In a single moment Izuku Midoriya's lifelong dream shattered. "It's not bad to dream. But you also have to consider what's realistic. Pros are always risking their lives. Without power can one become a hero... I don't think so. If you want to help people becoming a police officer is always an option. Those villain custody officers are often mocked... but they too help others. It's not wrong to dream kid, but you need to be realistic."
With those final words the shriveled, deflated form of the #1 Pro Hero and Izuku's lifelong idol left leaving a broken teen alone on the rooftop. Moments after All Might's departure Izuku collapsed to his knees. He couldn't do it. His hero, the man he'd looked up to all his life and wanted to be like more than anything in the world told him his dream was impossible to achieve.
As his mind repeated the words over and over, an explosion in the distance caught Izuku's attention. 'A villain,' he thought eagerly, jumping to his feet he raced towards the door that accessed the roof. 'I wonder what hero will show up?'
As he reached for the knob All Might's words echoed through his head, 'It's not wrong to dream kid, but you need to be realistic.' As the saying died away, so too did Izuku's desire to see the fight. Instead of a frantic fanboy running to see the action and heroes at work the door opened instead for a green haired teen whose mind was turned inwards rather than outwards.
A wheezing laugh drew the attention of a bald mustached doctor to his patient. The darkened room covered the patient's body in shadows hiding the majority of him from view. If one had been able to make him out they would have seen a large man in a black business suit sitting on a similarly colored plush chair like a king on his ornate throne. The faint pale blue glow of computer screens illuminated the remnants of the man's face, a mask of scar tissue with no visible eyes, nose, or ears to be seen although the outlines of what could have once been eye sockets were visible if you looked closely. Attached to the patient was a wide variety of medical equipment, some fed him nutrients and liquids while others monitored his vitals. Strapped over his mouth and where a nose would have been was an oxygen mask that slightly dulled the man's laughter.
"Is something wrong, my lord?" the doctor asked, concerned.
"No, no, my old friend," the patient wheezed as his faint chuckles died away. "It just seems like my entertainment for the day is quite, unique." The doctor didn't comment more than willing to let the conversation, if it could be called that, die. He'd served his master for several decades and not even he knew all the abilities his lord possessed. Nor did he know what it was that his master deemed 'special' although it would have to be quite unique if it not only caught his master's attention but retained it. All that the former doctor Kyudai Garaki better known to the public as Daruma Ujiko knew was that after his master's mortal enemy had injured him his lord had taken to watching the city of Musutafu through its security cameras with use of a quirk. The doctor assumed he did so since that was where U.A. was located, the school that turned out HIM and allowed his master to look for any quirks he might desire among promising students.
With a final check of the machines that surrounded his master the doctor stood up, picking up the lab coat on the back of a nearby chair he threw it over his shoulders as he prepared to leave. "If you're alright then I'm going to go. I have a job that I need to show up to every now and then if I don't want to lose it." he said looking towards the back of his master's chair
The patient waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder. "A question before you leave me, is the mask you made ready for use?"
The question stopped the doctor in his tracks as his mind whirred, was his master planning to go out? If he was the doctor could only assume it was for HIM. Choosing his words carefully he answered, "It should be ready for casual use. However I don't know how well it will hold up in a fight, especially against HIM. I wouldn't recommend using it for another 10 months; there's still too many tests I want to run. However if you're determined to go out then it should more than suffice for a few hours." The doctor saw no sign of acknowledgement but knew that his message had been heard. Turning he left the room closing the door behind him leaving the scarred man alone with the medical equipment and computer screens.
Once the patient had confirmed that the doctor had left the building he pressed a small button on a remote that rested next to his chair that would broadcast his voice to a small bar in Kamino ward. "Kurogiri, come to me. I may require your services." Knowing that his order had been heard and would be obeyed the patient leaned back in his chair as he returned his focus to the mess that was developing in the city where heroes were born. The 'show' he'd been watching so far was good but as he watched a young blond haired man get attacked by a villain with a slime quirk he couldn't help but grin. His damaged vocal cords ached as he laughed again, "What are you going to do now, All Might?"
'He still can't face reality, even though he's a third year in junior high.' Izuku flipped a page in his notebook from Kamui Woods to Mt. Lady.
'It's time for you to start seriously thinking about your future.' Another flip, this time from Mt. Lady to All Might's signature.
'Without power can one become a hero... I don't think so. It's not wrong to dream kid, but you need to be realistic.' The last memory hurt the most and caused Izuku to finally close his journal so he could stare at the burned and well worn cover still covered in ash and smelling like smoke from the abuse heaped on it earlier that day.
'Even a top pro said it,' Izuku thought sorrowfully, lifting an elbow to his face he sniffled as his eyes began to water. 'No don't cry. You knew, didn't you? Deep down, the reality. You knew. That's why you tried so hard. You were averting your eyes, not wanting to confront the truth you already knew.'
An explosion across the street caused Izuku to look up in confusion. Seeing the smoke and flames his brain came to the obvious conclusion, 'Is this where the explosion earlier was? Wait...does that mean I came out of habit without noticing?'
Hating himself for what he was doing Izuku crossed the street and struggled through the crowd to get to the front. 'Stop it.' He kept pushing, 'Don't do this to yourself.' However when he reached the front of the crowd and caught sight of the villain Izuku couldn't help but freeze in shock. The slime villain who'd tried to attack him was there which meant he'd escaped All Might. But All Might had captured him; how could he have escaped, unless…when he latched onto All Might, 'It's my fault.' Izuku thought his own self-loathing growing in agreement at the realization. 'I let him escape. All this chaos, the damage, all the injuries and destruction they were all caused because of me.'
A voice from a nearby civilian caught his attention, "Why aren't the heroes doing anything?" a man complained.
"Apparently the villain took a junior high student as a hostage. The pros don't want to endanger him so they're currently holding back." his friend replied.
Hearing that Izuku froze, 'Because of me, someone's in danger.' He had done the exact opposite of what a hero should do, instead of helping people he had endangered them and now someone had to experience the sheer terror Izuku had felt as slime flowed down his throat and up his nose suffocating him. It was at that moment Izuku, truly, for the first time in his life gave up on his dream. With a detachment even he couldn't explain, Izuku turned to look back on the scene and watch the heroes in action. After all it wasn't like he could do anything, he was just a quirkless Deku with an impossible dream that he would never be able to reach because of something he never had a say in. He should just watch from the sidelines like the extra he was.
But the heroes weren't doing anything. While it was clear that the heroes were protecting the civilians in case the Sludge Villain turned his attention towards them they weren't making any attempts to try to help the hostage. Death Arms stood there a look of frustration on his face. Mt. Lady arrived but couldn't get close due to how narrow the road was. Kamui Woods was rescuing and extracting civilians but he couldn't get close to the fires since he was made out of wood. Meanwhile Backdraft was putting out fires in the nearby buildings although the flames sprang back up almost as soon as he doused them since he needed to turn his attention to other fires to try and keep them from spreading since the fire department was nowhere in sight. Death Arms had attempted to punch the villain but after failing to damage him due to the villain's fluid body he'd dropped back to protect civilians.
'I'm sorry,' Izuku mentally called out to the villain's captive. 'I'm so sorry. Hang in there, someone will come to save you.' As he finished his mental call the slime villain spun around giving Izuku his first view of it's hostage. It was Katsuki Bakugo. "Kaachan," Izuku whispered softly.
Almost as if he heard the faint whisper of his name Katsuki turned to look at the crowd although to Izuku they seemed to lock onto him. The next thing Izuku knew he was past the heroes running towards his bully.
"Idiot! STOP!" He heard Death Arms yell after him but Izuku kept going.
Hearing the voice the Sludge Villain turned to look at the approaching boy, "You…" the villain called out angrily but Izuku didn't hear, caught up in his own thoughts.
'Why did I run out? What am I doing? WHY?!'
His inner turmoil was interrupted by the villain as he brought his arm back yelling out, "Die in an explosion!"
'What do I do?! What do I do at a time like this?!' His mind moved through his hero journals latching onto something he'd written about one of Kamui Woods moves:
Pre-emptive Binding Lacquered Chain Prison:
Quickly stretch out arms (vines) to make the opponent flinch back, then use the opening to restrain them.
He didn't have vines for arms but he did have something that could make the villain flinch. With a spin Izuku took off his backpack using the spin to add more force to his throw as he chucked it at the villain aiming for it's eye. 'Take that,' he thought as the backpack soared through the air, its contents billowing out. The backpack didn't hit the villain in the eye but one of his class notebooks did, causing the sludge villain to flinch back as he roared with pain. The sludge retreated off Bakugo's face leaving the blond bully coughing and gasping as he spat out sludge and took in large mouthfuls of air. "Kaachan," Izuku called as he reached the villain. He desperately began to claw at the slime in a fruitless attempt to free his tormentor.
"Why are you here?" Bakugo called out angrily his hands and eyes smoldering.
"My legs moved on their own! I don't know why though!" Flashes of the past ran though Izuku's head, 'There are probably many reasons,' he realized almost calmly, 'but at that moment I did it because...' "It looked like you were asking for help." Tears sprang to Izuku's eyes as he said it but he tried to imitate All Might's grin, the one that he'd seen time and time again for years that had comforted him on his darkest days.
"Don't get in my WAYYYYYY!" the sludge villain screamed, having recovered from Izuku's earlier attack to his eye. With a roar of anger he drew back his arm to send the greenete flying. Seeing the blow that was coming the heroes launched themselves forward determined save the green haired boy, but before they could reach him an explosion rang out dousing the area in smoke. As it cleared onlookers could see Izuku with his eyes clenched shut, his hands shielding his head, remarkably uninjured.
Opening his eyes surprised at the lack of pain Izuku looked up to see his idol standing before him for the second time that day. "Pathetic," the Symbol of Peace growled audible only to Izuku. "Even though I admonished you, I didn't put what I said into practice! Pros are always risking their lives?! Then where was I?!" Drawing back his arm All Might yelled the name of his signature attack, "DETROIT SMASH!" the sheer force of the attack sent the Sludge Villain splattering against a wall while All Might hung onto the two teens to keep them from being blown away with him. The heroes huddled with civilians doing their best to shield them, as those outside the mall looked over to see a miniature tornado form in the air. After a few seconds the wind died down leaving everyone staring in awe at the power commanded by the #1 hero. As they stood in stunned silence a sudden rain began to fall.
Death Arms looked up to see the clouds in the air spinning around where the tornado had been. As he watched the sky began to darken and a faint drizzle began to fall.
"Rain?" One citizen asked holding out a hand.
"Don't tell me it's from the wind pressure just now."
"An updraft developed and then..."
'With one punch... he changed the weather. Is this, the power of the #1?' Death Arms wondered, looking at the hero in question with no small amount of awe.
No one noticed the small half-step back All Might took or the look he shot over his shoulder at a green haired boy lying on the ground behind him. No one noticed, except a man with no eyes watching the scene through a screen. 'So that's the one who motivated you to keep going All Might. To go, Plus Ultra was it? Yes he would make a great successor but not for you, All Might; no not for you. I've already stolen away your master's grandson but he has not... turned out as I had hoped.' the man thought stroking his chin.
'This boy may be difficult but I saw you crush his dreams and heroes don't like it when others interfere in their business, try to do their job for them.' At that the man began to laugh slowly at first but louder as his mind continued to race, 'Did you know I've watched him All Might. Yes I've watched him before you even knew he existed. The boy is quirkless after all; how could I not watch someone so rare now a days. He's bullied you know, and by none other than the very boy he tried to save! The one who told him to, what was it again? "Take a skydive off the roof and pray you get a quirk in the next life," yes something like that. He would have made a great hero even without a quirk but you, the one he admires most, destroyed his dream. Hah. He has nothing left other than his mother and I know quite a few pro heroes who would love to do me a favor so they could get out of my debt. If she was to disappear and the boy saw a hero do it, well I believe he might just be willing to go down a darker path. One that let him take his anger and hatred out on a world that has never cared for him.' The man's laugh died away becoming only the occasional chuckle as he ran through plan after plan using the quirks that increased his brain power to determine the odds of success each had.
Standing behind the man, a being composed of purple mist watched the screen as heroes began to lecture the green haired boy who snuck occasional glances towards All Might who was being questioned by reporters. A few feet away from the greenete was the boy who'd been held hostage although it appeared he was being praised not only by heroes but by reporters and civilians as well. The mist man was probably the only one who saw the glare the blond shot at his attempted rescuer before he looked back at the ground.
"Katsuki Bakugo, a classmate of Izuku Midoriya." The mist man turned to see his master staring at him despite his lack of eyes.
"I'm sorry?"
"That's the name of the blond child who was taken hostage. His quirk Explosion seems to be quite powerful but it would be useless to me; one of my current quirks regulates my body temperature so I can survive temperature extremes but I became unable to sweat as a side effect. It seems that young Bakugou's quirk allows him to set his sweat alight although it may only be his hands."
"Master, if you are interested in the child do you want me to kidnap him?" The mist man didn't particularly care either way. The blond boy seemed edgy somehow, and he would never be able to stop his master even if he wanted to. He mentally sighed, he had no idea why his master had called for him but he could only hope that he was allowed to go back before Tomura completely dusted the bar. It was always a pain in the ass to clean up even if all he typically did was teleport the dust to the middle of the nearest ocean and call Giran for a replacement.
"Maybe some other time, Kurogiri. Instead I have thought of a way to test Tomura to see if he truly is worthy of being my successor. If he passes he will no doubt have grown more than he has thus far under my, supervision…" the seated man trailed off.
"And if he fails?" Kurogiri asked in a voice that hid both his annoyance and curiosity. Where was his master going with this?
"Then I will have a new successor, one who even now is looking for a new goal to set his eyes upon someone to look up to."
"Is it the blond one, Bakugo?" Kurogiri asked. The boy had quite the quirk Kurogiri had to admit, and if the feeling the boy was giving off even through a screen was right, he also came with quite the temper. But something about the boy made Kurogiri dislike him it was as if-
His master's growl made the Kurogiri shiver in fear causing patches of mist to break off and float away. "No you fool, not him. I already have one emotional cannon as a successor, I don't need two! No, no, no, I mean the other boy. I've observed him every now and then, he might not have a quirk but he makes up for it using his head. I even got a glimpse inside of one of those notebooks he carries around with him once. His quirk analysis are quite advanced. He is easily at my level, some quirks he might even surpass me in analysis."
Kurogiri shivered slightly, his master was a genius always five moves ahead while his opponents never saw more than two. The only being that could possibly rival his intellect was the creature U.A. kept as a principal but for this boy to have the potential to be as smart as the two geniuses; it was horrifying to think about.
"So what are we going to do? I assume you wish to see him since you summoned me."
The evil smile he received took every bit of self-control Kurogiri had to keep from flinching. Thankfully he'd had years of practice but when his master broke out that grin it meant something major was going to happen. "You're so very right, my dear servant. I do wish to meet the boy, in fact I'll be going with you to see him."
That froze Kurogiri in his tracks. His master was leaving! He hadn't done so in years and in the back of his mind Kurogiri had begun to faintly hope that he may be permanently stuck there, similar to how demons were sealed away in those games Tomura was always playing due to their power. He mentally shook his head to clear his thoughts while he turned back to the screen which his master had frozen on the greenete in question. As he looked at the boy Kurogiri could feel nothing but pity for him. Whoever this boy, this Izuku Midoriya was Kurogiri only hoped that he was able to appease his master, otherwise everything the child cared for and loved would soon vanish as if it had never been there at all.
Author's Note:
Yeah, yeah I know the prologue was stolen almost straight from the anime but I had to make it clear straight off the bat that Katsuki was the bad guy and Izuku was the victim otherwise Izuku's attempt to rescue him wouldn't have much of an impact. This chapter was more focused on All for One and his interest in Izuku as well as painting All Might as a bad guy since he crushed the cinnamon rolls dreams. All Might still wants to make Izuku his successor but yeah that ain't happening. This is a V. Izuku that focuses on him being a sociopathic genius criminal mastermind (just like yours truly) and growing his power and influence over time not him going nuts with the greatest weapon the heroes have. Anyway I'm not giving it to Katsuki either although Mirio's a likely option. Anyway next chapter is Izuku actually joining AFO and as for his harem I'll give you a clue, the first girl in it is Momo.
-D'yavol Lucifer 3:)