Musutafu, Japan, by all means an ordinary modern city in the land of the rising sun. It has everything, shops, schools, entertainment districts and more. One thing that separates this city from others though is its premiere high school and the city's crown jewel, U.A. High School.
It is here where the heroes of tomorrow are made into the heroes of today, where they hone their quirks, super powers that eighty percent of the world has and is unique to each individual, to protect society from crime and villainy.
On the streets of this city is a black frizzy haired teenage boy with a brown bag over his shoulders looking up at the illustrious school as it reflects off of his black framed glasses. He is in an all black school uniform with a long-sleeve button up, black dress pants and brown dress shoes.
"Seeing that school everyday never ceases to amaze me," he thinks to himself. "I wonder if they would take me, Ren Amamiya, a quirkless nobody kid that almost ended up with an assault record." He continues walking to his junior high school as he thinks about how he ended up in Musutafu.
Four Months Earlier…
It was late a night in his hometown, a small suburb in the Japanese countryside. Ren had been at a friend's house studying where he was taking a backroad in order to get home but as he gets close he hears something in the distance.
"Ah!" A woman shrieks into the night. "Let go of me!" As Ren continues walking home, he sees the source of the noise: a well-dressed man with orange sunglasses on with his hand on a woman's wrist.
"This is none of my business," Ren thinks. "But there are barely any heroes in this town and I don't have any quirks. But if I don't help her; then who will?" Ren then starts to proceed closer to the dispute.
"Listen here bitch," the man said with slurred speech, currently showing that he is drunk, his grip tightening ever more. "You get the hell in this car right now. People like you need to know your place and let me steer the direction of this country."
"Stop!" The woman shouts. "I'll-I'll call the police."
"Please," the man said in a mocking tone. "The police are my bitches." Just then police sirens begin blaring out in the night sky. " Great, someone called the cops. Get in the car. Now!"
"No somebody help me!"
"Stop!" Ren shouts, having gotten close to the pair having seen enough. The two now notice Ren's presence.
"What the hell are you doing here kid?" The man said in an irritated tone. "This is none of your business. Get out of here."
"You're hurting her," Ren saiyan as he begins moving closer to the men. "She asked you to back off." Ren then grabs the man's free hand causing the man to stumble back, away from the woman.
"You'll pay for that kid!" The man said angrily as he readies to throw a punch. But he inadvertently trips over himself landing face first on the concrete, splitting his forehead open.
"I didn't touch him!" Ren said aloud to no one in particular while looking down at his hands.
"Damn Brat! I'll sue!"
The next moments are a blur to Ren as the next thing he knows, the police arrive and the woman is intimidated into giving a false statement saying Ren attacked the man. The next thing Ren knows he is being dragged into the back of a police car, too stunned to say anything after having his world flipped upside down. Unbeknownst to him though a thin blonde man with long hair had been recording the whole thing from afar.
Present Day...
Ren takes one last look at U.A. before continuing on his daily walk to his junior high school.
"Did I do the right thing that night?" Ren ponders in his head to himself. "I had started to get interrogated when they received an anonymous tip about what really happened. Apparently someone with higher standing than that man had recorded everything. The evidence was irrefutable at that point. I was released with no charges but word had still spread around town. As if being the quirkless one was bad enough, I was now getting labeled as a vigilante." Ren then looks down pulling his right hand out of his pocket to look at. Though his innocence was proven, people still kept their distance and looked at him with judgmental eyes, having inserted himself into a situation he should have stayed out of, only escaping by the edge of his teeth. Would he turn to a life vigilantism, expecting to get bailed out if he screwed up? It was a blessing that his family moved to Musutafu due to his mom's job two months ago. Ren sighs thinking about it. "People can't always rely on heroes to save them. I appreciate everything they do but still. " He continues the quiet walk to his school, Aldera Junior High, putting his thoughts to rest for the time being.
Morning...
Ren was sitting at his desk, the desk in front of the one in the back right hand corner of the room close to the window, looking out the window with his hand on his face, paying no mind to what was going on.
"You guys are all third-years now," his teacher said as Ren looks uninterested at the teacher. "It's time to start thinking seriously about your futures! I'd hand out these forms for your futures but I assume you all want to be heroes" Ren looks around the room, his classmates getting excited over the prospects with some even activating their quirks. His eyes are drawn though to one student who has his hand up haphazardly. A rather plain looking boy with frizzy hair like Ren himself but more spiked out with dark green coloring, red high-top sneakers and freckles.
"That looks like Izuku Midoriya," Ren says to himself. "Overheard he's quirkless like me but still hopes to be a hero. But is that true?"
"Now I'm sure you all have wonderful quirks but it is against school rules to use them here."
"As if I had anything like their crappy quirks," another student with spiked up hair, Katsuki Bakugo, says cockily while leaning back in his desk earning boos from his classmates. It was through him that Ren found out Izuku is quirkless, mainly because Bakugo wouldn't let him forget it. "Aw shut up you extras!"
"Ah Bakugo, you must be aiming to enter U.A Hish School."
"Of course!" Bakugo shouts as he gets up on his desk. "I aced the mock exam! I'm the only one here with the stuff for U.A.! I'll even surpass All Might and become one of the best heroes out there! All while becoming one of the richest people in the world! You're also going to U.A., aren't you Midoriya?" The rest of the class and Ren turn their attention to Midoriya's desk. The class then bursts into laughter. Ren however isn't laughing, instead squeezing a piece of paper.
"Bastards," he says to himself angrily. "As impossible as his dream may be, do they have to treat him like this. Is it like this everyday with Midoriya?"
"That's not necessarily true!" Midoriya says completely flustered. "Sure there's no precedent but..."
"Come on Deku!" Bakugo shouts before Midoriya finishes. Striking his desk and activating his quirk, explosiveness, shattering the desk in back sending him flying past Ren, who gasps and releases the paper, and colliding with the back wall. "Forget the crappy quirks. You're totally quirkless, and you think you can rub shoulders with me?"
"Wait no, Kacchan." Midoriya says completely intimidated. "I wasn't saying I couldn't compete with you! Not at all! It's just been my dream since I was little. And well, there's no harm in trying." This causes Bakugo and the rest of the class to laugh again even harder.
"Try!? Try what!? The entrance exam!? You're taking the exam just to 'try'?! What can you even do?" This brings Midoriya to the verge of tears. The teacher finally tells the class to settle down and return to their seats. Midoriya walks past Ren who is squeezing the paper from earlier again, feeling the edges of the paper press against his hand.
"Dammit," Ren thinks in a frustrated as to what had just happened. " What gives them the right to treat someone like that? Why didn't the teacher do anything sooner. Why didn't I do anything at all? Was it because of before?" Ren throws the paper on the ground as class continues.
After School...
The rest of the day was not as eventful as the start of it. Ren's class had seemed to calm down as the day went on and so had he. He was now looking at his phone at his desk, most of the class had already left the room to start heading home, reading a news report about how a sludge monster villain was wreaking havoc across town. The report urged people to stay in their homes and to exercise caution if still outside.
"Hey Deku!" Bakugo says loudly to Midoriya ,catching Ren's attention. "We ain't done here." He then grabs the notebook Ren always sees Midoriya writing in.
"Not this again," Ren thinks, watching the scene to see what happens.
"Come on give it back!" Midoriya pleads with Bakugo.
"'For My Future'?" Bakugo reads the title of the book curiously. "Seriously?!" He says before touching the book and activating his quirk. Blowing up the book and leaving it a crisp.
"W-Why?" Midoriya questions.
"Hmph," Bakugo responds, walking by Ren's desk and tossing the book out the window. "The best heroes out there showed signs even as students. I'll be the first and only hero from this crappy public middle school. The first to win the honor of becoming a student at U.A. Guess I'm just a perfectionist."
"I've seen enough of this!" Ren thinks getting up out of his seat. "This is beyond simple bullying. He's trying to break Midoriya."
"In other words," Bakugo said. "Don't you dare get into U.A. Nerd!" He readies one of his signature right hooks. Midoriya snaps out of it to brace himself and then hears a gasp from one of Bakugo's friends.
But he does not feel anything, in fact he still feels himself standing. He opens his eyes and is shocked. Shocked to see that Bakugo has his forearm in the hand of Ren Amamiya, the quiet new kid.
"I think you need to stop," Ren said glaring daggers at Bakugo. "I'd say you're not acting like the future number one hero based on your actions." Bakugo's surprise then turns to anger.
"Let go of me you damn extra!" Bakugo exclaims removing himself from Ren's gasp. He then backhands him hard, his knuckle collideing with Ren's right cheek, knocking of his glasses in the process. "You're Ren Amamiya the new kid right? You wanna be the guy that always has to save him? Show me your quirk, compare it to mine. Right now!"
"I can't," Ren said, clutching his cheek as he picks his glasses off the floor.
"What do you mean you-" Bakugo pauses then smirks, connecting the dots. "I see, either you're being a goody-two-shoes not wanting to break the rules, or you're a quirkless nobody like Deku over here." He gestures to Midoriya who is just standing, slouched over and listening.
"What do you think it is?" Ren said putting his glasses on, having not been broken.
"Well seeing as you had the guts to stop me," Bakugo explains, "you're not too concerned about the rules. But you would have shown off your quirk by now, which means I think you're quirkless." Ren maintains his stare at the smirking Bakugo with clenched fists. "Since this is your first time making yourself even remotely relevant. I'll let you off with a warning. Never get in my way again, let his book be an example of what could happen to you." Bakugo warns as he starts walking out with his friends but stops at the doorway. "Oh yeah and if either of you two are hoping to get a good quirk in the next life. Why don't you take a swan dive off the roof sometime?" This causes Midoriya to turn around and look back at Bakugo as the latter leaves the room with his clique.
The quirkless duo are now alone in the room. With Midoriya back in his previous slouched pose with Ren sighing as he picks up his bag. He walks over to the now tear-eyed Midoriya.
"Hey," Ren said, getting Midoriya's attention. "You gonna be ok?"
"Yeah I think so," Midoriya said with a sniffle. "Thank you so much for helping me."
"It was nothing."
"If you don't mind me asking but was Kacchan right about you being quirkless?" Midoriya asks, causing Ren to look down and sigh for a second.
"Yes," he responds looking directly at Midoriya who shows a shocked face. "Anyways I think I saw your book land in the pond below. I can help you get it if you'd like."
"Are you sure?"
"I don't mind, let's get going." Ren said, starting to walk out the classroom before stopping to look back at Midoriya. "Consider it me making up for not doing anything this morning. I assure you I wasn't laughing at you." Ren assures Midoriya before walking out, with Midoriya following suit.
"I never had someone stand up for me, to Bakugo," Midoriya mutters to himself. "He's quirkless and did all of that for me anyways. He has gotta be fearless, he's so much braver than I am. I wonder if..."
"Are you muttering to yourself?" Ren asks, stopping to look back.
"Oh sorry!" Midoriya said with his hands up defensively. "I-I have a bad habit of doing that. Sorry."
"It's fine now come on." The duo then arrive at the pond where the remanents of Midoriya's book was. Most of it was in bad shape, with its pages having been either charred or soaked. " What was in this thing anyway?"
"Oh it was my notes on a variety of heroes, people and their quirks," said Midoriya. "I always wanted to get into U.A. and become a hero. Ever since I saw All Might in action for the first time. I always watched this video of a city in shambles. There's complete chaos and flames everywhere. But out of this carnage, is All Might with a reassuring smile on his face with him saying ' fear not, I'm here now.' After seeing that I knew that that's what I wanted to be. I prepared myself in every way a young kid could, until..."
"You got the news that you were quirkless," Ren said. Earning a sad look from Midoriya who nods. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring back bad memories. Is that why Bakugo calls you Deku?"
"Yeah and it's ok. I know my chances of becoming a hero are slim. But I want to give people the same hope and strength that All Might gives me. I have to become a hero."
"It'll be tough but you definitely have the conviction for it. I just hope you're ready for a worst-case scenario." This was when he notices one of the few pages in decent shape. A drawing of someone in some kind of mint green costume with a white waistband, white gloves and boots, a mask with rabbit ears and what appears to be black mouth guard with a teeth-showing smile on it. "What's this supposed to be?" He asks handing.
"Oh it's my hero costume," Midoriya responds, happily taking the paper from Ren. "I'm glad this survived as well!" He says as Ren hands him the pieces he had found. "Anyways do you wanna walk home together, I live near that retro looking cafe, Leblanc." Ren widens his eyes, surprised that Midoriya lives close by to him.
"Sounds good to me, I live near there too."
"Wow!" Midoriya replies surprised. "We should hang out sometime. Let's exchange numbers real quick." Ren nods to this and the duo exchange phone numbers and begin to walk home.
Later...
The two are walking home, talking about heroes and quirks. While Ren may not have considered himself to be a huge fan of heroes like Midoriya, he still counted himself as a supporter of heroes.
"Do you strive to be a hero as well Amamiya?" Midoriya asks. Ren rubs his hair in his fingers, thinking.
"I never really gave it any thought," Ren replies. "I mean I haven't really gave much thought to my future yet. I try to go with the flow. But I do have one problem with the system though."
"What is it?"
"Well you know how most of the world has quirks. These people have the power to make a difference, but they can't because of laws in place that prohibits them from using their powers in public."
"Well they are there for a reason. Like to keep villains in check."
"But they find a way around or just don't care about it." Ren said with conviction in his voice. Midoriya is taken aback by his tone.
"He sounds very passionate about this," Midoriya thinks. "I hope I didn't upset him."
"It is the everyday person that suffers the most from this. It's fine to rely on heroes, but what happens when someone expects a hero like All Might to show up and he doesn't. Someone could get hurt or worse." The two then approach an overhead walkway.
"Well," Midoriya started but pauses when he sees a sludge-like substance moving along the railings. "Is that?" Ren meanwhile, still focused on his topic, doesn't notice it.
"I know they do it to prevent anarchy and I'm not saying they should get rid of them completely. I'm just saying that-"
"Yes you'll do nicely," an unknown voice said, causing Ren to turn around.
"Amamiya look out!" Midoriya shouts running at Ren. Before the latter can react he is pushed away by the former. Time seemingly slows as Ren awaits to hit the ground. When he hits it, he sees what Midoriya had been talking about. A sludge like substance that has now enveloped Ren's savior,but no there's a mouth and eyes in this thing and they are not Midoriya.
"Wait that's...", Ren thinks to himself, connecting the dots, "that's the sludge monster from that report I read! How did it get here!?"
"Dammit I wanted the glasses kid," the monster said. "Oh well green-hair will have to do."
"Ah," Midoriya manages to blurt out. "Help!" He gets out before feeling his mouth gets smothered.
"Hang on!" Ren assures tossing his bag to the side and runs to the monster. Ren throws a punch with his right hand but sees it go right through the monster. The latter then throws a punch off knocking the would-be hero back, knocking his glasses off and back to where he was pushed.
"Face it kid, you can't do anything," the monster said in a taunting. "Get help if you can, your friend here will be nothing but bones by then and I'll be on my way."
"No." Ren said to himself, realizing the situation he is in. "I can't do anything, I got no quirks and a hero won't get here in time. Midoriya gonna die. I'm sorry!" He shouts the last part. With tears in his eyes now.
"What's the matter? Are you simply going to give up and watch?"
A voice says all of a sudden. Ren looks around to see who it was.
"That voice," Ren thinks before putting his hand on his chest, where his heart is. "Is it coming from within me?"
"No hero will get here in time and he will die, along with his dream. Are you going to reward his bravery by forsaking him to save yourself? Was your past decision a mistake?"
Ren then flashes back to that night, looking down and reflecting back on it. That woman could probably not be here if it weren't for his actions. While Midoriya's dream, as near impossible as it may be, he deserved a shot at it at least. While looking down he sees a familiar looking paper, the costume concept Midoriya had drawn from earlier.
"It wasn't." Ren said with a newfound determination.
"Very well, I have heeded your resolve," the voice said, sounding satisfied. "Now vow to me!"
In an instant Ren's head shoots back up, his eyes going from their usual grey color to a golden yellow. He sees Midoriya reaching out of the monster for any kind of help. Sude a sharp pain erupts in Ren's head causing him to clutch it and cry out in agony.
"I am thou, thou art I. Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name and release thy rage!"
Ren cries out in even mire pain, screaming now as he gets on one knee.
"Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to hell itself!"
Ren lets out one last cry as a sudden gust of wind sweeps through, briefly breaking the hold monster's hold on Midoriya.
"Agh! What the hell!" It says in pain. Meanwhile Midoriya crawls out to the side gasping for air as the monster is distracted. He then looks up at still kneeling Ren. He then stands back up now spotting a white mask with black ink around the eye holes, fit snugly on the bridge of his nose, on his face.
"This mask," Ren thought to himself as he touches it, "I gotta get it off! I have to..." He interrupts himslf by beginning to pull the mask off, skin being riped off in the process. Ren screams one last time as he fully tears the mask off, creating a new mask of blood as Ren looks back down.
"What is this!?" The shocked Midoriya questions. Afterwards Ren looks back up, sporting a now sinister smile across his face. Blue flames envelope where the blood once stood before overtaking Ren's form completely. The inferno rises as a reddish-orange demonic looking smile appears before dispersing and something sprouts up out of the blue flames as it eventually disperses from Ren as well with small floating black chains around them. The "thing" is twice as tall as Ren and is in a cropped red suit with five black hearts sewn onto the top of its right sleeve, a white ruffle tie, black tailed corset running down its torso, black feathered wings, red leg coverings, boots with blades for heels and black claw-like hands. The face from before is now plastered on a black mask with a large black top hat on top.
Ren meanwhile, whose smile and gaze at the monster has not ceased, is now sporting a new outfit. A long black tailcoat with black pants, dark brown boots that are curved slightly at the toes, a grey patterned shirt and red leather gloves. Ren then spreads his arms out as the eing above him does the same sending another gust of wind flying, making the monster lose his ground and Midoriya shielding his eyes. After it's over, he looks back in astonishment at the two. What kind of quirk was this? He had never seen anything like it before.
"How is this possible," the monster questions. "You're no hero, you can't be doing this."
"I am the pillager of twilight, Arsène!" The being said introducing itself to Ren. "I am the rebel's soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis."
"Yes Arsène," Ren replies eagerly. "Lend me your power!"
"Hmph very well."
"It shouldn't matter if you have powers or not to be a hero," Ren said directing his attention towards the monster. Having pulled out a knife that appeared as well. "I don't care if I can get in trouble. I saved a life today and did the right thing. I'd be as bad as you if I did nothing."
"Whatever," the monster replies back. "I had time to recover I can take on a simple kid no problem. Prepare to pay kid!" The monster said rushing at Ren.
"Amamiya!" Midoriya warns looking on.
"Now swing your blade!" Arsène instructs Ren. "Change that animosity into power and unleash it!"
"Of course," Ren replies back smirking. He sprints at his opponent mving faster than he did before. The monster launches himself onto Ren but the latter scouts it out by swinging his knife in a dagon motion. The creature grunts in pain getting knocked to the ground." Yes! Got a hit."
"Damit," the monster said, "you're gonna die for that kid."
"Y-Yes, you got a hit in Ren," Midoriya said cheering his friend on.
"Did he just call me by-," he starts to say to himself but is interrupted by Arsène.
"Focus on the battle at hand," he scolds Ren. "This power of mine, use it to defeat your foe. Run wild to your heart's content."
"Very well. Now Arsène, ravage him with cleave," Ren said bringing his hand to his mask with it disappearing to bring out Arsène who brings his leg up and slashes at the creature with his bladed boot making impact. "Nice."
"Ren is really giving it to this guy," Midoriya mutters to himself as Ren and the monster continue to trade blows. "I've never seen a quirk like this. But that screaming from him. This is the first time this has happened. Hasn't it?"
A few minutes pass as Ren begins huffing for breath staring down his foe yet again. He had done good damage to the monster but he was starting to get tired.
"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Ren thinks to himself. "I got something but I don't know if-"
"Fear not," a heroic sounding voice said. " I'm here now!" A person then lands getting the attention of both fighters. A man in casual clothing consisting of a white t-shirt, cargo pants and sneakers shows itself with an all too familiar reaasuring smile.
"It's All Might!" Midoriya said excitingly. "He's here."
"Now let's finish what we started early." The number one hero said rushing at the monster with incredible speed. Throwing a punch that sends it flying.
"Now my chance to finish this," Ren thinks reaching out to his mask to summon Arsène again. All Might meanwhile leaps up at the monster delivering an axe handle and slamming the monster onto the ground. "Now Arsène! Eiga!" Ren commands as Arsène happily obliges but putting his hand on the ground. A red and black beam of energy envelopes the monster as All Might lands with an empty two liter bottle as soon as the attack disappates. He plants it on top until all of the monster is sucked in and the hero uses the cap to seal it. The ordeal now over, Ren gets down on one knee and begins huffing again from the energy used up in the fight.
"Are you two kids alright?" All Might asks out of concern.
"Y-yes, All Might sir," Midoriya replies, shaking in excitement at seeing his idol in person. All Might nods and walks over to Ren.
"Is-is it over?" Ren asks looking up at the number one hero.
"Yes, but you need to be careful young man," All Might said. "It was brave what you did in holding off that villain, but not only did you put yourself in danger but risked going to jail by practicing vigilantism. I'll let you off with a warning but next time a fine young man such as yourself will end up in serious trouble next time."
"Heh-heh is my friend safe though?"
"Yes he is."
"Good," Ren said before falling backwards passing out. His outfit changes back to his school uniform. The last thing he feels is All Might catching him and seeing a concerned Midoriya check up on him.
Unbeknownst to those present however, the seeds have now been planted for the rise of perhaps the most infamous hero yet. Joker, the phantom thief hero.