A/N: I'm glad to see you all approve of Magne joining Bane and thank you for your continued support of this Fic.
Ekurman: I'm glad you asked this chapter should answer that question for you.
Jleeo799: To be honest I hadn't thought about his armor since giving him the quirk but now that you mention it, I'll take it into account.
Austin: Eri will have her part to play, but it'll be a bit of a wait so hang in there. As for Killer Croc or Fries I'm not sure about adding any other DC villains, but it does seem to keep popping up in the comments and it's getting harder not to take that route, so maybe/maybe not.
Now onto the story and Bane's last Recruit?
Bane unlocked the padlock and opened the gate to a scrapyard he'd started coming to when he first started taking his venom. The owner had allowed him access after he'd used his new strength to crush a few cars for the guy until the owner could get his crusher fixed. It was good practice and he'd chosen to forego payment in exchange for having all access to the scrapyard whenever he wanted. The owner was more than happy to accept, and now it would be the perfect place for him to train Magne and Muscular.
The two villains were following behind him as he led them into the very center of the scrapyard allowing the high walls of scrap metal to conceal them. If anyone came by and heard the noise they were about to make they'd simply think it was the crusher going at it. Bane dropped the jacket he'd been wearing on a nearby rusty washing machine. He cracked his knuckles as he looked to his two compatriots. Muscular was ready to start he could tell by the way he was constantly flexing and Magne boasted a calm exterior with her massive magnet lying across her shoulders. "From this moment forward we're a team that means we need to always be in sync, know each other's battle style as well as our own. Until our next assignment we will be in here everyday training until we're a well-oiled machine of battle. Understand!?" He shouted watching Magne and Muscular nod in agreement.
"Don't worry Boss I'm the entire battle machine you'll ever need!" Muscular shouted boasting as usual.
"You're a brute and there's more to battle than physical strength. Brains are needed more than strength." Magne retorted. Bane took this moment as the two argued to take out three of his new Venom patches. He knew each of these was worth about three doses of his previous venom, so taking three patches at once would be nine times as powerful. He took a deep breath normally this would be enough to kill him, but he had to know the limits of his healing factor and it wasn't like he was willing to cut his head off to see if it grew back. He pressed the three patches in a circle around his left bicep under the sleeve.
The drug flowed into his body transforming it immediately as his muscles grew in size to the point his skin began to tear, but his healing factor took care of it as his normal stature of six feet was increased to that of eight. He panted a little the pain of the transformation quickly being overwritten by the tingling feeling of his Regeneration reversing whatever damage was done. "Brain and brawn in perfect harmony is an unbeatable pair, now the exercise is simple." He stated to the two bickering villains as he walked over to a car and ripped the driver side open before tossing it towards the entrance.
"You two need to work together to get past me and honk the horn in that car. You do that the exercise is over otherwise we will do it again and again until you can or until the sun sets. Come at me full force or you won't get anywhere there will be no breaks, if you stop coming for me I'll come for you. If you understand then let the exercise begin." He said taking a combat stance and waiting for them to make the first move.
Muscular smiled as muscle fibers burst from his skin covering him from shoulders to ankles enlarging him to be taller than Bane. "You think I need this guy to get this done?! You're underestimating me Boss!" He shouted as he took off charging at Bane like a freight train. Bane sighed he was hoping Muscular would at least attempt to work with Magne, but as always Muscular wouldn't understand it until it was beat into him. As Muscular came within range he threw a punch, which Bane sidestepped outside the punch grabbing Muscular's arm and using his forward momentum spun and hurled him to the right watching him crash into a pile of scrap.
As Muscular went flying Bane noticed Magne coming up from his blind spot and then swing her giant magnet at Bane's head. I figured Magne would take advantage of Muscular's arrogance and impatience to try and launch a sneak attack. Not a bad thought, but she's depending a bit too much on that magnet. Bane thought as he stepped in close to Magne catching the magnet under his arm stopping it from reaching its full momentum and then threw a punch at Magne's gut. Surprisingly Magne dropped her weapon immediately to dodge back, but neither was aware of how powerful Bane's punch was as the wind pressure created from it shot Magne backwards causing her to tumble end over end before regaining her feet.
Bane was shocked to see how much power he had from his new Venom his shock left him vulnerable as Muscular came from behind him with a punch driving his fist into Bane's back and throwing him into the air and causing him to drop Magne's magnet. Bane coughed tasting blood and feeling pain flood his back before the tingling of his regeneration repair him. That idiot he had a chance to go for the car and instead he came at me. Bane thought as he righted himself in midair and taking advantage of his new found strength shot off another punch wind rushing down towards muscular who blocked with his muscle cloaked arms as dust rocketed up around him.
"Come on Boss give me mor-!" As Muscular pulled his arms away to gloat Bane came down on him with both feet in his chest driving the villain to his back on the ground cratering around the two. Bane crouched over Muscular turning and bringing his arms up in a boxer's block to block Magne's swing as the magnet crashed into his arms. Bane felt his skin tear and bones crack as he was knocked off Muscular and landed sliding across the ground leaving two long furrows in the dirt and then felt his arms begin to heal as he stood up looking at his two cohorts. Muscular was on his back coughing harshly. It was only due to the mass of muscle fibers surrounding his body that Bane hadn't caved Muscular's chest in.
Bane stood up as the dust began to settle he could feel blood running down his arms and grit his teeth as his flesh and bones were put back together. "Alright boys come on you haven't gotten close to that car at all." Bane taunted them as he waved his hand towards himself in a "come on" gesture. Magne looked at Bane and truly understood the power of the man she was working for. Bane wasn't just a musclebound idiot like Muscular no he was a tactician as well. Like he said brain and brawn together are unbeatable. Magne thought to herself
"Look I don't like to work with you, but we have to or else he'll pound us flat!" Magne said as Muscular got to his feet spitting out a bit of blood.
"I don't need you to get this done, just stay out of my way." He said walking forward ready to go again as Magne grit her teeth.
"We can't beat him alone you need to work with me!" Magne tried again thinking how easy it would be to kill this man, but if he did Bane would kill her for sure.
"You do whatever you want I'm going for it!" Muscular shouted as he shot forward once more at Bane. Bane sighed seems it was time to take the kid gloves off. He'd though that by going easy on them they'd naturally come together, but it seems more drastic measures were needed. Bane shot forward as well throwing a punch as Muscular mirrored the action their fists collided sending out wind from their colliding fists blowing away the dust still in the air and shattering some of the windows in the cars. Muscular reared back for another punch, but Bane didn't give him time as he dropped into a crouch circled around behind and grabbed Muscular by his waist and bending over backwards suplexed Muscular who brought his hands above his head to keep from being driven into the ground. The earth cracked under the force of the wrestling move, but Muscular wasn't immobilized.
Bane rolled out from under Muscular as both Villains got to their feet. Bane rushed Muscular going for a flying knee smashing into Muscular who grabbed Bane in bear hug trying to crush him. Bane smirked as he began to pry Muscular's arms away from him no matter how many fibers Muscular piled on he just wasn't strong enough to keep hold of Bane. Muscular's arms snapped wide as Bane gave one final push and then grabbed Muscular's head pulling him into a head-butt dropping the villain to his knees, and just as Bane reared back to punch Muscular in the face a car horn went off.
Bane turned around seeing Magne inside the car he'd thrown towards the front slamming her hand on the horn. "Thanks for holding him off you stupid bastard." Magne said. Bane smirked as he pulled up a groaning Muscular to his feet blood running from Muscular's forehead.
"You two did well, but we're far from where we need to be, but we're getting there. Muscular go back to the hideout Magne you're free to go, we'll meet here tomorrow where the teams will be switched." As Bane was lying out the plan for tomorrow his phone went off. He moved over towards his jacket fishing out the phone he recognized the number as Fat Cat's. He hadn't talked to the underworld broker for some time. Their last interaction was to set up Fat Cat with Bane's own drug. It was a severely diluted version of his venom nothing more than a super steroid, no doubt being used in the sports world, but it kept money in his pocket and Fat Cat satisfied. "What is it Fat Cat?" He asked as he heard the voice of his Broker answer.
"Bane we have a situation. Seems there's a spy in my gang, and I need your help to flush him out, meet me at my warehouse outside the city I'll explain everything there." The phone call was disconnected right after. Bane rubbed his chin as he looked to see Muscular and Magne had left.
"Just as well, I didn't want to tell them about this." He said as he put on his jacket and headed to the train station. The train would take him the majority of the way and he'd be able to work at a puzzle he'd been putting off for a while now. He'd been trying to track the Vampire of Musutafu for a while ow, but the killer was a complete and utter enigma. As Bane stepped onto the train he began to think gathering everything he knew about the Vampire in his head.
There have been at least a dozen attacks all the victims were completely drained of blood; all that wasn't drained was soaked into their clothes. Most of the victims were male aside from one or two female victims, which would suggest a female killer. All the victims were cut repeatedly indicating torture. The wounds suggest a small knife switchblade possibly. Bane ran a hand through his short green hair as he tried to put together a profile for the killer. There was no connection between the victims other than most being adults. They were all average people. What was the purpose of taking their blood? Blood isn't worth much on the black market and if money was the objective knocking over a blood bank would be better. No there has to be something deeper some kind of thrill in killing people and taking their blood. Maybe it has something to do with their quirk?
Bane was broken from his thoughts as the door in front of him opened letting him off. He began the short trek to Fat Cat's warehouse finding it easily and noticed the car parked out front except there was no driver. That was strange; to his knowledge Fat Cat never drove himself anywhere. Bane went up to the door and pulled it open revealing Fat Cat sitting on an old metal drum. Fat cat jumped off it walking hurriedly over to Bane. "Glad you made it. Good news I caught the spy." Bane crunched the metal of the door in his fist the venom still coursing through his body as he glared down at Fat Cat.
"If you caught him why am I here!?" Bane growled slamming the door shut behind him. The thought had crossed his mind to kill Fat Cat especially if his organization was compromised, but he might just kill him for wasting his time!
"Easy there big guy I didn't have him until right after I called you. See it was my driver he got wind I was bringing you here and he tried to off me, so I took him down and then threw him in there." Fat Cat hiked one of his paws at a small bathroom located in the back.
"So why haven't you killed him?" Bane asked staring to walk over to the bathroom.
"Oh figured you'd want to get whatever info out of him after all you're more suited for torture than me." Fat Cat said following closely behind him as Bane opened the door rolling his eyes as he realized Fat Cat just wanted him here to do his dirty work. As Bane opened the door his eyes went wide before he spun on his heel catching the blade that Fat Cat had tried to stab him with. The blade pierced right through the flesh of his palm as he swatted the portly feline away from him.
I can't believe I didn't feel that attack coming! I couldn't feel any killing intent at all. Bane looked at the knife stabbed through the back of his hand as he then looked to the arm he swatted Fat Cat with it was covered in some kind of goop. "Who are you?!" He shouted as he cast an eye back at the corpse of the real Fat Cat in the closet. Fat Cat sat on the lid of the toilet dressed in only his pants while his chest and face were crisscrossed with cut marks. His once orange and black fur stained red with his blood. Seems he'd gone into shock and died of blood loss. From the looks of how much blood had seeped into his pants and dried he'd been here for at least a week. Seeing the corpse in the closet had been the only reason he'd turned around it was only by happenstance that he'd turned in time to stop the knife from cutting his throat.
"Oh you are good. I was sure I was going to kill you right then and there, but of course the mighty Bane wouldn't be killed so easily." Said Fat Cat in the voice of a girl as the feline face began to slip off revealing the face of a young girl with golden eyes and large canines. She jumped away from him landing behind a few boxes. From what Bane had seen the girl was naked. She soon emerged from behind the boxes dressed in an oversized sweater that came to mid-thigh and he assumed nothing else. "The name is Himiko Toga and I'm your biggest fan Bane, though I had no idea you looked so cute under that mask, though you could stand for a bit more blood on you." Bane gripped the knife in his palm and yanked it out as blood splashed on the ground and dripped from his fingers before the wound began closing.
Toga's eyes widened at that as her smile grew bigger. "You really are perfect for me! Anything I do to you, you'll heal from it. I can cut you so much without you dying on me. You're the best come on let me cut you, let me join you!" Bane arched a brow looking back at Fat Cat's mutilated body things began to fall into place.
"You're the Vampire of Musutafu." He said turning back to face Toga narrowly avoiding a knife she'd thrown at him.
"Boo you're really good at dodging for a big guy, but that's fine once I join you I'll have plenty of chances to cut you, so come on let me join." Bane grit his teeth. It was true that he'd been tracking the Vampire, but he had no idea she was this crazy. Then again crazy could come in handy after all he'd redirected Muscular's blood lust maybe he could do the same here, but the fact she was fixated on cutting him was an unnecessary hassle he didn't want to deal with.
"Why do you want to join me? What's in it for you besides cutting me up?" Bane asked her as a blush rose on Toga's face. She'd been obsessed with Bane after watching him brutalize Death Arms. Seeing Bane drenched in the hero's blood it was too much for her. She was in love from that moment forward. She'd done everything to try and find Bane, but nothing seemed to work until she'd heard rumors that this guy Fat Cat knew Bane, so she'd taken him and then replaced him until she could get all the info she needed out of him. It hadn't been easy Fat Cat was either loyal to Bane or desperate to keep his meal ticket, but days of torture will change anyone's mind.
"You're so mean acting like you don't know, but fine I'll play your game. It's because I have a crush on you silly. You're just like me you like to hurt people you know people are only beautiful when they're covered in blood, like you should be!" Toga shouted dashing forward to stab Bane in the chest and shockingly enough Bane did nothing to stop her the blade pierced Bane's chest though due to the growth of muscle the blade didn't pierce enough to be fatal. Bane grabbed Toga hugging her to his chest.
"You want to cause pain in this world to tear it to bloody shreds. I can work with that." He said staring into Toga's golden eyes with his green ones. She was crazy as hell, but in the end he could still use her. Whatever her quirk was it allowed her to infiltrate places, and he still wasn't sure how she'd mask such killing intent, not to mention she was almost a perfect copy of Fat Cat. He needed someone with her skills, or maybe it was the fact a girl was taking notice of him. Bane wasn't going to lie to himself that it felt nice to have a girl after him even if she was nuts.
Toga's face turned beet red at the proximity of Bane's face to hers she could feel his heart beat against her chest as his blood soaked her sweater. Bane dropped her to the ground taking the knife out of his chest feeling the wound close. "That's the only time I'll let you bleed me understand. If you try again maybe I'll make you beautiful too." He said looking at her before throwing the knife back at her making a cut across her cheek as the knife embedded itself in the concrete behind her. "If you're going to join me you're going to be useful. You've been impersonating Fat Cat for days now right? You're going to continue to do so. You're going to make Fat Cat's organization mine." Bane watched Toga clutch the wound on her cheek as she got to her feet.
"I don't want to be him anymore I want to be with you!" Toga said skipping over to him placing her bloody palm on Bane's chest. "I promise not to cut you anymore if you let me come with you." Toga pleaded as Bane sighed thinking of a new plan.
"Fine call Fat Cat's men here. Use his voice make it seem like he's dying and tell his men to come to me with his death. Once they contact me I'll bring them into my fold under the premise that I'll find Fat Cat's killer. Right as you see the men arrive set the place ablaze. They won't have time to investigate too thoroughly not with the police and fire department on their way to contain the fire. This way we both get what we want." Bane said staring down at Toga as she drew doodles on his shirt using their mixed and drying blood. "Are you listening to me?"
Toga looked up at him and nodded. "Sure, sure I heard everything, so where are we going to meet up?" Bane fished an old receipt out of his pocket writing down the address for the scrap yard.
"Meet me there tomorrow." He said walking away from her. Toga had been staring at the bloody palm print she'd left on his chest and then cupped her wounded cheek a smile spreading across her face.
"We each marked the other. We're a couple! I can't believe it, I'm so happy!" Toga said jumping in the air repeatedly before skipping over to the car pulling the keys out of her sweater she started it up and drove the car inside the building and turned it off. Getting out of the car she went to the trunk and found a bottle of antifreeze. She smiled as she took the bottle to the entrance and began to pour it out in a trail leading back to the car where she dumped it right underneath it. Toga walked to the entrance of the building to place the call to Fat Cat's men.
Bane got home later that day and turning on the TV he was able to catch the UA sports festival. He smiled as he watched two students go at it. "I figured they'd do something like this. Hold the Sports festival early so the villains don't have a chance to regroup and attack. That's fine I had no intention of attacking the Sports Festival. Let them have this small win, I'll attack them again once I've got my team in shape." As Bane sat down his phone went off he pulled it out recognizing Kurogiri's number. "What is it Kurogiri?" He asked.
"Sorry to bother you Bane, but I felt it best to let you know that Tomura has taken your advice of gathering allies to heart. Already he's gathered several members, but he has his eye on one man in particular, but I think it's too much for him, and our master agrees with me." Bane grit his teeth having Kurogiri call All for One their master really got under his skin, but he would only have to play this charade for a bit longer.
"So what does he want from me?" Bane asked sitting forward as he took notice of the next two students to fight. If I recall Katsuki was in class 1-A I wonder how many of his classmate will place at the top?
"Well there's no easy way to say this. Tomura has his eyes on a Death Row inmate called Moonfish. Meaning he wants to break into a prison." Bane smiled at this information.
"You know that's not a bad idea Kurogiri I think Tomura has it right, what better place to find villains than in a jail. I'll lend a hand, but this is going to take considerable time and planning if Tomura agrees to this I'll be more than happy to help." Bane said. Like I thought Tomura's desperate to prove himself to All for One.
Kurogiri was sweating he had hoped that Bane would try to talk Tomura out of this, but it seemed the man was more than willing to go along with this madness happy even! Kurogiri swallowed before speaking. "I-I'll see what I can do to get him to agree." He said hanging up.
Bane looked at the screen of his TV as he tossed his phone to the side. "So it seems Katsuki's class had a clean sweep. In first place the son of Endeavor Shoto Todoroki, second is Fumikage Tokoyami." The person in third place couldn't be there in person but the name Tenya Iida was announced. "The son of Endeavor took first place. I'm not surprised he was the kid who actually tried to protect All Might from me. Well I'll have to keep an eye on these three, but for now I need time to plan.