There is still plenty of summer heat left, but here is a cool chapter to make it more bearable. Time to ad some more plot.
.
Comments:
GreyMask 57: You are going to love the next many chapters.
siddarthshreedhar: Yes, he does, but only one thing.
.
.
Proofread by 3DPhantom
Chapter 12: a New Plan
Izuku was a bit bummed when Shinso took a different train after the high school fair, but at least they had exchanged numbers and he could still walk with Ida… It felt different than usual, better. He was more relaxed around Ida despite still having a mountain of secrets to keep from the taller teen. His more concerning thoughts raised their ugly head only as Izuku came back home alone. He had really screwed up talking about his quirk with the UA principal close enough to hear. There was still some time left until his normal training would start, but Izuku didn't want to wait and pulled out his phone, sending a secure message to Kurogiri. A portal opened in the basement gym less than a minute later. He exited the portal at his usual training room next to Kurogiri.
"Your father has not yet arrived, but I will fetch a training Nomu," Kurogiri said.
"No, I need to talk with dad."
"He is still in the medical room to check up on his condition. I can send you there."
"No," Izuku said. "It's close and I don't want to bother you too much. You already help dad and Tomura all day."
"As you wish."
Izuku jogged out of the room and down a dark hallway and eventually into the familiar room where his father kept track of his health. He was just on a computer talking with Tomura apparently when Izuku entered.
"You are early," his father said. "How was the fair?"
"A lot happened and it wasn't all good, though I learned something about All Might too," Izuku said. His father stopped mid motion while putting his collar on. His head turned so his non-existent eyes were staring at Izuku. Izuku was poking the tips of his index fingers together and looking away.
"I may have talked with him, and the principal of UA… who now knows about my quirk."
"We'll that was a quick game over," Tomura snickered on the other side of the computer screen. Through the screen Izuku could see he was in the bar and Kurogiri was already there too.
"You should sit down and start from the beginning," his father said. Izuku quickly explained what had happened from Shinso to the tea moment with Nezu.
"What have I told you about carelessness?" He tsked after Izuku finished. "You talked about your quirk to some of our worst enemies."
"I know. After he first got suspicious, I thought he could find out from quirk registries anyway."
"Yes, at that point talking about your quirk and holding onto your cover story was the right choice, but things would have never gotten to that point if you were more careful."
Izuku didn't say anything, just held his head down. Feeling sorry he almost missed a quick motion and was a bit too late to dodge an air blast from his father. He doubled from an impact on his stomach.
"And it seems that wasn't the only time you were careless today. Remember to always be aware of your surroundings, even when being disciplined."
He shot another blast that Izuku dodged this time. With third he had to vault over an all too familiar hospital bed and the blast still hit his leg, drawing blood. The blasts were stronger than when his father first started this training. It hurt to land on the injured leg, but by the time Izuku got back his balance and checked the wound was gone.
"You are improving, but you cannot always rely on the regeneration to cover for your failures. As for your other actions today, they may not be all bad. We can turn this into our advantage. If All Might is going to teach at UA it narrows down where he can be at any given time. We just need to know exactly where and when beforehand."
"It still wouldn't be easy. UA has ridiculous security," Izuku said.
"Their main campus has, but teachers sometimes leave their school too. With UA there is finally an opportunity to monitor All Might for such opportunities, or you have one."
"Me?" Izuku asked and stared his father.
"As I understood, the principal of UA encouraged you to apply. Since he knows about your quirk, All Might will also know. They will likely try to contact or keep an eye on you as a potential threat, so why not make it easy for them?"
Izuku's eyes widened as he realized what his father was suggesting.
"How would you like to study in the UA Hero Course?"
While Izuku was left speechless, the only sound came from the computer speakers as Tomura almost choked on his drink.
"If All Might is going to teach at UA then the teachers and students are going to have closer access to him and his location than anyone else. It is an unique opportunity, that one of us happens to be in the perfect position to exploit. It is not risk free. They should already suspect connection between us, though All Might most likely believes I am dead."
"But…" Izuku started.
"Are you going to doubt your ability to get in, or you oppose the idea?" His father asked. "Because you don't want to surrender to the system? The first is lunacy. You have defeated Nomus before, most other applicants will not stand a chance in the practical exam, and the written should not be an obstacle for a smart boy like you either. As for the other, infiltrating the hero society is not the same as surrendering to its values or people that wronged you. You might also get to face that Bakugo kid."
Izuku tensed from the mere mention of the name, feeling a strange mixture of anger and fear.
"See, even his name alone still has power over you. That won't do. I could send Tomura to deal with him in your place but that might not solve the issue."
"Sounds like a fun side mission," Tomura said.
"So, I don't have a choice," Izuku said, looking down.
"Of course you have, son. I have left everything in your life for you to choose so far. I am not about to begin with something this risky to you as well as us. If you are to have any hope of success, you must make the decision yourself."
"I'm not sure I'm ready to make it. I mean, I don't know what else to do in terms of school, but UA… It just doesn't feel right, even if I go there only to spy. Not that there is anything special for me in any other schools..."
"Except your friends, well at least the Ida kid. I doubt your newer friend is going to make it to the UA Hero Program without significant help. You could ask what his second choice for a school is if you aren't interested in infiltrating UA, though he might still get to the general studies."
"You are just using them to manipulate me so I would do what you want?" Izuku accused, facing his father directly with irritation creeping onto his face.
"Yes," his father admitted, "though your help with spying on UA isn't the only thing I want. Ever since Inko died I have only seen you smiling or genuinely happy with Kurogiri or talking about Ida and now, Shinso was it? I could hear it in your voice when you were talking about today's events, despite expecting to get disciplined. If they are going to UA, I can't think of a better school for you to go to, for however long it might last. Even if you plan to work with us in the shadows long-term, you should still get a proper education."
Go alone somewhere that might just be another Aldera, or stay with the only friends of his own age in more than a decade while helping his father? The answer was obvious. Izuku had known it long before his father stopped talking. He simply found it hard to say. Going to UA… Being taught by All Might. The thought was disgusting, but it was all to bring down All Might.
"I'll do it, but only if we help Shinso. I want him and Ida around if Bakugo is at UA."
"Unless you want to risk introducing him to a Nomu or Tomura, the training he needs will have to come from you. It might also be good for you to train with someone on a lower level, just so you don't kill someone when you don't intend to."
"You think I could do it?" Izuku asked.
"Certainly, the way you analyse everything you probably have every fighting technique I've taught you memorized with their strengths and weaknesses."
Izuku thought about the three notebooks he had on the topic and thought best not to comment.
"So, we agree then?"
"Yes," Izuku responded with more enthusiasm and started rubbing his chin. "Shinso lives pretty far so it would have to be weekends. Can't ask Kurogiri. Ida could help with the training. I wonder if Shinso's parents would let him stay over. Mutter mutter mutter."
"Tomura, make sure the League is ready for a fight by the time next school year begins. Izuku will get us information. You need to be prepared to use it."
"Yes, sensei."
"Oh right," Izuku snapped out of his muttering. "I am supposed to spy on UA and All Might, but what are we trying to do with that information?"
"End All Might," his father said in a chilling tone, "possibly also take One For All, but end the symbol of peace either way. I made the mistake of allowing One For All to grow stronger before. I will not do it again even if the quirk is lost forever."
"But wasn't it your best chance to get healthy again?" Izuku asked.
"It is one. With One For All's quirk enhancing abilities my more delicate healing and transformation quirks might be able to restore my body as super regeneration would have if I had possessed it before my wounds healed naturally, as well as they could. Unfortunately, the regeneration itself is too blunt of a tool for that now without risk."
"So, there is another way?" Izuku asked.
"Yes, rapidly cut away every damaged part of my body and hope I won't die completely before the regeneration quirk can act. Unfortunately, much of that damage is on my head and lungs. The doctor estimated 60 to 70 percent chance of survival, with a proper surgical team."
"So, you need One For All," Izuku concluded, "and even if we could take it… that would require defeating All Might first. Tomura won't like me for saying this, but I doubt anyone or everyone in his league can do that."
A quiet annoyed huff sounded from the speakers. All For One turned to look at the screen.
"Calm down Tomura. You already knew this. That is what the Nomu are for. The doctor has worked hard to advance past the low-tier ones that Izuku has trained with."
Whatever pride Izuku felt over his performance in recent training sessions with the Nomus faded quite a bit with the reminder that they were "low-tier". He could never help his father defeat All Might himself as long as the only opponents he could barely fight weren't even thought of as middle class.
"You have only trained actively for half a year," his father said as if he had read Izuku's thoughts. "No matter how many quirks you stack up, the amount of time you have to master them will not change. You can have talent or train harder, but that can only help against experience… or genetic modifications to a point."
"I guess…"
"That said, you should get another quirk to keep pushing your limit."
"Maybe, but where? I don't want to just steal a quirk from someone, and I really can't. If someone just loses their quirk anyone who knows about my quirk will suspect me."
"True. That does not apply with someone that will not be around to tell anyone."
Izuku stared at his father as a cold shiver passed through his spine. Tomura muttered something.
"A rather reputable assassin did not take well to your brother's attempt of recruiting him and he tried to kill Tomura. Kurogiri had the presence of mind to capture him much like your kidnappers back then. The doctor is exploring his Nomu potential, but I believe his quirk would suit you well. Right now you lack reach."
"So, what kind of quirk it is?" Izuku asked.
"It is called Hellfire Arrow, an excellent fit with your blades. Depending how you are able to manifest them you might even present them as a single quirk."
"And the person was going to be a Nomu either way?"
"If the operation is successful, otherwise he'll be dead. The doctor can compensate for a missing quirk with a replica, but it is better for you to take the original with your quirk. Kurogiri will take you if you ask."
Even a mention of the nomu made Izuku's lips twitch in a slight smile.
"I don't know how I survived without him. I wish I could pay him back."
"Pay back to a Nomu?" Tomura said and laughed once. Izuku stared at the computer screen annoyed.
"Sounds like you don't want him around. Maybe he should spend rest of the day with me. Kurogiri, come here."
The misty figure walked into a portal in the camera feed and stepped out next to Izuku. Tomura stared where he had been and destroyed a barstool.
"That is fine to me," their father said, "make sure to train with him after getting your new quirk. I will come to the training room after I'm finished here."
"We will."
Kurogiri wordlessly handed Izuku a bottle of lemonade.
"Thank you," Izuku responded with a new smile on his face, "and sorry for ordering you."
"There is nothing to apologize for young Shigaraki. Do you wish to go acquire your quirk now?"
"I'd like us to go get it."
Izuku relaxed as Kurogiri's mist covered him in darkness.