Payback (Hiatus)

Chapter 19 (EDITED)

Edited: 26 October 2023

Two months had passed, and it had been rather uneventful for Izuku. Aside from occasional nighttime muggings and daytime robberies, it had been quite quiet. Izuku was running late that morning due to a villain attack. Just like before, Mount Lady made her debut, stealing the spotlight from Kamui Wood. Today was the day of the sludge villain incident so Izuku was rather anxious and to make thing worse he couldn't help but feel unwell since the morning.

In the past few days, Izuku had experienced random mood swings that left Kai feeling as though he had done something wrong. There was a moment when Izuku snapped at him to stop cuddling, which was unusual because Izuku typically loved cuddling. Although he was contemplating going back home, he knew he needed to see All Might to confirm something that had been bothering him.

As the Jade Hunter returned to society, the hero found themselves deeply troubled. Unlike the past, the hero's popularity had plummeted by 10%. Though concerns arose about some citizens looking up to the Jade Hunter, it was undeniable that the citizens still wanted heroes. However, what the Hero Public Safety Commission had failed to notice was that the Jade Hunter Association (JHA) was secretly regrouping.

Another significant oversight was the move made by One For All (OFA), though it was entirely understandable that they remained unaware. During this time, they, along with All Might and others who were aware to OFA's existence , believed he had perished five years ago in his battle with All Might.

AFA was actively seeking out Jade Hunter, a fact that was quite apparent to the Midoriya Family. However, they were reluctant to meet too soon, at least not until the USJ incident.

Izuku was wary of arousing suspicion that he might be an ally of the League of Villains. He understood that if he were to restore Shigaraki's memory, he might take it easier on him, such actions might raise suspicions among the teachers.

Infiltrating UA would be relatively straightforward for him, given his knowledge of everyone there. However, he had to remain cautious, especially around Aizawa. Despite his unassuming appearance, Aizawa was exceptionally perceptive. If he sensed anything amiss, he would undoubtedly start an investigation.

As soon as class ended, Izuku rushed to the alleyway where he had encountered the sludge villain before. While waiting, he began to feel a wave of nausea. He clutched his stomach and covered his mouth, but he couldn't prevent himself from vomiting.

"What's happening to me today?" Izuku muttered wearily, wiping his mouth before gagging again.

With his guard down, the sludge villain managed to seize him just as it had during their first encounter. Izuku lacked the energy to put up a fight, and his headache had worsened. Before losing consciousness, he caught a fleeting glimpse of All Might

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Izuku opened his eyes, feeling a sharp slap on his cheek. He was greeted by the sight of All Might, who looked relieved and flashed his trademark, albeit annoyingly cheery, smile.

"YOUNG MAN, I WAS WORRIED FOR A SECOND THERE SINCE YOU WEREN'T BREATHING! WELL, I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALRIGHT," All Might exclaimed.

"Was he always this loud?" Izuku wondered, taking a deep breath and then deciding to play along, "OMG, ALL MIGHT!!!! I'M SUCH A BIG FAN!!!"

"HAHAHA, I'M HONORED," All Might laughed. 

Izuku was satisfied; his ruse seemed to have worked. He had come to the realization that All Might wasn't particularly sharp in some respects and could easily be fooled, especially when someone disguised themselves as a fan.