Ah, perhaps the most infamous chapter that drew my initial audience in.
The original chapter two of the first version of this story. This is was my first effort at expanding the world of MHA/BNHA began. Albeit again, the first version was far more crude and lack in certain details, that later version would fix up but ultimately there was still things I was figuring out.
Now, comes this definitive version that goes fully committed but with some new and streamlined details that should smooth out of the things that confused readers later down the line. Going forward is when we will really get see some real changes that made this reboot not only necessary, but gave me the chance to fix up some of the more confusing aspects of the plot.
No review responses sadly because there wasn't enough to warrant them again, which I hope changes soon.
My Hero Academia Untold: The Knights of Fafnir
Saga I: Dusk
Arc I: Origins
Chapter IV: Deceptions in the Shadows
"Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what every man wishes, that he also believes to be true."
― Demosthenes
"Sir...are you sure you want to do this?" His subordinate asked carefully over the phone.
The man stood silent as the meeting was currently at recess. Kai Doumeki had only gotten this particular offer within hours of his invitation to the conference while still grieving over his former friend's loss. The two may not have spoken in years, but now he was on the committee that was deciding on his final fate. Two days ago, the announcement was made to all the department heads who would lead the emergency committee. With less than half a day left, this was the only solution that could work in his favor.
It was time for Kai to get what he was owed.
"There is still a chance we can back out of this, sir."
Kai again remained silent. His rival on the force had warned him years ago not to allow a friendship between Pro-Heroes and the Police to exist. It should have been kept professional to avoid appearing like one is showing the other favoritism. No, he had already learned his lesson well.
"There is no going back from this, but if you want to," Kai offered calmly. "Then you should give me the files and leave. Just request for a transfer before you do."
Kai could hear his subordinate now contemplating his next move.
Everyone gathered again for the third time on the third day this week. An emergency meeting had been called for all police chiefs of the local city police departments surrounding the incident site. The meeting was held alongside the members of The Police Commission, The Hero Public Safety Commission, and, finally, the Minister for the Department of Heroics on behalf of the Prime Minister.
The air was thick and heavy with white smoke again as many members lit cigarettes and smoldered. Several committee members had resorted to drinking on the job due to their stress despite the minimal protests from their peers. For three days, three goddamn days, they had met, deliberated, argued, and debated about the situation at hand. All Might, the World's Symbol of Peace and Justice, had just been critically injured from a large-scale battle of cataclysmic proportions against his greatest foe, All For One.
All For One had been successfully repelled and hopefully killed but between the damages and All Might's injuries. The makeshift committee needed to craft a story to explain the event to the general public as the Dark Lord's mere existence was a closely guarded secret and a threat to national security. However, there was one underlying issue made the situation so difficult to accommodate.
The death of Hisashi Midoriya, better known as the Pro-Hero: Draco Knight.
Draco Knight was one of the few Pro-Heroes at the scene who had been deployed alongside All Might for the battle. When the dust settled, All For One was gone, leaving naught but death and destruction in his wake. While All Might was left holding the mangled corpse of his long-time fanboy in his arms.
Hisashi's death was the root of their stress.
The Operation to finally rid the world of All For One was devised thanks to the cooperation of a few former associates who wished to go into witness protection. The goal was to try to bait and pit All Might against him, with the remaining heroes staying out of bounds, serving as either backup for the battle or as crowd and damage control. However, things did not go as planned, and the shit hit the fan quickly. The struggle soon turned into a disaster that ended with heavy damage to the city.
There were countless casualties, which included other Pro-Heroes, Villains, HSPC agents, police officers, and even a number of civilians, which included a rather famous novelist.
While All Might's present absence could be easily explained away by the cover story made for him before going on the mission. Officially, he was on vacation, touring with foreign agencies that were informed beforehand and agreed to cooperate with their governments. It was only made easier since All Might currently had one sidekick and with no immediate family keeping close tabs on him.
However, the situation with Draco Knight was utterly different.
It threw a wrench into their possible cover-up stories for the incident. His death couldn't be covered up so flippantly, not without questions popping up from the general public and not without risking some form of the truth coming out. Now, if he had been a minor pro-hero, it could have been dismissed or brushed aside by the media. However, Draco Knight had been ranked number nine nationwide. A Pro-hero with that high of a profile already had the media's attention 24/7. It didn't help that when a Pro-Hero was Killed-In-Action and protocol mandated that a public announcement must be made within three days after the death.
Today was the final day before the announcement had to be made; the time was around five o'clock in the afternoon. A statement announcing the man's death had to be made by the HPSC tomorrow morning as required by law. Among the committee members was the local Section-Chief for the Musutafu Police Department, which happened to be located in Draco Knight's hometown.
Tuning out all the voices around him, Kai Doumeki had been a police officer for decades and was there for Draco Knight's debut fourteen years ago. Their relationship had once been close, in-between disputes with his department and most of the hero agencies in the city.
Draco Knight was one of the few Pro-Heroes who made conscious efforts to bridge and improve relations with the Heroes and the civilian police. Yet, despite his efforts, he wasn't without flaws, especially with the incident seven years ago that forever shook the relationship between the two men. Many had known that Kai had once covered for Draco Knight during a prior incident. It had cost him dearly, including the chance of a promotion snatched away from his grasp.
And now that Draco Knight was dead, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Kai was finally going to cash in on the favor he felt owed to him. When it finally came down to him waiting to present his case with evidence, a window of opportunity for his plan finally arrived. A sudden knock on the door silenced the room, and a voice from one of the door guards called out to everyone inside.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, I have a Detective Sergeant Hajime Tanaka here to see Section Chief Doumeki."
The members faced the large grizzled guard; with murmurs and mumblings about this change of events. Kai paused momentarily, adding an air of drama before answering in a commanding voice, refusing the committee to stall.
"Send him in."
"Sir."
Hajime walked in. He was a tall, head-shaven detective in glasses wearing typical civilian clothing. He needed a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the smoky room and to spot his supervisor. The Detective wasn't fond of the smoke and found the present atmosphere unpleasant; however, considering his station, he knew to keep such comments to himself. He wasn't happy with his current job assignment, and what he was about to do only compounded these feelings.
The documents he had on hand and how he acquired them had left a bad taste in his mouth. He knew what he was involved in would haunt him for the rest of his life. But, in the end, he owed his Chief his loyalty. Hajime walked up to his superior and handed the documents to Kai.
"Here are the files you requested, sir, including the additional special records."
Hajime hoped that the moment Kai started reading the documents, he could simply leave and wash his hands of his role in this unsavory endeavor. Unfortunately, Kai had other plans for the young Detective when he motioned for him to stay where he was. The Chief took his time to read over the documents, knowing full well that the other committee members looked at him with a mix of suspense and contempt for interrupting the meeting.
'Just as planned.'
Once he reviewed everything and was satisfied with what he had on hand, Kai rose from his seat, motioning Hajime to follow him to the nearby document camera connected to a projector. He simply handed back the documents to Hajime to project onto the screen, much to the Detective's chagrin. Meanwhile, Kai sat down on the seat next to the projector. He cleared his throat as he prepared to speak while Hajime started with the first document on the projector.
Quirk Registration Documentation Form #111892T-9R-F01
Hisashi Midoriya
Quirk: Dragon Shift (Alpha)
Type: Hybrid, (Transformation/Heteromorphic)
WARNING: NATIONAL SECURITY AUTHORIZATION IS REQUIRED TO VIEW
PER THE HERO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION
VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED
INFORMATION REDACTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH HPSC REGULATIONS
Description: The user can transform or "Shift" limbs or the whole body with those that partly resemble classical European Dragonlore. Or, to be more accurate, those of a reptilian nature. The skin can be turned into hardened scales with the coloration matching the primary hair color? (Detail unconfirmed)
Addendum: Hisashi Midoriya was confirmed to have black scales. While his son, Izuku Midoriya was confirmed to have green scales upon officially registering his Quirk to the record. For further information, please read: (Registration File: #541786T-9R-F03 Dragon Shift Beta)
Hands and feet can be altered into armored claws for offensive attacks. Certain joints, like elbows, can gain spikes from more pronounced bone density. The user's teeth can become sharp and pointed during their transformation. The more drastic the shift, the higher the energy output; the more drastic shifts also allow for changes in height and weight as well as muscle and bone density. Adjusting the energy output provides a considerable boost in speed, strength, and agility.
Individual limbs can be transformed independently.
Higher density scales, dubbed as "Plate Armor," have been confirmed strong enough to repel several types of blades (See incident 1678Vig-Stend)
Eye color can change following energy output or "Rank," as dubbed by Draco Knight himself.
Confirmed Colors
Natural -No output- (0%)
Blue "Page"(1-39%)
Teal "Squire" (40-69%)
Silver "Knight" (70-90%)
Glowing Gold "Dragon Knight mode" Glowing Red "-Information redacted-" (91-100%+)
Irises can change shape, and the Sclera can become black upon reaching 80% output. Contrary to popular belief, Dragon Shift does not produce additional limbs like wings or a tail. However, it is theorized that if the user had these limbs naturally.
(See Registration File: #345809T-106R-LSK-F01 Ryūko Tatsuma)
Then the user would be able to transform them as well.
Medical details: The higher the energy output, the more stamina is used.
This can make stamina-based recovery quirks ill-advised until the user's endurance is restored to safe levels. In addition, even minor cuts can become large gashes that can cause extreme blood loss when the user transforms back. Shifting can escalate the injuries to include compound fractures(*1) if transformation is rushed or if the limb in question is at an awkward angle.
(See incident(s) 11289r-Fu, and 7812v-PK.)
The fully armored "Dragon Knight Mode," the Quirk's trademark ultimate form, could completely wipe out Hisashi in about nine minutes at his peak; pushing beyond that, and the user could run the risk of being rendered unconscious or escalate into -Information redacted-
-Information redacted-
-Information redacted-
Should -Information redacted-be engaged. Quirks that were induced like those possessed by The Pro-Hero Midnight had proven to be very effective, as shown during the -Information redacted- incident dated -Information redacted-222 Q.E. (*2)
Additional cases of -Information redacted-include the following.
-Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information redacted-
Family History related to Quirk:
-Information redacted-
-Information redacted-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information redacted-
Quirk confirmed from the maternal line: -Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
Lead Sidekick, Pro-Hero, Ryūkyū, Ryūko Tatsuma is Hisashi Midoriya's Maternal First Cousin, Once Removed via the -Information struck from the record- Cadet Branch of the -Information struck from the record- Family.
-Information redacted-
-Information redacted-
-Information redacted-
-Information struck from the record-
-Information struck from the record-
Questions regarding conflicting details regarding parental heritage should be sent to Detective -Information struck from the record-of -Information struck from the record- Task Force at -Information struck from the record-city.
Immediately, like the cork popping from a champagne bottle under pressure, the room broke into a loud frenzy. Several members of the committee, from other Police Chiefs to members of the other agencies, began questioning or demanding answers. Only for members to begin fighting amongst themselves as they began to prioritize different issues that concerned them. Meanwhile, the Foreman of the council tried to regain order with his gavel.
"ORDER! THIS MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER!"
"Chief Doumeki, what is the meaning of this?"
"Is this Draco Knight's Quirk Registration form?!"
"I SAID ORDER!"
"These records are supposed to be sealed, Doumeki! Pulling these files without our leave is a grave misuse of your authority!"
"Just how far did the government go to seal this information? I think that would be a better question, Minister."
"I WILL HAVE ORDER!"
"That is none of your concern, Chief Sakamoto."
"I BEG TO DIFFER, SIR!"
"ORDER!"
"How could someone with this kind of record ever be a Pro-Hero?! Let alone rank Nine?! Minister Hatake, I would like to request a review on the HSPC board for this questionable record!"
"Careful, Chief Yamada. You're already sprinting on thin ice with that comment."
"Is that a threat, Sir?"
"I SAID ORDER, YOU DAMNEDABLE SODS!"
"Gentlemen, please!" Kai called everyone to attention with surprising authority, silencing the room with a stony glare. "I believe I have a solution to all our problems right here."
"Explain yourself, Chief Doumeki!" Demanded a member of the ministry.
"I am the Section-Chief of the Police Department from Draco Knight's hometown. If anyone here in this room truly knew Draco Knight, it is me," Kai began again once he was sure he had their attention. "This includes, as you can see, several things that were off the record. Very few realized that Draco Knight had very destructive powers. However…"
Instantly, the tension in the room grew. Kai had tried to keep his voice neutral, but an air of frustration was now evident. Kai continued to speak while motioning to Hajime to display the following image.
Click
"The off-the-record incident from seven years ago is proof of this."
The room began to mutter and whisper with questions.
"ORDER!" The Foreman quickly restored order again with a sharp slam of his gavel. "Continue, Chief Doumeki."
"Looks familiar, doesn't it? The destruction isn't as great, but it is similar to what we witnessed three days ago, right?"
At last, Kai reached the point he wanted to convey to the members of this meeting.
"Doumeki…are you suggesting we pin this whole thing on Draco Knight?"
"Am I suggesting that we should say Draco Knight went rogue?" Said Kai staring at the committee member who had spoken up. "No, of course not, Minister. Instead, what I am saying is that we should, in fact, give full credit for the Operation to him."
"So...we just take All Might out of the picture completely?"
Slowly but surely, the congregation had pieced together Kai's plan.
"If we do that...the destruction would go on his record, and all the lost lives along with the damages would fall squarely on him."
"His legacy would go down in disgrace!"
"I don't think his agency could afford all the costs."
"As estimates stand, his wife, Inko Midoriya, now legally owns his agency and would be responsible for the costs."
"We can take a good amount of the cost out of the payout once we compensate all of the Pro-Heroes involved or their families for those who died. Yet even with that, the Drake's Den will have to be liquidated to settle just a fraction of the costs."
"That would be horrible for his family and all the sidekicks under his employment!"
"KAI!" Another Section Chief, Kaoru Kiryūin, stood up and pointed a stern finger, looking at Kai squarely in the eyes. "There is an ulterior motive for this, isn't there?! I will not stand for something like this! Mark my words; I will ensure Internal Affairs looks into this!"
"ORDER! I WILL HAVE ORDER!"
Amidst the chaos, Kai had prepared for this. He knew some of his rivals in the justice force would take this chance to try and take him down a notch. This is a dog-eat-dog world, with Kaoru being the greatest threat to his plan.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, please," Kai responded, gently rising from his seat. Through his calm demeanor, the Chief continued to lie through his teeth. He pointed back to the projected screen of the damages made years ago. "Let me make one thing clear: I have nothing against Draco Knight. This has nothing to do with my personal feelings towards him."
"This is to prevent a panic among the citizens with our number one hero, All Might. Who – might I remind you – is currently still in the middle of surgery and can still die on the operating at any moment," Kai let out an exhausted sigh and bit back the bile that was building in the back of his throat. "Our number nine ranked hero is dead, and right now, the goddamn media is at our door! And they are not helping with that battle being the absolute shit show that it was. This solution that I am proposing should take care of all our issues in one fell swoop."
Many members could see the rationale behind the plan, which could indeed solve many of their concerns. However, the morality of the decision still rang wrong in their hearts. Kai remained undeterred, taking the chance to strike while the iron was still hot.
"Gentlemen, we need to put this to a vote. We have very few options left. Now, we either announce Draco Knight's death with a half-baked plan that would be dissected by the media to uncover the truth or!"
Kai slammed the table before him.
"We essentially tell most of the truth, cover up the finer details as a matter of national security, and simply leave All Might out of the picture. Now, shall we put this to a vote?"
"His death in battle wouldn't be inaccurate..."
"I'm just tired of all of this!"
"We are out of time...and this cover up can work if we're careful."
"The Ministry can accept this, on the condition that a gag order is placed. The Police Commission will remain out of HSPC affairs. While the HSPC will look the other way for this transgression, Doumeki," said the Minister for the Department of Heroics with a silent yet severe tone. Most of the committee members slowly began to silently agree to the conditions laid out. While those against were too few a minority to make any difference.
"Foreman. Begin the vote."
"All those in favor?"
Kai's mouth curved into a sly grin as he mentally counted the arms raised.
"All those opposed?"
And just like that, Kai's victory was assured as the final votes were tallied. The truth is that he had shaped would secure a positive step in his future. In the final tally of the thirty-four individuals who could vote, the results were a resounding twenty-eight voter approval to six. Kaoru was among the six who rejected Kai's proposal.
"Very well," the meeting foreman announced. "The votes are in. Even to those who ultimately opposed this plan, a gag order is now in place for this incident. The 'official story' will be carefully rewritten to suit the committee's decision."
Bang!
With the strike of the gavel, Draco Knight's fate was sealed.
"This meeting has been adjourned."
When Kai returned to his home office hours later, he saw that his wife had left him a new bottle of his favorite rice wine on his desk. He had placed an order for this beverage a few months ago, as the makers of this favored and expensive brand often only made limited quantities per year. With an accomplished smile, he grabbed a small ceramic cup set from the cupboard to the left of his desk and poured a measured amount from the new bottle.
"What better way to celebrate a new future, eh, Draco Knight?" He toasted the night sky from the window behind his desk. He sipped slowly at first, but after a moment, he followed quickly with one swift movement as he downed it quickly. The beverage was usually meant to be savored slowly, but today, it tasted strangely bitter to him. But before he could ponder why this was the case, he heard his cell phone ring in his pocket.
He pulled it out and saw a familiar name on it as he answered.
"Mr. Anno," Kai greeted pleasantly. "It's good to speak to you, sir. Yes, the plan went without a hitch. I can see the headlines tomorrow – undoubtedly, this will be your chance. The New Conventionalist Movement can finally get its head start from here on out."
"Now, about the few possible problems in the foreseeable future..." Kai continued as he pondered a few details about his immediate future. "Yes, I think a new office would be nice and protect me against certain people who like to take me down."
When the call ended, he cleaned up the cup he had used earlier and placed the bottle away for safekeeping.
"Maybe it will taste sweeter when I can celebrate properly..." Kai said with a small sigh. "For a real special occasion."
Kai sat on his chair before spying a piece of paper on the cover of his eye. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be an old, dusty photo. He pulled it out and nearly gasped, knowing this photo too well. It was when he was still a young trooper who bore fresh scars on his face, years after joining the force. A dark-haired boy with bright golden eyes was in his arms, wearing dirty, torn-up clothes and looking nearly half-starved. It was the boy he had once found and saved from the streets, a rough and troubled boy who grew up to be a hero...
A boy, he just now damned.
-One week later.
In what is considered the best privately owned hospital in the country, Naomasa Tsukauchi stood in the waiting room, waiting to enter the intensive care facility. His friend, Toshinori Yagi, had finally awakened from a short-lived coma after an exhaustive, life-saving surgery. Toshinori, better known as the Pro-Hero All Might, was ranked First in Japan and the widely acknowledged World's Symbol of Peace and Justice.
Yet, this only made Naomasa more than just nervous. It had been four days since the press conference announced the official report of the destructive battle that caused the death of Draco Knight. He wasn't sure if the doctors had already informed All Might of the result of the battle. Or if the man was even coherent enough to comprehend what had happened while he was under. Then again, those in charge of treating All Might had been grounded and placed under lockdown. Assuring his complete privacy and security during his stay. While serving as a subtle notion for the hospital staff to remain silent as this was a matter of national security.
"Detective?" Called a voice from ahead.
Naomasa looked up to see All Might's physician.
"He is ready to see you. Please try not to excite or agitate him for the time being; he is still recovering."
Naomasa paused, then nodded, slowly bowing to the Doctor, saying thanks before walking in. He knew All Might would be angry once he heard what the committee had done. Just how much is what Naomasa wasn't so sure about, and the very notion of that terrified him.
"Tsu...Tsukauchi?"
As Naomasa entered the room, the man paused, unsure whether what he saw was real.
"All Might?"
The Detective's eyes widened as he saw the skinny, weak frame of The World's Symbol of Peace.
"I know, my friend," Toshinori's voice was tired, raw, and somber. Yet he still managed to produce an ironic chuckle while barely being able to crack a rueful smile. "It seems like it's finally the time to look for a proper successor. Nighteye always had good points in matters like this."
Naomasa took a moment to sit beside Toshinori, dreading the news he would have to break to his friend.
"All Mig –"
"Draco Knight is dead."
Naomasa stopped again; it was a clear statement, not a question. All Might ready knew something was up already. But just how much did he know?
"I…I made a mistake during the fight. By the time everything was settled, I knew it was too late. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for him." Toshinori's voice had finally broken, his eyes hidden under his golden locks. "He...shielded me..."
This was when Naomasa knew that the news would shatter his friend. However, it needed to be done. All Might needed to know the truth and hopefully correct this terrible injustice.
"All Might…"
Toshinori looked at his friend, eyes widening as he heard those accursed words.
'Those sons of bitches.'
Izuku lay in his bed, as he had for the last week. Another warm spring day had arrived, perfect weather for training – but not today. Izuku wasn't sure of himself anymore, especially right now. It seemed silly, almost laughable to him. He knew perfectly well that something like this could have happened. It was the unspoken part of being a Pro-Hero.
The fact that one day, something big could happen, and the risks involved could get one injured or killed. Izuku had already gone through sleepless nights with his mother before, whenever his father or cousin had gotten severely injured on duty. He remembered two years ago when he had needed to help his father around the house after a rather nasty battle with a villain, but this was different.
Izuku still couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. He just couldn't accept that his father was really gone. The boy's thoughts were flooded by all of the fond memories he had with the man. From all the training to touring various hero agencies to doing community service, they did their best to follow All Might's example.
Izuku remembered how, on slow days, his father would get with his sidekicks on shift that day to help with several community service projects. Hisashi would often lead the charge with Izuku in tow with an infectious enthusiasm that could get even some of the more resistant sidekicks to willingly join him. However, Katsuki's unwillingness to join his community service projects often disappointed Hisashi. However, Hisashi would use the blond boy's example as a lesson for his son to learn as he got older.
"Listen, Izuku, when it comes to Hero work, it isn't always about being flashy, capturing villains, or saving people. Basic service can go a long way, even if it's just community service. A true Knight, like a True Hero, will always be a servant to a cause. Katsuki has yet to learn the importance of this lesson, and while one day he may come to understand – you, Izuku, already know why we do this. This will allow you to focus on the other aspects of heroism to become the best hero you want to be."
A gentle knock at the door stirred Izuku from his nostalgic recollections as his mother's voice called out to him.
"Honey? Are you ready to leave?"
Izuku stared at the closed door and the All Might poster that hung on it. Part of him knew that he would have to walk through that very door and head out to say goodbye to his father for the last time. Yet, a part of him held a childish belief that if he stayed, that if he stayed put and didn't go, he wouldn't have to accept the truth—that his father was still alive.
'He could be out on a secret mission.'
'He could have moved to work overseas.'
'Maybe they were just getting divorced, and this is how mom wanted to cope.'
All of those ideas would have been better than the truth as he tried to reason with himself. At least until his thoughts turned against him with the harsh, burning truth.
He's gone.
'No!' Izuku could start feeling the tears build up in his eyes and blur his vision as he tried everything to stop them.
You need to face reality.
'NO!' The heat of his breath mixed with his quiet sobs was quick to make him sweat. Hot tears were already bearing down his eyes, rolling on his cheeks, burning him.
He's dead.
The dam inside him broke while Izuku could hear the door open with his mother; Inko entered slowly while dressed in a simple, formfitting black dress and holding onto a box of tissues. She had been crying as well, but today was the day she needed to be strong, at least until Hisashi was finally put to rest in the family grave. Upon seeing that her son had been dressed, she knew he struggled to leave. He was physically ready to depart, but he could not accept the truth mentally. She walked close, slowly extending her arms to wrap around her son gently. She placed his head on her shoulder to allow him to weep.
"Inko, dear, are you…oh—I'm so sorry," said a voice by the entrance. Ryūko had been staying at the Midoriya household for the last few days, assisting with the funeral preparations and serving as one-half of the Midoriya family honor guard until after the funeral.
"Izuku dear, I know this is hard," Inko spoke softly as she rubbed her son's back. "The sooner we do this, the sooner we can begin to heal."
Izuku held his mother tightly as he continued sobbing into her shoulder. After a few more minutes, the boy stopped as he felt ready to make the journey. He looked at his mother, who began wiping away the remaining tears. Yet, before Izuku could speak, Inko spoke up as if she had read his mind.
"Katsuki is here along with Mitsuki, Masaru, and even Yū; they're all here and are waiting for us to come down. We won't be alone in this, Izuku. Many people, heroes, and civilians alike loved your father," Inko paused as she figured out what to say next. "And while things will never be the same, it will get better with time."
Izuku wanted to deny her words but knew he couldn't. He just wouldn't fully accept them yet. Finally, the boy simply nodded, and the two began their journey to see his father laid to rest. Ryūko remained silent the whole time and simply walked alongside her relatives.
Katsuki Bakugou was sitting in the living room of the Midoriya household with his parents, dressed in a small frame dark suit with a black tie. The boy despised wearing formal clothing like this, but this was an important day. It was the funeral of his mentor, Master, and best friend's father.
The man Katsuki had grown to call Uncle, so he would act the best he could today.
The blond boy looked around the house he had practically lived in once he started his Quirk training. He remembered the day that Hisashi had accepted his request to train him. It had been a rough few years with several ups and a few lows but in the end. He hadn't regretted a moment, even if it meant being forced to change a few of his old habits.
"Katsuki, get up; it's time to go," his mother's voice perked him up. Katsuki looked up to see his best friend coming down the stairs. Izuku climbed down slowly, his eyes hidden under his poofy hair, followed by Inko and his cousin Ryūko.
Katsuki's cousin, Yū Yakeyama, sat nearby in the formal version of her Ketsubutsu Academy uniform, stood up, and joined Mitsuki to give Izuku a hug. Izuku only returned the affection halfheartedly. This was followed by Katsuki's father, Masaru, who placed a warm hand on Izuku's shoulder. Katsuki went ahead and drew Izuku into a rare hug. The blond bomber still wasn't the best at expressing these kinds of emotions, but he knew his friend needed this.
"If we are all ready, ma'am. We can head out now," said the Pro-Hero Ingenium as he entered the living room. He served as the second half of the Midoriya family honor guard. Tradition called for the lead sidekick and, if available, a former sidekick or intern who had gained their own agency.
"We're ready," said Inko firmly. With that, Ingenium and Ryūkyū would exit first to lead them to one of the limousines that would take them to the temple near the Midoriya family grave. Everything was quiet, and even the wind kept still.
The ride to the shrine was quick. On the way to the temple, Katsuki's mind would wander off to his good times with Hisashi. The holidays, the training days, and the tours to various hero agencies with Hisashi. These memories threatened to bring tears to his eyes, finding himself reaching out to hold the hands of both his parents, grateful that they were still with him. Despite all the madness, they could sometimes drive into each other. Katsuki still loved his family dearly and dreaded if such a thing would happen to them in the future.
"We're here."
Despite Draco Knight's high rank among Pro-Heroes, the funeral and wake were planned as simple affairs. This was more due to his humble nature when his Last Will and Testament had been read. Only a handful of people knew that even this simple funeral and the costs from the battle had financially broken the Midoriya household.
Inko, who had been Hisashi's marketing manager from the very beginning, now legally owned his agency postmortem. Unfortunately, she was already planning to sell their old home and move to a small apartment on the edge of Musutafu. Inko knew it would make Izuku sad to leave his childhood home, so she at least ensured that their new home would still be close to U.A. since Izuku still had dreams of going there.
There was, however, one more benefit to their relocation.
The Midoriyas were moving closer to the Bakugou family, who had been long-time family friends. Meanwhile, Ryūko had helped organize things for her new boss, as temporary as it would be. Alongside her, all of Hisashi's sidekicks had chipped in money-wise as much as they could. They all knew The Drake's Den would close regardless of the outcome, but unlike them, the Midoriyas would be in the red for quite some time afterward. So, for their time with the late pro-hero, they returned the favor to Hisashi's surviving family in the best way they could.
As everyone arrived at the shrine, they could see other mourners in attendance.
This included Pros and Sidekicks alike -even Pro-Hero Endeavor and his whole family had arrived in civilian attire. Ingenium would split from the group to join his pregnant wife, Fuyumi (*3). While the main party entered the temple, they could see the shrine had set three pictures of Hisashi Midoriya. The first was in his Hero costume; the second was in civilian clothing, and he was smiling; the final was his official Hero License Portrait, as tradition called for.
As the service continued, the smell of burning incense helped put many mourners at ease. The monks who tended the temple grounds seated Inko and Izuku next to the shrine. The monks continued to help arrange the guests into neat rows to begin the ceremony. This would go on for hours as each guest took a turn to burn incense at the shrine. Offering their prayers to Hisashi's soul was followed by bowing deeply to his surviving family, then returning to the crowd.
Izuku, still in a somber mood, paid little attention to all the guests except for one man who did catch his eye. He was wearing a dark suit that seemed far too big for him, painfully thin with blond hair and sunken-blue eyes that seemed familiar to him. He seemed very weak, given that he was using crutches to get by and was being assisted by a police officer wearing his dress uniform.
Izuku didn't know why his attention was drawn to this man, but something told him he was different from everyone else. While filled with grief, this man's eyes had something else hidden behind them, a look of guilt, like a child waiting for reprimanding after being caught red-handed. Ultimately, Izuku would also end up paying little attention to him.
After all, he didn't want to seem rude to the remaining guests.
When the ceremony concluded. The remaining Midoriyas, along with Ryūko and the Bakugou family, including Yū, would return to the Midoriya household as guests who were welcomed to stay the night. The Bakugous gladly accepted, knowing the Midoriyas needed the support and company. However, it was here that Katsuki knew something was off with Izuku. He saw something he wished he could have ignored before everyone went to bed.
He had overheard Inko speaking with Izuku,
"Honey, even after all of this...do you still want to be a Pro-Hero?"
Izuku looked up with determination, but Katsuki knew better when he saw his face—no, not his face, but his mask, which bore a hollow smile and dull eyes.
"Yes..."
While Izuku's answer seemed enough for Inko. The instant she left him alone, Katsuki could see the changing shift in his friend's face and his expression of uncertainty. Katsuki and Izuku's plans and shared dreams revolved around becoming pro heroes one day; he still had zero doubts in his heart and mind.
However, the blond lad could see the increasing doubt and insecurity Izuku had at that moment. He wasn't wrong; Izuku was hurting as he felt he had just lied to his mother. There was no doubt in his heart that all he ever wanted in his whole life was to be a Pro-Hero, just like his father and their idol, All Might. It was the only future he could ever see himself in.
But what pained him was the small, persistent hole of doubt slowly gnawing inside him.
Did he even have the heart to become a Pro-Hero?
Right now, Izuku wasn't sure of himself.
And that very idea terrified him...
"There we go," said Doctor Garaki as he finished making sure his Master was comfortable. The last battle with All Might had taken so much out of him. It was only due to a number of his stolen powers that assured his continued survival. Yet, his Master's labored breathing made him uneasy; the diagnoses was grim, the Emperor was dying. Finally after a few more heart-pounding moments, the ancient man groaned and spoke with a slight hiss, that made the warm room feel cold.
"Doctor..."The now eyeless All For One slowly turned his head to face his partner in crime.
"Yes, Master?"
"What is the current progress of the Crowning Project?"
The Doctor seemed to breathe easier now; the Master still had his senses to check on such an important project. Needless to say, choosing a potential successor now was more important than ever before.
"Progress is going smoothly, Master. We will be ready to begin the next round of culling within the coming months. Currently, when it comes to testing, Tomura continues to have the edge over the others," Garaki answered as he grabbed a remote to turn on the mounted monitor on the nearby wall.
"Good...good," All For One hissed with approval.
While the Master couldn't see the display, what mattered was that the children continued to kneel, to give their patronage before the screen in front of them as they saw their Master was still alive. Garaki could still see a number of his own research apprentices and guards on the sidelines. In the front row leading the pack, the eldest and current favorite, The Pale Prince: Tomura Shigaraki.
"I fear that the Villain Factory and others will try to break from my grasp soon," All For One declared to his potential heirs; The Prince and Princesses of Darkness. "Using my current condition to take power. They are threatening your rights as my heirs; you will deal with them to preserve our Empire. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Master," the children all answered in unison.
"Tomura, rise up," All For One commanded. The young man slowly rose from his spot and stood with confidence. Once Garaki, gave him a subtle signal, the Master continued to speak. "You will be leading charge against our enemies; remind them who they serve and will continue to serve for the forseeable future."
"Of course, Master," Tomura responded with a wide grin.
"Beware Tomura," All For One cautioned. "Do not rest on your laurels, lest you brothers and sisters behind you decide to outshine you."
"Of course not, Master," Tomura followed up as his grin disappeared. His siblings began to laugh behind his back, still hidden in the shadows. From the corner of his eyes he could see the amalgamation of figures of different shapes and sizes. Once they numbered a few dozen, now only fifteen remained.
Yet, all these children had one thing in common.
Their eyes glowed in the shadows, even in the void of darkness. Ruby-red or golden-yellow, these were eyes who all competed to become the next Master, from titles that ranged from The Emperor of Darkness, The Cardinal Emperor, or The King of the Underworld.
All of these titles were meaningless, however. At least when compared to the Title, they were fighting for and the power that came with it.
All For One.
Author's Commentary
*1 Compound fracture: For those unfamiliar with the term, a compound fracture is when a broken bone sticks out of the skin often caused by a severe amount of physical trauma. Note, if you have a weak stomach, looking up examples of a Compound Fracture is not recommended.
I however, find a lot of those videos, (especially of stupid people doing stupid things) hilarious. (Anyone remember the show Scarred on MTV years back? Damn that takes be back.)
*2 Q.E.:Quirk Era an author's note that was previous in a much later chapter is now here. Instead of doing the whole 2XXX etc that most authors seem to employ. I believe that Quirks would cause such a shake up to humanity that we would actually reflect the change with an new era. For the sake of the record, the Quirk Era officially began in 2017 C.E., which serves at the Year Zero for the Quirk Era. However, details about when the first generation of Quirks formally began is something that will discussed in-universe from time to time.
*3 Fuyumi: One of the keys things I did even from the very beginning was do to some major shake ups to other characters to avoid retreading certain sub-plots from canon. This includes altering certain characters ages and even some background details. Fuyumi has been aged up slightly alongside her parents and she will not be the only one with an age/background change. (This note was added to address complaints about Fuyumi being too young despite that I had already given a warning about this very topic earlier in prior authors notes.) More details will be shared later in the story, but this change works for the theme that I am trying to weave with this story.
Now, something I need to talk about that is very important and key detail that seemed to cause some confusion into my readers in the prior version in a later chapter. Let me makes things crystal clear. Hisashi is dead, and his body was successfully recovered and brought home to his family. His body was cremated as is the standard practice in Japanese funerals with the ashes interred into the family grave.
I didn't think I needed to be straight forward in the text to mention anything out of the ordinary regarding Hisahi's corpse. (I never gave any indication that Hisashi's body was missing or lost in the text. Because that would have been a huge detail to miss.) But yeah, just so we are all clear. Hisashi is dead and his body was recovered and is now just a pile of ashes inside a grave.
(This is will be relevant later)
Now, finally, this chapter should have launched alongside the reboot of Hisashi's prequel story and should be available to read right now. Please enjoy the brand new prologue of My Hero Academia Untold: The Black Dragon Knights.
The next chapter will also be a brand new chapter not found in the prior versions of the this story.
Chapter V: Echoes will premier on 4/8/2024 hope you look forward to it.
Hope you've enjoyed the chapter.
With love,
-ZX
