Chapter 24: A Short Talk

"So, how was school?" Nedzu asked his apprentice while preparing some tea.

"It was good. The History lesson was really interesting!" Izuku replied with a smile.

"Oh? What did you learn?" Nedzu asked kindly.

"All for One,"

Nedzu's kettle fell to the ground with a loud clang as he stared at Izuku, wide-eyed. Izuku was gaping too, "Wait, that's the real name!?"

Nedzu looked at Izuku, confused, "Real name?" he asked.

"Well, it's just a name that we made up," Izuku said whilst rubbing the back of his head, "Sensei was teaching us how there used to be a quirk which could take other people's quirks." He explained himself.

Nedzu furrowed his eyes, "Even if it was a history class, most people do not know of All for One. I doubt this guy is a spy, All for One likes to maintain secrecy." Nedzu reasoned with himself, "You should keep this a secret," Nedzu warned, "All for One is very dangerous."

"Wait… is?" Izuku asked panicking, "He's still alive?"

"Crap," Nedzu cursed himself. He shouldn't have let that slip. A kid like Izuku didn't need to have the anxiety of All for One sprouting out of nowhere, "He might be. But don't worry, Hisashi, All Might, and I, we're all keeping a close eye out on things." Nedzu comforted.

"But still! He probably has hundreds of quirks! How do you plan to beat him?" Izuku asked, "On top of that he must be smart to hide, instead of showcasing his power." Izuku rambled on.

"Everyone has a weak point. All for One was defeated before and it can be done again," Nedzu stated plainly with determination, "It's not your role to think about him. That's what the police and us heroes are for."

Izuku didn't look entirely convinced but he could sense Nedzu not wanting to discuss this subject too long, "Ok, but what are you going to do about One for All?"

Nedzu's eyes widened with surprise as Izuku noticed a flash of realization in Nedzu's eyes before it disappeared, "Is that a name you made up as well?"

Izuku was not quite sure what to answer; he felt as if each answer would give a different response, "Yes." Izuku said truthfully.

"And what is the capability of this quirk?"

"You tell me," Izuku said, sure that Nedzu knew something.

Nedzu smiled, "It's not my place to say. And if I don't answer, it's a way of protecting you because you don't have enough information to use. On the other hand, your information can be something that Hisashi will be able to find out from your teacher," Nedzu laid out Izuku's options, "So, why don't you tell me instead?"

Izuku gritted his teeth. It was too much of a stretch to believe he could outplay Nedzu, "Sensei also told us that the quirks could be given to others. That power seems like an opposite of what All for One could do, so I thought it must be two quirks." Izuku reasoned, "I thought All for All was a better name," he said out loud, surveying Nedzu for any sign of realization, but there was none, "Seems like it's only those two quirks," Izuku thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Nedzu could see how Izuku could have gotten to that deduction based on the evidence available, but at the same time, the idea of One for All being a villainous quirk was laughable.

It also produced a dilemma. Nedzu was unsure on whether he should correct Izuku and give him the tools to go search for All for One, or should he carry on with this deduction to fool Izuku and drive him round in circles. It did pain Nedzu to see his apprentice think that one couldn't have two opposing quirks, he thought he had taught him better.

"One for All has never really posed much of a problem to us," Nedzu half-lied, "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look more into it," Nedzu told Izuku to comfort his theory.

Izuku hesitantly nodded, knowing he wouldn't be allowed further into the project.

"Now, I have a favor to ask from you," Nedzu said. "What?" Izuku asked.

"From what it sounds like, your classmates also know of this information."

Izuku nodded.

"Well then, please try your best to keep away from the rumor. Bury it if you can," Nedzu said seriously, "All for One is a dangerous man, and children such as yourself shouldn't go looking for him," Nedzu warned, remembering all the missing person cases related to All for One.

"Well, I think people will still want to discuss it, but I don't think they'll go out to hunt him! They still think it's just a myth." Izuku defended.

"Good, then let's keep it that way," Nedzu said to him. Izuku nodded. "Is there anything else you want to ask?" Nedzu said.

Izuku shook his head.

"Then we'll see each other on Saturday." Nedzu smiled. Izuku nodded politely and left, his mind trying to grasp the things he had just learned.

As soon as Izuku was out of the door, Nedzu hurriedly called Hisashi, "I'm kind of busy Nedzu. Can I call you back later?" Hisashi answered the phone gruffly.

"It's kind of urgent for me too," Nedzu replied.

"Fine, I have some time till I get there. What's the problem?" Hisashi asked.

"I just had an interesting talk with Izuku,"

"Oh?"

"Yes, he and his classmates have somehow figured out about All for One,"

There was some scuffling as Hisashi pressed the phone closer to his ear, "What?"

"You heard me right," Nedzu replied. "He says he learned it from a teacher. Any idea who it might be?"

"I have an idea. Could you tell me what the class was on?"

"History,"

"Ah, must have been Robin then," Hisashi said nonchalantly.

"Robin? Who's that?"

"I encountered her on one of my missions with Interpol. She had been kidnapped because she was one of the few people who could read a certain ancient text."

"That doesn't explain how she knows about All for One," Nedzu voiced his concerns.

"I'm getting to it. One of the texts that she was given to read talked about a person who was capable of stealing quirks and giving them to others. She didn't know the quirk's name though,"

"Wait, she didn't?" Nedzu asked, "But then how did Izuku know the name?"

"I'm not sure. Robin could have figured it out herself and told it. The scripts were lost during transport so her theory is overlooked by most, even though it's true,"

"Wait the scripts were lost?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure about the details because I was still with Interpol then. Japan's government was in charge of transport so you have to do some digging on what happened."

"You don't think All for One stole them to hide his identity?" Nedzu proposed.

"It could be," Hisashi admitted, "This was two years back, so I had forgotten about it. I'll have to check up on Robin later."

"Shouldn't she be on witness protection then, in case All for One comes after her for knowing his secret?" Nedzu asked.

"The police academy is one of the most secure places in the world. And sometimes the best hiding place is in plain sight," Hisashi told Nedzu, making him chuckle, "Anyways, I have to go now." Hisashi said and cut off the call.

He was almost at the Yakuza hideout and did not want them to see him on a call, in case they got suspicious.

Hisashi stopped at the gates and buzzed at the intercom, "Hey, it's Hisashi. I'm here for lunch with Gin."

The intercom crackled, "Boss had some urgent business and had to leave. Come back later,"

"I can wait inside," Hisashi tried to argue but the intercom cut off immediately, "That was strange. Normally Gin messages me before calling off plans."

He tried buzzing the intercom again but there was no reply. Instead, several of Overhaul's men appeared, staring down at him menacingly. Hisashi took that as a sign to leave, cursing under his breath.

The main reason he had a weekly lunch with Gin was to ensure Eri was alright. He knew Gin would never do anything to his granddaughter, but he wasn't too sure about Overhaul.

Hisashi sighed and shook his head, first All for One getting leaked by Robin, and now this? He could see why UA's teachers were all addicts to either tea or coffee.

A/N: Next chapter onwards, the chapters will probably be bigger and more in detail, or so I hope at least. This one was more of a foreshadowing kinda chapter.