Chapter 4
"Mom," Izuku called out. He had to get his mom's attention. Yet when he saw the Herrscher placing her fingers on her lips, he froze. She hadn't done anything yet, if he made her angry then…what if she decided to...
"Yes, Izuku," Inko called as she looked at her son. He was deathly pale and sweating. "Dear, is everything alright?" She worriedly asked.
"No…it's just…I'm glad to see you're alright." Izuku quickly recovered.
"Izuku, I only said I'd be gone for a few minutes," Inko told him. "The city is in a mess after the Herrscher wrecked it and we need to stock up on supplies in case the worse comes to pass." She warned. "I told you this earlier." She reiterated.
"You did?" Izuku questioned before he noticed the Herrscher's subtle gestures. That's when it dawned on him. She had said his body was hers. Did that mean she also controlled him when he was unconscious? The Herrscher mockingly responded with a thumbs up, seemingly aware of what the growing dread on his face meant.
Izuku was terrified, to say the least. The Herrscher had pretended to be him, deceived his mother with ease and none of them were the wiser. It was frightening to think what else she could do while he was unconscious now.
"Izuku, are you sure everything is okay?" Inko asked once more as she turned to carry the groceries in the kitchen.
"Tell her yes." The Herrscher teleported behind him. "I promise, it's the only right answer you have right now. Just another little white lie, on top of all the others you've told her."
So Izuku lied. Just like he always did when he returned home from school after running into Bakugo and the others. His mom for the most part accepted his answers, but he wonders how much she actually believed his story.
"Listen Izuku, I know what happened yesterday must have been a lot to take in." Inko trailed off. "It's not every day you hear that…students from your school are attacked by a villain, and after everything that happened yesterday I know if you need to take time and process it all, you should, but just remember, if you have anything that's bothering you, anything you need to say, you can come and tell me alright," Inko spoke as tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at her son, seeing him all alone and scared.
"Mom, I…" Izuku tried to speak but his mom quickly pulled him in for a hug.
"Izuku, baby, you're all I've got. The thought of losing you, I just can't bear it." She repeated. "You have no idea how scared I was when I heard your school was destroyed. You hadn't come home, and I thought I'd lost for sure with all the chaos."
Izuku was speechless. His eyes glanced over to the Herrscher. "The school was destroyed." He whispered, not sure what to make of that.
"It was that girl, the Herrscher of the Void. She had destroyed several buildings before she fought All Might." Inko explained.
"She did?"
"I did." The Herrscher answered simply. "You had some…bad memories there. So as a gift to you…I erased it." She told him. "Consider this a thank you present for releasing me."
"It's all my fault." Izuku realized. It was all starting to make sense. The slime villain, All Might, the school, and Bakugo. He was frustrated and he had hated it all, and she had used that to her advantage.
"Izuku, please, don't think like that," Inko told him. "None of this is your fault." She consoled him.
Oh no! He had slipped up, he realized to late. Now what was he going to say to his mother? How was he going to explain the Herrscher and everything that had happened?
"Well, you did jump on All Might, you did cause him to lose slime villain, so you did technically cause Bakugo to be trapped by the villain." The Herrscher taunted. She wasn't wrong though, loathe as he would admit it.
Izuku did do all that. So, he confessed it to his mother, leaving out All Might's secret and the Herrscher's involvement of course. To say Inko was stunned would be an understatement. She merely looked at him as he finished up his explanation.
"Mom, I…"
SLAP!
Inko for the first time in his life, slapped him, and then she immediately regretted it. "What is wrong with you?" She questioned. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Izuku didn't say anything too stunned to respond. The Herrscher meanwhile just looked on with mild curiosity at the whole ordeal. It was a response on Inko's part that intrigued her. Izuku's mother paced around the room. Walking between him and her, never once acknowledging the Herrscher between her and her son.
"I know, you've been a fan of All Might, I know you've wanted to be a hero for as long as you can remember but pulling a stunt like that. Izuku, you could have tired. Did you ever think what could have happened if you had fallen off?" Inko scolded. "Never mind the slime villain, you could have been hurt or worse."
"It was fine Mom; All Might was there." Izuku tried to assure her. Unfortunately for him that was not the right words to calm her.
"That doesn't make it better." Inko scolded him. "At the end of the day, pro-heroes are still just people like you or me. They may have extraordinary power, but they are still people Izuku. You can't recklessly throw yourselves into danger and expect they'd save you, that's not the right mindset to live with."
"Look, I'm glad you're safe but just please…don't do that again." Inko sighed. "And…I'm sorry I slapped you." Inko apologized.
"No worries, Mom, I understand," Izuku told her.
"Good," Inko sighed. "I'm going to rest, we have some leftovers in the fridge," Inko told him as she headed to her room leaving Izuku and the Herrscher alone.
The Herrscher glanced at Izuku taking note where his mother had slapped him. "Oh wow…that looks red." The Herrscher chuckled. "Has she ever slapped you before?"
Izuku's eyes widened as he turned to the Herrscher and immediately went on the defensive. "No. You stay away from her." He demanded. "I won't let you hurt her."
"Now Izuku, why would I do that?" The Herrscher questioned. "Do you hate your mother so much that you think I'd kill her for you?" She mocked.
"What? No, I don't hate my mom." Izuku defended.
"Really. Surely you must have some animosity. She never told you could be a hero, she, and your father probably both had the recessive genes that made you quirkless. It was their fault you were denied your dreams."
"No. You're wrong." Izuku answered. "My mom loves me. She's always loved me." He reaffirmed. Her words did strike a chord in his heart, but he wouldn't let her see it.
"If you say so." The Herrscher of the Void mused as she floated around the apartment. She didn't feel the need to toy with him further. She was content to end the conversation there for the time being.
The boy was still stubborn but now she had explained his situation and the hopelessness of it all. She would need to get accustomed to this new world of quirks and heroes, but her host seemed to have enough knowledge in his head to help navigate it. He was almost too curious in fact.
"She can't actually see you, can she?" Izuku asked after he mulled over the recent events in his mind. The Herrscher glanced at him, a slightly amused smile on her lips. "All that time, she never once acknowledged your existence in the room. Never seemed to hear or see you."
"You're right…as expected for such a smart host." The Herrscher praised. "No one can see, or hear me, except for you. Imagine how crazy you must sound, hearing voices that aren't there, seeing a person that no one else sees. It sounds unbelievable…like a ghost story. Tell me Izuku…are you afraid of ghosts?" The Herrscher questioned dark giggle. Her voice reverbed a little as her body faded out of existence, till eventually she disappeared altogether.
Izuku stared at where she vanished. The air still felt heavy, almost suffocating. He glanced around his apartment, looking inside every room. There was no sign of her. A part of Izuku wanted to feel relieved, a more optimistic side wanted to write it off as hysteria. That happened right, victims of villain attacks often still felt the effects of it afterward.
Maybe he was imagining the whole thing. Maybe the Herrscher wasn't real and it was mind playing tricks on him from yesterday, trying to make some sort of twisted sense of what happened. Or maybe she was real and she was here, just gaslighting him, because that's what villains were, needlessly cruel beings who took pride in the misery of others. Maybe she did the same to him.
Yet a small part of Izuku, probably the part the Herrscher had hosted herself, whispered in his ears, in the Herrscher's sweetly dark voice, no, it was real. He had fallen into the Void and he wasn't getting out.
Nezu and Recovery girl had left All Might's room. He had wanted to know more, as expected of any hero who took the needs of people first, but they knew they couldn't entertain him much longer. The more they discussed the more agitated he'd get. They had already tried to limit the information he'd be allowed, hoping that he wouldn't be pressured into continuing further. Still, they locked the doors and had a few of UA's staff keep watch.
"Do you really think All For One's responsible?" Recovery Girl questioned. It was not a topic she liked to think about. The Symbol of Evil had brought too much grief to her.
"Even if it isn't, it would be foolish not to think he wouldn't notice," Nezu noted. "Quite a few of us, have long since expected him to be alive. Injured, hopefully, crippled but alive and licking his wounds. He's had quite a lot of time to prepare and plan." Nezu noted.
"And the girl?" Recovery girl wondered.
"If she has a strong quirk, then's a target for AFO, can you imagine letting someone with that kind of power go," Nezu noted. "Ultimately no matter how you look at it, I fear things will only be turbulent from here on out." Nezu sighed.
"What did Nighteye say?" Recovery Girl questioned. "I presume he had more to say than just what the beach."
"He did," Nezu answered. "That fight between All Might and the Herrscher, it ended in a tie." He frowned. "She may have fled the scene but he nearly collapsed from exhaustion."
"Those media jackals must be having a feel day with this." Recovery girl sighed. "It never changes."
"Sir Nighteye definitely believes so," Nezu noted.
"Just a few days ago, the thought of anyone beating All Might would seem impossible, but yesterday, some random girl did it. Some nobody managed to give the Symbol of Peace a tough time and then escape, having destroyed and injured several heroes and civilians."
"Even if it is a draw. It permanently cracks All Might's image. This wasn't some preplanned attack, not as far as we known. This wasn't some veteran villain or some large evil organization. This was just one girl who looked around 18 maybe 20 for the oldest, forcing All Might to a stalemate."
"Now…you and I know All Might's running out of time, his body is starting to fail, but the public doesn't that. He may have been weakened, he may have been passed his limit, he may have been struck in the weak spot, but it all doesn't matter because to the people; It looks like anyone can stand a chance at taking him down." Nezu recalled Nighteye's words.
"He wants All Might to pick his successor soon and then retire.' Nezu iterated. "He believes if All Might keeps going the way he is, he'll only destroy himself."
"That won't work. Yagi is too stubborn." Recovery Girl sighed.
"Yes, but what can we do?" Nezu wondered.
"All Might may not have been defeated, but the idea of the Symbol of Peace was. Now criminals of all kinds are going to feel bolder, so long as the Herrscher is around." Nezu noted. "Not to mention with several heroes injured, some organizations will have to reroute some forces to Musutafu, spreading themselves thin. I can only begin to fathom what this could mean going forward."
"We'll be ready when it comes." Recovery Girl reassured. "We always have to be, that's our job as heroes."
"I hope we are," Nezu muttered. "I hope we are."
Chapter 5
For the rest of the day, Izuku didn't see or hear the Herrscher. She had vanished without a trace, as if she was just a bad dream, or perhaps a living nightmare. He was relieved for the most part, but he still felt a weight on his mind. The heavy atmosphere she had left did not disappear with her and he was worried she'd return. It still felt like she was here somehow, but that couldn't be true. Right?
No matter, he and his mom went about their day, doing chores and cleaning around the apartment, seeing as they had time. Glancing out the windows every now and then Izuku could feel a pit form in his stomach as he saw the destruction the Herrscher had left in her wake.
She was still out there. That much was true, but that didn't mean Izuku would just accept she was a part of him, that was ridiculous after all. Why would such a powerful being want him? He was quirkless, he was positive if she needed a host, she could find loads of other people, maybe even villains with potentially destructive quirks to aid her. It just didn't seem to make sense to him.
Thus, the only thing he could properly rationalize was that she was gaslighting him. She was a sadist who saw it funny to mock and tease him. He couldn't do anything to her, that much he knew, he wasn't a threat that needed to be stomped. So perhaps she just takes his misery as entertainment. Well, now that she was gone, he wouldn't let her get to him. She'd probably be who knows where and forgot about him soon anyway. Such was his own unremarkable existence.
Eventually, the sun began to set as the day ended. Izuku and his mom prepared dinner and were now enjoying it at the table.
"How's dinner?" Inko questioned as she watched, her son take another mouthful of food.
"It's delicious," Izuku answered in between bites. "You really outdid yourself this time."
"I'm glad you like it." Inko smiled. Izuku had been silent the whole day, not that she blamed him, after what he's been through but still, she knew he needed time to himself. Still, numerous thoughts lingered in her mind about what had happened to her baby.
"Mom…is everything alright?" Izuku questioned noticing her sombre look.
"Oh, it's nothing, dear, just thinking." Inko dismissed.
"Mom," Izuku repeated. "Is something wrong?" He asked.
Inko sighed. She knew she probably had to talk about this sooner or later. "I was just wondering…. that's all."
"About what?" Izuku inquired.
"Izuku do you hate me?" Inko worriedly asked.
"What?" Izuku said in surprise. The Herrscher's words echoed in his mind as he tried to make sense of it. "Mom, what are you talking about? What makes you think I hate you? When did I ever say that?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply it like that." Inko corrected. "Ever since you met All Might, you were quiet, and then well…" She had slapped him for being reckless. He had finally gotten to meet his hero, but he had also gotten his dreams crushed by said hero. Rather than console him she had slapped him.
"No. You had every right to be mad." Izuku assured her. "It was stupid and dangerous, and I shouldn't have done it."
"Still." Inko trailed off.
"Mom…you have done everything for me," Izuku told her. "Probably more than I ever will know. You loved me so much, and you always supported me." He recounted as he walked over to his mom's side. "I could never hate you, I would never hate you," Izuku told her as he hugged her.
Tears welled up in both of their eyes, before erupting like geysers. The mother and son didn't care, they just took the time to hug and reassure each other. Izuku had spent so many hours watching videos and reading about heroes, but truth be told, his mom still did more for him than any of them. A fact he had so grossly ignored till the Herrscher put it into perspective for him.
He may not have powers, but he had his mother, who loved and supported him, and he was grateful for that.
Later that night, Izuku wished his mother good night before heading to bed himself. Today had been rather stressful. His encounter with the Herrscher this morning was rather frightful but thankfully it had come to pass. She was gone now, and he was alone with his own thoughts. He was also feeling much lighter after he spoke with his mom. It was nice.
Readying himself to sleep, Izuku put on a white vest and a pair of black shorts and headed to bed. He and his mom would be busy tomorrow and the next few days. Izuku much like a few other students would need to search for a new school to attend. There was no way his old middle school was going to be repaired in time and rather than go through cumbersome online classes, Izuku had told his mother about transferring.
It may have also been in part due to the guilt he felt with freeing the Herrscher. He couldn't dare dream about facing his peers and teachers, knowing he was the one responsible for all that. He wasn't even sure how he'd even face Bakugo.
"Stop thinking these thoughts." He told himself. It was time for bed. He'd go to sleep, get some rest, and then tomorrow was a new day, yeah, a new day. So off to bed, he went.
Izuku fell asleep not long after he hit the mattress. Then in a few minutes, he began to dream. Simple dreams, he had managed to become a hero despite all odds, and he had even impressed All Might. It was peaceful.
Meanwhile, as Izuku dreamt, his body began to stir. Shifting under the sheets, Izuku's hair began to grow, changing from black and green to a snowy white. His body was soon engulfed in energy as his form began to change, growing, stretching, reshaping itself into something else, someone else. When the energy faded the Herrscher opened her Golden eyes as she awoke.
Shigaraki pressed rewind once more on the video player. The young villain was currently relaxing on his couch with nothing more than a bowl of popcorn and some soda, he was all settled to watch his new favorite video. He had aptly called it All Might's most painful facial expressions.
"I must say, this Herrscher girl isn't a bad player." Shigaraki mused as he watched the fight over. Sure, she didn't get the goal, but she certainly got closer than anyone else he knew. "How interested do you think, she would be in joining our party?" He questioned as he took another mouthful of popcorn.
"Hard to say, the first issue is finding her," Kurogiri answered. "There have been no sightings of her since that fight. Judging from her abilities it seems she can teleport so there is no telling where she could be, if she is even in the city to begin with." He noted.
"Hmph, seems like she went premium. You need to step up your game Kurogiri." Shigaraki retorted. "You have similar powers, yet hers work so much better." He marveled as he watched his favorite part of the clip.
All Might smashes himself. The Symbol of Peace had gone for one of his stupidly named, smashes and the result was hilarious. His fist went into one portal and ended up punching himself in the stomach through another. It was the coolest thing Shigaraki had ever seen. The look of pain on All Might's face was priceless, oh how he wished Master could see this.
Speaking of Master….
"Has Master given any comment on this?" Shigaraki questioned. With such a powerful player, it was natural for AFO to take interest. If anything, Shigaraki expected him to be involved somehow, maybe he had given her the extra power. Then again that didn't make sense, Tomura was his apprentice after all.
"All for One has clarified that the Herrscher isn't his doing," Kurogiri added. "She's an entirely separate entity that neither he nor the Doctor has been involved in. As such he is advising you to be very careful in how you'd consider approaching her. I believe he might consider it a worthwhile challenge for you to recruit her." The warp gate user explained.
"Sounds easy enough." Shigaraki hummed. "I can't see any reason why she'd decline."
"May I remind you of the last time you tried to recruit villains?" Kurogiri asked.
"They had it coming." Shigaraki defended. "Those insects had no respect, so I taught them some."
"You decayed them to dust."
"And they were very respectful before they were completely dusted," Shigaraki noted.
Kurogiri just sighed. His charge still had a long way to go. He only hoped Shigaraki's advances on the girl would work far better than it did on the others. Then again, there was a very real possibility the Herrscher might just try to kill him on spot. Maybe Kurogiri should buy Shigaraki some books on how to impress the other sex. He certainly had doubted his charge had experience in that area.
"Still too weak." The Herrscher grimaced as she glanced down at her hands. She wiggled her fingers back and forth as she examined her new body. It took quite a bit of power to change her host completely but in her mind, it was worth it. She was not about to walk this world in such a weak human male's body.
She was grateful though. It was almost ironic, Izuku had been so adamant at first about not letting her take over, yet he underestimated if she was even there to begin with. He wrote her actions off as just a lie meant to scare him and let his guard and she took over even easier now.
She could still feel him though. It was a heaviness in her mind. His presence, his consciousness and subconsciousness were still with her, only sleeping, relaxing in the land of dreams. She knew better than to risk waking him though, let him sleep for now.
Removing the covers, she got out of Izuku's bed. It had almost caught her of guard how cold the floor had been beneath her bare feet. She hadn't reformed her outfit, not really seeing the need. In her current state, it was best to conserve as her strength till it was needed.
Standing up, she walked over to the nearest mirror she could find and examined herself properly. She had gotten all the details from her old body for the most part. She had transformed Izuku into an almost perfect replica of K-423, with long white hair, slender but toned limbs, a well-developed figure, and flawless skin. If you looked at them you'd never expect Izuku and her to be the same person, except for the clothes, though she had certainly stretched his vest a bit. There was only one small problem.
"It's still can't handle it." She frowned. Just because she could make the physical form identical, she couldn't exactly do the same for Izuku's Honkai adaptability. As it stood, if she tried to rampage like she did earlier, heck if she tried to cause another eruption, she'd burn out her vessel.
She grits her teeth in annoyance as she clenches her fist. She was half tempted to strike the mirror but restrained herself. It would do her no good to get angry now. This body was weak, it was pathetic, it couldn't handle her power. She had overestimated it yesterday. She had only realized it too late when she had started feeling sick during her fight with the Blonde Buffoon. The worst part of all….it was the only choice she had.
She looked around Izuku's room, taking note of all the posters he had. It was akin to a shrine, though instead of a God, he worshipped heroes. She could see why; this world was different. It was littered with 'quirks', superpowers almost every human seemed to have. Every human except Izuku.
Logically it should have meant she would have had an easier time finding a good host. Just look for a strong quirked human and take their body. It sounded easy enough…except she couldn't. For whatever reason, any human with a quirk who touched her core, died. She wasn't even actively killing them either. So, with no other options she was now stuck with Izuku Midoriya as her host, loathe as she would to admit it. Even worse, she couldn't just kill him like she could have done with Kiana, less she ran the risk of permanently ruining their body due to its low resistance.
All in all, she was stuck. Her host was too weak to let her use her full power and she was not confident enough in her knowledge to immediately resume her plans for destruction. She had lost far too many times from being overconfident and underestimating her opponents. Siegfied, Himeko, and Kiana, had been proof that she wasn't infallible.
GRRRRR!
The Herrscher frowned once more as she placed a hand on her stomach. She needed some more sustenance. She left Izuku's room and made her way to the kitchen. She recalled exactly where she had seen the Midoriya keep their food and began to prepare the only meal she knew, cup ramen.
After taking out the cup and putting on the kettle to boil, the Herrscher found herself exploring the rest of the apartment. She took note of the family picture on one of the tables. It should be a nice small family, Izuku, with his mom and his father.
She didn't recall seeing hearing mention of a dad, eh, he was probably deceased or gone from their lives, so she didn't bother to much on it. Instead, her eyes focused on Inko, her host's mother, and the only major obstacle she had really to taking over Izuku.
Inko from what the Herrscher had gathered was Izuku's rock. She was his mental foundation, the only seemingly positive influence in his life. She'd be the one who needed to go if Izuku was to fall to her. She'd be the one who needs
Walking back to the kitchen, the Herrscher found a knife on the counter. A lance may have been a better choice, but it was still a waste of power if Inko was a weak human. The Herrscher made her way to Inko's room with the knife in hand.
Opening the door ever so slightly, the Herrscher's shadow was cast over Inko's as she approached her. The Herrscher took note of Inko's sleeping figure, her back facing the Herrscher. It would be so easy right now, to simply impale her. One strike and it would be over. Inko would be removed from the picture…just like Himeko.
Just like Himeko….
The Herrscher froze.
Just like Himeko…
The Herrscher swore under her breath, quickly covering her mouth when she realized the mistake she made. Inko's body shifted, and the Herrscher immediately hid the knife. When Inko turned around she was surprised at what she found.
"What are you doing here, Izuku?" Inko questioned as she rubbed her eyes.
'Izuku' chuckled nervously as he scratched behind his head. "Sorry mom, I was having a midnight snack and then I heard a noise, so I came to check on you. Sorry for waking you up." 'Izuku' apologized.
"That's quite alright dear," Inko said as she went back to bed. "Just make sure you clean up when you're done." She yawned as she huddled back up into bed.
"Alright, mom." 'Izuku' answered as he turned and headed out the door.
"I love you, sweetie," Inko called out as she fell asleep.
'Izuku' froze by the door when 'he' heard the words. Turning 'his' head back, 'he' noticed how 'his' mom had already closed her eyes. "Yeah…I love you too mom." 'Izuku' answered as he left the room and quietly shut the door. They didn't see it, but Inko smiled when she heard those words.
Once outside, the Herrscher rubbed her temples as she grimaced at her lapse in judgment. Killing Inko would have been the worst move she could have made. Last time she killed one of her host's loved ones, which only motivated them to rebel more and made them more troublesome to deal with. The Herrscher wasn't going to risk it this time.
She returned the knife to its place before heading back to her noodles. She really needed to slow down and properly assess her situation. She had almost been too hasty back then and would have made another major mistake had she not caught herself. She couldn't afford to be so careless.
Izuku's mind had gently stirred when Inko had spoken to her. The Herrscher didn't like that. It meant his subconscious was still active. When she had awakened for yesterday, she had forced him into sleep, but she still felt him. It was like a ball on a chain for her. She had tried to indulge herself and slaughter humans but any conscious act to do so was hidden. She really had to push for it, to overwhelm his 'heroic' drive and even then that backfired on her.
"Blasted Heroes." She swore. First, it had to be her that foolish Kiana, getting help from the darn bird to suppress her, now it was this quirkless brat. It seems she was fated to always get stuck with naïve heroes, who just couldn't see the ugly truth.
"What to do…. what to do…" The Herrscher mused as she munched on her noodles. This world was getting more and more frustrating, still she knew she needed to figure out some way to handle it. She had failed to destroy humanity before, she wasn't going to fail again.
She mulled it over and in the end, she could only think of one long-term solution.
Just wait Izuku out.
It wasn't her most flashy of ideas. It was certainly going to be the one with the least bloodshed possible and be the longest and potentially most boring plan, but it could work. All she had to do was wait for Izuku to snap, wait for him to have a bad day and just guide him along the right path and snuff out what remaining light he had.
Izuku was already discriminated by so many people for his status. He was regularly abused by his peers. He could not stand injustice. He was frequently a target for bullying, insults, and scorn. He was soft, he had no confidence in himself, try as he might. By all accounts, he would be easy to break.
After all, how firm could his will possibly be? Izuku Midoriya's 'heroic' resolve couldn't be that strong, right?
Chapter 6
"I'll be working late tonight," Inko informed her son as she packed her purse. "Make sure you're back before sundown and lock the doors." She instructed.
"Got it, Mom," Izuku answered, as he also prepared himself. Maybe he'd stop and see if there were any interesting books to read, or any new magazines or hero merch available. He needed something to take his mind off recent events. He was also feeling cooped up for the past few days. It was time to get some fresh air and hopefully, he could also figure out what to do next, both concerning schooling and his future going forward.
For the past few days, they had been going back and forth with what school he should transfer to. In the end, they decided to wait for a short bit. His plan was simply to see what school Bakugo chose and make sure his choice was on the other side of town.
Considering Bakugo was being treated by some of the best doctors, no small part thanks to All Might, though Izuku couldn't mention that out loud as his mom had told him it in secret after Bakugo's mom told her. Although in hindsight it could also be a good story to help take the heat off All Might. While Izuku didn't doubt his hero's intentions, the media had not been kind following the Herrscher fiasco.
Izuku had tried to forget about his encounter with the Herrscher, but he just couldn't. It was hard when she seemed to be the talk of the town. He understood why, but that didn't mean he enjoyed seeing her face appearing on every news outlet on the web. He could have sworn that the images were now looking at him and Izuku was sure he had heard her voice laughing in his head now and then.
It was troubling for the young boy. The villain had only met him once, but she had left quite an impression, even more so than the slime villain. The Herrscher hadn't tried to kill him, quite ironically she hadn't even hurt him. She scared him but that was it.
She didn't do more than spout her creepy and frightening threats. So why was she still haunting him, when the villain who had nearly suffocated and choked him didn't? Maybe it was because she was a pretty girl.
Izuku shook his head trying to remove those thoughts. The Herrscher was a villain, he shouldn't be thinking like that. Yet for some reason, Izuku was dreaming about her. Dreaming about her being in his house, eating in his room, lying down on his bed, bathing in his shower. Most unsettling of all, he had dreamt the Herrscher standing by his mother's bed, with a knife in hand. It…. terrified him, how frequently she was appearing in his dreams.
Her words still echoed to him. "Your body, mind, soul, they are all mine now." She had told him. He had thought she was being dramatic, but the way she appeared in his dreams.
It was so vivid.
Elsewhere….
"This is a nice change of pace, isn't it?" Recovery girl smiled as she looked around the area. She and her patient were currently relaxing on a bench, just outside her office, enjoying the fresh air outside.
"When you said I was ready to leave my bed, I didn't think you meant to come and sit around." Yagi sighed as he leaned back. "I thought you'd clear me to get back to work."
"Oh please, you've been working non-stop." Recovery Girl scolded.
"Not true, I didn't leave the ward until today." Yagi defended. The response he received was a light tap on the head with the elder lady's cane.
"That may be true, but you haven't exactly been resting," Chiyo noted with a sigh. It was to be expected, how else would All Might be the number one hero if he didn't work diligently? That said, he needed to learn more self-control. "You've been going over any lead, report, or news footage you could get your hands on." She grumbled. "Rather than working your body, you're over-taxing your mind."
"It was just light reading." All Might defended.
"Yagi," Chiyo warned. "If you overexert yourself, you'll recover even slower. Besides you should leave all the research stuff to the others." She warned.
"Come on, Chiyo, you know how it is. I can't just sit still and do nothing." Yagi complained.
"Resting isn't doing nothing." The nurse pointed out. "As it stands you're still the strongest hero around. Ensuring you are healthy and ready to go, is a must."
"Yes, I know."
"Then stop being difficult and relax, take in the sights, get some fresh air." Chiyo scolded. "You won't be a hero forever. One day you'll retire, and when you do, you'll need to learn to relax." She pointed out.
"I see…so that's what this is about. Nighteye put you up to this." All Might accused. "He wants you to convince me to retire and choose a successor."
"He tried but I told him no." Chiyo dismissed. "You'll retire when you either can't keep up mentally or you physically can't keep going. As for a successor, while I don't doubt Nighteye's judgment, I know very well that a successor is someone who you will personally want to choose."
"I've considered retirement myself." Recovery girl noted. "However I much like you, am very strict. I don't just want someone who has the same qualifications, or a good healing quirk. I want to know that they truly share and hold my values. The one who comes after me must not only understand what I did but also why. They don't need to be the Second Recovery Girl, but they just need to embody the same ideals."
"Well, it's nice to know someone gets me." All Might chuckled.
"Oh, believe me, we all understand you," Chiyo admitted. "It's just we worry that you'll do something reckless and get yourself hurt or worse. Nighteye in particular wouldn't have been this eager if you didn't crawl out of your hospital bed, and go rushing to work while still injured."
However just as they were talking, Recovery girl's phone went off. Without hesitation, the pro hero took it out and checked. "Oh my." She gasped.
There was a major villain attack on the other side of the city. Numerous pros had already mobilized to go and solve it. Upon relaying the information, All Might was ready to bulk and leap across town, but Recovery Girl stopped him.
"They've got this." Recovery Girl told him. She sincerely hoped it was true. She knew All Might was always the number one choice, but you had to leave it to others at times.
"Fine." All Might grumbled. "But if it escalates, you let me go."
"Fine," Chiyo noted. He'd leave either way, there was no use in arguing, he was a hero after all. She just hoped it didn't reach that point.
Izuku felt dazed. He had finished up most of his errands for his mom and was just grabbing a bite to eat at a café. The next thing he knew a car had been flung through the window. He coughed as dust was thrown up everywhere. People were panicking and screaming outside. A lot of people were already leaving the café and joining the masses in panic. It was….
"Amusing."
No, not amusing, it was horrible. Izuku shook his head. He hurried to leave as well, however, when he was at the door he heard something. Something he couldn't refuse.
"Help me." A kid called. Izuku's eyes widened as he looked back. A kid had gotten stuck under some nearby rubble. Instinctively he rushed to aid the kid.
"Don't worry. I'm here." He told the kid as he hurried back to help them. He hurriedly started to dig through the rubble. Much to his relief, the kid hadn't been seriously hurt and he was able to clear everything away easily.
He could have sworn he heard someone scoff at this. Izuku didn't mind. Taking the kid up in his arms, Izuku was about to run to the exit when he heard a cracking. He froze looking around while he tried to identify the sound and that's when he noticed it.
"Oh no," he muttered as he saw the cracks begin to form in the ceiling. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going to happen next. Rushing forward Izuku used all the strength he had and threw the kid out of the window. The child may get some bruises but that was better than….
The ceiling collapsed.
Izuku wasn't fast enough and he found himself buried under the rubble, not unlike the child from earlier. This was far more than before, and Izuku could only look in horror as he was trapped in the darkness, alone and with it crushing him slowly. He prayed and hoped whatever Hero was out there that they would come, and save him before it was too late.
He was scared. He didn't want to die. Yet at this point, that was all he could expect with the pain he felt. His body was squashed under the concreted. His bones and organs were being compressed against his will. Well…at least he did some good. He'd die helping a kid, that must have counted for something right.
"That's your dying thought?" A familiar voice echoed in his mind. Izuku blinked in the darkness as two familiar glowing golden eyes appeared before him. "Seriously?"
"Wait a second…Herrscher of the Void?" Izuku realized. What is she doing here?
"Watching the life slowly leave your body." She answered. "I must say it was far more disappointing than I thought it would be. You're dying and the only thing you can think of is how you saved that insect." She told him. "Pathetic."
Izuku didn't say anything, too dumbfounded by her response and her behavior. It disturbed him how casual she was about his imminent death and how dismissive she was of his actions. Surprisingly though he hadn't anticipated what her next few words would be.
"Nevertheless, you'll have ample time to reconsider your dying words when I get us out here." She informed.
Wait…that can't be right. Did she say she was getting him out of there? Why would she do that?
"I told you Izuku. You're my host. Your body is mine. Ergo it is in my best interest to keep it alive, so that I may also remain alive." She explained.
"Wait…you were…you were serious about that!"
"I swear, you're a bigger Idiotka than Kiana ever was." The Herrscher muttered under her breath. "You know what, let me, not waste my breath. I'll just show you instead." The Herrscher announced.
"Show me wha-.." Izuku stopped mid-sentence as his body…from what little he could feel frozen in place. He had been immobilized before…but now he couldn't move at all. He couldn't feel his fingers, his toes, even his tongue and eyes weren't obeying them.
Suddenly Izuku felt his body move once more. No, moving was not the correct word. It was more like…something was happening to him. He could feel his body begin to grow, and shift, parts of himself seemingly conforming and moving, shifting the rubble around him.
"Much better." The Herrscher commented. Before Izuku knew what was going on, he felt the floor suddenly disappear beneath him as he was pushed down by the rubble, a bright light suddenly enveloping his view as he found himself staggering forward. He was lying down right…then why was he now standing up?
Wait…
Izuku looked forward, he could only look forward but he could recognize it enough. He was on the roof. He was on the roof opposite the café. He could hear the people screaming and running, he could hear everything.
He was outside. He was saved. A hero had saved him.
"It's surprising how naïve you are," Izuku spoke. No…that wasn't right. Izuku didn't say that. That wasn't his voice. Yet he felt it, he felt his lips move, no that's not it. It wasn't his lips, they were on his face, he could feel them, but they weren't his, they were foreign.
His whole body felt foreign to him. Then it clicked on him. Izuku felt his…no the Herrscher's lips begin to curl into a smile. "Finally." She chuckled. He finally realized the situation.
Chapter 7
"They'll think she's one of my creations." All For One pointed out as he lay on the hospital bed. It was one of his routine checkups with his personal Doctor and naturally, the two couldn't help but talk about recent events, specifically the fresh blood in town.
"All Might and his allies?" The Doctor wondered. "They probably will. From what little investigating I've done, I can't seem to pinpoint any singular quirk that could give such a variety in abilities." He noted.
"Do you have any theories as to why? As far as we know, aren't you the only one with the technology and the means to extract, duplicate, and graft quirks? Or do you think some other group can develop that technology?"
"I wouldn't put out of the realm of possibility. There are many cases when different individuals created the same inventions at different locations and times but without ever learning of each other." The Doctor explained.
"I see." All For One mused. "Then that could be problematic."
For decades, All For One has held control of the criminal underworld through his quirk, the rarest and arguably most powerful one of all. The ability to take and give quirks, All For One. It was what let him control the flow of power, stealing quirks from those that opposed him, and granting quirks to his followers in exchange for loyalty. For someone else to now possess such an ability. All For One clenched his fist.
"We need to find out just where she came from and how she attained such power." The villain noted. "Perhaps she merely has a powerful quirk, in which case that could be more than useful, but if she has someone else backing her, then we need to find them and destroy them." All For One explained.
If that fight was anything to go by, then there was a very likely, very real chance that should the Herrscher grow stronger, or should there be any beings like her, there is a very real chance they could kill All Might, and permanently destroy One for All. The destruction of One For All was not something he could allow.
"What is your plan, Master?" The Doctor questioned.
"How is the progress on the Nomu project?" All For One questioned.
"I've managed to stabilize the additional quirks within the current prototypes." The Doctor informed. "However, for the most part, these Nomus initially had similar quirks to the ones I implemented, very few can seem to hold completely different quirks and even then there are some unforeseen side effects."
"I see." All For One noted. "Have any of them taken to the Shock Absorption Quirk?" He questioned.
"So far only one has held on with Shock Absorption, I am currently working to see if I can incorporate the strength quirks you requested as well as a regeneration one."
"Very well." All For One told him. "We will need to gather more info on our new adversary. If it is possible I would also like you to look into designing a counter for our new obstacle. Should she become too problematic then we will need a means to wear her down and either remove her as a threat or submit her to our will." He instructed.
"Very well." The Doctor answered.
After discussing a few more points, the Doctor finished checking up on the villain. He bid his master farewell and left to resume his work on the Nomus. All For One was left alone with his thoughts.
There shouldn't be anyone else with this ability, his ability. To take and give quirks, was his power and his alone. He had granted it to the Doctor as a reward for his loyalty and as a means to continue his work. No one else should wield it. He'd need to find whoever had managed to copy his ability and exterminate them. There was only room in this world for Demon King after all.
Izuku felt terror like had never felt before. He was now a prisoner trapped in his own body, that had been warped into that of the Herrscher. He couldn't move a muscle, not unless she commanded it. He could hear, he could smell, he could taste, he could see, and he could feel everything around him. Yet he could do nothing at all. Every move was dictated by the Herrscher.
"Why are you doing this?" He thought. He had so many questions running through his mind right now.
"It was tempting to let you pass out." The Herrscher noted as she folded her arms under her chest. "Normally I'd let you go unconscious and then take over, but given the situation, I couldn't tell if you'd die first or not." She noted. "It was the safer bet to save you."
"So now what? What are you planning to do now that you have control?" He questioned the Herrscher.
"I think we should head home soon." The Herrscher noted. "The humans seem to be destroying themselves just fine without my involvement." She chuckled as she watched the civilians run from the villains.
"You…you aren't working with the villains?" Izuku realized.
"You dare assume I'd associate with that filth." The Herrscher growled. She was offended he'd even think she'd be aligned with such disgusting creatures. She had more self-respect than that.
She glanced down at the villains, feeling utterly repulsed by them. There were three villains, and they each had unique and grotesque abilities. One was a man whose main power seemed to be extending and manipulating his teeth. Another was green and chubby, like a giant gummy bear, with the power to eat any matter and spit out energy projectiles. The last one, a seemingly thin pale-yellow man, seemed to consume large quantities of water, filling up like a balloon, and then proceeded to spit out a highly corrosive acid.
In short, the entire villain group seems to have the common theme of their powers being related to their mouths. Two-thirds of them were upchucking something they consumed. How her host thought her elegant and divine nature was akin to them, she couldn't fathom.
Nevertheless, the 'villains' if she'd even call them that was amusing enough. It was nice watching the little insects flee in terror. Even better when she didn't have to do it herself. Unfortunately, her host didn't share the same sentiments.
"You have to do something." He pleaded with the Herrscher. "You can't just leave those people down there." He told her. It was a fool's errand. He knew that much but he had to try, maybe if could convince her to at least save one person at least.
The Herrscher rolled their eyes as she placed her hands on her hips. "Why would I ever do that?" She questioned. "In case you forgot, I want to see humanity destroyed. If you want a heroic Herrscher, try finding another one, preferably an Idiotka one." The Herrscher dismissed.
"But…"
"SILENCE!" The Herrscher snapped as she resumed watching. She tried to enjoy it. Savor the misery of the people running in fear, but she couldn't. She could quite feel enjoyment from it. However, she could feel a growing irritation inside her being as she watched on.
"This is wrong," Izuku whispered. "At the very least you shouldn't be taking joy in all this suffering." He argued. It felt disgusted to him, to watch these people suffer, to feel the Herrscher's satisfaction at seeing it all.
"You don't seem to think the same way when you watch your heroes." The Herrscher responded.
"What?"
"You heard me, Izuku. I've been watching how your world portrays its version of 'heroes and villains'. It mostly resolves in two super-powered humans fighting and the media simply picking a side to support." She scoffed.
"That's not true. Being heroes is about saving people." Izuku argued. "That's what separates them."
"Is it? Why is there so much coverage focused on the power of heroes and how they can beat others? Why are some of the top videos all about hero vs villain fights? Why is it…people like Bakugo, who were nothing but cruel and abusive to you, are seen as having the potential to be really good heroes?"
Izuku was silent. He should have had a simple answer to her retort. An answer to defend Bakugo. "It's because of his amazing quirk." He thought. He wanted to hide away that thought, but the Herrscher still heard it. She was listening specifically to hear him admit it.
"Hehehe…so that's your answer. You think just because he has such amazing power, and drive, he can be a hero, if that's the case then by all accounts I am a hero, maybe that's why you think so, but I know very well I'm not. If people like Bakugo are what you define heroes as being, then humanity here is no different than it was back then."The Herrscher noted that she saw the villains overpowering the people with reason rhyme or reason as to why they did.
"Why are you so interested in it? You seem to hate humanity so much so why are you still involving yourself with it? Why can't we just leave?" Izuku shouted in his mind.
"Oh, but that's just it. We love to see the things we hate get destroyed." The Herrscher smiled maliciously. "That's common for any being, and I'll gladly share my love with you." She mocked as she focused her eyes on the people being injured. People who were starting to bleed, who were at the mercy of the villains.
"NO!" Izuku gasped as he saw the villains ready to strike. The acid user was ingesting a lot of water, and the people on the ground were right in its path. Izuku wished he wouldn't see it. He wished more than anything that if anything horrible was going to happen, he wouldn't see it.
He got his wish. The Herrscher's eyes closed before him, throwing his entire world into darkness. "Believe me this isn't going to be any better." The Herrscher noted. "I'd argue it's even worse when you don't see it, because your mind can craft even worse horrors you can imagine, to fill in the -ahhhh."
The Herrscher's body was doused in liquid catching her off guard. Before she could even recover, Izuku shrieked in pain. Their body felt like it was on fire like the Herrscher's skin was being eaten away by the liquid itself. Her eyes snapped open as she looked for the source, trying to ignore both her pain and Izuku's annoying screams of agony. The Herrscher clutched her head she tried to focus but Izuku's screams were driving her crazy.
"WHO DARES?" She questioned as she looked around.
"Herrscher," Izuku pleaded. The Herrscher grimaced at her host's useless antics, feeling tears forming in her host's eyes, she tried to remove the acid on her face. Her vision was initially very blurry but gradually she was able to see clearer and as she did, her fury rose. Her teeth grit as she tensed her body, clenching her fists in rage. Whoever did this….
"Make it stop, please. Make it stop." Izuku continued to beg.
She intended to stop this pain. Seriously, couldn't her host keep it down? This reminded her of the children back in Babylon. All the children whose screams still lived on her head, and the burning sensations caused by the Honkai injected into their veins. She despised those memories. They reminded me of the pathetic helpless being who was taken and broken, all for humanity's benefit. She will break whoever thought they could drag her mind back to that place.
The Herrscher scanned the area before it fell on the source. The one who ignited her fury. She narrowed them on her target. Her rage swallowed the feelings of pain and replaced them with bloodlust.
"YOU!" She growled venomously as she stared at the Acid spitter and his allies. So, he and the other villains dared to attack her, even after she had left them be, typical humans. "Well, my host, I changed my mind. Looks like I will do something about these villains….."
The Herrscher hovered into the air, looking down at her enemies. She hadn't intended to get involved, she was still trying to conserve power, but if they were looking for a fight.
"I'LL GRANT THEIR DEATH WISHES." She spat.
Chapter 8
"Arrogant pests." Kai sneered as he looked up at the monitor. The yakuza leader was feeling especially aggravated today. Another villain outbreak had appeared in their territory. These were becoming troublesome day after day. It was the fifth one this week. "What is the status of the attack site?" He questioned one of his subordinates.
"Our estimated guess is that most of those businesses in the area will need to shut down or be moved elsewhere, to continue operating. We will also need to look for replacing staff for a few who might be killed." The subordinate answered.
"We need to look at speeding up our research on our cure then," Kai noted. "These wretched quirk users have been bothersome long enough."
"Yes sir,"
"You are dismissed," Kai told him as the subordinate left. He resumed watching the fight, trying to assess what was the best solution for this problem. For the time being, he'd make sure to take note of the villains. Once this was over, he'd see about personally punishing them for intruding on his territory.
Perhaps he could use them as the first set of trial tests for his quirk-erasing bullets. It would be fitting. He'd deal with two birds with one stone. All things considered, he'd need to ensure his bullets do the job as intended. The last thing he needed was to get involved with All For One, or All Might and get way over his head.
The greatest hero and the greatest villain were the two most well-known symptoms of the much larger disease of quirks. In his line of work, it was always wise to stay under All Might's radar and stay within All For One's good graces. Still, he wasn't going to just sit by and remain there. He had promised his boss he'd return the Yakuza to its former glory and he intended to do so. He'd topple these Gods, no matter the cost.
And once they were out of the picture he'd move to rid the world of all its 'heroes and villains'. Then there'd be no one left to challenge them, not Endeavor, not the Hero Society, and certainly not the Meta Liberation Army. Not even the….
"Herrscher?" He noted as he saw the figure appear on the monitor. The Yakuza boss looked intrigued by the new villain's appearance. She hadn't been seen since All Might's clash. It seems she had decided to make an appearance today. Oh joy, just what he needed, another villain destroying his territory.
Well, he might as well get what data he could on her.
Moonfish was drooling on himself. He had finally been able to quell his desire for flesh these past few days. With many of those pesky heroes out nothing was going to stop him now. He even had help collecting his food now. Spitter could soften them up, while Devo would just tenderize them.
Even now he was going to indulge himself when he saw a nice small-sized morsel running around. He wasn't worried, he'd catch them soon enough. Reeling back his head he launched his teeth forward, extending them with ease as they surged at the little delicacy. His teeth were just about to pierce his prey…
SNAP!
The space next to him exploded, throwing him to the side. He growled animalistically as he turned to find the culprit. The one who had gotten in between him and his meal. That's when he saw her.
The most delicious-looking treat before his eyes. She was a little skinny, not as much meat as any other. The villain didn't mind, he was sure the flavor would more than makeup for it. If anything her flesh smelled very delicious, very…exotic. He'd definitely take the first bite before the others realized it.
The Herrscher of the Void scowled as she stared at the villain before her. She still felt the acid burning her body, so she'd finish this quickly. Stretching out her hand, she pulled the villain toward her, suspending him in mid-air. She heard him struggling to free himself from her hold, a pointless endeavor. He wrenched his head back and launched his teeth at her.
Several, long sharp powerful blades emerged from his mouth, all lunging towards the Herrscher. She hummed softly as a portal opened in front of her, taking all the teeth in. She was left completely unharmed.
"GAH!" Moonfish gasped as a fresh scent of blood touched his nose. He felt something warm begin to flow down his chest. He tried to look down, forcefully bending his neck forward, while manipulating his teeth. His eyes widened. He had been stabbed, impaled even….by his own teeth.
Behind the villain, another portal had opened, the exit for the first one. The teeth he had launched at the Herrscher, were now in him. The villain felt faint, his world starting to darken. The Herrscher slid the portal up to the villain's mouth and snapped it shut, severing the villain's teeth. She then unceremoniously dropped him on the ground. His blood pooled out of his body.
"Moonfish." The other villains said in shock as they saw their comrade fall. They would have rushed to his side, if they didn't feel the murderous aura emitting from his killer.
"Wretched humans, your existence is a mistake, a sin to this world." The Herrscher said coldly as she walked slowly towards them. The villains, wisely, decided to turn around and run for their lives. "No." The Herrscher commanded as a giant purple block wall appeared trapping them with the Herrscher.
Panic set into the villains as their hearts began to race. They had no way out of this. They turned to find themselves faced with the Herrscher, who smiled sadistically at them. Spitter decided to continue trying to escape, ingesting what water he had remaining from a broken fire hydrant and trying to melt the wall.
Devo on the other hand decided to try fighting to the end. Opening his mouth the villain launched several tendrils that grabbed debris and pulled into his mouth. He chewed it up vigorously before spitting out an energized projectile at the Herrscher.
She dodged it and then flicked her wrist to him. A white lance materialized beside her and was launched at the villain at high speed. He reacted in time by opening up his mouth and ingesting the weapon before sending it back at her.
The Herrscher looked surprised at seeing her attack be redirected, but nevertheless, she was able to easily avoid being struck by her own lance. The villain then resumed launching more projectiles at her, grabbing whatever he could. He ate manhole covers, mailbox, broken car doors, concrete blocks, severed limbs, a squirming man, anything he could eat, he devoured and launched at the Herrscher. He'd hit her eventually, right?
"Enough." The Herrscher said as blocked the last projectile with a cube, a smaller one than the wall behind the villains. She then sent the cube forward, shrinking its size and accelerating its velocity. Devo opened his mouth and swallowed the cube.
He was prepared to fire it back. He prepared himself to launch and then….nothing. He panicked as she tried to force the cube out but it didn't budge. Wait…why did it feel bigger than when he ate it? It was then did he realized his mistake, when he saw the Herrscher smirking at him.
"Die." The Herrscher ordered as she opened her hand. The cube began to expand in irregular ways. Soon it had become much, much, larger than Devo.
"Two down, one to go." The Herrscher turned her attention to the acid villain who was still trying to escape.
"Mercy, mercy." The villain pleaded with the Herrscher. She laughed at his foolishness. She had none.
Realizing his position Spitter too decided to fight to the end. However, unlike his colleagues, he was dealt with far less gently.
The villain spewed more streams of acid, but the Herrscher dodged with ease, collecting all the acid inside her portals. She then pulled the wall, bringing the villain closer as she started to hover in the air. Once airborne she summoned three more walls, boxing the acid villain as she hovered out of her newly made box.
Inside the box, the villain tried everything he could, spewing acid to melt the walls but nothing worked. With no way to go but down, he tried melting the floor in a vain attempt to probably find a sewer. To his credit, the ground did give way…but only to reveal a floor made of the same energy as the walls around. Even worse, the acid was all pooling on the floor around him.
Realizing what was happening the villain stopped spewing but it was already too late. He looked up at the Herrscher who quickened the wall's movement, trapping the villain in an ever-shrinking box, it had once been the size of the street, but now it was reduced to no bigger than a bus and shrinking even faster.
"Here's a housewarming gift, a soothing plunge to die for."The Herrscher taunted as she opened a portal above, and all the acid he had spewed at her earlier that she had collected, flooded the prison, filling it even more. Once the portals were empty, she closed the portals and formed a lid on top of the box, sealing it on all sides.
The Herrscher then clenched her fist shut, immediately compressing the box, the villain, and the acid she left inside it. She could hear his delightful screams. She'd almost enjoy it as well if she wasn't still in pain from her acid burns and Izuku's scream.
Once finished she looked at the remains of the villains. She was satisfied her enemies were dead, vengeance now was hers. With only the remaining humans scrambling under the rubble or with their injuries, the Herrscher decided she'd wasted enough time and to leave before any heroes showed up.
She still had to remove the acid that had burnt her body, soaking into her skin and clothes. It still was eating away at her.
Her rage had initially dulled the pain, just like it always did, but now that her anger was satisfied it returned, and both the pain and Izuku's annoying screams were brought back to the forefront of her mind. She rubbed her temples, her host was still too weak, annoyingly so. She'd need to do something about that, she was fine with him being easy to scare, but him crying and whining so much was grating her nerves. How was it did he had enough willpower to keep her at bay again?
Never mind, she'd figure it out later. She opened a portal and soon headed back to the apartment.
"How intriguing," Kai noted. The Herrscher had taken care of his little problem. Granted she had still caused some more destruction, but it was still minor compared to other villains, and still far less than what she had done before.
She had impressed him, three villains all beaten within a few minutes. She was as dangerous as the reports had indicated, if not also efficient. He'd need to keep tabs on her.
His phone suddenly started to ring. Kai glanced at the number. He rolled his eyes at who it was calling. Switching off the monitor, he took the call.
"Quite the show, isn't it Overhaul." A voice taunted. "Sorry to hear about your loss."
"What do you want Re-Destro?" Kai cut off. He was not in the mood for formalities. He was still irked by the villain's attack and he didn't someone else mocking him for it.
"I need a new shipment of Trigger." Re-Destro commented. "I've been told you've gotten into the business recently. Seems like you've finally come around to seeing the value in quirks."
"You're delusional." Overhaul answers. "My goal is still the same."
"Well, at least you have conviction. That said I do know you're lacking in funds right now. Quite a lot of your territories have been hit." Re-Destro noted.
"I don't suppose you know anything about that," Kai growled.
"No, if it was me I'd let you know personally," Re-Destro answered. "I've been preoccupied with other things as of late, but I'm willing to do business with you, considering your current state of affairs. Do we have a deal?" Re-Destro noted.
"Fine," Kai answered.