Hi! So I realized that some reviews are coming in almost immediately, while others come in several days late, so if I reply to you later than would seem normal, that's likely why.
Review Responses:
ZZZNNN: Hey there! I'm super happy my fic is getting recommended to people, and I'm even happier it met your expectations.
Guest: Interesting. Interesting indeed.
ArguableReader: Hey! Yeah, the Merchant thingy looks really over-powered, so you already know it's not going to happen XD. As for Mitsuki, I can understand some people's desire to redeem the Bakugo household, with headcanons that Mitsuki and her are close and all that. I just don't see it if I'm honest, people are welcome to their headcanons, but honestly, if Mitsuki was that close to Inko and Izuku, the bullying wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. Sure, you could say that Izuku would have tried to hide it, but Katsuki certainly wouldn't.
IAMJEFFSKI: Hello there! Yeah, so I don't like the gamer system either, I actually just wanted a simple concept that I could stretch my writing skills with. So I took the gamer+isekai trope and decided to run with it and try and make it interesting. This is the first story I've ever written, so I wanted to do a simple thing before starting a bigger project.
I'm happy that you're enjoying my story-telling style, I like throwing the teasers out to see what people think is going to happen with the story. And thank you for the compliment!
THE-Twighlight-Blazeknight: You are very right with the analysis of how deep in the shit Re-Destro would get if he killed Saiko, but counter-point, he's a cult leader with the ego the size of a mountain, who is not very likely to do in-depth calculations regarding pros and cons, that's what Skeptic does. From his point of view, he has a secret equivalent to having a nuclear bomb in the form of Junjima. He is willing to do literally anything to keep that secret safe, as long as he thinks said Nuke still belongs to him.
Also, lying to Saiko would never work out well. She has a super intelligence quirk and is curious about the true nature of Junjima's quirk. She knows he isn't open about it, so she has reason to suspect he might lie about it. Re-Destro knows they will not be able to deceive her for long, and leaving her be is asking for her to figure it out.
Glad you enjoyed my chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it. As for the powers, I largely agree with you right now, but that might change in the future. I haven't really fully decided on Junjima's final power set yet.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the works associated with Studio Bones, Shonen Jump, or Horikoshi. Please support the official works.
8 years old.
I blink my eyes open, and I'm standing in a static black void.
What? I look down, there's a floor, but it's made of the same inky substance that surrounds me.
It doesn't take me long to realize it's exactly like the space Deku meets the vestiges of One for All. Was I being visited by my own vestiges? Why hasn't this happened before? three years since I bought Quick Tempo and this is the eighth year that I have Language Mastery. Does it take a while for the vestiges to show themselves, or is it because I have enough quirks for them to show themselves?
As I ponder why I've been brought into this realm of misty darkness, I walk around a bit.
Weird, I don't see anyone. Are they shy?
*SnoOORt*
What was that? I stop dead in my tracks.
It sounded like a snore, but it sounded so.. large? It came from a bit to my left, so I waddle in that direction. It doesn't take me long to make contact with a soft wall of black ink. It feels kind of like a mix between a cloud and a heavy pillow, I realize as I push through.
I can hear the snoring getting louder, and after a while of wondering if I'm walking in circles, I finally reach the other side.
Poking my head through the wall, I immediately let out an involuntary yelp of surprise and fear, as I bolt through the ink wall back to my side.
Gigantomachia. That's who it was. I panic, trying to find a way out when I hear the sound I really don't want to hear right now.
*sniff* a brief moment of even my thoughts being silent passes in fear. *sniff. SNIIFF. sniff-sniff*
"Master? No, smell different." his voice rumbles, I feel his voice through the floor, it's so deep.
I curse silently as a hear him shuffle, likely standing up. That hypothesis is confirmed when the ground begins to shake with his heavy steps. He's coming straight towards me.
Wake up. wakeupwakeupwakeup WAKE! UP! I scream in my head, gripping my hair with my eyes closed, willing myself to be pulled out of the encounter.
The shaking stops, and I look up, hoping that I've escaped, but am met with the giant's ugly mug poking through the mist wall.
His irisless stare penetrates my soul. Honestly, I don't know I know how he's looking at me if he has no irises, but that doesn't matter when I can FEEL the intensity of his gaze.
"Who are you?" He grumbles, "Why do you smell like quirk Master gave me?"
Does that mean Energy Saver belonged to him? No wonder the guy could keep fighting as long as he did in the anime. FOCUS! Think of something.
"I'm... one of the Doctor's experiments?" Hopefully, that works, I think he's aware of Garaki, but I don't think he cares much for what goes on there, so I doubt he'll be too suspiciou-He's growling.
"You..." he reaches back with one of his arms, raising his hand, while clenching it into a fist. He's going to punch me. Shit! Run! I turn to move, but I'm not fast enough as he brings his mountain of a hand down on top of me. "Smell like lies."
2 months later
After that shared dream with Gigantomachia, I had initially been in a panic, but when he didn't show up where I am within the hour, I figured maybe it wasn't as big of a deal.
Luckily I had avoided spilling my concern to Rampart during my panic. I know for a fact that he'd have us run away immediately, and now I can at least remain in the game.
I will admit I am still rather concerned, as I doubt Gigantomachia hasn't blabbed to AFO about me yet, but I'm sure if he knows about someone somehow getting a hold of one of Gigantomachia's quirks, he won't take it lying down. Although, I doubt he'll take any direct action right now. Why?
Because All Might has been hunting him ever since the number one hero returned from America around two years ago. I had been, and still am amazed at the rate at which he kept busting major villains, at first it felt like at least twice a week there would be a story about a major villain apprehended by All Might. That slowed over time though, likely because AFO began putting more effort into hiding himself in his allies, but All Might still brought down a big villain at least once a month.
I'd probably be a fool if I thought that kept me safe from AFO. The man has a century of experience and knows how to lay low while making moves.
So in order to keep myself safe I need to prepare. Ever since the beginning of this school year, Geten has been too occupied to train with me, leaving my training to a combination of Skeptic, Curious, and Rampart, depending on who was available.
Skeptic is the first choice for my training if he is available, his quirk, Anthropomorph, allows him to create humanoids in the shape of a person that Skeptic knows personally. He can control the humanoids mentally, but his control lessens the more he makes. Each humanoid is around as strong as a well-trained quirkless adult.
That meant that they were stronger than me, but not by much, and they felt so slow in comparison to Geten's attacks, I could see any of their moves coming from a mile away. However, when Skeptic can reliably throw up to 5 at me while still typing away at his laptop, and up to 20 when focusing on the battle, it can get rather difficult.
The damage I take from the punches and kicks from the humanoids drain my stamina really quickly, so I have to make sure to dodge, which is hard when you have to keep track of several enemies.
The second choice is Curious, who is rarely available because of her job as a reporter, but her training is definitely fruitful. I will definitely say she was holding back in the fight with Toga she had in the anime, her desire to find a story being the only reason she died. Because I honestly get thrown around like a rag-doll whenever we spar.
She uses little wooden beads which she holds in her pockets, which she tosses around like grenades. The training ends when I faint or when I get close enough to touch her, not hit her, because she can't have any bruises considering her media presence. That said we never really have to bother worrying about that, considering I have never gotten within 10 meters (+- 32 ft) of her.
Lastly, is Rampart, who I only train with when both Skeptic and Curious are unavailable. Which is most of the time. To be honest the training is kind of lack-luster. He's very capable, his sliding quirk lets him go at speeds that I can only barely track because of Quick Tempo, but the issue is that he doesn't have it in him to beat me down as hard as the others. Geten wants to beat me up, Skeptic cares nothing for my mental well-being and Curious is more interested in how strong I will get in the future than my health right now.
Rampart seems to care too much about me, rather than anything else. Not that I'm complaining, the man has been a blessing to my mental stability ever since that convo we had last year, it's just that I know I need someone who can push me a bit harder.
I looked at some other candidates among the more powerful members we have right now. Sanctum has a purely defensive quirk, which I can do nothing against right now, and he can't do anything to actually push me. Ampli-Volt, one of the more powerful members, has more power than sense and even less control. He'd fry me so hard with his electricity quirk that I'd die several times over.
Blast was also an option, but when I asked him, he scoffed at me. Something about being a hero and not wanting to waste his time with training children. Man has some serious ego issues. Anyone else was too lowly ranked to know my quirk, so they were automatically a no-go.
That's why I'm currently waiting in the reception of Uncle's office. I need a better training partner if I'm ever going to get strong enough to defend myself from AFO, and he has the resources to get me that. Although he's currently in a meeting with a few new potential employees, if the intel I got from Rampart is true, they're actually new members of the MLA, who have gained a lot of attention because of their power.
I realized not too long ago that my presence in this world has been changing things, for example, Rampart quitting the hero biz. So I'm hoping I didn't accidentally make the MLA stronger by connecting some real powerhouses to them.
I hear the door open and see Uncle leading a group of four people out of his office while offering a personal tour of the building, which is accepted. These must be some big players, considering Uncle only really does personal tours for people he wants to impress.
The first person doesn't spark any recognition, he looks like a regular guy in a business suit except he has grey hair and pinkish-grey eyes. The woman that follows after him looks vaguely familiar, she's also in business attire and has abnormally long orange-red hair that would be draping on the floor if it were tied up.
It's the third person that I recognize and immediately puts me on edge. The wolf-like head with dark dreads, clawed hands and crocodile tail makes it obvious this guy is Chimera. Knowing that I realize the other two are the remaining members of Nine's crew. The mummy guy and hair slice chick.
I'm about to dash, knowing the last person is likely going to be Nine, the guy who can scan people and figure out their quirks. Only for me to be relieved when Muscular walks out in a white shirt and sweatpants, only with both eyes instead of just one, and looking a fair bit younger. I realize the irony of being relieved at the sight of Muscular of all people, and I'm barely able to stop my nervous laughter.
"Ah, yes, allow me to introduce you to my young protégé, Young Hanabata, come here will you?" Great.
After a brief introduction, Uncle wanted me to stick around for the tour. While we walked, I pondered why on earth these guys were here. I know that their intentions align very well with the MLAs but I also know they work with Nine. Who works for AFO.
Is this his move? Getting some of his players into the MLA? What is his plan?
And why the hell is Muscular here? I know he didn't come with the other three, considering they're all in formal attire and he's in casual wear. He also seems to not be very chatty with them at the moment, and he keeps throwing looks at Uncle. Does he want to fight him?
Muscular could be acting independently, but even if he is I don't really like that he's here. I feel particularly unsafe when he's around. As for the other three, they could be here of their own accord, considering I don't see Nine anywhere, but I'd rather play it safe and treat them like AFO spies for now.
After a while, we get to the training facilities that I often use. The trio seem particularly awed at the sheer size of the place, and how durable it looks. It's around three stories high and has the dimensions of a soccer field. The walls and roof are all padded with thick metal and the floor is made of reinforced concrete. Muscular, however, walks over to Uncle.
"I want to fight you." he says, glaring at him.
"Oh?" Re-Destro turns to look at him, giving off an amused look, but I know he's actually pretty annoyed. "And why is that?" A quick glance at the other three guests shows they're also pretty intrigued.
"You tick me off, you act like some honey-worded businessman, and everyone calls you the boss, but you don't look that strong." He leans over Re-Destro, and I realize how big he is, Re-Destro is already a pretty large man, but Muscular makes him look normal. "Fight me, I won't serve someone weaker than me." He says, muscles starting to creep over his body.
"Sure." Re-Destro barely even finishes the word before empowering his right arm with his quirk, swatting the still transforming muscular into the metal wall with a backhand. With his left hand, he waves me and the other three guests off, and we oblige, moving to stand against one of the distant walls so that we can watch the fight free from the splash zone.
"Ha ha ha!" Muscular laughs, having caught himself in the impact against the wall, negating the damage he would have taken. His smile turns feral. "This is going to be fun!" He launches himself off the wall, slamming into Re-Destro in a near instant, the two grabbing each other's hands, and pushing against each other.
As Muscular applies more and more layers of muscle, transforming into a more and more disgusting mass of meat, Re-Destro slowly uses more stress to match him, growing larger and larger. When Muscular seems to have run out of muscle, I realize he's no-where near as strong as Re-Destro, who seems to be using around 60% of his stress. Re-Destro knows this and taunts Muscular, baiting him into losing his concentration.
In Muscular's brief moment of distraction, Re-Destro slams 100% of his power into his right fist, which he uses to pull away from their stale mate and give the young adult a gut punch. Despite the extra layers of muscle around his stomach, Muscular wasn't prepared for the hit, so it folds him in an instant. Muscular grips his stomache in pain, doubled over on the floor. Fight over.
Re-Destro squats in front of him and grabs his head, applying a bit of stress into his hands to empower them as he starts applying pressure to Muscular's skull. He starts screaming in pain.
"I let you challenge me this once because you're young, hot-headed, and new to my MLA." Re-Destro spoke, his voice cold, "But if you ever disrespect me like this again and I will pop your head like a grape, am I clear?"
Muscular coughs out a vaguely affirmative answer, and Re-Destro lets go, standing up to let Muscular continue rolling on the floor in pain. He walked over to us.
"I apologize for the interruption, but I'm sure it's all sorted now." he smiles amiably at the three guests, of whom only Chimera seems unfazed, the other two are slightly pale.
He walks to the door and opens it, gesturing for us to exit.
"Now that the tour is over, I'll show you to the reception and Mr. Miyashita can organize you some transport." he smiles, then glances at me. "And we can have our conversation a little later Young Hanabata, I have an important meeting to attend to."
Author's Note
There we are, new members of the MLA, but are they secretly spies for AFO? What do you think about the reveal?
Oh and btw, the whole vestige thing with Gigantomachia works like this: If Junjima has a quirk whose user is dead, then Meta-Gamer silences the vestige. BUT if the person is alive, then it makes the connection a little more powerful, allowing him to share dream space with those users.
He can avoid this though, if he doesn't want to connect to someone else while sleeping, he won't. The reason it happened the first time is that he didn't know about the connection in the first place.
As for why Muscular is so much weaker than Re-Destro right now, Re-Destro is marked as A+ Power In the Ultra Analysis Book, and Muscular as A in Power in the Ultra Archive Book. Plus Muscular is a fair bit younger, so he's not as strong as he was in the anime yet.