Outside the room the two heroes who had left the family to have their emotional reunion, began their talk.
"What happened with the manhunt for that villain? Why haven't we heard anything about any leads or updates about it?" Midoriya asked, faking an upset face. In reality, he was mad but for a different reason. This all seemed suspicious like the heroes were planning something.
"It's still ongoing. However its kept secret. A bunch of heroes are searching for him as we speak. However the actions and identities are kept secret to maximize our chances to catch the bastard" Endeavor sighed, thinking that the plan was still reckless but it had some merit in finding clues and smoking out the bastard "Don't tell me you want to join this reckless operation?" He asked with eyes trying to pry his intentions.
"No." Midoriya confidently said "I just wanted to know what was going on outside. The silence was getting to me so I had to know something about it. I'm too hurt to act now" he rubbed his left forearm
"Good" Endeavor told him "You saw how powerful he was at first glance. I don't want him to finish the job"
Midoriya turned around and smiled before doing an about face, now again wearing a serious face "However after I'm done that might change. After training, I will seek a rematch or he will bring it to me. Either ways it's unavoidable." He cockily told Endeavor with a straight face.
The number one hero didn't take this to kindly. His mustache and beard flamed hotter
"I hate to admit you're right. However I disagree in the attitude you have right now. That villain was close to killing you. Yet he choose to spare you. That mercy is the only thing that allowed you to make it back home safe. You shouldn't be expecting a fight with him the way you are doing now. He's out there to specifically kill you-"
"And you think I'm going to let him? I'll be ready." Midoriya assured him. "Plus I have no other choice than to look at it that way. I want to become better so I guess destiny has given me the chance to prove myself against a challenge hundreds of times tougher than anything I ever expected."
The number one hero looked intensively at Midoriya "Then prepare yourself. I don't think the next time he shows himself, he will have the same kind heart to let you run away."
Midoriya nodded as he moved on to the second thought he had. This was his plan all along. With a fake happy face he cleared his throat to gain his attention. This was the perfect time. This was society number one hero. He needs to face him.
"I didn't tell this to anyone. But for a reason. Turn and face the wall briefly so I can tell you" Midoriya whispered as he turned around to the wall and pretended to check his phone. Endeavor got alarmed at the silence and swiftness Midoriya showed, so he took heed and turned nonchalantly to face the wall
He turned his phone on and had a picture of the Tartarus prison. It was an aerial view were Midoriya himself guessed his sword would be. This will work as a test to see how powerful Endeavor is. Plus it will take their attention by storm again.
"In this place about a month from now... The Berserker will appear again. Inform only those you know, keep them in a close communication, and initiate a defense stratagem. Don't tell All Might or anyone who cannot keep their lips closed indefinitely. The Berserker will attempt to recover the vile blade from where it's kept at." Midoriya whispered in succession, making the older hero's eyes widen with each word. He turned back again to the same position he was and stood in place
Endeavor had bead of sweat fall from his face and a tick of anger at the same time "And you kept this under rags!? How dare you-!?"
"Ssh." Midoriya punched him in the chest, a strong nudge to force him to keep their voices down.
Midoriya nodded his head knowing this was 'dangerous' and he should have ratted out everything in the first place "No. I didn't keep it secret. I told the police in my eyewitness testimony and they began to do some planning themselves. If you wonder why I kept it secret was because I was knocked out and to avoid to cause panic. Look at the world out there. Do you think they are ready to be told that someone like the Berserker is out there? They would be very afraid. So afraid even I'm afraid to see what would happen if our slip ups and failures keep stacking upon one another. Thankfully the media and info given will dissuade the crowd to feel more secure and return to their daily lives like always." He revealed to the hero. He brushed his hair with one hand "You can ask the cops. But keep it secret. The island can be in lock down and this whole event can be covered up if you wish too. I recommend that. When I was beaten to a pulp, he talked about trying to sneak in and get back his Dragonslayer. He said he would raid wherever his blade would be locked in later due to an oversight, a mistake he made that forced him to change his plans. You'll never find him out there so take this chance and wait for him to get close." Midoriya told him, crossing his arms before walking away.
"Please do this the way a professional hero would do. Don't let that bastard intimidate our society and less miss a chance to beat him." With that, he stepped out and walked away to the exit.
Endeavor on the other hand was shocked, still taking in that message. He memorized it and if needed would call on him to tell the rest of the heroes who would join on this sneak attack. They must capture the Berserker at all costs or if it comes to that, stop him permanently. This was a sudden break through.
Never did he ever thought Midoriya would be such a paranoid like guy. In full honesty, he respected that. All Might could never be that cautious and by the life of him could never keep things close to the vest when it was about to take down a bad guy. He trusted too much in his own strength and those around him to try and think outside the box.
"Full of surprises huh? Midoriya" he murmured before entering the room were his family was having a heart to heart moment.
Even then as he entered to see Rei and Shoto crying together in a hug, that conversation kept buzzing inside his head. Barely a month. He only has weeks to prepare.
▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶▶
Midoriya exited the hospital level they were at and had taken the elevator. He wanted to go back for Uraraka but when he turned to see inside Todoroki's room, she was too happy for his rude ass to barge in and stop her from having fun. It seems she found it cute Shoto was comforting his mom and he choose to let her enjoy it.
It was also the right thing to do. After all, he killed the real Midoriya. Guilt is not something that sticks for long though. Eventually he'll get used to the idea he was this naive feeble guy that changed the day the Berserker appeared and turned him into a badass. Then he could actually decide to stay or leave.
One way or the other... He was going to make destiny spit out every single thing it took. Even his Ura-san. That is a promise.
The elevator opened it's doors and as he descended with it he analyzed all around him with a certain curiosity even as he exited with a quick turn.
This world was strange. It felt like he was walking down some fantasy world. He looked around to see people walking around, kids playing and tagging, and even today the hospital was back to normal since the day they took in patients left and right from the incident.
Suddenly he was zoned out of his thoughts. A child threw a ball to his feet and he kicked it back to him with a nudge as another caught it and there they went to follow him.
One of the kids froze before following right after, shaking his head as he felt evil eyes on him. He ignored it and ran to the other kids. This was a sign of the killer instinct Midoriya had and was displaying while brainstorming thoughts. He envied and hated this world. His stomach churned thinking that doofus of All Might was able to not only help people like he wanted, he inspired it to spawn heroes. It disgusted him.
A couple of people seated near him or walking close to Midoriya quickly felt the killer aura. An aura so thick some began to feel watched over by a mosaic of eyes and indeed, it was. Midoriya had now that essence of the Berserker armor and with it the sensations of all those evil beings it had killed.
The beast of darkness was on him like a curse even if he did not wore the armor. That thing only acted like a shroud without its shell, a dark mind set upon his brain.
Not glancing at anyone else, he focused again on the effects he was feeling. He twitched his eyes to the outer corners and saw he could still see a blotch of black and white colors. He needed to drink that holy water thing or this might spread. He calmed down and that disturbing aura disappeared in a snap.
For the moment he decided to leave it for later, choosing to walk down and leave the hospital. A walk could allow him a change of pace and think things more clearly.
He remembered Eri was outside waiting with Mirio, so he planned to go out and eat some real good food. This was a chance he would certainly enjoy. Plus he needed to see this child. She was just as cute as the one in his world and it seemed that he did not know the whole story. Something was hanging around her mind that caused her to be shy and unconfident. Yet there was something much worse hiding. He just knew.
Getting to the entrance, he saw that more parents had arrived and Kyoka's were smack in the middle. They both waved at him as Mirio pushed through the crowd with young Eri on his left arm. Midoriya ignored the weirdness he felt as he waved back at them with a smile to match "Yo! Mr. And Mrs. Kyoka!" He called to them as Mirio came close enough
Kyotoku and Mika almost shoved him aside with Eri grabbing hold of him hard "IS OUR BABY OKAY-?!?!?" They both asked, scaring even Midoriya as he was almost double headbutted back to the hospital, only his lean saved him as he waved his hands dramatically in front of him
"WOAH-! Yes! yes don't worry I saw her. She's awake with friends up in her room, she has some injuries but otherwise fine. Instead be happy that maybe this whole blockade thing might go away today in a couple of hours. All of the students are okay but now more than ever need to lay down." He had a bead of sweat, watching them rejoice. Kyotoku hugged his wife and spun her around as she held on with the same energy, a kiss in the end was the cherry on top.
Dark Midoriya all that time looked down to see Mika being spun. He wondered why the hell he felt so thirsty. Maybe his armor inhibited these emotions so much that once out of it they came back full force. He was disgusted but at the same time understanding that Mika was hot. Period. He just needs to peek and that's more than enough. Then put back his armor if need be.
"Hey Midoriya you hungry? I see you're salivating already. Got a place to go?" Mirio asked him, naively missing what Midoriya was seeing
Midoriya shook his head and brushed his arm to his mouth. He cursed briefly to himself before answering "Sorry. Um... Not really. But anyway let's go somewhere to eat... A burger or something like that." Midoriya sincerely asked, tapping his shoulder and motioning Mirio to let him carry Eri.
The little girl almost jumped to his arms as he hugged her before arranging her to his arm. She giggled seeing him so refreshed. Also he was allowing her to hug him and hold her. That was new a thing he wasn't particularly open to do which was strange but she did not mind at all.
"What do you think about it Eri-? Wanna get a bite?" Midoriya asked.
"Just something not too big... Last time I didn't finish it" Eri told him, earning a chuckle.
"Mah. Don't worry. We'll just take what you can't eat back home so don't fret over it too much okay sweet pea-?" He flicked a strand of hair to the rest of her white melange. She blushed as he stared back with a more authoritative soft stare... Like if he was her dad.
"Yes... Midoriya-san." She almost slipped and very nearly called him dad thinking about his stare.
"Alright then! Let's get something to eat!" He called as Mirio smiled seeing the young hero becoming more and more through everything he has gone through already. It was like this event did not hinder him but instead boosted him to a level above.
This Midoriya kid might beat him in becoming a hero.
✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴✴
Moving to see the next stores, they finally found it.
"It's here! This is the place!" Eri told Midoriya as he looked to the place's sign they were going to eat in.
He sweated a bit in comedic fashion and tried not to slap his face. Stiffling a laugh, he looked on to the sign and read it out loud
"Fairy Queen..." He muttered before Eri began to shake his shirt
"Let's go!" She told him as she pointed to the place with urgency. Midoriya only shrugged before dropping his dignity and walking to the place.
"Seriously-? You should have thought about the consequences of showing a child a place like this Mirio. Now I bet we're coming every week to it just for her to play with the games..." Midoriya told Mirio as he walked beside him.
"Come on Midoriya. This is her favorite place. Plus it's not like she only comes here to eat but also for the games. So somewhat it's healthy for her." He whispered to his friend "however another great thing in this place is the slushies. You'll see."
"Ahum." He answered as Mirio passed by to open the door, Midoriya quickly entered as Mirio passed in too.
He allowed Mirio to pay for three as he passed by, weaving around the kids and watching out to not step on their feet as the little rascals circled around and ran passed him. He sighed as he put Eri down and looked at her with a stern face "I'll give you 20 minutes to play all you want but promise me you'll eat after okay? Be careful and call me if you need help sweet pea."
"Okay-!" She said before a little girl grabbed her hand and Eri smiled back to her, Midoriya looked at the scene and realized that this Eri had friends. Very different from his own unsocial Eri.
"Come on! Come on Eri-! Were playing hide and seek in the top levels of the slide!" The little green haired girl with her hair tied back told Eri as she nodded and ran beside her.
'Wow' Midoriya wondered 'So she really is a friend-? Maybe she's not so broken afterall-?' He scratched his chin before going from the chaotic children ball pit and slide level section, to the calm adult sitting area were the food Mirio ordered would come from.
He chose one of the colored tables and sat down with a plop. Gosh how he hated this wobbly seats. Focusing on the play area, Dark Midoriya watched as Eri and that little girl began to hide together as a kid faced to a post and counted from ten to zero as others playing with them ran to hide. They had joined to make a team hide and seek thing, which made Midoriya tilt his head in watching Eri.
He found it cute that Eri was so observant for a hiding place. She made a pout and kinda panicked until her friend pointed to somewhere on the back.
"Ah kids." He said, feeling weird saying the 's' after 'kid'. Unlike some adults he saw with the rear of his eye, he did not mind all the screaming and ranting of the children. Instead he found it refreshing. Annoying but calming to see such a forgotten sight. Raising his palm at eye level he saw the little scars on his right hand and focused on the tiny but deep ones.
'I wonder how many children did I kill...?' Midoriya wondered. He may still love and have mercy on kids but... Inside that armor under his rage-? Who knew. He felt like his hand. It was alright and worked better than anyone else's hand... But was it really alright? To have such a hand in the mind and body of a killer-? So then was it alright for him to be here in a kid's place while he himself had murdered some in the past with his plans and as accidents that became casualties?
Obviously no. But it's not like god can strike him then and there. He did it to survive. Plus who can say anything-? His conscience should shut up about such random inconveniences.
Suddenly he felt two presences come near him. His eyes narrowed and a dark shadow enveloped his mind. He turned around in a flash and scared the two parents. The two did not expect the inhuman quick twist of the young hero they now got to meet and wanted to talk to.
Midoriya shook himself as he saw the two had... Amphibian like characteristics. He calmed down, letting out a short breath, and wearing his fake positive character presented himself
"Oh I'm very sorry! I just was startled." Midoriya bowed a little to the two who got closer to him "I'm just a little twitchy" he told them with a voice scratch at the end.
"Oh don't worry son. I guess it was improper for the two of us to walk up to you like that. You see we are Tsuyu's parents. And we wanted very much to talk to the man that got our little girl out of that mess. You don't know how blessed we felt seeing our Tsuyu fine and kicking to continue her hero work." The father of Asui said as he did a 90 degree angle bow to Midoriya
"We really thank you from the bottom of our hearts" Tsuyu's mother grabbed Midoriya's hand and she held it with a firm grip. She was sheepish and tearful to meet the young man that kept Asui out of harm.
Midoriya scratched the back of his head with his free hand "You're welcome. It was my duty to get as many out of there. So in a way, don't thank me for something that should be expected of me. It was my honor to have put myself on the line." He said proudly, showing them his forearm with confidence.
"My name's Ganma Asui and my wife is Beru Asui. I see you are a young man of great moral courage. I thank god that you were there in that day of the incident." He punched his shoulder, a trust mannerism that Midoriya returned with a simple smirk.
Beru released his hand and looked to the young hero with tears held back "My other children were in shock when we had to tell them that their older sister might have been injured in yet another incident against these evil villains... But you should have seen the look of their eyes when their sister came back in full health. The two cried as we all hugged in a group. So I want to thank you a thousand times more for being my daughter's hero while being so young." She rubbed his shoulder and he cracked a grin
"Don't sweat it. I would do it again in a heartbeat." He responded "So the girl up there with my little one is the little sister of Tsuyu huh? I knew it." He gestured as he looked up to see a cute scene of them huddled together as they held a snicker seeing the other boy look behind somewhere too obvious. They were probably using their echo to confuse the poor boyo. He saw to the right that another green haired boy was searching too and he had a real similar fave to Tsuyu. That must be the little brother
"Aww. Aren't they cute-?" Asked Beru as Midoriya nodded
"I know right? Sneaky little ones" he muttered before seeing Mirio get in the other side of the table.
He was already sipping on his slushie, a bright yellow mixed with orange. Bastard must be saying the truth cause he was already half-done with it.
"Yo Midoriya! And hey-uh-parents!" Mirio casually added as he slanged his arm over Midoriya's neck.
The latter made a short voice scratch before presenting him "And this guy is a friend of mine. His name is Mirio. He's a hero too. Now Mirio say hi to Ganma and Beru Asui." He introduced Tsuyu's Dad and Mom discretely.
The young blonde waved "Yo" he grinned at the end
"A pleasure to meet you" both adults said, bowing a short sec.
"Well young Midoriya. Can't thank you enough so we believe we owe you." Ganma smiled as his wife hugged his arm
"So if you need help with anything non-heroic and more related to your studies, well let you come over and study with our Tsuyu. She's a brilliant mind and can teach a thing or two like a great teacher-Gero!" Beru boasted with a red circles on each cheek. She was proud of her daughter.
"Maybe I'll take you up to it. Not like I need the study... But I need Eri to be more like that, and I think she really loves her company." He told them, maybe considering to be on their good side.
"Yeah yeah bring her too if you can! She's lovely and really wants to learn what girls do and play." Beru agreed as her husband nudged her to look over their table, their food ready to be served.
Midoriya shook his head in understanding "Well then it's a promise! I'll ask Tsuyu and she should tell you about it all. Now we should bring the kids down... But doing that is easier said than done." He gestured the kids area as he saw the narrow and small spaces in that children's levels area.
"Oh don't tell me about it" Genma said, rubbing his back. Never again will he try to even put his head in the entrance level.
The parents waved him off as they went inside the area and watched over their daughter. Midoriya laughed internally, imagining how quirks made things so strange but yet this emotions inside them made this family normal. It made them human.
On the other hand, he looked human but deep within him he knew... He wasn't anymore. He was the freak. The monster.
"Don't sweat it. She may like this place with every inch of her soul but loves the food too! So we'll just call her when the burgers cools down a bit" Mirio scuffed his hair as he finished talking, seeing the steam radiate from the foils of the burgers.
"Okay then. I seemed to have forgotten that too. Then again Eri does everything to the letter huh?" He memorized that. Probably was gonna test it to see if Eri can do things for herself. Maybe even for survival.
Would she do everything to save herself or save someone else? All in time he would test those ideas. He has all the time in the world.
"Oh yeah did you get me that Blueberry blast Mirio-!?" Midoriya asked as he saw Mirio about to take a sip from his slushie "HEY HEY-!" He waved him off like a fly.
▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪
"Ow my brain..." Eri whimpered as she held her head from the cold "Owowow-"
"Ahhh sweet pea. I told you to take it easy. And you do the exact opposite" Midoriya laughed at the end as he rubbed her head as well in circle motions, Mirio casually drinking down his 6th large slushie cup.
"Hehehe. Ah Eri. This is a classic pain we all tend to underestimate. the power of the brainfreeze-!" He smiled at the little girl who looked up, learning of a new thing. She wondered maybe that's why Mirio never let her eat one.
"Ep-!" She now knew why Midoriya warned her. She should've take it slow. She tried not to move as the pain slowly subsided.
"Yosh yosh. It will get better soon enough. Just drink it slowly." He said as he stopped rubbing the back of her head and crossed his fingers to brush her hair. As he touched it, he found it fascinating.
'Was Eri's hair this soft in my universe-?' He thought, feeling like he was touching silky but smooth hair. Waving it, he passed his fingers through it as he thought about it like pasta.
He decided to stand up from the wobbly seat and stand behind Eri's chair as he eyed her white hair.
Like a kid, he was interested to see how flexible and non-tangling Eri's hair was.
He made different styles. playing with it by making ponytails, a bun, and doing a semi-braided ponytail really quick which startled Eri a bit, not knowing that this was Midoriya actually doing her hair.
"You're hair is fantastic Eri! I could make any style work." He complimented as he continued to try more.
Eri had shocked eyes as she felt his fingers make more different hair styles. A tiny blush painted her cheeks and Mirio was so shocked he dropped his slushie as he stuttered "Mi-Mi-Midoriya!?!? What the hell-?!" He asked in shock and surprise
"What? Oh wait I didn't ask permission from you Eri-"
"Not that! How the heck did YOU tie her hair like that when a couple of weeks ago you couldn't even tie your shoes right!?"
"Ah shut it" Midoriya growled and he guessed that the real Midoriya might have been a goddamn slouch, so he had excuses to clear his own changes "I just looked up in the internet and decided to learn how. I mean, If I'm taking care of her then I should be able to tidy up a little cute girl right Eri-chan?" He cooed to her, now having a mid tied ponytail with bangs.
Actually, he learned that as he did Ura-san's hair when they were together. At the end of the day, he would always comb it down. She really had long majestic hair.
"Um..." She said, feeling lovely being spoiled by Midoriya's hands
"Yosh~! I knew I wouldn't lose the touch from learning it" he pounded his chest with one hand, muttering an ow, before seeing Eri with the same style but now held down by rubber bands the little girl had in her wrists.
"Your long hair is truly blessed. How many other girls would envy such a hair." He complimented before he took off the bands with a short nudge that sprung her hair back the way it was "But it's your hair Eri. Tell me whenever you want me to style it." He muttered, rubbing her rubber bands back to her arms
"Yeah... I'll do that Midoriya-san" she then tried to do a smile, again forcing it.
Midoriya gave a weirded out look "hehehe you alright Eri-?" He glanced at her
"I'm trying to smile... But it's still hard." She said before he placed both finger tips and widened the corners of her mouth to form a smile
"Then learn the gesture and don't be forcing it. Feel my fingers, and always aim to reach these two positions in a relaxed mood. And lastly, have fun doing it sweet pea" he voiced as she looked up to him with hopeful eyes. She nodded, doing the same to her cheeks as his fingertips left.
He sat down again to his seat until he sensed something. Quickly improvising he touched his pocket and acted as if he got a message.
"Oh. It's All Might's friend. I need to take this, Eri stay." He motioned to her and pointed to Mirio as he nonchalantly said yes. Each step he took away from them was like decending back to his old self. Heading to the exit, his face grew gray and the positivity he once had disappeared under the true person he was.
He left the restaurant and took a sharp right, walking to the back end where the large dumpster was with a sizzling lightbulb.
Sighing, Midoriya looked to the dark shadowed corner which was the dead end wall and waved his hand "Good job. I see it fit to say that the clone made an excellent cover to lure the cops away? And he's still alive too. Perfect. Now armor, give me the satchel." He commanded
Given the order, the armor dropped down from the dead end wall and it fell like a rock into a kneeling position. Lifting it's wolf like head and snapping it's jaw the Berserker armor presented itself.
Midoriya extended his hand in which the armor threw the satchel it had. In a perfect catch, he wrapped the thing around his waist to his right side and took out the multi-dimensional crystal "I'll wear you again soon enough. There is no need to go berserk as of now. But soon." He talked to himself, the controlled armor only stayed silent as he flashed the crystal and absorbed it. He snickered as he put the crystal back and he went back to the restaurant.
"Yes. Soon enough we will have fun again..." Dark Midoriya thought grimly as he changed back to the fake persona he was not so long ago. His face returning to that which people loved. To that which people would never guess was the killer.