Izuku didn't know how long he spent on the cold concrete floor crying his emerald eyes out. He didn't know how long he knelt there, leaning into Himiko's one armed embrace as the blonde rubbed circles into his back with her sole remaining hand, her eyes looking at his body - shaking as it was raked by heart-wrenching sobs - with a mixture of emotions: worry, pity, fear, but most of all concern. Izuku wasn't aware of All For one raising his hand, a telepathy Quirk silently activating to carry the comatose Yaoyorozu from the floor where she'd been lying to an empty wooden table that rested nearby. All he was aware of was the feelings flowing through him, overflowing with their sheer strength after years of disuse.

After he'd been diagnosed as Quirkless Izuku had begun to distance himself from everyone around him, a process made easier by the fact that his classmates and teachers had begun to treat him like a leper, someone with a disease that they could catch if they weren't careful.

Even his mother, Inko, hadn't been spared as slowly Izuku began to retreat into the confines of his room, hiding the bruises and burns, the result of countless beatings, from the woman's concerned gaze. He'd learned his lesson the first time he'd complained to her showing her a bruise from where he'd been shoved off the playground, scratching his hands and forming a bruise on his arm from how he'd landed. The next day his mother had stormed the school with a fury that reminded young Izuku of the dragons he'd read about in his story books. However while the viridian haired woman might have seemed like a dragon to the young boy to the principal and staff she was nothing more than an annoyance, one that took the form of a small, barely 5'3" portly woman whose best days had clearly been left in the past. All that had come of his mother's tirade had been a lazy reminder from Izuku's homeroom teacher reminding the class that 'bullying was not allowed in the school' so as the man put it looking at them through his wire framed glasses with bored grey eyes, "don't come and complain to me about it unless it's a serious matter."

The message had been clear and even if it hadn't been Bakugo was more than willing to make sure Izuku understood it during free time, this time with the help of the rest of the class who'd each taken their turn to beat the small boy with their little meaty fists or uselessly claw at him with barely developed Quirks, all of which were to weak to do more than put pressure on Izuku's skin, to weak to even from a bruise. Only Bakugo had actually hurt him that day, activating his Quirk and creating an explosion right in Izuku's face. It had been big enough to catch a teacher's attention and for a brief moment Izuku had hoped as they walked over an expression of concern on their face that finally, someone might care enough to check on him, to tell Bakugo to stop and make sure that Izuku was alright.

But it hadn't happened; instead the teacher had merely taken Bakugo's hands in hers and looked them, and the blond, over worriedly while going on about how the explosion could have hurt him, could have damaged his hearing from the noise, or caused his arm to break from the force it exerted since his body wasn't fully adjusted to it. As she'd been preparing to leave to take Bakugo to the nurse to get him checked over Izuku had reached out towards the teacher weakly, his voice speaking the thoughts running through his childish head, "Why? Why won't you help me?"

He'd spoken loud enough for the teacher to hear and as she stood up and began to turn around Izuku could picture it, picture an expression of concern on her face as she came over and apologized saying that she'd merely seen Bakugo first and known he'd activated his Quirk, that she hadn't noticed Izuku due to her focus being on the blond. Izuku could see himself accepting her apology, saying that it was alright before she took both of the boys to the nurse. Bakugo would go back to being his best friend and the others would decide that Izuku could be their friend too everything would go back to how it had been the day before Izuku had been diagnosed and Izuku could put this all behind him as if it were a bad dream.

He could picture it all so clearly that he began to smile a bright childish one filled with hope for the future, but it fell as the teacher turned his way an expression on her face not of concern but of contempt, disgust and only latter would Izuku know that her ire was directed at him. "Why?" Her voice rang out over the green haired toddler like the voice of a god - which to the young boy and most children in general adults seemed to be - filled with scorn and derision, "Why would I help a Deku?" she asked using the nickname Bakugo had started to use for the greenete. She'd left then, left with Bakugo leaving Izuku to lie there in the dirt, his hand still outstretched as his eyes looked blankly at their retreating figures, growing ever smaller. The other children left him alone there on the ground, spreading out and splitting up into groups as they played games with their friends. Everyone had somebody to be with, something to do; everyone that is except for useless, Quirkless, Izuku Midoriya.

When he'd gone home that day his Mom had asked him how it'd gone and for a moment Izuku had hesitated. He wanted to tell her the truth, tell her that despite her efforts things had only gotten worse, that Bakugo had actually used his Quirk on Izuku for the first time only she couldn't see it since Izuku had been a good boy washing the dirt and ash off his face and clothes like the teacher had told him to. He wanted to tell her everything but after a moment of silence he'd flashed her a bright smile, the same one he'd had on his face as the teacher had turned, and then he lied, telling his mother that everything had been just fine. That Bakugo had been annoyed at being reprimanded but that was it and all his other classmates had been nice to him. His mother had smiled at him and returned to making katsudon, Izuku's favorite, humming a quiet tune to herself slightly off key as Izuku retreated to his room.

In the space, darkened from drawn curtains, Izuku had pulled up All Might's debut video - his Mom had taught him how to after his diagnosis in a hopeless attempt to make her son feel better - pausing it on a close up of the man's signature grin as the speakers stopped after uttering the then unranked hero's first words to a chaotic world. As his signature line "I am here," slowly fell away leaving the room silent, Izuku turned to a nearby mirror. Slowly, hesitantly his lips split apart as the greenete smiled, the same one he'd shown to his mother and teacher earlier that day. As he studied his reflection, looking it over, Izuku couldn't help but wonder if his eyes had always appeared so lifeless and dull.

No, he shook his head as he pushed the rising voices of doubt down, everything was fine, he was okay. Eventually everyone would get over his Quirklessness, realize that even if he didn't have a power Izuku wasn't useless, a Deku. Bakugo would realize it and the two could be friends again, go back to the ways things used to be before the visit to the doctor. He could still be a hero, be like All Might. Sure there had never been a Quirkless hero in the decades since the position became an official job. Sure hundreds if not thousands of Quirkless had tried to become heroes, tried to defy the opinion of society, only to often end up critically injured, dead, or heavily traumatized either physically or mentally but that didn't matter. As he restarted the video his jade eyes glued to All Might's muscular form Izuku renewed his resolve to be like the man, to help others, to be a hero.

Back in the present Izuku's shuttering sobs began to die down; they hadn't lasted more than a few minutes but to him they had been the release of years of loneliness, fear, and derision. Izuku took a deep breath, before letting it out. His bottom lip still trembled as he exhaled but to those there, the conscious ones anyways, it was obvious that the greenete was once more taking control of himself, harnessing his emotions.

"Are you alright?" Himiko asked concerned but Izuku ignored her, his gaze silently focused on the seated man who'd both given, and taken, his first Quirk.

"You wish to continue." All For One said, it was not a question though it may have sounded as such, it was a statement.

"Yes."

"And you are… in control?"

"Yes, I apologize for my outburst." Izuku said, bowing his head in apology to those present.

Himiko waved her hand in front of her face as her seemingly permanent blush grew a shade darker, "It's fine," she said with a forced laugh, "I'm always willing to find out more things about my friends."

All For One was silent for a moment, his head lowering a bit in thought before rising to look at Izuku as the greenete rose from his own bow. "It is fine to feel emotions, Izuku," the emperor of darkness spoke, his filtered voice leaking through the mask that rested on his scarred face, "to feel pain, hatred, but also love, happiness, and joy. We may be villains but we are not monsters, not all of us anyway, not completely so to experience emotions, to grow from experiences, success and failures, that is the most human thing of all. Now I believe it is time to give you what you have worked so hard all these months to earn."

As he spoke the man raised his hand and the black goop that had brought the three teens to him appeared from the ground sprouting into a vague pillar that fell away and dispersed leaving the man known as Kai Chisaki in its place. Though he wore the same clothes as the day the Shie Hassaikai had been raided but if one saw the young man now they would certainly not believe him to be the young master of the powerful yakuza group.

Chisaki's dark green jacket was missing entirely from his assembly as was his tie and mask. The sleeves of his black dress shirt were torn off leaving frayed edges that ended just above his elbows and his pants, torn in several places, were dirtied by brown stains and a mysterious dark liquid whose origins was better left a mystery. However the greatest change in the man's appearance were the bandages wrapped around the man's wrists where his arms abruptly ended. Dirtied by dried blood the bandages were beginning to yellow, clearly having not been changed since they'd been roughly wrapped around his arms.

Despite his sudden appearance, and as Izuku and Himiko could attest a brief feeling of suffocation, Chisaki's face remained expressionless, a thousand yard stare in his eyes. He was clearly alive but it was like he was dead, his soul crushed, and Izuku couldn't help but compare it to All For One's description of those who were overwhelmed when given additional Quirks, 'They become little more than mindless dolls; living zombies with no will of their own. Puppets without string; as if their very spirit has fled them.'

"Kai Chisaki," All For One spoke, pausing a moment to give the man in question a chance to speak. When no retort was forthcoming the man continued although he sounded… displeased at the lack of a response. "Do you know why you are here?" ...Nothing.

The sound of All For One's deep filtered breathing filled the room, clearly he was not pleased nor used to those he spoke to not giving him their undivided attention yet Kai Chisaki stood there all the same and did exactly that. A hiss of gas emitted from All For One's mask as the man seemed to force himself to calm down, to reign in his emotions. "It doesn't matter," he said after a moment, "whether you are aware of your surroundings or not. Whether you know who I am or not. All that matters is the power that resides in your body, the power Izuku desires..." As he finished speaking All For One rose from his throne and strode forward reaching Chisaki in three large strides he grabbed the man's forehead with his left hand, "Your Quirk."

Now Chisaki reacted, his blank expression fell away as his eyes regained their focus, peering through the massive hand partially obscuring his vision, his eyes locked onto the dark skull-like mask he could barely make out through the fingers gripping onto him. Tales the old man had told him rushed through Chisaki's head, tales of a demon, an evil with the power to take the power of others. Chisaki had respected that man, respected his abilities, after all in a world overrun by the disease that was Quirks, the power to remove the disease of others had seemed miraculous. In fact it had been the tales of the demon that had given Chisaki the idea to remove Quirks permanently using Eri when the Boss had presented the little girl to him. He'd used his Quirk on the Boss, made him comatose knowing the old man would never approve of his actions. But if the demon with the power to remove power was here for him then didn't that mean…

"No. No. No, no, no, no, no, nO, No, NO, NO, NO!" Chisaki's voice, dry and hoarse from disuse the last few days, rang out through the room as the man began to thrash about. "You can't have it!" he shouted, his eyes wild, panicked. "Not now, not until I cure the world, fix the Boss! You can't do this to me!" Chisaki screamed tears leaking from his golden eyes as he struggled to escape the masked man's hold. However All For One's grip remained firm, unrelenting even as Chisaki raised his amputated arms and began to smash them against his body.

As blood began to flow, soaking through the bandages as the wounds reopened, All For One turned his head to the two looking on, his calm voice drowning out Chisaki's loud shouts. "Izuku come here." All For One ordered and the greenete quickly obeyed, striding forward to stand in front of his mentor even as Chisaki continued to fruitlessly beat against the man's large chest beside him. Reaching out his right arm, All For One rested his hand on Izuku's face and then he activated his Quirk. Izuku had braced himself, prepared himself for the hellish pain he knew that was coming thanks to the first time his Sensei gave him a Quirk but it didn't matter as this time there was no pain. Instead all Izuku felt as Chisaki's Quirk flowed from the young mysophobic man, through the transit that was All For One, and into Izuku was a feeling of coolness, like a glass being refilled with a cold beverage. It was strange and the feeling went on for several seconds before All For One lowered his hand and stepped back; Izuku remained on his feet but Chisaki immediately collapsed, falling onto his knees the former yakuza boss sat on his heels as the thousand yard stare returned to his eyes.

To those watching it was obvious that something within the young auburn haired man had broken, likely irreversibly but no one in the room cared about that as black goop spilled from the man's mouth warping him to wherever All For One desired, instead all the eyes in the room were focused on Izuku who stood there looking at his hands. After a moment he lowered them, turning his gaze to the masked form of All For One who had returned to sitting on his chair, seemingly winded from what little physical activity had been required of him. Izuku knew that his mentor's condition was worsening, that 'walk' he'd been on where he'd met Izuku was now a thing of the past, but to see the man having to rest to recover from merely standing and using his Quirk, it hurt Izuku, especially after all Sensei had done for him.

Izuku was shaken from his thoughts by Himiko who spoke, her voice low, hesitant "I-Izu-kun. Are you alright?"

Izuku turned and flashed the blonde a reassuring smile, "Yes Himiko, I'm just fine."

That seemed to break the blonde's hesitance and she rushed forward wrapping Izuku in a one armed hug as tears leaked from her eyes, the greenete in her grasp stiffening as he screamed mentally in a panic. "I'm so happy," Himiko sobbed, "I-I don't know why but seeing you there with that hand on your face, knowing your past. It's - it's like I was watching you accomplish your dream right before my eyes. An-And as happy as I was I couldn't help but worry that I'd lose you."

Izuku's head turned robotically towards All For One seeking assistance the masked man seemed in no hurry to provide. "Himiko I'm not going anywhere," Izuku reassured the blonde, hesitantly rubbing the back of her head as she buried it into his chest, her tears no doubt staining his shirt. Now this was familiar territory to the boy who'd grown up having to deal with his overly emotional mother. Izuku muttered soft reassuring noises as the blonde let out her fears, her tears, and her loneliness until finally her crying began to die down but even then she seemed in no rush to move her head or step away from Izuku. "H-Himkio," Izuku said after the girl had finally stopped crying for a minute or two, "you can l-let go now."

"Oh, right." the blonde said, backing away with a sheepish smile, her face doing a lighter imitation of Izuku's own.

"Out of curiosity," All For One spoke out, causing the two to turn their attention to him, the 'eyes' of his skull mask locked onto the girl, "what would you have done if Izuku had perished just now?"

"I would have tried to kill you," Himiko replied, her gaze cold and hard as she stared down the century-old villain. "No matter how badly you hurt me if I was able to kill you in the end it would have been worth it."

"Hi-Himi-"

"And if you did kill me?" All For One questioned with a tilt of his head. "If by some miracle you succeeded in killing me and escaping with your life what would you have done then?"

"Kill myself," Himiko said with a shrug, seemingly ignorant of how Izuku looked at her in shock and alarm. "A world without Izuku in it," she shuddered, "that's not a world I want to be in."

"Himiko!" Izuku shouted, grabbing the girl's arms as she turned to look at him startled, "NEVER say that again!" He shook the blonde as he yelled at her "Do you honestly think I would want you to do that? To kill yourself because I'm dead?!"

"B-but Izu-kun-"

"NO BUTS!" Izuku roared with a strength that surprised All For One. He knew about the boy's hatred for society, for it's norms and hypocrisy, for heroes, the ones who'd destroyed both his dream and the one person he cared for. He knew of Izuku's strength of will, to be able to resist the offer for a Quirk so soon after getting a taste of one was no mere feat but to see the boy so charismatic, he grinned under his mask, Izuku would be extraordinary when he was through with him. "No matter what happens Himiko, promise me that you won't kill yourself. That you'll live on without me."

It looked like the blonde wanted to argue but as Izuku continued to stare into her golden eyes the girl's fighting stance fell away, replaced by one of defeat. "Okay," she whispered, her head hung low.

"Promise me."

A moment of hesitation but then, "I promise."

"Thank you," Izuku said sincerely, "that's all I ask."

"So what's it like?" Himiko asked, her deliberate change of the subject fooling no one but the greenete seemed willing to let it go... for now.

"It's different," Izuku said, raising his hands once more to study them. "When I got Air Cannon it was painful, like nothing I'd ever felt before and I could feel it," his eyes seemed to lock onto a distant memory, one only he could see, "feel it as my body physically changed to the Quirk. My cells, blood, tissue, all of the things that me… me were changing and I could feel it all." He paused and a shudder ran through his body before Izuku shook his head as if shaking off a bad dream, "This time though there was no pain-"

"Ah yes," All For One spoke, raising a hand like a child who had something to add to the teacher's conversation. "Through experimenting I and my colleagues found that when I give someone Quirkless a Quirk their body mutates, physically adapts to create a space within their very DNA to hold a Quirk. That space can be filled by whatever Quirk I give no matter how powerful it might be, or it can be left empty should I remove the Quirk. That is why when you received Overhaul there was no pain. You already had the space within you to hold the Quirk; it was just empty until I gave you the power."

Izuku didn't reply, instead studying his hands once more, twisting his wrists to study both sides of them as if by doing so he might be able to see the spot within him where Overhaul now dwelled. After a moment of looking his hands over Izuku turned his head towards his masked mentor, "You told me how to use Air Cannon, taught me the basics of the Quirk, can you do the same for Overhaul?"

Before he finished All For One was already shaking his head no, "Unfortunately not. When I steal a Quirk I gain a basic understanding of how it works but I did not steal Overhaul, it did not pass from the original user to me to you like Air Cannon did rather it was a straight transfer from Chisaki to yourself, I merely acted as the conduit for it to flow through. Overhaul is truly your Quirk now in every sense of the word. It will be up to you to discover how to utilize it, to make it work and then once you have done that, to bend it to your will. Every ability, every power up, all of it will be done by your hands." As the man finished speaking, Izuku stood there, eyes closed, having shut them during the man's speech.

When Izuku opened his eyes he found himself looking, not at All For One, at Himiko, but rather at the other occupant of the room, his gaze having turned towards where she lay unresponsive on a nearby table. He didn't know it but his gaze was firm, full of that same inner strength All For One had come to see more and more often in Izuku the past few months as the greenete's confidence grew. Slowly Izuku took a step, then a second, and slowly but surely the greenete began to make his way over to where the unresponsive girl lay.

"Izuku?" Himiko asked. Her voice sounded clouded, dulled, as if Izuku was listening to it from a distance or from underwater but the green haired boy didn't care not faltering or deviating the slightest from his path.

When he finally reached Momo's side Izuku briefly paused looking at the ravenette girl's body before, slowly, he raised his right hand bringing it down onto the girl's bare shoulder as he closed his eyes. All For One leaned forward eagerly and Himiko too seemed to pay more attention, her look of concern replaced by one of attentiveness. But nothing happened.

After a minute Izuku raised his hand, and turning it over he looked at his palm as if seeking an answer that, to those watching, did not seem forthcoming on the basis that palms, normally, can't talk. "My Quirk," he whispered echoing All For One's words as he lowered his hand once more. Eyes closed Izuku did not see bare shock that crossed Himiko's face, could not tell that behind his skull-like mask All For One's scarred visage broke into a sinister grin, he was unaware of the vein-like throbbing lines that appeared under Momo's skin, quickly spreading across her body.

Rather inside his head Izuku's thoughts were focused on one thing, reaching for the Quirk that now lay inside of him. He'd felt the power as it flowed into him. Felt it spread out as if it was exploring his body before the power flowed back to his hands where it seemed to settle down and rest. The pools of power were there, Izuku could feel them, he just wasn't sure how to access it as he fruitlessly tried again and again to direct the power to heal Momo. 'It's my Quirk,' he repeated mentally to himself, Overhaul was not Kai Chisaki's; it was not All For One's, or Himiko's or anyone else's, it was Izuku's and his alone.

Even then the pool of power that Izuku knew to be Overhaul remained out of reach even as the greenete seemed to time and time again grasp the power only for it to slip away at the last second. It was as if Izuku was in a pool or a lake trying to drain the water with his bare hands only for the water to drain out between his fingers every time he scooped yet Izuku had no other ideas to try.

As the power slipped away from him once more Izuku took a deep breath as he mentally stepped backwards trying to rethink his approach. His mind wandered, grabbing and discarding every bit of information related to Quirk activation Izuku had learned over the years. From videos where heroes discussed using or activating their Quirks to research papers on the topic written by Dr. Tsubasa or Dr. Ujiko each was examined briefly before being tossed aside in favor of a new tidbit. Eventually though, when nothing was immediately forthcoming, Izuku remembered back to the first Quirk All For One had given him, Air Cannon.

'Quirks are like your fingers and toes,' Izuku thought, quoting his masked mentor's words as the man had explained how to use the Quirk, "you control it, it's a part of you. However while some quirks can be used instinctively others need to be used deliberately.' Izuku knew that Overhaul was not an instinctive Quirk, it was clearly deliberate and required the user to activate it, the question and the reason for Izuku's struggles though was how.

Thinking back to Air Cannon once more Izuku pictured the first time he'd used the Quirk, the feeling of the air flowing into his arm through the small hole the center of his palm. Imagining the feeling, wanting the hole to act as a vacuum. Without realising it Izuku's mind flowed to Overhaul he imagined how it would work, how it would break things down only to build them up again better, improved. To heal, to hurt, the possibilities were vast and though it would take time Izuku truly believed with this Quirk, it would truly be possible for him to overhaul the corrupt society he lived in.

Almost without realising it the power of Overhaul flowed through Izuku's hands and in the greenete's head a rough image took shape, one that grew more detailed with each passing moment. It started as a rough outline as a human body that quickly turned feminine in appearance. Another moment and the outline of the body was recognizable as Momo's although it quickly became a detailed copy that Izuku knew instinctively would be indistinguishable from the actual girl.

But the image didn't stop there, within Izuku's head wounds began to form on Momo's nude body (apparently neither clothes nor bandages were recognized as part of the person Izuku used his Quirk on, likely due to Overhaul only working on a single target Izuku hypothesized). Everything from the cuts where her body had hit the wooden walls to scrapes that were already scabbing over to the burns from the explosives the ravenette was replicated in minute detail in Izuku's head. Although some might think that the green haired boy would be embarrassed at seeing his best friend in the nude it didn't phase the young boy; to him the image wasn't Momo, it was akin to looking at a nude mannequin, something inanimate carrying none of the experiences, memories, or soul that made up a person.

As such Izuku had no problem mentally looking over the image of Momo, studying her wounds and injuries. At least he did until his brain began to hurt, Momo's body had become translucent, see through and though Izuku could still make out her exterior features the main part of his mind was focused on what he could now see inside of the girl. Beneath the ravenette's clear skin muscles appeared. It was like he was looking at the muscular system from his school books and with a start Izuku realized exactly what it was. He was seeing Momo's muscular system but just as the thought crossed his mind Momo's muscles became clear as well.

Bones, veins, arteries, organs, tendons, muscles, layers upon layers, every part of the body that comprised the girl known as Momo Yaoyorozu was laid bare before Izuku by the power of Overhaul but the information, the knowledge was overwhelming. Changing each and every microsecond as electrical signals were sent throughout the body, as blood flowed, saliva pooled, her heart beat. Everything was made available to Izuku but there was simply too much of it. Izuku opened his mouth to let out a tortured scream but he couldn't, it was all inside of his head.

Inside his head Izuku's consciousness curled up in a ball, tucking into itself like a turtle in a hopeless attempt to alleviate some of the pain pounding through his head getting worse with every passing moment. 'Focus,' Izuku thought, barely able to organize his mind as he tried to push back the overwhelming rush of information, 'her head. Focus on her head.' Overhaul seemed to respond to his desire and the mental image zoomed in on the girl's head, the rest of the body seeming to fall away taking with it, thankfully, the rush of information as well. Izuku could still see the signals and blood flow in Momo's head but it was manageable, he could stand it.

Though tired and drained, Izuku focused on the image before him, ignoring everything else he forced the Quirk to zoom in on Momo's brain and in a moment he was standing inside of the organ. On all sides of him electrical signals and pulses in the form of little white dots zipped along on neurological pathways. Blood flowed through the carotid and vertebral arteries but looking around Izuku couldn't find what he was looking for; there was no obvious wound, no sign of the trauma that the doctor had said caused Momo's comatose state.

It wasn't until his metaphysical 'eyes' followed a white dot that seemed to disappear for no reason that the boy realised what the problem was.

The only way to describe it was a blob, a red blob of what could only be blood resting almost in the dead middle of the rear of Momo's brain. 'She's hemorrhaging,' Izuku thought in horror as the full scale of what had happened hit him. On his orders Momo had fought, been injured and wounded so badly it was almost a miracle she was still alive. But she wasn't alive, she was dying, bleeding internally in her brain yet even a doctor hadn't been able to notice what was happening. Like a sledgehammer it struck Izuku, if he didn't save Momo now, she would die, he would lose his first friend in years and he would do so because she had done as he had commanded.

'No,' Izuku growled, 'NO! I refuse to let that happen!' Directing his anger at the blob that was killing his friend Izuku grasped at the power of Overhaul and felt the Quirk respond to his will like an eager puppy. Raising his 'hand' Izuku rested it on the spot and directed Overhaul into it. As he watched lines spread from where he was touching until the blob was completely covered and with an iron will, a king's command for the thing before him to be gone, to disappear, to cease the blob broke apart into pieces that vanished like dust in the wind.

Immediately the white dots that had been absorbed by the blob and kept from reaching their intended destination zipped past heading to wherever white dots that represent complicated biological structures went. But Izuku wasn't done yet, the rage still burned within him and he reached out sending Overhaul flowing through Momo's body. Information rushed at him but Izuku pushed it to the side, he didn't need to know everything he only needed to know the irregularities, the things that were there that shouldn't be. He felt it whenever Overhaul came across a bruise, a wound, it was like an error message in his brain telling him 'Hey, something's wrong right here!'

Izuku didn't examine the injuries, he didn't need to, each time one was encountered all he did was direct Overhaul to break apart the wound before rebuilding it complete and healed something the Quirk seemed to know how to do instinctively, like a built in autocorrect except for injuries. Find, breakdown, rebuild. Find, breakdown, rebuild. Again and again the process repeated itself until it became repetitious, routine almost calming in its simplicity and as a result Izuku's burning hot rage, his fear, began to die down, cool under the monotonous nature of his task. As his anger fell away Izuku began to analyze what was happening, and gradually the way Overhaul worked came to him.

He had been mistaken in that Overhaul was two distinct powers: the ability to break things down and then repair them as he desired; it was a singular power. He couldn't repair things, well he could, but only after they were broken down. Overhaul broke things down, disassembled them at the molecular level, that was how Izuku was able to 'see' all of Momo's body, examine it all. He had been breaking it down. It was why Overhaul hadn't responded when he'd first tried to use it to heal the ravenette, he'd been trying to heal her, repair her, he couldn't do that until after he Overhauled her first. Only once something was broken down could it be rebuilt as he desired, Chisaki had broken down the floor in their fight only to then rebuild it, shaping it into his deadly spikes. 'And when he injured Toga' Izuku thought his mind forming connection after connection now that he had experience using Overhaul himself, 'he didn't rebuild her arm, merely disassembled it before deactivating his Quirk.'

Simultaneously as Izuku realized the true nature of Overhaul, the Quirk finished repairing Momo's body. Mentally taking a step back Izuku let out a sigh as he let the power of Overhaul go, feeling it slip away from him to settle back in his hands. Immediately the 'space' Izuku had found himself in fell away leaving the greenete back in the dark room All For One seemingly called home.

Taking a step back, in real life this time, Izuku turned towards Himiko. "How long has it been?" He asked, already suspecting the answer.

Himiko looked at him confused, "What do you mean? You were only touching Momo for a second and then these lines started to spread all over her body and her wounds disappeared. It-"

Izuku tuned the blonde out, so the time he'd spent working on Momo had all been in his head. It made sense, Chisaki had Overhauled the floor and Toga's arm in moments so there was no reason what Izuku had done to Momo would be any different. Izuku also couldn't help but give the former yakuza just the tiniest bit of respect. The man had likely gotten his Quirk when he was young and had years to practice it, learning how to deal with the rush of information that came with it. Still as a child Izuku could easily picture the man being overwhelmed by the rush of it just like he had. 'Overhaul might actually be the cause of Chisaki's mysophobia,' Izuku hypothesized. 'Seeing a person's muscles and blood when he used his Quirk on someone. Maybe disassembling a limb but forgetting or not knowing how to reassemble it. It would be so easy to become fearful, scared even of germs. To want to stay clean, permanently especially since Overhaul requires him to touch the target before it can be used.'

Izuku was shaken out of his musings by a low groan. Turning on the spot Izuku's jade eyes found the source of the noise and widened at the sight, tears blurring his vision as he rushed forward to wrap Momo in a bone crushing hug. "Huh?" Momo blurted out, her cheeks blushing red at her friend's rather physical greeting. "Iz-Izuku," she stammered, turning her head to the side in embarrassment, "you can l-let go of me now."

If anything Izuku's hug became that much stronger as Momo brought her hand up to pat him on the back, "I'm okay," Momo said softly. Reassured slightly, Izuku backed away, wiping away tears which gave Momo the opportunity to realize that the only clothing she had on were the medical bandages wrapped around her chest and a pair of jean shorts. Letting out an "Eep!" Momo quickly created a blanket which she wrapped around herself protectively, blushing even redder.

"It seems that Miss Yaoyrozu has recovered," All For One's filtered voice rang out through the lab causing the three teens present to turn his way. As they processed the man's words though both Izuku and Himiko turned back to the ravenette taking in her appearance. The broken, although realigned left arm was now straightened and currently being put to use by the black haired girl to keep the blanket pulled tight to her body. From what the two could see of Momo's exposed skin the burns that had marred the girl's upper body, as well as the various cuts and bruises that had dotted the rest of her were now gone, as if they'd vanished into thin air.

"Am I… missing something," Momo asked, her expression one of confusion, "because all of you are acting like I just came back from the dead."

Izuku and Himiko shared a glance but before they could say anything All For One spoke drawing their attention to him, "During the raid on the Shie Hassaikai you were injured," the masked man said bluntly, "to such an extent that you ended up in a coma, one that a doctor said you had a very low chance of recovering from."

Momo had paled at the man's words and when she spoke she did so in a weakened voice, "Then how am I...how did I recover from such a grievous state?"

"Izuku," All For One said and it might have been the greenete's imagination but he thought that the man might have sounded, proud of him? "He succeeded in capturing Kai Chisaki and in doing so earned the Quirk he desired. I gave it to him and just now he succeeded in using it to heal you of not just the comatose state you'd been lying in but of all the other wounds you'd suffered as well."

Momo turned to Izuku and bowed to him as best she could from kneeling on a cold floor with a blanket covering her, "Thank you, Midoriya-sama," she said formally and Izuku could hear the respect and thankfulness in her voice. "I truly appreciate what you have done for me this day and will work with my utmost to repay you."

"Momo…" at the teen's words the ravenette looked up and for a moment the two looked into each other's eyes, the rest of the world seeming to fall away around them.

"Hey!" Himiko said, sticking her pouting face in front of Momo blocking the ravenette from the Izuku's view, "don't you know it's rude to stare at a girl when she's practically naked." Both teens blushed crimson at the reminder of Momo's half undressed state and speedily turned away from each other. Momo quickly began creating some clothes with her Quirk while Izuku waved his hands in front of his face, stammering out protests that were unintelligible to those present. Himiko meanwhile merely laughed at the reactions her words had garnered while All For One leaned back on his makeshift throne taking in the chaos before him.

"Izuku," he said after a minute, cutting off the greenete's ramblings and restoring order to the room, "since you were able to heal Yaoyorozu I do believe that you should try the same with Toga."

At his words Himiko turned to look at Izuku who was already nodding his head to his mentor's words, "I already planned to do that," the greenete said, "I just-"

"Wanted to make sure that Yaoyorozu was okay, understandable," All for One reassured him, "but you also have to make sure that you take care of the others who follow you less they become...disgruntled with your leadership."

Izuku nodded his understanding and Toga moved quickly to take the spot on the table Momo'd vacated, lying down she turned her head towards Izuku as a playful grin split her face, "It's my first time," she said softly raising a hand to cover her mouth in mock embarrassment, "so be gentle." Izuku merely rolled his eyes as he laid his hand upon her and activated Overhaul.

Once more Izuku found himself looking upon the outline of a human body although this time the body's left arm was gone with only a stump indicating where it had once been. As the body grew more detailed and the various systems that comprised it began to appear more and more information began to flow into Izuku's mind who quickly shut it down before it could overwhelm him.

Focusing, Izuku allowed Overhaul to sweep through Himiko's body like he had done to Momo, allowing the Quirk to break down and rebuild any injuries it came across. Cuts and scratches disappeared although the only one Izuku paid any attention to was the hole in her leg as it sealed up. Finally the scan was complete leaving only the blonde's missing arm for Izuku to deal with.

Concentrating Izuku broke down the stump before attempting to rebuild the limb, but he couldn't. Frowning, Izuku tried again. And again. And again. However, no matter what he did or how he changed his efforts, Himiko's arm refused to heal.

To Momo and All For One looking on it was only a moment between when Izuku activated Overhaul and when he stopped leaving the results of his efforts behind. The boy didn't speak, didn't look up, and as the two studied his patient it quickly became clear why. Although the minor injuries that had marred the blonde's body were gone, as was the hole in her shin, Himiko's arm hadn't returned. Instead the stump which had only moments ago been wrapped in bandages covered in dry blood to cover the hideous open wound beneath was now gone completely. Smooth flesh flowed down from Himiko's shoulder turning inwards at the blonde's exposed, but hairless, armpit before going down the side of her body in a single smooth continuous layer of skin making it appear as if the girl had never had a left arm in the first place.

Sitting up on the table Himiko stretched her sole arm upwards and outwards, the movement of her shoulders showing that she had done so with both and it was all too easy for those looking on to imagine a phantom limb stretching in the arm above the blonde as well. After a moment Himiko lowered her arm back down and looked around although her gaze quickly focused on the greenete who'd fallen to his knees at her side.

"..." Izuku muttered to soft for anyone to hear.

"What was that Izu-kun?" Himiko asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Izuku said looking up with tear filled eyes. "Your arm I tried but it - it wouldn't - and I - I couldn't - I - I'm sorry." He said as he bowed into a dogeza his forehead actually touching the floor.

"IZUKU!"

All three teens whirled to face the seated supervillain, Izuku's sobs dying down as Himiko drew in a sharp breath taking in the exposed scarred face of the man for the first time, a face whose few remaining features were contorted in rage and anger. "Tell me Boy," All For One spat out the last word like an insult as he growled, GROWLED, at the trembling green haired teen, "just now when you tried to heal Toga did you give it your all?"

"Y-yes," Izuku croaked out.

"Did you purposefully not restore the limb? Withhold it for some reason, a punishment perhaps?"

"No."

"Then why are you bowing your head?!" All For One shouted. "You are the leader, she lost the limb on your orders so don't get on your knees and cry like a DOG! Step up, show some backbone, and take responsibility! A sorry won't cure cancer, it can't fix a meal for a homeless man or provide heat for a family freezing to death in their home. It won't stop a crashing plane or a car about to hit you so don't apologize for something that is beyond your control."

Silence descended as All For One stopped his rant, grabbing the nearby oxygen mask that rested beside him he quickly put the plastic device to use. Once it was secured onto his face All For One rested his arms on his throne, his helmet sitting discarded on the floor beside him as he looked down on Izuku with a clear air of expectancy.

Izuku, and the girls were trembling. It wasn't due to a Quirk possessed by the weakened villain nor was it a result of the man's high charisma. No it was a result of being in the presence of a man who even in a weakened state was no doubt capable of killing them all with ease. For a moment All For One had dropped his facade of a caring wise mentor and shown the three teens a glimpse of his true personality. He'd hidden it quickly but it had been there and all three knew that they were only alive, only there because of the man's mercy and his interest in them.

'He's probably stronger than All Might,' Izuku realized with a dawning horror and he couldn't help but shiver at the thought. He might no longer like the #1 Hero and his respect for the man might have plummeted so far it could very well serve as the next Grand Canyon but he had to acknowledge the man's strength if nothing else. To change the weather with a mere punch, to lift a collapsing skyscraper with his bare hands, to move at speeds faster than even the naked eye could register, there was no doubt in anyone's eyes the world over that All Might was anything but strong. 'Yet Sensei, All For One,' Izuku stopped the thought before it could because if he imagined a fight between the two he couldn't say with certainty that he knew who would win.

Izuku's racing brain was interrupted by a sigh and he quickly focused on the man, the villain before him. "I'm sorry for my outburst," All For One said, the sound of his unfiltered voice making it clear the man at least seemed apologetic. "You were the one who gave the orders that cost young Toga her arm so it is indeed within your right to feel responsible for what happened. However," All For One said, raising a finger towards the boy his attention was focused on, "you are a leader and a villain. You are not on the right side of the law where sincere apologies will buy you the forgiveness of your comrades and associates; you are a villain and as such apologizing, bowing your head to another is nothing more than a sign of weakness, of obedience. It shows that you are weak and it paints a target on your back to not only other villains who want what you possess but also your own allies, those you trust to have your back and support you. They will see you as nothing more than another victim they can target and once that happens, once that perception has settled into their mind, no matter how strong you might become nothing you do will change it."

For a moment Izuku considered All For One's words and he could feel the truth in the statement. He knew the man spoke true for no other reason than that the greenete had lived through life based on the preconceptions of others. The perception that being Quirkless made you weak, that you were powerless. Kacchan, his old classmates, former friends, teachers, All Might, and even his own parents had judged Izuku based on his Quirklessness, treating it like it was a condition that weighed down any expectations they could ever have for him.

Deku. Useless. Such a fitting nickname for one that had no future to think of.

Gritting his teeth at the thought of his former nickname Izuku turned towards Himiko, the only sign of his inner rage, the green fire that seemed to burn savagely within his eyes. "Himiko I apologize but I am unable to heal your arm." He said, his voice flat although the various emotions underneath were easily detected by all present.

"Why?" the blonde asked, turning her blank gaze from her shoulder to Izuku.

"I tried," Izuku said, "I really, really did." He took a breath and his eyes turned distant, as if he was remembering or seeing something the others couldn't. "I broke your arm down at least three dozen times, tried to reassemble it again and again but all I could get was the stump. Eventually I realized Overhaul, as powerful as it is, does have a weakness," the greenete's eyes refocused and he took a moment to look individually at the faces of those present, "it cannot create matter."

Himiko didn't understand the importance of the statement but the blonde could tell by the way that the big chested girl's eyes widened and the masked man leaned back in this chair contemplatively that whatever Izuku had said was important. Seeing her confused look the greenete seemed to take pity on the blonde as he spoke addressing her unspoken question.

"What I mean Himiko is that when I'm rebuilding something I can only do so using the… materials I have at hand. I couldn't reassemble your arm because your arm was not there, I didn't have it so when I tried to restore your limb the only resources I had available was what was already in your body. I tried to use other body parts, taking a little from here and a little from there but it only weakened everything else and the makeshift arm was severely mutilated and ill-functioning. I-I," he took a deep breath once more letting it out before speaking, "I eventually decided it would be better to use what remained of your arm to strengthen what other limbs you had. Part of your stump was used to seal the hole in your thigh while what remained was divided up between your right arm and legs. I don't know what effect they'll have on you, probably minimal at best, but they might make you slightly faster and stronger, just a few more muscle fibers in addition to what was already there."

Himiko was silent, her head falling forward and as the silence dragged on Izuku's hopeful expression became more downcast, his eyes slipping beneath his green mane as they studied the floor like memorizing the cold surface would help the situation. Eventually Himiko spoke, her voice a whisper from behind the curtain of her hair that only Izuku and All For One could hear, "Are-are you going to get rid of me?"

For a moment Izuku didn't react but when her words registered he began striding forward his steps steady and sure. As he got closer the blonde seemed to shrink in on herself and she actually flinched as Izuku raised his arms, squeezing her eyes shut as if she was preparing for him to strike her. So it came as a surprise to the blonde when Izuku instead wrapped her in his arms hugging her. "Remember my promise," the greenete whispered, his breath tickling the girl's ear making Himiko's face heat up, "you can stay with me for as long as you want."

Himiko responded by wrapping Izuku in a hug of her own, her nails pressing into the young boy's back possessively but Izuku didn't react. Her breath was shaky but after a moment she let go and though it appeared as if Himiko had been about to cry it was obvious the young woman had been able to get her emotions back under control giving Izuku a small, but genuine smile he had no trouble returning.

However the moment came to an end when a rough voice spoke out drawing the two's attention, along with the ravenette who'd been looking on, to the speaker. "Izuku," All For One spoke his non-existent eyes directed at the boy, "I want you to try and heal me."

Izuku blinked in shock before opening his mouth to protests but he was cut off before he could begin as All For One held up a hand. "I know that you doubt yourself after your failure with Himiko, that you are unsure but know that I believe in you Izuku," All For One said, his mouth, the only feature left on his scarred face breaking into a reassuring smile, "you've come so far in the months since I saved you, worked hard to earn the power that now dwells within you and I truly believe that you have the power to heal me."

Taking a deep breath Izuku stepped forward slowly, hesitantly until he stood on the uprise that made up All For One's throne, standing next to the centuries old villain like he was the man's right hand. For a moment he hesitated, remembering the fury and anger All For One had directed his way just minutes ago. Did he really want to heal a man that even injured could likely go toe to toe with All Might. Could he do so knowing that the man would likely kill and injure hundreds, thousands, even millions because he wanted to.

Izuku hesitated as words from the past rose up, whispered by the dark voices that dwelt within him. All Might: 'It's not wrong to dream kid, but you need to be realistic.' Bakugo: 'If you want to be a hero that badly...take a last chance skydive off the roof.' His mom: 'I'm sorry Izuku. I'm so sorry.' Each sentence, each word was like a chain holding the greenete's starved, broken spirit down and even Toga's surprised gasp when All For One revealed that Izuku was Quirkless took the form of a collar around the boy's neck holding him kneeling against the floor. However in the end it wasn't All For One's words that served as the key, nor was it Himiko's or Momo's. It was All Might's words that changed everything: 'Without power can one become a hero...I don't think so.'

'Power,' Izuku's conscious whispered, looking at his metaphysical hands that slowly curled into fists, 'every single time it comes back to power.' A dark grin crossed the boy's face as his eyes began to burn with a maddened fury, the chains straining to hold him down as he began to push against them for the first time in his life, 'Bakugo's explosions, All Might's strength, all anyone cares about is power.' Metal creaked under the strain but Izuku didn't stop, 'Well I have power now, useless Quirkless Deku's gone,' a chain snapped flailing around like a whip, 'and he is never coming back. I have friends,' an image of Momo and Himiko flashed through his mind, 'a teacher,' All For One's proud smiling scarred visage, 'and a Quirk of my own!' Another chain snapped and Izuku's right leg was freed, planting it firmly on the ground the greenete struggled to rise to his feet. 'I don't care what I have to do, but I will change things.' Izuku reached his fingers outstretched towards the closest chain, 'I'll make it so no one has to suffer like I did,' so close it was almost within his grasp, 'AND I WILL BE FREE!' his finger brushed against the chain and Izuku activated Overhaul the Quirk flowing through him like it had been ready and waiting to heed his call. The chains that had bound Izuku down, forged from the words and traumas that had made up his life, shattered and Izuku's mental visage rose to his feet standing tall.

In the real world no longer hesitating, Izuku raised his hand before gently lowering it onto the top of All For One's bald scarred head. Suppressing his innate urge to shiver at the feel of the rough, dry almost scaly skin underneath his fingers, Izuku slowly let out his breath as he closed his eyes and activated Overhaul. Once more the vein-like pattern crawled its way down from where Izuku's hand lay and then to the horror of the audience watching the top of the man's head burst like a grape.

Gray brain matter, red blood, white bone fragments, and gore splattered outwards covering everything nearby but Izuku remained standing as sweat raced down his face, his eyes still clenched shut. For a moment nothing happened and both Momo and Himiko became worried. Himiko had seen Izuku use Overhaul on Momo and while it might have seemed longer to the greenete to the blonde it had taken the boy less than a second to revive the ravenette from her, presumably, dreamless sleep.

Similarly Momo had seen Izuku use his Quirk on Himiko, and though he might have failed to bring her arm back it had been only a second for him to remove the stump entirely, turning the open wound into smooth flesh. However, this was taking much longer and while both of the girls believed in Izuku and his abilities in the back of their respective minds they couldn't help but worry that maybe, just maybe, All For One's old wounds might be too much for even Overhaul to work a miracle upon.

Neither of the girls expressed their worries, the concerns they felt instead both chose to believe in their friend, the boy who'd worked so many miracles already upon both of them. The two knew they'd changed since meeting the greenete. Momo had lived a life of grandeur, wanting for nothing but isolated nevertheless from her peers because of her status. It was Izuku who'd been her first friend, who'd cracked the perfect heiress persona she'd worn for years like a second skin and shown her what friendship was. And Momo had repaid his friendship with absolute loyalty and devotion, so much so that she'd gone as far as to swearing herself to him after only knowing the green haired boy for a few months.

Others might have called her decision hasty, ill thought out, the ravenette didn't regret it and today Izuku had proven her choice had been the right one. He'd healed her when he hadn't needed to, done so for no other reason than he didn't want to lose someone precious to him and Momo, Momo didn't know why but ever since she'd awoken every time she looked at the boy her stomach seemed to curl. It was strange and while Momo had originally been worried she couldn't help but find herself liking the strange foreign feeling that seemed to dwell within her breast.

Compared to the subtle changes in Momo, Himiko's changes on the other hand were much more obvious. When she'd been diagnosed with her Quirk everything had changed. Her parents had distanced themselves from her, taught her to hide her cravings as if the feelings were unnatural, like they weren't as much a part of her as her fingernails, her eyes, hell even her Quirk itself. For years she'd followed their teachings, tried to be the 'perfect' little girl that they seemed so obsessed with having. The pressure to conform, to hide who she was, hurting herself not physically but mentally as she tried to suppress her innate desire as she starved, yearning, needing the crimson liquid full of life; was it any wonder that she'd one day snapped?

After that life had been nothing but a blur, full of running and hiding in an effort to keep herself from going back, from having to return to the life of pretending to be that perfect little girl. It made her nauseous merely thinking about how she'd been back then and Himiko had sworn that no matter what happened in her new life, no matter how much trouble she got in, no matter how badly hurt she was, even if she died it would still be better than going home. At least now if she died she died being true to herself.

Himiko hadn't known what to expect from her new life but she certainly hadn't expected Izuku Midoriya. To find out that she wasn't alone in her isolation, that there were others like her was shocking by itself. Logically she knew there were others; it would have been almost statistically impossible for there not to be someone else who was abused and mistreated in this world for something outside of their control, but so caught up in the 'perfect' little life she had been living, Himiko never had the chance to take time to really think about it. Then Izuku had arrived and someone, for the first time in her life, had willingly offered her what she wanted most.

Drinking his blood had been euphoric and sensing a kindred soul in the boy had made it easy for Himiko to decide to follow him. They hadn't spent much time together before she'd gone undercover but as she had sat in Chronostasis's apartment drinking the dead man's blood Himiko had daydreamed about her new crush, the first one she thought was perfect without cuts all over his body. The feeling was strange but it hadn't been hard to realize that he was now the most important thing in her life.

When Izuku hadn't come to visit her as she lay recovering from her injuries Himiko had panicked. Visions of the greenete abandoning her were on the forefront of her mind and as the hours passed the visions only grew worse, darkened by the knowledge that likely the only reason Izuku had accepted her in the first place was because her Quirk was useful to him. She didn't want to go back, back to the cold, dirty streets. Yet she knew that after Overhaul removed her arm her worth fell immensely, what use did Izuku have for a spy that could only turn into people with one arm. She'd gone to Izuku hoping that if she couldn't get him to appreciate her Quirk maybe she could get him to appreciate her body. She knew it was wrong, but her morals were minor compared to the fear she was feeling. Offering her body, letting it be used, something innate told her that if she did this she would lose something valuable, something more important than her virginity.

When Izuku had accepted her, not only in that white sterile room but here defending her against the man in the mask who was apparently her master, her crush on him had grown from, well, a crush to an obsession. He didn't know what she'd been about to do, and she didn't plan to tell him. However that fear she'd had of her body being used, treated like a simple object, had been replaced by a warmth in her chest she'd never felt before. She had no doubt that her Izuku would be able to heal her master using a Quirk he'd possessed for less than an hour. He was hers, her…everything, he could do anything and she hid the smile that grew on her face because no matter what happened, she would be there with him.

Sharing a glance the girls turned their attention back to Izuku, silently tried to send the greenete all the support they could. Another few seconds passed with no change and just as the girls grew worried that Overhaul would indeed prove useless against the sheer amount of damage the man had possessed, something changed. Slowly the matter that had splattered across the room began to move, not sliding down the walls or dripping from the ceiling but moving to float over to where All For One's body lay slumped over in its throne. Slowly the gray matter, red blood, white bone, and other miscellaneous pieces of what made up a head congealed into a rough semicircular mass that grew more and more defined as tendrils lowered from the orb, connecting to the exposed neck of the lifeless body underneath.

Izuku fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, his ragged breath coming in exhausted pants like a tired dog. A slick sheen of sweat covered his body causing Izuku's clothes to stick tightly to him. However as Izuku fell neither Momo nor Himiko rushed forward to help him. Instead they stood in their spots frozen in place by the dark pressure that seemed to be pressing down on them from all sides and it was all they could do to keep their eyes up, keep them focused on the suited being in the chair the power seemed to emit from.

As they watched the formerly lifeless body straightened itself up, a single hand rose into the air, quickly followed by its companion, the two appendages reaching upwards before freezing as they touched their owner's face. For a second they paused before quickly resuming their exploration, desperate, needy. A nose, smooth unscarred skin, one ear then another, white hair all of it was found and touched, explored as if each item was new and being felt for the first time but there was one place the fingers didn't touch.

Instead the man in the chair wrapped the fingers of his right hand around the breathing mask that had fallen to lie against his chest slowly lifting it to rest in front of him. For a moment he held the device aloft before his arm and muscles seemed to swell with power as the man closed his hand crushing and shattering the plastic mask within. Turning his clenched fist over as he stretched his arm out the man opened it, allowing the plastic to rain down to the floor. As the noise reached his newly reformed ears the man's mouth opened and he took a hesitant deep, slow breath of air. He coughed, one that spawned several others which quickly grew into a fit that eventually fell away.

Raising his head (having leaned forward due to the coughing fit) the white haired man took several shuddering breaths and then for the first time in years the Emperor of Darkness, the Symbol of Evil, the King of the Underworld, opened his crimson red eyes to the world and smiled.

-End of Arc II-

'Villains Rising'

Next:

-Arc III-

'Hero School'

Author's Note:

Happy Halloween everbody and don't worry this wasn't a trick it really is part II of Healing and the official end of Arc II. I hope it's clear why I split this chapter into two parts, together they're over 23,000 almost 24,000 words. Anyway like I said last chapter I will be going on break to relax, work, and give me a chance to try and get something up for my other stories but come 2022 we officially begin Arc III which will focus more on the students of 1-A and 1-B. Izuku will take a more backseat role in the story for a time and Kendo, Bakugo, and Momo, will step up as the major mc's with a few pov shifts here and there so we can keep our eye on everybody. This will also mean the return of our favorite unicorn princess as well as the other teachers and quite a few fan favorite heroes. I will warn you now thought Combat training, USJ, and the Sports Festival will go down very differently from cannon and what most fanfics have so be prepared.

Speaking of heroes here is the result of the final poll on what two heroines should join Izuku's harem:

Rumi Usagiyama (Mirko) - 59 Votes (38%)

Nemuri Kayama (Midnight) - 26 Votes (17%)

Ryuko Tatsuma (Ryukyu) - 20 Votes (13%)

Star & Stripe - 19 Votes (12%)

Yu Takeyama (Mt. Lady) - 8 Votes (5%)

Moe Kamihi (Burnin) - 7 Votes (4%)

Thirteen - 7 Votes (4%)

Uwabami - 3 Votes (3%)

Cow Lady - 2 Votes (2%)

X - 1 Vote (1%)

Total Voters: 81

So congrats to Mirko and Midnight for joining Izuku's harem. For those of you who've been asking who all is in the harem here's the list:

Momo Yaoyorozu

Himiko Toga

Mina Ashido

Yui Kodai

Rumi Uagiyama (Mirko)

Nemuri Kayama (Midnight)

& 2 (possibly 3) others although I won't say who.

This list is FINAL so there will not be any changes to it. And yes there will be lemons eventually but the romance is kind of a background thing with the main focus of the story being the plot. That said each girl/woman will get her time to shine and get some one on one time with Izuku but the plot comes first before the 'plot'.

Anyway back to part II of Healing. Man a lot happened, Momo's back *crowd cheers*, Himiko's arm is permanently lost *crowd boos*, and All For One is back in fighting shape *crowd flees in abject terror*. For those of you who complain about my cliffhanger endings this is a cliffhanger, HA! We also got some more of Izuku's past as well as some mental development from the greenete and the two girls currently with him. Izuku also has his new Quirk and apparently knows how to use it. I based how Overhaul works of off how it was written in 'I'm not All for One, I swear! It's me, Izuku! (revised)' by Squish9 but if you want a mental image picture Izuku as having a 3-d holographic image in his head of whatever he's using Overhaul on. He can then mess around with said image, zoom in and out, all that fun stuff before clicking save&exit which turns off Overhaul and causes whatever changes he made to the thing he's touching to occur. Max simplification but basic understanding although there are various fine details.

Also I would just like to take a moment to acknowledge two major milestones for Rival Heirs; this story has now surpassed 1,000 followers (my second story to do so) and is my first story ever to be more than 100k words. With 9 chapters a prologue and an interlude between arcs that comes out to an average total of 9,176.75 words every update and the story (as of the time of posting this) being 110,121 words long and we're only at the end of Arc II. That means this story is longer than each of the first three Harry Potter books individually. Wow. Oh also, on a lesser note, this story is my most reviewed story ever so keep those comments coming in.

Anyway make sure to leave a review, follow, favorite, and all that good stuff BUT LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE as I do read them and I'll see you all in January. Or you all could get early access by following D'yavol Lucifer on P-atreon as I'll post my works on there before anywhere else. I also have a T-witter and I-nstagram account now under the same name so follow those for news about updates and notifications.

Shameless self-promoting aside until January this is the devil that's dreading Black Friday but loving Halloween signing off,

-D'yavol Lucifer 3:)

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*

All the cover art for my stories are ones I found online. I am really interested in using fanart provided by you the readers to replace them. If you're interested draw something up and pm me so I can send you the details on where to send it or pm me and I'll give you some details so you can draw one. As I say in my bio if I use it I may add you as an oc in one of my stories! Isn't that exciting!

Stats For Nerds:

Reviews - 184

Followers - 1,047

Favorites - 817

Communities - 4

Views - 77,453