As had become habit, Izuku's mind immediately shot to work by finding every person in the room, where they were, and how they reacted to him entering alongside Haruki-San.
Nezu was sitting at his desk in the middle, ready to act as a mediator if necessary though Haruki-San would probably have that covered if he couldn't regain control by himself.
Shuzenji was on one couch and seemed somewhat surprised to see him walking through the door.
Sir Nighteye was off standing in a far corner, and his eyes narrowed on him in a rather specific way that showed his distrust of him.
Gran Torino and Tsukauchi sat on the other couch, both looking equally baffled by him being there, though probably for different reasons. Gran Torino would most likely have little clue about his involvement, and Tsukauchi wouldn't know the full depth of his role.
Finally, there was... a skeletal All Might in civies sitting with them.
Izuku blinked staring at the man.
He'd known that All-Yagi was critically injured in his fight with All For One, but that wouldn't explain how bad Yagi currently looked or how he kept up appearances for that matter.
Maybe it was one of the quirks of inheritance?
Yagi likely wasn't the best advised when it came to the demands of any quirk having been a two-toes, and most people didn't realize Emitters needed special care and diets even with the users that had them.
Plus, his hectic hero schedule and life-threatening injury...
Actually, Izuku was more surprised that Yagi was keeping up appearances at all now that he thought about it.
When the room was locked down again, Izuku bowed as Nezu introduced them.
"I'm sure most of you are familiar with Haruki-San. However, I believe this is the first time for some of you to meet Midoriya Izuku, formally known in the underground as Deku-Sensei." Nezu said in his cheerful stage voice.
*At least no one has jumped to their feet like Aizawa-San... * Izuku thought dismally when the room remained silent when he rose from his bow.
"I assume you've already told them what were going to discuss Nezu-San." Haruki-San questioned, to which Nezu nodded.
"Well aware, but if I may, what exactly is the reason for your inclusion Haruki-San, and Midoriya's?" Sir asked a touch pointedly.
Izuku met him with an unimpressed look in return, if he was trying to intimidate them or make them uncomfortable then he was absolutely barking up the wrong tree.
Because he was quite desensitized to most forms of aggression and Haruki-San has dealt with way more in her extended lifetime by working during the early era of what was considered 'true' heroes.
"Well Sasaki-Kun," Haruki-San said sounding more clipped as she used the honorific to remind him of his place "I've been around for over a century now and I've been aware of All For One since Yagi-Kun over there was in diapers." she told him with her arms crossed.
"And currently speaking Midoriya-San here has a direct line of connection with those in All For One's inner circle and therefore the only one with any insight to All For One's plans and behavior." Haruki-San proclaimed jutting her head slightly.
Sir's eyes sharpened when she said that and Izuku shot a glance at Nezu, who very slightly nodded his head to confirm that he too saw the change before they both refocused on Sir.
"I believe that alone is more than enough reason for us to be here, no?" Haruki-San pressed on not waiting for a response.
Gran Torino scoffed pointing his cane at Izuku.
"And just how in Sam's hell did the kid get this 'connection' with the big bastard?" the man questioned with sharp eyes on Izuku.
Izuku scowled at the implication but didn't let himself fully bristle since it was a very reasonable line of inquiry given the circumstances.
Izuku wouldn't be fully welcoming of a stranger claiming ties with All For One either, much less one with 'direct' ties.
"I am more than willing to explain how I got my connections if it will settle your nerves." Izuku promised moving to sit next to Shuzenji, with Haruki-San sitting on his other side.
"As I explained in my interview with Nezu and Tsukauchi before I came to work here, I had extended my aid work from the South Side to the other red-light districts which was how I came to learn of All For One's existence beyond the children's story." Izuku told them though Yagi's brow furrowed.
"How though? Most people do not just come across information about All For One." Yagi pointed out.
*Great, only one sentence in and I'm being asked questions.* Izuku thought.
"Indeed, quirked people don't, but as a slowly becoming beloved figure I was warned early on that All For One hunts quirkless people like myself." Izuku answered and Yagi's eyes widened dramatically.
"You're quirkless?" Yagi exclaimed and almost everyone turned to look at him with the same expression that he most likely had on his face, one that very clearly said 'what the fuck?'
Sir was a notable exception instead looking at Izuku, for what Izuku had no clue.
"Haven't I told you not to ignore the media you zygote!?" Gran Torino scolded as he whacked Yagi on the head and got a rushed apology from the emaciated hero.
Izuku frowned at the interaction but chose not to say something just yet and instead answer Yagi's question.
"Yes, I have not now, nor ever in my life had a quirk." Izuku clarified watching as Sir's eyes immediately snapped over to Tsukauchi, only to become slightly muddled with confusion.
What was he expecting? For him to be lying and hiding some secret quirk?
Why in the world would he do that?
"Right, I see." Yagi said unsure, as if there was something making him uncomfortable, Izuku felt he had good reason to be believe it wasn't because of himself being a two-toes, but from the way Gran Torino was grumbling next to Yagi.
"Then how were you able to get close enough to All For One's empire without consequences? You said that All For One hunted the quirkless and that would include yourself wouldn't it?" Sir asked brashly.
Izuku stared at the man.
Did Sir really expect him to be one of All For One's minions?
The silence hung in the air for a beat and Izuku realized that yes, Sir did expect him to be one of his minions.
Now that was just insulting, and Izuku had been spat in the face by others before and de-humanized for years but Sir's implication was far more personal than that.
Izuku stared Sir dead in the eye "I am not in All For One's pocket in any shape or form beyond being hired by someone in his inner circle as a tutor in general subjects. And I have never met the man at any point in my life as far as I know." Izuku added and watched as Sir's eyes moved to Tsukauchi obviously waiting for him to say that he was lying.
There was a tension in the air as no one moved.
Yagi and Tsukauchi both uncomfortable and confused why Izuku had suddenly said that, Tsukauchi shuffling where he sat with Sir's eyes locked on him, likely adding to his personal discomfort.
Gran Torino and Shuzenji however picked up on what Sir was trying to say after Izuku was so blunt about himself not being in All For One's pocket, and they too looked to Tsukauchi, whom looked to be much more put upon with the three staring at him.
Haruki-San rolled her eyes at the whole thing "Considering Tsukauchi-Kun hasn't picked up on a lie are you happy now Sasaki-Kun that Midoriya-San isn't a threat?" she asked, Sir for his part readjusted his glasses and avoided answering.
Causing both Tsukauchi-San and Yagi's eyes to widen since it was flatly said out loud.
"Don't sulk. Now please continue Midoriya-San." Haruki-San scolded, placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder.
"Right, the student reached out looking to become better educated, he did so in a way that wouldn't be flagged by All For One's rules to keep him from interacting with others that could ruin his plans for my student." Izuku explained powering on and trying to ignore how Sir was indeed skulking in the corner.
Well, if he wanted to ask stupid questions then he could be left feeling stupid about himself being wrong, it was no skin of Izuku's nose.
"The minder All For One assigned isn't completely loyal, he's forced to follow orders due to a quirk All For One used on him. But even with all of the orders given there are loopholes that let him explain everything to me, about my student's situation and his reason for going after you." Izuku elaborated pointing to Yagi.
Yagi leaned back onto the couch, his shoulders sagging, upset but with nothing he could do about them knowing.
"I see." Yagi said in a rather defeated tone "Is there anyone else that knows of One For All?" Yagi asked, Izuku's nose scrunched up at the name.
*Why is that the name that stuck out of all the names they could have used for the quirk?* Izuku thought irate.
"I can't speak for All For One's side, but I and Haruki-San haven't told anyone because we don't want to risk my student's safety." Izuku answered.
The others nodded, accepting the fact for what it was, even Sir though he looked sour that Izuku was actually a, gasp, responsible person.
Maybe Katsuki was right about him being petty when he was emotionally drained, but Sir started it.
"Now, can we please discuss the major issues at hand?" Izuku requested hoping to move on if possible.
There were more than one thing to talk about and he didn't want this to drag out for long, he had friends that would be waiting for him to hang out with them.
"Sure, want to talk about how we'll kill the old bastard over tea brat?" Gran Torino said with a scoff-ish tone.
Izuku shrugged "We were going to do that anyway, but I wouldn't mind a cup of tea, do you have any of that tea you bought me last week Nezu-San?" Izuku asked casually much to the room's disbelief.
"Of course, Midoriya-San! Just give me a moment." Nezu cheerfully confirmed that he set to work brewing up some water for them.
"Kid you can't be serious." Gran Torino said, Izuku met him with a raised eye.
"Why would I joke about murder?" Izuku questioned back "You make it sound like it would be impossible to actually kill All For One." Izuku commented rolling his eyes that time.
Yagi especially seemed flabbergasted about him, though that might be because he was so young and casually talking about murder, Izuku did have to admit it wasn't a common thing even in his circles.
"You don't think it is?" Tsukauchi asked, finding his voice somehow after being a silent observer for the most part of the exchange, no doubt looking for any sort of reassurance he could get.
"It's absolutely possible, if you have the right tools and people." Izuku answered dismissively waving one of his hands "Maybe a touch of Deadman's luck too, just to be safe." Izuku added after a moment of thought.
The wave of relief that crashed over Tsukauchi was very visible as he let out a breath and looked so utterly terribly thankful.
Sir on the other hand looked incredulous from his sulking corner, likely again putting him down mentally and thinking he didn't know what he was talking about, Izuku had seen that look from his old teachers one too many times to mistake that look.
"And just what tools do you have that would let us finally off the bastard?" Gran Torino questioned, though notably less antagonistic but not optimistic either.
Izuku could appreciate his level of skepticism, no doubt jaded from multiple past attempts to kill All For One.
"Well, that circles back to my connections." Izuku told him, excepting the cup when Nezu started passing them out.
He and Shuzenji notably were the only ones aside from Nezu to have a cup, shame because it was good tea, though he could understand that Haruki-San couldn't physically partake.
"You see, All For One is very arrogant and hasn't made any plans for if his minder for my student were to turn on him, because for the most part it would be completely impossible." Izuku said setting up the scenario for them.
"So, it was easier for Kurogiri, who cares for my student, to carefully slip information to me so that I can make a plan to free my student, and the only way to do that is by killing All For One." Izuku told them pausing to take a sip.
"And this, Kurogiri can help us do that?" Shuzenji inquired, Izuku nodded.
"Kurogiri is what is called a Nomu, a person that All For One has forced multiple quirks into, which warps the body, and the quirks he has made him a very special type of teleporter with strong accuracy so long as he has the right coordinates." Izuku explained.
Gran Torino frowned, likely not liking the implications, Tsukauchi also looked concerned over this, while it seemed to fly right over Yagi's head.
Shuzenji just pursed her lips but didn't say anything.
Sir was scowling but didn't speak up, probably running the info through a few scenarios.
Bringing out his phone he brought up a picture he'd taken of Kurogiri "Nezu?" Izuku asked and Nezu quickly went to work tapping on his laptop to bring out a projector and his phone screen.
"One of the few loopholes Kurogiri has means that he doesn't have to report it if my student runs away until twenty-hours after he's left, Kurogiri will text me though should that happen at which point we can go to Kurogiri and knock him out." Izuku outlined as he showed a picture of Kurogiri.
"Wouldn't that be going too far? He is on our side, isn't he?" Yagi questioned slightly concerned, one that was echoed on Tsukauchi's face.
Gran Torino was withholding judgement along with Shuzenji-San, Sir scoffed.
"Kurogiri has orders to resist capture and he cannot rebel, so I haven't told Kurogiri anything about this part of the plan to keep him from forcefully revealing our plan to All For One, at which point we can break the hold All For One has on Kurogiri." Izuku dejectedly explained to him.
He didn't feel good about it but it was the safest way to get Kurogiri and Shirakumo out without hurting anyone, them included.
"Can Kurogiri fight off the control All For One has on him?" Tsukauchi inquired and Izuku shook his head.
"No, not outright. If he tried, he'd lose control over his body like a puppet with their strings cut." Izuku illustrated for the group.
"And Kurogiri has told me he can't regain control until All For One gives it back to him, so it is very important we don't trigger one of the fail safes that All For One has put in place." Izuku grimly told them with slumped shoulders.
"Poor bastard," Gran Torino commented and Izuku had to agree with him.
Kurogiri really was a miserable soul considering he might've been solely made by All For One to just be a disposable pawn.
"But since you plan on freeing him, I'm guessing you think he'll be a great help in fighting All For One?" Shuzenji guessed.
"Kurogiri is our only hope to actually kill All For One without there being any casualties or major injuries." Izuku answered which absolutely got everyone's attention like he thought it would.
Even Sir's.
"How?" Yagi asked, something like desperation in his tone but not quite that, maybe solemn was the tone Izuku was looking for?
"All For One is paranoid, but complacent." Izuku replied setting the cup aside fully.
"If he thinks he has full control over someone then they're a non-existence and he leaves them alone with very few checks and balances, hence why he doesn't know I'm meeting those in his inner circle in the first place." Izuku further clarified.
To be fair no one could have predicted just how much of an impact Izuku had on the underground circuit or that he'd catch Tenko's attention with it in the first place.
"Because of this even though he'll have many ways of tracking any unexpected appearances by others, especially by quirks we could only get the drop on him with someone that was working for him." Izuku explained holding up a single finger before raising another.
"Someone like Kurogiri, whom is supposed to be his loyal 'pet' Nomu, won't trigger an immediate alarm if he used his quirk close by All For One since he uses Kurogiri's quirk fairly often enough." Izuku told them.
Gran Torino was the first to somewhat understand what Izuku was implying.
"Hm, using the mist cloud over there might get our foot in the door but the bastard won't stay stunned for long kid, and what's to stop the fucker from regaining control over the poor sap?" Gran questioned, rather logically mind you so Izuku wouldn't dismiss the question outright.
"Simple." Izuku calmly said.
Then he reached for his pistol tucked behind his back and showed it off to the shocked group of Yagi's, the blonde being the most surprised as he choked up some blood.
Tsukauchi sputtered and Gran Torino's eyes shot open in surprise.
Sir stood even stiffer, Shuzenji though being the closest to him didn't even so much as choke on her sip of tea when he revealed his weapon.
"We won't give him even a second to react, Kurogiri can open portals to anywhere and anything can pass through them, so as soon as we can we'll open a portal right against All For One's head and before he can use any quirk shoot him in the head." Izuku elaborated for them.
The room fell to silence once again.
Each of them slowly digested the plan Izuku had just told them.
He watched Tsukauchi's mouth fall open only to close a second later, while Gran Torino's face showed him trying to mentally picture how the plan would play out.
Izuku wasn't sure how Sir was feeling other than the fact he was certainly burning a hole in the back of Izuku head from how hard he was staring.
Yagi was still looking gob smacked as if Izuku was speaking in a foreign language or something.
"You've thought about this for a while... haven't you Midoriya?" Shuzenji asked, a knowing tone in her voice.
Izuku leaned back onto the couch with a small nod.
"As long as that man is around none of my students are safe and our country will be nothing more than All For One's glorified quirk lab, and if it's possible to avoid a full-frontal war that will make the quirk wars look tame, I will." Izuku answered.
"Could it really be that easy?" Tsukauchi asked, before he spoke again to clarify "Killing All For One?"
"Yes and no, my plan will only work if we don't show our hand in any way, shape or form, and even then, we will only have exactly two seconds to take the shot, at which point we'll need to make sure to permanently disposed of the body in every way, shape, and form." Izuku told them.
"To make sure the bastard doesn't come back this time round." Gran Torino spat and Izuku nodded.
"Yes, I don't know the extent of his healing quirks, but I don't want to take the risk of finding out, the head shot will give us enough of a grace period to fully execute him since his brain will be scrambled for a few seconds at least." Izuku said.
"But how can you guarantee he won't have a quirk already active to protect him from such an attack?" Sir asked finally speaking up.
Gran Torino huffed.
"Oh, shut it Greenie," Gran Torino said waving his cane at him, and it took Izuku a moment to understand that Gran Torino was talking to Sir and not him.
He was becoming much too used to his students' many nicknames for him.
"The bastard's ego is massive and he's a cocky fucker if I've ever met one, but he ain't going to waste his energy keeping up a quirk that he doesn't think he needs at the moment." Gran Torino countered for Izuku.
"The kid's plan is sound and way more likely to work than the cluster fuck yours' turned into." Gran Torino said throwing in a jab that made Sir duck his head and clench his fists.
Well, Izuku wasn't expecting that, but he wouldn't snuff any allies he'd be getting through this.
"Thank you for the complement, Gran Torino, but there are a few more things that I need to tell you about my plan, important things that I'm sure most of you won't like." Izuku told them.
Shuzenji raised an eye "What kind of things?" Shuzenji asked.
Izuku gulped.
He knew he would have to say, it was too important to leave out and let All For One blind side them with.
But that wouldn't make it any easier to say.
Izuku sighed and pulled up the picture he found of Shirakumo at his only sports festival and made it share the screen with Kurogiri's picture.
"Firstly, Kurogiri is currently the dominant personality of the Nomu made from one Shirakumo Oburo's body and quirk," Izuku told them and watched as the room stared at the two figures.
Almost everyone on had met and worked with both Aizawa-San and Yamada-San, if not outright heard of the horrid death of the young boy.
And though he'd told both Haruki-San and Nezu that didn't stop the two of them from a wave of pain as they were once again reminded of this fact.
"Shirakumo was captured in what was a staged accident by All For One to get his classmate Aizawa, he wasn't successful but he did turn Shirakumo into a Nomu by placing two quirks in him." Izuku informed them, Nezu brisling and his ears folding over.
Nezu quite liked Aizawa-San from what Izuku could gather so the reaction wasn't unexpected, even if Nezu was already aware of the fact.
And that wasn't touching on the personal strike against him with how protective he was to the students himself.
"He was then assigned to be my student's minder, but Shirakumo wasn't about to allow a five-year-old to go through what All For One had planned for him and tried to escape with my young student but was unsuccessful." Izuku sadly informed them.
Shuzenji shook her head "Kid didn't have the best head on his shoulders but he had heart." she sadly mused.
"After the failed attempt All For One made the new personality, Kurogiri, with much stricter orders with Shirakumo locked away in his own mind, with no way to free himself at the moment." Izuku told them ruefully.
He hadn't been able to find someone with the right quirk to help yet, and he had no idea just what would happen if he broke them free of All For One's control either.
"And I have good reason the believe that All For One will simple kill them both if he discovers that they are helping us, it wouldn't be hard to take their quirks and put it into someone more agreeable." Izuku told them and Shuzenji nodded firmly.
Her grip white-knuckled on her cane and her jaw clenched.
Well, it was time to drop the real bomb.
"I'm going to show who my student is, but before I do I want you all to remember that we cannot risk confronting All For One right now." Izuku stressed very firmly.
Before he swiped to the picture, he had Kurogiri take of him and Tenko after the boy completed his pokedex by hand in real life.
And the reactions of those that knew the seventh holder Shimura were almost immediate.
A sharp inhale from Yagi, the sound of Gran Torino's cane hitting the floor as he froze up and most damningly the timid whisper of "Goro?" from Shuzenji.
"This," Izuku said, choking on his words for a moment.
"Is my student Shigaraki Tomura, or as you better know him, one Shimura Tenko the grandson of Shimura Nana, the seventh holder." Izuku said then there was an impossible to miss crunch of wood.
Turning his head Izuku saw the source of the sound.
Yagi's hand had crushed the arm rest of the couch in an unconscious lost of control over his strength, the man most likely completely unaware of what he'd done as he stared unblinkingly at the photo of Tenko.
Tears silently falling from his sunken eyes.
Outtake with the past holders
They are gathered and watching through a 'tv' screen what is going on.
En the 6th: And there's Shuzenji, I think that's everyone that should be coming.
Banjo the 5th: Then why the hell isn't the damn rat starting the meeting?
Nana the 7th: I think there is someone else coming.
Bruce the 3rd: *tsk* of course the rat wouldn't keep his mouth shut-
Izuku and Haruki walk in.
2nd whips around to Youchi while everyone is blue screened.
2nd: When the f**k did you get laid!?
Youchi *too shocked to respond*