A greeting with death

Izuku landed onto the hard floor with a loud thud, pain rattling through his body as he slowly tried to push himself off the ground, his bones and joints aching all the while. He slowly managed to push himself up as he looked around the dark hollow room he had been dropped in, the ceiling towering ominously above him as he did so, giving off a few eerie creaks as he assumed the wind blew by outside.

He tried to hold back a shiver, pangs of hunger still clawing at his stomach, as the icy air chilled him as he looked around. Where the hell even was he..?

A dark ominous voice vibrated through the air, shattering the silence that had been surrounding the darkened room.

"…..It's good to meet you lzuku Midoriya..."

Izuku froze with terror, his neck desperately fighting back as he forced himself to look up at the source of the voice, praying that it wasn't who he thought it was.

His eyes were greeted with death, looking up into the mutilated flesh which coated the villains face, as he sat paralyzed on the ground from the potent killing intent which almost felt like it was leaking from their pores.

The feelings of dread that overcame him, numbing the persistent pain and hunger which had consumed his mind, the instinctual need to survive now clawing at him from the back of his subconscious.

"I've been watching your progress for some time now..! It's good to finally formally introduce myself..

His words sent shivers of fear down his spine, dread and the unbearing feeling of death weighed him down as his awareness of the situation he was in shadowed darkly around him; the unnerving and foreboding recognition uncurtained by the looming presence of death.

"My name is All for One, and my quirk allows me to take others' quirks for my own, it's nice to finally make your acquaintance.

Izuku trembled as the All for One's breath tingled across the exposed skin of his neck and arms like needles, a cold sweat encasing him as the villain slowly circled around, his body too petrified to even allow his eyes to follow his movements.

"I'm sure you're wondering why l've brought you here. Mhm..?" Izuku stayed silent, allowing All for One to give a foul chuckle as he continued on, " brought you here with the intention of having you help me complete my goal of creating a better superhuman society, where Meta people- or should I say quirked? People can roam freely without the restraints the world makes us live by, somewhere where I can hold power overall and lead our species to a New Age!"

Izuku sat back horrified at the idea, expression open with apprehension and well-placed disgust at the prospect of aiding such a movement rotting against his core beliefs.

In a world where All for One held Control over the masses, Thousands of people were slaughtered and killed if they dared to oppose him.

Izuku drew a long haphazard breath, foregoing his anxiety as he asked the villain he had dreaded the one question which had been engraved itself into his mind for so long..! The question he was so desperate for an answer for...

"…W-why..?Why did you have to do this to me..?"

luku couldn't see the wide smirk which had carved its way onto the villain's face.

"I lent that quirk to you as a gift and I expect something in return. I'd like repayment for aiding your journey into the UA Hero course since, well without me, you never could have passed that entrance exam...

All for One paused in his stride, turning slowly towards where Izuku sat motionless on the ground; weary and exhausted for the events which had passed him.

"The power of the One-eyed ghoul, when used to its true frightening potential, is far stronger than an original. I needed a quirkless person to develop its power for me without the interference of another quirk; quirks have a habit of merging, you see? Though I'm sure you were unaware of that.."

He wasn't unaware, he knew full what All for One meant...

"I remember when these Ghoul quirks came around.." All for one began again, his tone almost nostalgic as he looked away from where the petrified teen sat slumped on the floor," The enhanced regeneration powers they possessed, unrivaled throughout the country, a quirk which I couldn't help but desire.!"

The villain paused before sighing with a dark chuckle trailing behind it, "I didn't have the time to create one under the right circumstances, each one before you, unfortunately, failed miserably and I was far too busy with my other interests, and truly had no need for one..."

The villains turned to lean down above Izuku as a vile grin snaked its way across his face, the eyeless marred flesh sending icy tremors down his skin as he felt like he was somehow looking straight through him; leaving Izuku feeling as if his purpose was meaningless in the retrospect of it all, a small inconceivable piece of a far greater painting he could never hope to breathe.

"But I'm sure you can see why I am in great need of one now, the power you possess is something I crave..."

Izukus eyes met where the villains' eyes once stood, daring to look death in its face as the sense of oncoming death drowned his instincts with terror. He gulped harshly, his parched throat irritating the skin within his neck.

" You'd h-have to live off Human flesh..." He sputtered out nervously, fumbling over his own words weakly, "....If you stole my quirk..."

The low laugh rumbled throughout the cold empty room, echoing against the shear walls which surrounded them.

"My dear boy, there is no need to worry..! I have no intention of taking that stomach back. I can force the activation of its healing whenever I need, your Kagune is only an added bonus to my prize..!' All for One smirked bastardly, "I only gave it to you to allow your Kagune to reach levels far greater than before, and now it has maxed its potential, well...

Consider it a keepsake for all the hard work you have done..."

Izuku slowly teared up with horror, the thought of still having to eat humans without the power which had helped him obtain it so efficiently and easily before knowing Hide terrifying him.

What if Hide ever went missing, what if his quirk stopped working, what-

He'd have to use One for All... The quirk which Izuku had so desperately want to keep clean from the sins he committed..

"Blood-related quirks have always been so interesting to me, Ghoul quirks changing the internal structure of humans to create something far stronger, making an almost human-like creature; a whole new species of their own that were so genetically similar to us humans that allowed for new variations to occur. Just like the One-eyed Ghouls...

Izuka remembered the comment that Kaneki had made the first time they had met..

'Oh wow, you're a one-eyed ghoul? Were you born with it or experiment?

"Even the descending quirk of ghouls all use blood as their main primary functions; that hero-killer Stain, the blond girl Shiggaraki chose to hire, the cannibal moonfish, even one of those bastardly teachers of yours at UA, The Blood-Hero: Vlad king. Descendants of the lost type of quirk, apart from the few that managed to blend beautifully into society, that still have to live with the scorn humans have placed on them from the past."

Izuku could almost feel the sinister euphoria leaking from him.

"However, they all pale in comparison to you... To their true origin.!'

A collectible variation to All for One's collections, an object, that was all he was..

"From the start, Izuku Midoriya, have been far more successful than any before you! Doctor Garaki did a fine job of bringing our experiment to life.!'

An experiment, just as Kaneki had said, just as he had known for so long...

He had been playing the piece of a pawn...

"I'm sure you could imagine my concern when you disappeared off the map for two months straight, not a single murder, not a single death; and yet you're still alive.."

All for one grin dropped, the destroyed skin of where his eyebrows once possibly laid furrowing angrily, "Who's been feeding you all this time..? Or have you been trying to starve yourself to death..?

I can't have my creation dying before the process is done, but I can't have you possibly starving yourself so I'll have to take it now..!'

A single chilling palm was placed sharply upon Izukus' face, each fingertip tingling as electricity scattered fragilely over his skin, as Izuku lurched back waiting for the inevitable suffering he was about to face; horrified to the core that this was it.

The Tingling grew to a violent buzz as All for One grip held down tighter onto his face-

His ghoul quirk... Had it truly merged with One for All..? Would All for One even be able to steal his quirk? What would he do if he realized-

The seconds passed on silently, each ticking by slower and slower, as the air stilled and weighed him down as if the pressure was crushing him by itself.

Nothing was happening..

All for one couldn't steal his quirk..

Izuku froze with fear as All for One slowly lifted his fingertips off his face, terrified to his core as his eyes shivered with horror as All for One looked down at him with confused contempt and unconcealed anger.

The air felt fragile, like a single wrong move could leave him suffocating, as the darkroom chilled; the overwhelming sense of dread in death's presence as All for One's cold voice shattered equilibrium, the power held within his voice rattling Izuku to the core and his dreams that would haunt him forevermore.

"…..Of all the people in the world, He Chose you...'

All for ones' palm latched itself back onto Izukus head as he sent waves of neurological vibrations into his body so violently as Izuku screamed out in agony...

"a-hhHhhHha-AhhhHHHHHhHH!"

The torturous rattling through his nerves overwhelmed his senses as Izukus went white with pain, his body seizing as All for one lifted his hand, his body falling away as he crumpled frailly onto the ground below as the pulsating shocks of electricity continued to reel through him vigorously.

All for one turned to look at one of the side doors as his doctor came in from the hall, "Once he's unconscious, take him to the cells and keep him locked up there."

The short doctor nodded slowly as Izukus screams rang out at though the empty warehouse, "Of course master, shall I feed him..?"

"hnn-ahhh-uhhhhHHHAhhhHHHH!"

All for One waved off the idea as he watched the latest successor of his brother's quirk fall before him, spasming in pain.

oh brother, just look how far you've fallen...

At least a new opportunity had arisen, a chance to wear down One for All's will and claim the quirk back as his own! With his Ghoul quirk to accompany it..? Yes, a surprise to be sure and yet not an unwelcome one...

It hadn't taken long for the army of police and ambulance vehicles to make their arrival, all of the sprinting around handcuffing villains, getting injured students to the hospital, and scooping up other bloody remains...

Aizawa could only watch in horror as the events of the night finally came to light, as Musculars body was dragged out in a body bag and the prison escape/serial killer moonfish was bound and transported back to Tartarus.

He was exhausted, the feelings of failure and guilt looming above him as he watched his students getting taken away on hospital beds; and that wasn't all, as he had clenched his fists and teeth together with anger, Bakugou and Midoriya had been kidnapped...

Midoriya was the Blood Stain, a villain right under their noses this whole time...

Aizawa looked over to the ambulance Urarakas body was getting shuffled into before the sirens rang off as she was darted to hospital. Her injury and blood loss were too serious not to be treated in a hospital and to think she had known who he was, and had kept it a secret as well.

Aizawa grimaced, if what Uraraka had said was honest, that she had let Midoriya actually eat part of her; then their relationship was far different from the silly teenage crush that he had interpreted it as before.

A friendship built from fear and trauma was one way to build a strong bond between people, Aizawa would know, however very unhealthily it was...

The fact She had willingly let him eat part of herself, knowing that the energy would be enough to keep Midoriya going..

Aizawa shook his head as concern and worry flooded his feelings towards his student, he would be having words about self-preservation if- when she got out of the hospital, no matter how many lives may have been saved from the extra energy Midoriya had gotten to defeat that Nomu...

And to think she had been their main suspect for so long when the true perpetrator had stood beside her this entire time.

What had happened for their relationship to grow into this in the first place, how did she even know..?

Aizawa's thoughts were cut off as the low sound of a helicopter in the distance slowly grew louder and louder, turning his attention to the dark red and blue paint which coated it in the distance, the low light making it difficult to see who it belonged to.

It didn't take long for the noise to get louder as the helicopter came closer into view, the bright headlight blinding everyone as it came into land, the symbol of Might-Tower coating the sides coming into view as it landed just behind the trees.

All Might..?

Aizawa's brows rose slightly with surprise as he made a short jog in the direction of the helicopter, only to be met halfway with a worried looking Yagi with Principle Nezu hanging onto his shoulder; he could only imagine the sight of landing in the camp surrounded by tens of emergency vehicles.

"What's happened here..!" The worry in Nezus voice was palpable as they dashed over, leaving Aizawa grimacing with guilt.

"We were attacked..!" Aizawa huffed out as his run slowed to a stop, "We think it was the league.

Nezu cursed as the trio turned to face where the students had been herded by the police and what was left of the wild pussy cats, the noise of the sirens taking off filling the air as they dashed off to the nearest hospital.

"….. And Midoriya..."

Nezu turned to face the side of Aizawa's head at the hero student's name, concern written over his face as the lights from the camp filtered through the trees onto his expression, as he furrowed his brow with remorse and regret, "You were right..!"

Aizawa turned to look towards his boss with a mixture of distress and affronted anger,

"Izuku Midoirya is the Ghoul we've been trying to catch..!"

All Might's gasp was no more than a whisper and Nezu looked worriedly at him before looking at Aizawa seriously, "Do you know where he is..? We can't afford for this to get out to the publi-

"No, they kidnapped him... They took him with Bakugou and Ragdoll... We've got no idea where they've been taken either.!"

This time it was All Might's time to swear, Aizawa lifting his hand to his head before grabbing at his hair stressfully," We should have followed the Uraraka trail longer...

Nezu furrowed his brows with confusion, "Why?-"

Aizawa cut him off, "She's known about it for far longer than we even started suspecting him, we've got to talk to her about his power and find out all we can, but she's currently being taken to hospital.

I managed to speak to her before she passed out, but he's taken a reasonable size chunk from her arm-"

"What.!?'

"Aizawa-sensei! Wait.!"

The trio of heroes turned to face their new company, All Might quickly shifting so he wasn't in direst view of the hero student Shouto who was stricken with frantic worry and fear in his eyes as he panted softly, slowing his run to a stop as he arrived.

"You can't arrest Midoriya, It's not his fault.."

The heroes shift uncomfortably at his statement, waiting for him to carry on, as Shoutos eyes widened with determination and a very clear panic looming behind them.

"…..I can explain what happened with Midoriya and why Uraraka knows too, just please don't arrest them-"

"Todoroki-kun, please calm down, we don't plan on arresting anyone just- Please explain, how do you know what happened to Midoriya," Nezus stated calmly, the confusion clear in his tone at the statement Shouto had made, leaving the rest of the heroes watching questioningly.

The fear and anxiety in Shoutos face were clear, yet the seriousness in his tone made it clear to the heroes that he wasn't lying. Aizawa shifted closer with concern as his student took a moment to pause and gulp back his fears, remembering the silent and distant behavior he had seen after Shouto had watched the hero killed getting eaten alive. The trauma back then obviously affected him far more back then than it was now...

"…..Because he told me..!" Shouto panted out, his eyes now reflecting the widening expressions of hisweachers at his revelations.

Aizawa was the first to recover, furrowing his brows with confusion, "He told you? Wha-"

"I recognized him the night of the Hosu attack, I knew it was him..! I didn't say anything to the police before because though I had been seeing things, he confirmed it the week after the internships! But that's not important right now! please just listen, it's not his fault."

His sensei's eyes widened with surprise, subconsciously thinking back to the terrified motionless boy he had found sitting along in that alleyway two months ago.

He had recognized Midoriya, and had been too disturbed and shocked with disbelief to even mention it...

"Todoroki..!"

Shouto jumped slightly at Nezus tone as he called out to his seriously, clearly not listening to the first time the principal had told him to calm down.

Nezu calmed his voice, speaking softly and reassuringly to the stressed student before him.

"No one is going to prison apart from the villains here now, ok? I can promise you that, but we'll have to talk to you later about this. We need you to tell us everything you know..!"

Shouto nodded determinedly, "Yes sensei!"