Disclaimer:
My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi. Shin Megami Tensei was created by Atlus. This story uses plot elements and characters from them.
The Quirk War
By: RB3
Building the Foundation Ch 1: Awakening the Beast Within
Beyond the worlds where humanity lived was another world called the Expanse. This endless crimson void connected an uncountable number of worlds together. It was here that the experiences and souls of humanity gathered and took form as the blood-like substance known as Magatsuhi. In turn, Magatsuhi gave existence to demons, supernatural beings who meddled in the affairs of mortals. It was here that the ideologies of Law and Chaos battled in an eternal war which ravaged countless worlds. Soon, a new front was about to open in one unsuspecting world.
A golden gem hurled across the Expanse towards a churning mass of crimson, cloudy Magatsuhi. Piercing through the cloud, it entered the realm of the physical and continued down to the Earth like a flaming comet. Weakened by the intense heat of atmospheric re-entry, the gem splintered into three and continued to parts unknown. Some time later, a quartet of people appeared in a city somewhere in Japan.
The first was a young man with blue hair who dressed in a black cloak. The second was a young woman dressed in pink with shoulder-length auburn hair held by a floral hairband. The third was another young man, one who wore a white bucket hat, a blue hoodie, and carried a leather bag. The last was a bespectacled girl with long blue hair that reached her shoulders and wore a pink miniskirt. These four youths were the band of demon tamers known as the Spade Mercenaries. They were Abel, Yuzu Tanikawa, Atsuro Kihara, and Midori Komaki.
"The signal went dead after the Shard split into three. One of the signals went into the city you're now in," said a girl over a telepathic channel. She was Amane Kuzuryu, captain of the Marduk, the ship of the Spade Mercenaries.
The Spade Mercs scanned the city through ESP, but did not detect anything out of the ordinary. "I'm not picking up anything," said Atsuro.
Yuzu gazed out at the expanse of the city, seeing buildings for miles around. "This city's huge! How are we going to find it here?" asked Yuzu.
"Let's split up and gather information so we can come up with a better plan," replied Abel.
The Spade Mercenaries separated and as they walked around, they noted the strangeness of some of the people in this world. In addition to regular humans, some of the people had traits of animals like dogs, cats, and even birds. One man had a cigarette lighter for a head, which made Yuzu wonder how he was able to see and hear to navigate the city without anything like eyes and ears. When she scanned the people with ESP, they glowed with a blue aura, indicating the presence of supernatural power.
Yuzu was taken aback from seeing this. Almost every person in this world exhibited this glow, even those who appeared outwardly human. Only about 20% of the population did not register as having supernatural powers. Her curiosity piqued, Yuzu decided to ask someone about this. She found a young woman with bleached blonde hair who wore a violet domino mask over her eyes with protrusions resembling bull horns. She was clad in pale tan spandex with a violet top and boots.
From her costume, this woman looked like a superhero. "Hello, can you tell me where I am? I'm looking for the Tokyo Tower and lost my way," Yuzu asked the woman.
"Whoa! You're like way off! Tokyo is far to the east. You're in Mustafar City," replied the woman, who was clearly surprised to be asked that.
"Crap!" cursed Yuzu. She then noted the woman's unusual attire. "Forgive me for asking, but why are you dressed like that?"
"I'm a pro hero and this is my costume. I'm Mt. Lady, the Mineyama Hero. I'm on patrol in case a villain decides to commit crimes," replied the woman.
Yuzu became lost in thought trying to process what she had heard. "I see. Thanks for you help," replied Yuzu.
"No problem. I have to return to my patrol," said Mt. Lady.
As Mt. Lady walked away, Yuzu's ESP revealed a blue aura around her, meaning Mt. Lady had supernatural powers. On closer inspection, she learned that Mt. Lady could grow to gigantic proportions with a matching increase in physical strength and durability. As a supernatural ability, it operated under different mechanisms than the Amalan magic Yuzu was familiar with. Apparently, Mt. Lady was a professional superhero, and being such was as mundane as being a police officer. Superheroes were simply a fact of life around these parts.
"BOOM!" came the sound of an explosion from further away.
It had jarred Yuzu from contemplating what Mt. Lady had told her. Up ahead, she saw a fire at the Mustafar General Hospital! People fled the building in a screaming panic. Mt. Lady rushed to the site and became gigantic. With her larger frame, it was easy to take trapped hospital staff and patients into hand from a tenth storey window and place them onto the ground. Other superheroes rushed to the scene to assist with emergency service sirens growing louder at a rapid clip as they converged on the area.
A crowd had gathered to gawk, which Yuzu joined to witness the events. Her gut instinct was to rush in and assist, but her intellect told her not to expose herself and that this situation was already under control. As she watched, a middle-school kid in black with frizzy green hair passed through the crowd. She stepped aside as he claimed a front row view of the incident and opened a book to jot notes. This kid, clad in Alderaan Junior High's black uniform with backpack on back was Izuku Midoriya.
As he jotted notes on how the pro heroes operated, he reflected on the world he lived in. His world was the "Hero Society," where 80% of its people were born with a superpower known as a Quirk. Unfortunately, he was one of the 20% minority who would never gain one. Due to the existence of Quirks, bizarre incidents like the Mustafar General Hospital fire had become more common. Crime had exploded into epidemic proportions since villains could easily raise havoc with Quirks.
Still, Izuku did not see any villains attacking the pro heroes or the hospital itself. This piqued his curiosity. "I don't see any villains. What caused this fire?" Izuku asked one of the nearby bystanders.
"I'm not sure, but I overheard one of the fire fighters mention that it had started in the maternity ward," replied a rotund bystander with antennas.
"Is that true?" asked Yuzu from nearby, shocked and eager to know more.
The bystander nodded. "Yeah. That's what I heard," replied the bystander.
"That's strange. What could cause a fire in a maternity ward?" asked Yuzu as she returned to gawking at the incident.
Izuku checked the time and realized that he had to rush back to school since his break was over. Classes droned on and his attentiveness was drifting until the teacher released his students for the day. As they left, Izuku consulted his smart phone. According to Internet media, the MGH fire did indeed originate from its maternity ward, from a baby accidentally activating a fire Quirk. Despite the hospital's precautions, the baby's Quirk was especially strong and overwhelmed their defences.
Fortunately, the maternity ward had been reinforced, so the fire's spread had been slowed. This allowed more time for emergency services like pro heroes to push back the fire and get the staff and babies to safety. A doctor and nurse had been severely burnt in the incident and needed a stay at a hospital to recover. Despite people getting hurt, Izuku relished being able to see some Quirks in action. He quickly reached for one of his notebooks. "Better record all of that information in my book while I can remember it," Izuku thought to himself.
As he jotted his notes, an unknown person snatched it and his pen from his hands. The perpetrator was a boy with spiky blond hair who scowled at him. This boy was Katsuki Bakugo, who had always bullied Izuku throughout their time at school. Bakugo had the powerful "Explosion" Quirk, which allowed him to generate explosive sweat. He knew how to use his Quirk quite well and was a shoo-in to become a top-ranking pro hero in the future. Bakugo had been joined by two hangers-on.
"We're not done yet, Deku!" cried Bakugo.
"What's that? His diary?" asked one of Bakugo's hangers-on as he came over to see it.
"Don't tell me you're taking notes on how to be a hero?" asked the other, who could barely stifle his laughter.
"That's so pathetic!" remarked the first, who broke out in laughter.
"He's delusional!" remarked the second, finally echoing the laughter.
"Real funny guys! Just give it back!" demanded Izuku meekly as he stretched out his hand to receive it. Bakugo simply set the book on fire with his Quirk. "AAAAH! That's so mean!" remarked Izuku, shaking from the shock of his prized notebook being destroyed. "AAAAH!" screamed Izuku once Bakugo tossed the charred book out of the window.
"Most first-rate heroes show potential early on. People look at them and know they're destined for greatness. When I'm the first student to go to UA from this dump, people will be talking about me like that! They'll know I'm the real deal, the next big thing. That's not ego talking. I know I'm good," boasted Bakugo.
"Ego!" snarked one of Bakugo's hangers-on as he rolled his eyes.
He put his hand on Izuku's shoulder, which smeared sweat and caused it to burn. "Here's some advice. Don't even think of applying!" said Bakugo, before moving to the class door.
"That's just sad," said the first hanger-on as he and the second followed.
"I thought there would be some fight in you," said the second.
"He finally gets it. He'll never be a hero. Better to find out now than later," said the first.
As Bakugo was about to open the door, he addressed Izuku again. "There is another way. Pray that you're born with a Quirk in another life, then take a dive off the roof!" said Bakugo.
After the bullies left, he found his charred notebook in the koi pond outside. The koi were trying to bite the book, thinking it was food. "That's enough, give it back!" said Izuku, driving away the koi to retrieve his notebook. Though intact, the notebook had been thoroughly soaked from landing in the water. "That jerk!" stated Izuku.
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Time passed and Izuku found himself going to the Mustafar Mall with his mother, a plump woman with shoulder-length green hair named Inko Midoriya. The two entered a clothing shop where Izuku had picked out new casual clothes such as T-shirts, shorts, and shoes for the summer. Once they brought their purchases to the counter, Izuku felt his stomach growl and his stamina starting to run low. "Mom, let's get lunch," said Izuku.
"Okay dear, go on ahead and save a seat for me," said Inko.
Izuku ran over to the food court and browsed the various stores for a suitable meal. There were so many tasty things such as sushi, burgers, and even salads that it was difficult to choose. As he passed by a couple having tea at a table, he spotted a Mexican restaurant and wanted to sample the food. Mexican food had a spiciness to it and blended various food groups together for better nutrition. He chose to join the three person line and order food there.
"BOOM!" went an explosion from a nearby garbage can, its sound resonating throughout the mall.
It blanketed the area with a crimson fog which made it difficult to see. Izuku held his breath and desperately stumbled through the fog in search of a way out. "Crap! This is poison! I'm gonna die!" thought Izuku as he went into a coughing fit to clear his throat.
The other people were just like him, scrambling to find a way to escape the thick crimson fog. It was not long before the police arrived on the scene. Officers in hazmat suits swarmed the mall and gathered all those caught in the fog into a single place outside. Izuku was among those isolated and given a thorough check-up from an examination of his eyes to his tongue. After more than an hour and a battery of tests, the authorities could not find anything wrong.
Eventually, the authorities released the people, thinking the whole incident to be a ruse or a prank. A day later, Izuku sat at his dinner table to eat dinner. His stomach was growling ferociously. "Man, I'm starving. What's for dinner, mom?" asked Izuku.
"I made some teriyaki chicken with vegetables and rice. Enjoy!" replied Inko.
Izuku ate the meal with his mother, but found that his stomach still growled and his stamina remained depressed. "I'm still hungry. That chicken didn't even fill me up," remarked Izuku.
"You've already eaten seconds and there's nothing left! If you eat any more, you're gonna get fat!" remarked Inko.
"I'll make do. It should be fine," said Izuku meekly.
Izuku went to his room to watch some videos and get his mind away from the nagging hunger. His room was filled to the brim with figures, posters, and other merchandise dedicated to a muscular superhero whose blond hair formed a pair of antenna-like structures. He was clad in the red, white, and blue, the colours of the USA. That superhero was All Might, whose real name was Toshinori Yagi. He was known as the "Symbol of Peace," the number one hero according to the Hero Billboard Chart of Japan. His unknown Quirk granted him superhuman strength, durability, and speed.
Izuku had always wanted to become a celebrated pro hero like All Might was. Ever since he was a little kid, he would sit at his computer and view footage of All Might's big debut in Japan. The video depicted a chemical plant which suddenly caught on fire. A massive explosion had flipped cars in the nearby parking lot and wreckage lay strewn everywhere. The fire had trapped the workers inside the building as it billowed suffocating smoke out into the sky.
"Who is this guy? He's already saved a hundred people and it hasn't even been ten minutes! This is crazy!" remarked a shocked bystander.
All Might crested a wrecked bus, having returned with another ten people slung on his shoulders. "Huh, ha ha ha ha ha! Huh ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed All Might.
"Look, he's got more!" cried the bystander.
"Fear not citizens! Hope has arrived, for I am here!" assured All Might.
Little Izuku smiled when he saw that clip. "Ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed Izuku in imitation of All Might's signature style of laughter.
Yet, Izuku never developed a Quirk since he began school. His mother brought him to a doctor for examination. "Sorry kid, it ain't gonna happen," reported the doctor.
Izuku was frozen by shock to hear that out of the doctor's mouth. "You think there's something wrong with Izuku? Most of the kids of his class have already shown signs of Quirks already," asked young Inko.
"What kind of Quirks do you and your husband have?" asked the doctor.
"I can move small objects towards me and my husband can breathe fire. They're useful enough," replied Inko, who waved her left hand to pull Izuku's All Might figurine to her hand via telekinesis.
"Izuku should have manifested something, but after viewing his X-rays, I don't think he will," said the doctor. "Researchers have found a correlation between having a single joint in the pinkie toe and having a Quirk. Izuku has two joints, so it's unlikely he'll ever gain a Quirk."
Izuku's hunger brought him back to the present as it continued to pester him. Even so, Izuku could not help but smile, just like All Might. The Symbol of Peace always had a smile on his face. It was his way of reassuring everyone that things would work out, no matter how bad it got. Izuku's hunger started to rage even more and then it happened. "AAAAAARGH!" screamed Izuku as a tearing sensation filled him with agony.
His face bled and tore off as it began to elongate into the snout of a wolf. Large paws pierced through his skin like tissue paper as they emerged from underneath. His skinless flesh became coated by new skin which grew a coating of silvery fur. "Izuku! Stop making so much noise!" cried Inko from the neighbouring room.
"AWOOO!" cried Izuku, now in the form of the Werewolf.
"What's the matter with you? I thought I told you to be quiet!" scolded Inko.
Suddenly, the Werewolf smashed his way out of the door! Splinters and other wooden fragments burst into the hall as Inko was taken aback. "AAAAAAH!" she screamed.
The Werewolf noticed her. "GRRR!" snarled the Werewolf menacingly, as he stood between her and the exit of her apartment.
The Werewolf immediately charged and tackled her to the ground. "AAAAAAH!" screamed Inko, before the Werewolf sank his fangs into her shoulder and chomped down hard. "HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" cried Inko desperately, even as the Werewolf tore into her further and drenched her in blood.
As though to answer her plea, Abel suddenly appeared in a flicker of blue light. He extended vines from his fingers, then yanked the Werewolf away. The beast scowled at his attacker, then pounced, but received a blast of freezing water to the face. Forced away, the Werewolf decided to flee by diving through the nearest window. He landed on the city streets below and fled into the darkness of an alley.
Abel watched from the window to be certain he was gone, then went back to check on Inko. "OW!" groaned Inko, whose shoulder had been mangled and bloodied by her transformed son.
Abel promptly summoned Scarlet the succubus in a flicker of blue light. She was a demon who resembled a naked woman with shoulder-length red hair and smooth, supple skin. She had bat-like wings on her back, which enabled her to hover over the ground. "Scarlet, please take care of her. I have to go catch the boy," commanded Abel.
"Of course, Abel darling," replied Scarlet. She moved to Inko and bathed her wound in a soothing white light. "Please don't mind me. I'll make it all better," assured Scarlet.
Abel teleported away and reappeared at the Mustafar Cemetery. He detected several Zombies milling about the area. The Werewolf charged into the pack and proceeded to slice and rip apart each and every one of them. His claws glowed blue with lunar power, amplifying the damage the undead suffered. Severed limbs and heads now lay piled up around him. The Werewolf took a severed arm and bit into it. The arm broke down into crimson motes which he swallowed.
The Werewolf perked up when he caught Abel's scent. "GRRR!" he snarled menacingly at Abel for interrupting his meal.
Abel simply tossed a red, muffin-like object at his feet. It was a clump of Magatsuhi, which smelled so sweet that the Werewolf greedily snatched it up and ate it. With his hunger sated, the Werewolf's breathing steadied as a calmness filled his being. He reverted into Izuku's human form. "Where am I?" he asked once he realized he was not at home.
"Tell you later. I'm taking you back to your mother," replied Abel.
Abel placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder and in a flicker of blue light, both had appeared inside the Midoriya apartment. Scarlet was still there, tending to Inko's wound as she sat in a chair. "Mom! Are you okay?" asked Izuku, rushing over to check on her when he saw how bloodied she was.
"I will be, thanks to this demon girl," replied Inko.
Izuku took a look at Scarlet's naked body and began to blush. "Th... Thank you stranger," said Izuku, when he regained his composure.
"Who are you? Are you a hero?" asked Inko.
"Not exactly. You may call me the Immortal Stranger. I am a sorcerer and demon hunter," replied Abel. "Who might you be?"
"I'm Inko Midoriya and that's my son, Izuku," introduced Inko.
Abel bowed. "Nice to meet you, if only it was under better circumstances," he replied. A solemnness filled his face. "It's clear to me that both of you have been infected with Atma."
That term drew a blank in Izuku's mind. "Atma? What's that?" asked Izuku.
"It's a virus which transforms humans into demonic forms called 'Avatars.' Atma infectees can learn to control the transformation, but since it 'remodels' the victim's body, they'll lose their Quirks after their first transformation," replied Abel. "As a demon, you'll be gifted with various supernatural abilities. A few are usable while human, but most require you to transform."
Atma's strange properties piqued Izuku's curiosity. "What abilities did I get?" asked Izuku.
"Your Atma power is known as 'Altered Beast.' You can become therianthropes with unique abilities such as your Werewolf Avatar. No matter the form, you can regenerate from injury quickly," replied Abel. "Beware, for the beast has awakened within you."
Despite Abel's warning, Izuku brimmed with excitement. He finally had powers, even though they were not officially from a Quirk. "So I can change into a Werewolf and other creatures too? That's amazing!" remarked Izuku.
Abel shook his head. "No, it's terrible! Can't you see your mom's wound? You're the one who did that to her. You've infected her," replied Abel.
Izuku looked at his mother's wound and noticed that it was indeed puncturing and tearing from being bitten. "HOLY CRAP! Did I turn my mom into a Werewolf too?" asked Izuku.
Abel shook his head again. "Each person becomes something different, regardless of who infected them. Hers is called 'Space Harrier.' It allows her to transform into a hound or a hawk. Her Atma allows her to manipulate space and shoot energy," replied Abel. "Like you, if she were to bite someone while in Avatar form, she'd infect them too, but the victim would get a form and abilities different from hers."
"So each person has their own Atma powers, with their own Avatars?" asked Izuku.
Abel nodded. "There's more. From now on, you must consume Magatsuhi, which you can get by eating a demon or a person," replied Abel. "You must feed, or else the demon will take you over like before."
When Izuku heard that, nausea welled up from his very core. "Did you say 'eat a person?'" asked Izuku, dreading the answer. Abel nodded and confirmed his worst fears. "You mean to tell me I have to be a cannibal now?" asked Izuku.
"That's only if you don't take our alternative. I can provide you with Magatsuhi like back at the cemetery. That way, you don't have to hunt for people and demons to eat," replied Abel.
Izuku let out a sigh of relief. "For a moment there, I thought I would have to be a cannibal," remarked Izuku.
"You'll also need training to master the power, or else you might lose yourself to it. By being infected with Atma, both of you are a danger to the public and yourselves. You are targets for other demons," said Abel.
Izuku perked up. "Other demons?" he asked.
"Yeah, like those Zombies you were munching on at the cemetery. They're one kind of demon," replied Abel.
"I always thought Zombies were undead, just reanimated corpses," asked Izuku, thinking it odd that Zombies were considered demons.
"'Demon' is what my people call any supernatural entity or being. They too eat Magatsuhi. You've become an attractive source of it thanks to Atma," replied Abel.
Inko sighed. "I guess we have no choice. We can't let what happened here happen again," stated Inko. "Where can we find you?"
"Mustafar Park," replied Abel.
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The next day, Abel met the Midoriya family at Mustafar Park at the heart of Mustafar City. They followed the brick path north from the southern gate. Although the path continued to the north gate, Abel stopped at the crossroads at the centre of the park. A bronze statue stood there, depicting a daimyo who ruled the area during the turbulent Sengoku Period. From there, Abel led the group off the path to the northeast portion of the park, an area with dense tree cover.
They found a tree carved with the emblem of the spade and waited. Suddenly, the environment swirled and the group found themselves in the middle of a grassy plain. They were in a strange world bounded by roots and tendrils. Motes of red flowed through these tendrils like blood, casting their crimson glow throughout the land. Ahead stood a great Mesopotamian ziggurat. Numerous bizarre creatures soared the skies, ready to ambush any intruders.
"This is what we call a Domain. Demons create these pocket dimensions as a home and a trap for prey. I have authorized your entry, so my demonic underlings won't accost you when you come in," said Abel. "Our destination is the colosseum. That is where you'll train to master your Atma. Please follow me."
The colosseum was a stone structure to the west of the ziggurat and resembled the one built by the Romans. As they walked along, the Midoriya family took in the strange sights along the way. They noted an area southwest of the colosseum which was enclosed by a chain link fence. Several signs in various languages warned of danger beyond the fence. It was a training area for explosives and magic, a magic firing range. The colosseum had an annex on its east side, one resembling a small apartment building. Strangely, the sky also became bluer as they approached the colosseum grounds.
A biped, elephantine demon with blue skin mottled by purple stripes stood in the central arena. He had a single cyclopean eye and wore a loin cloth. He also carried a wooden scimitar. "That is Girimehkala, one of our trainers. He'll help you master Atma," said Abel.
"Hi everybody! If you attack me physically, something GOOD will happen!" chirped Girimehkala.
"Hi Girimehkala. I'm Izuku Midoriya and this is my mom. Glad to meet you!" said Izuku.
"The same to you. I'll help train you, so we'll be seeing each other a lot," said Girimehkala.
"In the colosseum, you can spawn training aids like dummies if you simply will it," said Abel. "If you need to get in contact with me or my friends, you can use telepathy via my Domain by simply willing it. Everywhere else is a habitat for our demons, so please don't disturb them."
"Okay. While we're here, will you answer more questions?" asked Inko.
"Sure, I can do a few right now," replied Abel.
"Are all the creatures here demons?" asked Inko, looking all around at Girimekhala and the demons which cleaned the bleachers.
Abel nodded. "We're also demon tamers. As I said before, 'demon' is simply our term for supernatural beings. It is a catch-all term which includes beings like fairies, ghosts, deities, and even angels," replied Abel.
Inko reflected on the things she had seen and wondered if she was simply dreaming. "Just who are you? Demons, Domains, Atma... These things are so bizarre!" said Inko.
"We're the Spade Mercenaries. We hail from the Japan of another world. We are demon hunters who came here to investigate some supernatural activity," replied Abel.
"There are other worlds? Like in a fantasy or sci-fi show?" asked Izuku.
Abel nodded. "Of course," he replied. "Your world looks just as fantastic to us as ours might seem to you."
Izuku suddenly felt a sense of hope and his eyes brimmed with anticipation. "If I can master my Atma, can I become a pro hero like All Might?" asked Izuku.
Abel shook his head. "Can't risk it. You might bite someone by accident and infect them," replied Abel.
"Then I'm giving them new powers," said Izuku, casting his gaze down as he realized the implications and risks of being a pro hero with Atma.
Abel nodded. "That's the idea. It's best to avoid it altogether. Stay hidden and combat supernatural threats. Our training will teach you how to do that. Not only will you contend with demons, you'll also face others infected with Atma. Some will embrace their monstrosity, while others will have lost themselves to the demon completely. Neither have qualms about cannibalism or infecting others with Atma. They'll need to be put down," said Abel.
"So you're saying I'll have to kill them," said Izuku, anxious about doing so.
"That's right. I can't force you to do such things, but if you're willing to cross that line for the sake of others, we'll put our all into 'Project Altered Beast,'" assured Abel. "Even if you won't, there are other ways you can contribute."
Izuku pondered this unusual turn of events. He had always wanted to be a hero, but fate had played out in ways which denied him that ambition. He was born Quirkless in a world where almost everyone had such a power. Without a suitable power, he would be at a grave disadvantage against villains. Ironically, he had that power now, but it was a danger to everyone around him. He could pass Atma onto villains, which would make them an even greater threat.
Nevertheless, there were new foes which required his new power to defeat. Izuku stepped forward, head held high. "I'll do it! If I can defend Hero Society against this new threat, I'll do whatever I can," said Izuku.
In contrast, Inko retreated. "I'm content to be a simple housewife. I won't stand in the way of your dream, Izuku, but please be careful," warned Inko.
"Thank you. We'll still train both of you, but we won't ask you to be on the front lines, Ms. Midoriya. Instead, we'll ask for your assistance in one-off situations. We'll put more training into you, Izuku," said Abel. "Please come by the next day to start."
"Okay, but there's one thing I don't understand. Aren't you at risk of being infected if you fight against Atma?" asked Izuku.
"Oh no! Our powers come from the same source as Atma, as do demons. My team can't be infected for that reason," replied Abel. "Just a reminder, but be stealthy and discreet. Magatsuhi is actually the emotions of human beings given form. Demons consume it, so creating a climate of fear is like inviting them to a buffet. Don't talk about this stuff with outsiders and be careful about drawing attention to these things, okay?"
Izuku nodded. "I understand," he replied.
"Thank you. We'll arrange a locker and dressing area for you. Good luck!" said Abel.
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The next day, the Midoriya family came to train at the Spade Mercenary Domain. Abel showed them the interior of the east annex, which resembled a posh apartment complex. Its first floor consisted of a kitchen and dining room with a stove and fridge at the edge of the room, and a wooden table opposite them. It was connected to a den and living area with couches for meetings. The floor above held individual rooms where guests could stay overnight and rest.
"If you ever need to stay here overnight, you can use one of the rooms upstairs. Our Silky maids provide excellent service, so if there's anything you need, ask them," said Abel, presenting the site to them.
One of the Silky, a demon resembling a maid with green skin, entered the kitchen to begin cleaning. "Oh, you must be Silky!" remarked Izuku.
Silky smiled. "Yes! I clean the colosseum," replied the demon.
At that moment, the other Spade Mercs came to see their new guests. "Hi! Did I hear one of you wants to be a hero?" asked Midori.
"Yep! That's me! I want to be like All Might!" replied Izuku with a smile beaming with pride.
Midori returned Izuku's smile. "That's great! I'll be rooting for you! You have a fan in me!" said Midori.
"Meet Atsuro, Yuzu, and Midori. Each of us will train you in a different area. I will focus on the supernatural and mastering Atma powers. Yuzu will focus on yoga for flexibility, Atsuro will teach martial arts, and Midori will train you in parkour for mobility," said Abel. "Girimehkala will act as a sparring partner."
"Thanks, I really appreciate that," said Izuku.
From this point on, Izuku and Inko began a training program at the Spade Mercenary Domain. They did push-ups, crunches, lifted weights, and jogged laps around the colosseum under the watchful eye of the Spade Mercs. After a warm up, Izuku joined Atsuro and the others in practising striking techniques. As Yuzu helped Inko train at a speed bag, Atsuro showed Izuku how to use the heavy bag to deliver powerful, controlled blows to keep it in place.
"You want to control the bag, not bounce it around. Hit it to keep it centred," said Atsuro. Izuku delivered a punch to the bag, which caused it to swing back wide, then come back. He hit it again, but made the bag swing wide again and waited for it to return before hitting it. "Remember, hit the bag to keep it in the middle. Don't forget to keep moving."
Izuku punched the bag, but instead of waiting for it swing all the way to him, he struck when it reached the centre of its swing. His blow had stopped the bag's momentum. He shifted right, then dealt another two blows. He ducked an imaginary punch, the retorted with the right. "Don't stay static. Keep moving," Izuku told himself mentally.
Later, Atsuro also put Izuku on a speed bag. After Izuku landed a few blows, the bag bounced moved away from his straight right. When he tried to correct by throwing a left, the bag had already moved towards the right. "Whoa! It's so hard to keep up!" remarked Izuku.
"Do it slowly at first and make sure to keep your hands up. You'll pick up speed with practice. For now, focus on consistency," said Atsuro.
During another training session, Yuzu led a yoga class with the Spade Mercs and the Midoriya family. Izuku and Inko formed the plank position and held it for as long as they could. Despite it looking easy, Izuku's back and arms started to tire a minute in. "This is harder than it looks!" remarked Izuku as he maintained the position.
"People underestimate yoga. It takes a lot more out of you than you realize," said Yuzu.
"I've always wanted to get into yoga, but lazy me kept putting it off. At least I get to do it for free now!" remarked Inko with a smile.
Yuzu chuckled. "I'm glad you enjoy my class, Ms. Midoriya!" said Yuzu.
In another exercise, Midori had created a miniature replica of Tokyo from the Domain's matter. As she approached a small raised wall, she vaulted over it and continued to the side of a home. She used a downspout to shimmy up to the flat roof of the building. She leapt across roofs until she reached a house outside of the walled grounds of a school. She leapt onto the top of the wall, then somersaulted onto the school ground. She shimmied up the side of the school using window sills, then stood on the roof of the school.
"Parkour is great for getting places and improving speed and stamina. You'll never be late for class again!" chirped Midori.
"Cool! I've never done parkour before. I can't wait to try it," said Izuku. As he ran to the small raised wall, Izuku slowly climbed over it instead of vaulting over like Midori did. When he reached the downspout and tried to climb it like she did, he took a lot longer due to being concerned about falling. He eventually ran the entire course and joined Midori on the roof of the school. "That took way too long!" he remarked.
"You'll get faster with practice," said Midori. "Ms. Midoriya, would you like to try?"
"Sure!" replied Inko.
She made her own attempt, but being older and in worse shape, she slowed down to climb over the raised wall. When she reached the side of the building, she slowly climbed the downspout, but lost her grip and fell, landing on her feet. "Whoa Mom! Are you okay?" asked Izuku, who quickly slid down the downspout to check on her.
"I'm fine. I landed on my feet so I'm not hurt much," replied Inko.
"Don't worry. We all have to start somewhere. Once you get the hang of things, you'll be doing this like a pro!" said Midori. She bathed Inko in the white glow of healing magic, which soothed the soreness caused by the abrupt landing.
When the Midoriya family began magic training with Abel, he had them transform into their Avatars. He then created practice dummies from the Domain's matter, then had the Werewolf wreathe his claws in the blue of lunar energy to slash them. As his blow made contact, the lunar energy burned through and made it easy to cut through, as though the dummy was air itself. In the claw swipe's wake were blackened char marks.
He could do the same for his leg to perform a flying "Lunar Kick." Altered Beast struck the dummy like a flaming arrow and left it mangled on the ground. Inko clapped. "Good work Izuku!" said Inko.
For his next session, Altered Beast gathered lunar energy between his claws, then expelled it as a spherical projectile. When it struck one of the dummies, it seared a black mark on it. Altered Beast fired three more of these "Lunar Balls" and burnt another trio of dummies. "Good! That lunar energy you employ is holy in nature. Keep that mind. Some demons will be vulnerable to it, while others won't be affected at all," said Abel.
"Understood," replied Altered Beast.
Abel created more dummies for Beast to practice with. "When you need more targets, just think them up and you'll get more," said Abel. "Now Ms. Midoriya, time for you to learn how to teleport."
He had Inko transform into the hound form of Space Harrier and target a spot. She exerted her will upon that location, then appeared there. Next, Abel had her teleport into the bleachers, then back down to the arena, both of which she was successful. His next lesson involved her shooting energy. Space Harrier gathered power into a blue orb before her jaws, then expelled it with a thought. When it hit the dummy, it seared a black mark on it. Space Harrier accelerated the rate of fire, shooting out trios of shots per volley.
"Good! Very good!" remarked Abel.
END OF CHAPTER
