The Quirkless Martyr

by Ainbomb-001

Quirkless anti-Villain Deku story. All his life Izuku suffered because he believed he can be a hero. Now Izuku's suffering has led him to the path of becoming a brutal cunning 'villain' hellbent on saving people and showing everyone that he can do the hero's job better than them. Rated M for cursing and more. Slow burn story and relationship, slight redemption arc.

52. Don't Worry, You'll Like it Here

A/N- Hey all, sorry for the long wait, but I had a lot of stuff to do, and a lot has happened. College Midterms took place, I had to do a lot of paperwork for an internship. And there are still more things I have to do.

So here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy reading it. And there's no telling when the next chapter will come out. So I'm sorry for the long wait periods.

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Stale. The air down here was so unbearably stale and dry. Despite being at the bottom of the ocean in an SS-Rank mutant villain containment cell, the air was filtered, and there was no humidity in the massive room. Izuku sat in his glass cube cell, feeling sorry for the previous villain, Killer Croc, who was in the cell before him.

Boredom was the least of Izuku's concerns. Izuku sat on his bed, watching the TV that was given to him in his cell. There were very few channels worth watching, and Izuku found himself watching the news most of the time. As Izuku watched news coverage of the growing national protests, he sighed. 'I knew my actions would cause people to split up and group up, but even I couldn't predict this kind of response.'

The news then shifted to a story about the upcoming massive demonstration that was going to take place close to Tartarus. Izuku grew momentarily curious but knew the demonstration would not do all that much to help his situation. Having had enough of the news, Izuku turned the TV off and laid down in his bed, staring at the ceiling of the underwater prison through his glass cell ceiling.

'The protests are growing by the day, and although the number of people supporting me looks equal to the number against me, that is not the case at all. The underworld has more people against me, and public officials aren't evenly split since many elected officials want me gone so they can make themselves look good... What to do? How do I want to handle them? What options do I have?'

Izuku was in deep thought; there were multiple ways to deal with the situation, but each one had negatives associated with it. The narrow selection of choices was quickly turning into a case of choosing the less shitty situation.

'The public outrage will draw attention to me, which will force the HPSC and government to respond... If I were them, the best choice would be to clean this mess up directly and discreetly. But that can be done in multiple ways... I would wager that the HPSC is getting ready to make a deal with me. I'm too valuable to keep locked up, and since I'm already locked up, they've lost a lot of leverage by prematurely putting me in Tartarus, so they want to get as much leverage as they can before negotiations start. If that's the case, I hope the protests continue to grow; it puts more pressure on the HPSC and makes them move faster, causing them to lose leverage over the situation... But I should also consider the movements of Nezu and the heroes, since some of them will want me free... What to do?'

Deciding that thinking about this further would not result in anything, Izuku simply rolled onto his side. He was about to fall asleep, but then some taps were made on his glass containment cell. Izuku looked over to see a familiar old guard bringing him his food. Izuku cracked a grin at the guard since this old man was one of the friendlier guards trapped at the bottom of the ocean with him.

"It's that time already? I thought I still had some more time before you came, Old Man Ryu." The senior guard grinned at Izuku and kneeled to slide Izuku's food into a multi-door air-lock.

"I would say you're stupid for not keeping track of time, but I know that it's hard to keep track of time down here." Ryu stood up and leaned against the glass cell. "Besides, that look on your face tells me just how bored you are, so I thought I'd give you your food a bit early."

Izuku grabbed the food and began eating the cheap prison meal that had started going cold. "How kind of you, but how'd you get it here without anyone else stopping you, and thanks for the extra beef this time." Ryu chuckled as he talked to Izuku.

"Well, most guards don't want to keep you locked up. We all recognize how dangerous you are, but we all know you have no interest in harming us. You're nice like that, plus you're not as bad as other inmates. And since most of the guards notice that, we have no real interest in treating you like an inmate; only a few of the bad apples want to do that."

Izuku stared at Old Man Ryu and formed a faint grin as he ate. But Izuku was perplexed; after all he had done as a villain and a hero, he expected more people to dislike him. After all, he was Deku, a brutal and angry villain who physically destroyed people and didn't care who they were. The kindness that Izuku was being shown recently was confusing to him: 'First, Mei, then UA, and now Old Man Ryu. Why is everyone being so kind to me?' But it wasn't important, so Izuku looked past it.

"I don't know if you guards are stupid or if you just have that much faith in me. But I'll thank you for the food anyway." Izuku looked back down and continued to eat the food, trying his best to hide his current confusion from Ryu. But Ryu stared down at Izuku and came to a conclusion.

"… You shouldn't do that, you know." Izuku stopped eating and looked at Ryu with a confused gaze.

"What are you talking about, Old Man?" Ryu sighed as he stared at Izuku.

"Kid, I have been here at this prison for a long time. I've seen my fair share of villains come and go. Some were ruthless, others were calm, and many more were somewhere in between. That means I have come across your type before. So, I know what you are trying to do, kid. You're trying to lock away your emotions. Stop yourself from feeling, and if you ask me, that's a telltale sign of someone reverting to their old ways."

Izuku stared at Ryu and contemplated what he should do now. Nothing came to Izuku's mind; he had no idea how to handle the situation. It was infuriating. Izuku's internal emotions were bouncing all over the place between rage and pain. Izuku put on his best friendly grin and spoke to the old guard.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, old man. I'm doing just fine, and as you can see, I'm expressing my emo—"

"No, you're not." Izuku was interrupted mid-sentence, and he looked up to see Ryu's disapproving face. "Kid, I know what you are trying to do. As I said, I know your type. You think that by closing yourself off, everything will be fine and you can regain control before everything spirals into chaos. And I am sorry to tell you this, but that won't work at all; it never has and it never will. Every time I've seen someone do this, they just turn into a worse version of themselves or revert to their old selves. If you close yourself off, it will only make things worse… Trust me, kid."

Izuku's face froze into a grin as he stared at Ryu. Slowly, Izuku tilted his head down to stare at the floor while his face darkened. Izuku felt his emotions rise and took a deep breath to calm and stabilize himself. But Izuku felt the need to talk, so he laced his words with venom and spoke to Ryu.

"And what do you know? You have not lived a day in my shoes. You have no idea what I feel." Izuku shot his head up with angry eyes, intending to insult Ryu, but when he looked up, he saw Ryu looking at him with warm eyes that wanted to help him, which threw Izuku for a loop and made him forget his rage.

"You're right I don't know you, and I'm ignorant of your life. But I do know that this isn't you, and you know that as well. When I look at you, I see an angry and determined individual still figuring out how the world works. But you are different from other angry people, kid. You've let your anger be a part of you; you've accepted your anger as a part of your very being. While others try to keep their rage separate from themselves. And because of that, it has made you strong. I'm not going to preach to you, Izuku, but I will give you some advice."

Izuku replaced his confused and angry face with an apathetic look; the last thing he wanted to hear was the wisdom of a geezer. But in the back of Izuku's clouded mind was a nagging feeling telling him to at least hear him out. Izuku looked back down and continued to eat slowly.

"… Fine, tell me your advice." Izuku just shook his head as he prepared to hear the advice that he did not want to listen to.

"First, you should know that I have no idea why you're trying to suppress your emotions, but since you are Deku, I'm sure you have a legitimate reason. I'm not going to pry, but just keep in mind that my advice may not work for you in your specific situation. So here's my advice: If you're going through a rough time, keep going until you reach the end. If you are going through hell, keep going." Ryu finished and looked down at Izuku, expecting him to be grinning, but when Ryu looked down at Izuku, he saw a face of pure contempt, making Ryu sweat a little.

"… Is that your advice? Keep going? If I needed a cheerleader, I would have approached a soccer mom." Izuku couldn't believe that was Ryu's advice; he expected more from the old man. Izuku even got his hopes up, but he hoped the old man had something else to offer. "Got anything else?" Izuku looked back at Ryu and saw him brighten up a bit.

"Yeah, I got more; how about this? You will never succeed if you don't do anything at all. Action is the foundational key to all success." Izuku took the words in, but he felt that they were familiar.

"…Action is the foundational key… Action… Midnight? Hey, you ripped that off from Picaso!" Ryu stared at Izuku like he had just been caught red-handed. Internally, Izuku was glad since his intelligent edge wasn't that dull yet. 'Thank you, Midnight, for your weird obsession with art history.'

"Was it that obvious that I ripped off one of my favorite artists?" Ryu asked sheepishly as he rubbed his hair. Izuku sighed but grinned at the old guard.

"Nah, it's fine; you are right anyway. Besides, don't you have a job to return to?" Ryu grinned at Izuku and noticed the time. He sighed and turned to leave. "See you around, Deku. I hope you get out soon."

"It's not like I'm going anywhere, old man." Izuku watched as Ryu left to continue his duties. Once Ryu was gone, Izuku brought his thoughts back to Midnight and the rest of UA. 'Damn, now they are stuck in my head… I guess everyone had a bigger impact on me than I initially thought.'

Izuku cracked a small grin as he remembered all the times Mina and Kirishima dragged him out so they could all do something. 'Hehe… Kirishima always told me to show off my scars after he got a full view of them. I can't remember all the times he tried to give me tight clothes like his to show off our muscles… Or was it Mina trying to do that? Speaking of Mina, I wonder if she wants to go clothes shopping. I could always use some more fashion in my wardrobe. Maybe I can even get Jiro to tag along; her punk look is nice, but she's missing some feminine attire. Hell, maybe Yaoyorozu would want to tag alo—What the hell am I thinking?'

Confusion and other foreign emotions entered Izuku's mind. He had no idea why he was thinking these things; usually, everyone at UA was never in his thoughts, but that gradually began to change after the sports festival. Izuku brought a hand up to his face and tried to deal with these thoughts and emotions. As Izuku thought about all the people important to him, he thought about Inko, Toga, and Eri. But others began to pop up in his thoughts, and it made Izuku crack a smile.

'... Damn, I'm a softie underneath all my rage. It feels pathetic to admit this, but—' "God damn it, I care about all my friends, and I will protect them." Izuku moved his attention to the floor, and a certain huge, bright smile with blue eyes entered his thoughts, making Izuku's mood grim. '…I guess you win this round, Bonebag. Because of you, I got here... And I am not exactly complaining, because I have a goal and friends. Now all I need to do is sort out all my emotional baggage... And I think I know the perfect prick to help me.'

Izuku looked up and sighed since he knew what he had to do. Moving the finished food tray to the airlock in his cell, Izuku closed the door and got up to walk to the bed. Laying down on the bed, Izuku stared through the glass cube ceiling and was already regretting this decision, but knew he had no one else to turn to for help.

"Action is the foundational key for success… I guess I must take action." Izuku closed his eyes and tried to calm himself so he could talk to someone. Letting all the tension leave his body, Izuku relaxed deeply into the bed while taking deep breaths.

Consciousness soon began to fade, and Izuku felt himself leave.

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Falling through the air, Izuku opened his eyes and was met with a pitch-black scene. He felt himself fall, and his clothes flapped in the wind, but there was literally nothing to look at; it was just a massive void.

Izuku relaxed in his mindscape; after all, it felt like he would be here for a while. As the wind blew past Izuku, he looked at his clothes and saw he was in his regular Deku costume, except this one was slimmer and smoother.

Izuku wore black, sturdy boots that covered his shins and pant legs. The pants he wore were black as well, and they had holsters attached at the thighs for knives. The gear belt on his waist was dark brown and less bulky, as it held all the gear Izuku typically used. But Izuku did notice the grapple gun had its own holster on the back of the belt.

Moving his attention to his shirt, Izuku saw the shirt was a dark green color, and plenty of his custom armor was sewn into the shirt, making it bulkier but not to the point where it inhibited his movements. Izuku also wore a dark brown leather jacket that had plenty of gun magazines stored in various hidden pockets.

Reaching into the jacket, Izuku felt his pistols secured in their usual armpit holsters. Feeling a weight on his back, Izuku reached back and felt his small pump shotgun in the custom jacket holster that was under the green hood connected to the jacket collar.

"Looks like I have all my gear with me, as usual... How long am I going to be falling for? This is getting boring." Izuku rotated himself in the air as he felt himself fall through the void that was his mindscape. Eventually, Izuku closed his eyes and turned himself around so he was leaning back while falling through the air.

But that all came to a crashing stop when he slammed backward into a hard object. A massive thud echoed through the void as Izuku recoiled from the massive impact he sufferedthud echoed through the void as Izuku recoiled from the massive impact he suffered. Several coughs exited Izuku's mouth as he tried to regain his breath after he slammed into a hard surface.

Rolling over, Izuku took deep breaths and regained his composure. "Damn, right when I was about to relax." Izuku brought one foot up to kneel, and he opened his eyes as he got up. The instant Izuku's eyes opened, they shot wide open.

Izuku was lying on solid air in the middle of a rocky chasm. On one side was a forest completely engulfed in raging flames that reached the sky and covered the deep chasm with an angry orange and yellow glow. But on the opposite side was an identical forest with an icy blizzard raging throughout the area, making a tsunami of snow cover every tree.

Both sights were spectacles that left Izuku speechless. The fire was destructive and hot, but the sight of the forest on fire was somehow beautiful. And the snow was freezing, but it looked almost tranquil as the chilly air fell into the deep chasm.

Izuku sat there for a moment, staring at the glory of his mindscape; he never thought something like this would be here. 'Then again, Rukku is capable of summoning damn near anything here, so I shouldn't be surprised if new things pop up out of nowhere.'

Getting up off the solid air, Izuku dusted himself off and made sure this streamlined Deku costume was not damaged. Rolling his neck and shoulders, Izuku took a deep breath as he stared down into the void that was just below his feet. It felt weird to stare at the void; to Izuku, it was almost like he was staring into the most vulnerable parts of himself, and it made him feel unnerved.

"Hey!" A sudden voice called out to Izuku, startling him. Izuku rolled to the side and drew a pistol to aim at the meddler. Izuku stared down his iron sights and felt relief wash over him as he saw the clean white suit of Rukku, his mental incarnation of emotions.

"Rukku! Why'd you sneak up on me!?" Rukku simply chuckled at Izuku and signaled for him to follow. Izuku shook his head and holstered his pistol while standing up to follow Rukku. As Rukku walked away, Izuku was left puzzled; Rukku looked like he was in a happier mood, and he was wearing a cleaner white suit with dark green lining; he had the appearance of an experienced businessman.

"You're in a good mood? What happened to you?" Izuku asked his question and started a brisk jog to catch up to Rukku. Rukku turned and grinned at Izuku as he raised his hand and summoned three recliner chairs and a fireplace from the empty void under them. Izuku watched curiously since Rukku appeared to have more control now; his interest grew as Rukku sat down and summoned a cup of coffee.

"Well, let's just say that wrath is no longer a fragment of me. All your anger has taken a new form and left me, Deku. And because of that, my mind feels clearer, and I feel great." Rukku grinned as he took a sip of his coffee.

Izuku was left a little baffled. Rukku just confirmed that all his rage is now contained within one mental incarnation, and that incarnation is not here. Izuku looked around his mindscape to see if he could find the rage incarnation, but he had no luck.

"You will not find him that easily; after all, he doesn't like you very much after you suppressed him for all this time."nd now that he's finally free from your control, there's no telling what he'll try and do."

"Like I give a damn about how my wrath feels. Besides, aren't you supposed to be the incarnation of all my emotions? If he takes over, won't you cease to exist?" Rukku shook his head and turned to look at the fireplace.

"I'm not going anywhere. I am the complete collection of your emotions, and you're just the ego that reigns over everything here. But you had so much rage that it broke off from me and created its own personality. So you could say that there are now two egos fighting for control over one body. And regardless of who wins, I'll still be here since I'm just a collection of emotions; I'm not a personality." Rukku took a sip of his coffee, feeling fine with the situation, and it only made Izuku angry that his emotions were indifferent to the situation.

"Don't give me that shit. I know you care; otherwise, why would you help me when I needed help?" Izuku had tight fists and a clenched jaw as he stared at Rukku with an angry scowl. But Rukku just stared back with a smug smile, throwing Izuku off.

"Of course you'd get angry at me; after all, this is one of the only places where you can get angry without consequence." Rukku turned back around and grinned as he sank deeper into his recliner.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Izuku got even angrier at Rukku's vague statement; it didn't help at all and was pissing Izuku off.

"How about I let him speak his mind? You might find wisdom in his words." Izuku was perplexed by Rukku's statement. But Izuku's thoughts were shoved to the side when he felt a terrifying and angry presence behind him. A deep, calm, yet angry voice pierced the stagnant air and shook Izuku to his core.

"Sure, that sounds good." Faster than a blink, Izuku pulled out one of his pistols and aimed the barrel right at the figure that showed up out of nowhere. But Izuku hesitated for a moment when he saw who was behind him and that they were pointing a gun right at him as well. "You're so quick to pull out a gun; you haven't lost your edge, Deku."

The newcomer was an exact copy of Izuku, with blazing red eyes and crimson hair that looked like it was made of fire with how upright and wavy it was. But the most unnerving thing about him was his sinister smile that reeked of malice, plus the unholy number of scars he possessed across his face and body.

This new Izuku didn't even bother to wear a shirt; he proudly displayed his chiseled body and strong muscles to the entire world. The only form of clothing this new Izuku had on was a pair of dark black pants that had a chain on the waistline.

"Are you going to shoot, or am I going to?" The new Izuku smiled wider as he pulled back the hammer on his pistol.

Izuku glared at him and prepared to fire, but after some thought, Izuku narrowed his eyes and lowered his gun. "Why'd you lower your gun, Deku? I'm still a threat," the new Izuku grumbled as he continued to point his gun at Izuku.

"It's you, isn't it?" The new Izuku cocked an eyebrow and stared at Izuku.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're the one who has been appearing in my dreams. You look almost exactly like him, so you must be him." The new Izuku thought about it for a second, then smiled with malevolence.

"Ah, yeah, I remember now. I am the guy who has been appearing in your dreams when I get the chance. Just like that time, I tried to crush you when you fell asleep in class during a test."

"Why do you keep annoying me? Can't you just sit still and be a good little emotion like Rukku? Also, what's his name, Rukku?" Izuku looked at Rukku, who just stared at the fireplace with a smug grin.

"Leave me out of this; this is between you two idiots." Both Izukus glared at Rukku before they turned their attention back to each other.

"Why do you want to know my name? And why should I even tell you?" Izuku rolled his eyes at the new red-eyed Izuku.

"Because I want to think of the best way to insult you." The new Izuku chuckled and grinned as he stared at Izuku.

"Man, that kind of personality is exactly where I get mine. I'm just a worse version of you. As for a name, call me Wraku." Izuku's eye twitched at the name.

"Does every dumbass here have a spin on my name?" Rukku chuckled at Izuku's question.

"Pretty much; get used to it, Deku." Rukku took another sip of coffee while Izuku glared at him.

"Fuck you Rukku, also Wraku, you didn't answer my question. Why do you keep annoying me and popping up out of nowhere?" Wraku smiled at Izuku and already had an answer.

"Why do I do it, you ask? Because I fucking hate you!" Wraku yelled and tried to take a swing at his enemy, but Izuku easily sidestepped his attack and tripped him. Making the new Wraku stumble before getting back up with fury written all over his face.

"So that is where I get my angry approach from. I'm just a better version of you; after all, I'm the original." Izuku mocked his furious alter ego and made him fume even more.

"Hey, fuck you! I wouldn't have to be like this if you weren't such a pussy."

"What's that supposed to mean? Last I checked, I was the one who suppressed you, and I'm the one who had control the whole time." Izuku said it with some pride, but Wraku just smiled at him.

"Have you really been in control the whole time?" Izuku's features immediately darkened as Wraku smiled wider with wickedness. "Think back to the time we were supposed to observe the Chinese gang Lo-Zhe; you saw them practicing human trafficking, and your rage ran rampant. And due to that, the bindings keeping me under control loosened. So, I tried to escape and take control. But I failed since you were so weak at the time. Then there were all the times Tomura made you angry; those loosened the chains keeping me tied down."

Izuku stared at his evil and furious counterpart, growing increasingly annoyed and frustrated. "And the one time where I had near-complete control was when you brutally killed Darkstar. Man, that was a rush! But you just had to go and ruin my takeover by retaining your consciousness. After that, my influence began to slowly grow and grow, until one day you learned how to use all of your built-up rage for combat! Ah yes, I remember it clear as day! It was in Hosu where you saw the mutilated husks of your villain friends who were turned into Nomus! That sent you over the edge, to the point where you nearly killed Handjob, Stain, and that German teacher fucker! Oh, it was glorious!"

"OKAY! I get it; I have been progressively getting angrier and angrier! Why does this matter? You said yourself you're aiming for total control, so why does any of this shit matter when I can just suppress you like I always do?" Wraku looked at Izuku and grew a massive smile that just reeked of evil and fury.

"Dumbass, you do not understand yourself at all. Every single time you use your rage to give yourself a boost, the reins on me get looser and looser. And now, after killing Muscular and beating the shit out of All for One with everything you had, and neglecting to feel the insurmountable rage within you after All Might's death. There are no strings on me! I'm completely free from your control, Dickhole Deku! Why do you think you've been having trouble with your emotions as of late? It's because I've been cutting you off from anger, so you've been relying on other emotions you're not familiar with! You only have access to the embers of your previous rage; you can't draw from it anymore!"

Izuku stood there in his mindscape, speechless at what his other self suggested, but his harsh words held some truth in them. Izuku could barely feel his rage within him, which made him feel awkward but also glad because it reassured him that his other emotions were still within him.

"So you've blocked me from using my anger, but I still have access to a small part of it. So, in the end, I still have full control." Wraku threw his arm up to yield to that observation.

"True, I can't block it all, but now there's only one thing stopping me from taking complete control. And that is the barrier between egos. And the angrier you get, the more that barrier weakens!" Izuku's eyes sharpened with aggravation as he stared at the malicious form of Wraku, who smiled widely. "So in other words, it's only a matter of time before you lose it and go full rage mode with your flexed muscles, red skin, and bulging veins! And once that happens, I'll snatch your body from under your nose! So, watch your step, Deku! Because knowing how you'll behave out there, I'll be in control in no time at all!"

Izuku tightened his fists and clenched his jaw with fury as he stared at Wraku. The most infuriating part of this for Izuku was the very real possibility that he could lose his body to the newly created and established rage personality, Wraku. Izuku didn't even feel like insulting Wraku, but he still despised him to his very core.

"What? Got no comeback or insult for me? If that's the case, then taking over your body will be a piece of cake!" Wraku smiled as his red eyes bore into Izuku's soul. Izuku shook his head since this was turning into an annoyance.

"Why would I have anything to say to the moron who wants to take over my body? All I have to do is keep you from doing that. And from the sound of that, it will be pretty eas—"

Instantly, Izuku's senses were firing on all cylinders, and he quickly pulled out his pistols since he sensed something far off in the void of his mindscape. Izuku looked over to Wraku and saw him pull a shotgun out since he sensed the same thing. Rukku came running up behind them with an automatic .223 super-caliber carbine.

All three Izukus stood in a line and pointed their guns at the same area. Their senses were telling them that multiple targets were coming, which made no sense since no one else could have possibly gotten here.

"Rukku, you know what the fuck is happening?" Izuku asked as he steadied his pistols.

"No, I do not; this is your mental landscape; it makes no sense for there to be anyone else besides us here."

"Well, regardless of who they are, I'm popping a cap in their ass for intruding." Wraku smiled as he cocked his gun and dropped a live shell on the floor. Both Izuku and Rukku stared at him as he realized his mistake.

"I bet you felt really cool for a second there, didn't you?" Izuku mocked.

"Fuck you!" Wraku was about to go on, but he heard multiple steps coming from the darkness and focused. All the Izukus stared at the darkness, waiting for the slightest movement.

The sounds of the steps got louder as the people got closer. Eventually, outlines of the group were seen. Izuku counted seven people in total, and wondered who they were.

As Izuku thought about the situation, the light finally reached the people, and they were revealed. Every Izuku was baffled; these people looked nothing like them, so what exactly were they? Izuku took the initiative and raised his voice.

"Stop right there, who are you people!?" Izuku's cold and commanding voice made them all stop, and then the group of people realized guns were being pointed at them. They all came to a standstill, and Izuku could tell Wraku was itching to shoot. Just as Izuku was about to inquire for more information, one of them stepped forward, and Rukku spoke up.

"That's far enough; now explain, who are you?" Izuku stared at the person; they were a male with a skinny frame and long white hair that covered their eyes. They also wore loose clothes that were just as dull as his hair color. They slowly reached up and moved their hair out of the way to reveal light green pupils and a soft smile.

"Hello, my name is Yoichi Shigaraki." Izuku froze at his name and felt anger enter him.

"Did you say your name is Shigaraki?" Yoichi looked over at Izuku and he could see the absolute fury he held in his eyes. And it made Yoichi momentarily freeze, but he built up his courage and responded.

"Yes, my name is Shigaraki. Are you familiar with that name?" Izuku stared at Yoichi before responding. Izuku could tell he was nice and genuine, but it could be a rouse to make them drop their guards.

"I'm familiar with the name; it's the name of the two worst pains I've ever experienced. Well, it looks more like one now, but that is beside the point. Now how did you get in here?" After Izuku asked his question, another figure walked over to join Yoichi. He was bald with goggles and wore a black jacket with his chest exposed; the rest of his clothes followed his color scheme.

"I think I can answer that one. My name is Daigoro Banjo. Nice to meet you three. As for the reason we are here, we just popped up here a while ago. We've been wandering around here, trying to find anything that wasn't a black abyss, but we found nothing. Then we saw this massive fire in the distance and came here to check it out."

Izuku looked at Rukku, who had suspicions about who these seven people were. Izuku could tell Rukku was judging all of them, and since he hasn't shot any of them yet, Izuku assumed they were decent enough to hold a conversation with. Rukku decided to ask them one last question.

"I have one final question, and your answer will determine what happens to you. Are you here to cause trouble or harm this world?" All the unknown people stepped up and joined Yoichi and Banjo, and a surprisingly tall and muscular woman spoke up to answer.

"Well, considering there are two pistols, a shotgun, and an automatic rifle pointed at us, I would rather not cause a problem for the people who were here before us. Also, my name is Nana Shimura." Rukku stared at her for a moment with a piercing, analyzing gaze, then made his decision.

Rukku slowly lowered his rifle. Izuku and Wraku were on edge since they lost a gun. But Izuku wanted to confirm if Rukku thought he was making the right choice.

"Rukku, are you sure about this? We don't know who they are or if we can trust them." Rukku nodded and de-spawned his gun.

"When we take all their actions into account, I think they're fine for the moment. If they were hostile, they would have attacked us already. And they look like they do not even know what's going on here. So, I think they should be fine."

Izuku looked at Rukku and then at the newcomers, and he sighed as he slowly lowered his guns and holstered them. Then Izuku's hand landed on top of Wraku's shotgun and lowered it.

"HEY! What's the big idea!? Why would we let these nobodies do as they please? They are intruders!" Izuku slapped Wraku on the head, and Wraku had a look of pure rage as he clenched his shotgun.

"If Rukku wanted them gone, he would have done it already. Don't forget this is his domain." Izuku then shifted his gaze to the newcomers and had a look of pure disdain and irritation as he addressed them. "Don't get the wrong idea here, just because I haven't shot you yet doesn't mean I won't in the future."

"Thank you for not shooting us; I hope we can avoid that. My name is En." Wraku looked at him with a gaze of contempt. He already disliked the guy with the massive jacket collar.

"What the hell kind of name is En?" Wraku was about to continue, but Rakku spoke up and turned around to go and sit down.

"Enough, Wraku; this matter is pointless. And if they are no threat to us, then I have no reason to act against them." Izuku sighed and agreed with Rakku's point; Wraku grew frustrated but stomped off anyway to join Rakku.

"If nothing productive is going to happen here, I might as well leave. I have other shit to deal with." Izuku was about to leave his mindscape, but he was stopped by Yoichi, who wanted to ask a question.

"Actually, before you go, can I ask two questions? Actually, make that three. What is your name?" Izuku moved his attention to Yoichi and could see all the figures were looking at him with serious gazes.

"What do you want?"

"First, you seem knowledgeable about where we are, so can you tell us? And you said you knew the name Shigaraki. Can I ask who those people are? And why did you say only one was a pain?" Izuku lifted an eyebrow at Yoichi's questions but answered them anyway since he couldn't hide anything if these people were in his mindscape.

"My name is Izuku Midoriya, or you can call me Deku. And we are all currently in my mindscape; this is sort of like my unconscious realm." The newcomers all looked around at the deep chasm, the forest blizzard, and the forest fire. Then Nana spoke up.

"Talk about an interesting mindscape; I don't mind the place. But wait, you said all this was yours? What about those other two guys?" Izuku rolled his eyes at her question since he didn't want to talk about those two idiots living in his head, but if these people were here then they would talk to them at some point.

"The sharply dressed version of me in the white suit is named Rukku. He is sort of the manager of this place; he's also the amalgamation of all my emotions, minus rage. The other guy who refuses to put on a shirt to cover all his bodily scars is named Wraku; he is the literal personification of my fury, and I guess he's sort of a separate personality here now."

"Wow, you're pretty interesting to have two people living in your head. Although, I guess you'll have more people living here now." Nana chuckled a little as she understood Izuku's situation.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, who are all of you? I am sure I would have been alerted to your presence if you already existed in me, but that Banjo guy said you all just sort of popped into reality here."

"That is correct; we all just appeared here, but before we answer your question about our identities, answer our final question. How do you know the name Shigaraki?" The serious atmosphere returned as a guy with gray hair and a crack over his left eye spoke up. Izuku stared at them and tried to gauge their responses.

"Well, I know two guys with the name Shigaraki, and I know this idiotic man-child named Tomura Shigaraki. As for the other guy, who's no longer a pain in the ass, I didn't get the full name, but he did tell me that Shigaraki is his given name." The air instantly froze, and no sound was made as all the newcomers stared at Izuku with various emotions; some were flabbergasted, others were suspicious, and a few were full of contempt. Yoichi had a hardened look as he cautiously approached Izuku. Izuku picked up the change in atmosphere and prepared to grab a knife, but Yoichi asked a question.

"Izuku, what is your relationship with those two, and what did the other guy go by?" The air was filled with tension as suspicion soaked in, making everyone go on edge. Izuku narrowed his eyes at them all and placed a hand on one of his knives.

"…The Tomura guy is an old acquaintance turned dickhead that I want to obliterate. The other guy was, I guess, my boss for just under a year; he typically went by All for One."

Instantly, all the people encircled Izuku, and multiple attacks were thrown at him. But Izuku quickly grabbed Yoichi, dodged all the attacks with minimal movement, and jumped out of the way as smoke began to appear out of nowhere. Izuku saw Nana float up, and black tendrils escaped the smoke and swiped it away, revealing a group of people ready to attack.

All the newcomers were staring at Izuku, who held Yoichi in his hands. Everyone began to charge at Izuku, but Izuku pulled out a blade and put his knife to Yoichi's throat. Everyone froze at the new standstill since they all had no idea what to make of this. Izuku pressed his knife to Yoichi's throat as he glared at the other people staring at him with anger.

"Alright, I answered your questions. Now, who the hell are you assholes?"

"I can't believe this! How the hell did an underling of that maniac get his hands on One for All." Banjo said it with anger and disappointment. Izuku momentarily froze at the tail end of Banjo's sentence.

"Wait! Did you say One for All?" All the other users looked at Izuku with a mix of confusion and rage.

"I did, why does that matter?" Izuku stared at the other users with an exasperated look. Feeling his will to fight leave, Izuku let Yoichi go and grew an angry look as he sat down and stared down at the abysmal chasm that he was floating over.

"Even in death, that fucker pulls one over on me. GOD DAMN it! FUCK YOU ALL MIGHT!" After Izuku screamed at the void, the other users were confused by his sudden mood change. One second he was a hardened villain who kidnapped Yoichi, and now Izuku was an upset and annoyed teen yelling at the void.

"Hey, what is wrong? And why are you cursing Toshinori?" Nana asked as she saw the massive amount of frustration on Izuku's face as he looked up from his sitting position to address her.

"That asshole keeps messing with my life!" Izuku formed fists and bit down on his lip to quell his irritation. "It is partly his fault my life ended up here. I'm not discounting my own actions that I've taken, since I've done plenty of horrible things. But ever since I met him, life has just thrown me curveball after curveball; he's the reason I'm this angry, why I'm at UA, and now the bearer of his shitty quirk. And even after the fucker dies, he still manages to mess with me!"

Izuku's vexation was shown all over his face. All the users could tell Izuku never wanted to get involved with this. But he was practically forced to after he met All Might and All for One. The users took pity on Izuku since it was clear this wasn't what he wanted. Izuku was young and got dragged into a secret war he never sought to be a part of.

Yoichi, being the friendliest of the bunch, walked over to Izuku and kneeled to pat his back. Yoichi looked at Izuku's frustrated face with a sympathetic face. He could tell Izuku was kind since he knew two people like that. And Yoichi could see that Izuku never desired any of this, and it made his heart ache to see someone forced to bear a massive amount of responsibility alone.

After a minute of Yoichi trying to comfort Izuku, he spoke to the upset teen. "… Izuku, please tell us everything about what is plaguing you. All of us are now here, and we can help you if you'll let us." Izuku turned and harshly glared at Yoichi and the others.

"I did not ask for you to be here, and I don't want your help with my issues. So do me a favor and fuck off, all of you!" All the other users were a little disgruntled with Izuku and his refusal of their help. But Yoichi could see the pain Izuku held within, and he wanted to help. Yoichi grew a desire to know more about Izuku to properly help him; he could perceive that Izuku was complex and closed off, which was why Yoichi wanted to help him so desperately.

But as Yoichi's desire to understand Izuku grew, the mindscape responded to his desire and flooded Yoichi's mind with Izuku's memories. Pain echoed through Yoichi's head, and he yelled out into the void and fell over while flailing as his hands grabbed his head, startling the users and Izuku. The other users didn't know what to do since they were so shocked, and Izuku wondered what was going on.

Almost immediately, Yoichi stopped screaming and got on his hands and knees, and he began breathing deeply. Yoichi shook from the sudden, searing hot pain that took place in his head. Just as he began to calm down from the pain, a massive migraine appeared in his head. Yoichi brought his hand to his head to help with the pain, but nothing was working. Nana walked over to Yoichi with a concerned look and kneeled to help him.

"Yoichi, are you okay? What happened?" Yoichi felt the migraine start to pass, but as it did, he saw things that he had never seen before, and they were all from another's perspective. Memories that weren't his flooded into his mind, and Yoichi was confused at first, but then he saw everything. He felt everything, and most of what he felt was fury, frustration, pain, and so much sadness.

Yoichi slowly stood up, his hand still on his head, and turned to Izuku, a remorseful expression on his face as he sympathized deeply with Izuku. He walked over to Izuku and threw his arms around the teen, startling Izuku since he didn't expect that. But as Izuku was about to throw Yoichi off, the man spoke with a tone that held deep sorrow and pity.

"… I am so sorry you went through all that. No one should have to go through that much pain. And you did it all because you felt it was the right thing." Yoichi released Izuku and gripped his shoulders tightly as he stared at Izuku's surprised face. "Izuku, hate me all you want, but be content with the fact that I understand."

Izuku stared at Yoichi and didn't know how to feel, so he relied on his most comfortable emotion. A swift swipe of the arm knocked Yoichi's hands off Izuku's shoulders. Izuku grew a hateful look and glared at Yoichi and the others. Everyone could see how angry Izuku was with Yoichi, but they didn't know why. Then Izuku stood up and formed tight fists as he spoke in a low, furious tone while pointing at Yoichi.

"You will never ever, do that again. The only six people who understand me are Himiko, Eri, my mom, Mina, Jiro, and Kirishima; no one else. Not you or these fucks. You might have seen my memories, but you weren't there, so shut the fuck up." Nana felt bad for Izuku, but she didn't like that he was telling them to go away, because it was clear to her that Izuku needed help.

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh? We're here because we came with One for All. The least we can do is help you with your problems." Izuku stared at her and had a tired look on his angry face.

"True, I am stuck with you guys now. But I don't want your help with my problems because I don't need it. I will be fine on my own; I always have been. And when I do seek help from others, it will not be from you but from people I trust. Besides, All for One's dead, so you guys can retire."

The users all went wide-eyed at Izuku's statement. When Izuku told them about All for One and how he was no longer a problem, they assumed it was because of what All Might did to him. But to hear Izuku say he killed All for One was something the other users never thought would happen. Banjo was the first to open his mouth.

"Wait, kid, are you saying you killed All for One? And you did it before you even got One for All?" Izuku stared at Banjo for a second before answering.

"Yes, I did kill All for One, and I did it without the use of One for All. So, like I said before, I don't want your help with anything because I don't need it. I'll do things my way without the help of One for All." Izuku was about to walk off when he heard Banjo's comment.

"You must have some crazy, powerful quirk in order to pull that off." Izuku stopped dead in his stride and slowly turned to see Banjo staring at him with an astonished look, just like the others. As he stared at them, Izuku formed a smug grin; this was something he could hold over their heads because they had never defeated All for One.

"Actually, I didn't defeat All for One with a quirk." The users all saw Izuku's face form a smug grin, and they wondered why until Izuku opened his mouth again. "I'm actually quirkless." All the users' brain functions ceased their processing. En was the first to get his mind working again.

"I'm sorry, did you just say that you are quirkless?" Izuku nodded and grinned even wider as his smugness leaked out.

"I did. I am quirkless, and I killed All for One without any help. And now that your one purpose is gone, go fuck yourselves." Izuku continued walking off, leaving behind flabbergasted One for All users, but the main feeling among them was one of fulfillment and relief. Nana was the first to speak, and she had tears threatening to fall.

"It's done, Toshi. You can rest now." But before anyone could fully let their victory sink in, En had something he wanted to ask Izuku.

"Wait, Izuku, I have one last thing I want to know about." Izuku stopped and sighed deeply as he turned to look at the man with a massive collar. "You said that you worked under All for One, does that mean you're a villain?" The others grew curious about the answer since it was a relatively important thing to know. Izuku stared at En and then saw Yoichi grin at Izuku since he knew the answer.

"… In a general sense, yes, I am a villain. I worked for All for One for about a year. I did plenty of things I'm not proud of; I hurt a lot of people, and yes, I have killed. So yes, I am a villain." The other users grew dissatisfied with Izuku since he just admitted that a villain had something a hero deserved. But as the users thought that, Yoichi spoke up.

"If that was the case, Izuku, then Toshinori wouldn't have given you One for All. He saw something in you that he believed was worthy of possessing One for All." Izuku stared at Yoichi and the others with a gaze that said he was judging them. Then Izuku faced them and stood tall with confidence and a burning fury that had monstrous determination and will embedded within.

"… I want to help people, more specifically the weak people who are trampled on because they're not like everyone else. Look at me, I'm quirkless—well, not anymore, I guess, but I was insulted and attacked constantly for being quirkless. I don't wish for anyone to experience the hatred I experienced. So I will protect and save the weak members of society, even if it costs me my life. And I don't care who gets in my way, be it hero or villain; I will destroy them and pave the way for a better future."

The other users were silent as they listened to Izuku. They could see that Izuku was serious about this goal. They gained respect for the angry teen for taking his own path despite being forced into a burden he never wanted. And having to do things he never wanted to do.

Izuku didn't even wait for their answers or reactions. Once he said his piece, he turned around to leave his mindscape. The users watched Izuku walk off into the distance; he soon disappeared, and they all assumed he left the mindscape to go back to the real world.

As soon as Izuku was gone, Nana turned to the others with a genuine smile on her face. "I think Toshinori made a great choice for the next user of One for All." Banjo was the first to agree.

"I'll admit, I was unsure about the kid at first given his violent history and terrible attitude. But I can see that his heart is in the right place. And I sympathize with the kid; he's been through so much and he can't catch a break." En was inclined to agree, but he did have some reservations.

"Izuku is rough around the edges. And considering he's been a hero, villain, and vigilante, it appears he's not good at staying in one place for too long. Although I will admit he has sharply honed skills," Hikage Shinomori agreed with En on his analysis of Izuku.

"Yes, when we all attacked under the assumption that Izuku was working for All for One, he managed to dodge all our attacks and get Yoichi out safely. That requires tremendous skill that has to be honed if he didn't use a quirk." The others nodded, but En had another question.

"So with All for One gone, what do we do? We could leave it to a vote?" Banjo rubbed his chin, thinking about what to do, then Nana spoke up with a suggestion.

"I vote that we support Izuku; he has his own goals, and it would put the power to good use." Yoichi agreed, as did Hikage, but Banjo had something to say.

"With All for One gone, we need a new goal, and helping Izuku doesn't sound too bad. But I am worried about him." Yoichi looked at Banjo curiously and asked why.

"Why are you worried about Izuku, Banjo? Izuku seems to be fine to me. I think we can trust him."

"It's not that I don't trust him. After hearing about his goals and understanding what he's capable of, I'd trust him to accomplish damn near anything. I'm worried because he appears to be unstable internally. Like he's on the fritz about something. I could see that he does have people he trusts, but he also wants to do things himself. Plus, he has an extreme emotional imbalance that he needs to sort out. It's like Izuku is still deciding who he wants to be. And there's no telling how One for All will react to that."

Everyone nodded at Banjo's statement; they all had to remember Izuku was an emotionally unstable teen. But they also couldn't deny that Izuku's goals were respectable and his skills were sharp and top-class. Before everyone made their final decisions, Hikage had one question.

"Before we make our final decision, I'd like to know more about Izuku. Yoichi, you seem to understand more than the rest of us. Care to inform us about some things?" Yoichi looked at Hiakge and gladly agreed to tell them what he knew.

"Well, it appears that I have some of Izuku's memories in my head." All the users were a bit shocked at that statement, but Yoichi went on to explain. "I had the desire to understand Izuku, and it looks like the mindscape understood my desire and reacted to it. I don't know why though."

"That's simple; I saw you as a person to whom I could entrust some of Deku's memories too." A new voice spoke, and everyone instantly turned to see Rukku standing there with his arms behind his back and making sure his white suit wasn't ruined. En was the first to break from his shock and question the mental incarnation.

"So you put those memories in Yoichi's head?" Rukku nodded along.

"That's right, I felt that if there were going to be more people here, then some of them should at least understand who they're dealing with," Nana interjected with her question.

"Then with whom are we dealing with exactly? I know Izuku is a bit secretive, and he doesn't want us involved. But it would be nice to know more, and when it's coming from you, I think we can believe it." Rukku lifted an eyebrow at Nana and supposed she was right; he sighed and signaled for them to follow him.

All the users followed Rukku to the middle of the black chasm they were floating over. There, Rukku set up several chairs in front of a fire and let them all choose one seat. Rukku sat in the middle and let all the others sit around him. He summoned a pot of coffee and set it down on the table he just summoned next to the chair. The users were shocked to see him able to do that, but they listened when he opened his mouth.

"First of all, my name is Rukku, and you will address me as such. Now before we begin, I'll be frank with you. Your presence here is most unexpected and is in no shape welcome." The other users felt a bit offended since earlier Rukku had let them stick around, but he went on to explain. "I let you stay because you are now a part of Izuku since you're apparently a package deal with One for All. And your presence here has only upset Izuku and Wraku, who were already stressed about their current situations, so I don't like you being here."

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Banjo said, but Rukku just stared at him with an annoyed look.

"Yes, it's harsh, but it's my honest opinion. As the master of this domain, it is my job to safeguard the owner of this place. That happens to be Izuku, and now the split personality Wraku." The users got even more annoyed, but Rukku kept talking. "However, you all can help if you want." The users went from vexed to curious, and Rukku picked up on that, which let him continue.

"Izuku has been through a lot—several years of harsh bullying and emotional abuse. He's had his dreams crushed to dust before his very eyes. He's seen people get killed and even killed a few people himself, which he deeply regrets. He's been through a tortuous hell trying to find strength and create a chance for himself out of nothing. Those close to him have gotten hurt, and that has caused him to try and distance himself. Currently, he's doing better with talking to friends, but one is kidnapped, so he's not great. And then there's the insurmountable rage he feels constantly, and now that rage has grown its own personality and is rebelling against Izuku. Leaving him with limited options. And the cherry on top of this is that he's currently public enemy number one while simultaneously being public hero number one."

The users were left speechless as they listened to Rukku's brief rundown on Izuku. The only words spoken came from Banjo: "Holy shit, kid's tougher than I thought." Rukku then summoned several cups into all of their hands and smiled at them.

"If you really want to help Izuku, then understand him first. He's been through a lot, and this is by no means the end of his journey. Deku still has a lot to learn about his morals, accepting and receiving kindness, his own self-worth, and trust, not only in his friends but in his skills. Deku needs support more than ever, and if you all are willing to do that for him, then I'm sure he'll arrive at a better place than when he began." The users all stared at the cups recently summoned for them, and they had to admit that Rukku seemed to know Izuku better than anyone. Yoichi grinned at this chance and took it in a heartbeat.

"I'll do it. Izuku can do so much, but he doesn't realize it yet. So I will help him."

"As will I!" Nana said as she downed the entire cup of coffee and liked the taste.

"The kid's got a long way to go, and I'll support him," Banjo said, giving his approval.

"I suppose I can help him," En said as he stared at the ice-cold blizzard across the chasm.

"He'll need the proper council to help others; I can give that to him," Hikage said as he sipped his coffee. The two others remained silent, but they didn't express their disapproval. Nana noticed and smiled brightly.

"Alright! Looks like we have a goal again; we need to help Izuku!" Nana prepared to make a toast, but out of nowhere the mindscape shook and Rukku looked around confused. Then suddenly, many beams of bright yellow energy shot out from the chams and began encircling a space in the mindscape that was right above the users. Nana was surprised and looked confused as she asked what it was. "What's that?!" She turned to look at her fellow users, and they all grinned at the light. "Alright, is there something you're not telling me?"

Yoichi simply shook his head as he grinned. "That's right; you wouldn't know. This is nothing to be concerned about. This is just the creation of a new consciousness in One for All." Nana was a bit confused, but then her eyes shot open with realization.

"Wait! You mean this is—"

"That's right, this is Toshinori Yagi," Yoichi said with a smile. "Although it will take a while for it to be formed fully. But it usually takes a while." Nana didn't care about the wait time. She smiled as she looked at the bright light, hoping he wouldn't turn back into a skeleton.

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Izuku woke up from his deep sleep. He stared through the glass ceiling and grew annoyed. "Great, now I have seven more pains in my ass in my head. And I have my angry counterpart just waiting to take control. What else does the universe feel like throwing at me today?" As Izuku said that several taps came from the glass wall of his cell. Izuku looked over and saw old man Ryu standing there with a serious face while he tapped on the glass.

"Good, you're finally awake. I've been trying to wake you up for a while now. I have news for you, Izuku. And I don't think you're going to like it." Izuku just stared at Ryu with a gaze that held deep and pure loathing, regardless Ryu continued. "It looks like you're going to have visitors coming in a few minutes. And they're not the fun kind."

'… Fuck you universe...' Izuku had a face of pure defeat and hindrance, and his tone also matched his feelings. "And what kind of visitors are they?" Ryu winced as he spoke since he could see that Izuku was just done with this situation.

"The kind that likes to wear snuffy suits and strike deals that don't benefit you in the slightest. They use four-letter agencies to make rules and don't even follow them. They all have silver tongues and know how to use them. So they're the worst suits of them all. They're—"

"Politicians." Izuku sighed at the last part as Ryu nodded while grimacing, confirming Izuku's suspicions. Izuku took a deep breath and stared at Ryu with a look that said he was absolutely done with this day.

"… Bring it on…"