Chapter 9

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"…So, let me get this straight. You hired me to help you rob a convenience store?"

"Yup!"

"…Okay, but was there any point in making off with the entire front counter?!"

"Hey! That's just how we roll, kid! You should have known what you were signing up for when you chose to ride with…"

"TEAM RESERVOIR DOGS!" The band of multicoloured bad guys hollered together.

Deku put a hand to his face. His first gig as a villain-for-hire, and it's helping a street gang holding up a convenience store. Not all that flashy, but he guessed he'd have to start somewhere. He just didn't expect his first clients to be so...hyped.

So, here he was, riding in the back of a pick-up truck, with a cash register, as well as the counter it sat upon, with a bunch of thugs who had clearly watched too many movies. They even went so far as to give themselves nicknames for the heist.

"Man! Did you see the look on that clerk's face when we ripped the counter out of the floor?! Mr Green, a punk teen with a spiked ginger mohawk and a facemask with a green stripe down the front, revelled as he lifted the counter, up into the back of a truck.

"Yeah! He even tried to go for the silent alarm! All I had to do was lean over him, and he nearly wet his pants!" Mr Yellow, the biggest of the bunch, wearing a torn-up ski mask with a yellow pointed nose, bellowed as he heaved the counter up from in the cargo bed of the vehicle.

"Too bad we didn't get to fight any heroes, though! I would have loved to see this guy's quirk in action!" Mr Blue, who wore a blue headband that held his towering brown hairdo, mentioned as he hiked a thumb at the young analyst in the back.

"Yeah! Looks like we didn't need your help, after all, Bunny-Boy!" Mr Red, wearing a black eyemask with three red horns sticking out the forehead, revelled as he got into the driver's seat. "And since no heroes showed up, you don't get a cut of the job!"

"They're not bunny ears, they're supposed to be hair strands," Deku grumbled. He really should have seen this coming. After giving his costume design to Giran, the gap-toothed man was a little confused about the two long green things coming out of his head, not to mention the big smile covering the bottom half of the face.

Deku didn't mention it out loud, but it was supposed to be a play on his old costume look, since before, he wanted to look like All might as much as possible. This was his way of making himself out to be the opposite of what the symbol of peace stood for. The Anti-All Might, if you will.

But, he had to admit, apart from the glaringly obvious design flaws, the outfit came out great. whoever it was that made it had followed his designs to the tee. He had a new green hoodie, where the hair strands/bunny ears were sewn onto the top, along with a face mask with a toothy grin printed on the front, which was modified to be a gas mask and voice modulator in one. A pair of red-tinted goggles covered his eyes, with a pair of dark green combat trousers and his trademark red shoes completing the ensemble.

All in all, Deku thought he looked pretty cool in his new villain threads.

Unfortunately, no one else did. Giran was one thing, but he thought that Gentle and La Brava would at least had something positive to say about his new look. However, all it did was cause the flamboyant thief to feel insulted that the villain-in-training didn't ask him to make an outfit for him. It got even more awkward when the Elasticity man took out a measuring tape and tried to take his measurements on the spot.

"Second, even if no heroes showed up, don't think you can cut me out of my pay on a technicality." The green-haired boy noted. "And third of all, I don't have a quirk that points out the weaknesses of heroes."

"Say what?!" Mr Red took his eyes off the road to look back at the young analyst, a raised eyebrow under his facemask. "Then what is your quirk?"

Deku sighed. Giran gave him the friendly advice of not telling his clients about his 'little problem'. That it could drive away his customers, as well as his chance of becoming a top-ranked villain before he could even start. The young analyst knew that just because he was lucky enough to come across a few crooks who didn't care about his lack of superpowers, didn't mean that every criminal would welcome him with open arms. He had his issues, but he certainly wasn't stupid.

However, keeping a secret and lying were two different things. Lying amongst villains is a sure way to land yourself in hot water. So, clearing his throat, Deku prepared to expose his Quirkless nature and braced himself for the predicted ridicule and refusal of payment.

"Well...the truth is-LOOK OUT!"

Deku's sudden warning arrived too late, as a massive figure came out of nowhere and ambushed the moving vehicle. The van struck the giant form, skidding across the tarmac of the road until it slowed to a stop. Everyone inside had been thrown out of their seats, groaning in pain as they came back to their senses.

"Everybody okay?" Mr Green asked as he rubbed his now sore neck.

"I think so..." Mr Blue answered as he nursed his namesake.

Mr Yellow shook his head, his cheeks smacking together as he did. "What the heck was that?"

Mr Red lifted his head from the steering wheel. He blinked a few times to get his bearings back, but then immediately wished he didn't. "Uh, guys...? Problem!"

"What is it?" Mr Blue turned to the front of the truck to see what...or more exactly, who it was, that they ended up crashing into. "...Oh, crud."

Mr Yellow raised a trembling finger at the musclebound build before them. "Is that...Is that who I think it is?!"

"Its...Its...!" Mr Green was too terrified to get his words out, but Deku, with wide fear-filled eyes, was able to answer for him.

"...Death Arms."

The heavy-lifting hero smirked. He had taken the brunt of the truck's collision in stride, appearing to have suffered zero damage. Wearing a blue, unbuttoned muscle shirt, with his trademark yellow and black headband and wristguards, he grabbed the battered truck by both sides and lifted it off the ground.

Deku and the Team tumbled over one another as the heavy-lifting hero hoisted them into the air. "And here I thought I was gonna miss my workout today!"

Death Arms then threw the truck across the street. The truck landed on its wheels, but the momentum of the heavy-lifting hero's toss kept it in an out of control spin. The gang screamed for their lives, as the truck collided with an oncoming lampost.

Mr Red got a faceful of the airbag when the truck made its sudden stop. He lay forward on the steering wheel, putting pressure on the horn as it let out an unending honk. He awoke from his sudden concussion, only to see Death Arms coming their way, cracking his knuckles with sadistic glee.

"...We're done for..." The leader paled at the sight of the enclosing hero. "We're done for! It's all over! We're going to jail!"

"We're going to the emergency room first!" Mr Blue grimaced. "Death Arms is famous for pounding on villains for the heck of it! We'll be lucky to even survive this!"

"What are you waiting for, kid! Get out there and do your job!" Mr Green shoved the oversized crook toward the backdoors.

"W-What?!" Deku spluttered as he came out of his fit of shock.

"You're supposed to be some kind of hero expert! Go take care fo him already!" Mr Yellow demanded desperately.

Deku's world began to spiral. The noise of the frantic gang started to become inaudible mumbles in his ears. He felt his intake of breath hasten, coming close to hyperventilating. His eyes and lips quivering as his mind brought him back to a painful memory, from what was no doubt the worst day of his entire life.

The defeat of the sludge villain that tried to take his life earlier that day. The loss of adrenaline after running in to save his former friend. And the feeling of two meaty hands grabbing him by the shoulders, and being forced to look into the face of an angered Death Arms.

"What were you thinking, kid?! You could've gotten yourself killed! Leave the heroics to the real heroes!"

The Quirkless child relived the painful memory over and over again for what felt like an eternity. His mind began to swarm with a million thoughts all at once. He barely came to his senses as the Dogs kept barking at him in a panic. Soon enough, the trauma of seeing the heavy-lifting hero completely overtook him, and the green-haired boy froze.

What was he doing?! Robbing stores and running with criminals? Wanting to become a pro-villain? Was he out of his mind?! He'd run away from home! He abandoned his school life! He threw his life away to become...he didn't even know what he was now!

And what did these guys want him to do? Fight Death Arms?! It was Death Arms! They might as well have been telling him to take on All Might!

As the fear and dread overwhelmed him, Izuku started to climb out of the truck in a state of numbness. The rest of the Team watched him approach the hero, thinking that he was going to do what they hired him for. Izuku stepped up to the looming hero, who looked down on him more than just because of his enormous height.

"Go for it, bunny-boy!" Mr Red cheered from the window. "Take that oversized musclehead down!"

Death Arms scoffed. "'Bunny-boy? Really? Is that your villain name?"

Izuku struggled to find his voice. He refused to look the heavy-lifting hero in the eye, keeping his gaze on the asphalt beneath his feet.

Death Arms reached down and took one of the strands of cloth of his hood in his oversized finger and thumb, lifting it straight to get a good look. He smirked condescendingly. "What're these supposed to be? Your little bunny ears?"

"...T-They're not ears...!" Izuku fumbled on his words. "I-It's s-supposed t-to b-b-b-be h-h-hair...!"

Death Arms bellow of laugher hit Izuku like a slap in the face. "You're one weird kid, you know that? Then again, all you villains are just a bunch of crazy losers who couldn't make it in the real world."

Izuku had to agree. He was crazy. Crazy enough to think he could stand any sort of chance against heroes like him. No matter how much training he had, or the gear he was armed with, it wouldn't matter in the slightest. The world had made its choice about Izuku Midorya, and no matter how much he struggled, he would always play the part he was given.

The 'loser'...the 'victim'...the 'nothing'...

The 'Deku'...

"...I-I'd like to turn myself in, Mr Death Arms, s-sir..." Izuku raised his arms for an imaginary pair of cuffs to be put on him. "I-I...I w-w-won't...r-r-resist...!"

"What the heck, are you doing Bunny-head?!" Mr Green yelled in outrage, half tempted to get out of the truck and smack the boy one. "Snap out of it! You're supposed to beat heroes, aren't you?!"

Death Arms hooted in humour at that. "That's rich!" He then reached his hand down to take hold of the boy in his massive mitt. "Like some scrawny little pipsqueak like you could take on a hero like me?"

Izuku wasn't paying attention anymore. He was thinking about how heartbroken his mother was going to be when she found out what he'd been up to. Kaachan was going to have a field day with him once he got back to school...if he didn't wind up in jail first...

Izuku looked back up at the hero, who was taking his sweet time in taking him in. But it was then that Deku realized something about the heavy-lifting hero...

He was moving slow...really slow.

So slow that it was all too easy for him to step out of his way.

"What the?!" Death Arms asked no one as he tried to grab the boy again. The green hooded child stepped out of his path again. "Hey!" Death Arms tried again...and again...and again! But every time, the boy would step out of his way at the last second. "The heck's gotten into you, kid?!"

Deku was starting to wonder that himself. What was he doing? Wasn't he going to turn himself in? Why was he putting up a fight? Matter of fact, how was he putting up a fight? It was like the hulking hero was moving in slow motion, while the green-hooded boy seemed to have some kind of super speed Quirk all of a sudden.

As he dodged Death Arms's meaty fingers once again, something he heard from Gentle suddenly came to mind that explained everything...

"Deku, my boy, have you started to realize that while on one of our jaunts, you've begun to map out your paths' trajectory while on the run? Splendid! That means that your mind is catching up to your body! Everything seems to slow down while you map out your next move before you make it! Be sure to keep up this mindset, my boy! It is a prize tool to have at a thief's disposal!"

A smile formed underneath Deku's mask. All of the training he'd received over the last few months had come to his aid. He was actually giving Death Arms a hard time! He never thought this would be possible! Maybe...maybe he still had a chance...!

He was brought back to the matter at hand when Death Arms gave a guttural roar and threw a closed fist toward him. Deku somersaulted out of its path, letting Death Arm strike the ground where he was once standing.

Onc Deku landed on his feet, he took in his surroundings quickly and spotted an alleyway. He turned his attention back to Team Reservoir Dogs, who were all agape at the performance the green-haired boy was pulling off.

"You guys get out of here! I'll handle this!" With that final order, Deku took off down the alley with enough speed to impress Enginium. Death Arms snapped his head between the frozen Dogs and the retreating Deku.

Wounded pride won over his better judgement, as he went after the villain-in-training. "GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PUNK!"

Team Reservoir Dogs was still stunned in place until Mr Green snapped out of it and smacked Mr Red upside his head. "What're you waiting for, man?! Move it!"

"R-Right!" Mr Red caught himself and started the engine, which miraculously came to life with a deafening rev. The leader of the pack turned to the rest of the gang. He put the pedal to the metal and sped down the road to where the alleyway would exit out.

Deku panted as he kept running for his life. He chanced a look behind him, and as he expected, Death Arms was still on his tail, charging after him like a mad bull. While Deku hopped and skipped over any stray garbage bins and dumpsters in his way, Death Arms bulldozed through all obstacles in his way.

Soon enough, Deku came out the other end of the ally. He raised a hand to his face as the sun hit him in the eyes. Once he adjusted to the light, he took in his new surroundings. Across the street was an empty construction site, with a towering construct of girders sealed together.

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If u like this fanfic Join my discord for more fanfics and faster release:- https://discord. gg/qxvX7Tvpqp (without space)

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