6 The Blood

It's nice to meet you face to face", Izuku's eyes widened when he finally got a look at Sensei in person. He wasn't sure if that face to face remark was a joke or not, because the man didn't have one. Just an eyeless bald man covered in scar tissue, with only a mouth to speak with. The man wore a simple suit with various tubes and wires hooked up to him from the life support machines around him.

"N-nice to m-meet you to S-Sensei", the boy stuttered nervously. Izuku was shaking with fear. This man had an aura of raw limitless power which made him absolutely terrifying, even with all the medical devices surrounding him. It also excited and fascinated the boy, because it was the same presence that he aspired to one day have.

"There's no need to fear me child", the villain said with a calm demeanor. "I have no intention of harming such a valuable asset to the league", that still didn't lighten the mood.

"I'm not really that valuable sir. I'm just the strategist", Izuku rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yes, but it was because of you that my apprentice Tomura is learning to think in different ways and see plans from other angles", Sensei praised. "For that you have my thanks"

"Happy to help sir", Izuku bowed respectfully.

"Which brings me to my next topic", the mood suddenly changed and the boy felt like a canary in front of a very big and hungry cat. "I would like you to imagine my surprise…when I found out what you were really working on in that lab of yours"

"I'm not sure what you mean", Izuku tried to play it off, but on the inside he was worried that his boss found out about his secret project.

"Very clever of you my boy, to keep all of those devices, inventions and blueprints laying around", Sensei grinned with his only remaining facial feature. "That alone would satisfy a normal person's curiosity. Even all your files are so full of designs and notes on quirks, no one would think to look a bit deeper" Izuku's eyes widened. Sensei went through his files? How? When? As if reading his thoughts the man answered. "Why do you think I ordered you to go with Tomura during the attack? Of course I wanted you to advise him, but I also wanted to take a look at what you were doing in the lab we so generously gave you."

"I-I…can see how this looks", the green haired boy's mind was running a mile a minute to think of a solution out of this. Running was impossible, so that just left talking his way out.

"Your true files were well protected, I'm astounded by your technological skills, but one of the quirks I possess allowed me to bypass and unlock them", Sensei proclaimed.

'One of the quirks?' Izuku wondered what he meant by that. Did he have multiple quirks?

"Then I found this strange formula that even I didn't fully understand, lists of potential quirks, notes on genetics, and a blueprint for a device you dubbed…the Infinity Gauntlet", the boy felt his stomach drop at that. So he knew that much. Well, he was as good as dead now. "I must say…I'm truly…impressed"

"Huh?" Izuku's brain went on pause, fully expecting to be chastised, and probably attacked.

"You plan to harness the DNA of multiple quirk users to create the ultimate quirks in the form of a stone which you will then attach to the gauntlet for you to use", All for One summed up. "It's pure genius"

"You…like it?" Izuku was truly confused. Not expecting this sort of reaction from his boss. "It's just…I thought that you be…uh angry"

"Angry?" Sensei smiled. "Why would I be angry? It's perfectly understandable that a quirkless child would want to empower himself. In fact you're the first one to actually do it", Izuku's green eyes widened even further. "Ah. Forgive me, but I looked into you. I first investigated that academy you're going to, found a list of the first year students, and it wasn't that hard to discern who you were. For me at least. I have no doubt that the heroes will never figure out your true identity, Izuku Midoriya"

"T-Thankyou", the boy felt completely exposed. Since the man knew who he was, there was no point in wearing this disguise anymore so Izuku dropped the hood and removed the mouth armor cover.

"No one would ever suspect that a quirkless boy was such a villain or what he was up to until it's far too late to stop him", All for One continued to praise him for his cleverness. It truly amazed the old villain that this boy had placed himself in the perfect position to achieve his goals right under the nose of the hero society and the villain underworld.

"Yeah", Izuku chuckled rubbing the back of his now messier mossy hair. "That was kind of the idea. I wanted their completely dismissal of the quirkless to be their undoing and it will be", the boy had a dark look come over his face when he said that. He truly despised those who looked down on the quirkless.

'If I hadn't found Tomura, this boy would have made a great apprentice', Sensei pondered. 'Alas. Izuku has his own goals that's he's dead set on. He doesn't even need a teacher. A completely self-operating independent student'

"I want you to know Izuku Midoriya I fully support your project and…", All for One paused digging into what he had deduced about the boy. He knew from Izuku's prior knowledge of Allmight and his weakness meant that he must have met the number one hero in person alone. He also knew that this boy now had an extreme dislike of Allmight. Putting all the pieces together, it seemed Izuku was a huge fan of heroes particularly Allmight himself, and when he did meet his hero this poor quirkless boy that the world was practically against must have asked the man if he could be a hero too. Like any hero or quirked individual would say, Allmight told him no, that he couldn't without a quirk.

He couldn't fully imagine the devastation Izuku must have felt, but it had to be soul crushing. To be rejected by your idol in a long line of voices that said the same thing. And what did he do, cry and lament his lot in life like all those born without a quirk did? No Izuku decided to change the way things are and make something of his quirkless self by putting the only thing he had, his keen and powerful intellect, to the task. All for One was quite proud of him. He was also for once in his long life grateful to Allmight, for it was his rejection that acted as the final nail in the coffin that brought Izuku's brilliant mind to the villains' side. It was because of this that the scarred man decided for the first time to be both kind and cruel, by saying something this boy's probably never heard his entire life. "…I believe you can accomplish great things"

"What?" Izuku asked in disbelief. Did he hear that correctly?

"I said I believe in you", All for One couldn't see it, but he could hear the small sounds of a choked sob. Izuku fell to his knees gripping the front of his white coat tightly. It was a very kind hearted thing the older man did, to give this boy back the hope that was taken away, but at the same time it was cruel that a villain of all people was the one to do it. Didn't exactly paint a better picture of the world did it? A world where heroes reject him for being powerless but villains praise him for his brilliance. It's all backwards.

"You…believe…in me", Izuku whispered while wiping his eyes. "Thank you sir"

"Your welcome", Sensei smiled. "Now then, I have an offer you might be interested in"

LATER AT THE LAB

Once he was safely warped to his lab he finally relaxed and let the tension he had leave his body. Sensei may have been kind enough to believe in him and make him that generous offer, but he was still a very intimidating man. The boy's guard was up during the whole conversation.

'All For One?' He wondered about the quirk Sensei possessed. He told the boy all about his quirk and what it did. Izuku wasn't entirely sure what to do with the information that he was given. Deciding to instead put it to the side for now.

Izuku sighed as he took off his carbon fiber armor. It was much easier to put on than it was to take off. Once it was all off he walked shirtless over to the mirror. His chest sported a number of bruises he got from his fight with Bakugou. But beyond that he noticed for the first time he wasn't as skinny as he used to be. It seemed the eleven months he spent working as a villain, running around doing jobs had given him a fair bit of muscles.

That wasn't enough though. If it wasn't for his devices then Kacchan would have beaten him. Izuku needed to be stronger than this. A stronger body would also probably be preferable for when he created the gauntlet. Who knows how artificial quirks would react to his biology. It wouldn't be that difficult to bulk up more. Changing his diet and instead of using the lift equipment to move and set up his machines in the lab, he could do it himself.

"Guess I should make a training plan" Izuku commented as he walked away from the mirror. Sitting at his console, he pressed he few buttons and typed in the passwords. He noticed that the security programs were broken which meant that Sensei did indeed access them. Good thing the man supported him or he'd feel like his privacy was violated.

"Now then, let's see how class 1-A did" Izuku smirked while plugging in his scouter which contained all the footage and data that his drones acquired from the attack on U.S.J. The drones were destroyed in the shockwaves of Allmight's fight with Nomu, but luckily everything was transferred to the scouter. He now had video footage of every student in the hero course. Their names, physical descriptions, their quirks, and their fighting styles. Maybe one of them had a quirk that would be useful for a stone. Sensei also ordered him to make a copy of data once it was compiled for Tomura to study. Then of course there was the analysis of Allmight he needed to submit to both Sensei and Tomura.

"This is going to be a very busy night"

U.A. THE NEXT DAY

"So far we have three villains that were leading this attack", detective Naomasa Tsukauchi explained to his friend Toshinori Yagi, otherwise known as Allmight. They were both currently in the nurse's office where the hero was getting treated for his injuries in his true state from the fight at the U.S.J yesterday. "Kurogiri, the villain that looked to be made of black mist, he seemed to possess a warping quirk"

"A group of villains with someone like that at their disposal can make them quite dangerous", Toshinori said sitting up in the bed.

"Then there's the leader this Tomura Shigaraki, from what I heard from the students and the villains we captured he was in charge of the League of Villains", the officer looked through his notes. "He has a decaying quirk that lets him disintegrate whatever he touches"

"What about the third one?" The hero asked.

"I was getting to that. From what I was able to gather this one was the group's strategist", the detective looked up from his notes. "According to the statements of young Bakugou and Kirishima he went by the name Apotheosis"

"Are the two alright?" Toshinori was worried his students were hurt by the villain.

"The two are fine. Kirishima's hardening ability protected him from the villain's power and Bakugou was a little banged up, but has fully recovered", Naomasa said. "They weren't able to figure out Apotheosis's quirk unfortunately. Katsuki Bakugou said he fired some sort of energy from his hand and erected a barrier to defend himself, so maybe an energy manipulation quirk"

"Perhaps, but I did notice a device on his hand", the hero thought back to how his punch was negated.

"It could be a machine used to focus his quirk. In my time I've seen many heroes and villains use similar things" Naomasa looked troubled by that. Then there were the numerous handmade drones. It seemed this group had someone in the midst that was mechanically smart. It was bad enough that villains were banding together like this, but throw in an intelligent strategist, a man with a warping quirk, and someone making them weapons and devices to enhance their powers and you got a potential disaster. "Though what really troubles me is this villain's possible age"

"I noticed that too", Allmight sighed looking down at his boney fingers. "When I first arrived I thought he was a student that changed his costume going by his height and then when he nullified my punch I got a close look at wide scared eyes", he didn't mention how familiar the eyes looked. Liked he seen them somewhere before, but couldn't place where or who.

"Yeah that sounds like a kid to me" the detective commented.

"How sad", a voice said entering the recovery room. The two looked to see the principal of U.A., a small white humanoid mouse or possibly bear named Nezu, had arrived. "That someone so young turned to a life of villainy"

"Principal Nezu", the detective greeted.

"But what could make a boy turn to the side of evil?" The principal asked.

"You sound more interested in this one villain rather than the other two", Toshinori spoke.

"Oh no the others concern me as well, but I find this one more troubling", the small animal said while walking towards the two of them. "Something about his villain name doesn't feel right. The word apotheosis has two meanings"

"The final complete development of something", Naomasa clarified, having looked up the definition himself.

"It can also mean the elevation of a person to divine status, essentially someone becoming a god" Nezu added.

"So this kid is incredibly arrogant and egotistical to give himself such a title" The detective scoffed.

"Most villains are. I once fought a guy who referred to himself as a destroyer of worlds", Toshinori chuckled lightly. "He wasn't much of one when all it took was two good punches to knock him out" After a short awkward pause Allmight finally remembered the fourth villain. "Hey what about that big one I fought?"

"We captured it but it doesn't seem to be able to talk nor did it resist capture or try to free itself", the other officers are under the impression that it couldn't act without orders, like a mindless doll. "What bothers me is that it apparently had multiple quirks, shock absorption and super regeneration"

"Yeah it definitely did", the hero wondered about that too.

"You told me there was only one person who could transfer quirks, adding more to a person if he wanted to", the detective looked at his friend. "Someone who you fought before right?"

"It seems your old nemesis has returned", Nezu said. Allmight clenched his fist in anger. That man was still out there, manipulating things from the shadows. Perhaps this league was just a front for his activities then. Didn't matter though, whatever he or the League of Villains was planning Toshinori vowed that he would stop them.

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Delivery", the security guard lowered his newspaper and spotted a boy holding a package. He couldn't see his face because of the baseball cap, but the uniform told him that he was a member of the package delivery company. Probably a part timer going by his age.

"I wasn't aware of any package delivery today", the guard looked at him skeptically. "You do know the lab is closed?"

"I did not", the delivery boy scratched his cheek letting out a nervous chuckle. "Heh heh…oops"

"Its fine I can keep it here until the lab reopens tomorrow", the guard felt bad for the kid, he must be new and didn't know what he was doing.

"Thank you sir. This is my first week on the job", handing the package over to the guard the boy smiled and pulled out a small clip board. "Can you sign here please?"

"Sure", the guard placed the box under his desk and took the clipboard quickly leaving his signature on the line at the bottom before handing it back.

"Have a lovely day sir", the boy left the security check in and walked out the building with a friendly wave.

"Nice kid", the security guard went back to his newspaper resigned to the fact that the unannounced delivery to the closed lab would probably be the most interesting thing that happened today. Unknown to him the package under his desk started to vibrate lightly. It stopped and a small metal nozzle poked out of the side releasing some sort of gas that went unnoticed. The guard started to feel sleepy and fatigued. "W-What?" He collapsed face fist on the desk. A few minutes later the door opened again revealing the delivery boy this time dressed in his new villain costume. A body suit of gray carbon fiber armor that fitted his lean body tightly, black armored boots, and a white hooded long coat. He was carrying what looked like a metal briefcase.

"This villain stuff is getting easier", Izuku commented as he looked at the unconscious guard. "He didn't even check my I.D. I spent a whole day making a fake one", walking around the desk to the computer he placed a drive into the U.S.B port and let his phantom program initiate into the building security system. He also deactivated the metal detector gate.

"Let's get to work", Izuku smiled underneath his hood as he strolled into the elevator. Hosu Quirk Research Lab, a place that took donated blood from heroes and quirk users to experiment and examine in the effort of further understanding the nature of quirks. It was almost too perfect. The head of research and development had a daughter who just happened to be participating in the U.A. sports festival, and the man shut down the lab and invited all of his fellow scientists to watch the event at his extravagant home. To watch his daughter take home the victory.

'Prideful idiot', the man's foolish arrogance created the perfect opportunity to sneak into the lab and help himself to all the blood samples. Izuku would be able to take what he needed with nobody to stop him. There was also only a single security guard working in the building today, making the young villain's job all the easier. The elevator stopped on the sixth floor, according to the information that Giran sold him this is where the blood was stored. Walking down the hall until he spotted the correct room number Izuku paid no mind to the security cameras since his phantom program rendered him invisible to them. Slipping inside he spotted a desk with a few computers and a wall with a locked metal door with the words 'SAMPLE STORAGE. KEEP LOCKED'.

"Let's begin", Izuku smirked and sat down at the computer and proceeded to hack the door. He had all the time he needed. The place would be closed during the sports festival and the guard wouldn't wake up until later tonight. When he finally cracked the system he not only unlocked the storage vault but he accessed the list of people and quirks the samples came from. Izuku wanted to laugh with how easy this was as he printed the list out. Grabbing the papers from the machine he made his way into the now unlocked storage. He shivered for a moment from how cold it was in here.

"Wow", Izuku looked around at what appeared to be a small hallway with shelves on both sides where numerous blood vials were place. Going through the list in his hand he went through the emitter quirks first, looking for the matter manipulation that he needed for the reality stone.

"Hm", the young villain chewed on his gloves as he went down the list. After finding some ones that interested him he placed the metal case he brought on the floor and opened it, revealing a portable storage unit.

'Telekinesis', He went down the shelves grabbing a vial for each one and placed them in his case.

'Hydrokinesis' Izuku found some water manipulation quirks that would be useful.

'Pyrokinesis, electrical manipulation, earth manipulation, magnetic manipulation, wind manipulation', He grabbed every vial that had to do with controlling matter in any way. Izuku even grabbed vials from all the enhancer and amplifier quirks.

"What's this?" Izuku's eyes widened as they landed on a quirk that was highlighted on the list with the label of 'Further Research'. This blood came from a person with a quirk that could stop time. According to the information the ability to stop time in a radius of three yards for three second. That alone wasn't good enough, but if he combined it with a few amplifier quirks. Maybe then he'd get an all-powerful quirk. Going down the shelf he grabbed a vial containing the sample and placed it in his case.

Next Izuku went looking for a quirk that could manipulate space. Which seemed to be as rare as time manipulation. However there was one on the list. A quirk labeled 'Flash Warp' which according to the description could instantaneously teleport the user up to a distance of ten meters. He eagerly took a blood vial from that quirk user.

There was another on the list the intrigued him. A quirk called 'Conversion'. The power to alter the effects of another quirk, basically you take an emitter quirk and change its area of effect or the target, or reverse the effect itself.

Lastly he grabbed sample vials of all the dampening quirks, abilities that weakened the effects of other quirks. You never know if they might come in handy. Closing the case Izuku left the vault and locked it behind him. Going back to the computer he plugged in a drive and copied all the research data concerning the quirk users the samples came from and all the information the scientists collected on them. When he finished the young green haired villain took the drive out and shut down the computer. He went back down the elevator to the lobby and went back through the security check out, making sure to grab the virus drive from the computer stationed there.

"Keep up the good work", Izuku chuckled as he patted the unconscious security guard on the shoulder before he left. Once he was outside he returned to the alley that he changed in and found his delivery boy costume that he used still folded on the ground where he left it along with a back pack. Quickly Izuku changed back into a delivery boy, placed his villain costume in the back pack, and wrapped the case in some left over packaging paper to make it look inconspicuous. Once he was done the boy left the alley heading to the main street where he blended seamlessly with the crowd. After that Izuku caught a train back to Kamino Ward where his secret lab was located.

By the time the guard or the researchers realized what happened the thief was long gone.