Chapter 8: A Marble over the Flame
It had been a few days since Izuku's encounter with All Might. He found himself locked in his room, grappling with the shattering of his dreams by his idol. Scrolling through the internet, he explored various job options such as police work, security, or analysis – anything that might divert his path from the once-cherished dream of heroism.
Unbeknownst to Izuku, within the depths of his mind, changes were unfolding. The snowy lands of the darkness remained largely untouched, while the light side, now adorned with flourishing vegetation, had transformed into an aged Oak/Beech forest, adorned with the occasional White Willow. At the center, on the border between the two worlds, a holder of a dwindling green flame sat. Ignorant of the metamorphosis within him, Izuku closed his laptop and reclined on his bed.
In the recesses of his mind, a cabin stood, hosting the tar-skinned entity. Sipping on rum, the entity, with a predilection for alcohol-induced demise, perused a newspaper. The headline chronicled the fate of an emerging villain named Dabi, whose true identity was Toya Todoroki. A smirk graced the entity's face, recognizing that fate and destiny could be far more ruthless than itself. It had allowed the abuse of a child by his father, and when discarded, rather than letting the soul rest, it fueled a vengeful spirit that now roamed the streets as a burned arsonist, claiming numerous lives.
The entity folded the newspaper, stepped outside the cabin, and approached a shrine with a green flame. In its hand, a multicolored marble, predominantly black, white, and grey, symbolizing three powers. The first was Black and White Flame – the ability to generate black and white fire, among the hottest known. The entity relished in using this power, a formidable attack in its arsenal. The second power was Animal Summoner, responsible for the menagerie within Izuku's mind, allowing the summoning of almost any existing animal, with some limitations. Lastly, Arsenal – the power to materialize any weapon humanity had crafted. The entity chuckled maniacally as it placed the marble over the flame, infusing it with the power it craved. As the flame consumed the marble, burning it away, Izuku Midoriya, blissfully unaware, was no longer powerless.
In the outside world, Izuku struggled to find sleep, rest eluding him as he tossed and turned. An unsettling feeling lingered in the air, disrupting the tranquility of his room. Opening his eyes, he rose from his bed and silently treaded to the bathroom. There, he confronted the reflection in the mirror – a haunting image of fatigue, with deep eye bags, disheveled hair, and glazed eyes. The stark contrast to the vibrant, hopeful Izuku of weeks past was unsettling.
As he prepared to splash some water on his face, a sudden shift in the air filled the room with tension and malice. Intrigued, he glanced back at the mirror only to find a mysterious stranger standing beside him. The figure donned a black military trench coat, matching dress pants, combat boots, and a cap reminiscent of a military officer. The most striking features were the tar-like skin and the eyes – an endless black void with a white core, forming the iris and pupil.
With a sadistic and malevolent tone, the stranger addressed Izuku as if they were old acquaintances. Bewildered, Izuku searched for the stranger in the physical space beside him, finding nothing but empty air. Returning his gaze to the mirror, he discovered the enigmatic figure still present. The stranger spoke again, revealing a connection that sent a chill down Izuku's spine.
"Midoriya Izuku. It has been a long time since we last spoke," the figure uttered, its words lingering in the air. Confused and alarmed, Izuku questioned the identity of this mysterious being.
"Wh-who are y-you?" stammered Izuku, his voice betraying his timidity. The stranger, seemingly relishing the uncertainty, offered a name – the last name it had carried years ago.
"Well, I never really had a name that stuck. Names come with renown, and that's not something I need just yet. For now, call me by the last name I had some years ago. Gimei." The revelation hung in the air, leaving Izuku grappling with the unsettling presence and the implications of his newfound connection to this enigmatic entity.
"What d-do you w-want with me?" Izuku questioned, his voice trembling with uncertainty. Gimei, the entity that had now revealed its presence, responded with a chuckle, an unsettling amusement underlying its words.
"What I want with you, Midoriya, is entertainment. For a long time, I had none. However, 11 years ago, our paths crossed. Initially, I dismissed our conversation, but after weeks spent in my nature-bound prison, I made a decision. I realized that Fate intended for you to take a leap from a roof, a 'swan dive' as your old friend so eloquently put it. Yet, I intervened. You became the source of my amusement, and to keep that entertainment alive, I intertwined myself with your mind. In return, you gained power – an ancient power that predates even the ancestors of dinosaurs," Gimei explained cryptically.
The entity hinted that three abilities had intertwined with Izuku's body, leaving the specifics for Izuku to decipher. Gimei expressed a wish for luck in Izuku's future endeavors, implying that challenges lay ahead. Without further warning, the mysterious figure vanished, leaving behind a bewildered and confused Midoriya Izuku. The encounter left Izuku grappling with the newfound knowledge of an ancient entity dwelling within him, its motives wrapped in shadows and enigma.