Before you start reading, I would like to give a warning to all. This story may wander to dark places from time to time as the true darkside of society in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving at times. This is a general warning, and not all chapters while be over dark or graphic. But for those that do become so, do not say I didn't warn you... well, it might get overly bad, but who knows, I may accidently go super dark, so again, just in case it does, no complaining, because you got your warning.
Izuku stood silently, watching the man in front of him. He trembled slightly, though he was not sure if it was because of the stranger or because of the events that he had just lived through not too long ago. It may have been a result of both.
His day had gone on as usual, with him being bullied by those at his school, though it did deviate from the normal when his "childhood friend", Bakugou Katsuki, or as he knew him, Kacchan, suicide baited him. It wasn't the first time he's heard something along those lines, but it definitely wasn't common. And for it to come from Bakugou, those words held more weight than when they came from strangers. Then after that, as he walked home from school, he was attacked and almost killed by a sludge villain intent on using his body as a disguise. But then he was saved by the number one hero and his idol All Might... right before asking if even a quirkless nobody like him could become a hero and got his dreams crushed. Then, as he walked, he meant to go home, but he was out of it and ended up walking where a villain was causing destruction... and saw it was the same villain that almost killed him, and said villain now had Bakugou as a hostage. Without thinking, he quickly ran without thinking, wanting to save him. But in the end, All Might had to save both him and Bakugou, and after that, while Bakugou was being praised for having a strong quirk that he tried to use to fight the villain, leading to most of the destruction, the heroes got angry with Izuku.
After that, Izuku started walking home when he bumped into the man when he suddenly said he saw what happened and wanted to talk. "What you did there, it was truly something heroic. While all so-called heroes stood there doing nothing, you, a random citizen with no obligation to do so, ran in in an attempt to save that hostage. Such selflessness, it is that of a true hero such as All Might."
While the man's comment about so-called heroes did catch him off guard, Izuku brushed it off as the man being upset that they hadn't actually done much to stop the villain. What he chose to focus on instead was the man's praise. He did not know who this person was or why he had decided to pull him into an alley for this talk, but still, he felt a sense of pride and joy begin to spread within him. But then that feeling began to sink with the man's next words.
"Though I never saw anything to suggest you using a quirk. I know it isn't exactly legal to use it in some cases, the biggest being in a fight, but that brat got away with it."
"I... I don't have a quirk... I'm quirkless." Izuku stood there silently, head hanging low as he stared at his feet, waiting, expecting the man to mock him, laugh, do something to hurt him whether it be physically or emotionally. Except he didn't.
"That's amazing, that proves my point even more so! You were so heroic, even without a quirk, putting yourself into that much danger in order to save another with no way of defending yourself. If only there were more people like you, then there wouldn't be so many fake heroes whose only goals are to become famous or amass a fortune."
"W-w-well I d-don't really know about t-that. I... I've wanted to become a hero, b-but, I was a-always told it was i-impossible." Izuku could feel tears begin to form at the corners of his eyes.
"I see, it's true, not only do you not seem like much but you also don't have a quirk. I'd see why some may believe that, but... that doesn't mean it's impossible, just not probable." Izuku looked up, confusion and surprise evident in his eyes, but behind that there was something else, the sparkle of hope. "I wish for a world, a society where the heroes aren't such fakes who are out for themselves with All Might as the only one worthy of the title of hero. And you, you have the qualities of a true hero, qualities much greater than all those fakes from earlier combined. That goal of being a hero, it's out of your reach yes, but, only because you currently don't have the strength to make that dream of yours a reality. How can I, someone who seeks a society with true heroes not do anything to assist someone worthy of being called a hero to gain the ability to do something. Tell me kid, I am willing to train you, so tell me... do you still wish to become a hero?"
It might be from the hope he gained after just despairing not long ago, he might have been desperate, it might have been any number of reasons, but all Izuku could do was frantically nod his head while saying one word. "Yes!"
And so began Izuku's ten months of hell. He was given directions to a secluded, more empty part of the city. And each time he went, the man would appear, always in the same outfit. A black coat and pants with a blood red bandana that covered his lower face and neck and a headband the same shade of red.
The training was intense, pushing Izuku to his limits and beyond, breaking them, and slowly, he began improving. He did not know much about the man nor did he ask as he felt if he needed to know anything he would be told. And while he trained everyday, he didn't meet the man everyday, and instead was told when to show up. When they did meet, they would often have sparring matches in order to improve Izuku's hand to hand combat. Another aspect of the training was not physical, but rather, one day the man noticed Izuku's talent for analysis and would have him work on that as well, telling him that he already did good quality work and if he could improve his speed then it'd make fighting easier. There were a few other things here and there that the man taught Izuku, all of it improving Izuku, preparing him. Day in and day out, Izuku would train in both mind and body, pushing himself beyond his limits while also attending school and preparing for the written portion of the UA entrance exam.
Though training was not the only thing that went on between them. While as time passed, the gaps between when they would meet would get shorter and shorter, whenever they did meet not only would the man sparr with Izuku, but talk of his ideals. How he felt that the current society was flooded with fake heroes while Izuku would always work to counter him. Though some of what the man said did get to Izuku as he felt he understood where he was coming from. That is, until five months after they had met.
What the man would say worried Izuku sometimes, and he came off as rather extreme. That coupled with the fact that he was a mystery made Izuku feel uneasy. But still, he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, writing it off as fanatical ramblings. Until he started seeing things on the news, and quickly he pieced things together. And so when they next met, no matter how foolish it might have been, he confronted him.
"You're him, aren't you? You're Stain!"
Stain turned to face the person who had been his student for the past few months, and unlike their meetings before, he carried a sword with him. "So, you've finally found out? So now what? What are you going to do now that you know? Turn me in, call the cops, try to beat me yourself?"
Izuku felt tears in his eyes as he faced the man who he'd slowly grown attached to, the man who had given him the strength he'd need. "Why, why are you doing this?"
"I've told you before, this soc-"
"Enough!" Stain raised an eyebrow, never before seeing such anger from Izuku. "That doesn't justify what you've been doing! I agree, there are many heroes who do it for the fame, for the money, for selfish reasons! But... but this isn't right! I understand wanting things to change, but this isn't how to do it.! You're basically trying to kill an entire industry! Is it so wrong for people to want something for the things they do for others... they still help, they still save, they still protect! You, you talk about people being worthy or unworthy, and in your eyes, I know... I know you believe that you're doing the right thing! But this... what you're doing is nothing different from the actions of a deranged villain! You speak of creating a society based off of All Might's ideals, but do you really believe this is something that he would do, something that he would allow?!"
"Enough. I can see that you don't agree with my methods. So tell me, what are you going to do about it?"
"Turn yourself in, please. If you don't, I'll stop you! I... I can't accept it... I can't just let you disappear, to let you get away with it. You've told me many times that I have what it takes to be a true hero... but a real hero wouldn't just let you do as you please. How could I live with myself, how would I be able to call myself a hero if I never did anything to stop you?" Izuku dashed forward, but even as he did, Stain reached into his pocket, grabbing something and pulling it up to his mouth. And as he did, right before Izuku reached him, he fell to the ground completely paralyzed.
"You would have been better off calling the authorities and telling them that I would be here." Stain looked down at Izuku who looked back up at him with pleading eyes as tears streamed down his face. "You know, I planned on ending this today. You talk about turning myself in, but you're foolish to think I would do something like that. I already knew the path I set myself on would be stained with blood and that it would be hard, especially to do so alone. And you have made me think upon my actions. But no, this is something that must be done, this society must be changed. These fake heroes must be purged, and true heroes must take their place, and all who get in my way will also have to be eliminated." Stain began walking away, not looking back at the downed boy he left behind. "But even after your months of training you are still too weak to be in my way. Not only that, but I still believe that you are worthy of being a true hero. You don't need to accept my words, but never did you need the confirmation of others. And if you truly wish to stop me, then change this society, show me that mine isn't the way things must be done, or capture me yourself, though I doubt that'd be possible. But either way, I will not stop until something is done."
And with that, Stain left, leaving Izuku there alone with his thoughts. And after a few minutes when Izuku could move again, he knew before he even tried that he wouldn't be able to find Stain. Yet still he did not wish to contact the authorities. How would he explain that he had been training with a villain for months. His chances of becoming a hero were already low, but with this, he might end up getting charged with something and that chance would be gone forever. And so he hoped that a hero would capture Stain, but as two months spent training went by, the hero killer was still free. And Izuku's faith wavered slightly in the hero system, his conversations with Stain haunting the back of his mind during those moments. That along with how Stain said he was a true hero and that he wouldn't stop until things changed or he was captured.
And so, Izuku had a thought. Stain wasn't the only problem, and so many pro heroes did only do things for selfish reasons. There were some that would be considered almost villainous if not for their hero status. So Izuku had a thought. If the actual pros couldn't be completely relied upon to take care of things, while he hated to do what Stain told him to, why didn't he do something about it?