I don't own One Punch Man, nor do I own My Hero Academia. Each Franchise i owned by their respective owner..
ENJOY!
The night, Yokohama...
A hooded, blue haired woman with a curvature feature walked amidst the busy crowds of the lively city.
Living in the woods has it's own merits, curing her boredom was not one of them. Her boredom caught up to her when she realised that All For One was taking too damn long with his little project. She needed something to do.
Psykos was not a fan of being in a crowded place, but even she admits that the view in here is beautiful.
As she passed the crowded streets by, she tilted her head upwards, the face of that boy filling her sight everywhere.
Yagi Toshinori.
That boy became somewhat of a popular topic, apparently, due to the speech he brought at the end of the Sports Festival.
The woman chuckled to herself. She was out of the loop, part of the reason was because she was living in the woods, the other was because she just didn't care enough to put an effort to update her knowledge about what humanity is up to.
She didn't even know that her eldest daughter was participating in the event until now. That sense of longing reigned on her, but she promptly neglected it. She vowed to never approach either of her daughters ever again.
That train of thought earned a slight cackle from the voice inside her.
Suddenly, an unexplained sense of hatred filled her the longer she stare at the frame of that damned boy in the video.
He was smiling. As if he was trying to give hope to the people. It sickens her, and in turn, it sickens the voice inside her too.
Look at him, look at that smile.
Wouldn't it be better if we BREAK that?
"Intriguing." Psykos said, "But I don't see why I should follow along with your whimsy desires."
I just hate him. Ever since that memory came to us, I hated him with every fiber of my being.
"..I don't have time to follow your baseless desires." Psykos replied with spite.
Isn't your goal to destroy humanity? If so, how about we destroy the supposed best of them from the inside?
"For what purpose?"
Think about it, the way things are going, people are slowly starting to see him as a symbol of hope. What if we crush that hope?
Psykos gave it a thought for a moment, before smiling maniacally, "Interesting, very perceptive. How do you suppose we do that?"
The cunning warrior attacks neither the body nor mind. Give it a week or more, let him relish in his own victory. And then, from the shadows...
Psykos nodded, listening solemnly to the voice inside...
WE ATTACK HIS HEART!
A week later..
A boy was seen walking towards his home, his body drenched in sweat. As he opened the door to his house, he was greeted sweetly by his parents.
But as soon as they saw what condition plagues the boy, they looked at him in concern..
"Hajimoto-san, did you..did you overwork yourself again?" The dad asked.
The boy guiltily looked away, "Yes.."
The dad approached him gently, putting his hands around the boy's shoulder, "Hajimoto-san, talk to me. We won't know how to help you unless you talk. I know there's a deeper reason as to why you overworked yourself."
"I.."
The dad nodded in anticipation.
"I just don't want to be weak anymore." He looked down, his fist clenched, "I want to be more than just a human. He.. he's given me hope, you know? Maybe I could have a chance to be strong as well."
"Honey, sweetie, please, I know you're quirkless, but we love you unconditionally, no matter what." The dad said, his smile touching the heart of the kid.
The kid's tears streamed down his cheeks, "I know you do. I know you both love me..but nobody else does. Everyone at my school saw me only as a waste of space, I'm.. I'm not even allowed to join them in their circle of friendship. The teachers plays with my grades like it's a piece of entertainment. I can't. I need to...I..." He interrupted himself when he felt a sensation of overwhelming pain travelling throughout his body.
"Honey? What's wrong?" The dad asked in concern.
The mom approached them both, trying to make sense of what happened. The boy took a step back, wailing loudly as his hands twisted on it's own.
"HONEY?!" Both the dad and the mom practically yelled in worry.
The boy fell into the ground, desperately trying to calm the sensation of unbearable pain travelling throughout every inch of his body.
His legs then twisted on it's own, producing a heart-wrenching sound, causing a splatter of blood to come out of his shin bones.
Both of his parents rushed to his aid, trying to call the ambulance, "Call the ambulance!" The mom suggested.
The dad quickly nodded, but before he can do that, however..
A clawed hand made it's way to his neck, choking him needlessly.
"Hajimoto?!" The mom yelled, but suddenly found her neck gripped by the monstrous being before her as well.
The son went through a rough transformation, as his legs melted from the inside, forming a black goo that supported his body.
His eyes went out of it's sockets, as his body gradually grew bigger.
"It's okay," The deep, dreadful voice of the boy said with a sly grin, "You don't need to help me anymore."
The parents were screaming, horrified at their son's sudden transformation.
But they soon find their own screams to be silenced, as their necks promptly snapped, their limp body falling into the ground, their pool of blood tarnishing the floor of their household.
The monster roared to the sky, before quickly dashing towards the wall, going through it like it's nothing.
The HPSC Headquarters...
"Take a look at this, sir." Sekingar handed over a file of a boy, "One of the people who mysteriously turned into a monster ever since the UA Sports Festival event."
"This can't be happening right now." Sitch gripped the file tighter, almost shredding it, "Must we deal with this kind of shit every single damn time?!"
"I suggest we keep our calm at the time of a storm, sir. There must be an explanation to this."
"Yes, there is!" Sitch slammed the table with his fist, "We've hoped that this would never come out to the light, but I'm sure it has something to do with that goddamned speech! We were caught off guard."
"What?" Sekingar asked.
"Thirty years ago, an event happened prior to the emergence of the mysterious beings. What people thought to be a mass abduction took place at the very heart of our country." Sitch explained, his fists clenched, "We found out that the leading cause of this event is a known theory, the 'limiter theory', which states that a human being has the ability to achieve a powerful state without any help from any quirk through obsession and willpower.
"In other words, either of these things can lead to three things: Either they achieve power beyond their own imaginations, or their humanity will deteriorate, causing them to lose a semblance of their remaining empathy and morality, or they will eventually break and remove their limiter." Sitch's voice gradually grew more distressed, "We tried to convince the public that the theory is nothing but a delusional man's rambling. They listened, and made a jest out of it. We barely succeeded."
Sekingar felt like his anger was rising to the surface, "...why did you hide about it in the first place?"
"To avoid public outrage. If they find out, riots will start, panic will spread across the country like a swarm of grasshoppers." Sitch replied to the Enforcer of the Hero Commision, "If they find out that we've been killing humans mercilessly all these years, it's...I don't know what will happen to us."
Sekingar looked away, his hands crossed. It is time for the destruction of the Commission once and for all.
They cared not for the well being of this country's people. No. All they care about is image.
"As important as this matter is, we still need to focus at the most important at the moment." Sekingar said, his tone low, "Have the scouting heroes give you enough information for you to form a plan to invade All For One's base?"
Sitch's eyebrow quirked, "Ah, that. From the looks of it, I've already planned our next move."
He then mused, "But then, we still have another problem on-"
"No," Sekingar interrupted, "I suggest you focus on this first. All For One is a much bigger threat than a couple of highschool brats putting up a monster costume." He replied indignantly, appearing apathetic.
"Perhaps.." Sitch hung his shoulders low, "You're right. Let's form a plan. And fast."
The Next Day..
Yagi squirmed to the left side of his bed when his alarm sounded, his eyes still closed.
The longer the loud, deafening voice enter his ear, the more uncomfortable he becomes. He quickly groaned, slowly raising out of his bed, the frustration still lingered inside him.
"What time is it..." Yagi asked himself, as he peeked to the screen of his alarm. It was 05:00 AM in the morning.
"Jeez, I gotta stop setting up these alarms too early." Yagi stretches his hands out, as he let his legs out of the bed, touching the floor besides it.
Suddenly, a scream was heard outside of his room. His instinct kicked in, as he quickly opened the glass door leading to his balcony.
He peeked outside, only to see a monster with melted goo supporting it's body terrorising a woman.
He deeply sighed, as he jumped forward from the balcony, landing in front of the woman, "Yo, can you maybe like, NOT terrorise someone at 5 in the morning?" Yagi asked as he yawned. What is the woman even doing at a time like this?
"Yagi Toshinori.." The monster called out, licking it's lips rigourously, "My inspiration~~..."
Yagi took a step backwards, before turning his head to the terrified, aqua blue haired woman, "You should get out of here and give the boys in blue a holler, okay? Or maybe give the pro-heroes a call."
The woman vigorously nodded, mouthing a 'thank you', before dashing away from the scene.
Yagi pondered over the face of the woman. "She looked familiar." He whispered to himself. But he brushed off the thoughts.
Yagi then turned his attention back to the monster, "Look, I don't know what got into your head, but what do you mean by 'I'm your inspiration'?"
"You're the closest one to being one of the only ones who saw a glimpse of worth in us quirkless folks.." The monster grinned, "Now I realise, that true power is earned through effort and effort alone."
Yagi felt his hands trembling. No, he can't be one of the humans. If he's a human, he must possess some kind of mutant quirk, but even mutant quirks doesn't have the ability to exponentially change the features of a human being, especially to the likes of a mysterious being.
But a doubtful fog plagued his mind. He needed to ask.
Yagi took a step forward, "Are you, by any chance...a human?"
The monster replied, "You'll find out soon.." It finished as it's maniacal lips formed into a terrifying, wide grin. It approached Yagi with it's fangs opened.
Yagi hesitated to move, doubt filling him like a tidal wave.
But when the monster lunged at him, he quickly moved his fist forward in accident.
Monster matter fell into the ground, purple blood tarnishing the street, much to Yagi's horror.
The monster rambled a few things that was unintelligible to Yagi's perception, but the last things it said..
It'll haunt Yagi for the rest of his life.
"Momma..." The monster weakly said, "Dad..." He continued on, "I'm sorry for being...a quirkless failure...for...for... I'm..." Tears leaked out of the monsters eyes, as it finally closed, life fading from it's lifeless, motionless body laying on it's own pool of blood.
Yagi's heart was thumping hard, his fists trembling, his body composure going haywire. With his panic reigning above all his emotions, his eyes started to close, as his body went limp into the ground, consciousness leaving him in an instant.
...
"To...nori..?!" A distant, obscure voice called out to the half conscious Yagi.
"TOSHINORI?!" The voice grew louder, causing Yagi to open his eyes promptly.
As the room around him dawned on his sight, he shifted his head to the side, only to see the concerned looks of Fubuki, and the extremely worried look on Tatsumaki's face.
Tatsumaki quickly threw her arms around Yagi, "Oh, thank god, thank god, are you hurt?! I thought nothing could hurt you! I was so worried!" Lines of hot tears began to stream out of her eyes, wetting the fabric of Yagi's pajama's.
"Tats..." Yagi's voice was somber, and this earned a concerned look from her.
"I wasn't hurt..It's just.." Yagi's expression fell in an instant, his eyes closed, "I just...I just killed someone.."
"What are you talking about?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Mysterious beings, the mysterious beings we've ever faced," Yagi puts both of his hands on his face, "Most, if not all of them, used to be a human, and I think I know the driving force behind their transformation.."
He could put a thing or two with this new information. The 'limiter theory' was behind it. The limiter theory was behind all of the mysterious beings.
And he was too much of a dolt to not realise it sooner. He has been killing humans for the past year, most of them have the possibility of being a quirkless.
"I killed the very people I seek to help. I'm.." Yagi clenched his fists hard enough to cause a slight shockwave travelling across the room, causing the ceiling to creak, "I'm.."
"Toshinori, it's not-"
"It is.." Yagi protested, "It is. I killed them. I seek to help them, but I killed them..I KILLED THEM!!!" Yagi screamed in pure, agonising distress.
He slowly stood up, looking over the glass door, his eyes fixed on the corpse of the monster laying on the streets in front of his apartment.
All because of him and his ridiculous training regime. His training regimen caused all of this to happen.
"Toshinori.." Tatsumaki softly called out to him, standing besides him.
Yagi could still hear the faint sounds of the monster crying. It sounded human. Very human. He was crying out for his parents, apologising to them, apologising for being so worthless...
You are not worthless...
Yagi was distraught deeply at the thought, resting his forehead against the glass, "I need to give him a proper burial. It's the least I could do for him after everything." He walked towards the door.
He has a new vow...
He'll never kill any of them ever again. That's the least he could do after blindly trusting the Commission all these years.
He clenched his fists.
He'll try to help them all.
This time, he will.
...
The woman from before landed on a near rooftop, her quirk dissipating as she walked to the edge.
She cackled to herself as she opened her hood. She learned enough of the bastard boy. His weakness was indeed, his heart.
Realisation dawned on her as she realised that one of Yagi's loved ones..
Were her own daughter.
As expected, your morality is holding you back. Consider this as part of your training.
Psykos widened her eyes, "No. I won't. I won't do that to my own-"
You will. In time, you'll see. For now, watch as our artistry progresses. We will break the very best of the human race.
"You disgust me." Psykos said, "As much as I enjoy this, part of me couldn't stand the thought of making a child suffer, much less a child at the same age as my eldest daughter."
Oh, I know very well that I disgust you, little Saiko. But remember, I'm doing this for your own good.
"You're doing this for yourself." Psykos spat back.
Aw, Saiko, you're making my soft nonexistent heart flip up and down like a ping pong ball.
Psykos decided to ignore the voice for a while, before levitating into the air, waiting for the right time to strike again.
Or maybe we can strike right now.
"What do you mean by that?" Psykos asked, her body freely levitating in the clouds above.
The heart of a man is placed oftenly in the safety of the most important woman in their life.
Psykos widened her eyes, "You don't mean-"
I don't mean your daughter, you daft idiot.
Psykos halted abruptly midair, processing the thought inside her mind..
His mother.
His mother is the perfect target.
Her lips bended upwards, forming an eerie smile, "Perfect." She mouthed, before speeding off into the city of Hosu, breaking the sound barrier as she goes.
UA, hours later...
Yagi was seen distressed, sitting at the corner of the classroom as usual. Many of them noticed, but decided to leave him out of it.
Except for maybe King and Hitoshi Bad. They were going to talk to him about it when it's lunch break.
Tatsumaki sat near his seat, her demeanour the same as Yagi's. Everything could go wrong in just a single day, could it?
Their homeroom teacher entered the classroom, as he sat on the chair in front of the teacher's desk.
Yagi didn't pay attention much to class. Too much thoughts were placed inside of his mind.
"Good morning class." Snek said boredly, lifting his foot above the desk, "Don't mind me. Just getting real tired of this whole hero gig."
Byuto was visibly annoyed by the comment.
"And nah, I'm not gonna answer if one of you asks." Snek said as if the class was going to ask him a question, "Hope you little maggots have a good one week rest from all that ruckus in the Sports Festival. A job well done for all of you, by the way. I'm very proud."
All the class erupted with a collective 'thank you', before going silence once again.
"Why weren't the school days active for the past week?" Byuto asked curiously, "Not meant as a disrespect, sir, but we aspire to be heroes, not as lazy bears stuck in their own cages."
"Of course, the Commission keeps things like this as some sort of classified information.." Snek sighed to himself, "No, I can't tell you. And before you try to guilt trip me out of it, I don't owe you kids anything, so drop it."
Byuto sat back down, deciding to keep his mouth shut.
"Anyway, I have something to tell you all, something important." Snek continued, "The Internships are coming. Requests are being processed at the moment, and it might be finished by tomorrow. If you're lucky, you might be offered to temporarily become a sidekick, well, for those who are good enough anyway."
"Any questions?" Snek asked, but the response were severely lacking. They were completely in silence.
"Okay, good, now I don't have to deal with the hassle of running my mouth with you insufferable brats. Now run along, do something, like studying, socialising, whatever, it's free period for today." Snek dismissed them.
"Free period? But-" Byuto was interrupted when Snek lifted his hand.
"I know you're enthusiastic to learn to be aspiring heroes, but seriously, class rep, drop it. We're busy at the moment, and I can't tell you shit about it." Snek said, as he exited the classroom, "Oh, and don't forget to collect the assignments given by your respective teachers. Don't lack on your grades, everyone! Now bye!" He then closed the elongated door hastily.
The rest of the day went gloomy, well, for Yagi that is.
...
"It is done," Doctor Garaki said, his sly smile never leaving his expression, "The project is complete. Miss Psykos is ready to consume the monster cell."
All For One crossed his arms, "A job well done on your part, dear doctor, but I feel like there's something amiss in here."
"Missing?" Doctor Garaki asked, his brows furrowed.
"What if, as it turns out, Psykos's endurance isn't enough to prevent herself from getting melted from the inside?" All For One asked.
Doctor Garaki's expression turned into hurt, "You don't believe in my calculations, All For One? Usually, my calculations never slips. They're always accur-"
All For One's laughter interrupted Garaki, "You amuse me sometimes, even if you don't mean to."
"Wha-"
"Why should I trust the calculations of a man? We should take precautions to everything we do, no matter if you're smart or not, and that's the unchangeable truth." All For One interrupted again, "This is the undisputed, inevitable fight of my life we're talking about here. I don't want anyone screwing it up."
He then walked away, "I'll give us a time to think it over, about something, a quirk, maybe, that improves one's endurance. Until then, don't make a move without my knowledge," His eyes shifted back, red illumination emanating out of his pupils, "Or there will be severe consequences." He then walked out of the testing room, the door leading to it closed aggressively.
Garaki fell to his seat in distress, staring at the ceiling for a while.
Why won't he ever trust me?
...meanwhile, Hamuze's households..
Nana felt her heart bursting when she saw the pained expression on her protégé's face.
The pain of sending a child away, still it seems to haunt her. She had to send a child away twice.
"So.. I'm leaving this country in a few days..and away from you..alone.." Miriko said to himself, his hands shaking.
"Not alone, Sorahiko will be with you. He has the quirk with him, so he'll be able to give you One for All when the time is right." Nana said. This earned a silent response from her protégé.
She puts her arms around his shoulder, kneeling over her waist slightly to his level, "Look, I promise, it won't be forever."
"I just..I don't.." Miriko put his hands over his face, "I don't feel comfortable being away from you."
Nana cursed herself for this. She has the tendency to attach people to herself, only to throw them away in the end. But she had to do it. She has no choice. All For One will come for her.
"But if this is a responsibility that I have to bare on my shoulders," Miriko then nodded, "Then I accept. After everything I've done, I'm willing to shoulder this burden."
"Miriko, this isn't about any punishments, this is about your safety." Nana reassured, her smile never leaving her.
"I know," Miriko replied, "But I'm treating it like that to ease the pain."
Nana was distressed to hear this, her heart swelling.
"Don't you dare die on me yet, Shimura-san.." Miriko said as he hugged her tightly.
"I won't." Nana said, "I'll try."
"Don't just try," Miriko said, hot tears streams down his cheeks.
Miriko's mom looked at the scene with mild disgust, before going back to her room.
As they hugged each other for a while, Nana pulled away, before standing, "We should go out and do some 'bonding time', you know, before you depart away in a few days."
"Sure!" Miriko beamed up, as he followed her along.
THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY'S CHAPTER! Stay tuned for the next! (I'll try to make the next chapter even better. I didn't feel that satisfied with this one, so, yeah.)
TO BE CONTINUED!