Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

25 years ago, six Antarctic scientists discovered a massive palace made of indestructible marble buried in the ice. That was humanity's first exposure to what they called magic. It was a miraculous discovery that sent the world reeling. The world's second exposure was closer to genocide.

The Gates, rifts between dimensions, began to appear, spewing forth monsters that were invulnerable to humanity's armaments. Guns, missiles, and a few nukes later, even the weakest stood strong. It wasn't until the scientists returned from the arctic wasteland that humanity was able to push them back. Not because the scientists had an ingenious plan fueled by research of the palace, rather, the exposure to the palace had turned them into something new, something humanity had never seen before, Heroes.

The Awakened humans wasted no time putting their skills to use, destroying more and more Gates. But no matter how many they destroyed, more popped up, each waiting seven days before unleashing their contents unless a Hero went inside and destroyed the monsters, monsters that humanity came to call Villains. Fortunately, the Gates' magic seeped onto Earth in tidal waves, Awakening more and more to the cause of the Heroes. Not only that, but the lucky few developed special abilities, called Quirks.

10 years later, after many bloody and brutal battles, humanity reached a stalemate, finally managing to rebuild their destroyed cities and recover their population. With the Heroes tackling any Gate that popped up, the supernatural events became little more than a daily sight. There were disasters here and there sure, Jeju Island and Kamish being notable ones. But there was some semblance of peace again.

Another 20 years later, and the bloodiest war in the history of the universe would begin with an 18-year-old boy just trying to make some money for his ailing mother as a rookie Hero. He was the weakest, but somewhere, deep in the dark matter of the universe, there was a throne of shadows waiting for him to sit upon it. That boy was Izuku Midoriya, that boy was the Shadow Monarch.

Chapter Text

Despite being only 18 years of age, Izuku Midoriya had seen more than enough for a lifetime. His father’s funeral, his mother laying comatose in a hospital bed, his bank account when trying to cover the costs of all the medical bills, and his sister’s concerned gaze every time he left the house to participate in a Raid on a Gate. But out of it all, the one sight he never got tired of, was the Pros in action.

Standing in a crowd near Tatooin Station, Izuku watched as the swirling mass of sparking blue energy spat out a massive beast.

Well over sixty feet tall, it was made completely of stone, and should’ve put the crowd into a severe state of panic, but this was the world of Heroes. 

“Stupid Boss!” A woman spat. Standing a head above the Villain was Mount Lady, a Giant A-Rank Hero clad in size changing purple and white armor. “I already killed all the Villains in that Gate, couldn’t you have waited just a little longer to break out?”

The stone monster roared, sending Izuku into a spiral of writing. As an E-Rank, the bottom of the barrel, Izuku had two options, study Villains until he could predict their moves like a Dark Souls game, or die.

“Gargoyle Boss Villain. B-Rank. Wings cannot be used for flight, but for defensive measures. Charges head on and attacks with his claws, does not appear to use his taloned feet.” Izuku had a dozen notebooks for the Villains that humanity despised, and ironically, none for the Heroes that were adored. Simply put, Izuku would never be on the same level as his favorite Heroes and would never fight alongside them, so he figured there was no point to obsess over their strategies.

Meanwhile, Mount Lady was swinging a mace the size of a telephone pole, batting aside the gargoyle’s swipes with ease. “Come on!” She said, giving a wink to the onlookers and reporters. “Let’s give ‘em a show!” She crouched down low, giving the “audience” a nice view of her rear as she prepared to raise to her full height, bringing the mace to bear and decapitating the Villain with pure force.

But that never happened. Instead, the crowd jumped in shock, their ears ringing from the blast of an anti-material rifle. And just as Mount Lady had planned to destroy the head of the Villain, this bullet caused it to explode from the inside out, peppering the giant Hero with shrapnel.

“Hey! That was my kill!” She shouted, looking around for the source of the shot.

“How impudent…” A voice drawled out, drawing the attention away from Mount Lady and to a nearby rooftop, where a curvy lady with dark-blue and pink hair stood, slinging her rifle over her shoulder.

“Lady Nagant!” The crowd cried out in amazement, Mount Lady now a fleeting thought in their mind.

The woman’s cold exterior broke for just a moment to give a kind smile and a wave to the crowd.

“Did you hear me?!” Mount Lady cried out. “MY! KILL!”

Nagant glared at her. “Don’t be stupid A-Rank, you should’ve finished it inside the Gate. Instead you decide to put innocent people at risk for a show.”

Mount Lady glared back at the S-Rank. 

The two, even amongst Heroes, were special. Not just because they had the skill to back up their arrogance, but because they had Quirks. Every now and again, you’d get an Awakened human who also manifested a Quirk, a special magical ability that augmented their power. 

Mount Lady could grow to ridiculous size, making her a perfect fighter against giant-class Villains. And Nagant could create bullets from her hair, infusing them with her magical energy. Weapons with magical attributes were already rare, so to be able to produce bullets with magical infusion was just insane. It bumped the two up from their natural Awakened strength of A and B respectively to S and A and it gave them massive fanbases, Izuku among them.

He was Awakened as an E-Rank, and on top of it, he didn’t even get a Quirk, making him the weakest of the weak. But even still, he fancied himself a Hero.

“Oh crap!” He muttered, glancing at his old, cracked phone that was several generations older than most had. “I’m gonna be late.” He took off sprinting, barely above the speed of an average human, disappointed to miss the rest of Nagant and Mount Lady’s interaction, but knowing that if he missed out on the earnings of the Gate he had signed up for, he’d be late on rent.

*******

If there was one thing that Izuku wanted more than anything else, even a Reawakening, it was some custom made Hero armor. 

Not only was it super cool, with most armors being designed as jagged and threatening with matching color combinations, but they were exceptionally useful in Gates. Augmenting strength and durability, a single piece of S-Rank armor could raise even an E-Rank to low C-Rank. And on top of it all… Izuku did not have any good Raid clothes to begin with.

He barely had the money to pay rent every month, much less clothing better than a baggy hoodie and uncomfortable and ripped jeans. They were all he could spare and afford to lose, but that didn’t mean he liked it, especially since fumbling around usually got you killed in a Gate and baggy clothes did not help that.

As Izuku reached the construction site, where a small group was forming, he checked his phone once more, confirming that this was the time and place of the D-Rank Gate that he had signed up for.

Anyone 18 or older could get a permit to Raid Gates and earned access to the Hero App which monitored Raid teams and Gates. Well, anyone who could prove they could handle it. It took Izuku five attempts at different Hero Centers to become eligible, and even then, his access was limited to low D-Rank Gates, or lower. If it was up to him, he’d try to take on a C-Rank, but he wasn’t allowed, no matter who he tried to ask to take him under their wing. Such a thing was illegal, as it consistently got people killed.

The only way Izuku would earn access to higher Gates would be a Reawakening or by getting into a Hero College, like UA. The schools were basically Agencies of their own, allowing most to learn the Gates with a teacher of a higher Rank guiding them. And once students graduated they could become faculty, having access to most Gates regardless of their Rank. That was just how powerful Hero Colleges were, they were basically allowed to break laws.

After learning that there was no more coffee left at the stand, Izuku went to join the group, cringing as his eyes met those of a familiar girl.

“Oh Midoriya…” She sighed.

“Hey Yaoyorozu!” He greeted, trying to offset the concern in her dark gray eyes. 

But while her pupils held kindness, the rest of the group just glared at him.

“It’s the weakest…”

“Can’t we ban him or kick him from Raid parties?”

“My friend works on the dev team for the Hero App, he said he’d bring it up with his boss.”

“Just gonna put others at risk.”

“He’s the only E-Rank here.”

Yaoyorozu returned their glares with her own, putting some of them, who liked to be on the Healer’s good side, on edge. And really, it was hard to talk back when the girl’s beauty commanded more attention than some Raid Leaders. That didn’t even account for the fact that she had a Quirk and was Ranked A.

“What in the world happened to your face?” She asked, noticing the giant purple blotch on his face and gingerly reaching out a hand to feel the bruise on his cheek. He winced. “Oh it’s fractured.” She cupped her hands together, sparks flying as Mana emerged from her hands, becoming matter as she used her Quirk. “Here, this should help.”

She handed him a small bottle of green liquid. It was a healing potion, a concept that didn’t normally exist despite all the fantasy going on in the world. Yaoyorozu was pretty much the only one who could make them due to her Quirk allowing her to create almost anything. Despite that, she was a healer, a backline support, rather than a fighter.

Izuku thanked her and downed the potion, the dull pain growing fainter by the second.

“So what happened?” She asked again.

Izuku shook his head, deciding not to mention the other dozen or so bruises beneath his clothes that were healing thanks to her potion. “Nothing important, just got into an argument.”

She pursed her lips together and crossed her arms. “Was it Bakugo?”

“Uhh…” Izuku scratched the back of his head, ignoring the pain from the welt on his skull that was also healing. “I just wanted to see if he could take me into a higher Ranked Gate with him.”

“And he punched you?!”

“He was just trying to knock some sense into me,” Izuku chuckled. “He held back, otherwise I’d be dead.”

“I agree that you need some sense knocked into you,” Yaoyorozu agreed, “But he broke a bone! That goes beyond trying to teach you a lesson.”

Izuku felt a pang of shame in his heart, knowing that even though Yaoyorozu meant well, she was looking down on him. And he couldn’t blame her, she was strong, smart, and beautiful. She was leagues above him in almost every way.

“You think I’d be seen anywhere with an E-Rank?! Don’t make me laugh, you waste of space!”

Izuku shook his head, trying to shake the image of Bakugo’s scornful eyes.

“Alright people let’s get going!” The Raid Leader declared, gathering the group in front of the swirling rift. He walked through, and the group followed.

Izuku and Yaoyorozu, at the back of the group were the last to pass into the Gate. It probably saved their lives, because once on the other side, not only did the Gate close, but the teens’ eyes widened in fear.

Laid before them, drenched in a puddle of blood, was the Raid group. Not a single one was alive.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s body immediately went into survival mode. His head whipped around, ignoring the massacre before him. “What was it?!”

“I didn’t see it…” Yaoyorozu was wide-eyed, her face pale with shock.

The two were standing in a massive cavern, the ceiling so far above them that the darkness hid it from view. If there was anything with them in the room, they wouldn’t be able to spot it. The only reason they had seen the dead bodies was that their gear was imbued with mana and had a slight glow for caverns just like this.

“W-Where’d the Gate go?” She asked.

Izuku gritted his teeth, trying to fight off the shudders running through his body. 

There were two options here. Either the group had died to a trap, or they had died to something that was so fast, so nimble, that the human eye couldn’t track it.

“We’d already be dead…” Izuku muttered, deciding neither option made sense, unless the trap was motion activated, but they had moved since the Gate closed, so that option was less likely as well.

He stumbled forwards, snatching up one of the fallen swords, a magic weapon, glowing with energy.

“Unless you’ve figured out how to create enchanted weapons with your Quirk, you should grab one of those.”

“I-I’m a healer though…”

“Well you’re still an A-Rank, four Ranks above me. If you swing hard enough with one of those swords you’d probably cut through a building. I might be able to cut a car in half. Big difference.”

Yaoyorozu hesitantly scooped up one of the thinner swords, showing a clear hesitancy with the blade, her grip fumbling.

“Okay… okay okay…” Izuku tried to calm his breathing. “We just walk straight until we find a wall and then follow it to the boss room and hope that it reopens the portal when it dies. This is a D-Rank Gate, so even an A-Rank on their own should be able to handle it just fine. Right, Yaoyoro…zu?” He looked up from his pondering, to see the girl stifling sobs, her face, already white with terror, had somehow gotten even paler.

It wasn’t just shock making her cry with fear. Her eyes were fixed behind Izuku… on something behind Izuku.

Like a metal neck rusted from air and salt water, Izuku’s neck creaked around in slow jolting movements, his entire body alight with a sensation that stabbed at his very soul… Death.

In the darkness of the cavern, just a few feet above the ground was the giant face of a moving statue, with glowing eyes, and a horrific sadistic smile. There was no way to better describe it than “ungodly.”

It was Izuku’s turn for his throat to be choked with cries of fear as his gaze met the giants. A stone creature decorated with otherworldly adornments, it was nothing less than a royal executioner. 

“Where… are its… feet…” Beset with such a horrific face, seemingly floating in mid-air, even Izuku’s thoughts slowed to a crawl. But before he could comprehend the way the statute was positioned, he was plunged into darkness once more, the lights of the eyes going dark.

“Y-Y-Yao-Yao… Momo… b-back to back…” Izuku said, pressing his shoulder blades up against hers, feeling her tremble, or perhaps it was his own body shaking with fear.

It was true evil, revealing itself, only to hide once more, and make its victims guess at where their fate would come from.

TAP… TAP… TAP

Izuku couldn’t feel his body anymore. So chill with fear it had gone numb. Directly above him, he heard the telltale click-clack of something walking on the ceiling. And in the darkness, he could ever so slightly make out a long spindly shape moving around.

DEATH

Izuku swung his sword to his right, instinct pushing his E-Rank senses to the absolute limit of human perception.

It was a good thing he had already gone numb, because whatever he hit was coming at him with the force of a planet. Izuku’s last moment swing had prevented the two from being decapitated, but that didn’t mean they were immune to amputation.

Izuku looked down at where he used to have a right arm, now just a bloodied stump connected to his shoulder.

He wanted to scream, not from pain, but from the irrevocable mental damage that came from reconciling the reality of losing a limb with the expectation that it still be in place stopped him. The scream caught in his throat, along with the trailing blood from the tongue he had practically bitten in half because of the stress.

In shock, and hopped up on adrenaline, he didn’t feel any pain, a rare blessing amongst the tragedy. It was all that allowed him to grab Yaoyorozu’s wrist with his remaining hand and take off running.

In what direction? What for? There was no plan. Izuku, and Yaoyorozu, had reverted to their basest of human instincts. Run, hide, escape danger. Human minds couldn’t fathom the true hopelessness of an approaching death, so they ran, even knowing there was no escape.

TINK TINK TINK

The cavern ceiling echoed with the pitter-patter of the demon in the room, chasing them down like a mouse in front of a cat. It was faster than measure, it would never lose sight of them, it just knew they hated that noise, that they feared it. It was also… leading them.

Izuku cracked his side against a stone structure in the center of the room, grunting as he spilled over onto the ground and letting go of Yaoyorozu’s hand. 

He struggled to pull himself to his feet, noticing the ground was alight with magical blue flames. They circled the structure Izuku had bumped. An altar with mythical runic language carved into it. And past that, the flames made a meter-wide path, leading to a dark tunnel, an exit.

Just as he was about to get up and sprint for it, the all-too-familiar walk of the creature echoed in the cavern. 

Dark legs, thin, but also the width of a human being, crept down the wall near the entrance. Spider-like and pointed, sharp enough to tear through human flesh with ease.

They continued down the wall until the statue’s face returned, glowing with glee as it spotted its prey. But really, it wasn’t a statue at all. It was a mask, connected to the dark spindly legs by a grotesque fleshy mass, like a bloodied and flayed neck.

The smile appeared to grow wider, gleeful in the predicament it presented. A predicament that Izuku didn’t need an explanation to understand.

Growing weaker, and paler from blood loss by the second, his body began to… relax.

He climbed atop the altar, sitting cross-legged, his head hanging low as he grew weaker.

“Yao… yorozu…” He muttered. “Run…”

The spider-like creature began approaching, the legs striking the ground with enough force to split rock in half. 

“Don’t leave… the path…”

In other words, she’d have to walk right under the monster to reach the exit.

Izuku wasn’t sure if she’d be able to, having been paralyzed with fear the entire time. But to her credit, she began to crawl forwards. On hands and knees, she inched forwards, bit by bit, scraping herself on the rough rock.

The spider creature was growing ever closer, but its gaze was not fixed on the girl crawling along beneath it.

Izuku’s breathing was growing shallow. He was desperately attempting to stay conscious, to make sure he was a proper sacrifice so that Yaoyorozu could escape. 

By the time the creature had reached him, it’s face just a few inches from him, he was practically blacking out, and Yaoyorozu had barely made it halfway to the exit.

HEE HEE HEE

The bone chilling laugh was accompanied by a CRACK! as one of its limbs snapped to the side, moving with such speed that it was doubtful an S-Rank could track it. 

It slammed into the side of Yaoyorozu, sending her rocketing off the path and slamming into the wall of the cavern with a sickening smack.

“Please… let her… go…”

The face made no acknowledgement of Izuku’s pleading, only opening his mouth, wider than he should’ve, like a snake unhinging its jaw. And the entire time, that goddamned smile was still somehow as wide as ever.

“Fine…” Izuku let himself go, allowing the darkness to take over just before the giant mouth snapped shut around him. “Sorry mom…”

*******

“Better… kill… Empress.”

“Yessss…”

In the darkness Izuku writhed in pain, his entire body lighting up with what felt like powerful electric shocks. He screamed for all he was worth, but the sounds never left his lips. All he could hear were the two voices, their speech blotted out by the rushing blood in his ears.

“Hell…” Was all Izuku could think, this was his hell, his afterlife. An empty void of pain.

An empty void… aside from the throne of darkness standing before him. Its inky tendrils snapped through the air, whipping around as if looking for something. And at the step of the throne, was a single glowing gem of light. Pure and filled with life, it beckoned Izuku to a peaceful place, it beckoned him to an end.

“An end… is that what I want?” The faces of his loved ones flashed through his mind. “No… I haven’t saved her yet… I promised I’d save her.”

Izuku, still possessing only one arm, clawed his way through the pain, dragging at the darkness of the void to pull himself to the throne’s base. He grabbed the jewel of life and light and cast it aside, instead grasping the armrest of the throne with an iron grip.

The throne stabbed into his arm, the tendrils inflicting even more pain, more pain than Izuku thought was ever possible. But he pulled himself to his feet, the darkness, still painful, was helping him along, dragging him into the seat of the throne, stabbing him, draining him all the way.

Izuku didn’t stop, planting himself firmly atop the throne, gritting his teeth as the tentacles enveloped him, swallowing him in darkness, engulfing him with anguish. And then… it stopped.

*******

“GAAAAAAH!!!!!” Izuku shot up, tears streaming from his eyes as they darted around, scanning for the monster that had swallowed him whole. All he saw was a hospital room.

Panting heavily, borderline hyperventilating, he looked to his right arm. It was there, it was moving. Izuku almost went to question if it had been a dream, but as doctors and nurses rushed in upon hearing his scream, he spotted something.

[Quest: Go Beyond Death has been completed.]

[Welcome Player.]

Chapter Text

“I need to see her!” Izuku cried, throwing himself against the horde of doctors trying to hold him back and ignoring the shaking all over his body. “Where’s Yaoyorozu?!”

“Sir! She’s in intensive care, she’s lucky she’s alive! You can’t see her right now! It’s a miracle that you’re alive! Lay down!”

“Izuku!” A small shape came rushing through the door, weaving past the doctors and slamming into Izuku’s chest. “Oh thank god!”

“Kei…” Izuku groaned, “What are you doing… out of school?” He fell to his knees, helped down by the doctors and his sister.

“You idiot!” Kei drew back her hand like she was gonna slap him across the face, but apparently thought better of it and instead worried about holding back tears. “I got a call that my brother went missing in a Raid! You think I’m gonna stay at school?!”

“Fellas,” A calm voice called out from the doorway, “Are we having some trouble here?” The man, dressed in a suit that had not a wrinkle or smudge on it, walked into the room. “Izuku Midoriya?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“I’m Detective Tsukauchi, I was part of the Raid team that recovered you and Yaoyorozu.”

“Then I owe you my life…” Izuku mumbled, his already weak body growing weaker.

“Nothing of the sort.” The man said. “But what I do need you to do is calm down and get back in the bed. We’re gonna have some questions for you if you feel up to it.”

“But what about-”

Tsukauchi shook his head. “The girl will be fine, we’ve got some of All Might’s top healers on it.”

“All… Might?”

Tsukauchi nodded. “When the Pro heard about the scenario, he sent the best he had on hand.”

“Why? We’re not that special are we?”

Tsukauchi smiled. “That’s one of the things we’re here to find out. But he and I have been friends for some time. I called in a favor when I heard a D-Rank Gate swallowed so many competent Heroes without spitting ‘em back out.”

Izuku grimaced, “Competent Heroes… I bet I wasn’t included in that list.”

“On the contrary. I pulled your records. For an E-Rank, you’re damn hard to kill. You’re either skilled enough to avoid death… or you should be playing the lottery, because you’d have to be damn lucky.” Tsukauchi smiled as he helped Kei get Izuku back into bed.

“Would you mind if I had a moment alone with your brother?” He also nodded at the doctors, who took their leave.

Kei frowned, but when Izuku nodded, she relented. “I’ll just be outside.”

When the room was empty, Tsukauchi took a chair beside the hospital bed. “I’m part of the Hero Safety Commission, an agent assigned to handle mysterious on-goings in situations regarding Gates. So I need to know, what happened?”

Licking his lips, Izuku dove into the story, visibly shivering when memories of the pain, or that ungodly creature popped into his mind. He told up to the point where he was supposedly consumed by the giant spider-like entity, leaving out the detail about his forcibly amputated arm.

“And that’s the last thing I remember. Everything else is… fuzzy, like a dream.” It was the truth, sitting upon that throne, it felt real and unreal at the same time.

Tsukauchi nodded. “When we entered the Gate, we found no sign of any Villains, nor an altar. We only found you, Yaoyorozu, and the bodies of your Raid party. Which all-in-all, is really strange. I’m sure you know that as well as I do.”

“Yeah… I’m still having a hard time believing it all happened.”

“That’s understandable,” Tsukauchi grabbed something from his suit pocket. “This is a small-scale power sensor. It’s only rated to go up to C-Rank in terms of power assessment.”

“You wanna see… If I Reawakened?”

Tsukauchi shrugged. “Gates as strange as the one you entered tend to be special. If you were left alive… Well, I have no idea what it could’ve done to you, but there’s no point in not trying right? Besides, it is my job to figure this whole thing out.”

Izuku was more than happy to try. If he really did get a Reawakening, then he wasn’t going crazy, those green floating holographic boxes were real and a part of his new power. So he laid his hand on the baseball-sized measurement device, taking it from Tsukauchi. There was a small number incrementer on the side, but it didn’t rise above 10, Izuku’s standard measurement.

Tsukauchi grinned belatedly. “Well… I guess that’s not what the Gate was for. But I guess it’ll just end up one of those mysteries for now. My Quirk is basically a Lie Detector, and I sense no lies in your story.” Apparently lies of omission didn’t set off the Quirk. “Whenever Miss Yaoyorozu wakes up, I’ll confirm your story with her and then you can go back to your life.”

Izuku nodded, conflicted. He was debating if he was, in fact, going crazy and seeing things, or if the measurement had been wrong. No, it was far more likely that he had lost his marbles than an Agency’s device being faulty. But then… what was the Dungeon for if not to bestow upon Izuku these strange things?

“Get some rest, kid,” Tsukauchi ordered. “By the way… I’m sorry about what happened to you two. It might be smart to stop your Hero work. No matter how long you’ve evaded Death… he’ll catch up sooner or later.” With that, he left the room, allowing Kei to once again rush in and berate Izuku over and over again.

He bore the brunt of her disapproval until she had worn her throat out. Once that was done, she “harrumphed” and crossed her arms, pouting like a child as her dark hair spilled over her shoulders.

It made Izuku smile. “You look like dad. He always pouted when mom made him eat his vegetables.”

Kei’s pout softened and glimmers of tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. “You’re still an idiot.”

“I know…” He said, reaching out and ruffling the black hair she’d inherited from their father, as opposed to the dark-green from their mother. “Go home, do your homework, and get some sleep.”

“I should be telling you that.”

He just gave her a knowing look before she threw her hands up in the air. “Fine!” And relented, leaving, but not before giving him a hug.

Izuku, now left alone in his hospital room, stared at the green boxes floating in front of him. They were slightly transparent, but solid enough to read.

[Inbox: 3 New Messages.]

Izuku tried tapping on the messages, but his hands went straight through.

“Um… read?” Nothing happened.

“Check inbox?”

[Alert: The System has been installed.]

[Alert: The System is in place to help the Player become strong.]

[Alert: Refusal to work with the System may result in a penalty.]

[Daily Quest Activated: Become Strong]

“Uhhhhh… Okay. Maybe I’m not going crazy.” The boxes appeared displaying words that hadn’t even been on Izuku’s mind. It meant that this wasn’t a creation of his deluded and damaged mind, but the real purpose of that Dungeon, to give him this “System.”

[Daily Quest: Become Strong]

• 100 Pushups

• 10 km run

• 100 Squats

• 100 Curl-ups

[Warning: Failure to complete this Quest may result in a penalty.]

“I couldn’t even do all that if I was fully rested…” Izuku thought to himself, falling back onto the pillow of the bed. “It’s a Daily Quest, I just got it now, so that means I have 24 hours right?” He couldn’t even finish the thought before drifting off into peaceful sleep. Peaceful, at least until the alarm woke him up.

*******

Izuku’s hands found their way into the soft silky sand that one would only find in the most remote deserts.

[Penalty Quest: Survive]

• Time Remaining: 3:59:59

“Four hours?!” That was when Izuku realized he was in some sort of remote desert, with sandy dunes stretching out farther than the eye could see. “Okay… note-to-self: when the magical system threatens you with a punishment, take it seriously.”

He looked over to the message. “Four hours… It better teleport me back after four hours. Otherwise I’m gonna need to find a phone in the middle of the Sahara.”

Izuku had always heard that in some survival situations the best thing to do was sit still and wait for help. But that usually applied to scenarios much different than Izuku’s, and really he had nothing else to do. So he began strolling the dunes, kicking up sand like he was a toddler at the beach, all the while looking for signs of… something. The only things of interest were some giant crystals that turned the sunlight into powerful beams of energy on certain points, creating melted sand. Which meant he wasn’t on Earth as far as he was aware.

By the time he reached the tallest hill of sand he had seen yet, only thirty minutes remained on the timer. He had no reason to be suspicious that anything else would happen, after all, being in this desert was punishment enough for a newly admitted patient to the hospital. Izuku was tired, thirsty, and in real need of a shower. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite that simple.

In reality, Izuku’s challenge was only beginning. And it started with Izuku getting taller.

He squinted, unsure of the reason why it felt like he was rising higher and higher ever so slowly, the other dunes getting progressively smaller. The reason became clear soon enough.

CLICK CLICK CLICK

Izuku looked down to see that he had not only been standing atop the highest dune, but also a very large bug, one that was pissed to have been awoken from a peaceful slumber beneath the warm sands.

[Poisonous Giant Centipede]

The name appeared at Izuku’s feet, directly above the creature’s head.

It made a sound similar to a roar and whipped its head to the side, flinging Izuku off with no effort. Thankfully, it was exactly the direction Izuku wanted to go. He knew that the creature was way too strong for him. So either he outran a creature with fifty times more legs that he did for thirty minutes, or… he could kill it.

This was not some Lovecraftian horror stalking him in the darkness, this was just a standard Villain, a monster that humanity had killed time and time again. Perhaps that was why Izuku found his legs more sturdy than just a few days ago in that deep dark dungeon. Of course, he’d still have to run for his life, but he was pretty used to that.

The centipede, still groggy from its interrupted nap, was slow to catch up, and allotted Izuku just enough time to reach the towering crystals that focused the sun to a powerful beam.

He stood just to the side of one, standing out of the way of its angle, and making a perfectly stationary target for the creature. It roared, thinking its prey had given up, and charging faster. He wanted a snack after his slumber.

At the last moment, Izuku leapt behind the beam of light, narrowly avoiding the molten pool of sand/glass. But the centipede was not so lucky. Incensed into catching Izuku, it whipped its head to the side to try and follow his jump. Instead, it passed right under the crystal.

With a loud POP and a disgusting smell, the centipede’s head fell to the ground, decapitated from the rest of its body.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired items:]

• C-Rank Villain Core

• Poisonous Extract

• Chitin Scales

[You have completed the Secret Quest: When the System gives you Punishments make Rewards!]

Izuku grimaced at the Secret Questline, it felt like a joke made at his expense, one that could’ve gotten him killed. It was frustrating to have what felt like a computer make jokes about putting him into life or death situations. But that frustration was belayed by the following message.

[Rewards:]

• 1. One D-Rank or lower Item From the Store

• 2. +20 Stat Points

• 3. Rune Stone

“Store?” Izuku muttered. “There’s a store for this thing?!” He felt like flipping off the System, God, and anyone else who would see it, but he didn’t want to tempt fate. “You gotta give me more than like ten minutes to learn all this stuff before throwing me in the deep end!”

Izuku looked around, not spotting any other creatures. So with twenty minutes left on the timer, he began looking through the system.

“Okay… store… inventory… stat page… armor… weapons… this really is a video game.” Izuku checked his inventory for the supposed Rune Stone, curious about it, but it wasn’t there.

“Oh right, I still need to claim them. Uhh, accept rewards?” The inventory immediately filled with the Rune Stone and a unique looking coin, assuredly a voucher for the free store item. The stat page also showed the available points to be distributed. But he put it off for the time being, not because he wanted to save them for later, but because he already knew how stats worked. He'd rather focus on his other rewards before paying attention to the stat page.

[Rune Stones: Contain the concentrated magical power of various Villains. Crush a Rune Stone in order to obtain a new Skill.]

“A new Skill? Those are like magical powers right? Sounds pretty cool…” He stared at the stone in his hand, an oblong shape. “There’s no reason to save it, is there… nah… couldn’t be.”

Before he could question himself any further, Izuku exerted his force on the stone, crushing it without any sort strain.

[Skill: Echo Attack]

• Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 50

• Description: Your next attack strikes twice in quick succession.

“So then if the centipede hit me with this… I’d get hit by 200 attacks…?” Izuku cringed at the thought, but quickly shook it off, instead bringing up the store to look through the D-Rank options.

Thankfully, the store had a bunch of applicable filters to it: Armor, Weapons, Artifacts, Materials, and a few other things that were locked and labeled as ‘???’

“Hmm… I want something that is more expensive so I can make full use of this. A weapon… or armor… or both…” Izuku scrolled through weapons and armor until he found exactly what he was looking for, the ‘Gauntlets’ section.

[Breaker Knuckles]

[Aegis Gauntlets]

[Earthshakers]

The list was rather short. And despite their anime-like names, nothing about them was all that special. They were just gauntlets enchanted with Mana as far as Izuku could tell. But even that was more than he’d ever had in his life.

With seemingly no differences other than base stats and gold cost, Izuku picked the one with the most stats and consequently the one with the highest price.

[Item: Earthshakers]

• Item Class: D

• Item Type: Gauntlets

• Attack: +20

They fit onto Izuku’s hands perfectly, as if they were made for him, which he supposed they were. Seemingly made up of dark gray rocks, they made Izuku’s fists almost twice as large.

“Kinda unwieldy though… can’t keep these guys in a sheathe…”

Thankfully, after some experimentation, Izuku found out how they worked. With nary but a thought, Izuku could send them between the inventory and his fists within an instant, making them far more convenient than even a sword being sheathed.

For a brief moment, with his new gauntlets, and new rises in Levels, which he had felt took him up in power, he considered hunting for more of the centipedes. But as soon as the thought was brought to mind, his knees wobbled, then collapsed. Without even noticing, Izuku had expended himself beyond what he thought was possible. He was so suddenly exhausted that he could barely keep his eyes open.

[Time Remaining: 00:00:05]

With a tired sigh, Izuku fell asleep, his sand-covered body returning to the hospital room.

|

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 5

Strength: 15

Vitality: 15

Agility: 15

Intelligence: 15

Sense: 15

Available Points: 20

[Mana: 150/150]

[HP: 600/600]

Chapter Text

[You have completed the Daily Quest]

[Rewards:]

• 1. Status Recovery

• 2. +3 Stat Points

• 3. Random Item Box

It was only the third day since Izuku’s run in with the penalty zone of the System, but since then, he’d become extremely familiar with it. Though the daily exercises tired Izuku to the bone, the first reward of the Daily Quest allowed him to refresh himself, clearing his exhaustion as if it was never there. And the three bonus stats each day were a nice boon. The only lame part of the rewards so far was the Random Item Box, which only ever contained small amounts of coins or weird knick knacks like pens.

“Such an odd thing for a magical System to give out…” Izuku thought to himself as he grabbed that day’s rewards, putting them between Strength and Vitality.

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 5

Strength: 20

Vitality: 19

Agility: 35

Intelligence: 15

Sense: 15

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 150/150] 

[HP: 600/600] 

He had dumped the 20 Stats he’d gotten from the Secret Quest into Agility. He’d always been slower than the Villains he fought, having to rely on instinct to be one step ahead of them and most of the time that wasn’t even enough. Although, he might’ve gone a bit too far with it, because now people gave him shocked looks as he darted past them on his daily run. Even at a light jog, he was far faster than any olympic athlete giving it their all. So when he cranked up the effort, he nearly surpassed 60 mph.

As he opened the Random Box, he expected very little, but this time, instead of a random writing tool, a thick green key dropped into the palm of his hand.

[Item: Dungeon Key]

• Item Class: E-Rank

• Item Type: Key

• Description: May be used to open an Instant Dungeon at Tatooin Station’s Third Entrance.

“Instant Dungeon? Does that mean I can make Gates?” Izuku was immediately hesitant to take on another Gate so soon after the recent incidents, but upon checking his bank account on his phone, he realized that he’d be late on rent if he didn’t make any money soon.

And really, it was just an E-Rank. Even if it was too dangerous to Izuku to handle, he would’ve been able to outrun anything and just leave. Was it irresponsible? Maybe… probably. But Izuku didn’t exactly have a lot of options for making money considering that he just barely graduated high school and went onto Hero work immediately. Besides, what was the point of getting those new gauntlets if he wasn’t going to use them?

So, Izuku made a quick stop in Yaoyorozu’s room. By now, most of her outward injuries were healed, but the doctors were keeping her in a medically induced coma to make sure she wasn’t in pain, pain that not even morphine could properly counteract thanks to the severity. On top of that her incredibly serious injuries, such as ruptured organs or broken bones could heal properly without her moving and disrupting the process.

Izuku had known her for some time, meeting constantly in lower Ranked Dungeons, but he’d never gotten much out of her in terms of her life story. He never knew why she only participated in weaker Raids despite having such power. He also didn’t know why her room was so empty.

For Izuku it made sense. His sister had visited him, his mother was in a coma, his father was missing, and he spent so much time Raiding and worrying about money that he didn’t make many friends. Was the same true of Yaoyorozu? Could her parents be dead or gone? Could she really be worried about money when she had the ability to make anything? 

It all seemed too eerie for Izuku. He just hoped he’d have more time to talk with her later. It was strange, but he felt a sort of kinship with her, being the only two survivors of such a disturbing sight. The doctors had mentioned waking her up soon, so Izuku hoped this E-Rank Gate would earn him enough money for rent and maybe a dinner with her.

Izuku scoffed at the thought before making his way down to his floor’s front desk to ask for a day pass. He hadn’t been officially discharged yet, so protocol like that was necessary. It was a simple matter, however, and he was walking the streets of Japan once more in no time flat. Not just that, but the same area he had been in before that fateful raid.

Nearby workers were paving the road, fixing the area that Mount Lady had damaged with her massive steps. And even days later, the Gargoyle’s head, which had been blown to pieces by Lady Nagant, still littered the streets in tiny pebble-sized fragments.

“Lots of names with ‘Lady’ in them,” Izuku smiled to himself as he reached the stairs that descended into the subway station.

Taking out the grass-green key, he hesitated for a moment, not sure if he would cause a panic by opening a Gate. Although, it wasn’t all that busy and even if a few people saw it, Izuku could write it off as the Gate popping into existence of its own volition.

Assuming how it worked, Izuku jabbed the key at the air, finding something solid and turning it. 

Green lightning shot out in all directions, a rectangle of energy forming in front of the station. It was quite the display, yet no one seemed to notice, as if it was visible only to Izuku.

“I put points into Agility for a reason… If need be, I can do the good-ole tactical retreat.”

And without any more contemplation, Izuku stepped through the energy barrier.

[Instant Dungeon: E-Rank]

[You are not allowed to leave until you beat the Boss Villain.]

“Oh crap…” Izuku muttered, the energy behind him coalescing into an opaque barrier. 

The stairway was no longer clean and pristine. Instead, it was unkempt and covered in dried blood. The walls appeared as if they had decayed over the course of a hundred years, cracked, discolored, and barely holding up the structure they were apart of. Izuku found himself more worried about a collapsing ceiling than any Villains at the sight.

“It’s different from normal Gates…” Izuku realized, seeing passerbys approach the wall of energy and disappear through it. They weren’t entering the Dungeon, they were simply carrying on in the dimension they resided in. Because Izuku was only seeing the ruined subway station, as the Instant Dungeon, he didn’t see the real world version that was somehow layered beneath this one.

“Well… time to get going.” Izuku equipped his gauntlets, the chill permeating to his very core returning. “Just an E-Rank…” He tried to force the image of the giant spider-like demon out of his mind as he descended. “Not gonna happen again.” But no matter what he told himself, his fists were still clenched tight, the rocky armaments grinding against themselves.

With the blood rushing in his ears, he began to worry that he wouldn’t be able to hear the Villains coming. And when he reached the bottom of the staircase it was clear that the normally straightforward layout of Tatooin Station had been turned into a mess of twists and turns.

Realizing he was psyching himself out, Izuku began reciting all he could recall from his notebooks and years of struggling through Gates. “A Dungeon space like this is likely to contain Villains that are too weak to fight head-on, and their strategies will rely on confusing, surprising, and taking advantage of their prey’s misguided senses in their Dungeon.”

Izuku knew that talking out loud was probably a stupid thing to do, but he figured he’d run into a Villain sooner rather than later anyways. And he was right.

Passing by the shops, all boarded and chained up, Izuku stopped in his tracks, hearing a rumbling from behind the storefront to his right. Whatever it was, it was large, unwieldy, and judging by the grumbles it was making, it was hungry.

Izuku brought his gauntlets up to bear, posing like a pro fighter would, guard the chin, and be ready to move.

The rumbling grew louder, and louder, and louder! It was building up until… the shop behind Izuku burst open.

Hit from behind, Izuku was launched forwards with enough force to tear through the shop he had been keeping his focus on. The chain barrier and boarded up windows were smashed to pieces as Izuku landed inside, realizing that there had been nothing inside of it. He was certain he had heard something coming from this little shop, yet it was empty.

Pulling himself out of the rubble, Izuku stood to see what had hit him.

[Clicker Tortoise]

If there was something to compare the creature to, it would be an alligator snapping turtle. Dark, jagged shell, and massive mouth that came to a sharp pointed edge. The only difference was that this thing was the size of a car.

Izuku heard another grumbling roar off to his right, and had he not already been fooled, he would’ve instinctively looked towards it. But now he knew that this creature, like this Dungeon, was confusing. It was somehow throwing sound all over the place, an ingenious way to lead prey around by the ears.

Other creatures in the animal kingdom, or perhaps even other Villains would continue to be fooled by the tricks, but humans were extremely adaptable animals.

“Strong jaw, heavy charging force, thick armor, slow…” Izuku made a quick assessment, climbing out of the wrecked stand that he had been thrown into. Noticing it, the Tortoise charged forwards, aiming to crush Izuku whilst his movement was still restricted.

Thankfully, Izuku had put his Stat points into Agility.

“Woah…” Izuku breathed out in amazement as his body scampered over the top of the Villain, light as a feather. He had already tested the limits of his speed, he knew he was fast, but there was something so cathartic about this. A feeling so pure. After years of being outclassed by Villains and even other Heroes in just about everything, he finally felt… in control.

Of course, that wasn’t to say that things would suddenly be easy for Izuku, and he didn’t expect anything of the sort. He lived his life hanging by a thread, never taking anything for granted.

So when he landed behind the Villain, as it slammed its head into the shops, and threw a punch at its shell, he wasn’t all that surprised to bounce right off of it, barely leaving more than a dent. He wasn’t deterred in the slightest, because for the first time he’d visibly damaged a monster with high defense with nothing more than raw force.

“Probably should’ve put some more points in Strength… but at least I’m fast enough that this thing can’t hit me anymore.”

A shrieking noise emanating from Izuku’s left. He almost didn’t look, but with the Tortoise still working to extricate itself from the terrain, he took a momentary glance, and he was lucky that he did.

[Shrieker]

Between a bat’s body, with four wings beating in quick succession, and the cougar head that it possessed, it was a bizarre combination. No bigger than a dog, it was faster than Izuku’s top speed.

Without the time to think, Izuku swiped his gauntlets to the side, backhanding the creature as it rocketed towards him. He felt its brittle bones crack beneath the weight of his gauntlets.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

It was too easy, and that was just the problem.

Izuku felt a sharp pain in his right side as the Tortoise swung its spiky tail into his side, sending him tumbling down the station’s tunnels.

[HP: 400/650]

Izuku looked down to see that his side was bleeding. When the Villain had tackled him from behind, the blow had been blunt, probably intended to soften up his food, not expecting Izuku to survive it. Now it was going for serious damage.

The cry of other Shriekers emanated in the darkness and the Tortoise crawled back. It seemed that they had some sort of mutually beneficial relationship. The Instant Dungeon’s ecosystem was more complicated than Izuku thought. 

With the additional Villains heading his way, Izuku needed to finish off the Clicker while he still stood a chance.

“One good hit should do it…”

Izuku clenched his fists, standing and facing the Villain head-on. It grumbled in response and after a tense standoff, the two charged.

Unfortunately… for the Tortoise, it was unable to follow Izuku’s movements and the teenage Hero appeared just to the side of the beast’s head, jabbing out with all his power.

[Skill: Echo Attack has activated.]

[Mana: 125/175]

The Villain’s head shot to the side, rocked by the force of the punch, and mere milliseconds later, before it could even recover, the Echo Attack was delivered. With so much lateral force exerted on its neck, it was no shock that it snapped, killing the creature instantly.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired items:]

• E-Rank Villain Core

• Chitin Hide

• Spiked Boots

[Item: Spiked Boots]

• Item Class: E

• Item Type: Boots

• Agility +3

• Strength +12 when using kicks

Izuku hurriedly equipped the new armor as the bats approached, still bleeding from his side. It wasn’t too large of a gash, so Izuku wasn’t worried about bleeding out from it alone, but he didn’t have a healer. If he accrued anymore damage, he’d be in big trouble.

Looking down the pathway, the hoard of bat-like creatures flying at him was astonishingly big. They’d swarm him for sure, and leech away whatever life he had left. They were easy to kill… but there were too many.

“Okay… time to get a little crazy,” Izuku said, a feral grin on his face as he bent down and grabbed the corpse of the Tortoise Villain by the tail. “Just gotta hope my Strength Stat is enough.” Izuku heaved against the weight of the body, but it barely budged. 

“Not gonna work… I guess I can outrun them, but… I just got all this power. No, no running just yet.” With the option in his back pocket, Izuku tightened his grip on the tail even further before lifting one leg.

“It says it adds 12 Strength when I kick, it doesn’t say that strength only goes to my feet!” Izuku stomped on the ground, the momentary boost in Stats kicking in for just a moment and shattering the concrete floor. A moment long enough for Izuku to throw the creature like it was nothing.

It flew through the corridor, its mass crushing dozens of the bats like they were nothing. Their brittle bones broke from a weak backhand by Izuku, so there was no way they could withstand the weight of the Clicker Tortoise. And just like that, the mutually beneficial relationship became a malignancy to the Shrieker bats.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

“I wonder…” Izuku let out a heavy sigh, “It felt so much lighter with just a dozen extra Stat points when before I couldn’t move it at all.” Izuku recalled math class. “Are these Stats weighted? I probably could’ve just kicked the thing like a soccer ball and sent him flying with that alone,” Izuku realized. He had been needlessly creative in stomping the ground to activate the buff, but it had worked all the same.

After gathering up the item drops, just some cores and assorted material drops, like Shrieker Wings, Izuku took a moment to breathe. Just a moment though, because there was a Dungeon to clear out.

*******

Izuku was ready for anything. But as it turned out, there was nothing left to adapt to. The Instant Dungeon was just a repeating cycle of Shriekers and Clicker Tortoises.

“This Dungeon is supposed to be E-Rank I guess. Maybe the System didn’t want to overload me with too many challenges.” Izuku shook his head. The concept sounded far too forgiving for the same System that had dropped him into an otherworldly desert just because he didn’t do his pushups. “If it expected these guys to be a challenge for this long, maybe it thinks I’m weaker than I am.”

Izuku made many guesses and theories as he crawled through the Dungeon, rinsing and repeating the same tactic of killing the Tortoise with Echo Attack and then throwing it at the approaching swarms.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired the title: Hide Piercer. All attacks against heavy armor deal 50% extra damage.]

|

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 14

Strength: 29

Vitality: 28

Agility: 47

Intelligence: 24

Sense: 24

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 255/255] 

[HP: 900/900] 

|

By the time Izuku had reached the staircase down to the Boss Room, he had stopped leveling up. Just like his weighted Stats, the XP gain was also weighted, meaning that it was no longer efficient for him to hunt down more Villains. And now, it wasn’t a question of if he could beat the Boss Villain, he had too.

The System wouldn’t allow him to leave, and eventually Izuku would run out of food. So his only option was to kill it. He didn’t have room to question if it was even possible.

After the first Tortoise dropped armor, Izuku was hoping the others would as well, but so far, no other items had dropped. But he did appreciate the title he received from the System. Even with his gauntlets, it was hard to fully break through the armor of Villains like the Tortoise.

Checking his side, where the tail had nicked him, he felt a dried wound. It stung, but as he leveled up, the pain had lessened and mostly vanished altogether. So Levels didn’t completely heal him, but they did help the process along.

Izuku considered farming the Villains for more and more XP, but checking his Stats page he knew he’d have to kill dozens upon dozens just to get a single level more and he was starting to grow exhausted. This was no place to remain for longer than he had too. So, he descended.

The steps led down to the subway platform, partially flooded with water and empty of the train cars that operated around the clock back in the real world. 

The room filled Izuku with a chill, freezing him in place, the pressure exerting itself on his mind all too familiar.

“No… no it’s not here,” He told himself, the grinning mask appearing in his mind. “I can do this… I can do this…”

An influx of water exploded from one of the tunnels as a figure shot out from them, not even stopping at the platforms before rushing into the tunnel opposite the one it had exited. Izuku hadn’t even caught the faintest glimpse of the creature as it hid itself in the subway tunnels, rushing from place to place.

But much like the Tortoise, it was all a trick.

The ground beneath Izuku exploded as he tried to focus on the subway tunnels, forgetting that these beasts were not keen on fighting head-on.

Izuku was launched away with the rubble, narrowly avoiding the spiny creature and its mouth.

[Rasaka’s Mate, Thorny Devil: Anok]

Izuku scowled as the name appeared above the creature’s head signifying its uniqueness.

The monster itself was a typical lizard form, covered in dozens of sharp spines, edges, and points. It was like a bus sized porcupine, but much more maneuverable.

Not waiting for Izuku to make the first move, Anok shot forwards, its back legs propelling it far faster than the eye could track. Even with his increased Levels and heightened Agility, Izuku had to rely on his classic instincts to tell him when to dodge. And without that feeling of Death pressing against his entire body, he wouldn’t have made it in time.

“Even after all of this?! It’s still stronger?!”

Izuku knew that Boss Monsters were leagues stronger than the fodder you had to kill to get to them, but this one felt like it wasn’t an E or even D-Rank. This felt like he was back in the desert, running from the centipede.

“A C-Rank… in an E-Ranked Dungeon?” Izuku grinned bitterly. “It just doesn’t feel fair. I’m the weakest Hero after all. You could cut me some slack.” His tone was light, but his body was heavy, it was the only way he could cope, the only way he could stay moving and not collapse like when he sat on the altar. “I’m not waiting for Death to take me this time!”

[Skill: Echo Attack has activated.]

[Mana: 75/225]

Izuku lunged for Anok’s head, hoping that the same strategy would work twice. Unfortunately, there was a reason Anok was a Boss Villain.

Its head whipped to the side, jaws open, ready to swallow Izuku whole. 

Izuku had too much momentum, he wouldn’t be able to stop in time and he didn’t have enough strength to completely clear the lizard’s height.

“This better work!” Izuku kicked at the ground with his next step, doing all he could to exert his will on the System and demand that this step be counted as an attack.

The System obliged.

Izuku launched from the floor, both his initial step and the Echo aftershock shooting him high, high above even Anok. In fact, Izuku didn’t just clear the monster, but the entire room itself.

Barely maneuvering in time, Izuku’s feet ended up on the ceiling, making it look like gravity was flipped for just a moment. He had enough Mana for just one more Echo Attack, and he used it.

Izuku hated the brutish idea of being nothing more than a pair of fists to wail away at Villains. He’d spent years just barely surviving with his wits. It felt insulting. All those higher Ranks than him, using brute force, not inventing, not doing anything more than punching or slashing harder than before. They could afford to relax, to sit back and use the old reliable strategy. Izuku never once had such a luxury, so he’d always been forced to use humanity’s one defining advantage, creativity.

Launching off the ceiling, Echo Attack and his boots strength buff sending him flying like a rocket towards Anok, who looked up just in time to see two rocky gauntlets fill his vision. And with a thunderous crash and a shockwave that stirred the Dungeon itself, Izuku cracked its skull open like a watermelon, spilling its bloody insides out to mix with the water.

“Everything…” He panted, Bakugo’s face appearing in his mind, alongside the others that had berated him for the weakness he was born with, “I’ll use everything to become stronger. Expend it all… to beat you… just like you all scorned me…”

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired items:]

• C-Rank Villain Core

• Elemental Enhancement Gem (Earth)

• Rune Stone

[You have defeated the Instant Dungeon!]

Chapter Text

“Huh…?” Izuku was laying on his back, still in the Instant Dungeon, when the walls began to fade, or rather, they began to restore themselves. Turning back into the pristine white halls of Japan’s subway system, it seemed that the Instant Dungeon had collapsed, merging Izuku back into his original reality.

Despite that, there was nobody around him. It was late at night, that much Izuku was sure of, but Japan’s subway system, especially Tatooin Station, was almost always running, and was never completely empty. Regardless of the hour the place should’ve been bustling.

“Hmm… this first I guess,” Izuku said, shrugging off the weirdness to crush the Rune Stone in his hand.

[Skill: Speedstrike]

• Toggled Skill

• Mana Cost: 20 per second

• Description: When this Skill is active, the Player will move 50% faster and will be immune to any environmental or debuff slows.

“20 Mana a second? A bit expensive. With my Mana at 305 I’d only be able to manage it for 15 seconds. Echo Attack is probably a better use of Mana.” Izuku looked then to the ‘Elemental Enhancement Gem (Earth)’ as he began working his way out of Tatooin Station.

[Item: Elemental Enhancement Gem]

• Item Class: E-Rank

• Item Type: Earth Enhancement Gem

• Description: Can be infused into weapons or skills to augment them with additional abilities. This change is permanent unless the Gem is removed, in which case the Gem will be destroyed, but can be replaced by another one.

“It works with Skills too?! Hmm… it’s E-Rank… and the System says I can remove it to replace it with another, which means I’ll get new stronger ones later right? So I shouldn’t save it for something. The only question is what to use it on…” Izuku pondered as he walked out into the cool air of the starry night. Taking a deep breath, he welcomed the feeling of safety that came from being back in the real world. It was still all very surreal for him.

“Sir?! What the hell are you still doing here?!” A soldier rushed up to Izuku, making him jump from surprise. He hadn’t even noticed the man approaching.

“I beat an E-Rank Dungeon, and what I assume is a low C-Rank Boss all by myself, yet I still jumped when a normal human approached me…” Izuku grinned sheepishly. “Uh… I was…”

“Oh… I see. My apologies. I didn’t realize you were a Hero. Were there monsters down there?” The soldier asked, gesturing to Izuku’s gauntlets, which he had forgotten to put away.

“Oh um… no, that area is clear.”

“Good, then please come with me, some other Heroes are struggling not that far away with a Villain!”

“A Gate broke? This didn’t have anything to do with the Instant Dungeon did it? I doubt it, but I’d be a little upset if I caused this.”

When the soldier wasn’t looking, Izuku pressed the Elemental Gem into Echo Attack.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth)]

• Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 35

• Gem: E-Rank Earth

• Description: Upon striking an enemy with this Skill Activated, stone spikes will attempt to piece them in the same spot. The spikes may come from the ground, ceiling, and walls, but if the ground is too far away, the Skill will not activate. The spikes will scale with the size of the enemy that was hit.

“The mana cost lowered… but I can’t tell how good this is. If the stone spikes are strong, it may be an upgrade, but it could also be a downgrade now that it’s a more specific Skill. And it relies on the enemy not being fast enough to dodge.”

“Hmm…” Izuku grumbled to himself, not sure if he should be happy or disappointed. “Oh well… if it's that bad I can just remove the Gem.”

“Sir?”

“Oh uh… sorry,” Izuku waved the soldier off as they turned a corner, revealing a crowd forming around a draconic shape.

“A drake?” Izuku asked, beginning to run alongside the soldier.

“It’s from a C-Rank Gate. It was the weakest Villain inside, regarded as a low D-Rank so we had the E and D-Ranks handle it while the other Heroes caught the bigger fish. But they’re starting to struggle.”

“Draconic-Type Villains are some of the most potent,” Izuku informed the man. “Their physical abilities and intelligence give them a scale closer to one Rank higher! Regardless of the magic measurement tool’s readout.”

“And what Rank are you?”

Izuku wasn’t sure what to say. Clearly he was far stronger than an E-Rank by now, but he was registered in the Hero Safety Commission as an E-Rank. If he told the truth, revealing he had a video game-esque Leveling System, he’d undoubtedly get hunted by someone looking for the same power. If he said he got a Reawakening, that would confuse the situation as he would continue to grow, yet get placed in lesser Dungeons. 

“I’m a registered E-Rank!” Izuku answered, technically telling the truth.

The soldier’s face slumped, but continued on all the same.

The Heroes were doing their best. With designated Tanks holding shields; Damage Dealers holding swords, daggers, or crossbows; Mages flinging magic from afar; and Supports giving buffs or healing.

If the group was to take on an E or D-Rank Gate, they’d almost certainly breeze through it. But this Villain was bordering on high D-Rank and was capable of intelligent strategy. The Supports and Mages were spending all their time dodging rather than healing or attacking because the drake knew that they were the big problem.

To make matters worse, there was an entire crowd gathered around the fight, taking photos like it was an attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. This meant Izuku couldn’t just ask the other Heroes or soldiers to keep a secret because there would be video proof of him fighting on a level way above an E-Ranker.

“But… These people are in danger, they can’t see it, but their Heroes are failing fast. I have to act.”

“Please step aside,” Izuku asked the soldier, crouching low, like a sprinter ready to take on the olympic track. “I didn’t tell you my name did I?”

The soldier did as he was asked and squinted. “Uh… no…”

“Good.”

[Skill: Speedstrike has activated.]

Like a bullet, Izuku took off from the ground. He wasn’t going faster than a B-Rank or higher, but he was going fast enough to the point where the E and D-Ranks couldn’t get a proper look at him, nor would any of the cameras catch him in the act.

Flying by the drake, which seemed to be the only thing able to lay eyes on him at such a speed, Izuku landed a strong, but relatively ineffective punch against such a large target. If he had put more effort into it, the drake might’ve flinched, but Izuku wasn’t aiming to exert himself.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Izuku’s Mana had barely regenerated enough to use those two Skills in quick succession, but as soon as he took cover behind a nearby building, hiding from both the drake and the onlookers, it dropped to zero once more.

But more importantly…

“What the fu-”

The Heroes cries of shock were cut short as massive spikes, sized perfectly for the drake, emerged from the asphalt, piercing it in multiple places and pinning it to the floor, bleeding profusely.

Izuku watched from the shadows as the Heroes took the chance to leap into the fray and hack away at the Villain stuck to the rocky formations. It took a few minutes longer for the thing to die, but die it did. 

[You have Leveled-Up!]

“I got a level for that? Interesting. I would’ve liked to see what drops it had but… oh well.” Worst case scenario, the soldier would remember his face and try to track him down, but Izuku didn’t see that happening.

He sighed. It had been an extremely busy and tiring day, and he’d need to get up the next morning to get his Daily Quest done and repeat the cycle. So, remembering to hide away his gauntlets this time, he began his trek back to the hospital.

At the same time, he looked down, surprised to see that his Spiked Boots did not appear on his body. He still had the Stat Bonuses from it, but there was no sign of them. Even feeling around that area, it only felt like he was wearing normal shoes. So armor and accessories were basically just energy hovering around his body, impossible to be touched, but still present enough to utilize their powers.

The hospital was quiet by the time he returned in the wee hours of the morning, with only a handful of doctors and nurses still bustling about. They gave Izuku some strange looks, clearly concerned about the state of him and his clothing. His wound was healing, but it was still a pretty nasty looking injury. One that Izuku had almost forgotten about.

Izuku expected to immediately collapse into bed and fall into unconsciousness, but as he walked back into his room, he noticed a figure sitting in a chair near his bed. For a sparse moment, he panicked, thinking the dark shape was an attacker, but then he heard snoring.

As his vision adjusted to the shadows, he smiled. Yaoyorozu, with an IV connected to her arm, was resting in the chair, clearly waiting for him to return. He didn’t want to make her wait any longer, but he was also hesitant to wake her. Not to mention, his mind was already fading into a fog of sleepiness. 

“Tomorrow…” He promised the empty air, before falling into bed.

Chapter Text

Izuku woke to the piercing glare of Yaoyorozu’s stormy gray eyes. “Uhm…” Izuku rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Good morning?”

She crossed her arms, long silky hair spilling over them as her blood-shot eyes fixated on Izuku. “Where were you last night?”

Izuku’s immediate thought was “sorry mom.” But thankfully, his awkwardness kept such words from slipping out. “I… um…” Izuku’s mind raced. He didn’t want to lie, but he also didn’t want to tell the truth. 

Yaoyorozu broke the stalemate, however. Easily deducing what was on his mind she said, “I knew it…” She tried to stand, before realizing her legs were still too weak to stand on without something to lean against, so she sat back down. “How could you?” She asked as if Izuku had personally betrayed her. “How could you go back into a Dungeon after all we went through? Wasn’t that a clear sign to stop? For us to quit and find normal professions?”

Izuku didn’t know what to say. He had spent dozens of Raids with Yaoyorozu, yet he’d never truly seen this side of her. She was always participating in lower Ranked Gates, so Izuku knew she had some reservations about Raiding in general, but she never let it show. At least, not until the last Gate, of course.

“We’re only 18… but we both have put our lives on the line so many times… for what? Only to see that… that horrible face.”

Again Izuku was speechless. The obvious answer would be: “For humanity. To stop the Gates from breaking and spilling Villains into our world.” But that wasn’t exactly true for Izuku. Right now, he was putting his life on the line for his family, for the people he cared about. In the grand scale of things, his efforts in the Gates didn’t mean a thing compared to the S, XS, or National-Rank Heroes. He could’ve said that to satiate Yaoyorozu’s question, but it wasn’t really the answer, and that fact bugged him. Why couldn’t he say that his purpose was to help more people than just his family?

Izuku had mentioned Kei to Yaoyorozu a bunch, the two of them sharing laughs about her sibling antics, or sharing admiration for how hard she was studying. But Izuku has never once heard Yaoyorozu mention her own family, and the one time he asked, her gaze grew dark. Was she fighting for them? Or was Hero work a way to fight against them?

Izuku had no answers, so he simply pondered what she had asked.

“I’m sorry… but… please… please stop raiding…” Yaoyorozu’s lips pursed as she tried to hold back tears. “I’ll do whatever I have to, even if I have to abuse my Quirk for money. Please… I don’t want to see anyone else die.” The tears were now streaming down her face as she pleaded.

Izuku was shocked. He stared wide-eyed and pale at Yaoyorozu’s declaration. The only time he had ever asked her why she didn’t use her Quirk to make gold and live luxuriously, she refused to answer, her body language becoming stiff and closed off. So this wasn’t some half-hearted demand. She was prepared to defy whatever morals she had just for him.

He stood, walking over to her calmly and resting his hands on her shoulders. “You don’t have to do that.” He pulled her into a hug as she sobbed the face of that giant creature dispersing as she allowed herself the catharsis of letting it all out. “You won’t have to watch me die. I promise.”

“How… how can you say that?” She sobbed. “Even as an A-Rank I’m… terrified.”

Izuku smiled lightly. “Yaoyorozu, I’m not sure what you fight for. But I fight for the people I love. That doesn’t mean I’m not scared out of my mind, but it means I have a reason to surpass that fear. And now, I have another reason to fight.”

[Would you like to show the System to Momo Yaoyorozu?]

Izuku remembered the previous night, appearing out of nowhere to help the other Heroes take down the drake. “I don’t just want to fight for my family anymore. I want to save everyone I can. I want to grow stronger for the sake of everyone who has suffered because of the Gates… especially you. And now, I have the means to do so. I have the chance… to be a Hero.” Izuku leaned back and said “Yes.” 

Suddenly, the glowing green boxes popped to life in Yaoyorozu’s eyes, and she was granted a sight. The sight… of the System.

Chapter Text

“Is this… real?” Yaoyorozu asked, her eyes still puffy as she waved her hands through the holographic boxes. It made Izuku laugh, remembering how he’d done the same when he first saw it.

“I guess it depends on how you define ‘real,’ but if it’s any indication, I took on an entire E-Rank Dungeon by myself. I’m way stronger,” he responded.

“Then what is it?” Yaoyorozu’s cares began to fade as her curiosity took over. “Is it a late Quirk Manifestation?”

Izuku immediately went to respond with “no,” but stopped himself short. Quirks only ever manifested in Awakened Humans, but very few ever got them. There was no limit to when they could appear. Some got Quirks immediately upon Awakening, others had to wait years or even decades. One of the oldest Heroes didn’t even get their Quirk until they were around 80 or so and was already retired.

Quirks defied all logic, even logic relating to Awakenings, which pushed humans past what physics considered possible. Quirks, like Endeavor’s, made his flames have virtually limitless heat as long as he could supply Mana. Whereas other Heroes with flame magic had a very stanch limit on what they could output. 

By that logic, there was no reason that this System couldn’t have been a Quirk. With the way it broke all rules of Awakening, it wasn’t out of the question.

“But it’s too complicated for a Quirk…” Both Izuku and Yaoyorozu muttered to themselves at the same time. Looking up, they held a tense staredown for just a moment, before snorting in laughter.

“I feel like I’m losing my mind,” Yaoyorozu said, an enormous grin stretching across her face. “These past few days have been so insane that I just…” She trailed off, the face of the giant creature momentarily reappearing in her mind. So she got back on track and asked. “Does it have any sort of intelligence?”

“Well it doesn’t respond to questions, but it acknowledges verbal commands and comes up with these abilities I’d never even thought of before, which means it's not basing its behavior or powers off my own memories or creativity. It’s coming up with this stuff on its own.”

“So like it’s… preprogrammed?” The two glanced over to the green boxes, a shudder running through their body.

“By whom?” Izuku lowered his chin, muttering to himself. “That giant thing was trying to kill us. Then again, the System was tied to that Gate. Maybe it wasn’t trying to kill us… but just toying with us, making a big show of things. Perhaps it was just a puppet.”

Yaoyorozu ignored him. She wasn’t being rude, or even trying to avoid the memories of the Gate, it was just that her focus was now directed at a new box. “What’s that?”

[Secret Questline Initiated: Inner Circle]

[Inner Circle Part 1: A Trusted Partner has been completed!]

[Rewards:]

• 1. Quest: Inner Circle Part 2

• 2. E-Rank Elemental Gem of Player’s choosing.

• 3. B-Rank Instance Dungeon Key

[Secret Quest: Inner Circle Part 2: A Fellow Warrior]

[Requirements:]

• 1. Complete the B-Rank Instance Raid key given to the Player with the Player’s trusted confidant.

Awkwardness shot through the pair as they read the word “partner,” but it passed as Yaoyorozu was more focused on the second part. “I- No…”

Izuku didn’t have to ask what she meant. “I understand. There’s no way I could drag you back into a Dungeon after all this.” He was disappointed, but hid it well. The two had obviously grown closer and Izuku would’ve loved to have an A-Rank like her as company, especially with her newfound knowledge of the System. “I…” He gathered his words carefully before speaking, not wanting to upset the girl. “You don’t have to answer this, but… why did you take on Hero Work?”

She averted her gaze and gave a bittersweet smile. “I have to atone for all my parents have done… for what I’m responsible for. Raiding is all I can do.” She said no more, which Izuku accepted with a nod. Not because his curiosity was tamed, in fact, he really wanted to know the details, but because her answer was pretty noncommittal in terms of her future. If anything, it seemed like she was still determined to right some wrong(s?) of her past. She wasn’t totally giving up on Hero Work. If there was someone Izuku trusted to have by his side throughout all of this, it was her and he really hoped his assumption was correct.

“Go Beyond,” He said, chuckling.

But Yaoyorozu just tilted her head, like a confused puppy. “What’s that?”

Izuku turned bright red, embarrassed that his reference hadn’t gotten through to her. He felt like one of those chuunibyou who acted like they were anime characters. “Uhm… it’s nothing…” Apparently, Yaoyorozu was not as obsessed with the Hero world as he was in terms of fandom. He decided to not let slip that he kept track of UA alumni like some sort of creepy internet stalker.

But instead of reacting with discomfort like most, she just smiled and gave a small giggle. “Some things don’t change I suppose. So, what will you do next?”

“What will I do next?” Izuku repeated the question back to her, pondering it before laughing. “Well, first thing’s first… I gotta make rent!”

*******

“That’ll come out to around 50,000 yen,” The teller took Izuku’s bag of Villain Cores as the money was transferred into his account.

“That was everything from the E-Rank Gate and that giant centipede thing. Between rent, mom’s medical bills, and the other assorted costs of living, this might cover half of the month.”

Thanks to Raiding, other assorted jobs, and a not-so-insignificant amount of debt, he’d just barely managed to stay afloat with his sister, with Raiding providing most of it. Even without the student loans that put most of the young people in Japan into debt, Izuku stood far above (below?) them when it came to the amount of money he owed.

The last E-Rank Gate had been entirely cleared on his own, and yet the Villain Cores, magical stones imbued with Mana that could be used for the crafting of weapons and other materials, had been worth far less than other E-Rank Cores he’d collected before.

He briefly debated selling other parts of the System, like materials, weapons, armor or the new Fire-Type Elemental Gem he had gotten from the Inner Circle Questline. But in the end, decided that if he was going to take on more Gates, he needed all that to earn more money. 

“It’s just like a temporary investment… just gotta put enough power into my stats and then I’ll be strong enough to sell off more valuable things.” Izuku walked out of the Hero Safety Commission trading office, his head down as he mumbled to himself. “I might be able to take on a D-Rank Gate right now, but I don’t have any keys, nor do I want to just show off the power I’ve accumulated to everyone. I could join a Raid team, but that would limit the amount of Levels I can get from it. I wonder if-”

“Hey watch out!” A girly feminine voice called out, activating Izuku’s flight or fight response, but in the world of Heroes that he lived in, it was almost always fight.

Izuku’s body, despite not spending all that much time fighting humanoid opponents, had spent a great deal of time becoming accustomed to fighting styles that would give him the slightest edge in combat. That, in combination with his body’s ability to act before his mind could even catch up, was what had narrowly saved his life many times in the past. This time was no different. Not that it saved Izuku’s life, it just made it a little easier.

Izuku didn’t even need to look in order for his hand to snap out, catching someone by the wrist and using their momentum to pivot. He flipped them forwards, giving them a hard landing on the pavement of the sidewalk.

Izuku almost panicked for a moment fearing that he had injured an innocent man without a second thought. Thankfully, the man in question was not only holding a firearm, but a handful of Villain Cores.

Somehow, even in the age of fantastical weapons like swords, spears, and maces, which Heroes were allowed to open carry, guns remained outlawed without exceptionally specialized licenses. It was borderline impossible to find someone with one outside of high-ranking Heroes like Snipe or Lady Nagant. This guy didn’t fit that bill.

“Woah! Nice moves!”

Izuku looked over to the source of the voice, finding a curvy girl with long pale-blue hair. Spirals of yellow energy were curving out of her body. She wore what looked like an elegant armored dress that spiraled just like her Quirk, giving her an almost surreal appearance.

“N-N-Nejire Hado…” Izuku was stricken speechless by the sight of the gorgeous up-and-coming Hero.

“Oh? Do you know me?!” Her question was filled with delight, as if she’d never had a fan before.

“You’re one of UA’s Big Three! An S-Rank Hero Student who was instrumental in the recent A-Rank Chiba Prefecture Raid!”

“Oooh, you know quite a bit! With moves and knowledge like that, could it be that you’re gonna be applying for UA yourself?!” She jumped forwards, getting remarkably close to Izuku.

“TOO CLOSE!”

“Uh… I’m just an E-Rank.”

Nejire cocked her head to the side. “Really? Your energy seems a lot different than an E-Rank… not like any other Rank I’ve seen though…”

The man on the floor groaned, beginning to recover from the move Izuku pulled. It saved him from the sudden curiosity from Nejire.

“Can’t forget about you!” She said, grabbing him under the arms and heaving him up like he was a toddler. For an S-Rank, he was likely no heavier than a feather. She cuffed him, forcing him to drop the Villain Cores and gun. She exerted just a tiny amount of her S-Rank aura, forcing the man to go unconscious.

“Thanks for the help!” Nejire said to Izuku. “I can’t let my full power go without damaging the buildings and I’m no good in alleyways. He was a surprisingly nimble little guy!”

“She couldn’t catch him? She can’t be that slow right? No… I can feel it coming off of her. She’s serious business. She could erase me with less than a thought. Is that my Sense Stat letting me know I’m in front of someone that powerful?”

“I guess I rely on my energy detection a little too much!” She giggled. “I got so used to tracking Villains and Anti-Heroes that I forgot that normal humans don’t have Mana.” Anti-Hero was in reference to Awakened Humans who used their powers for evil. Technically, Anti-Heroes by definition were good guys, but just like gun laws in Japan, the name Anti-Heroes for Human Villains stuck.

“Uhm… no offense Miss Nejire, but-”

“Just Nejire-Chan!”

“Oh… uhm, okay. No offense, but why are you out here chasing this guy?”

She flashed a gleaming smile. “Well I can’t just forget about the little guys! Heroes like Endeavor or Hawks are always going around with these big shows of power! I wanna be a Hero who can be relied on for any situation! This one was good practice to remind me that I still have a long way to go!”

“So bubbly,” Izuku thought to himself, an uncontrollable smile pulling at his lips. “Most S-Ranks are so superior, I didn’t expect her to be so humble.”

“Well, I hope I didn’t get in your way!” He said, bowing as a show of respect to the senior Hero. But if anything, that only upset her.

Like a toddler, she pouted, a display that any onlooker would call adorable. “Stop being so formal! You were the one who stopped him!”

“Heh, I kinda stumbled into it…”

“Well that just means you deserve even more thanks for it!” To anyone else, the S-Rank might’ve seemed patronizing, but Nejire was painfully earnest. It was behavior you expected from All Might, one of the few exceptions to the rule of S-Ranks being high and mighty warriors with no time for the “peasants.”

“How about this!” She declared. “This guy was stealing from a Hero Pawn Shop. Help me bring back the stuff he stole and I’ll buy you something from the old man working the place!”

“Oh I couldn’t ask you to do that Miss- er, Nejire-Chan!”

“Nonsense!” Nejire chimed, grabbing Izuku’s wrist as she hefted the criminal over her shoulder. “I’ll get you whatever you want!”

“Ah…” Izuku realized that in some ways, Nejire was no different than some other S-Ranks. She was determined to get what she wanted, and her grip wasn’t exactly something Izuku could break out of. “Well… I guess I have no choice.” He chuckled to himself.

*******

With the criminal still slung over her shoulder, Nejire introduced Izuku to the shop owner as he handed back the Villain Cores.

“These are worth a pretty penny!” The man said, clearly happy to see the Cores back. “Just a few of the Nomu Cores recovered from Jeju Island!”

“I promised I’d get him something for helping me! Is it okay if we browse for a bit?”

“Haha! Only you’d ask a storeowner if it was okay to give him some business, Nejire-Chan.” The two were somewhat acquainted apparently.

At first, Izuku intended to dodge the issue of owing such a powerful Hero, but then he spotted something on one of the store’s shelves. “What’s that?”

“Oh that?” The elderly man walked over to the shelf, reaching up to grab the display case that held an ornate looking key. “Some fellow in a robe sold it to me. Apparently it was carved from the scales of Escath. Not sure what purpose it holds aside from being eye candy.”

“Escath?” Nejire asked.

“It was one of the first B-Rank Boss Villains to break out of her Gate. A Lamia that nearly destroyed half of Germany on her own in the early days of Awakenings.”

These days, it was exceptionally rare for anything less than an S-Rank Gate to break and cause damage to the real world, but back before Awakenings were common and Hero Society was built up, even a B-Rank Boss Villain was virtually immortal in the eyes of humanity. As such, despite being far weaker, Escath came to be known alongside names like Kamish, Orion, and Diablo as one of humanity’s biggest threats.

[Item: Dungeon Key]

• Item Class: C-Rank

• Item Type: Key

• Description: May be used to open an Instant Dungeon at Joren Falls in the Izu Prefecture.

Of course, neither Nejire nor the old man could see the display of the System.

“How much?” Izuku hesitantly asked.

The old man stroked his beard, then smiled. “Well… it hasn’t sold in over a decade of business. For your help today and for Nejire-Chan… it’s yours.”

There were dozens of other valuable items in the shop, but none of them could compare to the worth of a Dungeon Key, something that only Izuku knew the true worth of.

“Cool!” Nejire did her best to clap her hands together without dropping the man over her shoulder. She didn’t seem all that perplexed by his choice, which made Izuku wonder if she was just that positive of a person, or if she had deeper insight to it thanks to her status as an S-Rank. “Well I’ve gotta drop this guy off at the police station and sort through the paperwork!” She said it as if it was a trip to Tokyo Disney. “It was nice to meet you…!!! Oh… I never got your name!”

“Izuku Midoriya.”

“Well Izuku, I hope I get to see you at UA soon! See ya later!”

Chapter Text

“You got to meet Nejire-Chan?!” Kei hounded Izuku, following close at his heels as he went to grab something to eat from the fridge. “Izu that’s not fair!”

He laughed. “Not fair? It’s not like I went searching for her without you like some creep! We just stumbled into each other.”

“The universe isn’t fair,” She grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting. “You gotta let me meet her.”

“It’s not like we exchanged numbers, Kei,” Izuku responded, trying not to grow red at the thought of something like that with someone as popular as Nejire. He hadn’t even exchanged numbers with Yaoyorozu. “Hmm… should probably do that…”

“Duh! If you get her number though, you need to give it to me as well.”

“Huh?” Izuku looked back at his sister. “No, I wasn't talking about Nejire.”

She rolled her eyes. “Eyes on the prize, Izu!”

“My eyes are on the prize,” He clarified. “We’re just not looking at the same thing you and me,” He said with a grin.

“Dad wouldn’t let you get away with this,” She teased back.

“Heh, I suppose you’re right.” Before their mother had slipped into the Eternal Slumber - a state where a normal human accumulated too much Mana in their body and forced them into a coma - she had told them plenty of their father’s exploits as his friends’ go-to wingman. “If he was still alive, he’d probably be hounding me just as much as Kei…” He kept that one to himself as he looked over to the System’s readout of the new Instant Dungeon key he had gotten.

“I’m gonna be heading out later today, Kei. I could be gone for a while.”

“More Raids?” She asked suspiciously.

“Just a little one,” Izuku lied, choosing not to look directly at Kei. “I don’t see myself being gone more than a day.”

“The last one was a little one too,” Kei remarked.

“That was a fluke,” Izuku promised, actually meaning it this time.

Kei pursed her lips, suddenly looking a lot older than a high school student. “Don’t be stupid okay? Dad was an S-Rank… and even he…”

She needed to say nothing else. Izuku rested his hand on her head as she teared up. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.” He sighed. “Man this is gonna become an open-secret if I’m not careful.” 

“I’m gonna be okay? Ya know why? Because I have a little secret to tell you about.”

*******

After enough time spent explaining the System to his sister, Izuku managed to get the green light to head to Joren Falls and use the key. This time, he wasn’t able to choose whether or not to show her the System. Apparently vision of its game-like screens were a Quest Exclusive thing. However, after a quick demonstration of his strength, lifting the fridge up by one hand, Kei was convinced he was stronger. Even an E-Rank would struggle to do something like that with such ease.

And really, when it came down to it, Izuku wasn’t one to tell such flippant lies. It didn’t take long to convince Kei and before Izuku could even ask her to keep it a secret, she came to the same conclusion.

“The monetary benefits from this alone are huge… not to mention the threat it poses to the National and XS-Ranks position of power. If there’s no limit, then… wow… You’d better not tell anyone about this, not unless you seriously trust them.” That was Kei’s thought process and it made Izuku proud. He’d not continued his education, and in the months leading up to the end of high school, his grades had regrettably started slipping. But Kei never let up, and pushed her intelligence past her brother as she continued to study, not only at school or home, but online, taking several extra classes and constantly learning about the world.

Izuku was worried she’d push herself too hard. That was one of the biggest problems for the youth of Japan after all, and too many had committed suicide because of the strenuous studies. 

But even when Izuku told her to slow down, she refused. If anything she only pushed herself harder. Whether or not she really was flourishing, or just hiding the stress, was unknown to Izuku. Regardless, there wasn’t much for him to do about it.

After taking a bus and then hiking up a trail, Izuku arrived at a small clearing, where massive and majestic waterfalls crashed into the white wake of a shallow lake that flowed into a stream some distance away.

These were the Joren Falls, a beautiful location that Izuku had always wanted to visit but never had the time or money to. Now he’d get the chance to become completely immersed in the terrain. If it was anything like the last Instant Dungeon, he’d get put into some sort of decrepit version of the lush forest. It was sad that was the version he’d have to experience, but he could always walk around and appreciate the bliss of nature once he had cleared the Dungeon.

“Okay… it’s a C-Rank, which is a step up, but if I continue to grow during it… it’ll be fine…” Izuku muttered under his breath as he pulled the key from his Inventory. He’d come all this way, and he felt there was no turning back now. Plus, he’d had two extra days of his Daily Quest, adding onto his Strength Stat.

Inserting it into the air in front of him, he felt it lock into place. With an unnatural smoothness, he turned the key, and it vanished from his hands. And yet… no Gate, or any sort of dimensional disturbance occurred before his eyes.

Izuku’s brow scrunched up, and he looked around. Finding nothing, he was about to start searching the forest, but before he could begin, every inch of his body lit up, screaming DANGER at him.

He looked to where his Sense Stat pointed him, eyes widening at the torrent of flames heading for him.

Without a second thought, he equipped his gauntlets and punched the ground just in front of his feet.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Izuku jumped back, just in time to avoid the dozen or so spikes of stone that ruptured the earth beneath him. They formed a makeshift wall, obscuring Izuku from the massive blast of fire. The flames wrapped around the pillars, licking at Izuku’s clothes and skin, but only managing to singe him. Within half of a second, the heat vanished, replaced by the coolness of the fall’s air. 

“Damn… that was close,” Izuku let out a sigh peeking around the side of the pillars. He couldn’t see whatever had thrown the flames, but what he could see was a new System Notification for a Quest.

“It’s just handing out these like candy,” Izuku cautiously went to examine it, but a shrill scream stopped him short. His blood went cold. It wasn’t a Villain’s shriek. It was a human.

[Quest: Be a Hero]

[Requirements:]

• 1. Save as many people as you can.

[Rewards will be determined based on the Player’s performance.]

“No… wait!” Izuku shouted at the air, realizing what had just begun. “Cancel Quest! Cancel Dungeon!” There was no response, so he took off running in the direction of the scream.

“Nononononono!”

Izuku had no qualms about putting his own life on the line. He’d been closer to death more times than he could count. Maybe that was why he was so reckless in using a C-Rank key. But there was one thing he couldn’t stand. The thing that made him feel so worthless. The thing that made his stomach churn.

When he was still the Weakest Hero, he would do his best to not get injured, to not become a liability to the Raiding Party. Of course, he always ended up being tended to by Yaoyorozu while the other Heroes fought. It was something that carved right through his soul. His heart sank whenever he put people, even Heroes, at a slightly greater risk, and now, he’d unleashed hell upon the serenity of Joren Falls.

“HELP!”

[Skill: Speedstrike has activated.]

Speed poured through Izuku’s frame as he burned away at his Mana. So much so that he was having trouble maneuvering through the trees and thicket. And it wasn’t long before he was charging headlong into a sturdy trunk without any way to stop or avoid it. So he crashed right through it.

Like a shotgun going off, the tree fractured into a thousand splinters, with Izuku rushing past them before they could even hit the ground. Within just a few seconds, he crashed through two more. The felling of each tree hurt him internally. He didn’t want to cause so much damage, but saving the lives of others came first.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to destroy many more before coming into a clearing, where a woman was running from an undulating beast.

[Flame Salamander]

The crimson salamander looked no different than any average salamander, except for the fact that it was larger than a Great Dane with a maw full of fire. And that maw was aimed squarely at the woman’s back.

“I won’t make it!” Izuku inwardly curses, one hand snatching out to grab the Elemental Gem from his Inventory.

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire)]

• Toggled Skill

• Mana Cost: 2 per second

• Description: When this Skill is active, the Player will move 75% faster and will be immune to any environmental or debuff slows. The Player’s attacks will also be imbued with Fire Elements when this Skill is active.

Even with the boost in speed, and the decrease in Mana, the Salamander’s breath would beat him. 

“NO!”  

It was a sensation he hadn’t felt since the Gate that started this all. The thin strings of life dancing between souls. His was stronger than ever, a thick carbon steel threading. But the woman’s was little more than a frayed piece of silk.

“I don’t just want to fight for my family anymore. I want to save everyone I can. I want to grow stronger for the sake of everyone who has suffered because of the Gates…”

Izuku’s own words filled his head, and his heart. And like a cable snapping, he blurred forwards, calling upon his Hero’s favorite catchphrase.

“SMASH!”

The Salamander didn’t even have time to register that it was decapitated. All it saw was its body walking around in confusion before death caught up with it.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired Title: Hysterical Strength of a Hero. When pushed to the limits, the Player has the chance to access more strength than their body can handle, effectively doubling their Strength and Agility Stats for a single strike. This title can only be invoked every 30 minutes.]

Izuku skidded to a stop, the forest path behind him a burned husk from his speed. He clutched at his thighs in pain. The muscles were rebelling against the display, in fact, every tendon or ligament in his body was unhappy with Izuku.

“It’s fine… I can handle it,” He told himself as he spun around to look for the woman he’d saved.

[Bystander has been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 1]

“Well that’s handy… But it doesn’t say how many people are in trouble…” Izuku grumbled under his breath, spreading out his Sense Stat as far as it would go. But since it could only pick up on Mana, and since the only people in the forest were normal humans, Izuku would have to rely on the positions of Villains and go through them as fast as he possibly could.

[Mana: 300/375]

“150 seconds of Speedstrike.” Izuku let out a heavy sigh as he crouched down into a sprinter’s pose. “It’ll be enough. It has to be.” Then, he took off.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 3]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

Izuku no longer bothered waiting for the alerts. There was no time to waste. The faster he went, the stronger he’d get. He couldn’t stop for even a moment. He needed to go faster. He couldn’t let a single person suffer. He had to save them all.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 6]

The Salamander's were no match for him. They weren’t fast enough to keep up with him. Their defense was low. And their senses were dull. 

“Even the E-Rank Dungeon was more difficult than this!” Izuku shouted, carving through half a dozen more Villains. He almost felt bad for them. But he recognized that the difficulty of this Dungeon was not the monsters. Rather, it was the people he aimed to save.

[Mana: 280/450]

Thanks to his increasing Level, Izuku was burning through his Mana storage at a snail’s pace. As long as he didn’t run out of Villains to fight and people to save, it would hold steady for him.

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 8]

Izuku couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. Nothing could stop him. Hell nothing could even slow him down. But that wasn’t the reason for his smile. Izuku was no longer the bystander, the liability on the battlefield. He was the Hero who saved people with a smile.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 13]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 20]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 25]

By the time Izuku managed to comb through the forest, the Salamanders, which he killed in droves, were no longer giving him all that much experience. Which made sense, since they were pretty weak to begin with.

Izuku shook his head at that thought. “Just a week ago, I would’ve seen them as impossible foes to beat… now they’re weak?” He felt like berating himself for such an analysis. “So this is how the S-Ranks became the way they are.” He mused to himself. “Gotta be careful then. Can’t let this go to my head…”

[Player has reached Level 30]

[Special-Level Based Rewards have been distributed.]

[Rewards:]

• 1. One Random Q-

Izuku’s attention snapped away from the System, his Sense Stat lighting up like a rich house on Christmas. “That’s the Boss… And… people…”

Having grown over 10 Levels, his Sense Stat not only increased the range at which he could Sense Mana accurately, but it also expanded his physical senses. Now, the quiet sobbing of a dozen people filled his ears.

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire) has activated.]

If his Senses were right, this was the final challenge, the last Villain and the last group of bystanders. Only once they were safe, would Izuku’s guilt die down.

“This System… I can’t trust it… If it puts these people in danger so easily… what else is it capable of?”

It was an undeniable fact that Izuku needed the System, for his own growth, for his family, and for those he wanted to protect. But, up until that point, it had only presented Izuku with threats. Now, the rules of the game had changed.

Izuku now gave no thought to the trees before him, crashing forwards with abandon. He hoped that the noise of the trees snapping would draw the Villains attention away from its victims. He was correct.

An explosion of force emerged at Izuku’s side, blasting him off course and slamming into a nearby rocky wall.

“Ow…” He groaned, pulling himself from the wall to look up at what had hit him.

[Toxic Flames, Rasaka.]

The creature was a long royal-blue snake, with fangs the size of Izuku’s forearms.

“Rasaka… Wait… wasn’t that the name of Anok’s mate?” Izuku recalled the E-Rank Dungeon’s Boss Villain. “There’s no way it knows I was the one who killed it… right?”

The snake unhinged its jaw and let out a hiss that was closer to a roar. There was clear rage in its slitted eyes.

“Okay I guess it does.”

[Rasaka is affected by Buff: Vengeance.]

[Rasaka’s Speed and Strength will be enhanced by 50% and Rasaka will feel far less pain.]

Izuku could still barely hear the cries of civilians, and Rasaka’s belly wasn’t bulging, as it would if it ate a whole human being like a normal snake. Which meant it hadn’t gathered the people to eat.

“You… set a trap?”

It was hard for Izuku to hide the amazement in his voice. He’d heard of Villains setting traps before. Orcs and Goblin-types tended to do so. But they never took hostages, never corralled them in order to trap more Heroes.

This Villain wasn’t just brute force like the others. It had a sense of the battlefield, the wants and desires of others. It was intelligent. And Izuku could respect that.

“I’m sorry,” He bowed his head to the snake. It was foolish from a battle standpoint, but Izuku couldn’t help himself. “I underestimated your emotions. I didn’t realize I’d hurt you that badly. I had no choice but to kill Anok. However, that doesn’t mean it was right. I have people I want to protect as well. This world is cruel…”

Rasaka’s hiss was more subtle this time.

[Buff: Vengeance has not faded.]

[Rasaka has permitted the bystanders to be teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders have been teleported to the safe zone.]

[Bystanders Saved: 39]

[All bystanders have been saved.]

[Rewards have been dispensed based on your performance.]

[Performance: Perfect]

The System went on displaying messages, but Izuku ignored them, staring directly into Rasaka’s eyes. “Thank you.”

Izuku may have just imagined it, but he could’ve sworn the snake bowed its own head in return. Even still, there was no ignoring the rage pouring off of it. It was no animal, but it was also not so easily swayed to forget the ache in its heart.

“Then I’m sorry. I have no choice but to fight you to the death as well, and I don't intend to abandon my family.”

Without another silent exchange between them, the snake curled in on itself before snapping forwards. With Speedstrike active, Izuku could only barely avoid the attack.

Rasaka’s head smashed into the same rock wall that Izuku had, but unlike the teenage Hero, it showed no sign of slowing, bouncing off the rock like it was made of gel. 

“Is it bleeding?” Izuku dodged another strike, getting a glance at its forehead. It was indeed spilling a gross brown blood from its head. “ I can use its resistance to pain against it.”

Rather than fight the Villain head on, Izuku began positioning himself between the snake and the environment. Under normal circumstances, something as simple as a rock wall wouldn’t be able to injure a Villain. But because the Villain was using all its strength to slam against it, its own body was slowly accumulating damage. Damage that the Villain couldn’t feel.

Izuku remembered stories of CIPA patients, people born with the genetic defect that kept them from feeling pain. They could slice open their skin, or dunk their hand in boiling water and not feel a thing. And therein laid the downside, they couldn’t recognize injury, so if they weren’t careful, they could end up killing themselves.

And Rasaka was no different. Throwing its whole weight into attacks had begun to deform its own skull, crushing itself in the process.

“I’m sorry,” Izuku murmured. “I’m not sure if there is such a thing as an afterlife, but I hope there is.” He felt a kinship with the Villain. They were both doing what they thought was right to protect or avenge those they loved. “I hope you get to see your mate again.”

This time, when Rasaka charged, Izuku didn’t dodge, but charged head-on, dropping to slide along the ground at the last second. Because of the head injury, Rasaka was beginning to slow, their thought process and reflexes dulling. They couldn’t react in time as Izuku’s fist aimed upwards, right at the bottom of Rasaka’s chin.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Rasaka’s head was launched straight up from the force, its slithering body whipping around in a panic, striking Izuku and knocking him through several trees. Unfortunately, for the creature, it was already over.

Thanks to Izuku’s Hide Piercer Title, the scales around Rasaka’s head had become cracked and weakened. Which meant that when the stone spikes rose from the ground, they skewered Rasaka like it was nothing.

[You have defeated Boss Villain Rasaka.]

Izuku lowered his head out of respect. “I’m sorry…” He muttered again, the glimmer of tears at the corners of his eyes.

Grunting, he pulled himself to his feet, wiping away the tears. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be upset, no one got hurt.”

[You have obtained Items from Rasaka’s body:]

• 1. C-Rank Elemental Enhancement Gem (Poison) 

• 2. Concentrated Venom

• 3. C-Rank Boss Villain Core

• 4. Scale Smashers (Gauntlets)

[Special-Level Based Rewards have been distributed.]

[Rewards:]

• 1. One Random Quirk

• 2. One Random Rune Stone

[Rewards have been dispensed based on your performance.]

[Performance: Perfect]

[Rewards:]

• 1. One Random Quirk

• 2. +40 Stat points

• 3. Hero’s Amulet (Artifact)

Izuku’s eyes went wide at the mass of rewards he had been given, but they went even wider when they presented him with Quirks. He immediately wanted to comb through every last drop of loot he had been granted. However, with sirens approaching, and a mysterious Gate Break, he didn’t want to remain for any longer. The situation had been his fault, but if he stayed, the authorities would only be confused by his explanation, possibly even try to apprehend him.

If someone had been killed, Izuku would’ve owned up to it and accepted the blame, but since no one had died, he felt it was okay to leave the rest to the cops and paramedics.

Taking one last glance at Rasaka’s corpse, still held high by the stone pillars, Izuku vowed to never again take the life of a Villain so lightly. They were monsters that threatened humanity, but they weren’t without empathy. Izuku had never thought of them as creatures of emotion, just unfeeling killing machines. That was a mistake.

“Rest well with your mate,” He offered to the empty air. “Maybe the world after this one isn’t so cruel.”

Chapter Text

“Okay let’s go through this bit-by-bit,” Izuku said to himself, his lower half safely nestled under the blankets of his bed. “Claim Boss Villain Rewards.”

[Rewards:]

• 1. C-Rank Elemental Enhancement Gem (Poison)

• 2. Concentrated Venom

• 3. C-Rank Boss Villain Core

• 4. Scale Smashers (Gauntlets)

Most of Rasaka’s drops were pretty self-explanatory. The only thing that needed any inspection were the gauntlets.

*******

[Item: Scale Smashers]

• Item Class: C

• Item Type: Gauntlets

• Attack: +50

• Additional Description: These Gauntlets have two slots for Enhancement Gems, allowing for combined elemental abilities.

******

By default these were stronger, and thus Izuku equipped them, but he couldn’t help feeling a little sad about putting away the Earthshakers. He tended to be sentimental like that, especially since they were the first real weapon/armor he’d owned, something that had, even if it was only for a short time, helped him tremendously.

Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to ignore a stronger weapon for the sake of personal attachment. The gauntlets weren’t living things, so it was easier to change them out for the Scale Smashers.

Currently, Izuku only had the Poison Gem, but he’d get more later to make use of the dual slotting. Other than that, there was nothing more to examine from that set of Rewards.

“Claim Level-Based Rewards.”

[Rewards:]

• 1. One Random Quirk

• 2. One Random Rune Stone

[Obtained Quirk: Amplify]

[Obtained Rune Stone: Analyze]

*******

[Quirk: Amplify]

• Quirk Class: B-Rank

• Cost: No physical or magical costs are required.

• Description: Agility and Strength are connected. From now on, any point put into Strength will put an additional point into Agility, and vice versa. Effects can be increased by evolving this Quirk to its next Stage.

*******

[Skill: Analyze]

• Passive Skill

• Mana Cost: 0

• Description: From now on, the Player will be able to see the information of a Villain just by looking at them. More details can be gained if this Skill is evolved.

*******

“Phew…” Izuku’s brain felt like it was overloading as he scanned each and every word. After all, there was no telling what unique aspect of a Quirk or Skill would save his life. “Wow so they can be evolved? Does that mean my other Skills can be powered up as well? I suppose that’ll happen on its own just by using them. The real ticket item here is this Quirk. Theoretically, if I Level-Up, that’ll put one point into each, which means the Quirk will activate and put another point into Strength and Agility, meaning each Level-Up is like two Stat points for Strength and Agility.”

Izuku had to assume that the Quirk didn’t allow recursive effects. Meaning you couldn’t put a point into Strength, then get one in Agility from the Quirk, then have that point activate the Quirk again and put one into Strength, and so on and so forth. If something like that was the case, he’d essentially have infinite strength and speed. It didn’t seem like something the System would do. He’d find out soon enough regardless.

“Claim Performance Rewards.”

[Rewards:]

• 1. One Random Quirk

• 2. +40 Stat points

• 3. Hero’s Amulet (Artifact)

[Obtained Quirk: Soul Collection]

*******

[Quirk: Soul Collection]

• Quirk Class: XS-Rank

• Cost: No physical or magical costs are required.

• Description: By creating a symbiotic relationship with the System, this Quirk will store all the souls of every living being the Player has killed, or will kill whilst under the System’s influence.

*******

[Soul List:]

• Rasaka

• Anok

• 51 Shriekers

• 15 Clicker Tortoises

• Non-Elemental Drake

• 25 Flame Salamanders

*******

Izuku wasn’t sure if he should be in amazement, or disgusted. In terms of Rank, XS was just one level below the National-Level. But on the other hand, this list just served to disturb Izuku. These were souls. Souls he had taken from living beings. Whether they were pure evil or not was up for debate, but he was still storing them as if they were trophies. There seemed to be no point in keeping them.

And even after fiddling around with the System, it became clear that there was no way to release the souls. He had no choice but to let it be and hope that, somewhere down the line, there’d be a way to free them. It put a pit in his stomach, but, aside from shouting vulgarities at the System, something not in his nature, there was nothing to do, so he moved on. Izuku took the Stat points and decided to hold onto them until he was done looking over the rewards, with the last being…

*******

[Item: Hero’s Amulet]

• Item Class: C

• Item Type: Artifact

• All Stats +5

• Additional Description: Every person saved from a dangerous situation provides the Player with additional experience for Levels, Skills, and Quirks.

*******

And with that all said and done, new items equipped and new Skills gained, Izuku only needed to distribute the 40 Stat points. After cutting it close with his Mana stores, he decided to put 20 of the points into Intelligence and the other 20 into Agility, and subsequently an additional 20 went into Strength with the Amplify Quirk.

*******

A/N: The numbers in parentheses indicate Stats gained from equipment. But the actual number is still the total, for example, the Strength Stat without equipment is 71, but with equipment it is 76 so it is listed as 76. This is so it's easier for me to track Stat changes with equipment changes.

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 30

Strength: 76 (+5)

Vitality: 49 (+5)

Agility: 88 (+8)

Intelligence: 66 (+5)

Sense: 46 (+5)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 656/656]

[HP: 1344/1344]

*******

Izuku took a moment to lay back in bed, absorbing all the new information as he considered what to do next.

“I could always bug some sort of helmet to cover my face… No, you have to register with your Hero ID to join Gate Raids. They’d know who I was…”

“IZUKU!” Before Kei had even finished her shout, Izuku was out of bed and rushing into the living room, his heart in his throat from the suddenness of the call.

“What?!”

Kei was on the couch, staring at the TV screen. “Was this you?”

“Earlier today a Gate break occurred near Joren Falls. The Gate had not previously been detected by the Hero Safety Commission, and no individuals reported seeing it. Thankfully, an unknown Hero was on the scene and single-handedly cleared the Gate. Some minor injuries were reported, but no casualties have been discovered.” The scene switched to a view of Rasaka’s corpse.

“Those who were rescued by the Hero reported seeing a flash of bright green before seemingly being teleported out of harm’s way. The Hero has yet to come forwards and reveal themself.”

Izuku grinned. “Yeah, that was me.” He was still conflicted about being the source of the Gate, but he also felt proud of his success. It was a very paradoxical sense of pride, since he wouldn’t have the pride without first putting the people in danger.

“Wow, you were going that fast?”

Izuku shook his head. “Maybe C-Rank speed? Low B-Rank? The people I saved weren’t Awakened so even if I went half speed they wouldn’t have been able to see me. Their eyes just can’t process that sorta speed.”

“Cool,” She murmured, clearly wishing for similar powers. “Oh, by the way, your phone has been going nuts ever since you got home.”

“What?” Izuku’s heart skipped a beat. Had someone seen him after all? Was he in trouble?

Kei reached down to the coffee table in front of the couch, snatching up the smartphone with the cracked screen and handing it to Izuku.

Rushing to unlock it, all of the stress drained out of Izuku. There were two unknown numbers that had contacted them, but the first message sent by both introduced themselves.

(Hey Izu! It’s Nejire-Chan! I hope you don’t mind, but I pulled some strings to get your number! The perks of being an S-Rank! I just wanted to say thanks for the whole Joren Falls thing! My mom and dad were there, so I guess I owe you another one!)

“What the…” Izuku wasn’t sure what to make of the text. “How did she…” Izuku recalled their interactions. “She specializes in energy detection. If she went up to the Falls to check on her mom and dad… she’d have sensed the traces of my energy…” It was just a hypothesis, but he couldn’t imagine anything else he’d done to give himself away.

Kei just rolled her eyes, familiar with her brother’s constant mutterings. She turned her attention back to the TV as Izuku checked the other contact.

(Hello Midoriya, this is Yaoyorozu. I asked the hospital staff for your number as I was being discharged. I hope such a thing was not a gross invasion of your privacy, but I figured I should let you know that I spoke with detective Tsukauchi. Unless he was deceiving me, he’s closing the investigation on that Gate and marking it as an unknown. Your secret is safe with me.)

Izuku thought back to the key he had for the B-Rank Gate. He had the “gamer urge” to go complete it and the Quest related to it, but he also had no desire to put Yaoyorozu in such a spot.

“Hey Kei?”

“Yeah?”

“If you and a friend were really into skydiving, and your friend had a bad experience with it one time, how would you convince them to get back into it?”

Kei looked up at her brother with a puzzled expression and a small laugh. “What kinda question is that?”

“Please?”

She sighed. “I guess it depends on how bad the experience was. If her parachute didn’t open and she nearly died I wouldn’t try to convince her at all. That’s some scary shit.” Izuku grimaced at her language, but said nothing. Their dad was always a little vulgar anyways and mom put up with it, so he let it slide. She was getting to that age after all.

“If it was something small, I’d take a video of me skydiving to remind her how fun it could be.” She shrugged. “I mean, I wouldn’t go skydiving myself in the first place.”

Izuku nodded, still without an answer, but grateful for her help. “Thanks.”

“Yep. So is this about Yaoyorozu?”

“How did you-“

She gave a bittersweet smile. “Izuku… you really only have one friend. I can’t imagine this would be about anyone else.”

“Fair point,” Izuku responded, doing his best to not feel a little dejected hearing that from his sister.

“Don’t push her. If what you told me about her was correct, then I don’t think she should be a Hero.”

“Kei…”

“I’m not trying to be mean, Izu. She’s strong, she’s smart, and she’s scared.” Kei looked into Izuku’s eyes. “You wanna be a Hero, like dad was. And that makes you different from Yaoyorozu. Because you’re always conquering your fear. I don’t know if she can do the same thing.”

Izuku stared, mouth slightly agape at his sister.

“What?”

“I…” Izuku smiled and shook his head. “You almost sounded like an adult for a second there. Forgot you were my little sister.”

She scowled. “Hey I’m not the one who nearly failed high school!”

Izuku held his hands up in placation, smiling all the same. “I know I know. I’m just proud is all. Mom and dad would be too.”

She looked away from him, averting her gaze. “Ya think?”

“I don’t think, I know.”

“Mmm…” She murmured to herself happily before saying, “If you wanna find out why Yaoyorozu is the way she is, you’ve gotta find out why she started Raiding in the first place. That’s the first step.”

“Thanks, Kei. I owe you one.”

“Then you can order me a pizza!” She said with a grin.

“No problem.”

*******

(Izuku: Hi Nejire-Chan! I haven’t gotten any calls from the news networks so I assume that means you haven’t told anyone that I was the one at Joren Falls. I appreciate it. We can call that even!)

(Nejire-Chan: No way Izu! You saved my parents’ lives! Keeping quiet isn’t even close to making up for that!)

(Izuku: Hey, it’s our job to keep people safe isn’t it?)

(Nejire-Chan: Hmph! Well then I’ll just find another one of those key thingies for you!)

(Izuku: Lol, I’d try to talk you out of it, but I feel like that would be an exercise in futility.)

(Nejire-Chan: Exactly! See ya when I see ya!)

Izuku laughed to himself as he sat at the quiet cafe, night slowly descending upon the orange glow of the sky. He was dressed in a casual t-shirt with a long black trench coat over it and jeans. The coat was his father’s, and with Winter approaching, he got another rare opportunity to wear it.

“Um… hi…”

Izuku turned around, trying not to gawk as he spotted Yaoyorozu. He had only ever seen her in practical clothing during Raids, and even then she was a beauty that boggled the mind, but now, dressed up for a night out, it was hard for Izuku to stay focused.

She was wearing a long-sleeved red sweater, a short, frilly white skirt with a stylish black belt, and matching thigh high white boots. In addition, her hair was tied up in twin tails, an adorable look that Izuku never would’ve imagined her being caught in. He thought it was a style that only worked in anime, but apparently not.

“Hi, thanks for meeting me!” He sputtered out, just barely managing to speak like a normal human being.

“Thank you for inviting me,” She said, giving a small, yet elegant curtsy before taking the seat across from him and ordering a coffee.

Once they were settled, Izuku began to panic inwardly, unsure of how to start the conversation. He was here as a friend, and to learn more about her, but he suddenly realized he had no idea how to go about it. Thankfully, it was Yaoyorozu who began the conversation.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but… was there a specific reason you asked me here tonight?” She asked, a slight blush on her face.

Izuku pondered the question for a moment. He could try to naturally guide the conversation to her fear and reasons for Hero work, but he doubted he could do it all that well. In this case, the best policy would have to be honesty.

“Yes. I…” Izuku took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “I want to know more about you. Why you chose Hero work as your career. Why you only took on lower Ranks. And why you’re still interested in going forwards with it.” He looked down, ashamed of such selfish questions. The silence was foreboding, as Yaoyorozu went quiet. “I’m sorry… that was a terrible thing to say. You don’t have to-” His heart skipped a beat as he looked up, seeing Yaoyorozu stifling tears. He had hurt her more than he had imagined… or not?

“You’d really… listen?”

Izuku blinked. “If… If you’re willing to tell, I’d really like to listen.”

Yaoyorozu pursed her soft pink lips, wiping at her eyes. “No one… I’ve not been able to tell anyone in so long…” She took a long shaking breath, one hand over her chest as she calmed herself. “Well… it’s a long story.”

“I’ve got all the time in the world.”

Yaoyorozu nodded gratefully. “I was born into a very wealthy family, whose business exploded when Villain materials made their way into the market. Now they’re the primary market for Hero equipment.”

Izuku knew this much at least. Most people had heard of the Yaoyorozu family.

“But my family… they’re not what they appear to be. On the outside, they’re a family run company aiming to help humanity fight Villains. But in reality… they’re a cult.”

“A cult?” Izuku asked in disbelief. “As in a religious group filled with crazy people?”

Yaoyorozu nodded sorrowfully. “They call themselves the Chaos World Worshippers.”

“They worship… Villains?” Izuku guessed.

“Yes. And they routinely sacrificed animals… and humans, to Villains inside Gates.” Yaoyorozu folded her hands together to keep them from shaking. “I was inducted to the cult at a young age, and I was forced to watch these sacrifices. Because they believed I was some… ‘Empress of the Chaos World.’ They treated me like I was some special part of the Villains’ plan for humanity. I tried to tell the police what they were doing one day, but the police just laughed and escorted me home.”

“They paid them off…” Izuku grumbled, horrified by the corruption.

“Yes. I couldn’t go to the police, the government. Anyone. And one day, during a sacrifice, a Villain got past the Awakened guards and charged at us.” Yaoyorozu just barely lifted the hem of her sweater, revealing the beginning of a scar that stretched farther than Izuku could even see. He didn’t doubt it went most of the way up her body. “I nearly died because they wanted me to heal naturally, not from magic. When I finally did heal up, I ran away from home and took up Hero work. Not just to make a living, but to make up for all those lives my parents…” She trailed off, once more clenching her jaw shut to stop the tears. “I’m scared… but I also want to help people. I want to fight against what my parents believe in.”

“I’m… I’m so sorry, Yaoyorozu.” Izuku reached over the table, resting his hand atop hers. “You’re doing something amazing, but… You have to know. Those people who died, who your parents sacrificed. They don’t rest on your shoulders. You were a child, who tried to tell the authorities. You did more than most could. It’s not your fault.”

She nodded, tears now pouring down. “Those words… I… I’m not sure I believe them, but… I needed to hear them. Thank you…” She hiccuped out a sob, grateful that the cafe was mostly empty.

“What if we go to Tsukauchi? He seems reasonable, and has connections to All M-”

“No!” Yaoyorozu instinctively responded. “N-No… I’m sorry. But… I’ve avoided them for this long. I can’t risk exposing myself to them again. The Hero Safety Commission has a fake address for me, as well as a fake name and age. If we try to go to them… there’s no telling what would happen.”

Izuku gently nodded. “I understand. You’ve kept my secret, and if I need to, I’ll take yours to the grave.”

“Midoriya?”

“Yes?

“I need your help.”

“Whatever you need,” He responded without hesitation.

“I want you… to help me clear that Gate,” She said, referring to the System’s B-Rank Dungeon.

Izuku smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

Yaoyorozu looked up into the sky. “Ah… the stars are out.”

Chapter Text

[Item: Dungeon Key]

• Item Class: B-Rank

• Item Type: Key

• Description: May be used anywhere, but will only work with the Quest partner’s presence. Cannot be entered by the Player alone.

*******

[Momo Yaoyorozu:]

Rank: A

Role: Battlemage

Proficiencies: Magical/Chemical Creations and versatility

*******

“This Analyze Skill is pretty neat! Wanna check it out?” Izuku asked Yaoyorozu, who was a few feet stretching before the foray into danger.

“Sure!” She said, reaching for her toes, the sweatpants exaggerating her waist. Izuku had to look away, otherwise he would’ve gone cherry red.

“Oh? Battlemage? That makes me sound a lot cooler than I am. What a flattering thing.”

“Careful, it might flatter you, but this thing isn’t exactly benevolent.” Izuku had already told her about the Gate at Joren Falls but he felt it was best to reiterate himself.

“Right.”

It was for that very reason that the two teenagers were standing on a deserted beach, with an even emptier parking lot behind them. They should be entering the Gate this time. But if for some reason it broke like the one in Joren Falls, no one would be in danger. Essentially, they were using Dragon Ball logic.

“It’s nice when you get to choose the location for the fight.” Yaoyorozu remarked, wringing her hands out.

“We don’t have to do this, ya know. We can take it slower with smaller Gates.”

She shook her head. “I’m an A-Rank. I can’t be scared anymore.” Her right hand positioned itself over her left arm, using her Quirk to withdraw a metal grip. But it didn’t belong to a sword.

Bit-by-bit, like a 3D printer, a matte-black metallic shape emerged from Yaoyorozu’s arm. A Heckler & Koch P30L. Izuku could feel the massive energy pouring off of it. Magical energy.

“Have… Have you been able to do that this whole time?” Izuku doubted it would’ve made a difference against the giant creature, but he’d never seen her create something like this. “I thought you said you couldn’t create enhanced magical weapons yet?” Izuku smirked. He looked calm, cool, and collected on the outside, but in reality, he was losing his mind. Firearm wielding Heroes were so rare that stumbling across one had odds worse than the lottery. He didn’t blame her for not using it sooner, after all, she was the designated healer in Raids, and while she probably could’ve mowed through a few dozen E or D-Rank Gates on her own, it was the path she had taken.

“My… parents taught me how to do it when I was young. I’ve only started practicing again a few days ago. This is the best I can do for now. I’m sorry but… I wanted to be a healer, not a fighter.”

“And now?”

“Now, I don’t wanna be afraid anymore. I wanna fight, like you. Not be stuck on the sidelines healing,” She said with a knowing smile.

“You say that as if I was never afraid during those Raids.”

Yaoyorozu’s brow scrunched up. “You… were?”

Izuku chuckled. “I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on it. The only people without fear are sociopaths… or National-Ranks. Fear turns to adrenaline, adrenaline turns to power.”

“And power turns into hate?” She said, her nervous energy fading.

Izuku barked out a high-pitched laugh at the quote, quickly slapping one hand over his mouth, which in turn caused Yaoyorozu to start laughing, and then back to him. It was a hilariously vicious cycle, so much so that they had to take a moment to sit down. After all, the opening of the gate was up to them, they had all the time in the world.

“Ah…” After a few minutes they managed to quit the contagious giggling and wipe the tears from their eyes. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed like that,” Yaoyorozu said, gazing blissfully up into the cloudless sky.

“Me neither…” He looked over to her, a grin still on his face. “I didn’t take you for the type to quote movies.”

“Well technically the quote is-” She stopped herself mid-sentence and cleared her throat. “Movies and books are my favorite pastime. I just so happen to be good at remembering lines.”

“What an incredible coincidence… so do I!”

Yaoyorozu gave him a sideways glance. “W-Was that… Spy Kids 2?”

Izuku chuckled. “My sister made me watch those stupid movies religiously with her when we were kids.”

Yaoyorozu rolled her eyes as she pushed herself back to her feet. “Alright, let’s go before my nerves get the better of me.” A leather belt and holster emerged from her arm and she wrapped it around her waist, holstering the handgun she had made.

Izuku followed suit, grabbing the B-Rank key from the Inventory as he stood. “You sure?”

“Don’t make me say it again,” She said, a gentle smile on her face.

“Yes ma’am.” Izuku obliged, inserting the key into the empty air and opening a Gate. The swirling mass of energy looked surprisingly… “Normal…”

“Huh?”

“It looks like a normal Gate.”

“Is that good or bad?”

Izuku shrugged. “I’m not sure. The first Instant Dungeon was just like a wall of energy I walked into. With the second one I didn’t even see a Gate. Now this.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m here?” Yaoyorozu postulated, but Izuku just shrugged again. “Oh well! Let’s just get going!” There was a fire burning in her eyes. A mix of excitement, fear, and ambition. It wasn’t that she wanted to just jump into the Gate, rather she wanted to get it over with and use all of the energy stirring inside of herself.

Izuku, being the frontliner, felt much the same way, so he stepped forwards, passing through a Gate with Yaoyorozu for the first time since the Gate that started this whole thing.

“Huh… I kinda expected more…” Yaoyorozu bemoaned as the two emerged inside a cavern glittering with bright blue crystals, Magic Crystals. They weren’t as potent as Villain Cores, but they were far more common and not quite as dangerous to get a hold of. And they could be used for all sorts of products just like Villain Cores.

All things considered, it looked like a very standard Gate. And of course, normalcy with something like the System was, ironically, stranger than some new and wacky Gate.

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth I guess.”

“Yeah. We could’ve made a fortune if we brought a mining team with us.” Yaoyorozu said, examining the closest Magic Crystals. 

“Mining team?” Izuku looked around in awe. “We’d need the whole mining company to take care of this place.”

“Who knows, maybe they’ll all get deposited into the System Inventory when we beat the Boss.”

Izuku chuckled. “If wishes were fishes.”

“Well-” Yaoyorozu looked down the cavern corridor. “You felt that?”

“Yep. Feels like maybe… twenty average C-Ranks?”

Despite the massive amount of glowing magical crystals, the cavern corridors still managed to be pitch-black.

“I don’t hear anything though.”

“It is strange…” Izuku remarked, making sure to equip his new gauntlets. “Think there’s-!!!” 

Both teens hit the ground, narrowly avoiding decapitation by whatever projectiles had flown through the darkness to strike at them.

“That was close!” Izuku shouted, looking around for where the projectile had landed.

At the same time, Yaoyorozu yanked her handgun from its holster, firing it off into the darkness, the shots echoing loudly throughout the cave system.

Whether by skill or sheer dumb luck, one of the bullets streaked into the shadows and hit whatever was attacking them. A loud screech, followed by the crashing and cracking of crystals, overlaid with the gunshot echo.

Taking advantage of the chaos created by the shot, Izuku leapt to his feet, activating Speedstrike and charging forwards. As he did so, more crystals along the wall began to illuminate, as if showing him the path. And as a side benefit, they also illuminated the creatures once Izuku got close enough.

*******

[Crystal Canary:]

Rank: C

Type: Avian

Proficiencies: Wind Magic and Ranged Attacks

*******

The Villains looked nothing like actual canaries. If anything they were closer to vultures. Vultures made out of pure magic crystals.

One was already on the floor of the cave, half of its crystal body devastated by the bullet fired. But it was still moving, or at least trying to. It was like the weight of its own body was too much for it to handle. Izuku didn’t wait for it or any of its brethren to make a recovery and regroup.

Stomping his foot, Izuku crushed the head of the Villain on the floor, swinging his fist around at the same time and smashing into the side of another one of the birds. They shattered like glass.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

“They’ve got nothing for close-range!” Izuku reported to his partner, leaning his head to the side to dodge another one of the same projectiles that had nearly gotten him mere moments earlier. 

Said projectile was actually one of the feather crystals resting on the Villains’ wings. It was exceptionally fast, borderline impossible to track even. However, when Izuku had full sight of the creatures, the attack lost all advantage.

These things were flying by flapping their wings, they were flying with some sort of Wind Magic, meaning they were slow, clunky, and made the few movements they did make very telling. It didn’t take much effort for Izuku to predict the path of the crystal shard they flung at him, and it wasn’t like they were fast enough to run from him.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

Immediately, the flow of the fight changed. Instead of trying to attack both teens, the Villains focused all their attention on Izuku, a costly mistake that allowed Yaoyorozu to start picking them off with her handgun. 

[You have Leveled-Up!]

“Oh? So I get experience if she kills them too?”

The sound of glass breaking filled the caverns for a minute longer before the last Crystal Canary was crushed under the weight of Izuku’s gauntlet.

“Crystal Canary huh?” Izuku muttered, crouching down next to the bodies and pulling out a pocket notebook from his pants. So far, the Villains he’d fought at the hands of the System had been pretty standard, nothing worth noting, but these things were exceptionally unique. “No blood, seemingly no organs. Not even a brain.” He scribbled down his thoughts as Yaoyorozu caught up to him. “Maybe the crystal makes for a conduit for magic energy, and the magic energy acts as a brain, giving sentience… No, maybe-” Izuku’s notebook vanished into motes of light while he was still holding it. “What?”

[Skill: Analyze has evolved into Skill: Documentation.]

[Skill: Documentation now allows for more info to be gleaned from targets. Also stores all of Player’s notes in the new Compendium section.]

“C-Can I have my notebook back?”

The System didn’t respond to that question.

“So you don’t need to use a Skill to evolve it? I thought you’d have to use it a bunch to increase the proficiency like most video games have you do.” Yaoyorozu didn’t notice Izuku grasping at the air, as if he could retrieve his stolen journal. “Which would mean there are hidden paths you can take to evolve Skills and maybe even Quirks… Interesting.”

She then looked over to Izuku’s Stat page as he continued to mourn. “Oh! And it looks like Amplify worked as we suspected. For each Level-Up, you got two Stat points in Agility and Strength instead of one. Uh… Izuku?” Momo finally noticed her teammate’s despair.

“My notebook…”

“...”

“...”

Yaoyorozu sighed. “We’ll get you a new one.”

*******

After Izuku recovered enough to stand once more, the two took a short break to mine some of the crystals off the wall. They wouldn’t sell for much, but they were a nice souvenir of their journey together.

“Hey um… If you can make magical weapons… can you not make me some?”

Yaoyorozu smiled. It was like a boy on Christmas Eve asking if he could open his gifts early. “The things I make only seem to work in my hands, like they’re coded to my magical signature or something.”

“Ah… shame… Wait, then what about your potions?”

Yaoyorozu shrugged. “I… haven’t worked out all the details of my Quirk. I assume it's because the concentrated Mana is being used to heal or enhance the body, rather than someone else trying to use that magic for themselves.”

“So because the potion is designed to heal, it works when taken, regardless of who takes it, since they don’t need to control it, but because something like a weapon needs to be controlled, and since it's not their Mana, they can’t work it?”

“That’s the theory.”

Izuku nodded. “Wow… that’s a little confusing.”

She smirked. “Tell me about it. My parents…” The smirk faded, “My parents had me spend most of my childhood experimenting and practicing with it, and I still haven’t found the end of its effects.”

“Effects?”

Yaoyorozu licked her lips, her eyes darting around with uncertainty. “It made me… infertile. I can create anything… except for life.” She gave Izuku a bittersweet smile. “It affected my biology. I can never have children of my own.”

“I am… so sorry.” 

She shrugged. “I’ve come to terms with it. There’s always adoption. Anyways, let’s not get too caught up in real world issues. We still have a fantasy dungeon created by a magical video game System to clear.” It was enough to put weak smiles back on both their faces.

They had been walking for some time but hadn’t encountered anything since the Crystal Canaries. The way was still lit by the magical crystals but it somehow seemed darker. 

“Opening up ahead.” Izuku said.

“It’s giving off… Boss energy?”

“We only killed like 20 Villains. There’s no way we’re at the Boss Villain already.”

“Maybe the System is going easy on us?” Yaoyorozu tentatively suggested, to which Izuku grimaced.

“I wish,” He responded, strolling forwards faster and faster, not wanting to get caught in the dark like the Crystal Canary ambush. 

Up ahead, the two could see a faint light getting brighter as a massive cavernous opening exposed them to what looked like hundreds of thousands of crystal growths. The energy signature got stronger and stronger, that was, until they reached the opening to the cavern.

The two looked around the dome-shaped space, seeing nothing but more and more crystals.

“Maybe it was just all the energy stored in the crystals?”

Yaoyorozu tilted her head and gave Izuku a disapproving look. “Give me some credit, I know how to differentiate.

Izuku shrugged. “I do too.”

Yaoyorozu’s eyes widened. “Then it's an ambush.

On cue, Izuku’s Sense Stat told him to run as fast as possible.

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire) has activated.]

Izuku narrowly flung himself to the side, avoiding a massive furry shape that dropped from the ceiling.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a cat. A giant elephant-size saber-tooth cat. A giant elephant-sized saber-tooth cat with crystal wings, spider-like legs in addition to its normal feline legs, stony armor plates, and antenna.

It charged at Izuku, swiping with both its paws and spider legs.

*******

[Mimicat:]

Rank: B

Type: Feline

Role: Mini-Boss

Proficiencies: Stealth Attacks, Versatility

Skills: Mimicry, Crystal Wings, Crystal Shot, Silent Steps, Sensory Disruption, Enhanced Movement, Camouflage…

*******

The list of Skills went on and on and on. And in the midst of trying not to get skewered by the long spindly legs, Izuku didn’t have a chance to properly take it all in.

“Well this explains why we found nothing else in here,” Izuku muttered to himself, “You ate everything else didn’t you big guy?”

The cat roared, flexing its wings and shooting a veritable storm of crystal buckshot in Izuku’s direction.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Like back in Joren Falls, Izuku punched the ground and jumped back, creating a makeshift barrier of stone. It was shredded like paper and it nearly shredded Izuku as well. He had hit the deck, but one of the shards pierced all the way through his left forearm. He was lucky it hadn’t torn the limb from his body altogether.

White hot pain lit up Izuku’s arm, but he ignored it. He’d suffered far worse. The real problem was that he wouldn’t be able to dodge the next shot of crystals in time.

BANG!!!

With pinpoint precision, 9mm bullets smashed into the Mimicat’s wings, shattering them into a million pieces and stopping them from firing their next volley in the nick of time. Unfortunately, it also meant the Villain’s attention was now on Yaoyorozu. 

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

With the momentary relief from the beast, Izuku shot forwards, aiming to finish the fight with one blow. And his strike was true, slamming into the side of the Villain before it could pounce at Yaoyorozu. All they had to do was wait for the stone spikes to pierce its hide and…. Do nothing.

The size of the spikes was proportional to the creature they were attacking, so they were massive to compensate for the Mimicat’s size, but they were stopped short by the rocky scales on the underside of the Villain. They didn’t make any headway at all, just shattering the second they hit the scale armor.

But the exchange wasn’t worthless. It gave Yaoyorozu the time to aim another perfect shot, taking out one of the creature’s eyes. And as it roared in pain, Izuku tore the crystal shard from his useless arm, roaring alongside the creature.

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire) has activated.]

“Let’s see how you like it!” He shouted, jumping straight up to the monster’s head and slamming the shard into its second eye socket. Thanks to the Fire attribute of Speedstrike, the crystal practically exploded in flames, cooking the inside of the Mimicat’s head.

“Oof!” 

But the Villain wasn’t done, and one of its spindly legs batted Izuku aside, landing him conveniently next to Yaoyorozu.

“How is this thing still alive?!” She asked, tossing Izuku a healing potion, which he immediately downed. Blinding the Villain was the only reason they were allowed to take a brief reprieve. “It’s got two different objects embedded in its skull.” The bullet and crystal shard had clearly hurt it, but not put it down.

“It can take on the attributes of whatever it consumes I’m guessing. That’s what Mimicry does. Maybe its vitals are somewhere else.”

“Or they don’t exist,” Yaoyorozu countered, calling back to the Crystal Canaries, who didn’t even have organs.

“We don’t have the power to completely obliterate it, unless you’re hiding a trick up your sleeve,” Izuku bantered. “It’s got a circulatory system at least, right? Otherwise it wouldn’t bleed.”

“That’s right,” Yaoyorozu confirmed.

“Then,” Izuku reached his hand into his Inventory, withdrawing the C-Rank Elemental Enhancement Gem he’d taken from Rasaka, “let’s hope the poison spreads fast.”

*******

[Item: Scale Smashers (Poison)]

• Item Class: C

• Item Type: Gauntlets

• Attack: +50

• Additional Description: These Gauntlets have two slots for Enhancement Gems, allowing for combined elemental abilities.

• Elemental Effect (Poison): Each strike injects a lethal venom into the target’s bloodstream.

******

The gauntlet grew a few short, yet extremely sharp spikes on the knuckles, presumably for the injection of the venom.

“Then we’ll cast as wide a net as possible,” Yaoyorozu declared, holstering her gun and focusing, pulling dozens of vials and syringes from her arms, each filled with a different chemical. “I’ll follow your lead,” She said, flinging one of the vials with perfect timing, lodging it into the Mimicat’s mouth as it roared and clawed at its injured eyes.

When the mouth next closed, the glass crunched beneath its teeth, releasing the foul liquid into its body. It gagged and writhed upon tasting it, but Izuku doubted it would be more than a momentary discomfort for the Villain, even if Yaoyorozu had augmented the poisons and toxins with Mana to make them more potent.

It was the perfect opening for Izuku to rush in close, Yaoyorozu flanking from the other side. 

“SMASH!!!” Drawing upon all the strength he had, Izuku was no longer just trying to activate Echo Attack, he was genuinely trying to bash the creature to death. If the poisons weren’t effective, he’d need to beat the thing into a pulp and he always felt stronger when shouting like his idol.

[Enemy has been injected with venom.]

The impact sent the Mimicat sliding along the ground, using its many legs to anchor itself. And at the same time, Yaoyorozu took the opportunity to jab three separate syringes into its side, pushing the liquids inside of it.

One of the monster’s spider legs flung itself at Izuku, but it was nothing more than a desperate flail, easy for Izuku to grab out of midair and snap like a twig. He then took the opportunity to kick out at one of the feline’s furry legs. The crack was just as loud as the spider leg as the bone was shattered. 

A punch to the head gave Yaoyorozu another chance to inject it with even more.

[Enemy has been injected with venom.]

By this point, the creature was stumbling around from a combination of its broken limbs and impaired vision, as well as the half a dozen types of chemicals ravaging its body.

“Go down…” Izuku muttered under his breath.

Yaoyorozu drew her gun and began unloading into the beast, expending every last bullet she had and drawing blood all over the creature. 

It was no longer roaring. Instead, it was panting. But it wasn’t so willing to give up. Every ounce of muscle in its body tensed up, every ligament tearing against its own weight and with a tremendous amount of energy… it collapsed.

Izuku let out a heavy sigh. He had felt the power gathering inside of it. If it had managed to use sound to gather their location, it might’ve been able to kill them with one blow. But now, it was on the ground, the chemicals slowly eating away at its lifeforce until there was nothing left.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have obtained Rune Stone: Stealth.]

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 40

Strength: 93 (+5)

Vitality: 62 (+5)

Agility: 108 (+8)

Intelligence: 76 (+5)

Sense: 56 (+5)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 821/1000] 

[HP: 1900/1900] 

Chapter Text

*******

[Skill: Stealth]

• Toggled Skill

• Mana Cost: 10 Mana per second.

• Description: By activating this Skill, the Player is capable of completely hiding their presence from the physical world. The Player can still be detected if their opponents’ have increased sensory abilities.

*******

Yaoyorozu set about creating more ammo for her handgun as Izuku scanned over the text. “Sneak attacks aren’t exactly my thing…”

“You’re still gonna use it though, right?”

“Of course. There’s no point in not using everything in my arsenal.”

“You think the next room is the Boss Villain?”

Izuku nodded. “I’d put money on it. The only reason we haven’t run into anything else in this place is because the Mimicat ate it. The Boss is probably the one thing it couldn’t eat.”

“That’s a little worrying.”

Izuku shrugged. “If it’s that large it might also be slow. Whatever it may be. You wanna take a break or push on?”

Yaoyorozu checked her gun with practiced efficiency. Pulling back the slide halfway to make sure a round was chambered. “I say we get this over with.”

“You’re pretty handy with that. You didn’t miss a shot back there.”

Yaoyorozu laughed awkwardly. “It’s a little strange, but I’m a bit of a gun nut. I’m not like the Americans or anything,” She quickly clarified, “It’s just that I have an appreciation for the simplicity and effectiveness of the design.” She averted her gaze. “Taking them apart and putting them back together was like a fun puzzle. It kept me sane as a kid.”

Izuku had to admit it was a little disturbing to imagine a small Yaoyorozu grinning happily as she disassembled and reassembled guns. But he wasn’t judging. Everyone made it through life differently.

“I bet you could give Lady Nagant a run for her money.”

Yaoyorozu’s face flushed a light pink. “I’m not that good…”

Izuku felt the urge to compliment her further. She was exceedingly cute when she got flustered. However, he didn’t want to waste anymore time inside a Dungeon. It was mostly just an urban myth, but many Heroes claimed that the longer you spent inside of a Gate, the more your soul was worn away at. There was nothing credible behind it, but it had stuck with Izuku for some reason.

“When we reach the Boss Chamber I’ll use Stealth and go in first. Scout it out.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

So the two set off on a rather tedious walk, with very little conversation between them. The air felt heavier the deeper into the Gate they went, and they wanted to avoid getting ambushed in the event that the Mimicat had missed a few snacks.

But apparently the feline had been quite thorough, only skimping on the few Crystal Canaries that had attacked them near the Dungeon entrance.

““I feel it,”” Yaoyorozu and Izuku said in sync, before glancing at each other and giving a smirk.

“Well I sensed it first,” She teased.

“Alright, let’s see how well this works.”

[Skill: Stealth has activated.]

“Woah. It’s like you just disappeared into thin air,” Yaoyorozu looked around for Izuku, despite the fact that he was right in front of her. “I can still sense your Mana, but it's like it's jumping all over the place.”

“I guess it works pretty well then,” Izuku said, making Yaoyorozu jump. “If it can confuse an A-Rank I think it’s a solid Skill.”

“Alright, if it gets dangerous yell for me, or just run.”

Izuku nodded, forgetting he was invisible. “Uh right. Be back in a sec.”

The very next cavern Izuku walked into was almost identical to a geode. With crystals lining even the floor, it was next to impossible to move swiftly. But he could tell that the Boss Villain was in that very room with him. Not just because he could sense it, but because it could sense him.

“It’s a nice trick.” A deep gravelly voice echoed throughout the crystal cavern. “Not even I can pinpoint your Mana.”

Izuku froze in place, suddenly, the Mana he had been sensing ballooned out of proportion. It was time to retreat.

“But I would be a poor soldier of the Iron Body Army if my senses could not make it past that Skill of yours.”

The voice was right behind Izuku. He hadn’t even felt the source of the Mana moving, yet here it was just inches from his back.

DEATH

The same sensation from that strange creature in that first Dungeon assailed him. Without a moment to think, Izuku activated Strikespeed and jumped straight up with all of his might.

It was the right choice, because in an instant, the crystals he had been standing on were shattered into a million pieces, and even the crystals around them burst apart from the sheer energy.

“We can’t fight him! We’ll just have to run! Leave the Gate altogether!”

[Warning: Player and his trusted companion cannot leave until the Boss is defeated.]

DEATH

Again Izuku dodged by the skin of his teeth. If it weren’t for his experience with the closeness of Death, he would already be a stain on the wall.

“Gotta regroup at least! He’s way too fast! I can’t even catch a glimpse of whatever he is!”

Izuku was so flustered by the speed of his opponent that he didn’t have the time to acknowledge the fact that the Villain had spoken to him. He was too busy pushing his senses to the limit just to stay alive.

“If I call out for Yaoyorozu, he’ll be on her too! I can only hope she hears this going on. Maybe she can get the jump on this guy!”

“Woah woah woah!” Izuku shouted as loudly as possible. “Time out!” He landed in a defensive position, prepared to take a hit, but it never came. He hesitantly looked up to see a dark-skinned being. Dark-skinned meaning entirely blackened, like the entity had been charbroiled. And throughout his body, there looked to be dozens of crystals embedded into the skin, each one bursting with energy. It didn’t look like a hindrance, but an enhancement.

“What is it, mortal?” The creature, a humanoid, spat out the word ‘mortal’ with enough contempt to make Izuku flinch.

“You can speak…”

“And you can understand me.” The creature, with glowing red eyes, bore down on Izuku. “Speak, or be eviscerated.”

“Let’s not rush into killing each other,” He said. “Let’s talk for a-”

“Do not patronize me, mortal. I am a born warrior. Born to kill things like you.”

“I just want to understand you,” Izuku cautiously responded. “Why you’re here, why you want to kill me, everything. I just want to understand.”

The being’s eyes widened for just a split second at the word ‘understand.’ “Very well. If you must know before you die, I am not here of my own free will. That fool Ashborn trapped me here after my Liege forsook me. His enhancements,” He said, pointing to the crystals, “Were not up to the same par he wanted. I was considered a failure.”

“Ashborn? Liege? That’s right, he mentioned an army… Are the Villains more organized than humanity thought?”

“You’re trapped here?”

“Of course I’m trapped!” The creature yelled. “My brothers and sisters, you think we all wanted to be stuck in this hell?! In an eternal prison?!”

“Well maybe I can help-”

“I was promised freedom, but only if I snuffed out every last mortal soul that entered this godforsaken place! You are the first to be seen in well over a millenia, so I assume you are my prey!”

[Lesser Tenebris of the Iron Body Army, Arcka]

“Tenebris?” Izuku’s latin was shaky at best, but he recognized that word. “The Dark…”

Whatever this demon was, it was part of a species called The Dark, and that did not bode well with all of its aggression focused on Izuku.

“Let’s just take it easy, I will help you get out of this place, just let me try to-”

“RAAAARGH!”

“This guy is not a Lesser anything!” 

Even with Speedstrike, Stealth, and every ounce of strength in him, Izuku was barely alive.

“Just one hit! Just one hit to slow him down!”

[Title: Hysterical Strength of a Hero has activated.]

Izuku roared back at Arcka. For a single moment, his Strength and Agility Stats doubled, giving him two things.

One, he managed to match Arcka, blocking his incoming blow and countering with a kick to his kneecap. His armor boots further enhanced him, giving him another +12 Strength for the kick. It wasn’t enough to snap his knee in the wrong direction like Izuku was hoping for, but he could hear the faintest tearing of a ligament. It wasn’t much but it would slow the Villain down. 

And two, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Yaoyzoru at the entrance to the geode-like cavern. She was pulling dozens of metal pieces out of her arms, slapping them together as quickly as possible. It looked like she was just fiddling with random parts, but Izuku knew she had a plan.

“I don’t think he’s noticed her… in that case. Everything’s on me to keep him busy.”

Izuku’s muscles spasmed in response to his overuse of them, but he ignored it, managing to block a second blow with his forearm, without the Title boost. Both the pain and the actual ligament damage had slowed the demon-like Arcka just enough to allow Izuku to keep up.

However, just because Izuku could get ahead of the game now, didn’t mean he was in the same league as his opponent. Each hit from Arcka was heavy, only outclassed by the weight of that Statue Face creature. Without his gauntlets, Izuku’s arms would already be black, blue, and broken. 

“Impressive, for a mortal!” Arcka took a step back, allowing Izuku a moment to catch his breath. The demon was grinning grotesquely from ear-to-ear, “I haven’t felt pain in so long… I feel alive again! You humans! You always think you’re so smart! But the universe is filled with beings you cannot even fathom! You’re pathetic!”

Izuku smirked. “You’re right. I’m not that smart. I nearly failed high school after all, but…” Arcka’s eyes widened as he felt the mass of magic power gathering behind him. “We’re both idiots compared to her.”

Yaoyorozu’s face was pale and dripping with sweat as she hefted a Barrett M107 anti-material rifle. It was nothing special itself, just a normal anti-material rifle. But inside of it, there rested a single bullet made of raw magical energy. And judging by Yaoyorozu’s face, she had used every drop in her body to construct it. There was no doubt that it could destroy anything in front of it.

[Skill: Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Izuku drove his fist into Arcka’s cheekbone as he turned to face the gun barrel. He couldn’t let him move, not even an inch, until that bullet tore through him.

The stone spikes ran through the ground, not doing any damage, but obscuring his view and staggering him just for a moment. All he had to do was swipe his arm and knock away Izuku and the stone spikes. But when he could see once more, Yaoyorozu was gone from where she had been standing. And then, Arcka fell over. 

He wasn’t hitting the deck in the hopes of avoiding the bullet. And he hadn’t been knocked over by Izuku either.

He looked to the right, noticing he couldn’t turn his neck. What he saw… was his own body. The bullet had not made a single sound. It had torn through his neck with such force that he was decapitated. The last punishment from the universe he had received, was to watch his own body fall over, dead.

[You have defeated Lesser Tenebris of the Iron Body Army, Arcka]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have obtained a new Quirk!]

[You have obtained new items!]

[You have completed Quest: Inner Circle Part 2!]

At the same time Arcka fell over, Yaoyorozu did the same. Thankfully Izuku was there to catch her.

“I… Did… Did I… Did we do it?” She was pale, muttering, and barely coherent.

“Yeah,” Izuku smiled, “You did it.”

She let out a soft sigh before passing into unconsciousness, the last of her energy spent. But her pulse was strong, and her breathing was steady. She’d be just fine with a bit of rest. But more importantly, she had surpassed the fear that had assailed her not so long ago. She had killed a Dungeon Boss with a single blow.

“Alright, let’s get the hell outta here,” Izuku said to no one in particular, scooping up Yaoyorozu in his arms and beginning his trek back through the caverns.

*******

When Yaoyorozu awoke, the first thing she heard was the crashing of waves on the sand. 

“Mmmm… Where…?” She sat up to see Izuku working on a small collapsible stove in front of her, while she rested on a blanket on the soft warm sands.

“Hey, morning.”

“It’s morning?” Yaoyorozu was tired but she didn’t think a whole day had passed.

“Sorry, force of habit. You’ve only been out for a few hours.” He pointed off into the distance, where the sun was starting to turn the sky a bright orange.

“You brought all this with you?” She asked, looking around to see a cooler, and some food.

“Had it in the backpack I left here on the sands before we went in. I figured it’d be nice to have a bit of a picnic after the Gate.”

The two had traveled by bus to get to the quiet beach, and Izuku didn’t feel like carrying an unconscious girl onto said bus and getting questioned. Not only that, but he was also feeling a little under the weather. Not because of a physical condition, but because of Arcka’s words. 

Izuku and humanity themselves had always had the idea that Villains were intelligent, organized to some extent. But there was never an inkling that they were incredibly organized, intelligible, and structured. 

If the Tenebris was to be believed, they had entire organized armies. Not only that, but Izuku had learned something interesting. The Gates were not some sort of invasion device, they were not being used to ferry Villains onto Earth, they were prisons.

“So who let the prisoner’s loose on Earth?”

“Are you okay?” Yaoyorozu asked, clutching at her throbbing head.

“I’m fine!” Izuku lied, putting on a smile for her. “I’ve got a load of Rewards to accept, couldn’t be happier!” She gave him a disapproving look and he sighed. “I’m okay, I’m just kinda rattled.”

Yaoyorozu nodded, happy to receive a straightforward answer. “You don’t have to lie to me.”

Izuku smiled, genuinely this time, “Yes ma’am.”

“Please don’t start calling me ma’am.”

“Copy that ma’am,” Izuku said before snorting out a laugh.

Yaoyorozu gave him a second disapproving stare, one that definitely looked like it was coming from someone more mature than their age. In other words, it was a stare befitting a “ma’am.” Izuku decided not to mention that and instead handed her one of the hotdogs he was making. And once he had his own, he sat down next to Yaoyorozu and began looking through the System Alerts.

“Alright, new Quirk, new items! Accept Rewards!”

The two, now eating and relaxing on the beach with the soft sounds of waves, took the opportunity to read in peace.

*******

[Quirk: Stone Body]

• Quirk Class: B-Rank

• Cost: No physical or magical costs are required.

• Description: Every Stat point put into Vitality is doubled.

*******

“Oh so it’s like Amplify but only for Vitality…” Izuku rubbed at his sore forearms, still reeling from the shocks of Arcka’s fists. “Be good for the future. Though I wish I had it before I got ten whole Levels.”

“You want a healing potion?” Yaoyorozu asked, noticing his discomfort.

“No…” Izuku once more felt conflicted. Arcka clearly wasn’t a good person. Even Rasaka was just after revenge on Izuku and had let the civilians escape. Arcka just wanted to kill and inflict suffering. Yet Izuku couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Several millennia stuck inside that Gate? Maybe it had made him insane. Maybe it wasn’t his fault. He voiced as much to Yaoyorozu, who nodded.

“We’re killing living beings. Some of them are evil, no doubt, but they can’t all be… However, even if their intentions are pure, they’re still trying to hurt people. We can’t allow that.” Yaoyorozu rested a free hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “It’s good to keep an open mind. You tried to talk him down and offered to help. If he didn’t listen, that’s his fault, not yours.”

“Who imprisoned Villains in the first place?”

Izuku shook the thoughts from his head and continued onwards.

*******

[Item: Crystal Chassis]

• Item Class: B-Rank

• Item Type: Chestplate

• +20 Vitality

• Description: Reduces pain reception by 15%

*******

[Item: Tenebris Essence]

• Item Class: S-Rank

• Item Type: Enhancement

• Description: A fine powder extracted from the Essence of a Tenebris. Can be consumed to evolve a Quirk.

*******

Izuku and Yaoyorozu’s eyes widened in sync, realizing just how powerful the item was. It really should’ve been ranked higher than an S-Rank considering its effects.

“Wow… what are you gonna use it on?” Yaoyorozu asked.

Izuku tilted his head. He could’ve enhanced Amplify or Stone Body to increase his Stat gain. He could’ve evolved Documentarian to gain immense amounts of knowledge about his enemy, which he realized he forgot to do against Arcka. But he decided on none of them, because an idea came to mind.

“Consume Tenebris Essence. Evolve Quirk: Creation.”

Yaoyorozu immediately raised her hands, “No you shouldn’t waste it on me! That’s not-”

[Quirk: Creation, has evolved into Genesis.]

*******

[Quirk: Genesis]

• Quirk Class: S-Rank

• Cost: Mana cost varies based on the objects created. Can create non-magical items with very little Mana or can create potent magical items with a high Mana cost.

• Description: Can create anything so long as the user knows the chemical composition. Can now create temporary summoned creatures to fight alongside the user. Creatures will constantly consume Mana and will fade once the user stops feeding them Mana.

• Addendum: Genetic Defect of Quirk has been corrected. User’s reproductive system has been amended.

*******

Creation was one hell of a Quirk to begin with, now it was powerful beyond belief. But the real power was in the last line of the System Alert. Yaoyorozu’s lip quivered as she herself read it.

“I… I can…” She slapped her hand over her mouth to stop the sobs from escaping her mouth. “Thank… you…”

She reached over and wrapped her arms around Izuku. She was young, she obviously wasn’t ready to have children. But deep down, she knew something inside of her had been fixed. It lifted a weight off of her shoulders that she hadn’t even known she had been carrying. Now, when she was ready, she could have her own children.

Izuku stared agape at the System Alert. He was ready for Creation to go from powerful to overpowered, but he hadn’t been prepared for it to take initiative and help cure Yaoyorozu of her infertility.

“Maybe the System isn’t all bad… just a little…”

“Uhm… wow…” Was all Izuku could say aloud as Yaoyorozu happily cried into his shoulder. 

It was a psychological healing as much as it was physical. Just the knowledge that it had been fixed was more than enough for Yaoyorozu to start crying. To actually think about a future that she could now have, that was a gift.

“Oh… uhhh… sorry I got your shirt all wet,” She said, chuckling as she pulled away.

Izuku just smiled. “Nothing wrong with crying a little. See, it wasn’t a waste.”

She nodded, wiping away the tears as she continued laughing. “Ugh… such a load off my mind… Phew. Sorry, do you wanna look at the rest of the System now that I’m done bawling?”

“Hah, sure. Accept Quest Rewards,” Izuku said as Yaoyorozu leaned over once more, this time resting her head against his shoulder. He turned bright red. If this beach wasn’t abandoned, anyone there would think they were a couple.

[Rewards:]

• 1. Quest: Job Change

• 2. Job Change Instant Dungeon Key

• 3. Quest: Inner Circle Part 3

• 4. D-Rank Omni-Elemental Enhancement Gem.

• 5. +25 Stat Points

“Job Change?” 

“It could be a role thing,” Yaoyorozu suggested, then continued upon seeing Izuku’s confusion. “Like in video games, you have a role or job. You can be the Tank, the Mage, etc.”

“Oh… huh…”

*******

[Quest: Job Change]

[Requirements:]

• 1. Complete the Dungeon with the provided Instant Dungeon Key.

• 2. The Player must complete this Dungeon alone.

*******

[Quest: Inner Circle Part 3]

[Requirements:]

• 1. ???

*******

“Well that’s helpful.”

“You got a D-Rank item?” Yaoyorozu questioned, pointing at the Enhancement Gem.

“I assume that’s because it’s ‘Omni-Elemental.’ I guess it means I can use all Elements at a D-Rank with it.” Izuku was already planning on putting that one into the second slot on his gauntlets. He already had Poison on his gauntlets, but having every other Element in the System was pretty attractive for something he could always do, that being punch.

The +25 Stat points were also nice. If he put it into Strength, Agility, or Vitality, he’d basically get double the Stat points, but at the same time he was hesitant to let Intelligence and Sense fall behind. So what he decided to do was put 10 into Sense, 5 into Intelligence, then 5 into Vitality and 5 into either Agility or Strength.

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 50

Strength: 118 (+5)

Vitality: 102 (+25)

Agility: 146 (+8)

Intelligence: 91 (+5)

Sense: 76 (+5)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 1655/1655] 

[HP: 4532/4532]

*******

“What a day…” Yaoyorozu sighed as the sun reached the horizon, the sky turning a light pink-ish color. “Didn’t think I’d ever kill a Villain Boss myself…”

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Same here.”

They sat in silence for a moment, simply reflecting and enjoying the sunset.

“We’re gonna miss the last bus you know.”

Izuku chuckled. “We can outrun the bus.”

“Very true…”

“The UA applications are almost due. Are you gonna apply with me?” Yaoyorozu asked, her voice just barely above a murmur as she rested against Izuku.

“It’s a great way to get access to more Gates without joining an Agency and signing your life away in a contract. And we can probably learn something from the Pros. After all, we have been kinda freestyling as Heroes.”

Since the two of them had either been too weak, or too afraid, they hadn’t really worked properly in a Hero team. They were just patchwork additions. Clearly they were more than strong enough to clear B-Rank Gates, at the least, on their own. But there was always more to learn.

“We just have to make sure we actually get accepted.”

Yaoyorozu looked up at Izuku with her soft, intelligent gray eyes, “We will.”

Chapter Text

[Item: Job Change Dungeon Key]

• Item Class: ?-Rank

• Item Type: Key

• Description: May be used anywhere that is not in sight of others. Cannot be entered by anyone other than the Player. Dungeon cannot be exited until the Job Change Quest is cleared.

*******

(Izuku: Wanna give me any hints?)

(Nejire-Chan: The Entrance Exams aren’t much of a secret. UA has some written exams to confirm that you have basic education and can function in society basically. Handle paperwork if you join an Agency, etc. But the Practical is the real deal. You’ll get paired with a Raid Party and will have to clear a Gate of Rank equal to your team’s strength minus one. So if the Party is ranked A, you’d handle a B-Rank Gate.)

(Izuku: And how do they know if all of the Party members properly participated?)

(Nejire-Chan: Oh they make sure there’s a faculty member with your team to bail you out and score you guys. But if you handled Joren Fall solo, I doubt you’ll need to be bailed out.)

Outside of Yaoyorozu and Kei, Nejire was the only one who knew that it was Izuku who had cleared the Gate at Joren Falls. It complicated matters because she was assuming one of two things.

Either Izuku was a False Ranker, someone who hid their strength for malevolent, or at the very least, immoral reasons, or he had undergone a Reawakening or Quirk Awakening. Nejire probably didn’t think the former of Izuku, but it was one of the only options, so it was no doubt on her mind.

Izuku groaned loudly. He was standing at the same beach he and Yaoyorozu had traveled to for their last Gate. “I’ll probably have to go to the Hero Safety Commission to get a Reawakening measurement. It’ll be too hard to hide my strength at UA. I’m registered as an E-Rank, but I’m probably closer to a Low to Mid B-Rank right now.” He looked back down at his phone. “Nejire’s practically a Pro Hero already… should I just ask her? Should I just show all my cards?” 

Nejire, next to Kei and Yaoyorozu, was probably the most trustworthy person Izuku knew. She didn’t know the whole story, yet she was still acting friendly and keeping his secret under wraps. Indecisive, he pulled open another contact on his phone.

(Izuku: Hey Kei, I need some advice about Nejire.)

(Kei: Whatever it is, yes! 100% yes!)

Izuku smirked. 

(Izuku: You’re a nutcase, you know that?)

(Kei: Says the guy trying to woo two girls at once!)

(Izuku: I’m not trying to woo anybody! I just wanted to know what you thought about letting Nejire in on our secret.)

(Kei: See the above text, dumbass!)

Izuku rolled his eyes and said goodbye to Kei, still smiling.

(Izuku: Nejire, can you meet me by the Hero Commission Agency tomorrow?)

(Nejire-Chan: First of all, it’s Nejire-Chan! Second of all, sure thing! I assume you want to get a Reawakened measurement?)

(Izuku: Yeah, but my Reawakening isn’t exactly… standard. I just wanna explain some things if that’s okay. Will be much less confusing in the long run that way.)

(Nejire-Chan: No idea what that means, but cool! I’ll see you tomorrow!)

Izuku put his phone away and took out the Job Change Quest Key. If Yaoyorozu was correct, it would give him a role, something that might help him specialize his power. She said that in video games, roles helped specific Stats grow, like a Tank getting more health, or a DPS getting stronger attacks. Regardless, it had the potential to really push Izuku to the next level, so he wanted to get it done as soon as he could. With UA Entrance Exams fast approaching, any additional strength was appreciated.

So just like the day before, Izuku lifted the key into the empty air and inserted it. But unlike the other day, the Gate didn’t wait for Izuku to enter. Instead, it sucked him right in the second it appeared.

The instant Izuku turned the key, it vanished from his hands and his view of the tranquil crashing waves of the beach turned to that of a medieval castle hallway, complete with torches lining the walls.

[Quest: Job Change has begun.]

Izuku leaned his head to the side, narrowly avoiding an arrow that went whistling past him. “That was quick.” He felt a cocky grin creeping up his face as the next arrow came rocketing towards him.

This time, he grabbed it out of midair, whipping it back at the suit of armor that had launched it from its bow.

Izuku wasn’t sure what exactly the arrow hit, but the magical suit of armor collapsed into a heap, clearly dead. Strangely, there was no blood, no insides to speak of at all. It was like a doll that had its strings cut.

“That’s odd…” Izuku said, looking down the neck part of the armor to see inside of it. There was nothing but empty space. He’d never seen anything like it, but there was the chance that higher Ranked Heroes had seen them before.

“This place isn’t that bad so far,” Izuku said, once more moving as minimally as possible to dodge a charging ball of fire. “With the new Levels this feels almost too easy.” 

He spun around to catch sight of the attacker. Another suit of armor, though this one was far lighter. Looking like a combination of leather and chainmail. It had a magician look to it, confirmed by the ball of fire floating in its palm. And the floating hood, containing only darkness, completed the look, making Izuku think of Kayaba Akihiko’s avatar from Sword Art Online. But this was not the gamemaster.

Magician types were exceptionally powerful when it came to Heroes, but very rarely could they fight a Villain head-on alone. They were backline attackers. They could dish it out, but as Izuku proved by putting his fist through its chest, they couldn’t take it. In fact, their reaction time was too slow to even see Izuku coming for them.

[You have obtained item: Crystal Crushers.]

*******

[Item: Crystal Crushers]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Gauntlets

• Attack: +150

• Gem Slots: 1

• +20 Intelligence

******

Crystal Armor Set Bonuses:

• Set Bonus 1 (2 pieces): All Mana Costs Reduced by 25%

• Set Bonus 2 (3 Pieces): ???

• Set Bonus 3 (5 Pieces): ???

*******

“Intelligence and Mana costs? Well I guess it makes sense for armor pieces made out of magical crystals to enhance magic Stats.” Izuku thanked his lucky stars that he had yet to fuse the Omni-Elemental Gem into his Scale Smashers, and instead had the chance to use them on the Crystal gauntlets. If the entire armor set was based around magic based attacks, then being able to use all elements with his gauntlets would be absolutely overpowered.

“The System keeps adding new content, huh?” Izuku muttered to himself, curious about the other two armor set bonuses. “Then I guess let’s not put it off.”

*******

[Item: Crystal Crushers (Omni)]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Gauntlets

• Attack: +150

• Gem Slots: 1

• +20 Intelligence

• Description: The Player now has control over all Elements. Said control requires Mana and the larger the feat, the more Mana it consumes. The Rank of the Enhancement Gem is proportional to the Mana required. A lower Rank makes control harder.

******

Izuku held out his hand, coated in the sky-blue crystals and focused on shooting out a fireball. His wish came true and the nearest wall which he had aimed at exploded in flames. But at the same time, his Mana dropped precipitously. 

[Mana: 2032/2432]

“Four hundred?!” Izuku nearly shouted, ignoring how it echoed down the halls, alerting nearby Villains. “Okay, well I guess it was right about the Rank of the Enhancement Gem increasing the Mana cost. D-Rank Gems are hungry for Mana.”

With a simple fireball costing Izuku a sixth of his Mana, it was clear that the Omni-Gem was a massive boost in versatility, but not in accessibility. It would be good for tight situations, but Izuku wouldn’t exactly be able to use it all the time.

Izuku spent a moment scrolling through the System Store. “Are there really no potions in this? Damn, I wish Yaoyorozu was with me. She’s got a lot more Mana than I do.”

The nearby clank of metal armor snapped Izuku out of his thoughts. He closed the store and faced down the dozens of suits of armor lining up to fight him. “But I guess I don’t need magic to beat you guys, just good ole fashion punching.”

*******

Twenty minutes later and Izuku was still bashing apart the same wave of knights that had first approached him. And during that time, he noticed something wrong.

“I’m not getting any Levels, even though I’ve smashed like a hundred of these things!”

It was apparent that the Job Change Quest was special in that it didn’t want to let Izuku increase in power the longer he was there.

It had only been twenty minutes, but it had been twenty minutes of bashing apart magical suits of armor. It was starting to drain Izuku’s stamina. If he wasn’t careful managing it, he’d end up in a lot of trouble.

“Phew…” Izuku crushed the helmet of the last knight in his hands.

[You have obtained item: Crystal Kickers.]

*******

[Item: Crystal Kickers]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Boots

• Gem Slots: 1

• +20 Agility

******

[Set Bonus 2 (3 Pieces): Mana recovers twice as fast.]

There was nothing really special about Izuku’s new armored shoes, but he’d take the raw Stats and the set bonus any day of the week.

“I really need leggings and a helmet,” Izuku said, examining the System Equip screen. Those two were all he needed to have a full set of equipment.

“Seriously?” Izuku asked seemingly no one as his hand snapped out to grab at nothing. Or at least it appeared that way. In reality, his hand made contact with the throat of an invisible assailant. It appeared that Izuku wasn’t the only one with a Stealth Skill.

“Am I fighting myself here?” He asked. So far each of the enemies represented a Skill or piece of equipment, or specific Stat he had.

The archers matched his Agility, the Magicians matched his magic output, the Knights could take a hit and dish one out, and the Assassins could almost sneak up on him. It was a dangerous game of chicken that Izuku was playing, kept on the edge of a cliff with each enemy he fought. And there were a lot to fight. In fact, a new wave was approaching right at that moment.

“Fine, but you better give me some good items.”

*******

An hour later and Izuku had received nothing for his trouble.

Sweat fell from his brow in waves, spattering the crumpled, burned, and eviscerated armor. He wasn’t injured, but he could’ve gone for a shower and a nap, that was for sure.

Unfortunately, he’d picked up on the pattern of the Dungeon. Every time he tried to rest and recover, more enemies appeared. If he didn’t finish the Dungeon soon, his stamina would be his downfall.

Thankfully, Izuku could see the end of the hallway, where a massive, ornate, red and gold door stood. 

“If this isn’t the end of this Dungeon I don’t know what would be,” Izuku said, gathering himself and doing a few quick stretches before more enemies showed up to interrupt him.

“I could really go for some Ramen after this…” Izuku sighed. “Well at least I’ve caught up on rent, I guess I could treat myself!” He finished stretching and went to place both hands against the door, prepared to heave against its humongous frame. Instead, it opened before he could even touch it.

Without a sound, it eerily slid open, revealing nothing but pure darkness. It was so dark, in fact, that when the torches along the pillars and walls burst to life with blue flames, Izuku was temporarily blinded.

It was a throne room, plain and simple. The walls and pillars were decorated with gold, carved marble, and just felt royal.

Just as the warmth of the torches washed over Izuku, it was quashed by the chills running down his spine. Izuku was not alone in the throne room, as signified by the clattering of armor and the heavy thunk of armored feet on stone. From behind the throne, a knight, decorated in blood-red armor stepped out.

Nearly seven-feet tall, he towered over Izuku, the crimson glow of his eyes piercing the young man. 

*******

[Blood-Red Royal Knight, Igris:]

Rank: S

Type: Humanoid

Role: Boss

Proficiencies: Swordsmanship, Defense, Strategy.

Skills: Blood-Red Blade

*******

Every ounce of Izuku’s body screamed bloody murder at him. It screamed one word.

DEATH

This was no Villain, no simple enemy of humanity. This was a monster, a demon in the form of a knight. 

It may not have been on the same level as that statue face, but it was giving Izuku the exact same feeling. He was outclassed.

At best, Izuku was high B-Rank. Two full Ranks below Igris. Not to mention one of his proficiencies being “Strategy.” He didn’t just have raw power, but the brains to back it up.

“I should’ve gotten stronger first… What was I thinking coming here immediately?!”

Igris unsheathed the longsword on his hip with a petrifying SHING! Letting it rest at his side, it stood between Izuku and the throne. The message was clear. “This does not belong to you, only my king.”

“I’m at a huge disadvantage. There’s no way I can beat him head-on…”

Izuku expected to be decapitated any minute, as if the universe was paying him back for what he and Yaoyorozu did to Arcka. But Igris refused to move from the throne.

“Do you understand me?” Izuku asked, hoping to open a dialogue considering the vast difference between them. Igris simply tilted his head to the side, refusing to say or do anything. It was like he was waiting for Izuku.

“He’s a strategist… so he’s probably looking for me to make the first move. But why? He clearly has me beat in power. He’s a knight, so maybe he doesn’t have a good sense of energy levels like Nejire-Chan. Does he think I’m stronger than I am? If that’s the case, this first attack has to matter, because after that, he won’t hold back.”

[Echo Attack (Earth) has activated.]

Izuku, having no other choice, raised his right arm, and shot forth an icicle. Enhanced by his Intelligence Stat, the icicle could have pierced all the way through an aircraft carrier… the long way. But to Igris, it was just something to bat to the side with his sword. 

The icicle, considered an attack, still technically hit, triggering Echo Attack, and forcing spikes through the smooth stone floor. It was ineffective against Arcka, and it stood no chance against Igris either. In fact, the stone crumbled before it could even reach him, like his very presence was turning it to dust.

“Really? That’s all?” Igris didn’t say that, but Izuku could feel the disappointment emanating off of him. Then, he was gone. 

As if teleporting, Igris appeared next to Izuku, lightly swinging his fist to backhand Izuku in the stomach.

Izuku didn’t even have time to process his trajectory before he slammed into the throne room walls, cratering the stone. He somehow wasn’t dead, but he did have at least two broken ribs.

He regained lucidity just in time to look up and see Igris charging him with his sword aimed straight for Izuku’s chest. The only reason he could see him was his activation of Speedstrike. But he wouldn’t be able to dodge or block the attack, so really, all he had given himself was a glimpse of his death.

[Enhancement Gem has been removed from Echo Attack.]

[Skill: Echo Attack has activated.]

Izuku swung a right hook at the air, just moments before Igris made impact. It was a hail mary move. By hitting the air, the second impact of Echo Attack made it just in time to nudge Igris’s sword off course.

It wasn’t by a lot, hell, it was barely anything at all. But instead of piercing his heart, the sword sliced through the flesh just under Izuku’s left collarbone. It hurt like hell, but Izuku was pretty sure that, for a B-Rank, it wasn’t fatal. However, the next blow would be if Izuku didn’t think of something quick.

With only his right arm still working, he reached up and grabbed Igris’s neck, pulling the surprised knight close enough for Izuku to once more activate Echo Attack and slam his forehead into the knight’s.

Igris barely moved backwards, but he did move backwards. It wasn’t because of the attack though. 

Igris yanked his sword out of Izuku, earning a shout of pain. But the knight stopped there, instead moving as a blur to appear in front of the throne once more, his sword guarding it yet again.

“He wasn’t waiting for me to make the first move to learn my attack patterns…” Izuku realized, “He only attacked because the icicle got close to the throne. The throne…”

Izuku’s vision was growing dark, but through the haze of pain-filled tears, he took a closer look at the seat. It looked different now, because it had color to it, but there was no mistaking that its complicated design was the same as the one he’d seen just before waking in the hospital. The throne of shadows.

“Heh,” Izuku gave a light laugh through the pain. “So that’s the game, huh? Claim Daily Quest Reward 1.”

[Reward: Status Recovery]

Izuku had been using his Daily Quest Reward to restore his energy after his workouts, but he also figured out that the Status Recovery healed injuries. So not only did his fatigue of the past couple hours disappear, but his shoulder also pulled itself back together, healing the damage from Igris’s blade.

Of course, Izuku still had to figure out how he would get past Igris, but at least he had both of his arms back to the point of being usable.

“All I need is a moment. A single second where he’s caught off guard…”

[Mana: 1943/4532]

Between all of Izuku’s Skills and abilities, he had consumed a fair chunk of Mana. He could maybe pull off one more big show before being depleted, and after that, he had nothing that came close to Igris. This was the only way forward.

“I hate taking notes from him, but I promised I’d use everything in my disposal to win.”

Activating Speedstrike, Izuku charged the throne, not hesitating even as Igris came to meet him. 

“Shit! It’s a bad angle! I’ll never get past him like this!”

Izuku raised his gauntlets, preparing to take the hit. He needed a reset, he needed to try again. With Izuku guarding with his gauntlets, Igris decided to kick out instead, slamming Izuku’s solar plexus with the sole of his heavy boots.

The air was forced from Izuku’s lungs and he practically blacked out. When he came to, he was sitting in another crater in the wall, and Igris was back at the throne.

“He didn’t push the attack because I was already unconscious…”

Igris was taking his role as guardian of the throne as seriously as possible. He could’ve killed Izuku twice by now, but the knight wasn’t so easily fooled as to push the attack on someone already unconscious and leave the throne undefended. It was clear to Igris that Izuku was trying something tricky, what other reason would he have to charge head-on?

Izuku pulled himself back to his feet once more. And again, Igris batted him away on his next attempt, breaking even more bones in Izuku’s body. And again. And again.

Izuku was bruised, bloodied, and broken, but he wasn’t done yet. He wiped the blood from his lip. By now, Igris had chosen to stand firmly by the throne and wait for Izuku to come to him. It was exactly what Izuku wanted.

Before then, Igris would close the distance between them. Which meant that even if Izuku got past him during that exchange, the knight would have far too much time to catch up to him. Now, if Izuku could just trick the royal guard once, he’d be right next to the throne.

So once more, Izuku pulled his battered body from the crushed stone, letting out a heavy sigh, and lowering into a crouch. This was the last of him. Not only was his Mana running low, but his body was giving up on him again. The Status Recovery had been spent. It was do or die.

He could feel it in Igris’s glowing eyes. The knight was ready to perform an execution. He wouldn’t wait any longer.

Kicking off the ground, Izuku felt the ligaments in his calf and thigh strain and tear. But it was okay. He was flying through the air, aimed straight for the throne. 

If Igris could have scoffed, he would have. Izuku’s trajectory was all too predictable. He had seen his tricks. There was nothing that could save him here. It was foolish. And a foolish man did not deserve the seat where his liege once sat.

Igris raised his sword, preparing to bring it down with perfect timing to bisect Izuku. There would be no more chances. With a certainty that this would be the end, he swung downwards.

“NOW!!”

Izuku aimed his palm at the floor and imagined his old friend, someone he had once cared for. A childhood friend who he could always smile with.

BOOM!

Using the last of his Mana, Izuku created an explosion underneath him, using the extra height to just barely dance past the sword. 

Rolling through the air, Izuku flipped past the knight, landing just in front of the throne. With both legs damaged, however, Izuku immediately crumpled. It mirrored the scene from the first time he had taken the throne. 

He reached out, fingers stretched for the soft velvet seat as Igris rose up behind him, preparing to stab the sword through his back and out through his chest.

Izuku felt death bearing down on him, but he could also feel the warmth of the seat as his finger brushed against it. He expected the sword any second, but all he heard was the clattering of metal as Igris collapsed, his strings cut, just like the other suits of armor.

[Job Change Quest has been completed.]

[You have received Rewards.]

[Job has been assigned.]

[Player, Izuku Midoriya. Death follows you wherever you go. You are closer to Death than you are to Life, but you seek to help the living. Your desire to save the innocent is strong enough to call forth the dead to fight for you.]

[You are the Shadow Monarch.]

Chapter Text

[Izuku Midoriya, do you accept the role of Shadow Monarch?]

“Eh…?”

[Izuku Midoriya, do you accept the role of Shadow Monarch?]

Izuku groaned, realizing he was resting on the steps just in front of the throne, his fingers outstretched towards it. He was alive, but he was also laying in a puddle of his own blood. He was too weak to move. Fighting Igris had taken more from him than he realized. And the wounds inflicted by the knight had not been made with a fragile touch.

[Izuku Midoriya, do you accept the role of Shadow Monarch?]

“Shadow… Monarch?” Izuku’s vision wavered. He was starting to lose consciousness again. The shadows created by the flickering torch danced along the walls, giving Izuku glimpses of horrible beasts in his delirious state.

[Izuku Midoriya, do you accept the role of Shadow Monarch?]

“Acc…ept…”

Suddenly, the shadows on the walls peeled away, rushing towards Izuku with abandon, making him question whether or not he was hallucinating. 

It reminded him of the shadows that crept up his body when he first touched the throne back in that world of darkness. The pain had consumed every thought during then, so he could only brace himself and hope it wouldn’t be so agonizing.

But it was for nothing. When the shadows washed over him, it was not a wave of pain, but a gentle cooling balm.

Izuku felt his bones, his ligaments, everything, pulling themselves back together. A rush of endorphins and serotonin flooded his mind. For just a moment, everything in the universe made sense, felt right. Then, the shadows settled, and Izuku’s lungs were finally allowed to fill with air.

He pushed himself back to his feet, feeling lighter than ever despite his Stats looking no different.

[Please choose a command phrase for Shadow Extraction.]

Izuku rubbed at his temples. “Give me a minute…” He tried to recall the System Messages he’d seen before passing out. “Something about… calling the…” His eyes widened and he spun around, his Sense Stat telling him that Igris was alive and well behind him.

The knight could have easily killed him, but instead, it was kneeling just a few feet away from Izuku. Except, it wasn’t the same Igris Izuku had seen before.

*******

[Igris Lvl. 1 - Elite Knight Grade]

Skills: Blood-Red Blade

Equipment: Shadow Blade of the Royal Guard

*******

He was the exact same shape as the old Igris, but instead of his crimson-red armor, he was wearing armor made completely of flowing smoky shadows accented by lines of emerald-green energy. No, it wasn’t just his armor. He was made of shadows. And over in the corner laid his original body, still dead.

“Shadow Extraction…” Izuku mumbled breathlessly, realizing the true strength he had just been granted. “Wait…” He quickly worked his way through the System until he reached one of his Quirks.

*******

[Soul List:]

• Rasaka

• Anok

• 51 Shriekers

• 15 Clicker Tortoises

• Non-Elemental Drake

• 25 Flame Salamanders

• Arcka

• Mimicat

• 20 Crystal Canaries

*******

[Shadow Extraction can be used on Soul List.]

Now it made sense to Izuku, why he had been given this Quirk, why it was so powerful.

[Please choose a command phrase for Shadow Extraction.]

“Command Phrase… Arise.”

Wind whipped through the room as names disappeared from the Soul Collection List. Green energy and inky-black shadows filled the room as shapes coalesced. A giant serpent, a demonic presence, a grotesque feline, and more.

*******

[Skill: Shadow Extraction]

• Job Specific Active Skill

• Mana Cost: Shadows consume Mana to reconstruct themselves when damaged, but no Mana is consumed to initially summon them.

• Description: By using the command phrase on suitable targets, their Soul and Mana will be extracted and reformed into a loyal servant of the Player. Shadows can also be stored in the Player’s Shadow or hidden in the Shadows of others when not in use.

*******

[Shadow Limit: 30/30]

Checking his Soul List, Izuku could see that not all of the souls had been consumed, only the strongest, like Boss Villains, or the strongest of the typical Villains.

[Would you like to assign names to your Shadows?]

Izuku looked over his Shadows, all of them having generic species names, then looking to Igris, who already had his name. “The powers of the Shadow Monarch… Power… over death.” The throne of Shadows, the darkness he’d felt time and time again. It all made sense. For so long, Izuku had been so close to death. So close that he could now call upon them.

Still being prompted by the System, he went through naming the special Shadows he had obtained, aside from Igris that was, who had already extracted and named himself apparently.

[Rasaka Lvl. 1 - Knight Grade]

[Anok Lvl. 1 - Elite Grade]

[Arcka Lvl. 1 - Knight Grade]

Most of them were just the names they had in life, but when Izuku got to the Mimicat and the Drake he was stumped for a moment. Izuku never had a cat before, and he tended to be bad at coming up with creative names, so he simply stood there for a while, staring off into the distance as the Shadows awaited his command.

He hadn’t played many video games in his life, but there was one that had basically put him off playing them altogether, Dark Souls. And in that game, there was a cat.

“Alright, I guess you’re Alvina.”

[Alvina Lvl. 1 - Elite Grade]

The Mimicat purred at that, seemingly happy with the name it had been given.

And when it came to Draconic names, Izuku really didn’t have much, so he decided to go with Draken.

[Draken Lvl. 1 - Elite Grade] 

He also had 20 Shadow Crystal Canaries and 5 Shadow Flame Salamanders, both at Normal Grade. Together with the other 5 Shadows, they filled out all thirty slots.

“This grading system is weird.” Izuku mumbled, carefully examining them. The standard Villains had Normal Grade, presumably the weakest. Then, basing it off their strength in increasing levels, it went Elite, Knight, and then Elite-Knight, which was Igris’s ranking.

He found it strange that it didn’t run on the human Ranking system, but then again, that was a subjective system made up by humans. Whatever this was, it was some sort of magical ranking decided by the actual System, which may have been more objective than humanity’s rankings.

“Uhm… can you guys speak?” 

Silence was the answer.

“Yeah I kinda figured…” Izuku suddenly felt quite awkward with all of the Shadows either staring or kneeling before him.

“It said it used your souls as a base for the Shadow Form. Does that mean you guys have free will?”

Igris, still kneeling, tilted his head to the side in a way that said, “Yes and no.” He then put his hand to his chest, resting his fist against where his heart would be, before extending an open palm to Izuku. The message was clear. “Our souls are yours.”

Izuku wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but he had the sense that they were not obedient slaves. More like loyal compatriots. 

He looked to Rasaka and Anok, the two which had the most reason to resent him. The two were close to each other, a given since they were mates in their old life.

“Do you not resent me?”

Rasaka’s attention snapped from Anok to him. He slithered closer, his emerald-green eyes focused on Izuku before moving back to Anok and to Izuku again.

“A second chance…?”

Rasaka gave a small hiss before slithering away, confirming Izuku’s suspicions. He still had a lot to sort through in his mind, but his stomach was rumbling and his body was exhausted. All of his physical injuries may have been healed, but there was still a lingering weariness in his bones.

“Okay let’s see how this works. Uhm… can you guys hide in my shadow?”

In an instant, the Shadows dissolved into a liquid-like substance that snaked across the floor, coming to rest within Izuku’s shadow. It was perfect. Except for the Shadow still kneeling in front of Izuku.

“Uh, Igris?”

The knight looked up at Izuku with pleading eyes.

“A seven-foot tall Shadow knight is a little conspicuous don’t you think? I can’t just walk around with you behind me.” Igris lowered his head in disappointment, causing Izuku to scratch at the back of his head in thought. “Sorry, but you would just draw too much attention. Even if I claimed you were a Quirk or part of my Reawakening, it’s just too much.”

Igris nodded, holding his fist against his chest in a pledge of loyalty before slinking into Izuku’s shadow like the rest.

“What’s up with him? He already has a name and his Shadow was Extracted before I even assigned a command phrase. Like he did it on his own…”

Izuku had plenty of questions and very few answers, but he figured he wouldn’t learn anything more by sticking around. Besides, he was starving and he had promised himself some ramen when he finished the Quest.

“As long as I wasn’t unconscious for a whole day again, I should have plenty of time before meeting Nejire.”

*******

Izuku made a quick stop at home to change clothes before heading back out to get lunch. On the way, he realized he still had the item rewards from the Job Change Dungeon.

[You have received items: Crystal Helm, Crystal Leggings.]

*******

[Item: Crystal Helm]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Helmet

• Gem Slots: 0

• +20 Sense

*******

[Item: Crystal Leggings]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Leg Armor

• Gem Slots: 0

• +20 Agility

******

[Set Bonus 3 (5 Pieces): All Magic Based Attacks have their power increased by one Rank.]

“I’m really turning into a Mage aren’t I? I guess that could be the System’s intention. If I’m meant to be some sort of Necromancer, maybe I’m supposed to sit on the backlines and hurl magic…” It really wasn’t Izuku’s style, but then again, he now had a summon that was essentially an S-Rank, that being Igris, alongside many other high level summons.

Summoner-Type Heroes weren’t exactly rare. Plenty of them existed amongst the top Hero Agencies, but very few of them had any substantial power to speak of. Summons were temporary, consumed a lot of Mana, and were generally outpaced by other Heroes with more standard roles, like Tanks and Mages. But in Igris’s case, or even many of the other Shadows, they were essentially just Boss Villains given summon forms. They would decimate most standard Hero summons without breaking a sweat by Izuku’s estimation.

If human rankings were to be believed, Igris himself could fight 10 A-Ranks at once and still have a good chance of coming out on top. The powers of the Shadow Monarch, quite frankly, were asinine in terms of its raw potential. All Izuku needed to do was keep collecting Shadows and he’d become an unstoppable one-man army.

There was a bit of a morality problem around the topic of bringing living beings, that Izuku himself killed, back to life. More than that, bringing those creatures into his own servitude. However, unless they were being forced to lie by the System, they actually seemed content, if not happy, to be taking Shadow form for Izuku’s sake. It was something to mull over a bit more, but Izuku figured he had the time to discuss it with Yaoyorozu and get her thoughts before going any further with it.

“Finally, I’m starving!” Izuku nearly shouted as his favorite ramen place, a little hole-in-the-wall establishment, came into view.

“That’s what happens when you spend your morning nearly bleeding out at the foot of some magical throne.” He thought to himself, entering the crowded restaurant and ordering his usual.

Though the place was a bit hidden, it had quite the reputation for its excellent food and the old, experienced chef who made it, who also had a habit of being a bit of a grouch.

Izuku sat down with his bowl, picking up his chopsticks and getting ready to dig in when…

“OI! Old man! The usual!”

Izuku looked up in shock. Anyone who talked to the chef like that was liable to get beaten by a dozen different cooking utensils. The chef may have been old, but he was also an Awakened human and could thrash most people seven ways from sunday.

But instead, the chef flashed a cocky smirk and responded with, “Coming right up!”

Izuku’s jaw dropped, and he turned to look at whoever had shouted in the first place.

The woman who shouted was a few inches shorter than Izuku, but her rabbit ears stood just a bit taller. With her white hair, and tan skin, not to mention her boisterous personality, just about anyone could instantly recognize the Pro-Hero, Miruko.

Izuku nearly squealed in excitement, narrowly restraining himself. Miruko was currently seventh on the Hero Popularity polls, and for good reason.

Not only was the Rabbit Hero an S-Rank who jumped between Raids, helping out wherever she could, but she was also drop dead gorgeous. She was the perfect combination of kick-ass and beautiful. Honestly, Izuku was surprised she wasn’t higher on the Hero popularity rankings.

Normally, she wore a sleeveless leotard and leg armor that looked like it could crush a building, but today she was wearing a plain white t-shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. It was alluring to many in a much different way from her tight fitting Hero outfit. Something about a casual woman could appeal just as much as one dressed in clothes that exposed her curves.

While some rushed to get her autograph, many others went back to their food. Apparently Miruko’s boisterous presence in the restaurant was a common occurrence.

Izuku wanted nothing more than to join the autograph line, but his Sense Stat told him something about Miruko that the others in the ramen joint couldn’t feel. She was pissed off by these people. She just wanted to eat, she just wanted some peace and quiet after doing her best to save lives. And she was even more annoyed that she had to put on a smiling front for them.

Izuku realized, a little too late, that he had been staring at the Hero. He went to focus back on his food, but before he could, Miruko met his gaze, holding it with an intensity that was impossible to look away from. The two were fixed like that for a moment, only freed when the chef called out Miruko’s order.

Izuku shook his head and genuinely got back to his food, not wishing to upset the S-Rank any further. He was hungry enough to immerse himself in the exquisite taste of the chef’s cooking, so much so that he almost didn’t notice the chair opposite his being pulled back for someone to sit down. He didn’t think much of it, it was crowded after all, and he was fine sharing a table.

“Uhhhhhhhh…”

Miruko’s bright-red eyes burrowed into him.

“Why is she sitting at my table? No wait, why is she staring at me?”

“S-Sorry for staring earlier!” It was the only thing Izuku could imagine she was sitting down next to him for.

Her nose twitched and her ears flopped forwards. “You smell good.”

“Eh?” Izuku may have changed his clothes from the blood-soaked tatters he wore when fighting Igris, but he hadn’t showered or anything of the sort. By all accounts, his body odor was pretty nasty. Not to mention it was just a weird thing for Miruko to say regardless.

“What Rank are you?”

“Uh, I’m a Reawakened, I’m getting a new measurement tomorrow.”

“You have Villain stench on you.” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t know your Rank yet you went into a Dungeon.” A smirk stretched across her face. “You’re dangerous.”

Izuku nervously laughed. “I assure you I’m not that reckless. I just don’t know my exact Rank.”

“That’s not what I meant,” She replied. “Your smell is different. Good, but different.”

“I’m not sure I follow-”

“I can smell Mana. Every last Hero smells like a wet dog dipped in sewage to me. But not you… You’re almost… appetizing to eat next to.” Izuku didn’t like the words, “appetizing” and “you” in the same sentence, especially with Miruko’s almost feral eyes.

“What are you?”

Izuku scooped up his empty ramen bowl as he stood. “Right now? I’m a little weirded out. Please excuse me.”

“W-Wait!”

He looked back, surprised to see that her expression had softened dramatically. 

“Sorry. I uh… I’m a solo Hero,” Her cheeks were noticeably red as she rubbed at her neck in embarrassment. “I don’t get out all that much.”

“Who would’ve thought she’d be the socially awkward type?”

“I didn’t mean to be creepy, I was just interested in you, honestly.”

“Usually it’s the guy apologizing for being creepy. What a weird day…” Izuku gave her a good natured smile. “Because I smell good?”

She gave a hesitant nod. “It’s an anomaly. That makes you interesting.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Izuku said. “But maybe for the future, open with some small talk.” Miruko flashed a blatant smirk at that.

“See ya around Number 7.” Izuku set down his bowl at the counter and walked out, certain that he would, in fact, see her again.

Chapter Text

“You do realize she could’ve killed you?”

Izuku’s eyebrows shot up at Yaoyorozu’s worry. “Killed me? We were in a public place.”

“And she’s one of the top S-Ranks in Japan! You know how they are! The law barely applies to them!”

“She wasn’t going to kill me,” Izuku reassured her. The two were currently waiting outside the Hero Safety Commission for Nejire. Yaoyorozu asked to come along when she heard the plan, and Izuku took the time to explain everything since the two had last parted. Ironically, she chose to focus on the Miruko bit. “And besides, I had Igris with me. He’s basically an S-Rank all on his own. I would’ve been okay.”

Yaoyorozu still didn’t look convinced. “You basically called her weird. Some S-Ranks would kill you for that. Please just… be more careful in the future.”

Izuku acquiesced with a nod. “So, what about the Shadows?”

“What about them?”

“Well… what should I do about them? I mean, there’s a bit of a morality issue with bringing back the dead. Especially considering that I’m the one who made them dead in the first place.”

Yaoyorozu shrugged. “But they don’t seem to mind, do they?”

“But how will we know if that’s the System or not? It could be torture for them, but the System might be forcing them to act the way they’re acting.”

“Or your initial assumption could be correct,” Yaoyorozu said, “Maybe they truly are happy to have a second chance in life.”

Izuku could sense the creatures in his shadow react to Yaoyorozu, almost as if they were nodding along. But again, Izuku couldn’t be sure if that was them, or the System.

Yaoyorozu could sense his unrest, laying a hand on his arm. “The System is already storing souls, and giving those souls a second chance is better than letting them sit there. You could be right, the System could be doing something malevolent. But there’s no way to know, so for now, you use the Shadows, and you use the System. There’s a lot we still don’t know about it, so until we learn more, or until the Shadows start giving you a sign that something’s wrong, I think you should use them…” Her brow scrunched up. “But maybe don’t use them in front of others. It could bring up a lot of questions.”

Izuku chuckled. “Way ahead of you on that. I might need a Hero Outfit soon to hide my identity.”

“So then what are you gonna do for UA?”

“Well, I’ve come this far on my own… with your help, of course,” Izuku quickly corrected. “I can always keep the Shadows as my backup plan. With the gauntlets and elemental gems I can just say I got a Reawakening, and my Quirk is Elemental Control.”

“A Quirk and a Reawakening sounds a little too convenient doesn’t it?”

“It has happened in the past. And honestly it sounds more feasible that the weakest Hero in the world would get a much bigger boost than, say, an A-Rank.”

Yaoyorozu pondered for a moment before sighing. “Well, I guess it makes more sense than trying to conceal everything , or trying to explain the System to the world. There’s not really another option.”

“Well if you don’t see another way I’m sure there isn’t one,” Izuku casually remarked, unaware of his comment's impact. As he stared out at the city, Yaoyorozu did her best to hide the blush of happiness on her face.

“Oooh! Did you bring your girlfriend?!”

“Gah!” Yaoyorozu jumped as Nejire dropped from the sky, landing next to them without a sign of strain on her body. She didn’t even have to crouch.

“That… That can’t be good for your knees…” Izuku mumbled. He probably could’ve done something similar with his new strength, but because he spent a good portion of his life as an E-Rank, he still had relatively sensible thoughts about how to treat your body.

“Hey hey! Izuku don’t ignore the question!” Nejire said, jumping towards Izuku with excitement in every syllable. “Is she your girlfriend?!”

“We’re… Raid partners,” Izuku answered, unsure of how to respond to such a question. 

Nejire squealed at that. “So you’re refusing to say ‘no?’”

“Wait, that’s not-”

“It’s rude to force an answer like that,” Yaoyorozu interrupted, lightly scolding Nejire.

“So both of you are avoiding the question… interesting,” Nejire said with a teasing smirk.

Yaoyorozu and Izuku glanced at each other briefly, the single moment fostering a bountiful tension as the two thought in unison:

“I haven’t really thought about it that much…”

“We have been getting closer haven’t we…”

Nejire had spent enough time at UA, amongst the love addicted students to recognize the meaning that the glance carried, but clearly, these two needed a little more time to grow before they’d get there. So Nejire just sighed with a smile and gestured for the two to follow her.

“Come on! Let’s get you Ranked!”

“Wait, wasn’t I going to explain everything, first?”

Nejire shrugged. “Lunch is on me today! You can explain while we’re eating!”

The lobby of the Hero Safety Commission was always busy. If there was one thing to compare it to, it would be the DMV. Constant lines, constant backlogs, and constantly annoyed people. It was its own hell.

Izuku and Yaoyorozu had both waited in that hell before, when they first got their official Ranks, but instead of wading through the wasteland that was the Hero Safety Commission’s public support, Nejire led them off to the side, where a door reading, ‘Authorized Personnel and S-Ranks Only,’ waited for them.

“Nejire Hado,” She chimed, passing her badge to the man at the door, “I’ve got two guests today!” She then lowered her voice, “One’s a Reawakened. We want to get him measured.”

The man scanned her ID, then nodded, not a word out of his mouth as he acknowledged her and opened the door.

“Welcome to the real Hero Safety Commission,” Nejire said as she pulled the two into a gleaming marble lobby, almost identical to the public one, but calm, cool, collected, and professional.

S-Ranks, with their agencies or their guests, roamed the gilded halls with a relaxed smile on their face, in stark contrast to the first lobby.

“Only S-Ranks and Agency Presidents are allowed here. Obviously, they can bring their own guests, but it’s otherwise limited.” Nejire gave a small wave to the receptionist as they approached. “Hi! I scheduled a measurement test today!”

“Of course, Nejire-Chan! The room is all ready for you!”

Izuku chuckled. “So you get everyone to call you Nejire-Chan, huh?”

“It’s in my contract!” She joked, handing them temporary badges for the day before heading off for the test room.

“Well well well,” A familiar voice spoke up, coming out from a nearby doorway. “If it isn’t the survivors.”

“D-Detective Tsukauchi!” Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the awkward stare of the Hero Commission agent.

“Relax kid.” Tsukauchi smiled, brushing his hand against his stubble. “You haven’t committed any crimes. It’s clear that whatever Reawakening you went through was somehow abnormal, or delayed. I’m just glad I wasn’t losing my marbles, cause no Dungeon would function like that without something special about it.” As Izuku sighed in relief, Tsukauchi continued, “But you do owe me. Miruko was asking all about you. I made sure she didn’t get ahold of your address.”

Izuku balked. “O-Oh… Is she… angry? Should I be warning my sister about her-”

“She’s not out to kill you,” Tsukauchi quickly corrected. What he had intended as a joke had turned into an accidental panic. “She wanted to apologize, I think. She said she was being weird the other day. But I figured it would be best if she didn’t know your address just in case. I’m sure you know just how… intense… she can be.”

Izuku bowed his head. “Thank you.”

“I can’t believe you managed to stop an S-Rank from getting what they wanted,” Yaoyorozu remarked, to which the detective shrugged.

“I may be an A-Rank, but I’ve got enough pull to stand up to the S-Ranks every now and again. Although, if you ever put me in front of Endeavor I might need a new change of underwear after the fact. That guy isn’t all there, I swear.” Tsukauchi spun a finger around his temple in the universal sign of ‘crazy.’ If Endeavor himself saw it, he might’ve very well killed Tsukauchi then and there.

“I’ll let you kids carry on your way, but…” The detective paused for a moment. “I’m sure you’ll brush this advice off. Just don’t think a Reawakening makes you any different,” He cautioned. “Keep the mentality of an F-Rank. It’ll keep you alive longer.” With that, Tsukauchi brushed past the group, clapping both Yaoyorozu and Izuku on the shoulder. 

“That was…”

“Uplifting,” Yaoyorozu deadpanned.

“No…” For the first time since meeting her, Izuku noticed a perturbed look on Nejire’s face. “That was strange… He never speaks so freely… He’s always been the cliched brooding detective.”

“Maybe he just woke up on the right side of the bed?”

Nejire shook her head, but cast aside the dreary look and put back the cheery grin she was so known for. “You’re probably right!”

Eventually, the trio came to the measurement room, where a massive sphere rested. It looked like a solid ball of obsidian, but Izuku knew that it was condensed Villain Cores, forged into a measurement device.

“Please rest your palm against the device and I’ll begin the test,” A plain woman in office clothes said, walking over to the control panel.

Izuku did just that and a few moments later, the woman’s face scrunched up whilst gazing at the display.

“Is everything okay?” Nejire asked.

“Well, the machine is reading him as a B-Rank, based on the mana output he’s capable of. But it’s also reading like there’s a dozen other people in the room. An A-Rank, several B-Ranks, and even an S-Rank.”

“Not us?” Nejire questioned, looking between herself and Yaoyorozu.

“No…”

Of course, Izuku and Yaoyorozu knew the truth. The machine was picking up the Shadows hiding inside of Izuku. Which at least helped establish that Shadows were indeed created at the same Rank and power as their predecessors. By having Igris under his command, Izuku jumped to what was essentially an S-Ranking.

Izuku couldn’t help but grin at that. Just a week ago, he was barely even an E-Rank. But now, he stood on his own as a B-Rank, with an entire party’s worth of power at his beck and call.

“Will it interfere with my measurement?”

The woman shook her head, still befuddled. “I have a clear reading of you, so I won’t have any problems verifying it for your new ID. And have you Awakened a Quirk since your last ID update?”

“Basic Elemental Manipulation,” Izuku responded.

She typed on her display for a few moments longer before the machine spit out a laminated card with Izuku’s face and details on it.

“The machine has Ranked you as low A-Rank overall, with B-Rank amounts of Mana. It assessed you as a multirole battlemage.” She nodded, impressed. “Those are some very desirable qualifications. You might be able to get a gig at one of the bigger Hero Agencies with some credentials like UA.”

“Thank you,” Izuku said, taking his new badge as the woman bowed.

They had considered doing a remeasurement of Yaoyorozu as well, but not much had actually changed for her. Her Mana measurements would probably be the same despite her improved Quirk.

Besides, they didn’t want to risk her Quirk evolution becoming a big thing. If the Hero Safety Commission started talking about it, others would surely hear the rumors of a girl with a powerful evolved Quirk. It would make Yaoyorozu’s parents’ job of finding their daughter that much easier. They weren’t sure just how far their influence reached, but it was better to be safe than sorry. And since she was already Ranked at A, it wouldn’t affect anything within the UA system.

“Now you won’t get put into the super low tier classes at UA. Better teachers, better training, better everything.”

Izuku rolled his eyes at that. “There’s a class system to everything huh? Even for students…”

Nejire shrugged. “Sorry Izu, but the lower Ranks don’t take as much precedent. There’s plenty of lower Ranks for the government to throw at the smaller Gates, but never enough high Rankers.”

There was a lot wrong with how the government prioritized lives, but Izuku kept quiet. He didn’t want to upset Nejire. After all, it wasn’t like it was her fault.

“Now then! Off to lunch!” Nejire shouted, pointing into the air like a general leading their troops.

*******

“And that’s about everything,” Izuku said, finishing off his recap as Nejire finished off her sandwich. He had obviously left out Yaoyorozu’s history, as that was her info to divulge as she saw fit.

“So what you’re telling me is that you’re not a B-Rank, but Japan’s newest S-Rank?”

Izuku tilted his hand side to side. “It seems like the System will at least let me reach S-Rank status, yeah. We have no idea what the limits are.”

“And an undead army on top of it…” Nejire rubbed at her brow. “You cannot, under any circumstances, let the public see it. Not only will the S-Ranks and higher be after you, but entire governments. They’ll do whatever it takes to get you on their side, even if it means threatening your family or way of life. People like Endeavor would be no different.”

“I’m sorry,” Izuku muttered as she grew pale with worry. “I didn’t realize telling you would have such an effect…”

“I’m glad you trust me,” Nejire clarified. “I’m just concerned for your sake. From now on, unless absolutely necessary, keep the System between the four of us,” She said, grouping Kei in with them. “Even Heroes like Dabi or Ryukyu, who aren’t so caught up in the power structure, would be careless with a secret like that… And if you must use the Shadows, have some sort of disguise or covering ready for yourself.”

Izuku nodded. “Do you think any of it will interfere with the Entrance Exams?”

Nejire shook her head. “Unless you show off the Shadows or System, there’s nothing that should arouse suspicion thanks to your updated ID.”

“Then I guess that’s settled for now,” Izuku said. “It’ll be a hassle if we ever get a contract with a Pro Agency though…”

“By the time you’re out of UA, you might be enough to form an Agency on your own,” Nejire suggested. “You might even get to keep your anonymity if you get strong enough. All Japan cares about is that they have their own powerhouses. You might even just end up as a Solo Hero like Miruko!”

“Isn’t defying laws like that akin to a National-Rank?” Yaoyorozu asked.

“Like he said, we have no idea how far the System will go. And it’s not that far-fetched to have an S-Rank be secretive.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Izuku said with a smile, content for a moment to just enjoy the moment, the realization that he wasn’t just strong and growing stronger, the realization that he had friends he could rely on, friends who would be there. “For now, all we have to worry about is the Entrance Exams!”

*******

“Master? Mistress? Have you felt it?”

Before a throne of darkness, a lowly servant of the royalty knelt. He dared not gaze up at his leaders. He did not have permission.

“We have. The Shadow Monarch has graced this world with his presence.” The woman declared in a voice that oozed with honey, like that of a venus flytrap.

“It’s time for us to prepare our daughter for the ritual,” The man said, standing from his throne. “Momo has avoided her parents for far too long. Her destiny is catching up with her.

Chapter Text

Izuku blearily rubbed at his eyes, desperately trying to focus on the paper before him.

“You really should get some sleep,” Kei sternly told him, trying to snatch away the papers on the table. She had been helping create a study plan for him, for his UA Entrance Exams. 

Whilst the written portion was far less important than the practical portion, UA was still one of the best Hero Schools out there. And there were plenty of people who would claim it was the best in the entire world. It required a certain degree of knowledge to get in and stay as a student. 

Because Hero Agencies had all sorts of paperwork, and responsibilities, students, who would one day become apart of these agencies, or even found one themselves, needed a good deal of intellect.

Mathematics, language skills, history, as well as studying battle plans and formations, were all important parts of the written exams. How to calculate earnings, communications with the squad and possibly even foreign Heroes, the history of Villains and their biology, and knowing how to work in a group.

Even with Kei’s help, Izuku was struggling. He knew that Yaoyorozu would pass both portions without any sort of strain given her intelligence and newfound confidence. Izuku himself had no reservations about conquering the practical exam, but it had been quite some time since he’d studied this hard and for this long.

“The exam is tomorrow. I gotta get whatever study time I can manage. You should go get some rest, though. You don’t need to oversee me.”

Kei rolled her eyes. “I’m up till like 2 in the morning most days, Izu. Don’t worry about my sleep schedule. But you need to sleep. You’ll lose more than you’ll gain if you stay up all night trying to cram. Your brain needs to reset and properly arrange all the new information its been given.” She wasn’t fast enough or strong enough to grab the papers from her brother, so all she could do was stand up and sternly glare at him. “Go! To! Bed!”

Izuku sighed, knowing that she was right. “I’m scared I might not pass.”

“You’ll get a decent enough score to pass the written test,” She assured him.

“But decent isn’t enough to beat the other applicants…”

“Then you’ll just have to show off during the practical exam… without exposing the System, of course.” She smugly crossed her arms. “While you were trying to study, I researched all of UA’s criteria and some of their alumni. A lot of them had subpar written scores, but excellent practical exam portions. You’ve spent a lot more time than most others doing Raids, so the examiner will see that you’re more experienced and give you a higher score! You’ll get in, Izu. You just gotta get some rest for tomorrow.”

As Izuku’s will to remain awake faded, he let a yawn slip through his lips, followed by a tired chuckle. “Fine… I guess I’ll… get some…” His head fell back against the couch, his eyelids closing over the emerald-green irises.

Kei stared in disbelief that he could fall asleep so fast and whilst still upright. She turned around to fetch a blanket, but by the time she spun back, a dark shadowy figure was looming over her brother. She nearly shrieked, until she realized that it was just Igris.

Her brother had already shown off the stoic knight to his sister, who was interested in seeing his new powers. However, it still took a bit of getting used to.

Igris nimbly worked his hand between Izuku and the couch, scooping him up before tucking him away beneath the sheets of his bed.

It was quite the sight for Kei. Watching an S-Rank, one that could likely tear down a whole city and was once a Villain, tuck her brother into bed like it was a doting parent. And something about the Shadow made her feel strange.

Kei, for a moment, stumbled, caught by Igris moving faster than the eye could perceive. This time, she was unable to hold back the squeal of surprise.  

The knight looked into her eyes, and she into his. Kei could’ve sworn that she’d seen those eyes before.

*******

“It’s a strange day when you’re nervous and I’m not,” Yaoyorozu remarked at Izuku’s trembling hands.

“I feel like I haven’t studied for an exam in years!” Izuku intensely whispered back. 

The two were sitting in the matriculation hall with about two-hundred other aspiring applicants for the school. There were, in fact, other halls where even more applicants were being tested. And in one of them, sat Bakugo.

Izuku knew this because, after years of getting bullied by the A-Rank, he had come to recognize his aura. Before he had to be pretty close to his once-friend to sense it, but with the System boosting his abilities, he could tell Bakugo was nowhere in this room. Of course, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t meet during the practical exam. With a “Quirk,” a B-Rank, and a battlemage role, he was essentially where Bakugo was in terms of strength. It wasn’t unreasonable to consider he’d be placed in a Raiding party with him.

“Well you basically haven’t.” Yaoyorozu countered. “You said you were working crazy hard during your last years of high school so I’d wager you didn’t get a proper study session all that time.”

Izuku held his head in his hands and groaned. “Don’t go on without me please…” He begged, half-jokingly. There were significant doubts within his own mind about securing a passing grade, but he would’ve bet all the money he had that Yaoyorozu made it into the school no problem.

Yaoyorozu lightly patted him on the back, rubbing her hand in circles, as if comforting someone suffering from nausea. 

“Is he okay?” A voice from the row in front of them asked. “If he is not, he should leave as to save other testers from distraction.” The boy, with a dark-blue mane of well-kept hair, and glasses that fit his face well, was not glaring or indicating aggression in any way, but Yaoyorozu could feel annoyance coming off of his body.

“That’s a rather callous stance to take,” She remarked as Izuku raised his head.

“I’m fine, just a little nervous,” Izuku quickly interjected, sensing a bit of animosity forming.

“It’s callous to care that others are not distracted during such an important moment?”

Yaoyorozu crossed her arms. “It’s callous to address the issue in such a way. You could’ve asked what the problem was and offer solutions before demanding he leaves the room.”

“Yaoyorozu it’s… really not that big of a-”

“I did check to see if he was okay. If a student of UA cannot handle simple nerves, then they should not be here to begin with.”

Yaoyorozu scoffed. “I’d wager he has more nerve than you.”

By now Izuku had become as white as a ghost. “Really you two, I’m fine, it’s not that big of a-”

“Quiet!” They both snapped, glaring the other down.

The boy squinted for a moment. “Do I recognize you?”

It was apparently Yaoyorozu’s turn to become nervous, because she quickly answered no with a shake of her head and sat down.

“No… I’m sure I recognize you… Though you’ve obviously grown, I remember seeing an article regarding the Yaoyorozu's heir. A girl with hair like yours… even your ponytail looks familiar.”

Izuku’s nerves of the test vanished, and were replaced by nerves of this boy. Igris could sense it. All of the Shadows could. Lurking within his darkness, they were ready to jump out and snap the boy’s neck.

Izuku himself was ready to throw down. The recognition seemed natural, but the boy’s confrontationalism was out of place. Very few people ever managed to actually make Yaoyorozu upset.

It wasn’t likely that this boy was working for Yaoyorozu’s parents, but it was strange that he recognized her so easily, especially considering that he was apparently using an older picture of her as the basis for it.

Suddenly, the boy’s eyes relaxed. He took a deep breath, held it for a few moments, and let it out. “If my brother were here to see me, I’m sure he’d be very disappointed. I didn’t realize I was making you both so uncomfortable,” He said, referring to their pale faces. “May we start anew? I am Tenya Iida.”

“Iida?!” Izuku practically shouted, his nerves vanishing as he recognized the family name. “Ingenium is your brother?”

Iida nodded solemnly. “He was…”

Izuku felt like he’d been hit by a shockwave. “Was…”

“A Hero Killer… is on the loose.”

“I’m… so sorry…”

Iida shrugged. “He will never be a Hero again, but he will live.”

Izuku let out a pent up breath. “Oh… I thought he had died.”

“No,” Iida shook his head. “My apologies, I meant that he was once Ingenium. He is no longer that. His spine…” The boy seemingly caught up with his thoughts and gave a light rub of his temples. “Sorry. I do not mean to bestow my hardships upon you. This has been a rather… odd introduction…” He held out his hand to shake, which Izuku took, introducing himself. But when he offered the same hand to Yaoyorozu, she merely gave her name.

“I will work to correct this awkward atmosphere I have created. Perhaps we will have time to become acquainted if we get put into the same class.”

“Yeah!” Izuku agreed, worried about Yaoyorozu’s shaking hands. Once more, the roles had reversed.

*******

Izuku felt like his soul had left his body. Meanwhile, Yaoyorozu looked refreshed by the mental challenge. Apparently, exams did wonders for her mental health. The pair just couldn’t seem to sync up.

“I… I did it, Kei… go on without me…” He muttered to his brilliant sister, prepared to let his soul slip into the afterlife.

“HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOO EVERYBOOOOOODY!”

Izuku sat bolt upright in his chair, his soul scared back into its fleshy encasing by the raucous blonde man who had dramatically entered the exam hall.

“WELCOME TO THE PRACTICAL PORTION OF YOUR ENTRANCE EXAM!”

Anyone who was already exhausted by the exam, like Izuku, immediately snapped to awareness. 

The UA faculty member, who had hair taller than some toddlers, adjusted his volume now that he had the room’s attention. With their bleeding ears directed at him, praying for a softer voice the next time his mouth opened, they waited with bated breath.

“Let’s not waste any time!” He shouted, albeit at a slightly lower decibel. “I’m Present Mic, one of the faculty! You’ll be put into groups of ten based on your Rankings assigned by the Hero Safety Commission! Each group will be assigned a faculty member to observe! You will then be tasked with defeating a Gate that is one Rank lower than your group’s assigned Ranking for safety reasons!” The massive screen behind him lit up with a list of bullet points.

“Efficiency, tactics, cooperation, and individual power sets will be deterministic in setting your scores. Remember, being a Hero is more than just your own strength! Don’t think you can win a place at UA by charging head-first into the Gate to claim more points! This is not a game! It’s life or death, and the citizens of Japan depend on you to realize it as such and work together!” The man deftly glanced at a notecard that was hidden in the sleeve of his leather jacket. Unfortunately for him, he fumbled, accidentally dropping the car, which he was forced to pick up to skim over. “Looks like that’s all folks! As you leave, your ID will be scanned and you’ll receive a group number! Good luck and good hunting to you all!”

 “Now this is something I can do,” Izuku said, standing along with the rest of the room.

“It’d be nice if we got placed together,” Yaoyorozu said hopefully. However, by this point in time, she was essentially a high A-Rank, if not an S-Rank. With her evolved Quirk, and baseline Awakened power, she was stronger than Izuku without his Shadows.

Izuku didn’t mention this to her, instead nodding in agreement. 

When they reached the exit to the hall, there were several men and women ready with scanners and clip-on tags so that each group could identify each other.

“It looks like you’ll be in group… B-5,” The lady told Izuku, handing him back his ID.

“A-7.” Yaoyorozu regrettably reported to him as they marched outside. They could see several faculty members holding up signs with their group numbers on them.

Izuku clicked his tongue in annoyance. It wasn’t that he needed Yaoyorozu for a Raid, it was simply the fact that they had worked together already. They knew what the other was capable of, and they knew each other's secrets. It was just convenient.

“Well then, I guess we’ll just have to do our best here, so that we get to work together at UA,” Izuku said, putting on a smile for his partner.

She returned it. “Meet up at that cafe by your place when we’re done?”

Izuku nodded. “See ya there!”

The two separated, and Izuku walked over to the faculty member holding up B-5.

She was a rather curvaceous woman with long dark hair, and bright sky-blue eyes. Izuku recognized her immediately. She was one of the most recognizable Heroes in Japan. Not because she was high on the Hero Rankings, but because she was frequently shown on TV in her… promiscuous outfit.

“The R-Rated Hero: Midnight!” Izuku’s love of heroes saw past the dominatrix-styled body armor she wore and instead was focusing on her unique Quirk. 

Most Quirks tended to be one of two things. Either they outright hurt or killed Villains, or they assisted their party members. Very few Quirks were actually non-lethal, like the sleep-inducing gas that Midnight could exude from her bare skin.

Even though the woman wore armor like most Pro-Heroes, there were several parts of it that could be torn away to expose her skin. And really, the armor was thinner than most. It was clear the woman wanted to show off her sexual nature.

“Izuku Midoriya,” Midnight slurred out through honey-coated words. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you from Nejire-Chan. She seems quite interested in you.”

Izuku couldn’t help the furious red blush that crossed his face. The woman was basically right up against him, whispering into his ear. Thankfully, there was someone to come to his rescue by redirecting Midnight.

“Hey! How about giving the rest of us some love!” 

The boy, around Izuku’s age and height, had shock-blonde hair, with a streak of black running through it in the shape of a lightning bolt.

“Oh? Such vigor! Youth is such a turn on!”

As she stepped away, Izuku was finally allowed to let out a breath.

“She’s weird.”

Izuku yipped, jumping away from the voice that appeared beside him. He had been so distracted by Midnight that he hadn’t noticed the girl approaching.

Just a little shorter than him, with black hair, black eyes, and a face that betrayed no emotion. She was the epitome of cold beauty.

“Uhhh… yeah, she is…” Izuku agreed.

“I’m Yui Kodai.” She said, bowing, still completely blank faced.

Izuku returned the bow, introducing himself as well.

“Quite the rowdy bunch we got here!” Another girl, Setsuna Tokage, shouted, joining the fray.

“It’s quite the chaotic day isn’t it?” Iida said, appearing in front of Izuku. “I suppose we’ll be working together.”

In the end, Izuku’s team, made up of nine others, included, Yui Kodai, Setsuna Tokage, Tenya Iida, Itsuka Kendo, Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu, Kyoka Jiro, Ejiro Kirishima, Ochaco Uraraka, and Denki Kaminari, the boy with blonde hair who had saved him from Midnight.

Izuku sighed in relief that Bakugo wasn’t in his raiding group. The two of them definitely would’ve bashed heads during the Entrance Exam and screwed something up along the way.

“Since our sexy party is rated at a low A-Rank in total, we’ll be handling a low B-Rank Gate Raid,” Midnight announced, leading the group onto a nearby bus. “I will not be interfering unless your life is in danger. You cannot ask me for tips on clearing the dungeon, or fighting its Villains. In other words, pretend I’m not there!” She opened a compartment at the back of the bus, revealing armor and weapons, stored before the exams had begun.

“In that case,” Iida began, “We should get a head start while we still have a chance. I am a front row DPS with a speed-enhancing Quirk.” Iida rolled up his pants to attach some greaves to his legs. They had holes cut out in the back to allow for strange muffler-looking objects to peek through. Apparently Iida’s Quirk basically put engines in his legs.

““Tank!”” Both Kirishima and Tetsutetsu shouted out in unison, activating their Quirks at the same time. Kirishima’s skin became like rock, and Tetsutetsu’s like steel.

Jiro and Setsuna were both scouts, and Uraraka was a support type. Which left Izuku, Kaminari, Kendo, and Iida as the DPSs. 

Yui herself said that she was a special case who could play DPS or support, so they decided that they would play it by ear with her role.

As soon as they began their discussion, Izuku noticed Midnight scribbling something down on a clipboard. It was their scoring sheet. 

“Thank god for Iida. Apparently we got some early points.”

“No armor?” Iida asked Izuku before squinting, “Do you even have a weapon?”

Thankfully, the crystalline armor that Izuku was wearing was invisible to the naked eye, whilst still protecting him and giving him its benefits.

Izuku pulled back his sleeves, revealing the razor sharp claws of his Crystal Crusher gauntlets. “No armor, but I do have my weapons.”

Iida was taken aback. “Where did those come from?”

Izuku feigned ignorance. “From the storage unit on the bus.”

“Oh… I see… Any special abilities we should know about?”

“Some basic elemental control. It’s my Quirk.”

“That should come in handy…”

Whilst everyone else was decked out in expensive armor and holding powerful magical weapons, Izuku had nothing more than his hoodie and gauntlets. He looked extensively out of place. Out of place aside from Uraraka, who had little more than a few artifacts to enhance her magic recovery and effectiveness. Even then, they looked extremely low-grade. For once, Izuku wasn’t the least equipped in a party.

For someone like Iida, or Izuku, armor was less of a concern, not only did they have tanks on the front lines, but they were incredibly quick. Izuku had armor of course, but it was part of the System. It was as durable as any other armor, but it was even lighter than most armors. 

Even Yui and Jiro had armor on, as well as Kaminari, who was a ranged DPS. And Setsuna, had interlocking scale armor, which was lacking defense, but according to her, her Quirk allowed her to dodge attacks easily or even regenerate. 

Uraraka seemingly had nothing close to that. Her Quirk could make things weightless, and she had some basic healing magic, but that was it. In the event of a surprise attack, or a Villain getting through the frontlines, she was toast.

So Izuku, whilst the others were distracted, opened his store page. They couldn’t see it obviously, but he wanted to make sure they didn’t see him scrolling through, muttering to the open air.

“Although, I suppose I mutter to myself regardless of the System… Whatever.”

Izuku’s balance stood at: 1,233,984 gold pieces. It sounded like a lot, but it was barely enough to afford a B-Rank item. He debated on getting a lower Ranked item, but realized that it would be a horrible thing to give Uraraka something weaker and regret it.

So spending nearly all of his gold, he retrieved a B-Rank item from the shop, Aeic’s Cloak. 

The cloak was a silvery-white, made up of metal strands that could harden at the point of an attack, offering excellent protection despite being no heavier than a standard leather cloak. It also gave a boost to Mana Recovery.

Izuku had spent a lot of his life being poor. He knew the signs. An older phone, clothing that didn’t fit perfectly, and of course, her lacking defenses. And these days, he had a little extra to spare.

“Here, a support role needs something to protect them,” Izuku said, standing to hand the cloak to the girl. Her wide eyes and bob-cut hair gave her a very innocent appearance, which only grew when she recognized what Izuku was offering her.

“N-No I can’t take that… that’s way too expensive I can’t-”

Iida rested a hand on her shoulder. “He clearly brought something of this sort along in case someone else needed it. It does not fit the fighting style he has described to us. You should take it.”

Izuku gave Iida a nod of thanks. “There’s more to this guy than I thought…”

“W-Well if you’re sure.”

Izuku nodded. “Totally sure! I’ve heard too many stories of supports getting attacked in the back row.”

“Ambushes like that are not necessarily common, but not rare either,” Iida chimed in. “It is important that the frontline knows that their supports can take care of themselves, or buy time. Healers are incredibly important.”

With the two boys giving their opinions, Uraraka was finally convinced to take the cloak from Izuku. “Wow, it's so light.” 

Izuku explained its abilities, and he could tell Uraraka wanted to hand it back, fearing it was too valuable. “Its purpose is to be damaged.”

“Huh?” She looked up in confusion at his sudden statement.

“Don’t try to keep it from getting damaged. Prioritize yourself over it. It's meant to be slashed at and torn up. I know you wanna preserve it because you think it’s expensive, but if you do so, you’ll be forgoing its only meaning in life.” Izuku was worried that if she saw an arrow flying for her, she might try to keep the cloak safe before she herself was concerned with her own safety. 

Uraraka clutched the light armor tightly in her hands, realizing that if she didn’t truly use it, as Izuku said, then she’d be shunning the meaning of his generosity. And with that, she pulled it over herself.

In some ways, it was better than other armors. Not only did it alone cover most of her body, but it allowed for a lot more flexibility and movement.

“I’ll make sure it won’t go to waste.”

Izuku cringed inwardly at that, an image of her charging into a monster to make use of the cloak. “Don’t… Don’t try to get hurt, okay?”

“Of course!”

“We’re here!” Midnight announced, pulling up to the alleyway that separated two office buildings. In that gap, floated a swirling blue Gate of energy, surrounded by Safety Commission Agents.

“This is an exam, but remember, it is life or death,” She said, echoing Present Mic’s words. “We haven’t had a student death during the exam in over 15 years, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to save you from anything. Take this seriously.”

They all nodded, some, like Izuku, who recognized the gravity of her words, with solemn faces. Others, like Kaminari, nodded with cocky grins.

“Then let’s begin.”

She marched out of the bus, gathering a… few glances from the pedestrians on the sidewalk and the Hero Safety Agents. Both of the agents were female, but that clearly didn’t matter, because they were trying as hard as anyone else not to stare at her body.

Midnight quickly flashed her ID badge, and thankfully nothing else, at the agents and the students did the same. Without another word, they were let through and were allowed to gather around the portal.

““I’ll go first!”” Kirishima and Tetsutetsu said, overlapping their voices.

Kendo, a redhead wearing some sort of martial-artist armor, crossed her arms. “Do we really need to be careful about who goes in first.”

“I saw an entire Raid party get cut up by a single trap. I only survived because I was the last person inside,” Izuku explained. It wasn’t a fair comparison, as that Gate was rather… special. Regardless, it was important to take every last action seriously when it came to Raiding.

Iida nodded. “Activate your Quirks and go in. We’ll wait a few seconds and if you’re not back, we’ll follow.”

The two tanks did exactly that, marching through with all the confidence of All Might himself.

Iida silently counted for a few seconds before following. Izuku was right behind him.

“Aw man, I hate the snow!” Tetsutetsu shouted just as Izuku came through.

The surroundings, unlike most Gates, were actually quite beautiful. 

The Gate placed them in a large snowy clearing, surrounded by gigantic, majestic trees covered in a layer of white. If it hadn’t been snowing so hard, it would’ve been the most inviting Dungeon layout Izuku had ever seen.

“Oh I love the cold,” Midnight remarked. “It does wonders for my complexion.” She shivered as the harsh weather pierced her rather thin coverings. But that only seemed to invigorate her. 

Izuku was worried about her getting frostbite, but Awakened humans had an easier time in difficult environments, so she’d probably be okay.

“This is really open for a Dungeon isn’t it?” Uraraka asked.

“Yeah, it’s not often you get a Gate that doesn’t have clear paths,” Izuku responded. “They’re usually a maze of sorts though, so it’s not all that different from an open space. No clear direction.”

“So then which way should we-“

A crystalline cracking sound, like water freezing, stopped Kirishima in his tracks. But it didn’t come from the forest, it came from behind them. 

Just as Jiro, the last person through the Gate, came through into the forest, the rift in reality froze in air. The energy froze into a crystal shape, the exit becoming a solid form.

“What-“

Izuku rushed past his team, slamming his gauntlets against the Gate with all his might. The shockwave echoed out, buffeting against Jiro. But the wall didn’t budge.

“The hell?!” She shouted.

“I’d rather fail than not try it at all,” He said, scowling at the Gate.

“What?! What’s going on?!” Kendo asked, her ponytail whipping around as she looked for an answer, freezing when she caught sight of Midnight’s pale face.

“It’s a Recursive Gate,” Iida answered. “Not only will it keep us from leaving, but it means that this isn’t the true Dungeon.”

“W-What?”

“After we defeat the boss in this Dungeon, another Gate will appear. Only after we clear that Gate as well can we leave.” Izuku silently directed his thoughts at Igris, hiding in his shadow, asking if he could break through the Gate. He could feel the knight shake his head.

“C-Can’t we just wait it out? Like a Red Gate?” Uraraka asked, wrapping her new cloak tighter around herself.

Midnight shook her head. “The Gate will only open if we defeat both Bosses.”

“Or if we all die,” Yui acknowledged, still apathetic, even in the face of such odds.”

“Well we can clear two low B-Rank Gates right? With enough time-“

“We’re not dealing with B-Ranks anymore.” Izuku said. “This Gate is an A-Rank at least. I can feel it. But the second Gate… it could be even stronger.”

“What rotten luck…” Izuku thought to himself, “I’ll probably have to expose the Shadows to keep everyone alive. For now, they’ll be an emergency backup. If the Villains in this Gate are intelligent I don’t want them knowing my strength so early on.” He ordered the Shadows to stand ready. If they needed to expose themselves to save someone’s life, then they had permission to act on their own volition.

“Dammit…” Midnight clenched her jaw. “Okay… this is no longer an exam. I’ll take the lead, don’t-“ She froze up, her instincts reacting to something coming from the depths of the foliage.

Izuku and Iida blurred through the air, their arms and legs, respectively, lunging to sweep the arrows of ice away from their allies.

Izuku came to a stop right in front of Midnight, his gauntlet crushing an arrow just moments away from piercing her skull.

Iida meanwhile, fell to the ground, one of his legs run through by the projectile. He had just narrowly kept Kaminari’s heart safe at his own expense.

Kirishima rushed to his defense, prepared for a second volley, whilst others gathered behind Tetsutetsu. But the second volley didn’t hit home, because Izuku swept his hand in front of the group, creating a thin sheet of ice with his Omni-Element Gem. It wasn’t much cover, in fact, the arrows could’ve pierced it entirely. Then Yui stepped in.

Pressing her hands against the thin sheet, she activated her Quirk, enlarging it until it was several feet thick. Just in time for arrows to THUNK into it and lodge in place.

“Nice!” Kaminari commented, crouching over Iida, his hands crackling with electricity, ready to defend him if needed.

Iida himself was gripping the shaft of the arrow, snapping it in half and pulling out the arrowtip that was peeking out the other end of his flesh. As soon as he did so, muffling pained groans, Uraraka got to work healing it with her Awakened powers.

“Alright let's…” Setsuna looked around in confusion. “Hey where’d Midoriya go?”

[Skill: Stealth has been activated.]

Izuku blurred across the snowy terrain, charging headfirst into the trees where the arrows had come from, where his Sense Stat told him the enemies were waiting.

Once there, he could see pale-blue figures leaping from branch to branch, moving to get a better angle on the rest of Izuku’s party.

“Not a chance,” He muttered, predicting the lead figure’s next jump.

Tensing his legs, he leapt straight up, disabling Stealth as he did so. He didn’t want to unnecessarily spend Mana after all. At the apex of his jump, he came face-to-face with their attackers, a group of Ice Elves. 

Izuku’s hand snapped out, the rigid crystalline gauntlets wrapping around the lead archer’s throat. Suddenly weighed down, the elf came crashing to the snow floor alongside Izuku. Or at least, he would’ve if Izuku hadn’t been holding him up still.

The elf dropped his bow, scrabbling at his throat, trying to pry away Izuku’s grasp.

“What’s your name? Why are you attacking us?

“Not… worth… the breath… you… breathe!” He strained out, pure malice in his eyes.

“Fine,” Izuku said, snapping the elf’s neck with a sickening CRACK! 

[You have Leveled-Up!]

“I can’t afford to be too nice here,” He sighed, scooping up the ice arrows from the dead elf’s quiver. “It’s not just my own life on the line anymore.” This was a seriously dangerous Gate. If they died, it would break open instantly, spilling into the streets and killing an untold number of innocents. Even if there were Heroes ready on the other side, they might not be ready. Izuku wasn’t just protecting his team, but those beyond the boundaries of this pocket dimension.

He flicked his wrists, sending the dozen or so arrows scattering through the branches, instantly killing 5 of the remaining 12 archers, and wounding a further 3.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

With only 4 of the archers remaining at full strength, with the other 3 barely able to even draw their bows, they attempted to flee. And Izuku, for a moment, considered letting them. Their fear was something he’d seen many times before, reflected on his own face, or that of Yaoyorozu’s.

“Sorry…” He muttered, raising his right hand and snapping his fingers.

The 7 fleeing archers burst into flames. Not nearly enough to kill them. In fact, flames so weak probably didn’t even hurt them, but as creatures of such a domain, fire was their greatest fear. It sent them tumbling from the tree branches in a panic, batting at their clothes and skin in a panic as the surrounding snow melted.

Izuku could’ve incinerated them instantly, however, he was fearful of putting too much power into any one attack. With his new armor bonuses, he was capable of a lot more, for sure. But this was a Dungeon inside of a Dungeon, it was important to conserve resources wherever possible. This was a battle of endurance.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have acquired item: Everfrost Bow.]

The remaining 7 elves were too busy putting out their flames to put up a fight, and Izuku easily skewered them with the claws at the end of his gauntlets. He now had their souls, and judging by the Shadow Save counter, he could raise more undead servants. It seemed to be tied to his Level, possibly his Intelligence, since that was his magical Stat.

He now had 50 slots open, with only 30 of them being taken. He could fill a good portion of those with the 13 Ice Elf Archers he had taken, but he wasn’t sure if commanding them to Arise could be done in any manner that wasn’t dramatic. He didn’t want masses of darkness swirling about like in the Job Change Dungeon, it was just too risky.

Izuku let out a heavy breath. He hadn’t exerted all that much energy, but going from relaxed to battle-ready got his blood pumping like nothing else. However, his Sense Stat told him that nothing else was nearby. He stashed the new weapon in his Inventory, promising to look at it later as he walked back into the clearing, where his party was just beginning to recover.

It wasn’t that they were slow, it was just that Izuku was fast. Before Iida, the only one to rival Izuku’s speed, had been healed, the battle was over.

“Hey! You can’t just run off like that without giving us a heads-up!” Kendo shouted at him as he strolled back into the cover of the ice wall.

Izuku winced, realizing that he hadn’t said a single thing before vanishing. He was still getting used to working with others. In the past he’d either been a worthless weakling to be ignored or left behind, or he’d been strong enough to handle everything himself. Yaoyorozu was the first time he’d really, truly, worked with someone.

“S-Sorry. Iida was hurt and I didn’t want to give the archers the time to reposition themselves.”

Kendo’s eyebrow shot up. “You… killed them already?”

“All 13 of them. I didn’t sense anything else.”

“Aw man! We didn’t even get to do anything!” Kaminari bemoaned.

“I’m sure we’ll all get our chance,” Iida remarked, standing once more on his healed leg.

“There’s a few groups of enemies a couple of kilometers out,” Jiro said, her palm against the snowy terrain. Her Quirk allowed her more subtle control of sonic based magics, making her an excellent source of information. “Otherwise, he’s right, there’s nothing else in the woods.”

“You work quick,” Midnight remarked with a light smile. The arrow had gotten remarkably close to her forehead, but she seemed back to normal now that the revelation of a Recursive Gate had worn off. “None of you children signed up for this, so I understand if-”

“No offense Miss Midnight,” Kirishima interrupted.

“But we actually did sign up for this,” Tetsutetsu finished.

“Whether it was now or in the future, we knew we were putting our lives on the line,” Kendo added.

“Besides, now more than ever, everyone needs to be working in unison,” Their unofficial team leader, Iida, said.

Midnight gave a light moan of excitement. “Ah, such tenacity makes me feel warm even in all of this cold!”

“You’re still weird though,” Yui remarked.

Izuku grinned in spite of the situation. After all of those years of Raiding with parties, this was his first time feeling like he was actually part of one. “You said there were several groups of enemies?” He asked Jiro, to which she nodded. “Then let’s go hunting.”

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 56

Strength: 130 (+5)

Vitality: 120 (+25)

Agility: 195 (+45)

Intelligence: 117 (+5)

Sense: 102 (+25)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 2402/2902] 

[HP: 5712/5712]

Chapter Text

The Ranking of a Hero is the cornerstone of society. Without one, they cannot safely be assigned to Raid’s by the Hero Safety Commission, nor can they use the Hero App to find individual parties looking for additional members.

Ranking is determined by many things, but it can only be measured by a scant few. Villain Cores, melted down and reforged into an artifact, are the most common way to be measured. Typically these come in the appearance of a sphere, or spheroid shape.

By passing their magic through the artifact, Heroes can send an accurate measurement to Hero Safety Commission systems, as the artifact isolates and refines the Hero’s magic from other contaminants in the air. 

For Heroes without Quirks, magical capacity measurements are the singular test needed to evaluate their Rankings. Said magic can also be used to identify a Heroes role. Some of the roles, as established by the Commission, are as follows.

*******

Tank - A Tank’s magic is typically very dense, allowing them to absorb more damage. They have great synergies with heavy armor, weapons, and shields as their magic provides them a good deal of muscle mass.

Healer - A Healer is a Support-Type Hero, their magic is often assessed by Commission systems as highly dispersed. This may read as weak. However, a Healer’s magic works by dispelling the magic signature of Villain’s before the magic particles recondense to pull organic material back together and close the wound. Just like mages, Healers can be in possession of more than Healing Magic, even if it is not as strong as their healing abilities.

Scout - Scouts are often Support-Type Heroes, as their magic particles tend to move the fastest, allowing them great agility. However, Scouts may also be assigned a DPS-Type assessment depending on the concentration of their magic.

Mage - Typically Mage’s have the most magic particles, making them easy to identify. They are given backline DPS assignments usually. While they have the most particles, they are not inherently stronger than say a Tank or Swordsman. As they condense these magic particles into very dense particle clouds to create attacks, their magic counts are inflated and have to be accounted for. Some Mages can have magic similar to Healers or Enhancements, but it is rarely strong enough to do more than close some scratches. 

Swordsman - The most common role. Swordsmen have nothing special in terms of their magic particle qualities. By gathering magic in their bodies or on their weapons, they have superhuman abilities.

[See Page 2 for more Hero Roles…]

*******

Ranking, for standard Heroes, is determined by an equation. 

M 2 /(B/2)*C*S

M=Magic Particle Amount

B=Body Mass (As to calculate how far the particles have to disperse)

C=Concentration of Magic Particles (This determines how much energy each particle holds)

S=The Speed at which the particles move

This equation allows for Rankings to equate for high or low versions of any given Ranking. 

[See Page 2 for the exact equation values associated with each Ranking.]

The Ranking scale works exponentially, with each further Ranking being many multiples of the last. Strength wise, the Rankings are as follows.

*******

Note 1: Physical strength can vary depending on the Role of the Hero. These are the averages and not an accurate assessment of all Heroes.

Note 2: Whilst some superhuman athletes may be able to keep up with E-Ranks physically, they do not have the magical energy needed to injure a Villain.

E-Rank - At their very weakest, E-Ranks are still exceptionally superhuman. They can lift many times what a pro-athlete human can, and their skin is far denser. An E-Rank can comfortably punch concrete, and only have some light abrasions. The average E-Rank can lift a weight equal to 3,500 lbs comfortably. This is short of being able to lift a car above their heads. (Note, the heaviest thing ever lifted by a human was around 6,000 lbs, however they could not lift it for long, unlike an E-Rank with their power). Their punch is around 1,500 pounds of force. Punches of that force can easily break bones. (The average punch of an elite boxer being 1,000 pounds of force). They can run around 45 miles per hour at a sprint. Their reaction time is 0.1 seconds, equal to the best reaction times of humanity.

D-Rank - This is the Rank at which all other humans fall behind. Whilst some humans could theoretically match an E-Rank, D-Ranks weight and speed records have not been broken by any normal human. They can lift around 8,000 lbs, nearly enough to lift the weight of an elephant. Their punch force is around 4,500, a punch of this nature would be fatal to a normal human. They can run about 90 miles per hour, and their reaction time is 0.05 seconds, allowing them to enter a state of focus so that a battle with an equally fast opponent appears to be at normal human speed.

C-Rank - This is where true superhuman abilities begin to manifest. C-Ranks can lift 30,000 lbs, the weight of some fighter jets. Their punching weight is 12,000 pounds, more than enough to shatter a tree into a million pieces with one punch. They can run at nearly 220 miles per hour and have a reaction time of 0.005 seconds.

B-Ranks - At a B-Ranking, it becomes nigh-impossible for human instruments to truly measure their upper limits. An average B-Rank is estimated to be able to take down a small office building with his bare hands, though the process would take some time.

A-Ranks - A-Ranks are highly valued amongst governments. They are stronger than B-Ranks, but far more common than S-Ranks or higher. Could level several buildings without breaking a sweat. Equivalent to an army of E, D, and C-Ranks.

S-Ranks - City Level destroyers. Impossible to accurately measure. S-Ranks tend to be the most well known Heroes, as they are not hidden away by their governments, and are generally the strongest of Heroes without Quirks.

XS-Ranks - The true strength of the XS-Ranks is a closely guarded secret in their respective countries. The only thing known about XS-Ranks is that they must have a strong Quirk as well as S-Rank base strength to qualify for this Ranking.

National-Ranks - The true strength of the National-Ranks is a closely guarded secret in their respective countries. Whilst figures like Thomas Andre or All Might are very public, they have reportedly not shown their true might since Kamish’s appearance.

[Continued on Page 2]

Chapter Text

“Fifteen targets up ahead,” Jiro reported.

“Looks like bears of some kind,” Setsuna confirmed. In a somewhat disturbing fashion, half of her face was missing. Her Quirk allowed her to separate parts of her body and control them telekinetically. 

“Alright!” Kaminari punched his palm, cracking his knuckles. “Then let’s get down to-”

“No,” Midnight cut him short. “This is a battle of stamina. We’re going to take each conflict slowly and carefully.” She then looked to Izuku. “Can you make a hollow sphere of ice?”

“Yeah, but what will…” Izuku’s face lit up. “Oh that’s brilliant!”

Ever so carefully, he wove his gauntlets around a single point in space, creating a thin sphere of crystal clear ice.

“What’s going on? You guys have your own language now or something?” Kaminari asked, to which Jiro slapped him on the shoulder. “Ow! What was that for?!”

“It’s a gas bomb, genius.”

With the sphere completed, Izuku left a tiny hole at the top, which Midnight stuck her finger through. Though she could tear away parts of her skin-tight bodysuit to release massive amounts of the gas, she could also output it from anywhere on her skin. As such, she began to fill the icy container with the pale-purple mist, allowing it to build and build until the sphere was close to bursting from the pressure.

Midnight withdrew her finger and Izuku closed the hole as fast as possible. Once they were sure it was ready, Izuku handed it to Setsuna, who grinned mischievously now that her body parts were back.

Her right hand detached from her body, taking hold of the makeshift gas grenade and weaving through the forest.

“Are we gonna do this for every single Villain we come into contact with?” Kaminari asked, crossing his arms, clearly impatient.

“It’s a sound strategy that, in the event of failure, still causes some chaos and confusion amongst our enemy.”

“Yeah but what if the wind blows the gas towards us? We’re gonna get knocked out too! Or we have to wait for the gas to dissipate before fighting the Villains?” Kaminari pointed out, to which everyone stared at him with wide eyes.

“What?”

“You just… said something smart…” Jiro murmured in disbelief. 

Kaminari rolled his eyes before smirking. “I’m always smart when it comes to the qualities of beautiful women,” He said, winking at Midnight.

“It’s a crime that you are legally considered an adult…” Jiro muttered under her breath.

“I’m in position,” Setsuna interrupted. Through her eyes, she was just a few meters away from the ice bear clearing. Some were resting, but others were up and about. If she wasn’t careful, they’d spot her before she could crush the sphere.

“Do it,” Iida commanded.

Izuku, through his Sense Stat, felt her floating hand rush into the center of the pact and crush the thin sphere of ice. Thanks to the built up pressure, the gas exploded outwards, instantly enveloping the white fur with the pale-purple smoke. He didn’t need superhuman hearing to catch their rage-filled roars, however.

“Good,” Midnight purred, in her role as a seducer. “The more they roar the more they inhale.” True to her word, within moments, the cries faded.

Midnight, physically, was a pretty weak Hero. B, maybe even C-Rank at worst. However, despite that, she frequently participated in A-Rank Gates. It was all because of her Quirk.

Most Villains had some sort of resistance to status effects, making it hard for Mages to properly debuff their enemies. But Midnight’s Quirk seemed to bypass most protections that Villains had. She could put entire Boss Rooms to sleep, including the Boss Villain itself, something that was unheard of up until then. 

Of course, like with any strategy, there were downsides. Her Quirk wasn’t smart in its targeting, and it could put other Heroes to sleep if they weren’t careful. And if a Villain was intelligent enough to sense the danger the gas represented, they could use magic to blow it away, or simply avoid it to the best of their abilities. But since Midnight fought as a Support Hero in parties, these outcomes rarely affected her efficiency. So far, the only thing that was uncertain was if she could put S-Ranks to sleep. It had yet to be tested.

“How long do we have to wait for the gas to dissipate?” Kendo asked.

“Not long,” Izuku responded, stepping up and walking towards the clearing where the purple mist was spreading from. He raised his gauntlets and focused on creating a small twister. Since it was no stronger than a breeze, it didn’t take much Mana out of Izuku.

The mist funneled into the twister, which Izuku then directed upwards, causing the gas to dissipate in the snowy atmosphere. It was thinned out so that it wouldn’t come back down and catch them all unaware. The Omni-Elemental Gem was really putting in a lot of work.

And beneath the shroud of anesthetic gas was a pack of Ice Bears with their tongues hanging out of their mouths. They were out cold.

“Let’s harvest their pelts,” Iida suggested. Even Awakened humans could end up succumbing to the elements after long enough and there was no telling how long they’d be in the Gate.

“Miss Midnight?” Izuku asked, having the same thought as Iida, regarding the length of their stay in the Gate. “Does a Recursive Gate work like a Red Gate? Like with time dilation?”

Midnight nodded. “The conversion is about the same. One day in here is around an hour in the real world.”

“Thank god for that!” Kaminari shouted, discharging a lightning bolt from his finger tip straight into the skull of an Ice Bear, exploding it into a red goopy mess.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

Izuku was too busy cringing at the violence to notice his increase in Levels. It was one thing to kill a Villain trying to kill you, but killing something when they were asleep? It just didn’t sit right with him.

Midnight rested a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “Why don’t you let them handle this? I’m sure they’re a little antsy.”

Instead of the strange lust or frenetic gazes, Izuku only saw the warm understanding that could only come from a mother. It reminded him of the aching in his heart, the absence of his own mother.

“This… This is the job of a Hero isn’t it?” He muttered, the others marching on to kill the sleeping bears.

Midnight shook her head. “There’s no shame in what you feel. The only thing that matters is that you protect what’s important when the going gets tough. Trust me, I know the guilt that comes with this power. It’s not a bad thing.”

Izuku let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you…”

“It’s what I’m here for,” She said, reminding Izuku that she was, in fact, a member of the UA faculty.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

In addition to the three Levels he earned from his party members killing the bears, Izuku also got their souls. There was no official party system it seemed, but the System itself still recognized his contribution to killing the bears. At least that’s what Izuku assumed. And it seemed like no one else was gaining any strength from the killings, so the System’s growth was still his alone.

Once the others were done putting the Ice Bears to sleep for good, they skinned the creatures, cleaning off the pelts and fashioning them into coats. 

Uraraka took to the job with ease, another sign of poverty that Izuku himself was used to. She knew her way around fabric, better than he did, that was for sure.

“Well… It doesn’t make up for this,” Uraraka said, brushing her fingers against the silver cloak, “But here you go!” She smiled, handing him the first of the fur coats.

Izuku wrapped it around himself, happy to have a little more insulation from the cold. “Thank you.”

Once everyone was dressed, Iida turned to Jiro. “Where’s the next pack?”

*******

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

With Izuku, Midnight, Setsuna, and Jiro working in sync, there hadn’t been a single mishap so far. They’d cleared about 80% of the Gates Villains so far.

They feasted on Ice Bear meat, which was actually quite tender and juicy when cooked properly, and so far they had only taken a few breaks for rest, with alternating shifts so that some of them could catch some sleep. It was hard to keep track of time, since it seemed like there was no day night cycle, only endless cloudy skies raining down snow upon them, but by their estimation it had only been two days.

The ease by which they had taken out the Ice Bear population had put them all at ease, or at least, almost all of them.

Izuku was still worried about the Elves. They had only encountered the handful at the start of the Raid. It was odd for a Gate to have such little diversity, and judging by Setsuna and Jiro’s scouting, Ice Bears were the only Villain’s left. He couldn’t sense anything else himself, so he left it alone, but he got the feeling that there was more to this snowy landscape.

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 65

Strength: 148 (+5)

Vitality: 138 (+25)

Agility: 213 (+45)

Intelligence: 126 (+5)

Sense: 111 (+25)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 4201/4201] 

[HP: 6012/6012]

*******

Izuku was currently alone on the night watch. Kaminari was supposed to stay up with him, but he fell asleep just half an hour in. Izuku was fine with it, because it gave him the chance to let his Shadows out to patrol the area and to look at his Stats. 

“I’m not crazy right?” Izuku asked Igris, who was standing by Izuku’s side. After playing around with the Shadow Monarch powers, Izuku figured out that he could recall all of his Shadows within an instant, seamlessly and stealthily, so he wasn’t too worried about having them out.

Igris shook his head.

“There’s more than just bears out here. You haven’t found anything?”

Igris again shook his head, then stopped and raised one hand flat in a “so-so” gesture. He pointed to Izuku, then the bear pelt he was wearing.

“A bear that looks like me?” He felt the overwhelming urge to facepalm coming from Igris, but the knight stayed cool and pointed to himself, then Izuku. “Oh! You found the pack leader?”

Igris nodded.

“Well maybe I’m wrong. Maybe the pack leader is the Boss of this Gate. We still have another Gate to go through, so it could just be an easy start.”

Igris gave him a look that said, “It’s never that easy.”

Izuku chuckled softly, “Not wrong there.”

But Izuku’s mirth caught in his throat. “What was that?”

He hadn’t felt anything magical through his Sense Stat, rather, it was a soft THUMP THUMP THUMP, coming from far away.

Igris and all the other Shadows slunk away to hide beneath Izuku’s shadow as he yelled. “Wake up!”

“What is it?!” Iida shouted, leaping to his feet, so perfectly awake that Izuku had to wonder if he was even asleep to begin with.

“I’m not sure. It’s either really big footsteps, or small scale detonations.”

“Ya know…” Kaminari groaned, pulling himself up, his hair all messy, “This is the point in the movie where the T-Rex appears.”

“You dumb shit! You fell asleep?!” Jiro shouted, quite literally backhanding him to wake him up quicker.

“You guys see that?” Uraraka asked, looking up into the snowy wind.

“Wha-” Izuku’s eyes widened. “RUN!”

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire) has activated.]

Izuku scoop up Uraraka and Yui, throwing them over each of his shoulders and sprinting away from the campsite. Iida did the same for Kaminari and Jiro. Setsuna’s body split apart and flew away in different pieces. Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were too slow, so they just activated their Quirks and braced for impact, with Kendo and Midnight being shielded by them.

All of it was just in time for icicles the size of pickup trucks to pepper the area like artillery strikes.

They exploded on impact with the ground, sending ice shards scattering like so many pieces of shrapnel. It shredded trees, boulders, and even managed to scratch the two tanks’ seemingly invulnerable skin.

The barrage seemed to last for minutes, but in reality, the first wave of projectiles landed all at once. It was the shrapnel that made it seem never ending.

“It’s the pack leader!” Izuku shouted. “We need a location!”

Iida skidded to a stop in the snow, setting down Jiro, who slammed her palms into the ground. Her face scrunched up in concentration, and she tilted her head, trying to isolate the sounds.

“The next wave is coming!” Setsuna warned.

“Fifteen kilometers in that direction!” Jiro shouted

“Keep them alive!” Izuku yelled to Iida. “I’m gonna end this!”

Iida nodded, already ferrying around the team to safer locations. Even from fifteen kilometers, this artillery barrage of ice was damn accurate. Trying to move up on it with the entire team was a complete fantasy. The rule of artillery warfare was to hunker down and wait for the shelling to stop. In this case, it was to hunker down and wait until Izuku could kill them all.

Even at the pace of the fastest normal human in the world, a fifteen kilometer sprint would’ve taken nearly half an hour. But Izuku cleared most of it within the first five minutes.

It was only when he was within five-hundred meters that the icicles began crashing around him, the pack catching up with his speed.

“Igris!”

The knight emerged from the shadow, speeding through the air like a bullet, drawing his onyx blade from his hip and slashing in a wide arc, carving through the barrage that threatened to rain down on Izuku.

By that point, the pack was in view. They looked just like normal Ice Bears, white fur, ice-blue eyes, bodies the size of two tanks stacked on top of each other, and claws longer than some people were tall. Aside from that, they had only one major addition. 

Like Arcka, they had massive crystals growing out of their backs. These were the platforms from which the icicles grew and were launched at asinine speeds. And all of them seemed to be linked by tendrils of Mana, connecting to the lead bear, larger than the rest.

*******

[Polarus Pack Leader:]

Rank: A

Type: Ursidae

Role: Mini-Boss

Proficiencies: Long-Range Combat, Tank, Underling Enhancements.

Skills: Alpha, Endless Winter, Polar Howitzer

*******

“Mini-Boss huh?” Izuku grimaced as they continued launching barrage after barrage over to his team. “So there is more to this Gate. Then let’s not waste time.”

“Arise!”

[13 Ice Elves Lvl. 1 - Elite Grade]

[47 Ice Bears Lvl. 1 - Elite Grade]

Izuku pulled from his soul list and expanded his Shadow Army, now capable of 90 individual Shadows thanks to his Intelligence Stat growth.

No doubt his Raid Party would feel the expanding Mana, but Izuku could simply brush it off as the battle getting heated.

Alongside his sixty new Shadows and Igris, his previous Shadows emerged, charging headlong into the front line of the Ice Bears, with Izuku and Igris squaring off with the pack leader.

“Once they stop firing, Iida will head to help! We’ll have about five minutes from that point!” Izuku relayed to Igris.

The knight held up two fingers. 

“Heh. You think this will all be over in two? Then let’s go!” Izuku skidded to a stop, throwing his arm back like an Olympic athlete about to make a javelin throw, which he basically was.

“Fire, enhanced with a body of earth, and accelerated with wind.” Izuku stacked magic on top of magic as the spear of pure energy appeared in his grasp. “And finally!” 

[Skill: Echo Attack has activated.]

As Izuku hauled his arm forwards, mentally directing his Skill to affect the javelin, three blasts of force acted on the attack. The wind blast, Izuku’s initial throw, and the resounding Echo Attack. It instantly became a mach 10 missile of pure destruction.

But in that brief span of time, just before impact, the Ice Bear rolled forwards, its back facing the magical attack. 

The shards growing out of it took the brunt of the impact, and instead of the javelin exploding with enough energy to decimate its body, the magic was redirected. The crystals shattered, its ability to fire artillery destroyed, and the rest of the energy was directed to its extremities, rather than center-mass.

Like it was hit with a magic shotgun, all four of the Pack Leader’s limbs exploded into gorey bits of red paste. That should’ve been the end of it, but…

[Opponent is activating Skill: Endless Winter.]

As if picked up by a magical wind, the shattered crystals swirled around the bear, roughly implanting themselves where the stumps of its legs were. The bear roared in agony as the crystals tore through its flesh, building up thicker and thicker until it had four new limbs. 

At the same time the Skill was taking hold, Igris was rushing close, his sword millimeters from lopping the Villain’s head off. CLANG! But the sword, which could slice through almost anything, living or otherwise, stopped short, halted by the crystalline limbs.

The shone with an eerie blue-glow for just a second before exploding with force, impacting Igris’s sword with a ferocity that managed to send the S-Rank equivalent Shadow skidding back along the snowy terrain… his sword laying in dissolving smoky pieces on the ground.

Of course, Igris himself wasn’t even close to harmed, and he didn’t seem all that perturbed by the loss of his sword, but it was clear that this was no ordinary bear. Just like Arcka, it had been modified by… something, pushed to the limits of its body by the crystals.

However, unlike Arcka, those limits were showing. The bear’s eyes were growing dulls, its flesh and blood body falling weak. For the briefest of moments, it had surpassed an S-Rank and even broken his weapon, but that moment was over.

[Igris is activated Skill: Blood-Red Blade.]

With his hand flat, like a karate chop, Igris lunged forwards, energy surrounding his fingers and slicing clean through the bear’s neck, dropping it to the ground with a heavy THUNK!

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

[You have Leveled-Up!]

*******

[You have obtained items:]

• 1. Damocles (Sword)

• 2. A-Rank Ice Elemental Enhancement Gem

• 3. Arctic Steel (Material)

*******

“Alright let’s clean up in the next thirty seconds,” Izuku said. As soon as the Ice Bear had died by Igris’s hand, the rest of the artillery from the backlines had ceased altogether. They had more than enough time, but it was better to be safe than sorry in exposing a power like the Shadows.

Just as Izuku was about to resurrect the pack leader, Igris approached him, kneeling and dropping the bear’s decapitated head at his feet. “Uhh… thanks?” Izuku gave a painful half-grin, but just sighed and handed Igris Damocles. “It’s not really my thing.”

The sword was pure white, almost opaque and was beautifully ornate, with carvings up and down the hilt and crossguard. Izuku wanted to check its specs, but he was on a time crunch.

“Arise!”

[Polarus Pack Leader Lvl. 1 - Knight Grade]

[Skills: Alpha, Eternal Winter, and Polar Howitzer, under the influence of Shadow Extraction, have fused into the Skill: Subzero Omega.]

*******

[Skill: Subzero Omega]

• Passive Skill/Leader Skill

• Mana Cost: Mana is only consumed when generating Ice Elemental Attacks through this Skill

• Description: This Skill’s abilities affect all other members of the user’s species line. If the holder of this Skill is buffed, or acquires new Skills, they can bestow them upon their species line as well. This Skill grants long-range Ice Elemental Attacks in the form of artillery. This Skill grants crystalline growths along the user’s body to augment their physical abilities.

******

“Well this guy definitely needs a name…” Izuku muttered, realizing he was going to become a cornerstone of the Shadow Army. “He took a hit from Igris of all things… so… You’re Tank!”

The massive shadowy bear, larger than before, rushed Izuku, stopping just in time to not crush him, but also to get just close enough to nuzzle against him.

“Hey! Hey!” Izuku tried to shout through the mass of inky fur. “The others will be here soon!” Izuku managed to push Tank off and survey the battlefield. It was desolate. “Back into the shadows, you guys.” As they slunk away, Izuku noticed his previous Ice Bears were now augmented as well with the same sort of artillery pieces on their backs. “Nice to have some range…”

Just like that, Izuku was standing alone in the snowy fields, surrounded by more than a few Ice Bear corpses, their warm fur going cold in the harsh climate.

By the time Iida showed up, Izuku was taking a breather, sitting on the paws of what was once Tank’s body.

“I… It seems I owe you a greater apology…” Iida gasped out at the sight before him. “I was truly wrong when I said you didn’t belong, back in the examination hall.”

Izuku shrugged. “Out of all the things I’ve been called, been told, that wasn’t much. And you were just looking out for everyone around us.”

“Perhaps. But I would feel wrong if I did not apologize to you and Yaoyorozu.”

“Welp,” Izuku slapped his hands on his knees and stood. “We still have a problem.”

“What’s that?”

“That wasn’t the Gate Boss.”

“You’re right…”

Izuku and Iida spun towards the forest on their left, where a snowy mist was being kicked up, obscuring several horses and their riders from view.

“But I was very impressed with the way you handled him.” The words were crisp, they crackled against the air, and seemed to freeze the world for an instant. “Unfortunately, I am not as brutish as that beast!”

The snow cleared, revealing a royal squadron of Ice Elves, each decked out in hauntingly gorgeous armor. But none of them mattered to Izuku. The only one he cared about was the one speaking. A king of sorts, an Ice Elf… with power to rival an S-Rank, and his eyes, though cold, were burning to kill.

Chapter Text

“How far away are the others?” Izuku muttered under his breath to Iida.

“Two minutes… maybe.”

“He’s at least an S-Rank,” Izuku said, sizing up the Elf King before him. His pale-blue lips were curled up into a cocky grin. He made no moves to immediately kill them. 

“Oh? You’re good. I was trying to hold back my Mana.”

Iida’s ears pricked up at the Elve’s words. “I wish we could understand Villains. An open dialogue would buy us time.” 

Only then had Izuku remembered that humans, Awakened or not, were incapable of understanding Villains most of the time. There were sparse incidents here and there, but outside of Izuku, communication was a crap shoot.

“Our only shot is Midnight,” Iida reckoned, but Izuku shook his head.

“He knows about her Quirk. He’s been watching us this whole time. There’s no way we’ll get the chance to hit him with it.” The Elf’s grin only stretched wider at that.

“How do you know?”

Izuku gave a slight shake of his head. “I could feel… something, but I couldn’t pin it down.”

*******

[Ice Elf Elder Baruka:]

Rank: S

Type: Polarus Humanoid

Role: Boss

Proficiencies: Dagger Combat, Stealth

Skills: Blizzard’s Concealment, Ice Manipulation, Ice King’s Howl

*******

“So he really is S-Rank. I might not have a choice here. Igris could probably stand toe-to-toe with him while the rest of us kill the minions. Then we can overwhelm him…”

[Baruka is using Skill: Ice King’s Howl.]

[Alert: Skills have been “Frozen” and cannot be used.]

“Come forth…” Izuku muttered under his breath. Nothing happened.

[Shadow Extraction cannot be activated whilst under the effects of Ice King’s Howl. The Player’s Level is not high enough to resist it.]

“Well I guess we have no-“ Iida was shoved back by Izuku, who held up his hands to block the incoming strike from the Ice Elf’s dagger.

The impact created a shockwave that cleared the surrounding area of snow entirely, revealing the cold dead weeds underneath their feet from the endless winter.

Izuku’s forearms felt like pistons straining under the weight of something they weren’t designed to handle, screaming from the pressure. Despite the fact that Baruka had stabbed out with his dagger, it felt like Izuku was being hit with the blunt force of a 747. Had he not leveled up during the time inside this Gate, he would’ve already been dead, no question.

Izuku activated his Omni-Elemental Gem, igniting his gauntlets with burning flames. While Skills were blocked from activation, it seemed that items could still be used. It was fortunate because the flames caused Baruka to wince and leap back. Like other creatures in this environment, heat was their enemy.

“I didn’t even see him move…”

Izuku held up his gauntlets like a boxer, still imbued with fire magic. “He’s got some sort of Stealth ability. I’ll do my best to take him on. Get rid of the other Elves. We don’t stand a chance unless we gang up on him.”

Baruka cackled. “You’re asking for the help of humans? How pathetic! I expected more from a being like you!”

“A being like me? Does he mean the Shadows? Can he sense the System?”

“I was hoping to play with you for a bit, but maybe you’re not all that-” Baruka slashed his daggers, two curved blades of ice, through the air, creating a wall of ice off to his right. It was just in time to shield his men from a bolt of lightning. But even with Baruka’s Rank, the lightning, with all the heat and energy contained within the plasma, was able to explode the wall with ease, peppering the Villains with ice shards.

Izuku took the opportunity to rush forwards, throwing a haymaker at Baruka’s head.

Still resetting his stance from the dagger swipe, Baruka only had enough time to raise his arm at an awkward angle, using a dagger to block the blow.

Despite the blade being thin, it felt like Izuku was punching a brick wall. Even still, the flames of his gauntlet licked past the dagger, singeing Baruka’s skin and long flowing white hair. He winced in discomfort, but was swift to kick out at Izuku’s stomach, which he narrowly managed to avoid by twisting his body and tucking into a roll.

“He’s fast… but not insanely so… Physically, he’s high A-Rank… maybe low S-Rank. But his magic… That’s S-Rank for sure. The only reason Kaminari managed to blow up that ice wall was because Baruka had no time to respond, and because he’s weak to heat.” Izuku grimaced as he faced off with Baruka once more, sizing each other up. Their exchange had been so quick that Iida hadn’t even begun to attack the other Elves, who were watching their leader with what looked like apathy. “Do they want him to lose? Do they not care? Whatever… this isn’t a good scenario, but it’s not hopeless. Just gotta hold out for-”

“You’re not worth my time.”

Izuku didn’t even see the blow coming. A massive pillar of ice shot from the ground at a low angle, smashing into him like a semi-truck… a magical semi-truck.

[HP: 4312/7121]

Izuku couldn’t breathe. The wind had been knocked out of him so greatly that all he could do was lay in the freezing-cold snow, and try to find any semblance of air.

“Kill them all,” Baruka said to his royal guards, causing them to leap from their horses, and charge Iida, Izuku, and the rest of the Raid group, now emerging from the forest thicket.

They were all A-Rank. Izuku could’ve handled one, maybe two, on his own, but they would quickly tear apart his Raid team. They wouldn’t last much longer, not without Shadows, not without…

“Wait!” Izuku shouted, pleading with the royal guards, rather than Baruka. “Just… wait! You can understand me, right?”

One of the guards, moments away from burying a dagger into Iida’s throat, paused, glanced back at Baruka, and said. “Yes. And you can understand us. You are no normal human.”

Iida looked to Izuku, “You can understand them?!” Izuku shot back a look that said, “Save the questions for later!”

“I just want to know one thing,” Izuku extinguished the fire on his gauntlets. “Why are you trying to kill us?”

“Our liege demands it of us.”

“Why?” Izuku asked again, directing the question at Baruka.

Baruka just grinned sadistically. “All humans need to be killed. If you wish to hand over those vermin, perhaps we will let you live amongst us.”

“Amongst you?” Izuku got the sense that they weren’t just talking about their group. 

“We will not let outsiders harm our home,” The guard said. “Our liege is compelled to kill creatures like you because of what the Rulers did to him, but we are not like that. We were born without such shackles. We merely wish to live.”

“Then why must we fight?!” Izuku cried out, ignoring the strange terminology they used.

The Elves glanced subtly at Baruka, the evil energy showering off of him giving Izuku the whole picture.

“Elder Baruka,” Izuku respectfully began. “We were mistakenly pulled into a situation more dangerous than we were prepared for. All we wish is to leave. Yourself and your people will not be harmed as long as you can help us-”

“Tch! Fool! I am King of this land! I rule it all! It’s meat! It’s women! Everything! You think I’d stoop low enough to help things like you?!”

One of the royal guards gritted his teeth. “My liege… please… you were not like this before. Once upon a time, you would happily accept a deal such as this. These humans are strong, but they are young. Allow them grace… I beg of you.”

“I will never do such a thing! And if you suggest it again, I will slash the throat of your firstborn!” 

The Elf paled. “Yes my liege.”

“You can’t speak like that,” Izuku spat back at Baruka. “Not to someone who works under you!”

Baruka chuckled. “He is nothing but beneath me.”

“You have families?” Izuku spoke to the guards, who nodded. “And outside of Baruka, you live in peace? Somewhere in here?” They didn’t nod this time, but their eyes said it all. “Then help us free you from-”

“Enough!” Baruka flicked his daggers, sending another pillar of ice rocketing at Izuku.

[HP: 1113/7121]

Izuku coughed up blood, the crimson spattering melting into the snow.

“My domain knows peace because of me! My domain is perfect because of me! I will not have you sully it! Nor shall you intrude on my power!” Baruka stomped over to Izuku, raising his dagger high, aiming for Izuku’s heart, ready to carve it out. He swung down with all of his might, but…

“Forgive us…” One of the guards said, a tear rolling down his cheek as his sword pierced Baruka’s side. “But we do this… in memory of the symbol you once were for our people.” Three more swords pierced Baruka, then a few arrows.

The Elf fell to his knees, coughing up purple blood, mirroring Izuku. The sadistic light in his eyes dulled for a moment. “My children… I am… forever proud… of your resolve…” Then, the light in his eyes died completely.

Izuku’s vision began to darken, his body destroyed by the S-Rank Elf. He had broken bones, a punctured lung, and a whole host of other issues. He desperately tried to remain conscious. Because if the other Elves turned against his party, they’d be done for. But the pain shut down his muscles, his mind, and he simply could not fight against the encroaching darkness any longer.

*******

“I-I’m sorry… I don’t know what you’re saying. He was the only one who could understand you.”

A sigh could be heard. “I suppose it is not surprising that the rest of you are no different from average mortals. This one is… special, no doubt.”

Izuku groaned as the words hit his ears. “Is everyone…?”

“Oh my gosh!” The first voice, revealed to Izuku as Uraraka, rushed to his bedside within the warm log cabin. “Are you okay?”

“I need an Advil but yeah. The others?”

“They’re eating at a different building, and some are sleeping.”

Izuku sat up, his body, though healed, remembered the pain of Baruka’s attacks. He looked around the room. There wasn’t much. A small desk, the bed, and near the door, there was one of the Elves that had been guarding Baruka.

“I’m sorry.”

The Elf raised an eyebrow, before letting out a small smile. “Those were not words I expected.”

“You clearly cared for him.”

“We did, once upon a time.” 

“What changed? What did you mean by Rulers?”

The Elf opened his mouth, but the only thing to emerge was a static that assaulted Izuku’s head. He screamed in pain, clutching at it.

Uraraka panicked, but the Elf remained calm. “There are some things even you cannot yet hear, I suppose.”

Izuku took a few sharp breaths, “Yeah… let’s not try that again.”

“All you need to know is that once our liege had… passed. Another Gate opened. I assume that was what you were hoping for?” 

Izuku nodded. “I was hoping we could settle it all peacefully.”

“Well, sometimes violence is the only answer. We had lived under his rule for so long that we almost forgot our morality. It took… incentive to push us towards this path. He seemed at peace before his soul faded. Perhaps this was the best outcome for us all. I will do what I can to live up to his glory days.”

“You’re the new elder?”

He nodded. “Which is why I ask that you leave as soon as possible. My people must begin to mourn, and heal. They are uneasy with mortals in our village. And there are some within our settlement who are like Baruka, not nearly as strong, but just as driven to kill you. Thankfully, we have them sequestered away, but it cannot be kept that way forever.”

“I understand.” Izuku swung his feet over the bed, “We’ll depart immediately.”

The Elf nodded. “I will lead you to the Gate.”

After gathering up their team, Izuku and the others left the village, with Kirishima and Tetsutetsu waving to a couple of the Elves, who shockingly waved back.

“This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen…” Midnight uttered.

“It certainly is.” Yui agreed, still as deadpan as ever, but finally in step with Midnight for once.

“So, Midoriya, have you always been able to communicate with Villains?”

Izuku was dreading this question. He had avoided using his Shadows, if only because he had been forced into such a situation, but in saving them all, he had done something else surreal. “Not always no,” He said, which was the truth. “I think it’s my Quirk. I have better control of Mana so maybe I can understand them because of it?” And there was the straight-up lie. He loathed doing so, but there was a limit to who he felt comfortable revealing his past and his secrets to. “I don’t advertise it because I’ve had a lot of… experiences being different. I don’t like it,” Was all he was willing to say.

Iida nodded. “Well, it was our salvation. So I do believe it is our responsibility to keep it a secret.” The others chimed in, voicing their agreement.

It was something Izuku wasn’t too afraid of being leaked. Because even if it was leaked through gossip, it wasn’t all that incredulous, as compared to his Shadows. It was still a big thing, sure, but it wasn’t something that would get him hunted down by other Heroes to find the source of his power.

“You hide the real reason?” The Elf asked. “They do not know what you are?”

Izuku shook his head, curious about the “what” in his statement, but was hesitant to pry, should he be hit by that same static as before.

“I see.”

After some time, the group emerged into the same clearing that Baruka had attacked them in, where a spinning Gate waited for them.

“Take this,” The Elf said, reaching into his cloak and withdrawing one of Baruka’s daggers.

“Why?”

The Elf smiled wistfully. “Just a reminder that there’s hope for some coexistence out there in the universe. I think he would’ve appreciated that.”

“I… I don’t think I deserve it, but… thank you. For everything.”

“I’d forgotten what it was like to talk and have someone listen. Much less in the middle of a battle. This hasn’t been a happy day. But I believe it has been a good day. Whatever that means. It was something Baruka used to say to us.”

Izuku returned the bittersweet smile, knowing that somewhere in his shadow, the Ice Elf Baruka, his Shadow already extracted, was watching with pride for his people. 

Izuku had received Baruka’s Soul, as well as Levels and items, but had waited to look upon anything until he was out of the Gate, out of respect for the Elves. But he figured the Elf would like to see his village one last time, with a clear head, freed from whatever had turned him so evil.

“Be well, whoever you are,” The Elf said, turning on his heel before giving one last glance over his shoulder.

Midnight sighed, rubbing her temples. “Alright well… we’re not done yet folks. We still have one more challenge to conquer."

*******

[You have received alerts!]

[You have gained 7 Levels!]

[You have acquired Baruka’s Dagger.]

[You have acquired part of a Rune Stone for the Skill: Dominator's Touch.]

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 77

Strength: 172 (+5)

Vitality: 162 (+25)

Agility: 234 (+45)

Intelligence: 138 (+5)

Sense: 123 (+25)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 6123/6123] 

[HP: 9561/9561] 

Chapter Text

The second Izuku exited the Snowy Forest through the Gate, he was yanked to the ground by Kirishima, who had entered the portal in front of him. He held a finger up to his lips and pointed. Tetsutetsu was also one of the first through and he took the responsibility of making sure everyone was quiet when they came through the Gate.

They were crouched behind a small cliffside, the rock face hiding them and their Gate from whatever was around the corner Kirishima was pointing at.

Izuku nodded, then delicately crept around the cliff. He wanted to use Stealth, but there were already a lot of questions about him. Adding a crazy Skill like Stealth to those questions was a bit too much.

Peeking around the tan stones, Izuku spotted a small camp of sorts. There were a few tents and shoddily built structures here and there, but the main draw was the massive figures crouched around a fire.

Easily ten-feet tall, each humanoid had blood-red skin, glowing crimson eyes, and fangs that jutted out from their lower jaw. 

*******

[High Orc:]

Rank: A

Type: Karius Humanoid

Role: Basic Footsoldier

Proficiencies: Raw Strength, Blunt Force Weapons, Teamwork

Skills: Berserker, Environmental Resistance

*******

The Villains roared in laughter as they tore apart a still moving creature, struggling to escape their grasp, to no avail. The mess of blood and guts made it impossible to tell what it had once been.

Despite the fire, the Orcs didn’t even attempt to cook the meat, instead happily slurping up the bloody mess and crunching down on bone like it was potato chips.

Izuku got the sense that there would be no talking to these things and coming to a peaceful conclusion.

“I’ve muffled our voices,” Jiro said, using her Quirk in combination with her Awakened sonic magic to create a slight soundproofing.

“A-Rank,” Izuku reported. “Fighting them head on is risky at best.” By now, thanks to the System, he was probably approaching A-Rank himself, if he wasn’t already there, so he would be able to handle them fine, but even with the others and all their Quirks, they would be in significantly more danger.

“Then we stick to the plan,” Midnight said, causing Izuku to build another sphere, this time out of very thin stone. It camouflaged better and wouldn’t melt in this climate.

Speaking of the climate, as Midnight filled the gas bomb, Izuku looked around. The landscape was all stone and barren desert. The sky was a deep orange and not a single cloud occupied it. No trees, no plants, no water to speak of. It was a horrible place to live.

“Alright we’re good.” Midnight reported, causing Izuku to seal off the sphere and hand it to Setsuna.

The girl detached her arm and a single eye, weaving it around the cliffside and moving towards the campsite. They’d done it a dozen times before, so their teamwork was seamless, and without so much as a word, Setsuna crushed the stone ball in her hands when she was in position.

“RAAAAARGH!!!”

[High Orcs are activating Skill: Berserker.]

“It didn’t work…” Izuku muttered, subtly withdrawing Baruka’s dagger from his inventory.

“What do you mean? The Ice Bears roared too,” Kaminari pointed out, but Izuku shot Iida a look that said it all.

“Prepare for a fight. Tanks get ready. Backline support, give us some space.”

*******

[Item: Cryonic Entropy]

• Item Class: S

• Item Type: Dagger

• Attack: +300

• Gem Slots: 0

• All Ice Elemental Skills and Attacks are enhanced by 100% when wielding this Dagger and their Mana costs are cut in half.

******

“There’s no way they know we’re back here, let’s just pull back and…” Kaminari trailed off as a massive shape filled their view, appearing just in front of Tetsutetsu and Kirishima.

Izuku didn’t waste a moment, raising his gauntlet and shooting out a shard of ice, sharp enough to pierce the flesh of even the High Orcs. But the red-skinned beast just leaned to the side, allowing the ice to stab into his shoulder rather than his heart. He didn’t even flinch as the cold spear tore apart his flesh and muscle.

He was so unconcerned by the pain that the first punch he threw was even with his injured shoulder.

“I got thi-!” Was all Kirishima managed to get out before the Orc’s fist slammed straight into his temple. He hit the ground so hard you’d have thought he fell from orbit. Thankfully, his Quirk had saved him from instant death and unconsciousness, but it was clear that if anyone else took a hit like that, they wouldn’t be getting back up.

Kaminari let fly a bolt of lightning from his fingers as Tetsutetsu took over Kirishima’s position while he recovered.

The bolt exploded against the side of the Orc’s head, sending the scent of burnt flesh wafting through the air, but he still didn’t fall. Unlike the Ice Elves, these Orcs were used to the harshest of climates, heat, nor ice, was a weakness.

[Skill: Speedstrike (Fire) has activated.]

Iida and Izuku rushed forwards at the same time, Izuku swinging his dagger and Iida kicking out with his armored legs.

The Orc caught Iida’s kick moments before it hit, but he was too slow to keep Izuku’s dagger from slicing his neck wide open.

[You have gained 2 Levels!]

But as the body fell, and Izuku landed back on his feet, he was shown a haunting sight. The rest of the Orcs, all clutching clubs, maces, and battle-axes, staring down at their dead comrade. Not a single one even looked sleepy.

Acting on instinct, Izuku swiped his dagger through the air, creating a veritable storm of icicles that shot through the air, spearing half-a-dozen in fatal areas. But only three of them fell down dead, the others not even perturbed by the spears piercing their hearts or other organs. And there were more still that were completely unharmed.

[You have gained 2 Levels!]

[Mana: 5910/6652]

Izuku was stunned. Not by the Orcs' clear indifference to pain, but by his Mana count. Not all that long ago, it would’ve dropped entirely to zero using an attack like that. But with the dagger, his new Stats, and his armor, it dropped about seven-hundred instead of six-thousand. On top of that, it was regenerating far faster than before. Meaning that his Elemental attacks were no longer a last minute trump card, but a viable attack strategy.

Now, there was no reason to hold back. Instead of the small ice daggers, Izuku called into existence several 2 meter long javelins of pure ice above the Orcs. And as they rushed to avenge their fallen, Izuku brought the spears down on their heads with scary precision.

Split in half from head to crotch, they couldn’t simply ignore the pain, and they fell into lumps of meat with a sickening THUNK.

[You have gained 3 Levels!]

[Mana: 5512/7512] 

In Leveling up, he even managed to replenish more Mana, making it look like the massive attack only cost four-hundred Mana.

“Phew… Is everyone okay?”

“Kirishima got hit hard, but I think he’s coming out of it,” Tetsutetsu reported as his fellow tank rubbed at his temples to shake off the soreness, helped by Uraraka’s healing magic.

“This isn’t good. By now even the basic Villains of a Gate have surpassed the rest of the team. No doubt the Boss Villain is going to be a staunch S-Rank. Just a week ago I wouldn’t even fathom taking on something like that. But I do have the Shadows. Just so long as my Skills don’t get negated again.”

[Alert: Shadow Baruka Lvl. 1 - Elite-Knight Grade has incompatible Skills with Shadow Extraction.]

[Blizzard’s Concealment has been modified to become Shadow Cloak.]

[Ice King’s Howl has been modified to become Kanidaru’s Blessing.]

******

[Skill: Shadow Cloak]

• Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 10 Mana per second. (This cost is supplied by the Player).

• Description: The user can cloak himself and up to 12 other Shadows to hide themselves completely from physical and magical detection.

******

[Skill: Kanidaru’s Blessing]

• Passive Skill

• Mana Cost: 0

• Description: This Passive applies to all Shadows under the Player’s control, as well as the Player themself. This Skill prevents almost all debuffs from afflicting the Player and their Shadows, or cures them if they manage to be inflicted upon the Player or their Shadows.

*******

“Well that solves the problem of worrying about my Shadows being locked away again.”

Izuku had been rather indecisive about resurrecting Baruka. Whatever had happened to the Elf had clearly changed him for the worst. In his last moments, he had expressed pride in his people, and in his Shadow form, it was clear that he was happy to no longer be a burden. For those reasons, Izuku got the sense that he truly had been a good man… Elf… at one point. He wished that he could dismiss souls to the afterlife, or whatever the true end of life was, but it simply wasn’t an option, so he felt it best to give what souls he could a second chance rather than letting them sit on a list like some old knickknack on a dusty shelf. 

And because of Baruka’s past, Izuku felt it was the right thing to let him keep his original name. He had been thinking of a few, but really, he just wasn’t good at naming, so it was a win-win to keep it as it was.

“High Orcs?! To start a Dungeon off? That’s just crazy! This is a job for A or S-Ranks! Not B-Ranks!” 

“We managed to handle them,” Iida said, doing his best to calm Kaminari, “What worries me is the future of this Gate.” In no time, he had come to the same conclusion as Izuku.

“Are you kidding me! The Boss is gonna be an S-Rank! We’re gonna get stomped! The only reason we handled the last Boss was because we witnessed a first in the history of Raiding! Villains helping the Heroes!”

“A strategy-”

“Won’t help against an S-Rank! Even Midoriya got bodied by that last guy!”

“And you think complaining about it will do anything?” Setsuna interjected. “We either win or we live the rest of our lives in Orc territory.”

“Or we die,” Yui added.

“Come on! Let’s just man up and do this! No more depressing stuff!” Kirishima shouted, likely worsening his headache as he stood.

“Well I guess I’ll probably have to show my hand in the Boss room, if not before that. Oh well, better than a dead body.” Izuku nodded at Kirishima’s call to action, “There’s no point in over-thinking it. We’ll just get-”

Izuku’s Sense Stat exploded as a body rose behind him. Hidden beneath the mass of his dead brethren, one of the High Orcs had concealed their Mana, giving them the perfect opportunity to lunge forwards with their battle-axe, primed to cut Izuku in half, and… FWOOM!

Before Izuku, or the Orc could react, a warhammer, a few meters in length, crashed into the Orc, turning his brain matter into sludge.

“That was a little close,” Yui muttered, walking over to collect the warhammer.

“She… threw that?!”

Perhaps it was a little stupid to think in such a way, but Yui was relatively small compared to the massive hammer she had thrown. She was Awakened sure, but her magic was in a Support role. And yet she had crushed an Orc that even Kaminari hadn’t been able to truly damage. Even Kendo had a good helping of muscle on her body, making it feel more natural for her to swing around something a hundred times her weight.

“That weapon…” Jiro marveled.

“There’s no way that didn’t cost a lifetime’s worth of money.”

Uraraka wasn’t wrong. The hammer was an S-Rank weapon for sure. It was beautiful in its destruction. Red and white, the blood seeping down it didn’t detract from its ornate design.

“I saw it moving under the bodies…” Yui said, grasping the handle of the hammer. And in response, it shrunk to the size of. “Wasn’t sure if anyone else did.”

“That’s right. Your Quirk allows you to alter the size of things.” Izuku was doing his best not to nerd out over such a cool Quirk, especially not in such a dangerous situation.

“Inanimate objects only,” She said, displaying her power.

Yui would start a swing with the hammer small, allowing her to swing faster and with much more force. Then, near the apex of the swing, she’d enlarge the hammer again. In an actual fight against her, blocking or predicting any attack would be absolutely impossible with the ability to change the size of her weapon on the fly.

If she had gotten the chance to fight Baruka alongside Izuku, she might’ve actually been able to do some work against the Elf.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you were a special case,” Kaminari responded to the display. “Why’d you say you were Support?”

Yui shrunk her hammer back down to the size of a keychain and hooked it onto her belt like it was one. “If I’m close enough and I sense it coming, I can use my Quirk to shrink magic or debuffs. It’s technically an inanimate object, so my Quirk works on it.”

“Damn… if she’d been there with me, Baruka wouldn’t have caught me with my pants down…”

Inside his shadow, Izuku could feel Baruka cringe, as if he was embarrassed about his previous actions. Which, to Izuku, felt genuine, as the Elf had been under some sort of influence. It didn’t feel like a Summon blindly obeying its master. It gave Izuku a little peace of mind to know that the Shadows had some free will at least.

“Okay well… all in favor of her being like in the midline? Is that a thing?” Kaminari asked.

“It’s either frontline or backline, there’s not really an in between,” Midnight said with a lopsided grin. Izuku could tell it was forced, she wasn’t holding up any better than Kaminari, she just knew how to hide it.

“She’s used to professionals, in an environment they’re prepared for, in a Gate they’re Ranked for…” Even though Midnight had gone through quite a bit as a Hero, she hadn’t yet experienced the true call of Death that Izuku had felt since day 1. Only now was she beginning to shiver from its presence.

 “We have more pressing matters,” Iida said, course-correcting the group. “Jiro, can you do a search?”

She nodded, pressing her hands to the ground and concentrating.

“There’s… not much… Maybe a few roaming groups of High Orcs nearby, but…” Her face beaded with sweat, and with a suddenness that made Izuku want to shout in surprise, she fell back, as if hit by an invisible force. “Ah…” She cupped her hands over her ears. “I… Can’t…!” 

Her head lurched back, as if possessed. Which… she was…

[Skill: Stealth has been activated.]

The second Izuku realized their Support had been compromised, he vanished. This was an intelligent foe. And knowledge was power. So, he’d cut off just a little bit of this enemy’s resources by erasing himself from their equation.

“HUMANS!!!!” Jiro croaked out, sounding like pebbles were tumbling around in her throat. “THE TEN OF YOU ARE WEAK!!!”

“Looks like he can’t see me after all,” Izuku thought to himself, leaping straight up the cliffside to get a better look. As Jiro had said, there were only a few nearby Orc camps, but all of them were heading in their direction.

“MY MEN WILL TEAR YOU TO PIECES!!!”

“We won’t lose so easily,” Kendo assured the voice.

“KAHAHAHA!!! YOU MAY HAVE FELLED A FEW OF MY PROUD SOLDIERS, BUT CAN YOU HANDLE THE SAME NUMBER TENFOLD!!! YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES!!! DIE AT THE HANDS OF MY MEN, HERE AND NOW!!! OR FOLLOW THEM AND SEEK MERCY!!!”

Jiro drew a small dagger from her belt and placed the tip against her throat before anyone could move. “SHE WILL BE THE FIRST TO GO!!!”

Iida, ever the team leader, instantly held his hands up, “No. We’ll follow your men. There’s no need for bloodshed,” He said, perhaps optimistic about their chances considering their last Gate encounter.

“EXCELLENT CHOICE!!!” Jiro started walking forwards, the knife still held to her throat. No one, not even Iida, dared to tempt the situation.

Instead, as they were marched through the desert, with Orcs flanking them, Iida shot a glance up to the cliff, where Izuku was camouflaged. He didn’t look directly at Izuku, but it was enough. Iida had seen him. He was going along with the plan.

“Well… This could either be super stupid or super smart.” Izuku sighed, checking to make sure his Shadows were still with him. Thanks to Baruka’s new Skill, he doubted anything would change, but he needed them. There was no longer any room to hide his strength. It was time to see what these powers could really do.

*******

It didn’t take long for the Orcs to guide Izuku’s party to their destination. It was the only structure of mention in this barren hellscape, a bastion of sorts.

“Line up. I want a full scale barrage the second I give the signal,” Izuku demanded, releasing the Ice Bears from his shadow. With the extra 83 Ice Bear souls he had on his list, he was able to resurrect enough until he had a full 130, all modified with Tank’s artillery abilities.

They were stationed far enough away that not even Jiro would be able to hear them, especially since they weren’t moving, eating, or roaring. Hell they weren’t even breathing. 

*******

[Item: Everfrost Bow]

• Item Class: A

• Item Type: Bow

• Attack: +250

• Gem Slots: 0

• Description: A common bow wielded by the Ice Elf people. Mana can be channeled into it to create arrows of magical ice. 

******

“Do you think you can use this?” Izuku asked sheepishly of Baruka. “I know this was your dagger, but I’m not really a bowman. We need to spread the weapons a bit.”

Baruka delicately placed one hand over his sternum and performed a bow of sorts. It must’ve been the Ice Elf etiquette. Regardless, it said all Izuku needed to hear.

“Thanks. When we get out of here, I’ll give this back,” Izuku promised, holding the dagger. “Now let’s go.”

He called the necessary Shadows back into his darkness and activated Stealth once more, sprinting across the barren desert, towards the bastion of aging stone and wood. By the time he got there, his party was just about to be let through the front Gate, still with Jiro held hostage by whoever was controlling her.

“Before anything goes down, I need to make sure that she’s no harm to herself.”

The massive wooden doors, reinforced with steel, creaked open, pushed by the muscle-bound Orcs, revealing a hallway reminiscent of the Job Quest Dungeon, just far larger.

The group was ushered inside, many of them pale and trembling. Izuku wondered if they even noticed his absence, aside from Iida, of course.

Izuku slipped in with the crowd, still invisible to the naked eye. Ducking under the Orcs, he made his way up to Iida, lightly tapping him on the shoulder and whispering. “I’ve got a plan,” Before slipping away once more.

Izuku scaled the stone walls, perching himself up on the ledges of the bastion, following from high above, and waiting.

“Shiiiit…” Izuku nearly let slip an expletive as they dove deeper and deeper into the bastion. He realized he had made the best decision in hiding. There weren’t dozens, or hundreds of Orcs, there were at least a thousand. It was a genuine army, one that would steamroll the real world if they didn’t clear the Gate.

“If I had been dragged along with this, I wouldn’t have been able to set up Tank and the artillery.” Izuku had felt like a coward at first, but had the Orcs truly learned of him, trying to eliminate all of them would’ve been nearly impossible, not even mentioning the four Orcs standing at attention before the throne of the bastion, nor the Orc they were guarding.

*******

[Pinnacle Orc:]

Rank: High A

Type: Ascended Karius Humanoid

Role: Royal Guard

Proficiencies: Raw Strength, Blunt Force Weapons, Teamwork

Skills: Berserker, Environmental Resistance

*******

[Shaman Orc, Kargalan:]

Rank: S

Type: Ascended Karius Humanoid

Role: Boss

Proficiencies: Magic, Status Conditions, AOE Magic Attacks, Combined Magic.

Skills: Hymns of the Orc God, Environmental Resistance, Endless Mana

*******

“Wait for the signal,” Izuku mentally commanded his Shadows, releasing Baruka, Igris, Arcka, and his other strongest Shadows. Baruka instantly cloaked them all in his version of Stealth and they maneuvered around the soon-to-be battlefield.

“Welcome humans!” The Shaman shouted. He leisurely leaned his chin on one hand, propped up by his throne. The other hand he waved out to the party, and instantly, Jiro fell down.

Izuku almost jumped down then and there, worried that he had killed her. But thankfully, cradled in Kaminari’s arms, she began to rapidly blink her eyes, coming to a confused state of wakefulness. All the Orc had done was free his hostage. Well, that wasn’t entirely true considering he had them surrounded by a thousand more Orcs. So it was more like he had lessened his hold on one hostage and gained another ten.

Izuku just hoped that since the Orc had been talking through Jiro, he knew how to communicate in human tongue. He himself couldn’t tell the difference, so to him it always sounded like Japanese.

“What do you want with us?” Iida asked, already certain of the answer, but unsure of Izuku’s plan, he decided to engage the Orc.

“Time passes so slowly here, but soon, we shall be released to kill all the mortals beyond that Gate. Regardless, my men grow bored of this world. A little entertainment is always good for troop morale. As the leader of your own pathetic squad, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I know a lot of dirty jokes, I’m sure I can keep your boys busy for-” Setsuna was cut short as the Shaman waved his hands.

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Gravity Magic.]

The girl’s scale armor was crushed and bent as she was slammed into the ground by the increased gravity. In fact, all of the party were forced to their knees, if not completely flat on their stomachs.

“I do not desire your bravado, only your fear. Perhaps it will be more pronounced if I put you all to sleep, only to wake one-by-one, noticing your numbers grow thinner.”

“You can… shove it right… where the sun… don’t shine… bitch!” Setsuna forced out.

Kargalgan chuckled. “I can’t wait to see the tears running down your face as you face the might of my men.”

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Slumber.]

Everyone’s struggles ceased as consciousness faded from them. It sent roars of laughter and spite screaming out of the Orcs’ throats.

“Perhaps we should start with their eldest!” The Orc shouted, pointing to Midnight’s prone form. “Or maybe… Maybe her body would be better suited to other forms of entertainment for my men!” More roars of approval followed.

“Sorry, but it’s time to get this show on the road,” Izuku announced, stepping in front of his teammates’ prone bodies. “Also, I kinda have a duty to protect these guys as the strongest here.”

“WHAT?!” The Orc’s bellow nearly knocked Izuku over, but he kept a calm smile on his face. “Who dares intrude upon my domain without permission?!”

“The person who’s gonna kill you,” Izuku said, arrogance creeping into his voice. He hated taking that tone, but he hated the way the Shaman talked about Midnight even more so.

“HAH! YOU?! ALONE?! How pathetic!” Kargalgan cried out, pumping up his Orcs like an announcer at a sports game, and they responded in kind. “I tire of the endless ignorance of mortals! You know not who you stand before!”

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Slumber.]

[Hymn of Slumber has been negated by Kanidaru’s Blessing.]

Izuku feigned a yawn. “That’s a pretty useful power you’ve got there. What else can you do?”

The Shaman’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Agony.]

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Blindness.]

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Frenzy.]

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Lethargy.]

[All Negative effects have been negated by Kanidaru’s Blessing.]

“Fine then! You shall be the first combatant to face my finest champions!” He gestured to the four Pinnacle Orcs standing at attention by his throne.

“No… I won’t.”

The Shaman scoffed. “Do you think you have a choice?!”

Izuku shrugged, leaning into the arrogant act. “I’m not sure. We’ll see if they’re still standing in 3…”

“What-”

“2…” Izuku swiped Baruka’s dagger, forming a dome of thick magically enhanced ice around his sleeping Raid teammates.

“You-!” Kargalgan only had time to shout a single word before the entire bastion was laid to siege.

Hundreds of artillery shards from the Shadow Bears began peppering the bastion. And make no mistake, it lived up to the title of artillery.

The entire entrance to the bastion, along with a hundred Orcs were instantly crushed or shredded by the attack. The shards may have just been ice, but they exploded just as any shell would upon impact. Chunks of the ceilings and walls fell away, killing even more and causing a panic amongst the intelligent creatures.

[You have gained 10 Levels!]

“Arise!” Izuku shouted as the first wave came to an end, bringing down the ice shield to survey the damage.

[127 High Orcs Lvl. 1 - Knight Grade.]

[Shadow Save Limit: 300/300]

Every Shadow still hiding within Izuku burst forth, and every fallen Orc that Izuku could reach emerged from their previous bodies cloaked in oily-black wreathes of darkness.

“RARGH!”

“I guess you four did make it.”

The four Pinnacle Orcs snarled at Izuku, still standing guard by their Shaman, who was wreathed in a solid blue light of protection. He was perfectly unharmed, but his generals were looking rather grim. Bleeding from dozens of cuts, bruised all over, likely a couple of broken bones, and one even had a missing arm.

“KILL HIM!!!” Kargalgan demanded, raging over his fallen men. 

“Sorry, but I’m not their opponent. I think the generals should fight the generals,” Izuku suggested just as three arrows were loosed from Baruka’s bow.

They pinned the first Pinnacle Orc’s legs to the ground. The second was met head-on by Igris, launching himself from the remaining ledges where Baruka had perched them. His bastard sword was cleaved in half by Igris’s new blade of Damocles. The third and fourth were faced down by Arcka and Rasaka.

“Wow! This is… wow!” Setsuna said, standing up once more and causing Izuku to balk in surprise.

“Yeah. They look pretty though,” Yui nodded in agreement, looking at the bright lines of energy running through the Shadows.

“You’re… awake?!”

Setsuna smirked at him. “I separated my body when I realized he was going to cast another spell. It prevented it from locking onto me.”

“And I used my Quirk to shrink the magic before it hit me,” Yui said, her eyes drooping slightly.

“Well… I gotta say sorry for hiding all of this,” Izuku said, gesturing around them. Although there were still hundreds of Orcs surrounding them, the artillery and the new High Orc Shadows had created a momentary calm, almost as if they were standing in the eye of a storm.

“Baruka!” Izuku called out, pulling him away from his Pinnacle Orc target, which was now firmly nailed to the floor by arrows. He gestured to the Shadow Orcs picking up the unconscious Raid Party. “Get them out!”

Baruka obliged, cloaking them all, which seemed to hide the students and Midnight as well.

“Can’t exactly complain!” Setsuna said, splitting off her arms to send them rocketing into the face of a nearby Orc. “Rather be deceived than dead!” 

“YOU WILL JUST BE DEAD!!!”

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of the Fire Dragon.]

The Orc’s robe morphed, crawling up the air until it was a bright-red scaly head, one of a dragon.

“Arcka!” Izuku shouted, using his dagger to conjure another thick sheet of ice.

The Shadow reached out, his crystalline body glowing with energy that interlaced with the wall.

[Arcka is using Skill: Unnatural Enhancement.]

******

[Skill: Unnatural Enhancement]

• Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 500 Mana on activation. (This cost is supplied by the Player).

• Description: By channeling the natural aspects of his crystals, Arcka can enhance a single magical attack or defense by 50%

******

The boost came just in time, as Yui placed her hands against the ice, mimicking the strategy from the snowy forest, thickening the barrier until it was a glacier all on its own.

With an explosive amount of energy, the dragon head above the Shaman shot forth a wide jet of flames.

“Come back!” Izuku called to his troops, returning them to his shadow and saving them from the blast. But the Orcs weren’t so lucky.

In his wrath, Kargalgan had incinerated any troop standing near Izuku. Even his generals, pinned down by arrows, or incapacitated by their sliced up muscles, succumbed to the attack. He had done more damage to his own troops than Izuku had managed so far.

Between the artillery, the Shadows, and Kargalgan’s own attacks, the Orc army had been cut down to one-fourth of what it had once been. The only downside to the Shaman’s stupidity was that Izuku hadn’t gotten any Levels for it. He claimed their Souls, but that was about it.

“How long can he keep this up?” Yui asked as if taking a leisurely stroll, despite the fact that she was outputting a ridiculous amount of Mana to keep the ice wall thick with her Quirk. The more it shrunk, the more she had to increase it.

“Well, he has a Skill called Endless Mana…”

******

[Skill: Endless Mana]

• Passive Skill

• Description: Mana regenerates at a rate of 500% faster.

******

“It’s not literally endless, but at this rate it might as well be!”

“Setsuna!” Izuku called, tossing Baruka’s dagger over to her, “Go for the eyes!”

Her smirk turned into a rather devious grin. She detached the arm holding the dagger, allowing it to shoot directly upwards through the flames. It singed her skin, melting parts of her armor, but once it was above the flames that were so firmly directed at the ice wall, she was free to maneuver, and she sent the dagger rocketing for one of the most common weak spots on any creature, the eyes.

“RAAAAAARGH!!!” Kargalgan cried out in pain as the razor sharp dagger pierced his cornea, driving itself deep into his optic chiasm. 

It cut off the stream of flames, but he wasn’t done yet.

“Igris!” Izuku shouted, leaping over the wall and rushing the throne, allowing the rest of his Shadows to leak out behind him to defend the girls.

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Giants.]

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Strengthening.]

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Rage.]

The Orc ballooned in size, rising above his throne at nearly 3 times his original height.

[Skill: Echo Attack has been activated.]

Launching off the ground, Izuku charged ahead of Igris, not because he was faster than the Shadow, but because he knew what was coming next.

[Orc Shaman, Kargalgan is using Skill: Hymn of Protection.]

A bright-blue shield of energy appeared as the Orc realized the speed of his opponents. After all, a mage’s biggest weakness was close-quarters, and with one eye blind, he needed more time, something Izuku wasn’t willing to give.

Izuku’s fist struck the shield, sending waves of energy emanating from the center of it like dropping a stone in a pond. It cracked and buckled, but held strong… until the Echo Attack at least. Like glass, the shield shattered into nothingness, leaving nothing between Izuku and the Orc.

Kargalgan wasted no time bringing his fist down on top of the much smaller Izuku, but by now, he had enough strength to withstand it for a few moments. It was more than enough for Igris to rush in and use Damocles to bisect the arm at the elbow, and free Izuku from beneath the Shaman’s fist.

“You have a strong mix of physical power, magical power, and intelligence. And you use it all in combination. You’re not some dumb brute who thinks they can just punch harder,” Izuku said as the Orc clutched his stump in pain. “At the very least, I can respect you for that. But unlike Baruka and his people, you and your men have no sense of morality.” Setsuna’s arm dropped his dagger back into his hands before returning to her body.

“Wha… What are you?!” 

“I’m the Shadow Monarch,” Izuku said, holding up the dagger to point it directly at Kargalgan’s skull. 

“No… NOOOOOOO!!!” The Orc attempted to leap forwards, but Izuku activated his elemental powers, creating an explosive force of wind and fire magic in the palm of his hand, sending Baruka’s dagger screaming out of his grasp like a bullet freed from its casing. The hole it had started carving in the Orc’s eye was completed as it shot out the back of his skull.

*******

[You have gained 6 Levels.]

[Player has reached Level 100.]

[Level Based Rewards can now be claimed.]

[You have acquired items:]

• Orb of Avarice

• Part of a Rune Stone for the Skill: Dominator's Touch

• Treasure Trove of the Orcs

*******

Izuku brushed off the alerts, retrieving his dagger before turning his attention to the remaining Orc army, who were slowly being whittled down by the Shadows alongside Yui and Setsuna, who were both fighting hard despite their exhaustion. He didn’t seem to be gaining anymore Levels from them, which made sense considering how many he had already killed and how many Levels he had gained.

“Arise.” 

[4 Pinnacle Orcs Lvl. 1 - Elite-Knight Grade]

[Orc Shaman Kargalgan Lvl. 1 - Elite-Knight Grade]

“I can’t stand that name,” Izuku bemoaned. “Let’s go with Tusk! Short, sweet, and to the point! Now, Tusk… light ‘em up!”

[Tusk is using Skill: Hymn of Blazing Fire.]

The room exploded with fireballs, engulfing every Orc still desperately fighting back against the Shadows. They were turned into a charred and crispy corpse in seconds.

And just like that, the battle had ended.

Setsuna, Yui, and Izuku all collapsed onto their butts as a Gate popped into existence by Tusk’s old throne. Izuku recalled all his Shadows, aside from the ones carrying the rest of the still sleeping Raid Party, who he had bring to the foot of the Gate. In the case of a Recursive Gate, it was locked close until either the entire team died, or exited. So people couldn’t just come rushing in to help, regardless of if the Boss was cleared or not.

“So… you gonna explain yourself?” Setsuna brazenly asked.

Izuku winced. “I’d rather not tell you the whole story. There’s a lot I don’t want to expose to the general population yet.”

“No doubt,” Yui agreed, her eyes still drooping. “I don’t have a problem keeping it secret, but I want the whole story.” Setsuna nodded along with her.

Izuku sighed, “Alright. But can we go through it another day? I really just wanna get out of here.” For them, it had been several days since the start of the Entrance Exam, but for the outside world it had only been a few hours. Still plenty of time for UA and the media to catch onto the situation and freak out, so Izuku expected a great deal of people beyond the boundary of the Gate once they exited.

“You and me both.” Setsuna stood on wobbly legs and walked over to the gate, slinging two people over each shoulder. It was good they were asleep because a ride like that would’ve been pretty damn uncomfortable. Izuku did the same, taking another four, allowing the more exhausted Yui to walk through the Gate unburdened.

Izuku was almost blinded as flashes of light assaulted him upon exiting the Gate. Just as he had expected, reporters were surrounding the massively cordoned off area, doing whatever they could to get a shot.

“No way!”

“They made it!”

“That’s all eleven of them!”

“Do you think those ones are dead?!”

“This way.” A man dressed in dark clothing, wearing what looked like a strange scarf around his neck, grabbed Izuku by the elbow and pulled him away from the closing Gate and the reporters, to where an entire medical tent had been set up. Dozens of doctors and nurses rushed out to take the students and Midnight from Izuku and Setsuna’s shoulders and get them medical attention.

“They should just be unconscious from a spell!” Izuku shouted to the doctors, in case they panicked and thought that they were limp because they were dead.

“You three finished off the Boss fight?” The man in dark asked.

“He’s… dead…” Izuku confirmed, looking up to the man and trailing off as he recognized him. “Eraserhead?! Oh my gosh, I’m such a huge fan of your underground work! Can I get an autograph… uh… when you have time of course.” Izuku quickly corrected, realizing just how unapologetic he sounded in spite of the situation.

Eraserhead sighed, his eyes heavy with bags. “You eleven defeated a Recursive Gate for your first exam at UA. I don’t think I need to tell you that you’ve been accepted. Seek medical attention if you need it. Otherwise, go home and get some rest,” He said, walking off to the tent without another word.

“Wait! Is there a student, Momo Yaoyorozu here?”

Eraserhead shook his head. “She finished her Raid assessment hours ago. I’m not sure where she went. Goodbye.”

“Well that was… blunt…” Setsuna said, raising an eyebrow. “But hey we got in!”

“Yeah…” Izuku shook his head, somewhat in a daze after the whole situation. “Oh um, there’s someone I really should meet up with, just so she knows I’m okay. Are you two good?”

Setsuna nodded, her hands on Yui’s shoulders, allowing her to lean into her. Yui may have shrunk the effect of Tusk’s magic, but she still got hit by it, unlike Setsuna who dodged it outright and Izuku who nullified it. “I’ll make sure she gets home safe.”

“Thanks!” Izuku said. They were still in the alleyway they had entered the Gate through, so instead of leaving the direct path and dealing with the news, Izuku leapt straight up, bouncing off the walls until he reached the rooftop, using Stealth to hide himself. 

He checked his phone. Nothing from Yaoyorozu, and he couldn’t sense her Mana in the crowd. Maybe she had already gone to the cafe? He sent her a text and went running for the cafe, dashing along the rooftops.

By the time he got there, the sun was beginning to set, and the cafe was lively, but there was no sign of Yaoyorozu.

“Maybe she went home?” It didn’t sound like Yaoyorozu, but then again, it had been a strange day. He checked his phone again, still nothing. “At least I know her own Raid went okay and she got out.” All the way home, Izuku continued to glance at his phone. And it wasn’t until he had placated Kei’s worries and gone to bed that he stopped checking it.

*******

In a dark circular room, lit with torches bearing blue flames, there stood an altar at the center. Standing atop it was a girl with her feet chained together by pure black steel. Her body was clothed in a sheer, strangely erotic outfit that left her essentially naked. Her arms were lifted above her head, entirely encased by a dark leather that seemed to suck the light and energy from both the room and the girl. A soft satin sash covered her eyes and a bit gag occupied her mouth, keeping her from speaking.

“It is about time you returned home to us, daughter,” A robed woman said, standing before the girl. “There is no escaping your destiny, Momo.”

Chapter Text

“Izu! You’re on the news!” Kei shouted from the living room as Izuku crawled out of bed, his body sore from the exhaustion of the previous days. It was a good thing the Daily Quest hadn’t been activated by the time dilation of the Recursive Gate because he didn’t want any more exercise than he had already gotten. He’d have to handle it today, but then he could use the Status Recovery to heal his tired bones, so it wasn’t all bad.

“Yeah?” He walked in with his phone in his hand, he still hadn’t received anything from Yaoyorozu. It was one thing for her not to respond yesterday. No doubt she went home and passed out from exhaustion, probably forgetting about their deal to meet up at the cafe, but to still have nothing from her? It worried him.

“Yeesh… you look like a rat made a home in your hair,” Kei stood and combed her fingers through his hair until it was at least a little less messy. “Are you okay? You look sick.”

“Yaoyorozu still hasn’t messaged me…”

Kei winced at that. “You didn’t say anything stupid to her did you?”

“What?! No!” 

“Just checking! Just checking!” Kei said, holding up her hands in placation. “You don’t exactly have the hottest social streak so I just wanted to make sure. So if you didn’t say anything, the two options are… she’s sleeping late, or she’s ghosting you.”

“She wouldn’t do the latter,” Izuku said, certain of himself.

“Then give her till the afternoon, even a girl like her takes a lazy day to sleep in.”

“Maybe…” Izuku glanced up from his phone to the Tv, where a reporter was gesturing at a still image of him and Setsuna carrying their teammates through the Gate.

“Hey, not bad! I expected you to have some stupid look on your face! This is a nice, serious, but not too scary look for you!”

Izuku rolled his eyes as his sister continued to analyze his televised appearance.

“So what are you gonna do about the two that saw the Shadows?”

Izuku shrugged. “One seems too serious for her own good. I doubt she’d spill the beans. The other… I can’t be sure, she seemed a little… excitable. But I made a promise to tell them.”

“You know you don’t have to keep every promise you make, right Izu? Even if you don’t tell them, who’s gonna believe that you have an army like that? No Summoner has ever managed to call upon more than a few Summoned creatures at a time.”

Izuku gave Kei a withering stare, “They were good teammates, they helped in that final battle. I can’t just go back on a promise. You shouldn’t go back on a promise either.”

Kei shrugged. “If keeping a promise is more harm than good, then I’m gonna abandon it. Sorry, but that’s how it is.” Izuku just shook his head. “Hey didn’t you say you had a bunch of stuff from the System?”

“Yeah…”

“Well don’t bother waiting for Yaoyorozu, get that stuff done so that you can meet her as soon as she responds.”

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck, again looking down at his phone, as if that would conjure a text from her. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He went to retreat back into his bedroom, but stopped short. “Oh by the way, school starts next week so I should be getting a package with my uniforms soon. Just keep a lookout for those.”

“Roger!” She said, going back to the Tv.

“I’m probably gonna need a Hero Outfit of some kind at this rate. A way to keep my face hidden in the event that I need to use my Shadows.”

Izuku settled down at his desk, opening his Documentarian Quirk to make notes about whatever Rewards he received.

*******

[Level Based Rewards can now be claimed.]

[You have acquired items:]

• Orb of Avarice

• Part of a Rune Stone for the Skill: Dominator's Touch

• Treasure Trove of the Orcs

*******

The first thing Izuku grabbed was the Rune Stone pieces from his Inventory, fitting them together like two Lego bricks. The two pieces instantly fused together, the seam vanishing as if it had never existed to begin with. Then, Izuku crushed the stone.

******

[Skill: Dominator’s Touch]

• Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 0 Mana Cost.

• Description: The User can exert their will on any object.

******

“Kind of a lame description…” He muttered, deciding to test it out by activating it on a nearby pencil cup. “Woah…” Suddenly, the cup lifted off the desk and by concentrating on where he wanted it to go, he could move it. “Okay so it’s Telekinesis. Why didn’t it just say that?”

The Treasure Trove of the Orcs was just a massive amount of gold coins for the System Store, approximately 100 Million, more than replenishing the 1 Million he had spent on Uraraka’s cloak. He currently had no use for it, so he went on to the Orb of Avarice that dropped from Tusk.

*******

[Item: Orb of Avarice]

• Item Class: High S

• Item Type: Artifact

• Gem Slots: 0

• Description: All magic power is doubled when this item is held.

******

Izuku let out a whistle, thinking about the sheer damage he could do if he had Tusk hold this and let one of his Hymns rip. It would be insane.

“Alright, accept Level-Based Rewards.”

*******

[Rewards:]

• 1. Quirk: IQ

• 2. Instance Dungeon Key: As Above So Below

• 3. Job-Specific Skill: Monarch’s Domain

• 4. Job-Specific Skill: Monarch’s Presence

• 5. +30 Stat Points

*******

The Quirk worked the same way as Amplify, doubling the amount of Stat points put into Sense and Intelligence. Izuku wasn’t sure how IQ applied to Sense, but it did. So now, every single one of his Stats would grow at a rate of two for every Level he acquired. 

The Instance Key didn’t say much about itself, aside from the fact that it was S-Ranked and could be used anywhere.

The Job-Specific Skills were the fun ones.

******

[Skill: Monarch’s Domain]

• Job-Specific Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 0 Mana Cost

• Other Conditions: Skill can only be active for five minutes at a time, and requires twenty minutes before it can be used again.

• Description: A domain spreads out from the feet of the Player, approximately a kilometer in diameter. Any Shadow within this space will be enhanced by 50%

******

[Skill: Monarch’s Presence]

• Job-Specific Active Skill

• Mana Cost: 0 Mana Cost

• Description: The Player now has enough control over their Mana to let it out as an intimidating force. This has the potential to freeze an opponent in fear.

******

“I guess it could be useful to scare some people,” Izuku said, chuckling to himself.

With his Sense and Intelligence Stats lower than the rest, he decided to put the 30 Stat points into them, 15 to each, causing his Stat page to look as such.

*******

Izuku Midoriya:

Level: 100

Strength: 228 (+5)

Vitality: 208 (+25)

Agility: 280 (+45)

Intelligence: 191 (+5)

Sense: 176 (+25)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 12,425/12,425] 

[HP: 15,271/15,271] 

[Saved Shadows: 305/418]

*******

Izuku leaned back in his chair, contemplating what to do next. He could either start the Instance Dungeon and get a jump on some new Levels and Shadows, or… He hopped up from his chair, grabbing his hoodie.

“Kei, I’m heading out for a bit! I left some money on the counter for you!”

“See ya! Avoid the paparazzi!” She joked as he closed the door and headed out onto the streets. He pulled his hoodie up to cover his head and made for Yaoyorozu’s apartment.

They’d never actually visited each other’s homes, but they had exchanged addresses. Maybe it was rude of him to go to her house unannounced, but he simply couldn’t shake the pit of unease in his stomach.

Her apartment was in a neighborhood similar to his. It was a relatively nice area, with plenty of shops and restaurants around. Not that it really mattered to Yaoyorozu, she could’ve been holed up in the seediest place in Tokyo, but unless a thug was a high Ranking Awakened human, she was more dangerous than the criminals were.

He made his way up the stairs of the apartment complex, coming to her floor and making for her room number, 714.

He knocked lightly. No answer. He knocked a little harder. Still nothing. He resorted to calling out for her inside the apartment. She didn’t respond.

Izuku looked down at his phone once more, but by this point he really didn’t need to. He knew she wasn’t responding to him.

He took a deep breath. “Okay… this is not me being a weirdo. I’m not invading her privacy to be a creep, I’m just worried about her…” He told himself as he reached out with Dominator’s Touch, finding the lock mechanism to her door and unlatching it. The Skill had more than a few uses apparently.

He pushed open the door, finding her apartment exactly as he expected it. Neat, with not a single piece of clothing out of place. There were only two sources of clutter, in fact. Two massive bookshelves overflowing with novels and the stand underneath her television was piled high with DVDs.

The kitchen, her couch, her table. All of it looked normal. No sign of a struggle. And the same was true of her bedroom. Her bed looked like it was out of a hotel with how smooth and unwrinkled the sheets were. There was nothing of note in the entire apartment complex, aside from the note on her nightstand.

The paper was old. It was crinkled, turning a different color from the years of exposure. Hesitantly, he picked it up.

‘If you have come looking for me and I am not answering my cell phone, I am likely on a raid, please wait a few hours before attempting to contact me again. However, if I still do not return or answer your calls and you have found this note, then please alert local authorities that my name is Momo Yaoyorozu and that I have been found by people looking for me. Tell them that I have been kidnapped and need immediate help.’

Izuku nearly fell over, faint as he realized his stupidity. “Of course it was her parents… She never would’ve forgotten the cafe…” He bolted out of the apartment, rushing outside as he grabbed his phone, dialing the only person he knew to call for help.

“Nejire! This is Izuku! It’s an emergency, I need a favor!”

*******

Izuku raced through the streets, Stealth activated to hide him from drivers as he passed them at asinine speeds. He weaved through traffic lights, dodging speeding cars, leaping over them, anything he needed to in order to reach his destination as soon as possible.

Even though Nejire was organizing an official investigation with police and Heroes, Izuku wasn’t just going to sit on his hands. He didn’t have much information on the Yaoyorozu’s, but he did know where their mansion was.

With more square footage than both his and Momo’s entire apartment complexes combined, it was an abundance of space that no family could’ve occupied on their own. Even with dozens upon dozens of guests, the mansion would’ve barely been filled. With that much space, there would’ve been plenty of room to hide someone.

Izuku leapt over the fence that separated the house from the street. Still hidden in Stealth, he dashed to one of the side doors, again using Dominator’s Touch to delicately unlock it, or at least, he tried to. The door was electronically sealed. He could’ve forced it aside, but he quickly realized that doing so would set off an alarm that the door was connected to.

He scowled, running from door to door, window to window, looking for any entrance, and finding nothing that wasn’t wired with an alarm. He saw plenty of servants roaming the halls indoors, but you’d think the place was on lockdown with how secure it was. And he didn’t doubt that it was on lockdown.

“No way in quietly, I guess…”

What Izuku was doing was criminal. He had no clear evidence that Yaoyorozu had been taken by her parents. And even if he had evidence, he wasn’t a licensed Hero or government agent. This was illegal, and if it was somehow discovered that he was the one behind the break-in, he could face serious charges.

So, of course, he didn’t hesitate in smashing a window and letting out his Shadows into the mansion.

“Tear it apart!” He screamed. “Every room! Every nook and cranny!”

The servants yelped in fear and began running for their lives as the Shadows pushed their way deeper into the palace. But Izuku wasn’t in a good mood, he tripped up the dozen or so nearby servants with Dominator’s Touch, and telekinetically pulled into a corner of the house as his Shadows searched.

“Where are the Yaoyorozu’s?!” He demanded, still remaining invisible.

The servants again shrieked, having seemingly been attacked by a ghost. Some were young, but there were a few middle-aged men and women.

“Where! Are! They!” He repeated.

“They told us they were going out of town for a vacation!” One of the older men replied. “They didn’t say where! It’s common for them to just up and leave like this!” That, Izuku didn’t doubt. They probably spent every weekend in the Bahamas.

“Oh yeah?” The man turned pale as a sheet as he felt the cool steel of Izuku’s dagger press against his throat. “And what about their cult? Huh? What about the crazy things they do inside Gates? The people they sacrifice? What about their daughter? Where’s she?”

“I-I don’t… know anything about t-that…”

“You sure?” Izuku asked. “I’ve always been a little bit clumsy. Would be a shame to just let my fingers slip.” This wasn’t his forte, and it was clear, but to help supplant it, he activated Monarch’s Presence, and four of the servants wet themselves on the spot.

“I-I swear! Please!”

“Never seen any creepy guests? No crying girls? No Awakened humans that took them off to their escapades inside the Gates?”

“S-Stop… They don’t know anything…” One of the women at the back said.

“Excellent,” Izuku said, grabbing her by the collar and lifting her off the ground, “Because that means you do. Spill.”

“I-I don’t know where they went!” She quickly clarified. “B-But there was a night, w-when I saw them leading a girl out to their backyard, near the gazebo! T-They were with a bunch of people in masks! We all thought it was a masquerade party, b-but when they returned, I didn’t see the girl! I-I was too scared to say anything! That’s all I know, please!”

Izuku called back the Shadows of one of the Pinnacle Orcs, “Don’t let them leave.” With that, he turned on his heel and sprinted… straight through several walls, leaping from the third floor to end up in their backyard. If the alarm was already blaring, might as well trash the place. Clearly something fishy was going on.

He sprinted through the fields, feeling like he was in another forest with how large the grounds were. But it didn’t take him long to find the gleaming white gazebo. At the very least, he had to give it to the servants for being able to keep such a large place so incredibly clean.

His eyes flicked around the wooden panels, finding nothing as the water of the nearby manmade lake splashed against it. He stomped his foot, not in frustration, but to obliterate the wooden structure. Just a single stomp sent every plank flying, creating a small crater in the ground. But the only thing there was dirt, dirt, and more dirt.

“Dammit!” He looked around, desperate for any lead, but it wasn’t his eyes that found something. Rather, it was his Sense Stat. The water of the lake, though faint, was undeniably mixed with magical particles. 

Izuku withdrew the Orb of Avarice from his Inventory, holding it in one hand as the other reached out, burning with fire magic. 

The lake exploded into a blindingly-hot cloud of white vapor. Izuku had turned the entire lake to steam in an instant. And at the bottom of that lake, sat a metal structure, built atop pneumatics that would’ve lifted it from the bottom of the silty floor, likely through the use of a remote. It was a staircase that was sealed to prevent water from entering whatever it was hiding.

He dropped down to the mushy mud of the lake, using the sharp claws on his gauntlet to rend the metal apart and reveal the rest of the staircase. They seemed to go on endlessly, with only a few torches, lit with blue flames, to illuminate them.

But Izuku didn’t take the slow path, instead, he called his Shadows back to him and sprinted down the staircase. Taking dozens of stairs at a time, he was in the air more than he was touching the ground. Whatever this place was, it had been buried miles underground.

Time dragged on for Izuku. He knew Momo was down here, he knew this was the right path. So the asinine amount of stairs was beginning to wear on his nerves. “How does the cult get down here without taking hours on these stairs?!” Just as that thought occurred to Izuku, the ground came up to meet him, like a shifting tectonic plate. It was, in fact, just the end of the stairs.

He hit the ground with an explosive stomp, skidding to a stop in the rubble. He took just a moment to look around before realizing that the carved stone around him looked like the inside of a Gate. It was eerie, but it didn’t stop him from proceeding onwards, because just a few feet away, was a golden gilded door, several times larger than an average person. It was far too ornate to not be important.

Izuku placed his hands against the doors, feeling immense power on the other side. It wasn’t Mana, it was just a sense of grandeur, a sense of importance that he couldn’t shake. Regardless, he pushed, allowing the doors to open soundlessly to a room cloaked in total darkness. He stepped forwards, preparing to illuminate the room with fire magic. 

Before he could, however, the doors slammed shut behind him, and the room erupted with light. The same blue torches on the stairwell lined the circular room, illuminating the dozens of robed figures, kneeling around an altar at the center of the room. An altar that was all too familiar. The same one that Izuku had sacrificed himself upon to earn the System in the first place. Standing atop it, bound and gagged, was Momo, limp, but still breathing.

Izuku wanted to rush forwards and free her, but two of the robed figures at the foot of the altar, clothed in much more dignified robes than the rest, stood.

“Welcome, Shadow Monarch.” The first one said, lowering her hood to reveal the beautiful, yet haunting face of Momo’s mother, Miyuki.

“We are honored to welcome you to your sacred chambers.” The second to pull down his cloak was Akihiko, Momo’s father.

Izuku dropped his Stealth Skill as the two greeted him. At the same time, Momo lifted her head slightly, weakly screaming into her gag. It sounded like “run.”

“Come Forth.” But nothing happened.

“This was where you were born,” Miyuki explained at his confusion. “Such a sacred chamber does not allow you to bring an army with you.”

“That’s fine,” Izuku said, scowling. “I don’t need them to kill you.”

Akihiko and Miyuki waved their hands in sync and two massive spindly legs from the ceiling came down to pierce his hands, and pin them to the ground. 

Izuku held back grunts of pain as the creature stabbed through his legs as well, locking him in place.

“No, you don’t,” Miyuki giggled sadistically. “Because you won’t be doing any killing,” The two withdrew sharp ceremonial knives. “We will.”

The creature that had stabbed Izuku lowered itself from the ceiling, gleaming red eyes coming from the darkness. And it’s face… was that of a smiling statue, elated by his torment.

Chapter Text

Blood trickled down Izuku’s limbs as the face of stone got close, its haunting smile filling his vision.

“H-How?! How are you doing all of this?! Were you in control of the System from the beginning?!” 

“System?” Miyuki asked. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean, boy. And no, not even we, as rich and powerful as we are, could arrange this all,” She said, gesturing to the grand chamber. “This was all set in motion by something far larger than all of humanity.”

“We just so happened to meet someone who was willing to teach us how to manipulate the situation a bit. He brought this place to the physical world we inhabit, and gave us permission to do as we saw fit.” Akihiko patted one of the statue’s spider-like legs. “And this is little more than a doll to be controlled.”

“Our plan to become one with Villain-kind has been in motion since that palace was discovered in the arctic, but our contact has been helping us along the way for some time. And when we found out our daughter was destined to become the Shadow Empress, well, it was almost too perfect.” She caressed Yaoyorozu’s thigh with the ceremonial dagger. 

“But you? A nobody?” Akihiko scoffed. “We’d gathered and scouted hundreds of the most influential people in the world in preparation to discover the Shadow Monarch, and it turns out to be an E-Rank nobody?”

“You want to be… one with the Villains?”

Miyuki smiled. “Even with wealth, and Awakened powers that put most humans to shame, there is a limit to what we can do. To cross any of the National-Ranks would be akin to suicide. Humans have grown prideful. It is time for us to rise to the forefront of power and subjugate humanity alongside the Villains. We will give them the leadership they need, and by becoming the Shadow Monarchs, we will no longer be mere mortals. They will recognize us as such, or die.”

“That’s it?” Izuku groaned as the spikes piercing his extremities shifted. “That’s all you want? All of this power, all of this insane worship, and you want more power? That’s all you could strive for?!”

Miyuki giggled in a playful manner, like a school girl looking upon her crush. “Isn’t that what we all strive for? You should know better than anyone that once you get a taste of power, it is impossible to stop there.”

“Yeah, I did want to be stronger,” Izuku admitted, “But only for the sake of those around me. If I was cut off from my power right now, I would go on living, happy for what I had been given. As long as stronger and stronger threats pop up, I’ll get stronger too, but not to become a dictator, to become a Hero.”

Akihiko again scoffed. “Ah… the follies of All Might’s teachings. You see, boy, we too seek the betterment of humanity. To bring two species under the rule of single power, we shall create-”

“Force.” Izuku interrupted. “You’d force two species under a single ruler. That’s not gonna lead to anything but chaos and revolution.”

Miyuki shrugged. “Perhaps those things will come about, but might makes right, and we will be the pinnacle of the food chain.” She licked the tip of her dagger, almost shaking from anticipation. “Now, shall we get started?” She asked, prompting her husband to stroll towards Izuku.

“And what makes you think I was gonna let you do anything to her?” Izuku questioned, a fierce fire in his eyes.

“What makes you think you can do-”

[Title: Hysterical Strength of a Hero has activated.]

Through sheer force, Izuku snapped the four limbs holding him down, yanking the black limbs out of his flesh and casting them to the ground.

“Get him!” Miyuki shouted at the statue creature. 

[Elemental Fire Gem has been removed from Speedstrike.]

[A-Rank Elemental Ice Enhancement Gem has been added to Speedstrike.]

*******

[Skill: Speedstrike (Ice)]

• Toggled Skill

• Mana Cost: 2 Mana per second

• Description: When this Skill is active, the Player will move 100% faster and will be immune to any environmental or debuff slows. As the Player runs, they can accumulate an additional 75% speed boost.

*******

Izuku blurred, narrowly avoiding another stab of the creature. “I’m a lot different than the last time I faced this thing. And I have an advantage. You don’t even know about the System.”

[Orb of Avarice]

Izuku waved his gauntlets, conjuring several massive blades of ice and slashed at Momo’s bindings. They absorbed a massive amount of the magic contained inside the attacks, explaining how they managed to hold Momo in the first place. But even they couldn’t stand against the buffs from Izuku’s dagger and the Orb of Avarice. 

As Momo fell, still weak from the restraints, Izuku leapt through the air, catching her in his arms, and thanks to the Yaoyorozu’s shock, it wasn’t until he landed back on the ground that he had to worry about an attack.

Izuku threw up a wall of ice, momentarily blocking the stream of pure darkness flowing from Miyuki’s hands. He tore off Momo's gag and blindfold, using his magic to conjure some water for her to drink.

“Ugh… you… run…”

“No… I think we should end this right here,” He said. “You’ve had to run from them for too long.”

“Too… strong…” She murmured, just as the chanting began.

Izuku looked through the ice. The creature was still waiting for its next command, but the hundreds of robed figures surrounding the altar were up and chanting. 

[Buff Magic is being activated.]

[Cursed Magic is being activated.]

[Enchantment Magic is being activated.]

Izuku couldn’t even read all of the alerts, they were simply popping up too quickly. That and the fact that he had to start running again.

He picked up Momo and sprinted off using Speedstrike just in time to avoid another beam of darkness that shattered his ice wall like it was nothing, burrowing into the wall behind it  for over a mile. Not even Izuku’s trump card of the Orb and the Cryonic Entropy dagger could surpass magic that was being boosted by so many different Awakened Humans. Not to mention there were likely a few Quirks in the mix.

His power, on its own, wasn’t enough. And he couldn’t ask Momo for help, since the bindings had stolen all of her Mana to keep her weak. The System Store probably had something, but he didn’t have time to look.

THUNK!

The creature buried its limbs just behind Izuku, again barely missing him.

Akihiko raised his hands, creating dozens of fire javelins and flinging them in a wide buckshot pattern to restrict Izuku’s movements. If he stayed in one place to dodge them, he’d be crushed by the creature, but if he moved, they’d tear through him. And with the physical repercussions of Hysterical Strength and the wounds from the creature still there, he didn’t have a lot of raw strength to spare.

Using a scary amount of his Mana, he conjured another wall of ice, this one thicker and imbued with more Mana than the last, allowing him to dart off to the right, following the wall in hopes of getting back to the doorway.

But it wasn’t enough. Three of the fiery spears burned a hole in the wall, and though weakened, were more than enough to run through Izuku's legs, forcing him to stumble and fall. He turned onto his back at the last moment to hit the ground instead of Momo, but it was long enough for the enemy to bear down upon him.

Concentrating everything he had left, he made one last ice wall, maintaining it with all he had left as the attacks bore down on him. The creature cracked the top of the dome, the darkness and fire burrowed away at it, and Izuku’s Mana was close to empty.

“S…Shit…” Izuku muttered, cracking a smile in spite of the situation. It was all too much for him to handle, so all he could think to do was smile in his last moments. “I-I’m sorry, Momo,” he said, cradling her body against his chest. “I really wanted to be a Hero… I really wanted to save you…”

She looked up at him doing her best to manage a weak smile. “Not your… fault. You were the first to ever try…” She said, laughing quietly. “You were the first person that ever made me feel safe… and loved.”

Tears welled up in Izuku’s eyes. “And you were the first person that I felt I could trust by my side.”

“You know… I still have my own Quest to complete,” She said, a glimmer of mirth in her eyes as she closed them, leaning forwards to plant a kiss on Izuku’s lips. It was gentle, soft, and reminded Izuku of the sakura blossoms that fell around you. Magical.

“I… I love you,” She breathed against his lips.

Now Izuku’s vision was entirely obscured by tears. “I love you too.”

Izuku’s Mana hit zero, and the magic rushed towards them.

[Quest: Inner Circle Part 3 has been completed.]

[The Shadow Empress has awoken.]

For a moment, everything froze. 

[Quirk: Genesis has Evolved into Shadow Genesis.]

Momo delicately lifted her hand, now cloaked in shadowy mist, taking the Orb of Avarice from Izuku. The ice wall, faltering under the duress of the two Yaoyorozu’s, became an immovable wall of endless darkness, swallowing the attacks like they were nothing.

She clenched her fist, causing innumerable spikes to emerge on the other side of the wall. They shot out much in the same way Akihiko’s fire javelins had. Peppering the cultists, many of their buffs disappeared.

And now, with his own hands freed, Izuku activated Stealth, leaving Momo to handle the impenetrable defenses. He didn’t have much Mana, but it was regenerating fast enough to allow use of his invisibility Skill.

With his dagger in hand, he sliced through tendons and knocked them unconscious. He was careful not to kill. Not because he was worried about morality, he was too furious at that moment to care about such sensibilities. The true reason he didn’t take any lives was because it was Momo’s judgment to pass. They were her source of fear and mental distress for her entire life, she deserved to decide the fate of each and every one of them.

“Wha-What is this?!” Miyuki screamed. “She wasn’t supposed to have Awakened yet!”

“He lied to us!” Akihiko said through gritted teeth, his many enhancements failing. “Dammit Stain! I will kil-” He was cut off as a massive spike ran through his thigh.

Momo emerged from the darkness of the shield, her hands manipulating strings that were pulling on the statue-faced creature. “It seems that this thing recognizes us now. As the true Shadow Monarchs.”

“Momo, wait… you don’t know-” The same injury was inflicted on her mother as the creature heeded Momo’s beck and call. She cried out as an artery was pierced, blood spurting forth as the limb was pulled from the wound.

Momo reached out, a wave of energy spreading forth, Dominator’s Touch. She used it to grab her mother by the throat and pull her close. “I just wanted someone who cared for me…” She said mournfully. 

“W-We did care for you!” Miyuki stammered, trying to stem the bleeding, but she wasn’t even looking at her daughter.

Akihiko went to launch a fireball to save his wife, but Izuku cut into his shoulders, deeply cutting the muscles so that he couldn’t even lift a finger. 

“I wouldn’t do that,” He said, placing his dagger against the man’s throat.

Momo looked over to him. “Izuku?”

She didn’t even need to convey her question, he got the picture immediately. “I will never think any less of you, no matter what you do to them.” It was rare to see such pure anger in Izuku’s eyes. It was the sort of rage and frustration that only came about when thinking of his once close childhood friend. But even that sort of anger was completely engulfed by this torrent of fury. 

He kept it well hidden. He was always ready to give someone a second chance, even if it was a Villain. But there were limits. There was misguided evil, someone put onto the wrong path, who needed help. There were Villains, like Baruka, who clearly had some good, deep within them. And then there was such all consuming malevolence that even Izuku didn’t harbor hopes of reaching out to them. The Yaoyorozus were no different than that.

“Then the cultists can get prison time, but you two…” Momo looked upon her “parents” with tears in her eyes. “I can’t feel safe… not with you in this world.”

“W-W-Wait… please… j-just think about this, M-Momo!”

“I have,” She muttered. “For so many years I dreamt of a moment like this… I hoped that I would see some good in you. Something, anything, resembling a mother or father.”

“N-No!” Miyuki tried to shoot magic at her daughter, but Yaoyorozu batted it aside. She shared the same strength as Izuku did now. Without the legion of cultists buffing their magic, her parents were helpless before the Shadow Monarch and Empress.

“But it’s clear that… that you’ll never be anything more than selfish, power hungry, billionaires. You’ll never be parents.” Momo snapped her fingers and the creature on the ceiling drove two of its legs through their skulls, impaling them onto the stone below, and keeping them upright.

Momo collapsed to her knees, choking back sobs. Not because she had killed her parents, but because she knew that they had never cared for her at all. Not in the deepest recesses of their mind, had they seen her as anything more than a tool.

“I’m here,” Izuku said, wrapping her in his arms as she released years of torment, of sadness, of fear. She bawled into his arms, knowing that she was truly free for the first time in her life.

*******

Izuku wasn’t sure when Momo stopped crying, but it was around the time he noticed the creature hanging above them, motionless and still staring down at them, waiting for instructions.

Momo sniffed, wiping at her nose. “Let’s destroy it,” She said, pointing to the face. “I looked into the magic that makes it work. There’s no soul to take, and it can’t leave this place. I’d rather it be in pieces than in someone else’s hands.”

Izuku nodded, holding the Orb of Avarice with her. Both raised their free hands.

Momo sliced it to bits with blades of shadow, Izuku with blades of ice. They sliced it thinner and thinner, until it collapsed into a heap of scrap, unrecognizable from the horror it had once been. And when it was gone, the two heaved a sigh of relief. The demons had been exorcized.

“HEY! IS ANYONE IN THERE?!” The shout made the Shadow duo jump in surprise. The massive golden door was being pounded on… by Nejire.

“Yeah we’re in here!” Izuku called back.

“Hang on! I gotta blow this thing open!” She said, the sound of her yellow energy gathering on the other side of the door. 

It wasn’t necessary, but Izuku still shielded Momo’s body with his own as the entrance was blasted inwards, coming down with a crash that shook the room.

“Oh… uh… wow…” Even the bubbly Nejire was at a loss for words upon seeing the carnage. Hundreds of cultists, two dead billionaires speared through the head, and Momo huddled against Izuku, still clothed in the same sheer dress, so sheer that it wasn’t an exaggeration to say she was wearing nothing at all.

“These are the people who kidnapped her,” Izuku said. “Can you take care of this for us?”

Nejire did her best to muster a sweet smile at Momo, “Of course! Anything you need, I’ll make sure it happens. I’ve got a small army searching the house, I’ll get them down here to arrest these lowlifes.”

Izuku nodded his thanks, and picked up Momo. She was stronger than ever physically, but emotionally, she was still a wreck. “I’m gonna take her home.”

“Y-Your place…” Momo stammered against his chest.

“Sure thing,” He acquiesced, trying not to focus on her state of “undress.”

*******

Thanks to both of them being in possession of Stealth now, neither were hindered as Izuku ran back home with Momo in his arms. As he opened the apartment door, he called out to Kei, getting no answer. It spooked him, but Momo pointed out a note on the coffee table.

‘Hey doofus, no idea what’s going on or where you went. Sleeping over at a friend’s tonight.’

She listed the number of the friend and told him she’d be back tomorrow.

“I’ll draw a bath,” Izuku said, gingerly setting the exhausted Momo on the couch and grabbing some food and drink for her to replenish herself.

By the time she was done eating, the bath was ready and it was getting late. Running all over the place had taken more time than Izuku thought, and the time they’d spent underground had clearly been longer than an hour. 

“Maybe it dilates time like a Red Gate,” Izuku mused to himself as Momo bathed. He had already gotten himself a pillow and blanket for the couch, so that Momo could use his bed. He could’ve used Kei’s bed, but she was pretty uptight when it came to her room’s sanctity. It was a thought that made Izuku chuckle. Besides, there were plenty of nights he’d accidentally fallen asleep on the couch, it was more than comfy enough.

But just as the exhaustion of the day began to pull on him, he felt a warm hand take his.

He blinked the sleep from his eyes, “Sorry… I was starting to nod off…” He kept blinking, because he was sure his eyes were deceiving him. Momo was wearing a silky smooth negligee, which was borderline lingerie

“Uhm…”

“Do I need to carry you?”

“Carry me… where?”

“T-To bed…” She said, averting her eyes, a blush creeping up her face.

“M-Momo, this is a delicate time…” He said, trying to tiptoe around the situation. “Maybe you need time alone to…”

Her face went from pink to bright-red as she realized his meaning. “I’m not asking you to sleep with me, dummy! J-Just… stay with me…”

Izuku let out a small sigh of relief and a chuckle as he pulled himself up from the couch. “I’m not going anywhere,” He said, holding tightly to her hand as he led her to his bedroom.

Chapter Text

Momo woke in a hurry, her body jolting against the chains that held her in her nightmares. It was so real, so visceral that it took her a moment to realize she was not wrapped in chains, but Izuku’s arms. She was warm in his bed, curled up against his chest.

She had never realized just how big his arms were. She was a few inches taller than him, but her smaller frame felt tiny next to him. It made her feel safe, like she could be hidden under his arms.

“Hmm…” she purred like a cat, rubbing against his burning hot skin. In the cold morning, it was the perfect reason to fall back asleep. And she totally could have, even with all the All Might posters staring down at her. But her affection wasn’t unnoticed, as Izuku began to stir.

“Morning.” Izuku mumbled as he woke, looking down at the onyx-haired beauty resting in his bed. It was such a stark difference to his usual wake up that he assumed he would be panicked and flustered, but he found strangely at peace. There was no awkwardness, it was just Momo.

Granted he was still a little red faced when her negligee slipped and her cleavage was largely exposed.

Momo giggled at his flustered face, a sound that could’ve purified swamp water. “It’s okay. You’ve seen… just about all of me already.”

“Well um… I mean… it’s still…”

“My boobs?” She said, her tone causing Izuku to bark out a ridiculous laugh, which Momo reciprocated, sending them into uncontrollable giggles. When one stopped giggling, the other would look at the other and it would start all over again.

“Hey! Hey! It’s early, what’s all the… fuss?” Kei burst through Izuku’s bedroom door, stopping in her tracks as she laid eyes on Momo covering herself with the sheets. 

“Kei, it’s not what you-“

“It’s about goddamn time, you idiot!”

“Wha-What?”

“You’ve been gushing about her for months, I was wondering if you were ever gonna court her… oh by the way nice to meet you finally! I’m Kei,” She said, offering a small wave.

Strangely that was what it took for the two of them to turn bright-red with embarrassment. 

“Gushing about me? For months…?” Momo tried to keep the school girl grin off of her face as Izuku panicked.

“I-It’s not like that! Don’t make me sound like some creepy obsessive stalker!”

“It’s flattering, doofus, go along with it!” Kei rolled her eyes, “Sorry, he’s new to all this, please forgive his idiocy.”

“Wha- Hey!”

Momo laughed at the sibling banter, her heart filled with a joy she’d never known. No siblings, no parents. Now she had Izuku and, by association, Kei.

“I’m very forgiving,” Momo assured her. “I promise to take care of him.”

“Good! He needs it!”

“I’ve been the one taking care of you, Missy!” Izuku said, pointing to his sister.

“Well duh, but you can’t take care of yourself for shit!” Kei winked at Momo. “Anyways I’ll let you two doves get back to it! See ya!”

“Get back to what?!” Izuku called after her as she closed the door behind her.

“That’s actually a good question,” Momo prompted. “What do we do next?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… we’re S-Ranks now, possibly even XS-Rank if you consider our special abilities.” Momo shrugged, “Kinda feels like peaking.”

Izuku nodded. “There’s always becoming a National-Rank,” He joked, but the sideways glance she gave him sobered up his answer. “UA starts soon. So we’ve got school. Whether or not we’re stronger than our classmates, we’re gonna need UA if we want to start an Agency. Or really just if we want other opportunities in life.” 

While UA was a Hero college, graduating from such a place guaranteed you more positions than just at an Agency. It was that prestigious.

“Izuku… do you remember the last time an XS or S-Rank was up for grabs? The agencies started a bloodbath to sign a contract with them.”

Hawks, Miruko, Ryukyu and Endeavor were the most recent S-Ranks in Japan, with Hawks and Endeavor earning XS-Ranks when their Quirks appeared. Miruko and Ryukyu had their own Quirks, but didn’t get rated XS as they just didn’t have the same versatility or raw power as Endeavor or Hawks according to the Hero Safety Commission. Ironically, someone like Nejire had Awakened her powers almost immediately after birth, making her an S-Rank before Endeavor, something that no doubt pissed him off.

But when those four appeared, it was, as Momo said, a bloodbath. Many Agency members quite literally came to blows trying to recruit them. In the end, only Ryukyu and Hawks were signed to Agencies. With Ryukyu fittingly part of the Wyrm Agency, and Hawks becoming part of the less excitingly named Raider Agency. 

Miruko went on to become a solo Hero, filling gaps in Raiding parties whenever they needed someone, and Endeavor starting his own Agency named after himself. 

“Two XS-Ranks that are a pair?” Momo shook her head. “We could extort any contract we wanted out of any Agency!”

“Extort?” Izuku asked with a teasing smirk.

“Hey I’ve taken business classes, I know how this works.”

“Well, we are the first XS-Ranks to appear in a couple of years, it would definitely cause a big stir.”

Even if the two were rated as S-Rank, which was unlikely, but possible, it wouldn’t matter. Japan had plenty of S-Ranks, a few XS-Ranks, and even a National-Rank in the form of All Might. Compared to some other countries, they were “stacked” so to speak. South Korea only had a few S-Ranks and only one of them stood a chance of going toe-to-toe with someone like Endeavor. That being the Blade Dancer herself, Cha Hae-In.

Even with all of that, S-Ranks were still Gods amongst the populace and the Agencies. An S-Rank like Nejire would get scooped up the second she was out of UA, without a doubt. There were more Gates to handle then there were competent Heroes, always, which meant a country never had too many Heroes of high ranking. 

“It’s up to you,” Momo said.

“Are you kidding? We’re partners, we decide on it together.”

Momo laid a hand on his chest, leaning onto her pillow. “Izuku, for the first time in 18 years, I don’t dread tomorrow. I’m happy to move forwards in whatever direction, just so long as I get to stay with you.”

Izuku couldn’t help the dumb grin that spread across his face. “Okay. Then in that case, I kinda want to go back to school.” Having barely passed high school, Izuku felt like this was a chance to redeem his education, and go beyond just getting by. “Besides, it'll give us access to plenty of Gates on its own.”

Momo nodded. “Great! I never really got to enjoy school before, so this’ll be a fun experience!”

Izuku chuckled, “Same. Too busy taking care of that crazy girl.”

“You two seem close.”

“Sometimes I think she looks out for me more than I look out for her.” Izuku sighed. “At least now I don’t have to worry about money. Can finally catch up on medical bills.” He scratched his head. “I haven’t visited my mother in a while… things have been so crazy. Do you mind if I head out to see her?”

“Would it be… okay if I come with you?” Momo asked.

“I don’t think there will ever be a time I say no to that question,” He joked, waving his hand to pull up the System. “I guess we’re really sharing the System now, huh?”

Momo didn’t have a Stat page of her own. It seemed that she shared the same boosts and Stats as Izuku, aside from maybe his armor, but it was hard to tell without the System clarifying for them. Not much had actually changed in the System, except for the addition of one Quirk and one Skill.

*******

[Skill: Shadow Empress]

• Job Specific Skill

• Mana Cost: Dependent on how much damage the Shadows need to regenerate.

• Description: Momo Yaoyorozu has now been truly integrated into the System. She can call upon Shadow Soldiers and command them as she sees fit. If a Shadow is given conflicting orders by both the Empress and the Monarch, the Monarch’s order will take priority. She can also use her Mana to help Shadows regenerate. She will benefit from all baseline Stats of the Monarch, but will not receive weapon or armor buffs unless the Empress herself is wearing them.

*******

[Quirk: Shadow Genesis]

• Quirk Class: XS-Rank

• Cost: Mana cost varies based on the things created or modified. Can create non-magical items with very little Mana or can create potent magical items with a high Mana cost.

• Description: Can create anything so long as the user knows the chemical composition. Can create temporary Shadows to fight alongside the user. Shadows will constantly consume Mana and will fade once the user stops feeding them Mana. Shadows created this way are apart of the System but are not permanent, nor can they be stored with Shadow Extraction. User can also use Mana to modify and enhance existing Shadows once per week. This change can be reversed. 

*******

“Well that clears up the armor thing,” Izuku said, looking over the Shadow Empress Skill.

“Modify and enhance Shadows?” Momo read out. “Now that’s something we have to try, right now.”

“Igris,” Izuku called out, causing the Shadow Knight to appear at the foot of their bed, kneeling, obviously. He held his fist to his heart, then pointed to Momo, mimicking the same action he had done when Izuku had first met him.

Izuku grinned, “It means he likes you.”

“Uhm… maybe we should test this out on a different Shadow first, maybe one that isn’t so important? If I screw it up…”

“Then you can reverse it,” Izuku pointed out. “Also, he’s kinda the unofficial leader of the Shadows, I feel like he should get the first modification.” Arguably, Tusk was the strongest, thanks to his many spells, but Izuku trusted Igris more. He had helped him deal the final blow on Tusk and in such perfect sync that it only felt right that Igris became the head of the Shadow Army. Also the modification had a cooldown of a whole week, so he’d rather it start with the strongest, rather than test it on the weakest.

Igris rose from his position to kneel once more at Momo’s bedside, offering his hand, palm up, for her to take.

“A-Are you sure about this?” She asked, directing the question at Igris. It made Izuku happy to see her ask Igris rather than himself. An army with no compassion was no army at all.

Igris nodded deeply, so Momo took a breath and placed her hand atop Igris’s palm, concentrating her Skill. 

[Shadow Igris is being augmented by the Shadow Empress.]

The alert came as Igris’s shadowy body became an amorphous blob, his armor and mass shifting as Momo closed her eyes, imagining his enhancements.

The inky splotches began to harden, coalescing back together into the general shape of Igris. But it was different, sharper, more angular, almost geometrical. The lines of green energy running through him were no longer wild and wispy, but perfectly straight lines that accented his body well. His cape still flowed like a cloud of shadows, but his body was made anew.

[Igris has become, Mechanized Knight, Igris Lvl. 17 - Captain Grade.]

Igris now, for all intents and purposes, looked like a robotic version of his past self. Still noble in appearance, but sleek in his strength and speed. 

“Captain Grade, so that’s gotta be like high S-Rank,” Izuku mused, looking over his new Shadow, who was also admiring his body. “You did great!” He said, praising Momo’s efforts, to which she smiled back, happy that nothing went wrong.

“I can’t believe it takes a week to be able to do that again,” She said, looking exhilarated by her success, almost like it had refreshed her spirit.

“Well it would be pretty broken if you could just upgrade him continuously, I suppose.” And it was already an understatement to call Momo “broken.”

With her new baseline Stats thanks to the System, as well as Skills, increased Quirk output and versatility, and interactions with the Shadows, she was possibly stronger than Izuku.

“Wanna arm wrestle?” Izuku asked out of curiosity.

“Uhhh, sure?” Momo said, holding up her arm. She had no idea where the question came from, but Izuku rarely did such things for no reason. 

Izuku quickly unequipped his armor and took her hand. She went at it with full force, but Izuku didn’t have to exert all that much effort to hold her back.

“So it seems like the System is differentiating us. I’m more of a melee fighter and you’re more ranged.”

Momo rubbed her wrist. “Seriously? That’s what you wanted to check?” She asked with a teasing smile. Her head then whipped through the air, aiming itself at the hallways of the apartment complex. “Wow… is this what it’s like with the Sense Stat?”

“Yeah, if you focus you can kinda hear everything.” 

Momo must’ve been hearing the same thing as Izuku, a man walking towards their unit, repeating something to himself, including Momo’s full name. The only reason they didn’t panic was that the man had no magic at all. He was as normal as they came.

“Hmm… business suit…” Momo muttered.

“You can tell what he’s wearing?” Izuku was flabbergasted, as he’d never been able to discern details like that.

“The way the fabric moves and rubs against itself. My Quirk revolves around materials and their composition. I spent a lot of time learning things like this,” Momo hopped out of bed, Izuku instinctively averting his eyes as her negligee shifted just enough to see her undergarments.

She laughed. “You can look now.”

When Izuku regained his confidence, he turned to see Momo dressed in a stylish, black off-shoulder shirt and a long red frilly skirt. She was already tying up her hair as well, whilst Izuku hadn’t even gotten out of bed.

“He’ll be at the door soon,” She cautioned, grabbing a few things from his closet and tossing them at him. They were more coordinated than the clothes he usually picked out for himself.

“Izuku!” Kei called out as knuckles rapped against their apartment door.

“Coming!” He shouted, pulling on his pants as he hopped out of his bedroom.

“I’m looking for a Momo Yaoyorozu? I was told by Miss… er… I was told by Nejire-Chan I could find you here.”

“Yes, I’m her,” Momo responded as Izuku came around the corner to see a sharply dressed man holding a briefcase. He sported snow-white hair and cool-gray eyes.

“I am Natsuo Todoroki. I was asked by my father, who was a friend of your parents, to deliver you their will.”

Chapter Text

“Their will?!” Momo blanched.

“Todoroki?!” Izuku practically shouted.

“Wait… Endeavor… was a friend of my parents?” Momo asked, taking a minute step back, not out of fear, but a readiness to fight, which looked a tad silly considering her stylish and comfortable clothing.

“I…” Natsuo sighed. “May I come in?”

Izuku glanced at Momo, who still looked unsure.

“It is a delicate topic,” Natsuo said. “But while I am here at the request of my father, I am not here for him, or for your parents. I am here because it is the right thing to do.”

“Fine,” Momo acquiesced, stepping to the side and allowing him to move towards the kitchen table.

Nearby was Kei, with her hands clasped over her stomach. “May I get you all some tea?” She asked, sensing the tensions.

Izuku smiled. “I think that's a good idea.”

Kei was a goofball around the people she trusted, but she knew how to pull off the perfect, “polite young lady,” appearance whenever necessary. And with her desire to become a business woman of sorts, that kind of timing and properness was critical.

Natsuo took a heavy seat. “Allow me to explain myself. I am a lawyer representing Ryukyu’s Agency - the Wyrm Agency - that she recently took ownership of. Ryukyu’s up-and-coming protege happens to be Nejire-Chan, who was involved in the criminal investigation that took place last night. I am not at all connected to your parents,” He said gesturing to Momo, “And the only relation I have with my father, Endeavor, is blood. I share no love for either.”

“Then why are you handling this?”

“Because if I did not handle this, other lawyers of my father or of your parents would. And those are not kind people.”

“So you’re doing this out of the kindness of your heart?” Izuku asked.

Natsuo scowled. “My father is no saint. I doubt he was actively involved with the cult, but he likely knew of them, something I only just learned about myself. Which means, indirectly, my father has caused you harm, Miss Yaoyorozu. He won’t apologize for his actions, or lack thereof, against the cult. But I feel I have a duty to take this assignment, as a Todoroki, whether or not I dislike being associated with such a name.”

In sync, Izuku and Momo relaxed, not just because of Natsuo’s story, but because they could feel the hate pouring off of each word he chewed out whilst speaking of his father and the Yaoyorozu’s actions against their daughter. He seemed to be a good man.

“And here is your tea,” Kei said, delicately setting down the tray. “I’ll let you all talk.”

They thanked her as she excused herself to her room. It filled Izuku’s heart with pride to see her act in such a way.

“Both Nejire-Chan and Ryukyu are pulling favors as S-Ranks to have this incident cleared of your names entirely,” Natsuo explained, pulling papers out of his briefcase to show the two. “There is more than enough evidence to put many of the cultists away for decades, if not life, so your names will not even be included on the police report, unless you so desire.” 

“We’d prefer to stay off the report,” Momo answered.

Natsuo’s lips twitched into a smile. “I’ll cut through the formalities, I know the two of you are at least S-Rank, and no, Nejire-Chan did not tell me. It’s simply that you’d have to be S-Rank to take down the Yaoyorozus and their cult.” The duo returned the smile with an awkward one of their own. “I have to admit, you’re skirting a lot of legalities thanks to your S-Rank friends and being S-Rank yourself. Very few people get things this convenient. I recommend you keep your lips sealed shut about this incident, to any and all friends or family members.”

The two nodded, causing the lawyer to withdraw more papers. “Now, there is the actual business I am here to attend to. This pertains to your parents’ wills. You did receive something from them, but there is quite a lot that was not in your name. Would you like me to be blunt about this? Or would you rather not hear the full details?”

Momo pursed her lips together. “I want to hear it all.”

Natsuo nodded, taking up the papers. “The Yaoyorozu business was handed over to other executives in the company, who have assumed all legal and fiscal responsibilities for said company. The many Yaoyorozu estates have been handed over to very influential figures… We believe that these folks may also have connections to the cult, but we have no proof as of yet. The same can be said of their stocks and their bank accounts. It has been spread to other influential and powerful figures. Most of their possessions are to be auctioned off. And finally,” Natsuo reached into his briefcase one final time, retrieving a small leather pouch before reading from the will once more. “‘In the case that Akihiko and Miyuki Yaoyorozu are killed by the hand of their own daughter, they wish to leave her with an artifact and a small message.’”

“Wha-What?” 

“It seems… they were prepared for the possibility that it would be your own hand that took their lives.” Natsuo slid the package across the table. 

Momo immediately snatched it up, her shaking hands telling Izuku everything he needed to know. She was desperate. Desperate to see a side of her parents that wasn’t so selfish and evil, even if it was from beyond the grave.

She tore open the white envelope, beginning to read aloud

“Would you prefer me to leave?” Natsuo asked.

“Shut up,” Momo responded. Not out of malice or impoliteness. It was simply too important to be distracted. A child shall always seek their parents’ approval it seemed.

‘Momo. I don’t for a second imagine you shall ever read this letter, but I would not sleep so well at night if I did not consider every possibility of my demise and your future. You are reading this because you have taken the actions necessary to kill myself and your mother.’

It seemed that Akihiko was the one writing to Momo.

‘I am certain you look for regret in this letter. Unfortunately, I refuse to be dishonest. Me and Miyuki sought what we sought. There is no denying that you suffered at our hands, but it was necessary for the world we wished to create. You never knew this, but we once had other children before you were born, a boy and a girl. One killed by Villains, another by a human. The Human World and Chaos World needed to be united and controlled, no matter the sacrifice.’ 

Momo trailed off reading. “I had… siblings?” The room was silent, even Natsuo seemed shocked by the news. Momo shook her head and continued on.

‘Was it hypocritical to use the life of one child to save our futures? Perhaps. But it was the path we chose. If you have killed us, then regardless of our final moments, we, of sound mind, cannot deny your right. We believe in power above all else. If you surpassed our power, then I cannot fault you. Whatever we are to say when the time approaches, do not seek out further answers for our behavior. We are who we are. I may have been killed by my own daughter, but I am not so weak as to be controlled. I am disheartened that we could not show you our plans. One way or the other, one of us was to die. I believe that was fate. If you are truly the Shadow Empress, then the future is yours to craft, not ours. The contact information for any remaining cultists, as well as an artifact, reside within this bag. They are yours to use and they should recognize your power. You may kill them, or command them. Goodbye daughter. Do as you wish. In death, it is unlikely me or Miyuki shall care.’

“I’m… sorry…” Natsuo muttered, knowing all too well the pain of a parent who was apathetic towards their own child.

“It’s… the most encouragement I’ve ever gotten from them,” Momo said, her lips curled into a strange shape, neither a smile nor a scowl. “I just can’t believe I had siblings at one point… I never heard a word about them…”

“Nor have I,” Natsuo responded. “Perhaps back then, they were less likely to show off their family.” It was the only option, as Momo herself had appeared in a magazine as a child of the Yaoyorozu family, the “first” child, as the magazine said.

Izuku rested a hand on Momo’s back, rubbing it in circles as she clutched the paper tight. She smiled back at him in response. “What am I even supposed to feel?”

Izuku shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Natsuo cleared his throat. “We took down the contact info of all the cultists in that list he left you. We have no evidence, as of yet, that they have committed any wrongdoings. So as the note says, you are free to do with them as you wish, until we find evidence, of course. Perhaps you can do some good with them.” Natsuo smirked. “And to be frank, the law really doesn’t apply to you two anymore. Unless you start blatantly killing people, any Agency, and the government themselves, will protect you if you go public.” He got a serious glint in his eyes. “Don’t abuse that power.”

Izuku nodded solemnly in response, Momo still trying to work through her emotional turmoil.

Natsuo slid his business card across the table before standing to take his leave. “I’m not really sure of the entire picture here, but you two seem special, so if you need help, call me.”

Izuku stood with him, shaking his hand in thanks. 

“Say hi to my little bro for me,” Natsuo said. “I don’t see him much now that I’m away from my father.”

“Your brother?” Izuku thought for a moment. “Dabi?”

Natsuo chuckled. “It’s gonna be revealed in a few days, but the Todoroki family has a new S-Rank. Shoto Todoroki. The Agencies are already miffed about how many S-Ranks my father has in his care, and after Dabi’s departure from my father, well… it would be bad press if another S-Rank left his Agency, so my father kept his Awakening a secret until he was certain that Shoto would work under him.”

“I see, I’ll make sure to say hi to him next week.” Izuku led the Todoroki brother to the door. “Thank you for coming here. I’m sorry for our initial greeting, it means a great deal to know you did this despite your history with your father. Especially during such a tumultuous time for Yaoyorozu.” Izuku placed both hands at his side and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle. He would’ve performed the dogeza, kneeling on the ground with his head on the floor, but he felt Natsuo wouldn’t appreciate such a serious form of apology.

The white-haired young man made a sound of amusement. “An S-Rank bowing to a normal man? You truly are something special,” He said, departing from the Midoriya household.

“Shoto Todoroki huh?” Izuku muttered the name to himself as he rose back to his full height. “Looks like we won’t be the only S-Ranks in class.” He turned to see Momo pulling the artifact from the bag. But it wasn’t so much an artifact as it was a chunk of metal.

*******

[Pure Synthesteel:]

Rank: XS

Type: Material

Description: An unknown form of metal that came from an S-Rank Gate. It conducts Mana and Magic better than any other metal and is virtually indestructible. It is the only piece currently in human possession. It is impossible to forge into anything by standard methods.

*******

“Can you manipulate it?” Izuku asked, unsure of the extent of Momo’s new powers. If she could mold elements at a whim, in addition to creating them, she could do quite a lot.

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the metal in her hands. Izuku could feel Mana pouring out from her fingers, but the Synthesteel didn’t budge.

“I guess standard methods include my Quirk,” She said, opening the Inventory to place the metal inside.

The two shared a lot now, thanks to the Shadow Empress Skill, including some Skills like Stealth. And Momo could access the Store, Inventory, and Shadow Army. However, some stuff hadn’t been transferred. Izuku didn’t get Shadow Genesis, and Momo, conversely, seemed to have much lower baseline Stats, as well as not having her own armor. At the moment, she was pretty much stronger than he was. Which wasn’t anything new to him.

“Are you okay? I mean… Well… you know what I mean.” Izuku stammered.

“I’m…”  Momo threw her hands up as she trailed off. “I have no idea what I am right now. I’m… in need of a hug,” She said, scoffing to herself, embarrassed to have to ask for something like that. In all of her life, she’d never been able to say that sentence and believe that someone would be there for her.

But Izuku didn’t hesitate to scoop her up out of her chair like a princess and hold her in his arms, close to his chest. She leaned her head against him, hearing the rhythmic pumping of his heart. They stayed that way for a while, neither of them saying a word, just soaking it all in.

“Let’s go see your mom,” Momo finally said, breaking the silence. 

“You sure?” Izuku asked, setting her down. “We don’t have to.”

“I think it’ll be good to get out of the house,” She said.

Izuku nodded. “Then let’s go.

*******

“Sounds like some fun is going down in Japan huh?” A man the size of a small car said boisterously.

“Eh, I don’t care much for the chumps over there,” Responded a much smaller fellow, covered in burn marks and skin grafts.

“Really? Not even your little brother the S-Rank?”

“How’d you… No, that would be a stupid question…”

The mountain of a man laughed. “I’m an Agency Head, and a member of the US D.O.D. I gotta keep tabs on you Todorokis.” He butchered the pronunciation as he always did. It was the reason the man had chosen the Hero name Dabi, it was something simple that his boss, Thomas Andre, could pronounce.

“You know he’s been raised by my father, I doubt he’ll hear me out about any sort of recruiting.”

Thomas shrugged. “Maybe I’m being a nice boss and giving you an excuse to visit family. I know you’re on good terms with your sister and that lawyer bro of yours. Not to mention that dragon babe.”

Dabi made a guttural noise with his throat, but it wasn’t anything threatening. All he was doing was “hmm’ing.” Because of all of his burns, some that had even reached his throat, it sounded like the growl of a monster.

“That’s it?” Dabi asked.

“You don’t think I can be a nice boss?”

“You’re more than capable of doing things on a whim, I just wanna make sure I’m not getting saddled with something I’m not aware of.

Thomas smirked. “Just a hunch, but… I haven’t seen All Might actually fight something in months. I wanna give him a little test to see if he’s still the strongest man in the world. Because just maybe… Japan has lost their National-Rank. And with the underworld stirring over there, it’ll be a bit of trouble for ‘em.”

*******

“Is it time yet?!” A shout echoed through a quiet bar.

“Be patient,” An ethereal voice said, attempting to calm his protege through the screen he was speaking into. “We cannot yet manifest.”

“By this time, the last cycle had already started a war!”

“Last time, the Gates, nor Quirks, nor Awakened humans, existed. Things have changed. And though we Higher Beings are almost as old as the universe, we must adapt. The war cannot begin so soon, but a war requires more than a few preparations. Preparations that we shall leave to you, Shigaraki.”

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Akari,” Izuku said, greeting the nurse watching over his mother.

The young woman, just a few years older than him, had a sort of rural charm to her. Beautiful in her naturality. 

She returned the greeting absentmindedly as she finished up checking the measurements on the equipment surrounding Izuku’s mother.

“No change,” She reported, as she did every time Izuku came to visit. It wasn’t that he asked constantly, rather it was that she was asked the question so frequently of Eternal Slumber patients that she made the comment, even to those who didn’t ask it.

The Eternal Slumber was a condition where the human body accumulated Mana. In most humans, it would filter through harmlessly. In rare cases, the Mana would be adapted into the human body, causing Awakening. But in some, neither happened. They couldn’t filter, not utilize it. The Mana caused them to slip into a coma, which they would never wake from. Out of the thousands suffering from the condition, none had woken.

The only way to persevere those afflicted by the Eternal Slumber was to use certain artifacts to filter the Mana manually. This wouldn’t wake them, but it would keep them from accumulating more and dying. Naturally, anything with magical properties was expensive, so many couldn’t even afford the life support.

“Thank you for the update,” Izuku diligently replied. 

“Oh… sorry. Was on autopilot there,” Akari turned to greet the boy properly, but froze in shock upon seeing Momo with him. Not just because she was drop-dead gorgeous, but because Izuku actually had a girl with him, one that wasn’t his sister. “You have… a friend?!”

Izuku grimaced. “Don’t make me sound like that, please.”

Momo smiled, giving a light bow and introducing herself. “I’m Izuku’s girlfriend.”

If Akari and Izuku had been sipping water, they would’ve spit it all out. Akari because she never thought the guy would have a friend let alone a girlfriend. And Izuku out of giddiness.

It was one thing to silently acknowledge the love they had for each other, it was another thing entirely to say it out loud to someone you had just met.

“Well that’s… uh, hi.” Akari looked at Izuku and mouthed, “She’s pretty.”

“She’s also smart and a pretty good fighter,” He responded out loud, moving to his mother’s bedside.

Akari smirked. “Well then, I have other patients to check up on,” She said, expertly dismissing herself from the room.

“Hi mom,” Izuku began delicately taking her hand in his own. It was warm, and full of life. She looked like she could wake up any second, in fact, which made it all the harder to know she couldn’t. She looked a fair bit skinnier than she had when the Eternal Slumber took her, but besides that, nothing had changed. “Sorry I haven’t been around in a bit. It’s been… hectic. But I… Reawakened,” He said, fumbling with his words. “Money’s not a problem anymore. So you don’t have to worry about that.”

The Eternal Slumber was still poorly understood. The general concept was well known, but the interactions it had with the mind of the afflicted was still being studied. Doctor’s weren’t sure if it was a standard coma induced by magical events, or a magical coma. Regardless, they encouraged loved ones to talk to them, or make physical contact, something that had shown signs of aiding recovery in standard coma patients. It was little hope, but it was hope.

“And you know how Kei’s always going on about my lack of friends… well, I brought someone to introduce to you. Her name-”

Momo interrupted, stepping forwards and giving a light bow to introduce herself. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Midoriya, I’m Momo Yaoyorozu.” Izuku had intended to speak for her, not wanting her to feel awkward talking to his mother in her state, but she didn’t bat an eye. “I’m honored to have met your son, and I know it is unfair to ask you in such a state, but I do hope you’ll approve of our relationship. He has done a great deal for me, and I… care immensely for him,” She said, her cheeks turning a rosy red. “No matter how slim the chances, I hope we get to speak under much different circumstances some day.”

She raised her head, refusing to look directly at Izuku. “I tried to look into the energy,” She said. “I thought maybe I could manipulate it now that I was stronger, but it’s like a mess of a million wires. Even untangling ten causes another twenty to get mixed around. Sorry… I could try staying here a few nights and-”

Izuku cut her short by grabbing her hand. “Momo, no one in the world, not even the National-Ranks, have been able to fix this, and they have family members with the same conditions. I’m glad you tried, but I don’t want you striving for something that might as well be hopeless. I didn’t expect anything by bringing you here today. It was nice to have you with me as… support. I needed that. But tell me honestly. Even if you stayed here for a month, do you really believe you could manage to fix her?”

Momo’s frown deepened. “No… I couldn’t.”

“And that’s okay. There are some things we just have to deal with.” He turned back to his mother, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. He was planning on spending a bit longer sitting there, but before he could even pull up a chair, the room was filled with a high-pitched blaring.

“What the!” Izuku jumped in shock.

“Gate break!” Momo shouted. “That’s the tone and pattern for a Gate breaking open!”

Izuku yanked his phone from his pocket, opening the Hero App. “It’s not even listed on here! They must’ve missed it!” He rushed to the windows, peeking down at the streets below. Just beyond them, maybe a block away, Villains were already flooding the streets.

[Hellhound]

[Cyclops]

[Chimera]

“It’s a Myth-Gate!” 

Very often, Villains took after shapes that were common in mythology, dragons, elves, and the like. Most Gates had Villains that were similar to each other, if not the same species, like the Orc Gate. But every now and then, Gates with dozens of types of monsters would pop up, all from a similar batch of mythology. Not only that, but Villains from these Gates were rarely uncoordinated and never fought amongst themselves, which was possible in other Gates.

Izuku opened the window, preparing to jump down to the street below and defend the hospital entrance.

“Wait!” Momo shouted, shadows pooling in her hands to create a face-plate of sorts. “I was thinking about the problem of our identities this morning, and came up with this!” She tossed him the mask, and started making one for herself. 

“Baruka!” Izuku called out. “Stay by her side no matter what and keep her safe!”

The Elf nodded, melting into the darkness of Inko Midoriya’s shadow.

Izuku pressed the mask to his face and the second he did so, magical material exploded outwards from it, forming a jagged shape around his body which resembled the invisible armor he wore, only this was a jet-black matte armor. It completely obscured his body.

And with the disguise in place, Izuku leapt from the window, falling the eight or so stories like he was taking a single step down the stairs.

Below them, a woman stuck in a wheelchair screamed as her nurse abandoned her, running into the hospital and crying for her life. The woman did her best to move the chair, but not used to maneuvering it herself, she wouldn’t be able to get out of the way in time. 

Just as a hellhound, a dark-furred mutt with glowing red eyes, leapt at her face, a dark shape came crashing down, driving its armored feet into the Villain’s spine, slamming it into the ground and killing it instantly.

“Get her inside,” Izuku said, his voice hidden by the mask.

A High-Orc emerged from his Shadow, picking up the entire wheelchair and carrying the woman, frozen in fear, inside.

“Head for the higher floors!” Momo called out corralling others inside the building, where they’d be easier to defend. She was obscured by her own mask, a long flowing cloak of inky mist hiding her body.

“Heroes?!”

“Oh thank god!”

“Who are they?!”

With his identity hidden, and a Gate break in progress, Izuku saw the opportunity to let loose and meet the approaching Villains head-on with his own army.

“Come Forth.”

Igris shot from his Shadow like a bullet, Damocles whistling through the air and bisecting five Villains at once.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

There was no time to talk, no time to have an open dialogue. They were spreading through the streets like a cancer, attacking anyone they could. It was a matter of “us versus them,” and Izuku made the obvious choice, offering a silent apology to the wave of death he spread.

“Can you take the Chimeras?” Izuku asked Momo, but she was way ahead of him, pulling something from beneath her cloak.

Some of the Chimeras were standard representations of mythology, mixes of a lion, snake, goat, etc. But some also had wings from different creatures. Bats, eagles, and even angelic wings. Most of Izuku’s Shadows were land-locked, and those with ranged attacks like Tusk, would likely damage the surrounding area with their power.

Momo, however, withdrew a precision semi-automatic rifle from under her cloak, the bullets inside of the magazine smoking with a dark energy.

She wasted no time, immediately unloading bullet after bullet with deadly accuracy. Every Chimera that exited the Gate dropped to the ground, either killed by a bullet to the dome, or because their wings had been clipped.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

While Momo made sure none could escape into the air and become a serious threat, Izuku ran alongside his army, jumping a dozen feet into the air and throwing a haymaker into the side of a Cyclop’s face.

“Form a perimeter around the Gate!” Izuku called to his Shadows, directing their attention to the side of a nearby apartment building, exposed and overflowing with Villains. The Gate must have been housed inside an apartment that was empty. It wasn’t that much of a stretch to imagine it hiding away in a small room for seven days before breaking open with no one the wiser.

As the Shadows culled the hoards, encircling the building as Izuku instructed, he ran inside, blurring past the destroyed interior and into the scarred hallways packed with all sorts of monstrous beasts.

They slammed into doorways, shattering them like glass and rushing inside to claim their victims.

A mother grabbed her daughter, rushing from their small kitchen as a Chimera attempted to shove its body through the cramped interior. Several floors up, there was no escape, she could only rush into the bathroom, locking the door behind her as if it would do any good.

The roars and sounds of her home being destroyed made her shake with fear. The bathroom door shook as it rampaged, but then… everything went quiet with a single SNAP! Followed by footsteps rushing out of their apartment and onto the next.

Ever so slowly, the mother opened the bathroom door, peeking out into her destroyed living room, where a Chimera’s head lay motionless. Just its head. The body was nowhere to be seen.

[You have Leveled-Up!]

*******

“I got here as quickly as I could!” A tall round man cried out as he approached the carnage.

“Well then you’re way too late, Fat Gum.” Hawks said, draping his wings across his body like a coat. “Whoever handled this picked them apart.” He kicked at the head of a Hellhound in front of the hospital doors, its spine broken.

“What do you mean, ‘Whoever?’”

“They took down the Gate and left, that’s all I know. Eye-witnesses say there were two Heroes, but over a hundred summoned creatures.”

“A hun- That can’t be right! Even Ectoplasm can’t summon more than a few copies of himself and that’s with a Quirk!”

Hawks shrugged. “Whoever did this was strong as hell. The Gate was at least A-Rank and they took it on themselves, killing the Boss like it was nothing. That, in conjunction with all those summons… We need them…”

Fat Gum nodded. “You’ve been thinking about it too huh?”

“Obviously…”

Fat Gum huffed. “Damn… we’re really going back to Jeju Island after all, huh?”

Chapter Text

“Earlier today, a Gate broke near the Fujiya Hospital. Housed inside an empty apartment complex, there was no warning when the seven-day time limit elapsed. Heroes immediately rushed to the site upon receiving an emergency request, but by the time they had gotten there, the Gate had already been cleared.” The news reporter vanished as the image on screen was replaced by a grainy photo of Izuku and Momo, clad in their disguises.

“Two Heroes, a male and a female according to eye-witnesses who heard their voice, were apparently visiting the hospital when the break occurred. Neither has identified themselves.”

Shaky handheld footage then appeared, likely from a smartphone. Shadows raced along the streets, Tank the Ice Bear slamming his foot down atop Villains and smashing them into a paste. One Cyclops rushed the person holding the phone, who screamed in fear once he realized his mistake in sticking around.

But before the titan with pale skin could reach him, a blade bisected it at the waist, sending a spray of blood and guts onto the camera and its owner, who made a sound of disgust.

The foot rewound and froze at just the right moment to see a blur of green energy in the form of Igris.

“Many dozens of summons were reported, a near impossible feat, which has caused many to speculate about a conspiracy created by the Hero Safety Commission in an attempt to raise Japan’s standings amongst the Awakened communities of the world. Safety Commission representative and Number 3 Hero, Hawks, had this to say.” Lines of jumping audio appeared, to represent Hawks on the phone.

“Japan is one of the strongest Awakened Nations at the moment, the Commission has no need to fool its citizens. We ourselves are flummoxed by the video and eye-witness reports as neither Hero seems to appear in our database. No evidence was recovered that would indicate the identity of them, and so far they have not come forward. Our only assumption could be that they were operating without Hero Licenses and were afraid to be punished. However, we as the Commission, should they come forward, shall only reward their efforts as Good Samaritans helping their fellow man and saving many lives.” The audio ended.

“And they did indeed save quite a few,” The reporter confirmed, showing images of destroyed apartments and shaken men, women, and children being evacuated. “Estimates report that over 300 people would have died before proper Heroes could arrive to quell the Villains, the worst Gate break in Japan in nearly 5 years. But thanks to the efforts of the two unknown Heroes, only 6 people lost their lives. Many were injured severely, but thanks to the proximity of the Fujiya Hospital and the efforts of many medical personnel, every survivor is expected to make a full recovery. A public statement by the head of…”

“How could you not stick around?!” Kei shouted as the reporter went on with the broadcast.

But Izuku ignored her, too distraught by the news that they had been too late to save 6 of the many civilians.

Momo immediately sensed his dread. “Izuku, it’s a miracle we were there at all. Even the Number 3 Hero would’ve had more casualties than us.” Kei went silent, realizing what her brother was feeling.

“But those 6… if we had just been a little faster…”

“You can only do so much. Even with all the Shadows…” She leaned over the couch, taking his hand. “We saved hundreds of lives. We did what we could. Are you telling me that you didn’t do everything in your power to help? You and I know you give your all, everytime you fight.” He averted his eyes. “It’s hard to accept, but sometimes there are people you just can’t save.” Momo felt bad about the 6 as well, obviously, but she didn’t want to lose sleep at night over something she couldn’t control. “We can’t control the actions of Villains, we can only control our own actions. The Gate was simply too close to a populated area.”

Izuku reluctantly nodded, but Momo still saw discontentment in his eyes.

“Dad would be proud,” Kei finally spoke back up. “So would mom. Even Dad had days when he couldn’t save everyone,” She said, referring to old news articles she had poured over trying to get any time with her father, no matter how disconnected the source may have been.

“Maybe… but there’s always room to do better,” He said, sighing. “We can still get stronger.”

Momo smiled at that. “Of course we can. The sky’s the limit.”

The realization seemed to calm Izuku, knowing that he couldn’t have done anything more earlier in the day, but that in the future, he’d be strong enough to save everyone.

“Is that the reason you didn’t stick around? Because people had died?”

Izuku shook his head. “No, I just didn’t care for the limelight. Besides, we’re still trying to keep a low profile for the Shadows, even our voices could’ve given us away if we let them air.”

“And my parents exposed me to enough media as a child,” Momo pointed out, “I’m more than happy to live without ever being known by the public again.”

“That’s probably smart, but aren’t you guys gonna have to go public eventually anyways?”

Izuku and Momo exchanged glances. “I mean, after what Natsuo said…”

“We might be able to keep our identities quiet. If we just wear disguises whenever we do Hero work in public. We could probably get registered as S-Ranks or higher without telling them our real names or showing our faces.”

“No way,” Kei said, “No Agency would let you do that. Could you imagine Endeavor allowing someone to be that secretive.”

“We could be Solo Heroes like Miruko. I’d rather not get tied down by Agency rules anyways.”

“Or we could start our own Agency,” Momo proposed.

“Let’s… not get ahead of ourselves, we still have school to get through,” Izuku said, effectively ending the conversation.

*******

“Ugh… you can all piss off!” Dabi shouted as he exited the airport, heading for a Hero Commission escort that would take him away from the paparazzi. His signature skin grafts and white hair made it hard for him to avoid the press.

“What are you doing back in Japan?!”

“Do you have business with your father?!”

“Is this about Ryukyu taking hold of her own Agency?!”

“Are you two getting back together?!”

Dabi could’ve tried letting his power leak out to scare off the reporters, but they were one of the few groups of people who never backed down from any Rank. And because most Heroes didn’t want to be caught in a bad light, very few ever acted on their violent impulses towards the media.

The governments had very little hold over S-Ranks and higher, but the media, as always, was the bane of many existences. There was no avoiding them as they affected public opinion.

“Please make a path!” A Commission Agent shouted, pushing through the waves of people. “This is a visitor of the Scavenger Guild! We need you all to move!” The Agent, Tsukauchi, began brazenly shoving people aside. He, as an Agent, could do what many Heroes couldn’t, he could exert force on the paparazzi. Being part of the government and not caring much for his public perception, he had no qualms about using his Awakened strength to make life easier for other Heroes.

“Hmph… lucky…” Dabi muttered as he was finally free to walk to the car and close the door behind him. Tsukauchi got in on the other side and slid into a seat opposite of Dabi in the luxury car.

“It’s an honor-”

“Cut the crap, Naomasa,” Dabi interrupted. “You knew me before I hit it big. I don’t care about the pleasantries.”

Tsukauchi smiled. “That’s fine with me. I assume you’re here to visit family?”

“What else would I be here for?” Dabi asked with a hint of scorn.

The Agent cringed. “Well, it’s not that I don’t trust you , but Thomas Andre has a history of screwing with Japan.” Thomas Andre was arguably the strongest Hero in the world. He was critical in taking down Kamish and Diablo during humanity’s darkest days. But many argued that without All Might there to help him, humanity’s darkest days could’ve also been the end of days.

All Might showed little interest in this debate, but Thomas Andre was… well he was like a guy on the internet who just couldn’t let an argument go. And because he was a National-Rank, maybe people egged this argument onwards, fueling his ego as the world’s strongest.

Because All Might wasn’t interested in actually fighting Andre, as he saw it to be a pointless dick-measuring contest which would only serve to endanger humanity, the debate persisted.

Dabi shrugged. “To be honest, he screws with his Agency members as much as he screws with Japan. He gave me time off to visit family, and made some vague comments about All Might, so I don’t know his true intentions.”

Tsukauchi sighed. “You always know how to dodge my Quirk.”

Dabi was telling the truth, in a way. Being an S-Rank from Japan, he had plenty of interactions with Tsukauchi. And in his youth, he learned just how important it was to be able to sidestep the man’s Lie Detecting Quirk. It had exposed his relationship with another Hero, so he was certain to never let it trip him up again.

Thomas had made vague comments about All Might. And Dabi didn’t really know what he was up to, only some basic understanding. So he passed the test. But really, Dabi knew something was going on behind the scenes. 

Tsukauchi, knowing that was all he’d get, threw aside his curiosity and moved onto catching up with an old friend.

“You know Ryuko still asks about you,” He said, using Ryukyu’s actual name.

“Yeah?” Dabi scoffed. “What’s she asking? If I’m dead yet?”

Tsukauchi grinned. “More or less. She’s still pissed that you moved to America.”

Dabi threw his hands up. “What, I’m supposed to turn down an offer from a National-Rank? She knows why I left.”

“That’s why she’s pissed. She’s the one stuck with Endeavor now. She’s upset you didn’t ask her to come with you.”

“I left to get away from the old man. She would be leaving to follow at my heels like a puppy dog. That’s no reason for her to leave Japan.” Dabi shrugged. “I was stagnant and she was moving up in the world.”

“You thought it was best to just leave her behind?”

“Well she’s an Agency head now, isn’t she? She would’ve had to start all over in America.”

“You think she wouldn’t have been fine with that?”

Dabi rolled his eyes. “Listen, I’m not some jerkoff who decides what’s best for her. She knew what she wanted and I did what was necessary to make sure she got it. That’s why I left her. There are almost no female Hero run Agencies in Japan. Ryukyu was one of the first S-Ranks to achieve that goal. Hell even that brat Miruko struggled to become an Agency head for a while before realizing the rest of the Agencies wouldn’t let her. Endeavor bought out all the Gates from her, making her Agency useless. That’s why she’s solo now.”

“So you left in order to help her defeat patriarchy?” Tsukauchi asked, a shit-eating grin on his face.

Dabi snorted. “Something like that. America’s just as hard on female Agency heads as Japan is, if not more so. She’s at a good point in her life now. She wouldn’t be there if she had stuck with me. She’d talked about wanting to become an Agency head for years. It seemed like the only thing she wanted. If she followed me, there would’ve been underlying resentment towards me for giving up her dreams, and if she didn’t follow me, she’d be pissed I left her, but she’d achieve her dream. That’s just the way it works, man. Shit options, shit outcomes.”

“Well… you haven’t changed much.”

“It’s a family habit,” He shot back. “We’re stubborn bastards. Speaking of, anything else suspicious with the old man?”

The Agent shrugged. “He’s continued hoarding Villain Cores, weapons, armor, etc. But it just seems like he’s trying to get the best for his Agency. However…” Tsukauchi seemed to hesitate for a moment. “You heard about the Gate Break by Jujiya Hospital?”

“Yeah, the two kids cleared it.”

“Kids?”

Dabi shrugged. “The pics made ‘em look like teenagers in that armor, and reports said they sounded young.”

“Ah… thought you might know more than us. Those shadowy summons were something else… Anyways, we were investigating how the Gate, being as strong as it was, went unnoticed for so long. Well… most of the security footage of that area was lost in the rampage, but we think one of Endeavor’s men checked out that apartment just a few days before shit hit the fan.”

“Think he was planning to come in and take the glory?”

“That’s the weird thing. None of Endeavor’s men were even remotely in the area, and neither was he. So if he was truly aware of it… it means he let it break for some other reason.”

“Maybe…” Dabi said, thinking back to what Thomas said about All Might not doing Hero work recently. “Was the old man trying to draw him out? Maybe Thomas was right… Something’s wrong with All Might…”

“We’re still looking into it, but there’s not enough evidence to convict him of anything, and besides, as an XS-Rank, the Commission can’t really do anything to him anyways.” Tsukauchi leaned back. “As you so eloquently put it. Shit options, shit outcomes.”

They passed UA, a place that Dabi himself almost ended up at, before defying his father’s wishes.

“They start in two days,” Tsukauchi said, noticing Dabi’s attention to the school. “Shoto is in on recommendations so no one else should know about him until they show up for class. And then the secret is gonna be blown wide open.”

“Yeah? Well hopefully he has some decent classmates… Maybe they’ll knock some sense into him about our father… like Kyu did for me…”

Tsukauchi smiled kindly at the man. He was one of the most intimidating Heroes out there. With his grotesque skin and powerful blue flames, he really appeared to be a devil at times. But he was up there as one of the more considerate S-Ranks the Agent knew. Even if he could be brash or a little ill-tempered.

“I’m sure it’ll be an interesting year for the school.”

*******

“I feel weird…” Izuku said, trying to smooth out his uniform. “Are you sure it fits okay?”

“Izu, stop stressing. And stop fiddling with it!” Kei cried, fixing his tie for the umpteenth time. “It looks fine! Yaomomo will tell you the same thing when you meet up.”

“Yaomomo?”

“She didn’t like me calling her Miss Yaoyorozu.”

Momo had headed back to her own apartment the day before school in order to collect her own things and get ready. But in the few days they’d spent together, the three of them had become a close-knit family unit of sorts.

“And remember, if you see Bakugo… punch him as hard as you can,” Kei reminded him.

Izuku scoffed. “I’m not gonna occupy my first day at school with violence.”

“But you’re going to eventually hit him right?”

“Kei… we were friends once, me and him. I wanna give him a chance.”

“I’d say you’re crazy… but we both already know that,” Kei said, picking up her own backpack for the day. “Just do me a favor. At the very least, if you don’t hit him, make sure to hold hands with Yaomomo or kiss her to assert dominance.”

Izuku barked out a laugh as his cheeks grew bright-red at the thought of any sort of PDA. “She gets pretty… protective of me, so I don’t think you have to worry about Bakugo,” He said, recalling his first encounter with Iida.

Kei rolled her eyes, “Well at least I can count on her to do the right thing.”

“Violence isn’t the answer, Kei,” Izuku joked, a light grin on his face.

“You’re right, violence is not the answer… Violence is a question, and when the question involves Bakugo, the answer is yes.”

Izuku just shook his head, grabbing a protein bar as he headed for the door. 

“Oh, did you two figure out what you’re going to do about those cultist dickheads?” She asked, referring to the contact information the two had received.

Izuku refrained from commenting on her language, instead choosing to say, “We talked about it a little bit. We’re gonna meet them after school with our disguises on, see how they react to us.”

“You guys aren’t gonna kill ‘em are you? Cause that behavior can be traced back to you since you had their info.” It wasn’t that Kei worried about Izuku and Momo’s morality, just the consequences for taking lives. Even if they were S-Ranks, she was concerned about the legalities.

Izuku shrugged. “I don’t plan on killing them. Can’t say the same for Momo, they’ve put her through hell so…”

“Well, I guess I owe her an apology.”

Izuku tilted his head. “What for?”

“I didn’t think she could handle this all. Being a Hero, dealing with these shitheads, whatever. But she’s got some badassery inside of her after all.”

“Yeah. I’ve gotta be careful, or else she’ll show me up in class,” He said, holding the door open for his sister as they left. 

It would be one hell of a day. Between Bakugo, cultists… and the Anti-Heroes that would soon make themselves known to the world.

Chapter Text

“You!” A shout echoed from behind Izuku as the massive structure before him garnered his awe. But he couldn’t spend too long admiring the towering heights of UA, or its majestic gardens that lined the walkways to the school’s entrance, because someone was behind him.

“Bakugo…” Izuku turned on his heel to face the wrath-filled blonde.

Momo tensed up beside him, stepping back from the situation, but ready to throw herself at Bakugo if the chance arose. She knew this was Izuku’s battle, so she’d give them space for now, it was what he wanted, much to her chagrin.

“You don’t belong here!”

“Why?” Izuku asked simply, his voice level despite the pounding of his heart. He wasn’t scared, not in the slightest. By this point, he and Bakugo, if nothing else, were equals. But in reality, Izuku far outpaced his childhood friend. He was filled with emotion, desperately trying to remain calm, for the sake of maturity.

“Extras don’t belong at a place like this!”

“I don’t think it’s fair to call me that.” Izuku responded. “I helped clear a Recursive Gate for my Entrance Exam. I survived a freak accident in a Gate. I went through a Reawakening and got a Quirk. I’ve been through more than enough to no longer be an ‘extra.’”

Bakugo scoffed. “Once an extra, always an extra! It’s not about what you have now! You’ll always be the same person deep down!” By now the surrounding trickle of students had noticed the altercation, gathering around the duo in curiosity. Bakugo’s shouting never helped.

“You’re right. I am the same person. The same person who wants to provide for his family, and save lives.” Izuku shook his head. “We were friends once. Good friends. The type of friends that basically lived with each other. We were almost brothers. Why? Why throw all that away for some stupid pride?”

“Pride?!” Bakugo shoved his finger into Izuku’s chest. “You don’t know a damn thing about pride! Just some worthless E-Rank who pathetically threw himself into Raiding Teams so he could scrounge around in the dirt for money! You don’t know a damn thing!”

“Yeah? And do you know what it’s like to have death breathing down your neck? Do you know that feeling so completely that you remember it when you go to sleep and wake up?” Izuku spat out, all of his pent-up anger and sadness spilling out. “You’re right. I don’t know alot about pride, not like you, because I realized, in all the times I’d come close to the reaper, pride means nothing when you’re seconds away from death.” Izuku’s aura began to leak out, Monarch’s Presence being activated, freezing Bakugo in place. “I can take pride in avoiding death time and time again. And I can take pride in saving people from a Gate that held thousands of High-Orcs. So yeah, you can keep your pride about always being Number 1, whatever that means. But I know that I wasn’t born with some silver spoon in my mouth, yet I subverted death day after day. You’ve never faced that thing down, not like me. In my mind, that makes you the extra.”

Every capillary in Bakugo’s body damn-near bursted with rage. It was so intense, that even Monarch’s Presence was swept aside.

“SCREW YOU!” He screamed, swinging his fist at Izuku’s face.

Izuku just leaned back. “You really can’t just put this behind you? You can’t think rationally for even a moment? Forget the past. You and me both. Let’s just go back to being friends.”

But Bakugo didn’t listen, swinging again and again and again, growing more frustrated with each miss. Izuku wasn’t retaliating, just avoiding as he tried to speak with him.

“I SAID SCREW YOU!” His open palm flew towards Izuku, who delicately slapped it aside, directing it upwards, so that the explosion that erupted from his hand hurt no one.

“Yeah… Well even as an E-Rank, I managed to avoid attacks from vastly stronger opponents. You really think you can hit me like this?” Izuku recalled his experience in that Dungeon for the first time, that spider-like creature attacking him. Even though he’d lost an arm during that, he’d managed to predict it and save himself from absolute obliteration. This… This was pathetic in comparison.

“I’m not gonna fight you,” Izuku declared. 

“Why?! Because you know you’ll lose?!”

Izuku stared directly into Bakugo’s eyes, unleashing every ounce of Mana he had within himself, even drawing upon the strength of Momo and the other Shadows. “No… Because extras aren’t worth my time.”

In that singular instance, Bakugo felt something creeping up behind him. A cold deity with a scythe in its hands. One that had beset Izuku too many times to count.

DEATH

Bakugo froze, a cold sweat running down his back. “What is this… feeling? Why can’t I move?”

“Yeah… that’s what I thought,” Izuku said. “I faced that every day and still managed to keep moving forward. But you’re just standing there. If this were serious, you’d already be dead.”

“HEY! HEY! What’s going on out here?!” A voice shouted from the entrance of the school, near the back of the crowd.

“Woah… she’s hot.”

“Is that clothing allowed?”

“I mean, we’re all over 18 so I say go for it.”

Izuku didn’t even have to see or sense the person to know who it was. 

“Good morning, Miss Midnight,” Izuku respectfully greeted, bowing low to one of his soon-to-be teachers. “Me and an old acquaintance were… disputing some bad blood.” He rose back to his full height. “But we’re all done now,” He said conclusively, Bakugo still grappling with the existential sensation that Izuku could now exude. “I’m sorry for causing a scene.”

“I… see…” Midnight paused for a moment. “Well I suppose it can be forgiven. After all, I do owe you and your fellow classmates, Yui Kodai, and Setsuna Tokage a sincere gratitude for saving all of our lives.” She returned Izuku’s bow, causing a few of the boys in the crowd to groan with jealousy. 

“How do you do that in such high heels?” Momo muttered, leaning around the crowd to see her technique. She was a fashion-privy girl herself, but she’d never really mastered things like high heels or even really makeup. She lived alone for so long that function greatly overshadowed form. Of course, that didn’t mean she wasn’t learning to impress a certain someone close to her.

“Oh I’d be more than aroused… er excited to teach such a pretty girl like yourself how to strut her stuff!” Midnight happily cried out, making Momo blush something fierce. Discussing this in a crowd was a little… too much for her.

Thankfully, the chiming of a bell caused the crowd to begin dispersing. 

“Oh dear! Looks like it’s time to begin teaching the youthful and virile next generation!” She began “strutting” off into the school, attracting many a gaze, both male and female.

Izuku turned around, but Bakugo was already gone.

“You okay?” Momo asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. 

“Y-Yeah… I just… Heh, it didn’t really go as I hoped it would.”

“Well, you avoided hitting him. Which is both impressive and a little disappointing at the same time,” Momo teased, earning a small smile. “I know you really want him to change. I know you want to put this all behind you and let bygones be bygones. But you need to know that some people… they just can’t change.” She said, knowing more than enough about the nature of humanity than most her age should. 

Izuku nodded. “I know… and hey, maybe I’ll get the chance to hit him during training… UA does have sparring practice after all…” He still looked dejected, but he felt lighter. He had gotten some of the angst and bitterness off of his chest. For now, that was enough.

“Well if it isn’t our Hero!” A familiar voice cried out from the school’s front gate.

Izuku’s day brightened as he spotted the girl who had called out, and the girl beside her. “Setsuna! Yui!”

“Sup chumps!” She responded in jest. “Who’s this? Your girlfriend?”

Momo and Izuku exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, that glance was more than enough for Setsuna.

“Oh okay, so you guys are like dating, but super awkward about it around other people, gotcha.” She turned to Yui, who was quiet and expressionless as ever, “Well, looks like you were too late. Guess you gotta push those romantic feelings deep down inside of yourself, where they shall-”

“I am not attracted to him…” Yui said, almost questioningly.

“Oh come on, girl! It’s called a joke, work with me here!”

“It’s nice to meet you both,” Momo said, introducing herself. Izuku had already told her about the two, who knew about the Shadows. And, of course, Momo wasn’t one to so easily forget something.

“So since she’s your gf, I bet she knows all about your secrets!” Setsuna teased, having a backup in case Momo was completely unaware of what she was talking about. She wasn’t about to so easily expose Izuku’s secrets. However…

“Yeah, she knows about what happened inside the Recursive Gate,” Izuku plainly stated. He wasn’t sure how much he could get away with telling the two girls, but for now he wanted to try and keep it as quiet as possible. “Why don’t we meet up during lunch? Class is gonna start soon so I can’t really… ya know… explain everything.”

“Oh! What class are you guys in?!” Setsuna perked up as if the thought of sharing a classroom with the two hadn’t occurred to her.

““1-A.”” They responded in sync.

“Yes!” Setsuna pumped her fist, “So are we!”

Izuku’s smile widened. Not just at her enthusiasm, but about what she showed that enthusiasm towards. Never in his life had someone celebrated being in the same team, class, Raid Party, sports team. Anything. Setsuna was excited to be in class with him and Momo…

“Are you okay?” Yui suddenly asked, looking deep into Izuku’s eyes. She spotted what the other girls didn’t, tears of happiness forming in the corner of his eyes.

“Yeah… Yeah I’m really feeling a lot better now!” His altercation with Bakugo was still fresh in his mind, but he couldn’t keep the smile off of his face.

Momo didn’t even need to ask. She knew the feeling Izuku was experiencing. She had gone through it herself when Izuku and Kei welcomed her into their family without question. The gift of having something you’d never before received was euphoric, in a way that could never truly be put into words.

“Let’s go! Don’t wanna be late on the first day!” Setsuna grabbed Yui’s hand and sprinted off into the building like a bat outta hell.

“Should we do the same?” Momo asked, grabbing Izuku’s hand.

*******

“This is it. 1-A,” Setsuna said, throwing open the sliding wooden door to reveal a quaint classroom, almost too clean to be true. It was like someone had filled the room with a gel that grabbed every mote of dust and removed it all at once.

There were only a few people inside the classroom, who had apparently beaten them to the room. All of them, Izuku knew.

“Hey! Look who it is!” Kirishima cried out, rushing from his desk to meet Izuku at the front of the room. “Man you guys just disappeared! By the time we all woke up in that medical tent you were gone! Some real chivalrous stuff there, didn’t even stick around for a thank you!”

Izuku couldn’t help but smile at Kirishima’s boundless energy.

Also seated were Iida, Uraraka, Jiro, Kaminari, and… Bakugo, who was staring off into the corner of the room not directing an iota of attention towards the newcomers. His gaze was blank, his body limp and drained.

“Itsuka and Tetsutetsu got put in 1-B,” Kirishima bemoaned. “We’d better get to have joint training sessions with ‘em!”

Iida similarly rose, albeit in a more calm and practiced manner, and approached the group. “It’s nice to meet you again.” He said to Momo. “I heard about your parents. I’m sincerely sorry for your loss.” He offered a bow. 

Momo’s parents had made the news, their cultist actions and deaths becoming well-known. Including their kidnapping and sacrifice of many individuals. Of course, no one knew that Momo and Izuku had been responsible for those deaths.

“We weren’t… close,” She responded, once more uncomfortable with the situation.

“I see… that makes sense…” 

Iida deftly glanced at Izuku, no doubt just as interested as Yui and Setsuna in receiving answers. He was the only one to notice Izuku’s Stealth during the High-Orc fight. Overall, there were a lot of secrets hovering around Izuku and too many people who could sense them.

“I’ll have to bring Iida to lunch with us…”

“Man, I can't wait to see who else we have in here!” Kaminari gestured at the empty seats, about 20 in total. “Maybe some more hot chicks!” He said winking at Momo, Setsuna, and Yui.

Momo lightly chuckled, having seen such flirtation a million times before. Yui did nothing. And Setsuna winked back, not to return his advances, but in jest. Kaminari couldn’t see it through his thick headedness, but Setsuna was screwing with him. She apparently had a habit of being mischievous. Something that Izuku silently made a note of in her file in Documentarian. 

*******

[Subject: Setsuna Tokage]

Rank: B+

Quirk: Splitter (Allows the user to split apart their body and regenerate to an extent)

Notes: Stronger than she appears. Immune to a lot of debuffs by splitting her body apart to avoid targeting. Jokester. Don’t trust too deeply.

*******

Izuku had been using it far more than he expected. He had wanted to get new notebooks, but this thing was just too good. He could mentally make notes whenever he wanted, and access it all without worrying about someone other than Momo seeing it. He could even access the information mentally, without pulling up the System display, by directly porting it into his brain.

“I’m glad you guys all got in,” Izuku remarked.

Jiro scoffed. “After all we went through in an Entrance Exam?! We better have gotten in!”

“Seriously!” Kaminari shouted in agreement. “Hey I never got to ask, how did you guys get us outta that mess?”

Izuku’s brain froze. It was the one thing he’d never accounted for. Someone like Aizawa hadn’t really questioned him and he had dodged the reporters that had been there that night.

“There were some caskets of some explosive stuff in there!” Setsuna shouted, excitedly going into detail over something that didn’t happen. “Yui made ‘em big and Midoriya blew them up!” She also gave details on how they all avoided getting put to sleep, with Midoriya using his Elemental powers to shield himself in her explanation. “All of that gave us enough wiggle room to kill the Boss!”

Of course, this was all false, and they never would’ve won without the Shadows, but it wasn’t a half-bad explanation. Setsuna’s excitement, paired with Yui’s occasional sleepy nods, made it convincing.

“Oh… were you the guys who cleared that Recursive Gate?” Asked a dull voice, one to match Yui’s.

Both Izuku and Momo had felt his presence, but in Awakened circles, unless you felt threatened by someone’s Mana, it was rude to greet them because you had noticed them through supernatural methods. Or at least, that was how it went in Japan. In America people used their extraordinary senses to play practical jokes, a fitting custom for such a country.

Basically, you were only supposed to pay attention to someone with your five natural senses and not the sixth supernatural one. Izuku wasn’t great at it. He had only recently acquired such finely tuned perception, so he had a tendency to make note of everyone around him with his Sense Stat. 

“Then again, S-Ranks probably don’t care about that etiquette… so I don’t- No… no. I may be an S-Rank, but I can’t act any differently.” Izuku silently chastised himself as he briefly considered his new freedom from such pleasantries. If he gave in to that today, then tomorrow he’d be taking advantage of his immunity from the law. In his opinion, it was better to act as if he was still a lower Rank regardless. After all, some things could only be seen and earned once you had stepped down from your high horse. That was what Izuku thought.

“Well… cleared is kinda subjective here,” Kirishima said with a lopsided grin. “It’s these three who pulled all the weight.” He gestured to Izuku, Setsuna, and Yui.

“Hmm…” The boy had both white and crimson-red hair, with matching heterochromatic eyes, and a burn scar over the left eye. 

Izuku didn’t have to ask his identity. His Mana was calm, but calm in a way that a liquid inside a pressurized can was. Still, but ready to explode. Shoto Todoroki, an S-Rank. Or possibly more.

There wasn’t much that could harm Izuku or Momo these days, but he got the sense that Shoto was not an enemy he could afford to make. 

“Why am I this nervous around him? Igris is strong enough to handle him solo right? What’s wrong with me?”

Izuku tried opening his mouth, but nothing came out, and Shoto moved past everyone without another word, taking his seat silently.

“Uhh… hi?” Kaminari tried greeting, but Shoto just glared at the dumb blonde.

 “Got it…” Kaminari muttered, shooting a pleading glance at Izuku and the others.

“Even Iida was warmer when we first met him…” Momo whispered to Izuku. “At least he responded with honest, logical answers…”

“I can hear you.”

“Well I figured as much,” Momo commented with a small tinge of pink on her face, slightly embarrassed despite having a plan.

Shoto squinted. “You knew I’d hear. Which either means you don’t care about what other people think of you, or you did it to goad me into talking.”

Momo shrugged. “It worked didn’t it?”

“I won’t relegate myself to small talk with you.”

“Seriously dude?” Kirishima asked with a half-scowl half-smirk. “We’re gonna be working together in Raids. It’s pretty important to communicate.”

“It’s not like I’ll need you in there.”

“And what if a teammate needs you?” Izuku asked, not afraid to imply he’d need help. No one wanted to be the person that acted weak, not in front of the person claiming to be superior. But Izuku knew what it meant to weaker Heroes when you rescued them. He’d been in such a situation many times, and recently had experienced the opposite, in saving the rest of his Raiding Party.

“Then they shouldn’t be there.”

“By that logic, a Support-Type, like a Healer, shouldn’t heal you, because you shouldn’t need it,” Jiro pointed out with a smirk.

“It’s not like I’d ever need a Healer. The only worth you people would have in a Dungeon with me is being a Porter.” Basically, Shoto was saying the only thing they were good for was carrying his gear or treasure.

“Not knocking Porters,” Izuku said, “But you really think we’re all that lowly?”

“Yes.” Shoto answered without hesitation.

“Dumbass…” Bakugo muttered under his breath to the S-Rank, too quiet for anyone to hear.

*******

No one spoke to Shoto following that. Thankfully, the classroom was beset by the final wave of students, who cast aside the tension with their chaotic entrance.

Izuku had time to say hi to Uraraka, who had been silently sitting there, clearly feeling out of place and her discomfort wasn’t made easier by Shoto.

There were a bunch of people, including a strange-looking fellow named Tokoyami, with a bird head in place of a human head, which no doubt made him a target for ridicule. Many would likely associate it with a Villain’s appearance. There was also Ibara, a devout Christian with what looked like vines for hair, and Kamakiri, another young man who looked monstrous in appearance. 

Overall, the class was about 20 people, but before Izuku could properly acquaint himself with everyone, a stern voice said: “Sit down… and shut up…” Eraserhead, Shota Aizawa, had just entered the classroom, bags hanging off his eyes like the scarf around his neck.

“Welcome to homeroom. I’ll be your instructor,” He said this all with the excitement of a dead fish as he continued introducing himself.

“Tomorrow we’ll be assessing your Skills in a live Raid. I trust you all submitted your Hero Outfits for the school to make?” He asked, referring to a magical implement that would cover you, and any armor or weapons you had, in an illusion. It was like the masks Momo had made for herself and Izuku at the hospital. It felt totally real, and allowed for Heroes to have a uniform look no matter what armor they had bought to replace their last set.

“I understand some of you had a tough Entrance Exam, so we’ll be taking extra precautions to get you back into the groove of Raiding slowly. Some of you have Raided more than others, and some of you are inherently stronger than your classmates, but Hero Work is Hero Work. Treat others as your equal.”

“Ohhhh that request isn’t gonna go well…” Izuku thought to himself, thinking of both Bakugo and Shoto. He had saved many members of his class, but Izuku had no trouble treating them as equal, after all, Setsuna and Yui had managed to give him a hand against Tusk and the Orcs. But Bakugo and Shoto seemed to adhere to a strict belief in the Class System.

Thankfully, neither chose to speak up and disregard Aizawa. However, that only made Izuku more nervous. Because it meant that instead of the issue being resolved in class, it would be brought up in a Dungeon, and you didn’t need to be a Hero to know that bringing personal issues into a Raid was a stupid idea. You were already fighting for your life. 

“But for now, I’d like to go over the basics of Hero Formation. Open your books to page 13…”

*******

“Phew… that was tense…” Setsuna said, plopping down on the seat next to Izuku, with Momo on his other side.

“No kidding. Not like I figured the son of Endeavor to be a joy, but Shoto’s brothers are far more accommodating than he is,” Momo said, recalling her time with Natsuo and her memories of Dabi’s interviews on television.

“And what’s the deal between you and Bakugo?” Setsuna asked.

“It’s… we were friends… uh… I honestly don’t understand what happened.” Izuku chuckled nervously with all the attention on him. “One day we were friends, the next he started acting like… well like himself. But it happened not long after he Awakened.”

“He bought into the racism huh?”

“What?”

“You were Ranked E right?” Yui asked.

“Yeah.”

“He bought into the class divide, started seeing you as a lesser human. Same now. You’re clearly stronger than him. But he’s A-Rank, you’re B-Rank officially.” Yui ate from her bowl as if the explanation was the most normal thing. “People are weird.” She said with a mouthful of food.

“Yeah… I just… I don’t buy that explanation. He’s got a superiority complex but I don’t feel like it’s in his nature to discriminate like that.”

“You’re right, he doesn’t discriminate, he’s just a jerk to everyone,” Setsuna chimed in before taking upon a serious look. “He’s discriminatory, trust me. That’s the only reason he hated you in the past and hates you now. He believes you no longer deserve his respect.”

Izuku was unconvinced, but shrugged nonetheless as he waved to Iida, walking through the massive cafeteria. 

“How much are you gonna tell them?” Was the question Momo had asked him as they were walking to the cafeteria.

“I’ve already lied to them once. If I repeat that cycle and continue lying, only to reveal things in the moment, then they’ll never be able to trust me.” Was the only response he could muster.

“Alright spill!” Setsuna said back in the moment. Iida had just sat down and explained that he had seen Izuku vanish from the group back in the Orc Raid.

Izuku sighed. “You already know I have Skills and strength beyond what I should. But I’m not a false Ranker. The Rank I received just a few weeks ago was correctly and accurately measured by the Hero Safety Commission. I’m incidentally a different Rank although…” He stumbled, realizing the contradictions in his words. “What I mean is that I’m not hiding my strength for nefarious reasons. I’m not trying to earn more money with it, or commit crimes inside of Gates.”

“No shit, Sherlock!” Setsuna blurted out a phrase in English, which Izuku needed a few minutes to catch. His language Skills were somewhat lacking. “That Orc bastard had most of us asleep, and you had an army. You saved us when you could’ve done whatever you wanted with us.”

Izuku nodded slowly. “Right, I just wanted to make sure my intentions were clear.”

“They’re not clear enough,” Iida cut in. “I do not need to know the source of your power, or its extent. I believe that such things are for you to know and tell if you so wish. However, your intentions are anything but clear. You had enough power to intimidate Bakugo with just your presence.”

“Oh you saw that huh?”

“Apparently you have an army of sorts. You are strong, bottom line. So why are you not already working for strong Agencies? Why are you not using your power in more efficient ways? You could be saving more people by revealing your true power.”

“Maybe… but there are people out there who know about how I got my power. Some of those people were in the cult that Yaoyorozu’s parents were leading. And there are more people like that out there.” Not only were the other cultists still out there, but there was the person that Akihiko had screamed for in his last moments. Stain. “I need to be ready before I go public… but I am still using my…”

“You’re the Shadow Duo…” Iida muttered, putting the pieces together.

“Please don’t tell me that’s our official name…” Momo pouted.

“Ah!” Iida raised one hand over his heart and bowed his head. “I see! Then I have no further questions!”

“Really?” Izuku leaned back. “I mean, I appreciate it, but why?”

“My concerns were that you were in possession of such power, but not using it! I felt you were attempting to coast along and not reach your true potential as a Hero. But if you are simply hiding your identity and saving others in such a manner, then I am satisfied. I was under the impression you were being selfish or irresponsible. Such is not the case.” 

“A… Oh…” Izuku stammered, trying to allow the concept of Iida, as a person, into his brain. The guy was just too abnormal sometimes. At least Bakugo was easy to understand. He was either angry or asleep.

“That’s all I wanna hear too!” Setsuna suddenly cried out, amending her previous demand.

“What?”

“Yeah,” Yui chimed in.

“Iida’s a rich boy, but me and Yui come from pretty standard families. If people like the Yaoyorozus are seriously after you, then they’d target others who know. Iida has a whole family of badasses and they have the social leverage to fight such things. We don’t wanna get involved in that shit yet. Maybe sometime down the line we’ll be ready to hear it. We thought it was some basic shit, not that you guys were involved in all the cult stuff.” She paused, frowning. “Not that you guys can’t come to us. If it’s serious we’ll be there to help…” Yui nodded, as did Iida.

Izuku chuckled. “Well… I suppose that puts off one problem for today!” 

The rest of the class day passed quickly, and before they knew it, Momo and Izuku were cloaked in their Shadow Duo outfits, lurking above the abode of the remaining cultists. It was time to see if they recognized their Gods.

*******

“Endeavor Sir, we have a message from South Korea and her Heroes. They’re asking for an audience with the Japanese Strike Force.” 

An arrogant scowl crossed Endeavor’s face. “That bastard Sung… Well… he’ll be dead soon too, along with the rest of Korea’s S-Ranks. Pretty easy to conquer a country these days… Just feed ‘em to the Villains.”

*******

Three Months Ago:

“What is this?” Shoto said to the open air. Except, it wasn’t air. It wasn’t even reality. It was a white space, as if he was floating through the opposite of the void of space. Looking up were endless reflections of himself, but all doing different things, same looking down. It was as if multiple realities were being shown to each other.

“Oh but it’s not that.” A voice put a stop to Shoto’s thoughts as it intercepted them. “This is my own pocket dimension, my home away from home. A place for my soul, and others, to rest.”

“Who are you? Why can you hear my thoughts?”

“This is how souls communicate. We cannot lie to one another in this space. As for who I am, well, I’m Yogumunt, a higher being, who was sent to help save your planet.”

“From the Villains? You think we can’t handle them ourselves.”

A shape began to form in front of Shoto, but that was all it did, begin to look like something. It was a blob that went from man, to creature, to something indescribable. Even still, the shape managed to make a familiar gesture. “Hahahaha… oh… no I’m quite sure someone of your strength has the Villains handled. However, I’m talking of a greater threat to humanity. One that seeks their eradication through different means.”

“And what do you get out of helping me?”

“Oh… I can’t just be a nice God peeking around the neighborhood of the universe?”

“I wouldn’t trust it if that’s what you told me.”

“Well you’d be right. I’m not being nice. Myself and my brethren feed off of chaos. It sounds evil but in reality, chaos is nothing more than emotion and free will. Humans create a lot of it. Our enemies are seeking to destroy that emotion and free will.  But if you still don’t think that’s enough, how about this?” The shape raised a… limb (?) as if trying to hold up an index finger. “Help me… and I’ll help you. Help me save the human race, and in return, I’ll give you all the power you ever need to achieve your dream.”

Shoto’s brow furrowed, knowing full well what his deepest desire was. “You know my desire?”

“We’ve been following your path for some time, Shoto Todoroki. We are perhaps the only other entities in the universe that understand you. We know your deepest wish. We know your target. We know your end goal. This way, all of our strength will be yours, and you’ll sit atop a throne of worship as humanity’s greatest Hero!”

The smallest of grins crossed Shoto’s face as the fantasy sunk in. “Atta boy! Now all you gotta do is save the world… and then… Endeavor will be executed by his own son.” Shoto reached out his hand to the shape, and Yogumunt took it.

Chapter Text

Takashi Arata, from all angles, appeared to be nothing more than an athletic middle-aged Asian man with a faltering hairline. He spent his younger years enveloped in the chaos of Gates. When they first appeared, he was ten years old. His parents fled from providence to providence seeking safety for their young boy. But in the end, destiny chose them all as important players.

The first A-Rank to ever break from its cage was in Japan, an Oni-Type… named Diablo. And its stomping ground was just a few miles from Takashi and his family.

The sudden surge of Mana caused a great deal to Awaken, including the entire Arata family. But while Takashi was stuck at E-Rank, his parents became some of the first A-Rank humans. They were critical in the fight against Diablo, but upon his beheading, Diablo released a poisonous gas.

All Awakened Humans who it struck began to decay, the poison feeding off their Mana. Because of his status as an E-Rank, Takashi survived the poison over decades, eventually leading to it and his Awakened status canceling out each other, making him little more than a normal human.

His parents, before succumbing to the poison, went on to help found the Hero Safety Commission, which led to a new and still on-going Golden Age for Japan in the midst of the crisis. Heroes like All Might began to appear, and alongside thousands of others, directed by the Commission, they quelled the chaos.

Takashi, after his parents’ deaths, went on to contribute to the Commission in their stead as one of the top brass. His mathematics were unparalleled and he was responsible for creating many of the modern day Gate-Predictive Equations. They weren’t perfect, as seen by the Gate Break by the Fujiya hospital, but it was estimated that the equations had saved the lives of tens of millions across the world as other countries adopted it. And countries were spared hundreds of billions in clean-up and repair costs. He was regarded as a Hero…

So it broke Izuku’s heart to see him sitting at the table, alongside all the other cultists listed on the piece of paper Momo’s parents had given her.

The table, which was too long for its own good, sat in a dining room so ornate that it could’ve funded a small country if its decorations were auctioned off. At the table were a dozen men and women, with most being on the young side, and only two at the end of their life cycles. They were the heads of the cult.

“You hear about the South Korean Heroes? Those two are finally getting married.”

“Don’t beat around the bush, Takashi.” One of the elderly women rasped, ignoring the comment. “This decision needs to be made. Moving forwards? Or giving up?”

Izuku and Momo listened from inside the room, their Stealth completely cloaking them from visual and magical detection. This house wasn’t nearly as locked-down as Momo’s parents’ was.

“We can’t make that decision yet… not until the Shadows reveal themselves to us. To disband now, whilst both lie in play, would be stupid. But we can’t move forwards either. Our path to that power is lost…” He sighed. “Forgive me, I need a glass of wine…” He went to stand, but before he could, a bottle of chardonnay floated before his face.

“Don’t bother standing,” Izuku said, using Dominator’s Touch to hand the bottle off.

Both him and his partner were wearing their Shadow Duo disguises, their faces completely hidden.

The other eleven men and women instinctively went to stand, but Momo waved her hands and they all became locked to their seats by her own Dominator’s Touch. She went around, one-by-one, tying them to their chairs using coils of shadowy rope that even Izuku doubted he could break.

Takashi, to his credit, didn’t look surprised at all. As if he’d known all along they were coming tonight.

“His words did sound a little forced… was he just putting on an act? Waiting for us to show up?”

“I didn’t expect the Hero Commission’s own man to be involved…” Momo said, finished with restraining everyone. None of them were overly powerful anyways, but it was always better to be safe and have hostages.

“Miss Yaoyorozu, we have men inside the governments of many other nations, not just Japan. You really think the Commission was spared from our involvement?”

Momo scowled behind her mask. “People trust you to keep them safe!”

“And I have yet to betray that trust,” Takashi responded, his face an impenetrable wall similar to Yui’s.

“You kidnapped-”

“Miss Yaoyorozu, the actions of your parents do not speak for us all. We knew of their plans to use you as a conduit for the powers of the Monarch and Empress. We condoned those plans. But we did not condone of their more… religious… attachment to the Chaos World. We could not expose them without exposing ourselves, which endangered the world.” His eyes narrowed. “Sacrifices are made so that wars are won.”

Momo scoffed. “Don’t pretend you’re a saint. You had me running for my life, you protected my slimeball parents, and this cult isn’t doing anything worth a damn for humanity.”

“Is it not?” Takashi looked between the two. “In the past five years, my equations have become outdated, less accurate. Do you know why?” He scowled. “Because Villains are becoming stronger, more numerous… at a rate which humanity could not withstand for any significant length of time. Awakenings of high aplomb were too rare and weaklings weren’t even popping up fast enough to be fodder. But through the manipulation of many of the world's governments, we delayed the inevitable several times.” Had he been given the power to stand, he would’ve done so with great importance.

“Yes, I defended disgusting people and practices. Yes, I put you on the run, and I do regret that.”

“Not enough to have done anything about it, apparently.” Izuku commented.

“I… have a daughter,” Takashi uttered. “It hurt me to know what we had to do more than it hurt the Yaoyorozus. But I did what I did to save my own daughter… so that I could leave the world just a little bit better for her than it was for me… as my parents did. Inch-by-inch I will make this world a better one, a safer one for my daughter and her generation to come.”

Momo didn’t say anything for a long while, leaving the room in suspense.

“Fine.” She snapped her fingers and the rope holding Takashi vanished, but not the ropes holding the others down. She strolled up to him, putting her mask right in his face. “I want to kill you… slowly… painfully… but that’s also not my nature. You’re not that much better than my parents, but I’ll hear you out at least, as a daughter who was never loved by her own father.” She got one bite in at him, reminding Takashi that she would never get back the time he had taken.

Proving that he had, in fact, expected them, Takashi gestured to the table, which had many holographic displays over it. It worked well as a fancy business tool for get-togethers with all the evil masterminds.

The displays had too many numbers and graphs for Izuku to follow, but Momo took only a few moments to look. “Your numbers are correct at least,” She said, “But this spike here indicates that humanity should’ve been overwhelmed years ago.”

Takashi nodded. “That’s what I meant earlier. We have been using my equation to predict the areas that will have the highest concentrations of Mana. Through clever marketing, real-estate control, and a buttload of money, we managed to move a serious amount of the population of the world around to these hot-spots. By creating more Awakened humans we delayed the apocalypse as I said.”

“Then if your intentions are pure… what is all this?!” Momo shouted at the top of her lungs, smashing her fist straight through the table. “Why bother with this cult?! Why not go public with this?! Why do all of this?!”

“We tried!” Takashi replied forcefully, but his eyes suddenly dulled. “We tried. But the governments refused to take this matter seriously. Memories fade far too quickly. They no longer see this as a war, but a daily occurrence. They take the Gates for a minor inconvenience these days. All Might and the others lulled them to sleep. No one understands that this is a losing fight. We are slowly giving more ground every day. Soon, Jeju Island will not be a single mishap, but only the first of its kind.” He sighed, feeling conflicted upon revealing all of his inner demons. “The Yaoyorozus and their zealots were engulfed by religious fervor. But they also provided us all the money we needed and they provided us with most of our information, in return, they got a seat at the table.”

“Information… from Stain?” Izuku asked. He had still yet to reveal himself. The cult leaders knew of Momo’s identity, but they still had no clue who he was and he intended to keep it that way.

Takashi nodded. “We never met him, but he gave us everything we needed to buy humanity a trump card of its own.”

“The Monarch and the Empress.” Izuku surmised.

“Even with Thomas Andre, All Might, and every other Hero. Humanity by itself would not survive. To survive as a species… we needed more.” Takashi took his cue, and knelt on the ground, pressing his forehead to the floor. “This organization was meant to be more than just some cult. We don’t worship you as Gods as others do, but we do need you. All of us… we’re all fighting for our family’s future. We don’t care about our own bodies.”

The other eleven at the table had their heads bowed in reverence. It seemed that the entire night had been planned from the start. All twelve had known they were coming. They simply acted naturally to quell their nerves, because they knew their fate was in the hands of the Shadow Monarch and Empress.

“You can torture us, cut us up into pieces. You can order us to behead each other and we will do so. Fill our veins with poison or drown us in acid. Unlike our ancestors, we will accept the burdens of our misdeeds. Now that you are both here, all we ask is that you fight for humanity. So that our children… and their children, will see another sunrise.”

Izuku could tell some of the younger folks at the table were choking back tears, but their resolve was firm. They were ready for whatever they had to accept. Not because they were tied to the chairs, but because war required those with strong wills.

Again silence elapsed, and Izuku and Momo shared a glance. They didn’t need to say a thing to the other.

“How many know of our identities?”

Takashi didn’t miss a beat, his head still firmly planted on the floor. “The twelve here know of you, Miss Yaoyorozu. And it is likely the cultists present for your ritual know your identity. But other than that, your identity is secret. As for the Monarch… no one knows who he is.”

Momo nodded. “Then my decree is this…”

The room waited with bated breath. They had heard of what happened to Momo’s parents.

“Await further instructions. Do not act without our permission. We are watching you… And we intend to act in humanity’s benefits, but not in such a manner.”

Takashi shook with trepidation, but didn’t dare to lift his head, not even after an hour had elapsed. None of the seated men and women, their limbs free of the ropes, moved either. They had scarcely avoided Death, and his chill crept down their necks, pinning them in place just as it did Bakugo earlier in the day.

*******

 On a private mega-yacht, five miles off the coast of Japan, a helicopter was touching down. The floating castle had more than enough room for a landing pad after all.

The two who stepped off the helicopter looked as if they could be supermodels. The first, whilst plain looking, with his dark-hoodie and plain black hair, had piercing electric-blue eyes and a flawless physique. They were intimidating enough to pin someone to the floor with fear, but kind enough to be asked for an autograph by children.

The second was an outright beauty. With her blonde hair, gray eyes, and hourglass figure, she was the picture you’d find in the dictionary next to the word “gorgeous.” But unlike her compatriot, she wore her battle armor, a red, black, and gold piece of the finest metals. With her blade at her side, her armor, and her stunning looks, she was closer to a Goddess of War than a mortal. Many worshiped her as such in her homeland.

The two were greeted by a butler, who led them along the ship’s corridors until reaching a bar, where a single man sat, in little more than a business suit. Despite that, the raw power he contained flowed off of him in waves of heat.

“Sir, your guests have arrived.” The butler expertly bowed and dismissed himself.

“Sung Jin-Woo. Cha Hae-In. Can I get you something to drink? To congratulate you on the engagement?”

Cha frowned, her bob-cut hair dancing in the sunshine. “We’re not here for pleasantries Endeavor.”

He turned around at the bar, flashing a smirk at the young woman. “How’s your arm? All healed up?” Endeavor asked with a smirk that could only be described as evil.

“My arm is not the concern of this conversation,” She once more countered, resisting the urge to reach up and rub the arm that Endeavor had broken when the two of them last fought.

“We’re here on behalf of Chairman Go Gun-Hee,” Sung Jin-Woo interrupted. “Your offer for aid in exchange for 80% of all the Villain Cores and Materials is far too high. We’re willing to offer 65% at most.”

Endeavor downed the rest of his glass, a single malt. “Japan is allowing South Korea to reclaim one of her precious islands. We’re giving you all of the top Japanese Heroes. I don’t need to remind you that the Top Ten in Japan easily trump all of South Korea’s S-Ranks put together.” 

Sung Jin-Woo didn’t bat an eye. “The Nomu on Jeju Island are continuing to breed and evolve. This won’t be an easy raid for either country. We’re both going to have to put in a full effort, but we are offering you the majority still.”

“Here’s the thing. The Raid got moved up because those bastards are learning how to fly, yes?”

“Yes,” Cha responded.

“See, they’ll go for Korea before they fly all the way to Japan. This is your crisis. We’re simply being good neighbors. 80% of the Villain Cores and Materials is necessary to ensure the full cooperation of the Top Ten.” Endeavor poured himself a second glass. “But for our neighbors, I’ll go down to 75%”

Sung let the smallest of grimaces cross his face. “Fine. 70% it is.”

“I said-”

“70%”

A genuine grin crossed Endeavor’s face for the first time. “Sounds good to me.”

“We couldn’t do this over the phone?” Sung asked.

“Thought you two might want to get away from it all for a bit,” Endeavor teased. “Enjoy some time on the sea and have a drink.”

“...We’ll see you during the briefing. Goodnight,” Sung responded, strolling out of the bar and retracing his steps back to the helicopter.

“Sung… is this really okay?” His fiance asked as they boarded the craft.

He scowled. “As much as I hate him… he’s right. Clearing this Raid, getting that island back… it means more than some lost profits. What concerns me is Endeavor’s own plans.”

“What do you mean?”

“He brought us out here just to screw with us… I’m not sure we can trust someone like that… but we need him all the same…” The two reached over to hold hands, contemplating the days to come and the work that had to be done before the Jeju Island Raid could commence.

*******

“What are you thinking?” Izuku asked Momo as the two made their way to school for their second day and their first actual training session. She had been silent ever since last night, and Izuku had given her space to think… up until now, of course.

“I’m thinking they could be useful to us. They’re devoted to the salvation of the world…”

“But you’re not sure you can forgive them.”

Momo let out a sound that was a cross between a sigh and a moan. “I just… I’ve… I want to think about this logically. But I’m struggling to find the will to.”

“On one hand, their efforts have preserved humanity long enough for us to reach this power. On the other hand, they’ve committed plenty of crimes and have hurt, if not outright killed, many people. Yourself included, obviously.” Izuku tallied up the points in his head.

“What are you thinking?” Momo asked back. “Honestly. Don’t hold anything back from me.”

Izuku nodded. “I don’t like being the type of person to make someone cry at the sight of me,” He put simply, referring to the previous night where many had held back sobs at the thought of what Izuku and Momo would do to them. “That’s my first thought. I don’t want to ever experience that again.” Despite the undeniable crimes that the men and women had committed, Izuku hadn’t been able to sleep. He was so sick to his stomach knowing that he appeared as such a menace to these people.

“I… didn’t like it either…” Momo admitted, averting her gaze.

“My second thought is this. They’re not insane like your parents. They clearly have logical thought processes behind them, as seen by their mathematics. To them, it's a situation of the ends justifying the means, not a crazy religious conspiracy. They’re doing it for their families, and to top it all off, they were more than happy to let us kill or even torture them if it meant our cooperation.” Izuku had an entire database around the cult in his Documentarian Skill by now. “I’d rather we turn them into our own personal work force, for the Shadow Duo persona. We can have them working behind the scenes for us in a legal fashion and they have numerous connections inside governments and other important institutions. This way, we can also keep them under our thumb. If they disbanded, or were sent to jail, the fringes of the organization could be left without leadership and cause a good deal of chaos.”

Momo took a deep breath… let it out… and nodded. “Thank you. I needed someone to do that logical part for me.”

Izuku chuckled lightly. “Always here to be of assistance ma’am.”

“I’m begging you to stop calling me ‘ma’am.’” But Momo was also smiling now.

“And we need a new name for the Shadow Duo. Cause that name just isn’t going to fly for long,” Izuku added.

“Our Hero names could be Monarch and Empress for that persona?”

Izuku nodded. “I like that. Hopefully they’ll find a different way to refer to the both of us. We’ll have to wait around the next time we show ourselves using our full power and speak to a reporter or something.”

With that all sorted, Momo felt like she could actually focus on her classes.

*******

“Today is your first Raid as a Class.” Aizawa droned on. “As such, I’ll be leaving it to your Hero Instructor. I think it’s important that you-”

“I AM HERE!”

Aizawa looked ready to shoot himself in the head. “You’re here too soon. You wanted to do that entrance but your timing is off. I hadn’t even finished my sen-”

“AND IT IS TIME TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION!”

“I… fine…” Aizawa just walked out of the classroom, leaving it to the man shouting before him.

“All Might…” Izuku gasped out.

Even Bakugo and Shoto sat up a little straighter at the sight of such a legend. With rippling muscles and a Hero Outfit that screamed ‘Merica, with a cape and everything, he was instantly recognizable.

“Today, you as Heroes take your first step forwards! You will be conquering…!” He let his voice trail off and the hype build. “...An E-Rank Dungeon!!!”

“Huh?”

Chapter Text

“E-RANK?! Who do they think I am?!” To ask who was screaming would be like asking if the sky is up, it just was a foregone conclusion.

“Chill out man…” Kirishima grumbled, trying to get close to the angry blonde without getting backhanded.

Currently the class were in the locker rooms after having been told about their first training assignment. In other words, their first Quest as a class.

“You heard All Might! He wants to see how we work together and an E-Rank Dungeon is pretty much impossible for any of us to get killed in!”

“Yeah, and some of us almost did get killed the last time we were in a Gate,” Kaminari added, which strangely caused Bakugo to simply grumble and wait for the rest of them to get their Hero Outfits on.

Izuku, obviously, couldn’t use his Monarch Outfit, so he had designed a different one for the school to use. 

It was a green and white armor-like outfit, which again, was just an illusion to go over his actual armor, but the design still held. The knuckles, as well as the shins and feet, were heavily armored in appearance to match his gauntlet shape. They kept the claw appendages on his fingers and added talons to his feet. The talons were unfortunately just aesthetic and didn’t add any attack power.

The armor was light around his joints and waist area and armor rose up Izuku’s back to cover parts of his head. He didn’t want a full helmet as the illusion would then obscure his vision slightly. Also it just looked a bit scary. The interlocking plates and minimalist design, allowed by the illusion, made the armor look futuristic. And Izuku believed that the green and white had a calming effect to it. Paired with his lack of a helmet, he looked extremely approachable compared to the other armor sets in the room. Not to mention that since specific parts of his costume drew attention, like the knuckles, people could tell at a glance what sorta Hero he was. 

A/N: I’m not going to describe everyone’s outfit, one by one but just imagine more typical armor versions of the MHA costumes. Look up Solo Leveling armor to get a sense of the design aesthetic. 

Most of the time, male Heroes chose big scary sets of armor because they thought it looked cool and intimidating, and they were more interested in killing anyways. Meanwhile girls tended to choose cuter or sexier clothes. They liked playing up the media and their stardom more than the guys. That wasn’t to say that either gender was more or less useful inside a Gate, that came down to their Rank and their skills.

Funnily enough, this wasn’t just gender standards enforcing themselves. As it turned out, Takashi himself had done a survey of most of Japan’s Heroes and the statistics leaned heavily towards what would be considered gender standard. It was just how it went. Proving that video games weren’t always wrong. The boys chose the big scary armor, the girls chose the boob armor.

Regardless, by comparison, Izuku’s outfit kinda bridged the gap, offering a functional armor that allowed itself to be more peaceful to look at. It felt more like a police officer walking around as compared to a marching mountain of metal.

Which of course meant that he was the odd one out amongst the men, as they all had very harsh, jagged looking armor, most of them with some sort of helmet or faceplate.

Thankfully, he wasn’t completely left out of the class, as many of the women had similar lighter-armored looks, but many of them were still very practical looking.

The one Izuku focused on was, of course, Momo.

“Woah…” Izuku rapidly blinked his eyes at the outfit in front of him. It was… “A dress?”

Momo looked happy at that. “So it fools even you!”

“Huh?” Izuku looked back at the crimson-red dress waving seductively back and forth… They were, “Pants?”

“I didn’t bother sending the school a Hero Outfit! I’ve been tinkering on my own!” She proudly exclaimed.

Izuku took another look, finaling seeing through the illusion. Her Hero outfit was basically just several patches of thin armoring across her body, exposing things like her stomach, parts of her arms, and parts of her legs. It gave her a Lara Croft adventurer style. 

The dress part seemed to be an illusion created by the shimmering pieces of the armor. 

“Watch this,” She focused briefly and the dress shimmered at a different frequency.

“Oh…” Izuku took a step back, looking away as his mind became fogged with disorientation. “Please don’t do that.”

“It’s a frequency that affects anything with visual receptors like ours. I figured since I’m more of a long-range fighter, it would be helpful to have a quick stunning ability on hand.”

“You made an illusionary device into a weapon…” Izuku stared at her with both pride and just the tiniest bit of horror. “This girl could absolutely find a way to destroy the world.”

“Stylish and practical!” Kaminari commented. “My type of girl!”

“Oh please, like you give a damn about either,” Jiro bit back, smacking him upside the head. “You just wanna see her with the dress off.”

“Ow! You don’t have to keep hitting- OW!”

“The two of ‘em are dating, so lay off already,” Jiro said, pointing to Izuku and Momo before smacking Kaminari one last time for good measure.

“Damn, really?!” Kaminari looked genuinely shocked. “Oh… um… I’m sorry…”

Momo didn’t seem to care about the situation and Izuku just waved it off. 

“Wait… you two?” Iida asked, as if he hadn’t spent any time with them.

“Seriously?” Setsuna rebuked him. “You didn’t notice? Not during lunch? During class? They kept glancing at each other. You people are blind!”

Iida went wide-eyed, as if his whole world view had been destroyed. “I hadn’t noticed…” Many others also stared at the two in shock.

“G-Guys… it’s not that big of a deal…” Izuku stammered, feeling like that E-Rank kid all over again, uncertain and embarrassed.

Momo on the other hand just smiled and took her seat on the bus that the class was meeting at. She decided to take mercy on the green-haired boy and change the subject. “So are we sure this is an E-Rank?”

No one had an answer to that, even as the bus got moving towards their destination.

“They wouldn’t lie,” Yui finally said. “We’ve already experienced the unexpected with the Recursive Gate, so they wouldn’t try to teach us the same lesson twice.”

“Also it’s not like the school can just create Red Gates out of thin air.” Tokoyami added.

“So it really is just an E-Rank Dungeon?” Kaminari sighed, all the talk of Red Gates getting him stressed out.

“Don’t be so pathetic!” Bakugo growled. “If they wanted to test us out they’d give us a C-Rank at least!”

“Maybe they couldn’t get any on short notice,” Momo said, pointedly glaring at Bakugo with no tact at all.

“Oh yeah, I forgot they have to buy ‘em out like an Agency does,” Kirishima said. “That would make sense if it was the only low Rank Gate to show up recently… but low Rank Gates are super common…”

“Maybe Endeavor is getting stingy,” Bakugo said, smirking at Shoto, who remained silent and uninterested.

“Regardless, it would be smart to remain under the assumption that this is a standard Raid. Nothing is certain, and caution must be taken at every turn!”

Iida may have been too dense to notice Izuku and Momo’s relationship, but those who already knew him from the Entrance Exam trusted him to lead a Raid Party. Bakugo and Shoto would be an issue when it came to following his lead, but they’d cross that bridge when they came to it.

*******

“GREETINGS HEROES!!!”

Upon entering the Gate, the class found All Might sitting by a small campfire, roasting marshmallows above the flames. It was a sight that Izuku couldn’t help but smile at. For years, he’d worshiped All Might. Not just as the pinnacle of strength, but the pinnacle of a person. 

There was no flashy armor, no intimidating aura, just a big smile and muscle that made you feel safe, rather than threatened. He was one of the five National-Ranks in the world, and he was the only one who acted as such. Here he was, sitting by a campfire, greeting the next generation with marshmallows.

The inside of the Gate was quiet, peaceful. A starry night occupied the sky, hundreds of fusion clusters filling the void to create a galaxy above their heads. In the midst of the dark forest, it truly felt like a camping trip.

“Please! Take a seat!”

Despite the fact that this was a Dungeon, it was still an E-Rank, even the weakest in the class would be physically immune to anything the Villains in the Gate could throw at them.

So the class gathered around, with only Shoto and Bakugo continuing to stand, their arms crossed. But All Might paid them no heed.

“Do you know why I brought you to such a weak Gate?”

“You said it was because this is a great place to show off where we’re at without getting killed,” Kirishima answered, confused by the question itself, or rather, why it was being asked in the first place.

“Yes, that is true!” All Might handed the first marshmallow to him, taking out another to roast. Kirishima happily bit into it. “But there is more!” Despite his smile, his words became somber. “You are Heroes… That is what society deems you. Do not forsake that name.” All Might gestured to the forest with a free hand. “This is not Earth. It is a different planet, with its own ecosystem, its own life. Life that we call ‘Villains.’ This black-and-white terminology that we have created is unfair. Life is life.”

Iida nodded. “We saw that for ourselves inside of the Recursive Gate… The Ice Elves killed one of their own to save Midoriya…”

All Might handed the next sugary gooey goodness to him. “Indeed. Make no mistake, when it comes to the people, Villains must be put down, for the sake of society. But do not treat these beings as pure evil! They are not!” All Might’s voice shook, emotion welling up within himself. “You and I have both seen their capacity for civility. Their capacity for good. I have brought you to this Gate because I want you to see the possibilities their biology allows for. In many ways, they are beautiful… but misguided.”

He sobered up, his voice returning to its standard tone. “I lied to you about wanting to see your current capabilities. We will save that for another day. First… I want you to experience being human inside of a Gate… not Heroes… humans…” He stood, handing the bag off to Iida. “Defend yourself if you must , but do try to avoid violence. I have no goals for you to complete inside this Gate. Simply exist here until I come to get you. Take in your surroundings. Recognize that this is not the place where true evil dwells.”

With that, he marched back through the swirling portal, leaving the class alone.

Bakugo scoffed. “What a load of shit…”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Izuku wiped a tear forming in the corner of his eyes away. The emotion in All Might’s voice stirred the hearts of most of the class, reminding them that he was not some meathead, but society’s shining star.

Iida set down the bag of marshmallows. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?” Bakugo asked with loathing in his voice.

“Go take a walk,” He responded.

“Tch,” Shoto broke off from the group, grumbling under his breath.

“That’s the way to the Boss…” Izuku informed him.

Flames erupted from Shoto’s left side. “Why do you think I’m heading that direction?”

“We weren’t supposed to-”

“Heroes exterminate the Villains. That man was wrong,” He said, letting his bloodlust leak out, freezing Iida in place.

With that, Shoto vanished into the forest.

“And I’m not taking some stupid ass walk in the park with you losers,” Bakugo growled, walking off in the opposite direction of Shoto.

No one wanted to follow either, and many looked to Iida as their leader.

He sighed. “If the Gate is to close as the result of Todoroki’s actions, we’ll know and have time to make it back here to exit. I suggest we do as All Might says, and try to take in what this Gate has to offer.”

Whereas Shoto and Bakugo walked off to the East and West respectively, Iida made for the North, so that the rest of the class could enjoy their walk. But what they didn’t notice was a sneaky figure following after Bakugo.

The class walked into the forest… and vanished.

*******

“Uhhh… where’d everyone else go?” Setsuna asked, ending up in the middle of the thicket of trees, with only Izuku and Yui there to keep her company.

“I can sense them… But they’re miles away.” Izuku looked around. They had just entered the thicket of the forest and yet the trees seemed to go on forever in every direction. “It’s spacial magic. I don’t think it’s malevolent… it’s just how the forest works.”

Igris emerged from Izuku’s shadow looking around with caution, but like Izuku didn’t sense any sort of ill-intent. He pointed in one direction, drawing Izuku’s attention.

It was a small furry creature, which could be likened to a capybara mixed with a hyena, with a stout body and dog-like head.

It walked behind a tree, emerging several meters away where it began chewing on a plant of some sort.

Izuku’s guess was spot on. The spatial distortion wasn’t a trap, but just a given for the denizens. Shown by how the creature had no trouble navigating to its food of choice.

“That doesn’t look befitting of the name ‘Villain.’” Setsuna said, struggling against her urge to pet the thing.

“Probably All Might’s point,” Yui mentioned, also wishing to pet the creature.

“You should put away the Summon,” Setsuna said. “If we can be separated by miles in an instant, we can also be reunited in an instant.”

“Good thinking.”

Igris slunk back into the darkness of Izuku’s shadow, leaving them alone.

“Did you see that?” Yui asked, looking closely at the creature.

“Huh? I don’t see anything.”

“Right… there…”

Izuku craned his neck to see that Yui wasn’t looking at the creature, but something behind it. An unearthly blue shape, transparent, but clear enough to discern, a spirit hiding behind a tree.

*******

[Incorporeal Demolith]

Rank: Unknown

Type: Spirit

Role: Unknown

Proficiencies: Unknown

Skills: Unknown

*******

“Not very helpful…”

A Demolith was a species of sub-human creatures. Many likened them to Golems, but Demoliths weren’t as simple as that. Golems were dolls created by others, given life by Mana. But they didn’t have a soul or sentience. Golems were robots. Demoliths were souls that inhabited materials, such as stone, making them look like Golems. It was a very fine difference, but it was an important one, because it allowed them to manifest after death. When a Demolith chose a material at birth, that was it, that was their life. If that body died, they died.

Since they were born as incorporeal souls, they were more likely to manifest as a type of spirit after death. They were the subject of a long and on-going study into the spiritual essence of all living things.

Regardless, their spiritual forms were a lot less dangerous than the material ones. A magic attack of any kind could easily kill them, whether it be from a magical sword or a spell from a mage. They really had no method of attack aside from some basic forms of magic. So even though it was a somewhat rare encounter, it was about as dangerous as an ant to Izuku.

The spirit itself was more or less a blue ball of energy. It reminded Izuku of an atom as they were typically visualized. A solid mass with many other spheres orbiting around it.

“Can you talk to it?”

Izuku shrugged. “Uhh… can you understand me?”

The spirit briefly glowed brighter, but that was it. It turned around… Well actually it was impossible to tell which way it was facing, but it started moving the direction opposite to the group, suddenly vanishing behind a set of trees.

“Let’s follow it!” Setsuna suddenly cried out, rushing after the spirit and vanishing just as it had done.

Yui and Izuku exchanged a glance, shrugged, and followed closely behind.

*******

Bakugo woke up with a throbbing headache. Not because he had been hit in the head, but because the drugs that Momo had dosed him with had that side effect.

“I… I knew someone was following me…” Bakugo went to stand, but could only attempt to lurch forwards, as his body was tied to a tree with magical rope created by Momo. His hands were encased in metal spheres, preventing him from using his explosives.

“I thought it was that piece of shit… but it’s just his bitch.”

Momo said nothing, staring at him blankly. She knew he’d have a few things to say, so she’d let him say them, and then get down to business. 

“I’ve been called a lot worse than someone’s bitch,” She said, taking a leisurely seat up against the tree opposite to Bakugo. “I’ve also seen much worse than the word vomit you spew.”

“Good for you,” Bakugo spat. “Now let me out so I can kick your ass!”

“Here’s the thing. Izuku helped me move forwards, he helped me get away from my parents. He freed me of that burden. I want to do the same for him.” Momo’s eyes lit up with energy. “You’ve been a blight on his life for years. I’ve heard too many stories about what you’ve done to him, the things you’ve said, how you’ve hit him and hurt him. The amount of injuries that you inflicted, the ones I had to heal.”

“So you’re gonna kill me?” Bakugo asked with a smirk.

Momo scoffed. “Izuku, for some reason beyond my understanding, still cares for you. He wants to be friends like before. But you don’t have the capacity to have a mature conversation, so I decided to pull it out of you.”

“He already knows why I hate him! I shouted it!”

“He’s an extra?” Momo giggled, in a way that would’ve reminded someone of her sadistic mother. “You have no idea how special Izuku Midoriya is. He’s far more than a background character.”

“Tch, he must love having a housewife like you. Just spewing bullshit about him all day!”

Momo smiled, creating a small syringe from her Quirk. “Izuku doesn’t know everything about me. My parents taught me a lot of things before I escaped them. Do you know what magically enhanced acid feels like when it's injected right into your veins? Could you handle the pain of me cutting your toes off one by one, only to have me regrow them and do it all over again?”

Bakugo, to his credit, just gave a cocky grin. “You’re insane.”

“Izuku doesn’t believe that you’re discriminating against him, and I don’t believe in your ‘extra’ argument. So either you tell me the real reason, so we can work this out, or I force it out of you.” Momo didn’t betray a hint of emotion.

“You wanna know why I hate him? That’s it? That’s all you care about?” Bakugo laughed. “I’ve got no problem telling you why he’s a waste. He’s a pathetic parasite who leeches off others to make some cash. He never once apologized for it either. He should still be E-Rank, because no Hero would act like he did. He’s at the bottom of the ladder and he acts like it.”

“And you still think that about him?”

“Of course I do! He may act all tough and he may be stronger now, but people don’t change. The second he’s faced with someone stronger than him, he’ll become the same pathetic mess!”

Momo frowned. “After what you heard yesterday… you still think he’s pathetic? Surviving all he’s been through? Helping others, saving my life twice over? Saving everyone in that Recursive Gate?” She shook her head. “He’s never been pathetic. He’s always had a will equal to yours, if not greater, he just didn’t have the strength to follow it up. If you had been Awakened as an E-Rank, and Izuku had been the A-Rank, how would you feel if he treated you the same way?”

“I wouldn’t be an E-Rank.”

“That’s it? That’s your argument? God, Setsuna was right, you’re the same as all the other Heroes, some pathetic classist dickhead.” She stood, throwing the syringe aside.

“Heh, were you ever gonna actually use that?”

“No,” Momo glared at him. “My parents may have taught me to torture a man till he’s begging to be killed, but I’m not like them, and I’m not like you. I don’t think that I’m different because I have power. I’m human, and I care about those around me, end of story. But you, you’re just a creature, you’re not human. You don’t feel any sort of empathy for those around you. You abuse them and treat them like garbage! I’d like to see you in the same situations Izuku has faced! You’d be a sniveling wreck! He’s gone through more than you ever will!”

“Are we done?” Bakugo asked, starting to look bored.

“I should leave you here,” Momo said. “Just let you sit here until the Gate closes and you’re trapped on a different planet for the rest of your pathetic miserable life.”

“Pathetic? I’m an A-Rank! I’m stronger than most of the world! I’ll be scouted by all sorts of Agencies and-”

“You’re not happy…” Momo stated bluntly. “You scream and bitch and complain constantly. No one wants to be around you so you have no friends. Your parents probably can barely stand you, much less love you. You’re stuck at an A-Rank. You’ll never surpass someone like All Might, not in strength, and not in maturity. You. Are. Pathetic.” She waved her hands and the restraints around Bakugo vanished.

“DUMB BITCH!”

Bakugo launched from his sitting position, explosions from his palms propelling him forwards. Momo took a single step to the left and threw a punch with all her might.

Bakugo’s face practically deformed underneath her fist. She broke his nose, and fractured his cheekbone. She may not have been as physically strong as Izuku, but she was no pushover.

“If you were a National-Rank, then you could act like a king, no one would complain about your arrogance. But you’re not. You’re just a normal man. Even I could kill you.” 

Momo pulled back her leg and kicked Bakugo in the stomach. The wind was forced from his lungs as he collapsed, spitting up blood.

“Stand up,” She demanded. “Izuku would’ve already been up. He would’ve had a plan ages ago. He would’ve bit back the pain and come up with something.”

“Kill… you…” Bakugo looked up, wiping away the blood from his mouth. But all he saw was the empty forest. Momo was gone. 

In truth, she wasn’t standing very far away. Merely cloaked in Stealth, she retraced her steps, back to the beginning of the spatial forest. 

In the faintest corner of her mind, she had the belief that Izuku had perhaps wronged Bakugo in a way that he didn’t even know. That was the only way Momo could see Bakugo being mad at Izuku for any genuine reason.

As much as she cared for Izuku, she had hoped that was the case. Because if Izuku had wronged Bakugo, she knew he would take steps to apologize and make up for whatever he had done. She knew that things could be patched up.

But it was not so simple. Izuku had never wronged Bakugo, and Momo felt stupid for even thinking that in the first place. It was blind hope that she could help alleviate his own mental duress as he had done for her. 

Bakugo was just an asshole, nothing more, nothing less. To Momo, he was a lost cause. Neither kindness, nor harshness, would cause him to change. Izuku had shown him kindness for years, and Momo had been sure to thoroughly humiliate him. And still he seemed ready to spit obscenities about Izuku. 

Momo had done the one thing Izuku would likely refuse to, so she’d let it simmer for now. She only hoped Izuku wouldn’t disapprove.

*******

“Are these… houses?” Setsuna brushed her fingers against a structure made out of a strange material, like a cross between bone and metal.

*******

[Calcarium]

Description: A material created by Rigs, a creature that has a mutually beneficial relationship with the Demoliths. Rigs have a very dense magical body, causing them to produce magical metal naturally inside of their digestive tract. Demoliths allow Rigs to feed off the bone and bone marrow of their kills. From this, Rigs excrete an incredibly sturdy material, strong enough to build skyscrapers.

*******

“It’s… basically poop…” Izuku said, trying not to cringe as he pulled his hands away from it, explaining the symbiosis to the girls.

However, neither Setsuna nor Yui seemed all that disgusted, and continued to touch it, probably because it looked nothing like poop and because magical creatures tended to not carry bacteria as a result of their altered biology. Some did, some didn’t, so it was kind of a toss-up.

“There’s so many,” Yui said, looking down at the rows of houses. It was like a standard suburban neighborhood you’d find in the USA. There were hundreds of them symmetrically lined end-to-end. But none of them were occupied… well, not by anything living.

“Aww…” Setsuna frowned. 

Inside many of the houses were corpses, little more than bones and dust. Ones that resembled the capybara-like creature from earlier, making Izuku realize he hadn’t used Documentarian on it. They were Rigs.

“If they don’t eat enough bone, the metal builds up in their body and it kills them…”

“But the Demoliths… where are they?” Setsuna asked just in time to see the spirit dart behind a house.

“Maybe it has the answer,” Izuku said, thinking back to the living Rig in the forest. He hoped it wasn’t the last of its kind.

“Can you resurrect them?” Yui asked as they ran after the spirit.

Izuku shook his head. “I don’t have their souls.”

*******

[Souls]

Description: The Spiritual Essence of all creatures resides within their Souls. It is what humans call “consciousness.” Souls can linger with their now dead body for days, weeks, months, years, and sometimes far longer. The Shadow Monarch can see these Souls and take them for himself.

*******

Izuku looked around, but found nothing resembling a Soul. It seemed that the Rigs had moved on long ago.

“There!” Setsuna pointed to a central clearing, where the houses encircled the weeds of a once flourishing town. Above it, was the spirit. They approached slowly once they got close, not wanting to startle the spirit, but it made no move regardless.

At the center of the clearing, there was a single corpse. A golden body, once inhabited by a powerful soul. It was a Demolith husk. The more potent the material, the stronger a Demolith was. So despite gold being a rather weak metal, it represented a great deal of potential. Any Demolith inhabiting gold would be an A-Rank powerhouse, at least. 

It was bipedal, just like humans, but had four arms and no head, just a torso. One of its arms was outstretched, towards a chunk of stone. It had carved a message, a message in a language that none of the trio could understand. Thankfully, the System was kind enough.

[In war, the losing side shall always be those who fight, and never those who lead their kingdoms into battle.]

Izuku recited the message to the girls.

“That’s why it’s so empty… they fought in a war…” Yui somberly averted her gaze from the Demolith shell.

“What does it mean?” Setsuna sheepishly asked.

“Presidents, kings, dictators. Any sort of leader who starts a war is never the one who suffers. It’s always the people they send to fight. Because those men and women would rather shake hands than kill each other,” Izuku answered, recalling a moment in history when two sides of a warfront called a truce to happily play a game of soccer against each other. They laughed, they joked, they shared their food and drink, because the men they fought were not their enemies by nature.

“This is all so… pointless…” Izuku muttered, tears forming in the corners of his eyes once more. Arcka, Rasaka, Anok, Baruka. Did any of them actually want to fight? The Gates couldn’t truly be as simple as “Us vs Them.” After all Izuku had seen, there had to be more to these creatures they called Villains.

*******

[Secret Quest: The Fate of Innocence has been completed!]

[Rewards:]

• 1. +50 Stat Points

• 2. Any one S-Rank Item from the Store

• 3. Demolith Soul

• 4. Magic Iso-Crystalline Gold Dust

*******

As Izuku received the System message, the blue Spirit orb began to disappear. Like sand blowing in the wind, it was pulled apart, particle-by-particle. Within just a few seconds, it was gone, and checking his Soul List, Izuku found a new name.

“Arise.”

[Demolith Lvl. 1 - Normal Grade]

[Demolith is searching for material to inhabit.]

“Oh!” Izuku quickly opened the store as the girls watched the new floating Shadow Orb zip around. Demoliths in nature could apparently only inhabit natural resources, but this Demolith was under Izuku’s rule, and would listen to his suggestions.

“Uhhh… this one!”

Yui and Setsuna gave Izuku a weird look as he waved and spoke at the air. They knew he had something special going on, but they didn’t know about the System.

[Divine Steel]

“Here! Use this!” Izuku held out the material to the Soul.

It didn’t hesitate to rocket into the metal, lifting it from Izuku’s hands as it began stretching and deforming it. Before long, the Divine Steel had ballooned in size, as if the Demolith was duplicating it.

Within moments, the same shape as the golden husk on the ground had been formed. The only difference being that the deceased golden Demolith was around human size. But this Divine Steel Demolith… it stood taller than the trees.

Shadows raced up the marble-white steel as the soul settled into its new body. Eventually, it looked like a normal Shadow, with white accent lines instead of the typical green.

[Divine Steel Demolith Lvl. 5 - Captain Grade]

The behemoth, as strong as Igris, delicately took a knee before Izuku, its four arms resting their knuckles upon the weeds of his once great town.

There was more to be done with the System, but Izuku decided that, out of respect, it could wait until they had left the new Shadow’s old home.

“Let’s get out of here.”

*******

Thankfully, the newest Shadow of Izuku’s collection was kind enough to point them to an archway of sorts between several trees, leading them to the entrance to the forest, where they had begun. It was easier than stumbling through spatial distortions, for sure.

So Izuku recalled the giant, promising to name him soon, and the trio passed through the arch.

“I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED YOUNG MAN!”

Izuku emerged just in time to see All Might looking down at Shoto with the closest thing to anger he had ever seen in the National-Rank. He always appeared so smiley on television, so this was Izuku’s first time seeing him without the smile.

“Well we were gonna kill it anyways,” Shoto dully said in response.

“But that was not the assignment I gave you!”

Uraraka turned around in time to see the trio approaching. “Oh! There you guys are! That’s everyone then!”

“What’s going on?” Setsuna asked.

“Todoroki is getting chewed out for killing the Gate Boss.” Momo answered with a slight smirk, just as Izuku caught sight of Bakugo.

“What happened to him?” Izuku whispered. His old friend was bruised and just a little bloodied. He stared off into the night sky, his mouth slightly agape and his eyes dull.

“I… happened,” Momo said, wincing as she did so.

But Izuku just chuckled. “Well, now we’ve given him the carrot and the stick, so if he doesn’t come around, it isn’t our fault.” Momo sighed in relief, happy that she hadn’t offended her partner with her actions.

“This is our job. Don’t act so pathetic,” Shoto finished off the conversation, walking back out of the Gate.

All Might stared in shock for a few moments at the retreating sight of Todoroki. “I see… Endeavor… you…” All Might stifled the grumbles under his breath and turned towards the class. “Well, I trust the rest of you followed my directions?” They nodded. “Good! Great even! Tell me all about it on the bus ride back!”

Izuku reached out to take Momo’s hand, not just to thank her for the lesson she taught Bakugo, but because he was still feeling emotional. The small plaque and its message were carved into his mind. The Villains… and the Heroes… they were both suffering just as much as the other.