In the dimly lit hideout, the cold, metallic scent of antiseptic filled the air as Kurogiri worked diligently to treat Shigaraki's wounds. Shigaraki, sitting in a torn-up armchair, winced in pain, his hands trembling as his bandaged fingers flexed in and out of fists. The wounds from his confrontation with Izuku Gojo were still raw, not just physically, but mentally. His entire plan had fallen apart because of 'that' boy—'that' infuriating boy.

"Damn it!" Shigaraki cursed, his voice sharp and venomous. His fingers twitched dangerously close to the arm of the chair, and for a moment, it seemed like the decaying touch might disintegrate it into dust. "That 'brat'! That little bastard! Izuku Gojo!" He spat the name out as if it were a poison, his red-rimmed eyes blazing with rage. "How the hell did he ruin everything? He 'destroyed' Nomu! Nomu was supposed to kill All Might, not get toyed with by some kid! What the hell is he?!"

Kurogiri remained calm, his mist-like form swirling as he carefully wrapped a bandage around Shigaraki's damaged arm. His voice, as always, was composed, though it carried a weight of concern. "Tomura, you need to calm yourself. Agitating your wounds will only slow the healing process."

"Calm down?!" Shigaraki's voice raised an octave, his frustration boiling over. "How the hell am I supposed to calm down after that humiliation? We were 'so close', Kurogiri! All we had to do was kill All Might, but then—then 'he' shows up! That... that white-haired freak!"

Kurogiri finished bandaging Shigaraki's arm, his yellow eyes narrowing slightly in thought as he spoke. "I understand your frustration, but we must approach this rationally. Izuku Gojo... we do not have any concrete information on him."

Shigaraki's eyes snapped to Kurogiri, his fury momentarily giving way to confusion. "What do you mean? He's just some kid from U.A., isn't he? A stupid student? Why don't we know anything about him?"

Kurogiri straightened, his fog-like form swirling around him as he recalled the details they had managed to gather since the attack on USJ. "We have searched all known databases and records. As of now, there are no files, no significant information about this boy. His name, his background, and even his quirk remain a mystery. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere."

Shigaraki's teeth ground together audibly, his nails scratching at his scarred neck in frustration. "What do you mean, 'no information'? A kid that powerful doesn't just come out of nowhere. Are you saying he's some kind of ghost?"

Kurogiri hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "However," he continued, "there is one peculiar detail. It seems that a few days after the Nursery Incident, Izuku Gojo became sponsored by none other than All Might himself."

Shigaraki's eyes narrowed dangerously at the mention of the Nursery Incident, a brutal massacre that had sent shockwaves through both the criminal underworld and above. The details were kept tightly under wraps by the authorities, but rumors had leaked. A place where children had been experimented on for villainous purposes was found in ruins, and every person involved had been slaughtered. It was a scene of unimaginable destruction. Sensei had been really sensitive that day. Kinda' grumpy.

Shigaraki's mind raced as he tried to piece it together. "The Nursery Incident... You're saying 'he' did that? That kid?"

Kurogiri nodded, his voice low and thoughtful. "It's a possibility. Though there are no official reports linking him directly to the incident, the timeline fits. Shortly after the destruction of the nursery, Izuku Gojo was taken under All Might's sponsorship. It would explain why the boy is so skilled in combat despite his young age. If he was the one responsible for that... then he's far more dangerous than we initially believed."

Shigaraki's hand twitched at his side, a deep scowl settling over his face. The puzzle pieces were falling into place, but he didn't like the picture they painted. "So this kid—this Izuku Gojo—he's the one who destroyed the Nursery? Are you saying he is Satoru Midoriya?"

"It's speculation," Kurogiri clarified. "But if he is, it would mean he's no ordinary hero-in-training. He may possess abilities that even we haven't fully comprehended."

Shigaraki's lips curled into a twisted, bitter smile. "Of course... of course he's 'special'. All Might's little pet. A freak like him has no business getting in my way." His smile dropped instantly, replaced by pure rage. "I'll kill him. Next time we meet, I'll make sure he dies for what he did!"

Kurogiri's misty form swirled around him, his voice calm despite Shigaraki's outburst. "We'll need to be cautious, Tomura. He's no ordinary opponent. We'll have to plan carefully."

"Plan?" Shigaraki hissed. "I don't care what it takes. I want him dead. I want to watch him decay into dust, piece by piece."

Kurogiri nodded, his eyes narrowing with purpose. "Then we'll prepare. Next time, we'll be ready for him."

Shigaraki leaned back in his chair, his hand still trembling with a mixture of pain and fury. "Izuku Gojo... I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me. We'll meet again, and when we do... I'll 'destroy' you."

As Kurogiri finished wrapping the last of Shigaraki's bandages, he voiced a concern that had been gnawing at him since their confrontation with Izuku Gojo.

"There is something that still perplexes me, Tomura," Kurogiri began, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. "The Infinity Barrier—the technique Gojo used—it's widely believed to be impenetrable by the authorities. No known quirk or ability should have been able to bypass it. And yet… you did."

Shigaraki, though still seething with anger, paused for a moment. He had been too caught up in the humiliation of his defeat to think about the exact details of what had happened. "Yeah," he muttered, his blood-red eyes narrowing as the memory returned. "That freak had that barrier up, and I shouldn't have been able to touch him, but when I punched him, it landed. My hand 'connected'." His hand twitched at his side as he recalled the brief satisfaction of feeling his attack hit Gojo.

Kurogiri nodded, his form swirling in contemplation. "According to what we've gathered from U.A. Academy's records, the Infinity Barrier should make him untouchable. But you, somehow, were able to break through it."

Shigaraki's brows furrowed deeply. It didn't make sense, and that only served to agitate him further. "I don't know how I did it. I just… I just touched him, and it worked." He gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the arm of the chair. "It doesn't matter, though. Next time, I'll finish what I started."

Kurogiri stood silently for a moment, his mind turning over the mystery. The Infinity Barrier was a powerful technique, one that even some of the most fearsome quirks wouldn't be able to bypass. How Shigaraki had broken through remained unclear, and it troubled him. "Perhaps there is something about your quirk we have yet to fully understand, Tomura. Or perhaps there are unknown factors at play."

Shigaraki scoffed, his voice low and bitter. "Unknown factors? What, like luck?" He laughed humorlessly. "I don't care how I did it. The point is, I'll use it again. Next time, I'll tear Gojo apart."

As the conversation hung in the air, a sudden, eerie stillness filled the room. Neither Shigaraki nor Kurogiri noticed at first, but the atmosphere seemed to shift, growing darker, colder. The flickering lights overhead dimmed ever so slightly, as if something had pulled the very warmth from the space.

Then, deep within Shigaraki's mind, a voice echoed. It was dark, ancient, and malevolent, carrying the weight of centuries behind it. Its tone was slow and mocking, filled with cruel amusement.

"Looks like we shall soon have a rematch… 'Satoru Gojo'."

Shigaraki froze, his eyes widening. His hands clutched the armrests of the chair as he felt the strange presence within him, like a shadow looming over his very soul. "What the hell…?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Kurogiri turned, sensing the shift in Shigaraki's demeanor. "Tomura? Is something wrong?"

Shigaraki didn't respond immediately. The voice had faded as quickly as it had come, but the lingering presence remained, cold and oppressive, like a distant storm approaching. He didn't know who—'or what'—had spoken to him, but the name it used…

"Satoru Gojo…" Shigaraki muttered under his breath, his fists tightening. The name was familiar, but why? A mixture of 'Satoru Midoriya' and 'Izuku Gojo'... His mind raced, searching for an answer, but came up empty.

Kurogiri's yellow eyes narrowed in concern. "Tomura? What's wrong?"

For a moment, Shigaraki remained silent, the lingering echo of that voice sending a chill through him. But then, he shook his head, brushing it off. Whatever it was, it didn't matter right now. His focus was on revenge—on destroying Izuku Gojo.

"Nothing," Shigaraki finally replied, his voice colder than before. "Just thinking about how much I'm going to enjoy killing that kid."

Kurogiri watched him for a moment, unsure if Shigaraki was telling the whole truth. But the leader had made up his mind. Whatever had just occurred, Shigaraki wasn't ready to acknowledge it yet.

The room remained eerily quiet as Shigaraki's thoughts churned with a renewed sense of purpose. The next time he faced Izuku Gojo, it wouldn't be the same.

And in the shadows of his mind, the dark, ancient presence waited, patient and unyielding.

O—O—O

All Might, in his frail skeletal form, shuffled into the convenience store, a bewildered look on his face as he glanced at his phone. Young Midoriya had sent him a list of things he apparently needed 'urgently,' but as Toshinori Yaga scrolled through it, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Let's see…" he muttered under his breath, adjusting his glasses as he examined the items on the list. "Milk, bread, chocolates… okay, standard stuff."

But then his eyes widened as he read further down. "Beer? Sake?!" Toshinori's voice squeaked with disbelief, and he quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard him. "The kid's 15 for crying out loud! What in the world is he thinking?!" He huffed and shook his head. "No way I'm buying that."

He scrolled down further, hoping for some explanation for the bizarre request. "Wait… Hairclip? Hairpin? Red and blue headband? A… bunny plushie? Teddy Bear?!" His eyes blinked rapidly as if to reset his brain. "Is he planning a gift for someone?"

But that wasn't all…

"'Bunny Might Hoodie 5 for girls'?!'

Is he really depressed? Is he having identity disorder? Probably. He is hiding his original identity for weeks now.

Toshinori let out a long, exasperated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well… I suppose I can get these at least." He hesitated at the sight of the cute items on the list, already imagining the strange looks the cashier would give him. A hulking, skeletal man buying hair accessories, cute little girl's clothings and plush toys wasn't exactly a common sight. But this was for Midoriya, so it didn't matter. Besides, there had to be some explanation.

"Maybe he's doing a favor for someone… maybe Uraraka? But isn't the hoodie too small for her?" he mused aloud as he shuffled down the aisle, grabbing the hairclips and plushie, feeling slightly ridiculous. "Or maybe… he's got a secret hobby?"

With a soft chuckle, Toshinori placed the items into his basket, wondering what kind of adventure awaited him next with the ever-unpredictable Midoriya.

O—O—O

All Might, in his skeletal form, cautiously approached the door of the apartment. Satoru Midoriya, or as the world had come to know him, 'Izuku Gojo,' had asked for these supplies with such urgency that All Might had barely had time to question what exactly he was walking into. He juggled the small plastic bags filled with the requested items, still slightly embarrassed about the plushie, clothes and hair accessories. The thought of Young Midoriya buying these for himself made him chuckle softly.

He knocked gently on the door, half-expecting the boy to be deep in some mystical practice, like meditating while floating or summoning some cursed energy. After all, this was 'Izuku Gojo'—the kid full of surprises.

The door creaked open, and All Might entered cautiously, glancing around the small but neat apartment. But instead of a scene of intense training or anything mysterious, he froze, blinking at the sight before him.

There was Izuku, or Satoru, sitting casually on the floor with an expression of pure focus. But what he was focused on wasn't any sort of high-level cursed energy technique or hero training. No, the white-haired boy, with his ever-confident smirk, was sitting behind a little girl—who couldn't have been more than six or seven years old—'tying her hair' into delicate pigtails.

Izuku, in all his white-haired, blue-eyed glory, was kneeling on the floor behind a small girl with silver hair, gently tying her hair into neat pigtails. The girl, who All Might saw, was sitting quietly on the couch, her wide red eyes focused on the TV, which was currently showing 'Tom & Jerry.' Despite the situation, she seemed calm, even giggling softly when Tom's foot shattered after trying to kick Jerry.

Izuku glanced up as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "Hey, All Might, great timing! Could you hand me some hairpins if you've brought 'em?"

All Might blinked, momentarily speechless. His skeletal form seemed even more fragile in the face of such a bizarre scene. He instinctively reached into the bag of items he'd bought and pulled out the requested hairpins. But his mind was racing. Who 'was' this girl? Izuku himself was living under a false name, practically hiding from the world, and now there was this child?

"Did you… kidnap her?" All Might asked, half-joking, though he couldn't hide the concern in his voice.

Izuku's eyes widened in mock offense. "What?! Of course not! I fetched her from the river! Not with a fishing rod, though."

'From the river?!' All Might's mind reeled at the casual way Izuku said it, as if pulling people out of rivers was a regular part of his day.

Before All Might could respond, Eri, having noticed the skeletal figure for the first time, shrank back in fear, clutching the edge of the couch. Her eyes darted between the screen and All Might's frail form, her small hands trembling.

Izuku immediately noticed her shift in demeanor. "Oh, don't worry, Eri. He's a friend. This is All Might. Totally harmless and a softie."

Her eyes were wide, uncertain. She was clearly still nervous, but the calm tone in Izuku's voice seemed to relax her a little. She watched All Might warily as if unsure whether to trust him.

All Might sighed in relief, handing over the hairpins while trying to give her a reassuring smile. He wasn't used to children being afraid of him, but in his current form, he understood why she might be. "I'm not a villain, I promise. I'm here to help too."

Izuku grinned, quickly finishing up tying Eri's hair. He placed the last pin with precision and then gave her head a gentle pat. "There you go, all done. Now you look like a real princess."

Eri gave him a tiny smile before her attention was drawn back to the TV, where Tom was once again chasing Jerry around with little success. She giggled softly, easing back into the comfort of the couch.

All Might, watching the exchange, couldn't help but feel a strange sense of pride in Midoriya. Despite everything—his secret life, the constant danger—Izuku still had a pure heart, one that instinctively protected those who needed it.

"Let's talk," All Might said, motioning toward the kitchen.

Izuku nodded, giving Eri one last reassuring glance before heading into the small kitchen with All Might. They sat down at the tiny table, and All Might immediately leaned forward, his expression serious.

"Who is she?" All Might asked quietly, his voice low but firm.

Izuku sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't know all the details. I found her by the river yesterday. It looked like she'd been through hell. Someone was after her, that's for sure. I didn't want to take her to a hospital—too many questions, especially with my situation. So, I brought her here. I think… I think she's on the run from a Yakuza."

All Might's eyes widened. "A Yakuza? Why would they be after a little girl?"

Izuku shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe she has a powerful quirk. I haven't figured that out yet. But I do know she's scared out of her mind, and I wasn't about to let her fall back into their hands. They've done something to her, All Might. Something bad."

All Might sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. This was getting more complicated by the minute. Protecting a child like Eri, who was likely involved in some deeply criminal activities, while also keeping Izuku's identity secret was going to be incredibly difficult. He couldn't help but feel proud of Izuku for taking her in, but at the same time, the weight of the situation was heavy.

"You've done a good thing, Midoriya," All Might said softly. "But you need to be careful. If a Yakuza is involved… they won't stop until they find her. And if they find out you're the one hiding her, it could put you in even more danger."

Izuku gave a nonchalant shrug, leaning forward with that same playful grin he always had. "Danger? Please, Mister, I 'am' danger."

All Might rolled his eyes, but before he could respond, Izuku's eyes flickered toward the bag All Might had brought. "Now, where's my sake?"

All Might's expression immediately darkened as he gave Izuku a stern look. "I'm not letting a minor consume that trash."

Izuku pouted dramatically, crossing his arms over his chest. "No fair! I save the day, heal everyone, and I can't even get a drink?"

"No," All Might replied firmly. "And you're still 15, young man. I don't care how powerful you are, no alcohol for you."

Izuku sighed heavily in mock frustration but then leaned back with a playful grin. "Fine, fine. But I'm holding you to this when I turn 18."

All Might chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No deal. A hero doesn't drink." But the smile quickly faded, replaced with a more serious expression. "But in the meantime, we need to figure out what we're going to do about her. You can't keep her hidden here forever."

Izuku's eyes softened as he glanced toward the living room, where Eri was still engrossed in her cartoon. "I'll figure it out. But for now, I just want her to feel safe. She deserves that much."

All Might nodded in agreement. There was no easy solution, but for now, keeping Eri safe was the priority. And if anyone could handle that, it was Izuku Gojo.

O—O—O

Author Note: This chapter had an interesting revelation. I hope you liked it.

Do drop your thoughts in the review section.

A question: In the 'Document Manager', it says my 200 document limit is finished. They are telling me to delete some documents. But I have almost no unnecessary documents. Thus, how will deleting an already used document effect the story? Do tell please.

Till next time!