Chapter 7

Two portals, one lime green, and the other magenta opened up in the volcanic plains. Two figures walked out of each one. One of them was a dashing young man with blonde hair and green eyes dressed in a long white coat with a glowing blood-red collar, black pants and shoes, small earrings, and a simple gray undershirt.

The second one was an old man with grey hair and purplish eyes. His wardrobe consisted of a tattered purplish-black robe with the hood drawn up. Worn on the face was a pale yellow bone-like mask and two prongs extended out of the back. A red blob constantly shifting on his chest.

"This is the place." The old man stated.

"Yes, I can tell. A battle must've taken place here." The younger man commented, getting slightly irked when he realized he had stepped into a puddle of blood. Simply by standing here, his senses are overwhelmed by the signature mana of their kind scattered across the place.

"How perceptive, will you regale me with such boorish details? Oh, mighty King of Monstrous Humanoids?" snarked the older one. "What's next? Will you mention how many die as well?"

The younger man kept quiet, trying not to rise up to his companions' snark. Choosing to take a deep breath and reminding himself of the task at hand.

The portals closed behind the two at their will, leaving the two out in the open. Surrounding them was the aftermath of a great battle. A massive crater permeated with the stench of death where the middle was littered with a bloody pile of body parts. Given how Vulcan's decapitated head is lying out in the open, the small pieces are undoubtedly Mars.

'I highly doubt his successor can take down Mars. Weak as he was, Mars was still a capable fighter. Must have received help.' He noted. After all, he can tell the smell of charred flesh by a mile long. From what he remembers of his Bellion, he wields no magic of any kind. Hence the only logical explanation is help from the third party.

No doubt the Salamanders of the local area were used as soldiers. Not strong on their own but can be quite a threat in groups. Although this only applies to the human.

Scattered across the voyeur was the carcass of the four Constructs that stupid Cyclop stole and speaking of that cyclops, he is lying there dead. Limbs broken and chopped off.

"Well, at least whoever was the successor to that moron did his work nicely." Keras idly noted, walking towards the runaway's deceased body. Broken bones and dismembered body parts alongside a decapitated head. Judging by the cur's expression, it must have occurred instantly.

"Oh, Vulcan, you were so promising. Why did you have to run away and get a big head?" The blonde winced when he saw his partner picking up the head. Hugging it and talking to the head like it was a baby. Even now, Keras could never truly understand the Monarch of Knowledge's weird way of thinking. While the young blonde can understand the love for their subject, he doesn't treat them like babies.

Well, one of them but she's an entirely different issue.

"Yogumunt, can we just leave already. I've got an interview and a date after this." His words earned a frown from Yogumunt.

"Keras, my good friend, don't forget that we are Monarchs. Don't get so attached to those disgusting little hairless apes." Yogumunt remarked, earning a disgruntled sound out of Keras.

"Sorry, but unlike you, I've got something called a disguise to keep up. Don't forget I'm also helping you collect materials." Keras retorted, air-quoting at the word materials.

"Yes, well, don't get attached to them, and make sure to keep the supply coming," Yogumunt spoke, placing the head gently back on the ground. Just because he asked for help and the idiot kept holding it over his head. Keras rolled his eyes at the gesture, disgusted by such action.

Multiple portals, courtesy of Yogumunt began to pop up across the area. Magical chains reached out to each of the deceased Constructs, latching onto them and dragging them into the portal. An eyebrow rose in confusion and curiosity when he saw one do the same to Mars.

"Why is that needed? He is charred mincemeat. I don't think you can experiment on that." Keras' words had his fellow Monarch scoff.

"Were you not paying attention when I explained to you how I made these new batches of Constructs?" A rhetorical question was imposed on the Monarch of Iron Body as he already knew what would be the answer. After all, Yogumunt hadn't spent the last few hundred thousand years fighting their collective enemy or working on his Constructs.

"Oh well, I can do it again if you want."

"Keep it to yourself. I'm leaving. Just do whatever you deem is necessary." He shot back, obviously repulsed by his fellow Monarchs' insinuation. Allies they are but never in his entire immortal life Keras take pleasure nor pride in collaborating with any of his fellow kings. Yogumunt was especially given the nature of the Monarchs' subjects.

A single wave of the hand and a portal opened in response. As Yogumunt saw the man's back, he managed to catch the tell-tale sign of a disgusted face moments before the handsome king turned away. "I just want my army and you better keep your end of the bargain. I did mine."

"Of course," Yogumunt answered plainly. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Keras break it off first, scowling all the while. Having gotten used to the scorn from the others, it doesn't wound the older man at the blatant lack of respect.

Once the portal disappeared, Yogumunt dropped all manner of pretense. A single derisive snort released at the man's attitude. Having spent millennia fighting alongside the so-called brothers and sister in arms makes his skin crawl. If it weren't for that egocentric moron, he would still be the weakest of them!

"Never mind them, Yogumunt, never mind the little children yelling. Just focus on yourself. You'll wipe them all out with your army one day. You've spent tens of thousands of years working on this plan. No one can foil your greatest works. You're the Monarch of Knowledge, you can do anything." Yogumunt chanted like a mantra. He repeated it several times until he eventually calmed down. Satisfied, the king willed a portal of his own to live. Stepping through it and willing them to shut once he did.

(Linebreak)

"Do you know why you're here?"

"Can I at least know why All Might isn't here?"

A vein grew on Sir Nighteyes' forehead and Izuku nervously took a step back. However, the man didn't yell and chose to reply coolly in an even and calm voice.

"No."

Izuku kept quiet, taking a proper look at the surrounding area. Sir Nighteyes' office wasn't something he had expected but at the same time matches what he had imagined. A standard office room with all of the necessary fitting equipment. The only thing that makes it different is the sheer number of All Might posters and merchandise. And as a die-hard fan of the Pro Heroes and specifically All Might, some of the merchandise hasn't been sold yet.

Sitting in front of him was the number one sidekick of All Might, sitting behind an office desk. Both hands clasped over one another and eyes staring pointedly at him. The man looked like a villain or a very serious interviewer for a job application.

Standing by his side was a blonde-haired man who looked like the blond version of Superman. The costume was a pure white suit with a flowing red cape. A yellow and green scaly pauldron adorned the shoulders along with a pair of baggy blue pants and a pair of boots to match his costume. Having seen him on the news multiple times, Izuku knew who the man was. One of the reasons why All Might's agency is the strongest in all of Japan.

When they made eye contact, he gave a warm smile to Izuku. As if the gesture would comfort him by a little. Or put him at ease even. In honesty, it did if only a little.

"Um, because I invaded your property?" Izuku offered unconvincingly, too preoccupied reading the description of two particular items in the Inventory.

{XxXxX}

[Soul Sight]

[Type: Skill Book]

[A living being's eyes are described as the window to the soul. Use this to peer into their eyes and gain an understanding of their nature. Has good synergy with Observation Skill.]

[Requirements: 50 Int]

[Soul Fusion]

[Type: Skill Book]

[People often say two heads are better than one but in this case, multiple souls work best. Combine spirits into a stronger entity by extracting their essence out of their husk. The strength of the resulting fusion varies based on multiple factors; the dynamic between constituent souls and the strength of constituent's souls' ego]

[Requirements: 100 Int]

{XxXxX}

'Skill Books is a thing?' If his memory serves him right, there are at least half a dozen of these lying around in the Inventory. To find out there are other ways aside from Runestones to increase his power is amazing and baffling at the same time. If these two are anything to go by, then it's highly likely those books have prerequisites as well.

It doesn't help these two require incredibly high stats just to attain them. Thankfully his Intelligence stat is about to hit the first 50 milestones.

"Listen to your elders when they're talking to you!" Nighteye yelled, slamming on the table for an extra good measure. Izuku snapped to attention, standing a little straighter as he willed the screen to disappear.

"Yes, sir," Izuku stated. The man huffed, fixing the glasses back in place.

"Great, just when you think you found someone special. He turns out to be a complete dud." Sir Nighteye's comments baffled the young man briefly, confused at the odd choice of words. The blonde to his side mouthed something, silently wording 'I'll tell you later.

"I was p-paying attention." The bespectacled man merely raised an eyebrow, not believing a single word spoken. Fixing the glasses' position causes his eyes to be hidden, the lenses reflecting the lights.

"Okay then, tell me what I just said."

"T-To um, if I recall right, you wanted to tell-" Another table slam took him by surprise and Nighteye's glare turned far more intense than ever.

"Ten sidekicks affiliated with our agency had their livelihood ruined due to your meddling. Ten people were unable to earn their rightful monetary compensation due to you. Bad enough that occurred, that Gate turned red. Our profit, while unimportant in the long run, is ruined by your meddling. Worse, should you had failed in defeating the bosses, the monsters would've run amok. Your action could jeopardize the lives of many!"

Izuku remained quiet, knowing full well that the older man is right. A little exaggerated but the point is driven. But what was he supposed to say? Tell the man he followed a magical book's instructions! That wouldn't fly regardless of how he phrased it.

"I-I know what I did was wrong. But I did solve it." Izuku defended, earning a slight snort out of the bespectacled man.

"So what does that have to do with anything? An agency is like a well-oiled machine, working perfectly because of the multiple mechanism and gears within. Daredevils or uppity youngsters like yourself are like the wrench used by a grease monkey thrown into the machinery, damaging their performance." Sir Nighteye stated plainly in an even tone, his voice only raised slightly. The man sounded more irritated than truly angered.

"Also, if you know what you did was wrong, then why did you do it?" Nighteye cut in, arching an eyebrow at him.

"I-I, I just went through a Reawakening process. Just w-want to test out my newfound strength." A terrible excuse but an excuse nonetheless.

Mainly because it isn't unheard of. Some of the cases that had led to death in Dungeons were caused by the Awakened themselves. Not Pro Heroes because these were people who had recently gained powers and possessed no trainings whatsoever. Some were low-ranked who went through a Re-awakening and high on their new powers, wishes to test them out.

Some died and others survived, gaining notoriety as a result.

Naturally, hearing that sort of answer only seems to make him angrier. If the clenching of the hand is any indication.

"But I'll atone in any way I can help. Anything at all." Izuku begged.

"Anything? You know of the term 'Whatever the cost'?" Nighteye asked. As Izuku only gave a slightly confused expression, the bespectacled man kept quiet before continuing. "See, people often talked about goals, plans, and ideas but they never really discussed the price. They said the price doesn't matter. I disagree."

"I for one, think it does matter actually. After all, you never know how severe the price is until you are handed the bills. I had wanted to take you to the police but on second thought, I've got a better idea." Sir Nighteye spoke. Those glint in his eyes are rather unsettling and Sir nighteye doesn't look like a hero to him anymore. More like a conniving businessman who would resort to unlawful methods to get what he wants. The choice of clothing certainly doesn't help that image to be set in.

However, Izuku was positively caught off guard when the man offered a hand.

"I would like you to work for us willingly. Temporarily. Until you get an official license. I don't think I need to go into detail why this benefits you. After all, an E-rank like yourself, at least on papers, will never get offers at all."

The young Awakened blinked, taken aback by the proposal. It sounded good, after all All Might is one of the Pillar who is known for having the highest number of low-ranked Awakened under his employment. Not only that, he is also known for treating them fairly. Heck the same man vouched for giving non-Agency Affiliated Heroes proper training.

"I would love to do that but can I know why at least? I mean, I did cleared a Red Gate but I don't think it means anything." Izuku inquired. After all he is simply one person. While he did went through a Re-awakening, it doesn't really mean anything since they don't even know just what is his actual rank is. A very dangerous gamble.

"Did you know that whenever a Red Gate manifest, measurement will be taken instantly using the MDs satellite? Magical Disturbance or MD, is a satellite created through the collaboration of America, Russia and China to survey the magical energy surrounding Earth's atmosphere. Using this, we are able to guess when a Gate will appear and appearance of potential Red Gate." Sir Nighteyes' explanation had the younger man awe-strucked and baffled at the same time.

"I-I, I think I heard something about that. But I still don't understand what does this have to do with anything." Izuku spoke. It was a rather momentous event considering it helped immensely in finding out when and where a Gate will appear, helping the Pro Heroes immensely in reactionary actions.

"Wasn't that the same project sponsored by several well-known S-ranked Heroes? Like Yuri Orloff." The main sponsor but Izuku also read in online articles how other S-ranked Heroes like Jay Mills and Lennart pitched in.

"The very same. In any case, the satellites allow us to measure the exact mana level of a Gate. The Red Gate which you cleared single-handedly, something I must emphasize, is one made from a normal Gate." SIr Nighteye spoke, eyeing the young man. "That very Red Gate was an A-rank Gate, one that housed a High Orc along with a Cyclop, both are powerful monsters by their lonesome regardless whether you did used Summons or not. Do you not see the exact range of your own strength?!"

"T-that's interesting. I mean, I'm thankful you people think highly of me. I really am but can I at least reconsider this?" Technically, he did took the two high-grade Magic Beast but not by himself. Mars was taken down by Bellion and he had only chipped in at the last second. Vulcan was only defeated through the conjoined efforts of him and Bellion. By his lonesome, he is no match against either one of them.

"Hmm, it's odd to hear that nowadays. Most people would be jumping at the prospects of working in this agency. " Nighteye said, a pang of disappointment inserted in it. "But, if that's your wish, very well. You may leave."

Izuku blinked, taken aback by the man's response. It was too easy. Seeing how the man had simply accepted it. Then again, it does make sense for him to act shocked. If someone were to offer him a substantial amount of money, those who reject them is easily and naturally dubbed an idiot.

Getting an offer to a spot in the agency of the No.1 Hero is a guaranteed path to success and fame. Money more than they can imagine would flood in like water out of a broken dam. And this isn't something along the line of fake offers from strangers on the Internet as Sir Nighteye, the right hand man of All Might is speaking in the very flesh and bones.

"T-thank you very much for your time. I'll be taking my leave right now." Izuku, naturally like any other properly taught youngsters, bowed to the elders before making way to the exit.

*Wait, let me escort you to the exit." Lemillion spoke up. The Pro Hero's offer took Izuku by surprise but he agreed to it. The older man beckoned Izuku to follow and he simply obeyed. Opening the door and closing it behind the two.

Sir Nighteye watched the two left and once certain, he pulled out a handphone out of the table. A special phone built to ensure the call is untraceable and built only for one person in mind. Typing in the number, Nighteye placed it near his phone and waited. After the third dial, someone picked up.

"Mirai-kun, how are you doing?" A jolly voice spoke up. Judging by how he is using that form to speak, he must be back in fighting condition. Or close enough to assume his Hero form. Even now, he is still reckless.

"All Might, we have a problem," Nighteye spoke, not answering the question. "Today we've just got a Red Gate moments after some teen broke into it."

"Huh, I see you are cutting straight to the point. Thank you for notifying me about this though I believe you and the others are capable to take care of something as simple as that. By the way, Is that fellow alright?"

"That fellow was the one who cleared it but that's not the point. It's what he said that concerns me the most. The inside monster are capable of speech and Quirks. A High Orc transformed his arms into a myriad of weapons and a Cyclop was able to generate intense heat."

There was a pregnant pause and Nighteye had assumed the man had kept quiet until he spoke up again.

"I see two of the Monarchs are making their moves. Very well, is there anything else I should be made aware of?" The person asked. Even though he is speaking casually, the bespectacled man knew his superior is tense. They had spent many years preparing for the inevitability but so soon. Even now he still felt they are unprepared.

Sir Nighteye paused briefly, pondering on whether he should tell him about the fellow.

"There's another thing, the one who intruded into our Gate was a fellow by the name of Izuku Midoriya. The same guy who's one of the few survivors of that Double Dungeon. His presence feels like Hizashi but more subdued." At those words, he could already tell the man must have tensed up.

"I see." All Might muttered. "Did you recruit him? Whoever he was, he must be a powerful one."

"Afraid not. I chose not to take any legal actions but I did do what you said." Nighteye answered, pausing briefly before continuing. "Weird to hear someone reject it. Almost wanted to laugh actually. Though pleasure aside, do you think he might be the son of that Midoriya fellow?"

"Who knows? Midoriya isn't a particularly rare surname but it won't hurt to look into it. Please keep an eye on this person. We can't ignore the possibility of him being a potential host." All Might spoke somberly. Keeping quiet, the bespectacled man nodded before bidding goodbye and turning off the phone. Leaning against the chair, he placed the phone on table before releasing a deep and tired sigh.

"What a day." Nighteye muttered. Though he wonders who should he called up to keep an eye on this fellow.

(Linebreak)

During his youth, he had dreamt of joining All Might's Agency and saving lives. To enter this place and see it for the first time is something else. During his youth, he had assumed hero work only revolves around fighting the bad guy. Who would've thought this whole place looked more like a mega-corporate. Men and women in office worker's outfits along with a handful of sidekicks intermingled. All of them were working behind desks, typing away at their personal computer.

'Dreams do come true. In the worst way possible,' he morbidly thought. Never thought he came in to solve

"I know this is an awkward situation, but I wanna say thank you." Lemillion spoke. Before Izuku can inquire the reasoning, he further elaborated. "I mean thanks for saving Bakugou-san and everyone else in that Double Dungeon incident."

Blinking in surprise at what he spoke, Izuku felt joy hearing one of the few powerful S-ranks of his country speaking highly of him. Only to remember a particular awful detail.

"Me? I didn't saved everyone. Fourteen others died because of me." He defended. Merely thinking about those who passed away made him felt sick.

"Yeah." He admitted, sadness slipping into the tone and for a brief moment, the smile fell. Only to return and Izuku felt the older man's hand atop his shoulder.

"I know this is out of the blue, but don't beat yourself up over that. You're not a god and Awakened or not, you're still just a normal person." Lemillions' words made Izuku felt worse.

"Yeah," he remarked plainly. Although something about it felt odd.

"Wait, how did you know about that incident?" He asked.

"I heard from Bakugou-san talking about it. How you lead the remaining party members from dying. Pretty cool of you."

"Kacchan did that?!" Izuku exclaimed in surprise, unable to believe that he talked about it to others. Knowing him, that fellow would never let anyone learn any information that implies he is weak. To learn that his friend speaking about him is just...surprising once someone took note of how their interaction often went.

"Yeah." The man answered plainly. Izuku wanted to pry for more information but he felt a little nauseous. Simply thinking about it makes him sick already. Hence he decided not to dwell on it and focused on his surroundings.

'Wow, who would have thought.' he idly thought. As they walked, he noticed one man walking towards them, a sidekick with a massive shield and mace strapped to the back. Izuku purposefully moved out of the way to ensure neither of them had to bump into each other. Despite that, the man purposefully leaned closer towards him. Enough to have the massive shield at the back grazed him by the shoulder.

"Watch it, A-rank hero coming through!" Izuku frowned at the man's word, unable to get a proper look due to the mask covering it. Judging by the accent, Izuku concluded he is a foreigner. Lemillion's hand shot out, grabbing the man forcefully by the shoulder. A small glance was directed at older man as he shrugged off the hand.

"Apologize to him, now. Cole." Lemillion stated. Despite the smiling face, his tone was anything friendly.

Lemillion and the foreigner stared down at each other. Standing nearby between the two sidekicks felt nauseating. Already he can tell these two are hostile towards each other. The masked man eventually broke the stare first and huffed in fatigue.

"My apology for what I did." The masked man grounded out.

"O-oh, it's fine really." Izuku waved off, chuckling nervously. After all, he doesn't want his good mood ruined by a punk.

The mace wielder then walked away, shaking his head all the while. The two of them watched the retreating back of that man for a while.

"Say, who is that guy?"

"He's...well, it's best to call him an exchange student. Or something similar. Goliath, one of the Pillars, wanted us to teach him the proper etiquette behind a Hero after some incident in America." Lemillion explained. "His real name is Cole Chill. You probably heard of him as Sub-Zero."

"Sub-Zero." He repeated in his mouth. Sounds edgy. Only for him to realize why that man looked so familiar. "Wait, is he the guy who beat up someone to near-death? The same one who survived a Red Gate?!"

While he wasn't one for rumours, he did recalled reading an article about him. Supposedly an A-ranker who was a survivor of a horrible Red Gate. He was also the only member of their party that survived.

"Hah, yeah. Again, sorry about what he did but he's an okay guy." Lemillion shrugged, sounding more on the line of convincing himself. "In any case, I gotta go now, take care, and hope you think about our offer."

The two parted ways, leaving young Midoriya walking down the vast hallway. the elevator door was in sight. Upon arriving, he pressed the door open and waited. Not a moment too soon the door slid open and revealed Kacchan wearing casual clothing. A duffel bag slung over him. Standing beside him was another familiar man dressed in a Porno Graffiti shirt and blue jeans and sneakers.

"You have got to be kidding me." Katsuki groaned in frustration.

"Heya." The other man waved, smiling. "Come on in."

"Thank you. Hey, Kacchan and..." Izuku paused, realizing he has no knowledge of the man's name. He looked familiar though. Especially since he was the guy who held a pair of cleaver against him once.

"Denki Kaminari. Pleased to meetcha." The now-named Denki stated coolly, clicking his tongue at the end.

"Hello, Kaminari-san," Izuku added quickly, entering the elevator shaft.

"Ohoho, man just call me Denki. The formal suffix is for my dad." Denki laughed, cracking up a smile. "Right, you going ground floor?" Izuku only nods to Denki's words.

Having received the answer, Denki pressed the buttons and the doors acted in accord. A song, an old song that his mother often listened began to play. And yet the singer sounded different as the vocalist has a higher pitch.

"You like it? I chose this remix cause my friend made it. Sweet gal and sweeter musician." Denki spoke up before continuing singing. Katsuki only took a long and deep breath before exhaling, leaning against the wall.

At least his curiosities were answered. The elevator ride was awkward and long, only disturbed by the third parties' humming. A minute in, Izuku felt the urge to break the silence. "So, how was your day, Kacchan?"

"Pretty usual. Go to Gates, fight in Dungeon. Or it would've if it weren't for an idiot like you. What moron jumps into Gate by themselves?" He asked, glaring at him. Izuku could only smile weakly and shrugged helplessly.

"Sorry," Izuku answered meekly. Only to feel a hand on the shoulder, turning to the owner. A small frown was on the man's face.

"Hey man, I know I'm a total stranger but always remember you got family and friends who will miss you." Denki's words had Izuku raised an eyebrow in confusion. All he offered was a weak and nervous smile, not knowing what to say nor react.

"Umm...thank you?" He decided a moment later. If possible, the stranger's smile brightened even more.

"Hey yo, Katsuki-kun, he's your friend right? Shouldn't you console him or something?"

"W-wait. Console me for what?" Izuku question earned a scoff from Katsuki.

"This guy here thinks you were trying to commit suicide. By jumping into a place teeming with monsters that will kill you." Katsuki scoffed. Izuku's eyes went wide at his childhood friends' words.

"Oh no, no Kaminari-san, I'm afraid you've misunderstood my actions. I only did what I did because I wanted to test out my new strength. I received a Re-Awakening you see."

The two others had different reaction; a mischievous grin sported by Denki and a frown on Katsuki's face.

"Are you serious? You jumped into a Gate because of that?!" Denki exclaimed in shock and-is that awe he detected.

"You dumbass! You caused all this problem because you wanna find out how strong you are?! And what's this about Reawakening stuff huh?!" Katsuki yelled, causing the two to wince slightly.

"Oh, um, you see. Shortly after that...um, Double Dungeon incident, I found out I gain the ability to raise the dead. So, I thought to myself: 'hey, let's find out how strong I have become now'." Izuku answered, mouth moving faster as he realized how stupid he sounds.

But there's nothing he can do now. Might as well stick to one story and follow through. The young greenette noted how Katsuki had a surprised look; eyes wide and mouth agape while Denki raised an eyebrow and mouth becoming slightly wide in awe.

"Cool dude. How many you can summon? What are they and how strong they are? Is the cold presence a passive skill of yours?"

"Oh, well. I can summon three familiars to help me in combat. Individually speaking, they're only as strong as a B-rank Awakened. That's it really," Laughed the young green-haired Awakened although that last part stuck to him. Before he can focus on that the Explosion user jumped in.

"Huh, not bad. Not bad at all." Imagine his shock when the compliments came from Katsuki. Denki raise an eyebrow at the words. It does make him happy but also raises suspicions.

"To hear our Lord of Destruction giving praises to not even members of our own agency. Man, I so gotta tell the others. Mind repeating that so I can film it?" Denki asked. Katsuki only glared at him until Denki stopped.

"Lord of Destruction?" Izuku echoed, testing the epithet in lips. It sounded even edgier than the foreign hero's name. Denki attempted to say something but stopped at Katsuki's glare. After that, all three remained silent until the elevator stopped. The door slide open as a result.

"Right, here's our stop. I gotta go now. See you when I see you." Denki laughed, leaving through the door as he waved at the two goodbye. It took a moment for Izuku to realize the two were now alone by themselves.

"So, you're a necromancer now?" Katsuki's question took him by surprise. Izuku stared at him as if he grew a second head. The blonde sigh, tapping on the button at the panel. A moment passed and Izuku nodded in response. At the input, the door closed and the two kept quiet until Katsuki spoke up.

"Yeah." He answered lamely. Izuku looked around ,feeling awkward about the situation before speaking up.

"I've heard you were talking about me. How I saved the others." Izuku spoke, eyeing the man's potential response.

"Yep," Katsuki's plain reply surprised the man. Growing curious at the man's reluctance to elaborate, Izuku pressed on.

"Can I...know why?" Tentatively Izuku asked.

"Nope." He drawled. A pregnant pause settled in before Katsuki spoke up. "Nice armor though. Where you got it from? Also, the heck happened to you? You feel....different."

"Okay then. In that particular order: I-I'm not telling you as well and what do you mean by that?" Izuku paused briefly, meeting his childhood friend's cold glare. "No offense."

"None taken. I mean how you feel colder. Like the air around you is just colder." Katsuki replied coolly. Hearing his words only rendered him silent. What did he mean by that? Denki made a mention on something like that but Sir Nighteye and Lemillion didn't mention that. Perhaps they weren't standing so close?

But that point is rendered moot considering the blonde S-rank didn't make any mention of such phenomenon much less feel cold near him.

After that small exchange, the two remained quiet. Both sides having their own reason not to converse more. After a while, the elevator stopped and the door slide open. Neither side exchanging words, both attempted to leave for the door though they stopped when they realized the door would be too small.

"You first, Kacchan." Izuku offered. A small grunt and he immediately left. Izuku wondered what should he do next. For a moment, he wanted to get stronger but decided against it. There are several facets to this unknown power of his. And he had already promised himself to visit Saiko after that Red Gate was dealt.

(Linebreak)

No matter how many times he visited the place, he still can't get over the fact how rich Saiko is. Looking around the incredibly spacious room in unhidden fascination. State of the art computers and other equally complex pieces of technology were lined up the startling white walls. On the other corner was a massive window that offered a panoramic view of the city.

Photos of Saiko at varying age standing alongside several men and women dressed in suits. Each one features the young genius holding some kind of award. There were also multiple doctorates and patents proudly hung on the walls.

However, the one photo that stood out the most was a photo of a young girl posing alongside a young foreigner with wavy brown hair shaved on both sides. It also happens to be the only photo where a five year old Saiko was smiling. Another trait that make it stood out considering the other photos had his good friend standing with a calm expression.

"I'm still surprised how you are friends with one of the Pillars." Izuku commented idly. The pale lavender haired girl paused and spared a small glance at the photos before shrugging.

"It's not a big deal. Uncle Reid was a good friend of my dad. Prior to the whole Gate nonsense." The woman spoke, tapping on the empty syringe in hand.

"Now, roll up those sleeves and show me your arm." At her words, Izuku complied before he winced slightly as the needle burrowed deep into his arm. Red blood filled the empty apparatus as she pulled the syringe. Once full, she pulled it out and had the object inserted into the a device hooked up to a computer.

"So, I've been meaning to tell you about something." Izuku muttered. The young intellectual absently glance at him before turning towards the computer.

"Go ahead."

"You know how after that particular incident, I've gained a new ability," pausing slightly to gauge Saiko's reaction and seeing how she only gave a slight raise of an eyebrow, he continued.

"I've been able to see something. I can now...see floating textbox. "

"Floating...textbox? Are you for real?" Saiko asked, slightly befuddled. An expression sitting between amusement and confusion settled on her face. "If not, I'm not amused."

"N-no, never," Izuku amended. "I mean. I don't know how to explain. It's just I've received a new set of powers." Having said those, he knew her attention is now fully on him. Eyes widened in shock and mouth wide agape in surprise.

"You underwent a Re-awakening process?" She spoke, a slight hint of her true emotion slipping in. Reawakening process is a gamble, you can get a simple but immense power boost and nothing more. This process also has a possibility of giving the person a new powerset. Some gain magical abilities such as conjuring fires while others gain a more exotic variant such as taming as an example.

"No, no. I mean...kinda?" Izuku paused, wondering whether this is a good idea. Over the past few weeks, he'd learned to trust her. Slightly cold but nothing too severe.

"Truthfully, I don't know myself. I can grow stronger indefinitely by fighting and killing monsters." He spoke, gauging her reactions. Saiko only stared at him momentarily before taking a deep breath. However she was about to say something until something on the computer caught her attention. Whatever she found must have certainly taken her by surprise as her eyes widened in shock.

"Izuku-kun, please tell me everything that had occurred since we last parted." Saiko commanded.

Seeing no reason to deny her, he revealed everything. Starting on how he saw the floating textbox in the hospital and received a new power manifesting in the form of a video game interface invisible to the normal people and Awakened. Izuku told and show her the items gained from defeating monsters like Vulcan and Mars as proof and the fact they were labelled as Constructs were also given.

Poor girl looked like her entire world has been shaken up. Deciding to give her more proof, Izuku pulled out an item from the Inventory and threw the runestone at her. Seeing the flying object, she grabbed it in mid-air and inspected the object.

"Thank you for giving me more proof. What can this one do and who did you tell?" Saiko asked. Weighing the object in hand as she sensed the mana inside it, certain that this object is a genuine runestone. Something that can be sold for millions and Izuku has two of them.

"I think that one can change your arms into weapons. Aside from you, there's Sir Nighteye and Lemillion." Izuku spoke, earning a pair of raised eyebrows before sparing a single glance at the rock.

"I see." She muttered plainly, giving it back to Izuku who then place it back inside the Inventory.

"From what I've read on the computers, I am starting to consider believing you. So, what do you know about your powers so far?" Saiko asked.

"T-there's so much about it but I don't know if there's more. That's why I want you to help me out. Help me find out the exact limits and any features of my ability." Izuku answered. After this, maybe he should tell mom but break it in a little.

"I see. Well then," Saiko got up and Izuku followed suit. "Let's go and test out your powers."

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked in bafflement, following after her. The two Awakened walked and soon entered a door, leading into a hallway adorned with a variety of weapons. Seeing how she picked up a spear for herself, he already knew how would they test his newfound powers. Izuku glanced at the items in question only to be disappointed to see no knuckleduster.

A shame in all honesty. That was the singular weapon he is most proficient with.

"My apology. It seems I have forgotten to buy some...knuckleduster." She spoke.

"It's fine, I got something while in the Dungeon. A very wonderful item in fact." He stated, itching to use it.

"I see." She spoke simply, opening the door on the other end of the hallway. He followed after her and entered the very spacious room. She stood on one end, stabbing the weapon into the ground.

"We're not gonna spar are we?" Izuku asked, nervousness edging in. He'd seen how she fight and frankly he doesn't really like his chances.

"Not yet. First we'll conduct some test but before that, I'm sure you want to learn about your power." Hearing those, Izuku nodded in anticipation. He had been meaning to learn on the nature of his ability and Saikos' the best bet at the moment.

"Your power... truthfully I can't tell you much because we don't know much. Mainly because it's only found within the powerful Magic Beast such as Kamish and other high-grade aberrations." She paused, thinking on what more she should expose.

"It also should be noted that undead-type Magic Beast are much more richer in this type of energy. We don't have much to work with but so far it's tentatively called the Mana of Darkness. As opposed to the magical energy commonly found within normal Awakened, this form of mana or rather the one you come into, is like a parasite. It does not empower humans' existing abilities nor does it grant special powers but it feeds on the strength of others to grow stronger. It is like a gaping abyss that feeds constantly while the one most people possessed can be best described as a self-sustaining power plant."

Hearing Saikos' words does make sense. He grew stronger by killing Magic Beast. Perhaps through the act of ending a person's life, he absorbs their energy into him. Although this does raises questions on the whole game-like interface along with item droppings. The same could be said on the fact that apparently this ability of his is only found commonly in monsters. The undead part drew his attention as well, considering what he has as summons.

"If you are-perchance-thinking about your weird game-like powers, I'm afraid I have no answer on that." Saiko paused briefly before continuing. "Or rather a good one. There are several Quirks that alters one's perception and other that creates certain items but none can go as far as create something out of nothing. It's simply impossible especially when you are diagnosed as Quirkless. No magical abilities have been recorded to be something like yours."

"And what are they made from? Iron? Steel? Did you see the process of creation? The Pro Hero Creati's Quirk allows her to create objects but she had to ingest a substantial amount of food to ensure the production is feasible."

Saiko made no mention on the limitation on her friends' Quirk but he doesn't need to know that. Izuku remained quiet at her words, contemplating on it and realized what she said is sound. It is true that he earned the items through defeating the Salamanders and the other monsters but the description explicitly stated they were simply 'inspired' by the defeated monsters' component.

Did the System created the items? Or someone else is behind the creation? So much questions and yet so little answers. Questions that were answered only opened even more, frustrating the young man to no end.

"I guess you're right. Alright, what do we do now?"

"First, get down and start doing some abdominal crunches. I want to see if you can improve your physical stats through exercising."