Izuku presently found himself within the bustling underground bar, teeming with customers as always. He was actively assisting Fenrir and Griffon in tending to patrons, serving drinks, and preparing food.
They had served so many drinks that they were on the verge of running out of alcohol, owing to the yakuza's celebration of their night out.
Following the rounds of serving drinks, Izuku wearily settled into a chair by the counter, resting his head on the table to catch his breath.
"Just when you think you've served enough, another round of shots!" exclaimed a Yakuza member, their voices rising in unison as they engaged in karaoke.
"Hello, Redgrave," a familiar voice greeted, and Izuku looked up to see Reborn seated in the chair beside him.
"Reborn, what brings you here?" Izuku inquired, raising his head to acknowledge the infant hitman.
"It seems you've been keeping busy," Reborn remarked, glancing around at the lively festivities.
"I'm exhausted," Izuku replied wearily.
"Why not consider hiring new staff? After all, it's not feasible for you to manage both the cafe and the bar simultaneously," Reborn suggested, prompting Izuku to ponder the idea.
"Well, this place isn't your run-of-the-mill job that just anyone can handle," Izuku replied, and Reborn nodded in understanding.
"True. Then, how about posting job ads on the dark web or the assassins' network?" Reborn proposed, and Izuku rubbed his chin in contemplation.
"I'll give it some thought. Anyway, what brings you here?" Izuku inquired, to which Reborn smirked.
"Manseibashi Station, the abandoned railway, has become a nest for demons. I assume you're aware of this?" Reborn asked, and Izuku nodded.
"Yes, I've been avoiding that area for the time being," Izuku replied, leaving Reborn puzzled.
"Why is that? I was under the impression that you could dispatch any demon," Reborn inquired, and Izuku shook his head.
"Master can deal with it, but that creature is capable of laying waste to the entire city if we're not careful," Fenrir interjected while pouring a shot for Reborn.
"Is that so? But if you can take it down, why hesitate?" Reborn probed.
"Let's just say my blood is highly sought after by demons, and it tends to infuriate them when I get too close. I can't do anything until the civilians are evacuated," Izuku explained, stifling a yawn.
"In that case, tomorrow, could you..." Reborn began to ask, but Izuku raised his hand, signaling him to stop.
"Unfortunately, I'll be occupied with construction work, so you'll have to find someone else Tommorow," Izuku replied, leaving Reborn perplexed.
"Why construction work?" Reborn inquired, and Izuku let out a sigh, lightly banging his head against the counter.
"It was either that or confront the mad dog, and I'm feeling too lazy for that," Izuku explained, and Reborn took a sip of his shot, understanding his predicament.
"By 'lazy,' you really mean 'afraid,'" Reborn pointed out, causing Izuku to let out a sigh.
"I prefer 'cautious.' I have no clue what that purple aura surrounding him is, and Kiryu-san has the same thing, along with some of the others," Izuku explained.
"I believe it's the un official name of it is the Unwavering Spirit," Reborn offered, capturing Izuku's attention.
"But why can only some of them use it?" Izuku inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"It's a reserved for those whose fighting spirit is potent enough to manifest within their body, becoming the physical embodiment of their spirit. From what I've gathered, each person's Unwavering Spirit is unique and distinct, unlike the seven Dying Will Flames that everyone is born with. Not even fire really, just pure will." Reborn elaborated.
"So, only a select few have access to it, huh? Quite intriguing," Izuku remarked, absorbing the information.
"I've just sent you the locations of some demons; you know what to do," Reborn stated before departing.
"Maybe it's time we consider bringing in some fresh faces," Fenrir suggested, and Izuku gave a nod.
"I'll post the advertisement on the dark web once we close for the night" Izuku replied, just as more patrons entered the bar.
Next Day-
Izuku found himself on a construction site, positioned on one of the higher floors of the incomplete building. Donning a yellow hard hat, he was joined by Majima and Nishida.
"When you asked me to help with construction, I didn't expect it to involve defusing a fucking bomb!" Izuku exclaimed with frustration, directing his ire at Majima, who simply shrugged.
"Could've just duked it out with me, ya know?" Majima retorted, to which Izuku let out a resigned sigh.
"Anyway, Nishida, how many wires are left?" Izuku inquired, shifting his focus.
"We're down to the last two wire's sir," Nishida responded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Is tapping your forehead like that really helping you find the correct wire?" Izuku inquired, tapping his own forehead lightly, to which Majima nodded.
"Sure is, Izu-chan. It's all about trustin' them instincts," Majima replied, a mischievous grin forming on his face. Izuku couldn't help but facepalm at the response.
"You're relying on instincts!?" Nishida exclaimed, clearly taken aback by his boss's audacious approach.
"What's the matter? Ya doubting my instincts?" Majima retorted, his tone taking a more serious and threatening turn. Izuku instinctively stepped back, sensing the change in atmosphere.
"Cut the red wire!" Majima commanded, but Nishida hesitated, his voice trembling.
"Sir, I have a mother to take care of back home, and if I die, she'd be real sad, so..." Nishida began, his reluctance to defuse the bomb evident.
"That's why we're doing it numbass. Izu-chan here can patch us up if we get blown to bits! right?" Majima quipped, appearing puzzled by Nishida's concerns.
"I can't guarantee that," Izuku interjected solemnly, making Majima seize the pliers from Nishida.
"Give it here I'll handle it myself," Majima declared, narrowing his eyes at the wires before him.
"Hmmm," Majima mused, stroking his chin in deep contemplation.
"Aw, fuck this! Eenie-meenie-miney-mo! which-one-isn't-gonna-blow?" Majima chanted playfully, waving his finger between one wire and another before finally settling on the red wire.
"This one," Majima declared, his voice more serious now as he cautiously raised the pliers and snipped the wire, causing the timer to come to a halt.
~Explosion~
Abuptly, Izuku awoke, having drifted off to sleep in the cafe's lounge area. He found the hard hat resting on the coffee table before him, releasing a tired but amused chuckle.
"Shou0ld've just fought him," Izuku muttered, stifling a yawn.
Fenrir stepped into the room upon noticing that Izuku had awakened.
"Master, you're up. I've received confirmation from the applicants; they'll be here once the coffee shop closes," Fenrir reported, and Izuku acknowledged with a nod.
"How many applicants are there?" Izuku inquired as he stood up, placing the construction helmet on a shelf.
"We've got only four, but three should suffice for the coffee shop. One of them also has experience in baking, so we might be able to utilize the kitchen," Fenrir explained, and Izuku expressed his gratitude before his demonic familiar departed.
"It's going to be a long day," Izuku commented, and then proceeded to freshen up before returning to manage the coffee shop until closing time.
As he was preparing to close, a group of teenagers arrived, leaving Izuku somewhat perplexed.
"Uh, can I help you?" Izuku inquired.
"Yeah, I'm here about the job," a boy with spiky brown hair and prominent lips responded.
"Same here," a girl with auburn hair with perpetual pink blush on her cheeks,
"I've been hearing a lot about this place," a boy with disheveled purple hair mentioned, putting down his phone.
Izuku gazed at them with a quizzical expression before posing a question.
"How old are all of you?" he inquired.
"17," they replied in unison, which left Izuku rather taken aback.
"Why would a group of 17-year-olds be scouring the dark web for a job?" Izuku asked, his confusion evident.
Shinso chimed in, "What kind of person posts a job ad for baristas and waitstaff at a coffee shop on the dark web?"
Izuku smirked in response. "A cautious one. Now, explain yourselves."
Shinso went first, stating, "I was actually looking for sources of those creatures that had been appearing on TV."
Ochako followed, explaining, "I was searching for a way to make money."
Sato then added, "A friend mentioned this to me."
Sighing, Izuku invited them into the shop as they sat down on the chairs as izuku gave them instructions.
"Alright, stay here. When I call your names, come in one after the other," he instructed, and they all nodded in agreement.
"Fenrir, Nightmare, keep an eye on them," Izuku ordered, and from the coffee shop floor, a substantial metallic wolf formed, emerging from the ground, which left them rather surprised.
"Understood," Fenrir acknowledged, and Izuku proceeded to the lounge area.
"I had a feeling this was going to be an interesting place," Shinso commented with a grin.
"Could this place be haunted, do you think?" Uraraka inquired, while Sato began to sweat.
"I really hope not," he replied, his nervousness growing as artwork on the wall seemed to shift behind them scaring them.
Shinso-
Izuku signaled for Shinso to join him, taking a seat on the couch opposite. He picked up Shinso's application form and began to read it aloud.
"Hitoshi Shinso, 17 years old, and currently a student at Nabu Middle School.
Quirk: Brainwash," Izuku recited, and Shinso confirmed it with a nod.
"No prior work experience?" Izuku inquired, and Shinso sighed, nodding.
"I've tried to get a job before, but most places reject me because of my quirk," Shinso explained, leaving Izuku looking puzzled.
"They're foolish to reject someone with a quirk like yours," Izuku remarked, prompting Shinso to express his confusion.
"You don't think my quirk is villainous?" Shinso asked, to which Izuku shook his head.
"There's no such thing as a heroic or villainous quirk. It's what you do with them that counts and there's no such thing as a hero or a villain either. A villain could help a lost child and be seen as a hero to them and a hero could be a abuser and be seen as a villain by their family." Izuku clarified, causing Shinso's eyes to widen in realization.
"You're not afraid of my quirk?" Shinso inquired, his confusion apparent.
"Not really. It's a rather potent quirk if you know how to use it correctly. It seems like it could be useful for handling unruly customers," Izuku replied, setting the papers down on the table.
"No one's... No one's ever said that about my quirk before," Shinso remarked with a smile, to which Izuku nodded.
"Now, tell me, why were you investigating the creatures that have been appearing on the dark web?" Izuku questioned, and Shinso sighed.
"My dad... One day, after work, he was attacked by one of them while he was on his way home. He got seriously injured. He did recover, but he lost some of his fingers in the process. I want to find out what that thing was and how to stop it." Shinso explained.
"Is your dad a lawyer?" Izuku asked, leaving Shinso shocked.
"How did you-"
"I remember taking down a creature and taking a lawyer to the hospital," Izuku revealed, causing Shinso to be even more astonished.
"You killed it?" Shinso inquired, his confusion evident, and Izuku affirmed with a nod.
"Yeah, it was one of the tougher ones," Izuku stated, snapping his fingers to create a hole in the wall beside him. From it, he retrieved the demon's skull and presented it to Shinso.
"This looks like the thing he described," Shinso remarked, bowing in gratitude.
"No problem. Now, back to the interview," Izuku redirected their focus, though Shinso remained somewhat astonished but complied.
"It says here you want to attend UA," Izuku pointed out, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, I want to prove that even someone with a quirk that's considered villainous like mine can still be a hero," Shinso declared with unwavering determination, and Izuku took a deep sigh.
"Right, just avoid mentioning your hero aspirations in Shinjuku or Kamurocho, of all places," Izuku advised, leaving Shinso somewhat puzzled.
"I've never quite grasped why this district is so against heroes," Shinso inquired.
"In short, heroes and the government abandoned Shinjuku during a time of crisis about 20 or 30 years ago. Since then, the Yakuza had to step in to help rebuild the district, and now they're the ones in charge," Izuku explained, which came as a shock to Shinso.
"Is that why there are no heroes here?" Shinso further inquired, and Izuku nodded.
"Anyway, that's all the time we have. Please wait outside until the others are finished," Izuku instructed, and Shinso complied with a nod.
Rikido Sato-
Izuku proceeded to interview Sato, who appeared exceptionally nervous, sweating profusely.
"You're a bit too anxious about this," Izuku remarked, and Sato nodded.
"Yes, I'm quite nervous. I had a feeling taking a job from the dark web was a bad idea," Sato admitted, his tone tinged with fear, which prompted Izuku to laugh.
"Relax, I'm not a criminal. You'll discover the real reason if you're hired," Izuku assured, bringing relief to Sato.
"You have experience with baking sweets and pastries. That could significantly boost our sales, and I'll finally be able to use our kitchen," Izuku mentioned, smiling as he observed Sato's quirk.
"Sugar Rush?" Izuku inquired, his curiosity evident.
"Yeah, it's a quirk that increases my strength fivefold for three minutes after consuming 10 grams of sugar. The effect lasts for three minutes," Sato explained, causing Izuku to smirk.
"And you also want to become a hero, well everyone you're age does." Izuku said as Sato nodded a bit nervous.
"Because of your quirk you have the baking experience. I can already picture you swiftly dealing with anyone who disrupts the peace in the shop," Izuku added with a mischievous grin, leaving Sato feeling rather apprehensive.
"Could you please wait outside until the next interview is completed?" Izuku requested, and Sato nodded before exiting the room.
Ochako Uraraka-
Uraraka took a seat on the chair while Izuku locked his gaze onto her, which made her a bit uneasy. She hesitated for a moment before answering his question.
"Why were you on the dark web looking for money?" Izuku inquired.
"Because I like money," Uraraka responded, but Izuku shook his head.
"That's not the truth," Izuku stated, leaving Uraraka in a state of shock.
"No, I'm telling the truth," she insisted, but Izuku continued to shake his head.
"If you want to be a hero, then I suggest you tell the truth. Otherwise, you can leave this shop," Izuku declared, prompting Uraraka to put her hands up frantically.
"Wait! Let me explain!" she exclaimed, and Izuku patiently waited.
"My family isn't that well off, and I want to support them. They already work so hard to make sure I can have a good life, and I want to become a hero to make them smile and give them a better life," Uraraka explained. Izuku leaned back in his chair and offered a smile.
"That wasn't so difficult, was it?" Izuku remarked, to which Uraraka shook her head, smiling a bit.
"I remember a time when I wanted to be a hero. That seems rather foolish now," Izuku reflected confusing uraraka before instructing her to wait outside, and she followed his directive.
Few minutes later-
After a few minutes of waiting, Izuku emerged and turned his attention to the group.
"Well, it's regrettable, but I have to do what needs to be done," Izuku stated, and a tense atmosphere settled among them.
"Surprise, all of you are hired!" Izuku declared, leaving them all shocked. Uraraka cheered in delight, while Shinso and Sato breathed sighs of relief.
"That's one hell of a way to deliver news," Shinso commented, and Sato concurred.
"Anyhow, starting tomorrow, you'll all begin working here. Punctuality is expected," Izuku stated, and they nodded in agreement.
"Shadow here is our mascot, so please treat him kindly," Izuku added, perplexing them. They then heard a meow from behind the counter, and a black cat leaped onto it.
"Fenrir here is your supervisor, so report to him if anything goes awry. To summon him, just call his name," Izuku explained, and Fenrir nodded with a bow.
"I anticipate your best effort while working," Fenrir added.
"I'll go over training and dress code tomorrow, so for now, you can head home," Izuku instructed, and they all nodded in understanding.
"Oh, what about pay?" Uraraka inquired, and Izuku expressed gratitude for the reminder.
"Ah, right. You'll receive a monthly salary of 600,000¥, and after a three-month probation period, it'll increase to 800,000¥, along with an allowance," Izuku clarified, leaving them in shock.
A:N-$4000 and $5300.
"That's nearly 5,000 dollars!" Uraraka exclaimed, her astonishment evident.
"Yeah, you didn't find this job on the dark web expecting it to be just a regular coffee shop gig," Izuku pointed out, and they all nodded, with Sato and Uraraka perspiring slightly.
"Anyway, that's it for today. See ya!" Izuku concluded as he closed up shop and they all left.
"Hey Fenrir who was the fourth person anyway?" Izuku asked as he locked the door to the cafe.
"Someone named katsuki-"
"Burn it immediately." Izuku ordered as Fenrir was confused but still burned the paper.
End of part. This is all kind of filler, but the story will pick up from next part onwards. Should shinso have a familiar?