(A/N: Formatting: -Dialogue through text- )
...
Izuku followed the tracker on the app on his phone. At the time it had been on impulse to attach the tracker to his friend's costume. But what with the current craziness going on with the Noumu and Tenya suddenly missing, it was an impulse turned good idea so they could find their friend.
"So," Hitoshi said with a breathy tone as they ran while passing those night owls still milling about on the streets. Though more cautiously with the Noumu chaos going down. "Do you make it a habit of bugging your friends like this?"
"Only if they're bugging me," Izuku snarked back while checking his phone for Tenya's signal and ignoring the people gawking at them as they passed. "This way."
The greenette took the lead with the purple haired teen following close behind. The more they ran the further they were from the fighting Heroes and rampaging Noumu. Moving into the quieter parts of the city unaffected by the chaos unleashed most likely by the League of Villains. Why? They didn't know. But judging by Shigaraki's childish motives during the USJ of just wanting to destroy what he didn't like, Izuku could guess it might be similar to that this time too.
But whatever the League's reason was, it had turned the peaceful city of Hosu into a scene from a disaster movie. Though with them heading in the opposite direction, hopefully it meant that Tenya was fine. Missing which was still worrying but potentially safe. Or so they hoped.
"We're almost there," Izuku announced as they neared the signal. "Keep your eyes open for Tenya."
"Right," Hitoshi replied with a nod.
Together they looked and listened around for any sign of a commotion. But the streets were quiet as they searched for their missing friend. It wasn't like Tenya to run off on his own unless he had a good reason to. Though his tendency to jump to conclusions whether good or bad probably added to whatever impulse he had allowed himself. Whatever the reason, they would find their friend and make sure he was safe.
"I think he might be somewhere around here," Edge said in a whisper as he came to a stop at the opening of a dark alley.
"You sure?" Hoax asked just as quietly as he peered inside and saw nothing but black.
It was a dark partly cloudy night and the moon was bright but blocked at the moment. Casting the world in darkness. Not great for reconnaissance purposes but what can you do?
The greenette double checked the tracking app and nodded as he said, "Positive."
"Alright. But why would Tenya be here?" the brainwasher asked as purple eyes still continued to futilely search the dark alley. "I can't hear or see anything out of the ordinary from here."
The analyst hummed in thought with a hand on his masked chin. He too couldn't really hear anything but then again, his hearing wasn't as good as Jirou's or Shouji's. Perhaps another Quirk Replication idea to look into. But not right now. They were given a mission to find Tenya so that's what they were going to do. The signal had brought them here so he had to be nearby. But where exactly? They couldn't see anything from the ground.
What would Eraserhead do?
A second of thought had goggle covered green eyes slowly angle up the side of the building towards the roof.
Yeah, that's what he would do.
"We need to get higher," Edge declared, earning a raised brow from his partner. "We don't know where exactly he is so we need a higher vantage point."
The logic was sound and Hitoshi didn't have any other ideas so they searched the building exterior until they found and headed up the fire escape. The bottom ladder was raised so Izuku had to jump up to the first landing with the help of his Jet shoes. The landing was a bit noisy but not too much. It would have been louder with metal landing on metal if he had his original Jet shoes. Meaning the rubber soles were a good choice.
After lowering the ladder, Hitoshi joined him on the fire escape and together they made their way up to the roof. From there they looked out into the night. But it was just so…dark with the moon still hidden behind a cloud. How was anyone supposed to see anything in this inky blackness? If only there was someone around with a Quirk that allowed them a way to see in the dark.
Oh, wait…
The greenette smacked his head while letting out a quiet 'duh' beneath his mask. The taller boy beside him gave him an inquisitive look as the shorter raised a hand to his goggles and activated the infrared feature. The world still remained mostly dark though in hues of blues and greens. The shades of the cooler side of the spectrum caused the bright beacons of heat to stand out in oranges and reds.
"What are you doing?" Hitoshi asked, keeping the same quiet tone as they were on a mission.
"Looking for heat signatures," Izuku replied as he kept up his task.
The majority of the area was dark with most sources of heat hidden within the surrounding buildings. What with it being night and most people were home for the day. However, there were three warmer colored figures further down the alley that stood out brightly against the cooler hues.
"I see three figures that way," Edge reported as he pointed in the direction of the heat signatures.
"Do you think one of them could be Tenya?" Hoax inquired, not bothering to strain his eyes in the blackness.
"Maybe, but it's hard to tell from here," the greenette replied as he turned off the infrared. "We'll need to get closer in order to find out for sure."
"Back down the fire escape we go then," the purple haired teen commented as he turned to do just that.
"Or…" the analyst offered, thinking they shouldn't lose their higher ground advantage just yet.
"Or?" Hitoshi questioned turning back to his friend.
"We could jump to the next building," Izuku replied, gesturing his head towards said building.
The brainwasher walked over to the ledge taking in the gap between the two roofs as well as the drop to the ground below. Not very confidence boosting to the odds of them jumping successfully.
"And how exactly do you propose we do that?" the taller teen asked as he turned back to his friend. "That's a long jump and I'm still working on mastering my capture weapon. I'd rather not kill myself over a single jump."
Izuku fought down the flinch in reaction to mentions of death and jumping off of roofs. It was a topic he was starting to work on with Inui during their therapy sessions. Confronting what had happened to him, accepting it, and still allow himself to move on with his life. Besides, that wasn't what he was proposing. Not in the slightest for he had a plan. They would make the jump with a little help from his Support Items.
"I'll carry you," the shorter boy replied.
Hitoshi gave his smaller friend a scrutinizing but somewhat doubtful look as he said, "You? Carry me?"
"Yup!" Izuku answered in confidence. "Next to ten months of lugging trash, carrying you will be a cinch."
The brainwasher knew his friend was strong. He did toss Hitoshi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes during their finale fight after all. Mei was stronger, of course, picking up some of her gargantuan babies with ease that even Izuku himself struggled with. But the greenette was still way stronger than him and believed he could carry him with ease for whatever plan he had. So he chose not to question the proposition further. However, that did not keep him away from the opportunity to snark.
"So, that's what I am to you? Trash?" he jeered earning an eye roll.
"Yes, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku replied with a hidden deadpan expression. "You, my best friend, are trash."
"I knew it," Hitoshi replied with a mock offended gasp.
The greenette shook his head before saying, "In all seriousness, I'll carry you and use my Jet shoes to give us a boost. With that we'll clear the jump to the other roof easy."
"Are you sure that'll work?" the taller asked, still skeptical.
"Positive," the shorter replied as he stretched to warm up his body to carry his taller friend. "It worked during the USJ attack."
This time it was Hitoshi's turn to hold back a flinch at the reminder of his friend being involved in the on-campus Villain attack. He still hated the fact that Izuku had been put in danger while observing the Hero Course training. Not that he blamed the teachers for his friend ending up in such a situation. That went solely on the idiotic League of Villains who unabashedly attacked Hero students at a Hero school who were taught by Pro Heroes. All in hopes of killing the Number One Hero who was known as one of the strongest beings on Earth.
Yeah, great plan there, League of Dumbasses.
Their plan had been ill-advised and seemed fueled by immature motives. Almost a childish want to break one's toys, but in a more dangerous and permanent way with illegal Quirk use. Not to mention the Noumu whose…'brothers' were storming the city at this very moment while they were out looking for their friend. Something he did not want to think about right now because those things were terrifying. Instead, he focused on positioning himself on Izuku's back wrapping his arms around the shorter boy's neck while the greenette hooked his arms around his legs.
"Ready?" Edge asked once he was secure.
"Ready," Hoax replied as he firmed his grip around the shorter boy's neck.
With one last shift of arms and a steadying breath, Izuku activated his Jet shoes and skated from the far side of the roof to building up momentum. Then when they reached the edge of the building, he let out a bigger blast as he jumped sending them in to the air. The brief air time was exhilarating with the crisp night air blowing through their hair. But they quickly crossed the gap and Izuku used the shoes to cushion their landing before deactivating them to skid to a halt.
Once landed, Hitoshi dismounted from the other's back while Izuku turned on his goggle's infrared again. He could see where the figures still stood. Well…'stood' might not be entirely accurate anymore. He could see one was crouching over another that was splayed out on the ground while the third looked slumped against a wall. Something had changed during their jump to the other roof.
The greenette crept quietly across the roof closer to the scene. Keeping the figures in his sights while being mindful of the roof edge as Hitoshi followed. As they approached from above, the analyst couldn't confirm if Tenya was one of the people down there or not with the infrared, and the brainwasher couldn't really make out anything at all visually because it was so dark. However, with their new position they could finally hear the voices coming from the alley below.
"…not harm you more than this, young Ingenium," a voice said. A rather familiar voice.
Crap. Tenya is down there, Izuku thought at the mention of Ingenium.
He quickly sent an emergency signal to Eraserhead through their paired goggles. Their friend was hurt but the one responsible didn't seem to want to do more harm to the Hero student. If the voice was to be believed that is. A voice that sounded oh so familiar to the greenette.
Could it be…?
"But I have a duty to fulfill," the increasingly familiar voice continued as the crouched figure stood up.
The familiarity of the voice and the talk of duty was crushing any hope he had that he was wrong. It wasn't until he turned off his infrared and peered down into the alley from where he crouched that the small flame of hope was extinguished. For the moon finally graced them with light and illuminated the chilling scene below. Tenya laying bleeding and unmoving on the ground as the Hero Killer Stain himself was stalking over to a slumped figure that could only be the Pro Hero Native.
"Oh fuck," Izuku cursed. This was far worse than a simple fetch mission.
"What is it?" Hitoshi asked in a whisper from where he crouched beside him.
"That's Chi…that's Stain down there," the greenette breathed without looking away while internally cursing at the slipup. "The Hero Killer."
Purple eyes peered down in the illuminated alley and let out his own, "Oh fuck."
Fuck indeed.
"We need back up," Edge declared as he took out his phone.
"Right," Hoax agreed as he reached for his own but was given a gesture to not bother as Izuku would take care of it. He had more Hero contacts after all. "Well, you got any strategies, oh analysis guru?"
The greenette let out a huff at his friend's attempt to alleviate the tense mood. While down below the Hero Killer continued to speak. Leaving Tenya be to instead approach the slumped Hero.
"Stain is a skilled fighter and has attacked numerous Pro Heroes while evading capture," the analyst replied as he worked on attaching a location to a blank message. "His Quirk is unknown but there's speculation of it being some form of paralysis. I also suspect the number of knives he possesses has something to do with it."
Green eyes flickered between his phone and the alley. Watching the Hero Killer grab Native picking him up by the collar and pinning him against the wall.
"Evasion and stalling for time may be our best bet," he continued as he started to type a message asking for help. "For your Quirk, I doubt he would fall for jokes or jingles. Maybe misdirection or provocation. But in any chance of ending this quickly I think you should go for impressions."
"Impressions…against the Hero Killer," Hitoshi commented incredulously. "Are you serious?"
The Quirkless boy raised his goggles so green eyes full of conviction looked unimpeded into purple as he said, "He wants a world filled with a better class of Hero who save people without desire for fame or money. Above all others, the one he sees the most as a true Hero…"
Other than me.
"…is All Might."
The instruction was clear but Hitoshi wondered how exactly his friend knew all that about the Villain below. However, when he went to ask, the events in the alley were turning for the worst. Tenya begging for the Villain to stop as he threatened the Hero in his clutches. It was the glint of jagged moonlit steel as Stain raised his blade that urged the greenette to step, or rather jump, into action.
"Oh, fuck no," Edge cursed as he smashed his thumb down on 'send all' having run out of time to hand select his recipients. "Hoax, All Might impression. Do it."
With that, the Quirkless Hero stuffed his phone back in his belt and yanked his goggles back down over his eyes before jumping down into the alley. Leaving his friend and Hero partner to his appointed task. Unsure exactly what he himself would do but figured he could at least stall for time since he knew the man. Letting his instincts take over as he yelled the first thing that came to mind.
"CHIZOME, STOP!"
...
Across various parts of Japan, the phones of his classmates, friends, family, and teachers came alive with a new notification. The reactions of various recipients were all the same though. Concerned by the sent location paired with a short message with the barest of details.
-request for backup, villain encounter, stain, two down, send help-
Those that were friends with the boy either voiced their concerns out loud while others frantically searched the location sent to find out it was somewhere in Hosu. Saw that the city was in chaos but they were too far away to do anything to help. While one who could actually do something stepped into action. Yelling the location to his father before running off to help his friend. Not listening to the demands for him to come back.
Who cared what the old man said when his friend was in danger?
Even the teachers were concerned. A smart one immediately researching the area and then contacting the local authorities to offer any help he could. A healing one already packing a go bag after seeing the news after receiving the text knowing her services would be needed in the aftermath. A loud one feeling guilty at having left the area earlier leaving his husband and temporary charges to the current chaos. A tired one trying to speed up his take down of the enemy in front of him not knowing his students were in need of his help yet.
On top of that, a mother was staring at the television as a live broadcast played. Sat frozen on the family couch with tears running down her face and already surrounded by used tissues as she took in the chaos shown on the screen. Phone in hand making an outgoing call to a husband who was always busy but still hoping he would pick up.
While a father wondered where his son was in the chaos his protégé had unleashed. Wanting to simply watch the events play out undisturbed by his influence, but answering the incoming call anyway to comfort his wife as part of his role as the dutiful husband. Hopefully his son wasn't killed as a result of his ward's choices. If so, there would be…words.
Then there was All Might. Toshinori was cooking alone in his apartment when he received a text alert on his phone.
Odd. I don't usually get any messages at this time of night. Or at all really.
Skeletally thin fingers reached for the phone to read the message. An eyebrow as thin and bony as the man himself quirked up over deep-set eyes in surprise.
Young Midoriya?
The boy hadn't messaged him since he had asked to talk to him the day he had offered the boy One For All. They hadn't even talked since Midoriya had outright refused his Quirk and stormed out of the room. For him to message him now was both confusing and concerning. The message was short. A call for help along with a location in Hosu. No other details as to why the boy had sent it. Almost cryptic in nature.
Why would he send me this?
Curious, Toshinori pulled up his search engine and typed in Hosu before pressing enter. Instantly the page was filled with breaking news about an attack in the city. Hosu was on fire and the Heroes were fighting that. And not only that.
Noumu.
There were several Noumu in the city as well adding to the chaos and the Heroes' work load. All in all, Hosu was a mess and Midoriya was apparently in the middle of it. A Quirkless child going up against bio-engineered men turned monster if Tsukauchi's theory was correct.
The detective had met with him earlier that day to discuss the Villain known as Noumu. Of all the Villains they had managed to apprehend after the USJ attack, Noumu had been the most puzzling. Possessing a strength that could rival his own but without a master to order it around, there seemed to not be a single thought in that big exposed brain. As if the Noumu was more mindless creature than man.
Upon a DNA analysis, they had discovered the Noumu had once been a petty criminal with charges of assault and extortion. But now that man was a monster with four other people's DNA in him along with multiple Quirks. However, outside of One For All that should be impossible. There was no way outside of a Quirk for one to possess multiple Quirks at a time. Unfortunately, One For All was not the only Quirk with that sort of power.
All For One.
The dark twin of One For All. The other side of the coin. While One For All existed to give, All For One's whole purpose was to take. Take and take and take. Only giving back when it was desired or convenient. Toshinori had hoped that his suspicions of All For One's survival were wrong, but this development confirmed what he feared.
All For One, the boogey man of the underworld and murderer of his mentor, was alive. Working from the shadows for the past six years doing gods know what. Transforming people into mindless creatures forcing multiple Quirk into one being. Taking away who they once were with drugs and other unknown methods. It was sickening.
Then there was the League of Villains. They obviously had a tie to All For One with their use of the Noumu. What was Shigaraki to All For One? A minion or protégé? The latter a more concerning thought. A protégé to All For One was the last thing the world needed. Toshinori had barely held up against one overpowered Villain. But two? Just the thought caused him to cough up a bit of blood in his mouth.
Who was this Shigaraki Tomura? The police had looked into him but were unable to find such a person. Meaning that the name was an alias and left the young Villain a mystery. Whoever he was, one thing was clear. Shigaraki was a Villain. One who wanted All Might dead and had no regard for the safety of others. Instead had reveled in the chaos he created with a childish glee during the USJ incident.
The attack in Hosu was no different. A news helicopter had managed to spot the young Villain and the misty warper on top of a water tower watching the mayhem as some form of grotesque entertainment. The sight filled the Number One Hero with rage that Shigaraki had released three Noumu on the innocent people of Hosu seemingly for fun.
Unfortunately, there was nothing the Number One Hero could do in this situation. He had already used up his time that day and he was too far away to arrive in time to be of use. He would have to leave it up to the Heroes on the scene. Because, as Midoriya had said, All Might wasn't the only capable Hero out there.
...
Atop that reported water tower, Tomura basked in the sheer chaos his Noumu were causing. The city was on fire and the night air rang with the sounds of screams and explosions. The anarchy of it all brought a smile to his hand covered face and drew an approving laugh from his chapped lips.
"Yes! Well done, Noumu," the decayer praised with arms spread wide. "I'll have to thank Sensei later. The Noumu are such great play things."
"Do you intend to participate?" Kurogiri asked from behind him.
"Don't be stupid," Tomura scoffed as he reached for his injured shoulder. "I'm still hurt, idiot. Besides, the Noumu are being perfect little pets."
The three Noumu he had unleashed were not the only ones they had. When he had asked his master for Noumu to play with, Sensei only allowed him three of the six completed. They were no way near as strong as the one they had lost at the USJ. But they were enough to cause havoc and ruin that arrogant Hero Killer's fun. No one stabbed the leader of the League of Villains and got away with it. After all, Sensei said it was his right to destroy anything that he didn't like.
Stain certainly fit that bill. He was prideful. Self-righteous. Believed that his goals were noble in a sense. Wanting change from the current status quo. But change was the only thing they had in common. He wanted a better class of Hero despite his Villain name's irony to that goal. But Tomura…no. He wanted them all gone.
Why? Because they were all fakes. Liars. Boasting that they would lend a helping hand while turning a blind eye to those in need. Even everyday people had turned away from him assuming a Hero would pick up the slack. But they never did.
Tomura had needed that helping hand. Wandering the streets after the loss of his family. How exactly he couldn't remember. Only fragments here and there that made him sick if he tried to recall them fully. The doctor had mentioned something about trauma induced amnesia or whatever. But the decayer didn't care much to figure out his locked character background. He didn't need it to fulfill his goals.
Besides, when the Heroes hadn't come to his aid, Sensei had. He had found him on the streets and took him in his arms. Gave him a home and declared himself his master. Gifted him the hands of his family to remind him of his hatred of everyone. To fuel him in pursuing his wishes. Which was to destroy. Master even said the habitual itching was his body's reminder of this natural impulse of his.
Rage. An all-consuming emotion. Tomura felt it every time he wore his entire family on him. Feeling sick enough to vomit. And yet, he also felt a strange sort of peace at the same time. A weird contrast. A warring set of feelings probably sprung from his subconscious about the death of his family as well as the care he received from his master when no one else had.
Sensei handed him a new life and motivation. Both figuratively and literally. Had raised him and encouraged him. Talked him through his fits of internalized rage and pushed him to release it. Or else, no one would suffer but him. And how unfair was that? Why should others be happy when he and those like him are rejected as the dregs of society?
Like this Midoriya kid.
Villainous Quirks and appearances were enough to turn most criminal. In this day and age, the Quirkless were treated even worse. Tomura knew this because Sensei had taught him about the beginnings of Quirks and how the tables had turned as the decades passed. Before, the Quirked were feared and labeled freaks of nature. But now, the Quirkless were in the minority and the Quirked saw themselves as above.
Perhaps this instilled prejudice was what prevented Tomura from fully accepting that the Quirkless kid was the admin he sought. Partially because it didn't seem possible for someone to be that smart without one, but also in hopes that if he couldn't persuade the admin to join, then Sensei could just take their Quirk instead. But as time passed, he was leaning toward that not being the case.
Midoriya was smart. It was obvious he had a high intelligence stat while watching the festival. As well as resourceful with those gadgets of his. Ranging from close combat to AoE attacks as well as others to assist in mobility. It was quite the interesting inventory the kid had. Allowing him to go up against the strongest Quirks like that brat of Endeavor's.
Yet, in the end, it didn't seem that he had needed them. Appearing to have no special items equipped in his last match. Though Tomura assumed he had some hidden cheat in his pocket. Intentionally at that. Because from the transcripts he had found online, they had actually joked their way through that fight. Which the decayer found actually hilarious because it was the same as the Sports Festival as a whole. One giant overly advertised and praised joke that the general public didn't get.
However, even if the Quirkess boy hadn't had that cheat, he would have surely won. Because it was also obvious from the transcripts as well as the commentary that the two finalists knew each other well. If the possible admin didn't have any other gadget to equip, all he had to do was keep his mouth shut around the other. Because while it was unclear what exactly the purple haired one's Quirk was, it was easy to guess it had to do with a verbal response of some kind.
And even if he hadn't known the other's Quirk, if he were the admin, the flash observations given during the USJ attack would have played a factor. Proof enough that he was quick to judge a situation and determine the powers at play. Meaning that if Midoriya was the admin, he would have been able to use that big brain of his to work his way through the fight without the need of a Quirk. Even would have likely been able to figured it out from watching the previous matches. Perhaps, if he was that smart, maybe it was a way for the universe to nerf his power. That is if he was indeed the admin.
There was also the fact that the kid had some sort of connection with Stain. Tomura didn't know if it was mutual or one sided. But it was enough for the Hero Killer to feel he knew that Midoriya would never join the likes of the League. Even called him a 'Little Hero'. Well, we'll see about that. Growing up Quirkless was just as bad as being born with a Villainous Quirk now-a-days.
Let the Hero Killer believe he knew best. Because by morning, his opinion wouldn't matter. The Noumu would overpower his presence and make the world forget all about him! There was no way he could trump the chaos caused by Sensei's creations.
"Just you wait, Hero Killer," Tomura called out into the night with a sinister laugh. "Once this night is over, your relevance in this world will be erased. Reduced to nothing but ash. It'll be game over for you."
First, the decayer would watch Stain's world crumble around him. Destroy all his work and take all the credit for himself. Then the League would be able to step forward to the main stage. Draw in a better class of criminal to work together to destroy this messed up world. He already had Giran looking for recruits. As for Tomura, whether he turned out to be the admin or not, his sights were set on Midoriya.
You will join us yet, 'Little Hero'.
...
"CHIZOME, STOP!"
The Hero Killer was poised and ready to strike when he heard his given name. In a voice that had become so familiar to him over the past year. Slowly, without lowering his katana, the Villain turned his head to take in the newcomer.
Little Hero?
There, in the very alley he was about to pass his judgment, was Midoriya Izuku. Green suit with black accents with hints of red and covered head to toe in Support Items. Many of which were familiar from the Sports Festival such as the goggles, mask, and such. The shoes were new and then there were the arm wrappings. Red of color and looking quite similar to the ones the Hero Killer himself wore. A spark of wonder ignited of whether the boy had done so on purpose or not.
All in all, the boy was looking very much the Hero the man knew he was at heart. His familiar face was covered by the goggles and mask, but Chizome would recognize that head of messy green hair anywhere. It was him. The boy turned young man who had the truest heart of a Hero he had ever found. Who had only ever wanted to help people. Who was facing him, the Hero Killer, to do just that.
Fuck.
Stain straightened up as he lowered his sword somewhat, but kept a firm hold on the fake as he said, "Another Hero. Who are you?"
The question wasn't because he didn't know the teen. Opposite in fact. Stain knew the young Hero very well despite only knowing him for a year. Their times together had been brief, but they had been rife with exchanged personal discovery. But that wasn't what he was asking. Not who the person was but rather who the Hero was. A subtle difference that the Little Hero understood.
"I am the Hero Edge," the greenette announced while pulling his escrima rods out of their holders. Earning a twitch of a mask covered brow at the choice of name. "And I won't let you hurt them."
Edge, huh? You really have taken my words to heart, haven't you, Izuku?
The Villain stared at the young Hero as he shifted into a defensive position. Poised to protect the downed teen behind him. Not that the Hero Killer had any intention of going after the young Ingenium. No, his business was solely with the false Hero in his grasp.
"I have no qualms with that Hero fledging," Stain declared nodding his head towards the downed teen. "Though he was foolish enough to come alone to save someone who does not deserve it. Let alone twice from the same lineage. My only business is with this fake tainting our society with his false claims of being a Hero. Take your friend and leave, Little Hero, and allow me to finish my work here. I have no business with you."
"Do you really expect me to leave and let you hurt him?" Edge asked, his tone firm. "Or possibly kill him? If you really think I would go along with that, then you are sorely mistaken, Chizome. You should know I can't let you do that."
Red mask covered eyes took in the vision of the true Hero before him. Izuku was young but his Hero heart was strong. Beyond his years. It was what the Villain admired most in him. He wanted to help for the sake of helping. Refusing to turn tail in the face of real danger. Which the Hero Killer was. A murderer of false Heroes with few regrets in life.
He didn't want to hurt the Little Hero nor could he let anyone stand in the way of his justice against Native. Not again. Ingenium's involvement both times had been an inconvenience. But the first had been remedied with time and the second with the help of his Quirk. The young Ingenium was stuck paralyzed on the ground for potentially up to eight minutes though that was no guarantee. Stain would not let Izuku get between him and his prey either.
"Hmm…so it seems we have come to a head then," the Hero Killer came to realize. However, this time they could not compromise to simply let it go. "We cannot let our own clashing ideals stand as a difference of opinion after all it seems. The brink of our impasse is upon us. What shall you do, Little Hero?"
He couldn't see them through the goggles, but Stain could picture those green eyes studying him. Analyzing his every move as the Villain let the fake slump to the ground to face the young Hero proper. He had always treated the boy with respect as they were neither above nor below each other. As such, even though he was still a teenager, Izuku was already a proper Hero in his eyes.
"I'm going to save them," Edge declared as he reaffirmed the grip on his escrima rods. "Both of them. And I'm…I'm going to stop you, Chizome. Your reign of terror needs to be stopped. There are other better ways to reform society than hurting or killing people."
The Hero Killer had thought that once. Had preached to the public in hope of change. But words had no effect. However, his actions had. Every city he had purged the remaining Heroes had stepped up their game and did their fucking jobs better. Actually working to help the people in their care. The threat of Stain the Hero Killer hovering above them was an effective stick to whip them into shape.
That wasn't necessary when it came to the Little Hero. Izuku was already a true Hero at heart and now was dressed for the part. He didn't want to fight the boy but it seemed inevitable. Stain was a Villain and Izuku was a Hero. It was only a matter of time for them to end up in opposition if they ever met on the battle field. It was unfortunate but there was nothing he could do. Native must pay for his lies and the Hero Killer wouldn't allow anyone else to stop his judgment. Not even the Little Hero.
"Then so be it…"
A creepy smile spread across the Hero Killer's face.
"…Edge."
...
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Tumblr blog name: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic
Notes extension: post/662968321759756288/part-2-chapter-30-hosu-out-of-the-frying-pan
Also a reminder that I have made a linktree account to the tumblr, discord, and more! Again, this site is weird with links but you can use the below format to find it. ;)
linktr (period) ee/jokeraddict0
Follow if you'd like and have a great day!