The next day, Aizawa was addressing Class 1-A.
"I have good news. While some of the teachers were reluctant, it was agreed to allow you to take the work-study. Now keep in mind this is going to be a more serious version of the internships you've already experienced. You'll be helping with street patrols and investigations. It's still recommended that you choose an agency with a proven track record. If you can't find one, we'll do our best to find one for you."
While most of the class discussed their options, Izuku already knew exactly which agency he was joining. What he didn't know was that a few others had the same idea.
"No way! I can't believe you're joining us for a work-study!" Futaba cheered. "This is awesome!"
Izuku smiled as he and Hilda arrived at the Royal Agency with the Phantom Thieves, headed by the Wolfgang Hero: Valjean Wolf. Also with them were Kirby, Ben, Penny, and Mipha.
"So, you're the famous Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku couldn't contain his excitement at the sight of Valjean himself, real name Zenkichi Hasegawa.
"I'm glad you decided to choose my agency. And honestly, it couldn't have come at a better time."
"What do you mean?" Hilda asked.
"Right now we're investigating a rising threat. And we could use the help of someone like you and your friends. Those whose powers can easily bounce back with our own."
"We'll do all we can!" Mipha smiled.
As for the rest of Class 1-A and even a few members of Class 1-B, they had also picked out who they wished to go to for work-study.
Katsuki, Shoto, Momo, and Nia were with Gang Orca. Tooru, Rebecca, and Yuuga were with Yoroi Musha. Ochako, Tenya, Eijirou, and Tetsutetsu were with Fat Gum. Mina, Tsuyu, Minoru, and Nimona were with Ryuukyuu. Denki, Kyouka, Oujiro, and Shouji were with the joint group of Superalloy Darkshine, Puri-Puri Prisoner, and Tanktop Master. Finally, Sero, Fumikage, Kouji, and Rikidou were with Sir Nighteye.
What none of the Pro Heroes knew as they were running things down to the interns was that they were all reciting the same thing.
"Now you'll largely be working here during after-school hours. This will mostly consist of regular patrols and small investigations. This may just be a work-study, but the work part is taken seriously. You'll be accepting the same payment as if you were an actual employee at this agency. For the most part, you'll be treating this like a part-time job, like working at a convenience store or shopping mall. The major exception is if we have a serious crisis, such as tracking a major criminal mastermind, in which case you'll be working more long-term. During such time we'll be e-mailing your school for any upcoming class work or school projects so you can maintain your academic learning. During this time you'll be learning everything important regarding hero work. And not just from this agency, but any others we happen to work with."
Each hero stamped the paperwork, almost at the same time.
"With that in mind...WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST DAY OF HERO WORK!"
"I have some concerns..." Aizawa said, currently in the teacher's lounge with Midnight, Present Mic, Captain Falcon, and Psy-Brina. "Especially since each of the agencies my kids are doing work study with is investigating the Shie Hassaikai."
"That was no coincidence," Nezu said grimly. "But don't get it twisted, I have no intention of throwing our students right into Overhaul's path. More I expect they'll be sent to slowly deconstruct every facet of his network, letting more experienced pros deal with the boss himself."
"Why not just throw Midoriya or my little baby boy Benny at it?" Midnight asked, pausing in the middle of her eating contest with Sabrina.
Present Mic nodded. "Nem does have a point, sir. Midoriya, Torekuroshi, Yasakani, hell even Sakurai could probably take care of Overhaul easily. Still, they might need to be prepared first."
"I have my faith in our kids." Captain Falcon nodded. "I just hope nothing happens to misplace that faith."
"So, big and beautiful, huh?" Makoto noted to Hilda while getting a drink from the office vending machine. "Gotta say, you really wear it well."
"Heh, you know it!" Hilda said proudly. "You sound like you have some familiarity with it."
"During a dispute with the boys, me, Ann, Futaba, Haru, and Sumire tried infiltrating this Villain's hideout. Turns out, he had this Quirk that let him create food monsters that we had to eat in order to get to him. We were almost too fat to move after we were done."
"Sounds like what happened to Momo, Mina, Kyouka, and Midnight-Sensei back during internships a few months ago!" Hilda laughed. "Except Momo and Midnight kept the weight."
"Yeah. We were lucky that we shed the weight easily thanks to his Quirk being tied to it." Makoto said. "But still, it was...kinda embarrassing, even if Ann and Futaba got mostly comfortable with it."
"Alright, folks! Let's gather in the bullpen!" Zenkichi called out. "It's time to get started on our first big investigation of the afternoon!"
"Oh my, I wonder what it will be!" Penny said excitedly.
"Time to get to work!" Kirby chirped.
"As of late a certain Yakuza clan has been roaming the streets in broad daylight. Using my Quirk I've been able to track them and found them making back-alley deals of a dubious nature." Futaba said.
Futaba was a talented hacker who had a lot of reach on the web both with her natural talents and with her Quirk, [Forbidden Knowledge], which let her see and hack into whatever she wished. She can even form digital constructs, absorb digital information, and even access people's brains to control them.
"Basic drug deals? Ryuji suggested. "We know the Yakuza mostly deal in Trigger and other designers."
"Except there haven't been too many designer drugs among the populace in recent months," Zenkichi pointed out. "But there have been cases of villains suddenly gaining way too much strength and actually hospitalizing some heroes."
"On its own, that's nothing strange. A very real possibility in this line of work." Futaba added. "But statistically it's been happening less and less in recent years, even after All-Might announced the possibility of his retirement."
"This may still be a drug deal, but one targeted purely towards villains. Some form of strength enhancer, like a mix of Steroids and Trigger." Izuku suggested.
"What do we even call that? Super Trigger?" Ben pondered. "I mean, I remember that incident years ago in Naruhata with the Vigilantes and all that."
"That's exactly what our investigation so far has suggested. While these charged-up villains have put several lower-tiered heroes in the hospital, or even killed them... The more powerful ones have proven more than capable of dealing with these punks." Zenkichi said. "And blood sample tests did come back with a peculiar drug in their bloodstream. Now, the chemical formula didn't turn up positive for steroids, but we did confirm Trigger was used as a stabilizing agent. However... It wasn't the active ingredient."
"Are you serious? Trigger ISN'T the primary source?" Hilda gawked.
Ann shivered. "There's your nightmare fuel right there."
"But if Trigger isn't the active ingredient, what is?" Penny asked.
"That remains a mystery. Whatever it is, the only thing we know about it is that it's some sort of biological tissue, with a genome identical to human DNA." Zenkichi explained.
"I think I just threw up in my mouth..." Morgana said, his eyes a comical blank white.
"I am incapable of throwing up in my mouth because I just spit whatever's in my mouth out like a pistol." Kirby said.
"Perhaps Overhaul found someone with a Quirk that can enhance other Quirks somehow, then captured them and started harvesting their DNA." Izuku said.
"Jeez, this guy is a sick twisted fuck!" Ben cursed.
"Word on that, man!" Ryuji said, looking a little green himself.
"What do we know about his Quirk?" Hilda asked.
"Overhaul, real name Kai Chisaki," Zenkichi said as he read over the dossier. "His Quirk is also named [Overhaul], and it lets him disassemble and reassemble anything he touches through skin contact."
"I see..." Izuku muttered. "Even with my theory, sooner or later Overhaul would run out of resources depending on the size of the body. But if he could reassemble the target he could harvest from them endlessly."
"I actually want to keep my appetite, Zu!" Hilda said, looking sick.
"Yeah, some of us also want to SLEEP!" Futaba added.
"He does have a point, though." Yusuke clarified. "With this in mind, Overhaul presents a very real and present threat."
"All the more reason to start breaking down the Shie Hassaikai," Zenkichi said. "We'll be in a joint investigation with several other agencies. The Diet wants Overhaul dealt with as soon as possible, after all. So we're pulling out all the stops we can legally get away with."
"You may want to brace yourselves," Goro warned the underclassmen. "Even with your experience dealing with Villains, this will be something else entirely."
That evening, Class 1-A was talking about their upcoming investigation. Katsuki scowled as he punched his fist into his hand.
"I can't believe this asshole is trying to drag the Yakuza out of the slurry pit it belongs in."
"It's bizarre; Until now the clan heads have been resigned to lending out their grunts to larger villain agencies in exchange for cash. Why the sudden change?" Fumikage pondered.
"Overhaul isn't really a clan head," Penny explained. "And he's actually quite young."
"Be that as it may, whatever he has planned is surely dangerous." Momo noted while sharing a pizza with Hilda.
"That brat really did a number, huh?" Batman Who Laughs muttered as Tomura finished explaining the situation with the Shie Hassaikai to the Dark Knights.
"How are we even gonna beat this creep?" Micha asked, piggybacking on Vetto's shoulders.
"We don't necessarily have to..." Tomura smirked. "Instead, we'll play informant and draw the heroes right where Overhaul's operations are. And in the meantime, we'll pretend to be willing to kowtow to Overhaul's 'superiority'."
"A very ingenious plan, my boy." August said, putting a hand on Tomura's shoulder. "And I have a plan on how to get passed Overhaul's defenses."
"Well, this will certainly be fun!" Kagetane smirked behind his mask, Kohina nodding in excitement.
Izuku and Ben were together on patrol when they bumped into Mirio.
"Fancy running into you guys! Mind if we patrol together?"
Ben shrugged. "Sure, what's the harm in it?"
Suddenly, Izuku's Observation Haki went off, sensing something seriously wrong and dangerous coming their way.
"Wait, what's going on?"
Just then, a small figure slammed into his leg. The boys looked down to see a little girl with dirty white hair and a small horn on her head, dressed only in a dirty rag.
"Hey, are you okay?" Ben asked gently as he crouched down. "Are you lost?"
"Oh, there you are, Eri."
Izuku, Ben, and Mirio all felt a collective shiver run down their spines as they looked to see a man stepping out of the alleyway the child came from. None other than Overhaul himself was standing before them.
"Did you happen to see my daughter run by here just now? About five years old, silver-gray hair, small horn sticking out of the right side of her forehead?" He asked. "I could have sworn she ran into you two, but... I guess she dashed off again."
Izuku, Ben, and Mirio realized the little girl had disappeared, only brief wisps of shadow that slowly dissipated into nothing. They quickly realized that Akira had been watching over them and used his Quirk, [Cursed Shadow], to sneak through the shadows and snag the girl before anybody could notice.
"Sorry, sir. We only spotted her for a second before she ran off." Mirio said as he pointed to the large crowds on either side of them, indicating how easy it would be to lose a small child.
Overhaul huffed in irritation. "Well, that's a pain. I suppose I'll have to file a missing person then. You three look a little young to be heroes. Are you interns patrolling together?"
"Yeah, we're with the same agency," Ben lied, and both Izuku and Mirio nodded in confirmation to perpetuate it.
"Which agency would that be?" Overhaul asked. "I'd like to ask their help in this regard."
"Sorry, mister, we're under contract not to mention our agency in public. But we can direct you to the nearest police station if you require it." Mirio said.
"No need. I know this area well enough to find it. But thanks for the offer."
He headed back into the alley. Making sure he was gone, Izuku, Ben, and Mirio hurried into the crowd where the chatter would drown them out.
"What happened to that little girl?" Mirio asked.
"I saw some shadows." Ben said. "More than likely Kurusu-Senpai used his Quirk to sneak in and pick her up without Overhaul being the wiser."
Akira's Quirk allowed him to control darkness, sneak through it, drag others into it, and even create shadow constructs. He also could access the dream realm with his shadows, letting him walk through the minds of anyone around the world via the collective unconscious and manipulate their dreams. With enough focus, he could even absorb light to empower his basic abilities.
Making sure there were no prying eyes and ears with their Haki, Ben and Izuku led Mirio to their rendezvous point. As they took a moment to relax from the frightening encounter, Ben decided to break the ice.
"So, I heard your Hero Name is Lemillion. Pretty weird name, any reason for it?"
"Because I want to save at least a million people before I retire," Mirio explained. "A lofty goal, sure. But no hero can save everyone, no matter how powerful or skilled they are."
"That's still pretty admirable though, Togata-Senpai." Izuku smiled.
Soon, the Phantom Thieves arrived as well.
"Don't worry, I'm not sensing any sort of malicious intent with my Haki." Izuku said.
"I dropped the girl off at Valjean's. Wanted to make sure she was safe before we met up." Akira said. "I was able to calm her down enough to get her name... Eri. She's worried that Overhaul will start tearing apart the city looking for her now."
"Overhaul claimed Eri was his daughter. "But given the state we saw her in I really have my doubts." Ben noted.
Makoto scoffed. "Oldest trick in the book. Oh, she's just my daughter. Oh, she's my little niece. Oh yeah, I'm babysitting her. Kids have such active imaginations, don't they? Kids think they can do whatever they want and not listen to adults."
"Okay, we can do without the sarcasm." Mirio dryly noted.
"Valjean's heard those buzzwords dozens of times and caught a number of child predators that way," Sumire explained. "But Overhaul doesn't come off as a child predator, so why would Eri think he'd be looking for her?"
"Maybe he wants her for something," Futaba suggested, "I can scan her with my Quirk and we'll use the data mined to try and profile his actions."
"She'll need medical attention anyway. Poor little thing looked so malnourished." Haru worriedly noted.
"We were able to throw Overhaul off the trail a little," Mirio said. "I went along with Torekuroshi's lie that we worked for the same agency, and then made sure to make another fib that we weren't allowed to say which agency."
Ryuji grinned. "Sweet! Everyone expects Underground Heroes to be sneaky. It's part of the name. But people take it for granted that spotlight heroes are capable of lying to criminals too."
"You got that right!" Ben grinned, giving Ryuji a high-five.
Two Shie Hassaikai members were shaking in terror as Overhaul approached them, a furious glare on his face.
"I gave you two just one job. Look after that cursed little brat and keep her happy. Help her forget that we need to practically torture her to get what I need to cure the ultimate affliction plaguing mankind. But now she's gotten loose from us and is in the hands of those heroes. So then..."
He took off one of his gloves and placed his hand on one of them, causing their entire upper body to become a red stain on the wall.
The surviving member silently shook as he watched his comrade's grisly demise. He was tall and lanky, having a black and white checkered outfit that resembled a jester's, long black shaggy hair with grey streaks, chalk white skin, black lips, and red burning eyes.
"Relax, Freakshow, you've done a good job at pacifying Eri in the time you've been a member, so you get to live." Overhaul said as he put his glove back on before patting the clown-esque man on the shoulder.
As Overhaul walked away, Freakshow clenched his fist tightly. The truth was that letting Eri go was his plan and it was fortunate that Overhaul didn't suspect anything but it cost the life of his partner just now.
Perhaps the League of Villains was still hiring...
Eri was mostly quiet but required help from Akira, Kirby, Mipha, Ben, Hilda, or Izuku when it came to the medical procedures as looking at the syringes made her nearly go into a panic attack. She seemed to be unaware that what she went through was far from normal.
"You gonna be okay?" Izuku asked.
"T-They didn't take that much blood. Don't they need more?"
"They only need a small amount to examine it. They just need a sample to check for diseases." Penny explained, having the girl sit on her lap.
"What is she doing?"
Izuku and Penny looked to see Futaba having created a large pseudo-digital monitor in front of her.
"It's simple, she's merely trying to learn about your Quirk with her own," Penny said.
Eri started to tear up. "Chisaki... Called it a curse... I... made my dad disappear with it..."
"Quirk accident. It can happen sometimes when a kid is unable to control their newly awakened Quirk." Futaba noted. "Parents can wind up injured or even killed. Eri was one of the unlucky ones, it seems."
"Do you know why?" Hilda asked as she came in, giving Eri an apple she got from the cafeteria.
"I've finished looking over her Quirk. It's called [Rewind] and, as the name already suggests, it lets her rewind things."
"Like age..." Ben frowned as he came over, realizing the implications.
"A scan of her body shows it's been affected by Overhaul's Quirk numerous times," Futaba said. "He's been harvesting her, just like you theorized, Midoriya. But there's one snag. Would she be able to rewind weakness to make it strength?"
Eri frowned. "Chisaki doesn't just think I'm cursed... He said that he's cursed as well. Cursed with a power that shouldn't exist. And that I could help make a cure for it."
"He's not harvesting Eri's blood to make the strengthening compound..." Izuku realized, his eyes widening in horror. "He's doing it to make something that can erase Quirks, rewinding the factor in our genes that creates Quirks in the first place!"
A grim silence fell over everybody. It seemed the investigation into the Shie Hassaikai had become a lot more grim than anticipated...
We've rescued the baby unicorn! I repeat we've rescued the baby unicorn!
Now it's time for Operation: DESTROY HUMAN GARBAGE! I am sooooo gonna enjoy this! Give me any ideas you can on how to wreck Overhaul's existence!
Also, I'd like to introduce you to another OC character concocted by my friend, Zeroth17, Freakshow! You'll see more of him later!