"Goddammit, kid..." a short old man grumbled. He was standing in the middle of his now destroyed home building. The reason for it being in shambles is because his "talented and gifted" granddaughter has absolutely zero control of One For All, and it's been almost a month since she received it! The ninth successor was lying on the floor with her arms in slings after being treated by Recovery Girl. "I'm genuinely convinced your memory is worse than mine." Gran Torino grumbled.
Izumi, after a week of her grandpa's intense training, was beyond frustrated. To start off, she was told that One For All would increase her innate quirk's strength to unfathomable heights, but her Telekinesis hasn't grown an ounce stronger at all. Second, One For All seems to have a mind of its own. Sometimes when she means to activate her own quirk, the passed on one comes out, and a massively destructive shockwave come out. The recoil is literally bone-shattering. And no matter what she tries or how hard she focuses, she can't bring it out at will or reduce the power output. It's always at full blast.
"It's not my fau-" She was interrupted by a kick to the face. "That! That right there! That's your problem! Inability to take responsibility, not admitting you have your faults! Your many, many faults." Gran Torino's mental suffering put hers to shame. "I blame Toshinori, you haven't known real pain in your life since he came in to the picture. He spoiled you, gave you One For All like it was giving you ice-cream after a bad day! Hahhhh... Why couldn't it have been the twin that had a brain?" he sighed frustratedly.
"He would've been worse!" Izumi exclaimed. "He couldn't even protect himself, let alone others! Besides, he's gone." Gran Torino sighed. "Yes... and you're still here." he said the last part as if it were a curse.
...
After getting fully healed and leaving her grandpa's place, Izumi decided to have a sparring match with Kacchan. They both ended up hospitalized. "Fuck, I really did dodge a bullet." Katsuki commented. Izumi grit her teeth. 'So it's not gonna be easy to master this power. Fine! I'll keep working at it until I'm the greatest!' She can tell herself that all she wants, but for the first time in her life, she's experiencing true failure. It's starting to get to her.
The pair received a call from their favorite American. "Hey gu- holy! What happened to you two!? You look like you got hit by a train!" Melissa exclaimed. "I wish." Katsuki said. "One For All is not easy." Izumi said weakly. Melissa tilted her head. "Really? My dad said Uncle Might got it right off the bat. So you keep going all out and break your bones. Maybe you should try visualizing, meditation. It's all in your mind as much as your body. Do you have anything in the back of your head that could be bothering you?"
Melissa, while having nothing but good advice and well-meaning intentions, only managed to get under Izumi and Katsuki's skin. A quirkless person trying to help two incredibly strong quirk wielders, it gave them flashbacks to him. "Hah! What do you know about using a quirk right when you don't have one of your own!? Stay in your lane, tech support!" Katsuki huffed, making Melissa retract a bit. Instead of getting her cousin to defend her, she was met with disdain. "He's right, just finish our gauntlets and we'll be fine. Thanks."
Izumi hung up. Back in the states, Melissa suffered a blow to the heart, but she forced it down. 'It's okay, think about it from their perspective. They've got a hero like Uncle Might training them, so they're probably expected to reach his level someday. That's a lot of pressure alone, and there's also the fact the Green Devil burned down most of their neighborhood. They could've been killed! Once the devil is taken down, we'll go to U.A. together and it'll be great!' She kept telling herself.
...
The scale of destruction was monumental, every news channel in Japan was reporting on it. Helicopters were hovering above the still smoldering graveyard of hundreds. A family of frogs were watching, and saw the melted remains of a playground. Tsu held her younger siblings close. Aside from their new play place being destroyed, "That's the area where Zu lives." the eldest Asui said.
"Is he okay?" Samidare, the only brother asked. Tsuyu looked at the TV then back to the hopeful and worried eyes of her brother and sister. "He can take care of himself. I'm sure he's fine." she said while inwardly praying for the boy who found her siblings in that forest. She also remembered his eyes, his most striking feature. Those green orbs that held bags under them. The unmistakable hatred, anger and immense sadness in them. 'Zu, please be okay.'
...
"The magnitude of calamity is horrifying. Buildings ranging from companies to homes, all reduced to cinders by one child the heroes continue to fail at apprehending-"
Fuyumi turned off the TV. "News, always a downer." Natsuo said while eating a bowl of cereal. The spectacled woman had a downtrodden look in her eyes. "Natsu, I'm worried." Her younger brother looked up from his bowl. "That angsty homeless kid? Yeah, even if he can take care of himself, how can he handle himself in a fight with villains?" "He has a thermal vision quirk, so he'll be able to detect them better than most. And he looked decently strong for his age. But he's still a hurt kid." Fuyumi said.
"That's why we're here." Endeavor came in and said. The Todoroki patriarch was wearing his updated hero suit with large plates on his shoulders and gauntlets on his forearms. The latest in compression technology to better use his Flashfire techniques. "To ensure you and everyone else can rest easy, I will personally cremate that little menace. Stay safe." With that, the Flame Hero left his home. Natsuo simply huffed. "He gets his ass kicked by another flaming demon, and thinks it's a good time to try to be our dad." "Natsu!" Fuyumi scolded.
The young white-haired man wasn't technically wrong. Endeavor had been fighting a battle ever since that other white-haired appeared in Central Hospital. The thoughts he had tried to bury for years were resurfaced. He found himself having repetitive nightmares. In them, he is on Sekoto Peak, and he is not alone. In front of him is his eldest son he once believed to be dead. He was engulfed in flames. Most of the time, they are red flames, and he wakes up dejected. Other times, they are green and he wakes up frustrated. On rare nights, they are blue and he feels guilt, sadness, self-hate and... heartbreak.
After the number 2 hero left, the youngest son of the house walked out of the training room. "Hey Shoto, how'd training with our devil go?" Natsuo asked. The red and white-haired boy looked roughed up, but not as bad as usual. "It was more flexible, he wasn't so hyper focused on forcing out my fire. I don't care to know what's going on in that bastard's head, but it seems he's starting to get some sense knocked into him."
...
A seemingly endless stretch of disaster. That's what it looked like from the news choppers. To others, it looked like confirmation that the Green Devil was the enemy, not a friend. To three middle schoolers, it felt like betrayal. Despite that, they clung to hope that he wasn't what his actions made him out to be.
...
The Scorched Graveyard. That's what they're calling it now. The massive stretch of death and calamity that was once a peaceful, lively neighborhood. At the beginning of this paveway of destruction were two of the people most meant to die by the Green Devil's ruthless flames. Teleki and All Might, or by their real names, Inko and Toshinori Yagi. The two of them kneeled upon the ashes of their home and prayed. To Hisashi and Nana for protection as they were the ones that kept either kept their family together or helped them reach their dream. For those who had unjustly lost their lives to a monster. And for him, their son, Izuku.
The two heroes beat themselves up inside. Just when they had a reason to smile again in Izumi and Bakugo, this happens. They took it as a reality check. As long as the Green Devil is still out there, there can't be happy days. That's what they thought, but they had no idea. They vowed to stop the Green Devil, make him pay for all he's done. And if it means taking his life...
...
"This could be problematic." a black-haired man sitting at his desk said to himself. He had seen the news about the escaped convicts of Keimusho Prison. Some of the escapees are ex employees of the Yaoyorozu company, dismissed for workplace misconduct. Now, with heroes and police no longer as powerful as they once were, the Yaoyorozu patriarch had reason to fear petty vengeance from people he once trusted.
Unbeknownst to him, his only daughter was listening to his plight, and knew what he believed would be the worst case scenario. "Lady Momo, your trainers are ready." a butler said to her. "Thank you, I'll go meet them immediately." Momo walked through the halls of her family's estate, holding a determined look on her face. 'Heroes are overwhelmed, we can't always expect someone else to help us when we need it. We need to be able to stand up for ourselves. Isn't that right, Zu?'
...
"Countless innocents going about their daily lives. In an instant, it was taken away. We have all had clashing opinions about the young vigilante on the streets of Musutafu. He has been a fickle person, committing both noble and horrible acts, but today it is clear as day who is behind the mask. An evil, ruthless, dangerous, heartless, remorseless monster, someone who truly lives up to his name. A devil. Now the streets are filled with unease and suspicion. Criminals are more active, and heroes are being overwhelmed. And until this devil is caught, tried, punished, whether it be life in a cell or death, the good people of Japan cannot look to the future with a smile."
Tsukauchi turned off his office TV and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well ain't that just lovely?" Hawks said on the detective's couch. He sat hunched with his hands on his face as his golden eyes glared at the floor. "This doesn't make sense..." the wing hero began. "First, the Green Devil fights an entire prison worth of criminals, along with a nomu far above what we faced, to the point where he's comatose for two months. Then all of a sudden, he decides to take hundreds of lives."
Hawks knew Izuku also awoke in a state of panic, which rose questions. But even in the midst of a panic attack, he didn't kill or seriously injure anyone. And the Scorched Graveyard occurred a week after his own escape. Hawks understood that the boy was pushed into becoming the monster that he is, but this much senseless destruction, and coupled with the fact that he knew about All For One. The young pro didn't want to assume the worst, but given all that they've seen, it's entirely possible he could want to join the Demon Lord.
"Hawks..." Tsukauchi grabbed the bird's attention. "I think I can shed some light on what's going on in his head." Tsukauchi sat in his chair. "The timing for this couldn't have been worse. Izuku was at his wits end. All the bloodshed, the villains and heroes hunting him, he's just a kid. It's incredible he lasted this long without completely losing his sanity. I saw it in his eyes as he fled. He'd had enough. He went home, ready to turn himself in to the people who broke him. And those very same people may have broken him beyond repair."
Hawks listened intently. "What could they have possibly done now? Beat the crap out of him or something?" Tsukauchi scoffed. "If it was just that, we might have a smaller list of casualties. No, they hit him in the wound that's been there for most of his life." Hawks thought for a moment about that, before his eyes widened. "His quirkless status. But that's clearly not the case anymore, he's got a hella powerful quirk."
Tsukauchi grit his teeth as the words built up in his throat. "All Might told me he had picked his successor, and that he would be raising her to be the next Symbol of Peace." Hawks already knew about All Might's nepotism clouding his judgment. "He gave her his power, transferred One For All to Izumi Yagi. He told me the week before Izuku snapped." Hawks's eyes widened as confusion settled into him. "One For what? Transferred his quirk? How could he even- they don't even share blood! And One For All... that sounds like the opposite of All For One..." The opposite of stealing power.
Without needing much more explanation, Hawks figured out the most unique facet of All Might's secret ability. "All Might can share his power with others!?" Tsukauchi nodded. "Yes, and he inherited it from his teacher. He doesn't have any quirk of his own. He was quirkless, too." Hawks had his hand running through his hair. "Seriously? But wait, if he could do that, why didn't he just transfer the quirk to Izuku? It would save the kid a hell of a lot of pain!"
Tsukauchi grit his teeth. "I know All Might better than most, how strong and courageous he is. But when faced with his past, he's a coward!" Tsukauchi hated having to say that about his friend, but it wad the truth. "He lived a life as hard as Izuku's, but instead of facing it and helping his quirkless step-son, he ran away from the pain of those old wounds. He told me Izuku didn't have the strength or courage, even though he could've trained him to be worthy. It's clear now how much conviction the boy has."
Hawks's head was a flurry of thoughts and emotions, most of them negative. Tsukauchi gave him the full story of One For All and All For One, and what Izuku must've discovered. That All Might gave the tool that would've helped Izuku in so many ways to one of his worst abusers. When it was done, Hawks felt a new disgust at the so-called Pillar of Justice. However, the poison in his veins is nothing compared to what Izuku must be feeling. It's what drove him to end hundreds, and ruin countless futures. "Remember when I said I have nothing but respect for number 1? I take it back."
For the first time, Hawks was unable to contain himself. "So you're telling me at this point, All Might just handed All For One the perfect tool to destroy this society!? Forget the kid's quirk, he's got a library of knowledge on other quirks and potential weaknesses! Plus, if he wants to, he can go public and tell everybody everything! About All Might, Teleki, One For All! Sick every villain on the streets on them while destroying the public's faith in heroes! And if he joins All For One, it's over."
...
"This... wasn't part of the plan." The Demon Lord said to himself in annoyance.
It was all going perfectly. Young Izuku had finally seen his family for the spineless hypocrites they are, and that they abandoned him completely. The massacre that followed after was icing the on the cake. All that was left was to reach out to the boy, lift him up in his darkest hour, raise him for the greatness he is truly capable of. And then, the perfect weapon to destroy All Might and his legacy would be in his grasp. However...
...
"Ah, nothing like Spring. The season of renewal. Today, I start by renewing... my drug cartel! Let's what scumbag comes rolling in first!" An illegal drug trader well-versed in the secrets of the trade, proclaimed proudly in a warehouse full of the most illegal substances under the sun. He was no different from the other dozens of criminal groups eager to be back on top and drown the masses in the dark side of superhuman society. In the middle of his gloating, a new customer walked in. "Hey shortstack! You interested in anything?" his squeaky voice yelled.
The short figure was covered in a ragged pitch black cloak that reached their ankles, had sleeves too large for their arms and a hood that hid their face in darkness. They were the definition of a shady-looking character. They walked in, their black combat boots echoing with each step. "I got a whole boat load 'o that good good! What'cha lookin for, hallucinogens? Aphrodisiac? Quirk booster? Or weed, like my pops uses? Whatever you want, we got." The "customer" was unamused by the drug cartel's advertising and displayed no emotion.
"I want information." his gruff, yet somewhat boyish voice spoke. The drug cartel was slightly put off at the realization that he was talking to a kid. But then he realized, it's a sign this hero world is crumbling if even kids are buying what he's selling. "Sure! I got about twenty men out on the streets makin sales, gotta give the pros another reason to quit! Ha! You're lookin at our main stash! If ya don't got cash right now, you could sell some grams, work your way up-" "Shut up." He was quickly shut down.
"I want information on clients." The head of the cartel shook his head. "Sorry little man, I don't give info about the guys that keep me afloat! You know how it is. If you ain't buyin or workin, get lost!" The short figure didn't leave. "I get it now, you're a brat lookin for trouble!" the man held placed his hand on the ground and pulled out a chunk the shape of a spiked semi-circle. The cloaked one glanced around. The place was littered with a crazy amount of boxes. Boxes full of drugs. "How much of your stuff is flammable?"
The leader of the cartel scoffed. "Damn near all of it! We only got the worst of the best and the best of the worst!" The cartel leader began to feel uneasy when he saw two green glowing orbs in that cloak. "Good to know." The cloaked one held out his hand and green flames covered his palm. The cartel realized his mistake and tried to stop him, but it was too late. Most of the inside of the warehouse was set ablaze, and they were trapped by the furious flames. "You fucking brat! We also got gunpowder and dynamite in the back! You'll blow us to hell!"
The man put his hands on the ground and tried to create a barrier around himself, but the Green Devil grabbed him by the neck before he could fully retreat. 'He can manipulate stone, but the most he can control is equivalent to his own body mass.' He yanked the man up harshly and stomped on the stone covering himself. 'And the stone loses its durability after he tampers with it. I see, he's desperate.' The cartel leader was being choked, and staring into the petrifying, flaming eyes of the Green Devil. "Not us, just you." he said heartlessly.
The man's heartbeat was going out of control. He was being suspended by a rough, calloused, scar-covered hand that was leaving burns on his neck. His panic rose when he heard a loud bang in the back. "If you want to live longer, tell me..." Another, much louder bang was heard. The young man used his free left to pull back his hoodie. His fluffy, mostly black and green hair, scarred right cheek, and green eyes that, despite being on fire, held the unimaginable coldness of death in them. His final words to the man before his end were...
"Tell me what you know about All For One!"
...
The heroes received a report about a number of demolished warehouses, all of them either hideouts or held criminal stashes. That was a month after the Scorched Graveyard disaster. It was extremely vexing to receive aid from this devil, but it meant less criminals on the street, thanks to the one who inspired them. They took this as a sign that the devil was back in action, which meant more fear and uncertainty.
Izuku stood atop a building ruined by the conflicts of heroes and villains clashing. It was far easier to find these buildings nowadays than before. The rain landed on him, but it did nothing to hinder his fire. His cloak, which was made from top of the line resistance to any force man-made or nature, from the black market, held up well against those explosions. He would give the villain he stole it from his thanks if he hadn't murdered him. He looked down on Musutafu, the sirens of police, the fear in the air, the misery and anguish in the atmosphere. And all he felt was apathy. None of this mattered to him, not since he settled on his end goal.
'I put it together not long after... Izuku Yagi died. All For One and One For All. Opposites, just like their wielders. One is a shared ability, it gives. So the opposite... is power theft. The more I thought about it, the more I realized what was out there. All For One can steal quirks, and apparently pass them on to his puppets like the nomu. A villain that even permanently injured prime All Might and lived to tell the tale. The Merchant of Quirks, the King of Villains, Symbol of Evil, Demon Lord, the Shadow Emperor. Every little bit of information I can get about him only feeds my paranoia and drive!'
Izuku jumped off the building and flew threw the dark sky, lighting it up like a beacon leading anyone with useful information to him. 'This guy, this man... is the real devil of this world. One For All may be the only power that can stop him, but it's in Yagi's hands, and there's no way in hell I'll leave it to such an incompetent weakling! I likely don't have the strength to stop him myself, so I'll take it one step at a time. I'll slaughter every villain I come across, weaken his forces, drive him into a corner, and then he will pay for all the lives he's ruined!'
'...and so will I.'
Inside of Izuku's backpack was his the latest addition to his quirk analysis notebooks. An analysis on himself. It had become a journal he used to record everything that happened to him since he left his old life and awakened his power. And everything that pushed him to become the scourge of society known as the Green Devil, and how his story will end. Once he finally reaches All For One, he will release his quirk at its full destructive capacity, causing a catastrophic explosion that will incinerate everything for miles. Even if there's a chance it won't kill him, he will certainly have more than a scratch.
But even after he annihilates himself, Izuku won't be done. The purpose of this journal is for others to find it and learn his story. To learn the hypocrisy of All Might, Endeavor, Bakugo, Yagi, and strip them of their hopes, dreams and ideal futures, to have them walk through the world hated and despised with nothing in life to look forward to, just as he did. Except it will be justified. That will be his mark on this world! The proof that he existed!