Hello...? Is anybody reading this?
Good, then let me welcome you to my new story. Sorry for not being all too active lately. We had some Real Life trouble that had to be taken care of. And, unfortunately, by "taking care" I meant paying lots of money instead of killing someone and dumping them into a river.
Anyways, this is the Reboot (the fourth one, I believe) of the Symbiote Deku story. This time, I tried to make some plans beforehand so that I don't contradict myself in the next chapters. I decided to post it as a separate story instead of slapping it on the posted one in order to get fairer amount of reviews, follows and favorites. Hope you will stay around!
Now, I will wanr you in advance, the story is planned to take a different route from the Canon. How so? I am afraid you will have to read till the end. Ready to do so?
Let's go!
The hero's work never stopped.
That was one of the first lessons Gran Torino shared with him. No matter how many people you saved, no matter how many villains you put behind bars, the work of a true hero never stopped. It was an unfortunate fact, but no less true from it. And Toshinori accepted it. He knew that he couldn't end all things wrong and evil in the world.
He just wished he could end one of them, once and for all.
All For One.
The man that World's Mightiest Hero dreaded and hated with all his heart.
In his entire career as a pro, Toshinori had never faced anyone as vile and demented as that man. The villain had been alive since the emergence of Quirks. And throughout almost two centuries, he had committed countless crimes, through his minions and on his own. When his first attempt at taking over the country failed, he went underground, ripping then powerful yakuza organizations apart before establishing himself as the ruler of the criminal world.
And it wasn't simply brute force that allowed him to gain such power among the fellow villains. No, it went deeper than that. As much as the former leaders of yakuza might have despised him, it was without doubt that they revered him with just as much passion.
All For One, for all his faults, knew how to sway other people's hearts. The loyalty his minions had for him was nothing short of terrifying. They knew he would discard them the moment they served their purpose and yet countless people sought his favor and would happily die for him.
Toshinori had no doubt that, were it not for his predecessors, the man would be ruling Japan by now. But each he tried to take over, the previous users of One For All fought and defeated him. Often, at the cost of their own lives.
Sadly, the same couldn't be said of the man himself. Like a crime itself, All For One refused to die.
Rip out his heart. Freeze him. Burn him. Destroy the very ground he stood on. None of it stuck. None of it mattered. No matter how sure you were that he was gone for good, All For One would always find a way to return. And he would always come back stronger and even more vicious in his pursuit of power and control. He would adapt. His startegy would change. His allies would be replaced.
Only his hunger remained all the same.
If there was one small mercy, it would be that, though he survived, he never left unscarred. No matter how many Regeneration and Healing Quirks he stole, his predecessors pushed those to the limits, burning the powers out of his system. And, with each fight, All For One retreated further and further into the shadows, his own body growing weaker and frailer. While, with passing decades, One For All was passed down onto a stronger user, growing more powerful and refined.
It was soothing knowledge, as much as the top hero hated to admit. If All For One wouldn't die then there was hope that one day he would be in no condition to fight, whatever his plans were lying on the shoulders of whomever he managed to recruit.
Or, at least, so Toshinori believed.
"I was a fool."
He was a fool to think that monster wouldn't find a way out. That man survived all the previous holders of One For All. And Toshinori was a fool to believe the man would be content with watching on the sidelines instead of fighting on the front.
He was an even bigger fool to think there were depths All For One wouldn't sink to. It was naive of him, but deep down Toshinori hoped that the man had some line he wouldn't cross. Something that even he wouldn't do.
"All For One... Just how far are you willing to go?"
This place served as a testament to just how little All For One cared about anything sans his own twisted dream.
The entire complex used to be a bomb shelter, one built shortly after the emergence of Quirks. At first, it was supposed to serve as safe haven from the superpowered people. Then, as heroes became more accepted, it was rebuilt to population during the large-scale disasters or emergencies. And, over the time, it was replaced and forgotten, left to fall to time and rust.
But instead of rust and dust of the ages passed, the place was filled with technology decades ahead of their time. Half of the things here, he couldn't even begin to understand. And the other half so revolutionary the scientists brought here could hardly believe it was real. Cell duplication and regeneration. Bio-augmentations. Cybernetic transplants. Those were but the few terms that he overheard.
All the technology that this place had could help countless people across the world. And yet here it was, used only to prolong the life of a mass murdering sociopath with God Complex. Just another reminder of how All For One corrupted everything he touched.
"All Might, sir?"
"Yes?"
"He is ready for you."
"Thank you."
All his thoughts prior to this were pushed back into the corners of his mind. Ignoring the heated conversations between the swarming scientists, the Symbol of Peace marched on towards the single room no one but himself and other heroes were allowed access inside. A quick swipe of the card and the steel door opened, letting him inside the room of steel and glass.
"I was told you were ready to talk, Ishigai," he looked at the man behind the glass shield. Two weeks of imprisonment and interrogation by the likes of Endeavor and Aizawa didn't seem to have taken any toll on the man. No fear or hesitation. Toshinori could already tell, the man had no intention of revealing anything to him. "Have you finally come to your senses then?"
Ishigai Senbo was a gifted man, known among many for his revolutionary research in the nature of Quirks. How they came to be. How far they could be pushed. He was one of the people Toshiori was proud to know and consider an ally. The same man stared at him now, his amber eyes burrowing deep into the hero's from behind his dirty blonde hair.
"Oh, All Might himself! When will you let me go?" he asked evenly. Not a complaint or a plea, a genuine question. "You do know that you are holding me here against my will, right? I believe that's called a crime."
"This is called an arrest," And one that didn't come without resistance from the man's side. The facility was weaponized, traps and hired muscle used to defend the man and buy him time to escape. An attempt that they successfully suppressed. "We are not letting you go until you tell us exactly what you were trying to do here. What sort of experiments did All For One have you conduct?"
All the records were destroyed and database deleted by the time they arrived. And while the specialists could recover portion of it in time, they didn't have any available. Whatever that was created in the lab here was now loose in the world and had claimed two lives by now. Any second lost in interrogation meant more lives endangered and potentially lost.
"What is the Project 'Payback'?"
The scientist smiled. That special kind of smile that showed he had nothing to fear or worry about. That he was looking forward to them finding about that project.
"Something a little too big for a meathead like you."
His fist slammed against the glass screen, small web of cracks spreading on the surface of it. The entire room shook with the force of that strike but the man remained unmoved. In fact, he looked quite amused and happy with himself, "Isn't the point of the glass shield to keep me inside? I mean, if you are going to break me free, then go for it, but-"
He interrupted, voice shaking as he struggled with the urge to actually break the shield and pull the man painfully through the glass. "Telling us what you know is for your own good. We saw the bodies in those cells. Found footage that shows you putting the missing people through horrific experiments. Trust me, Ishigai, the place where they are planning to send you for that," and they would be fully justified in doing so, "You would not survive a day in there."
"Because I am Quirkless?" the man chuckled, enjoying the silence that followed. "Oh please, no need to feel bad about your own pejudice against folks like me. You are the Top Hero, after all. And it's only natural that the man who has everything thanks to his Quirk would look down on those without it. You heroes, after all, would be nothing without their powers."
"It isn't just the powers that make us heroes, young man. It is our choices and ideals. Our drive to do the right thing no matter the cost," the man stood silent, though clearly not believing his words. "Is this why you work for All For One? Because you feel as if the society shunned you for being Quirkless? Or did All For One promise you power once you have done your work?"
"And what if I told he had no role to play? That All For One just supplied me with some material to work on and then left after I paid what I owed?" Another dry chuckle and amused look. "No, that simply doesn't fit your narrative. Everything has to do with that man for you, doesn't it? As if in your own little world, us Quirkless cannot have any agenda outside our own. As if us Quirkless cannot harm you freaks without some outside help. If only your Quirkless fans could hear you now, oh Symbol of-
"This isn't about being Quirkless or not. This is about you kidnapping kidnapping people, experimenting on them and setting loose whatever monster you created," Toshinori glared him down, eyes blazing and fists itching for something to smash. "This is about you being a cold-blooded killer with at least thirty victims to your name! There were children among the bodies we found, for God's sake. Or are you going to blame that on the society as well?"
For the first time, that smirk fell off. He didn't look angry or upset. But there was some emotion to his features besides the played-up amusement. It was the mixture of disgust and annoyance, as if he was asked answer the same question for the hundredth time. "Are you saying society isn't to blame? That all the years I spent abused and ridiculed for not having some power meant nothing in making me what I am today?"
The man spat on the ground in spite. His frail and thin hand smashed against the glass, the man's eyes burning with pure rage.
"Just because I couldn't breathe fire or shoot some shit out of my hands, I was deemed a failure from birth. I had three doctorates by the time like you only graduated. While you were busy picking the brightest spandex, I was learning every secret contained in human DNA! I know more about Quirks that any of degenerate meatheads like you!"
The man's voice turned hoarse as he roared the last sentence. After three minutes of baleful glaring, Ishigai let loose another sigh, looking positively amused and disappointed.
"And yet, despite that, the world cheers you on like some God's gift. Most of you don't even know how your Quirks work beyond basic most vague functions. But everyone trusts you with their lives simply because of flashy names and bright costumes," he let out a heavy humorless chuckle. "All For One came to me with the offer of knocking you all down a peg. By creating the organism that no hero could take down. By proving once and for all that you were nothing but lucky freaks. That the society was wrong to put all its faith into costumed imbeciles like you!"
He smiled and sat back down on the ground.
"I could care less about what All For One wanted with my research. He could make an army of those and tear this damn country for all I care,"a twisted grin split his face. "Because in the end, it would be me, a Quirkless weakling, that brought the heroes down forever. So go ahead and step inside my cell. Beat any information out of me. Brutalize me until I spill my guts."
He spread his arms and grinned wider.
"Because I've already won."
V
What makes a hero?
It was the constant question on Izuku's mind ever since he discovered that he was Quirkless. To those who were born "normal", the answer was easy. It was powers that made heroes. But, to him - who dreamed of being something he could never become if the society dictated the rules - such simple answer wasn't enough. What did heroes have that made them who they were?
If it was just powers that made heroes, then anyone could be one. No, there must have been something much deeper to it. Was it the power of will that pushed them beyond their limits and fears? Some goal known only to them? Or maybe simple desire to help people?
He always believed that he had something within him that could make him a hero. If not a Quirk, then hard work and determination would be his tools in carving his path as one of the world's finest. No matter how hard it would be, no matter how many obstacles would stand in his way, he would find a way around the fate's plans for him. Even if every single person spat on his dreams or shook their head in disapproval, he would keep on going.
But years passed, and the dream of overcoming the genetic barriers between him and his peers grew weaker and weaker with each passing day. As his training gave no significant results, he was growing more doubtful of his goals. No matter how long and thoroughly he analyzed every single hero and Quirk out there, it wouldn't do him much good if he couldn't do anything by himself. So what if he knew the maximum strength Death Arms had? So what if he knew every single move in Kamui Woods' arsenal?
None of that mattered. At the end of the day, he was still Deku, Quirkless Good for Nothing.
"Midoriya-kun, are you with me?"
His focus snapped back to reality, eyes blinking in an attempt to readjust themselves to the world around him. Old grayish white walls with numerous posters and picture frames all over them, most of them showing different students and the man with short black hair, some grey slowly paving its way throughout the years. The same man sitting at the desk right in front of him.
"S-Sorry, Takarin-san," Izuku mumbled out awkwardly, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Did he doze off during the session again? He really was making a fool of himself, wasn't he? "W-What were you saying?"
The man sighed but smiled immediately, showing neither anger nor irritation. His expression said it all. The guidance counselor was pitying him. Just like the other teachers, the man's brown eyes with square pupils were filled with the same look one would give a crippled child. Not that in the eyes of today's society, there was much difference.
In today's society, being one was no better than being handicapped.
Sounds cruel? It was. Without any doubt, it was cruel to all of them. But it didn't make this statement any less true. No matter how simple or even ridiculous some Quirks may seem, it doesn't change the fact that those born with active Alpha-Gene were one step above those who weren't. Superior physical potential alone put them levels above the 'old' generation of humanity.
Take Eraserhead for example. The man's Quirk was the ability to nullify Quirks of anyone he looked at. But what about all his physical feats? While he operated mostly in secrecy, there was footage and photo evidence of him moving faster than a normal man could. Fighting against villains two or even three times his size. He had been through fires and explosions and survived those with fewer scars than possible.
Comic books always threw such issues off with explanations of "peak human condition" or "power of will". But that was not some comic book, it was the reality. And in real world, being just a Quirkless person already put you at disadvantage.
Strength, speed, stamina and the other physical traits of the Quirk-users were superior compared to those of the Quirkless portion of population. They had a much more potent immune system. While they could contract the same diseases, it always required longer and more thorough exposure to the virus or bacteria to become sick. Additionally, while still under some doubt and speculations, people born with Quirks were reported to recover from diseases or surgeries at a much faster rate with a bigger probability of full recovery.
Quirk users, whether their Quirks were related to it or not, possessed superior physical capabilities, albeit limited to certain degree. While not all of them exhibited the level of strength or speed comparable to those of even Deathgoro or Ingenium, people with Quirks were able to take more serious damage than Quirkless. The only exceptions to these two characteristics were cases when people's Quirks either nullified or countered the effects of the innate abilities given by the Quirks.
In short, being born Quirkless meant you were already three levels lower than those who were gifted with them. Kids could run around, throwing light explosions at each other and suffer only burns and bruises. While a Quirkless person could end up with much more serious damage. Without Quirk, you might as well be a cripple. Without it, you couldn't be a hero. Without it, you were noth-
"You are a very gifted young man," Izuku shook his head, inner monologue pushed back away. He seriously needed to stop falling out of the conversation like that. One of these day, this could get him into serious trouble. "Just because you don't have a Quirk doesn't mean that there are no other ways for you to be a hero."
His words were kind and thoughtful, but at the same time they cut Izuku deeper than any insult or mockery Kacchan and his lackeys threw his way. Their words were filled with disdain and sense of superiority, things that Izuku could somewhat ignore or push back into his mind with the same negativity. But Takarin-san's words had nothing like that in them. They bore the same meaning as the man's actions towards his students: help them find their way in life.
And it only made Izuku feel worse.
They wanted to help him. To make sure that down the road, he wouldn't end up broken over his childhood dream. It was nothing new, after all. Izuku took another - more careful - look at the pictures on the walls. So many people must have come into this office, some with dreams so big and complex that they were simply unfeasible and some with no one there to guide them. And, clearly, in the counselor's eyes, Izuku was the former.
He knew who he wanted to be. But he would never be able to accomplish his dream. So why not help him now and prevent any pain and disappointment in the future? By all means, the man was doing nothing wrong.
Except for wanting Izuku to give up on his dream.
"Thank you, Takarin-san," he bowed slightly before picking up his bag. He didn't need to look to see the man's shoulder slump slightly in defeat. It was no new battle between the two. And it certainly wouldn't be the last. They had an entire year to settle this dispute after all.
"See you on Monday," the man called out as the door closed behind the young man. It was a shame to see a good kid like this one suffer through the harsh reality. It was even harder to be the one to try and show him just how impossible his dream was. While his intentions were good, he needed to understand and acknowledge his limits. Without a Quirk, he wouldn't survive a day in the field.
It was a shame, really. The kid had the heart of a true hero. More than enough times he personally saw Midoriya, weak and useless as many of his classmates labelled him, stand up to the bullies when someone was hurt. Sometimes, he arrived only to see the boy beaten to the pulp. Sometimes kids forgot just how much stronger people born with Quirks were in comparison to their peers. They didn't hold any punches and it showed so clearly.
And yet he smiled. Even as he walked away with more bruises than he deserved. Even as he heard neither thanks nor praise for what he did. Even if the very person he helped looked more embarrassed than grateful for being saved by a Quirkless kid... Despite all of this, his smile never wavered, genuinely kind and hopeful. The smile that said that, as long as he helped even one single person, he would be happy.
Ironically - and tragically, in its own way - the young man never could gather the courage to stand up for himself. He could throw himself to get beaten but never had enough spirit to talk back or confront any of his tormentors by himself. And when he tried to help him, Izuku just changed the topic, obviously not wanting to get Kacchan and his friends involved no matter how long he tried to convince him otherwise.
Bakugou Katsuki... The man couldn't help but sigh at the name of the aspiring hero. He knew that he was a good kid too. Somewhere, behind all the anger and pride, there was a boy who genuinely wanted to be a hero. But, for reasons still largely unknown, he also seemed to feel that he needed to prove himself strongest to everyone. And out of all things possible, he picked brutal force and intimidation as his means to the end.
And these two used to be friends... A lot of friendships never survived school, he told himself bitterly. That was the sad truth you learnt over the years of working with students. Social food chains tended to tear people apart and push them into their own cliques where they supposedly belonged the best.
It was still no less sad as he watched the two boys grow further and further apart through the years here until they turned into a bully and a victim. He tried resolving the issue by inviting both sides' parents but... In the end, it never changed. While physical bullying ceased completely (in the fear of getting his record marked), Bakugou never stopped verbally and emotionally assaulting Midoriya. And the green haired boy himself...
He just lived with that. As if he already accepted the current state of his life as normal and moved on.
He sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose in the mixture of frustration and helplessness. For all the things he could do to help both kids, there was only so much - or rather, only so little - that he could really do. The best thing he could do right now, with both of them stubborn on doing things their way, the guidance counselor could only hope that those two would find the way to either accept his help...
Or resolve the problems on their own.
V
"Well, well, well, look who it is, guys. The good-for-nothing Deku."
The weak would always be preyed on by the strong. Izuku had learnt that lesson early on, when his friend Kacchan became his tormentor and used his power to turn his life into neverending torture and abuse. Those born with power were never taught how to use it responsibly or even be aware of how much influence they had. And thus, they saw it fit to use that power to prey on those weaker than them.
Something that Katsuki loved to remind him personally.
"Back from the visit to the shrink already, huh?" the blonde bared his teeth in a sadistic grin. "Don't tell me he managed to talk you otut of taking a swan dive?"
His lackeys cackled and jeered, somehow amused by the thought of him committing a suicide. Izuku briefly wondered if they actually wanted him to die. He used to think it was just a mean joke, but nowadays it seemed more and more genuine. "Leave me alone, Katsuki... I am not in the mood."
He pushed past Katsuki and his cronies, feeling quite proud of himself. It was nothing big, but he managed to stand up for himself.
"Hey, Deku."
Izuku barely had time to turn his head before he found himself on the ground. There was no explosion, but with how hard he was hit, it might as well have been. He could feel his head shake and bones rattle as the blonde slammed him against the wall.
"I think you are forgetting your place," he hissed, palm close to his face. Izuku could feel the heat build up, ready to go off and scorch him. "It is the next Number One you are talking to, you useless nobody."
Izuku coughed as Katsuki squeezed his shirt collar tighter. He could apologize, beg to be forgiven and let go. But Katsuki was as stubborn as he was volatile so that would be no good. Keeping silent wouldn't make him any less angry. So what was the point of holding his tongue behind his teeth anyway? "As if you could ever surpass All Might..."
The blonde's eyes narrowed, he bared his teeth.
"The fuck did you just say, you loser?"
He could see even Katsuki's flankies back away from their leader, obviously afraid of what the guy would do. But Izuku didn't care. He was just too damn tired by now.
"You think anyone would see you as a hero? You are a bully, Katsuki. Always have been and always will be! Sure, you will beat up a bunch of villains earn yourself a high rank, I don't doubt that. But we both know that no one will ever look up to you. Not because you aren't strong enough, but because you are such a pile of human garbage that no one will ever want to be like!"
A knee to the gut didn't stop Izuku's rant even as he wheezed and choked on his own spit, "You think everyone is just going to hand the title of Top Hero over to someone like you?" A punch to his nose, bones cracking and blood flowing. Another one to the chest and he was almost out of breath. "Even if they do, nobody will acknowledge it! Everyone will see you for who you really are, Katsuki!"
He spat in Katsuki's face.
"Just a bastard lucky to have a strong Quirk."
When he saw Katsuki's eyes widen and teeth grit, something snapped in Izuku. With all the strength he had, he punched Katsuki in the nose. He could feel the bones in both his hands and the blonde's nose crack slightly before the latter hit the ground. He was still conscious and more confused than hurt, the very idea of useless Deku fighting back so ridiculous he had trouble accepting it happened.
So Izuku took this chance and ran.
The shouting and yelling soon followed, accompanied by threats of harm once they caught him. He knew that the longer he ran, the more they would hurt him down when they got their hands on him. Still, Izuku had no intention of stopping or slowing down. He wouldn't make it easy for them now. Not when he finally stood up for himself. And when they caught him, he would fight back as hard as he could.
He stumbled and fell, something caught him by the ankle. He tried to shake it off but to no avail. He turned around and saw the fingers linked tight around his leg.
Shit, he forgot about one of his lackeys. They were catching up to him, less than twenty meters away. No time to look for another way out, he picked up the nearest stone and smashed it against the boy's fingers. A cry of pain and annoyed growl was all the signal Izuku needed to resume running. He rose to his feet and kicked the dirt.
An explosion behind him was followed by a hard kick to his head. His vision blurred and spun as he stumbled and fell. He tried to get up but a heavy foot planted on his head pressed down further into the dirt and dust of the ground.
"Fucking loser..." the blonde growled, making him roll over onto the back with a kick. "You think you can just punch me and run away, huh? Bastards like you should learn their place. I guess it is up to me to remind you where you belong!"
And remind him he did. Each kick and punch all over his body hurt. And every time Katsuki landed a fist or a foot on his body, Izuku could feel just how much he was hated by the blonde. From the corner of his eye, he could see even his lackeys back away, looking hesitant and afraid. Did they think about getting him to stop? It didn't matter. Izuku saw the same expressions from them every time Katsuki went for overkill.
Never once did they try to step in.
It was just how things always were. Katsuki was the ring leader - the main instigator and alpha of the pack. The rest of the class were just followers. As much as they hated Katsuki, they respected his power and followed him when it promised them fun. Some might have considered helping him out at some point. But why would they do that?
Why help a freak like him?
"Do you get it now, Deku?" a foot pressed down on his stomach, drawing a pained groan from him. "This is where you belong, in the dirt with other trash. So do us both a favor and give up on that stupid dream of yours. Last thing I need is some Quirkless loser hanging around the UA once I enter it."
Without so much as giving him a glance, Katsuki motioned for others to follow him. He felt their eyes on him, filled with pity and some regret. Were they thinking of helping him? Maybe calling an ambulance? If any of those thoughts passed through their head, they quickly dismissed them and chased after Katsuki.
And so Izuku laid on the ground, every inch of his body aching. He probably needed to go home. Get some medicine and sleep it off. Katsuki made sure not to hurt his face so if he covered himself up, mom wouldn't notice and worry. Minutes passed and yet he found no will to get up. His body didn't hurt that much anymore. But he had no desire to move from that spot.
"This is where you belong, in the dirt with other trash."
The sheer spite in those words was enough to make him close into himself even further. What was even the point of getting up anyway? So that he could go home, rest and then get beaten up again when Katsuki lost his temper? He told himself he could take another beating and move on but that was a big fat lie. He was so tired of being the victim. So tired of keeping his mouth shut in fear of more pain and humiliation.
And yet, what could he do? No matter how hard he tried, he would never get Katsuki to back off. Seeking help from teachers or other students would be just as fruitless. All he could do was just wait till they graduated and hope they never met again. He rose to his feet with that bitter thought, hissing in pain as he stumbled and fell back on the ground.
"Just how hard did he hit me?" he groaned as he struggled to get back up. Having quickly typed a message to mom about being late, Izuku decided to take his time to recover. Maybe grab a bite to eat on his way. "I really need to get some water."
As he made his way outside of the alley, he bumped into someone. With an awkward quiet apology, Izuku was ready to go to the nearest store. The man, however, didn't accept his apology. Izuku winced in pain as the man grabbed him by his shoulder and covered his mouth. Ignoring his muffled pleas and cries, the man dragged him to very back of the dark alley he just left.
"Oww," he groaned, having been painfully slammed into the nearby wall. Dust and grime fell all over him as Izuku struggled with gathering his breath. "S-Sir? I am really sorry, please let me go!"
The man didn't respond, hands tight around his neck. A quick glance into the man's eyes made Izuku freeze in quiet horror. His eyes were completely black, the thick dark cracks splitting all over the skin around his eyes. His grip tightened and Izuku saw that the man had no intention of letting him live. In panic and desperation, he started thrashing in the man's hold.
But to no avail. Izuku could feel his consciousness slip and weaken, the world in his eyes turning to blur. He could do nothing as the man opened his mouth, splitting his jaw to the point he could fit a whole person inside. A startled cry escaped his throat as Izuku thought he was about to be eaten. To his growing horror, instead of getting swallowed, Izuku saw something crawl out of his mouth instead.
The being of pure black tore its way out, dropping the man onto the ground like a snake would shed its skin. There was no blood but the sight of the man's body, now looking as if it had large portions of flesh removed from under the skin, urged Izuku to run. An attempt that proved futile as the thick black tendrils wrapped themselves around his limbs.
A sickening wet crunch tore a scream out of him. Some people must have noticed it and ran towards the source. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to hope that he would be saved. That thing, however, had other plans and broke him even further. Snapping and crushing his bones, it seemed to delight in his pain. As more and more agony washed over him, the black substance spread over his body.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
He could feel the black penetrate his skin and muscles, tearing its way inside him. With each layer of tissue it tore through, the substance split further into smaller and smaller tendrils. His skin, his flesh, his bones, his nerves and even his blood. Every single cell in his body was being taken over by the black. He was feeling weak... And so cold...
"I heard the scream. Do you need help?"
It was too late. He could feel it now. His control over his body... His very life was slipping through his fingers.
"A kid? Oh my God, what the hell is that?" he couldn't see the person before him. Everything in his eyes was a blur. "Don't worry, I am a hero. You will be fine."
Something stirred inside of him. The black that was now in each of his cell screamed in primal rage. Suddenly, that cold that he was feeling just a moment ago was gone and replaced by the burning hunger. Each part of him cried for blood and flesh of the man before him.
"Just hang in there, son," the man placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. His sight returned, though tinted slightly dark, and he could see the herobefore him. It was the Buster Hero: Air Jet. "I will get you to the hospital in no time."
Suddenly, all his knowledge about the man rose to the surface. No, not rose... He choked on the black mass in his mouth as the pain tore through his brain. It felt like something was ripping every bit of information on the man out of his head. It ignored things like his name and career, picking his brain in search of the desired information. His Quirk and equipment. His strategies and strengths. His weaknesses and flaws.
Izuku instantly knew what it was for and so he resisted. Whatever this thing was, it wished to gain any advantage over the hero that came to his rescue. And to do so, it would use every drop of data Izuku stored in his brain about him. He tried to fight and gain control of his body, but nothing came of it. He was no longer the driver, instead pushed away into the passenger seat of his own consciousness.
"G... Ge... t..." he gurgled and choked. The black rose from under his skin, coating his arm in itself. "... m-me..."
"Don't worry, I will get you to the hospital in no time," the man said as he cradled him in his armored arms. "Don't worry, you will be alright."
"N-No...," he hissed. The black spread across his body. His arms and legs. His torso and back. Until it finally encased him fully in black. "Get... away from... m-me...!"
His warning came too late. Like bullets, numerous spikes shot out of his body. Instantly hardening, they pierced through the man's body between the joints - the places he left with less armor for the mobility. While he was caught off guard, the thing moved him to attack. The black on his fingers sharpened into claws and started striking at his arms where his blasters were.
"Ngh, don't worry, I will get you out of that thing!" Air Jet groaned as he whipped out twin blasters. The barrage of attacks rained down on him but the thing in control of his body moved around them. Leaping and bouncing off the walls, it seemed determined on getting close to the hero.
"Aghh!" a pained cry was torn out of their shared mouth as the hero crashed into him. Pushing his jetpack to its absolute limits, the armored hero rocketed up with him in his tight grasp. Izuku already knew that move. Falling Strike was an effective attack in which Air Jet took his opponent high into the air before dropping them. While in free fall, he would use his blasters to deliver as much damage as possible before crashing into them like a giant bullet.
And since he knew that move, so did the Black.
He could feel the black spread across his armor until it reached his jetpack. The man let out a startled cry as his tech was crushed into a pile of junk. Good ten stories above the ground, the two engaged in violent struggle. Claws and fists and blasters and fangs were used as each wrestled for control. But Air Jet was far too distracted, worried they would accidentally land on one of the civilians below.
Something that Black used.
A straight strike to the jaw. A clawed strike across his chest. Kicking off the man, Black wrapped thick tendrils around his torso and swung. Spinning him around like a toy, the monster that controlled his body smashed him into the ground. He could feel the thing's joy as it jumped on the crashed hero and tore off its helmet. The man was breathing if barely.
And Black had all the intention to change that.
"Hero..." his mouth moved, but the voice that spoke was definitely not his. It sounded raspy and hoarse. The way he was dragging out the words sounded as if he was just learning them. "Kill all heroes..."
"Not so fast!"
Something - someone - slammed into them, the sheer force and brutality of the attack catching him completely off guard. Turning and rolling down the street, Izuku couldn't help but feel relief despite the shattered ribs. As long as his hands remained bloodless, he could handle the pain.
"I have no idea who you are, villain," the lady said, cracking her knuckles in a show of force. "But you better stand down while you still can."
The thing that controlled his body wasn't intimidated. Again, it tore into his head in desperate search of information on the heroine. He tried to suppress it, drowning the creature in stream of useless bits and pieces of hero trivia. Agitated and annoyed, the thing tightened its hold on his heart, the shock and pain making him lose focus just for a few brief moments. But that was enough to give the monster what it wanted.
Black Bullet (previously, Blue Blur), the current thirty-second most popular heroine. Graduated in the same class as Hawks. Her Quirk "Speed Break" allows her to accelerate herself. Her fastest recorded speed is 300 MpH. Her Quirk has a cooldown of ten minutes after prolonged use. During that phase, her reaction seemingly slows down. Her armor, named Shell by the media, increased her strength and durability. In addition to that, it was also equipped with several weapons.
Previously focused on rescue and emergency work, her fellow heroes were slaughtered in vicious attack by the Muscular. Traumatized by her lack of use in combat, the heroine changed her specialty, now solely dealing with fighting villains. Emotionally withdrawn most of the time and easy to provoke during the others, she currently holds the fourth highest number of charges for the use of excessive force.
"Got anything to say, you damn monster?" the lines on her gauntlets lit up, the telltale sign of violent attack. "Or would you rather talk from behind bars?"
The creature grinned, its razor sharp teeth parting as it spoke, "Hero... You are... a hero..." it still struggled with words, now searching Izuku's brain for the others to express itself. "Friends... were heroes too... Right?"
Bullet's eyes narrowed, her fists clenched. An angry scowl split her lips apart as she growled out, "Don't you dare talk about them."
"But friends died..." the creature grinned, its hands shaking in sadistic glee. "Torn. Squashed. Mutilated. While you... ran!"
Her greatest shame, as she told in one of the interviews following the attack. Blue Blur wasn't a combat hero. She got people out of burning buildings and carried them to the hospitals. She brought supplies to disaster areas and searched for missing people after catastrophes.
There were many people that supported Blue back then. She was not suited for combat and she brought help as fast as she could. It just wasn't enough. The heroes all over the country told her she didn't have to blame herself. Media didn't blame her either, ackowledging that the heroine who only recently graduated from being a sidekick couldn't possibly handle the monster like Muscular.
But Blue blamed herself. And hated her presumed cowardice and weakness for getting those heroes killed.
"You damn bastard..." the woman hissed, eyes burning. "Forget the jail! I am sending you over to the hospital for that one."
"Why not the grave?" the thing grinned. "Could say hello... to your friends!"
The creature was about to cackle at its distateful joke. Only Bullet had neither patience nor desire to listen to it, slamming her fists into his chest before it could even make a sound. Her fists, encased in thick black metal, burned. And so did her clawed fingers as she dug them into their shared flesh. Their world turned to a blur as the heroine started tossing them around like a ragdoll.
Bones cracked and shattered and turned to dust in seconds. And just as fast, they were restored. The fact didn't go unnoticed by the Bullet, but Izuku had the suspicion that the woman liked it that way. More bones to break, that probably sounded like a dream for her.
"You regenerate," she said with a small hint of annoyance, though hardly audible with how happy she sounded. "Good, no excessive force charges for me then."
She moved again, this time with short twin blades drawn from her gauntlets. The Black grinned at the sheer bloodlust the woman had. A blade pierced through their shoulder, tearing through the meat and bone until it came out of the other end. "Nice... hit..."
"I was aiming for your heart, asshole," Bullet spat out. She raised her left hand. "Guess I will take your head instead!"
Before the metal could rip off their head, the thing moved. They caught it. And then they shattered the blade into bits and pieces. The same was done to its twin weapon. Caught off guard, the heroine was too slow and had no time to react when the creature grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. Chuckling and eyeing its prey, the monster hissed "No ground... No running... No surviving."
Bullet gritted her teeth, hands reaching for the small section on her hip. With a slight push, the armor's defense mechanism would blind them and give her enough time to counterattack. Having read his mind though, the Black knew what exactly she was trying to do and crushed her fingers. "No tricks..."
Thick black tendrils sprouted from its back and coiled around the heroine's legs. The next second, the horrible screaming was followed by the heroine hitting the ground. Her legs broken in three different places.
"No escape..."
It picked up the biggest blade shard and kneeled before the heroine. There was no real reason for it to her own weapon to kill her. Just the sick thrill and sense of humor was all that the monster needed to choose such way to end her life.
"Say hello to friends..." it grinned. "Hero..."
Only for someone to grab him by the wrist. Another hero? And why all the cheering? Just who could it be?"
"I think that's enough for today."
It took Izuku only glance to realize why the people were no longer afraid. Why the air that was full of dread and worry just a moment ago was so full of hope and excitement. The titan of a man that stood above them smiled confidently, his sheer presence seemingly pushing any doubt of his victory out of everyone's mind. There was no mistaking the man.
"Never fear. For I am here!
It was All Might. The Top Hero and his idol. The Symbol of Peace that Izuku wished to one day stand alongside.
And now...
They were going to fight All Might.
V
Project: Payback was Ishigai's way of getting back at the heroes and the society he believed had mistreated him. An adaptive and sentient artificial life form created similar to Noumus. It was supposed to be the weapon for Quirkless to even the odds with the powered ones.
All For One, however, saw it as the way to restore himself to full health and prime power.
Whoever wore that thing would be enhanced, their whole body becoming basically indestructible with how fast and potent the regeneration properties of the thing were. From what Ishigai told him, the thing would change and adapt to its host's needs and their opponents' weaknesses and strengths as well.
The only reason why All For One hadn't gotten his hands on it yet was how unstable the bonding process was. The proper integration of one organism into another was yet to be perfected. Which meant that right now it wasn't just the civilians around him he needed to save.
But whatever unfortunate soul that was trapped inside the creature as well.
"Whoever you are, know that I mean you no harm," All Might whispered, not breaking hold however. "I know that you are not in control of your actions. I know that you are afraid. But please, if you can hear me, you have to fight this thing. Fight it and we will defeat this monster together."
The creature shifted, its eyes for a moment pained and worried. He could see that whoever was inside was fighting. Desperate to break free. Worried for others and itself. But in the end, the monster won and the creature lunged at him with all the ferocity of a beast.
"I really didn't want to do this..." he hissed, eyes blazing. "If you can hear me in there, sorry but I have no other choice!"
He smashes his fist into the monster's face, disorienting it. Though Ishigai claimed the host could recover from even his punches at full force, All Might didn't risk it and pulled his punches as far as he could. The monster didn't fly into the other end of the street or fall on the ground. It stood steady, jagged razor sharp teeth twisted in a maniac grin.
"Just know this, All Might..." Ishigai's words echoed in his mind. "That thing I created... However primite it may seem, it still is sentient. It can learn. It can adapt. It can evolve in its thinking. And trust me... It will do all of these things if it means more dead heroes. So if you wanna survive the confrontation with it, don't think about a person inside. Just see it as a monster to kill."
It saw through him. It knew he wouldn't fight at full power. Not with the person inside. Not when an innocent life could be lost.
"Or you will become its meal."
But he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill it no matter what.
"All Might..." the creature hissed out. "Kill... You...!"
In a blink of an eye, the monster opened its jaw and dug its blades of teeth into his flesh. What countless weapons failed to do, the simple raw strength of the bite tore through his skin and muscles. Biting back the cry of pain, All Might used the chance to deliver a heavy hit to the monster's stomach.
With a startled gasp, the monster released him from its hold but quickly moved to attack. Snapping its jaws and swinging its clawed hands, there was no logic or strategy to how it moved. Just pure bloodlust.
Or so he thought.
He made another jump back out of the range of its claws. Only for the monster to shoot five black claws at him. The last two minutes of constant clawing was nothing more than an attempt to lull him into the sense of security. A trap he fell into like an amateur.
The thing could access whatever its host knew, the scientist's words rose in his mind. The thing, though sentient, was far too primitive to create complex strategies or plans at its early stage so it had to rely on using the host. And it seemed that whoever was inside was a good damn strategist. Another part of All For One's requests, no doubt.
The creature moved again. All Might prepared to block an attack as the monster charged forth. Only for it to pass by him like a bullet towards the civilians. He barely managed to catch it by its ankle, its axe inches away from one of the officers.
Wait, an axe?
The shock at the weapon in place of its hand cost him a nasty deep cut across his chest. The blood spilled across the pavement, some of the people gasping in shock and horror. This creature grinned as it started raining down hits on him again, driven savage by the sight of blood. Stabbing and slashing and slicing at him with blades and spikes and claws, the monster didn't stop or slow down.
All Might took it all, waiting for the right moment to incapacitate the monster. He saw an opening and was about to use a weaker version of Texas Smash when the sudden cry toe his focus away.
"All Might! Get away from All Might, you monster!" A child, barely older than ten. The officers from behind the line screamed for the boy to get back but he didn't listen. Crying and sobbing, the boy started throwing the pebbles picked up from the ground at the monster with all the desperation only a child could have. "Stop hitting All Might, you big monster!"
The monster stood silent. And then, without any emotion to its voice, the figure spoke:
"Do you want to take his place then?"
And it rushed. The people screamed and turned away, the boy stood frozen in fear even the monster was inches away from ripping him into shreds. In a blink of an eye, All Might was in front of the creature, taking the blades to his chest and shoulders. One of the blades, unfortunately, tore right into his injured abdomen. Bleeding and wheezing, All Might cursed under his breath, "I am sorry."
With those words, he landed the first serious hit in their battle. The sick crunch ripped through the air as he punched the monster's arm in. The monster howled in pain before raising its other arm, this one shaped into a hammer.
And just as easily, All Might crushed it to the point it was of no use.
He promised himself that the whoever was trapped inside would receive the best medical attention possible. But he could no longer pull his punches if the monster was going to attack civilians. He hoped that whoever was inside would understand why he had to go so far. With another quite apology, the hero moved and the creature had little time to react before it was smashed into the ground.
Conscious. Alive. But no longer a threat.
"A... ll... Might..." he looked down, the quiet young voice trembling. "W... Why?"
It was a kid. Just a teenager. His skin was torn in several places, nasty deep cuts in place where his fist connected with the head. One of his eyes was badly damaged, as red as the blood was leaking through the crack in his skull. The black liquid crawled off some parts of his body, exposing its mangled state to the Top Hero. The boy wouldn't make it. Even with the best professional help, the boy wouldn't make it out alive.
"Oh God, what have I..."
The boy was quickly buried underneath the black. A moment of shock was all the monster needed to be in the air. He moved to pursue but froze when he saw countless spikes grow all over the monster's skin. They were not aimed at him, however. But rather the crowd of citizens beneath him.
All Might moved without hesitation, putting himself between the rain of black spikes and the crowd below. They pierced through his skin and tore apart his muscle even further. But he could survive this. He always did.
Sadly, the same couldn't be said for those he failed to shield. He could hear the blood-curdling screams of pain and cries for help. Men and women. Elderly and children. He managed to protect many but not all. Those that he failed to take the hit for, they needed immediate medical attention.
Bleeding and out of breath, All Might could only watch on the monster disappeared into the city, too fast for him to follow in such state.
V
"The Musutafu Police Department continues the search for the unidentified villain."
"All Might refused to make a statement."
"Air Jet and Black Bullet are still in recovery."
"What have I done?"
"My son almost died because of that monster!"
"Just what kind of villain was that?"
"He almost killed all Might!"
"What have I done?"
He's been asking himself this question for the last two hours by now. And yet he had no answer. Or rather, he was still struggling to accept the answer right in front of him. The truth that was screaming in his face from every channel and every site. All of this... He did all of this.
All those people hurting and afraid... All the people in hospitals and emergency rooms... They were all his doing. He was a criminal. No, it went further than that. He was now a villain. A monster who was responsible for so much destruction and barely averted casualties.
He looked down at his hands. Whole and unharmed. He could still remember how his bones in them were crushed to dust and meat was turned into paste. And yet now... There was not a single sign of him being injured. He was fine. He was safe. unlike the people he had hurt.
And what's worse, he felt relieved. He should have been disgusted by it. Why was he fine and healthy when so many people could possibly die because of him? And yet, despite causing so much harm, he was happy to be fine. Not even fine... The changes to his body went further than that.
Izuku barely recognized himself in the mirror. His frail frame and pale complexion, his short height and thin arms, all of it was gone. He stood at least four inches taller, his body now much more muscular and toned. Even his scars and burns marks from all the times Katsuki went overboard were gone, replaced by flawless skin. But those changes paled in comparison to his eyes.
As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, black sclera and eerie green irises stared back at him. And no matter how he looked, he couldn't help but feel how wrong it looked. How these eyes didn't belong to him.
Even without the changes, he could still feel the Black inside himself. It laid dormant for now, possibly exhausted after fighting All Might. After escaping to the other end of the city to avoid the hero, even that thing had to take some rest. He was in control of himself again and yet... He didn't move away from here. Since coming home, he took no step outside his room.
He knew that he should have done something. Hell, he should have gone straight to police and confessed. Or even some specialist and get them to get this thing out of him before it could hurt anyone else. So why was he still sitting in his room? Why couldn't he move and do the right thing like he was supposed to?
"Joining us today, Professor Kutsuzawa of National Quick Research Group. Sir, now that we know that the incident was caused by the weapon created by none other than Ishigai Senbo, do you think that it will reflect negatively on the Quirkless population?"
"Well, Miss Yanagi, while it would be a hasty thing to say, I believe the today's occurrence shows that we should never lose vigilance even when it comes to those born without Quirks. On many occasions, I had the great pleasure of working with Mister Ishigai. And, by all means, he is one of the brightest men I have the pleasure of knowing," the elder man's gaze hardened. "Unfortunately, Mister Ishigai is but one of many men who succumbed to their envy and misplaced hatred. As great as his accomplishments are, I simply cannot deny the sheer immorality of his experiments. One could even call his actions the act of terrorism against the people like us."
"You mean there are more people like him out there?" the reporter prompted. "Do you think that the person inside that suit was also an anti-Quirk extremist?"
"I think we have too little information to make such a claim. But we can look at the evidence of the assault," the screen displayed the footage of the fight. Blurry and low-quality, it still conveyed the picture well enough. "You can see this villain go after Air Jet's flight and Black Bullet's speed, their signature features. While it may have been a purely strategic move, there is no evidence that could suggest it was not done with the aim of making them unable to use their Quirk properly again."
"What do you think awaits the person wearing that suit?"
The man sat silent for a few moments before answering.
"I believe in justice, Miss Yanagi," he said, voice void of any sympathy or doubt. "And I believe that whoever caused all of this will get exactly what they deserve."
Would he be judged guilty? Would the whole world think he was lashing out against the society because he was born Quirkless? The more he thought about it, the less impossible it seemed. The ongoing discussion on the screen before him only fueled his fears. A quick search through the Internet and his mind was set on it. Even if he came out and claimed he had no intention of hurting people, it wouldn't matter.
People were angry and afraid. A very dangerous and volatile mixture. They would look for someone to blame. And he fit perfectly for the role of the scapegoat. He was a Quirkless nobody who had hurt people and the Symbol of Peace himself. In the eyes of the society, he was already a villain, possessed by the monster or not. They would prosecute him and use him as they would a dangerous terrorist.
And their hatred wouldn't stop at him. It never did. They would find mom and go after her as well. They would shun her and put her down. Hell, with how dangerous things got, he had little doubt someone would go as far as assault her. Her life - their whole family - would become the media circus if he revealed himself. And he couldn't stay home either.
That thing... This Black was still inside of him. And sooner or later, it would come back. Staying home would only put mom into more danger than she already was in. The monster inside him wouldn't stop until it broke him. And if it saw how much he loved and cared for mom, Izuku had little doubt it would kill her with special kind of pleasure.
The only way he could protect them both was by disappearing.
He knew that if he ran away, mom would be heartbroken. All he could do was make sure she didn't blame it on herself. That when she didn't find him home after coming from work, she would know that she had nothing to do with him running away. He knew he couldn't prevent it altogether. But it was much better than staying here. She had Katsuki's mom and Izuku was sure she and her husband would help mom through it.
"I am sorry, mom," he said to the empty home once he gathered his things. Some clothes and some food to last him for a while. "I am so sorry."
But it was for the best.
For all of them.
And so Izuku becomes a Runaway.
Some people will call it spoiler, but I think there is no need to hide the fact that he is not going to Yuuei any time soon if ever. I mean, he has power now but it is the kind of power that would get some unwanted attention anyway. And right now he is going to be far busier keeping the Black under control.
So what awaits Izuku now, you may ask? Hope you will stay around to find out.
By the way, if you are interested, I am also doing commissions now. Feel free to contact me!