***Okay, so, this one turned out longer than I expected it to be. It also turned into a big smut scene when the smut was supposed to be short. However, you will NOT be disappointed! Also, this is a pretty heavy chapter with lots of important information coming together. Again, you will not be disappointed nor will you be bored! ^_^

***As always, thanks for the continuous support! I love to hear from readers!

***Warnings: Langauge, smut/love-making, romance, hint-talk of abortion, mention of suicide, scheming, fluff, humor, info heavy

***Please read on and enjoy! XOXO


Chapter 15: Ancient Art

'Me? The successor? That...that can't be true. It just can't. I'm...I'm a nobody.' These are his thoughts after Kirishima tells him the secret everyone has been keeping from him.

Kirishima goes on to explain to Izuku what conclusions they have come to, and the plan to overthrow All For One and Tomura. Izuku grips the sheets and twists them in his fists. Everyone has been lying to him; all this time. He can understand the others not telling him, but there is no excuse for Bakugo not to have mentioned this not-so-tiny detail. However, knowing this gives him a new sense of power and, more importantly, a greater understanding of what is going on. His falling into this realm was no accident.

"So, we are no longer seeking peace between the two worlds?" Izuku asks Kirishima.

"Well, that's our next step in planning. You see, to overthrow All For One will be a near impossible task. I know Bakugo thinks he can do it himself, but he can't. He will need all of us, and you most of all. You're the one who holds the power to defeat the demons. And, we will need the help of Shoto, Inasa, and Mirio."

Izuku throws the sheets off to get up from the bed. "Let's say we defeat All For One. Then, what about the other Bloodlords?" He walks over to the fireplace, staring at the flames. "All For One rules them all, but they won't simply accept me and Bakugo as the new rulers. I'm sure my alpha husband just can't wait to fight them."

Kirishima grins and says, "Maybe you will be the true ruler, just like in the past!"

Izuku looks at Kirishima with sarcastic amusement. "Do you honestly think Bakugo would allow himself to be a second?"

"You could beat him?" Kirishima offers. "You're the successor, after all."

"But I don't have any power. I'm still only a human," he pauses for a moment, then goes over to Kirishima. "Don't move, okay?" He places his hand over Kirishima's heart and feels nothing. "No heartbeat."

Kirishima tilts his head, confused.

"Bakugo doesn't have one either. If you were all once human, then your hearts...where are your hearts?"

"All demons are different," Kirishima says. "Do you think that has something to do with it? Our hearts?"

Izuku nods. "I want to say that…" he moves away and paces the floor to think, muttering as he does. "To test this, I will need to see the others of my 'court,' as you call them, as well as regular demons. If my theory is true, then someone has your hearts…" 'Demons are vicious and evil, at least, back then they were. The heart is precious and unique...one can gain full control over a person if they rule the heart. But if that heart is taken away…'

"Dom-Omega?"

"Kiri, go to the others with this theory and report back to me. We need to start linking the missing pieces together."

"Sure. But please, you promise you won't tell Bakugo what I told you?"

Izuku smiles at him. "I'm not going to tell him. He's going to tell me himself."

When Kirishima leaves, Izuku goes over to the Conquest board to look at the pieces. He takes a seat and, with the red pieces, sets up seven of them in a circle. Then, he takes the red King piece and places it in the center. From the black side, he takes the Queen to stand her next to the king. Satisfied with his passive-aggressive setup, he goes to lay down on the bed and wait for Bakugo to come.

As he lays in wait, Izuku tries to piece together the memories and dreams he's already had with the new knowledge he's received. This explains his attraction to Bakugo and his sense of familiarity. So, when he read that part in the religious book, he was reading about his past self. The successor's alpha mate becomes a demon, and the omega leaped to his death with their unborn child. But what happened before that? What became of Kirishima and the others? Did they die the same way as he did? By heartbreak and suicide? Or were they killed? Kirishima says none of them know how they got here, or how long they've been here. It seems their memories were taken as well as their hearts, and it's with HIS arrival that everything is starting to change. All For One is aware of this, and now Bakugo wants to declare war on the Master of All Evil.

Izuku knows he cannot sit back and let Bakugo take full control of this military mission of mutiny. He has no power, so he can't fight alongside the demons. He can, however, keep things from getting out of hand after they win. Shoto, Bakugo, Inasa, and Mirio will want to be the next ruler of both worlds. Izuku will, in some way, ensure that HE becomes the true ruler. He'll have to learn how to keep control of the others, not through physical force, but by gaining their respect and trust. Bakugo will only make political matters worse by blasting flames and waving swords. Since he was the successor in the past and the number one hero with a court of his own and his alpha mate one step beneath him, then he can do it again.

'But I have no power,' Izuku closes his eyes and strokes his lower belly. 'It feels bigger than before...hm.' His thoughts return to his past self's suicide. 'It's stated that I killed myself...but I was reborn like this, and I know myself better than anyone. I would never kill myself and a child. That monk said that it is 'my' fault omegas are belittled and subservient to alphas...but that doesn't sound like something I would do. How much different were things back then? Was I really so distressed over Bakugo being turned into a demon that I killed myself? I would miss Bakugo terribly if I lose him...but to kill myself over it? And our child? Bakugo wouldn't want that either. Something else must have happened. I mean, it COULD have happened that way...but my heart is doubting it,' he sighs heavily. 'I wish I had more answers! Damn it!'

The room suddenly turns very warm by the bed and the whispering sound of tinkling bells fills Izuku's ears. He sits up to see the White Mist once again.

"What are you?" Izuku asks. "Why do you keep coming to me? I feel like I know you…" he notices the colored lights flashing at different times. "Are you trying to speak to me?"

The mist moves slightly, and Izuku's eyes see something appear on the far wall. It's a shadow. But, how can a mist cast a shadow? It's not his own shadow for this image, who must be a male, is large with bulging muscles and, the most distinctive trait is the two strands of hair that stick straight up in the middle. It reminds him of rabbit ears. The bulking shadow stands with his fists on his hips, mighty and proud and strong. Izuku smiles at the sight and he feels tears come to his eyes. He reaches out to touch the mist in the impossible hope of reaching the shadow. Then, the mist disappears along with the shadow. The lights come together, and something drops onto the floor, bouncing and then rolling away.

Izuku scrambles across the floor to catch it before it rolls under the sofa. It's small, like a pendant or a pearl. Its color is faded gold with faint streaks of yellow. On the surface, there's something written on it. Izuku squints to see the letters, but he can't read them. It's in Abyssal. He supposes he'll have one of the others read it for him. When he looks at it again, the words are clear now. He could read them!

"Eat this?" Izuku tilts his head. "That's what it says. 'Eat this'."

Izuku places a hand on his belly, unsure if he should follow what the words say with the baby still unborn inside of him. Was it safe? It wasn't food, and it wasn't soft. Should he consult the others before he does? Maybe not. After all, they kept so much from him already.

He's startled when the door opens and nearly drops the strange item. It was Bakugo. Izuku places the item on the nearest table before turning to greet his mate. "Kacchan!"

"Yeah. It's me. Feeling better?"

"Yes. Well-rested. How was the rest of your day?"

Bakugo groans. "Busy. Lots of work with more questions than solutions. Talk about a shit pile,"

Izuku has the urge to shout out the truth of what Kirishima told him, but he did promise the other demon that he wouldn't.

"What's this all about?" Bakugo asks when he sees the Conquest pieces set up differently.

"I was bored," Izuku answers plainly, wondering, and watching if Bakugo might catch on.

Bakugo studies the setup; a King and Queen in the center with seven different pieces surrounding them. His eyes narrow slightly but he dismisses the thought. "You owe me a game with quite the stakes tonight," He smirks and takes a seat. "Are you ready to taste perfection?"

Izuku chuckles and joins him at the table. "As I said before, I've never done that, so I can't compare."

"It tastes like power, and you won't be able to get enough of it," Bakugo boasts.

Izuku raises his brow and adds, "Sounds like you make it a quick snack for yourself," Bakugo's snarl makes Izuku laugh. "How else would you know?"

"Idiot! Others have told me! Duh!"

Izuku threads his fingers together and batts his lashes at Bakugo. "Are you certain they don't just say that because they know you'll destroy them if they say anything else?"

Bakugo drags his claws along the table. "Nothing will please me more than stuffing that wise-cracking mouth with my cock!"

"On the contrary, I will be pleased to hear something other than yelling coming from YOUR mouth."

"It's on now!"

After the first game, Bakugo lost. He said, 'best two out of three,' and Izuku agrees. Again, Izuku wins. Bakugo demands they play one more game and Izuku complies.

"FUCK THIS!" Bakugo knocks the board off the table with his tail after he loses again. It's not possible that Deku can keep winning! He is seriously starting to believe that everyone has been letting him win before Deku came along.

"Kacchan…" Izuku steps over the fallen piece to come up behind Bakugo and embrace him. Bakugo doesn't push him away, but Izuku can sense and feel how tense the alpha's body is. "It's okay to lose sometimes."

"I never lose! No one beats me! If you weren't my mate and were fucking pregnant, I'd smash your skull against the wall!"

Izuku places a kiss on Bakugo's back. "Why are you so afraid to lose? No one will think less of you."

"It's who I am, Deku! I swear I will beat you at that damn game!" He stomps his foot. "A deal is a fucking deal," he growls.

Izuku slides his hands along Bakugo's bare chest, using his omega aura and their bond to soothe him. Bakugo's form relaxes a bit. "No, it's okay," Izuku says. "You don't have to,"

After learning that Bakugo has been keeping a secret while also USING HIM, Izuku should make the alpha submit and follow through with the deal. But they are fated mates, and he, after all, is still an omega who wants to keep their bonded alpha mate happy. Thus, is the plight of the omega. He imagines throwing Bakugo over his lap and just giving the alpha a good, solid spanking of discipline. One good, solid smack or two on the tight-ass' tight ass might make Bakugo a little bit humble. Maybe three slaps. Or maybe a paddle instead of his hand.

"Oh, fuck no. I never go back on a bet!" He drags a stunned Deku over to the bed by the back of the omega's nightshirt. "I'm going to show you just how fucking strong I am by conquering that weakness!"

Izuku chuckles nervously, sweating a little bit. 'You're the one who looks at it as weak. You're really one of a kind, Kacchan. I just don't know what kind…'

Bakugo orders Deku to lay back on the bed and tears the nightshirt off to expose the omega's naked flesh. Deku still blushes even after they mated. That blush makes him snort in annoyance, but he feels the tip of his tail wag. Deku is already half hard. Bakugo strips himself and climbs on the bed. The sight of his body must have aroused Deku further because the omega is fully erect now, and the blush turned into a wanton flush of need. Bakugo starts to smell Deku's specific omega arousal and he feels the tip of his cock drip with pre-cum. Deku may have won the bed, but Bakugo will remind him of who the dominant one is by mounting the omega again. His lips curl into a smirk and he says,

"I'll have you cumming so much that you'll be too weak to even breathe!"

"P-Prove it, then." Izuku breathes out in a challenge. His eyes fly open wide and his back arches off the bed when a hot, wet suction surrounds his erection. No sound comes from his mouth as he looks down between his legs to see Bakugo's curved horns and blonde hair swallowing him. Was Bakugo eating him?

The second of panic turned to pleasure when the demon's tongue wraps around his length, licking as he sucks. Izuku's eyes roll back in his head at the extreme, intense pleasure of Bakugo's mouth. He lets loose a hiss when one of Bakugo's fangs scratch the tender skin of his cock. Izuku moans for more, writhing on the bed, trying to thrust up into Bakugo's mouth to get more of that slick heat and textured tongue. Izuku wasn't prepared to feel slick dripping from him without a heat cycle. It was common, but Izuku has never experienced it before. No doubt Bakugo can smell it. Izuku's answer comes with a gasp of pleasure as the tip of the demon's tail slides slowly into in his backside. He can't take the combined pleasure and he begins to pant, muscles tightening as he nears his release. The finishing touch is Bakugo's thumbs rolling his nipples. Izuku shudders and lets out a choked cry as he releases into Bakugo's mouth. He pushes sweaty bangs from his eyes to peer down at his husband.

"Kacchan?" He breathes his mate's name. Why wasn't Bakugo moving? Then, Bakugo slowly lifts his head. Izuku longs for the warmth again. "Kacchan?" He gasps when Bakugo looks up at him with solid black eyes. Not a hint nor a slit of red, only black. Izuku starts to tremble at the sight. Like a snake, Bakugo slides very slowly against him, tail still wiggling inside, until they are face to face. He didn't like the dark smile on Bakugo's face, nor how the tongue licks a full circle around swollen lips. "Kacchan?" He whispers the name. The only sound Bakugo is making is a deep, rumbling purr.

Fearing he would get his face bitten off, Izuku acts fast and grabs the base of Bakugo's horns. Bakugo lets out a growl but doesn't try to pull away. Izuku gasps when the tail pushes in deeper, stretching him. Despite the fearful image of his alpha mate above him, Izuku lets out a long, low moan. Touching Bakugo's horns didn't seem to have the same effect as last time. But Bakugo's hand moves to rest on his lower belly where the baby sleeps. Izuku immediately relaxes, releasing Bakugo's horns, and black eyes turn back to red; the eyes of his Kacchan.

"Sorry," Bakugo breathes out. "That was…a demon reaction to…"

Izuku blushes with a coy smile and says, "To our bond." He states softly.

Bakugo slides his hand from the belly up to Izuku's chin, gripping it in his fingers. "I want you to keep looking at me when I mount you," he says and slides his tail out. "Close your eyes or look away, and I'll punish you,"

Bakugo went crazy with the sweet taste of Deku's cum, but slick is still better, and the omega's ass was oozing with it. Deku is clearly a fertile omega, and they will have nothing but alpha children from here on out; Bakugo is sure of it. The other alphas will be jealous. Good!

He guides himself to Deku's entrance, wet with slick, and slowly begins to push inside. Deku's eyes twitch as they try to stay open; his mouth letting out little gasps and deep moans with each movement. Bakugo stares hard at the flushed face, contorting with pleasure while thighs tighten around his sides. Deku never breaks eye contact, and in the lidded green eyes, Bakugo sees the ecstasy from every inch of his cock that Deku takes, almost as if he himself was being taken. The wash of desire and lust makes him thrust hard the rest of the way, forcing a pleasured wail of surprise from Deku's lips. The omega shut his eyes.

"I told you not to close your eyes!" He pulls all the way out as punishment. He grins when Deku flashes him a look of sadness and betrayal.

"W-What? You can't leave me like this!" Izuku whines at him, for it's cruel to leave a bonded omega in the middle of mounting.

"I can do whatever I want!"

He allows Deku to grab him, snickering as the pleasure-drunk omega tries to insert his cock back inside. Bakugo keeps slapping the hand away even though his cock is aching to be back inside his omega. But it's Deku who surprises him with a passionate kiss and grab of his horns. Deku's pinkie fingers tickle with the slightest touch above the base as he deepens the kiss, pushing his tongue inside. Bakugo allowed it, and his dueled with Deku's. Deku's hands on his horns keep their lips locked together. And, sometime during this distraction, Bakugo feels his cock surrounded and sucked up by slick heat. He growls and yanks his head away. Deku wasn't going to win! But he pauses when Deku rocks forward, pressing their foreheads together with a coy, breathy smile. Bakugo's eyes are lost in emerald green as Deku slowly rocks their hips together, lifting and thrusting. Bakugo let Deku keep this slow, steady pace. Slow movements felt just as good as fast ones. For whatever reason, Bakugo lowers his head to nuzzle Deku's neck, scenting him. Deku embraces his head while he lets his claws lightly scrap along the omega's back, producing more little sounds of pleasure.

Izuku couldn't believe that Bakugo let him set the pace for their mounting. Bakugo thought he would beg for this? No. A new feeling of determination came over Izuku and, if he wanted his alpha mate's cock, he would have it. He'd take it just when Bakugo wasn't looking. It had worked. Now, he was staring lovingly into his alpha's eyes while feeling every rock hard inch of Kacchan's cock moving inside of him. 'My Kacchan,' Izuku says to himself while kissing his mate. Izuku also discovered that the sweet spot doesn't need to be hit with each thrust, for he is getting enough pleasure from this. His Kacchan likes it, too.

Holding Bakugo's head to his neck and running fingers through the blonde hair, Izuku nips the top of his mate's ear and whispers, "I love you, Kacchan. My Kacchan."

"…I'm no one's 'Kacchan'," Bakugo whispers back.

"You're my Kacchan," he seats himself on Bakugo's erection completely and pulls away so they are facing each other again. Bakugo's cranky features are soft, not hard and glaring. Izuku lets his hands stroke Bakugo's face, keeping eye contact, before kissing his mate again.

The next thing that happens is very rare, and both Izuku and Bakugo were not prepared for it. Izuku's eyes widen and he lets out a shudder as his slit opens. They know he's not in heat, but the slick gushes out of him and onto Bakugo's lap. Izuku fears the lovemaking pace is ruined now. Bakugo will go into a mild rut and knot him, pounding the breath out of him. "The baby…" Izuku whispers with panic. "Not too rough…please, not rough…!" And Bakugo obeyed.

Izuku soon finds himself wrapped in Bakugo's embrace, his limbs hugging the other against him as the knot swells inside. Bakugo rocks gently a few times and cums, pumping inside the already pregnant womb.

"Kacchan?" Izuku's voice is barely above a whisper as the warm essence of Bakugo's seed slowly leaks into him.

"…yeah?"

"What does…this mean?"

"…don't know, and don't care."

"I went into a little heat cycle…what does that mean?"

Bakugo responds with a smirk and says, "It means I'm just that damn fucking good of an alpha!"

Izuku slaps both hands to his face and gives an irritated groan.


Iida sits with Shoto and Fuyumi as they go through an ancient Abyssal book. Iida listens as Fuyumi tries to teach him while translating the text. It was going to take a long while, so Shoto suggested they flip through the book and search for keywords in hopes of finding an answer. This book, they assumed, has to be the oldest just from the crumbling condition of it.

Shoto leaves them to browse the old books again, trying to make out the words on the spines. His eyes catch the tip of paper sticking out from one of the books. Curious, he carefully removes the book and opens it to the spot with the paper. It falls to the floor by his feet. Shoto puts the book away to pick up the folded paper. He returns to the others and opens it up to reveal a series of drawings. Primitive drawings. Shoto narrows his eyes as he tries to study the pictures, each one appearing to depict a different scene.

"Shoto? What is it?" Fuyumi asks.

"Both of you, come here and look at this,"

Iida and Fuyumi join Shoto looking at the pictures.

"Why, that's ancient art!" Iida states in awe.

"So much is going on in the picture," Fuyumi says. "I wonder if it's one scene or many?"

"Many," Shoto says. "It has to be because they're all different. Look here, it's hard to make out, but you can see the use of colors to represent the figures.

"They're fighting demons," Fuyumi says, pointing to one solid figure fighting another with horns. "Some have horns, others don't."

"I dare say, this may be the story of the final battle!" Iida gasps out.

Shoto nods. "I agree with you. The successor is here multiple times. See the green?"

"…that's the Dom-Omega," Iida whispers out.

One picture has Past Izuku will a big belly appearing to hold hands with another, who has to be Bakugo. The figures are all faceless, but as Iida studies them, he can point out who is who. Any picture of Bakugo has two red slits for eyes. Kirishima in red, himself in purple, Kaminari in yellow, Sero in blue, Tokoyami in black, Shoji in gray, and Tsu in green. All the colors are very, very faded but Iida could still make them out. Other little details on the faceless figures pointed to who they were; many arms for Shoji, spiky hair for Kirishima, bolts around Kaminari, and so on.

The one of Past Bakugo at the corner of the page is covered white spots, which look like hands. Horns are coming out of his head, and where the mouth is was an open circle. Iida assumes that this was the part when Bakugo was turned from human to a demon. The picture next to it is Past Izuku falling from a line into a squiggle, which must be a cliff and water. The most curious picture of all, though, is the spiral of orbs next to a black dot. Inside each orb is a single spot of color.

"What does it all mean?" Fuyumi asks. "Some are obvious but,"

"There has to be another clue somewhere," Shoto says, returning to the book he found the drawing in. "This is where I found it. Maybe there is something more in here,"

"But you said you found it sticking up out of the book," Iida says. "Someone clearly put it there for a reason. Or rather, they wanted to hide it."

Shoto nods. "That may be true. Whatever the case," he turns to his sister. "Our family is not in this drawing. This is before our time."

Her eyes widened. "You think so? Then, who are all these people?"

"Past supporters of the successor," Iida says, refusing to tell them that these drawings are of Izuku's court; their past human selves. "Bloodlord Todoroki, may I take this to show Bloodlord Bakugo?"

"Absolutely not," Shoto says. "If Bakugo wants to see it, he can come here. Or, since my castle is an 'eye-sore' to him, I'll bring it the night of the Black Moon Ball. Speaking of which, you should be heading back. I'll have someone escort you by air."


"Don't touch me," Tokoyami snaps at Shoji then shields himself with his cloak.

"You can't blame me for what we do," Shoji tells him. "YOU are the one who forgot it."

Tokoyami grits his teeth at Shoji. "You ignored me and kept going. I have nothing to say to you right now. I have to meet with Lord Hawks. We leave at night, so be ready."

Shoji crosses all six arms. "Yami, you know damn well neither of us could have stopped. Don't be angry with me because you forgot the potion."

Tokoyami doesn't answer him, leaving the nest to take off into the air towards Lord Hawks. When he arrives, a servant says that Hawks is awaiting him. Without delay, Tokoyami makes his way to Lord Hawks all the while holding his stomach under his cloak. He can already feel the effects and there's no way Lord Hawks won't sense it. The answer is written on his face; Lord Hawks will see right through his lies. But he can't think about this right now. He needs to find out what Lord Hawks knows, and then report back to Lord Bakugo.

The moment Tokoyami faces Lord Hawks, the alpha gargoyle smiles and chuckles at him.

"Do not laugh at me, my lord," Tokoyami says.

"I knew one of these centuries you'd slip up," Hawks tells him. "Congratulations."

Tokoyami ignores him. "Please, my lord, tell me what you know."

Hawks rocks back on the legs of his chair. "You first. Tell me what YOU want to know, and we'll go from there."

Tokoyami swallows hard. "I trust your council above all others, my lord. It is my belief, as well as the belief of the others, that...we in Bakugo's command were all once human."

"Hm. Interesting. What makes you think this?"

"It's not just me, but the others have been witnessing visions, dreams, and memories ever since Izuku entered our world. The Master of All Evil...I believe he knows this."

Hawks smiles and claps his hands. "Congrats. You're not wrong in your thinking, Yami. Bakugo is planning the overthrow of All For One," He stops Tokoyami before he can speak. "All For One is aware of this. However, that doesn't mean he knows when, where, or HOW it will happen. That's why he's training Tomura. Tomura will be the next Master of All Evil."

Tokoyami stares at Hawks, speechless.

"All For One knows what's going on with Izuku. He's had it planned all along. There's nothing you can do about it now."

"Lord Hawks? You telling me this...are you going to report back to All For One? He will kill us!"

Hawks yawns and stands from his seat to stretch. "I'm not going to tell on you. In fact, I want IN," he smirks at Tokoyami. "I have some knowledge that goes along with your idea of you once being human."

"And what is that?" Tokoyami asks.

"All For One has something that belongs to you; and Bakugo, and the others. Now, I don't know HOW He obtained these, but it's the way He controls your minds and memories. Regain what was taken, and all will be revealed."

Tokoyami's lower stomach twists with a cramp that has him hunching forward slightly, but he never breaks eye contact with Hawks. "What does He have of ours?"

"I'll only tell you once your Lord and Master agrees to give me a slice of the pie. Be safe flying home, Tokoyami. And, I expect you to save me a dance at the Black Moon Ball. AND-"

Tokoyami glares at him. "What else do you want?"

"I will need a private audience with the successor, your Dom-Omega. Make sure it happens on the night of the Black Moon Ball. Go on now. Head back home. Oh, and don't forget to make Shoji bring the nest back as well."

"...we won't need the nest," Tokoyami tells him.

Hawks shrugs his shoulders. "Your choice." He waits for Tokoyami to leave then turns to the darkest corner of the room. "Were you listening?"

Dabi appears in a blast of blue fire. "I was. So, what are these 'things' that All For One has of theirs?"

Hawks places both hands on his chest. "He has their hearts. He keeps them in glass jars."

Dabi raises a dark brow, watching Hawks stretch his red wings. "And, what is the significance of that?"

"From what I can gather, that's how He keeps control over Bakugo and the others. Those who were with Izuku on that fateful day when we beings of the darkness were banished to the bowels of the earth. All For One DID something with them on that day."

Dabi scoffs. "If they were all once human as Tokoyami mentioned, they couldn't be ordinary humans. Not if they were serving the successor, the new Symbol of Peace. They have to be above average humans. Why else would All For One care to steal their hearts?"

Hawks sighs heavily. "Oh, I don't know. It's no secret that the successor was 'loved by all' when he ruled. I know Tokoyami well enough that he would be the type of servant to follow Izuku into death. So, who's to say it wasn't a mass suicide?"

"Still. Why would He care? Unless…"

"Unless?" Hawks smirks.

Dabi frowns again. "You're withholding information from me again."

"No, please, finish your idea."

"...not counting Bakugo...do the others have something to do with Izuku?"

"The power that the successor wields is passed down. I don't know how, or how it got started. All For One stated, once, that it can vary from bearer to bearer. What makes Izuku different was that he was an OMEGA and NOT an ALPHA. There is also a word that All For One uses...and when He says it, I can see the fear on his skin covered face."

Dabi swishes his tail in annoyance. "What word?"

"I don't know what it means, but," he holds his index finger and smiles. "I know that it's connected to the hearts and Izuku."

"Again; that word is…?"

"Legion."

TBC