What's up, everyone! Welcome to the brand new story by myself. Based on one of my most favorite heroes of all times: Captain Marvel!
Or as you know him now, SHAZAM!
Read and review. I am really curious what you guys think of the story.
"No, this one is no good either."
The old Wizard sighed as he sent another flawed human being back to her world. And here he hoped she would be the one. She had the sense of responsibility and willingness to help those in need. But again, she failed to resist the temptation. Too prideful. Too sure of her own infallibility.
"The seals are growing weaker, Wizard," one of his Masters spoke impatiently. "Soon they will no longer able to contain the evil you've imprisoned."
"I am well aware of that," the old man sat down on his throne. "But we cannot be careless in our choice. The next Champion must be pure of heart. Or else we shall only gain another threat to deal with."
"And what if you fail to find that pure-hearted person and pass away?" the God questioned. "What happens should you fall before the next Champion is properly trained?"
"Then I simply won't fall," the Wizard said as stared the God down. He might have been their servant but he would not have his commitment questioned. "I shall find the worthy candidate and train them into the Champion the world shall rely on in its darkest hour."
Zeus remained silent before quietly retreating back into the old man's staff.
"For the sake of both realms, I pray that I can find him."
Z
"You got into another fight, son?"
Izuku used to keep quiet about the bullying. He didn't want to get mom involved because Kacchan's mom was her best friend. And when his attempts to bring it up with teachers failed, he decided he was better off staying quiet. He had long since accepted that Kacchan wouldn't stop messing with him. But now he at least had someone to talk about it with.
Izuku looked up at the owner of the shop, "Not much of a fight when you don't hit back."
Mister Murakao chuckled sympathetically as he placed a hot bowl of katusdon in front of him. Izuku could feel his mood improve as he took the smell in. Much as he loved mom, the man's katsudon was unbeatable in terms of taste and price.
"What pissed him off this time?"
"I guess it was sort of my fault," Izuku said with a small sad chuckle. "We had a guest speaker today, the Unstoppable Heroine: Bullet. She talked about her Quirk, some new equipment and Kacchan... Well, Kacchan decided to hackle her on how her Quirk is dumb because she can move only in direction."
The rest of the students picked it up fast.
"Let me guess, you had something to say about it?"
"I-I did," He only said they were wrong but the entire place immediately grew quiet, all eyes suddenly on him. "Kacchan wasn't happy with it though. So after all was said and done... Well, now you know why I got this black eye."
Murakao hummed in disapproval, obviously pissed that the teachers did nothing about it. But then again, who was he and who was Kacchan? Kacchan was a genius. As rude and obnoxious he was, he consistently scored in the top five percentile of the class. Nobody doubted he would become a hero too. And Izuku? He was smart but he wasn't a prized student.
Which made the choice for teachers easy enough.
"Guess that's what you get for being goo- Ouch!" Izuku hissed as Murakao slapped a wooden spool against his palm. "W-What did I do?"
"You were spouting bullshit there, Midoriya," the man glared. Not in anger or disappointment, however. "Being kind and helping others is never wrong. And pushing others around is in no way a sign of strength. Trust me, Kacchan will learn that in his own time. And you better keep that cynical shit out of your bright big head, okay?"
Izuku smiled, "I will try."
Having paid for his meal and promised for a second time to hold onto hope, Izuku left. On his way to the train station, he couldn't help but go back to the words of Murakao. Izuku wouldn't call himself a cynic but he couldn't claim to be an idealist either. Kacchan bullied and pushed everyone around but was praised and encouraged to become a hero. Was it really fair? Was it just?
"Ugh, I should just stop thinking about it," Izuku sighed as he got onto the train. he was only going to make himself feel worse by thinking about it too much. "I should head home before mom gets worried."
Maybe if he wasn't distracted by the news on his phone, Izuku would notice something off about the train. Not just the complete absence of anyone but himself. But the strange atmosphere in the air itself. But being too consumed by the latest rumors on All Might, he paid it no mind. Until the train began to go faster.
Izuku cried out in surprise as the train stopped going dangerously fast. His phone fell out of his hands and smashed against the back wall and Izuku was too focused on clinging to his seat for his dear life. Eyes wide in shock and panic, he looked outside the window and could only stare in bewilderment at the streaks of lightning on the other side of the glass.
Finally, all of a sudden, the train came to a halt. The doors opened as the voice announced the arrival. Afraid but curious, Izuku stepped outside the train and into the complete darkness. He looked at the train, now only finding his section of the vehicle stuck in the middle of nowhere. Was he dreaming this up? He tried to pinch himself awake but to no success. Wherever he was, it was real.
A part of him wanted to sit down and just wait for someone to save him. But his gut told him to try and find an exit.
He trusted the latter.
"H-Hello? Is anyone here?"
Nobody responded. But Izuku could swear he was heard. A weird feeling, like when you talked to someone but they ignored you. He felt someone watching him the shadows. In anticipation. In judgement. In apathy. None of the emotions spelled anything good for him.
"Whoever you are, this is not funny!" He hoped the anger hid his fear well enough. "I am warning you, there will be people looking for me!"
Then again, if this person could just randomly kidnap anyone on a whim, how much of a threat were his words? Shit, just what could they even want from him? He wasn't anything special. He wasn't rich or famous. He wasn't a hero or even related to one. He was just a kid, for God's sake. What could they possibly want from a kid?
As he continued to try and understand why anyone would abduct him, the list of reasons grew smaller. And with that, his worst fear seemed less and less unrealistic. He wasn't kidnapped for random or some sick revenge. No, much worse than any of that, he was kidnapped by some serial killer for their own amusement. Shit, shit, shit! He had to get out of here. There had to be an exit somewhere!
"Izuku Midoriya," The young man froze as the several voices spoke at once. "Follow my voice."
There was a light before him. Warm and welcoming, it illuminated the path made of white stone. Surrounded by nothing but the cold darkness, Izuku quickly stepped to walk the path before him. Maybe it was a trap. Some sick cruel joke of his kidnappers they played before gutting him like a fish. But he didn't like his chances of walking through the complete dark either.
With each step he made through the path, Izuku saw flashbacks of his life. The first time he saw a hero. All the times he played make-believe with Kacchan and others. The crushing truth of his condition. The years of bullying. Was it the effect of one of the kidnappers' Quirk? Or was he just seeing his life before it ended?
His thoughts came to halt as he found himself at the center of some sort of throne room.
It looked so old and abandoned, the seven thrones covered in dust and moss of the ages. Just what was this place? And where were the voices that guided him here? "Please, whoever you are, I just want to go home!"
He felt no shame in feeling afraid. He felt no shame in begging to be let go. And why would he? He didn't want to die, as pathetic as that might have sounded to some. So he pleaded and begged, hoping that whoever brought him here would take him back to his home. His pleading didn't last much longer before the powerful voice interrupted him.
"Enough," the voice interrupted and Izuku's eyes were drawn to the figure sitting on one of the thrones. He looked blurry, as if he was hidden behind some fog or veil. "Your affinity for magic is weak... But then again, so is everyone's in this day and age."
Magic?
"I-I... I don't understand... What are you talking about?" Izuku walked up to the man and kneeled. "Please, just let me go home!"
The man stared at him judgingly. With each passing second, Izuku saw the man more clearly. His grey compexion. His white dirty beard. His snow white old robes. His golden staff with the lightning bolt on its end. The man looked like a wizard from all those stories he read as a kid. And yet he looked so much more tired and so much less cheeerful than the kind and gentle wizards from the child books.
"Why did you bring me here?"
The man answered bluntly.
"To save the world."
His only response was to stare in confusion and disbelief.
"Long time ago, the magic - a gift from the beings we grew to know as Gods - existed alongside your kind, young Midoriya," the old man traced his finger across the air and summong forth the golden dust. Without any other command, they started forming the pictures of the days long gone. "It was the power that was used for the greater good of all. But as the humanity grew in numbers and intelligence, there appeared those who corrupted this gift."
Figures of black dust appeared and spread chaos across the world.
"The Gods have chosen the worthiest of mortals to become the humanity's Champions and we were able to seal the evil away along with the knowledge of magic. For centuries, the seals were being held by the humanity's remaining belief in the magic and miracles." the Wizard's tone grew somber. "But now the seals are growing weaker. The ancient evils can no longer be contained," his eyes focused on Izuku, burrowing into his very soul. "The world needs a new Champion."
And that was supposed to be him? The fear and doubt gave way to hope and dream of the past. But that didn't make any sense. He couldn't be a hero! He was Quirkless. Unless... Unless the magic the man spoke of was real. With this magic, could he be the hero he always wanted to be? The hero he knew he was able to be if given a chance?
"I... And I can be that Champion?"
The old wizard's eyes narrowed. And once more Izuku could feel his memories float back to the surface. Now he knew why. He was being judged. The wizard was looking to see if he was worthy of this power.
"You are young... But you wish to help others. And you still long to see the good in others as well," the man mused. Not a confirmationg of his worthiness. But not a rejection either. "You have the potential in your soul. But it is not I who shall decide to make you the Champion."
The man struck his staff against the ground, summoning the lightning into the throne room. Six figures of light rose one after another as the old man approached him with the air of wisdom and importance. Standing so close to the old man, Izuku felt the power he could never imagine existing. The power far above and beyond that of any hero or even all heroes combined!
"It is up to them."
The Gods.
Izuku wasn't a religious person. He grew up believing that whatever good and bad was in the world came from the people, not someone up in the sky or down below. But the moment he saw the six figures surrounding them, something deep within him told him that the giants staring down at him were nothing if not the Gods themselves.
"Gods of the Pantheons, does this man have what it takes to guard this realm?" the old man spoke, his voice as loud and powerful as thunder. "Is he worthy to be your Champion?"
The Gods began to speak. He had no idea which language each one of them spoke in. He swore he recognized some traces of Japanese in the words of one of them. But not nearly enough to figure out their judgement. Their faces, obscured and unclear behind the veil of bright lightning, were impossible to read as well. Which left him to stand quietly awaiting for their judgement.
'They will not choose you.'
He looked for the source of the voice but found none. It sounded too real and too close to be a trick of his imagination.
'Don't show that you can hear us. Or they shall banish you immediately.'
He willed himself to look as calm as he could. The voice chuckled at that. But not in mockery, but rather genuine delight.
'The Wizard and the Gods have been searching for the Champion for countless years by now. You are just the lastest one among the long line of candidates they picked. They won't choose you.'
'You don't know that,' Izuku spoke in his mind. 'I could be this Champion. I know it.'
'True,' another voice spoke out. 'But why would you wish to be one?'
'To be a hero,' was Izuku's immediate response. 'To help people. To save them and fight for them when they cannot do it on their own.'
'A noble goal. But one that proves itself fruitless every single day.' the third one said apathetically. 'Tell me, Izuku, do you honestly believe that the world is a good and fair place? That the life will reward good people and punish the bad ones?'
Yes, Izuku wished to say but couldn't. The answer got stuck in his mind as the memories of his own bullying came to mind. Would Kacchan ever really get his comeuppance? Would any of the guys like him ever answer for their actions? He wished he could say they would. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't lie to himself like that.
'You have a noble heart, Izuku.' he could practically feel the hand on his shoulder as the fourth presence made itself known. A pair of soft and warm arms embraced him as the voice whispered in his ear, 'But Gods have no need for a noble man.'
'Then what kind of man do they need?' Izuku asked incredulous. If it was not the good and pure heart they sought, then what did they want in their Champion?
'An obedient man,' the fifth one hissed. 'One that shall enforce their will on the mortal world. That's what Champions are for, after all. They do whatever it takes to make sure their Gods are revered and worshipped.'
'B-But that's not fair!' Izuku protested. That didn't make any sense. Could these Gods and Wizard be the villains? 'So I will be forced to do whatever they tell me even if it is not the right thing?'
'Yes,' the sixth one spoke calmly and rationally. 'But there's a way around it. We can help you become the hero this world needs.'
He could see it. The world where everything was fair and just. In his world, there would be no injustice or cruelty. He would make sure of it. The weak and good would be protected. The corrupt and evil would be judged and punished for their crimes. Yes, that was what the world would become under his watch. And if any of villains tried to stop him, he would send them where they belonged.
He looked at the Gods, who still argued over his worthiness. But now he saw them not as titans of bright light but as cruel and self-absorbed tyrants in the making.
'...What do I need to do?'
'When they try to send you home, the Wizard shall have you place your hand on the staff,' the seventh one spoke, instilling determination in him. 'You must take it away from him and then summon us forth. Prepare, young Izuku, their verdict is ready.'
Izuku took a deep breath and looked at the Wizard and the Gods.
"Izuku Midoriya, we have made our decision. Please, come forth."
He did so and stood before the Wizard, eyes placed firmly on the staff.
"The Council of Eternity is ready to bestow the power of Gods upon you," the Wizard smiled proudly, even as Izuku's eyes widened in surprise. "From this day forward, you shall become the realm's Mightiest Mortal and the Champion of the Gods. Place your hand on the staff so that I can bestow this power and responsibility upon you."
He was chosen? But the voices said... No, he couldn't hesitate now. Those voices could still be right. Even if he was chosen, the Gods could still be corrupt. Yes, that was it. There was no way these Gods could be trusted. But once he had their powers, with the protection of the seven voices, he could make the world into utopia only he could create.
"I am thankful, Wizard..."
He placed the hands on the shaft and felt the power flow through his veins.
"... But you and your Gods are not what this world needs."
Wrestling the staff from the man was surprisingly easy. Following the instinct, Izuku slashed the air with the weapon and sent a wave of electricity at the old man. Before he or his Gods could attack him back, Izuku raised the staff and smashed its tip against the ground. With his blood aflame with power, his voice thundered through the hollow space and into the sky:
"AGILIAS!"
That was the word the voices told him would protect him from Gods. The equivalent to their own summoning spell. He braced himself, fully ready to take on the mission of changing the world for the better.
Only to collapse onto the cold floor a second later.
"W-What happened...?" he looked at his hands, no longer feeling the power from a few moments ago. He glared at the Wizard and the Gods. "Just what did you do to me?"
"I tested you, young Izuku," the Wizard spoke, voice full of disappointment. "The voices you heard? They were of my creation - a spell to see if you could resist the temptation and lies of the enemies the Champion is to face. You might have a good heart. But it is not pure of sins."
Seven mists rose around Izuku as he could only helplessly listen to the old man's judgement.
"Pride. Wrath. Sloth. Lust. Envy. Greed. Gluttony," his voice grew louder and anrgier with each word. "Those are the Seven Deadly Sins that threaten the humankind. Those are the Sins that I see in your heart!"
Sins in his heart... What was his prideful of? When did he ever show Greed or Gluttony? No, the Wizard was wrong. He was wrong! He had to be wrong, for God's sake! He wouldn't rebel if not for the test! The voices said the Gods were evil, how was he supposed to just accept the servitude under them?!
"Bullshit!" he roared. "Your test is pure bullshit, you asshole! How could I ever accept the servitude under the Gods if they were evil? Doesn't my readiness to go against you prove I am worthy? I was ready to fight Gods to make the world a better place, is that not good enough? Is that not what a hero would have done?"
The Wizard nodded in agreement.
"Your readiness to protect the world is admirable," the old man sighed. "But you are not the first one who believes they know what the world should be. You have seen the injustices of the world and you wish to stop them. But you also see yourself as the only one who knows what is best. And, if given such power, you wouldn't stop at anything to make the world as you see it fit."
A wave of the hand and the world around them changed. Izuku saw his perfect world. Clean and just. No criminals. No bullies. Everything was perfect. The beatiful picture was soon twisted as Izuku saw the same clean streets running red with blood. Statues of him at every corner as people hurried away from his wrath.
At the center of his perfect world, Izuku saw the mountain of bodies from which all that blood came. Villains, heroes and ordinary citizens were layed upon one another into the hill of corpses - upon which Izuku sat with his eyes ever-judging all that he could see.
"N-No, that's not right! That's not m- I... I can change," he whispered. He could change. He knew that monster wasn't him. "With your guidance, I can be better! Please, just give me a chance to prove myself worthy to you!"
The old man was silent. And for a moment, Izuku allowed himself to hope that he would still become that Champion.
"I am sorry." the man said, his tone not allowing any argument. "But we have no time for flawed candidates."
Izuku tried to protest and ran at the old man. In a flash, however, he was gone from the throne room.
Wizard sighed at yet another failure. The Gods - or rather, their remnants - retreated back into his staff. How long has he been searching for the one true Champion? How many humans have failed due to their own Pride or Greed? He wished he could remember the exact number but that has been lost to time centuries ago. He had not a minute to spare on his regrets and musings.
He could feel the darkness grow stronger with each day.
He knew that the dark forces the Council had sealed would soon come back.
"I must continue on."
There had to be someone worthy.
Z
"Midoriya, is my class that boring to you, young man?"
A few snickers and chuckles and another condescending sneer from their teacher. There was a time when Izuku would feel embarrassed by it and hide his face in his notebook. But now it seemed so much smaller and less significant.
The world was in danger from the ancient evil, apparently. And magic existed as well!
And Izuku blew his chance to be a hero.
'Would I make a good Champion though?' Izuku wondered as the class ended. It has been three weeks since the faithful encounter with the Wizard and all this time the green-haired teen spent asking himself the same question. 'Am I really not worthy to be a hero?'
Izuku always thought he could make a good hero. But maybe that was the Pride the Wizard mentioned? That he was so absorbed in his idea of being the underdog the story that he never saw his own flaws? If he got the power of Gods, could Izuku honestly say he would never be tempted to use to get even with Kacchan and the rest of his bullies?
He used to think he wouldn't.
Now he wasn't so sure.
"Oi, Deku, the hell are you doing up here?"
Izuku sighed as he turned to Kacchan and his cronies. He loved to have lunch on the roof - he could enjoy his food alone without anyone bothering him. What was Kacchan doing here though?
"I was having lunch, Kacchan. So just leave me alone and be an asshole somewhere else," Izuku snapped. After being denied a chance to be a hero, he found himself just so angry at everything. Unfortunately, that wasn't unnoticed by the blonde and Izuku found himself on the ground with his foot pinning him down. "K-Kat-"
"You fucking nerd..." the blonde growled as he pressed down on his stomach. "The hell do you think you are. huh? Or did the worthless Deku ginally grow some fucking balls and spine?"
He didn't answer, only glaring in response. This was just wrong. The Gods judged him unworthy and why? Because he hated Kacchan? Because he was angry at the years of bullying and abuse? What was he supposed to do? Always smile and think of an excuse for Kacchan and his lackeys being assholes to him? Was that what Gods would consider a worthy Champion?
"You know, Deku... I really pity you," Kacchan smirked. "Dad who is never around. Mom who feels ashamed of her son. And being a Quirkless little bitch on top of that... I mean, wow, if my life was as shitty as yours, I would have ended it years ago."
His cronies laughed at the joke, enjoying the tears that were now openly running down his face. Shit, why couldn't they just leave him alone? Did they honestly have nothing better to do than push him around?
"Hey, that's actually a bright idea!" Izuku yelped as he was roughly pulled off the ground and shoved against the railing. Izuku looked down on the ground and then back at Kacchan. "Well? What are you waiting for, Deku? Jump and hope you get a Quirk in your next life, you Quirkless shit!"
He could do it. Take a leap off the roof and end it all. He didn't have anything to live for anyway, right? He would never be a hero. And even if by some miracle, he developed a Quirk right now, the fucking Gods looked into his very soul and found that he was not worthy of being a hero! So why was he hesitating? Why couldn't he just jump and be done with it?
Because he was afraid.
"Heh, thought so," Kacchan scoffed and threw leftover meal at Izuku's head. "Too weak to fight. Too scared to die. And you wanted to be a hero."
They slammed the door as Izuku sank to his knees.
They were right.
All of them - the doctor, the bullies, the Gods - were right about him.
He could never be a hero.
Z
"Oi, Katsuki, come here for a second."
Katsuki sighed as he came down to the living room. What could mom need from him? "What is it, old hag?"
"Watch your mouth, you brat," she scoffed. "You free this weekend? It's about your friend Izuku."
Katsuki suppressed the growl. That's right, their moms had no idea he left the pathetic nerd behind. Said nerd hadn't shown up in school for the whole week, which drastically improved his mood. And now the little shit was bothering him out of nowhere.
"He hasn't been feeling well," mom continued. "Inko thinks he is getting bullied. I want you to take him out for some fun this weekend. You know, help him clear his mind and maybe learn who is giving him trouble. He is your friend, he will definitely tell you."
He knew that already, he wished to say. He was the one who put that useless little nerd where he belonged, he wanted to rant. Bullying? Fuck off with that bullshit. If that piece of shit thought he could be a hero, then he should have been ready to back that nonsense up. Not Kacchan's problem the moron dreamed of some shit he could never have.
"Yeah, no, I got better things to do," he scoffed and headed to the exit. "If he can't solve his problems by himself, then he deserves whatever he gets!"
He slammed the door and ignored the outraged cry that came from behind. Seriously, it wasn't his fault Deku was a useless loser. If that idiot learnt his place from the beginning, maybe he wouldn't need to spend time and effort to remind him where he belonged and what he could never be.
It was all Deku's fault in the end.
"What a delicious delusion~ Care to spare some for the old starved soul?"
Katsuki reacted fast and struck the creep that snuck up on him in the neck. Getting some distance between them, the blonde took a good look at the unfortunate moron who decided to piss him off. Tall, lanky and pale, the guy looked half-dead on his owm. Almost made him feel bad about that hit. Almost.
"Oh my~ You've got fire in that belly!" the creep laughed, licking his lips. "Makes me wanna get you inside myself even more!"
The creep was onto him in a second, his clawed fingers digging deep into Kacchan's arms. Some kind of speed Quirk? Or maybe an animal-based one? Didn't matter shit. He would just blow the bastard up.
Swatting his hands off, Katsuki pressed both of his palms into the fucker's face and willed it to explode. The body fell limp and the creep collapsed onto the ground. Having checked the pulse amd made sure he was still alive, Katsuki scoffed, " Next time pick someone you can actually handle."
He dialed the police and sat nearby, waiting for them to take the guy to jail. Heh, who knows, maybe he would get on the news and score another point on his way to becoming the world's top hero.
"You certainly are the one for me~!"
What? Katsuki moved to take the guy down again but he was too slow. A wet sickening sound cut through the air as the creep pushed his hand through the blonde's chest. He could feel the blood spread around the wound and soak his clothes. And yet, despite the burning pain, his mind still refused to accept that he was stabbed just like that.
"It's been so long since I played around in your world," the creep's smile grew wider - much wider than a human smile should have. The skin around his mouth and eyes started cracking all over, the blood running down the man's face. "I have completely worn this meatsuit out, you see?"
The guy before him rotted away in seconds and turned to dust.
Only the wisps of black and red remained standing before him.
"Now... Let's try your out!"
Z
Izuku got off the train, frustrated and upset. He had spent an entire day riding the train and why? Because he hoped to get in contact with Wizard? To somehow prove to the old man he deserved another chance? Just how sad was that?
Maybe that was the thing: He simply refused to accept he was unworthy. The gruesome vision that the Wizard had shown him still haunted him during the nights. Was he really so blind to his own flaws? Was he really so sure he would never abuse power if given a chance? He had spent the entire week wondering what kind of person he even was.
Was he a good but Quirkless kid? Or was he a good kid because he had no Quirk?
Would he still hate Kacchan's bullying if he wasn't the target? If he developed a strong enough Quirk at the same time as Kacchan, would they remain friends? If they did, would he oppose him or would he just fall in line with the rest of his cronies?
"Tch, not that it matters," He blew his chance to be a Champion and a hero. Best he could do was just stop thinking about it. "I guess I should just go home."
His life wasn't over, right? He still could be... someone. He just to find some other dream and focus on it instead. Yes, that was the only sensible thing for him to do. Hurt a bit now. Move on. And live a happy life.
Izuku was shaken out of his thoughts by a rough shove and hurried apology. Looking around, Izuku saw numerous people running towards and away from something further down the street. Judging by how the ones running to the danger were mostly people with cameras, Izuku had only one guess, 'Must be a villain attack!'
A loud roar cut through the air, followed by the blood-curdling scream. Something felt wrong. Izuku could feel something in the air - something he felt just a few weeks ago. Thick and potent, he could feel it grow stronger with each passing second. There was no mistaking it: it was magic.
Afainst his better judgement, Izuku ran towards the source of it.
When he arrived at the scene, he could barely see anything past smoke and fire. Despite the growing crowd of people, the only two sounds on the street were the crackling of fire and sickening laughter of the madman responsible for all the destruction. Once he pushed his way to the front, Izuku's eyes widened as he recognized the two faces locked in a fight.
On one side stood Kacchan, his form warped into something inhumane. Taller and lankier, thick red veins running all across his dark flesh, the teen's four eyes shone with delight as he wrecked chaos and destruction. And opposite of him stood the Wizard, the lightning crackling around his body as he tried to get the unconscious heroes out of here.
An opportunity theblonde used to strike the man in the back with his claws. The lightning surged back and attacked him but it was clearly not enough to hurt him as much as he did the Wizard.
"You have grown weaker, Sorcerer. Once upon a time, that lightning of yours would fry me with a single touch," Kacchan - the monster possessing him - cackled as he stomped down onto the old man. "You have spent all these years searching for a new Champion - someone of Pure Heart - who would stop us. And now you will die and leave this weak and defenseless world to us. I almost wish I could keep you alive to see that."
The monster raised its clawed hand, the sphere of crimson and black forming above it.
"Sat hi to the rest of the Countil for me."
The crowd behind him screamed and ran. He had to run. He had to run!
So why couldn't he move?
Why... was he running towards them?
"Kacchan! Kacchan, snap out of it," he picked up the nearby staff, what must have belonged to one of the heroes. "I know you can do it, Kacchan! Whoever is controlling you, I know that you are stronger than them!"
Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to fight the battle he knew he could not win?
Because that was the only right thing he could do. He hated Kacchan for years of bullying. And he hated the Wizard for rejecting him without giving him a chance. But he couldn't just stand there and watch them die. He just couldn't do it!
Kacchan turned away from the Wizard and stared him down, eyes slowly narrowing in recognition. "So you are that 'Deku' my meatsuit kept ranting about? What a pleasure to meet you," the polite and cheery tone clashed with the savage grin and sharp teeth. "Unfortunately, your little friend is not strong enough to resist my control. But hey, at least, he gets to do what he has always wanted..."
With a grin, the monster smacked Izuku away like a fly. He crashed into the nearby wall, instantly feeling his broken ribs.
"To kill you!"
The monster cackled as he summoned another sphere of flames. Izuku's vision swam as he watched the blonde approach him with the merciless grin. It couldn't have ended like that. Did he throw his life away for nothing? Izuku couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at the irony. His first attempt to be a hero... And he was going to die without actually changing anything.
Izuku closed his eyes, " I am so sorry, mom... I am so sorry..."
"Get back!" The thunderous voice roared and Kacchan was blasted with the stream of lightning and fire. Unlike before, the monster cried out in pain as it found itself trapped within the electrical prison. While the monster tried to break out, the Wizard walked over to Izuku, his expression heavy and somber. "Young Midoriya... Your world has run out of time. The seaks have been broken... The ancient evils are out in your world."
"B-But what can I do?" Izuku's eyes sank to the ground. "I-I... I am not worthy."
"You are not," the Wizard said somberly. "You are not pure of heart. You are flawed like all the other humans I have tested. But right now... Right now I have no choice but to trust you. You have been chosen by the spell for the first time, so you must have some good inside you. I just hope that it will be enough."
There was no other choice. Whoever controlled Kacchan, he was strong. And judging by his words, he was only tip of the iceberg. Neither him nor the Wizard had any other choice in this situation.
"Hey, you worthless little human!" the monster in Kacchan's body hissed against his restraints. Izuku could see the bindings weaken. "If you take that power, I will torture your soul for the rest of eternity! Neither you nor your mother will be safe from me! I will put you through the Hell and make you beg for death!"
He ignored the demon and, shaking and trembling, he got onto his feet.
"And you think I am bad news? Wait till the others learn about you! They will not stop at anything until you join the other foolish heroes who opposed us"
He took a deep breath and placed his hands on the staff as the Wizard channeled his magic into it.
"Izuku Midoriya... As the last survivor of the Council of Eternity, I choose you as the Champion of the Gods and this realm's protector," the Wizard's voice echoed and drowned out the threats of the monster. "With the Speed of Savitr, the Courage of Horus, the Wisdom of Anahit, the Power of Zeus, the Guidance of Amaterasu of the Strength of Magni, you are this world's Mightiest Mortal!"
He saw them. He the Gods tower above him. One by one, they came down to them and entered his body, mind and soul.
"Say my name, Izuku Midoriya..." The Wizard himself started fading away into the staff Izuku was holding onto. Only his voice remained. The true name of the Wizard appeared in his mind a second later. "Say my name and accept the power of the Gods and your role as their Champion!"
The monster broke free from his cage. His eyes ablaze with rage and hands aflame with the orbs of black flames, he charged at them as fast as he could.
But not before he could say the word.
"SHAZAM!"
The skies roared as the lightning struck down the very ground he stood. The violent currents of air raged through the streets, extinguishing the fire and pushing the demon away. Izuku opened his eyes and realized that he didn't feel pain or fatigue anymore. Not only were his ribs no longer broken, but he felt better than he could even imagine. Better than it should have been possible.
He also stood much taller now.
"So that old man managed to pass down his power, huh. Well, too bad he didn't teach you a thing about how to use it."
Izuku saw the gireball coming at him at alarming speed. He closed his eye in fear and braced himself for the impact... Only to not feel a thing. Opening his eyes, he saw the remaining whispers of the fire that dispersed almost immediately after hitting him. Was this the power of the Gods? He was invulnerable?
"Don't look so smug about it, you cretin!" The demon roared as he started throwing one fireball after another at Izuku. And while none of them hurt, Izuku couldn't just keep taking them. The crowd of people returned and the demon could attack or take someone hostage if Izuku didn't stop him now. Izuku dodged another fireball and charged at the demon. "Aargh!"
At the neck-breaking speed. What Izuku intended to be a tackle ended up being a full-scale slam-attack. Like a train, he smashed into the demon and stopped only after sending the guy good five feet back. He had superspeed too? Must have been Speed of Savitr the Wizard mentioned.
"Y-You bastard..." the demon rose, his body aflame. "Don't you dare think this is over...!"
Kacchan fell on the ground. The demon rose into the air.
"If I can't take you down, then I will take over your body instead!"
With a horrifyimg scream, the demon descended upon him. He tried to get him away but to no avail. He could feel the demon enter his soul and his mind, clawing his way through his memories and thoughts. Searching for ways to eploit him. To make him submit his free will to the demon's control.
And he found plenty of those.
Every single day Izuku suffered. Every single humiliation he was put through. Every single night he cried himself to sleep in impotent rage. All of it was being dragged out of the deepest parts of his mind. Each and every painful traumatic memory, Izuku had to live through it all over again.
"Why are you even fighting me? For those people?" the demon sneered. "They are the reason why you suffer. Their indifference and hatred towards the Quirkless like you is the reason why you were bullied and tormented like that. Give in, child... Give in and do what you know you always wanted... Make all of them pay. Once and for all!"
He had imagined it. So many damn times, Izuku imagined himself in the position of power. He wanted to make all of his bullies pay. Put them and everyone who ignored his torment through the same horrible treatment he had been put. To show them what it felt like to be defenseless. To be weak. To be afraid.
"Yes! Yes! Work alongside us and you will make them all pay! Together with the Seven, you will make everyone regret ever crossing you! Ever hurting you! You will show them what it felt like to be you!"
"... Thanks. But no."
"What?! Are you saying you forgive them? After all they have done to you?"
Izuku shook his head.
"I don't think I could ever forgive any of them... I still hate my bullies. I hate them more than I have ever hated anyone... But I am not going to have them control my life anymore," Izuku whispered as he focused on the feeling in his chest. So strong and yet calm, the storm ready to burst. "As for you, demon..."
He spread his arms and willed the lightning inside of him to burst free.
"Begone!"
He could hear the demon beg for mercy inside his head. But he knew it was a ruse and a trap. Demons didn't die. They couldn't die, period. But now he was sent back to the world he escaped from and wouldn't come back anytime soon. The demon was banished. The fire was put out and the smoke cleared from all the wind. Now, all he needed to do was check on the injured ones and-
"Oh my God!"
"Dude, that was so awesome!"
"What's your name, sir? Are you the new hero?"
In an instant, Izuku was surrounded b the crowd. Cameras flashed in his face and people talked excitedly into their phones as they stood next to him. What was his name? Where did he graduate from? What was his Quirk? The questions came at him from all directionsm drowing him in the noises and lights. One of the voices - he presumed it to be the Anahit - told him that the most logical thing to do was talk to the people and soothe their worries.
Unfortunately, by the time she had given such advice, Izuku was already in the sky. The shock of being able to fly was pushed back as he focused solely on getting away from the paparazzi and any heroes who could grow suspicious of him. As he flew away from the crowd, his ears still picked up on the words exchanged, even in whispers.
Who was he?
What was his power?
And what was he going to do next?
And there you have it, folks. The first chapter in the story of Izuku as the world's Mightiest Mortal. Will he go to UA or skip it? What powers he has now that I changed the roster of Gods for him? Throw your thoughts, suggestions and ideas in that review box!
I am really excited in what you have to say about this chapter. And hope to engage in some long discussion with some of you guys.
Till next chapter!