CHAPTER SEVEN: THE KILLER

Izuku sat in his class going over his notes on quirks. He was attempting to find a proper working combination of traits to merge together into a stone. Maybe the telekinesis combined with the water molecule manipulation from the hydrokinesis, then earth manipulation with the conversion quirk to work on all types of earth even metals, and then throw in a bunch of amplifier quirks to…

"Midoriya!" The teacher called interrupting his train of thought.

"Yes", Izuku said with a slight hiss of annoyance.

"Why don't you answer the equation on the board if you're not too busy", the teacher said slyly knowing he wasn't paying attention.

"Forty two", Izuku said without even looking at the board.

"I'm sorry that's incorrect", the man chuckled with a smug look on his face. "It's actually forty five, but you were close", the other students laughed as the supposed genius getting it wrong.

"Nope forty two", Izuku argued. He stood up from his desk and walked to the front of the class. Ignoring the teacher's order to sit back down, the green haired boy grabbed a marker and wrote forty two on the board. "That's the answer. You said forty five, but the only way to make it forty five is to do this", Izuku wiped away a few numbers and symbols replacing them with different ones. "There now the answer can be forty five", he smirked as he emphasized it by underlining the new answer. "You're the teacher, so please do your job correctly", Izuku said as he returned to his desk while the man looked over the text book paling slightly as he realized that he wrote the equation the wrong way.

"That's…that's right. Thank you Midoriya", the teacher said through gritted teeth at being shown up by a brat in his own class. The other students even turned their laughter on him as the bell rang signaling the end of the lesson. "Alright class dismissed, turn in your assignments on Monday!"

'Finally', Izuku sighed as he put away his notes. He most hated classes here, since he was already ahead of the lessons yet he still had to regularly attend. Unfortunately it cut into his work with the league and his lab time was significantly reduced. Grabbing his bag he walked out the room ignoring the glare from the incompetent teacher. Seriously this was supposed to be one of the best non hero academies in the country. Get better teachers.

'Glare all you want. I'm used to it', one of the things he learned from middle school. Stop giving a damn what people thought of him. He didn't have any friends this school, but this time around he didn't care. It wouldn't matter anyway once his device was finished. Speaking of which Izuku had made a few breakthroughs with that.

The space stone was coming along nicely. Izuku acquired a sample of Kurogiri's blood upon his request. The man at first was a bit reluctant, but a suggestion from Sensei changed his tune. Using a complex scanner that he built, he was able to isolate the quirk factors in the genetic code and remove the different facets of them and then combine them together. With Kurogiri's warping quirk as the core, he subtracted the mist conversion, added the flash warp quirk, and then multiplied it with four enhancer quirks. Now Izuku nearly had an all-powerful quirk ready to be forged into a stone. There was just something missing that he didn't have yet. A hero that had a very interesting quirk named Rock Lock. A power that let him lock objects in a point in space. Izuku wanted a sample of his blood to add his quirk to the space stone. Luckily he already had a plan in motion to get it.

The time stone was being difficult. No matter how many enhancer quirks he added to the genetics it just fell apart in the computer simulation over and over again. Something vital Izuku had yet to understand was needed for that one.

The reality stone was currently the bane of the teen's existence. Izuku thought that it would be simple. Just combine a bunch of telekinesis and matter manipulation quirks together, then slap on a bunch of amplifiers. Not so easy it turns out. Every time he tried to generate it in the computer using his formula it fell apart no matter what combination he used. He came close with one, but it crumbled due to the strain it would put on the body. Maybe a quirk that could make matter weightless would take away the strain.

'That girl at U.A….Ochako Uraraka was her name. She had an anti-gravity quirk', Izuku thought back to his reviewing of the footage he captured during the U.S.J attack, plus the recorded footage of the sports festival he saved. Of all the students that girl was the only one whose quirk could be useful to him. If only he could get a blood sample. Plus Izuku really liked the way she stood up to Katsuki Bakugou in her match during the festival, something his pathetic old self could never do. She would make a very good hero in the future.

There were a few more students that interested him though. Tenya Iida, a boy with a quirk that gave him engines in his legs, allowing him incredible speed. Izuku didn't get much data on him due to the fact that it was this student that left the facility to go inform the U.A. faculty. Then there was his humiliating defeat at the hands of a girl using a bunch of self-made gadgets during the festival. Technically he won because she surrendered, but Izuku knew it was his loss, because Hatsume easily could have beaten him but chose not to. Tenya had some good traits and the potential to be a true hero. The type of hero that Izuku wanted to create.

Then there was Shoto Todoroki. This guy nearly had Izuku drooling…at how magnificent his quirk was. He did a little research after the sports festival. It turns out he was the son of the number two hero Endeavor. Not only that but he possessed both an ice and a fire quirk. Why he didn't use his fire was beyond Izuku. Todoroki could have beat Bakugou in the final round of the sports festival if he used it, but he refused for some strange reason and only used the ice, causing him to lose and receive second place. The potential Shoto had though was practically limitless if he just used his other quirk. He could definitely be the number one hero one day and Izuku planned to make sure of it once he reformed the current hero society.

Adjusting the bag slung over his shoulder Izuku made his way outside and headed towards the mechanics building. This was the only course he enjoyed. An elective where he got to put his talents for inventing things to use. The teacher was also a man who had a lot of connections in the support companies that design and build gadgets for heroes and sometimes police. Izuku tried his best to be as friendly to him as possible while making sure he was the best student in the class. He had heard there would be summer internships at certain support companies coming up for only the top students. What better way to get inside the hero system than to infiltrate its gadget suppliers.

The green haired teen realized a while ago that there was only so far the League of Villains could get him. Eventually he was going to need power and resources that they couldn't provide him if he ever wanted to finish the Infinity Gauntlet. That's why Izuku wanted to get into one of these support companies. They could unknowingly give him all he needed to complete the project.

"Ah! Midoriya!" Mr. Kinzoku exclaimed seeing his favorite student walk into the workshop.

"Kinzoku sensei" Izuku smiled brightly at the tall blue haired man. The teacher had a very interesting quirk, he could bond different metals together combining the various traits of them together. Unfortunately he was limited to only two metals at most and couldn't bond more than that.

"What are you working on today?" The teacher asked approaching the boy's work table.

"Well I just finished my portable force field generator" actually he made this months ago, it was one of his first gadgets that he created for his work as a villain, but Mr. Kinzoku didn't need to know that. Izuku showed him the small metal disk shaped device with a button in the center. "Try to hit me", the teacher did as he was asked and attempted to lightly smack his student. Midoriya simply pushed the button and activated the barrier causing the hand to stop half way as it hit a light blue barrier.

"That's very impressive Midoriya", Kinzoku said while rubbing his sore hand.

"Yeah but it can only take so much force before it fries the power source", Izuku sighed, it didn't matter to him though since he carried around multiple versions of the force field generator if that were to happen.

"No I mean it, for a first year student to come up with such ingenious designs and inventions is quite an accomplishment", the teacher smiled proudly. "Especially considering the fact that your quirkle…I'm so sorry", Kinzoku apologized for his momentary verbal slip up.

"It's alright sir you can say aloud that I'm quirkless it's not exactly a racial slur", it should be though, especially with how the word is used in this day in age. "I've long since accepted that I was born with nothing that makes me special like everyone else. I'll have to work hard to be special and recognized by society as more than just a quirkless person. That's why I want to work for a support company, so I can be a hero by making things that help heroes" Izuku lied straight through his smiling teeth. People always said he had an honest smile, why not use it?

"That's a very mature thing of you to say", if only he knew. The rest of the workshop class was mostly uneventful. With only a minor incident where Mr. Kinzoku accidentally cut his hand on a sharp piece of metal. An accident that no one in the room realized Izuku purposely caused. He liked the man, but he was very accident prone in class hence the multiple first aid kits around the work space. Being the good student he was Izuku quickly grabbed the bandages and gauze to help the teacher. Once he was bandaged up the boy discreetly placed the blood covered gauze in a sterile zip locked bag which he quickly pocketed. The potential of Mr. Kinzoku's quirk was too good to pass up.

After class Izuku spent a few hours in the gym before going back to his dorm room. Flopping down on his bed he sighed as he checked his phone for messages. Kurogiri left him text to head towards the academy's sports supply closet, one of several locations that they designated as good warping spots. The bar tender also mentioned in his message the need to hurry as there was a potential new recruit coming to the bar this evening. Grabbing his bag again he made sure he dad the D.N.A sample he procured earlier from his teacher to bring to the lab later. Quietly Izuku snuck out and over to the indoor track stadium, where the sport supply closet was located. Once he was inside Izuku made sure he wasn't followed, then sent a reply message to Kurogiri and a minute later a warp gate opened in front of him. As soon as he stepped through he was already being chewed out by Shigaraki.

"What took you so long?" Tomura glared at him through the fingers of his hand mask.

"Some of us have school Tomura-san", Izuku said with mild cheek as he placed his bag by the bar counter and made himself comfortable on one of the stools. He was still dressed in his school uniform with his face fully exposed and not in his villain costume, but it didn't matter anymore. Sensei had already worked out his true identity and Shigaraki as well as Kurogiri admitted that they didn't care who he really was. Probably because they were using aliases like him.

"The hero killer will be here soon, whether or not he agrees to join us I want your analysis on him", Tomura explained while he sat in the arm chair. "So sit there, keep your mouth shut and don't do anything but observe"

"Okay", Izuku agreed then took a sip of the soda that Kurogiri quietly left for him. As soon as it finally registered who would be coming he spit his drink out. "Wait! The hero killer is coming here!? The hero killer Stain is going to be here!? You're trying to recruit the hero killer Stain!?"

"What did I say about keeping your mouth shut?" Tomura's chair nearly disintegrated with how hard he was gripping the arm.

"Sorry" The green haired boy apologized and went back to sipping his drink all the while thinking. 'This won't go well', it wasn't even a logical conclusion it was just a feeling he had in his gut. Yes Izuku knew about Stain. He had been following his work ever since he heard about him back when he was working for small groups in the underground. Izuku was a bit afraid of the man due to his line of work, but he was a fan of the message he was trying to spread. No more fake heroes. It was very similar to his own goal. However Stain just wanted to eliminate the fakes by killing them, in contrast Izuku wanted to create true heroes and simply banish all the fakes.

"He's here", Tomura said, as soon as the portal appeared in the bar Izuku noticed the monitor screen came on signaling that Sensei was listening in. Out of the warp gate stepped a tall, muscular but tall man clearly dressed for combat with all the knives and swords strapped to his person.

"So you're the Hero Killer" Tomura said as he stood up to greet their guest.

"So you're the League of Villains" Stains eyes went around the room, from Shigaraki, then Kurogiri behind the bar, and finally stopping at Izuku. A brief moment of confusion crossed his features, probably from his age and school uniform if Izuku had to guess, before quickly leaving as his gaze returned to Tomura. It was in that brief moment that Izuku felt dread wash over him. This man was a different kind of monster and had a very different dark aura than Sensei.

"Let me be frank, we'd like to extend an invitation to join us" Shigaraki began.

"Join you?" Stain glared at him. "And why should I do that? What exactly is you goal?"

"Our goal is very simple. I want to kill Allmight and bring an end to the society that worships him", Tomura smirked behind his hand mask.

'How childish', Izuku thought as he watched the whole interaction. He already knew Tomura's goals and he found them foolish and immature. Lacking any sort of cause or purpose.

"How childish" Stain spat back at him. "What's the point of killing without a cause?" The murderer said as he pulled out one of his swords.

"Master?" Kurogiri looked to the monitor screen with concern.

"Let them continue" All for One ordered. "An experienced and infamous villain such as Stain will only inspire Tomura to grow and mature"

'This is bad' Izuku watched as Stain moved with almost inhumane speed knocking Tomura Shigaraki to the floor and stabbing him through the shoulder with his sword. Kurogiri attempted to aid him only to get stabbed in the arm by a well thrown dagger. The blade was then yanked out by a tether that Stain attached to it, bringing it back to his hand so he could lick the blood and render the mist covered bar tender paralyzed. This all happened in the span of a few seconds.

Izuku quietly stood up from his stool in an attempt to either flee or help. Stain turned and locked eyes with him not saying a word but the message was clear to him. 'Don't move'. The League of Villains didn't even pay him so he wasn't about to fight the hero killer for them, thus the boy gladly complied.

"I hate people like you", Stain went back to glaring at Shigaraki. "Lacking any conviction"

"Kurogiri! Send him away!" Tomura shouted out desperately.

"I can't!" Kurogiri's mist shook but was unable to shift or expand. "His quirk seems to be paralyzing me", his voice sounded strained. Izuku quietly began piecing together the hero killer's quirk from what little he had witnessed so far. It seemed like he could paralyze people by tasting their blood.

"Without conviction or cause you won't survive", Stain attempted to bring his dagger down on Shigaraki's neck but the other grabbed it with his free hand, disintegrating it in seconds.

"Conviction huh?" Shigaraki said as he stood back up. The hero killer to a short leap away. "What a load of crap!" He snarled. "As if I'd need something like that"

"It seems our ideals oppose one another", Stain smirked. "However we both wish to bring down this broken hero society", Izuku's eyes widened. That was pretty much the same as his own goal. Words he himself believed in.

"Leave then, we don't need you", Tomura pointed at him.

"My business was done here anyway", With Kurogiri now free he turned his glare back towards him. "Return me to Hosu there's still some false heroes I need to take care of", he licked his lips when he finished speaking. Once he was gone Tomura finally spoke.

"Tch! And just when my wounds were finished healing", he said as he glanced at his bleeding shoulder. "I'll show him! Sensei I need some more Nomus".

'We have more of those things?' Izuku realized.

"I'll let you have three" All for One's voice said through the screen. "Use them wisely Tomura"

"If you're going to Hosu may I come along?" Izuku asked politely.

"Of course you may" Sensei allowed him to go with Shigaraki, appreciating the boy's politeness.

"Thank you Sensei", Izuku bowed towards the monitor respectfully. Shigaraki glared at the boy's back, sometimes that friendly nature of his really got on the villain's nerves.

THAT NIGHT

"Now then mister Stain, where are you?" Izuku said as he walked through the dark alleys of Hosu city. He was ignoring all the chaos happening in the distance. Tomura brought a few Nomus to wreak havoc on the city in an effort to upstage the hero killer. Luckily for the green haired boy that was just the distraction he needed. Activating the scouter he pushed a button which increased the range of the scanner at the cost of detecting the level of power the quirked individual possessed. Izuku smiled under his face mask as he spotted three signatures a short beat away far from the populace.

'Whose he killing?' Approaching the alley with what little stealth skills he had, Izuku poked his head around the corner. His green eyes spotted Stain about to murder, not some false hero, but in fact a U.A student that he was interested in. Tenya Iida was about to die, that was something Izuku couldn't allow.

Stain was about to stab and finish the boy off for good, but his instincts told him to dodge. So he did, jumping in time to avoid the energy pulse beam that passed the spot he just occupied.

"I thought you only took down false heroes", Izuku said coming out of the shadows to stand next to where Iida lay. "Attacking a student? You should be ashamed"

"Who the hell are you?" Stain asked the interloper.

"Oh? So now you want to know who I am" The young villain said with mirth. "Back at the hideout you just glared at me without saying a word", Stain suddenly realized who this was, thinking back to what happened a few hours ago in that bar.

"You're that plain looking boy in the school uniform that was with the League of Villains" the hero killer stated. He was completely unrecognizable now with that form fitting body armor and whited hooded coat.

"My name is Apotheosis, pleasure to meet you Stain", Izuku introduced himself with a short bow. Tenya's eyes widened as he lay paralyzed on the ground. This was the villain that attacked Bakugou during the U.S.J incident.

"Well you're certainly more polite than that Shigaraki brat", Stain commented. "Now step aside so I can deal with that child"

"Yeah I'm afraid I can't do that", as soon as the words left Izuku's mouth a sword came bearing down on him. Good thing all that training he did recently upped his reaction time allowing him to activate his force field generator. The hero killer's sword bounced right off the barrier. "Really? Did you think a kid like me wouldn't have some sort of defense? How do you think I survive working with the League of Villains?"

"Why are you protecting me?" Tenya asked still unable to move.

"Good question Tenya Iida", Izuku said looking down at the teen that included in his energy shield. "I've been watching you both during the U.S.J attack and the sports festival. I find you interesting and I think you'd make a great hero"

"That child doesn't deserve to be a hero", Stain attempted to slash at Izuku again but the barrier still held. "He came here for revenge"

"His brother, yes I heard about what you did to Ingenium", Izuku stated. "But here's something you don't understand Stain. Tenya here is not a hero, he's a student", Stain stopped mid attack when he said that. "He's just a student, he doesn't even have a provisional license yet. Killing him doesn't exactly fit your modus operandi"

"He's a selfish child who doesn't deserve to be a hero", Stain corrected.

"Yes but think how this would make you look", Izuku argued back. "The man who only kills false heroes now murders innocent students. You may not agree, but in the eyes of the media that's what it will look like. They will make him into a martyr and that will forever tarnish your message", Stain paused, starting to understand the boy's point. "You'll just be…another villain", Izuku smirked seeing his words get under the killer's skin. He was able to figure out the most important thing to Stain was the message he was trying to spread to the world. No sooner than the words left his mouth the killer's aura and murderous intent turned even more violent and dark. Izuku was shaking with fear and excitement. This was exactly what he wanted.

"You make an excellent point", Stain grinned. "But what's it matter to you?"

"Because Stain, I agree with you", Izuku explained. "I too wish to put an end to this society's glorified fake heroes", the boy looked down. "I can't stand it either. Those with flashy quirks running around thinking they deserve the spot light as if they were some kind of celebrity. The point of being a hero is to be a hero. Fame and glory shouldn't be a factor", he stopped realizing that he was going on one of his rants again.

"I didn't know…", Stain looked him directly in the eyes. "That there was someone out there who had the same thoughts as me", he chuckled. "But I can't help but notice…you didn't answer my question. What's it matter to you whether or not I kill that child?"

"Because while I do agree with your goal to put an end to all the fake heroes, it's not enough. Your plan is incomplete, your ideals flawed", Izuku was probably crossing a line with the hero killer, but he wanted to make a point. "My plan is to create a true hero. A hero that would put all the others to shame"

"And you wish to be that hero?" Stain asked skeptically. Izuku burst out laughing at the man's question.

"Me a hero!? Don't be a ridiculous!" The boy giggled. "I'm a villain sir, there's no hope for me becoming a hero. However in my research I've come to the conclusion that villains are the one that make heroes"

"That's…insane", Tenya spoke from his frozen position on the ground.

"Is it Tenya?" Izuku questioned looking down at his captive. "When quirks first appeared it was villains who ruled everything, until some finally had enough of their tyranny and became the first heroes", Iida looked at him like he was a lunatic. "Even the hero you all love so much, Allmight, was created by the most powerful villain I've ever known", both Stain and Tenya's eyes widened at what he claimed. "That was all accidental though. The villains didn't mean to create their polar opposites, but imagine this", Izuku gestured his hands about excitedly as he talked. "Imagine a villain who knows all the right motivations to apply, who knows what a true hero should be. Imagine the hero he could purposely create", he let out a breathe feeling exhausted by his long winded explanation. "That's what I'm doing here. I'm protecting and nurturing someone who I think would eventually make one of these great heroes"

"Please don't kill him Stain. I need Tenya, he has the potential and room to grow. He's just young and has more to learn about being a hero", Izuku stood between the hero killer and the U.A student. After a short silent but tense pause Stain finally spoke.

"I like you", the killer gave him a large menacing grin that the boy figured was meant to be friendly. "You have good convictions. Much better than that fool you work for"

"Don't make fun of Tomura-san, he's still learning, we all are", Izuku defended his boss's apprentice. Shigaraki did have a place in his grand plan after all. He needed every ally he could get if he wanted to gain control over the hero society. "Do I have your word you won't kill Tenya Iida?"

"Alright I'll leave this pet project of yours alone", Stain agreed to back off then smirked when he remembered his target was still bleeding against the wall of the alley. "What about him?" The killer glared daggers at Native who sat there still petrified in fear and pain.

"Not interested!" Izuku turned away not caring for the low level hero, but mainly because he was still a bit squeamish to watching someone die. He risked his life for a student that he liked, he refused to do the same for someone who was already caught in Stain's crosshairs. A scream and a gross squelching sound later and the deed was done. Tenya grit his teeth and tried once again to get up, but failed. He had never felt so powerless before. Not only did he fail to get retribution for his brother, he also failed to save someone from a vicious murderer.

"As a token of my appreciation take this", Izuku fished an envelope out of his white hooded cloak that he then tossed to Stain. "Open it later when you're alone", Stain nodded at him then leaped up the wall of the alley disappearing into the night.

"Hah!" Izuku fell on his behind. "Man that was terrifying wasn't it", he said aloud. "How did you try and fight that guy?" The boy asked the downed Iida. "Just talking to him made me shiver"

"You!" Tenya glared at him.

"What to do with you now?" Izuku picked the teen up, slinging a limp arm over his shoulder. It seems Stain's quirk was still in effect. "Don't worry we'll get you some help", he said pleasantly.

"Why are you doing this?" Tenya asked.

"Didn't you hear what I said a minute ago?" Izuku didn't even look at him. "I'm trying to create real heroes and I see a lot of potential in you", they were quite for a moment while the villain carried him out of the alley. "Just what was going through your head when you decided to take on the hero killer anyway? I heard about your brother, but did you really think you could defeat someone who he failed to beat?" Once they were almost to the street Izuku set him down propping him up against the wall. "What did you hope to accomplish?" Iida looked away in shame.

"I just…", he didn't want to say.

"Yes? Look don't think of me as a villain right now", Izuku said squatting down to his level. "I did just save your life, not just because of your potential, but I also like you. So think of me as a friend", Iida looked at him like he was crazy, maybe he was if what he said he planned to do was anything to go by.

"I just don't know what to do with all this rage", Tenya grit his teeth furiously. "All I want to do is find the hero killer and make him suffer for what he did to Tensei. What do I do with this pain?" Izuku sighed, he knew that feeling.

"I'll tell you what you do with that pain", the villain reached and grabbed the other's wrist. "You hold it tight until it burns your hand and you look at the world and tell it no more! No one will ever have to feel this pain! Never again! Not on my watch!" Izuku went through the same thing after everyone rejected his dream. He knew that once his ideal world was created, nobody would ever look down on him or the quirkless ever again. "That's what a real hero would do" he let go of Tenya's wrist. "Now take this whole experience as a lesson and apologize when the hero you intern under comes", Izuku scolded him while looking through the boy's pockets until he found his phone. Looking through the contacts until he found a number labeled 'Manual'.

'Wow he has the hero's number. Tenya is very methodic', Izuku smiled under his mask at the convenience. 'I think that hydrokinesis quirk blood sample came from him' pressing the call button he waited a moment while checking his power glove.

"Hello Iida! Where are you?" Manual spoke with concern.

"Sorry Iida is injured and paralyzed right now", Izuku said into the phone cheerful while Iida watched with concern at what this villain was up to. He could be luring the pro hero into a trap if he wanted. "He got into a tussle with the hero killer, but I was able to talk Stain out of killing him"

"Who is this?" Manual asked growing more worried by the second.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself", he chuckled. "My name is Apotheosis, I work for the League of Villains for now, don't worry I'm not part of this attack"

"WHAT!?"

"I would advise you to start tracking this phone. Have a lovely night", Izuku said gleefully as he hung up. He could be quite devious when he wanted to be. "Well see you around Tenya Iida. I look forward to seeing how you grow from this" tossing the phone on the student's lap he waved him goodbye. "Oh just so you know. Even if you go blab what I told Stain to the authorities and pro heroes. It won't make a difference, I'll have already won by the time they figure out who I am or what I'm up to", he locked eyes with Tenya to remind the teen that he was still a villain and wouldn't let anything stop him from accomplishing his goal.

"Ta-ta!" Izuku walked back into the alley and vanished into the dark shadows allowing Tenya to release the brea