AN: Hello again, it has been an excruciatingly long time hasn't it? If I'm being totally honest I've been lacking in motivation and morale for quite some time. It's nobodies fault the chapter just never quite came together like I hoped among other things. Well, moving away from all that allow me to make an addendum to some events of chapter 1. Izuku originally faced abnormal Quirk development times, this is no longer the case. It was done with the intention of allowing him to empathize with Quirkless individuals later on. I decided I don't think that quite fits with his character in this story. The other major change is the reason for rotted friendship between Bakugo and Izuku. I placed all the blame on Bakugo initially, but its more in line that the two diverged mutually. I have made corrections to chapter 1 to reflect these changes. That is all. On with the story. As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me directly, privately or leave a review and I'll be right with you. I don't own My Hero Academia all rights belong to Kohei Horikoshi.


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Part 1: Welcome to Musutafu City


Quirks are separated into five tiers determined by their capabilities. Epic Class Quirks are the next step up the ladder. They can do some pretty serious damage and paired with a little bit of ingenuity can even stack up to the next level. Typically include Quirks that begin very weak and have some but not great potential for growth.


A bus driver pulls his bus into a designated stop area and opens the doors without giving it a second thought as per his usual routine. As the waiting patrons climb aboard the bus the driver is shaken from his lethargic state as the final one pulls a pistol on him. The criminal pulls the hammer back on the pistol ominously as she takes the final step up.

"Listen closely. Keep both hands on the wheel and stick to this buses route. No more passengers... and if I think you're moving suspiciously I might..."

She almost jokingly holds the pistol to her head and fake pulls the trigger. The bus driver nods obediently and closes the doors behind her before pulling off. The passengers on the bus quickly catch sight of the firearm and several cellphones are almost immediately dialing for help. She reaches up and throws off her beanie to reveal straight pink hair.

She then slams her palm against the metal side of the bus and her hair assumes a nearly impossible shape. Electricity seemed to dance upon her exposed skin which quickly courses along the metal surfaces of the bus. All the active phones on the bus immediately lose their signal and short circuit. Smoke rising from them as they become nothing more than unless heaps of junk.

"Now that were all on the same page I can get down to business. I'm looking for Hitoshi Sakiyurai. If you reveal yourself now I promise you won't be harmed."

All that was heard through the crowded bus was an oppressive silence. It was worth a shot of course, but it was irritating to the female villain nonetheless. The villain laughs violently before pulling out what looks to be an old cellphone. In her other she casually twirls the pistol. She clicks a button on the side of the old camera and it opens horizontally.

"You must think you're safe this time because of your Quirk. But my master has already devised a way around it. You should have come out when I gave you the chance because now... I'll definitely kill you."

Near the back of the boss, a bead of sweat travels down the neck of an older women. Her eyes dart back and forth, searching for a way out of this bad situation. She grits her teeth in fear the criminal grabs a woman in the front seat by the chin. She holds the older looking cellphone up to her retina and it seems to scan the pupil.

"Retina analysis confirms a 00000.1% match. Not her. Not yet..."


The temperature today was good, aligned perfectly with my distinct preferences. I pause in the middle of the crowded sidewalk and look across the street. I could see a street vendor in a truck selling ice cream. I check the time on my phone and my stomach rumbles a moment later. I lay my palm over my stomach with a frown, the sugary treat would do for now.

I check the street the street for cars and slide my hands into my pockets as I cross. There was already decently sized line of people craving their own sugary fix. I settle in the very end of the line and pull my smart phone out again. Not long after the end of the line became the middle-ish of the line.

In my eyes the world couldn't be any clearer than it already was. Why people did the things they did wasn't some grand mystery. To me at least, heroes and villains were two sides of the same coin. Money... fame... pleasure... obligation... and even destiny.

It's not long before I'm at the front of the line and the shop vendor is looking at me nearly impatiently. I slide my smart phone into my breast pocket and point towards the six on his colorful menu. It was the obvious choice for a warm day like this.

"Cookies and cream. Just a scoop."

The vendor in the truck nods absentmindedly and turns away to procure my order. I sniff the air absentmindedly as I wait for the man to return, sensing nothing out of the ordinary even when I extended my senses.

"That'll be 670¥ buddy."

I fish into my pockets for my wallet before stopping in my tracks. I turn my gaze back towards his with a disturbing intensity in my eyes. On a single sale of scooped ice cream, it wouldn't matter very much if you charged an extra one hundred yen. But over say one hundred sales...

"670¥ for a single scoop of ice cream, that's ridiculous. What an overpriced sugar based dairy product. The most anyone should ever pay is 460¥... which means you're intentionally scamming your innocent customers."

The vendor furrows his brow and I give him wicked grin in response. A small bead of sweat travels down his neck as other people waiting in line begin listening to our conversation. He grits his teeth in anger at my malicious expression before taking a deep breath. He calms down remarkably quickly and clicks his teeth in annoyance.

"Fine, you win jackass just keep your voice down!"

I allow my face to return to its expressionless default as he hands me my ice cream. I lay the yen on the table and casually stroll off, enjoying my ice cream. Justice didn't really factor into any of my decisions, it was purely business. I wasn't that great a person, so such thoughts swam in my mind.

I only make it a few steps before my phone buzzes in my breast pocket. The light was bright enough to partially shine through the fabric of my shirt. Before I can even make the effort to grab the phone a bus hurdles down the street, past a group waiting for it.

I take a bite into my scoop and pull my phone out while staring at the bus. A new quest had appeared before me of the vigilante variety. The experience was shit though in comparison to the danger it represented. I take a closer look with a frown.


Bus jacking in progress, but something else sinister is going on below the surface. Heroes won't arrive in time. Looks like a job for a vigilante!

Reward: Mysterious Manifest + increased hostility with villains

Failure: Decreased hostility with villains


A mysterious manifest?

Like a document of some kind? The fact that it was described as "mysterious" did have me curious about its contents. With my free hand and my mouth, I tug on my right glove. I switch the ice cream to the glove right hand and repeat the process.

A crowd of curious onlookers was already beginning to form where the bus had sped through the intersection. With no eyes in my direction I use my inventory to switch my outfit entirely. Grey denim and an oversized hoody clashed with my red gloves. I pull the hood over my green hair and down my face.

"Map."

My eyes glow a vibrant green and a map of Musutafu city appears before me. The current location of the moving bus is marked in a dull orange. The scenario here was rather simple. If the bus didn't appear to be deviating from its set route and wasn't making any stops then I could easily catch up.

I start jogging in the general direction of the bus, cracking the joints in my fingers. I then reach into my inventory and pull out a skateboard as my method of transportation. My lips unconsciously curl into a rather sinister smile, there wasn't another way to describe it.

"Quest start."


Part 2: Vigilantism

[Law enforcement undertaken without legal authority by a self-appointed group of people/individual]


I hurdle down the sidewalk at an ever-increasing speed atop my skateboard. I skillfully bobbed and weaved through the crowded sidewalks, maintaining my speed. A quick glance at the map told me that I would only get one or two tries max to board the hijacked bus.

I take my eyes off the map and start dialing a number into my cellphone. Whoever was responsible for the bus jacking was beyond my current capabilities. So I needed to time my intervention just a few minutes before heroes arrived on the scene.

"Hello is this the police? I believe a bus jacking is in progress. Yes... I believe the bus is sticking closely to its route. Please have heroes dispatched as soon as possible."

I snap the emergency flip phone shot and immediately toss it back into my inventory. I wordlessly pull the map back up, with one eye keeping track of the sidewalk and the other following the path of the bus. In another few blocks our path would cross, preferably I would gain access on my first attempt.

I race past another block, my eyes darting back and forth between the map and the streets. Just as the map predicted the bus in question hurtles past my vision and I make a quick snap decision. I reach out with my left hand, catching the corner of a building into order to violently change streets without losing much speed. As my foot makes contact with the concrete I leave a visible crater in order to increase that speed even further.

The distance between the bus and I was slowly shrinking now. This street was far more crowded and maneuvers were much riskier here. The villain still hadn't noticed my pursuit either, but that was about to change. I push my sleeve up to my elbow and aim my right hand for the back of the bus, away from the windows.

The smart tech attached my wrist was something I bought specifically for situations like these, when things weren't in reach. A grappling hook shot out of the end and pierced the metal on the bus easily. The villain on the bus pauses her search in surprise releasing her hold on a passenger. She stares out the back of the buses window with an angry expression.

Too quick a response for heroes. A vigilante then? Either way, I need to deal with him quickly.

Now that I was physically connected with the speeding bus I no longer needed to propel myself forward. The next time I looked back up towards the villain she was staring back at me with a frightening intensity. My eyes glow and her life story and stats are revealed in an instant. Fighting her up in any manner was out of the question.

Name: Reiko Aihara [Tempo]

Age: 26

Sex: Female

Title: /-/Speed Spirit/-/

Occupation: /^/Villain/^/

Class: Epic

Level: 57

Strength: 17

Vitality: 12

Dexterity: 47

Intelligence: 15

Wisdom: 23

Luck: 4

Quirk Classification: Emitter

Quirk: Velocity – Allows the user to move at incredibly fast speeds with little to no build up. Even if they are small of stature they can produce insane amounts of force. Static electricity is generated as a byproduct in excess due to tremendous friction exerted by the user. Thus, this Quirk is a dual smokescreen, appearing as an electrical Quirk. The only real issue is how to stop.

Status: [Nervous]

Emotions: Anger. Fear. Disgust

Profile: A member of the Deus Ex Machina faction. She is mostly responsible for their hit and run missions. She is suited to long drawn out battles with a large area to cover.

Oh, I see. Her ability to attack at range is directly correlated with her ability to use her super speed. Which is nearly impossible to do on a bus, yes? She can speed up quickly but is incapable of stopping as safely. I'll get what I came for after all.

She raises her right hand and the electricity gathers around her finger tips. No matter how this went down it was going to be nasty encounter. There was no way I was fighting her directly. The electricity arcs violently away from her fingertips, shattering the back window of the bus in the process.

I lean sharply left, the skateboard veering recklessly as the electricity blows up a large section of the tarmac. I look back in surprise at the crater we were rapidly leaving behind. I turn back with a manic glow in my eyes, unwilling to even take a chance of being hit directly by that.

I tighten my grip on the wire attached to the bus and use it to reel myself closer before latching on. At this close proximity she reaches forward in an attempt to grab me. I loosen my left hands grip, dangling from back of the bus and dodging her successfully. She grits her teeth in annoyance and opts to slam her palms down against the metal of the bus in retaliation, now trying to electrocute me through conduction.

I resist the urge to growl in pain as my right glove literally burns away. Not a moment later the electricity courses into my body and the subsequent heat burns my digits. She gives me a ghoulish grin and I can feel my health bar dropping at an alarming rate already. Despite the odds seeming overwhelmingly in her favor I give her a charming smile in response.


[Phantom]

Tactical camouflage that allows the user to disappear from view completely, even in broad daylight. It works differently depending on the current time of day. During the daytime hours one must remain motionless for ten seconds prior to activation. In addition, it will only remain active for as long as you stay still. During nighttime hours it has no time delay and works even on the move.


Her sadistic expression disappears just as I seem to vanish from her sight. She releases her hold on the bus in surprise and I breath in a quiet sigh of relief. She pulls a pistol out and looks around cautiously, pointing it out of the shattered window. I notice a folder in her left hand partially distracting her.

"Fuck! You're that damn vigilante, Ghost?!"

"Is that what people are calling me now? I prefer Phantom."

I swing around from the back of the bus and just in front of the open window. My ability automatically cancelled as I moved revealing my position much too late. I reach into the bus faster than she could react and rip the stuffed folder from her grasp. Her eyes widen first in horror at losing her grip on the documents before narrowing in fury.

I release my hold on the bus and push off in the opposite direction. I land in a crouching position on the sidewalk and take off in a dead sprint in the opposite direction. I instinctively stash the manifest safely into my inventory and attempt to reach the crowded streets we had previously passed by. My health was already beginning to rise again.

It was partially wishful thinking, I mused as I feel her fist slam into the small of my back. I could feel my health drop by at least half on just the first blow and resulting collision with a concrete wall dropped it further. I have no choice but to slide down the wall and onto my ass, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. Another hit and I'd die for sure. But I wondered if she knew that?

She appears before me in a blur, her right index finger sparking with built up static electricity. I lean my head to side, the wall where my head previously was blowing apart in a small explosion. I blink once as she tries to fire off another bolt of electricity, but it looked like the tank was empty. I stand up slowly and she immediately makes to attack me physically again.

I grin as she let her emotions cloud her judgement. I grip the hole in the wall she just created and use it to lift myself above where I previously stood. She collides with the wall using her speed Quirk and unable to stop, even if she had wanted to. The impact causes the already unstable wall to come crashing down, burying her in debris.

I land back down below where she stood in a crouch, staring at the rubble and then at my health bar. This had been frighteningly close, death had literally been standing beside me the entire time. Suddenly another figure lands on the opposite side of street. I quickly adjust my hood as the figure speaks out in a loud voice.

"Alright, hands in the air now! Surrender peacefully."

Kamui Woods?

I stand slowly while remaining where I landed and then raise my hands above my head. The rubble in front of me makes a sound as he continues speaking, I figured that wouldn't kill her. I remain motionless despite his order to turn around and the rubble explodes outward in a shower of sparks. Tempo clamors out, smoke wafting from her person due to overexertion.

Before she even gets a chance to look in my direction [Phantom] activates and I vanish. Despite Kamui Woods being shocked at my disappearance he immediately moves to apprehend the villain Tempo. She takes a reluctant step back and Kamui Woods stretches out both his limps, ready to capture her. His fingers branch off into twenty separate limbs which immediately shoot towards her.

She bites her lip and shoots into the air, hitting the two building in the street to reach the rooftops. I remain completely still and the hero decides to give chase, I breath another deep sigh of relief. My skill deactivates and I start limping back in the direction I had originally come. Everything hurt.


Quest Complete!

Increased hostility with villains + Mysterious Manifest


"This shit better have been worth it."

I grumbled almost half-halfheartedly.


Part 3: [Mysterious] Manifest

[A document giving comprehensive details of a ship and its cargo and other contents...]


After several blocks my health had finally started to rise again. My major injuries were gone but my clothes were another matter entirely. I would need to craft a new glove. This was a necessity for now, but in the future, I would need to create clothes sturdy enough that could easily survive fights. Losing your clothes in a fight was embarrassing enough on its own.

I could already hear police sirens in the distance, heading back to the scene of the "crime". No doubt they would find nothing of substantial worth other than rudimentary testimony from passengers. No doubt in my mind that someone would be arrested for this disturbance.

The moment I felt I was a safe distance away I quickly duck into a side alley. I retrieve the reward from my inventory and lean up against the brick nearby. To be honest it looked much more like a manuscript for a book rather than a manifest. I shrug and quickly skim through the pages, my eyes darting back and forth rapidly.

It was immediately clear to me that this entire document was a physical encryption. Even my all-seeing eyes could not immediately make sense of it. Even so, it didn't look like a particularly difficult code to decipher, given enough time.

Time was the key word here, those who had pilfered or made copies of these documents were on the run. They had no such time, so to those people it might as well have been gibberish. Which was godsend for someone with a Quirk like mine, whatever treasures were to be found at the end of this trail... I would be the first to claim it. I push off the from the brick wall and rejoin the flow of traffic on the sidewalk.

I continued walking as I read, not caring where I ended up. There were piles upon piles of named items as well as countless dates and times listed. No matter how many times I read through it, its contents remained a mystery to me. If I were to take it at face value, something was going to enter the city soon. Something significant enough to attract the attention of Musutafu cities villains.

I close the manifest and replace all its parts back into the folder. Not a moment later box appears before with a familiar inquiry. It was almost comforting how some things never changed.


Would you like to know the contents of this manifest?

[Yes?] [No?]


The moment I tapped the option for yes the manifest began to break down. Becoming something like an energy-based syntax that quickly began to flow into my body. I could learn anything written down word for word and instantly in exchange for the world losing the original document. The knowledge that lost its physical form flows into my mind at an alarming rate. Any evidence connecting me to the bus jacking incident was almost completely gone now.

As I feared nothing about the manifest became any clearer in my mind. There would be no way around this problem without patience and time. I needed to study its contents and put the puzzle pieces together, slowly but surely, one at a time. Until all became clear to me.


Part 4: Molten Fever


I only stopped because of the amassing crowd. I approached from the rear, slowly and nonchalantly to blend in with the crowd. A quick scan of the gathered crowd told me all I needed to know about the situation. The barely contained excitement and intent stares. It only confirmed my suspicions about this society. Something I knew without question.

The tension was gone.

The [Hero System] had become a source of entertainment. Something as serious as life or death was something they were comfortable broadcasting live. At least there was one thing the sheep and I could agree on. It certainly was riveting to watch, truly it was... but especially so for me... because the victor was irrelevant. No matter the outcome I would learn something.

The crowd shifts slightly and I'm finally able to peak through completely to the plasma television ahead. The headline was auspicious enough on its own but the imagery was classic. Grainy enough to portray a bad situation that could be remedied by heroes up to the task. Typical of this rancid society. They could keep telling pretty lies until they were blue in the face.

"Reappearance of the Black Golem!"

The anomaly in question was a seven-meter tall stone humanoid. It was probably too early to call it a villain, was it even human? The onsite coverage included four heroes standing by along with what looked to be a swat team. I tuned into the murmurs of pedestrians that surrounded me on all sides. Well, it was to be expected and the people couldn't be the only ones at fault.

So long as they had their bread and circuses, there would be little complaining. The golem on screen lumbers forward a few more steps and the heroes on the scene maintain their strict minimum distance. The excitement from the crowd was thick enough to be cut but with a knife. Something about this entire situation wasn't sitting right with me however. Police, firefighters and ambulances could be seen appearing on the scene in the background.

There was too little information to be deciphered and the situation was growing tenser by the second. My suspicions are confirmed not even a moment later as the golem tilts its head to the side. The golem displays a surprising burst of speed and almost instantly closes the distance between himself and nearest hero. The hero is lifted into the air in a vice like grip before he has a chance to escape. The excitement immediately dissipates and fear sets in to takes its place. My eyes widen in excitement as the golem brings the hero to its mouth and devours him whole on live television.

Well... don't see that every day.

After several long and agonizing seconds there is a loud audible swallowing sound as the golem finishes his meal. The other heroes on scene are locked into place for a few seconds before their training kicks into effect. Seeing death happen so close must have been disturbed them, even a small amount, you just can't help but imagine it was you instead. As a professional hero, that small moment of hesitation could cost you the fight and you'd have only your instincts to blame. The nearest hero, the one closest to the monster, armed with a halberd immediately moves in to engage the monster despite the fear lingering in his eyes.

In the next moment the scene became utter hell, there was no better description. The man doesn't have the time to regret his hesitation, it was over in an instant. The ashen colored golem erupts into molten flames and magma spews in all directions. To call the action before me a battle would be a farce, this was a bloody massacre. A total loss for the heroes, there was no question. The hero doesn't even get into striking distance before bursting into flames. The entire street is engulfed in fire and brimstone in the next instant.

I don't get to enjoy the scene for much longer before the feed is suddenly cut. The crowd who had been all but silent suddenly kicks into a dull roar at the incredulous sight. The only thing that made sense to me then was that broadcasting even part of that scene was a mistake that would be regretted for years to come by the media. An auspicious day indeed.

Note to self... don't stand in the way of the villain that created that thing. I'm not even sure where to begin on fighting something like that. They could pose a serious problem to me in the future. Perhaps It'd be best to leave it to future me.


Part 5: Croquette Dinner

[I am...]


The downpour of rain began two blocks before I could reach home. I hasten my pace considerably with the aid of my Quirk. The bag nestled against my sides flutters as I hustle down the middle of the street. I had already decided, tonight I would relax and unwind from this long day. I would leave tomorrows troubles for tomorrows me to handle. Right at that moment, I really felt like stuffing my face.

I pause as I land in front of the door to my home, even as the rain continues to come down in buckets. Such carefree thoughts had already left me as I faltered outside the doorway. The very edges of my faces slightly slump as I stare at the familiar door before me. It truly wasn't like me to make such a depressed face over something like this. To think something like that would influence my mental state was pathetic. It wasn't something that could be changed with power alone, even I was powerless.

I only lingered in that doorway for several agonizingly long minutes before letting out a long sigh. I reach into my pocket for a familiar key to push into an even more familiar lock, albeit with hesitation. Unlike me though, the simple mechanism responds without a hint of hesitation, the complete opposite of me. The gentle light and wafting heat welcomed me as I passed the threshold of the door. I quickly remove my shoes as I close and lock the front door behind me, the sounds of movement in the kitchen catching my ears.

"I'm home."

The man in the kitchen preparing dinners pauses for a moment as he glances at me standing in the doorway. His dark hair lightly shakes as he smiles warmly, radiating a comforting presence. The cutting knife in his hand waivers for only a moment as he addresses me.

"Welcome home."

I pause only for a moment in the doorway before proceeding into the kitchen, a bag in my hands. By that time, he had already returned to his task, swiftly chopping up vegetables, presumably for dinner. I only take a moment to scan the kitchen and the adjacent dining room, but his presence was the only one to be found here. It wasn't a surprise at all, of course that was to be expected. There would be no one else here.

The only people who live here is us after all... I know she won't be coming back. To feel uneasy about me... you aren't necessarily wrong in that line of thinking. But to burden father so because of such personal feelings is unforgivable.

"Has she not returned?"

Father pauses at my blunt question and for just a moment makes a pained expression. It had come and gone so quickly that I almost missed it despite staring intently at him. My eye twitches slightly as I found myself becoming annoyed. He must have noticed my expression of displeasure because he winces. I quickly decide not to push further on this topic, nothing good would come of it after all. Nothing would change.

If it was that simple, then I'd change the subject. I raise my arm and the bag in my hand along with it. Cheerful was difficult, so I decided to be matter-of-fact.

"I brought croquettes."

"That's fine, dinners almost ready. Anything interesting happen out there today?"

He seemed just as eager to change the subject. I pause just as I was about to hang the croquettes on the door to the kitchen. I suppose that in the end, what happened today could certainly be considered the norm as crime rates grew more coordinated and complicated. It was easy to forget that villains and criminals were capable of gaining experience and working together with one another. Such scary thoughts did not perish from my mind.

"Just criminals and villains being themselves is all."

"So, the same as usual?"

I cast my gaze downward at his almost immediate response. It wasn't as though I was immune to such petty things and thoughts. It was pretty hypocritical to speak ill of such people when I acted in my own interests so often at my leisure. But I wasn't like most people, I could admit my hypocrisy and continue with my hedonistic ways. As I always had... as I always would. I know very well what I am after all.

"Yes... the very same."


Notes ~ As you've probably already noticed, my ability to write dialogue isn't so hot. I'm aware it's not my strong suit. So many depressing topics, I apologize. I'm sure you've already noticed but I really plan to stretch that AU tag until its close to snapping. I'll reiterate myself now, relationships in this AU might be very different than they are in Canon. If this displeases you I apologize again but I won't be changing this story. Also yes, Hisashi will play an important role in this story.