Hello there, UltimateDemonBeast65 here again with the newest chapter of MVA: Symbiote's Justice! Fair warning to some as parts of this chapter might have spoilers for the current arcs in the manga and I hope you guys like this chapter. Let's get onto the responses to our reviews.
For'Sleep 3rd: We shall see when it happens, dear viewer
Trux-Killer: I know
GameMax10: Who knows what will happen
Guest: If you're referring to "you know who" then it's unlikely…
With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter!
The room that Himiko Toga stayed in was cold and mostly empty, being only provided with a small bed. Though it was never meant to be used as a living space to begin with. The only other things contained in the room was an LED light fixture that flickered sporadically and a vent on the upper corner on the right side of the room, just across the door. Suffice to say, Toga was not in the best of situations, especially having a psychotic and rebellious symbiote inside of her bloodstream. She was expected to not only keep Carnage inside of her despite no longer wishing to be her host, but also was expected to be a lab rat for All For One and Dr. Garaki's new project.
"They could have at least left a movie on or gave me a book or something…" Toga remarked in a gloomy tone.
"Yeah, makes you wonder if you're even still part of the League…" Carnage said with a sardonic tone.
"I'm still not talking to you." Toga said with a huff.
"Who said I wanted to talk? I was just stating the obvious." Carnage retorted condescendingly.
"I am a member of the League of Villains! I go out for missions, I kill targets and take the blood of those I need to impersonate when infiltrating the enemy!" Toga argued.
"Only to come crawling back to this shithole to be prodded and poked at like a zoo animal." Carnage said with a cackle.
"Don't give me that BS! I know you're hating this just as much as I am! After all, you're the one they want as their symbiote baby momma!" Toga yelled at the crimson symbiote.
"Say that again, I dare you, let's find out what happens when you say those little three words again, brat!" Carnage threatened.
"Symbiote! Baby! MOMMA!" Toga screamed at the psychotic symbiote, who sprouted out of Toga with an angry expression.
"You…BITCH!" Carnage roared as she lunged at Toga, knocking her into the wall.
.
Toga angrily pulled out one of her knives and started to swing at Carnage, though each time the red and black symbiote weaved around each swipe, and when Toga tried to stab Carnage, she simply made a hole in her biomass that led to Toga's arm going right through her. After avoiding another slash, Carnage followed up with a swift headbutt causing her host to drop her knife and for her nose to bleed, to which Toga grabbed her nose and looked at the blood that she caught on her hands. She glared at Carnage before grabbing the symbiote with both hands and started to repeatedly smash their face against the nearby wall.
"You broke my teeth!" Carnage yelled as she spat out several fangs before regrowing them in her mouth.
"And you used my body without permission!" Toga yelled before dodging a few of Carnage's headbutts and then smacked the symbiote a few times across the face. "You knocked me out, kept me asleep the whole time we were under attack, and you're not even sorry!"
"I was trying to protect you! But I guess you'd rather be saved by those Leaguers than by your own blood!" Carnage yelled as she formed small tendrils from her biomass and started to smack at Toga with them.
"At least they respected my choices unlike you!" Toga shouted as she got hit twice by the tendrils, but then grabbed them on the third strike before landing a punch to Carnage's face. "You broke our promise, Carnage! You made me feel like an idiot!"
"And you made me feel like a slave! Like a weapon!" Carnage shouted back. "You talk a hell of a lot about your freedom and choices, Toga, but where the fuck are mine, huh? When do I call the shots, or do you expect me to just follow your lead every time?!"
"I'm with the one with the body! You couldn't do half the shit that you're capable of without me and you know it!" Toga argued.
"So that gives you the right to tell me what to do? Because you have arms and legs and I'm just some goo?!" Carnage roared before tackling Toga off the bed and stabbed one of her tendrils right next to Toga's head, creating a small hole in the floor.
Toga gritted her teeth before forcing herself up on her feet and slapped Carnage across the face, to which Carnage slapped her back with a tendril. The two angrily began slapping each other across the face, faster and harder with each try.
"THAT'S ENOUGH! Stop this childish behaviour this instant!" A male voice commanded, causing Toga and Carnage to immediately stop their fight and look at the source of said voice.
It was Dr. Garaki, who was in charge of ensuring that Carnage would reproduce offspring as part of All For One's grand plan.
"She started it!" Both Toga and Carnage exclaimed, causing Garaki to sigh in frustration.
"I'm not one to usually question the Master's judgment, but could he have tried to capture Brock and Venom instead of you two? At least they had full symbiosis unlike the two of you."
"Like you want to breed more from that shitty old man! Besides, the symbiote offspring produce better children than their parents!" Carnage remarked before realizing what she just said. "Not that I'm saying you should breed me, perv!"
"And I'm only here because you're attached to my bloodstream." Toga said with a frown.
"And yet you still decide to roughhouse each other, knowing you share a life link." Garaki said, folding his arms behind his back.
"Yeah, yeah, we know, if one of us dies then so does the other." Carnage said with a groan.
"Well, Carnage has a much higher chance of surviving the untethering process, but yes that is correct." Garaki said before scratching his moustache.
"So you could separate us?!" Toga exclaimed.
"Weren't you listening? You would most likely not survive the procedure, and even if you did, your body would probably face permanent disfigurement and circulatory problems, affecting how your system processes and oxygenates blood. Your Quirk might even become unusable."
"What do you mean unusable? That I won't be able to transform into people whose blood I drink?" Toga asked.
"Serves you right!" Carnage remarked with a laugh before Toga smacked her across the face again.
"That is the most likely outcome, which is why I recommend you both just cooperate and stop bickering and attacking each other like angry conjoined twins." Dr. Garaki stated.
"Hmph!" Both Toga and Carnage said, looking away from one another before crossing their appendages respectively, causing Garaki to groan in frustration.
"Teenagers…" The doctor said in disgust before opening the room's door. "This way, ladies. Time for today's tests."
"Uuugh, fine…" Toga said in a pouty tone as she walked out of the room with Garaki, who as she was walking past him put a syringe in her arm, taking some of her blood. "Oh yeah, just take my blood, why don't you? You're welcome, by the way…"
"Yeah, that was also a part of me you just took, so no funny ideas, old man!" Carnage warned.
"Just head to the testing site already…" Garaki said, as he carefully placed the blood sample into a beaker.
Toga rolled her eyes as she and Carnage headed across a dimly lit hallway over to where Garaki's tests would take place. Inside of the testing site there were several Nomus placed around the area, currently offline and unconscious, awaiting to be given orders. Garaki outfitted Toga with a special harness he invented, one that monitors her vitals and Carnage's synchronization with her host.
"I hope I don't have to remind you that this project requires that the two of you achieve symbiosis, much like during the raid on the U.A. training camp." Garaki explained before finishing his adjustments on the harness. "However as Carnage had become more rebellious and independent, your synchronization has been quite poor as of late, probably why Venom was gaining the upper hand in your last fight."
"Like hell he was! If the "Master" as you put him didn't rock up, I would have killed that bastard and the space knight too!" Carnage argued.
"Powerful as you are right now, you would have been surpassed, especially while they are in symbiosis. Had that fight gone on, you would have been killed." Garaki said bluntly.
"Yeah, yeah, let's just hurry up and do these tests already." Toga said as she took out one of her knives while Carnage's biomass formed over her arms.
Garaki grinned before taking out a remote and pressing one of its buttons. This caused a device on each of the Nomus to light up, and soon enough each of them were now awake and ready to complete their tasks.
"Now then, let's see if we can't fix that bond of yours…by force if we have to, anything to achieve symbiosis and grow strong enough to create the perfect offspring! Nomus, DESTROY!" Garaki ordered as he slipped into an observation room.
The Nomus then all roared before each of them began to move, racing towards Toga and Carnage, who formed an axe blade on their other arm and coated Toga's knife with biomass, turning it into a larger blade.
"I need to make this quick, that dumb Provisional License Exam is happening in a couple of hours and I need to take the place of that slang spewing bimbo." Toga said before twirling her Carnage enhanced knife.
"Bring it on!" Carnage yelled as Toga leaped towards the Nomus, swinging her arms furiously as they collided with an incoming Nomu.
Just a few hours earlier, Tomura Shigaraki and the remaining members of the Vanguard Action Squad were in the same warehouse before their attack on the Training Camp, excluding Toga. Some were recovering from the raid, while others were concerned with continuing their plans. Shigaraki especially was focused on their next plan, which involved Toga infiltrating the Provisional License Exam to obtain more blood samples for her Quirk as well as observing the growing Heroes in-training to see how much of a threat they posed.
"Twice, have you heard back from Toga yet?" Shigaraki asked the mentally challenged Villain.
"Nope! Haven't heard a thing! She said that the doc needs her for something!" Twice answered as he changed demeanours.
"Damn it, I need her in that exam or else we'll lose valuable intel and blood samples." Shigaraki said with a groan. "I know my master requires Toga and that parasite Carnage for his and our benefactor's plans, but I also need them for my own plans…"
Before anyone could say another word, there was the sound of a car pulling up outside of the warehouse, followed up with the faint sound of four car doors closing and footsteps could be heard heading towards the door. A few moments later, the sliding doors of the warehouse then opened up, with Overhaul walking inside along with the other members that helped him deal with Team Reservoir Dogs earlier. Because of how much dust was flying around inside, Overhaul found himself coughing and scratched his arm a bit as he approached Shigaraki and the others.
Behind Overhaul were four other individuals of the Shie Hassaikai, with all of them wearing their own plague masks. On his right was a slim man that wore all black with his mask, cape, bowler hat, and 3/4 baggy pants along with his pale sneakers. Directly behind Overhaul was a tall and muscular individual who was hunched over enough to show a short man with stubby legs and thin arms standing on his back. The short one wore a black bodysuit and white mask, while the larger individual wore a black tank top, green pants, and massive gauntlets along with his black plague mask. On Overhaul's left had an average build, sporting a long white raincoat while having the hood over his head and his plague mask was black with a gold trimming, and also wore black boots.
Overhaul himself had a narrow build with short, shaggy auburn hair that was parted to the right. His eyes are thin, their irises small and gold, with rather long lower eyelashes and small eyebrows. On his left ear were three beaded lobe piercings. He also wore a black dress shirt with matching dress pants, a pale gray tie around his neck and a belt with a long, thin buckle around his waist. Over this, he wears a dark olive-green bomber jacket with a thick purple fur collar and white lace-up sneakers with tan soles and no socks. He wore white surgical gloves on his hands and his signature magenta plague mask
over his mouth, which is tipped and embroidered with gold.
"The Shie Hassaikai…Eight Precepts of Death…let's see why my master acknowledges your existence…" Shigaraki thought as he walked towards Overhaul and began to speak. "The one and only Overhaul, a Villain who still thinks the Yakuza still have a place in the criminal underworld…just what are you after exactly?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Tomura Shigaraki…" Overhaul said, glaring at the raspy Villain before him. "Right now, I have agreed to meet with the League, or more specifically your master, All For One."
"I don't think I appreciate your tone of voice, Overhaul...you sound awfully arrogant for some Yakuza punk…" Shigaraki said, glaring back at Overhaul.
"The boss ain't some punk you can disrespect! I suggest you keep your mouth shut or we'll do it for you!" The short man threatened as he pointed at Shigaraki.
"You first, half-pint." Dabi said, stepping next to Shigaraki and looking at the short man.
"Now, now, Tomura and Dabi…" A familiar voice said, belonging to All For One who seemed to just appear out of the shadows, levitating with his arms stretched out. "...that's no way to treat guests..."
"Master, forgive me…" Shigaraki said, kneeling before All For One.
"It seems that you found this place easy enough with my directions..." All For One said, addressing Overhaul.
"Yes we did, the coordinates lead us right to your base of operations." Overhaul remarked.
"Then by all means, enter, for we have much to discuss…" All For One said as he led Overhaul and his crew inside, eventually reaching a small room within the warehouse.
Ever since they were forced to retreat to the warehouse, the League of Villains had tried to make the place as liveable as possible, which included adding furniture and other decorations. All For One led the Yakuza affiliated Villains to an area that seemed akin to a living room, with two couches and a coffee table in the middle. All For One took a seat on the couch closest to the wall while Overhaul and his crew took the opposite couch instead. Shigaraki sat on the end of the couch All For One was on while the League members present either watched from a distance and stood near the couch.
"So tell me, what's the Symbol of Evil want with a Yakuza group like the Shie Hassaikai?" Overhaul asked, stroking his mask curiously.
"I think we both know exactly why I would want to discuss business with you, Overhaul. Not only is the Shie Hassaikai one of the best Trigger dealers in the country, but word across the underworld has allowed me to discover you have crafted a bullet that can nullify a person's Quirk." All For One explained, causing Overhaul to squint his eyes slightly, his attention bought by the mastermind.
"How much do you know?" Overhaul asked.
"I know that currently the drug you developed can only temporarily negate Quirks, though you aim to make a more…permanent solution. I also know that the drug was made from a Quirk, that you're using someone, or rather parts of someone as your secret ingredient…" All For One explained.
"Sounds like you've done your homework…" Overhaul said as he scratched his head. "But yes, the drug currently can only nullify a person's Quirk for a couple of hours at best, though each time I have synthesized and refined the formula to be more potent. Soon enough, I will have a version of the drug that will take away a person's Quirk permanently, it's only a matter of time."
"From the sounds of things, you've tested the effects of the drug each time you've brewed it." All For One said, stroking his chin. "More specifically you've sold the drug to small-time crooks and Villains who wanted to even the odds against the Heroes by not just juicing themselves with Trigger, but also robbing them of their power with these bullets of yours."
"Kill two birds with one stone, make money while also experimenting with untested strains of the drug." Overhaul explained. "So is that what this is about? Are you just another Villain seeking to even the odds as you put it before?"
"Overhaul, if you truly know how my mind works, then you should also realize that whatever machinations I have conjured up that involve your drug is far more important and grand than just trying to 'even the odds'. What I intend to do is to create the ultimate weapon, the ultimate army that will lay waste to this country and then the rest of the world." All For One explained.
"With those things you call Nomus? They're just brain-dead hunks of meat with multiple Quirks." Overhaul remarked.
"The common lower class Nomus are indeed primarily hardwired to only follow specific orders and have no autonomous behaviors other than pure instinct for combat purposes. But there are Nomus up my sleeve that are far more powerful, not to mention intelligent yet loyal to a fault. I intend to further evolve and transform my Nomus with key ingredients." All For One said as he locked his hands together.
"And I'm guessing my drug is one of these ingredients. You honestly expect me to help you build an army of monstrosities not only armed to the teeth with Quirks but are capable of taking other Quirks away?" Overhaul asked, glaring at All For One.
"Is it because it would interfere with your grand mission, Overhaul? The mission to 'cure' this world?" All For One asked back.
"Quirks are the reason why the Yakuza are seen as a joke in this era. They were once feared across all of Japan, even in other countries, but now we're just relics to these people, to these "Heroes" as they call themselves, a bunch of irrelevant crime lords trying to relive the glory days as the media put it. I want to create a world where the name Yakuza inspires fear and power once more." Overhaul explained as he clenched his fist before slamming it on the coffee table, shattering it into several pieces.
"What the hell, man?! We just bought that table!" Twice shouted angrily.
Overhaul let out a sigh before taking off one of his gloves and touching his bare hand on the broken parts of the table.
"Apologies, that subject works me up at times. But fortunately, I can fix a simple table." The Yakuza affiliated Villain said as he started to reassemble the broken pieces and in the blink of an eye, that reformed the table back to its previous state of condition, impressing All For One.
"So this is Overhaul's Quirk…also known as Overhaul…" Shigaraki thought as he watched Overhaul in action. "I'd say it's similar to my own Quirk, but I can only destroy things, not create or fix them like he can…"
"You have an incredible Quirk, Overhaul, the power to create and destroy, to rebuild or even change whatever you desire. And yet, you believe that a world without Quirks would be better despite the near-demiurgic power you possess." All For One remarked.
"And that attitude of yours, your lust for power and twisted desires, is exactly why my mission is justified. These aren't gifts, All For One, they're an illness that you and plenty of other Villains have exploited for a long time, leading to decline of the Yakuza's power and control over this country." Overhaul said, crossing his arms after putting his glove back on.
"Hmm, it appears that we are currently at an impasse. That's quite unfortunate to hear, Overhaul, I would have believed that you were smarter than that." All For One said with a sigh before continuing to speak. "Then I will be blunt with you, Kai Chisaki…I have a new business partner, a benefactor who has a vision for this world and beyond, a vision that will make not only the Yakuza obsolete but also every Villain, Hero and other criminals and law enforcers."
Overhaul was at first angered by All For One referring to him by his real name, but upon hearing about the Symbol of Evil's new benefactor, the Yakuza was intrigued though also cautious and wondered if All For One was threatening him.
"Impossible! No one person could get rid of all Heroes, Villains and crime!" The hulking yakuza member shouted.
"Yes, that would be true if my benefactor was just a person, but they are much more than that." All For One said with a grin. "I won't bore you with the full story, but essentially I must free my benefactor in exchange for the knowledge and secrets of one of the other ingredients to my perfect army."
"And what ingredient is that?" Overhaul asked.
"Tell me, Overhaul, have your connections been able to discover the truth behind that new Vigilante that showed up in Hosu?" All For One asked back with a smug grin.
"The Vigilante from Hosu? The one with the Transformation Quirk who took out some of your Nomus and was spotted in Kamino on the night of your fateful battle with All-Might?" Overhaul asked before rolling his eyes.
"Except it's not a Transformation Quirk, or even a Quirk at all." All For One said as he snapped his fingers, in which Kurogiri appeared beside the couches with a laptop. "Kurogiri, if you will."
Kurogiri simply pushed one of the keys on the laptop, which then turned on a livestream. The livestream was inside of a large room lined with metal and thick concrete walls, though what taught their attention was the Nomus in the room, battling and being ripped to shreds by what appeared to be a girl covered in red and black ooze, cleaving and tearing apart the Nomus sent after her with weapons formed from his matter around her body. Overhaul's attention was peaked once more, seeing this girl use this red and black ooze to fight and destroy these Nomus, however his eyes widened upon seeing the girl's face morphed into one with large white eyes and a gaping mouth with huge fangs as it bit into one of Nomus' heads, taking it off with one large crunch from her jaws.
"Did that girl just bite that thing's head off? Just like that psycho Vigilante?!" The one in the white coat exclaimed.
"Are she and the Hosu Vigilante related somehow?" Overhaul thought.
"I assure you, gentlemen, that none of the abilities displayed by Himiko Toga are from her Quirk." All For One said as Kurogiri pushed another laptop key, changing from the livestream to footage and screenshots of Carnage protruding out of Toga like a serpent or worm. "Inside of Toga is an extraterrestrial organism that originates from a planet light years from our own. We've come to know them as Symbiotes due to their ability to bond with another organism and enhance their host's abilities as well as giving them access to an arsenal of weaponized biomass that can alter its size, shape and density at will."
"You gotta be shitting me, aliens? You expect us to buy that?" The short yakuza member asked in disbelief.
"It is so hard to believe that there is life on planets? That we are the only intelligent beings in our universe?" All For One questioned.
"We've never found proof of them, not even to this day." Nemoto argued.
"That's because rather than choose to further develop any of their space programs, most countries instead focused on technology and safety measures for Quirks." Overhaul said, clenching his fist. "Idiots, they allowed this sickness to not only poison their minds but also science itself…"
"And therefore it has allowed many extraterrestrial activities to go unnoticed by our world until now." All For One said as Kurogiri pressed another laptop key, showing multiple photos and still images of Venom and Carnage along with their respective hosts. "But I can assure you, Overhaul, that these two individuals, Edward Brock and Himiko Toga, are hosts for these symbiotes known as Venom and Carnage."
"And so your grand plan is to combine Nomus, symbiotes and my drug together?" Overhaul asked curiously.
"Precisely." All For One replied. "Imagine an army of Nomus who can adapt and evolve their tactics, abilities and biology as they fight and feed, possessing multiple Quirks that compensate for their symbiotic partner's weaknesses and also being capable of nullifying the Quirks of others, especially Pro Heroes."
"So then what? You decide who gets to keep their Quirk and who doesn't? If it were me, I'd be using them to eradicate all Quirks." Overhaul said with a glare.
"You have a point, I will acknowledge that. But maybe I wasn't being specific enough." All For One said as he stood up. "I'm offering you a choice, Overhaul, a choice of either survival or annihilation. You and the Shie Hassaikai can either join my new vision for this world or you can be destroyed alongside the old world and Hero Society as a whole."
Overhaul's expression didn't change, but his crew members had mixed reactions, from fear, anger, confusion and disbelief.
"This guy is insane!" One of them exclaimed.
"Did he just threaten the Shie Hassaikai?" Another said with a hint of anger.
"Legend or not, there's no way this man alone could destroy us…" Nemoto said skeptically.
"You doubt my master's power? You'll regret that, Yakuza scum…" Shigaraki hissed in a venomous tone.
"What did you say, you Villain trash?!" The hulking Yakuza yelled angrily, offended by the League of Villains' leader's warning, as he rushed towards Shigaraki.
However, as he threw a right hook towards his target, All For One intercepted it, blocking the large fist using only his index finger, completely halting their attack as the muscular Shie Hassaikai member struggled to push his fist forward.
"What the fuck?! He blocked Katsukame's punch with nothing but his finger?!" The Yakuza in the white coat exclaimed in disbelief.
"Why are you so surprised? This is the man who nearly killed All-Might." Overhaul said with a sigh.
"Apologies, Katsukame, but I cannot allow any harm to come to Tomura at this point in time." All For One said before his arm swelled up and became shaped like a compressed spring, before then unleashing a powerful blast of air that knocked Katsukame into a nearby wall with enough force to make a human shaped dent.
"You weren't kidding…this guy is a monster…" The short Yakuza man said nervously.
"Overhaul, why should we be enemies when we could accomplish so much together? Your skills in the field of biology and chemistry are unparalleled to synthesize a Quirk destroying drug from another person's Quirk." All For One said as he held up his index finger again, which sparked and formed a small black orb of energy that crackled and jolted with red electricity. "Let's not dance around the bush and admit the obvious: You are nothing without your Quirk, and the only reason you can even make this drug is because of it and your subject's own Quirk. It's amusing how you intend to eradicate Quirks and yet you need to use your Quirk to do so, which I believe is what us humans call hypocrisy."
Overhaul was angered by All For One's words, though he couldn't exactly argue against them, given that he was correct in his assumptions. Overhaul let out another sigh before standing up.
"Fine, you've made your point, All For One. The Shie Hassaikai will align themselves with you."
"Wait, what? Seriously, boss?!" Nemoto exclaimed.
"You're really just going to roll over and surrender just like that?" The short Yakuza asked.
"To quote Paradise Lost, better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven…" Overhaul retorted as he clenched his fists.
"You have made a wise choice, Overhaul, this partnership of ours will benefit you and your allies in the long run." All For One said, deactivating his power and letting out a smile as he clapped his hands.
"I will manufacture the drug for you to use with your army….but on one condition..." Overhaul said with a glare.
"And what is that?" All For One asked.
"I want to meet your benefactor, the one who you must set free." Overhaul replied. "I want to see if they're as important and powerful as you claim."
All For One was silent for a few seconds, but then started to laugh in a hysterical manner, making the League and Shie Hassaikai members minus Kurogiri and Overhaul nervous.
"Oh Overhaul, if you knew what that request actually meant within the context of our situation, then you would be begging me to reconsider the terms of our agreement. But I can accept those terms for now, it's whether or not my benefactor will agree to this meeting that matters."
"As long as there's a chance, I'll take it." Overhaul said firmly.
"If you say so, welcome to the team, Kai Chisaki..." All For One said, extending his hand out.
Overhaul looked at All For One's hand for a few seconds before extending his own hand out, leading to the two Villains shaking hands as the alliance between the League of Villains and Shie Hassaikai had been established.
A week had passed since Eddie and Venom were assigned to the Nighteye Agency as part of the legal arrangements formed from the Klyntar and Commission's alliance. With Sir Nighteye as their handler, Eddie and Venom were doing minimal or trivial tasks around the building, with the current task having the two mop the floors in the Agency's hallway. Eddie held one of the mops in his hands as he focused on moping the end of the hallway he was on, while Venom had two mops which he was moving across the hallway floor with his tendrils all while humming a certain Enimem song.
"Do you really need to keep humming that same song every time we mop?" Eddie asked, annoyed by his symbiotic companion's antics.
"It's a good song, and I'm going to sing or hum it whenever I feel like it, Eddie." Venom responded, as he kept humming and mopping the floor.
"Whatever, just finish your end of the floor before Nighteye comes back and makes us do even more chores." Eddie said with a groan as he kept mopping. "He's done nothing but give us chores for the past few days, and it's pissing me off."
"Sounds like someone misses being out there, catching and eating bad guys!" Venom said with a chuckle.
"Not the eating part obviously, but I'd rather try and search for a way back home or help the others stop Knull than doing these everyday." Eddie explained before he put his mop back in the bucket and sat down on a nearby seat. "I'm surprised that you of all people aren't freaking out and throwing a fit over not being able to fight and eat people."
"What are you saying, Eddie? That I can't do manual labor like other people because I'm a ravenous gelatinous blob from outer space?" Venom asked with a smug grin.
"Is this because I said you couldn't get a job washing dishes the last time we fought?" Eddie asked back.
"...Maybe…yes…" Venom admitted before he put his mops down and retracted his tendrils back into Eddie's body.
"Oh…well, you're doing a good job, better than I am…and that's high praise from a guy who got to interview Michael Morbius…" Eddie remarked.
"Wasn't that the doctor who killed people? He was a vampire or something, right?" Venom asked.
"He made fake blood which saved a lot of people and got a Nobel Prize, which he refused…and from the king of Sweden of all people." Eddie added.
"And then he became a vampire!" Venom exclaimed.
"He's not a vampire, vampires aren't real." Eddie argued.
"And yet me and the rest of my kind were created by an eldritch god of darkness." Venom commented smugly.
"Fair point…" Eddie said with a sigh.
As they stopped to have their break, the door at the end of the hallway opened and through it came a tall young man who appeared to be wearing the U.A. High uniform. He had fair skin, blue beady eyes and had blond hair, the top arranged like a cowlick and the bottom swept back and went past his ears.
"Alright, I made it on time!" The blond student exclaimed with excitement.
"Who's that meant to be? We haven't seen him around here before." Venom said, looking at the new arrival.
"Wait, that uniform he's got on…he's from U.A.!" Eddie said, recognizing the uniform. "I wonder if he knows how Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A are doing…"
The blond student then noticed Eddie and Venom nearby and approached them.
"Hello there! You must be the ones that Sir mentioned!"
"Sir? You mean Nighteye?" Eddie asked.
"That's right, he said that the Hero Public Safety Commission put you under his thumb, at least to the extent that the law can allow given your unique situation…" The blond student replied with a smile. "The name's Mirio Togata, I'm a third year at U.A High, doing my work studies here at the Nighteye Agency!"
"Eddie Brock, nice to meet you." Eddie said with a lazy wave. "This is Venom."
"We are the Lethal Protector, San Francisco's champion!" Venom roared.
"Lethal Protector? I don't see how killing criminals exactly protects people, but to each their own I guess!" Togata said, still having his upbeat demeanour.
"This kid's got a lot of positivity." Eddie thought before speaking again. "I'm guessing you probably know about what's been going on."
"That Venom is an alien? Yeah, Sir mentioned that though he also said there were a lot of things he couldn't share with me, at least not at this moment in time." Togata remarked. "I'm sure everything will work out in the end, for you and everyone else."
"Buff Tintin sure likes to act all happy-go-lucky, doesn't he, Eddie?" Venom asked.
"Nothing wrong with a little optimism…listen, Mirio, since you're at U.A., I wanted to know something." Eddie said.
"Sure, what did you want to know?" Togata asked back.
"Can you tell me anything about Class 1-A and how they've been doing recently?" Eddie asked.
"Oh Class 1-A! I just met them the other day!" Togata said as his smile got bigger. "Me and my friends from the same year were asked to talk about work studies with them, given that they just got their Provisional Licenses, allowing them to use their Quirks in public."
"So they did get their licenses! Good on them, glad that camp wasn't in vain even after everything that happened…" Eddie said, relieved to see that the kids had done well.
"We should try and get a license ourselves, Eddie! Maybe then we could fight bad guys without the police having to arrest us again!" Venom said with a grin.
"You know why we can't, pal, so just drop it." Eddie said with a groan.
"You were at the training camp when it was attacked by the League of Villains, right?" Togata asked. "I heard you took out some of the Villains, and you even ate Muscular."
"Yeah…that…." Eddie said, awkwardly scratching his head.
"Don't sweat it, I can tell you mean well, even if I don't agree with your methods." Togata said, lightening his expression.
"Right, so anyway you said you met with the class?" Eddie asked.
"Oh yeah, Aizawa wanted us to show them what it will be like doing work studies, so then I fought the entire class by myself!" Togata said with a chuckle.
"Wait what?!" Both Eddie and Venom exclaimed.
"Yeah, I took on the entire class and won, but it makes sense given that I have 2 years of experience over them and have been training to master my Quirk since I was little." Togata remarked. "Though one of them was able to deduce my strategy even if they didn't win against me."
"Midoriya?" Eddie asked.
"So you know him too, people were gossiping about that kid, so I wanted to see how true the rumours were, and I have to say, he's got potential, especially if he uses that brain of his." Togata said, grinning once more.
"There you go, Eddie, broccoli boy and his friends are fine, so stop being so stressed out!" Venom exclaimed.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that they're doing okay, after everything that happened with the camp, with the Villains and All-Might's retirement…" Eddie said solemnly as he looked at the floor.
"Hey, don't go and act all gloomy on me now!" Togata said, trying to raise Eddie's spirits. "Even if All-Might is gone, we'll still do our best to become Pro Heroes and become the future protectors of this country and beyond."
"How do you have so much positive and fiery spirit? A guy like you must be hella strong." Eddie said with an awkward laugh.
"Well, I didn't spend years of life training just to end up weak, now did I?" Togata said with a chuckle.
"Right…I should probably get back to work before Nighteye hits me in the back of the head with a stamp again." Eddie said, getting up out of his seat and touching the spot on his head where Nighteye hit him. "That thing struck like a bullet, but without any of the damage."
"And without your brains being blown all across the wall!" Venom added.
"Thank you for the unnecessary addition, pal…" Eddie groaned before picking up his mop.
"Good luck to you then, and maybe I'll see you later after I'm back from patrol." Togata said, giving Eddie a thumbs up.
"Yeah sure, I guess. I'm not exactly allowed to leave the building without Nighteye's say." Eddie said with a shrug. "But good luck to you as well, go out and fight some crime."
Togata laughed before waving goodbye to the San Franciscan to prepare for today's work studies. Eddie sighed as he continued mopping the floor while Venom formed tendrils from his host's body to pick up the other two mops and continued his rounds of cleaning.
"Sleeper, you better not forget about us, or else they'll be hell to pay…"
The Special Prison for Villain Criminals, more commonly known as Tartarus. Named after the Greek personification of the underworld, Tartarus is where the Japanese authorities keep the most dangerous Villains in captivity, ensuring that they cannot threaten the public anymore. Located five kilometers from mainland Japan on a man-made island, Tartarus possesses the latest in anti-Quirk and Quirk-proof technology where prisoners are monitored 24/7 and restrained with straitjackets and mechanical chairs. Sensors and surveillance equipment installed within the prison were designed to detect any Quirk activity inside and outside Tartarus, which ensures that security can defuse situations or prison break attempts before they can threaten the integrity of the prison compound. Tartarus is only accessible from a large bridge that leads into the mainland to the nearest city, blocked off from the public by a large gate known by prison employees and Pro Heroes as the "Bronze Gate". Though Tartarus has faced a few accusations regarding the violation of human rights and abuse towards prisoners, the prison has more or less served as the country's best compound for incarcerating Villains with.
The Hero Public Safety Commission had sent their top enforcer, the Number 3 Hero Hawks, alongside a few board members to conduct business with a certain prisoner inside Tartarus' walls. After driving across the bridge and signing themselves in at the front office, Hawks and his superiors were taken to a visiting room, which was composed of two rooms separated by a glass wall with two rooms opposite them with three way mirrors so that the prison guards could monitor their conversation. Two of the board members sat down while the third one stood near the glass wall, and Hawks stood there, letting out a yawn before doing a few stretches with his limbs.
"Try to take this seriously, Takami." One of the board members said.
"Yeah, yeah, I know how this goes…" Hawks said with a nonchalant demeanour.
"The President was specific about ensuring this deal goes smoothly, so none of your smart-mouthing today, understand?" Another board member asked.
"Relax, I know when to turn it off." Hawks said as his demeanour shifted from laid-back to stoic.
"We're bringing in the prisoner now, please stay away from the glass." A prison guard said through the speakers.
Hawks and the standing board member moved away from the glass wall as they heard the sound of the door buzzing from the other end, then soon enough saw as it opened from the inside. Two prison guards came through the door, wheeling in a high tech wheelchair where one of Tartarus' prisoners was currently strapped down to. They were a woman with fair skin, purple eyes and dark blue hair with several scattered pink streaks, with two strands that reached down to her shoulders and wore an orange prison jumpsuit with the numbers "656698" sewn into a white patch on her left pectoral region. The guards placed the woman in front of the glass and clamped the chair down on the floor to ensure she could not move before they left the room and locked the door behind them.
"The room is yours, gentlemen." One of the guards said via the communication system.
The female prisoner, who was originally looking at the floor, looked up with a blank and cold stare, making some of the board members nervous though Hawks simply stared back quietly. The stand board member then started to speak.
"I'm sure you realise by now that this is not just some trivial visit, so I think we can skip the part where I ask you how you're holding up. You clearly aren't happy to see us, Tsutsumi, so I won't waste time making idle chit-chat."
The female prisoner, identified as Tsutsumi, let out a sigh before she began to speak.
"The world must be up in arms or on the brink of extinction if you're desperate enough to turn to me…" She said with a sour tone. "What's the matter, gentlemen, you can't have your little bird take care of the problem instead?"
"Nice to see you too, Lady Nagant, seems that prison has done nothing to brighten up your sour demeanour..." Hawks said with a dry and sarcastic tone.
"Takagi." The standing board member said sternly, silencing Hawks for now. "The President, along with the board, has agreed to offer you a plea deal, a way out of Tartarus if you're interested in hearing us out."
"Do you really expect me to be roped into whatever corrupt and twisted plan you've been cooking up? That I would help you preserve the status quo again, made to kill men and women I once considered my allies, my comrades?" Tsutsumi asked in a cynical tone.
"We're no longer concerned with some upstart Heroes, Tsutsumi, right now we have much greater problems on the horizon." The board member replied. "We have a new enemy now, one that if our new allies are correct, threaten our very world, and we'll need all of the help we can get, even if we have to resort to less than stellar methods."
One of the board members that was sitting down soon stood up and opened up a laptop, bringing up various bits of footage and data before showing it to Tsutsumi, specifically surveillance footage of Venom, Sleeper and Carnage in action.
"These are what we have come to know as Symbiotes, para-symbiotic life forms from the planet Klyntar that bond to other organisms for survival, augmenting them in order to adapt and evolve."
"You've gotta be kidding me, you really expect me to believe there are aliens out there right now, bonded to people like some freaky body snatcher?" Tsutsumi asked, fighting the urge to laugh.
"It doesn't really matter what you or I believe, Tsutsumi, what matters is what's about to happen. All For One has escaped All-Might's grasp, leading to our Number 1 Hero losing his power and title, and we have come to believe that this is connected to a much larger threat, some ancient being that created the Symbiotes in the first place who was imprisoned far away in space, and that it's imperative that this being, the one they call Knull, stays in his cage." The board member explained.
"And what exactly do you expect me to do? Shoot this Knull before he breaks free?" Tsutsumi asked with a snarky grin.
"No, but we would very much like you to shoot anyone who could possibly free Knull and bring about the end of the world." The board member replied. "The choice is yours, Tsutsumi, but if you agree to this, then maybe we can discuss the possibility of maybe getting you out of this prison…"
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Nagant, I suggest you take it." Hawks added before putting his hands in his pockets.
Tsutsumi at first thought that this was a trick, an attempt to manipulate her into doing what she used to do, to be an assassin that killed whoever the Commission paid her to kill. Though she did also consider the idea that this might be real, and if the planet itself was in trouble, then where would she live? Tsutsumi let out a sigh before looking at the board members and Hawks.
"I'm listening…"
Norsk Folkemuseum, or simply known by foreigners as the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. Located in Oslo, Norway and established in 1894 by historian Hans Aall, the museum possesses a large collection of historical records and artifacts linked to their Norse heritage and is part of an open-air museum composed of 150 buildings from old towns and districts. It's usually open at 10 in the morning, but right now it was nightfall, and inside of the museum were three mercenaries that carefully searched for their target.
"That's the front guards taken care of…" Volcano said, looking at the now melted and charred remains of the security guards near the front door before speaking through his earpiece. "If you run into any guards, either take them out or avoid getting caught."
"You got it, Volcano." Dusty Ash said, who was infiltrating from the back side of the museum.
"Gotcha, boss." Gust Boy said, slipping past a few guards as he began his search within a room displaying Viking boats and weapons. "Wow, there's a lot of Viking stuff here, or should I be calling them Normans or Norse, Volcano?"
"Call it whatever you like, just focus on looking for any clues to find that damn cult. Dusty Ash, what do you see on your end?" Volcano asked as he entered one of the rooms of the museum.
"Just snuck in not too long ago. I'm in the art room, and could probably find something about the cult." Dusty Ash responded before hearing some footsteps followed by a yawn and saw the shine of a flashlight around a corner.
She then lowered her voice as she spoke into the earpiece, slowly backing away in the opposite direction.
"Hold on. Got some company."
Volcano sighed as he began looking at several statues within the room he was in, looking carefully at each of them while trying to remain hidden. Volcano was a large man, and so stealth wasn't usually his best strategy, as Dusty Ash was the stealth expert of their group. However, this job needed their full attention and so Volcano had to risk it, even if it meant killing a few guards and law enforcement.
"Plenty of statues and artwork around, but I don't see anything with a black sun. What about you two?" Volcano asked.
"Black sun, black sun, black sun….nope, not in this area." Gust Boy replied as he snuck into the room opposite the one he was currently in.
"Still searching for the black sun as well." Dusty Ash said as she continued to look at each art piece where she snuck in.
"So, say we find this temple or whatever, get the manuscript and find this slumbering beast as All For One called it, then what? Are we just going to pretend like this doesn't sound like the build up to a betrayal?" Gust Boy asked as he kept searching.
"He'll honour his side of the deal if he values his integrity, most Villains who had allegedly helped him in the past were compensated fairly." Volcano replied, before he left the current room he was in and then approached a few glass boxes containing maps.
"And alongside his connection with Giran, he said that we can name the price once we are finished. So I would say that he's trustworthy." Dusty Ash added before spotting something within one of the paintings near the exit of the room.
She waited and looked around to see if there were any guards patrolling in the room she was in. Determining that the coast was clear, Dusty Ash quickly tip-toed her way closer to inspect the painting. She then smiled as the painting contained the sigil that they were looking for, and analyzing the plates that explained the painting, saw that there were numbers that she figured were the latitude and longitude coordinates.
"Well, well, well boys. Seems like I found a clue." The Villainess whispered into her earpiece.
"What did you find, Dusty Ash?" Volcano asked.
"I've got some coordinates on one of the paintings. They're under a black sun." Dusty Ash replied.
"Well, then snatch the painting and let's get out of here." Gust Boy said with a sigh.
"We don't need the painting, just the coordinates. Take a photo and let's bounce." Volcano ordered.
"Why not? That painting could be worth a shit ton of cash." Gust Boy argued.
"Think, you duck-billed moron, if the painting with the black sun disappears, then not only will we have Norwegian police up our asses, but the Pros as well. Besides, we're going to get triple the amount of money for this job alone." Volcano explained.
"I'm making my way back outside." Dusty Ash said after taking out her phone and taking the picture of the painting and was able to sneak away undetected.
Volcano and Gust Boy meanwhile did their best to try and escape using their own routes. Gust Boy was fortunately able to move nimbly enough out of the museum, using his Quirk to propel himself out of the open window he came through. Volcano moved as quietly as possible, however he bumped into a wall to which one of the guards ran over to see what happened, only to get a face full of lava, blasting the top half of their body off while the rest melted on the spot.
"Maybe we should have only sent Dusty Ash…" Volcano thought as he quickly escaped the museum through a nearby door that led outside. "I'm outside, rendezvous back at the inn, and remember your disguises."
"You mean our civilian clothes?" Gust Boy asked as he landed near a tree where a duffel bag containing his clothes and belongings was.
"No, the mariachi uniform we got back at our job in Mexico-of course I meant your civilian clothes!" Volcano shouted, being far enough from the museum to be able to speak louder. "Just get dressed and head back to our room at the inn."
"Already on it." Dusty Ash said as she picked up her own duffel bag and speed-walked away to find a place to change, occasionally looking back to make sure she isn't followed.
Volcano groaned before reaching his duffel bag, and after getting changed into his civilian clothing he then headed back towards the inn they were staying at on the outskirts of Oslo. Volcano was wearing an orange v-neck shirt with buttons, a black leather jacket and grey denim jeans with black boots.
"Haizono's fashion sense is always on point…" Volcano thought as he picked up his duffel bag and started to move.
Eventually he arrived at the inn, a place known as "Vanaheim Heights", to which Volcano went inside and went immediately to his room, knocking on it six times with a specific rhythm. After a few seconds, the door swung open with Dusty Ash standing behind it. She wore a black and grey plaid pinafore dress with a white long sleeved shirt underneath, black knee-high boots, and fake thin square glasses. On top of that she changed the way her hair looked by tying it into a large bun, with one strand of hair running down the left side of her head.
"Hey boss." She said with a smirk.
"First one here as usual I see." Volcano said as he entered the room.
"Yep, you know it." Dusty Ash remarked before closing the door and plopped herself on the bed closest to the door, adjusting herself to face Volcano. "Anyway, I also put in the coordinates and know where our next destination is. But I suppose we should wait for Gust Boy to arrive."
"Yeah, that moron shouldn't be too far along." Volcano said as he sat down on a nearby bed. "Nice job, Haizono."
"Thanks, Iwata." Dusty Ash said as she rested her head on her hand and rubbed her other index finger back and forth on her leg. "You know, I'm always surprised that you don't get caught during these missions. You're the least inconspicuous one out of the three of us. All of these guards must be that oblivious, I guess."
"Hey, I got out of there without sounding the alarm, didn't I? And I only melted three guards this time." Volcano argued.
"True, but look I'm just saying, it's not usually your strong suit." Dusty Ash stated, giving a nod.
"Well, you're dressing a lot more modestly than you usually do." Volcano commented.
"It's definitely a lot more simple than my usual wardrobe, but it's comfy and doesn't draw unwanted attention." Dusty Ash said before her smile widened and talked in a more flirtatious tone while slowly pulling up one side of her dress. "Do you prefer if I wear the more revealing and skimpy outfits, Iwata?"
"That's not what I was…" Volcano tried to argue, only for his face to turn a light red. "...You really are a tease…you could have any guy or girl with those looks…"
Dusty Ash then stopped lifting her dress before blowing a small kiss towards Volcano, causing the larger man to blush even more. Soon they heard six knocks on the door with the same rhythm as before, to which Volcano opened the door, seeing that Gust Boy had arrived. Gust Boy was wearing a navy blue hoodie, light blue jeans and his green and white sneakers.
"Were you followed or discovered?" Volcano asked.
"No one saw me, boss, I got out of there scot-free." Gust Boy replied as he sat down on the sofa in their room. "So, what now? Those coordinates tell us where the temple is?"
"Possibly. The coordinates seem to lead us to Finland." Dusty Ash replied as she sat up on the bed and crossed her legs.
"We have to go to another country? I thought Norway was where the temple would be." Gust Boy said with an annoyed groan.
"All Nordic countries are valid locations for the temple, Kazetani, so until we find it, no slacking off." Volcano said, crossing his arms. "I'll radio our ride in the morning."
"Oh, can we try out that bistro near the inn? I've always wanted to try their Lapskaus stew!" Gust Boy said excitedly.
"This is a mission, not a vacation." Volcano said with a huff.
"Oh wait! I want to try their Vafler waffles though!" Dusty Ash pleaded.
"Waffles in the evening? You're mad, Haizono." Gust Boy said with a chuckle.
"Waffles can be a dessert too, Kazetani!" Dusty Ash argued.
"Come on, boss! You could try out their Smalahove!" Gust Boy pleaded.
"Sheep's head with vegetables and potatoes? It's not as popular as it used to be." Volcano said before letting out a sigh. "Fine, but don't overdo it, and for god's sake, no drinking!"
"What, why?!" Both Gust Boy and Dusty Ash whined.
"You know what happened last time, that job in Berlin?" Volcano reminded the two.
"It was Oktoberfest!" Gust Boy tried to justify.
"You two nearly blew up the Brandenburg Gate!" Volcano yelled.
"Oh, but Iwata…" Dusty Ash said in a sultry tone before approaching him and pressed her breasts against his body. "Surely, you can give us another chance…just this once~?"
Both Volcano and Gust Boy began to violently blush, Volcano especially who could feel Dusty Ash's 'assets' against his chest.
"Haizono…" Volcano said in annoyance, trying to fight her charms. "...Fine! Fine! You can drink, but I'm setting a limit!"
"Sounds like a deal~!" Dusty Ash said before giving Volcano an actual kiss on his cheek, making the orange haired Villain's heart rate skyrocket, his face glow a powerful red and steam rushed out of his head like a volcanic eruption.
"Auuuugh!" Gust Boy exclaimed with an envious glare.
"Something wrong, Gust Boy?" Dusty Ash asked as she turned her head to face him. "You know you can use those fans of yours to blow up my dress if you want~"
"WHA-WHAT?!" Gust Boy yelled, as his face turned red as well as his hands slowly turned to create a slight brush of air, then quickly closed his mouth for being too loud.
Dusty Ash simply giggled before getting off of Volcano.
"Anyway, I'm gonna put on some make up before we head out for dinner. See you boys in a few~" She said before entering the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Volcano and Gust Boy were silent for a couple of minutes, before they shook their heads and looked at each other.
"Let's just go and get some dinner…" Volcano said awkwardly.
"Yeah…." Gust Boy said in agreement, standing up and going outside.
Volcano remained with his thoughts, thinking back to All For One's words and the nature of their mission.
"Let's hope that whatever we discover….doesn't backfire on us…"
Did you enjoy the chapter? If so, please favourite and follow the story and give me your feedback! I will now go over my decisions made in the chapter!
As you can see, Toga and Carnage don't have the best relationship right now, and yet they're stuck together and forced to be lab rats. Hopefully they can pull themselves together and try and make up or whatever.
So the meeting between the League of Villains and Shie Hassaikai is more tame, as Overhaul wouldn't dare to suggest All For One work under him, the guy who he thought was an urban legend. No one ends up dead in the confrontation as All For One could control the situation and prevent needless bloodshed. And as for Overhaul agreeing to the alliance despite it meaning his goals would never be complete, the idea that there exists even greater or higher threats than just Quirks is something that is terrifying to Overhaul, given his germaphobic tendencies. He'd rather live and just be killed without getting a chance to at least come closer to eradicating Quirks.
Eddie and Venom I didn't have much for them to do in this chapter, but I did have them meet Togata who could be a good companion for the two, maybe or maybe not.
So yes, Lady Nagant from the Tartarus Prison Break arc is appearing in this story, several chapters before she is introduced canonically. I wanted the Commission to feel as though they needed to use every trick up their sleeve, and so wanted to re-activate their former hitman. Nagant is at least interested in their proposal but she is still not trusting of them.
And so yeah, the Volcano Thieves came back, I'm not sure if anyone actually likes them or not, so feedback on that would be really good. I just think they're such wasted potential as they could be interesting Villains rather than a one-time thing in an arcade game.
If that is all, then I will see you guys in the next chapter! MVA; Symbiote's Justice, Lethal Protectors away!