with Bakugo?" Yaoyorozu asked.

Mina nodded in response. While the others were still scared about him, Yaoyorozu was growing more curious about him.

"He defended me during the USJ Incident," Ochaco murmured. All eyes turned to her. "When one of the villains tried to rape me, he stepped in and stopped him."

There were several gasps from the group of students. Hearing this boy had helped Mina was one thing but hearing him help Ochaco was another. They were beginning to wonder whether he was really a villain at all.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Asui asked horrified. "Why didn't you come to any of us? We could've helped you get through it."

"I told Elena and All Might, who I'm guessing later informed the rest of the teachers, and later Tenya. I told my parents eventually but after that, I never mentioned it again. I wasn't traumatised by it. I was mainly surprised at what had happened with Deku," Ochaco explained.

As surprised as they were Iida knew about it something Ochaco just said caught their attention.

"He was present at the USJ?" Tokoyami questioned.

"Why yes," Ochaco replied. "He's the one who defeated Bakugo."

That one detail, that one description, was enough to frighten them.

If this guy defeated Bakugo then he must've been very dangerous.

They all turned to look at the boy who was giving off a murderous expression that matched the one he made at the Sports Festival.

Mina kept quiet. She knew about Izuku and Bakugo's history together, but, it wasn't for her to talk about it. That was their story, not hers. She had no right to tell the others about it.

"I understand you are all nervous, but, please understand, this was an official police decision. Therefore, we have no say in it," Aizawa pointed out.

The students were still uncertain.

Tenya was more curious. He had wanted to meet this boy for some time now.

"When exactly does he arrive and where will he be staying? Also, what's his full name?" Tenya asked.

"He arrived an hour ago. He'll be staying on the fifth floor between Iida and Todoroki. And his full name is Izuku Midoriya," Aizawa answered in order.

That surprised Tenya and Shoto (who was wary of the new arrival). Katsuki was still angry, however.

'Great. First, he beats me, next he talks smack about me, and now he just ruined me being the only student from our shitty school to get in here,' he thought angrily. 'Deku, the next time I see you you're dead.'

"Enough talk," Aizawa announced. "Let's get on with the tour of the building."

Kurogiri

Kurogiri was in a state of terror. He hadn't been in a position like this for so long. The information Giran had sent frightened him.

In addition to having added the inmates of Tartarus to his ranks, Atrocity had also stolen all of Sensei's powers using some sort of device.

How had he gotten a hold of this information?

According to him, he received an anonymous tip from someone, but he didn't know who. He had yet to tell Tomura, though given everything he was going through, now wasn't the right time.

Since they needed supplies he decided to go out and get them. Normally he would've sent Toga to do this but she was exhausted from the previous endeavours so he would do it this time.

The way he looked was too recognisable. Which was why, for the first time in twelve years, he would be using his original appearance. No one knew what he looked like, so it was perfect.

The device around his body allowed him to remain in a mist-like form permanently, though it did serve as a weakness. While it could be turned off as he pleased it did come with several benefits. For example, being immune to most physical attacks, being mist meant it wasn't necessary for him to bathe, he also didn't age like other humans (if at all).

Kurogiri headed into an empty room to do this and had a set of clothes at the ready. Being mist got rid of any clothes he wore when it happened so. He pressed the button on his device and deactivated it for the first time in years. As he did, the mist disappeared and the skin on his original body reappeared.

He detached the device from his neck to see several marks on it, though that was to be expected. The sensation of feeling his skin again was strange. The texture his feet stood on felt foreign, it also felt strange to walk on them again. He stood in front of the mirror to see if his appearance had changed.

His body was still tall and muscular, his eyes were the same green colour, but his hair was of a darker shade of red (likely because of his quirk). His face hadn't changed at all, he still looked like the same person from when he was twenty (his age when he took on that form).

This was his true form.

The form of Kuro Shisa.

The form he had long since abandoned.

'I haven't seen you like that in a long-time big brother,' his sister's voice echoed in his head.

"I know Laura, I know," he admitted. "But this time I need it."

Kurogiri quickly got changed into some civilian clothes (not the bartender ones he usually wore). Using his quirk, he opened a warp gate.

"Well enough of that. It's time to get to work," he declared.

UA Dormitories Night time

The students of Class 1A had finished packing and were now relaxing in the living room area. The boys were discussing living together from now on.

"Hey Iida, Todoroki. While you were unpacking, did you meet the villain kid? What's he like?" Sero asked.

"We didn't meet him at all actually," Tenya replied. "He doesn't seem to have left his room since arriving."

"Yeah," Shoto added.

To be honest, he didn't really care about the villain who was now living with them. He was just so relieved that he was living away from his abusive father.

For the first time in his life, he wouldn't have to put up with the usual abuse he suffered.

For the first time in his life, he was safe, or at least that's how he felt.

After the Sports Festival Endeavour had been furious with him for not using his full power. And after he had refused to work with him during the internships after the Sports Festival things had gotten much worse.

Flashback

Endeavour towered over his son in the training room. He blasted him with fire but Shoto brought up an ice barrier to defend himself. It didn't do much good though as it melted instantly.

Endeavour was quickly in front of him. With no time to react the older male punched the boy in the stomach and sent him flying. He then proceeded to kick and stomp on him repeatedly.

"Completely and utterly useless. I created you Shoto for one purpose, yet you refuse to carry it out," Endeavour spat. "I thought I trained you to be strong, yet you're as weak as ever. Your mother's and eldest brother's fault no doubt. Well, it's such a shame they aren't here to help you now."

The boy just lay there, glaring up hatefully at the very man who caused him and his loved ones so much pain.

How dare he mock his mother and brother! It was his fault that they were no longer here.

"I think your little tantrum has gone on long enough. So, as punishment for your recent acts of defiance," Endeavour started as he pulled up Shoto's t-shirt to expose his skin. The bruises from before had mostly faded. "I'm going to make you understand your place in this household."

Endeavour's hand hovered over Shoto's right side, his mother's side. He went pale at what was about to happen.

After that there was screaming, lots and lots of screaming. Of course, nobody heard him.

Flashback end

Shoto flinched at the memory. When he heard the school would be converted to a boarding school and he would be transferred there, it was one of the happiest moments of his life.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sero continuing his speech.

"I see. Well the idea of him living with us seems scary in my view," he said. "Despite what Mr Aizawa says."

It had been made clear that they weren't to make others aware of the new kid's status. It was made public that their parents were informed about his presence.

"I know right. If he defeated Bakugo he must have a powerful quirk," Denki piped up. "Who knows what else he did for the League."

The other males present (excluding Tenya) murmured in agreement.

At that moment the girls (excluding Asui) arrived with an announcement.

"So, we were just talking and it's just an idea but, why don't we have a contest to show off our rooms," Mina suggested.

At first, there was some reluctance, but eventually, everyone got into it.

Some (Tokoyami) didn't want to showcase their rooms.

Mineta's was ignored completely, for obvious reasons.

Asui and Katsuki (who thought it was stupid) were resting in their rooms so they weren't inspected.

They were all on the fifth floor now and had just finished inspecting Todoroki's room after Iida's. People were still amazed at how he had just managed to transform his room into a traditional Japanese Style one in one day.

They were about to go and inspect the girl's rooms when Mina and Ochaco stopped outside Izuku's room.

"Uh guys," Mina called out. "There's one left."

As soon as they saw where she meant their faces contorted into confusion, fear and anger.

"You're kidding right," Denki said. "You want to look at the villain kids room."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Ojiro mentioned.

The other students murmured among themselves.

"He's not as bad as you might think," Ochaco said.

"How can you be so sure?" Jirou asked. "You've only ever met him once."

"Twice actually," Ochaco corrected. "The second time was during our trip to the shopping mall. We bumped into each other by accident and spoke a little. He didn't seem like a bad person. Though, I didn't know who he was then."

That came as a surprise to the rest of the students.

"Izuku isn't really a bad person," Mina told them. "And before you say otherwise, keep in mind I've known him longer than any of you have."

No one had a counter for that. Tenya knew Izuku from Hosu and wanted to agree with Mina and Ochaco but decided to remain silent.

"This is the guy who defeated Bakugo and you wanna look at his room. What if he attacks one of us or uses his quirk to take someone hostage," Mineta yelped.

"I hate to admit it but Mineta's right," Kirishima agreed. "I get you both feel indebted to him but that doesn't mean you can trust him."

"He did attack us along with the other villains during the USJ," Satou added.

"Now hold on a minute. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge. Villain or not he did save Uraraka and Ashido when they were in danger," Momo reasoned.

Despite her reservations, she couldn't deny she was curious about the villain now living with them. You could hear about villains in class or online but interacting with one was a different story. They lived the opposite lifestyle to them.

"You know we're going to encounter him eventually. Why not now?" Shoto pointed out.

The students murmured amongst themselves once again. They were still uncertain.

At that moment, the door of Izuku's room swung open and he stood at the entrance. His sudden appearance surprised the students. He looked at them with an annoyed expression.

"You know, I'm not deaf, I can hear every word you're saying from in here," he informed them.

Personally, he didn't want to interact with Class 1A but since they wouldn't shut up outside his room he may as well introduce himself and get it out of the way.

"Now that that's out of the way, what exactly do you want from me?" he asked politely.

At first, they didn't know how to respond. That's when Mina spoke up.

"We were in the middle of a contest to decide the best room and we were hoping to look at your room as part of it," she said with a bright smile.

Izuku's expression changed to a calm one. He didn't have a problem with Mina or Tenya.

"If that's all then there's no issue," he answered. "However, I should warn you. There's not much to see."

He turned on the light so people could see what his room looked like. Much to their surprise, it looked ordinary.

There were shelves with notebooks, pens, pencils, a laptop, and a phone (UA monitored all communications and online searches so they could block them if they didn't like them).

"Expecting something different?" Izuku asked in a dull voice.

"Honestly, we weren't sure what we were to be expecting," Tenya replied honestly.

"I thought it would be more evil-looking," Toru said.

"What exactly do you take villains for? We're still humans with regular tastes and interests like the rest of you," he explained.

No one had a counter for that. Though to be fair, none of them had ever really interacted with villains before so they didn't know.

"This has the mark of a huge pervert I'm telling you," Mineta stated while looking around suspiciously.

"Being one yourself you'd know all about that sort of thing, wouldn't you?" Izuku retorted coldly.

Mineta flinched.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Izuku being a villain was irrelevant right then. At that exact moment, every girl present was on his side.

"What do mean? He's right!" they shouted while glaring at Mineta.

The purplette backed down, intimidated and terrified.

"Are you all satisfied or is there anything else I can do for you?" he offered.

"What kind of quirk do you have?" Denki asked bluntly. "You must have a powerful one if you defeated Bakugo."

Izuku tightened his fist. Of course, they would think that. To them, it was the most important thing in the world.

Well, time to surprise them.

"I don't have a quirk," Izuku admitted. "I'm what you refer to as quirkless."

There was silence. Izuku had anticipated this kind of reaction. He also guessed correctly on the next.

"Seriously," Kirishima yelled. "No way."

"That's not possible," Sero shouted.

"A quirkless person beat Bakugo," Denki said in disbelief. "I don't believe it."

The other students said similar things. Though, there were some exceptions. Tenya was surprised.

'I had my suspicions back in Hosu but I didn't actually think,' he thought.

Shoto, Ochaco and Momo had similar reactions. Though they were more impressed with Izuku. Mina had already known so she kept quiet.

"It's true," Izuku stated. "Ask the teachers if you don't believe me."

The students still couldn't believe it. The idea of a quirkless person being able to defeat one of their strongest classmates sounded impossible.

"Does that mean you beat him using martial arts and weapons?" Ochaco asked.

She remembered he used a taser on one of the villains. Izuku nodded to confirm her suspicions.

"I still find it hard to believe a quirkless person beat Bakugo," Denki said.

"Well believe it because that's what happened," Izuku retorted. "It wasn't easy though."

That made more sense to them.

"Is that all or is there anything else you'd like to know?" he asked.

Surprisingly, no one had any more questions.

"I think that's enough for today," Momo said. "Perhaps some other time."

The majority of students wanted to leave and continue on with the contest. Momo believed he wouldn't be this open with them about everything so soon.

"Would you like to come with us?" Ochaco asked politely. "The next set of rooms will be the girl's ones."

Most of the class didn't like the idea of inviting him to join.

Izuku was surprised at the offer himself. He was beginning to wonder if she was curious about him since it was their first official meeting after all.

'And my last encounter involved flirting with her,' he thought. 'Wait, why am I thinking about that now.'

"No thanks," Izuku declined. "It's been a busy couple of weeks for me and I'm still settling in. thank you for the offer though."

Ochaco felt slightly disappointed when she heard that.

Mina and Tenya understood why he was staying and didn't argue against it.

The other students didn't say anything and began to move out of the room.

It was just Izuku on his own again. He lay on his bed trying to make sense of everything.

"How did I ever end up in this position?" he pondered.

The students who walked away had mixed feelings about their new classmate. Some didn't have a problem with him and in fact, were curious about him. Others thought he was dangerous and decided to keep their guard up around him. And others thought they could handle him because he was quirkless.

The contest ended with Satou emerging victorious because he made some cake that all the girls loved. There was a conversation between Asui, Ochaco, Shoto, Momo, Tenya and Kirishima where Asui expressed her guilt over doubting their plan to save Katsuki and Mina and apologised. They did the exact same thing for worrying her, thus mending their friendship. After most retired to their rooms and slept till morning, though some remained awake.

Izuku couldn't fall asleep. He tried but, he just couldn't. He had a lot on his mind at that moment and the uneasiness he felt from the situation wouldn't go away.

"This doesn't make any sense. I've been around dangerous people. I've nearly died many times. So why? Why does being here scare me?" he asked himself.

He sat up and got out of bed. He looked quickly around the room and decided he wanted to get out of it. He felt trapped there. In a certain sense, he was, this was a prison, and this was his cell. Only it was far worse.

Doubting that they'd punish him for being up late Izuku went down to the living room area. It was eleven so no one was up, thankfully. He sat on one of the couches and stared outside.

It was a full moon outside, that put him at ease. Some nights when he was with the League he wouldn't be able to sleep. This stemmed from nightmares about his past and his near-death experiences. So, to calm his nerves he'd head up to the rooftop in the building and look at the sky. The city was darker and quieter which gave it a soothing presence. When he looked up he saw stars that were lit up and the full moon was shining brightly. It was a truly beautiful sight.

Izuku smiled at the memory. It might not have seemed like much to others but to him, it meant a lot. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone approaching. That person placed a cup on the table, alerting Izuku to his presence.

He looked up to see Tenya standing near to him with another cup in hand. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Tenya spoke.

"You seemed out of it, so I made you some tea," Tenya told him. "I hope you don't mind."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "I don't mind at all actually. Thank you. By the way, are you just going to stand there or are you going to sit down also?"

Tenya chuckled at that question and sat opposite Izuku. They both sipped their tea.

"In case you're thinking of asking, I won't tell your friends about our little adventure together in Hosu. Aizawa told me that was a secret. Also, I wouldn't want you getting in trouble with the law," Izuku informed him.

"Thank you. Aside from Uraraka, none of the other students knows," Tenya replied. "Speaking of that, I suppose this is technically our first official meeting."

Izuku couldn't help but agree with that. Tenya hadn't known who was then so it wouldn't be their first meeting.

"What are you doing up so late anyway?" Izuku asked. "Couldn't sleep?"

"That and I heard someone moving outside my room. So, I came downstairs," Tenya explained. "I was actually hoping to talk to you."

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked confused. "Do you have questions you want me to answer?"

"A few," Tenya admitted. "But, I also wanted to get to know you better. I've been curious about you since Hosu."

That caught Izuku off guard. He hadn't expected that sort of response from Tenya. Wasn't he angry at him for the kidnapping scenario? Granted he didn't have anything to do with it but still.

"Other than one question, I won't ask anything personal," Tenya informed him. "I won't ask about your time with the League, that's something you should only talk about when you want to."

Izuku was relieved that Tenya was so understanding. He didn't mind answering him.

"Go for it," he permitted.

"What is your relationship with Bakugo?" Tenya asked.

Izuku glanced at him surprised. Had Mina said something to him?

"I only ask because I get the feeling you two know each other. You specifically attacked him during the USJ. Also, during the hideout raid, you didn't attempt to recapture at the warehouse with the others. I was there during the battle with the others to get him back. The way you looked at him, you hate him. There was also that time in Hosu where you said, 'he's slightly less of a dick than he was before', meaning that you knew way before the USJ."

Izuku couldn't deny he was impressed. Tenya had really thought it through.

"You're correct, on all accounts," Izuku admitted. "I've known Katsuki since I was a child. He and I used to get along until he received a powerful quirk and I was outed as quirkless. From there on out everything went to hell. I was bullied by him and others for years because I didn't have a quirk. So, naturally, when the opportunity to get revenge came I took it. I had nothing to do with the kidnapping though. I didn't even find out about it until shortly before it happened, and even then, I didn't know it was him. As you said, I hate him, so the last thing I want is for him to be in the same group as me. Unfortunately, that hasn't worked out so great."

Tenya didn't respond to that. If things were as Izuku said, then it made sense for him to be angry. That brought him on to his next question.

"How exactly are you taking all this? Being here I mean," he asked.

Izuku thought about this.

"Honestly, I don't know. A lot has happened to me recently. I saw Katsuki again and he hasn't changed a bit. I've nearly died several times. I saw my mother again and I saw her nearly die. Sensei, or AFO as you know him, was murdered and I'll never see him again. And to top it all off I'm here of all places alongside the person I hate most and people who probably hate me for everything that's happened," he exclaimed.

He was really emotional now.

Tenya couldn't help but sympathise with him. He had been through a lot.

"I don't hate you. Neither does Ashido and Uraraka," Tenya reassured him. "Those other students, give them time. They just don't know you yet."

Izuku felt strange. No one had ever said that to him before. He felt almost relieved, almost.

"Thanks, and um, how's your brother doing?" Izuku asked, wanting to change the subject.

Tenya gazed at his cup sadly.

"He's doing okay. Still in the hospital but he's recovering, well mostly. He's paralysed from his waist down, so he'll never walk again, and he'll be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Despite this, he still remains as optimistic as ever," Tenya said. "I've had Koichi, a friend of my brothers, to help me get through it. He and I have become really good friends as a result."

Izuku narrowed his eyes. Koichi, could he be Crawler? He was a friend of Iida's brother. The last time he saw the man he hadn't gotten his name, he'd seen his face, but his name was a mystery.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Izuku told him.

"It is what it is," Tenya replied. "The most we can do is continue moving forward."

"Does your brother know, about Hosu?" Izuku asked.

"Oh yes, he knows everything. He berated me for being an idiot and gave me quite a lecture, but pulled me in for a hug while crying. While he wasn't happy about what I tried to do he was relieved that I was still alive. If I had died or killed Stain, he would've been devasted," Tenya said.

Izuku could relate to that. When his mother was in danger, when she nearly died right in front of him, he felt helpless and despair. Thankfully that didn't happen. But, upon hearing of Sensei's death, he felt pain was just as bad.

"I bet he would've," Izuku agreed. "Speaking of which, how did your teachers react when they heard about it?"

"The principal was angry with me, but Aizawa was furious with me. He might not look it, but he can be quite intimidating when he's angry," Tenya said while shuddering at the memory. "I was lucky to not be expelled. I was lucky this time as well."

Izuku laughed, much to Tenya's confusion.

"You know, for someone who wants to be a hero and likes rules and procedures, you're quite the rebel. Aren't you Iida?" Izuku teased.

Tenya laughed. "I guess you're right. Though I could say the exact same thing about you."

"Well, I definitely can't argue against that one," he agreed.

They both drank their tea. Even though he didn't want to interact with Class 1A, he had to admit, Tenya's presence was rather comforting.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while, I mean if we ever met again," Tenya started.

"Go on," Izuku urged.

"In your view, what are heroes and villains?" Tenya asked.

That question confused Izuku. What did Tenya mean by that? Shouldn't he already know?

"Up until now I thought I knew, but after Hosu I started to have different thoughts," Tenya explained. "You're a villain yet you're actually a good person. Crawler is a vigilante, which is technically a villain, but he performs heroic acts. Stain is a criminal, yet he believes he's doing society a favour. Heroes such as Captain Celebrity and Mount Lady only care about fame and wealth rather than doing the right thing. Yet there are heroes like All Might and my brother who don't care about that sort of thing. The whole idea is very confusing for me, so that's why I would like to hear your opinion."

Izuku thought hard about how to answer that question. He could understand why Tenya would ask such a question, considering everything he'd been through.

As he thought about how to answer, only one came to mind.

"It's hard to describe what makes a true hero or villain. In today's society, heroes are people employed by the government to use their quirks in public to defend others, they act within the law. Villains are the opposite, they use their quirks in public despite what the government says, they act outside the law, in that sense, they are criminals, like me. However, it's important to know, heroes and villains, are not the same as good and evil. Take me for example, I am a villain, however, I am not evil. Endeavour is a hero, yet he is not good. Does that answer your question?"

Tenya's mind was overwhelmed momentarily before it cleared. Suddenly it felt like the dots in the back of his brain connected all at once and everything made sense.

"Yes," he answered. "I never thought about it that way before. Thank you."

"No problem. A lesson I learned from Kurogiri is that good and evil aren't born, they are made," Izuku recited. "Heroes and villains both have something that defines them for what they are. I have. Stain and Crawler do. And I'm guessing you do as well."

Tenya was dumbfounded. That sentence, and that statement. Certainly, they were true. How had he never thought of it before?

They sat there in silence for a couple of minutes until they finished their tea.

"Iida, thanks for talking to me. I feel better now," Izuku said.

Tenya smiled at him. "Your welcome. I'm glad I got to talk with you. It was a real eyeopener."

The two got up and washed their cups before walking back up.

"I know you're not happy about being here since you didn't have a say in this but, give it time. You may like it here," Tenya said.

"I'm not sure I'll have to think about that one," Izuku replied uncertainly.

"One more thing. Bakugo is probably, actually no scratch that, he will definitely be vocal the next time he sees you," Tenya warned.

"Oh, I know he will. I'm ready this time though," Izuku countered.

The two both laughed one final time and returned to their rooms where they slept until the next day.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Izuku is not happy about his situation, though can you blame him? Todoroki will be present a bit more now since there was no reason for him to be before given how things went in the canon. What did you think of Iida in this chapter? Next chapter follows Izuku's first school day at UA. Please review.

Chapter 26: First day at UA

Summary:

Izuku experiences ups and downs on his first day.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku woke up early that morning. It was seven and he started doing his usual morning exercises, which included press-ups, squats, stretching, push-ups etc. Feeling refreshed from his workout he got changed into his uniform (provided by the school).

He then took a long hard look at himself in the mirror.

He was about to re-enter school. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

"Uh," Izuku moaned. "I really don't want to do this."

Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice. He had to do this.

Wanting to avoid his new classmates he headed down to the kitchen where he prepared tea and toast for himself. He consumed the toast quickly enough but was slow on the tea. It wasn't until he heard voices that he finished it quickly moved out of the building as quickly as he could.

He walked slowly towards the school. He wasn't in a particular rush, as most of the students wouldn't be there for a while.

The students in question were up and buzzing with excitement for what the day entailed. None of them had noticed Izuku's absence, well Mina and Tenya did but they just assumed he wasn't up yet.

Izuku walked through Heights Alliance, marvelling at the sight. He couldn't deny he was impressed with the teachers for getting all of this done in such a short amount of time. That was UA for you.

Izuku arrived at the main school building where he stared at the large domain before him.

'It's kind of ironic. A year ago, I would've done anything to get in here. And now, here I am as a student, unwilling, and the opposite of what I wanted. The world works in mysterious ways,' he thought.

Not wasting any more time he headed down to the entrance where there were lockers in front of him. He took out a piece of paper that showed him where he was. He quickly changed into his school shoes (another courtesy of the school).

Given the signs placed around the school, he managed to find his classroom. Strangely enough, he hadn't encountered any teachers, though it was probably because they were either in the staff room or their respective classes.

He stared at the large door for a minute before entering. The class was empty, spacious and had the desks in rows of four horizontally and five vertically.

"Well you're here early," came a familiar voice.

Izuku looked around for Aizawa until he saw he was lying behind his desk in a sleeping bag. Izuku was completely baffled by what he saw.

"Two questions," he said. "One, why are you like that? Two, how did you know it was me?"

Aizawa thought about that for a moment before answering in that order. "One, I was tired, and this is a habit of mine. Two, you don't want to connect with Class 1A, so you would come here early to avoid them. Tell me if I'm somewhere wrong along those lines."

Izuku's silence was enough of an answer for him. The latter of which silently praised the man's intelligence.

"Where am I supposed to be sitting?" Izuku asked.

"Middle desk against the wall," his teacher replied. "I should warn you beforehand, you'll be behind Bakugo because none of the other students will want to swap seats. I'm sorry but that's just the way things are."

Upon hearing that Izuku scowled. Sit behind Katsuki! He would rather be decayed slowly by Tomura!

Was this man serious? Of course, he was, why else would he say it. Doubting he would have any say in this he just stated what would happen.

"Just so we're clear. When he attacks me, that's when, not if, I will defend myself," Izuku stated firmly.

"Fair enough," Aizawa acknowledged. "However, while I'm in the room I'll make sure he doesn't."

Nothing more was said between the two as he sat down at his desk.

A few minutes later, students started pouring in. When they saw Izuku there before them they froze for a moment. They were still uneasy about having to attend classes alongside a villain, despite what Mina and Ochaco said about him. They moved to their desks while keeping their eyes on him in case he tried anything.

The obvious exceptions were Mina and Tenya. Tsuyu, who hadn't seen Izuku before, eyed him with a little curiosity. He didn't look that dangerous to her, although, looks could be deceiving.

Izuku ignored them completely, he just wished this class would start already.

Students continued to arrive silently. The silence, however, was suddenly shattered by the arrival of a certain blonde who, upon seeing Izuku, flew into full rage mode.

"DEKU YOU BASTARD," Katsuki roared as he ran towards Izuku. "YOUR DEAD."

Before he could even reach the boy, he found himself ensnared by Aizawa's capture weapon, and his quirk erased. Aizawa glared at his student.

"Give it a rest Bakugo. I already told you, Midoriya is your classmate. I get that you don't have a good past with each other but try to deal with it," Aizawa reprimanded.

Katsuki couldn't believe what he had just heard. His teacher was defending Deku, who was both a villain and quirkless.

Izuku was also surprised. Even though Eraser said it he didn't think he'd actually do it. In his previous school, his teachers never once defended him. Hell, they encouraged the bullying and even joined in.

"Why the hell are you defending him?" Bakugo demanded. "He's a villain."

Aizawa sighed. "Villain or not he is a student here and he will be treated as such."

"I can't believe this," Katsuki scowled while glaring at Izuku. "No matter what you say I still won't accept him."

At this point, Izuku had enough. He stood up, cleared his throat and addressed the annoying presence close to him.

"Look Katsuki, I'm not any happier about this than you are. To be perfectly honest, I'd much rather be rotting away in some prison than having to attend classes alongside you as I did for years. Unfortunately, that's not an option. So as much as I want to, I can't leave," Izuku explained. "And trust me, listening to your obnoxious voice isn't making it any more bearable."

Katsuki felt a vein stand on his forehead. How dare this quirkless piece of shit talk to him like that! He really wanted to fight him now.

The other students were surprised at what Izuku just said. These two, they knew each other. Not just from the USJ, they knew each other personally.

"That's enough," Aizawa ordered. "There's to be no fighting between you two. I mean it. So, sit down and prepare yourself. Class is about to begin."

Katsuki grudgingly relented and sat in front of Izuku.

The students weren't the least bit surprised at his outburst. They could still remember his declaration to kill the guy.

"Now then, I was going to discuss provisional licenses with you but due to recent events, the exam for that has been postponed so I will not discuss them today," Aizawa explained. "Today we'll mainly be testing you on your physical abilities through two events. I'll let him explain that to you though."

At that moment, the door swung open and a loud voice boomed throughout the class.

"I AM HERE, COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A HERO!" All Might announced.

The entire class calmed down instantly and looked at their favourite teacher. He was in his usual hero costume. He was strutting towards the desk in a slow, dramatic fashion. He faced the class with a large smile on his face.

"First of all, it's good to see you all back safe and sound," he said. "And as you've noticed you have a new addition to your class."

All Might glanced at Izuku who looked completely uninterested in what was going on. He knew the boy was still angry at him, and now, probably even more so. Naomasa had told him how Izuku reacted to AFO's death, and how he reacted to being sent here.

Both of which weren't good. He was likely to hold him in contempt for both events since he was the one who captured them. Still, he at least wanted to try and help him.

"I hope you will all get along with each other," he continued.

Some of the students exchanged looks of uncertainty while Katsuki scowled.

Izuku glared at All Might. Seriously, just what did he want with him?

"Now then, on to today's activities. What we'll be doing today is pitting you against each other in team battles. The first will be a race in teams of four. The second will be two on two combat battles," All Might explained.

Katsuki's face formed a huge smile. Fighting was what brought out the best in him. It was one of the few times when he could really let loose.

The other students seemed excited about this.

"We would've done this at the start of the year only we didn't have an even number of people," All Might said. "The teams will be allocated randomly. The order that appears will be the order you take turns."

He pressed a button on the computer and suddenly it started to randomly generate names. Four teams appeared.

Team A: Bakugo, Hakagure, Kirishima, Aoyama.

Team B: Sero, Iida, Jiro, Sato.

Team C: Ojiro, Koda, Asui, Kaminari.

Team D: Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami, Uraraka, Midoriya.

Team E: Ashido, Mineta, Shoji, Todoroki.

The students grinned at who they were partnered with. The ones from team D were surprised that they were paired with Izuku.

Ochaco was slightly nervous since she hadn't gotten the chance to actually talk with him yet.

"So, suit up," All Might ordered as several objects with numbers emerged from the wall. "Young Midoriya, yours is in case eighteen as that's your seat number."

There were murmurs among the students who hadn't expected him to have a hero costume. Izuku ignored them.

His thoughts focused on his costume. He hoped it hadn't been meddled with in any way. He made that outfit (apart from the helmet) himself.

After his battle with Nomu, he made some key adjustments to it. Now it had a higher defence, elemental resistance, and resistance to substances like acid and poison.

In other words, it was extremely important to him and he didn't want anyone screwing around with it.

"We shall all meet at Ground Gamma," All Might declared.

Ground Gamma 30 minutes later

Everyone met up at Ground Gamma after changing quickly. Much to Izuku's relief, his outfit hadn't been altered, well not much. The police had it analysed to make sure there was nothing funny about it.

Then they sent it off to a support company who improved the durability of the outfit, included a respirator that activated his helmet with the touch of a button, and added some white stripes on the sides for decoration (they thought it would look cooler).

The support company itself was impressed with the design and capabilities of the outfit while praising its creator. His belt was there but it only had the grappling hook as the other objects were deemed too dangerous.

Gamma Ground, from Izuku's perspective, looked like an industrial site composed of multiple pipelines that made it look like a labyrinth. He looked at the area and decided it was something he could get through easily. With the training he received from Stain, he would be able to handle it no problem.

He met up with his teammates before the race began. There was some uneasiness between them, but he didn't care.

"Should we come up with a strategy?" Izuku asked them.

The others exchanged glances. Momo was the first to speak.

"Considering the layout of the terrain, Uraraka and Tokoyami will able to move the fastest. You and I will be the slowest since my quirk isn't suited for this kind of thing, and you don't have one," she said.

Personally, Momo didn't know about Izuku, but she was definitely useless in this situation. She had been useless in most situations before.

At the Sports Festival, she was defeated rather easily by Tokoyami. And during the final exams, the only useful thing she did was run and pass the escape line while Bakugo and Todoroki held Aizawa off.

The only useful thing she had managed to do was get a tracker on one of the villains during the training camp.

Unfortunately for her, Izuku saw right through her. He knew the look she wore. It was the look of someone insecure and unsure of themselves. How did he know? He wore that expression for most of his life, it was incredibly hard not to recognise it. Feeling a little sympathy for her he decided to help her out.

"Your quirk isn't suited for this kind of thing you say. How so?" he asked. "It looks as though it would work perfectly in this situation."

Momo stared at him surprised. "What do you mean? It's not-"

Izuku cut her off by moving in close to her until their eyes were locked on each other. The way he looked at her, Momo could've sworn he was staring into her soul.

"Your quirk is Creation, isn't it? It allows you to create any non-living material from your body. However, depending on the size it can take some time, and I'm guessing you must have a basic understanding of the material you're making to bring it into existence," he told her.

Her shocked reaction was enough of an answer for him.

"In that case, make something that will allow you to move quickly throughout the labyrinth-like a grappling hook. Because let me tell you now Yaoyorozu, your quirk is far from useless," Izuku continued. "How will you know unless you try first?"

Momo was speechless.

Fumikage and Ochaco were the same.

None of them had expected this kind of attitude from the villain.

"Observe, adapt, because your quirk is suited for this situation, and many others. Do I make myself clear?" Izuku finished.

Momo suddenly felt as though a large weight had been lifted off her chest. Everything became so clear to her. She stared back at Izuku with determined eyes.

"Yes, you have," she declared. "I don't know if it's possible, but I'll try my best."

Izuku nodded and backed off. Momo still had something she needed to ask.

"How did you know what my quirk was? Or rather, how did you know its full capabilities?" she asked curiously.

"The Sports Festival," Izuku replied honestly. "Quirk analysis was one of my main jobs, I was there on a mission to analyse the quirks of all the participants. I watched each student perform and took notes on their quirks including yours and Class 1A. I might not look it but I'm very observant."

While it certainly explained his reason, something else he just said caught their attention.

"All the students? All the students in the Hero course?" Uraraka asked.

"No. All the students that participated in the tournament. From start to finish," Izuku replied.

There was silence from the three students in front of him. Their next reaction was expected.

"WHAT!" they yelled while their jaws dropped wide open.

Izuku chuckled at their reaction. "Funny, Ashido reacted the same way when she found out."

They disregarded that last statement and focused on the more important one.

"You recorded each student quirk at the Sports Festival," Momo exclaimed.

"How's that even possible?" Tokoyami questioned.

"I had the monitors to help me," Izuku justified. "I'm not that fast."

They were still shocked by what they had heard. They were beginning to see why he was important to the League. Their reactions caught the attention of the other students who were curious as to what was going on.

Katsuki was still angry at Deku. He wished he was against him now during the race, so he could beat him. Still, he would be able to let off some steam in the battle trial.

All Might and Aizawa appeared and ordered the students to get ready as the race was about to start.

All the students got ready in the order they were supposed to go. Momo prepared herself.

"Midoriya's right, I should try before deciding I've been beaten. That's why even if I can't do much here, I'll do what I can," she declared.

And with that, the race began.

This field was suited for Sero so he immediately took the lead. His tape quirk allowed him to move around the area quickly.

Katsuki wasn't far behind as he blasted his way towards the finish line.

Ojiro his tail to swing himself around from area to area while Mina acid skated on the pipelines.

'Midoriya recommended I use a grappling hook, so that's exactly what I'll do,' she thought.

She focused on what she needed in her mind, considered the materials, and slowly, it came into existence. It was quite like Midoriya's, though probably not made of the same materials. She created two for good measure.

She first used them to propel herself onto a building where she quickly examined her surroundings. There were multiple things she could use to attach her grappling hooks to, she also had a way to release them when she needed it. She attached them to two pipelines and propelled herself into the air. She released them and shot them at other targets to pull herself forward and manoeuvre through the sky without touching the ground.

She moved in a similar manner to Sero and eventually caught up to him and Bakugo. Both were surprised that she'd managed to catch up with them but didn't let it distract them. The three of them were nearing the building where the finishing line is. Each was determined to win.

Momo still had one trick up her sleeve.

'I saw her use this in the obstacle course during the Sports Festival,' she thought. 'An invention from Iida's opponent, Mei Hatsume.'

Suddenly, a metallic device with grappling hooks at the side appeared around her waist. This was known as a wire arrow.

Momo threw the grappling hooks in her hands in front of her opponents while firing the wire arrow at the building. Her opponents were momentarily distracted, and that was all she needed.

She reeled the wire arrow in at max speed, cutting past Sero and Bakugo.

She released it before colliding with the railing, instead of managing to fly over it onto the ceiling. Her landing wasn't great (she landed on her stomach), but it was better than nothing.

Bakugo arrived after her (enraged that he had not come first), and Sero quickly followed.

Ojiro arrived next with Mina finishing last.

An announcement went declaring Momo the winner.

"I-I did it," Momo murmured in disbelief. "I won."

She didn't think she would come first, but she did. And it was all thanks to Midoriya. If he hadn't said those things he'd said to her, she doubted she would've built up the confidence she needed.

Ochaco cheered for her.

Fumikage acknowledged she did well.

Izuku said nothing but silently agreed with them. Momo had done well for herself.

UA Staff Room

"Aizawa and All Might are performing physical tests with the students?" Ectoplasm asked.

"Yes, they want to see how much the students have improved," Midnight replied. "Though I can't help but wonder if they also want to test their new arrival to see what he's capable of."

Currently in the staff room was Midnight, Cementoss and Ectoplasm. They didn't have any classes right now, so they were having tea.

"I wonder how that's going," Cementoss said.

"Hard to say really. They all have improved since the Sports Festival, though Izuku Midoriya is a mystery," Midnight replied.

"From the reports we've received, he's quite intelligent and skilled in hand-to-hand combat. We don't know anything about who trained him but according to detective Tsukauchi it was a woman," Ectoplasm said. "There was also the Hero-Killer Stain, but that was only for a week."

They were all quite surprised when they'd learned he was trained by Stain, it made them raise their guard around him. Despite this, they were willing to give him a chance due to the hardship he endured throughout his life.

They did not, however, think it was a good idea to place him in the same class as Katsuki Bakugo, given their past relationship. But 1A had an open spot so there was nothing they could do about it.

"Still, it should be interesting to see where things go from here," Midnight said.

Her colleagues agreed with her.

"Speaking of which, did Nezu tell you? Several pro heroes will be stopping by later to do a check-up on the place. A safety precaution by the police," Cementoss said.

"Really, who?" Ectoplasm asked.

"Three. Gang Orca, Edgeshot and Endeavour," Cementoss informed them.

The two teachers raised their eyebrows. They were all in the top ten.

In addition, Endeavour was Todoroki's father. It was likely he would want to check up on his son.

His attitude towards other people made him a dislikeable person, however.

"Well, this should be interesting," Midnight said with a seductive grin.

Ground Gamma

The race was in its final stage. Ochaco and Tokoyami came second in their respective races, and now it was Izuku's turn. He wasn't nervous. He was confident he could win. No, he would win. It was time to show these students exactly what he was capable of.

His opponents were Sato, Aoyama, Kaminari and Todoroki. Todoroki, he knew he would have difficulty with but the others, they wouldn't be that much of a threat.

Each student stood ready. Those who were watching felt that Todoroki was going to win. Ones such as Tenya, Mina and Momo believed that Izuku had a chance of winning.

At the sound of All Might's voice, the race began.

Shoto quickly took the lead using his ice quirk.

Aoyama following not far behind him, though he did have to stop after using his quirk.

Sato and Kaminari tried to follow them as best they could.

'Stain's training prepared me for this sort of thing. Because of that my balance and athletic abilities are even better than they were before,' Izuku thought.

The students, and teachers, were surprised when they saw Izuku moving throughout the labyrinth-like he owned it. He ran, slid, and leapt from pipe to pipe and ceiling to ceiling at an incredibly fast pace and in a graceful manner.

As he raced through that labyrinth, he used everything he saw to his advantage. It wasn't long before he caught up with Shoto who was also surprised. That didn't stop him though. Shoto moved even faster than before.

It didn't help much unfortunately as Izuku caught up to him, leading to them both being neck to neck with each other.

'He's fast. No wonder he beat Bakugo,' Shoto thought. 'Even though he's quirkless, he shouldn't be underestimated.'

They continued racing against each other to the finish line. Both were so focused on winning that they didn't notice how close they were. As they came near to the finish line, they were side by side and accidentally touched one another's arms, causing them both to turn their heads in the other's direction. Upon noticing each other, they reacted defensively.

Izuku brought up his right arm to push Shoto away but Shoto, in a moment of pure instinct, activated his fire quirk.

'I thought he hated using that,' Izuku thought surprised.

He moved slightly to the side to avoid the flames and continued forward.

Shoto, who'd realised what had happened, put out his flames in disgust. This left him momentarily distracted, something Izuku took advantage of.

He wasted no time in moving towards the finish line at his fastest pace. Shoto followed quickly after regaining his composure but it was pointless. Izuku was just at the finish line. He crossed it and was declared the winner. Shoto came second with the others following not too long after them.

The entire class (with some exceptions) was surprised that Midoriya had won, and against Todoroki of all people.

The teachers were impressed with Midoriya's athletic ability.

Katsuki was speechless at what he just witnessed. Deku beat Todoroki. Even worse, he moved through that labyrinth better than anyone here. It wasn't normal, that was for sure.

Due to having the highest places, Team D won the race. All Might declared that it was lunchtime and allowed the students to leave the area for meals provided by the school. The combat training would be in one hour, which suited everyone.

As they were walking off Momo called out to Izuku.

"Midoriya," she said, catching his attention. "I just wanted to say thanks for helping me back there. If you hadn't said what you said to me I wouldn't have been able to win. So, thank you."

"Your welcome," he said. "You seemed like you could use a pep talk so I gave you one. I know when someone is feeling insecure about themselves just by looking at them. I used to be the same way."

That surprised Momo.

"Really! Why?" she asked.

"Being quirkless in this society isn't easy, trust me. I was insecure about myself for a long time until I joined the League. They helped me become more confident and stronger than I was a year ago," he explained.

Momo looked at him surprised. Villains helped him, that was strange. Or rather, it was unheard of. Clearly, there was more to being a villain than she thought.

Ochaco called them for a team lunch since they won, something Izuku didn't mind. As they walked along, Momo had certain thoughts about Izuku.

'Maybe he's not so bad after all,' she thought.

Unbeknownst to them, Shoto was glaring at Izuku for what he had done. It wasn't that he had won the race, he could care less about that. It was what he caused him to do during it.

'I swore I would never use it to attack, but as soon as I was overwhelmed, I broke my own promise. At this rate, he'll win, and I'll end up exactly who he wants me to be,' Shoto thought. His eyes focused on Midoriya. 'Izuku Midoriya huh, since he pushed me to this point, it might be worth speaking to him.'

All over UA

UA was currently being inspected by Gang Orca, Edgeshot and Endeavour alongside Cementoss.

They had swept the entire school to check it was secure and there were no potential break-ins. Everything was fine as far as they could see.

The number two pro hero had noticed something, however.

"Where is Class 1A?" he asked. "I didn't see them attending classes."

"According to Midnight they are performing physical activities with All Might and Eraserhead," Gang Orca informed him. "They recently finished a race and will shortly be conducting combat scenarios against one another. Why, are you concerned about your son?"

Endeavour grunted. "As if. My Shoto can handle anything thrown at him. I should know since I trained him."

The heroes and teacher didn't know whether to label that as a lack of concern or a sign of good faith in his son.

"Still though, I am curious to see how these fights go," Endeavour continued. "Cementoss, would there be any issue with us watching them?"

"I don't think so," the teacher replied. "I'll take you to where they'll be taking place."

"Good," was Endeavours only response.

"Well, this ought to be interesting," said Edgeshot.

Open hallway near Ground Beta

Izuku was currently standing in front of Shoto in a hallway. The reason. Shoto said he wanted to talk to him in private after he finished his lunch. However, rather than talking, Shoto was giving him the silent treatment while at the same time glaring at him coldly. Izuku waited patiently for Shoto to say something but when he got nothing he'd had enough.

"Okay I've been remarkably polite about this but, either you start talking or I'm leaving," he declared. "What do you want from me?"

Shoto raised an eyebrow.

"During the race, I was overwhelmed by you, and it made break the promise I made to myself a long time ago," he said.

Promise? Was it related to his fire quirk?

It had to be.

The look of disgust he made when he used it was the same as when he used it during the Sports Festival. Or maybe it was something to do with his father. Mina had told him that Shoto got angry whenever his father was mentioned.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with your father, who you inherited your fire quirk from," Izuku guessed.

Shoto continued to glare at him as a response.

"It isn't all that hard to figure out. You refuse to use your left side, and each time you use it you are angered and disgusted that you have. I also heard from Mina that you get angry when he's mentioned," he explained.

Shoto had to give Izuku credit for figuring it out. He was obviously quite intelligent.

"Look, you don't have to explain to me how much of an asshole he is, I already know," Izuku said. "I encountered him a couple of times while doing quirk analysis and he nearly scorched me without so much of an apology. Also, compared to other heroes, he's quite cruel, hot-tempered, and violent."

"You've got to be the first person I've met that realised that about him," Shoto exclaimed surprised. "Most people are always saying what a great hero he is, without knowing him personally."

"I am not most people. Being a villain gives you a different perspective of the world around you," Izuku replied.

It was the truth. Being a villain did give you a different insight into how the world works.

"So, what exactly did he do to you?" Izuku asked. "Did he give you that scar?"

Shoto stared at the ground in silence. Izuku wasn't far off.

"He's responsible for it," Shoto admitted. "But he wasn't the one to do it."

Izuku wondered what he meant by that.

"To start you should know that my father is an incredibly ambitious man. He aims for the top. He used his power to make a name for himself. However, he was never able to best All Might, so the Symbol of Peace is living proof of his failure. He's still at it though, trying to take down All Might, one way or another," Shoto said.

Izuku was a little but not totally surprised. Given Endeavour's cold personality it did seem likely. However, he somehow guessed that taking down All Might didn't mean defeating him in battle.

"Have you ever heard of quirk marriages?" Shoto asked seriously.

That caught Izuku off guard.

Quirk marriages were arranged marriages where people with powerful quirks married to produce more powerful children. They were common back when quirks first emerged but nowadays were generally considered taboo.

Suddenly, Izuku realised where Shoto was going with this, and when he did, his eyes widened in horror.

"No. You're not serious," Izuku exclaimed.

Shoto stared at the ground sadly.

"I am. You see my father has a lot of money and influence because of his career. He bought my mother's family so he could get his hands on her quirk. And now he's using me to usurp All Might," Shoto told him.

Izuku held his breath.

Intelligent as he was, even he never thought Endeavour was capable of something like this.

Shoto wasn't done.

"It's infuriating. I refuse to be a tool for that scumbag," Shoto growled. "In every memory of my mother, I only see her crying. I remember she called my left side unbearable before she poured boiling water on my face. In every memory of my oldest brother, I only see him being burnt by my father, used as a punching bag for being quirkless. I remember him flinching away in fear and limping while moving around the house."

Izuku was flabbergasted.

Shoto's mother was abused so badly, that she broke down and assaulted her son.

And when he said the oldest brother, that meant he had other siblings, meaning he wasn't Endeavour's first attempt.

What his father did was pure criminal, yet he managed to escape justice because of his status. Endeavour was the embodiment of the society Stain hated the embodiment of false heroes.

"If you're wondering why I'm telling you this it's because you pushed me to use my left side," Shoto explained. "However, no matter what happens from now on. If I'm up against you I'll defeat you with my mother's power. It's my way of showing my father that I reject him."

"I understand how you feel," Izuku said suddenly.

"Huh," Shoto replied confused.

"I said I understand how you feel," Izuku stated.

Shoto didn't understand what Izuku meant.

"How could you" he started before Izuku cut him off.

"You were abused because you had a quirk, whereas I was abused because I didn't have one," Izuku explained.

That surprised Shoto. Izuku looked at him seriously now.

"You think it's easy growing up without a quirk. You don't half the things Katsuki and the others put me through every day for being quirkless. There was hardly a day when I didn't arrive home with bruises, scars and burns. My teachers never helped me and some even joined in. To make matters worse, when I decided I wanted to become a hero they all laughed at me saying it was pointless. They called me useless, weak and pathetic all because I didn't have what they did. It was horrible," Izuku said.

This time it was Shoto's turn to be surprised. That sounded a lot like him, only it was done by one person.

"My Mom made it all bearable though. She's a sweet woman who loved and cared about me for me, not about a quirk. Even when I had no one, I had her," Izuku continued.

That was definitely the same as him. They both had kind mothers who loved them unconditionally.

"However, that wasn't enough. One day I had enough. I couldn't take it anymore. So, at someone else's advice, I took a dive off a roof hoping I'd be reborn with a quirk in another life," he said.

Shoto froze upon hearing that. Izuku's life before sounded terrible, but hearing he tried to kill himself shocked Shoto to the core.

'So, he reached that point as well,' Shoto realized.

"I didn't die obviously. The League saved me. They wanted to recruit me, and I accepted. They gave me a reason to live again," Izuku explained.

Hearing this made Shoto realise something else.

"That's why you were at the USJ. To get revenge on Bakugo," he exclaimed.

Izuku scowled. "He made my life hell. He got what he deserved."

Shoto couldn't argue against that. If things were as Izuku described, then Bakugo did deserve it.

"What about you? Does your dad abuse you much?" Izuku asked.

Surprisingly, Shoto had no problem answering that.

"He did when I lived with him. Training often resulted in me getting punched and kicked around. Other times involved me getting burned in different places. A lot of the time he'd shout at me and call me a failure."

He never let me do things most children would, like go to festivals, celebrate my birthday, make friends, or play. He said they weren't necessary for the world he was training me for. I wasn't even allowed to interact with my siblings, though they did try to see me.

"My father was furious after the Sports Festival for not using his power, and even more so when I didn't intern at his agency. He took his anger out on me in the worst way, just to let me know what my place was in his house."

Izuku winced at that description.

Shoto's life sounded so much worse than his but no less similar.

They both remained silent for a minute.

Neither of them could describe it but, talking to each other about their problems felt strangely good for some reason.

"As much as I'd like to continue this conversation we need to go," Izuku said. "The next part of the training will begin soon."

"True," Shoto agreed. "We can continue this conversation some other time."

The pair headed off to the training area.

Ground Beta

Ground Beta was a city area with several high-rise buildings. All the students gathered there along with their teachers.

They were surprised to see some of the top ten heroes there, though it was explained why.

Edgeshot recognised Izuku but kept quiet. He figured he must've been here for a reason.

Shoto flinched at seeing his father again. Just when he thought he'd gotten away from him.

Endeavour scowled at seeing his son. In his eyes, Shoto had proven to be nothing more than another disappointment. Still, these battle trials should be interesting.

"The scenario for this training is the bad guys have stolen a missile and are keeping it hidden in a building. The heroes must infiltrate and foil the villain's plan by either capturing the villains or the weapon. We'll pick teams by drawing lots," All Might explained.

They all quickly drew lots. Izuku was part of team A with Ochaco (much to her surprise).

The others were paired up in order as followed: Iida and Shoji, Momo and Mineta, Kastuki and Shoto, Mina and Aoyama, Sato and Koda, Jiro and Kaminari, Tokoyami and Asui, Ojiro and Hakagure, Kirishima and Sero.

Then to decide the first match, All Might drew randomly from two boxes labelled Heroes and Villains. Team A were the heroes. Team D were the villains. It would be Ochaco and Izuku against Katsuki and Shoto.

Everyone present was stunned at the match. It was the quirkless villain and Ochaco against the two strongest in their class. It seemed like an unfair fight.

Katsuki was thrilled. This was his chance to get back at Deku and remind him that he was better than him.

Shoto wanted to be anywhere but there right now with his father watching. Still, he would show him he didn't need his power to win.

Ochaco was nervous about the upcoming match and for good reason. She still couldn't believe her partner was Deku. She hadn't planned to talk with him this way.

Izuku on the other hand was looking forward to this. Especially since it was against Katsuki.

'I've been through a lot these past few weeks. And I need to vent my anger on someone. Katsuki get ready cause this is gonna hurt. Sorry Todoroki, but this includes you as well,' Izuku thought.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? There was a lot I wanted to get in for this chapter and wasn't sure whether I should include some parts or not. If you are curious about the conversation between Deku and Todoroki I thought they would be well together since they are quite similar in certain regards. Now this happened at the start of the manga and anime but I wanted to do it now so I hope none of you mind. You'll see the fight next chapter but please remember, Izuku is much stronger than the last time he fought Bakugo so you'll see how much he's changed. Please review.

Chapter 27: Deku vs Kacchan Round 2

Summary:

The fated rematch has arrived. How will it go down?

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Monitor room

All who weren't participating in the battle were in the monitor room to observe it. So far, the villains were guarding the weapon while the heroes waited outside. It was almost time for All Might to start the event.

"Who's the kid in black?" Endeavour questioned. "I don't remember him in 1A. Did he transfer from a different department?"

All Might and Aizawa glanced at each other. Endeavour hadn't been at the meeting with other parents, so he didn't know.

"Well, who is he?" Endeavour demanded.

The two teachers sighed. He would find out eventually, why not now?

"His name is Izuku Midoriya. He was a member of the League of Villains until he was captured during the hideout raid. He was transferred here at police orders as a safety measure for him due to several previous attempts on his life. But, also because he hasn't committed any serious crimes, and on several occasions, defended our students," Aizawa explained in one go. "You would've known about it sooner if you bothered to attend that parent-teacher meeting a few weeks back."

Endeavour, who perfectly understood what was just said, was furious. His flames burned even more on his body. He glared at the two teachers.

"What?" Endeavour snarled. "He's a villain and he's being allowed to attend this school. What is wrong with you people? This is a school for heroes, not villains. Why is he being allowed to attend here?"

"I just explained," Aizawa started until Endeavour cut him off.

"What he did to help others is irrelevant," he snapped. "He is still a villain. And as such he does not belong here, he belongs in prison where he can be interrogated for any valuable information he might have."

"He's already been interrogated, and he doesn't have any valuable information. The League kept him in the dark about many things," Aizawa retorted.

"Maybe you're not trying hard enough," Endeavour snarled.

Sensing the tension Gang Orca came between them.

"Now, now. We're here to watch these battles. Let's not fight amongst ourselves," he reasoned. "Besides, if he is here because the police thought it was best then that means it was the right decision."

Endeavour grunted in annoyance.

"I remember him," Edgeshot piped up. "He was there during the raid alongside the other villains. Ms Ashido claimed he rescued her from another villain. I heard it was a villain named Atrocity."

"Yes, that's correct," Aizawa confirmed.

Edgeshot remembered the boy. He was surprised, and saddened, to see someone so young as a villain. Still, he was impressed with his intelligence. There weren't many who knew what his quirk was capable of, and yet he had figured it out.

"He was involved in the assault on the training camp and kidnappings of students and the pro hero Ragdoll, and yet you still enrolled him here," Endeavour said. "UA's standards sure have fallen."

Before one of the teachers could answer him, a student from behind spoke up.

"Midoriya wasn't involved in that. He didn't even know the nature of the event until a little before it happened. And even then, he didn't know who was being kidnapped," Mina stated loudly.

Endeavour shot a glare at the girl. Mina didn't stop.

"If he had known he probably wouldn't have agreed to it. He hates Bakugo. The two don't exactly have a good past together, he made that very clear. There's no way he would have wanted him in the League," she continued.

"Oh really," Endeavour sneered. "Did he tell you this after he rescued you? Speaking of which, how did that happen?"

Mina shifted slightly. She didn't like the way he spoke to her.

Neither did some of the people in the room.

"Yes actually. He came across me by chance as Muscular hid me from the other villains, who weren't aware I was there. When Midoriya found me Kurogiri came to help him, however, Muscular showed up ready to take me to his boss, Atrocity. Before he could, Izuku intervened and lied saying he was on orders from AFO to collect any unplanned students. Muscular threatened him with death but he didn't back down, that's when AFO showed up and made Muscular stand down. I was placed into his custody as his assistant for the time and during the raid he let me go," she explained quickly.

Some of the students blinked. They had never heard Mina describe what happened to her before. Though they never asked.

"Assistant. Just what did he do for the League?" Endeavour asked.

"Quirk analysis and science experiments," Mina replied honestly. "Barring that one time at the USJ, he wasn't a field agent."

"And he never, at any stage, worked on the Nomu," Aizawa interjected. "The first time he saw one was at the USJ."

Gang Orca and Edgeshot wondered how such a person could ever have become a villain.

Endeavour turned to All Might.

"What's his quirk?" he demanded. "Something for combat or analysis?"

"Young MIdoriya doesn't have a quirk actually. He's quirkless," All Might explained.

Endeavour raised an eyebrow.

"A quirkless villain. UA's standards really have fallen since my day," he sneered.

Some people shifted slightly when he said that. They didn't like the way he said quirkless.

"Well it's clear who's won this match," Endeavour declared.

"Let's not be too hasty. Watch before you judge," Edgeshot urged

Ground Beta

Izuku and Ochaco infiltrated the building silently so no one would detect their presence. They had each looked at the layout of the building before entering.

After entering, Izuku placed his hand on the floor, closed his eyes, and channelled his senses so he could locate their opponents. He couldn't detect any movement on this floor so that must've meant they were on a different floor.

Ochaco was confused by his actions until he explained them.

"Do you know any hand-to-hand combat?" he asked.

"A little. I learned some when I was interning at Gunhead's agency," Ochaco replied.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Her quirk was more suited for rescue, though that wasn't to say it couldn't be used offensively.

"I chose that place because I wanted to experience a different perspective and learn some new fighting skills, especially after my fight with Bakugo," she continued.

"You did pretty well in that match," Izuku complimented. "If the setting were different you could've won."

Ochaco stared at him surprised. She never thought of it that way before.

"Um, about before, I never got the chance to thank you," she said.

Izuku ceased walking and looked back at her.

"Are you referring to what I did at the USJ?" he asked.

Ochaco nodded.

"Back then, if you hadn't stopped that man if you hadn't saved me. I wouldn't be where I am today. So, I just wanted to say thank you," she said. "I also wanted to ask you, why, why did you help me?"

This had been something she wanted to know for such a long time.

Izuku stared at her for a couple of seconds. He wasn't surprised she asked him that.

"Being on the side that's willing for heroes to die is different from condoning rape. I interfered that way because it's what I felt was right at the time. Nothing more," he explained.

That was interesting. The USJ and training camp aside, she had never really interacted with a villain before. Then again, it wasn't the sort of thing to be doing regularly. Still, All Might's words about how villains varied were ever-present in her mind.

"Enough talk. Katsuki will be here soon, so he'll likely go for me. And I'm looking forward to it," he said with a sadistic grin (Razor's influence) underneath his mask. "I can't wait to beat him to a pulp again."

The declaration was unnerving to her.

"You two really don't like each other, do you?" she asked.

"Not in the slightest. It's all because," he started.

He stopped suddenly at hearing movement. He looked around and saw a familiar gauntlet leaping around the corner.

Without thinking, he dived towards Ochaco, grabbed her, flipped forward, and landed while still holding her in his arms. It was just in time as well since the wall they were next to them exploded.

Katsuki stood there, glaring at Izuku.

"What's the matter Deku? Afraid to stand up and fight me?" he snarled.

"As if," Izuku retorted. "You don't scare me anymore Katsuki. If anything, you should be afraid of me."

Katsuki glared hatefully at his opponent.

Ochaco, who was standing up again, was amazed at Izuku's lack of fear towards Bakugo.

Speaking of which, he charged at Izuku with a sadistic grin while pulling back his right arm to attack.

"I'm not gonna hurt you so bad they'll have to stop the fight, but close enough," Katsuki ranted.

Before he could do anything, Izuku was right next to him. He grabbed his arm, turned, and threw him on his back. Katsuki, and everyone watching, was stunned at what happened. Izuku would've pounced on him like before, but he had some things he wanted to say and do with his former friend.

"You're so predictable Katsuki. You always start off with a big right hook in a fight," Izuku informed him. "Of course, I know that. I've known you since we were kids."

Katsuki sat up and glared at Izuku.

"I know how you fight, how you think, and how you do most things," Izuku continued. "How do you think I beat you last time?"

"SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH," Katsuki yelled.

"Why? It's true," Izuku retorted. "And since we're familiar with each other this time there are some things I'd like to get off my chest with you. Starting with what I really think of you."

Ochaco was both nervous and curious about this situation. She had never seen anyone speak that way to Bakugo before (for obvious reasons).

"In my opinion, you're nothing more than a selfish, arrogant, prideful, asshole who thinks he's the best at everything when in reality you aren't," Izuku yelled. "You're also an angry, whiny little bitch who throws a tantrum when things don't go your way. On top of that, you're a cowardly piece of shit who only targets those who are weaker just to make yourself appear strong when you're just as weak."

There were veins standing on Katsuki's forehead. If looks could kill, then the glare he was giving right now would have incinerated both Izuku and Ochaco alive.

He stood up again, ready to pummel Deku into the ground.

"THAT DOES IT! YOU'RE DEAD!" he roared.

He was about to charge at Izuku, but the boy was close to him in an instant, much to his surprise.

Immediately, he launched several sides and turning kicks at Katsuki. His first kick to the face connected and broke the boy's nose.

Afterwards, the kicks were mainly focused on his body and face, most of which were successful. Izuku attacked with such speed and variation in his legs that Katsuki could only try to defend himself, to no avail.

Izuku performed a rising kick on Katsuki to send him flying in the air. As he came back to the ground Izuku spun his back leg and delivered a powerful side kick that sent Katsuki skidding across the hall until he stopped.

Katsuki had blood oozing down his nose and from his mouth. It didn't take a genius to see that he was in a lot of pain.

Ochaco couldn't believe what she was seeing. Bakugo being kicked around like he was some sort of rag doll. It kind of reminded her of her fight with him.

"What's the matter Kacchan?" Izuku taunted. "Are you struggling? I thought you said you were a perfectionist. When did that stop?"

Izuku couldn't deny he was enjoying himself. Taunting and beating the crap out of Bakugo felt good in way's he couldn't describe. He guessed the correct term would be satisfying.

Katsuki's face contorted with rage.

'What the fuck! He's like a completely different person from the USJ,' he thought. 'How did he get so strong?'

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Deku was much stronger than he was a year ago. Still, even though he was hurt, he was far from finished.

He charged at Deku again, this time using his quirk to manoeuvre through the air. He would strike Deku from up there.

"An aerial attack. Like that'll work on me," Izuku thought.

Using the walls to his advantage, Izuku leapt up and jumped from wall to wall to get above Katsuki and move towards him. Izuku performed a flying turning kick, but Katsuki ducked back to avoid it and unleash explosions with both his hands that struck Izuku.

Katsuki landed down on his feet while Izuku did the same thing. The attack didn't hurt him that much thanks to his suit. Izuku performed another flying turning kick only for Katsuki to repeat his action from before.

However, Izuku was ready this time.

The moment Katsuki tried to launch an explosion he grabbed his wrists to stay above him. Then he used them to swing around and hit Katsuki in the face with both his legs.

As Katsuki was forced back, Izuku moved in front of him and began to deliver a series of punches to both Katsuki's head and body.

'God this feels really good,' Izuku thought.

Katsuki's face was bleeding and several punches to the stomach causing him to cough up blood and vomit. Another punch sent him flying back onto his back. He looked down for the count.

Izuku started walking back to Ochaco who was completely stunned at what she just witnessed. Bakugo had been defeated. And the person walking towards her made it look easy. She should have feared him, but all she felt was admiration for how strong he was. She felt somewhat weak also because she had done nothing.

She wasn't the only one.

Monitor room

The people who'd been watching were in complete and utter disbelief at what they had just witnessed.

"A quirkless person beat Bakugo," Kaminari murmured.

"All by himself," Mineta whispered fearfully.

"And like he was nothing," Kirishima added.

Most of the students knew better than to underestimate Izuku now.

Some were frightened of him.

Others were impressed.

'When you said you're brutal in a fight you weren't kidding,' Mina thought.

During the time she was with the League, she asked Izuku about how he beat Bakugo. She guessed it was with martial arts (which he confirmed). He also told her how he usually dealt with his opponents. It made sense since he didn't have a quirk.

'In Hosu he displayed a unique ability with martial arts, so I'm not surprised,' Tenya mused.

The heroes were also stunned.

Endeavour couldn't believe a quirkless mistake like him was holding his own against someone with a superior power to him.

Aizawa and Gang Orca acknowledged Izuku's strength, but also noted how dangerous he was. They knew that whoever trained Izuku was probably someone not to be trifled with.

'Intelligence and unique fighting ability. I wouldn't mind having him as a sidekick,' Edgeshot thought. 'He even learned how to channel his senses, something that takes a lot of practice.'

All Might was having different thoughts about this.

'I should send for medical help for Bakugo, he needs it,' he thought. 'The way young Midoriya's fighting, his style, I've seen it before.'

The image of a woman with short silver hair and eyes, and a cold attitude flashed in his mind.

All Might flinched. It had been a long time since he thought about Razor. They had fought several times in the past, though there were times when they had fought side by side.

Razor was a complicated woman; she was also one of the few that knew his secret.

Despite the fighting, they had come to appreciate each other and became friends. Because they lived in two different worlds, All Might did not keep in contact with her as much as his other associates.

Still, the idea of her taking on a student didn't seem realistic to him. There were very few individuals she could stand to be around.

"Hey, he's getting back up," Hagakure yelped.

True to her words, Bakugo stood back up again. He was covered in blood and looked like he could pass out at any second. The teachers were wondering whether they should stop this or not.

Ground Beta

"Look Katsuki, you've already lost. Why suffer more than you already have?" Izuku asked.

Katsuki glared at him.

'How the fuck is this possible? Deku was a weak useless nerd who I could squash like a bug whenever I wanted,' he thought. 'Yet now the roles are reversed. It doesn't make any sense.'

He had known Deku since he was a child, and he wasn't anything like he was now.

He started to hate him after he tried to help him out of a river because in his mind, it was the same as being looked down on.

As they grew up, things started to change drastically between them.

He couldn't quite describe it, but whenever he was around Deku, all he could feel was anger and hatred.

He wanted to hurt him, even though he did nothing to him.

It didn't make any sense, but it was what it was.

"Tell you what, as an act of mercy from me, I'll make your defeat peaceful," Izuku said as he took out some capture tape.

Katsuki wasn't done. He still had one last trick up his sleeve. Slowly he raised his right gauntlet at them.

Ochaco didn't understand what he was doing, and neither did the people watching, but Izuku did. Underneath his mask, his eyes widened.

"Are you insane? Using an attack like that in here is dangerous!" he shouted.

"You'll be fine as long as you dodge," Katsuki retorted. "This is my last resort. Be proud that you actually managed to push me to this point Deku. You're actually not a terrible fighter."

Izuku flinched. Did Katsuki just compliment him? It was definitely the nicest thing he ever said to him.

He didn't have anything to throw at him (curse the support company for getting rid of his weapons/gadgets). He dashed towards Uraraka in an effort to protect her. He got the feeling she didn't know what those gauntlets were really for.

"Uraraka run. Those gauntlets, they aren't for show. They can," Izuku shouted but he never got the chance to finish what he was saying.

At that moment, a powerful force from Katsuki's gauntlet erupted and blasted towards his opponents. Ochaco started running but Izuku could see it was pointless. He wrapped his arms around her and covered her, acting as a shield. The attack hit them both, but mostly Izuku.

The attack shook the entire area.

Shoto, who was guarding the weapon since Bakugo left to go fight their opponents, didn't like what was going on. He didn't know how, but he knew Bakugo was the one responsible.

The students, teachers and heroes were just as surprised. None of them knew Bakugo had an attack like that, or even use it for that matter. Using an attack like that was incredibly dangerous and could have seriously injured someone.

Izuku was grateful to the support company for improving his outfit's defensive capabilities. Otherwise, it wouldn't be in one piece, like him. It had been worn away at that attack, so its durability may have decreased by a little but other than that it was fine.

The impact hurt him somewhat, but thanks to his suit, and his training, he was able to brush it off.

"Are you alright?" he asked his partner.

"I think I should be the one asking you that," Ochaco retorted. "You took most of the attack."

"I'm fine. This outfit and I are tougher than we look," he replied.

"Well then I'm fine too," Ochaco said. "Why did you protect me though?"

Izuku thought about this for a moment.

"You're my partner for this fight. And as such, I won't abandon you," he said.

That earned him a surprised silence.

Izuku stood up again and gave her a helping hand up.

The two looked towards Bakugo who was visibly stunned that his attack hadn't done much damage.

"That's the second time I've survived that attack. The first was in the USJ," Izuku explained.

Ochaco remembered the massive explosion that destroyed almost everything in its path. She had nearly been caught up in it, and that made her angry.

"Bakugo you idiot," she shouted. "During the USJ, you could've killed someone. And this time you could've killed us."

"Shut it gravity bitch. If you can't handle that then you're just weak," Katsuki snapped back.

They could see that the last attack had worn him out. They needed to finish this now.

"I stood on the sidelines before but not this time. Let's finish this together," Ochaco said.

"Agreed," Izuku said. "Tie his arms first and then his legs."

Ochaco nodded. She charged at Bakugo at max speed. The latter raised his arm and fired an explosion, but she dodged and moved to the side where she grabbed his arm. She then performed the signature throw Gunhead had taught her by tripping Katsuki onto his stomach and holding his arm to his back.

Izuku was next to her instantly and held Katsuki's other arm to his back. Powerful as his quirk was, it was mainly focused through his hands making it the perfect weakness.

They quickly tied his arms and legs, thus eliminating him from the battle.

'I lost, again,' Katsuki thought in disbelief. 'This can't be happening.'

'I won Kacchan, you lost,' Izuku declared. 'And now I'm moving on. To me, you're nothing more than a bad memory. One that no longer bothers me.'

Katsuki flinched when he heard that.

He felt anger, humiliation, and despair, all of which compressed into shock for him at this point. And it was all because of Deku, who now saw him as nothing.

Izuku and Ochaco quickly moved towards their next target.

At the same time, Izuku felt better than he had in a long time.

Monitor room

Everyone stared in disbelief as they walked off leaving Bakugo defeated.

The teachers were going to talk with Bakugo about his rash course of action later but for now, they decided to call him in for medical treatment. At the same time, they couldn't deny they were happy that he defended Uraraka. It showed he had the mark of a hero.

Endeavor was glaring at the villain on the screen.

'Don't think you've won you quirkless filth. Regardless of what you did here, my Shoto will defeat you, even if it's with half his power,' he thought.

Shoto Todoroki

"Bakugo's been defeated," he realised. "Guess that means it's my turn."

Unlike Bakugo however, he wouldn't underestimate his opponent.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I was going to have two fight scenes in this chapter but decided against it. I hope you enjoyed it. Next time you'll see Izuku face off against Shoto, with more of the boy's past being revealed, as well as other stuff. Please review.

Chapter 28: Thawing a frozen heart

Summary:

Izuku battles against Shoto with all his might, neither one willing to give up.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku and Ochaco continued up through the building to locate their other opponent. Shoto would likely be tougher than Bakugo, especially considering how much that ice quirk of his could do. Izuku remembered how easily he'd immobilised his opponents in the Sports Festival. They would have to do all they could to avoid it.

Still, Izuku was happy. Mainly because he beat Katsuki once again.

What was the saying?

Karma is a bitch.

Oh, she was, a complete and total one.

With most of his anger vented, he would take the remainder out on Todoroki. Although this time it wasn't personal.

Todoroki would be a tricky opponent since he could spread ice from his right side all around the field to immobilise his targets and make it difficult to move. However, he couldn't make ice appear out of the spots he'd already frozen, it had to come from his body.

There was also the fact that he refused to use his left side which gave them an advantage. Ice also wasn't an issue for Izuku. Though he had no experience, through Stains wisdom he knew how to fight on it.

Flashback

Izuku and Stain had just finished some mobility training on the rooftops of Hosu and were now resting on top of one.

"You've gotten pretty good, and in such a short amount of time," Stain applauded.

"I owe it all to you. You taught me after all. You're a really good teacher," Izuku stated.

Stain laughed. It was his first time acting as a teacher and he wasn't doing too bad. Either that or Deku was just a good student.

"At any rate, it seems like you'll have no issue with moving around any surface," Stain said.

"Unless it's something like ice or oil," Izuku pointed out.

"Actually, you'll be able to move on them as well," Stain shot back.

Izuku glanced at him confused. Stain sighed and decided to explain.

"Most of the time when you are on a substance like ice or oil you would slip. However, that depends on the friction. If you are there for a second and don't use much friction, then you will be able to navigate through them without much difficulty. In other words, move fast and don't move much," Stain explain. "If you do, try and use that substance to your advantage."

Izuku looked out at the city. He never thought of it like that before. He wondered when he would use such a technique.

Flashback end

Apparently, that time was now.

"Hey um, I was just wondering," Ochaco started. "Your name Deku, where does it come from?"

Izuku glanced at her surprised.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked.

Ochaco fidgeted slightly.

"Curiosity I guess," she replied. "Bakugo calls you it not because it's your villain name, but more like a nickname. It makes sense since you've both known each other since childhood."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. This girl was quite intelligent to have figured it out so quickly. Either that or she was just rather observant.

"Well if you must know, it's an alternate reading of my first name. He gave it to me when we were kids because I wasn't good at many things like him. The name itself means worthless, or rather useless. It seemed to become even more true after I was outed as quirkless," he explained.

"So, it's an insult then," Ochaco noted.

Izuku nodded in confirmation. "It was a scar for most of my life. Hence, why I chose it as my villain identity."

Ochaco had a different opinion about though.

"Really, Deku sounds like the word for "You can do it", plus I think it sounds super cute," she said.

"…"

Izuku stared at her like she was mad.

Ochaco looked confused by his reaction.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Izuku said quickly regaining his composure. "Let's just keep moving forward."

In truth, Izuku felt like a bomb had blown up in front of him.

He wasn't mad at Ochaco. He was just incredibly confused at that moment. His entire life that name was an insult. No one had ever thought it like that before.

"Okay, now our battle plan for Todoroki. Using your quirk, we can avoid being frozen when he uses it on the entire area," he explained.

"That's all we'll be able to do," Ochaco admitted sadly. "My quirk isn't exactly offensive."

"That's not entirely true," Izuku told her. "Your quirk could be used to weaken structures of different objects so they're easier to break. Lessening the weight of an object makes it less dense."

Ochaco looked at him surprised. She had never thought of it that way before. Guess he really did analyse her quirk at the festival.

"I can handle Todoroki in close combat. From what I saw at the Sports Festival, he's a long-range fighter, not a mid-range," Izuku explained.

They continued moving up towards their opponent.

Monitor room

The students and pros continued to watch the battle trial. Bakugo had been taken off and delivered to Recovery Girl. They still couldn't get over how easily he'd been defeated.

There was a fifteen-minute time limit in this trial and with just under ten minutes to complete it.

Aizawa and All Might were a little impressed with the advice Izuku gave Ochaco. They came to the conclusion it was in one of his notebooks from the Sports Festival.

Endeavour was still glaring at Izuku.

'You just got lucky you quirkless filth. No matter what happens, my Shoto will defeat you, even if it is with his disgraceful behaviour he will win,' he silently swore.

Ground Beta

Izuku and Ochaco had finally made it to the floor where the weapon was being kept. They were greeted by a wave of ice covering the entire area.

Fortunately for them, Ochaco activated her quirk just in time for them to avoid it.

Todoroki's ice stretched from the floor to the walls to the ceiling. Literally, the entire floor (and possibly a few others) was enveloped in ice.

Ochaco felt chills down her spine as the temperature dropped rapidly.

Izuku wasn't as bothered as Razor's training ensured he could withstand these situations.

Shoto came just around the corner. He turned to face them with an emotionless expression, though in his mind he was a little impressed that they avoided being frozen.

Ochaco released them both so they were on the ground again (they didn't slip, fortunately).

"Not bad. Unfortunately, my old man is watching so I can't afford to lose," Shoto stated.

"Neither can we," Izuku retorted. "Powerful as your quirk is, it has one weakness. And that's it being ice."

Shoto raised an eyebrow. That made no sense whatsoever.

"Uraraka now," he commanded. "Focus only on the ice."

"Got it," she replied.

She placed her hands on the ground and concentrated. She applied her power to the cool substance she was on, and not the ground beneath. Since the ice didn't weigh that much she didn't feel the negative effects of her quirk, it was how she managed to cover all of it.

"It's done," she declared while standing up.

The second she said that Izuku leapt up into the air, only to come straight back down and deliver a powerful stomp to the ground. Due to Ochaco's quirk, the ice cracked spreading out along the walls and floor. Shoto was surprised by this action. He never knew Uraraka's quirk was capable of such a thing. Izuku stomp again in different places to do more damage and make sure the ice was in different pieces. He even punched the walls to add to his artillery.

'Perfect. Now everything's ready,' Izuku analysed.

Shoto decided he's seen enough and was about to attack when Izuku kicked up several chunks of ice from the ground. Because they were under Uraraka's quirk they hovered in the air.

Not wasting any time Izuku kicked them towards his enemy. Due to the quirk, they flew at high speed towards Shoto who barely managed to protect himself with an ice shield.

'He's using my own quirk against me,' Shoto thought. 'Damn him.'

Izuku shot more ice at Shoto only to stop and take out a few pieces from the wall.

'This my chance,' Shoto realised.

He released the shield and prepared to attack again, only to notice Uraraka wasn't there anymore. He felt something wrap around his left hand, and he didn't need to turn to see what it was.

'Clever. Distract me while you capture,' he thought. 'Won't work, unfortunately.'

Ice shot from his right side towards his left hand. He was lucky to have caught the tape instead of his hand.

Ochaco was forced to back off while breaking off the tape.

However, Shoto wasn't letting her off that easy. Forming an ice fist with his right hand he punched her in the stomach and sent her flying back to the wall.

Ochaco yelped in pain.

"So much for a sneak attack," she exclaimed.

During Izuku's assault, she had glided over using her quirk while keeping silent. Though it hadn't done much good.

Shoto was about to freeze her when he remembered Izuku. He turned back, only to be met with a solid right hook to his left jaw.

Shoto staggered slightly but quickly sent a large barrage of ice at Izuku, which he dodged by flipping backwards.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ochaco launched herself at Todoroki by performing a flying side kick that connected perfectly with his back.

Shoto quickly grabbed her with his right hand and started freezing her.

'If he wants to freeze me then I'll make him float,' Ochaco decided.

She tried to grab him, but Shoto guessed what she had in mind and threw her back towards Midoriya.

Izuku caught her and placed her down.

'They're strong,' Shoto acknowledged. 'I was right not to underestimate them. Especially Midoriya.'

Ochaco applied her quirk to the ice covering her leg so Izuku could break it off. After that, she felt even colder than before.

'At this rate, we won't win,' Izuku realized. 'Not by capturing him anyway.'

Seeing no other alternative, Izuku quickly formulated a plan in his mind. The only one that would ensure their victory.

"Uraraka, go for the weapon. I'll handle Todoroki," he whispered.

The girl's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? You can't take him by yourself."

"I'm probably a little crazy but hey, who isn't," he joked. "At any rate, I can take him. This is our only chance of winning and I'd like for you to trust me."

Ochaco looked uncertain but eventually relented. She activated her quirk on the new ice Todoroki produced and started to leave.

"Fine, I'll leave it in your hands. You'd better not lose," she called out as she jumped along.

Izuku nodded and turned to face Todoroki who wore a cold expression.

"Clever move sending her along to capture the weapon. However, it's foolish to think that you can beat me by yourself," Shoto declared.

"We'll see about that," Izuku countered.

Wasting no time, Izuku broke the ice and started throwing and kicking them at Todoroki again. The latter deployed more ice to counter them, and at an incredibly fast pace too.

Rather than turn from the attack Izuku dashed towards it straight on (an act which surprised Todoroki). As he neared the barrage of ice, he started jumping from wall to wall to avoid the attack and get closer to Todoroki.

It worked because Shoto didn't have any time to react as Midoriya's feet landed on his chest. Using the surface as an advantage, Izuku performed a backflip kick that connected with Shoto's chin and launched up into the air.

As soon as he landed on his feet, Izuku moved forward and launched several punches at Shoto to keep him suspended in the air.

Izuku's punches were mainly to the stomach, and the only reason Shoto didn't vomit was that he was used to such pain from at home.

Shoto crashed against the wall after coming to the end of the hall. Izuku didn't stop. He punched Shoto on the left side of his face and was about to do the same to his right, this time Shoto managed to dodge, and ice punched Izuku in the stomach.

That didn't make him go away. Instead, Izuku took advantage of his left side and used it to force him to face the wall.

"I'll admit I felt that one," he admitted. "But let's see if you can take this."

Using the ice to his advantage, Izuku spun on his heel and delivered several kicks to Shoto's body. Then he kicked him on his right side to send him flying.

Shoto was in pain, not enough to put him out or stop him from standing up, but he was in awful pain. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

He wasn't beaten yet, however. Slowly, he got back up to his feet.

From Izuku's perspective, Todoroki looked like he was in immense pain. His face and arms were bruised. There was also some blood come from his mouth. On his right side, there were thin traces of ice, a sign of frostbite, most likely an effect from overusing his quirk.

"Look Todoroki, I have nothing personal against you, so I don't actually like hurting you. Surrender and accept your defeat. It's pointless to continue the way you are," Izuku said.

"I refuse," Shoto replied automatically.

That irritated Izuku.

"Why? Don't you realise that you can't win? Why fight a losing battle?" he asked.

"Because he's watching that's why," Shoto shouted, much to Izuku's surprise. "If I give up it'll be seen as a sign of weakness, a sign that he's right about me. And the last thing I want is to give him the satisfaction."

Shoto glared at Izuku.

"You have no idea what it's like to be me. You have no idea what it's like growing up for one purpose, even if you don't like or want it. You have no idea what it's like being alone with no one there for you," he ranted. "You have no idea what it's like to be trapped in a life from which you can't escape, no matter how much you want to. You have no idea what it's like to live a life where you aren't allowed a single moment of happiness."

Izuku stared at Shoto. He looked into his eyes and saw a variety of emotions: anger, fear, sadness, loneliness, and resentment.

And when he did, he saw another boy appear next to Shoto. A boy with a mop of green hair, a school uniform, and emerald eyes with a sad and lonely expression.

He saw himself, or rather his former self, in Shoto.

Upon realising this, Izuku felt an odd desire to help Shoto.

He wanted to help him accept who he was, just as he had accepted himself a long time ago. And there was only one way to do that.

Reaching up to his respirator Izuku deactivated his mask so he could properly look Shoto in the eye, much to the latter's confusion.

"Maybe I can't understand what it's like to be you. Our childhoods are similar but different. However, I can relate to you since I know what it means to be alone, to be sad, angry, frustrated and wishing you were like every other normal person even though you're not," Izuku explained.

Shoto stared at him confused.

Monitor room

The students, teachers and pros watched in disbelief at Shoto's current state.

They were impressed with how Uraraka used her quirk and how she and Izuku fought against Shoto.

Then they were in disbelief at how the most powerful student in their class was tossed around like some rag doll by some quirkless villain.

Some were making mental notes not to incur his wrath.

Others such as Tenya, Mina, Fumikage, and Momo were amazed at what they were seeing.

Endeavour was both shocked and furious at what he was witnessing.

A quirkless brat was beating his son.

'How disgraceful of you Shoto. And here I thought you couldn't fall any further,' he internally scorned. 'You're even weaker than I gave you credit for.'

"Who taught this boy how to fight?" Gang Orca asked curiously.

"We don't know. According to another who was captured it was a woman. Izuku said she was no longer in the League since AFO was captured," Aizawa replied.

He decided to leave out the part about Stain as that would only create more problems.

He, along with All Might, was concerned about what Todoroki was saying. They had never paid much attention to it before but, Todoroki seemed scared of his father. The things he was saying, the way he was acting. Just what went on in that house of his.

Thankfully, only they could hear what the participants were saying.

Also, from what they could tell, it sounded like Midoriya was trying to help his opponent. But why?

Ground Beta

"What are you rambling on about? What do you want from me?" Shoto barked.

"I'm saying I understand what it's like to be you, even if it's different from what you've actually lived through," Izuku snapped back. "As for what I want from you. I want you to fight me at your full power. Use your left side. Use your fire."

Shoto stared at him shocked for a moment before switching to a glare.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Shoto snarled. "Did my monster of a father put you up to this?"

"That toxic waste of human flesh you're related to didn't say anything to me. I'm doing this of my own will," Izuku stated. "So, use it already. It's the only chance you have of fighting against me."

Shoto literally couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't want to accept it. He didn't want to use his father's power. Being encouraged to by someone else made him angry.

Gritting his teeth, he looked down at the floor.

"I'm not gonna use it. And you know damn well why. Using it means I accept his," Shoto shouted but never got the chance to finish.

Izuku moved forward quickly and punched him in the face. An expression of rage was painted across his face.

Shoto looked up at him stunned.

"His power, his power. Stop calling it that. Tell that shitty excuse of a father of yours to go fuck himself! Because let me tell you here and now Todoroki, that power, that quirk, is yours. Do you understand? Yours, not his. If he, or anybody else, tells you otherwise, well then screw them. That's your quirk, your power, and no one else's!" Izuku roared at the boy on the ground.

Shoto was speechless. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to think.

Yet, when he heard those words, memories from a forgotten life came flooding back to him.

Flashback

He was the youngest of four siblings in his family.

His eldest siblings were twins, brother and sister that were seven years older than him, with his second older brother, who was four years older than him.

His sister and second brother inherited their mother's quirk, sparing them the wrath of their father.

His eldest brother was quirkless, and unlike the other siblings, received a fair amount of resentment from their father who viewed those without quirks as inferior beings.

Then there was him, Shoto, who inherited both his parent's quirks, much to his father's delight. You see in his case, he was his father's masterpiece, his tool to surpass All Might.

While at first, he (like most children his age) thought what he could do was very cool. Then his father started training him, and that's when things turned bad.

The training he received was intense.

Sometimes he would get sick from it, other times he would get hurt from it, receiving wounds such as bruises and burns. His father often ordered him to toughen up, otherwise, there was no way he would be able to take out any villains, even low-level ones.

How could he do that anyway? He was five years old.

His mother was incredibly kind and often tried to help through the abuse, of course, which resulted in her getting abused as well. She paid a bit more attention to him than his other siblings because he needed it most. He loved her dearly for it.

Speaking of his siblings, despite living in the same house, he didn't see much of them. His father claimed they lived in a different world to the one he was training him for. As such he deemed them unnecessary distractions.

His eldest brother was the one exception.

He often tried to see Shoto as much as possible, despite risking their father's anger. He even did things such as take him out to the park or different festivals so he wouldn't miss out on them. Shoto looked up to him and loved him deeply.

Unfortunately, because his brother was quirkless, he suffered a lot of abuse from their father, who, because of his status, was viewed as nothing more than a punching bag under his roof.

On more than one occasion his brother was used in training as target practice for his fire.

When Shoto didn't attack (he was too horrified), Endeavour burned the boy himself, though not serious enough to cause any serious damage. Other times it was physical abuse. There were many times when he saw his brother limping around the house, and sometimes flinching at the mere sight of someone or by being touched.

Most of the time Shoto would cry out his frustrations to his mother in his bedroom.

"I don't want to Mom," he sobbed. "Please. I, I don't wanna be the kind of guy he is Mama. I don't wanna be the kind of person who bullies you and big brother and hurts people."

His mother stroked his hair in an effort to comfort him.

"But honey, you do still want to be a hero don't you," she said softly. He looked up at her and she smiled warmly. "Just remember to stay true to yourself. You are not a slave to his bloodline. It's okay for you to use your power and to be the person you want to be."

The words she spoke that time confused him, and so he went to see his brother about it.

"Well she's right," his brother said. "Shoto do you remember that interview of All Might the three of us watched together?"

Shoto nodded. He could never forget that. It was one of the rare occasions when the three of them were together. Endeavour wasn't home so they watched TV together and came across an interview that All Might was doing.

"That's right. Children often do inherit quirks from their parents, or similar powers to them. The important thing to remember is that a quirk is what you make of it, regardless of your lineage. You decide how you use it. Only you can decide to become a hero, no one else. That's what I mean when I say: I am here! You see?" All Might said on TV.

Back to the current point in time.

"You see, that's what she means," his brother continued while patting his head. "You don't have to be a hero like Dad okay. Be the hero you want to be."

He didn't know when he had forgotten those words they both said to him, but it was likely during his father's training after those events.

The first was when he walked by the kitchen and heard his mother on the phone with her mother.

"Mom, I think I'm going crazy. I can't take it anymore. Every day, the children seem more like him. And Shoto, that child's left side looks unbearable to me. I can't raise him anymore. I shouldn't raise him anymore," she exclaimed shakily.

"M-Mom . . ." he called out fearfully.

Hearing his voice, she turned to him with a crazed look in her eye. The kettle next to her had just finished boiling.

What she did next earned him his scar.

His brother came along to help and screamed at him, calling him a monster. He hadn't witnessed his reaction, but he could guess what it was.

His father had his mother institutionalised so she wouldn't harm his masterpiece further.

Shoto knew better than that, he knew his father was the reason his mother Rei hurt him.

The second incident was when his brother went missing during a villain attack on their home. He hadn't been present for it. It was a rare occasion when his father allowed him out with one of his siblings.

His sister Fuyumi took him to get new t-shirts since some got destroyed in training. They spent the entire day out since Shoto didn't get to leave that much.

When they returned the police were present and there were signs that their house had been burned.

The story was that an unknown villain had attacked the house while his father was resting claiming it was for revenge. Endeavour tried to protect his firstborn son, but the villain performed a surprise attack that made him lose consciousness. When he came around his son was gone.

This was two weeks after the first incident.

Shoto was completely broken after this incident as the two people who loved him so much were now gone, a fact his father made him well aware of.

His brother Natsuo moved in with his maternal grandparents out of fear of their father.

Fuyumi stayed for Shoto's sake. She never went against their father, but she did always treat Shoto's wounds when he received them.

Despite this, he never bore any grudge against them, or his mother, because he understood why they did the things they did.

Endeavour used the second event to fuel Shoto's desire to become a hero, which worked to a certain extent as he wanted to discover what had befallen his brother.

Flashback end

He had forgotten so much of what they said to him. But now, now he remembered everything.

In that instant, he forgot about his father and focused on his opponent.

He activated his fire.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a brilliant bright light, and the ice started melting from the sudden burst of heat.

The ice on Shoto's body vanished as it had never been there, to begin with.

Izuku was in awe at what he was seeing. While most would've been concerned and scared at the sight of that, he thought it was something else.

"Magnificent," he whispered.

Shoto frowned.

"You fool. You're helping your opponent, even though you want to win this battle. What kind of idiot are you?" he asked.

"Don't know. There are plenty of idiots in this world, and various types also," Izuku joked.

Shoto couldn't help but agree with that. He grinned at Izuku.

"I want to win also, to be a hero," Shoto said.

Izuku grinned back at him while reactivating his mask. He took up a fighting stance.

"Then take your best shot," he yelled.

"Fine, but don't blame me for what happens next," Shoto countered.

"Same to you," Izuku shot back.

Ochaco Uraraka

Ochaco had been trying to find the weapon for a short while. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy since Todoroki froze the entire area.

She was having difficulty breaking it because Todoroki fortified some rooms more than others with a lot of ice. There was also the issue of moving around due to nausea she felt from using her quirk on herself.

The reason she didn't release herself was that she would have to release everything affected by her power, the ice included. That would've taken away Midoriya's advantage.

"I hope you're alright," she murmured.

Just then she felt a sudden burst of heat around the area. The ice started to melt away as well.

"No way. Don't tell me Todoroki's using his fire," she realised. "If he is then the ice left for Midoriya is gone. In that case, no need for me to stay this way."

Ochaco deactivated her quirk and felt the effects of nausea go away, much to her relief. Since the ice had melted it was easier to search the rooms, however, she did so at a much faster pace.

Now that Todoroki was using his fire, she needed to end this as quickly as possible.

"Deku, I hope you're safe," she prayed.

Monitor room

Everyone present was amazed at what they were seeing. Todoroki's fire quirk was incredible, at least they thought so.

Endeavour was thrilled at what he was seeing.

"So, you've finally accepted it! Yes! Excellent! It all starts now for you Shoto! With my blood pumping through your veins, you will surpass me. . .you will fulfil my ambitions!" he shouted.

Hardly anyone paid attention to him, they were too focused on the screen.

'You got him to use his fire young Midoriya,' All Might thought. 'Don't tell me you were trying to help Todoroki.'

The students started shouting amongst themselves.

"Go for it Midoriya!" Momo and Fumikage yelled.

"You can do it!" Mina and Tenya cheered.

"No way, this belongs to Todoroki!" Kaminari and Mineta argued.

"So manly!" Kirishima and Sero piped up.

The others said how this was a much better fight than the Sports Festival.

In that moment, Izuku being a villain was forgotten.

People were just too pumped about the fight to care.

Even the heroes were getting excited.

Ground Beta

Izuku dashed towards Shoto but before he could get near him he was blasted and engulfed by the boy's fire. The attack sent him flying towards the end of the hall.

Izuku was lucky his suit had elemental resistance otherwise it wouldn't have survived that attack, or rather he wouldn't have survived. The impact he felt from that attack was strong and caused him to cough up a little blood.

He didn't let it bother him though and stood back up.

Shoto wasn't surprised, he knew it would take more than that for Izuku to go down.

Izuku ran at Shoto again, who in turn sent more fire his way. Izuku avoided this by using the walls to jump up and over the attack. He continued that way to Shoto who launched another fire attack. Izuku then did something unexpected.

When he was close enough, he kicked off the wall and dived towards Shoto at incredible speed. He gambled on his suit being able to withstand the fire. Shoto's attack wasn't as powerful as his first one so, he managed to cut through it and deliver a tackle to Shoto's body that sent him crashing to the ground while Izuku flipped forward.

When he landed his leg was trapped by Shoto's ice (who cast it upon crashing). Shoto stood back up and sent a large barrage of ice into Izuku that sent him flying into the air. Immediately afterwards he followed up with a blast of fire that sent him crashing into the wall.

'You're giving it your all Midoriya, so I must do the same,' Shoto thought.

Izuku managed to get back to his feet, though slower than before.

His outfit was worn out from the attacks and likely wouldn't take much more.

Because of the cracks in his mask, he deactivated it.

There was a little blood running from his lips and was breathing heavily.

Despite all this, Izuku and Shoto were enjoying themselves. They couldn't describe it but, they felt a certain thrill at the whole battle, causing them both to grin at each other.

"You're a strong fighter. However, this ends now," Shoto declared as he readied both fire and ice for one final attack.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Izuku countered.

He still had one last trick up his sleeve.

Izuku fired his grappling hook at Shoto's left arm. When it wrapped around it successfully, he used it to haul Shoto towards him at max speed.

Shoto was caught off guard by this action and fortified a small ice shield on his chest quickly. It was a good thing he did because when Izuku elbowed him in the face he fell backwards. Izuku then elbowed Shoto downwards into his stomach to leave him lying on his back.

Izuku tried to punch Shoto but he rolled out of the way and got back up, forgetting about the pain he was in.

The two then engaged in a fistfight where they both landed punches on each other.

Meanwhile, Ochaco had finally located the weapon and managed to capture it, signalling that she and Izuku had won.

All Might called this over the radio, but the two boys ignored him, or rather they couldn't hear him. Edgeshot explained they were too far gone into their fight to notice them.

And he was right.

Having both reached their limit (and realising that punching each other wasn't doing much), they grabbed hold of each other's arms. They pulled their heads back and then brought them forward to each deliver a strong headbutt.

Their heads collided, causing them to cease any movement.

Blood trickled down both their foreheads and each boy wore a calm exhausted expression.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved.

Eventually, Shoto collapsed onto the ground and lay on his back. Izuku remained standing for a few more seconds until he fell into a sitting position.

They heard All Might call out the winners again, but they were too tired and hurt to care.

"Well, it looks like you won," Shoto said weakly.

"I'm not so certain I'd call this a win, perhaps a draw, but I don't know about a win," Izuku replied equally weakly.

Shoto raised an eyebrow.

"You were standing the longest and aren't lying down. I'd say this is your win," he stated.

Izuku sighed.

"If you say so," he said. "Things easily could've gone the other way, especially if you used your left side at the start."

Shoto frowned.

"Did you plan on getting me to use it?" he asked.

"Nope. I only wanted you to use it because I wanted to help you," Izuku explained much to Shoto's surprise. "I guess it was because I saw a little of the old me within you, that triggered it. I meant all those things I said to you."

Shoto didn't know how to respond to that, but for once, he didn't want to. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it, but there was something he liked about Midoriya.

"Oh God," Izuku groaned. "I feel like I could sleep for a week after this."

"That makes two of us," Shoto added.

Monitor room

All the shouting had died out and people were speechless at what they had just witnessed. That fight was brutal, but, at the same time, completely amazing.

Some couldn't believe Todoroki was defeated.

Others were impressed at Izuku's fighting capabilities.

Endeavour, while glad that his creation finally accepted his birthright, he was furious that he had lost to a quirkless individual. He would be having words with them later.

Aizawa called for medical support and the two students were placed on stretchers and led away. He would let Recovery Girl do the rest.

Infirmary (an hour later)

Recovery Girl treated Izuku and Shoto with great care. All their injuries were gone, and they were now both resting in beds.

Katsuki was in another room, though they didn't know where.

They were awake, and both just lying there quietly (they didn't have much energy to do anything else).

Recovery Girl went to check on something but promised to be back quickly.

Things were peaceful, up until Endeavour barged in to talk to his son. Shoto was annoyed. Seeing his father was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

"First of all, it's nice to see that you're finally accepting your power and have ceased your little rebellion," Endeavour said arrogantly. "You need to learn to control your power. It's dangerous to release so much energy at once. After you graduate you'll work by my side. I'll lead you down the path of the mighty Shoto."

Shoto glared at his father.

"Nothing has changed at all. You're an idiot to believe that my feelings can be changed so easily. It's just that, in that moment, I forgot about you," Shoto replied, much to Endeavour's surprise. "Whether that's good or bad. Whether it's the right thing to do. I don't know. Maybe I don't need you."

Endeavour snorted.

"Believe what you wish. On a side note, your battle, it's shameful how you lost it," he sneered. "Losing to a quirkless person Shoto, I didn't think you could be so weak. I know you like angering me but that's going a bit too far don't you think?"

Izuku was starting to get an idea of Shoto's situation. He'd hate living with someone like Endeavour.

Shoto on the other hand disliked how his father talked about Izuku as though he wasn't in the room.

"Midoriya is an incredibly strong opponent. He won that fight fair and square," he stated angrily.

Izuku felt flattered that Shoto was sticking up for him.

Endeavour snorted again.

"He's quirkless Shoto. His kind is among the weakest of creatures to walk the Earth. They can barely get by in this world because of how weak they are," Endeavour sneered. "If you can't beat something like him then how will you ever be the best."

Shoto was about to roar at his father, but Izuku spoke before he could.

Seeing Shoto's position he decided to stick up for him. That, and he had seen enough of Endeavour to hate him.

"Well as someone who's come in second place his entire life, you're hardly the right person to talk about being the best now, are you?" Izuku pointed out.

Endeavour's focus switched from his son to the quirkless boy who was now sitting up. He glared at the boy with rare fury.

Meanwhile, Shoto was stunned that Izuku outright insulted his father.

"What did you just say?" Endeavour snarled.

"Oh, I'm sure you heard me No.2, unless of course, you have trouble with hearing," Izuku mocked.

Endeavour glared at Izuku angrier than before. A quirkless person had the nerve to insult him.

"Well you are the No.2 hero after all, and probably will remain that way for the rest of your life," Izuku jeered. "You've always been second best to All Might, though it's not hard to see why. He's the Symbol of Peace and you, well, you're nothing."

Endeavour was shaking with rage.

Shoto was extremely worried about Izuku. Did he even realise what he was doing? Still, he had to admire his bravery.

"SHUT UP!" Endeavour roared.

"Why it's true," Izuku said completely unfazed by the force before him. "You see Endeavour, All Might is someone people look up to and can feel safe around. You, on the other hand, are an angry violent man who scares others away. Even if you did become the top pro, you will never be the Symbol of Peace. Nobody will acknowledge you like it because you will never be as good as All Might."

Despite his feelings about the man, Izuku did acknowledge him as one of the few true heroes.

Endeavour looked like he was about to murder Izuku. He wanted to burn him right here and now.

"How dare you!" Endeavour snarled. "You are in no position to be running your mouth at me."

"Actually, I'm in the perfect position to do that," Izuku calmly countered. "You can't hurt me Endeavour. You can't even touch me. Not unless you want people to know about it. And just think of how badly that would affect your reputation."

Endeavour was speechless.

His expression was of pure shock, something Shoto had never seen before. No one had ever stood up to his father before, no one was brave enough to. Izuku was though, and Shoto admired it.

Endeavour had never been so angry in his life. How dare someone less than him speak to him like that!

"You're just a filthy coward. You're not a hero and you never were. And no matter how hard you try, you will never be as good as All Might."

This boy reminded Endeavour a lot of 'him', the last person who stood up to him like that.

"The standards and requirements for UA High School must have fallen a lot, for they allow a villain and a quirkless mistake like you become a student shows the decadence of this place," Endeavour taunted.

"With all due respect sir, I sincerely preferred not to be here, but since this is my situation now I have to deal with it. But hey, if assholes like you and Bakugo were accepted and graduated from here then that means anyone can do it right. Even someone like me," Izuku retorted.

Endeavour glared even further at Izuku. He had never been this pissed off in his life.

Shoto was amazed at how Izuku stood his ground against his father.

The tension in the room was broken upon Recovery Girl's arrival.

"Endeavour I'd like for you to leave. I need to look after my patients. I know he's your son, but you left him in our care. Therefore, it is up to us to look after him. Please understand," she said politely.

Endeavour stood there for a few seconds. He glared at Izuku and glanced at his son one last time before leaving quietly.

As he walked along the halls his hand reached over his chest. There was a large scar there that only he knew about. He had received it during that villain attack on his home all those years ago. Sometimes he could still feel its sting.

"He didn't try anything did he?" Recovery Girl asked when she was certain Endeavour was out of ear reach.

The two boys denied it.

"Well, that's good to hear. I feel I shouldn't have left you both alone," she continued. "Now then, classes are done for the day so you two can return to your dorms. If you are suffering from anything, please let me know."

"Yes Ma'am," they both said in unison.

When they were done healing, they headed back. They started talking while walking.

"I can't you actually grew up with that man," Izuku said. "I know you said you had it bad, but I didn't think you meant that bad."

Part of him felt sorry for Shoto.

"Don't even get me started," Shoto replied. "On another note, you were really brave in there."

"You think so," Izuku said.

Shoto nodded. "No one has ever stood up to him before as you did."

"I stopped heeling before bullies like him a long time ago. I didn't like the way he treated you, so I just pointed out a few obvious facts," Izuku told him.

"Thank you. Really, thank you. You helped me with a problem I had been struggling with for so long," Shoto said.

Izuku looked at Shoto.

"You aren't his slave you know. You're your own person. And if he tells you otherwise then he's wrong," he explained.

Shoto said nothing. He had never thought of it that way before. It was one surprise after another for him today.

"You know, there's one thing your Dad's number one at, and even All Might can't beat him at it," Izuku said.

Shoto looked at him confused.

"Being a complete asshole. That's one thing no one can ever take from him, though Bakugo might give him a run for his money," Izuku finished.

Shoto stopped walking. Izuku turned to see him make a weird expression, only for it to be him bursting out laughing a second later.

"Oh man that's so true," Shoto said while still laughing.

Izuku couldn't resist so he joined in. The whole idea of his was so funny.

'Strange. I haven't laughed in a long time,' Shoto realized.

Izuku's room

Izuku lay on his bed exhausted. It had been an eventful day for him. He couldn't stop thinking about the eyes Endeavour and Shoto possessed. There was something very familiar about them, he just couldn't think of where he'd seen them before.

He and Shoto had avoided the other students thankfully. Though he was concerned about what happened to Uraraka since she was his partner in that trial. She was also the first person to think of his nickname as something good.

His phone started buzzing. It was his mother. He didn't need to guess why she was calling.

"Izuku," his mother's voice rang out. "How was your first day at school sweetie?"

Oh, this was going to be a long conversation.

"Well Mom, I had one hell of a first day," Izuku exclaimed. "Most of which you'll find hard to believe."

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Quite an emotional chapter don't you think? I was originally going to have Izuku fight Shoto alone but added Ochaco at the start to show she wasn't weak. I hope you enjoyed this. Please review.

Chapter 29: Shinso and Class 1B

Summary:

Izuku encounters more new faces at UA.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

As with the previous morning, Izuku woke up early. He did his exercises, got dressed and headed down to the Mess Hall. Much to his surprise, he wasn't alone. Shoto was up and eating as well.

"Morning," Shoto said.

"Morning," Izuku responded.

"You're up early," Shoto said.

"A habit I developed from my job," Izuku shot back. "You're up early too."

Shoto shrugged.

"I just woke up, didn't feel like going back to sleep," he admitted.

Izuku said nothing. That was as good a reason as any. He readied himself some toast and tea and sat down to eat. For a few minutes, they sat eating in silence. Then when the time came, they tidied up and headed to class.

"Hey, about yesterday," Izuku started.

Shoto glanced at him.

"What about it?" he asked.

"Was that just a one time use of your left side or will you be using it in the future?" Izuku asked curiously.

"I'm not entirely sure," Shoto admitted. "There's something important I need to do first. Depending on how it goes will be the deciding factor on whether I continue to use it or not."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Izuku asked intrigued.

Shoto stopped walking and stared at the ground.

Izuku stopped also and turned to him.

The dual quirk user looked up at him.

"I've decided to go and visit my mother," he declared. "And depending on how well this goes I'll make my decision."

Izuku's eyes widened. He hadn't been expecting that. His reaction did not go unnoticed.

"Do you think that's a bad idea?" Shoto asked.

"Hard to say really," Izuku replied honestly. "Will the hospital staff alert your father if you go?"

Shoto scoffed.

"I seriously doubt it. He never gave her much attention, to begin with, so he won't be monitoring her activity or visitors," he stated. "After all, it's been ten years since the incident."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. That meant it had been ten years since Shoto had seen his mother.

"Then I strongly suggest you go since you're not under the watchful eye of that fiery bastard," Izuku urged. "Take it from a guy who hadn't interacted with his mother for an entire year even though he wanted to. Believe me, you want to do this."

Shoto remained silent. Deep down he really did want to see her. He had wanted to see her for years, but he was never allowed. He was slightly nervous though because it was unlikely that she knew about what had happened to his older brother.

"I'm planning on doing this at the weekend," he stated. "What about you? Are you doing anything?"

Izuku gave him a look.

"Just study and train. I'm not allowed to leave campus, for obvious reasons," he said.

UA wouldn't allow a villain under their custody to wander around freely. This place was a prison for him after all.

There was also the issue of him contacting his old allies and being the target of a psychotic S rate villain.

So yeah, he was limited in what he was allowed to do.

"Makes sense," Shoto agreed. "However, may I ask you something?"

"Depends on what it is and whether I can answer or not sure," Izuku replied honestly.

Shoto stared at him for a moment before speaking.

"Why do you wish to remain a villain? Why not become a hero now that you have the opportunity?" Shoto asked. "You've got the personality and skills for it."

Izuku flinched. He wasn't bothered by the questions; it was what came after.

Shoto was the first person who thought he could become a hero, whereas others had told him countless times he couldn't.

Izuku quickly regained his composure.

"The League took me in when I was broken. Where others viewed me as worthless, they felt the opposite. They saved me from despair, and for that, I owe them everything. Becoming a hero would be the same as betraying them, and that's something I could never bring myself do," Izuku explained. "Besides, a quirkless hero is something society will never allow. They're too prejudiced to ever allow it so there's no point really."

Shoto didn't say anything. The way Izuku was speaking, he meant what he was saying. Yet, at the same time, he could detect an element of sadness in the way he spoke. There must've been a time when he really wanted to be a hero yet it all eventually shattered due to the bullying he received.

The League of Villains, he didn't know why but, he was starting to think there was more to them than what he encountered before.

'Society would never permit a quirkless hero. Surely, they aren't that prejudiced,' Shoto pondered.

He then remembered his older brother and the abuse he suffered for being quirkless. A lot of it came from their father but, other parts of it came from his school peers. He didn't know the full details since his brother avoided talking about it.

'Then again, maybe they are,' Shoto thought.

Aside from his brother and Izuku, he'd never interacted with a quirkless person before, so he didn't know what their full situation was.

"It's sad that you don't want to become a hero but, if you want to help the people you care about then I guess I can't stop you," Shoto said.

Izuku was grateful he was so understanding.

"By the way, how do you think the others did in their battle trials?" Izuku asked.

"Don't know," Shoto admitted. "I'm sure they all did okay. I feel bad for Yaoyorozu though. She was paired with Mineta, and I can't even begin to describe how that probably went."

Izuku shuddered. Yaoyorozu couldn't have ended up with a worse partner.

"Oh God," he muttered.

Class 1A Homeroom

The students started pouring in one after another. They were all still discussing the fights from yesterday. Bakugo came in, but, for some reason, he just went straight to his desk without saying a word to Izuku. When Ochaco arrived, she hurried over to Izuku.

"Oh my God are you alright?" she asked franticly. "When we were declared the winners, I went back to find you only to see you and Todoroki on the ground and bleeding from your foreheads. Just what kind of fight did you two have?"

"A very violent and emotional one," Izuku replied rather bluntly.

Ochaco sighed with relief.

"Well at any rate I'm relieved that you're okay," she said concerned.

Izuku was surprised at her level of concern. Though he figured it must've come from the fact that he fought the strongest of their classmates. Which reminded him.

"Hey, how did the other fights go?" he asked curiously.

Ochaco shrugged.

"They were alright I guess. Not as intense or brutal as ours, but otherwise pretty good," she explained. "Aside from Momo's fight that is. You wouldn't believe what she had to put up with."

"Oh, believe me, I have a very good idea," Izuku exclaimed.

Just then, Eraserhead came in and ordered everyone to sit down. He then announced that they would be resuming regular classes today and that they would working on special moves for hero training, much to everyone's (except Izuku) excitement.

Special moves were kind of like finishing moves. They weren't always offensive, but they symbolised a hero for who they were. They were all also centred around a person's specific quirk.

'I'm quirkless so I don't really need one,' Izuku thought. 'I wonder what I'll be doing while all this is happening. Maybe spar with Eraserhead or some other teacher.'

He didn't get much time to dwell on it though since class immediately began.

Somewhere in Musutafu

Throughout the city, it was mostly peaceful. There was a villain attack every now and then but other than that, things were quiet.

"HE TOLD HIM TO WHAT?" Mitsuki screeched at the top of her lungs.

Except of course over at the Bakugo Residence.

"I'M GONNA KILL HIM," Mitsuki raged.

Her expression mirrored her son's during the Sports Festival.

As to why she was acting this way. Inko had been invited over for tea since they hadn't seen each other since Izuku had been found. They talked a bit about how he was in UA now and the fight at the hospital. Then came the part about how Izuku joined the League. Inko was reluctant to tell her best what she had been told because she knew it would hurt her and Masaru.

They both guessed it had something to do with Katsuki and they insisted she tells them the truth. And so, she told them everything, about Izuku being bullied and who took part.

Masaru was livid but Mitsuki was downright furious.

Izuku was like a nephew to her and knowing that he was treated poorly pissed her off, especially since her own son was involved. Part of her wished he hadn't been blessed with a powerful quirk, otherwise, he wouldn't have praised and become as arrogant as much as he was.

When Inko told her about the day Izuku disappeared, about what Katsuki said to him, she literally snapped.

"Putting Izuku through all that shit was bad enough. But for fuck sake, telling him to kill himself, that's going way too far," she snarled.

She believed Inko. There's no way that she or Izuku would lie about something like this.

"Maybe we shouldn't have agreed to putting the two of them in the same class together, or even living under the same roof," Masaru said nervously.

Mitsuki snorted.

"I outta pull that boy out of UA, or at least tell the teachers about the shit he's done," she snarled.

"They already know," Inko told her. "They were made aware of it beforehand. If anything happens they'll deal with it."

Mitsuki couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Are you serious?" she shouted. "How can you be so calm about this? What if Katsuki tries to hurt Izuku as he did before? Aren't you worried?"

Inko wasn't surprised at her friend's behaviour. She expected this sort of reaction from Mitsuki.

"Of course, I'm worried. However, I'm not as worried as I was before," Inko said honestly. "As I said, Izuku's changed. He's a lot stronger than he was a year ago. He fought off that thing in the hospital and even managed to defeat Katsuki at the USJ."

That caught Mitsuki's attention. So Izuku was the villain from the USJ who put her son in that state. Before she was angry and upset that that happened to her son, but now, now it was the opposite.

"Well good. It's nice to see that Izuku stood up for himself and gave that brat a taste of his own medicine," she stated firmly.

Masaru wasn't happy about Katsuki getting hurt but in this case, he agreed with his wife. He had it coming.

He stared guiltily at the coffee table. He and his wife were aware of what Katsuki had done to Izuku and often criticised him for it, not that it did much good. They should've done more, but they didn't, and this was the result.

"I'm truly sorry Inko," Masaru said sadly. "We didn't know he was capable of something like this."

Mitsuki went silent. She knew her son was violent and jackass, but even she never thought he would go that far.

"This isn't your fault, I know that. There's no way you could have known," she told them. She then looked down at the table. "Whether Katsuki remains at UA or not I don't care, and neither does Izuku. However, the next time I see him, I'm going to smack him across the face for what he did to Izuku."

"Then I suggest you make it hard," Mitsuki stated.

Both parents agreed that their son had at least earned a good slap across the face. If Inko really wanted to then they wouldn't stop her.

"Let him remain at UA for the time being," Masaru suggested. "That place sees him for what he is, and as such he's beginning to change."

"Fine," Mitsuki agreed. "Maybe Izuku will kick his ass like he did before if I don't first."

"He kind of already did yesterday," Inko mentioned. "During this battle trial they fought and Izuku won."

"Then I guess I'll just have to scream at him for a while," Mitsuki said with fire in her eyes.

Masaru sighed.

Inko gazed at him with sympathy.

It was a wonder how he managed to get by in this household.

UA Hallways

Izuku was currently on his way to the cafeteria for lunch. His mother had provided him with some pocket money, so he was set.

Classes this morning weren't all that bad. There was nothing he couldn't understand and some of it (Math and English) were pretty easy in his opinion.

History was also interesting.

It was strange though, being back at school, going to class. He was a student again, at UA. Of all things, he never imagined something like this, he never believed that he would return to this life.

It made him uncomfortable, so he always kept his guard up.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of several voices just up ahead.

Izuku looked up and saw two people (a boy and a girl) surrounded by six male students.

The girl had long blonde hair and grass green eyes, and the boy had messy indigo hair that stuck out and purple eyes. Izuku recognised him from the sports festival as Hitoshi Shinsou.

The girl looked angry while Hitoshi looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"What do you want?" the girl demanded.

"Nothing really, just checking to make sure that the villain kid hasn't attempted anything," one of the boys sneered.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Villain kid? Did they mean Hitoshi?

"He's not a villain," the girl said defensively.

Several boys laughed.

"Oh yeah, his quirk says otherwise," another boy sneered. "You saw the way he used it in the Sports Festival, how he used it to cheat his way through."

"It's probably how he cheated his way into UA," one boy interjected.

"Who knows who else he's used it on," the fourth piped up. "It's a miracle he hasn't used it to control the teachers for his own gain. Then again, he'd be expelled if he did, which would be a smart decision on UA's behalf."

Hitoshi tightened his fists. He was used to this treatment. People treating him like a freak, like a villain, like a monster.

All because of his quirk, brainwashing.

He couldn't even begin to describe how much pain this quirk had caused him, or how many times he wished he had been born with a different one, one more suited for heroes. It was because of his quirk that many people were afraid of him, and the very reason he didn't have that many friends.

Elena here was an exception.

When she used her quirk to feel his emotions and see his past, she knew he wasn't a bad person, just misunderstood.

Still, after the festival, people started to fear and avoid him, they also began to bully him whenever they had the chance by calling him a villain or telling others to be wary of him. They called him a monster and tried on many occasions to force him to use his quirk just to prove their points.

It was so frustrating that he didn't know how he'd managed to put up with it for so long.

Izuku sensed this was about his quirk. He had seen it during the festival and, given its applications, he could understand why many would deem it as villainous. However, that did not automatically make someone a villain.

He started to sympathise with Hitoshi, as he did with anyone who was bullied.

"For all we know, you could be brainwashed by him," the fifth one suggested. "Or better yet, maybe you're just doing this for something in return. Maybe you want him to use his quirk to get yourself a higher position here at UA."

"Yeah that's gotta be it," the sixth one agreed. "Makes sense for a villain like him to use others to get what he wants, and the same applies to you sweetheart."

Okay, that did it. Izuku was officially pissed at the students before him. They thought they knew everything about being a villain, but they knew nothing.

He was going to put them in their place.

"That is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard, and believe me, I've heard plenty," Izuku exclaimed.

The bullies and the bullied turned to look at him.

"Declaring someone to be a villain solely based on their quirk is downright stupid," he explained. "Quirks don't define someone as a villain or hero. It's how they use them that matters. How a bunch of dumbasses like you can't see that makes me wonder how you even got into this school in the first place."

His comment earned him several glares.

"First of all, who the hell are you? And who the hell do you think you are spouting crap like that?" the first boy demanded.

"Well since you asked so nicely, my name is Izuku Midoriya, and I'm a new student at Class 1A this semester," he explained politely. "Now as for who the hell I think I am. I think I'm the guy stopping you punks from bullying other students because of their quirks."

The announcement that he was in the hero course surprised the boys. However, in Elena's case, it made her aware of who he was.

'So, this is him, the boy Ochaco told me about,' she realized.

Flashback

"So, let me see if I'm hearing this right," Elena sighed. "That boy, the villain who saved you at the USJ, rescued your friend Ashido and is now attending UA in the same course and class as you. He also singlehandedly defeated the two strongest members of your class. Am I wrong somewhere along those lines?"

"Nope. You're definitely right," Ochaco replied. "Though I did help a tiny bit in those fights."

Ochaco was currently telling Elena all about Izuku Midoriya. Even though she knew she wasn't supposed to talk about who Izuku really was, Ochaco felt she had to tell Elena because she told her many things about him before, especially today after the battle trial.

Elena couldn't deny she was intrigued by this boy. She would also have to thank him later for saving her friend.

"So have you confessed your feelings to him then?" Elena asked rather bluntly.

"Huh," Ochaco murmured dumbfounded.

She had been completely caught off guard by that question. It took her several seconds to register what she had been asked, and when she did, her eyes widened, and her face turned bright red.

"W-W-What," she stuttered. "F-Feelings, confessed, what?"

She didn't know how Elena came to that conclusion, but she desperately began to deny it.

"You've got the wrong idea, Elena. I don't feel that way about him at all. I'm just curious about him since he saved me that's all," Ochaco said franticly. "I'm not in love with him or anything."

"Oh," Elena responded sounding amused.

She and Ochaco had known each other since the start of school and had built up a close friendship as a result. It was quite rare for students from different classes and departments to become friends. As a result of this friendship, Elena could always tell when Ochaco was lying and when she was troubled. It was also the reason why Ochaco was one of the few students who weren't scared of Hitoshi.

"How strange," Elena continued. "From the way you talked about him, I assumed you held romantic feelings for this boy. It appears I was wrong."

"Yes, you were," Ochaco assured.

"Such a shame," Elena teased while grinning.

Ochaco's blush turned brighter.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Elena giggled.

"Oh nothing," she lied. "Nothing at all."

Like all friendships, they had their moments of humour.

Flashback end

That same boy was now defending them.

'Time to see what your saviour made of Ochaco,' Elena thought.

The bullies slowly started moving towards Izuku.

"You're in the hero course huh," the fifth boy barked. "You must either have a good recommendation or an extremely powerful quirk if you got in this late."

Technically they were right about the recommendation, though it was hardly one to be proud of.

"I'm quirkless actually," Izuku stated.

That stopped the boy's dead in their tracks. The looks of surprise were clear on their faces.

Elena wasn't surprised because she knew from Ochaco.

Hitoshi couldn't believe what he had just heard.

'He's quirkless, and he managed to get into the hero course, despite all the hard work I put in,' Hitoshi thought upset. 'It's not fair. It's just not fair.'

Hitoshi felt immense envy towards Izuku. He worked his hardest to try and move up, to try and be a hero. But at the end of the day, it was all for nothing.

He was still a Gen Ed student and would probably remain that way for the rest of his time at UA. However, he would be seen as a villain for the rest of his life.

Sometimes he wanted to drop everything and just scream at the world around him. He kept it all in because he knew it would not do him any good, and at the same time, embarrass him.

The six boys started laughing and pointing at Izuku like he was the most hilarious thing in the world.

"Q-Quirkless," the first boy snickered. "You're quirkless and they let you into this school."

"Is this some sort of joke?" the sixth boy said still laughing.

"Did the pros make some sort of mistake when admitting you?" the third boy added.

'I wish,' Izuku mentally deadpanned.

Despite the boy's comments, Izuku remained unfazed. He was used to this sort of treatment.

"I could ask you the same thing?" he calmly retorted.

That comment caused the snickering to die down. The boys were now glaring at Izuku.

"What's that supposed to mean you quirkless freak?" the second boy demanded.

Izuku closed his eyes for a few seconds before reopening them.

"It means what it means," Izuku told them. "Let me explain this to you in a way your pathetic, dumb minds can understand. Six boys harassing a student who can't defend himself solely because of his quirk. Now, who in your opinion are the bad guys in that scenario?"

The response he received was silence.

The boys exchanged looks of uncertainty. Technically, he was right, they did look like the villains in this situation, or rather they didn't look like heroes.

Their expressions quickly changed back to glares.

"Why the hell are you defending this guy?" the first boy barked. "Do you know what his quirk is? Do you know what he's used it for?"

"I'm well aware," Izuku replied honestly. "I must say, it's quite an impressive and powerful quirk."

Izuku restrained himself from laughing at the jaws of the bullies dropping in complete shock.

They weren't the only ones.

Elena was happy that someone saw Hitoshi's quirk as something more than villainous.

Hitoshi was the one most shocked. This kid knew what his quirk was and what it could do, and still, he thought it was amazing.

"Let me explain," Izuku requested. "First of all, you're right in saying that that quirk of his could be rather dangerous if used for villainous reasons. However, that applies to all quirks, not just his. Quirks aren't heroes or villains, people are. Now in Shinso's case, if his quirk were used for the hero side, many good things would come from it. Why with that kind of power, he could get villains to surrender peacefully without causing any damage, acquire information from suspects and captured criminals easily, prevent robberies and crimes from happening, and even change the tide of a battle for the heroes."

Hitoshi was speechless. No one had ever praised or acknowledged any good things about his quirk. It also made him slightly uncomfortable because he wasn't used to hearing nice things about it.

"Also, what do you mean he cheated in the Sports Festival?" Izuku asked angrily. "Every student that took part was allowed to use their quirks to their advantage, including him. So, each time he used it, like the Cavalry Battle, was legal. So, stop being a bunch of pouty little bitches just because he used what he had to get farther than any of you probably did."

The bullies were furious with him. How dare a quirkless piece of trash like him to speak to them like that!

"Listen you quirkless freak," the first boy shouted. "You obviously don't know your place."

Before anyone could react, Izuku was already behind the boy and spin kicked him on the back to send him flying. The boy crashed face-first into the ground.

"Believe me I know my place very well, and it's not the one you're thinking of," Izuku stated firmly while glaring at the boys. "I stopped heeling before quirked individuals a long time ago, so you can't frighten me."

At that moment, he unleashed some of his killing intent towards the boys. They all flinched with fear. None of them was able to move.

"I'm only going to say this once, so I suggest you listen," Izuku growled. "Get your pathetic, weak asses out of here now before I decide to inform the principal about this incident. And the next time I catch you bullying someone I swear. I will break both your legs and force you to crawl all the way to Recovery Girl's office."

He released his killing intent, and the second he did, the boys started scrambling away. The looks of fear were present on their faces.

When they were gone, Izuku turned to face the pair behind him. They were both stunned at what they had just witnessed.

"You alright?" Izuku asked them.

"Yes. Thank you for helping us," Elena replied.

Hitoshi was less friendly.

"Why did you help us?" he asked suspiciously. "Were you expecting something in return?"

"Hitoshi," Elena warned.

Izuku wasn't fazed by the accusations made against him. He had been in the same spot as Shinso once, so he knew where he was coming from.

"If you're wondering why the answer is simple. I despise bullies," Izuku stated. "I had to go through a lot of shit in my life for being quirkless, so I can only imagine what you went through."

Hitoshi's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that. He quickly returned to a suspicious glare.

"What do you know about it?" he demanded.

"I have a pretty good idea," Izuku replied emotionlessly.

Hitoshi scoffed.

"I doubt you've ever been called a monster or a villain," he exclaimed.

"No but I've been called things like a mistake, useless, and a quirkless piece of shit," Izuku explained. "Oh, and on top of all that, I had the shit kicked out of me nearly every day."

That shut Hitoshi up. He had it bad, but not that bad.

Seeking to diffuse the tension Elena spoke up.

"You're from Ochaco's class aren't you, the one she teamed with twice yesterday?" Elena asked.

Izuku nodded in confirmation.

"Well, in that case, let's all go get lunch together. I was planning on meeting up with Ochaco and some of her friends," Elena explained.

The two boys had no objections (Izuku because he had no real reason to refuse, and Hitoshi because he didn't want to disappoint one of his few friends). Elena walked on a little ahead while the two boy's walked side by side. Hitoshi stopped walking and gazed at Izuku.

"Hey, did you really mean what you said about my quirk? And about me?" he asked uneasily.

Izuku stopped walking and turned to him.

"Of course, I did," he responded sincerely. "Your quirk doesn't make you a hero or villain. Only you can decide that. Also, while your quirk can be used for a lot of bad things, it can also be used for good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Hitoshi didn't know how to respond to that. He wanted to believe him, he truly did. But, his past made it complicated since most didn't see the good side of his power, only the bad.

"Unfortunately, not everyone thinks the way you do," Hitoshi bitterly stated. "Even the teachers are afraid of me. That's why I'm not in the hero course."

"To be honest I'm surprised you aren't," Izuku admitted. "You were in the top eight at the Sports Festival after defeating Juzo Honenuki and then losing to Todoroki in the battle tournament. You should've at least been considered for the hero course."

Hitoshi stared sadly at the ground.

"But I wasn't, and they even had an open spot also," Hitoshi murmured.

That made Izuku curious. Given Shinso's abilities, he should've been considered for the hero course. Scratch that he should be in the hero course. Yet he wasn't. Why? That was something he would ask Eraserhead about later.

Elena called them and they caught up to her. They headed in for lunch.

Cafeteria

The three students bought lunch and sat with Ochaco, Tenya, Mina and Shoto. They didn't question Hitoshi's or Izuku's appearance so, they just sat, ate and talked a little. Some students (mainly class 1A) eyed their group with curiosity.

Katsuki stared at Izuku with a solemn expression. It had been twice now that they fought, and both times he had lost. It annoyed him that Deku, of all people, had been the one to defeat him. As frustrating as it was there was nothing he could do about it.

The principal had made him very aware of what would happen if he assaulted or provoked Izuku in any way.

Flashback

Katsuki lay on his bed after being treated by Recovery Girl.

According to her, he had been roughed up quite a bit in his latest fight, though he already knew that. She left him on his own to go and do something else.

"I lost," he said to himself. "And it was to Deku."

He was angry and frustrated. With this loss, he realised that he wasn't the best, not if he kept losing to the same person repeatedly.

It was strange but, looking back on his past with Deku, he had never beaten the other boy in a fight. It was usually him and some other guys ganging up on him while the quirkless boy cowered in fear.

Never once did Deku fight back (not that it would have done any good), and he wasn't on the same level as him, but he did now and was much stronger.

He supposed that they were on even terms now that he'd been trained.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and someone entering the room.

Much to his surprise, it was Principal Nezu. He had never spoken with the man, he sometimes wondered what kind of animal he was as he looked to be a mixture of three.

"Oh, good you're awake. I was hoping to have a talk with you Bakugo," Nezu greeted.

"Is this about my last attack in the battle trial?" Katsuki asked.

He wasn't stupid. He knew his last attack was dangerous and shouldn't have been used indoors. Now he was going to be punished for it.

"That's one reason," Nezu admitted. "I wasn't going to discuss it till the end but now that you've brought it up I may as well. What you did was extremely reckless and could have killed someone, if not severely injure them. A move like that is of no benefit to either a hero or a villain, especially in that kind of environment. Use a move of that scale in any training session again and I won't hesitate to expel you."

Katsuki paled slightly upon hearing this. He knew the principal was mad but wasn't this a bit much.

"Now on to the subjects of you becoming a hero and Izuku Midoriya," Nezu continued. "You have talent and a powerful quirk my boy, however, at this school, you are just another student, and no matter how much you might think otherwise, you are not better than others."

Katsuki wanted to shout back, but Nezu beat him to it.

"If you dedicate yourself to it, you can become a great hero. However, this depends on your attitude, and right now, you don't have one that belongs to a hero. Instead, you have the attitude of a spoiled arrogant little brat who thinks the world revolves around him. Well let me tell you now, it doesn't. You had better start working on your attitude because it is not one of a hero. I know full well what you did in your past to Midoriya, even about your little suicide comment," Nezu stated calmly.

At the same time, a murderous aura was emanating from Nezu that made Katsuki cringe.

"H-He didn't," he started.

"Oh yes he did," Nezu interrupted. "We have confirmation that he attempted to do what you said."

Bakugo couldn't believe his ears. Deku actually tried to commit suicide, and he drove him to it.

Nezu wasn't done.

"Which brings me to my next point. Izuku Midoriya. He became a student at my school, even though he was a villain. He is one of my students like now. So, if, for some reason, you try to attack or provoke him without any justification, I will not hesitate to expel you," Nezu explained.

For the first time in his life, Katsuki knew exactly what fear felt like as the principal lectured him. This little guy knew what strings to pull, and he gave him the feeling that getting on his bad side would result in serious consequences.

Nezu's aura intensified as he revealed his colder and more sadistic side.

"You have talent and potential, that's true. In the future, you can become a great hero if you take the right attitude, but at the moment I do not see a hero. All I see is an angry animal that must be slaughtered. I will not hesitate to expel you if you give me the right reasons. You have talent and potential but remember: You are not the only person in the world, you are just another fish in the sea, others good as you or better will appear in the future. You are not as 'unique' as you might think," Nezu finished.

Flashback end

After this incident, Katsuki made a mental note to never, ever, piss off Nezu. He was the first being to have ever made him feel fear. He also made him aware that he was not the greatest and that there was always someone out there better than him. Which was why he had decided to just avoid Deku altogether.

The latter of which seemed more than happy to comply.

He still couldn't believe he defeated Todoroki, who used his damn fire, something he wished he'd faced at the festival.

At the same time, he was shocked that Deku tried to kill himself, and he had driven him to it. He nearly killed a person, on more than one occasion. Some future hero he was.

Back with Izuku's group. They had just been discussing classes and the battle trial.

Mina asked in Ochaco liked anyone, something she learned from Toga. The latter of which desperately denied. The subject of the next hero training class was now being talked about.

"Special moves?" Hitoshi questioned. "Will you be able to do one since you're quirkless?"

Izuku shrugged.

"I doubt it. I'll probably just be sparring with one of the teachers," Izuku admitted. "I don't mind though.

Mina was about to suggest he help the other students with his notes but stopped when she noticed Neito Monoma staring at them, or more specifically, Izuku. Monoma was from Class 1B, a rival to their class. He was also especially intent on taking them down, so much that some students questioned his mental state.

Izuku sensed her stare and turned to look at Monoma, who looked away when he did.

"Don't worry about him," Mina said. "Monoma's all talk. He'll definitely do and say things to annoy you now that you're a part of 1A."

"I can handle it," Izuku replied.

He'd faced much worse than an annoying teenager.

Gym Gamma

At gym gamma Midnight, Ectoplasm, Cementoss, and Eraserhead were explaining about special moves: How to create them, what they were for, what they showed about you and about how they were for the Provisional License Exam in several weeks.

Cementoss altered the area so everyone would have a different space to work at.

Ectoplasm created multiple copies of himself to help each student.

Everyone (excluding Izuku) was excited and eager to get working on their special moves.

"Midoriya you'll be sparring with a clone for this class," Aizawa announced. "Any objections?"

Izuku shook his head. "I figured as much."

"Considering it's your speciality we thought it best," Cementoss explained.

Izuku said nothing. They must've watched the fight from the previous day to know this.

"That fight from yesterday was intense, passionate, and downright brutal," Midnight murmured. She then switched to a more flirtatious voice and a seductive grin. "And it turned me on."

Izuku shot her a deadpan look. Was this woman actually serious? He looked at the other teachers, who seemed to be able to guess what he was thinking.

"Yes, she's serious," they all said in perfect synchronisation.

"Oh, and that costume you wore was especially dashing," Midnight added.

Some male students scowled in frustration.

"He's a villain, yet his costume gets girls to like him," Mineta snarled. "It's just not fair."

Annoyed by Mineta's attitude, Izuku decided to put him in his place.

"Well at least costume doesn't involve me wearing a diaper," he coldly retorted.

Some classmates laughed at that while Mineta backed down terrified.

All chat ceased and class officially began.

As the students each worked with an Ectoplasm Izuku sparred with the clone sent to him. Surprisingly, Izuku managed to hold his own reasonably well against the pro and even gave him a tough time.

"Okay so put your palms together like this," Mina murmured as she clapped her hands shut. She then built the substance up in her palms. "And then shoot it out through the gap."

The substance shot through the gap at a long distance. Mina cheered at her success.

"Congratulations," Ectoplasm applauded. "Did you come up with this over summer break?"

Mina shook her head.

"Actually, during the time I was held captive I saw it in one of Midoriya's notebooks from the Sports Festival," she admitted. "There was something about me being able to produce a gelatinous substance though I haven't tried anything like that yet."

Ectoplasm glanced at Izuku who was fighting with another him.

"I see," he acknowledged.

Izuku finished a round of sparring with Ectoplasm and was now taking a break. Noticing Aizawa just standing there watching the other students he decided to go and talk with him.

"Mr Aizawa, can I ask you something?" Izuku asked.

The underground hero raised an eyebrow.

"Go on," he urged.

"The Sports Festival is a time when students can transfer from Gen Ed to the hero course depending on their performance, right?" he asked.

Aizawa nodded. "It is. But why are you asking?"

"I was just wondering, why wasn't Hitoshi Shinso transferred to this class?" Izuku asked. "He managed to make it into the top eight so shouldn't he at least been eligible for it?"

Aizawa blinked. Where on earth did that come from?

"He was considered eligible, but he lacks several qualities. One, he's not athletic as other students and two, his quirk can't be honed like the others here," Aizawa explained.

"That's because it's a mental quirk, not a physical one, like yours," Izuku pointed out. "Also, what's this about him being athletic? Since when is that necessary for being in the hero course? He could become that when he got here."

Aizawa didn't respond. Certainly, Midoriya had a point. Being athletic wasn't really a necessity but it did help. Also, in the hero course, physical quirks that could be used for combat generally were preferred.

He should know, he used to be a Gen Ed student until he transferred after the festival.

Izuku got the wrong idea for why it didn't happen.

"Don't tell me it's because you think his quirk is more suited for being a villain like everyone else," Izuku accused.

Aizawa looked at him confused.

"I don't think his quirk is like that at all. Why would you think," Aizawa started before he realised what Izuku just said? "Wait, what do you mean everyone else?"

This time it was Izuku who raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously, most of the students in this school bully him and call him a villain because of his quirk," Izuku explained. "Also, Shinso thinks the teachers are frightened of his power which is why he isn't in the hero course and, according to him, people tend to call a monster because of what he can do. If you don't believe me then I recommend you ask Elena Belikov or Uraraka."

Aizawa stared at the boy stunned. Was this really the situation? Was Hitoshi really being bullied because of his quirk? He was about to find out. He headed to where Uraraka was.

"Uraraka, I need to ask you something," he said.

The girl stopped her training and came over. Aizawa wasted no time in questioning her about Hitoshi.

"Yes, that's true, all of it," she confirmed sadly. "After the Sports Festival, people became afraid of him and either avoided him or bullied him. That's what I heard from Elena. The only reason he doesn't talk about it is that it's his problem to deal with, or so he says."

Aizawa didn't agree with that. As a teacher, he was supposed to protect and nurture his students, even those not in his class. If one student was being bullied at UA, then it was his job to fix it. He thanked her for her information and returned to Izuku.

"It appears you were correct," Aizawa admitted.

"And?" Izuku questioned.

"I'll take it up with the principal about what's been happening to Shinso, and then I'll deal with it personally," Aizawa explained. "As for him being transferred, that will have to be discussed among us, teachers. I'm not promising anything though."

Personally, Aizawa wanted Shinso in the hero course after watching him during the festival. The boy had so much potential and it was being wasted in Gen Ed.

"Thank you," was all Izuku said before going back to training.

The training went on for at least another twenty minutes, that's when Class 1B entered.

"That's enough Class A," Vlad King (the homeroom teacher) announced. "Gym Gamma is supposed to be ours now."

"We still have ten minutes," Aizawa pointed out. "I aim to use our time effectively."

Izuku glanced at the new arrivals who were in their hero costumes. Some of which were staring at him, likely because he was a new member of 1A. They started chatting amongst themselves.

"That a new student?"

"Maybe he transferred from a different department."

"I don't remember seeing him during the Sports Festival."

"Perhaps he just transferred this semester."

Izuku paid no heed to the comments being made about him.

"That's Izuku Midoriya, a new student and recent transfer to the hero course," Vlad informed his students.

The students started talking again.

"A new student in the hero course this late, that's rare," Itsuka Kendo murmured softly.

"I bet he's just some arrogant jerk who thinks he's better than us," Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu barked. "I hate him already."

"Now, now, we mustn't be so quick to judge," Ibara Shiozaki reasoned. "It would reflect badly on our class. Especially since we have yet to speak with Mr Midoriya."

Izuku couldn't help but note how polite Shiozaki was.

Neito Monoma was a different story.

"Wow, Class 1A has a new student. They must be pretty desperate to stay on top if they need a newcomer," he ranted. "Which is weird since they're supposed to be so much better than us."

His classmates sighed. They were pretty used to Neito's behaviour.

Izuku on the other hand, found Monoma to be annoying.

"Wonder what his quirk is if he got in this late," Yui Kodai pondered.

"Midoriya is quirkless actually," Vlad announced much to their surprise.

The new student was quirkless, and he had gotten into the hero course this late. As far as they knew, that had never happened before. They wondered how he was planning to take on individuals with strong quirks if he didn't have one himself.

"Quirkless huh, so I was right, Class 1A is really desperate," Neito teased loudly.

Some of the students were kind of in agreement with that.

Izuku at this point had had enough. He ceased training with Ectoplasm and marched over to where Class 1B was.

"You know, I'm not deaf, I can hear every word you're saying," Izuku informed them. "So, if you've got something you wanna say to me, say it to my face."

Some of the students seemed taken aback by Izuku's attitude.

Neito took advantage of this.

"Well, aren't you an arrogant one," he sneered.

"Well, aren't you an obnoxious one," Izuku shot back.

Neito flinched at the insult. Some of his classmates looked uneasy.

"Well played," Yosetsu Awase applauded.

"Don't praise him," Tetsutetsu yelled in outrage. "He's one of our rivals."

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean rival? We just met," Izuku pointed out.

"Our two classes are rivals," Togaru Kamakiri explained. "Have been since last semester."

Well, that explained it. However, Izuku had no interest in pursuing a rivalry with anyone.

"I'm not interested in being in a rivalry with anyone," Izuku stated. "So, whatever's between you and them, please let it stay that way."

Some of 1B didn't know how to respond to that. If someone from 1A didn't want to be in a rivalry with them, they couldn't really argue against it since it was their decision.

Some took it the wrong way, unfortunately.

"What do you mean you don't want to be rivals?" Tetsutetsu barked. "Do you think you're better than us? I bet you do."

"Just because your class got all the attention last semester doesn't mean they'll get it this semester," Kosei Tsurubaba stated. "So don't act so high and mighty."

"Only the second day and already your acting like you're better than everyone else," Neito piped up. "Though that's nothing new from Class 1A."

Izuku was seriously starting to get irritated now.

"How are you even getting from what I'm saying?" he demanded. "I don't think I'm better than you or anyone else, and I couldn't give a shit about how much attention this class received last semester."

Some of the other students were on Izuku's side.

"Guys, if he doesn't want to be in a rivalry with us then let him, it's his decision," Itsuka defended.

"I agree with Kendo," Kuroiro said.

While there were some petty arguments about this, one student decided to ask the obvious question.

"Why is it that you do not wish to be rivals with any of us?" Ibara asked politely.

Izuku took a deep breath.

"Three reasons: 1. This started last semester when I wasn't here, so it has nothing to do with me. 2. It is a waste of time because there is no real reason for me to be in a rivalry with anyone. That brings me to 3. I have enough dealing with Bakugo on a daily basis. I don't need anymore," he explained.

The entire class and even some of the teachers stared at him with stunned expressions. The reasons weren't bad, and even understandable.

"You don't like Bakugo?" Nirengeki Shoda asked.

"You do?" Izuku shot back.

"Hell no, that guy's an arrogant jackass," Awase exclaimed.

"I hate that guy. He referred to us as extras and steppingstones for him," Tetsutetsu barked. "Half the time I want to punch his stupid face."

"I know right. He's been that way since we were kids. He was blessed with a powerful quirk and people began praising and fawning over every little thing he did. His parents weren't the ones who spoiled him though, it was everyone else," Izuku said.

Considering what sort of person Bakugo was, everyone (including Monoma) believed that statement about him.

"I still consider you a rival, so you'd better be prepared because I'll destroy you in the upcoming future," Neito ranted.

Izuku rolled his eyes. Mina wasn't kidding when she said Monoma would try and annoy him.

"Lookin forward to working with ya," Pony Tsunotori said. Then Monoma whispered something in her ear. "And I can't wait to beat the shit out of you."

Izuku noticed she was a foreigner and was struggling with the language. He doubted she even understood what she just said. Kendo was currently berating Monoma for what he just said. Izuku decided to shock him by showing what he was capable of.

He walked up to Pony and spoke in English.

"Hello there, it's so nice to meet you," he greeted her. "Judging by your accent I'm guessing you're from America."

"Why yes, I moved over here before school started and," Pony started before realising what Izuku just did. "Eh, English. You speak English."

Izuku nodded.

"Yes, quite well," he told her. "You seem to be struggling. Did you only recently start learning Japanese?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Pony admitted. "It was necessary for me to come here. Kanji is especially difficult since there are so many symbols with different pronunciations, but I'm learning."

"It's difficult among Japanese people even," Izuku said. "You seem to have a basic understanding though."

"Why thank you," Pony said with a bright smile.

The teachers could understand what they were saying, though the students could only make out bits and pieces. None of them had expected Izuku to be proficient in English. Neito went slightly pale as his attempt at annoying Izuku was about to backfire.

"By the way, what you said before, it actually means," Izuku started as he explained what Monoma just said.

Pony's bright smile changed to an angry glare directed at Monoma. She marched over to him and stomped on his right foot. He immediately started clutching it and jumping up and down from the pain.

"Monoma you jerk. Taking advantage of me not being able to understand some Japanese. Do that again and I'll charge at you with my horns next time," she shouted at him.

Some of his classmates laughed at that.

Neito glared at Izuku.

"Turning my own classmates against me, aren't you a clever one," he growled.

"You know, if you've got enough time and energy to complain about Class 1A, then you've got enough time to train and improve yourself," Izuku pointed out.

Neito gritted his teeth.

"You know for a quirkless person, you certainly talk big," he sneered.

"I may be quirkless but I give it my all," Izuku retorted. "And you know Monoma, your quirk may be powerful, but against someone like me, it's useless. A lot of quirked individuals have an advantage over quirkless people but there's one exception to that rule. Quirks that rely on other people's quirks are completely useless against quirkless people."

That shut Monoma up. Izuku wasn't wrong, his quirk would be useless against him.

"Instead of focusing on 1A, focus on your own class. You've got a lot of potentials and you are gifted, don't waste it," Izuku said before walking away. "That applies to all of you."

The entire class stood there dumbfounded. That kid praised them and thought they were gifted. Nobody else had said that about them.

Kendo smiled at Izuku. He put Neito in his place and made her and the rest of her class feel important. She definitely liked him (as did a lot of her class).

Neito wasn't sure whether he wanted to continue teasing him or not, but he was going to take his advice.

The teachers kept their opinions to themselves.

Shortly afterwards, hero training ended for 1A.

UA Hallways

Izuku was on his way back to the dorm now that class was finished. It had been another long day for him, but otherwise, alright. As he was walking, a familiar figure came out right in front of him.

"I AM HERE," All Might announced dramatically.

Izuku didn't react to the appearance of his former idol. The old him would have gone full-on otaku in this situation, but now he had better control over his emotions.

"Something I can help you with All Might?" he asked politely.

The fact that this man was now his teacher didn't faze him. In Izuku's eyes, he was just another teacher at this school and nothing more.

"I was hoping to talk with you if that's alright?" All Might explained.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Curiosity got the better of him as he wanted to talk with All Might about certain things as well.

"Fine, let's talk," Izuku said.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Next you'll see Izuku and All Might talking along with a flashback of All for One. Also, this chapter reintroduced Elena Belekov who still has a role to play. I thought it would be good for her to be friends with Shinso since they are in the same department. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please review.

Chapter 30: The fated talk

Summary:

Izuku and All Might finally sit down and talk.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

All Might and Izuku stood there for about a minute staring at each other. The silence was broken by Izuku.

"Could we talk somewhere more private?" Izuku politely requested. "I don't think you'll want the students to hear what we say."

"I know a place," All Might replied. "No one will disturb us there."

In an instant, All Might took them both to the resting room where he transformed into his true form. He looked less impressive, but Izuku didn't really care. Still, it was strange seeing him like this again. Last time it had been by chance, this time it was intentional. The two of them sat straight across from each other, both wearing stoic expressions.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Izuku asked getting straight to the point.

The Symbol of Peace stared at him momentarily before speaking.

"How are you doing, at UA, and in general?" he asked.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. Why would he ask a question like that? Then again it was probably the best way to start up a conversation.

"At UA, I'm doing fine, the classes are decent, and I have no trouble with any of the subjects," Izuku calmly explained. "As for how I'm doing in general. I'm annoyed, angry, frustrated, sad, and would rather be anywhere but here."

All Might wasn't surprised at Izuku's outburst. He knew he wasn't happy about being here. The police had made it clear that he did not want to come here.

They went so far as to say he'd rather be in prison.

"I'm going to skip past the boring questions if that's alright for you," Izuku stated. "Back at the bar, you knew who I was. You suspected it. I want to know how."

This had been something Izuku wanted to know for quite some time.

No matter how much he thought over it, he couldn't understand how he had been discovered. He kept a very low profile in the League and hardly went out except for his job.

He didn't interact with that many villains in or out of the League either, barring Gentle and La Brava.

Then there was one other time when Razor brought him to the criminal underworld to see how screwed up the world really was. His memory of the event was fuzzy, but he knew he had gone.

It hadn't been a fun experience. Of that, he was certain.

All Might took a deep breath. He did tell him back at the bar he would explain everything.

"Back at the USJ, I recognised your voice and eye from our previous encounter," he explained. "There was also evidence of how you were able to beat Young Bakugo without a quirk. That's when I got suspicious."

"Why did you even bother remembering that time?" Izuku cut him off confused. "It couldn't have been that important to you."

In truth, Izuku was taken off guard by All Might's explanation. Why would the number one hero bother to remember an encounter with a quirkless person?

"I couldn't stop thinking about it," All Might admitted. "I wasn't actually proud of what I said to you. I only said it because, because."

Was he actually going to tell the boy about this? This was a secret passed on for generations. Izuku guessed what he was trying to say.

"Because you used to be quirkless," Izuku finished.

All Might's eyes widened in shock. How did he guess that?

Izuku decided that it was his turn to shock him.

"One for All. That's what your quirk is right? A power born from Sensei and is passed on for generations through taking on the previous user's DNA," Izuku told him. "It stockpiles massive amounts of power."

All Might was speechless. From what he had been told, Izuku didn't possess any critical information about the League. So why, just why, was he told about OFA? Did the rest of the League know?

"Sensei told me about it after defeating Bakugo. I must say, I was quite surprised to find out, especially the part about you being quirkless," Izuku continued. "You wouldn't believe how angry I was when I found out. A guy who used to be quirkless, looking down another quirkless person. It really pissed me off."

All Might shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to make it up to Midoriya he did. He never meant to cause him so much pain, so much that he tried to kill himself. However, the boy did have a right to be angry with him.

"I thought you were a hypocrite and even now I still believe it," Izuku said. "However, I had a nice long conversation with Stain, and I realized that you must have had a reason for saying what you said. So, I concluded that you may have tried to be a hero when you were quirkless, but it backfired, and you took OFA to have a chance."

Toshinori did his best to refrain from flinching.

From certain points of view, yes, he was a hypocrite. After preaching on about how anyone can become a hero when asked by a quirkless boy he told him it was impossible.

"You aren't wrong," All Might admitted. "Whenever I tried to be a hero without a quirk, I usually got my ass handed to me. But my master saw potential in me and decided to pass on her power to me, despite the fact I was quirkless. I had to go through a lot of training for it though."

Izuku got the sense this woman was (or had been) one of the few true heroes in this world. The kind that was in it for noble reasons, and not the usual selfish ones.

"Does the rest of the League know about this?" All Might asked.

"I have no idea," Izuku replied honestly. "Whether Sensei told Tomura or Kurogiri, I don't know. I don't know about the other divisions in the League either. Don't worry, I'm not gonna start running my mouth about it. I have a very good idea what would happen if that were made public knowledge."

The likely scenario would be villains of all kinds trying to get their hands on that power. In other words, all hell would break loose. And, if someone by some miracle actually succeeded, they could be a real pain in the ass.

All Might sighed with relief.

"Thank you," All Might said.

"You don't need to thank me. It's just better if that quirk remains a secret," Izuku stated. "Now, back to the matter at hand. How did you know who I was? What evidence was there?"

"Aside from your eye and voice, I didn't have much. So, I asked Tsukauchi to show me a list of quirkless people in Japan. I recognized your face and learned your name there. When I saw your eyes were the same as back at the USJ I became suspicious, even more after I learned you disappeared the day, I met you."

Izuku didn't react. It wasn't much, but it was evidence.

He never imagined All Might would have remembered him. Perhaps, he should have been more cautious when his mask broke.

"What confirmed it then?" Izuku asked. "You said you knew I was Deku. That means there must have been something or someone to definitely confirm it."

All Might looked down. AFO wasn't kidding when he said Izuku was intelligent. He knew he wouldn't be happy when he found out though.

"I spoke with your mother," All Might said simply.

Izuku's eyes widened. He then changed to a glare.

"You did what," he snarled.

The mere idea of All Might involving his mother in this infuriated him.

"I spoke with your mother," All Might repeated. "She didn't know who I was since we met while I was under disguise. She came in for a report about you and I claimed to be a new detective working on the case. From there onward, I learned about your past, your history with Bakugo, and your desire to be a hero. It was when she said that Deku was a nickname given to you by Bakugo that my suspicions were confirmed."

Well, that made sense to Izuku. He was still angry that he talked to his mother though.

"Okay. Now that that's out of the way I'll move on. Why were you so determined to find me?" Izuku demanded. "Were you feeling guilty about what you said to me?"

All Might straightened up.

"Yes. Please believe me, I never meant to cause you that much pain. I had no idea what you were going through back then," All Might explained. "I was trying to save you."

Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Bit late for that don't you think?" he said. "I didn't need saving; I didn't even want it. I was happy where I was. If you're planning on giving me some heroic speech about how I can change and become a hero now, save it. I have no interest in becoming a hero. I abandoned that goal a long time ago."

All Might was surprised. Why would he not want to be a hero now that he had the chance?

"I know you're upset about what I said but, back then, I didn't think about how quirkless people could be on par with quirked individuals until I spoke with Nezu," All Might said before Izuku cut him off.

"I'm just gonna stop you there. It doesn't matter what you think now. What, you're trying to say, I needed to hear that before I tried to kill myself," Izuku stated. "Not now that I'm a villain."

All Might froze. Guilt twisted inside his stomach.

Izuku sighed.

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, you are not the main reason why I tried to end my life. You were the last straw, but not the main reason, there were plenty of others," he explained.

All Might said nothing. He knew what had occurred in Izuku's life, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Besides, I'm not even mad at you anymore, well, not as much. If anything, I should thank you for giving me that piece of advice," Izuku continued. "You were right, at first I felt resentment towards you, but eventually, I realized you were right."

All Might looked at him confused.

"It's not wrong to dream. Just make sure it's achievable," Izuku quoted. "Back then you were telling me to be realistic. Well, I did. I became realistic about our society. No matter what I did or tried, people like Katsuki and Endeavour would never accept a quirkless kid like me being a hero. Because society basically hates people like me."

All Might couldn't believe what he was hearing. Society may have been prejudiced against the quirkless, but it didn't hate them (though there wasn't much of a difference).

He wasn't sure about some like Endeavour not accepting a quirkless hero. There would be no reason to.

Judging by his reaction, Izuku guessed he didn't believe him. Well, it was time for All Might to take his own advice.

"Did you know Endeavour hates and is envious of you?" Izuku asked.

That question caught All Might completely off guard.

Enji hated and envied him. What was he talking about?

"I don't know what you mean. Endeavour may seem hostile towards me but he's like that with everyone," All Might said. "And I can't see why he would envy me."

Izuku groaned in frustration. He smacked his palm against his forehead.

"Has being the Symbol of Peace made you so naïve to the world around you?" Izuku questioned. "It must if you can't see what kind of person Endeavour really is, or what kind of society we are living in. You must not have enough time since you are always running to the scene of a crime."

All Might gazed at him confused.

Izuku was right about the part where he didn't have a lot of free time. As the Symbol of Peace, he was always trying to save whoever he came across or heard about.

"Endeavour loathes you for being the number one hero, a spot he's always wanted. The man envies you for it so much that he has been working for years to take it from you by any means necessary," Izuku explained. "He really hates being the number two hero. He made that clear when I met him yesterday."

All Might was surprised at this information.

While it was true, he had been the top pro for many years, he hadn't done it to compete, he did to save people. And yet, Enji hated him for it. He hated that he was more popular than him.

No, that wasn't it at all.

Enji had never cared about being popular, he liked being seen as the best. The fact that he had been the number two hero for a long time now must have really made him angry.

"On top of that he views quirkless people like me as, and I am literally quoting, "the weakest creatures to walk the earth." So yeah, he does not have a high opinion of people like me. He's also violent, hot-tempered and a complete asshole from what I've gathered from my previous encounters with him," Izuku continued.

"Look, I know he doesn't have the nicest personality," All Might said defending his colleague. "But he isn't a bad person."

Izuku sighed again.

"Don't be so sure. Being in a position of power like he has allowed him to do things most people couldn't or wouldn't do," Izuku said.

All Might was confused by that statement.

Izuku was careful not to mention Shoto.

It was Shoto's story, not his, he had no right to tell it.

"You know, I get that you want to see the best in other people like him and Katsuki and believe they can change and be better. I get that you want to see it in me, I really do, and while that isn't wrong, sometimes you just need to be realistic and see people for what they really are," Izuku declared. "I believe in redemption, but honestly, some people just don't deserve it."

All Might was left speechless at Izuku's statement.

Izuku was right about many things. All Might did always try to see the best in others.

With Bakugo he tried to be supportive and gave him advice so he could be a better hero, and with Enji he had always been rather friendly and treated him with respect. With both, however, he had always been treated with hostility.

He had never really thought about it before but, now that he did, he felt like an idiot for not seeing it sooner.

He reflected on what Endeavour said about Izuku being quirkless in the monitor room. He was definitely prejudiced.

Then there was what he said about Young Todoroki using his left side. In all the years he had known Enji, it was incredibly rare for him to look even remotely happy.

Todoroki not using his left side, was this the rebellion he spoke up back at the Sports Festival when they met face to face? Back then he said he "created" Todoroki and that his son would one day "beat" him. Were those related to the ambitions he spoke about before? Was he trying to use his own son to take him down?

All Might didn't want to believe it but from the way Enji treated Shoto, like a tool rather than a son, it did seem likely.

"Perhaps you are right," All Might said solemnly. "I do need to be realistic. However, while someone has the chance for redemption, I believe they should take it."

"Really," Izuku responded sarcastically. "Does that include individuals like Shigaraki, AFO and Kurogiri?"

All Might hesitated slightly before answering.

"AFO is dead so it's not possible. Shigaraki and Kurogiri, it is," he said. "People may do terrible things in their lives, but there's no reason why they can't make up and atone for it. Evil isn't born, it's made. The same with good."

Izuku's eyes widened. That was what he had heard from Kurogiri, and what he had said to many people. He believed in that sentence. And apparently so did All Might.

"They aren't as bad as you think you know. Once you get to know them at least," Izuku said softly. "I don't know if they would go down the path you're suggesting though. I'm not going to tell you how, but they were both driven to becoming villains."

"I can't argue with you on that one," All Might admitted. "I hardly know any personal details about them. Shigaraki just so happens to be a relative of my master, but he hates me."

Izuku was surprised at what he had just heard.

Tomura was related to the person that trained All Might.

Looking back, he could vaguely remember Sensei saying something about a woman named Nana Shimura during his battle with All Might. Shimura was Tomura's true surname, so it was possible. He had only caught bits and pieces of the conversation since he was dodging the mini pods trying to kill him.

All Might was wrong about one thing though.

"Shigaraki doesn't hate you exactly, he hates what you stand for and you've done to society," Izuku reasoned.

All Might tilted his head slightly confused. Realising this, Izuku attempted to explain.

"You stand for a false society where people can always smile even without a reason because in that society they believe they have nothing to worry about. That's also a problem. You see in that society, the citizens are too dependent on you and other heroes like there's nothing you can't save them from. They rely on you too much and stop relying on themselves because they foolishly believe that a hero will always come and save them. That makes them weak. When someone else is in danger they won't help that person because they think a hero will save them eventually. But here's the kicker, there's always the scenario where a hero doesn't come and that person dies because those civilians believed a hero would sort everything out," Izuku preached. "They believe a hero will always save them, completely oblivious to the fact that not everyone gets saved. It didn't happen to Shigaraki and it didn't happen to me. It doesn't happen to thousands of others."

All Might was dumbfounded.

Is that what Shigaraki truly thought of him? He couldn't deny he was right. Not everyone got saved. There were moments when he had failed to save someone.

"People see you as more than a hero All Might, they see you as a benevolent God who can't be destroyed and will always be there to protect them," Izuku continued. "But you can't, can you? No matter how good you are, or how much you try, at the end of the day, you are still only human. You can't do everything or save everyone. And when you die, this society we live in will shatter completely and there will be widespread fear and panic because that's how much people depend on you. It's why Shigaraki hates you. Because of how fragile society has become."

All Might was speechless.

This boy, even without him verifying it, knew just what he went through every day of his life. The burden he carried with being the Symbol of Peace. Most people would have jumped at the chance for such a position, but they didn't realize the enormous responsibility that came with it.

Midoriya did, however. He also understood what would happen if there wasn't a symbol to protect others.

"You're one of the few people I've met that's actually realized this," All Might acknowledged.

"I'm not like other people. I look deeper into things than most do," Izuku admitted.

All Might didn't argue against that, not that he could.

"I'm surprised AFO didn't offer you a quirk," All Might said. "Considering how gifted you are."

"Actually, he did," Izuku grudgingly admitted. "However, I refused."

All Might's eyes widened. At that moment he felt both shock and surprise at what Midoriya just said. Everyone wanted one as a child. For someone to reject having one was unheard of.

"Why?" All Might asked nervously. "I don't mean it as an insult. I'm just wondering why."

Izuku bit his lip. He stared at the floor. He remembered exactly why he had said no. it had been an incredibly important moment of his life.

"Well," Izuku started.

Flashback

Izuku and AFO were in Izuku's apartment talking after Izuku's victory over Katsuki. They had just finished talking about All Might's quirk, something Izuku was particularly furious about but decided to keep his emotions in check.

"Now that that's over and done with, I'll move on to the other reason for me being here," Sensei announced.

"Huh," Izuku exhaled confused.

After everything Sensei had told him, what else could he possibly give him?

"You've done a lot for the League, and well, you deserve a reward," Sensei explained. "As I already told you, my quirk allows me to take and give quirks to others, including myself. I've come to offer you one of your choice."

Izuku froze. He had literally stopped breathing for a couple of seconds.

A quirk. He was being offered a quirk. This was something he had wanted his entire life. It was something he had dreamed of having since he was little. It would make him like everyone else. Like everyone else.

Izuku stopped for a moment and started to consider this. A quirk was something he wanted when he was part of society, the people that persecuted him for not having a quirk.

Did he really want one now?

He had proven how competent he was without one. He had proven that he could be just as good as those without quirks.

And he, he was proud of it.

"Izuku," Sensei called.

Izuku looked up at Sensei. Taking a deep breath, he gave his answer.

"Thank you for the offer Sensei but, I must refuse," Izuku replied honestly.

Sensei was stunned at what he had just heard. He expected Izuku to jump at his offer, only to be rejected.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I'm grateful I really am but, after everything I've been through, I don't think I need one anymore," Izuku said.

"Oh," Sensei responded amused and intrigued.

Izuku looked at the floor before looking at the man seriously.

"Me wanting a quirk was me wanting to be accepted by a community that loathed me for not having a quirk. They called me weak and useless and looked down on me. You and the others accepted me for who I was and acknowledged that I was something more than just quirkless. You made me into a stronger person, one who doesn't need to get by with a quirk," Izuku explained. "And I'm proud of that, I'm proud of what I've managed to achieve without a quirk. I'm proud to be quirkless. And that's why I'm saying no to your offer."

There was silence between the two.

Izuku hoped he hadn't offended Sensei in any way by saying that. It was just the way he felt.

Much to his surprise, Sensei started laughing.

"I see," Sensei chuckled. "Well, if that's how you feel then I suppose I can't argue against it."

"You aren't mad," Izuku questioned.

"Of course not," Sensei told him. "If you wish to remain quirkless then so be it. I'm not biased about that sort of thing. The offer is still there if you ever change your mind."

"Thank you," Izuku said.

Sensei stared at him for a moment.

"You're just like him," he murmured under his breath.

"What?" Izuku asked confused.

Sensei realized what he just said and corrected himself.

"Oh, nothing," he said quickly before opening a portal to leave. "I have to head back now Deku. Rest for today. You've earned it."

"Yeah sure," Izuku replied as Sensei disappeared into the portal.

Flashback end

Izuku could still remember that conversation quite clearly in his mind, and how he felt during it.

That day, it was the first time he'd ever said he was proud to be quirkless. That day he felt like a large weight had been lifted from his chest. After that, he never wanted to have a quirk, because he didn't need one. He was already strong without it.

All Might was stunned at what he had just heard.

He had never heard of anyone saying they were proud to be quirkless before. Even he hadn't been happy not to possess a quirk.

Furthermore, if Midoriya didn't want a quirk, then there was no reason for him to receive OFA, something he had been considering.

"Who was the first wielder of OFA?" Izuku asked. "I'm curious as to who Sensei trusted enough to bestow a powerful quirk upon."

All Might didn't have a problem answering that.

"It was AFO's younger brother," he admitted. "He already had a quirk that could be passed on to others. The two quirks merged, and OFA was born."

"Sensei had a brother," Izuku exclaimed surprised.

He had never even asked the man if he had a family. But, if he gave a quirk to his brother, why would that brother turn against him?

"Yeah, I don't know much about him though," All Might admitted. "It's just what I was told by my master."

Izuku decided that he had heard and said enough. He stood up and started to leave.

"I'm gonna head back now. I've got work to do," Izuku stated.

"Of course, and thank you for speaking with me," All Might said. "Regardless of what you believe or think of me, you can become a hero. You've shown you are capable of it."

"Whatever," Izuku retorted before leaving.

Overwhelmed by the ordeal, All Might sighed deeply. It went much better than he expected.

UA Dormitories

Izuku had just finished his homework and was going to go to sleep when he remembered he hadn't spoken to Dabi since arriving. Thanks to the police there was a link set up to his computer to where Dabi was being kept. He activated the app and a few seconds later Dabi's face appeared.

"Hey Deku," Dabi greeted. "How's school?"

"Eventful," Izuku replied simply. "How's jail?"

"Lonely and uneventful," Dabi retorted. "It's not so bad once you get used to it."

Izuku chuckled slightly.

"So, what big events have occurred since I last saw you?" Dabi asked.

"Well," Izuku started.

And so, he explained everything that happened to him since came here. Dabi was impressed with how he handled himself and applauded him for standing his ground.

When he mentioned the conversation he had with Endeavour, Dabi burst out laughing.

"Oh man, you actually said those things to him, and he just stood there pissing his pants unable to make a comeback," he shouted. "I wish I could have seen that."

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"Judging from that reaction I'm guessing you don't like Endeavour," Izuku guessed.

"Are you kidding me? I hate that guy," Dabi said with a serious tone and expression. "How anyone can like him is beyond me."

Izuku had to agree with him on that one.

"I feel bad for Todoroki though. I can't believe he had to put up with that man for fifteen years," Izuku said.

"I can," Dabi said venomously. "Endeavour is a huge asshole who does whatever the hell he wants without consequence."

Izuku was slightly intrigued by that statement.

Did Dabi know Endeavour personally? Or had he just come to that conclusion based on encounters he had with the man?

He didn't get the chance to learn as Dabi said he needed to log off otherwise he'd get in trouble. Izuku didn't argue so he said his goodbyes and logged off also.

Tired, he went to bed and slept till his alarm woke him up the next morning.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I have had this chapter planned out for so long that it was nice to just get it out. I won't say what will be in the next chapter since I'm still working on it. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please review.

Also, Merry Christmas!

Chapter 31: The girl known as Mei Hatsume

Summary:

Izuku meets the Support Course's eccentric and inventing prodigy, Mei Hatsume.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Atrocity

A blast of an accumulation of quirks hit against the walls of the mountain. It was like AFO's during his battle with All Might. However, it did not have as many quirks, so it was not nearly as powerful.

It was also less controlled, leading to the user suffering from recoil.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!" Atrocity shouted as he clutched his right hand.

Currently, he was in the mountains doing some training with his new powers. Unfortunately, it wasn't going very well. Despite having inherited AFO's quirks, Atrocity didn't fully have control over them.

"Inheriting the quirks does not automatically make you a master. It is going to take some practice, like with all quirks. It took AFO decades to master his because every time he took a new quirk, he would need to practice in order to use it to their full power and potential. Those quirk amalgamation moves he created, took lots of practice and control, most of which earned him scars. So be patient, otherwise, this will backfire on you terribly."

The one who had spoken those words to him was none other than Viper after he interrogated her. Though she said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That subhuman bitch," Atrocity growled. "Why did she have to be right?"

As humiliating as it was for him to admit it, Viper was right. This would take some practice. It would also take time.

Currently, Atrocity was in the middle of establishing control over the world of crime in Japan.

So far, he had made people aware of his power and they had begun to fear him, which was good. Some crime gangs and villains were causing his group trouble but that was to be expected. Besides, if it were easy to take over then it wouldn't be any fun.

Hades, especially the leader, was very problematic. However, he had plans to deal with them when the time came.

His forces had grown since the prison breakout. The inmates (excluding those who escaped) had pledged their loyalty to him after freeing them.

Toxic Chainsaw, in particular, was a powerful asset, having killed several groups all by himself. He enjoyed working with Viper again, though he was not aware of her circumstances, not that there was anything he could have done about it.

Tomura's group was still missing.

Wherever AFO sent them he had made sure that they wouldn't be found. Now, it didn't matter. Soon they would all be dead, with each deprived of their quirks.

Deku was also missing.

Kuin hadn't been able to verify whether he was dead or not since the hospital incident. He wasn't mad at her. She had done her job perfectly. And if Deku did turn out to be alive, he would hunt that quirkless bastard down himself and kill him with his own two hands.

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing. It was Deathbolt.

"What's up?" Atrocity questioned.

"There have been sightings of dark mist appearing in different areas," Deathbolt responded. "Strangely enough, there haven't been any sightings of Kurogiri. You'd think a guy like him would be easy to find. Anyway, I was planning to investigate alongside Muscular. That alright with you?"

Atrocity considered this for a moment.

"Fine. From what I know about him, Kurogiri used to have a regular body so he may be using that to get around without anyone seeing him," he explained. "I want you to capture him, for both information and his quirk. If you both fail, you will be severely punished."

Deathbolt acknowledged this and hung up. Atrocity returned to his training where he continued to struggle, much to his frustration.

UA Dormitories

Once again Izuku was up and getting ready for school. He headed downstairs for breakfast. However, instead of meeting Shoto this time, it was Mina.

"Good Morning Midoriya," she politely greeted him. "Sleep well?"

"Well enough," he replied. "What about you? Have you recovered from your previous ordeal?"

Mina raised an eyebrow.

"By previous ordeal you mean where I was kidnapped by a psychopath to be intensely tortured by an even bigger psychopath, only to be saved and released later by you," Mina exclaimed. Izuku nodded and she continued speaking. "I'm fine really. I was a little traumatised but that was fixed by therapy."

Izuku was relieved to hear that. However, he noticed that Mina's expression had turned sad.

"I didn't get a chance to say this to you before because you were settling in but," Mina started. "I'm sorry about what happened to AFO. I know he meant a lot to you."

Izuku stiffened up. He wasn't mad at Mina, just surprised. She was probably the first person to express condolences towards him for Sensei besides his mother and Dabi.

"Thank you," he said simply. "That means a lot to me."

Mina smiled at him.

"I didn't know him as well as you did but, aside from you, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here," she admitted. "And for that, I'm quite grateful."

Izuku said nothing. Mina wasn't wrong about Sensei. He was the reason she was here. He was the deciding factor in her being placed in his custody.

"How did you know he was dead?" Izuku asked.

"It was over the news when they discussed the breakout at Tartarus Prison," Mina explained.

So, Sensei's death had been made public. Considering it was related to the breakout at Tartarus it made sense for it to be made public.

Mina's face then turned nervous.

"Um, I don't really have the right to ask but," Mina started.

"Go on," Izuku urged.

"Do they, do they know who...did it?" she asked uncertainly.

Izuku stared at her. He hadn't expected her to ask that sort of question. Gritting his teeth, he stared hatefully at the ground.

"It was Atrocity," Izuku snarled.

Mina flinched at the name. In doing so she accidentally knocked her cup over and it fell and shattered on the ground. She had never met the man, but, hearing about him, the things he did to people like her, it was enough to frighten her.

Her reaction did not go unnoticed. Izuku looked up at her with a calmer expression. He really couldn't blame Mina for being afraid.

"He was also behind the mini-pod attack during the Battle of Kamino and, though there isn't much evidence, it's heavily implied that he was the one who was behind the assault on the villain hospital," Izuku told her. "Both times he was trying to kill me."

Mina's eyes widened.

"Is this because you helped me back then?" she asked seriously.

"That's probably one reason," Izuku admitted. "From what I've heard about him, he despises quirkless people like me more than the average."

Mina felt guilt swarm up in her chest.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's because of me that you nearly died."

Izuku gave her an incredulous look.

"Why? It's not your fault," he told her. "Considering the type of person, he is he would have come after me eventually. So don't beat yourself up over it."

As much as Mina wanted to believe him she still felt guilty.

"So, how are you finding UA?" she asked trying to change the subject.

Izuku frowned. It was the second time someone had asked him that question.

"It's fine I guess. It has its ups and downs but otherwise, it's alright," he said.

"You certainly made an impression by defeating Bakugo and Todoroki," Mina told him.

"I bet," Izuku said. "A quirkless boy beating the two strongest students would shock anyone. Although personally, I thought it was a draw between me and Todoroki because we both collapsed at the end."

"You certainly stood through his fire well enough," Mina admitted.

"I've spent time around Dabi," Izuku retorted. "Believe me, his flames are hotter."

"Whatever happened to Dabi? That man, Compress I think his name was, gave him to you, didn't he?" Mina asked.

"He's fine," Izuku told her. "I freed him during the hospital battle to help fight what was after me. He's in police custody now but he's fine. We're still in contact and since he hasn't committed any major crimes, aside from the kidnapping, he may be released soon."

"That's good to hear," Mina said.

She didn't have any problem with Dabi (nor Toga and Twice for that matter).

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Iida and Tokoyami who greeted them both and asked about the broken cup. When Mina gave them a suitable answer they didn't press any further.

Tokoyami had gotten used to Midoriya quickly, especially since they had been teammates, so he didn't have a problem with him attending UA. Though he did keep his guard up.

Iida had already accepted him and spoke with Midoriya frequently. They even ate lunch together now.

They all spoke for a tiny bit before heading to class.

UA Hallways hours later

The day had gone by rather quickly.

Classes were alright and now he was doing hero training with the others.

All Might was there, but they didn't talk to each other. Neither of them really wanted to after what happened yesterday.

While sparring with Ectoplasm he asked if it was possible to get back some of the gadgets he'd used while working with the League. Ectoplasm doubted it but Aizawa said that if he wanted to make a weapon to better defend himself he should go to the development studio where he could get it done. Though he would be supervised by the teacher present.

Which was why he was on his way there now to make a request.

Naturally, he was curious about the development studio as it was part of the Support Department, something he hadn't seen much of. According to Aizawa, it was where students could go to adjust their hero costumes if they wanted.

As he stood outside the door he prepared to walk in when he heard Tenya and Ochaco's voices. They were both talking about what improvements they wanted to their costumes when they saw and greeted him. He did the same while opening the door.

That was when an explosion occurred from within the development studio and sent him flying. Tenya and Ochaco were immediately horrified at what had just happened. Out of the smoke, Power Loader appeared coughing and looking exhausted.

"You can't just go around making whatever you think of," he berated the girl that had been blasted outside the room.

"Heh heh heh… failure is the mother of invention, Power Loader Sensei. Thomas Edison once said that. Just because an invention doesn't work as it's intended doesn't mean the effort is wasted…" the girl justified.

Power Loader didn't like that answer, however.

"That's not the point. You almost blew up the entire studio. Will you please open your ears and listen to me for once, Hatsume?" he said very irritatedly.

The smoke cleared and a girl with pink locks and yellow eyes with cross-hairs for pupils became visible. What's more, she was lying on top of Izuku, who had been briefly deafened from the explosion. When his hearing returned he opened his eyes to see Hatsume on top of him.

"Hm, where did you come from?" she asked having finally noticed him.

Ochaco saw Hatsume on Izuku, as well as the size of her chest which was in close proximity to Izuku's face. She did not know why but, at that moment, she became extremely jealous of Hatsume.

Izuku (who didn't have a clear understanding of the situation) also noticed this. However, he was neither fazed nor flustered in the slightest. In fact, he was quite angry and got the wrong idea of what that explosion was about. Quickly, he turned Hatsume over and put her in a chokehold.

"Okay, you have ten seconds to explain why you just tried to kill me before I start beating it out of you," he threatened.

Ochaco and Tenya flinched at his threat. Did Midoriya really believe that she was trying to kill him?

Power Loader tensed for a fight. He hadn't expected this kind of scenario.

Much to Izuku's surprise, Hatsume laughed and started feeling his arms.

"Wow, you're so strong, and your arms are so muscly," Hatsume said while gasping for air. "They'd be perfect for one of my babies."

Izuku was left baffled by her response. He was expecting her to be afraid, not intrigued. He loosened his grip slightly so she could breathe properly.

"Okay, does the fact that I was choking and threatening you not mean anything?" Izuku asked incredulously.

"Oh, who cares about that?" Hatsume responded energetically.

Izuku didn't know how to reply to that. Neither did the other people present.

"Why were you trying to kill me?" Izuku asked uncertainly.

The cheerful smile disappeared from Hatsume's face and was replaced by one of complete confusion. She wasn't the only one.

The three people present were shocked at what they had just heard. Izuku genuinely thought Hatsume was trying to kill him, it wasn't just an angry reaction.

Power Loader made a mental note to inform Nezu and Aizawa later.

"I wasn't trying to kill you. My baby just malfunctioned and exploded," Hatsume explained. "You just happened to be there when it occurred."

"She's telling the truth," Power Loader interjected. "Hatsume would never try and kill anyone."

Izuku stayed still for a moment before releasing Hatsume fully and helping her up. He looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry about that. I've had a lot of bad experiences recently and I guess I just overreacted," Izuku said.

Hatsume grinned at him.

"Don't worry about it. If stay focused on the past you'll never enjoy the present," she said enthusiastically.

Izuku was taken back by her cheerfulness.

"Sorry about the explosion. You guys are from the hero course right. Sorry but I don't remember your names," she said.

Ochaco and especially Tenya took offence to that.

"I'm Izuku Midoriya. I transferred this semester," Izuku told her.

"I'm Tenya Iida, the man you used as a walking advertisement during the Sports Festival," Tenya piped up.

"Got it. Anyways, I'm busy so I gotta get back to working on my babies," Hatsume said completely disregarding them.

They instead turned their attention to Power Loader.

"Um, we were hoping to speak to you about costume remodelling," Ochaco said.

"I was hoping to make myself a weapon to better defend myself," Izuku said. "Under your supervision Mr Power Loader."

Before the teacher could answer Hatsume was right in Izuku's face.

"Costume remodelling and weapon creation. Colour me intrigued," she exclaimed.

"Hatsume," Power Loader called out. "It's fine if you basically live in the studio since you are living on campus now. But if you keep ignoring my instructions and causing havoc in here, I'll have no choice but to ban you."

That shut her up. He then turned his attention to the students.

"Eraser gave the heads up about why you're here," he told them. "So come on in."

As it turned out, the development studio was filled with various tools, materials and machinery for costume development. Izuku thought it looked like a secret lab.

Power Loader went on to request costume designs from Iida and Uraraka so he could make adjustments to them. He explained his license for this and the procedures involved with costume changes, both small and large. He then turned his attention to Izuku.

"What sort of weapon were you hoping to make exactly?" he asked politely.

Izuku thought about this for a moment.

"I was thinking maybe a bo staff made of metal, the kind that doesn't break easily, but it can be split in two and put back together easily. It would also be able to retract into a smaller size to make it easier to carry around," Izuku explained. "Does that sound stupid?"

Power Loader chuckled. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that question, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Hardly. A weapon like that has been made before, so it shouldn't be too difficult," he reasoned.

"That's good to hear," Izuku said.

He then stopped upon feeling his body being touched. He looked down to see that Hatsume was the one doing it. Izuku should have been bothered by it but Hatsume wasn't trying to do him any harm he let it go on. Though he was curious about it.

"Why are you feeling my body?" he asked calmly.

"So, I can get a good feel of what you're made and capable of," Hatsume said without an ounce of shame. "Some of my babies would really do you good."

Ochaco, again for some reason, felt an immense amount of jealousy.

Tenya just glared at Hatsume, still furious over what she did to him during the Sports Festival.

"You really like inventing stuff, don't you?" Izuku questioned amused.

Hatsume brightened at this question.

"I love it," she responded enthusiastically. "When I graduate I'm gonna enrol at a support company, so I can share my babies with the world."

"A noble dream," Izuku said. "I wish you well with that."

"Thank you," she replied happily.

Power Loader was surprised at how encouraging Izuku was being to Hatsume. He wasn't mad. Actually, he thought it was rather nice of him.

While this going on Tenya and Uraraka tried to speak with Power Loader about what improvements they wanted.

Tenya wanted a radiator upgrade to lessen the drawbacks of his Recipro.

Ochaco wanted to be able to float without experiencing any negative effects.

Unfortunately, they were overheard by Hatsume. Almost instantly, she strapped these gloves (she referred to as booster's) onto Iida's arms, pressed a button, and skyrocketed him up into the air until he was pressed against the ceiling. When he fell back down, he was furious and demanded an explanation which she justified by suggesting he run on his arms if his legs got tired.

It didn't make sense to anyone.

"Sorry about that. Her ego knows no bounds. It's like a sickness really," Power Loader apologised.

"We know," Tenya and Ochaco deadpanned.

"That said if you're gonna be heroes you should value your ties with her as one day you'll be going to her for help. See that pile of junk in the corner," Power Loader said while pointing at the mountain of gadgets. "They're all support items that Hatsume built since the start of the school year. Whenever she has free time she always comes in here and tinkers with something, even on days off. I've seen quite a few support students in my day but Hatsume is in a league of her own."

Izuku was impressed with Hatsume's inventive abilities. If she made all this in just four months, then who knows what she could make once she graduated from school.

"Common sense is a collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen. Quote by Einstein. That girl doesn't fear failure. Every one of her ideas gets put to the test," Power Loader informed them. "The best inventors out there are unconstrained by convention."

That sounded quite inspirational.

Ochaco asked about upgrades for her costume Hatsume was behind her instantly with a wooden barrel with a string attached to it. From the student's point of view, it looked like a bomb, yet Hatsume was walking towards them with an enthusiastic grin on her face.

Though he had nothing against the woman, Izuku moved incredibly fast and was behind her instantly where he applied a karate chop to her neck, knocking her out instantly.

"I'm sorry. But I don't feel like being blown up," Izuku addressed the people in the room.

"Neither do we," Tenya and Ochaco agreed.

"It's fine, really. I'll let it slide this time since you probably prevented an explosion from taking place," Power Loader told them. "How long will she be out?"

Izuku thought about it.

"A few minutes at least," he informed the pro. "I didn't do it that hard."

"Anyway, let us get back to why we are here," Power Loader said. "You want to make yourself a bo staff, right? We can make that for you. You don't have to make it yourself?"

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I see. It's just that when I was with the League I made most of my own gear," Izuku explained.

"Including your costume?" Power Loader questioned.

Izuku nodded, much to the pro's surprise. He thought someone else made it.

"The helmet that covered my head was given to me by Kurogiri however," Izuku pointed out.

"I see. Out of curiosity though, what sort of weapons did you use before?" Power Loader asked.

"Hmm, let's see. I used a taser, some knives, ice grenades, and sleep grenades from Mustard," Izuku informed the man. "I also used a grappling hook which I still use."

Tenya remembered that he used some sort of chemical to heal during Hosu, though he didn't mention it because he had already told the police.

Ochaco was surprised at the wide variety of weapons he used while Power Loader was impressed with what he had made.

"I am choosing to make a bo staff because people would probably feel safer, and also because I doubt people will trust me with anything sharp," Izuku explained.

'Considering his past, it does make sense,' Tenya thought. 'Though I doubt he would try and kill anyone. He isn't that sort of person. Of that I'm certain.'

Power loader considered Izuku's request.

"If you want that for a weapon then fine," he informed the boy. "I see no problem with it."

"Ooh, can I make it?" Hatsume requested.

The fact that she was back up caught Izuku off guard. She should've been down for a few more minutes. Her desire to invent stuff was strong.

"Hold on a minute. Midoriya, would that be alright with you?" Power Loader asked. "It's your request after all."

Izuku thought about it for a minute. Hatsume seemed really passionate about what she did and was quite good at it too. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to depend on these people for once.

"Think you can handle it?" Izuku challenged.

Hatsume grinned. "Definitely. I'll make you the best staff you've ever had."

This time it was Izuku's turn to grin. "Well alright then. Hatsume, you're hired."

"Great, I'd better get working," she yelled as she turned back to her desk.

Power Loader smiled at what he saw. This kid had an interesting effect on people. Tenya and Ochaco proceeded to give him their designs.

After this, they all headed back to training.

On the way back

As the three students walked back, one of them started talking.

"That thing with Hatsume. What was that all about?" Tenya asked concerned.

Izuku didn't need to ask to guess what he was talking about.

"I'm not exactly sure myself," Izuku admitted. "When that happened, I just reacted."

Tenya and Ochaco frowned.

That was a bit much for a simple reaction.

"It felt so natural," he admitted. "Like I was used to it happening, and I suppose I am."

Dream sequence

Flames danced around the area as Izuku struggled to breathe.

The screams of children filled the air as they tried to escape while others were crying from burns.

Umi and Utada were doing their best to save them, but the assailant made things difficult.

Shita lay close to him unconscious.

Blood leaking down his forehead from hitting his head.

"Take this you quirkless fucker!" the assailants shouted.

A torrent of fire shot straight for him.

He couldn't move.

He was in too much pain.

Closing his eyes, he waited for the inevitable.

Dream sequence end

Izuku suddenly felt faint as he held his hand to his head.

'Another vision?' Izuku pondered. 'Why do they keep happening?'

Even since the hospital, Izuku had been having strange hallucinations of people and events he had never seen before.

However, they were not common and usually took a specific phrase or action to occur.

He didn't know why though.

Tenya and Ochaco were concerned by his reaction.

"Anyway, I've had a lot of bad experiences like that so, reacting that way must have become normal for me," he admitted.

Neither of them agreed with that. If reacting like that was normal for him then that meant only one thing.

Izuku was living in fear.

More than that, he was traumatised.

'I'm guessing it's more than just those experiences,' Tenya thought. 'He didn't exactly have a happy life before joining the League.'

He knew Izuku had been bullied but he didn't know to what extent, or how.

"It doesn't matter now," Izuku said finally. "All I can do is live and move forward."

"If you ever want to talk about it, we're here for you," Tenya assured him.

Izuku felt a certain warmth at hearing that.

Aside from his mother and Kurogiri, no one had ever said that to him before.

"Thanks, but I'm fine, really," he assured them. "Now, we should get back to class before Aizawa gives us detention."

And with that, they finally returned to class.

Nezu's office later that day

Aizawa arrived at the principal's office to speak with him, having been unable to the previous day due to him being away on school business. Much to his surprise, Power Loader was there as well.

"Ah, Eraser, I was hoping to speak with you," he said.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. Then he realised what it was about.

"Did something happen when my students visited you today?" he questioned.

"Yes, but I'd like to talk about that with you and Nezu," Power Loader replied.

"Oh great," Aizawa internally moaned.

The two headed inside to see Nezu who greeted them both. They, in turn, informed him as to why they were here.

Power Loader went first as Aizawa wanted to know what went down with his students. He explained how Izuku reacted when the explosion occurred, how he got the wrong idea and threatened Hatsume.

"I see. This is troublesome," Nezu acknowledged.

"I'll punish him if that's what you want," Aizawa piped up.

Power Loader waved his head.

"I don't want that at all. Things were fine after this and he got along with her well," he argued. "I'm not mad at him but, the way he acted, and how he looked during it. He genuinely believed that Hatsume was trying to kill him."

There was silence.

Power Loader couldn't forget the look on Izuku's face. There was fear and suspicion in his eyes. It was like he expected someone to be trying to kill him.

Nezu and Aizawa were concerned.

It seemed that Izuku had a lot more going on with him than they originally thought.

"It could be because of the past attempts made on his life," Nezu suggested. "If that's the case, then perhaps we should set up counselling sessions between him and Hound Dog."

"Do it then," Aizawa urged. "Regardless of his past, Midoriya is still a student here. And like all students, when he needs help and guidance, we give it to him."

"He's not a bad kid you know," Power Loader piped up. "He was very encouraging to Hatsume. He's even letting her make that bo staff he requested."

Nezu and Aizawa said nothing. However, they were both privately glad at what Izuku was doing to the students. Whether it was intentional or not, he seemed to have a good impact on them.

"I understand," Nezu said. "Now then Eraser. Why did you come to see me? Is it also something to do with Midoriya?"

Aizawa's face became serious.

"Not exactly. It was something he reported to me though, about Hitoshi Shinso," he informed them.

Nezu's eyes straightened in his chair.

Power Loader shifted slightly.

"That Gen Ed kid with the brainwashing quirk?" Power Loader asked.

Aizawa nodded.

"Did he use his quirk on him or something?" Power Loader asked.

Aizawa shook his head.

"No, not at all. According to Midoriya, Shinso is being bullied because of his quirk," he explained.

Nezu and Power Loader tensed at this information.

Nezu was angrier at this information. One of his students was being bullied, and he was now just hearing about it.

"Explain," he commanded.

Aizawa wasted no time in telling Nezu everything Izuku told him about what Hitoshi was going through and what he thought. He even included the confirmation from Ochaco for good measure. By the end of it Nezu was furious.

Power Loader was concerned. He wasn't scared of Hitoshi, but he did feel uneasy about his quirk.

"I can't believe it," Nezu exclaimed frustrated. "This has been going on for months we weren't even aware of it."

They all didn't like the names people called Hitoshi. In fact, it made them angry.

"What do you think we should do to rectify that?" Power Loader asked.

"For now, keep an eye on Shinso," Nezu suggested. "If anyone bullies him, punish them without question. If they call him those names, give them a harsh lecture."

"Understood. If they want to be heroes then they should start acting like it," Aizawa added.

Power Loader had something else to add.

"Does this mean you're going to reconsider having him in the hero course?" he wondered.

"I always wanted him in the hero course," Aizawa corrected. "Everyone else, save Midnight, disagreed. That will need to be rediscussed at the next staff meeting."

With that, the meeting concluded.

Friday

The rest of the week went by quickly. The students trained and studied like usual.

Aside from Izuku, other students from Class 1A had gone to Hatsume for upgrades on their costumes. While she was slightly distracted by this, she paid more attention to his request. Within two days she had completed the staff and it was up to all its requirements.

She had really poured her heart and soul into it, something Izuku was grateful for. He had begun practising with it and was quickly getting the hang of it.

During his time with the League Razor taught him how to wield certain weapons which made it easier.

Bullying seemed to lessen for Hitoshi, though he couldn't explain why. However, Izuku had a pretty good idea.

The students in 1A seemed to have gotten used to his presence, so they weren't as edgy around him, though they still kept their guards up.

For some reason, the school wanted him to attend counselling sessions with Hound Dog. He guessed it stemmed from the incident with Hatsume. The first one was late in the day and he was nervous about it.

Throughout the week, he had had to deal with the problem known as Neito Monoma. Despite his previous speech to him, he continued to annoy Izuku and mock his class. Like now.

"Wow, it's the quirkless kid from 1A," he ranted. "Are you and your class still trying to be the best? Don't bother. Eventually, we'll usurp you."

Classes had just ended for the day and he was heading back to the dorm when they ran into each other. For some reason, Neito was following him. Izuku was trying his best to ignore him; keyword: trying.

"What? Are you ignoring me? Am I not worth looking at?" Neito continued to rant.

God, he was annoying. Did he ever shut up?

"You really are arrogant you know. As one would expect from Class A. Always like they're better," Neito sneered.

Okay, that did it. Izuku grabbed Neito by the throat and pinned him against the wall and glared at him with intensity.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Izuku demanded.

Neito flinched at his fury. This reminded him of 'them'.

"Seriously Monoma. What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?" Izuku questioned. "Don't use our first meeting as an excuse. You were the one trying to provoke me then."

Neito straightened up a bit.

"You wouldn't understand. Class A is viewed as Gods because of how successful they've been since the start of the year, while my class are seen as second rate by everyone, including our own teacher," Neito vented. "They had multiple chances to show everyone just how strong they are, to show they can be heroes."

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

He didn't exactly think almost being killed was a chance.

However, at the same time, Izuku could see the emotions in Monoma's eyes. He clearly meant what he was saying. But that wasn't all.

There was something else he saw in Monoma's eyes. He saw fear, loneliness, insecurity, and anger. And the second he did he knew what was wrong.

"Who bullied or still bully's you?" Izuku asked bluntly.

Neito was taken off guard by this question. The expression on his face was replaced by one of shock and surprise. How did Midoriya know that?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he mumbled.

Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Oh please. I know the look of someone who's bullied when I see one," he deadpanned. "I used to be the same way. Your personality didn't spawn from nothing. Something had to have made you this way."

Neito's eyes widened. This guy had him figured out, and he hadn't even said anything.

He shoved Izuku away angrily.

"It doesn't matter. I don't see why you would care anyway," he growled as he attempted to leave.

Izuku wasn't having it. He waited until Monoma had changed into his regular shoes to head back to the dorm. When he was outside the school Izuku grabbed him by the waist and hoisted him up onto his right shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Neito shouted completely baffled by Izuku's behaviour.

"I'm taking you back to your dorm where I can get either the class representative or your homeroom teacher to do something about your behaviour," Izuku answered rather bluntly. "Because I am not putting up with this anymore. I have better things to do with my time, and I'm sure you do too."

Neito argued strongly against this, but Izuku paid him no attention as walked to where 1B's dorm was.

The people there were in for a surprise when they saw him with Monoma.

A deserted street at an unknown location

"So, we finally found you, Kurogiri," Deathbolt gloated with a sinister grin. "Atrocity would like a word with you."

If one were to look at him, they would notice that Deathbolts hair was in the shape of a faux hawk mohawk that was lightning blonde. They would also notice his eyes were the same colour. He was tall, and his skin was dark.

Dressed in goth fashion with trousers with chains hanging down from each side and an open jacket that exposed his bare chest revealing that he was muscular. He also wore brown combat boots.

"You won't get away this time," Muscular sneered.

Kurogiri (who had a hood and scarf covering his face) wasn't intimidated. While he did fear Atrocity, these two he was more than capable of handling.

He knew how to fight. Being in this life forced him to learn.

"Sorry to disappoint you but, I have no intention of speaking with that psychotic bastard," he snarled.

That comment earned a grin from the pair.

"Now we can either do this easy way where you come back with us willingly or the hard way where we beat the shit out of you and drag you back," Deathbolt threatened.

"I prefer the hard way," Muscular piped up excited.

Underneath his scarf, Kurogiri was grinning.

"That makes two of us," he retorted.

Nothing more was said. Muscular brought out the muscle fibres beneath his skin that covered the top part of his body.

Deathbolt's electricity flared emanating from his body.

Kurogiri's black mist appeared from his hands.

And just like that, the battle had begun.

Notes:

Hi there. Well. What did you think of that? I had trouble deciding what to write for this chapter until I decided on a meeting with Hatsume. Anyway, next chapter will see Kurogiri facing off against Deathbolt and Muscular while Izuku confronts some of Class 1B as well as Vlad King about Monoma's behaviour. Monoma's past will also be explored in this story, but I haven't decided if it's for the next chapter or not. Also, I've decided to do an original arc that wasn't in the manga that will highlight some of Izuku's past in the League. I hope you enjoyed. Please review.

Chapter 32: Shadows of strength

Summary:

Kurogiri battles against Deathbolt and Muscular. Meanwhile, Class 1B, their teacher, and especially Monoma receive an important wake-up call.

Notes:

Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Muscular charged at Kurogiri with immense speed ready to smash him in the face with his right fist. However, Kurogiri opened a warp gate (he could activate them on any part of his body) right where Muscular was attempting to hit him and redirected it towards Muscular's face. The force from the blow sent Muscular flying back.

Kurogiri then opened a warp gate where Muscular stood to trap him in it and cause him to fall. He then proceeded to crush him the same way he did with All Might at the USJ.

Deathbolt wasn't having it.

He shot balls of electricity at Kurogiri, who in turn opened another warp gate to redirect it at an already struggling Muscular. The shocks hurt him a little but not a lot.

"Did you really think I'd be so stupid to direct your attacks towards you?" Kurogiri taunted. "Electricity as a whole doesn't hurt you, even from other users."

Deathbolt scowled.

"Hey dumbass! Don't shoot at him; it's hurting me," Muscular yelled.

"Shut up! At least I'm putting up a fight. You went and got yourself captured," Deathbolt shouted back.

Kurogiri wasn't the least bit surprised at their arguing. Though these two could work well together, they sometimes bickered when things weren't going their way.

Taking advantage of them being distracted, Kurogiri warped behind Deathbolt and side kicked his back to send him crashing down on his face.

Deathbolt, angry at what had just happened, unleashed electricity through the ground.

Kurogiri wasn't quick enough to dodge this time and got shocked. This caused him to momentarily loosen his hold on Muscular who escaped while being shocked also.

Realising he would be unconscious if he didn't do something soon, Kurogiri opened a warp gate at his feet and fell through it onto a railing of one of the buildings just above them.

Muscular and Deathbolt had gotten back to their feet. However, Muscular was incredibly irritated about being shocked repeatedly.

Within an instant, he was up in the blonde man's glaring at him.

"Will you quit zapping me already?" he snarled. "It's really pissing me off!"

"Oh, shut it," Deathbolt snapped back. "At least I managed to hurt him."

Seeing that they were in close proximity to each other, Kurogiri decided to take advantage. While those two were arguing, he warped himself right between them, catching them off guard.

"Hello," he greeted them.

Due to his sudden appearance, his opponents reacted instinctively and tried to attack him using their quirks. Muscular attempted a punch while Deathbolt had his hand opened out.

"Big mistake," Kurogiri thought. "I was waiting for that."

Kurogiri immediately opened warp gates that redirected their attacks at their faces. Deathbolts electrocuted Muscular in the face which briefly stunned him while Muscular's fist connected with Deathbolts face and sent him flying several metres back.

Deathbolt landed on his back and looked barely conscious (Muscular always did have trouble holding back).

Kurogiri, who had used that strategy many times, chuckled to himself.

"Oh, that never gets old," he said amused.

Muscular recovered from Deathbolt's attack and attempted to punch Kurogiri in the face again. As with before, Kurogiri opened a warp gate to redirect it. However, Muscular was prepared this time.

He changed the direction of his strike towards the ground and generated a shockwave that created a barrage of earth that sent Kurogiri crashing backwards.

Taking advantage of the destruction, Kurogiri warped several large rocks at Muscular who easily shattered them with his fists.

Kurogiri quickly warped back to where was at the start of the fight.

'I didn't see that one coming. He's smarter than he looks,' Kurogiri realized.

Muscular smirked at Kurogiri.

Regardless of the blows he was taking, he was really enjoying this fight.

"I really gotta thank you for making this fight interesting. It's not often I come across someone who's capable of making me go all out," Muscular applauded.

"Glad to see that you're enjoying yourself," Kurogiri responded. "However, this must come to an end."

Muscular expressed disappointment at hearing that.

"Aw don't be like that. We're having so much fun," Muscular complained before turning sinister. "Speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to know where that bastard Deku is would you? I've got a score to settle with him for what he did back at the bar. Although, the boss wants him all to himself."

"Sorry to disappoint you but, I have no idea where Deku is. He's been missing since the kidnapping incident," Kurogiri explained.

There had been no reports about Izuku over the news, so it was hard to know whether he was in prison or just in hiding. If he was in the hands of the heroes, then he was probably in a safer place than with them. Especially since Atrocity wanted him dead.

As much as he and the others worried about Izuku's safety, they also had to worry about their own.

"Ugh," Deathbolt moaned as he slowly got back to his feet.

It seemed he had been hit by Muscular's recent attack. His clothes were slightly torn, and blood was leaking out of his mouth. What's more, he looked incredibly pissed at the situation.

"You, dumbshit motherfucker!" he screamed at Muscular. "You nearly killed me!"

"Doesn't feel so good when it's the other way around does it?" Muscular snapped back remembering when he got hit with Deathbolt's attacks.

Kurogiri wondered if he should have escaped at that moment. He never got the chance though.

"That does it. This ends now," Deathbolt declared while taking out an injection gun that had blue liquid in it. "Achilles will make sure of that."

Kurogiri knew what was in that liquid, and it worried him. He was also surprised at the name. Knowing Atrocity, he probably wanted to make it seem a little more his by naming it. Still, the name was fitting considering what the drug did.

Deathbolt injected himself with Achilles and felt a surge of power rush through him. This sensation, it was incredible.

After injecting himself, electricity began emanating from his body at an even greater rate than before. Also, Deathbolt's eyes turned completely lightning yellow.

Kurogiri was slightly unnerved at what he was seeing.

Muscular looked unimpressed.

Using his powers, Deathbolt started absorbing the electricity from every device in the area to make himself stronger. After doing this he used the electricity to glide up into the air, or rather, he was using the electricity to hold himself up.

Wasting no time, he blasted Kurogiri with a large amount of energy at immense speed. Kurogiri barely managed to block with a warp gate. Once again, he redirected it at Muscular, however, he was clever enough to realize this and dodge so he wouldn't be zapped again.

The damage he did though surprised both parties.

The blast scorched and destroyed the very earth beneath them. There was a large hole in the wall just at the entrance of the alley.

"Oh man, this is incredible," Deathbolt exclaimed excitedly. "I feel like I could do anything with this power. Pity the effects aren't permanent."

Kurogiri had never sampled the drug himself but he had seen the effects on several test subjects. Izuku sure did a tremendous job. Now wasn't the time for that though.

Someone (most notably the heroes) was bound to have noticed their little show by now and were on their way. He needed to finish this quickly.

Kurogiri desperately looked around for something he could use. That's when he saw it. On the roof of one of the buildings lay something that would ensure his victory.

"Holy shit," Muscular muttered.

Seeing the power Deathbolt displayed. He couldn't deny he was impressed.

Deathbolt's enhancement came with some other perks. In an instant, he was beside Kurogiri. The latter of which, had no time to react as he was given an electric kick to the face that sent him crashing into the nearest wall.

Deathbolt then forged an electric whip and tried to grab Kurogiri with it. However, Kurogiri threw an ice grenade (there was some leftover from Izuku) that collided with the whip and exploded in a blinding light. The ground and up to Deathbolts knees were encased in ice.

"You think this will stop me," Deathbolt sneered as he emanated electricity from his body to melt the ice.

"Well, I'll just finish off the weaker one of you two," Kurogiri boasted while turning to Muscular.

The latter of which took extreme offence to that.

"I'll show you weak," he shouted as he charged at Kurogiri with a kick.

That was what he wanted though. Kurogiri opened a small warp gate that caught Musculars kick so it would hit the water tank on the roof.

As it began to fall, Kurogiri warped Muscular right next to Deathbolt who still had his electricity out. He then warped the falling tank right over them where its water started to fall out.

The moment Deathbolt noticed this his eyes widened in fear.

"Shit," he whined.

Water and electricity don't mix well. And when the large amount fell on the pair of villains it caused Deathbolt to short-circuit while electrocuting Muscular.

From Kurogiri's perspective, it looked like the two of them were screaming yet it couldn't be heard. When the light show ended, they were both steaming.

Deathbolt was unconscious and breathing softly.

Muscular was conscious, tired, and breathing heavily.

"Wow. I'm 'shocked' to see you both alive after that," Kurogiri joked.

As serious as he was most of the time, he did possess a sense of humour.

Muscular grinned weakly. Despite his brutal and arrogant nature, he knew when he was beaten. In his eyes, Kurogiri was a strong opponent that shouldn't be underestimated.

"Well, it seems you won. You are a lot stronger than people say you are," Muscular admitted.

Kurogiri was surprised by the compliment but accepted it nonetheless.

"Thank you," he responded. "Just because I don't fight normally doesn't mean I can't fight at all."

Muscular laughed in response.

"That's true I guess," Muscular said. He then grabbed Deathbolt and jumped to the highest building. As he did so, he called out to Kurogiri one last time. "Today, victory belongs to you. Next time, however, we'll be the stronger ones."

"I look forward to it," Kurogiri replied.

As to why he didn't try to pursue and end their lives. The heroes were in the area, so he needed to leave.

Opening up a warp gate he headed back to the hideout.

Class 1B dorms

Those in Class B had been having a relatively normal day at school and were now either in their rooms studying or in the living room socialising or relaxing. So, when they saw Izuku with Neito struggling on his shoulder walk into them well, to say they were surprised was an understatement.

Izuku had let himself into the building and removed his and Neito's (by some miraculous means) shoes.

Neito squirmed and struggled the entire time during this. He kept constantly shouting at Izuku to let him go. Izuku, in return, threatened to drop him if he didn't shut up.

Among those in the living room were Kendo, Reiko Yanagi, Setsuna Tokage, Awase, Hiryu Rin, Kosei, Tetsutetsu and Juzo Honenuki. They stared at the scene in front of them with complete silence and shock.

Izuku stared at them silently for a minute before addressing them.

"Excuse me. May I speak with either the class representative or your homeroom teacher please?" Izuku asked politely.

For a few seconds, the students stood there dumbfounded until one of them reacted.

"I'm the class representative," Kendo said stepping forward. "What exactly did Monoma do to warrant this?"

"The usual verbal harassment," Izuku explained bluntly. "I'm sick of it. So, could you maybe do something about his behaviour?"

That surprised all the students. Of all the times Neito had annoyed students from Class A, Izuku was the first one to ask them to do something about it.

"Here's what he said," Izuku started as explained what happened.

When he was done Kendo facepalmed herself in frustration.

"Seriously Monoma, this has gone on long enough," she stated.

"I was just speaking the truth," Neito replied irritated.

Izuku and Kendo both felt a vein stand up on their foreheads. While some did agree with them, others were on Neito's side.

"Monoma isn't wrong you know," Tetsutetsu barked. "That is how we're seen by all of the school. As second rate."

"Class A has had multiple opportunities to prove themselves," Kosei piped up. "We've barely had any."

Some students saw that differently.

"I'd hardly call nearly being murdered and kidnapped opportunities," Hiryu countered. "And even if I did, I wouldn't describe them as good, or something worth bragging about."

Izuku was happy to see that at least some of them saw it that way.

"I don't agree with Monoma constantly harassing you about it but, he is right. Class A has received so much attention since last semester that they are all anyone in this school. To be honest, it's quite frustrating," Setsuna admitted.

"Well at least her reason is understandable," Izuku thought.

Neito refused to remain quiet.

"You see. They all feel the same way," he stated.

Izuku decided to put him in his place.

"Has it ever occurred to you or anyone else part of your class that Class A worked hard to get where they are?" he asked simply.

There was silence.

Students were looking at each other with uncertainty.

"I'm new to this class, so I don't know everyone that well. The ones I do know, however, are struggling. Every day they work their asses off to achieve their dreams of becoming heroes. Dreams they share with you guys, students just like them. They do not see themselves as Gods. They each have a motivation and a desire to be a hero and are working to achieve it. Of that, I can assure you," Izuku exclaimed.

The students listening were shocked at what they just heard. They had never thought of it that before.

Izuku wasn't done.

"What bout you Monoma? What are your reasons for doing this? Are they in any way similar to Class A's? If so, then why do you mock us and call us arrogant, especially when you don't even know us on a personal level? Why not instead devote all that energy to training where you can actually improve and achieve something? The same to the rest of you," Izuku stated much to Neito's shock. "Let me give you a little advice Monoma: Stop it. Right now, you don't have the attitude of a hero. What you have is the attitude of a jealous, insecure brat who's desperate for attention. So, from now on, use your time to train and improve, because unlike you, I don't have time for this sort of thing."

Neito was speechless. He had a lot of things racing through his mind at that moment. The other students present were just the same.

Kendo, however, was grateful to Izuku for what he was saying. She, along with a few others, had always thought this class rivalry thing was ridiculous.

"One last thing. If anyone refers to me or my classmates as arrogant without a genuine reason, I will punch them. I don't care what the teachers say, I don't have patience for this sort of shit," Izuku stated firmly.

"That's fair," Reiko murmured.

"Indeed," Kendo agreed. "Making false allegations is unbecoming of us future heroes. I'll make sure everyone knows."

Some of the other students were looking at the ground in shame. Deep down, they knew he was right.

"What's going on here?" came a voice Class B knew all too well.

Izuku turned to see that Vlad King standing a few feet away from them with an angry expression.

"First of all, Midoriya, why are you holding Monoma like that? Second, what are you doing here?" Vlad demanded.

"Excellent questions," Izuku responded sarcastically. "I am holding Monoma like this so he couldn't get away from me. Why I'm here is related to that. You see Monoma has been verbally harassing me over something petty and I'd had enough. So, I wanted either you or the class representative to sort it out."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. He knew about the way Neito acted towards Class A, but this was the first time someone had come to complain about it.

"Please put Monoma down and follow me," Vlad requested. "We can discuss this in private."

"Sure thing," Izuku replied while setting Neito (who felt awkward standing) down. "Don't forget what I told you guys. Especially you Monoma."

Neito said nothing.

He just watched as Izuku went with Vlad through the dorm to what he could guess was the rooftop where they could talk in private.

When they were gone, he headed to his own room because he had a lot dwelling on his mind.

The others did the same afterwards.

What Izuku said had a deep impact on them.

On the rooftops, Vlad and Izuku stood facing each other.

"I'd like a full honest explanation," Vlad demanded.

"Well if you insist," Izuku joked.

Over the next ten minutes, Izuku explained about the verbal harassment he'd had to endure from Neito, the attempt he (Izuku) made to find out about what made Neito this way, and the meeting between him and the rest of his class.

Vlad mostly kept a calm (yet intimidating) expression, which broke momentarily when he heard about what was going on with Neito. Despite this, he listened to Izuku's explanation until he finished, never once interrupting.

"How can you be sure that he was or is being bullied?" Vlad asked concerned.

He valued his student's well-being and safety. And hearing that one of them was being bullied made him angry, especially since he was only now hearing about it.

"I could see it in his eyes," Izuku explained. "I used to look the same way, so I know. I was bullied once myself after all. That, and his shocked, later angry, reaction confirmed it."

Vlad didn't have a way to counter that. The entire staff knew about Midoriya's past. Or rather, they were given a basic idea of it.

"He didn't say who it was though," Izuku continued. "Though it's not uncommon for victims of bullying."

"True," Vlad agreed. "However, was it really necessary to bring him here like that? You could've just discussed it with me in the staff room."

Izuku considered this for a moment.

"Perhaps, but, I needed to make a statement to let him and the others know that I was serious," Izuku admitted. "I'm sick of his constant harassment and failed attempts at bullying me and the rest of my class."

Vlad sighed deeply. From his perspective, Midoriya did have a right to feel frustrated.

"On a side note, where did this pointless rivalry come from?" Izuku asked. "And also, do you actually see your students as the second rate to Class A?"

Vlad's eyes widened in shock.

"Second rate! What do you mean? Where did you hear that?" Vlad demanded.

"From Monoma," Izuku responded. "He said you and everyone at UA see Class B as second rate because of successful Class A was last semester."

Vlad couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Neito really feel that way? Did the rest of his students feel that way? What's more, had he done something to make them feel that way?

Of course, he had. He must have.

Then he remembered his time with them at the training camp. He remembered what he said to them the day before the kidnapping took place.

Vlad groaned upon the realisation. "So that's what this is about. Goddammit. How could I be so stupid, not to mention insensitive? I'm their teacher for crying out loud."

"What?" Izuku asked confused. "What did you do?"

Vlad stared solemnly at him.

"It's something I said back at the training camp," he told the boy.

Flashback

It was early in the morning when Sekijiro Kan (Vlad King) had his students awake for training. Class A was already up working on their quirks, so he wanted to get Class B out doing the same. While they were walking to the training area he said something that he thought would motivate them.

"Last semester, Class A stole the spotlight. This semester it'll be Class B's turn. Got that? It'll be Class B, not A."

After saying this he heard some sounds coming from his students behind him. Some may have been gritting their teeth in frustration, but others may have been giving off light sounds that sounded like sniffs.

Flashback end

Now that he thought about it if they sounded like light sobs, which meant they were crying. He had caused his own class to cry. Seriously, what kind of teacher does that to his own students. He was meant to encourage and motivate them, but he had done the opposite.

Izuku could tell how Vlad was feeling about this. It was clear he did care about his students, but his attempts at helping them backfired in the worst way.

"That rivalry between Class A and B, is it something you use to motivate your students to do better?" Izuku asked curiously.

Vlad nodded and stared at the ground in shame. That was what he used it for. He didn't start it, but still, he took advantage of it.

Izuku could see some parallels between Vlad and Razor, though he was obviously less violent, and didn't swear nearly as much.

"Trying to help your students was not wrong, but the way you did was," Izuku explained.

Vlad looked at him with a baffled expression.

"When I was in the League, the person who taught me how to fight never used much to motivate me. They used my past and my anger at Bakugo yes, but only twice. The rest of the time they focused on trying to train and improve me," Izuku explained. "And that's how I became as strong as I am now."

"She must have been a really good teacher then," Vlad said.

Izuku was taken back at that. How did they know it was a female that taught him how to fight? He never referenced the gender. Vlad seemed to notice this.

"That comrade of yours, Dabi I think his name is, mentioned that it was a woman who trained you," he explained. "He didn't know the name though."

Izuku sighed with relief. The last thing he wanted was Razor getting tied to all of this.

"She was. She swore a lot and was quite violent, but she did want me to get better," Izuku admitted. "Anyway, here's my suggestion. That rivalry you've got with Class A, tell your students to abandon and forget about it. It is completely pointless and doesn't do anyone any favours. Get your students to focus on themselves and no one else. Class A shouldn't matter, because we are a different class, they are their own. If anyone makes a comment comparing the two classes well then fuck them. They aren't important or essential to your classes growth."

Vlad stared at Izuku in complete shock. For a villain, he was unusually motivational. At the same time, he knew he was right. The other classes shouldn't matter to him. He should only be focused on his class.

"I will. I'll also speak to Monoma about what he was doing. I never addressed it before because I thought he was just doing simple teasing. However, it is also bullying and as his teacher, I must stop it, especially since I am partially responsible for it," Vlad stated firmly.

Though it had taken him a long time to realize it, he had been encouraging bullying by one of his students. Even if it was indirect, he had done it. He would also address what he had just been told by Izuku with the rest of his class as soon as possible, though asking Neito about his personal issues would be done privately.

"Thank you," Izuku said before checking the time and panicking. "I gotta go. I have a counselling session with Hound Dog in fifteen minutes."

He then immediately started running off with Vlad watching in amusement. What an interesting kid.

Hound Dog's office

Ryo Inui (Hound Dog) was the school's lifestyle guidance counsellor. Though he did have an intimidating appearance and could get very angry with certain topics, he was usually gentle and friendly with his co-workers and the students. He could also be quite serious and tense on certain occasions.

He liked his job. He enjoyed helping the students out with their personal problems as it gave him the sense he was doing something meaningful. He enjoyed being a pro hero too, but still.

However, when he received this specific assignment from Nezu to conduct counselling sessions with Izuku Midoriya, he was somewhat nervous and reluctant about it.

He had had troubled students in the past, but Midoriya was a special case.

In addition to being a troubled student, he was also a former villain, something Ryo had never counselled before.

The reason he was asked to give him counselling sessions was due to a certain incident involving Mei Hatsume at the start of the week. Nezu had disclosed to him all the important details of what happened.

It unnerved him to hear that the boy thought another student was trying to kill him, especially when it was just an accident.

And now, the boy in question was seated across from him trying to look calm, though Ryo could tell he was nervous from the way he was fidgeting with his fingers. Seeing no point in waiting any longer, Ryo decided to start talking.

"Name," Ryo requested.

"Izuku Midoriya," Izuku replied.

"Age."

"Fif-, wait, no sixteen, sorry."

His birthday had been on July 15th and he'd forgotten. Last year he had just skipped it since there was nothing worth celebrating.

His birthdays were never anything special, to begin with. It was always just him and his mom. He'd never even had a birthday party before. To do that he would've needed friends, something which wasn't possible after being outed as quirkless.

Children either bullied him or avoided him like a plague. Bakugo didn't go over to his place when it was his birthday, not that he would've needed to. Mitsuki and Masaru still sent him a present though, something he was extremely grateful for.

Now it was Mid-August and the fact that he was sixteen didn't really mean much to him.

Ryo noticed Izuku's reaction and wrote it down.

"A student of Class 1A in the Hero Course that recently transferred this semester," Ryo continued.

Izuku said nothing. He waited for Hound Dog to continue.

"Before we begin, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself," Ryo encouraged. "Like your hobbies, dreams, family and friends."

Izuku thought about what to say for a minute. He wouldn't be able to answer most of that very well.

"Well, I'm quirkless. My hobbies include quirk analysis, science, reading, exercise and I suppose martial arts. I don't have any dreams for the future, nor do I have any friends. As for family, it's mainly just me and my mom who raised me alone," he explained.

Ryo raised an eyebrow.

"What about your father?" he asked.

Izuku scowled at that man being brought up.

"Hisashi, what about him? The guy fucked off to some other country shortly after I was outed as quirkless because of the ridicule he'd been receiving at work. I heard him and mom arguing constantly about it. The last one before he left, involved him wishing I hadn't been born before my mother made him leave," Izuku snarled. "He sends money overseas but that's it. Other than that, I haven't seen or heard from him in over ten years. And to be honest, I don't want to. My mother raised me and is the only one I consider family. So, Hisashi can go fuck himself for all I care."

Though he did understand why his father did it to a certain extent, he was still angry at him and resented him a good bit of the time.

Hisashi left when he was four, but, because he had never really been there for Izuku throughout his life he usually told people the man left after he was born.

Ryo growled at that information. A parent abandoning their pup for a petty reason was loathsome to say the least.

He wrote that information down and moved onto a different topic.

"Do you know why you are here?" Ryo asked.

"Because I put a girl in a chokehold and threatened to hurt her badly due to a misunderstanding," Izuku said all in one go.

"A misunderstanding which involved an explosion that led you to believe that girl was trying to kill you," Ryo corrected.

"Yes," Izuku replied sheepishly. "I got the wrong idea and overreacted."

He wouldn't admit it, but he was embarrassed by his behaviour earlier in the week.

"And why did you overreact?" Ryo asked.

"I," Izuku started before stopping.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell this man about what he'd been through.

Sure, he had told individuals outside the League like Stain, Crawler, the police, Mina, Tenya and Shoto about his past. But those were under special circumstances. Shoto had also been someone he could relate to.

This time, however, it was a separate matter.

His behaviour did not go unnoticed. Ryo could tell that Midoriya didn't want to talk about this. However, being the helpful counsellor, he was, he decided to push forward.

"Would it be related to the past attempts on your life?" he asked.

Izuku shifted uncomfortably but nodded in confirmation.

"Would you like to talk about them?" Ryo offered.

Izuku bit his lip and thought hard about this. He didn't really have a reason to tell him, though the opposite was just as true.

After some deliberation, Izuku decided to tell him.

"Over the past year, I've nearly died multiple times. Before learning how to defend myself, when I went out on quirk analysis, thugs in different groups tried to attack me. Other times I nearly got burned by Endeavour's flames. Most of the time I ended up relying on Kurogiri to come and save me. During the USJ Incident, Katsuki launched one of his major explosions at me and I nearly died. During my internship with Stain in Hosu, a Nomu went rogue and tried to kill me. At the Kamino Incident, a leader of a different faction of the League called Atrocity attempted to murder me with his mini-pods. He nearly succeeded, if not for principal Nezu's intervention. As if that wasn't enough, the day I wake up in a hospital, I get attacked again. This time it was some metallic object that tried to not only kill me, but also my mother, who nearly died in front of me, and the two detectives present," Izuku said slowly in a depressed voice.

On the outside, Ryo kept a calm expression, but on the inside, he was horrified at what he was hearing. Midoriya had been through more than what any hero had gone through in their first year. It shouldn't have been like that.

He was a child.

Even if he was a villain, he was still a child, a teenager, he shouldn't have had to go through those things.

Little did Ryo know, those events, as well as Izuku's past, came back to haunt him at night in his dreams.

He sometimes had nightmares about the events themselves and would wake up sweating and breathing heavily or worse, during a rare panic attack.

"I've nearly died so many times now that I guess whenever I've gotten into a life-threatening situation I just assume someone is trying to kill me, like I've gotten used to it," Izuku said with melancholy.

Ryo didn't agree with that in the slightest. Nearly dying was not something anyone should get used to.

"I've also been," Izuku debated on whether or not he should inform him about the hallucinations but ultimately decided against it. No reason to bring up something he didn't even understand. "You know what never mind. Not important."

Ryo was smart enough to realize that Midoriya wouldn't just open up about all his problems so decided to finish up. They had made good progress today.

"I think that's enough for today," Ryo announced, catching Izuku's attention. "You've said a lot already, so it's a good start. I'll schedule another session for Sunday, same time, same place. Is that alright with you?"

Izuku shrugged. "I'm not doing anything that day, so yeah."

What happened next was unexpected. Ryo walked over to Izuku and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Midoriya, you have been through much. More than anyone your age should. However, admitting it is the first step to moving forward. Don't ever hesitate to come to us for help. You are a student here and it's our job to help you," Ryo informed the boy.

Izuku didn't know how to respond to that. He simply nodded and stood up to leave. He thanked Hound Dog and returned to his dorm. Strangely enough, he felt better after that talk.

Class 1B Dorms

"Do I make myself clear Monoma?" Vlad asked his student.

Neito gritted his teeth.

"Yes Sensei," he responded.

Shortly after his talk with Izuku, Vlad had taken it upon himself to reprimand Neito for his behaviour. The latter of which wasn't happy about but eventually relented when Vlad put his foot down by saying any further behaviour like this would result in harsh punishment.

There was still one other matter to address.

"Is it true you are being bullied?" Vlad questioned.

Neito flinched at that question.

"Did Midoriya say something to him?" Neito wondered.

Vlad noticed Neito's reaction and immediately knew something was up.

"I'm not being bullied by anyone," Neito lied.

Vlad wasn't fooled, unfortunately. Neito avoided eye contact with him when he said that. He brought his face directly in front of his students.

"Look me in the eye and say it," Vlad commanded.

Neito was trapped now. Still, he tried his best to get out of it.

"I'm not being bullied by anyone," he repeated.

However, his eye diverted slightly from his teachers gaze when he spoke. That gave Vlad all the confirmation he needed.

"You're not very good at lying. Who is it? One of your classmates or someone from another class?" Vlad demanded.

Neito began panicking now.

"No. No one in UA is bullying me," he stated franticly.

"Oh, so it's someone outside of school then. Well, that changes things. That person will be harder to find," Vlad said softly.

Neito mentally screamed at his slip up.

He could feel sweat building up.

"Who is it?" Vlad pressed. "If you tell me, I can sort them out."

Neito didn't respond. He felt a variety of emotions building up inside him at that moment, just waiting to explode.

"Who is-" Vlad attempted to ask again before Neito cut him off.

"NO ONE IS FUCKING BULLYING ME ALRIGHT. IT'S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS ANYWAY. IT IS MY PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH AND NO ONE ELSES," Neito roared at the top of his lungs.

An expression of pure rage was painted across his face, and he was panting heavily.

Vlad was completely taken back at Neito's outburst. He had never seen Neito that angry before, or ever even. It was the first time he had ever yelled or sworn also.

Neito, realising what he just said to his teacher, suddenly turned pale and his expression became one of shock and fear.

Before Vlad could respond, Neito took off running to his room, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Vlad was stunned by what he just witnessed. He'd never seen such emotion from Neito before. He attempted to go after him but was stopped by a large hand.

It was Kendo who looked worried and concerned.

"Just give him some space Sensei," she urged. "What you were trying to get out of him is a very sensitive topic for Monoma. He isn't just going to start confessing it to you."

"Do you know what that was about then?" he asked.

Kendo nodded.

"It's something to do with his family," she explained. "However, if you want to know the full story. We should talk in private."

Wanting to know more about what was going on with his student, Vlad eagerly followed Kendo.

Neito arrived at his room and slammed the door behind him. He closed the curtains and dived into bed. He hid underneath the bedsheets and began to cry softly.

He yelled at his teacher! He yelled at his teacher! He even swore at him!

What's worse, he confirmed what had been asked about him.

He was such an idiot, and now he was going to get in serious trouble.

He thought about 'them', about his family, if he could even call it that.

His parents sure, but the rest of them, no.

The rest of them hated him, mocked him, abused him.

It wasn't his fault. He couldn't help what he was.

No matter what anyone said or believed, he hadn't asked to be born an illegitimate child.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I recently saw Incredibles 2 and when I saw the fight between Violet and Voyd, I couldn't help but think of Kurogiri fighting in a similar manner. That was the inspiration for that fight scene. I also had to expand on his fighting abilities because he hasn't had many fights in the cannon.

Hound Dog has been given very few appearances in MHA, so I tried giving a different side to his personality since he's a counsellor.

Furthermore, what did you think of Class 1B and Vlad in this chapter? Monoma's backstory will be explored more later.

Anyway, next chapter will see Izuku connect with another of his classmates, one I've come to like recently. I won't say who it is though. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.

Chapter 33: Fumikage Tokoyami

Summary:

Izuku works on a class project with Fumikage, leading to some unexpected results.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku arrived back at the dorms to find someone waiting for him. Someone he'd been expecting to see since earlier that day.

"You're back," the student said. "How did your counselling session go?"

Izuku shrugged.

"It was alright I guess," he said. "I feel strangely better now that I've talked about some things."

He decided to leave out the part about Monoma and Class B. It wasn't necessary to discuss.

"Enough about me. Shall we get started on that assignment Tokoyami?" Izuku asked.

"Indeed. There's no time like the present," the raven headed student agreed. "Should we try the library tomorrow for extra sources?"

"I don't see why not," Izuku admitted. "For now, let's just decide on how we do it?"

Tokoyami nodded.

As to why these two were working on an assignment together, well.

Flashback Earlier that day

It was Modern Hero Art History and Midnight was teaching them.

She was a pretty good teacher from Izuku's perspective. She gave thorough explanations on the topics she was discussing with them and stopped to listen to a student when they had a question. She was strict about students paying attention and wasn't afraid to intimidate them if they broke this rule. Her homework assignments were tough also. However, she made them that way so her students would improve and keep up with study.

Today she had a special announcement to make.

"Okay, everyone. Over the course of next week, all homework assignments will be put on hold," she started.

The students cheered.

The exceptions were Momo and Tenya, who loved schoolwork (no surprise there).

The others were Izuku, Fumikage, Shoto, and Katsuki, who were indifferent to the whole matter.

"Settle down. They are on hold because you will all be working on a project I'm about to give you," Midnight continued.

The students groaned.

Momo and Tenya brightened up upon hearing this (again, no surprise there).

The four boys once again remained indifferent.

"You will be given a random topic of hero history to research and write about, and you will do it in pairs," Midnight explained.

The students murmured quietly amongst themselves. If it was a joint project, then it was sure to be interesting. They were all curious as to who they would be paired with.

"To decide who you'll be partnered with, you will each draw straws with numbers on them. Whichever two have the same number will be partners," Midnight explained. "The topics you are assigned will be shuffled on the board."

Midnight quickly went around with a box of straws and the students drew from it. Izuku drew nine. He waited until everyone had finished drawing until he looked around to see someone with the same number. When he came across the number, he immediately noticed it belonged to Fumikage Tokoyami, one of his teammates from Monday.

The raven headed student's eyes met his and they stared at each other for a minute.

Tokoyami didn't really have anything against Midoriya, barring that one time at the USJ. In fact, he had gotten used to him being around quicker than most his classmates.

He was impressed with his physical capabilities, and his ability to inspire others (Yaoyorozu). Though he couldn't say much about him on a personal level since they had only interacted twice.

Dark Shadow had different thoughts about the matter.

"So, what do you think about this?" Dark Shadow asked.

'About Midoriya?' Fumikage asked back.

Dark Shadow groaned.

'No. About doing a project within a week. Of course, I mean Midoriya. He's the one you're working with after all,' he said sarcastically.

Fumikage didn't react to that. Dark Shadow was a sentient being that as part of him, and as such they could communicate telepathically.

"I don't have any issues with it. If he's the one I've been assigned to work with then there's nothing I can do about it," Tokoyami stated. "Still, I will keep my guard up in case he tries anything. I may not hate him, but I don't trust him either."

Dark Shadow chuckled upon hearing that.

"Well, at least your thinking smart on this one. Hey, I know. Why don't you bring me out during all this? That way, he'll know better than to mess with you," Dark Shadow urged.

"No," Tokoyami replied automatically. "Unless he actually tries to harm me, I won't bring you out. I'm not that wary of him."

Dark Shadow scowled.

Their private conversation was interrupted by Midnight's voice.

"Okay, now to decide on what topics you will cover. Please look at the board," Midnight requested.

On the board, different numbers and subjects were being shuffled until it finally stopped.

Besides nine, it was  'History of Vigilantism' . Izuku was somewhat intrigued by this subject. After all, he had worked with vigilantes before, so he was curious about their history.

Tokoyami was also interested in the subject since they were a rare occurrence nowadays.

The students, particularly Tenya and Momo (and again, no surprise there), were getting pumped up about the project.

Some were doing Hero Origins, others doing a History of Hero Teams, and another group were covering History of Hero Laws. The list went on.

Midnight informed them of how to proceed with the project and then allowed them to talk it over with their partners in class. Izuku stood up and went over to Tokoyami was.

"Here he comes," Dark Shadow warned.

"I can see that. I'm not blind you know," Fumikage retorted.

Izuku arrived and the two stared at each other for a minute.

"It seems we're partners for this project," Izuku murmured. "Let us do our best."

Tokoyami raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Midoriya to be so straightforward.

"Indeed," Fumikage agreed. "Shall we meet up after classes finish for the day?"

Izuku looked uncertain about that suggestion.

"I have a counselling session with Hound Dog shortly after classes finish. So, it will have to wait until after that," he explained.

Fumikage frowned. Counselling session? Why on earth would he have to do that? Before he could ask, Izuku beat him to it.

"It's because of an incident from earlier this week. Ask Iida and Uraraka for the details," Izuku told him.

Curious as he was about that, Fumikage decided to put it off.

"Let's meet later then so we can decide how we'll do it," he suggested.

"Fine, let's meet at the dormitories later," Izuku said.

Fumikage nodded. Midnight then ushered them back to their seats. Dark Shadow had his own thoughts on the matter.

"You find him interesting?" the sentient being asked.

"Of course, it's not every day you live alongside a villain. They live a different life to us," Fumikage retorted.

Despite his reservations, he was somewhat curious about Midoriya and the life he led.

The bell rang, signalling the end of class.

Flashback end

And now, here they were working on that very project.

"To start, we should research online to see if there are any vigilantes that are known to the public in Japan," Fumikage said. "I know the group that went to rescue Bakugo and Ashido worked with one, but that person's name wasn't made public."

"Pop-Step. That's her name," Izuku informed him. "She's a member of a vigilante group alongside Crawler and a man named Knuckleduster. There are two more members of that group that are new to it. I don't know who they are though."

Fumikage gave him a confused look.

"How the heck does he know that?" Dark Shadow asked stunned.

"How should I know?" Fumikage retorted.

Izuku could tell Fumikage was confused, so he decided to tell him the truth.

"You recall the incident in Hosu don't you, the one involving several Nomu and Stain?" he questioned.

Tokoyami nodded. It was all over the news. He'd seen it while he was out on patrol with Hawks (the No.3 Hero he was interning with).

"Well, during that incident, one of the Nomu Shigaraki brought went rogue tried to kill me. I was there on a sort of internship with Stain at the time and we encountered Crawler just before the Nomu attack. When it arrived and attacked, we teamed up and defeated it. Then we spent the night together where Crawler and I got to know each other better," Izuku explained. "He's a pretty nice guy. And his team is well balanced."

Fumikage raised an eyebrow.

"Um," he murmured.

Izuku guessed what he was about to ask.

"Your curious as to why I am telling you all this, right?" he questioned.

Fumikage nodded. He couldn't fathom why Midoriya would reveal this sort of information to him.

"The police are already aware of this group, as are some pro heroes. They aren't spared much time though because while they are technically criminals, they are doing society some good," Izuku explained.

Naomasa had told him about them.

Apparently, his sister had encountered them more than once.

The information surpassed Fumikage. At the same time, he figured it was because they weren't the same as regular villains.

"They call themselves 'The Illegals'. A fitting name if I do say so myself," Izuku continued. "Stain was also a vigilante."

Now that caught Fumikage's attention.

"The Hero-Killer!?" he exclaimed.

Izuku nodded.

"The one and only. A few years ago, he worked as a vigilante called Stendhal and killed criminals," Izuku explained. "I suppose he technically is still a vigilante since he occasionally does some heroic acts outside of his crusade. Though, at the end of the day, he is still a villain because of the lives he takes."

Fumikage couldn't argue against that. No matter the reason, murder was still murder.

"There are other vigilantes around Japan, and in different countries as well, but there isn't much information to go on them. They stick to the shadows, out of the public eye so that they may serve the light," Izuku said.

'That sounds poetic,' Tokoyami thought.

'I know right,' Dark Shadow added.

The two of them were growing more interested in what Izuku had to say by the minute.

"Vigilantism comes with the disadvantages of having both heroes and villains after them, but, there are some advantages that give it a step up from being a legal hero," Izuku explained.

"Like what?" Fumikage asked curiously.

Izuku closed his eyes briefly before speaking again.

"Well, for starters they look in places most heroes wouldn't for different leads on a case. They don't really have any limits in what they can do, by that I mean they have no boundaries such as entering places heroes can't without permission. Working in the shadows allows them to come across many problems that most heroes and police wouldn't come across until later. Also, unlike heroes, they have access to information from the underground, about villains and other criminal groups most heroes or police wouldn't come across. They even have the use of information brokers," Izuku explained.

Tokoyami was stunned. He had never thought of it that way before. Though to be fair, vigilantes weren't a majorly discussed topic in today's world.

'Gotta admit, this guy is smart,' Dark Shadow admitted.

'It's rare to hear you compliment someone,' Fumikage commented.

'What? It's true,' Dark Shadow defended. 'Don't you feel the same?'

'Of course, I do. When did I say I didn't?' Fumikage replied.

'I wasn't accusing you of anything,' Dark Shadow responded. 'I was just saying what I thought.'

Tokoyami scowled without realizing it. Dark Shadow could be a real handful when he wanted to be.

His scowl did not go unnoticed. Izuku observed him as he stared off into space. It wasn't hard to figure out what it was. He had suspected it since the Sports Festival.

"Tokoyami, are you, by any chance, conversing with Dark Shadow right now?" Izuku asked.

The student's reaction confirmed his suspicions.

Fumikage was shocked that Midoriya had figured out what was going on with him, even without saying anything. The quirk, Dark Shadow, had a similar reaction.

"What would make you think that?" Fumikage asked defensively, but not aggressively.

"Well, for starters, your surprised reaction just now. Then there's the fact that you keep staring off into space as though there's something distracting you, or someone. You also scowled just now for no reason," Izuku explained. "I noticed this at the Sports Festival. Your quirk, Dark Shadow, is a sentient being that lives within you. Quirks like that are extremely rare but they do exist. In similar cases to yours, the host could always communicate with the quirk telepathically because they share the same body. So, tell me, am I somewhere wrong along those lines?"

Fumikage's eyes widened. He knew Midoriya had studied his quirk at the festival, but he didn't think he knew it that well.

'He's observant,' Dark Shadow commented.

Tokoyami didn't even bother responding to that.

"You aren't wrong," he admitted. "We do talk telepathically. Apparently, he has a lot to say."

'That and more,' the sentient being said with a chuckle.

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"If he's going to talk a lot then perhaps he should come out and say them himself instead of just distracting you," Izuku suggested. "Who knows, maybe he can help us with this project."

Tokoyami stared at him blankly. Dark Shadow, if he was out, would have let his jaw drop at that suggestion. Did Midoriya seriously want him to come out?

"I'm serious in case you are wondering," he informed him.

"Um, are you sure?" Fumikage asked uncertainly.

Dark Shadow had different thoughts.

'What are you waiting for? Bring me out,' he urged. 'If he says it's alright then why bother arguing.'

"I'm sure," Izuku stated. "Otherwise, why would I suggest it?"

Fumikage debated over it for a minute before finally relenting.

"One warning, he can be a bit of a handful," Tokoyami warned.

'What do you mean, I'm a handful?'Dark Shadow replied offended.

Fumikage ignored that question.

In the next few seconds, he allowed the being that dwelled within his body to come into existence.

Dark Shadow hovered over the coffee table. He rose above Izuku to make himself look more intimidating.

"Alright, you punk-ass villain. If you try anything funny, I'll kick your ass. Fumi has given me the go ahead on that one," Dark Shadow threatened.

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

Tokoyami, on the other hand, groaned in frustration.

"I don't remember ever deciding to let you call me that," he lamented.

"What's the big deal? Your family calls you it," Dark Shadow defended.

"They have the decency to keep it among family, and not say it when I'm socialising with others," Fumikage retorted. "Also, it's mainly my parents and grandparents that call me that."

"Oh, don't be such a sissy," Dark Shadow complained. "It's just a shortened version of your real name. I doubt anyone will care if they hear it."

"I care," Fumikage stated firmly. "It is my name after all, not yours."

Izuku couldn't help but laugh at their argument. It was like watching someone argue with themselves. This caught the pair's attention.

"What's so funny?" Dark Shadow demanded.

"I'm curious as well," Fumikage added.

Izuku stopped laughing and grinned at them.

"Sorry. It's just that watching you two argue is amusing. You're like an old married couple," Izuku joked.

The moment those words left his mouth, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow did an anime fall. No words could describe the sheer awkwardness they felt at that moment.

"Y-Y-You can't be serious," Fumikage stammered. "We are nothing like that."

"For once, I'm in total agreement with Fumikage here," Dark Shadow piped up.

Izuku laughed again.

"Oh relax. It was just a joke. I didn't actually mean it," Izuku said. "But seriously, watching you two argue was entertaining. I would've thought that you two always get along since you share the same body."

Fumikage frowned.

"Sharing the same body doesn't mean we always get along. We cooperate sure, but we don't always get along," Tokoyami explained.

"Being a sentient being he would have his own personality," Izuku stated. "I'm guessing he has free will then."

Fumikage was somewhat impressed that Midoriya had figured that out simply by observing.

"You're correct. Though Dark Shadow generally does follow my orders, there are times when he is disobedient," Tokoyami explained.

"Sorry to interrupt you guys but, Midoriya, why are you speaking so casually to us? Aren't you scared of me?" Dark Shadow piped up.

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"I was just having a conversation with my partner, we are working on a project together after all. I don't see what's so wrong about that," Izuku replied honestly. "Also, I'm not scared of you Dark Shadow. Not in the slightest."

Dark Shadow didn't know whether to feel relieved or offended at that.

"Why not?" he asked. "I'm very intimidating."

Tokoyami sighed. Considering what he had seen from Midoriya, he probably lacked fear.

"I guess you are to some people. However, you won't hurt me, not unless I do something to provoke you, which I have no intention of," Izuku explained. "As to why I'm not afraid of you. I guess it's because I've seen worse."

That caught both of their attention.

"What do you mean by that?" Tokoyami asked.

Izuku's face darkened.

"When I was with the League, I met different people, some of which were far from pleasant. I went to places and met people I wish I never had. There was even this one time before the kidnapping where I met someone who was hands down one of the worst human beings ever. Say what you want about people like Shigaraki or AFO but believe me, there are individuals much worse," Izuku told them in a serious voice. "As intimidating as you claim to be Dark Shadow, you are nothing compared to them."

Izuku kept the venom in his voice to a minimum.

That had been the worst moment during his time with the League.

What that man attempted to do to Twice was despicable and downright inhuman.

It occasionally left him wondering if he should have allowed him to die.

Tokoyami and Dark Shadow had no way to respond to that. Certainly, Midoriya had a point, there were worse than the League.

They had met one such group before, a long, long time ago.

"To be honest Dark Shadow, I find you quite fascinating," Izuku admitted, his expression softening.

The sentient being was surprised by that.

"You are?" he asked.

Izuku nodded.

"Of course. A quirk like you is extremely, and I mean extremely, rare. I've read reports about quirks with minds of their own but there aren't many to go on," Izuku said. "So, naturally I'm curious."

Fumikage found it strange how well Midoriya was getting on with Dark Shadow. The quirk was just as flustered. No one had ever been this interested in him before.

"From what I saw at the Sports Festival, you're good for long-range attacks but have a weakness to light, as I saw in your battle against Bakugo. Does that mean darkness makes you stronger?" Izuku asked.

Fumikage was very surprised. Midoriya was observant, and intelligent. He was beginning to understand why he was a member of the League.

"If you've figured it out that much already then there's no point in keeping it from you. Darkness does make Dark Shadow stronger. It also makes him more aggressive and violent," Tokoyami explained. "He's also quite dangerous then."

"Hey! If this is about that time at the training camp, that was your fault for reacting in a bad way," Dark Shadow interjected.

"Shouji lost a hand and we both nearly died," Tokoyami angrily retorted. "It was quite natural to feel panicked. But to lose control of you and go on a rampage was even worse."

"It grew back, didn't it. He lost a few more trying to lead me to Bakugo and Todoroki. Look at the bright side though, at least I took down that villain that attacked us," Dark Shadow countered.

Fumikage was about to yell at his quirk when Midoriya spoke.

"Was this during the kidnapping mission?" he asked.

Fumikage and Dark Shadow both nodded in confirmation.

"May I ask which villain it was? I don't know much about what happened since I wasn't aware of the details from the mission," Izuku said.

"I don't know what his name was but, his quirk allowed him to use his teeth as a weapon like they were blades," Fumikage explained.

Izuku's eyes widened in shock and he let out a small gasp. He knew exactly who Tokoyami was talking about.

"Moonfish! You defeated Moonfish! All by yourself," Izuku exclaimed.

Izuku couldn't believe it. Moonfish had been an A-Rank villain who had killed so many people in brutal ways, considering his obsession with flesh it was safe to assume what he had done. He gave many pros a difficult time (and even killed some). The fact that Tokoyami, a student, had been able to defeat him on his own was impressive.

Fumikage noticed his reaction and gave him a concerned look.

"He wasn't a friend of yours, was he?" he asked. "Even though Dark Shadow wasn't under control, he still attacked us. It was self-defence."

"No, no, no. Moonfish and I weren't friends, far from it. The guy was a complete psychopath who always talked about eating flesh, mine included. Most of the time I avoided him along with Muscular because I was likely to end up dead if I stuck around either of them," Izuku franticly defended himself. "I'm just surprised you managed to beat him by yourself because he was such a powerful villain, an A-Rank to be precise. I heard from Compress that he was a death row inmate who committed acts so vile that any appeals were ignored. The fact that you defeated him is impressive."

Tokoyami raised an eyebrow.

Dark Shadow was feeling overjoyed at the praise he was receiving. After all, Midoriya was basically saying he was strong.

"If you don't mind me asking, why would you let someone like him join your group?" he asked curiously.

Izuku rolled his eyes. "It wasn't my decision, it was Tomura's. His, or rather AFO's group, didn't discriminate against anyone who joined. Also, they needed all the help they could get since their numbers dwindled during the USJ Incident."

Fumikage was surprised at that. From what he was hearing the League didn't sound like it was a prejudiced group, except maybe towards heroes. Dark Shadow had his own thoughts on the matter.

"Those guys we fought at the USJ were super weak, it was almost too easy to beat them," he boasted. "They were quite cowardly as well. According to Asui, they didn't attack her or Mineta while they were on a boat at the flood zone even when they had the thing surrounded."

Tokoyami sighed. He wished Dark Shadow wouldn't brag about such things. He didn't want to insult Midoriya or mock his allies.

Izuku wasn't offended in the least.

"I thought they were a bunch of regular thugs when I first saw them that day, but I couldn't actually confirm," he said in a deadpan voice. He then put his hand to his chin and thought hard about that other bit of information. "You said Asui and Mineta were sent to a flood zone and none of the villains attacked them, right?"

Tokoyami nodded. "That's correct. Why? Is something wrong?"

Izuku rubbed his head.

"It just doesn't make any sense," he murmured. "Water is where Asui would be strongest because her quirk is 'Frog'. Why would Kurogiri send her there of all places?"

"Maybe they were just random coordinates. He was trying to scatter everyone when we tried to escape," Tokoyami reasoned. "I was sent to the downpour zone along with Koda where it was dark and rainy."

"I doubt it was random. Kurogiri isn't like that. He wouldn't send an enemy to a place where they would have the advantage, he isn't stupid," Izuku replied. Then his eyes widened. "Unless of course, he didn't know they would have an advantage."

That sentence confused both Fumikage and Dark Shadow.

"Okay, you lost me," Dark Shadow stated.

"The day before the assault, AFO held a meeting about it. He explained what was going to happen. I wasn't supposed to go originally, I was supposed to stay behind and continue working but I wanted to go and see if Bakugo was there, to get even with him. There was a list of students that confirmed he was there. Now that I think about it, it said 1A's names, but it didn't say their quirks," Izuku explained. "I knew Bakugo's sure, but the others were unknown. That's probably why things went down the way they did."

Fumikage considered this for a moment before agreeing that it was possible. He didn't bother asking about Midoriya's past with Bakugo. He had heard bits and pieces of their history to get an idea.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did your group know where the training camp was? It was switched at the last minute," he asked curiously.

That had been something on a lot of his classmate's minds for a long time now.

"Actually, I don't know. I never asked," Izuku replied honestly. "I wasn't even aware of the mission's details. I only found out they were kidnapping someone before it happened, and even then, I didn't know who it was. I wasn't told a lot of things in the League, though it was for the best."

Tokoyami was surprised at that information. He had assumed Midoriya was a high-ranking member within the League, given he had been with them for a year.

"They tried kidnapping Fumikage here as well you know," Dark Shadow piped up.

"What!?" Izuku replied stunned. "I thought Bakugo was the only target. Mina was kidnapped for Atrocity but other than that there shouldn't have been any more targets. Who was it that kidnapped you exactly?"

"It was that man with the magician getup, Compress I think his name was. According to Shouji, he said I had a lot of potentials. The others managed to get me back, though just barely," Tokoyami said.

"That sounds like something Compress would do. Being one of the smarter members he must have seen your performance and thought you'd be a valuable member," Izuku said.

Fumikage didn't know whether to feel flattered or offended at that explanation. He didn't want to think about what he could do if he were a villain.

"You didn't see the destruction I caused. If it weren't for Bakugo and Todoroki, I could've killed someone," Fumikage told him.

"Perhaps," Izuku agreed. "But all power, quirk or not, comes with a price. Have you ever considered training in complete darkness to control Dark Shadow better?"

Fumikage thought about this for a moment.

"I've been trying in class, in a cave built by Cementoss, though it isn't easy," Fumikage explained.

"It's not entirely my fault. When I'm in the dark I feel unstoppable and truly alive," Dark Shadow piped up.

Izuku was starting to sympathise with Tokoyami's plight. The boy was trapped with a quirk he had little control over and could destroy everything if he wasn't careful. What's worse, he was frightened of his own power, of what it could do, making it even harder to control. In a certain sense, he reminded Izuku of the insecure scared boy he used to be.

Once he realized that, a decision was made.

"Have you ever tried practising at night?" Izuku asked.

Fumikage stared at him like he was mad.

"Are you crazy? The night would be the most dangerous time," he practically screamed.

"Alright then, Dark Shadow, has anyone ever tried talking or reasoning with you in this state?" Izuku asked.

Dark Shadow glanced at him surprised. Neither he nor Tokoyami (for obvious reasons) had considered this.

"No. No one has ever tried. They'd have to be either insane or a complete idiot to try," Dark Shadow stated.

Upon hearing that Izuku stood up.

"I'm not an idiot. As for being insane, it's really just a matter of opinion," Izuku said softly.

It took Fumikage a second to realize what Izuku was proposing.

"You can't be serious," he said in an emotionless tone. "Do you have any idea what you're asking for?"

"Of course, why else would I suggest it?" Izuku retorted. "We can do it tonight at Ground Beta, there won't be anyone around to bother us. Besides, you said training at night would be the most dangerous, so what a better time to try it. You'll never actually get the hang of it unless you try Tokoyami."

While he did acknowledge that to be true he was still seriously against it.

"You know Fumi, he's got a point. This may be a good thing to try out," Dark Shadow suggested. "You'll never know unless you try."

Fumikage glared at his quirk.

"Seriously, don't call me Fumi! And what's with this sudden change of heart? Weren't you against this?" he demanded.

The sentient being raised its hands up in defence.

"All I did was answer the question. I never said I was against it," he reasoned.

Fumikage scowled.

"Midoriya, this isn't like the battle trial. You could actually die," Tokoyami warned.

Much to his surprise, Izuku just chuckled at the statement. His face turned serious then.

"It wouldn't be the first time," he said in a serious voice. "I've nearly died so many times now, and every day I'm under threat from villains seeking to kill me. This doesn't scare me at all. You're right Tokoyami, I could die. But you know what, so could a lot of people, including your classmate's, if you can't control your power."

Fumikage was shocked at what he just heard. Midoriya, he didn't fear death!? Was it because of his experiences from the League? Either that, or he was just exceptionally brave.

Fumikage rubbed his head in frustration.

"Even if I were to agree to do this, we would need Mr Aizawa's permission since we can't just sneak out. There's no way he'll give it though," Fumikage explained.

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"Mr Aizawa may we have your permission?" he asked.

"Give me a minute to think about it," Aizawa said in a deadpan voice.

Tokoyami jumped up. He turned to see Aizawa at the entrance observing them.

Dark Shadow was just as startled.

"Aaaahhhhh!" he screamed. "When did you get there?"

"Since you two sat down," Aizawa replied bluntly. "What you were talking about sounded interesting, so I kept quiet and listened."

"I could see his reflection in the mirror over there," Izuku added.

As surprised as he was, Tokoyami quickly collected himself.

"Sensei, you don't actually believe that this is a good idea, do you? I could actually kill him," Fumikage muttered.

"That is a possibility," Aizawa agreed. "However, he isn't wrong about the other points he stated. Something like that could happen again, and you may not have others to stop you."

Fumikage stared at the ground looking for an excuse out of this.

"Midoriya, what would you suggest? Given that it's your idea," Aizawa said. "Depending on your answer I may or may not give the go ahead on this."

Izuku thought about this.

"Well, at Ground Beta during the night, Tokoyami allows Dark Shadow out. I take him on and try to reason with him. However, if it gets out of hand, I'd like you to step in with your quirk. I'd also like Todoroki to be there as well to help suppress Dark Shadow with his flames," Izuku explained.

Aizawa considered this for a minute.

"A decent plan," he acknowledged. "Okay, you have my permission. We'll meet at Ground Beta at ten. Go and ask Todoroki."

Tokoyami groaned. He knew this was going ahead whether he wanted it to or not.

"Fine but, bring Kaminari along. His electrification quirk should be useful for stopping Dark Shadow," he said.

Aizawa nodded in agreement. He and Izuku then went off to convince the respective students to help.

Fumikage slumped down on the couch.

"How did doing a project turn into this?" he asked himself.

"Who knows? The world works in mysterious ways. This should be interesting though," Dark Shadow said.

Fumikage didn't even bother responding to that.

Ground Beta at 10.00 p.m.

Izuku stood directly across from Tokoyami. They were both in their costumes (Aizawa's orders) and ready (well mostly) for what was about to occur.

Aizawa stood on top of a nearby building alongside Denki and Shoto. Izuku had been the one to convince Shoto, requesting it as a favour. Aizawa had been the one to convince Denki as it was highly unlikely he'd listen to Izuku. Denki still had trust issues with him, like now.

"Sensei are you sure this is a good idea? How can you be sure he's not planning something?" Denki accused.

Aizawa retained his usual emotionless expression.

"There are several teachers posted around here in case something goes wrong," he stated.

"I say we just watch and see," Shoto said. "Midoriya isn't wrong about Tokoyami needing control over his quirk. I saw it during the training camp, it was very powerful and dangerous. Bakugo and I were lucky when we stopped it."

Shoto did trust Izuku. He could tell he was the type to help others, the way he helped him. Shoto was also slightly nervous about tomorrow. He was going to see his mother for the first time in years.

"Let's get started shall we," Izuku requested.

"As you wish, but remember, you asked for this," Tokoyami replied.

And with that, he unleashed his quirk, who had been so eager to get out.

Dark Shadow was a lot larger now, and more intimidating as well. What's more, it was feeding off Tokoyami's negative emotions, most notably his insecurity and fear.

Fumikage truly did not wish for Midoriya to die, and the memories from the training camp came back to haunt him. That was all Dark Shadow needed to grow stronger. And just like at the training camp, grew into a ferocious monster and overtook his host.

"GWAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dark Shadow roared.

Dark Shadow immediately brought its claws down on a nearby building and destroyed it with relative ease.

'So, this is his true power. Incredible!' Izuku internally admitted.

The three on the building were having a mixture of reactions.

"Holy shit!" Denki yelled. "He had this kind of power all along! Holy shit!"

"It's the exact same as during the training camp," Shoto murmured. "Just as destructive and powerful. This is the power of Dark Shadow under absolute darkness."

Aizawa retained a calm emotionless expression. Though that didn't mean he wasn't surprised, because he was. He had heard reports about what Dark Shadow had done during the assault at the training camp but seeing it in person was a different matter altogether. He would take extra precautions when proceeding.

"I'M GONNA DESTROY EVERYTHING!" Dark Shadow roared as he began to destroy everything in sight.

Fumikage was powerless to stop his own quirk. He tried, but all that did was slow his movements a little. Izuku decided that he'd seen enough at that point and acted.

"Oi! Bird face! Look at me," Izuku mocked.

Dark Shadow briefly looked at him before turning away.

"Insignificant bug," he snarled. "You don't matter. You're not even worth my time."

"Aw, is big bad Dark Shadow too afraid to take on alone quirkless student," Izuku mocked. "Guess that just goes to show how weak and cowardly you are."

Izuku shouldn't have said that, because when he did, Dark Shadow began attacking him relentlessly. Fumikage wished Izuku had just kept his mouth shut.

Dark Shadow first raised its fist and then brought down to where Izuku was. Izuku was quick enough to dodge it as he cartwheeled to the side.

The attack hit the ground and created a small crater.

"You insignificant brat! I'll show you who's weak!" Dark Shadow screamed.

He first swiped with his left hand at Izuku, who ducked backwards and avoided it. The claws shredded through the area around them instead, destroying another building in the process. It then brought its right fist down onto Izuku, who barely dodged by backflipping backward, and in the process made another crater.

'This is my chance,' Izuku realized.

Because Dark Shadow's arm was still on the ground Izuku took advantage of it and began running up it.

"Is he insane?" Denki yelled.

"A little," Shoto answered in a deadpan voice.

Dark Shadow and Tokoyami were both surprised by Izuku's bold act.

Izuku ran fast enough that he reached the top of Dark Shadow's head. Whipping out his bo staff he struck it across the head several times. All that seemed to do was irritate the sentient being. Dark Shadow attempted to attack Izuku, but he slid off to where Dark Shadow's face was.

"Still think I'm insignificant?" Izuku mocked with a smirk.

That enraged Dark Shadow to the point where let an all-powerful punch fly at Izuku. That had been what he was waiting for. Dark Shadow may have become stronger under the influence of complete darkness, but it also became more aggressive and reckless.

Izuku allowed himself to drop while Dark Shadow's fist connected with himself, temporarily stunning it. Izuku dropped down onto Fumikage, who was struggling to control his quirk to no avail. Izuku then retracted his staff and placed the tip of it at Fumikage's chest.

"Don't struggle for the next part," Izuku warned the raven headed student before turning his attention to Dark Shadow. "Dark Shadow, that's enough. I just want to talk."

The sentient being was outraged that Izuku had made it to his host with little difficulty, and even more when he suggested talking with him.

"If I'm not mistaken, any damage that happens to Tokoyami happens to you as well, correct?" Izuku guessed.

Dark Shadow glared at him but nodded grudgingly. Seeing no other alternative, he relented.

"Fine. Talk. I'll listen," he responded angrily.

Finally, they were getting somewhere.

Fumikage was amazed that Midoriya had gotten Dark Shadow to stop rampaging.

"Good. First off, is destroying everything in sight necessary?" Izuku asked. "Aside from me, no one was attacking you."

Dark Shadow was irritated at Izuku's question.

"Of course. Just because you can't see someone, doesn't mean they aren't there. It's better to destroy them right then and there," he stated.

"And just what do you hope to achieve by destroying everything and everyone?" Izuku asked. "Eventually they'll be nothing left to destroy. What will you do then?"

This question caught Dark Shadow off guard. For once he didn't know how to respond.

Aizawa eyed the situation with curiosity.

'Just what are you up to Midoriya?' he wondered.

Fumikage was thinking the exact same thing.

"I'll, I'll, I'll," Dark Shadow said as he struggled to come up with an answer.

Izuku wouldn't give him the time.

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?" he shouted.

Dark Shadow snapped at hearing that.

"HE'LL BE SAFE, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. IF I DESTROY EVERYTHING THEN THERE WILL BE NO ONE THAT CAN HURT HIM. THAT'S HOW I'LL PROTECT HIM," Dark Shadow roared.

Everyone present was stunned at Dark Shadow's outburst.

"By him, you mean Tokoyami?" Izuku murmured.

Dark Shadow flinched. Tokoyami was just as surprised. Dark Shadow had been trying to protect him in all that.

Izuku realized that there was a deeper meaning to that.

"Of course, you want to protect Tokoyami. However, it's not just because he's your host, it's because he's your only friend," Izuku stated.

Fumikage couldn't believe what he was hearing. is that how Dark Shadow truly saw him?

"Y-You're wrong, that's not," Dark Shadow desperately tried to defend himself.

"If that's true then why are you crying?" Izuku asked.

And he was. Much to everyone's (including Dark Shadow) shock, there were tears falling from Dark Shadow's eyes.

Fumikage was dumbfounded by what he saw. Dark Shadow had never cried before, he didn't even know it was possible. The quirk seemed to share a similar reaction; he began wiping his eyes trying to get rid of the tears, but they kept flowing.

Izuku then turned to Tokoyami.

"Tokoyami, you must understand, Dark Shadow isn't just a quirk, he's a living being like you and me. He has emotions and desires the same as you," Izuku explained.

Fumikage said nothing. He couldn't deny it, what's more, he found that he didn't want to deny it.

"Everyone has fears and doubts, they're what helps define us for who we are. It's by confronting them head-on that we can truly become stronger and move forward," Izuku said softly.

Fumikage felt something at hearing that. He couldn't quite describe it but, it didn't feel bad. He glanced at Midoriya briefly before gazing at his quirk, who was still trying to stop his tears.

"Dark Shadow," he addressed, catching the sentient's attention. "I'm sorry."

Dark Shadow stared at him confused. Taking a deep breath, Tokoyami spoke.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm sorry for not trying to understand your actions better. I'm sorry for treating you like a tool. And I'm sorry for being oblivious to your feelings, not giving them a second thought. I was scared because others would get hurt like when I was a child, but in the end, I ended up hurting you. You've always been there for me when I was in danger or when I was alone, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how I've treated you. Please, forgive me."

This time it was Dark Shadow's turn to be dumbfounded. His host was apologising to him. He never thought something like this would ever happen. Having calmed down from that, Dark Shadow released Tokoyami and shrunk down to meet him.

"I'm sorry too," he said awkwardly. "I was just trying to protect you but ended up hurting you and your friends even more. If I forgive you, will you forgive me?"

Tokoyami smiled at Dark Shadow. "Yeah, definitely."

And two forgave each other for everything. Izuku had to admit, there was something heartwarming about the scene in front of him.

Things were slightly more emotional on the rooftops. Aizawa and Shoto smiled at what they saw. Izuku seemed to have an unusual effect on people.

Denki was literally, bawling his eyes out.

"IT'S BEAUTIFUL," he sobbed.

Then without realizing it. He grabbed Aizawa's cloth, dried his tears and blew his nose in it.

Aizawa felt a vein stand on his forehead.

Shoto barely prevented himself from laughing.

"Kaminari you have detention," he declared.

"Sure thing," Denki sobbed not caring in the slightest.

Meanwhile, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow had made up. Tokoyami was now referring to him as his partner. They faced Izuku.

"Thank you Midoriya," Tokoyami said. "If it weren't for you, this issue would never have been resolved."

"Yeah, thanks. Now I and Fumi are friends again," Dark Shadow said.

Strangely, Tokoyami didn't mind him calling him that at that point.

"It's no problem," Izuku responded modestly. "You were in a difficult situation like Todoroki was, and I wanted to help you. I suppose you could say, I saw in you what I saw in him, and that's a little of the old me."

"Before you became a villain?" Dark Shadow questioned.

Izuku nodded. That reminded Tokoyami of a question he had.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's it like being in a group of villains?" he asked. "How do you bond and work together?"

Izuku considered this for a moment.

"It's like you and Class 1A, it could also be compared to a group of heroes. You see, villains like me and the League, we're the outcasts of society. We aren't accepted by anyone because of what we are. That creates a unique sense of camaraderie. There's also the fact that each of us is there for a specific reason, some tragic, some evil, and some because they have no other choice. It's all this that allows us to bond and work better as a group," Izuku explained.

Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were perplexed by that explanation. Truly the life of a villain was a different one to their own.

"Enough about that," Izuku declared. "Tomorrow my mother will be here at noon, so can we put project work off while she's here?"

"Sure thing," Tokoyami replied.

"Okay, enough talking, I say we all hit the hay now," Dark Shadow declared.

And with that, the three of them headed back to their dorm.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I bet you didn't expect Tokoyami to be the one connecting with Izuku. He's a character I've grown to love from both the anime and one of my favourite fanfics 'Heroes in the Dark', and I just really wanted to include him in this. Sorry the chapter took so long, I was away for a week. Anyway, next chapter will see Inko visiting Izuku and other stuff. Hope you enjoyed reading. Please review.

Chapter 34: Inko visits

Summary:

Inko pays a visit to UA and her son.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

In an alleyway near Kamino

Razor gazed at the force in front of her if it could be described as that. From what she could see, there were between twenty and thirty men and women all looking at her with hostile intent. The reason, Atrocity had sent them.

Apparently, he wanted information on the people he was looking for and even extended an offer to join his group considering how strong she was. However, Razor being… Razor politely told him and his entire organisation to go fuck themselves. He didn't take it well and sent this group here to deal with her.

"We won't ask again Razor," one of the hostiles declared.

"Good because I won't refuse again," Razor retorted.

The hostiles were irritated now.

Razor was just plain pissed off because these guys were just annoying her.

"I'm surprised Atrocity sent his bitches to see me rather than coming himself. Too scared is?" Razor sneered.

The hostiles looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Master is busy dealing with other problems. One that relates to someone in the underworld."

"Anyone, I know?" Razor asked intrigued.

She was somewhat curious now. The hostiles looked at each other again.

"The asshole he is dealing with goes by the name of Shiro. He said you'd met him before."

Razor said nothing. The thug wasn't wrong. She had met him, and it was less than pleasant.

Shiro was the leader of the biggest criminal organisation in the underworld. He was a sadistic bastard who rivalled Atrocity and often fought with him. His personality may have (though she couldn't say for sure) worsened since losing his eye.

"Yeah, I've met him. Guy's a complete asshole like your boss," Razor replied mockingly.

The group of thugs were getting annoyed now.

"Enough!" shouted a female member. "Either come with us now, or we take you by force."

Razor snorted at the threat.

"I'd love to see you try," Razor taunted with a sadistic grin. "Actually no, do try. It'll more fun than talking."

The enemy group started to advance towards her. Razor greeted it with enthusiasm. However, she called out to them before charging.

"Tell you what. Since you're all just a bunch of pathetic idiots who are doing this out of fear I'll grant you a small act of mercy," Razor declared much to their confusion. "Atrocity will give you either a slow death or a shit load of torture if you fail here, right? So, I'll make sure that each of your deaths is quick and painless."

The enemy force halted their advance. Some stared at her dumbfounded, others stared at her confused, while some thugs just glared at her. However, they all did the same action next.

They laughed at Razor, very hard. Some were shouting taunts about her being crazy in thinking she could take them all.

Razor just continued to smile sadistically. Most groups of opponents she faced acted that way. It was why they normally died, and why this one would die now. She would keep her promise about slaughtering them quickly. It was certainly a lot better than dealing with Atrocity afterwards.

Most of them didn't have human features, making it all more serious. Despite Atrocity's racist views towards 'subhumans', he allowed them in his group because he viewed them as expendable. And because he could get a kick out of torturing them if they failed.

Razor dashed forward at incredible speed. Before anyone could react, she raised her right leg, swung it with a blade emerging from the sole of her foot, and slit the man's throat. He was dead in an instant.

The was a momentary silence of shock from the group about what had just happened.

Taking advantage of this, Razor kicked the guy she killed and sent him crashing into several others. She then somersaulted into the air, spun, and released several knives from her hands at her selected targets. Each one hit a target straight in the head, killing them quickly.

Thirteen people (including the one from the start) were now dead.

Atrocity's thugs had finally got their senses together and began to fight back, realizing they would be dead if they didn't.

A man with a rhino appearance charged at her at a high speed. Razor was faster, however. Two katanas appeared in her hands, and then she moved towards the advancing foe. In an instant, she was behind him with her swords stretched out. The rhino man fell after realizing his stomach had been slashed open. He was dead seconds later.

Three individuals, whose quirks revolved around shooting bullets, opened fire on Razor. Much to their surprise, she blocked each one fired at her while running towards them.

Becoming more desperate, the three of them fired everything they had recklessly at Razor. And as a result, they killed five of their allies. Upon reaching them Razor slashed them across their chests.

That left only eight enemies.

A woman with hawk-like features flew at Razor in an attempt to take her up into the sky and drop her.

Two other women were dashing towards Razor as well. They both had cat-like features and from Razor's perspective, looked like they were sisters.

The cats attacked in a coordinated fashion by attempting to scratch and kick Razor at different moments. The hawk tried clawing at Razor. However, Razor dodged each of their attacks by stepping and flipping with relative ease.

'These guys are way too slow,' Razor thought. 'Their attacks are predictable, but, at the same time, well-coordinated. I think it's time I ended this though.'

Razor held her arms in as she got between the girls. She was going to impale them both with her quirk, but they guessed what she was doing and flipped away in retreat.

'Smart move,' Razor thought.

As the hawk attempted to claw at her face, Razor grabbed its ankles, somersaulted into the air, and slammed it down on the ground. Before the hawk could react, Razor planted her feet at its chest and impaled it with two blades. The hawk coughed up some blood before dying.

Razor felt something grab at her and saw it was a man with a cactus for a head extending his arms to hold her. Next, a woman that was completely purple unleashed gas from her body at Razor.

'Probably poison,' Razor assumed.

She wasn't waiting to find out.

Razor kicked back at full force towards her captor with a sharp sword shooting from her back. The cactus man was stabbed and killed instantly.

Razor then shot two knives: one for the purple woman and the other for a porcupine man standing right next to her. They each connected with their targets leaving only four left.

However, when Razor turned to her remaining adversaries, she noticed them crouched down and staring at the ground with scared and despairing looks.

In addition to the catgirls, Razor noticed a man with the appearance of a cyclops, and a man, or rather a teenager, with the features belonging to a shark, though more humanoid.

"Not gonna attack me?" She asked mockingly.

"What's the point?" the shark boy replied sadly. "It's not like it will do us any good."

The cyclops and one of the cats were crying. The other cat was angry.

"It doesn't matter what we do. We're dead either way," she declared bitterly.

Razor was curious about something.

"Why are you with Atrocity's group exactly? He hates people like you. He refers to them as 'subhumans'. So just why?" she questioned.

"B-B-B-Because we don't want to die," the cyclops sobbed.

"We were forced to join his group," the other cat added. "Said if we didn't, we'd die right then and there."

So that was their reason. Fear.

Razor really couldn't blame them.

It was Atrocity after all.

The sick fuck did things that made her look like a nice person. Sometimes she'd think about how she'd kill him if she ever got the chance considering he disgusted her in ways very few could.

On a side note, Razor expressed a rare level of pity and sympathy for these people for their situation. They had tried to kill her sure, but hey, who hadn't. Despite her job, and barring individuals she didn't like, she took no pleasure in killing. She was indifferent towards it but otherwise didn't enjoy it.

Since these people were no longer trying to kill her, and she wasn't on a mission, Razor decided to play good guy for once. There was one thing she needed to deal with first, however.

"I understand I really do, but, if I don't kill you guys the League of villains might think I'd gone soft and I'd lose respect," Razor declared causing the people to flinch. "But first, I'd better take care of our little spy."

Without warning, Razor spawned a knife and threw it at a nearby bee. She had noticed it at the start of the fight and planned on killing it at the end. It connected and ended its life.

Atrocity's base

Kuin gasped at the sudden surge of pain she was feeling. Blood leaked down from her eye where her bees were contained. She did manage to catch a glimpse of the last minute of her bee's life.

"Damn you Razor," she growled. "Damn you to hell."

Back at the alleyway

Razor's enemies were surprised at what just happened until she explained it. There wasn't any time to waste, however.

"I'd suggest that you run and probably move to a different country, or at least a different part of Japan," Razor suggested. "That way you'll be safe from Atrocity. And before you ask why I'm doing this, know that's it's because I see no real reason to kill any of you now that you've ceased attacking me."

The group didn't know how to respond to that. Taking a closer look at her foes Razor noticed something about the shark boy. He looked rather young, younger than Izuku.

"Hey Shark boy," she addressed the boy who flinched when she spoke to him. "How old are you?"

The boy appeared confused at the question.

"Ten," he answered.

Razor's eyes widened.

Villains come in different sizes and ages but seriously, a ten-year-old. Izuku was at least in his teens when he became a villain.

"You're ten, and you're a fucking villain. Shouldn't you be in school? Where are your parents?" Razor questioned.

The boy cringed at those questions but answered nonetheless.

"They're dead," he sniffed. "I got thrown out of my own home and placed in a foster system where my life has been complete hell. School is no different. You think it's growing up looking like this. People look at me like I'm some sort of monster and accuse me of trying to eat someone when I've done nothing like that. I didn't want to be a villain, neither did anyone here, but society hates us because of what we look like, and it's not our fault."

Razor said nothing. She knew this sort of discrimination existed but didn't see much of it.

"So, your outcasts then, just like the quirkless," Razor murmured.

They all nodded.

Oddly enough, quirkless people often mated with individuals whose forms took on that of animals or something that wasn't human. They were outcasts so they could relate to each other.

"Get out of here now before I change my mind," Razor ordered.

And they did. They left quickly without saying a word.

Razor sighed. The world was truly a fucked-up place.

Class 1A Dorms

It was Saturday at UA and most students were lying in because of how tired they were from their weekly lessons. There were a few up, however.

Izuku was up slightly later than usual. He didn't sleep in normally but today he just felt like it. He got up and did his usual workout and had a shower afterwards. When he was finished, he got dressed in his casual clothes (turquoise t-shirt and black trousers).

He headed to the common area and saw that Shoto was there staring off into space.

"Morning," Izuku greeted him.

Shoto looked up with a stoic expression. "Morning."

Izuku moved to the kitchen area and began making tea.

"I'm surprised you are not sleeping in," Shoto murmured softly. "Considering what went down last night."

"I could say the same thing about you," Izuku countered. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Not really," Shoto answered. "Last night I was feeling nervous about today."

Izuku frowned. He then remembered their conversation from earlier in the week.

"This about seeing your mother?" he asked.

Shoto said nothing but nodded in confirmation. He waited a couple of seconds before speaking again.

"It's been ten years since I've seen her, and our last time together wasn't pleasant," Shoto admitted. "I'm just scared that's all. When I come face to face with her, what am I supposed to say? Do I tell her about the past ten years? About my brother? About the abuse, I've put up with? I just don't know."

Izuku could sympathise with Shoto in that area.

"I know how you feel. When the police brought my mom to the hospital to see me I was terrified. I wasn't sure how to explain all of this to her, part of me didn't want to because I had changed," Izuku explained. "I was a villain, not the son she remembered. However, I eventually decided to tell her the truth because I owed it to her. I wanted her to know so I could be near her again. Believe me when I say, seeing your mother and telling her everything is for the best."

Shoto considered this for a second.

"I guess you're right," he agreed. "I'll avoid talking about my brother though. It might be better to talk about that only after I've spoken with her a couple of times."

Izuku couldn't argue against that.

Considering Shoto's mother's condition, that sort of news was likely to do her harm. He had been told about Shoto's brother's fate the day they walked back from Recovery Girls office.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you change? What sort of person were you before becoming a villain?" Shoto asked.

Izuku thought about this.

"I was a very different person back then," he answered. "I was a shy, insecure hero otaku. I was nice to everyone I came across, despite how most treated me. Like most children, I wanted to be a hero like everyone else, despite not having a quirk. Though that ended a year ago. I was sort of a coward back then because of how I was bullied. I never fought back or got help due to not wanting to cause anyone trouble. I was the lonely type as well because I didn't have any friends after being outed as quirkless. I did quirk analysis as I do now. Also, physically speaking, I was a lot weaker and my hair was fluffy and green."

Shoto listened with curiosity. Hearing about the type of person Izuku was back then and comparing him to the one he is now. Shoto thought they were drastically different.

"I was the same. I never had friends because of my upbringing, so I was mostly alone. You know what happened to my mother and older brother. My sister Fuyumi stayed around for me, always treating my wounds after training sessions. My brother Natsuo left and moved in with my mom's parents because he was afraid of my father, though I can't really blame him," Shoto said.

Izuku was surprised to hear about the rest of Shoto's family. His sister sounded like a good person, his brother, well, he didn't know what to make of him.

There was an odd moment of silence between them. As strange as it was, Shoto was frighteningly similar to him as they could relate in many ways.

"Speaking of visiting mothers," Izuku said changing the subject. "Mines visiting today. Part of UA's attempt to make this all more bearable for me. She'll be here in two hours or so."

That caught Shoto's interest. He had heard a little bit about what Izuku's mother was like but had never actually met her.

"By the way, what were things like on the roof last night?" Izuku asked.

Shoto chuckled at that question, earning him a curious look from Izuku.

"Well, during that emotional display between Tokoyami and Dark Shadow, Kaminari started to cry seriously. He was so overwhelmed with emotion that he blew his nose into Aizawa's scarf," Shoto exclaimed.

It took Izuku seconds to register what Shoto just said.

"WAIT! WHAT!?" he shouted incredulously.

UA Entrance two hours later

Inko had seen what UA was like on tv and had read about it, but to be here in person was another thing altogether. The place was huge, and the estate built was impressive. While she was marvelling at it all someone, her son, came to greet her.

"Mom, I'm so glad to see you," Izuku greeted warmly. "How was your week? How was work?"

The two embraced.

"I'm glad to see you too sweetie," Inko replied. "My week was mostly fine. Work as well. What about you? How was your first week at UA."

"Eventful," Izuku replied bluntly. That was the only word to describe it. "I'll tell you all about it once we're at the dorm. Most of the students have gone out for the day."

Inko wondered if that included Katsuki. She still had a few words for him.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being observed by Neito Monoma. He had just been going out for a walk when he saw them talking. He figured Inko was Izuku's mother judging by their resemblance. Then he called her 'mom' and that confirmed it.

Neito was still angry at Izuku for what happened yesterday. Now he could no longer mock Class A in any way.

Worse still, Izuku had caused him to reveal some of his secrets to his teacher in a terrible way. He had never been so angry and humiliated in his entire life. And now, watching Izuku look so happy with his mother caused him to feel a strong sense of envy.

Why? It's what he would've liked if he was with his mother.

Flashback

A six-year-old Neito was being tucked into bed by his mother.

She was a young woman from who Neito inherited his facial features from.

Though he had been told once or twice that he had his father's hair and eyes. Neito sometimes wondered where his father was and why he was not with them, though his other did say it was because he was living far away. He didn't really understand why though.

For the first few years of his life, Neito was raised by his mother. They did almost everything together: walks, play, stories etc.

He treasured every moment he spent with her.

"Goodnight Mom," Neito murmured tiredly.

"Goodnight darling," she cooed softly. "Sweet dreams."

She put him to bed every night and woke him up every morning. She was with him every chance he got. He loved her deeply and wished they could be together forever.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. A short while after that his mother's life was claimed in a car accident caused by a villain attack.

When she died, Neito felt like a part of his soul had been ripped out.

He had cried for days and rebuked any attempts of comfort, wanting to be on his own.

At his mother's funeral, he didn't cry, as he was trying to be strong.

When most had left, he stayed behind at his mother's grave for what felt like an eternity. He didn't even care that it was raining, though he couldn't feel it.

It was only then that he realized someone was holding an umbrella over him. Upon turning to see who it was he came face to face with a tall man whose face appeared solemn. That wasn't all though. He had blonde hair and eyes matching his.

At first, he couldn't believe it but when the man spoke, he had no choice.

"Hello, Neito. My name is Mondai Tezuka, and I'm your father," he said softly. "You're going to be living with me from now on."

And that's when his life became truly hellish.

Flashback end

Watching Izuku now, and seeing how happy he was with his mother, made Neito's heart blaze with envy. He wanted to scream at Izuku but held himself back.

Then an idea formed in his mind. A way to get back at him. Since his mother was here he could let tell her all sorts of things about him. Things that would get him in trouble.

This caused a smile to form across his face.

He was about to walk over when he noticed Izuku glaring at him. It wasn't a normal glare, however. It was a death glare.

Izuku had noticed Neito a few seconds before and guessed what he was planning. And so, he shot him a death glare, one that said, "I will break you if you try anything".

"No matter what you've been through, or what you think of me, my mother is off-limits," Izuku mouthed.

Neito was intelligent enough to get the message. He turned heel and proceeded to walk in a different direction. He couldn't quite explain it but in that instant, he was very afraid of Izuku.

He reminded him of his family, his father's family.

"Izuku is something wrong?" Inko asked her son.

"No," he assured her. "Let's just get to the dorm."

Not seeing a reason to question it Inko went willingly with her son.

Class 1A Dorm Common Room

Inko marvelled at the mansion her son was living in. it seemed like something only the wealthy could afford to live in. How the teachers had managed to do this in such a short amount of time she didn't know. There was someone there to greet them.

"Morning Midoriya!" Tenya greeted. "How are you to-"

Tenya noticed he wasn't alone. He was also quick to notice the resemblance between Izuku and the woman, making him realize who she was.

"Oh, hello there. My name is Tenya Iida, the class president," Tenya greeted her politely as he offered out his hand to shake. "Would you be Midoriya's mother by any chance?"

Inko shook Tenya's hand.

"Yes. My name is Inko Midoriya," she replied. "Pleased to meet you."

When she thought about his name she immediately remembered who he was.

"You're that boy who fought with my son and a few others in Hosu, right?" she asked.

Tenya's eyes widened. She knew about that.

"Uh, Mom, people don't know about Iida's involvement in that so please don't go mentioning it randomly," Izuku requested. "The teachers know but others don't."

"I'm so sorry," Inko apologised immediately. "I didn't know."

"It's alright," Tenya reassured her.

Tenya had only heard about Izuku's mother but meeting her in person, she really did resemble her son.

They all sat down.

"Now then, why don't you tell me about your first week here," Inko suggested. "I want to know every detail."

"The whole week?" Tenya questioned.

Inko nodded. "Starting from when he arrived here."

Tenya looked at Izuku who simply shrugged.

"Yeah. All of it," he informed him.

Inko was confused by that response.

Tenya stood up and walked to the kitchen.

"I'd better make tea then because it's going to be a long talk," he pointed out. "I'll do an Iida family special."

And so, Izuku began telling his mother about his week.

Shoto Todoroki

Shoto walked along at a regular pace. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous right now, though that was to be expected.

As he walked, he remembered the last time he'd interacted with his mother and the things she'd said to him. He knew it wasn't her fault for acting that way, the blame was all on his father.

As he arrived at the hospital he wondered how she'd react to seeing him again. He had wanted to visit her so many times but never did.

He was afraid of what seeing his left side would do to her, the pain it might cause her. He was also scared of telling her about his brother.

'Regardless of what's happened in the past we will always be bound by blood, my father's abuse, and my siblings,' Shoto thought.

He entered the hospital and greeted the receptionist. He asked for Rei Todoroki and explained who he was (much to their shock) before they let him go and see her.

He stood outside her room reaching for the handle.

There was no going back now.

He had to do this.

Izuku's words echoed in his ears.

The words his mother and brother spoke to him echoed in his ears.

They made him want to do this.

'If I'm ever going to master these powers. If I'm ever going to move forward. If I'm ever going to become a hero, then I need to do this,' Shoto decided. 'There's so much we need to talk about.'

He opened the door and entered the room. He closed the door and looked to see his mother looking out the window.

After staring at her for a minute, Shoto finally spoke.

"Hello Mom," he greeted.

Rei flinched at being called that word.

It had been so long since she was called that.

She turned to catch a glimpse of who had entered.

When she saw who it was Rei felt her heart stop for a second. She couldn't believe her eyes. It had been ten years since she saw him, but she knew. She couldn't forget even if she tried.

Shoto was taller, older, and more serious looking. He had a large scar across his left side (caused by her) which she felt immense guilt upon seeing.

At the same time, she was overjoyed at seeing him again after all these years. Her little boy, all grown up.

From Shoto's perspective, Rei didn't look as though she had aged at all. She looked tired and weak, but living in a hospital like this for ten years would have that effect on anyone.

He took a step towards her, and she started crying. Shoto froze thinking this was a bad idea.

"I'm sorry," Rei sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

Shoto stared at her surprised.

"Back then I hurt you in the worst possible way. I didn't mean, I didn't want to," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry Shoto. Please forgive me!"

Shoto smiled warmly at her.

"I forgave you a long time ago," Shoto told her. "I never bore any hatred towards you either because I knew it wasn't your fault."

Rei stopped crying and stared at her son.

"If anything, I'm sorry for not coming to see you sooner," Shoto continued. "It's only because of someone that I was able to decide this. It's also because of that person that I was able to use my left side for the first time."

Rei raised an eyebrow at that.

"That person told it was my power, not his, and said not to let anyone tell me otherwise," Shoto explained.

Rei was surprised to hear that. Though at the same time, she agreed. Shoto's quirk may have come from her and Enji but at the end of the day it was his to use, not theirs.

"I'm glad," she murmured. "I want you to be happy and save people. That's what I've always wanted for you."

The moment she said that Shoto felt as though a large weight had been lifted from his chest. In that instant, any resentment he felt towards his left side diminished.

Deciding he'd waited long enough, Shoto moved towards his mother and pulled her into a hug. Rei returned by wrapping her arms around him. They had both wanted this for so long.

"I've missed you, Mom," Shoto said softly. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too Shoto, more than you can imagine," she replied.

Class 1A Dorms

Inko was sipping down tea faster than she should have, which was to be expected after hearing all that. She couldn't believe all of that happened in a week.

When she heard about the fights Izuku had been in she nearly fainted as she couldn't believe her son had been through all of that.

She was amazed to discover Izuku had stood up to Endeavour and several bullies, as well as the part about Monoma and Class 1B.

Inko was somewhat horrified when she heard about what happened with Hatsume but quickly got over it when he explained how things calmed down. She was happy at how he helped some of the students as well, it showed he was still the same nice boy she remembered.

"I still can't believe you did that with Monoma," Tenya admitted.

"He had it coming," Izuku replied indifferently. "I was sick of his taunts, so I did something about it. Besides, if he wants to be a hero he'd better start taking it seriously."

"I suppose," Tenya agreed.

Inko sighed. It was nice to know her son was getting on well at UA. She was surprised Katsuki hadn't done anything to him, however. Maybe UA had put a leash on him.

Inko took another sip of tea.

"This is delicious Iida," Inko said softly. "Your family came up with this?"

Tenya smiled proudly.

"Yes. My grandmother was an avid lover of tea and purchased all kinds," he boasted. "Eventually she got the urge to create her own. Leading to the one we are now drinking."

"What a wonderful hobby," Inko complimented.

"I agree," Izuku said as he took another sip. Then without thinking he said something else. "Gentle would definitely love this."

Tenya and Inko looked at him confused.

"Who's Gentle?" Inko asked.

Izuku looked up surprised at what he just said.

"Is he someone you knew while you were with the League?" Tenya asked.

Izuku decided it wouldn't be harmful to tell them.

"Yes, he's someone I knew," he confirmed. "He wasn't a member of the League though, just someone I encountered while I was out doing quirk analysis. Gentle is a villain, but, not your typical one."

Tenya and Inko were both curious about what Izuku meant.

"Gentle, or better known as the Gentle Criminal, is a villain that rules the media world. He commits crimes and then uploads them online so people will know who he is. He's a rather polite individual and mostly centres his crimes around thievery since he isn't big into violence. However, when the time comes, he will fight if he must. Unlike most villains, he does what he does for fame so that he can carve his name into the fabric of history for many to remember," Izuku explained. "He and I met a couple of times before we started talking. Eventually, we started having tea together along with a friend of his. It was a nice break from what I usually did."

Inko and Tenya were surprised at what they were hearing. Villains really did come in all shapes and forms.

"I think I've seen a few of his videos online," Inko said. "He's a blonde man with a fancy getup, isn't he?"

Izuku nodded in confirmation. "That's him."

Tenya made a mental note to look him up later.

Inko looked at her watch.

"I'd better go," she said standing up. "I don't want to keep you from doing your work."

Izuku stood up and hugged her.

"I'm glad you came to visit," Izuku told her.

"I'm glad I came. It was nice to meet you to Iida," Inko replied.

"The pleasure is all mine," Tenya said.

Inko promised to visit her son next week and left the building. As she came near the entrance she spotted a familiar face and anger filled up within her. She marched right up to him, catching him by surprise.

"Mrs. Midoriya, what are you?" he started.

SMACK!

Inko smacked Katsuki across the face with all the strength she could muster. Katsuki staggered slightly before turning to stare at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"I'M HERE BECAUSE I CAME TO SEE MY SON," she yelled. "The same one you told to jump off a roof and be reborn with a quirk in another life. The same one you beat insulted and scarred every day of his life. And don't you dare tell me otherwise. You drove him to the point where he almost committed suicide."

Katsuki stared at her in shock. For as long as he had known Inko, he had never seen her this angry, or at all even.

"The teachers are aware of what you put Izuku through and they decided you should be allowed to stay because it happened before UA," Inko continued. "Personally, I don't see how someone like you could become a hero. Heroes are meant to be could and inspire others, not bully and oppress them."

Katsuki flinched at being told that. He had never thought of it that way before.

Inko wasn't done.

"I'm warning you now. If you ever harm Izuku again, I'll see to it that everyone knows just what you did to him," Inko warned.

Katsuki stared at her stunned.

Inko, deciding she'd said enough, started walking away.

1A Common Room Nighttime

Most of the students had gone to bed but he was still up finishing his work. It was nice to see his mother again, and he and Tokoyami had gotten a good bit of information today.

Fumikage and Dark Shadow seemed even closer than before with the sentient being moving about freely. He hadn't encountered any of his other classmates today though Fumikage said they were shocked at the event. That shock quickly turned to laughter when they learned Denki had blown his nose into Aizawa's capture weapon.

Izuku got up and headed down to the Common Room because he decided he needed some tea. When he arrived, he noticed that Shoto was already there.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," Shoto replied.

Izuku didn't waste any time and got straight to the point.

"How'd your visit go today?" he asked. "Also, would you like tea?"

"Yes, I'd like tea," Shoto replied. "As for what happened, I'll wait till you've sat down."

Izuku made the tea and was now sitting opposite Shoto. Taking a sip, Shoto began to tell his story.

"We came face to face for the first time in years. My Mom started crying when she saw me, but it wasn't because of my left side, more of what she had done to it. She apologised but I told her it wasn't her fault and forgave her a long time ago. I apologised for not coming sooner and told her about using my left side. She said she wanted me to be happy and save people. We hugged and we expressed how much we missed each other," Shoto explained.

Izuku thought this scene sounded sweet. It reminded him of how he had encountered his mother again.

"When she said those words to me, I felt like a large weight had been lifted off my chest," Shoto exclaimed.

Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"Does that mean?" he started.

Shoto nodded.

"I'll use it from now on, but for me, and not for him. This will be my first step," he said.

But there was something else.

"I'll rescue her from that place one day, and I'll find out what happened to my brother," Shoto swore. "It's what I have to do."

Izuku didn't say anything about that. he thought it was an admirable goal. Just then, he noticed something about Shoto's left eye. He hadn't noticed it before, but it looked familiar. He didn't mean from Endeavour but from someone else. He just couldn't think of who.

At an unknown location

The four individuals whom Razor had spared were moving as quickly as possible. They decided it would be best to take her advice and getaway.

The shark boy was called Kai, the Cyclops called Ichi, and the cats were Neko and Neku.

"Alright, let's head this way," Ichi suggested.

Before they could the earth collapsed, and they fell into a pit. They tried getting back up but were held down by the wind. Water surrounded them then and slammed them down, rendering them unconscious.

Four figures loomed over them.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. The boss will love this won't he," said one.

The others murmured in agreement.

"A raid at the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall will commence," said another figure. "You'd all better be there."

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that. I've been meaning to give Razor a fight scene for a while now to demonstrate how powerful she was. The end of this chapter just gave you all a glimpse of the main antagonist of the original arc I'm doing. Next chapter you'll see Izuku talking with Hound Dog again, and a few other things. Hope you enjoyed reading. Please review.

Chapter 35: First week conclusion

Summary:

Izuku's first week at UA comes to an end.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Warning: Mentions of depression and self-harm in this chapter.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Class 1A Dorms

"We're almost done," Izuku stated.

"Yes, thankfully," Fumikage exhaled deeply.

The two of them had spent most of their weekend on their project and were almost finished. All homework assignments were done on weekend mornings, so they wouldn't be in the way.

"I can't believe you two got it done this quickly," Dark Shadow said incredulously. "You don't waste time, do you?"

"We don't have time to waste," Izuku replied in an emotionless voice.

Fumikage remained silent.

Dark Shadow was persistent, however.

"Really, not even a little?" he pushed.

"Dark Shadow," Fumikage warned.

The sentient being laughed.

"I know I'm just messing with ya!" he joked before turning serious. "Maybe!"

Izuku and Fumikage sighed. Dark Shadow had a weird sense of humour.

Izuku looked at the time on the clock in the library. When he did he jumped to his feet.

"Sorry, we're going to have to finish this later," Izuku exclaimed. "I have a counselling session with Hound Dog."

"It's fine. You do what you need to do," Fumikage replied indifferently. "Let's finish it tomorrow. We've been working all weekend, it wouldn't hurt to rest for the rest of the day."

Izuku nodded in agreement. Though he wasn't exactly sure what to do with his free time.

Hound Dog's Office

"Good evening Midoriya," Ryo greeted. "How has your weekend been?"

"It was alright I guess," Izuku responded quickly. "I did homework, a project, saw my mother, the highlight of the weekend by the way, and dealt with a nuisance that that had been plaguing me for the past week for the pettiest and stupidest reasons."

Ryu retained a stoic expression.

"And helped a student, Fumikage Tokoyami, with the most dangerous aspect of his quirk," he added. "News travels fast among teachers."

Izuku's expression didn't change. He expected as much.

"I think it's safe to say you've had a very eventful first week at UA," Ryo said softly.

"You couldn't be more right," Izuku responded dryly.

Izuku sat down directly across from Ryo. Ryo pressed the start button on the recording device and began their session. Rather than go straight into the deep stuff Ryo decided it would be best to start off with a more casual subject.

"The other day you told me quirk analysis was one of your hobbies. Would you like to tell me about that?" Ryo offered.

Izuku could sense that Ryo was trying to start off with something simple, so he decided to indulge him. He was happy to tell him about his hobby.

"Quirk analysis is something I've been doing since I was a child," Izuku explained. "When I was young I admired heroes a lot. So, I started to take notes on them. What their quirks were, how they were used, their weaknesses, ways to improve it, their fighting style, you name it. I took it down. I even did individuals I was around who were likely to become heroes like Bakugo."

Ryo noticed Izuku was smiling when he talked about this. It appeared his quirk analysis skills were something he took pride in. Ryo had seen some of these notes alongside the teachers (Detective Tsukauchi showed them some). He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed.

"My quirk analysis abilities were the main reason the League recruited me," Izuku continued.

"If you took down notes on heroes, would I be correct in assuming that you wanted to be one yourself?" Ryo asked.

Izuku gazed down at the floor.

"I did." He paused. "But I gave up on that dream about a year ago when I finally realized it wasn't possible. It took me ten years to finally get the message."

"Message?" Ryo said puzzled. "Would you mind explaining that to me?"

Izuku took a deep breath.

"Quirkless people cannot be heroes. We're the useless weak members of society who aren't needed. We'd be destroyed by a villain the moment we came face to face with one," Izuku exhaled. "That message."

Ryo frowned. He didn't like that, not one bit.

Quirkless people may have a disadvantage against those with quirks, but they were far from useless.

"And you've been told this since you were a child?" Ryo pressed.

Izuku nodded. "Ever since I was diagnosed as quirkless."

Ryo hummed. He had reached the part where things would get serious.

"What was your childhood like, along with your teen years?" Ryo asked. "Were they difficult?"

Izuku sighed. "You have no idea."

Sitting up straight he began to tell what he had told so many people before.

"The first few years of my life were okay. I played and got on with other children. I lived with my parents and things were fine. I desired a cool quirk like the other kids I was around. When it didn't show up I went to the doctor with my Mom and I discovered I was quirkless," he explained. "That's when things really went to shit."

Ryo ignored the bad language used and tensed at what he was about to hear next.

"Kids I knew started to bully me because I didn't have a quirk. Bakugo was one of them. They mocked me, stole from me, humiliated me, and beat the shit out of me every day. Others simply avoided me as though I were some rare disease, and because they didn't want to be bullied either. It continued from when I was four until I was fourteen when I left school. Every day I would come home with new bruises and scars, which were mostly kept hidden," Izuku revealed.

Izuku was staring at the wall while he said all this. He didn't notice the angry expression Ryo was beginning to make. The counsellor was furious at what he was hearing. He despised bullying of all kinds.

Izuku wasn't done. There was something else. Something he very rarely told anyone else. Come to think of it, Razor and his mother were the only ones he had ever really told.

When Razor first saw his scars, she asked how he got them. He explained, only she could tell there was more to it than that and eventually got the truth out of him. She didn't question it, she just trained him. This had been when they started and before he created the regenerative drug.

He told his mother two days after the hospital battle, and her reaction wasn't pretty. He decided, since he was going through these sessions, he would be honest about his problems, well, not all of them. Mostly because of Razor's advice.

Ryo noticed how tensed Izuku looked as he moved uncomfortably.

"My scars, the ones I received each day, not all of them were from bullies," Izuku said slowly. Ryo dreaded what was coming next. "Sometimes, when I was alone at home when I couldn't take what I was going through. I . . . . . . cut myself. I cut myself to make it go away."

Ryo stared at Izuku in horror. This was far worse than he thought.

Izuku hadn't just been bullied, he had been suffering from depression.

Gulping down what he felt for the moment, Ryo spoke.

"Did you ever go to anyone about your problems?" he asked.

Izuku shook his head.

"My teachers didn't care about what I was going through. Sometimes they joined in. My mother I didn't tell because I didn't want to cause her trouble," Izuku explained. "I told her a few weeks ago. She was horrified."

If Ryo wasn't so shocked, he would have been furious at the descriptions of Izuku's teachers. Just what kind of school had he gone through that would allow that sort of treatment.

He got the sense that Izuku wasn't telling him everything, though that wasn't important right now.

"I only did it occasionally. I didn't make a habit of it," Izuku confessed, much to Ryo's relief.

The days when he did that were when he was at his most vulnerable when he had been through more than what he went through most days. It was a terrible way he dealt with the stress he was feeling, though it was very rare.

"I haven't done it in over a year," Izuku admitted. "There's been no need and I'm a much stronger person than I was then."

"That you are," Ryo agreed.

"Things weren't all bad back then. Times I spent with my Mom were nice and peaceful."

Ryo said nothing. He knew how close Izuku was with his mother. He even heard from Nezu that she was one of the reasons he left, so she could be safe.

"During these times when you were being bullied, how did you deal with your frustration?" he asked. "What did you do to channel your energy?"

Izuku thought about this for a minute.

"Mostly I did work to take my mind off things. I was never violent or broke anything," Izuku explained. "I did develop some tendencies after joining the League but, I never attacked anyone unless I was provoked in some way."

Ryo frowned. "Were you provoked by anyone?"

Izuku considered this for a moment.

"Once," he admitted.

"What happened?" Ryo asked.

Izuku's face turned slightly anxious. The police already knew about this event from when they spoke with him again. They weren't happy about it but let it go because he was defending someone else.

"It was a short while before that whole kidnapping assignment. I went to the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Wall to find Tomura and talk to him about something. After I did that I was about to head back when I heard three boys beating up this other kid. They were all students in their teens. One of them was intent on burning the other boy. Initially, I was going to leave because it wasn't my problem and it would only draw attention to myself. But then," Izuku paused.

"But then?" Ryo pressed.

Izuku breathed in deeply and exhaled.

"But then I heard he was quirkless, like me," Izuku admitted.

Ryo's eyes widened.

So that was the reason. There was someone in a similar situation to him.

"They started insulting and ridiculing him, the same way I once was and," Izuku paused again. "I don't know. I remembered everything I had gone through and, when I did, something inside me just snapped."

Ryo tensed for the next part.

"I attacked them, my face covered by my hood and scarf, head-on. They didn't see me coming so I managed to defeat them quickly. The leader got back up and started bullshitting about quirkless people being heroes and declared it was only for people like him. I told him he was nothing but a cowardly scumbag and declared people like him couldn't be heroes. Then I broke his arm, forcing him and his lackeys to flee," Izuku exclaimed.

Ryo looked at him with stunned silence.

That wasn't exactly a heroic deed, but not a villainous one either.

"I'm not really sure why I acted that way. I've never lost control like that for someone I don't know," Izuku explained. "Maybe it was because he was quirkless that I sympathised with him. That's just a guess though."

Ryo had a different opinion on the matter.

"Maybe it's not about him being quirkless," he suggested catching Izuku's attention. "You defended Hitoshi Shinso from several bullies earlier in the week. Could it be that you sympathise with those who are bullied rather than just quirkless?"

Izuku thought about it. It was the main reason he helped Hitoshi that day.

"I suppose," he said.

Ryo was starting to understand Izuku much better. He wasn't really a villain, just a troubled youth with a sad past.

He helped others like him because he was still good at heart, those were signs of a hero. Though he did admit that breaking the boy's arm was a bit much.

"It seems that we are out of time Midoriya," Ryo announced. "We shall pick this up on Tuesday. Same time, the same place."

Izuku nodded and started to leave. He halted at the exit, however.

"Hey, is there a gym at this school?" Izuku asked suddenly. "I have some free time now so I thought it would be good to work out and relieve some stress."

"Actually, yes. It's close to Gym Gamma. Since you're already a student it's okay for you to use it," Ryo explained.

"Thank you," Izuku replied and left.

Ryo sat there thinking about everything Izuku said. While he knew the boy had done wrong in his past he had done other things to make up for it. He wasn't born a villain, though the same could be said for every other villain.

Ryo wasn't stupid. He was fully aware that most people became a villain due to certain circumstances. After all, he hadn't been born a hero, the opposite would have been just as possible back then.

The situation with his brother had forced him to acknowledge that.

Class 1A Dorms

Most of the students were sitting in the common room together talking about the week they just had. In attendance were all the girls, Kirishima, Shouji, Mineta, Denki, Tenya, Ojiro, Sero and Aoyama. Sato was helping Koda look after certain animals. Bakugo was doing something. Shoto was out. Tokoyami was training.

"It's quite the week back hasn't it?" Ojiro exhaled.

"I know right," Toru barked. "First, we get a new classmate, who happens to be a quirkless villain. We do these battle trials with surprising results. Then we work on special moves. Then that new kid takes on Dark Shadow. On top of that, we got a project from Midnight due in a week. Ojiro and I just started."

"We should've started on Friday, but you thought it would be a good idea to go out," Ojiro deadpanned.

"One should never neglect work, and should get done as soon as possible," Tenya interjected. "Uraraka and I have almost finished ours."

"Kaminari and I have ours done," Momo declared. "Though I did most of the work."

"Hey, I was busy last night," Denki defended. "Also, I'm not as good at study and work as you Yaoyorozu."

"And not much else either," Jiro added.

Her comment caused most of the class to start snickering, and Denki to curse.

Mina remembered a question she'd been meaning to ask the others. And since it was the end of the week what a better time to ask it.

"So, now that's it been a week and all, what do you all think of Midoriya?" she asked.

There were glances between her classmates. Some weren't sure how to respond. Most of them hadn't interacted with Midoriya so it was hard to say what they truly thought of him. Tenya was the first to speak.

"I think he's a hardworking individual who gives his all in everything he does. He's supportive and while he doesn't actually want to be here he is trying his best to cope with it," Tenya exclaimed.

"He's supportive alright, he gave me the reassurance I needed to win the race and showed me a new way to use my quirk," Momo said.

"He did the same with me during the battle trial. He even defended me from Bakugo's attacks and dealt with Shinso's bullies," Ochaco piped up. "He isn't a bad person, that's what I think anyway."

At the mention of the fight, several students piped up.

"I still can't get over how intense that fight was," Sero muttered.

"The way he took on Bakugo and Todoroki was so manly," Kirishima declared clenching his fist.

"He's definitely skilled in martial arts and weapon usage," Ojiro complimented. "Whoever trained him did a good job."

"Yeah, good enough to put the two strongest students in the infirmary," Toru mumbled.

"And take on Dark Shadow in its strongest form," Denki added. "It was insane how he did it. I still can't believe it."

"I still can't believe you blew your nose into Mr Aizawa's scarf," Jiro joked.

The class started laughing again. Denki glared at Jiro.

"Must you insult me at every little thing I do," he yelled.

"Yes," Jiro bluntly replied.

The class said nothing. They had grown used to the bickering between these two.

"He helped Tokoyami out with his quirk and he's better than before," Asui stated. "I don't think he's a bad person, so I have no problem with him."

"I agree," Shouji agreed. "As long as he doesn't try anything I'm alright with him living here."

"He possesses a unique sparkle," Aoyama piped up.

"I don't like him," Mineta declared angrily. "He's a villain. He should be locked away in prison."

No one was surprised at Mineta's outburst. They knew he was angry at Midoriya for embarrassing him and getting all the girls, especially Midnight, to like him.

"Speaking of our new arrival, where is he?" Asui asked. "I haven't seen him all day."

"Midoriya was with Tokoyami for most of the day. Then I think some counselling session with Hound Dog Sensei," Tenya said. "Principals orders."

As curious as they were about that they decided not to ask.

"I saw him earlier," Denki said. "He was heading to the gym near Gym Gamma."

"UA has a gym!?" Mina exclaimed. "For working out and stuff?"

Denki nodded.

"Aw man," Kirishima moaned. "I wish I'd known about that before."

Then, an idea formed in his mind. He leapt up and started walking to the door.

"I'm gonna go and check it out," he declared.

The students would've commented on that, only they remembered that this was Kirishima who loved this sort of thing. It was something he would see as manly.

Since they had nothing better to do, they decided to follow and check out the gym themselves.

UA Gym

SMASH!

Izuku kicked the punching bag across the room. It didn't break, but it flew. He then placed back up and proceeded to practice some martial arts moves that Razor taught him to clear his head.

There hadn't been anyone here to manage the Gym. All you had to do was show your student card and you were in.

Currently, Izuku was training very hard to pass the time. Because he was building up a lot of sweat he took off his t-shirt, exposing his six-pack abs and muscular arms. He wore these fingerless boxing gloves (provided by a vending machine) for training. He also went barefoot while training.

That aside, Izuku had a lot on his mind. It had been a very eventful week for him, and, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was settling into UA. He met people who were like him and found that part of him enjoyed it here. It wasn't as bad as his life before the League, and he got to see his mother again.

He couldn't allow it to last though.

He was still loyal to the League and wanted to get back to them. Betraying them was unthinkable after everything they had done for him. He owed it to them, he owed it to Sensei.

He wondered what things were like for Tomura's group. How were they managing? Were they still fighting? Had they been captured? Those were questions he needed answered.

He wondered about Razor as well. Where she was, and what she was doing. She had probably gone back to BUTLER. It's what she said she would do.

Izuku performed a turning kick with perfect speed and balance. He then flipped backwards and performed several more. Finally, he jumped, turning sideways, and spun several times to deliver a strong kick by bringing the heel of his foot down. He landed softly on his feet and exhaled.

That when he heard something hitting the floor he turned and saw most of his classmates staring at him with stunned expressions. Those expressions changed depending on who saw him.

The girls saw his muscles, and all began blushing uncontrollably. There was even a bit of blood leaking from Toru's nose.

Kirishima and Sero were starting to cry at Izuku's training. "So manly," they sobbed. Even Aoyama was overwhelmed by Izuku's hard work.

Mineta and Denki were glaring at Izuku. Their eyes blazing with envy at how much the girls were liking him, and his muscles.

The other three retained calm expressions. Izuku decided to ask them what was going on since he was confused about the situation. All he had done was training, it wasn't anything special.

"Iida," Izuku called. "Why are they all acting that way? Are they ill or something?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Tenya responded honestly. "They're probably just surprised at your muscles since they've never seen them before."

Izuku frowned. The boys must have seen them while he was changing, so why would they act that way.

"Why would that matter?" Izuku asked innocently.

The entire class stared at him dumbfounded. For someone so intelligent it was amazing how he couldn't understand why that was important. Then again, Izuku wasn't the most social person in the class so maybe he didn't have any experience.

"YOU BASTARD!" Mineta roared. "Using your muscles to win the girls over. You truly are evil!"

Izuku was confused by Mineta's outburst.

"I'm not trying to win over anyone," Izuku retorted. "What would my muscles have to do with it anyway? They just developed from the harsh training I did. They're not that big of a deal."

Most of the class couldn't believe what they were hearing. Did Izuku truly not think that much of them?

"Besides, I'm sure the girls just find me more bearable since I'm not trying to sexually harass them twenty-four-seven," Izuku deadpanned, causing Mineta to retreat. "They are just muscles. I'm sure you've all seen them before. Why would I be so special?"

He had a point, though he was missing the main one.

"He means because you are half-naked the girls are acting that way," Denki explained. "What you think if you walked in on a girl that way."

"I wouldn't think anything of it," Izuku replied bluntly, much to everyone's surprise. "I've been trained not to feel anything when a situation where I might walk in on someone not wearing anything may arise. Seduction doesn't work on me either."

The class stared at him with their jaws dropped wide open.

"D-D-Does that mean you've seen a g-g-g-g-g-g-girl n-n-n-na," Mineta stammered.

Izuku nodded.

"So, it's nothing I haven't seen before and am therefore unaffected by," Izuku deadpanned.

The class stared at him with flabbergasted expressions. Izuku was truly a one of a kind.

"Sexual attraction was kicked out of me by the person who trained me, literally," he said as he prepared to leave. "If that's all I'm going to leave."

And so, he left, leaving everyone speechless. He absolutely did not want to think about that training Razor did with him. It was the most awkward of his life and one he wished he could forget.

Izuku's Room

After showering and returning to his room, Izuku completed what little homework he had before retiring for the night.

Dream Sequence

Izuku dreamed he was in a dark place. He was lying on the ground, bruised, and beaten, a feeling he was quite familiar with. Next thing he knew he was on a bed with bandages wrapped around him.

"You took quite the beating out there," came a high voice.

He turned to see a beautiful woman with short ocean blue hair and seaweed green eyes. She wore a blue bra, loose purple trousers, and open-toed brown sandals. She also wore a bracelet on her left hand with a symbol of the moon on it.

This was Umi.

"You landed in a few good hits yourself, and I've never seen Lobo get pushed to that point," another high voice exclaimed.

A woman with pink hair held back into pigtails and pink eyes appeared. She wore a white blouse with a silver musical note pattern, navy jean shorts and a set of pink trainers. In addition, she wore a bracelet on her right hand with a symbol of a musical note on it. Her facial features were quite like Umi's.

Fitting since she was her younger sister Utada.

"Indeed," Umi agreed. "Speaking of which, what are you doing here Lobo? It's not often you check on your defeated opponents."

"You never check on them at all actually," Utada corrected.

"Tch," Lobo growled.

Izuku turned and saw his opponent from his previous fight. Lobo was a tall imposing individual with tanned skin and a muscular build. Since he wasn't wearing his wolf mask his face was fully visible.

Lobo possessed short black hair and piercing yellow eyes of a wolf, and facial features that were foreign.

As for the rest of him, he had the appearance of a luchador wrestler.

He wore black, white, red trim claws tights, boots that were covered with black, red, white spike kick pads, and black, red fingerless gloves with the picture of a wolf on them.

"Well, unlike most of my opponents, he didn't try to cheat and actually managed to hurt me," Lobo pointed out. "He fought fairly, and that's something that hasn't happened to me in a long time."

His accent sounded Spanish, at least as far as Izuku could tell. That meant he was most likely from Europe or America.

Before the memory could continue the scene changed to a different area where Izuku was lying on the ground.

He was bleeding and in agony.

The fight he was just in was going badly for him. His opponent, the sadistic bastard who ran this place, stood over him laughing maniacally. Light emanated from all over his body but his white suit with blood marks was still visible.

"Time to die Deku," he sneered in a cruel deep voice as he extended his hand and light started flashing.

Dream Sequence end

Izuku shot straight up. He was sweating and breathing heavily. He quickly got out of bed and grabbed some water that was on his desk. He drank it to get his breathing back under control. Once he settled down, he got back into bed and stared at the ceiling.

'What are they?' Izuku wondered. 'What do they mean? Are they real?'

The hallucinations had been coming more frequently now, mostly in the form of dreams.

However, Izuku couldn't make sense of any of it.

The dreams, the hallucinations, they felt so real.

Like they were memories.

He was not sure how it was possible since he rarely interacted with anyone outside the League.

And he was certain he would remember those people and events if they were real, wouldn't he?

With the students

"So, hey, this Wednesday. We all have the day off due to some security improvements. Why don't we all go shopping," Toru suggested.

The students murmured in excitement.

"Let's go to the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall again," Mina urged. "I love that place."

The students all agreed and began to make plans.

Monday at the Police Station

Dabi was called in because he had a visitor. He expected it to be a detective looking for more answers but was even more surprised by who it was.

Sitting across from him now was Inko Midoriya, Deku's mother.

"Hello Dabi," she greeted. "I have some questions if you don't mind asking."

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Not a lot happened this chapter I know but it'll be moving forward soon. This is quite early and a little fast paced, but I hope you don't mind. Next chapter will feature Inko talking with Dabi. Hope you enjoyed! Please review.

Chapter 36: Music from the Soul

Summary:

Inko visits Dabi to learn more about her son. Meanwhile, Izuku unveils a secret talent Razor taught him long ago. One that captures everyone's attention.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Dabi didn't know how to react to the person sitting in front of him.

Of all the people he expected to meet during his incarceration, Inko Midoriya wasn't one of them.

"I came here to ask you some questions about my son," she stated clearly.

Dabi frowned.

"Why you just ask him yourself?" he responded confused. "You are his mother."

Inko sighed. She knew this would be difficult for anyone to understand.

"True, but, what I want to know can only be answered by someone who knew him," she explained.

Dabi immediately understood that she wanted the opinion of someone who knew him while he was in the League. And since he was the only one available it made sense.

Inko looked at him seriously.

"During the time you and Izuku knew each other in the League, what sort of person was he?" she asked.

Dabi thought about this for a few seconds. It wasn't that hard to answer.

"Honestly, he was probably the nicest member in the League, next to Twice," he replied. "He was polite to everyone he encountered. He didn't judge. He wasn't an asshole. He got on well with most of us and was capable of making us like him without trying."

Inko was a little, but not completely surprised at that information. Izuku had always been a kind boy. It was nice to know that that hadn't changed while he was away.

"He was definitely one of the saner members of the League, alongside Kurogiri and Compress," Dabi declared. "Barring when he performed quirk analysis on some of us."

Inko stared at him blankly.

"He started muttering a lot and very quickly about how your quirks worked, what they were capable of, and how they could be improved, didn't he?" Inko deadpanned.

Dabi's eyes widened, and that was all the proof Inko needed.

"Yeah, he does that. Every time he sees a quirk, specifically a hero's, he starts taking detailed notes on it," she explained. "He's done it since he was very young."

Though she would never say it, Izuku's habit was the one thing she disliked about her son, mostly because it was creepy.

"I see," Dabi murmured.

Deku had told him that quirk analysis was a hobby of his, though it seemed like more than that.

"Despite these things, he could be aggressive when he wanted to," Dabi continued. "If someone tried to harm him, he would fight back without the slightest bit of mercy."

Inko's eyes narrowed. That was different to the Izuku she knew from a year ago. Her reaction did not go unnoticed.

"It makes sense if you think about, considering where he was and who he was with," Dabi reasoned catching Inko's attention. "As I said before, not everyone in the League liked Deku. Muscular hated him and wanted to break him. Moonfish stated several times he wanted to eat the guy's flesh. Toga was tempted to stab him for blood at the start until he made her back off and she changed to getting along with him. The list goes on."

"Did he get hurt?" Inko asked concerned.

Dabi thought about this.

"Sometimes he'd get a scratch or a bruise but not much more than that. And those who did it often ended up with some in return," he answered.

Inko didn't say anything. She believed it was for the best that her son had done what he had done to defend himself.

"Still, he had a unique presence around us," Dabi murmured. "I don't know how to describe it but, the way he was, the way he treated and interacted with us. It was like he shone a bright in that place of darkness, making it brighter for everyone."

Inko was intrigued by what she was hearing. Just what had Izuku done? She then noticed that Dabi, without realizing it had begun to smile.

"For me, it felt nice," he revealed. "It was so different from what I was used to in my life."

Inko could detect a hint of sadness in his voice while he said all that. Part of her couldn't help but wonder what had driven a man like him to become a villain.

She was starting to think the same about all villains.

Were they like her son? People wronged and pushed so far that they became the way they are now to get a better life. She didn't know.

She did, however, decide to ask a different and slightly more personal question.

"How did you and Izuku meet?" she asked. "I remember at the hospital you mentioned you liked him the most out of all the League. Were you close?"

"Close enough," he answered. "We got along because we were saner than most members, and it was easier to talk with one another. As for how we met well, me and Toga came to join the League after being inspired by Stain. We got into a bit of a fight with Shigaraki at the start which was stopped by Kurogiri. That's when Deku showed up. I recognised him as the one who fought alongside Stain in Hosu. He didn't stay long though, he left to go find Shigaraki. I joined along with Toga and we had our first official conversation days later."

Flashback

It was three days after he and Toga had joined the League that Dabi and Izuku spoke for the first actual time.

Dabi was at the bar to check up on any news only to be returned with plans were in motion. Apparently, they were on standby for the moment. And by 'they' he meant the other villains that had joined this little group. It was starting off small but was steadily growing bit by bit.

Today it was just Dabi there, along with Kurogiri who was working at the bar. He was watching the news when Izuku came in, having finished his daily work. He sat down a seat away from Dabi and ordered a Lucozade from Kurogiri who served it quickly.

"You like that sort of stuff," Dabi said before he could stop himself.

"Yeah, it's my favourite soft drink," he replied calmly not looking up. "Why? Got a problem with that!?"

Dabi chuckled.

"Not at all. Just curious. My favourite is 7 Up," he responded.

That's when Izuku looked at him for the first time.

"Dabi, isn't it?" he addressed.

"That's my name. And yours is Deku," he replied. "Well, your villain name at least."

Izuku took a sip of his Lucozade.

"Pleasure to officially meet you, considering how our first meeting went," Izuku said.

"I guess. Though that was mostly Shigaraki's fault for having a tantrum," Dabi stated. "Speaking of which, I don't know what you said to make him grow up but good job. He came back a new man with a creed worth following. The guy's got conviction I'll give him that."

Izuku took another sip of his drink. He then hummed softly in agreement.

"How did someone as young as you get driven to this life?" Dabi asked suddenly.

"I could ask you the same thing," Izuku softly retorted. "You don't appear that much older than me."

"Looks can be deceiving," Dabi pointed out.

"That they can," Izuku agreed. "But my point still stands."

Dabi glanced at him amused.

"Fine, I'm twenty-two," Dabi admitted. "As for how I became this way, well, that's something I'll only tell when I want people to know."

"I see," Izuku acknowledged. "I'm fifteen."

That surprised Dabi who hadn't thought he was that young. However, that only made him curious.

"I know this isn't fair but, how did this happen to you?" Dabi asked. "Kurogiri said they took you in when you were on the verge of death."

Izuku shrugged.

"That's more or less accurate," Izuku stated. "They found me at the exact moment when I was about to die."

"How did that happen?" Dabi asked not giving up. "Someone try and off you? Or were you caught in an accident?"

Izuku stopped drinking and stared at the counter.

"Sort of the first one," he admitted.

Dabi was really curious now.

"Who? A regular mugger or someone trying to rob you?" he pressed.

"Myself," Izuku answered in an emotionless tone.

Dabi froze. He hadn't been expecting that kind of response. Also, the way Izuku spoke about it like it was nothing, unnerved him.

"Rather than just give you my entire life story I'll just give you a summary," Izuku said. "To start Dabi, I'm quirkless."

That surprised him more than anything. This was the same kid who fought a Nomu in Hosu alongside Stain and came out victorious. And he was quirkless.

Dabi had nothing against the quirkless. If anything, he sympathised with their plight better than most people. Mostly because he understood what it was like to be in their shoes.

"Considering that information, you should have a basic idea of what I went through as a child," Izuku continued.

"Actually, I have a very good idea," Dabi interrupted.

Izuku looked up at him with an expression that held a mixture of confusion and suspicion. Dabi sighed and began to explain.

"Most peoples quirks show up between the ages of four and seven, however, there are some exceptions. Some who's quirks don't arrive until they are older," he explained.

Izuku's eyes narrowed but said nothing.

He'd heard about cases like this online. They were rare but they did happen.

Some children don't develop a quirk until they are either nine or ten. Some in their teens, even rarer. He even heard of this one case where a woman developed a quirk at the age of twenty.

"Mine didn't manifest until I was twelve," Dabi said solemnly. "But up until that point I was considered quirkless, and I'm sure you can guess what I had to go through."

Izuku's remained silent for a minute.

"Would I be correct in assuming you were ripped on and bullied for being quirkless by your peers, and having few to zero friends due to most avoiding you like a plague?" Izuku asked. "Would I also be correct in assuming you were called useless and weak by those around you?"

Dabi's silence spoke volumes for Izuku.

"It was the same for me," Izuku informed him. "Every day I would come home with fresh scars and bruises."

"Same. I had a couple of burns with mine," Dabi said. His expression darkened. "Aside from my peers, my father wasn't happy about me being quirkless. He viewed me as inferior and a mistake. He had no problem showing it, both verbally and physically."

Izuku frowned. His father may not have liked him for being quirkless but he never did anything like that.

"My father just up and left," Izuku stated bluntly. "He couldn't stand having a quirkless child because of the ridicule he received at work. He moved abroad to get away from it all, or more specifically, me."

Dabi grunted in annoyance.

"Adults are such dicks," he deadpanned.

"I think you mean most adults are dicks," Izuku corrected. "Not all of them are like that. Some are actually pretty decent believe it or not."

Dabi gazed at him with a soft expression. He immediately knew who he was talking about.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and assume you're talking about your mother, the parent that didn't abandon you," he said.

Izuku nodded and stared at the counter. Then, for the first time since he had met him, Dabi noticed Izuku smiling warmly.

"She was the kindest person you could ever meet. She cared about me every day since I was born, and me being quirkless didn't mean shit to her. She loved me unconditionally and I loved her," Izuku explained sadly. "In all honesty, she is the one thing in my former life that I miss."

Dabi didn't know why, but, he smiled when he heard that. Perhaps it was because he knew how Izuku felt. His mother had been the same as his. She never cared about whether he was quirkless or not because in her eyes he was her son. To her, he didn't need a quirk to be special, the fact that he was her child made him special already.

Unfortunately, his mother wasn't the same as she once was. His father wasn't a nice person and was very abusive when it came to getting what he wanted. She was now in a poorer state locked away, and he hadn't seen her in years. He wasn't sure if he could face her the way he was now.

The same could be said for his siblings whom he left behind after 'that incident' where he was forced to leave home and survive on his own.

He decided, for the moment, not to talk about his family.

"I suppose you're right," Dabi agreed. "There are people like that. Though they're a rarity nowadays."

Izuku silently agreed with Dabi's statement. People like that were a rarity. Some of the League were among that category.

Izuku finished his drink and prepared to leave. He was tired and wanted to get some rest. And though neither of them had said it, Dabi and Izuku enjoyed each other's company. They felt they could relate to one another in certain ways.

"It was nice talking with you Dabi," Izuku said. "Let's do it again sometime. Maybe I'll tell you all about my adventure with Stain in Hosu."

Dabi grinned. "Looking forward to it."

Izuku started walking but Dabi called out to him. There had been something bothering him about Izuku.

"Hey, before you go, can I ask you something?" he asked. "Have we met somewhere before?"

Dabi couldn't shake the feeling that he knew Izuku from somewhere.

"I don't think so," Izuku replied. "I don't interact with many villains outside the League since I'm classed as a missing person. Maybe you saw me out while I was working."

"Maybe," Dabi murmured. "Never mind. See ya."

"See ya."

When Izuku left it was just Dabi with Kurogiri.

Dabi didn't realize it then, but he had seen Izuku before.

It was in 'that place' during 'that time.

When they both realized it, they grew closer. Dabi was the only one to understand the hell Izuku had endured at that place.

He also came to know about Izuku's encounter with All Might, as well as the boy who bullied him.

Dabi also opened up a bit about the life he had led as a villain and what drove him to it (though he never revealed his family).

It's because of these things that they got along extremely well.

Flashback end

"We spoke more often after that. And that led to us becoming closer," Dabi finished.

Inko remained silent. After listening to everything Dabi had told her she had gotten a better idea of the type of person her son had become, and she was happy.

"Thank you, Dabi, for telling me all of this," she said. "It really helped me a lot. I'm glad the League was there to save him from when he was plunging into despair and to help him through his troubles. I'm happy he made friends with you all."

Inko wasn't afraid to admit it. Regardless of the fact they were villains, she truly was grateful to them for saving her son when others spited him, and where she had failed as a mother.

Dabi raised an eyebrow at the 'friends' part. He didn't know if he would consider him that since he had never really had friends.

"I'm glad I was finally able to meet you after hearing about you from him," Dabi admitted. "He talked about you a lot in the League."

"You said that a while back. Have you and Izuku been in contact at all?" Inko asked.

"We talked a bit last week about his first two days at UA," Dabi explained. "I especially liked the part where he got under Endeavour's skin and caused him to shit himself. The guy is such an asshole that he's had it coming a long time now."

Inko couldn't deny that. She had seen Endeavour on TV and in public; she had seen the type of person he was. Unlike most, she could look past his hero status and see what a cruel and violent man he was.

"You aren't wrong," Inko admitted. "He's rather horrible for a hero. I still don't like my son becoming enemies with him."

Dabi chuckled at her honesty.

"Well I can see where Deku gets his observational skills from," he exclaimed.

Inko shrugged.

"It's just a habit I developed growing up," she admitted. "It's nice to know that Izuku applied it to something."

"He actually considers quirk analysis a hobby, even though it's gone beyond that," Dabi deadpanned. "Good thing that master of his had him develop an actual hobby, otherwise he would have turned into a total workaholic."

That caught Inko's attention.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Dabi leaned forward. "Let's just say he has a gift for music."

Before she could even ask Inko's time had ended, and she was forced to leave.

Dabi returned to his cell.

Class 1A Dorms Tuesday Morning

Izuku was up again and did his usual routine. It was his second week at UA and he felt more at ease than before. Whether that was a good or bad thing he didn't know. When he headed downstairs he was greeted by Ochaco this time.

"Morning Deku," she said cheerfully. "How are you today?"

Izuku frowned at being called Deku. Was she calling him that as a nickname, like Bakugo? He couldn't understand why she would address him by his villain name since she hadn't done it so far, and neither had his other classmates. He could tell she didn't mean it as an insult. Perhaps she meant it the way she described it during the battle trial. Ochaco seemed to have realized what she just said.

"Sorry, it just slipped out," she apologised quickly. "I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just-"

"Meant it the way you said it during the battle trial?" Izuku interrupted. Ochaco gazed down at the floor but nodded. Izuku sighed. "Look, I don't mind if you call me that. The way you mean it is… different from what it meant before. Just, don't call me that in school. It would probably cause people to panic if they found out there was a villain among them."

He seriously doubted anyone would guess he was a villain, given that he wasn't well known, but at the same time, he couldn't be too careful. It was better than to attract unwanted attention.

Ochaco nodded in understanding. "Deku it is then. The name really does sound cute you know, and like 'you can do it.'"

"Thanks," was all Izuku said as he made tea.

In reality, he felt uncomfortable with what Ochaco thought of his name. He wasn't mad at her or anything. It was just that, no one, not even himself, had ever thought of it as anything other than an insult.

"Why do wish to be a hero?" Izuku asked quickly changing the subject.

Ochaco was caught off guard by that question.

"That came out of nowhere," she exclaimed. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity," Izuku admitted. "Everyone is here for a reason right."

Ochaco glanced down at the table with a nervous expression.

It wasn't as though she had a problem with telling Izuku why she wanted to become a hero, it was just that, she was afraid of what he would think of her when he found out.

"If I tell you, will you promise to only judge me until I've fully explained?" Ochaco asked.

Izuku was slightly confused by the question but nodded in confirmation. It was only fair to hear her story before making a decision.

Taking a deep breath, Ochaco started to talk.

"The main reason I want to be a hero is for the money involved," she declared.

Izuku's eyes widened. He would never have guessed a girl like her would want to be a hero solely for that reason. His opinion of her slightly faltered until he reminded himself that he wouldn't judge until he had heard her full story.

"I know it doesn't sound very heroic, and probably greedy but please understand, I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing it for my parents," Ochaco explained.

Izuku's doubts quickly converted to curiosity. Her desire sounded different from the others.

"You see my parents own a construction business, but it isn't compatible with either of their quirks, so we haven't gotten any business in years, thus, leaving them struggling on the financial end," she continued.

Izuku was starting to understand her situation a bit better. She wasn't doing it for herself, she was doing it for them.

That made him realize something.

"If you want to help them, then why not work for them?" he asked. "Your quirk could reduce prices on lifting heavy material."

"I know right. That's what I've been saying for years," Ochaco exclaimed. "The only problem is, they don't want me to help. They'd rather I focus on my own dreams since it would make them happier. So, I decided, I wanted to become a hero to make enough money for my parents to live an easy life."

Izuku could see the determination in her eyes when she said that.

She then turned her gaze to him awaiting his verdict.

"It's not a bad reason," he admitted. "Most generally do it to become wealthy and famous which makes it selfish, but you're doing it for the sake of others which makes it selfless."

Ochaco was relieved to hear that. She had been afraid of Izuku hating her for why she wanted to be a hero.

The two ate in silence until they were interrupted by two figures dashing into the room.

"Usamaro, come back!" Koji Koda called out as he chased after his bunny.

The rabbit, Usamaro, did not heed his owners call and continued running.

What happened next surprised everyone. Usamaro leapt onto Izuku's lap and sat there.

"…"

"…"

"…"

No one said anything, they were all too surprised to. Koji stared at his pet on Izuku's lap, bewildered at what he was seeing.

'Usamaro isn't usually like this with strangers,' he thought.

It was true. Most of the time when Usamaro was introduced to new people he ignored them and didn't approach them.

Izuku was somewhat taken back by the bunny's actions but didn't argue against them. Instead, he smiled at the furry creature on his lap and started petting it.

"Well, aren't you just the cutest," Izuku complimented.

Just then, Usamaro started tapping with his back left foot in the enjoyment of being pet. He snuggled closer to Izuku when he started scratching behind the ears (his favourite spot).

Izuku chuckled in amusement.

"Do you like it when I scratch there?" he asked with a kind voice. As if understanding him, Usamaro tapped even faster. "Well alright then. Who am I to deny your wish?"

Izuku continued what he was doing much to Usamaro's pleasure.

Despite his recent changes, when a cute animal came up to him like this, Izuku couldn't resist the urge to pet it. He had been that way since he was a child.

Ochaco thought the scene in front of her was rather cute. Things were different with Koji.

As he watched the scene in front of him, his opinion of Izuku skyrocketed.

Originally, he had feared the boy because he was a villain from the time at the USJ (one of his most terrifying moments) and a member of the League of Villains. He was even more frightened by the fact that he defeated Bakugo.

However, hearing about how he saved both Uraraka and Ashido caused him to change his opinion a little. When he heard about how he helped Tokoyami he started to believe he was a good person at heart. Now he knew for certain.

After all, if Usamaro liked him enough to do that then he must have been a good person, otherwise, he would just be evil.

Izuku stopped petting Usamaro and brought him over to Koji.

"I believe he belongs to you," Izuku commented while holding out Usamaro.

"Yes, thank you," Koji replied shyly as he took his rabbit. "I'm surprised he did that though. He isn't usually so comfortable around strangers."

Izuku didn't argue since Koji was Usamaro's owner.

"I see," he murmured. "I take it you're very fond of animals then."

Koji smiled brightly at the suggestion.

"I love them, especially cute ones," he stated enthusiastically. "I've loved them since I was a child. Sometimes I wonder if my quirk, Anivoice, was born from my love for them. When I become a hero, I want to save not just people, but animals who are in danger as well. I want to open a shelter for them since most of my friends are animals. Sometimes they are easier to get along with than humans."

"I can't argue with that one," Izuku responded warmly. "It sounds like a wonderful goal. I wish you good luck with it."

Koji smiled again. From his perspective, Midoriya seemed rather nice. The latter was thinking the exact same thing.

Ochaco was just surprised at how much Koji was speaking since he didn't do much of it before.

UA Hallways a few hours later

Izuku was walking along the hallways trying to remain undetected by anyone. The reason, he needed to get to the rooftop. Aizawa had announced that they would have an extended lunch break due to a staff meeting, which was just perfect for him.

Despite having adjusted to life at UA, Izuku had mixed feelings about the whole situation. As such, he needed to let them out the only way he knew how with the hobby Razor had him develop.

He found the stairs that led up to the rooftop and quickly proceeded upwards. Upon arriving at the top, Izuku took a moment to take in all the beautiful scenery right before him. Seeing the area around UA was truly a sight to behold when you got up top.

Not wasting any time, Izuku took out a small instrument that Razor had given him.

It was a turquoise ocarina (a type of flute) that was perfectly made.

Before he could start playing, he was made aware of another presence.

"Well this is unexpected," Hitoshi called out. Izuku turned to see him sitting on top of where the entrance was with a stoic expression. "Never would have pegged you as the musical type."

Izuku blushed slightly in embarrassment.

"It's just a hobby of mine I developed to deal with stress," he admitted.

Hitoshi smirked. "Well aren't you full of surprises."

"I guess," Izuku replied. He stared at the ground for a moment before speaking again. "Please don't tell anyone about this."

Hitoshi raised an eyebrow. If it was a secret talent Izuku wanted to keep to himself then who was he to deny him that?

That didn't dull his curiosity though.

"Sure, I'll keep quiet," Hitoshi stated. "But I'd like to stay and hear you play if that's alright."

The two students stared at each other in silence until Izuku finally relented.

"Alright, fine," he said. "Why are you up here though?"

Hitoshi shrugged. "I come up here sometimes to get away from people. Is that so wrong?"

Izuku shook his head. It wasn't wrong at all as far as he was concerned, since he did it a lot during his school days.

Holding his ocarina in his right hand he remembered how he came to playing this.

Flashback six months

It was an average day for Izuku where he performed his usual duties and was about to do training with Razor. Or so he thought.

Razor marched into the room looking slightly less angry than usual. She was carrying something in her hand.

"Okay you little shit, I've decided to work on something different with you today. Something you are in dire need of," Razor declared. "A hobby."

Izuku stared at her with a blank expression.

"Huh," he said. "I already hav-"

"Okay, first of all, quirk analysis is not a hobby, and neither are science experiments," Razor interrupted. "They have become a part of your job so much that they cannot be considered hobbies. What you need is an actual hobby, like music."

"But I'm not musical," Izuku argued.

"Yet, you are not musical yet," Razor corrected.

Izuku didn't like where this was going.

Razor held out her hand to reveal a silver ocarina that was perfectly made. Izuku eyed it with curiosity. He had heard about these and seen a picture online but had never seen one in person.

"Now watch and listen," Razor commanded as she placed the ocarina to her mouth.

The moment she started playing, a beautiful, melodic sound filled the room. Izuku was completely entranced by the sound. He had never heard something so calm, wonderful and relaxing in his entire life.

He never would have guessed Razor had this sort of talent.

He literally felt like he could sit there and listen to it forever.

"Now here's a melody I'm going to get you to play," she explained. "You'll play it every day until you get good at it. Understand you little shit, because seriously, you need an actual hobby to destress yourself."

And so, Izuku began learning how to play the ocarina over the next few weeks. At first, he found it annoying, but, after a while, he started to enjoy it.

Upon mastering the ocarina, Razor became impressed with the melody's he produced, so much that she decided to give him an old one of hers so he could always play it.

It was one of her rare displays of affection towards her student.

Flashback end

He treasured Razor's gift with all his heart. He often played it at the bar, much to other members delight, and whenever he felt stress. Other times it would just be for fun.

Placing the instrument to his mouth, Izuku began playing a song he learned online.

(Insert Song: Final Fantasy 13 Serah's theme Ocarina version)

A beautiful sound echoed from the ocarina Izuku was playing. Before long, he was lost in his song and couldn't stop playing.

Hitoshi was captivated by what he was hearing. He had never heard anything so beautiful in his entire life. He closed his eyes and absorbed the melody as it played.

He wasn't the only one.

All over the school, students and teachers heard the song and ceased what they were doing to listen to it.

"Where's that sound coming from?" All Might asked. "It's so beautiful."

The other teachers murmured in agreement.

"Yeah, I could dig this," Mic chirped.

"This really turns me on," Midnight cooed.

"Truly a wonderful surprise," Nezu declared.

Even Aizawa was taken in by the sound he heard as it was unlike anything he had ever heard before.

All Might felt there was something familiar about it, however.

The students getting lunch in the cafeteria or off doing other stuff all stopped to listen to the song that captured their attention. They all had similar reactions to the teachers.

One student from Class 1A was searching for the source as she could hear it better than everyone.

'It's coming from up there,' Jiro thought as she headed up the stairs to the roof.

Like many, she was in love with the sound, but she wanted more than that, she wanted the source.

She ran up the stairs as fast as she could. When she reached the top, she was surprised by what she saw. It was Midoriya.

With his eyes closed playing what looked like an Ocarina (she knew because she was into music). He didn't seem aware of her presence, though who could blame him.

Like many in her class, she was curious about Midoriya because he lived a different life to the rest of them but never actually spoke to him. She was surprised at his fighting skills but was now even more surprised at the musical talent he displayed. Izuku continued playing for a few more minutes until he stopped and finally noticed her presence.

"How long have you been there," he asked surprised.

Jiro blinked. "A few minutes. I followed the sound from where it was originating from."

Izuku wasn't entirely surprised. Considering the nature of Jiro's quirk, it did make sense. Still, he was annoyed that someone else had seen him play.

"If it's not too much to ask, please don't tell anyone about what you saw," Izuku requested. "This is something I'd rather keep to myself."

As someone who kept their musical talents to themselves, Jiro could understand.

"Sure, if that's what you want," she responded. "I won't tell anyone you were up here playing your ocarina."

Izuku stared at her surprised. There weren't many people who knew about this instrument.

"I'm a musician so I know these things," she explained. "Though, like you, I prefer to keep it to myself."

Izuku sighed in relief.

He really didn't want people to know about what he did. He was thrilled when the police allowed him to keep his ocarina when they found it. It really was one of the best stress relievers he had.

"If it's not too much to ask," Jiro said while twirling one of her earlobes. "Would you mind playing one more song? It's just that, the music you produce is like a perfect harmony."

Izuku considered this for a moment. There was one other song he wanted to play, one he came up with on his own.

"Alright, there is one I want to play," he relented. "So, I suggest you sit up there with Shinso while it goes on."

Jiro turned and saw Hitoshi sitting on top, much to her surprise. He grinned and waved at her. Jiro quickly climbed up.

Izuku put the ocarina to his mouth and started playing. This song had stemmed from all the negative emotions he felt throughout his life.

He called it 'Anguish of the Quirkless'.

(Insert Song: Anguish of the Quirkless Ocarina version)

Like the last song, this was beautiful. Jiro and Hitoshi could both sense something within it.

A sadder feeling than the last one.

The other students and teachers (except Aizawa, Recovery Girl and Nezu) couldn't sense it, however.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? The idea for Izuku using an ocarina was given to me and I thought it was a nice idea. I hoped you liked the conversation between Inko and Dabi as it showed more to Izuku's relationship with Dabi. I skipped ahead a bit because I wanted to get straight into the original arc. I hope you enjoyed reading. Please review.

P.S. there are no ocarina versions of these songs, not that I could find anyway.

Chapter 37: Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall Raid

Summary:

As Izuku continues his time at UA a powerful enemy with sinister intentions makes his move.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia nor do I own the song used in this chapter (all rights go to the artist and producers)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Dream Sequence

Izuku and his ally ran along the tunnels towards their destination.

They were so close now he could feel it.

All that was left to do was rescue the others.

They saw a light at the end of the tunnel and dashed towards it, only to be met with a sight that would forever haunt them.

They were in a wide space with multiple stone pillars.

But that wasn't what had their attention.

It was what was attached to the pillars that forced them to halt.

They stared at the sight in complete… utter… horror.

Izuku was so shocked he literally forgot to breath.

His ally was not faring much better.

He had experienced twisted before in his life.

But this… this was something else.

What lay in front of them was a large pile of corpses strung up and crucified against the pillars.

And the most disturbing part?

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The corpses were all children.

Dream Sequence end

Izuku shot straight up panting and sweating.

Unlike before, the terror he felt from this dream was overwhelming.

Dashing to the toilet he vomited straight in.

Izuku kept his left hand on the seat to steady himself while his other arm lay on the ground to prevent his head from touching it.

Izuku continued to pant as he struggled to remain conscious.

That had been the worst dream yet, and by the far the goriest.

Izuku couldn't understand what was causing them. He never had any when he was in the League.

Their separation could have caused them, could it?

Regardless, they were happening more frequently now. They were becoming darker as well.

Worse still, he was starting to believe they weren't dreams anymore. They felt too real for that.

Despite that, he couldn't make sense of them… yet.

Hound Dog's office

Izuku was in for another counselling session with Hound Dog.

In this one he had talked about some of his time with the League: how things started off for him, why he agreed to join, the training he endured, but most of all, how he and the other members had gotten on.

Ryo was somewhat intrigued by the way villains bonded with each other.

In Izuku's own words they were "the outcasts of society".

Aside from the hellish training Izuku went through, he didn't really have anything negative to talk about. Still, Ryo could tell there was something bothering the young boy.

"Midoriya, is everything alright?" Ryo asked concerned. "You seem troubled about something."

Izuku inwardly sighed. It didn't matter who it was with, he was incredibly easy to read. Truth be told, Ryo was right, something had been bothering him lately.

"It's silly but," Izuku started.

"Go on," Ryo urged.

Izuku sighed.

"Lately I've been having these weird dreams," Izuku admitted. "They started off as mild hallucinations but recently I'm having them much more frequently."

Ryo's eyes narrowed. This was new.

"And what happens in these dreams?" he asked.

"It varies," Izuku admitted. "Some are peaceful, others are horrific. And they've been getting worse. Last night, I woke up sweating and gasping for air before throwing up in the toilet." Ryo's eyes widened. "Relax I'm fine. But here's the thing. They don't feel like dreams or hallucinations. They feel real. Like I've lived them."

Ryo frowned. "Could they be memories perhaps?"

Izuku waved his head.

"No, definitely not," he denied. "I'd remember things like that happening."

"Things like that?" Ryo repeated.

Izuku squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

Though they were just dreams, he didn't feel like describing them.

"You don't have to describe them now," Ryo reassured him. "Only when you are ready."

Izuku sighed with relief.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did they start?" Ryo asked wanting to get to the heart of the matter.

"The first one was during the hospital fight when my mom was about to be killed," Izuku revealed. "Since coming here they've become more frequent. I don't know why though."

Ryo frowned. That was odd. Why would coming here cause all that?

For the briefest of moments, he wondered whether Izuku's memory had been tampered with. Quirks that could do that were not unheard of but still quite rare. Normally when they started to wear off the memories slowly returned piece by piece.

AFO had many quirks, so the possibility existed. However, Ryo could not fathom why AFO would ever put Izuku under one considering the bond that existed between them.

Whatever the reason was, he would have to figure it out another day.

"It seems we've run out of time Midoriya," Ryo announced. "Let's meet here again on Thursday at the exact same time. If you continue to have more of these dreams, please let me know."

Izuku nodded and left.

When he was gone Ryo scratched his head. From his own perspective, Midoriya was making great progress.

Ryo hummed softly. 'Should I inform Nezu or Aizawa about this?'

Normally he wouldn't do such a thing because the relationship between him and the student was sacrosanct. However, it was evident that Izuku had a much deeper psychological trauma than other students he encountered.

Still, he would need more information on the dreams and hallucinations if he brought them forward. As much as he wanted to take action, he needed more time and knowledge to make a move.

The last thing he wanted was a repeat of his brother.

Class 1B Dorms

Things at this dorm were lively. The students were excited to have the day off tomorrow to do whatever they wanted. Though it was eventually decided that they go shopping at the Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall tomorrow after it was suggested by Setsuna. One student however wasn't accompanying them.

"Guys I'm sorry but I won't be going with you," Neito declared looking more serious than usual. "I agreed to meet with someone else."

His classmates were surprised but some reacted differently.

"Who is it? Is it a girl?" Setsuna chirped. "Are you going on a date?"

"A date, seriously!" Tetsutetsu barked. "Never pegged you as the romantic type Monoma."

"Yeah, I would have thought you'd go out with someone like Kendo since you two are always bickering like an old married couple," Kohei exclaimed.

Some of their classmates both snickered and slightly agreed with that. Kendo (regardless of how awkward she was feeling at that statement) resisted the immense urge to unleash a full-powered giant fist at Kohei. Neito had been her friend since childhood and she understood him better than most people but, she didn't feel that way about him.

Neito remained indifferent towards their comments, which was oddly uncharacteristic of him.

"I am meeting a girl but it's not a date," he corrected. "She's just a relative of mine that I haven't seen in a while."

There were disappointed groans from his classmates, and some walked away having lost interest. Others chatted for a bit about the trip tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Kendo pulled Neito to the side and started talking.

"Hey, about tomorrow, this relative your seeing," Kendo whispered. "Is it her?"

Neito gazed at her with a solemn expression.

"Yes," he confirmed. "It's the anniversary of her death after all."

Tomorrow while the rest of his classmates would be off having fun, he would be visiting his mother's grave. Tomorrow would make it ten years since she had passed away. Ten years since his life had changed.

He silently wondered if any of his family would show up. He highly doubted (and hoped) that they would.

He wouldn't have minded if his father or younger sister Kokoro showed up, they were the only people in his family that were ever kind to him.

"I see," Kendo murmured. "And how are things with them?"

"Same as ever," Neito answered quickly. "Look Kendo I'm feeling tired so I'm just gonna go to bed."

Before she could answer Neito was already walking away. He really didn't want to talk about this.

Kendo watched sadly as he walked off. She knew how personal and sensitive a topic this was for Neito which is why she said nothing.

Unbeknownst to either of the two teenagers, their homeroom teacher had overheard their conversation. He had been standing behind a wall close to them.

As Neito hurried off Sekijiro (Vlad) gazed at his student sorrowfully. The two of them hadn't spoken since a few nights ago. It appears Neito wanted to avoid him altogether because he was scared of how he would respond to his outburst. Sekijiro wasn't mad at Neito, not since he spoke with Kendo about why Neito acted the way he did.

Flashback

Following Neito's outburst, Kendo led Sekijiro to the top of the roof where she began to explain to her teacher about Neito's origins.

"Before I start, I need to ask you, have you ever heard of the Tezuka Group?" Kendo asked seriously.

Sekijiro frowned. What kind of question was that?

"Of course, I have," he answered. "Who hasn't? What's that got to do with Monoma though?"

The Tezuka Group were one of the largest corporations in Japan, as well as the world.

They specialised in medical science, weapons development, and quirk research. To add to it all, they were a publishing company that created and sold much manga.

The family was extremely wealthy and held a lot of influence. They were also extremely ruthless when it came to business and rarely (if ever) lost an argument with another group.

Their influence was so deep that they were even allowed to have individuals trained in the use of their quirks so they could act as the perfect bodyguards, something extremely rare in this world.

Kendo stared into her teacher's eyes with a serious expression.

"Everything," she stated. "Because Neito is the son of the current head of the Tezuka Group. Monoma is just his mother's name."

Sekijiro stared at the girl in shock. When he first received Neito's file it was in no way connected to the Tezuka Group. Even his guardian wasn't connected. What Kendo said next shocked him even more.

"Neito is his illegitimate son, whom he had with a fellow employee," she continued.

Sekijiro didn't know how to respond to that. He would have never guessed that Neito was an illegitimate child. However, if he was, and to someone from the Tezuka Group, then it was likely to cause certain problems. Kendo wasn't finished.

"He was taken in by his father after his mother passed away when he was six, and that's when things really turned bad for him. His stepmother and siblings, bar his younger sister, were horrible to him. They bullied him relentlessly and still do as far as I know," Kendo explained sadly. "His father and younger sister are pretty nice to him, but the others are just terrible. It's why he behaves the way he does. I only know about this because he and I know each other from when we were kids."

As she finished speaking, Sekijiro finally connected all the dots to Neito's behaviour. The way he treated Class A, and the way he reacted to Sekijiro's accusations about being bullied just now, made sense. His family were the reason Neito acted that way. They were his tormentors (most of them anyway).

"Don't let him know I told you this," Kendo pleaded. "And don't let him know that you know. He'll be furious otherwise. Trust me he'll deny it no matter what you do."

Sekijiro gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew she was right. Neito was too stubborn to do such a thing. Still, it made him angry, not knowing how he could help his student.

The Tezuka Group was not one you should be enemies with and getting any sort of dirt on them was almost impossible.

At the same time, he was happy that he understood Neito better, even if it was only a little.

What kind of teacher would he be otherwise?

Flashback end

It truly did sadden him that Neito was too scared to come forward.

Midoriya was right, it was common among victims of bullying. It was probably a good thing that he was living here now instead of with his family.

He would need to find some way to get Neito to open up about his problems, but he would need to do it carefully and in a way that didn't seem like he was trying to force an answer. It was his job, after all, to save people, as both a hero and a teacher.

At an unknown location

"Is everything in place?" asked a deep male voice from a phone.

There were four figures present in the room. They were a team known as 'The Elemental Four' because their names, appearance and quirks coincided with the four elements. Their names were Blaze, Aqua, Tempest, and Atlas.

"Yes master," Aqua answered. "Our forces are ready, and each device is in prep. Tomorrow when the raid commences, we will not fail you."

Aqua was a woman of twenty-nine who possessed long navy-blue hair that went down to her back and ocean blue eyes. She was of average height and quite beautiful to most eyes. She wore a blue cheongsam dress that was partially ripped exposing her right leg and blue high heels. In addition, she wore a crescent moon shaped necklace and two diamond earrings.

"I would expect nothing less from you," the voice stated firmly. "However, should you fail, well, I don't think I need to explain what will happen."

"We've seen the bodies, so you don't," Tempest said.

Tempest was a twenty-eight-year-old woman with grass green hair in the form of a mohawk and emerald green eyes. She was tall and her features were quite sharp. She wore black high heel boots that went up to her knees, a green miniskirt held by a belt with a skull on it and a dark green tube top that stretched between her armpits and just above where her belly button was. To add to it, she had piercings on her nose and belly button as well.

"While we are capturing individuals, as well some valuable items at the mall, will it be necessary to capture children as well?" Atlas asked.

Atlas was thirty-one and possessed short brown hair and eyes. He was a large individual with a muscular and intimidating appearance. His expression was usually calm and focused. He wore a white sleeveless top with a hood, and loose earth brown trousers. Unlike the others, he went barefoot. On his back, there was a tattoo of samurai preparing for battle.

"If they are seven and above then yes, we don't need infants doing jobs where they'll probably screw up or develop a quirk from out of nowhere," the voice answered. "I've got enough on my plate dealing with Atrocity and his shitty group."

"I still don't get why you won't just kill him and be done with it," Blaze exclaimed. "You're strong enough to do it."

Blaze was twenty-six years old and owned long crimson red hair tied up in a ponytail with blood-red eyes. He was short and was relatively handsome. He wore a dark red open sleeveless leather vest that exposed his chest, traditional camouflage trousers and black combat boots. His left ear was pierced with a ruby earring. Across his chest there was a large scar, and on his back, there was a large tattoo of a dragon.

"In due to time," the voice assured. "The game has changed now. I can't explain why or how but it has. Do not worry. Death will come to that group soon enough."

With that the call ended and the figures dispersed into the night to get some rest.

Class 1A Dorms

Izuku arrived back at the dorms all on his own. It was late, and most of his classmates were now in bed.

Surprisingly, Momo was still up. She was drinking tea while reading a book. She stopped upon sensing his presence.

"Good evening Midoriya," she greeted. "Still up I see. Were you coming back from another counselling session?"

"I finished about an hour ago and spent a bit of time at the library doing homework. It's a quiet place to do it," Izuku replied. "By the way, when you say still up, does that mean everyone's gone to bed."

Momo nodded.

"They're all just getting ready for the big shopping trip to Kiyashi tomorrow," she announced. "We would have invited you too only."

"You don't have to say it," Izuku interrupted. "I know."

Momo suddenly felt as though she shouldn't have said that.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean," she started to apologise.

"It's fine," Izuku interrupted again. "I'm not bothered. I'll just spend the day training, and slightly relaxing."

Momo didn't know whether or not to laugh at that statement.

"Hey where were you during lunch when that beautiful music started playing?" she asked. "I noticed both you and Jiro were absent. Jiro went to look for the source of that song but never found it."

"I was in the hallways on the way to the bathroom when I stopped to listen," Izuku lied quickly. "And once I started, I couldn't stop."

Momo didn't doubt his story, mostly because it had been that way with everyone at lunch. The minute that beautiful music started playing, everybody ceased their activities just so they could listen.

"Shocking," Momo responded sarcastically. "Still, there was something both captivating and enchanting about that music. Like something out of a fairy tale."

'Wow, people really like it when I play. It must be better than I thought,' Izuku thought. 'Then again, members of the League really liked it when I played. Kurogiri especially, though Tomura was fond of it also.'

Momo finished her tea and stood up to leave.

"Well, goodnight Midoriya. See you tomorrow," she said.

"Sure," Izuku replied.

Momo walked off to bed, and Izuku started to do the same. Despite his talk with Hound Dog, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Maybe it was paranoia, maybe it wasn't, but, somehow, he just knew something would happen. He hoped nothing bad would happen to the League (Sensei's League), Razor, his mother and other people he knew. At the same time, he hoped nothing bad was about to happen to him. He wouldn't admit it but, he felt an odd sense of safety at UA. Almost like no one could lay their hands on him. That didn't take away his stress though.

Dream Sequence

"When you're feeling sad, angry or in any sort of bad mood, try singing. It's what I do all the time, and it works. Just look at how happy the others are," Utada advised.

Dream Sequence End

Izuku stopped walking and stared at the ground.

'Seriously! Another one?' he thought confusedly. 'Why do they keep appearing?'

Admittedly, this one was more peaceful than the others, but a little strange, nonetheless.

Singing was not something he normally did, barring that one time he did Karaoke with a few members of the Vanguard Action Squad. During that time, Izuku surprised himself because he never knew his voice could sound that good.

Although if there was anyone who surprised everyone then it was Dabi.

The man was a shockingly amazing singer.

Upon arriving at his room, he immediately went out onto the balcony.

Deciding to go with it for once he started singing a song by a foreign artist from a few centuries ago. He particularly liked this song because of how beautiful it sounded, and because of its soothing relaxing nature.

(Insert Song: Confessional Song by Charlotte Church)

Izuku sat on the balcony while he sang it softly. As he did, the stress he was feeling at that moment slowly started to evaporate.

And when he was finished, Izuku noticed a tear falling down his face.

However, he could not understand why, nor could he understand the strange sadness he was feeling at that moment.

"Huh," he whispered. "Why am I? Why do I feel?" He trailed off at each question. "What is happening to me?"

Later in the morning

Class 1A was up and getting ready to head to the mall. They were really excited about the trip.

Elena was coming with them as well on invitation from Ochaco. The Gen Ed girl invited some of her other friends, including Hitoshi, but they were all busy.

The absence of Midoriya that morning was also noted, but some just (correctly) assumed he was sleeping in, though others like Todoroki thought it was unusual. Still, it was brushed off and the students proceeded to go on their trip.

Kirishima, through some unknown means, convinced Katsuki to come along. The ash-blonde had been less angry than usual for some reason.

Even Shoto had agreed to come along.

Unbeknownst to them, Class 1B was heading in the same direction.

Meanwhile, the teachers began their security improvements of the school, determined not to suffer from any villain attacks.

On the other hand, Neito was on his way to visit his mother's grave.

He had left shortly before his classmates and had no desire to be late. The train to Osaka would take well over an hour to arrive.

Compared to his usual casual clothes, Neito was dressed in a neater more professional manner. He always dressed this way when going to important events, like now.

Once the train arrived, he proceeded to a flower shop that sold his mother's favourite flowers. Yellow Tulips, her favourite flower, were in. Neito was fortunate enough to buy the last bouquet.

His mother had favoured these because of both their colour and their fragrance, which she described as wonderful.

As Neito walked he reminisced, as he did every year, about his childhood here. This was where he met Kendo until she moved away to Tokyo. Though they met again when his father took him to live with him.

Finally, Neito arrived at the graveyard.

He stood at the grave of his mother, Hana Monoma, who passed away at the age of thirty-six.

Neito placed the flowers at her grave and stared at it. So much had happened to him recently, things he never would have thought could happen. The last year had played over in his mind, every event that occurred, he wanted to tell her all about it.

"Father was unable to come today but he sends his regards and his respects," said a voice Neito was relieved to hear. "Though personally, I think he should have come along with me I'm here to offer mine as well."

Neito chuckled. She hadn't changed a bit.

He turned to see a beautiful thirteen-year-old girl with short black and blonde hair held back into a bun and her father's eyes. In addition, she wore a traditional schoolgirl uniform. She wasn't wearing any jewellery, not that she needed to, and held an assortment of flowers in her hand. She had a warmer more sympathetic expression than the rest of his siblings.

"It's alright Kokoro," he assured her. "I understand he has a busy schedule."

Out of all his siblings, Kokoro was the nice one.

She treated him like family and didn't give a crap about what her other relatives thought. She chose to be a better person, much to their father's delight. Although this may have stemmed from the fact that she was neglected by her mother and siblings (being the youngest wasn't easy).

She spoke often enough with her father to have a positive relationship with him. She also got on well with the servants at home.

His influence is what made her open up to Neito, much to her mother's chagrin. Though she could get along with her family, she strongly opposed the way they treated Neito, viewing it as unfair and unjust.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Neito questioned.

Kokoro shrugged.

"I skipped to come and see you," she replied dully. "Besides, it's not like anyone at home will notice or care."

Neito couldn't help but agree with that statement.

At the same time, he mentally prepared himself for the barrage of questions his little sister was going to throw at him in some café later.

"Enough about me, let's skip to the important part about why we are here," Kokoro declared.

Walking up to the grave, they both started praying to Hana.

Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall

The mall was packed with many people today. Students from UA and other hero schools marched into the mall for their shopping excursion.

Most classes (including 1A) split up to go and buy their own stuff. Some went for the music, others for gear, for food, for clothes, for electronics and for those like Mineta, well, that didn't really require an explanation.

In addition to students, there were families and friends walking around going about their own business.

It was just an ordinary day, or so they thought.

No one could have been prepared for what was about to happen.

The Elemental Four, and several members of their group, stood waiting around the mall. Each holding a device that would ensure the success of the mission.

The moment the clock struck twelve the raid began.

The first to activate their device was Aqua. It was a small sphere that manifested a large forcefield around the entire mall. It also possessed a holographic effect, so people outside wouldn't know about what was going on in here.

Next up was Blaze who activated his device from his phone. They were small triangular pyramids that emitted a signal, causing people coming near the mall to feel repulsed at being near the place. This keeps people from trying to get in, however, the downside of it all was that these devices didn't last very long which is why they needed to get this done as quickly as possible.

Tempest activated her device which was gas bombs filled with a sleep-inducing substance to knock everyone out quickly. Utilising her quirk, Tempest created a vortex to disperse the gas even faster. This went noticed by some people, particularly one group of students.

"EVERYONE COVER YOUR FACE," Momo yelled.

Her warning didn't reach everyone in time, but it did reach those closest to her. Some civilians were still standing. With Momo was Tenya, Jiro, Fumikage, Kendo and Tetsutetsu. Not wasting any time, Momo created multiple gas masks and distributed them.

"What the hell is going on?" Tetsutetsu demanded.

"It's a villain attack," Tenya realised.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jiro exclaimed. "Why here of all places? And why now?"

"Excellent questions," Kendo stated. "We'll have to find out later though. All that matters is what's happening right now."

There were silent murmurs of agreement.

"Is it the League?" Tokoyami asked.

"Not sure," Momo replied bitterly. "I can't see who it is."

Their conversation was interrupted by an unknown force that was knocking out the remaining civilians with incredible speed.

Acting on instinct, the UA students brought out their quirks, and at the right moment. The first target of the unknown force was Tetsutetsu, who he attempted to punch, only to be met with steel.

"Ow, shit, fuck, that hurts," the figure yelped in pain as he recoiled from the punch.

The figure was a young man wearing a blue and red outfit that covered most of his body. He had blonde hair and a yellow visor covering his eyes. His voice and appearance made him appear to be in his early twenties. What caught their attention was the tattoo he had on his neck. It was of a man wearing a dark helm with armour and a sceptre while surrounded by three identical dogs. For some reason he wasn't affected by the gas.

"Who are you?" Tenya demanded. "And what is the meaning of all this?"

The man raised an eyebrow.

"Well since you asked so nicely, I'm called Speed Demon, an awful name I know but I didn't choose it," Speed Demon explained. "As for the meaning of all this, though seriously I would've phrased that better, this is a raid where we knock out and kidnap everybody bar a couple of kids at this mall."

That surprised everyone present. A kidnapping operation, here, and now. This didn't make any sense.

"Why would you?" Kendo started before she was abruptly cut off.

"That is something you will find out when we have finished up here," a female voice rang out.

Aqua and Atlas appeared. Both looked calm and entirely focused on the task at hand. Atlas had already activated his own device. It was an oval-shaped portal at the centre of the mall where civilians were being brought by their forces, and the Elemental Four themselves.

"If you think we're going to just come with you quietly then you're even dumber than you look," Tetsutetsu barked while punching his fists together.

"We do not think you would do that at all," Atlas responded calmly. "It would be unfitting of your reputation as UA students."

The students present guessed he knew them from the Sports Festival.

"It doesn't matter if you resist or not, you will come with us," Aqua declared in a monotone voice. "So, get ready, because this going to hurt."

Without further ado, the villains readied their quirks to attack. The students, excluding Jiro who couldn't use her quirk in such a populated location, did the same. Momo handed Jiro a pole to fight with.

Tenya went for Speed Demon, and the two took off running at even speed. Both attempted to land blows on each other while at the same time blocking.

"Not too shabby," Speed Demon complimented. "However, I think it's time I got serious, because if you think this is my fastest then you're wrong."

Speed Demon accelerated and started attacking Tenya with more fury. Tenya accelerated himself with Recipro Burst, but to no avail. Speed Demon cornered him against a wall and unleashed multiple accelerated punches that Tenya was helpless against.

"Just so you know, this isn't personal," Speed Demon said. "It's just that if I don't do what I'm told I'll be killed, or worse."

Tenya didn't get the chance to ask as he passed out from the pain.

Kendo and Tetsutetsu faced off against Aqua. They coordinated their attacks and launched several powered punches and kicks at her, destroying some of the surrounding area in the process.

Aqua was blocking their attacks with a water shield she conjured up from out of nowhere. Tetsutetsu thought they had her on the ropes, but that wasn't the true case.

"Okay, I think I've seen enough. I'll admit, you two are talented and strong," she complimented. "Now that I'm done testing your strengths, I think it's time I ended this."

Without warning, Aqua brought water from a nearby fountain and submerged the two students in it. Kendo and Tetsutetsu struggled against the water, but it was pointless. In very little time they were suffocated into unconsciousness.

The other three students took on Atlas. Even though they were attacking from different sides effortlessly dodged them. He occasionally brought up a pile of earth when Dark Shadow attacked to block the sentient creature but not much more.

"Enough of this," he declared.

Without warning, Atlas stomped his right foot on the ground and unleashed three earth pillars upward that connected with each of the students.

One of the reasons he went barefoot was so he could sense the vibrations within the earth and locate who was around him, as well as direct his powers.

When the students crashed down, Atlas unleashed a wave of earth at them which successfully connected and pinned the three of them against the same wall. The three students were in immense pain.

"These guys are so freaking strong," Jiro muttered.

"They're on whole different level than the villains we've fought before," Momo stated.

Fumikage just gritted his teeth in frustration. He felt truly helpless at that moment.

"Don't rough em up too bad Atlas," Speed Demon called out. "You know Shiro prefers newbies when they arrive healthy and undamaged."

Atlas turned his gaze to his comrade, and the second he did, Momo made a decision. She knew it was risky and dangerous, but right now she was desperate. She silently told Jiro to use her quirk to blast the rock away.

Not hesitating in the slightest, Jiro complied with those orders and used her quirk 'Earphone Jack' to unleash a powerful soundwave that freed them from the wall.

Atlas sighed. "How troublesome."

Momo and Fumikage prepared to use their quirks again, but they never got the chance. Jiro, realising they were no match for these people, and in the heat of the moment, made a split-second decision.

Whether it was adrenaline or fear or both she did not know. The only thing she did know was that if she didn't act, they would lose and be taken to a place they might not escape from.

Jiro injected her earphones into the ground below and activated her quirk. The soundwaves produced caused the floor the three students were standing on to collapse and they fell into the sewers below.

Atlas was stunned at what he had just witnessed. He underestimated them, a mistake he did not usually make.

He tried using his quirk to sense them but couldn't detect any movement. Whether they were dead or unconscious he didn't know, nor did he care. The only thing that mattered was completing the mission.

Deep in the sewers the students had just woken up and were aching in pain.

"Jiro, what did you do?" Fumikage demanded.

Jiro stared at the ground miserably. "The only thing I could. We were never gonna beat them, we needed to get away."

"But our classmates," Tokoyami argued.

Before things could escalate, Momo intervened.

"Now isn't the time to be arguing amongst ourselves," she reasoned. "We need to get back and inform the heroes. If we don't, then our classmates are lost for good."

Tokoyami stared at the ground grudgingly but agreed, nonetheless. The three of them started walking trying to find a way out.

As they walked, Jiro could feel nothing but despair at how useless she had been in this situation, as well as an immense swarm of guilt for leaving her classmates behind.

UA Entrance

Izuku was just coming back from the gym (he had a lot of stress he needed to work off) when he noticed three familiar figures at the entrance.

It was Momo, Jiro and Fumikage, whose clothes were filthy and were looking both exhausted and injured. Jiro noticed him first.

"Please, help us," she called out in a ragged voice.

It was then that she and her companions collapsed.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I'm sorry I took so long with writing this chapter but I don't have much free time. One issue I want address. Characters Knuckleduster, Pop-Step and Crawler are from the spin-off Illegals, and I don't own them. Since the spin-off is part of the My Hero Academia Universe I thought they would tie in well with this story. What did you think of the villains and flashback in this chapter? What did you think of Neito also? I hope you enjoyed reading. Next chapter will focus on trying to get the students back by figuring out where they went. Please review.

Chapter 38: Shiro

Summary:

The UA students come face to face with their captor. Meanwhile Izuku is met with a horrifying revelation that leads to catastrophic consequences.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Society was in a state of chaos. Citizens were panicking, and the police and heroes were up to their necks work over trying to find out who or what was behind 'The Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall Incident'.

It was first discovered when citizens encountered a barrier while trying to enter. What surprised them was that the people inside had were going about acting if nothing was wrong. They called the police, who quickly called the heroes.

Upon arriving at the scene, they tried using brute force to break it down, to no avail. However, much to their surprise, the barrier started to evaporate, while releasing the sleep toxin that was floating around in the air. The heroes and police covered their faces and held their breath.

When the gas dispersed, they charged inside only to find that no one was there. Well, there were children under the age of seven lying unconscious (who were given immediate priority), but other than that there was no one.

It was like they had all vanished into thin air.

Security footage of the event was non-existent. Whoever planned this was smart enough to cover their tracks. However, there was footage of before the event so they could narrow down who had disappeared.

When word got out that UA students were there the media attempted to march on to UA to discredit them, only to be silenced by the Chief of Police, who harshly informed them that UA was not responsible for what happened since it was an event that happened outside the school.

Speaking of UA, the teachers and principal were the most frustrated about this because even though it wasn't their fault, they still felt responsible.

Naomasa and Reo came by to let them know what they knew, which wasn't much. This only angered the teachers even more who felt helpless at that moment. That's why it was a miracle when this happened.

"HEY! IS ANYONE AROUND? PLEASE HELP! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!" Izuku shouted. "FOR FUCK SAKE SOMEONE HELP!"

Izuku had just finished bringing the three wounded students inside the school where they were now resting unconscious against the lockers. He didn't know what had happened since he had been at the gym all day, but he figured that they were either attacked or caught in some sort of accident.

They needed medical attention, or more specifically, Recovery Girl. Izuku knew first aid (in his line of work it was necessary) but he didn't have the necessary tools to work with. He wished he still had his regenerative drug with him, which always worked.

Just then, Recovery Girl came running around the corner having heard the shouting.

"Midoriya," she called out worried. "What's wrong?"

That's when she saw the three students. She gasped and took out her phone to call for assistance.

Within a minute, All Might, Cementoss, and Ectoplasm arrived on the scene with the police in tow. They carried the trio to the nurse's office where Recovery wasted no time in treating them.

Izuku was brought inside a nearby empty classroom along for questioning.

"Long time no see kid," Reo greeted. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine," Izuku answered quickly. "UA has it's ups and downs up otherwise it's okay. This isn't the time to be catching up though Detective Yagami."

"No isn't," Aizawa stated, catching everyone off guard.

He was leaning against the wall just staring at three individuals. It made sense that he would want to hear what happened to his students but seriously, his uncanny ability to surprise people from out of nowhere was incredible. Izuku was starting to wonder if it was either a habit or a second hidden quirk.

"Midoriya, you were there when they appeared. I want a full explanation," Aizawa demanded getting straight to the point.

"It's like this," Izuku started.

Izuku quickly explained how he met them as he was coming back from the Gym, the state they were in, what Jiro had said, and how they had collapsed.

"I don't know how they got like this," Izuku said honestly. "Someone must have attacked them while they were out shopping."

There was silence among the people in the room. They each started exchanging glances with each other, something Izuku picked up on.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" he questioned.

Reo was the first to speak.

"You've been at the gym all day, right?" he asked, to which Izuku nodded. "Well…"

Reo and Aizawa quickly explained the events of the raid on the mall. They explained who was taken, and the methods involved. In addition to the forcefield and sleep gas, and there were statements from some civilians that they felt a strong sense of revulsion when they came close to the mall and stayed away.

When they had finished Izuku stood there in silence while he processed everything. He was shocked and impressed that someone had managed to pull a feat like this off.

At the same time, something felt off about the equipment used in the attack.

'That technology. It sounds…familiar,' Izuku thought.

He knew he had heard about it somewhere before, he just couldn't think of where. He didn't think it was from the League since they got most of their weapons and materials from the Black Market.

While weapons were bought from the Black Market, the development of weapons in the League wasn't common as far as he was aware, unless one counted the Nomu's who were a formidable force all on their own.

"Is something wrong Midoriya?" Naomasa asked.

"I'm not sure," Izuku replied honestly. "The technology you're describing sounds familiar but, I can't think of where."

The two detective's eyes widened.

"Was it something made by the League?" Reo asked intently.

"I don't think so," Izuku answered. "I don't know much about technological developments they did if there were any at all. A lot of time and effort seems to have been focused on the Nomu. I offered to help in that area, whether it was designing new technology or weapons, but Sensei told me it wasn't necessary."

Reo used his quirk to verify the truth and sighed.

Just then Aizawa, Naomasa and Reo's phones started buzzing. Surprised and concerned, they answered their caller's.

There was the usual introduction before shock formed across their faces and they started asking questions, only to be cut off by the person on the other end. Eventually, they all said that they understood and hung up.

"It appears there's going to be a meeting tonight at nine between all available heroes and the police to discuss today's kidnapping," Aizawa explained.

"Funny you should say that," Reo murmured.

"We were told the exact same thing just now," Naomasa finished.

Izuku wasn't surprised that this was happening, though he was surprised at how soon.

Just then, Present Mic appeared at the door.

"Shota, Recovery Girl just finished treating the students who came back. According to her, they'll wake up in about an hour or two since they're still suffering from fatigue," Mic explained in a serious tone. "Also, Nezu is ordering all students to remain within their respective dorms and wants us to join in a headcount to see who's still here."

Upon hearing this, Aizawa bowed to the detectives and excused himself, but not before ordering Izuku to return to his dorm for the time being.

Naomasa and Reo were asked to assist in this job which they accepted without hesitation.

At an unknown location

The students of UA, as well as the other students and civilians that had been captured, woke up. The effects of the toxin had finally worn off.

When they did, they noticed that they were in a large cube-shaped room that appeared to be made of stone, at least they thought it was stone. Just then, one of the walls lit up like a screen.

On it was the image of a man who looked to be in his twenties, with snowy white hair in the form of a flat mohawk. What caught a lot of people's attention was the eyepatch covering his left eye, while his right was left uncovered displaying that it was topaz in colour. He also wore a white suit.

"Good evening everyone!" the man greeted the confused hostages in a deep and enthusiastic voice. "How are you all holding up after your recent transfer? The stuff that knocked you out was a sleep-inducing toxin. Nothing harmful, but you can feel a bit woozy afterwards depending on how much you inhaled."

A couple of people felt disoriented but were otherwise alright. They were just curious as to what the hell was going on. Fortunately, someone was angry enough to ask.

"YOU BASTARD! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO US?" Katsuki shouted.

The man on the screen didn't react right away. He stared at Bakugo for a couple of seconds. Some of his classmates, and the civilians present, cursed his personality for being this way. This wasn't the time to act rash. The man, however, just laughed at the teen's outburst.

"Well, you're even more stubborn in person Katsuki Bakugo," the man teased surprising Bakugo. "Surprised I know who you are? You've got quite the reputation. Held hostage by a sludge villain while making futile attempts to escape. First place in the Sports Festival. Got your ass handed to you by Deku." Bakugo felt a vein pop up on his forehead. He really hated this man. "Got kidnapped, with little effort, and rescued from the League of Villains. This is what, the third time you've been effortlessly captured? You know, for someone who brags about being the best, you certainly are a weak little bitch aren't you?"

That did it. Upon hearing that, Bakugo literally exploded. He lunged at the wall preparing to blow it to pieces.

"YOU BASTARD! YOUR DEAD!" he roared.

Before he could reach the wall, the man pressed a button and there was a bright light appearing around Katsuki's neck. The UA student howled in pain before collapsing to his knees.

Kirishima went to him instantly to check on him. The rest of the captives were frightened at what they saw. They immediately checked their necks to find a sort of collar around their necks.

The man sighed. "Oh, you stupid, arrogant little fucker. First thing you should know about me: never threaten me with death. If you do, make sure you have the means and abilities to do so. And if you try to kill me, make sure you succeed. Otherwise, I'll come back and hunt you down and give a slower, more brutal death. Do I make myself clear?"

His tone of voice was low and dangerous, making people even more afraid of him.

Although Katsuki didn't respond, he did get the message and stood quietly.

"Now that's done and out of the way, let's move on to more pressing matters. As I'm sure you've all noticed, you each have a collar around your neck. If you step out of line, such as using your quirks for other than what you're supposed to, you get shocked. If you step even more out of line, you'll get shocked for a long period of time. If you break enough rules, you'll be shocked until your heart can't take it anymore and you die. It'll be slow, painful, and incredibly fun to watch. They can also blow up, but that's only if you try to escape. Now, children will also be shocked if they break any rules, though only the serious ones. They are still children and will most likely learn faster than their idiot parents. That doesn't mean they won't die while with us," the man explained.

Children huddled close to their parents, completely frightened by this man.

The students and civilians were horrified at what they were hearing.

This man was a complete psychopath.

They weren't ready to die just yet though.

"Now, I'm sure you're gonna have questions so go on, ask. I'm sure I'll be saying it afterwards anyway," the man declared.

The audience looked at each other uncomfortably, not sure of what to say. Some UA students did, however.

"Where are we exactly?" Kendo asked.

"In the criminal underworld, where laws and heroes don't exist. So, don't count anyone coming to save you," the man sneered. "And you all now belong to Hades the strongest criminal organisation in Japan."

Some people flinched at that. They had only heard rumours about the group, but they were enough to make them comply.

"And who are you?" Tenya asked. "Are you the leader?"

"Correct, Ingenium Jr." the man applauded surprising Tenya. He knew who he was. "As for who I am, well, you can call me Shiro."

The name was unfamiliar to them, but they did not take it lightly.

Shoto stepped forward next to ask the most important question.

"Earlier you said no using our quirks except for what we're supposed to. What would that be exactly?" he asked with an angry, yet calm expression.

Shiro grinned at him amused.

"Ah, it appears we've reached the most important part of this conversation," Shiro admitted softly.

Everybody tensed at what was about to be said.

"You see, what I do is, I host underground battles, like the colosseum you could say, between different participants that I capture. People tend to bet on these fights as well, thus generating income."

"If you have an argument against this well then sorry but as of this moment you are my slaves, and my word is the law. Other than fighting you'll also be doing regular jobs around the place, cleaning, manual labour, you get the idea.

"Children up until the age of thirteen won't be expected to fight and will be kept in a different part by another of my slaves."

"Oh, and for people like Bakugo who intend to climb up and live high, work hard and play nice and you may just end up the bitch to someone of higher authority like myself."

Katsuki felt a vein stand on his forehead again. He really wanted to pulverise this man.

"That's enough questions for now. Time to get down to business," Shiro declared. "You will all move along now and be separated into different groups. Kids go in one direction while adults and teens go in the other. If the parents behave and are alive, they may visit their children."

People started to protest but Shiro just pressed a button and a new image appeared right next to him. It was of two men and women, beaten, and looking terrified of what was about to happen.

"Just so you all have an idea of the situation you're in, and so you know your fucking place," Shiro taunted. "Let these people be an example."

He pressed another button and suddenly, they were electrocuted. Their screams were loud and echoed all over the room.

Onlookers watched in horror while parents attempted to shield their children from what they were seeing and hearing.

Shiro smiled at their expressions, as he did at their next expression when this happened. The collars exploded.

And there was blood… lots of blood.

Some students vomited at the gory sight, causing Shiro to burst out laughing.

"Oh, that was funny," he snickered. "Now, does anyone have any complaints about the way things are going to happen?"

The silence and terrified expressions were enough of an answer.

"Alright then, no head in the direction you're each told to get your quirks analysed. And no shoving," Shiro told them in a mocking tone.

Quietly, adults, teenagers, and children all started walking to where they were told to, regardless of how frightened they were.

UA Staff Room

Nezu along with all the teachers were present as Naomasa gave them the full statements they received.

Momo, Jiro, and Tokoyami woke up not too long ago and were questioned by the police regarding what happened at the mall. When they finished explaining they were thanked and left to finish recovering. Their injuries weren't serious so they would be discharged and returned to their rooms later.

"We have some descriptions of the people who attacked them as well as what went down at the mall," Mic declared. "That's something right."

"Not much though," Aizawa countered. "Detective Tsukauchi, have these individuals ever made an appearance before?"

Naomasa shook his head.

"I'm afraid not," he stated sadly. "There's nothing about them in the database. However, they clearly aren't amateurs when it comes to activities like this. And they're a force to be reckoned with, considering how easily they defeated your students."

Aizawa stared at the desk frustrated.

Vlad King let out an angry growl he'd been holding back.

These were the specific classes they were talking about. It infuriated them to know they had been attacked.

Vlad had informed them that Neito was out visiting a relative, so they knew he was safe, for the moment.

All Might was also frustrated at not being able to protect his students, as well as all those civilians. He hadn't been there, he had been at UA working on security improvements, yet, he still felt responsible.

What kind of Symbol of Peace was he if he couldn't even protect his own students, again?

'I'm useless,' he thought.

"We know that they wanted to kidnap everyone, barring some small children, present at the mall but we don't know what for," Naomasa continued.

"Regardless of why they were kidnapped the only thing that matters is getting them back," Nezu declared. "First, we need to ascertain who it was that took them."

The teachers glanced at each other.

"It could be the League," All Might suggested. "They've done kidnapping before."

"But not on this scale," Ectoplasm pointed out. "And their attacks were always targeted at specifically UA."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Atrocity is quite unpredictable," Nezu interrupted. "It could also be another group were not aware of. The criminal underworld is full of people like that."

While they were talking Aizawa received a text from recovery Girl saying that his students were heading back to the dorm. He politely excused himself, with Mic following, to escort the students back to their dorm.

While they tried coming up with an answer Reo thought of something.

"Hey, do you think Midoriya might know who these people are?" he asked.

The teachers stared at him curiously.

"That's highly unlikely Reo," Naomasa said. "Midoriya said he hadn't interacted with many villains outside the League."

"But he did interact with some," Reo countered. "Maybe he heard things about it."

Everyone in the room did consider that. They had been a full report on what Izuku did as a villain and who he interacted with. It was a possibility, though it was slim.

"Also, he said the technology sounded familiar so might recognise the people who used it if we described them," Reo suggested.

After some deliberation, Nezu decided.

"Okay, you may question him about the matter, but only after we've concluded this meeting," he said. "Besides, we still need to prepare for the meeting at nine and who will be there. That includes you two."

Reo groaned. He really hated those meetings.

Hades Group

Tenya and his classmates were sent to where the children were being kept, since they themselves were technically children.

They had just finished having their quirks analysed and something else (though he didn't understand what) done to them. They didn't dare rebel in fear of the dreadful consequences.

Tenya silently wondered how many people were here because of that madman. Upon arriving at the designated area where they were greeted by two women with unique features.

"Hello," the first woman greeted. "I'm Umi."

"And I'm Utada," the second woman greeted.

Then they simultaneously spoke.

"You'll be in our care. Nice to meet you."

Meanwhile with Shiro

"Kioku, I take it you were able to analyse their quirks and memories for any useful information," Shiro said firmly.

Kioku was a young bald woman of moderate height with blank eyes and wore only white clothes.

Her quirk was 'Memory' which allowed her to look at the memories of her selected targets for information.

On a large number of people, it would be difficult which is why she had a machine to help her store the information she saw. It was a head device shaped like a tiara. Her ability was valuable to Shiro which is why he kept her guarded.

"Yes sir, I had no difficulties whatsoever," Kioku replied in an emotionless tone. "I did learn something that would both disgust and intrigue you, however, from the 1A students."

"Oh," Shiro responded amused. "And what is it? You know I don't like it when you keep secrets like this from me."

Kioku took a deep breath before answering.

"Deku is at UA as a student," she exclaimed, waiting for Shiro's reaction.

At first, there was silence.

Then, there was still silence, but the air became tense.

Without warning, a bright light began to emanate from Shiro's body. While his expression was unreadable, anyone would have been able to pick up on the rage and murderous intent Shiro was releasing.

"Deku," he growled. "That fucker, is a student, at a shitty school for heroes?"

"Yes," Kioku responded quickly. "Apparently he saved a student of theirs on more than one occasion and he was granted this as an act of mercy. It is also a protection detail from Atrocity as well as any others who may wish to do him harm."

Shiro snorted.

"Saved people? That sounds exactly like him. Being a hero would actually suit him," Shiro snarled. "And that asshole Atrocity wants to kill him, well, he's gonna have to get in line."

Kioku shifted uncomfortably. She knew what was coming next. Though she bore no grudge against Deku she did feel pity for his situation, as there was no stopping what was about to happen.

"You are still angry then," she mentioned.

Much to her surprise, Shiro started shaking, before bursting out laughing like an insane person. He collapsed to the ground, banging his fists and head against it. Then stopped and sat up and grinned at his subordinate.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked. "Of course, I'm still angry. The bastard is the one who took my eye after all. However, I also respect him quite a bit, because he's the only one to ever damage and escape me in that way, something no one has ever done before."

Kioku was surprised. She hadn't expected that kind of response.

Shiro sat back down in his chair.

"Tonight, at nine, send Shino and Blade out to get him for me, I want to be able to express my gratitude for my new look personally, especially since Razor's not with him this time," Shiro declared.

"As you wish, master," Kioku declared before leaving.

Shiro stared at the wall and smiled sinisterly. Soon, he would have his revenge.

Class 1A Dorms

Izuku was relaxing in the living room after a long day. He'd made sure to look up the incident when he arrived back and was surprised at the amount of people that disappeared. The technology sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't think of where.

He sipped his tea and sighed. It was just one event after another for him. Also, he didn't understand why but, he was worried about his classmates, he was worried about who they might be with and what might happen to them. It was very strange.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the students and teachers. The students looked tired but otherwise okay.

"You're all looking better," Izuku greeted sarcastically.

"Believe me, we've been better," Fumikage responded.

Jiro said nothing. She was too miserable to talk, having lost her classmates and the shame of running away was unbearable.

Momo wasn't much better, a large part of her cursed her inability to do anything during that last battle.

"That's enough," Aizawa announced. "All of you get some rest."

Mic was remaining silent during all this. He really wasn't sure what to say.

"They must have been really strong," Izuku said.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jiro exclaimed. "I hope the pros find those bastards and beat the crap out of them."

Aizawa was about to intervene when Izuku spoke again.

"Who were they exactly?" he asked. "What did they look like and what were their quirks?"

Jiro narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"Curiosity," Izuku admitted. "Nothing more."

Momo was the one who answered.

"We don't know their names, although one did call himself 'Speed Demon', and another was Atlas," Momo explained. "One was a blue-haired woman who could control water, another was a tall brown-haired muscular man who could control earth and went bar, and a blonde-haired guy wearing a visor and a blue and red outfit who could move extremely fast."

Izuku flinched at the descriptions.

'What? What is this? This dread I'm feeling?' he thought horrified. 'Why do I feel that?'

"The one called Speed Demon, did he have a tattoo on his neck of a man wearing a helm and carrying a sceptre surrounded by three identical dogs?" Momo continued seemingly unaware of how Izuku was taking it. "Oh, Sensei. I forgot to mention this before, but they mentioned a man named Shiro wanting the captives in good condition."

In that one second.

That one phrase

That one name.

Shiro…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Izuku's world shattered.

Izuku couldn't hear anything after that. Some of the others called out to him but he didn't acknowledge them.

He had so many thoughts flooding through his head right now that he couldn't think straight.

People stopped trying to call out to him when they noticed how silent he had gone.

What's more, Izuku had gone deathly pale. He looked like he might vomit at any second.

Izuku started breathing both very heavy and very fast.

Images (or rather memories) of his time in that place kept flashing through his mind.

And then… he heard a voice.

Hallucination Sequence

"DDDDDDDeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" a familiar male voice called out mockingly into his ear.

Izuku noticed there was a man with an eyepatch dressed in a smart white suit standing right next to him.

The man smiled and pulled him in closer by the waist until their bodies were touching.

With a smirk, the man held Izuku's chin with his right hand.

"You didn't think you could forget about me, did you?"

Izuku was completely frozen in place.

"Or the rest of us for that matter?"

All around him various groups ranging from adults to children appeared.

And Izuku knew them.

"You don't get to forget about me, them, or your sins."

The man's smiling face was inches away from Izuku's, so much that he was nearly kissing him.

"After all, I never forget nor deny mine."

His mouth came close to Izuku's left ear who was powerless to even move.

"You little murderer."

Izuku felt every bone and muscle in his body twist and contract while his blood froze colder than ice.

He could understand what the man was saying, but he didn't want to.

He wanted this to all be a horrible dream he could wake up from.

"AFO's quirk is wearing off it seems. Good. Take this time to remember our time together Deku, but most of all, remember your sins," the man urged.

Leaning forward, he kissed Izuku on the cheek.

Moving back to look at his face, the man smiled.

"Don't forget Deku, I still haven't broken you yet," he reminded. "But don't worry, I will. I did promise you after all."

Izuku continued to stare as he separated from Izuku.

"So, do me a favour and don't die until then," he requested. "You owe me that much."

Izuku didn't answer, not that he could.

"Until next time Deku," the man cruelly. "Have fun remembering your time in hell!"

Hallucination Sequence end

"Midoriya," Aizawa called out stepping forward concerned. "Calm down."

Izuku didn't hear him, unfortunately.

He continued to breathe the way he had even faster now. The boy could literally hear the sound of his heart beating. He then started trembling violently and fell forward on his knees only to be caught by Aizawa.

The students were horrified at what they were seeing. This was different from the Midoriya they had seen so far.

"Shiro. Hades. No. Not now," Izuku panted.

Aizawa and Hizashi paled at the names. The knowledge of who had taken their students had finally come to light.

However, right now Aizawa was more concerned with Izuku's well-being. Especially since he had just figured out what was wrong with him.

"Hizashi, get Recovery Girl now," Aizawa yelled. "Midoriya's having a panic attack."

"On it," Mic replied.

Mic ran out of the room to call for help.

"Midoriya, Midoriya," Aizawa called out again and again to no avail. "Izuku it's just us, calm down."

Izuku didn't listen, or rather he couldn't. He was too overwhelmed. The panic attack continued for another minute until something expected happened.

He fainted.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Next chapter will show a meeting of heroes, and other stuff. Please Review.

Chapter 39: Darkness that looms

Summary:

While the UA students get to know Hades a bit better, different individuals begin to make moves of their own.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

This was originally over 10000 words however I removed certain content because I felt it did not make sense at the time.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Immediately after Izuku fainted, Aizawa did everything he could to make sure he was still breathing and that the worst hadn't happened.

Recovery Girl arrived alongside Mic with several medical bots and examined Izuku. Upon verifying that he had just passed out and was not in critical condition she had the bots hoist him on a stretcher and taken him to her office for treatment. She also wanted to ensure that nothing went wrong when he woke up.

Aizawa went along with her as he wanted to make sure Izuku was alright despite knowing he wasn't. He ordered the three students to remain at the dorms and instructed his best friend to inform Nezu about what happened here. Aizawa said he would join him and the other teachers shortly but right now he needed to check on his student.

Meanwhile, the three students who'd just witnessed the event first-hand sat in the common area unsure of what to make of it.

"What the hell was that?" Jiro exclaimed. "It was like he went insane all of a sudden."

From what she had seen of Midoriya so far, he was a calm and collected individual. He rarely, if ever, lost his temper. And what she saw, what they all saw, was completely out of character for him. It was like he'd flipped a switch and broke down like a mad person. Momo glanced at the table with a worried expression.

"It would appear that Midoriya knows the people that attacked us at the mall," she murmured. "What's worse, he fears them. The reaction we received from him, must have been the result of some rather painful and traumatic memories resurfacing."

No one said anything. They all knew Momo was right. She had to have been. There was also the mention of fear right there. From what they, especially Tokoyami, had seen from Midoriya, there was practically nothing he feared.

This, however, made Dark Shadow remember something Midoriya said during the day he and Fumikage reconciled.

'Hey Fumi, do you remember the first day we worked with Midoriya, the day we became friends again? Dark Shadow asked.

Tokoyami frowned wondering why Dark Shadow was bringing this up now.

'Of course, I remember. It was last week after all,' Tokoyami mentally responded. 'Why? What does that have to do with anything?'

"Do you remember when I asked about him being afraid of me and he explained why he wasn't?" Dark Shadow continued.

Tokoyami thought back on that day and the conversation Dark Shadow had with Midoriya, and when he did, realisation struck him like lightning. He recalled everything Midoriya had said and his eyes widened. It was then that he realised how much danger his classmates were truly in.

"Oh shit," he swore out loud.

Jiro and Momo glanced at him with concerned looks.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Momo asked nervously.

Fumikage looked up at them with an uneasy expression. He knew they wouldn't like this. The mere concept of it was enough to scare him and Dark Shadow.

"During the time Midoriya and I worked together we talked about some things," The girls tensed at what they were about to hear. "When he was with the League, he encountered different individuals who, as he described, were far worse than people like Shigaraki and AFO." The two girl's eyes widened in fear at the idea. Tokoyami sighed and continued. "At the time I didn't ask who, but I could tell he was incredibly serious about them. And now, given his most recent reaction, it's safe to say that these are the individuals he was talking about."

There was dead, uncomfortable silence between the three students. The idea that such people existed was frightening, but what was worse is how much danger their classmates were truly in. Just what kind of monster was holding them hostage?

UA Staff Room

The meeting between the faculty was just ending after having discussed the meeting at nine. Reo was relieved it was over so he could go and talk with Midoriya. However, at that moment, Mic burst through the door gasping for air.

"Nezu, something's happened!" he panted.

The principal and teachers looked at him with concern and worry. Reo was more annoyed.

"What now?" he groaned. "Can't we just get one break today? I was just about to go and question Midoriya about these kidnappers?

What Mic said next caused everyone to shut up.

"Midoriya collapsed," he exclaimed.

Everyone froze. Their eye's widened in shock.

From what they had observed from Midoriya, he had never displayed this type of behaviour before.

Even Ryo, who had gotten to know Izuku on a personal level, couldn't understand why this had happened.

The silence was broken by a simple command.

"Explain," Nezu ordered.

"Okay so what happened was me and Shota took the kids back to their dorms and we met Midoriya there. There was some small conversation about what happened, he asked about the guys who attacked them, and when a name came up, Midoriya he, he, he," Mic knew that what he said next would be the equivalent of dropping a bomb in the room. "He had a full-on panic attack."

Everyone stared at him stunned. Fainting was one thing but fainting because of a panic attack was a more serious matter. Mic wasn't done.

"Before he collapsed, Midoriya said somethings, well, actually names, about who these people are." Mic tensed up for the next part. He had never encountered this group himself, but he knew how dangerous they were. "He said Shiro and Hades."

Several teachers flinched when they heard that name.

All Might stared at the desk in horror, feeling even more helpless and guilty than he was before.

Naomasa accidentally snapped his pen, ink oozing out of it.

Snipe gripped his gun.

Ryo growled.

Nezu put his paws together.

Reo went pale.

"Y-Y-You're kidding right," Reo stuttered. "Hades?! Hades as in the largest and most dangerous criminal organisation in Japan. As in the one group we have very little knowledge of their members. That Hades?"

Mic nodded sadly.

Hades, despite its size, was a rather elusive group. Their operations were mostly unknown however sometimes they made assaults on society, though, mostly for personal gain.

Anytime a member was captured, they were either killed by someone who broke in undetected or (in most cases) took their own life. They resisted any form of torture made on them.

Why? Their boss, Shiro, was why.

Though the man had yet to make a full-body appearance for the heroes and police he was already an S-rate villain with a reputation that could make anyone fear him just by hearing about it. Several pro heroes and police who went after him ended up dead, with, certain parts of them found in different places at different times. The same had happened to psychopath's own men or members of rival gangs.

He was a sadistic bastard, one not to be taken lightly, but at the same time, one they knew so little about. They didn't even know what his quirk was.

They had heard rumours that he invoked slavery as part of his regime underground.

"Well, this certainly complicates things," Nezu said keeping a level head. Getting panicked would do him no good, however, he was intensely furious at what he had just learned. The danger his students were in, and the horror they would experience reminded him of his time with Atrocity. It made the fur on his head stand up.

"It's more than that," Naomasa muttered. "This group isn't easy to find. We don't even know where their base is located."

"Midoriya might though," Reo suggested.

"Absolutely not," All Might argued. "Did you not hear the way he reacted? How do we know bringing it up again right in front of him won't cause him to have another panic attack?"

"I'm with All Might on this one," Mic agreed.

He didn't care if Izuku was a villain. He was a child, one that was clearly traumatised. He wouldn't allow people to add more fuel to the fire, because eventually, it would burn out. He also seriously doubted Shota would allow it to happen.

"He's the only lead we have," Reo pressed. "We have to go forward with it otherwise a lot of people will get hurt, innocent people. Don't you want to save your students?"

"Of course, we do!" Ryo declared. "However, it's not that simple. For starters, he may not even remember them properly."

Reo raised an eyebrow. "And just what do you mean by that?"

Ryo sighed.

He had wanted to discuss this after acquiring more information but now was as good a time as any.

"During our last counselling session, Midoriya mentioned he had been experiencing strange dreams and hallucinations," Ryo explained. "According to him, they started during the hospital incident, and have increased since coming here. At first, he thought they were nothing, but later they felt very real to him."

"And just what does that have to do with anything?" Reo asked.

"I'm getting there," Ryo snapped. "I only considered it a possibility but, AFO possessed many quirks did he not? What if had a quirk that could tamper with memories?"

Everyone remained silent as they considered what Ryo was proposing.

"In such quirks, when they start wearing off the memories start to slowly return unless triggered by specific words or people, as we've seen with Shiro's name," Ryo finished. He waited a minute to allow his words to sink in. "My point being, if his memories were triggered just by name alone and the result was a panic attack, then they are clearly traumatic. Interrogating him may only serve to worsen his condition."

Reo stared at the ground guiltily. He hadn't thought about that.

"Interrogation aside, how did Midoriya become associated with Hades and their leader?" Snipe interrupted. "For that matter, how did he even escape?"

It was a well-known fact that no one had ever escaped Hades, let alone Shiro.

So, how did Izuku manage it? Was he the only one to escape? Or did the League rescue him?

"Excellent questions," Naomasa stated. "I'm sure everyone will be asking them."

The teachers looked at him with sad, yet also angry looks.

"I'm sorry, but this has to be reported," Naomasa explained. "It's our job. I don't like it any more than you do but, it has to be done."

"The police and pros will eat him alive when they find out," Midnight warned.

"I'll run it by my superiors, however, I'll ask them to try and leave it out of the meeting," Naomasa replied.

"Not that it'll do any good," Mic countered.

Naomasa sighed. He knew it wouldn't end well.

"Um, I may be wrong in thinking this but," Cementoss spoke up. "Wasn't there one other arrested alongside Midoriya at the battle of Kamino?"

Naomasa and Reo's eyes widened in realisation.

"Dabi," they both whispered.

Cementoss nodded. "Do you think he might know something about what happened to Midoriya, or even this enemy we're facing now?"

Naomasa thought about it.

"It's possible. Dabi has stated he was closest with Midoriya in the League," Naomasa admitted. "At least, that's what we learned from his conversation with Inko Midoriya, who visited him once in prison."

"Is she still being guarded?" All Might asked suddenly.

He occasionally checked on Inko to make sure she was okay. Ever since the incident at the villain hospital, Inko had been placed in a protection detail of her own.

With her son under the threat of dangerous villains that threat extended to her as well. Mostly she was guarded by the police, however, occasionally she would be followed by a hero to ensure she got where she needed to go safely.

"Yes," Naomasa replied quickly. "There haven't been any incidents thus far, however, we haven't let our guards down. You never know what could happen."

All Might exhaled with relief.

"Might I suggest we keep this hidden from her for the time being? It's just that we've got enough going on as it is, and we don't need anymore," Reo pointed out.

The teachers and Naomasa exchanged looks with each other. For once, they were all in agreement with Reo.

"Very well, we'll inform Mrs Midoriya what has befallen her son after we have dealt with this incident. Now, as for the meeting, I would like several of you to remain here and protect the school," Nezu announced. "With everything that's happened today I'm not taking any chances."

"Understood," they all said in unison.

Fuyumi Todoroki

Fuyumi was pacing up and down the hall of her home. She was incredibly nervous, and for good reason.

Right after she got home, she received a call from her brother Natsuo asking if she had seen the news. She had been at school teaching all day, so she hadn't. Her younger brother quickly gave her a summarised version of what went down at the mall in Kiyashi.

Upon hearing the last part of Natsuo's speech she nearly dropped the phone from shock.

When he didn't get a response Natsuo tried speaking again only for Fuyumi to apologise and hang up. The second she did, she dashed to the bathroom and started vomiting. She was so horrified she couldn't hold it back.

"No," she whispered softly, tears beginning to fall down her face. "No, not again. Please, don't let this happen again. Oh, Shoto."

Her youngest brother had been kidnapped. He had been taken by some unknown group, just like that. The very thought of it all, the things that might happen to him, or the possibility that she might never see him again made her sick to her stomach.

It was as if history was repeating itself all over again.

Years ago, her twin brother had gone missing when a villain attacked their house, and he hadn't been heard from since.

Then Natsuo moved in with her mother's parents out of fear of their father. He urged her to come with him, but she refused to leave Shoto alone with their father (for obvious reasons).

Fuyumi finally stopped walking and took out her phone. She dialled a number she rarely used and waited for the receiver to pick up. She needed to know what was going on, and only he would know. Finally, there was a click on the other end and her father's voice answered.

"What is it?" Endeavour demanded sounding very annoyed. "I'm busy at the moment."

"Has there been any progress on finding Shoto?" Fuyumi asked getting straight to the point.

Endeavour scowled. "Obviously not. There is barely any evidence as to who is behind this. That's what me and every other hero in this city are trying to work out. Try to keep up."

Fuyumi didn't respond. She was used to this type of attitude from her father, although, he was more tolerant of her than most people.

"Is that all?" Endeavour questioned. His tone of voice made it clear he wanted this conversation to be over and done with.

"Just, please dad, find him and bring him back," she pleaded.

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Endeavour responded sounding even more annoyed than before. "If that's all then I'm hanging up. Leave this me and the other heroes and don't bother concerning yourself with it."

In a rare moment, Fuyumi's temper flared up.

"Am I not allowed to be worried about my own brother?" she snapped raising her voice. "Am I not allowed to hope he'll come home safely? Am I?"

There was silence on the other end. Endeavour had never heard his daughter sound angry before.

Fuyumi quickly calmed down.

"Sorry but, I am worried. Dad, I know you consider me a failure because I wasn't like you or Shoto. I've always known that. You even made it abundantly clear since I was a child. However, even if Shoto is your masterpiece and the rest of us are failures, we are still his siblings. And as such, we will always worry about each other," Fuyumi lamented. "I've already lost one brother. I don't want to lose another."

Endeavour said nothing. Fuyumi knew very well he didn't like it when his eldest son was mentioned but Fuyumi didn't care.

"There will be a meeting tonight where all heroes and police shall meet and discuss the evidence that has been found," Endeavour finally said. "Something may come up, or it may not. That's all I can tell you."

Fuyumi sighed with some relief.

"Thank you," she said.

With that Endeavour hung up.

Fuyumi walked towards her own room, where she took out a picture she kept hidden from her father.

It was one of her mother Rei, herself and all her siblings when they were younger.

While their father was out Rei suggested they take one altogether.

It was the only real family photo she had. It was the only one that made her feel like they were a normal family, even though they weren't.

Looking at their faces Fuyumi sunk to the ground and began to cry, wondering what they ever did to deserve this life. She looked at her mother, and mostly her twin.

Tears flowed out of her like a river.

"I-I-I-I wish y-y-you were here," she sobbed.

Tensei Iida

Tensei was feeling less than well. Actually, he felt worse than usual. Why? Because his little brother had been kidnapped by an unknown group this morning for God knows what purpose. He wanted so badly to help find Tenya, but unfortunately, he was confined to this godforsaken bed in the hospital, and by extension, that stupid wheelchair he used to move around.

Ever since he was defeated by the hero-killer he had been paralysed from waist downwards. There was nothing that could be done about it but still, he had never felt so frustrated and angry, as well as useless as he had in that moment.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of one who he considered his best friend, Koichi Haimawari.

"Hey," Koichi greeted. "I thought I should come in and see you."

"Thanks," Tensei replied with a forced smile. "If it's about what's going on outside, I already know. Not that there's much I can do about it."

His mother had come in earlier and informed him about what happened. She did her best to remain calm, but in the end, she broke down in tears. She couldn't stand the thought of what might happen to Tenya, especially since she wasn't over what had happened to him.

Tensei understood.

His mother had married into this family, and while she supported her son's dreams, she was always worried about the dangers they might face as heroes. It was possible that she might be more vocal about Tenya remaining at UA after this.

Koichi gazed at his friend sadly.

"I'm not gonna ask how you're doing," Koichi stated. "I already have a pretty good idea."

"Do you?" Tensei asked sullenly.

"Not the way you do but yes, I do," Koichi retorted.

Tensei sighed. He then looked at Koichi seriously.

"I'm assuming you didn't come here to visit me. Have you heard any news, from your side?" Tensei guessed.

He had worked with Koichi's group several times already, more than any pro hero would or should do. He knew they were also capable of acquiring information most heroes and police couldn't.

"How perceptive," Koichi complimented. His expression darkened. "Your right. The truth is, my group and I might have a lead on who took your brother, as well as those other people."

Tensei listened intensively. He would remain silent for the entire explanation. Taking a deep breath, Koichi began telling his friend what he knew.

"We've been investigating the underground for a couple of weeks now because we heard rumours about illegal activity taking place there. It's not that it's unusual but in this case, it was more extreme than others. The rumours were people getting kidnapped and forced to fight in an underground arena, however, they were not just forced to fight, they were also sold into slavery by this one group. We came up with a list of suspects since there are various groups in the criminal underground, and, eventually, after much research and running by several information brokers, we discovered that the group that was behind it all was none other than the organisation Hades," Koichi explained.

Tensei flinched with fear. He knew that group. They weren't exactly public knowledge, but every hero and police officer knew who they were, sort of. Koichi wasn't done.

"From what we gathered, they're the largest criminal organisation in the underground, and the most successful because they rarely, if ever, fail at a job. Their leader is a man by the name of Shiro, a powerful individual, who has fought villains like AFO and Atrocity singlehandedly and come out with very few scars."

Tensei gulped. The fear he possessed for his brother's situation just increased drastically.

"We heard rumours they were planning something big, but we weren't sure what. When we heard about what happened at the mall today, we weren't sure if it was them or not since there was no evidence of who attacked. However, Sora managed to recover the footage from today, and when she did, we saw that several people bore the symbol Hades group verifying that it was them."

Koichi decided that it would be a good idea to leave out the part where Tenya and his friends were beaten down and defeated. He had a very good idea of how his friend would react if he found out, and Koichi didn't want him to go through that.

Tensei was shaking with a mixture of horror and rage. These people, these villains, assaulted his little brother, and now they were forcing him to be a part of illegal activities. It made his blood boil, which was highly uncharacteristic of him.

"Do you know where they are?" Tensei asked softly.

"Not yet no," Koichi replied rubbing his head. "We're close but, Hades is incredibly hard to locate. I'm surprised that they've managed to stay hidden this long. We will find them though, of that I swear to you."

Tensei stared at the sheets covering him. He carefully weighed his options as his friend waited for his response.

"Koichi, please save my brother," Tensei pleaded. "However, if the situation becomes too dangerous for you and your friends, get the hell out of there. I don't want to lose someone else I care about. I've already lost so much."

Koichi grinned proudly. "Who do you think you're talking to. Of course, I will. I can't promise I won't come out of it unscathed, however."

"Koichi," Tensei said softly. "I'm serious."

Koichi looked back at him. "I know you are."

Tomura Shigaraki

Tomura, like many, was shocked at the news about the raid on the mall, even more so about who was behind it. Giran had informed his group that Shiro was behind it all.

For the past few weeks, Tomura's group had been on the run from the heroes, police and Atrocity's faction.

They had managed to stay hidden from the first two but had encountered Atrocity's group several times. On one occasion they had two Nomu with them but in the end Tomura's group emerged the victor.

It was like that with all their battles, no enemy left alive, which would be considered an act of mercy considering what that sick psycho would have done when his henchmen failed.

Tomura's group worked together well as a team. Being on his own forced him to take the role of a leader seriously and put an end to his childlike personality.

That wasn't to say Tomura was okay, because he wasn't. Ever since Sensei's death, no his murder, he had resorted to his own habits of decaying his own body. He never went too far, as his comrades would notice, and he didn't want their pity. It was something he first developed after being given his hands when he was a child to deal with the trauma until Sensei put a stop to it.

"Where is Toga?" Compress asked.

"Out gathering intel," Tomura informed him. "With her quirk, she should be able to move around undetected."

Toga's quirk 'Transform' allowed her to take on the appearance of another person depending on how much blood belonging to them she ingested. It was perfect for stealth and espionage which was why Tomura often sent her out errand and recon missions, which ended in success.

"Any news on Dabi or Deku?" Compress asked.

"You know I would have told you all if there was," Tomura snapped. He noticed Twice sulking in the corner at the mention of his two comrades. "Wherever they are it's in a place where the heroes are keeping a close eye on them. We will continue to search for them, but now, we need to look after ourselves."

"We know that darling," Magne piped up. "It just seems strange that we haven't heard anything about them at all."

"They're not in any prisons," Spinner pointed out. "Every information broker we've gone to said so."

There was silence between the villains.

Spinner had a point. If Deku and Dabi were captured they were surely in police custody, where else would they be? They weren't dead, of that they were all sure of. Then again, if they were free why hadn't they contacted them?

"Perhaps they are in a prison, just not the way we're thinking of," Compress suggested. All eyes turned on him. "A common trick used by magicians such as myself is hiding an object in plain sight so the audience can't figure out where it is. Perhaps the police did the same thing with our missing comrades, which is why we haven't been able to locate them."

Tomura considered it for a minute. It wasn't impossible. If there was one thing this society was good at it was covering up news.

"It's possible, but that only makes the search more complicated," Tomura declared. Then he thought of something else. "Who knows though? Deku might reappear now that Shiro's resurfaced."

That earned him questioning stares from everyone present.

"Does Deku know Shiro?" Compress asked. "What's more how?"

Tomura sighed. He always knew this story might come up eventually.

"Around seven months ago, Razor, the person who taught Deku how to fight, took him on a sort of field trip to the criminal underworld to show him just how fucked up the world really was. Things didn't go as planned and he got captured by Hades where he was forced to fight in those underground matches. He was only supposed to be there for two weeks but instead, it was a month. Eventually, Razor broke him out and brought him back with Kurogiri's help," Tomura told them. "When he arrived back, he was so traumatised by what happened Sensei wiped his memory."

His team members stared at him in shock. They couldn't believe Deku had gone through such an ordeal at his age.

They didn't know the full story. Tomura could still remember how they crashed into the bar through Kurogiri, on a freaking motorcycle. Razor was wounded, but not as much as Izuku. He could also remember how furious Sensei was about what happened, with Razor for not looking after him properly, and for what Shiro had done.

Sensei forbade anyone from talking about it with Izuku in fear of what it might do to Izuku.

Tomura didn't mind, and in fact, he even understood why. He and Kurogiri were given the full details on what transpired at Hades so, it was better to keep quiet about it, for the sake of Izuku's sanity.

"What happened to him aside, it's not important right now," Tomura declared. "We need to get back to work."

Quietly, the other members went about their usual duties.

Hades Group: Children's section

Umi and Utada led the newcomers to the children's section where they would be staying. It was a large area with toilets, bathing sections, with two big rooms filled with bunk beds that were all gender-segregated. There was even a play area for the children and the door to the training ground for the teenagers.

As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by children that looked between the ages of nine and twelve, there weren't any teenagers.

"Umi, who are these people?" a thin girl with pixie wings, light purple skin and pink hair asked.

Umi smiled at the girl and said, "These are students that were just brought in Yosei."

Yosei blinked. Her expression then morphed into one of confusion.

"I don't understand. We just got Kai a few days ago, why suddenly bring in more kids?" she questioned.

Umi shrugged. "It was Shiro's idea. There are adults who were brought in as well."

Yosei appeared to accept the explanation as she said nothing.

"Want us to take the kids with us and explain how things work around here?" a boy with the appearance of a red fox offered.

"That would be wonderful Kitsune," Utada declared. "Please do that."

The ones called Yosei and Kitsune signalled for the younger kids to come with them. Despite their nervousness, the children went with them, leaving the teenagers alone with the two women.

"Now, let's get down to business," Umi declared. "First of all, I completely understand that none of you wants to be here. No one ever does. However, this is your situation now, so you'll just have to deal with it. My sister and I didn't want to be here, but we are. We look after the children, like you. I mostly act as a guard for this place, however, like you, it's not of my own will. Do you understand? We're all in the same boat."

Umi indicated to the collars around her and Utada's necks. It surprised the students to learn that these two were slaves as well.

"As you can see a lot of the areas around here are gender-segregated however, there's a common room here for both. Food is generally delivered here, and you can eat it wherever you want. There's also the training ground which you'll be taken to practice your fighting styles when you have to compete in the underground matches."

Umi heard a "Tch" from one of the students and sighed.

"Look it's fine if you don't want to fight but at the same time, you have to. Look at where you're standing and what situation you're in, you are in no position to refuse. If you try, you'll be punished severely, and won't just affect solely you, but everyone around you, us and those kids you saw too." The students stared at the ground in defeat and despair. This was truly their situation now, and there wasn't a thing they could do about it, not unless someone came to rescue them. Only a few held their heads high.

"Now that you understand your position, does anyone have any questions? Just ask and we shall answer."

The students exchanged glances with each other. At first, they weren't sure of what to say. Then one of them finally thought of a question.

"My name is Saiko Intelli of Seiai Academy," a tall girl with white hair wearing a Parisian style black and white outfit. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. The man who runs this domain, Shiro I believe he's called, mentioned something about fighting in underground battles. Would you happen to know what those are like?"

Seiai Academy was an all-girls hero school that was quite prestigious and had a good reputation. While most hero schools were co-ed, there were a couple that was single gender-based.

'Definitely, a rich girl who's been raised in a more sophisticated environment,' Utada thought. 'She's polite though, which is nice compared to most of the other people living in this shithole.'

"Brutal, just downright brutal," Umi stated bluntly and honestly. "And before you ask, yes, competitors do die, on more than one occasion. Most people are lucky to walk away with just a few broken bones. They're even more lucky to walk away with only scars and bruises."

Umi could the uneasy expressions on their faces. In her opinion, it was a good thing. The sooner they understood just what they were up against the better.

"What other jobs will we be assigned? Not everyone here has a quirk that's suited to combat," Kendo argued.

"True," Umi agreed. "Everyone will be given a job that's best suited to them. You see down here quirks aren't everything. Shiro investigates what a person is skilled at and then exploits their talents to use for his own gain. For instance, we have a quirkless woman as the lead scientist and weapons developer here. She even made the gadgets that brought you down. She has an assistant who is also quirkless and is a teen like you. He has a knack for designing support gear for our members."

"I also possess an excellent sense of fashion, so if you need help call me," a male yet soft and elegant voice rang.

The source of the voice was a young man of fourteen, with dark hair combed back to the point where his right eye, golden eyes, a handsome face, and a neck that was slightly longer than usual. He was tall in appearance and wore jeans, a black t-shirt with characters from Fairy Tail on it, brown sneakers and a blue hoodie. He was smiling warmly at the new arrivals as well.

"Shita, what a pleasant surprise," Utada greeted cheerfully. "Are finished for today already?"

Shita grinned mischievously at her.

"Nope. I heard we had some newcomers and I wanted to check them out," Shita responded while holding his hands behind his head. "I must say, I didn't expect this many. Are they regular students or are some of them from hero schools?"

"Of the fifty here, forty-five are, one is a Gen Ed student while the others are kids that skipped school for the day," Umi explained, causing Shita to gasp. For Shiro to get his hands on this many hero students made it the man's lucky day. "Be nice to them. Also, everyone, this is Shita, one of those two individuals I was talking about a few seconds ago. Treat him with respect."

"Of course," he responded in a flamboyant tone. "Names Shita. Nice to meet you! If you need help with your clothes feel free to come to me for help. I can make anything that's suited to your style. I'm better at designing for boys but I can design clothes for girls. I also make support items for people. You'll need to get special permission to use support gear in your fights and other duties I'm afraid but, behave and work hard enough and you'll be granted the equipment you desire."

The students were surprised at this teen's friendly and cheerful demeanour. How could he act this way in a place like this? Bakugo had a different reaction to this person. He walked up to Shita and grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in close enough that their faces were only inches apart.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" he half asked half demanded.

Shita frowned.

"No, I don't think so," Shita replied honestly. "I think I'd remember meeting someone like you Katsuki Bakugo."

Katsuki said nothing but glared at the younger male. He wasn't lying when he asked that question. He didn't know how or when but, somehow, he knew this boy, or at the very least he seemed familiar to him. He just couldn't think of when. He released Shita by the collar and walked away.

"Tch," Katsuki scowled. "Whatever. I don't need anything designed by a quirkless person, not when someone with a quirk can do it so much better."

"Bakugo, that was uncalled for," Tenya stated.

"Yeah, don't be mean," Mina piped up.

"It's alright, I'm used to it. That's how everyone starts off when they hear about me, then they see how good I am and change their minds," Shita reasoned. He then changed to a more serious tone of voice. "Let me ask you something Bakugo. What makes you think I can't design something better than a quirked individual? Have you ever seen the stuff I've made? Have you ever tested any devices made by me? Let me answer that one for you: no, you haven't. So, don't go judging before you try it."

Katsuki growled. "Why would I need to? You're quirkless so,"

"And that automatically makes me useless?" Shita interrupted, his voice now cold with a hint of anger.

Katsuki glared at him and nodded. Shita sighed. It didn't matter how many times he went through this; it was always so tiring and frustrating. He'd had to put up with this for most of his life.

"Okay then, let me ask you another question. For the things I do, why would a quirk be necessary? There are many people in those industries that don't have quirks suited to the job, yet they do it anyway." Shita paused momentarily to catch Bakugo's reaction. It was a mixture of anger and uncertainty, just what he was going for. "Take Best Jeanist and Power Loader for example. True their quirks help with bringing their designs to life, but at the end of the day they're the ones that made it, not their quirks. They used their own intelligence, technical and creational skills to do it."

The students were exchanging glances with each other.

"Most of you seem to forget, the world started off as quirkless. For centuries that's the way things were, and many inventions today are based on theories and designs by quirkless people. So go on, call me useless and weak, but the next time you try and degrade a quirkless person remember this moment."

That seemed to shut Bakugo up. They began making mental notes on how to judge someone not by their quirk, but by their abilities.

"I apologise for our colleague's rude behaviour, he's like that with everyone," Elena defended. She didn't want to make enemies around here, not unless she could help it. "His behaviour aside I'm sure many of us will be coming to you in the future, so please take care of us."

She bowed her head as a sign of politeness.

"Sure thing," Shita replied, his cheerful demeanour having returned. "On to more important matters."

"Do any of you have any questions you'd like answered?" Utada asked.

The students thought about it.

"Earlier Shiro said no one would come for us, does that mean no one has ever escaped before?" Asui asked. "Or been rescued even?"

The three individuals exchanged uneasy glances with each other. It wasn't something they liked talking about around here, but it wasn't something they wanted to forget either.

"Once," Umi admitted softly. "Someone escaped once, with some outside help."

"However, the outside help he received had a thorough knowledge of this place, and they weren't the sort of opponents to be taken lightly," Utada added. "He didn't plan to escape at the time, the opportunity just presented itself and he ran for it."

"He was a friend of ours, one who we're glad got away and hope he never comes back, especially after what he did to Shiro," Shita explained with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"What did he do?" Setsuna asked nervously.

The three people stared at her.

They all spoke at the same time. "He was in a fight with Shiro and was losing badly, but at the right moment, he took out that man's eye."

The students were both intrigued and terrified of this individual that managed to accomplish such a feat.

"Don't talk about this though," Umi warned. "Shiro was furious after he escaped. He was harsher on people for a while and increased guard duty. He even killed people just for bringing it up. Three months ago, He reverted to his usual self, but other than that don't mention it in front of him."

There was silence. The students were now aware of one thing not to do around this place.

"I know this might sound a lot to ask but, these fights we'll be participating in, would it be possible for us to see them first, just to have a clear idea of what we're up against?" Shoto asked politely.

Umi thought about it for a minute.

"I'll ask, but I'm not promising anything," she finally said.

Shoto and several others nodded in understanding.

Police Headquarters

Police and heroes gathered for the meeting at police headquarters to discuss what had happened earlier that day. In attendance were the highest-ranking heroes, including Best Jeanist despite still being in recovery, and the highest-ranking police officials. Several UA staff (including Nezu) were in attendance. Edgeshot, for some reason, wasn't there and neither was Mt. Lady. It was irrelevant at that moment as the meeting moved forward.

"First of all, thank you for all attending this meeting," the President of the Public Safety Commission, an elderly woman with short hair, announced. "Without further ado, let the meeting commence. First off, on our agenda, identifying the people responsible for this barbaric act. I believe the evidence uncovered in relation to this came from UA after several students returned. Principal Nezu if you would?"

"Of course," Nezu acknowledged. "Earlier today students Jiro, Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami of Class 1A returned after escaping their attackers at the mall. From them, we acquired a description of what these villains looked like and their abilities."

There were a few murmurs. Trouble seemed to always find that class, whether they wanted it or not.

"Further investigation revealed that these individuals were part of the criminal organisation Hades, and this attack was conducted at the order of their leader Shiro," Nezu announced.

Everyone began exchanging worried glances and whispers amongst themselves. They all knew who this group was, and what their leader was capable of.

Even Endeavour was wary. This would be a very dangerous foe, one not to be taken lightly.

"How did you trace the thread to this information?" Best Jeanist asked. "Hades is a rather elusive group, that rarely, if ever, leaves any evidence behind?"

Nezu glanced at Naomasa, who nodded in understanding. They would try and avoid referencing Izuku at all costs. Naomasa's superiors agreed to leave Izuku out of this meeting, but only if he wasn't brought up.

"I shall turn you over to Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi on that one," Nezu declared.

"Thank you, Principal," Naomasa said. "We conducted several interviews with several villains who were part of major organisations to see if they knew anything. Eventually, we interviewed Dabi from the League of Villains and he actually had quite a bit to say." Naomasa could still remember how angry Dabi was when he heard about this, which made sense considering his identity. "We learned that Hades organizes underground battles which are made up of people they kidnap and force into slavery. It generally extends from teenagers to adults as children are seen as too young and inexperienced to fight, they are still given minor jobs though."

Some of the people present flinched at that description. Just what kind of horror were those innocent civilians going through right now.

"The leader, Shiro, is a man in his forties but looks to be in his twenties. We have a full body description of the man, and details on his quirk. Dabi didn't know the name, but Shiro's quirk allows him to manipulate light in any shape or form. He's fought with individuals such as AFO and Atrocity in the past. Due to his strength and threat, we've upped his ranking to an SS-rate villain."

That explanation was terrifying enough. There were very few villains that achieved that rank, and those that did very extremely dangerous.

"If the League knew them then shouldn't you have asked that pet villain of yours about them?" Endeavour questioned.

Naomasa gulped. 'Goddammit Endeavour.'

'Goddammit Enji' All Might mentally shouted. 'Of all the times for you to- ughhh.'

The pros exchanged curious and confused glances. The police officials sighed inwardly. So much for keeping quiet.

"Oh, didn't you all know? UA is housing a villain that worked for the League of Villains, a quirkless villain," Endeavour announced. "One who was involved in the USJ Incident."

The room erupted into shouts and roars.

None could understand why UA would allow a villain to attend their school.

Others were curious about him being quirkless. What use could he possibly be to the League?

Others were wondering what the hell Endeavour was talking about.

The room was quieted by the General Commissioner and the President.

"I'm sure you all have questions but now isn't the time," the President declared.

"Now seems like the perfect time to me," Fourth Kind muttered.

Some pros nodded in agreement.

Sighing in defeat the Commissioner-General decided to explain.

"Okay, you want the truth, fine, we'll tell you the truth. A villain codenamed Deku was captured alongside AFO during the battle of Kamino. He was transferred to UA as a sort of protection detail due to several attempts made on his life. These include a Nomu attack at Hosu which was aiming at him specifically, Atrocity trying to gun him down at Kamino, and some metallic weapon at the villain hospital. Given that he helped several UA students in the past, this is a way of reforming him. Furthermore, the skills he possesses, they are not something to be looked down on, and in all honesty, they are better off on our side than the villains."

Endeavour sneered. He didn't see what a quirkless person like him could accomplish.

The other heroes were surprised. This villain, Midoriya, `they couldn't understand why but, he was dangerous.

"Quirk analysis and science experiments, coupled with expert martial arts skills make him extremely dangerous," the Commissioner-General explained in a low serious tone. "He defeated Bakugo and Todoroki with little assistance. So, mark my words, do not underestimate him. His abilities made the League even more powerful."

Despite not entirely believing it, the heroes did not take his words lightly.

"Is this the boy Mina Ashido defended when we came to rescue her and Bakugo?" Kamui Woods asked. "The one who defended her from Atrocity?"

Kamui hadn't forgotten about the boy at Kamino. He remembered how Mina spoke up for him when he saved her. He was surprised at how old he looked; he must have been the same age as the students. How someone as young as him became a villain he didn't understand.

Out of all the League members that were restrained, he was the only one who didn't struggle or try to escape. He was the only one to accept his capture and subsequent defeat, a rare trait seen in most villains, or rather a rare trait seen in most people.

"Boy? How old is he?" Death Arms asked.

"Sixteen," Nezu answered before anyone else could.

"Sixteen. That's sad to think someone so young became a villain," Ryukyu mourned.

Some heroes agreed with her.

"Okay. I'm sorry but can we get to the topic at hand. I thought we were here to discuss how to deal with these bastards, not discuss some teenage villain," Miruko barked.

"The Rabbit Hero is correct," the President said. "Let us not sway from the path in front of us."

Endeavour wasn't willing to let the matter go. He was still angry at that quirkless piece of filth for humiliating him when he visited UA last time.

"Why not question him to be sure?" he suggested. "And be a little forceful in methods just to make sure he isn't lying."

The police officials and UA staff groaned in frustration.

"We can't," Midnight said. Before he could ask why she spoke again. "Because Midoriya is still unconscious after suffering from a panic attack today." The stunned silence that followed filled the air with tension. "When he recognised the leader's name, it triggered certain memories that can only be described as traumatic. He is not in the condition to tell you anything."

Endeavour didn't really care whether the brat was traumatised or not, they needed answers and he had them.

"If you wish to discuss Midoriya's time at Hades we shall do so at the end, but now, we need to focus on more important matters," the General Commissioner declared.

Endeavour scowled. The other heroes didn't seem to mind but they did feel sorry for the boy.

"From information, we gathered off of Dabi, we now know a way in, and have a detailed account of some of their members and their quirks," the President announced. The heroes and police officials listened intently. "Following this information, we will conduct a raid on Hades group within four days. Please understand that we need time to prepare everything for this event. They will have the home advantage and multiple ways to keep us out so please bear with us."

As frustrated as they were, they didn't argue. They sat quietly and listened.

Hades Group: Underground Arena

Umi came back and informed them that they (the students) were allowed to look at the fights. Apparently, Shiro thought it was a good idea to prepare them for what was to come.

The underground arena was incredibly large.

It was circular with devices surrounding it to change the environment of the field depending on the fight. The stands were up high, and the arena was held in by a reinforced cage. One would think it was the coliseum from Rome (which wouldn't have been a bad comparison). Currently, there were two individuals fighting inside, Lobo and some random strong guy.

"Hey it's Lobo," Umi said. "He's a strong fighter who's fought and survived in this place for years. He also helps us look after the children."

The students watched in amazement as the one called Lobo dominated his opponent with several punches, kicks and German suplexes. Then, to finish, Lobo performed a powerbomb on his opponent to win the fight.

"He's definitely strong," Shoto murmured.

He would need to be careful when facing him in the future. Katsuki wasn't really interested in Lobo though he did acknowledge him as strong.

"Where's Shiro?" he demanded. "I really want to pummel that bastard for what he did to me."

Umi groaned. This one would be a difficult one.

"Well, you can't. Shiro doesn't fight with," she started.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that Umi," came a voice she knew all too well.

Turning behind her she saw her boss/captor leaning against the wall grinning at her. He then waved cheerfully at her.

"Shiro, what are you doing here?" Umi asked completely baffled at the situation.

"I run this place," he reminded her.

"I know that. It's just, you never check on new arrivals, and you hardly, if ever come down to this area," Umi reasoned.

"True," he acknowledged. "However, I rarely get a bunch this valuable wouldn't you agree. So, I wanted to check them out myself. I also couldn't help but overhear Bakugo here saying he wants to, what's the word, 'pummel' me."

Umi felt her heart sink. This would not end well. No one was ever to threaten Shiro, especially since it would end very badly.

Bakugo brought up his fists, ready for a fight.

Shiro chuckled.

"And I thought, why deny him the opportunity," he said much to everyone's surprise. "So how bout it Bakugo? Think you can take me on by yourself."

"I'll kill you," Katsuki snarled in response.

Shiro smirked. "By all means try, I dare you. Oh, and Umi, this won't be a deathmatch, so you don't have to worry."

"I'm going to send for the medical squad if that's alright," she said nervously.

"Smart choice," Shiro applauded. He turned to face his upcoming opponent. "Now let's get ready, shall we?"

Hades Assassins

Shiro's assassins were ready to head out. The pair were Shino Tenshin and Blade.

"Time to move out," Shino declared in a high yet emotionless voice.

Shino was a young woman close to her thirties with a tall, thin figure. She possessed long snowy white hair and crimson red eyes. She wore a white sleeveless mini dress, white gloves, and high heel boots. Attached to her back was a katana sealed in its sheathe, however, hidden in the rest of her outfit were several shurikens, knives and mist bombs.

"We're supposed to capture Deku, not kill him. I still want to fight him to see how much he's changed if that's alright," Blade said in a rough yet excited voice.

Blade's appearance was completely covered. He wore loose grey robes that made him look like a ninja. He was bald with dark eyes and had several scars over his head and face, which he covered with a jester mask. He was taller than Shino and had a well-built body.

Having said enough, the two moved out towards UA.

Edgeshot

Edgeshot was running late to the meeting, which wasn't a good thing. He got distracted helping someone attacked by a thug.

Suddenly he saw a figure flashing above him onto a high-rise building. The figure stood admiring the view of the city.

"Wait a second, is that?" Edgeshot realised.

When the figure started moving, he did the same. His plans had suddenly changed to something more important.

"What are you doing here? And what are you up to?" he wondered.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku woke up on a bed in the hospital. He collected his thoughts on why he was there and remembered he'd had a panic attack.

"That was unexpected," he murmured.

He lay back in bed, not falling asleep, but in deep thought.

He remembered everything, or at least most of it.

Shiro.

Hades.

The friends he had made, as well as the enemies.

His deeds.

Her.

"So, what do I do now?" he wondered.

All while he remained blissfully unaware of the danger that approached him.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Oh my God, that was a long chapter.

A couple of things I'd like to announce about this arc are:

Izuku's past will be further expanded on. It will also be shown through an entire chapter or two focused on a flashback.

Since this is an original arc there will be a lot of OC's in it, though they won't be as important for the rest of the story.

A couple more quirkless characters will be introduced because I don't want Izuku and Naomasa (who I didn't find out had a quirk until later) to be the only ones. They'll be good for showing the prejudice in society.

Characters such as the Illegals (with two OC's of mine), Gentle Criminal and La Brava, Razor, Stain, Dabi, Gang Orca, and Grand Torino will be making an appearance. I really want them to be in this so I'm going for it.

Next chapter will mostly be a battle one. I hope you liked reading this one. Thank you. Please review.

Chapter 40: Katsuki vs Shiro

Summary:

Bakugo faces off against the leader of Hades.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Society was completely on edge. Civilians had all returned home early. They were incredibly nervous and for good reason. Hundreds of people had been kidnapped at the Mall today and nobody knew where they were.

The heroes were working towards saving them however, they hadn't been able to prevent the incident from happening in the first place.

They were losing faith in the people that protected them, and it wasn't the first time. Ever since the first assault on UA, the public's trust had been slowly diminishing. The heroes had managed to replenish the trust at different times, only for it to fall back down again. This time it was heroes, in general, they were frustrated with, not just UA, because unlike the other times, they knew it wasn't their fault because they weren't specifically targeted this time.

The parents of the kidnapped students were of the same opinion however they were still incredibly worried. When they were informed of what had happened, they initially lashed out at UA for failing to protect their children yet again and considered pulling them out of the school.

That was until one of the parents Anastasia Belikov (Elena's mother) pointed out that UA wasn't at fault for what occurred because they were not present.

Anastasia greatly resembled her daughter, barring the eyes which were turquoise, hair which stretched to her neck, and a few facial features. Anastasia was originally from Russia and was General of the Ground Force division.

Her husband was Japanese and served under her command when he worked in Russia. Through several battles the two fell in love and married, starting a family of their own. Recently their jobs forced them to move to Japan where she quickly became a general in the JSDF thanks to her reputation.

Her quirk was similar to her daughter's, though not the exact same. Anastasia's quirk was 'Empathy' which allowed her to sense the emotions of those around her. With the right training, she had managed to control the emotions of others, being able to calm a raging crowd, and make even the most depressing of individuals happy. This quirk, while it might not sound like much, was very powerful. It allowed Anastasia to sense hostile intent, identifying her enemies, pick up on where enemy forces were located (from great distances) and verify if someone was being sincere, like how she knew her husband's feelings for her.

That aside all the parents were extremely worried and awaited news of their children's fates. Those whose children had returned to UA already visited them and had a long talk about what happened. No mentions of transferring out of the school now, but the students could tell what they were really feeling. Still, the parents were happy that their children escaped with little injuries.

One other person was taking the news differently to Japan.

Atrocity

Atrocity watched the news with venom in his eyes. It hadn't been reported but, from what he observed about the incident, and from what he heard from one of his underlings, it seemed that that asshole he often batted heads with had resurfaced.

"What the fuck Shiro!" Atrocity snarled. "Why pull a stunt like this? Why now? If you think kidnapping a few new pawns for you to use will help you get one over on me, you're wrong!"

He and Shiro had been enemies for as long as he could remember. There was hardly ever a time when they didn't engage in an all-out death brawl with each other when they came face-to-face.

At first glance, one would think that they would get along well, almost like best friends, because of how similar their personalities were. However, neither of them liked being controlled by others, they both preferred to be at the top giving orders not receiving them. They both wanted to be the ruler of all crime.

Unfortunately, there was only one throne, and only one could have it, leading to the two of them clashing constantly.

Occasionally they would each send a couple of villains after each other, which would usually be returned in pieces. It wouldn't be wrong to describe one another as the bane of their existence.

Atrocity glanced at the screen of his computer, which had just started beeping. It was a report from Viper. It seemed the new batch of Nomu was finally complete.

Over the past few weeks, in addition to hunting Tomura, expanding his influence, and dealing with that insane pain in his ass Shiro, Atrocity had been manufacturing multiple Nomu at a large rate. As complicated as it sounded, they weren't that difficult to create, when you had 'AFO' on your side that is.

Quirks such as 'Shock Absorption' and 'Regeneration' didn't exactly come in large quantities, so they need to be provided in the form of 'AFO', or rather the DNA of the quirk's wielder. By extracting the DNA from the user, while the quirks are active, it is possible to give them the quirks without permanently losing them.

The trouble was the person they were given to only had the quirks for about a day or less before they broke down and disappeared. As such, scientists like Viper had devised a way to hold the quirks together by using a machine in the form of a laser to weld the quirks together like metal.

When the quirks were transferred, the DNA was registered as those to whom they originally belonged to.

As of now, he had produced over five hundred Nomu who were in waiting at several warehouses for the day when they would be released.

That day was coming, the day when Atrocity would launch an all-out attack on Japan, and slaughter anyone who got in the way. He would crush the hero's association, and destroy the society people lived in.

He would then build it back up in his image. For the time, he would settle for Japan, until he wanted more. It was all coming soon, once he'd dealt with all his current issues. Like the one he had now.

"Shiro, you fucker, if you think that with all your resources, and your recent media boost, you'll get closer to beating me, you're sorely mistaken!" Atrocity swore.

An underling of his came to drop off a parcel, and when he did, Atrocity grabbed him by the throat and ignited him on fire with one of his quirks. He was getting better at mastering them.

The underling screamed in agony as he was burned alive, which brought a smile to his psychotic leader's face.

With some of his frustration vented, Atrocity turned towards the screen.

"I will win Shiro. And when I do, I will stand over your body and make you beg for mercy after I've taken your quirk," Atrocity exclaimed in a greedy voice. "And then everything that's yours will become mine as it rightfully should be."

Hades Group: Underground Arena

The entire population of the underground arena was tense about what was about to happen. Just a few minutes ago they had learned that Shiro, the Shiro, was going to fight in a match shortly against a newcomer.

It was incredibly rare for the man to fight in these games unless it was someone who he really hated and wanted dead by his own hand. That said, they were also feeling slightly sorry for the individual who was about to die considering what Shiro was likely to do to them.

Speaking of which, the very man walked out into the centre of the arena to address the crowd.

The audience immediately fell silent.

"Villains, thugs, murderers, and thieves alike, as well as any other degenerative lowlife that's sitting here," Shiro announced in a booming voice. "Right now, I'm sure you're all confused and just thinking what the fuck is going on! Who was it that pissed me off this time to earn a death sentence this extreme? And why is it a newcomer?"

In the stands where the UA students and their guardians were.

"Death sentence?" Ochaco whispered.

"This extreme?" Tsuyu added.

Shita sighed. "Shiro might run these fights but, it's very rare for him to actually fight in them. He only does so to punish someone who got on his bad side and make an example of them by killing them in a brutal fashion. He could just have them killed but he'd rather give them a fighting chance. More interesting in his opinion. Most of the time he's too busy with some other illegal activity."

That raised some questions.

"Other illegal activity?" Kendo asked worriedly.

Shita nodded.

"He doesn't just organise these fights you know," said a soft feminine voice.

They turned to see a woman of average height, short black hair tied back, magenta pink eyes, and facial features that made her out to be quite beautiful. She wore glasses, a long white coat with a red skirt and a black top underneath, and black high heels.

"I'm sure you were all told that you'd be fighting, and doing random jobs, but that's only a few things. Hades is the largest organisation for a reason. It is involved in various activities. Ranging from human and drug trafficking, thievery, torture, assassinations, kidnapping, extortion, and weapons trade, anyone will pay anything to give them an edge. The list goes on." The woman finished her explanation but ignored the shocked expressions of the students.

"I'm surprised to see you here Rika. You're usually not interested in this sort of thing," Shita exclaimed.

Rika shrugged. "I heard Shiro was fighting someone and wanted to see who the poor victim was. The lab's been locked up, so he won't mind if I take a break to watch."

The students didn't like the word victim and how she said it.

Shoto however recognised her name.

"So, you're the chief scientist and weapons developer around here then," he guessed.

"Hmm, I'm guessing either Shita or Umi told you about me," Rika replied in a tired voice. "Speaking of which where is she? She wouldn't just leave children like you unattended in a place like this."

"She's off getting the medical squad," Shita informed her. "This isn't a deathmatch, Shiro made that very clear. It's just regular fighting, or rather a regular beatdown."

Rika's eyes widened in surprise.

"Shiro's not going to kill this person that's unusual," she murmured.

"No kidding," Speed Demon said. "I can't remember a single time when he didn't kill his opponent."

"Indeed," Atlas added. "Perhaps he means to use this person to set an example for the recent additions to Hades."

The students flinched at seeing them, not having noticed them before.

Tenya, Kendo, and Tetsutetsu having recognised them were on their guards in an instant. The attacks from these two were still fresh in their minds making them wary of the danger right next to them. This did not go unnoticed.

Faster than anyone could see, Speed Demon was next to Tenya with his elbow resting on his shoulder, much to the latter's surprise.

"Look, I know you're upset about us attacking and kidnapping you, and we really are sorry but, please understand we didn't have a choice," Speed Demon assured him. "If we didn't follow orders, then we would have been the ones subjected to unspeakable torture, and possibly death."

"Around here, Shiro's word is law," Atlas preached. "Disobey it and you shall suffer a fate worse than death. Us attacking you was not out of spite, malevolent or malicious intent. It was simply because our lives were on the line."

Tenya eyed them both suspiciously. From what he could see, they didn't have collars around their necks.

"If that were true, then why don't you," he started.

"They do," Rika interrupted him. "They're just not as visible as yours." Everyone stared at her in confusion. "Members like Atlas and Speed Demon here, powerful members who must be controlled under any circumstance so that there's no resistance, are given a special type of collar. One in the form of a bomb that's injected into their neck, though it can still hurt them." The students gasped. If what they were saying was true, then that meant that they were as much as slaves as the rest of them. "So, as you can see, they're in the same position as you."

Atlas kept a cool demeanour but was nevertheless upset at the statement.

Speed Demon stared at the ground sadly.

It wasn't as though either of them liked their jobs, quite the opposite actually.

Another thing about their collars was, if they refused to carry out an order, they would feel an intense amount of pain (not electrification but worse). At the same time, they didn't want to die, so they usually followed whatever orders they were given.

"I'm sorry," Tenya apologised immediately. "I didn't know."

Speed Demon smiled at him. "It's alright. It's not your fault after all. Most of us ended up here because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

It wasn't a lie. Almost everyone in this hell was here because they got caught, though there were the few that joined Shiro freely so they could do whatever they wanted (some of them were as sadistic as he was).

"Enough of this," Rika declared. "The match is about to begin!"

Much to the three arrivals surprise it was Katsuki.

Shita explained the situation before they could ask, and they started feeling pity for the boy inside that arena. He had no idea what he was up against.

Back in the arena, Shiro had finished explaining the situation. While the audience was stunned at the fact that Shiro was going to fight a teenager they simply accepted the explanation and waited for the fight to begin.

Katsuki was especially eager to start. He wanted to blast this sick bastard into oblivion. He was so angry at him for humiliating him before. He was going to show Shiro who the real weak little bitch was. Shiro simply smirked at him.

"Arena Change: Summer Day!" Shiro declared.

Upon saying this the arena shone brightly and began to change. The ground transformed into several paths and small lakes, while the top of the arena transformed a clear sky with the sun shining brightly over the participants. The temperature inside the arena became hotter. It was as though it was an actual Summer day in Japan.

"What the hell!" Bakugo swore.

"You seem confused Katsuki. Allow me to explain," Shiro offered. "The arena can change its environment for each battle. The selection process is normally random but depending on the environment chosen it can give certain people advantages based on what their quirks are. Since your quirk involves you converting your sweat to explosions, I selected a field where you would be able to generate sweat easily."

The ash-blonde frowned at that explanation.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! Why the fuck would you give me an advantage?! Do you seriously think I'm that weak?!" Katsuki shouted.

Shiro chuckled at his outburst.

"On the contrary, I think you're strong, well stronger than most quirk users, which is why I want you to come at me at full power with everything you've got," Shiro explained.

Bakugo understood and flashed a murderous smile at the man. Mini explosions just appearing off his hands.

"You want me at my best, well then that's exactly what you'll get," he snarled. "I'll blow your ass up so bad that you'll be in recovery for months."

Shiro grinned at him holding his arms out wide. "Then come," he challenged.

And with that, the match began.

Katsuki made the first move. He fired several explosions at Shiro, hoping to land a few hits in early. Shiro moved very quickly around the pathways and dodged each one of them with incredible ease.

'He's fast' Katsuki thought.

Katsuki launched another explosion, slightly more powerful, this time at the ground. The impact caused the stone path to crack and Shiro's right foot to get caught between the rocks, leaving him stuck. Not wasting any time Katsuki joined his hands together and unleashed a larger explosion that blinded everyone while it consumed Shiro.

When the smoke cleared there was no trace of Shiro. Katsuki smirked.

"Ha! How'd you like," he started before a strong fist connected with his jaw sending him crashing to the ground.

Shiro loomed over Katsuki, still smirking. His outfit looked slightly dirty but otherwise, he was unharmed.

How he had managed to escape the blast in time Katsuki didn't know.

"I like it a lot actually. You're definitely a nice addition to the competitors here and should be able to put on a good show," Shiro informed the boy. "However, if you think something as weak as that will beat me then you're sadly mistaken."

Katsuki glared at his opponent, his anger rising. He really hated this man.

Shiro guessed what was going on with Katsuki and kept quiet because the angrier he was the more violent and aggressive he became. Shiro wanted him to unleash everything he had at him, just so he could deflect them all easily and then crush him in front of his classmates with relative ease.

By doing this he would kill any hopes and rebellious tendencies they had.

For the moment that is.

"Why aren't you using your quirk?" Katsuki demanded getting back to his feet.

Shiro raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think I'm not using it?" he replied innocently.

Bakugo scowled. "Cut the crap already! I know you haven't been using it because if you were, I would have noticed. From what the babysitting sisters and fashion freak said, everyone in this shithole is afraid of you for some reason, and it's not just because you're a total dick, it's because of the shit you do to others, and I'm betting it's because of how you use your quirk on them. So spill it, sadistic douche!"

Shiro frowned. He'd learned from Kioku how Bakugo made up nicknames for various people he encountered.

The Babysitting Sisters he guessed were Umi and Utada (though they probably had separate ones), Fashion Freak was Shita, and apparently, Sadistic Douche was his new name, which was kind of fitting given his personality.

The others matched his servant's jobs correctly. Shiro heard several UA students groan loudly. Of all the times for Bakugo to act like . . . . . . Bakugo.

"Bakugo, don't give the people looking after us weird nicknames," Tenya chastised.

"Or insult the man who runs this place, the man you're fighting who can literally kill us simply by pressing a button," Juzo added.

"I don't know. I kind of like fashion freak," Shita admitted with pride. "I think it suits me perfectly."

Someone who was actually happy with a nickname given by Bakugo, that was a first.

"He really does do great fashion designs you know. He designs for me and a lot of other people here," Shiro complimented. "Back then my style of dress was a classic thug until he came along and improved it all."

"Your fashion sense wasn't bad Master Shiro. It just needed to be improved," Shita shouted.

"Whatever," Shiro brushed off. "Anyway, you're right Bakugo, I haven't been using my quirk so far. I didn't need to. Unless someone pushes me to a certain point, I feel no need to use it. And until you start acting like a proper challenge for me, I'm not going to use it. In other words, you need to be a strong bitch, not a weak one, like you normally are Katsuki."

That caused something to snap inside Bakugo that made him say something he probably shouldn't have that frightened everyone in the arena.

"Push you huh," he murmured before switching to a malicious grin. "Tell me, did the guy who cut out your shitty eye push you to that point? Did he make you look like a weak and useless bitch when he escaped, having clearly won against you?"

The atmosphere was…very tense. The entire arena had fallen into silence in horror at the words that left Bakugo's mouth.

Many were deeming him insane, others stupid, and very few brave.

Some started to vomit while others just let their jaws drop wide open.

Some even fainted.

Shoto cursed Bakugo for his personality.

Kirishima prayed that his friend would live through this.

Mina and Ochaco were both frozen in fear.

Speed Demon went deathly pale.

Atlas' calm expression was replaced with one of concern and worry.

Shita started sweating nervously.

Rika closed her eyes and looked away.

Shiro's expression at that point was unreadable, though everyone could guess he was furious. That was one topic that was never to be brought up in his presence.

However, much to everyone's surprise, Shiro began to laugh both loudly and psychopathically. His laugh was disturbing to everyone including Katsuki.

When he finished, he smiled at Katsuki with a twisted expression.

"Wow, I must say, no one has ever brought that up in my presence or even used it to insult me. They could but they don't, because if they did, I'd slice them up into tiny pieces and use their leftover meat to feed to the slaves in this place," Shiro muttered in a soft, yet chilling tone. "But you are different. You're using it to provoke me into going all-out, and that's one more reason why I'm not going to kill you because it will be more interesting to keep you around and watch as you slowly break under my rule. You've got balls I'll give you that, but I won't go all-out just yet. You, have to earn that right, Kacchan!"

Katsuki flinched at his nickname. That was the nickname Izuku called him by. How did Shiro know that?

"Surprised I know?" Shiro asked. "I have you someone who analyses memories about new recruits and gives them to me. However, I knew your name long before that, when I held Deku captive here."

Katsuki's eyes widened, as did most of his classmates.

'How the fuck does he know Deku?' Katsuki thought.

'Before when he used the name, he said it like he knew him,' Shoto realised.

There were murmurs in the audience, that was a name no one dared speak here ever. The individuals next to the students were just as surprised, including Umi who had just returned. Then Shiro turned to address the crowd.

"Guess what everyone," Shiro's voice boomed. "Deku, the fucker who took my eye and escaped from me, a former member of the League of Villains since I doubt Atrocity wants him, is alive and well." The 1A students were stunned at that information. Izuku was the one who did that to Shiro! "What's more, he's attending UA as a student in the hero course at class 1A under his civilian identity Izuku Midoriya, all because of a few good deeds, and needing protection from that sick bastard you all know I hate!"

Students in class 1B, as well as the other students, turned to look at 1A stunned.

"We can explain," Toru pleaded.

"We promise you all a full explanation after this," Ojiro added. "But for now, just bear with it and watch."

The students said nothing. They just turned to the arena, still shocked by the revelation. They weren't the only ones.

'Izuku you're alive, and you're at UA,' Shita thought.

'And if Shiro knows then that means he'll,' Umi thought worriedly. 'No! After everything you went through to get out of here.'

'Fate works in mysterious ways,' Rika mused.

'This will only end in someone's blood being shed,' Speed Demon and Atlas both realised.

Katsuki quickly collected himself.

"So, Deku went and got himself captured by you, how typical," he sneered. "Back then he could hardly do anything by himself. He was so helpless."

Elena scowled at Bakugo's statement. After being defeated twice by the man, and acknowledged as a threat by several individuals, he still had the nerve to look down on Izuku Midoriya for being quirkless.

Her parents would have never stood for this, and neither would her older brothers. Her parents openly accepted anyone into their squad (provided they did prove themselves) regardless of gender, background, orientation, race or even quirk.

Shiro wasn't surprised at Katsuki's speech about Deku.

While most would have thought the boy simply hated Deku and looked down on him for being quirkless, Shiro knew it ran deeper than that.

There was a reason Bakugo still treated quirkless people the way he had despite his previous defeats. What Bakugo felt about Deku, about quirkless, or rather what he thinks he feels, it wasn't genuine, it wasn't real.

Katsuki didn't truly hate Deku and people like him. He only thought he did because he felt compelled to because his emotions were set that way. Regardless of what Katsuki said or did, there was always another part of him that was against it, but it was always overpowered.

How did he know this?

Kioku's quirk allowed her to look at all memories, even subconscious ones, as she had done with Deku and learned his full past. He might tell others the same sob story repeatedly, but it was always worse than he described.

"Enough talk, we're here to fight after all," Shiro declared.

The two individuals each took a fighting stance. And just like that, the battle recommenced.

Katsuki launched an explosion at Shiro, only for him to swiftly dodge and land a strong kick to the boy's stomach and send him flying.

Katsuki grunted in pain and stopped himself from vomiting. Not wanting to fall on the ground again he released miniature explosions from his hands to stay up.

The UA student charged at Shiro and performed his usual right hook on him. Shiro realised what he was about to do and reached out to grab Katsuki's arm. However, this was merely a faint from Katsuki who ignited several explosions to propel himself over the sadistic leader (who was believed to have blinded with that attack) in an effort to hit him from behind, unfortunately, it didn't go as planned.

Shiro was faster and ducked forward into a position that looked as though he was about to perform a handstand, confusing Katsuki, and using all the strength and might in his arms, Shiro sprung back and kicked Katsuki hard in the face.

The boy tumbled back in the air and landed on his head. He stood up quickly and glared at his opponent. This was not going the way he had hoped.

'Dammit, this bastard is a lot tougher than he looks,' Katsuki thought. 'No wonder he's the top authority in this shithole.'

Deciding that he needed some space, Katsuki attempted to retreat momentarily.

Unfortunately, Shiro correctly guessed what he was trying to do and was on him before he could use his quirk. He grabbed the student by the shoulders and kneed him in the stomach, causing him to vomit slightly.

He then brought him back up and headbutted him in the face, not breaking anything but still causing immense pain.

Shiro then proceeded to rain down several strong punches to Bakugo's face, causing blood to flow from his mouth, and finally performed a side rising kick to his chest that launched him up into the air sending him several metres away.

The students of UA and the other schools watched in horror as Katsuki was hurt even more by this psychopath.

It was shocking to see him tossed around like he was some ragdoll.

It was like in his fight with Izuku, only much more brutal.

What was truly disturbing was how much Shiro was enjoying it. He liked hitting Katsuki, he liked mocking him, he liked the pain he inflicted on him. From this, it was evidently clear he was just toying with Bakugo.

"Had enough yet?" Shiro asked mockingly. "If you'd like to surrender, I won't hold it against you."

"Fuck you!" Katsuki spat. "I will win because that's what heroes do."

He couldn't afford to lose here. He needed to win. He had to win. He'd been defeated several times in the past, kidnapped and held hostage with relative ease.

If he didn't win here, if he couldn't defeat an actual villain, then he would be seen as weak. How could he possibly become a hero if he was weak?

Shiro chuckled. "A hero indeed. You want to be like All Might, because you were captured by the way he looks when he wins right?"

Bakugo blinked in confusion. He hadn't expected Shiro to know that.

"Let me guess, Deku's memories," he guessed.

"Indeed," Shiro confirmed. "And I must say I learned quite a few things from him. My subordinate can look at all memories of a target, even subconscious ones." Katsuki really couldn't understand where he was going with this. "For instance, I learned the real reason for why you hate him."

Katsuki stared at him dumbfounded. The real reason he hates Deku? What the hell was he talking about? He knows exactly why he hates Deku.

"Just so we're clear," Shiro continued. "It isn't because he's quirkless, or because of that event where you fell into the river. Why don't you try thinking about it?"

'What the fuck is this guy going on about? I know why I hate Deku. It's because of those,' Katsuki thought before stopping. He considered it for a minute before freezing. 'Wait, hold on, I bullied him for those reasons but, why do I hate him? I've always felt that way about him but why? Even just thinking about him makes me angry, but why?'

He had never even considered it before, he never needed to. Just what did Shiro learn from Deku's memories.

Deciding to dwell on it later he got back to the task at hand.

Bakugo charged at Shiro again, this time with a solid plan in motion. Shiro sighed and move quickly towards him. However, when they were close enough Bakugo brought his hands together and generated a sphere of light using his explosions.

"Stun Grenade," he shouted.

The attack blinded Shiro momentarily, which was long enough for Bakugo to unleash a full-fledged explosion (similar to when he used his gauntlets) that consumed Shiro entirely. The blast shook the entire arena.

Katsuki breathed heavily as his attack subsided, thinking he'd finally done some damage to Shiro.

However, fate was cruel.

Once the dust cleared Katsuki noticed a bright light emanating from the centre. It was Shiro, coating the light around him like a blanket. One would probably describe it as a shield.

"Phew," Shiro exhaled. "Well Kacchan congratulations, you got me to use my quirk. It's a shame really because I actually thought you had me there for a second."

Katsuki could tell from the glow what Shiro's quirk was.

"Your quirk is Photokinesis?" he murmured in shock. A quirk like that was incredibly rare and very powerful.

"Right in one go. I'm impressed," Shiro applauded. "My quirk allows me to manipulate light in whatever shape or form I desire."

Without warning, Shiro blasted Katsuki with a ray of light that sent him away from the man. The impact hurt, and it burned.

"Now that you've forced me to use my quirk, I suppose it's time I got serious," Shiro stated ominously.

That statement not only scared the students but Katsuki as well.

This entire time he'd just been playing around.

Suddenly, Shiro was next to Katsuki in an instant. His quirk made him faster after all.

From his hands, several orbs of light emerged.

"Rapid Fire Light Orb," Shiro shouted.

The orbs of light fired and struck Katsuki all over his body before he could react and defend himself.

Katsuki groaned in pain. This guy meant business.

Next, Shiro leapt up into the air and formed several light rays from himself.

"Light Spears," he shouted.

The light rays rained down on Katsuki who used his quirk as quickly as he could to avoid. While he did manage to avoid the first five, the sixth and final one pierced through his shoulder. Katsuki howled in pain, which Shiro smiled at. His sadism was more open and obvious now.

"Okay, that's enough. He's going too far," Mina cried.

"He'll kill him at this rate," Kinoko Komori yelped.

"He won't," Rika declared. The others turned to her surprised and confused. "Shiro might not look it but he's a man of his word. If he said it wasn't a deathmatch, then it isn't one. Your friend is being brutalised sure, but he won't die. If Shiro truly wanted to kill him it wouldn't be that way."

The students wanted what Rika was saying to be true and decided to just watch it play out until the end, not that they could do anything else.

"Now if you don't mind, would you be so kind as to surrender," Shiro requested. "This was fun but I'm a busy man and I've got lots of things to do, places to go, people to torture and kill, you know."

Katsuki stood up clutching his shoulder. He was in agony, though he tried not to show it. He glared hatefully at Shiro, who simply grinned back. Angered by that annoying smile he spat out blood onto the ground and removed his hand from his shoulder leaving the wound visible.

This act surprised even Shiro who thought the ash-blonde would have gotten the idea that he couldn't win into his thick skull.

Katsuki did have the idea, however, he decided that didn't mean he couldn't at least fuck this bastard up in a very bad way.

It didn't matter if he was wounded or not, he would fight till the bitter end.

He charged at Shiro once more but this time he used his quirk to launch himself up into the air and circle the man, much to the latter's confusion. Unleashing several explosions to propel himself in a circular motion Katsuki began generating a tornado. With the oxygen and sweat building up he flew at Shiro.

The UA students realised what he was trying to do, remembering he did the same thing on Shoto during the Sports Festival.

Shiro put up a shield to protect himself, but it did little good.

The moment Katsuki reached him, it was the equivalent of dropping a missile.

"Howitzer Impact!" Bakugo roared.

Suddenly, an all-powerful, large explosion came from Katsuki's hand and consumed Shiro completely. The power from the explosion destroyed the ground, caused wind and heat to disperse everywhere and blinded many.

The source of the explosion panted heavily as he barely remained standing. He couldn't see Shiro, but he hoped he had at least damaged the bastard properly.

The audience was stunned at the sheer power the teenager had demonstrated just now. He was definitely going to be someone to watch out for in the fights, and the right person to bet on.

The students as well as the people with them were just as surprised. When someone faced Shiro, they didn't usually have this much power and strength. What had happened next was expected, but what they saw wasn't.

"Ow, ow, ow," Shiro groaned standing up. "That actually hurt. I didn't think your attack would get past my shield, but you sure proved me wrong. I guess it's true what they say. A wounded animal is the most dangerous of all, willing to do anything to damage their opponent."

Looking at Shiro, it appeared that Bakugo's attack had gotten through and damaged him. His clothes were burnt and dirty. His skin was burnt on his face and hands. Throwing away his jacket revealed a few bruises and more burns on his arms. That was the most shocking thing about this fight, Shiro had been hurt, he had actually been hurt. Something like that was incredibly rare in this hellhole, barring Deku's fight.

As soon as he stood up straight Shiro spat out a bit of blood and stared at Katsuki.

Much to the boy's surprise, Shiro grinned at him enthusiastically.

The man then started laughing maniacally.

"Oh, man. You're really great you know!" he applauded. "Do you have any idea how many people have managed to hurt me?! Do you?! Here's a little hint: very few! So, as a reward for accomplishing this feat, I'll finish you off quickly in a way I would only do for serious threats."

Everyone who knew Shiro held their breaths in anticipation of what Shiro was going to do. It was incredibly rare for them to see this move in the works.

The students and Katsuki were baffled by Shiro's response.

Shiro didn't care, unfortunately.

Without warning, he grabbed Katsuki with a whip of light and threw him up into the air. Katsuki tried to retaliate but Shiro used his quirk to move at the speed of light (a technique he couldn't freely use because of how draining it was) to launch himself into the sky above Katsuki and spread his entire body out.

Light emanated from him that covered the sky of the arena.

Slowly, it intensified to the point where it began to blind people.

"Heaven's Judgement!" Shiro shouted.

The light he unleashed rained down and engulfed Katsuki completely.

Katsuki felt incredible pain, the likes of which he's never felt before.

It became too much, and then it became numb, and then it became dark as he fell unconscious.

The light cleared, and it revealed a wounded, unconscious (but alive) Katsuki at the centre of the arena.

The students could only stare in horror as they watched one of the strongest people they knew in an awful state of the body.

Shiro walked over and inspected Katsuki to make sure he hadn't killed him. Seeing that the boy was still breathing, he declared it his win and called the medical squad in.

The audience applauded Shiro for his victory.

"Now hold on, give a round of applause to Katsuki here! After all, it's not every day you see this happen to me," Shiro urged while Bakugo was loaded up onto a stretcher and taken away. Abiding by his request the audience cheered for Bakugo. "Now for the newcomers who just watched all of that, I hope you enjoyed that. this is what you're going to be facing from now on. So, give it your all! That's all I have to say."

The people (including the students) looked at him with fear. This would be what they were facing from now on unless someone came and saved them, which wasn't likely.

Realising they didn't have a choice they all decided to do what they could to survive in the Underworld, in Hades.

Umi led the students back to the children's section to rest up after seeing that. No doubt they were more mentally prepared for what was to come.

Some (like Kirishima) were concerned about Katsuki and wanted to check on him, but she refused them saying enough was enough for one day.

Shiro went to get his wounds treated by Rika and a few others.

He did not expect to get hurt in that fight.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that?

Some interesting questions have been raised in this chapter. What was Shiro talking about? Why does Bakugo hate Midoriya? It's not for the reasons you all think. Those questions will be answered, only slightly in a few chapters, and fully in a later arc by Elena who will use her quirk to find out the truth.

Next chapter involves a conclusion of the hero meeting and Izuku facing off against the assassins with help from some unexpected individuals (no not Razor or the League). I hope you enjoyed reading. Please review.

Chapter 41: Assassins in the Night

Summary:

As the Hero meeting continues, Izuku is forced to fight for his life against two of Hades Assassins.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Near UA

Close to UA, the two assassins crouched down on top of a building, doing their best to remain out of sight.

Shino had noticed someone following them earlier and hoping to avoid a confrontation she decided that they should move faster to lose their pursuer.

Blade found this was odd since Shino would normally just kill them. However, Shino countered by stating that she only killed them if they tried to do the same, and most of the time she avoided unnecessary confrontations.

Deciding not to argue they proceeded to get on with the job. Getting to Deku wouldn't be easy, especially with several pro hero teachers around. Which is why they needed a distraction.

"This had better work," Blade mumbled.

Shino sighed.

"It's Rika's equipment. When has it ever failed?" she coldly retorted. "After all these years you still doubt her abilities?!"

Blade scowled. "Excuse me if I have issues with placing my trust in a quirkless person. I seriously don't understand how Shiro can work with such weak creatures so easily. He has one at the top of the science and weapons development division and another at the support department, who also acts as a fashion designer. Even when they don't prove to be of use, they aren't disposed of. Honestly, it's sickening!"

In an instant, Shino had her katana out and at Blades' throat.

Blade was about to bring out his quirk when Shino unleashed a large amount of killing intent that sent chills down her (unwilling) partner's spine.

Her eyes glared at him with ice-cold emotion.

"You should really rethink your statement because if I recall correctly, you along with many others are here because of Rika and Shita," Shino stated icily. "The things those two have made have pushed Hades forward by leaps and bounds. Many, including you, are alive and uncaptured because of the gadgets and support gear they have built. Also, just remember, the person we are trying to capture, the one you said you wanted to fight, is quirkless, and he managed to severely wound Shiro."

Annoyed as he was, Blade shut up after that, much to Shino's relief. She took out a tablet with the controls for Rika's devices.

The first one was a set of dragonflies with x-ray and infrared vision that would allow them to scan data on all the students and teachers, just physical data though.

Finding Deku wouldn't be easy, and they couldn't just go into the 1A dorms due to the possibility that he mightn't be there.

Hence the reason for the dragonflies.

As Deku had been with Hades before they had his biological data, therefore once the flies had scanned the school and found someone who matched Deku's description they would know where to look.

The dragonflies also possessed cloaking abilities that would mask their signal and presence.

The second device was a computer virus set up by Rika designed to make the alarms go off, not all at once, but one by one after a set amount of time. The virus would also disable the security cameras as well, meaning they could get in undetected.

They even had Student ID from the captured students that would allow them to get in via the front gate.

The reason they were using the virus was that they would need a distraction to deal with the pros while they captured Deku because the moment they encountered him a fight would ensue, and they didn't want any interference.

Deciding not to dwell on it any longer Shino activated the dragonflies, and they began to spread out and fly over UA scanning the people living there.

Within a few minutes, a match for Deku came up. He was in the main building for some reason, not that it mattered. Shino stood up and smiled. It was time to move out.

Moving quickly, the duo moved through the gates with their ID's and into the main building. Shino next activated the virus and within a minute, an alarm could be heard off in the distance. With the distraction in place, the heroes were probably on their way there already, which was good for them.

"Let's go!" Shino ordered. "From the looks of things Deku is on the move as well."

With Izuku

Izuku lay on his bed in the infirmary, staring silently at the ceiling.

Recovery Girl was nowhere to be seen. Izuku guessed that she must have gone to either retrieve something or speak with someone else. Why else would she leave a patient unattended?

Izuku groaned and turned over on his bed. Throughout his sleep, most of his memories from Hades had returned, most.

The people he met, the battles he fought, the things and hell he had experienced, he remembered!

But most of all, he remembered her.

Did she escape?

Was she alive?

Or was she back under his control?

These were questions he had never gotten answers to.

Sensei did a good job of erasing his memories, while the others did a good job of hiding them.

The tonal shifts he sensed during conversations suddenly made sense.

Seeing as how he couldn't rest, he got up and went for a walk around the school to ease his mind.

Walking around UA at night felt a little strange because it was so different from what he was used to.

It was dark, with the moon illuminating the hallways. The hallways and classrooms were deserted, making the place feel dead like some sort of ghost town. The silence of the area added to the effect.

Or at least it did until he heard a high-pitched sound off in the distance.

'Huh! What was that?' Izuku thought. He pressed his ear to the window to receive a better sound. 'It sounds like an alarm has gone off. Why though? Has there been a fire or,' Izuku stopped for a second, 'has someone broken in?' The idea wasn't impossible. Hell, he broke in here once. It was just the USJ but still, a break-in was a break-in. 'Whoever's doing this isn't very bright. 'Setting off an alarm will just alert all the teachers to that location and then … they'll head there and around the campus.'

Feeling uneasy Izuku started to move.

He saw movement outside the window and recognized the figures as Snipe and Hound Dog. They were taking this seriously, though one could hardly blame them.

He continued walking for another minute or so until he heard another alarm go off in the distance.

Izuku blinked in confusion.

'Now that's odd. Why set off a second alarm?' Izuku wondered. 'Is there more than one group? No, why attack this early when the teachers could be dealing with the first for a while? Maybe it's a distraction to keep the teachers busy or lure them away from a specific place. If that's the case, then it would be smart to set off the alarms one by one. To do that they'd need a virus, and a powerful one to get into UA's systems.' Izuku halted suddenly when he realized something about that idea. 'There are only a few individuals capable of crafting such a program.'

It also triggered a certain memory.

Flashback

"Hey, if you want something for infiltrating a large building complex or a prison with high-security details, why not set off a couple of alarms," Izuku suggested.

The chief scientist and weapons developer, Rika, tilted her head in confusion. "How on earth would that help? We're trying to get in without being noticed!"

"I didn't mean all at the same time," Izuku defended. "I meant one by one. If you do that then all the guards will flock to that area without a second thought. They'll be distracted, leaving the perfect opportunity to take over and get what you want!"

Rika thought about it for a moment. "Well, when you put it like that it does sound like a good idea." She clapped her hands together. "I'll get to work on it after I finish what I'm doing here. After all, a program like the one you're suggesting isn't that easy to make, but that's the fun of it all isn't, the challenge it presents."

Flashback end

"Oh fuck!" Izuku swore before facepalming himself. "Rika, you, you actually made it didn't you?"

"That she did, and it's worked out so perfectly," said a familiar female voice that sent chills down his spine. "Thank you for giving her the idea, Deku."

Izuku turned just in time to see a knife flying straight towards him.

Acting on instinct (and thanks to the training he had received), Izuku stretched out his arm and caught the knife by the handle just inches away from his face.

He turned his attention towards the figure walking down the hall with her katana still in its sheath. Seeing that he intercepted her attack she grinned at him amused.

"Impressive!" she applauded. "I'd heard that you'd gotten stronger but to see it with my own eyes is another thing entirely. Do you know how many people have blocked or caught my projectiles?" Izuku didn't answer. "I'll give a hint: very, very, very few."

"Shino," Izuku greeted.

"The one and only," Shino replied. "It's nice to see you again after so long Deku, or do you prefer Izuku?"

Izuku shrugged. "Call me whatever you want."

"As you wish," Shino told him, still smiling. "I'll cut straight to the point. Do you know why we are here?"

Izuku was about to answer when he properly registered what Shino had just said. She said 'we'. Izuku looked around quickly to see if anyone else was there.

He couldn't see anyone on the ground so he looked up, and the second he did he flipped back to avoid being stabbed by two swords that looked like the kind knights in movies would use to defend their castle.

The attack didn't stop there.

Blade transformed the swords back into his arms and performed a handspring forward. He turned his right leg into a katana and swung it at Izuku, who swiftly dodged by ducking.

The second he did that however Blade changed his course and brought it down on Izuku, who dodged to the side.

Not wasting any time, Izuku leapt up, grabbed Blade by the head and rammed his knee straight into it.

Blade felt disoriented from that attack, Deku was a lot stronger than he remembered.

Taking advantage of the situation, Izuku landed and then kneed Blade in the stomach, and then leaned back and delivered a front kick of equal strength into the man's stomach, sending him rolling backwards.

"You're Blade right?" Izuku guessed.

"Nice to see you remember," the latter hissed standing back up. "Then again we didn't talk that much while you were in Hades."

"I wasn't a member," Izuku pointed out.

"Whatever," Blade retorted annoyed. "That's not important right now."

"You're right, it isn't," Izuku agreed. "Now to answer your question from before Shino about why you are both here. If I had to guess, I'd say Shiro sent you here to either kill me or capture me, or there's the possibility that you were sent here to get something else and fighting with me is just an added bonus. Am I somewhere right along those lines?"

Shino raised an eyebrow. "Observant as ever I see. You are right about us being sent here to capture you. From what I gather, Shiro would like to kill you himself, or at least make you a permanent member of Hades this time. You know how much he wanted you before. Once he sees something he wants he just can't restrain himself, especially with talent like yours."

Izuku chuckled at her response.

"Well, I'm flattered that I'm wanted by others," he told her. "However, I'm sure you realize that I have no intention of coming with you willingly."

He wasn't going to let them take him without a fight. No way!

"Obviously," Blade muttered. "If you did then it wouldn't be any fun now, would it?!"

With that, no more words were said between them.

Izuku stared intensely at his two opponents, and they returned the favour. He couldn't afford to slip up in this fight.

Blade, and especially Shino, were both incredibly dangerous fighters. Even if they wouldn't kill him that didn't mean they wouldn't hurt him badly.

His only hope was to hold them off and evade them throughout the school until they had no choice but to retreat.

Regardless of how much he had improved in the past, he was no match for Shino, though he wasn't sure about Blade either. Since they wouldn't just let him run, he would need to get a hold of one of Shino's mist bombs.

Perhaps he could get between them and coordinate their attacks against each other. It was worth a shot.

'Give it your all Deku!' Shino thought.

Personally, she didn't want to capture Deku. She was only doing so because of the accursed bomb in her neck.

Shino utterly loathed Shiro for what he had done to her and patiently awaited the day when she would drive her sword through the sick bastard's heart.

While she couldn't disobey him, she could prevent herself from doing things he hadn't told her. For instance, when she was told to capture Deku, Shiro never said for her to go all out when they fought, which worked just fine for her.

She could only hope that Deku would last long enough for them to fail. The idea of enraging Shiro filled her with a sense of joy. However, she couldn't deny that she was intrigued by how strong Deku may have become since she last saw him.

Blade didn't have many feelings about the matter. He just really wanted to fight already. He was looking forward to slicing Deku in multiple ways.

Without further ado, the fight between the assassins and the student/villain began.

Blade made the first move. He dashed at Izuku and jumped into the air twirling quickly, performing a butterfly kick.

He used his quirk, 'Blade Body' that allowed him to transform any part of his body into a sharp blade (of any design), to change his legs (the bottom half) into swords. Izuku wasn't fazed in the slightest.

He dashed forward, fell on his knees bending his back backwards and sliding beneath the attack.

Once he was up, he went straight for Shino, who was surprised at his bold action.

"You're the biggest threat, so I'll deal with you first," he explained. In reality, he wanted to take advantage of Shino and Blade's negative relationship. Whether Shino was aware or not he didn't know.

Izuku swung his left arm at Shino, who blocked by bringing her right hand up and moving it to the side.

Shino countered with a quick punch of her only for it to be blocked by Izuku's elbow.

They traded several more punches and blocks, though Shino was doing this to get a feel for Izuku's strength. She could tell he'd improved, though he was still no match for her.

Izuku attempted a reverse turning kick, only for Shino to catch it and kicked his other leg, tripping him causing him to fall flat on his back. Shino was about to stomp on his leg (which would have broken it), only for Izuku to propel his body upward and pull himself closer to Shino.

He attempted to flip back, which would drag Shino with him. Shino saw through his plan, however, yet she let it happen because she noticed Blade standing up and reaching out to grab Izuku by the shoulders.

Getting a firm grip on his shoulders, Blade turned his own nails into knives and dug them into Izuku's shoulders, causing him to yelp out in pain. Blade then pulled back and slammed Izuku flat on his face and stomach.

"Still, think this bitch is the biggest threat here?" Blade snarled.

He went to drag Izuku to his feet via his now bleeding and damaged shoulders. He did this a little too fast, allowing Izuku to kick him at both legs while suspended in mid-air. This time it was Blade's turn to fall flat on his face and stomach. He raised his head, only for Izuku to kick him in the face with his right foot.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" he taunted.

Izuku then proceeded to stop on Blade's head and then body before returning his attention to Shino.

The second he did, he immediately performed several back handsprings to avoid being hit by multiple shurikens.

When he stopped, Shino was beside him in an instant with a knife out prepared to stab. Izuku attempted to block her but was unsuccessful and was slashed at the right hip. The wound wasn't serious, but it still hurt a lot.

Shino brought out another knife and began a vicious cycle of slashing at Izuku which he either tried to parry or dodge. He wasn't always successful and got cut on his left cheek, the top of his right leg, both his shoulders and the tops of his arms.

Realizing that he would continue getting cut if he didn't do something quick, he moved in and caught her left arm and turned his back, so he was right next to her.

Shino tried to stab him with her free arm, but Izuku caught it and using all his strength, held her arms in with the knives pointed away from him. He then stood on her feet so she couldn't kick him. He then swung his head back into her face several times.

Getting annoyed by this, Shino bit into the back of his shoulder where he'd already been stabbed, causing Izuku to wince in pain.

He loosened his grip on one of her arms and she immediately tried to stab him, only for him to redirect it at her other arm. The pain she felt caused her to stop biting Izuku and he brought his knees up and kicked off her stomach to move forward and take both knives from her.

He turned back to her only to be met with several punches from Blade in the face. Shino then came forward and gave him a powerful sidekick that both sent him flying back and caused him to cough up blood.

"Hey, I had that," Blade growled.

"Yeah right," Shino retorted annoyed. "Last time I checked, he knocked you out pretty easily."

Shino would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying this fight. She was also impressed that Deku had made her bleed, something that was incredibly rare and achieved by very few.

Her thoughts were interrupted by something small landing at her feet.

"Wait, that's," Shino realized too late.

The mist bomb went off, completely obstructing their vision.

She didn't know how but Izuku must have grabbed it when he held her down.

Speaking of the boy, he appeared to have fled leaving a small trail of blood. Not wasting any time, the assassins pursued their target.

Izuku, who was running along ignored the pain he was feeling. He knew where he was headed, to the cafeteria where he would have the best chance of defending himself. Before arriving, he broke a fire axe out by kicking the glass. He needed a weapon and a way to defend himself, and this was how.

Razor

Razor was moving along as quickly as she could. She had recently gotten back from one of her contacts with some rather disturbing news.

It appeared that Shiro was behind this latest assault and kidnapping. She wasn't the least bit surprised that the psycho had done this, what she was surprised about was who he kidnapped. The students from UA, more specifically Class 1A, who knew Izuku personally, concerned her. They had seen Izuku, they knew where he was and what he was doing, and that would be enough for Shiro.

They didn't need to talk about him, with Kioku's power Shiro probably knew he was already at UA, which in turn would lead a repeat of last time.

The only difference was that Shiro wouldn't take no for an answer this time and would likely get that sick fuck he worked with to put Izuku under 'that drug' like he did with her.

Razor arrived at her destination, or rather, she had found who she was looking for. Standing over the giant figure otherwise known as Mt. Lady, who was cut up and bleeding in several places, was none other than her friend the hero-killer Stain. He looked just about ready to finish her off.

"Time to die fake," Stain growled.

Mt. Lady eyed him with pure and complete fear. He was going to kill her. She was going to die right here and now, all alone without anyone knowing, without anyone coming to save her.

A wave of despair overcame her, and she began to cry. She had only become a pro-hero a year ago, she didn't want it to end like this.

The hero-killer came out and attacked her and she was quickly beaten (much to her own humiliation).

He made comments about why she didn't deserve to be a hero, she loved the fame and attention but what was wrong with that, and what was so wrong about using her looks to get what she wanted, no one ever complained.

Stain groaned. "Ughhh, this is exactly why I hate false heroes like you so much. At least have the decency to face your death with dignity. Like any real hero would."

Mt. Lady sniffled in response. Seeing no reason to prolong the inevitable Stain raised his sword and prepared to finish off his prey. He was interrupted by the arrival of someone landing on Mt. Lady to speak with him.

"Hey, Stain! Sorry to interrupt you during your society purifying of false heroes crusade but we need to talk," Razor told him.

Mt. Lady eyed her fearfully. "You need to get away from here. He'll kill you if you don't."

Razor glanced at her with cold cruel eyes. This woman clearly had the wrong idea about why she was here, even more so when she thought that Stain would try and kill her. Even he did try he wouldn't succeed.

God heroes were such stupid creatures these days! All they were was beauty, muscle, strength, and fighting (Razor didn't mind that part, however), with very little intelligence. It was easy to see why Stain was so frustrated with the world.

"Shut the fuck up Mt. Slut!" Razor snapped much to the defeated hero's surprise. "Stain's a friend who I came to talk to. He's not going to kill me. I mean he could try but he won't be able to." Mt. Lady shut up after that. Razor turned her attention to Stain. "Seriously, how have you not killed her already? She's been active for over a year. What's more, I thought you would've done it in the red-light district where she would have been selling herself off!" Mt. Lady gasped in shock. She opened her mouth to argue but shut it when Razor shot her an icy glare. "Oh don't give me that crap! You go around most of the time seducing every guy you either come across or save to boost your popularity and you do this at shops and stands to get a good deal on things with high prices. You basically sell your body to become famous. You're more concerned with being popular and famous than being a hero. Do you know what a hero is? It is someone who goes around saving others because it's their job, not because they want to be famous. And as you are now, you are not a hero, you are nothing more than a cheap slut who uses her body to get what she wants. When you die you will simply be replaced with another douchebag like you, so you won't be missed that much."

Mt. Lady was speechless. She had never thought of it that way before. Ever since she was a little girl, she had always wanted to be famous like the heroes she watched on tv. She thought that was what it was all about, but clearly, it wasn't.

"That's what I was trying to say Razor, before you came in," Stain spoke up. "But you beat me to it. She wasn't that hard to find, it was getting her in an isolated area that was difficult. This one loves being seen. She was stupid for thinking she could take me on by herself. With her quirk she made it that much easier to beat, leaving so many opportunities to cut and use my quirk on her. It hasn't even been five minutes since we started." Mt. Lady felt humiliated at hearing that. "Anyway, what can I do for you Razor? I assume it's something to do with what happened today."

"Right to the point. One of the many things I like about you," Razor applauded. "Listen up! The guy who was behind the raid today was none other than Shiro from Hades." Stains eyes widened. "Judging from the look on your face I'm assuming you've heard of them."

"Of course, I have. Who, in our line of work, hasn't?" Stain retorted.

"Oh good, that saves me explaining then. He and I don't exactly have a good history. Scratch that, we have a very bad one. Unfortunately, some of it involves Deku," Razor explained catching Stains attention. He'd been curious about what happened to the boy since the incident in Kamino. "A couple of months ago I took him to the criminal underworld to show him how fucked up the world really was, and we got captured. We broke out, eventually, and with some help. Before we did, Deku was fighting with Shiro, and while he was seriously wounded, he managed to take the bastard's eye. Because of that, I think he may be after Deku now. No. I know he is."

"Razor what the fuck?!" Stain shouted. "I know you have your own way of training and teaching but taking him to a place like that. Are fucking insane?!"

Razor stared at him with a sad expression, something he had never seen from her.

"I am a little. I'm also a cold-hearted, sadistic bitch who's made some fucking stupid mistakes that I wish I could take back, but I can't," she admitted. "I regret bringing to Deku to that place, I always have but there's nothing I can do about it now. What's done is done." AFO had been furious about what had happened to Izuku. It was the angriest he'd ever been with her, about anything. "That's why I want to make sure nothing bad happens to him this time. So please, help me."

Stain felt moved by her speech. As much as she had had an impact on Deku, it seems he had made as much as an impact on her. After thinking it over for a few seconds Stain made his decision.

"Okay, I'll help you, but you're gonna have to fill me in on the whole story," Stain explained before turning his attention back to his prey. "In the meantime, what should I do with the fake here?"

Razor glared at Mt. Lady. "I honestly couldn't give a shit. Kill her quickly, kill her slowly, I don't care. Actually, if you killed her slowly that would take up too much time. You could just kill this giant fat ass we're standing on some other time. I don't think she'll be going anywhere unless it's into hiding."

Mt. Lady could feel the disdain in her tone of voice. This woman couldn't have cared less about whether she lived or died, it was the same with Stain. In their eyes, her life meant nothing, and why should it? She was everything she described her as, and nothing more. It was sad but it was true.

'Oh well, my life and hero career weren't the greatest, but they weren't the worst,' she thought. 'Maybe if I had realized this sooner, I could have changed. That's right, could have.'

Stain held his sword over Mt. Lady preparing to strike but then withdrew it.

Mt. Lady blinked in both surprise and confusion.

"Why?" was all she could say.

Stain scoffed. "I've got more important things to deal with right now. Also, this incident reminds me of one occasion when I let one person I fought live. He was just a student who embodied the very things that stained the word 'hero', in simple terms he was the type I hate most. However, after a fight where we were forced to team up, he tried changing for the better, and I genuinely believed it. I still do. Perhaps that's possible with you."

Mt. Lady's eyes widened. Was he saying what she thought? "Listen up and listen well! A true hero is someone who saves and others without the desire for fame or wealth. They put their lives on the line without a second thought because it's the right thing to do, nothing more, nothing less! The reason I won't kill you is that there is a slim possibility you may change from this. So, I will give you one chance, if you don't take it, I will kill you the next time I see you!"

And with that Razor and Stain left a wounded, and shocked Mt. Lady lying in the street. She was found hours later by another hero.

Police Headquarters

Strategizing for the upcoming raid went smoother than expected.

The raid would be like the one in Kamino during the Summer. It was to be a surprise attack with All Might (much to Endeavour's frustration) heading in first to quickly deal with any thugs, and the police and several heroes following.

Once inside they would locate Shiro and defeat him with extreme prejudice, the lives of innocent civilians were on the line after all. They were to do the same with any villains they came across.

It appeared simple enough but would be much more difficult when the time came to it.

The information Dabi provided showed that while Shiro and his colleagues were powerful, he had rarely seen them in action. Despite this, the heroes and the police were confident that they would win, they usually did.

Now that was done and out of the way they could return to the issue they were discussing before.

"Now that we've finished discussing the main issue of this meeting, do any of you have any questions regarding Izuku Midoriya, otherwise known as Deku?" the General Commissioner asked everyone present.

The heroes exchanged certain glances with each other.

"Is it true that he's quirkless?" Rock Lock asked.

"Yes," the General Commissioner replied. "Why do you ask?"

Rock Lock scratched his hair. "Well, it's just that I find it hard to classify him as a serious threat. What exactly can he do?"

"He's well versed in martial arts and physically strong and agile. Also, he's highly intelligent being able to analyse quirks and figure out their weaknesses and ways to improve them. He's also crafted various substances for the League such as a regenerative drug that healed a person completely and the strengthening drug known on the market as Achilles," Nezu explained.

The pros blinked at the name. They had heard of the drug, it was only recent, but they had seen its effects. They never would have thought a quirkless person was the one to create it though. Rock Lock could see why they would view him as dangerous, but he'd have to see for himself.

"Um, was he involved in making those things? The Nomu?" Native asked nervously.

"No, he never worked on them," Thirteen answered. "The first time he saw one was at the USJ."

"Does that mean he was unaware of them until that point?" Yoroi Musha questioned.

"He was actually," Midnight answered. "He was kept in the dark about many things in the League. He only did what he was supposed to do and never asked questions. He interacted with very few villains outside of the League. We do know he did an internship with Stain once."

There was silence for a minute until a few shouts were made, and a few alarming looks were shot.

"He worked with Stain, the hero-killer, and you let him attend UA," Miruko barked.

Endeavour was just as furious. UA's standards really had fallen. If that quirkless mistake had worked with that monster, that meant he was the key to locating and capturing him.

If he worked alongside him that meant he would know about the man's fighting style and quirk.

Yet here UA was defending him when he was just as bad, he probably killed people alongside the man.

"Now hold on a second," All Might interrupted. "Young Midoriya worked alongside Stain sure, but it was only for a week, and it was just for training. It was arranged by the woman who taught him how to fight. There was no killing during that time."

There were a few suspicious glares. No one (bar Endeavour) wanted to doubt All Might but at the same time, they felt uneasy about allowing a villain who worked with Stain around regular students.

"Who he interacted with aside, how exactly did he come into contact with Hades?" Best Jeanist asked. "More importantly, how did he even escape? No one has ever escaped from Hades before, alive at least."

Now that was something everyone was curious about.

"We don't know how he came into contact with them, or how he escaped either," Naomasa answered. "From what Dabi told us, he was fighting against Shiro and was losing very badly. In Dabi's own words, "Shiro was dominating the fight". Then there was an explosion from one of the stands, the gate opened and while he was distracted Midoriya stabbed Shiro in the eye." There was a stunned silence from everyone. They weren't expecting that. "While Shiro was distracted from the pain, Midoriya took his chance and ran for it. What happened afterwards is unknown. He never talked about it. Dabi brought it up with him once but that caused him to have a panic attack."

The heroes were starting to get an idea of how much Izuku Midoriya feared Shiro. The UA staff would have been lying if they weren't horrified at Midoriya's history with the group.

'He's seen and been through so much for someone his age,' All Might thought sadly. 'More than anyone should. It wouldn't be wrong to say that he's experienced everything a pro-hero would have.'

His thoughts were interrupted by a certain flaming hot-headed annoyance.

"If he has a past with Hades, and he wounded their leader Shiro, then wouldn't it be right to assume this is happening because the man wants revenge?" Endeavour suggested catching everyone's attention. "Is it not possible that Hades targeted Class 1A because they are associated with the villain Deku?"

The entire UA staff, particularly All Might, couldn't believe what they had just heard.

Where did Endeavour even get such an idea?

"That isn't possible Endeavour!" All Might declared. "Barring the staff, Class 1A, their parents, Dabi, and the police, no one actually knows that Young Midoriya is at UA. Shiro clearly planned his attack at the Mall, but there's no way he could've known Class 1A would be there, much less what you're suggesting."

Endeavour scowled. He hated how All Might contradicted him, and he hated how he defended that villainous quirkless piece of shit like he was just another student, like he deserved to be at UA with more worthy students aspiring to be heroes. They could defend him all they wanted but Endeavour knew the truth, Izuku Midoriya was nothing more than a vile piece of trash who, when this entire matter ended, would be thrown in the slammer to rot like he belonged.

And when that happened, he would be the one to do it, all the while smiling at and mocking him. He was looking forward to it, and if UA thought they would be able to keep him, well they had another thing coming.

"Fine," Endeavour pretended to agree. "But when he wakes up from his little beauty sleep try and interrogate him properly. And if you need someone to be forceful and persuasive, I'm happy to help."

Everyone flinched at that comment. They all knew Endeavour was merciless to villains but even still, he was offering to beat up a teenager, and a traumatized one at that. That wasn't the behaviour of a hero.

Although, several of them secretly agreed that Izuku did not belong at UA.

It did not matter how sad his story was. At the end of the day, he was a villain and should have been in prison.

All Might was beginning to make sense of Enji's personality from his conversation with Izuku. He was now seeing him as a crueller and prejudiced individual than he initially thought.

Endeavour, on the other hand, wanted to interrogate Izuku because in addition to getting valuable information about Hades he would have the opportunity to hurt him freely with no one able to stop him. The mere thought of hitting or burning the quirkless freak for humiliating him made him feel happy.

"You will do nothing of the sort!" Nezu threatened. A murderous aura emanated from the Principal of UA that made everyone tense with fear. "Let me be very clear about something Endeavour. Izuku Midoriya is our responsibility. Do you understand, ours, not yours? As such, you will go nowhere near him without permission. Whether it is from us or the police, you will not go near him. He has enough going on in his life without you coming in and making it worse. So, mark my words, you are not to go near him. Is that understood?"

The tone and glare Nezu was giving him sent chills down his spine. Even after all these years the tiny creature was still frightening. Endeavour begrudgingly nodded his head and stayed silent. Nezu beamed, returning to his cheerful self.

"Perfect! Now if that's all, I think it's time we got back," he announced.

Just then his phone went off and what he saw greatly concerned him.

"UA's alarms have gone off," Nezu said.

The second he did several teachers, pro heroes, as well as the police, started to move. It seemed that it was one event after another today, and it was incredibly annoying.

With that, the meeting came to a close.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku broke into the cafeteria by picking the lock using a knife he got from Shino.

Once inside, he headed to where the cutlery and napkins were. He didn't have time to find a first aid kit, so he used the napkins to wipe the blood from his skin, not that it did much.

He got behind where Lunch Rush worked and grabbed several chopsticks, spoons, and knives. He grabbed a tray or two for defending himself. There were multiple chairs in this big space, so he didn't need to worry about running out of them anytime soon.

'I've got everything I need so, now I just have to wait,' Izuku decided.

He knew very well that he couldn't beat them both by himself. He needed to stall until they had no choice but to retreat.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps entering the cafeteria.

Izuku held his breath, trying to be as silent as possible.

His pursuers were the opposite.

"Oh Deku, come out come out wherever you are," Blade called out in a taunting voice. "Come out and play with us."

"Seriously," Shino deadpanned. "What the hell!"

"What?! Just trying to scare the kid," Blade justified.

Shino didn't respond. She had never quite understood Blade's character, she didn't even like him, thought the feeling was mutual.

Blade transformed one of his legs into a sword and pierced through the counter where Izuku was hiding. Fortunately, he missed the boy by just inches.

"Careful, we don't want to kill Deku," Shino scolded in an emotionless voice. "Use some common sense."

"Shut up!" Blade snapped. "I didn't hit him. Besides, Shiro told us to capture Deku, but he didn't say unharmed. If we slice off a couple of limbs, maybe his hands or legs, it won't be that much of an issue. As long as he's"

Blade never got to finish that sentence. At that exact moment, Izuku burst out of his hiding place, stabbed Blade's hands with two chopsticks causing him to yell, and then grabbed the man by the ears and began to mercilessly slam his face into the counter. After doing it a couple of times, Izuku jumped on top of Blade and stomped on his head and back several times, leaving Blade out of the fight for a short while.

He then turned his attention to Shino who had thrown several knives. Using one of the trays Izuku blocked the projectiles.

He then started running across the tables with Shino in pursuit.

Leaping over the tables Izuku grabbed a chair and threw it at Shino who sliced it in two with her katana. He threw several more chairs at her, but the result was the same in the end.

Shino threw three shurikens at him, but Izuku deflected them with the tray.

Shino dashed towards him with incredible speed. She swung her katana at him with full strength and Izuku just barely blocked with the tray. The sword sliced through his shield immediately and he fell on his back to avoid getting slashed.

Shino stared down at him with an emotionless expression.

"Using your surroundings and basic items to defend against us. A clever strategy, and an impressive one," Shino admitted. "You didn't just run in here without thinking it through, did you?"

"Everything is a weapon!" Izuku answered, causing Shino to halt momentarily. "That's what you taught me back in Hades right? That anything, even something as simple as a spoon or a stuffed animal, could be used to either defeat your enemy."

"And I'm so happy you followed through with it," Shino applauded. "Most people generally just take it for granted, not realizing that it could save their life if the situation truly called for it."

"I'm not most people," Izuku replied.

"No, you aren't," Shino acknowledged. "That's what I've always liked about you Izuku. You aren't the same as others. You know how to adapt and survive if the situation calls for it. And you're smart enough to take everything into account, even if it's just small advice or a minor change in something. By the way, since I have the opportunity now, my compliments and thanks for what you did to Shiro. When I came back and saw him wounded and incredibly pissed off it thrilled me to my core. You have no idea how much I want to kill that man for what he's done to me. My only regret is that I was not there to witness it myself."

Izuku didn't say anything. When he knew Shino in Hades, she made it abundantly clear who she hated, who she didn't, and who she could stand but still didn't like. That said, Izuku realized that a unique opportunity had been presented here. The chance to get some answers.

"This is probably a bad time but, mind if I ask you some questions?" Izuku asked.

"Let me guess, you want to know if the others are alright if your classmates are fine, and how Shiro knew you were here?" Shino deadpanned.

Izuku opened his mouth to speak but immediately shut it again.

Shino sighed. "You're quite easy to read you know, well, most of the time." Izuku inwardly cursed himself for his obviousness. "Now to answer your questions: everyone you knew before is alive, though I'm not sure about well. Your classmates are alive, for the moment, I wasn't too interested in them to care. As for how Shiro knew you were here, I believe Umi told you about her once, a woman with the ability to see the memories of others. Well, she's the one that found out you were here from the UA students. So, satisfied?"

Izuku vaguely remembered Umi telling him about that, and now it all made sense. Izuku nodded to confirm he was satisfied.

He got back to his feet just in time to dodge a sword kick from a now furious looking Blade. There was blood leaking from his hands where Izuku stabbed him. He was in pain but that didn't stop him.

"I'm gonna slice you up into eight different ways," Blade raged.

Unenthusiastic about that, Izuku brought out the fire axe he kept on his back to deflect his blows. So far it seemed to be working.

Blade brought his arm down on Izuku who brought the axe up to block it.

Shino tried to attack him from behind, but Izuku intercepted her katana with Blade's arm.

He then brought both down to the floor and used the axes handle to deliver a hooking kick to Shino's face and an axe kick to Blade's head. He then quickly hit Blade with a chair and threw the remains at Shino who blocked with her katana.

Izuku was on the table again and leaping to different ones to the window that would lead him outside.

Blade, having recovered dashed towards Izuku and managed to get a hold of his arms. Not wanting to give him the chance to retaliate Blade headbutted Izuku several times before giving him a powerful front kick that sent him crashing out the window.

'Okay, that one hurt,' Izuku thought. 'Maybe I shouldn't have made him so angry. Then again he is trying to capture me so.'

"Any chance you could you know, not kill him!" Shino chastised. "We still need him in one piece."

"No promises!" Blade retorted.

The two glared at each other. They really didn't get along.

Taking advantage of this, Izuku started running towards the entrance of UA, hoping he'd meet someone there. He ignored the pain he was feeling and moved forward.

Having noticed their prey was fleeing the two assassins pursued him.

Upon arriving at the entrance Izuku collapsed on his hands and knees. He was exhausted and hurt. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up.

Izuku was surprised he'd lasted this long.

Then again, he got the sense that Shino was holding back when fighting, because if she had gone all out from the start he would've been beaten instantly. It was only because of luck that he'd managed to keep going this long.

"God fucking dammit!" Izuku cursed. "For once, I really wish the teachers were here."

"Such a shame they aren't," Blade cruelly taunted. He and Shino landed in front of the gate just inches away from him. "This has been fun, it really has but, this is where it ends."

Shino inwardly sighed. She had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but her hopes were all in vain. She had no choice but to capture Deku. The order given from Shiro was clear, precise and absolute. She couldn't refuse, no matter how much she wanted.

Blade was eager to finish this. While he wanted to kill Deku right here and now he decided that it would be more fun to watch Shiro slowly torture the little bastard to death. Just fantasizing sent excitement crawling down his spine.

Unfortunately for them, the assassins were so caught up in their own thoughts that they didn't sense the arrival of someone through the UA gate. That same someone sent out an emergency distress signal before entering, and then quietly moved up to the assassins, touching them both and alerting them to his presence.

The second he did they both slashed at him only to be blocked by his arms that were transformed into swords.

Out of the two of them, Blade was the most surprised.

'That's the same as my quirk,' Blade realized.

The blonde boy smirked at them both. "Hey there! Mind if I cut into this? Pun intended of course."

Izuku never thought he would be so happy to see Neito Monoma.

Neito had just been coming back from his day trip with Kokoro. He hadn't heard a thing about the events from today because his little sister insisted on having no distractions.

"I don't know who you two are, but I am curious as to why you're attacking Midoriya," Neito continued. "Did he do something to get on your bad side? Did he annoy you very badly? If he did, I sympathize with your plight."

Izuku ignored the insults and focused on the situation at hand. The odds were slightly more even with Neito here now, though he wasn't sure how good of a fighter he was.

Copying a quirk was one thing but fighting expertly with it was another. However, unlike him, Neito wasn't wanted alive by Shiro, which meant only one thing.

"That's quite a cheap quirk you copied, who does it belong to?" asked a familiar voice who Izuku was thrilled that he'd shown up. "I mean seriously, swords for arms, that's just so lame."

Blade felt a vein stand on his forehead.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE CALLING" Blade shouted, and the second he did he froze up.

Shino was confused at what just happened.

"Well, that was a success!" Hitoshi Shinso declared. "Now then, I don't know what your name is but attack your friend."

Blade instantly started to try to slice Shino at full strength which she gracefully dodged and parried. The two UA students stood beside the wounded one.

"You okay?" Hitoshi asked.

"Do I look okay?" Izuku retorted.

"You look like shit," Neito informed him. "That aside, who are these people, and why are they after you?"

"I don't have time to explain. They want to capture me but since you two are here they'll probably kill you," Izuku explained. "We need to try and hold them off for as long as possible. Both are lethal assassins, so don't let your guard down. Also, Monoma don't bother using your quirk on the woman Shino, she's quirkless, like me." That detail surprised him. Quirk or no quirk this woman was dangerous. "I might have an idea on how we can fight them if you're willing to listen."

Before they could ask, Shino successfully broke Blade out of his trance and then threw several knives and shuriken at the students.

Izuku threw his own projectiles to counter, however, because he was injured his aim was off so he missed a couple. That's when Neito came forward and transformed certain parts of his body into blades to shield against the projectiles. His theory proved true when the knives bounced off of him. The same couldn't be said for the shuriken who flew around Neito and were heading for Hitoshi. The boy couldn't move in time, so he brought his hands up to defend himself.

"You know, maiming students is beneath your usual job criteria Shino," a new voice announced.

Something fast flew by Hitoshi and grabbed the shuriken while they were still in the air. The figure stopped just close to the boy with gravity-defying hair.

Holding up the shuriken between his fingers was none other than the number five hero, Edgeshot.

The arrival of the pro shocked everyone (barring Shino) present.

Shino loosened up momentarily and actually smiled at the new arrival.

"Shinya, it's so nice to see you again," Shino greeted him. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances.

"Likewise, Shino," Edgeshot returned.

'Wait a second! Shinya! Isn't that?' Izuku remembered before widening his eyes in shock. 'No way! This guy is! She and him!'

"Okay, how the fuck do you two know each other?" Blade demanded.

"Excellent question," Shino answered. "Unfortunately, I don't feel like answering. Now that Shinya's here though, I'll deal with him while you handle the children. Good luck!"

Before he could argue, Shino and Edgeshot engaged each other. They were both incredibly fast and exchanged blows hand-to-hand, however, Edgeshot occasionally used his quirk to attack, only to be blocked by Shino's sword.

Blade turned his attention towards the boys, who were whispering about something.

"Hey, you, what are you plotting?" Blade interrogated. "Tell me!"

The three boys turned to him with determined and angry looks.

"Why don't you make us, scarface?" Hitoshi said.

Blade didn't answer. He wasn't stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice. He charged at the boys, only to be intercepted by Izuku with the axe.

"Remember the plan," he shouted.

He and Blade began trading blows of their own. From one's perspective, it looked like they were almost dancing, with each spinning as they struck each other.

Having had enough, Blade kicked down on the axe with full force, breaking it in two.

Seeing his weapon destroyed Izuku threw it away and took out two knives and began to fight with them instead. At one point they were caught in a struggle where they were forcing their weapons against one another, neither giving up, and their faces were close to each other.

Thinking fast, Blade turned his tongue into a knife and slashed at Izuku who pulled back but was still grazed on the top of his forehead. Blade kicked Izuku again and sent him skidding back.

He turned back and saw Neito trying to get close to him again. When he saw he'd been noticed he retreated.

"Damn I thought that would work," Neito complained.

"Well, you thought wrong," Blade snapped back, but the second he did, his fate was sealed.

Blade froze up the exact same way he did before.

"Brainwashing complete!" Neito announced. "Now retract your blades, sit down, and be quiet." Blade said nothing and did exactly as he was told. "Oh man, this power is incredible. You could really do a lot of awesome and heroic stuff with your quirk."

"Thanks," Hitoshi replied uneasily. He was still unused to people praising his quirk.

What happened next surprised the students even more. Blade was wrapped up in a familiar scarf and then pounded into the ground by a large fist of blood. It seems the teachers had finally arrived.

"So, it seems this and the other one was the ones who broke in," Aizawa stated. "How wonderful."

"We got the call; are you guys alright?" Vlad King asked.

"We are, he's not," Hitoshi informed them pointing at Izuku.

The two pro's eyes widened when they saw the state the boy was in. What the hell did they do to him?

Snipe who was far away shot several bullets at Shino, who deflected each of them without looking up and with relative ease, much to the man's shock.

"She blocked all of them, from this distance!" Snipe exclaimed. "Is that part of her quirk?"

Shino didn't pay attention to him. Her attention was no on Mic who had just arrived.

"My turn. Take this. YYYYEEEEAAAAHHHHH!" he shouted unleashing a loud wave of sound at Shino.

The assassin simply smiled and readied herself. It was a simple straightforward attack that she could easily dodge.

She ran up the window and flipped into the air. She then threw a knife at Mic's vocal cords.

Before it could reach him, however, it was intercepted by Edgeshot.

Once Mic had stopped Shino landed and surveyed her surroundings. As things were, she and Blade were at a disadvantage, much to her delight. With more heroes on the way that meant they had to retreat for now.

"It seems we've lost this one," she declared. She turned her attention to her lover. "Shinya, it was nice seeing you again and I hope we can finish this next time. Until then!" She turned to Deku. "Deku, just so you know, Shiro's going to keep coming after you until he gets you. So be on your absolute guard. However, you fought well today. I can see that Razor trained you well and fierce. She always was like that, even when we were growing up."

That Izuku's attention.

"Growing up? Does that mean you're a member of BUTLER?" Izuku blurted out without thinking.

Shino blinked in surprise. "I'm surprised she told you about that. It seems she opened up to you more than I thought. As much as I'd like to talk about it, I'm afraid we've run out of time."

Without warning, Shino dashed, at inhuman speed, towards Blade and freed him before the pros could even react. Then she threw several mist bombs to cover up their escape.

"Till we meet again!" she called out, and they were gone.

For several seconds, there was silence. Until it was broken by Mic.

"Okay, would someone please explain to me what the hell just happened!" he said. "Who were those people?"

"Shino and Blade," Izuku told them. "They're assassins from Hades sent here to capture me."

All eyes were on him.

"Why would they be after you?" Neito asked incredulously.

"I'm curious about that too," Hitoshi added.

The teachers exchanged looks with each other. They would have to explain the situation to them and about who Izuku was, and about what was happening now.

"I don't mind explaining but, can I get treated first?" Izuku pleaded. "I've been cut all over and bleeding a lot."

"I'll get Recovery Girl," Aizawa said.

Just then there was a loud boom at the front gate. And from the smoke emerged a familiar figure in his hero suit.

"HAVE NO FEAR, BECAUSE I AM HERE," All Might announced proudly before seeing the people present and the state, they were in. "What on earth happened here?"

The students, as well as the teachers and pro, felt veins standing on the edge of their foreheads. They had never felt more irritated with this man than they did now. Fortunately, it was Izuku who spoke their thoughts.

"TOO LATE YOU BASTARD!" Izuku roared at the top of his lungs.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I tried my hardest to make this chapter as long as possible since it's been a month since I updated, but here we are. Anyway, what did you think of the fights and other stuff in this chapter? Izuku may have been able to hold his own before but there will always be certain individuals who can threaten him. I hope you enjoyed and please review.

Chapter 42: Elena Belikov

Summary:

The students are given a lecture while Izuku prepares to speak with the police.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Once the meeting had concluded the UA staff, police and several pro heroes flocked to UA to find out what the commotion was all about. They were fortunate enough that the press wasn't able to follow this time because they were only allowed out to find out about the meeting.

Due to the events from earlier that day, the Police and Hero department issued a temporary curfew for civilians. In most cases, people would object to such a thing, but this time was an exception. They were terrified of what was out there, and for good reason.

All Might had gone ahead to deal with the situation by himself, which no one (not even Endeavor) objected to.

Upon arriving, they were greeted by Mic who told them the villains were gone, much to their frustration. However, at Nezu's request, they inspected the entire campus and its facilities just to be safe. While the police and pros were doing that the UA staff headed inside with Naomasa, Reo, and Chief Tsuragamae. The higher-ups were busy making preparations for the raid so they didn't come. Upon arriving at the staff room the staff and the police sat down.

"Now that we're all sitting down," Nezu started. "Yamada, I would like a full report of what went on here. Starting with who broke in here? How? And what were they after?"

It took only seconds for Mic to answer.

"I don't know either of them personally but from what I heard, their names are Shino and Blade. They're assassins working for Hades," he explained. There was a tense silence between the heroes and police. Hades was here, of all places, and so soon after kidnapping their students. "As for how they got in, I don't know how, but they did something to the security system that started setting off the alarms one by one. This was a distraction on their part. While we were off dealing with what we thought was the break-in they snuck in undetected through the front gate using one of the student ID's."

No one could argue against that analysis. If you thought about it, anyone could get in as long as they had a student ID or a special pass. And since Hades had over thirty UA students with them now, they had access to that many ID's.

"If they did something to the UA security system then that must mean Hades has someone with exceeding technological skills," Power Loader explained. "Being able to implant our system with a virus, there are very few people capable of such a feat, especially since we got it upgraded today."

"True," Nezu softly agreed. "I can think of only a few that could do such a thing. That aside, on to the more important matter, Yamada what were they after?"

Mic stared at them for a couple of seconds before finally answering. Even he was surprised when he found out.

"It was Midoriya they were after," Mic finished. "They were sent here to capture him and bring him back to Hades on Shiro's orders."

The reactions of the UA Faculty and police were mixed. Some eyes widened in either shock or surprise, others stared at the table uncomfortably.

In cases like Nezu and Tsurugamae, they kept a calm emotionless expression.

Reo just flat out groaned.

"You have got to be kidding me!" he complained. "It's like that kid is literally a magnet for danger."

"Yagami, Midoriya didn't exactly ask for this to happen," Naomasa chastised. "It just did. Much like the other times."

Reo bit his lip and kept silent. Naomasa had a point. What kind of person would ask for that?

Well, an insane or masochistic person who got a thrill from the sense of danger and the thought of actually dying might. He didn't think Izuku fell into the insane category (though it was up for debate) or the masochist category. Okay, so he did think the boy might fall into the masochist side because of how much pain he had physically been dealt.

However, he kept his views to himself.

"Is Midoriya alright?" Nezu asked concerned.

"He got injured pretty badly," Mic answered. "Recovery Girl, who's currently treating him, will give you the full details. He was bleeding a lot though and had several other injuries." Shota and the old woman had been furious about it. It seemed like one chaotic event after another today. "Those two individuals he was fighting, they were strong. Even when the rest of us arrived they still managed to hold their own until they had to retreat. Speaking of which, before us staff members became involved two students, Neito Monoma and Hitoshi Shinso, joined the fight and they heard a few things that got them asking questions."

Nezu stared down at the table. He had always considered the possibility of the other students finding out about Midoriya's status, but he hadn't considered that it would happen this way.

"It can't be helped then," he said finally. "Tell them the truth about Midoriya but allow Aizawa and Kan to do so."

"They were already planning to," Mic answered. That's when he remembered something important. "Oh, by the way, during the fight we learned from Shino who it was that trained Midoriya and the group she's part of." All eyes were instantly on him. This had been something they had wanted to know for quite some time. "The name of the woman who trained Midoriya is Razor, and the group she's part of is called Butler. I don't know where the name comes from though."

While most of the people in the room didn't know who these people were, there were some exceptions, three to be precise. Nezu, Naomasa, and Tsurugamae had all heard of BUTLER, though only the first two had heard of Razor.

"So Midoriya was trained someone from that group," Tsurugamae murmured. He would have to up his villain ranking after this. "That explains a lot."

"It certainly explains why he can fight so well," Naomasa added.

"Indeed," Nezu agreed. "Still, I never would have imagined that he was trained by that woman of all people. From what I've heard about her there is hardly anyone, in the world, she can stand to be around."

The teachers and Tsurugamae eyed them both curiously.

"Do you know this woman?" Midnight asked. "Also, what is this Butler group you're talking about? I seriously doubt they're the classic stereotypical servants you'd find in a mansion."

"You couldn't be more right Ms Midnight," Tsurugamae answered. "However, the name is somewhat fitting because of the nature of their work. You see BUTLER is a mercenary group made up of several highly trained individuals that go out and perform various jobs, ranging from kidnapping, protection, assassination, thievery, rescue, military, the list goes on. Their main recruits are children that are either orphaned or runaways from home. While there they are given extensive training in body, mind, and quirk, and they are taught to survive by themselves. They are neither heroes nor villains, yet they take on jobs from both and various other individuals. We police have hired them on occasion when it came to a job that hero couldn't do for us. And they have always been successful."

The heroes had mixed feelings about it.

Working with such a group, they didn't know whether to support the act or condemn it. It wasn't their way but, the police weren't heroes. They had their own way of doing things.

However, the fact that heroes occasionally hired them stung them. They weren't supposed to rely on others aside from the police and other heroes, yet they still did it. The situation must have been truly desperate for them.

"Razor, in particular, is a formidable warrior who is adept in all fighting styles, with a very specific skill set, and specializes in combat missions, though she does take part in other assignments as well," Nezu explained. "I don't know the name of her quirk but, from what I've gathered it allows her to manifest blades of all kinds from her body. She's even fought with and held her own against All Might on several occasions."

Barring Naomasa, everyone's eyes widened in shock. Anyone who could hold their own against the Symbol of Peace was definitely dangerous. It wouldn't be wrong to at least classify her as an S-rank villain, though they remembered Nezu pointed out that she wasn't one, or at least the group she was part of weren't.

They were still incredibly wary of her.

"She's also worked with All Might on several occasions," Naomasa added. He didn't know the full extent of their relationship but he knew this much. "From what he's told me the two of them are friends." That surprised most of the people present. "He trusts her when they're not on opposing sides. Furthermore, he told that there is almost no one she doesn't hate and can bear to be around, even less when it comes to friends. All Might falls into the friend category, and it seems Midoriya falls into the presence tolerated category."

No one quite knew how to respond to that. Though a response may not have been necessary.

"We can discuss Razor and BUTLER later, because right now we have more pressing matters to attend to," Nezu declared. He turned his attention to Mic. "Yamada, please give us a full description of the attackers, their skills, and how their battle went. Leave out nothing!"

Mic nodded. Nezu was going to love this. Especially when he got to the part where Midoriya was sent crashing through a window.

There was also the matter of how damaged the cafeteria was, Lunch Rush was going to be furious when he found out. He truly did love that section with all his heart.

Hades: Children's section

After returning from watching Bakugo's brutal fight with Shiro, the students of 1A were faced with a barrage of questions from Class 1B. Seeing that it was pointless to keep it from them any longer they explained Izuku's situation.

Tenya, Ochaco, and Mina did most of the talking.

Mina was especially vocal when she revealed that Izuku was the villain she was talking about earlier, much to the student's shock. They explained why he was in the hero course and why his status was kept a secret.

While 1B did understand this some of them were still angry that they hadn't been trusted with the knowledge of who they were attending class alongside, even from their own teacher.

"I can't believe the teachers, especially Kan Sensei, didn't trust us with this," Togaru growled. "What?! Did they would think we would just go and start blabbing about it to every random person we came across?"

"I agree with Kamakiri," Nirengeki said, albeit with an uncomfortable look. "Though I can understand why they still should've been honest and trusted us with this. We would've understood."

Several 1B students murmured in agreement with each other. Only one was adamant about the subject, however.

"Guys, I understand that you're upset, I am too, but if you think about it, it was the best course of action," Kendo defended. "Information as vital and important as that would be kept to as few people as possible. What's more, Midoriya, while he may be in the same course, he is not in the same class as us. Therefore, we weren't in the need to know section, unlike Class A who was living under the same roof as him. They were told because it was necessary for them to know. And if we should've been told, then the entire school may as well have been told."

Once she had said that, some of her classmates shut up. There were others who had their own opinion, and they weren't from UA.

"I must confess, it's a pretty clever strategy," Saiko admitted. She was somewhat intrigued by this teenage villain as well. . "Hiding the villain in plain sight where no one can find him, while at the same time attempting to reform him is a stroke of genius."

Her classmates all nodded in agreement.

Another school was different in opinion.

"UA High School, I respect your school and take pride in the fact that our schools are considered equals. However, you lot continue to act in ways that cause its dignity to decline," declared a student with slanted eyes and purple hair, part of which covered his left eye. In addition, he wore a school uniform different to theirs and a hat. "Adding such a dangerous individual to your institute was bound to cause trouble but did you did it anyway. What's worse is that this villain, this Midoriya, Deku, whatever it is you call him, has connections with the monsters that run this organization. How do we know he isn't conspiring with them on this?"

Some of the Class A students shot glares at the boy. They didn't know where he got that idea from, but it infuriated them. Izuku hadn't been part of this. It just wasn't possible, not with his contact to the outside of UA so limited. Before they could retort, a fist came down on the boy's head by another student in the same uniform whose body was completely covered by hair.

"That's enough out of you Seiji. Show some respect," the hairy student reprimanded. "Now isn't the time to be throwing around accusations and insults, not when we all need to work together to survive this ordeal." He turned to the UA students and bowed. "I apologize on behalf of my colleague his behaviour is unbecoming of a student from Shiketsu High School. Still, he is on edge. We all are after what just happened, and what we are now."

The name rung was familiar in their ears. Shiketsu High School was a hero school that ran equal to UA in terms of prestige and producing heroes. It was set up in the West while UA was in the East. It was a surprise to many that they of all people had been captured.

"He's right senpai!" a boy with a bulky exterior and dark hair shouted loudly and enthusiastically. "The fact that UA goes so far to protect and reform a young villain is a testament to them being passionate about heroism. After all, it's a hero's duty to save someone in need, even a villain. It's so passionate, that's what I love about UA because passion is something that I believe all heroes should have as motivation for saving people."

Some of the students and children present were intimidated by his enthusiasm. Did he even realize the situation they were in?

"How did you Shiketsu students get captured? Were you off school for the day like we were and visiting the mall?" Shoto asked.

No sooner had he spoken than the passionate teenager shot him a hateful glare having recognized him. The son of his former favourite hero was here. Perfect, just perfect. Suddenly this predicament became a whole lot worse for him.

"Correct Shoto Todoroki," a female with straight fawn-coloured hair answered in a flirtatious voice. "The four of us came to the shopping mall because we were given the day off by our teachers while they were having an important meeting. While at the mall we got hit with some gas and fell asleep. When we came to, we were here along with the rest of you." The passionate boy scowled at the memory. If only he had activated his quirk sooner, then they wouldn't be in this mess. "By the way, my name's Camie Utsushimi. The rude one is Seiji Shishikura, the one who's in love with passion is Inasa Yoarashi, and the hairy one is Nagamasa Mora who's our class representative. Inasa is a first-year while the rest of us are second years. Nice to meet you!"

Camie possessed a cute face with glossy lips and a curvaceous figure that instantly made her the object of affection for most boys, especially Mineta who was practically drooling at the sight of her.

"Camie, don't call me rude. I'm simply proud of my school and my beliefs," Seiji stated. "That doesn't change the fact that my idea is a possibility. How do we know for certain that this villain they are housing is involved with these people?"

Before she could answer Tenya spoke up. He had already had enough of these ridiculous accusations.

"That's completely absurd!" he argued. "Midoriya couldn't possibly be working with them. The security system at UA monitors all his contact with the rest of the world to make sure he's not trying anything funny. Even if he was working with Hades, which he isn't, he couldn't talk with them without anyone else knowing about it." He was really fuming now. "Also, you watched Bakugo fight with Shiro, you heard what that man said. Midoriya was held captive by Shiro, but he escaped and took his eye. None of us knows the specifics of their relationship or how they came to know each other in the first place but one thing is clear: they are enemies!"

That seemed to shut Seiji up, as he turned and said nothing afterwards, much to everyone's relief.

"So, how does he know Shiro?" Pony asked catching everyone's attention. "If he was held hostage by him then it must have happened sometime when he was working for the League of Villains. Right?"

"He was with them for about a year so that narrows down the time when it could have happened," Mina suggested.

Izuku had been very specific about when he became a villain.

"It was around seven months ago actually," Utada announced having been listening to their conversation.

She wasn't alone either. Beside her was her sister and that luchador wrestler from before, Lobo.

Lobo had only recently returned from his fight and played with the children for a bit in a game where they would either try to swing off his muscles or wrestle him to the ground, which he actually made pretty easy for them. It was quite an amusing game, one even he enjoyed. Utada, who had been observing them told him the news.

To say he was shocked at Izuku's predicament was an understatement. Just when he thought he was finally free of this hellhole he gets dragged back. Well, not yet but it was likely to happen. He had heard the news as well, AFO was dead, slain by Atrocity's hand, which now meant that Izuku had very little to protect himself from Shiro.

"¡Hola chicos! ¿Cómo estáis? Me llamo Lobo," Lobo casually greeted in Spanish. "¿Y tú? ¿Cómo os llamáis?"

Only a few students could actually understand him. They didn't take Spanish as a language. They were taught basic English but that was it.

"Hola. Soy Pony. Estos es mis compañeros de mi clase en UA. Estamos fatal porque de la situación," Pony answered back in Spanish.

The students, particularly in Class B, were surprised that Pony could speak Spanish. Lobo grinned at the girl in question.

"Ah, it's nice to see that at least one of you speaks Spanish," Lobo applauded, this time speaking in English. "Judging from your appearance and accent I'm guessing you're from America."

Pony nodded. "Oh yes. I moved here a few months ago as part of my Dad's job. Japanese isn't easy but I'm learning. I studied Spanish for a few years when I went to school in America. I'm pretty decent at it but there are a lot of tenses that are difficult to memorize."

"I know," Lobo acknowledged. "You get used to it eventually."

"Ahem," Umi interrupted to remind them of the situation.

"Oh right, hi there everyone. My name is Lobo, and I'm one of the main fighters in the arena," Lobo informed them this time in Japanese. "Don't worry, I speak Japanese as well as Spanish and English. I've lived here most of my life after all." The students sighed in relief. That meant there would be little problems when communicating with this man. "Now, on to more important matters." Lobo's demeanour turned serious all of a sudden. "I heard that Deku is at your school as part of some protection detail, is that true?"

Some students murmured yes' while others nodded their heads. Lobo groaned in frustration.

"Fuck!" he swore. "Of all the times for this to happen."

"I know right. This is only going to end with someone dying," Utada chimed in. "Deku should really consider going into hiding, or maybe moving off to another country where he can escape."

The students exchanged confused looks with each other. Seeing their reactions, Umi took it upon herself to explain.

"You've all been spouting theories about how Deku is working with Hades and how he endangered you all. Well, you're all wrong. It's the other way around. It's because of you kids that Izuku's life is in danger," Umi explained. The students were about to protest when she silenced them. "You can try and argue if you want but as I'm sure you can recall from Bakugo's fight with Shiro, there's someone who looks at memories of all the people they bring in, someone who looked at your memories." She let that part sink in for a moment before continuing. "Now that Shiro knows where he is, he's going to come after him, or rather he's going to send certain agents of his to drag Deku back alive just so he can kill him himself."

"Hold on a second, to do that they'd need to break into UA, and that's been made virtually impossible," Hiryu pointed out. "Earlier today the UA faculty increased security in both defences and system. No one will be able to breach it now."

"Shiro might be strong and downright scary, but I doubt he would actually be stupid to send people after Midoriya," Tetsutetsu said. "Especially with all the heroes prowling around UA, and the ones that would descend upon it the second they heard a break-in."

Utada couldn't help but giggle at their arguments. It was truly amusing to see how little they understood about Shiro and the type of person he was, even after what they had just witnessed. Then again, they had only just got here. It would take a little time before they really understood what the man was like.

"So young and so naïve," Utada teased. "How nice that must be for you."

Some of them furrowed their eyes in confusion at her last sentence. Surely no one would be stupid enough to actually attempt such a pointless and hopeless job, and for a petty reason at that. Although, considering what Izuku did to Shiro it wasn't entirely petty. The man's hatred was justified.

"I think you're all seriously underestimating Shiro and his ego," Umi told them. "When that man wants something or someone, he'll stop at nothing to get it. It doesn't matter if it's in a bank, a prison, the police headquarters, a hero's possession or even a hero school like yours, he'll get it. Regardless of how heavily fortified the place is he'll always find a way in and get what he wants, and he never fails. Others he sends might, but him no, he always succeeds in the end. As a matter of fact, Shiro prefers it if the place he's breaking into is heavily guarded and extremely difficult to get into. If there's one thing I know, it's that man it's that he loves a challenge."

"The man may be cruel, ruthless, and psychotic, though maybe it's just sociopathic, but he's incredibly confident, charismatic, intelligent, and most all fearless," Lobo explained. "Once his desires awaken, nothing can prevent him from acting on them. He pushes onward with a fierce conviction that he will be victorious."

"Shocking as it may sound, it's never failed him," Utada whispered.

The students stared at their caretakers with dumbfounded expressions. Were they actually serious? Would Shiro actually attempt such a dangerous operation? Of course, he would, why would the others lie about something like this? The only question now was how? How was he planning on breaking into UA? It wasn't the sort of plan that you could come up with overnight. It would take a few days, if not weeks at least before going through with it.

Elena, who had been remarkably quiet throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke up. She'd been listening long enough to figure out Shiro's plan.

"I'm guessing Shiro sent people out during his fight with Bakugo," she announced, garnering everyone's attention. "It would make sense after all."

"How come?" Eijiro asked.

"First of all, the timing would be perfect. With what happened today society must be in a state of chaos. After all, several thousand people suddenly disappeared without notice. Because of that, the heroes are likely holding a meeting to find out what happened alongside the police, and several UA faculty members because we are their students who went missing. As such the school won't be as heavily guarded. What's more, because there's already been an attack today they won't expect another one so soon, especially on a place like UA. The fact that they've got high security will cause the teachers to lower their guards, make it easier for others to infiltrate," Elena explained.

The others listened and started thinking. Her reasoning did make sense.

"Now, about the people who have gone after him. It is likely Shiro would have sent very few people to capture Midoriya. A job like this is one he'd want to be done as discreetly and quickly as possible. Considering this organizations reputation, I would imagine that you would've sent highly trained and skilled individuals to get the job done. Tell me, am I warm?" She was sent a couple of nods, much to her own satisfaction.

"However, here comes the tricky part, and that's actually breaking into UA. To do that you need to first get past the front gates, which is quite easy once you have a student ID, like ours. However, you aren't out of the woods yet. The teachers are probably monitoring who comes and goes, so you need a distraction to get by, as well as something to locate Midoriya."

"I'm guessing that's where Ms Rika comes in next, by providing certain gadgets or devices, like cameras, bombs or even computer viruses to handle those issues. You weren't just bragging about her skills before, were you? You were warning us about them. Once that's done and out of the way you can get in find Midoriya, though success still isn't guaranteed since he's not likely to go without a fight. So, tell me, am I right or am I wrong?"

The reactions of everyone present were mixed. Most wore dumbfounded expressions. Others let their jaws drop open in complete and utter shock.

Inasa had an idiotic expression where he was smiling and looking both shocked and surprised at the same time.

Seiji held a stern expression, yet at that moment he felt a deep level of respect and admiration towards this woman. For she was a student of UA that deserved respect, his respect, and she now had it.

'Damn,' was all Lobo could think.

'Oh my,' Utada mused. 'What smart girl, and a lovely one as well.'

'She's definitely a force to be reckoned with in terms of intelligence, though her physical capabilities remain unknown,' Umi realized. 'Shiro's definitely going to put her to good use. No doubt he'll want her talents in an area where she's suited for it.'

Elena shifted uncomfortably. Judging from the looks on Umi, Utada, and Lobo's faces she had gotten it right all in one go, something she really hadn't meant to do.

"Woah," Kitsune murmured.

"You're really smart," Yosei complimented.

"What's your IQ, 200?" Kai asked incredulously.

Elena twirled some of her hair playfully in an effort to distract herself. "Thank you. My family are a military one, so academics and self-defence are stressed. Mama is quite insistent on it, though is a bit more laid back. As for my IQ, it's 135."

That earned her several shocked gasps. That was the usual reaction she got whenever she told people the truth. She could still remember Ochaco's reaction when she told her. The poor girl literally fell out of her seat.

She and her family had moved here four years ago as part of her parent's jobs. Her mother Anastasia was kind, but also strict and serious, a woman who was quite firm on her children learning how to look after themselves and excelling in academics. Although she loved each of her children dearly she knew they weren't going to remain children forever. Sooner or later they would have to grow up and face the harsh reality of life.

Her father Sousuke was more laid back than she was, though he could still be serious when the situation truly called for it. Sousuke was a tall handsome man, with a perfect build-up of muscle, short and incredibly dark hair, and grass green eyes that were passed on to his daughter and eldest son.

His quirk was "Time Spot" which allowed him to speed up or slow down a living or non-living being. Another unique aspect of this quirk was that it could literally freeze time depending on how long the user could hold their breath. During this time they could move freely but the downside was that the ability could only be used once every twenty-four hours, otherwise they would collapse and end up in a coma. Her father had told her of the many times he'd used his quirk to either take out an enemy quickly or protect one of his comrades.

Her elder brothers were Viktor (age twenty-two) and Kousuke (age twenty).

Viktor inherited his mother's hair colour and eyes, but his father's build, face, and quirk. Like his parents, he was strict but had a warmer gentler personality when he wasn't working. He worked as a detective in Japan, putting his quirk and intelligence to good use. He did his job so well that he had been granted a special license that allowed him to legally use his quirk in public. It was sort of like a Provisional Hero License only it never expired as quickly.

Kousuke was an exact copy of his father with Anastasia's eyes. Out of everyone in their family, he was the most cheerful and upbeat, though he was quite serious when in action. He was a pro-hero that graduated from Ketsubutsu since he had never like major schools like UA or Shiketsu because he hated publicity. He became a hero because he legitimately wanted to save people, not for the usual reasons.

His quirk was called "Adaptation" where he could adapt his body to any environment to survive. He could breathe underwater, make his body immune to poison of any kind, and even survive in space. He could choose how he wanted to adapt as well, for example, if a building was on fire he could change his body to stone to take on the flames.

Elena (aged sixteen) was the youngest. She excelled in all things academic-related and was multilingual as well, having been able to speak Russian, English, Japanese, Spanish, and Korean fluently. She'd always loved studying languages, ever since she was three. Regarding her view of her heroes, it was mixed.

"The girl here is correct," Lobo stated sounding impressed.

"My name is Elena," Elena informed him.

"Lo siento," Lobo apologized.

"Está bien," Elena replied.

The students and children were now beginning to wonder how many languages she spoke.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Midoriya right now," Manga Fukidashi admitted. "He's at UA and we're here on our own against an entire organization."

"Manga's got a point," Kinoko supported. "We should focus on our own situation and what we can do about it."

"What can we do?" Kojiro asked uncertainly.

"Is there anything we can do?" Koda added.

The students started murmuring among themselves.

"Enough," Elena commanded with authority. "Squabbling amongst ourselves will do us no favour whatsoever. We need to think about this logically and strategically."

That earned her several looks. She sighed deeply as she knew she would have to explain everything to them.

"First of all, there's nothing we can do, at the moment anyway. Take a look at where we are. We are in an underground facility that is God knows where. To add to it we have no idea how big it is or how to get out, it could be a maze for all we know and wandering around it aimlessly would be a sure-fire way to get lost and in an even worse situation. When I say worse I mean worse. We don't know who lives down here and doubt any of you want to find out. There's also the matter of these collars, which can shock and kill us at any given time. Considering how they are made they liking have some tracking function in them to let our captors know where we are when they need it. So, for the time being, I suggest we go along with this little scheme and gather what information and resources we can if we want to escape," Elena explained.

So far she had gotten emotionless reactions but what she said next was likely to start some uproars. "Now, regarding the matter of heroes coming to save us, don't get your hopes up. The heroes have no idea where we are or who is down here, and even if they do they'll need to form a plan before attempting a rescue. To just waltz in here, the enemy's territory without a proper plan would be suicide. And even if they do succeed in that part there's no guarantee that they will win, there is always the chance they could lose."

Just as she anticipated, there were some negative reactions. And it wasn't just from the students, it was from the children as well.

"What do you mean the heroes won't win?" one cried.

"Of course they'll win, they have to," another yelped. "They're heroes."

"And with All Might backing them up there's no way they'll lose," Mineta bragged. For once everyone was in agreement with the purple-haired (and perverted) boy. "He never loses. He's undefeatable."

Elena rolled her eyes. If she had a hundred yen for every time she'd heard that she would be a very wealthy woman. She couldn't even count the number of times she'd heard that in this country. All Might was cool, All Might was incredibly strong and fast, he won all his fights with a brilliant smile, he was the number one hero, the great Symbol of Peace, she got it. She didn't need to hear it twenty-four seven.

"And?" she answered in a cold accusing tone of voice.

Her response earned her confused looks and glares from the people around her. Surely this girl wasn't serious. All Might losing, that just wasn't possible.

Elena stared coldly at the group around her waiting for an answer. When she didn't receive one, she gave an answer of her own.

"That means absolutely nothing to me. Yes, All Might has one every single battle he's been in. However, just because he has won every fight up until now doesn't mean he's going to keep on winning forever," Elena pointed out.

The students and kids were about to start arguing again when Lobo silenced them and insisted on letting her speak. "Now, I want you all to get this through your thick simple-minded skulls. All Might is not a God, he is a man. And like any other man he can be injured, he can bleed, and most of all he can die. If this were something like a comic book where the hero fights and saves the day then it would be possible, but this is real life, and in real life, things don't always go the way we want." The students and children froze upon hearing that. Elena wasn't wrong about that. Most of the time things didn't go the way they planned. "And if you take the fact that All Might has gotten weaker over the years into account the odds of him winning are close to impossible."

"What do you mean he's gotten weaker?" Aoyama asked confused.

Elena rolled her eyes. Of course, they wouldn't research it. Why would they? After all, the thought the man was virtually indestructible.

"I mean what I said. All Might has gotten much weaker over the years he's been a hero. When he started off as a hero he had an unlimited amount of time to act as one, then five years ago something happened that lessened his time to around three hours a day, then there was the USJ Incident where it lessened to less than an hour," Elena told them. "Do I need to go on?"

The silent response was all she needed. Her speech had a deep impact on everyone. Class 1A started to feel guilt at what had happened to All Might, as it was because of them that he had lost time, it was all because he had protected them at the USJ.

Class 1B was worried about what they were supposed to do now.

Everything was as Elena said. Even if the heroes did find them there was no guarantee when it would happen, and no guarantee that they would actually be rescued because if they were going to fight here then Hades would have the advantage. They would need to play along for now and try to work out a way to escape.

The students from Shiketsu were of the same opinion, though one was feeling slightly different.

The children who had been captured were nervous and frightened. They didn't want to be here, they wanted to go home, they wanted to be with their parents. However, what truly frightened them was what Elena said about how there was a chance they wouldn't be saved. If that were true then they were trapped here, forever. It was the worst thing that could've possibly happened to them.

Children such as Yosei and Kitsune knew those looks on their faces, they had worn them years ago when they were captured. As much as they wanted to comfort them, they knew that the newcomers would have to grow up and accept it just like they did. They had wanted to be saved once but as the years went on, they grew tired of waiting and accepted their lives here. It was sad but it was true.

Umi and Lobo had been eyeing two students they thought they could train in their quirks. Well, maybe not train but teach them a few things.

"Um, guys," Koda called out shyly. All eyes were instantly on him, causing him to blush with embarrassment. He wasn't used to this much attention. "Does anyone know where Jiro, Fumikage, and Yaoyorozu are?"

Everyone immediately started looking around for signs of the three 1A students but to no avail.

"Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing them here at all," Mina admitted.

"Were they even with us when we arrived?" Ojiro asked.

"The last time I saw them was at the mall where they were fighting against that brown-haired man from before," Tenya explained. "I thought they were brought here with everyone else."

Everyone started to get worried. They hoped they hadn't done something like try and escape. That would only end badly for them.

"The man you're thinking of is Atlas, one of the Elemental Assassins, and one of the nicer folks in this hellhole," Lobo announced. "I spoke with him earlier and he told me that those three got away. The earphone girl did something to the floor that caused it to collapse and them to fall down it. He doesn't know if they survived though."

That made some of Class 1A feel a bit better. That meant those three could tell the police and heroes about what happened. It also meant they wouldn't have to endure what they were going to go through.

"Enough about that, you've been through a lot today, so I suggest you get some rest," Umi urged them. "You'll need your strength for tomorrow. We've arranged your beds and who'll be bunking with who, a process which was done randomly and can't be changed." The students understood and prepared to move in when Umi called out two. "Shoto Todoroki, and Mezo Shoji." The two stopped upon hearing their names. "Todoroki please come with me, while Shoji please go with Lobo. There are some things we'd like to discuss with you if that's alright. Please don't ask questions, we'll explain when we get there."

Instead of arguing, the multi-arm and the dual haired boy just went with them.

Inasa flashed one last glare at Shoto before looking at the board to see who he was sharing with. The second he did he felt an incredible urge to unleash a gale-force whirlwind. Why? Because the person he was sharing with was none other than Shoto Todoroki. Just when he thought things couldn't get much worse.

Recovery Girls Office

"Ow," Izuku moaned. "I know your quirk is draining, but I didn't think it was that much."

"Well, what did you expect?" Recovery Girl retorted. "My quirk stimulates your healing, but healing takes energy. The fact that you're still conscious right now is impressive considering the wounds you had."

Aizawa rolled his eyes at that last part. Even he was surprised when he discovered the damage that had been dealt to Midoriya.

Multiple cuts and bruises over his entire body, a sprained wrist, blood leaking from the side of his head, stab wounds, two broken ribs, and some (but not serious) damage to one of his internal organs. It was a miracle that he'd even survived.

'Problem child indeed,' Aizawa thought.

When Aizawa first heard about Izuku he had thought of him as a problem child, not just because of his villain status, but because of his past as well.

"This is the fourth time I've had to treat you. I do hope you aren't becoming a regular patient of mine," Recovery Girl chastised. "It's bad for someone as young as you."

"I can't make any promises," Izuku responded as honestly as he could.

He really couldn't, not with everything that was going on.

All Might chuckled at that remark but quickly quieted down. In the room currently was Izuku, Recovery Girl, Aizawa, and All Might.

Mic was off receiving the heroes and police while Edgeshot was inspecting the premises for any more intruders.

Vlad and Hound Dog were explaining to Neito and Hitoshi about who he was and what had happened today.

Given what had happened here today there wasn't much reason to keep it from them anymore.

"Once again I am truly sorry," All Might apologized while bowing his head in shame. "I should have been faster, but I wasn't and it's because of me that the villains escaped, and you were severely wounded."

Izuku groaned. "Seriously stop trying to take responsibility. You were far away at a meeting. It wasn't your fault."

In reality, he wanted to roar at this man for acting so stupid. 'Seriously, the second he arrives he announces his presence instead of getting straight to saving people! That's stupid! What's even stupider is that he's now trying to take full responsibility like the whole thing was his fucking fault! What the fuck!' he thought. 'Why exactly did I admire him again?' The images of seeing videos of All Might saving people on Youtube came flooding back to him. His smile, his quirk, his aura. 'Oh right, that's why.' Izuku then compared that with his current image of the man. 'Heh. I don't like him. He's just annoying now.'

"But it is," All Might argued. "I'm the Symbol of Peace. I'm supposed to protect everyone. If I can't do that then what good am I?"

The moment he said that something snapped inside Izuku. 'Okay, that fucking does it!'

"All Might, seriously, shut the fuck up!" Izuku commanded. The number one hero flinched at the outburst. "Now, listen up and listen well, because I'm only going to say this once. None of this was your fault, it was Shiro's. Stop trying to take responsibility for something you didn't do, because it is getting really fucking annoying at this point. You were at a meeting far away from where you had no idea of what was going on here. There is no way you could have known or done anything, just like with what happened at the mall today. Unless you've got an omnipotent danger sensing quirk and warping quirk like Kurogiri's there is no possible way you could've helped here." All Might just looked stunned while Aizawa grinned amusedly. It was nice to see him get told off for once. "We have already had this discussion. You are a man, not a God. You're only human. You cannot save everyone. So, wake the fuck up, and get realistic." Izuku placed a lot of emphasis on that last word. All Might gave that advice to him, which he followed and gave back. "Because if you don't, if you keep spouting the same crap like you're doing now, I swear to God, I will break both of your arms and legs. And then I'll ask Recovery Girl to heal you so I can break them again. Do you understand?"

A murderous aura emanated from Izuku causing All Might to flinch and nod his head frantically.

Aizawa, while surprised at Izuku, was laughing inside at All Might being told off like a child by a child. The man's arrogance would one day be his downfall after all. That and he was still pissed at the greeting All Might gave at the front gate earlier. He'd been annoyed with him many times but that time he just wanted to bind him up and repeatedly punch him for idiotically announcing his presence and arriving the exact minute the villains escaped.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't do that. I've already treated quite a few patients today already, and the last thing I and the school need are more," Recovery Girl complained while sending Izuku a warning glare.

He seemed to get the message because he didn't press the issue any further. The woman did just restore him to full health, and it hadn't been the first time. So he at least owed her that much.

It was then that Aizawa received a text on his phone from Mic.

"It appears the pros, teachers and police have arrived and are conducting a full-scale search. The top heroes are among them," Aizawa informed them.

"Endeavor's here. Perfect," Izuku said sarcastically. "Just when I thought today couldn't get any worse."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "You don't like him?"

Izuku rolled his eyes. "No, the guy is a complete asshole. Why, do I have to like him?"

"Not at all," Aizawa replied nonchalantly. "You're entitled to your own opinion."

Izuku stared at him for a moment. "Do you like him?"

Aizawa returned Izuku's stare with an emotionless one of his own. "Do I have to?"

Izuku didn't answer. He'd heard all he needed to. It seems his homeroom teacher was somewhat aware of the type of person Endeavor really was. However, Izuku had something else on his mind after this ordeal.

"So, is Principal Nezu going to request that I'm transferred to a proper prison after tonight?" Izuku asked seriously. "I doubt he'll want to keep me after what just happened."

Aizawa frowned. "Why on earth would he do that?"

Izuku shot him a look that had 'Seriously' written all over his face.

"Midoriya you did nothing wrong. You were the one attacked. The only thing you did was defend yourself. We're not going to send you off for something you had absolutely no control over, especially when you've got a madman out seeking your blood," Aizawa pointed out. "If anything, you need to be protected."

Izuku snorted. "Protected! From Shiro! Are you fucking kidding me!" Izuku's face turned dark. "You can't protect me from him. Now that he knows I'm here he'll keep coming here until he gets me. Once that man wants something or someone, he'll stop at nothing to get them. And he always succeeds. Tonight was just a temporary setback for him."

Aizawa couldn't help but notice how calm Izuku was right now. He was scared sure, but he wasn't breaking out into a panic attack by mentioning this man.

"Well, this is odd. The last time this group was even mentioned you freaked out and collapsed," he pointed out. "Why's this time different?"

Izuku stared at the ground with an emotionless expression. Taking a deep breath, he sighed.

"Honestly," Izuku finally answered. "I couldn't remember them at the time. Sensei, AFO, rewrote my memory so I could live normally without any trauma. But now, it's all starting to come back."

All Might gasped. Recovery Girl tightened her grip on her cane. Aizawa's eyes widened in horror.

'Midoriya, just what the hell did these people do to you?' Aizawa wondered. 'What did they do, what did Shiro do that left you traumatized, that scarred you this badly?'

"Why did you accept me into your class?" Izuku asked suddenly. The adults blinked in confusion. The teenager turned his gaze towards Aizawa. "Why did you accept me into your class? And I don't mean why I was admitted because I know you had no choice in that matter. What I mean is, why, and how, were you okay with letting someone like me in your class, near your students, despite all the crap I've done?"

Aizawa thought hard about this. He hadn't been very accepting of having Midoriya in his class regardless of the fact that it was a police order. However, as he learned about his past, and observed him, little by little his opinion started to change.

Flashback

Aizawa was sitting straight across from Nezu, with a cup of tea right in front of him. It had been three days since All Might's battle with AFO and the successful recovery of Katsuki Bakugo and Mina Ashido from the League of Villains. Now UA was undergoing construction of the dormitories in preparation for it converting to a boarding school. As to why Aizawa was in Nezu's office instead of helping well, it was due to the arrival of this man.

"Nezu, Eraserhead, thank you for agreeing to meet with me," Naomasa greeted.

"The pleasure's all ours Detective Tsukauchi," Nezu responded cheerfully. "It's always nice to see you."

"Likewise," Naomasa retorted.

"What is this private meeting about?" Aizawa asked getting straight to the point. "Is about are recent transfer student?"

It was the most likely answer. The villain, Izuku Midoriya a.k.a. Deku, was being transferred into his class this semester. He wasn't exactly happy about it but it was an official decision from the Commissioner-General, therefore he had no say in it. He understood why it was happening, but he still didn't like it.

A villain was a villain after all, and this one was particularly dangerous having defeated Bakugo on his own and fought against a Nomu. Although, he was genuinely surprised and grateful when he heard that he aided and defended three of his students on separate occasions. Surely enough, that was an indication that he wasn't all bad, he still needed to keep his guard up.

"Yes. In regard to Midoriya's recent transfer here we felt the need to inform you about his past to give you a better understanding of his personality, and his relationship with Katsuki Bakugo," Naomasa explained.

Aizawa leaned forward. This had been something he was curious about ever since he first heard of it from Nezu. "I'm all ears."

Naomasa nodded and wasted no time in explaining.

"Izuku Midoriya, aged sixteen, was born to Inko and Hisashi Midoriya. For the first four years of his life, he lived a relatively normal childhood, until he was outed as quirkless and everything changed. When word got out other children started to bully him relentlessly. In particular, Katsuki Bakugo was his primary tormentor." Aizawa's eyes widened slightly. He had always suspected Bakugo may have bullied others, his obnoxious attitude showed it, but he didn't really believe it. "He gave Midoriya the name Deku, an alternate reading of his real name, that meant both helpless and worthless."

Aizawa frowned not liking the sound of that. He despised bullying, viewing it as nothing more than a cowardly act of villainy committed by others. He should know better than anyone, after all, when he was younger he was bullied by others because of his quirk, among other things. Most people didn't think it was suited for being a hero. Oh, how he revelled in proving them wrong. It did explain where his name came from. Most heroes and villains usually took on a name that had a significant meaning to them. In Midoriya's case, it seemed to represent the abuse he had undergone for years.

They explained Izuku's abuse, his dreams, and later Bakugo's suicide baiting, which became the most shocking part of the conversation.

Aizawa remained silent.

There were no words to describe how he was feeling right now. A few words such as rage, sorrow, and horror came to mind. But honestly, he was in a state of disbelief.

Aizawa had grown used to Bakugo's arrogant and aggressive nature, but he never would have thought that he could be that cruel to another person.

Telling someone to just kill themselves just like that is crossing a line they could never come back from. It was twisted and just downright evil, regardless of whether it had been meant as a joke or not. Granted he had been changing, but that didn't justify his behaviour.

"I should expel him," Aizawa whispered, his voice cold and unforgiving. "Or at the very least discipline him."

"I wasn't going to tell the other teachers about that detail because they will not be his homeroom teacher," Nezu said. "I'm sorry to say this, but we can't expel him, not for things he did before his life as a UA student."

Aizawa said nothing. He wasn't wrong. What he did before he became a student here wasn't their responsibility. That said, just what kind of school did he go to that would condone this sort of behaviour.

They then explained how Izuku joined the League, along with his duties and morals.

Aizawa was surprised to learn he created 'Achilles'. It was a new type of drug, not like trigger but more dangerous. It could enhance the user's various abilities including their quirks but at a heavy price. After the effects of the drug ended the user was left in a state of helplessness and weakness. He never would have thought it was made by a kid.

"Who taught him how to fight?" Aizawa questioned.

"We don't know. He won't say. All we know is that it's a woman and she left the League when AFO died," Naomasa replied. "The was also Stain but that was only for a week."

Aizawa didn't even bother asking.

As a matter of fact, he didn't even want to know anymore.

He had everything he needed.

Now that he knew enough about Izuku Midoriya he would have a good idea how to deal with him, and with Bakugo when the time came. He wouldn't punish him for past events but he wouldn't condone unprovoked assaults.

Now all that was left to do was inform and convince the parents, which he was not looking forward to, especially Endeavor. Speaking of which, he had become increasingly suspicious of the way his son acted whenever the man was mentioned and why he never used his left side.

"I should probably mention now that Midoriya wasn't happy about coming here. Actually, it was quite the opposite. He said he'd much rather be in prison than here," Naomasa told them.

Nezu sighed. He expected this much. After all, who would want to share the same class with the person they hate the most.

"Problem child indeed," Aizawa said openly admitting his thoughts on Midoriya.

At least that's what he thought at the start. Two weeks later he met him for the first time. From what Aizawa could gather Midoriya seemed rather polite (even thanking Nezu for saving him), slightly grumpy at having to come here, and didn't complain when the rules and facilities were explained to him. So far, he seemed okay.

Later after the students had gone to bed Aizawa was still up sorting out some school materials for the next day when the cameras picked up movement. Gazing at them he saw that it was Midoriya heading down to the common room. Aizawa got the sense to follow down after him but stopped when he noticed Iida heading down there as well. Once he'd reached the common room Midoriya sat down on one of the couches and stared outside. Aizawa could see a mixture of emotions on the boy's face.

Fear.

Uncertainty.

Insecurity.

Sadness.

Pain.

It was then that Aizawa first saw him for what he truly was.

A teenage boy struggling with the same issues most did.

He'd been separated from his allies, someone he cared about dead, out of his comfort zone and forced into enemy territory. He had to have been feeling as nervous and scared as everyone else was of him. Aizawa understood. It wasn't an easy situation for him, any more than it was for them. He watched as Izuku smiled at the full moon outside, it must have provided a comforting presence to him.

Tenya made tea and the two started talking. Aizawa listened as they discussed Hosu (which he was still angry about and remembered raining down his fury on Tenya for his stupidity), Tenya's brother, Izuku's emotional confession about his situation and what he'd been through (something Aizawa sympathized with), and his opinion on heroes and villains (which he found interesting and actually agreed with, having interacted with villains outside of the job).  The two boys seemed to get on well with each other, though that wasn't entirely surprising considering they teamed up once.

From Aizawa's perspective, Izuku was a decent kid who was civil with most he came into contact with, barring Bakugo. He was also a troubled teenager who was struggling to process everything that had befallen him recently.

The next day Aizawa was surprised that Izuku was up so early. It seemed that he was suited for the mornings. That day he had received a taste of how bad his and Bakugo's relationship was with the latter attacking him (before Aizawa restrained him) and an exchange of insults between the two of them. He was going to have his hands full this semester.

Later that day he had come to understand how much of a lethal force Izuku was when he won the race and defeated both Bakugo and Todoroki in a brutal fashion. The boy had a unique battle sense that allowed him to adapt to any situation.

He was also curious about Izuku's conversation with Todoroki because that lead him to believe there was something seriously wrong going on in the Todoroki household.

He later became surprised at Izuku's willingness to help others, as seen when he reported Hitoshi Shinso being bullied to him. That gave him an idea that the boy sympathized with anyone bullied as he'd once been.

Arguing back against Monoma showed that he was not afraid to speak his mind and stand up for himself either.

When he heard about how Izuku reacted badly to Hatsume's (fiftieth) explosion he became concerned. Most would generally react badly to a situation like that but they wouldn't have thought the person was trying to kill them.

That's when Aizawa realized it was the result of the deep psychological scars inflicted on Izuku from the previous attempts made on his life. When he did, he didn't hesitate to send the boy to Hound Dog for therapy to try and get over what was plaguing him.

Later he learned that he was the no-nonsense type of person like himself when he requested that something be done about Neito Monoma, a feat no one had ever (for some unknown reason) dared to attempt. Vlad had told him about the incident himself. It seemed he was happy with what Izuku did and was now changing the way he taught.

On that same day, he witnessed incredible bravery from the boy when he single handily took Dark Shadow on by himself and helped him reconcile with Tokoyami. It was a sweet scene by his standards, or at least it was until Kaminari blew his nose into his scarf. He made sure that his punishment was awful and long. No one blows their nose in his scarf and gets away with it.

Mic and several other teachers had laughed hysterically about it and never let him live it down.

The boy cared deeply about his mother and was happy when she was around. He was also able to get on with most students and trained extensively to hone his skills just the others did.

A unique trait he noticed about Izuku was that he had the ability to bring out the best in others. He helped people of his own will, despite appearing not to care at all. He wasn't a bad person, nor an entirely good person. He was a troubled teenager still looking for his place in the world, his place in this school. And that's why little by little Aizawa was starting to warm up to him. Izuku was a problem child sure, but one he could tolerate.

That's why, when he witnessed Izuku having a mental breakdown that led to him collapsing Aizawa was horrified. This wasn't the Midoriya he'd seen so far. The one he knew was calm and composed. To watch him go through something like that was unnatural.

He knew the police would want to question Izuku about this but he wouldn't allow them to, not after what just happened.

When Recovery Girl went to retrieve something Aizawa stayed with Izuku in case there were any changes in his condition. Izuku had a breathing tube on him so would breathe properly and not suffer as he did back there.

Aizawa placed his hand over the boys own as if trying to comfort him.

"I don't know what happened back there, or how you knew those people, but don't worry, we'll help you get through it," Aizawa reassured him. "I promise."

Izuku Midoriya was a problem child no question, but one he was responsible for, one he was supposed to help nurture, like all his students. And like all his students. He would protect him.

It was his duty after all, as both a hero and a teacher.

Flashback end

"I have my reasons," Aizawa admitted. "I'll admit in the beginning I was against you coming here because you were a villain. However, after hearing about your past, and observing you for an amount of time I got used to you being here."

Izuku felt somewhat comforted by that. Aizawa didn't seem to care about his status, not much anyway. Aizawa got another text from Mic saying they, including Izuku and the two students involved with the fight, were requested by the Police in the staff room.

Izuku groaned. He knew he would have to answer questions eventually, but he didn't think it would be this soon. Sighing in defeat he decided to go along with it because it was better to get it done and out of the way.

Hades

There were several terrified whispers that were spreading among the thugs and slaves that worked for Shiro. Aside from being terrified, their whispers were also shocked as well.

"Hey did you hear? Shino and Blade failed to capture Deku."

"Seriously, those two. They should've been more than enough to bring him back."

"I know right. I heard Shino held back or something."

"I heard the pros arrived before they could do anything."

"What's going to happen to them now? Do you think Shiro will kill them for failing?"

"No. He'll probably torture them first."

"You're right there."

Word of Shino and Blade's failure had spread like wildfire through the underground. The result had been so unexpected. Those never failed, or rather they didn't normally. While Shiro was likely to be furious with them there was one in particular who was punishing them.

Blade screamed in agony as he was confined by a beam of orange light. The heat from it was just unbearable.

Shino gritted her teeth and remained silent as she was confined by a beam of blue light. Unlike the other beam, this one was cooler, much cooler. She glared at the woman who was putting her through it.

"Is that the best you can do?" Shino challenged.

The woman did respond she just stared at them coldly. Barring her skin, she was entirely two colours. Her left side was amber orange, while her right side was powder blue. Her hair stretched down to her waist and was quite silky. Her face was rather beautiful as well.

She wore a leather jumpsuit of the same colours which was actually something designed by Rika from a few years back. Each side allowed her to absorb the energy each of her sides could.

The woman in question, was Nikko Tsukiyama, Shiro's right-hand woman. She was a dual quirk user like Shoto Todoroki, but much more powerful. Her quirk was Half-Sun, Half-Moon, which allowed her to absorb energy from the sun on her left side, and energy from the moon on her right side, and control it in whatever way she saw fit.

"Oh no," Nikko responded in a soft, cold voice. "The real fun has yet to begin."

Nikko was completely loyal to Shiro. Ever since he had taken her in as a child and taught her how to survive she had obeyed his every command without question and punished those who failed or opposed him.

She was about to increase the pressure when a hand on her shoulder told her to stop.

"That's enough Nikko, you don't want to break them now do you?" Shiro asked teasingly.

"They failed you, therefore they deserve punishment," Nikko retorted without hesitation. "If you had sent me instead I would've succeeded."

Shiro chuckled at her statement. Nikko had always been a difficult person, quite loyal as well. Always eager to help him when he needed it.

"Funny, Curator and Volcano thought the exact same things about their teams," Shiro mused about his subordinates. "However, I didn't send Shino and Blade to UA to capture Deku. I sent them there to test him. And they did beautifully. The kid managed to fend them off all by himself. I'm impressed."

Shino's eyes widened. Shiro didn't care if she failed or not, because he had gotten what he wanted. Shiro noticed her reaction and grinned at her.

"Sorry for lying to you but I knew that you wouldn't go all out when you met him. Why do you think I didn't tell you to do it?" Shiro asked.

Shino glared at him but said nothing.

Nikko released her hold on the two and Blade started panting heavily.

"Anyway, that's not important right now. Deku will be dealt with soon, but first, we need to deal with the raid that the heroes and police are going to attempt here in a few days. I heard from Robin," Shiro explained. "And I want to give them a proper greeting."

Robin was the only child he actively used in his schemes. The girl's quirk allowed her to transform into the smallest animals and insects that existed in this universe. While others may have looked down on such a quirk, he saw its potential and great value. Why a quirk like that was perfect when spying on his enemies.

"So don't worry, everything's in place," Shiro said. "So, for now, I'm going to focus on my young new arrivals." He pressed a button on his phone and an image of Elena appeared. "Especially this one. She's caught my interest. Don't let her looks fool you, she's a dangerous one."

And with that Shiro pressed another button to summon his most trusted subordinates to him. Nikko was right. The real fun was only just beginning.

Lobo

Lobo led Mezo to a separate room which looked more like a gym with all the right training equipment. At the centre was a square ring, the kind you would only see in boxing or wrestling matches on TV. Lobo stopped walking and turned to face Mezo.

"I'll cut the chase, I'd like to train you," Lobo announced.

"Why?" Mezo asked automatically. "I'm not mad or anything, just why me?"

"Your friends have quirks that exhibit unique abilities that they can adapt to a fighting style and use to their advantage. Yours, however, gives you extra body parts that you can utilize in a number of ways yet you don't have a fighting style. As such, I would like to teach you luchador wrestling to give a better chance when fighting in the arena," Lobo explained. "So, what do you say?"

Mezo thought about it for a minute. Lobo wasn't wrong, unlike the others, he didn't have his own fighting style, he'd hardly been in many fights, to begin with. And his family, well, for certain reasons they couldn't train him.

His cousin wanted to and had taught him a few techniques, however, because of his job he did not have the time to.

His quirk was useful for tracking and he was quite strong but he didn't have his own fighting style. However, if he was to survive down here, if he was going to protect his classmates, then he needed to get stronger.

Lobo had seen what his quirk was capable of, it was perfect for wrestling because it gave the user an advantage.

"When do we start?" Mezo asked.

"Now," Lobo responded.

Umi

Umi led Shoto down to an area with a large space of water, one could have called it a mini lake.

Wasting no time, Umi dived in, much to Shoto's confusion. When she resurfaced Shoto noticed her lower half was gone and her clothes were replaced by something else. Umi had a blue large-scaled tail with a matching top. In short, she looked exactly like a mermaid.

Shoto stared at her stunned. Mermaids were myths but she looked like the real deal.

Umi laughed at his expression. It wasn't the first time someone had reacted that way around her.

"Well Todoroki, as you can clearly see, my quirk is 'Mermaid', which lets me become a mermaid when I come into contact with water. I can breathe underwater, swim really fast, and communicate with sea life to a certain level. I can also control water and its states to a high level," she explained. "It's why I'm a guard in this place."

Shoto was impressed. This woman was powerful, no question. There were very few quirks that granted them that many abilities.

"I'm going, to be honest with you, I see similarities between our quirks, which is why I'd like to teach you some new ways to use yours. Would you like that?" Umi offered.

Shoto thought about it for a minute. He would like to get stronger. Especially now that he's accepted his fire.

It was his, not his father's. he would use it how he saw fit.

"I'd love to. Please train me," he requested while bowing his head.

Umi smiled. "An answer without hesitation. I like that. We'll begin shortly." Shoto stared at her confused. "My sister is going to start singing shortly and trust me you'll want to listen. She really knows how to brighten up this dark place. Even Shiro likes her singing." It was true. The lord of Hades loved it when Utada sang. There are speakers all over Hades for everyone to hear it. "Utada's quirk is 'Song' when she sings, music for that song plays for everyone to hear. It can even influence emotions to a certain degree."

Shoto was curious and decided to listen.

Utada

"Alright, boys and girls! You've had a long and hard day. So now, in honour of your arrival, I'm going to sing. Please listen up and enjoy," Utada announced.

There were cheers from the children who loved it when she sang. The students were confused but said nothing. And so, Utada sang.

(Insert song: Face My Fears by Utada Hikaru)

"Breath should I take a deep, faith should I take a leap?" Utada sang softly.

Her voice was high and, absolutely beautiful. She sounded like an angel. For some unknown reason music started playing. The citizens of Hades stopped what they were doing to listen. So it was that time already. Shiro stopped to listen as well. Utada was a nice addition to his group, a nice change from the usual types.

"Let me face, let me face my fears!" Utada continued to sing.

The song had become faster and more intense. People were dancing. The kidnapped victims were happy for the first time that day.

Utada didn't just sing that song because it sounded nice. She sang it because she hoped the children would apply it to the coming days when they fought to survive. She prayed they would survive.

Notes:

Hi there. Oh God that was a long chapter, the longest I've done yet. Izuku was originally supposed to meet with the heroes but I decided to do it next chapter. In this chapter you got a bit of characterization for Elena and Aizawa (who I'd planned on going into his thoughts about Izuku). The song is borrowed from Kingdom Hearts 3, I thought it would do perfectly here. There will be a few songs in the future but I won't say what they are. The shiketsu students weren't originally supposed to appear but people kept asking for them so I decided why not.

Umi and her quirk is based off the mermaids from the H2O Just add water franchise. She'll be teaching Shoto a few things while Lobo will be teaching Mezo. Mezo's quirk made me think he's be suited for the style so I decided to go with it.

Utada is loosely based off Utada Hikaru. I decided I wanted someone who's quirk literally revolved around music and singing.

Nikko I thought of because someone suggested a dual quirk user like Todoroki. I watched Titans and thought of how Starfire used solar energy and though what if someone could use solar and lunar. I made her a female as well because of the lack of female antagonists in this story.

P.S. For a visual reference for Kai look at 2016/01/22/the-waters-safe-right-shark-people-for-dnd-5e/

He'll be the first picture you see. I meant to say it before but kept forgetting.

Huge thanks to Spawn who gave me the idea for the quirk Elena's father and brother uses.

Next chapter will see Izuku speaking with the teachers and police. It will mostly focus on what's going on in Hades. I hope you enjoyed. Please Review.

Chapter 43: Meeting with the heroes and police

Summary:

Izuku discusses Hades with the school and police.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku was led to the staff room by All Might (who was in his muscle form) and Aizawa. While walking they were intercepted by Vlad, Neito and Hitoshi.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," Neito greeted. "UA's resident villain."

"Oh, so you know. Good, that saves me having to explain," Izuku retorted. "And just how are you both handling it? It must be quite shocking for you."

Neito and Hitoshi stared at him with calm expressions.

"It certainly was surprising but," Hitoshi started.

He was surprised that someone as young as Midoriya was a villain, but he was even more at what he had done. Izuku defended him and praised him for his quirk when others (excusing Elena) thought he would be better off as a villain. He couldn't understand it.

"Everything that's happening now outweighs that," Neito finished.

While he was stunned Izuku was a villain he was even more shocked at what had happened at the mall today regarding his classmates. He was worried about them and what they were going through.

"Furthermore, the fact that you got the shit kicked out of you an hour ago in an attempted kidnapping kind of makes you out to be the victim in this situation so," Neito continued.

Izuku groaned.

Hitoshi and Aizawa shot him looks that said 'seriously!'.

All Might had an anime sweat fall down his forehead.

Vlad just sighed.

"You know it's so great to see that your sense of humour never fades," Izuku joked sarcastically. "Even in the most dangerous, and inappropriate situations."

"Thank you," Neito responded without an ounce of shame.

"Okay, enough. We've wasted enough time as it is," Aizawa declared.

With that, they temporarily halted all conversation and moved on. They arrived at the staff room where everyone was waiting. All the teachers were assembled.

Chief Tsuragamae, Naomasa, Reo, Sansa, and even the Commissioner-General were present.

Edgeshot (unsurprisingly) was there as well.

"Well, it's to see that you're safe and recovered Midoriya," Nezu greeted.

"Safe is a strong word to use in this case," Izuku muttered sarcastically. "As for recovered, that depends on what your definition of it is."

Most of the people in the room couldn't tell whether Izuku was being serious or not. Though, that was to be expected considering the recent events.

Nezu turned his attention to the other two students in attendance.

"Neito Monoma, Hitoshi Shinso, you both played a part in stopping the assailants from kidnapping Midoriya and for that I, we, are grateful," Nezu stood up on his chair and bowed, much t the latter's surprise. They weren't used to receiving praise like this, especially from the principal. "I also take it that you've been fully informed of the situation, and who Midoriya is."

There were nods from the pair. Hitoshi wore his usual stoic expression, but Neito actually looked pretty annoyed as he crossed his arms. He wasn't even wearing his usual grin which Vlad thought was unusual.

"Yeah, we were told. Little pissed off that we weren't told sooner, but hey, you're the teachers, you know what's best," Neito sneered making no attempt to hide how he was feeling.

"Watch your tone kid, we're still your teachers," Snipe warned.

Neito didn't back down.

"Excuse me for being angry over not being told I was attending classes alongside a villain," Neito snapped. "One who happens to be a member of the League, you know, the guys who attacked UA twice and harmed my friends. Oh, and let's not forget he's got a murderous psychopath after him. Yeah, we really didn't need to know about that. I'm so sorry."

He really made the last part out to be mocking, showing he didn't feel an ounce of regret.

Izuku, as much as he didn't like Neito, couldn't blame him. Everything he was saying was the truth.

'At the very least, he's not as bad as my family,' Neito thought.

While he did not like Izuku, he thought his family were far more villainous than he was.

"Enough, let's get back to the topic at hand," the Police Commissioner-General. He turned his focus to the elephant in the room. "Midoriya, these people that attacked you."

"Shino and Blade," Izuku informed him.

The General Commissioner blinked. "Yes them. What can you tell us about them? Their quirks, personalities, backgrounds, and skills."

Izuku sighed. He knew he was going to be asked questions like this. There wasn't much he could tell them, unfortunately.

"Blade I can't tell you much about since I hardly know the guy. We met like once or twice in Hades and even then, we didn't talk much. His quirk is 'Blade Body' which allows him to transform any part of his body into any type of blade of his choosing. They're quite sharp as well, being able to cut through anything. I don't know anything about his past other than he's worked for Hades for years. Personality-wise, well, he's a bit of an asshole. He's obnoxious, loud-mouthed, and very angry. He's quite bloodthirsty and sadistic; the man really loves to fight," Izuku explained.

Now that part he knew to be true from his recent experience, and from what Shino told him in Hades. "As for his skill set, I don't really know. He's one of Hades professional assassins, so he's very good at hunting down and killing his target. He's also a competent fighter."

The General Commissioner nodded in understanding, while at the same time considering how much of a threat Blade was.

'From the sound of him he's at least a B rank villain,' he thought. 'We'll need to exercise caution around him. Perhaps we should have Eraserhead or someone like Crimson Riot deal with him. I wonder about the other one though.'

"Shino, she's a different story. For starters, she's quirkless like me," Izuku said, much to everyone's (except for Edgeshot) shock.

Snipe couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'She's quirkless! And yet she managed to block my shots like they were nothing!'

Izuku wasn't surprised at their reactions. A quirkless person being able to fight on par with individuals like them would surprise anyone, and it annoyed him greatly.

"Shino told me she was from a mercenary group which I now know is BUTLER, however, she was captured by Shiro during one of her assignments and turned into one of his special slaves. In terms of her personality, she's generally calm and emotionless but also quite polite with certain individuals. She loves to fight strong opponents and has no qualms about killing, though she'll avoid it unless necessary. She's one of Shiro's special slaves and his top assassin next to Nikko. Shino rarely, if ever, fails a mission, or comes back empty-handed. As for her skills, she's a highly trained assassin who is lethal in combat, versed in multiple martial arts and a weapons expert," Izuku continued.

The pros were starting to get an idea of just how dangerous this woman was, even without a quirk.

Izuku sensed what they were thinking. "Of all the things you do, do not underestimate Shino, especially because she doesn't have a quirk. There are many who have fallen by her hand because they underestimated her, both hero and villain. During my fight with her there she held back because she didn't want to capture me because she hates Shiro. If she did want to capture me, or kill for that matter, believe me, she would have done it. In fact, if she wanted to, she could kill some of you quite easily."

The pros and detectives were unnerved by that. Considering he knew Shino first-hand, they decided to trust his word. Furthermore, having witnessed how strong Izuku was without a quirk they had learned not to underestimate those who were quirkless.

Edgeshot knew Shino well having fought with her many times before, as well as 'other things'.

Izuku secretly spied on Edgeshot's reaction. He was still in disbelief that he was the 'special someone' Shino had told him about in Hades.

Neito and Hitoshi felt the same way. They hadn't realized how dangerous that woman was before, and now they were thinking they were lucky to escape with their lives.

Their thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice barging into the room alongside several others.

"She's welcome to try but she won't succeed," Endeavor announced in a serious, yet confident tone. "It doesn't matter how strong she is. In the end, she will fall, just like any other villain. The fact that she's quirkless is irrelevant. If anything, it's an advantage to use against her."

Alongside Endeavour there was Miriko, Ryukyu, Manual, Gang Orca, and Crimson Riot.

Izuku internally groaned. It was bad enough he had a panic attack was brutally assaulted earlier today, now he had to deal with this asshole.

Endeavour was glaring at Izuku, still angry at the boy for the humiliation he had suffered during their last encounter. Nezu said he wasn't allowed to harm him, but that didn't mean he couldn't try and provoke him.

"Advantage!? Did you listen to a word I just said?" Izuku asked incredulously. "Shino is dangerous. Her full name is Shino Tenshin. Divided up it is Shi No Tenshin. Angel of Death." All Might flinched when he heard that. Those at BUTLER were usually named after their quirks, though there were exceptions, and for good reason. "And believe me, it's fitting in her case. If you don't want to heed my warning, be my guest. Just don't come crying to me when you get a knife in your eye."

While the pros were taking Izuku seriously, Endeavor refused to relent. He refused to acknowledge that a quirkless person could even be considered a serious threat. Midoriya didn't even come close to qualifying. The only reason he won his fight was because of dumb luck and nothing more.

"Tch. Yeah right," he sneered.

Izuku has already grown tired of the man's attitude and decided to put him in his place.

"Okay, why are you here? Nobody likes you," Izuku pointed out.

"Stupid boy, I am a great hero and have done many things. I have many fans and am admired by them all. I am an example for them," Endeavor arrogantly declared.

Some of the teachers and pros didn't entirely agree with that statement, specifically the example part. The two students didn't agree with it either.

Hitoshi didn't particularly like Endeavor as a hero and was beginning to like him even less as a person.

For Neito, Endeavor wasn't the sort of hero he admired.

Izuku resisted the intense urge to laugh at that retort. Endeavour was obviously stupider than he gave him credit for if he truly believed that.

"Deluded fans do not count. If they knew the kind of person you really are, you would be ruined. I can be a villain, but you are not a hero. You are rotten to the core and any of the hero's association can see this. For that reason, you have no friends, and nobody respects you as a person!"

The room was silent. Many could not believe what Izuku had just done. He had just stood up to the No.2 hero. Some like Mic, Cementoss, Reo, Naomasa, All Might, Miriko, Manual, and Power Loader had their mouths open in shock.

Neito, for the briefest of seconds, felt a deep level of respect for Izuku.

Hitoshi was similar only he was admiring his bravery.

Nezu, Aizawa, and Crimson cocked their heads slightly with intrigue.

'Dammit Kid! You've got guts, I'll give you that. But you do not wanna piss off Endeavor,' Manual thought worriedly.

He knew very well how angry and violent the man could get. The memory of Hosu was still present in his mind, of how Endeavor violently destroyed the Nomu attacking the city. To him it seemed like it wasn't out of duty, it was more out of rage at something that happened to him.

All Might was concerned as well. He remembered his conversation with Izuku and, while he didn't want to believe Enji was capable of those things, he was more cautious of the man. At the meeting, and now, he was starting to see that Izuku wasn't lying about his personality.

Endeavor was enraged at what Izuku just said. The fire around his body was burning more fiercely than normal. If one were to describe him, they could say he looked like a volcano ready to explode.

'You quirkless fuck! How dare you! If not for the fact that there are heroes, students and the police present, I would burn your entire body so badly that no matter what Recovery Girl did the scars would never disappear,' Endeavor thought furiously.

He had never wanted to hurt someone this badly before.

Sensing that things would get out of hand if he didn't intervene, Nezu spoke up.

"That's enough you two. Midoriya, don't provoke him. Endeavor, remember my warning during the meeting earlier, so don't attempt anything reckless," Nezu warned, the same aura he exhibited during the meeting coming out.

Endeavor stood back and remained quiet, still glaring at Izuku.

Izuku on the other hand registered what Nezu said.

"Hold a minute! Meeting? What meeting?" he asked confused. He'd been out for hours, he must have missed some drama, only to wake up to his own.

"The heroes and police gathered together for a meeting a few hours ago to discuss the situation and how to deal with it," Hitoshi explained.

As soon as he heard that Izuku instantly became worried.

"Please tell me you didn't inform the public where it was and when," Izuku begged.

Everyone frowned.

"Of course, we told them. They were panicking, we needed to do something to reassure them," the General Commissioner stated. "It's standard procedure."

Izuku groaned and facepalmed himself. He had the incredible urge to call these people a bunch of idiots but then he reminded himself that they didn't know Shiro as he did.

"If you did that then Shiro definitely knew about it, which means he also knows about what you're planning and how you'll do it," Izuku exclaimed. Some were about to protest but he stopped them before they could. "Before you even think about arguing, let me ask you something. The Police Headquarters is heavily guarded, and your security system would notify you if anyone had broken in, right?"

"Yes, you are correct, woof," Tsurugamae acknowledged.

"Now, what if, level with me here, something very small like a spider or bee got in? Would it detect them and see them as a threat? Would you be notified of their presence?" Izuku asked. Their silence was enough of an answer for him. "No, you wouldn't. So, if someone says had a quirk that let them become an insect, wouldn't it be easy to break in and spy on you?"

The police eyes widened. The Commissioner-General went pale.

"Y-Y-You're kidding," the Commissioner-General stammered. "That guy actually has someone who can."

Izuku nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. Her name is Robin. She's the only child that is a special slave of Shiro's and he actively uses," Izuku explained. "Her quirk is 'Small Creature', which allows her to become any living non-human being, provided it's quite small. Examples include a cat, a bird, and a mouse. She could even transform into a ladybird if she wanted to. If it is small she can change into it. The quirk itself might not sound like much but, it's perfect for spying on others."

The pros and police were surprised that a child was the one that did this, though they could easily see why.

A quirk like that may seem weak but used properly it could be quite deadly. Especially if the girl wanted to turn into a snake or a venomous spider.

"Special slave? You used that term for Shino. What is that exactly?" Midnight inquired.

"A special slave is a slave Shiro highly values based on their abilities and usefulness, one he isn't willing to lose or get away easily. It's one he won't let go of no matter what and will do whatever he has to in order to keep them in their place. They are quite powerful and must be controlled under any circumstance. Before I tell you about that I must first explain how he keeps regular slaves in check. All slaves at Hades have a collar around their neck, that's put on when they arrive and monitors their every move. If they go somewhere they're not supposed to, break a rule, cause trouble, or even try to escape, the collar will administer an electric shock. If one breaks enough rules the collar will shock them until their hearts can't take it anymore and they die. If they try to escape the collar will explode," Izuku explained.

The teachers, in particular Aizawa and Vlad, went pale and felt incredibly tense. The full depth of their student's circumstances was finally coming to light. They were trapped, unable to escape, even if they wanted to, with their alternative being death.

The pros, including Endeavor, were just as shocked. They knew the man kept slaves, but they didn't think he would go that far to keep them in line.

Neito was horrified to hear what his friends were going through.

'They could be suffering right now. Hell, they could actually end up dead,' he thought.

They had been taught about being in life-or-death situations with villains before but to actually be in them was a different story. There was the training camp sure, but this was way more dangerous than that time.

'This place, this group, this man, it sounds like hell on earth,' Hitoshi thought.

"Mostly it's adults that die of this. Children aren't affected to the same extent. They get shocked from time to time but they learn faster. Also, since they are kids, Shiro is more lenient on them while they grow up there," Izuku continued. "Moving on to the special slave, they don't wear collars, they instead have a bomb injected into their neck that can blow their heads off anytime they act out of line. It can still hurt them as well. Shino is one of these people, Robin is another. Others include the Elemental Assassins, Speed Demon and so on."

"My God," Naomasa whispered without thinking.

Izuku eyed him. He wasn't wrong. He reacted the same way when he first found out about it.

'To do such a thing to human beings, even a child, how cruel!' Ryukyu lamented.

'The bastard, now I really wanna pummel him,' Miriko raged.

Nezu had different thoughts.

'They're slaves. Broken, tortured, frightened, just like I was,' he thought sorrowfully.

Even though they kidnapped his students, he couldn't help but sympathise with them. What they were going through was like what Atrocity did to them. He knew they would have to face them but still felt sorry for them. It wasn't their fault. For them, it was do or die.

"Out of professional, and personal curiosity, is Shiro likely to make any of the captured students, or civilians into one of these special slaves?" Crimson Riot asked in a deep voice.

Izuku stared at the veteran hero and contemplated his answer for a few seconds.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "Anything is possible. They might not be deemed worthy of it now but after a while, after they've lived there and have been properly moulded, they may become one."

That caused a minor uproar.

"They won't get the chance!" All Might declared. "We'll stop them and rescue everyone from that monstrous group."

Most heroes chatted in agreement. Izuku only scoffed at his former Idol's outburst.

"No, you won't. You guys will fail, and end looking like a bunch of pathetic weak idiots," Izuku stated in a mocking tone. "And then most of you will either end up captured, or better yet dead. And believe me, death is better. If you live, you'll either lose whatever freedom you have, and you'll be forced to live with the shame and humiliation that you lost and couldn't save anyone every day for the rest of your lives. You'll also have to deal with the bitchy complaints and bitchy insults from civilians demanding to know why you lost and didn't save them since you're supposed to be heroes!"

The room went into a stunned silence. Izuku clearly meant what he was saying. Did he really think they had no chance of succeeding?

Heroes like Gang Orca, Aizawa, and Edgeshot couldn't help but agree with his comments about the civilians and how they would react. Whenever pros made a mistake, the media and civilians always made sure to harshly criticise them. Even when it was only a small incident, they found a way to blow it out of proportion.

Endeavour scowled. So, the quirkless brat thought they were weak. Well, he would show him.

"Listen hear you, quirkless villain, I don't think you understand," he started.

"NO! YOU'RE THE ONES THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Izuku yelled, catching everyone by surprise. Izuku realized what he had done and quickly calmed down. "You don't get it, do you? These aren't your average villains. These guys are trained killers, thieves and combatants. You could rank most of them as A-Class villains since anyone of them is capable of fighting on par with heroes. Hell, they even have to pro heroes working for them."

"WHAT!?" Neito, Vlad, Miriko, Mic, Midnight, Power Loader, Crimson Riot, All Might and Manual shouted.

They couldn't believe it. Pro heroes were working for a group like that.

"They're not doing it willingly if that's what you're thinking," Izuku reassured them. "They're slaves just like everyone else. I've only met a few though, and they were foreign heroes, though there was one Japanese hero."

Everyone exhaled with relief, and astonishment that there were foreign prisoners. Did that mean Hades worked overseas as well? Their surprise turned to confusion when Izuku dropped this bomb.

"Back to the topic at hand, Midoriya," Nezu addressed. "I understand that this is a sensitive topic for you, which is why I won't ask you to describe your time at Hades, however, I will ask that you provide information on their members, the group's base and what slaves usually do. With barely any information, we will be going in blind. So please, as an educator and a hero, help us save everyone."

Nezu placed his paws together and bowed. Izuku was stunned by the act. The heroes were clearly desperate, Nezu was desperate. Izuku didn't want to be involved, if anything, he wanted to get as far away from this place as possible.

Although, remembering what he went through at Hades, what he did to survive and protect others, made him sympathise with the people held captive there, including the students.

He didn't particularly care about them, but he didn't want them to suffer the same trauma he did.

Gathering his resolve, he spoke.

"I will tell about the members I know about, even write up a list for you. I was a slave there once, so my knowledge is limited. However, I know enough to know who's dangerous and what to avoid," Izuku said. Nezu looked up, hope in his eyes. "But know this Principal, Commissioner General, whatever raid you are planning, I will not be accompanying you on it. I will be staying here away from it all."

Hitoshi was curious as to why he would want that. Was it really that bad? The teachers didn't have a problem with it, although Endeavor was a different story.

"Of course, you'll be coming," he arrogantly declared. "How else are we to know the information is authentic? A villain like you could be leading us into a trap with false information."

At this point, everyone in the room was getting tired of Endeavor's attitude.

Hound Dog was just about ready to get out of his seat and slam the man's head through the wall.

Vlad and Midnight felt similar.

Snipe had the urge to put a bullet through the arrogant man's mouth just to shut it up.

'God, Young Midoriya was right. Enji is an asshole,' All Might thought.

He had finally realised it.

"You may as well just kill me now," Izuku responded without a hint of emotion. "The minute Shiro, or any of his minions find out that I'm involved, I'll be dead faster than any of you can blink."

Many people in the room felt uncomfortable when Izuku said that. He was truly certain of his death by these people. It wasn't a prediction it was a fact.

"If I get a choice, I'd rather you just shot me," Izuku requested. "Preferably in the head. That way it'll be quick and painless."

'Damn! He's really serious about this,' Reo thought.

'He'll definitely need more counselling after this,' Ryo thought as he reflected on his previous discussions with Izuku.

"We're not gonna shoot you kid, so forget it," Snipe stated firmly. "How could you even ask that? Do you have any idea of how painful a bullet through your skin is?"

"I've been shot before so yes," Izuku replied nonchalantly.

The entire room stared at him with disturbing expressions. How could he speak about such a thing like it didn't matter? Izuku noticed the stares and decided to change the subject.

"Moving on," he started.

"Who the hell shot you?" Neito asked.

"Doesn't matter," Izuku said.

"Was it Shiro?" Hitoshi asked.

"He did that once just to give me an idea of what it was like," Izuku replied irritably. "It was in my right leg. That not important right now."

"I think getting shot is very important," Power Loader spoke up.

"Not right now!" Izuku reminded him. "It's in the past, I've moved on like I'm about to do with this conversation."

"Was that the only time you were shot, or did it happen any other time?" Naomasa asked awkwardly.

"Doesn't matter," Izuku replied in a serious tone. "Besides, it's none of your business!"

"So, you were shot by others then?" Ectoplasm guessed.

Izuku groaned. "Yes, I was shot by others. Are you satisfied?"

"Not really," Reo said without thinking, earning him a death glare from Izuku that screamed, "Shut the fuck up!"

It didn't stop there, unfortunately.

"So, who else shot you?" Mic asked without thinking.

That did it.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God. Seriously, you people are starting to piss me off," Izuku swore. "Do you want to know about Hades and it's members, or do you want to know about all the times I got shot?"

"A bit of both," All Might admitted.

He immediately regretted saying that. Izuku faced him with a death glare and released his killing intent, causing most people to flinch while others were intimidated. The voice Izuku spoke in next was dark and dangerous.

"All Might, I swear. Arms, legs, Recovery Girl, arms, legs, Recovery Girl. The process will repeat over and over until you get the idea," he looked around at everyone else. "Correction, until all of you get the idea. Have I made myself clear?"

Their silence was enough of an answer for him. Izuku calmed down and retracted his killing intent.

'What the hell was that?' Neito thought fearfully.

'He did the same thing with those bullies the first time we met, but that was much stronger,' Hitoshi thought both fearful and intrigued.

'Interesting. So, he can channel killing intent. A skill he likely learned from his master, or the Hero Killer Stain,' Nezu thought.

Izuku sighed. These heroes were difficult to deal with. The League was much simpler.

"Now to answer your questions in reverse order," Izuku declared. "About what slaves do, well that depends on certain things. Usually, when a slave comes in, they are evaluated on their abilities, and I mean abilities, not just quirks. Shiro's more focused on what a person can do rather than their quirks. In his mind, quirks are simply tools to be used. Considering how skilled the students are with their quirks they'll likely be assigned jobs best suited to them."

"For instance, Uraraka and Awase's quirks make them useful for construction, Shiozaki and Komori's quirks make them useful in the field of agriculture, Iida's quirk would make him suited to being a messenger, you get the idea. Other's may be bodyguards for the place, or they'll be trained to fight in the underground matches. The matches are ranked so there's a high chance they'll be up against someone of equal strength or skill."

"However, there's one thing you should know about the arena, it's built-in with technology that can change the setting entirely. It could be a volcano, a beach, or even a snow-covered mountain. Depending on the setting it could provide an advantage or disadvantage towards the combatants."

The teachers slowly absorbed all the information presented before them. It appeared that Hades had a very clear and organised structure in management.

"About the base, it's mostly underground. From what I heard it runs from Nagoya to Yamagata. They've even got a base or two in Hokkaido and one or two around the Okinawa Islands near Kagoshima," Izuku told them. "The base is divided up into different areas: construction, agriculture on the surface, sleeping quarters adults and children separate, science and technology development area, drugs (for quirks), weapons, fashion design, believe it or not, training, bars, canteens, you get the idea."

The heroes and police gasped. They knew the group's base was big, but they didn't think it was that big.

"Now then, onto the members. I'll write you up a list but I'm going to inform you about the ones I'm most familiar with, and the ones you need to be wary of. Spoiler alert, some of them are slaves so get ready," Izuku told them. Everyone tensed for this next part. "When I was with Hades I was put in the children's section because I wasn't a legal adult. The ages of most children ranged from eight to twelve, though there were some teenagers. They are looked after by Umi, her sister Utada, and Lobo."

"Umi is a guard at Hades who specialises in aquatic battles. When someone attacks via the sea, she is usually the first to react." Gang Orca and Manual were somewhat interested in her since they were water users as well. "Her quirk is 'Mermaid'. As it sounds it allows her to become a mermaid, breathe underwater, swim long and fast distances, and communicate with sea life. Her quirk also allows her to manipulate the states of water: she can control it, freeze it, and boil it. Thus, making her very useful to Shiro. She's quite friendly and looks after the children well, making her suitable for the role of their caretaker. However, she's also a fierce combatant so don't let your guard down."

"Utada is really just a caretaker for the children alongside her sister. The main reason she is there is that Umi requested it from Shiro after she did such a good job. Utada's quirk is 'Song'. Whenever she sings, music plays automatically to match up with the song she's singing and depending on the song it affects the emotions of people around her. Everyone in the underworld loves her singing, even Shiro, which is another reason why she's allowed to remain with her sister."

The pros and police said nothing. Quirks that revolved around music, or more specifically singing, were quite rare. They were curious about the emotions part though.

"Next is Lobo. While he helps look after the children, he is an active participant in the underground battles." The pros and police took an immediate interest in the man. "His parents are both from Spain, but his mother moved here by herself when she was pregnant with him and his brother. He has the appearance of a luchador wrestler and adopts a fighting style like it."

That didn't really surprise them. In Spain, many pro heroes based their appearances off Luchador Wrestlers, though there were some exceptions.

"His quirk is 'Wolf Soul'. What it does is increase his physical abilities drastically and even take on abilities and traits like a wolf. With enough power, he can become a wolf, albeit not permanently."

"Now, I'll tell you about the pro heroes there. First, there's Cu Chulainn, Ireland's former No. 1 hero. Former because he was captured years ago. His quirk is 'Gae Bolg' which allows him to summon spears of different shapes and sizes from his body.

Next, there's Hercules, Greece's former No.3 hero. His quirk is 'God Strength' which grants him unbelievable levels of strength and durability. He also heals faster than most humans. When I say he's strong, I mean strong! It wouldn't be wrong to describe him as strong as All Might."

The pro in question (alongside Endeavor) was stunned at that news.

"Both are active fighters in the underground battles. They also assist in training newcomers."

Izuku remembered them both fondly. They helped him out with his hand to hand combat when Razor couldn't.

The two students were curious as to how Hades managed to capture two high ranked heroes, especially when one was just as powerful as All Might.

As curious as he was Nezu had just gotten the idea for a new school subject to teach at UA. International Studies. While not exactly a new type of subject it would be slightly different to the others.

International Studies would involve students researching and studying heroes from overseas, as well as hero laws in other countries. After all, there could come a day when they are working abroad with a hero and vice versa.

"Speaking of training, Diamante, the No.4 hero from Portugal assists by providing targets for the trainees. Her quirk is 'Diamond Clone', which enables her to spawn clones that are as hard as diamond. They are not sentient and can only be commanded by Diamante. The more clones summoned the less powerful they are and the weaker the user becomes. Her clones are quite useful as dummies and opponents in the battles."

The UA staff were intrigued by her quirk. Cloning was an incredibly rare and powerful quirk that very few had possessed throughout history. And this one involved creating clones made of diamond.

All Might knew her. Around fifteen years ago they worked a case together while he was in America. She was in pursuit of a villain she had been tracking for over a year. After much effort, they found and captured the villain and she returned to Portugal.

"Next there's the Japanese hero I was telling you about before. A UA grad by the name of Akuma."

The entire UA staff flinched when they heard that name. Of all the students that attended UA, Akuma was certainly one of the few that stood out the most, and not in a good way.

His quirk made him look villainous, and his attitude was that of a delinquent. It wouldn't be wrong to describe him as the most rebellious UA student that had ever lived. However, up until now, they thought he was dead.

Endeavour scowled at that brat's name. the one hero he probably hated more than All Might, and he had almost forgotten him

"His quirk is 'Devil' which as it sounds, lets him transform into a devil that enhances all his physical abilities, enables flight, and allows him to wield fire that's much hotter than most. He's a frequent combatant but doesn't do much else."

Akuma, as Izuku had discovered, was different from other pro heroes because he, in Akuma's own words, said that he didn't "give a crap about what other people thought of him". He did his job like he was supposed to because he wanted to.

"Now moving onto some of the individuals you will likely face. First up are some of Shiro's special slaves, the Elemental Assassins: Blaze, Aqua, Tempest, and Atlas. Masters of fire, water, air, and earth respectively. They've honed their quirks to utilise every quality of their element as best they can. The personality of everyone varies, but they are a lethal force to be dealt with. Their teamwork has allowed them to achieve multiple victories over the years. Do not underestimate them."

Naomasa was curious as to what Izuku meant by every quality of their element but didn't ask any further.

"Speed Demon, real name Hayai, is another special slave. His quirk is 'Sonic Speed' which allows him to move faster than a normal human. Hayai is generally friendly to others but fights and even kills just to survive. Knowing him, he'll probably try and teach Iida and help him hone his speed."

Aizawa was surprised to hear that. 'Why would he help Iida improve? Is it so he can fight better in the battles?'

"One person you really need to look out for is Pain, real name Midari. She's one of Shiro's chief torturers. The woman loves to bring pain to others and uses her quirk 'Pain Enhancement' to it. The quirk can make a simple paper cut feel like a knife cut, however, she must drink her victims' blood while doing this. You'll know her when you see her. the woman looks like a complete dominatrix."

Midnight growled. Already she hated this woman. Everyone else was terrified of her quirk. Any quirk that focused around torture was one to be feared.

"Next are two teams that serve Shiro willingly: Volcano Thieves, and the Wild Villains. The Volcano thieves are made up of Volcano, Dusty Ash and Gust Boy. Their quirks are 'Eruption', where magma is produced from the body, 'Dust', creating ash-like dust from the body, and Fan, the ability to generate wind and tornados by spinning one's wrists, respectively."

The Commissioner-General paled when he heard those names. Those villains were well-known. To think they were working for a man like Shiro.

"The Wild Villains are Curator, Zookeeper, and Bearhead."

"WHAT!?" Gang Orca shouted, catching everyone off guard. "Curator! That son of a bitch works for Shiro!"

Izuku stared at him and nodded.

"I heard rumours that you two had an unpleasant history," he said softly.

"They aren't rumours," Gang Orca retorted. "We've been at each other's throats for as long as I can remember. He's a sadistic bastard who enjoys experimenting on others regardless of the pain they go through. When something is of no further use to him, he discards it like a piece of garbage. He is an S-Class villain who wants to dominate humanity, though I never let him get very far. His quirk 'Whale' allows him to transform into a sperm-whale giving him a boost in all physical attributes and makes him out to be quite lethal in aquatic combat."

Izuku knew the look Gang Orca was giving when he talked about the man. It was pure, unconditional, uncontrollable hatred. He heard rumours about how he and Curator were archnemesis', but he didn't know that much about it.

It was kind of ironic though. Orca was a killer whale, while Curator was a sperm whale. Two aquatic animals of the same family battling it out to see who comes out on top.

"His two associates are Zookeeper and Bearhead. Bearhead is a mutant type whose quirk is 'Brown Bear' giving him all the physical attributes and abilities of a bear. He's usually friendly but he's a ruthless warrior and is fiercely loyal to Curator."

"Zookeeper, unlike Bearhead, isn't there because she wants to be. Curator came across her years ago and decided that he wanted her because of how useful her quirk is. Since he knew she wouldn't join him willingly he subjected her to a drug he created called 'Soulless'. The drug robs someone of their free will entirely and transforms them into a mindless slave who'll answer to only the one who gave it to them, and others deemed worthy. He manufactures it frequently for Shiro as way to make the more rebellious slaves a little more obedient."

The pros were horrified at what they just learned. To think, such a drug existed.

What's more, it seemed that the girl, Zookeeper, wasn't even an actual villain, just a victim.

The Commissioner-General knew her from files about her activities as a villain. She was a lethal fighter and had performed many crimes without any real reason. They had suspected she was taking orders from someone for a while but now they knew for certain it was Curator.

The psycho was a sly bastard he'd give him that, and clever too. He never would have imagined he could create something like that.

Substances that held power over the mind were practically non-existent.

"You all know about the drugs I created for the League and how they can heal and enhance strength and intelligence but believe me, Curator is far worse. Soulless literally takes away a person's free will and forces them to comply with their master's demands," Izuku warned. He'd be lying if he didn't say the drug didn't frighten him. Shiro had once planned to use it on him before he escaped. "Curator made sure of that. When he tested the drug on Zookeeper, he made her kill her entire family to showcase her obedience. She did it without hesitation, or remorse, which is another effect of the drug, it robs someone of their emotions."

There was a stunned, uncomfortable silence that nobody seemed willing or able to break. They were still trying to process everything they had just heard.

The effects of the drug were terrifying enough but what Curator did to test the compliance of his victim was even more shocking.

'That poor girl,' Ryukyu thought sadly.

Gang Orca didn't think it was possible for him to hate Curator even more than he already did. Boy, he was wrong.

"What exactly is her quirk?" Edgeshot asked, having remained silent for most of the meeting. "You said it was the reason he wanted her."

That was something the others were curious about as well.

"Zookeeper's quirk is 'Cleaning'. It might not sound like much, but it's powerful. It allows her to clean up anything including bloodstains and fingerprints from crime scenes, leaving very little evidence. Like Mr Aizawa's 'Erasure', it can also erase quirks, albeit for several minutes, however, it requires physical contact for it to work."

Well, that explained it. With a quirk like that anyone could get away with a crime, and it would render many heroes powerless.

"Okay, enough about the teams, I'm about to move onto two very important figures. The first is Nikko Tsukiyama, Shiro's right-hand woman. She was taken in by Shiro at a young age and taught how to fight. She's fiercely loyal to Shiro and will slaughter anyone who stands against him without mercy. Like Todoroki, she's a half and half user. Her quirk is 'Half-Sun, Half-Moon' which allows her to absorb and channel the power of the sun and moon on each side respectively. You'll know her when you see her. Oh, and if you are wondering how strong she is, she's the second most powerful directly after Shiro. It wouldn't be wrong to consider her an S-Class villain."

Endeavour was interested in the fact that she was similar to his son. Was she the product of a quirk marriage as well?

Naomasa and Nezu were both considering how to deal with this woman. If she was a half and half user, then that meant she had very few weaknesses.

"Finally, the main bad guy, Shiro." Everyone tensed at what Izuku was about to say.

This had been what they were most curious about since they first heard of him.

"Shiro is the head and monarch of Hades. Despite his youthful appearance he's in his fifties. In terms of personality, he's ruthless and he rules Hades with an iron fist. He's very charismatic and efficient as he can lead all his members greatly and he accomplishes all tasks successfully. Though many are his slaves, he will step in and defend them if they are assaulted and taken by opposing forces. What's more, in terms of membership, Shiro doesn't discriminate. He's open to anyone joining Hades, regardless of their past, family, gender, religion, race, sexual orientation, or appearance."

"The one exception to that are rapists, Shiro despises them and doesn't tolerate it when someone attempts it on his turf. One time a guy tried to sexually assault Rika and Shiro straight out decapitated him, another time was when a group of children were kidnapped by a rival group for certain purposes, and he made them pay dearly. I didn't see how, but I saw the state their bodies were in. other than that he engages in any other criminal activity, but rape is the one thing he is absolutely against."

As everyone slowly digested this information, they were starting to get a better idea of what kind of individual they were up against.

"Moving on to his abilities Shiro's quirk is 'Light Form', which is a form of photokinesis. It allows him to control, shape and manipulate light to various degrees. He can shoot light, make weapons and barriers out of light, create illusions and holograms and so on. He can even turn himself invisible by bending the light within, allowing him to keep a low presence. In addition, Shiro is a master martial artist and possesses various physical abilities that make him one of the strongest quirk users. He's also quite intelligent, being able to formulate and carry out various plans."

'This will be no easy foe,' All Might thought. 'He may even be as strong as AFO.'

Nezu was curious about something else.

"Midoriya, if you don't mind me asking, who exactly works in their science and weapons department?" Nezu asked. "I'm curious as to who had the skill to hack into UA."

"The person you're thinking of is Rika Fudo. She's a scientific genius with technological skills that surpass anyone in Japan. She attended college at an early age and has several degrees but was rejected by companies for being quirkless. At one point she attempted to commit suicide but was found and brought to Shiro decided to take advantage of her skills. More than likely she designed the devices that aided in the Mall Raid, and the computer virus that attacked UA, I would know because I gave her the idea for the virus to draw away attention from a certain area. She has an assistant who's quirkless as well names Shita who's around thirteen or fourteen. He's also a fashion designer for Hades."

While some were surprised Shiro had quirkless people working for him they remembered what Izuku said about the usefulness of an individual to Shiro. One person didn't believe him.

Endeavour snorted when Izuku finished speaking. The sheer notion that the quirkless were capable of such feats were complete and other bullshit in his opinion. Izuku turned and faced Endeavor with a glare.

"Something you want to say Endeavor? How about you say it to my face?" Izuku challenged.

Endeavor returned the glare.

"Yes, actually. I find it very hard to believe quirkless people like you are actually capable of such amazing feats when most of the time you're completely useless and have more value as a steppingstone for more talented individuals with quirks," Endeavor sneered. "Take you for example. You're a quirkless villain who I'm guessing only became a villain because you have no place in a world where superpowers are normal while you are a relic from a forgotten age that most people would like to remain forgotten. Be honest, the only reason you are a villain is that you finally realized that there was no place for you in this world, because you are nothing, and you will always be nothing. If you had remained a normal citizen you would have been lucky enough to end up with a job at some busted supermarket where your kind belongs, out of sight and out of everyone's way."

The room gapped at what Endeavor just said. That was going way too far.

Almost every person in the room eyes was widened in shock. Neito and Hitoshi were in a state of disbelief. That wasn't how a hero was supposed to behave.

Aizawa, Sekijiro, and Ryo were about ready to pounce on Endeavor and beat him to a pulp. They were completely sick of his attitude.

Naomasa felt a great deal of offence at that comment, while All Might, after years of knowing the man, finally realised what a dick Endeavor truly was.

Izuku, having had a very stressful day, snapped. It was time to knock Endeavor off his high horse and put him in his place.

"Endeavor," Izuku spoke in a soft condescending voice. "What are you even doing here? Do you not have anything better to do? What happened here is a matter concerning the school, this has no involvement with you. So instead of forcing me to see your ugly face, you could be helping in the HADES investigation, since even a fake hero like you could do this. And in case you could not, you could go back home and leave the job to more qualified people. While this happens, you could calmly polish and clean all your silver medals and trophies you earned for always being second best. After all, in your life you never won a gold award first, all you know is silver."

There was silence. Complete and utter silence. As shocked as everyone was with what Endeavor said, they were even more shocked at what Izuku just said.

'Damn kid!' Reo thought stunned.

'Damn Midoriya!' Naomasa thought amazed.

'Kid's got balls I'll give him that!' Crimson Riot thought impressed.

'Problem child indeed!' Aizawa thought frustrated.

'This isn't going to end well!' Vlad thought worried.

'What a badass!' Hitoshi thought.

'I really need to stop pissing him off!' Neito realised.

'I feel like I should stop this, but I also want to see where it leads!' Nezu thought curiously.

Endeavor was shaking with absolute rage. The fire on his skin was burning hotter and more brightly than before. It looked like he might explode at any second.

This quirkless mistake, Izuku Midoriya. How dare he! No one insulted him like that and got away with it. No one. He forgot entirely that there were people present and focused solely on the source of his anger.

Without warning, and before anyone could react, Endeavor screamed out loud and dashed towards Izuku, his fire blazing brightly with the intent of incinerating him.

Unfortunately for him, Izuku was prepared for the attack. He took something in the form of dust out of his pocket and threw it at Endeavor's eyes. The No.2 hero screamed in agony and halted his assault.

Not wasting any time, Izuku moved in and kneed Endeavor very hard in the gut, causing the man to vomit slightly. The then karate chopped the back of his neck quickly, strongly, and in the right position to knock him unconscious.

With other people

Razor and Stain were moving as quickly as they could when they both felt a certain feeling causing them to stop abruptly.

"Razor," Stain called out.

"Stain, I don't know why, but I suddenly feel incredibly proud of that brat," she admitted.

"Same here. Maybe he took out a false hero we both despise," he suggested.

"Maybe," Razor seemingly agreed.

The pair continued moving after that.

Rei Todoroki woke very suddenly.

"Strange, I feel like someone I know got a piece of Karma," she whispered. "And it feels good."

She didn't dwell on it much and went back to sleep.

Tomura and Kurogiri were plotting their next move when they felt something that made them jolt up.

"Kurogiri, I'm not sure why, but I feel like Deku just did something that was totally awesome, and we would both laugh uncontrollably," Tomura said.

"Yes, but what could it be?" Kurogiri wondered.

Shoto was distracted from his training with Umi.

"Something wrong?" she asked concerned.

"I feel like I missed a very important moment in my life," Shoto admitted.

In his cell, Dabi started laughing uncontrollably, much to the guard's confusion.

"Oh man, I feel like that flaming bastard got exactly what he deserved," he snickered. "I guess what they say is true: Karma is a Bitch!"

Back with the others

The entire room was stunned at what just happened. Endeavor just tried to assault a teenager, the latter of which successfully took him down.

"What was that you threw at him?" Hitoshi asked.

"Peppercorn," Izuku replied. "I grabbed while running from Shino and Blade. Based on a piece of advice Shino gave me at Hades where everything is a weapon." Edgeshot couldn't help but agree with that. Izuku then turned to Nezu. "Am I going to be punished for this?"

"Punished for defending yourself, no," Nezu replied. "Besides Endeavor spent most of the time trying to provoke you so it's only natural for you to fight back."

Izuku sighed in relief.

The Commissioner-General made a mental note to inform others of Endeavor's behaviour later.

All Might picked Endeavor up to bring him back to his house. He was absolutely appalled at the man's behaviour. He was going to be more cautious of him from now on.

"If that's all, I'm going to return to my dorm now, it's been a long day," Izuku informed everyone. "I'll write up a full list of Hades members and activities and give it to you tomorrow." He then turned to the other two students in the room. "If you two want to spend the night at 1A Dorm be my guest."

They weren't sure why, but the pair wanted to spend the night there. Neito didn't want to be on his own and Hitoshi just didn't feel like going back to his own dorm.

Vlad and Aizawa decided it would be a good idea to combine 1A and B for the time being given how short their numbers are.

With that, the boys returned to the dorm.

Class 1A Dormitory bathing section

Izuku was currently drowning himself in the shower. His arm kept him steady against the wall as the hot water fell on his back.

After that explanation he gave to the teachers he was starting to remember his time at Hades more clearly. In particular, the pain he endured.

The feeling of being shot and stabbed, witnessing people dying, the excruciating torture he endured at Midari's hands, being whipped, the battles he fought to survive, but most of all, the feeling he felt when he took a life for the first time.

He hadn't meant to it was all in self-defence, though not for him.

While he was remembering it all, Izuku didn't realise his breathing had started to accelerate and he was on the verge of another panic attack. His knees fell to the ground and he clutched his chest. He couldn't stop.

That's when a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace.

"Shh, shh, it's alright, you're okay," Tokoyami's voice said soothingly while looking at Izuku with sympathy. "You're fine. Nothing's happened. You're okay."

It was then that Izuku broke down crying and sobbed into Tokoyami's chest, all while Tokoyami rubbed his back.

Neito and Hitoshi, who witnessed the event were stunned.

This was not the Midoriya they had seen so far. This one was far more vulnerable.

Shortly afterwards it was reported to Aizawa and Vlad who decided to monitor Izuku more closely in case of another event like this. They also decided to inform his mother.

The remaining Class A students alongside two new additions sat around a table just staring at the bare surface of it with uncomfortable expressions.

"Seriously, what the fuck happened to him in that place?" Neito wondered out loud.

"I don't know, but I get the feeling we're going to find out," Momo replied.

And so, the long day of events that shook the nation, had finally come to an end.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think about that? I spent a while deciding how to go about this chapter but I wasn't sure how. The meeting wasn't supposed to be that long but I ended up doing it anyway. You got introduced to some new characters that will be appearing. People have asked about foreign heroes appearing in this arc so I came up with a few.

Cu Chulainn I thought of because like me he's Irish and there aren't that many Irish superheroes.

Hercules I've always liked the character idea.

Diamante, I've been to Portugal a few times so I thought why not. I also wanted to add another female hero. Her quirk was given to me by Spawn.

Akuma is based off Jin Kazama from Tekken. Jin can turn into a devil as well. Also, I had an idea for a hero that didn't give a crap about what people thought of him.

Volcano Thieves and Wild Villains are not OC's of mine. They appear in the My Hero Academia: Clash! Heroes Battle Arcade Game. I thought they would work well here.

Huge thanks to Spawn for the quirk idea's Diamond Clone, Pain Enhancement, and Light Form. They were really helpful in deciding what quirk to give characters. You can expect one or two to show up in the future.

Chapter 44: Hades

Summary:

The students receive a better look at Hades, only to be brought in on some horrifying situations.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Warning: There is some mature content towards the end which some of you may find uncomfortable so I apologize in advance.

Okay, onto the chapter.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hades: Main Base

When people first hear the term Criminal Underworld, they usually assume, a series of tunnels that run underground where villains meet up concoct all sorts of evil schemes and business deals with one another. While they aren't exactly wrong, there is so much more to it than that.

While many believed it to be deep, they never fully questioned just how deep. The Underworld ran much deeper than just a few tunnels. There were actually a few communities living there, including the Hades group.

Across Japan, it had several bases, including Tomakomai (Hokkaido), Okinawa Island, Nagano and Kyoto. However, its primary base of operations was located under the city of Kanazawa, a city that was near the sea and had a very low crime rate.

Due to the low crime rates, there were very few heroes, and even fewer police investigations, thus making it the ideal base for Hades.

Kanazawa was a peaceful place rich in history and beauty. As such, no one would ever suspect that it was host to one of the most dangerous organizations of all time. Ironically though, Hades' presence was what kept Kanazawa safe as other criminal groups were warned by Shiro never to attempt, or set foot, anything near the city in caution that it might draw unwanted attention.

However, Shiro was clever enough to ensure that a few of his pawns attempted some smaller crimes such as petty thievery, minor vandalism, or breaking into someone's home. Why one might ask? It would be very suspicious, not to mention abnormal if any area didn't have any sort of criminal activity or villains.

Referring to how deep the Criminal Underworld was, Hades was the owner of the deepest, and most spacious, spot. While it possessed other bases, all of which varied in size but mostly ran similar activities, Hades primary headquarters and base of operations was special. Nearly all their affairs and undertakings took place right here and it was considered by many to be the heart and soul of Hades.

What made this base stand out from the others, as well as other villainous organizations, was that it wasn't just a centre of operations for the group.

It was an actual city.

Hades main base was an underground city that dwelled beneath Kanazawa, where it contained several buildings:

Apartment blocks for the residents (slaves and ordinary members) that were at least three stories high. Most of the residents were adults, with children being transferred there when they come of age.

The apartments were a shared space with bunk beds, a small kitchen (with basic requirements), and a shared bathroom.

These were mainly found in the East section, though there was one or two in the North and South sections.

In the North Section:

The Arena, where most of the battles between competitors, be they members, slaves, or outsiders, took place. Outside one of the stands, there was a bookmaker area where people could place bets.

The Pit. A special type of arena where martial arts battles were fought. In these matches, individuals enter a caged arena, fashioned into an octagonal shape (basically the same shape as a UFC ring), and fought with nothing but their fists and feet. In other words, it was a battle of strength and skill.

Usage of quirks was strictly forbidden.

The hospital, where individuals, mostly competitors, were sent when they were injured or fell ill. The place had several individuals with quirks related to healing. Though there were skilled doctors and nurses as well.

In the West Section:

The children's section, where all children from the ages of seven to seventeen live. When a child turned eighteen, they moved out into one of the apartment blocks along with the other adults.

The only adults that lived in the children's section were the caretakers Umi, Utada, and Lobo. Located in the West section where Umi has access to the sea.

In addition, Lobo had a personal training ground to teach certain individuals hand-to-hand combat, as well as engage in a few friendly wrestling matches with some other members.

The training grounds. As the name implies these are special grounds where slaves are taught to hone their abilities to fight in the arena and perform regular tasks for Shiro.

It includes a shooting range (for long-range quirk users), weights and punching bags (for building up physical strength), a combat simulator (to test a person's melee fighting ability).

Slaves were primarily trained by Cu Chulainn, Hercules, and Diamante. The three volunteered for it so that slaves would be well prepared when they fought in the arena.

Akuma occasionally lent his assistance in this area.

In the South Section:

The Casino. Shockingly enough, Hades had its own little casino. It was a five-storey building with multiple rooms pertaining to multiple games, and to cater to the number of people playing.

Villains, regardless of where they were from and who they worked for, liked to gamble. Some did it for fun, while others did it to earn a profit.

The Canteen. This is where members generally went to eat on break. At the canteen, there were several chefs working along with waiters and waitresses. Over the years, Shiro had captured numerous people with quirks and skills related to food and he made sure to take full advantage of their abilities.

The Power Station. This is where the entire city is supplied with electricity. With the aid of several electric type users, the city was always lit up with everything running properly.

Solar energy was provided through the assistance of Nikko, Rika and Shita. Using her quirk, Nikko harnessed the power of the sun into solar panels, which were given batteries to store the energy so Nikko wouldn't have to constantly charge them.

The Armory. As the name implied, it's where Hades stored most of its weapons including drones, guns, melee weapons, bombs, etc. While most members relied on their quirks and fighting abilities, other less skilled members used weapons to better their chances of defending the place. This was near the centre where the Hades Main Building stood.

Additionally, there were bars located in each section that could be used by anyone.

In Shiro's own words, 'everyone's life here is shitty enough without restricting booze'.

However, at the centre of the city, was Hades main building. This was a thirteen-storey building in the shape of a triangle standing up.

Here was where everything happened.

From Rika's inventions, Curator's experiments, business negotiations with the black market, Shita's fashion designs, group meetings to Shiro punishing someone for their failures.

At the entrance to the building, there were two statues of Cerberus, the pet of Hades, the Greek God of the Dead, which the organization was named after. The top floor of the building granted the owner a perfect view of the entire city.

In the basement area of the main building was the security room where the activity of slaves and their conditions were monitored, and the entire city was observed using cameras. There were also several cameras on each floor of the main building in case anyone decided to pull any funny business.

To add to it all, the building was protected by several defences including machine guns, sleep gas that could be released through the vents, electric floors, and forcefield barriers.

It was basically a fortress.

Floor 13: Throne Room

Currently, Shiro was holding a meeting with his most trusted members and several of his special slaves, though Rika was an exception.

Shiro sat in a large black chair with three dogs, two coming out from the top corners, while one was in the middle.

He was currently listening to Robin give a full report on what she had observed while spying on the heroes. While he knew Kioku had examined the girl's memories he wanted to hear it from her lips personally.

Robin was a petite young girl of twelve with dark skin, short brown hair with red highlights, and grass green eyes. For clothes, she wore a purple t-shirt with the kanji for Spring at the back accompanied by patterns of different birds at the front and sides. She also wore a white mini skirt with red floral patterns and pink sneakers.

In attendance were Nikko, Rika, Nightmare, Speed Demon, Shino, Blade, the Elemental Assassins, the Wild Villains, the Volcano Thieves, the Arsonists, Team Succubus, Pain, Disco, and Cu Chulainn (one hero was asked to attend).

Pain wore black high-heel boots that stretched over her knees, a black latex leotard with no sleeves and left a portion of her chest exposed so that her cleavage was visible. Her back was also exposed, and her leotard was held by a black choker with spikes around her neck. Furthermore, she wore two long black fingerless gloves with spikes on the knuckles, two earrings of daggers, a piercing on her tongue, and a whip on her right side.

Regarding her physical appearance, she was of average height, possessed purple hair styled in a concave cut, purple eyes, lips, and nails.

Cu Chulainn was a young, handsome, looking man with bright blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. In addition, his body was tall and muscular.

His attire consisted of a fur cape held by a scabbard, a linen wrap-around skirt held by a belt and buckle, and black boots made of fur tied together by straw. He was mostly bare-chested with clear visible images of Celtic tattoos across his body.

To put it simply, he looked like a Celtic warrior.

Nightmare (real name Yume) was a young woman roughly in her early thirties, with long white hair and silver eyes. Her figure was slim, and her height was moderate.

She wore long white socks, accompanied by black heels, and a black and white dress. Her nails and lips were painted black, and she had a black bow on top of her head. In addition, she carried a black and white parasol. To sum up her appearance, she was a gothic Lolita.

She was one of Shiro's primary torturers, though, unlike Pain, she was more skilled in psychological torture. It was all thanks to her quirk.

Wolfram, a mercenary that was a long-time business partner of Shiro. He usually took part in deals and gang fights. Thanks to a service he performed for AFO a few years back, he possessed two quirks.

Metal manipulation (which he was born with) and muscle augmentation. He was a clever individual as well, managing to stay under the heroes and governments radar for quite some time.

The Arsonists, which consisted of Combustion, Dokijin, and Gun Gale.

Combustion was a tall man roughly in his early thirties with a muscular physique. He had short spiky blonde hair and gold eyes. His attire consisted of an open, sleeveless, red hoodie with his chest exposed, red and black wristbands, baggy pants with red lines contained by two smaller orange lines on both sides of his legs, and black footpads with the soles of his feet exposed. His quirk was Enhanced Combustion.

Dokijin was a short man in his late twenties. He had spiky messy orange hair in an undercut hairstyle with a low fade and blood-red eyes. He wore a red top with an image of a tiger on the front, black combat trousers and boots. He also wore black and red fingerless gloves that were separated by a white line. His quirk was Fire and Fury.

Gun Gale was the tallest, and oldest, of the trio. In his mid-forties, he had a rather muscular build and fashioned a black tight top, traditional army camouflage trousers, a camouflaged army hat, and brown combat boots. His hair was black, with a short beard stache, and his eyes were topaz. Unlike his companions, his facial features were foreign, having originally come from America. His quirk was Gun State.

Team Succubus, which consisted of Aphrodite, Eros, and Lorelei.

A team that specialized in finding targets, seducing them, and then either killing or getting information out of them, sometimes both. All of them were moderately tall, possessed well-developed bodies, and were in their late twenties, but most of all, they were stunningly, unbelievably, irresistibly, beautiful. If one were to declare them the best-looking Hades had to offer, there would be very few arguments.

Aphrodite had long pink hair that stretched down to her knees, accompanied by pink eyes, nails, and lips. In addition, she wore a light red one-shoulder dress that left her left arm and leg exposed, pink high-heels, and a bracelet on her left arm with a love heart at the centre. Her quirk was Love Manipulation.

Eros wore light trousers and an open shirt, both of which were red-orange, and white shoes. He had purple eyes and messy purple hair in the form of an undercut. His skin was also tanned. His quirk was Pleasure.

Lorelei had long green hair tied in a ponytail and eyes. Her attire consisted of a black leather jacket, trousers, a black t-shirt with the kanji for love on it and black high heels. Like Gun Gale, she was a foreigner having come from Germany. Her quirk was Persuasion.

Then there was Disco, head of the nightclub at Hades. He possessed dark skin, frizzy brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes. He wore a yellow jacket, with a blue t-shirt underneath, yellow trousers, and dance shoes. In addition, he carried a gold cane with him. His quirk was Dance Battle.

There were other members, but they were too busy with other matters to attend.

Robin explained everything she had heard in detail. From what the heroes discussed at the meeting, why they left, and what they discussed at UA.

Flashback

On the orders of Shiro, Robin attended the said meeting of heroes and police where she learned a lot about their plans and Deku.

It wasn't that hard to get in. As smart as these pros were, and as fortified as this building was, they weren't prepared for what she could do. Then again, no one ever was. She had done this job for three years, three months after she joined (unwillingly) Hades.

She spied on rival gangs, like the League of Villains and the Eight Precepts of Death, to find out what they were up to and if they were making a move against Hades.

She spied on politicians to see what they were up to when not in public, it was always good to have some material to blackmail.

She spied on police and hero investigations to see if they had any information about someone they were looking for, or if they had discovered any information that could lead straight back to them.

She always performed her missions alone, and with care, however, she had a high success rate, hence why Shiro found her valuable.

There were times when she did fail, though that was usually because of something like her target plans changing, and meetings being held in confined rooms where she couldn't get access to.

When spying on someone from one of the more dangerous groups she proceeded with extreme caution because in this case there was a high chance she could die or be discovered.

When she spied on the Precepts, she found herself nervous in the presence of Overhaul. The man's quirk, which allowed him to disassemble and reassemble anything he desired was both impressive and terrifying. There was also the way he spoke about the world, how it was sick and needed to be cleansed. It really freaked her out.

When spying on the League she was terrified of Atrocity. The man was a complete psychopath. No wonder Shiro hated him.

She didn't feel nervous when it was individuals like Tomura or Kurogiri or even Viper. However, she was curious as to why she never saw AFO. He was the true leader of the League, so why wasn't he more active in its activities? Why did he hide within the shadows, even amongst other shadows? Sadly, Robin never found out.

The meeting between the heroes and police proceeded rather smoothly. They discussed what they knew, and their sources of information. Then they went into detail about how they planned to 'rescue' the hostages.

Robin internally snorted when she heard that. No one, except for Deku and Razor, had ever been rescued from Hades. These heroes were dreaming of a fantasy, one that would be shattered in a few days' time.

When it came to the parts about Deku, Robin was genuinely surprised that the former slave had suffered panic attacks just from hearing about Hades. She knew it would have been traumatic for him, but she didn't think it would be that bad. It had been months after all.

She was a little annoyed at the attitudes of the heroes. They were seriously underestimating Deku just because he didn't have a quirk, they had no idea what he was capable of.

Endeavor was the worst. That's why she was happy and intrigued, at how the small furry (and her opinion, downright adorable) principal made the No. 2 Hero back down.

When there was an alert that the alarms had gone off at UA, Robin figured Shino and Blade were at work trying to capture Deku.

Rather than just escape while the pros filled out Robin hid in Midnight's hair until they arrived at UA to investigate further.

It was risky but hey, it never hurt to have extra information.

At UA she eavesdropped on the entire discussion between the heroes and police, later between them and Deku. She didn't hear anything particularly new.

She was a little confused as to why Deku said Hades ran from Nagoya to Yamagata. Sure, there was a base in Yamagata and a safe house in Nagoya, but Hades didn't run entirely between those two places. It was big, but not that big. Bases were split up into different parts of the country.

The exciting part was when Deku insulted Endeavor and knocked him out when the man attempted to incinerate him. That's when Deku blinded him and knocked him out.

From her perspective, it appeared Deku had gotten stronger, though to be fair, Endeavor was blinded by rage and didn't think straight.

Nonetheless, it was impressive and funny.

As soon as the meeting concluded, Robin flew out of the room in bug form and then proceeded to leave the building, and then the campus.

Flashback end

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," Shiro laughed uncontrollably.

Upon listening to what Izuku did to Endeavor, he just couldn't help it. It was so funny. Several other members joined in laughing.

Cu Chulainn and Rika were mildly impressed.

Curator, and Zookeeper (unsurprisingly), were disinterested with the conversation.

Curator would have rather been performing experiments in his lab. However, the mention of his arch-nemesis did pique his interest slightly. It had been a long time since he and Gang Orca fought, and the next time they did there would definitely be blood.

Shiro stopped laughing and addressed the audience before him.

"Oh man, if I wasn't so focused on killing him, I'd actually congratulate Deku on what he did to that chubby bastard," he admitted. "It seems he's grown a pair of balls since I last saw him."

"I wouldn't say Endeavor is chubby," Aphrodite argued. "He's more of a tall, sturdily-built man with a muscular physique." She licked her lips.

Shiro and several other rolled their eyes. Aphrodite was always like this when discussing men who she found handsome or attractive.

"Which makes him look fat," Volcano countered. "Seriously Aphrodite, where the hell did you get your taste in men?"

"Screw that! Where do you get a taste in anyone?" Gust Boy snickered.

It was a commonly known fact that all members of Team Succubus were bisexual, or at least two of them were. Aphrodite claimed to be pansexual because in her mind, gender was irrelevant in love.

The former smiled at Volcano seductively. Her cheeks blushing red.

"Ah, what a tale that is, where do I even start?" she wondered while fantasising.

"You don't," Curator stated in a bored tone. "I didn't come here to listen to you preach about all the people you've slept with. I came here because Shiro asked me to listen to this little bird's report." He turned his attention to Robin, who shuddered. "Most of which has turned out to be boring and a complete waste of my time. I could be doing much more productive things in my lab. By the way, I'm interested in that new livestock you brought in Shiro. I feel they may be useful in what I'm creating."

Robin shuddered. Curator always creeped her out. Not just because of the way he looked, but the way he looked and acted towards others like they were just materials for his experiments.

"Come on Curator," Bearhead intervened putting his arm around the latter's shoulder. "This is a concerning matter for all of us. Even if you don't find it interesting, it's going to pull you away from your experiments. Especially since Gang Orca is involved."

Curator scowled. "I suppose."

Bearhead grinned at his friend. Of all the members on the Wild Villains, he was arguably the nicest. However, he could still be quite brutal when he wanted to be.

"Speaking of which, the raid was pretty successful I hear," Curator commented. "You performed it quickly and with precision. I take you had most the lower members assist you."

"We wouldn't have had to move quickly if that machine that forced people to stay away lasted longer," Blaze butted in.

Rika frowned.

"Blaze, as I said already, that device was just a prototype. I hadn't even gotten the chance to test it out first. It was bound to wear off after a short while," Rika explained. "Furthermore, I didn't have that much time to make it."

That earned a few exchanges.

"Is that so?" Blade sneered.

He was about to speak again when Nikko interrupted him.

"None of this is Rika's fault, it's mine," all eyes were on her. "I was the one who asked her to develop a gadget like this to assist in the raid only a few days before it happened. Any issue that occurred with it is as much my fault as it would be Rika's."

Blade glared at her, while Rika was silently glad that Nikko defended her. She had been under a lot of pressure to make that device and she had been afraid it wouldn't work. Shiro didn't tolerate failure, even from her. Well, if there was a good enough reason for it, he would look the other way.

"If that's how it was then it's fine. The mission was a success either way so I can look past it," Shiro smirked. Without looking at her, he spoke to Rika. "Rika, I want you to improve on this device for the foreseeable future. It could come in quite handy when defending this place, or when we need to isolate populated areas like from today."

"I'll get to work on it straight away," Rika replied quickly while bowing. "I promise, you won't be disappointed."

Shiro nodded in acknowledgement. His thoughts then drifted back to Deku and the upcoming raid on Hades. He was going to have his hands full the next couple of days, especially with the new arrivals. He had a few surprises in store for the captured students. Ones he'd like to implement as soon as possible. There was also the upcoming battle, not to mention the possibility of a battle between him and All Might. Just the thought of it made him tingle with excitement.

"So, what happens now?" Robin asked, earning confused looks from everyone. Shiro even cocked his head to the side at her question. "They know you know about their plan now, and they know about several members. Aren't you going to strike first to make sure you have the winning chance?"

In an instant, Shiro was right in front of Robin, holding her chin, and smiling amusedly. His eyes were locked directly with hers.

"My dear sweet Robin, I've already struck first, and now it's their turn. Also, why go to the prey when the prey can come to us?" Shiro justified. "And so, what if they change their plan? Not knowing makes it more fun."

Robin wasn't surprised in the slightest. While she may not have known Shiro like the others, she knew he enjoyed a thrill. There was one other thing on her mind.

"What about Deku? What's to become of him?" She asked.

Shiro's smile grew.

"Oh, I've something special planned for him. As for how I get him here well," Shiro started.

"Let me be the one to bring him in," Dokijin shouted. "I've got a score to settle with that quirkless bastard for what he and that fashion bitch did to me."

The man hated Deku and Shita for how they humiliated him in the Arena. Ever since that day, he wanted to hunt that brat down and incinerate him. Up until now though, he never had the chance.

"Oh, get over it!" Robin snapped back. "You lost one fight, one! And because of that, you decided to vent your anger out on him where we, the kids, lived. Some of them still have burn scars from that time."

Dokijin glared at Robin. Before he could say anything back his teammates spoke up.

"Apologies Ms Robin, our comrade here still doesn't know how to control his temper. He is learning, although at a slow pace," Gun Gale apologized in a stern voice.

"What happened that day was my fault for not believing he would retaliate in such a way," Combustion informed her. "That lead to chaos and children being injured, and the unspeakable aftermath. I know an apology will never suffice. After all, you lost a dear friend as a result. We are sorry though."

Robin bit her lip. She could still remember 'that day' very well.

"Don't apologize to this bitch. I'm not sorry, and I'd do it again if I could," Dokijin barked.

Less than a second later, a blade of light was at his throat with Shiro holding it steady by the handle.

The look in his eyes was stern, yet furious.

"Oh," Shiro murmured in a low, dangerous. "How strange. If I remember correctly, you were definitely sorry after I was done with you. You were even begging me not to kill you." The blade grazed a small part of his neck causing some blood to flow out. "You claim you would do it again but I don't believe you. You see last time I was willing to give you a small benefit of the doubt because a) you were influenced into it by you know who, and b) I got to destroy Tenome, that sickening excuse for a villain group, which by the way just thinking about makes me want to vomit. You remember what I did to them, don't you?"

Dokijin's face went pale, he knew exactly what Shiro was talking about, and what he was insinuating.

"You should, shouldn't you? After all, I took pictures of it and spread them around Hades so everyone, except for the kids could see. So, if you, for any reason, do what you're threatening to do. I will kill you the way I killed those bastards from Tenome, just as slowly, and just as painfully. Do I make myself clear?"

Dokijin nodded quickly.

Everyone else, apart from Nikko and Shino, shuddered at the memory. It wasn't a pretty sight. Shiro had taken extra care when killing those men for what they did and the very nature of their group.

Their deaths were without a doubt the most excruciating Shiro had ever performed, as far as they knew at least.

"Good," Shiro said softly. "Now on to more important matters. The heroes will be attempting to raid our base in a few days, so I expect you all to be ready. From what Robin has gathered it seems Dabi has told them about the East entrance/exit, however, it's safe to presume that the heroes will be looking for a way in via the West from the Sea."

The East entrance/exit was just on the outskirts of Kanazawa. It was an underground passage that villains used when trying to avoid the police, or if they wanted to come and watch the fights. The passage, while relatively small at first, gradually grew bigger as one walked along.

There were several tunnels that lead to different areas underground however, checkpoints were set up just so villains could make their way to the North section.

There was also a way to reach the South section, however, a member who had good knowledge of the tunnels could only get there.

It was possible to enter the West via sea however the entrance was hidden and couldn't be reached unless someone swam there.

"I'll assign each of you your positions and jobs for that day. Curator you'll be at the West section with Umi and Aqua just in case you have to deal with pests like Gang Orca and Selkie." Curator nodded. "As for the rest of you, you'll be dealing with the pests from the East. I won't lie to you all, this fight will be tough, tougher than what we're used to. There's also the chance it will go to open ground because of who's participating."

There was a collective group of surprised stares and stunned silence.

"Shiro are you really okay with that!?" Nikko protested in alarm. "For years we've kept hidden from the rest of the world, only showing our faces when necessary and allowing nothing but our names to be known." Shiro glanced at her. It was rare to see Nikko so emotional, although he couldn't exactly blame her. "If we, if you come into the light now, there is no going back. You will be known by all and have a target on your back for the rest of your life."

Shiro chuckled in amusement at her statement.

"I appreciate your concern Nikko but, with all due respect, I've had a target on my back for years," he joked. "Now it's just going to get bigger. Besides, I always knew this day would come. As much as I would like to, I can't stay hidden in the shadows forever."

Nikko lowered her head and said nothing more. It would have been pointless anyway, Shiro was rarely wrong.

"By the way, I thought I asked everyone to come, so why aren't they here? Disco? Also, Cu Chulainn, why didn't Akuma come?" Shiro asked politely.

The two he questioned spoke for the first time in this meeting.

"Sorry boss, but I needed Rapper and Angel to look after the nightclub. You know how crazy the dance floor can get, right?" Disco responded in a deep flamboyant voice.

Shiro nodded in understanding. The action that went down in that club was intense.

"Akuma said he was busy and that he wasn't interested," Cu responded in a North Dublin accent. "He sends his apologies."

Shiro looked at him disbelievingly.

"He said he couldn't give two shits about this and to tell me that since I didn't ask him in person to go fuck myself, didn't he?" he declared bluntly.

Cu opened his mouth to respond but found that no words were coming out.

"What happens if I say yes?" Cu asked awkwardly.

"Then he and I are going to have a nice long chat later, with our fists," Shiro answered enthusiastically. "I don't care if he doesn't show up. As long as he does his job, I'm happy."

That matter came to an end quickly.

"Nikko, where is Cerberus?" he questioned. "He never misses these meetings unless it's for good reason."

"He is dealing with a certain rodent problem at the moment," Nikko replied. "This one was from you know who so it couldn't wait until later."

Shiro raised an eyebrow. It seems that bastard Atrocity was making a move against him. When would he learn? Sending his minions here was the same as sentencing them to death.

"Now, on to a few questions, you may ask," Shiro continued. "Pain, regardless of how much fun you had last time, you are not allowed to torture Deku, because that's something I'll be doing. Eros, you are not allowed to make any sort of move towards him. I want him to suffer before he dies, not enjoy himself."

"WHAT!," Eros whined. "But boss, he's a virgin. You know how I like to"

"Whatever sex joke or reference you're about to pull don't, I'm not in the mood. No means no," Shiro retorted. "The same goes for your teammates."

There were a collective number of groans after that.

Eros sulked at not being able to get his chance with Deku.

Pain was just as disappointed. She had been looking forward to spending some quality time with Deku. Last time, his screams were magnificent, and the faces he made when she was cutting him were so beautiful.

"Robin, you've done well," Shiro applauded the child, who was relieved at the praise. "As a reward, take the next few days off. You've earned it." Robin was ecstatic that she was getting a break. She really needed a few nights of sleep. "Nikko make sure she gets back safely. As for the rest of you, this meeting is over. Return to your duties until you receive further instructions."

And with that, the meeting ended.

Hades: Children's Section

The day had, at last, come to an end and the students were getting ready for bed. The sleeping quarters were two long rooms (gender-segregated) with an assortment of bunk beds.

Kids and teenagers alike were entitled to bunk wherever and with whomever they wished.

The students mainly bunked with others from their class and school, though there were one or two exceptions.

Most of them were discussing the events of the day: who they met, what they learned, and what the future held for them here. They were hoping that they would be rescued soon but kept their fingers crossed.

Shoto and Mezo returned later, both looking tired. Mezo especially.

"You two were gone a while, I pray nothing bad happened," Ibara said softly.

"Same here," Asui added. "Todoroki, Shoji, where did you go with those two? And what did they want to talk about?"

The two students briefly stared at each other. They hadn't been told to keep their training a secret.

"Umi and Lobo have both decided to take us under their wing and train us," Mezo announced. "I'm learning luchador wrestling, or as it's better known, Lucha Libre."

That caught some of the other student's attention.

"That's awesome," Tetsutetsu exclaimed.

"Totally man," Kirishima chimed in. "You know I always thought you like a Lucha wrestler, mostly because of your mask, and your hero outfit."

"Um, thanks," Mezo replied uncertainly.

For most of his life he had been conscious of his appearance, yet he never really cared about what others thought of him, not much anyway. It made him uncomfortable that people feared him because of it, that they stayed away from him, without even getting to know the real him.

Things had been that way since the 'Incident' when he was a child.

That single moment in his life caused him to start wearing that mask. Because if he didn't wear it, if he didn't cover his face, people would be even more afraid of him.

"Umi is teaching me how to use my powers without projecting them from my body. She's teaching me how to freeze and heat up objects such as water simply by relying on the particles in the air," Shoto explained, much to everyone's interest.

"That would be most impressive," Saiko said. "You're already strong as you are now. With that kind of power at your disposal, just imagine how much stronger you'll become."

That opened a new wave of debates among the students.

One student was glaring at Shoto.

'He hasn't changed a bit,' Inasa thought spitefully. 'Still as cold as him.'

"Alright, that's enough chicos," Lobo called out. "Time for bed. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow. So, Buenas Noches!"

The students would have argued, but they felt the effects and fatigue of today kicking in. They decided to call it a night and work on their next move tomorrow when they had more strength and knew more about the place.

"Oh Lord, please give us the strength and will to survive in this the darkest of all kingdoms," Ibara prayed.

What they didn't realize was how eventful their first day would be.

Atrocity

Atrocity was in his office typing up a report about the batch of Nomu that were completed. He typed up when they were made, the quirks they possessed, and ranking them on who was strongest.

In addition, he was working on the blueprints for his latest weapon design: Shock Blade. It was a weapon specifically designed for an electric type user like Deathbolt. The weapon itself was two sword handles, but no actual swords. The user had to pour a little of their quirk into the blades handles and two swords would appear instantly. They would also stay out for a while, so the user didn't have to worry about getting exhausted.

Contrary to how people saw him and how he acted, Atrocity was a rather intelligent man. In the League, he came up with designs for several weapons and worked on experiments of his own.

While Viper was the head of the science department, he was the best when it came to technology.

It was the main reason why he had been a leader in the League of Villains when AFO was running the show.

It wasn't just because of his powerful quirk, oh no, AFO valued skill over quirk. If a powerful quirk was all it took to become a leader, then the League would have more leaders, some of which would be downright stupid.

He had even made a new chainsaw for Toxic Chainsaw to support his quirk, Toxic Secretion.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," he invited.

What came in was a subordinate of his who went by the name Rubik.

Rubik's true appearance was unknown to him. The man was around Tomura's height, and his entire body was covered by a metallic zentai suit that had multicoloured cubes as a pattern. There were two pure white spaces where his eyes were. In his arms were the files he requested.

"The files you ordered Viper to retrieve are here," Rubik said softly while placing them on the desk.

"Good," Atrocity replied. "You may leave."

Rubik nodded.

"Sir if I may," Atrocity shot him a look. "Why do you wish to search for him? Is he worth the effort? Especially with everything else going on in your life."

Atrocity considered this for a moment. Rubik brought up a good point however, he felt this was one issue he really couldn't let go of.

"He is an issue which I've left unresolved. While I'm committed to dealing with the current problems such as Tomura and Shiro, I feel as though I won't be able to move on from this one until I've dealt with it personally," he explained. "Do you understand?"

Rubik nodded and turned to leave. When he was gone, Atrocity quickly finished his report to look at the file.

"Alright, time to find out everything I can about you," Atrocity growled but placed more venom on the next word. "Deku."

That was what the file was about, Deku. AFO's quirkless pet that had, God knows how managed to elude him two if not three times already. Ever since the hospital incident, he had been focused on dealing with Tomura and expanding his control in the criminal underworld.

However, he hadn't forgotten about Deku.

That quirkless bastard stole from him and humiliated him by not dying at both Hosu and Kamino. He was an unresolved problem that needed to be exterminated. The problem was he didn't know where Deku was, he didn't even know what his real name was.

When he was part of the League Atrocity never thought that much of him to investigate. But since he had evaded him numerous times, he had decided to take Deku seriously and look through his files to find out what he could on the boy.

"Okay, so his name is Izuku Midoriya," Atrocity started.

He read through the file slowly at first. However, soon he was reading rapidly through it and then he was rereading it again and again.

By the time he stopped, Atrocity was boiling with rage.

His desire to kill the boy had just multiplied by ten.

"HE SHOULDN'T EXIST! HOW DARE HE EXIST! DOES HE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS?" Atrocity roared as he slammed his fist down on the desk, breaking it in two.

He wanted to kill something.

He needed to kill something.

That's when he noticed on one of the cameras that a group of his underlings had arrived back from a robbery.

Walking slowly, he headed for the door.

30 minutes later

The floor and walls were covered in blood.

One might have said it was painted.

There were bodies as well. Some were scorched entirely until they were nothing but ash, others were missing body parts or had them crushed, and some were impaled in several places.

Atrocity, the orchestrator behind this massacre was sitting at the centre covered in blood with his legs crossed. He was panting from exhaustion.

Most of his rage had been quelled but not all of it.

He took out his phone and dialled a number.

"Kuin," Atrocity said.

"Y-Y-Yes boss," she stammered over the phone.

"I take it you just witnessed everything that just happened through one of your little bitches," he interrogated.

She was afraid of him. That was a good sign.

"Yes. Before you say it, I'll do it," Kuin answered fearfully. "Whatever it is you want me to do I'll do it."

"Good," Atrocity snarled. "Izuku Midoriya, aka Deku. Find him! I don't care how or what you must do to succeed but find him. And then tell me. If you don't, well, I don't think I need to explain after what I just did now do I?"

"No," she answered almost immediately. "I'll get started right away."

Atrocity hung up and stared at his hand covered in blood. It was then he made a dark promise to himself.

"I swear, Izuku Midoriya. I will hunt you; I will find you, and I will slaughter you. I will break you so badly that by the time I'm finished, your soul will be as broken as the garbage right in front of me."

Hades: Children's section, the following day

A loud horn boomed throughout the area causing many to wake up instantly while causing others like Kirishima, Tetsutetsu, Inasa, Mineta, Kosei, Mina, and Setsuna to fall out of their beds. When they did, they each fired up their quirks ready to defend against whatever was attacking them.

The children started laughing when they did.

"Guys, chill," Kitsune urged them. "It's just the morning alarm. Meaning it's time for all of us to get up and work."

They all relaxed when they heard this. Although they were a little curious as to what kind of work they would be doing. They knew it was a job suited to their abilities but that was it.

The students got up and were brought to a cafeteria (one designed specifically for the children's section) and had breakfast.

Much to their surprise, there were a decent amount of cereals and fruits. When they finished eating, they headed outside where they were greeted by Umi and Utada.

"Alright boys and girls, since you're all new here you get a tour of the city," Utada announced with a smile on her face.

However, the students and younger children were only confused by what they said.

"I beg your pardon but, perhaps we misheard you," Tenya said. "I believe you said city."

Utada grinned.

"No, you heard me perfectly," she replied.

"You see Hades has several bases across Japan," Umi took over. "However, its primary base, which is this one, is an actual city."

It took a couple of seconds for everyone to register what they heard before dropping their jaws. Some let out cries of disbelief.

The sisters laughed at their reactions. It was like that whenever someone new joined. Deku reacted the same way when he was brought here.

"That's right kiddies, this here base is a city," Hayai announced as he relaxed his elbow on Tenya's shoulder.

"Aggghhhhhh!" Tenya screamed as he leapt back while accidentally bumping into the others. "Where did you come from?"

"My apartment," Hayai answered honestly.

Tenya shot him a baffled look. That's when he remembered what the man's quirk was.

"How did you get here without anyone noticing?" one of the children asked.

Hayai blinked. "I ran. My quirk gives super speed which is how I'm able to move from place to place quickly."

There was a collective amount of 'Oh's and 'Got it's'. To be fair, none of them had ever seen his quirk.

"Hayai, not that I'm against it or anything but, what are you doing here?" Umi asked curiously. "You never take part in tours for newcomers."

"True, but this time is an exception," he answered.

The two sisters couldn't help but note how enthusiastic he sounded, that was odd. Hayai rarely took part in events like this.

He was always off doing whatever Shiro or Nikko ordered him to do, training, or fighting in the Arena.

He didn't really do tours for newbies.

He was one of the nicer members, and a good friend to the sisters, but still, it wasn't like him to actively participate in jobs like this. As someone who moved quickly, he wasn't fond of taking it slow.

"Since I now have a student, I wanted to get to know him and then start training him," Hayai explained.

It took everyone a moment to register what he just said, and another moment to realize who he was referring to.

"Hold on a second," Tenya declared confused.

"Okay. One. Seconds up," Hayai declared.

Tick marks appeared on Tenya's forehead showing he was growing more annoyed by the second.

"That's not funny," Tenya yelled.

"It is a little," Mina chimed in causing a few other students to murmur in agreement.

Tenya's frustration began to rise, and his patience was beginning to thin.

"Hayai, I think Mr Iida here is asking you is why is he your student now? When was this decided? And why wasn't he consulted first? Does he not get a say in any of this?" Umi translated. "Those sorts of questions."

The speedster gazed at the mermaid with confused eyes before a light bulb switched on over his head. He then turned to Tenya to give a proper explanation.

"Oh, sorry about that. Just got a little excited you know since this is the first time for me and everything," Hayai apologized sheepishly. "Usually when there's a new arrival or two, whether they're adult or child, they are taken on by another member with a quirk that's similar to their own in one or some other way. Though there are moments when they're taken on by someone like Lobo, or Hercules just to help them develop their fighting capabilities for the Arena. Through the first way their quirk develops, and they become more useful to Hades."

The concept was relatively easy for the students to grasp and as a result, they didn't question it any further. It was what happened with Shoto and Mezo when they were taken under Umi and Lobo's wings.

Tenya could understand where Hayai was coming from considering both their quirks were centred around running and speed, thus making them a perfect match for one another.

"Anyway, Shiro gave me the 'go ahead' so let's go," Hayai exclaimed excitedly. "Also, since these are his orders, you can't refuse. So, you're stuck with me. Sorry."

He wasn't sorry at all. He was ecstatic at being a teacher to Tenya because he'd never been given the chance to be one before. People with speed quirks like theirs weren't as common as he would have liked, unfortunately.

Umi and Utada could tell from the look on his face that Hayai really wanted to do this, though it made sense as he'd never been given the chance to before. The chance to pass on what he knew to others.

"Very well then," Tenya decided with a determined look. "I will accept your offer to study under you and learn new skills from your wisdom if they will help me in any way down here."

Hayai blinked. That was the strangest way of saying yes, he had ever heard. But he wasn't going to complain.

Ochaco internally sighed. 'Oh, classic Iida.'

"Great, let's get started!" Hayai announced.

"Wait," Tenya retorted. "I have to go on this tour first. I at least want to see what this city, which I'm still having trouble believing is real, is like. We can begin afterwards if you prefer."

Hayai cocked his head to the side at Tenya's answer.

"So, if I'm hearing this correctly, you and I can start training right after you've finished seeing all of Hades for the first time?" he inquired.

"Yes, of course," Tenya replied.

Hayai stared at the boy blankly before swapping to a more mischievous grin, on the sisters knew all too well.

'Oh, he shouldn't have said that,' Umi thought.

'Better prepare yourself, Iida. Hayai's personality is the equivalent of a rollercoaster; fast, fun, and unpredictable,' Utada internally laughed.

Then, without warning, Hayai grabbed Tenya by the arm and hoisted him on his back, thus placing him in a piggyback position.

"Wait a second! What are you?" Tenya protested in alarm.

"Hold on!" Hayai ordered while still grinning.

It was then that he took off sprinting at max speed around the city, with Tenya desperately holding on for dear life.

He stopped by the training grounds where Cu Chulainn, Hercules, and Diamante were conversing.

Hercules was a large, muscular man with short, red-black hair, and piercing yellow eyes that belonged to a lion. He wore what appeared to be a sleeveless lion skin jacket with the head of a lion as the hood, brown wrist cuffs, a Grecian black skirt held by a brown belt and gold buckle, and warrior sandals.

Diamante was a beautiful woman with long light blue hair, diamond blue eyes, and tanned skin. She wore a sparkling catsuit that came with white heels.

None of the heroes noticed their presence.

"This is the Training Grounds, which is part of the West Section. This is where you'll receive training from those pro heroes over there, Cu Chulainn, Diamante, and Hercules."

Tenya was stunned at seeing pro heroes as captives of this place. He didn't get the chance to dwell on it as Hayai was moving quickly again.

They arrived at a three-floor white building with a medical sign on top.

"This is the hospital where people go when they're injured from work or sick. Your friend Bakugo is there."

Tenya was concerned about Bakugo's well-being but couldn't ask because Hayai was moving again.

They went by the Arena which Hayai gave a basic explanation of. Then they came to a darker area which was the Pit.

Tenya was amazed at the cage ring. It was like the one UFC fighters used on TV. He was, however, a little unnerved at the fighting going on inside and the way people cheered at it.

Currently, there was one man being beaten into the ground, while the other was sitting on top of him beating him repeatedly.

This was Japan's very own Devil Hero: Akuma.

Akuma was a handsome man with spiky crimson red hair, red eyes, and a well-developed body with muscles visible on his upper body. His attire consisted of karate trousers with red flames on the left side and blue flames on the right, red and blue gauntlets for each arm respectively, and black footpads.

And currently, he was looking very angry while he mercilessly punched his opponent.

"Geez, what's got him so pissed off?" Tenya without thinking.

Hayai chuckled. "What hasn't got him so pissed off? I mean seriously, there's hardly a single person in this base he doesn't want to beat the crap out of. The guy has serious attitude problems."

"FUCK YOU SPEED DEMON!" Akuma yelled having heard him. Then he noticed Tenya. "WHY THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE A KID WITH YOU! IT DOESN'T MATTER, BECAUSE AFTER I'M THROUGH WITH THIS GUY YOU'RE NEXT!"

"And that is our cue to leave," Hayai announced as he started running again.

He took Tenya to the Power Station where he witnessed several electric users charge generators.

He took him by the apartments, one of which Hayai stayed in.

They then arrived in the South Section where he saw the canteen, and the Casino (where Hayai threw a successful bullseye at one of the dartboard's).

Throughout Hayai's tour, Tenya struggled to hold on as the man dashed throughout the city. The guy was fast, faster than anyone he'd ever met. Faster than his brother even. There were also several moments when he thought he was going to throw up from the way he was travelling but luckily, he didn't.

While he wasn't particularly fond of Hayai, Tenya certainly didn't hate him.

Finally, they arrived at the city centre where Tenya saw the main building for the first time.

"So, yeah, this is where everything big happens. Shiro holds all his meetings, Shita makes clothes and support gear, Curator, total dick by the way, does all his experiments," Hayai explained. "You get the idea."

"Um, I'm grateful that you've given me this tour yourself, and got to see the city and everything," Tenya said slowly. "But could you please put me down? I feel exhausted from holding onto you."

Hayai abided by his request and set Tenya down gently. Due to what he just went through, Tenya decided to remain sitting down for the next couple of minutes.

"Well, well, well," said a familiar voice. "Look who we have here. Tenya Iida from Class 1A, and Hayai, aka Speed Demon, a name he really hates but can't do anything about, waiting outside the main building of Hades city. What, were you hoping I'd make you both some new, and more stylish, clothes to wear? Well alright, if you insist."

The two men turned and noticed Shita walking towards the building with a playful grin on his face.

"Shita! What are you doing here?" Shita merely shrugged.

"Um, I work here. I help Rika out with her work and assist in developing support gear for members. I also work in designing and creating new outfits for people," Shita beamed proudly at that last part. "Umi messaged me the situation. Iida, if you're going to be training under Hayai, which is a first, you'll be needing proper garments. Clothes that will be light, friction proof, suited for your quirk, and most of all, will help you strike out among individuals here. Would you do me the honour?"

Tenya found himself stunned at the current situation.

Shita wanted to make him a new outfit just so he would have an easier time training.

"You want to make me a new costume! Is that allowed?" he asked.

"Of course. I'd need to take some measurements but there's no actual rule against me making outfits for anyone," Shita replied enthusiastically. "I design for Shiro a lot and most of the others. I helped my uncle with his own hero costume and now he's one of the most fashionable heroes around."

Tenya was curious about this uncle of his but said nothing. 'What a nice guy. He's willing to help me despite just meeting. I should recommend him to the others, maybe he can make some clothes for them as well. I must also speak with Bakugo regarding how he treats him.'

"Well, if you are offering, I suppose it would be rude of me to turn you down," Tenya announced. "Very well, I shall leave it to you."

Shita beamed. "Great, let's go upstairs and start. Hayai, please help him up. I imagine his legs are still shaky after the trip you just took him on."

"Sorry," Hayai apologized.

As he helped the boy up, Tenya remembered something important.

"Hey, when we're up there, can I ask you guys something?" Tenya asked politely. "This has been on my mind a while, especially after learning the truth last night."

"You want to know the truth about Deku, right?" Shiro suggested, causing the three men to jump in surprise.

The leader of Hades was just leaning against the wall with a cup of coffee in his right hand. He let out an amused chortle at the trio's reaction.

No matter how old he got, or how many times he did that, appearing out of nowhere in front of people and scaring them shitless never got old.

"M-M-M-Master Shiro," Shita stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"Eh, I live here," Shiro pointed out. "Also, I'm drinking coffee. While you guys get up at 6.30, I get up at 6.00. I get tired like the rest of you know." He then flashed a smirk at Tenya. "So Iida, how are you enjoying your new home so far?"

Tenya glared back at him. "This place isn't my home. My home is with my family and UA."

"If you say so," Shiro chuckled. "Speaking of your family, how is brother doing? Right now, he's crippled, isn't he? Being paralysed at the waist down ever since his encounter with Stain."

Tenya gritted his teeth in anger. How dare he! How dare this man mock his brother!

"You!" Tenya snarled.

Shiro was in front of him in an instant, allowing his face to reach Tenya's level.

Tenya was stunned at how fast this man was. He'd witnessed it during Bakugo's fight with him but couldn't believe it. Shiro was on a different level than the rest of them. He may have even been able to give All Might trouble.

Shiro put his hand to Tenya's face causing the boy to flinch. Shiro flashed an amused, yet cruel, grin at the teenager.

"Don't even bother. We both know it's true," Shiro stated. "Tell me though, what's it like admiring that family of yours, admiring your brother, yet at the same time, completely resenting them, especially good ol Tensei?"

Tenya's eyes widened in shock. He tried to talk back, to argue about the absurdity of this man's claim but couldn't find his voice.

"Oh, don't give me that. I have a colleague that looks through memories, through past thoughts, so I know what you really think of them. You resent them for the way they've treated you. You resent them for being the least favoured son, for being seen as someone with no expectations, and a replacement Ingenium should your brother fail to live up to the task, which he already has."

"S-Shut up," Tenya angrily snapped. "You don't know anything."

Shiro laughed cruelly.

"On the contrary, I know everything. Tell me young Iida, have your parents ever praised you like they did your brother?" Shiro asked in a polite yet mocking tone. "Have they ever given you the same kind of encouragement or attention he received as a child?"

Tenya froze.

"O-Of course they have," he argued weakly.

"Oh really, when?" Shiro taunted.

"Well, they," Tenya started but stopped midway.

Growing up he didn't receive that much praise for anything, barring his school grades from time to time.

His parents were always so focused on Tensei because he was on the path to becoming a pro hero and continuing their family legacy. Then he became Ingenium, and all efforts were focused on helping him in his hero duties.

As such, Tenya's parents were always working so they didn't spend that much time with him. They rarely showed up at his parent-teacher meetings or parent days at school, though Tensei did show up in their place.

When he mentioned that he wanted to be a hero they were fine with it however they didn't offer him the same type of encouragement they gave Tensei. As such, his relationship with his parents was strained.

"You care about them, yet you also hate them for the way they see you. You love your big brother, and you look up to him, but at the same time you loathe him. You loathe him because he's admired and acknowledged by everyone for the perfect hero he is, or should I say was. You, on the other hand, you're just his little brother. Just Ingenium's little brother. No one sees you as anything more than that, they don't expect anything from you, because Tensei is already what they need, what they want in a hero. In their minds, you're just a replacement should things go wrong, and that's all you'll ever be."

Tenya's eyes widened in despair. "No, you, you're wrong. That's not."

Shiro grinned at Tenya's reaction. He was slowly breaking.

Time to deliver the final blow.

"Oh, but it is. Although, there is something that sets you apart from your brother, something that makes you stand out from him. Unlike him, you're an attempted murderer," Shiro taunted.

"Please, stop," Tenya whimpered.

"When things are getting good, I don't think so," Shiro retorted. "You tried killing someone, the Hero Killer Stain I believe. All because he crippled your brother because he ended his career as a hero." Shiro's grin got bigger. "You wanted vengeance. You wanted to hurt him, to break him, just as he had done with Tensei and so many others. Most of all, you wanted him to die by your hand, to feel the rush and thrill from spilling his blood while achieving true satisfaction."

Shita and Hayai just watched while Shiro got under Tenya's skin. The man had performed these many times to different people; he always knew what buttons to push and what made them tick.

"Murder for revenge; I can't say I don't sympathise with you," Shiro admitted, his sounding legitimately sad. "When I was a child, I wanted to hurt every person who had ever wronged me and those closest to me. I wanted to snap their necks, to break every bone in their pathetic bodies, and to stab them until their corpses were unrecognizable and completely drained of blood."

Shiro got a little riled up while he was talking; he always did when talking about his past.

Tenya shuddered at the descriptions.

"Tell me, how did you want to kill Stain?" he inquired. "Beat him to death? Run him through a wall, or two, or maybe even three? Or wait, perhaps you wanted to drag him into an alley alone where you could stab him until he bled to death. The possibilities are endless; there are so many ways for someone to die, both peacefully and excruciating."

Tenya stared at the ground in shame. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he did want to kill Stain back then. He wanted to make him suffer as he had like Tensei had.

"What makes you stand out, even more, is that you openly admitted to being a fraud, a fake hero. You owned up to your shit, which is more than can be said for the others," Shiro continued. "I must confess, it's an admirable trait. You're quite similar to Deku in that regard. The only real difference between you two is that he actually succeeded in killing someone."

This time Tenya did look up at him.

The expression of shock was plastered clearly across his face. Midoriya killed someone. That was impossible. He wasn't a killer, the teachers and Midoriya himself confirmed it with them.

"Judging from that look on your face I'm guessing you've told otherwise. It's not true. Deku killed two people the last time he was here, granted they were in self-defence, but he still did it. The police and UA staff believe he didn't kill anyone, likely because he doesn't. I don't know-how but his memory of his time in this place is inconsistent. Certain things didn't happen the way he said and information he knew was all wrong."

Tenya was left confused by Shiro's explanation. How could Midoriya forget things like that, especially the fact that he killed another person?

"The only explanation I can think is that AFO, being the sly bastard he is, tampered with his memory, making him forget about certain things when he came here. After all, a person with that much trauma would need at least a year to recover before becoming active again. Otherwise, there's no way he would be able to continue with his work for the League, let alone want to fight someone like Bakugo."

Tenya slowly digested all this information.

'Trauma! Killing in self-defence! Midoriya, just what the hell happened to you here?' Tenya wondered.

"Right now, you're probably wondering what the hell happened to Deku here, aren't you?" Tenya gulped; he'd been too obvious. "I'll these two gentlemen to tell you while I go and check on the others. By the way, Shita make sure his outfit isn't like the flashy piece of crap most of his family wear. Do something that's more … villainous, darker, and makes him look both handsome and badass."

"RIGHT AWAY SIR!" Shita shouted saluting him.

"Good," Shiro said as he began walking away. "Oh, and Iida, do think about what I said regarding your family, because deep down you know it's true, and it'll be easier for you to grow if you admit it."

Tenya remained silent as he watched Shiro walk away. This man, he was evil no question, but there was something about the way he did things he just found intriguing. He didn't quite understand it, he just had so many questions on his mind that he couldn't think straight. Thankfully, Shita and his new concerned mentor were kind enough to escort him inside so he wouldn't have to.

Shiro was a mystery to him, but right now so was Deku.

With Umi and Utada

The sisters had been giving a tour to the rest of the students and children, and so far, it had gone well.

They had shown them the West Section and introduced them to the heroes that would be training them.

They visited the North and saw everything that was important, though Akuma looked annoyed when they came by.

Now they were in the East Section looking at the apartments.

"I still can't believe that guy Hayai did that to Iida," Ochaco muttered.

"No kidding," Kendo chimed in. "He was acting like a three-year-old compared to the first time we encountered him."

"Don't hold it against him," Utada defended. "Hayai's never had a student before. He's just excited that's all."

They didn't press the issue any further and continued walking. They noticed different people walking about. Some to work, some from work, some to the Arena or Canteen, some to any corner of the city they were permitted to.

While they were walking Kendo, from the corner of her eye, noticed someone leaning in at an alleyway trying to stay out of sight.

She had a slim yet curvaceous figure, with blonde hair in the form of curly locks. She wore a maroon hoodie, jeans and maroon heels and sunglasses. Around her ankles were golden snake bracelets.

'Wait a second, is that? No, it can't be,' she thought stunned. 'What's she doing here?'

She was about to go over and talk with her when she heard a scream.

A man was running towards them sweating. They didn't know what he was running from, but it must have been serious.

That's when his collar activated, and he collapsed onto the ground shaking violently from the pain coursing through his body.

"Robert," Utada cried.

"U-U-Utada, U-U-Umi, p-please h-h-h-h-help me," Robert pleaded as was continuously filled with electricity.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a new, snobbish sounding voice warned.

Walking up the road was a man with long grey hair and eyes, black sneakers, and a grey tracksuit top and bottoms. In terms of faces, he wasn't the most attractive looking person. To add to it all, he was staring at the new arrivals like they were things instead of actual people.

"Kyo," Umi growled. "What do you think you're doing?"

Kyo raised an eyebrow. "What do I think I'm doing? Hmm, I believe I'm punishing this insect for acting out of line. He attacked me unprovoked and got in the way of my personal business."

"Bullshit," Utada declared. "Robert is a repairman for Hades. He doesn't go around randomly attacking people unless it's to defend them, unlike you."

Kyo glared at her. He had never liked these sisters because of the way they acted towards him. He especially despised Umi because of her constant rejection of him.

However, among the students, one of them caught his eye, a girl with vines for hair. She had her eyes closed and was praying for this man's survival.

Seriously, praying! Did she truly believe God would help her here? Oh no, most certainly not. He would need to make her learn her place in this world.

Without warning, he used his quirk to fire red energy at the students, who barely dodged. While they were moving, he used his quirk to create a whip of energy and haul the girl to him.

"Shiozaki," Yui cried.

Ibara was hauled right in front of Kyo who smiled evilly at her.

The girl in question was startled by what Kyo had just done.

She tried to activate her quirk to fight back but instead felt electricity coursing through her body. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Kyo had a device the size and shape of a phone in his hand with a dial on top.

"As you can see, I've set your collars so that if you activate your quirks you'll receive an immediate shock," Kyo explained. "So be a good girl and do as I say, otherwise you and your friends will be dying sooner than expected."

"W-What do you want?" Ibara stuttered.

She couldn't understand what she had done to deserve this. She hadn't committed any sins against Hades. All she had done was pray for the man's safety.

"What I want is for you to shut the fuck up and know your place," Kyo barked. "Pfft. Praying in a place like this; are you for real? Do you think God will actually save you?" Ibara didn't say anything, she was too scared to. "Nothing to say huh. Maybe you'll talk more after I'm finished with you."

Then, without warning, Kyo reached out and grabbed the front of Ibara's outfit and ripped it off exposing her chest. He then used his quirk to quickly rip off the rest of her clothing until she was completely naked.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Umi screeched.

"YOU BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM HER!" Hiryu shouted.

The rest of the students were horrified at what was happening. However, the one most horrified by what was happening was none other than Ibara, who was kneeling on the ground with her arms covering her body and tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Several students, from all classes and schools, and Umi attempted to activate their quirks to save Ibara.

Kyo wasn't having it however and shocked them until they were on the ground.

"You really don't know when to shut up do you Umi? That's one of the things I don't like about, next to the whole constant rejection that is," Kyo muttered.

"Why would I ever want to be with a scumbag like you," Umi snapped back. "Besides, I've told you and everyone else a million times, I'm asexual. I'm never going to be with anyone."

"You can only keep using that excuse for so long," Kyo pointed out. "No matter. I'll get to you in a minute."

Kendo stared helplessly at her friend's situation. She had never felt more useless in her life than right now.

Her gaze wandered back to the alleyway where the figure was just watching the commotion.

'What are you doing? Help her!' Kendo internally screamed. The figure remained motionless. 'Why won't you try and save her? You're a hero, aren't you?'

While she hadn't recognized her at first, Kendo knew very well who she was.

"Now, if you behave during this I promise, you and your friends will walk out of here alive," Kyo assured. "Failure to comply will a result in a slow painful death on your end of things. Understand?"

Ibara nodded slowly, tears now beginning to fall down her face.

"Don't listen to him!" Robert shouted. "He won't keep his word believe me. He'll kill them no matter what. He won't allow any witnesses." Ibara shot him a tearful look. "The reason I attacked him was that he was raping two women in an alleyway not far from here by threatening to hold them down with his quirk and using that remote to threaten them with death. I tried to stop him, but I failed. When he was finished, he killed them anyway and I just started running."

Everyone stared at him in complete shock. This man really did that, and now he was planning on doing the same to Ibara. What a monster!

"KYO YOU BASTARD! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS," Utada shrieked. "ONCE SHIRO FINDS OUT"

"Oh, but he won't find out," Kyo interrupted. "Because none of you will live to talk about it. Do you think this is the first time I've done this? I've done it many times, however, unlike most people I'm smart enough to cover up my tracks. Oh, dear, they ran tried to escape and I had to stop them, they tried to kill me. Excuses like those are quite believable around here. I mean seriously, who wouldn't want to get out of this hellhole?"

Umi and Utada both gritted their teeth in frustration.

"Besides, what Shiro doesn't know won't hurt him," Kyo justified. "Now then." Kyo bent down and licked the tear-off Ibara's face as he started to undress. The tone in his next word could only be described as evil. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Ibara was trembling violently.

'NO! I DON'T WANT THIS. I DON'T WANT THIS. PLEASE! GOD, SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEASE SAVE ME!' she internally screamed.

Just then, Kyo was pulled back as he coughed up blood.

Ibara looked up in confusion.

Kyo had an expression of pure shock painted across his face as blood ran down his lips. It was then they both noticed a hole through his chest.

"What I don't know won't hurt me, hmm, I think I'll be the judge of that," Shiro said in a soft, extremely dangerous voice.

While not visible at first, Shiro soon materialised in front of everyone. He'd been using his quirk to stay invisible since then.

The students and guardians were stunned. When did he get here?

Class 1B, for all their fear, were relieved to see him for once.

Kyo looked terrified. He'd been caught red-handed.

"S-Shiro," Kyo spluttered.

"Kyo, you conniving piece of shit. This is not the first time you've done it you say, so then that means you've done it multiple times, and killed most of my property as a result," Shiro continued.

"What, no," Kyo fearfully tried to defend himself, but to no avail.

"You know the rules. I don't care if it's thievery, abuse, or murder (within good reason). However, rape is absolutely forbidden. I have always been clear about that. And what is the fate of those who break that rule?" Shiro asked.

Kyo panicked.

"NO, PLEASE DON'T," he begged. "I DON'T WANNA DIE!"

"You should have thought about that before you became a rapist. Bye-bye Kyo," Shiro bid farewell.

Light appeared around Shiro's body and then enveloped his hand through Kyo's body, making it appear like some sort of gauntlet. Then, he leaned back and ripped his arm back out, holding the remains of Kyo's heart.

When he did, blood sprayed all over the place, but most all, Ibara. Her entire front body was drenched in Kyo's blood. However, she made no reaction whatsoever. She just sat there motionlessly with tears streaming silently down her face. It didn't take a genius to know she was in shock.

Shiro sighed and undid the settings Kyo made on the remote. Then, much to everyone's surprise, he took off his jacket and placed it around Ibara, who remained motionless.

"Umi, and who is this girl's friend, take her to the hospital," Shiro ordered. "Utada take the rest of them back. I think they've been traumatised enough today, especially the younger batch."

He wasn't wrong. The younger children were crying hysterically. They looked scared and traumatised by the ordeal.

"If you're going to ask what I'll be doing well, it seems that I have some rats that need to be exterminated," Shiro said before heading off.

Almost immediately, the students from UA went to Ibara's aid.

Umi helped her on her feet and asked some of her friends to help her to the hospital. All of Class B wanted to go but Umi only allowed a few.

In the end it was Setsuna, Tetsutestu, Pony, Yui, and Kinoko that went. The rest of them returned with Utada.

What they didn't notice, however, was that one student had stayed behind.

Kendo stood there clutching her fist in rage. She had never felt so useless, so helpless in her entire life. She was training to be a hero, yet she couldn't even save one of her friends.

Speaking of heroes, she turned and saw that woman was still in the alleyway, walking in the opposite direction. Confused and angry as to why she didn't help Kendo marched over to her.

She grabbed her by the arms and shoved her against the wall.

"What the fuck Uwabami!" Kendo growled. "Why didn't you help Shiozaki back there?"

The Snake Hero Uwabami. Kendo had interned with her after the Sports Festival alongside Momo Yaoyorozu in hopes of learning from her, though of the time they acted as her entourage. She really wished she had picked someone different then. Still, she never would have imagined they'd cross paths in Hades of all places.

Uwabami, in question, stared at Kendo with a fearful and panicked expression. She hadn't expected to encounter Kendo down here.

"Shhh," she hissed. "Keep your voice down! People might find out who I am."

"I don't care if the entire damn city hears me, answer the question," Kendo ordered in a furious tone. "How are you even here by the way? Also, why are so concerned about people knowing you're here? You're a hero for crying out loud."

"Just stop, please," the pro begged. "I'll tell you everything, just keep your voice down."

Kendo backed up a little so the woman could tell her story.

"I was at the mall shopping for some clothes and make-up products for my next modelling, when suddenly there was this green mist that knocked me out. When I came to, I was here with several other people. This man Shiro explained everything, and I don't know, I just went along with it," Uwabami explained. "As far as anyone else is concerned, I'm just a civilian."

Kendo understood; she had done the same thing after all. Though she didn't hide who she was.

"Why didn't you help Shiozaki when she was in danger? You're a hero, even in situations like this you're meant to help others. So why?" Kendo demanded. "Why not try and help us come up with a plan to escape, or at least survive?"

Uwabami stared at the ground guiltily. She really didn't want to answer this question. She knew how Kendo would look at her.

"I'm sorry I can't," she started.

"It's because she's a fucking coward, that's why," a voice from not too long ago declared.

Kendo and Uwabami turned to see Shiro grinning at them. The Snake Hero instantly backed away in fear. She had been found out. Kendo froze. She thought he had left.

"Oh, excuse me, ladies, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Shiro revealed. "And I must admit, it caught my interest."

"You left," Kendo blurted out.

"That's what you saw. In truth, I stayed behind to make sure you and your friends followed through on my instructions. When I saw you had stayed behind, I figured there had to have been a good reason. After all, you're too smart to do something like try and escape," Shiro said. "Then I heard you speaking with Snake Bitch here and thought I'd give you a valuable life lesson."

That's when he turned his attention to Uwabami who shuddered at his gaze. Taking his time, Shiro walked towards Uwabami, who slowly retreated until she was back against the wall. The pro stared up at Shiro with an expression of pure fear.

Shiro revelled in her fear and smiled at her.

"You see Kendo, I've always known Uwabami was here in Hades, ever since she first arrived. Several other members know she's here as well." Uwabami flinched. Shiro knew she was here, but why didn't he say anything. "The reason I didn't act on it was that this woman is no threat to me at all. Seriously one of those younger brats is a bigger threat to me than she is."

Uwabami's eyes widened. Did this man truly see her as that weak? Kendo was just as surprised.

"You see Kendo, this woman is nothing more than a fucking coward who cares more about her looks, popularity and career than actually saving people. The reason she doesn't act is that she's too scared to because her life is more important than anyone else. Believe it or not, most heroes are like this."

Kendo heard a mirror cracking somewhere. Her once perfect vision of heroes as abettors of justice was crumbling.

"Aside from that, she doesn't know what she's supposed to do in this situation. She works in groups, be it hero or police, never by herself, and all she ever does is root out villains from their hiding spots. But that she's here all alone she's completely useless. She doesn't know how to handle the situation so she's hiding as a civilian until she gets rescued."

Uwabami felt tears coming on.

"If you're wondering why I'm doing this it's because I hate cowardice, whether it's from my own men or heroes. And that's why I'm going to leave this woman be, because she is not even worth the effort. Isn't that right Uwabami? You aren't a hero. You're just a cheap slut who's more concerned with fame, fortune, and being a celebrity rather than saving others. When things get tough, you break down crying like a little bitch because that's who you are inside. And that's all you'll ever be."

Upon finishing his speech, Uwabami collapsed and started crying hysterically. She couldn't take it. Even though it was true, she couldn't take it. She didn't want to. So, she did the one thing she could, cry.

Kendo stared without emotion at Uwabami. This woman was supposed to be a hero. No way.

"You see Kendo, this is what most heroes are like. All they care about is money and their image, nothing more, nothing less," Shiro finished as the final nail in the coffin was dealt.

Kendo moved past Shiro and the now humiliated Uwabami back the way she came, remaining silent the entire time.

Shiro smiled. The girl disobeyed his orders, so it seemed like this was the appropriate punishment for her. Destroying her faith in heroes, the people she admired and believed in. What was a greater punishment than that?

Deciding he'd done enough, he left Uwabami to her own emotions. He had an idea of how to use her but would wait for another day.

Already he was finding the new generation of heroes to be fun. He wondered how much more fun they would prove to be.

Kendo walked back to where her friends were. She had a mixture of emotions running inside at the moment, but she wasn't sure how to express them. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She did realise one thing though.

"There are no heroes down here, or up there," she murmured softly. "None that will save us anyway. We have to do that ourselves."

On this day, the one thing she never thought would happen happened.

She lost her faith in heroes.

It had been shattered and turned to dust.

And would likely never return.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? a lot happened in this chapter and I'm just so happy it's over now.

When writing this chapter I struggled a lot with Hades design because I originally pictured it as a series of underground tunnels but later I felt that was too complicated. Designing the members was a challenge as well because I tried to vary in appearances, I also thought it was best to get it done and out of the way.

Wolfram is in this as you can see, you guys asked for him, so you got him.

Iida and Kendo received a bit of focus in this chapter as well.

Regarding what I wrote about Iida, I read a villain fanfic about him and thought the relationship between him and his family was interesting, which is what inspired me to make his relationship with them and his brother more complex. Also, why did Atrocity react the way he did? Questions, questions.

The scene with Ibara is the darkest one I have ever written, and I apologize if it made some of you uncomfortable. This will be a darker arc than the others so there will be some dark scenes.

The next chapter will return to US where Inko visits and there are appearances by two certain characters.

Hope you enjoyed, please review.

Chapter 45: Inko's second visit

Summary:

Inko meets with the school again, who meet with a surprising individual.

Notes:

To all those who lost their lives in the Kyoto Animation Arson Attack.

May you rest in peace.

To all those who were injured.

Have a swift recovery.

To all those who are grieving for their losses.

Stay safe.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hades: Shita's Office

Shita's office was the equivalent of a tailor. He had sowing machines, shelves with different fabrics and materials, mannequins with different outfits on them, and a large wardrobe filled with outfits he had designed.

Despite not having fully recovered from Shiro's speech, Tenya's jaw dropped the minute they entered. His eyes cast around the room at its layout and the different outfits.

"You made all these," Tenya finally managed to say.

Shita nodded proudly. "Yup, this floor is divided up into three parts based on the structure of the building. This is the men's clothes section; the room from my right is the women's section, and the room to my left is the support section where I design and make support gear for members. I like to keep things separate for the right environment."

"Wow, just wow," was all Tenya could say.

"I know right," Hayai exclaimed. "Of all the things you'd expect Hades main base of operations to have this wouldn't be one of them. I mean seriously, why would villains need to be stylish?"

"It's important for everyone to dress their best, villains included," Shita calmly retorted. "Besides, if heroes can save the world and look great while doing it, then why can't villains do the same? As I keep telling everyone."

Hayai knew it was pointless to argue with Shita on this. The boy was a beast when it came to fashion.

"After all, heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin, and if that's the case then doesn't it stand to reason that their style of clothes should match their image," Shita lectured them. "A hero costume is a symbol of who a hero is, their personality, and what they are capable of. The same can be said for villains. Take All for One for instance; his villain costume was a tailor-made suit accompanied by a black mask, which helped display a sense of sophistication as well as give off an aroma of power and authority he had over the League of Villains, all while adding an element of mystery to his character."

Tenya considered this for a moment. Shita did kind of have a point though he had never considered it. However, there was something he said in his speech that piqued his curiosity.

"That thing you just said about heroes and villains being two sides of the same coin, that's a belief Best Jeanist follows," Tenya remembered having heard it from Tensei. "Are you a fan of his perhaps?"

Shita chuckled. "You could say that. Enough about me though. Your outfit isn't going to make itself."

"What did you have in mind?" Tenya asked politely.

Shita walked up to Tenya and examined him from top to bottom before stepping back and putting one thumb and finger together like a camera and started pondering over the different possibilities. He then went over to his desk and took out some measuring tape.

"I have a few ideas," he admitted. "As far as villainous goes, I've got an idea for one that will make you look intimidating and at the same time handsome. I'll need to take a few measurements first."

"It's definitely going to be better than what you usually wear," Hayai chimed in. "No offence but that whole knight in shining armour outfit really doesn't suit you."

Tenya felt a little offended at that. That costume had been part of his family since the age of heroes began.

"What do you mean it doesn't suit me. That costume has been in my family for generations. My brother wore it, my father wore it, my grandparents wore it," Tenya argued. "It's the signature and symbolic image of the Turbo Hero Ingenium."

"A mantle which you're supposed to take up now," Hayai interrupted.

Tenya nodded with a defiant look in his eyes.

"Look Iida, it's not a bad costume, but like Hayai I don't think it's one suited for you," Shita explained, much to the student's confusion. "The armour, from what I can tell is light and reduces wind resistance, but that's all it does. Most of it is for decoration, except for the boots which I'm assuming have components built in to enhance your quirk and abilities since your quirk is in your legs."

Tenya's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Shita to know so much about his hero costume.

"Also, there's the matter of your brother," Shita continued. "What if his accident never happened? What then?"

Tenya tilted his head in confusion.

"What do you mean? He would still be a hero obviously," Tenya declared. "He would be out rescuing people and making sure no one got hurt or worse, die."

"In other words, he would still be Ingenium, right?" Hayai asked.

Tenya nodded his head in confirmation.

"Then what would that make you?" Hayai asked much to the boy's confusion. "Just his little brother? The fan that copied him?"

"Iida I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but, I don't think there could be two Ingeniums at the same time," Shita pointed out. "You couldn't be Ingenium because your brother already was."

Tenya felt his entire body go numb as realisation struck him like a giant wrecking ball. A feeling of idiocy crept over him like a wave.

"If your brother was still a hero, you'd have to pick a different hero name, though I'm not sure if you actually thought of one," Shita said.

Tenya didn't say anything, he wasn't sure how to respond.

"Look Iida, it's nice that you want to follow in your family's, or more specifically Tensei's, footsteps and be a hero, however, I think you should become one on your own terms," Hayai explained earning Tenya's attention. "Be the hero you want to be with your own image, name, and values. Don't copy them, be your own hero."

"Be my own hero, the hero I want to be," Tenya repeated slowly.

The idea of being a hero that didn't match up with his family's image seemed bizarre and abnormal, yet at the same time, appealing.

He had never even considered the idea of being a hero that was separate from the one his family embodied.

For him, it had only been Ingenium, and nothing more. But perhaps there was another path he could take; one he had not noticed until now.

Hayai could tell he was seriously considering it, which was a good thing. He had nothing against heroes or their families but just because someone came from a hero family didn't mean they had to be the exact same hero like them.

"I don't know if it's possible, but I'd like to at least try," Tenya admitted. He then turned to face Shita. "Could you make me something that would help with that? For this outfit, I don't want anything metallic, unless it's boots that will assist with my quirk. And, while I'm not too sure about a helmet, could I get goggles? There will still be wind when I run, and I don't want it to affect my vision. Also, regarding the colour, could you make it navy or black? I just thought I'd try something different for a change if that's alright?"

Shita beamed at the request. "Of course. It's always good to try something different."

"Unless it's not," Hayai joked, earning him a look.

From Hayai's perspective, Tenya was adapting to his new environment better than he hoped. While he was curious about the relationship between him and his brother he would wait until Tenya wanted to talk more about it.

"That reminds me, we need to tell you about Deku," Hayai realised.

Shita glanced at him. Tenya took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Please tell me everything," he requested. "From start to finish."

Itsuka Kendo

Kendo was walking back to her friends, albeit rather slowly. She was still depressed and shocked at what had happened earlier, both to Ibara and with Uwabami.

"Shiozaki," she murmured softly. "She must be traumatised after what happened."

She was concerned for her friend's well-being and decided to go and see her at the hospital later since she doubted Ibara would be returning tonight.

The vine haired girl was going to need therapy to help her recover. Kendo only hoped that such a person existed in this place. Hades had doctors, why not therapists as well.

Her mind then wandered to Uwabami, causing her to growl.

In addition to being sad, Kendo was filled with rage over what had occurred with both Uwabami and Kyo.

Kyo had broken her friend and made her feel helpless and powerless beyond all levels.

And Uwabami, after seeing her for what she truly was had destroyed whatever faith she had in heroes and forced her to face the hard truth, the only way they were ever going to escape Hades, or at least survive it, was to do it themselves.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she failed to notice someone in front of her while walking. Leading to a collision.

"Ow," the person she bumped into groaned. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Sorry," Kendo apologised quickly. "I'm a little distracted today."

She took a moment to examine the person in front of her. It was a boy, roughly around thirteen, wearing a black gakuran school uniform, with short, wavy brown hair, and sky-blue eyes.

"Obviously," he snapped. "What's with y-" That's when he got a good look at Kendo and his eyes widened in recognition. He stepped back and pointed his right index finger at her. "YOU! What are you doing here?"

Kendo blinked. Did she know this person? She couldn't remember ever meeting him. Maybe he knew who she was from the Sports Festival, though that was a long shot considering how little she stood out during the tournament.

"I'm sorry but, who are you?" Kendo asked trying to figure out his identity.

Several tick marks appeared on the boy's head. He was really upset now. This girl had the audacity to forget him, despite what he had done. Well, he would gladly remind her.

"Seriously, you don't know who I am," Kendo shrugged. It wasn't like she had a perfect memory. "Ugh, I guess you can't expect someone attending a prestigious school like UA to bother remembering someone as insignificant as me. All that pampering they do to you can go to your head."

Kendo blinked. Those words and that condescending attitude sounded familiar. She knew it, she just couldn't think of where.

"You'd think you'd remember someone who shot at you and your friend," the boy continued.

The second he said that something clicked inside Kendo's mind. She remembered during the training camp when she and her classmates were attacked by the League of Villains.

There was a villain wearing a gas mask that unleashed a poisonous fog rendering most of them unconscious. That was until she and Tetsutetsu stopped him. That fight hadn't been easy, especially with that psycho using a gun that nearly killed them both.

That same villain was now right here in front of her.

"Now do you remember me?" the boy asked in a mocking tone.

Kendo remained silent and motionless for several seconds.

Mustard was beginning to wonder if she remembered, though the look on her face made him think that she did.

Without warning, Kendo tightened her right fist and punched square in the jaw. Mustard, who was a little but not entirely surprised at her reaction, staggered to the side. Kendo didn't stop. She grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall, with her elbow right to his neck.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kendo demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be in prison or someplace?"

Mustard groaned. "Nice to see you too."

"Answer me!" Kendo demanded already getting irritated with him.

Mustard shot her a bored and unimpressed look. Raising his finger, he pointed to the collar that was around his neck.

"You're a slave here?" Kendo asked incredulously while keeping him pinned against the wall.

"No, I just happen to be passing through that's all," Mustard responded sarcastically. "Of course, I'm a slave. What do you think this collar is for? You think I'm wearing it for show."

"Alright sorry, I was just surprised that's all," Kendo replied still irritated.

The two looked each other in the eye, neither blinking nor breaking the silence.

Mustard was genuinely surprised that Kendo was here. Yesterday he heard about some new arrivals from Umi, but he was too busy to ask about them.

He'd spent the night at Rika's lab where he provided her with a significant dose of sleep gas from his quirk so that she could make sleep grenades for Hades' members.

The process of which involved him stepping into a tank with a gas mask on and unleashing his quirk where the air vents then sucked it away and stored it in a container.

His quirk was the reason Shiro wanted him in the first place, the reason Shiro broke him out when he was being transferred to prison.

Under normal circumstances, he would have felt flattered that someone saw value in his abilities. However, the whole electrocuting/exploding collar that symbolised that he was no longer a free man kind of dampened the mood.

"Okay, would you let me go?" Mustard requested. "I promise I won't hurt you or use my quirk. If I did do that then I would end up falling asleep too, so there's really no point."

Kendo hesitated briefly before releasing him. During her fight with this guy, Tetsutetsu pointed out that the reason he was wearing a mask was that he wasn't immune to his own quirk, so she could tell he wasn't a major threat to her, for the moment.

"Thank you," Mustard said as he caught his breath. "It seems you're intelligent enough to know I'm telling the truth. Guess attending a prestigious school has made you a little smarter, despite how much they pamper you for the world of heroes."

Kendo rolled her eyes. He hadn't changed a bit since the last time she saw him. Then again it had only been a few weeks.

"Maybe," she murmured softly. "Maybe we are pampered, maybe a bit too much."

Mustards eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to agree with him.

"Can I ask you something?" Kendo asked Mustard.

Uncertain and confused by her behaviour, Mustard just nodded his head in confirmation.

"Attending a school like a hero UA, and graduating from the hero course, do you believe that automatically makes someone a hero?" Kendo asked in a soft, yet depressed voice.

Mustard was taken back by her question.

"Honestly, no. To be a hero, you first have to act like one. That means you need to save and protect others, and it must be because you want to. Not because you want to be famous, or because you want money, although I will admit that heroes do need money to survive like any other citizen. You do it because you want to and nothing else. Simply attending and graduating from a place like UA or any other hero school doesn't automatically make someone a hero unless they fulfil the other requirements," Mustard explained. "At least that's what I believe."

Kendo stared at him dumbfounded. Even though she asked the question she hadn't expected such a serious and well-defined answer from him.

Thinking about it carefully she realised he was right. That was what made someone a hero. Fame and wealth (though necessary to survive) shouldn't have been part of it.

"Okay, what the hell happened to you?" Mustard demanded not liking her attitude. "You've become a much different person than when we first met. You're agreeing with me, and you're asking me about what makes someone a hero. Either you've got brain damage, or you went through some messed up shit that caused you to lose faith in heroes. So, which is it?"

"The second one," Kendo muttered quietly.

Mustard stood back in surprise. That was way too blunt and honest for his taste.

"What the hell happened?" he asked again.

At this point, Kendo couldn't hold it in any longer. She was sad and depressed, but she was also extremely angry, at Kyo, Uwabami, Shiro, but most of all she was angry at herself for her stupid beliefs and how useless she was when there was danger.

"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? FINE! REALITY! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! REALITY CAME AND BITCH SLAPPED RIGHT ACROSS THE FACE!" Kendo shouted letting all her emotions out. "I WAS COMPLETELY USELESS WHEN MY FRIEND WAS ALMOST RAPED AND THEN I LEARNED THAT HEROES DON'T REALLY EXIST! JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND CALLING THEMSELVES ONE! WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S NO ONE COMING TO HELP US! SO, IF I AND MY FRIENDS WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES!"

Kendo panted heavily after her rant. Mustard kept his distance from her and remained silent in fear that he might set her off.

He understood what she said but he didn't understand the context of it. The things she said had very different meanings.

Also, he didn't understand why but he sympathised with the way she was feeling. When he was a child no one ever helped him. He was made feel helpless and weak every day by people because his quirk was deemed dangerous and better suited for a villain. They took advantage of the fact that he couldn't, or rather wouldn't, fight back.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, do you want to talk about it?" Mustard offered.

Kendo stared at him with both surprise and suspicion. She didn't see a reason why she should tell him anything. Then again, she didn't have a reason not to tell him since the entire city would likely hear about it later.

"Fine," she finally answered. The two of them sat down near a wall, their legs folded into their chests. "It started like this…..."

And so, Kendo explained everything that happened. From Kyo's attempted assault on Ibara, her confrontation with Uwabami, and what Shiro made her realise.

Mustard listened patiently, never once interrupting her. To say he was shocked was an understatement. Death and violence weren't uncommon here, but rape, that was expressly forbidden.

He never would have guessed Kyo was that sort of individual. Mustard had met Kyo two or three times, but the man always rubbed him the wrong way, he couldn't exactly explain it he just knew.

He was surprised that Uwabami was in Hades but not so much at what Shiro said about her. Most heroes were that way, though there were, albeit rarely, a few exceptions.

"Wow, that's, wow," was all Mustard could say. "You've had it rough, and it's only your first day."

"No kidding," Kendo responded dully. "I just feel so weak from all this. Furthermore, I'm so angry and frustrated right now but I don't know what to do with it all."

"You could try hitting something," Mustard suggested, causing Kendo to look up at him. "From what I've heard, a good way to deal with anger is to punch something so you let out all your frustrations. I don't know if it works or not but it's just a suggestion."

Kendo considered this for a moment. Maybe punching something would relieve her of her stress. Though what or who would she punch? There were several people she knew she wanted to do it too. Uwabami, Shiro, the members who ran this place, there were so many individuals.

'Wait a minute! Wasn't there a place in the North Section where that sort of thing is possible?' Kendo remembered. 'That's right. Umi and Utada took us there, and we got an angry response from a certain hot-headed individual.' The more she thought about it, the more appealing it sounded. It could also be considered stupid and reckless, but she didn't care right now. 'Let's try it. It's not like my life can get any worse, right?'

She stood up and started walking, with Mustard following her.

"Where are you going?" he asked curiously.

"To do what you suggested hit something or rather someone," Kendo answered honestly.

"And who would that be?" Mustard asked fearing the answer.

"I don't know. Whoever's currently fighting in the Pit in the North Section," Kendo stated.

Mustard stopped dead in his tracks.

"WHAT! Are you serious?" Kendo only nodded at his question while she paced forward. Mustard ran to catch up with her. "Look, erm, Kendo, was it? I know you're upset and all but, going there is a bad idea. The fights in the Pit aren't like the ones in the Arena. They are far more brutal because unlike the fights in the Arena, you aren't allowed to use your quirk, only your natural fighting ability."

"Fine by me," Kendo interrupted. "My quirk isn't the only thing I rely on. I learned how to fight long before I joined UA."

"You know there's a high chance that you'll come out of this either covered in blood, broken bones or missing teeth," Mustard warned her. "Are you really willing to risk it?"

Kendo gave a sad yet determined stare.

"Every second I'm in this place, my life is at risk. If I don't do this, then how can I even hope to survive," she explained. "You don't have to come with me, but I am going. And let that be the end of it."

Kendo walked towards the North Section with determination with Mustard following her. Despite not liking the idea, he also wanted to see where things went.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku, having recovered from his previous ordeal the other night was taking out his classmates' trash as a way to distract himself and because he had nothing else better to do.

Hitoshi had returned to his own dorm when morning came, though he promised he would be by to check on Izuku later, something the latter felt okay with. Hitoshi had a feeling his own classmates would be wondering about where he was.

Unlike most individuals at this school, his classmates were tolerant of him and his quirk. While they were afraid of him at first, they gradually got used to his presence. Elena had also helped with improving their opinion of him.

That didn't mean they were friends; Elena was the only one who fit into that category.

Still, they were better than most of the assholes that attended this school.

Izuku continued towards the garbage dump at UA to dispose of what he was carrying. While walking his thoughts wandered back to yesterday.

'I think it's safe to say that was an eventful day, or perhaps that's an understatement,' Izuku pondered. 'Shino and Blade though. I wonder if Shiro counted on them failing. That man is unpredictable in so many ways. He always shows up when you least expect it. I wonder what else he's got planned. Now that he knows about the heroes plan to invade Hades and rescue the kidnapped victims he's sure to put up a strong defence. Things are about to get loud. Of that much I'm certain.'

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice someone near to him in the wall, literally. A boy with blonde eyebrows and blue oval-shaped eyes, who was smiling as Izuku walked past.

Only when he came right next to him did Izuku notice him from the corner of his eye. The second he did, the other boy's smile widened.

"Trash am I right?" the boy asked politely.

Izuku blinked, clearly confused at what was happening.

The boy in the wall continued to smile as he brought his arm out and pointed in a certain direction.

"What are you doing? You know you can," he didn't get a chance to finish that sentence.

Acting on instinct, Izuku dropped the bags (which surprisingly didn't burst open), spun on his right leg and delivered a reverse turning kick to the persons face. Surprisingly his foot hit the wall, and there was no trace of the boy. Izuku rubbed his temple in frustration.

"I think I'm going crazy, though given everything that's happened I'm not surprised," Izuku lamented.

"You're not crazy," the boy reassured him, his face now appearing from the ground. "A little stressed maybe, but not crazy."

Izuku eyed him warily. Who was this guy? Was he an enemy? Did Shiro send him? Did Atrocity send him? And why did he seem so familiar?

"Who are you?" Izuku demanded getting into a fighting stance.

"Hmm, I'm not sure I should tell you since you'll be seeing me later," the boy admitted. "I'm sorry I startled you, even though it's what I was aiming for. From what I can tell though, you've got a fighting spirit."

Izuku glared at him. 'Fighting spirit huh? I'll show him fighting spirit.'

Izuku tried to stomp on the boy's face only for him to dodge. Then, for the next minute, a violent game of whack-a-mole ensued where Izuku constantly tried to hit his enemy while failing at each attempt.

"Who sent you? Shiro? Atrocity?" Izuku demanded while he stomped.

"Hahaha, those are some interesting questions," the boy laughed. "Your quite determined aren't you villain kid?" Izuku flinched. So, this guy knew who he was, which upped the boy's threat level. "Surprised I know. I've heard a lot about you, and I must say you've caught my interest. Don't worry. I'm not here on anyone's orders. I'm here of my own free will."

Izuku stared at him, not quite believing him.

"Could you at least tell me your name?" he requested.

"Sadly, no," the boy answered still smiling. "Don't worry my friend, you'll find out who I am soon enough."

He then disappeared beneath the ground leaving Izuku alone with the trash.

Izuku scowled. "Don't call me friend."

Inko Midoriya

Inko wasn't sure what to expect when she had been called into the school suddenly. She knew it was something related to her son. She wondered if it had been anything to do with what happened yesterday.

All those people, including the students at UA, had just vanished without a trace.

Even Katsuki had gone missing which concerned her. While it was true, she was furious at him for what he put Izuku through, but she didn't want anything terrible to happen to him.

She was concerned about Mitsuki and Masaru and how they were taking it. She would have gone around yesterday but she had been forced to return home.

She arrived at the gates to UA and proceeded inside using the special pass she received from Principal Nezu. Upon entering she headed towards the main building where someone was waiting for her.

"Greetings Mrs Midoriya. My name his Sekijiro Kan, aka Vlad King. I'm currently one of your son's homeroom teachers," Vlad introduced himself politely. "Please follow me."

"One of?" Inko asked quizzically. "Isn't Shota Aizawa, aka Eraserhead, the homeroom teacher of 1A?" Then she remembered he said currently. "Are you perhaps the homeroom teacher of class 1B? I heard they were caught in yesterday's awful incident and went missing as well."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. She was an observant woman, that much was obvious. It was clear where Midoriya got his observational skills from.

"That's correct. I'm the homeroom teacher for Class 1B," Vlad confirmed. "However, due to the recent events Class A and B have combined since a few students from A escaped and one from B was away yesterday. Now, if you would please follow me."

The parent followed the teacher through the school, all while taking the time to admire the establishment. Growing up, Inko had always heard tales of how amazing UA High School was. It was the number one Hero School in Japan, as well as one of the top hero schools in the world. Despite not wanting to be a hero herself, Inko always possessed a certain interest in hero schools.

"Is this your first time in the school?" Vlad asked suddenly.

"I've only been to the dorm to see my son so yes," Inko admitted. "I must admit, the school is really something. UA's reputation proceeds itself." Vlad didn't answer; this was the reaction most people had to UA. "Do you mind if I asked some questions about the place?"

"Sure, if I can answer them," Vlad responded.

Inko nodded and started speaking.

"There are four courses at UA: Hero, General Education, Support, and Business," Inko listed off. "I've seen them from the Sports Festival. With the exception of the Hero course, the other three have three classes for each year. Why does the Hero Course only have two? Wouldn't it be more balanced and produce more heroes if you had three?"

Like any normal citizen, she watched the UA Sports Festival because it was one of the biggest events of the year. While she did cringe a little at the fights, she didn't turn away.

Vlad contemplated his answer for a moment.

"Good question. The reason there's only two is that it's a law implemented by the government. No Hero School is allowed to have more than two Hero Course classes per year," he answered honestly. "This is to limit the number of heroes produced each year because UA isn't the only hero school. There are several. It's not a well-known law but it does exist."

Inko was surprised since she had never heard of it.

"Given that there are thirty-three classes altogether that means you must have thirty-three teachers. Are all of them heroes, or are some ordinary citizens?" Inko continued.

"Most are heroes but there are some exceptions," Vlad said. "Most of those teachers would be for either the Business or General Education courses."

"Hmm, given that several teachers are heroes, I take it you underwent some sort of training before being officially employed here," Inko guessed.

Vlad turned to face her with an amused, and curious look.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, deliberately testing her intelligence.

Inko stared at him with a calm expression. She considered her answer briefly before explaining.

"Hero and teacher are two very different professions, but they are professions, nonetheless. Both require training and study to be qualified as one. Regardless of how great a hero you or anyone else is, you would need to undergo some form of training to be qualified as a teacher since I doubt it would be allowed for someone with no experience and no qualifications to teach students," Inko answered. "They're different, but they are both big jobs that require proper qualifications. Am I wrong?"

Vlad was both stunned and impressed. Inko Midoriya might not have looked it, but she was very observant.

Like her son, she could analyse things and make accurate assumptions based on them. It was obvious where Izuku his mental skills from.

"Not bad," Vlad admitted. "You're correct Mrs Midoriya. While we are handpicked by Principal Nezu himself we are required to attend a training course before being officially recognised as teachers. It's a requirement. Hero school aside, UA is still a High School, so most procedures are still followed."

Vlad was grateful she didn't ask any questions about Izuku. They would likely be asked when they arrived at Nezu's office which they just had.

Inside the office was Nezu, Eraser, Mic, Hound Dog, All Might and Tsukauchi.

Inko felt a little intimidated at being in the presence of so many heroes but managed to keep her nervousness hidden.

"Hello Mrs Midoriya," Nezu greeted. "It's a pleasure to see you again. I believe you are already familiar with Aizawa and Detective Tsukauchi."

Inko nodded.

She had met Nezu and Aizawa before. During the time when Izuku was in the process of being transferred here they came to her apartment to discuss where he'd be staying, the type of accommodation being provided, and visiting hours and days. She also had to provide a brief account of his medical history in case he had any recurring illnesses.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your students," Inko apologized suddenly.

"Thank you Mrs Midoriya," Nezu said. "It is actually yesterday's incident for why I called you in here."

Inko blinked confused. Why would she be called in for that?

"I'm sorry I don't understand," she admitted. "What do you mean that's why you called me in? I thought something may have happened to Izuku. Has something happened to him?"

There was an uncomfortable silence between the teachers and detective. They had called Inko in to explain things to her, but it didn't make it any easier. Nezu had even asked Naomasa to allow him to speak here, even though it would just be video chat. Of all the people that would get the point across, he was the best choice.

"Believe me Mrs Midoriya, they are all related to your son, and not in a good way," Nezu revealed.

Inko stared at him with a worried expression, not liking where this was going. That's when Aizawa stepped forward.

"During the raid yesterday, three students escaped and returned here where they were given medical attention. Upon returning to the dorm, they met with Izuku, and he asked for descriptions of the attackers. When they mentioned the leader's name, he recognized it," Aizawa explained.

Inko's eyes widened in disbelief. Izuku knew these people. How?

"That's not the most shocking part. It's the way he reacted when he recognised him." Inko held her breath at what she was about to hear. "Izuku started breathing rapidly and had a panic attack. I tried calming him down but to no avail and he collapsed as a result."

The colour from Inko's face drained. She struggled with breathing until she managed to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry but, I must have misheard you," Inko said slowly. "You said"

"Your son had a panic attack and collapsed," Aizawa interrupted. "That's correct, unfortunately. I was there when it happened alongside Mic here."

Despite understanding him, Inko was still trying to process what she just heard.

"There's more," Vlad commented. "During the meeting between the heroes and police two assassins working for the group that kidnapped our students and several civilians invaded UA." Inko was surprised someone had broken into UA. It had happened once this year but still. "They were targeting Izuku specifically; trying to kidnap him on orders from their boss."

At this point, Inko couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop, just stop," Inko ordered suddenly. "None of what you're saying makes any sense. They were after my son? Why? How did they even get in here? Isn't your security supposed to be top-notch?"

The teachers looked down in shame. They had only gotten security improvements yesterday, but they had been bypassed within a couple of hours.

"We performed security improvements yesterday but apparently Hades has a skilled hacker who managed to infiltrate the system," Nezu admitted. "I'm not proud of it, honestly it's embarrassing and disgraceful for our school, but it still happened."

"Hades?" Inko blinked.

"That's the name of the group that launched the raid and attacked Izuku," Nezu explained. "Their leader goes by the name Shiro. Up until now their name has been kept out of the media."

"Why were they after Izuku?" Inko asked. "How does he factor into all of this?"

There was an uncomfortable silence that followed her question. This had been the part they were most nervous about. This did not go unnoticed by Inko, the bad feeling from a few minutes ago returned. Eventually, Naomasa decided to answer.

"From what we've learned, Izuku has a past with them, and not a good one," he said softly. "Several months ago, Izuku was held captive in their base as one of their slaves. I don't know what kind of work he did but several times he was forced to fight in their underground fights. This went on for about a month when one day, for reasons currently unknown, he was forced to participate in a match against Shiro, during which he managed to escape with the woman who trained him."

Inko stared at the detective blankly, still trying to process this new information. Her son had been held against his will, and she hadn't even known about it.

'Why didn't he tell me?' Inko wondered.

It was the only thing that didn't make sense to her. She was his mother. She wanted to help him. Izuku had told her at the hospital about the bullying, and his time with the League. Why not this?

Naomasa and Nezu both guessed what she was thinking.

"It might be better if he explains it to you," Naomasa told her.

Inko glanced at him confused. She wasn't the only one. The rest of the staff were the same.

"He was there when it happened, so he can tell you," Nezu added.

The small projector on his desk and moved back when it lit up. An image appeared on the screen, or rather someone. It was an individual even Inko recognised.

"I believe you all know Mr Dabi here," Nezu introduced. "If not personally then by name and face."

Dabi was wearing his usual attire. He was sitting in a large chair, not handcuffed to anything, although he was wearing quirk inhibitor bracers to ensure he didn't try anything.

"Just Dabi is fine," Dabi responded in a dull tone.

He scanned the room to see who was in it. He wasn't surprised to see the principal, detective or Inko here but he was surprised at the presence of the other heroes, All Might in particular. It's not every day you meet the No. 1 hero.

'The first time doesn't really count since I was knocked unconscious,' Dabi recalled. 'So, this is the League's, or should I say Shigaraki's, main target.'

"I requested that he speak here to provide us all, especially you Mrs Midoriya, a better insight on what Izuku went through and what he's going through now," Nezu explained. "And also, to provide a small description of what we are up against. So, without further ado, Dabi, if you would please tell us what you know."

Dabi glanced at him. He'd explained it to the police already yet here he was explaining it again, albeit this time it was for the purpose of helping Inko understand the situation. Not that he was against it or anything.

He liked Inko compared to most people. She was a good woman who kind of reminded him of his own mother.

"Mrs Midoriya," Dabi addressed. "I told you about the first time I met Deku. Do you remember?"

Inko nodded. "Yes, you said it was at that bar where the League of Villains hideout was situated at."

"That was our first real meeting," Dabi confirmed. "However, that wasn't the first time I had seen him."

Inko's eyes widened.

"You mean," she started.

Dabi nodded in confirmation.

"It was at Hades when I first saw him, fighting against Shiro in the Arena," he said.

"The Arena?" Inko exclaimed confused.

"It's where most of the fights between members, slaves or not, and outsiders take place," Dabi explained. "There's also an area called the Pit where fights involving only hand-to-hand combat because quirk usage is forbidden, take place. I've fought in both these places against different members, and let me tell you now, they're quite brutal. Some are lucky enough to come out with just scars and bruises, though broken bones aren't uncommon. And before you ask, yes, death's do occur during these fights. Sometimes intentional sometimes not, though it really depends on the participants."

Inko felt sick to her stomach. Her son was really made to participate in these events. The heroes felt the same knowing this was what their students were going through now.

"Why were you participating in these fights?" Inko suddenly asked without thinking. When she did realize she frantically tried to apologize. "I'm sorry! That was rude and it came out of nowhere. I shouldn't have asked, sorry."

Dabi gave an amused smirk. The way she was trying to apologise for something so trivial was too funny to resist.

"It's fine really," he assured her. "If you must know, I was doing it to get stronger, both in body and quirk. As for why I needed to do this, I'd rather not say. All you need to know is that I have a certain goal I'm working towards, and I need to be as strong as possible for when that time comes."

His voice and expression darkened when he said this, because he meant it, every word. He had trained extensively for that moment and when it arrived, when he confronted 'that man', he would show no mercy.

He would punish him for the sins against him, his mother, and his siblings. And he would revel in every torturous moment of it.

"Could you tell us about the fight that took place between Izuku and Shiro?" Naomasa requested. "How did it go down, and why were they fighting at all?"

Dabi bit his lip. His gaze wandered to Inko. Considering what she felt about her son she was likely to get sick at his description. What he saw that day wasn't pleasant.

"There's not much to say. The fight didn't last long, though it felt long. Shiro brutalized Deku, literally. He beat him with both his fists and threw him around the Arena like he was some sort of ragdoll. Deku tried to fight back but Shiro never gave him the chance," Dabi explained. "He was bleeding, mostly from coughing up blood or being punched in the face, and there were burn marks from Shiro's quirk."

Inko's blood went cold. Izuku really went through that!? Just what kind of nightmare had he lived during the year he went missing?

Ryo was mentally recording all of this for their next counselling session. Judging by Dabi's description, and Izuku's previous behaviour, it was obvious the boy was suffering from a form of PTSD. He would need to tread very carefully when talking with him, otherwise, he might just end up re-traumatising Izuku. And that wouldn't end well.

"For the fight, he was made wear an All Might costume, as a way to punish him more," Dabi continued.

"Wait, what?" All Might interrupted confused.

He wasn't the only one. Everyone else in the room was confused. They couldn't understand why that would be a punishment. As matter of fact, they couldn't understand why he was made to do it at all.

Dabi guessed what they were thinking and decided to explain.

"Deku used to look up to All Might, right?" Dabi motioned to the pro. "Growing up as a child, long before he joined the League, he idolised him and wanted to be a hero like him."

All Might looked down at the floor in shame. He was fully aware of the fact that he had been the one Izuku looked up to growing up from that time he spoke with Inko at the police station. He gave that boy hope to hold onto when the entire world was against him for being quirkless. And then, when he met him in person, he shattered his dreams by telling him he couldn't be a hero.

It was completely sick and hypocritical of him. He, a former quirkless person, telling another quirkless person that they couldn't become a hero when he used to be in the same position.

He may have been a hero, but he was a flawed one. Of that, he could admit.

What was worse was he was the final nail in the coffin for Izuku when he said those words. He sent him off to his death without realizing it. Him, the Symbol of Peace. Granted he hadn't known Izuku at the time or what he was going through, but it was still wrong.

'What would Nana say if she saw me?' he wondered. Then his thoughts flashed towards something else. 'Maybe AFO did the right after all by taking him in.'

All Might would never say this out loud but, he was grateful towards his former nemesis for what he had done for Izuku. AFO had saved Izuku from certain death, taken him in, made him stronger, and gave him a purpose in life.

Even if he had turned the boy into a villain, even if it was to further his own cause, he had been a much better person to him than anyone else was.

"The costume was used as a reminder of what his life was like before he joined the League," Dabi continued. "Back when he was bullied repeatedly by society for being quirkless, for dreaming of something they deemed impossible. In other words, it was a twisted form of irony to end him in the most humiliating way possible, because that costume was a reminder of how weak and helpless, he once was."

This time it was Inko who looked to the ground in shame.

'Weak and helpless? Whose fault is that I wonder?' she sarcastically thought.

While she knew that Izuku's peers had been the ones to damage him she held as much responsibility as they did. She hadn't done anything to help when he needed it, and then he dropped to the point where he tried to kill himself.

While they had heard from Izuku that Shiro was ruthless, they were starting to get a better idea of his sadism.

Nezu worried about his students and if they would fall to the same fate though he hoped not. At the same time, he began to sympathise with Izuku even more.

He knew exactly what it was like to be broken, to be humiliated, both physically and mentally. Atrocity had done more than just hurt him. The monster presented him to his subordinates as his mascot, as a symbol of what he did to people (the blood and scars were a huge indication).

To add insult to injury, he did it to remind Nezu that he was nothing more than a plaything for his own amusement. That his place was to serve humans beneath them, not as their superior or equal. Even now the memories of the torment made his blood boil.

"This might seem like an odd question but, does Shiro normally participate in these underground battles?" Aizawa asked sternly.

Dabi blinked. "Not normally no. Rarely when he's punishing someone or making an example out of them."

Aizawa frowned and stared at the wall in deep contemplation. Something about Dabi's statement sounded off.

"Something on your mind Eraser?" Vlad asked.

"Something about what you're saying is bothering me," Aizawa turned his attention back to Dabi. "You said Shiro only does this when punishing or making an example out of someone. Yet the time of this fight was when Izuku escaped, not arrived, meaning he was there for a month by this time." All eyes were on him now, seeing where he was going with this. "What exactly did Midoriya do to warrant Shiro's fury?"

Now that was something everyone wanted to know. Izuku was a smart boy. He wasn't in the habit of making enemies (intentionally), least of all one like Shiro.

Dabi narrowed his eyes at the pro. He knew this question was coming up. He knew it. He still wasn't comfortable with it.

Dabi's discomfort did not go unnoticed.

"Dabi," Nezu said softly. "What did Midoriya do?"

Dabi remained silent, unsure of how to answer.

"What did he do?" Aizawa pressed wanting answers.

Dabi remained silent for another minute before, after careful deliberation, decided on his answer.

"I don't know," he stated.

"Bullshit," Vlad snapped. "If that were true you would have said that first. Tell us the truth."

Dabi inwardly scowled. That had backfired.

"I am," Dabi argued. "I really don't know."

The people in the room didn't believe him, unfortunately.

"You're a poor liar," Aizawa declared.

"Please tell us the truth," Ryo begged. "We won't be able to help him otherwise."

That was the wrong thing to say. The moment Ryo said those words, they triggered something in Dabi.

"Help him? Help him?" he whispered in a dark tone before exploding. "YOU THINK YOU CAN FUCKING HELP HIM!"

The people in the room were startled by Dabi's outburst who was now glaring at them with pure rage.

"You fucking heroes are all the same," he growled. "Always talking about helping and saving someone when you can't do shit." He was really fuming now. "How exactly do you plan to help him, huh? By talking with him. By moving him to a separate facility?" There was silence, causing Dabi to scoff. "That's what I thought. You can't help him, not after everything he's been through."

Dabi was shaking in anger. The memories of his own childhood, and the time Izuku had a panic attack were resurfacing.

"Tell me something. Can you save someone from depression?"

"Can you save them from despair? Despair they feel from being bullied. Despair they feel from being beaten and humiliated every day."

Can you save them from the trauma that is their life? Trauma that started from people, heroes even, physically abusing their families without anyone knowing," he was practically shouting now.

"Trauma that started when they were made see and experiences the vilest and cruel things on this earth. Trauma that started because they were made to feel like they were less, like they were nothing, as though they weren't worthy of being alive."

The entire room was listening in shock. Dabi made very genuine claims. How could they save someone from those things?

The heroes were alarmed at the thought of other heroes beating their own families, behaving like they were villains.

Did really happen? They, All Might especially, didn't want to believe it.

Nezu on the other hand did. He still remembered Recovery Girls report on Shoto Todoroki, and how it made fully him realize what was going on in that house. He had his suspicions before, given how Shoto acted, and Endeavor's attitude towards his son.

Inko, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, believed all Dabi's claims. She couldn't say for certain but, perhaps one of Dabi's parents was a hero. He had mentioned in their first meeting his father was abusive.

"You can't save everyone," Dabi finally said. "You can try, but that doesn't mean you always will. There will always be someone out there suffering. Waiting for a rescue that will never come. And if by chance you do save that person, the trauma of what they endured will remain forever. Broken bones will eventually heal, but psychological scars, that's a different story."

There was complete silence. No one was able to answer that, despite how much they wanted to.

Dabi wasn't wrong. There would always be someone that couldn't be saved. It was unfortunate but, as much as they tried, they were only human, and they had their limits.

What he said about mental scars was also true. They could be healed, through time, however it was very, very, very difficult.

Naomasa had been at many crime scenes where he'd encountered traumatised witnesses and victims.

"You're absolutely right in every sense," Nezu admitted. "There's always someone suffering, unseen by many, heroes included. People die, people suffer, without anyone's knowledge. I know first-hand what it's like to wait for a rescue, for a reprieve from torment, that never came."

Nezu stared down at his paws.

"I endured the torture of the worst kind from the worst person alive. Every day he would brutalize me in the most creative ways."

There was a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Most days I wished, prayed, for someone to come save me. I didn't care who. I just wanted someone. When no one came I wished for death, because it was a much better Option than what I was experiencing."

Everyone's eyes were locked on Nezu, some with shock, others sadness.

"In the end, I was forced to rescue myself from my own personal hell. One day, while the tormentor was away, I jumped at the opportunity to escape. And when I did, I did whatever I had to ensure it."

Dabi's eyes widened. Those words held different meanings, including killing. Could the principal of UA really have done such a thing? Not that he would judge him or anything. He would probably do the same thing in his situation.

Nezu's eyes locked with Dabi. "And I never got over it either. It continues to affect me every day even as I work. So Dabi, you are right. Broken bones will eventually heal, but psychological scars are a different story. They far longer to recover from, and though they might heal to a certain extent they will never be permanently gone."

Most of the staff were surprised. They knew Nezu had been treated very cruelly by humans in the past, but it was very rare for him to speak about it, and such detail.

All Might had heard the full details once. It both frightened and sickened him that one of his colleagues had gone through such an ordeal. It was also the first time he had heard of Atrocity and what a vile individual he was.

He even believed he was worse than AFO in certain aspects.

Dabi was dumbfounded by the small principal. He hadn't expected any of them to agree with him, much less have a true, definite understanding of it.

Since it had come to this he finally relented.

"I told you I don't know what he did, but in truth, I don't know for certain," Dabi admitted. "I only heard rumours, and what a couple of kids were screaming from the sidelines."

"There were children at this fight," Inko exclaimed aghast.

Dabi nodded. "They were shouting things like 'let him go', 'it wasn't his fault', and 'he was just protecting us."

"Protecting them from what, or who?" Naomasa questioned.

Dabi bit his lip. "I don't actually know. I just heard it was a higher up there."

Naomasa furrowed his eyebrows. A higher up? Did that mean Izuku assaulted someone in the defence of others? Or was he defending himself?

'If that's the case, then what condition was this person left in when he attacked them?' His eyes widened in realization. 'Condition!' There were multiple scenarios for what he was thinking, but only one came to mind. 'Could he have actually?'

"Dabi, this higher up," he gulped on what he was about to ask. "Did Midoriya kill him?"

The entire room stared at the detective. The implication of his question fully sinking in. Inko was the first to speak.

"W-W-What? M-M-My I-Izuku k-k-k-kill," she stuttered. "I-It's not possible."

"Actually, it is," Dabi corrected her. "I don't know for certain but the rumours I heard said Deku was involved with the death of one of the higher-ups. They didn't say whether he had done it, just that he was involved."

"That's absurd," Inko argued angrily. "Izuku would never kill anyone."

"I have to agree," All Might piped up. "During my battle with AFO, he told me one of the conditions for young Midoriya joining the League was that he wouldn't have to kill."

"Have to!" Aizawa pointed out. "That doesn't mean there wouldn't be a time when he was forced to. And in case you've forgotten, this occurred when he was away from the League. For a whole month, he was with Hades. Anything could have gone down there."

Inko glared at him. She then turned towards the door and started to walk.

"Mrs Midoriya, where are you going?" Naomasa asked.

"To speak with my son," she declared firmly. "I don't believe he killed anyone, so I'll ask him myself."

The second she said that, however.

"NOOOO!" Dabi shouted at the top of his lungs, causing Inko to freeze. "Of all the things you do, don't do that."

"Why?" she asked incredulously.

"Whenever certain topics about that place come up, it triggers Deku," he explained in a serious voice. "He may have been fine last night, but that's because he had a panic attack earlier that day. The shock had worn off."

Dabi stared down sadly. "When I asked him, I had no idea. I didn't realize he would react that way."

Flashback

Dabi was at the bar with just Deku and Kurogiri again today. Shigaraki had recently come up with a plan that involved kidnapping a student from UA as a potential recruit for the League.

Katsuki Bakugo. First-year, winner of the Sports Festival, explosive in both his quirk and his personality. While he hadn't met him, Dabi already disliked him. Something about the boy, his behaviour, his quirk, and most all his attitude, reminded him of his father.

That said, he was enjoying his time at the bar, mostly because he didn't have to deal with the louder and more annoying members of the League. He was also speaking with Deku again.

In recent weeks he and the teen had been speaking more. About topics like Stain, which heroes were selfish jerks, quirks, the League, and what was wrong with society. He didn't say it, but Deku was his favourite member. He felt like he could relate to him, which wasn't easy.

"Hey Deku, are you sure we've never met before?" Dabi asked without warning.

He didn't know why, but he felt he knew Deku from somewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling, he just knew.

Izuku eyed him uncertainly. "I don't think so. I don't take part in League activities except for what I'm supposed to do. It's possible you saw me when I was out, but I find it hard to believe since I'm normally covered when I go out. I don't think we have met though. I think I'd remember someone with your….features. No offence."

Dabi shrugged. "None taken. I get that a lot."

Still, the thought lingered. Dabi's thoughts were interrupted by a live recording of one of All Might's battles taking place. Apparently, he was fighting a villain who could manipulate light in whatever way they desired.

The villain, however, was surprisingly holding his own well against All Might. He used light like it was a whip to ensnare the Symbol of Peace and toss him around.

"Another fight that will end same, wearing the same stupid costume he always does," Izuku muttered bitterly. "Ugh, it's so annoying. I can't believe I used to wear that thing when I was little."

Dabi didn't say anything. He knew full well about Deku's former admiration for the number one hero. How he looked up to All Might growing up, and how that same man shattered his dreams when the boy met him years later.

Dabi pictured Deku wearing an All Might costume fighting against that same villain. That would surely be something to see. The only time he could remember a fight that was similar was when he was in Hades. There was this kid fighting in an All Might costume against Shi-

Dabi's blood froze. He stared at Deku like he couldn't believe his eyes.

'Is he? No, he couldn't be,' Dabi thought alarmed. 'He was the one who fought against Shiro!'

He looked hard at Deku and tried to remember that fight again, this time focusing on the final moment.

It was when the boy's hood had finally come off. He was on the ground with Shiro standing over him preparing to finish him off when an explosion occurred. Shiro was distracted, but Dabi remained focused on the fight. He watched as the boy's hood fell revealing his face, as he held a knife and drove it into Shiro's eye.

He focused on that image of the boy, he had green hair, but his face, he remembered now. It was Deku's.

'I heard he escaped but I never thought I'd meet him here,' Dabi thought.

"Dabi, are you alright?" Izuku asked concerned. "You were staring at me spaced out."

Dabi blinked. He hadn't meant to be so obvious about it.

"I'm fine, it's just," Dabi started. He was hesitant to ask but brushed it off. "Deku, can I ask you something?"

Izuku nodded looking confused.

"Deku, did you, fight a man named Shiro wearing that same costume?" Dabi asked a bit too bluntly.

Izuku stared at him, wide-eyed.

SMASH!

Dabi turned to see Kurogiri had dropped a glass and was now staring at him in horror.

"You, YOU FOOL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" he screamed.

Dabi was taken back by Kurogiri's temper. However, a crash to the floor brought his attention back to Deku.

Much to his horror, the boy was thrashing around on the floor as he breathed rapidly and uncontrollably.

"NO, no, no," Izuku panted out. "No more, no more. PLEASE SHIRO STOP. I'M TELLING YOU I HAD NO CHOICE."

He didn't speak again after that. Kurogiri tried calming him down while he held him down but to no avail.

In the end, he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Later that day

Izuku was resting in his room while currently, Dabi was in the bar with Tomura, Kurogiri, and AFO (via monitor).

Tomura looked annoyed.

Kurogiri was angry.

However, AFO was furious.

"I have heard from Kurogiri however I would like to hear an account of what happened from you Dabi," AFO exclaimed in a calm, yet angry tone. "Explain to me how you knew about Deku being at Hades, and then caused him to have a panic attack."

Dabi wasted no time in answering. While he would usually give some sarcastic remark, AFO was not one to be taken lightly, especially when he was pissed off.

He explained how he was a competitor in Hades underground battles, how he came to witness Deku's fight with Shiro, and how he used that opportunity to get out before things could get really crazy.

"I see," AFO murmured. "I will have Kurogiri send you to me so I can confirm it myself." Dabi didn't really understand why but he didn't question it. "Also, I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but I'll do it anyway. What happened today was an accident so I won't punish you, however, if something like this happens again, I will do it, and without mercy. Deku is a valued member of the League, one I value, and if any harm comes to him well, I think you get the idea. So, no mentioning Hades or Shiro from now on. Understand?"

Dabi nodded. There was still something on his mind.

"If I may ask, how is Deku okay most of the time? If he's that traumatised, why is he only triggered when he hears anything related to those subjects? Shouldn't he be inactive?" Dabi questioned.

AFO hummed. "That is something I shall explain shortly. Kurogiri."

The mist villain opened a portal and Dabi travelled through to meet the leader.

Flashback end

Everyone in the room was staring at Dabi in shock.

Aizawa and Mic were particularly stunned because it sounded much worse than the last panic attack he had.

Inko's horror had only increased at what her baby went through.

"So now you understand. Try not to push him about topics related to Hades, it will only trigger him," Dabi explained. "It needs to all come back to him slowly."

"What do you mean by that?" Mic asked.

"Obviously, most of you find it strange that a boy traumatised so badly he breaks down into panic attacks would still be active in the field, and would have no issue with fighting individuals like Bakugo and Nomu?" Dabi pointed out.

There was an exchange of glances. He had a point. How would Izuku still be active after something like that? It was as though it had never happened.

"The reason being is that his memories of that place are repressed," Dabi stated. "He doesn't remember what happened there. Not unless it's brought up."

The teachers exchanged glances. They had only suspected

"AFO," All Might murmured. "It appears you were correct Hound Dog. He did possess a quirk to alter memories."

Dabi was surprised they already knew.

"He did. AFO helped suppress Deku's memories so he would still be active," Dabi confirmed. "The quirk has been useful so far, and it really has worked. However, it isn't perfect, it has its limits."

"Such as," Vlad interrupted.

"It isn't permanent, it has to be reapplied," Dabi said. "AFO would have sessions with Deku to make sure the quirk stayed in effect. Otherwise, it would all come back. That's also the problem now."

No one needed Dabi to explain further. It was obvious.

"Ah, I see. AFO is dead, so there's nothing to stop his memories from coming back," Nezu declared.

Dabi nodded. He turned his attention back to Inko.

"I understand if you want to know the truth but try to avoid asking him about it if you can," he urged her.

"I will," Inko agreed. "I won't bring it up until everything is sorted."

The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her child.

"Now that that's out of the way, there are a few other things we need to mention," Naomasa said.

Shiro

"You wished to speak with me master," Kioku announced.

"Yeah," Shiro confirmed. "I'm gonna cut to the chase Kioku. I'm assuming you've heard about the incident with Kyo by now."

Kioku simply nodded. All of Hades had heard it.

"I want you to do a full scan of Hades for any traitors, or offenders," Shiro declared. "I know this will take a while, but I still want it done."

Kioku nodded again. "I've been hoping you'd ask me to do that for some time now."

Shiro blinked in surprise. Kioku didn't really use her power unless ordered but it was rare for her to want to use it on this scale.

"Ever since the incident with Deku I've wanted to examine everyone's mind. I know it makes you angry, but did you ever consider that he was telling the truth, that he truly did kill Graphene in self-defence of those children?" she asked.

Shiro said nothing. He had considered it, but he didn't care. He was too angry at losing one of his strongest members.

While he didn't look down on quirkless people, he found it hard to believe that Izuku had managed to kill someone like Graphene on his own.

"Look into it if you want but find out what I'm looking for first," Shiro informed her.

"UGGGHHHRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

A loud roar was heard in the distance. Just then Cerberus rounded the corner and headed towards Shiro. He looked like the one in the legends, a large, black, three-headed dog with sharp teeth.

"Ah my hound, you've returned," Shiro welcomed. "I take it you dealt with the intruders."

Just then, Cerberus shrank and transformed into a black, single-head Dobermann.

Cerberus was one of the unique cases of an animal developing a quirk. What's more, he was incredibly loyal to Shiro.

The dog barked at his master who smiled in return.

"I'll take that as a yes. Good, because things are about to get intense. We've got some guests coming."

Children's Section

The students and children finally returned to their safe haven where most of them collapsed on their own beds. They were exhausted, more mentally than physically. They still hadn't recovered from the recent events. Some children were still crying.

"For the rest of the day, we'll be staying here," Utada announced. "So don't go wandering off without my permission."

There was no reply, though didn't surprise her. She then turned to call Umi just to see how things were going at the hospital, although she had a pretty good idea. That girl, Ibara she thinks her name was, she was going to need some serious therapy from Kana.

The students lay on their beds with defeated expressions. They had felt helpless when they arrived, but that, witnessing one of their own almost violated while restrained by a collar, that dealt a blow they didn't know if they'd ever recover from.

What was worse, it made them fully realize whose control they were under without any way of fighting back.

They didn't seem to realize that Kendo was missing.

Shoto got up to go down to where he and Umi trained before. He needed something to take his mind off what happened.

Mezo had a similar idea and proceeded to where Lobo trained him.

However, they were both stopped by a dark purple haired boy, wearing a yellow t-shirt, red trousers, and yellow sneakers. He was Shoto's height and looked to be around fifteen or sixteen.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked casually. "Utada told you to stay put."

Shoto scowled. "To train to get stronger. What's it to you?"

"Just curious that's all," the boy responded. "Most people would generally be in shock after what you just saw."

The two student's eyes widened.

"You know," Mezo whispered.

"Everyone in Hades knows," the boy shrugged. "News travels fast around here. I'm Haru by the way, Haru Katagaki."

Haru examined them thoroughly.

"So, your Midoriya and Bakugo's classmates," he murmured. "You look like you'll survive down here, though looks can be deceiving."

Haru restrained himself from laughing at the surprise on their faces.

"Do you know them?" Mezo asked.

"We have a personal history, though I doubt Bakugo remembers me," Haru explained. "To him, I'm just another extra for him to use as a steppingstone."

The language he used convinced the pair that he was telling the truth.

"If you want to go and train, release your frustrations on the first thing you can find then by all means do," Haru encouraged. "You'll be living here from now on and believe me stress is easy to build up, so you may as well get used to it."

"Don't be so sure," Shoto challenged.

"Whatever you say," Haru shrugged it off. "Just don't get your hopes up, especially when the heroes fail at their rescue attempt."

Shoto couldn't help but note the confidence in his voice. Haru truly believed what he was saying. Just how long had he been here?

"We'll keep that in mind," Mezo assured him. "Thank you."

Haru shrugged and turned to leave. However, he stopped with his back still turned to them.

"Mind if I ask you something? Izuku, how's he doing? Is he okay?" he questioned.

The two were growing more curious about this boy's relationship with Midoriya by the second.

Shoto was the one who answered since Mezo didn't know Izuku that well.

"He's doing fine. A little defensive, but otherwise alright," he said.

Haru hummed and started walking.

Shoto and Mezo headed to their respected training areas to vent their frustration.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku was currently in the classroom with the others. Classes were cancelled (for obvious reasons) but the hero class was still going ahead. The teachers felt they needed to prepare them for the future now more than ever.

And so, Class 1AB (he didn't know what else to call it) were gathered in the main classroom.

Neito wasn't entirely happy, but he wasn't mad either. Surprisingly he had pulled no insults yet.

Aizawa entered with his usual tired expression, with Vlad following him. They glanced at Izuku to see if was fully recovered after last night.

He looked fine, but Aizawa could tell otherwise. The meeting about him had concluded peacefully.

Inko had agreed to keep quiet for the time being, much to their relief.

"Morning," the two teachers greeted.

"I understand that you're all still recovering from yesterday, however because of that, we need to prep you for the event when something like this happens again," Aizawa stated.

"Please come in," Vlad motioned to the door and three figures came in.

There was a blonde with a goofy look, a bluenette wearing a cheerful expression and a dark-haired individual who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Izuku's eyes widened when he saw the blonde. It was the same man from earlier.

"To help you understand, we've invited individuals who've had first-hand experience dealing with villains from internships," Aizawa continued.

Izuku was slightly curious about these internships but was too focused on the blonde who was now grinning at him.

"The three third years at UA who stand above all UA students," Vlad informed them.

"Also, known as the Big Three."

Izuku stared at them briefly before switching to a serious expression.

"Well, this could be interesting."

Notes:

This was posted on another fanfic site in September. I didn't want to get rid of it so I left it in.

Hi there. What did you think of that? I did not intend for the meeting to go on for that long, but it just happened while I was writing. I bet you didn't expect to see Mustard in this fic. I thought he might be a nice addition. Also, you kept asking for the big three so here they are.

Shita is best Jeanists nephew in this fic. When I was thinking of OC's for this arc I liked the idea of one who was related to that hero (there's something I've always liked about his character). I bet you're wondering about Haru. He's sort of an OC but at the same time he isn't. I won't spoil anything though.

I'm sorry I took this long to update. My parents made me stop fanfiction to focus on my resits, which thankfully I have passed and am now abroad. Seriously though, this has been the worst summer of my life. I've had t constantly study in order to pass, and I was working part-time as well.

It's been two years since I started this story, and I'll probably still be writing it in two years.

I know My Hero Academia wasn't produced by Kyoto Animation, and I know it was two months ago, but I still wanted to do a tribute for it this chapter. Kyoto Animation produced some of my favourite anime (Violet Evergarden, Free, Silent Voice). It is heartbreaking what happened to them as they have created so much joy for others to love and watch.

May those who lost their lives rest in peace.

May those who were injured recover swiftly.

And may their families and friends stay safe.

Chapter 46: Mirio Togata

Summary:

Class 1AB meets the Big Three.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

A couple of things I wanted to say last chapter but didn't.

First, I had Inko ask Vlad King those questions because they are things I've always wondered about UA.

Second, that comment Hayai made about Iida, it's something I realized while writing the chapter. If Tensei hadn't been assaulted he would still be Ingenium. If that were the case what would that make Tenya?

And third, I made Cerberus an actual dog because I heard there were rare cases of animals developing quirks like Nezu and wanted to include one.

I now have an actual Facebook Page where if anyone would like, can send me fan art. My profile will not have a picture, and was made in November.

Onto the chapter

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Razor

"So, a raid is taking place in a few days," Razor growled.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes," the thug she was holding against the wall stuttered. "The heroes are planning on trying to rescue the captured students along with anyone else they come across."

Razor narrowed her eyes and deepened her glare. The thug started sweating even more than before. If looks could kill a person, then he'd definitely be dead by now.

He was just out on a small job when he encountered Razor and Stain. Unfortunately for him, the pair had been looking for a member of Hades to get the latest intel.

"If you're lying to me," Razor warned him softly.

"I-I-I-I'M NOT. I SWEAR," the thug replied frantically.

He was sweating buckets now. He knew what Razor was capable of and she would do to him, but he also knew what Shiro or Nikko would do to him if he talked, which he just did.

Either way, he was dead. "I wouldn't lie to you about this."

Razor deepened her glare causing the thug to become more nervous.

"Disgusting," Stain muttered.

Razor glanced at him with an annoyed expression. "What Stain? You've seen me intimidate assholes like this before. Why is this time so different?"

"It's not," Stain retorted. He then pointed at the thug's lower section. "It's what he's doing now that disgusts me."

Razor backed up slightly and saw that the thug was, in addition to sweating uncontrollably, was urinating his own pants.

"Agghhhh, Ewww," Razor muttered disgustedly. "Why didn't you say that before? Now I'm gonna have to wash my outfit. Or better yet burn it and get a new one. Who knows how long that will take?"

Stain shrugged not bothered to answer.

Razor resisted (with immense difficulty) the urge to punch her friend square in the jaw.

She returned her attention to the thug who cowered at her gaze. "That's all I know, I swear." Tears were now coming out of his eyes. "Please, I'm begging you. Don't kill me."

He was a villain sure. And he knew he had done bad things. But even still he didn't want to die. Not yet.

Razor eyed him. "I believe you. And I won't kill you. That would only make Shiro and his right-hand bitch suspicious. No one barring certain individuals know I'm still in Japan and I'd like to keep it that way until the time is right."

The thug looked relieved and began crying even harder, much to Razor's chagrin.

"However, I can't have you going back and telling Shiro you saw me so."

She took out a tiny sphere that was the shape of marble and shoved it in the thugs face close to his nose. A small white gas was released and upon inhaling the thug's eyes widened for a second before falling unconscious.

"I'll give you a chance at not dying, right now."

"What did you do to him?" Stain asked surprised that Razor wasn't going to kill him.

"I gave him a small dosage of amnesia," Razor informed him. "Anything that happened an hour ago he won't remember. Guys at BUTLER created this little stuff in case we ever needed, or wanted, to escape without any unnecessary bloodshed."

Stain didn't argue with her. While he had heard of her group he had never been to their base of operations. He knew they were resourceful though, very resourceful.

He also knew that members such as Razor had a high success rate when performing a job of whatever nature. Rarely was there a failure in this group and without good reason?

"Alright let's move, I need to make a phone call," Razor declared. She glanced downward. "And then I need to burn my clothes and take a shower. Let's move Stain."

They moved to an abandoned building where Razor took out her phone. She quickly dialled a number and held the phone to her ear.

"Who are you calling?" Stain asked out of pure curiosity.

"BUTLER. Or more specifically, the asshole behind a desk I take orders from," Razor informed him.

She waited for about a minute before someone finally answered. On the other end, a British voice.

"Good evening! Who may I ask is calling?"

Razor sighed, somewhat relieved at hearing the voice of someone she could stand.

"It's me, Sebastian," Razor answered.

"Miss Razor," Sebastian said his voice more alert. "What happened to you? After AFO's defeat and incarceration, and later death, you never returned and you vanished off the grid. It isn't like you not to return after a mission is completed and give a report."

Razor didn't contradict him. While it was true, she normally returned straight away and gave a report she, on the rarest of occasions, went somewhere else after a job.

"I'm still in Japan, looking after a few things, since they especially seem to be heating up," Razor explained. "I'm gonna assume you've heard about the mass kidnapping that happened yesterday in Japan. Well, Hades and its bastard of a leader Shiro are behind it all. And me, being the violent, bitchy, ass-kicking, yet somewhat caring and to a certain extent nice person I am, have decided to get involved because as we speak, Shiro, that dick, is plotting the revenge and death of my student for stabbing out his eye and escaping. Basically, I'm staying because I want to stop him from dying either by killing Shiro or helping the kid invade Hades and then smash to pieces from the inside."

There was complete silence on the other end.

Sebastian understood what she said, he understood the depth of it, and what she was planning. However, there was one detail he just couldn't quite understand, or rather process.

"You have a student!" he replied incredulously. "Since when? And why?"

In all the years he had known Razor she had never once taught anything to anyone, not even the younger members of BUTLER.

He even remembered her clearly saying she didn't take on apprentices because anyone apprenticed to her would likely die within three days. That and she said she didn't play well with others.

"AFO's orders," she replied simply. "I started training the kid between one and two months after he joined because he nearly died a couple of times out doing his job. I wasn't happy but he didn't give me much of a choice. Surprisingly enough, the kid didn't die after three days of my version of an intense workout." Sebastien sweat-dropped knowing what that involved. "He's kept up pretty well I must say. He survived the Pit of Hell when I threw him in."

Sebastien's blood froze.

Stain's jaw dropped in complete shock (and horror).

"T-T-T-T-The Pit of H-H-Hell," Sebastien stuttered. "He was in there."

"Yup, for four whole days without food, drink, or rest," Razor beamed. An angelic smile of pride flashed across her face. Stain could have sworn he saw a halo above her head. "Can you believe it? I was so impressed. After that, I started teaching him proper fighting techniques."

Sebastien and Stain both felt sweat creeping upon them. Deku had survived in that all on his own, and for four days. Neither of them realised it but at that exact moment, they were both thinking the same thing.

'That poor boy. I can't imagine how scared he was after that.'

"My pride for him aside, when the heroes fail at raiding hades base, it's only a matter of time before the bastard moves onto to him. Knowing Deku, he'll probably consider running first but realize it's pointless and try to fight back. To do that he'll need a team, and I want to be part of it," Razor explained. "However, I need all the information you have, and will acquire on Hades to help him properly."

Sebastien didn't answer her immediately. He took a minute to evaluate her words and what she was asking of him. However, certain procedures had to be followed before he could do anything.

"I'll need to run it by the boss first," he informed her. "You know that right?"

Razor scowled. "Unfortunately, yes. And I know how that dick will be about it. However, tell him it's very important. Not just because Shiro's involved, but Shino as well."

"What!?" Sebastien shouted alarmed. "Shino! Shino Tenshin!"

"BUTLER's one and only Angel of Death," Razor confirmed.

Sebastien was confused for so many reasons.

Why was Shino, of all people involved? The last he heard from her she was on a mission in China, and he hadn't heard from her since. Now he was hearing she was involved with Hades.

"How, and why?" he asked his voice trailing off.

"Shiro managed to capture her and made her one of his special slaves with a bomb in her neck. Believe me, I was surprised to see her there. Especially since she's not an easy one to get the jump on," Razor answered. "So, what will you do now? I'm sure our asshole of a boss will want her back, considering everything she's contributed."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"I'll see what I can do."

That was good enough for Razor. "Good. Oh, and Sebastien, if he needs some persuasion tell him I will shove a penknife, a dagger, a sword, and then a battle axe straight up his stupid ass in that exact order. I'm sure it will be difficult, but I'll manage somehow."

"Acknowledged." He hung up.

Razor turned to her friend.

"Let's move Stain," she said. "Things are about to get messy around her. And with Deku, I have a feeling he's started remembering his trauma."

"Started?" Stain murmured confusedly.

Razor nodded. "When he was in Hades, he saw things, he did things, he experienced things. Things no one would or should ever experience. To make him cope with it AFO used a quirk to repress his memories. However, it isn't permanent, if it isn't constantly applied then his memory will come back like it is now."

Stain didn't know why but he felt nervous about the answers he was receiving.

"Like what?" he asked reluctantly.

Razor eyed him with a neutral expression.

"You remember when I asked you not to kill anyone when you took him out for training?" Stain nodded not understanding why she was bringing it up. "I didn't do it because he would have blood on his hands. Oh no, it was too late for that. I did it because I thought him seeing you kill the way you do would trigger something. A memory. And that would have led to a full-on panic attack."

Stain's blood froze. He wasn't sure if he'd heard properly Razor. Or maybe he just couldn't register it.

Too late for that? That meant only one thing.

"Who, who in Hades did he kill?" he murmured nervously.

Razor stared at him emotionlessly. "A higher-ranking member named Graphene. From what Deku told me Graphene attacked him and several children because he saw them as a vulnerability to Hades. A fight broke out between the two of them which Graphene had the upper hand. The fight came to an end when Deku managed to send Graphene into the water below. Due to the guy's quirk, he started to sink and well, he couldn't exactly swim either."

Stain had a flurry of thoughts running through his mind. It was in self-defence sure but why didn't he just explain that? There were witnesses as well. They could have added to Deku's defence.

"It was self-defence sure, but Shiro didn't believe him. Graphene was one of the few people he trusted and vice versa. He was also incredibly so he found it hard to believe that quirkless Deku managed to kill him all by himself. So, instead of looking through his memories, he subjected him to intense torture, both physical and psychological. That wasn't the only reason he did it though," Razor explained.

Stain contemplated what other reasons the man could have for torturing Deku other than killing one of his generals.

"Shiro did it to break Deku, to make him more submissive and obedient to him. He did it to bend his will into becoming a more definite slave," she continued. "He also did it to get to me."

Razor remembered being confined in a room while being forced to watch videos of Izuku being tortured. Outwardly, she showed no emotion, but inwardly she was horrified.

Kioku has seen her memories, so she could tell that she (though she wouldn't have admitted it) cared about Izuku, and so hurting him was a way to hurt her.

Shiro had expressed an interest in her abilities before and wanted her to join but like everyone who had done that she, being her usual self, told him to fuck off.

"So, let me see if I got this right. Deku killed this Graphene because he was defending himself and several children then got tortured as a punishment to break him and you?" Razor nodded. Stain looked away. "I can see why you would want him to forget. Taking life for the first time is not something to be taken lightly. It's actually pretty scarring."

Stain was a killer, a murderer, he knew that all too well. Despite his ideals and his crusade, he knew that was what he was, and he didn't shy away from it. He had accepted it.

However, his lifestyle, what he did, he would never wish it upon another person.

Even if he hated that person, he would never wish for it.

This life involved constantly staining your hands with blood, something you could never wash away no matter how hard you tried. It was sick and unpleasant but sometimes it had to be done. However, he would never wish it upon someone else.

"It wasn't the first time actually," Razor admitted.

Stain's face snapped back to hers. "What?!"

"I said it wasn't the first time, Deku had done it once before, and under similar circumstances," Razor confirmed. "Tell me something Stain, have you ever heard of a group called Tenome?"

Stain's face twisted into one of disgust, answering Razor's question. There wasn't a villain or hero who didn't know about Tenome.

They were infamous in the underworld, and of all the villain groups that had existed, they were the most hated and despised. Their work was disturbing and many villains, he included had tried to kill their members in the past.

A few months ago, Hades had finally destroyed the group. Shiro had personally gone and given their members a slow, brutal death that left their bodies unrecognizable.

"Well, during mine and Deku's time at Hades, there was a skirmish between the two groups involving children being kidnapped and then rescued. During the rescue mission, Deku, in the heat of the moment killed an assailant because he was about to kill one of the kids."

Stain was stunned at what he had just learned. He knew Razor wasn't lying, she would never lie about something like this, but for once he wished she was. He genuinely liked Deku, and he didn't want him to be a killer, especially at his age.

"Those events, they triggered something in Deku, they awakened something in him," Razor murmured, her voice sounding sadder than before. "I saw it when he was fighting Shiro. The state he was in, the pain and humiliation he was being forced to endure, it activated something within him. When Shiro was distracted by that explosion I set up and Deku took out his eye, that boy, he wasn't aiming to wound Shiro. Oh no. He was trying to kill him."

Hades: The Pit

Kendo walked towards the Pit where most of the hand-to-hand fights were taking place. The shouts of spectators and the competitors could be heard in the distance. Mustard was trailing alongside her.

"You know this is a really bad idea, right?" Mustard muttered.

"Maybe," Kendo murmured. "But I don't see you trying to stop me. Why are you even following me?"

"I'll have you know I'm going along so things don't spiral out of control," he countered fiercely.

"And how exactly are you going to do that once I'm inside that cage?" Kendo asked.

Mustard shut up briefly. She had a point.

"If it gets chaotic, I'll hold my breath and use my quirk. That should knock everyone out," he decided. "After that, we make a run for it."

Kendo's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why are you so willing to help me?" she inquired. "Last time we met you tried to kill me and my friend."

"I wasn't trying to kill you," Mustard corrected. "Stop you sure, but not kill you. I'm not a good person but I'm no murderer."

Kendo shot him a look. "You shot us."

"I was only aiming to incapacitate you," Mustard shrugged. "A gun can kill but it depends on where the bullet lands. If I had aimed for your head you would have died but any other part would have been fine. With the metal guy, Tetsutetsu I think his name was, I only shot at his gas mask. Given his quirk, he wasn't at any risk from headshots. Besides, I have a very good aim."

"Whatever, you still attacked my classmates," Kendo argued.

"True," Mustard agreed. "It was an order. We were just supposed to capture Katsuki Bakugo and nothing else. Personally, I didn't want to do it since I don't like his personality." Kendo stared at him unsure of whether or not he was telling the truth. "Look Kendo, I get you don't like me and it's fine if you don't want to forgive me or anything, but can we let bygones be bygones. It was months ago, and I heard your classmates came out mostly unscathed."

Kendo stopped walking and stared at him. She didn't trust him, and she wasn't over what went down at the training camp. Still, he could be a useful ally in the future.

"I'll think about it," was the only answer she gave.

It wasn't a no which was good enough for Mustard. As they got closer to the Pit Kendo's thoughts began to drift towards Midoriya, UA's resident villain. Like the others, she was surprised when she found out who he was and who he worked for. However, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She didn't fully understand why. Maybe it was because he hadn't been involved in the training camp incident, or maybe he had done something about Neito's attitude.

If she was being honest with herself (which she was) she didn't think he was a bad person. A little aggressive and authoritative perhaps but not bad. She'd even spared with him on one occasion in the gym and he'd given her some pointers on her stance and attacks.

She couldn't understand how someone like him could become a villain, although she did suspect there was more to it.

Speaking of which, she briefly considered asking Mustard about Midoriya since they were from the same group. They must have spoken at some point. Maybe he knew about what happened here at Hades.

Those questions she pushed aside for the time being as they arrived at the Pit. It was packed with several individuals standing around it shouting as the two combatants were fighting.

Well, fighting might not have been the correct word in this case. Beating down, that was more accurate as Kendo watched the Devil Hero, Akuma, mercilessly punch his opponent while his face bled.

'He's still doing that,' Kendo thought.

During the tour earlier, they had all stopped by the Pit Akuma had been fighting another competitor in the same fashion. Umi explained who he was and what he was doing here. The man acknowledged their presence by glaring at them briefly before turning his attention towards the fight.

"With his opponent knocked out, the winner is none other than Akuma!" the announcer shouted.

There were a collective amount of cheers and groans, which Kendo assumed was from people either winning or losing a bet.

Akuma didn't appear to care though since he walked out of the ring and grabbed a towel and water.

"What's this? Has Akuma had enough?" the announcer yelled.

"FUCK YOU!" the pro yelled back. "I'm just taking a break that's all. I'll be back later. So, if you want to send in any of these weak little assholes in to fight go right ahead!"

The announcer didn't get a chance to reply as someone already jumped into the ring. This person was a little above Kendo's height, possessed long blonde hair that went down to his waist, golden-yellow eyes, visible muscles that proved he worked out. In addition, he wore a red sleeveless t-shirt, white trousers, and white shoes. He was quite handsome as well.

"I, Kitamura, would like to compete," he addressed the audience in a confident, and from what she could see, smug manner. "Does anyone object?" When no one said anything, he just smiled. "Well, in that case, who's my first opponent? Please shout if you would like the honour of fighting me?"

Akuma scowled. He really hated Kitamura. That arrogant attitude of his made him want to punch the man all the time.

There was also the fact that they never fought.

Kitamura made up the most bullshit excuses like "I feel too faint" or "I had a bad day so I'm not really in the mood". He knew the real reason though. Kitamura was too scared of him to even make a move.

The man was fully aware that Akuma was stronger than him and that if they fought, he would lose.

He was nothing but a fucking coward and Akuma hated him for it.

Several of Hades members were about to shout they wanted a chance when the sound of the gate closing drew their attention back. Moving towards Kitamura was Kendo with a determined look on her face.

"I would like to be your opponent if that's alright," Kendo declared.

For a few seconds, no one said anything. Kitamura stared at her blankly before bursting out laughing.

"Hahaha! Very funny sweetheart! That one made my day!" Kitamura chuckled.

Kendo glared at him, already disliking him. "I'm serious. I'd like to be your opponent."

Kitamura just laughed harder, much to Kendo's fury. Was he looking down on her because she was a girl, or because she was a teenager?

"Yeah, and I'd like twelve bottles of French Red Wine. Look girly, this isn't something a young maiden like yourself should be doing," Kitamura mocked. "You're too delicate after all. Why if you were to fight me you would end up breaking something."

"I can assure you," Kendo growled, her anger rising. "I won't be the one leaving this cage with something broken."

The Hades members (Mustard included) were impressed with Kendo's spirit. Kitamura still wasn't taking her seriously.

"That's right, because if you walk out here right now," he started.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP AND FIGHT!" Akuma interrupted from the sidelines. "The girl says she wants to fight so fight. Stop being such a fucking pussy and get on with it!"

Kitamura shot him a glare before composing himself.

"I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything less from you Akuma," Kitamura said softly. "You who have left many with bruises and broken bones, including female competitors. Could you not show some restraint especially with such delicate flowers?"

"Delicate flowers?" Akuma shot him a look of disbelief. "You saying women are weak?"

Kitamura scoffed. "Well against males such as you and myself of course."

Kendo had officially decided that she hated this man. Not only was not taking her seriously, but he was also misogynistic.

Never in all her life had she wanted to big fist someone as much as she did now.

"Let me give you a little life lesson you pompous dick," Akuma snarled. "Women are not weak against guys like us. They are capable of about as much as we are. And regarding the state I leave my opponents in, you're right, I do that to people women included. However, I treat women the same way as I do men. Whether it's their gender, appearance, orientation, quirk status, or height, I'm not gonna treat them differently. If you don't like that, well then piss off, because this world isn't for little boys like you."

Kitamura glared at him, hatred burning in his eyes.

Akuma returned with his own.

"Is there any rule against me competing?" Kendo asked the announcer.

"There are rules against children twelve and under fighting but since you're a teenager, and a student at a hero school to boot, there's no issue," he answered.

Kitamura was getting annoyed with Kendo and her behaviour. It was unbecoming of a lady her age.

"Now listen here," he began as his hand stretched out towards Kendo.

Kendo having had enough of his attitude grabbed his wrist and twisted it, causing Kitamura to yelp in pain. She then pulled him forward and punched him square in the jaw. She put a bit more strength into it than she planned because Kitamura was sent back into the wall of the cage.

He spit out a bit of blood and looked up at her in shock.

He wasn't the only one. The entire audience had gone quiet.

Mustard was surprised at her strength. She said she had learned how to fight before entering UA, maybe this is what she meant.

Kendo's expression was downright murderous and pissed off.

"As Akuma said, shut the fuck up and fight!" she growled.

No one noticed, but at that moment the tiniest of smiles briefly crept across Akuma's face. This was going to be interesting.

Class 1AB

The students of Class 1AB stared at the three individuals in front of them.

These were the Big Three, UA'S best and strongest students.

"The shining lights of UA students that burn brightest through the dark," Fumikage murmured amazed.

"The ones closest to pro heroes among us," Momo continued.

"I've heard about them but…" Jiro started.

"I know. Looking at them at first glance you wouldn't think it," Neito admitted.

"Looks can be deceiving," Izuku warned. "Very deceiving."

While he knew he should have paid attention to all of them, but his sole attention was on the blonde at the left.

He thought he looked familiar before but now he was certain. This year, and the last, he had seen him at the Sports Festival on TV. Even though he had only gone to the first-year events Sensei asked him to look at the third year since they would be heroes by the end of the year.

This boy was one of them.

He hadn't ranked very high, but he left quite the impression when he was left completely naked on the course.

Izuku wasn't certain, but from what he's seen of him, that boy's quirk involved phasing through solid matter.

And if he added that with what he saw at the Sports Festival, it was possible that it only worked for his physical body, not his clothes.

The other two hadn't done much to stand out either but from what he remembered, the boy could change parts of his body into different types of animals, and the girl could manipulate energy from her body to a degree and use it to move around better.

Jiro stared at them with sad eyes. 'UA's strongest huh. The closest to pros if not already stronger. I bet they could have beaten their opponents if they were at the Mall.'

The memory of how easily they had been defeated at the Mall weighed heavily on Jiro. She had never felt so weak in her life. It was another situation she'd been useless in, just like the Training Camp.

Izuku was wary of these people, especially the blonde. That guy came looking for him personally to meet with him. Why? What did he have to gain?

"Okay, can you please introduce yourselves briefly?" Aizawa requested. "Let's start with Amajiki."

The dark-haired one called Amajiki faced forward and gave them all an intensified stare which seemed to get stronger at the passing minute. Four out of the five students flinched his stare.

'This intensity, what is it?' Fumikage thought.

'Is he trying to intimidate us?' Neito wondered. 'Well, it's definitely working.'

The only one that wasn't affected was the green-eyed villain who appeared bored by the attempt.

'This is him trying to intimidate us? Pathetic!' Izuku decided. 'I've experienced far worse.'

The stare lasted for two seconds longer before all Amajiki could see were potatoes where their heads should have been. He couldn't take it anymore.

Izuku noticed the teen was trembling and had an uncomfortable look on his face.

"It's no good," he exclaimed. "Mirio, Hado. Even if I look out on them imagining that they're potatoes, everything other than their heads remains human. I still can't see them as anything other than human." His voice was incredibly anxious, and he was trembling even more than before. "What should I do? I can't…say anything…" His eyes clouded. "My mind's blank. I can't." He turned away and shoved his head into the wall. "I want to go home."

While most of the students were baffled by his behaviour Izuku gave him a sympathetic look.

'He's got anxiety issues. Poor guy,' Izuku thought. 'I feel bad about calling him pathetic before. Hmm, maybe some sessions with Hound Dog would do him some good.'

"Oh, Amajiki! That's called having the heart of a flea!" the girl, Hado, explained cheerfully. "Even though your human! It's so strange!" She then turned her attention to Class 1AB. "This the flea, Tamaki Amajiki. I'm Neijire Hado. We were asked to talk to you about work studies, due to what happened yesterday."

She scanned the room quickly before forming a confused expression.

"Isn't this supposed to be Class 1A? If that Monoma from Class 1B is here does that mean your classes have combined and become Class 1AB?" she asked indicating to Neito when she said this.

Neito flicked his hair back in a dramatic fashion.

"My what a complicated," he started before Neijire cut him off.

"Hey Jiro, are those really earphone jacks in your ears? Would they hurt if I pulled on them or would they extend?" Nejire asked.

Neito's character froze and turned white.

"They only extend if," Jiro began.

"Hey Yaoyorozu, is it true that when you use your quirk it ruins your clothes? Does that mean if you used it now your uniform would be ruined?"

Jiro felt a surge of annoyance. Why even bother asking her in the first place?

"You're right but," Momo tried to say.

"Hey Tokoyami, are you really a bird? How come you don't have wings?"

Okay, everyone was starting to get a little frustrated by her behaviour, teachers included. Aizawa was glaring daggers at her.

"Also, what about Dark Shadow. Does he have his own personality? Does he do what you want or just what he wants? Ooh, can he do tricks?"

"Um, I," Tokoyami muttered.

However, Neijire once again changed her attention again this time to Izuku.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're Midoriya aren't you? A former member of the League of Villains?" she questioned.

Izuku answered Neijire's question with a hard glare. He'd only known her a few minutes and already he didn't like her.

Former member! He was still a member. That had not and would not change. How dare this girl assume otherwise!

"What did you do for them? Did you fight heroes? Did you do crazy experiments? Did you live and do all your work on a secret island owned by your boss?" That one made no sense. "Well, well, well, tell me!"

"Fuck off!" Izuku snapped surprising her. "What I did is my business and no one else's." At that point, he unleashed some of his killing intent causing others in the room to flinch. "You are here to talk about your past work experiences, not ask useless questions you won't even let us answer. So, get on with it. I have had a really stressful couple of days, scratch that I've had a stressful life. So, believe me, I am not in the mood for childish behaviour." A dark aura surrounded Izuku. "Get on with it or so help me I will drag you over to the door and literally throw you out! Do I make myself clear!?"

The room (minus Vlad and Aizawa) was frightened and intimidated by Izuku. Or at least that's how it seemed.

"Wow that's so cool," Neijire exclaimed with a bright smile on her face. "How are you releasing pressure like that?"

Izuku was taken back. She wasn't affected by his killing intent in the slightest!

'Shit, that normally works,' he inwardly groaned.

"Also, where's that darkness around you coming from?" she continued.

"My soul!" he snarled hoping to scare her.

It had the opposite effect.

"Really, that's amazing. Can anyone do it?" she inquired.

Izuku stared at her completely dumbfounded. The killing intent and aura having all but vanished.

"Seriously! What is wrong with this girl?" Dark Shadow asked incredulously.

'She's really cheerful and energetic,' Tokoyami suggested.

"Understatement of the year!" the sentient quirk responded sarcastically.

"I'm sorry. There's just so much I want to know about all of you! It's so strange!"

Aizawa and Vlad had both had enough and were now glaring at Mirio, with auras of their own appearing.

"Isn't this lacking in rationality?" Aizawa interrogated.

"This isn't why we called you guys in you know!" Vlad added darkly.

"Don't worry, Eraser Head, Vlad King!" Mirio answered quickly while sweating slightly and waving his hand. "I'm going last to wrap things up, right?"

The two didn't look convinced but decided to let him move on. Mirio leaned slightly and placed his elbow on Aizawa's desk. It was time for his big game-changer to lift the mood of this class.

"The future's gonna be…" Mirio announced with enthusiasm that could rival All Mights.

There was silence. He was being given blank stares by the students in front of him. Izuku concluded that he wanted them to answer.

"Gonna be what?" Neito muttered confused.

"Grim, that's what you're supposed to say, right?" Mirio countered with a bright smile. "Alright, my call and response was a huge failure."

Izuku looked at Mirio with disbelief. Was this guy serious?

Also, grim? Who uses grim anymore? This wasn't a comic book.

"All three of them are kind of weird," Neito muttered. "Even though they're the big three, it's like…"

"You can feel it in their personalities," Fumikage stated.

"If you say so," Dark Shadow added.

"You all look like you don't know what's going on, right?" Mirio pointed out. "We're third years who suddenly appeared to talk about fighting villains from internships when there are bigger issues at hand. That's confusing, right?"

Izuku didn't think so.

"Not the way you're thinking of," earning the blonde's attention. "UA was broken into right after getting security improvements and losing multiple students at once. To top it off this was done by the same group on the same day. Therefore, it only stands to reason that they would want UA's strongest to speak with us about fighting villains. Though your words are questionable since we don't know whether the villains you fought were small fry or legitimate threats."

Tamaki gazed at Izuku from the corner of his eye. So far, he seemed like the most intelligent one here. Then again, being a villain himself he would probably be able to tell the difference between who was dangerous and who wasn't.

Mirio was left even more interested by Izuku, or as others called him, Deku. He wondered how Sir would get along with him.

"Gee, when you put it like that, you do have a point," Mirio agreed. "The villains we fought might have been strong, but they also might have been weak. If that were the case, then I guess that makes us weak to."

'You said it, not me,' Izuku inwardly pointed out. 'Yet, why do I get the feeling you're plotting something else?'

"You're all first years yet you've been many battles with villains," he cast a glance at Izuku. "And heroes. This year's first years are really energetic, right? Besides, it looks like my jokes didn't work earlier."

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Tamaki and Neijire stared at Mirio with wide eyes. They knew where he was going with this.

Raising his arm, he shouted, "Why don't you all fight me at once?"

The second he said that there were shouts of surprise, protest, and confusion.

'Is this why he didn't engage me before?' Izuku wondered. 'Because it would involve an illegal fight on campus?'

"It's the most rational to have you experience our experience first-hand, right?" Mirio addressed the teachers. "How about it, Sensei's?"

Vlad remained indifferent but Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "Do what you want."

With that, it was decided to meet at Gym Gamma. Costumes were unrequired, only PE uniforms. Before they could head out, Neito interrupted them with a surprising request.

"Hey Sensei," he called out.

"Yes, what is it?" Vlad asked.

"Since we're low on numbers, would it be alright if I invited Shinso to participate?" Neito requested.

Aizawa's interest was piqued.

"May I ask why?"

Neito stared at the ground. "I know he's not the strongest physically, but intellectually he's quite good. And his quirk, it's powerful. Look what it did last night."

Aizawa and Vlad couldn't deny it. Hitoshi had been very helpful in taking down Blade last night, he may be able to do it again.

"I know he's not in the Hero Course, but it will be a good experience for him," Neito pressed. "Fighting with stronger opponents. And unless I'm mistaken, there's no rule forbidding a student from another course taking part in another course's class unless the teacher says otherwise."

Aizawa smirked. "That's as good a reason as any I suppose. Very well then, send him a message to be at Gym Gamma in thirty minutes fully dressed."

Neito nodded and started typing on his phone.

Aizawa was pleased. He's been wanting to get a better look at Hitoshi's abilities for a while now to see if there was anything that could be improved and maybe learned.

Izuku was also pleased. Hitoshi would give them the edge they needed.

Gym Gamma

Everyone was fully dressed and stood waiting at Gym Gamma. Mirio was doing stretches while everyone was preparing in their own way.

Hitoshi had been surprised when he got a message from Neito asking him to take part. He didn't know how much use he would be, but he doubted he'd get a chance like this again. A chance to show people what he could really do.

"Mirio, you probably shouldn't," Tamaki murmured to the wall, but could still be heard. "For work studies, it would have been enough for us to say, "This is how it was, and I learned a lot from it." Not everyone is filled to the brim with ambition. We can't end up with kids who are unable to recover after this."

That both intrigued and concerned the students.

"What does he mean by that?" Momo asked.

"I'd say he's underestimating us, but I seriously doubt it," Neito suggested. "Not with that look in his eyes."

Izuku turned to him. "So, you realized it too."

Neito nodded in confirmation.

Hitoshi seemed to understand as well. "Ah, I get it now."

"What are you guys talking about?" Jiro asked confused.

"Just look at him," Neito said motioning towards Mirio. "He challenged us all at the same time with a completely straight face. He didn't say it in a condescending tone, meaning he's taking us seriously. Not only that, but he's also certain of his victory, numbers be damned."

"He's right," Izuku stated. "Togata might seem goofy but he's not stupid, he wouldn't make a challenge like this unless he was sure he could win, no one would. Remember when my group attacked the USJ?" The others nodded not understanding why he was bringing this up now. "I went there for my own reasons, but Tomura went there to kill All Might. Despite what you might think of him, he is not stupid. He didn't attempt such a feat thinking it would be a measly effort, he did it with a plan and the belief he would actually succeed because he had someone who was just as strong as All Might with him."

Aizawa shuddered at the memory of Nomu. How easily it defeated him. How broke his bones with relative ease.

"Whatever he's planning, he knows he can win," Izuku finished. "So, be on your guards."

No one questioned him. If what Izuku and Neito were saying was true, then Mirio was obviously more dangerous than he was letting on.

"You guys can come from anywhere at any time," Mirio informed them. "So, who's up first?"

Izuku immediately stepped forward. "I'd like to go first if that's alright. Any objections?"

Mirio waved his head in denial, which was good enough for him.

Aizawa and Vlad both shouted that this would be a good experience for them and to make the most of it.

"Problem child!" Mirio addressed Izuku. "That's good! You're really energetic."

Izuku took up a fighting stance while the others got their quirks out and ready.

Neito touched and copied several quirks to use at his disposal.

'He's strong, I can feel it,' Izuku pondered. 'But I won't go down easily. So, bring it on.'

Without further ado, the battle between UA's first years and the strongest began.

Izuku dashed towards Mirio at a speed that surprised everyone. He leapt forward and aimed a spinning kick towards Mirio's face. While doing so, Mirio kept on smiling as his clothes started to fall off.

Jiro let out a scream and covered her eyes while blushing profusely. The others either had shocked expressions or were gawking.

"His clothes came off!" Neito exclaimed.

"Oh, excuse me, the fine-tuning is tricky," Mirio apologised while trying to put on his pants.

Izuku continued with his assault undeterred by the scene. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before.

His kick went through Mirio's head.

'I was right, his quirk is phasing, though his clothes aren't affected,' Izuku realized. 'That's a tricky quirk, especially since you can't tell when it's activated.'

"You went for the face huh," Mirio murmured.

Izuku attacked him again by releasing several punches and kicks which all went through Mirio.

Mirio launched a punch of his own which Izuku tried to block only for Mirio's entire arm to go through his hand. When the fist reached his face, it was physical and strong. Izuku was sent flying back with his feet skidding across the ground.

Before he could even blink, Mirio was on him in an instant and delivered a hard punch to his stomach.

Izuku gasped from the pain and was barely able to stand. That really hurt, he felt like he could vomit at any second.

Mirio on the other hand was impressed.

"Huh, normally that would be an instant knockout but you're still standing. You're strong," Mirio complimented while Izuku glared at him. "I like you."

Before he could continue, he was interrupted by a wave of sound hitting him, or least it looked like it.

Jiro who was still blushing, launched her own attack while there was a bit of distance between Mirio and Izuku. They couldn't let him do all the fighting.

'Still, why do his clothes have to come off!? Even his underwear!?' she agonized over.

When her attack cleared, Mirio was nowhere to be seen. Izuku understood what had really happened though.

"Jiro, he's aiming for behind you," Izuku shouted as a warning.

No sooner had he said it, Mirio popped out of the ground from behind, again completely naked, causing Jiro to scream.

"Close your eyes and fire," Neito shouted.

Normally he wouldn't suggest such a brash and risky move, but they couldn't afford to hold back.

Jiro, on instinct, did what she was told and fired again, only for Mirio to disappear beneath the ground once more.

"What is this? A warping quirk?" Momo asked incredulously.

"It can't be," Hitoshi argued. "You saw how he disappeared through the ground. His quirk involves phasing. Who's to say he can't control his movement and speed while doing it."

Aizawa smirked at Hitoshi's deduction. He was analytical and cautious.

Hitoshi, meanwhile, knew he had to act. He couldn't just stand there doing nothing. He glanced at Izuku who nodded back. They didn't know if Mirio knew about his quirk but now was as good a time as any to find out.

Mirio sprung from his hiding place, this time behind Tokoyami.

"Why the hell are you fighting us naked?" he asked.

He didn't know why it was just the first thing that came into his head.

"Sorry, it's," Mirio started before his eyes went blank.

The brainwashing had been successful.

Not wanting to waste this chance, Fumikage and Neito (with his copied version) unleashed a Dark Shadow Strike at full power that sent Mirio flying.

Jiro followed up with her own sonic attack that was successful in hitting this time.

Mirio was sent crashing into the wall. The dust made it hard to see, but there was no sign he was standing.

"We did it," Jiro murmured.

Tamaki and Neijire were stunned that Mirio had been successfully hit. They couldn't even remember the last time something like that had happened.

They turned their gazes to Hitoshi who was the sole reason. They didn't know how, but he did something. It must have been his quirk, whatever that was.

Vlad was very impressed. He had seen how strong Mirio was, and he'd never been hurt once. He glanced towards Neito who was panting heavily. He could see why he asked for Hitoshi now.

Aizawa was the same. He legitimately thought they would all be knocked out instantly, but they proved him wrong. He stared at Hitoshi who looked relieved. That boy had so much potential, yet it was going to waste.

During the Sports Festival, he had taken a personal interest in Hitoshi. He was the only Gen Ed student who made it to the final rounds of the Sports Festival. He was also the only student (excluding Hatsume) whose quirk wasn't combat orientated.

Despite bandages covering his body, Aizawa could see that drive within the boy to become a hero. It had been the same as his when he was a student at UA. Like Hitoshi, he had been a part of General Education and he had to fight his way through the Sports Festival in order to gain acceptance to the Hero Course.

After the last Sports Festival, he had wanted Hitoshi in the Hero Course, but his proposal had been shut down for the reasons he told Midoriya. Other's reasons, not his.

Looking back on it now, he realized he should have fought harder to get him in. The only reason Hitoshi had failed the Entrance Exam was that his quirk wasn't suited to battling opponents like robots, which was pathetic.

Aizawa had always believed the Entrance Exam was irrational because people with quirks like his and Hitoshi's usually got left out. He had, of course, argued about it with Nezu for years but unfortunately, and as much as he hated to admit it, an examination that accommodated everyone was difficult to conceive.

'Perhaps it's not too late! Maybe I could mentor him even,' Aizawa pondered.

He had considered it before, especially after he found out about Hitoshi's situation. Aizawa despised bullying and was furious that this had been going on for a while. Being bullied because others decided his quirk made him a villain. As if they had a right to decide that.

"Ow," came Mirio's voice. "That really hurt. You first years really are something, right?"

The students couldn't believe their eyes as Mirio stood up smiling.

'HE'S STILL STANDING AFTER THAT!' they all mentally screamed.

Mirio wasn't entirely sure how they'd managed to hit him, but he knew Hitoshi was responsible.

He groaned while flexing his muscles. He hadn't come out unscathed. Those attacks left his body sore while his ears were ringing. He needed to finish this, and fast.

Spreading his arms out he disappeared beneath the ground again. The students prepared themselves, but Mirio was going all out this time.

Moving faster than before he appeared beside Hitoshi and delivered a hard punch to his stomach that left him on the ground gagging. He then moved quickly to do it on Momo and Jiro who were left in a similar state.

'They'll be out for a little while,' Izuku thought. 'Those punches of his are no joke. I'm only still standing because of the training I've gone through. If I hadn't, I would be where they are.' He looked down at Momo. 'Don't worry Yaoyorozu. I won't let what you've given me go to waste.'

During the other's assault, Momo had thrown him something she thought would be very useful.

Fumikage and Neito attempted to use Dark Shadow as armour, but it was no match for Mirio's strength. All it took was three punches each and they were out.

"POWER!" Mirio yelled.

That left Izuku, on his own to face UA's strongest student. But he wouldn't back down not now.

"Mirio Togata," Aizawa murmured.

"To my knowledge, he's the closest to being number one, including the pros," Vlad added.

Izuku stared at him defiantly. Mirio couldn't help but admire the look in his eyes.

"What are you waiting for? Come at me!" Izuku challenged.

Wasting no more time, Mirio disappeared again. However, this time it was Izuku who was prepared.

Swinging his leg back he aimed where Mirio came up. The latter was surprised Izuku predicted his movements but that didn't stop him. Mirios arm phased through Izuku's leg and two of his fingers were headed straight for Izuku's eyes.

"But here's an ultimate move," Mirio declared. "Blinder Touch Eyeball Crush!"

As his fingers came closer, Izuku on reflex, was about to close his eyes.

'DON'T EVER SHUT YOUR EYES!' a familiar voice in his head shouted.

That voice in the spilt second, caused Izuku to have a flashback to his time at Hades.

Flashback

Izuku was sweating profusely. He'd been doing well in this sparring match so far, but things had quickly turned serious.

The red spear came closer to his left eye. Izuku, on reflex, closed it.

"DON'T EVER SHUT YOUR EYES!" the pro hero yelled.

In an instant, Izuku felt a strong blow towards his stomach that caused him to gag and sent him crashing to the ground. When he tried to get up, he was pinned to the ground and had a spear inch above his throat.

Looking up he saw a very angry Cu Chulainn glaring down at him.

That's right! It was Ireland's former No.1 hero, having a sparring match again.

Cu Chulainn continued to glare at him. "Why did you close your eyes?"

Izuku shot him an incredulous look. "Your spear was centimetres from impaling my eye."

"And?" Cu Chulainn replied. "Do you think I would have actually gone through with it?"

"It was reflex," Izuku defended.

Cu Chulainn sighed and stood up offering a hand to Izuku, who graciously accepted.

"Believe me you would know if I was going to," he defended. "I can't exactly explain it. When someone tries to do that, you can tell whether they're serious or not. You can see it in their eyes." That made no sense to Izuku. "Besides, even if you close your eye, you're still going to get stabbed so what's the point?"

Izuku didn't know how to answer that one. Cu Chulainn did have a point. Still, wasn't it only natural to react like that.

Cu Chulainn seemed to know what he was thinking.

"Right now, you're thinking isn't it only natural to react like that, aren't you?" he said in a bored tone.

Izuku felt his insides freeze and he stared at the pro horrified. WHY WAS HE SO EASY FOR PEOPLE TO READ?

"You're also wondering why you're so easy for people to read."

Izuku performed an anime fall, much to Cu Chulainn's amusement.

"It's because of your facial expression, it's quite easy to read," Cu Chulainn explained.

Izuku silently cursed for being so obvious.

"Back to the topic at hand, when you're in battle, don't ever close your eyes," he instructed. "If you do, you're basically inviting the opponent to attack you because they know you won't be able to counter what you can't see."

"I guess," Izuku admitted. "If I don't close my eyes, what do I do? Try to dodge or block it?"

Cu Chulainn contemplated his answer. He couldn't just take this one lightly.

"Either is fine, whichever one helps you come out unscathed," Cu Chulainn answered.

Izuku thought the response was a bit vague, but he didn't question it. The man was more of an expert in this field than he was after all.

"Though when you know if they're actually trying to kill you or not try to go along with it," Cu Chulainn continued. "If someone is unwilling to kill you, use that to your advantage." Izuku gave him a confused look. "Like small-time thugs or pro heroes for instance."

Izuku's expression quickly changed from confused to surprised. That was unusual advice to be giving, especially to someone like him.

Cu Chulainn wasn't stupid or naïve. He knew exactly who he was and what he was.

"Are you sure you should be giving advice like that to someone like me?" Izuku asked nervously.

The hero frowned. "Because you're a villain?" Izuku nodded causing him to sigh. "Do you honestly think I care about that sort of thing? Villain or not, you're a teenager in a dangerous place. You'll need all the skills you can acquire to survive."

"Alright I get it," Izuku agreed knowing he couldn't argue. "Thanks."

"No problem," Cu Chulainn shrugged. "Besides, it's not such a bad trick to use. Most heroes will be willing to hurt you, but not to the point where it involves removing a body part."

Izuku shivered at the idea. He knew a lot of heroes were willing to either burn or break their enemy's bones, but mutilation, they weren't that extreme.

"Can we go again?" Izuku requested. "This time I promise I won't close my eyes."

"If you say so. Just don't be an eejit about it this time," Cu Chulainn told him.

Izuku blinked confused.

"Iiiiiii-jii-too," he tried pronouncing. "What's that? Is it an English word? I've never heard of it."

Cu Chulainn laughed. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten that response and it wouldn't be the last.

"It's a word we use in my country," Cu Chulainn explained. "I don't know the Japanese word but in English, it's 'idiot'."

Izuku furrowed his eyebrows. Cu Chulainn used a lot of terms from Ireland he had never heard of, or at least sounded strange to him. Not that he minded or anything. One or two sounded funny even.

"Baka," Izuku responded much to Cu Chulainn's confusion. "That's the Japanese word for 'idiot'."

Cu Chulainn laughed and the two started their sparring match with the pro promising he wouldn't take out his eye. He also said Izuku was unlikely to do the same to anyone else.

That man, at the time he had no idea.

Flashback end

Mirio's fingers were incredibly close to Izuku's eyes. However, Izuku didn't close them, he kept them wide open, an act which surprised Mirio.

'Odd, most people would close their eyes when I do this,' he thought. 'In that case.'

He continued with his attack with his arm about to phase through Izuku when he turned his head away and dropped his body to the ground.

Mirio turned his own body and attempted to deliver a strong punch Izuku's stomach. However, this time he was met with surprise as what he felt wasn't a soft surface but a tight one. Izuku had caught his hand as his fist materialized.

"It's almost impossible to tell when you're using your quirk, almost," Izuku taunted. "What I could tell was where you were aiming to hit."

Mirio was briefly stunned and impressed at what Izuku had said but didn't get a chance to dwell on it as the boy tightened his grip and pulled away trying to take Mirio with him.

Mirio phased again and attempted to punch Izuku a second time, only for Izuku to use his free hand to push himself (via the ground) away.

Mirio came after him, but Izuku was ready this time. He flipped up and threw the very thing Momo had thrown him before she was taken out.

A Russian Matryoshka Nesting Doll.

Mirio blinked confused as the small doll came crashing to the ground. The second it did an explosion of light occurred, forcing Mirio to close his eyes.

Not wanting to waste this chance Izuku moved forward and kicked at Mirio's leg's calling him to fall to the ground. He then jumped over and attempted to kick Mirio's back only for the man to phase again.

'Damn it!' Izuku silently cursed. 'What's it going to take to beat this guy?'

'Hahahaha,' Mirio inwardly chuckled. 'You're really something Midoriya! I haven't been on the edge like this in a while. It's been a privilege to fight you and your classmates. If possible. I'd like to speak with you after this. However, like all good things, this must come to an end!'

Mirio came out of the ground and raced towards Izuku at a much faster pace. He then leapt out of the ground prepared to punch him again.

'Since it's come to this, I've got no choice,' Izuku decided. 'Killing Intent: Max'

Izuku unleashed a powerful wave of killing intent that left everyone, including the teachers frozen. Izuku was shaking somewhat while doing this as well. Something like this wasn't that easy. For some reason though, Mirio continued his advancement towards him unaffected.

'What? Why isn't it working?' he wondered.

Too late to move, Mirio's fist connected with his stomach in a much more powerful fashion. Izuku bent down and gagged in agony only for Mirio to deliver a straight uppercut that sent Izuku flying into the air., eyes completely blank. He crashed to the ground eyes still open but unable to move.

The students who'd participated were shocked that he'd been defeated. They were just starting to stand up from earlier.

"Is he alright?" Hitoshi called out concerned.

Mirio grinned. "He's fine."

Hitoshi activated his quirk on instinct and for the second time in a row, Mirio was placed under his control.

"Nobody touches him," Hitoshi warned. "He'll be like that for a few minutes. Just grab Midoriya and keep away from him."

No sooner had he said it was Momo and Fumikage going to pull their classmate away. Once Izuku was with them, they contemplated what to do next. They were all too tired to fight, and Izuku was in no perfect condition either.

"Alright you lot, I think that's enough," Vlad interrupted walking up to them alongside Aizawa. Their expression was completely neutral. "We've seen all we needed to see, and so have you from what I can tell." He wasn't wrong. "You did a good job out there. You didn't exactly win but you didn't lose either. At least as far as I could see."

"You all worked together and adapted to your situation to the best of your abilities, especially you," Aizawa said indicating to Hitoshi. "You took out someone whose abilities rival a pro with very little experience. Very impressive!"

Hitoshi's face reddened at the praise. It was unusual for him, yet it felt good. Maybe his quirk wasn't so bad after all.

A few minutes later

After everyone had recovered and Mirio was unbrainwashed the Big Three faced the students and offered their congratulations. Mirio was especially impressed with them. He also apologized to the girls for seeing his naked form. Izuku had something he wanted to ask him.

"Hey Togata," he addressed. "Your quirk, when you use it, what do you feel?" Mirio's eyes widened. "Can you feel anything, see anything at all? Can you even breathe?"

Mirio waved his head. "Well now, this is a surprise. You've got to be the first person who's ever figured it out. My quirk 'permeation', when fully activated lets me go through everything, including the ground. While it looks like I'm going into the ground it's actually me falling. And then when I release my quirk something strange happens. Apparently, things that have mass can't overlap, so I get repelled. I get repelled to the surface in an instant."

Izuku's eyes widened. "So that's what it was. You weren't warping at all. You were controlling the angle of your mass and releasing it in the direction you wanted to move around."

Mirio nodded in confirmation. "That's right."

"So, you can avoid all the attacks and move wherever you want in an instant. That's quite a powerful quirk," Momo acknowledged.

Mirio waved his head again.

"No, I made it into a strong quirk. As Midoriya said, I can't feel or see anything. I can't even breathe. When activated, my lungs can't take in oxygen, vibrations go through my eardrums and light through my retinas. I literally go through everything. I just fall while I have mass. That's all," Mirio continued. "That's why if I want to go through a wall, I activate everything but one leg, then I release in the other leg and land on it and activate my other leg and go through. Even for a simple action like that, there are a couple of steps involved, right?"

"In other words, it's like controlled falling," Neito suggested.

Mirio nodded. The students were impressed, to say the least. If they knew about that first, they might have assumed it wouldn't have done him any good. Something like that required a lot of control most people wouldn't have been able to achieve for years.

"With my quirk, I was always dead last. So, in order to get ahead, I had to be smarter and quicker than everyone else. Sometimes I had to be tricky! Above all, I had to be able to predict what would happen. And what made those predictions possible was experience! I built my predictions on what I knew! That is why I wanted to fight you all, to show you through experience rather than words! In work studies, we're not guests we're either sidekicks or pros. I experienced a lot of things a pro would like fear and almost watching others die. And I built my predictions off of those. You could do the same, you just need experience," Mirio finished.

Once he was finished there was a round of applause from everyone including Izuku.

'Funny, his quirk situation isn't that different from Shiro's,' Izuku thought.

The third years said their goodbyes while Mirio made plans to speak with Izuku later. He was definitely interested in him.

He couldn't help but wonder if Sir Nighteye would be the same.

Vlad and Aizawa requested to speak with Neito later, much to the latter's surprise. Hitoshi, seeing that his purpose was fulfilled returned to the dorm as did the others.

However, the day wasn't finished yet, not for Izuku, and certainly not for Kendo.

Notes:

Hi there. Thank God I'm finally finished. Originally there supposed to be another meeting with Izuku and Mirio alongside Kendo's battle however, I go sick of waiting so I'm saving it for the next chapter.

I hope no one minds the slight change to the canon battle I made. Izuku didn't win but Mirio didn't come out unscathed either. Given that Neito and Hitoshi were involved this time it's a different scenario since Mirio didn't know Hitoshi's quirk.

Hope you enjoyed. Please Review.

Chapter 47: Kendo vs Kitamura

Summary:

Kendo fights for her life in the Pit against the ruthless Kitamura.

Notes:

Thanks to everyone who submitted an OC for the Raid. They will be quite useful in the future chapters, however, I need to decide on who they'll fight and what they'll do during the raid.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The shouts and cheers in the Pit returned shortly after Kendo's successful right hook to Kitamura, who was now fuming with anger.

How dare this girl strike him! And after he had been generous enough to offer a chance to walk away! Well, that offer was now gone and thrown out the window! He would show her what her place was in Hades, and in general.

Akuma watched with mild interest. That punch Kendo pulled just now. The way she turned her hips to give it power, she had been trained. He didn't know how well, but trained, nonetheless.

He wanted to watch and see what else she would do. Besides, it was rare for him to sit back and enjoy a fight, and one where he would witness Kitamura get a well-deserved ass-kicking. This was bound to be interesting.

Mustard was more concerned about Kendo coming out in one piece. She was strong, he knew that, but Kitamura was no joke either. She would need to do everything she could to win.

Kendo just got into a fighting stance, waiting impatiently for the match to start.

As soon as the ref called it the match began.

Kitamura made the first move. Launching himself at Kendo he rapidly released multiple punches, only for Kendo to turn each time and dodge. When one punch came, Kendo turned again, this time however grabbing his right wrist and twisting it into the hold with her left hand holding Kitamura down by the shoulder.

She attempted to push him down further and put him into submission, but before she even got the chance Kitamura used her momentum against her. He swung his body over and put her in a hold of his own. He then kneed her in the stomach.

Kitamura smirked smugly.

'That's right, like that,' he thought.

Unfortunately for him, he was so focused on Kendo's head he didn't notice her right leg swinging back to kick him on the head. The force from the kick cause Kitamura to yelp in pain and break the hold.

Kendo wasn't finished.

Before Kitamura could turn, she jumped and performed a reverse turning kick that sent Kitamura crashing face-first into the steel cage.

The crowd was roaring with many cheering for Kendo to win.

'Maybe I was worried for nothing,' Mustard thought. 'If she keeps this up, she'll win no problem.'

Oh, how wrong he was!

Kitamura turned to face her fully, with an expression of pure rage plastered across his face.

"You bitch!" he snarled through his teeth. "Okay, no more Mr Nice Guy. This time I'm really going all out!"

Despite his threat, Kendo didn't look intimidated. After everything she had seen, she knew this guy was nothing to compare to. Still, she didn't lower her guard. Things were about to get difficult.

Kitamura attacked her again, this time with more viciousness behind his strikes. He jabbed at Kendo who barely managed to block. For each jab, she deflected it by using her hands to slightly alter the direction. However, as she continued to block, the jabs came quicker and more aggressive. Eventually, a strike did breakthrough and hit Kendo across the face, breaking her concentration.

Not wasting this opportunity, Kitamura advanced and punched her again, this time harder. Kendo staggered slightly and then suddenly, she found herself being punched again and again despite her attempts to block it.

Kitamura then ducked and performed a leg sweep, only for Kendo to jump up and dodge. With her suspended in the air, Kitamura spun gracefully and used his arms to position himself in a half-complete handstand and then propel his legs straight into Kendo's chest.

Kendo flew through the air until her back collided with the cage, and she fell to the ground.

"KENDO!" Mustard shouted. 'Shit this is bad! If this keeps up, she'll be walking out of here with broken bones.'

Akuma wasn't as concerned. Yes, the girl was hurt, but that happened in this kind of thing. She was holding her own though and doing a decent job of it. A normal person would have passed out by now, but she was still conscious. All that was left now was her comeback.

'This fight is far from over,' the devil hero murmured. 'Come on now girl, show me what you got!'

Kendo, despite being in pain, managed to stand up again, much to Kitamura's annoyance. She took up a fighting stance to show that she was continuing, however, her injuries were plain to see.

The left side of her face was red (meaning she'd see a bruise later) and a bit of blood flowing down her lip.

Though she couldn't say for certain, Kendo believed she cracked a rib or two during that last attack.

Ignoring the pain, Kendo dashed forward, while Kitamura did the same. Kendo brought her knee up as she jumped towards him.

Seeing this Kitamura sidestepped and punched her only for Kendo to turn in time and catch it. Kitamura used his back leg to perform a turning kick, only for Kendo to duck under.

Kitamura changed the trajectory of his leg so it would come straight down on Kendo's head. However, Kendo allowed herself to drop and somersault, her head just narrowly missing the kick.

As she somersaulted, she pulled her leg backwards and kicked Kitamura on the head with her heel. The impact sent him staggering.

'She tricked her opponent into leaving themselves wide open by giving them an open attack. Not bad,' Akuma commented internally.

Kitamura quickly recovered and launched another kick at Kendo's sides. However, this time she caught it in her left arm and brought her other arms elbow down onto it.

Kitamura yelped as she did it a second time, this one stronger than the last.

She then swapped the arms she was using to pivot herself closer to her enemy where she delivered two quick backfists to his face. Kitamura was looking slightly dazed which Kendo took full advantage of. Still holding his leg, Kendo kicked at his other leg to get him on the ground.

What happened next surprised everyone.

Kendo took Kitamura's legs and positioned herself properly before dropping and placing him in a figure-four lock. Kitamura howled in pain as she continued to apply pressure.

'You bitch! That fucking does it! I'm ending this now!' he silently declared. 'The only way you're walking, or should I say being dragged, out of here now is bloody and unconscious. You'll regret having challenged me, you pathetic girl!'

Twisting his hips, he managed to reverse the hold and force her to release it. Before Kendo could stand up, Kitamura was on her. He dragged her up by the hair and then with incredible strength, lifted her up and slammed her down onto the ground still holding her hair. Kendo landed face first, and it was quite painful.

Kitamura pulled her up again and punched her hard in the face causing her to spit out some blood. He then repeatedly kicked her in the stomach before sending her flying once again into the cage.

"Okay, that's enough!" Mustard shouted. "You've made your point! You don't need to go any further!"

Kitamura simply waved him off. "She wanted this. So, she'll get the full treatment till the bitter end."

Mustard couldn't believe what he was hearing. Wasn't it obvious to this man that he had won? Anyone could tell that from the state Kendo was in.

There was blood coming from her mouth, there was a cut on the right side of her head where blood flowed out of it, not to mention she looked worn out.

He was about to speak when Akuma stopped him. "Don't. No need."

"What are you saying?" Mustard asked incredulously. Was he seriously okay with this?

Akuma's eyes narrowed. "Look at her. Does she look like someone who's given up yet?" Mustard glanced at Kendo who was trying to stand up. Akuma was right. "If she's still breathing, she can still fight. So have a bit of faith in her."

Mustard chose to just take his word for it. He had participated in these fights for a long time, so it made sense he would know.

Kitamura was furious with Kendo. 'Dammit! What's it going to take to keep her down? Oh well, doesn't matter. This ends now!'

Kitamura dragged Kendo up once again and attempted to run her into the cage walls. When he did, Kendo experienced a recent flashback shortly before she arrived here.

Flashback

Kendo was on the ground being held down firmly by her opponent. It was a light spar, just a way to see what each other was capable of nothing more. And she'd been doing well by getting her opponent in the same position only to be reversed using a basic technique.

"Would you like me to get up now?" her partner asked. "You can't escape, and I don't plan to move anytime soon. So?"

Kendo sighed. There was nothing wrong with admitting defeat (depending on the person.

"Yes, Midoriya I'd like you to get up," Kendo answered. "You've won."

Izuku stood up slowly and offered her his hand which she graciously accepted.

She had come here to the gym for a bit of physical training when she came across UA's newest transfer student kicking some punching bags. They greeted each other and he offered to spar which he accepted. It was nice.

There weren't many in her class she could spar with, martial arts wise that is.

She'd only known Midoriya a short while but already she liked him. He was smart, strong, and he got her class to stop their rivalry with Class 1A and focus more on training.

He also managed to tone down Neito to a degree. As a friend, she liked him a lot, but his new personality could be really annoying sometimes.

"You use multiple styles as well?" Izuku asked.

"Yeah," Kendo confirmed. "I've been training in them for most of my life. You see my quirk is 'Big Fist'. As the name implies, it enlarges my hands allowing me to carry more and give me extra strength. While it is useful, I chose to study martial arts as a way to widen my combat capabilities. If I just went in swinging my fists it would make me predictable. Wouldn't you agree?"

"True," Izuku acknowledged. "I had to learn martial arts so I could defend myself properly. It isn't easy being quirkless."

Kendo had to acknowledge that. She was well aware of how quirkless people were treated and didn't agree with it at all. Although, Izuku was the first quirkless individual she'd ever met.

"By the way, who exactly trained you?" she asked curiously. "Could they teach me anything?"

Izuku instantly gave her a worried and panicked expression, much to her confusion.

"Look Kendo, you're a great girl, and please don't take this as me calling you weak or anything but, believe me when I say, you do not want the training I went through," Izuku warned, sweat appearing on his forehead. "I could only describe it to you as pure, absolute, hell. And my teacher, she could be called the Devils incarnate. Her training was so intense that there were several times when I thought I was literally going to die."

Kendo felt afraid of this person just by hearing about them. She had to be if she could make Midoriya react that way.

Izuku quickly decided to change the subject.

"Do you do any gymnastics?" he asked.

Kendo frowned. "I know the basics. Why?"

"It's quite useful for moving around and getting out of certain situations," Izuku told her. He then faced the farthest wall. "Take this for example."

He started running towards the wall. When he reached it, he placed his feet on the wall and started running up. He got two steps up and on the third step, he flipped backwards and landed successfully on both feet.

Kendo was both impressed and shocked speechless. She'd heard of something like that being possible to do but this was the first time she had ever seen it.

A feat like that required a lot of momentum, speed, and strength. It also took a lot of balance control.

"That is useful for both showing off and avoiding an enemy that's chasing you or trying to throw you into a wall," Izuku explained. "You have to be incredibly quick about it, otherwise you'll end up falling."

Kendo gave it a try herself but ended up falling on her back three times.

"Ow," she groaned. "That hurt. This is really difficult."

"It just takes practice that's all," Izuku responded. "The main thing you need to do is not think about it."

Kendo shot him a look that said 'are you serious?

"I know, it's a stupid saying, but actually pretty efficient," Izuku continued. "Don't think about it all. Or rather, don't think of it as running up a wall, think of it as…"

Flashback end

'Think of it as running down the road then jumping,' Kendo remembered as she came closer to the wall.

Kitamura released her hair as he threw her, and Kendo took advantage. Following Izuku's advice, she didn't think about it at all. She imagined it as just running. Her foot connected with the wall, followed by the second, and finished by the third which allowed her to leap over her opponent while shoving him into the cage using his momentum against him.

"HOLY SHIT!" Mustard exclaimed.

"Now that's what I call a comeback!" Akuma complimented with a small hint of a smile appearing on his face.

Kitamura barely registered what happened before he turned around and was met with a reverse turning kick straight to the face, briefly dazing him and causing him to spit up some blood.

'I can't waste this chance!' Kendo mentally shouted.

Ignoring all pain she was feeling, Kendo let out a scream and smashed her fist against Kitamura's jaw. Kitamura could have sworn he felt one of his teeth break.

With one punch successful, Kendo looked to do it again, this time aiming for his chest and ribs. She repeatedly punched him between the ribs and the face not giving him a chance to counter.

She then grabbed him by the shoulder and kneed him in the stomach with both her legs.

Kitamura felt a bit of vomit come up, but he was too distracted by the blood in his mouth.

This can't be happening,' Kitamura thought disbelievingly.

Kendo threw the man to the ground and secured herself on him so he couldn't get up. At that, she started punching him in the face, her shots becoming more aggressive by the second.

The memory of her battle with Aqua at the mall surfaced. How easily she'd been defeated.

She punched with her right, and blood came from Kitamura's mouth out to the left.

The memory of witnessing Ibara almost violated. How hopeless and useless she felt.

She punched with her left, and blood came from Kitamura's jaw to the right.

Each memory fuelled her anger and frustration, and it became a new power for her to use against her enemy.

Finally, the memory of encountering Uwabami earlier, and how Kendo learned of her cowardice, of how most heroes were this way made her burn with rage.

It was that moment she stopped believing in heroes, that moment when realized the only way they would be saved was if they did it themselves.

It was a hard truth about this world, but one she was forced to accept if she wanted to survive.

With that final memory, she poured all her emotions, all her thoughts into that one final strike giving it max power. Her fist collided with Kitamura's forehead. His eyes flickered briefly before they slowly closed shut.

It was over.

Standing up, she walked away, blood still on her hands. The audience was silent.

Mustard was shocked at Kendo's brutal display at the end, though he figured it was just the heat of the moment.

"Kitamura isn't getting up," the announcer called. "That means the winner is ITSUKA KENDO!"

No sooner had he said that did the crowd start cheering loudly while rattling the cage. To Kendo, it all meant nothing as she slowly walked out with her injuries still present.

Mustard came over and congratulated her, but she remained quiet.

She possessed the look of a warrior tired from battle, not that anyone could blame her.

Akuma looked at Kendo showing concern not outwardly, but inwardly. He knew that look when he saw her fighting.

Deku had been the same after his first fight in the Pit. Both of them had a lot of pent-up rages they released all of which enabled them to win, only to look completely worn out afterwards.

"Let's get you to the hospital for treatment," Mustard suggested. "After what you just went through you definitely need it."

Kendo didn't say anything. She just went along with it. Akuma, for reasons he didn't yet reveal, followed after them.

Class 1AB Homeroom

Neito stood in front of his two teachers who wore neutral expressions.

"So, um, what did you want to talk with me about?" he asked confused.

"Why did you request that Shinso take part in this exercise?" Aizawa asked bluntly.

Neito was a little, but not entirely, surprised by that question. He knew it was a possibility that they would ask him, but he didn't actually think they would do it.

"Of all the students at this school, why him?" Aizawa pressed.

Neito bit his lip, silently pondering over his response. When he did speak, he spoke clearly and truthfully.

"I wasn't lying when I said it would be a good experience for him, nor about his quirk being powerful," Neito admitted. "However, I thought it would be a better idea if you saw it yourselves."

Now that they were curious.

"And why's that?" Vlad asked.

"Shinso has a lot of potentials to be a hero, and a very efficient one at that," Neito explained. "His quirk could take down villains with the minimal casualty to the surrounding area. Also, he's quite smart and creative about how he uses his quirk and the questions he asks. During the Sports Festival, he managed to get further than any other Gen Ed student did and even managed to take down students in the hero course. In my opinion, he should have been transferred to the hero course after the tournament, especially since there was an open spot, but he wasn't. As matter of fact, he should have been in the Hero Course in the beginning. The only reason he wasn't was because of that bullshit entrance exam." The teachers frowned at his language. "Sorry, but it's true. That exam is only good for people with quirks like Kendo or Tetsutetsu. Brainwashing can't exactly be used against a robot unless you're controlling someone into attacking it. Therefore, it wasn't fair for people like Shinso whose quirks aren't suited towards that sort of thing. As a result, a lot of potentials is going to waste."

The two teachers were surprised and impressed that Neito would go out of his way for another student who's not part of his class.

"You're right! He should have been in the hero course, but he wasn't," Aizawa admitted much to Neito's surprise. "Believe me, I've wanted him in the hero course for a long time, but it wasn't allowed due to other people's stupid reasons." Aizawa didn't even attempt to hide the venom in his voice. "Personally, I would like to train him and help him improve so he can undergo another examination. One where he would be able to show off all his abilities to their fullest potential."

Neito was stunned. He had no idea Aizawa was planning something like this. Then again, it wasn't like it was Neito's business to know what Class 1A's teacher was planning.

"When you say the fullest potential, does that mean this exam will involve people?" he asked.

Since Hitoshi's quirk was 'Brainwashing' it made sense to use humans as opponents so the teachers could properly assess it.

Aizawa simply nodded to confirm.

"We've been told before that the Entrance Exam isn't fair. Eraser has even had lengthy arguments with Principal Nezu over it," Vlad mentioned eyeing his companion. "And he's right. However, it's incredibly hard to create an exam where everyone's quirks can be evaluated when they all have different types."

Neito couldn't deny the truth in that.

"Despite this, we will take into consideration what he has done and put it forward to Principal Nezu," Vlad informed him. "Now isn't really the best time though because of what's going on with Hades."

Neito understood, and he didn't mind either. If Hitoshi was given a chance that's all that mattered.

"Thank you!" he said. "If that's all, I'd better get back."

The two teachers nodded and watched him leave.

Vlad sighed. Neito was changing and he was happy for that, however, he was still struggling for a way to get him to open up about his family life and how he treated him. It would take time, but contrary to his appearance, he was a patient man, and he could wait for answers.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku was currently in the student common room typing on his laptop. The raid would be happening soon, and despite feeling that they wouldn't win, Izuku wanted to give them their best chance against their enemies.

He quickly typed up a list of Hades members, and their quirks and skills, this extended to slaves as well. The Hero Commission would definitely want to know all about the heroes held there, as well as the teams Shiro employed.

With his memory mostly returned it was easier to picture who lived there. However, he made certain to focus only on the people, rather than events. Lest he has another panic attack.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt someone come up behind him, though he didn't need to guess who.

"Hello Togata, to what do I owe this honour?" Izuku sarcastically asked.

Mirio gasped. "How did you know it was me?"

"Earlier today you wanted to meet me, then after the training session, going by your attitude and body language I could tell you were going to try something similar later," Izuku explained. "I can be really easy for people to read but I'm good at reading others myself."

Mirio was impressed. The principal wasn't kidding when he said he was observant.

"I'm gonna cut right to the chase, what do you want?" Izuku bluntly questioned.

"You've caught my interest," Mirio said. "You're a villain, yet you've done heroic things, and now you've got two major villains after you. One from your own group, the other the boss of Hades. I want to know what your story is."

Izuku scoffed hearing that. "And just why should tell you that? You and I are strangers. There's no reason for you to know."

Ironically, he had been strangers with a lot of people when he told them. Though it was only specific people for specific reasons, except for Mina.

He told Stain because he felt he would understand given the nature of his Crusade.

He told Crawler because he was a vigilante and didn't think he'd just go bragging about it to anyone, that and there was the heat of the moment from the Nomu attacking Hosu.

He told Tenya because he trusted him.

And he told Shoto, and to a certain extent Hitoshi because he felt he could relate to them.

Other than that, he didn't just go around randomly telling people his story.

Mirio frowned. Izuku did have a point. Although that wouldn't discourage him.

"Well, alright then. I won't ask," Mirio declared.

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He found it hard to believe that Mirio would give up that easily.

Mirio nodded. "Sure. It's your story. If you don't want to talk about it that's fine, I won't force you."

While Izuku was relieved to hear that, he doubted Mirio was finished. And he was right.

"Can you tell me about those two guys who are after you? They sound really strong," Mirio requested.

"I can't tell you anything about Atrocity," Izuku stated. "I've never met him. I don't know what his quirk is, and I don't even know what he looks like. All I know is that he's a sadist a xenophobic tyrant who runs a section of the League."

Izuku found it quite strange that someone who hunted him for so long, knew very little about them. Barring what he had heard, he knew almost nothing about Atrocity.

"As for Shiro, he's really strong," Izuku emphasized. "When he fights, regardless of who it's with, he'll always take it seriously and keep going at it until he's the victor. When dealing with an enemy, hero, or villain, he'll crush them with extreme prejudice, though he doesn't always kill them. If that person, along with their group, surrenders then depending on whether Shiro likes them or not he'll either kill them or offer them to join as slaves. He rules Hades with an iron fist however, he isn't entirely a bad person. Everyone who works for him, free or slave, he looks after and protects as his own. He can be quite cruel when he wants to be, but he's also fair. He doesn't discriminate against anyone and only punishes those who deserve it."

Mirio listened with keen interest. Shiro was dangerous, but the way Izuku described him, he sounded like a leader looking after his own country.

"Because of the way he acts, Shiro named his group Hades after the Greek God of the Underworld. Hades was a God feared by many due to his association with death which caused people to see him as the Devil. However, this isn't true. According to mythology he was strict, but he was also fair when judging the dead," Izuku explained. "Shiro wanted his organization to be the same. He's feared by many, but he treats everyone equally. As a result, everyone in Hades, and those out of it like myself, have a great deal of respect towards him."

Despite their history, Izuku legitimately did respect Shiro. He was a good leader, much like AFO.

"Then there's his quirk, Light Form. Using that he can manipulate light to match his desires. He can shoot it out, materialise it like a whip as well as other weapons, and make himself invisible. He can do other things, but I don't know what they are," Izuku admitted. "I didn't see him in action enough to know what his true abilities were. Although, he did tell me one thing about his quirk that makes it very similar to yours."

Mirio's ears perked up at this. Shiro's quirk was like his! Did that mean it was originally?

"Light Form might sound powerful, but it didn't start off like that. When he was a child all Shiro could do was emit light, like all he could do was glow," Izuku explained. "It was only after he started training and experimenting that it got stronger. When it did, he started calling his quirk 'Light Form'."

Mirio, for the briefest of seconds, felt a flicker of admiration for Shiro. Like him, his quirk had been weak, and he turned it into a force to be reckoned with.

"Wow, now I kind of want to meet him," he exclaimed, causing Izuku to shoot him a look.

"Togata the only way you are ever going to meet Shiro is if he captures you and turns you into one of his slaves," Izuku deadpanned. "Which is more likely to happen after he defeats All Might."

"All Might won't lose!" Mirio argued. "He's All Might, he can't lose!"

Izuku noticed that his demeanour had turned slightly more serious. He wasn't surprised. A long time ago he had believed the same thing until life had taught him what reality was like.

"All Might is a man Togata, not a God, and like any other man he can be beaten if the conditions are right," Izuku stated. "The fact that he hasn't lost up until now is irrelevant. He can and will be beaten. There's a major difference between AFO and Shiro that will allow him to win, and that's Shiro is perfectly healthy. AFO fought All Might in a weakened condition with his body barely running, not to mention he was blind. The man had to use an Infrared quirk to see his surroundings for years."

Mirio was beyond shocked. He'd known AFO was powerful, but to fight All Might in a condition like that. That alone was worthy of praise.

If was that powerful while weakened, then just how strong was Shiro?

"Maybe I'm wrong, maybe All Might will win, I don't know. Just don't get your hopes up," Izuku warned. "Even if All Might does win, that doesn't mean anyone will be rescued. I know you don't want to hear this because of how pessimistic it is but you need to hear it. Not everyone in this world gets saved. And I'm not just saying this for things like accidents or captivity, I mean in general. There's always someone in plain sight who suffering, crying out for help but never being noticed. That's what the state of the world is."

Mirio wanted to argue that things weren't as dark as Izuku was making them out to be but shut his mouth. The way Izuku said it, how he looked during it, was as if he had experienced it first-hand.

Mirio had met different types of villains out on his internship. While some had proven to be nothing more than lowlife thugs there were a select few who'd become villains due to how they'd been wronged.

Bullying, loss of someone close to them, racial prejudice, the list went on. That's how he knew villains weren't born evil, they were victims of circumstance.

He wondered if Izuku was the same.

"Since we're talking about heroes, do you mind if I ask you something?" Izuku asked.

"Go for it!" Mirio responded.

"When you become a hero, do you have a costume that works with your quirk, or are you planning to go naked the entire time?" Izuku asked with little emotion.

Mirio stared at him dumbfounded, wondering if he'd heard him correctly.

"It's your choice and all, and there have been heroes in the past that went half-naked, but they always covered themselves so," Izuku went on. "Also, I don't think parents will be too happy with it considering"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," Mirio frantically denied. His face flushed red with embarrassment. "I've got a suit made from strands of my hair, so I'll be covered while using my quirk. If I went naked the entire time I'd be arrested."

Izuku laughed. "Sorry, I get it. It was just something on my mind that's all."

Mirio's face was still red. It had (surprisingly) been the first time someone had asked him that. It's not like he enjoyed it. It just happened whenever his quirk was activated. Although he had done it so many times, and during the Sports Festival, he'd gotten used to it. Still, the idea of using it as his hero costume unnerved him.

"Most heroes fully cover themselves, so it really stands out when certain parts of them aren't covered. Akuma is always angry at civilians commenting on him not wearing a shirt, even though it makes it easier for him to use his quirk," Izuku said. "People also find it weird that he goes barefoot because it's old fashioned."

Mirio could understand that to a certain degree. Part of Tamaki's costume required him to go barefoot so he could fully use his quirk. People often questioned it, but he gave them the same answer.

"What's your hero name?" Izuku asked politely.

Mirio grinned. "Lemillion!" he declared proudly. Izuku looked confused. The name sounded unusual. "I called myself that because one day I hope to save a million people!"

Izuku's blinked. It wasn't the worst name he'd heard.

"When you say save a million do you mean all at once or gradually over the course of your life?" Izuku asked.

"Hahaha, believe me, I'd love to save a million at once, but I don't think it's possible right now, so I'm sticking with over my life," Mirio answered honestly.

"Well, good luck with that!" Izuku wished him. "Something like that will take a very long time."

"But that's why it's worth working for!" Mirio responded enthusiastically.

Izuku nodded as he continued typing.

"Oh, are you doing homework?" Mirio asked.

"I'm typing up a list of Hades members for the police for when the raid commences," Izuku told him. "I promised I would."

"Oh, I see," Mirio realized. "Well, I'll be going then. Sorry I interrupted you."

"It's fine," Izuku reassured him. "You didn't know. Still, thanks for today. It was actually entertaining."

A big smile flashed across Mirio's face.

"Then that's my victory of the day!" he exclaimed.

Izuku, from the corner of his mouth, let out a small smile, much to Mirio's delight.

Mirio got up and started to leave so Izuku could do his work. He briefly considered offering to introduce him to Sir Nighteye but decided against it.

Izuku was right, they had only met today. He didn't want to rush things just yet, especially since he already had a lot going on with Hades.

As he walked away, Izuku resumed his assignment. From talking with Mirio, Izuku decided that he was an okay guy.

If he were to pick a favourite out of the Big Three, it would definitely be Tamaki. He felt he could relate to him.

Neijire, for many reasons, was his least favourite.

Razor

It took a while, but Sebastien finally got all the information about Hades, as well as some new facts that came up.

"Razor," he addressed. "Before you do anything, there's something you need to know. This was only about a month or two ago but, it's Ivy. She's there."

Razor nearly dropped the phone in shock.

Flashback

A ten-year-old Razor was running as fast as she could. She stopped as the sun blinded her eyes.

Just then, there was a girl with long luscious red hair standing out in front of her holding out her hand.

"Ray-Ray come on! Magma's waiting just up ahead," the girl called in a soft beautiful voice.

Flashback end

Of her two friends at Hades, Ivy was the one who'd chosen to live her life outside it after falling in love with a man who was immune to her powers.

She'd had two children, who Razor had met numerous times. Some referred to her as Aunt Razor. They were the rare people she displayed her soft side to.

"How's that even possible?" Razor whispered. "Ivy might not be a member anymore but there's no way she could have been caught off guard that easily."

"I don't know," Sebastien admitted. "There were reports about her and few others in the area she lives in who mysteriously went missing. No one's sure how it happened. Though I think it's safe to say Hades was involved. They've done this sort of thing before how this would be any more difficult?"

Razor scowled. The way she held the phone, it was a miracle she hadn't broken it.

"Thanks, Sebastien," Razor said. "Now if you'd please, send over the information. Because now I'm going to plan how I'll slice up that bastard in twelve different ways."

"Sure thing," Sebastien responded quickly. "Good luck Razor! Bring them both home!"

He hung up, and the information was sent directly to her phone. Once that was done, Razor punched the wall right next to her and created a small crater.

Stain stood silently during all this. He had not met Ivy personally, but he knew who she was to Razor. He also knew how dangerous she was.

Ivy wasn't as physically strong, or as good at martial arts as her friends, but she made up for it with the dangerous use of her quirk.

Razor panted heavily before calming down. She was going to kill Shiro. She was going to put every blade she could think of through his body. And when she did, she would get her friend.

She had very few people she cared about, very few. However, if someone messed with them, they messed with her. And she would show no mercy.

Hades: The hospital

The trio walked into the hospital. As usual, it was busy with doctors and nurses running around to attend to patients. Anyone who'd been captured that had a history in the medical industry or had a quirk suited to healing in some way.

As soon as they entered, Akuma called for the nearest doctor, who upon seeing Kendo immediately called another doctor to her, and one did.

A male with brown eyes and long dark hair tied in a ponytail. He was slightly shorter than Akuma and wore a traditional doctor's uniform as well as a surgical mask.

"Doctor Iwatani," Akuma breathed.

"Akuma I'm not surprised to see you here but this girl," Dr Iwatani started.

"It was Kitamura, not me," he quickly defended.

"I can attest to that," Mustard piped up.

Dr Iwatani looked between both and could tell they were being honest.

"Whatever the case, we will discuss it in my office where you will be getting treatment young miss," Dr Iwatani informed, the tone of his voice leaving no room for argument.

Kendo nodded silently and followed.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku lay flat on his back as recounted the day's events.

He had submitted his list to Nezu who passed it on to the hero commission, not that he cared.

A large part of him just wanted to disappear and never show up again. He hadn't asked for this, for any of it. He hadn't asked for a lot of things in his life, but he got them anyway. Wasn't it the same for a lot of people?

He was trying to live like Sensei would have wanted him to, but it was just so hard. At times he questioned what Sensei would have done in this situation but could never find the answer.

"You know you can't keep running from this, right?" a voice Izuku knew but had forgotten a long time ago asked. "You're going to have to face him eventually. Why not now?"

He turned and saw a figure laying it right next to him. He looked exactly the same as the last time Izuku had seen him.

Same green jacket, same black shirt and trousers, same white gloves, same mask, same auburn hair, and same golden piercing eyes.

The leader of the Yakuza stared at him with a bored expression.

"Hello Izuku," he greeted.

Izuku was so shocked that he just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hello, Kai."

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? Most of all what did you think of Kendo in this chapter and how she held her own? She was fierce right?

You got a brief glimpse of Razor's past in this chapter and there's more to see.

I bet the ending shocked you though. Chisaki! Bet you never thought you'd see him. Before you start bombarding me with questions let me just say he's going to appear in flashbacks of Deku's time in Hades. Other than that, he won't be playing a major role.

This arc has gone on for nearly ten chapters and it will probably go on for more. There are a lot of characters and several subplots I'm working with.

Chapter 48: Hades Raid Prelude

Summary:

Everyone before the Raid on Hades

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

I honestly didn't feel too strongly about this chapter, mostly because of how it starts and proceeds. I know my writing isn't great, and honestly I think I'm better at writing emotional and fight scenes than regular ones.

Anyway, I hope this is alright.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hades: The hospital

Dr Iwatani led Akuma, Mustard, and Kendo to his office to speak. Once they arrived Kendo was surprised at how big it was.

Two beds, a desk, a cabinet with medicine, and a cupboard with medical tools. It wasn't as big as Recovery Girl's office, but big enough.

Kendo sat on one of the beds while Dr Iwatani examined her.

Akuma stood at the centre with Mustard a little to the right.

Using his glasses, Dr Iwatani examined Kendo thoroughly from head to toe.

Developed by Rika, the glasses enabled the user to use X-Ray vision to a certain degree. They were perfect for examining the human body to ascertain what was damaged.

However, they could not look through walls or objects unless they were standing quite close to them. The glasses were specifically designed for the hospital as they only had a few X-Ray machines.

"Young lady, you've made quite a mess of yourself. Five broken ribs, an almost broken jaw with a few dented teeth, several bruises over the stomach, back, knees and face. It's a miracle your skull was not damaged," he chastised. "I hope you are not going to make a regular habit of this."

"I can't make any promises," she responded with a hint of shame in her voice. "I'm sorry."

Iwatani raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least your honest about it." He took out his phone and started typing. "I've just messaged two doctors. One with a quirk to fix teeth, another whose quirk accelerates healing over several days. They'll help you out. Meanwhile, I am going to start patching up."

"Shouldn't you be discouraging me about this?" Kendo enquired.

"Considering what goes on in this place, and outside, I don't see much point," Iwatani shrugged. "I will discourage you from actively pursuing this but no more. You must learn to look after yourself."

Kendo nodded in understanding.

Iwatani gave her some morphine to dull her pain and began bandaging her injuries. By the time he was finished, she looked similar to a mummy although her face was still visible.

Dr Iwatani then approached Akuma slowly. Then standing in front of him he examined Akuma from head to toe.

"Whose blood is that?" the doctor interrogated referring to the blood on Akuma's hands.

"Not mine," Akuma shrugged. "A mixture of people I fought."

"How many?" Iwatani asked.

"I don't know. Six to eight? I never keep track," Akuma shrugged again.

Dr Iwatani let out a sigh. Sadly, this was quite common around here. He'd honestly lost track of the number of times Akuma had been in this room because of those fights, not to mention the number of people who had fought him. The list was rather high.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he continued.

"Other than my fists from repeated punching, no," Akuma said nonchalantly. "The times when those punks got a lucky shot in or two, I hardly felt."

"I'll be the judge of that." Dr Iwatani put on a pair of glasses and examined Akuma thoroughly.

From what he could see, there was no internal damage in Akuma's upper and lower body sections. His head was a little hard to make out. Dr Iwatani moved his patient's eyes and used a small flashlight to see that nothing was wrong. He did the same with Akuma's mouth, much to the latter's annoyance.

"Alright, you're clear," Iwatani announced. "Nothing too serious, or that won't heal by tomorrow."

"Nothing you need to use your quirk on you mean," Akuma smirked. "You must be so disappointed."

Iwatani tilted his head slightly.

Even though he had a mask on, Mustard could swear he was smiling underneath.

Then, without warning, the good doctor grabbed the Devil hero by the crotch and twisted.

Akuma, taken back by the action, yelped in pain.

"Owowowowowowowow! What the hell asshole!" he snapped. "I thought you said this was a place for healing, not causing more damage."

Iwatani raised an eyebrow.

"You have hardly been dealt any damage," he corrected. "And quite frankly, you could use some to fix that shitty personality of yours." He was glaring at Akuma now. "You know I don't like using my quirk unless it's actually serious."

"I was joking you surgeon asshole!" Akuma snapped. "For shit sake, pull whatever stick is up your ass out!"

"As soon as you do the same you demonic jackass!" Iwatani snapped back while tightening his grip.

Akuma let out a small yelp while the students were just watching in awe.

Before they could ask what he meant, Akuma let out a scowl as he started to transform.

From his back shot out two big metallic dark blue wings that nearly hit Mustard. From his head grew two sharp horns, while his skin changed to dark blue. His teeth became sharper, and his nails morphed into claws.

During the transformation, his clothes were also affected by becoming armoured versions of themselves. In addition, his hair had solidified to the point where the spikes could cut a person if touched.

The most notable change was his eyes where the sclera turned entirely black, the red iris brightened, and the pupil became a straight line.

Kendo and Mustard were taken back by the hero's transformation. Sure, they had seen pictures and videos of him before, but they'd never witnessed him shapeshifting before.

Akuma glared at Iwatani with a burning fury. The doctor had twisted a bit too far and now he was ready to go on a rampage.

"Let go of me now! Or so help me, I will rip you apart limb from limb!" Akuma threatened in a deep demonic voice that sent chills down everyone's spine.

He had gotten tired of being held like this, and if he wasn't released soon someone would get hurt.

Despite being threatened by a demon, Dr Iwatani wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Empty threats don't work on me," he stated firmly. "You should know that by now."

Before the hero could retort, Mustard intervened.

"Okay enough! Akuma don't attack him, and Doc please let go of his balls so we can talk about the important stuff," the boy pleaded.

The doctor and the demon glared at each other for another minute until Akuma was released from his painful position.

Kendo knew that if Setsuna were here, she would start shipping them, in spite of the toxicity their relationship involved.

"Excuse me, sir, my friend Ibara Shiozaki?" Kendo started. "Was she brought here earlier?"

Iwatani's eyes narrowed. "The girl with vines for hair?"

Kendo's eyes widened. "That's correct. Do you know what happened to her?"

Iwatani did not answer immediately. He knew the girl in question.

Her arrival had the entire hospital on edge. She was mostly naked and covered in blood.

Following an explanation from Umi, they brought her to an isolated area of the hospital and treated her as best they could. That was not the main issue, however.

The main issue was the psychological damage inflicted.

"Ms Shiozaki is alright. We treated her and found there were no physical wounds. However, she is still in shock, so she'll need to undergo some psychiatric treatment. Fortunately, we have people who specialise in that area, so you don't need to worry," Iwatani explained. "She is in good hands, I promise."

Kendo wanted to believe him, she really did, but part of her just wasn't sure.

Before she could ask more questions, the doctors Iwatani came in to treat her while Iwatani escorted Mustard and Akuma out.

Mustard told Kendo he would let Umi and Utada know about her condition, which she was grateful towards.

As they neared the hospital entrance, Mustard decided to ask Iwatani something that had been on his mind since Akuma first brought it up.

"Can I ask you something, Dr Iwatani?" Mustard asked politely.

The said doctor raised an eyebrow. "Depends on what it is. Shoot."

"What's your quirk?" Mustard asked.

The doctor stared at him with an unreadable expression. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity," Mustard admitted. "From what Akuma was saying earlier it sounds like a healing quirk, however, you've made it clear you don't like using it. Why is that?"

Iwatani continued staring at him, much to the boy's discomfort. He considered not answering and just sending him on his way, but he was interrupted by the sound of snickering.

Akuma was struggling to contain his laughter. So much that he was clutching his stomach. When he became aware the others were staring at him, he dropped the act and exploded.

Iwatani grimaced while Mustard was confused at what was so funny.

"H-H-H-Hisssss q-q-qu-quirk," Akuma spluttered. "O-Oh G-G-G-Godddd! It'sssss, It's, AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Mustard was baffled by Akuma's behaviour. Dr Iwatani's quirk couldn't be that embarrassing, could it?

Dr Iwatani, with an emotionless expression, stood up and walked slowly towards the Devil Hero. Mustard started to sweat from nervousness. He didn't know what the doctor was going to do, but he hoped it wasn't serious. Maybe he should activate his quirk now before hell broke loose.

Iwatani stood in front of Akuma who was still snickering. In one swift motion, he kneed the hero between the legs and then punched him in the face. Akuma surprisingly didn't stagger, although he did cease laughing.

"O-Okay, I deserved that one," Akuma admitted with a hint of pain.

"Yes, yes you did," Iwatani said simply. "You know how I feel about my quirk, so if you ever bring it up again, I will hurt you in ways you have never experienced. One of the perks of becoming a doctor is including learning how to treat the body, we also learn where exactly to inflict pain where it is most sensitive. Albeit it's indirect. Understand, demonic jackass?"

"Absolutely," Akuma responded sarcastically. "Surgeon asshole."

Mustard just looked at them both, just wondering what sort of relationship they both have.

"It's nothing major. It's just that my quirk, while suited to healing is actually embarrassing," Iwatani explained. "What it is, well."

Shoto Todoroki

Ice shot out from Shoto's right side, covering up some of the water.

"Dammit!" Shoto swore. "Still not right!"

He'd been trying for over an hour to freeze the water using the particles in the air rather than from his body. He'd tried heating the water as well but had little success in either. To be fair, he still wasn't used to his left side yet. For most of his life, he'd relied on his right as a way to smite his father for what he did. But because Izuku had convinced him it was his quirk, not his father's he'd tried to use it a bit more.

He would have asked Umi for assistance, but she was with Ibara Shiozaki at the hospital, so he was on his own.

That aside, his thoughts cast upon his mother. He wasn't sure how informed she was about the world outside the hospital but part of him hoped she didn't know about this. She had suffered enough she didn't need anymore.

Another part of him wished she knew because that way she wouldn't think he'd abandoned her. As far as his visitations went, Izuku was the only one who knew about them.

No one else did, not even his siblings. He hadn't told Fuyumi because he was worried about their father finding out and he hadn't told Natsuo because they hadn't spoken in years.

'Maybe he'll tell someone at UA, though probably not,' Shoto pondered as he melted the ice with his fire.

Shoto stared down at his reflection in the water. However, much to his surprise, it wasn't him he saw. What he saw was someone he hadn't seen in a long time, yet he could never forget, even if he tried.

Unruly red hair spiked up in tufts around the head, falling down on the forehead in uneven bangs, and two bright turquoise eyes. His father's eyes.

Tears began to well up in Shoto's eyes as he realized who this was.

"Touya," he whispered softly.

His older brother stared back at him with a sad expression. He looked as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Touya," Shoto repeated. "Where are you? Why did you disappear? Things have gotten so much worse without you around. So just, why?"

At this point, tears were streaming down Shoto's face as he talked to the hallucination of his brother, who could do nothing but stare back.

"I miss you," Shoto said. "I miss you so much."

Shoto wanted so badly for his brother to be here, to be right next to him, to lie in his embrace like he used to. While he wished for this, tears continued to flow out of his eyes.

Unknown to him, he was being watched.

Mezo Shoji

Holding the dummy by the waist, Mezo lifted it and swung back keeping his feet where they were. The dummy landed on his head, with Mezo's head just inches above the ground.

"German suplex," Mezo murmured. "Nothing too complex."

When he started training with Lobo last night, he showed him a few basic moves. Nothing too difficult, just a few grabs and holds. However, towards the end, Lobo showed him how to do a German Suplex thinking it was suited for him.

Originally, Mezo was content with learning techniques at a slower pace to get them right. However, the day's events had triggered something inside Mezo.

Watching Ibara just sitting there helpless, as a monster tried to violate her, with all of them being restrained caused his blood to boil in ways he never knew possible.

Mezo wasn't one to hold grudges, but even he felt no pity towards Kyo as Shiro killed him.

It wasn't just that though, the event made him realize what he was up against.

And if he wanted to protect his classmates, and himself, he needed to get stronger, much stronger. He was certain he would be fighting in the Arena or Pit soon, and when he did, he would be ready.

"I see you're practising chico," a familiar voice entered. "Bien."

Mezo stood up and faced his teacher who was leaning against the wall.

"I have a favour to ask," he said suddenly.

Lobo raised an eyebrow. "If it's something I can do, then I'll try to help, if not, then I won't."

Mezo nodded in understanding. Getting down on his knees he bowed placing his hands in front and his head touching the ground.

Lobo's eyes widened. From what he could tell, Mezo was performing a kowtow, a type of bow used to display the highest form of reverence to an individual. Whatever this favour was, it must be serious.

"Please, train me," Mezo requested, confusing the luchador. "Train me harder than you've been doing."

"What's brought this on?" Lobo asked baffled. "Don't misunderstand me chico, I'd love to, but why."

Mezo brought his head up to stare at the ground. "I'm guessing you've heard about the incident concerning Ibara Shiozaki."

"Boy, everyone in Hades knows about it," Lobo responded. "News travels fast around here, especially when Shiro is in a bad mood."

The entire event sickened him. He knew Kyo was a bastard, but he never imagined he'd do something so vile. It made him wonder how he got away with it for so long.

Worse than that, there was the effect it had on the children. He'd seen them when he came in. Some were crying with others trying to comfort, while some just stared off into space, completely in shock. They were traumatised, and he doubted they would recover soon.

That girl, the victim, Ibara Shiosaki had suffered the most. It would take months of psychiatric treatment before she would feel fine again.

That said, he knew what Mezo's request was and why he wanted it.

"You want me to train you, so you'll be strong enough to protect your friends and yourself," Mezo finally made eye contact with him. "It wasn't hard to figure out. About that though, while I'm willing to go through with it, you should know that I won't hold back."

"Understood. Anything less would feel insulting," Mezo declared. "Train me like you mean to kill me."

"You'll regret those words," Lobo stated.

"I'll regret it even more if I don't," Mezo retorted.

Seeing the determined look in his eyes, Lobo's mind was made up.

"Let's get started."

Tenya Iida

Tenya was running as fast as he could, with his engines assisting all the way. Right now, he was running between empty walls in a big ovular shaped area where Hayai normally practised.

He didn't know how long he'd been running for, or how many laps he had performed, but he didn't care either. He needed some way to think, or better yet process, everything he had heard.

Less than two hours ago, Hayai and Shita had given him a full synopsis on Izuku's time at Hades. They told him about his Arena bouts, what sort of jobs he did, the people he interacted with etc. They then came to the more disturbing aspects of what occurred here such as the Incident with Tenome.

Tenya was honestly disturbed that such a group had existed. The things they did to children were downright evil. He could only imagine how those poor children suffered when they were abducted by them.

The children of Hades were scarred by the ordeal, and Izuku just as much so.

During the retrieval mission, he witnessed a child he knew killed right in front of him. He held that child in his arms as he slowly died until finally, he disappeared. When the same man tried to kill them again, Izuku, on instinct, killed him first.

Then they came to the part where Izuku allegedly killed another member named Graphene because he was threatening him and the children, which in turn led to the fight between him and Shiro.

Hayai described the fight in surprisingly exquisite detail. Shiro completely decimated Izuku, who barely landed a punch. Then there was an explosion which provided the boy with the distraction he needed to escape and take Shiro's eye.

'Is that why he was so against me doing it in Hosu?' Tenya wondered. 'Because he had done it himself. Shiro said he didn't remember but perhaps it was subconscious.'

From a short distance, Hayai watched Tenya run. He would have interfered, but he could tell the boy needed time to process everything. For that reason, he decided not to tell Tenya about what happened with his classmates earlier. He already had enough on his mind.

Hayai's phone started buzzing. It was a text from Shita.

I've finished measurements and now I've drawn up a few basic designs for Tenya to choose from. Could you bring him back so I can show him?

Having super speed for a quirk was incredibly handy when texting.

It may be a while before I can do that. He's still doing laps and I don't want to interrupt him.

It took a minute for Shita to reply.

Understandable. When he's ready, please bring him around. I've got some designs he might be interested in, one's that match up with what Shiro suggested.

Roger that!

Hayai continued to observe Tenya who looked as though he was about to pass out. It seemed that fatigue was finally starting to take its toll on him.

Then, without warning, Tenya's foot hit a rock and caused him to crash face-first into the ground.

Or at least he would have, if not for Hayai's quick intervention. He sped up to Tenya and caught him by the head and waist before pulling him back into a sitting position.

"Okay, you've been running a while now and you're about to pass out," Hayai pointed out. "I think enough is enough."

Tenya who was panting heavily couldn't find the strength to argue. Hayai presented him with a bottle of water and Tenya gulped it down very quickly while getting his breathing under control.

"Feeling better?" Hayai enquired.

"A little," Tenya admitted. "I'm still having trouble processing it all. I don't know why. Maybe I just don't want to believe it."

Hayai didn't say anything. Though that was probably for the best.

"Hey, if you're training me, will that involve staying out here for a few days?" Tenya asked, surprising the speedster.

"Um, if you," he started.

"Because I actually wouldn't mind spending a few days out here separated from everything," Tenya interrupted. "I'd be a great distraction."

Hayai thought about it for a minute.

"It wouldn't be a problem but when a certain time arrives in the next few days you will have to return to the kids' section along with Shita," he explained. "Because during that time, Hades will be on lockdown. I can't say any more than that though."

Tenya shot him an inquisitive look, wondering what was so important that Hades needed to go into full security mode. Given that he would find out in a few days he chose not to question Hayai.

Finding his footing again, Tenya stood up with Hayai following him.

"I think we'd better head back to Shita," Hayai announced. "He texted me earlier and said he'd come up with a few basic designs that might interest you. Would you like to take a look?"

"May as well," Tenya decided.

The pair started walking back to Hades Main Building.

"Hey, I've been thinking," Tenya murmured catching Hayai's attention. "About what you said earlier where I'm my own hero." Hayai listened intently. "I was thinking, in addition to a new costume, I might change my appearance a little. Are there facilities or people with quirks around here where that's possible?"

"Yeah," Hayai quickly replied. "I know a few places. What did you have in mind?"

Tenya explained his idea, causing the speedster to grin.

"We actually have someone with a quirk for that in Hades," he stated. "I'll introduce you to her after this."

"Perfect," Tenya said as they walked off.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was Kai, Kai Chisaki, Overhaul, leader of the yakuza, also known as the Shie Hassaikai (Eight Precepts of Death), lying right next to him.

Strangely enough, that wasn't the most alarming thing that had happened. No, what was truly alarming was the fact that Kai had snuck into UA undetected and then entered his room without alerting Izuku to his presence.

Even if he hadn't been trained by Razor, he would have felt Kai getting on his bed.

'Either UA has the worst security ever, which isn't impossible, or I've completely lost it, which also isn't impossible,' Izuku thought.

The only boggling question that was on Izuku's mind now though was: why was Kai here? Just what did he want?

"Judging from the look in your eyes, you're probably wondering why I'm here and what I'm after," Kai said in the usual tone. Izuku's eyes widened. "You really need to work on that you know. You're as easy to read as a book."

'GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! EVERY TIME! EVERY FUCKING TIME! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?!' Izuku screamed internally.

He hated being so easy to read. He really did. He didn't understand why but he had always been this way since childhood, and it pissed him off to no end.

"Are you finished with your mind tantrum?" Kai asked bored. "If so, are you ready to talk?"

Izuku narrowed his eyes at the yakuza boss.

"Sure," he said softly, before springing into action.

Izuku quickly positioned his body in the form of a handstand and attempted to bring his leg down hard on Kai, only for him to roll out of the way.

On his hands again, he sprung his legs back in an attempt to double kick Kai who swiftly dodged to the side. As he stood up, Izuku glared at Kai.

'I don't know what he's doing here but I'm not letting him leave,' Izuku decided. 'If he's after me like Shiro and Atrocity I need to take him out now.' Izuku looked down at Kai's hands. 'Gloves on. I need to make sure that he doesn't use his quirk. Then again, if he does use it, it will attract unwanted attention.'

Izuku knew exactly what Kai's quirk was. Overhaul. A quirk that enabled him to disassemble and reassemble anything he touched.

During the Tenome incident, he got a good look at it when they were forced to work together to navigate the underground and reach Tenomes base.

It was powerful, that much was obvious.

Izuku had started to rapidly mumble about the capabilities of the quirk, which much to Izuku's surprise, didn't annoy Kai at all. On the contrary, he seemed both intrigued and impressed by his quirk analysis abilities, even more so when he discovered Izuku was quirkless.

Izuku punched at Kai rapidly, only for him to dodge each with relative ease.

Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Izuku spun and delivered a turning kick to Kai's body. It should have connected but much to Izuku's shock, Kai and crouched down on the floor.

Wasting no time, he dashed towards Izuku with both his gloves off. Acting on instinct, Izuku bent back and performed a back handspring to the edge of the room.

Kai didn't stop there, unfortunately. He continued his advance and now his right arm was outstretched and inches away from Izuku's face.

'Crap, if I don't move, I'll be dead for sure,' Izuku thought.

Izuku's head ducked to the opposite side of Kai's hand. Not wasting any time, Izuku moved forward. The space between him and Kai was small, but there was enough to do what he needed.

Kai's left leg leaned towards tripping him, however, the second it did Izuku performed an aerial cartwheel right by him. He then performed another back handspring to put some distance between them.

Kai turned to face him. The two locked eyes with each other, neither one of them blinking.

"Impressive. You've gotten stronger," Kai commended. "Though I can't say I'm surprised."

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me," Izuku snapped. "What the hell are you doing here? If you've come for me."

"I'm sort of here because of you," Kai cut him off.

Izuku stared at him dumbfounded.

"Because of me? What the hell does that mean?" he asked incredulously. "The last time we met it ended with me being disgusted by you and not wanting to be anywhere near you."

Overhaul groaned. "Seriously, you're still mad about that!"

"Yes!" Izuku snapped. "Why wouldn't I be? What you're doing is completely wrong!"

"Izuku that is fucking hypocritical of you," the yakuza leader snapped back. "You experimented on people as well. You left them in a broken state."

"For a few hours," Izuku retorted. "The enhancement drug side effects lasted a few hours. Also, my test subjects were all adults. None of what I did involved cutting up a little girl and then killing and bringing her back to life over and over again!"

Izuku didn't bother to hide the venom in his voice. He could still remember how heavily bandaged the little girl, Eri, was when he first encountered her.

He remembered how she'd done what Kai had asked without question however it was evident that she had done it out of fear rather than loyalty.

Kai called Eri his daughter, but it was obvious he didn't see or treat her like one. What kind of father does that to his own child?

Even Endeavor wasn't that bad, but Izuku wasn't about to start comparing them.

"You're right. I do that repeatedly to Eri, without her consent," Kai answered. "I treat several of my men as expendable despite the work they do. And I do it all for the sake of my ambition. In order to cleanse this world of quirks and restore my group to its former glory."

"At the expense of a child's innocence," Izuku sneered.

Kai raised an eyebrow.

"No plan is perfect," he said softly. "There are always flaws in its design. There are always positives and negatives. It's the same with humans. No one is perfect, least of all me."

Izuku scoffed. "Well, on that we agree."

"You aren't perfect. You've got blood on your hands as well," Kai pointed out.

Izuku didn't have a way to counter that. He was only starting to remember, but he knew he had killed a person. It was sickening but it was true, even if it was self-defence.

"I still don't agree with your methods," Izuku stated firmly.

"I never asked you to," Kai replied. "I won't justify my actions. I just want you to understand."

Izuku wasn't sure what Kai wanted him to understand but he didn't care. Torturing children was a line he would never cross no matter what the consequences.

Even Tomura, who was not above using torture and murder to get what he wanted, would never do that to a child. He had some limitations, morals you could call them.

There was an awkward silence between them as they stood there.

"All that aside, how are you, Kai?" Izuku asked with a neutral expression and tone. "How are things going with the Hassaikai?"

Since he was already here, Izuku decided he would be a little civil towards him.

"Better than what's been happening with you I'll say," Kai snorted. Izuku frowned but Kai's expression didn't change. "Speaking of which, my condolences for your loss."

Izuku's expression quickly turned sad as Kai talked about Sensei.

"AFO was a powerful man, as well as a great leader," Kai praised. "The Emperor of Darkness who ruled all over the underside of society. Kids like me believed he was just a legend, but our elders believed they had a reason. That said, even after he went underground, he was still respected by many. His death was a shock to us all."

"Thank you," Izuku said.

While he may not have liked the man, he was grateful for what he said about Sensei. Izuku still hadn't gotten over his death and wasn't going to anytime soon.

"I respected him also," Kai continued. "So, it's only natural that I pay my respects to him, and his allies."

Izuku nodded, still with a mournful glint in his eyes.

"Regarding his allies, I'm guessing you haven't heard anything about them lately. I certainly haven't," Kai admitted.

"You're right, I haven't. I don't know what Tomura's up to. I don't know what any of them are up to. I've been watching the news, and there's been no sightings or mentions of them recently. If I had to guess, they've decided to lay low for a while, which is a smart decision all things considered," Izuku explained.

Laying low after the shit that went down at Kamino would have been the smartest decision Tomura could have made, though Izuku was certain Kurogiri had a hand in it.

How he missed that man? Out of all the League members, he was probably the one with the most common sense, though Sensei, Compress, and Dabi weren't too far behind.

He also missed his teacher Razor, and her constant threats and swearing

"Do you think they could be fighting with Atrocity?" Kai asked.

Izuku took a minute to think about it.

"Possibly," he admitted. "Honestly, I'd be amazed if they didn't. I know he and Sensei's group have been in conflict for quite some time now. His death would certainly escalate it. And given Shigaraki's personality, he's not likely to just sit around while his master's killer is walking around free."

Tomura may have matured in recent weeks, but there was no doubt in Izuku's mind that avenging Sensei would be his top priority, even more than killing All Might.

"With Sensei gone now, are you trying to seize control?" Izuku asked.

It was a logical question. If Kai wanted to restore his group, he would need more territory, not to mention influence.

With Sensei out of the picture, it provided an opportunity for most organisations to gain a bit of footing in the criminal underworld.

"Trying being the keyword," Kai said. "Others like Atrocity and Shiro are claiming it all even as we speak. Which reminds me. I saw that list of yours on Hades. Pretty impressive. It still won't help them win though."

Izuku blood froze.

His expression became a mixture of shock and horror.

It wasn't what Kai said about the heroes, it was the fact that he knew about his list.

"How do you know about that?" Izuku growled no longer being polite. "I only finished that list today, there's no way you could have seen it. How did you even know about it?"

"I watched you type it," Kai responded simply.

Izuku found that disturbing.

"Have you been stalking me?" he interrogated. "That's creepy even by your standards."

"In a manner of speaking," the Shie Hassaikai leader admitted. "I must say, that Hado girl is really annoying the way she talks. It's even more frustrating that your killing intent didn't work on her." Izuku's eyes widened. "Though not as frustrating as losing to that Togata. I won't lie, he packs a wallop despite his unintentional stripping."

Izuku stared at Kai completely dumbstruck. There's no way he could possibly know about those events. Even if he had snuck in, there's no possible way he could have remained undetected while observing those moments.

"H-How did you get in?" Izuku asked quietly.

Kai tilted his head amused. "It wasn't bad security if that's what you're thinking. Although considering the previous two break-ins and kidnapping, it would be a pretty good guess."

It was at that moment, Izuku realized who he was truly speaking to, or rather what he was speaking to.

"You aren't him," Izuku said softly. "He was never here."

The person he thought was Kai started clapping slowly.

"Congratulations Izuku! For a minute there I was worried you wouldn't figure it out," Kai, no, the hallucination answered. "I'm still him, in a way. However, I think we can both agree that while the real me is good, he is not this good."

For several seconds Izuku remained silent. Then, without warning, he exploded with laughter that confused the hallucination.

When he calmed down, he was smiling.

"I can't fucking believe it!" he exclaimed. "I really have gone insane."

"Insane no," Kai pointed out. "Extremely stressed, definitely. Though considering the life you live, it wouldn't surprise me if you did end up like that eventually."

That only caused Izuku to laugh again, this time even harder than before until he finally calmed down.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?" the hallucination asked confused.

Izuku had a dark look in his eyes. "Why, of all the people in my fucked-up life, is Kai the one I manifest as a hallucination?"

The hallucination shrugged. "How should I know? Maybe it's because of all the people you met in Hades, I'm the only alive that isn't a member."

Izuku groaned. That wasn't the best reason, but it was the most likely one.

"You are not someone I want to see right now Kai," Izuku stated annoyed.

"Me being here suggests otherwise," Kai retorted. "Which reminds me. You never answered my question. Why not face your problem now? You know you can't keep running. Eventually, Shiro will find you, and then what will you do?"

Izuku didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Most of all he didn't want to answer. So instead, he turned his back and closed his eyes.

"I don't want to talk with you Kai, I don't want or see you either," Izuku said as coldly as he could. "So, get out, and don't come back."

When he turned back, he saw that Kai was gone and he was alone again, much to his own relief. He didn't know how that happened, or rather he didn't know how it was Kai who appeared instead of someone else.

Honestly, he would have expected it to be someone like Shiro or Sensei, not Kai Chisaki.

Their last meeting had ended mostly neutral, though Izuku was adamant on never seeing him again.

When Izuku turned to leave his room, he saw Kai was right in front of him. His eyes glaring deep into his and his head came closer.

Izuku didn't understand why, but for some reason, he couldn't move.

"Oh Izuku," Kai said softly. "I'm not going to up and leave just like that. Can't you see? Whether it's the real Kai Chisaki, or me, we're a part of you. I'm not just going to up and vanish just like that. I came from your head, which is fucked-up as hell, and not just from Hades. As such, I'm here to stay."

Izuku could on look on as he took in all these facts, he knew to be true.

"If you need me, I'm here to talk," Kai said. "You can't keep fleeing from this forever. You'll have to confront him eventually."

Without warning, he placed his hand on Izuku's face. Being an illusion, Izuku couldn't feel his touch, yet he still flinched.

Kai's cold expression was replaced with a sad one.

"Does this remind you of the last time we saw each other?" he asked. Izuku's answer was silence, which was enough for him. "I see. Well, you know where I am."

And just like that, he was gone. Vanished, as though he had never been there, to begin with.

Overwhelmed, Izuku slumped onto the ground, breathing heavily. He wasn't having another panic attack, but he was highly emotional at that point.

Just when he thought his life couldn't get any crazier.

Hero Public Safety Commission

"We have received a list from Izuku Midoriya, aka Deku, on Hades' members and their abilities," the president announced to her co-workers. "Please print as many out as possible and distribute them among the heroes and police."

"Yes Ma'am," the workers bowed as they went off.

"Everything is in order then?" the General Commissioner questioned.

The President nodded.

"Assemble the heroes and police!" the General Commissioner ordered. "It's time to destroy Hades and take back those lost to it!"

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I thought it would be a good idea to show the students one final time before the Raid begins.

Some of you might have guessed, but the Chisaki Izuku is seeing is a hallucination formed from the stress and fear he's going through right now. He and Chisaki have met before, and he does know about Eri. He isn't happy about it that's all I'll say.

Thanks to everyone who submitted hero OC's. They were really helpful.

Next chapter, the Raid begins. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.

Chapter 49: Raid OC Heroes

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Here is the list of OC heroes that will be taking part in the raid

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

From cheese8077616

Hero name: Medic Man

Real name: Teku Yokaihashi

Height: 178 cm

Hero outfit: His hero outfit consisted of a white coat that goes down to his knees with a giant red cross that is printed at his back. His upper body is covered by his coat and at the front, there's a breast pocket located at the left side and it contains a small notepad and a pen. He wears a brown trouser that has extra think knee pads. His footwear consists of black boots and the end of the trouser is tucked into the boots. Both of his arms are covered by the sleeves of his coat but underneath the sleeves he wears a thin plate of armour made out of metal. Both of his hands wear red gloves that extends to his wrists but underneath the knuckle area of the gloves, there is a knuckle buster for additional damage. The knuckle buster can be removed.

Fighting style: expert in offensive hand to hand combat, weak when it comes to flexibility and defending

Quirk: Medical Attention
How quirk functions: Medical Attention allows its user to heal an injured person through physical contact by accelerating the duplication rate of the body cells. Its function is similar to that of Recovery Girl however, unlike the quirk "Heal", the quirk "Medical Attention" doesn't affect a person's stamina. Due to the accelerated duplication rate of blood cells, this made the user to be able to achieve peak human performance (Captain America and Batman for example/I have no idea how that works). And so, the user's respiration system, muscles, and senses have been enhanced as more oxygen are supplied and circulated throughout the body (uncertain if that's true in the real world but you get the idea). It also grants a boost in physical performance for those that the Medic Man has touched regardless whether the person is injured or not (think of it like an adrenaline shot). However, for those that are wounded, "Medical Attention" will not interfere the rate of the blood loss (both external and internal) as due to the increase replication of blood cells, it also increases the production rate of Platelets as well (and most of the body cells except for sex cells). This quirk can also fight off diseases such as common cold, fever, infection, HIV and so on. The Medic Man can turn on and off the affect of "Medical Attention" so that it doesn't affect others upon physical contact but its affect on the Medic Man can't be turn off.

Medical Attention has two major drawback. First of all, while it can heal wounds regardless if it's internal or external wound, it can't replicate organs that are completely lost such as lungs, stomach, intestines, heart and so on. If those are damaged, they can be repaired but can't be replaced such as All Might's stomach or his lung. Another drawback is that when the quirk is used on someone beside from the user, its affect only lasts 30 minutes meaning after 30 minutes, if the wound is not sealed or healed, there'll still be a chance that the wounded can die due to blood loss. Also the person could possible feel sleepy due to the effect of "adrenaline" wearing off however that affect should wear off within 5 minute timeframe. But during these 5 minutes, the minor side affect include the lack of concentration, slower physical reaction and the inability to think clearly as the 5 senses would be overload during this timeframe.

Personality: Because of his history, unlike most people, he was able to see the "grey" area between the good and bad. He held a very high regard for those who became a hero because of selfless reasons but dislike those whose focus were more on fame and reputation such as Mt Lady and Uwabami. However, he has an extreme hatred towards those who used their hero reputation to get away from the law such as Endeavour. He often has skirmish between Endeavour whenever they meet. Currently, his relationship between Endeavour and himself is in the state of cold war. Both knew something dodgy about each other but neither made a move about it yet. When on duty, he takes his occupation very seriously. His on duty personality heavily lean towards Sir Nighteye's personality but he usually remains calm in any given situation. Since he owns a intelligence agency, he is very paranoid and wants information on everything in every given situation as he has some trust issue with other people. When in combat, he won't hesitate to kill his enemy but will only do so if necessary. When it comes to cooperating with other people during a combat situation, depending on his partner's personality, he would either go along or instruct his partner with tasks that are less risky of getting killed. He is able to determine a person's personality at a first few glance.

When off duty, his personality could he described as a 180 turn. While he still retain his serious face, he balances out his seriousness with other emotions such as happiness or excitement. His off duty personality is similar to Josuke Higashikata from JOJO. However, he will get seriously pissed off if he sees someone who picks on the weak. During his rage moments, he will ignore everything around him and will beat the crap out of that person, heal that person, and continue to do so until that person's mind is completely shattered.

From TheGreatGodzilla

Black Baron - Real Name: Konstantin Zverev

Other Aliases: The Man of Darkness, The Emotionless One, The Demonic Protector of Kazan

Powers/Quirks: Creating and manipulating dark matters, and seeing and phasing through the solid objects

Personality: Quite, calm, caring to those who're close to him, cold to strangers, grim sometimes, stiff, anti-social to strangers, mature, brave, bold, patient, open-minded, strong-willed, determined, mainly no-nonsense, a bit religious, berserk and burtal if provoked.

Nationality: Russian

Religion: Eastern Orthodox Church

Age: 36

Gender: Male

Role: Antihero

Likes: His wife whose name is Khioniya, his daughter whose name is Rachel, his friends, his family, his wife's family, Tatar cuisine.

Dislikes: Danger, disrespect to his family and his friends, bullying, persecuting those who're quirkless, religious persecution, racism.

Designs: As civilian - He appeared as an average built man with pale skin and green eyes in his late 30's with goatee in white shirt, black trousers, brown hat, brown coat and black shoes.

As antihero - He's wearing a black robe with hood, black gloves, black shirt, black pants, black socks, black boots and golden sad mask.

Firework Princess - Real Name: Zhang Lihua

Other Aliases: China's Sexiest and Most Beautiful Heroine, Hottest Girl of Hangzhou, Pride of Hangzhou (Use along with her sister),

Harlot of Hangzhou (By her enemies only)

Powers/Quirks: Generating and manipulating fire, shooting fireballs from her hands, breath fire out of her mouth, and flight

Personality: Independent, determined, opinionated, sassy, sarcastic at times, a bit clumsy, occasionally overconfident, flirty and seductive a lots, heroic, outspoken, creative, adventurous, brave, courageous, caring, resourceful, persistent, talkative sometimes, free-spirited, self-reliant.

Nationality: Han Chinese

Religion: Religious syncretic form between Buddhism and Taoism

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Role: Hero

Likes: Her clan, her sister, her boyfriend whose name is Mu Shen, all kinds of plants and flowers, showing and telling everyone that her clan is related to the Song dynasty as its in-laws, beef noodle soups, moon shrimp cakes, fried fish balls, oyster omelette, pecking duck, duck rice, salted duck eggs, baozi and other types of dim sum, iced tea, milk, equality, children, all types of men - ranging from the fat guys to homeless people - , "good time" with the men, things and stuffs related to the Song dynasty.

Dislikes: Rapists, racism, inequality, child abuses, bullying, religious intolerance, persecutions against the people who are quirkless, all kinds of activities against the nature - especially the plants - , her sister's disagreeing with her that their clan is related to the Song instead of the Tang.

Designs: As civilian - She appeared as an 18-year-old young woman with D-sized chest, hazel eyes, long black hair down to her waist tied up into ponytail with white bow and wearing the sleeveless and tight orange dress that shows her sizeable cleavage and her sexy thighs and legs with red high-heeled shoes.

As hero - She's wearing an orange long qipao, dark cape, long red boots and shocking pink butterfly mask.

She's also equipped herself with a pair of daggers hiding within her qipao.

Frozen Fairy - Real Name: Moon Sang-mi

Aliases: South Korea's Hottest Superheroine, Queen of Seoul, No. 1 Hero of South Korea, Kiara (Her stage name as a singer).

Powers/Quirks: Cryokinesis, thus giving her the abilities to creating, generating and manipulating ice and snow at will, creating ice and snow-based lifeforms, blasting freezing rays and creating snow balls at any sizes. She also knows archery and swordsmanship. So she can create swords, bow and arrows out of ice and use them.

Personality: Cold, very calm, independent, determined, resourceful, strong-willed, open-minded, no-nonsense, serious, selfless, fair, kind to children and animals, nice and emotional to those who're close to her.

Nationality: South Korean

Religion: Religious syncretic form between Korean Buddhism and Taoism

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Role: Hero

Likes: Korean barbecue, fried chicken with mayo, bibimbap, jjamppong, jajangmyeon, hotteok with honey and cinnamon, soju, iced black tea, singing, dancing, snow, winter, ice skate, creating snowman, playing with the children and the pets like the dogs and the cats, all of her fans and admirers from her careers as both singer and superheroine, all seasons of Let's Eat series, Korean Buddhism, histories about Later Silla and Joseon, her clan, and her daughter whose name is Moon Mi-ran.

Dislikes: People who questioned about how did she get pregnant and who's her daughter's father, peoples - particularly the Koreans and the Chinese - who's still practice the consumption of dog meats, rapists, racism, unnecessary violence, sexists, religious intolerance, inequality.

Designs: As civilian - She's a teenage girl with long black hair down to her back, bright blue eyes, white beautiful skin, D-sized chest, and wearing white shirt, byzantine blue dress, and white high-heeled shoes.

As singer - Long ultramarine blue dress with bright blue and pink sparklings with a fake dark blue colored flower and a pair of dark blue shoes.

Her hair is also tied up into ponytails.

As hero - White hanbok with pale blue veil covering the lower part of her face, Egyptian blue dress under the hanbok, and white shoes.

She's also equipped with a sword and a pair of daggers hiding under her dress, which she can pull out during the emergencies or unable to use her powers due to the environmental conditions like having too much fire in the area.

Dragonic Duellist

Rareta Wasure
Hero Alias: Kenbōshō (Amnesia), "The Forgotten Hero"

Quirk: Focused Amnseia - Once he is out of a person's line of sight, depending on how long he was in it, they will slowly forget he even existed. This has caused his career as a hero to be extremely difficult due to almost no one remembering to file his documentation. Only by constantly staying in their presence is anything able to get done. One caveat he discovered (with the help of [insert hero/trainer/supporter]) is that by completely covering himself, his quirk is canceled, thus allowing others to retain memory of a fully covered man. Once he removes at least his mask and leaves, memory of the fully covered man remain, but all memories after disappear.

Hero Costume: Weather resistant "morph-suits" with defensive capabilities (such as water, electricity, & fire resistance) and minor air purification. Typically wears a solid-white version with balanced, but minor resistances, but has a small collection of specific variants that are color-coordinated to their theme (blue- increased water but less fire; red- increased fire but less electricity; etc... can also be camouflaged but he often feels this is less necessary). Over the morph-suit wears casual clothing when off-duty, but a suit (with bullet and blade resistant material linings) when on-duty.

Wk

Name: Rose
Nationality: British
Quirk: Order
She can, depending on people's mind strength, order them any command. People won't just take off their clothes in the middle of a street (although it depends on a person). But she could order them to not see her She can order 2 people at max.

Clothes etc: Hair to waist, creamy jacket, red plain shirt, jeans, shoes with really small heels.

Jthamilton

Name: John Doe

Quirk: enhancement "He can boost himself, anyone, or any machine (he must make physical contact) for about as long as 25-30 minutes before needing to rest for a bit to be able to use it again. Drawbacks The quirk causes the brain to think parts of the body are being overworked if they aren't (via buffing others or equipment)

Nationality: America hero transfer, originated from Nashville, Tennessee the music city of America

Design: not one much for costumes he just wears thick jeans, combat boots, a simple graphic tee and a leather jacket over it. As for a mask he just covers his mouth and nose with a solid colour scarf.

Equipment: carries around 2 fixed blade knives, a stun baton (he can enhance this to lethal levels if he needs to), a tranquilizer gun, and for real emergencies a real gun with loaded rubber bullets and 1 mag of live rounds.

Personality: Aggressive to bigots, die hard for friends, tolerable for associates,
really likes rock, old rap, some pop, not actually a big fan of new country.

OZmandias

Hero name: Dicer. Real name: Hagane Surredo.

Nationality: Japanese.

Quirk: Minor Metal Control. He can only control metal if some part of it is within ten inches of him and only 15Ib total. However, this Quirk does allow for very fine control if something meets those requirements

Design: He wears a simple black domino mask with a white criss cross pattern. He has a knee length black coat and a bullet proof vest under that. His pants are just black pants and his shoes are just good shoes. He also has ten rings these are his support items, they contain a long fine string of some kind of incredibly strong metal, to go along with these rings he has tight black gloves made to keep his hands safe, these gloves have the same pattern as his mask. He is about 5.10 with lean muscles, he has medium length not so much messy as poorly cut black hair and pitch black eyes making it seem like he has no iris. He also has sharp teeth but this may well have been done by him rather then his quirk.

Personality: His quirk is rather difficult to figure out as his threads are near impossible to see so he plays a lot into the fear factor of weapons, armour and sometimes even limbs being sliced to bits with no apparent cause whilst doing hero work. Outside of work he is relatively a normal dude with a somewhat creepy and ever present smile, he likes sleep, he likes dogs and he likes Italian food not much else to say really.

Name: Blitz Strike

Gender: Female

Ethnics: German-Japanese

Appearance: brown eyes, blond hair, short, moderate but agile build

Quirk: Lightning Chain: She can turn her body into an electrical current of varying strength that can travel through targets connected for an attack run. Provided there is a significant amount of conductivity to connect to for travel and that she had built up a high enough electrical charge to do so. She can even make air travel so long as the target(s) is within 15cm of striking distance, and she built up enough electricity to make her strike. Humid environments can increase the range to almost unlimited reach.
It is a powerful quirk that has some limits. One is that it takes a lot of stamina to pull off to the point she can be too drained to fight if she overuses it in a single strike or multiple strikes before she regains strength. However, her stamina can be recovered by either catching her breath or eating an energy bar to regain strength. Second, she can find it challenging, if not impossible, to make attack runs along highly resistive material like dirt. And finally, once in an attack run, she cannot stop her attach until she runs out of juice she built up, or hits a resistive surface that she was not prepared to overcome.
Personality: An underground hero that prefers efficiency and precision from herself and the rare group she teams up with. Though generally, she works alone. This is mainly due to the fact her quirk is quite lethal and is afraid of people watching her disable if not kill her targets. The police often employ her against dangerous criminals that they generally do not care if she severely harms if not kills them, such as most B and up level criminals. It could even be a plot point that she is meant to be deployed against Muscular should he make a reappearance. As if saying to criminals that if you kill one of our own, then we will send you the morgue.

Mace Shepherd

Name: Ainu Preobrazhensky

Hero Name: Skeleton Eye

Nationality: Russian-Japanese

Design: 6ft 1 inches tall, possesses chin length green hair and red eyes. In addition, he possesses tattoos of bones on her arms and legs.

Her hero costume comprises of a blood red newsboy cap on her head, a small blood red tube top that leaves some of her cleavage exposed, red mini skirt, and brown high heel boots that still expose a lot of her skin so that her tattoos are more visible.

Quirk: X-Ray Vision: Her quirk enables her to see through objects and people. However, it can be used offensively by firing out lethal doses of radiation, not just x-rays, but gamma rays if she desires.

In addition, she can see in infrared, ultraviolet, and night vision.

Lance of the King of Demons

Name: Toryo Color Hero Name: Sketch (He chose this because he is an artist and views himself as an unfinished drawing.)
Gender: Male
Design: He is 6'1, has blond hair with red highlights that he keeps in a small pony tail, and he wears some black glasses. His outfit consist of blue jeans with rips in them, a black button up shirt with colourful splashes of paint on it. He carries a case with many different pencils, markers, paint brushes, etc, and a black sketchbook. He has many tattoos on his left arm based on many famous paintings.

Nationality: Caucasian

Personality: He is a very serious person. He is so serious that most jokes go over his head. He is very passionate about art, so much so that any time he looks at a beautiful piece of art he drops everything that he is doing to admire it. This has become very problematic for him during villain fights. He also tends to become very forgetful of things and never shows up to anything on time. His pet white cat Yuki has to remind him with her quirk: reminder. He also has a crush on the No.10 hero Ryuko Tatsuma.

Quirk: "Art To Life"
His quirk allows him to bring his drawings to life. He can only bring alive drawings he draws in his sketchbook. He can only give his drawings 3 specialties (ex: stealth, agility, flight). He can give them abilities by writing them beside the picture. He can't give his drawing the ability to control elements, copy other quirks, invisibility, etc. If his drawings are hit by fire or water they will disappear and he can never use them again. He can save drawings in his sketchbook to reuse them. If a page in the sketchbook is teared out it will immediately disappear. His sketchbook produces more pages every week, so he never runs out.

Eternal Heart

Name: Shiko Akamine

Hero Name: Metallum

Nationality: American-Japanese

Design: She is short (5' 3") but quite slim. Her skin is pale, due to her father's nationality, but she has dark brown hair and green eyes from her mother's side. Her hair is somewhat and unkempt, some hair strands are usually in her face, so she usually keeps in a bun or ponytail. Her eyes are quite dull due to her being blind.

Her hero costume is very simple and plain. She wears a pale green kimono, but its loose and some places are cut like the skirt section so she can manoeuvre easily. Shiko doesn't wear shoes due to her being unable to detect metal. So, for protection for her feet, wears bandages (the long, white kind) wrapped around her feet. However, in some, maybe most situations, she will control metal and basically create armor for herself.

Quirk: Metallic: she has the ability to manipulate, bend, and just basically control metal. Due to her blindness, she has become dependent on her quirk to locate her surroundings. She can "see" everyone and everything because she knows where metal is. Her quirk is strongest when she is an area with multiple pieces of metal. However, the weakness of her quirk is that she must know what metal she is bending and what are it's properties in order to control it. When she is in a location with no metal, she can sense where people and animals are due to the small amounts of metal in their systems. She cannot control living beings however.

Notes:

Thanks to everyone who submitted one.

Chapter 50: The Raid Part 1

Summary:

The Raid begins.

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Please read the previous chapter to see the OC hero descriptions. Also, huge shout out thanks to All Bite for the cover art of Deku. It's everything I imagined only better.

Thanks to everyone who submitted an OC for this event.

Before we get into the chapter, I just want to say sorry to you all for not updating. Things have been really chaotic for me lately with college work and with what's going on in the world. I've also been writing other stories which I published on New Years Eve and some chapters for the rewrite of a Familiar with Familiars. Which is why I'm happy to share with this chapter with all of you now.

This is one that's been discussed for over a year and now finally it's happening. I present to all of you, the Raid. Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hero Public Safety Commission

"Everything ready then?" All Might asked the President.

"It is," she confirmed with a hard gaze. "Tomorrow when we attack, we will destroy Hades and rescue the hostages. Thanks to the information provided by Midoriya, we now have knowledge of the organization's members, their quirks and skills, their armoury, and most importantly, their location. With this knowledge, we have formulated a battle strategy that will result in our victory."

The Hero Commission President spoke in such a confident manner and even looked the part. However, deep down she was nervous about the mission.

Tomorrow would be their only chance, and they probably wouldn't get another one like it, hence why they absolutely had to succeed.

The plan involved a coordinated strike via three locations, specifically where the entrances were. The one Izuku entered had been difficult to locate but they found it eventually. It was just on the outskirts of the city in the South section.

The second one had been provided by Dabi who had been there before. This one was in the East section of the city.

There were tunnels that ran under the city, and Japan in general, that lead to different parts. Without proper navigation, one would be lost down there for a long time.

The third was on the Westside and would be taking place from the Sea. Izuku mentioned that Umi had access to the sea meaning an entrance had to be close. Heroes that specialised in aquatic battles would be there.

"I take it you all know your roles and what you are meant to do," the President said.

"Of course," the three men confirmed.

To ensure the success of the operation, each attack would be led by a top pro hero. The first by All Might, second by Endeavor, and third by Gang Orca.

All Might and Endeavor were perfect for ground assaults, while Orca was best suited for the Ocean.

"I cannot stress the importance of this operation enough," she exclaimed. "Failure will not be an option."

"It never was," Endeavor assured. "We will triumph, just like always."

"You have our word Madam President," All Might added.

Secretly though, he was as nervous as the President. While he was worried about the state of the students, he was also worried about Izuku's fate as well.

Hades had tried to kidnap him once, on UA no less, who is to say they wouldn't try again during the operation. UA would be less protected this time due to several teachers participating in the raid.

This included Eraserhead, Midnight, Ectoplasm, and Power Loader, due to being deemed the most suitable to take down villains quickly and efficiently in this area.

Other hero schools were the same. Some had teachers joining in with others remaining behind to protect their respective schools.

To ensure they won, the Hero Commission asked for the aid of several foreign heroes who had only arrived recently.

It helped that All Might was acquainted with them from his travels abroad when he was younger.

All Might was also concerned about Shiro and the threat he presented. While he was confident, he could win, he wouldn't dare underestimate the man. He had gone toe-to-toe with AFO after all.

Endeavor understood that Shiro was a threat, as he did with most of the other villains. However, that didn't matter to him. When they fight, they will fall, just as many other villains had. Slaves or not, he would show no mercy to the enemy.

Orca understood the importance of the task, however, part of him couldn't help but focus on Curator. It had been a long time since they fought but he seriously doubted he had gotten any weaker since then. He and his nemesis would face off tomorrow, and the confrontation would be ugly.

"Get some rest gentlemen," the President ordered. "We strike at dawn."

Shiro

Shiro was ecstatic for tomorrow. A fierce battle awaited them, and regardless of who he was facing off against he couldn't help but feel excited. Strong opponents were hard to come by these days, especially for him.

The idea of fighting All Might sent shivers down his spine. He had heard from AFO just how strong he was and then witnessed it first-hand on tv when the Symbols of Peace and Chaos clashed in Kamino. Granted they were both in weakened conditions but hey, a strong opponent was a strong opponent.

Endeavor interested him somewhat as well, though perhaps he would leave him to Nikko. Though that wasn't to say he wouldn't toy with the man as a sort of warm-up for All Might. He had a lot of dirt on Enji Todoroki from a very special source, and he would be a fool not to use it now.

"Oh, what a wonderful day it shall be," Shiro exclaimed joyfully. "And Deku, no, Izuku, I hope you'll be watching. After all, you and I are due a rematch very soon."

Izuku Midoriya the following morning

Izuku woke up early, or rather, earlier than he normally would have. It was 5.30 in the morning but strangely he wasn't bothered.

Falling asleep last night had been difficult, to begin with, though he was certain as to why.

The Raid.

It was today.

Izuku hadn't been able to focus on anything other than that recently, not that he hadn't tried. He knew what the outcome would be, but part of him, just a small part of him, wished that impossible would happen.

That Shiro would lose.

That the operation would be successful.

That he wouldn't ever have to see or deal with Hades again.

He knew, but he still dreamed.

"Rise and shine friend," a familiar voice chimed. "Big day ahead of you."

Izuku turned and saw Kai hallucination, okay no, he was just going to call him Kai to save time. Anyway, he saw Kai sitting at his desk with his left leg over the right.

Izuku wasn't entirely surprised to see him considering what transpired last night. What did surprise him was Kai's outfit.

"What are you wearing?" he blurted out.

Kai's attire consisted of black baggy trousers, a purple t-shirt with his name written in katakana, slippers, no gloves, and no mask.

"What's wrong with it?" Kai asked confused.

"It's normal," Izuku admitted.

Kai blinked.

"And?" he retorted. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing it's just," Izuku started. "I've never seen you outside your."

"Outside my villain outfit," Kai finished to which Izuku nodded. Kai rolled his eyes. "Izuku, you do realize that the only time we were together was when we teamed up to take down Tenome, right? Other than that, we've never been around each other. So, I'm pretty sure my real-life counterpart does something similar when he's not working."

Izuku didn't have a way to argue with that. Then again, it was highly unlikely Kai wore the same outfit repeatedly considering it would fall into his unsanitary category, and with Kai's extreme germaphobia well, enough said.

"Also, about the mask you do know only you can see and hear me, right?" Kai asked like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Unless there's someone with telepathy around here, no one but you is going to pay attention to me, so why would I wear it?"

Izuku didn't offer a retort, not that he was able to.

"Now, are you going to lie there all day or are you going to get up and do something with your life?" Kai asked snarkily.

Izuku scowled knowing he was right. On the other hand, he did want to watch the news for signs of the Raid. He didn't think it would be broadcasted at first but when all hell breaks loose reporters and helicopters would flock to the scene like a predator to its prey.

Grudgingly he rose from his bed and got dressed in an outfit similar to Kai's, though his t-shirt was green. He then proceeded to the kitchen to make some tea as he was in dire need of it.

"Looking forward to the fight between All Might and Shiro?" Kai questioned to his back.

"Not sure," Izuku admitted. "It should be quite the sight to see though. When he and Sensei fought in Kamino I only saw bits and pieces of it. the rest I was either fighting for my life or unconscious."

Kai hummed in response. Izuku finished his tea.

"What about you? Are you?" he then turned and saw Kai again. This time he nearly dropped his tea. "What the fuck!"

Kai's outfit had changed once more, this time to All Might's hero costume. He had his hands balled up into fists resting on his hips and was grinning at Izuku's reaction.

Izuku, on the other hand, was seriously beginning to question his own sanity at this point.

Why? Just why? Of all the things that came from his head, was a hallucination of Overhaul dressed as All Might? Was there even an explanation for that?

"What? Don't like what you see?" Kai asked amusedly.

"Why would I like it?" Izuku shot back incredulously.

"Because you told the real me that he might look good in it," Kai explained nonchalantly.

Izuku furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't remember ever… wait, hold on, there was a time when they were talking. Izuku talked a bit about his childhood and what he did. The topic may have come up at some point.

"Oh," Izuku realised. "Apparently, I did. I was just joking though."

"You still said it," Kai pointed out.

"Yeah, but I never thought he'd actually do it. Kai would sooner overhaul his entire existence than be caught in… that," Izuku bluntly stated, to which the hallucination seemingly agreed. "Besides it's not complete. You're missing something… some… oh what is it?"

Without warning, Kai raised his right arm with a serious-looking face. Then, in a deep voice he shouted:

"FEAR NOT CITIZENS! HOPE HAS ARRIVED! WHY? BECAUSE I AM HERE!"

Kai's voice didn't sound anything like All Might's, but it was a good attempt.

However, with the way he said it and how he looked during it, Izuku couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Oh yeah! That's what was missing," he chortled.

Kai smiled. It was a genuine smile.

Izuku wasn't sure if the real one would have done it, but it was nice. The hallucination was proving to be very entertaining, in more ways than one. This one surprised him twice so far, and it didn't show any signs of stopping soon.

Part of him couldn't help but think about the real Kai and what he might be doing right now. Possibly expanding his influence, or performing experiments, who knew? Izuku wondered if the real Kai could ever act like this, not that he would ever find out.

"I'm relieved to hear that," Kai said. That's when they heard footsteps. "Oh, and someone's coming, so we're gonna have to cut this conversation short. Otherwise, they'll think you're crazy, not that they'd be far off."

Just like that, he was gone. Izuku turned and focused on his tea as he heard someone arrive.

"Ah, Midoriya, you're up," Sekijirou said entering the kitchen.

"I couldn't sleep," Izuku admitted.

"Ah, can't say I blame you," Sekijirou responded. "Especially with what's going on today."

"Is that you're up as well?" Izuku guessed. "To watch the Raid when it becomes public?"

"I'll be patrolling the school along with some other teachers. We're short on numbers which is why we need to be on our guard," Sekijirou explained. "Eraser already left for the operation, as have several others."

Izuku wasn't surprised Aizawa was taking part. His work would prove very useful in taking down villains, especially Shiro and Nikko.

"What about you? How are you handling everything?" the Blood Hero asked.

"You mean have I had any panic attacks recently?" Izuku assumed.

The first time he had had a panic attack at UA, the staff's concerns about raised significantly.

The second time they upped their tabs on him to keep an eye on his mental and physical condition.

He supposed he should be grateful they were looking out for his well-being, but he really just couldn't bring himself to care.

"No, I've been fine for the most part," he admitted. "Nothing has triggered me so far, thankfully." Sekijirou gave him a look and Izuku knew exactly what he was thinking. "And before you say "if there's anything you want to talk about, you tell us," save it. I'll be doing that with Hound Dog, who is quite insistent on it."

Oh yes. The school guidance counsellor was intent on having more sessions with him in light of his recent… issues.

"Ryo is the right person to talk to," Sekijirou admitted. "I'm sure he'll be able to help you."

"I doubt it somehow," Izuku replied emotionlessly.

Not that he had anything against the guidance counsellor (truth be told he along with Aizawa was his favourite staff member at this school), but he seriously doubted he would be able to help him through something like this.

Sekijirou wanted to contradict him, but he needed to get to work. The other students would wake soon and he would be patrolling the area along with his fellow hero/teachers. Nezu would be giving them updates on the mission.

Once he had left, Izuku sat down and turned on the tv. There was nothing interesting on, but that would soon change.

"Well, good luck everyone, including you All Might," Izuku toasted. "Because you are so screwed otherwise."

Raid Section: All Might

All Might stood by his allies just waiting for the order to be sent. Part of him was unnerved to be kept waiting this long, though it was probably the anxiety talking. Still, he watched and waited for the moment when they struck.

Meanwhile, other members were getting reacquainted with one another.

"Hey Eraser, long time no see," Kenbosho greeted his old friend.

"It has," Aizawa agreed. "Sorry I haven't kept in touch. I've been a bit busy mentoring my students and believe me they're a handful."

"You mean you haven't expelled anyone yet?" the Forgotten hero sounded surprised. "That's not like you."

"No, it isn't," Aizawa agreed. "Still, they have a lot of potentials, more than most I've seen. There's just the issue with bringing it out."

Now Kenbosho was intrigued. Whoever was in this class, must have been special if Shota hadn't expelled them yet.

Other party members were socialising with each other.

Gunhead and Crust were talking about working as a team for both offence and defence.

The Wild Wild Pussycats were discussing a strategy.

Black Baron, John Doe, Blitz Strike and Power Loader were talking about the upcoming battle.

Wash was rinsing out as a warm-up.

Frozen Fairy and Miruko had been discussing battle techniques until it came to the topic of Frozen Fairy's clan and a special someone.

"Oh my God! Is that your daughter?" Miruko asked in awe.

"Yep!" Frozen Fairy beamed with pride. "Her name is Moon Mi-ran. She's three months old."

"I can tell," the Rabbit hero replied. "Damn though. Your little bunny is adorable. Bet she'll grow up to be a strong hero just like her mom."

"Thank you," the Korean hero replied. She was happy to talk about her baby girl and was relieved someone wasn't questioning her about the father for once. "I'd be happy to introduce you both when she's older."

Ryukyu had reunited with an old friend of hers.

"So, you still with you know who?" Sketch asked.

He had a long-time crush on Ryukyu ever since they were in school together. While he was saddened that she was in love with someone else, nonetheless, he accepted it.

"Not exactly. We're kind of on a break, but I'm hoping we can patch things up soon," Ryukyu responded sheepishly. She looked towards the entrance. 'Now more than ever knowing where you are, and who you're working for.'

Raid Section: Endeavour

Things were the same with Endeavour's group, thought to a lesser extent.

Some talked. Skeleton Eye was flirting with Midnight who was brushing it off, but still teasing her about it.

Medic Man and Endeavour were shooting each other glares. The two had never gotten along due to them both sensing something was dodgy about the other, although they never acted on their suspicions.

Endeavour wanted to start the damn operation already. The waiting was killing him. They were ready. So, now was the time to act.

Raid Section: Gang Orca

No talk was being made between the heroes lying in wait underwater. Gang Orca and his sidekicks, Selkie and his crew, Manual (who was wearing a special mask for breathing underwater), and Evolution sat waiting for the signal.

Evolution was dressed in a special suit that was now in the form of a black and blue diver outfit that covers everything barring his head. He was eager to begin to rescue his little sister. The second he heard Elena was in danger he joined instantly.

His parents weren't taking part due to restrictions, but if given permission well, may God have mercy on Shiro's soul.

Gang Orca waited patiently. His showdown with Curator was approaching, and he was ready. He would show no mercy, just as the bastard had shown none to him and his victims.

Hero Commission

Knowing it was time to begin, the Hero Commission President readied the signal.

"Is there a reason I'm not participating?" the hero asked his boss. "Surely, I could be an asset."

She knew this question was coming. She had been asked by several others so far but resolved to the same answer.

"I don't doubt that Hawks. However, regarding Deku's warning, I need you here in case things go south," she admitted. "You will be necessary for what comes after. Believe me."

The No.3 hero simply stared at his boss. While the answer didn't satisfy him, he didn't argue with it. Still, he understood where her fear was coming from.

On the bright side, being held back meant there was a chance he could see him again later.

Not wasting any more time, the President pressed a button that sent out a signal to the three receivers.

"And so, it begins," she muttered darkly.

Raid Section: All Might

SMASH!

All Might punched his way through a group of Shiro's men with such speed they were instantly knocked out (albeit briefly).

The moment the signal went, all hell broke loose from all sides.

Different enemies were firing at the heroes and police while the police and heroes were firing back.

Guns against guns.

Support gear against support gear.

Whatever they had Hades was matching in equal strength.

It was strange. Most villain raids usually just had the criminals trying to use their quirks to fight them off but here they had well-designed equipment and a perfect defence system.

This was not a simple raid anymore, but a full-on warzone.

The other heroes were doing reasonably well.

Aizawa cancelled quirks and knocked others out.

Crust put up shields to block gunfire.

Gunhead shot at the enemy.

Blitz Strike electrocuted them and vice versa.

In other words, they had it sorted.

All Might proceeded on route defeating anyone who got in his way. Seeing the collars around their necks he felt some remorse as they weren't doing this willingly, but quickly discarded it in favour of the mission. They could save them all after Shiro was defeated.

His thoughts were interrupted by a blast of hot energy to his face.

All Might skidded and barely halted avoiding an unnecessary collision with the wall. He rubbed his face. The attack hadn't hurt that much but it still stung.

"Impressive," came female applause. "Most would either be left unconscious and a bad burn. You really are the number one hero, aren't you?"

All Might turned and gritted his teeth. "Nikko. Shiro's second in command."

"Ah, so you know who I am," she responded sounding pleased. "Good. That saves me the trouble."

"Where's Shiro?!" the Symbol of Peace demanded.

This woman may have been a dangerous threat, but her boss was the true target.

Nikko frowned, apparently disappointed.

"Not here!" she stated firmly. "He's off playing with Endeavour's side. Don't worry though, you'll get your chance to fight with him I promise. Until then, you'll be playing with me."

All Might didn't really want to play with anyone. After a little consideration, he realized it would be more convenient to stop Nikko now considering she was just as much a threat as Shiro was.

"Very well. I accept your challenge Nikko!" All Might declared in a fighting stance. "Get ready!"

Nikko smirked. This was going to be fun.

Aizawa

Eraser Head dodged the attack on one individual and leapt over them while his scarf entrapped them. Then using all his strength, he threw the said individual at his allies.

'How annoying,' he thought. 'They're better than the punks at the USJ. More coordinated and have actual training. Midoriya wasn't joking about them.'

His thoughts were interrupted by several cries. He looked and saw heroes covered in what looked like foam, or rather, suds. They tried to use their quirks but found that they couldn't.

That gave their attacker the opening she needed as she took them down with… a push broom.

Aizawa knew immediately who she was.

'Zookeeper,' he silently thought. 'Curator's unwilling accomplice.'

She was as Izuku described her, completely devoid of emotion. She took down enemies without even so much as blinking and then moved on to the next target.

Aizawa wondered what was likely to happen if she was captured. Despite the crimes she had committed, she could not be held accountable. Perhaps it was possible to reverse the effects of the drug used on her.

"ERASER LOOK OUT!" a familiar voice shouted.

Aizawa turned and saw Power Loader being thrown towards him. He dived to the side to narrowly avoid a painful collision. Power Loader crashed against the wall.

"Well look what we got here Zoo, two of my brothers work colleagues," came a new voice.

"Targets: Eraser Head, Power Loader, UA Professors," Zookeeper added in a dead voice. "The first Curator has expressed interest in and should be captured. The second might be useful for Rika but isn't required alive. How shall we proceed?"

Bearhead rolled his eyes. She was always like this. He knew why but that didn't mean he liked it.

"Capture them alive," he instructed. "But make sure to knock them out good."

"Understood," she answered as she slipped into a fighting position. "Commencing capture."

The two teachers were on their guards immediately. These two were dangerous, which meant no room for mercy.

However, Aizawa was a little curious about Bearhead's use of brother. What did he mean by work colleagues?

Other heroes

Frozen Fairy brought up an ice shield to protect her and her allies from the molten lava that was shot straight at them.

"So, you survived, did you? Good. It wouldn't be much fun if you died right off the bat," Volcano chuckled alongside his teammates. "Shiro wanted us to take some of you alive but honestly, I couldn't care less."

Miruko scowled. She, Frozen Fairy, and Wash were in for a tough fight, not that she minded. In fact, it put a smile on her face. She could work in a team for once, at least until the Volcano Thieves were put in the ground.

Black Baron sent waves of dark matter after Combustion and Dokujin but both retaliated with their quirks. Ryukyu intervened and shielded them both. They were in for a tough fight.

As Gun Gale fired many shots from an AK-47 he forged from his right arm, Crust was putting up several shields to protect him and Gunhead. It was bound to be a long fight.

The Wild Wild Pussycats alongside John Doe surrounded Atlas. However, he didn't appear concerned in the slightest.

Blitz Strike was firing electricity at Speed Demon with relative ease only for him to dodge it quite easily.

Sketch was facing off against Blade who sliced through one of his creations with relative ease.

Edgeshot finally came face to face with the one he was looking for.

"Hello my love," Shino greeted. "It's good to see you again. Though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"That makes two of us," Edgeshot retorted.

"I have to admit, I wish you weren't part of this raid," the assassin said. "Though I am glad you're not fighting someone like Shiro. Believe me, that guy is way too strong for you."

Edgeshot did believe her. Despite the nature of her job, Shino was a shockingly honest woman. It was one of the things he loved about her.

"Enough talk," Shino readied her sword. "Shall we begin?"

Edgeshot got into a fighting stance. "Let's."

And just like that, their dance had begun.

Raid Section: Endeavour

A burst of fire erupted from the palm of the flame hero as he bore his way through the enemies in front of him. Unfortunately, it didn't bring them down. Whatever their clothes were made of they were certainly fireproof.

'Okay, plan B then,' he decided.

Concentrating and condensing his flames, Endeavour fired at them again with many crashing against the wall.

This wasn't his first time-fighting someone fireproof, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. He had learned the hard way that just because someone couldn't be harmed by his flames, didn't mean they couldn't be harmed at all. Fireproof wasn't impact-proof after all.

Two villains came up to him: one in front and one at the back. The one in front tried to ensnare him by the neck with an electric whip, while the one from behind arose from shadow to strike him with a taser.

'Not a bad strategy,' Endeavour admitted. 'But not good enough!'

Coating his hand in fire, the flame hero grabbed the whip and hoisted the villain towards him while turning to deliver a hard kick to the shadow villains' gut that sent him flying.

He then gave a powerful elbow to the villain that caused her to cough up spit but throwing her into her ally.

Endeavour smirked with satisfaction. They may have been better than the average villain, but they were still no match for him.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clapping.

"Very impressive," the voice complimented. "I can see why you're the No.2 hero, though you never advanced any further than that, despite all the cases you solved."

The voice was praising, yet there was a hint of condensation and mock that lay within.

Endeavour turned and shot the man the darkest glare he could muster, his flames burning just as his rage did.

The second he did, however, he couldn't help but smile. In front of him was the primary target of the Raid, Shiro, and best of all, he had gotten to him first.

That was one over on All Might, especially when he ended up defeating him.

"Enji Todoroki," Shiro greeted. "So good of you to come. I've heard so much about you."

"Then you know there's no point in fighting me," Endeavour retorted. "Surrender now, and I promise I'll make your defeat as quick and painless as possible."

"Tempting, but no," Shiro smirked. "It's not every day I get to fight someone like you. Deku got his shot at you, and now it's my turn."

Endeavour scowled ferociously at the name. He was still angry over the humiliation he had endured from that villain brat. A large part of him still couldn't believe it had happened.

He, the No.2 hero, second (begrudgingly) most powerful only to All Might in Japan, was defeated, by a quirkless child.

Defeated might not have been the right word, caught off guard, that would be better. Either way, the result was both humiliating and disgraceful.

When he woke up the next morning, he'd hoped it had all been some sort of bad dream, only to have his hopes dashed upon reading a threatening letter (the details of which he didn't want to describe) from Nezu about his actions.

"Aw, don't feel too bad about it," Shiro said teasingly. "He got the drop on me too." Shiro indicated to his eye. "Never saw it coming. That… pun wasn't intentional. Doesn't matter though. I let my guard around him for a split second, and this was the result, one of the few permanent scars I have."

"You must really hate him then," Endeavour assumed.

Much to his surprise, Shiro waved his head in denial.

"Not really. Between enslaving him via the electric collar, forcing him into deadly fights, unfairly torturing him, and adding even more trauma to his psyche I kind of had it coming," the leader of Hades shrugged. "I regret the torture part though. Turns out he actually didn't deserve it."

And he didn't. He'd only found out yesterday, but Kioku informed him about what really transpired between Izuku and Graphene. It seemed he and the kids were telling the truth. As much as it angered him that Graphene of all people disobeyed him, he was even more furious at the result.

While he wasn't above torture, he was fair about it as in he only gave it to people who deserved it. Izuku, unfortunately, didn't factor into this category. That meant he owed him, and by extension the kids, an apology, not that it would matter at this point.

"You sure you'll be able to fight with a wound like that?" Endeavour taunted. "Losing half your vision puts you at a serious disadvantage."

Shiro merely chuckled as a response.

"I fought Bakugo before all this and have kept up with my fight with Atrocity," he pointed out surprising the Flame Hero. "So yeah, I'll be fine. Besides, if you can manage with a large burn scar across your chest, then I can manage with a missing eye."

Endeavour's rage momentarily faltered, and his eyes widened in shock.

"H-How," Enji stammered. "How do you know about that?"

There was no way this man came across it from Shoto. He had never seen, nor had it been mentioned to him once. So just how?

Shiro's smile grew even wider. More than that, a sick sense of pleasure took over as he observed the hero's expression. That just left one tiny little thing.

To drop a bomb on his entire world.

"Why I learned it from your son of course," Shiro explained, his smile never once faltering. "Why yes, since a few months ago. Ever since Young Touya paid us a visit."

Elsewhere in Endeavour's Section

The rest of Endeavour's squad were faring much better.

Midnight put several villains to sleep with her quirk while Kamui ensnared others in his vines.

Firecracker Princess was shooting out fireballs from her hands.

Skeleton Eye blasted individuals with radiation dosages while at the same time looking elsewhere.

Metallum and Dicer teamed up and were manipulating whatever metal they could find on their opponents.

Shishido slashed his way through the enemy while Fat Gum absorbed several.

Ms Joke made multiple people laugh so hard that they collapsed from their insides hurting.

The sidekicks seemed to be handling themselves quite well.

So far so good, or so they thought.

They weren't prepared for the army of diamond clones that came their way. Ectoplasm countered with his own army of clones, which were somewhat outclassed due to Diamante's clones being far stronger than his. However, they were not invulnerable as he managed to destroy several by crashing them into each other.

Ectoplasm inwardly sighed. He was in for a long fight.

Midnight's whip was ensnared by another. Upon seeing who it was she scowled.

"Pain I presume," she guessed.

"You know it," the torturer smirked sadistically. "Because I'm the one who brings it."

"Not today," the R-rated hero responded with an equally sadistic grin.

Similarly, the heroes found opponents of their own to deal with.

Kamui Woods faced off against Cu Chulainn and Lorelei. Despite knowing the hero's reputation, he was determined to push forward until the end.

Death Arms and his sidekicks, along with Fat Gum faced off against Hercules, who seemed completely calm.

Dicer and Metallum found themselves against Wolfram. The villain smiled at them, eager to begin.

Skeleton Eye faced off against Aphrodite and immediately started checking her out. Aphrodite merely blushed in amusement. Their fight was to be an interesting one.

Shishido came face-to-face with Lobo who activated "Wolf Soul" to provide extra strength. His head, hands, and feet took on the appearance of a black wolf with grey streaks. He would need all his strength if he was to win.

Rock Lock, Ms Joke, Native, and Yoroi Musha surprisingly found themselves facing Tempest alone. What was surprising was that the woman didn't appear intimidated at fighting so many opponents at once. In fact, she looked thrilled.

Raid Section: Gang Orca

Gang Orca and the others swam forth only to be met with a hypersonic attack, which Orca countered with one of his own. It didn't take a genius to figure out who it came from.

"Well, hello there, Gang Orca," a cold familiar voice echoed. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"

"Not long enough Curator," Gang Orca spat with such venom it made the other heroes flinch. The sheer hatred the Killer Whale Hero was displaying for Curator was phenomenal. "Never long enough with you."

"How you wound me with your cruel words," Curator replied insincerely with his hand over his heart. "Then again, I've wounded you plenty of times, so I guess it's only fair."

Orca glared at his nemesis, ignoring the others present.

In addition to Curator were Umi in her mermaid form and Aqua who had surrounded herself in a liquid forcefield while drawing oxygen from the water.

In addition, there were several whalemen (Curator's henchmen) just floating on standby.

Umi didn't know how strong the heroes were but maintained her resolve to fight them.

Aqua was more interested in Manual, or as she knew him, Misaki Mizushima. It had been years since their encounter, yet she had never forgotten him.

Given that he was a pro hero now perhaps that meant he had improved, though he was nowhere on her level. Still, it would be interesting to spar with him for a bit. Perhaps she could even jog his memory.

Gang Orca and Curator glared at each other. Both were waiting to make the first move, not that it mattered. Curator had a little surprise in the waiting, and soon he would reveal it.

In the depths of Hades, a small figure wearing a blue helmet with a red visor lay in waiting.

Fight Monologues

Raid Section: All Might

Eraser Head and Power Loader vs Zookeeper and Bearhead

Eraser immediately went for Zookeeper as he was most suited to taking her on. Their quirks would be pointless on each other as it would for him to use it on Bearhead.

Swinging their right legs at a high turning kick, their legs collided with equal force. As soon as they were back on two feet, Eraser dashed forward and attempted to punch her, only for Zookeeper to direct his arm away from her and get in close. She then delivered a knee to the stomach and a kick to the face in quick succession that sent Eraser staggering back only to regain his focus a second later.

He ran at her again, this time with his capture weapon in hand. Zookeeper ran at him with her broom ready to strike. As they came in close, she swung her weapon which is exactly what he was waiting for. He leapt over her with his binding cloth slowly starting to ensnare her.

Unfortunately, Zookeeper reacted much quicker by using her broom as a shield and allowing it to be captured instead. Then using the same technique Eraser just used she flipped over him using his weapon to drag him along and flip him over.

In the air, wide open, Eraser could do nothing as Zookeeper delivered a powerful reverse turning kick to his back that sent him flying.

Power Loader wasn't doing much better against Bearhead who outclassed him in terms of physical strength and speed.

The two were locked in a bitter struggle as their arms wrestled against each other. Power Loader's suit was holding against Bearhead, however, soon he began to be pushed back.

"So sorry, but your piece of scrap metal got nothing on me," Bearhead taunted as he forced his body backwards.

Using all his strength Bearhead threw the Excavation Hero over his head onto his back while he kept his head and body off the ground. Power Loader yelped in pain, but Bearhead wasn't finished yet.

Flipping over the hero still holding his suits hands, Bearhead hoisted him and threw him over in the same pattern, again and again. Power Loader was starting to get dizzy and wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Eraser continued to trade blows with Zookeeper who appeared to be on equal ground with him. Despite this, he couldn't deny that he was impressed. There weren't many who could last this long against him in a hand-to-hand situation.

His thoughts were interrupted by Power Loader's cries of pain.

Deciding to help his colleague, Eraser waited for Zookeeper to attack. She launched a flying sidekick at him, only for Eraser to successfully ensnare her by the leg this time.

Using all his strength, he swung his scarf and threw the villain at her companion, who noticed too late as she collided with him, releasing Power Loader from his grip.

"Thanks Eraser," Power Loader said. "This guy is strong."

"Time to change tactics then," Eraser said.

"Time to dig a little deeper you mean," Power Loader smirked as he activated his quirk and burrowed his way underground.

The two villains were beginning to recover as Eraser made his move.

"Hah, you think that will help?" Bearhead shouted. "Even if he's underground, I can smell where he."

He didn't get a chance to finish that sentence, because at that moment he and his companion were hoisted up into the air by Eraser's binding cloth. As they came closer, Eraser kicked both downward just in time for Power Loader to emerge and deliver a double strike to them both at the same time.

Zookeeper didn't say anything, but Bearhead roared in pain.

Power Loader smirked while Eraser looked on coolly.

"And that takes care," before he could even finish that sentence, his entire suit fell apart. "W-What?!"

"Surprise," Bearhead said mockingly. "Back when we started fighting, I dug my claws in at the back and slashed where I could. The more damage your suit took, the easier it was for the insides to break apart." Power Loader couldn't believe he'd been stupid enough not to notice that. "Enough about that though. It's time to end this. Zookeeper, what say swap dance partners."

"Strategy change, acceptable," the white-haired villain responded.

Before either man could react, Bearhead pulled on Eraser's cloth and threw him into his arms. Bearhead held on tightly as Eraser struggled to break free of the enormous bearhug.

"Eraser!" Power Loader cried.

Zookeeper didn't waste any time as she performed a triple flip over where Power Loader was and had her legs wrapped around his neck.

Without delay, she did a back handspring and crashed his head very hard into the ground. She then stood up and applied and axe kick to his stomach, effectively knocking him out.

Eraser thrashed about in the painful submission, but Bearhead refused to let go. The pain became unbearable as he started to lose consciousness. His movements began to slow until finally he stopped moving altogether.

As unconsciousness came, so did one last thought.

'Everyone. I'm sorry. I failed.'

Frozen Fairy, Mirko, and Wash vs the Volcano Thieves

"TAKE THIS!" Dusty Ash shouted as dust shot from her body towards the heroes.

Wash countered by firing a stream of soapy water from his head that dispersed the attack in a matter of seconds.

"I DON'T THINK SO!" Gust Boy yelled as he activated his quirk.

His hands began to spin like they would for a fan and two small tornados were unleashed. They easily overpowered Wash's quirk and continued to head for the heroes when Frozen Fairy intervened and brought up a wall of ice.

"Is that all you know how to do?" Dusty taunted.

"Not even close!" Frozen Fairy snapped.

Twirling on her leg, she sent a large barrage of ice at the villains.

Volcano wasn't having any of it and unleashed a torrent of fire to stop the onslaught. When the attacks collided, there was a large amount of steam, temporarily blinding everyone.

Not planning to waste this opportunity, Mirko leapt into action. Even if she couldn't see them, she could still hear them.

Diving straight down at max speed and strength, she aimed where Volcano was standing. Twisting her body, she swung her foot as she fell.

"Luna Fall!" Mirko shouted as her foot collided with Volcano's back, who smashed face first into the ground.

Volcano felt several ribs crack as he coughed up blood. A scar formed at the top of his head which leaked out blood over his right eye. As he lay there in pain, Mirko continued with her assault. Moving into a cartwheel she swung her legs again.

"Luna Ring!" she shouted as her legs connected with the villain's faces.

Dusty and Gust were sent sprawling in opposite directions.

Not wanting to let her fight alone, Wash unleashed three large bubbles that covered the villains and levitated them into the air.

Frozen Fairy then turned each of the bubbles to ice and sent them crashing to the ground. Fortunately, the ice was incredibly durable, so it didn't break on impact.

It seemed like it was over. Emphasis on seemed.

"You know when Deku said these guys were like A-Rank villains, I thought they would actually be tough," Mirko admitted. "But this was way too easy."

Before either of her companions could say anything, one of the ice spheres shattered, revealing a shivering, and extremely pissed off Dusty who was holding a black club.

"You bastards!" she snarled. "Did you really think it would be that simple?" It was then she activated her quirk as clouds of dust began to spiral everywhere. "Battle Royal!"

The dust managed to get into the eyes of the three heroes, blinding them.

Taking advantage, Dusty struck. She smashed her club across the Rabbit Hero's face twice in quick succession and then threw her to her teammates.

Dusty then briefly attacked the spheres to cause a crack in them. When her companions didn't emerge immediately, Dusty became a little worried. However, that was shattered along with the ice when Gust broke free using Fan.

"A-A-Assholes!" Gust growled still shivering. "Y-Y-You're gonnana p-pay f-for."

He had to hold that sentence as Frozen Fairy and Wash sent an all-powered combination of their quirks straight at him.

He fired back with a larger tornado, but it was all for nought as the heroes combined attacks overtook him and struck his body, encasing him completely in ice.

Frozen Fairy manipulated the ice around his mouth to allow him room to breathe.

Whether Dusty didn't notice or just didn't care was irrelevant at that point in time as she was locked in a vicious struggle with Mirko. What's worse is that she had the upper hand.

Dusty repeatedly struck Mirko with her club while at the same time using her quirk to blind her. Mirko tried to fight back but Dusty easily dodged her attacks and struck again, this time at her legs causing the hero to sprawl onto the ground.

Raising her club to deliver the finishing blow, Frozen Fairy decided she'd seen enough and crafted a bow and arrow made of ice and shot it at the villain's weapon. The impact sent the club flying out of the villain's hands.

Dusty yelped in surprise, giving Mirko the opportunity, she needed.

Pivoting on her hands, she spun and kicked at Dusty's legs causing her to fall on her side. She then kicked Dusty in the face as hard as she could before handspringing into the air and delivering a powerful spinning dropkick on her back, knocking her out effectively.

Not wanting to take any chances, Frozen Fairy restrained Dusty using Frozen handcuffs on both her arms and legs. She then did the same with Gust by controlling the ice to regress backwards until he was in a similar position to his companion.

"And that's that," Frozen Fairy declared. "Are you both fit enough to move on to the next area?"

"I took a few hits, but I can still fight," Mirko grinned. She rubbed her face where Dusty hit. "Damn, that bitch was tough. She really roughed me up."

"Wash!" Wash added cheerfully.

Just as they were about move on, the temperature of the area rapidly increased.

In addition, Volcano's sphere as well as his ally's restraints began to melt.

"Special Move: Volcannon!" Volcano shouted.

Without warning, lava began to shoot out from the ground in different directions, though mostly aimed towards the heroes.

Gust, having broken free of his cuffs, grabbed Dusty and used his quirk to fly towards the centre of the eruption.

With limited space and time to run, Wash brought up several bubbles which were then frozen as shields against the lava.

"I don't know how long this will hold," Frozen Fairy admitted regretfully. "Fire takes a while to make my ice melt, but lava, that's much hotter."

As if to prove her statement, water began dripping all around them. Frozen Fairy instantly began to reinforce the barrier, however, using her power was beginning to take its toll on her.

"I can't keep this up forever," she said bitterly. "We need a plan of action."

"No shit!" Mirko retorted. "But what? We're basically sitting ducks."

"We need to do something," Frozen Fairy snapped. "We can't just."

CRACK!

The loud sound of ice cracking interrupted her speech. Looking up at the roof she saw a small crater, which then became bigger as it was struck again.

"Ten thousand yen says it's that dust bitch from before," Mirko growled still angry about the beating she took.

CRACK!

The ice was beaten down again and looked like it was about to cave in. Frozen Fairy attempted to rebuild it but was a split second too late as the roof was blown downwards by a tornado. The heroes were unable to move due to being held down by the intense wind. This gave the villains the opening they needed.

Dusty took out a small 'present' from Volcano and dropped it into the ice sphere before leaping off with Gust.

"Wash?" Wash asked confused by the orb.

The three heroes' eyes widened as they realized what it really was.

Desperate, Wash and Frozen Fairy tried to use their quirks to contain it but were too late as the bomb went off, unleashing a huge explosion from inside the sphere, destroying it completely and defeating the heroes.

Volcano chuckled and stared down at the gauntlet on his arm.

While he was little sceptical of Shita's support device at first, he quickly came to see how useful it was. The device in question was an enhanced version of his previous gauntlet that in addition to allowing him to launch his fire, enabled him to craft small bombs by storing some of his power in them.

As the smoke cleared the Volcano Thieves could see the three burned (but alive) bodies of the heroes.

"Well guys, looks like it's our win," Volcano declared.

Ryukyu and Black Baron vs Combustion and Dokujin

The fight appeared to be in the hero's favour.

Despite Combustion and Dokujin using their quirks to fight back, Ryukyu was too durable in her dragon form. Not to mention strong.

They had been struck once or twice by the dragon and it hadn't been peaceful. They were left with bruises and cuts with blood leaking out of them in certain places. As for why they hadn't been struck more times it was because they were careful enough to dodge each of her attacks.

Ryukyu's form may have granted her enhanced attributes such as strength and durability, but speed wasn't one of them as they could keep up with her.

Black Baron was trickier. He would construct various weapons from the dark matter such as a hammer, swords, and knives and use them in various ways to attack them, as well as put up barriers to protect himself from their attacks.

Catching him off guard was not an easy task.

"Any suggestions?" Combustion asked. "I'm willing to try anything at this point."

"Beat the crap out of them," Dokujin vehemently suggested.

"Anything better perhaps?" Combustion rolled his eyes.

He knew his teammate loved to fight but at times it could blind him to reason. They needed a strategy if they wanted to win.

Ryukyu had high defences and Baron was an elusive opponent.

There had to be some way to catch them off guard.

'Heh, the only way they'd do that is f they'd thought they'd… won,' Combustions eyes widened. 'That's it!'

"Hey, I've got a plan," he said.

"Better be a good one," Dokujin muttered.

"It is," he retorted. "We need to take them both down separately and when they let their guards down. The only way to do that is to make them think they've won. For the time being, fight Ryukyu while I deal with Baron."

"What kind of a dumbass plan is that?" Dokujin asked disbelievingly.

"One that will succeed," Combustion responded. "Trust me on this one. Oh, and one more thing. Get angry, and I mean really angry. Angrier than you've ever been in your life. It's how you will you defeat Ryukyu."

Dokujin didn't quite believe his comrade, but he didn't argue with him either. Combustion had never led him wrong before, so why was now any different?

"Fine, we'll do it your way," he said. "Now let's beat the crap out of these hero bastards!"

Nothing more was said between the two of them as they focused on their separate targets.

Baron was a little amused by their change in tactic but otherwise unimpressed. He wanted this fight over and done with as he did the raid. While he had agreed to take part, he wanted to get back to his beloved wife and daughter as soon as possible. Khioniya and Rachel were bound to be worrying about him right now, and he wanted to get rid of that.

Combustion fired an explosion at his foe who quickly brought up a dark barrier to defend himself. When they were close enough, Combustion tried use his quirk again by absorbing the heat particles from the area only for his explosion to fall short as Baron extended dark matter like a shadow and used tentacles to drag him back.

"I think this has gone on long enough, don't you?" he said coldly in Russian.

Using his quirk, he trapped Combustion in the dark matter in an attempt to suffocate him unconscious. This would take a few minutes, but he could wait that long as he was confident Ryukyu would handle the other one.

However, what happened next surprised him in ways that had never happened before. Despite being encased in dark matter, Combustion still retained the heat particles he had absorbed. Using them, he initiated a large explosion from all over his body.

Black Baron struggled to contain the explosion but the strength of it made it difficult. Eventually, the detonation stopped, and the villain stopped moving altogether. Removing his quirk, he saw that the villain was alive but incredibly weakened.

No longer seeing him as a threat, he moved to help his ally, only to be met with a raging inferno.

When Combustion started fighting with Black Baron, Dokujin attempted to take on Ryukyu all by himself. While it wasn't easy, he managed to keep up and dodge all her attacks, yet he restrained himself from using his quirk until the right moment.

'What is he up to?' the Dragoon Hero wondered. 'Is he trying to wear me down?'

What Ryukyu didn't know was that he did have a way to wear her down, it just wasn't through physical means.

Throughout their fight, Dokujin thought a lot about his past: how he joined Hades, the hardships he'd endured, the humiliation, the betrayals, all the people that pissed him off (Deku and Shita included), and just about everything that pissed him off in this damn world.

And he used it all as fuel.

His fury became the very petrol he needed to power his quirk.

When he was certain he had reached his highest point, he dashed towards Ryukyu with a blank expression across his face. The hero tried to swipe at him, but he was quick enough to dodge and get under her huge body.

Standing straight he stomped his foot down… and screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

And in that moment, a blazing hell was unleashed. The fire consumed the hero's body as she did nothing but scream in agony. Most people didn't know this, but Dokujin's flames could be just as hot as Endeavour's, if not hotter when he needed them to be.

And Ryukyu felt the full force of it. Not only did she feel the unbearable pain of it all, but the intense heat was starting to drain her body as she slowly began to lose consciousness.

Black Baron couldn't believe what he was seeing or feeling for that matter. It was as though he had stepped into hell itself.

He didn't dare approach though as he wasn't sure he'd be able to help. Unbeknownst to him, the fire Dokujin was giving off was sending out a lot of heat particles.

Another thing he didn't know was that Combustion, while not immune to explosions in general (though he did have a bit of a resistance), was completely immune to his own.

With his opponent distracted, Combustion rose to deliver the final blow.

Dashing at his opponent he turned and delivered a flying side kick, where at the moment of impact, a massive explosion occurred that sent the Demonic Protector of Kazan soaring across the air into his ally.

The impact effectively knocked both him and Ryukyu out.

Dokujin's flames subsided, and Combustion collapsed to the ground panting. He took out a small blue square shaped pill and chewed down on it before swallowing.

The pill itself was a hydration pill created by Rika to help him deal with the fallout from his quirk, which left him severely dehydrated and tired from extensive use. Taking the pill was the equivalent of drinking five litres of water, though you didn't feel full afterwards.

"Damn!" Dokujin swore as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "That was quite a workout."

"Indeed, it was my angry friend," Combustion agreed. "Indeed, it was."

Examining the heroes, one could see that Ryukyu had serious burns as did Black Baron, but other than that they would live.

Surprisingly enough, the flames hadn't burned away their clothes, not that he was complaining. They were charred but otherwise wearable.

"I doubt they'll be up for a while," Combustion stated. "Let's move on, shall we?"

The red head smirked and followed, leaving the defeated heroes behind.

Crust and Gunhead vs Gun Gale

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gun Gale continued to fire against his opponents, only to be blocked by Crust's shields. When his body reverted to normal, Gunhead made his move and started firing claw-like bullets made from Keratin.

Gun Gale wasted no time in dodging by cartwheeling to the left.

'Well, this is not going well,' the lone villain thought. 'Those shields he is producing block all my bullets, not to mention they can cut through anything.'

He had studied up on the heroes of Japan in thorough detail. Among those he deemed a threat, Crust was one of them due to the defensive and offensive capabilities of his quirk, mostly defensive though.

'Gunhead's quirk is impressive, but it's his affinity for martial arts that make him a genuine threat. Hmm, what to do, what to do?'

Of course, he knew what he had to do he was just annoyed he had to do it. His quirk Gun State allowed him to transform his body into any gun he desired, the ammunition was something he could produce as a bonus. However, the more bullets he used the more his energy depleted, hence why he preferred to finish his fights quickly.

What most people didn't know about his quirk was that while he could produce bullets, he could produce other ammunition. Not only that, but he could also alter the properties of the gun he was using, such as adding extra firing equipment.

"Gunhead, we need to hurry up and finish this!" Crust yelled.

"On it!" the Battle Hero replied.

He prepared to fire again at the villain, only to be surprised when instead of dodging Gun Gale ran straight at the bullets. Dropping on his knees and skidding forward with his upper body bending backwards he dodged the bullets and continued running forward.

'What the?' Gunhead thought bewildered. 'Did he realize shooting was pointless and is now trying to take us on in a straight-up match?'

'Something about this doesn't feel right,' the Shield Hero mused.

Gun Gale could tell they were baffled by his sudden change in strategy, which worked well for him.

As he came closer, he transformed his right leg into an M4 carbine assault rifle with an M203 grenade launcher and fired off a round. The explosion temporarily blinded the heroes as he soared over their heads. When he was in perfect range of them, he fired again with Crust barely managing to put up a shield in time.

Blocking a grenade is not the same as blocking a bullet. When Gun Gales shot landed, the explosion sent the two heroes crashing backwards on the ground.

As they stood up it was evident, they were shaky.

"Time to end this I guess," Gun Gale decided.

Holding out his left arm he transformed it into an RPG 7, much to the hero's horror. If a small explosion like that wouldn't take them out, then a much larger on was sure to do the trick.

Without further delay, the Gun villain fired at his targets while Crust put up the largest and strongest shield he could muster.

BOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!

The explosion from the impact was huge and went behind the heroes to other police and heroes fighting with Hades members. The result was several on both sides dying, in addition to being severely injured.

Gun Gale felt somewhat bad about hitting his allies but rationalized that these things happened in war, as he had learned first-hand from his time as a soldier.

When the smoke cleared, Gun Gale was quite surprised to see both Crust and Gunhead alive. They were heavily burned and unconscious, but otherwise alive.

Crust deserved the most praise. Being able to block an impact like that come out alive displayed not only a high level of perseverance, but skill as well.

"The doctors are gonna have their hands full with these ones," Gun Gale admitted. "Oh well, can't be helped. These happen in war after all."

Wild Wild Pussycats (Mandalay, Tiger, and Pixie-Bob) and John Doe vs Atlas

"Your feline fantasies are here! Say meow!" Mandalay introduced.

"Allow them to lend a helping paw!" John Doe added.

He wasn't really part of the group, but they asked him to fill in on the introduction. Something about a teammate of their not being available because of personal reasons. He didn't really understand it, but it was fun to do.

"We're champions serving up justice with our tails!" Tiger said intimidatingly.

"Perfectly cute and cat-like heroes!" Pixie-Bob beamed.

"We're/They're the Wild Wild Pussycats!" they all finished in the pose.

Atlas stared at them with a neutral expression.

"A pleasure. I am Atlas, a member of the Elemental Assassins here at Hades," he responded nonchalantly. "I must say you are not what I was expecting. You do not look that old for your age. This one look about seventeen." He pointed towards Pixie-Bob whose face lit up. He then pointed at John Doe. "I don't know who he is. I don't think he's part of your group though, I mean he's not wearing a cat costume."

The heroes were surprised at how polite Atlas was. They remembered Deku's report which described him as one of the nicer members. Apparently, he wasn't kidding.

"While I know it is unlikely, you'll actually do it," Atlas sighed. "I will ask to turn around and walk away from this place, from this mission of your if you prefer."

Now that surprised them. Was he afraid to face them all at once, or was he concerned about them? He sounded sincere, though it could be a deception.

"If you know then why ask?" Tiger interrogated.

"Because you'll lose," Atlas answered bluntly. "I don't know what Deku told you about me or anyone else here for that matter, but I'm certain he told you we're not your average opponents."

"That may be true, but that's no reason to run away," Mandalay said. "Not when people are counting on us to rescue them."

"So, give up on trying to persuade us," Pixie-Bob challenged. "Our minds are made up."

Atlas inwardly sighed. Their intent was so pure, it was almost saddening, almost. He knew it would come to this, that didn't mean he wanted it though. It just meant he would have to defeat them.

"Less talking more ass-kicking," John informed them in English.

It wasn't as if he was bad at Japanese, however, he was still learning the language and could sometimes struggle with a few words.

"Well, no way around it then," Atlas sighed. "Just remember, I offered."

While the others took up fighting stances, he retained the same standing position.

"God, I wish we had some music to play for this," John lamented.

They divided themselves up and attacked separately. Tiger was first to strike. He ran at Atlas at max speed and brought out his claws in an attempt to take him out early.

John had a similar idea as he ran at him from behind with a stun baton enhanced by his quirk. As they neared him, Mandalay used her telepathy on him and screamed in his head.

'AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

Much to her surprise, Atlas wasn't the least bit affected by her mental barrage. He stomped his left foot on the ground, and a second later two earth pillars shot out from the ground towards the two opponents running at him.

Tiger just barely managed to twist his body out of the way as he kept up his charge, while John was less lucky and was hit hard in the stomach that sent him crashing against a wall, knocking him temporarily out of the fight.

As Tiger neared, Atlas calculated where he would step and erected a large pillar that squashed Tiger against the ceiling.

"Admittedly, not a bad plan, but not one that would work on me," Atlas spoke calmly. He turned to a glaring Mandalay. "You have a loud voice, I'll you that. But along with my 'siblings' I've been trained to resist mental attacks. So really, don't waste your thoughts."

'Dammit,' Mandalay internally swore. 'I thought that would work. Time to change tactics.' Activating her quirk, she spoke with her teammates. 'Everyone, I hope you're alright. Things are much more complicated than we thought. My psychic attacks don't work on him. We need to come up with a plan.'

Pixie-Bob gave her teammate a look but said nothing. It was time for her to make her own attack.

Summoning the earth, Pixie-Bob sent several waves towards the villain. In addition, she used her special move to summon several earth golems/beasts to assault Atlas. Baring their fangs, they charged at him with the intent to incapacitate.

However, she was shocked when Atlas raised his hands and suddenly all her attacks stopped. With all her willpower, Pixie-Bob tried to force them to move but to no avail.

"My siblings and I were trained from birth in the use of our element and have mastered every aspect of it, even going so far as to control the quirks of our enemies," Atlas explained, his voice neither sarcastic nor condescending. "I control the earth in all her forms Pixie-Bob. From pebbles to boulders, from sand to mud, you name it, I control it. You are powerful, I won't deny that. But compared to us, you and other elemental users are mortals, whereas we… are Gods."

Mandalay did not like that description, mainly because from his demeanour, he wasn't lying.

Tiger broke out of his little prison and began to attack Atlas again by swiping and kicking at him.

Mandalay and Pixie-Bob joined in this time by assisting each other in a coordinated attack against Atlas who miraculously dodged each one, even the attacks he couldn't see.

John recovered and joined in the attack by enhancing the others while attacking Atlas with two fixed blade knives.

While they couldn't hit him, he could certainly hit them by bringing up different layers of rock to hit them aside.

At one point, John attempted to stab him from behind, but he spun aside while a wall of earth smashed face-first into the hero and drove him into a wall, once again knocking him out.

None of them could understand it. He couldn't be that good, and yet he was.

"I'd say this fight has gone on long enough," Atlas concluded. "As you can see, you're no match for me. This is why I offer you the chance to leave once more. Abandon your mission and return home before you become slaves of this place."

"As if we would ever succumb to demands of a villain like you," Tiger barked.

Atlas groaned. This was getting annoying. Couldn't they see that they wouldn't win?

"Do none of you has families you need to get back to, relatives that are anxiously waiting for your return?" he enquired.

Mandalay froze upon hearing that question. The image of a small boy, no older than five with spiky black hair and a red cap came to mind.

Her cousin Kota, her only living relative whom she held custody of. He was at home waiting for her. He was at home still recovering from the trauma of the training camp.

Of all the things she expected from the camp, a villain attack was not one, especially with her cousins (Kota's parents) killer present.

The poor boy had nearly been killed by that monster and was still recovering from the mental shock of it all as he was with his parents. Could she really afford to leave him alone as well?

"Of course, we do," Pixie-Bob answered honestly. "A lot of heroes do. But guess what, so do most of the people you kidnapped." Atlas didn't need to be told that. "Which is why we'll keep fighting, for them, and for others just like them. Because even if it's hopeless, that's what heroes do. Help others."

Atlas exhaled deeply. He had heard that response before, and as noble as it sounded it always ended the same way. Atlas' eyes briefly wandered over to Mandalay and noticed how unsure she was about the whole situation. That was unusual.

Could she have perhaps been considering his offer? Maybe she had someone at home she desperately needed to return to.

Atlas snapped back to reality the second he felt John Doe moving. From the vibrations, he could tell the man was reaching for something. At the sound of a click, Atlas instantly brought up an earth wall to shield him from whatever was being fired at him.

Stomping his left foot down again, John Doe was launched into the air by a pillar until it stopped, and he crashed into the ceiling and fell back down onto the spike and to the ground, knocking him out.

Deciding he'd had enough of this fight Atlas repeated his final attack from the mall and unleashed a wave of earth against the heroes who were too slow. The heroes were pinned against the wall, but Atlas wasn't finished yet. He wanted to make sure they stayed down for good.

Controlling the earth around them, he forged cuffs for their hands, feet, and waists. Holding out both his hands he tightened them both as fists, and as he did, the restraints tightened. The strain it put on the hero's bodies caused them to slowly descend into the realm of sleep.

"K-Kota," Mandalay murmured, attracting Atlas's attention. "Kota."

Atlas raised an eyebrow. So, she did have someone she cared about. A son perhaps, or husband maybe. In that case.

"Rest well, cat girl. You will be home to him soon," Atlas assured her. "Very soon."

Atlas liked to consider himself one of the nicer more reasonable members of Hades, as did many others. He didn't particularly like his job where he had to capture people, but he did it anyway. Why? While he valued life more than others, he also valued his own.

That said he would often let people go when he could.

Like now.

Blitz Strike vs Speed Demon

Speed Demon was moving as fast as he could to avoid the hero he was fighting with. The reason being Blitz Strike creating some sort of chain with him attached to it and travelling along with it as an electrical current until she reached and shocked the life out of him.

Not an appealing experience he had to admit which is why he was running.

'Ugh, I'd rather be training with Tenya,' Hayai internally whined. 'He's come so far already, and there's still more to go. Not to mention his wicked new hairdo. I swear, combine that with the costume design Shita's been working on and no ones gonna recognise him.'

Tenya was currently with Shita at the development studio which was sealed off entirely like the rest of the building, save for when Shiro invited All Might in. Boy that was going to be a fight worth watching.

The sound of sizzling came close to him, and the speed villain sped up. He wondered if he just had to continue running for Blitz Strike to tire out and give up, though he seriously doubted it.

The woman was an underground hero like Eraser Head, though far more dangerous and destructive. She attacked her targets with precision and efficiency and often left her targets in a disabled and (occasionally) dead state. She was often employed by the police to deal with more dangerous targets that other heroes couldn't handle.

He understood.

In this life, someone like that was always necessary. Unfortunately, this now applied to him.

'Well, no way around it,' he decided as he turned to face the electrical storm heading his way.

Rotating both his arms at super-speed two small tornados formed and shot at the living lightning chain. Because she was heading straight for Speed Demon Blitz Strike was unable to dodge and as a result, slowed down in her assault.

For the moment it seemed to be working. The hero was barely able to move as she struggled to reach the speedster. This was of course part of his plan to wear her out.

Blitz Strikes quirk, while extremely powerful, had a fatal weakness. The user had to possess incredible amounts of physical stamina and strength for it to work, and the more she used it, the more tired she became.

And worst of all, once she was in attack mode she couldn't stop until she'd hit her target, which worked out just fine for him.

Blitz Strike increased the power output of her attack and slowly began to break through the tornados. Speed Demon wasn't entirely worried, it was all part of the plan. He increased the power of his tornados as she increased her own power, and in the process gradually wore herself out.

When she was within inches of him, Speed Demon (for a split second) broke the tornado and she electrocuted him at full force.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the speedster screamed as the electricity coursed through his body.

Yet, despite the pain, he persevered and managed to remain conscious. Next came the tricky part of the plan.

Blitz Strike collapsed on the ground panting heavily. She had not expected to use that much of her power and so soon. She needed to recharge, and soon. Good thing she brought a couple of energy bars with her. As she reached towards her pocket, surprise overtook her when she heard a voice.

"Damn girl," Speed Demon muttered. "You really know how to show a guy a good time. I'm impressed."

Blitz Strike stared at Speed Demon in disbelief. How was he still conscious? For that matter, how was he still moving? Whenever she used her quirk on someone, they were normally left physically incapacitated.

"Aah, that fight was amazing. I really thought we were connecting there you know like there were sparks flying between us. Couldn't you feel it?" Speed Demon beamed.

Blitz Strike stared at him with a cold yet dumbstruck expression. Speed Demon flinched a little under her gaze.

"Too soon?" he muttered. "Too weird?"

"Both!" Blitz Strike responded bluntly. "How are you even still moving?"

"I'm more durable than I look," he joked. "What do you think?"

Blitz Strike stared at him, her eyes cold and unsympathetic.

"I think my quirk may have given you brain damage," she replied honestly. "Either that or you were born this way, which is even sadder."

Speed Demon looked completely offended by that remark.

"Excuse me! What's wrong with my personality?" he protested.

"Seriously, it's hard not to find what isn't wrong with it," Blitz Strike deadpanned.

"Well, I'll have you know that a lot of people like me this way," the speedster countered.

"Only because they feel sorry for you," the hero shot back.

The exchange of insults between them was not one Hayai enjoyed but deemed necessary, nonetheless.

His quirk granted him super speed in several areas, healing included. While they were talking, he had been recovering from the shock Blitz Strike gave him.

Surprisingly, it wasn't too hard to distract her. Whatever about him she found annoying, it worked well in his favour. While he exploited it and kept her talking, he was healing up nice and fine.

"By the way, not that I actually care but what's up with your name?" Blitz Strike asked incredulously. "Who comes up with stupid names like Speed Demon?"

"It wasn't me," he assured her. "Shiro thought it would be best if I had a name that sounded more villainous so everyone else would take me seriously. I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't want to argue either."

"I'll remember that when you're in jail," the hero muttered.

Speed Demon inwardly laughed. She thought he was going to jail. How cute.

Unfortunately for her, he was fully healed now. Meaning their little dance was coming to an end.

"Wow you are so naïve," Blitz Strike looked at him confused. "So sorry, but I have interest in being locked up. Prison just doesn't suit me if you know what I mean."

Before she could even muster a reply, Blitz Strike found herself against the wall with Speed Demon pinning her down.

He then proceeded to rapidly punch her in both the face and stomach which was amplified by his speed.

The underground hero couldn't even retaliate against the onslaught as she was too worn out from using her quirk.

So that's what his plan was,' she realized. 'Shit! Now, who's the idiot?'

Those were her last thoughts as Speed Demon's final punch knocked her to the ground unconscious.

"Ugh, finally," Hayai groaned. "I did not like fighting her. Oh well, can't be helped. A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do."

Sketch vs Blade

Sketch drew a tiger that immediately went after Blade, only for him to turn his right leg into a sword and cut it down in one strike. The tiger immediately disappeared into paper.

"Well, this could be going better," Sketch muttered as another of his beautiful creations fell to Blade's… well… blade.

"I don't know about that. It's going pretty well for me," Blade taunted.

"Yes, for you, not me!" Sketch snapped. "It could be going better for me but instead it's you after slicing apart another of my masterpieces."

Blade rolled his eyes.

From the beginning, he found his opponent annoying, and that continued to increase as they fought.

Sketch was an unusual opponent. His quirk "Art to Life" brought about various creatures for Blade, ranging from animals to insects, as well as human beings.

"I couldn't give two shits about your stupid drawings," Blade barked. "We're fighting not drawing stick men."

"Stick men actually aren't that bad, they're a good way for beginners to start off before developing their artistic style," Sketch interrupted.

"SHUT UP!" Blade roared.

This guy was seriously pissing him off. It was bad enough he lost to Deku and his friends and got a beating from Nikko. Now he had to deal with this guy.

It was infuriating. Bad luck seemed to be following him around a lot lately.

'Whatever! The sooner I kill this guy, the happier I'll be,' Blade decided.

Despite Shiro's orders, Blade had no intention of capturing anyone today. He was in too much of a murderous mood to do that.

Activating his quirk, Blade transformed every part of his body into a type of sword. His nails and teeth became knives. Katanas came from his elbows and knees while down to his feet became swords from Medieval times.

The act was meant to intimidate his opponent.

This is why he was shocked when this happened.

Sketch's face lit up like an angel and squealed like an adoring fangirl.

"Aah, hold that posse!" he ordered as he took out his sketchbook and immediately started drawing. "Please hold that posse!"

"What the fuck!" Blade responded completely bewildered by Sketch's behaviour.

"I'm sorry it's just that when I see a beautiful work of art like that, I can't help but admire it," Sketch beamed. "Of course, that includes drawing them for memory as well."

Beautiful work of art? Blade honestly couldn't think of one moment in his life where anyone had said that about him. It was really weird.

"Are you shitting me?" Blade snapped. "We're in the middle of a life-or-death situation and you want to spend that time drawing?"

"It's called multitasking. You should try it sometime," Sketch advised him.

Blade however, had had enough.

Reverting his body back to normal he charged at Sketch with two katanas emerging from his elbows on different sides. Leaping up into the air he spun, hoping to slice the top half of Sketch off.

Sketch with an unreadable expression was drawing something before activating his quirk. Blade came face-to-face with an iron wall that he barely managed to slash in two.

"Hey, Blade," Sketch called, his voice now calm. "How well versed are you in popular culture from centuries ago, back before quirks existed?"

Blade furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. What did that have to do with anything? He wasn't versed at all, mainly because he wasn't interested.

"I'm going to take it not that much, well that's alright," Sketch assured him. "It's not for everyone. Me on the other hand, I love it. Movies, books, comics, manga, and anime that existed long before we were born, before quirks even existed, and remain popular to this day. Some of my favourites include Naruto, Attack on Titan, Harry Potter, Batman, and The Hunger Games. Ever hear of them? Perhaps not if you're not a fan like I am. You should though, they're amazing. So many unique designs and creative ideas to choose from, they inspire me to draw such beauty like my own."

The atmosphere had suddenly changed. It was darker, tenser. And Sketch, his tone of voice indicated that he was finally getting serious. The cold look in his eye only confirmed it.

Blade was a little unnerved by it all. It was as if his personality had done a complete 180 turn.

"Let's start with the Hunger Games, a novel series about a young girl in a dystopian world who takes part in a dangerous fight to the death to protect her sister. She faces many trials throughout these games, one just so happening to be a Jabberjay, a special of mutated bird used to mimic human voices and spy on others. In one such event it was used to torture her by mimicking the voice of her beloved sister," Sketch explained in extraordinary detail. "I loved the idea it was one of the cruellest ways to assault your enemies. However, I also thought a bit more could be added to them, like this."

Flipping to a page in his sketchbook of several birds and words beside them, he activated his quirk and brought them to life.

Several black birds with white crests appeared flying around Blade.

"Well Blade, what do you think?" Sketch asked in a cruel voice.

No sooner had he said did the Jabberjays start to mimic his voice and words. However, they spoke they were high-pitched sonic screams that forced Blade to his knees as he covered his ears while dealing with the pain.

Sketch looked on with a cool expression. He thought it was a good idea to give them sonic screech powers to inflict more damage.

Sketch turned through his book again to a page that brought a serious expression to his face.

"Now this one is from the Harry Potter series, specifically book 3," he explained. "A demonic entity that feeds off happiness and forces others to live through their darkest fears. Don't worry, it can't suck out your soul, I made sure of that."

Activating his quirk again, the Dementor came to life and began to circle Blade who felt the entire air turn ice cold. It wasn't just that though he began to slowly recall his worst memories ranging from scary to traumatic.

He wanted the horrible torture to end. The only reason he wasn't praying was because he couldn't remove his hands from his ears, and because he doubted anyone would answer.

He had been taught from birth to only rely on himself to survive and he wasn't about to change that now.

Seeing that his target was immobilised Sketch waited for him to fall unconscious. He didn't particularly take any pleasure in watching his opponent suffer but he wasn't willing to take any chances against a member of Hades. Sometimes the most brutal methods were the most effective, and of course, sometimes they weren't. He was aiming for the latter.

Blade could barely think as the horrific sensations coursed through his body. At this rate, he wasn't going to last much longer. Yet, despite all the torture he was going through, he refused to succumb. He willed himself to stay awake and fight back.

It wasn't easy though; those Jabberbastards sonic voices were damaging his body and his ears, while that shitty floating bathrobe was making him relive his worst nightmares.

If he wanted to get out of this and kill that son of a bitch, he would have to do something he rarely did and swallow his pride.

Most people didn't know this but, Blade usually wore support gear made and designed personally by Shita. The gear itself was a form of armour that could enhance all his abilities, physical, defensive and quirk.

Now one might be asking why he didn't normally use it in the field. He would unstoppable if he did. Well, the reason was simple.

Pride.

Pride was why he didn't use it. He couldn't accept that, or he wouldn't put his trust into something a quirkless person made. It was pretty stupid considering how successful Rika and Shita had been at Hades.

Hell, the boy became one of the few individuals to argue one on one with Shiro and win.

From what Blade had heard, he broke into Shiro's room just to see what his wardrobe was like. Shiro caught him and threatened to disfigure his face, leading to a serious argument between the two that went on for two days straight. Imagine his surprise when Shita came out victorious.

Shiro was especially humiliated because he had lost an argument with a kid. If it had been someone like AFO it would have made sense but a kid, it was inconceivable.

Most of the people who worked for Shiro (him and Nikko included) never said this out loud, but what Shita did earned him major respect from everyone.

Which is why, for the first time in his life he would put his faith in that quirkless brat. Though it would be hard to hear him (even himself) the suit would know what he wanted and when he spoke.

"Blade Buster activate. Code Excalibur!" Blade muttered.

No sooner had he uttered it did a change overtake his body. In place was a metallic black and grey jester costume that mirrored his mask. On the top right and bottom left parts there were white swords cut across diagonally.

The suit had several functions intact, one of which blocked out all sound, and another of which granted shielding from mental based attacks. Suddenly, Blade felt he could think again, and finally stood up against the shrieking abominations.

Sketch was a little perturbed by his enemy's sudden change in appearance. He was even more unnerved when his creations were having no effect on him.

Blade smirked on the inside. It seemed Shita had done something amazing after all. He would need to (silently) give him more credit after this.

'Alright, time to test this suits functions,' he decided. 'If I remember correctly, the suit enables my quirk to do this.'

Several knives immediately formed across his body. Then, like a porcupine, he shot them out at everything within range. In this case, the Jabberjays, who fell like raindrops from the sky.

'What the?! This isn't how his quirk works!' Sketch thought confused. 'That suit, could it be?'

Next was the Dementor. Now unaffected by its wicked powers, Blade leaped up into the air with a sword emerging from his right shoe has he spiralled downwards.

The end result was the Dementor being cut in half and returning to the paper it once was.

It was then that Blade turned his attention back to the hero, who was glaring at him for destroying his works of art. Sketch was done playing around.

"Let's go back in time shall we," he offered as he flipped to another of his drawings.

Activating his quirk, a group of Samurai came to life fully dressed in armour with their Katanas ready to strike.

Blade wasn't phased in the slightest. Charging forward he dodged the first row of swords only to collide with the next. Blade brought out two flamberges to block and deflect the attacks.

He then switched to two khopesh's in his legs and did a handstand while spinning and in the process severed the samurai's upper halves from their bodies.

He then flipped up into the air and threw several knives that connected with the heads of some samurai.

The remaining samurai then tried to fight him, but Blade switched to katana hands and began to block and deflect their attacks onto one another.

With just one paper enemy left, the two charged at one another before slashing. Standing in opposite directions on opposite sides with their backs to each other, the paper samurai fell, ending the threat once and for all.

"You are seriously starting to piss me off," Sketch growled. "How many times have you destroyed my drawings now?"

Since it had come to this, he would have to use his special reserves. Taking out two special pages, Sketch used his quirk to bring both to life.

One was a large purple hydra with six heads.

The other was a chimera with hawk wings, the head and body of a lion, scales of a lizard, and a snake tail.

"Let's see how you handle some of my strongest creations," Sketch challenged.

Blade, underneath his mask, wasn't impressed. If Sketch thought these would be a problem for him then he had another thing coming.

He knew about Greek Mythology having studied it briefly after encountering Cerberus. Not to mention the entire organization was named after the Lord of the Dead himself.

The chimera soared at Blade roaring. Its claws came up as it prepared to strike. Blade returned the favour by speeding forward and skidding on his knees. As he came under the beast, a claymore emerged from his stomach and pierced the chimera's skin and continued to do so as he slid through.

As an extra caution, Blade embedded several small knives in the beast including the snake head.

The chimera howled in pain as it turned to nothing.

The hydra roared at Blade as it moved towards him. It was a miracle he didn't laugh because the creature was moving incredibly slow. Though he supposed that was natural for something with a huge body and that many heads. What he wasn't prepared for were the six energy beams that came out of its mouth.

Blade started running as fast as he could to avoid the beams. He appeared to be succeeding until one of the beams collided with his back and sent him crashing against the wall.

Thanks to the suit it wasn't overly painful, but it wasn't peaceful either.

The six heads fired again on an immobile Blade who could do nothing but take it all in.

The result was a large amount of dust.

'That cares of that then,' Sketch decided.

However, that certainty turned to horror when a large sword shot out of nowhere and pierced the hydra's chest and continued through its heart.

"I know the legend goes. Cut off one head, two more grow back!" Blade explained. "If I aim for the heart though even it won't survive."

The hydra's screams were loud and agonising but soon ceased as it turned to nothing.

Blade surprisingly wasn't looking too terrible. His suit was still in one piece which was good. The defensive attributes were incredible. He really, really needed to give Shita more credit. Maybe he could do so later.

Sketch was in a state of disbelief. He had thrown just about everything at Blade, only for it to fail. He wasn't finished yet though, he still had one last trick of his sleeve.

As Blade approached him Sketch threw two pages with his quirk activated. The villain tried to slash them only for them both to explode.

When the smoke cleared Blade found himself confined by multiple tight steel ropes coming from all corners of the area. What was intriguing though was that there were several strands of paper hanging.

Blade found this unusual.

"I must admit, I never thought you would push me this far," Sketch revealed to him. "No one ever has, not even during my Sports Festival years. You should be proud of yourself."

"I could say the same about you," Blade shot back. "Forcing me into using the suit. You've got to be the first." Sketch was a little curious about that but didn't get the chance to learn. "Now, what great pop culture is this from might I ask?"

Sketch brandished a perfect smile.

"Why a combination of sorts. You could say what we have here is a crossover between Naruto and Attack on Titan, or rather Attack on Titan meets Shikamaru Nara," Blade rolled his eyes as he waited for the explanation. "You see in the anime Naruto, Shikamaru after losing his Sensei faces his killer one on one in a life-or-death match with neither giving up. in the end, Shikamaru emerges victorious by springing a trap the leaves his enemy dangling over a pit while with paper wrapped around him."

Blades eyes widened upon hearing those words. Since Sketch's quirk brought anything he drew to life it meant he was literally surrounded by bombs right this second. Was he trying to kill him?

"Don't worry, these won't kill you," Sketch assured him. "Severely injure you yes, but kill you, no. I don't want you dead. I am a hero after all." Blade wasn't sure if he should trust that statement or not since it really didn't mean all that much to him. "Continuing on, Shikamaru blows the killer up and leaves at the bottom of a hole. Now to explain how Attack on Titan factors into this. Since we're tight on time I'll skim over the details. It's a manga about a dystopian world where many eating giants called titans exist and humanity has almost been wiped out by them. In a situation, they try to capture this intelligent titan called the Female Titan. This is the equipment they used to do it, albeit with a twist."

While Sketch rambled on about this, Blade contemplated his next move. He wasn't sure how durable the suit was, and he really wasn't eager to try out, but like before he didn't have a choice.

'Well here goes nothing,' he thought.

"And they should be going off right about…"

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

"…now," Sketch finished.

The explosion was massive, so much that it shook the tunnels.

Sketch was somewhat surprised since he hadn't expected it to be that big. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with the outcome since it meant his victory.

He was extremely exhausted though. Bringing his drawings to life took a lot out of him, especially if they were settings instead of animate objects.

Due to a large amount of smoke, he couldn't see anything. Not that it mattered anymore. Because at that very second, an extremely pissed off Blade came dashing out of the smoke towards Sketch.

He was bleeding, burnt, and his clothes were destroyed.

The left side of the top half was gone, as was some of the lower with him going barefoot and his thighs exposed. Only his underwear remained.

Panicked Sketch flipped through his book, only for it to be sliced in two by Blade a second later.

Then, twisting on his right foot he delivered a powerful back kick in the form of a Claymore that pierced Sketch's heart and left him hanging in the air.

Sketch coughed up blood that fell on Blade who stared at him coldly.

Then, without warning, he threw Sketch to the wall who surprisingly managed to stay sitting up despite his wounds.

He stared at Blade and the form he was in, his design, and his expression.

It was all so beautiful.

A work of art.

He coughed up blood again.

He had lost, failed, been killed. But he wasn't angry, he held no regrets. He did his duty as a hero and lived his life as he liked.

He was only sad that he would never see Ryukyu again. Even if she didn't return his feelings, he still valued her as a friend.

Regarding Blade, he didn't hate him. He didn't like what he did, but still found a way to respect him, nonetheless.

"What a unique piece of art you are. I have to draw you," Sketch said weakly.

Blade was a little surprised at his attitude. Even after everything that just happened, he still wanted to draw and even praised him.

In the rarest moments, where he showed any form of kindness, he picked up the sketchbook and pen and brought it to Sketch who was overjoyed.

"Thank you!" he said as he immediately started drawing.

Surprisingly, Sketch was quite fast despite dying. It took him about a minute to finish.

Blade would be lying if he said he wasn't impressed with how detailed the drawing of him was. It looked almost realistic.

Sketch smiled at the picture before collapsing, only to be caught and laid down by Blade.

"What is with me today?" he wondered. "I'm thinking highly of Shita and now I'm being nice to a hero I killed. I'm going soft."

Leaving the hero with his drawings in his arms, Blade walked away.

After all, the battle was far from over.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku just finished his tea and moved onto another one when the others came into view.

"You're up early," Momo complimented.

"Habit," Izuku admitted. "So, are all of you?"

"We couldn't really sleep," Jirou admitted.

"I doubt anyone in the country has," Neito quipped before looking around. "Are the teachers already gone?"

"Yeah. Some have gone to the raid, while others are on patrol here," Izuku answered.

"Do you think it's already started?" Tokoyami asked.

"It already has," Izuku said.

"Would you say it's close to finishing?" Hitoshi asked sceptically.

Izuku shot him a tired look. He was going to need a lot more tea.

"On the contrary, it's only just beginning!"

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I was going to include All Might and Edgeshot's fights but I was tired of writing this chapter and I was tired of making you all wait. The Raid will be divided up into different chapters because there are a lot of fight scenes.

I swear this chapter was the bane of existence, as the next couple shall be. I'm sorry I haven't been updating but I've been busy with college and exams. Finally, they are finished for now.

I've got a few ideas for different characters and specific story I could weave into for each of them. After the Hades fiasco, it won't be the end. There will be more arcs that give different characters a chance to shine, characters with their own story to tell. I am also working on other stories since I needed a change.

Sketch and Blades fight was not supposed to be that long but since I decided to kill the character this chapter (because it wouldn't make sense if someone didn't die in one the fights, especially Blade) I decided to have him go out with a bang.

The next chapter will cover some of the fights from Endeavour's section and hopefully Edgeshot's with Shino.

Chapter 42 has been edited, specifically the part where Elena is making her speech.

Once again, thanks All-Bite for the cover art. And thanks to everyone who submitted an OC.

Thanks everyone who read this story. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and it was exactly what you were expecting. Please review!

Chapter 51: The Raid Part 2

Summary:

The Raid continues.

Notes:

Hi there! It's been a while since I updated this story. Though I seem to do much of that.

There is a long author's note at the end of the chapter so stay tuned for that.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Hero Commission

The president was not having a good day.

Not an hour in and everything had already gone to hell.

She had received numerous reports of heroes being defeated and police being injured. There were several deaths as well not that there was anything she could do about them.

Hades and its members were exactly as Deku described. No wonder he was terrified.

That said, she still needed his help. No. The entire Hero Commission and police needed his help.

If they wanted to defeat Hades, they needed him.

The President wanted to believe in All Might and the other heroes, but with the way, things were going belief was not enough.

"Hawks," she addressed the commissions hero. "You know what you must do."

Hawks raised an eyebrow. "You were really serious, weren't you? Gotta say, using a kid to take down a large criminal organization is a bit much even for you! What if the League finds out?"

"I have contingencies in place for that," the President replied. "However, it is necessary. With his contacts and their mindset, it is the best chance to take down Hades."

The President knew what type of people Deku could assemble to defeat Shiro, and it was a risk she was willing to take.

"What will happen if students and civilians decide to join him?" Hawks asked in a serious tone.

"Then that is what they have chosen," the President answered. "If he needs the worst of the worst to take these bastards down then so be it."

The only way to counter Hades was with individuals of a similar line of thought.

"Madam, Detective Tsukauchi has arrived," a worker informed.

"Good. Please send him in immediately," the President requested. She then turned to the winged hero. "Hawks, go."

Hawks nodded and left the room immediately.

The President sat waiting for Tsukauchi to come up.

"This is going to be a rough couple of days," she mentioned.

Hades

Across Hades, the battles raged on.

Shots were fired, and lives were taken.

It was pure chaos.

Fight Monologues

Raid Section: Endeavour

Rock Lock, Miss Joke, Yoroi Musha vs Tempest

The first one to strike was Miss Joke.

Activating her quirk, she attempted to make the assassin break out into laughter, only to be surprised by the neutral expression.

"Oh, Jokey," a small barrier of air that was just barely visible to the human eye was circulating around Tempest. "We know exactly how most of your quirks function. In your case, Outburst travels through the air like a virus causing anyone who breathes it to laugh uncontrollably. If the victim doesn't breathe it in, well, you get the idea."

Joke's eyes widened. Nobody (barring Aizawa) had ever countered her quirk before.

While Tempest was distracted, Yoroi had his katana out and dashed towards her at a blinding speed.

Increasing the barrier's strength, Tempest braced herself. The second Yoroi sliced past her, Tempest was hit with a powerful force that threatened to cut her in half. She barely managed to keep the barrier up before it shattered and left her with a small gash on the hip.

'Not bad. I can see how you earned your rank,' Tempest quietly complimented.

Yoroi prepared to strike again, with Rock Lock and Joke flaking her from the sides.

Tempest bent forward into a handstand and then started spinning 360 degrees with air gathering around her.

The pros were immediately halted by the small tornado suddenly created.

They struggled not to lose their balance which was easier for Rock Lock who immobilised a tile to hold onto, and Yoroi who dug his sword into the ground.

Sadly, Miss Joke had nothing to help her as she was swooped off her feet and sent spinning into the air.

'Well, this has been fun, it really has,' Tempest lamented as she ended her attack and propelled herself upwards using her quirk. 'Regretfully, Aqua and Atlas want me to end this quickly. Can't say I blame them really. With these things, it's always a tight schedule.'

As she floated near the roof, the assassin manipulated the wind in a circular fashion at an incredibly harsh rate.

The heroes were frozen as she cut off their oxygen supply and they struggled to breathe. It did not matter. Tempest refused to let up until she was a hundred per cent certain they were unconscious.

Funny thing about suffocation. It took a few minutes just to fall unconscious and another few to die.

The three heroes were flung to the ground, breath returning to them, but would no longer aid them.

Death Arms & Sidekicks and Fat Gum vs Hercules

Things were not boding well for the heroes.

Two minutes into the fight and the Greek hero had already knocked out several sidekicks as though they were nothing, and in a sense they were. Their attacks didn't even phase him, barring Death Arms whose strength appeared to give him somewhat of an edge.

Fat Gum acted as the group's defence. Whenever Hercules would strike, he would attempt to absorb it and him only for the latter to escape.

While some of the sidekicks had quirks that gave them a minor boost in strength, they did absolutely nothing against Hercules.

"Take this!" Death Arms shouted as he landed a solid right hook against Hercules.

The hero staggered by a foot before returning to the assault. He punched Death Arms, who raised his wrist guards, and sent him skidding several feet back.

Unwilling to let this fight go on any longer, Hercules grabbed one of the sidekicks and used them like a baseball bat against their friends before throwing them at those still standing. This took them out of the fight for good.

"Just you two and me now," Hercules declared. "I have to say I'm impressed. There aren't many who can last this long against me."

Death Arms felt a little flattered by that compliment but were in too much pain to respond. That last hit hurt his arms pretty bad. One more like it and he could kiss them goodbye.

"How did someone like you get caught like this?" Fat Gum asked incredulously.

"Arrogance," Hercules responded swiftly. "As I said, there aren't many who can last this long against me. And when you have a winning streak like mine well, it can lead you to underestimate your opponents as I did."

He wasn't proud of it, but it was what it was.

He had changed a lot since coming here and for the better. He had Diamante to thank for that.

"Enough about me. It's time to finish up," the Grecian hero declared. "Just so we're clear, this isn't personal. I just don't want my head to blow up."

"Oh, we totally get that man," Fat Gum said.

"We were given a rundown on the whole special slave thing so," Death Arms added.

It didn't take a genius to figure that Deku told them. That boy had been a hot topic as of late.

"No hard feelings then?" Hercules offered.

"None whatsoever," Death Arms replied.

Having heard all he needed Hercules dashed towards Fat Gum at tremendous speed hoping to take out the shield early.

He punched the BMI hero in the stomach with strength that would normally send him flying. However, Fat Gum held his ground and absorbed the punch, leaving Hercules in a position he couldn't dodge.

Then, having absorbed enough kinetic energy throughout the fight, Fat Gum accumulated all the energy into a single punch that connected directly with Hercules's face and sent him crashing against the ground several feet away.

Hercules, in a rare moment, was left feeling groggy from the attack, and in an even rarer moment, tasted blood coming from his mouth. He didn't get a chance to dwell on it as Death Arms immediately started punching him repeatedly.

'Bruised and bloody, maybe even a broken rib,' he assessed his bodies damage. 'I won't fall unconscious though. They know when I don't try my best, they always know. Still, I haven't felt a thrill like this in ages.'

Death Arms moved to punch him one last time, only for his right hand to be caught by Hercules who squeezed tightly. The Grecian hero let out an impressed smile to his opponents.

"Not bad fellas, you are definitely worth a higher rating than this," Death Arms tried to punch with his other arm only to be blocked again. Fat Gum (deflated) was standing back from exhaustion from releasing all energy gathered from his quirk. "It's been a long time since anyone made me bleed."

Desperate, Death Arms pulled his head back before using all his strength to pull the man towards him. As he did, he moved forward again and delivered a strong headbutt to the man's forehead.

The aftermath of which was not pleasant. The impact left blood oozing down their foreheads and both feeling a little groggy (more for Death Arms), however, Hercules did not falter in his stance.

Steeling in his resolve, Hercules pulled Death Arms into a hug and lifted him before running at Fat Gum who was too weakened to move. Catching the hero, Hercules held them both in a massive bear hug that left them gasping for air.

The two heroes struggled to escape but to no avail. Before they knew it, they ceased struggling and were left in a small coma.

Hercules laid them against the wall gently. He had been extra careful during that last move so he wouldn't break their backs.

"A fight for the ages. Looking forward to a rematch boys," he complimented before walking off.

Skeleton Eyes vs Aphrodite

"I have to say, of all the people who tried to peek at me, you are the first to succeed," Aphrodite admitted. "That quirk of yours comes in handy."

"You have no idea," Skeleton eyes replied. "People think I mostly I'm checking out guys but it's actually girls, adult ones."

"Hmm," the pink-haired villain mused. Her quirk slowly began taking effect. "Although I go both ways, I'm more inclined towards women. Their lips are so much softer."

"I can't comment on guys but yeah, girl's lips are soft," the hero agreed. "Yours look the same."

Aphrodite blushed slightly. Her quirk hadn't even taken full force yet and already she was receiving compliments.

This was one she would definitely be keeping around, not under her power of course. When it came to dating, she preferred being with someone who wanted her of their own free will.

Skeleton Eyes felt drawn to the woman in front of her, not just because of her beauty but because she hadn't been rejected yet.

Most women she hit on didn't usually hit back. As she continued to stare, she suddenly found herself less interested in fighting Aphrodite and more interested in helping her. She tried to remind herself why she was here and what she was supposed to do but couldn't.

"My dear, do you love?" Aphrodite asked in a sweet tone.

"Yes," the x-ray hero answered automatically.

She didn't know why or how, but suddenly, the villain in front of her was the focus for everything, the object of her desires, the one she wanted to please.

She loved her.

Aphrodite smiled as her quirk had taken full effect on her. People rarely saw how powerful and effective quirks like her comrades were.

They bent individuals to their will and made them serve their desires without any negative backlash.

If they so wished they could do the same with All Might, though it depended on how strong his will and mind were. Weak-willed were easy but strong-willed like Shiro and AFO were difficult.

"The join me," she requested. "Help me defeat your allies and protect my friends."

And so, she did.

Facing her 'former' allies, Skeleton Eyes unleashed her quirk in the form of gamma rays which caused both police and heroes to fall due to the radiation.

Aphrodite smirked. Taking the hand of her new companion she set out to rally more to her cause.

After all, who wouldn't fight for the one they loved?

Kamui Woods vs Cu Chulainn and Lorelei

The Irish hero opened the fight with two flying spears.

Kamui slid down on his knees as the spears scrapped across his mask. At the same time, his arms extended to catch the projectiles. Flipping backward, Kamui redirected the projectiles at their originator.

Cu Chulainn summoned another spear to parry them to the sides.

Kamui extended his arms again as they zigzagged toward the pro/slave.

Instead of attacking, Cu Chulainn opted to move around and avoid his opponent.

For about fifty seconds, it was a game of cat and mouse.

Realising he wasn't going to get anywhere with this, Cu Chulainn dashed towards the wall with Kamui following straight after. Pivoting his foot correctly, the hero ran three steps up the wall before backflipping and shooting another spear at Kamui who was forced to dodge.

Retracting his arms, Kamui decided to try a more forward approach.

'If I'm gonna do this, I need to do this now,' he thought urgently. 'I can tell he's holding back. A No.1 hero from any country would end this much quicker.' That much was obvious from the way he fought. 'I never thought I'd use it against a fellow hero, but in this situation, I've got no choice.'

Kamui charged forward with his adversary mimicking him with a spear in hand.

When he was close enough, he extended his right hand and several branches erupted from it with incredible speed.

Cu Chulainn barely had time to move before he was wrapped completely in branches.

Kamui felt a small glimmer of satisfaction at capturing him, only to have it dashed the second.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the hero.

A small hand latched onto his shoulder.

"Stop," a beautiful, alluring voice spoke. "That's quite enough."

Almost instantly, Kamui froze. He didn't know or understand why, but his body wasn't responding.

"Would you be a dear and release my companion?" the voice asked.

No sooner had she said it did he obey.

Cu Chulainn exhaled in relief at being released. He was already a prisoner he didn't need to be confined any more than he was. It was then he turned to his companion.

"I could have handled that," he said with a glare.

"I know you could dear, but let's be honest this saves time," Lorelei pointed out.

They hadn't planned to be partnered together, it just happened on its own.

Lorelei turned her gaze to her new thrall.

"Tell me, hero, what is your name?" she requested. "Your real name, not your hero one."

"Shinji," Kamui replied quickly without hesitation. "Shinji Nishiya."

He didn't know why he was telling her all of this. He knew he had to, or rather he felt he should.

"Well then, Shinji," Lorelei said softly. "Please help us defeat the invaders and protect our city."

Part of him wanted to refuse, to say no and fight her off.

A larger part of him wanted to abide by her command, to please her.

In the end, it was a simple choice.

"Of course," he responded as branches began to extend from his arms. "Whatever you ask."

He then unleashed his branches at the heroes and police.

Ectoplasm vs Diamante

Things went back and forth between the two heroes at an astonishing rate.

What had started out as the other trying to knock their opponent out had turned into a test of endurance.

Each time one pushed the other into a corner, the other would push back at the last second. The constant use of their quirks had left both combatants drained and struggling to stay awake as the fighting continued.

Two more of Diamante's clones shattered as four of Ectoplasms disappeared.

'I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up,' Diamante thought. 'Though I could say the same about him.'

It was an unusual situation for them both since they had never faced anyone with a similar power before.

'Regardless,' Diamante thought.

'No matter the cost,' Ectoplasm added.

'I must push forward,' they decided simultaneously.

With each summoning another batch of clones, they raced towards each one another. The following was a complete brawl as Diamantes was shattered while Ectoplasms were sliced in half.

Neither appeared to be letting up.

However, amid the chaos, a clone from both sides managed to get through and headed directly towards the original.

The heroes would have put up more of a fight, however frequent usage of their quirks placed a great physical strain on their bodies preventing them from moving.

Ectoplasms clone kneed the Portuguese hero in the stomach while Diamante's side kicked him.

Both attacks sent the other crashing against the wall and out of the battle in general. With their defeat, the clones faded into nothing leaving this match as a draw.

Midnight vs Pain

Midnight punched Pain straight across the face who retaliated with a reverse turning kick to the side. The R-rated hero grunted but didn't let up.

She grabbed the villain's leg with her arms and then used her free leg to kick at the villains standing leg. Before Pain knew it, the back of her head collided with the ground and she lay staring at the ceiling.

Midnight activated her quirk to finish Pain off for good. Unfortunately, the villain held her breath making it pointless.

Midnight then tried to stamp on her enemy to make her breathe, only to be caught off guard by the immense pain that was coursing through her left leg. Averting her gaze, she noticed Pain had stabbed her with a knife and almost immediately yanked it out, causing the hero to cry out in agony.

Taking advantage, Pain tripped the hero to the ground and scrambled to get back up. She was a little hurt but not enough to excite her. Still, this hero was giving her a good time, now it was her turn.

Holding out the knife, Pain smiled wickedly as she started licking the blood.

Midnight let out a huge scream. In that very instant, the pain she felt from her wound intensified. She knew what it was liked to be stabbed from her job but, it was as if the knife had been heated and forced the entire way through.

"Hurts doesn't it," Pain gloated. "Pain enhancement is such a beautiful quirk, especially for someone like me. It's not just about torture you have to literally be capable of enjoying every single second of it. Their screams, their cries, whether it's through cutting them, stabbing them, burning them, you need to be able to enjoy it with a smile on your face just like I do. How effective would it be otherwise?"

"You're a psychotic bitch," Midnight growled.

"And?" Pain shrugged. "Who cares? The fact of the matter is I enjoy what I do. I enjoy making others wail in agony. Enough about me, let's get back to you."

Without warning, Pain whipped Midnight across the legs causing the hero to scream out again.

She repeated the process several more times as she damaged several body parts: legs, arms, hand, back, and even aimed for the knife wound.

For some reason, the sadistic villain had not yet aimed for her head though given her ideology she may not want her dead, yet.

Pain's adrenaline was reaching its maximum, much to her excitement.

Sure, she got a kick from torturing people as part of her job, but in an event like this, it drove her above and beyond. She was like someone incredibly high, feeling like there was nothing that could stop her, and she loved it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden jolt in the whip. Looking downward, she noticed that Midnight had a firm bloody grip on it.

Midnight glared at her foe, her eyes blazing with fury.

There were several gashes of blood visible from her hero costume. Despite this, she did not fall unconscious which was a miracle in and of itself.

"Listen up you bitch!" she snarled. "If you think I'll go down like this without taking you with me, then you're wrong. You are dead wrong."

Pain stared at her for a moment before smiling.

"You know what? I have decided not to kill you. Too easy. Instead, I'll lock you up in my personal chambers and torture you day-to-day with my quirk until you are nothing more than a broken sobbing mess," Pain taunted. "And when I'm done, not even the doctors will."

She was cut off by Midnight, using the last of her strength, pulling harshly on the whip and forcing the villain to fall on her.

As she fell close, Midnight activated her quirk without giving Pain the chance to hold her breath. Breathing in the purple mist, Hades chief torturer was helpless her eyes closed and would not open again until much later.

Midnight shoved Pain off and struggled to stand. Her body ached, and her mind struggled to prevent her from blacking out.

She couldn't sleep though. Not yet. Not when she still had a job to do. Moving slowly, Midnight walked away to continue her mission.

It was her victory.

Firework Princess, Metallum and Dicer vs Blaze, Wolfram, and henchmen (Swordkil, Daigo, Nobu)

Currently, what was happening could only be described as a large-scale version of catch and throw.

Anytime Wolfram would manipulate metal to strike the heroes, Dicer or Metallum would always reverse it back with some of his allies getting his in the process.

Similarly, whenever Blaze blasted fire at the heroes, Princess Firecracker would always bend it right back. The only difference was Blaze being able to restrain casualties.

In spite of that, Blaze was having the time of his life.

The Chinese hero was matching him at every step of the way in both quirks, and combat prowess. The girl could hold her own that much was obvious, but he wasn't about to go down.

The others weren't so pleased with their opponents. Dicer managed to control Swordkils arm and threw him against his teammates.

He then unloaded three special rings and fired them directly at the henchmen, hitting them squarely on the foreheads.

The three men howled in pain as they were temporarily removed from the fight.

Wolfram scowled in annoyance.

This was not going how he wanted, screw that, none of this was what he wanted.

For years, he had managed to stay off the heroes radar out of public view. Now because of Shiro, and by extension that brat Deku, people would know about him meaning business would be much harder than usual.

His thoughts were interrupted by Metallum finally breaking through and pinning him against the wall with a metal blanket.

"Hey, completely random question but," Wolfram started.

"How does a blind woman go about making this much trouble?" Metallum cut him off. "There are plenty of ways."

She had heard that question so many times now it had gotten old. Then again, heroes like her, ones with disabilities were not as common as she would like them to be. Including her, she only knew two or three others with conditions like hers in Japan, one of whom was a close friend.

"Heard that one before?" Wolfram assumed.

"Only a million," Metallum retorted as she tightened her hold.

"Well, you should know," his muscles turning red as they increased in size. "I don't discriminate."

And just like that, he burst out of his prison and straight towards the hero. He elbowed Metallum straight in the gut, sending her crashing into the wall and creating a miniature crater.

He attempted to follow up with another shot, only for Dicer to intervene and pull Metallum out of the way using his quirk. However, a large hole formed from Wolfram's attack.

The heroes were confused by what was happening. Wolfram's quirk was metal manipulation, it was specifically written that way in the report, yet here was showing off another quirk.

"You should feel honoured heroes, I don't normally have to use this, but you have forced my hand," Wolfram declared.

The muscle augmentation quirk was a gift from AFO himself as a reward for his successful services on several hired jobs. Wolfram generally preferred cash or weapons but a secondary quirk, how could anyone pass that up?

Wolfram raced at the metal benders with surprising speed. With only a few seconds to spare, Dicer and Metallum surrounded themselves with a metallic shield to block Wolfram who collided full force with it and sent them crashing onto the ground skidding.

They weren't badly hurt (at least Dicer wasn't) but they were sore enough.

Wolfram was about to attack again when he felt something small but hard-hitting him in the back of the head. He stumbled slightly before being hit again, this time in the chest, then the back, and next to the right leg.

It took Wolfram less than three seconds to realize it was the same rings used on his underlings, however, unlike them, he wasn't affected as badly because thanks to his quirk his durability was heightened.

Extending out his hands, Wolfram took control of the metal rings and moulded them into something sharper.

Without hesitation, he fired the projectiles at the downed heroes only for Metallum and Dicer to bring up the metal blanket to block them.

They both tried to retake control of the rings, but Wolfram wasn't making it easy.

Fortunately for them, Wolfram had to release control to avoid the oncoming fireball heading his way.

Upon noticing her temporary teammates were in danger, Firework Princess directed a fireball past Blaze. Her attempt was successful however, she was briefly distracted enabling Blaze to launch himself forward and deliver a flaming sidekick. The impact hurt but did not burn her thanks to her costume being fireproof.

Firework Princess forged a flame to strike Blaze with but never got the chance to use it.

At that precise moment, a recovered Daigo in his transformed state slammed her by the back at full force. The attack was so strong it briefly paralysed Firework until she snapped out of it and used her quirk to get airborne.

Daigo leapt but this time she was prepared. Spinning mid-air, she shot towards Daigo with flames swirling around her until she was fully consumed by fire.

"Heads up!" Swordkil shouted as he joined Daigo in the sky.

Summoning his sword, both he and Daigo (who used his fist) met the tornado head-on. There was a small explosion of air from the impact that disrupted all combatants but pushed the enablers back.

"What are you idiots do?!" Wolfram was cut off by a metallic uppercut from Metallum that cracked something and causing him to spit up a bit of blood.

Dicer fired at him again with more rings only for them to be displaced by a recovered Nobu who was seething.

"No more of that shit!" he yelled. "This ends now."

Nobu ran at Dicer who launched two more rings at him, only for Nobu to bat them aside. He just barely missed Dicer as he tried to repeatedly swipe at him.

Metallum went to back her friend up only to be slammed into a wall by an enhanced Wolfram. This momentarily distracted Dicer, allowing for Blaze to fire a clean shot in at his chest. The blast sent him crashing into Metallum who was now effectively out of the fight.

Before they could take further action, Firework shot several fireballs at her opponents hitting some (Swordkil and Daigo) while others (Blaze, Wolfram, Nobu) either dodged or deflected.

She then arrived where her only conscious ally was.

"Can you stand Dicer?" she asked urgently.

"B-Barely," he stammered.

The villains did not care where they were going with this nor did they want to know. They just wanted this over with.

"Hate to tell you Princess, but it's time to wrap this up," Blaze stated. "And I know you won't surrender, so let's just skip to the final part, shall we?"

Summoning all his power, Blaze focused it solely into his hands and unleashed a massive torrent of flames that headed straight for the heroes.

Desperate to protect her new allies, Firework stood in front and using every last ounce of strength she had, countered Blaze's flames with her own in an effort to either subside or reduce the damage they would receive.

Wolfram's crew stood back at the intense heat that was being emitted by the two pyrokinetics. Just being near it they were sweating buckets. The heroes were not much better.

Blaze was really impressed she was hanging on, he really was. However, he was stronger.

Ever since his birth, he and his siblings had been conditioned to be the strongest in their respective elements.

This girl, regardless of how well she had been trained was no match for him.

Blazes power broke through and consumed the heroes. He heard no screams, not that he needed to.

When the smoke subsided, all three heroes lay close to the wall with multiple burns over their skin.

Blaze didn't know if they were alive, but he didn't care either.

The job was done.

Shishido vs Lobo

The lion hero slashed at Lobo with his claws who swiftly dodged every strike. Lobo tried to perform a leg sweep but Shishido jumped and kicked him in the head.

Recovering quickly Lobo ran at Shishido who did the same. When they were at the right distance, Lobo jumped and wrapped his legs around his opponent's neck and performed a hurricanrana that landed Shishido flat on his back.

Before he could even move, Lobo applied an armbar on Shishido's right arm. The latter began to struggle violently but Lobo tightened his grip firm as to say he was not going to release anytime soon.

Given his situation, and having very limited options, Shishido did the one thing he could. He took Lobo's leg that was closest to his mouth and dug his fangs into it.

Lobo cried out in pain but did not release. Rather he took his free leg and started to kick down on the lion hero. As much as it irritated him, Shishido would not relent thus forcing Lobo to release the hold.

The second he did, Shishido released his fangs and grabbed Lobo by the legs (one which was bleeding) and slammed him against both walls, face first and backward for good measure.

Lobo wasn't affected that much. He had taken far worse hits.

When Shishido went to throw him again Lobo twisted his body and bent inward while pulling his legs forward. Using his opponent's momentum, he flipped Shishido onto his back while releasing the hold at the same time.

When the hero tried to get back up, Lobo moved in and delivered a piercing sidekick to his chin that sent him sprawling back onto the ground.

With his foe dazed, Lobo took his legs and crossed them over his own before turning and applying a sharpshooter. Shishido howled in agony as Lobo continued to apply pressure.

The wrestler was not doing much better though since his leg was damaged during the previous attack. Leaning down on it was causing him pain and stress, however, he pushed it aside in favour of defeating his enemy.

Knowing he would be unconscious soon or too weak to stand up Shishido dug his claws into Lobo's injured leg and squeezed hard. Lobo cried out as the claws ripped into his flesh, fresh blood trickling down his leg. Even then, he did not release the hold. He continued to apply pressure, as did Shishido.

A minute passed, though it felt much longer, where both men put each other through endless torture until the other relented.

When neither could take it any longer, they released their holds, however, the damage had been done.

Lobo limped to the wall with a bloody leg, while the Shishido struggled to stand his legs wobbling dangerously.

"An impressive display Señor León," Lobo complimented.

"S-S-Sam-me t-t-to y-you," Shishido stuttered while gasping for air.

Despite being wounded (Lobo) and exhausted (Shishido) neither was willing to give up. Even if it killed them, they would see it through to the bitter end.

Lobo bared his own claws and ran at the lion who did the same. What followed could only be described as a violent exchange of slashing, cutting, kicking, and blocking.

Neither man was letting up.

If one looked at them both they would see slash wounds across their bodies accompanied with bloodstains. They appeared to be evenly matched.

In his transformed state, all of Lobo's abilities were enhanced: strength, speed, stamina, durability, and senses. However, the blood loss made him drowsy and his movements less sharp than usual.

Similarly, Shishido was fatigued from being worn down by Lobo's submissions.

Shishido launched a turning kick at Lobo who ducked under. Knowing he would never get another chance like this again Lobo sped behind the hero and grabbed him by the waist. Then, using all his strength, he hoisted the lion hero up into the air and backwards, performing a German suplex.

Shishido's skull cracked against the ground causing the hero to feel faint and dizzy.

Lobo was not finished.

Rolling backwards he pulled him up again and delivered another German suplex. It was not as powerful as the first but strong enough.

Shishido in a groggy state hoped it was over.

He was wrong.

With one final push, Lobo rolled back once more and dragged Shishido into the air and delivered a final German suplex, effectively knocking him out.

Somewhere in the world, or possibly his head someone was saying:

"1… 2… 3!" And a bell rang to signal the end of the match.

Lobo let go of Shishido and checked to make sure he was unconscious, not dead. When he was certain he laid the sleeping pro against the wall and sat next to him.

Lobo knew he needed to continue but right now, all he wanted to do was rest. He was tired and bleeding.

The fight would continue but they would be fine without him.

Edgeshot vs Shino

The fight between lovers opened with Shino throwing several shurikens.

Using Foldabody, Edgeshot thinned himself out to avoid getting hit. He then fired towards Shino thinned out.

Brandishing her sword, Shino saw exactly where he was aiming and blocked him. The loud clang could be heard throughout the tunnels.

Edgeshot swept to the side as he avoided more projectiles. Once he and Shino were in close proximity, she started to attack him with her sword. He blocked with his arm guards when he could but spent the majority of time dodging. Eventually, he caught hold of her sword and stared her in the eye as they struggled.

Much to his surprise, Shino relinquished her weapon causing him to stumble back. She then side kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying back.

Shino then dashed towards Edgeshot who threw the weapon far behind him so she couldn't use it.

Shino tried to scissor kick Edgeshot who countered with an outer forearm low block. He performed a turning kick which was caught by Shino who then jumped and performed a monkey flip that sent Edgeshot behind her.

Kickflipping upward Shino ran to get her sword much to Edgeshot's confusion. Shino may have used her sword a lot, but she wasn't dependent on it.

Reacquiring her katana, Shino barely dodged a folded shot by the hero. When he was whole again Edgeshot kicked at her only for Shino to catch it again and this time trip him for good measure.

Flat on his back with Shino pinning him down, she raised her sword over him.

"Just so we're clear, this isn't personal, it never is," the assassin said emotionlessly.

She brought her sword down fast.

BOOM!

The moment it entered the ground an electrical field emerged covering the entire area they were in and obscuring everything else.

Edgeshot stared up at her with an intrigued expression. Even as the blade was coming down, he could see she wasn't aiming for him, which of course meant she had another goal in mind.

Standing up while offering a hand which Edgeshot accepted Shino now wore a serious expression.

"Shinya, listen up," she ordered. "I have maybe a few minutes before wears off and someone figures out what I've done but that will be enough. I know how you can take down Hades."

Raid Section: Gang Orca

The underwater war raged on as the waves intensified above.

The sidekicks were doing battle with Curator's henchmen while the big guns did battle with each other.

Umi was fighting against Selkie and Evolution. All three were strong and fast swimmers though Evolution was (understandably) a little slower than them.

Selkie swam at Umi with incredible speed. Holding up her hand, Umi tightened her fist to heat up the water while at the same time creating several bubbles (like a jacuzzi) to blind her opponent.

Selkie growled as the hot water and bubbles forced him to close his eyes which enabled Umi to strike him with her tail sending him back.

Evolution came up behind her and fired off a modified gun of his to incapacitate her. However, Umi was prepared.

Controlling the water, Umi froze a portion of the sea into a large rectangle to block the bullet while heading towards her opponent.

It took her a long time to master that ability because it was one thing freeze something above water, but another thing entirely to freeze it under it. More than once had she ended up freezing herself (though she normally kept her head above water), and even when she was pointing away, she unintentionally froze a large part of the area.

Evolution managed to avoid the ice wall and was back to pursuing her alongside Selkie.

However, being in her domain Umi used the water they were swimming in to pull them downwards at an incredibly quick rate.

Meanwhile, Manual was struggling with Aqua who appeared to be toying with him.

Whenever he tried to make a water construct to strike her with, she would simply raise a measly hand and cancel it. Even when he put all his effort into it, she put in more and overpowered him.

Aqua sighed in exasperation.

"Honestly Misaki you can do better than this," she berated harshly. "What have you been doing all these years?"

Manual flinched at her tone. However, what she said caught him off guard.

"You know who I am?" he asked hesitantly.

Aqua sighed again. "I figured you wouldn't remember me, or Blaze for that matter. Tell me, do those pricks still bother you? Would you like me to whip them like before?"

For a little over a minute, Manual stared at her as something in his brain clicked.

A memory of him in the playground with a group of bullies and a blue-haired girl coming to his rescue flashed through his mind.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed.

He knew her. He knew who she was.

"Aqua. You're Aqua? That Aqua, from when we were kids?" Manual exclaimed.

"How many Aqua's do you know?" she asked incredulously.

"Just you," he replied instantly. "Sorry I just, it's been years and, I didn't recognize you. You look different. I mean you grew up and you look prettier." Aqua gave him a look that made Manual panic slightly. "Not that you didn't always look pretty. It's just, wow. You look great and… you're with Hades." Manual froze when he said that. "You're with Hades?"

"Not by choice," she admitted as she rubbed her neck softly.

Manual remembered reading about the special slaves, her name was among them.

"When we were kids, were you?" he started.

"No," Aqua denied. "Only in the last twelve years."

Manual slowly digested the information.

"Does that mean? Blaze, is he?" he asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Yes, we all are," Aqua admitted.

Manual felt very uncomfortable right there and then. For twelve years, they had been held captive against their will with a bomb stuck inside their necks. Who knew what they had been made do in that time?

"Don't worry about it," Aqua said nonchalantly. "It is what it is? I'd worry more about yourself."

"Aqua," Manual started only to be cut off again.

"By the way, what is wrong with you?" Manual blinked. "All these years and you have hardly improved. Honestly, I'm disappointed in Misaki."

"Huh," Manual exclaimed.

Without warning, Aqua bound him with her quirk so he could not move or turn away.

"Now, where to start?" she pondered.

She immediately began lecturing the hero, all the while another hell was breaking loose.

Gang Orca and Curator clashed with each other with such ferocity that each blow they struck to each other caused the very ocean they were in to shake.

Orca struck Curator hard in the face and sent him gliding several meters back. Orca raced to hit him again, however, Curator intercepted him with his special move "Click Sound", a hypersonic wave pushed Orca back and temporarily paralysed the hero.

Curator then surged towards his nemesis at max speed, otherwise known as:

"Special Move: Whale Strike!" Curator shouted as he full-on headbutted Orca followed up with a powerful spray that sent the pro way back.

"Aaagghhhh!" Orca screamed.

A little bit of blood was coming from his nose, but it meant very little to him.

Swimming at Curator, the two collided once more.

"Oh hey, how is Haruka by the way?" he asked mockingly. "She still in one piece, or did someone scar her flesh?"

His comment infuriated Orca to extreme levels.

"Keep my wife's name out of your filthy mouth?" Orca threatened.

"How immature? It's just a question Kugo," Curator shrugged nonchalantly. "And after all, quirkless people like her, Deku, and the few we've got here at Hades are rare specimens. One can only imagine the possibilities that be unlocked with them."

"You can imagine them in prison," Orca snapped.

A large part of want to tear the bastard to shreds, but the hero part of him was (regretfully) urging him not to.

Curator smirked as he took out a remote control concealed in his pocket.

"We shall see," he said softly.

Orca was having a really bad feeling about that remote. And he was right.

Within seconds, something came zooming into the field to Curator's side.

The figure was small and blue. Several of its features were fishlike, and it wore a helmet with a red visor.

What unnerved Orca most about what he was seeing was how old the participant looked.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Umi screeched as she swam towards Curator. "KAI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE! YOU'RE MEANT TO BE WITH THE OTHERS!"

Kai didn't even acknowledge her as he continued to glance at Orca.

"Wait, what?" Aqua murmured confusedly. "Kai? Isn't he one of? That can't be right, he's supposed to be locked up with." Then she noticed what was on her head. "Curator. I'd recommend an explanation while you still have vocal cords."

"Wait, what?" Manual exclaimed. "I'm confused."

"That boy, he's a kid around the age of ten who should be locked up with all the other kids," Aqua explained.

"WHAT?!" Manual shouted.

"I know. We rarely, if ever, allow them to participate in things like these. And even if they are allowed, they will usually be kept away from the fighting," Aqua explained as her gaze landed on the Whale villain. "That reminds me, Curator, explanation now!"

Curator scowled. He had expected this kind of reaction from them not that he really cared.

"If you must know, Kai is currently part of an experiment of mine. The helmet he is wearing is designed for mutant types like myself and Kai here, or more specifically those with quirks that grant them animalistic powers. What it does is awaken the primal urges of those animals within the wearer such as hunting instinct and enforces them while enhancing their abilities," Curator explained.

The helmet also left the subject unresponsive for a couple of hours after usage, but they didn't need to know that.

As shocking as that sounded, the majority were too disgusted to focus on that.

"This is against the rules," Umi stated firmly. "Shiro will be furious when he finds out."

"Shiro gave me permission to use whomever I chose for this experiment, that includes kids," Curator retorted. "Tell him if you want but it won't change anything."

Umi glared at him with visible hatred.

"I'd recommend you get back to your job because if I feel like it, I can turn on his collar now," Curator threatened. "The same goes for those specimens you keep nurturing."

Umi froze. A horrified expression was plastered across her face.

Surely, he wouldn't. No, he most certainly would.

Curator didn't value life; he only saw humans as experimental materials.

Orca was beyond disgusted. Curator could be vile, he had seen it firsthand, but this was too much.

At the same time, he was worried because he really did not want to fight a child.

Unfortunately, fate was not kind.

Curator pressed a button, and immediately Kai dashed straight towards Orca with tremendous speed.

He sped right by him slashing at the waist and drawing blood. Once the blood was drawn, Kai became worse he repeatedly slashed at Orca who desperately tried to defend himself.

Kai then managed to get behind the hero and sink his sharp teeth into his shoulder causing him to cry out in pain.

Knowing he would blackout soon if he did nothing, Orca (reluctantly) did the one thing he could to stop Kai.

"I'm sorry boy, I really am," Orca apologized before unleashing a hypersonic wave that left Kai paralysed. "But you leave me no choice."

Orca pried the boy off his shoulder, ignoring the pain he was in. He was about to remove the helmet when Curator came up from behind and hit him with another Whale Strike that sent him far away.

"Well, that could have gone better," Curator suggested as he waited for Kai to recover. "Still, I acquired useful data and that's all that matters."

"You bastard!" Orca growled.

Orca was not in good shape. He had several scars and a bite mark that was bleeding out.

"Well, Kugo this has been a long and perilous journey but here's where it ends. Don't worry. I'll take good care of you I promise. You are a valuable test subject after all," Curator's tone was downright dark and creepy. He was looking at Orca as if he was some sort of prized test subject, and in a sense, he was. "I know we will do great things together."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Manual screamed as he sent crashing into Orca at a rate that sent them both away.

Curator blinked for a minute before turning his eyes to the source. His anger was now clearly evident.

"What. Was. That?" he snarled.

"Manual was causing me trouble, so I sent him away," Aqua replied in a careless tone.

Curator was absolutely furious.

"You cost me my test subject?" he screamed.

Aqua rolled her eyes.

"However will you survive?" she responded sarcastically before pointing towards the captured forces. "Maybe with the individuals you already have."

Curator scowled but said no more. It seemed Kugo had escaped his grasp once again. He would be patient though.

What was the saying? All good things come to those who wait.

He turned to Kai who was still wearing the helmet. The experiment had been successful, and he had more test subjects, so it wasn't a complete loss.

He would be patient. He would wait. And most of all, he would succeed.

It was his duty as a scientist after all.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I have never written so many fight scenes for a chapter. I wrote out Eros' fight to save time and the Cheetah siblings as characters because I realized I was not going anywhere with them. I only thought of them after watch Wonder Woman 1984 trailer.

I'll be honest, this chapter was a disaster. I wrote too many fight scenes because I wanted to get most of them out of the way and focus on the major fights for this chapter. The whole Raid and arc have been a disaster. There was a lot of build-up to it, but I have not enjoyed it or the raid, I want it over with so can focus on other story points. I also introduced too many OC's but it's too late to go back on that.

The reason I did this arc was to show a darker aspect to Izuku's personality and show different sides of characters like Monoma, Iida and Kendo. At this point, you can consider it the Hades Saga because the next few arcs will focus on the students in Hades and Izuku's time with both Hades and the League (I feel I didn't write enough when it was there).

Also, regarding Endeavour when Izuku knocked him out, while it was a bit much keep in mind that Endeavour is human like everyone else and can be taken down like any other human with the same weak points and spots. While I've grown to like him more this Enji will remain a villain in this story because All Might never retired.

When Summer comes I'm hoping to rewrite some of Good and Evil because there are several things I don't like about it:

Grammar and spelling mistakes which most of you are aware of.

Too much Izuku sympathy. I wrote a lot of characters having sympathy for Izuku which I don't like. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve sympathy but it shouldn't come from everyone.

Too much detail about things. I wrote too much when explaining something and want to get rid of what's unnecessary.

Changing certain details. I want to change things such as Kurogiri's identity (revealed in the manga) which I hadn't known before as well as add more detail to things like the device Atrocity used to steal All for One.

As the author, it's my fault for the way things turned out which is why I hope to correct it soon.

If you see mistakes in this chapter, it's because I'm sleep deprived at 3 am when this is posted. I wanted to get it done and out of the way so I can focus on college work for the time being.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.

Chapter 52: The Raid Part 3

Notes:

Hi there! It’s been a while. However, I finally managed to finish editing and correcting.

There are some things you will notice different like the prologue but also other things, e.g. Hades is alluded to much sooner and chapter 20 contains mentions of racism.

Also, I am leaving the poll open for one more week before closing it. So please vote if you haven’t already. This is just on fanfiction.net, not AO3.

Onto the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Raid Section: Endeavor

Endeavor struggled to breathe as his flames began to dissipate.

Shiro’s words hung on him like a tonne of bricks.

Touya!

That disgrace was here!

Impossible!

“Touya is dead,” Endeavor said firmly as his flames began to return. “He was killed in a villain attack ten years ago.”

That wasn’t entirely a lie.

Ever since the incident where his quirkless failure vanished, Endeavour assumed he was dead.

There had been no signs of him being alive.

And he checked.

He thoroughly searched for his missing offspring but found no traces of him being alive, so he assumed he wasn’t.

Now he was hearing he had been at Hades.

It was completely absurd!

Shiro smirked.

“He’s alive and kicking I’m afraid,” he informed the hero. “And very angry to boot.”

Angry was putting it lightly.

The hatred Touya held for his father was unbelievable. So much, that it surprised even him.

Then again, considering what Kioku told him about the boy’s life it made perfect sense.

“He is dead,” Endeavour reaffirmed much harshly, his original flames having reignited. “Saying otherwise will not change that.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “He is alive. Deny it as much as you want but.”

Shiro’s speech was interrupted by a torrent of flames heading straight for him.

Summoning his quirk, Shiro cloaked himself in a sphere of light to shield himself. The flames hit the sphere straight on, but it never wavered.

‘How rude,’ Shiro thought mildly annoyed. ‘Oh, well. I was getting tired of talking anyway.’

As the flames died down, Shiro made the sphere shine even brighter before releasing it outward and blinding Endeavour.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shiro bent the light waves around his body to turn invisible.

Although it did not look it, invisibility was one of his more complicated abilities due to the numerous steps involved. It took a lot of focus to make sure the light was constantly bending the way he wanted, such as leaving no shadow nor reflection, and even more for moving around while in that state.

People generally assumed he allowed light to pass through his body and make himself completely transparent, but this was not the true case.

Although he did do this when first learned to hone his power, it rendered him temporarily blind because his retinas were not receiving light.

Additionally, this ability took him three years straight to fully master in comparison to his other moves.

It was difficult, but thanks to the wisdom of his teacher, he did it.

Moving quickly, Shiro came to Endeavor’s left side. However, the flame hero could still hear him leading to another burst of fire, albeit not as accurately aimed.

Skipping to the side, Shiro leapt up, and as he came just above Endeavor, he brought his foot down on his head.

The hero grunted but before he could retaliate, Shiro became visible again and spun on his right leg to deliver a sidekick enhanced with his quirk that connected straight with Endeavor’s chest. The kick included light shooting out of Shiro’s foot that sent Endeavour slowly skidding backwards.

Despite this, the pro did not fall and held his ground.

With his sight returned, Endeavour launched a small fireball at Shiro who had no time to dodge. The attack landed on his back and caused him to lose his balance as he fell face-first onto the ground.

Endeavor then ignited his fist and slammed it into the ground creating a few small cracks before unleashing fire into them.

“Raging Assault – Hell Minefield!” he shouted.

What followed was an intense eruption of flames underground, which create a large violent explosion that was now heading towards Shiro.

In a rare moment of surprise, Shiro’s eyes widened.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The explosion damaged the entire area and interrupted several fights in the process.

Smoke cleared and Shiro was nowhere in sight.

Endeavor was briefly worried he might have killed him but that was quickly dashed.

“I am probably one of the last people who should be saying this but…you crazy bastard!” Endeavour looked up and saw Shiro using light whips to hold himself up by the ceiling. “You could have killed someone during that attack, even your own allies.”

He may have sounded a bit hypocritical there, but usually, when he unleashed his more destructive attacks, he made sure his allies were out of harm’s way.

Endeavor scoffed. “They weren’t in any danger. I never release attacks like that when people are around.”

“Really?” Shiro responded sarcastically. “You sure had no problem releasing them on your son when he lived under your roof.”

Endeavor’s eyes narrowed.

Given he had access to Shoto’s memories, he likely held knowledge on Touya’s involvement during their training exercises.

“You do realize how utterly stupid that statement truly is, don’t you?” Shiro blinked. “Given Touya’s flaws, an attack like that would kill him instantly.”

“His flaws?” Shiro repeated as he swung to the side where the ground wasn’t burnt. “You mean being quirkless?”

“What else?” Endeavor asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Next to being second to All Might, his firstborn being dubbed quirkless was the most embarrassing moments of his life.

He was the No. 2 hero! Even if his other children’s quirks had not been to his liking, Touya was the most humiliating case because he lacked a quirk in general.

Or at least he had.

At the very least, no one outside his household knew he was quirkless which saved him some public face.

“Except he isn’t quirkless,” Shiro pointed out. “That scar you have is proof.” Endeavor’s eyes widened. “Look Endeavor, you can deny it all you want but Touya is alive, and he is coming for you. I’ve seen what his quirk can do and let me tell you when he kills you with it, the irony will oh so sweet in a number of ways.”

‘Could it be true?’ Endeavor contemplated. ‘Could that mistake really have been here?’

He didn’t want to believe it but considering what Shiro knew it made sense. Touya was the only other person who knew about his scar.

“He was especially pissed off at that press conference you held to explain the attack on your house and his disappearance. The sympathy you received from it drove him over the edge into what he is today,” Shiro explained with a smile. “That aside, I can’t help but wonder how the public would react if they found out that Touya was the villain from that story.”

Endeavor had had enough. He wasn’t going to listen anymore.

Racing forward, he gathered his power in his fingertips and released several white-hot beams at Shiro.

“Flashfire Fist – Hell Spider!” Endeavor shouted.

At the same time, Shiro forged several orbs of light and released them from his hands.

“Rapid Fire Light Orb!” he shouted.

The two attacks collided creating several explosions but neither attack getting through.

However, the two enemies stood tall against the force with neither one submitting to the gale force.

“Say whatever you want but it’s quite obvious you’re just stalling villain!” Endeavor growled as he created a harpoon-like arrow of fire in his hand. Leaning backwards, he threw the arrow at his enemy. “Ignited Arrow!”

Unfortunately, Shiro had a similar idea.

Using his quirk to create a bow and arrow, Shiro pulled back and fired.

“Luminous Arrow!” he shouted.

Unlike Light Spears, Luminous Arrow was stronger because Shiro focused much of his power into a single shot that could pierce anything.

The arrows collided and generated an even larger explosion that left both fighters struggling against the gale-force wind.

When it subsided, the pair stood glaring hatefully at each other.

“I may be a villain, but at least I’m honest about it, domestic abuser,” Shiro said the last words with extra spite.

Endeavor glared at him with extreme hatred.

“Oh, what? Did you think I didn’t know? I knew,” Shiro barked. “I investigate the backgrounds of all heroes of interest to see if there’s any dirt on them. Although you were particularly tricky. Hence, why I spoke with your wife.”

Endeavor’s eyes widened. “What did you?”

“Relax, I never laid a finger on her. I did have my colleague examine her memories, and let me tell you, I was shocked. You are not the first hero to abuse his family, but your reasons for doing were way different than the others. Then Touya came along, as did Shoto, and I had even more of a reason to hate you,” Shiro explained with a harsh look. “You enlisted a quirk marriage which is considered taboo, abused your wife, abused your sons, neglected your other children because you deemed them failures, all for the sake of surpassing a complete idiot as the No.1 hero.”

“SHUT UP!” Endeavor roared. “YOU DON’T A DAMN THING ABOUT ME!”

“I know enough,” Shiro countered. “You are no hero, Enji Todoroki. You are nothing more than a villain performing public service for those who choose to look the other way. It’s no wonder you could never defeat All Might. After all, he’s No.1 and you are No.2, now and forever more.”

No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2!

Endeavor felt something snap inside him upon hearing those words.

Rage coursed through his body in ways he had felt before, but never this strongly.

He was sick of being called No.2 over and over again.

He worked hard to become No.1, not just because he felt he earned it, but because he deserved it.

Suddenly, he felt a desire to hurt Shiro in ways he never had before.

He wanted to incinerate him, to roast him from inside out, and just barely, kill him.

Flames danced around his body as the temperature of the area increased.

While he had been told to capture Shiro, his next attack would decide if he lived or died.

Death may have been better considering what he knew but it was highly unlikely the public would believe a despicable slave trader over a hero like him.

Shiro could see he was getting ready to launch a fierce attack, however, so was he.

Flipping backwards, he dug rays of light into the walls while he pulled himself back like a slingshot.

Endeavor through his fists back while concentrating his flames into flames before throwing them forward.

“FLASHFIRE FIST – HELL’S CURTAIN!!!!!!!!!!” he screamed.

A massive blanket of flames erupted from the hero and shot straight towards Shiro.

At the same time, Shiro propelled himself forward headfirst as his body began to spin rapidly, the speed of which increased thanks to his quirk, with his body accumulating light around him.

If one were to look at him now, they would think he was a bullet being fired.

“PHOTONIC MISSILE!!!!!” he shouted.

Shiro tore through the fire blanket with relative ease and shot straight towards Endeavor.

The flame hero was powerless to stop him as the attack smashed against his chest and forced his body to the end of the tunnel. The result was Endeavor colliding with the wall which creating large crater with multiple cracks.

However, the impact of the attack itself broke three of ribs, damaged one of his lungs, which in turn, caused him to cough up blood.

Despite this, he managed to catch himself before falling.

Shiro stood back slowly to regain his senses. Photonic Missile, depending on how strong it was, normally left him feeling groggy a bit after.

Waling over to Endeavor, Shiro raised his right leg and axe kicked him by the shoulder blades this time forcing him completely to the ground.

“Gotta hand it to you Enji, you’re one tough son of a bitch,” Shiro complimented. “Most people wouldn’t even be able to remain conscious after that. Then again, got your rank for a reason.”

Endeavor glared up at him with blood oozing down his lips. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it.”

Shiro laughed.

“Tempting, but no thanks,” he denied. “Your son wants to kill you. And me being the nice guy I am, will not take that away from him. I know first-hand what it’s like to want to kill the person you hate most.”

And he had.

Only difference was Touya had yet to do the deed. Whether it brought him peace or emptiness was up to him but either way, it was something he needed to do.

Shiro’s thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing.

Reading through the images, Shiro smiled.

It seemed the guest of honour had arrived.

However, in doing so he took his eyes off Endeavor.

Grabbing the man’s legs, Endeavor ignited his flames once more in an attempt to incinerate his foe.

Shiro let out a small yelp before the flames consumed him entirely, much to Endeavor’s satisfaction.

Unfortunately for him, a bright light shone within the inferno before dispelling the flames entirely. Endeavor could see a faint outline of armour, but it quickly faded along with the light.

Shiro pulled his leg away and kicked him in the face.

“That is the second time today you’ve managed to catch me by surprise,” Shiro admitted sounding impressed. “But there won’t be a third I promise you. Mainly because I need to leave now.”

“Running away?” Endeavor growled as he got back on his feet ignoring the pain he was feeling. “How cowardly.”

“It’s not cowardice,” Shiro defended. “I’ve simply got another guest to deal with. The No.1 Idiot in this country who for reasons I can’t understand is considered the greatest hero in the world.”

Endeavor scowled. He was being ditched for All Might again, and by a villain no less.

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Shiro said softly. “All Might just happens to be the most important person to beat right now. I’d explain why but I’m a bit tight on time. Fear not, you won’t be left alone. I called for a playmate to keep you company.”

Endeavor frowned. ‘A playmate? Who?’

“SHIRO! YOU FUCKING SLAVE DRIVER! I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN AMAZING MARTIAL ARTS BATTLE AND YOU RUINED IT! ARE YOU SO WEAK YOU CAN’T EVEN HANDLE ONE HERO BY YOURSELF!” shouted a familiar angry voice.

The sound of wings flapping could be heard a small distance away.

Endeavor’s eyes widened. ‘No. It can’t be.’

“STOP BEING SUCH A POUTY LITTLE BITCH AKUMA!” Shiro shouted back with equal ferocity. “I NEED TO DEAL ALL MIGHT BUT I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE ENDEAVOR ALONE! HENCE, WHY I WANT YOU TO KEEP HIM COMPANY!”

The Devil hero turned and saw Endeavor and scowled.

The latter of which returned.

It had been years since they had seen each other, and yet, their hatred for each other had never dwindled.

“On second thought, go play with All Might,” Akuma snarled. “This one is mine. One warning, I will not under any circumstance capture him. If we had to live in the same area, we’d probably end up destroying the entire city will duking it out.”

Endeavor just glared at Akuma. Perhaps this would be better than defeating Shiro.

Shiro was a little, but not entirely surprised that Akuma was doing what he wanted.

However, he wasn’t about to push further.

Turning on his heel, the Hades leader walked away.

“Have fun boys,” he called out. “Try not to destroy the place.”

“No promises,” Akuma answered.

Raid Section: All Might

Nikko raised her left hand while accumulating power before slamming it onto the ground, generating immense heat around the area.

All Might was livid as the temperature quickly rose above 30 degrees Celsius.

‘So, this is her power,’ All Might realized.

He remembered Midoriya’s report describing Nikko’s quirk.

It was similar to Todoroki’s, however unlike him, she could fully control the temperature. Furthermore, while his power came from within, she needed to absorb energy from other sources such as the sun and moon.

Nikko continued to increase the heat until she was certain it was just above 40 degrees.

Her main strategy would be to wear All Might down and dehydrate him. Symbol of Peace or not, he was still human. And like all humans, he would tire from heat and lack of water.

The only reason she did not go further was because she genuinely wanted to fight the No.1 hero. Strong opponents were hard to come by these days, and it was unlikely she would get to fight All Might again after this.

Despite the intense heat, All Might raced towards Nikko, wind pressure and power gathering in his right fist.

“Texas Smash!” he shouted.

He punched straight for her to end the fight quickly. However, much to his surprise, his attack went straight through her.

That’s when Nikko began to fade.

“What?” he exclaimed confused.

A large white beam of combined energies connected with All Might from behind and sent him crashing to the ground.

Behind him, stood Nikko with both arms outstretched and hands with a fading glow.

All Might stood back up, albeit steadily. That last attack hurt.

“What was that?” he demanded.

Nikko gave him a cold look. “As if I would explain my abilities to you. You’re the No.1 hero, figure it out on your own!”

Unlike most, Nikko never gave anyone a full insight on her quirk and moves. Personally, she found it stupid since she would just be giving the enemy knowledge to use against her. However, she did give minor descriptions from time to time (provided they discovered it)

Nikko flipped backwards and unleashed a wave of mixed energy that shot straight towards All Might.

Rotating his right arm, All Might punched and released a small tornado.

“Nebraska Smash!” he shouted.

All Might’s attack overpowered Nikko’s and unleashed a gale force wind that pushed against her.

Despite this, Nikko never wavered in stance, nor did she release her quirk.

Using his immense speed, All Might arrived in front of Nikko. He pulled his right arm back and punched downward.

“Detroit Smash!” he shouted.

Once again, the attack went through Nikko who faded away.

‘Seriously! How is she doing that?’ he thought frustratedly. ‘Another quirk? Support gear?’

Whatever it was, he needed to figure it out fast. The heatwave was starting to wear him down, and his entire costume was soaking in sweat.

From his left side, Nikko began to unleash a series of punches and kicks containing solar and lunar energy which blasted at All Might.

The hero put his arms up to defend. Nikko’s blasts weren’t as powerful as the previous, but they still packed a punch.

All Might could feel the heat from and the coolness from others.

Having had enough, he leapt into the air and spun in a flipping motion before coming down, his right hand extended, and punched the ground.

“Alaska Smash!” he shouted.

All Might’s punch generated a small earthquake that shook through the tunnels and destroyed the surrounding area.

Nikko was thrown back against the wall while several debris hitting against her causing a bit of blood to fall from her forehead. However, her illusion remained.

All Might was confused as to how there could be two of them, especially since the other one should have disappeared.

‘Hold on a minute,’ he realized as he examined the environment. ‘This heatwave. That illusion. So, that’s what it is.’

“You were using the heatwave to create a mirage of yourself, weren’t you?” he declared. “That’s why I kept missing.”

Nikko averted her gaze slightly.

“Huh. You’re smarter than you look,” she acknowledged before standing up again. “Have you ever been to a desert All Might? It’s the same thing.”

What Nikko did was activate both sides to generate different temperatures to bend light rays and reflect herself, but All Might didn’t need to know that.

“I see,” All Might breathed out.

His body was now leaking with sweat, and it started to drip from his hands and boots, leaving a small stain where he stood.

Although he knew he could hold out, he would need all his strength when fighting Shiro. Which is why he needed to end this now.

Nikko sensed what he was planning and prepared to defend. Worst case scenario, she would use her ultimate move.

Well, ultimate may have been a bit much. That’s just what Kitsune called it.

As opposed to Shiro and the others, Nikko did not give her attacks names because she found it a waste of time. It was others who named them for her.

However, she would admit she did like the name Kitsune had given this one.

Igniting her hands in opposing energy she was about to join them together…only to be interrupted by the sound of her phone.

Nikko briefly glanced at All Might who halted in movement.

“Sorry, do you mind?” she didn’t even bother waiting for a reply.

Reading through the message she narrowed her eyes. Despite her loyalty towards Shiro, he could be impeccably irritating when he wanted to be, especially his timing.

And yet, she would not disobey.

Holding up her right hand, she focused on the energy she had absorbed from the moon and then slammed it into the ground. This cancelled out the heatwave as the tunnel became much colder.

Due to being covered in sweat, All Might shivered at the lower temperature but managed to keep his composure.

“It would appear our fight has come to an end,” Nikko revealed with a bitter tone. “Shiro will see you now.”

“W-What?” All Might stammered out surprised.

“Don’t make me repeat myself!” Nikko ordered. She then typed in a code on her phone, causing a series of lights to turn on in a straight line. “Follow this path. It will lead you to the city. Shiro will see you at the main building on the thirteenth floor. It will be impossible for you to miss it.”

All Might was confused as to why Nikko was telling him all of this.

“Do not misunderstand me,” she ordered. “It’s just orders from Shiro. Just like how he wants me to remain out of the action for the rest of the Raid.” All Might could literally feel the disappointment in her voice. “Oh, one more thing. Before you can even think of finishing me off, don’t. Shiro wants to fight you at your best, so save your strength.”

“Um, okay,” was the only thing he could say.

Normally, he wouldn’t do what a villain said, but right now Shiro was a larger threat that needed to be dealt with.

Running in the direction he was told; All Might headed to the city to put an end to this once and for all.

And to find a bottle of water.

Raid Section: Endeavour

The two heroes stood across from each other glaring intensely.

Akuma was in his devil form.

“Tch,” Endeavor scowled. “So, you were alive. And I was this close to forgetting you.”

“Believe me, I tried forgetting about you,” Akuma responded with equal venom. “But that’s hard when someone, Volcano, keeps bringing you up.”

Endeavor scowled at the name.

Volcano, and by extension his teammates, was a villain he had traded blows with numerous times over the years. Of course, he had won (most of the time) but the villain always managed to break out before being properly detained.

Given recent information, it made sense that Hades had a hand in it.

“I’m happy for you though,” Akuma’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You finally found your calling with a group you can fit in with.”

And there it was.

“I didn’t join Hades willingly!” Akuma snapped. “They put a fucking bomb in my neck!”

“There’s no proof of that,” Endeavor countered with a hint of cruelty. “Considering your past behaviour, not to mention your appearance, it was only a matter of time before you ended up becoming a villain.”

Akuma didn’t answer straight away. The insults Endeavor was throwing were nothing he hadn’t heard before.

Due to the nature of his quirk, and his personality, people often mistook him for a villain. He even held the No.1 spot on that racist list for heroes who looked like villains.

“Spout whatever bullshit you want. At least I’m not known for being No.2,” he pointed out, much to Endeavor’s fury.

“Maybe, but it’s higher than yours!” he snapped. “Actually, you don’t have a ranking. Not since you joined Hades!”

It was true.

Akuma’s disappearance and lack of work marked the end of his hero career and ranking.

“Like I give a shit!” he snapped back. “Why do we even have rankings anyway? Last time I checked, being a hero isn’t a competition!”

Personally, he had never cared much about rank, nor did he see the point of it.

He had even met people in Hades who came from countries without hero rankings.

If it worked for them, why couldn’t Japan do the same?

“A villain like you could never understand!” Endeavor barked.

“As if I’d want to!” Akuma retorted. “You what? Screw this shit! Let’s just fight already!”

“That has got to be the first thing you have said that I’ve agreed with!” Endeavor acknowledged.

Standing back, the heroes ignited their right fists with charged flames.

Unlike Endeavor’s, Akuma’s were navy blue.

“Flashfire Fist – Jet Burn!”

“Devil’s Soul – Scorching Shot!”

 The two fire attacks collided in the centre creating a massive explosion of red and blue flames.

The flames quickly spread out among the rubble, much to Endeavor’s delight. Running forward, he harnessed all the surrounding heat into his fist and performed a right hook.

“Vanishing Fist!” he shouted.

‘Pathetic!’ the Devil Hero thought.

As Endeavor neared him, Akuma turned at caught Endeavor’s arm before pivoting on his right leg and, using the man’s momentum against him, performed an over the shoulder reverse.

Endeavor landed face-first on the ground away from Akuma with his hand returning to normal.

Grunting, he got on his hands and knees, however, Akuma was two steps ahead of him. He leapt over him while grabbing his arm before flipping him over and placing him in an armbar.

Endeavor struggled and squirmed to escape but Akuma wasn’t making it easy for him. When tried to turn over, or reach for his hand, Akuma kicked him right in the face to put him back down.

Focusing his fire through his feet, Endeavor propelled himself backwards, taking Akuma with him.

Unable to hold on properly, Akuma loosened his grip, giving Endeavor enough time to grab his hand and get on his feet. He then pulled Akuma upward before slamming him back down on the ground. When he didn’t let go, Endeavor repeated the process…four times before Akuma finally had enough and released his grip, but not before double kicking Endeavor in the face.

Not wanting to give him the chance to recover, Endeavor fired point-blank at Akuma, completely consuming him with his flames.

Normally, he wouldn’t do such a thing, but Akuma had a certain resistance to fire so he knew he would survive.

Akuma let out a scream as he was incinerated before flying up to escape.

He flew at Endeavor with incredible speed who tried to fire at him again, only for Akuma to hit the ground in front of him and then deliver a low fire kick to Endeavor’s left shin, causing him to grunt in pain and falter in balance.

Akuma then pivoted on his right leg and delivered a 360-degree fire turning kick to Endeavor’s head.

Endeavor could have sworn he heard his skull crack as he started to fall to the ground. Surprisingly, the kick did not give him a burn mark.

His head felt dizzy from pain but despite this, he managed to catch himself before falling.

Akuma immediately followed up with an axe kick, only for Endeavor to roll out of the way.

Facing his enemy, Endeavor blasted himself using his feet forward and catching Akuma by the waist. The result was Akuma being smashed into the wall behind him and coughing up a bit of blood.

Before he could retaliate, Endeavor threw Akuma upwards.

Gathering fire in his fist, Endeavor shot punched in Akuma’s direction and released a violent tornado of fire (at max temperature) that consumed the Devil Hero.

“Karmic Raze – Hellfire Storm!” he roared.

“AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Akuma screamed.

There was a loud thud behind him, and as soon as the fire cleared, Akuma’s body could be seen.

‘Finally! I’ve wanted to do that for such a long time!’ Endeavor lamented.

For years, he and Akuma had been at odds with each other. Their personalities and ideologies just did not mix, and they ended up clashing as a result.

Akuma hated him because he looked down on him and saw him as nothing more than a villain, while he hated Akuma because he was not afraid to stand up to him and because he was a threat to his rank.

Up until now though, they had never gotten physical with each other. Although they had seriously wanted to.

“Son of a bitch!” Akuma muttered, much to Endeavor’s horror. “That hurt.”

He was mostly immune to fire, however, that had a limit. If it was hot enough, it could wound him.

“How are you able to move after that?” Endeavor asked completely dumbstruck. “That should have knocked you out cold.”

“You kidding me?!” Akuma asked incredulously. “I’ve taken hits far worse than that.”

That, and he was used to pain but Endeavor didn’t need to know that.

Meanwhile, Endeavor was fuming over what Aluma said. If that were really the case, then he may have no choice but to use his ultimate move.

It was not something he would normally use except against the most dangerous villains, although Akuma technically did qualify. However, his battle with Shiro along with the blows he had sustained from Akuma weakened him.

And right now, he was on his last legs.

‘It’s all or nothing,’ he decided. ‘No matter what, I won’t lose here!’

Using his quirk to shoot himself forward one last time, Endeavor began accumulating heat.

Unfortunately, Akuma had his own signature move.

‘I’ve kept this hidden until now. So, you’ll be the first one to actually experience it. Consider yourself lucky, Endeavor,’ the hero from Hell thought as he began to accumulate energy in his horns.

Akuma had discovered this ability by accident when his father was teaching him to channel his fire through other parts of his body. When he focused it through his horns, the result was surprising, to say the least.

As Endeavor neared, a blue glow formed between Akuma’s horns.

The flame hero prepared to release his most powerful move; however, the Devil Hero was two seconds quicker.

“Prominence,” Endeavor started.

“Hell’s Repentance – Devils Eye!” Akuma shouted as he unleashed his full power.

From the tips of his horns, a black and white beam fired at shocking speed and impacted the No.2 Hero on the chest and sent him crashing into the wall which in turn created a massive explosion of dark energy.

The explosion reverberated through the tunnels and caused all hostilities to temporarily cease. Everyone thought that an earthquake was occurring.

Endeavor barely had time to register what happened before he lost consciousness.

The wreckage from the attack was big with the entire area having been destroyed and the ceiling on the verge of collapse.

“Well, what do you know dad? You were right,” Akuma sheepishly admitted as he slumped on the ground reverting to his original form. “I shouldn’t use it in a confined space.”

Outside Hades

Orca groaned as he woke up with Manual on top of him.

Around him, he could feel air move across his body showing he was above water. The texture of sand and the sound of waves softly crashing against the shore revealed he was on a beach.

He was bleeding as well. His wounds still fresh from his battle with Curator, and that boy Kai.

Manual wasn’t faring much better. Blood trickled down from the side of his helmet.

He would need to get that treated soon.

“I see you made it out,” came a familiar voice.

Orca tilted his head to see Edgeshot walking towards him with an unconscious Mandalay on his shoulders.

From the look of him, he had been roughed up, but it was nothing life-threatening.

“More like I was blasted out,” Orca corrected. “And you?”

“Long story,” Edgeshot answered simply. “Right now, we need to move.”

“I can’t go back in there like this,” Orca pointed out. “None of us can.”

Edgeshot waved his head.

“Not right now. No, we need a different approach,” he explained. “And it involves Izuku Midoriya.”

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that?
I enjoyed writing the fights between Endeavor, Shiro, and Akuma, however, All Might and Nikko’s was tricky. I’ve thought of a few ways she can use her quirk deadly but there’s the matter of getting them out.

Like I said before, Akuma’s quirk is based off Jin Kazama. Also, some may complain about Endeavor losing but the only reason he lost is because he was worn out from his battle with Shiro. Full strength is a different story.

Speaking of which next chapter will be the final chapter of the Hades arc as it follows Shiro’s origins while he battles against All Might.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Chapter 53: The Raid Finale: Shiro's Origin

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Warning: this chapter contains several scenes which readers may find uncomfortable or disturbing. These include violence, death, sexual harassment, and mentions of rape. A warning will be put up beforehand. Also, I will be upping the rating to M.

This chapter is over 20000 words and I never imagined it would take me this long to write but it did, and I am sorry for that. I have not had a good year so far, but I will be graduating soon. Before we get into the chapter there are something's I need to get off my chest.

My Hero Academia is ending this year. I was hoping there would be more arcs and more vigilante Deku. While I'm sad about it like many others, if Horikoshi has decided to end it I will respect it. Speaking of which, congratulations to him for selling over 65 million copies of MHA.

I will be returning Tomura's backstory to the way I wrote it originally with a slight twist because I've realized that just because the canon adds new factors to a story doesn't mean I should change it to match it. I originally changed it because some people kept asking me, but I'm going to write what I want.

In this story, Endeavor will not be redeemed because with the way I have written him it won't be possible. When his redemption arc began, I had mixed feelings, however, I will admit I like how he was portrayed as more complex and regretted his actions, which is more than most characters ever do. I think his redemption falls short on some people because it happened far too late after everything he had done, which I can agree with. However, I do like him more than I did at the start.

Bakugo I have a plan for. I still do not like him in the canon, but I will admit he has gotten good character development and I never expected him to apologize to Izuku, but life is full of surprises.

Despite the reveal of Dabi's true intentions, he has actually become my favourite character. I won't justify what he has done but I still feel bad for how he became that way. I wish he hadn't attacked a baby Shoto though, it just felt like it was to make Endeavour less bad, and him worse. As for why I'm so interested I've read several articles on Tumblr that analyse his behaviour (and his family's) and explain actions and motivations behind them (just explain, not justify). One particular one "Understanding Dabi During the War Arc" is quite detailed and provides a good explanation. I doubt he will die since the theme of the Todoroki family seems to be a family (albeit very dysfunctional) coming together. I hope he doesn't.
When it comes to his final battle, I want him to win but not kill Endeavor (dying would be an easy out for him) and Shoto. Shoto winning just feels like it would prove Endeavor was right, that Shoto was the golden child meant to surpass him, the perfect masterpiece, while Touya is the scapegoat, and the failed creation he was deemed as. If Shoto wants to stop him, he needs to reach out as his brother, not a hero.

I don't know if this will happen or not but at some point, in the future, I want to see a spin-off manga focusing on Dabi/Touya as the protagonist. It could take place during the ten years he was missing and show what he was up to during that time. It could also show a darker and corrupter side of Hero Society which we have only briefly seen in the manga since this time it is told from the perspective of a villain. It could also be more emotionally gut-wrenching (Silent Hill 2 level) than the main series as it further shows Touya's descent into Dabi, as well as the tragic stories of characters. Ten years is a long time, meaning a lot can happen. It could also show a deeper side to Touya's relationship with his family, as well as those around him while providing even more insight into him hating heroes other than Endeavor.

Regarding the anime, I was disappointed with season 5 because of the amount of content it cut from the MVA arc and how it swapped arcs. Part of me hopes for a remake of the arc in the future but won't get my hopes up.

In all anime I've watched, I've never rooted for the villain to win. There were villains I liked but that was it. The way the League struggle against society and other villains while taking everything they throw at them and despite losing members, they still stick together because they care about each other is quite compelling. What I especially love is that they grow as characters become stronger like the heroes because it shows that it is not solely reserved for the hero side. Quite frankly, the only one I want to see lose is AFO.

That's all. If you review, please keep it to the chapter content, not what I have said.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Sixty Years Ago

The woman's cries of pain echoed throughout the room as she pushed forward.

"Good, good," the nurse complimented. "One more push Hikari. You can do it."

Hikari leaned back breathing heavily.

She was a young woman with white hair, silver eyes, a slim figure, and wore a patient's gown. To the normal eye, she would be considered beautiful.

Part of her questioned why she was doing this. It was hard enough to get by in this world with her job, one that was frowned upon by others, but this! If she did this, there would be no turning back.

Another part of her wanted this, to give life to someone she never had. To love and cherish someone when no one had done it for her.

With a final scream, she pulled all her willpower together and pushed.

The pain was excruciating but she bore through it.

Suddenly, a new sound dominated the room.

A crying baby.

Hikari looked and saw a small figure wrapped up in a blanket in the nurse's arms.

"It's a boy," the nurse informed with a smile.

Hikari's eyes widened.

She had a son.

The nurse brought him closer and handed him to her carefully.

Almost instantly, he calmed down in her arms.

She noticed a tuft of white hair on his head, the same colour as hers.

Tears welled in her eyes as she brought her son closer to her chest and embraced him.

Her son!

Her baby son!

She was a mother!

Suddenly, she was filled with a feeling of hope, a desire to nurture and protect, feelings she had never felt before now.

Her son let out a small cry as she pulled him back to see his eyes open.

They were topaz, like his fathers. More than likely that would be the only similarity.

"Hello there. I'm your mother," she said softly, tears still flowing from her eyes. "It's nice to finally meet you…Shiro."

Present Day

Hades Main Building

Shiro sat in his throne staring at the entrance.

Any moment now, All Might would arrive, and he could not wait.

It would be one hell of a battle, no question. One that would attract a lot of attention.

Shiro sighed in mild annoyance as his time in the shadows was coming to an end.

He always knew this day was coming. A day when they could no longer keep their activities and selves completely hidden, but it still saddened him. Part of him relished in the anonymity because it enabled him to act freely at his own leisure without any major interference.

Then again, when fighting the No.1 Hero, it was bound to come to an end.

Still, if he could defeat All Might in front of the country it would send a message to everyone, hero, villain, and civilian alike, that they were not to be trifled with. That they were the strongest.

Emphasis on if!

Despite his reputation, Shiro was not arrogant. He had moments (which he had paid dearly for), but other than that he was never arrogant about a situation or when facing someone. His master had taught him that arrogance was the real reason so many met their downfall, and Shiro learned over the years how true it was.

He would not hold back against All Might, but he would not underestimate him either. He would fight strategically, and not recklessly. It was the only way he would have a chance of winning.

All Might was the Symbol of Peace for a reason, just as he was the leader of Hades.

So, the odds were fifty-fifty (in his opinion).

Thinking about it all, Shiro couldn't help but laugh.

"It's taken so much to get here," he mused. "So much hard work, effort, bloodshed, and lawbreaking. And yet, I may lose it all today. Isn't life funny like that?"

Memories from his childhood, meeting Sensei, to what he is now came flooding back.

Shiro let out a small, sad smile.

"Mom, Sensei, I hope you are watching from up there," he said softly. "I know this isn't the life either of you wanted me to have but it is what it is. I wish I could join you, but after everything I've done, I'll be going to the other place." Shiro's smile turned serious. "However, I won't go down without a fight. I swore to both your graves I would never do that." With a determined look in his eye, Shiro stared at the ceiling. "Watch me!"

Fifty-Seven Years Ago

A three-year-old Shiro sat in his room colouring a drawing from the book Mommy got him.

From what Mommy and Neko (Mommy's friend who looked like a cat) said the picture was a flower, something that grew out of the earth. Shiro had never seen one before, although that applied to a lot of things that existed in the outside world.

For a boy of his age, his bedroom, his mother's room, their living area/kitchen, basically, this small apartment was his entire world. Not once had he set foot outside. Not even to visit the doctor when he was sick.

Mommy asked him never to wander off without her because he was safer here. He didn't really understand why, but he trusted Mommy, so he never questioned it.

He did know their home was part of a much larger building owned by Mommy's boss who Shiro had never met but was often told by Mommy to be respectful towards because she gave them a place to live.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

"OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" a male's voice moaned loudly.

Shiro briefly looked up from his drawing. He knew the voice from past visits, although he had never met the man nor heard his name. It was like that with a lot of people.

It had something to do with Mommy's job, which Shiro did not know much about other than it involved different men and occasionally women coming into Mommy's room. Mommy did something that made them happy, but Shiro did not know what it was.

His mother said it brought them money to keep a roof over their heads, so he did not question it.

He was a little annoyed at the sounds because it was distracting. Normally, people would be quieter but exceptions like this one were loud. Shiro had never personally met the man, but he knew he had come over a few times.

And quite frankly, he did not like him.

In addition to being loud the man was rude, obnoxious, spouted words Shiro did not understand but knew they were bad (Mommy had told him not to repeat them again after asking her), insulted Mommy, her boss, and her friends. He never physically hurt any of them, although that was his only decent quality.

All in all, he was not a nice man.

And yet, for reasons beyond his current understanding, Shiro's mother put up with him, never once getting angry. The one exception was when he asked, "how's the little bastard was doing?", but Shiro had no idea who that was. Mommy had gotten mad when he said it, really mad, which lead to the phrase never being used again.

"Well thanks for that," the man said in an upbeat tone as he prepared to leave (much to Shiro's relief). "I don't know when I'll be back for another one, but I'll call you in advance. That is if that fugly hippo doesn't make any trouble for me. Until next time Hikari."

And then he was gone.

Shiro quickly and quietly closed his book before climbing into his bed. When his mother came to check on him, he pretended to be asleep so that she wouldn't think he had heard any of that. The less trouble he made for her the better.

Later that day

There was a knock on the door causing the mother and son to look away from their activities.

Shiro was annoyed because he thought he needed to return to his room again, but the look on his mother's face made him think twice.

Hikari was confused. She was done for the rest of the day, so there shouldn't have been anyone else.

"Hikari, it's me," came a stern feminine voice. "We need to talk."

The cheerful mood his mother was in before vanished and was instantly replaced by one of nervousness. She gazed at Shiro briefly before motioning him to go to his room (as she had done many times).

Shiro was a bit unnerved by his mother's expression but moved, nonetheless. After shutting the door, he listened as his mother approached the door.

At the door stood a large woman with the appearance of a grey hippo accompanied by two men around her height. She wore a purple dress, lavender scarf and white pearl necklace. She also carried a black and white pipe.

"Good evening, Madam Kaba," Hikari greeted her boss, sounding calmer than she was. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Right to the point as usual I see," Kaba mentioned. "Good. I heard Kiwatari was here earlier."

"Yeah. He was booked for today," Hikari replied quickly. "He left not too long ago. Why?"

Inhaling some smoke from her pipe and exhaled, much to Hikari's annoyance. "Due to his reprehensible actions, he has been banned. He may be allowed to return after a period of time, but until then, he is not to be given any kind of service. If he shows up without me having announced it first, please let me know."

Hikari looked visibly stunned.

"Why? What did he do?"

"He used his quirk on one of the girls, Blossom I believe it was, before dragging her into her room," one of the guards explained.

"A severe breach of the rules as I'm sure you're aware," said the other.

Indeed, it was. Quirk usage was expressly forbidden in the brothel even by staff members (barring security). Of course, in the event that customers got violent, they were allowed to them in self-defence. However, afterwards, the incident would be investigated by a man with a truth-based quirk under the Madam's employment.

Violation of this rule meant the customer would be banned for a certain amount of time (though repeats would make it permanent), or the staff losing their job.

"Then, why was he here earlier if?" Hikari started.

"Shou was away on a job, so we were not able to ascertain the truth until now," Kaba interrupted taking another smoke.

As annoyed as she was at the smoke, Hikari was somewhat relieved she would have a break from Kiwatari given his vile and unbearable nature.

"I for one am glad he is not coming back," Kaba exhaled. "Good customer aside, he has been the biggest pain in my backside since he first showed up. A couple weeks off from him should do me some good."

"Why would you let him in if you don't like him?" Shiro questioned through his slightly open door. "Doesn't that just make your job harder?"

Hikari jumped at Shiro's sudden appearance. The guards exchanged uncomfortable looks since children were not common down here (for obvious reasons). Kaba narrowed her eyes.

'So, this is Hikari's boy,' she mused.

"I'm so sorry Madam," Hikari quickly apologised. "Shiro. Go back to."

"No," Kaba silenced. "I like a bit a spirit." Her eyes locked onto Shiro's. "Come out where I can see you boy. It's not polite to talk behind closed doors." To her relief and surprise, the boy came out. Relief because it showed the boy had manners, and yet surprise because the look he gave her indicated no fear, only distrust, which she found quite odd for a boy his age. "It seems your mother educated you well on manners boy."

Shiro eyed her warily but remained silent.

"Now, about your question Shiro. You are correct in the assumption it makes my job harder," Kaba admitted. "In fact, working with individuals like him makes me hate it from time to time. However, by working with people like Kiwatari there is more to gain than there is to lose, so my personal feelings should not matter. Tell me, do you know why your mother works?"

"To make money and support us," Shiro recited like he had been told before. "Neko said the same thing."

Kaba nodded. "That is correct. And to do that, she must work with trustworthy individuals like Neko, and even some she hates to get the job done and get paid. Whether we like the person or not does is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is we get what we are owed." Shiro's eyes wavered in what Kaba assumed was him slowly understanding. "It happens to everyone, and regrettably, it will happen to you when you are older."

Hearing this, Shiro's expression morphed into a glare. He already hated the idea, so why would he go through with it?

"On the off chance you don't you will be extremely lucky, but I doubt it," the Madam sighed. "No one ever is."

Shiro wanted to argue with her so badly but ultimately refrained because he did not want to get Mommy in trouble.

"I understand," he pouted. "But I still don't like it."

"And I will not force you to like it," Kaba assured. "I will not force anybody under my roof to like it. However, it is what it is, and nothing said or done will change that."

Hikari grimaced when she heard "under my roof" because she did not know how long it lasted. She was worried Madam Kaba would force Shiro to work one day, though she hoped it would be in security, not her prostitution.

Truthfully, Hikari did not like her job.

If she could have had any other one, if there was any other life option for her, she would have grabbed onto it without hesitation. But one bad thing led to another and here she was stuck in this life with no way to escape.

The only good that had come from it was the few friends she had made and most of all Shiro.

She was lucky Madam Kaba had allowed her to keep and let him live with her. Pregnancies were not specifically forbidden but they were discouraged. A child like Shiro being born in the brothel was very rare.

"Will that man be gone a long time?" Shiro asked hopefully.

"A couple of months yes, why?" Kaba replied.

"He's annoying," Shiro responded bluntly. "Whenever he's over here I can always hear his voice whining, and other times he's rude about people. A little while ago he called someone a "fugly hippo", whatever that is."

Hikari's eyes widened in horror while the men looked away uncomfortably.

Madam Kaba smiled sweetly at Shiro to hide her rage. "Oh, really?! And tell Shiro, what else does he say when he is here."

Shiro being the child he was didn't understand the severity of the situation, nor did he see a reason to lie to his mother's boss. And so, over the next twenty minutes, Shiro proceeded to tell the audience all about Kiwatari's visits, the people he mocked, his personal life, and some illegal practices.

By the time he was finished, Hikari was on the verge of fainting. Her son had heard all of that when she thought he was always asleep.

Madam Kaba was fuming. A couple of months would not be enough it seemed. No, she needed to go further than that.

"Hikari, why am I only hearing this now?" Kaba asked sternly but calmly. "And from your son, no less?"

"Client confidentiality," she responded weakly. "What happens in our rooms is supposed to stay there. Also, I didn't want to lose you a customer who pays as much as he does. As for Shiro, I thought he was asleep during those times."

The Madam inwardly scowled. That was a good reason!

Still, she wouldn't let it deter her. Kiwatari was going to learn what happened when he didn't respect her rules.

"Your boy is smart Hikari," Madam Kaba turned on her heel and walked out. "I hope he stays that way."

When she was gone, Hikari released a deep breath she didn't realize she had been holding in. That could have gone worse in so many ways.

Meanwhile, Shiro was just staring at the door confused.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Present Day

All Might ran through the tunnels towards the city. His suit was still gushing with sweat from his battle with Nikko as evidenced by the trail he was leaving behind, but other than that he was fine.

A dim light appeared towards the end of the tunnel, causing him to increase his speed.

'This is it! It has to be!' All Might decided.

Bursting through the entrance, he came face to face with a sight that both awed and infuriated him.

The report Young Midoriya had submitted was not exaggerating when it described Hades main base as a city.

He marvelled at the design and effort that had gone into constructing it.

What made him angry was the fact that it was built off hard forced labour from people who had their freedom and rights stripped from them. And if his time in the States taught him anything, it was that slavery was foul and was worthy of being locked up in Tartarus.

'Goddammit! How did they manage to get this far without any one of us ever knowing?' All Might lamented.

What frustrated All Might the most was how dangerous Hades had grown without alerting anyone, even Underground heroes, to what was happening.

Admittedly, their strategy involving a city with little crime made sense as to how, but it still infuriated him how a threat like Hades existed under their noses for decades.

'That all ends today,' All Might swore. 'Even if I have to tear this entire place apart and beat every member one by one just like I did with AFO's followers I swear will destroy Hades and save everyone!' Looking up he saw a large building in the city centre. 'And I'll start with Shiro!'

And with that, he took off towards his target… until he stopped at the sight of a vending machine.

'Correction! I will start with Shiro after I have had some water!' he decided. 'It would be a bad idea to fight him dehydrated.'

Hades Main Building

Shiro observed the holographic monitor with an amused expression. All Might had just consumed four bottles of water in quick succession and was now going for a fifth.

"Nikko really did a number on him," he remarked.

He wasn't all that surprised, to be honest, but still impressed. Nikko could dominate her opponents with her quirk and fighting skills, but she always preferred to fight creatively rather than rely on brute force.

A trait many villains unfortunately lacked.

Most of them relied too much on power half of the time rather than properly honing their abilities and strategizing. Shiro understood though. With guys like AFO and All Might around, it was hard not to see strength as the most important.

It was why he respected people like Eraserhead and Himiko Toga who used weaker quirks cleverly to outsmart their enemies. After all, he had been the same with his quirk until a little training and strategizing turned him into the force he was today.

SMASH!

Shiro was immediately alerted to the sound of something breaking downstairs.

"It would seem the guest of honour has arrived," Shiro let out a small smile. "Good thing I left everything…"

SMASH!

The doors literally blew apart as All Might punched his way in. The expression he wore was as furious as the time at the USJ when the League first attacked.

"It's over now Shiro!" All Might stepped forward generating a small shockwave that lifted the dust. "Why? Because I am here!"

Shiro stared at him blankly before assessing the small carnage.

"Was that really necessary?" Shiro shot All Might an irritated look. "I left everything unlocked so you wouldn't have to break them. I'm not an idiot. I know these doors couldn't stop you, so why?"

"This ends," All Might shrugged off the accusations.

"And another thing," Shiro interrupted clearly not finished. "What is with the whole "I am here" thing? I can physically see you, not to mention blowing off the doors was a clear sign you were here! So, just why? Is it meant an intimidation tactic, because let me tell you I have seen far worse, or is it just a catchphrase you use when on the job?"

All Might could hardly believe his ears. Shiro was actually complaining about trivial things while a full-on war was occurring!

"Y-You, do you even know what's happening right now?" he asked incredulously.

"You hero guys are raiding my base and home in a desperate bid to rescue everyone who's been held captive," Shiro rolled his eyes. "It's not rocket science."

"Then why?" All Might started.

"Am I bringing all these small insignificant details to your attention?" Shiro finished. "Because you are the one doing them Ass Might. Also, despite what you think, whenever someone breaks into another person's home and destroys their property the owner is always upset."

"Property you built off slavery," All Might spat back.

Shiro gave him a bored look.

"Oh, I know what I've done, and why I did it," he admitted nonchalantly. "I make no excuses. Explanations perhaps, but I never sugarcoat anything or make it into something it's not, even if I do think it's justified."

Shiro never liked using his past to justify what he did, aside from the rules he set, but mostly to explain why he did the things he did. For him, using his past felt like he was using his mother and teacher. They were part of his reasons, yes, but he did not actually like using them.

"Justified?" All Might breathed. "You kidnapped children and forced them to work for you! Do you have any idea how traumatic that must be for them?"

"Yes," Shiro stated uninterestedly. "Although, probably not as traumatic as watching attempted rape and then murder."

All Might's blood froze. His eyes widened in utter horror.

"But Midoriya… he said you didn't," he muttered.

"I don't!" Shiro snapped furiously. "I would NEVER take part in a disgusting act like that! The murder, that was me. The minute I saw that waste of human flesh try and have his way with one of the students after apparently doing it to someone else, I ripped out his fucking heart." All Might winced at the description. "The bastard's blood spewed all over the girl, Shiozaki I think her name was, and then I had Umi, and Utada take her and the rest of the newcomers away." Shiro's face became sombre as he reflected on the victims and how distraught they were. It was like Tenome all over again. "The amount of therapy they are all going through would surprise you."

All Might felt conflicted. On one hand, he was relieved Shiozaki had been saved from something so terrible along with the other children. On the other hand, he was angry because it was Shiro's fault they were there, to begin with. However, he was somewhat relieved that the man had enough humanity to have them properly treated.

"You really hate the act, don't you?" he said softly.

The leader of Hades stared at the ground before looking back at the Symbol of Peace with a neutral, yet solemn, expression.

"More than you could possibly imagine."

Fifty-five years ago

Hikari added more parts to Shiro's central building as he searched for a specific piece.

The Lego city wasn't too big, but it did have a unique design. A large circle divided up into four sections with a huge building at the centre. It was Shiro's opinion that the owner of the city (him) should live in the tallest building for everyone else to see.

Hikari didn't know where he had gotten the idea from, but she wasn't about to question his childish logic. If anything, she was just happy he was having fun. Aside from her, this apartment, his toys, and his quirk which emitted light like hers, Shiro did not have much else in the world.

At the age of five, he was not in school alongside other children (not that she could afford it) so all education came from her and her friends. The books they provided also proved useful. Despite this, Shiro had proven to be quite intelligent for his age by quickly picking up language, reading, and writing.

Still, they were happy (at least as far as they could get).

"Found it!" Shiro exclaimed as he took out a small flag and placed it on top.

Truthfully, he didn't care that the city was complete. He was just happy to be spending time with his mommy on her day off.

No customers, no colleagues, no distractions, just him and her.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The sound of someone banging on the door instantly drew their attention (and Shiro's scorn). There wasn't supposed to be anyone visiting today. Even Neko said she would be busy.

Hikari hoped it wasn't Madam Kaba, though she would have announced her presence.

As the person on the other side continued to bang against the door Shiro's annoyance increased. They were ruining his time with Mom.

"Just answer so they can go away," Shiro pleaded.

Hikari got up and walked to the door. However, when she opened it, she was met with the sight of someone she had not expected.

"Bout fucking time!" a voice sneered. "You know it's rude to keep customers waiting, especially regular ones."

"Kiwatari," Hikari murmured. "What are you doing here?"

Shiro's eyes widened. It had been two years since he heard that man's voice and name, but he had never forgotten. And now, this was his first time seeing him.

Kiwatari was just barely above his mother's height with a lanky build. He had short brown hair, vicious green eyes with slits much like a snake, and a small beard covering his face.

"What do you think? I'm making up for lost time," Kiwatari said. "And you should be doing the same so get in."

"You were banned," Hikari reminded.

"I WAS banned! Now I'm not," he argued.

"Madam Kaba would have informed us if you were allowed back first," Hikari argued back. "As a matter of fact, I would like to verify it first."

"If I wasn't allowed back, how am I standing here?" Kiwatari sneered. "That fugly hippo is under new management now, courtesy of Eris, meaning I have the go-ahead."

Hikari frowned. This was the first she had heard of it. However, the name Kiwatari dropped concerned her. Eris was a criminal group notorious for human and drug trafficking. The brothel had some of their members come over from time to time to relieve some stress, but never anything hostile.

"Be that as it may I'm on my day off," Hikari countered. "If you want, I can make time tomorrow, but not now."

Her response only served to anger him as she tried to close the door only for him to keep it open with his hand.

"Screw that!" he shouted. "I've been waiting years to come back. I'm entitled to this."

"And I will give it to you, tomorrow," Hikari said.

Fed up with waiting, Kiwatari grabbed her by the wrist and activated his quirk, temporarily paralysing her so she couldn't fight back. He then moved in and shut the door to prevent any interruptions.

"What do you think you're doing?" Shiro yelled outraged to see the man in his home.

Kiwatari glanced at the boy surprised. He had forgotten Hikari had a brat.

"So, you're the little bastard, huh," he said. "Not that it's any of your business, but your mom and I have work to do. So, why don't you fuck off someplace where you won't cause a disturbance."

"No, you don't!" Shiro declared defiantly. "My Mom is off today. She doesn't have to do anything with you."

Kiwatari gave him a look before walking over and dragging him up by the arm.

SLAP!

Kiwatari's right hand connected with Shiro's face and sent him crashing to the ground. Shiro, for his part, blinked in shock as he held his hand to his stinging face. That man just hit him. He hit him. Not even his mother had done that.

However, instead of crying (much to Kiwatari's surprise) Shiro activated his quirk and illuminated the whole room with his body. Kiwatari let out a growl as he was blinded by the light and fell backwards.

Shiro felt a small sense of pride for overpowering the grown-up. However, it was short-lived upon Kiwatari getting back up with his eyes closed and diving towards Shiro. Being much slower than the man, Shiro couldn't dodge as he grabbed a hold of him and activated his quirk. Shiro felt his body freeze as his quirk deactivated.

"You little shit! It seems your mother forgot to discipline you properly. Oh well, I guess I'll have to rectify that," he growled as terror-filled Shiro.

SLAP!

Kiwatari's backfist connected with Shiro's face and sent him only for the older man to pull him and smack him on the other side of his face.

"This is what happens to children when they misbehave," Kiwatari positioned Shiro directly on his knee. "And this is one of the more classic punishments. Hopefully, after this, you'll learn to keep your mouth shut."

Kiwatari brought his hand down hard on Shiro's backside with each strike becoming harder and more painful. Shiro couldn't even cry out because he was still paralysed. Kiwatari on the other hand was having a blast. It was nice to beat someone up for a change, perhaps he should do it more often, though he decided Shiro would be a one-time victim because it wouldn't do him any favours with Hikari.

Still, that didn't mean it would be their last encounter. The kid was as cute as his old woman, so he was sure to be a looker in the future. Maybe he would take up a job here in the future. Kiwatari would certainly be willing to visit.

He was so distracted by what he was doing that he didn't notice the mother had gotten back to her feet with an expression of pure rage plastered across her face.

This man had shown up out of nowhere, tried to force himself on her when she said, used his quirk on her, and then had the audacity to beat her son right in front of her! there was only one course of action now.

Quietly picking up a broomstick, she ran over and whacked it across the left side of Kiwatari's face. Kiwatari screamed as collapsed to the side while Shiro sprawled onto the floor below. Hikari pulled him away into her arms where she inspected him.

"Shiro are you alright?" she asked desperately.

Her boy wasn't moving (likely because of the quirk) and he wasn't responding to her.

"Ugh, you bitch!" Kiwatari growled struggling to get up. "Look what you've done."

His ear was bleeding from the attack and blood flowed down onto his jacket.

"Get. Out!" Hikari ordered with a rare fury in her voice. "And don't even think of coming back."

That did not sway Kiwatari in the slightest. If anything, it made him angrier.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" he screamed. "AS AN EMPLOYEE YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION!"

"I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING!" Hikari screamed back. "You barged into to my home on my day off, used your quirk on me, and worst of all you assaulted my son! So, no Kiwatari I don't have to open my legs for you. Instead, I'm going to report you for your blatant violation of the rules and make sure Madam Kaba kicks you out again! This time, permanently!"

She kept a tight grip on the broom during her declaration, her eyes never once leaving her attacker. By now, several people would have heard the commotion meaning it was only a short amount of time before somebody arrived to help.

Kiwatari, on the other hand, was unwilling to accept any consequences for his actions. In his mind, he had done nothing wrong. He approached her politely asking for a service that had long been overdue, and yet she rudely refused him and gave him a serious wound. Did they not care if he lost his ear?

He had no choice but to use his quirk and discipline her child for trying to stop him. They were to blame for his behaviour not him. That's right! It was all their fault.

And if Hikari wouldn't give him what he was owed then he would take it by force.

Without warning, he threw Shiro's small chair at her, forcing her to bring up the broom in defence. Kiwatari ran at her with his arm outstretched ready to use his quirk. In response, Hikari activated her own.

The room was illuminated again with the mother shining even more intensely than her son had. Kiwatari cried out while covering his eyes with one of his arms. Due to his lack of sight, he failed to notice the drawing books on the floor leading him to trip with his arm still extended. He shoved Hikari at the stomach and activated his quirk paralysing her.

Unfortunately, he had put a bit too much force into his shove as she fell backwards and…

CRACK!

smacked the back of her head perfectly across the edge of her bedroom door.

Hikari's form lay there frozen, her eyes wide with shock as blood slowly began to ooze from the back.

Seeing as the light had dispersed Kiwatari opened his eyes and glanced at Hikari, and then the blood.

"Shit!" he muttered as he deactivated his quirk. "Hikari. Are you alright?" When he didn't get an answer, he started panicking. "Hey, stop fucking around. Answer."

"Mommy," Shiro called having finally recovered.

He stared at his mother's body, not fully sure of what was happening.

'Why isn't she moving?'

'Why isn't she speaking?'

'Why is she bleeding?'

A hundred questions plagued his mind as he turned to the only other occupant in the room who was shaking her body but getting no response.

"Shit! Fuck!" he swore. The terror was evident in his voice. "They're gonna blame me for this and then I'll be." He then looked at Shiro. "T-This is your fault! You're the reason she's dead!" How he ever came to that conclusion nobody knows. Perhaps the irrational part of his mind thought it would be a good idea to blame Shiro for his actions, despite being the one to instigate it. "And they. No. Screw this shit! I'm not getting punished for something you did!"

With that the man fled like the coward he was, leaving little Shiro alone with his mother's corpse.

"Mommy," Shiro approached her. "Mommy, what's wrong?" He couldn't understand what was happening or why tears were welling up in his eyes. "Why won't you answer me, mommy? Why can't you move mommy? Why are you hurt?" What was this strong pain in his chest? "Mommy? Mommy?" Desperation began to enter his voice. "How can I help you, mommy? How can I make you better?"

"Hikari! Shiro!" Neko's voice rang out. "Is everything- Oh my God!"

Shiro turned to face her, tears falling from his eyes.

"Neko, mommy got hurt? Can you help her?" he asked pleadingly.

Neko began to cry as she rushed to Shiro and pulled him into a hug while uttering "I'm sorry", "I'm so sorry" to him repeatedly.

Shiro didn't understand. Why was Neko sorry? What had she done wrong?

What did he do wrong?

Later

"Okay, boy. It's time to go," one of Madam Kaba's guards instructed.

Shiro stood up and followed. Throughout the walk, neither of them uttered a word.

Shiro barely registered the man's presence who, despite his calm demeanour, was nervous for the boy.

After Hikari's death, they had searched for Kiwatari only to be halted by Eris' men, who informed them that they would handle Kiwatari's punishment. Normally, they would argue, but given the current circumstances, they relented.

Of course, the problems didn't stop there.

The leader of Eris requested to take Shiro seeing as he had no other guardian. This one Madam had argued against and even tried to reason with him. Hell, everyone in the brothel was against it, especially Neko, because the idea of sending a grieving five-year-old to a place like that was just sick. However, their pleas fell on deaf ears, or in Neko's case silenced.

"Ah, so this is the boy," a cold voice murmured.

Shiro looked up to see a man wearing a black biker jacket, black leather pants and boots. The man was shirtless with his abs out for everyone to see. He possessed long dark hair that travelled down to his waist and red-eye on the right while the other was covered with a black eyepatch.

He looked Shiro up from head to toe as if he was valuing him.

Shiro did not like it, and because he did not like it, he shot the man a glare.

"Oh," the man snorted amused. "This one has a bit of fight in him." He then got in Shiro's personal space (much to his displeasure) and smirked. "We'll have to do something about that, won't we? In the meantime, the name's Yami Himitsu, and as of this moment, you are my slave and I, your master. Nice to meet you!"

Eris Main Base

What happened after was Shiro being led away by Yami, or Master as he was supposed to call him now, and several men into a van (something Shiro found intriguing because he had never seen one before).

The whole sensation of driving felt strange to Shiro but otherwise, it was okay. He noticed none of the guards sparing him a glance, just staring straight with blank expressions which he found a bit weird. He refrained from saying anything because he wasn't fully comfortable around them.

The journey lasted less than an hour and when they arrived, they placed a bag over his head and escorted him by the arms. It was at this point Shiro started to panic and struggle; however, it was useless against the older and stronger men.

(WARNING! THE FOLLOWING SCENE IS VERY DARK, UNCOMFORTABLE AND MAY TRIGGER SOME PEOPLE! YOU MAY SKIP IT IF YOU LIKE SINCE YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENS! BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

Eventually, they came to a halt and removed the bag before throwing him into a small cell with a toilet, sink, and three mattresses with blankets. It was very different to his room at home, and he didn't like it.

"Not to your liking I take it," Yami mused. "I will admit, it's a step down from what that whore was providing you. However, I assure you it's only temporary. After we're done here, you'll be moving in with an older roommate. A decent man, all things considered, and a competent fighter. I expect you to learn from him."

"And if I don't?" Shiro said before he could stop himself.

Yami smiled. It was a cruel smile with a hint of joy. It was as if he was happy Shiro spoke back. And in a way, he was.

"That would be a big mistake," Shiro suddenly felt himself being dragged down to the floor by an invisible force. "Just like what you did. Here's the thing Shiro, this whole master/slave relationship, you don't talk back to me, you don't talk shit to me, in fact, you don't talk at all unless I say so. If you do well, I don't want to spoil the punishments. Otherwise, you won't be surprised."

Shiro didn't like the way he was talking. He tried to use his quirk; however, the light was blocked by a black substance oozing over his body. Looking around he saw the entire room was covered to the point that only he and Yami were visible.

"Don't even bother! My quirk lets me control darkness meaning yours won't have a single effect on me," Yami sneered. "You're not at that brothel anymore Shiro. Here you will work, fight, and fuck to survive just like everyone else. I'm going to demonstrate the third now, but Kiwatari will show you the rest later." Yami started to undress while the darkness held Shiro down. "First thing you gotta do is take your clothes off, second open your legs, and third, well, I'll show."

Shiro was scared, more than he had ever been in his life. He wanted his mom. He wanted Neko. He wanted to go home. He wanted to play with his toys, read his books, and sleep on his own bed. He wanted anywhere other than with this man.

"Now, let's begin," Yami breathed on his face.

Shiro began to cry.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

His years in hell had begun.

Present Day

"Before we start, I should warn you. This won't be like your fight with AFO! Oh, no. Unlike him, I don't rely on raw power alone," All Might had suspected as much. Izuku's report detailed that Shiro's quirk wasn't powerful on its own, but through sheer amounts of work and training, kind of like Best Jeanists. "Now then, that's enough talk, don't you think? You and the rest of the pros came here for a reason did you not? So, what's say you and I give them a show they'll never forget Toshinori Yagi?"

All Might's eyes widened in shock. How did Shiro know who he was? His name and identity were a national secret, so no one should have known. The only logical explanation was that AFO told him. Did that mean he knew about OFA as well? Then again, why would AFO tell anyone about that? The fewer people that knew about it meant the less chance it could be stolen by someone else.

Whichever the case, he would deal with it after arresting Shiro.

"Let's!" All Might snarled as he got into a fighting stance.

Likewise, Shiro got into one of his own with his right arm becoming immersed in light. Several seconds later, a gauntlet with several sharp edges had formed.

"Texas…"

"Luster…"

The two men launched themselves aiming straight for each other's fists.

"…Smash!"

"…Gauntlet!"

The two attacks collided and generated a miniature storm that reverberated around the entire room.

Shiro used his quirk to dig his heels into the ground to prevent himself from being pushed back while also putting power into his arm to keep it together. The result was All Might's attack breaking through and sending Shiro flying. All Might advanced forward to knock him out quickly, only for Shiro to send out several orbs of light from his hands.

"Rapid Fire Light Orb!"

All Might folded his arms across his chest making an "X" shape, halted on one leg, and then released a double chop.

"Carolina Smash!"

The orbs blew in different directions damaging several parts of the room. In addition, some of them went into Shiro as he crashed through his throne.

'Shit! That actually hurt!' Shiro thought. 'I can see why he's called No.1.'

Steadily standing up, Shiro barely managed to put up some armour as All Might was instantly in front of him and punched him square in the stomach. In spite of the protection, the attack caused Shiro to cough up some blood as he was sent crashing through the wall, creating a view into the city.

Shiro managed to hold onto the building using a rope made from his power. In pulling himself back inside, he started to spin forwards while releasing several waves of pure light through his legs. The attacks struck All Might who defended using his arms. Unbeknownst to the Symbol, the action had a secondary purpose. By spinning repeatedly, Shiro was accumulating energy while increasing his velocity. So, when he came back through the hole, he shot straight towards All Might with increased speed and strength, while still spinning in a circular motion.

"Photonic Wheel Saw!"

The attack collided on top of All Might's head causing him to smash face-first into the ground. The impact of which created a small crater and bust All Might's lip.

"Ugh," Shiro moaned dizzily. "This is why I never use that move."

'Such strength!' All Might thought bewildered. 'Not many can make me bleed.'

Before he could, Shiro leapt up and summoned several light rays.

"Light Spears!"

The attack rained down on All Might who had gotten to his knees and rotating his arm he punched upwards creating a small tornado.

"Nebraska Smash!"

The tornado easily blew away the spears and almost sent Shiro crashing through the roof. However, Shiro managed to pivot himself and land directly on the ceiling upside down with one leg stretched out and the other bent, still held back by the wind. Letting out a smile Shiro brought his legs together and shot down headfirst and started rapidly spinning his body while amassing speed and energy.

"Photonic Missile!"

Unlike his battle with Endeavour, this missile was faster, more focused, and way more powerful due to the distance provided between them. All Might should have moved but instead, he chose to unleash another smash.

Gathering his strength, he focused OFA's power into his arms and performed a double uppercut that unleashed a gale-force wind.

"Alabama Smash!"

The two attacks collided and released another storm over the room with neither man giving up. For Shiro, in keeping his current motion he managed to use the wind to strengthen his attack even further as he slowly began to pierce through it. Eventually, he collided headfirst with All Might's fists which held him in place. All Might, try as he might, was struggling to hold on as the human bullet continued to push against him. It was made even more difficult by the fact that the light from Shiro's attack was burning his hands. When he was pushed down with his legs barely holding on, he swapped to holding Shiro in place with his open hands only to get the same results.

After thirty seconds of painful standstill, All Might's legs caved in Shiro's photonic missile went through and struck All Might directly on the chest and into the ground causing the crater to expand in size and damage.

The impact was so strong it broke two of All Might's ribs and forced to cough up blood. No sound came out of his mouth as he struggled to breathe, and yet the pain of the attack was very high.

Shiro wasn't faring much better. The recoil from photonic missile tossed his body a few metres away from All Might in a manner that was similar to a ragdoll being thrown away. Compared to his battle with Endeavour, the aftereffects were much worse. Shiro lay on his back breathing steadily as he stared at the ceiling with blurry vision. He felt sick like he was about to throw up (it was a miracle he hadn't already). It took more than a minute for him to stand up again, and even then, his legs were wobbly. The impact from his attack caused a tiny part of his forehead to burst leading to blood oozing down the centre, over his nose, and on the sides of his mouth.

'Ugh, this exactly why I don't use it that much,' he thought dizzily. 'The greater the power, the worse the recoil.'

"That was a risky move," All Might muttered as he steadily got back up.

"I know. It's not one I use that often, but against a hero like you I can't afford to hold back," Shiro retorted. "The same applies to you does it not?"

All Might chuckled. "For once, we agree on something."

Fifty-five years ago

Shiro was dragged somewhere. Of that much he was aware. He had not been blinded yet he could not see either. No, that wasn't right. It would be more accurate to say he did not want to see. His mind was in such a state of shock that he was unable to process anything else.

And honestly…who could blame him?

After what those…monsters did to him, how could he be anything other than shocked?

Shiro could still remember every horrific detail. Their scents, their sick voices, how they…touched him, and how they went i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-…...

He couldn't even describe it properly, and frankly, he didn't want to. The whole experience(s) hurt. They hurt…so much.

And even though he wanted to stop thinking about it, he couldn't. The way he smelt afterwards was a cruel reminder that it had happened, that it was real.

Shiro was briefly snapped out of his trance by the sound of a door opening. Without warning, the guards threw him into the room. Shiro brought up his elbows to cushion his landing. He glanced up at the guards who, before closing the door, uttered a message.

"Your roommate will be back later."

Dread overcame Shiro as the idea of a roommate who could potentially be as bad (if not worse) Yami or Kiwatari caused him to shake violently as his breathing became heavier. So much, that combined with his recent trauma caused him to fall unconscious.

Later

"Hey, hey," a voice called out. "Kid, what are you. Oh, you're my. Shit, I'd better call." The voice sounded concerned but Shiro couldn't understand why. "Don't worry kid. I'll get you help and cleaned up." Then the voice scowled. "What the fuck Himitsu! What the fuck!"

Shiro felt warm arms pick him up, but he lost consciousness again.

Later

Shiro felt warm. Not in a bad way, more comforting and cosier. Almost like he was in his bed at home.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. From what he could see he was in a double bed covered by a green duvet inside a room with a carpet, brown couch, coffee table, and a tv. There were two archways that led to two separate rooms.

What stood out most in the room was the person sitting on the ground cross-legged with his hands raised up resting on his knees. Shiro recalled Neko doing it once. It was something called meditation.

The man possessed wavy light green hair that obscured his eyes and a light beard. His attire consisted of a green t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms but lacked any shoes or socks. Shiro thought the man looked old, well, older than his mother, but not grandpa old.

"You're awake. That's good to see," the man addressed Shiro. "How do you feel?"

He knew it was a bad question considering what the child has just gone through but he needed to know. It was the best way to ascertain the boy's mental state.

Shiro didn't answer straight away. He stared at the man with suspicion and distrust.

"F-Fine!" Shiro gritted through his teeth.

The man sighed. "Well, that's disturbing!"

"Eh!" Shiro gasped.

That wasn't the response he expected.

The man rolled his eyes. "Most people who go through what you just did wouldn't be fine. Quite the opposite. The fact that you are shows there's something seriously wrong with you."

Shiro's face turned red with anger. How dare this man act as he knew him!

"I AM NOT FINE! I JUST LOST MY MOM!" he screamed tears beginning well-up in his eyes. "AND THAT MAN HE, HE, he." Shiro trailed off at the end. He couldn't even say it. "Do I look fine to you?"

"No," the man gave him a sympathetic look. "But that's all the more reason, to be honest about it." Shiro gave him a confused look. "You want to scream, shout, or cry? Do it! I won't judge you. Bottling up your emotions all the time is never a good thing, much less healthy. Sometimes you just need to let it all out."

It might have been a bit much to tell a child all of this but given what he went (and would continue to go) through, learning how to express his grief and emotions now was critical.

Shiro's just stared at him for about a minute before grabbing his pillow and throwing it at his face. The man didn't even so much as faze much to the child's fury. Shiro activated his quirk to blind him, but the man simply closed his eyes taking all the assaults in a nonchalant manner. When that didn't work, Shiro got out of the bed, walked over, and began to pound against the man's chest with his little fists, all the while the latter looked on with a sombre expression.

Shiro panted heavily. His attacks had done nothing more than run him dry of air and annoy the man (even if he didn't look it).

"Do you feel better now?" the man asked after a minute.

"No," Shiro sniffed.

"At least you are being honest," the man said. "That's what's important."

He didn't dare raise his hand to pet Shiro's head. While he wasn't sure yet, he did not think Shiro would want any form of comfort from an adult, much less a male, right after he'd been violated.

Shiro glared up into his eyes. The boy's cheeks and eyes were red, a few tears there but he held them back.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Itsuki, and I am your roommate."

Present

"Luminous Arrow!"

"Detroit Smash!"

Their attacks collided and cancelled each other out. However, All Might's hand was lightly burned as a result.

"Tch," he scowled. "I guess I should have this much from a villain who went toe to toe with AFO."

"Oh, All Might, you're too kind," Shiro replied sarcastically. "That old geezer was one of the toughest villains I've ever fought, which kind of makes sense because of the number of quirks he stole since they first emerged. It wasn't enough to kill me though."

All Might frowned. "AFO was a very secretive individual, yet you seem to know a lot for someone who was his enemy."

Shiro merely shrugged. "Even enemies can hold mutual respect, Toshinori Yagi. AFO and I may not have gotten along, well not as bad as other villains, but we respected each other enough to occasionally align and share information. How else do you think I know your name?"

Well, there went that theory. What else had AFO shared?

"What else did he tell you?" All Might asked concerningly.

"One for All," All Might froze as his worst fears were confirmed. "I've known about that for decades now."

"Hold on a minute!" All Might shouted. "Why would he tell you about that? That would risk."

"The same reason I turned down his offer for a quirk," Shiro interrupted without missing a beat. "I would never take on a power that belonged to someone else to become stronger, regardless of how much it might benefit me. Be it for war, profit, or respect, I will do it through my own power and no one else's. Is that understood?"

There was also the fact that accepting a quirk from someone like AFO meant you were indebted to them, and if personal experience had taught him anything (which it had), it never ended well.

All Might was surprised at Shiro's explanation. Even if he didn't want OFA, why not inform others of its existence? Then again, if villains like Atrocity knew about it then there would be unspeakable chaos.

"That hasn't stopped you from using people and their power!" All Might argued.

"Again, not denying what I've done," Shiro shrugged. "About AFO though, during the last few months of his life, we were on pretty bad terms. He wasn't happy about me taking Deku, not that I blame him. The kid's got skill, the likes of which I've only seen in a couple. If only I had been the one to find him during his latest suicide attempt."

All Might felt veins standing on his forehead as he mentioned Young Midoriya. after everything he put him through, he had the gall to say he's upset about not finding him instead of AFO. Just as he was going to launch another smash, he noticed the way Shiro phrased that sentence.

'Latest…Suicide…Attempt?' he thought. 'That can't be right. I know he tried after I spoke with him, but it was never mentioned.'

There was no way, right?

"Judging from that look on your face I can tell you're confused," Shiro's interruption brought All Might back to reality. "That's "latest" All Might, not first. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say AFO didn't tell you during your final battle."

"T-T-Tell me what?" All Might stammered.

AFO had told him a few things about Midoriya's past, none of which were good. Izuku himself admitted that he had not had a good life. However, neither of them had elaborated much further than that.

"That wasn't the first time he tried to kill himself," Shiro explained. "There were plenty of times before that."

The leader of Hades was genuinely surprised that AFO had not told All Might. It would have been a good way to throw the hero off his guard, not to mention torment him. Then again, it was possible he hadn't known either.

All Might felt his heart stop. For several seconds he stopped breathing as he struggled to process what he had learned.

That wasn't the first time!? What was then!? For that matter, when was it!?

"Not gonna lie Mr Symbol, the shit people will put another person through just for being different would shock you," Shiro continued. "Guys like me and AFO are depraved but unlike those people in school, we're honest about it. Given how attached he was to Deku, I'm surprised AFO didn't massacre his entire school or turn them into Nomus even."

Shiro would never admit this to anyone, but Izuku's entire life (and by extension Katsuki's) disturbed him. In particular, the parties surrounding it.

All Might felt a strange sense of nausea. AFO had said something similar during their battle, meaning there was at least some truth to it.

But, what?

How bad had Midoriya's life been before he met him?

Fifty-three years ago

"Are you done yet?" Shiro grumbled. "We've been sitting here for two hours."

"Patience is a virtue Shiro," Itsuki pointed out. "Good things come to those who wait."

"How is me being bored out of my mind a good thing?" Shiro retorted.

"Well, maybe if you committed properly, you wouldn't be so bored?" Itsuki suggested.

"Maybe if you had better training exercises I would!" Shiro snapped back. "Seriously, meditation is nothing but taking a nap while sitting up."

It was at this point Itsuki opened his eyes and stared down at his young (unwilling) companion.

"Sharping one's mind is just as important as strengthening their body," he said. "Meditation is excellent for the first, and quite relaxing to boot."

"Really? Because half the time it seems like its only purpose is shoving sticks up our asses," Shiro complained. Itsuki gave him a disappointed look causing Shiro to feel guilty. "Sorry."

"I see your vulgarity is improving. Too bad the same can't be said for your technique," Itsuki said.

"I know. I'm trying," Shiro sheepishly defended. "It's just… I'm trying okay."

Itsuki shook his head. "That excuse will only work for so long before it becomes useless."

Shiro stared at the ground in shame. It wasn't as if he was being lazy. He just wasn't that good.

Itsuki gave him a sympathetic look. Shiro had been trying his hardest, but he was still only seven years old. There was a lot he didn't understand.

"Let's get to bed okay," Itsuki suggested. "Eris is on hold due to dealings with other villains, so we have a bit of time off."

"Until we don't," Shiro miserably pointed out.

There was a brief silence between them. It wasn't as if they could change their lifestyle, no matter how much they wanted to. Yami had made sure of that.

"Let's get to bed," Itsuki said. "We can continue tomorrow morning."

As soon as they had freshened up, two climbed into the double bed and slept till dawn.

It was a massive improvement to when they met first met.

Two years prior, Shiro (due to his experience with Yami and Kiwatari) was wary of Itsuki and refused to share a bed with him and opted to sleep on the couch instead. Itsuki, however, was against the idea so let Shiro stay in the bed while he slept on the couch, much to the latter's distrust.

For the first few weeks, Shiro refused to talk with him and tried to pretend he wasn't even there. Itsuki being the patient man he was decided to stay within Shiro's boundaries as a sign of respect.

However, others didn't follow.

During the moments he was at work, Yami had someone come and prepare Shiro for his future job. That, someone, turned out to be none other than Kiwatari who, much to Itsuki's utter disturbance, took delight in  educating  Shiro. He had never liked the man much before, but his actions and behaviour towards Shiro (who looked absolutely shattered when he came back) made Itsuki despise him. This worsened when Kiwatari started to refer to Shiro as Hikari as though he was some sort of replacement for the boy's mother. Itsuki was half tempted to kill him then and there, only stopping because Yami (who was an occasional  educator ) would kill him.

Not wanting Shiro to experience it because of his age, Itsuki made a…  compromise  with Yami that assured him Shiro would not have to partake in any sexual activities until he was in his teens. It was a low victory, but the best he could get.

Following this, Shiro concluded that Itsuki was not going to molest him and taking pity on him (in Shiro's words), the boy offered to share the bed with Itsuki saying it would be warmer for them both. Although it had been an awkward first night, the two eventually fell asleep and snuggled up next to each other as they would for years to come.

As a result, Shiro started to open up to Itsuki who in turn opened up to Shiro while also mentoring him on various things such as his quirk, reading, writing, fighting, and even cooking. Thus, becoming his Sensei.

In the short span of two years, Shiro had learned a lot from Itsuki, and about him.

Twenty-three years prior, Itsuki lived homeless after his parents abandoned him for, in his words, failing to live up to their expectations. With no way to support himself, he resorted to petty thievery to survive.

When it wasn't Winter, Itsuki would live out in areas with nature such as parks and forests where he could use his quirk freely. The man's quirk allowed him to control the grass. He could grow it (provided there was fertile soil), strengthen it, sharpen it like a blade, and freely manipulate it in whatever form or manner he desired. When he didn't steal, his quirk provided him with the means to survive. It was also the reason he loathed footwear because the nature of his quirk made going barefoot preferable.

One day, while sleeping in the park Itsuki was attacked by thugs and brought to Eris where he was forced into prostitution by Yami's predecessor and made take part in the cage matches. Although he struggled at first, he eventually started to work his way up the chain and managed to secure this small living space where he (thankfully) didn't have to do business.

It was not a perfect life, but it was one he had (mostly) accepted.

Shiro also learned quite a bit about his "Master" and the organisation he ran. Eris, christened after the Greek Goddess of Content, Strife, Discord, and Contention, was a villain organization that specialised in human trafficking, drug trade, and illegal quirk fights.

Human trafficking was how it got most of their slaves who were forced into prostitution along with other jobs. Drug trade mostly involved quirk focused drugs, however, they also sold classic drugs such as heroin and cocaine. The quirk fights brought in the most money because gambling was involved and it hosted important clients such as politicians, high-class citizens, and important public figures. There were some heroes in attendance to but mostly as bodyguards.

One might find that shocking but hey. How else could a shady group like them remain hidden?

Yami himself was the cold-blooded ruler of this faction who rose to power after the previous leader passed away. There was no evidence, but rumours had circulated saying Yami killed his predecessor, not that anyone was dumb enough to call him out on it. Ever since then, he governed Eris with an iron fist, controlling its profits, members, and territories.

He was a very disturbed man. He encouraged violence, murder, and rape against others (including children) and urged his members to take part saying they were free to do whatever they wanted to whoever they wanted. It was an ideology that his men (particularly Kiwatari) had sickeningly taken in stride. Most were just as bad (if only slightly less bad) than he was.

Shiro did not interact with them much (not that he wanted to) aside from a few training sessions when one or two of them thought it would be fun to spar. End result: he came out with scrapes and bruises and fortunately no broken bones. Itsuki always pointed out he could have come back even worse which Shiro agreed since it was clear these lunatics were restraining themselves.

Regarding his own training, Itsuki had taken to teaching Shiro the basics in martial arts before moving on to more intermediate lessons.

When it came to quirk training, Itsuki helped Shiro discover more about is own quirk and what it could do. Under his tutelage, Shiro realized he could shoot out the light from his body and mould it into whatever form he desired. Itsuki theorized that Shiro could do much more in relation to the properties of light (much to the latter's excitement) but it would take time to unlock them. However, Shiro didn't mind.

"Light Form!" Shiro announced suddenly.

"Huh!" Itsuki turned over.

"Light Form!" Shiro repeated enthusiastically. "That's what I'll call my quirk. You know because it's light and I can form it into what I want. Cool, right?"

"Eh, why not?" Itsuki shrugged. "I've heard worse names."

Present

Turning invisible again, Shiro jumped above All Might and coating his leg in light he axe kicked him in the face. However, All Might had braced himself, so he didn't crash to the ground. Taking advantage, he grabbed Shiro's leg mid-air and swung him around.

SMASH!

He brought Shiro down on the ground to his left.

SMASH!

He brought Shiro down on the ground to his right.

SMASH!

He brought Shiro down on the ground directly in front of him.

With each throw, Shiro was brought down on his back (and by a small extension, his head). He felt a little woozy but that was mostly from the spinning, not the impact. He had Rika and Shita to thank for that.

His villain outfit wasn't just for show and style (Shita's fault) but to support his quirk and protect him. The suit in question was quite durable with multiple hard hits and blades with resistance to various elements. It could also be used to channel his quirk into as all Shiro needed to do was supply a little light and his suits defences were strengthened.

While All Might had been smashing him around, he had been armouring his back and head to reduce the damage. Emphasis on reduce! He was still suffering damage just not as much as he normally would, or rather, not as much as he should. All Might wasn't the No.1 Hero for nothing!

Pulling him back into a hold around the waist, All Might performed a German Supplex.

SMASH!

The impact left Shiro reeling as he barely managed to protect his head. Blood started to flow from his head and nose. All Might wasn't finished.

Rolling backwards he hoisted Shiro up into the air and ran. Focusing all his power on his right arm, he punched Shiro (who diverted all his power to defence) square in the stomach which not only caused the man to vomit in pain but also sent him crashing into the wall and creating another big crater. Shiro hung from up there where All Might could see blood coming from his mouth.

'Maybe I overdid it a little!' he thought worriedly. 'Even still, I can't afford to hesitate. Too much is at stake.'

Just then several lights flashed on much to his confusion. Shiro knew what they were for though.

"Okay, what are you a wrestler now?" Shiro asked quizzically.

All Might rubbed the back of his head. Boy did that bring back some memories.

"I had a teacher in the US, and I took part in a few matches," he admitted sheepishly.

"Scripted I take it?" Shiro guessed.

All Might chuckled. "Not exactly. The matches were full-on legit, no faking at all." Then he realized what he was doing. "Wait, why am I telling you this? For that matter, how are you still conscious?"

Shiro rolled his eyes. "I asked, you responded. Also, Ass Might, I'm sixty years old. I've been in thousands of fights that involved me taking hard hits and building up endurance. My point being this is nothing new for me."

"Sixty?" All Might repeated. "Young Midoriya said you were in your fifties."

"I was fifty-nine when Deku met me," Shiro explained. "He didn't know my actual age. Although I suppose to be fair, I never told him… and he had a bunch of other traumatic shit to deal with it." All Might shot him a look. "Not all of which were caused by me."

"But still done by you," All Might chastised. "Let's not forget the whole kidnapping and trying to kill him."

"Okay, I confess to both counts," Shiro admitted before looking away. "Although, I really do need to apologize for the second… especially since he was apparently telling the truth about Graphene trying to kill him and the kids."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"WHAT!? YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T INVESTIGATE BEFOREHAND!" All Might roared.

"In my defence, Graphene never went against my orders before, not even once," Shiro responded weakly.

"THAT'S HARDLY AN EXCUSE!" All Might yelled. "YOUT LITTLE DEATHMATCH SCARRED HIM FOR LIFE!"

"Oh, Deku was traumatised long before he came here," Shiro said. "Although, the near-death experiences, losing his freedom, and shit he saw at Tenome probably didn't help matters."

All Might stared at him for what felt like an eternity. He then face-palmed himself.

"For someone who's supposed to be a successful crime boss, you sure are an idiot," All Might deadpanned.

"I am not!" Shiro snapped. "I have… moments, but so does everyone else. Hell, even AFO could be a dumbass when it suited him."

All Might could not imagine that no matter how hard he tried.

"You know what Ass Might! Screw you! You're hardly one to be talking about idiotics with that stupid entrance you do," Shiro raged. "Not to mention."

"Okay, we're done here," All Might declared as he jumped forward.

Soaring through the sky, the hero intended to smash Shiro through the wall and knock him out for the rest of this ordeal. Unfortunately, Shiro had other plans.

Part of the reason the lights were active was to support him. Shiro could only manipulate his light and not from another source, however, he could still absorb it to either power or heal himself. Hence the reason for chatting up All Might just now. His wounds were slightly healed but he focused most of his efforts on boosting his power.

Bringing his hands together, Shiro concentrated the light into a single ball that looked like weaved threads. Then, pivoting off the wall he threw it straight at All Might.

All Might attempted to bat it away, but the ball exploded into a giant net that wrapped easily around him and tightened instantly.

"Luminous Web!"

All Might struggled and squirmed to break free, only to fail. Every time he tried to fight, the web fought back and tightened even further.

'Dammit! How strong is this?' he thought.

"Ha!" Shiro sneered. "Good luck getting out of that! Even Atrocity wasn't stupid enough to get caught in it!"

Shiro dived toward his prey. It would be foolish to waste this chance, especially when All Might couldn't defend. A trapped hero was a dead hero.

"Rapid Fire Light Orb!"

"Light Spears!"

Both attacks exploded across All Might hitting him everywhere including his weak spot. All Might grit his teeth and held back his scream. He then noticed Shiro flying just over him with his entire body spread out.

As during his battle with Katsuki, light emanated from Shiro that covered the sky of the room. As the light intensified All Might was forced to close his eyes.

"This is payback for earlier!" Shiro shouted. "Heaven's Judgement!"

At that moment, light rained down and consumed All Might completely. The latter of which could nothing but scream in pain (not that anybody could hear him).

Forty-eight years ago

Itsuki flipped Shiro onto his back causing the latter to release a cry of pain. Itsuki then rested his knee on Shiro's neck.

"You're dead," he announced.

"Ugh! Son of a bitch!" Shiro cursed. "I thought the doctor said you were going blind."

Itsuki frowned. "He did. I can still see enough to kick your ass."

Shiro growled at his mentor but didn't argue. He was the one who asked for this after all.

Since he only had a year left before Itsuki's deal with Yami  ended , Shiro requested that they intensify the training so that he was strong enough when the time eventually came for it.

Shiro knew exactly what he was meant to be doing. When he wasn't participating in fights, he would be (as Yami put it) whoring himself out to various customers that came by, including Kiwatari. The mere thought of being touched by that man made him want to vomit but at the same time, he knew there was no fighting it. He had seen what happened to people when they didn't work like they were supposed to. Still, seeing humans including children younger than him subjected to…  that  was a nightmare in and of itself.

Shiro couldn't believe his mother had done this for a living, although Itsuki clearly stated that Madam Kaba's brothel was much nicer than this place. Shiro couldn't help but agree.

In particular, Kiwatari scared him in some ways more than Yami. The man had literally taken to calling him Hikari and tried to get near him every chance he got. One time he managed to break into Itsuki's apartment while Shiro was alone. Out of terror, he managed to accidentally turn invisible and hide. When the sicko realized his prey was not there he left, but Shiro refused to come out of hiding (or rather he didn't know how to become visible again) until Itsuki came back. Following this, Itsuki made sure to add a special lock to keep Kiwatari out.

All that aside, Shiro was grateful for Itsuki's presence in his life. He reminded him of his mother in some ways, who he continued to mourn. Shiro missed her deeply but had accepted she was gone from his life and would never be a part of it again. However, living with Itsuki made him wonder if this was what having a father was like (since he knew nothing about his).

"Hey, Sensei," Shiro called. "Do you think I'll ever be as good as you are someday?"

"At?" Itsuki asked.

"You know what?" Shiro snapped causing the older man to chuckle.

"I know. To be honest, I don't know," he said. "It depends on you really. You could be as strong as me someday then again you could not. You could be stronger even. Who knows?"

Shiro looked down at the ground. Ever since he first arrived at Eris his future had always been uncertain. And next year when he would start  working  it would be even more so.

"I don't know what the future holds. Could be you slamming my ass onto the ground," Shiro let out a small laugh. "Who knows? All I know is the here and now. And right now, I know you need more practice."

Shiro sighed as he stood up and got back into a stance. Maybe this time he could show Itsuki up.

Forty-seven years ago

The day Shiro had been dreading for years had finally arrived. The day when he was supposed to start working.

Early that morning a couple of guards came by on Yami's orders to bring him to one of the rooms where customers would visit. It was a small room with a bed and sink but that was all. Then again why would they need anything else? The room was for having sex, not conducting science experiments.

(WARNING! THE FOLLOWING SCENE IS VERY DARK, UNCOMFORTABLE AND MAY TRIGGER SOME PEOPLE! YOU MAY SKIP IT IF YOU LIKE SINCE YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENS! BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

Not two minutes after he had arrived, a familiar unpleasant face entered the room causing Shiro to glare.

"Hikari!" Kiwatari moaned, drool coming out of his mouth. "It's been too long!"

His face was blushing red. He wore an expression that contained a mixture of joy and lust. It made Shiro want to vomit.

"It's Shiro you dumbass," he harshly corrected. "My mom is dead, remember?"

"And who's fault is that I wonder," Kiwatari rolled his eyes.

It wasn't like he killed her. If Hikari and Shiro had just let him do what he wanted eight years ago, nothing bad would have happened.

"As if I need to answer," Shiro spat. He knew it was pointless to explain it to this asshole. "What do you want fuckbag?"

Kiwatari shot him an annoyed look.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked. "I'm a customer. Meaning."

"Fuck off you demented shitfaced pervert!" Shiro snapped. "After everything you put me through you are the last person in this godforsaken shithole that I would ever even consider."

Before he could finish, Shiro felt his entire body freeze. Even though it had been years, Shiro recognized the sensation of Kiwatari's paralysis. What he found confusing was that the man did not even touch him. Wasn't that how his quirk worked?

"I see that Nature Freak didn't do anything to correct your mouth. No matter let's get to work," Kiwatari said. "Oh, you're probably wondering why I can use my quirk without touching you. Well, like you, I've gone through some training of my own in the last few years. It makes me more useful to Yami you see."

That made a lot of sense to Shiro since he never understood why Kiwatari was kept around.

Wasting no time, Kiwatari strode across the room. Upon reaching Shiro, he pinned the teen down and climbed on top. He then gave a lustful smile to the youth as his face blushed.

"Hikari," Kiwatari breathed on Shiro. The sheer anticipation in his voice combined with his breath which reeked of alcohol sent shivers down Shiro's spine. "Ever since that day you rejected me, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I was so stressed and came to you to relieve it through pleasure. I thought I could depend on you, but you rejected me. That really hurt ya know." He brought his face down and kissed Shiro's cheek much to the boy's disgust which only intensified when Kiwatari started licking down his face and neck. "And now, you're not acting like yourself, not moving as you should." He brought his right hand up Shiro's t-shirt to feel his muscles, before moving downwards to touch the rest of his body. Shiro felt sick. There was something seriously wrong with this man. Had he always been this vile, or was he just imagining it? He tried to activate his quirk to no avail. "Don't worry. I'll help you remember." He flipped Shiro on his stomach and started to feel him up. "We can do it together. Just like old times. Staring with this." He grabbed Shiro's ass squeezed tightly. Shiro wanted to scream, but he couldn't. He couldn't even cry. "Now then my lovely, let's get started."

Following that, Shiro made a very dark promise to himself. One day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day, he would kill Kiwatari himself and pay him back for everything he had done to him and his mother.

One day. And he swore he would take every sadistic pleasure (no matter how cruel) in how he did it.

Forty-five years ago

"Thanks for today," the customer said dropping the money on the table.

"No problem," Shiro replied.

That was the last one for the day meaning he could head home where Itsuki would be waiting.

"I'm home," Shiro announced.

"Welcome back," Itsuki greeted while meditating. "How was your day?"

"How do you think?" Shiro shot back.

Shiro didn't know why Itsuki asked these questions when he knew the answer. Maybe it was for some sense of normalcy in this hell hole. Or maybe it was to find out how terrible his day was.

Whatever the case, Shiro was more distracted with his Sensei's bandages. Over the last three years, Itsuki's eyesight had gotten even worse. His once green eyes had become clouded by a dark green hue. To compensate for this Itsuki started using his quirk to see, or rather, alert him to his surroundings. He also started relying on his other sense as well, but it was mostly the former.

Yami still sent him out to do his jobs, not much of a surprise really. That man would force an elderly person to work for him if it meant he could get a little extra coin.

It irritated Shiro to no end but there was nothing he could do about it. One thing that bothered him was the way Yami used every one. Shiro had met people in Eris with specific quirks and talents, but Yami never bothered deploying them to an area where they would be useful.

"Mind if I join you?" Shiro asked.

"Wanting to meditate with me? Who are you and what have you done with Shiro?" Itsuki said with mock surprise.

"Shut up!" Shiro snapped. "I just thought it'd be nice for a change. If you don't want me to I can."

"Shiro," Itsuki said softly. "I was joking. You should know by now I have a sense of humour."

"And a jackass attitude," Shiro added.

"Takes one to know one," Itsuki said eliciting a laugh from both of them. He patted the mattress next to him. "Come on."

And so, they meditated together in silence. Shiro had never said it, but he found the practice surprisingly relaxing and a great stress reliever.

Part of him wished they could always they could stay like this forever. But another part of him knew it could never happen.

Little did he know, things were to get much worse.

Present

Breathing heavily, All Might staggered to stand up. That last attack hurt. Not like the blows he had sustained previously, it full on hurt in ways only AFO had managed. During the move, he felt as though his body was on fire. And now he was sore all over.

"Son of a bitch! You're still standing!" Shiro exclaimed. He had been expecting All Might to pass out from that, but here he was proving him wrong. "Most people would be finished from that, but not you Mr Symbol of Peace. You took it all on in stride. Gotta hand it to you All Might. I'm impressed. I mean I knew you were strong, but I never knew you were this strong. Well done!"

All Might felt a little odd at the praise. It wasn't like AFO where everything was constant mockery and psychological warfare. It was genuine, like a child being praised for doing something by their parents or something along those lines.

"Um, thanks," he said uncertainly. "So are you."

He didn't know why he was saying this. Maybe just to return the courtesy, despite being a villain and all.

"Shiro! Would you fucking get on with it!" Rika's voice screeched in his ear. "Your suit can't take much more than this, and neither can you."

She wasn't wrong. Heaven's Judgement usually took quite a bit out of him. Hence, why Shiro reserved it for finishing off an opponent. He couldn't remember continuing to fight an opponent after using it.

"Your concern is much appreciated Rika, but unnecessary," Shiro replied nonchalantly.

"It's necessary and you know it," she snapped back. Shiro rolled his eyes. Contrary to how she acted in public, Rika was one of the few who could talk shit to him and get away with it. Granted, she had done a lot to earn the right. "By the way, the vultures have arrived. What do you want to do?"

Shiro smirked. "Change the setting. No point prolonging the inevitable."

The line went silent for a minute.

"You do realize that if you do this, there's no going back, ever," Rika explained slowly. "Everyone will know about you and Hades. Are you ready for that?"

"Not really," Shiro admitted with a small smile. And it was the truth. He was finally stepping out of the shadows for everyone to see. It was both an exhilarating and frightening experience. "However, going back was never an option for me. Not as a child, not as a teenager, and certainly not now. The only thing I can do is to keep moving forward. If that comes with consequences, then I'll gladly accept them." He then took a deep breath. "Change the setting Rika. If worse comes to pass, I still have that."

There was no answer on the other end.

All Might stared at the scene with confusion. The reason he had let Shiro chat away with his subordinate was so he could recover. Their drawn-out fight, coupled with his battle with Nikko, was starting to take a toll on his body.

Before he could question Shiro, the entire floor they were standing on started to shine brightly. All Might covered his eyes while Shiro smiled.

Outside

The helicopters flew all around Kanazawa looking for any sort of action. As soon as they had gotten word that a raid by the heroes and police was in effect they swung into action.

This combined with the recent kidnappings was the biggest event since the Nightmare of Kamino. However, they had yet to see any action making them wonder if they had been tipped off wrong.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

The reporters and the citizens were alerted to the shaking of the earth. At first, they thought it was just an earthquake, however, the reporters noticed something was happening on top of Mt Utatsu.

The very summit was opening up with a bright light coming out.

When the light cleared, the reporters noticed two figures standing there. One they recognized, and one they didn't.

Almost instantly, they started rolling the cameras. Soon after, every person in the nation was glued to their screens.

With Shiro and All Might

All Might looked around in awe. From where he was standing, he could see the city of Kanazawa. Looking down he noticed they were literally standing on a floor made of light with several pillars erected upward. The city of Hades was directly below them.

"H-H-How?" All Might stuttered.

"I'm not really sure myself," Shiro shrugged. "The technology involved is too complicated for me to understand. To be perfectly honest All Might, this is the first time I've ever used it. The people who developed it refer to it as Light Stage. Not the best name I know but with its capabilities, it can be overlooked."

His scientists had really outdone themselves, especially Rika. Out of all his finds, she was by far one of his best.

"By the way, because everyone is watching, I'll put on a show that they'll never forget," Shiro said.

Suddenly, his entire body began to shine as light swirled around him. Closing his eyes, Shiro breathed in and out slowly as he did during meditation and concentrated. The light that circulated around his body began to morph into a distinct form.

A suit of white armour.

On his arms, were gauntlets with spikes on the side. On his legs were greaves but no sabatons. The most distinctive part was the helmet with three spikes coming out from the top with his visible through the visor. The rest of the armour appeared normal, but some parts were smaller than they should be, making it appear tighter. The most striking feature of the armour, in general, was the way light radiated off everything, fluctuating between different colour patterns.

(AN: I imagined it as something similar to Grand Chariot from Akame Ga Kill or Sauron's armour)

"Light Form: Aurora Armour!" Shiro said softly. "Now then. Where were we?"

Forty-four years ago

Shiro slowly sat up. His head was very sore. He felt like he could pass out again at any given second.

"Aah," a familiar voice chimed. "You're awake. Good."

"Ya-Master," Shiro croaked. "What?"

SLAP!

Shiro's head whipped back from the sudden strike from Yami. Before he could fall back the crime lord grabbed him by the mouth and glared.

"All these years and you still can't understand your place," he threw Shiro to the ground. "What am I going to do with you?"

Shiro glanced at him confused. What had he done wrong? He thought back on what he had been doing before. He had been in a match (not a death one) which he barely won. There had been some outside interference hindering him, but Shiro managed to fight it off. After he left, he was… here. And he didn't know why.

"Aren't you going to punish him?" another familiar voice asked.

Shiro looked around and noticed they weren't alone. Men who worked closely with Yami, including Kiwatari (much to his fury), were all present. In short, men who were just like him.

"Yeah, what are you waiting for?" Kiwatari asked enthusiastically.

"Patience boys," another member said smoothly. "You'll get your turn."

Punish him? Their turn? What were they talking about?

"Punishment for what?" Shiro asked confused.

Several men smirked deviously at him.

"I'm so happy you asked," Yami said smugly. "Punishment for your crime of assault on various members."

Shiro stared at him incredulously. When had he ever?

"Wait, are you talking about during my last fight?" Yami nodded in confirmation. "But… they were interfering, trying to make sure I lost. Was I supposed to just let them?"

"Absolutely!" Yami assured much to Shiro's disbelief. "Cheating isn't unheard of in my fights. Frankly, I encourage that sort of behaviour since it makes things much more interesting. Cheating is common in everyday life be it in school, a job, or a competition. The fights are no different." Shiro couldn't believe his ears. "What I don't encourage is slaves fighting back against their Masters. You broke the rules, Shiro. And now you'll pay for it."

Shiro was furious at how unfair the situation was. He did nothing wrong. Why was he being punished for it?

"Wai-," Shiro was cut off by Kiwatari's quirk before he could finish.

(WARNING! THE FOLLOWING SCENES ARE VERY DARK, UNCOMFORTABLE AND MAY TRIGGER SOME PEOPLE! YOU MAY SKIP IT IF YOU LIKE SINCE YOU CAN GUESS WHAT HAPPENS! BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)

Once the paralysis had taken effect, Yami swiftly kicked Shiro across the face sending him sprawling onto the ground.

"Boys, you know what to do," Yami used his quirk to undress Shiro.

"Finally," Kiwatari exclaimed.

"You going first boss?" one asked.

"Of course," Yami said. "And remember, be rough. But not enough to kill him. I want him to learn his lesson, so he won't do it again. Aw, what the hell! I may end up doing it anyway. Just a bit of fun, don't you think?"

There were murmurs of agreement amongst the men as they started to strip down until they were completely naked. Slowly, they surrounded Shiro, and one held him up by the arms.

SLAP!

Yami struck Shiro across the face much harder than before leaving a large red mark across his face.

"Do you remember this Shiro? Do you know what this means? This is what happens when you go against me," Yami ranted. "When we're finished here today, I want you to remember this moment. I want you to remember that I can do it to you whenever I want and there's not a thing you can do to stop me. Why? Because I own you! And that's a fact!"

Inside, Shiro was crying. Suddenly, he wasn't a teenager, he was a five-year-old crying out for his mother, only now it included Itsuki. It was worse than when he arrived because this time, he knew exactly what was going to happen to him. These men, their disgusting scents, and wounds, they would be with him forever.

"Now, let's begin," Yami breathed on his face.

Later

Shiro trudged slowly back to the apartment. As he did, his entire ached.

Blood trickled down his forehead complemented by blood from his lips after being punched several times. His body was covered in scars and bruises. And at his back, he suffered a case of rectal bleeding.

In short, he had the appearance of someone who had just been through hell, which he had.

Worst of all was the smell. Shiro still had their scents on him after they… he needed to get home and wash. Otherwise, he would be sick.

His clothes had been taken forcing him to trudge back completely naked while various onlookers stared at him with horrified expressions.

Shiro paid them no attention. He was too shocked to even care.

After they… when they… their turns… beating him and r… Yami told him to go home and freshen up. Otherwise, he wouldn't attract any customers.

Shiro didn't care.

He couldn't bring himself to care.

Not after…  that .

He hated them, all of them.

He hated Kiwatari for killing his mother and ruining his life.

He hated Yami for making his entire existence a complete and utter hell.

He wished they were dead.

But most of all, he wished he was dead.

This life, this misery, this hell, if that was all he could live then it wasn't worth being alive.

He wasn't worth being alive.

Later

He finally managed to make it home. As he reached up to knock, Shiro was conscious enough to see it was already open.

Shiro stared at the door with immense confusion. Why was it left wide open? Did Itsuki forget to lock it? No, that couldn't have been right. Itsuki would never leave it like this.

Dread slowly crept over Shiro as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

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Blood!

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Shiro could see blood all over the wrecked apartment.

Wait! It was wrecked! Why was it wrecked? Who would?

Shiro's attention was drawn to the centre of the room, or more specifically, who was there.

"S-S-S-S-S-S-Senn-n-nnn-nssee-e-ee-iii!" Shiro barely managed to choke out. "I-I-I-Itsuk-k-k-k-ki! D-D-D-D-D-D-Dad!"

Lying at the centre of the room in a pool of blood was his teacher, friend, and father figure Itsuki with multiple stab wounds.

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Shiro was not entirely sure of how long he had been standing there but knew it was long enough for someone to come in at the sound of his screaming.

Screaming!

He had been screaming! How long had he been screaming? He couldn't even hear his voice. Nor could he feel the immense pain of the volume he was putting himself through.

But he screamed!

And screamed!

And screamed!

Present

In his armoured state, Shiro dashed towards All Might and unleashed an onslaught of punches and kicks that started to slowly push him back. All Might tried to defend but Shiro wasn't giving him an inch.

While it was apparent All Might outclassed Shiro in terms of physical strength, Shiro outclassed All Might in terms of fighting prowess. The man had spent a lot more time with his life on the line and studied more fighting styles.

Leaping up, Shiro got his knees around All Might's neck and flipped forward. The No. 1 hero was brought down on his head, and when he tried to get back up, he was blasted away by a beam of light.

All Might charged forward and unleashed a Detroit Smash, but Shiro grabbed his arm and using his momentum against him threw All Might flat on his back, sending out a small shockwave.

In retaliation, All Might grabbed hold of Shiro's already clinging arm and started spinning before releasing the older man.

"Oklahoma Smash!"

Shiro was sent to the far end of the summit past the pillars… or he would have if hadn't crashed against an invisible wall. All Might looked on in surprise as the invisible wall began to shimmer as did the pillars surrounding them.

"A forcefield?" he muttered. "Why?"

Shiro stood up looking as though being thrown against a wall did nothing.

"How many bad guys have you sent flying exactly?" he asked. "The forcefield prevents stuff like that from happening along with outside interference."

It also boosted Shiro's abilities by lessening the strain of his quirk and complexity involved in his attacks, but All Might didn't need to know that. Typically, he only reserved the Light Stage for serious threats that came to his home, like now.

"Point taken," All Might admitted before gearing up for another attack.

Moving at the speed of light, Shiro was behind All Might in an instant. He brought his gauntlets up and down hard on the hero's back who double elbowed him in response. All Might did a right backfist only for Shiro to move back slightly and dodge. He launched a kick; however, All Might surprised him by spinning and launching a kick of his own. Their legs collided mid-air creating a gale-force wind.

The end result was All Might's kick breaking through and Shiro being sent spinning through the air.

Not wanting to waste this chance, All Might rushed ahead and delivered a familiar double uppercut.

"Alabama Smash!"

Shiro choked on his own blood as soared up into the sky close to where the helicopters were. They couldn't enter but they were still close.

All Might put all his power into his legs and jumped getting just ahead of Shiro.

'Shit! He's fast!' Shiro thought.

Using OFA to propel himself off the forcefield All Might aimed straight down for Shiro. Putting both his arms forward he collided directly with Shiro.

"Empire State Smash!"

The pair shot straight downwards until they met the ground.

BOOM!

The impact resulted in a miniature earthquake that could be felt throughout the city. Items fell from shelves in homes and shops. Several citizens tripped from the shockwave. The news reporters in the air were struggling to come up with words for what happened.

Meanwhile with the combatants.

All Might shakily stood up. It had been a while since he had done that move. Most of his opponents nowadays were on the ground and beaten in one punch.

He shot a quick glance to his enemy who, much to his surprise, was getting up. Shiro's helmet had disappeared, exposing his bloodied head. Blood went down the side of his forehead however, most blood was spewing out of his mouth as he struggled to stand. His right ear was bleeding as well.

All in all, Shiro looked like a complete mess.

"How are you still moving after that?" All Might asked without thinking. "Scratch that! How are you still conscious?"

Shiro coughed several times with each one bringing up more blood.

"Believe me I'm surprised myself," he croaked as he finally stood up straight. "If we were fighting anywhere else, I might be. But right now, I can survive anything you throw at me."

"Why?" Shiro tilted his head in confusion. "Why can't you just give up? Surely you can see you have no hope of winning."

That only served to make Shiro laugh.

"I could ask you the same thing," he retorted grinning. "Why fight for a bunch of strangers? You've got students here sure but everyone else you've got no connection to them whatsoever."

"It's a hero's job to save people," All Might answered honestly. "I doubt you would understand."

"Oh, I understand it just fine," Shiro replied. "But what about those who don't want to be saved." All Might frowned in confusion. "Hades has many members All Might, many slaves, who were cast out by society and deemed a lost cause. Those forsaken because of their appearance or, and I quote, "villainous quirk", quirkless who were judged worthless before being given a chance, those who were disgraced, petty criminals who can no longer return due to their actions, and the children of villains who are persecuted for their parent's sins. Many who were thrown away and forgotten have long given up on being saved. They've accepted they won't be saved, that they don't deserve it, and so they don't want to. Catch my drift!?"

All Might didn't say anything. As a hero, he knew he couldn't save everyone, he was only human after all. But how could anyone think they didn't deserve to be saved? How could they not want it?

"I didn't need saving; I didn't even want it. I was happy where I was."

"It doesn't matter what you think now. What, you're trying to say, I needed to hear that before I tried to kill myself."

Izuku's words rang in his ears. He truly believed himself beyond that point, so it was possible for others to be the same. Why though? Why did it have to be that way?

"Despite what you and those people may believe, everyone deserves saving Shiro," he said softly. "No matter who they are."

The silence etched on for a couple of seconds, then Shiro let out a small chuckle (laughing hard would cause him to choke on his own blood).

"You are unbearably naïve you know that? You have got to be one of the few people I know who believes that? Even still, with that attitude, I can see why Shimura chose you," Shiro said.

All Might's eyes widened. "You knew my Master!"

"We met a long time ago," Shiro explained. "And we sort of teamed up."

All Might stared at him in disbelief. There was no way Nana would ever work with a criminal like him.

"Long story short, we had a common enemy and a common goal. Working together was more convenient than fighting. Afterwards, we parted ways," Shiro finished. "I'll admit, she was quite something. It's a shame AFO killed her."

Nana Shimura had to have been one of the few heroes (and people) he genuinely liked back then. Her personality, not to mention her fighting style, made Shiro wish there were more like her.

All Might couldn't detect any malice or deception in his voice, only respect.

"Enough about the past," Shiro announced. "I'd say it's time we wrapped this one up, don't you All Might?"

All Might's gaze hardened.

Shiro was right. Why were they even talking, to begin with? He had a mission and a target. And that's all that mattered.

However, realizing a normal smash wouldn't put Shiro out of commission All Might knew he needed to go with that one.

Gathering all his strength and power in his right arm, All Might charged forward. Shiro let out a smile and held his arms out leaving him wide open.

All Might wasn't sure if Shiro was doing this as a form of surrender or admission of defeat but either way, the attack had to succeed. For everyone who was held hostage here, and those that had died, this punch would free them.

"United States of Smash!"

Forty-four years ago

"Hey! Have you guys found him yet?" the man asked on the phone. "Mr Himitsu is starting to get pissed. It's only a matter of time before he starts taking it out on us." There was a quick response that only made him more agitated. "What do you mean none of the others are responding? Where are they?" Another response made him angrier. "Well, find them and tell them to get their asses in gear and find him! Otherwise, Mr Himitsu will have our heads!"

As he hung up, the man sighed.

"Could this day get any worse?" he wondered.

SLASH!

The man felt something go by his neck but couldn't see anything. He did feel something down his throat and… wait a minute, that was blood. Why was there blood? Then he realized he wasn't breathing. No, that wasn't accurate. He couldn't breathe. He started to panic because he didn't understand what was happening, why it was happening.

There was a kick to his groin that brought him to his knees. Then he felt something sharp pierce his neck and…

he was dead.

"Have your heads huh?" Shiro mused. "Sorry, but Yami will have to get in line."

Shiro gazed at his work with an emotionless expression. This was his fifth kill and the fourth of Yami's men. Earlier he snuck in here with his invisibility and waited for his target. After listening to him ramble, he slit his throat and later put a sword of light through his neck killing him instantly.

"Only a couple more to go," he said as he turned to leave.

Following Itsuki's murder, a small investigation had been conducted only to end up with a dead end. Yami didn't seem to care much then again why would he?

To add insult to injury he forced Shiro to come into work the following day saying one dead person shouldn't deter things. He did offer to supply some cleaning materials to get the bloodstains out. Shiro could honestly say that he had never wanted to hit him as much as he did at that moment as he had his entire life. He wanted to do much more than that actually but had enough sense not to act on it.

Earlier today, he played host to a vile customer (a regular) who shouted all sorts of profanity. Normally, Shiro would put up with it. However, the customer started spewing crap about Itsuki, causing Shiro to use his quirk and kill him.

The commotion alerted a guard leading Shiro to believe this was the end. He didn't care. With Itsuki dead, there was no reason to continue on with his life.

Or so he thought.

The guard who entered was one Shiro recognized as he had helped Itsuki with a few tasks from time to time. Instead of taking him to Yami, he took Shiro back to his apartment and handed him a letter from Itsuki.

The contents of it were… let's just say they convinced Shiro to change his mind and push him towards his current task.

Following this, the guard provided him with information on his targets and where they lived. And one by one Shiro killed them off.

He was saving Yami and Kiwatari (who went outside for some reason) for last.

Shiro's murder of the client sparked a wide manhunt for him. However, Shiro managed to remain hidden thanks to his invisibility. It was one of the skills Itsuki had encouraged him to hide especially after he perfected it. Now he could move about without being blinded.

One… by... one.

He found them.

And he killed them.

It had been so easy Shiro nearly laughed.

Yami's men may have been strong, but they were so confident in the safety of their base that they never considered the possibility of someone (least of all another slave) moving through their base and eliminating them. It just went to show how complacent they had gotten. Although in their defence, Eris had never been raided before, and Shiro was using the element of surprise.

As Shiro finished off the last one, he took a moment to eat and rest. He doubted Yami would go down so easy. He needed to save his strength.

Later

Yami was furious. Not the typical things weren't going his way (which they weren't) furious, but the over-the-top rage he would kill the first person he saw (and possibly everyone) furious.

For starters, Itsuki was dead. He didn't know how and why (not that he really cared) but that meant he had lost one source of income/entertainment.

Next, Shiro had gone MIA after killing a valuable customer. He got that the teenager was sort of upset over Itsuki, but it was just one roommate, he'd get a new one (provided he was allowed to continue living there). Yesterday clearly wasn't enough of a lesson for him. That would soon be rectified though.

Third, none of his men had been able to find Shiro after he disappeared. It was one teenager in an area with few hiding places they should have been well familiar with. How hard could it be? And to top it all off, they had the audacity to refuse his calls for information. It seemed Shiro would not be the only one undergoing punishment today.

Yami was so distracted by his thoughts that he hadn't heard the door to his office open. However, he did hear it close.

"Finally!" he exclaimed. "Tell me you idiots have found him." When he received no response, he became irritated and turned around. "Answer me you piece of." He saw no one there. "What the fuck!"

He got out of his chair to inspect. He couldn't hear or see anyone. Had he imagined it? No, he definitely heard the door closing. Maybe one of his idiots came in thinking he was out to leave a report and closed it shut when they realized he was there. He wouldn't put it past them.

Taking a peek outside, Yami noticed the hall was empty. Even stranger was the silence. He couldn't hear anyone running away.

"I'm just stressed," he decided as turned back in. "One fuck up after another and it's driving me insane. Guess that's another thing I need to punish Shiro for."

Then in an instant, Yami saw a glimmer of something close to him and stepped back while simultaneously sending his quirk out. There was a loud crash at the end of the wall as something invisible struggled against his darkness.

Touching his neck, it took Yami a moment to realize he had avoided having his throat slit. Glaring at the invisible enemy he increased the power causing the entire wall to be consumed by shadows.

"Alright. I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but you just made the biggest mistake of your life," Yami growled. Then he noticed light shining from within his dark prison, glowing more intensely by the second. "What in the?"

A beam of light pierced through the shadows and headed straight for him. Yami barely put up a shield around his body before the light hit him and blasted him through the wall into the hallways.

"Aargh!" Yami cried out as he landed outside.

The wall to his office had been destroyed leaving only debris behind. The darkness he had been controlling disappeared also.

Before he could summon it again, Yami was met with a hard knee to the skull that sent him falling backwards. In retaliation, he unleashed several shadow knives only for them to meet the air. Yami was then struck by something hard across his back which sent him rolling forward. Before he could get back up, two sharp objects pierced the back of his shoulders causing him to cry out in pain.

In an act of desperation, a large quantity of darkness swarmed around him like a hurricane and then released it everywhere and hit everything in its path.

There was a crash against the wall accompanied by a grunt. And for the first time, Yami glimpsed his assailant slumped down on the ground.

"Shiro?" he exclaimed shocked. "But, how?"

He was confused as to how Shiro was invisible since he hadn't been able to do that before. However, that confusion quickly turned to anger.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he snarled.

"Killing you!" Shiro deadpanned with an angry glare. "Was that not obvious you one-eyed scumbag?"

There was a brief silence between them until Yami burst out laughing.

"You… kill… me," he choked out. "Oh, that's funny! Have you forgotten how many times I've left you bleeding on the ground?"

"I'm not holding back this time," Shiro replied harshly. "I'm not a child you can kick around just because you feel like it anymore."

"Yes, you are," Yami said dismissively. "Always have, always will be. And once the others arrive, oh boy, the things we're going to do to you will make yesterday look like."

"They're dead," Shiro interrupted, much to Yami's confusion. "I killed them all not long before coming here, so they won't be helping you."

"What?" Yami exclaimed.

That couldn't be right. There was simply no way a boy like Shiro could kill his best men all by himself.

"Honestly, I thought it'd be much harder," Shiro admitted. "Although, they had no idea I could turn invisible so that probably helped. Glad Itsuki told me to keep that one hidden. I haven't killed Kiwatari yet, but I will after I'm done with you."

Yami scoffed. He didn't know whether or not Shiro was telling the truth but that last part reeked of arrogance.

"You won't even," Yami started.

He was cut off by Shiro unleashing a whip of light that wrapped tightly around his body. Using all his strength, Shiro threw Yami into the opposite wall. He then yanked his dazed opponent towards him. Crafting a sword of light Shiro thrust it forward to pierce the monster's heart.

Unfortunately, Yami was not that easy to kill.

Summoning his power, darkness erupted from his body and destroyed Shiro's whip. He quickly stepped to the side to avoid the sword and brought his foot up to side-kick Shiro in the jaw. He put a little extra power into it by applying some darkness. Shiro fell to the ground, and Yami kicked with a wave of darkness that sent Shiro crashing against the wall.

It did little to deter Shiro who was on his feet again. Holding out both his hands Shiro fired off a concentrated beam of light. Yami did the same with his darkness.

Light and darkness collided mid-air, with both men appearing to be evenly matched.

'This can't be right! He's matching me!' Yami thought worriedly. 'How is this possible?'

'He doesn't get to win,' Shiro decided. 'I won't let him.'

Shiro's anger began to increase his power. And very slowly, light began to overpower the darkness, causing Yami's eyes to widen in horror.

BOOM!

Shiro's move finally connected with Yami sent him flying several meters back.

"How?" Yami said. "How are you so strong?"

"Intense training, fighting for my life, and meditation!" Shiro said with a firm resolve.

Yami stared at him.

And stared.

And stared.

"What?" he asked completely dumbfounded.

"It's good for sharpening the mind!" Shiro defended.

Yami continued to stare at him.

'I probably could have phased that all better. Maybe get rid of the "meditation" part,' Shiro realized. "You know it doesn't matter. Because I'm still going to kill you!"

"Why though?" Yami cried sounding genuinely upset. "After everything I've done for you, giving you a place to live, a job, the chance to grow stronger, why would you do this to me?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Shiro stared at him, unable to speak, for what felt like an eternity. His eyes were wide, and his mouth held open as his face twisted into something that could only be described as completely and utterly disturbing.

Just how delusional was Yami? Clearly enough to believe his own words, but not enough for Shiro to believe him.

"Are. You. Fucking. Kidding me?" Shiro stammered. "Your sicko killed my mother, you kidnapped me and molested me before turning me into a prostitute, you and your demented followers beat the shit out of me every chance you got, forced me to fight for my life in deathmatches, gang-raped me for the stupidest fucking excuse, made me walk home naked and bleeding, and then you tried to force to work the next day right after my best friend had been murdered, something you didn't even properly investigate." Shiro took a deep breath and glared harshly at the monster who ruined his life. "I will say this once. I hate you and everyone like you. The only thing you have ever done for me is give me pain, and lots of it. The same with everyone else who's ever crossed your path. And now, I'm going return the favour in full force."

Shiro waited a few seconds before striking again. He wanted to give Yami the chance to digest his words and let the message sink in.

Before he could act, however, Shiro was grabbed from behind by shadows that held him down.

"Return the favour full force, huh?" Yami mused. "I like that idea. Unfortunately, I'll be the one performing it you little shit." Shiro struggled against the confines of darkness to no avail. "Look familiar Shiro? It should. Our first time together was like this, along with many others." Shiro struggled much harder than he did before, violently trying to unleash his quirk. "Don't bother. You're trapped, with no one coming to save you. You know it's funny really. Before I took you, there was someone who tried to claim custody of you. Some cat lady."

Shiro's eyes widened. It had been years since he had thought about her, but he had never forgotten.

'Neko!'

"I refused, of course. But she wouldn't take no for an answer. So, being me, I forced my quirk down her throat and killed her slowly from within. I was lucky she didn't explode because I had just gotten a new outfit and let me tell you, removing blood from clothes is a colossal pain in the ass," Yami finished.

Shiro felt a myriad of things at that moment. Sorrow and grief for Neko, a friend who had been there for him at birth and tried to adopt him, and an even stronger hatred for the man who murdered her. in that moment, his desire to kill Yami amplified.

"I think we've been talking long enough, don't you?" Yami sneered as his quirk entered Shiro's mouth. "Goodbye, Shiro!"

Darkness consumed Shiro entirely. Yami's shadows forced their way down his throat damaging his insides. The process was slow, but also excruciatingly painful, as intended.

Shiro couldn't move. He couldn't cry nor scream. The only thing he could do was lie and wait.

'So, this is how it ends, ravaged inside out by that monster,' Shiro thought ruefully. 'Oh, well. At least I fought back in the end. Better to die free than be ruined day in day out.'

Suddenly, images of the people Shiro had known came flooding back. memories of his sweet mother looking after him and loving him. Memories of Neko playing with him as a child. Memories of Itsuki training him, nurturing him, meditating with him, basically being a father to him. They all came flooding back.

He knew what they would want, and what they would say.

Which was why… which was why he couldn't let their sacrifices be in vain.

'NO!'

'I WON'T DIE!'

'NOT BECAUSE HE WANTS ME TO! OR ANYONE ELSE!

'NEVER! NEVER AGAIN!'

'I WANT TO LIVE!'

'FOR THEIR SAKE! BUT ALSO, MY OWN!'

'AND FOR ANYONE WHO TRIES TO SAY OTHERWISE, TO HELL WITH THEM!'

'FROM THIS ONWARD, THIS IS MY LIFE!'

'I SWEAR IT!'

Pushing his very soul to the limit, Shiro willed every single ounce of power he had inside.

Yami was waiting patiently for his prey to succumb.

"Not much longer now," he murmured gleefully.

Just then, he noticed a glimmer of light from his shadow prison. The light was dim, but it was there.

And then…

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it exploded.

Present

All Might's ultimate move collided directly with Shiro who remained smiling throughout the entire event.

The result was a powerful explosion where strong winds and rays of light gusted all over the area. When the dust settled, Shiro was nowhere to be found.

'What?' All Might thought confused. 'Where?'

"Oh, All Might," a distorted voice of Shiro called. "Look up."

Doing that, All Might looked and saw multiple bright lights in the sky. However, after giving them a closer inspection he saw they were…

Forty-four years ago

Shiro's. The lights were carbon copies of Shiro levitating in the air.

There was at least twenty of them that were just… there, observing the scene with surprise.

The real Shiro, gasping for air, shakily stood up. He stared at his clones in shock, who stared at back.

"What the fuck!" Yami exclaimed equally shocked. "What is this?"

Hearing his voice, the clones turned to him with angry expressions, causing Yami to flinch.

"Um, are you all real?" Shiro asked without thinking.

"Depends on what your definition of real is," one answered.

Another fired a light beam into the wall damaging it.

"We're physical and we can touch."

"We feel what you feel."

"And want what you want."

"However, given that you are the source, the original, we will do what you ask."

"Because if you die, so do we."

"So, what would you like us to do?"

While Shiro was (understandably) baffled by the information he had received, not to mention confused by what he had done, he didn't need to think hard about their question.

"Can you hold him down?" he asked pointing at Yami. "I want to do to him what he tried to do with me… us I mean us."

The clones nodded and turned their attention to Yami who was backing away nervously. Before he could react, the clones simultaneously released light whips that ensnared Yami. Before long, they had him down in the position he had trapped Shiro in so many times. And just like Shiro, he started squirming to escape.

Seeing that his tormentor was at his mercy, Shiro strode forward with a dark smile on his face. A small light blade came up from his fingertips.

"W-Wait, Shiro please," Yami begged as sweat built upon his face. "Please don't. You're not like me. You're better than this. Itsuki and your mother wouldn't want you to."

The excuses poured out of him like a waterfall. However, they only served to make Shiro angrier as he quickened his pace.

Pulling his arm back, he thrust it forward into Yami's eye and pushed slowly. His light was hotter than normal, thereby intensifying the pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Yami's scream resonated throughout Eris.

It was music to Shiro's ears. Eleven years he had put up with this man and his horrors. Now was the day of recompense.

He moved his right hand over Yami's mouth.

"SHIRO PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I WON'T DO IT AGAIN! I'M SORRY! PLEASE JUST DON'T! DON'T KILL ME! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! PLEASE SPARE ME I'LL DO ANYTHING! ANYTHING!" Yami pleaded with bloody tears.

His pleas fell on deaf ears.

"How bout you go hell!" Shiro said cruelly. "Because that's exactly where I'm sending you! Goodbye Yami!"

Shiro released light down Yami's throat and throughout his entire body. Yami couldn't even scream as Shiro's attack moved slowly as it tore its way through his body. The heat applied made the move all the more devastating as it slowly tortured the evil leader of Eris until finally… his life came to a merciful end.

As the clones disappeared, Shiro stared down at the ruined corpse in front of him and exhaled.

He had done it.

Present

The thirty-five clones (or holograms as they were commonly known) simultaneously fired multiple beams of light at All Might who was unable to deflect them all. One strike led to another, then another, and then another until All Might was overwhelmed with attacks from multiple sides.

To one side, the real Shiro just stood and watched with a smile. Following his battle with Yami when his quirk underwent an awakening, it took him several years to perfect this trick. After speaking with a scientist who specialized in areas pertaining to light, Shiro discovered what he had done was create 3D holograms of himself. By focusing light beams, he could create physical copies of himself (and other things). These beings could use his quirk and had a will of their own, however, they weren't as powerful as he was but could still pack a wallop.

It took him years to master this skill and even now it was his most difficult. Light Stage helped by making the holograms stronger and more durable.

All Might struggled to fight back. The attacks were literally coming from everywhere.

Without warning, fifteen of the holograms ensnared him with light whips and held him in place while the others formed a circle.

"I think it's time we wrapped things up don't you Toshinori," Shiro addressed. "I know heroes always have something to protect, but that doesn't just apply to you. A mother protecting her child. A teacher defending their student. A villain looking after their group. Everyone always has something they need to protect. I was born in hell, and I raised this group and city up from nothing. I need to protect Hades because otherwise, everything I did was all for nought." He then joined hands with his holograms in the circle. "But enough about me! Time for the grand finale!"

The Shiro's started to glow brighter and brighter while All Might remained restrained.

Then, without warning, a massive laser fired into the sky!

"Ultimate Move: Tower of Light!"

All Might couldn't move.

He couldn't scream.

He couldn't even think.

The only thing he could do… was feel pain.

Immense pain.

(WARNING: THIS SCENE IS VERY VIOLENT!)

Forty-four years ago

Kiwatari walked through Eris to Yami's office. He hadn't been present yesterday when they launched a manhunt for Hikari. Why that boy couldn't just behave himself he didn't know? Still, he looked forward to the punishment and how he would take part.

Because he brought Eris a lot of income through his connections, he was given a bit more leeway than the other members. Most of them disliked him for this but he could care less, as did Yami. As long as he got to have a good time while providing what he could, it was a win-win situation for them.

The man hadn't even batted an eyelash when he killed Itsuki, the man who had stood between him and Hikari. That man had irritated him for so long that when he tried to argue against the punishment, Kiwatari had had enough and killed him with his quirk and a knife. It had been so easy.

As he walked through Eris, he noticed how quiet it was. No guards, no employees (slaves), no customers.

It was like a ghost town.

Feeling uneasy, he started running towards Yami's office. When he arrived, he saw the wreckage and the bloodstains causing him to panic.

The area wasn't safe, meaning he needed to get out.

The moment he turned, something sharp stabbed him in the crotch. A bright knife that dug in deep before disappearing.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kiwatari screamed as he fell to the ground clutching his damaged jewels. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! FUCK! FUCK!"

"You won't be doing much of that anymore I'm afraid," a familiar voice sneered. "Hope you don't mind me going for the first. You were also so proud of them, weren't you?"

Shiro, coated in a blanket of light, walked slowly towards his most desired prey.

Castration wasn't something he liked, but for Kiwatari, he would make an exception.

"H-H-Hikari," Kiwatari wailed.

Calling Shiro by his mother's name earned him another knife, this time in his right knee.

Kiwatari screamed in agony as he tried to scramble away.

"It's Shiro you son of a bitch," the teen reprimanded harshly. "Hikari is dead. You killed her. And now I'm going to kill you."

Kiwatari glared hatefully at the boy.

"That was your fault, and hers. If she had just," he tried to defend.

Shiro cut him off by blasting his other knee with light. The attack was so strong it cut Kiwatari's leg off, causing him to scream even more.

"It was your fault!" Shiro stated icily. "You barged into out home on her day when she wasn't supposed to be doing anything, even though she promised you the following day, and used your quirk on us, beat me, attempted to force yourself on her, and when she still refused you killed her and tried to blame me. It doesn't matter of it was a service, no means no. And since you're too pathetic to ever take responsibility for your own actions, I'll do it myself."

Kiwatari tried to defend himself, but Shiro pierced both his hands causing him to scream again. As the boy neared, Kiwatari attempted to use his quirk, but much to his surprise, it wasn't working.

"Don't bother," Shiro said coldly. "I figured out how your quirk works. It's through air particles, right?" Kiwatari shuddered in terror. "Well, this little coat of mine acts as a barrier to block it out."

"Y-Y-Y-Yami will kill you for hurting me," Kiwatari stuttered. "I'm valuable so."

"Yami is dead! I killed him and every other bastard who shares his tastes," Kiwatari's eyes widened. "And now it's your turn."

Shiro sliced off Kiwatari's hands and other leg, rendering him immobile. He then started slowly cutting other parts of him off, trying to prolong his pain as much as possible.

Meanwhile, Kiwatari could nothing but scream. Realizing he would be dead soon, he stupidly tried reasoning with Shiro.

"WAIT! SHIRO PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY I KILLED YOUR MOM! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! I NEVER MEANT FOR IT TO HAPPEN!" he desperately pleaded. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

Shiro momentarily halted his mutilation.

"Ah, at long last he admits it," Shiro said coolly. "A bit late I'm afraid. You see Kiwatari, you didn't just murder her. For years, you raped me again and again, and yes it was rape because I did not want to do any of it, and to top it all off you murdered Itsuki." Kiwatari's eyes widened. "That's right I know. One of the guards told me." Shiro then leaned in close so that their faces were almost touching. "So, let me it clear. It doesn't matter how much you apologize. Nothing will ever make up for what you did, ever. I'm sending you to hell where you belong and that's final."

It was at this point Kiwatari began to cry.

"I just wanted to relieve some stress in my life that's all," he sobbed.

"Well, I hope it was worth it. Goodbye Kiwatari," Shiro said softly as he extended his hands.

Light shone out, and Kiwatari screamed.

The screams lasted for several minutes and then… it was over.

Later

Shiro walked among the tunnels slowly. The guard had given him directions, so he knew where he was going.

With he had a bag with some money, clothes, food, and Itsuki's letter. They were all he needed.

Shiro had a feeling he would be back underground at some point, but for the moment he wanted to experience the world, or at the very least glimpse it.

There was a light at the end of the tunnel and Shiro rushed towards it.

On the other side was…

outside.

An ocean.

A big city with lights.

Fresh air he had never breathed.

All the things his mother, Neko, and Itsuki mentioned but he had never seen.

He didn't know how long he was standing there, but he didn't care.

"Everyone, I did it."

Present

Helicopters swarmed the summit as the light finally cleared. What they saw was a sight that terrify them for a long time.

Shiro stood above All Might, who was lying scorched unconscious on the ground, with his left fist raised in the air.

It was a horrific mockery of All Might's victory in Kamino.

Looking up with a smile, the whole nation could Shiro's bloody face and injured body.

He said nothing, but the message was clear.

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The Raid had failed.

Hades Arc Complete!

Notes:

Hi there! Well, what did you think of that? That was the longest chapter I have ever written. I had not meant for it to take this long to post but between my job and a lot of writer's blocks it was difficult to write.

I felt really uncomfortable writing some of the scenes, but I decided not to hold back. Granted I didn't show what happened, but it was clear what did happen.

Unlike other chapters, I wanted to focus on Shiro and All Mights battle while telling Shiro's backstory. What did you think of it? Shiro's powers and abilities were based on Masaomi Heike from Code Breakers but I'm not sure if I explained them very well.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a character for the Raid. It really helped me a lot.

I am so happy to finally be finished with this arc because I have been writing it for over four years and now I can focus on new content. There are several more coming but I'm going to try and keep them short because I do want to finish Good and Evil.

The next chapter focuses on the aftermath. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!

Chapter 54: Silent Aftermath

Summary:

The aftermath of the Raid

Notes:

Everyone, please wish Good and Evil a Happy Birthday! It's been five years (on fanfiction.net) since I first posted this fic and started writing fanfiction. I feel like it would have been finished sooner if I hadn't messed up that one and had repeat exams but it is what it is. Thank you to everyone who followed, favoured, reviewed, and read it. I'm so happy many people have been able to enjoy it since I never expected it to become that popular, literally.

This chapter is a breather.

I forgot to say this last chapter but Yami's name was derived from the kanji for darkness and his surname meaning secret. Hidden Darkness really, given the nature of his character and his life.

Itsuki is an OC I created specifically for "Agatha All Along" which has not been released yet. In that story, the character is a teenager whose personality is largely different to here. I was going to go with an elderly woman to mirror Deku but scrapped the idea because I was trying to get the chapter done quickly.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The video of All Might's battle with Shiro was everywhere.

Not just on the TV, it was circulating across the internet. It had already reached as far as the US and parts of Europe.

The image of All Might being defeated and Shiro's form towering over him victoriously was viciously burned into the minds of every single person who watched it. Hero and villain alike.

With Hades' forces continuously advancing against them, the Commission and Chief of Police had no choice but to order a mass retreat or else they would lose everyone.

Several were successful in escaping, but many others were not.

The Raid had ended in complete and utter failure as Izuku predicted.

What was even worse was the reaction of the populace.

When the Raid ended, shops and businesses closed up early, children were silently picked up from school by their parents and taken home, and various events were suddenly cancelled.

When everyone arrived home, they locked the doors and closed the curtains as a means to hide. Some made phone calls or sent emails to get out of the country. There was virtually no activity online or physically.

The streets were left empty and quiet.

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So, so quiet.

Before they would have screamed at the heroes for their failure with reporters and civilians alike mercilessly condemning them. But this was so much worse.

Because it meant one thing, they never believed nor wanted to believe possible.

All Might had lost.

The villains had won.

The Hero Commission

The President sighed heavily as she hung up the phone. The evacuation had mostly been successful with some drawbacks. But the result was the same.

They had failed.

Deku had warned them. He had been extremely specific about their opponents and the outcome, but they had been brushed off by almost everyone. The President had expected casualties (no plan was perfect after all) but even she hadn't counted the possibility of All Might losing. He was All Might after all.

'In hindsight, it was never a good idea to rely solely on one man,' she admitted. 'It leads to overreliance by some and a lack of self-confidence in many others. It also degrades the performance capabilities of others like the Police.' She let out another sigh, this time one of exhaustion. 'I suppose its pointless to complain. What's done is done and can't be undone.'

She looked to where Hawks was…or should have been. He was gone.

"You never were one for patience were you," she muttered softly.

Hawks knew what his orders were. How he went about them was another matter entirely.

Perhaps she should consider contacting BUTLER for an extra hand. Such meetings and alignments between them were rare but they did happen. Their members and resources were extremely efficient, and they achieved excellent results in the jobs they were hired for.

Then again, perhaps not. It appeared Razor, Deku's combat instructor, was still in Japan. Vague rumours mentioned she was cooperating with the Hero Killer, although not part of his mission. If Deku could get her assistance, then he could also get Stains.

Morally, she knew it was a bad idea to work with a serial killer and a mercenary like them. Pragmatically however, she knew their skillsets could prove very useful against Hades. As for their body count well, who was she to judge given the Commissions (and by extension herself).

Because blood would be shed in the days to come.

And if they wanted to defeat Hades, they needed Deku and other unsavoury individuals to help with it.

Their former assassin included.

Deika City Central Tower

"Thank you all for coming here on such short notice," Rikiya Yotsubashi (aka Re-Destro) said to his subordinates.

The video of All Might and Shiro's battle, specifically the ending, played on the wall behind them.

It was a shocking sight, even for them.

"If you had told me this would be our main story today, I would have thought you'd gone mad Grand Commander," Chitose Kizuki (aka Curious) said sardonically.

"Believe me I wish that were the case," Rikiya replied grimly.

There was a brief silence between them all.

"Will," Geten paused. "Will this affect our plans?"

"Overall, it won't," Tomoyasu Chikazoku (aka Skeptic) admitted. "But in the long run, yes."

"All Might's defeat will inspire many villains to rise up again," Koku Hanabata (aka Trumpet) explained. "Some will join up and seize power while at the same time wage war with other villains to establish the hierarchy of top dog. Hades is the biggest contender right now, but groups like the League of Villains and Shie Hassaikai won't sit still. However, while this will cause problems for us, it will narrow down our enemies as they slaughter each other in droves. Additionally, with their war waging many civilians will feel powerless and look to correct that, especially now that faith in heroes and the authorities has dwindled lower than before. It will be the perfect time to rally and recruit them to our ranks."

It was the ideal scenario for the Meta Liberation Army. A chance to eliminate competition, expand their numbers, and gain more power for the day of their upcoming rebellion.

Hades (particularly Shiro) was a major obstacle in their goals. Their previous dealings with them established a neutral relationship between them. However, they knew they would have to destroy them eventually. In a world where humanity was finally free to use their quirks as they pleased, those who practised slavery had no place.

The same could be said for the League of Villains. Shigaraki's faction was a group of children without a cause raising a ruckus. Atrocity's faction was nothing more than a group of psychopaths reaping chaos and destruction wherever they went. Both would be eliminated soon enough.

Other groups like the Hassaikai still had their uses though.

"Right you are Trumpet!" Rikiya applauded. "As troubling as this situation is, it also brings forth many opportunities. With All Might out of the picture, our plans will go much more smoothly." A smile formed at the edge of his lips. "For the time being, we do nothing. Let these villains tear each other apart. And when the time comes, which it will, our revolution will begin!" Placing his right hand on his forehead making a finger gun, the other members quickly followed suit. "For humanity's true freedom!"

"For humanity's true freedom!" they shouted.

Overhaul's Office

Like many others, Kai Chisaki (aka Overhaul) was shocked at the news. All Might being defeated was not something he had anticipated at all. He was not entirely surprised that Shiro had been the one to do it though. Out of all the villains in Japan, he was one of the strongest and most competent that there was. Kai was smart enough to refrain from fighting him and making an enemy out of him. The Hassaikai and Hades occasionally had squabbles, but never anything too serious.

That aside, he'd ordered his men to be on high alert. When AFO died, there was an explosion of conflict in the criminal underworld. Various villain groups rose up to claim power, wanting to become the new King now that the Demon Lord was dead. Himself included. But this! This would unleash Hell on Earth!

A knock at the door brought him back to reality.

"Overhaul," Hari Kurono (aka Chronostasis) greeted. "The underlings are on guard as requested, so no incidents so far."

Kai rolled his eyes. It had only been an hour since the video had aired. Of course, nothing had happened yet. People didn't act that quickly (well, most of them).

"Although, Rappa appears to want to fight Shiro now," Hari admitted.

"Seriously!?" Kai deadpanned. "Is he? Actually, never mind. I already know the answer to that one. Tell him if he even dreams about it, I will obliterate his existence and not bring him back this time. Understood?"

Hari nodded.

"Good. Tell me, when will that man be arriving?" he said gently.

"Three days at the earliest, five at the longest," Hari responded confidently.

"Not perfect, but better than nothing," he said tiredly. "Tatara can keep looking after Eri. In the meantime, we'll continue to do what we've been doing."

Hari nodded before leaving.

Kai sighed to himself. Ever since the Tenome Incident, he had sought out an individual with an ability like that one to make his operation go smoother. He never would have considered it before, but the world was full of surprises.

Izuku just so happened to be one.

Shigaraki's Group

"Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Tomura roared with laughter as he replayed the video over and over again.

Shiro standing victorious over Ass Might's beaten body (on live TV no less) was the best thing that had happened to him in weeks.

He probably should have felt guilty considering what Shiro did to Deku, but after the Symbol of Peace smashed his master's head in front of everyone and struck a winning pose like from one of his games, it was extremely satisfying to see him on the receiving end for a change.

Okay, so maybe it was somewhat downplayed from Atrocity's cheating during it, but still very cathartic, nonetheless.

"Wow, you're happy!" Twice said. "You're the most fucking miserable out of all of us!"

"Can you blame him, darling?" Magne exclaimed. "He hates All Might, especially after Kamino." She swapped to a whisper. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if Atrocity was at the top of his most hated list."

Kurogiri for his part appeared unimpressed. Shiro was a problem to deal with later but right now their main concern was Atrocity.

Right now, Toga was out gathering information about a possible base of his. When she returned, that's when they would decide their next course of action.

Kurogiri had briefly considered going to Dr Ujiko for help, but he had no idea where to start looking for the man. He'd kept his identity secret from all but AFO, and Viper to a certain extent. At the very least, he could count on him not to aid Atrocity.

Gigantomachia was not an option either. Not just because of the level of destruction he could do, but because he was not in the location where Sensei had specified.

It seemed they were truly on their own.

The only saving grace about this situation was Izuku was safe from all this madness. There were many things Shiro and Atrocity would do to him, things he did not want to think about. If was far away or in the clutch of the heroes, then it was a small price to pay.

"I just got off the phone with Toga," Compress announced. "She says she found something."

That put everyone on alert.

Shigaraki stopped looking at his phone and gazed straight at their resident warper.

"Bring her here Kurogiri," he ordered. "If she found something on Atrocity I want to know."

As spectacular as All Might's defeat was, he would not feel truly satisfied until he had put his hand through his master's murderer's head and turned his body to dust.

Atrocity's Group

"Appearing through a screen Deathbolt? How rude!" Atrocity said sarcastically.

When one of his subordinates had been called to talk, everyone agreed it should be Deathbolt since he could safely talk through a phone screen (using his quirk to turn into pure electricity) because he was less likely to be killed.

"After that public shitshow of dick-who-must-not-be-named, can you blame me?" Deathbolt deadpanned.

Atrocity chuckled. "Not in the slightest. If it were me, I'd do the same thing."

Deathbolt immediately noticed something was off about his leader.

"You feeling alright?" he asked uncertainly. "You're calmer than I thought you were going to be."

Correction, Atrocity was acting calmer than everyone thought he would. When the video first aired, they expected loud shouts, swearing, bloody corpses, and even some destroyed property. Instead, they got silence which somehow proved to be worse.

"I will admit, I was unhappy with this little war, all personal reasons included," Atrocity said softly. "But the more I thought about it, the more I realized. Both sides have done us a huge service."

The electric user felt a little confused by that. Luckily for him, Atrocity launched straight into an explanation.

"Hades has taken a massive blow, something that will take time to recover from. The Symbol of Peace has fallen, thus leaving the hero community in a state of disarray. Society itself has become vulnerable and panicked. With these factors in place, the following is possible: the absolute destruction of Hades and Shiro, the collapse of Hero Society, and with AFO gone the chance for a new King to claim the throne and rule everything." Deathbolt was breathing very slowly as he processed the information and its implications.

"When you put tit like that boss, it does sound possible," he said before adding. "But with a lot of."

"Complications?" he promptly cut him off. "I know. But all complications can be overcome with the right plan. Speaking of which, it's time to deal with the complication known as Tomura Shigaraki. I've sent Queen Bee out to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for him to follow." Deathbolts eyes widened. "Once they arrive at the fake base, that's when we strike. First, we'll then down, thoroughly I might add. When that's done, I'll take their quirks and either keep them myself or give them to subordinates that can put them to better use. Finally, after they are made suffer being such nuisances, slaughter them. Not too quickly now, need to set an example after all. I may keep Shigaraki around as a toy for while though, and that Lizard of his. I need to relinquish boredom every now and then."

Atrocity smiled cruelly.

"After that complication, I'll deal with Shiro, then quirkless Deku, next other villain groups, and finally Hero Society as a whole," he listed off. "And who knows, maybe I could get some new toys to replace the ones I broke or lost in the process. One can never have too many."

Harbour

BUUUUZZZZZZZZ! BUUUUZZZZZZZZ! BUUUUZZZZZZZZ!

Razor stared down at her phone. She didn't recognize the ID.

It could have been someone from BUTLER, but she seriously doubted it. She knew all the secretary's numbers, and this wasn't one.

Her best bets were someone from Hades or the League, though she was not entirely sure.

Curiosity got the better of her and she answered.

"Who the fuck is this?!" she asked sharply.

"Swearing straight off the bat," a male voice said. "Am I correct in assuming this is Razor I am speaking to?"

"Depends on who the fuck's asking," Razor said softly.

"A hero," the voice answered. "My name is Edgeshot."

Razor raised an eyebrow. Well, she didn't see that one coming.

"Shinya Kamihara," she addressed by name. "How the fuck did you get my number?!"

"Shino." Of course, that bitch! "We need your help." Razor didn't react. "We want to take down Hades."

There was silence at the other end of the line.

"No bullshit! Just straight to the point!" she murmured softly. "I'll admit I like that. Unfortunately, I'm not taking any jobs at the moment. And my partner, well, I don't think you'll want to work with him."

"I'm not hiring you," Edgeshot stated. "But if Izuku Midoriya aka Deku asks you, will you help?"

Razor wasn't phased in the slightest.

"Willing to use a child to get to me now, are you? Gotta say, that does not match up with your profile description," she said.

"I'm not. Unfortunately, that boy is involved in this, voluntarily or not. I won't force him to help us but according to Shino Shiro will be coming after him soon as will others," he said firmly. "She also told me that you would help if he asked. So, cutting all shit as you would put it, will you?"

After a long minute, Razor smirked.

"You've balls ninja boy, I'll give you that," she said amusedly. "If, and only if, he asks me. Free will, no coercion. As for my partner, I still don't think you'll be willing to work with him."

"I think you'll find I'm much greyer than most heroes," the No. 5 Hero declared.

UA Heights Alliance

Izuku stared out into the city from his balcony, as the sun slowly set signalling the end of the (very eventful) day among many other things.

The city was quiet. Too quiet. He couldn't hear any traffic or crowds from outside the barrier, only the sound of birds chirping.

It was unnerving.

While he was not surprised that Hades had won he had clearly underestimated the impact it would have on society as a whole. Not just the heroes losing, but All Might losing. Often he had heard many villains wanting to kill All Might (Tomura included), but had they ever considered what would happen afterwards? He certainly hadn't. The reason was that All Might had never been beaten before. Yes, he was a man. Yes, he had limits. Yes, he was not invulnerable. Izuku knew all of this and yet, the fact that he had lost still shocked him to the core.

The only reason he could think of was that he was still trapped in his childish mindset from a year ago. A mindset perhaps many others shared.

In the aftermath of the Raid, the teachers had not come to check on them. And his classmates, upon witnessing All Might's defeat just sat there frozen, jaws open and eyes wide for what felt like an eternity. Izuku for his part stood up and walked away. There was nothing he could say or do to comfort them. Hell, he was too shocked himself.

Of all the things he expected, the stunt Shiro pulled was not one of them. Izuku had never seen or heard of anything described like that during his time at Hades. However, he was almost certain Rika had been the one to create it or at least aid in its creation. Many villains and heroes praised her abilities at Hades. Shiro himself noted she was one of his best finds and that, literally quoting, "the fucking jackoffs up there were too bigoted to recognize a precious gem when they saw it".

Izuku went to bed without setting an alarm since there would be no classes tomorrow. The only thing he had on was an appointment with Hound Dog.

Dream Sequence

Izuku walked slowly down the black corridor. There was no one around (that he could see).

He was looking for something or rather someone.

He glanced down at the gun in his hand…wait!

When did he get a gun? Where did he get one?

Something was wrong. This was all wrong.

Despite this shock, he continued to walk. He came to a door and peered through slowly as a sign of caution.

Why was he being cautious?

In a split second, the doorway was gone. The corridor was gone. He was in a large area surrounded by nothing but darkness.

He could see the floor clearly as well as his own body but other than those there was nothing.

"Deku," a familiar frightened voice whispered. Izuku turned and found who he had been looking for held back by a white cane strangling him by the neck. "Run."

Izuku tried to speak only to find that he couldn't. Why couldn't he speak?

"It seems my message has not gotten through that thick stupid skull of yours yet," a condescending voice sneered. "This is my property, which means I can do whatever the fuck I want with it. If I tell it to kneel it will kneel! If I tell it to kill it will kill! If I tell it to spread its legs open as it should, it will spread its legs open! Because it's my property, it does whatever I want whenever I want! It belongs to me and not you. Do you understand?"

This wasn't Hades.

Izuku what this was, and who this was.

And he knew what he wanted to do to them.

Raising the gun, he glared at the man hatefully.

"Jin isn't property!" he snarled. "He's a human being!"

BANG!

Dream Sequence end

Izuku shot straight up grabbing the nearest object and throwing it straight at the wall in front of him. It was just a pen, however, the way he threw it and the strength he used left it embedded in the wall.

He panted heavily as he let his rage and hatred fester. It had been a very long time since he thought about that monster.

Izuku hated many individuals, but that man was unique in that he had only known him for a short amount of time, and yet he managed to become someone Izuku hated way more than his childhood bullies, and even Shiro. Tenome members came close, but they were all dead now (the one good thing Shiro had done).

Izuku lay flat on his back as he thought about the other aspect of his dream. A sad expression came to his face.

"Twice," he murmured softly. "Are you okay?"

Later

When he woke up again later Izuku immediately decided to hit the showers. God knows he needed one.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" Kai asked sounding concerned.

"No need," Izuku said firmly. Hot water crashed down his hair and flowed down his body. "I will be talking about it with Hound Dog later. And also, is there a specific reason you are naked right now?"

It was true. As soon as he entered the shower, Kai appeared right next to him wearing nothing.

"My outfit changes depending on the situation," he shrugged. "And your psyche. You were having a shower, so I changed to match that."

"Joy," Izuku responded sarcastically.

Izuku suddenly found himself trapped against the wall with Kai's hands planted against them to prevent an escape. Kai stared deeply into Izuku's eyes, his voice neither cruel nor compassionate, just serious.

"Look Izuku, this is going to keep happening until you sort out your shit, deep as it is. I might look like Kai Chisaki but my personality and mannerisms are made up of other bits and pieces from you. You want my advice? Get to it!"

Izuku scowled while crossing his arms. "Easier said than done."

"I know," Kai agreed. "But sitting on your ass while other shit is going on isn't going to do you any favours now is it?"

Izuku said nothing.

"By the way, why is the naked aspect of me annoying you? it's nothing you haven't seen before, well, maybe not from the real one. Or is it to do with what happened when the elevator collapsed?" Kai mused.

"Okay, no. Not doing this," Izuku finished up and grabbed a towel. "That's one thing I never plan to discuss with anyone." Kai opened his mouth only to be swiftly cut off. "Nothing happened between us. We just… you know… ended up in some awkward positions. That's all."

Kai started laughing hysterically, causing Izuku to leave the shower in a hurry.

Hound Dog's Office

"Okay, I know you probably want me to talk about Hades and how I felt during it but after the dream, I had last night I just don't want to," Izuku deadpanned. "So, can we talk about something else please?"

"Sure," Ryo shrugged. "I wasn't going to anyway."

"Huh! Seriously!" Izuku's eyes widened.

"Of course," Ryo nodded. "I've learned from experience that making someone discuss something traumatic that happened to them will not help them heal. Coax them into doing so maybe, but otherwise never force them."

Well, Izuku's opinion of him just skyrocketed.

"Great," he said before looking down. "What I want to talk about is related to the dream."

Izuku took a moment to compose himself.

"As a hero, have you ever let anyone die before?" Izuku asked slowly.

Ryo's eyes widened. Where did that come from?

"And I don't mean you couldn't save someone, I mean you literally left them to die," Izuku explained somehow managing to remain calm despite severity of his question. "Either you just left them there, or you let someone else kill them?"

Ryo stared at Izuku with an unreadable expression. The question caught him off guard, but years of practice enabled him to keep calm.

"No," he denied. "I have not. Nor have any of my colleagues. I'm a hero, after all, such behaviour would be unbecoming since we are supposed to save others."

"Even if you think they deserve it, or maybe because them dying would stop a lot of future problems?" Izuku pressed.

"Even then," Ryo confirmed. "I'm supposed to stop them, not kill them. I don't have that right, nor does any other hero."

Izuku stared down at his lap with an expression Ryo could only assume was either shame or uncertainty.

"Fair enough," he admitted. "It's just something I've wondered about before so."

"So?" Ryo repeated.

"My dream, well, maybe not dream more of a memory," Izuku explained. "Just before Kamino there was an incident. Unlike Hades, I remember this one quite well, though there are moments I wish I didn't." Ryo tensed. He hadn't heard of anything like this from the police. "One of my colleagues, Twice, he had a difficult time before the League and he…he." Izuku started to clench his fists tightly. "Anyway, he had this job… which he left." He felt sick describing it as that. "And his boss, he wanted him back." Ryo flinched at the tone of Izuku's voice. It sounded angry, very, very angry. "Twice didn't want to, and we, the League, didn't want him to. It led to a dispute that got resolved… violently." Izuku couldn't believe how much he was downplaying the events but remembering how he ranted around the Yagami he wanted to make sure his counsellor wasn't disturbed. "It was resolved but I swear that man, I actually wanted him to die, and I almost let one of the others do it for what he did to Twice." Izuku could still see Toga holding the knife to his throat. Why he stopped her, he couldn't remember. "Even now, I still think I should've let them."

Ryo observed Izuku with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Compared to other moments when he talked about someone he disliked, this one he showed nothing but pure hate.

It was almost unnerving.

He knew the person Izuku was referring to. Jin Bubaigawara aka Twice. He vaguely knew his record, but not much he was considered a small criminal until joining the League. Just what sort of relationship did he have with Izuku?

"Letting him die wouldn't have solved anything," Izuku gave him a pointed look. "Your friend was still in trouble, right? Killing that person might not have been the best way to help him."

'Debatable,' Izuku inwardly muttered.

"There are people who deserve to die. People who represent the worst humanity has to offer be it villain or something else entirely," Ryo said softly. "But you shouldn't have to be the one who has to make that choice."

"And who should?" Izuku asked almost half-heartedly.

"I can't answer that one, unfortunately," Izuku rolled his eyes. Of course.

"Well, thanks I guess," Izuku stood up. "If you want the full story, ask Tsukauchi and Yagami. I may have given them an honest account, a bit too honest maybe, of what went down. Thanks for listening."

"It's my job kid. It's my job," Ryo waved goodbye. "Midoriya if you don't mind me asking." Izuku stopped at the door. "Whatever happened to that person?"

"Last I heard he was dead. Killed by one of his own men," he said. "Never found the body though so I doubt it."

Izuku's Room

Izuku lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Following the session, he'd gone to the gym where the punching bags took the brunt of his frustration. The illusion of Kai had been surprisingly quiet since the showers though he wasn't sure why.

Izuku's phone started to ring. Checking the ID he noticed it was his mother. He didn't really want to talk with her right now, but he also didn't want to worry her. Holding it up to his ear he pressed the answer button.

"Hey Mom," he murmured.

"Deku," a very familiar voice answered.

Izuku's blood froze. His breathing began to slow as the temperature in the room rapidly dropped.

"Shiro?" he whispered.

"Good to see you remember me kid," Shiro responded merrily. "I figured it was time we talked."

Notes:

Hi there! What did you think of that?

I bet you didn't expect to see the MLA or Shie Hassaikai in this chapter. Though they won't be doing much for the story.

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. My job takes a lot out of me and I've gotten into Resident Evil (playing all the games) recently which inspired me to incorporate some horror elements into my stories.

Also, groups in Hades will not be shown for a while because I want to focus on Izuku's for a bit.

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Chapter 55: What do I do?

Notes:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a good time and to Horikoshi who I hope gets well.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Izuku lay still on the bed in the same position for an uncertain amount of time. His breathing had become tense and shaky. Sweat began to leak through his clothes.

"H-H-H-H-How?" he stuttered uncontrollably. "W-W-W-W-WW-Why-y-y-y-y-y-y?"

How did you get my mother's phone?

Why do you have it?

Followed by the two most important questions of all:

Where is Mom?

What have you done with her?

Questions he wanted to ask but lacked the stability and mental fortitude to do so.

"Why do I have Mommy Dearests' phone? How did I get it? Where is she? What did I do to her? Is she dead? Did I kill her? Am I holding her hostage as one of my slaves?" Shiro listed off with a chuckle. "Even on the phone, you are easy to read. You really need to do something about that. I'm surprised AFO never did anything to correct it given his multitude of quirks. My condolences by the way. I'm sure you're still grieving him along with Shigaraki and Kurogiri."

Izuku didn't respond. He was still processing the situation and all its implications of it. so much that his breathing remained the same.

"Izuku… can I call you that? I feel like we've been through so much together at this point. You sound like you need a minute. Take it. Breathe in and out slowly like a good little boy," Shiro requested in a high and merry tone. Izuku did as he was asked and (as best as he could manage) calmed down. "Good boy! I knew you could do it! You can do anything if you set your mind to it." The crime bosses' words of encouragement did nothing to soothe Izuku's nerves. "Now, down to business."

"Where is she?" Izuku demanded softly.

"Right next to me," Izuku's entire body froze. "Oh, yeah. I invited myself in, your mom made tea, and then served your favourite, Katsudon. I got a look at your baby pictures and by golly, you were so adorable back then especially in that little All Might onesie. Speaking of which, your old room. I heard it was an All Might shrine but seeing it in person, you were quite the fanboy last year, weren't you?"

Izuku was going to be sick. He could literally feel vomit starting to come up his throat as he violently fought to keep it down and under control. Something he was failing quite miserably at.

"S-S-S-Shiro, p-p-please," he stammered. "Whatever you're going to do."

"This has been such an interesting visit," Shiro swiftly cut him off. "Well, it would have been. If you know… I was actually here."

The silence was deafening. Izuku was almost certain he had heard him incorrectly.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Oh, that. I'm not actually at your apartment," Shiro stated. "I never was. I only said that because I thought it would be funny. And boy, you did not disappoint. HahahahahahahahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!"

Izuku could hear laughter on the other end of the phone. It started off small but got bigger, louder, and more hysteric.

"But, her phone number," Izuku said still not believing it.

"You have Cu Chulainn to thank for that. Apparently, some scammers in his country impersonated the local banks to get their customer's details and then rob them blind. I thought I could do something similar. All that aside, your mom isn't anywhere near me," Izuku exhaled in relief. "I thought it would be a good way to scare the shit out of you. Given your reaction, I'd say it was a success."

At that precise moment, two specific emotions surged intensely through Izuku (one stronger than the other two). The first was overwhelming relief over the knowledge that his mother was nowhere near Shiro and that she was safe (for now). And second, was sheer unrestrained unforgiving rage towards his former captor for initiating the act in the first place. It was so strong that it made Izuku temporarily forget his terror.

"Fuck you! You fucked up demented piece of shit dressed in a stupid tight-ass white suit!" Izuku seethed in low voice.

"Okay first, that hurts Izuku, it really does. You can insult me as much as you want but my outfits are off-limits. Shita made them specifically for me and by insulting them you're insulting him. Second of all, fuck me? No thanks. You're a bit young for me," Shiro replied nonchalantly.

"In that case, go fuck yourself! And if you can't do that, get Eros to do it for you!" Izuku snapped back.

"No can do I'm afraid. Doctor's orders," Shiro quipped. "And trust me, Iwatani's quite serious about it. Just ask Akuma."

So, Dr Iwatani was still alive. That was good to hear. From what he could remember, the Doctor was one of the longer residents of Hades who possessed a wealth of medical knowledge and a healing quirk that he hated. It was somewhat similar to Recovery Girl but more… intimate. Izuku respected him for his reasonableness and resourcefulness.

"Izuku I just want to talk," Shiro explained. "Is that so wrong?"

"Talk? Wrong?" Izuku repeated slowly as if making sure he had heard it correctly. "The last time we talked it involved you beating the living hell out of me in front of everyone in an All Might onesie before trying to kill which led to me putting a knife through your eye. And this is all after a month of making me a slave in your little hell hole. So, yeah. I'd say it's wrong."

"And I ripped it out afterwards," Shiro retorted. "And I now wear an eyepatch with pride as a symbol of my loss. We could go on about this for hours Izuku, but it wouldn't get us anywhere. What's done is done and can't be undone."

Izuku's face turned slightly pale. What he did was dangerous, and he'd done it out of desperation, but for Shiro to just tear it all out afterwards was even worse. He should have had one of the doctors do it instead.

And… to talk about something so casually was just.

"I actually rang to say sorry," Izuku blinked. "It appears you were right about Graphene, you and the rest of the kids."

Izuku suddenly felt lightheaded. He grabbed a bottle of water and gulped it all down within a minute.

Graphene!

He felt like he should know who that was but couldn't remember them. Pieces of his time in Hades had been coming back to him including the things he had done, places he's gone, and people he met. He remembered why Shiro was angry at him, but for some reason, he couldn't remember the other person involved. He knew he had killed that person, by accident yes, but still.

In all his dreams, Graphene had never once appeared or been mentioned. Maybe because they had barely known each other in Hades. He didn't know.

"Why bother investigating now?" Izuku asked confused.

"Recent events, which I don't want to get into, have forced me to evaluate the people I trust and work with," Shiro admitted. There was a bitter edge in the way he spoke. As if he truly regretted not doing this sooner. "That's why I'm apologising. Back then, you were right, and I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Izuku was surprised at how sincere Shiro sounded. The man wasn't above being humble, but it was rare for him to do so.

"For the record, that was just an apology, not a plea for forgiveness. If you want to hate me for the rest of your life you are well within your right to," Shiro clarified. "Especially with what's coming next."

And just like that, the conversation had returned to its tense atmosphere.

"You're coming after me, aren't you," Izuku said.

It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"I will, just not right now," Shiro clarified much to the teen's confusion. "I'm going to be a little bit busy over the next few weeks, so I won't have time. A bunch of idiots are going to try to take a shot at Hades while I'm down. Gotta step up and defend the territory, and all that." Izuku wasn't all that surprised. Sensei had warned him before about this situation when a high-ranked villain was down. "Especially with a fuckbag like Atrocity making his move. Watch out for him by the way. The guy doesn't have a high opinion of people like you. And I can't have you dying before I get my hands on you now, can I? Of course, you could just surrender yourself willingly and save me the trouble."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "You still want me after what I did?"

That was not something he had anticipated at all.

"Of course," Shiro assured. "Missing eye or not with your skillset you're worth a lot Izuku. If you weren't I'd just straight out kill you, but you do so."

Izuku didn't answer. At that moment, he started to heavily weigh his options.

If he did surrender himself, it's likely Hades wouldn't kill him and put him to work like they did before (although not before roughing him up a bit). There would be fewer casualties and could prevent his mother from becoming a target. However, it would involve him becoming a slave again (only this time voluntarily) which didn't sound very appealing. Especially since it would render everything, he did to escape all for nothing.

He could try running. Perhaps going underground or fleeing to another country. Razor taught him the skills to make it happen should it become necessary. The fact that Shiro was occupied right now made it easier. However, Shiro was not the only one after him. There was Atrocity's group, who Izuku didn't have any intel on. He didn't know where Tomura was either as there had been no reports since Kamino. There was also the fact that he was confined to UA. If he set foot out even once people would know.

Then there was fighting, which didn't really settle him. For starters, how was he supposed to? He was severely lacking in numbers and resources to pull off such as feat. Perhaps he was just being lazy since he only supplied information on their opponents' quirks and abilities, not coming up with a strategy, but still. Even when exhausted and beaten down, Hades was not to be underestimated.

Then there was Razor. He still had her number, well emergency number, but still. If BUTLER was as powerful as she described, then they could certainly help. Then again, they weren't the type to do things out of the goodness of their hearts so there was still no guarantee.

No matter what way he went about it, Izuku couldn't see himself (or anyone) coming out of it unscathed.

Putting things simply, he was screwed.

"I'd advise against running," Shiro said softly. "We both know I'd find you eventually. Kind of like how I found your mother."

"What?!" Izuku exclaimed.

Shiro sighed at the other end.

"Izuku, I knew all about her when you first entered Hades. Afterwards, it wasn't hard to find where she lived and is still living," he explained. "With limited hero protection, I might add."

Once more, Izuku was frozen in place. He understood what Shiro was saying and the implications. But there was more to it.

He knew there was.

"I could have gone after her anytime I wanted to," Shiro stated. "Be it when you were with me, or when you returned to AFO. I didn't. Not because I didn't want to or because it wasn't worth the effort, but just because it wasn't convenient. If I had taken her while you were with the League, I don't doubt AFO would ensure you wouldn't find out." He paused to let words sink in. "I could have sent anyone to collect her unless All Might was guarding her. Fortunately, he's out of the picture. And you know what that means, right? For villains and the entire country… it's open season."

Izuku remained silent. He hadn't noticed it until now but he was shaking, badly. His bad breathing had returned worse.

Running definitely wasn't an option. Even if he got out, Shiro would get to his mother first.

"Well, that's all from me," Shiro announced. "Gotta run and recover. I await your answer Izuku. And please, take your time. I'm sure you'll make the right choice. And hey, if you decide to fight me, I'll welcome your challenge with open arms. Until then, try not to die. Bye."

He hung up leaving Izuku alone in the dark.

He didn't move. He was too shocked to.

"Well," the apparition of Kai was leaning against the wall. "You're certainly fucked!"

Understatement of the decade.

At the same time outside the room

Kyoka had not intended to eavesdrop. She really hadn't. She only came up because Shinsou had made coffee (very much appreciated) for everyone and asked one of them to grab Midoriya. That was all she came to do.

Unfortunately, when you are born with a quirk that boosts your hearing you tend to overhear things you shouldn't. Unintentionally, of course.

So, when she could hear Midoriya conversing with none other than the leader of Hades well…needless to say she was shocked. Even more so when she discovered Shiro wanted Midoriya back. Based on what little she knew of their relationship Kyoka assumed the man would want him dead. Apparently not.

The other parts of the conversation were something to dwell on.

Should she get the teachers? She knew they were swamped with work, but she couldn't just let Midoriya leave. Nice guy or not he was still a villain confined to UA. Though letting him become a slave to the man who defeated All Might wasn't a much better option.

Click!

The door swung right open with Midoriya wearing a frustrated expression accompanied by a dishevelled appearance. Their eyes met causing them both to freeze up.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked.

"Um," Kyoka started causing Izuku to groan loudly.

"You heard everything, didn't you?" he deadpanned.

"Well," she tried only to be swiftly cut off.

"Guess the cat's out of the bag," Izuku deadpanned as he started walking off.

Kyoka's eyes widened in disbelief as she hurried after him.

"Seriously?" she exclaimed. "That's it!"

"Yup," Izuku deadpanned. "That's it! Feel free to tell everyone downstairs. I'm gonna go take a shower."

"You're not going to escape?" Kyoka asked confused. "Or maybe contact the League for help?"

"You heard it yourself that's not an option," Izuku reminded her. "Also, I don't know where the League are or how to contact them since they probably changed their numbers after I was captured. Heck, I don't even know if they're alive."

He had tracked the news closely for any updates, but nothing came up. While he was confident that they could lay low and survive he couldn't rule out the possibility of their deaths either.

"So you're just going to do nothing?" Kyoka clarified.

"I'm not sure there's anything I can do," Izuku admitted. "I'll use what time I do have to come up with a plan of survival. Until then, I'll sit here while everything else goes to shit outside. And believe me, it will go." He paused. "On a completely unrelated note, why are you here Jirou? Did you have something you wanted to ask me?"

Kyoka briefly hesitated. "Shinsou made coffee for everyone. He sent me to get you."

Izuku stared at her for a few seconds before heading towards the elevator. The showers could wait. Right now, he was in dire need of some caffeine.

Twenty-five minutes later

"I should have made more coffee," Hitoshi lamented.

"Yes," Izuku agreed. "Yes, you should have."

After Kyoka announced it, Izuku gave a basic synopsis of what happened, though not before chunking down a large amount of coffee.

"Wow. You certainly are a magnet for trouble," Neito deadpanned. "And with little effort, I might add. What happens when you actually try?"

"Don't know. Never tried," Izuku deadpanned back. "For the most part I'm just lucky, or rather, unlucky."

Neito and Hitoshi both snorted while the others remained silent.

Momo was concerned about the threat to his mother, not just for him, but what it meant for the rest of them. If Shiro could target his family, then realistically he could do the same to theirs.

And thanks to the Sports Festival their names were public.

"Hey Midoriya, are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Dark Shadow asked. "Like nothing at all? You've fought some of the strongest here and managed to come out on top."

"I think you'll find that first-year students are much easier to deal with than A/S-Rank villains," Izuku pointed out. "SS-Rank in Shiro's case."

"Doesn't answer the question," Dark Shadow pointed back. "And didn't you beat those two from Hades by yourself?"

"Oh, for the love of it," Izuku groaned. "Dark Shadow, what you are asking for is essentially a miracle. If I wanted to free everyone, I'd need to be at the heart of Hades to turn off all the collars, which is nigh impossible thanks to security. And even if they were free there's no guarantee they would side with me since for many of them Hades has become their home for years. Additionally, breaking in would require a team of elites and resources which I don't have. It would also need to be timed perfectly." He paused. "Another thing, I didn't beat Shino and Blade, I fended them off…barely. If it weren't for Shinsou and Monoma and later the teachers, they would have won."

There was an uneasy silence among the students. When he put it that way, it did sound impossible (the results of the Raid making it worse). Even worse they had all fought members of Hades, so they knew how strong they were. The three from the mall recalled how easily they had been defeated by Atlas, while the other two considered their own fight. The only reason they managed to pull off a win was because of the element of surprise, not because they were strong or anything like that. Neito himself would admit that despite his training from Vlad Sensei, he had never fought villains before.

"Ever pessimistic, I see," Kai appeared behind the chair Izuku was sitting on. "And also, right."

Izuku didn't say anything. The illusion of Kai appearing when he was around people now. Well, wasn't that just perfect?

"We could always sell you out to them," Neito suggested. "Do a hostage trade and all that."

"Monoma!" Momo exclaimed in horror.

The other students appeared to share her sentiment. Kyoka appeared shocked while Hitoshi and Fumikage were disturbed by the idea. Even Dark Shadow was horrified as his mouth hung down open.

"Well now that's just cruel," Kai complained sardonically. "I like this one."

"No, no, that's quite pragmatic," Izuku replied nonchalantly. "But ultimately pointless. Shiro doesn't do trades unless it is on his terms. Still, it was a smart idea, Monoma. That devious thinking of yours will be useful in the future."

"Pity," Neito said flatly.

"Are you seriously okay with the idea of being turned over to that madman?" Kyoka asked incredulously.

Izuku shrugged. "Of course not. But even then, it's not like I wouldn't have it coming. You all seem to forget that I joined a villain organisation which involved studying heroes, creating and working on quirk drugs, working with a serial killer, being involved in the USJ and attacking a student, not to mention having worked alongside several villains in the past. I may have been pushed towards this life, but it was still my choice to go through with it. At the end of the day, I'm still a villain. The only reason I'm here instead of prison is because of Atrocity."

Izuku may have offered explanations for why he did what he did but that's all they were, explanations. No excuses. Though he did feel he was justified in what he did to Bakugou, he mostly kept that part to himself.

"Actually, you're just a criminal," Neito corrected. "Villain is defined by the government as someone who freely uses their quirk to commit crimes. Since you're quirkless you don't qualify." Izuku shot him a look. "What? Not trying to be racist or xenophobic here. It's just the way it's defined by the law."

"Well, that's just fucking perfect," Izuku lamented. "Quirkless people can't be heroes, and now we can't even be villains."

"That's not such a bad thing," Hitoshi intervened. "Believe me, villain is a much harsher label than criminal."

He wasn't wrong either. Once a person became a villain, they were treated a lot more harshly by the law, even if they were minors.

Kai patted Izuku on the shoulders.

"Don't worry Izuku, you'll always be a villain to me," the illusionary Kai reassured him. "Although, I guess this is undercut by the fact that I'm a figment of your imagination."

Izuku restrained himself from rolling his eyes lest he causes confusion. The last thing he needed was for people to catch onto his frail state of mind.

"I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do," Izuku admitted. "If you want my advice, I'd say got back to your families and get out of the country while you still have the chance. It's quiet now, but that'll soon change."

That was something much easier said than done.

For Neito and Momo, it wouldn't have been an issue. Kyoka and Fumikage were slightly more challenged because of the financial and legal processes involved. Hitoshi on the other hand was definitely stuck. He lived with his grandmother, and they only made enough to get by.

There was something particularly chilling about the suggestion. It was one thing to move away from an area because of a problem, but another to literally move out of the country.

Just how bad were things going to get?

Later

Once again, Izuku was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. His conversation with Shiro weighed on him heavily. Even though it was less than two hours ago for him it felt like a lifetime.

Kamino. The hospital. Now, this. How had everything gone so far to hell in such a short time?

"No point mulling over it Izuku," Kai declared. "Gotta work on that big plan of yours."

"There is no plan," Izuku said flatly. "I just made that up."

"Really? No survival plan like you told Jirou?" Kai asked quizzically. "Are you giving up?"

"Don't know," Izuku's tone remained flat.

The illusion silently stared at Izuku in contemplation for over a minute.

"What are you going to do then?" he asked.

Izuku let out a long loud groan. He sat up and glared furiously at the hallucination.

"What are you going to do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do? What are you going to do?" he ranted. "Seriously! Why the fuck does everyone keep asking me that? What do you all expect me to do? Go in there snap my fingers and make everything okay again? I can't create miracles, Kai. The reason I have managed to stay alive as long as I have is pure dumb luck, and even that will run out eventually. Also, in case you forgot, I am sixteen. I'm not a leader or master tactician like Sensei was. I am a side character in this story, not the protagonist of some fucking Shonen manga or fan fiction. I am a quirkless boy with no power or authority with high-level villains after me and locked in prison I can't escape from. So what, just what, the fuck do you all think I can do?"

Izuku was panting heavily as Kai stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"You can try asking for help," Kai suggested softly causing Izuku's eyes to widen. "That's the one thing you haven't done so far." Izuku looked at him confused. As a result, Kai rolled his eyes. "You never pester anyone with your problems, you work yourself constantly to the point of exhaustion just to meet expectations, and you always think you have to do things by yourself. You'll always stick your business into someone else's and try to help them but never the opposite." Kai stared Izuku directly in the eye. "I'm only going to say this once Izuku so pay attention. You are a self-absorbed, overworked, masochistic idiot who is just as bad if not worse than All Might."

Izuku's jaw dropped, offended by the accusation. He was nothing like All Might. Although he did some of those things, but he had asked for help before…right? Yeah, he did when…

"Kurogiri coming to your rescue doesn't count," Kai stated firmly. "Neither does Razor training you nor agreeing to work with me against Tenome. Because your circumstances made them necessary. Whenever confronted with a problem though you never ask for help. Not even from those who are willing to give it, not even your own mother."

"That, that's because…" Kai immediately cut him off.

"Because you don't want to trouble anyone. Sorry to tell you this but you can't keep using that excuse," Kai chastised. "You'll end up dead otherwise, or worse, along with someone you actually care about."

Izuku looked like someone slapped him hard across the face. Kai looked away and walked up to the window.

"What do I want you to do? I'm a figment of your imagination brought on by the culmination of stress and trauma so what I want isn't fully relevant, but if I have to give you an answer, then I want you to do what's best for you. You're a very intelligent boy who's been sought out by the most powerful villains in Japan. You have allies here and out there willing to help you. Use them. If you want to fight, then fight. If you want to run, then run. If you don't want to do anything, then do nothing. Whatever you decide, don't do it alone."

Kai vanished after that. When he would manifest again Izuku didn't know nor care. That little speech however got him thinking. What he wanted to do, what he needed, how he would go about it, and who he would need to contact. All of which culminated in him saying this.

"Ugh, I hate my life."

Later downstairs

"Just so we're clear, I am not promising anything," Izuku firmly stated. "But I do need to be sure of something before we can proceed." Everyone gazed at him attentively. "First, would please take out a phone and dial a number I specify and delete it afterwards. I'd do it myself, but I was instructed a long time ago never to with my own nor hold it. Don't ask me why."

He would need to call a lot of people who wouldn't normally be called. But if he wanted to succeed, he needed her first.

Kyoka dialled the number he requested. For a few seconds, there was silence while the phone buzzed. Then it stopped and a familiar voice came through.

"Who the fuck is this?" Razor demanded on the other end.

"Your pathetic excuse of a student," Izuku deadpanned but was smiling on the inside. "I need your help. I want to take down Hades and that bastard Shiro with it."

Notes:

Hi there! Well, what did you think of that?

I intended to get this finished before Christmas but struggled with writing. There were meant to be other scenes with Razor but since the tone of them doesn't fit I decided to save them for next chapter.

Huge thank you to everyone who has read, favourited, followed and reviewed this story. I hope to get it done at some point in the future along with my other stories so until then I won't be doing any new ones aside from one-shots and a few chapter pieces. One story I really want to do in the future though is Touya's World which is inspired by WandaVision. Agatha All Along and Kingdom Hearts 2: Roxas's Journey are others I'd like to try my hand at.

The recent season of MHA has been a major improvement to the last one. I am sad the manga is ending soon and am looking forward to the climax. Especially since the Dabi/Touya vs Endeavour/Enji is finally happening.

The next chapter will feature Izuku talking with Razor and a bit of what Razor has been up to.

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Merry Christmas!

Chapter 56: Gathering of Forces

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Edgeshot, have you gone mad?" Gang Orca demanded.

"I wouldn't say mad," Edgeshot defended. "Just desperate."

"Well, I beg to differ!" Orca argued. "I won't deny we are in a very tough spot, one that is going to take a lot of time and effort to resolve. However, I don't think we're desperate enough to warrant working with a serial killer!"

"Um, not that I don't feel uncomfortable with the idea, but is this really the best place to be discussing it?" Manual pointed out.

Following their loss, the heroes and police (what remained of them) retreated to different hospitals for treatment. Currently, the three of them were conversing on the rooftop out of costume and bandaged up. Having not woken up, Mandalay lay asleep in one of the beds below.

While the doctors had not cleared them to leave, they were allowed to walk around freely, hence their current rendezvous. As soon as he got his hands on a phone, Edgeshot wasted no time in contacting Razor. It had gone about as well as expected, but not in a bad way. The only downside was that she was working with Stain, which had not gone down well with the others.

"Everyone downstairs is too preoccupied at the moment," Edgeshot explained. "We'll be fine."

"Except we're not!" Orca retorted. "Look I am not against cooperating with villains if it helps us in the long run, but Stain! Do you have any idea how big his body count is?"

Edgeshot at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"I know," he said quietly. "I'm not any happier about this than you are. But look at the facts Orca. We are low on police and heroes. There is no help coming from our foreign counterparts. Not to mention that All Might's recent defeat will lead to a major rise in criminal activity. We cannot afford to be picky about who we work with." He paused. "I don't want to work with them, and to be honest, I don't trust them. I do trust Shino though. That's why I'm willing to do this."

Orca clutched his head tight and groaned. For their options to be this low was pathetic, especially the part that relied on Midoriya.

"What if Midoriya doesn't convince Razor, or he doesn't want to for that matter?" Manual reminded them. "We can't really force him to."

"Then we're all screwed!" Edgeshot deadpanned. "Plain and simple!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

After an uncertain amount of time, Orca let out another groan.

"May I please have that phone?" he requested. "I need to call my wife."

UA Heights Alliance

"Ah, Izuku," Razor said softly. "I was wondering when I'd hear from you."

"I'd say I'm surprised but I'm not. It is you after all," he stated.

"That it is. From the fact that you're calling I assume AFO's quirk finally wore," she guessed.

"Not quite. It's still coming back to me," Izuku countered. "But I remember enough."

"Enough is good, but not to spur you into action," she said. "I assume that someone or something provoked this reaction."

It took everything Izuku had to not roll his eyes. Did anything get past Razor? If there was, he'd probably die before he found out.

"Shiro called me earlier, using my mom's ID, not that she was anywhere near him. The guy got under my skin and a lot of things were said but I'll spare the details and give you what's important. He's not coming after me now, but he will eventually," he explained. "I want to take him down before he has the chance to. And I want you to help me do it."

After approximately three seconds of complete and utter silence on the other end…

"Okay, let's do it!" Razor answered cheerfully.

Izuku was completely taken aback by her quick response. "Wait! Just like that?"

He could hear a laugh on the other side. "But of course. I know you don't remember everything… yet, but I'm certain you remember enough to know that I would want to kill him." There was a brief pause. "Tell me, have contacted anyone else?"

"No. You were the first," he admitted.

"Hmm, smart boy," Razor complimented. "I'm glad our time apart hasn't dulled your intelligence. I can call in a favour or two from BUTLER to help. How much help they lend isn't up to me I'm afraid. On the plus side, I've got Stain here so that's one useful ally."

"Stain?" Izuku repeated confused. "Wait, you're still in Japan? I thought you'd go home after Sensei was defeated."

"Oh, Izuku. It's precisely because of that I stayed," she lightly chastised. "Why leave when things were about to get exciting? AFO being gone means it's an all-out battle royale for the position of the number one villain in Japan. Blood will be spilt, cities torn down, as contenders rip each other apart to establish their dominance. In other words, it's open season for the villains."

Izuku was a little unnerved at her description, though not as much as the others.

"I'll need help getting out of the school first unless you think you can convince the principal to let me go. I'll also need to get to get Dabi out. His firepower will be useful for this," he said. "I'll also need to get in contact with some others since I can't contact the League."

"I'm assuming you mean Gentle and Brava along with that vigilante friend of yours," Razor guessed.

"Pretty much yeah," Izuku confirmed. "I just hope the Crawler hasn't changed his phone number. The other two I'm not too worried about. I know Gentle's address and Brava left me a way to contact them in the event they needed to move."

"Perfect, the more outlaws we have the better. I know another group that can help, a minor villain team who owes me a favour. Not the strongest, but quick on their feet and very resourceful. And one who recently escaped from Tartarus with a very useful skillset. Recruiting her won't be easy but I'll manage," she explained with a smirk. "Speaking of which, I got from Edgeshot a few hours ago. He and three other heroes are willing to work with us to take down Hades. Oh, and before you ask, yes, they know Stain, but they are willing to put that aside for the moment."

The stunned silence that followed was unnerving. Not just from Izuku, but the other UA students as well. Neito went as far as to mouth "what the fuck" in English at everyone who was just baffled as he was. None of them could understand how that was even possible. Fortunately for them, Izuku spoke for them all with this sentence.

"How the fuck did you manage that?!" he replied incredulously.

"I have Shino to thank for that. She convinced Edgeshot to work with me regardless of who I was working with, although he claims to be greyer than most heroes," Razor answered. "Regardless, they're willing to temporarily put aside all wrongdoing in the hopes of taking down a common more serious enemy. And that works fine for me."

Izuku would have been more shocked but, based on the brief interactions between Edgeshot and Shino (boosted by her vague account) he had observed there was something between them. There had to be if they were on a first-name basis.

"Speaking of common enemies, the UA students or faculty who are listening in on this, will they be joining us?" Razor asked.

Izuku froze, as did everyone in the common room.

"How did you?" Izuku started.

"If the Commission are the people I remember them to be then they should have installed not only a tracker inside you, but a device that tracks the technology you use and can relay information on what you look up and who you contact. No doubt they didn't explain this to you in hopes you might contact the League, but you're too cautious for that anyway. You had another student call me on their phone, or a teacher on standby, someone they aren't monitoring," Izuku gritted his teeth. Even when it wasn't him, Razor was very observant. Though the part about the Commission concerned him. "So, I ask again, and feel free to put me on speaker for this one, will the UA students or faculty listening in on this be joining us?"

Izuku glanced at the others who merely nodded in acknowledgement to put them on speaker.

"Um, this is Yaoyorozu of Class 1A speaking," she announced.

"Ah, the heir to the Yaoyorozu family," Razor interrupted. "So, you escaped the raid then, did you?"

"Yes, I did," Momo replied unperturbed. "And so did a few others."

"Impressive," Razor quietly applauded. "It's not easy to get away when they strike. How did you manage it, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I destroyed the ground with my quirk, and we escaped into the sewers," Jiro answered.

"Clever, and nice quick thinking," Razor complimented. "However, that doesn't answer my question. Will you be joining us?"

No one answered. They exchanged glances between each other, but nobody made an attempt to respond. While they certainly were willing to make a phone call for help, they couldn't exactly go out themselves since it would be vigilantism. Momo was aware of her own hypocrisy in doing this, but the circumstances were different compared to Kamino.

"We'd like to help out classmates," Fumikage spoke up.

"But you aren't sure about breaking the rules to save them," Razor finished. "Or is it the idea of working with villains, both official and technical?"

"Technical?" Neito repeated. "How can you technically be a villain?"

"Those who utilize their quirks in public without a license are defined as villains," Razor recited. "Vigilantes fall into this category, even though they are more heroic than villains."

"Point taken," Neito acknowledged. "But it's mostly the former. I know we're technically breaking them now by discussing all this, but there's a distinct difference between talking about it, and actually doing it."

"And if you had permission," Razor said softly. "Then you would?"

Everyone blinked.

"Razor, I have a lot of respect for you, I do. And I believe it might be, emphasis on might, possible for you to convince the principal to let me go. But the others! Even you aren't that persuasive," Izuku reasoned.

"Oh, the way you underestimate me is absolutely adorable," Razor said mockingly. "Nedzu isn't the only one in this country that can give permission to act." That only served to confuse them further. "Now, please answer the fucking question! If you had permission, would you help?"

For several seconds, no one answered.

"To be honest I'm terrified of Hades," Momo admitted. "Their members and how strong they are. I'm against breaking the rules also. But I also don't want to run away and leave my friends there. So, my answer is yes Razor."

"And us," DS announced. "I want a rematch against the guys who curb-stomped us the first time."

"Though I don't share the sentiment, I agree with DS," Fumikage admitted. "We will fight."

"Me too," Jiro said quietly. She was still uncertain, but she didn't want to leave her friends.

"Ugh, Class A remains the troublemakers of the hero course," Neito taunted. "Although my whole class is under the thumb of that psychopath, so I'll help out too."

"I'm not a member of the hero course, but a close friend of mine is there so I'll help if I can," Hitoshi spoke up for the first time.

For a moment there was silence on the other end. Izuku couldn't say for sure, but he got the sense that Razor was smiling on the other end.

"Perfect. In that case, I'll see what I can do on my end. In the meantime, there are folks at school I'd like you to get a hold of," she requested. "I know this may seem like a strange request, but these people will provide us an edge when fighting Hades."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. This was… interesting.

"Who?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Mirio Togata, Neijire Hado, Tamaki Amajiki, all from third-year Heroics, and Mei Hatsume from Support," Razor listed off.

Everyone's eyes widened at the names, particularly the last one.

"And before you ask me why them, well, to put it simply, they're quite strong, or in Hatsume's case gifted," Razor explained softly. "Like all of you, they each have a unique skill set that would be very useful for the upcoming task."

While none of them could deny that about Mirio the same couldn't be said for the others. They figured Amajiki and Hado (despite personality flaws) had to be strong since they were part of the Big Three. As for Hatsume, while they all acknowledged she was an incredibly talented inventor (explosions aside), her combat capabilities were uncertain. Her match at the Sports Festival didn't count since it wasn't even a fight, it was an advertisement.

"I'll leave it to you to convince them," Razor said. "But first, contact those friends of yours while gathering some of my own. You said you needed Dabi, right? I'll make the necessary arrangements for his transfer. I'll also let Edgeshot know. Until then, try not to die before we reunite Izuku. It would be oh so boring… and pathetic of someone trained by me. Message me the time and place you would like everyone to meet. Bye!"

She hung up leaving a dead silence.

"Well, she was… something," Hitoshi said.

"You have no idea!" Izuku deadpanned.

"Can she really accomplish all that?" Fumikage asked. "She never even said how she was going to get you out of here."

"Believe me, I'm as shocked as you are. But if anyone can do it, it's her," Izuku said with certainty. "While there are many factors that we don't yet know, we need to make our own arrangements. While I'm making phone calls, would some of you go and get the Big Three and Hatsume? No time like the present."

"I'll get Hatsume," Neito suggested. "A hero student visiting support wouldn't be unusual."

"I'll get the Big Three then," Fumikage offered. "Since they did a special lecture recently it may appear as though I'm seeking advice."

Nobody argued as they left. Izuku quickly allocated who to call first. While he would reach out to Crawler, he felt he owed it to Danjuro and Manami to let them know he was (for a value of) okay.

He just hoped they wouldn't overreact.

Phone Call: Gentle Thief and La Brava

"Hello," a familiar female voice answered.

"Hi Brava, it's Deku," Izuku announced. "Is?"

"DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" she shouted loudly through the phone. "OH MY GOD! YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE NOT DEAD! THAT'S GREAT! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? ARE YOU OKAY!? OH! OH! GENTLE! GENTLE! GET IN HERE! IT'S DEKU! HE'S ON THE PHONE!"

Izuku sighed. So much for not overreacting.

"DEKU MY BOY!" Danjuro's voice echoed through the phone. "Oh, oh God! When you struggle in Kamino on TV I nearly had a heart attack! Where are you now!? Are you in jail!? No, you can't be if you're talking to me! Are you safe though!? With the whole… recent ordeal, things have been chaotic."

"Okay, Gentle, Brava, I need both of you to calm down," Izuku requested. "Take a deep breath. Then I need you to listen." He waited close enough to a minute until they had finally settled down. "I'm going to take on Hades, and I need your help."

Izuku had expected a lengthy silence from them only for…

"Have you lost it?" Manami asked bluntly. "Completely I mean. I know you said you'd lose it someday, but I at least thought you had a couple of years left."

"No, I'm sane, well, mostly," he replied. "I haven't reached that point yet if that's what you're thinking."

.

.

.

.

.

"In that case, please name the time and place we are to rendezvous," Danjuro finally said.

"Wait, seriously! Just like that?!" Izuku exclaimed.

He'd honestly been expecting a longer massive argument from Danjuro. While had warmed up to the League members eventually, Danjuro and Manami were arguably the first friends he had made in a long time. They weren't even part of the League; he'd met them by chance during his job which happened to coincide with their job. Okay, calling them jobs was a bit of a stretch but the point still stood.

"We've known you for a long time Deku. If you've decided to go through with this there's no stopping you. Also, the fact that you decided it so soon can you've either been forced into doing this, or all your other options have been destroyed," Danjuro explained in a serious voice.

Izuku wasn't remotely phased by his observations. Manami and Danjuro may have been a bit goofy for villains, but they sure as hell weren't stupid.

"I'm sure you'll explain everything when we meet again. However, for the moment you have our full support and cooperation," Danjuro promised. "Until then, stay safe. Oh, and if it's not too much to ask please make our meeting point somewhere that sells tea. It's been a while since all had tea together."

Izuku let out a smile. Some things never change.

"I'll do my best," He promised in return. "I'll send you the details when ready."

The phone call ended then and there.

For the first time since AFO's quirk started to unwind, Izuku wondered if Manami and Danjuro had been aware of his ordeal at Hades as he tried to think of some of their previous interactions. They had mostly been the same, but on a few occasions, Izuku had noticed them a little sad or on edge. It could have been a coincidence, but then again.

"Are they villains too?" Hitoshi asked.

"They are," Izuku confirmed. "A bit different from what you would normally expect but they have some very useful skill sets. Don't worry, they won't bite unless you bite first."

Phone Call: The Crawler

"Hello," a voice he hadn't heard since Hosu called.

"Crawler, it's Deku," Izuku said. "I need your help."

"DEKU! Oh my God! Are you okay? I saw what happened in Kamino and," he sputtered out.

"I'm alive if that's what you're worried about," Izuku cut him off. "Or if I am safe, well, for the moment."

"What do- what's happened?" Crawler asked sounding concerned. "For that matter, where are you calling me from? I don't want to sound rude but, shouldn't you be in jail."

"I technically am. I'm calling from a classmate's phone at UA," he revealed. He heard a gasp on the other end of the phone. "I'll spare you details and get to the point of why I'm calling. I'm planning to raid Hades with the person who trained me along with some other villains, heroes, and even hero students. Will you and your merry band of vigilantes help us?"

There was silence. Izuku couldn't be certain but got the feeling the Crawler's expression had morphed into one of confusion or incredulousness.

"You are probably wondering why I of all people would want to do this. Well, to put it simply, I have a history with the group where they kidnapped me, I escaped while seriously wounding the leader who saw me fighting All Might on TV. Needless to say, he's not happy and wants me back, so I want to take him and his group of elite villains down while they're weakened. There's a bit more to the story but those are the relevant parts," Izuku explained.

Again there was silence, albeit more brief.

"What the fuck!" Crawler muttered.

"I know," Izuku said softly.

"How the fuck did you even? No escapes from there! No one!" the vigilante continued.

"It's a long story. A very long story," Izuku deadpanned. "One I don't feel like sharing over the phone. Will you or won't you?"

What followed was a third and final silence.

"My group were already investigating Hades… it might be a good idea to pool information, especially with someone who knows the place," Crawler said reluctantly. "Why are you involving students in this?"

"I'm not. They're involving themselves," Izuku countered, making sure to leave out Razor's earlier request. Granted, if they chose not to help them Izuku couldn't force them but still.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm doing this but message me a time and place to meet," he finally said. "I have to talk to the others first. No guarantees, I can at least get them to listen."

"That's all I ask," Izuku said as the phone call ended.

Now came the hard part.

Razor's Request

"Let's do it!" Neijire said with (an unusual) intense expression. "We have to save Ryukyu and the others!"

Her mentor and friend were in serious danger. She wanted to do whatever she could to help out.

"I know a hero who can help us. He's a brilliant strategist and fighter and has a very sharp eye," Mirio added. "He and his sidekicks weren't on the raid, so I know they're fine."

"Any chance to test out my super cute babies is perfect! I'm in!" Hatsume declared.

Tamaki was the only one who didn't respond. In fact, he was struggling to come up with one after their bold declarations.

"Am I the only one who expected far more resistance here?" Hitoshi questioned.

"No," Izuku deadpanned.

He had genuinely expected a lot more effort in convincing them. Maybe the stress had gotten to them or something. It certainly had with him.

"So, is that it then?" Jiro asked dumbfounded. "We just get together then go out and team up?"

"I'd imagine there's a lot more to it than that," Momo pointed out. "We still need to get off campus along with Midoriya without alerting anyone else. Assuming your teacher can pull through that is."

"She will," Izuku said with certainty. "If it's her, then she will."

Razor

In the short span, since she'd spoken to her pupil, Razor had already made several important phone calls.

The first being to those heroes she contacted earlier to let them know they had her assistance.

The second is to BUTLER for additional support. Much to her surprise most of the members were swamped with work, leaving her options limited. Fortunately, those limited options were exactly what she needed.

Her friend Magma was eager to join the fight, even more so after he'd learned Ivy was there. Memory would be useful in aiding them in withholding information from Hades, particularly the bitch known as Kioku. Shadow would be perfect for stealth scenarios, especially with the extra effect of his quirk. The Buff Twins would be useful for numerous purposes with their quirks. Sebastien himself offered to coordinate the mission.

So far, things have been going according to plan. There were just the two parties she needed to accept her invitation.

The first would be the hardest. The second owed her a favour.

Razor eyed the street carefully. It had taken a few information brokers and beating up a few criminals to narrow down her location, but all worth it in the end… she hoped.

It was a rundown area where small-time villains usually socialised or his away from the police or heroes. The perfect hiding place for a woman like her.

Though she could not see them, years of training allowed Razor to sense she was being watched. Holding up a piece of paper above her head she turned slowly so that whoever was spying could get a good view of the number on the paper. After two minutes of slow turning, the phone finally rang.

"BUTLER Assassin Infinite Blade Razor," an unfamiliar female voice said.

"The Lovely Lady Nagant," Razor shot back. "Nice to finally make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all mine," Nagant replied softly. "Now, what do you want?"

"Right to the point. I like that," she admitted. "I assume you are aware of the ongoing shitshow caused by Hades and their bastard of a leader Shiro."

"Who isn't?" Nagant quipped.

"Idiots for a start, then prisoners, and finally individuals who have cut themselves off from the rest of the world due to coming to the conclusion that it's an absolute piece of shit, not that I can blame them," Razor listed off. "My apologies I'm getting off point. An associate of mine is planning a raid of Hades involving villains, vigilantes, a few heroes, students, and possibly police if there are any left. Would you care to join us?"

Though she couldn't see it, Razor could tell for the former hitwoman just raised an eyebrow.

"Did the Commission send you?" she asked.

"Fuck no!" Razor denied. "They don't even know I'm here. Besides, I'll be blackmailing them shortly to get their compliance."

"Blackmail?" Nagant repeated. "How did you get dirt on them? Anyone who sells them out has to be dead."

Razor rolled her eyes, and her expression became serious.

"My dear, allow me to give a very important life lesson," she offered. "Underestimating me is a mistake. Underestimating my organization is an even bigger mistake." She paused to let that sink in for a moment. "Whether it's heroes, villains, law enforcement, political factions, prisons, or even businesses, we have dirt on everyone. No matter minor or insignificant. Knowledge is power after all."

BUTLER was nothing if not resourceful. They looked in places normal folks wouldn't dream of looking and they spied on people through methods that would be considered unconventional at best.

"Tell me, is there something you would like?" Razor asked. "Anything at all? If it's within our grasp, we'll get it for you."

This was the best way to recruit or hire someone. With their resources and connections, they could get it. While money was always a good option, it wasn't always what people wanted.

"I want a full pardon, for everything," Nagant finally said. "Then I want out of this country."

Razor didn't ponder over her request for long.

"Deal!" she declared. "I'll need to make a few calls first though. Want to make sure they are on their knees when I make my demands and leave no room for them to breathe. Is that fine with you?"

"I could care less how you torture them. Hold a sword to their necks if you must," Lady Nagant lowered her weapon. "In the meantime, tell me more about the targets."

Dabi

Dabi's eyes shot open at the sound of his cell door opening. Who could it be at this hour? It wasn't even time to wake up.

Much to his surprise, it was a bandaged Detective Tsukauchi.

"Get up! We're leaving!" He informed much to Dabi's surprise.

"What? Why?" the villain uttered confused.

"I don't have time to explain," Naomasa said. "Just get a move on!"

Dabi didn't need to be told twice. He got up and followed the detective out of the prison he was residing in. As they walked, Dabi took note of how few guards there were.

'Wait, don't tell me!' Dabi realized. "I take it things didn't go as planned."

Naomasa refused to halt his stroll. "We lost. I barely made it out along with a few others. You were right. You and Midoriya. You were both right. We should have listened more."

Dabi relented from saying "I told you so". It was obvious enough that the man was distraught about what had happened.

The two men refused to say anymore as they neared the exit and headed towards his car where his partner was waiting.

"A lot has happened since we last spoke. The Commission asked us to get your help; they are using methods that I don't agree with and," he paused. "Never mind. Midoriya will explain it to you. We're on our way to meet with him and a few others now."

As curious as he was about the details Dabi decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being. After all, since he heard about the raid in Kiyashi he'd developed his own bone to pick with Shiro.

Back with Izuku

"So, how long until she gets back to you?" Kai asked. "I mean it's been like several days since you called her. Surely you must be getting restless by now."

"I'm already restless," Izuku countered. "These things just take time."

It had been a few days since the raid failed and he'd contacted Razor, and he had yet to receive an update.

Hi phone began to buzz. An unknown number.

"Well, speak of the devil," he muttered as he pressed to answer. "Hello!"

"It's me," Razor answered. "Tell your friends to get ready and to meet at this specific location at this specific time today. And let the principal know I'm here and to contact me on this number. While I'm speaking with him, walk out of the barrier. The Commission has made sure you won't alert anyone."

Izuku didn't bother to ask how she'd done it. He just did what she asked.

Principal's Office

Razor stood in front of the assembled teachers and principal. Some glared, to which she glared back. Nezu was the only one who appeared calm (on the outside) while Recovery Girl looked stern.

"So, you're the assholes in charge, hmm," Razor mused.

"And you're the bitch who trained Midoriya," Vlad countered.

"Ugh, be polite everyone," Recovery Girl warned. "Introductions are important."

"This is me being polite," Razor informed them. "Besides, no need to hold back boys. You've got something to say to me, say it, fully uncensored."

Her invitation had the effect she was hoping for.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Snipe demanded. "Taking him to a place like Hades for what… a field trip?! Do you have any idea the effect that had on him?!"

"I'll admit, what happened to Izuku at Hades was on me. I underestimated them, and he paid the price for it. I won't make excuses for that," Razor admitted. "The only reason I brought him there in the first place is because I thought it would be a good experience for him."

The faculty stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"And just how, pray tell, is exposing him to a place filled with ultra-violence, death, slavery, and the most dehumanizing circumstances and people, a place he could have and almost did die, a good experience?" Nezu questioned ever so calmly.

"Oh, Nezu," she said smoothly. "You of all people should know just how dark and cruel the world truly is and the places they happen in. It's especially bad when the people who are part of that world have no knowledge of it." She paused to compose herself. "I was assigned by AFO himself to train him should the need arise. I wasn't always going to be part of the League, just until he was done using me. Before that happened, I needed to make sure he was prepared to see things exactly like what he saw in Hades. A child can only be innocent for so long before they need to grow up and witness the harsh reality of life. That's what I was trying to do with him."

"And in the process you painted a massive target across his back," Mic pointed out. "The only reason Shiro is after him to begin with is because of you."

Razor raised an eyebrow. She had expected this type of response, but it was missing a few important accusations.

"Is that it? No, this whole mess is your fault?" she asked. "I mean you're completely right about the effects it's had on Izuku but."

"Ms Razor we are not so narrow-minded as to solely blame you for the entire situation with Hades. They have been around for years accumulating resources and power from under our noses. If anything, it's our fault for letting them come this far," Nezu stated nonchalantly. "The situation with Midoriya, that's on you. Hades in general, not so much. Even if he hadn't met them, it's unlikely the situation at the mall wouldn't have taken place."

Razor didn't need to respond. At least they were acknowledging it.

"Also, there are other ways of helping a student grow that don't involve traumatising them," Vlad pointed out.

"Excuse me for not babying those I teach," Razor retorted. "Unlike you."

"We do not baby them," Vlad argued. "We teach them slowly and properly for when they become heroes."

"And yet you refuse to show them how dark or dangerous your line of work can actually get," she countered. "I don't doubt you've given them explanations, but that's where it ends, isn't it? You never show them the consequences of your failure. You never even show them casualties. Granted, I wouldn't expect you to take them out to witness it like I did. That wouldn't be responsible. Still, you could at least show them footage or videos to convey the seriousness of the situation. That way they know exactly what they're getting into."

This time it was the heroes who had no response. Fundamentally, they knew she had a point, but at the same time, they knew the Commission would never allow them to show such things in the school.

"Why are you here Razor?" Nezu interrogated. "Not that I'm unhappy to finally make your acquaintance, but a woman of your calibre wouldn't just visit us without a reason. And I sincerely doubt it was so we could vent our frustrations with you."

"How perceptive!" Razor complimented. "You're correct. I didn't come to do that or make jabs at you. I came because I was hired."

That stunned them. Almost instantly they were on their guards. Vlad had a blood weapon in the form of a hammer while Snipe pointed his gun at her. Only Nezu remained calm as he took a sip of tea.

"I see," he said softly. "I take it your objective isn't to kill since we would already be dead if you were." Razor nodded. "Who are you working for then? The Commission? The Police? Definitely not Hades."

"Fuck no!" Razor swiftly. "Principal Nezu it would be far easier to convince me to be a teacher at your school than work for that fucker! No, no, I'm working this job for free. Admittedly, the Commission have a small role to play in all of this thanks to a little blackmail. I'm sure I don't need to explain to you of all people how fucked their organization is."

Nezu didn't respond. The other teachers however looked confused. What was she talking about?

"Midoriya called you, didn't he?" Nezu deduced. "He's the one you're doing this for."

"Nothing gets by you, does it? You'd do well at BUTLER," Razor complimented with a smirk. "Yes, he called me at the behest of his classmates who want their friends back safe and sound. Apparently, Shiro made a threatening call to him so he's decided to act before he does. And some of your students have decided to go along with it."

"Absolutely not!" Nezu argued, this time sounding angry. "They are far too young to take part in something of this scale."

"Bit late for that I'm afraid," Razor retorted mockingly. "By now they're probably out of the school, courtesy of the Commission."

"Have you lost your mind?!" Recovery Girl yelled. "After what happened the last time why would you willingly involve teenagers in a mess like this?"

"I'm not forcing them to participate. They're free to leave whenever they want," Razor said coldly. "Besides, even if they don't come along they'll get involved eventually. I know you're smart enough to realize that Shiro won't stop here. He'll keep coming and coming until he gets it all. Of course, that all depends on the other villains. A war is brewing between them, particularly Atrocity, and when it arrives the destruction that follows will affect everyone. If that happens, do you really think you can protect them now that you're understaffed?"

The silence that followed was very uncomfortable. It wasn't just what she was describing, it was also the possibility she was right.

Razor began walking towards the door.

"You're right to worry about them. They could die on this. However, they could die even if they don't. If you try to pull the permission card, then HPSC has already taken care of that. In the meantime, stay back to protect the school and aid your students from afar, all while the group who took them burn," Razor warned.

Hours later

A grand ensemble of heroes, vigilantes, and villains had gathered at the docks in what was assuredly to be a once-in-a-lifetime meeting.

On the hero side, there were the four who escaped who escaped from Hades.

On the vigilante, there was the Crawler, Pop-Step, Knuckleduster, and two he didn't recognize. The first was dressed completely in black with a mask with spiral images. The second had the attire of a wrestler that was similar to Lobo's, however, his was based on a tiger.

On the villain side, there was Gentle and La Brava in their usual attire, Stain, a group of outlaws called Cider House who looked nervous to be here, Dabi, and Lady Nagant much to everyone's surprise.

On the police side, there was Naomasa, Reo, Sansa, a woman with a unique haircut, and two large men with multiple arms.

On the student side, there were Momo, Jiro, Hitoshi, Neito, Neijire, Fumikage, Tamaki, Mirio, Mei, and Izuku.

On BUTLER's side, there was Razor, Magma, Shadow, Memory, Buff and Debuff. Sebastien was overseas but in a perfect position to communicate and direct people.

Magma was a tall muscular man with tanned skin, brown eyes, short dark red hair, and dressed in loose trousers and a sleeveless top, both of which were brown with red flames. He was also barefoot.

Shadow was even taller, though his physique was rather slim. He was shrouded entirely in a black cloak, making it difficult to see his appearance.

Memory was the same size as Razor. She possessed short turquoise hair and eyes accompanied with glasses. She wore a plain white skirt and cardigan decorated with blue flowers and white shoes.

Buff and Debuff were twins who were about as tall as Mineta. Both possessed short hair and heterochromia (a blue and red eye each) and were dressed fully in leather. Buff was female and possessed red hair and only wore red. Debuff was male and possessed blue hair and wore only blue.

It was quite an interesting site.

Izuku knew he shouldn't have been surprised but damn! Razor really came through.

Naomasa stepped forward to speak. "Okay, I'm assuming this is everyone. So, let's begi-"

"Razor!" Stain cried out looking terrified of Naomasa. "That's the demon's brother."

And just like that, everything went to hell… in the most bizarre way possible.

Notes:

Hi there! Well, what did you think of that?

This entire chapter was basically just one giant ass pull because I didn't want to spend chapters trying to bring everyone together. So, sorry if the character interactions seem stupid. I certainly thought so while writing it.

The past year has been busy for me. I got a new job, I got re-addicted to gaming, and I'm watching more stuff than I did before. I am trying to write for each of my stories though, so hopefully that will lead to more chapters this year. I really do want to finish G&E since it's been going on for years.

MHA appears to be ending soon which I'm glad. Horikoshi has brought it a long way and I'm grateful for everything they have done. Looking forward to his next manga which is set to be a horror. I am sad MHA is ending though.

Anyway, please let me know what you think and I am sorry for the wait. The next chapter will see a bit more action and will see some characters from Vigilantes (which I hear is getting an anime adaptation) make an appearance.

Notes:

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I’ve posted most of this story on another site but now I’m posting it here.
You can probably guess what the dark mist was, and what’s next but I won’t say anything. Please review.