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There were lights…noises…sirens…chaos. There was so much happening, so much, so quickly.
“I’m free!”
“I thought I was going to die there!”
“I’m going to get the hell out here while I have the chance!”
She peaked from outside her prison cell, observing the array of prisoners running out in a frantic frenzy, curious as to how this even happened. Did the most secure prison in Japan…or mostly, in the world, manage to get infiltrated? But how and by who?
Something must’ve happened while she was imprisoned, something catastrophic. Even if these guards kept their mouths shut, she suspected something occurred in the mainland.
“Freedom!!”
Like these fools, she should make her way out as well. But she was hesitant; whoever did this must be powerful. One wrong move and she would be a goner, but she wasn’t going to rot in this jail…not when her business was already teetering to the side of a thin tightrope. So, she stepped out of her cell and ran, joining the mob of prisoners rushing out towards an exit that would open the doors to their long-awaited freedom.
It wasn’t long before she arrived at an exit and emerged outside. The view before her was disastrous. Watch towers were on the ground, crumbled to pieces. The place was engulfed in flames, smoke coming from the fires spewing and shrouding the place in a thick smog.
“What the hell…” She whispered.
She carefully walked along the ruins of what once was the surface level of Tartarus. Prisoners rushed past her, all in a frantic frenzy of elation or confusion. She watched, analyzing them. She didn’t know what to feel…both maybe?
“Oh, would you look at that?” Someone with a deep, gruff voice spoke from behind her. Immediately she turned, startled by the sudden voice, “If it isn’t the amazing Hex, what a pleasure to see you.”
Hex’s eyes trailed up to look at the towering man, a machine almost the size of his torso hoisted from his shoulder. Her eyes bulged in shock; she knew who this was.
“All for One…” She gasped, her eyes fixed on him, his menacing aura sending alarms of imminent danger throughout her entire body, “But I—I thought you—did you—”
“Calm down there. To answer your question, yes, I caused this. This is just the first step in bringing a better world for us, for all of us. You were wronged by the heroes. Shunned because of the power you possess. But I’m here to change that,” All for One explained, “I will destroy this dreaded society that has harmed us and bring in a new world, one where people like you will be able to live freely among the worthy.”
Hex listened.
A world where no one would dare call her a freak. Where she could do as she pleased without fear of punishment. A place where she would be both revered and feared.
A slow grin crept across her face.
“I see that this prospect appeals you?” All for One asked.
Hex chuckled, “Your dream seems absurd but knowing you, I know you’ll make it possible with the hell you already unleashed. I was bested by those dam heroes. Of course, I’m going to say yes to a world where I can do whatever I want.”
All for One smiled, “I am aware you run a formative quirk trafficking business with your partner, Flux. Hmmm, I tried to find him but didn’t have any luck, he might’ve already escaped. Anyway, I can help you do what you do best and better. I will make sure you are the face of the underground market; no one will dare cross you.”
Hex crossed her arms and gazed at All for One, “What a promise, but there must be a catch to all of this. You are All for One, after all, I know how you play.”
“Clever as always,” All for One informed, “Yes, for me to go forward with my promise I do require a favor from you.”
Hex stiffened at those words. What kind of favor could someone like him possibly want from her?
“From what I am aware, you have interacted with Izuku Midoriya am I correct?”
Hex nearly revolted at the pronunciation of that name. She hadn’t forgotten about him, how could he after everything he had done…oh, it was all very clear in her mind.
“I have.” She replied, her tone laced with fury.
“And you must know how he fights, how he acts, and most importantly what his quirk is and how it behaves.” All for One explained.
“Oh, I sure do,” Hex replied, malice spewing from her words.
“Wonderful!” All for One exclaimed, clasping his hands together, emanating a loud clap, “Then you will be perfect for this!”
Hex jumped. What did he mean by “perfect for this”?
“In a few days, Izuku Midoriya will be leaving UA to hunt me down. He won’t be alone, he will have Endeavor, Hawks, Best Jeanist, and All Might close to him. But they won’t be beside him 24/7. I want you to capture him and bring him to me at a mansion in Haibori Woods. In 3 months, I will be there to grab the boy from you. You could do whatever works for you, but I would recommend waiting when he is most vulnerable.” All for One explained, “I’m sure your quirk will be perfect for the job, but I would love to give you something extra, something that will help you perform at your best. And once you grab the boy, I will move forward with my promise.”
Hex thought about it. She looked at the chaos before her, prisoners shouting and running, complete pandemonium happening around her. A part of her urged her to walk away. She was free now. She could find Flux, and together they could disappear like before. They could rebuild their business and stick to what they knew best. But All for One had the power to change the world, and it was unlikely she could say “never mind” to the possibly the strongest villain in the world. So, knowing where her options lay, she took a quick breath and exhaled.
“Alright, I’ll help you capture Izuku Midoriya for you.”
And it wouldn’t be too hard. She knew that boy like the back of her hand. His history, his quirk, his emotions, his fighting style. Everything. Just one mishap…one small exploitation and he will have him wrapped around her fingers, just like before. One for All will prove difficult, but she can work around it, she has her ways…her many, many ways.
“Amazing! I’m glad to have you on board. Now, for my gift.”
All for One extended his arm, and a red light began to swirl around her. She closed her eyes, waiting for what was to come.
Another mission to capture Midoriya.
She smiled.
This should be fun.
“Are you sure about this, Young Midoriya?”
“Yes…” He replied, clutching his newly issued black phone, breathing rather heavily, “I have to.”
“But…you should rest. Ever since the incident with Lady Nagant, you haven’t taken some time to let your wound heal. You’re going to—you’re going to hurt yourself beyond reparation if you continue.” All Might explained.
Midoriya squeezed the phone and snarled, “How the hell can I rest when Danger Sense won’t shut up?! Every second I stall just gives All for One more time to plan. Plus, there might be more hired guns like Lady Nagant who can give me the information I need.” He could feel a whirlpool of emotions flowing from inside him, spewing at extraordinary levels. Tears threatened to fall but he wouldn’t let them, “Just let me do this…I’m fine. I’ll call you once I find the threat.”
“Young Midoriya wait—”
But Midoriya ended the call before the tears spilled over.
He’s fine.
He’s fine.
He looked ahead at the desolate street he was standing on. It was night, and just as rainy as it was during his fight with Lady Nagant. The silence was overwhelming, broken only by the distant howls of nocturnal animals, the low rumble of thunder, and the soft pitter-patter of the drizzling rain against the ground.
Midoriya looked up at the darkened sky. No stars, no moon, both covered by thick gray skies. The void of darkness enveloped him, but he welcomed it. In the shadows, he could strike and ambush his enemies before they even had a chance to react.
The young hero took some slow steps until moving into a rhythmic walk. His limbs felt heavy and dangerously weak. The side where Lady Nagant’s bullet pierced through him stung with every step he took, and the various bruises and cuts through his body amplified the lethargic sensation his body was experiencing. But he kept going because he had to…because he needed to.
He walked and walked and walked, looking around and hearing the soft thumping from his heavy steps. He took deep and labored breaths with every walk, almost hoping the extra oxygen would help subside the everlasting physical and emotional ache that surrounded him. Blackwhip stayed active at every waking hour as a warning sign to any threat that decided to cross him.
It hurt. Everything hurt.
But he’s fine.
He’s fine.
He’s okay.
“Oh my, what a situation you put yourself in.”
In an instant, the familiar piercing sensation from Danger Sense rammed through his head. Midoriya stopped because that voice…he didn’t pounce with a determined scowl as he usually did, instead he paused, terrified.
Because that voice.
He knew that voice.
“Running yourself ragged until you can’t walk anymore, still determined as always, huh, Midoriya.”
“No…it couldn’t be,” Midoriya whispered, petrified.
He should act, find her, and grab her.
But he didn’t because the rising fear in his heart was louder than his own sound reasoning.
“H-Hex! But how—you were—" Midoriya stuttered, not daring to look behind his back where the sound was coming from, scared for what he would see.
“Arrested? I was, but do you remember what happened at Tartarus, young one?” Hex explained, “I’m out and now I’m here to visit my favorite little hero, so why don’t you turn around so we can catch up, hm?”
“Izuku, run” His thoughts screamed, “Get out!”
Every fiber of his being was telling him to get out, to let go of the hired gun hunt, and let her be. She was the last person she wanted to see, especially after everything she did…everything she made him do. Because of her, he hurt his friends. Because of her, he almost lost his mind. And because of her, he and his friends were almost sold into—
No.
He couldn’t stay in the past. This villain was out, roaming free, able to do whatever she pleased. He couldn’t let others suffer the same fate he did—he wouldn’t allow innocent lives to be exploited by her, never again. So, he clutched his fists and slowly turned around to face the woman, his heart knocking at his ribs.
Hex smiled, “There you are.”
Midoriya stared at the villain before him. His eyes were a piercing green, shadowed by his hood, but inside he was shuddering. However, he kept his composure…fear was one of the many emotions she could take advantage of; he couldn’t let her see that. Instead, he took deep breaths and exhaled through his respirator, analyzing her while he did so.
She looked nearly identical to how he remembered her, except for what she was wearing. She wore a long, sleeveless trench coat in a deep shade of purple that flowed down to her knees. Beneath it, a dark mini skirt peeked out, paired with a black, fitted long-sleeve shirt tucked neatly underneath. Opaque leggings hugged her legs, disappearing into dark brown combat boots. Her hair, loose and wild, danced in the wind, catching the light drizzle that signaled the approaching rain. The soft purple highlights in her hair gleamed, vibrant against the dim, shadowed surroundings.
And her smile, wide and gleaming, emanated malice and excitement.
“Never thought I would see you again, but I’m so glad I could see that cute face of yours even if it’s all covered by that mask. So, how are Todoroki and Bakugo? Maybe I could give them a visit once we are done here,” Hex chuckled.
At those words, Midoriya perked up, anger now mixing with the cocktail of emotions he was experiencing.
“Shut the hell up. You aren’t visiting anyone!” Swiftly, he activated full cowling and his Blackwhip jolted into action, ready to attack, “I’m taking you back where you belong. You are not hurting anyone ever again!”
“Oh? Well, you could do that, but don’t you want to know where All for One is hiding? Isn’t that the reason why you’ve been running yourself to the ground?” Hex dictated, taking a few steps forward, not fazed by Midoriya’s threatening aura.
Midoriya relaxed a bit, shocked by what he just heard.
No…is she—a hired gun?!
“No—you’re not—you’re working for him!” He yelped.
“Very observant. That is correct. I thought it would be a nice little job so I could get back what I lost…what you stole from me. But! I’m reasonable.” She coaxed, “Let’s play a little game. Come at me. Come and catch me and if you do, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about him. But if I get to you first, then you know what is going to happen. And I won’t use my quirk,” She showed her palms and wrapped them behind her back, “See. I need to make both eye and skin contact to activate my quirk. I promise I won’t do anything.”
Midoriya looked at Hex, listening to what she had to say.
He didn’t trust her—not even a little. But she might be one of the last links he had at gaining information on All for One, so he had to follow through, even when his thoughts were yelling at him to get away.
It’ll be easy. From what Midoriya remembered, Hex is not a physically strong person and Danger Sense isn’t pinging him of anyone else close by—such as a pawn she could have used her quirk on. If he was quick, he could catch her, and it would end there. But to be safe…he quickly adjusted his torn gloves and pressed a hidden SOS system, one that would warn the heroes involved in the search.
“Alright. If I catch you,” Midoriya prepared his stance, a pink hue covering his legs, “You tell me everything you know.”
Hex nodded, “You got it.”
So, in an instant, Midoriya activated Full Cowling and let Fa Jin flow through his legs. He took a step back and immediately shifted his momentum forward, but as he was about to dart ahead, his legs stopped.
And his arms, and his entire body—everything was frozen.
Midoriya panicked, why couldn’t he move!? What happened!?
“Oh, what’s wrong? Having some difficulties?” Hex taunted.
Was this her? No…wait—
Lady Nagant…All for One. Of course! Just like her, she must’ve received a quirk from him. Why didn’t he think this through before he accepted her demands!?
Hex walked slowly toward him, enjoying his struggle. Midoriya tried to move but he was completely frozen in place. His limbs felt paralyzed, unresponsive, leaving him completely vulnerable as Hex closed the distance, her presence thick and suffocating. His heart pounded, and his senses yelled at him. Everything was urging him to flee, but his body refused to obey.
But that promise! She used a quirk…she wasn’t supposed to use one!
“Wait! You said no quirk usage! This is clearly…a quirk!” Midoriya shouted, doing everything he could to wiggle out of his invisible restraints, “You broke the promise!”
“Oh, you naïve boy,” Hex stood only a few feet away from him—her piercing purple eyes which mysteriously had a golden tint, staring at him, “I said I wouldn’t use my quirk but I never said anything about borrowed ones. So, do you like it? A paralyzing quirk. Now I won’t have to rely so much on others to do my work.”
“No…no…” Midoriya gasped.
“Well, guess I got to you first, so that means,” She extended her hand forward and removed his hood and mask. Upon gazing at his fear-stricken green eyes, she smiled, “I won.”
“No…please…don’t!” He tried to close his eyes, to prevent his fate, but the same paralyzing force spread to his face.
“Let’s have some fun, Midoriya. Those heroes are coming, right? So, how about we play a nice game of villains and heroes,” She chuckled, “I’m sure All for One won’t mind.”
Hex hovered her hand over Midoriya’s exposed skin until making contact, “It'll be just like good old times.”
All of a sudden, Midoriya’s mind went blank, swallowed by a thick fog that clouded every corner of his mind. It was as if a shroud of mist tunneled in, erasing all clarity, and leaving behind a hollow and relaxing emptiness. His mind was no longer his own—lost in the haze, controlled by a woman seeking mischief and revenge.
“An SOS from Midoriya!?”
“Yes! He rarely sends those, thinking that he can handle the threat himself,” All Might informed as he ran toward the direction of the SOS message that was sent not too long ago, “I’m not too far from the location, I’ll see what’s going on but get there as soon as possible. If he sent that signal, then this must be a threat not even he can handle.”
“Yeah! Endeavor and Jeanist should have received it, but I’ll give them a call to make sure they get there as soon as possible. I should be there in about 5 minutes.” Hawks informed, “Don’t engage until we get there. This could be one of All for One’s hired guns.”
All Might picked up his pace, the rain pelting hard on him.
“Sure. Just…get there soon!” At those words, All Might hanged up, putting his phone back in his pant pocket as he continued his sprint.
The splash, splash, splash muffled the padding of his rapid footsteps, each in a hurried sequence to reach his destination. He ignored how the water splashed on his tired eyes, running down his cheeks, and how dark blotches stained the cuffs of his jeans.
His boy was in trouble.
He may not want him near him, but when he sent that SOS, he knew he had to act. Quirkless or not, he was not going to let anything happen to his boy.
After what felt like hours of running, he reached the destination of the SOS. He huffed, deeply taking in the oxygen lost during his excursion. He gazed at the tracking device, visibly seeing the green dot representing Midoriya’s location and the blue dot showing his. Midoriya should be right in front of him, but he couldn’t see him.
“Midoriya! Are you here, my boy!” All Might shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice straining to pierce through the relentless pounding of the rain.
He listened but nothing came through. So, he tried again, “Midoriya! Please! Let me know you’re okay!”
“All Might?”
A voice echoed, bouncing off the walls of the building. It sounded like him, All Might instantly perked up.
“My boy! Yes! It’s me! Where are you!?” He looked around the darkened street, searching for the source of the sound, “Are you okay!? What’s going on!?”
“All Might…” Midoriya repeated, but something changed. The curious, almost innocent ting in his tone was gone, now replaced with a vicious click that pierced through his words, “You…”
All Might stumbled, shocked by the sheer ferociousness in the cadence of his voice, “My boy?”
“You…”
All Might heard footsteps approaching from behind. He spun around quickly, and instantly came face-to-face with his successor, his face fully visible, bare of the usual green mask and metal respirator. But something was wrong. He could see it through the light of Full Cowling. His expression was distant, eyes dull and unfocused, as though a shadow had fallen over his normally radiant green eyes.
“You—you’re the reason I’m here,” He growled, “You’re the reason I ended up like this!”
All Might was stunned by what he just heard. Did he really think that—
But All Might stopped. He took a closer look at him, primarily focusing on his laser-focused eyes. The way he was moving, the haze in his eyes, and the off-character behavior—this wasn’t him talking.
There must be a quirk at play.
Someone with a mind control quirk.
“Young Midoriya,” He approached slowly, hoping to not startle him but the teenager simply perked up, ready to pounce, “Part of this is my fault, yes, but you wouldn’t point fingers like that. This isn’t you talking…someone is doing this to you.”
“All Might…All Might…”
“Midoriya, all heroes are to blame for the situation you are in. The war…everything. They are the villains, the primary reason why everything turned out the way they did.”
“All of you…you are to blame, you are to blame, you are to blame!” Midoriya shouted, his face contorted into one of unbridled rage.
“So, I want you to fight them. It is what they deserve.”
“Y-Young Midoriya…” All Might stammered, “Please, my boy,” He continued his slow steps toward the teenager, the green electricity traversing around him twitched and spasmed uncontrollably, “You would never blame the heroes. I know you can snap out of this…you’ve done it before.”
“Heroes?” There was a small moment of clarity where Midoriya’s hazed eyes perked up. Was he fighting?
“Yes, my boy! Fight!” Now just inches apart, he could see him clearly. Anger was evident in his scowl, but it was beginning to soften as if he were uncertain about how he should be feeling. All Might placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew he should keep his distance, considering his state, but he needed him to snap out of whatever had been done to him.
“All Might…” He looked at All Might’s blue eyes, almost pleading, “I…don’t—what…”
“My, my, my…you sure have gotten stronger, Midoriya.”
All Might froze…that voice.
Quickly, he turned, instinctively placing Midoriya behind him, shielding him from the threat. As soon as he turned around, his gaze met the owner of the tantalizing voice. It was the one person he hoped to never see…the one villain he hoped Midoriya never had to face.
“No…Hex.”
Hex walked forward; her hands tucked inside the pockets of her trench coat. Despite being inches shorter than the former hero, her malevolent aura made her stand feet above him, almost towering over him.
“In the flesh. As for that boy you're protecting, well, he’s mine. I’m supposed to turn him into All for One but since I caught him pretty early, I thought I would have some fun.” Hex explained, “So hand him over and nobody gets hurt.”
All Might couldn’t believe what he was hearing, completely dumbstruck by her explanation. All for One had hired her to capture Midoriya, like Lady Nagant. But unlike her, this woman wasn't a redeemable former hero; she was a true villain, devoid of any remorse or hesitation. There was no way to talk her out of this, not with how far gone she is…not with everything she has done.
He glanced behind him and noticed how eerily quiet Midoriya was, his head hanging low. It was clear he was fighting the mind control, one that…Hex created.
Hex did this to him.
He hugged him and snarled at the woman. Like hell, he’d hand him over, only for her to inflict the same horrors his successor had to endure while trapped in her cage.
“You’ll have to pry him from my cold, dead body. He does not belong to anyone, not even you.” All Might spat, “Young Midoriya…you're stronger than her, so fight!”
“I—I” Midoriya attempted to speak.
Hex, on the other hand, laughed, “Wow! You are so brave for having him so close to you. He could snap at any moment, you know?” She walked and tried to approach Midoriya, but All Might pulled back, “I knew he was going to fight this…I took notes during our last confrontation. But he’s tired, injured, and hungry. Maybe at his full strength, he would have snapped right out of my control, but now…all he needs is a little boost and he’ll be right back at it.”
All Might’s heart spiked. He needed to grab Midoriya and get out of here. But he was stuck, there was nowhere for him to go, well at least nowhere quick enough before Hex said something that would seal their fate.
Where are they…
Where the hell are the other heroes!?
“Hero.”
He felt Midoriya’s body relax.
“In case you forgot…All Might and all the heroes are to blame for everything. You are to fight them until they draw their last breath, starting with All Might who is standing right next to you.”
At those words, Midoriya stood up and tensed. All Might looked at him, frightened, “Young Midoriya…don’t do this, you can win this battle!”
Hex smiled, “Make me proud…little hero.”
“All Might…” Midoriya whispered. All Might took a step away. There was something malicious about him, an aura that seeped into his core and made him shiver.
Every fiber of his being was telling him to run.
But he won’t…no matter what.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Fight him, hero! Kill him!”
“I’m not going to run.”
Midoriya pounced and yanked his arm back before thrusting it forward. All Might quickly placed his arms in front of him, working as a shield. Once the punch landed, he momentarily switched into his muscular form. The recoil was intense, he felt it in every inch of his muscle. He was sent flying backward, but his muscular form didn’t last, he tumbled to the ground, bouncing like skipping stones, until coming to a halt.
“Shit.” All Might cursed, feeling the scraps and aches from being thrown meters away from the teenager.
Knowing that he couldn’t stay lying here, he tried to stand. But before he could even attempt to move, something wrapped tightly around his leg. He looked down—Blackwhip.
He was hauled and dragged along the asphalt. Soon after, Midoriya hurtled through the air until slamming into him and pinning him down with the full weight of his body.
“Young Midoriya! Please! Don’t let her win!” All Might begged.
But gazing at those fury-filled eyes, he knew he was lost in a deep haze produced by Hex’s hypnotism. Unlike Shinso’s quirk, there was no way to snap him out of this, unless he knocked him out. And he knew Midoriya wouldn’t allow him to enact such an action.
“It’s your fault…this is all your dam fault!” Midoriya belted, “They got hurt because of you…I’m hurt because of you! If you only you did your dam job as my successor none of this would have happened!”
All Might stopped struggling, his words seeping into his ears.
“If only you were better…I wouldn’t be in this situation!”
Upon hearing that, everything around him seemed to blur. His heart pounded in his ears as if the world had tilted off its axis.
His fault…
This was his fault.
He knew he shouldn’t listen to what Midoriya was saying since this wasn’t him speaking, it was Hex. But something about those words struck heavily within him as if an anvil had landed on top of him.
“I know…” All Might whispered, “I know it is…”
“I’m going to kill you!”
Midoriya punched, and punched, and punched, each hit ladened with a fury that shook his entire body. There was no hesitation, nothing, simply a desire to hurt him—a devious by-product of a mind control quirk. Yet, All Might let him. He lay there, silently taking each blow, his heart breaking with every strike. Each kick to the abdomen caused his breath to cut short in a harsh wheeze. Each punch to the face caused his features to twist in agony.
He should fight…he knew he should, but he couldn’t. His limbs stayed frozen, betraying the instinct to defend himself.
“Die! Die! DIE!!” Midoriya howled.
All Might could feel his consciousness beginning to waver, tethering between wakefulness and sleep. Everything Midoriya was saying, everything he was shouting at him—maybe it would be better if he wasn’t here, he was a burden after all, just a torn on everyone’s side. So, in all honesty, Midoriya was doing him a favor.
“I’m sorry—my boy,” He whispered, his voice hitching from the blood pooling in his mouth, spilling at the corners, “Just know that—I tried to—protect you—just stay safe—out there.”
“Protect you.”
A voice echoed sharply in Midoriya’s mind. Without warning, he halted his relentless attack, as though an invisible force was pulling him back.
“Fight…”
Wait…that voice, it wasn’t him.
“Kid, fight…”
“We are not going to let you lose.”
“Not again!”
A bunch of voices spoke to Midoriya, fighting and emerging through the haze clouding his mind. Hex’s command was wrapped tightly around his thoughts, distorting his perception and making him think the falsified story the villain forced into him.
All Might, hovering on the edge of unconsciousness, sensed the shift. Something was stirring within Midoriya—a battle against Hex was raging inside him—and All Might could feel it.
One for All was fighting.
“M—Midoriya…”
That anger was gone. The blatant fury that ravaged him disappeared and was now replaced with distress as if he didn’t know what was happening.
“No…no…” Midoriya whispered.
“Ugh!” Hex rasped, irritated, “One for All again! That dam quirk, I swear to god!”
Standing a few feet from the scene, Hex crossed her arms and gazed at the teenager below her, “I’m in control here, so you better finish what I commanded you to do, hero!”
“H-Hurt…heroes—no—I—” Midoriya shut his eyes tightly, a deep furrow appearing between his brows. All Might gazed at him, noticing his apparent pain.
This hurt…why does it hurt?
“Midoriya, if you keep resisting, it’s just going to hurt you more and more. So, just let go.” Hex informed, “But to help you out with that…hero, do not listen to the vestiges speaking inside of you.”
“Ninth…”
“Hero…hurt…”
“Ninth…”
“Don’t…listen.”
“Ninth! You need to wake up!!”
“Come on kid, All Might is going to die, and Hex will capture you and take you to All for One if you don’t!”
Suddenly, ghostly images of various colors appeared behind Midoriya, each one glowing with a different, ethereal hue. Their hands were outstretched, gently resting on his back as if lending him strength. All Might was baffled. These are the previous users of One for All. But how was he seeing this? He knows he is connected to One for All, but he has never seen them like this. Is this what Midoriya has been seeing?
“You can fight this, Izuku.”
That was Nana. All Might, despite his tunneling vision, focused on her, a lump forming in his throat.
He couldn’t believe it, it was her, exactly how he remembered her. She stared at him, her expression a mix of worry and resolve, determined to put an end to this and protect her student's life. All Might continued to focus on her and Nana must’ve noticed that he could see her. She was scared but despite that, she smiled, as warmly as she could. It was exactly like back then…she would smile even if things looked dire…she would smile even when her life was being taken away right in front of his eyes.
“Izuku…don’t let everything you worked for end like this. Toshi may be foolish, but he cares, so don’t let Hex distort your thoughts about him!”
“Ah!” Midoriya’s voice broke out, rising into a strangled cry, “I just—I just—”
His breath hitched and like a switch, his eyes pried open, blinking through the haze. Then, his gaze fell on the battered, injured form of his mentor, a shockwave of realization crashing over him. His mind snapped, the fog lifting for a brief second. His body jerked backward, recoiling as if struck. Something inside him shifted, the control beginning to fracture under the weight of his emotions.
“No…”
“Yes, that’s it! Fight! Use us to fight this!”
He pushed himself off him and stood up, looking at All Might. His face was swollen beyond recognition and there were welts on his body where Midoriya had hit him. His breathing was rapid and shallow, trying to grasp the air that seemed to be fleeting from his body.
The voice urging him to hurt him echoed relentlessly in his mind.
Kill him, kill him, kill him.
These words spun around his thoughts like a record player stuck on constant repeat.
It was tantalizing; he wanted to follow. Whatever he was doing was hurting him. This mental war, it hurt so much. He clutched his head in agony, urging it to stop. He was so tired…it hurt to fight.
“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Hex asked, looking at the boy, “Your quirk is such a nuisance, but no matter how strong it is you’re not invisible. So, it would be better if you just give in to my quirk. I promise the pain will go away if you do.”
Midoriya wanted to, he really wanted to. He was so tired, and her voice was so soothing, like being blanketed by the world’s comfiest and warmest blanket. But deep inside, alarms of danger were sounding around him—something kept pinging him, and the voices, from his—from his quirk were urging him to fight.
So, he had to.
“Come on, hero…”
He had to…
He had to…
Kill?
“Kill him…”
No, no! He won’t! He wouldn’t! He would never kill All Might! Never!
“SHUT UP!!!” Midoriya let out a sustained shout as Smokescreen spewed out of him, obscuring his surroundings.
“Smokescreen…ha! You think that is going to stop me! As long as you can hear me, I can bring you under!” Hex shouted.
She had anticipated this—she knew he would eventually fight back against her quirk. That’s why she needed more time to push him to the level of control she wanted. So, she had to track him down, paralyze him with her quirk, and escape with him, all before the other heroes arrived. Then she could hide somewhere and do what she does best.
But this smoke…she couldn’t see a thing.
“Midoriya—come here, my little hero.”
“AH!” Smokescreen wavered, allowing Hex to catch a glimpse of her prize.
She approached him with a grin painted across her face, “There you are.”
“No! Shut the hell up!” Danger Sense was shouting at him as if the quirk was stopping the trigger from fully implementing her commands.
“Man, you're quite the difficult one.” Her eyes glowed a golden hue and instantly, upon laying her gaze on him, Midoriya’s body stopped moving.
“No, no, no! I’m not going to—I’m not your puppet! I won’t hurt them…I won’t do it!” Midoriya screamed, trying to fight the invisible restraints.
“But you already did,” Hex was inches away. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, “All Might is going to die, all because of you. You may be strong, but I can still defeat you. So, come on, let’s go and find a place where we can—”
“Found you.”
In an instant, a constricting force wrapped tightly around Hex, “Huh!” It was as if the clothes themselves were binding her, preventing her from moving. She couldn’t keep her balance and immediately fell with a deep thud, “What the hell!”
“Sorry, it took us a while.” Another voice announced, “This rain sure makes driving a hassle.”
As the smoke dissipated, Midoriya could see who their new visitors were. His eyes immediately widened, “H-Hawks…B-Best Jeanist.”
“Hey, Midoriya. Sorry we didn’t get to you sooner.” Hawks informed. He analyzed Midoriya. Noticing how he was not able to move and how his gaze was hazy and unfocused, he eyed Jeanist who stood beside the hero, “Hey, Jeanist. Cover Hex’s mouth and eyes for me. It looks like Midoriya has been affected by her quirk and I have a feeling she is using another one that was given by a certain someone.”
“Gladly!”
Jeanist lifted his arms and effortlessly, the hems of Hex’s trench coat became undone.
“What!?,” Hex looked at her clothes, horrified at the scene happening before her. Then, in a matter of seconds, the fabric sewed itself back together and began to wrap around Hex’s eyes and mouth, “No! I’m not done here! Midoriya will be mine! You heroes do not know what I have don—” But before she could finish, the fabric clasped her mouth, preventing her from talking.
“Great, now that that’s done, we should—”
“All Might…” Once Midoriya was freed, his head snapped to look at his mentor, sprawled motionless on the ground, “All Might!”
“Midoriya, wait!” Hawks shouted.
But he didn’t listen, he quickly rushed over to him and kneeled beside him. The sight before him was nothing short of horrifying, “No—no—”
His eyes were blown wide with terror and his heart clutched with dread. All Might was covered in blood and bruises. Dark stains of injury marked his skin, and from the way his chest struggled with every breath, it was clear—internal damage, broken bones, and the agony of countless unseen wounds were ravaging his body. Midoriya could feel bile rising up his throat as his mouth quivered in panic.
He did this.
He hurt him.
All because he wasn’t strong enough.
…first Bakugo.
…then Todoroki.
…then his friends.
…now, All Might.
His eyes bleed with pain. He was hurt…because of him. He clutched his heart, unable to control the unwavering suffering that spewed from every corner of his body.
How the hell will All Might accept him now? He hurt him…he did this. He might as well give back One for All so he can give it to someone else, someone trustworthy, someone stronger. He can’t protect his own mentor…so how the hell can he protect the world from someone like All for One?!
“Young—Midoriya—” All Might whispered.
Midoriya jumped and gazed at him, his tears pooling in his eyes.
“Stop—what you are—doing.” All Might mumbled, “You are—a hero—I don’t—regret ch-choosing you. This wasn’t—your fault—so stop.”
He felt the water creep out of his eyes. It was hard to believe that after everything he had done.
All Might reached for his hand and shakingly placed it over his heart, “Calm—down—for me—you’re incredible—you fought her—cause your-your strong—and One for All—please—thank-thank Nana for me.”
Midoriya's eyes widened as he sensed a presence nearby. He turned to his side and saw the seventh user floating beside him, a warm smile on her face. Her motherly aura enveloped him, washing over him like a soothing wave of calm, “Yeah—I will.”
“I’m here!” Someone from above exclaimed. It was Endeavor, “Sorry! This rain really slows me down. How’s Deku?! Where’s the threat?!”
Hawks began his brisk walk over to All Might, while Jeanist stood back to keep Hex restrained, “Midoriya looks fine except for his existing injuries! We will need to take him with us for observation since he was hit with Hex’s quirk. She might have added suggestions that we will need to keep an eye on.”
“Suggestions?” Endeavor peaked over at Jeanist and noticed the woman who was restrained, blindfolded, and gagged, “Wait! Hex!”
“Yup. From my intel, she is another one of All for One’s hired guns. Knowing how her quirk works, we will need to knock her out so her quirk can leave Midoriya. If it doesn’t, then we’ll need to contact one of the mental quirk heroes to help us out.” Hawks explained, “And we need to take All Might to a hospital. He needs immediate medical attention!”
Endeavor turned to look at the former hero and quickly acted, “I got it!” He walked over to All Might and carefully grabbed him in a cradle. Midoriya wanted to go with him, but he could hurt them—the people in the hospital…he was unpredictable at the moment. So, he halted, “I’ll take him to the hospital. You two take Deku and Hex to the separate safe houses, but make sure Hex is knocked out.” Soon, he flew up to the air and bolted across the sky with the former number one hero in his arms, Midoriya looking somberly ahead.
“You’re alright, Midoriya,” Hawks comforted, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He aided him up to standing and guided him over to a black car, “Jeanist…do your work.”
“Of course!”
Hex struggled and mumbled incoherently, putting up a fierce fight against her restraints. However, her words were rendered indistinct, muffled by the thick fabric covering her mouth.
“Blackout bind!”
Swiftly, her trench coat wrapped tightly around her neck, constricting her breathing. She squirmed and tried to kick, but it was no use. Her eyes tunneled until they darkened. Soon after, her body went limp as her body lost the battle against unconsciousness.
“She’s out,” Jeanist picked her up and hauled her over his shoulder, “Let’s go. I’ll take the other car and take her to the safe house with the rest of the heroes; it would be best to keep the two separated as much as possible.”
“Understood,” Once he and Midoriya reached the car, he opened the door to the backseat, “You’re going to be okay, Midoriya. We’ll take away whatever Hex did to you. And remember, none of this was your fault.”
The young hero nodded, but he was still troubled.
He climbed into the car and settled into his seat. As the engine roared to life, the vehicle swiftly set off down the desolate road.
Midoriya looked outside the window, looking at the fleeting image of the rainy landscape.
He’ll be okay.
Everything will be okay.
Are you sure about that?
Midoriya whelped. What was that?
“You okay, there?” Hawks asked from the driver seat, looking at him through the rearview mirror.
“Y-Yeah!” He lied.
Who was that and also—why did it feel like he was forgetting something?
And why did he have this urge to open the car’s door and make his escape? Why did he have the need to go and find her once he was out?
No…it was just his imagination. Nothing else.
“Whenever you are out of my control, you will have the urge to find me no matter where you are.”
But was it, though?