UA Multiverse Peek
Chapter 34
Assassin Deku
The final stages of Izio's initiation into the brotherhood are coming to a close. I figure the next chapter or so and it should be enough. And I'll be frank, I'm probably going to gloss over certain pieces here and in next chapter. Like the hunt for Savonarola at the abbey and the elimination of his followers. Besides, gotta bring in that…. Last sad dark piece. And then the fight with Borgia. On with the show.
(No POV)
As the teens returned some were worried about the way Izio looked at the end of the video. "He looked pretty down." Toru noted while settling in next to Mina. Who agreed and wondered if it had to do with his relationships in the city.
"I don't think so. At least I hope not." Itsuka said with a blush across her cheeks. Ibarra meanwhile quietly prayed for Izio's soul and hoped that her counterpart could help him as well. The teachers meanwhile were equally curious about what else could befall the assassin. "Perhaps he'll finally learn more about what this war is about." All Might thought aloud as the screen lit up for the next stage of the adventure.
Izio was sitting on a bench along the sea front. His clasp in front of him in contemplation. "There you are Izio. Why so serious?" Rosa Kendo asked upon finding her comrade and lover. Izio acknowledges her slightly before saying, "It's my birthday."
While Rosa was excited at this, Izio was of a different mind. "It's been over ten years, since I watched my father and brothers die…. Ten years hunting the men responsible. So close to the end now but….. no closer to understanding what any of it was for."
Ida tightened the grip of his hand while remembering what he went through in his hunt for Stain. And recognizing that this could have been what happened to him. "I had love but didn't feel it. He lost so much after his family was killed. And now he feels like there was no point in finding their killers." Ida reasoned with a sad look.
Many of the others agreed with the class rep and gave Izio sad looks of sympathy. Izuku himself wondered if he might have a similar moment someday. If his family or friends were hurt or killed, would he lose himself in the hunt for those responsible?
All Might reflected on it too, as he had done similar in the hunt for AFO in his youth. After finally refining the power of OFA enough to truly stand against the monster. But it left him with many scars and wounds. Physical, mental, and emotional.
Rosa looks down before trying to bring up Izio's spirits. "You may not see it Izio, but it's better here now because of the things you've done. Basta. Look here. I have a birthday present for you." She pulls out a book to give to Izio. The shipping manifest from the day the last of the Barbarigo tried to escape.
"She's right. He's done plenty of good with his fights against the Templars. Helped a lot of people. Maybe that's something more he should take from this." Tsuyu said with a sad smile towards the screen. Izuku agrees and notes that was the purpose of heroes. "We just need to leave the world a little bit better than we found it," he said while thinking back on how he rescued Kouta. Or how they saved Eri.
Izio asks if she was sure and serious while reaching for the parchment. But Rosa teases him a bit by pulling back. Giving him a coy look while his face was almost pressed against her breasts. "And guess when it's scheduled to return? Tomorrow."
Itsuka and Izuku blush at bit at their counterparts proximity, but they are also invested in the idea of finding out the purpose of the expedition. "What would have been worth all that risk for?" Ida questioned aloud. Ochaco initially brought up the idea of money, but Koda disagreed.
"They had control of the merchants, government, and backing from the church. Which if I remember correctly, they were the richest power at the time. Right?" he said with a look towards Ibarra. Who gave him a flat look before agreeing. "So it had to be something else they were after," she surmises while worrying for her counterpart and her sisters.
The young assassin gives her a coy look back, but their flirting is interrupted by the arrival of Leonardo. Izio asked when his friend returned and the man said, "just now. I need to talk to you. Right away!"
Rosa can read the room and gives Izio the ledger and says, "go on. Have fun boys~." Izio though is less happy and responds with, "this had better be good." Leonardo assure him it is and asks his friend to follow him while he subtly explains.
The pervs in the room face fault with Setsuna calling out, "c'mon man! Cockblock like that!?" Mineta agrees and says, "he has a twisted sense of humor and crappy timing!" The rest of the audience either chuckle humorlessly or look at the raging group like they need help.
Leonardo explained that he had been reading the copies of the codex pages he made and started to put together the pieces of a prophecy of some sort on the back. "The Prophet will appear when the second piece is brought to the floating city." Leonardo recited while staying away from the crowds.
Ibarra's eyes widen upon hearing the term "Prophet" and was far more invested then before. For the intellectual members of the audience, they were putting together what this all had to do with the assassins. "Wait…. Venice is the floating city. So, was that the whole reason they wanted to hold it?" Jurota asked first.
Izuku and the rest mull it over before Bakugo puts in his own thoughts. "They were waiting for their moment. They need that prophet or whatever to unlock something greater. But had to wait for the time to be right." Mineta was tempted to try and make a crack about the explosive teen's insight but chose to hold off for the moment. 'I don't need to get charred again.'
Izio starts putting some of the earlier pieces his uncle had shown him together. And realizing the greater mystery that was eluding him in his quest for revenge. He clued Leonardo in on a probable vault that held a treasure of great power. "Grandioso! But, if you took these pages from the Barbarigo, then maybe they know too. And that's not good."
Ida looked down at his hands while Izio was coming out of the fog of revenge. "It's similar to what I experienced when my brother was hurt and I tried to fight Stain. I didn't realize he was right until it was almost too late." Izuku put a hand on Ida's shoulder and reassured him that he was making good on his vow since that day. Bringing a smile to the class president's face.
The young assassin's eyes widen as he puts some of the final pieces together. "What if that's why they sent the ship to Cyprus. To find this Piece of Eden. And bring it back to Venezia." Leonardo repeats the passage he discovered and Izio finishes with a few other pieces.
"My god! When my uncle told me about the Codex, I was too young, too brash, to imagine it as anything but an old man's fantasy! But now I see. The killing of Mocenigo, even the Medici, my father, and brothers. It was all part of his plan! To find the vault. The Spaniard." As Izio lays out who is responsible, Leonardo finishes his thought as well. "Rodrigo Toruichi Borgia."
Spit takes were unleashed from the entire audience. Some still choking as they realized, the evilest person in their world, was the most influential and powerful man in the Renaissance era. "Their deaths….. my family's deaths…. They weren't really that important in the larger scheme. Not to this madman." Izuku mumbled out with eyes wide and soda dripping down his chin.
Nezu coughed as well before saying, "I guess we should have seen it coming, but still. To think this one's plans were that level of long running. But to what end?" All Might gripped his wound and narrowed his eyes at the screen once more and worried about what would happen to his protégé's counterpart.
Izio tightens his fist before resolving to meet the boat from Cyprus and intercept his final quarry. The assassin waits atop a building and sees the Templar agents arriving with the package in hand. He narrows his eyes before noting that his Uncle Mirai was watching as well.
"What is Sir up to there?" Mirio questioned aloud. Izuku at first mirrored his thoughts but remembered that he was an Assassin too. "He likely put it together from the handful of copies Izio had sent to him." Ida hums before questioning if there was more to this codex than just the designs and the prophecy.
The assassin follows the courier and his guards for a time. Before getting into a position to sneak up on and take the courier out. Then stealing the armor to blend in with the Templar agents. All to get close to his target.
The dark duo shiver at how Izio is sticking to the shadows. With Toru complimenting his stealth as well. "He's got the prize. Why doesn't he just get away?" Kaminari questioned. "Because Deku or Izio whatever needs to take out the bastard behind all of this. So he's going to go for it this way." Bakugo reasons while sipping a soda.
Once his disguise was done, Izio picked up the box to follow and meet with Rodrigo Borgia. The guiding guard kneels before the Maestro and Izio sees his opportunity as the guard was bragging up how well they handled everything.
He subtly stepped forward and stabbed the lead guard in the back. And before the other two following guards could attack, Izio dropped the box and quickly assassinated both with his hidden blades.
"Nice! Badass! Much improved from when he tried similar when he first met the Spaniard." Were some of the words spoken by the audience while Izio dealt with his foes. And even though Izuku was still uneasy about killing, he respected what needed to be done in the moment. 'Plus it's not like it's actually me here. Though I have to wonder about that other me from the Soul Warrior univers.'
"Rodrigo. So, where is he?" Izio demands while glaring at the villain at the center of the conspiracy. Who mockingly asks who it was that Izio was asking about. "Your Prophet! Doesn't look like anyone showed up Rodrigo! How many have died for this? For what's in this box?! And look! There's nobody here!"
Borgia chuckles softly before saying, "you claim not to be a believer. And yet, here you are. Don't you see him? The Prophet is already here. I am the Prophet! Now give me the apple!" Izio isn't impressed and gestures for the man to take it from him.
Ibarra's face goes flat before saying, "you are in no place to talk you fool of a man and preacher of the faith. You who only act in your own interest, and who uses people so cruelly. You will be given the justice you deserve. At the… somewhat more righteous hands of this warrior."
She clasped her hands while speaking the second half and a light and lightning shined and flashed above her. Almost as if to say God himself was agreeing with her. Which freaked a number of the other students.
It takes some time and more than a few counters, but Izio wears down the Maestro of the Templars. But Rodrigo still can't help but needle Izio by saying, "is this all you have? Where are the rest of your people?" Izio looks at him in confusion before the Borgia calls the guards to aid him.
"Ha! You thought you could beat him?! He's been preparing for this his whole life! And now he's ready to take you down!" Bakugo says with some explosions crackling in his hands. And while not outright saying it, many of his fellow students agree.
As do the teachers as Mic and All Might both applaud Izio's combat skills. But Aizawa and Nezu take note of a minor problem Izio apparently has. "He's letting himself be distracted. Agreed, if he hadn't stopped to question what Borgia was talking about he wouldn't have had to deal with more guards." Izuku flinches at this but does agree.
But even with these reinforcements, the Maestro can't stop Izio and is left alone. At least until more guards arrive. But a few new players arrive to aid the young assassin. "Uncle?" Izio asks as Mirai arrives with his own blade drawn. "Don't worry nipote! You aren't alone!" he says as another guard knocks him down.
Said guard though is killed by the arrival of La Volpe with a knife to the back. Soon after, Bartelomeo and Antonio arrive to aid in the fight as well. Rodrigo snarls as he calls for more guards. And then gets in some nasty words about the death of Izio's brothers. "They didn't need to die. I just killed them to make a point. There is no mercy when you cross a Templar!"
Izuku eyes flash upon hearing that and he subconsciously activates his quirk. Virtually destroying the chair as he stands from it. He wasn't the only one furious though. Many of those who met Kouta looked like they also wanted to kill the Borgia.
Mirio though was the one to bring him back down. "Easy Deku. All of you. I'm not saying you can't be mad. But frankly, he isn't worth it. I think that might be something your counterpart needs to hear too." The green haired teen starts to let off the surge from his quirk and the others try to calm down as well. They still shoot furious gazes at the screen though.
Izio tries to finish the villain, but he gets one shot in before running off. The young assassin shakes his head before being stopped by an old friend. "Nemuri?" he asks upon seeing the woman who taught him to steal and disappear.
Midnight spit takes at seeing her counterpart but smiles a bit. "A-ha. So that's where this is all going~," she says while cleaning up her face. And acknowledged that her other self still looked great despite the passage of a decade. Something the pervs in the audience were happy to note as well.
"He's gone. But we have what we came for." Nemuri says while looking back to the box. "Do you really, now? Or are you here for another reason my son?" Teodora asked while walking up with Mirai. Izio looks between them all before asking what they were doing there. "Perhaps the same thing you are Izio. Hoping for the Prophet to appear."
The one saying it was a man with cropped black hair and a sharp nose. His eyes had a cunning gleam behind them as he appraised Izio. The young man though shakes his head and noted that he only came for Borgia. And that the Prophet never showed up.
Ibarra, Nezu, Momo, and Izuku put together some ideas on who the prophet truly was. Though also questioning what the prophet could be for. 'Perhaps something…. Not to do with the direct times they are in now? But why?' Nezu surmised and then pondered.
The man nods slightly before saying, "no? But you did." Izio is shocked by this and the man explains, "a prophet's arrival was foretold. And, unbeknownst to us, here you are. Perhaps all along, you were the one we sought."
With her hands clasped and eyes closed, Ibarra recited an old parable about miracles not being what they seem. "God does not save someone who will not save themselves. He does not need to make a grand show. Sometimes he appears as little more than a humble person."
While a tad confusing for some (Mina and Kaminari) Momo can translate some of it. "So.. it would stand to reason that the Prophet they are searching for. Could be anyone or no one they know. But what does this all have to do with Izio?" Izuku wonders aloud.
Izio shakes his head in confusion before asking who the man was. "Nicolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli. I am an Assassin. Trained in the ancient ways to safeguard mankind's evolution. Just like you and each one of us here."
Ida and Jurota this time spit take upon hearing the name Machiavelli. "THE Machiavelli?!" they both shout after catching their breath. Most of the rest of the audience was confused (save a few exceptions) and asked who he was. "A man who believed in the idea that cruel acts and actions were necessary in politics. And that there have been those who consider his thoughts as the 'teachings of evil'."
"Then why's a guy like that helping and working with the Assassins?" Mina questioned. That stops Ida and a number of others in their tracks. And makes them wonder if Izuku's counterpart was really a good guy or hero. "I don't think it's really that black and white. Especially when you consider how the Assassins do things." Izuku surmises before suggesting they watch and see.
The young assassin looks around at all those who have aided him and asks, "you…. You are all Assassins? Nemuri? Volpe?" Mirai confirmed the reality and that they had all been guiding him to become a true member of their order. Antonio passes Izio a map before he and the rest take the Piece of Eden that had been brought to Venice away for safe keeping.
It is much to take in, but Izio resolves to follow his friends and family to see where this all leads. Atop a tower, they stand around a pit with fire burning bright. Mirai chanted "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. These are the words of our ancestors, that lay at the heart of our creed."
Nemuri and the other teachers hum before Aizawa speaks up. "It seems like they were grooming or doing something similar to make sure he'd be ready for all of this. But why? Other than taking that item."
The teens though were curious about the possible ritual Izio was now a part of. "Anybody else get a kind of cult feeling from this?" Shinso asked as the Arabic chant was recited. Half of 1-A and a few from 1-B raised their hands. Tamaki did as well. Though he turned away as he was stating it.
Nicolo took over and said to Izio, "where other men blindly follow the truth, remember…" Izio finished with "nothing is true." The man nodded before continuing with, "where other men are limited by morality or laws, remember…." Izio took a breath before saying, "everything is permitted."
Jurota and most of the more serious students when it comes to following rules and laws were appalled by those statements and creed. "If that is the case then how are they any different from anarchists!" Ida roared as loud as his engines.
"It ain't that simple four-eyes." Bakugo says with a click of his tongue. He then notes that to them, it was about getting a job done when it was needed. Even if it required them to bloody their hands.
He continues by saying, "look at the world they're living in now. With that Borgia bastard leading, plenty of people are getting hurt or victimized. So they take them out to save others." Bakugo's reasoning does bring to light some of what the Assassins could be thinking. But it still didn't sit right with many of them.
"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins." Nicolo finishes before the other repeat back "nothing is true. Everything is permitted." Mirai makes certain that Izio was truly ready before Antonio takes up the next piece.
Taking a red-hot iron that had been resting in the fire pit out to mark Izio's ring finger with a burn. "This only hurts for a while brother. Like so many things," he consoles before pinching it around Izio's finger. He winces as it burns but doesn't make a sound as it burns into him.
Kirishima chuckles while remembering how Leonardo was originally going to cut off the finger. "Guess that answers the other way they go about it." Tetsutetsu says while also beaming at the fact his counterpart is a major hero in protecting that world. Ibarra also takes pride in what her other self really does to help the people of Italy. Though she still feels some embarrassment at her profession.
Nicolo welcomes Izio into the Brotherhood, before they all take a leap of faith from atop the tower. With Izio following right behind. They reconvene later at Leonardo's workshop to examine the Apple. The strange metal object glowing while the polyglot looks at it curiously. "Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating," he said while tilting his head side to side.
Melissa tilts her own head to the side while looking at the object. Also trying to figure out how or why it could work. "It looks like modern technology. But…. they dug it up. Meaning it should be very ancient. So who built it?" she mused.
Izio questioned what it was, but all Leonardo could say was, "I could no more explain this than I could explain to you how the Earth goes around the sun!" Mirai shakes his head before saying, "you mean the sun around the Earth."
A few snorts of laughter are had at Mirai's interpretation of the world. "Then again that was normal back in those days." Mirio defended.
Leonardo moves past that by noting that the artifact was made of materials that didn't exist. But it was still clearly ancient. Mirai noted it as a Piece of Eden once more, Izio remembered that the Spaniard called it the Apple. "Like Eve's apple? Of forbidden knowledge?" Leonardo asked before Izio stepped up to touch it.
The item activated started causing headaches from all within. Except for Leonardo. Who found he could understand the various formulas, designs, and ideas presented by the mysterious orb. Izio taps it again and the visions and pain stop.
Even those who didn't know much about Jehovian religions knew of the story of the Apple of Eden and were surprised by the implications of the artifact. And it was paid off by the device activating and swarming those on the screen with knowledge.
But it also had an effect on this side. Namely, that many in the audience got intense headaches just from looking at the screen. With four notable exceptions. The first was Nezu, but even he felt an ache in his mind as the images were flashing.
Izuku and All Might meanwhile couldn't fully make sense of what was on screen, but they weren't negatively affected. Izuku felt that he could even picture a way to use his ranged smashes in new forms. Melissa meanwhile could follow along with many of the ideas and concepts presented by the apple. Right down to being able to put together multiple ideas for new support items. Including armor that could be made for many to keep up with quirk users.
"This must never fall into the wrong hands. It would drive weaker minds insane." Leonardo notes after seeing all of the visions. "No doubt the Spaniard will be relentless in his desire to get it back." Izio bitterly notes. Nicolo and Mirai charge Izio with protecting the artifact with all of the skills he had learned. Before suggesting he take it to Forli.
"Wait… he said weaker minds right? But why weren't you guys affected?" Ochaco questioned while recovering from the headaches. Looking to All Might and Izuku with confusion. A look shared by much of the group. "They were not the only ones. But it is interesting that there seemed to be no side effects for you or Miss Shield to view that." Nezu said while massaging his temples.
Izuku gulped and said he didn't know, which All Might parroted. Melissa though hummed as a new theory, thanks to the insights, buzzed in her mind. 'Now probably isn't the time to speak it though,' she thought before suggesting they focus on the story again.
Mirai noted it was walled and had cannons to protect it. "And our ally controls it." Izio gives his uncle a look before asking who the ally was. "Her name is Rumi Sforza." Mirai says while Izio gets a wry smirk. "You don't say. I think I may enjoy this mission."
Kosei and the other perverted member's eyes popped out of their heads upon mention of Mirko's counterpart. "Guess she wasn't just some sort of one-off character. She's a major player." Kinoko states while bouncing in her seat.
He gives Leonardo one more hug before setting off for Forli. With Mirai asking the inventor and painter to visit the family villa. Upon meeting up with Nicolo, Izio is happy to see Rumi Sforza once more. Her white hair is a bit shorter, but her eyes have the same fire from when Izio helped her some time ago.
"Well, well. Look who it is." Rumi says with a smile and her hand planted on her hip. Izio bows slightly before addressing her as Madonna. "I thought you were a bit special. But an Assassin, hmmmm?" she says with an appraising eye.
Mineta and Kosei grumble and pull some tissues with their teeth in jealousy at how Izio is getting eyed up. Izuku though was blushing and thought he could almost feel the lady of Forli undressing Izio (and by extension himself) with her eyes.
She gestures while saying, "walk with me caro. You're going to love Forli! The cannons in our cittadella alone go back a hundred years. The artifact will be quite safe there." Izio nods before saying, "forgive me. But I've never heard of a woman ruling her own city before. It's very impressive."
The girls preen and compliment the lady for her apparent skills and leadership capability. "Now that is a true boss! Wonder if we could study under ours? Might not hurt to ask," some said as the Assassins made their way to the city.
"Well, it was my husband's before, of course. He died." Rumi said offhand. Izio apologized, but the woman stopped him. "Don't be. I had him killed," she said bluntly. This stops Izio in his thoughts and tracks for a moment.
A few spit takes were had at how nonchalant Rumi Sforza was about killing her husband. "Okay not the thing I'd want to learn." Jiro said between coughs. Many of the other girls agree while the guys were scared of that possibility.
Nicolo explains that her husband had been working for the Templars. "Making a map of the remaining Codex pages." Rumi rolled her eyes before saying, "I never liked the goddamed son of a bitch anyway. He was a lousy father, lousy in bed, and a pain in my ass." Izio subtly cleared his throat and made a mental note to not get on Rumi's bad side.
"Wise move young Auditore~." Midnight said with a teasing look to said Assassin's counterpart. Izuku gulps and covers himself as the hero teacher eyes him up. With Kaminari's eye twitching at how they were reacting.
A group of people were running from the city of Forli which worried Rumi. She stopped one woman she recognized and asked what happened. The city was under siege by the Orsi brothers. The same two that Rumi hired to kill her husband.
Instead of spit takes a few choked on their snacks. "Okay… so she might have not thought that through…." Momo says while handing some napkins to a few people. "Yeah.. cough! Yeah I guess she didn't think about the idea that they could be used against her." Sato said after wiping his mouth.
Nicolo noted, "the Spaniard hired them. The Orsi have no world view beyond their purse." Izio meanwhile questioned how they could have known they were moving the Apple to Forli. But Nicolo calmly notes they were after the map.
"Basta with your map Nicolo! My children are inside! Oh, porco demonio!" Rumi said in worry for her home. They rush towards the walled city, dealing with Templar goons as they engage. But the gates were closed.
"No complaining about her mouth this time. That is deserved." Kosei said while being worried about what could happen in the next few minutes. A feeling mirrored by Izuku and many in class 1-A. Thinking about the threats to children they had already seen.
"Is there another way into this place?" Izio asked with worry for those inside. Rumi noted there was. "There's an old tunnel under the western wall from the canal." Izio acknowledges and heads for the entry point. And while he was doing that, Rumi continued to taunt and insult the jerks who double crossed her. In some very colorful ways.
"Okay now she's maybe pushing it. Still funny though." Setsuna says with a grin at Rumi's taunting. Eri currently was pouting because Mirio was covering her ears. Hopeful she wouldn't repeat anything that might have been heard.
Izio has to swim a bit, but he gets into Forli and clears many of the guards and opens the way for Rumi and her troops. He protects her and Nicolo as they make their way to the center of the city. Once there, Rumi was happy to meet four of her children.
"Bambini! But where are Bianca and Ottaviano?!" she asked happily and then in worry. The nurse panicked herself and noted the children were outside the walls. "I don't know where they are!" she says with some tears in her eyes.
After dealing with some reinforcements from the Templars, the group is confronted by the Orsi brothers. They taunt the Assassins by asking about missing children before Izio asks who they were. "Deidoro. And Shin. At your service."
Eri tenses up upon hearing those names and tucks her head into Mirio's chest. With the blonde growling at the pair shown. Kirishima, Ochaco, Tsuyu, Nejire, and Izuku feel much the same. As they remember their names among the members of the Shie Hissaki.
They taunt again that they have the children and would hand them over for the map and Apple. But Rumi won't back down easily. She snarls before stepping up and saying, "bastardi! You think you can threaten me!? I'll give you nothing! You want my children? Take them! I have the instrument to make more!" And as she finishes saying this, she flashes the two villains by flipping up her skirt.
Mineta and the pervs cough and are launched backwards by nosebleeds upon seeing Rumi flashing the screen. While most of the others were blushing or calling the lady of war scandalous. "Not to mention a touch callous! How could she offer up her children like that!?"
"She's not Ida. This is something to show that she won't buckle. And to maybe buy time." Izuku says. But he too is worried for the children who were taken. Hoping that Izio will save them.
But once they back away, Rumi starts breaking down in tears. "Rumi, no. I can't ask you to sacrifice your children." Izio says to comfort the woman. Remembering the pain on his mother face after what happened to his brothers and father. But Rumi shook her head before saying, "nobody's sacrificing anything! Get them back for me, Izio."
The Assassin nods and asks that she protect the Apple. He quickly moves to find the children. Bianca was less afraid and was willing to taunt those holding her. Reminding the men what happened to her father when she crossed her mother. Izio quickly saved her before the little girl told him where they took her brother.
Izuku nodded and was glad his thoughts were now on how his counterpart could finish helping their mother. Let alone the other Eri in how she might have been dealing with things. 'I or rather he's been away for a long time.' Izuku thought before watching how his counterpart saved the children.
Ochaco and Itsuka beam a bit at hearing how fiery Bianca was towards her captors. While the guys were worried about said little girl's future. "If she's anything like her mother….. ho-boy, I feel bad for that man." Sen says with a shiver.
Ottavanio was scared and trying to get away from the thugs holding him. And the thugs in turn were threatening to throw him off of the tower they were standing on. Izio dealt with the guards and quickly saved the boy from Deidoro.
"Rumi was a fool to send you," the dying man spat out while Izio confronted him. "Or are you the fool, dying for a handful of change? Was it worth it?" Izio asked before Deidoro noted that they gained what they wanted. Izio is wide eyed but still blesses the man with, "mori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale. Requiescat in pace."
"Still respectful. Even to those who would reject it. Well done." All Might said upon seeing Izio blessing the mercenary. Ibarra agreed and prayed for the man's soul.
Izio grits his teeth before hurrying back with the children. Just outside the city, Rumi runs out to meet and embrace the two. Her dress was stained with blood. Likely from fighting Shin as he had returned to steal the Apple. "I'm going!" Izio said before whistling for a horse to chase the mercenary into the mountains.
Some were surprised to see Rumi with blood all over her, but more were impressed at how she was willing to jump into the fray. "Guess that makes more sense as to why they're counterparts." Awase says with a chuckle.
Izio tracks down the man and leaps from atop his horse to deal with the guards he had with him. Killing two easily and engaging the rest with all of his skills. Finishing with Shin, by countering his blow with his hidden blade bracer and stabbing the man in the stomach.
Shouts of excitement and praise are let out as Izio makes his way through the guards to catch the sellsword. With Bakugo smirking as Shin get's countered just like he did. Izuku meanwhile did a fist pump at his counterpart's success. "Hopefully, this is the end to the troubles," he thinks aloud.
"So. You have your prize again." Shin mutters out as he dies. Izio glares at him before asking, "was it worth it? So much bloodshed?" Shin coughs before saying, "a prize of such value, it will not remain yours for long."
Izio snarls a bit before saying, "we shall see" then slowly stabbing his blade into the neck of the other Orsi. "Che miserie nascono dall'advita. Requiescat in pace." But what he failed to notice was Shin subtly stabbing him as well.
"No!" Ochaco and a few others from 1-A shout upon seeing Izio bleeding out. Izuku himself winces in phantom pain of seeing the wound. Bakugo rages a bit before saying, "I think he took a bit too much in enjoying that. If he hadn't, then he wouldn't have been stabbed." Izuku nods and says, "now it's going to cost us. I shouldn't have said anything earlier."
The Assassin's exhaustion and the deadly injury take their toll and Izio collapses long before he can make his way back to Forli. As he collapsed though, the Apple fell out of the bag it was in. And a monk picks it up. A monk missing a finger who seems enraptured by the artifact. "Wait…. Don't! Stop!" he says while passing out from his injury. As the monk walks away. And the screen cuts to black.
Ibarra tilts her head to the side before remembering something frightening related to a monk in that era. 'No!' she thinks and hopes that events turn out different as the screen fades. "Damn. I don't even want to think about what dangerous ideas that could give some people." Juzo says while biting his nails.
"Indeed. If nothing else, it would be a powerful weapon that could take out anyone who would get the monk's way." Nezu says with worry. Before any more thoughts could be had about this, the screen lights up again.
A young Midoriya Inko is shown in her apartment alone. A recent divorcee from Hisashi Midoriya. While she was moving to a new apartment, she was aided by a young man with a strange birthmark on his cheek. And a large glowing blade on his back.
The next scene shows a young Izuku. But instead of him purely being bullied, something strange happens to him. His right arm changes and looks like it's being covered in bruises. And his eyes glow red. Suddenly, he lashes out at his attackers. Slashing a young Bakugo's chest and ripping the wings off of one boy.
The third scene shown, starts with a loud boom echoing above Izuku and his family. With a strange man who appears to be made of stone floating above. His arms crossed behind his back as he glares down at the Midoriyas.
The final scene shows a teen Izuku, but much taller than usual. Who has a strange melancholic look on his face. With Bakugo next to him and worried about his friend.
None of the audience members can articulate what they want to say in the moment. Even the teachers have no idea what could happen with the next set of universes to be shown. So they leave matters at that for the time being and wait for the timer to count down.
There we go. So the next chapter will be an interesting variety of universe ideas I've had. One of which was actually made into a one shot a long time ago. You'll see what that's about later. In the meantime, Izio has faced his worst enemy and gained/lost one of the most powerful artifacts of his world. And yes I will get around to doing the final stages of AC2. Though I'll cut out some of the modern matters, given who is watching. Please review!