Izuku sighed as he dropped onto his chair in exhaustion, his mind replaying the events of the stressful day. His body ached, not just from his brief paralysis or from the intensity of emotions that had coursed through him during the clash between Knuckle Duster and Stain but also from his experience with detective Naomasa. The world of heroes was far more complex than he had ever imagined, and he was just beginning to scratch the surface.
He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he recalled Stain's twisted ideology. He took a deep breath and gratitude welled in his chest for Knuckle Duster's intervention. Amidst all these emotions, one thought consumed him: he needed to find Knuckle Duster again.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Izuku startled as his mom poked her head into his room. "It's time for dinner. I made your favourite. Katsudon."
The inviting aroma wafted through the air, tugging at Izuku's senses as he entered the dining room. His mother had prepared a spread that promised comfort and warmth, a gesture she knew always brought a smile to his face. The dining table was set, and a steaming plate of his beloved meal awaited him.
Taking his seat, Izuku made a show of taking a huge whiff. "Delicious!" He grinned.
"You haven't even tasted it yet." His mum giggled.
"Your past records speak for you mom. Itadakimasu!" They began to eat, the clinking of utensils punctuating the atmosphere.
Midway through the meal, his mother looked up from her plate, her eyes filled with a mixture of love and apprehension. "You know, Izuku, sometimes taking a break from school might be a good idea. Your well-being matters, and you've been through so much."
Izuku paused, his spoon hovering over his simmering broth. He appreciated her concern, but he couldn't ignore the passion that blazed within him. "I know, Mom, but I've missed six months already. The school's been accommodating since I was in rehab. They've helped with the school work and homework."
His mother nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I understand, sweetheart. But your safety and happiness come first."
Swallowing a bite of food, Izuku cleared his throat. "Mom, I want to be a hero."
Her eyes met his, and her expression was a heart wrenching mix of fear and understanding. "I know I've always wanted to be a hero and I'm sure you knew that I still harbored that dream even when I was quirkless. I know I have a quirk now but I feel like I've taken five steps back from where I was. I had a fairy tale in my mind and today, I got to see a side of being a hero that I never envisioned mom." She listened quietly as he poured his heart out.
"I'm scared, Mom," he confessed, bringing his eyes down to the dish in front of him. "But someone told me that being a hero is not about being fearless. It's about stepping up despite your fears. I don't want to be someone who ran away because of a moment of fear. I want to be someone who can stand proud for overcoming my fear."
Silence hung in the air for a moment as his mother absorbed his words. She reached across the table, placing her hand gently over his. "Izuku, I've always known that my boy always wanted to be a hero. One of my biggest regrets was telling my son he couldn't be a hero."
Izuku looked up sharply to see his mother's tear filled smile. When I got the call that my son was in the police station, my heart nearly gave out in terror. Your encounter with that hero killer, Stain—it's put a lot of fears in my mind. But I've also seen the fire in your eyes. I'll worry, whether you become a hero or not. I'll worry because you're my son. I am many things Izuku, but I won't be the mother who stops her son from being a hero."
Tears welled up in Izuku's eyes as he met her gaze, realizing the depth of her love and the weight of her fears. "Izuku, go be a hero!"
Tears filled Izuku's eyes as he got up from his seat, went over and enveloped his mother into a big hug. "I love you mom!" Izuku cried and the waterworks began. Both mother and son broke down in tears as that tiny barrier crumbled between them. That tiny bit of resentment he had for his mum floated away.
Their big eventually came to an end and they separated with the familiar Midoriya waterworks joke. As the dinner progressed, the conversation lightened, and laughter echoed through the room. With each passing moment, a weight seemed to lift from Izuku's shoulders. He realized that he wasn't alone on this journey, that his mother would stand by him no matter the path he chose.
After dessert, the mother and son exchanged a final, heartfelt hug. Izuku's steps were lighter as he returned to his room, his heart filled with renewed determination. The weight of his dreams no longer felt like a burden—it felt like a privilege.
With his newfound determination, Izuku fired up his computer, fingers flying over the keyboard as he started his research. It's time to find Knuckle Duster.
First place to go, wiki. Most people tend to underestimate the power of the hero wiki sites. Most heroes, vigilantes and villains have a wiki page. All it takes is a little bit of searching and you can find a lot. He still remembered the short wiki page of a quirk stealer that disappeared within a few minutes. The conspiracy theorists were still arguing that out. Firing up the search engine, Knuckle Duster's wiki page was the second search result. Loading it, his eyes raced to devour the content.
Knuckle Duster was a vigilante known for his unorthodox methods which seems to involve excessive violence. He was known for his trench coat, his mask and his knuckle dusters. His quirk wasn't actually known but there were a few theories of extraordinary strength, extraordinary muscles or danger sense. But it was agreed upon that his strength was exceptional.
He was connected to a few fights and arrests on a drug dealing ring but nothing was confirmed. The wiki was sparse on the details of his vigilantism. He normally operated in Naruhata so what was he doing in Musutafu?
Time to find him. Izuku trawled the internet searching for any leads, any mention of a vigilante matching Knuckle Duster's description. He scoured news articles, forum discussions, and even tapped into his own network of connections.
Minutes turned into hours as Izuku delved deeper, his determination unwavering. Then, amidst the sea of misinformation, a thread of hope emerged. A blurry photograph, a vague description, and whispers of a vigilante found in certain areas of Musutafu. Could it be Knuckle Duster? Most sightings came from a user on one of the obscure hero forums called PrivateNose. Creating an account as GreenBaby, Izuku checked out his profile. PrivateNose was online so he sent a quick message.
GreenBaby: Hi! I saw your post on the Musutafu vigilante, do you have any information on him? I'm willing to trade info.
Within a minute, PrivateNose replied.
PrivateNose: What info do you have?
GreenBaby: I've been compiling sightings of the Musutafu vigilante for a wiki article. I have records of two separate occasions where he intervened in criminal activities. But I'm missing key details. Are you familiar with him?
PrivateNose: Oh, you're talking about the guy in the trench coat and bandages, right?
Izuku's heart almost leapt out of his chest as a grin made its way onto his face.
GreenBaby: Exactly, that's him!
Private Nose: Yeah, I've heard of him. He's been making quite a name for himself. What kind of info are you looking for?
GreenBaby: I'm trying to piece together his movements and sightings. I'm interested in anything you might know about the locations he was sighted at.
PrivateNose: Info isn't free you know. What do you have that can make this worth my while?
Izuku wracked his brain for something to offer. After a minute, an idea popped into his head. He had the perfect info. After a quick search on the wikis, Izuku came back to his conversation.
GreenBaby: Give me the sightings and in exchange, I can offer you information on the hero killer Stain's Quirk. I've done some research and managed to gather a few insights.
PrivateNose: Stain's Quirk? You mean that psycho who goes after heroes? Alright, I'll bite. Give me the details on Stain, and I'll share what I know about Knuckle Duster's activities. Deal?
GreenBaby: Deal! I don't know what Stain's quirk is called but it allows him to immobilize his target by ingesting their blood. Once their blood is in his system, he can paralyze them for a few minutes. That's the basic gist of it. I got the info from someone who survived an encounter with him. That was how Stain was able to defeat those powerful heroes.
PrivateNose: Interesting! Thanks for the info. Now, about the vigilante. I've heard he's been spotted around the docks. His actions seem focused on a few of the Ryukenkai yakuza. From what I've gathered, he's been dealing heavy blows to their operations. Be careful though, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty. Here's what I know.
Heart racing, Izuku noted down the details, his fingers shaking with excitement. He had a starting point, a lead to follow, and he was not about to let it slip through his fingers. Clutching his notes, he resolved to continue his search in the morning. Raising his head, he saw that it was already dawn.
It was the beginning of another day and it was also the beginning of a new chapter in his life. All he had to do was find Knuckle Duster and convince him to train him. Things were finally looking up.
A/N: Let's not talk about the huge bit of foreshadowing I just dropped on where things are going. *Wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge* He's definitely not going to get involved with the yakuza.
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