Narrator:- Izuku Midoriya
After leaving the meeting place, my recently acquired Vardant guards and I arrived at my secret base.
Judging by the look on their faces I could tell they were not impressed. But honestly, I can't blame them, after all this does look like a normal house from the outside. But then when I showed them the real thing, 'the underground section' they had awe written on their faces.
"This is more like it! I thought you had a lame base!" Toga said while giggling.
"I think it's fair to expect this much I guess," Himiko said, "I mean we can't have our emperor live in a shabby house can we?"
"Himiko, I beg you don't stretch that bit anymore," Izuku said with a tired sigh.
"As you wish... my~ lord~," Himiko said with a giggle.
I rolled my eyes as I showed them around and then showed them the escape path towards a warehouse, "This has only been used once to get the equipment in. Otherwise, it's not to be used unless the base is compromised since we don't need both of our exits being cut off." I said and they nodded their heads.
"Hmm, good thinking," Aizawa said, "you should always have an escape route ready in tight spaces like this."
After I made sure that they were settled in their new house, I asked for blood samples from both Toga and Dabi. At first, they were confused by my sudden request but then I explained to them that "It's so I can build better things for each of you. Most of Toga's blood will be used to help me study her quirk so that I can get the synthesized blood to work better for her quirk's needs."
"Oh now that other me mentioned it, we will have to consider so many things before we make a final product," Izuku said as he note down various things in his notebook.
"Yeah, we can't just make a single type of blood supplement and call it a day," Mei hummed in response.
"Well it seems like we have a lot of work ahead of us," Izuku said.
"Well that's what it means to make a world-changing invention," Mei said with a smile.
"And as for Dabi, his blood is to help me build support items that will work with his body's condition and his quirk. I'm hoping to create something that will help him to heal parts of his body so he isn't at constant risk of infections or serious illness due to the old scars." I explained to them
"Well in that case I will take some of his blood samples as well," Mei said.
"Wait are you really going to make that for my son?" Rei asked.
"I mean I was going to create that body suit for my final exam anyways so going a step further is not a big deal anyway," Mei said, "besides I think with Izuku's help I think it will be ready in no time."
"Umm... Mei, I don't think I can help you with that since it will be your class assignment," Izuku explained.
"In that case Midoriya, I will allow it as both Mei's project for finals and your project as a trial for the support course," Nezu said.
"But how is that possible? I am in a hero course," Izuku asked.
"It is not a rule that you can only enroll in a single course. Besides, why not give it a try, who knows it might help you in the future," Nezu explained.
"In that case, I will defiantly give it a shot," Izuku happily replied.
After my explanation, both of them complied and gave me their blood.
"Congratulations Toga, we are promoted from criminals to lab rats," Dabi made a snarky remark.
"In that case, I want to be a hamster, they are really cute," Himiko said.
"What is wrong with you two?" Jiro asked with an exasperated expression.
After I was done with my work I gave Toga a blood bag that I had already stored with other medical supplies. But before that, I warned her, "Don't go raiding my blood bags. They are mine in the event I ever need them for medical experiments. Do remember I am quirkless so I have to rely on many other things and not a quirk." I explained.
"I think it's a good thing that he acknowledges the fact the people with quirk do have a slight edge over the quirkless people," Momo said complimenting the onscreen Izuku.
"And that same quality is helping him prepare the things that are reducing that distance," Nemuri said.
Suddenly both Toga and Dabi's eyes widen. "DAMN I THOUGHT YOU HAD A IQ QUIRK!" Dabi said.
"I mean I am not wrong," Dabi defended, "it's not like you see a quirkless kid trying to take over the world every day."
"Nope, my IQ is higher than Principal Nezu's of UA," Izuku said with a hearty laugh.
Izuku in the auditorium slowly glanced towards their principal only to see him staring back at him with a terrifying smile.
"I'm just hiding my movements so he doesn't find them since we don't have enough preparation to waste in dealing with him currently but I think we will have enough ready by the start of UA's next school year," Izuku explained.
"The same time League made their appearance as well," Naomasa pointed out.
"So the Emperor is going to either clash with them or oppose them," Mic suggested.
"The second option is much more profitable for heroes," Aizawa said, "in an ideal world League and Emperor will just destroy each other while fighting among themselves."
"But Aizawa, this is not an ideal world," Nighteye said.
"And Midoriya is too smart to go out in such a pathetic way," Nezu concluded the discussion.
Izuku continued, "That is also when I plan to start a lot more activities and solidify my power in the underworld. We just got to be careful of the current King of the Underworld, All For One."
"Good Lord!" All Might sighed in relief, "it seems young Midoriya doesn't have plans to join that fiend... for now at least."
They were both confused about who All For One was.
"It makes sense that most people from our generation wont know about All for One," Izuku said, "Aizawa sensei were you aware of All for One before Kamino ward?"
"Yes but he was just a fable or a fairy tale among the old heroes," Aizawa explained.
"I have no intention of hiding much from either of you so ready for a history lesson?" Izuku asked and they nodded their heads.
"Noo, I hate studying," Himiko said.
"Are you perhaps one of 'my people?" Mina asked feeling a kind of kinship with her.
I then explained everything about the old king that currently rules the underworld.
"You don't need that long of an explanation," Kaminari said, "all you have to say is 'that guy is old, powerful, and has a shit ton of quirks so don't fuck with him' simple."
I also had no intentions of hiding All Might's secrets either since All Might would become one of my targets in the future.
All Might suddenly sprayed an unhealthy amount of blood from his mouth.
Meanwhile, Izuku was feeling a sharp glare on his back, "What do you want?" he asked.
"I am just surprised at how easily you spilled out All Might's secret to the criminals you just mate hours ago," Nighteye said.
"Sir, honestly I don't think other me even cares anymore," Izuku defended.
Though... do I want to kill All Might would be the question.
"Well, there is some hope... I guess," Ochako said with a wry smile.
Regardless of my current anger towards All Might, I didn't know if I could kill him. Destroy his legacy? Yes. Kill him? Not likely.
"That's a correct deduction," Endeavor said, "even in his injured state he was able to change the weather with his single punch."
"But his image is quite a different story," Izuku said.
"What are you saying, nerd," Bakugo objected, "he is All Might, it cannot be that simple to ruin his reputation."
"Kacchan just think about it," Izuku said, "what would have happened if his small MIght form was leaked to the public before the big fight or the details about his injury or the fact that he was quirkless before U.A or the truth about One for All. Before All Might officially retired that day, all people saw him as an ideal human who cannot have a flaw."
"Crap, those are a lot of things I haven't thought about," All Might murmured to himself.
I would just take All Might off the chessboard and aim to take his successor off the board as well.
"Oh come to think about it, since I denied One for All in that universe, does that mean Togata senpai will become All Might's successor?" Izuku asked.
"Yes logically that would make the most sense," Aizawa said.
"Well in that case Toshi, you will see why Mirio was the best candidate for One for All," Nighteye said.
Hopefully, I wouldn't have to kill the successor but depending on who they are I might just have to.
Mirio and Izuku shared a worried glance at each other.
During all of this, a week passed. After that, I continued my training but this time I had Toga teach me how to use knives and Dabi helped me with hand-to-hand combat. As such, we spent a lot of our time training in the compound or at the garbage beach as I cleaned it.
'Maybe I should have focused on training my body before the entrance exam as well,' Shinso thought, 'I spent way too much time crying over how other people think about me or my quirk instead of just not giving a fuck and doing something that would help me.'
I had also finished the fake blood about halfway into the month and Toga had started to drink them.
"Isn't that like too fast?" Momo asked.
"I think that's because other me has more time to devote to the research and unlike us, I don't think he is starting from scratch," Izuku explained.
At first, she hated them since they tasted bitter unlike real blood,
"Like a medicine I guess," Himiko said to herself.
"Himiko," Ochako asked, "what does real blood taste like?"
"Hmm," Himiko placed a hand on her chin, "I don't know how to explain this but it depends on the person. Some people's blood has a very distinct taste and smell. For example, Izuku's blood has a calming scent and tastes better than fizzy juice."
"In that case maybe I should give it a try, once at least," Ochako said.
But I adjusted them by adding some flavoring into them like peach flavoring which resulted in Toga loving them since the flavoring overpowered the bitterness.
"I love peaches!" Toga exclaimed
"Good point," Mei said while taking the notes, "flavoring will make it more advertisable as a protein."
As such, I created about half a year's worth of fake blood for Toga which helped her regain a lot more sanity which in turn made her far deadlier as a Verdant Guard. Her quirk drove her to make people bleed so she could get blood out of them but now, she was focused more on the lethal blows or blows that would render people unable to fight. As such, she was far more effective in the field.
"The person who knows how and where to attack is far more dangerous than some mindless attacker," Aizawa said.
"And combined with her quirk she could become the second most dangerous assassin," Izuku said.
"Second?" Aizawa crooked his brow, "who is the first one?"
"Hagukure off course," Izuku said as if it was a known fact.
"Midoriay what are you saying, I don't want to be a villain," Toru said.
"I am sorry, please don't take this the wrong way. I know you are not a villain and I am super glad for that," Izuku defended, "but just imagine the villain version of yourself with the skills comparable to Himiko or Stain. As an invisible killer, you will be a myth. After all, they can't catch someone they don't know about. In add-" Izuku stopped when he was suddenly interrupted by MIna.
"Midori stop you are scaring the poor girl," Mina said.
Izuku looked at Toru and saw her clothes were shaking, "I am sorry I didn't mean to scare you," Izuku apologized.
Meanwhile, Aizawa was thinking, 'I should really start working with students like her who could have great careers in underground heroics.'
Toga herself was amazed at her sudden increase in abilities but didn't complain. If anything, it made her loyalty towards me even deeper.
"It's a good move on his part to gather people on the basis of trust instead of fear or greed," Nezu said. He was well aware the value of a person depends on how much trust you can put in them. And luckily for him, he has gathered many such allies.
Both of them had also learned my real name and about my past. They were not happy one bit.
"Of course, we are not," Himiko said, "you are just like us."
"But I did get a chance and now you will get it too," Izuku said.
"No you gave us the chance because you have been on the other side too," Dabi said.
Dabi soon turned into an older brother figure to me. Maybe because my situation reminded him of his life under his father.
Suddenly Dabi's face turned red.
"Onii-chan your face is red. Are you not feeling well?" Izuku tried to get back at Dabi for teasing him earlier.
But unfortunately, it immediately backfired, "you don't have to worry about me little bro," Dabi said with an evil grin and Izuku could sware he saw the devil himself in Dabi's eyes when he said, "and here is a brotherly advice, don't forget the protection when you go on a date with Burnett and my crazy friend over here."
Izuku didn't know when but somewhere between those words his brain was completely shot circuited. He was not alone tho Ochako was about to take off with her quirk but Tsu was holding her by the hand ad Himiko too was hiding her face with her hands.
Meanwhile, Rei had a sad smile on her face seeing how this could have been Toya and Shoto if they had even remotely a functioning family.
I was always beaten and neglected for something I couldn't control and no one did anything. Dabi didn't hold hatred for my Mom since I told him how I hid most of it from her and she did try as best as she could since no one would help her due to me being quirkless.
Dabi thought he understand what other he was thinking. He hated his mom because he thought that she didn't do anything to stop Endeavor from becoming a monster. She was there every time a new child was brought into that house and then tossed them aside like trash. But Ms. Midoriya was different. She tried to help her child. She tried to fight the world, and the system but unfortunately, she failed but he still respects that because at least she tried.
(A/N:- This is not my opinion on the situation, this is just what I thought Dabi would think.)
"I left her a note... it had a double meaning. It was either read as a suicide note or a note telling my fall from grace into what I'm now doing. Most as shown by the news took it as a suicide note due to me being quirkless but I'm betting my mother knew the hidden meaning. She wasn't an idiot. I just hope she moves on from me so she isn't guilt-ridden with everything I will do in this world," Izuku said.
"Izuku do you think I will be able to move on just like that?" Inko asked.
"But if you don't then you will be also blamed for whatever my other self would do," Izuku protested.
"Then let them blame me. After all, the other me also shares the blame for letting the world push her child so far," Inko said.
Izuku continued, "taking control of Japan will not be bloodless nor will the innocents go uninjured... innocent people are always hurt in government overthrowing.... nothing can stop that." Izuku stated.
'I don't like other me is talking about hurting innocents but...' Izuku thought, 'the more I watch this series or whatever this is. It makes me wonder, was everything always this bad? I always thought that whatever is happening with me was natural and that's how the world worked. But now watching everything from a third person's perspective made me realize how wrong I was and that whatever happened to me was uncalled for and that's why this needs to change,' Izuku sighed, 'but still, getting others killed because of that feels... wrong.'
"Deku what's wrong?" Ochako asked sensing his mood.
"Nothing, I was just thinking..." Izuku said not wanting to talk any further but Ochako kept looking at him with concern.
Dabi and Toga just hugged him and said, "It doesn't matter what you do. We are going to follow you to the end of the earth."
The scene brought smiles to many faces in the audience. While Toga just hugged Izuku but Dabi held back this time due to embarrassment earlier.
As the months were going by, I soon finished cleaning the beach 2months before the UA entrance exam. I looked over the beach and smirked at the work I completed.
"Damm it!" Izuku cursed, "I know I should have pushed myself even more."
"Midoriya you would have collapsed," All tried to reason with him.
"But my other self did it right?" Izuku argued, "if I had finished this earlier I would have gotten much-needed time with One for All before the entrance exam."
Now with the exoskeleton on, I could easily fight someone with a quirk on more or less even terms. I was able to overpower Dabi and Toga combined with the exoskeleton and was able to hold my ground against one of them even without it.
"That suit seems quite capable," Power Loader said.
"And dangerous in the wrong hands," Aizawa pointed out.
Dabi's quirk does prove problems with overheating my creation but I was working on countermeasures to ensure it didn't overheat against fire quirk users. I also decided to make it resistant to people with electric quirks that might want to try and short circuit it.
"So I won't be able to damage it either," Kaminari said, disappointed.
Now it was time to decide what I would do next in my plans.
This got everyone back to the edge of their seat. They all wanted to know what is he going to do moving forward.
I decided to gather some information on the students of UA that would be entering the first-year heroics course but attending the exams would be a risky move that would leave me out in the open.
"Not to mention All Might and Kacchan would be there as well," Izuku said.
"Yeah I would probably forget about the exam and drag this idiot back to Aunt Inko," Bakugo said.
As such, Izuku went with the backhanded route and hacked the middle schools, and got their records for anyone that was applying for the UA hero course and other courses.
Everyone in the audience especially Teachers and Heroes along with Naomasa was thinking the same thing, "How did we miss this big of a loophole."
"That's right Hacking in the U.A's network will be near impossible," Power Loader said, "that's why thinking about this method is quite genius."
"But it's illogical," Aizawa said, "the amount of middle schools in this city alone is quite high and we receive applications from all around the country. Looking through all of them will be waste of time."
Now, that meant a lot of people but fortunately, I didn't need to go through them. All I had to do was wait! Wait until they passed the exams and their records would update with the relevant information! Once that happened I could easily find who got accepted into UA and into which course. This would allow me to dig into their files and any public information about them and put together profiles on the first years. I would also work on profiles for the rest of the hero course students in the 2nd and third years as well in case I ever need them.
It felt like a slap to Aizawa who was trying to form some sense. But it did teach him a valuable lesson that when it comes to his problem child do not try to rationalize things, just accept them as it is.
"That's quite concerning," Momo said, "Mr. Detective can you do something about this?"
"I am sorry to say but it's not possible," Naomasa said, "There are too many schools around the nation to create a proper secure network. And even we try to do that some schools are too stubborn to spend money for students' cyber protection."
"In that case, let's make sure that whoever joins the U.A will have all of their information with us, and then we will erase it from outside servers," Nezu said.
Dabi and Toga were shocked at my ability to hack! Within a day I had a treasure trove of information on anyone applying for UA and it took me two days to get information on all the current students of UA.
"That's alarming," Naomasa said, "did the league use such methods as well?"
"You wish," Dabi said.
"The only thing the internet was ever used for was to play online games," Compress explained.
I had to take this long route since I avoided hacking into UA itself since Nezuwould likely notice.
"Like there is anything that rat won't notice on the school grounds," Aizawa mumbled to himself.
"Aizawa, do you want to say something to me?" Nezu asked.
"No I was just sleep talking," Aizawa said with an expressionless face.
While I was busy doing all that hacking, Toga and Dabi were training hard. They knew that they needed to get stronger for their Emperor and they would do so.
"My Emperor~," Himiko said in a seductive tone.
"Not this again," Izuku sighed.
Toga was improving her acting and stealth skills since she knew she would be used a lot in spy operations.
"That's what I keep telling you," Izuku said, "you have a great potential to become an underground hero. But you are too lazy to try."
"I am not lazy," Himiko protested, "I just like talking it easy."
And Dabi got to work using the new exoskeleton and adjusting to the new capabilities that he could do under it. He was able to produce a much hotter fire and was able to last much longer than he could in the past before the suit warned him of overheating.
As soon as Kaminari heard 'able to last much longer' he yelled, "That's what she said."
Immidtaly Jiro stabbed him in the eye, "don't do that ever again."
Izuku had told Dabi that he was working on a medical creation that would help Dabi's body adjust better to his quirk but Izuku warned that it was going to be roughly a year or so out until he had more funds to dump into the research and creation of it. Dabi was okay with it and would wait since he could do so much more with his current support gear that Izuku made.
"No doubt that thing looks like a miracle itself. So I won't be greedy and lose whatever help I am getting," Dabi said.
"He is right tho," Mei said, "the type of research we are talking about will take a lot of money."
"He said he had millions in his bank and you are telling me even that is not enough?" Jiro said, "What kind of money are we even talking about."
"He will have to become as rich as Ponytail to get it going," Bakugo explained.
In the final two months leading up to the UA exams, I was introduced to more potential recruits. One went by the name of twice who had mental problems that happen to those with clone quirks.
"I am here baby/ Wait! I am not alone?" Twice asked.
"Sadly no, you are not," Recovery girl said, "many people with quirks that allow them to clone or split themselves do have these problems."
"That's bullshit/ I don't know why but it feels good to know that I am not alone," Twice said.
The issue was who was the real individual since Twice could even copy himself. This created the mental issues of an identity crisis so Twice never copied himself.
Himiko looked at Twice sadly. She was the closest person to him what one called a friend. She knows how much he panics when someone tries to remove his mask and she was the only one who has ever seen him holding a gun to his head to check if he was real or not.
"Izuku," Himiko looked to her right and reached out to the boy sitting next to her.
"Yes," Izuku said.
"We need to help him... please" it was not a request but a plea.
"Don't worry we will," Izuku said with reassuring eyes.
The second person that Giran found was called Mr. Compress.
"Please quiet on the stage the greatest performer has arrived," Compress said in a dramatic tone.
He had an interesting quirk that had a wide range of applications for them. Mr. Compress's quirk was called Compress.
"And I thought the water was wet," Sero said.
It allowed him to compress anything into a small marble object without damaging it. Though he had to touch the object for it to be compressed so it was only good for a short range of grabbing things but he could throw the marbles and undo them. This meant if he had a large boulder, it would be a flying projectile that could do some damage.
"It is one of those quirks that appear basic at glance but has a ton of use in right hands," Mirio said, "just like mine."
"But isn't that case with all the quirks?" Izuku asked.
"Huh?" Mirio just stared at him blankly.
"I mean, I always thought that just having a quirk is big deal. That's why I think any and all quirks have the potential to become great if the person works hard enough," Izuku explained.
"Hahaha! You have a great mind Midoriaya," Mirio said, "I never thought of it like that."
Twice's quirk also had its applications as well. He could copy the teamand they would have more forces.
"That's right having twice is like having an extra team of the vanguard," Dabi said
The only downside was that after so much damage they would break apartbut they were still so useful.
"Haha! Praise me more/ stop it you are going to me cry," Twice said.
Izuku also wondered if Twice could duplicate items as well since if hecould then they would have a large number of supplies that could be consumedbefore they broke down since they required damage to be inflicted before theybroke apart. Consuming them might not meet that requirement either.
"That's a good experiment to try," Izuku said.
"You are so stupid to even think about that/ I don't know I haven't tried it before but I think I am certain I can only duplicate living things," Twice said.
Anyway, All of the Verdant members gathered up and went to meet Giranwith the new recruits that Giran had brought.
"Why are you talking like that?" Shoto asked, "there are only three of you."
"Baby brother, this is called style," Dabi said.
"Yeah we are Verdant Guards, the coolest guards in the town," Himiko said.
"Ok," Shoto said who was still stunned because Dabi called him baby brother.
After waiting about 10 minutes in the warehouse, Giran arrived andintroduced Izuku to the two new people. Izuku smirked when he saw them and didhis introduction.
"Does anyone else find that smile scary?" Kaminari asked and several hands were raised in the audience.
"Come on guys my smile is not scary," Izuku protested.
"Not you Izuku," Momo said, "but the other you... how do I explain this? The other you's eyes and smile don't match. Despite his smiling face his eyes are constantly trying to find merit, opportunity, and worth in whatever he is looking at."
Twice was an interesting person and Izuku wondered if he could help himovercome that mental issue with his quirk one day.
"No you can't brat/ I will be glad if you could do that," Twice said.
Himiko just glanced at Iuzku who nodded his face with a smile.
Mr. Compress was also related to the grand thief of the past.
"What?" Everyone in the audience yelled including Compress himself, 'how the hell did he find out.'
The Peerless Thief was a nationwide wanted thief and was put alongsidethe likes of All For One and Destro of the past.
"So you are connected to someone like that?" Dabi asked.
"Yeah this 'Peerless Thief' was my grandfather," Compress said.
"That's so cool," Izuku said as he produced a notebook out of thin air, "that means you are connected to a major part of our history."
"Clam down kid, so are you," Compress said.
"No, it is different for since I ate the hair," many made disgusted faces upon hearing that, "but you are blood actually part of it."
"You know I would have led much good life if everyone thought like that," Compress said remembering his childhood.
"I am sorry if I touched a wrong nerve," Izuku said.
"No, it's not your fault," Compress said trying to reassure him.
Izuku was truly interested in having Mr. Compress with them.
"At least the kid knows how valuable I am," Compress said.
After some talking, they soon reached an agreement and the two newmembers swore their loyalties to Izuku "To the Verdant Emperor."
Twice and Compress glanced at each other but before they could even move from their seats Izuku stood up and said, "I understand you are loyal and I thank you for joining my other self but please don't do that here."
With that, I started my plan of solidifying the local gangs in my area and setting up my generals in charge of units of criminals and villains.
'Here comes the difficult part,' Stain thought, 'they won't listen to a teenager with no reputation and quirkless at that. Let's see how you tackle that.'
I decided to put my foot down and inspire them to be loyal or to get lostfor I was the Verdant Emperor and I had no need for unloyal men.
"That's a good stance," Aizawa said, "I will rather have one loyal partner than 10 untrustworthy people."
This was the moment when Izuku started to solidify his foundations andwas grasping true power in the underworld.
And the screen goes black and the words appeared on the screen, Ep.5 Verdant Guards & Training.
"Wow that ending was intense," Kirishima said.
"This is just a beginning," Stain said, "the real show starts from here on out."
To be continued...
:-:-:-:-:-:
Have you seen the latest chapter?
I don't know how to feel about that.
Write your thoughts if you want but please without spoiling.