Chapter 23: Planning your first steps (Into hell)(back from your own myth)
As the gears of the world turn the 1-A students find themselves about to engage in a battle that might be a bit more than they bargained before. How will Aleister casting his lot in with Overhaul change things even this far out? How will Chaldea respond to this clear and present threat?
I am so close to being done with school guys. My final is in a couple of weeks and then I have boards and once that's all done and I get a steady job then I'll probably be regimented enough to actually work on this more often! I promise I am still writing it just comes in sudden bursts. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
Nathan bolted upright, looking at his phone to see the time.
1:12 am.
He wondered who could be visiting at this hour.
It had been an impossibly quiet knock that woke him, almost as if the person on the other side of his door changed their mind at the last second.
He quickly hopped out of bed to see if he could catch the night visitor before they got out of the hall.
Thankfully they stopped when they heard Nathan's door open.
"Izuku?"
"O-oh I- Um…"
"Come on in." Nathan said, beckoning for his wayward friend to follow.
"Ah… Thanks." Midoriya nodded, closing the door quietly behind him. "Sorry. I hope I didn't wake you."
"It's fine. I'm used to having to get up and be alert at odd hours. What brings you over?" Nathan asked before sitting on the corner of his bed.
"Ah. Um. A lot of things honestly… My work study got off to a terrible start… And All Might had… A lot to say about certain things that… Do you know who Nighteye is?"
"Beyond what I've heard from Nejire and Mirio-senpai, not really." Nathan answered with a shrug.
"His quirk is foresight… It allows him to see the future of someone he's touching and… That future apparently cannot be changed. His predictions have never been wrong."
"Even the best seers don't know everything. And the ones that do aren't human anymore; they're either gods or worse." Nathan said perhaps a bit too quickly, but his experiences had taught him that prophecies and the like could sometimes be overturned. Even if fate was weaved into the very makeup of a person sometimes they could defy it. "What did he say?"
"To me? Nothing. Well. He said that Mirio-senpai should have been All Might's successor… He picked him out and everything."
Nathan was silent at that for a moment. Mirio was a good pick to be a symbol of peace like All Might for sure… But that would only serve to keep the current structure of the world in check, and that had cast shadows so deep that the league of villains had popped out of one of them.
"And honestly. He was probably the right choice I mean-"
"No."
Midoriya let out a startled noise as Nathan simply rejected his train of thought.
"It's better to have that power in the hands of someone like you. You and Mirio are amazing heroes. But you're the type of person that always chooses the hardest road before you in order to save every last person you can. That kind of thing reaches the hearts of both your allies and your enemies."
He thought back to the sports festival against Todoroki, to the summer training camp, and his own rescue.
"It's a trait that I deeply admire in you and one that will make you into an amazing hero. If Nighteye can't see that even with his quirk then maybe he needs to retire."
It was one of the single most encouraging things Midoriya had heard in his entire life. He was struggling to not tear up. Instead he simply nodded with a soft smile on his face.
"Thank you- but… His prediction was about All Might…"
"Oh? Is it something you can tell me?"
"He's going to die. Either this year or the next…"
Was that all? All Might was a classical hero so burning up in the heat of battle was something of an inevitability. Nathan had certainly died like that a few times before. But.
"Hm. A death that soon is certainly possible for someone like him." Nathan said with a nod, "Sometimes you can't reach forward without dancing on the edge of life and death and sometimes you fall on the wrong side of it. But you've saved him. And you'll continue to save him. That much I'm sure of."
Midoriya simply nodded along. He was honestly glad that he had Nathan in his corner like this. He wasn't sure what he'd do with his emotions if he couldn't talk them through with a friend like him.
"What happened with your work study, other than Nighteye being a prick?" Nathan asked.
"Ah… We. There was a girl… She was so scared and I wanted to save her but… We had to let her go… The villain she was with…"
Nathan nodded along, that was a familiar line of thought for sure, he'd had plenty of experiences failing to save people.
"I just. I felt so powerless. She was right there but she slipped through our fingers to save us…"
"You can't save people if you're dead, Izuku. Sometimes you have to pick your battles for the greater good." Nathan said in a somewhat rehearsed manner, "But that line of reasoning has never eased my heart. The people I couldn't save have never left my thoughts. But this girl. She's still alive, right?"
"Yes. Overhaul took her, Nighteye is doing a lot of work to try and stop his operation, and we couldn't afford to spook him so that's why we-"
Nathan's eye narrowed at the mention of Overhaul. That was the villain Jin had mentioned right? The one Aleister was working with? That meant he had access to Anti-Chaldea weapons. He was suddenly very glad Midoriya didn't find himself on the wrong end of a Servant battle.
"Well. That makes it easy doesn't it? Just save her."
"I- Right! I know! I'm going to! I won't forgive myself if I don't!"
Nathan wanted to temper his expectations considering how he'd completely failed to save millions of people.
But he'd never managed to forgive himself for that so he couldn't really tell Midoriya to live better than that when he was constantly struggling under that weight.
He'd just have to be there for his friend no matter what.
"I'll be there too, probably. Overhaul is working with someone from our side that's creating weapons specifically designed to deal with Chaldeans so our involvement is pretty much set in stone."
"Th- There's a villain out there trying to subvert Chaldea? Why?"
"We have a lot of enemies. I'm not sure if that's his end goal, we were sent out here to investigate some unusual stuff but we haven't turned up much until recently."
"I see… Is there anything you can tell me?"
"His name is Aleister and if you meet him I want you to immediately contact me or a Chaldean via the emergency line. He's not a villain like you're used to, he's not going to have a quirk for you to work around, and he's going to be using techniques that you have no resistance to."
As if to demonstrate the gulf that existed Nathan held out his left hand and concentrated. He wasn't wearing a mystic code so casting a spell was difficult but he managed a half decent Gandr curse which he kept hovering over his hand before letting the spell go without actually firing it.
A blatant display of a power from the other side of the world he had no knowledge of was somehow not the thing that occupied Midoriya's mind at the moment.
His eyes were locked on that left hand.
Nathan couldn't quite figure out what was leaving Midoriya so baffled before turning his gaze to his hand as well.
It was only then that he realized his mistake.
He did not sleep wearing his glove and he had not put it on before welcoming Midoriya into his room.
"Hm." Was the only thing that escaped Nathan as he hid his left hand behind his back.
"Nathan." Midoriya finally ground out.
"Don't worry about it. It's always been like that. Why do you think I wear that thing in the first place?"
That left hand did not look human to Midoriya's eyes. The deep cracks in his flesh revealed a pale green light that seeped from somewhere deep within Nathan. Nathan's quirk did not explain that kind of physiology. Something had deeply deeply corroded him perhaps all the way to the bone.
He truly was from another side of the world. A side where quirks were not the dominant force. He briefly wondered what it would have been like for him to have been born quirkless in that unknown world so close yet so far off.
"It would have sucked. You'll just have to trust me. They're hidden for a reason and it's because they covet the power brought to them by Mystery. They will do anything for more power which is why Aleister is violating enough taboos to get Chaldea on his case. He's seeking the ultimate treasure our kind strives for."
"... I see. And he's working with villains to get closer?"
"Looks to be that way. At least according to our contacts." Nathan said with a nod. "Either way. I'll be there to back you up one way or another. I'm tired of not being able to save people so I'll do everything I can to make sure you save this girl."
"Thank you. Really! Thank you Nathan!"
With the might of Chaldea at his back he knew for sure that he would save her.
And so he left Nathan's room and returned to his own to get what sleep he could.
After a week of being on their work studies the improvements were already starting to show.
Occasionally they'd be a little battered from the intensity of their lessons, Uraraka, Tsuyu, Bakugo, and Todoroki most commonly sporting a few extra bandages.
They would have questioned Nathan's suspicious lack of battle damage if he was a normal person, but he was Nathan Relnor so everyone just assumed he was used to this sort of work already.
Notably, Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Bakugo kept a lid on what was actually leaving them so battered.
Yes. The three of them and one Nejire Hado had begun training within the walls of Chaldea in the hours after they got back from their work studies or remedial classes.
They decided not to advertise the extra training they were getting at the behest of Nathan since he did not think having the entire student body constantly flowing through Chaldea would be a good idea. In fact he insisted that it was a complete and total disaster. It was hard enough to manage those four as it was.
As such, once all of their work was taken care of the five of them would vanish from their dorms and meet up in front of the Shadow Border.
"I'm going to break five boards tonight!" Uraraka declared excitedly as she and Tsuyu arrived at the bay doors.
Nathan somehow always got there first even if they were sure they left before him.
"Kero, you know that's terrifying after only a few days right?"
The protest went unheard as Uraraka was already in the zone.
Bakugo turned up next, frankly exceptionally pleased that he'd overheard Uraraka's mentions of Chaldean training. He was already seeing results in himself and if Round face and that frog were suddenly considerably stronger he'd have been left wondering exactly what the hell he was missing out on with a work study.
Setting that aside, tonight he was going to land a blow on that shadow bitch.
"Hey hey!~" Nejire called out as she collided with Nathan, wrapping her arms around him, "So I thought maybe I'll be able to catch you this time!"
"You've certainly gotten harrowingly close," Nathan said as the bay doors opened behind them, allowing them access to Chaldea proper.
"I can't believe you used to train like this all the time though Relnor-san! Just the couple of hours we get every night is exhausting!" Uraraka said, snapping from her fervor as they walked through now familiar sterling white halls.
"It was a way to pass the time. And I can't argue with the results much."
It was a little odd to talk to him casually while Nejire was clinging to him but this was just how they were.
"Fufufu, looks like you're all here right on time."
The woman standing before the simulator doors was… Unusual. They were used to seeing Chaldeans that were relatively loud with what they wore but the woman before them was dressed in a modest outfit. Long brown hair fell behind her loosely as she put her hands on her hips.
"Hi hi Miss Aoko!~" Nejire said, slipping away from Nathan and moving over to the waiting Chaldean, "How are you doing today?"
"Fine actually! Ready to get started before winding down for bed!" Aoko replied enthusiastically as the doors to the simulator room slid open.
Instinctively, Bakugo turned, throwing his guard up.
A powerful kick slammed into his arms sending him tumbling into the simulator.
"Hoh? Was that habit or are you actually learning?" Scathach asked with a smile as she manifested from the shadows nearby.
"I'm ready for you this time you-"
He had to immediately dodge a barrage of red spears before he could finish his statement.
"If you've got time to talk you've got time to fight. I won't have any slacking from you now."
It truly was a match made in hell. Bakugo was actually getting quite a bit out of his training with Scathach much to Nathan's surprise.
"Young Uraraka."
Nathan suppressed a cringe. He really couldn't believe Gregori Rasputin of all people had agreed to help train his classmates. At least he and Li Shuwen were working with her together so he wasn't unsupervised with one of his peers.
"Hello Rasputin-sensei! I'm breaking five boards today!"
"Hoh? Well. There will be much rejoicing tonight if that is the case. Li Shuwen is waiting for us, shall we?" He beckoned for her to follow into the nearby bamboo forest.
"Behave yourself." Nathan called out after him, thinly veiled venom in his voice.
"I always do Young Nathan." He said with a dismissive chuckle.
As Tsuyu watched the two of them depart to their own section of the simulator she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Sharpening her focus she quickly picked out something that wasn't quite right against the treeline.
"Kotarou senpai?" She said as she pointed to where she thought the wayward Assassin was.
"Excellent. You're getting much better at detecting me. I'll have to stop taking it easy on you." The red haired ninja said as he revealed his presence. "I've prepared your training area for you if you'll follow me."
Nathan watched as Tsuyu left into the dense forest area with Kotarou. He briefly mused to himself that the Simulator had become something akin to USJ at this point with separate zones for all the parties training.
He immediately reacted to a spike in energy being generated behind him. Two explosive attacks struck where he'd been standing mere moments before as he pulled himself magnetically to the side.
Both Nejire and Aoko had attacked at once, the two of them quickly giggling together as he righted himself.
Nejire had trouble with refined control of an overly destructive energy quirk and devoted much of her time to learning how to throttle her output. Aoko identified a potential problem in that she would have little experience with using her full strength if a situation ever called for it so her training involved her going all out against a powerful moving target.
Nathan apparently was just the right target for the job.
Aoko's involvement in the training made this something of a life or death affair but she could always use Blue to fix anything that got too out of order.
Thankfully, by now he was good enough at dodging that things hadn't come to that.
Yet anyway.
In the middle of the bamboo forest was a small clearing with a target set up.
Uraraka stood before it, her outstretched hand touching the boards she intended to shatter by the end of the night.
"Feel the pulse of your opponent, concentrate, filter out everything that is unnecessary. Allow your body to guide you to your desired result." The older Li Shuwen said from his place behind the young girl.
Rasputin was pacing circles around the area, giving occasional pointers to her stance and her breathing. The technique she was trying to master in a matter of days was one that required years and years of training to properly utilize but she had an unusual talent when it came to picking up martial arts.
They'd already put her through her paces warming up for the one inch punch and now it was simply time for her to execute. Or at least practice until she achieved a result she was proud of.
She naturally had no way of elevating her fists to their level in the space of a single human lifetime but there was no need to burden her with the knowledge that they were both spirits of long dead warriors.
"Take all the time you need to prepare your strike but do not hesitate when it comes time to deliver that decisive blow. You will learn how to shorten the time it takes to reach this state of concentration but you must know how to execute."
She'd come to them with a need for a single devastating blow that could be executed at close range, preferably in mid air with her quirk active in order to give her opponent no quarter. Unfortunately she would need her feet firmly planted for the one inch punch but with enough practice she would be able to execute it while her opponents were rising or falling, or simply activate her quirk upon making contact with that hammer blow.
It would give her greater options against villains with more durable builds.
She continued controlling her breathing, beginning to shut the world around her out in order to enter a meditative state.
So she did not notice when something crept towards them silently.
Li Shuwen glanced over before letting out a soft cackle.
Tsuyu and Kotarou were likely making their way around their little training ground. He would do his best to play the part of not noticing her but she could not develop true presence concealment like Kotarou had. Plus. He was a highly skilled martial artist in his own right, if he couldn't notice someone sneaking up on him he'd be a sorry warrior indeed.
They were likely making the rounds. Well perhaps not venturing too close to either Nathan or Bakugo's training sites.
The explosive rumbling of Nathan's training lightly reverberated through the area from time to time but that was just what happened when a Magician didn't bother throttling their output.
And going anywhere near Scathach's new chew toy was a death sentence even for other Servants.
He glanced over to Uraraka just in time to hear the shattering crack of several boards breaking from the force of her blow.
"Hoh. She is picking this up frighteningly quickly," Rasputin chuckled to himself.
"Aaaah! Only four? I'm so close! I'll get it! I'll get it!"
They could only ever train for a couple of hours due to curfew, but the Chaldeans were so intense that shorter training sessions were for the better.
Spiraling out of another harrowing dodge Nathan noticed Scathach dragging a semiconscious Bakugo by the ankle.
"He catch you yet?" he asked breathlessly as Aoko and Nejire came to a stop upon noticing the new arrival.
"Of course not. It will take 1000 years for this pup to mature to that degree."
"Hrhhhfhr" Was all that escaped Bakugo.
Nathan's attention was caught by a subtle shift in the nearby greenery.
"Kotarou was right, you are getting a lot better at this Tsuyu."
"Kero, Thanks Nathan."
She was frankly a little disappointed that he'd spotted her before she could finish her approach but Kotarou was always quick to remind her that Nathan both had many years of training over her and the ability to sense electromagnetic fields with the scales in his right eye.
"FIVE BOARDS! FIVE BOARDS!" Uraraka called out, "Bow before the board goddess!"
She was being carried on Li Shuwen's back, clearly on the verge of passing out from the sheer concentration she'd been pushing herself to.
"Careful of your claims to godhood around here Uraraka," Nathan said somewhat too casually, "There are a few heroes here that will take you seriously."
Something soft crashed into Nathan. He didn't even bother to look over as Nejire draped herself over his shoulders. Her hands reached for his cheeks, gently pulling on them.
"Heeeeey! How come you're not tired!? I'm beat and I wasn't even the one running around!"
"I'm used to this kind of training. I did live here after all."
While that was certainly true, there was something off about that statement. Living here was one thing but why did he need to undergo such rigorous training?
It was especially odd given how often he implied that he'd fought a number of their teachers in mortal combat.
Rasputin was always a little too quick to joke about how the two of them had killed each other in the past.
Not to mention Nathan's barely contained disdain for the man, which was very unusual given exactly what Nathan was normally like.
Nejire decided to ask the obvious question.
"Why did you train so much? Weren't you just here because Chaldea took you in?"
"Why indeed," Rasputin said with a frankly ominous chuckle.
"I didn't have a lot else to do at the time. It started as physical therapy for these but after that they just kept training me for fun." Nathan said, flexing his scale arm to indicate what he was talking about.
That answer was a bit concerning but now that they had a proper grasp of what Chaldea was like it made a lot of sense. This whole operation was a barely contained madhouse being held together by Nathan and not much else. The mysterious Master of Chaldea was seemingly never around and a lot of the heroes they caught glimpses of seemed to defer to by proxy for some reason.
Too exhausted to question things further, everyone began to filter out of the simulator. All save for Uraraka who had gotten off of Li Shuwens back moments before. She found herself unable to suppress her growing curiosity so she turned to Rasputin.
"Rasputin-sensei? Do you and Nathan hate each other?"
"Hm. It's hard to say. I suppose hatred is something that flows freely between us, but it is nothing worth acting upon. Old grudges that have been buried in favor of cooperation. Chaldea's Master and I were not always on the best of terms and Nathan as always takes after him as do many that reside within these halls."
She'd heard rumblings of the Master of Chaldea a few times before now, a mysterious figure respected by all and admired by many. To hear that Nathan takes after him was certainly interesting. She wondered exactly what traits of his were influenced by this mysterious figure…
Rasputin, like many Chaldeans seemed to have a habit of doing, responded to her unspoken thoughts.
"Nathan's greatest assets are ones he borrowed from the Master of Chadea. Compassion without limit, and the ability to reach out to anyone no matter how hostile they were and turn them into allies."
"Hostile? Did Nathan… Did he have to fight? I thought-"
"Oh of course he did. Everyone had to fight. These halls have been stained with blood over and over again. Many who roam these halls have spilled their blood here and spilled the blood of others here." Rasputin said with an oddly nostalgic chuckle.
She did not like the tone he was using recalling such horrible events. There was clearly a reason that the Master of Chaldea was so secretive, was it because of the violence that used to plague Chaldea?
"But. Was he not too young to-"
"Back then there was no choice. You fought or you died. But Nathan often chose compassion over violence. It didn't matter how great of a villain you were or how much of a monster you were, he would reach out. Although it was certainly easier for him to bring people to our banner than most, after all, monsters tend to respond more favorably when confronted by one of their own."
"Rasputin." Li Shuwen said sharply, having doubled back when he noticed his training partners were lagging behind.
"Ah. But enough idle chatter. You must rest after today, you've come rather far." He said, his tone lightening on a dime as he motioned for her to follow them out of Chaldea.
Uraraka really had no idea what to make of their conversation. Rasputin was a man of contradictions. The way he spoke was reserved but it often teetered on the edge of something much darker. If she'd met him outside of the context of Chaldea she would have immediately assumed he was a villain.
But. She got the impression he believed what he was saying at the very least, not that she liked what that meant for the veracity of his words…
There was no way that Nathan Relnor was a monster.
He was a little insane, sure, and very strong, but he was one of the kindest people she'd ever met.
The thought she couldn't shake was the simple fact that Rasputin probably knew him better than she did… So who was to say if her read on him was off…
No.
She would trust her instincts, and failing that, she would trust Deku! Nathan was one of his closest friends after all!
With everyone out of the Shadow Border, and Rasputin running laps while being chased by Tamacat, Nathan returned to the command room before turning in for the night.
"Oh. I didn't expect to see you here." He said with a smile, "How is your night going my Queen?"
"It is well my husband. I see you've managed to survive another fight with that Magician…"
Morgan Le Fay gave him a small nod of acknowledgment.
"Somehow. I know Aoko is probably holding back but I wish she'd hold back more."
"Hm. Perhaps ask?"
"I'm afraid that asking will make her go all out in retaliation."
That was a well founded fear, a lot of Servants here would react that way. Nathan did not hold an absolute authority over them as a Master truly should, rather he held their loyalty with an inordinate amount of kindness and trust. This of course fostered an air of bending direct requests in order to tease their weary master.
She just shook her head. It really was a disgraceful way to helm an organization like Chaldea, but she supposed that was part of the charm the person she'd mockingly called her husband held.
"Hey um. I know it's probably not relevant to you, but do you know if we still have information about my home?"
"Your home?"
"The one back in Cambridge. I think the staff tracked it down for me after we'd restored the world but…"
Morgan Le Fay was many things but caught off guard was rarely one of them. Nathan was… Asking about his home? Was he finally-
It was unfortunate that she didn't know the answer to his question off the top of her head.
"Come. Accompany me while we search for an individual that might have an answer to your query." She said, beckoning him to follow her.
"Ah, yeah sure thing!"
He was always so casual with her, but for now that could be forgiven. After all there was another overflowing emotion within her that made it hard to focus on his many slights against her.
"I am… Proud of you Master."
"Huh? Why so?"
"This is a step I was not expecting you to take so quickly. Many of us have been afraid that you would not seek out your family until you were on your deathbed… To see you starting to reach out for them now is… Heartening I suppose."
"Mh… I've been getting some encouragement on that front I guess."
A certain blue haired senpai flashed into his mind, causing an odd heat to rush through his system. Despite all the time they spent together he still had no idea how to properly process the emotions she sent racing through his mind and they didn't seem to be getting any easier to manage with time.
Morgan just let out a small chuckle.
Sherlock's ridiculous plan to force Nathan to the world of heroics seemed to be working exactly as intended.
Those young heroes to be were hard at work saving Nathan.
Wards had been carved into the walls and ceiling of Nathan's room in order to help control one of his most worrying habits. He had a penchant for drawing people into his dreams or wandering into other people's dreams. There was a point in the not too distant past where he would wake and accidentally leave his body behind, wandering Chaldea's halls as a disembodied soul. The wards helped contain him and made it so that he did not visit any of the other student's dreams or worse yet draw them into his.
But.
There was an oversight.
The wards were designed to contain Nathan's wandering by itself. There was now another dreamer contained within Nathan's body capable of slipping straight through those protections and bringing dreamers with it at will. This mind easily surpassed the limitations of Nathan's normal range of effect as Sut Typhon was the embodiment of the One in the All.
And so.
All Might found himself in a city that felt vaguely familiar. Perhaps he'd seen it in some kind of historical documentary. It was hard to tell considering the fire that was currently raging through those ancient homes. Corpses of soldiers and civilians were washed through the streets atop some kind of churning miasma.
This was no time to idle. He was All Might. Even as limited as he was now, he'd save as many people as he could.
"It's too late. You can't save the dead."
A familiar voice reached him in a pitch he'd never heard it carry. The reason why was readily apparent when he turned towards it.
Nathan Relnor stood, covered in soot and minor wounds.
He looked no older than 12.
"My boy? Where-"
"We're dreaming now. Dreaming of battles fought long ago. Look. She's getting closer. You can see her through the smoke."
All Might's gaze followed Nathan's.
He saw her and instantly recognized her as his mother.
Only. She wasn't. Not directly.
But she was in a sense. His primordial mother. The source of life itself.
"Tiamat. Beast II. Regression. She has come to unmake us."
They were on top of a large stone temple now.
The ground was stained with blood and the horizon was black, choked by soot and… Millions… Millions of horrid creatures.
This was the end of the world.
All Might had never seen calamity on this scale before.
"We fought so hard, but we barely managed to save ourselves, much less any of the people here…"
This was it wasn't it?
The scale of battles fought by Chaldea.
And Nathan was at the center of it.
He was so young…
A sharp tone tore through the area.
It pierced deeply into All Might.
"She's singing. Of sorrow, loss, fear, and love. An endless love for her children. A love so great it can bring humanity to an end." Nathan said simply, putting words to the horror gripping him currently.
How… How had such a calamity been overcome? Were the battles that filled the lost year all this catastrophic?
"No. There were many that were somehow worse." Nathan's words caused the scene playing out around them to flicker. Splashes of yet greater battles, yet more horrible calamities, danced across the sky. "At least here I was fighting to save, as poorly as I did… I still saved someone."
All Might had no idea where to even begin.
No wonder Nathan was the way he was. After experiencing all this at such a young age? It was a miracle he hadn't been driven mad. And all of this was only a taste of the horrors staining that boy.
The sky split open and millions of eyes stared down upon the two of them.
Somehow, such an unsettling sight did not distress either of them.
Their gaze was alien and otherworldly but somehow… It was safe.
"Young Relnor…"
"I did what I could to survive. I wanted to live. I wanted to save. I wanted to be a hero. But you cannot be a hero when you're knee deep in blood atop a mountain of corpses. Can you?"
The world around them had shifted.
They were ankle deep in a vast pitch black sea.
There were bodies floating in the water all around them, bodies that All Might 「DID NOT」recognize.
Above them hung a swirling, unending, nothingness.
A Black Light that conjured thoughts only of death and ruin.
Somehow this place was even worse than the apocalypse he'd just witnessed.
"Where are we now my boy?"
"My innermost heart. It does not have a name. But if forced, I would say it's…"
「THE ROCHE LIMIT OF THE SOUL」
That voice that was not a voice came from every corner of the space they were in now.
This was too much to take in.
Though it was somewhat difficult to tell if he was even still talking to Nathan anymore. The boy's form seemed to shift every few seconds, changing age and uniform between blinks.
One thing that was consistent was the level of damage that boy had accumulated, constantly increasing between forms. It reminded him of himself somewhat. But Nathan's words crept back into his mind.
"You chose your burdens. Mine were forced upon me."
"This is… The price of your burdens?"
"The consequences I suppose. Human beings cannot survive the horrors I experienced. I certainly didn't."
What.
He didn't-
"The first time I died I didn't even notice it happen."
Had his journey really pushed him that far? To the edge of death and beyond?
"That was what had to be done. I was the only one who could do it so it didn't matter much if I died or not. It just mattered how quickly I could be put back together."
This was simply beyond unfair. A duty so great that he hadn't even been allowed to die?
"But it's over now. How do you move on from here? From so deep in the mire that taking even a single step is difficult? With such horror looming overhead, from the miasma that permeates you that can never wash away."
All Might did not have an answer.
He was still struggling through his own unscheduled retirement after all.
But. As soon as he found even a hint of an answer.
Nathan would be the first to know.
"Thank you. For that much at least."
It was an emergency deployment. Two villains with gigantic quirks were having a brawl in the middle of the city.
Thankfully.
"Charging complete! Output level 30!"
The two villains barely paid her any mind.
"Wide range formation."
And they certainly didn't notice the boy opposite her atop a nearby building.
"Nejire Wave!"
"Lateral Discharge!"
Electricity smashed into them from their blindside, causing their muscles to lock in place. Since Nejire's energy discharge always traveled in a spiral there was usually a slight delay from launching her attack to it actually landing.
Which made Nathan's electrical attacks an ideal support, keeping opponent's locked down while she completely overwhelmed them.
Nejire being Nejire had to pepper the downed villains with a couple of questions as Nathan signaled for the other half of their squad to act.
"Ultimate! Meteor Fafrotskies!"
Debris created by the fight slammed down upon the villains, ensuring they would remain incapacitated until the police could properly apprehend them.
Nathan descended from his perch in short order, quickly reuniting with the small group.
"Nice work you three! Were you nervous?" Nejire asked as she began drifting closer and closer to Nathan.
"Hah! It wasn't that bad! We just did it like we've been practicing!" Uraraka supplied
"Yeah, Kero. I wasn't nervous at all, surprisingly."
Their training at Chaldea had certainly given them some perspective. The heroes there had such a wide variety of experiences that any question or request could be fulfilled. Which explained why…
"Just another day at work I guess." Nathan added totally nonplussed.
"Your timings were perfect today. I suppose your group practice sessions have been paying off hm?" Ryukyu said upon joining the four of them. "I can see why Nejire recommended you all so highly."
Speaking of Nejire.
Her brow furrowed as she poked at his shoulders.
"Hey. Hey this suit is different from the one you had earlier isn't it?"
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"I'm impressed you noticed. It's only a slight design change." He replied casually. Yes. The casters were still cooking up the next model of his suit but they had modified his current one since he'd managed to resolve his situation with Sut Typhon. The plugs no longer acted as inhibitors, rather they now allowed Sut Typhon to supply Nathan power without overly straining his magic circuits. It still had limited uses but it was a substantial upgrade. He could potentially use Noble Phantasms safely while remaining within the realm of humanity.
"Of course I noticed!" Nejire said with a small pout before Ryukyu cleared her throat.
"You all might be students but you're doing so well during this work study… You might be able to help with an upcoming case."
"A case?" Tsuyu echoed.
"Yes. Nighteye's agency has requested help in dealing with a criminal organization he is chasing down. The Shie Hassaikai has potentially linked up with the league of villains so he's reached out to multiple agencies."
Nathan's eye narrowed. Midoriya had mentioned running into Overhaul. Did he belong to the same operation?
If they joined up with Nighteye's agency that meant that they too might be facing down Aleister.
Should he say something here? No. They would have time to address it with everyone later.
For now he nodded, his expression tight and emotionless as he tried to figure out the best way to keep everyone safe from the world of Mystery that had so thoroughly destroyed him.
Shigaraki Tomura sat in the sparse office Overhaul had chosen to meet him in. Things were tense but he was here to negotiate. If the Shie Hassaikai needed his name then he had leverage. Not to mention.
He pulled out the odd bullet they'd extracted from Compress. The one that negated his quirk.
"What exactly is your plan? If I at least knew that much then maybe we could come to some kind of understanding."
Those words tasted like bile on his mouth. They didn't belong to his teacher, they belonged to that brat that kept rattling his mind every time they met.
"I am going to destroy the way things are." He said simply. "Your predecessor stole quirks and redistributed them, I'm going about things a different way. I've been laying the groundwork for upending the world of Quirks for years and soon we will be free of that plague. Now. I have a question for you, Shigaraki Tomura. How many Anti-Chaldean weapons do you have?"
"Che. Didn't Aleister tell you?" Shigaraki sneered at him from under the hand covering his face.
"He cited customer confidentiality and refused to elaborate. So I must ask you instead."
"Hoh? Has he not given you any? He was giving them to us like candy."
Overhaul was silent for a moment before he snapped his fingers. One of his attendants brought over a briefcase which Overhaul promptly opened and turned towards Shigaraki.
The device inside of it was very different from the several Shigaraki had been given. It had a blackened sheen to it and the liquid within was a much darker red.
"The latest model. He writes them off as a mere measuring stick for his true project. But he only gave us the one. I know he has one on his person as well. Three older models were distributed before AFO's defeat, one of which was used by a rival Trigger gang."
"You're well informed." Shigaraki muttered. This was a give and take. And unfortunately he had to give some information after receiving so much. "We have four, but they're not like that."
"Older models. Very well. What do you make of Aleister?"
"If I get my hands on him he's dust. So far those things haven't helped us worth shit."
"Hm. He's too flippant. I can't trust him but I need every bit of manpower I can find. And Chaldea does represent a clear threat to my plan…"
For now, they worked out the terms of their arrangement and of future meetings and modes of contact.
Everything was going much more smoothly than he'd anticipated.
Shigaraki was clearly going to try to use him and his operation to catapult themselves higher, but that just meant he had to wring out every bit of use they had all the faster. Perhaps he could feed their corpses to whatever Aleister was working on…
The next few days were abuzz with excitement. Kirishima had made it into the news from his stellar performance at his work study having almost single handedly resolved a villain incident.
Not to mention that Nathan, Uraraka, and Tsuyu had also been featured for their work defeating those giant villains.
Iida as always urged them to focus on their schoolwork despite their accomplishments but Nathan was distracted. He'd received a worrying report from Asclepius, who had responded to a call for medical aid. Apparently Amajiki had been shot with a drug that disabled his quirk at a base level. From Asclepius's report he was fine but the details were worrying.
The villains that they'd encountered had a weapon that could damage Quirks at their core…
That and.
"Izuku."
"Huh?" Midoriya snapped from his thoughts and turned to Nathan.
"It'll be alright. It's all connected. We'll be in a position to strike soon." He reassured him.
"H-How do you know?"
Nathan just answered with a small knowing smile and his best effort at a wink. He exaggerated the gesture a little bit to compensate for the fact that he only had the one eye to work with.
"Trust me."
And so a few days after that.
"Oh hey! Morning Midoriya! Uraraka, Tsuyu, Relnor! You guys heading out to your jobs today?"
"They called me in for the first time in a while and said I didn't need my hero suit."
"Oh really? They said the same thing to us as well."
"Hm. Are you all heading out together?"
A distantly familiar voice called for them from the direction of the Shadow Border.
"Sherlock? Moriarty? What's got you two outside today?" Nathan asked as the two approached their group.
"Fwahaha! I'd wager you already know Nathan-kun." He said, ruffling the young boy's hair before pulling close and whispering something into his ear. It was so quiet that nobody else could hear despite being not that far away from him and Nathan certainly didn't react to whatever he'd said.
"Alright then. I guess we're all traveling together for a little bit," He said with a smile.
"Quite right." Sherlock said with a nod. "Shall we be off then, we'll at least escort you to the subway."
They began to walk as an odd group with Moriarty and Nathan sticking close to each other and Sherlock gliding behind them.
"Kero. So. Sherlock and Moriarty. Are you two a team or something? Based on your names?"
"Hahaha! Heaven's no. He just fancies himself my rival after a sort and took that hero name to compete with me."
Moriarty let out a loud snort and turned to retort before Nathan elbowed the old man in the side, effortlessly ending their quarrel before it could get started. As usual, the Chaldeans would always respect his intentions, even the acting point of contact Sherlock Holmes seemed to abide by his whims.
Midoriya's mind paused for a moment. He looked at Moriarty and faintly recalled the Chaldean that had briefly given Bakugo and himself impromptu math lessons to make up for the classes they missed during their suspension.
Were they… The same person?
He shook his head. He'd ask Nathan later even if he probably wouldn't get a straight answer.
They all approached the subway station and realized they were getting on the same train despite the fact that Kirishima worked in Kansai. They even realized they were getting off on the same stop.
Uraraka and Tsuyu began to connect the dots. This probably had to do with that big case Ryukyu had mentioned before. They turned to glance at Nathan who was talking with Moriarty still. They were speaking in English so it was already hard to understand but on top of that it sounded like they were speaking in code in order to talk openly about something that they didn't want overheard.
Soon enough they got off and all began heading in the same direction.
And then.
As soon as they turned the corner Nathan braced his entire body as Moriarty took a large step back just in time to avoid being caught by the blue missile that slammed into him. Nathan briefly lost his balance but Moriarty held his cane out and provided just enough support for him to get his feet back under him.
"Hello Nejire. You're here too I see." He said with a soft smile as she beamed right back at him.
"Yup yup! This must be a big one if you guys are here! Are you ready?"
"Of course." He said with a nod before struggling to give Mirio and Amajiki a wave, "How's your injury Amajiki-senpai?"
"Better. Thanks." He said with a nod.
Moriarty and Sherlock just exchanged knowing glances before the group proceeded into Sir Nighteye's agency.
When they reached the meeting room they found it was packed with pro heroes with a few familiar faces mixed in.
Nejire detached from Nathan and went over to glom onto Ryukyu.
"Aizawa sensei!? What are you doing here?" Kirishima called out as Midoriya asked the same question of Gran Torino.
Moriarty and Sherlock just walked past the collected pro heroes, reaching Sir Nighteye. Moriarty pulled out a small disk drive from his jacket and handed it over.
"Thank you. I take it you are willing to participate in this operation then?"
"Yes. The Master of Chaldea has seen the benefits of extending our forces for this juncture. We are the informational side of our operation. Once planning actually starts we will assign a handful of our ranks to the actual mission itself." Sherlock answered with a nod.
He pointedly ignored the sideways glare he caught from Nathan, who had not been briefed on the activities of the wayward Ruler.
"Good. Well then. I've called you all today because thanks to the intel we've been provided we have begun the final stages of our investigation into the Shie Hassaikai criminal organization. I've called this meeting to share our findings to date."
They filtered into the main room Nejire dragging Nathan to the seat next to her.
Nighteye's sidekicks began going over the basis of their investigations. How the organization had ties with several seemingly random incidents and had gotten into contact with the League of Villains.
"Why exactly is Chaldea moving with us?" Pro Hero Rock Lock spoke up, "I thought you guys were too good for regular hero work and only responded to emergencies."
"That is normally true." Sherlock said easily before gesturing to Bubble Girl to borrow the tablet she was using to direct the presentation. "This operation has the potential to turn into a large-scale conflict that we might have to respond to no matter what. But we do have our own goals. Overhaul is gathering resources, perfecting his weapons, and sharpening his claws to service a greater plan. And one of the resources he's gathered is a villain by the name of Aleister. This villain is in the middle of perfecting his own weapon. A weapon capable of folding reality and crafting soldiers made of imaginary mass."
This caught the room completely off guard.
A device that creates people out of imaginary mass?
Nathan narrowed his eye. Was this how they were going to explain it?
"It seems to be an extension of his quirk. But he's created devices that can be used by anyone to create a force powerful enough to fend off many pro heroes at once. And they've been using Chaldean heroes as templates. As well as creating villains with multiple quirks that did not exist before that device cobbled them together." The display changed to the device Georgios had recovered, showing a detailed analysis of its makeup without betraying its magical nature. "We expect a few of the Shie Hassaikai to be armed with these devices so we will have members standing by to deal with those imaginary soldiers. The good news is that while they are quite powerful the device is incapable of holding them together for long. They dissolve into nothing once their power is spent"
Nathan decided to take the floor. "Is that what that multi-quirk villain was back at that Trigger den?"
Ryukyu turned to him, her eyes widening. That was why Hawks couldn't find him. If it was an enemy created by one of those devices the man had likely dissolved when he'd been defeated. But… Why was that such a secret that the Hero public safety commission had tried to hide it from him.
But. Something didn't sit right with Midoriya.
That was not the explanation that he'd been given when he asked about Hector. Granted it was "Kirshtaria Wodime" who had explained what was going on to him, so maybe this was closer to the real truth…
"Exactly right you are Nathan." Moriarty said, giving him a small round of applause. "I hope you all understand what that means. Their numbers will not be accurate no matter how much scrutiny we put them under. They have the capability to create more men with Aleister's devices. That is why Chaldea's Master decided we should lend our support to this operation."
With their reasons stated clearly they turned the presentation back to Nighteye.
But he was quickly interrupted again.
One of the pro heroes questioned why the students were there which was when Fatgum spoke up for his charges going over the incident they'd been involved in as well as the anti-quirk drug they'd encountered.
Nathan did his best to act surprised as they described how Amajiki had temporarily lost his quirk.
This was helped when Nejire reached over and squeezed his left hand tightly. He glanced over to her only to see the worry evident on her face. One of her best friends had been on the receiving end of something that could have been very devastating…
He turned his hand up and squeezed hers in turn, trying to bring what comfort he could.
Turning his attention back to the topic at hand Fatgum described how they'd managed to retrieve a bullet with a full sample of the anti-quirk drug. Apparently the attacker had fired at Kirishima while he was using his quirk, causing it to bounce harmlessly off of him. Analysis of the drug revealed that it had human cells and blood within it.
Overhaul's quirk had the ability to destroy and recreate things. And he had a daughter. He was using her to produce this weapon, breaking down her unique power and distilling it into a weapon that he was obviously slowly perfecting.
Nathan chanced a look over to Midoriya and Mirio.
They were absolutely devastated by this.
That girl that had slipped through their fingers was being subjected to a fate worse than they could imagine. They had been right there and yet…
"They made the right call," Moriarty said. "If they'd tried anything Overhaul would have killed them both and relocated, pushing that girl further from our ability to save her. This is a cautious man. He does not travel alone. You would have both had a severe numbers disadvantage as well as a handicap in protecting the girl." He turned, addressing them directly.
The two of them clamored to their feet, their expressions twisted with a fierce determination.
"This time… We'll save her!"
"That is indeed the goal of this operation." Nighteye said smoothly as he transitioned into their plan of attack. It was careful and calculated, the exact opposite of the bombast that flowed through hero society. As such it ruffled some feathers, especially with the young girl that needed to be saved looming overhead.
The topic shifted to Nighteye's quirk and if he should or should not use it to help gather information. Unfortunately he refused to use it recklessly due to the limits it had and the possibility of uncovering a death that he could not prevent.
Ryukyu brought the meeting back into order allowing Nighteye to finish strong.
"Confirm the girl's location and save her. Once we've gathered all the information we need we will act swiftly and decisively. Thank you for your cooperation."
Dossiers were passed out to the gathered heroes as they got down to the nitty gritty of the work they had to do.
It took them a couple of hours but eventually the meeting broke apart, leaving the students to gather at one of the larger tables within the agency.
Midoriya and Mirio looked downcast. They had the opportunity to save her and no matter how correct the choice to leave her behind was… It still coiled around their hearts.
Midoriya flinched when a hand clasped his shoulder.
"I know." Nathan said simply, his expression was difficult to read. The light in his eye had shifted. This was…
The Master of Chaldea gripped his shoulder tightly.
"I told you before. The answer has not changed. Just because you know the context. Just because you know the pain she's enduring. That's all the more reason why you have to resolve to save her. Use that resolve to cut through all the what ifs that won't leave you alone. There is only one path ahead now."
Everyone at the table was looking at him.
"Trust me. I've been where you are. I just never got the chance to make up for my failures." He said somewhat solemnly, "And I'm here like I said. So I'll make sure you do it. You and Mirio-senpai. I won't let this world Chaldea has fought for be stained with yet more tragedy."
It was encouraging. They could feel his determination from where he stood. It was a powerful light that drew them all close. It was almost like he'd reached directly into their hearts and pulled them out of their mire with just his words alone.
That was the strongest power he'd nurtured during his time at Chaldea.
Midoriya nodded, but before he could say anything Aizawa approached them.
"Sensei?" Tsuyu questioned as he glanced from Nathan to the others.
"You can call me Eraser Head while we're not at school. I was actually thinking about telling you all to end your work studies tonight."
This was met with opposition from everyone but he held up his hand to silence them.
"The League of Villains is involved, that changes things for the worse. But if I cut you off now. I know some of you would immediately rush in regardless of if I gave you permission or not." His eyes traveled from Midoriya to Nathan.
"So this time. We're going to do it right. I'm going to watch over you. Do you understand you troublemakers?" He said, ruffling Nathan and Midoriya's hair.
"Hah. You're right on that front. I'd just use my connections with Chaldea to go anyway." Nathan said with a smile.
"That's the opposite of what I want to hear from you." Aizawa's glare turned sharp as Nathan met him with a light chuckle. "Anyway… If I'm being honest. The Big Three, and you too Relnor… Are all on the level of Pro heroes, the rest of you will have much reduced roles. I want to make sure too. Uraraka, Tsuyu, Kirishima. You're all here today but are you sure you want to participate in an operation like this?"
Uraraka and Tsuyu were on their feet in moments, professing their desire to participate especially after hearing exactly what they would be saving. Kirishima was right behind them. It was the opposite of manliness to turn his back on something like this so of course he pledged his full support.
"It's fine. As long as you understand. Our mission is to rescue Eri and nothing else. If it comes to fighting the league of villains, or any of those imaginary enemies you need to turn tail because your role does not involve fighting any of them."
"If I may." Nathan spoke up. "If you run into an imaginary enemy. Call Chaldean support immediately. You should not engage with those things at all. The same goes for Aleister." He said still wearing the mask of Chaldea's Master and commanding attention thusly.
"That's why we're going to be directly involved. We will be on site and ready to respond rapidly should you face any such difficulties. The enemies we've made operating as Chaldea are not the same as villains. They are threats like the one you faced back in Kamino." Sherlock said as he approached the small group. Memories of that mechanical monstrosity and the sheer devastation it wrought brought a shiver to Kirishima and Midoriya, who had been there to see the carnage first hand. "Now. It's best that you all get your rest and prepare for the trials ahead."
"Right!"
The next few days were a blur. They were throwing everything they had into their lessons and into the extra time in Chaldea now that their work was essentially on pause while information was being gathered.
So.
Bakugo, completely out of breath, approached Nathan after the night's training had been concluded.
"Dragon bastard."
"Yes blasty bitch?" Nathan said with a small smirk as he continued to dust himself off.
"I will actually kill you. But. That's beside the point. What's up with the others?" He asked, trying his absolute best to brush off the grievous insult he'd been dealt.
"You're a lot more attentive than you let on. If you clued people in that you cared about them more often I think you'd be a lot more popular." Ever since he'd started these training sessions. No. Perhaps ever since Kamino. Nathan was starting to act more and more familiar with him.
"Just answer the question." Bakugo said, pinching the bridge of his nose. The more Nathan considered him a friend the more irritating he got.
"Hm. We can't really say. But our work studies have kicked up something big. It's a lot heavier than what they're used to I'm sure, so the fact that we're having to sit and wait while an operation that big gets off the ground…" He narrowed his eye slightly as he looked off into the distance. "It's tough. Wanting to act but being unable to."
Bakugo let out a sharp grunt as he turned away from Nathan. He had no idea why he'd expected a straight answer but from the sounds of it it wasn't Nathan's secret to tell.
"Some pro hero mess then? How far behind am I going to fall?"
"I don't think it'll be that far at all. And even if you did, I'm more than sure you'd catch up in an instant. You don't do things by half measures." He said as soon as his attention returned to Bakugo. "You are willingly being Scathach's punching bag after all."
"Feh. Shut it." Bakugo shrugged him off as he turned to leave the simulation room.
He wasn't blind to the strain that was being put on the others. Midoriya, Kirishima, Uraraka, and Tsuyu were all struggling in their own ways. Even Nejire seemed to be somewhat affected. But Nathan of course…
"It's all just business as usual for you huh?"
"Well. There is certainly a powerful enemy hidden in wings that I'm expecting to confront, but I always manage to worm my way out of encounters like that more or less in one piece." He offered as they met back up with the girls and began making their way out of Chaldea.
"Oh? Hey! Hey! Do you know what Chaldeans are going to be helping out with our work studies?" Nejire asked as she kept pace next to him.
"Um. Not entirely. We're still waiting on a report from Nighteye so we'll decide who to deploy once we've got a better understanding of the environment. We do have quite a few people who have volunteered to go with us of course." He said with a soft smile.
"Hm! I see. Hey. You're taking part in the selection process? Isn't that strange? I thought you were someone that they just took care of."
Nathan's smile drew thin.
If there was someone he did not want to lie to it was Nejire.
But it was dangerous to let the others know his true position as well.
Thankfully.
"You see how they are with him. If it's a mission he's going on, they'll listen to his preferences." Bakugo said sharply.
"Oooh! That makes sense! They do all really like you!" Nejire chirped along happily.
But. Those words had been spoken aloud. Even though Bakugo had deflected Nejire's attention… Uraraka and Tsuyu exchanged a look between the two of them.
There was a lot that did not fit together about his place in Chaldea. Especially now that they were seeing so much more of it.
Maybe after they rescued Eri they would need to press their wayward friend a bit more on the truth of the matter…
It was the dead of night.
Nathan shot upright before glancing to his phone.
"Master. It would seem the operation date has been set." Minimoto said from his bedside.
He snatched up his phone and exited his dorm, moving to the common room.
The others slowly gathered together, confirming they'd all received the message.
"Looks like it's time." Nathan said, not an ounce of fatigue evident within him.
Midoriya's expression hardened.
He was going to save her this time.
Come hell or high water he would make up for his past mistakes.
A hand met his shoulder.
"We're with you. Don't take it all on yourself. Let's do it together." Nathan said as the others nodded.
I wonder how well this is going to go! Will Aleister even be there? He was pretty hands off with the LoV after all. But he's sure to cause problems no matter what at this rate. I hope you all enjoyed one last buildup chapter before things start moving! Till next time. Hopefully not in another six months...