Acceptance

This went on way longer than I thought it would, but this story really flowed onto the page easily. I'm enjoying this, and it certainly makes for a fun little side project to wind down from my more serious original work. Anyway, enjoy.

The girl I identified as Izuku in my head gave a confused and remarkably cute little wordless stutter at my words, seeming to fall into rapid fire mumbling just slightly too quiet and too quick for me to make out. She was probably analyzing what I had just said, overthinking it and plausibly debating aloud if I was a threat to All Might's secret and her training.

Both of which I absolutely was, but I wasn't inclined to tell her that.

All Might's civilian identity laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, startling her out of her increasingly incoherent rambling. His glowing eyes flicked over my prone form but revealed nothing of his thoughts, "Young man, are you alright? You look a tad… sickly."

I can't say I was surprised to be visibly sick given I was half expecting to be a walking bag of pus and maggots, I knew what I was signing up for when I picked Nurgle after all. "Do I? Hmm, I can't seem to recall how I got here." I could play this off as a drunken bender or amnesia if they press, but making myself seem like a confused innocent rather than the herald of miserable death I am seems wise. If they view me sympathetically, they're less likely to lock me up for being a walking biohazard; though, I don't want to play it up too much and get dragged to a hospital.

Not to mention, it'll be easier to get into Izuku's good graces (and pants) if she thinks I need help.

I sit up, thankful for Nurgle taking away any discomfort having sand all over me may have caused as I shook it out of my hair. I was happy to note Izuku hovering over me with her hands out in case I needed help; it seems she still has a hero's heart in whatever alternate universe this is. That will make some things harder, but at least it makes it more likely my knowledge of canon will be useful.

"Well, that's rather concerning. D you know how to get home from here, Mr…" he trailed off, obviously searching for a name.

I contemplated what to call myself in this new life, feeling drawn to taking a new name. I needed something sinister, but in a more subtle way; putting too obvious a reference to a disease would be unwise, and most of those were taken by Nurgle's forces already anyway. My mind slithered over the names of deities and demons of disease and decay for a moment before I gave the world's greatest hero my answer, "Erran. And no, I don't actually know where here is." Though, given the piles of trash all around me I had a rather good guess.

By the look in his eyes, subtle as it was, I think I had hesitated a touch too long in giving out that name. Hopefully I could pass it off as hesitance to give my name to strangers or just having a foggy head at the moment. "This is Dagobah Municipal Beach, my boy; not a place most like to visit. Do you have any idea how you may have gotten here?" I could tell he was suspicious, but only mildly so.

I glanced about the place, "Yes actually, it's coming back to me. I was… looking for something, something that had been stolen from me. My Grandfather told me he heard it may have wound up around here, but I haven't heard from him since…"

+5 Affection with Izuku Midoriya for being in trouble.

I kept my eyes from widening with sheer force of will, shelving that unexpected boon for a time when I wasn't being observed by two of the most dangerous people on the planet.

She jumped forward slightly, doing interesting things to her breast that made it difficult for me to not openly gawk at them. "M-maybe we can help you find it! What does it look like!"

I smiled at her enthusiasm, "I don't actually know; it was a family heirloom, something precious to my Grandfather that he was going to pass down to me, but he never got around to it before…" I trailed off, letting them draw their own conclusions about my supposed grandparent. "All I know is that if Gramps loved it, it'll probably look out of place around here."

She frowned, genuine sympathy in her expressive emerald eyes. I watched her mumble to herself for a little bit before a determined expression settled over her face, "Well, that just makes finding it a bit of a challenge!" She pumped her fist, clearly having affirmed her decision to help me.

I chuckled, having to resist the urge to ruffle her hair; she was like a puppy, but much sexier. "Well, I'd certainly appreciate all the help I can get." I sent a glance to All Might, "So long as your father doesn't mind, of course. Actually, what are your names?" I already knew of course, but it wouldn't do to slip up and call them by name before I was told.

She blushed, her whole face turning bright red in embarrassment, but she notably didn't correct my "mistake". "I-Izuku, I'm Izuku Midoriya."

All Might gave me a wan smile, "Toshinori Yagi, and I suppose I don't mind helping you find this heirloom. Though, don't expect me to help move anything if it's buried under garbage!" His self deprecation was said sarcastically, though he couldn't quite hide the real bitterness in him.

I nodded at them, smiling brightly and ignoring Toshinori's self pity. "Thank you, you've got the hearts of heroes. Well then, we might as well get looking!" I clapped my hands before gesturing at the mountainous piles of scrap metal and garbage around us. Honestly, as far as origins go, an illegal dump does seem pretty fittingly Nurglite; makes me wonder if this trip wasn't quite as random as I was led to believe...

+5 Affection with Izuku Midoriya for comparing her to a hero.

+2 Obedience with Izuku Midoriya for being decisive.

Wow, this girl has serious self esteem issues if it's that easy to get her to like and obey me. Not really a surprise given she likely had it at least as hard as canon Izuku; with subhumans like Bakugou torturing her all the time and battering her self-worth, I'd be more surprised if she was well adjusted. It was fortunate for me, but concerning over all.

All Might nodded, casting his ever shadowed gaze over the rolling hills of trash. "We don't know what we're looking for or even that it's definitely here, so while normally I'd suggest we split up and widen our search area, it may be best to stick together." He glanced at Izuku, briefly locking eyes with her in what I'm sure was a silent question.

Whether she caught what he was silently asking or not she gave us a firm nod, "Alright, we'll look together. Besides, this will be a good opportunity to get a better grasp on what needs to be done to clean this place up anyway." Well, that gives me a decent idea of where I am in the timeline.

After some short deliberation on where to start, we decided to just pick a random direction and start combing through the trash. Throwing all sorts of rotting garbage (from which I'm sure I caught a number of minor illnesses) around, I quickly noted I was noticeably stronger than before, easily flipping over rusting bikes and dented refrigerators one handed: I almost didn't even notice the strain. It wasn't so much that I had gained an immense amount of muscle, seeming more as if my body no longer worried about tearing itself apart and simply let me operate at my true maximal strength whenever I pleased. I'm sure my strength was noted by my companions, but given the nature of this society they likely chalked it up to just being part of my assumed Quirk.

Even with my strength and Izuku's endearing enthusiasm, we had barely managed to cover a third of the beach before All Might decided it was time we took a rest. I felt fine, though I suspected my seemingly inexhaustible nature was a side effect of my inability to feel pain.

As Izuku guzzled water, some of it spilling onto her already sweaty green shirt and making her delicious looking breasts stand out all the more, I found myself gazing into a pool of stagnant water.

I looked over my reflection in the slightly grimy water, noting I had apparently been dressed up in a dark green hoodie and a pair of sweatpants the colour of rotten wood. I didn't have any shoes and my clothes seemed a touch ragged, fraying at the edges and wrinkled all over. I checked my pockets, finding them disappointingly empty; it would have been nice to have my phone or some money on me, but so be it. My dark blond hair was long and unkempt, almost looking matted and having a slight green tinge where it once shone gold in the light. I had always been pale, but now my skin had taken on the pallor of a corpse left to freeze in some dark corner of the distant north and my veins were starkly visible beneath it. The dark rings around my sunken, bloodshot green eyes only served to highlight the feverish light glowing out from within them. I was thinner than I had ever been, looking like I hadn't eaten well in a very long time and my fingernails were an unnatural black.

In short, I looked like a vagabond dying of some sickness; no surprise Izuku was worried for me, cinnamon roll that she is. That big heart of hers is gonna get her in trouble some day, when someone like me decides to take advantage.

I was distracted from my sinister thoughts by the girl in question giving a shout of alarm, "What is that!" I snapped my gaze to the girl, then followed her extended arm to find what she was so concerned about. The moment I laid eyes on it, I knew this was the Plague Father's gift to me.

Jutting out of a pile of particularly foul and rotten trash was a massive scythe, seemingly forged of porous and yellowed bone. It was easily over ten feet long, with an absolutely massive and cruelly curved blade to match. The haft ended in a short spike jutting forth, matching the smaller ones that protruded from the small widened section of the haft where it met the blade. The entire thing had a sinister yellow-green sheen to it, as if it were coated in a thin layer of some repugnant slime. Even from dozens of yards away, I could feel the sickness and filth radiating from this dread blade; it called out to me, resonating with something deep within my rotten soul.

Before I even realised what I was doing, I was already halfway to the blade and waist deep in partially liquid garbage. I could feel disturbed insects crawling over me as I ran, angry flies soothed by my pestilent presence as maggots happily rubbed themselves against me; the feculent bugs swarmed around me, paying no heed to their own safety as I barreled through them without care. A cheerful buzzing grew louder around me as I closed on the blade, the writhing mass parting before me and closing in my wake.

Around the particularly fetid mass of rot and filth from which my blade jutted was a shallow pool of liquified meats and writhing maggots so pungent I could feel my nose hairs curl; I was unbothered, to my tainted senses the smell was perfectly fine, pleasant even. I could faintly hear Izuku and Toshinori shouting at me to stay away from that feculent pit, their voices concerned and alarmed. I was slightly touched that they felt worried for me, even if it was more likely because of their chosen profession than any real care for me individually, but I still leapt into the pit without an ounce of hesitation.

As I splashed down into the gelatinous mass of rot, I could feel a dozen different diseases settle into my welcoming flesh; each one took its place amongst my cells, ignored by my nonexistent immune system but falling under my control the moment they touched me. I could have let the sicknesses ravage my flesh and rot my bones without a touch of pain, but I suppressed the symptoms for now lest my temporary companions grow too worried.

Besides, it would rather spoil my chances of fucking anybody if I let my flesh slough off all the time.

As I approached the blade, I could feel the joy of the flies dancing through the air around me. These distant children of decay could sense in their primitive souls that something grand was in their presence, could vaguely tell in their tiny minds that their master was pleased; my powers may be new to me, but I instinctively knew I could bend their feeble minds to my service effortlessly. Dismissing the revelation, I gazed reverently upon the foul weapon before me.

I could tell it was something truly majestic, even if I didn't recognise it as any famous weapon from Warhammer. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, but I could feel the hidden power that dwelt within. 'What are you?' I wondered silently as I slowly reached out to pluck the implement of death from its rotting resting place, eyes unblinking even as flies crawled across them. I couldn't help but blink when the answer blazed within my mind, words forming unbidden across my thoughts and bringing with them an absolute certainty that they spoke only the truth.

A nameless blade forged from one of Nurgle's own teeth and quenched in his purulent bile; it carries innumerable diseases, each more terrible than the last. Upon being given a name, it will bind itself to its master such that it can never be stolen and can even be stored within their very soul.

I ran my hand along the blades haft, contemplating this newfound ability as I marveled at both the smooth handle and the feeling of hundreds of diseases settling into me from the contact alone. My fingers closed around the haft, lifting the blade from its mouldering bed as if it weighed nothing despite it being larger than myself.

As I gazed upon my new weapon, feeling it pulse beneath my hand as if it were alive, I felt my situation finally sink in. Where before a part of my mind rejected the truth of what I faced, of what happened to me, now I knew this was very real; I would never see my home again, never speak to my family or friends, never even sleep in my own bed. But, for all I had lost, there was much to be gained here, if I had the will to take it. Unbidden, a melancholic smile spread across my face as I held my dread scythe aloft, "I name you… Acceptance."

The blade pulsed happily in my hand a moment before I felt something worm its way into my soul, spreading its tendrils throughout before hooking in and drinking of my essence. As the blade drank my soul, it began to blend into me more and more until even I could hardly tell where it began and I ended; I could feel the blade in my hand as if it were an extension of my arm by the time our two essences fully merged. Acceptance was now as much a part of me as my own flesh and bones, down to the very soul. Joy spread across my face, banishing the moment of melancholy to never be found.

And then I heard the telltale sound of someone running towards me from behind. I turned, seeing Izuku sprinting through the sea of garbage to get to me, her wide eyes full of determination and concern. I raised my free hand, a shout on my lips, "WAIT! DON'T TOUCH THE-"

It was too late, throwing caution to the wind the wannabe hero leapt into the pit of filth and sickness. I have no idea what she thought she could do, whether she was trying to save me from my rotting blade or prevent me from obtaining a weapon; what I did know, however, was that she was dead the moment that slop touched her flesh. Numerous diseases leaked freely from my newly acquired Powerscythe, but I could feel the virulence of Nurgle's Rot prime amongst them; mighty her will may be, but no mortal can resist the Pox Father's greatest gift. She would suffer greatly, rotting alive for days on end as Nurgle's greatest work slowly twisted her body, mind, and soul into a Plaguebearer…

Unless of course, I intervened. There is no cure for Nurgle's Rot, but that doesn't mean I'm exactly helpless to save her. The Plaguefather was not here, nor were any of the gods from the silence I could feel in the Warp; her soul and the sickness that even now was beginning to eat away at it belonged only to me, and I could influence its changes. I couldn't fully prevent the disease from running its course, not at my current power level, but I could ensure her mind remained mostly intact through her transformation and somewhat control what she wound up looking like at the end… if she let me.

I sighed, sending the flies away with a wave of my hand as I vanished my blade into my soul. Ignoring the pleasantly feverish feeling of Acceptance resting within me, I walked towards the heroic girl as she sank to her knees. Blisters and boils were already spreading across her flesh from where the greenish pool of liquid rot splattered across her and I could see the anguish in her eyes as her mouth fell open in a silent scream; the other illnesses were of little concern however, despite their fast acting nature.

I looked down upon her, gently tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear even as she began to foam at the mouth. "You made a foolish mistake, and now you are dying." My words hit her like a powermaul, fear and denial filling her eyes as she tried to speak only for vomit to swallow her words. "This pool of filth is rife with disease, including at least one with no cure. You will suffer greatly over the course of days, and by the time you finally succumb your mind and soul will have shattered and been reformed much as your flesh," I wiped the tears and vomit from her face with my thumb.

I could see the terror on her face as her limbs began to shake, though the sound of All Might in his full hero form landing in front of me was slightly distracting. I spared the hero a glance, noting that he was decidedly not smiling but also that he made no move to approach the apparent biohazard that was killing his heir. He had already pulled out a cellphone, but had yet to actually dial it.

I turned my gaze back to Izuku, finding that her continued and rapid degradation had broken her resolve already. "I can help you, take away the pain and preserve your mind, but I cannot save you entirely. If you trust me, if you let me stay with you while this sickness runs its course, I can use my Quirk to keep you from dying and hopefully from losing your mind. However, you will still be changed by this experience, both mentally and physically. Do you understand?" I kept our eyes locked as I spoke, observing her reaction. Her eyes were pained, but I could see that she understood me as she tried to nod through the seizures beginning to overtake her.

She attempted to speak through vomit and shakes, "Help… me…" Her words were barely audible through her gagging and shaking, but I could still make it out.

I nodded, seizing control of the lesser sicknesses and halting their growth with ease. Her immediate symptoms began to recede as I suppressed the mortal plagues within her, but even then I could still see the beginnings of the soul eating sickness within her taking hold. Her pain eased greatly, but at my level I was unable to truly halt the mighty pestilence.

+30 Affection with Izuku for easing her pain.

I turned my gaze to All Might and called out, "She's very, very sick. I can ease her pain and hopefully let her survive this, but I don't have the power to protect more than one person from a sickness this virulent. We need to get her somewhere without anyone else who could be infected, including doctors, and you…" I took a deep breath, "You'll need to burn this entire beach to prevent the sickness from spreading; if even a single particulate survives, this city and likely this whole island is doomed."

It pained me greatly to order such a bountiful garden torched, but if I wanted to get a harem out of this whole fucking ordeal, I couldn't let Nurgle's Rot sweep over the world and kill all my prospective waifus before I was strong enough to protect them from the plague. All Might, with his weakened immune system from that terrible injury of his, would probably fall sick and die later just from being in my presence but so long as he lived long enough to empower the dying waifu in my arms, I could hardly care.

I could tell the number one hero was dubious, but seeing his apprentice dying in my arms seemed to pull him from his reluctance. "I have a private hospital in my tower, though the public hospital is closer."

I picked the sick girl up in a bridal carry, noting she felt underweight despite her busty nature; something to be concerned about later I suppose. As I walked, I shook my head, "A hospital won't work; this disease cannot be contained by mortal means and I won't be able to prevent it from spreading and save her at the same time. We need somewhere unpopulated and isolated." I frowned for a moment before a thought struck me, "Do you have a yacht? Or even a fishing boat? If we take her a few miles off shore, the disease shouldn't be able to spread to the land so long as we keep her fluids out of the water." I didn't much care if I infected the ocean, but with as mighty as Nurgle's Rot is, I'm decently sure it would survive to kill pretty much everything down there and get to the land before long.

He looked at me, glowing eyes assessing for a long moment before he gave a short nod, "I have several, can you serve as the pilot? With as dangerous as this sickness is, I feel it would be unwise to have anyone else exposed." I could tell he would have questions for me and I was certain he would give me a boat loaded with cameras and hidden microphones to ensure I didn't do anything... untoward.

Not that it would help, by the time I was done Izuku would be mine in mind, body, and soul; I'll hardly need to rape her while she's vulnerable when she'll be eager to serve her new god once the great plague finishes rewriting her soul. As unfortunate as it is for Izuku to wind up a Plaguebearer, this was also a lovely opportunity to secure her loyalty early on. I'd just need to put in some serious work to keep her mind mostly intact, and preferably make sure she winds up as something still fuckable at the end of this.

While I had limited experience driving boats, it would have to do. "I can."

All Might gave me a nod and pressed a single button before raising his phone to his ear, "Hello, this is All Might; have one of my larger Yachts delivered to Dagobah Municipal Beach. Tell the driver to leave the keys in the ignition and flee the area as soon as possible."