Hello there, UltimateDemonBeast65 here with the new chapter of MVA: Symbiote's Justice! So most people might not be aware of this, but we have gone back and edited previous chapters, specifically Chapters 12, 14, 16 and 18. They contain new scenes which give context to the first scene in this chapter, so PLEASE go back and read those chapters otherwise you will be confused.
DISCLAIMER: If anyone has any questions or criticism, review or PM me, but also, PLEASE if you're going to make a review, don't just leave a "good job" or "nice chapter" or a one to two to three-word response. PLEASE give us insightful reviews, both so that we know what you guys would like to see and also if there are any parts you might have done differently or done better.
Anyway, here are the responses to reviews:
For'Sleep 3rd: Thanks again dude, but in regards to Eddie and Venom being too emotional, that's the point. They've spent days traveling around Europe tailing the Volcano Thieves, fighting and always missing them just by a thread, only for the Volcano Thieves to find the Grendel and succeed. I think you'd be pretty pissed off if you spent all that time chasing after these criminals, only to end up failing. And now hearing that there's a crazy Yakuza asshole that chops up a little girl to make Quirk destroying bullets, of course you'd lose it.
Najee: It wasn't really meant to be a reference, but thanks for the feedback.
Trux-Killer: Yes, things are about to get interesting.
XenoSlayer93: You'll see soon enough.
Kirito21naga: I'll keep all those things in mind, and in regard to Venom's power, even if it does get stronger, they are obvious weaknesses that can still be exploited and used against him.
Taskmasterxyz: Thanks for the feedback, dude, glad you're enjoying the story as well as the stuff with Lady Nagant.
Maximum Rhapsody: If I tell you the answer, then it would be a spoiler, so just keep reading and find out.
Ultimatrix bearer: Thanks again for your feedback. To answer your question, the Quirks technically can be used more recklessly due to the symbiote not having the limitation of being a solid organism with a frail bone and organ structure, though some of the weaknesses and drawbacks are present in the more obvious sense.
Austin: Thank you very much for your feedback. You'll see what happens in due time, but especially regarding which girl gets to Eddie first, haha. And while we don't exactly have plans for a future story, we will most likely try something new once we're done with this story. Also understandable, real life stuff can often occupy your time.
With that out of the way, enjoy the chapter!
Several dozen feet underground of the Hokkaido compound, the Herald of the King in Black and Earth's Symbol of Evil stood before the slightly writhing mass of pitch black flesh and blood of the once mighty Grendel, plunging five biomechanical tendrils with glowing circuits into the primordial Symbiote.
"Are you familiar with the term 'codices'? It's plural to codex, an ancient literary form predating the modern concept of books. What if I told you that within each person who has served as a host of a symbiote has a codex imprinted within their body containing a fragment of Knull's darkness. Genetic code containing literal shards of God, or at least one god. So imagine extracting that codex from Himiko Toga's spinal cord and using the same technique the good doctor developed for replicating Quirk Factors, and we have a near endless supply of codices, multiplying the dark fragments within each codex." All For One spoke.
Toga and Carnage, who were nearby, gazed upon the Grendel and All For One with solemn expressions on their faces, knowing that the violation and experimentation under the Symbol of Evil and his pet scientist had resulted in what was happening now.
"Just when we thought it couldn't get worse…" Carnage remarked dryly.
"They sure weren't thorough…" Toga said, rubbing the spot in which they had opened her up to extract the symbiote codex.
"This is brilliant, Master! To think that my research could be applied not only to Quirk Factors, but also other genetic data like the symbiote codex. The sheer potential and applications that we've uncovered could be used to maybe even rewrite DNA itself." Garaki resounded.
"Sounds like the two of you have made quite the breakthrough." A mature but young male voice said from behind.
All For One and Garaki turned around to see that it was Shigaraki, no longer having his disembodied hands which were destroyed during his training, and now had snow white hair that reached down to his shoulders. Behind Shigaraki were the rest of the League of Villains, Toga/Carnage, Twice, Mr. Compress, Dabi and Spinner, each one radiating a new presence so to speak, all of them much stronger and skilled than they were before.
"Tomura Shigaraki, once a broken child, now the up-and-coming Symbol of Fear! Congratulations on all your hard work, League of Villains, your months of training with Gigantomachia has made you Villains worthy of the cause." All For One said with a smile. "Not to mention some of the new tricks that I've given you should come in handy in case the Heroes try to siege us."
"Even if they were to find us, they can't stop what we've become, not without a war." Shigaraki said confidently.
"Then a war is what they'll get…or some shit, I don't know…" Carnage commented.
"Why the glum look, girls? Are you not happy with our progress?" Mr. Compress asked.
"Hard to be happy when you've had your spine torn open…" Toga replied weakly. "I'm glad that no one else had died though…but I wish I could have at least seen Magne for one last time…"
"The time for mourning the fallen has passed, now is the time for action, to awaken this ancient beast and with its power, complete our benefactor's plan and ensure my will is realised!" All For One said proudly. "With the King in Black in my corner, I shall become a demon lord that rules over what's left of mankind!"
"That is unless the symbiotes all devour them, and drive the planet to extinction…" Shigaraki muttered. "Both Knull and All For One cannot share this world, unless one of them has a plan for the other…"
"I've got a bad feeling about this…how's that plan of yours coming along, Toga?" Carnage asked.
"Yeah, I'm not exactly worried about that right now, given what we just went through…" Toga said, before secretly flashing a grin at Carnage. "...But we'll get our chance, especially if those Heroes find this place, what with that girl that those Yakuza freaks are using for their special bullets. The League of Villains won't be the ones that mess up this time, it will be the Shie Hassaikai's turn to know what it's like to fail soon enough…that if they got my little surprise that we left for them to find back in Osaka…"
All For One continued to feed the codices Garaki replicated into the Grendel's biomass, eager to awaken it so he could finally move onto the next phase of their plan. The spiral on All For One's forehead then glowed a faint red as the Symbol of Evil found himself within his own mind, standing before the visage of Knull himself.
"You have done well, All For One…" Knull muttered.
"Did you expect anything less from someone of my abilities and influence?" All For One asked.
"You took a large risk, hiring those mercenaries to locate my Grendel…had they realised what finding it would mean for their race…" Knull said, glaring at All For One.
"The Volcano Thieves' avarice has ensured that they will not interfere, so long as I paid them what was asked." All For One explained. "Thanks to the knowledge that you provided regarding the codices, we should have the Grendel awakened and re-connected to the Symbiote Hive-Mind in a matter of hours, so long as I remain uninterrupted."
"And once I feel the Grendel's mind reach me, I can give my avatar physical form once again, and continue my extermination of the light and its creations…" Knull proclaimed.
"And you'll leave this Earth behind for me to rule over? Once you're free?" All For One asked, causing Knull to smirk.
"All in due time, human…your reward for assisting me will be worth the wait…once I am there on your planet…"
"I'll keep that in mind…" All For One commented before returning back to reality.
At around 6 o'clock in the morning, all of the Heroes that attended the conference including Eddie and Venom, Lady Nagant, and Sleeper, were gathered at the Nighteye Agency once again a couple of days after they were sent to investigate on their leads with the Shie Hassaikai. The U.A. students that were present in the first meeting were also attending the meeting, alongside Mr. Aizawa.
"...So as a result of three days of investigation and stakeouts, we can confirm that the girl is being held in their stronghold." Gran Torino explained.
"Huh?! They're keeping this Eri girl in their stronghold?!" Rock Lock exclaimed.
"And by stronghold you mean…?" Fat Gum questioned.
"The new joint headquarters of both the League of Villains and the Shie Hassaikai." Ryukyu clarified.
"That is where we'll find the girl and the Grendel…" Sleeper added.
"Huh, so you're telling me that time we spent investigating was for nothing then?!" Rock Lock asked in frustration.
"Not at all, we gained plenty of new information as well." Nighteye replied.
"How'd you confirm she was there?" Fat Gum asked.
Nighteye then quickly pulled out something from under his desk, much to the surprise and shock of the Pros and students alike. It was a box containing a magical girl themed toy, specifically from the Gung-Ho! Glitter Squad 10! line of merchandise.
"Is that some sort of magic girl toy…?" Eddie asked.
"Oh great, not only is he a creep with a torture rack, he's also a weeb!" Venom commented, much to the others' annoyance.
"Wait, that's…that's from Squad Action, Glitter Squad!" Lady Nagant gushed, which then surprised everybody in the room excluding Sleeper, a blush spread across her face and she cleared her throat bashfully.
"Hmm, kinda sus, am I right, Eddie?" Venom questioned.
"Oh, like you can talk, Mister Lucky Star, don't think I haven't seen your search history, because I have…" Eddie said to his symbiotic partner.
"That was research….for a friend…" Venom said, trying to come up with an excuse.
"What friend? You don't see anyone but me unless I leave the apartment." Eddie countered.
"Maybe we should hear what Pointdexter has to say…" Venom said, sheepishly changing the subject.
"A member of the Hassaikai visited a nearby department store the other day." Nighteye began to explain. "He purchased a toy favored by young girls."
"What?" Fat Gum asked dumbfounded.
"That's pretty sparkly." Rock Lock commented.
"Listen, maybe the guy just likes cutesy stuff! Different strokes for different folks, Nighteye!" Fat Gum assumed. "You wanna tell us what you're doing with one though?!"
"Sounds like someone's speaking from experience, if you know what I mean!" Venom remarked.
"Yes, I was there when he made the purchase and overheard his conversation with the store clerk." Nighteye explained. "As soon as I understood that he was buying the toy for a young girl, I approached the Hassaikai member under the facade that I was a fan of the Glitter Squad series and touched his shoulder, allowing Foresight to activate, letting me see his actions and path for the rest of the day and evening. Sure enough, I was able to see him entering their compound and trying to give the toy to Eri."
"You ended up using Foresight anyway?!" Rock Lock exclaimed.
"If you recall, I said that I'd use it when our path was more certain." Nighteye responded.
"Whatever, this means we've got the data we need right?" Fat Gum asked.
"Yes. And we know for sure when they'll be there thanks to our stakeouts." Centipeder replied.
"Mhmm! We also worked with the police during our investigation and they're also going to assist us! Usually we'd need a warrant to chase after the Hassaikai, but their close affiliation with the League means the Pros can engage their stronghold!" Bubble Girl beamed as she posed. "Next step-!"
"-Is to barge in there!" Fat Gum interrupted with a wide smirk.
"Aw man! That's my line!" Bubble Girl exclaimed in annoyance, to which her fellow Sidekick Centipeder simply looked at his colleague in silence.
"But where is this hideout exactly located?" Thundermane asked.
"Based on details from Sir Nighteye's vision, we can confirm that the compound is in Hokkaido, given that the Hassaikai member passed by Goryokaku Tower." Centipeder answered, to which Thundermane gave a nod.
"Through my own search, I was also able to pinpoint the Grendel's location and reach the same conclusion as Nighteye's Sidekicks." Sleeper explained. "Though one cannot necessarily sense the presence of a symbiote disconnected from the Hive-Mind, I could very much indeed feel All For One's presence within it, most likely a courtesy of Knull."
"Do you know how far the Grendel is located within the stronghold?" Gran Torino asked the symbiote.
"From what I was able to detect, the Grendel is located several feet underground in what I can assume is a bunker or warehouse, large enough to contain the Grendel's biomass." Sleeper replied. "Therefore, the Grendel is deeper underground than the girl."
"Then I propose we split up our forces into two primary teams with parallel goals. The first team will be responsible for bringing in Chisaki and his associates and rescuing Eri, whilst the second team will engage with the League of Villains and sabotage All For One's efforts to revive the Grendel and use it to bring forth Knull into our world." Nighteye explained.
"Hey Deku." Uraraka said, to which Midoriya turned to where she was and saw that her, Kirishima, and Tsu looked at him with a determined smile. He then returned a nod and smiled back as well.
"Come on, Midoriya…" Mirio said as he took in a deep breath and stretched his torso backwards before reeling back forward, releasing his breath and swung his arms up and down repeatedly like the wings of an insect. "We're all over this, let's rescue that girl, take down some bad guys, yeah! We're gonna do it, we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it!"
"What's with those moves?!" Midoriya exclaimed, though his expression went back into a smile, relieved to see his friend and upperclassman back to his upbeat and energetic self.
"Hey, hey, look!" Nejire beamed while tapping Tamaki on his arm to get his attention towards Mirio, to which Tamaki smiled as well.
"-yeah! AW YEAH!" Mirio yelled while pumping his fist towards the ceiling, much to some Pro Heroes' confusion and irritation.
"This kid sounds like he's on crack or speed." Venom commented.
"No, I think that's just him…" Eddie argued.
"That sounds all good in theory, but aren't you forgetting something?" Lady Nagant questioned. "This is All For One, the Symbol of Evil, the boogeyman of Hero Society who stole hundreds of Quirks and no doubt had time and experience to master them. Just how exactly are we supposed to stop him without All-Might? Hell, even if All-Might wasn't retired, I doubt our chances of succeeding would increase."
"Unfortunately, Lady Nagant is correct. Me, All-Might and a dear friend of mine fought like hell every time we faced All For One, barely making it with our lives intact. He's no petty criminal, he's the devil in the form of a Villain." Gran Torino said, agreeing with the sniper.
"But this time we have several dozen Pros here, including Ryukyu from the Top 10! Hell, even those close to the Top 10 like Viper, Thundermane, and myself!" The chainsaw Pro Hero argued. "And we also got those two aliens with us! So yeah, I'd say the odds are definitely in our favor!"
"Okay first off, Chainsaw Man!" Venom roared as he extended towards the Pro Hero. "If you're going to base your knowledge of aliens on sci-fi movies, then you're just being plain racist! You think just because we're from another planet makes us stronger than humans?"
"My species are naturally vulnerable to heat and sound, primarily from sources of fire and sonic energy. Many of the Quirks in your world are fire and sound based, giving All For One and other Heroes plenty of advantages over our kind." Sleeper explained. "We have our unique abilities and traits most solid life forms don't have, but we're still mortal at the end of the day."
"And didn't the last group of Heroes get single-handedly folded by All For One? Wasn't one of them Best Jeanist, the soon-to-be Number 3 Hero?" Nagant said in a condescending manner. "And then there's the army of Nomu and those Nomu-Symbiotes that they have at their disposal. How are we going to both save the girl and prevent the apocalypse without being killed along the way?"
"Well, not with that attitude, Nagant." Thundermane rebuked, crossing her arms. "Honestly, if all you're going to do is criticize our efforts, then why don't you keep your opinions to yourself?"
"Be realistic, only someone with All-Might's level of power could defeat him, and unless I missed something, I don't think there's anyone here who is near that level." Nagant retorted, her last few words ringing through Midoriya's mind. "And splitting our forces up could run the risk of putting heavy hitters in the wrong mission. So tell me, Nighteye, Sleeper, do we have an actual plan that realistically could work?"
Many of the Heroes and students took Nagant's words to truth, realizing that the raid's victory might not come to fruition so easily. Midoriya was worried as well, as though he wanted to rescue Eri, he also thought that as the successor to One For All that he might be more suited to the All For One mission. Fortunately, the Knight of the Cosmos did have an answer.
"There is a way that we can succeed…" Sleeper explained as he looked around. "...but what I propose is not to be taken lightly, and in fact if successful will result in death."
The mention of the word 'death' caused an awkward and morbid presence within the room, with some of the Pro Heroes being uncomfortable with the topic and the students horrified by the thought of a possible intentional murder. Eventually, someone broke the silence.
"What do you propose we do exactly?" Viper asked with a small hiss.
Sleeper then held out his arm and from his biomass, he summoned his signature Necrosword.
"This weapon I have summoned, though a biomass construct like most Klyntarian weapons, differs in its origin and power." Sleeper explained to the Heroes and students. "It is called a Necrosword, named after the first weapon Knull created from his shadow and used to behead a Celestial, All-Black the Necrosword. Though it is not as powerful as the original, a small fragment of this unholy power resides within it, the power to kill a god."
"And so your plan is to kill All For One with this sword of yours?" The armored female Pro Hero questioned.
"All For One isn't a deity, but in terms of power and abilities, he could lord over mankind as one given the immense power at his fingertips. But his mortality is exactly why my Necrosword is the perfect counter to his multiple Quirks, especially if he possesses one that can regenerate." Sleeper replied.
"Oh yeah right, his sword can nullify healing…" Eddie added in, loud enough for everyone else to hear.
"I wondered whether or not that sword could be used against the likes of him, and from the sounds of it, one good stab or swing from that blade and it's no more All For One." Nagant said in agreement. "But even then, you yourself aren't strong enough to take him head-on."
"Which is why while the rest of the second team distracts All For One and his subordinates, I will find an opening and slay him with my Necrosword, severing his connection to Knull and preventing the Grendel's awakening." Sleeper concluded.
"So you're going to kill him?!" The demon-masked Pro Hero exclaimed.
"He needs to pay by being locked up in Tartarus! Not by killing him!" Rock Lock shouted.
"Can't you sever the connection to Knull without taking his life?" Ryukyu's sidekick asked.
"There are only three methods in which the connection can be severed. The first is to isolate the symbiote in a place beyond Knull's reach. The second is to hijack their psychic signature with a separate hive-mind and the third is to kill them by either impaling them through the heart or beheading them. No symbiote has become powerful enough to create a hive-mind independent of Knull's influence, and we do not have the time or power to forcibly isolate All For One from Knull, especially given his status as his Herald. All For One is marked, meaning the only true way of severing the connection now…" Sleeper explained.
"Is by killing All For One….we have no choice, it has to be done or we're doomed…" Eddie said firmly.
"No…there has to be another way…" The arctic-wolf Hero growled as he clenched his fists.
"Are you fucking kidding me? We've only got one true option in order to save our world, yet you continue to stay in denial?" Nagant scoffed.
"I don't like this plan either, but Nagant and the others are right. Our world is on the line." Viper sighed, crossing his arms and looking around the room. "Remember what Sleeper said and showed us in the meeting after All-Might's defeat. And besides, we're not the ones doing the actual killing anyway."
"But you're essentially enabling them to do so, Viper!" Ryukyu scolded with a glare.
"I thought we were past this, but apparently not…" Sleeper said in a disappointed tone. "Heroes, what is your purpose?"
"What do you think? To save and help others, of course." The armored female Pro answered.
"And what exactly does that mean to you? How do you define saving and helping those in need?" Sleeper asked.
"Why does this even matter to you anyway?" The gladiator-themed Pro Hero retorted to Sleeper. "I bet you're just asking us this in order to allow you to kill All For One."
"You'll allow me to kill All For One? As if that decision, that action, is yours and yours alone to dictate?" Sleeper questioned.
"Well no…but…" Thundermane was about to object, but didn't know the words to follow through that statement.
"I am aligned with you, but I am not controlled by you. Neither you nor your world's governments have any jurisdiction over a Knight of the Cosmos from a galactically sanctioned defense force." Sleeper said firmly before softening his voice. "If the first two options of severing the connection were possible, I would take it, as All For One should truly be forced to face your world's justice system. But we have no choice in the matter now, for if we want to be able to save the human girl Eri's life, then we must take All For One's life in her place. A life for a life, one to save all."
"Heroes these days…" Gran Torino remarked before he began to speak. "Look, none of you honestly understand the seriousness of this situation, but I, for one, do. I spent decades fighting against that madman, trying to put him behind bars. But the harder we tried, the more he made it harder for us and the people we cared about. The truth is, youngsters, that All For One will never stop, and putting him in Tartarus would only delay the inevitable. The only way we can win this is if All For One is dead, you don't like the sound of that, then go home. I mean seriously, people, you don't sentence a police officer or soldier to life in prison for simply carrying out their duty to uphold the law and fight for our country."
Silence fell upon the room, with the Pro Heroes and U.A. students once again left in thought about Sleeper's words. On one hand, the idea of standing by and letting someone kill All For One left a bad taste in their mouth. But they also knew that he needed to be stopped and that all other options were no longer available. The death of All For One also meant the survival of Eri and everyone else on Earth. And finally, Gran Torino, a veteran of the Age of Heroes and a teacher and mentor to many generations of Heroes, was also in agreement with this plan, which truly spoke lengths of how serious this mission was.
"Alright, alright…we'll do it your way." The gladiator Hero conceded with a groan, with some of the other Pro Heroes giving a nod or just gritted their teeth in silence.
"So Sleeper, Nighteye, do you have ideal teams for our objectives in mind?" Viper asked.
"In regards to the rescue and capture of Chisaki, Sidekicks and interns under mine and Fat Gum's agencies would be best suited for this situation." Nighteye replied. "Of course, Eraserhead, Rock Lock, Kesagiri Man, and Mr. Brave, along with other several local Pros will also be joining up in the Hassaikai orientated team."
"Brock and Venom will of course accompany me as a fellow Klyntarian warrior." Sleeper explained. "But I will need Heroes with a balance of raw power, speed, endurance and intelligent and adaptive intuition. Who among you will join my side in this battle?"
Almost immediately, Viper was the first Hero to raise his hand alongside Gran Torino. Then several more Heroes raised their hands shortly afterward including: Thundermane, Chainsaw Man, Valkyrie, Frost Fang, Spartacus, and the rest of the local Pro Heroes.
"Wait, what about Ryukyu and the Sidekicks and interns under her agency?" Viper asked as he first looked to Sleeper, then Nighteye, then to Ryukyu herself, to which he saw the Dragoon Hero roll her eyes in his direction and sighed before speaking up.
"Me and my agency will also take part in fighting alongside you, Sleeper." She said while raising her hand, with those in her agency giving a hesitant nod towards the hostless symbiote.
"I thank you all for choosing to fight by my side." Sleeper said, placing his hand on his chest. "With our numbers evenly spread between the two primary teams, we should be able to complete our missions should nothing too detrimental happen."
"Wait a sec, Nagant never said which team she was going with." Eddie commented. "Granted, she probably would just be with us."
"I'll actually go with Nighteye." Nagant stated.
"Wait, what?!" Eddie, Venom and a few of the Heroes and students exclaimed.
"If you're going after All For One, you're going to need heavy hitters. I'm a sniper, and so I would be best suited for a mission that requires more finesse and strategy." Nagant explained.
"Wait a minute, are you saying Sleeper doesn't have a strategy?!" Venom roared.
"No, but his strategy is more straightforward than Nighteye's." Nagant replied.
"Now that we have discussed teams, we must formulate strategies based on each group's route as well as the possibility of what obstacle might be in our way." Nighteye said.
"And I guess by obstacles, you mean Villains…" Fat Gum clarified.
"We are not just going after members of the Hassaikai, but also those from the League of Villains and their Nomus." Gran Torino said. "Shigaraki, Dabi, Toga, Twice, Mr. Compress, Spinner, Magne, are all problems alone, but together they're a dangerous bunch, especially under the tutelage of All For One."
"Let's not forget about Carnage as well." Thundermane added.
"Oh, we haven't forgotten, have we, Eddie?" Venom asked.
"No, this time, we'll put an end to their rampage, then the authorities can have Toga and the rest of the League." Eddie replied.
Midoriya had a lot on his mind to say the least. He was of course torn between two different paths laid before him: save Eri and defeat Overhaul or help fight All For One and potentially save all of mankind. However, Midoriya agreed to stick with the rescue mission that he had started with Mirio since they first met Eri in that alleyway, but the lingering thoughts regarding the message All For One's brother gave him and the threat of Knull, the being he blamed for everything that had gone wrong in their world, especially in dishonoring All-Might's efforts and legacy by robbing him of his last victory. Then of course there was the other concern that Midoriya now had on his shoulders: For as long as he could remember, Heroes upheld the law and brought justice to Villains by defeating them in combat and then arresting them for their illegal activities so they could face punishment for their actions. But meeting Eddie and Venom, Midoriya had had many of his views and opinions tested, especially in regards to the moral ramifications of killing. After he had finally adjusted the arm bracers on his costume, Midoriya was ready to take on his mission.
"This time…for sure…" Midoriya muttered to himself. "Don't lose focus on what's in front of you…"
As Midoriya was about to exit the locker room with Mirio, who had finished putting on his costume, he noticed Eddie standing in front of a nearby sink, gazing into the mirror as though he was reflecting on something.
"Eddie?" Midoriya said, to which Eddie nearly jumped out of his skin as Venom surrounded his body defensively, only to retract back into Eddie when he realised who it was.
"You scared me, kid." Eddie said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"No, I'm sorry, you looked like you were thinking about something, I shouldn't have intruded!" Midoriya said in a panicked tone.
"Relax, it's fine…" Eddie said as Venom protruded out of his shoulder.
"All suited up, broccoli boy? That costume looks different from the one we saw during that training exercise!" Venom commented. "I mean, it's still green and black and has those red moon boots you call sneakers!"
"Let's just say my injuries from the training camp meant that my costume was in need of an upgrade to support my weakened body." Midoriya explained. "But I've gotten better at using One For All's power and even developed a new technique utilizing my legs instead of my arms."
"Wow, Eddie, did you hear that? Broccoli boy learned how to kick! AHAHAHAHAHAA!" Venom said, cackling with laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, some of my classmates made a similar joke." Midoriya remarked in a dry tone.
"You look like you've bulked up a bit." Eddie commented.
"Yeah, guess I have been getting stronger…" Midoriya said before his mind went back to his previous thoughts. "Eddie….we haven't had a lot of time to speak to each other after everything that happened at Kamino…Mr. Aizawa said that you had been transferred to a Pro Hero's custody, but to think it would be Nighteye's agency of all places, we'd be fighting side by side again…"
"Yeah…this wasn't exactly what I was expecting either, Midoriya…sorry it took so long, you look like you've had a hell of a rough time, especially with All Might's power being passed onto you…" Eddie said, causing Midoriya's eyes to widen and his body to flinch in shock and horror.
"Wait a minute, you know about One For All?! Did All-Might tell you?!" Midoriya exclaimed.
"No, no, he never mentioned it to us!" Eddie said, pleading for Midoriya to calm down. "We kind of figured it out, based on what we heard All For One say back at Kamino…"
"Yeah! Who would have thought? Though One For All, All For One, what's with the Three Musketeers reference?!" Venom exclaimed.
"I think I heard of that story before, it's a very old one from what my mother and All-Might told me…guess the first wielder of One For All was a fan…" Midoriya speculated.
"First wielder? So All-Might wasn't the first?" Eddie asked.
"He was actually the eighth wielder, while I'm the ninth." Midoriya replied. "It's been passed down for generations, being improved and strengthened with each person who inherits its power and will. As the new wielder of One For All, it's my duty to not only become a great Hero, but to also one day fight All For One…"
"Because he's All-Might's arch-enemy?" Venom asked curiously.
"Well I guess that's true, but I think he's more the arch-enemy for One For All in general, no doubt because of his role as the creator of this Quirk." Midoriya answered, surprising Eddie and Venom.
"All For One created One For All? I mean I guess they are two halves of the same catchphrase…but then why did he create it? Didn't he know he was making a power that would oppose him one day?" Eddie asked.
"The first wielder of One For All was a man named Yoichi Shigaraki, he was All For One's younger brother, who was not only always sick but also believed to have been born Quirkless, the complete opposite of his brother who was born with possibly the most powerful Quirk in existence, yet he used it to commit evil and become a dark ruler of the criminal underworld. Yoichi, despite his frail body, refused to give up and tried to oppose his brother's goals and ambitions, but All For One, feeling pity for his brother, gave him a Quirk that could be passed onto others, thinking that such a Quirk would be useless without any power or strength in his sickly body." Midoriya explained. "But unbeknownst to All For One, Yoichi did have a Quirk, one that could stockpile and accumulate power, and it fused with the power bestowal Quirk he has been given by his brother, mutating into what we now know as One For All. And since that fateful day, Yoichi and his successors, like me and All-Might, have fought against All For One and his evil for generations with the power of One For All."
"All-Might's injuries, he said they prevented him from using his power full time, that he could only maintain that power for an hour at best..." Venom commented.
"But he lost the rest of his power when he fought All For One, but then Knull took that bastard away before All-Might could finish him off…" Eddie said.
"I've been thinking about a lot of things ever since that night…about how I'll be able to cope filling in for All-Might, as his successor and the ninth wielder of One For All…and then the Hero Schools all banded together to try and stop all those students from being kidnapped and murdered…and yet it still didn't stop…Eddie….Venom….is killing really the only thing that we can do…is that really the only way…I know you both mean well, but how do you know if the people that you've killed….that you've eaten…what if they could have had a second chance…a chance to make things right…?" Midoriya asked.
Eddie and Venom fell silent, then looked at each other. The question wasn't exactly an easy one, especially given the moral grey areas they've walked within. Not every person they killed or eaten was irredeemable, but they were still criminals threatening the safety of others. They weren't all Cletus Kasady or Muscular. Eddie took a deep breath before looking at Midoriya.
"Well, you've told me a story, now I guess it's time I told you a story…" Eddie said in a serious tone, in which Venom looked at Eddie intently. "I never knew my mother growing up…she…she died after giving birth to me, and ever since that day, my dad made it apparent each day of my life how much he blamed me for her death…whether it was with his belt or with his fists…"
Midoriya heard the last few words from Eddie's sentence and was both saddened and horrified by this revelation. Venom's expression had not changed, as if he already knew this story.
"I tried so hard to make that man proud of me, but nothing I did ever amounted to much in his eyes, I busted my ass in school, I took part time jobs to help pay rent, but not once did my dad acknowledge my efforts or actually showed that he cared….hell, I often wonder why he kept me and didn't put me in the foster system…but I guess I was the only thing that linked back to my mother…anyway, when I was sixteen, me and a bunch of my friends stole my dad's car and we went out drinking, got absolutely hammered, we were seeing colours…but we knew that my dad would have killed us if he saw that his car was missing, so I had the job of putting it back in the driveway before he woke up that morning…" Eddie explained in a solemn and hesitant tone, before continuing again. "...As I sped back to my house and tried to reverse the car back into the driveway….it happened….the neighbour's kid…it happened so fast, Midoriya…he was already on death's door when I got out of the car…"
"You mean you…?" Midoriya asked, to which Eddie just nodded.
"The neighbor soon called the cops and the ambulance…if my dad wasn't awake before, he sure was now…." Eddie said as his voice trembled. "...I was a drunk scared-shitless kid and I had just run over my neighbour's son…I felt so horrible….and I just wanted to make things right…I wanted to pay for what I did that night…to be sent to jail…but good old dad wasn't having any of it, no he thought that if I went to jail for killing that kid, then his reputation he was working so hard to build would be ruined, all because of his drunken son, the son who killed his wife and ate away at his happiness and joy…I tried to fight him, I tried to get him to let me plead guilty, but then he put down the belt and just started swinging his fists at me…had to say I fell down a flight of stairs when I went into the courtroom….I pleaded not guilty, charges were dropped thanks to my old man's connections….but doing that, covering up my mistake, it bankrupted him…."
Eddie's expression became more distressed, his eyes watered as he tried his best to keep his composure. Eddie wiped his tears, doing his best not to show too much emotion, but Midoriya could tell how upset these memories were for him.
"I….I'm sorry that all of that happened to you…" Midoriya said softly. "My dad is never really around much, always traveling because of work….but the things your father did and said about you, he was wrong to blame you for your mother's death…"
"Eddie…." Venom said to his host solemnly, before Eddie wiped the tears off of his eyes.
"I know you don't want to really kill anyone, kid…because neither do I…it's a horrible and terrible thing, taking someone's life, especially when you never intended to…but I learned early on how truly shitty some people in this world are, people who just want to do bad things because they just can…I dedicated my journalism career into trying to do right by others, to expose corruption and malpractice where I can see it…I tried taking on someone too big, I lost my job, my fiancé, my credit…but then this black gooey pain in my ass came along…" Eddie explained before looking at Venom.
"And you've been better ever since, Eddie!" Venom said with a warm demeanour.
"I mean, it has its perks, minus the cannibalism and murder…" Eddie said before looking back at Midoriya. "Look, no one is asking you or any of your classmates to kill anyone, that's why Sleeper, me and most likely Nagant will be taking that risk for you, we're already labeled as psychos and freaks anyway, so it's not like it can get any worse….you just focus on getting Eri away from Chisaki, focus on saving her and let me and everyone else take care of the dark and gritty stuff…I'm not saying that you're never going to be forced into killing someone, but the least I can do is spare you the burden of doing so today….you understand, Deku?"
Midoriya looked at his hands as his expression went from confused and sad to determined and focused as he clenched both of his fists and gave a small nod.
"I understand….I'll do whatever I can to save Eri, while you stop All For One and the Grendel."
"That's the spirit! Let's go and save the world, onward to battle!" Venom roared.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it…" Eddie said, as he and Midoriya then finally left the locker room.
After a few minutes when they returned to the main room, everyone inside the Nighteye Agency building then traveled to the Osaka police station. There were several officers standing outside ready to mobilize, most being equipped with riot gear, while the chief of this station stood in front of the Pro Heroes and began to speak to give a quick briefing.
"As you know, Nighteye used his Quirk on a Hassaikai member. Through it, he saw underground facilities, and we believe for this to be this group's and All For One's headquarters. We were also able to confirm that the girl we're trying to rescue is currently being held in one of the rooms there. Although we were unable to map the entire layout of the underground hallways, we believe the man Sir Nighteye saw took the shortest route to our target. This is the best intel we have at the moment of the stronghold. It's the basis of this mission. Stay smart, these guys are dangerous and we can expect them to bring their Quirks against us full force." The chief explained then nodded to his assistant, who passed out papers to all of the Heroes. "We're passing around a list of Quirks of the current Hassaikai and League of Villain members, according to our registration databases. Commit this to memory."
"It's solid information to have on hand. Thanks for this." Mr. Brave said as he looked at the list.
"Looks like you law enforcers aren't entirely incompetent, this data will ensure we don't go in blind, unlike what happened in the Nordic countries…" Lady Nagant said, looking at the list.
"Don't remind me…" Eddie said, scratching his head.
"Yeah, that shit was crazy! Could have used more info while doing that job!" Venom roared.
"We don't want to give them time to hide. The first team's aim is to identify and apprehend all members as quickly as possible while securing our target." The chief stated.
"The second team, led by myself, is to engage in battle with the League of Villains, reach All For One and distract him long enough so I can sever his connection to Knull with my Necrosword. Whether or not you choose to kill or capture your opponents is entirely your choice and responsibility, for the only one that has to die today is All For One." Sleeper explained before creating multiple tendrils which reached out to his respective team members, having what looked like a small disc-like object on the end of each tendril. "These data discs contain footage and intelligence in regards to the Nomu-Symbiotes, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as information regarding the Grendel and additional data given to me by the Commission regarding the League of Villains and their members."
"Thanks. But how do we open this?" Chainsaw Man puzzled, tilting his head to the side as he looked around the disc.
"Press the center of the disc." Sleeper replied, taking a data disc and pushing on it, causing a holographic screen to appear.
"Holographic screen…why am I not surprised?" Eddie remarked.
"Things are moving fast now, huh?" Kirishima asked, turning back to Tamaki. "I would be pumped if it weren't for the fact that some of us are taking on the League."
"Lucky that we only have to focus on the Hassaikai…I don't know how I'd manage against the League of Villains…" Takami groaned as he pulled his hood over his face.
"I'm getting nervous…" Uraraka said. "Especially given how we volunteered to help take on All For One…"
"First detective work, and now we're cooperating with the police to take on both Yakuza and the League?" Tsu commented. "There's so much I don't know…but then also so much I'm familiar with, given how many times our class has encountered them."
"Right, this isn't your first time dealing with them! It's a first for me though!" Nejire said.
"That's true." Ryukyu said as she walked up to the three girls, giving them a reassuring smile. "Schools don't always prepare you for investigations like this. It takes some time to adjust, though we all know that this is no longer any ordinary investigation, it's a battle for survival and we must tread lightly but also vigilantly in this operation."
"She's right." Kesigiri Man commented.
Ryukyu was about to speak to the girls again, but she saw Viper off to the side staring at her, presumably for a good while. As soon as the two made eye contact, Ryukyu's smile straightened out and closed her eyes as she sighed, while the Serpentine Hero jolted a bit before turning away and continued to look at the data disc nervously.
"What is it, Ryukyu?" Nejire asked, with her and the other two girls cluelessly turning to face where the Dragoon Hero was looking.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about." Ryukyu replied with a small smile.
"All the Pros seem like they're pretty chill, huh?" Kirishima asked Midoriya. "So brave!"
"To think we'd be working side by side again, kid. Though I think your power is better suited for taking on the League, you've made your mind up about this girl, haven't you?" Gran Torino asked Midoriya.
"Yes, though I do have a chance to face All For One like All-Might said I would in the future, I want to keep my promise to Eri and Mirio…" Midoriya replied with volume that only Gran Torino could hear before flexing one of his arms and clenching his fist. "Let's go…"
"Not yet…" Mr. Aizawa said.
"Ah, Mr. Eraserhead, sir!" Midoriya exclaimed.
"I'm teaming up with Nighteye Agency for this. Do you understand me?" Aizawa asked, to which Midoriya recalled what his homeroom teacher had told him a couple of days ago.
"So I'll watch you. If you're going to see this through you gotta do it the right way, use your head."
"Yes sir." Midoriya replied after giving a nod with a determined expression on his face.
"Now, Heroes! Things could get quickly violent out there, even if you encounter a hint of suspicious behavior or resistance, call for help immediately!"
Fat Gum then reached into his pocket and handed Tamaki a pack of swordfish meat.
"Here, take this swordfish. Eat up."
"You think I'll need it? Ok sure, thanks." Tamaki said.
"You're up against both notorious Villains and gangsters who have avoided capture until now. We're counting on you all to ensure not only the girl's safety but ensure that All For One's plans don't come into fruition. It is imperative that you carry out your respective assignments and stay sharp in there!" The chief stated before he and the officers behind them gave a salute to the Pro Heroes. "We begin the operation at 0830 hours! Heroes, move out!"
They all then travelled to a nearby airport in order to fly their way to Hokkaido as fast as they could. Five transport planes were on standby for take off thanks in part to the local police and approval from the representatives of both the Osaka and Hokkaido prefectures. It took at least two more hours for the flight to the northern prefecture along with the travel time of driving from the airport to the location of the underground compound. The Pro Heroes, the UA students, Sleeper, Eddie & Venom, and Nagant had split up into their assigned groups as they stood in front of the large warehouse that was a front for the hideout, along with the combined force of Hokkaido and Osaka police officers backing them up as well.
"SWAT teams will move into position around the complex. Once they're into position, then you're free to move! I'm counting on everyone to move swiftly!" The Osaka police chief stated.
"What's with this guy? Over here acting like we don't know how to do our jobs." Rock Lock scowled.
"You know that's not what he means, Rock Lock. Give it a rest." Fat Gum said.
"Hmph. The real problem? It's that All For One and these Yakuza bastards are good at living in the shadows." Rock Lock stated. "They see all these Heroes and the police, they might just disappear."
The warehouse doors suddenly burst wide open, with a Nomu-Symbiote that resembled a gorilla with four glowing yellow eyes coming out of its brain, two metallic horns as well as having armored legs that resembled that of a buffalo, and had a gaping mouth with rows of sharp fangs and an elongated tongue. It was also covered in a red and black ooze-like substance that pulsated and squirmed around erratically across its body. A few of the SWAT members were launched backwards in being caught in the path of the Nomu-Symbiote, but a couple Pro Heroes, including Midoriya, managed to catch them and quickly placed them off to the side. Shortly after, several Middle-Tier Nomus ran through the large gap and stood near the hybrid, ready to fight the Pros and cops.
"Are you alright?" Midoriya asked the officer he saved.
"I think so…thank you…" The officer responded, with another running up to tend to his comrade.
"Leave…" The Nomu-Symbiote spoke, much to everyone's shock excluding Sleeper, Eddie, Venom, and Nagant.
"What the hell?!" Thundermane and a few other Pros shouted.
"Did that thing just talk?!" Rock Lock exclaimed.
"Leave now…or I'll kill you all!" The Nomu-Symbiote roared as it shot out several sharp tendrils towards the Pro Heroes and police officers.
Did you enjoy the chapter? If so, please favourite and follow the story and give me your feedback!
I will now go over my decisions made in the chapter!
So the biggest change and addition we've added was Shigaraki and the League of Villains undergoing months of training with Gigantomachia in a similar vein to the training they did during the Meta Liberation Army Arc in canon. Now I know some people might say that what I did, especially with having Shigaraki go through Awakening through Knull's influence might be seen as cheap but hear me out first.
First off, they had been training against Machia for months, and in canon avoiding Machia's attacks for 2 months straight is how the League became strong enough to not only trigger Awakening but be strong enough to take on the Meta Liberation Army in the first place.
Secondly, Knull can enter people's minds and influence them in ways that most people can't, given his divine status and other abilities. Knull basically forced Shigaraki to relive that traumatic day in his head several times over in rapid succession to push the Awakening into happening, and like I said because of the training he received, he was already bordering on his Awakening as evident by his hair slowly turning white.
The reason for why I edited the chapters and added this new stuff in is because I felt as though Shigaraki and the League were underutilized in this story, which makes sense as this is Eddie and Venom's story. But I at least wanted the League to not stay the same now that All For One is free, so I devised the training scenes to show that the League of Villains were getting stronger and not just being the same lovable but ineffectual characters they were before. And if you're wondering, Shigaraki does not get All For One, as he has no need to make Shigaraki his vessel here.
Also yes, Magne is dead like in canon, though here Machia killed her instead of Overhaul. The reason why I killed her off is simply because much like Horikoshi himself, I don't really have anything for the character to do, so best to maybe instead kill her off to show how powerful Machia is.
So Eddie and Midoriya's conversation speaks for itself, other than if you've read any of the comics, then you'll know what I was referencing in regards to his story.
Also for those who want a clearer picture of whose in whose team, here is the breakdown:
Rescue Team: Nighteye, Bubble Girl, Centipeder, Lady Nagant, Aizawa, Fat Gum, Rock Lock, Mr. Brave, Kesagiri Man, Midoriya, Mirio, Kirishima, and Tamaki.
Grendel Team: Sleeper, Eddie & Venom, Gran Torino, Viper, Thundermane, Ryukyu & her Sidekick, Chainsaw Man, Valkyrie, Frost Fang, Spartacus, Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Nejire.
Finally, we will address some of the new faces among the Pro Heroes. The first being one that is literally based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man. So technically in terms of the manga, this character is actually canon, appearing in chapter 259 at the start of the Meta Liberation War Arc, so we decided to use him. Our headcanon for this Pro Hero is that he has a chainsaw themed Quirk and either bought the rights to the Chainsaw Man manga and anime or when it became public domain after 200 or so years, he simply chose to model his costume and persona off of Denji. Then there are the three random ones that we made up that we decided to give names to, Valkyrie (the armored female Pro; she's based off of a humanized drawing of a robot from Battlebots, by an artist named Hotkoin), Frost Fang (the arctic-wolf themed Hero; named after a YouTuber who plays Paladins), and Spartacus (described as a futuristic gladiator; I, the co-author, just Googled famous gladiators and called it a day).
If that is all, then I will see you guys in the next chapter! MVA; Symbiote's Justice, Lethal Protectors away!