"Even if I don't have a quirk..."
You should probably give it up.
"... can I become a hero?"
Izuku here has two joints.
"Can someone Quirkless… "
I'm sorry Izuku! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
"... be like you?!"
You can't get into the hero course just by studying!
There stood Midoriya Izuku, a young Quirkless boy who fate seemed to hate particularly, on the rooftop of an office building.
In front of him was his lifelong role model. The number one hero: All Might.
He had been told his entire life that his dream was fruitless, that he should give up, that he would only end up getting himself killed. But within Izuku's heart lied an image that had kept him going forward in pursuing his raison d'etre, even after a decade of bullying and ridicule.
The image of a boisterous, blond giant, smiling in the face of danger while carrying a dozen civilians out of a bus on fire.
Everything is fine now! Why? BECAUSE I AM HERE!
That man, All Might, was now in front of him. The man that incarnated selflessness and justice itself. The man that had single-handedly lowered the country's crime rate. The man that had become the shining Symbol of Peace, protector of the weak and savior of those in need.
"No."
And the man that had just finished shattering Izuku's heart.
"I am sorry, but pro heroes are always risking their lives. I cannot simply say 'you can become a hero, even if you lack power.'"
Izuku just stood there, staring with empty green eyes at All Might.
"If you want to help others, then you could also become a police officer. They often get teased because they get villains delivered to their doorstep, but it's still a noble occupation."
Steam seemed to materialize slowly around All Might. But Izuku didn't pay it any attention, or to be precise, his mind could not process it at the moment.
"It's not bad to dream. But you also have to be realistic, young man."
And with that, All Might leaped far away at an incredible speed, leaving an unresponsive Izuku alone on the building's roof, forever staring into the distance.
A minute had passed since All Might had left. Then five minutes. Then fifteen.
In total, Izuku had been standing still a bit more than half an hour on that deserted roof.
And suddenly, he started walking towards the stairs, not bothering picking up his bag. His eyes always empty, resembling more of a zombie's than a human's. His head slightly tilted downward.
It took Izuku another fifteen minutes of slowly shambling his way down the building's stairs. When he reached the main floor, he was asked of his intentions by a lonesome security guard, yet Izuku continued on his way, never acknowledging the man's existence despite his protests.
Once out of the building, Izuku was met by a beautiful orange sky, a product of the descending sun on the horizon. But the boy just kept walking down the street, unconcerned by the sound of firetrucks and ambulances in the distance.
Maybe there was still something alive inside Izuku's mind, because he was walking with his back towards the sunset, avoiding the light hit him directly in the eyes. He also stopped on every red light and seemed to avoid bumping into other passersby.
One could say he looked like a normal middle schooler. Though upon further inspection one would notice that Izuku wasn't blinking, and his expression, although calmed, resembled one of someone who had just witnessed a terrible accident or were watching how a natural disaster came their way.
And Izuku just kept walking, his subconsciousness and instinct helping him not trip and avoid the common dangers of the streets. Though if someone had used their quirk to read Izuku's mind, they would have understood that it was pointless.
The boy was dead inside. His mind was blank, but his heart hosted a hurricane of emotions:
Hatred.
Frustration.
Shame.
Resentment.
And, unbeknownst to him, something much more destructive.
Four more hours had passed since Izuku had left the building where he had his talk with All Might. The once clear night sky was now covered by dark storm clouds, and what started as a drizzle soon became a downpour.
Everyone in the streets focused on seeking refuge from the cold, heavy rain. Some were too naive and thought cheap umbrellas from the convenience store would shield them from nature's wrath, only to have it twist and bend under the pressure of the constant rising winds.
The wiser ones decided for a simpler solution and sought refuge inside the nearby stores and malls. Some tried to wait it out at the bus stops, but quickly scrapped the idea once they noticed that the water had accumulated on the streets. Had something clogged the sewers?
However, despite the diluvial event, Izuku's pace was unaffected. Even with water up to his knees, even with freezing clothes tightly hugging his whole body, even with winds that threatened to cut his flesh and expose his bones to the elements, the boy's empty expression remained unfazed.
He kept walking until the sound of the crashing tides eclipsed the falling rain. Izuku had arrived at some beach full of scrap metal and trash, resembling a dump more than a place for family vacations.
The tides, enraged by the natural phenomenon in the skies, mercilessly crashed against the tall piles of debris and waste. The noxious mixture darkened the waters, corrupting the ocean into a vile stew and forever scarring the sand.
But none of this mattered to Izuku, who quickly stepped on the black mud that now ruled the beach. The earth swallowed his very step, threatening to steal his footwear, slowing down his new stride. Perhaps an act of pity from Mother Nature towards the broken boy? However, no matter how many more precious seconds for reconsideration the storm granted Izuku, there was only one clear memory echoing in his heart, clouding his judgement.
If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life…
The earth now held Izuku up to his shins, while the wrath of the oceans did its best to spit him out of its domain. Black water assaulted everyone of Izuku's senses, forcing him to shut his eyes and mouth. The rotting smell of liquid waste was enough to force his gag reflex and churn the contents of his entrails, granting him a succinct moment of clarity.
Yet it was too late.
A massive black wave towered over Izuku, carrying the full rage of the sea mixed with countless artificial objects.
Primal fear invaded Izuku, and a hopeless desire for self-preservation finally took the reins of his body.
And the merciless waters came down, crashing on his tiny frame. Slamming him with a dreadful force against the mud and dragging him like a rag doll against the fortress of trash.
Immense pressure manifested on every fiber of Izuku's being, but he felt no immediate pain thanks to a surge of adrenaline. That said, Izuku could still feel how his bones threatened to break, how his muscles tore and screamed, and how his flesh and skin were endlessly lacerated by the sharp objects that plagued his new watery hell.
Another wave struck, and the tower of waste and steel crumbled onto the boy, filling his mind with darkness.
On an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a twenty meter tall wave threatened to strike the sea cliff with terrible force.
The storm had been raging for a day and two nights now, destroying countless ships on the high seas and spreading their broken pieces across the rocky beach. Lightning struck on random intervals, filling the horizon with raw energy, quickly followed by the booming sound of thunder so loud it would leave one deaf for a few seconds.
On a rock stump, barely a meter over the turbulent waters, stood a man focusing his power, unfazed by the sea colossus charging his way. For him, this was merely an exercise he had repeated countless times during his immortal life. His skill had surpassed Mother Nature long ago, yet she still seemed to throw tantrums on his way now and then.
And today would be no different.
The stone beneath his feet trembled, its rumbling muffled by the noise of the storm. Suddenly, small cracks started forming like spiderwebs, centered on each of his sandals. The man's muscles pulsated. His veins bulged all over his body, supplying his cells with not only oxygen, but with raw, dark power.
The man brought his hands together to his side, forming a small, round cage with his fingers. His eyes shone bright red, and a blood-red aura manifested around his body. Then, a bright purple energy began materializing between his palms. His red mane, now tinted by the light in his grasp, flowed wildly with the wind.
The energy took a physical form: a sphere, of about twenty centimeters in diameter, made of shadow-like white-purple energy that convulsed and fluctuated continuously in between the man's hands. Not yet satisfied, the man let out a terrifying roar, pouring even more power into his hands, causing the sphere to triplicate in size.
The giant wave was now merely fifteen meters away from the man, closing in at a stunning speed. However, instead of being greeted with fear, the man's expression was a scowl full of spite and wrath. With a battle cry, he thrusted his hands forward, shooting the orb of destruction at ludicrous speed towards the tide.
The purple ball of energy rushed through the air. In an instant it penetrated the wave without resistance and exploded into a massive purple fireball. The sheer force of the explosion split the ocean in two, revealing an endless variety of artificial objects on the rocky floor. Then, each side of the split wave collapsed, nullifying each other's force.
Despite the jaw-dropping achievement, the man seemed displeased.
"Hmph."
Hints of disappointment could be seen manifesting on his permanent scowl. Was he looking down on the power of the elements or was he not satisfied with his own strength?
Another wave seemed to form in the horizon, and the man got into his concentration pose once again.
Breath in. Breath out.
He felt the power of the Satsui No Hado surge within him.
Then something small grabbed his ankle.
In a flash, the man shifted his leg backward and stomped the attacker with the other, shattering their wrist to pieces, and breaking the stone surface. Yet no howl of pain was heard.
"Another shadow? To think their power would diminish to—"
He paused, noticing that the possible shadow suspect had dark green hair and was very young, probably in his teens, so he discarded the possibility.
Wrath, violence and murderous intent began to grow within him.
"Who dares interrupt my training?" The man spat. This lost island had been his domain for decades now, an isolated paradise in a world of mass communications. It was the perfect spot for his training, and he would not shy away from murdering intruders to keep it from being discovered.
The boy didn't respond. Was he even alive?
From what he could see, the boy's arm was brimming with cuts and bruises. His wounds seemed to be infected, as the skin surrounding them was bright red, and an unpleasant rotting stench emanated from him.
"Hmph. Pathetic."
The new giant wave would arrive in less than a minute now.
The man couldn't care less about the fate of such a weak being. In fact, it only disgusted him. It reminded him about how decades ago humans had naturally developed powers beyond their imagination, and how they had grown complacent, seeking to drown themselves in earthly desires like fame and riches.
They relied more and more in the power they were blessed with at birth, instead of cultivating the strength of their fists. To him, this was an unacceptable way of living, so he secluded himself for his training, only visiting modern society every couple of years hoping someone had risen to his level.
The man grunted, shaking the unpleasant thoughts out of his mind. He glared down upon the young boy. He still had not removed his foot from what remained of the boy's wrist. It was probably the only anchor point stopping the boy from sinking back into the shifting waters. Then the man finally said:
"If you are going to die, then die already. A weakling like you, sheltered all his life from even the most trivial of dangers, deserves nothing short of a dog's death. Die, and accept this fate you have brought upon yourself. Because living consciously in weakness, without ever seeking strength, is the greatest of sins."
But before the man could lift his foot and let the ocean swallow the boy, something grabbed his ankle yet again.
The man quickly shifted his sight back down to his foot, annoyed that this weakling still defied the fate he rightfully deserved. Then his red eyes widened, and a dumbfounded expression briefly overpowered his permanent scowl.
A faint, dark green aura was enveloping his ankle like a fetter.
The enormous wave was towering on top of them when the man had finally regained his composure. He grabbed the boy's arm and jumped with incredible strength, not caring in the slightest in being gentle. A sonic boom signalled their departure from the "danger," and an instant later they were at the top of the cliff.
The man threw the boy in front of him, who rolled around the mud like a rag doll. He probably dislocated the boy's arm during that jump, but that didn't matter right now. As long as the boy was breathing the state of his body wouldn't matter.
The man raised his arm, pointing his palm towards the boy. A blood-red aura emanated from his hand and flowed towards the battered body.
A chilling smirk, revealing sharp teeth, found its way to the man's face. It seems fate had finally decided he could put his title into practice, once again.
The "Master of the Fist," Akuma, had gained an apprentice who would follow his path of the demon.
Whether or not they like it.
AN: Well, this is my first time writing an author's note, so I don't know much to say other than this is a little fun project I have thought about for a while now. I have loved many of the Street Fighter characters ever since I played MvC2 on the PS2 with some friends, even when they sometimes come off as incredibly cheesy *cough* Akuma *cough* (still love him).
You probably want to know the direction of this story, well luckily for you I already made a very rough draft of what I want to do (I have also decided on the ending, hopefully my motivation can get us there though) and, without spoiling anything major, this is going to be a Villain Izuku Midoriya fic who will follow the path of the demon, so the good actions he does will be mostly coincidental or align with his goal.
As you can probably guess, pairings are not a focus of this fic unless you consider IzukuxHisOwnBloodyFists a legit ship. I hope I can get each character right, I promise I'll work hard on making it fun and somewhat believe considering the premise. Regarding a schedule… I consider this merely a project to have fun with, meaning that I'll work on it when I feel like having fun with it, akin to a game (sorry not sorry). I promise the next chapters will be longer though, I consider this merely an introductory chapter (basically, crushing Izuku's hopes and dreams and get him to meet Akuma, lol)
Oh! Also, I am not a native English speaker, but I try my best to write in a comprehensible manner (never thought proofreading would take just as long as writing the story itself) I hope my descriptions aren't too confusing/boring/too over the top.
For what the next chapter will be about... well, it's time for Izuku to learn the true meaning of pain!
Cheers! And remember…
滅 METSU! 滅