My Hokuto Academia
I DO NOT own Hokuto no Ken or My Hero Academia, they belong to their respective creators, Tetsuo Hara, Buronson, and Kohei Horikoshi. Support the official releases, especially of Souten no Ken. Oh, someone's already translating Souten no Ken: Regenesis [manga version] already!
Italics = Flashback
"Italics" = Speaking in a Different Language
'Italics' = Inner Thoughts
Italics = Flashback
"BOLD" = All-Might's tone or Present Mic [excited]
Chapter Fifty-Three: Dilemmas, Dilemmas
Today was extremely uneventful, but truth be told, it was a welcome change of pace from the harrowing events of the Hero Killer, Yaoyorozu and Ashido's grudge with each other, and the big reveal of Gakuto Soraho. However, that would soon turn out to be too good to be true...
Especially at lunch.
SLAM!
"DEKU! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
Midoriya barely reacted. The rest of his friends, dubbed the Emerald Squad, tensed. Instead of panicking, they looked ready to attack. Especially Todoroki who was ready to burn the explosive prick's face off. Maybe it was surviving the Hero Killer or enduring Kensei's training methods, but Bakugo seemed less intimidating.
In a way, it was poetic.
"... Bakugo. I socialize with people, not threaten/insult them every minute."
The explosive kid was a bit taken aback by the usage of his surname instead of Kaachan. "The fuck's with the name change, huh?!"However, it was for naught.
"Bakugo, isn't that your name anyway?"
"Shut up, Half-And-Half! Besides, I'm referring to when Izuku fucking pummelled Copycat. You never had that type of backbone, so what the fuck happened to you!" Sparks generated in his palms.
"So the Battle Trial doesn't count?" Izuku asked, nonchalantly. Bakugo gritted his teeth in rage, not liking the reminder.
"That blonde guy, Monoma, thought that Iida went after the Hero Killer for credit..." Midoriya said, almost clenching his fist. The pink girl saw this, putting a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "That's why I snapped. So there's your answer."
That should have satisfied him. Lo and behold, it didn't.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! THAT'S-"
Bakugo's hand was caught by a fast Todoroki who was borderline ready to break it, but the explosive kid noticed the look in his eyes: Murderous. Fucking. Intent.
"Bakugo... I'm only going to ask once. Go back to your table, or..."
"Or what, Half-And-Half!"
"I'll fucking shatter those hands you hold so much pride in." His tone was bestial. To punctuate his seriousness, he started squeezing, making the loud brat squirm in pain for a bit. In a few seconds, Bakugo was down on one knee, gritting his teeth.
"Oi, Todoroki. Calm down!" exclaimed Kirishima. It took a few seconds for Todoroki to comply, releasing the explosive teen's hand. If you think Bakugo was going to back down, well... you'd be right. He just glared at them before scampering off.
"Todoroki... what was that?" Momo questioned, worry evident in her tone. The bi-haired boy's hand shook a bit, followed by a shallow breath, before he fell back into his seat.
"Crap... Matouki took over for a bit..." Todoroki said, putting a hand over his face. The onyx-haired girl grew worried. She wondered if Todoroki's master was pushing the training sessions harder than usual.
"Hey, hey. Look at me, Todoroki," Momo said, trying to reassure him. "Is there anything you need to talk to me about? Any of us really?" She put her hands on his shoulders.
"It's just... using that can overwhelm me sometimes. Small bursts used to help, but it's gradually getting harder to control..."
As the both of them were talking, Jirou noticed a few looks given in their direction. The biggest one of all was from Hagakure, who quickly turned away, a bit ashamed too.
' They did see Bakugo threaten Midoriya, right? Right? '
"Hey, let's just finish up lunch," spoke up Kirishima. "I'm not sure if explaining things would make them easier..."
Jirou grumbled a bit, responding: "... I hate it. They treat Midoriya as if he's a ticking time bomb."
"I know, I know. However, can you really blame them for being scared?"
The lunch break was quiet for the rest of the remaining period. As the Hero Course went to their next class, a few made a wide berth when Midoriya was in proximity.
"You're kidding me..." Midoriya face-palmed. "It. Was. Just. One. Fight."
As he walked to his next class, Todoroki hurried next to him alongside Ashido. The next ones being Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Ochako, and Jirou.
"Look, we shouldn't bother," spoke up Todoroki. The circle looked at him, wondering what he was implying. The bi-haired boy continued. "It's a waste convincing them. They think you're a monster."
"O-Ow... don't you-" Mina tried interrupting.
"I wasn't done yet. Why don't we just prove it during the Final Exams? It's the only way to convince them anyway."
"... you're right," Izuku responded. "Wait, but you might-"
"Don't assume like they do, Midoriya. That's on them. If they treat us like that because of associating with you, that's on them."
Mina smiled a bit, adding to it. "Todoroki's right, we're not gonna abandon you."
The rest of the day went without incident, Izuku looking a little brighter.
Undisclosed Bar
The League of Villains, or its current roster anyway, were waiting for someone. Bloodgash was patient, he had to be since Giran was the one who hooked him up with that MGL-140. Shigaraki, on the other hand, was wondering what was taking him so long.
"Patience, Young Tomura. He will be here soon."
"Kurogiri, mind telling me what Giran does for a living?"
"Truth be told, he's just an info broker. However, what sets him apart from the rest is his business sense: the latest trends and costumes for villains."
"Hmph. Sounds no different than the arms dealers from Southeast Asia." Bloodgash lights up a cigarette.
"He should be here by now..." muttered Shigaraki impatiently. "Where is he?!" He looked like he was tempted to decay something.
Kurogiri got a notification on his phone and generated a portal right after.
Speak of the devil.
"Well, I'm here," said a smug voice, revealed to be Giran. He had brought along three people. Turning around and lowering his cigarette slightly, Bloodgash took them in.
The first was a young man with gnarled skin, held together by staple piercings. Everything about him screamed edge-lord. The next was a teen in a school uniform with a collar, two messy blonde buns, and very cat-like eyes. Something about her screamed psychotic, that grin did not do her justice. The final one was a lizardman with pink-purple hair, but what rubbed Bloodgash the wrong way was his outfit: it screamed the Hero Killer, right down to the red scarf.
"These guys are the new recruits for the League of Villains! All of them got inspired by Stain-"
"You know Stain's in a fucking coma, right?" barked Bloodgash.
"... great... Stain..." Shigaraki muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Now, now. Let's hear them out first. The floor's yours, Giran."
Giran could only grin as he introduced the three.
"This one's called Himiko Toga. A cute schoolgirl that's the suspect in a series of murders. The best part? Her name's been hidden from the public. She's also taken quite the liking to Stain and his ideas too!"
Toga giggled a bit. "I want to be just like Stainy! Life's too hard, I just want to make it easier to live in. Oh, not just be Stainy, but kill him and become him!"
"Get her out," interrupted Bloodgash. Giran was a bit caught off-guard at this, he worked hard to bring some recruits that would be-
"Hey, cao ni ma . Are you deaf?"
"Just let him finish, then we can decide," as Kurogiri reasoned. Bloodgush just let them continue, but he wasn't liking this so far. Shigaraki agreed.
"Well, introduce yourself."
"Hmph... I came to join to see if the League were true to the ideals of Stain," said the gnarled skin-man. "It seems like it's not. Especially if you let a psycho like this in."
"Who's this?" Bloodgash demanded.
"Oh, him? That's Dabi. Nothing flashy but follows Stain's ideology as much as the next guy here. Spinner!"
Shigaraki wasn't convinced but decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. "What's your real name anyway?"
"I'll reveal it when it's time. However, I will make the Hero Killer's will a reality."
Bloodgash stepped up to him. "You're not as fanatical, I can tell. You have an actual fucking brain. Forget the other two, this one I'll consider."
Dabi was a bit surprised at this, but the skull-masked merc continued. "I can tell, you're a cage fighter. The bruises on your hands tell a story, don't they?"
The scarred man smirked a bit.
"What's Spinner's story about?"
"He was genuinely inspired by the Hero Killer-" Giran said before being halted by the merc.
"And my interest has just waned."
"W-Wait, I can-" spoke up Spinner.
"I'm not interested."
"B-But wait," pleaded Spinner. "I can help with-"
BOOM!
A strong kick was sent into Spinner's nose, sending him into the wall. Bloodgash wasn't done, muttering to himself about nipping problems like this from the get-go. Kurogiri was shocked at this, not wanting this to continue.
"Kurogiri, don't," commanded Shigaraki. "I want to see how he handles this."
"Ah... can't breathe..." sputtered Spinner.
CRACK!
"Good..." as Bloodgash wailed on his ribcage, slowly and deliberately. The ruthless merc made Spinner scream briefly, but that was only the beginning:
Executioner's Cannon!
A single but powerful strike was sent into Spinner's sternum, causing the entire room to shake briefly.
"Hey, hey! Quit damaging the product!"
"Two of them are defects, especially the schoolgirl over there." That was the thing that made Toga frown a bit, then pulled out twin knives, she wasn't going to take that. All she wanted to do was be like Stainy!
She didn't come here to be insulted. Not like the rest of society did! It's their fault for making things hard to live-
BOOM!
All of a sudden, she felt her head turn the other way. Her only response was to try stabbing the skull mask-wearing jerk. Multiple. Multiple times.
He was dodging each thrust, but no matter.
He can't keep-
"W-Wait, w-what the-"
CRUNCH!
Bloodgash crushed, no, destroyed one of Toga's hands by squeezing it like a vice. As soon as she let go, her screams filled the entire room. However, Bloodgash was tackled by someone... and the wheezing made it obvious who.
"Y-You... y-you're ... no... villain... you're... the... same..." Spinner struggled to say.
BOOM!
In one swift movement, Spinner gagged in pain, letting go... only for a follow-up.
WHACK!
As soon as the lizardman's face almost touched the floor, a resounding kick was sent into his face... making him flip for a moment. Just before making a satisfying crack on the floor.
"Pathetic... and that's all you got?" mocked Bloodgash. He flipped him onto his front, admiring his work, but realized this: he's trying not to kill these defects, he's just sending a message to Giran for picking up disappointing recruits.
BOOM!
A punch was sent into Spinner's already damaged face, making his body twitch.
"This-"
BOOM! BOOM!
"Is-"
BOOM! BOOM!
"On-"
BOOM! BOOM!
"Your-"
BOOM! BOOM!
"Fucking-"
BOOM!
"Head!"
BOOM!
As soon as the last hit landed, Spinner was coughing up blood, barely being able to move. Maybe a few twitches here and there. Now, he turned his attention to the mewling schoolgirl.
Toga was gritting her teeth, whether it was pain or rage, Bloodgash didn't give a shit.
"You... you're vile."
"Well, I'm a mercenary. It's in the job description." As the merc walked towards Toga, his hands now looking like whips, the schoolgirl got ready. She needed to time this right. This wasn't about the League anymore, but about surviving this night.
She dashed forward, one-handed...
BAM!
An upwards kick, courtesy of Bloodgash, lowered Toga's chances of surviving the night.
AHHH!
Toga held her mouth which was bleeding. She backed away, realizing this-
"Don't you fucking dare run," snarled Bloodgash with a grin.
Venomous Whip!
A tear in the flesh appeared near the collarbone! Toga wondered what just happened, she needed-
SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!
Toga barely put up her guard, and despite the now useless hand, she was definitely feeling the effects! Shigaraki clearly saw that Bloodgash was using only one hand to dominate the psycho schoolgirl.
"Ow... hurts to scream..."
"We're just getting started, Biao Zi ."
Venomous Maiden!
Toga just realized! He's now using both hands-
SLASH!
WHIP!
WHIP!
WHIP! WHIP!
SLASH!
All sorts of scars were appearing on her body and clothes, but she needed to move. Now!
"Oh, no you don't..."
SLASH! SLASH!
WHIP!
WHIP! WHIP!
WHIP! WHIP!
Bloodgash kept her from moving out of his range!
WHIP! WHIP!
WHIP!
WHIP! SLASH!
He then paused briefly, mainly to savor the moment before the coup de grace.
"Y-You... mean-" were Toga's last words.
SPLORCH!
"And the rest is silence..."
A diagonal scar formed across Toga's face as she fell, screaming in pain. Dabi looked a bit surprised but returned back to his neutral expression. Kurogiri was visibly disturbed by Bloodgash's beatdown of two potential recruits but that was no longer the case, was it!?
"Holy shit, what was that technique?" asked Shigaraki, giddy to know what that move was.
"Oh, that? Venomous Whip and its two-handed variation... no, that's not accurate. You're a gamer, right?"
Shigaraki nodded, no shit, he thought.
"Think of that as the EX Special version of it. It's called the Venomous Maiden. However, there's another thing we need to discuss..." Bloodgash turned his eyes towards Giran. "I'm very disappointed... you'll get your finder's fee, though."
"What the fuck was that?!" exclaimed Giran. As the broker was berating the merc, Spinner struggled to get up, coughing up blood... now focused on Bloodgash.
"You... you're not a follower of Stain at all!"
"Did it take all your brainpower to come to that conclusion?" asked Bloodgash in a mocking tone. The lizardman went after him, injuries notwithstanding, but that would be his next mistake...
Executioner's Shot!
BOOM!
Spinner was stopped by a side piercing kick, making him gag! He then followed up with a leaping spinning back kick, right into Spinner's damaged face! He stumbled back a bit, only to get hit with a shoulder charge.
The lizardman was sent across the room, landing on his back once again... "I-I-I'll fucking... fucking... k-kill..."
"Say the line after you commit the deed," the merc said, closing in, but he grabbed his battered head for one final lesson. A lesson he hoped to etch into the young Stain fan's skull.
A whole flurry of hammer fists was sent down into the young lizardman's face, but each hit had a sickening crunch or squelching sound...
He kept going... and going...
Even as Spinner begged him to stop.
He ignored his pleas for mercy.
Besides, there wasn't room for that in his line of work. Why should he start now?
"...and it's over."
Spinner was hesitant to open his eyes but barely could move. However, he hoped. He hoped it was the case. As he opened one eye...
SQUELCH!
AAAHHH!
Shigaraki had to do a double-take, Kurogiri and Giran, on the other hand, were disgusted, revolted. He tricked the poor lizardman, no, tricking couldn't be the right word to describe it. He gouged out Spinner's left eye with two fingers, all while smiling underneath that mask of his.
"Heh... fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book."
"FUCKING KILL YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! I-I-I'LL FUCKING GUT YOU! FUCKING GUT YOU!" as Spinner thrashed about in pain, clutching where his eye used to be.
"...and there you go, disappointing me. Again."
As Bloodgash mocked the wounded lizardman, Toga across from him was slowly getting up... now driven by anger and pain. She wanted to be accepted, but the League spat on that. The schoolgirl wielded her knife... ready to pounce.
3...
2...
1...
"You'd look so much better with a bit of blood!" screamed the psychotic, running towards the merc with full intent to skewer.
"Bloodgash, watch-"
Before that sentence could be complete, he stepped to the side and landed a knife-hand strike into the eye.
AAH!
As Toga clutched her eye in pain, she revealed her neck as she bent down, still in pain.
CRACKKK!
A downwards elbow strike was sent down to the schoolgirl's neck, making her airway constrict. However, he wasn't done yet... neither was Toga. As she stumbled a bit, she regained a bit of composure.
Bloodgash took a normal combat stance but egged her on.
"I wanted acceptance! NOT! THIS!" as Toga leaped after her target. "Maybe a bit of-"
BOOM!
A fast uppercut into her ribs shut her up and in one swift movement, grabbed Toga by the hair and slammed her head into the floor! However, he could tell that Toga wasn't dead... to humor her, he turned his back.
In a few seconds, Toga got back up with a rare look of anger, injuries be damned.
She ran towards the merc and she was getting closer...
Closer...
Closer...
Closer...
Executioner's Cannon!
Toga's skull felt like it was hit by a lance attached to a rocket, but the worst part?
CRACKKK!
Toga screamed in pain as her shin was kicked.
"Stainy... where are you...?! Why..." said a pleading Toga. In a desperate move, she threw a thrust at Bloodgash which was easily caught by him. In a quick movement, he gripped Toga's arm with both hands and threw her over the shoulder...
KRIK-CRACK!
Shigaraki even had to wince. The psychotic schoolgirl was running on fumes at this point, that had to put her down for the count, right?
"N-N-No more, p-please...!" said a tearing-up Toga.
Whatever pleads were said were quickly ignored. Bloodgash quickly went for an armbar, gripping Toga's remaining arm extremely tight.
It was locked. Toga could struggle all she wants but this wasn't the worst...
Oh, it was gonna get worse.
Toga was struggling all she could but the difference was clear as night and day: Bloodgash was heavier and far more skilled than her. As she struggled, the merc was tightening it more... until...
SNAP!
Toga's arm was broken. Not fractured. Broken. By at the elbow. The schoolgirl screamed more, rolling in pain. The merc released the armbar and kneeled over Toga.
"Hmph. Maybe one-"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! " yelled Kurogiri. " You did enough! They were supposed to be our-"
"Loyal recruits?" sardonically asked the merc. "They have clearly shown more loyalty to Stain. Question, Shigaraki. Do these two sound like members you want in your group?"
"No... they would be too much of a hassle. However, why are you making an exception for Dabi?"
"If he truly followed Stain, don't you think he would have intervened?"
It clicked in the young villain's mind, Dabi's a pragmatist, he sees a golden opportunity. If he wants to make the Hero Killer's will a reality, he needs resources and the League has that.
"Wait! What about the Quirks they have? Surely-"
"Are you serious, Húndàn ?" barked Bloodgash, looking at him as if he asked a question that a child would find stupid. "One girl's too psycho to keep her bloodlust in check and again, I re-iterate, the lizardman was a pure Stain follower through and through. The bigger question you should ask yourself is this: how long would it be until they turned against us?"
"You..."
"That's enough. Giran..." the ash-skinned villain said, getting the broker's attention. "Take these pieces of shit and return them back to the trash fills they came out of. I don't need them."
"... alright. I can do that. Hey, Kurogiri, mind helping?"
"...Alright, I can't stand to be in his presence for a while, " Kurogiri responded, still disgusted by Bloodgash's brutality. As he walked towards the battered Toga and Spinner, he generated a portal. " This is the least I can do for you... " as he carried Toga, "... and you too," referring to Spinner. Giran carried the wounded lizardman, accompanying Kurogiri.
Once they entered the portal... it closed as Kurogiri glared at Bloodgash. The whole room was silent... until Dabi spoke up.
"...I'll expose this about myself: I was an underground fighter since I was 14."
"What style?"
"Excuse me?"
"What style?"
Dabi grinned for a bit, saying: "Kickboxing of a few types: Yaw-Yan, Muay Thai, and Savate. Combine that with my Quirk and it becomes a real hellfire ."
Bloodgash took a liking to this brat already. At least he knew how to fight without his Quirk.
Yokohama Chinatown
A portal opened up near a Chinese restaurant and alleyway. A girl was dumped right onto a discarded box.
"This is my only good act... please stay away from the League."
As the girl struggled to get up, it only aggravated her injury...
'This isn't fair... I just wanted to be accepted...'
All she could do was scream at the outcome.
However, this attracted a pair of footsteps.
"No... no...!" as Toga stumbled backward, wanting to run but she was in too much pain to make that effort. "STAY AWAY...! STAY AWAY FROM ME! STAY AWAY!"
The figure in question held his hands up, verifying he's not a threat.
"Wait, I'm not here to harm you."
"Why?! So you can throw me away as they did?!" screamed Toga.
"They? No, I see someone who needs help," responded the figure.
"No... you're lying!" Toga screamed still, but it was coming from a place of hurt. Right before she made any movements, she passes out... falling to the ground.
However, the figure catches her before she even touches the ground.
The figure revealed himself to be wearing a white suit with a brimmed hat on top. Also a scar on his cheek too. As he got a closer look at the girl, even he had to pause for a bit. All sorts of injuries: gashes on her upper torso, a cut in the collarbone, crushed hand, and a broken arm top it all off.
"This is horrible, who could have done this?" said the white-suited figure. "Hope Doctor Arcella's up..."
Tokyo Alleyway
Spinner was dumped near an alleyway, still barely breathing. He wondered if the mist man deliberately put him there in hopes of him being discovered.
'The League... was a farce... this whole time...'
He was likely to die before anyone discovered him.
'It's not like I led a decent life... everyone thought I looked like a freak. My only joy being video games,' as Spinner struggled to breathe. As he was ready to take his final breath, a pair of footsteps were heard as he was fading.
The footsteps were getting closer...
"Hey, Oguro... holy fucking shit. This guy's-" exclaimed a female voice.
As Spinner's vision was back and forth, he saw the image of two people: a towering mountain of a man with short dark hair and a prominent scar going down his left cheek. The other one was smaller in comparison, medium-length violet hair, and armed with intense eyes.
"Alejandra, get him an ambulance," said the named Oguro. He turned to face Spinner who sputtered a few words.
"Why... me...?"
"Why not."
Those were the last words that Spinner heard before fading into unconsciousness...
"No... more... please..." muttered a tossing and turning Toga. She shoots up, fully awake. Toga notices that she has bandages all over her body, cheeks, and also a cast on her hand.
"W-W-Where am I?" as she looked around her current surroundings: beige-colored room, a couple of traditional-style couches, a desktop in the corner, but most importantly, the white-suited figure and a greasy long-haired man in a doctor's coat.
"Ah, our guest is awake," replied the long-haired man.
Toga immediately recoiled and tried moving, making the long-haired man toss his hands up. "Whoa, whoa. You're still healing!"
The girl flinched still, despite her injuries, all of her instincts were in flight mode. The white-suited figure was in the same position, holding his hands up, saying the same thing as the long-haired man.
"Please. Hear me out. I'm here to help you."
The girl was still on edge but even she had to admit: the figure could have let her die on the streets. Maybe, she thought. Maybe this could be a chance to turn things around. A minute passes and only one word comes from her mouth.
"...f-fine."
The long-haired man sighed in relief, saying: "Thank you. Just one word of warning: this will feel weird for a bit," as his hand emitted a white light.
Name: Doctor Arcella
Quirk: Healing Touch - Once a person is touched by the user's hand, the healing process immediately kick-starts at a faster rate. As a trade-off, the user's stamina is drained.
Arcella was now feeling a bit sleepy, but manages to say the following: "Give it... about... three hours... tops... if you... don't... mind... I'll be sleeping... right... now..." as flopped onto a nearby couch.
"... I keep forgetting that's a side effect of your Quirk," muttered the white-suited figure. As he turned towards Toga, he said: "For now, rest up. Later, we can talk."
"W-Wait, where am I?"
"Oh, my office. We're near the edge of Yokohama Chinatown. However, please. Rest up."
Though Toga was still on edge, the figure in white still saved her, and on top of that: she felt her wounds slowly close up.
In a few seconds, she drifted off to sleep...
As the white-suited figure sighed a bit, the neon sign outside his window lit up, brightening the title:
Narumi Investigations
"I'll need to look over a few things..."
Three Hours Later...
As Arcella woke up from his nap, he saw the detective on his desktop, furiously typing away...
"Sir, what are you looking for?"
"Missing kids. Likely between ages 13 through 16... and we have a match?" Narumi responded, but was confused by the result.
Name: Himiko Toga
Status: Wanted
Arcella looked at the result, needing to rub his eyes, wondering if he was sleeping too long. "You're fucking kidding me... d-did I just-"
"Before you jump to conclusions, let's think about this: she was frightened out of her wits."
"True."
"On top of that, whoever inflicted those wounds on her was skilled. I'm also looking into her crimes... three confirmed kills. All by blood loss. However, there are a few things I gathered about her dossier."
"Like what? Abusive home?"
"Technically speaking, yes. They didn't know how to handle her Quirk and how it influenced her behavior. Any sort of shrink they hired was either too incompetent or apathetic to handle this issue."
Arcella, picking up on this, connected the dots. "...They forced her to act normal instead of addressing the issue. Fuck, this was a ticking time bomb in the making, was it?"
"Unfortunately, so."
The long-haired doctor face-palmed. "Narumi, this is a fucked up situation. What do we do?"
"She wants love and acceptance. Something she never had."
"... I'm guessing you'll handle this."
"It will be a long one," responded Narumi who lit up a cigarette. As Arcella was walking towards the exit, he said: "Oh, that healing session? That's on the house."
Narumi had a strong feeling this day wouldn't be over.
"Hiro Saito - the first of Toga's victims..."
Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital
Spinner's vision was getting strange, he swore that there was a bright light above him... was he dead? As he stirred awake, he immediately recognized that it was a hospital room: clinical white, blue hospital gown, and an open door into a hallway.
As he gathered his bearings, he felt a small patch where his left eye used to be.
'That fucking bastard...'
The lack of depth perception made things extra difficult but the big question was this: where was he gonna go? He can't go back home. He can't go back to being a recluse. He can't.
"That bastard... he destroyed my chances..."
As he was moping, he heard a pair of footsteps coming through. He recognized them right away: their names were Oguro and Alejandra. The towering mountain of a man was wondering if he was alright while the violet-haired one known as Alejandra was muttering to herself in Spanish.
"Kid, you alright?"
"Shuichi. Shuichi Iguchi's my name. Okay, you don't mind if I tell my story, right?" Iguchi said, voice breaking a bit. The two did not mind. "My life was horrible... being treated like a freak my entire life. All because of my Quirk..." He seethed. "Every time I tried to do something good, it just backfired on me."
Oguro and Alejandra both listened in, the latter angered at the treatment that Iguchi suffered. All because of a Quirk that altered his appearance.
"I just... wanted to be accepted. A few days ago, that's when I heard of the Hero Killer. I thought he was some sort of psycho... but his message resonated with me: he wanted to change this society. Root out the corruption..."
"Hmm... truth be told, I know someone who suffered a similar ordeal to you," Oguro responded.
This caught the lizardman's attention right away.
'He or she knows what's it's like! Maybe-'
"He's one of our top instructors," spoke up Alejandra. "Sensei Chojuro Kon. Once a merc who hated society for the way they treated him. However, he and I found him in an alleyway. The same position you're in right now."
'There is hope for me... there is!'
However, Iguchi was still on edge, prompting him to ask: "Why help someone like me? Neither of you should stay or visit me."
"Like I said, why not," responded Oguro. "Only someone with a weak will would leave you lying about."
Iguchi was shocked by this, two strangers he just met, willing to do all of this. There were more questions he wanted to ask, he just needed to ask the right one...
"Are you two heroes?"
A bit of a snicker came from Alejandra while Oguro nodded no. Iguchi was further shocked by this, prompting him to ask more. However, Oguro looked around for any potential eavesdroppers and closed the door in case. The violet-haired woman also checked the windows too.
'Wait, why are they checking? Is this room bugged?'
"Oguro, the room's clear," responded Alejandra in a now-serious tone.
"Understood," His tone stern. "Alright, Iguchi. What we will reveal about ourselves will potentially shock you but remember... it's necessary. I rather you find out now than later."
"Wait, what?" asked Iguchi, confused. "Uh... well, it can't be that shocking."
The woman went first, revealing her full name and Quirk.
Name: Alejandra Cervantes de Paz
Quirk: Kirin - The user adopts aspects of the Kirin: enhanced strength, speed, durability, fire breath, and also flight.
"W-What the?!" sputtered Iguchi as he saw Alejandra's appearance change a bit: she was slightly taller with curved horns and hooves.
"This is the tip of the iceberg. My past isn't exactly... pretty," responded Alejandra. Iguchi gave her the go-ahead, prompting her to say: "I was once Colombian National Army but I dropped out after five years."
"Why?"
"Lack of opportunities and respect. Even in the Lancero Course."
"Lancero...?"
"Counter-insurgency. Lethal techniques were taught including our Quirks. It was grueling for 73 days and in 85-degree weather."
"So you became a soldier-for-hire?"
Alejandra nodded but her voice took a somber tone once getting to that part. "I didn't care who my client was: ambitious politician, shady military officer, or even the local drug baron. I was concerned about getting my paycheck. However, it all came to a head... it was a simple bombing mission," she paused, shaking, scratching her skin. "No... no... I didn't... I didn't..."
"Alejandra, breathe."
Iguchi knew the word for it: trauma. Whatever happened on that mission scarred her for a long time.
"I should... have... dismantled that bomb. If I knew, if I knew that an orphanage was in the bomb's radius. I should have-"
Oguro put both hands on Alejandra's shoulders, asking her what she can see in the room.
"C-Ceiling... the window... I-Iguchi... walls..." Alejandra managed to say. She needed to be silent for a while, prompting Oguro to take over.
"Okay, I should have expected that."
"Is she... gonna be okay?" asked Iguchi, concerned.
"Yes, she will be... but that moment will always haunt her. On the topic of how I met her, I came across her when she was working security for some shady businessman. It was a difficult scuffle but I managed to win. However, I offered her a job at the end of the day. And the rest? History."
"Interesting... but that begs the question, who exactly are you?"
"In the past, I was a vigilante named Knuckleduster. I took care of crimes that most heroes didn't bother with."
"Wha?" Iguchi asked, curious.
"Yup. However, I also fought alongside a small crew when it came to fighting bigger villains. That was the main inspiration behind the Chimera's Den."
"Right... most heroes rarely work in teams. Why though?"
"Pro Heroes have two glaring weaknesses: overreliance on Quirks and often waiting for a specific Quirk to handle a threat they can't handle."
"Right, that makes sense. But wait, why all of this?"
"It's simple really. The Chimera's Den, would you be interested?"
...
"You know what? I'm in."
Oguro simply grinned.
Author's Notes: Arcella is based on Amiba but the irony? He's a decent guy and an underground doctor instead. Arcella refers to microorganisms much as 'amoeba' does. The detective in question was based on one character: Kamen Rider Skull. Yep, I made Bloodgash excel at the 'lack of empathy' aspect.
Venomous Whip - A whip-like strike made with one hand only; the user needs to be fluid. Its original name is called Dokuben [Whip Strike from Baki was the main inspiration]
Venomous Maiden - The two-handed variation in which the enemy describes it as a series of whips hitting them from all sides. It also has the side effects of tearing through human skin. Its original name: Dokuotome.
Executioner's Cannon - A variation of the one-inch punch that strikes the enemy's sternum. However, it can adapt to a head strike. Its name in Japanese would be Keiri Ho.
Executioner's Shot - The enemy's stopped by a side piercing kick which is then followed up with a leaping spinning back kick, right into the face! The final part is a shoulder charge. Its name in Japanese would be Keiri Dan.