guide:
"Normal talking"
"Spoken in foreign language"(in this case English)
'Thoughts'
Flashbacks/Memories
*Techniques*
Chapter 11- Transcendence
"So, care to tell me why a human child possesses the power of the Demon clan and your tattoo?"
"I guess I pro'lly should've told you beforehand, huh? Nishishishi..."
*sigh* "Even when you're just a spirit, you're still full of surprises."
"But first, could I ask a favor from you?"
"It depends on what that favor is. If it has something to do with a recipe for one of your dishes, then no." She joked.
"I need you to teach the kid how to be a hero." He said flatly.
"That's a very odd favor from you Captain. What is it with that boy and why are you so interested in him?" She quirked her eyebrow at his request.
She figured this was the case and she already made the decision to train the boy but she needed to know his reasons.
"Merlin, I've been sensing something bad, something terrible that's about to happen. Even from here, I can feel it coming and it only worsens my suspicions . It's like an imbalance in the realms. I think it's a sign of another holy war. A war about what? That's what I don't know. Every clan has been keeping to themselves and you guys are pretty much the only ones who travel between realms." He said uneasily.
"Another holy war huh? Is that why you gave the boy some of you're power? To complete our jolly little group of knights again?"
"Yeah. Pretty much."
"Do you have any other reason? Why not choose your niece or your grand nephew or your grand niece? Surely they'd be more viable candidates than a human child no older than ten."
"Zeldris would hate me if he found out I was using one of his family members as my representative and besides, I don't want to drag my little brother and his family in something he doesn't agree with."
"How considerate..."
"Also, the one who attacked the kid was a rogue demon. An enemy to the royal family and an escapee from the demon clan's prison. I don't know his name or who he is, nobody does. I only know that he's escaped to Earth about a few centuries ago and has been hiding ever since."
" I haven't heard of a demon escaping to the human realm and avoiding our eyes for so long. So, you gave that boy your power as a way to eliminate the rogue once and for all. That's very risky...and brutal especially for you. Using a human as a host for the greatest strength in the demon clan, you're lucky he didn't cause too much damage or went on a complete rampage. Actually...I'm surprised he didn't even go insane the moment he possessed your power, any normal human would've either exploded or slowly died while gouging their innards out. Did you have something to do with that or is that boy something special?"
"Nope. That kid is one hundred percent just a normal human with absolutely nothing special about him." He said a bit too bluntly. "He's just a kid who was born powerless to do anything he wanted and I could relate to that. He lost someone he loved to a demon and in this era no less. It was the only way I could think of to help him."
"That can't be. There has to be something special about him. No human in history could handle that much dark power." She frowned slightly and disregarded the last part of what he said.
"Well I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself huh? Nishishishi..."
She knew what he was doing...and she absolutely fell for it.
"Using my curiosity and thirst for knowledge against me...You truly are amazing at manipulating people." She said a little annoyed and humored at her captain's antics. "Is this your way of getting back at me for when I didn't tell you my plans for Arthur and the whole King of Chaos?"
"I'm not that petty Merlin."
"Well, I've already planned on training him but only when he's older. Let the child enjoy what time he has left as a child...and as a human. It will be easier for everybody when he's at the proper age for such drastic growth. That is my only condition."
"That's a fairly reasonable deal, I suppose. I guess that means you already took the power away huh?"
"Of course I did. It's the safest and most logical move. The threat hunting him was eliminated and the side effects demonic power, yours especially, could have on his young body are too unpredictable and as he is now, he won't be able handle the kind of strain the power of a god could inflict. I'm still very much unsure about you're choice of a representative."
"Have faith in him Merlin." Was all he replied and it didn't ease her concerns at all. She squinted her eyes at the him, her suspicion only growing.
"There's more to it than that, isn't there? As to why you gave him your power?"
"Guess, I'm not the only one who knows the other too well."
The mage stood alone in the cave as she recalled the conservation she had with a certain blonde four years ago. The one that eventually led to this moment. How she regrets her mistake.
The reason for that decision was more for her than it was for the boy. She grew up not knowing a mother's love nor a father's embrace. She didn't get to be a child when she was one. She had to grow up so fast because she needed to. She didn't want to do that to another child.
And now, said child had gone through hell because of her poor approach and overconfidence of the situation.
Then again, the chances of something dead to comeback to life and seek vengeance is quite low. The demon whose name was unknown was confirmed to be dead. Aside from all of its remains already dissolving from the effects of Hellblaze, it's whole upper section, including its hearts, was missing, most likely eviscerated from Izuku's attacks. No demon should've been able to walk away from that.
Unless...it possesses dominion over life and death. Now that thought made her worry even more. It wasn't impossible and from what she's already seen, it's most likely the reason why it came back and confronted it's killer.
Her gaze shifted to the boy laying unconscious on the the ground. The cube that held his power floating directly above him as a small calm constant stream of darkness connected the two. The cube had a very small opening in the bottom where the darkness leaked out of it and back to the boy's body.
The reason for this was to ensure that the process succeeded albeit slow. His body still needed to adjust and adapt to keep up with the immense strength he was about to possess. Of course, she also needed to contribute to a few of those adjustments to make sure the boy will survive and thrive. She was never an expert in any sort of healing magic, one of her only shortcomings, but she was more than knowledgeable of both human and demon anatomy to complete the operation. It will take some time but the results will be more than worthwhile.
"The first human to transform into a top-tier demon. What an interesting subject you will be to study, Izuku." She said to herself as she got on with the task at hand. She couldn't keep her excitement at the prospect of studying something new anymore. A habit of hers that will never die.
Fairies and giants were capable of such transformations and some are even compatible with a commandment. But a human was quite outlandish, so it will be interesting to see how he develops and she is unsure if it will be a pleasant experience for the boy.
One thing is for sure however, Izuku Midoriya will be a very special case. Maybe not as special as the King of Chaos or the first part demon-part goddess-part human hybrid, but he's close. He is after all, her student and if the world had taught her anything, it was that her students always end up achieving great strengths.
Lilia...
Vivian...
The two of them were her some of her greatest failures. She had questioned herself if she was a good teacher. All of her students became powerful in their own right however, she was unable to fix their inner turmoil, their morality and ethics. She only gave them the tools but never taught how them to use those tools or what to use them for which ended up with them going rogue, following their own desires by whatever unethical means.
Lilia's thirst for destruction, Vivian's thirst for Gilthunder and eventually Dreyfus.
Then again, she was no different before she started caring for Arthur. That boy, unlike the rest, was her greatest success. Her pride and joy for a time. She snapped out of her reminiscing and looked back to the boy in front of her. His face was serene and relaxed. She wondered if he was finally having a nice dream or if it was because he was regaining his strength.
She already had an idea as to why he was special but she'll need to conduct more research on that on a later time. She has to make sure he makes it through this. But more importantly, she has to make sure she will be there for him, as a teacher should to her student. She promised to guide this boy down the right path and she won't be doing it alone that's for certain.
She rubbed the skin on her chin down to her neck longingly, where her burn scar proudly existed. The memories from a time long gone, of an opportunity long lost, flooded her intellectual mind. It made her chest feel warm at remembering her first true family, at all the adventures they've been, at the man who thought her perfect.
"No matter what happens, no matter what crimes you commit, I'll always be on your side..."
The early morning sun shone through the window, illuminating the dark room. The books on the desks were stacked and beside them were a set of neatly folded clothes. The sound of steady breathing filled the room as the only occupants rested peacefully under the soft blankets of his bed. The unconscious form writhed around when the light finally touched his face.
Izuku immediately reacted, grabbing the blankets and groggily opening his eyes. The light immediately shone on his eyes making him wince at the sight. Finally, he sat up and gave a long heavy yawn. His body felt numb and a bit...strange. Ignoring the foreign feeling in his body especially his chest, he glanced around the room, trying to regain his bearings and recall for the life of him what happened. He was back at the Boar Hat.
He went with Merlin to the cave where he had his hellish trial, found out a truth that was buried and erased from his mind, miraculously finish the trial and after that...nothing. He must've blacked out but for how long was what he wanted to know.
"You were asleep for a week Izuku." A calm voice suddenly spoke up from his right catching him by surprise.
"Gowther-san! H-How long have you been there?" He asked frantically. He should've been used to this by now. Gowther likes being the first one to greet him a good morning and he somehow won't notice his presence until he speaks.
"Since yesterday." He replied a bit too comfortably considering the situation. He was wearing a maroon sweater that dropped slightly revealing the tattoo on the left side of his chest.
"Oh... wait! Did you say I've been asleep for a week?!"
Gowther only nodded his head and suddenly, he heard a sound to his left followed by the sound of heels hitting the floor. He turned to his left and saw Merlin smiling down at him. She was wearing a violet turtleneck that hid most of her scar and black leggings with violet heels.
"You're awake sooner than I expected you to be, my student. I'm glad."
"Merlin-san, what happened? I couldn't remember anything after I passed the trial. Did I blackout or something? And why was I asleep for a week?" Of course she'd most likely know what happened since she was with him.
"Well yes, that would be the only way to describe what happened but more importantly, you were unconscious for that long because you were undergoing an extreme transformation. Your power has been returned Izuku and you did very well with bearing the operation."
"Operation? Did you do surgery on me?"
"To help you stabilize physically, I made a few enhancements to your body, none of which will hopefully cause you discomfort in the long term though you might need to get used to some physical changes but that will happen naturally as time goes on. Now tell me honestly, how do you feel?"
He took a moment to process her words and his eyes widened. His power is back. The one that left a massive crater in the Musfatsu forests and an intense earthquake. So that must be why he felt a little strange. He suddenly felt a great deal of uneasiness enter his system at this realization. Why wouldn't he? He's not sure if he could even control it yet. 'But Merlin wouldn't have returned it if she wasn't sure I could handle it right?' So it must be safe now and besides, he wasn't losing control or anything even if he felt a little weird here and there.
He was so lost in thought that he forgot to answer her question and he didn't realize he was already muttering. The other two occupants of the room sweat dropped at their pupil's strange mannerism. They've gotten a bit used to it already.
"Oh...uh, I was doing it again huh?" He asked nervously, chastising himself for his uncontrollable habit earning him a small playful snicker from the Merlin and a small smile from Gowther. He rubbed the back of his head and thought of a meaningful answer.
"Well, um, I kind of feel...weird. I don't know how to describe it. It's like I'm in my body but it doesn't completely feel like my body." He placed a hand on his chest and felt the strangest sensation. His heartbeat was beating quickly and... from different places.
That definitely wasn't normal.
"Merlin-san something doesn't feel right with my heartbeat. It's all over the place, literally! I can feel it all over my chest and even part of my stomach. Is this a side effect of this power?" He asked trying not to freak out. It wasn't the strangest thing he's felt especially after what he's been through. But he can't help but feel a bit weirded out.
"Ahh yes well, for you to be able to use your power to the best of your physical capacity, you needed a few more... hearts. So what you're feeling now is actually the individual heartbeats of the other six hearts I had to implant in you. I did say I made some enhancements and that you would need to get used to them." She replied with a playful smile and a shrug.
"..."
"Come again?" He asked unsure if he misheard something in her sentence.
"You have seven hearts now Izuku-kun. I made identical copies of your original heart to eliminate the need of a donor." And just like that, she dropped a bombshell on his little mind making him zone out for a bit until he heard Gowther begin to speak.
"You know how some people with emitter type quirks need to possess some other features in their bodies to use their quirks effectively? For your case, you have seven hearts to—"
"To increase my blood flow and circulation to keep up with the amount of energy all my cells need to produce such tremendous amounts of muscular force and emit power. It makes sense that no normal being will be able to keep up with that amount of physical strain with just a normal circulatory system and even more so with...*muttering intensifies*" He said all in one long breath with a gleam in his eyes surprising Gowther in the process. The boy's mind was already this active and he just woke up.
"I was going to say it was for increasing your survivability, but what you said wasn't wrong." He said while fixing his glasses.
"S-Sorry for interrupting you." Izuku rubbed the back of his neck with a small blush of embarrassment and immediately felt something there, something metallic. He grabbed it delicately and trailed his fingers along the object. It was a thin metal chain that hooked around his neck. A necklace? He stopped when he reached under his shirt and pulled the rest of the necklace out. Merlin and Gowther watched him, curious to see his reaction.
He looked down and stared absentmindedly at the pendant on his palm. A blue crescent moon fused on top of a white snowflake. He rubbed it with his thumb feeling the shape of the pendant on his skin. A moment of disbelief filled his mind at the object he was holding.
This is Zuki's necklace. There's no mistaking it.
He could feel the heat in his eyes at the memory of her and at the trial he had gone through.
"That necklace was in your hand when we found you and even when you were unconscious, you didn't want to let it go. We had to take it away when we erased and rewrote your memories to keep things consistent. I apologize for doing that to you but it was to ensure that everything fit in place." Gowther said apologetically.
"Furthermore, that necklace is enchanted with a special suppressing magic. It will help you learn to control your power, how to regulate it. I'll go into the specifics later but for now all you need to know is that you must keep it near you all the time, even if you're not wearing it. I'm sure that it means something to you and I too apologize for returning it only now." Merlin added.
He sniffed and took in a breath while wiping some tears in his eyes with his sleeve. "It's alright Gowther-san, Merlin-san. Thank you for being there to stop me from losing control. I'm just glad that now I have something to remember her by. Thank you." He flashed them a wobbly smile.
(A/N: Last chapter's bonus was actually Izuku dreaming and he could recall some parts of it but not the whole thing.)
Suddenly his stomach grumbled loudly and he wrapped it with both arms his cheeks a slight shade of red at the embarrassing display.
"Seems like your conclusion of your cells needing to keep up was correct and also since you know, you've been asleep for a week without eating or drinking anything. Ho-ho." Gowther laughed making Izuku's blush brighten. "Well, how about we save all the talking later and get you ready for the day and something to eat. I'll ask Lance to prepare a lot to satiate your probably large appetite now." And with that he got up and left the room leaving Izuku to the lone mage.
Merlin sat down on the bedside and looked down. Her mood dropped and a heavy air filled the room. Izuku was slightly confused at his teacher but before he could ask, she spoke.
"Izuku-kun, I would like to apologize for my actions and for my reckless decision making, for making you go through hell so underprepared. I should've given you better treatment before sending you in there. Even if there's nothing that can be done about them now, I wish for you to know that I'm sorry. It is alright if you may still harbor some resentment but I promised that I will help you and help you I will." She said in a soft tone staring down on the wooden floor.
He listened to her apologetic words. It was true that she did kind of send him underprepared and could've given him a more safe approach, but did he bear resentment for her?
No. No he doesn't. He can't hold on to those kinds of things anymore.
If that trial... if that hell had taught him anything, it was that he needed to accept everything. Accept his powerlessness, accept his pain, accept the reality. But more importantly it taught him to forgive. Forgive Kacchan, forgive All Might, forgive this world, and forgive himself.
That doesn't mean he can forgive everything though.
He made a promise. A promise to be better than what he was. To use this life for good. That he will no longer bottle up his pain and hide it. He embraces it, the pain, the suffering. He will turn them into his strength.
He doesn't want to feel the way he did once before. To be filled with unyielding rage, unending misery and true emptiness that he hid from everyone around him including his mother and would just flash her a smile if she ever worries.
He doesn't want to go through that again. No one should go through what he did.
He doesn't want to lose anyone else.
He shuffled on his bed and moved closer to the woman and did something that was once unthinkable for someone like him... a shy socially awkward and inexperienced boy. He hugged her from her side and buried his face on her shoulder and placed his hands on her other shoulder.
"Thank you. Thank you Merlin-san. For letting me see them again, for letting me spend every moment I had with them again. Even if I suffered for so long, at least I saw them again and now I'm sure they're still alive in my heart and that I could love them more." He sobbed quietly. He released his happiness onto her shoulder making the turtleneck she wore wet with salty tears. He wasn't sure if he was actually reassuring her or comforting himself.
The woman however, sat there frozen. She had not expected this sort of reaction but as she listened to his words, she couldn't help but realize the meaning behind them. Izuku had grown wiser, his mindset was no longer that of a child's. To forgive someone who had caused you tremendous suffering, to not bear a single ounce of resentment or even anger for that matter, that was not easy. This was the thing she wished to spare him from but it seems it was supposed to happen someday, she just wished it wasn't so soon.
She placed her hand on his bushy green hair and rubbed his head tenderly. His waterworks slowly fading and was replaced by content breathing. A warm feeling engulfed her heart and she couldn't help but give a very genuine smile. When was the last time she felt like this? Not like a teacher. No. it's more like... a mother.
He pulled back and immediately reverted back to his shy self muttering apologies for how he acted and averted his eyes form her. Merlin couldn't help but think of how adorable and pure this boy truly is. Another upset rumble came from Izuku's stomach which made him blush a little more before he stood up and gave one last apology and leaving the room to get ready for the day leaving the mage to her thoughts.
Izuku stepped into the massive bathroom of the tavern, the kind you would find at five star hotels. At first, he was pretty blown away at how luxurious it was especially for a family run diner but after witnessing the amount of customers they get each day with the addition to the fact that they were also a top secret government special forces, he had somewhat of an idea of how they can afford such lavish things.
He looked himself in the mirror wanting to see any sort of change that may have happened over the week he was unconscious. His face more or less the same, still plain looking. His hair was still completely messy like usual.
It seems he hasn't changed much appearance wise but he has definitely changed in the inside both figuratively and literally. Opting to finally wash away the soreness in his body and also all the dirt that has built up over the last few days, he took his clothes off and threw them into the hamper nearby but as he did so, his gaze fell back to the mirror and what he saw made him jaw drop. Was this mirror magical and he just hasn't noticed until today?
He looked buff. No longer did he have the body of a wimpy child, instead he had a physique of an athlete. His chest was more prominent along with his shoulders. His biceps and fore arms were more defined than he ever imagined them to be. He inspected his new body further, feeling the well defined muscles over his abdomen and arms. He glanced back at the mirror and the flash of red on his left arm caught his attention. The dragon tattoo sat proudly on his left bicep and it sort of suited it more. It definitely looked better than when it was just on his wimpy noodle arm. It was more prominent and vibrant for some reason.
'Enhancements' he thought to himself.
Tearing his eyes from the mirror and disbelief at his transformation, he has a lot of questions to ask after he takes a shower. He stopped right in front of the shower and remembered something else. The necklace. He was still wearing it. Should he take it off? Merlin said it was to help regulate his power and that it was okay to take it off so long as he's near it. But didn't he already have control over his power now? Another question for later.
He grabbed the pendant and looked closely at it. Inspecting the intricate and beautiful design it had and if he remembered correctly...
*click*
The pendant split into its two core pieces. A crescent moon and a snowflake. It was a fine piece of jewelry indeed. The memories of his friend flooded his mind and he couldn't help but grab the pendant even tighter. He smiled somberly. Even after seeing her in his mind thousands of times, he still couldn't get tired of seeing her, of hearing her voice.
"You're already my hero."
That should have been enough to satisfy him but he kept chasing after the world's approval.
He has to keep his promise to remember her and his mother no matter what. That is what he resolved to do. That's why he still lives, not for himself but for those who should have in his place. It all starts from here for him. This was his starting point and he's going to make sure their deaths weren't in vain. He'll never let their efforts go to waste again.
*grumble*
'But first, to take a shower and get some food. My stomach is killing me.'
After taking a nice hot shower and dressing into a shirt with the kanji of 'sweat shirt" scribbled on it, he headed down stairs and to the main dining area. The necklace that was suppose to keep his power in check dangled under his shirt. As he was making his way down, the rich aroma of something heavenly entered his nostrils and the sounds of meat sizzling and dishes clattering filled his ears even from where he was.
That was strange. He was in the third floor yet he could almost perfectly hear the sounds in the kitchen, something that he normally shouldn't be able to do.
'Are my senses...sharper?'
It'd be the only logical explanation. When he was showering, he didn't feel anything much different than before but then again he wasn't focusing much on his surroundings but more on getting rid of the soreness he felt.
'Well, the only way to find out is to ask Merlin.'
Now that he thought about it. He hasn't much thought about his power ever since the trial, only that it was wild, destructive, and difficult to control. Other than that, he had no other idea on what it actually is.
"Your power doesn't belong in this world. The power of a demon prince."
'Demon.'
Is that what he is now?
Did the operation Merlin mention involve turning him into a demon?
He's heard Merlin mention demons once or twice before but all she told him was that they were one of the five major clans who once ruled over the world. Well, at least 5000 years ago. He doesn't know much about the race of demons but if the word itself and pretty much every historical text were anything to go by, they were a race that embodied evil. A race that is loathed and forsaken by everything that is good.
And he had their power. From his memory of his trial, the moment he lost control he could only experience the sensations he felt but not actually see himself so he can't be certain. He could make out a few things though, the monstrous strength, the bloodlust, the dark substance that oozes like a flame when he first activated his power. Those characteristics do somewhat reflect the depictions of demons or at least how humans have always depicted demons.
If he is what he suspects he is then should he be afraid? Worried for the possible implications of what he is? But he doesn't feel any sort of urge to do anything bad...for now at least.
He's been so lost I thought that he didn't realize that he was already on the last step of the stairs. The smell of someone's delicious cooking overwhelmed his nose and he was snapped back to reality. The dining hall was empty save for the people he had grown quite fond of seeing. All the inhabitants of the tavern were gathered at a long table filled with all sorts of dishes waiting for him to arrive.
All attention in the room was now on him and he noticed the giant banner hung on the ceiling that said "WELCOME BACK!" on it. From the way things look, he could easily tell what was going on.
"Welcome back Izuku-kun!" The cheerful voice of Flaura greeted him. She was wearing a pink shirt with the words 'fabulous' and a white short skirt that reached just above her knees and before he could even think of moving, something soft picked him up and floated him towards the table. He glanced down and saw Prince's iconic pillow giving him a ride.
"Good to see you're still alive Midoriya-san, otherwise we wouldn't be having a feast to celebrate your initiation." The aloof boy said to him as the levitating pillow rolled over and dropped him to his chair. He wa wearing an autumn leave patterned sweater with black shorts. He then proceeded to strap a party hat over Izuku's green bushy hair. A sudden heavy feeling washed over the green boy at the sudden proximity of the other boy.
Something felt extremely off. It was as if he was standing in front of a massive imposing unclimbable mountain and he was surrounded by this heavy air that weighed him down.
"I agree, I was quite fearful for you after Gowther-san told us about your trial. But my worries were extinguished when Merlin-san brought you back the other day." Gawain said finally being able to speak more fluently in Japanese. He was wearing a white polo over some beige pants.
"O-Oh well thanks." He managed to snap out of his sudden daze trying to hide the somewhat dreadful feeling that washed over his body.
"Well, I was worried that Merlin used you for her experiments with one of her weird magic items." The cheeky voice of Hawk commented earning him a laugh from said woman.
"Hawk-dono, I've stopped human experimentation decades ago, though it would be a lie if I said that I didn't quite enjoy some of those." The woman smiled earning her a worried glance from everyone at the prospect of being the test subject of their aunt/teacher/guardian.
"Oh yeah, mom and dad told us about how you used the old king of Liones as a test subject." Flaura said.
"It was to save his life from a fatal illness." She defended, her smile never leaving her features.
"He had stomach ulcer..." Gowther deadpanned but it didn't bother his sister figure in the slightest.
"Now, now. Let's not scare Izuku right off the bat. This day is to celebrate his grand achievement and to officially initiate him as one of the Seven Deadly Sins." She said taking a small sip from her wine glass and glanced at the green haired boy. She noticed he looked uncomfortable.
"Are you feeling well Izuku-kun? You look troubled by something." She asked with concern and slight worry
"I'm, uh, not sure. I'm getting this strange... feeling. It's— I don't know how to describe it... like I'm nervous that something bad is about to happen to me and there's this heavy air in the room. I, uh I don't know." He tried.
As he said this, Gowther stood from his seat and approached Izuku. The boy wondered what he was doing but before he could ask, Gowther grabbed his face by the cheeks pinching them and stretching them out.
"Hmmm..."
"G-Gowther-san! W-What are you doing?" He asked nervously, slightly uncomfortable of the situation. The heavy air he felt dissipated as he squirmed against Gowther's hold.
The others watched at the interaction with bewilderment as the dominant expression.
"It seems like what you are feeling is a response to our powers or more specifically, to the presence of beings with much greater strength. It is a common feat for anyone with adept senses and instincts or someone who is well experienced in combat to sense their opponents' level of strength in comparison to their own. It is quite similar to how the instincts of a prey animal reacts to the presence of a predator, the first choice is to run away and escape." The pink haired doll said as he finished his inspection and released the poor boy.
"So you mean, I'm feeling like this because my survival instincts are warning me of a danger which is you guys?" The freckled teen asked curiosity lacing his voice.
"More or less. But don't worry, you'll get used to it when you spend more time around us and once you master your power." That response seemed to ease his worries a bit.
"Speaking of power..." Hawk turned to Izuku with a look of concentration. "Your combat class has shot up significantly."
"Before, you had a measly total combat class of 6 with 0 magic, 4 strength, 2 spirit but now... Strength: 16500, Magic: 6500, Spirit: 3360, Total: 26360" He finished his analysis and power breakdown, shocking Izuku in the process. He wanted to ask about the combat class system some more but that could wait later.
"Well now that you mention it Mr. Piggy, his aura does feel much different than before. It's like, there's a completely different person sitting in that chair." Prince commented.
"He still seems like the same Izuku to me."
"We'll be testing if he is still the same kid and if he has what it takes to stand among us soon enough." A new voice interjected. Looking to the side, Izuku spotted the only missing person in the room walking towards the table. Lance was wearing a green apron on top of a red checkered button up shirt and black pants. In his hands was a preposterously large green cake.
"Sorry I'm little late but this spectacular baby right here took a lot more time to decorate all by myself." He laughed. True to the blonde's words, the cake was truly spectacular. It was a green velvet flavored double decker coated in whipped cream with fresh red strawberries decorating the the sides and part of the top. On the top of the cake, the words "Welcome Back Greenie!" were written in red flavoring giving it a beautiful contrast with the green cake and white cream.
"Hope you like it little man cuz I worked my ass off this cake last night and I only finished decorating it today."
"Y-You made this f-for me? I don't know what to say."
"Hey, don't say anything. Today is your day, you deserve it and I'm just glad I didn't lose my assistant chef after only one day on the job."
'I really could've died in that trial, huh?' He thought somberly.
"Now what are we waiting for?! I didn't prepare all of this in half an hour for all of you just to stare at it. Let's eat!" He said followed by a laugh as he sat down
Izuku's stomach grumbles and he turned his attention to the table almost fully occupied by all sorts of culinary delights. His stomach grumbled louder demanding the nourishment it was denied for a week. His hunger which he forgot over the slight shock at the revelations had returned at full force. His mouth was already salivating at the aroma of the food which he somehow ignored.
Without wasting a second's notice, the group all took their seats (including Hawk) at the table. He thanked for the food in front of him before filling his plate up with a larger serving of rice than what he was normally used to and healthy mix of everything else on the table.
There were traditional Japanese foods like sushi, sashimi, udon noodles, tempura, and his favorite Katsudon, but there were also some dishes from the tavern menu like honey glazed fried chicken, egg and tuna salads, a sea food hotpot, creamy mushroom beef, and a peach pie. Of course there was also fruits like grapes and sliced apples for appetizers and his Green velvet initiation cake for desert.
Izuku wasted no time devouring the Katsudon which was specifically for him and moved onto the next dish. It was so good! The flavor was so rich. It was like he was tasting heaven granted, this is what his meals everyday felt like for the past three months. But today, he was more emotional than usual and soon he was lost in his own world of sensory bliss.
"Hey Izuku, try the salad. We used the plants I grew in the garden instead." Flaura said as she placed the bowl of greens in front of him. She and her brother were mostly vegetarian because of their fairy lineage but they don't mind eating meat every now and then especially with how their cousin makes the best casseroles.
He took a spoonful of the salad in his mouth. The vegetables were firm and so, so juicy and sweet. The eggs and tuna were even seasoned to perfection. Prince handed him the salad dressing saying how much better it would be. Gawain took a serving of the seafood hotpot and placed on the boy's right.
Merlin watched her pupil brighten up from across the table as he happily ate away most of the food that was prepared, a content smile on her face. She picked a grape and savored the sweet fruit in her mouth. Everyone looked quite happy and relieved at the green boy's safe return and it made her happy at how fast he seemed to bond with them over such a short time. Maybe it was because he was desperate for comfort that he was able to but he will soon be exposed to more hardships. If only peaceful moments could last forever but for as long as she's lived, that just wasn't possible. Chaos will always be present, they just have to live with that.
After ten minutes or so of eating, telling stories, playful banter, and idle chatter around the table, everyone had had their fill. All except Izuku who was still eating away and savoring each bite of the delicious fish in his mouth smiling brightly all the while. The others stopped their chatting and instead turned their attention to the oblivious greenette who was radiating pure happiness almost like he was glowing as he did so. They all shared a collective thought.
'This boy is too wholesome!'
Izuku on the other hand was close to finishing his assault on the food. With one last dip and bite he finished the only crispy tempura left and released a very content sigh. His belly and his tastebuds were finally satisfied and he felt much much better. It was then that he noticed the multiple pairs of eyes locked on him.
"W-Why are you all looking at me?"
"Izuku, you're so adorable! And you've even got a grain of rice left on your baby cheeks!" Flaura commented rather loudly making the boy blush furiously at embarrassment and wipe his face with his arm to rid of the rice.
"You're definitely perfect little brother material! Could you be my new brother?"
"Oi, before you go adopting the guy, at least let him have some of his cake."
"Hehe, sorry."
Izuku laid on his bed as he tried to rest after an extremely hearty meal which ended with him getting adopted by the local fairy-giant girl not that he really minded, it was nice that someone wished to treat him like family. He never had a sibling or a cousin, the closest thing he had to that was Kacchan and that didn't end well. He offered to do the dishes but Gawain insisted that he'll do them instead. Merlin also insisted that he should also rest some more. He wanted to ask something but he chose against it for the time being.
He has yet to test out his power or even see a glimpse of it. He could do it now but that could be risky. Hawk said that he had a combat class of 26360 too and if he remembered correctly, the others have combat classes much greater than that.
Finally, his curiosity got the better of him and he walked toward the chair in front of his desk. He looked to his hand and grabbed the chair by the back rest and he hoisted it up over his head with just one arm with ease.
'It weighs like nothing!' He screamed in excitement in his head
Ok so he was much stronger physically than before. But that was a given since Hawk said that he had a strength of 16500 he figured as much but it was still too incredible for him to be actually real. He looked to the desk where the notebook he was working on just a week ago was.
"All Might was said to have a combat class of 8500 back in his prime and if I had to breakdown his stats, he was mostly likely just strength as he doesn't seem to have any other ability aside form being super fast and super strong. So if he had a total combat class of 8500, my strength alone would be double his!"
That was a very doubtful conclusion. All Might, the number one hero, the immovable symbol of peace, and the pinnacle of strength. He could literally catch airplanes falling from the sky! How could he be stronger than him? In fact, how could four of the other sins be overwhelmingly stronger than him?
He has only seen bits and glimpses of the other's powers within the tavern. Like Lance-san's speed and precision in the kitchen, Prince's telekenisis and floating, Flaura's ability to command the plants in the pots, and Gowther's ability to read minds and erase memories. Merlin was the only person who showed him what she was capable of. Teleportation, Element manipulation, levitation, telekinesis and all sorts of other stuff, yet she was on the weaker end with only a combat class of around 4000.
He placed the chair down and had a thoughtful expression on his face. He was trying to figure out what exactly is wrong here. He turned his head to the bed and his curiosity was getting the better of him again. He wanted to know what his limit is right now. He walked towards the bed and gripped the edge of the bed frame before lifting it up like it was nothing.
'I'm not even trying that hard! This is amazing!' He cheered in his head as the eagerness was making him giddy inside.
The door suddenly opened and in walked Merlin. The woman looked at him fondly despite the current position he was in, with a whole bed over his head supported by his arms.
"I see you're already testing out your new capabilities."
"Um, yeah. I am. It's still hard to believe that I got this far already." He said nervously as he gently placed the bed back down.
"I wanted to check on you to see if you're holding up just fine and if you're feeling any discomfort from your transformation. If you ever do feel anything, don't hesitate to inform me immediately." She said and Izuku nodded his head in understanding.
"Now come with me, I have something to show you."
"Merlin-san, why are we headed to the basement again?" He asked as they walked through the halls of the tavern. No one else was present at the moment.
"You'll see..."
"These doors are magical as well aren't they? I forgot to ask you about them. They're like portals aren't they? They connect two non-adjacent locations together."
"That is a correct analysis Izuku. They are portals, rips in the fabric of space that I created to minimize the need of of manual transport and possible detection."
"Can't you just teleport like you did before?"
"Teleporting requires more factors to consider and is limited by a certain range as it functions by disassembling something or someone by each individual atom and transporting those atoms at high speed to the desired location. The risk is the part of reassembling the atoms in the same arrangement before they were disassembled. The further the distance, the less accurate the reassembling becomes." She explained a matter-of-factly to satisfy his curiosity, something she found so relatable to.
"Oh. That makes sense."
He was going to say something else but stopped when Merlin opened the door and a bright blinding light shone from the other side of the door as he followed behind the woman. What he saw on the other side completely blew his mind.
It was an enormous empty white box room with almost no other design save for the large symmetric tiles that made up the whole room. From what he could tell, this place was most likely a testing sight for destructive experiments. On the far end of the room was a large glass window with what looked like the control room behind it.
"This, Izuku, is where we will be training you to use your powers. It is a very secure, extremely durable and high tech multipurpose room I call the Danger Room." Merlin explained to the boy fondly.
"Wow! This place is massive! Where exactly are we Merlin-san?"
"Just under the tavern. This place is directly connected to the building and doesn't need any sort of magic transport to enter. However I did take some safety measures to ensure no unauthorized individual will be able to access this place... or live long enough to leave." She said the last part in a very soft whisper he wasn't able to catch despite his new hearing.
"So you mean this is the actual basement of the tavern?!" He asked wide eyed. How many more surprises will he be receiving today?
"Yup! Auntie has this place absolutely decked with all sorts of cool toys and features that you'll be experiencing soon." Lance's voice chimed in from behind them. The teacher student duo turned around and saw the rest of the sins and Hawk standing there. They walked and approached the rest of the group.
"Everyone, what are you all doing here?" Izuku asked.
"Well today is our only day off for the week, so we thought about making the most of it." Prince started.
"Training officially begins now." The tall blonde said as he cracked his knuckles in an almost threatening display.
"Hee hee, we've done quite a good job at hiding our powers for the past three months but now it's time to show you what we can really do and what you'll soon be up against, little Izu-chan!" His new big sister called him out all too happily.
"I must say that I am quite excited to show you what I can do for I too was once in your place. It has been quite some time since I last used this power and I may be a little rusty with the control." Gawain's comment didn't ease the new bubbling anxiety he was feeling which was only about to get worse.
"Go easy on him, you pigs! I don't wanna be cleaning up the leftovers in his stomach after this especially with how much he just ate." Hawk said almost warningly.
The dreadful feeling he felt back at the table returned as his instincts started screaming at him. The aura of the room shifted drastically as the four other sins showed off their powers to the green bean. But as soon as that feeling came, it went by as a more powerful emotion took over.
"Spirit Spear Lobero First Form: Lobero!" In a swift motion, Prince's orange hotdog pillow transformed into a glowing green spear that flew around performing aerobatic feats under his command. "Pretty cool huh?"
"Gigantification!" Smoke erupted from all around Flaura's body before a tall figure appeared right in front of him. Flaura stood up proudly in her giant form about 8 meters tall with the same figure only bigger. Her clothes seemed to have remained the same as well. How? He doesn't know. She looked to the now little figure whose face was sparkling with excitement.
"A-Amazing! Flaura-san, you have a gigantification ability! That must mean your physical strength increases in that form right? Can you control the size you turn into, maybe change to a height somewhere in between or maybe even bigger? Oh and Prince-san, you have the ability to transform your pillow into a weapon with the added ability of being able to fly and move things with your mind! And you said 'First form"right? So are there more forms it can take? Can you change it into anything you want? This is so cool!" The dread he felt dissipated and an overwhelming excitement and tingling filled his body. He could feel his heartbeats throb with anticipation.
"If you think that's amazing, then you better take a step backwards. Allow me to show you true power!" Gawain shifted from the usual polite tone to a deeper, stronger voice. The man reached for something in his left hand, a ring. It was a silver ring with the top part of the head of a lion and the mouth as the ring hole. He took it off his ring and instantly something began to change.
The once tiny and skinny man grew in both stature and muscle almost instantly after he took his ring off. Everyone took a step back from the man as they know the usual effects this transformation comes with. After a second, Gawain stood to his full height, a staggering 10 ft tall. His shirt which no longer fitted him tore apart at the sheer volume of muscle the man has. Izuku stood there jaw dropped and absolutely stunned at the man. How couldn't he? The man was bulkier and taller than All Might. He even had an ten pack! Was that even possible? What is it about shriveled skinny men and transforming into behemoths? And... was it getting hotter?
"Behold, my glorious power, Sunshine!"
The room's temperature spiked up due the amount of heat radiating from the extremely muscular man. He couldn't tell but this kind of heat would probably rival that of Endeavor's, The Flame Hero.
"Incredible... You can transform into a muscled form just like All Mi—" Izuku immediately covered his mouth as he remembered his encounter with the number one hero. His excitement had gotten the better of him and he unconsciously slipped up.
"You mustn't tell anybody about this or post about it on any social media. The symbol of peace cannot be daunted by evil."
He almost gave the man's secret.
"Izuku, it's alright. We know." Merlin clarified.
"Y-you do? You're acquainted with him?" He asked a little surprised.
"Oh no, far from it. We just have access to a lot of things. And I couldn't stop myself from investigating the case of the strongest hero and his secret mysterious power. I'll tell you more about it later but the secret of his condition is safe with us. There's no reason for us to tell anybody."
"I see."
"I also read your memories remember?" Gowther added with a playful grin.
"Well with that out of the way, how about we start with your training, it'll be a week before we can all do this again and I can't wait anymore. It's been too long since I've had a proper fight." Lance said with an exasperated tone.
"I agree. Best we start now. Are you ready Izuku-kun?"
His excitement had reached new heights. Not only will he be able to finally test out his power properly and be safe but he'll finally get to see the others' abilities and gather the information he wanted for his notebook! He was strong now and he's surrounded by even stronger people who are willing to train both his mind and his body. He couldn't contain his happiness and anticipation anymore! Any doubts he had were buried at the back of his head.
"Yes! Absolutely!" He yelled.
"A quick response, I expect nothing less."
"Now, we've planned ahead and you're training will be divided into different sections each focusing on a particular aspect like power control and regulation, agility, combat efficiency, and techniques."
"Techniques?"
Gowther placed a finger in his left temple and before he could ask he felt a surge of thoughts enter his brain. They were information. Detailed descriptions and images of silhouettes performing various abilities.
Dark eruption,
Divine 1000 slices,
Dark Nebula,
Trillion Darkness,
Hellblaze,
Blaze burst,
Hellfire Phoenix,
Ashen Dragon,
Counter Vanish.
...
Just to name a few. Some of the abilities required the use of a weapon but it seems like his haunch was right. These abilities utilize that strange darkness he saw in his trial. One that had a striking resemblance to that of a murderous monster.
Another realization had hit him even harder though...
"Gowther-san, you can download information directly into my brain?!"
"Why yes, for that is my ability, Invasion."
"How do you think we were able to learn Japanese almost instantly? Gowther, downloaded the language into our heads and it was the trippiest thing I've ever felt."
"Then why am I still learning English? Can't we just download it to my brain?"
"Now, now. We promised to teach and train you, not find a way to cheat the education system. Besides, it will be more rewarding and natural if you learn it on your own, don't you think?"
"I guess that makes sense."
"Good. It's best to start of by teaching you techniques that already exist rather than create new ones right off the bat. Now what do you want to learn first?"
He took a moment to review the abilities listed in his head. There were so many! He was capable of doing all of these? This power is extremely versatile then and if there was already a preset of already existing abilities then that must mean he wasn't the first wielder or at least the only wielder of this power. He skimmed through the move sets from offensive, defensive, and... both offensive and defensive.
After a moment of silence, he made a choice.
"Full Counter." He said finally.
Everyone smirked at that. "Great choice."
~End of chapter~
A/N: I would again like to thank everyone who follows and supports this story especially those who leave reviews and constructive criticism. I really appreciate it.
Big shoutout to ProjectIceman for constantly leaving reviews and letting me know how each chapter impacted you. I very much appreciate the time you gave for this story.
Thank you, TheHonestPotato for giving your opinion of the overall story. I do appreciate constructive criticism and I do apologize if some parts of the story are rather vague or progressing too fast. I will try my best to improve.
I do hope that this chapter also answered some of your questions as to why Merlin did what she did. To further justify why she did so and why it went that way in the story, allow me to explain my reasoning. Merlin has always been the most mysterious and most emotionally underdeveloped character for the longest time in the SDS that's why I tried my best to solidify her characterization. In comparison to her old self, she is much softer and compassionate now but she still carries some old beliefs and habits that she used to have.
In the finale of season 2, Merlin stated that "From loss, comes power. It is how the world works." I applied that statement in the story and to Merlin's character here because it is true to some degree. Furthermore, we've seen glimpses of how Merlin is as a teacher through her relationship with Vivian and it seems she may need some improvement in that area.
Vivian was a student of Merlin who soon grew to be known as the most powerful mage in all of Liones besides Merlin herself. Not much is actually known about their relationship but it is clearly strained. Vivian hates Merlin greatly for some reason despite having taught her in the ways of magic and it seems Merlin dislikes Vivian as well as seen in the "Signs of the Holy War arc" where Merlin had absolutely no problem cursing Vivian with a spell that will kill inflict pain upon her body until she dies if she doesn't stop her pursue for Gilthunder. Instead of actually giving Vivian proper treatment or rehabilitation to rid her sickly obsession, Merlin just cursed her and that was the end of that. Maybe it was because of some other crimes Vivian committed but I personally think it's because of Merlin herself.
Merlin in this story indeed has gotten softer, but deep down she's still the same woman with a hardened heart.
I also mentioned Lilia here because she too further proves my point. Lilia for those of you who don't know is an OC from the mobile game who was also a student of Merlin in the past. She won't be of any major impact to the story but I just added her because of how she helps justify some flaws Merlin has. Lilia also went rogue and grew to have some hatred towards Merlin because of a misunderstanding and Lilia's impatience to learn more powerful magic.
In both cases, Merlin failed to correct the bad traits both her students have and it seems she has or at least shows that she is not in the least bit bothered by that. I hope this clears things up and thank you again for the review.
