01/01/2022

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The Emperor's Dragon
Fledgling 34

"Are you ready, your Highness?" Giran looked down at the teen who stood beside him.

No one was going to recognise him though a lot of people would want to own him. His Highness was covered in brilliant green scales. They caught the light, so that each scale had a little rainbow on it that then threw out the light to make it appear as if the teen was a human shaped pile of emeralds. His eyes were glowing green, which only added to the appearance.

They were at one of his facilities. His Majesty was not going to allow that many people at his training facility, so Giran had gathered them here. It was just a warehouse but it had been emptied and then filled with people for His Highness to practice on.

It was graduation though All For One had assured Giran that there would still be training opportunities to come. The sessions were a good earner for him so he was appreciative of that.

"I am," the teen replied, looking up at him.

The boy had not inherited his father's stature. At least not yet. There was time for him to grow. That didn't matter though, it was startling to see the glowing eyes looking up at him.

"There's a lot of people today," Giran warned him.

"I know. I have to take as many quirks as I can today."

Giran knew the teen smiled at him. With the scales it was sort of a show of sharp, pointed teeth. It was meant to be reassuring. He knew it was reassuring. Others would not see it that way.

"All right then, your Highness," he said as he moved to the door. He opened it for the teen and walked through.

The gathered people were expecting him and they had been told to expect someone else but Giran could feel their curiosity, especially since there was no denying that his highness was still, relatively short. "Stay where you are," Giran advised them. "Move and you don't get paid," he reminded the group.

Some of them, at least, had been used for training before so they knew the drill. They weren't the smartest of people but they knew enough to obey. That was enough.

Today the warehouse was packed. It was a good thing it was a relatively small warehouse really since each of the people had about half a metre squared to themselves. The gathered people were divided into two unequal groups and there was a visible divide between them. The larger group was there to allow His Highness to practice taking quirks. All For One wanted to know what the upper limit of his son's ability was. The smaller group was again there to have their quirks taken, but in such a way as they fell unconscious. That was harder for His Highness so there weren't as many people.

Giran wasn't privy to all the results but he knew there were lots of variables to His Highness' effectiveness and the consequences. If he took a single quirk in such a way that the individual became unconscious, there was a chance he couldn't give it back. From what Giran understood it had something to do with the way his quirk worked to take in other quirks. If he took more than one quirk, while making the people become unconscious, then his quirk couldn't absorb them all so he could give them back. And if he grabbed quirks without the person becoming unconscious then again he could give it back, so long as he didn't keep it. In that situation, Giran had gathered that time was the key.

His Highness was a good boy, a nice boy in fact but god damn was his quirk scary. Giran knew why All For One kept his son close, because when the boy was allowed out… Heroes wouldn't be running for their lives, they'd be running for their quirks! It was going to be a glorious ascendance.

He led Izuku to the centre of the larger group. "Stay in position," he told the people as he took a position behind the teen. His Highness had been working on selectively taking quirks and he had been getting better but there was still a 25% chance that he'd lose his today as well. Not that it mattered. Izuku knew the feel of his quirk now and always quickly returned it.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

Giran wasn't sure who made the demand. He sighed but before he could reply one of the others spoke. "Just shut up. We stand around. The kid does something weird and then we get paid and go home."

"You can leave if you'd like," Giran challenged before anyone else could speak.

It was met with silence. "All right, Dragon," he said after waiting for a moment or two.

Izuku nodded and took a deep breath. The kid didn't get performance anxiety, which was just as well because everyone was trying to watch him. As he released his breath, Giran could tell His Highness was taking the quirks. The group gathered felt it but Izuku had a very gentle touch. Some people didn't notice what he did until they tried to use their quirk.

His Highness gasped. "That's all of them," he said.

Giran couldn't tell but he knew Izuku didn't lie. "Good! I've still got mine," the broker praised with a smile. "How do you feel?" They'd cut down the list of questions he had to ask.

"Tired and… they are all squirmy," His Highness replied.

Well, he didn't know how that felt. "Nothing else?" Giran prompted.

"No," Izuku said, rolling his shoulders. The broker thought he was probably trying to settle the quirks.

"Do you want to give them back?"

His Highness nodded and then looked around. This bit took a bit longer than grabbing them and Giran wasn't sure how the teen knew which was which but he seemed to. It was probably something innate with his quirk.

A few minutes later Izuku had given them all back.

"Thank you gentlemen. My secretary has your payment," Giran told them, gesturing towards the door. The group was silent. They almost always were after Izuku was done. It actually made dealing with the group he gathered much easier. They filed out leaving the smaller group, who were waiting.

This group was a bit more dangerous. The former group was just thugs. This one … well, while people didn't like to believe there was a class system anymore, the reality was that it did exist. At least in the underworld. The people in this group were the lowest of the low. They were the expendables. Those who would do anything for their next hit of whatever it was that they were addicted to. They were so dependent that Giran didn't want to call them Human.

With the others gone, Gigantomachia was visible. Because this group was so addicted, they might attack. One had in the past but the giant had made short work of them. He would do the same now if needed. It probably wouldn't be. Giran had made sure they were all doped up earlier. They were quite docile now and even if they remembered anything, no one would believe them.

He led Izuku to the middle of the group and then nodded at His Highness. "When you are ready," Giran indicated.

Izuku stood for a few moments before he lowered his head. Giran could see a frown on his features. Taking quirks this way was much harder for him but as Giran watched the first row fell, quickly followed by the second and third.

Half the fourth row fell before Izuku gasped and fell to the ground, his chest heaving. It spoke to how drugged up the group was that they didn't even react when the others fell. Izuku growled and Giran watched as he looked up, his eyes focusing on those still standing. He didn't do anything but the last of them fell.

The broker moved to Izuku. "Are you all right?"

Izuku was panting as if he'd run miles and miles. "It's much harder that way," he managed to gasp out the words.

"But you got them all!" Giran praised. His highness had improved a lot since they had begun. "And I've still got mine! So a perfect round," he congratulated.

The teen smiled at him, his breath already returning. No matter what else was happening, Giran had to admit that the boy was fit. His training with Kurogiri and Gigantomachia saw to that.

"I'll give them back now," he said as he stood upright. Giran watched as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Like last time, there was nothing to see, and All For One had trained his son not to need gestures when using his quirk so it was only a few moments later when Izuku nodded. "It's done."

Giran smiled at him. There wasn't much to see when he watched, and that somehow made it all the more impressive. In the minds of most, a quirk of that power should be accompanied by bold gestures and visible effects. The fact that it wasn't… oh, the teen was going to be terrifying when he was allowed to show himself.

"Go up to your dad, and I'll clean up here," Giran said, gesturing towards the office that overlooked the warehouse floor.

Izuku nodded and trotted off. Giran looked around. All he really had to do now was wait for those who were unconscious to wake up, and then send them off for their payment before he collected his own. And… maybe then All For One would have some details about what further training Izuku would require.

-ted-

"My Little Dragon," All For One greeted his son happily when he came into the room. Izuku had done well. It appeared that it would always be more difficult for him to knock out people when he took their quirk but he had strengthened Dragon's Hoard as much as it could be for now.

"Daddy!" Izuku said and he came close. He stopped before his father, giving the man a smile.

All For One wondered how much longer Izuku would call him that, or if, with age he'd move to a more formal title. He wasn't sure how he'd feel about that but would deal with that event when it happened. "Sit here," he indicated.

Izuku came close and sat down against his chair. It was a bit childish and was another thing that All For One wondered how much longer it would happen. It did almost seem as if Izuku was sitting at his feet and while that was true… it was a complicated feeling.

"You have done well, my Little Dragon," Hisashi said. "Dragon's Hoard has developed nicely."

"It's easier for me to just take a quirk though, not the same way you do it," Izuku said.

"I think it will always be easier that way for you but it is just the difference between our quirks. If it bothers you though, you don't have to show that."

"What do you mean?"

All For One chuckled. "Strategy, my Little Dragon, strategy," he replied.

Izuku knew what the word meant but Hisashi could tell that he wasn't entirely sure what he meant when he said it.

"Strategy applies to many things, my Little Dragon. Gigantomachia has spoken to you about it in fighting. I've spoken to you about strategy in investment, but it applies to everything, including how you present yourself. People know what my quirk is, and they will assume that yours is the same. You do not have to tell them otherwise. You can make them believe that you have to touch someone to take their quirk. That is a good fighting strategy isn't it?"

All For One watched as his son thought about that before he nodded. "It is," he agreed.

"Hiding how your quirk really works is called a deception strategy. I would suggest that you let people believe your quirk is fire breath, but I think once you truly begin working with me, that won't be an option. People will assume your quirk is the same as mine, unless you show them something else, that is appropriately powerful."

"Why is that?" Izuku asked.

At that, All For One chuckled. "People believe I am only interested in quirks but that is not true. However, because people believe it, my Little Dragon, they will make certain assumptions about you and until you choose to correct them, they will keep those assumptions. The intelligent ones will realise they are making assumptions but others won't be able to make that distinction. It is a strategy for you to either let them keep their assumptions or for you to let them know the truth. It is up to you to decide what the best strategy is."

Izuku nodded. "What has worked for you?"

That was an interesting question and All For One nodded. "My strategy has changed over time, my Little Dragon, and that is something you should be aware of. You may not always be able to use the same strategy.

"When I was first starting, trying to find people to help, I was very hands on." His lips quirked at the double entendre with that statement. "I had to find people myself but as I helped more and more people, the people that I helped, were able to act as my eyes and ears so that I could focus on other things."

"What other things?" Izuku asked. All For One could hear the frown in his voice.

"Remember I told you that things were chaotic then?" Hisashi asked but didn't wait for an answer. "I was working to make things more stable for those who worked for me."

Izuku nodded. "People think my quirk is Fire Breath with fire proofing, so I will keep saying that," he said slowly. "But if I have to show Dragon's Hoard, then I'll try to touch them, like you," he said.

"Very good," All For One said, hiding a smile at his son's words. Whether Izuku realised it or not, he had accepted that he would be taking quirks in the future, and more, that he would be fighting. His training with Gigantomachia could really lead to nothing else and for the moment, Hisashi was content for Izuku not to consciously realise it.

When the time came, the Emperor of the Underworld had faith that his son would be ready. It was just a part of his strategy.

-ted-

So Izuku has now graduated from taking quirks! He can do it like his father to multiple targets from a distance... As Giran knows, when AFO let's Izuku be active, getting away with your life is going to be 'meh' but getting away with your quirk... oh that will be a different matter! A far more difficult matter. AFO is already beginning to anticipate what his son could do with the quirks of the top heroes, the chaos he will bring to society and the opportunities he will represent. How much do you think Endeavor would pay to have his quirk back? Shouto's quirk back? How much would others? There are multiple possibilities. After all, even if a Hero won't pay, the Commission might to keep it from going public.

And now Izuku moves on to more physical combat... Gigantomachia has taught him well and he will have to demonstrate that to the world, eventually.

My discord is on this code: ZX2R5h2cEm FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out.

-ted-

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