Izuku woke up in the hospital. His heavy eyelids parted to reveal the fluorescent lights and white tiles overhead. He groaned at the brightness, shutting his eyes once more.
"Izuku!? Are you awake!?"
That was his mom. And suddenly, the slight discomfort didn't matter. He forced himself into a sitting position, idly noting that he wasn't sore in the slightest.
"Mom?"
"Oh, my baby!" Midoriya Inko cried, drawing her son into a crushing embrace. She squeezed him a bit too tight to be comfortable, but he just squeezed her right back. She pulled away a moment later, holding him at arm's length and checking him over. "How do you feel? Does anything hurt? Are you tired? You can sleep more if you want," Inko rattled out. Izuku smiled softly.
"I'm fine, Mom. I think I've slept enough. Why am I in the hospital?"
Tears began leaking from the woman's eyes, a sign of the impending flood. "I got a call from the hospital saying that someone found you passed out on Dagobah Beach, covered in blood! You've been asleep for three days, Izuku! What happened!?"
Three days? Damn. And I was covered in blood, huh? Looks like it really wasn't a dream. Then again…
He glanced at the blue, crystalline screen hovering in front of him, which his mother couldn't seem to see.
I guess that should've been proof enough.
"I… Don't really remember," Izuku lied. "I was just really tired after…"
"The slime Villain? I saw it on the news- and don't think I won't be talking to you about that, young man," Inko said sternly. Izuku just grinned.
"Yeah. That. I was just really tired, and I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking… And I ended up on the beach. I laid down for a nap, then… I woke up here."
Inko's eyes softened. "Well, I guess I can't blame you too much. The police wanted to send a detective to talk to you, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
Izuku tilted his head. "Yeah. I think that might be too much." Inko nodded, having expected as much.
"Alright. I'm going to call the police station and tell the doctors that you woke up, okay, baby? If you need anything, just ring one of the nurses," she said, pointing at the call button. Izuku smiled broadly at her, and a good portion of the stress in Inko's shoulders melted away. "I love you, sweetie."
"I love you too, Mom." The green-haired woman walked out of the room with a final wave, and Izuku turned his attention to the screen.
! Message
-You have (2) unread messages
"Is this like email? Um… Open inbox?"
! Inbox
-Welcome, [Player] (Unread)
-[Daily Quest: Preparing to Become Strong] has arrived (Unread)
"Uh… Read Welcome, Player."
! Alarm
The [System] will help the [Player]'s growth. If he fails to obey the [System]'s orders, there may be a [Penalty].
Izuku's eyebrows furrowed. "What is this, a video game? Open Daily Quest."
! Quest Directions
[Daily Quest: Preparing to Become Strong]
Goal:
[Incomplete] Push-Ups [0/100]
[Incomplete] Sit-Ups [0/100]
[Incomplete] Squats [0/100]
[Incomplete] Running [0/10km]
Warning!- Failure to complete this [Daily Quest] will incur a [Penalty]
"...Is this a joke? There's no way I can do this much!" Izuku complained. "Even if I wasn't in the hospital, I don't have the stamina to run ten kilometers!" At that moment, the door slid open, and in walked a man wearing a white coat. Probably the doctor. Izuku waved away the Quest screen. He'd deal with it later.
! Alarm
You have not completed the [Daily Quest]. You will now be sent to the [Penalty Zone] for a certain period of time.
A Centipede. A massive, desert-dwelling insect with vicious mandibles, a worm-like tongue, and hundreds of sharp appendages.
Poison-Fanged Giant Sand Centipede
An apt description, if Izuku had ever seen one.
! Quest Directions
[Penalty Quest: Survive]
Goal:
[Incomplete] Survive until time runs out
Time required: 4 hours
Time remaining: 3H 59M 57S
The centipede began salivating, impatient to bite into Izuku's scrawny body and devour him, picking his bones clean with relish.
"You've gotta be kidding…" Izuku groaned mournfully. Looks like he was in for a lot of running.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck-!" Izuku chanted, sprinting through the sands, ignoring how scraped up his bare feet were becoming. He could barely breathe, and the sweltering heat beating down on his head was not helping. A half-dozen centipedes were now chasing after him, and Izuku had no clue how he'd managed to keep moving for so long. It was probably the cocktail of adrenaline and fear coursing through his veins. Either way, after this, he'd probably have no problem running ten kilometers. If he survived, of course.
The portal chose that moment to open in front of him.
Izuku spilled onto the floor of his hospital room, sand covering the tiles around him. He panted loudly, trying and failing to get enough oxygen in his aching lungs.
! Alarm
You have completed the [Penalty Quest]
! Message
Your [Rewards] for completing the [Penalty Quest] have arrived.
Would you like to accept?
Izuku's head hit the linoleum floor in a dead faint.
Izuku was released from the hospital in the morning. Despite the disastrous scene that a nurse had walked in on last night, there wasn't actually anything wrong with him. The doctors recommended that he stay another day for observation, but Izuku begged his mother to sign the release forms, and she eventually caved.
A few hours later, he'd finished three-quarters of the Daily Quest, eager to never be sent to that stupid Penaly Zone again. All that was left was the ten-kilo run. It was a bit of a surprise that his mother was letting him leave the house at all after what happened, but he wasn't going to question it. Clad in his mint-green tracksuit and red sneakers, Izuku took off down the road in a light jog. He just needed to finish the Daily Quest before midnight; he could take as long as he wanted. Plus, his Mom was keeping him home from school for the next week, so he could spend a few days getting used to this new workout regimen.
I wonder why the requirements seem so familiar...
It was done. He'd finished the run in under two hours, which was quite the pleasant surprise. He was now sitting on the bench in a park near his apartment, staring at the blue screen in front of him.
! Alarm
You have completed the [Daily Quest]
! Message
Your [Rewards] for completing the [Daily Quest] have arrived.
Would you like to accept?
"Yes," Izuku muttered, keeping his voice low so people walking by wouldn't think he was completely crazy.
Quest Rewards
Claim your [Rewards]
1- Status Recovery
2- Stat Points +3
3- Random Box +1
"These are the same as the ones for the Penalty Quest," Izuku noted. "Status Recovery." A golden light enveloped Izuku, burning away his fatigue and replacing it with a deep-seated sense of satisfaction at being rewarded for his actions. "Stat points. Random box." The box appeared in his Inventory, and the points were added to the three he'd already received from the Penalty Quest. "Status."
! Status
Name: Midoriya Izuku
Level: 1
Job: None
Title: None
Fatigue: 0
HP: 100
MP: 10
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Vitality: 10
Intelligence: 10
Sense: 10
Remaining Points: 6
Izuku hummed thoughtfully. It looked like the only way to increase his stats was through getting these points and, he assumed, leveling up. Otherwise, he would've gotten at least one Strength during that grueling exercise routine. With the Daily Quest, though, he would have a constant source of points. It might not be a lot, but 3 per day for a month would result in 90 points, which was definitely an improvement. And that was just assuming he didn't level up at all. The U.A Entrance Exam was in 10 months. If each month averaged 30 days, that was around 300 days, and at 3 stat points per day, he would be able to increase his overall ability by 15 times, considering he had 60 points invested in all his stats at the moment, and would gain 900 by the time the exam rolled around.
So, he didn't feel that bad about putting all 6 free points in strength, to make the Daily Quest easier tomorrow.
The stats didn't mirror real life. Instead, they seemed to simply be set at a common baseline. Izuku knew he was more intelligent than he was strong, yet both started at 10. Well, whatever the case, all that was left to do was improve them. For now, he'd focus on Strength and Agility, moving on to Sense and Vitality, while leaving Intelligence for last. Physical ability was vital for the practical exam, and he was confident that he'd at least be able to eke out a pass on the written portion. Just because he wasn't number one in their class didn't mean that the number two spot was worthless (many others would disagree, based solely on the fact that Izuku was the one holding it, but fuck them. He didn't die over a thousand times to come listen to a bunch of clowns).
"Inventory." Izuku reached into the blue screen and pulled out the Random Box, accepting the prompt to open it. The first one gave him a roll of bandages, which could be useful in the future. This one… Gave him a pen. Izuku stared at it blankly.
"Well, at least I won't have to spend as much on office supplies," he murmured, shoving the writing utensil in the pocket of his tracksuit. He stood from the bench, stretched his arms over his head, and began the jog back home, noting how much easier his body moved with only six more points in Strength. He smiled.
With this… I can be a Hero.
Saturday.
"I'm going out, Mom!" Izuku called into the house.
"Be safe, sweetie!" Inko called back. She was still a bit nervous about letting him leave, but nothing had happened at all these past few days, and Izuku was actually doing better than ever. He smiled more around her, and he was really starting to shape up, thanks to his hellish workout. Inko was seriously starting to consider joining him. Years of stress eating and worrying over her son- her poor, delicate son- had taken its toll on the mother. It didn't help that her husband hadn't contacted them in years, simply sending money. At the very least, it was in excess of the court mandated child support fees, but Inko wasn't sure if it was because Hisashi still cared, or if it was just guilt at abandoning his old family (there was no doubt in Inko's mind that her ex-husband had found another woman).
Yes, Inko resolved herself, she'd begin working out. Both to get herself in shape, and to spend more time with her son, who she'd lost over the years.
Item: [Dungeon Key]
Item Class: E
Type: Dungeon Key
A key that allows you to create an [Instant Dungeon]. You may use this at the third entrance of Musutafu Station.
"Well, here I am," Izuku muttered. "An E-rank key probably means an E-rank dungeon, which tend to be the lowest rank in most games. Right now, I'm probably an E-rank Player, too." He grimaced. The odds weren't good, but the chance to level up in this dungeon was too good to pass up. "Here goes nothing." Izuku held the key up to the empty air in front of the descending staircase, and watched as it began to glow. A blue distortion hung in the air, and Izuku took two steps forward, entering the dungeon.
It was an odd sensation. Like he was being squeezed through a tube that was just a little bit narrower than him. Slightly uncomfortable, but overall not too bad.
! Alarm
You have entered an [Instant Dungeon]
Behind him, some sort of blue, crystalline stone began materialising in the air, blocking up the entrance. Izuku watched as it was completely closed off. "Looks like I'm not leaving through there." A woman on her phone walked up the stairs beside Izuku, passing through the barrier as if it wasn't even there. Izuku blinked, then placed a hand on it. It was solid to him. "Is this some sort of… Pocket dimension?" he mused. It was a bit frightening to think of, that the System could do things like this. Then again, people with Warp Quirks existed, even if they were a bit on the rare side. If he rationalised this as a Warp Quirk that he couldn't really control, it was easier to deal with.
! Alarm
You cannot leave the [Instant Dungeon]. Either kill the [Boss] or use a [Hearthstone] to escape.
"Hearthstone. Hearth means home, so is it some sort of item that can teleport you out of dungeons?" An ominous breeze whistled up the stairs, carrying with it a malevolent aura. Izuku shivered a bit, but steeled himself. This was nothing compared to the Carthenon Temple. At least here, he might actually have a chance to fight back, instead of dancing to the tune of the cruel Lord like a damned puppet. He gritted his teeth at remembering how helpless he was in that place- how pathetic he was, breaking down like that.
That won't happen ever again. I'll become strong enough that it can't happen. And that means I'll have to kill these monsters… Or they'll kill me.
He wandered down the steps into the underground market that led to the subway. The shops were all closed up, metal shutters and cages blocking their entrances. Weeds grew between moldy floor tiles. The fluorescent lights overhead were varying states of disarray, but enough of them worked that he could still see. He'd need to start keeping a flashlight and some spare batteries in his Inventory for when it got too dark. A strong scent tickled Izuku's nose. It smelled kind of like raw meat, but more… Pungent. Rancid.
A growl resounded from the darkness, and a giant, red-furred wolf came barreling down the corridor, a feral look in its glowing red eyes. Izuku caught sight of the monster's red name tag before it pounced.
[Steel Fang Raikan]
The boy quickly twisted to the side, easily avoiding the monster since it couldn't maneuver in the air. As it passed, Izuku caught a glimpse of the metal wrapped around its lower jaw, like armor.
Steel Fang, huh? Fitting, I guess. Wolf-type enemy. Sharp claws, strong legs, and its bite is probably its best weapon. Canines have sensitive noses, so I should aim for the snout. Tail-pulling might be a good distraction.
Boy and wolf stared each other down from the hallway, until the beast lost its patience and once more rushed him. Izuku was ready to slide to the side again, only to find himself frozen in place.
"Wha-?"
Why can't I move? Am I… Scared?
Distracted as he was, he could only tilt his head to the side when the Raikan lunged, its powerful jaws clacking shut right next to his ears. Izuku followed through the motion, falling out of the way of the claws that threatened to slice him to ribbons. His palm instinctively slapped against the ground, pushing him into a handstand. Dumbfounded, the green-haired teen lost his balance, landing on his shoulders with his ass in the air.
How did I do that?
He pushed himself into the air using nothing but his arms, easily clearing double the Raikan's height. The beast slammed into the shutter he had been leaning against just a moment ago.
My body feels so light. Is it because I've been putting all my points in Strength?
Izuku landed in a crouch, straightening up as the wolf dug itself free from the metal it crashed into, glaring at him hatefully. It charged once more, but this time, Izuku didn't freeze. Instead, he reared back with a fist, and slammed it straight into the Steel Fang Raikan's black nose.
With a whimper, the wolf went flying back into the same shutter, bending the metal like a meteor hit it. Izuku stared at his outstretched hand in shock.
This… Is 19 Strength? It's more powerful than most Physical Enhancement Quirks!
The Steel Fang Raikan stood up once more, but it seemed dazed, stumbling about awkwardly and tripping over its four legs. Unwilling to give up the advantage, Izuku approached it cautiously, wary of it freaking out and suddenly slashing him. Instead of blindly attacking, though, it fell over. Izuku leaped on the opportunity, and slammed a fist into the monster's skull. Once, then twice, then three times, each heavy blow rattling his opponent's skull. Finally, on the fifth strike, bone gave way, and Izuku's fist ended up buried wrist-deep in the Raikan's lupine brain. The boy grimaced as he wiped his stained fingers on the dead beast's fur, then took a step back, shaking out his stinging knuckles.
"I killed it, but…" He stared at the deep crimson on the back of his hand.
It's not my blood. Not my blood, not my blood, not mine not mine not mine not-
He clenched his fists.
"That was too inefficient," he mumbled. "Wolves usually hunt in packs. Encountering a lone one like this was probably a rare occurrence that I shouldn't count on. Trying to brute force my way through this dungeon isn't going to work. Punching it in the nose worked well to stun it, but I doubt I'll be able to do it to all of them. I need to aim for more vulnerable spots. Joints are no good, because it'll put me too close to the claws. I might be able to dig out a few of their eyes, but those are small targets, and the focus required for that level of precision might make me vulnerable to the rest of the Raikans. I should've put a few more points into Sense to increase my reflexes and reaction time, but then I might not have even been able to kill this one… What should I do?" Izuku's lips twisted around a few times, unable to decide what expression to make. Finally, he groaned frustratedly. "This would probably be so much easier if I had a weapon," he murmured.
Ding!
! Alarm
You have defeated [Steel Fang Raikan]
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
Izuku blinked. "Really? It only took one kill to Level Up? Status." He took a moment to peruse his increased stats. "Looks like everything increases by one. I get 3 points from the Daily Quest, and 5 from Levelling up." His health had also increased to 205, from the original 100. He tilted his head in consideration. "So either one Vitality gives 100 HP, and Level Up gives another 5, or it's the other way around. I'm leaning more towards the first, since otherwise there'd be no point in raising Vitality, because the only way to increase HP would be by Levelling Up."
! Message
Your [Rewards] for defeating [Steel Fang Raikan] have arrived.
Would you like to accept?
"Accept."
Item: [Raikan's Fang] (3)
Item Class: E
Type: Material
A large and sharp fang of a [Steel Fang Raikan]
You can sell this item in the [Store]
Izuku held the metal tooth in one hand, tapping his chin with the other. "Material, huh? Does that mean there's a crafting system? Would I be able to make a weapon out of this stuff?"
! Message
A new [Quest] has arrived
! Quest Directions
[Crafting Quest]
Goal:
[Incomplete] Collect 20 [Raikan's Fangs] to craft a weapon [3/20]
"That's… Convenient. Does the System respond to my needs? Well, if it can make pocket dimensions like this place and the Penalty Zone, then I guess it's pretty easy to do something like this. Also, what's the Store?"
Another screen popped up, this one listing a large amount of items. Izuku scrolled through them for a moment, before dismissing it. "I don't have enough money to buy any of that stuff." Surprisingly enough, the Store used Yen, but Izuku's paltry allowance had mostly gone towards Hero merch. He was probably going to sell that stuff soon- looking at it left a bad taste in the back of his throat, as if bile was trying to fight its way out of his stomach. It was not a pleasant sensation when one was trying to sleep.
Izuku shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about trivial things like that. He could hear the clacking of nails on tile, the growls of more wolves approaching as they smelled the blood and gore of their brethren. Izuku inhaled, then exhaled deeply, centering himself. He opened his eyes, and saw about two dozen Raikans loping down the hall, snarling at him.
Fiercely.
The pack howled as one, their intention to hunt clear.
Fight fiercely.
Izuku roared right back.
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
! Alarm
You have completed the [Crafting Quest]
! Message
Your [Rewards] for completing the [Crafting Quest] have arrived
Would you like to accept?
"Accept," Izuku panted, lungs burning.
Quest Rewards
Claim your [Rewards]
1- Kiba
2- Crafting Recipe: Kiba
"Accept all." Light flashed, and suddenly, Izuku was holding a sword in his hand. It was a slim, double-sided blade akin to a saber, with two curved protrusions- one near the top of the blade, and one more towards the middle. They were shaped like the fangs of the Raikans, hence the name. "This is going to help a lot," Izuku muttered, dragging the blade along the floor behind him.
Item: [Kiba]
Item Class: E
Type: Sword
Attack: +5
A sword made from [Raikan] fangs
Levelling Up reduced his Fatigue, which was the only thing that had kept him going during that fight. His Strength was now at 25 and the rest of his stats at 15. Every point helped, Izuku had realized. He was dodging faster, moving easier, hitting harder. He'd need it, if he was going to kill the Boss.
The scraping of his sword on the stone echoed through the halls, and Izuku wasn't surprised when he turned a corner to find dozens upon dozens of Raikans waiting for him at the subway's turnstiles. Something was different, though.
Their name tags were white.
! Alarm
You have earned the [Title]: Wolf Slayer
[Title]: Wolf Slayer
A [Title] given to a Hunter proficient in defeating wolves.
40% increased stats when fighting against Beast-type monsters.
A monkey from above, and a cat from each side.
He thrust his sword straight up, impaling the Razor Claw Briga, then ripped the blade out sideways, bringing it down upon the left Black Shadow Razan's head, cleaving its skull in two. Continuing the motion, he whirled around, decapitating the remaining cat. Three corpses hit the ground at the same time. Izuku flicked the blood off the Kiba.
"I'm not getting any more experience from these monsters," he muttered. "That's probably because their name tags are all white now. Color must mean their difficulty level. The Raikans used to be orange, meaning medium, and the Centipedes from the Penalty Zone were all red- hard. Status."
Level: 15
HP: 1570
MP: 150
Strength: 33
Agility: 24
Vitality: 24
Intelligence: 24
Sense: 24
"My stats have risen so much, but… I don't know if I'll be able to handle whatever's down there."
He stood at the top of the staircase descending to the subway tunnels. An intense pressure floated up to brush against him, trying to creep into his lungs and strike fear into his heart. Izuku tightened his grip on the leather-wrapped hilt of the Kiba.
"There's no choice. I won't get stronger by fucking around up here. Let's get this over with," he whispered. He began the long- longer than he remembered- journey to the bottom of the dungeon, and stared at the ruins he found himself in. "Is this really Musutafu Station?" he murmured, observing the flora sprouting up all over the place, and the water flooding the ground. It looked like a swamp.
It was only because his Sense was so high that he managed to raise the Kiba in time to block the attack that slammed into him from out of nowhere. It was farg stronger than him, though, so the only thing Izuku could do was keep his sword between him and whatever this thing was. It slammed him into a wall so hard the concrete cratered, and Izuku hacked up blood. The green-haired boy fell to the floor, coughing harshly, lungs spasming. His right hand felt light. He looked down, and-
The Kiba was snapped in half.
I would've died if that hit me head-on.
He climbed to his feet, leaning heavily against the shattered wall. "I thought I got stronger, but… Your name's still orange."
[Swamp's Ruler, Blue Poison Fangs Rasaka]
The Boss. It was a giant, blue-scaled snake, with glowing orange eyes. Its long, forked tongue flickered out, tasting his despair and savoring his trepidation. It unhinged its jaws and roared at him, exposing fangs longer than the Kiba when it was whole.
A sword won't pierce those scales. Punches won't work, either. My only choice is to aim for the two exposed soft spots; the eyes… And inside the mouth.
He discarded his broken blade and leaped out of the way of a tail swipe, only for Rasaka's serpentine body to slam down in front of him, blocking any further retreat. The tail caught up, and Izuku barely spun out of the way, the scales grinding against his skin. Miraculously, he wasn't gutted like a fish, but it still hurt. The front of his tracksuit was now sporting a huge gash, but Izuku ignored it.
"Craft Kiba!" he shouted, hoping the System would activate. A moment and a flash of light later, a new sword appeared in his hand, just in time for him to deflect another pass by Rasaka's scale. It took all his strength, and then some, but he managed to angle the snake's body away from him, giving himself a bit of breathing room. He vaulted over another segment of the Boss' thick body, using his as a launching pad to leap for its head. With a roar of exertion, he flipped his grip on the Kiba, holding it like an icepick, and jammed it straight into Rasaka's left eye.
The serpent roared out a grating hiss, thrashing wildly and dislodging Izuku, who managed to keep his grasp on his weapon. The teen went skidding along the ground, rolling a few times before he finally stopped himself, flipping to his feet. He ignored the aching in his body with years of practice due to being bullied relentlessly, and watched as Rasaka stopped flailing. The monster glared hatefully at the one who took half its sight.
With a seething rumble, the snake darted at Izuku, who set his stance and stood his ground, holding his sword in front of him, both hands wrapped tightly around the hilt. Waiting, for the perfect opportunity.
It came moments later when Rasaka's razor fangs bore down upon him. Thin as he was, Izuku barely managed to slip between the gap in the teeth, and stab the Kiba up into the roof of Rasaka's mouth, piercing its brain. The snake died instantly, but its momentum sent its corpse crashing into Izuku, bringing both to the floor.
In the resulting tumble, something pierces Izuku's arm, and he cries out in anguish. It tears deep, carving muscle and separating arteries. His side becomes uncomfortably warm, and the scent of iron fills the air.
I'm bleeding.
The realization hits him like a punch in the gut, and he can't breathe.
My blood.
His pulse races, forcing more and more ichor to flow out onto the concrete.
My-
Ding!
! Alarm
A harmful substance has been detected in your body.
3, 2, 1… Cure Poison has activated
[Effect]: Poison is fading
! Alarm
You have defeated [Swamp's Ruler, Blue Poison Fangs Rasaka]
! Alarm
You have Levelled Up!
You have Levelled Up!
You have Levelled Up!
! Message
Your [Rewards] for defeating [Swamp's Ruler, Blue Poison Fangs Rasaka] have arrived
Would you like to accept?
The slew of screens gave him something else to focus on, and Izuku would be forever thankful for that moment of clarity. It granted him the fortitude he needed to plant his feet against the roof of the corpse's mouth, and shove it off him, screaming as the fang was pulled out of his arm. He'd Levelled Up while the tooth was still in his arm, so it couldn't close the wound, but he didn't feel quite so lightheaded anymore.
"Accept," he rasps. He needs to ignore the crimson staining the floor beneath his feet, or he'll have a mental breakdown.
Item: [Rasaka's Venom]
Item Class: A
Type: Potion
A pouch that contains [Rasaka]'s purified venom. Obtainable by defeating [Rasaka]. Drinking it will give the Player hardened skin, at the cost of decreased strength.
-Effect: Permanent [Buff] Rasaka's Steel Scales
-20% physical damage
-Effect: Permanent [Debuff] Weakened Muscles
-35 Strength
Item: [Rasaka's Fang] (2)
Item Class: C
Type: Dagger
Attack: +25
A dagger made from [Rasaka]'s fangs. Able to [Paralyze] due to leftover poison. Grants [Bleed] effect. Can be equipped, stored, or sold.
-Effect: [Paralyze]
A chance to make enemies unable to move
-Effect: [Bleed]
A chance to make enemies lose 1% HP per second
"Wait, Cure Poison? Since when did I have a skill like that?" Another screen pops up, as if the System is answering his question.
Passive [Skill]: Longevity
All diseases, poisons, and [Status Effects] are healed, and sleeping exponentially increases regeneration
Izuku pulled the sack of venom out of his Inventory. "So, if all Status Effects are healed… Then shouldn't the debuff from this thing be removed?" he wonders. After a moment of thoughtful silence, the teen shrugs. "Only one way to find out," he mutters, and drains the pouch. It tastes a bit sour, but it goes down easily enough.
A harmful substance has been detected in your body
3, 2, 1… Cure Poison has activated
[Debuff]: Weakened Muscles is fading
"Good thing that worked, or I would've been left with negative 2 Strength," Izuku chuckled nervously. "Now, what are these daggers?" He pulled the weapons out of his Inventory, examining them closely. They were, in a word, beautiful. The handles looked to be made for him, easily molding into his palms, and despite the smooth, scaly texture, they were incredibly comfortable and had a lot of grip. The blades glinted menacingly in the malfunctioning lights of the dungeon, serrated towards the base, and growing into a wicked curved point at the tip. It also extended down over his knuckles a fair amount. Izuku flipped them into an icepick grip and tightened his fists around the hilts, settling into a lowered stance. He straightened up a moment later.
"Yeah, I could get used to these."
! Alarm
The [Boss] has been slain. The [Instant Dungeon] will revert to normal
The ceiling cracked open, and began peeling back, revealing clean floor and ceiling tiles. The water and weeds disappeared, as did Rasaka's corpse, and the Musutafu Station that Izuku knew replaced the dingy sight. He didn't think he'd ever be able to see it the same way again.
The teen was lucky nobody was here at the moment. Izuku glanced down at his wounded right arm. It barely even stung, but the sleeve of his mint-green tracksuit was ripped and completely stained red- not that the rest of him wasn't looking too hot, either. He forced back a wave of nausea, and quickly hurried up the steps, exiting the station. On the surface, he found the answer to his questions.
A man with a Gigantification Quirk was rampaging down the street. Izuku vaguely recognized him from earlier in the week.
"Isn't that the guy Mount Lady subdued for her debut?"
Something was different, though. He was more wild, more violent. It looked like he was even bigger than last time, and his skin was some shade of purple-black. A Quirk Mutation? Or, that Trigger drug that was going around? Probably the latter, if the unhinged look in the man's eye as he crushed the side of a building in his massive fists, then threw the rubble in the direction of the Heroes on scene was any indication. Kamui Woods used his Arbor to pull him out of the way, while Death Arms hunkered down behind his powerful arms. Mount Lady, who was behind the Villain, tried going in for a Canyon Cannon, but the Villain caught her by the ankle and swung her over his head like a ragdoll, sending her crashing into a building and completely demolishing it.
If this guy's not stopped soon, a lot of people are gonna be hurt. They might have evacuated the surrounding area, but it's basically a race against time. If the Heroes can't keep him contained until backup arrives…
Ding!
! Message
[Quest: Be A Hero] has arrived
Izuku blinked. "What? Now? Open Quest."
! Quest Directions
[Be A Hero]
Goal:
[Incomplete] Help the Heroes take down the Villain before more people get hurt
[Warning] Failure to complete this [Quest] will result in civilians dying
A chill ran down Izuku's spine. "Did… Did the System create this situation? Or is just taking advantage of it?" He couldn't rule out either possibility. Not when the System had the power to create pocket dimensions, and form items and monsters out of nothing. Izuku shook his head. "Whatever the case, I can't just leave this alone. I'm not a Pro, so I might get arrested if I intervene. It's technically not Vigilantism if I don't have a Quirk, but that's not something I wanna test. I have to help without being seen." He glanced around, looking for something, anything, that he could use. His new daggers would be useless because of the range constrictions. His eyes fell upon the thick chunks of concrete littering the ground.
"...It might work." He jogged over, and scooped up a piece of rubble about the size of his head. It was surprisingly light- though maybe that was just his 36 Strength talking (he'd Levelled Up three times for killing Rasaka). Izuku reared back, clenching the muscles in his arms, but careful not to pulverize his cement baseball.
Maybe I'm just imagining it, or maybe it's Sense, but… This guy's nowhere near as tough as Rasaka.
He threw the chunk, and it whistled through the air, before impacting with the Giant Villain's forehead with the force of a tank round. The huge man went down like a house of cards, and the Heroes stared in shock for a solid few seconds. By the time the police officers began searching for whoever interfered, Izuku had slipped away, jogging back home.
Maybe I did get a bit stronger.