EPILOGUE:

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

Life is not like a story. There are no happily ever afters, and the only ending is usually with the oblivion of death. It's also far from neat, tidy, or logical.

Still, perhaps this is the best time to end this particular story, when the children of Class 1-A had had their innocence torn from them. True, some of them had it torn away completely already. They knew how cruel the world was already. Izuku Midoriya was but one of them.

In a way, it acted as a wake-up call. Their childhood was over. The beginnings of adulthood, with all its trials and tribulations and travails, were upon them. And they were far from ready…

Janos frowned as he took the vial of blood from the one who proffered it. Unfortunately, he was prevented from going to the little get-together Izuku and the others were holding today because of his work…plus, his visitor, who came to see him out of the blue. "Why?"

"When I met your little protégé, I noticed her smell," Kain said. "I did my research on her, and eventually, I realised I recognised her mother as one I had had a…dalliance with. Given that she thirsts for blood…"

"You think you may be her biological father?" Janos asked.

"Indeed. I know the vampires are sterile, but…considering your heart no longer beats in my chest, I have been surprising people with such petty preconceptions. If I am her father, I care little if you tell her or not, it makes little difference," Kain said. "That blood should be enough for paternity testing."

Janos nodded, but he shot Kain a look. "Tomura Shigaraki told me he tried to recruit you for his attack on the USJ. Why did you not say anything?"

"Because it was hardly my business," Kain said. "I thought Shigaraki would fail, and miserably at that. As it turns out, I was right."

"A number of children were injured and traumatised unnecessarily, Kain!" Janos snapped. "They could very well have died! And Izuku was forced to kill, again."

"That's hardly a bad thing. A wielder of the Soul Reaver can hardly be squeamish," Kain scoffed. "In any case, he no doubt gained a new ability in the process."

"Which is not the point, Kain," Janos said. "Izuku is not like you. He does not thirst for battle and dominance. He fights to help others. Killing is a last resort."

"To you, and to your wards, perhaps," Kain said calmly. "But there are many who would kill simply because someone raised their voice a little too loudly, or spilled a drink on them, or merely existed. But if it's warnings you desire, then take heed. I've been attacked more than once…by those I thought dead. I was set upon by a churlish brigand who I was certain was one of Overhaul's gang, one whom I know I had killed. I ran him through, and supped on his blood. But before I killed him again, he told me this. The True God comes for you, Kain, to purge this world of the sicknesses of vampirism and Quirks. Janos Audron, Raziel, Ariel, they will all pay the price for defiance, and you most of all."

"The True God?" Janos asked, paling. He'd been told by Izuku about the incident during the battle training class. "…Does his reach extend to this world?"

"Perhaps. He may be reviving and recruiting followers, including Overhaul's gang. The Elder God feeds on souls, thrives on death. If his influence has reached far enough to revive the dead…then he has plans for this world, Janos. I will take the fight to his followers in my usual manner…but the boy, the bearer of the Reaver…he needs to be ready, for the League of Villains is nothing compared to the Elder God…"

In the darkness of a room far away, lit only by the light of flickering screens, a man with a massively scarred head, hooked up to life-support, contemplated matters, like a spider at the centre of a web. He'd received a full report from both Kurogiri and Tomura, though the latter's was considerably more fragmentary than the former's. This was due to Tomura's mental instability and impatience, admittedly, but still…this could be a problem.

The USJ attack had succeeded in its primary purpose, to ensure the debut of his successor made a big splash. All Might would figure out who was responsible for the Nomu, or at least suspect it. The man was a fool, but he wasn't wholly stupid. It was a shame he couldn't reveal Kurogiri's true identity to Eraserhead. As unwise as it would have been, the look on the Underground Hero's face if he learned Kurogiri was actually the revenant of his late friend Oboro Shirokumo would be one to savour. Of course, he intended to reveal who Tomura Shigaraki was to All Might when they clashed for the final time. It was inevitable.

Still, this boy…the one with the Soul Reaver…he could be a problem. The scarred man brought up an image on a nearby screen. Although his eyes were scarred over, he had his screens modified so he could read them via an infra-red sensing Quirk he had taken.

Truth be told, he'd had his eye on Izuku Midoriya, ever since All Might took notice of that boy who killed in self-defence during a mugging…and, according to a police report that took him a long time to get, had absorbed the Quirk of the mugger. And yet, the boy didn't actually have a Quirk, genetically. Which meant that taking such an interesting ability would be nigh-impossible, at least with his own Quirk.

The boy had attacked the Nomu…and if his inference was correct, had absorbed the Nomu's Quirks. Dr Garaki had been livid, and at first, so had the scarred man. But then, as the irony hit him, he had begun to laugh. The boy was like him, capable of taking the abilities of others for his own. Only, he wanted to be a Hero. It was like looking into the mirror. The boy had been much like he had been when young, nervous, trying to find his place in the world. Perhaps one day, he would learn that virtue was a burden, and that power was all.

All Might, and with him, One for All, and any successor he chose, were indeed threats, and would continue to be. But Izuku Midoriya…he was going to be a fine nemesis, for both himself and Tomura. The unexpected player needed for this production of Grand Guignol. Dangerous, yes, but what was life without a little danger? Tomura viewed life as a game, and Izuku Midoriya would be the wild card that game needed.

"Izuku Midoriya," rasped All for One, a vicious grin on his face. "You are worthy…"

Toshinori Yagi was sitting with Mirai Sasaki, as well as Sorahiko Torino, aka Gran Torino, were gathered in the former's apartment. He'd just been discussing the USJ incident…and the horrifying hypothesis that Janos Audron had shared with him. A heavy silence had fallen over them, one which Mirai broke. "Damnation," he muttered succinctly. "All for One has a perverse sense of poetry. Assuming Janos Audron's hypothesis is correct, of course."

"…I think it is," Toshinori muttered. "I feel it in my guts…well, what's left of them. The problem is…neither Nana, nor anyone else, was there to help Tenko. If what the reports claimed was true, Tenko responded to the first bit of real kindness he was given after his father abused him. And to him, All for One would have seemed like a saviour. And even though I couldn't have realistically done anything…I still feel like this is my fault."

"But it's not!" Torino snapped, the diminutive, Yoda-like man shooting his former student a sharp look. "You had nothing to do with Nana's decision. I didn't like her decision either, and after hearing what Janos dug up…well, I'm sure she would have been devastated. Her son was an ungrateful little bastard, and took it out on those who didn't deserve it. He chose to abuse his family, and he paid the price…as did Tenko. And if Janos is correct…All for One now has a protégé."

Toshinori nodded. "But…we have hope. Mirai, thank you again for suggesting Young Mirio. I'm sorry it took so long to…"

"We are both to blame for this," Mirai said curtly. "I pushed too hard, out of fear for your life. But being a Hero is not something you can just stop doing at the flick of a switch. Still…you wish for me to help train Mirio to become your successor?"

"And not just him," Toshinori said. "It was something I have known, even if only subconsciously, for some time, but after speaking with Young Hitoshi, I really do realise it now. I made people too dependent on me, too reliant and complacent. There are plenty of good Pro-Heroes out there who are paragons as good as, if not better than I, but I'm the one people turn to for comfort and for hope. The Symbol of Peace…what a farce. Young Mirio will be my successor as the bearer of One for All, but I need more successors to my ideology."

"Shinso, Toga, and Midoriya," Mirai said, catching on quickly.

"Not just them, but they will be the focal points. They will act as a complete refutation of Tomura Shigaraki, that a destructive, 'evil' Quirk means the wielder is evil. They may not be ideal Pro-Heroes, but they will do well." Toshinori looked to his former mentor. "After the Sports Festival, I'd like to ask you to take them in as interns, or at least Young Izuku. I know Aizawa has his eye on Young Hitoshi, and Kan has his eye on Young Himiko." He then turned his gaze to his former sidekick. "And I'd like you to take them into your Agency, Mirai, for their Heroic Work Studies."

"Understood. That is, of course, assuming they get their Provisional Licences," Mirai said.

"Something concerns me, though," Torino remarked. "The Bakugou kid…something tells me he's going to be trouble. And frankly, UA should never have brought him in in the first place…"

Katsuki had to admit, Endeavour was pretty impressive in person. True, the massive, wood-panelled office (wouldn't that be flammable with this guy's Quirk?) was a blatant bit of dick-measuring, but Katsuki knew Endeavour to be powerful enough that this wasn't exactly compensating for something. So, at Endeavour's direction, he sat down opposite the Number 2 Hero.

"Let's get down to business," Endeavour said, remaining standing behind his desk. "You and I share not only the same backers, but the same attitude to being a Hero. We both know the realities of the world, that evil cannot be tolerated, and only the strictures of a decrepit legal system hold back true, absolute justice. Every now and then, there needs to be a brushfire, for the new growth to arise. We are going to be that brushfire, Bakugou."

"We?"

"I'm not just counting us two. Do you think you're the only Pro-Hero our backers have approached? There's quite a lot of us. And we're going to burn the filth and the unworthy from the world. Plus, I have some friends in an organisation that many would consider Villainous, but they share our ambitions now. They know the day is coming. But the time is not right yet, so you'll have to be patient. Yeah, I know, that's a filthy word, I hate being patient either. But I had to learn the meaning of patience, Bakugou. When the time is right, the bearer of the Soul Reaver, along with any filth who opposes us, will become…ashes. Villains and any so-called Heroes who oppose absolute justice will fall."

Katsuki began to grin. At last, someone who understood! "…You're talking my language."

"I know," Endeavour said, matching his grin. "Already, I can tell you're going to be more useful than my rebellious flawed masterpiece. But…we have to bide our time, as abhorrent as that is. The USJ attack was just the opening shot. War is coming…" Endeavour conjured up green flames, a similar coloured glow emanating from his eyes. "…And the Flames of the Hylden are going to be the victors…"

Coming back to life was a novel experience, Kai Chisaki reflected. Not a particularly pleasant one, true, but still…better alive than dead. And all the more better, since he underwent a much-needed theophany.

He hadn't expected to meet the True God. Not Buddha or Yahweh or Allah or the deities of Shintoism or Hinduism. He spoke to Kai with a deep, paternal voice, fished his soul from the void, returned him to a revitalised body. He'd helped them regain their resources, carefully, covertly. The time to launch their crusade against the sickness infesting the world was not quite right, but it soon would be.

He didn't wear his plague mask these days. His God said he'd never need it again. He certainly didn't break out in hives after touching another.

He smiled as he recalled his God's words: "Patience, Overhaul. Patience and prudence will be our watchword. The diseased ones are chaotic by nature. It is in their very essence to fight one another. Soon, a war will start, one that you can use as the clarion call for your crusade. Take the time to recruit others to your cause. And remember the ones who must suffer most. All for One, the heretic. Janos Audron, the apostate. Kain, the tyrant. And Izuku Midoriya, the worm in the bud. They will suffer for a long time ere they finally return to the Wheel of Fate, a Wheel you must keep turning…"

They were having a picnic at a park. Izuku, his mother, Himiko, Hitoshi, Ochako, Tenya, Tokoyami, Jiro, Tsuyu, and even Todoroki, along with Jin, Iguchi, and Eri. Oh, and let's not forget a pair of ghosts, from another world, in the form of Ariel and Raziel.

It was a small moment of peace and normality, sandwiched between two periods of strife and violence. But it was best for them to get moments of happiness when and where they could. Peace and happiness were ephemeral, but that didn't make them not worth fighting for.

Izuku watched as Eri got acquainted with Dark Shadow, the horned girl tentatively giving the shadowy entity a hug, to the bemusement of said entity, and Tokoyami. He watched as Iguchi and Tenya got into an argument over the former's language, while Ochako and his mother played peacekeeper. He watched as Jiro and Tsuyu discussed things with Todoroki and Hitoshi. He watched as Jin fooled around with his clones, drilling them comically on security routines, acting like he was R Lee Ermey reborn, while Raziel and Ariel looked on with amused smiles on their phantasmal faces.

He felt Himiko tug on his arm. "Hey, Izuku…stop spacing out and overthinking, okay?" the golden-eyed girl asked. "Let's try to enjoy the day, okay?"

Izuku nodded. He looked down at his right hand, the one in which he wielded the Soul Reaver. The Legacy of Kain, a power passed onto him. A power that now conferred on him a responsibility.

Killing the Nomu had reopened old wounds, true. But the USJ and its aftermath had hardened his resolve. He was still going to become the best damned hero he could be, alongside his friends, and save people…even if it was from themselves. Even if he became feared or hated for his abilities. Even if he couldn't become All Might's successor to One for All, he would be one of the many hands holding that torch high, to burn away the darkness, and light the way to the future.

All was not well with the world, Izuku knew that much. But he intended to change that, and for the better. True, it could turn out to be a futile effort, but that was the point of life. To defy what others called fate, to defy injustice, and to make the lives of those who deserved better more so. And with the League of Villains, the Elder God, and who knew what lurking in the shadows, he needed to step up.

He was Izuku Midoriya. And he and his friends were going to be Heroes.

THE END

EPILOGUE ANNOTATIONS:

Whew. You know what? I think that's the fastest I've started and completed a story in a VERY long time, aside from one-shots.

Now, I must emphasize, a sequel is NOT wholly out of the question, but it's by no means guaranteed. I'm setting up the plot points for the potential sequel in this chapter, as well as the various enemy factions. Factions which I will take the time to discuss here.

Firstly, the Elder God's faction, with Overhaul being its patsy. I actually didn't plan this at first (Overhaul was meant to remain dead), and actually wanted to make Endeavour the Elder God's patsy, but I eventually decided that it didn't work. However, the Elder God is canonically able to revive his dead minions (Moebius in particular), and Overhaul, with his fanaticism and desire to wipe out Quirks, fits in well. It is, admittedly, a bit of a cop-out, but I believe I managed to make it work. Basically, the Elder God is using Overhaul as its patsy to feed it more souls by stirring up conflict. It only has a slight hold on the Wheel of Fate of the My Hero Academia universe, but enough of one that it can start to feed on the souls there.

Secondly, the Flames of the Hylden. Basically, the Hylden's faction, composed of a small group of fanatical Pro-Heroes who believe that they could do more. In a way, think of them as a nascent version of the Regime from the Injustice games. While the Hylden are playing them for saps, the Hylden have mellowed somewhat since the Legacy of Kain games. They don't want to commit genocide of all humanity, just take it over by proxy. I've also got a vague idea that the Flames of the Hylden might actually be allied with Re-Destro's organisation from the recent manga volumes, but that's up in the air for now.

Thirdly, the League of Villains. You might think All for One's reaction may be OOC, but I don't think so. I look at him as basically being an anhedonic type who would stir up trouble just to see what happens, and Izuku actually makes things interesting. We know so little of All for One's past prior to becoming a crime lord, so hinting at the fact that his Quirk made him feared long before he became a Villain is a logical surmise. I also view All for One as someone who would take setbacks and interference in his stride.

To him, Izuku's more interesting than All Might because of a few reasons. As hinted, he sees something of himself in Izuku, given the abilities of the Soul Reaver. All Might, he finds boring and aggravating, as it's really the whole vendetta between himself and the bearers of One for All, starting with his brother. But Izuku is something new and curious, and to All for One, being nearly two centuries old and a scientist and collector, Izuku has engaged his interest.

I also like how All Might acknowledges his shortcomings as well as those of the notion of a singular Symbol of Peace. In fact, All Might is probably one of my favourite characters ever voiced by Christopher Sabat. He's a flawed, complex hero, and his final battle against All for One is one of the finest ever done for a manga series. And unlike canon, here, he hasn't been blindsided by Tomura's relationship to his mentor. He's aware that it's only a hypothesis, but he's got a gut feeling (an irony for someone who had a lot of them removed) that Janos has figured out the truth. He's using it to steel his resolve.

Anyway, I hope you guys all enjoyed my first substantial foray into the world of My Hero Academia. Hopefully, it won't be the last, even without a sequel figuring into matters.

Review-answering time! ZLC genesmith: Neat use of that quote.

WearyCurmudgeon: Strength-enhancing Quirks do stack, though whether it is by addition, multiplication, or logarithmically, I have no idea. However, they do stack, as in the manga, during All for One's battle against All Might during Volume 11, he uses no less than three strength-enhancement Quirks and four kinetic-boosting ones. Given that he is confident that that combination, along with a number of other Quirks, is enough to kill All Might who, while weakened, is still formidable, I'd actually suggest that the stacking is logarithmic, or at least multiplies.

Izuku's strength enhancement Quirk that he absorbed doesn't give him that much extra strength. He could probably lift heavy concrete fragments, and possibly a Nomu, but he hasn't used it that much, as he prefers to use the innate abilities of the Soul Reaver anyway, and strength enhancement could prove dangerous if he uses it inadvertently on a vulnerable person. It's mostly a trump card. With the Nomu's soul, though, he could lift a car with ease if he wanted to. TBH, Izuku is probably going to get more use out of the regeneration and shock absorption Quirks, though.

Dragon Man 180: As you saw, his key classmates were fine with it, and TBH, almost everyone were more worried about the hideous monster trying to kill them, and while Izuku killing it did scare them, they're not actually that scared of him, as he did this to save their lives, and his seizure afterwards ensured that any fear towards him was soon replaced with sympathy. Only Bakugou really holds any ill will towards him, but it's Bakugou. At worst, the other students are wary and suspicious, but they are more grateful to Izuku for saving their hides.

Lix231: I'm going to stop you right there. While Nomu had super-strength rivalling All Might's, it's not clear how much was due to a Quirk (though one was no doubt involved) and how much was due to All for One and Dr Garaki's bioengineering. I'm going to peg it down to a mixture of both. And as it would be a strength-enhancement Quirk…that presumably enhances a base level. Izuku is not at All Might's level of strength, even with these Quirks…but perhaps more importantly, he can use strength to a far greater level of control than his canon counterpart. In other words, while technically weaker than his canon counterpart, Izuku can use more strength without breaking his bones.

That being said, yes, he is OP. But Izuku's greatest strength is his mind, so it's less of what he has, and rather more how he uses it. Izuku is still very much a mortal, and he could fall to any number of Villains from My Hero Academia canon, to say nothing of the Legacy of Kain characters. But he also has an arsenal to deal with them.

No numbered annotations this time.