03/08/2024

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The Emperor's Dragon
Dragon 41 - Loyal Henchmen

Izuku panted and ran a hand through his hair. He had sparred with Gigantomachia and in addition to adding extra condition to his scales, the intense physical exercise had shown him how much physical fitness he had lost since his father had let him go to make his own decision. No wonder he had been tired just doing a few things. He had to get it back, and so he knew, every time he wasn't busy with trying to determine a path to the future, he'd be exercising.

As he recovered his breath, he approached Yakuni. They'd sparred here because the young man had more space.

"Very impressive, Dragon," the scientist told him.

"It's impressive how unfit I am," Izuku replied.

"Well, that can at least be fixed," Yakuni murmured.

"Yeah, but I'm going to be panting like a bellows until it is," Izuku told him.

Gigantomachia just chuckled. He was as fit as always and enjoyed sparring with him because the harder Izuku fought, the harder Gigantomachia could fight back, and the huge man loved that. He hadn't liked their last few sessions though, as Izuku had made him continually hit him to break his scales. Each time they broke, they got stronger. The huge man appreciated that, but not having to inflict the deliberate pain on Izuku. They were at the point now, where he really had to try to break them… and while that was strong, Izuku wanted them even stronger. But that was a long term project.

"So, how is it going?" Izuku asked, jerking his head towards one of the larger tubes.

"Not too bad. I'm going to try to make both Kendo and Rikiya into High Ends, and see how we go. Even if they fail, I think they will be high class Nomu. And either way, Kendo should be optimised to take out Endeavor and… well, I don't have a target in mind for Rikiya yet."

Izuku nodded at that but didn't feel the need to ask for further information on those ones and what the young scientist wasn't saying was that even if they didn't work as High Ends, then they'd still be optimised. Kendo should be able to take out Endeavor but may need direction from his handler to do it. So either way, Kendo would be useful. "How fast can you make a Nomu anyway?" he asked.

"If you have the quirks?" Yakuni clarified.

"If you have the quirks," Izuku agreed.

"A low level one can be churned out pretty quick," Yakuni told him. "But they aren't very useful since you have to tell them everything."

"So the more intelligent they are, the longer they take?" Izuku surmised.

"Pretty much."

"Time it?" he suggested.

Yakuni frowned at him, obviously wondering why he'd want such information.

"The Nomu aren't as useful as independent followers," Izuku explained. "But they could be very useful as shock troops."

The last bit of the explanation was enough for Yakuni to understand.

In Izuku's research, there was one thing that was clear, no matter how took over a country - a liberator or a dictator - they all had followers, and they all had, at least a bit of military power. If he had no other choice, then the Nomu would serve that purpose for him so he'd be best aware of how fast they could be generated and what they could do.

"I'll take notes," Yakuni told him.

"Good," Izuku breathed out, finally feeling as if he was getting his breath back. "Did you get all the genetic samples from the League?" he asked. He had yet to come up with a new collective name. League of Villains was rather ostentatious and fit what Tomura was trying to do but Izuku hadn't really put much thought into coming up with a different name. In the end, it didn't really matter, but League of Villains wouldn't sound good in the history books. It just made them sound deliberately like the bad guys.

"Yep, they all gave me samples, and oh! I have another regeneration quirk for you," Yakuni said.

"What? I thought you said that would take a bit of time!" Izuku reminded him. Not that he was unhappy. If he had another regeneration quirk then he would have to come up with some reason to visit Ochaco.

"I traded the Doctor for it," Yakuni told him absently.

"He said he didn't have one," Izuku said slowly.

Yakuni didn't reply to that because the answer was rather obvious. Izuku huffed. "I'm going to have to talk to him," he grumbled. "What did you trade him?"

"I haven't given him anything yet but he wanted a copy of Twice's quirk."

That would take a few months to be made, which was too slow for Izuku's purposes. "Not too bad," Izuku admitted. "Did you get regeneration on down payment?" he asked.

"For you, of course I did," Yakuni said happily. "Given that I'm going to be copying Twice's quirk anyway, I didn't think making two was a big deal."

"It's not," Izuku told him. "It's the fact that he told me he didn't have one that is the issue," he explained.

"Ah," Yakuni nodded his understanding.

"Actually, did you get a genetic sample from everyone?" Izuku asked.

"Yeah, I already said I did."

"Kurogiri too?" Izuku pressed.

Yakuni's expression told him everything he needed to know. Yakuni didn't have a sample from Kurogiri.

"Why didn't Kurogiri give you one?" Izuku asked.

"He said the Doctor already had them," Yakuni told him.

"I'll get you one." Izuku took a deep breath. "Would there be any way of making that clone functional?" he mused.

"Functional?" Yakuni queried.

"Independent but loyal, kind of like Kurogiri," Izuku added detail.

The young man didn't reply for a few moments. "They aren't functional because we force age them and don't give them any mental stimulation but theoretically, if they were educated, then… It would take a while," he muttered, and Izuku knew that what Yakuni had said so far was not really an answer. "Their minds are essentially babies, but you could nurse them past that and once they got to a certain level then…" Yakuni looked back at him. "I think it can be done but it will be slower, and I believe it would be best if I could talk to the Doctor about a few things," he added, sounding a bit ashamed.

Izuku waved one hand, dismissing his shame. "That's okay. Work out how you think it could be done and then talk to him. I'll have had that chat with him in the meantime, so he should be willing to help you," Izuku said ominously. "One of my greatest advantages is Kurogiri and it would be stupid not to believe that the heroes won't be looking to take him out with the same fervor as they want my head," he muttered.

Yakuni gave him a nod at that to indicate he understood. Gigantomachia just growled and Izuku knew that if the heroes wanted him, they'd have to go through the huge man at the very least.

"All right," Izuku said. "How are you going wit-"

"Izuku," Kurogiri interrupted and Izuku turned to see the misty man reforming near him.

"Kurogiri?" He asked. Had the warp gate heard the conversation? Even if he had, he couldn't deny the truth of it.

"I believe you need to come to the Doctor's lab now," the misty man said.

"Why?" Izuku asked.

"It will be easier if you see for yourself," Kurogiri told him.

"Go," Yakuni urged, gesturing for him to go to Kurogiri.

Izuku sighed. Usually he wasn't disturbed but if the warp gate thought something required his attention then it definitely required his attention. He got up and walked over to Kurogiri who expanded again.

There was a moment of disorientation before Izuku found himself in one of the corridor-like paths that had been formed between the tanks the Doctor was working on. It was dark and the only light was filtering through the tanks he was standing behind from others which were lit. Gigantomachia appeared before Kurogiri reformed.

Before he could ask why they were here, Izuku heard someone else talking and it was most definitely not the Doctor.

"Oh come on! I know you move!"

It took Izuku a moment to realise that the voice belonged to Dabi and he frowned, trying to work out what the villain was doing.

Why was Dabi here? The fire villain had said that he was going out to practice this morning so…. Izuku huffed softly when he realised that Dabi must have GPS'd the warehouse the other day. They probably all had. It kind of made sense that they wouldn't trust him completely yet but it did hurt. Even so, by itself it wasn't a bad thing… Unless they got caught.

"Just move! You did the other day!" Dabi practically growled.

"Where's the Doctor?" Izuku mouthed the question to Kurogiri.

The misty man held up his phone and Izuku noticed he'd set the screen to the dullest setting. In the gloom, it was still easy to read the response. "He's monitoring from the mezzanine. Don't worry he has Johnny and several other Nomu for protection."

Izuku hadn't been worried about that but when he read it, he realised he should have been. If Dabi didn't get what he wanted, then he could turn violent. Would turn violent, Izuku corrected his thoughts. Dabi was a villain who would try to get what he wanted through talking but he was not above taking whatever steps he thought necessary. And if he thought threatening or hurting the Doctor would get what he wanted, he'd do that.

"The kid just waved his hand! Why won't you move?" Dabi growled.

Izuku rolled his eyes. Of course he could just wave his hand at the Nomu's. He was giving them instructions via radio waves.

"Fuck, this is taking too long!" Dabi grumbled. "I'll have to come up with another way."

For an instant, Izuku wondered what he should do. He could let Dabi leave and see if he came back to the bar tonight having 'trained' for the day… but then he'd have to wonder about the villain betraying him in the future… or he could confront him now and demand an explanation and maybe remind him that Shouto's quirk wasn't- Izuku shook his head. He would rather loyalty than blackmail but if blackmail is what it took…

"I'll handle this," he breathed the words to Kurogiri and Gigantomachia before he ghosted between the tanks towards Dabi. Mentally, Izuku reached out with radio waves and woke up several of the Nomu. It was an interesting feeling actually. They all felt so close around him.

"Another way for what?" Izuku asked conversationally as he stepped out from the tubes. He thought he knew what though. Dabi had been very specific in his desires. He wanted Endeavor and they had been discussing the fact that the Nomu could take out Endeavor. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.

No matter what else Dabi was, he was quick to react. His hand shot out and a blaze of blue fire appeared. Izuku was quicker and he could feel one of his new quirks helping there. Enhanced reaction time made Dabi seem slow and rather than just finish the battle by grabbing his quirk with Dragon's Hoard, Izuku instead used Caeli Imperium and pulled nitrogen into the burn area of Dabi's fire. The blue flame sort of waived for an instant before going out.

It was safe to say that it was not what Dabi expected.

"I don't want to fight you," Izuku said softly with a smirk that made his actual meaning clear. There wouldn't be a fight because Dabi would lose.

"Well, maybe I do," the fire villain replied.

Izuku sighed and shook his head. "I fail to see how you could win," he said conversationally. "I am fireproof, I can put out your flames and I can take your quirk," he listed the most obvious of his advantages.

Dabi's expression didn't change and for a moment Izuku thought he might go for a knife. He hadn't seen the villain use a weapon but he'd be surprised if he didn't have at least one on his person somewhere.

"I also have regeneration and every single one of these on my side," Izuku added, pointing his finger at the tanks and waving it around slightly to indicate the entire warehouse.

He let Dabi consider that for a few minutes. There wasn't much the fire villain could do. He could attack the Nomu tanks but…

"You want Endeavor," Izuku mused. "I know that, and I promised you that it would happen."

"No, you just hope it happens," Dabi countered. "Because you are just fumbling around pretending to be a villain," he added.

Izuku couldn't deny all of that statement and so he said nothing, instead he cocked his head slightly inviting Dabi to continue to speak. "You say you know what you want to change but then the only plan you make is to deliver us to Tartarus! If I fucking wanted to go there, I'd just go there myself!" There was real anger in Dabi's voice and again, at least some of what he was saying was true.

The fire villain shook his head. "You've got plans kid, I know you do, but you are too timid to carry them out because you aren't sure if they'll work."

Izuku blinked at that assessment. It struck a nerve. He did have plans and ideas but… he really didn't know which ones would work and which would hinder his longer term goals.

"It would be better if you tried something! If it doesn't work, then learn from it and try again!" Dabi was actually breathing hard as he said that.

Izuku snorted. That was something his father would have said. It was something he really should have remembered. "So, do you want that applied to you?" he asked sarcastically.

It took the villain a moment to work out what he meant.

Izuku kept his gaze steady. "You make some good points. I have been dithering so thank you for the reminder that I don't have to have a foolproof plan in mind. Nor do I have to have every step in mind since no plan survives an encounter with the enemy. I'll remember that," he said earnestly. "But we are now here, and-" Izuku shrugged, letting the gesture convey the situation.

"I just want Endeavor," Dabi told him.

"And you will get Endeavor," Izuku replied. The current Number One, All Might could not be continuing in that spot for much longer. Endeavor would then have his coveted position and that was the time to strike him. Surely Dabi could see that? Even with his plans being so nebulous, and with him not knowing which one would be best, Izuku could see that the shock of taking out the Number One Hero would be so much greater than simply taking out Endeavor on the eve of his ascension.

"When?" Dabi demanded.

"You aren't this stupid. Look at the current situation with the heroes and tell me what is going to happen soon?"

Dabi glared at him.

"That's part of the answer," Izuku said blandly. But he was also annoyed. Dabi had promised him loyalty and was now… Except Izuku knew he didn't really have the drive to kill Dabi and he knew that had to be the penalty for betrayal.

But he needed Dabi. If he killed Dabi now, the others would most likely leave. And dammit, he needed them if he was going to progress any plan.

Dabi didn't appear to calm down but as Izuku had said, he wasn't stupid. "All Might hasn't retired yet but he should, given his injuries."

Izuku nodded.

"Then Endeavor will be Number One!" Dabi snarled.

Again, Izuku nodded, and hoped that Dabi would now put it together.

"I don't want that bastard getting anything he wants!" Dabi growled.

That was an interesting insight. "But wouldn't it be more satisfying to take Endeavor out just as he makes his goal? To show him you could have done it at any time?" Izuku asked. He didn't bother mentioning how much more impact that would have on the public, that the Number One Hero could be taken out so easily, just as he got to that position. That was what Izuku wanted because it would maintain the doubt in the hero system and hopefully instil more doubt. Dabi would already know that.

"I'll take him out?" Dabi asked, sounding surprised.

"Well, I can take him out," Izuku snapped, "But that's hardly news to anyone," he added. The world knew what his quirk did, and so if he took out Endeavor then it would be unfortunate, but it would all be down to his quirk. Though Izuku had the feeling it wouldn't be that easy for him… well… it would if he knocked Endeavor out while taking his quirk but he suspected the Hero's sidekicks, and even the Hero himself would be fighting to avoid that outcome and… Will power did provide power when it was strong enough. Izuku would be wise to think he might not be able to knock Endeavor out and would be left fighting the fire villain hand to hand. Again, he would win but it would make Endeavor seem so much more heroic.

Dabi looked at him, and Izuku kind of got the impression that the villain was almost seeing him for the first time. "You can't trust me," he muttered.

"True," Izuku agreed, not wondering how Dabi came to that conclusion or why he chose to voice it now. "But I can live with a transactional exchange, or a series of them," he added, not bothering to point out that technically Dabi had sold his loyalty to him already for the return of Shouto's quirk. The fire villain could argue that the return of the quirk actually benefited him more because of the chaos it had caused and was no doubt causing in the community.

The fire villain didn't reply to that. He knew he'd already committed to a transactional exchange and hadn't upheld his end of the bargain.

Izuku sighed. "Come with me," he ordered before raising his voice. "Doctor, transportation to Yakuni's facility please."

It was almost comical to see Dabi's eyes widen as he realised his entire progress had been monitored. But Izuku's request to the Doctor covered more than that, it was a way of impressing upon Dabi that he had resources, and those resources could be employed at any time. It was best if they were employed on his behalf, not against him.

A few moments later, Izuku felt the liquid that was Johnny's quirk spew forth and he knew his expression was the same as Dabi's. The little Nomu's quirk was useful but it was not the most pleasant.

Still, needs must and right now, Izuku was going to show the fire villain the benefits of remaining on his side. And if they still parted ways, then… Dabi had said if he wanted to visit Tartarus, he'd just walk there himself, Izuku could help him on the journey.

-ted-

I know a lot of people will be asking why Izuku didn't just grab Dabi's fire quirk and push him into a Nomu tank. While that would be a great outcome, Izuku needs people and while he hasn't actually consciously thought this, he's aware that if he appears to be churning through henchmen, he's going to get a reputation in the underworld, one he can't really afford right now. He needs to show that his crew is stable and loyal, so while Dabi should be stripped of his quirk and dealt with, political realities mean that he can't. So there's still the carrot approach, and thankfully Izuku has some good carrots that he can give away in this situation.

Discord is on this code: TcBnRN7aDn FFN will remove links but you should be able to figure that out. There's a heap of other authors there, so come along and chat to us all! Not just about MHA.

-ted-

Loved it? Hated it? Found a spelling mistake? Let me know please!