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 twenty-seven: The raid part four- Setting the mood for things to come
One of the reasons why Ainz was able to resurrect All Might after the Symbol of Peace was killed by Shalltear was because no-one aside from Shalltear (who was physically present) and Ainz plus the dark elf twins (who saw it via monitors) had seen All Might be killed in battle. Ainz also figured that society would be more freaked out than he wants it to be right now if their beloved Symbol of Peace was killed, especially given how many other hero deaths had made the news as of late.
With that in mind, he teleported into the room where Shalltear killed All Might, resurrected him, and used memory manipulation magic to make him believe he was merely knocked out and defeated. Ainz saw that a number of deaths had already occurred during the raid, deaths he wasn't exactly at liberty to undo like how he undid All Might's death. Those deaths are going to be making the news, no doubt about that. Ainz would have to permit at least that much.
What really disappointed him was Mirio's death during the raid; not only did he lose his main case study to learn more about Quirk Overload Sickness, but he saw Mirio's arm burst during the raid, something he wanted to study and learn more about to see its connection to Quirk Overload Sickness. Unfortunately, Mirio was killed, as were a number of other heroes and a few of the police officers. Ainz figured that society, so it doesn't get too antsy too soon, had to be given something.
Therefore, the plan that the Sorcerer King came up with was for the public to believe that All Might gave his all to fight a villain, but neither one had won or lost the fight, they fought to a draw where All Might's opponent fled after All Might's final attack. All Might would be recovered from the scene after Shalltear was seen fleeing from the area, while of course giving an alias as her name so as to lessen the risk of true name based powers being used on her.
It was a variant of the plan that Ainz had should he have been able to have his planned mock fight with Shalltear, only rather than Shalltear flee from the scene while proclaiming she had been bested by the Sorcerer Hero and that she had no doubt she'd be killed if she stayed to the last, she would flee while proclaiming that she and All Might were too evenly matched for either to score a decisive win against the other. Ainz can't let the humans score too many big wins, after all.
A draw here and there shouldn't hurt.
Ainz then checked all of the slain heroes and police officers while he had everything frozen with Time Stop. He saw that he was able to take the quirks of the dead humans while they were dead, so he helped himself. The Sorcerer King only didn't take Centipeder's quirk because of its nature of altering his physical appearance, and Ainz was pretty sure it'd raise eyebrows if Centipeder's dead body suddenly looked loads more human.
Ainz also, on a whim, checked Mirio's corpse. He saw that he could now take One For All as its current holder is dead, but he saw something about 'all stockpiled power being unable to be taken' or something. He could still take the quirks in and of themselves. Ainz made a list of all of the quirks that were connected to One For All, and resolved to do nothing with them; he had no plans to even duplicate any of them.
After seeing that all of the undead that he had placed at the abandoned Shie Hassaikai compound had been slain, Ainz returned to the room he left Shalltear in, gave her the revised instructions, then told her to play things out before leaving and dropping the Time Stop; Shalltear was provided with an item to help protect her from chronomancy. Ainz then reappeared in the apartment above the book store where he and the dark elf twins were watching everything.
The show was about to get interesting.
Two days later, Toshinori was sitting up in his hospital bed in his room at the hospital he was in following the raid on the Shie Hassaikai compound. He was being visited by Naomasa and Torino. All three men had grim looks on their faces. "There's no way we can call what happened a decisive win for hero society," Torino said, "Hell, there's no way we can call it a win by any means. The best we can claim is that we fought villainy to a draw that day."
"And the fact that you fought a new brand of monster being produced by the League of Villains," Naomasa said to Toshinori, "One resembling a vampire... I think it fled after fighting you to a draw because its kind is in such limited numbers right now, and the League of Villains can't afford to lose even one of them."
"The fact that I didn't die is a miracle in and of itself," Toshinori said, "But I do feel weaker, especially since I no longer feel the embers of One For All within me." What made things worse was the fact that Mirio, who currently held the true form of One For All, was killed without any chance to pass on the power. That meant that the greatest of powers was now lost forever, and it couldn't have come at a worse time as villainy seems to be growing stronger.
Toshinori was told that he would be able to be released just in time for the memorial service for those killed during the raid. Additionally, all bodies had to be cremated for safety reasons, especially since some of them had tried to get back up during the raid before being put back down to the forever rest that they had been sent to far too early.
Toshinori understood that; given that the evil legacy left behind by All For One is now capable of doing what is basically necromancy, cremation of those who died fighting All For One's legacy had to be made par for the course. It especially tore at Toshinori's heart that one of the deceased was taking the greatest hope hero society had against the villains with him.
...
A more public service was held for the people who were killed during the raid. All of the surviving members of the raid team, even the students sent away early, were invited. During the service, Ainz heard Fat Gum mention it how he had put some weight back on quicker than he expected; he had always been able to fatten back up quickly after burning it up for a kinetic punch, but he was not expecting to put his lost weight back on so soon.
Ainz had secretly snuck a copy of Stout Strength to Fat Gum while he was asleep in his skinny form. Surprisingly, the Stout Strength granted weight wasn't enough to fully restore Fat Gum to his usual level of fatness, but it did save a lot of time in fattening Fat Gum back up to his preferred level of obesity. Ainz had a lot to take notes on, especially Fat Gum's ability to burn up all of his fat when he unleashed the stored kinetic energy in a punch.
Would the fat granted by Stout Strength regenerate after Fat Gum pulled that move, like how it also regenerates when used as fuel by quirks like Fat Doctor and Creation? Ainz would have a more difficult time setting up an experiment to test that theory as Fat Gum's move can't be spammed as easily as the quirks of Agari and Yaoyorozu. But he was planning to figure things out for sure.
After the more public service for the fallen from the Shie Hassaikai compound raid, there was a more private service at U.A. for fallen student Mirio Togata. There was an assembly in the main auditorium, where Nejire and Tamaki gave a speech on behalf of their fallen friend, as those two knew Mirio the best. The mood was down for a lot of U.A., especially the hero course as they just lost one of their shining stars.
...
"If the idiot pro heroes didn't send Deku away, he could have made fighting the Black Paladins a cinch!" Bakugo said when the 1-A and 1-B students had a party between the lot of them, this time hosted at the 1-B dorm building. "Hell, Deku could have even helped All Might with that vampire chick!" Bakugo went on, "Actually deal her a big fat L rather than just the vampire and All Might fighting each other to a draw!"
"I will admit," Monoma began, "Sending away the one person proven to be most effective at dealing with the biggest horrors that the villains are pumping out right now was a rather bone headed move on part of the pro heroes. If it made the news that the heroes did that, then it would cast them in a rather unflattering light."
"Which is probably why Aizawa-sensei and Kan-sensei told all of us to not say a word about being sent away from the raid," Shinso spoke up, "They probably can foresee how the public would react if told that the most effective way to deal with the Black Paladins was sent away from a raid where Black Paladins were present in a fair sized number."
Ainz, who was speaking with the guys there, turned his attention over to the snack table, near which stood Ochaco and Yaoyorozu. The rich girl's plump, fatty form was turned to face the table, giving those looking right at Yaoyorozu a view of her back side. As Yaoyorozu was getting snacks from the table, she was approached by Aizawa; the homeroom teachers of the first year hero course were also at the party.
Ainz didn't hear what Aizawa was saying to Yaoyorozu, but apparently it was a request to use her quirk to make something, as Yaoyorozu held her left arm out as an aura glowed on the bottom of her arm, seeing an expandable baton fall out of said aura into Yaoyorozu's right hand which was waiting. A holster for the expandable baton also fell out, and Yaoyorozu handed both items over to her homeroom teacher, who nodded in thanks before leaving her be.
"Oh yeah," began Shinso who also saw what went on between Aizawa and Yaoyorozu, "Aizawa-sensei asked me where I got my expandable baton from because he decided he wanted to get one of his own, given how useful it had proven to be on some of the undead looking quirk forged monsters. I told him Yaoyorozu made it for me by using her quirk, and she later made a holster for it I can put onto my belt."
Ainz saw the value in getting equipment proven to be effective against a certain kind of enemy, as expandable batons have proven to be useful against at least the skeleton pop monsters. And since Ainz was planning on using pop monsters as a fodder force, Aizawa wanting his own expandable baton was a sound call. Granted, against more advanced undead like the Old Guarders and those of the same class as the Death Knights, it wouldn't be all that useful.
But against the more normal skeletons, and maybe lesser zombie like pop monsters, an expandable baton could be a lifesaver. Ainz wasn't all that familiar with collapsible bludgeoning weapons, but having such an armament and being able to conceal it easily would have been invaluable in the first New World at least. The damage lesser criminals in the Kingdom that Ainz wiped out could've done with such weapons was rather concerning to ponder.
As Ainz was hanging with the guys at the party, he noticed that Todoroki, who was standing with him, Bakugo, Shinso, and Monoma, was giving off an air that suggested that he was a bit annoyed with something. "...Is something the matter, Todoroki?" Shinso asked, saving Ainz the trouble of asking Todoroki what was wrong without even knowing it, "You seem distracted."
"Sorry, I was just... thinking about something," Todoroki said.
Bakugo was about to speak up, but was cut off before he could even get a word out when Ashido, Itsuka, and Hagakure all came walking over to the boys. "Todoroki!" Itsuka said, "I just got it that you aren't interested in dating any girl period!"
"Oh for the love of fuck, Fister Girl," Bakugo said, "Not you too! Why is it such a big deal if IcyHot wants to be single?! What is with girls wanting to see boys date girls so much?!"
"There isn't any girl at U.A. that I'm interested is all," Todoroki said. Ainz could tell from Todoroki's tone that he was starting to get to his limit on how much of the girls trying to push for him to get into a romantic relationship that he could deal with.
The girls obviously didn't pick up on that hint. "Then at least mingle with the girls here!" Hagakure said, "You're doing us girls a disservice by keeping yourself off the table! You're a top of the line guy, Todoroki! And we aim to prove it!"
"Todoroki-san," Ainz said, "Why don't you go procure some refreshments for yourself at the snack table whilst Kacchan, Shinso, Monoma, and I handle the girls for you," Ainz said, sending Todoroki off to get some peace from the girls who seemed to have made it their goal to see Todoroki in the company of a girl he will be romantically involved with.
The boy with two toned hair nodded once in thanks and left, leaving Ainz and the others to deal with the girls. "And you have the nerve, Kendo-san," Monoma began, "To bust my chops when I try to bust the chops of Class 1-A, which by the way I haven't done in a while. But here you are, allied with other girls in trying to see Todoroki get romantically involved with a girl."
"Well he is one of the most desirable boys at school," Itsuka said, "And I bet he would have been great with Yaoyorozu had she not gotten together with Awase instead."
"I'm surprised Awase wasn't repelled by Yaoyorozu having acquired the Fat Gum lifestyle," Ashido said, "I mean, boys tend to be shallow and not like bigger girls. And yet Yaoyorozu having fattened up didn't make Awase think any less of her. It's actually rather sweet in a way."
Ainz looked over to the snack table, where Todoroki was chatting it up with Yaoyorozu, Ochaco, and Yosetsu Awase who had come over and the moment he did Yaoyorozu took his hand into hers. Ainz was aware of Todoroki actually helping Yosetsu get with Yaoyorozu due to how Yosetsu rather likes Yaoyorozu. Todoroki was putting his friendship with other guys above him having his own love life.
...But the girls of U.A., particularly those in Ainz's year of the hero course, viewing Todoroki more like a fine horse at auction was staring to grate on even Ainz's nerves. "...I believe, Kendo," Ainz began, "That you once thought that Todoroki ought to be with Yaoyorozu."
"Well yeah," Itsuka said, "I think they're made for each other. But you do have a point on letting Todoroki and Yaoyorozu figure things between them out themselves and be respectful if a third party ends up getting involved. Which did end up happening as Yosetsu ended up being the guy who got Yaoyorozu."
Looking a bit pouty, Ashido said, "I bet Todoroki is relieved he doesn't have to date Yaoyorozu now as Awase is dating her. I bet he's relieved because she got fat, and he doesn't wanna date a fat girl. Todoroki is probably just another one of those shallow jerk guys but won't admit it."
"Todoroki had no interest in Yaoyorozu before her quirk mutated to make her bigger," Ainz pointed out, "And his regarding of Yaoyorozu is unchanged in the slightest now that she is bigger. No, I do not believe that Todoroki is shallow like that."
The three girls relented back a bit. "Sorry, sorry," Mina said, "But it's just so frustrating! Why would a top of the line guy like Todoroki play hard to get? Especially when there's a cute girl that the ladies here and I are trying to have Todoroki hook up with."
That piqued the interest of the guys. "Oh?" Bakugo said, "A girl has the hots for IcyHot?"
Nodding once, Itsuka replied, "It's Yanagi in my class. A sweet but shy girl. I think it'd be wonderful if she got together with Todoroki. Now that I think about it, it's probably for the best that Yaoyorozu had ended up with Awase instead."
Ainz knew who Itsuka was talking about; Reiko Yanagi of Class 1-B, a girl with a quirk called Poltergeist. Said quirk lets the user telekinetically control any number of objects and throw them around, which came in handy during the provincial license exams as she used said quirk to rain down objects to slay the undead pop monsters, scoring a lot of head shots on zombies. From what Ainz figured, Reiko's quirk is a stronger and more flexible version of Inko's quirk.
The only catch is that Reiko's quirk has a weight limit. Ainz before checking things with Detect Quirk had heard that Reiko can only control any number of objects if their combined weight is at or below 'the same weight as the average human', which is sixty-two to sixty-three kilograms when Ainz had asked around for the average.
But upon checking Reiko with Detect Quirk, Ainz saw that the weight limit of Reiko's quirk was actually at or below how much the user weighs. If Reiko weighs sixty-three kilograms, then she can only control up to sixty-three kilograms worth of objects. If she weighs one-hundred kilograms, then it's one-hundred kilograms worth of objects. Fifty kilogram weight for Reiko, fifty kilogram weight for the combined weight of what she can control.
Ainz heard that Reiko was also controlling more weight in objects than what she weighs during the attack on the provisional licence exams. But Ainz later got it from Juzo that Reiko was raging a bit, and even that only bumped Reiko's limit by a few kilograms in objects for a bit, and she was rather exhausted after the attack came to a close.
Ainz was interested in Reiko, given the potential of her quirk as it's basically a stronger and more flexible version of the quirk that Izuku's mom has. He may in fact want a copy of Poltergeist, given that its weight limit isn't a hard set number but something that in theory can be adjusted as need be. A copy of Poltergeist may in fact be useful in the pet project that the Sorcerer King has brewing right now, so he'll help himself to a copy of Reiko's quirk, which he didn't get before.
...But only after he figures out a way to get Todoroki together with her. It'll be part reward to Reiko for the help she'll (unknowingly) be providing to Nazarick, and part means to get the girls wanting to see Todoroki get romantically involved with a girl to shut the hell up. Ainz was rather glad that these hero course girls here, what with their talk of seeing girls get with guys, weren't talking about such things with Shalltear and (especially) Albedo.
Ainz did not want to think about that happening.
Later that evening after the party, the Class 1-A students and Aizawa returned to the Class 1-A dorm building. Ainz told Todoroki that he wanted to have a private conversation with him, and invited him up to his dorm room. Intrigued, Todoroki obliged and follwed Ainz up to his dorm room. The two of them entered, and Ainz felt sure all of his anti-scrying and counter intelligence measures were all still in place.
Hagakure if she were naked to take advantage of her quirk and snuck in would have been detected, but Ainz felt nothing go off, so he and Todoroki could truly talk alone without any fear of any manner of spying. "Your dorm room is... a lot less decorated than I would have imagined," Todoroki said, "The only thing up for decoration that I see is the medal you won at the Sports Festival."
"I've never been much of one for putting on frills," Ainz said, "And I only put the medal up as a symbol of the progress I've made thus far in becoming a pro hero."
Todoroki nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. So what is it you wished to talk about?"
"Sorry if this annoys you at all," Ainz began, "But I'm interested in learning what kind of girl it is that you would be interested in romantically."
"The girls have grated on your nerves about it too, huh?" Todoroki asked.
Nodding once, Ainz said, "Like you wouldn't believe. I think the only way to make them stop is for you to finally get a girlfriend."
Todoroki gave another nod. "Understandable. But the girls will probably never stop then, as there is simply no girl that I am interested in. And in case you heard what Monoma had guessed, no I am not interested in dating boys either."
Ainz nodded once in understanding. "That wasn't even on my mind." Straightening up, Ainz went on, "But perhaps you could pick a girl and date her anyway? If only to make the other girls aiming to see you spoken for shut up."
"It may be difficult for me," Todoroki said, "Given that there's no one here at U.A. period that I'm interested in romantically. I'm not sure if I can be in a relationship with someone that I've got zero interest in being with."
Gesturing to himself, Ainz began, "If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, Todoroki-san. I got it that Reiko Yanagi of Class 1-B is rather fond of you and would love to go out with you. Her being so in love with you may help you love her back."
"...Oh, you mean Awase's classmate Yanagi," Todoroki replied, "Ehh, she's cute I guess, but isn't she a bit on the aggressive side? I mean you saw how she raged during the attack on the provisional licence exams with her quirk on the... oh wait, you fought the Black Paladins, that oni samurai guy, and that Dabi guy who kidnapped me."
"She was raging partly out of frustration over being unable to think of an effective way to win over your affections," Ainz explained, "She's just a desperate girl is all."
Todoroki held a hand to his chin, wore a contemplative look on his face. "...Now that I think about it," Todoroki began, "I suppose Yanagi wouldn't be too bad. At least she isn't crazy like Tokage, or harping on others to get dates like what Ashido and Hagakure do. I'll give Yanagi a try I suppose, if only to get some peace and quiet from the people who want me to date someone."
"It's all I can ask, Todoroki-san," Ainz replied, glad he was able to convince Todoroki to at least give Yanagi a shot. The Sorcerer King, if he wanted, could have forced the matter with magic, but he did not want to force someone to love someone else if he could help it. Given how Ainz often is given trouble by Shalltear and (especially) Albedo about them trying to show him love he isn't in the mood for, it'd sicken Ainz if he forced a similar deal onto someone else.
...
Later that night, when everyone was asleep, Ainz who had an illusion spell up look like his skeletal self in the royal orange hooded robe plus iron gauntlets and Mask of Jealousy was at the mansion in the woods that served as the base of operations for the League of Villains. He sat at what was his desk at the mansion, with Demiurge behind him and Dabi plus Spinner in front of him.
"Hoo boy, Dabi," Ainz said, "Endeavor's son who you tried kidnapping is a bit of a hassle to work with because of how many girls at U.A. consider him to be premium goods."
"Figures that the spawn of that flaming brick house bastard would be popular with the ladies," Dabi said, "His burn mark notwithstanding, the Todoroki boy qualifies as handsome from what I heard. And he's Endeavor's son, so that ought to boost his popularity, being related to so successful and strong of a pro hero."
"Endeavor stands to become the number one hero in Japan since All Might had to retire following the raid on the Shie Hassaikai compound that had to be abandoned," Spinner said, "A man such as Endeavor by no means has any right to occupy the lofty spot held by All Might."
"Considering what I've learned about Endeavor, I one-hundred percent agree with you," Ainz said to Spinner, "But regardless, I've been able to settle the issue of girls clamoring for Todoroki, at least enough to keep it from annoying me again."
Arching a wry eyebrow, Dabi asked, "Couldn't you have just used a quirk to make things easier?"
"If I did, then I'd be putting Todoroki in a situation similar to what I deal with from my followers Shalltear and Albedo," Ainz replied, "I wouldn't want to put someone in my shoes like that."
"Those ladies do need to reign themselves in if you ask me, Lord Ainz," Demiurge replied.
Leaning back in his seat, Ainz said, "Now Dabi, what's this about a monster of a bodyguard that the late All For One left behind for you?"
"According to Dr. Garaki," Dabi began, "The big lug is named Gigantomachia. The dude served All For One as a bodyguard but was sent into hiding following All For One's first loss to All Might a shade over half a decade ago." Dabi then went on to give Ainz a base description of Gigantomachia, the same one Dabi himself got from Dr. Garaki.
Demiurge held a hand to his chin. "...He sounds similar to Gargantua."
"Dr. Garaki said that I can get Gigantomachia to submit to me and become my subordinate," Dabi said, "But I have to prove myself to him. No doubt I have to make Gigantomachia submit to my rule over him by force, but I doubt I can do so, even with all of the League of Villains and the top thugs in your other two branch offices backing me up."
Ainz leaned back in his seat. "...Sounds to me like it's a good time to give an experiment that I've been contemplating about a test run. I just need to first pick up a prize I've earned for helping a girl to find love, then I need to pick up, oh say, half a dozen volunteers."
"You're picking up some people, Lord Ainz?" Spinner asked.
"Indeed I am," Ainz replied, "Volunteers who will help me with more than just getting Gigantomachia to kneel before Dabi. Oh, that reminds me, Dabi. This should go without saying, but Gigantomachia if possible ought to be made to defer to me."
Holding his hands up at shoulder level with the palms facing forward, Dabi replied, "Don't let me stop you. Gigantomachia sounds like he'd be too much for me to handle. If you can make him bow head and bend knee to you, then more power to you."
Ainz gave a single nod of understanding. "Oh yes, Dabi. You'd be very surprised to learn exactly how much power I have to me."
The first day after that meeting with Dabi that Ainz had that was a day off of U.A., the League of Villains, with Dabi leading the way, escorted Ainz who had Demiurge and Albedo with him over to the forest area where Dr. Garaki said Gigantomachia is waiting for Dabi to challenge him and prove himself worthy to Gigantomachia or being All For One's successor. The Sorcerer King had his usual illusion disguise up already as he and the others walked.
"I normally don't express sympathy to those of your kind," Albedo said to Dabi, "But it's actually rather shameful that someone who is supposed to be your subordinate wants you to prove to him you're worthy of making him your subordinate. Just where does this Gigantomachia get off?"
"Dr. Garaki said that Gigantomachia is loyal to a fault to All For One," Dabi explained, "Thus it's hard for him to become loyal to anyone else. The only reason that I have a chance is that All For One had made me his successor to head up the League. I highly doubt that anyone else has a chance to pull of making the big lug answer to them because of that."
"You should know by now that nothing is impossible for Lord Ainz," Demiurge remarked.
"I didn't say there's no way period he can do it," Dabi clarified, "I just said I highly doubt it. There's still a shade of wiggle room in there."
"And a shade of wiggle room is all I need," Ainz replied, then he and the others stopped as they felt the ground rumble.
"Yeah, that's Gigantomachia coming to us," Spinner remarked grimly.
"Well now," Ainz said, "I hope that Dabi remembers the speech to give to Gigantomachia before the fun begins." The Sorcerer King was going to have a lot of fun here today. After all, he was about to take so many notes on how certain quirks work in conjunction with one another.
END, CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Author's notes;
This chapter sees the raid end more or less as a draw for the heroes, All Might is killed but resurrected, a service held for those killed during the raid, Todoroki looks into hooking up with Yanagi, and Ainz and his fellows begin work on recruiting Gigantomachia. Later.