(A/N: Edit made to chapter 15 because a commentor on AO3 pointed out that Bakugou would have recognized Izuku's voice. So I added a paragraph of his reaction when Izuku first introduces himself to 1-A.)

...

Once Chizome was out of sight, Izuku walked to the door and made his way back down to his apartment. The trip didn't take long and before he knew it, he was back in his home. The greenette carefully and quietly closed and locked the door behind him. After taking off his shoes, he tiptoed on socked feet back to his room. As soon as he closed his bedroom door, the teen slumped against it letting out a sigh of relief.

All this sneaking around is exhausting. How does Aizawa-sensei deal with doing that every night?

But Izuku felt it was necessary. That he had to keep their meetings secret. He also knew that meeting a Villain willingly like that was a stupid idea and yet he had done it anyway. Three times in fact. The first meeting was an accident having met unplanned on a random roof. But after that, Izuku couldn't claim the other three as a fluke. Well perhaps the second one as Chizome was the one to choose to come to see him in the first place.

However, despite it being a bad idea, the teen had gone up to the roof to meet him and did nothing after the man left. Not the second time nor the third. No seeking of authority or telling anyone about it except in passing vague comments here or there. Nor did he plan to do so now. It felt like it would be wrong to out Chizome like that after everything he had done for and said to the greenette. He never even planned to share the recording of their meeting tonight.

Oh crap, the recording!

The teen pulled out his phone and as the screen lit up he quickly unlocked it. Having been the last app he used, the ever changing and growing numbers were displayed on the screen. The number was so high when he clicked to paused it that it caused Izuku to stare at it with wide green eyes. They had been up on the roof for hours. And the recording…

Oh gods, I recorded everything.

The exchanging of first names. Izuku's possible transfer and the man's support of it. Chizome's words of pride which led the teen to get emotional. Talk of the man's rise, or rather fall, from Hero-hopeful to disillusioned civilian to justice seeking Vigilante to finally judgement passing Villain. Their disagreement when it came to their views on murder and eventual agreement to agree to disagree.

Chizome is definitely an 'old dog' when it comes to his version of 'judgement'.

The recording also captured when they had spoken briefly of the heartache one feels when almost losing a loved one. Leading to the revealing of the man's involvement in the violent act against the teen's friend's older brother. Both that he had been the one to hurt the Hero but at the same time may very well be the reason that the other man would be able to recover eventually. That Chizome felt guilty about attacking Ingenium.

I never would have expected that of him.

The app had also preserved their talk of Heroes and what Chizome looked for in a true one. Of how All Might had been his standard for many many years, but not anymore. That it was actually Izuku himself that the man saw as the definition of a true Hero. Which had caused Izuku to get emotional again. After which he had set the Hero Killer's sights on the Number Two Hero himself. Hoping that the man's words of promise to at least try to have some restrain would stand.

I really did it. I set the Hero Killer after Endeavor. I almost can't believe I did but it's done. I can't take that back. I know I could have brought it up with the teachers instead, but would they have believed me?

Izuku trusted his new mentors. Really, he did. But the years of being mistreated by authority still made him hesitate. Of being ignored, put down, or even pushed into his bullies' sights on purpose. All because he was Quirkless. Such long built mistrust was difficult to move past. Making him feel that the teachers weren't really an option. Nor his mother either as her efforts, though appreciated, hadn't helped him much before. Pretty much leaving him with only one very much unconventional option.

I want to help you, Shouto-kun. I don't know how this will help but at the time, it seemed the right thing to do. Maybe as Stain, Chizome-san can reveal what Endeavor has done and expose what he's like behind closed doors.

So much had happened in that one meeting. No wonder it had gone on for hours. The ups and downs of the tone of the conversation. One moment filled with prideful tears and the next fearful cowering. Mellowing out to a compromising neutrality and then melancholy filled understanding. Dropping again to stunned distress mixed with remorseful admittance only to rise up slightly to surprised realization after a guilt induced reveal of uncharacteristic aid of service. Leading to concerned outreach and consequential acceptance of a potentially harmful outcome to the request. Ending on a neutral unbiased familial lull that held a sense of reluctant finality as they hugged goodbye.

I still can't believe I hugged a Villain.

He hadn't meant to. Really, he hadn't. It hadn't been planned nor would he have ever thought it a possibility. But emotions were high and Izuku tended to get impulsive in such situations. Which led to his recklessness taking over and before he knew it, he had hugged the Villain. Not once. Not twice. Three times he had hugged the man. Three freaking times in a matter of hours.

Two instinctive and impulsive as Chizome's words had overwhelmed him. The first met with hesitation on the man's part and the second met with acceptance. Then the third. The last one was not impulsive at all nor was it initiated by an emotional Izuku, but by an offering made by welcoming open bandage wrapped arms. Ones that the greenette had run into without hesitation.

Thank goodness there was no video of the recording. I have no idea how I could possibly explain that.

Who knows how people would react if they ever found out about that? Or anything concerning his multiple meetings with the civilian side of the Villain. But the man known as the Hero Killer Stain was more than just a hunter of Heroes. He had conviction and a strong ideal of what a true Hero was. Using that ideal to weed out those that polluted the system with their less than Heroic motives and/or actions.

But more than anything, under the armor, plethora of blades, and behind that ratty mask was just a man. Akaguro Chizome was human just like anyone else. He had had hopes and dreams once. Had aspirations to become a Hero even. Only to find the lessons to not be about helping people as he had hoped but to transform oneself into an image to sell to the public. Not the noble purpose he sought and so rather than suffer the subpar education had left to try anew as a public speaker.

However, his misadventures in attempting to spread his views had led to not. Leaving him feeling lost as of what to do next. Eventually coming to the decision to take it upon himself to cleanse the world of Villainy. Though a bit more permanently than was to Izuku's liking, but there wasn't much he could do to stop the man let alone change the past.

Ten years of training and then added Vigilante activity, he had hit a breaking point in his attempts to rid the world of evil. Finally coming to the conclusion that the real problem wasn't the Villains, but the Heroes who did nothing and failed to defeat them were the problem. Those that craved fame, garnered wealth, or even stooped so low as to ignore or work with the Villains themselves. The ones who claimed the title of Hero but either did or didn't do things that were in contradiction to their promise to society.

I see why you became a Villain, Chizome-san. I don't agree with your methods, but I understand how you ended up the way you did.

Bottomline, Chizome's goals were basically the same as Izuku's. He wanted to help. Perhaps in a rather violent manner but help none the less. The greenette found himself agreeing with the man's conclusion that he was not meant to be a Hero. Izuku wondered how Chizome would have acted if he had managed to go to a Hero high school that actually taught how to be a Hero rather than a walking commercial. If he had become a Hero, would Chizome still have relied on such lethal techniques? Probably a question that would never have an answer.

Izuku let out a sigh and looked down at the numbers illuminated on his phone. The digits that showed the length of their talk and visibly represented all the things they had said. So much had been discussed and a lot of it damning of how close Izuku was to the Villain. Like his analysis, it could be dangerous in the wrong hands. But who is to say which hands those would be? Villains, Heroes, or civilians alike. Whose hands were the right ones and whose were wrong? Another unanswerable question.

I'll keep it for now. I can always delete it later if I need to.

Coming to that conclusion, Izuku hit the save button and then closed the app. He plugged his phone in to charge and double checked that his alarm was set for tomorrow before climbing into bed. He was oh so ready for some hard-earned rest.

The adrenaline of the day had faded hours ago and taking into consideration the emotional rollercoaster today was, who could blame him? From fighting his hardest to place as high as possible in the Sports Festival to learning about Shouto's horrible home life. Mix in the mess that was his confrontation with Bakugou, the emotional evening with his mother, and this most recent meeting with Chizome, you've got yourself a very exhausted Izuku. Physically, emotionally, and everything in between.

Essentially, it was no surprise that once his head hit the pillow, sleep took him quickly.

...

In the dead of that same night, Stain was still active as he ran and leapt across roof tops as he made his way to his destination. The Todoroki estate. It did not take long for him to find the address as the civilian name of the Number Two Hero was well known. Having the name of Todoroki Enji and using it to find his home address gave him insight as to what Izuku had meant about it being easy to find information on someone once you had their name. Though the Hero Killer had thought the Hero Commission would have taken some steps to protect their precious Heroes' personal information.

No matter. Their negligence is to my advantage.

The man was headed to the home of Endeavor to begin his look into the Hero's home life. A task set upon him on the request of the Little Hero. Typically, Stain did not take requests. For the most part anyway as his usual selection process for his next target involved listening to rumors of corrupt Heroes and then scrutinize those chosen few to confirm. If what he had heard was true, the Hero Killer would then stalk the fakes until he found the most opportune moment to strike.

This time it would be no different except for that fact he would be going after a Hero in the top ten. Something Stain had never felt the need to do before. But if the Little Hero himself questioned the Number Two Hero's suitability, who was he to argue or second guess him. The boy had a strong sense of justice similar to his own and if he was concerned that must mean there was something there.

What is it that you want me to find, Izuku? What skeletons is Endeavor hiding in his closet?

Truth be told, Stain had never considered looking into the Number Two Hero before. Yes, there was much talk of ending the fire wielding Hero among the dregs of society. But he had chalked it up to the gripes of those that had been bested. Only complaints about his power and inevitable likelihood to claim victory in a fight. Nothing of him consorting with Villains or ignoring those in need of help. In fact, Endeavor was known to take the initiative and insert himself into any situation that would benefit from his fire.

Perhaps there is something more that I have missed.

Upon reaching his destination, the Hero Killer found it laughable about how poor the security was for the household of Endeavor. One would think the Number Two Hero would be more conscientious about the safety of his family. Stain easily avoided the cameras and infiltrated the estate. He landed on the moonlit roof of the traditional Japanese household.

Slinking into the shadows, the Hero Killer took in his surroundings. Listening for any hint as to why the Little Hero had tasked him to come here of all places. He could hear the rustling of the trees in the slight breeze. The gurgling of water and the thump of bamboo on rock from a souzu fountain as the liquid filled the hollow culm to the point of imbalance and caused the bamboo to drop its load of water into a basin. For the most part, it sounded peaceful there.

Almost.

Coming from a different part of the house than where Stain crouched, he could hear the sounds of a struggle. Expertly, the Hero Killer creeped across the rooftop to where the sounds were coming from. As he neared the building, he could hear shouts of anger and cries of pain which spurred him to move faster. The whoosh of fire and crackling of ice reached his ears the closer he got prompting him to search for a window to see what on earth was going on.

Stain hadn't known what to expect once he found an opening, but what he eventually saw was not it. Down below in a private dojo, Endeavor, no longer in uniform but with his signature flames still ablaze, was sending fiery attacks at one of the children Izuku had fought during the festival. The heterochromatic one with the ice and apparently fire too that had leaked out at the end of their fight. The same one who seemed to be desperately sending out wave upon wave of ice to hold the fire back.

The hidden man watched in horror as the Hero sent hit after hit at the battered boy. Stain was almost too stunned to move but managed to shake himself out of his stupor and took out his phone to record the exchange. This must have been what the Little Hero wanted him to find. He quickly opened the camera, switched to video, and started to record.

Is this what Izuku meant by pushing the next generation past their limits?

Perhaps Endeavor saw it as training but what Stain was witnessing was pushing the limits of the definition of the word. More like a brutal attack against an injured opponent. And he could assume that the boy below was already exhausted from the day's events yet was being forced to fight even more late into the night. The boy should be resting as Izuku was now. Not being forced to fight his own father in a fight that was obviously far from fair.

What on earth possesses a man to attack his own child?

Wanting to stop this but knowing he shouldn't intervene for now, the Hero Killer stood witness to the brutal so called 'training'. Eventually, the boy collapsed to the ground battered, bruised, and burned. The violent exchange of blows finally came to an end and the Hero growled something to the downed figure before leaving the room and the injured boy behind.

Stain stopped the video, staring down at the boy in worry. An odd feeling for the Villain to feel but his meetings with Izuku had left an effect on him. For the better or worse he didn't know but he was affected either way. Thankfully, in only a few minutes, another figure entered the room appearing to be a young woman with white hair with flecks of red scattered about. Like blood drops on fresh snow.

The woman, possibly a sister as she appeared too young to be the boy's mother, ran to the boy as soon as she saw the state of him. She dropped down beside him with first aid kit in hand and started treating his wounds with a concerning practiced ease. Feeling that the injured boy was in good hands, Stain decided to take his leave. After all, he got what he came for.

Again, easily avoiding the sad excuse for security, the Hero Killer left the Todoroki abode. As he ran through the night back to his current temporary home, he considered what he had discovered. Endeavor, the Number Two Hero who was known for his power and win rate, may not consort with Villains but acted in a Villainous way against his own son.

I wonder how far his harsh treatment goes?

Was it only the boy? Or was the supposed sister involved as well? What about other siblings or the mother? To what extent did the father's violent actions reach?

I know he is a powerhouse while in action, and I am no stranger to violence, but even for me this is too much.

Stain considered what he was going to do about this situation. This fake that he didn't even know existed, hiding his own kind of Villainy behind closed doors in the privacy of his own home. Showing no mercy as he does in the streets. Even against a child. His own child.

How vile.

The Hero Killer's research into the Number Two Hero's homelife had only just begun but he already wanted to murder the man. Children did not deserve such treatment. Even if it was with the purpose of the betterment of the next generation of Heroes. You can only push one's limits so much before they end up breaking instead.

As it had with me when it came to false Heroes.

Endeavor was a walking contradiction of holding the title of Hero and serving to protect others only to be violent with his own flesh and blood. Despite wanting to rid the world of such a man who would bring his violent tendencies home with him, the Hero Killer had a gut feeling he shouldn't.

Perhaps the Little Hero is right about murder. If they were dead, they would never face the consequences of their actions. Even then death would be too merciful for Endeavor. He deserves to wallow in a pool of karma for his misdeeds. Against his own family. Shameful.

Now that he knew of the clearly abusive conduct of the fiery fake, it was time to start researching all he could about the false Hero. Starting tomorrow, or rather later today, he would begin scrounging the underworld for any bit, piece, or scrap of information on the Number Two Hero. Attempt to collect as much evidence as he could of the fake's sins and perhaps get them to the Little Hero to do as he pleased.

I will find the evidence of the truth you have set me to seek, Little Hero. Then I will leave it to you and whatever fate is to befall this sham of a Hero. I will help you in this, Izuku.

...

Across town sat a man at a desk going over some paperwork late into the night. Brown hair cut short and shaggy, eyes a golden hue, and a lean figure. He wore black suit pants and shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows paired white shoes, tie, and gloves. A black medical mask covered his lower face to protect him from any specks of dirt or germs that dared to taint his person. On the desk sat a more ornate mask colored red and gold resembling those worn by the plague doctors of old only it was designed to cover the same area of his face as his other mask.

That man was Chisaki Kai or, better known in the underworld as, Overhaul. Acting as current leader to the Yakuza group Shie Hassaikai until the boss could be awaken. Kai was on a mission to restore the world to its natural order. To a time when the blood of this society was not tainted by the infection that sickened this world.

Quirks.

Unnatural powers that are praised and prized in this polluted population, but in actuality was a plague on the public. Ones born into this society over generations and now considered the norm. However, the origins of these powers were less than clean.

Rats.

When Quirks had first started appearing, there was a theory in the science community that the genetic abnormality started as a result of diseased ridden rats. Or more likely the fleas on those rats much like what happened with the Bubonic Plague that had wiped out an estimated 25 million people back in the 14th century. Though this plague was less…fatal, it was still malign to Kai's thinking. A disease he aimed to rid from the world by any means necessary.

He had a plan. One to eradicate the filth that was Quirks while also fulfilling the boss's dreams of the Yakuza rising back to power. Ruling from the shadows once more. At the core of this plan was the boss's very own granddaughter.

Eri.

A girl abandoned by her own mother who blamed her daughter for the death of her husband. Purely an accident as it was due to the child's Quirk manifesting for the first time. Yet the mother still blamed the girl labeling her a cursed human because of her Quirk.

Rewind.

That was the girl's Quirk. A mutation that had no relation to any past powers possessed on either side of the family. An extremely rare occurrence but it happens. When the girl first had come to the Shie Hassaikai she had no knowledge of her Quirk. How it worked, how to use it, or how to even turn it on and off. To this day, she still doesn't.

But Kai did. After countless experiments how could he not. The boss had first charged him to investigate her Quirk saying it was similar to his own. But it wasn't. Rewind was not the same as Overhaul. With Overhaul, Kai could disassemble and then reassemble anything with just a touch. Remaking it into whatever he wanted. But Eri's Quirk…

Rewind represented change.

The child's mutation of a Quirk was exactly what Kai needed to change this world. Use it to rewind this society back to when the people weren't plagued by the disease that was Quirks. That was the end goal anyways after Kai had successfully restored the Yakuza into its previous place of power. A goal he was working to accomplish through the distribution and use of another part of his plan.

Quirk-Destroying Bullets.

After much trial and error, Kai had managed to harness the power of the girl's Quirk and condense it into a drug like form which was then contained in bullet form. When shot, the target would be pierced with the bullet's small needle and disperse the drug that would destroy their Quirk. Damaging their Quirk genes and ridding them from the contamination.

The effect was only temporary. For now. But with further study of the girl's Quirk and her blood, Kai aimed to create a more permanent effect. Eventually working towards that perfect product he could then sell for exorbitant prices to the Villains. Then, with a perfect compliment and cure, the Yakuza group would in turn sell Rewind bullets to the Heroes. Thereby making the Shie Hassaikai the ultimate ruler from the shadows.

But that goal was a long way off. They were still in the testing stage and have been preparing to release some free samples to the public to instill demand. The process to make the bullets was expensive and time consuming. They lacked funds and man power. No one wants to sponsor a Yakuza group that was all that remained of the prestigious criminal underground. An obstacle he would need to tackle eventually if he was to achieve his goal.

I'm doing this for you, Pops.

All of this was not only to sate Kai's need to rid the world of the filth of Quirks. It was also to repay the boss. A man who had taken him in and raised him like a son. Had taught him the ways of the Yakuza and helped make him into the man he was today. The boss may not understand his goals and in fact was stuck in a coma because of that reason. But when the Shie Hassaikai revived the age of the Yakuza with the help of Kai's endeavors to eradicate Quirks, then…then he would understand and thank Kai for all his hard efforts.

He was reading the latest report on the progress of his ongoing project when there was a knock on the door. Typically, at this time his underlings were all asleep unless otherwise ordered to other tasks so he was not used to being interrupted around now. Letting out a sigh, Overhaul adjusted his mask and gloves as he steeled himself for whatever company awaited him.

"Enter," Kai called out from his seat.

The door to his office opened and his second in command Kurono Hari, aka Chronostasis, walked into the room before closing the door behind him. He wore a long white raincoat with the hood up as well as black pants and shoes. On his face he wore his own version of a plague mask, one that was black with a gold trim that covered his whole face and had circular glass portals for his eyes.

The new arrival stood by the door as if waiting for something. Kai eyed the other before nodding his head slightly. At his signal, the man lowered his hood and removed his mask to reveal himself. His eyes were sharp and dark grey under a head of white chin-length hair with the tips appearing arrow-shaped. Similar to a clock hand. The underling approached his desk with a slightly bowed head as a sign of respect to his boss.

"My apologies for disturbing you, Chisaki-sama," Kurono said. "However, I have found some news in regards to the UA Sports Festival that I think might interest you."

Kai let out a sigh in irritation.

"And what, pray tell, could possibly be of interest to me coming from that Hero-syndrome infected hive?" Kai sneered as he eyed the other with a glare.

"There's something unique about this year's first place winner," Kurono pushed on despite his boss's obvious distaste in regards to the school. He held out a tablet in his hand which Kai took from him. "A characteristic that you strive for everyone to have."

"And what characteristic would that be?" Kai asked as he took the device.

"The boy who won is Quirkless, sir," Kurono announced, causing Kai's eyes to widen in surprise.

Turning his attention to the tablet, golden eyes studied the article about the first ever Quirkless winner of the UA Sports Festival. The piece featured two pictures of the boy, one where he sported various Support Items and appearing to be flying through the air flashing a peace sign while the other was of him standing on the first-place podium. The boy appeared plain at first glance with no abnormal features such as horns, wings, or odd skin pigmentation. Except for some freckles on his cheeks that reminded Kai of bits of dirt.

His only other distinguishing features were his green eyes and dark green unruly hair. A further reminder of nature and dirt that would usually make Kai's skin crawl at the uncleanliness. Yet, he found himself not bothered by it when it came to this boy. Because despite the dirt like freckles and plant like hair, the boy was genetically cleaner than anyone in this Quirk infested society.

Quirkless, huh? So rare. So unique. So pure.

For the first time, Kai found himself itching not because of his mysophobia, but with a desire to watch the idiotic pageantry of the UA Sports Festival. A carnival for the Hero syndrome infected masses that he typically ignored. But not this year. Not when there was an apparent angel among them.

...

Reminder for how to access the tumblr since this site doesn't allow direct links. Please use the below format to go to the blog. But with actual punctuation because I had to even spell those out to write this here.

(blog name) period (tumblr) periodcomslash (notes extension)

Tumblr blog name: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic

Notes extension: post/645835125598388224/chapter-60-intrigue