CHAPTER 6: The Chapter Where Izuku Meets the Hermit Hero

Izuku regretted waking up.

He was sore, tired - anything that wasn't good applied to his current state.

"Another round," Giran called out from behind his newspaper. Izuku sent him a deadly glare, hunched over the sink and dripping wet. Giran only smirked, grating on Izuku's already frayed nerves.

Another room in their new 'base' was the training room. It had previously been a purposeless, empty room, but Izuku fixed that by filling the place with gym equipment specially made for younger ages. It had been Izuku's pet project back in their old building and he had to relocate everything to this joke of a house.

Giran had made Izuku strap weights to his wrists and ankles then do his usual workout routine. It had only been an hour, but Izuku was reaching his limits and Giran wasn't letting up.

Despite his growing fatigue, Izuku wiped his face on a towel and threw it at the faucet before returning to his spot in the middle of the room. He slid into his opening stance - legs spread out parallel and hands loosely hanging next to each other - and took a deep breath. Izuku waited for the first command, eyes closed.

Izuku heard the shuffle of paper and immediately ducked when he felt the displacement of air. He then unfolded himself and swiveled in place, eyes opening to see a crumpled cigarette box lying by the weight bar.

"Seriously, Giran?!" Izuku threw his arms up in exasperation only to grab the mug thrown his way. "Stop that!"

"Never, kid. Gotta keep your instincts sharp. They're what saved you against bull teeth."

"Don't remind me…" Izuku grumbled, throwing the mug back to Giran. Said man caught it easily and placed it on the table stationed next to him. Izuku shot him a disgruntled look.

"Get back to work. Attack from three o'clock with a slashing knife."

Izuku dropped into his fighting stance and grabbed an imaginary arm before throwing the body of the fake person onto the floor.

"Ten o'clock, big hand quirk."

Izuku rolled to the side and jumped as if he was to land on the attacker's back and drive him to the floor.

He continued the rest of the session with Giran giving him different scenarios, attacks and quirks. Sometimes there was only one attacker and sometimes there were multiple.

Izuku panted heavily as his limbs screamed from the constant drills. His movements grew sluggish and his reaction time became slower.

Finally, Giran clapped his hands and Izuku dropped to the floor, drenched in sweat and gasping. He couldn't move, the weights now shackling him to the mat, but he needed water desperately. He was parched.

"Stop being such a drama queen," Giran nudged his cheek with a sleek dress shoe. Izuku merely grunted, too exhausted for anything else.

A sigh was heard and soon the relieving sensation of cold air hitting heated skin engulfed him as the weights were unclasped and removed. Izuku weakly rolled to his side, a firm hand yanking at his t-shirt until he sat up.

"Just drink, brat," A bottle was pressed to his lips and Izuku wrapped his sluggish fingers around the cool plastic, drinking messily. Water spilled all over his shirt and face, but Izuku was too tired to care.

He wanted to kill Giran for putting him through this. He wanted to kick him where the sun doesn't shine so badly.

Channel his inner Kacchan and explode that bastard…

His chest tightened and Izuku slumped forward, hiding his face in his clammy hands.

He can't let himself break down. He had a plan now. He had to play nice if he wanted a chance to present itself.

"Alright, get up. Go stretch and then shower. I have your new job prepared."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

Oh thank god.

Oh screw god!

A bullet whizzed past him, parting the skin on his cheek like butter, pain erupting along it. Izuku gasped and ducked behind a fallen table, covering his ears as the booming sound pounded in his head.

Giran had led him into the lion's den! Since the moment he had entered the meeting room, he had known this was going to end badly.

First of all, he was supposed to have been meeting only one man but instead he was met with four extra men and the client. Second of all, an opposing villain gang had heard of the meeting somehow (why couldn't people keep their mouths shut?!) and decided to crash the party by flying into the room with motorbikes and handguns.

Third of all , Izuku was caught in a gunfight for no reason .

He was going to murder Giran.

But before he could splatter the bastard's brain everywhere, he needed to hightail it out of here ASAP.

He peeked out from his table and yelped as a broken table leg went flying over him, arms coming up to protect his head. A loud boom quickly followed and something hit the table, causing it to explode and send Izuku flying into the wall. The preteen collapsed to the floor, breath hitching when the communication device in his ear broke off and cut his lobe on its way down.

Giran should already be inside looking for him unless something happened. Fearing the worst, Izuku crawled towards the exit as he tried to ignore the bloodbath, flying debris, and rain of bullets.

They couldn't have killed Giran before that bastard could get to him, right? It hadn't even been that long since he had healed from the injury Bull Teeth gave him.

And how was Izuku supposed to find a pro hero in this mess?

A slap was heard and a strap wrapped itself around his wrist. Izuku screamed as he was hauled to a black clothed chest and was hastily removed from the now burning room.

He immediately registered the freezing night air biting his face and paled in realization.

He was flying!

Someone took him again! He was being kidnapped! No, no, no! Not again!

He struggled and tried to pry the hardened cloth from his wrist, but the arms holding him tightened. "Stop struggling, kid. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Then put me down!" Izuku was panicking now. He pushed away the black shirt and looked down, sight swirling when he saw the fire growing higher. " PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT! "

He needed to get to Giran. He needed to find an underground hero. He needed his mom. He needed someone. He needed to —

" — Breath with me, kid."

Izuku stilled.

He was on his knees. He was on concrete. He wasn't moving.

He needed to go back now .

"Kid, you need to listen to me. You need to breath."

What was he talking about? He was breathing. He was freaking out over obvious things, but not breathing—

Oh god, he wasn't breathing.

And suddenly he inhaled sharply and begun to cough violently, tears cascading down. A warm hand rubbed his back and then moved to his hair, pushing it back so Izuku's face was uncovered.

"Look at me, kid. Tell me what happened- it's you."

That caused Izuku to finally focus and he slowly made contact with his new kidnapper's eyes. The man's appearance wasn't much; bloodshot black eyes, long scraggly black hair (was black his theme?), a six o'clock shadow on his face, and ashen gray skin.

"Me?" Izuku finally managed to croak out. "Listen, could you... please return me? My caretaker is probably freaking out."

The bloodshot eyes narrowed. "Are you, or are you not, Izuku Midoriya?"

Izuku froze, eyes growing wide and fearful. He wrenched himself from the man and scrambled backwards.

He hadn't expected himself to react that way to his name being uttered aloud for the first time in four years.

Izuku growled. "How do you know that name?"

The man regarded him for a long time before sighing and sitting down near the edge of - what Izuku realized was - a roof. "So you are him."

"What's it to you? What do you want from me?" Izuku's eyes darted in all directions before zeroing in on the door that most likely led to the stairs. He then stared at the man cautiously, pieces of plans attempting to come together.

Izuku couldn't shake the notion that he knew this man.

"I want to know what happened and return you to your mother."

Black clothing. Black hair. White cloth looped around shoulders. Yellow goggles.

Knew his name. Knew he wasn't supposed to be here.

An unknown hero.

Could it be?

"Eraserhead…?"

The man narrowed his eyes, suddenly on edge. "And how do you know that name?"

Izuku mirrored the other's gaze. "I was kidnapped to become a broker, it's in the job description. Now, are you, or are you not, Eraserhead?"

Black orbs flashed red and then, suddenly, Izuku was yanked from his spot by white wrappings. The preteen struggled as he was pulled closer to the scraggly haired man who now scrutinized him. "I may have jumped the gun a bit. How do I know you're truly Midoriya Izuku? I don't usually find kidnapped kids wandering around at night."

"They do if their kidnapper is testing their abilities," Izuku scowled, "He was supposed to wait for me and rush inside the moment things went sideways. But instead I get kidnapped again. By you!"

Izuku glared at the man accusingly. "And now you think I'm lying ? I am Midoriya Izuku and I want to know if you had any reason at all to kidnap me. I've had enough of being used so you better speak up."

The man sighed; his expression showed his growing annoyance for the situation. Izuku continued to glare at him until the hero nodded. "Alright then, Midoriya Izuku. Why don't we put this to the test? Am I, or am I not, Eraserhead?"

Izuku wasn't pleased with the sudden shift in tone. He wanted proper answers for once! But knowing he had to prove himself, Izuku forced himself to appear relaxed and tilted his head.

Time for some analyzing. "Well… for starters, you know my real name. My kidnapper wouldn't know it and no other villains would have any reason to know. Therefore, you're either someone from my past or you're connected to the authorities. Since I don't know you, my old life is out."

"...Go on."

Feeling more confident from the silent approval, Izuku continued. "Secondly, pro heroes are usually flashy and you're not, but you're obviously not a police officer; so underground hero. I know that this district overlaps with Eraserhead and Meadow's patrol area, so that leaves me with two options."

Izuku then gave a cheeky smile. "I know that out of the two, only one of them wears yellow goggles. Besides, Meadow is a woman."

The man seemed to consider Izuku's rambling for a moment before giving him a shit-eating grin. "I would give that deduction only ninety points."

Izuku took a second to process the words and then he gawked. "But I got it right!"

The grin grew darker. "You haven't told me your conclusion. Am I, or am I not, Eraserhead?"

Izuku groaned. "Really?"

"I'm waiting, Midoriya Izuku."

"Don't rub it in! You're Eraserhead, okay? I conclude that you are the underground hero, Eraserhead. Is that good enough?"

There was a long pause before Eraserhead snorted and unraveled the wraps from around Izuku. "I'll give you that, problem child. I am him."

Izuku stared at the limp fabric, eyes wide. "So you believe me now?"

He looked up with shiny eyes.

Eraserhead quirked a brow. "Believe is a strong word. But part of your profile detailed your ability to analyze and your habit to ramble. Coupled with your appearance and your reaction to the name, Midoriya Izuku, I feel that I can 'believe' you."

Izuku felt offended. "You tested me?!"

The underground hero shrugged. "Can never be too careful. Now, I'll be taking you to the police. Don't lag behind."

Izuku suddenly recalled why he had panicked earlier and frantically shook his head. "I can't!"

The preteen received a blank look so he quickly explained himself. "If I don't return soon, my kidnapper will look for me."

"We'll arrest him then."

"It's not that simple," Izuku sighed, "He has a lot of connections in the underworld. He wouldn't give up until I was returned to him. He has put too much effort in me just so I could slip away. But I have a plan!"

"...I'm listening, but make it quick. If I don't like it, I'm taking you to the police without any resistance, understand?"

"Okay- okay." Izuku took a deep breath and began to expound, hope blossoming in his chest. "Giran is planning on letting me take over the deals and transactions. If I can convince him to join me in one of the meetings, you can crash it and arrest him. That way, no one would die and Giran would get arrested. Is that okay?"

Eraserhead gave him a strange look and Izuku frowned. "What?"

"Giran? The underworld broker? Is that your kidnapper?"

Izuku cursed and slapped a hand over his mouth, wincing when he aggravated his cheek wound. Damn his tendency to blurt out all information he knew. Giran had drilled the importance of keeping secrets into him, but one session with Bringer and having only Giran to talk to for four years had loosened his tongue.

Eraserhead took a step towards him and Izuku took one back, suddenly alert. The man folded his arms. "How did a kid like you gain the attention of that man? He's known for being a loner."

Izuku's frown deepened at the phrasing and lowered his hand from his lips. "He… He saved me from the child killer four years ago and took me as payment."

"Just like that?"

Izuku growled. His ear and cheek burned and the crusted blood itched. He needed to have gotten back like yesterday. The pro hero he had so desperately asked for now seemed more like his damnation than his salvation. "Why the hell is that important for you to know? Do you still not 'believe' me? Just tell me if you're going to help me or not."

Eraserhead stared at him for a long time before sighing and standing up. "I get the feeling that you'll escape the police station the moment I take my eyes off you. So here's the deal — "

Izuku tensed up.

" — I'll let you go back if you allow yourself to be monitored and provide me with all the information you have on Giran."

Oh, that wasn't so bad.

Izuku nodded. "Deal!" He straightened up and stuck his hand out. The bloodshot eyes regarded him for a moment before the hero grunted and shook Izuku's hand, the bigger one warm and calloused.

The hand of a hero.

Izuku was, actually, holding the hand of a hero. Who despite everything, agreed to help him. He finally allowed himself to experience hope as he climbed onto the man's back and held tightly.

The fire had attracted a lot of attention, but Izuku managed to avoid looking at the firetruck and the flashing sirens that pierced through all other sounds in favor of locating Giran.

Eraserhead had left him in the hands of a paramedic and Izuku was subjected to an examination.

Fortunately, his cheek and earlobe were the worst of his injuries. The paramedic cleaned and disinfected his light burns and grazes before clearing him.

The moment he was released, he jolted away, trying to find Giran despite the pandmium. He saw gang members and some pedestrians milling around, but no Giran.

"Giran?" He called softly, walking towards where he remembered the car being parked. Izuku could feel the hero's stare burning into him and he looked up to see a silhouette disappear between the rooftops.

Alright, he was being followed. Good—

"Took your time, Ya'rok."

Izuku swiveled in place and slumped in relief when the smoked - but alive - broker limped out of a side street. The preteen took a deep breath and hissed at the man. "Where the fuck were you? You told me that you'd barge in there the moment something went wrong! And that moment was when I walked in!"

"You try going past pest control next time then," Giran grumbled.

"Huh?"

"The guards caught me and then everything exploded with guns and fire, so excuse me for not, 'barging' in."

Izuku bit his lip. He wanted to yell more at Giran, but after his fight with Eraserhead, he was too spent. The gray haired man sighed when he realized Izuku wasn't going to reply and lit a new stick. "I guess it was too early to let you go alone. We'll have lay low for a while now. The league wanted to meet with us next week, anyways."

Bile rose in Izuku's throat. Great, he had barely dodged one bullet and he was already in the path of another one.

The league's base always gave him chills no matter how many times the two of them visited it. The manchild that played leader had always unnerved him, and no amount of bonding over video games would make that feeling go away. Despite wanting to flee, Izuku always went along with the man's whims since Giran had said that the league would be their most important contact. They needed to stay on their good side.

Would Eraserhead be able to follow him there and arrest Giran and the league based on that meeting alone?

He couldn't afford to screw-up this time.

Izuku nodded when he realized he was stalling.

Giran returned the gesture, looking wearier than usual as he patted Izuku on the back. He pulled Izuku away from the newly dubbed crime scene and led the way back home.

They all needed a break.

please read and review on my stories. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Who knows, maybe there will be a debate.

ENJOY~

OC's list I own:

Child Killer, Kintsuki Yama, bringer and Minotaur