Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia/Boku No Hero Academia, Overlord, or any other property in this work that I did not make myself.
The Sorcerer Hero: Deku
Chapter twelve: The internships, part two
Ainz was amused to see that some civilians in the area that he and Nejire patrolled in recognized Nejire. "Oh, Ryukyu and those working for her regularly patrol this area," Nejire explained, "That even includes me despite how I'm just an intern."
"I saw a few civilians refer to you as Nejire-chan," Ainz noted.
"That's my hero alias," Nejire replied, "And I got it from some of your female classmates that you picked Deku as your hero alias, while adding 'Sorcerer Hero' as an epitaph. I saw what all you did in the U.A. Sports Festival via watching footage afterwards, and then there's your hero costume here. Yeah, I'd say you totally got a sorcerer vibe going. It makes sense that Majestic was interested in snagging you as an intern."
Ainz nodded along as he thought about his interests over in Hosu. He currently has two battle maids secretly keeping an eye on Stain the Hero Killer, and he also had a Shadow Demon keep tabs on Tenya Iida in secret as soon as he got it Tenya was going to Hosu and Ainz was able to bring in a Shadow Demon to hide itself in Tenya's shadow to keep an eye on him to ensure he remained safe.
The Sorcerer King didn't want anything happening to Tenya, and he strongly suspected that the younger Iida brother would seek revenge on Stain for what the Hero Killer did to Tensei, the older brother of Tenya. Ainz was waiting for the right time to have Lupusregina Beta sneak in and heal Tensei Iida back up to hero duty condition, but he suspected that such a time won't be until after this round of internships ended.
By which time things may be too late for Tenya. ...Were it not for Ainz's involvement, that is.
...
The internships lasted for a few days, so Ainz had plenty of chances while working for Ryukyu to get some hero work in to help spread the name of Izuku Midoriya, spread the name of the Sorcerer Hero Deku. During that time, Ainz and Nejire heard bits and pieces about the hunt for the Hero Killer over in the area of Hosu. Nejire and Ainz stopped off at a cafe diner during the dinner rush one evening, Nejire said that she had business there.
"I heard that Endeavor has just joined the hunt for Stain the Hero Killer," Nejire said as she sat down at a booth with Ainz, "But my work at both school and under Ryukyu leaves me with little in the way of getting more info. I don't know more beyond what I hear others say in conversation."
Ainz nodded in understanding. A part of him told him that part of why Nejire insisted on this specific cafe diner and at this time was because she was going to meet a contact here. It was a pure business move, no romance at all. Ainz will have to make that VERY clear to Albedo and Shalltear if they get wind of Ainz essentially having dinner with Nejire.
"Yuyu's family owns this cafe diner," Nejire said, "And she unlike me not only has the freedom to keep tabs on all the big hero news, but she does so as a hobby. We can get all the deets we need on the Hosu situation from her." Ah, Yuyu Haya. Ainz knows her, she is a third year hero course girl same as Nejire but far less prominent due to failing to get much in the way of internships under a pro hero. She participated in the U.A. Sports Festival mainly to get the offered discount at one of the Mr. Suzuki owned businesses.
Ainz got it from conversation with Nejire that Yuyu is her best friend at school, and has some manner of electrical arrow quirk Ainz doesn't have the name of. He knows nothing else about her, and from her performance during the U.A. Sports Festival, he'd estimate her to actually be at a lower level than Bakugo and Todoroki. But the Sorcerer King had to be respectful; Yuyu's an informant and a friend of his senpai's.
Sure enough, Yuyu came walking up to the table Ainz and Nejire sat at. "Nejire, hey!" Yuyu greeted, "Great you can come in! And this kouhai here is Izuku Midoriya, right? I got bits and pieces of how he won first in the first year division of the U.A. Sports Festival!"
Nodding once, Nejire said, "Yeppers! Can you actually believe it that Ryukyu was his number one pick to intern under? That saved me a lot of effort to convince him to go with Ryukyu!"
"Yeah, a lot of pro heroes were clamoring for the first year boy who defeated Endeavor's son," Yuyu said, "I heard most of the current Top Ten, including Endeavor, wanted him."
Nodding once, Ainz said, "Yes, out of the Top Ten only All Might and Mirko didn't extend me offers." Ainz would have to admit he'd of been tempted if he did get an internship offer from the Rabbit Hero, despite discovering she wasn't actually some sort of rabbit beastman, just a human with a quirk that gave her rabbit ears and a rabbit tail. But her quirk was still interesting, making him think that the second New World had fantasy races like YGGDRASIL and the first New World.
And if he got an offer from Mirko alongside the offer from Ryukyu, then regardless of which one he picked he'd be in prime position to get on more friendly terms with Tsuyu Asui via doing a favor for one of her little siblings. Ainz wanted to facilitate a naturally occurring meeting with Tsuyu's younger siblings so he could check their potential and see if they like Eri had great potential despite being at a young age. The meeting had to be naturally occurring; Ainz can't force or rush it.
But the promised autographed photo of the Dragon Hero for Tsuyu's little brother ought to be a step in the right direction. As Ainz was thinking about all of this, his senpais from U.A. completely having forgotten he was sitting there due to being engrossed in conversation, one of the cafe diner patrons yelled, "Hey everyone! Hey! Hey, shut the hell up, there's a breaking news story going on over in the area of Hosu! Look at the TV!"
The attention of the patrons turned to see that a breaking news story showing a number of pro heroes fighting in the streets, with Endeavor there as well. But they weren't fighting each other, but a trio of exposed brain creatures that Ainz felt were like the Nomu from the attack on the USJ. From the looks of things, only Endeavor out of the heroes was having an easy time with the Nomus, even though he was having to cover weaker pro heroes.
As Ainz watched this, subtly wishing that he had TV in YGGDRASIL and the first New World, he got an alert via the Message system. "Lord Ainz?" the voice of Lupus said to him, "Me and Setsuna have some rather big news for you! Are you free to hear it?"
Without answering Lupus because he was in company, he lowered his hand. "Nejire-senpai, I need to go use the restroom," Ainz said, "Could you order something for me? I'll pay you back later if need be, but this feels really urgent."
"You're the champ of the first year division of the U.A. Sports Festival, so I'm sure my dad and uncle would be willing to send you at least a free dessert and soda," Yuyu said. Ainz nodded once, saying he'd let Nejire pick for him, then he got up and went to the restroom.
Of course, as an undead, he had no need to relieve himself. He needed an excuse to get away and reply to Lupus's Message. "Sorry for the delay, I had to get away from some company," Ainz said, "What is it?"
"There's an attack in Hosu involving three creatures resembling the monster that, according to Sir Demiurge, you say was identified as a Nomu," Setsuna Wahid, Lupus's pallet swap from the World Heritage combat maids, said, "Additionally, Lupus and I saw your asset Tenya Iida go down an alleyway we saw Stain the Hero Killer go down."
Ainz knew about the Nomu attack due to seeing it on TV, but he was a bit worried to hear that Tenya was close to a meeting with Stain. "Don't let Tenya Iida come to harm," Ainz said, "Grab him and pull out if need be, but until you feel that's necessary continue monitoring things. I'm coming there in a moment." Ainz ended the Message, then cast Greater Teleportation to make a pit stop before he got himself over to Hosu.
Ainz was going to do some hero work and Japan won't even know it.
Over in Hosu, Dabi and Mirajane were watching from atop a building, maintaining a good hiding spot but still able to see Endeavor and the other heroes fight the three Nomus that the big boss man was able to spare. "Endeavor even brought his bouncing baby boy and that blonde explosive Pomeranian from U.A. Day Care to help," Dabi remarked dryly.
"They had great showings in the U.A. Sports Festival," Mirajane remarked.
Shrugging, Dabi went on, "It makes sense that Endeavor's kid did well, that flaming brick house bastard sired him." Holding his binoculars back up to see the show, Dabi went on, "Now all we have to do is HOLY SHIT WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE?!" Mirajane turned to look to see what had made the master's new successor freak out so much.
When she did, the black sludge female bartender was surprised, as well as wondered what the master was up to. Was he field testing a new species of Nomu? Is that why the master could only spare three of the Nomu they have now to Dabi to help with the pincer attack they were going to be pulling off with Stain?
Even Mirajane had no idea what the master was up to here.
...
Ainz first teleported to a room at a Shie Hassaikai owned location, a room he told his subordinates in the second New World to never go into or even look to see what was inside. That's because it's a room full of Death Knights Ainz made from homeless people he's killed (he also took their quirks as well) to have a fodder force of disposable soldiers in the second New World. They did nothing but wait to be called upon by Ainz if he had need for them.
Ainz, after using an illusion spell to disguise himself as his skeletal self but wearing the orange and yellow long sleeved coat he wore after the war between Baharuth and Gazef's kingdom, then told the three Death Knights closest to him to come with him. He then made a Gate to portal into an alleyway in Hosu, opposite from the one across the street that Lupus and Setsuna told him they saw Tenya go down. Ainz will deal with Stain in a moment.
After the portal closed, Ainz with said, "Death Knights, out in the street there are humans fighting a trio of monsters with exposed brains. I want you three to attack ONLY the monsters with exposed brains, leave the humans alone. I'll cast a Time Stop to give me time to take what powers those monsters have before moving onto another and more personal goal. After I drop the Time Stop and those monsters are defeated, I want you to dissipate into smoke and return to where I pulled you from. Am I clear?"
The trio of Death Knights all roared in confirmation, and before they left the alleyway Ainz cast Time Stop to freeze time. He flew out of the alleyway with Fly, went over to the fight, harvested all of the quirks of the Nomus via Harvest Quirk, then flew over into the alleyway Ainz was told Tenya had followed Stain down. Sure enough, Ainz saw Tenya confronting Stain while an injured pro hero with a Native American theme sat on the ground with his back to a wall.
Ainz flew over to where the frozen in time Hero Killer stood, looking primed to charge Tenya. "I still want you as a subordinate, Hero Killer," Ainz said, "But I won't let you kill an asset." Ainz then cast a sleep spell on Stain, with the Delay Magic boost on it. When Ainz dropped the Time Stop, Stain will suddenly drop to the ground asleep, a sleep he won't awaken from until he's in custody. Ainz will get him out from there after that.
Once he made sure Tenya was going to be fine, Ainz flew back to where he left his frozen in time Death Knights. He stood behind them before dropping the Time Stop, and saw it as they all ran out to go attack the Nomus. Ainz saw the last Death Knight leave the alleyway as he fell back into a Gate that would take him back to the Death Knight room at the Shie Hassaikai owned location. He dropped the illusion spell to turn back into Izuku Midoriya, then cast Greater Teleportation to go back to the Haya family owned cafe diner.
After leaving the restroom, Ainz walked back out to where Nejire and Yuyu were sitting. They were so caught up in what was going on in the news that they weren't even aware how long their kouhai had been gone. "Sorry if I took so long," Ainz said, getting the girls' attention, "What did I miss?"
"Midoriya-kun," Nejire said, a hint of frightened horror in her tone, "Three big black skeleton warrior monsters just showed up in Hosu, suddenly appearing in the fight and started going at the three monsters with the exposed brains!" Looking to the news, Ainz saw that the Death Knights were fighting the Nomus live on TV, ignoring the humans completely.
The humans, a mix of frightened by the Death Knights and confused that they were actually helping them with the Nomus, just stood by in confusion. Within quick order, the Death Knights had killed all of the Nomus; Ainz had Quirk Jewels containing all of the quirks all of those Nomus had, so they had no power to help them. Once the last Nomu was killed, the Death Knights all roared out before turning into smoke and leaving the area, their smoke fading into the dark night skies above.
There was no harm in the Death Knights being seen at this point; Ainz killed five of them in a show at Aldera Junior High (would have been six if All Might didn't steal a kill from him), and knowledge of their existence has long since been known to the heroes of Japan. Luckily for Ainz, the heroes had no idea of him, and he even got it All Might himself thinks they're the work of an old nemesis of his. Good, let the heroes think that the Death Knights are the work of another person.
The longer Ainz could maintain his cover, the better.
The next morning, everyone from U.A. had to go back as internships were over. In addition to the appearance of the Death Knights to combat the Nomus before turning into smoke and disappearing from sight, it was reported that the Pro Heroes Manual and Native, with minor help from Manual's intern Tenya Iida from U.A.'s first year hero course, had defeated and captured Stain the Hero Killer.
It was also reported that Tenya's older brother Tensei, the pro hero Ingenium who was injured by Stain, somehow made a miraculous and complete recovery and would be able to resume hero duty in a few days. Forms and other business things had to be handled first. Things were good news for the Iida family, it would seem, and Tensei's recovery (done by Lupus on Ainz's orders, not that any of the second New World residents knew that) was what Tenya was most excited to share with all of his peers when everyone was back in class.
However, the main focus of attention was on Todoroki and Bakugo, who both interned under Endeavor, who was one of the pro heroes present to see it live as the Nomus were killed by their surprise and frightening help. Todoroki and Bakugo had seen the Death Knights as well, but were on the edge of the area getting civilians to safety when the Death Knights first appeared to help out.
"Those were the exact same fucking kind of monsters that appeared at Aldera Junior High which Deku and I went to!" Bakugo exclaimed, "We're lucky only three showed up in Hosu, killed those knock offs of the USJ monster, then left without killing any humans! Because there were SIX of those big ass black skeleton warrior monsters at Aldera, with one killing a teacher before All Might and Deku killed them all!"
"Wait, Midoriya helped All Might with killing big black skeleton warrior monsters?" Koji Koda spoke up, looking scared at the appearance of monsters that looked like undead. He wasn't the only one, most every other Class 1-A student was scared of the Death Knights.
Scoffing, Bakugo went on, "More like Deku killed the first five on his own and All Might stole the last one from him! There's not a doubt in my mind that Deku would have smoked the last one if All Might didn't come in at the end and steal the kill from him!"
All of Ainz's peers in Class 1-A turned to look at him. "You soloed FIVE of those things, Midoriya?!" Mina exclaimed, "And when you were still in Junior High?!"
"Hot damn, Midoriya!" Dark Shadow said as it hung outside of and next to Tokoyami, "Fumi here and I had a feeling you were strong, but that just blows all prior doubt if there was any away!"
"Monsters of the most horrific darkness," Tokoyami began, "Having even the champions of our land cowering in fright, and even the Symbol of Peace being the only hero known to defeat one. But you taking out five on your own and as easily as I can meld into the shadows tells me that you will be one of the greatest heroes Japan will ever know."
It was agreed that Ainz was bar none the strongest student Class 1-A had to offer. Even Bakugo had to admit it. But the Sorcerer King kept humble, saying there was more to being a pro hero than being the strongest. "I learned a great deal about what a pro hero needs aside from strength while I had worked under the Dragon Hero," Ainz said, "Oh, and that reminds me. Asui-san."
To Tsuyu's surprise, Ainz pulled out and handed her an autographed photo of Ryukyu. It was a profile pic that only had her signature as Ryukyu in the bottom left corner. "By the way," Ainz said, "Can you tell me why your little brother is a Ryukyu fan? I don't have any idea why."
"Oh, it's because of how much she's done to help kids like him kero," Tsuyu replied. She explained that her little brother Samidare has Asperger's Syndrome, which puts the sole Asui brother on the autism spectrum. As such, a lot of work that the Dragon Hero has done to help kids on the autism spectrum have benefited Samidare as he's one of those kids. Samidare, according to Tsuyu, says that Ryukyu believes in him and other kids like him, so he's going to believe in Ryukyu.
Ainz was surprised, as well as touched, by what all he learned. And the dedication that the Dragon Hero has for giving those on the spectrum a hand up reminded Ainz of one of his old guild mates, the one who worked at a special school for kids on the spectrum. Kurama Kyubi, a Kitsune ninja who made a few notable NPCs Ainz plans to use to supplement the Floor Guardians and the Pleiades combat maids.
The Sorcerer King was going to be very busy, but he was able to tell that he was also going to have a lot of fun.
Later, when the Class 1-A boys were using a locker room to change, Mineta found a peephole that would let the boys see what was going on in the girls' locker room. Despite his interests, Mineta ultimately lowered the poster that covered the peephole. "We... we have to tell Aizawa-sensei about it," Mineta said, sounding like he didn't exactly enjoy having to do what he said he and the others had to do but he knew it had to be done anyway, "It's for the best."
Ainz was impressed that Mineta was giving up a chance to indulge in his lewd interests. The short boy with purple balls for a Mohawk was improving himself, he was becoming better. Ainz will keep up with keeping an eye on Mineta and his activities, but if things continue like this, then perhaps the Sorcerer King won't give Mineta to Shalltear for her to teach Mineta a lesson for taking everything that Peroroncino represented and perverting it.
After the boys were done in the locker room, they were all surprised when Aizawa had them all gather up. "Boys, I'm going to need to borrow Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki," Aizawa began, "All Might wants to have a private talk with them."
"Why does All Might wanna talk to Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki alone, Aizawa-sensei?" Mashiharo Ojiro asked.
"He mentioned something about the big black skeleton warrior monsters that appeared in Hosu and fought the Nomu like creatures before leaving," Aizawa said, then had the three students he named come with him. Ainz figured that All Might wanted to talk to them about the Death Knights; six had appeared at Aldera, and another three appeared at Hosu before leaving.
Perhaps the heroes are up to trying to figure out a game plan and need as much info as possible, hence why boys who saw those monsters were being called in. They were going to be expected to give what all they had to the heroes, even if most of it might end up being pure speculation. Any bit of info at all at this point would be a boon, the heroes were scrambling that much.
...Ainz could very easily give misdirection to lead the heroes astray, assuming that their current level of info was low enough that they'd take even speculation as fact.
...
Ainz, Bakugo, and Todoroki sat in a private room on a sofa with All Might in his buff form sitting across from them on the other side of a coffee table between them. The Symbol of Peace, with only Ainz (as he was Midoriya who All Might knows saw it) knowing he's Toshinori Yagi, wanted to keep up how as few people as possible knows he's All Might. All Might sat in a plush cool black leather arm chair, comparable to the sofa the three Class 1-A students shared.
"Let me guess, All Might," Bakugo said, a hint of dryness in his tone and expression, "This is about those big ass black skeleton warrior monsters."
Nodding once, All Might replied, "Indeed, Young Bakugo. I know that you and Young Midoriya saw the ones that appeared at your old Junior High, and then you and Young Todoroki saw the three that were in Hosu before they left. The other heroes thought that the claims of those monsters existing were merely a hoax that the Aldera students and me were all in on, but what happened in Hosu that night has a number of heroes apologizing to me for not believing me earlier."
"Bakugo and I were telling our peers in Class 1-A about what we saw," Todoroki spoke up, "And that you and Midoriya defeated the ones at Aldera Junior High. I'm guessing you called Midoriya in because he saw some of them too?"
"That and I will admit he has experience in besting those horrors," All Might said. Turning to look at Ainz, All Might said, "That being said. Young Midoriya, what thoughts do you have on those skeleton warrior monsters?"
Ainz held a hand to his chin, wore a contemplative look on his face. "...From what I saw when those monsters attacked at Aldera," Ainz began, "As well as their focus on the Nomu like monsters that were in Hosu, I'd say they possess some level of intelligence and sentience. At least enough to do some hunting for a rather sadistic kind of sport."
"You think they were killing for fun, Midoriya?" Todoroki asked.
Turning to look at Todoroki, Ainz said, "When the monsters attacked at Aldera, they killed a teacher but focused on me while ignoring everyone else after I killed one of their members. Then they were seen and reported to attack only the Nomu like monsters from Hosu, leaving after killing only them. My guess is that they like killing, but focus only on targets they think may give them a challenge. They most likely didn't view the heroes and any normal humans in the area as good sport to hunt, hence why the three of them left after killing the Nomu like monsters."
"...That makes sense," Bakugo said, "And it makes those big ass black skeleton warrior monsters even worse because they're not only intelligent to a degree but can gauge who'd be a challenge or not and try to kill those they think can foot the bill. Sadistic sentience in monsters like those makes them utter nightmares."
"We're already dealing with the Nomus," All Might said, "But they aren't so bad. Despite being just as murderous as the skeleton warrior monsters, the Nomus are mindless, working with that could give the pro heroes an edge. But the skeleton warrior monsters... evidence suggesting they possess a degree of intelligence and sentience, and evidence suggesting they kill as a type of sadistic sport." Gently shaking his head, All Might went on, "The heroes of Japan will have to marshal as much of their strength as possible just to fend them off."
After the three students nodded in agreement, All Might asked the boys for their personal opinions on the Death Knights, still having no idea what they're actually called and kept referring to them as the black skeleton warrior monsters. "I was too scared to think straight when Bakugo and I saw the three in Hosu," Todoroki admitted.
"That was the second time I saw them and I still barely avoided pissing myself out of fright," Bakugo said, "That being said, Deku here must have balls of steel given he smoked five of the ones that had appeared at Aldera before you came in and smoked the last one, All Might."
"They are dangerous, I will admit," Ainz said, "But if there's a great enough need and if I am asked, then I would agree to help take on the next ones to appear, to see if I'm able to replicate my feat from Aldera. But as a student in U.A.'s first year hero course, I highly doubt the pro heroes will want to draft me to help with combating those monsters."
"You are indeed right that you won't be asked to help, Young Midoriya," All Might stated, "The pro heroes are going to be wanting to handle those monsters themselves. We cannot risk students who haven't graduated from hero academies yet and became pro heroes themselves yet, even though you have admittedly proven yourself. It's a moral obligation on part of the pro heroes to not let any hero students take on severe enough risks."
All Might asked the boys in front of him a few more questions, but in the end let them go back to their class. Ainz felt confident that the heroes, aside from not having any idea that the Death Knights are even called Death Knights, have just speculation to go off of when it comes to dealing with them. Even so, the fact that the heroes are now going to be looking into the Death Knights told Ainz that he had to be careful with how he acts moving forward.
...But Ainz is always careful. And he could potentially use the heroes' worries about the Death Knights against them to gather more information.
Later in his office at Nazarick, Ainz was sitting at his desk as he conversed with Albedo and Demiurge. Using an illusion spell to appear as his skeletal self, Ainz said, "My goals for the second New World are progressing quite nicely, it would seem. I have successfully made my alias a name of some great repute."
"It's like what you were doing with the adventurer Momon," Demiurge remarked.
Nodding in confirmation, Ainz said, "Indeed. Anyway, there's some things cropping up that may be a thorn in the side of my plans for the second New World, so until I have sufficient information on all of that business, I'm going to keep from making any big moves. I cannot afford to be careless."
The two smartest guardians he had nodded in agreement, awed by his vast foresight. Ainz had done well with his plans so far, so it wouldn't do if there were slip ups now.
END, CHAPTER TWELVE
Author's notes;
This chapter sees the Hosu Hustle wrap up a lot quicker and more easily for the heroes, but then again it was in Ainz's interests so he made it so. He was also able to plant seeds of misdirection in the minds of the pro heroes, and he got a few things set up to help him bolster his assets in the second New World.
There was the bit with the peephole where Mineta here actually refrained from using it (it was a difficult decision for him, mind you) and say it ought to be reported to Aizawa. Ainz and his peers in Class 1-A have to get ready for some big stuff soon, but before that there's going to be some filler where Ainz boosts his assets and holdings in the second New World, including at least one rather powerful Quirk Jewel and two new subordinates.
Until then, take care.