Minor spoilers for Manga Chapter 346.5 aka Seven Deadly Sins sidestory number six
Chapter 14- Murderous Muscle Memory
7 weeks after regaining power...
Izuku slid his necklace under his shirt. Another day full of early morning training, working and afternoon learning had passed. Anybody else would've felt exhausted but not him. Normally, he'd just continue with his rigorous training or add more information to his already large collection of notebooks, but tonight he had other plans or rather, they had other plans.
He pulled his jacket up and gave one last glance at the mirror in front of his wardrobe. With a satisfied nod he sat back down on the bed and waited for the others to be ready.
'I still can't believe this'll be the first time in months I'll be leaving the tavern to explore the city.'
"We'll be heading out now!" Flaura called out as she and her two little brothers (she snickered at that) walked towards the exit of the tavern. She was wearing relatively heavy clothing to keep the biting chills away. A think pink jacket with long blue jeans and fur boots. Her long hair was down as always.
"Remember to be back before twelve you three and don't go getting into trouble." Merlin's voice came from somewhere within the tavern reminding the 'teens.'
"It's just the movies. Jeez, how much trouble could we get ourselves into?" Prince asked not liking being treated like a kid. He was wearing a dark green hoodie and black track pants. His spirit spear had taken the form of a moss green backpack that was soft to the touch that matched his hoodie perfectly.
"Knowing you, I'd say a lot. Would you like me to list it down?" Came the snarky reply of the tall blonde as he continued tidying up his place of business earning him a hard glare and an eye roll from the lazy fairy making him snort in amusement. "Just don't get sidetracked with your "patrolling" again."
The brown haired hybrid flushed a deep red and almost... ALMOST threw one of his Jaggedkommandos at his snarky cousin for the way he said that.
"What will you guys be watching anyway? It better not have anything inappropriate." The blonde chastised.
"Well, I wanted to watch the new Twilight installment but Little brother here wanted to watch the reshowing of an old superheroes movie from the 21st century."
"It's not just some superheroes movie! It's the culmination of 11 years worth of amazing story building and I'm sure Midoriya-san will love it as well!"
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help you fix up first Lance-san? I wouldn't mind." Izuku walked up to the tall blonde.
"Kid, I've been running this place for forty-nine years across eight different countries. I think I can manage wiping a few tables on my own. I'm not that old you know, barely in my 800s."
"R-Right sorry." He swears sometimes they don't realize how mind blowing 'normal' things for them are. Sometimes he can't help but think of how long he'll be alive for.
"Go out and enjoy some time out of the tavern for once, explore the city for goodness sake. You've been cooped up in here for months. It's unhealthy not that I blame you." He said nudging the boy to the exit where the other two were waiting. Izuku gave one last appreciative nod before heading to the exit.
"We'll be off then. See you later." He waved goodbye as they all walked out together. Gowther turned to his sister figure.
"Hey Merlin, you think it's a good idea to let him go outside just yet. We still have no leads on where his attacker is and worse is we still don't know what he's after. If it is Izuku and his power, you don't think that Izuku was spared because he knew we'd give it back to him do you?" Gowther asked. That theory was certainly a possibility and all the evidence was certainly suggesting it to be true.
"He's been too focused on training, unnecessarily so." She answered his first question. True to her word, Izuku had hardly taken a day off on devoting all his energy on training and practicing. As his teacher, she was more than proud of her student's exceptional diligence and dedication but as his guardian, she was also worried for his well being outside of his daily training. He's still a person after all not some machine.
"Let him be young for at least one night to reconnect with the world. Flaura and Prince will signal me if they were to encounter any serious problems and even if he does show up, he'll have to face against seven of us this time. I won't let my promising student fight that monster all by himself. I made sure that Izuku will always be under our protection. I've got eyes and ears over him whenever he leaves the tavern."
As if on cue, a floating orb with a moving, blinking eyeball appeared in front of Merlin and flew to an open window in the tavern trailing after the three who just left.
"Ah. The "Eye-Spy". Does Izuku know that a floating eye is watching his every move for you?" Gowther asked bluntly after realizing what Merlin meant about "eyes and ears"
"No. And it's not watching his every move, only when he's out or away from safety. The cloaking magic on his necklace works very well on humans even demons but it doesn't make him completely undetectable." She explained.
"We could only hope it's enough or else we'd be attracting all sorts of trouble from the remaining demons or maybe even those of the royal family. We don't know how well they're going to take the news of someone much less a human rivaling their power and right to the throne." Frankly, there's still so much they haven't told about Izuku regarding his current circumstances and place in the world.
She chuckled. "Thinking back, this little scheme of mine and the captain has so many flaws that could've lead to one disaster or another but, I don't regret it. Not one bit. That boy needed our help."
"You're very fond of him more so than anyone else I've ever known."
She couldn't deny it nor did she want to. "I suppose so."
"Hold on. So you're not going to address the fact that stalking someone with a floating eyeball is just plain wrong and creepy?" Their nephew voiced his concerns.
"I'm sure he won't mind, it's for his safety after all."
"I know I would." He said to himself. 'Then again, I made mom and dad worry to death when I disappeared for a few years when no one was watching.' He thought back to the time he came back and saw his mother's heartbroken face. 'Kid's impulsive and emotional when it comes to being a hero. Bet he'd probably be one of those heroes who just jump head first into everything without thinking first.' It was blatantly obvious what king of person Izuku is. His thoughts drifted back to his mother and his home.
'I should probably pay her a visit soon. See how she's doing at Benwick.'
The walk to the movie theaters was a loud one thanks to the all encompassing noise of the city. Tokyo was known for being a lively city but Izuku never thought it'd be this lively especially at this hour. He had to zone out a little because his enhanced hearing was making things disorientating. Luckily he had a lot of practice doing just that mostly because he didn't want to constantly be hearing everything happening in the tavern every morning during work. He remembered how the first few days were unbearable because of his enhanced senses.
It still pained him somewhat. The sounds of utensils scraping against plates, the loud chewing of the people, kitchenware clattering and the constant chatter and laughter in the mess hall. He could hear them all and more. It was so unbearable that learning how to dial down his senses became priority.
Back to the present, he was wearing a simple blue jacket with a thin white shirt underneath with the kanji of "Flannel shirt" written on it and black shorts that reached just at his knees. Looking at the boy at first glance would make one think that he's very underdressed for an especially cold night which he kind of is. His choice of clothes mostly stemmed from him having little regard to his fashion and the fact that he was more resistant to both the heat and the cold.
He only noticed this when he was showering one time. The fact that it took water at around boiling temperatures just for him to feel the heat surprised him greatly. Merlin stated that his body is supposed to be highly resistant to extreme conditions like heat and cold which made perfect sense since he mostly uses fire based magic. He tested that resistance one time when he tried to... light himself on fire. A story for another time.
He was also resistant to poison and alcohol. Merlin said that It'll probably take a highly potent toxin in large quantities to kill him which he won't be testing anytime soon. He also didn't test the alcohol resistance because, well... he didn't really wan to. That, and for... legal reasons. He may be an extremely powerful half demon but he's still a minor. He was also certain that his mother wouldn't want him drinking either even if alcohol has no affect on him.
"Hey Zu-zu," Flaura addressed him with the endearing nickname she gave him leaning forward slightly making the boy snap out of his thoughts of the past months.
"Yes?" He flushed slightly at the suddenness of her voice and for the new name she was calling him by.
"How's your sword training going? You've been taking so much time off of work for your training lately. I was starting to miss you."
"It's going great actually. I've already mastered a few basic moves but Gowther said that I shouldn't try them on anything or anyone until my control is perfect."
In truth, Izuku had mastered more than just a few. He just doesn't realize it. His sword style utilized a short one-handed blade that can deliver quick consecutive cuts to either inflict shallow wounds or to completely dice anything else into bits and pieces with godly precision. Precision being the key to the door of infinite potential.
One week prior...
Armed Combat and Precision training with Gowther.
"So what am I supposed to do again?" He asked standing in front of a table with a basket of apples.
"Peel the skin of this apple." Gowther brought his hands up. One holding said apple and the other...
"With a spoon? How's this going to teach me precision?"
"Observe."
Gowther threw the apple in the air and as it came down, slashed it with the spoon multiple times in the blink of an eye. The apple landed in his hand completely relieved of its skin.
"That was amazing! How'd you even do that? it was so fast!"
"Precision is all about continuous concentration. It's just like your strength and focus training only this time, you need to think about your tool as part of your body, a mere extension of it. Precision can only be acquired through rigorous amounts of practice until it becomes second nature. Our goal is for you to completely develop your muscle memory and natural instincts."
"We can't just allow you to be a hero prepared to fight off villains much less legally hand you a lethal weapon without ensuring the safety of the people, the villains and yourself."
"Then if practicing over and over is the road to be a hero then I'm more than ready to give it my all!"
"Then start with peeling this apple."
Mimicking his teacher, he took the spoon as if it was a sword and proceeded to slash at the apple with enough speed and power to cut through the air... and the table.
...oops...
"To be fair, that was much easier to do than it should have been." The apple broke apart into pieces... along with the table. Izuku winced at his little mishap and miscalculation. At least now he knew that the pure air pressure of his slashes would make for devastating invisible attacks.
'I wonder if I can do one of those legendary sword things I see in shows. The one where they barely unsheathe their swords and everything gets cut down.'
"Well we have a few more apples to spare. Give it another go but this time..."
And he ended up obliterating all the apples.
"And that's why we have so many apple pies in the fridge." He finished explaining as they continued walking down the busy narrow streets of the city.
"So that's where all my apples went." Flaura narrowed her eyes.
"S-Sorry about that." He apologized quickly rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment.
"It can't be helped but at least they didn't go to waste. Speaking of apple pie, Lance makes the world's greatest apple pie once every four years. People go nuts for it in every country the tavern has been to and it's almost that time again so you should look forward to it."
"Why does he wait every four years to make it?"
"Something about the supply of his secret ingredient."
Prince shifted ever so slightly from his place beside them and pulled his hood closer to his face as he listened to their conversation. Fidgeting with his fingers and playing with his hoodie strings while sweating nervously as he thought of something. Neither Flaura nor Izuku noticed however.
Izuku and Flaura kept chatting all the way while Prince silently listened to them complaining slightly how he wanted to float to the theaters instead of using his legs.
"You're really amazing Zu-zu. You've gotten so good in just a few months. You're a natural."
"Well I had great teachers. I couldn't have done it without you guys."
"Pfff... you're too sweet. Give yourself some credit, it won't kill you."
"I'll try Flaura- san."
"Nee. Flaura-nee." She corrected him.
"Right, nee-san."
After about five minutes of walking and navigating through the cold bustling streets of Tokyo, they finally stopped just in front of the movie theaters. Surprisingly, there were very few people present so they were able to get their tickets and their snacks.
They all found their seats and settled in waiting for the movie to start.
"Wait. You got buttered popcorn right?"
"No. Only barbecue and cheese, sorry. Did you want buttered?"
Prince groaned in irritation before signing a sad "Yes."
"I could get some right now. The movie hasn't started yet."
"That'd be great. Thanks, Midoriya-san." His sad mood reverted back to his unusual excitement.
"You lazy ass." muttered the chestnut haired girl under her breath.
A figure walked through the alleyway. The light of the city was obscured by the tall buildings casting shadows all around.
"" the voice of a girl muttered something in an aggravated tone. Unbeknownst to the person, she wasn't alone.
In the darkness, stood a large bulky figure shrouded by a black hood watching as the other figure enter his territory.
"Oi brat! Watcha doin here?" Came the gruff voice of the large man.
"What's it to you?" was her fierce her reply.
"Oh? So you got attitude huh? You must be pretty confident then for someone your size." He took a big step forward making part of the concrete crack under the force.
The girl took a step back. She may have overstepped a line. It was clear this guy wasn't someone to mess around and was probably already thinking of something. Whatever it was, it sure won't be good for her to stick around and find out. She spun on the balls of her feet and tried to run away but a massive hand grabbed her and pulled her back into dark alleyway. She couldn't scream, she was too afraid to.
Izuku dropped his popcorn, his eyes wide with shock and fear. A familiar feeling was eating at him from the inside. It wasn't a good one either. It was a feeling from... that day.
Bloodlust.
This ability of his was proving to be a pain. Merlin explained it as a demon's sixth sense. The ability to find, isolate, and target the evils within the hearts of living beings. It was an ability that could help demons locate their preferred meal, corrupted souls. And locating these souls were even easier when their prey outwardly expresses powerful negative emotions like hate, rage, envy, sadism, and what he was feeling right now, bloodlust.
But where was it coming from? Who was feeling it?
His body moved on its own, ignoring the security guard as he rushed out of the theaters to go and find the source of the murderous intent. His vision was narrowing as his mind solely focused on finding this person and stopping him.
It was overwhelming. Never had he imagined something like this. This drive to kill, it was so strong.
It was disgusting.
It was repulsive.
It was demonic.
He had to put a stop to it.
So he ran with just enough control not to cause unwanted destruction.
He rounded an alleyway and the bloodlust he felt radiating from the scene before him reached its highest.
A large man wearing a black cloak held someone to the ground by their neck with one of his large hands. His other arm was cocked back and clenched into a fist, ready to deliver what could be a killing blow. A single eye glowed in the darkness as a crazed smile appeared on the man's face. Neither have seemed to register his presence but he... he could witness the scene in a much clearer light.
He could see the gleam of murderous intent, the tears of fear and hopelessness in the victim's eyes. He could hear scared ragged breaths, the frantic heartbeats. He could smell the fear and distress in the air.
"Show me your blood!"
He moved without hesitation.
"Huh?"
The bewildered voice of the large blonde haired killer caught her attention. She opened her eyes and was immediately greeted not by death but by a large fist centimeters from her face. She let out a terrified whimper and would've but breathing was difficult. She was still petrified with fear.
The large man however was utterly confused at why his fist stopped suddenly and why this girl was still alive. He felt something gripping on his arm, it was strong. he looked ahead of him, and he was greeted by the sight of a boy probably no older than his current victim, his left arm outstretched and gripping on to his own with an iron grip.
'This kid's strong.' His smirk came back and his confusion turned to more crazed excitement.
"Hey, you stopped my punch. Not many people I've killed can do that. Don't worry, I'll deal with you next right after I kill this one. Then you can show me how strong you really are! How about it huh?!"
The boy didn't respond and his grip on his arm tightened.
His eye widened as he could feel his bones being crushed. He activated his quirk to try and break free but it wasn't working. He turned his attention from his arm back to the boy, anger, confusion, and frustration on his face. He released his hold on the girl's neck and reached out grabbing his new opponent's outstretched arm.
"You son of a..." his crazed smile fell and he couldn't finish his sentence. His face paled as he made eye contact. Black met with disproportionate bicolored eyes. One was a fierce emerald while the other was an extremely dark crimson.
"Shut up..."
And before he could register anything else, a sickening crunch resonated in the alleyway. A fist made contact with the blonde's left cheek making it cave in and sending him flying further into the dark alley followed by a loud crash.
Everything went black for the carnal killer known as Muscular.
Izuku released a breath of relief at the stunt he just pulled. He breathed heavily trying to calm himself down. He had a minor headache from the amount of effort into holding himself back so he doesn't go savage and do something that he would most likely regret. His head was spinning from the flashing in his mind. Images of his worst nightmare were replaying inside his consciousness cross imaging with what he just witnessed.
The bloodlust he felt from the man disappeared along with the man himself which either meant he was unconscious or... dead.
He felt his stomach drop at that realization. He glanced toward the direction he punched the stranger but even with his enhanced vision he couldn't see much in the darkness. Murderer or not, he didn't want to kill anyone no matter the reason. It's simply not his choice to make.
He heard shuffling and turned back to catch a glimpse of long violet and white hair whip around the corner before disappearing completely. It must've been the girl who was attacked just now. How'd she get away so fast? And without him noticing sooner as well. She must haven't been injured then.
"Hey-Hey wait-!" He tried calling out to her but he could sense that she was probably out of earshot by now. He was suddenly struck by the overwhelming sounds of the city. He focused on calming down from his sudden outburst. He closed his eyes and began to relax, using the breathing techniques Gowther had showed him to help ease his nerves and steady his blood flow. His frantic heartbeats were slowing down as he did so.
He still had trouble controlling his new powers from time to time but this is the first time he lost all sense of control and just allowed his body to move on its own. It was like... he had done this somewhere before. When he caught that stranger's arm, the scene before him kept flashing back and forth. He remembered seeing the exact same thing in his head except it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same arm he caught and it wasn't him who caught it but at the same time it was him who caught it.
'Memories?'
He shook his head from those thoughts and steadied his breathing. He jogged into the alleyway to check if that man was still there and hopefully unconscious not dead. He stopped right in front of a dead end where there was a massive man-sized crack on the wall but no man anywhere. He scanned around but there were no signs of him. He jumped on one of the rooftops but still no sign of the killer anywhere.
He wanted to check the area again. That man was too dangerous to just let go. If he's still out there then someone else was bound to be another victim. The bloodlust he had was too much for him to be a sane person. He was about to leap from the building he was on when he heard someone call him.
"Midoriya-san!" He whipped his head around so fast to catch the brown haired bout flying towards him
"Prince-san?"
"What are you doing here? You were taking so long with the popcorn Flaura made me look for you and then I felt you use your demon powers for a split second. What happened?"
"I-I went after a serial killer."
"Oh oka- wait what?!"
"I felt him wanting to kill someone, and I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand the thought of killing someone. Then my... body moved on its own."
"Keep going..."
"It disgusted me. It made me sick." He said in righteous anger. "How can someone bring himself to kill others so easily? He even said he killed others like it was no big deal. He even smiled as he was about to kill someone right in front of me."
"Did you stop him?"
"Yes... but he got away."
"Then let's go report it to the police after I call Flaura that I found you."
Izuku was about to protest when the brown haired fairy raised his hand up to silence him.
"Before you say anything else, we are not going after him, not now. We need to get out of here before someone finds us. You used your demon powers, someone was likely to feel your presence. Not only that, but we still haven't updated your quirk registration. If the cops find out you beat a psychopath when you're still legally known as quirklesss, they'll start asking questions and our whole cover here in Tokyo could be compromised." He said in a stern voice.
Izuku closed his mouth and lowered his head in shame. "Alright, I understand. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I know you can't help it. It's just who you are I guess. Saving others is what you've always wanted to do."
'I hope Auntie doesn't take this badly. She's too terrifying when she's angry or upset.'
"Did anyone see you?"
"I don't think so. But the person who was attacked managed to get away, and I never got their name or see their face actually."
"Crap." The anxious boy was rubbing his temples before sighing. "Well all we can do is update your quirk registry before the police start an investigation on how you beat that guy. Let's just hope that whoever it is you saved sides with you. You didn't beat that guy too badly right?"
They head back to the theaters without issue after reporting what happened to the police. Unbeknownst to the two, a pair of eyes followed them, watching with curiosity as they left the rooftop and out of sight.
'Thank you... I never got to say "thank you."'
"I can't believe we missed seven minutes of that legendary movie..."
The trio exited the theaters and began the walk home. They originally planned to do some more late night fun in the city but after Izuku's reckless stunt, the siblings agreed that it'd be best to call it a night and return to the safety of their HQ.
"I'm sorry Prince-san... I'll make it up to you." Izuku mutters apologetically. His head hung low at slight guilt.
"Okay. If you wanna make it up to me, then for starters, stop apologizing for everything. Do you even comprehend what you did back there?" The fairy caught the green haired boy off guard with the sudden change in attitude.
"Uhh.." He couldn't formulate a response.
"You stopped a murder, Midoriya-san. You saved someone's life and gave a warning to that villain. Hell, I'm sure he's running scared of you right now. So if you're going to be sorry for saving that person's life because you cost us a few minutes on a movie I have saved in Ultra HD in my phone, don't be. " Prince complimented(?) him.
"I agree with my lazy-ass brother for once, you did good. Although I don't like you running off without telling us. Especially if you were planning on finding and stopping a serial killer!" She scolded in a volume that wouldn't attract any unwanted attention from the crowd before feigning anger and pinching his cheek until it became red.
"Ahh... I'm sorry." Izuku winced at the sting he felt on his cheek rubbing it gently to help ease it.
"What did I just say about apologizing?"
"S-sor-" The two groaned before Izuku could apologize yet again earning them the iconic embarrassed tomato head they've gotten used to for the past few months.
'Honestly, how can someone be this apologetic and sincere about it too?' The siblings thought in unison. As much as they want to get mad at the recklessness of their newbie, they couldn't. He didn't deserve to be brought down more than he already had been.
They arrived back at the tavern at around 10:28 P.M. well before their designated curfew. The trio decided to stop by for some udon along the way back.
The place was already closed and it seems like everybody was out. They slowly closed the wooden door behind them as gently as possible as to not make any noise. They planned on sneaking back to their rooms and then explain what happened in the morning to let things cool down for a bit. In the distance, one could hear the loud snoring of a tired pig but other than that it looks like the coast is clear.
"Welcome back." A voice came from one of the tables. Merlin's voice.
They froze and slowly turned their heads to the direction of her voice. Their movements in sync. 'Uh-oh.'
"Is there something you would like to tell me?"
Their faces paled like a bunch of kids caught stealing snacks. Well there goes their plan out the window. Of course she would have noticed.
"Oh uh well. You see..." Izuku looked to the siblings asking for some help. They were the ones who told him to never upset Merlin less he wants to become a test subject. Prince mentioned his one experience when he accidentally leaked classified information to a random girl one time because he was drunk. Merlin used him as a target dummy for a new device she made which left him too traumatized to continue his story.
To his surprise however, all that greeted him was a cloud of dust.
'Good luck Zu-zu/Midoriya-san!' The siblings thought as they bolted to their respective rooms. They may be fairy-giant royalty but to their aunt, that only makes them more interesting subjects.
"Yes?" The woman pressed for information.
"I kind of went after a serial killer on my own..."
She raised her eyebrow. "And?"
"I beat him but he escaped." He finished shortly, a bit surprised at how calm and reserved she was being.
She let out a sigh but it wasn't one out of disappointment or relief. She didn't need to make him confess because she saw the whole thing, but she wanted to know if he trusted her enough and she was relieved that he didn't feel the need to lie to her
"You did the right thing. But next time, please be more careful when doing something like this. I worry more about the danger you can pose than any criminal you'll face here in the city."
"I understand. I'll do better in controlling my power from now on. I'll do better in training to master my control as soon as possible." He felt relief was over him as he didn't experience her wrath...yet.
"Agreed. Finishing up your training is still our priority objective for now. The sooner you do, the sooner we can get you licensed to do hero work. And the sooner you can join us in our real mission. We'll need to update your documents and register your quirk first thing in the morning. What do you wish for it to be called?"she changed the topic to lighten the mood. The last thing he needs is to be put down for doing the right thing even if it does break some laws.
He went to bed after a few more minutes of explaining to his teacher what else transpired in that alleyway. He explained what exactly he felt and saw. How he had seen 'memories' he didn't recognize but were too realistic to just be conjured up by shock or distress. The world can't seem to give him a break as of late.
First, he's still having trouble overcoming his personality change when he uses his demonic powers. Second, he's reached a roadblock trying to do full counter. Third and last, his only day off of training is also the day he broke someone's jaw that isn't Lancelot's and that someone also happened to be a dangerous psychopathic murderer. Gowther peeked into his mind a while ago and used his memories to find any descriptions of the man because for the life of him, he can't seem to remember what he looked like. His powers make his memory foggy which is another big concern.
What if he uses his demonic powers and his aggressive side does something he won't remember? That thought has been haunting him since. He's determined to accomplish his dream. He'll face what ever challenges he has to but sometimes, he wished the world would stop adding so much to his already long list of problems. Then again, he was the one who sought that guy down.
That man has been stuck in the back of his mind for hours now. He couldn't enjoy the movie they watched as much because of it. The vibes he got from that guy just didn't sit well with him and he was still out there. The way he wanted to kill that other person, it was all too familiar that it made him want to vomit. He didn't need to be reminded of him yet. The one he promised to eliminate. He needed to find a distraction
Looking around his room, he could spot most of the hero merchandise he possess, mostly All Might. He never thought he'd hang his posters again or display his proud collection of figurines because of what he had been through. But the more he thought about it, the more he could really appreciate the man. Sometimes, he wonders what would've happened if All Might told him something else. Something like "You can."
How would things have played out? Would that day have ended differently? Would he think that he can still be the first quirkless hero?
He released a tired breath. It isn't working. His distracting only added more to his already bustling mind. It looks like he won't be getting any sleep tonight.
He sat up and grabbed his blue jacket before heading out of his room. He walked in the well lit hallways until he reached his destination. The basement. Well it isn't his final destination.
He walked in and was now staring at a large number of other doors that were all labeled. Some of which were labeled with names of several major places around the world, the others however he didn't recognize. He walked past them all and out of habit, he stood in front of the one he was looking for before taking a deep breath. He reached for the knob and walked into the darkness.
His feet landed on smooth stone. The cave was just as how he left it. Calm, quiet, and empty. It still baffled him how this place managed to stay intact with everything that happened just outside. He breathed in the cozy warm air, letting it ease his nerves. The relaxing atmosphere wasn't enough to completely lift his heavy thoughts however.
He walked towards the exit that lead to the forest. A new edition he added to the cave was the man-sized hole that replaced the tiny one from before so he could just walk in and out instead of having to crawl.
He exited the cave and the sounds of the forest at night greeted his ears. The chirping crickets, rustling bushes, and occasional woos of an owl surrounded him. The moon was full, guiding him through the darkness of the woods to his true destination.
He moved a branch aside and stepped into a large clearing in the middle of the trees. There was only dirt and soil in this part of the woods. Anyone would be wondering why this particular patch of land was empty in an otherwise healthy forest but to those who knew, they needn't question it anymore.
He walked to the middle of the clearing. The place where his fate changed, where his friend perished, where a part of his heart perished, where his power left a massive crater and poisoned the soil making it unable to support life. In other words, this place of death. A place tainted by the blood of such kind souls.
He stopped in front of a small grave, with wilted flowers unable to grow in the damaged soil. Even when Merlin tried her best to undo most of the damage with her special magic, filling up the crater was the best she could do. She couldn't undo the effect of his ability to cause permanent damage on anything.
"Hi Zuki-chan, It's been a week since I last came." He addressed his friend. His eyes were downcast but he wore a small smile as he spoke.
"I couldn't sleep, I had a pretty crazy night and I just can't stop thinking. I'm sure you wouldn't mind listening to me again like the old times right?" Gowther had suggested this form of self healing. He said that talking to someone, anyone can help your thinking.
"I stopped a murder but I couldn't catch the killer. He's still out there and I don't know what I should do." His voice began to quiver.
"What if he kills someone else when I could've stopped him then and there. Someone else could lose their life, someone else could lose people they care about." Tears were building up in his eyes. Why was he crying?
"I-I don't want that to happen to anyone else. I really don't." He whimpered. "I can't take it." Images of those days flashed in his mind. The parallels were all aligning to form the image he had buried deep in his heart. That large man wearing a black coal was the same. The same as him. He wanted to kill just for the sake of it. He toyed with his victim. Broke their spirits before finishing them off no mater their cries of mercy.
He felt the demon within him stir.
"I shouldn't let my emotions out like this, I shouldn't let my powers control me but keeping them all in and bottling them all up is... exhausting. Deep down, I'm still scared of what's really happening. I want to be a hero... for you, for mom... but I had to become the same thing that took you and mom away. I'm not sure if what happened tonight was a sign of me losing my humanity."
"That man I met earlier... I wanted to break him. To hurt him so badly for what he wanted to do. I barely stopped myself from doing it."
"Was it okay for me to think like that? Even when I didn't do it, I just wanted to? Even if he was a killer with no remorse for the lives he took? Even when he deserved it, was it still okay?"
'Would a hero think like that?'
He knelt down and lowered his head to the gravestone, resting his forehead on it as he stopped his crying. After a few minutes of controlling his breathing, he stared at the wet drops on the soil with sad red eyes.
"I passed that trial, yet I still can't completely control my emotions. It might have been a fluke after all."
"But maybe that's a sign that I'm still human. That I'm still me... most of the time." He flashed a somber smile.
"Thank you for listening to me. Even if you aren't here."
3 hours earlier...
In a bar in an abandoned building...
A lone figure with unkept blue hair and ghostly pale skin sat on the stools in front of the counter. His elbows rested on the smooth wooden surface as he played with the game boy in his dry hands. A dismembered hand covered his face like a a mask.
The only sounds were the ones coming from the game boy. A sound indicating defeat played and before the small gadget could ask him to try again, it turned to dust when the person's pinkies made contact. An irritated grunt came from him.
Suddenly, a black mist appeared out of nowhere and from it, fell a much larger and more muscular figure. The fog took form and stood another figure with black mist for a body
"Kurogiri, what took you so long? And what's with this sleeping pig?"
"Forgive me, Shigaraki. I was sidetracked by this fellow right here." The mist explained as he bowed in apology.
"I'm guessing this is one of those disposables who'll be helping me achieve my goal then."
"Yes. That is correct. However, this one may be a bit different from the others. He could be of great use to you in the long term."
"How so?"
"His strength alone would make him valuable. He can be your personal "muscle" given things go bad."
"If he's so strong, why's he on the ground, drooling on the floor?"
"Well... there were some complications with retrieving him." The mist said awkwardly "A child with a very powerful quirk managed to get the better of him."
"A kid beat the crap out of him and you still think he's worth my time?"
"But that's the thing. This would be a perfect moment to convince him to join our cause. Think about it. His pride is shattered."
Shigaraki walked towards the unconscious behemoth before rolling him over with a kick.
"Looks like his pride isn't the only thing that's been shattered." A lone red eye stared through the hand mask at the massive swollen bruise on the man's face. "The punk's face looks like crap. His eye is missing too. You said a kid did this to him? Maybe we should recruit him instead."
"Yes but that is even more reason for him to join us. We could use his gratitude to-"
"Kurogiri, get him outta here. I'm not interested."
"Shigaraki..." a voice form the TV called out to the pale man.
"Sensei."
"You should consider Kurogiri's suggestion. Having more allies who desire the same things as you will be of great benefit and having their loyalty is priceless. This opportunity could teach you how to convince more potential followers in the near future, once you're ready."
"Alright, sensei. I'll do what you think is best."
"The choice is entirely yours my pupil. I am just a voice here to guide you."
~End of chapter~
Bonus: "Making it up to him"
A few days after the Muscular encounter...
Izuku wasn't expecting to see such a sight to behold.
From the kind of person Prince was (a lazy and unmotivated couch potato), his room was everything a person like him wouldn't usually be or have. It was clean, neat, and full of things that what he could only guess was his passion.
There was a queen-sized bed, a drawer/wardrobe, a massive flat screen TV with equally massive speakers and further back, an even larger shelf filled to the brim with video game copies, comics and other reading materials assorted alphabetically.
Just like him who possesses a large number of All Might and other hero merchandise, Prince had what he could describe as a plethora of various merchandise from probably decades worth of franchises. Maybe even centuries!
"Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna come in?"
He wasted no time and stepped into the room. The soft carpeted floor felt so soft against his bare feet.
"Do you know why I invited you to my room Midoriya-kun?"
"So I could make up for the time we lost in the movie?"
"Precisely. I've finally thought of something you can do for me."
"What is it?"
"I am in need of your help with something dire. It's not something I would just ask of anybody that's why we have to talk in private."
Izuku was getting worried. "What is it?" He was sweating now.
"I need you to..."
'What? What? What?!'
"...be my..."
'
"Duo partner."
'Huh?'
" I need you to be my duo partner in the new multiplayer co-op game I bought." The boy explained. A plastic casing came levitating beside the brown haired boy's head. The cover showed several iconic heroes he had only seen in the old comics section in the store he used to visit back in middle school."It's the new addition to the series. In this one they'll be facing against the massive space giant with a weird helmet to decide the fate of the universe...again."
"So you wanna play?"
"Sure."
"Great!"
"I need to warn you though, I haven't played a lot video games before, so I might be terrible."
"It's fine. I'll be doing all the carrying anyway and knowing you, you'll learn quick anyway. Think of it as an extra lesson in reflex training. So grab a controller, and let's begin!"
Izuku looked at the time, it was 10:03. He doesn't need much sleep anyway, just a bit of video games won't hinder his sleep too much.
He sat himself down on one a bean bag and reached for a controller as Prince started up the game.
—
The next morning...
Flaura had her hands in her hair, tying it up into a neat ponytail as she got ready to start the day. She was already in her uniform which consisted of a very reserved combination of clothes. A pink short sleeved buttoned shirt, black skirt that stopped at her knees and black stockings with white heels. It was very similar to the first uniform the first owner made minus all the revealing parts.
She yawned, trying to wipe the remnants of sleep out of her system. She saw Lancelot already fixing up in the kitchen and Gawain was setting the tables. Hawk was still snoozing away in his small pig-sized bed in the corner. She walked over to the endearing tavern mascot and lightly tickled his nose. The pig woke up and Flaura giggled at the drowsy look on his pig features.
"Morning Master. It's time to ready up."
The pig yawned one last time. "What would this place be without me attracting the guests?" He sighed tiredly, over dramatically.
Flaura looked around and saw that someone was missing. Izuku was usually already in the kitchen helping or setting up the tables.
"Hey where's Zu-zu?"
"I think he's still in his room. Maybe he's still asleep. Yesterday's training was quite extreme." Gawain answered her.
"Tell me about it. Gowther and Merlin are pretty intense."
"Prince is probably still dozing off. I'll go check on Izuku."
She climbed the stairs all the way to the third floor to where both the boys' rooms were. She reached Izuku's room and opened it only to find it empty. Her first thought was he was already training again but then she heard a loud scream coming from her brother's room.
"OH YES! IT'S SO CLOSE!"
That alone made her mind go overdrive and begin imagining things that are very much not safe.
So, just like any good sister would do, she kicked his door open to stop her irresponsible brother from doing something that could jeopardize his life if he hasn't already.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!"
Her demand flew by deaf ears as the eyes of not one but two boys were glued to the overly large screen. On the screen showed what appeared to be a massive planet sized being fighting a minuscule looking humanoid with silver skin. Izuku was mashing the buttons on his controller with breakneck speed, his fingers almost looked like a blur. Prince on the other hand clutched his pillow with a deathly grip watching with suspenseful eyes, sweating bullets.
The massive being on the screen screamed in defeat and a cutscene began to play.
"YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! OH MY GOSH! AFTER SO MANY TRIES!" Prince screamed at the top of his lungs crying tears of joy and pride, while somersaulting midair.
"I KNOW! THAT WAS SO CLOSE! I had no hp left! I thought it was all over but then I managed to chain combo my attacks." Izuku yelled back equally happy and proud.
"It was a good thing I held out so long with Black Panther that you were able to get the communicator so we can have the secret ending!" The fairy crossed his arms around his chest imitating the iconic salute of the character.
"Oh Flaura-nee, when did you get here?" They suddenly noticed the girl staring at them with an embarrassed face.
She looked at him, specifically his eyes. They were red with large bags under them. Same goes for her brother who looked ready to collapse.
"Have you to been playing all night?"
"What? No. Only a few hours see-" he glanced at the clock and it read 7:04. His eyes widened in disbelief. "WE'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR NINE HOURS?! HOW DID I NOT NOTICE?"
Prince couldn't hear his concern as he was already passed out on his ultra soft bed with a blissful smile on his face.
"I gotta get dressed and get to work!" He said as he dropped the controller and ignored the credits on the screen as he sped past his big sis.
"Wait you don't have to... ugh!" 'Why should I even try? He'll feel bad for doing nothing to help again.'
She glanced at her brother and rolled her eyes. "You spend a few hours with him to play some video game and you made him to be just like you. I knew letting him spend too much time alone with you couldn't lead to anything good."
'Boys... ' she walked out of his room relieved that things weren't as bad as she thought. 'How typical.'
A/N: Thank you all again for reading. I'm quite glad about this chapter because of a few things.
Firstly, Lancelot in the canon is everything I imagined him to be or to have been. My version of the character was originally all just my predictions on what exactly Ban's son would be and I'm glad it came to be super accurate. From now on, this Lancelot will be based off of what we know so far from the canon story of NNT not that it will be much different anyway.
Secondly, I had fun with all the references and callbacks in this chapter. Any fans of BNHA, NNT, and Marvel hopefully enjoyed them. This chapter was a pretty big rollercoaster of emotions. Family, suspense, tragedy, angst, and humor. This chapter also featured the last major OC. Hope you don't mind.
Lastly, I wished to pay my respects to the one and only Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. He fought well but now he must rest and may he find peace.
WAKANDA FOREVER!
