Reader20448: Well, your wish is granted.
Doragon Kimera: Thanks. That's the entire plan of the story. Too many characters who possessed the power of Shadow Monarch went through a similar journey and even took a similar decision as Jin Woo. So, I thought, keep a few things the same but make sure there are differences.
AnimeFan13579: Tokoyami may have a worshipping problem, but he can tone it down since he gets to know Izuku more than Kuroiro and Yanagi so that he will understand the importance of secrecy.
stream187: Oh, that will happen, don't worry about it. Also, yeah. I'm fine as well.
uchiha-rune: Anytime, reader-san.
ProjectIceman: Yeah, the sheer irony XD
Whitemare: Not the full detail, but the Trinity do know about Jeju Island while Tokoyami and Melissa only know from the news that an accident happened. For Touya, that depends. For Ochako's name choice, nice choices. For Brocky, I had a plan for him, so don't worry too much. Also, thanks, I hope you are also all right.
Daemon of Wrath: Yeah, the power gap between Ruler's Vessels and S-Ranks was unfair as fuck. For Oni Kureha, I…haven't thought much about it. For Eijirou, it'll be his second running gag besides the one running gag where every reader seems to mistake him for a lion XD. Also, people don't think Goto will rival Liu Zhigang, just him alone who thinks he will get strong enough to beat the National-Rank Swordsman. For Esil, I plan for her and the Radish clan to join Shadow Alliance like the Lycanthropes.
UEIS Testing Site
"Incredible…" Lulu stands beside the Trinity, Melissa, and a pale woman with pointy ears, light green eyes, and silver long hair dressed like a researcher. They are both watching Tokoyami testing his magic many times while they are all observed. "I have heard many things regarding the Moonshadows, but to see it myself."
"It's interesting to see a human and a sentient power receive the blessing." The woman says as she observes Tokoyami summon multiple black and white daggers like a certain mongrel-hating hero.
"You guys seem to know a lot about this Moonshadow…" Izuku says.
"Of course, being a nature elf, it has been part of our culture to know the origin of the Moonshadow, the blessing of Full Moon." The woman, who is revealed to be an elf, answered. "After all, we are the tribe who's a descendant of the Fruit of the World Tree and the former guardian of the Tree of Knowledge."
"Wait, so Yggdrasil is real!?" Eijirou exclaims in shock.
"Yes….but not in the way humans depicted it. Realms were not limited to 9, but those were the realms that humans saw due to the war between the Rulers and Monarchs. Their wars shattered the barrier between realms for a short time and since then, humans believed there were 8 other realms, 9 including their own." The elf explained.
"…..I am reconsidering everything I believe is true…." Ochako mutters in disbelief while Melissa numbly nods.
"Anyways, Moonshadow is a special magic blessed to the chosen warrior by the Full Moon itself, a celestial object in the grand scheme of the cosmos that possesses natural mana that's beyond human's comprehension, similar to the Celestial Spirits. But, unlike most objects, they're capable of thoughts and sentience. Over the years, it observes every realm it travels." The elf explained.
"I'm sorry, but are you implying the moon itself is a celestial object….and capable of traveling to other realms except those realms were planets?" Ochako exclaims, eyes twitching.
"Yes for the first question, but no for the second question." The elf stated. "It's….like the World Tree itself, connected to every world, but….not as powerful as the World Tree itself as it is visible to every mortal being, has a physical body in each mortal realm, and can be casually touched."
"…..my entire fucking life is a lie!" Eijirou exclaims.
"Every knowledge regarding the moon is all useless! We humanity lied to ourselves with sciences and none of us know it!" Melissa shouted, trying to toss the laptop into the ground but was stopped by Ochako as she looked at the elf with the 'this is your fault' look.
"… why is she looking at me like that?" The elf asks Lulu, who deadpans at her.
"You casually reveal the truth regarding the world that against every lie humanity ever believed in their entire life, of course, they're gonna crash out, Lunaria," Lulu says as the elf, Lunaria sheepishly rubs the back of her head before she looks at Izuku.
"He doesn't seem to be affected." Lunaria points out.
"Oh, I do. But, after seeing every bullshits in my 10 months being an Awakener, I had become numb about it." Izuku says as Lunario blinks. "Anyways, may you explain more regarding the Moonshadows? You haven't explained much about it."
"A-ah, of course, apologies, Shadow-!" Lunaria was cut off by Izuku.
"Call me Izuku!" Izuku exclaims, not wanting people to call him by his title. He didn't want anyone unintentionally encouraging the worshippers to start a cult.
"….apologies, Izuku-sama." Izuku's eyes twitch as he bit his lips to stop himself from groaning. "Moonshadow is a magic blessed by the Full Moon who has watched the humanity, either the good or the bad. They understand the balance between order and chaos, and inspired by Ashborn who is its creator, it creates a magic that symbolizes Ashborn, the Ruler and the Monarch, the light and darkness."
"…..that's quite symbolic…" Izuku admits.
"The ability of the Moonshadow is not just a simple mana manipulation, it allows to summon a bright light that burns the enemy or a thick darkness that drowns the enemy and slows them down along with their surroundings like time has slowed down. Each of them compliments the other, as it inflicts physical curses in the shape of burns in a physical body or mentally affects the enemy with dark emotions." Lunaria explains as Izuku sweatdrops, not expecting such powers.
"Okay…..that's horrifying…" Eijirou mutters while shivering.
"It's like the Full Moon uses the idea of Ashborn being the Monarch as an inspiration of its power…" Ochako points out.
"…" Lunaria chuckles nervously while scratching her cheek, making everyone look at her in disbelief.
"….it is, isn't it?" Ochako mutters in horror as Lunaria nods.
"…" Izuku pinches the bridge of his nose. "….let's not think too much about it." Everyone merely agreed as Tokoyami and Karasu finished the tests.
"H-how do I perform?" Tokoyami asks.
"You performed excellently. For someone who only has magic for a day, you showed quite a skill." Lunaria says.
"T-thank you….Lucinda has helped me by teaching me what I need to know about the magic….their tribes once had warriors with such powers…." Tokoyami says.
"He did it while having a date with her, by the way," Karasu says as Tokoyami looks flustered.
"D-don't say such lies!" Tokoyami exclaims as Karasu laughs.
"Don't be too ashamed of your love, youngling," Lunaria says. "It's the greatest emotion mortals have ever introduced to us, just embraced it." The words made Izuku raise his eyebrow, wondering what Lunaria meant by introducing love to them.
"Please stop…." Tokoyami mutters while covering his blushing face as everyone chuckles and Lunaria looks confused, wondering what is funny.
"Anyways, from the analysis of your current power," Lulu stated, getting everyone's attention. "If we're going with human's measuring method, it's easy to say Tokoyami has an S-Rank potential like you three, with his current skill at C-Rank."
"Only C-Rank!?" Karasu voiced out his disappointment, which Tokoyami shared but he wasn't vocal about it.
"Yes, it means you two got the basics down and started with the advanced magic stuff," Lulu says. "In a way you human ranks, E-Rank is an equivalent of a toddler or in Usagiyama's choice of words, fish out of the fucking water. D-Rank equals to kindergartens learning the basics of maths. C-Rank understands the basics of mana and experiments on advanced stuff. B-Rank is like a student in college starting their thesis. A-Rank equals graduated students with job experience. S-Ranks are professionals."
"What about National Rank?" Izuku asks curiously.
"A nuclear bomb," Lulu deadpanned while staring at him, making him slightly nervous. Why is she staring at him like that? "If you're curious, back then, Midoriya's skill is equivalent to B-Rank, Kirishima and Uraraka are both D-Ranks in skills."
"Ouch," Both Ochako and Eijirou said in unison, displeased that they're being compared to kindergartens learning the basics of maths.
"Now then," Lulu ignored the look given by both Ochako and Eijirou while focusing on Melissa. "Let us test your skills."
"I….have no idea how it does work…" Melissa says, slightly embarrassed. "This is very much new to me….I don't even know I have awakened…."
"Well, perhaps I could try to teach you some few things," Lunaria says. "Try to imagine mana like water trapped in a dam. To use it, imagine the dam gate opening slightly, preventing the water burst out. Then, guide the water through some sort of a path of the river. Don't try to forcefully guide them, guide them, imagine yourself creating a path for the river to flow freely."
"It….sounds like I had to control it," Melissa says.
"Never think of it as such," Lunaria says. "Flow of mana feels like a river flow, it's violent and uncontrollable. Forcing yourself to control it will lead to many disasters."
"Oh…." Melissa mutters before looking at the Trinity. "Do you guys also do the same thing?"
"Yup," The three of them nod in unison.
"…I suppose I had no better alternative…" Melissa mutters before she closes her eyes. Izuku's senses detect the mana from Melissa flow weirdly, the moment the mana flows out, it reaches towards Melissa's drone with zero hesitation, confusing everyone including Lunaria, who has seen all magic in realms. Then, Melissa unconsciously walked towards the drone before yellow veins shaped like circuits appeared from her hand before pausing.
"Um, what happened?" Ochako looks confused, which snaps Melissa out of her thoughts and almost drops her drone to the floor if not for Izuku's [Dominator's Touch] catching the falling object.
"Be careful, Melissa," Izuku says as he controls the drone and gently places it on Melissa's hand before he summons a wrench, mana stones, and metals from his inventory. "Also, you might need this."
"Um….what's this for?" Melissa asks in confusion.
"A test," Izuku says. "Now, I need you to recall the same feeling, but keep yourself awake and aware of your surroundings."
"Um….okay?" Melissa looks confused and unsure of what Izuku is planning but she decides to trust him given Izuku has not given any reason to do so. As she recalls the feeling she made, she gasps as she sees the yellow circuits appear on her hand before a bunch of information flows into her head.
Without hesitation, she starts to work with the materials given by Izuku and her drone. Everyone watches as Melissa disassembles and reassembles the entire drone and Lunaria looks curious, wondering where this is going. In a short amount of time, Melissa stopped and looked at the creation she had made.
The drone she made, which is shaped like a floating orb with a pair of antennae on each side, now looks much smaller but with a pair of cannons as arms, a pair of doll-sized jet engines as its legs, 3 pairs of magnets as fingers, and an orb-shaped mana engine core as its body. The drone looks at its new pair of arms before waving it cheerfully.
"D-did I just create a droid from my drone, mana stones, metals, and a wrench?!" Melissa asks in disbelief.
"Yup, I think the exposure to the dungeon materials when you create the drones triggered your awakening," Izuku says as everyone looks at him. "Also, no offense to your intelligence or anything, but the skills of building multiple machines with unknown materials with nothing but the research of engineers who've been spending years creating a prototype circuit of the drone in just one sleepless night is impossible, even for a prodigy. I think the awakening turns you into a real-life artificer."
"…..holy shit…" Melissa mutters in disbelief.
"I think your magic lets you apply your engineering skills to magic by providing detailed information regarding the magic materials in scientific terms, based on what I observed from your flow of mana," Izuku mutters, rubbing his chin.
"I…never seen something like this," Lunaria mutters in shock. "Not even the Mountain Dwarves who invent all kinds of unique stuff but have only been blessed with enhanced strength, durability, and fighting prowess." Lunaria sweatdrops. "I had a feeling those Dwarves will be frothing at their mouth if they know your existence."
"….well, fuck." Melissa slumps down. "I was just discovering my magic and now I was told that I have a target on my back?"
"Don't worry too much about it. Unlike you, I have the entire roster of dark cosmic entities coming after me," Izuku says with a cheerful smile, making Melissa wince.
"Sorry…" Melissa mutters sheepishly. "Is…this how you feel?"
"Yup," Izuku says with the same cheerful smile, creeping Melissa out.
"All right, I think that's enough teasing, Midoriya," Lulu says while smacking Izuku's back. "Well, it's safe to say that Melissa has the potential of A-Rank with the current skill of D-Rank."
"Oh…" Melissa seemed a bit disappointed, especially since her friends were mostly S-Ranks.
"Hey, don't think too much about it," Izuku says. "Before I got hired in UEIS, I was at the lowest of the low, even lower than E-Rank. Awakeners still has the chance to grow, and your ranking grants faster growth than all of us."
"Wait, what?!" Ochako, Eijirou, and Tokoyami look at Izuku in shock.
"Yup, it's one of the reasons why Ryuji seems to be frustrated," Izuku says while rubbing his chin. "At least, that's what Edgeshot-sensei thought."
"….it's because of the party system, isn't it?" Eijirou asks as Izuku merely nods.
"I just found out today," Izuku says while rubbing his head, looking away from his friends' disbelief stares.
"….I think I had enough bombshells today," Ochako mutters, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Everyone merely nods.
"Um, sorry. I…." Izuku was cut off by Ochako.
"Hush, let us not focus on the talk, and let's go relaxing like we're supposed to do." Ochako places her finger on Izuku's lips before dragging him out of the room. Eijirou rubs his head as he awkwardly watches the two of his best friends hanging out and looks at the newcomers.
"Well, I suppose I could show you guys around," Eijirou says. "So, how about we start with the first floor?"
With Izuku and Ochako
"Thank you, come again!"
Izuku and Ochako walk next together as they hold a huge sized crepes while holding hands together, both look at each other with a slight blush on their cheeks while smiling at each other.
"This is not what I had expected for a date, but it's nice," Ochako mutters as she takes a bite from the crepes.
"Hehe…sorry. I have zero experience in date, so….this keeps coming into my mind." Izuku says while scratching his cheek. "Sorry if it is as boring as our first date."
"I don't mind. I never like the fancy dates shown on television anyways." Ochako laughs. "I enjoyed the relaxing dates we had. I still remember the first date, haha."
"Please don't tease me," Izuku mutters, his face turning redder as he takes a bite from the crepes.
"I can't help it," Ochako laughs. "I still remember how you used [Dominator's Touch] to grab the entire plushies in the claw machine because you were frustrated at the obviously rigged game."
"Please…" Izuku remembers that day very well and tries to shrug it off as if nothing has happened. He was just so mad at how someone could've set such a terrible scheme to scam money from oblivious and innocent victims. Thankfully, the police didn't press charges on them as the claw machine had violated a lot of codes in entertainment law, something that Izuku didn't expect to exist but understood how it just made sense.
Izuku and his former Aldera classmates were too focused on the quirk-related stuff, including the laws. Izuku can't help but find it ironic given they have violated an entire section of quirk laws in the span of 10 years and have been swept under a rug.
"Haha, sorry sorry." Ochako apologizes before shaking her head in amusement. "But, still, giving me that cute pink puffball of a plush as a gift is kinda sweet."
"…thanks," Izuku says as he smiles.
"But, I can't help but ask, why did you give me that?" Ochako asks.
"Well, it….does remind me of you. The color scheme, the cuteness…." Izuku says as his face along with Ochako's turns redder.
"Y-you really think so?" Ochako asks nervously as Izuku nods. "I never understand, what made you choose me over other girls that you manage to attract attention to?"
"Wait, other girls?" Izuku asks obliviously, causing Ochako to spit take before guffaws.
"How are you never notice them!? They are everywhere, swooning over you like some sort of fangirls in a male idol concert!" Ochako says as she points to his right. He turns his head towards his right and saw a group of girls swooning at him across the street, freaking Izuku out.
"How am I not noticing that!?" Izuku asks in utter disbelief before looking at Ochako and starts to ponder. "Or….maybe….it does make sense."
"What?" Ochako asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Maybe I was too focused on your everything that I never noticed them," Izuku said in a matter-of-fact tone. Ochako looked at her boyfriend for a second before she burst out laughing, with a hint of blush on her cheeks.
"Oh, gods. That's so corny." Ochako says as Izuku looks embarrassed before she stops and smiles. "But, I suppose that is why I fell for you in the first place."
"Now, who's corny?" Izuku says while raising his eyebrow in amusement as Ochako playfully slaps his shoulder before they both burst into laughter. "Anyways, let's finish the crepes quickly. I have pre-ordered two tickets for a movie you'll love."
"What is it?" Ochako asks as she and Izuku start eating faster.
"It's a sci-fi movie from a pre-quirk era named Interstellar. Apparently, someone has found the lost recording of the movie and decided to play it in theatre, in an attempt to bring back dead culture." Izuku says, making Ochako perk up.
"What are we waiting for!" Ochako grabbed the last remaining crepes, split them evenly, and shoved one of them into Izuku's mouth and the last piece into her own.
"Let's go!" She drags Izuku again before she stops and looks at Izuku with a sheepish expression. "….Which cinema was it again?" Izuku snorts before bursting into laughter and gently holds Ochako's hand as he leads the way while Ochako merely looks at the floor with a massive blush on her face.
UA High
Musutafu, Japan
After one long meeting between the heroes, all of them went on their separate ways to prepare as much force as they could against a monster in human skin. Toshinori and David can be seen standing beside each other in the Support Course Labs, looking at the drones Melissa has built in a span of a night.
"Melissa has outdone herself….she has surpassed me in every way…" David says as he marvels at the beauty of the magical technology.
"Indeed…." Toshinori says as David looks at his old friend.
"Is this why you were adamant and confident to step down as the symbol of peace? You know the future generation will be fine." David says as Toshinori chuckles.
"I am many things, Dave, but I am not a clairvoyance," Toshinori says. "I simply believed that the children will succeed us, even surpassing us."
"….I have failed, aren't I?" David says quietly. "Not only I have clung to the past, but I try to make sure it remains the same….while not trusting the future to the kids….to Melissa."
"You didn't fail, Dave. You're merely acting as a friend, worried about little old me because I can't stop making you worried." Toshinori says, chuckling a bit.
"How can I? You are always been the reckless, muscle-headed himbo everyone loves back in college." David teases as Toshinori groans.
"Don't remind me," Toshinori mutters as they both laugh before David slowly stops and looks at the floor.
"….once I-Expo starts, I will announce my retirement," David says, surprising Toshinori "I….have crossed the line as a scientist, creating that device….You remind me of the reason why I love being a scientist in the first place and inventing that….I feel like I betrayed myself."
"Dave…" Toshinori says as David shakes his head.
"Toshi, please. I…..I was so worried about your possible death….l-like my late wife….I have seen Melissa devastated twice and I was helpless….it's the reason why I drown myself in work and did everything to help you…." David confesses as Toshinori listens.
"I…didn't properly mourn….I-I am no longer fit in doing my job without crossing another line….so, I will retire. And….like you starting to choose to spend as much time with your friends to make up all the missing time….I want to do the same for Melissa. Help her in every way. Staying by her side, a way to atone for everything." David mutters. "I….I almost made another mistake….I was desperate to take the device back…I-I willing to hire actors to stage a villain attack….…. I'm so glad that you snap me out of it."
"Dave…" Toshinori mutters before he pulls the man into a hug, David bit his lips and choked back a sob, tears escaping his eyes.
"I…I risk myself…..to be a villain…..without thinking how you or Melissa feels…." David mutters. "I….I can't go back as a world-renowned scientist anymore……"
"…I understand," Toshinori says as he lets go of the hug.
"…sorry," David says as he wipes the tears from his eyes. "…I'm glad that the kid heals your wounds properly. You don't deserve a retirement life full of agonizing pain."
"Well, to be fair, it was an accident. If she chose the wrong spell, I could've been burned to a crisp, not even One For All could protect me since magic could bypass durability granted by any quirks." Toshinori chuckles nervously, making David turn pale as a sheet of paper. Completely overwhelmed by everything, David collapses to the ground and faints.
"D-Dave!" Toshinori panicked before carrying David and rushed towards the infirmary.
With Present Mic and Midnight
"…..I'm going to be honest, I still haven't get used to all the crazy shits." Present Mic mutters.
"If you haven't gotten used to it, what about me?" Midnight asks rhetorically.
"….I thought I had seen everything in my life, clown villains, slave trafficker acting as a traveling circus, or a cult of All Might in my one-week trip to the United States…" Present Mic says as Midnight pauses before looking at Present Mic in disbelief.
"There's a cult of All Might?" Present Mic merely nods. "… Why do I find that weirder than the existence of magic and everything related to it?"
"Well, given how our life had dealt with quirks that are straight-up bullshit, our mind simply adapts by telling ourselves to follow the same rules, magics are bullshits." Present Mic says as Midnight snorts. "….I wonder how Sho's doing right now…."
"Oh, right. Shota's got suspended after his violent reactions." Midnight mutters before pausing. "Wait, aren't you living next to him in the same apartment building? Why did you say those?"
"….ah, I knew I forgot something…." Present Mic groans before looking at Midnight. "He has been gone for the entire night since he was suspended, I have checked his apartment room back then. He probably went to track down more illegal underground sites since he has been obsessed with them since the day Little Listener fought the Lizard's Tail. I still can't believe the little listener ended up resorting to killing at such a young age."
"Me too…" Midnight mutters softly. "Do you think Shota has come back?"
"I hope so." Present Mic mutters. "His actions these few days have been worrying…"
With Aizawa
Aizawa can be seen bleeding from head to toe, his arms and his left leg broken as he looks at the thing in front of him. He had no idea how it happened, but he had stumbled upon one of the gates he heard from Gang Orca when attempting to follow a group of villains discovered that discover a mystery gate. He thought the man was simply spouting nonsense about the monster as it was illogical, casually ignoring the proof from yesterday.
He was immediately proven wrong when he saw a headless black-armored knight with purple flame standing in front of him, holding a sword, and a pile of villains barely alive lying on the ground near the knight upon entering the Gate.
For the first time in Aizawa's life, he had seen things beyond any logic, tearing him like a child getting abused by their parent. Every attempt to fight back was easily shrugged off by the knight, and it wasn't even trying.
"Ah, it seems an interesting subject has stumbled upon my humble abode." Aizawa turned his head to the source of the voice before he was greeted with a purple glow and he felt his consciousness slowly slipping away. As he falls unconscious, he hears an eerie voice speak to the knight.
"Bring the rest with you to the lab. I have so many ideas for them."
[To be continued]