A/N: It's been a long time since I've published a new chapter. If you're a returning reader, I would heavily recommend you go back to the beginning and reread this story. There have been a lot of changes that influence the tone of this story and nature of the character relationships.
Beta provided by Kylekatarn77.
Chapter 17
He was a patient man. While his first rise to power generations ago had been swift and violent thanks to the destabilization of the time, it was mostly forgotten except amongst the most anal of historians and the villains he cultivated with the pulling of strings. Tomura Shigaraki was just one of those strings, so willing to dance to his song. If you could see him, Nana, would you still smile? Or would your spirit be crushed? Your own blood, now my puppet. He may even take over for me, one day. My quirk passed to the next generation, just like yours. He remembered the long period where he had forgotten about his greatest folly, the quirk his idealistic brother had passed down. It was only after research and hindsight that he realized every holder of One for All had opposed him. If I had known what it would become, it could've been my greatest weapon. Instead, it marks the one who will stand against me.
Indeed, it still did. One for All had ended up in the possession of idealistic heroes, like Shimura Nana and Yagi Toshinori. And now Midoriya Izuku. I am the only villain who wouldn't go after him solely for being All Might's protégé. I know the truth, even if the boy was clever enough to disguise your relationship as the traditional one of mentor and mentee. You gave One for All to that boy because of your failing body, as a reminder that extinguishing that damnable quirk of yours won't be easy. He would admit, however, that Midoriya was a good choice. The boy had turned the Zero Gravity girl's quirk against her with methodical ease before fighting Endeavor's son on his own terms. The current fight between Midoriya and the girl with an acid quirk was boring, for the girl had immediately gone on the defensive. She doesn't provide him the same challenge the other two did. A shame. I wished to see what potential he could muster before being extinguished. He's had more teachers than just you, All Might.
Making sure that Shigaraki watched the Sports Festival had been easier than usual this year. When the event had begun, he made it a point to watch, not only to monitor what types of heroes were being produced, but also to find if there were possible converts. Bakugou could be twisted, brought over to our side. He seems to have the personality and his loss to Shinsou will do serious damage to his psyche. The question is how much he idolizes you, All Might. He pressed a button beneath his right armrest. Within a minute, there was a rippling sound as the air behind him distorted.
"You summoned me," Kurogiri said, amused. His warp quirk was extraordinarily useful, especially given that his quirk could slip around all but the strongest anti-quirk fields. "I had grown so used to being contacted via Shigaraki's screen I almost hesitated to come." There was a pause as yellow eyes flicked to the Festival. "Is this about the Midoriya boy? Shigaraki is absolutely furious and I fear he will try and murder the boy before he goes home today. His declaration set off the worst tantrum I've ever seen, and I've known Shigaraki since you took him in as a boy."
He sighed. "Do keep Shigaraki under control. I have plans for Midoriya, ones he could ruin. However, there's another…child that needs to be watched. Shigaraki might even have fun with…them."
"Oh?" Kurogiri asked. "Would it be Bakugou Katsuki? Between his attitude and his quirk, he could be twisted. He would make a great…ally."
He chuckled and smiled. What pain there was, he pushed through. "Sometimes I wonder why I place my future hopes on Shigaraki instead of you, Kurogiri."
"Because my quirk is too valuable to eventually waste becoming one with your quirk." Kurogiri bowed. "Forgive me, but I must go. Shigaraki is likely to be in another rage." He then disappeared into his warp gate.
"Oh, my reasons are more petty than you think, Kurogiri," he said, unconcerned the intended audience had left. He returned his attention to the Sports Festival and watched as Midoriya blasted through his opponent's halfhearted attempt to shield herself with a mist of acid. All Might's successor took advantage of her hesitation and launched her off the platform with a flicked kick.
He watched as the next match was announced, passive but alert. Enjoy your festivities while you can. The age of peace brought on by All Might is near an end. No matter what he claims, Midoriya will never have the chance to uphold the mantle of Symbol.
I will remind him of the strength that brought him to his knees. All for One is more than just a quirk, after all.
Tenya Iida watched the city pass from the train. A few people looked at him curiously, but he suspected they recognized him from the ongoing Festival. He leaned back and sighed, fingers pinching his nose under his glasses. His mother's words had shaken him. "Your brother was attacked by the Hero Killer, Tenya. He's been rushed to Hosu General, but everything's so uncertain. Please come as soon as you can." Ingenium was the family legacy and everything he aspired to be. To learn that the most recent Ingenium had been defeated, maybe even killed, by a monster like the Hero Killer scared him. He had heard the whispers aboard the train. News of his brother's attack had begun to spread like wildfire, even with so many watching the Sports Festival, and it made many nervous. "Where was All Might?" some asked, while others said, "Ingenium is a good hero, but the Hero Killer is in a league all his own. He should've left it to one of the more popular heroes, or waited for back up."
I can't despair, Tenya reminded himself. The Hero Killer will face justice. He can't be allowed to continue attacking heroes as he has been. The train stopped and among the robotic voice's announcements was, "Hosu General Hospital – next stop."
The last few minutes to his destination were quiet, for much of the train had emptied. While he attempted to remain calm, Tenya found with every foot closer to the station he grew more and more nervous. He couldn't help the fact he could only focus on one thought: Are you still alive, Tensei?
He raced out of the train once it reached the stop for Hosu General Hospital. Even without his quirk, Tenya was fast. A few people gave him odd looks as he rushed past, but between his U.A. uniform and the intense look he was certain graced his face, the crowds parted for him, most continuing on their way without a second look. When the hospital came into sight, he increased his pace to match his pounding heart.
"What room is Tensei Iida in?" he shouted, entering the hospital. A couple nurses jumped at his entrance. Tenya stopped long enough for a secretary to give him the room number before he continued past, tempted to break into a run. He charged up a staircase, down a hallway, and pushed through a door with his brother's name besides it.
His mother turned as the door opened, all puffy eyes and red cheeks. There were faint lines on her face from where the tears had streaked down. She crossed the few steps between them and pulled him into a fierce, crushing hug. However, all Tenya could focus on was the man – his brother – in the bed. Hazy grey eyes glanced in his direction and a tired, impassive mouth twitched into a smile.
"Little brother," Tensei whispered. "I'm sorry…for missing the Sports Festival."
Tears skimmed along Tenya's cheeks. He disengaged from his mother and walked over to his brother in a haze. "You don't need to apologize for that. I'm just happy that you're alive. When I heard…I…I thought the worst." Weak fingers wrapped around his hand as he sat.
"I will be fine, little brother."
"But you can't be a hero!" their mother shouted, interjecting herself into the sibling conversation. "That monster took away your livelihood!"
"There's more…I can do…other than be a hero."
"You can't mean that!" Tenya shouted, an odd sense of betrayal flooding him. He held tightly to Tensei's hand. "What will happen to Ingenium then?"
His brother smiled, a faint laugh on his lips. The laugh suddenly grew stronger. As sudden as it grew, it died as Tensei grimaced and coughed. His pain faded and as his body relaxed into the bed. He turned to Tenya, eyes bright with life.
"Promise me, little brother. Promise me that you'll be Ingenium. For me, and for all who rely on our help."
Tenya gulped, tears slashing off his glasses as he found the energy to nod. "I'll do it, brother. I'll become Ingenium for you." And I'll get justice by taking down the Hero Killer. I'll do it, somehow. You deserve it.
"Thank you," Tensei whispered as his tired eyes closed.
Toshinori Yagi ignored the curious and confused gazes that had remained fixated upon him since the fight between Midoriya and Todoroki. While he had spoken with Midoriya about finding a way to announce who he was to the world, they had never talked about how specific to be about the announcement. Overall, it seemed to have gone well with the crowd. By the time that fight had finished, Izuku had shot up to being the favorite to win the Festival. He watched on as Fumikage Tokoyami and Itsuka Kendou struggled, their fight having turned defensive within the first minute. While the general crowd grumbled, Toshinori noticed some pro heroes lean in, watching the fight closely.
Both Tokoyami and Kendou have strong quirks that can work both offensively and defensively. However, Tokoyami has the advantage of range.
Toshinori's thoughts became reality as Dark Shadow rushed out, overwhelming Kendou's attempts to defend against the attack. Step by step, she found herself being driven back until a strong slam against her left hand, the size of a truck's front, knocked her off balance, especially compared to her normal sized right hand. She spun, stumbled to find stable footing, and was hit against from below, launching her up into the air. Kendou tried to use expand her hands and flap back like a desperate chick leaving the nest, but it mattered little when she ended up hitting the ground.
"Winner by force out, Tokoyami Fumikage!" Midnight shouted. "There'll be a five minute break before the final match."
The crowd shifted, people standing to stretch or get one last batch of concessions. Food Rush stocked the stands inside the stadium, all providing him a nice extra boost to his paycheck. Toshinori assumed many of the exterior stands were closed or moved as the Sports Festival for the second years was reaching their halfway and the third years were getting ready to start. While some people did leave to head for the third year stadium, most people remained to see the final fight and the first year winner.
I will have to ask Nedzu about the last time so many people stuck around for the end of the first year Festival, if there ever was such an occurrence. This is a great surprise and will serve Young Midoriya well.
Present Mic's voice signaled the end of the five-minute break. "Here comes the final match! The unbeaten champion, your favorite to win! Midoriya Izuku!" Toshinori's protégé was standing on one side of the platform, waving to the cheering crowd. Izuku's smile tempted his mentor to chance revealing his secret identity and expand into the form of All Might. Instead, he just smiled down, waving the moment their eyes locked. "Challenging him is the dark bird of the day! Tokoyami Fumikage!" Tokoyami acknowledged the crowd with a nod, but didn't wave like his opponent.
"Are you ready?" Midnight asked them. After they nodded, she waved her whip. "Start!"
Izuku dashed forward, blurring green as Dark Shadow emerged to challenge his approach. He leapt over the shadow's first lash, ducked under a second, and rolled left as a powerful blow smashed into where he would have been. The ground cracked as he moved forward again, racing past the attempted blow and shrinking the distance between them in a blink. Tokoyami drew Dark Shadow close, like a second skin, and blocked Izuku's first attack. The boy threw several more punches and it was only with the last that the futile block was broken.
Tokoyami was knocked back and rolled to his feet. The boundary line was just behind him and Toshinori smiled at the murmuring around him. Both boys impressed the pro heroes in the stadium, and if they were impressed, the ones watching from home or their offices would be so too. It's good to see my students performing so well. I should speak with Nedzu and Aizawa about working closer with Class 1-A. Young Midoriya has grown tremendously under my tutelage. His classmates should do the same.
Izuku moved forward, arms raised in a guard and his eyes fixated on his opponent. Dark Shadow emerged from Tokoyami, keeping close as he too, moved forward. A hush fell over the stadium as with each step, the two boys got closer and closer to punching range. They stopped, only a couple feet between them.
"This was a good fight, Fumikage," Izuku said, grinning.
"You say that as if it's over," Tokoyami commented. Dark Shadow crept out from within, clawed hands ready to strike out.
"Not yet, but soon." With one fluid move, he took up a fighting stance Toshinori recognized from the boy's training with Gran Torino. With one arm before his face and the other raised high and behind his head, he could guess just what Izuku planned.
Tokoyami did his best to raise Dark Shadow as a shield, abandoning any attempt to strike back, as Izuku suddenly spun, his body dropping as his right leg swung up high, and then down on the crown of his opponent's head. Toshinori was thankful he hadn't blinked, for the move happened that fast. The bird hero dropped like a sack of potatoes, his body crumbled on the ground. Midnight counted to ten, almost rushing as the crowd screamed. Once she finished, Present Mic's augmented voice overwhelmed the stadium.
"With a kick that would ring anyone's bell, Midoriya Izuku has won! That's right! The winner of the First Year Sports Festival is Midoriya Izuku of Class A! We'll take a short break so the runner up can be healed and then we'll have a very special medal ceremony!"
Taking the cue, Toshinori slipped away. He had a special changing room near the outside of the stadium so he could slip into uniform and emerge as All Might.
Good job, Young Midoriya. Let's see where you go from here.
An hour later, a healed Fumikage joined Izuku and Kendou on the podium established in the stadium's center. Her fight with Ashido was shockingly quick. The President of Class B had charged the acid quirk girl, dodged multiple volatile globs of acid, and used her quirk to expand her hands into watermelon sized fists before clobbering the other girl. A bored Midnight stood nearby, waiting on either Present Mic or All Might to begin the medal ceremony. She spun her whip, whistling as the crowd grumbled, waiting.
"Sorry folks!" a loud, familiar voice shouted. All Might dropped into the stadium to thunderous applause. He waved to the crowd, grinning, before approaching the podium. "I was so inspired by the achievements and exploits of these fine, young heroes I got held up speaking with them." He turned to the three, pulling a matching number of medals out from behind his back. "Now, for today's victors.
"Third place goes to Kendou Itsuka, who rose above not only her entire class, but many others, to show that technique can beat out experience in the right hands." There was a low groan at All Might's wordplay. "Your classmates are proud of your achievements today." All Might set a bronze medal around the girl's neck, smiling as tears slipped from her eyes.
"Second goes to Tokoyami Fumikage, a worthy award. Your talents have been recognized. Your ability to improvise and be versatile in the face of a wide variety of quirks will serve you well." All Might set a silver medal around the boy's neck. Fumikage nodded, his beak closed as he rubbed the medal, thoughtful.
"And today's winner, Midoriya Izuku." The crowd roared, pleased with All Might's words. "A most impressive showing, putting yourself ahead of the pack from the very beginning. As your mentor, you have made me proud, and hopefully your fellow classmates will want to celebrate your victory." All Might set a gold medal around the boy's neck. Izuku held it tight, staring up with a teary smile.
All Might stepped away from the podium, grinning. "I believe I speak for all of our competitors when I say, thank you! Your support has helped to push them forward as these wonderful youths grow as heroes. And as always, Plus Ultra!"
The crowd, the three on the podium, and those at home watching the Festival repeated those last two words with a powerful shout.