A Tarnished Hero

Izuku quietly scaled the set of stairs along with his two captors, wrists cuffed, and weapon confiscated. He knew he could break out of the cuffs in seconds if he wanted too, All Might probably knew that as well, but it was the fact that he allowed himself to get cuffed that possibly brought relief to the number one hero.

It was why he delegated both Katsuki and this half-toned hair teen to escort him to where they were hunkering down waiting for reinforcements. That also spoke to the reluctant trust for him not to go on a rampage.

Not that he would do it, of course. Izuku wanted to be a hero, not a villain. Killing kids who were brand new to the scene would make him look a monster not that different from Godrick the Grafted.

That Demi-god he had no qualms killing and taking the Great Rune for himself. For what was the man if not a monster? Kidnapping people and grafting them onto children to make them more powerful was just one of his many heinous acts.

It sickened him.

He felt a rush of air sweep past him, and his eyes managed to see the blur that was All Might bringing along the four wounded people he saved that he left behind seeing that no villain would've come to harm them. Not with All Might in the scene.

His lips tilted down at the thought. There he was, saving people like he always was. And judging from haggard he looked when he fought him, he was almost out of time.

Where was that All Might when Katsuki needed saving? When he needed saving?

It was infuriating. Watching him prance along like the hero he was as he focused on making sure the four people, he saved didn't get any more attention from the villains. Just like what happened months ago didn't matter.

Like what happened to him didn't matter…

Even Katsuki, terrible blond that he was, looked like he hadn't changed personality wise. He was still the raging bottle of anger, judging by how he doggedly pursued him like a hound chasing a cat.

Just the thought of them not changing after what happened to him irked Izuku to no end.

Not like it even mattered now. As far as he knew, he was considered dead, and it would remain that way in an ideal world. But this wasn't an ideal world.

No, he was sure that once they were a safe spot, they would forcefully remove his helmet. He wasn't to keen on revealing himself, but what choice did he have? Break free and go on his own way?

He was sure that heroes would hound him and place him inside a prison once they got their hands on him. Now he wasn't an egotistical ass like Katsuki, but with his strength, he could probably rival All Might.

Key word being probably. With his weakened state, Izuku was sure he could keep up against the man with his current strength. Godrick's Great Rune wasn't just for show. Nut it spoke a lot of All Might's capabilities.

He was sure if All Might manage to find himself in the Lands Between, he would curbstomp Limgrave, and once he got Godrick's Great Rune? He would just get stronger from there.

But he wasn't. It was Izuku who found himself there. Izuku who got Godrick's Great Rune, and he still had his reservations about fighting a weakened All Might.

He never did see a single being yet that was able to make it rain with just a single punch. And that was at his weakened state and making sure that the bystanders/peanut gallery didn't get even remotely affected.

If All Might was going serious just to apprehend him, then it was a no brainer that he would be caught. At least he was going to put up a fight.

So no, he would have to put up with the fact that he would be unmasked, a bunch of uncomfortable questions would be answered, and his gear would most possibly be confiscated by the heroes.

This was going to suck, big time. At least he'll be given the rights to go meet his mother once everything blew over.

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Katsuki huffed, the flight of stairs too fucking long that it was agonizing his already agonized legs. He'd been training his whole life to get into perfect shape, but no way in hell did it stop fatigue.

Sure, he may not show it outwardly, it was a sign of weakness after all, and villains do love assaulting weaknesses, but damn if he ain't complaining within his fucking mind.

"Yo, Bakubro! You finally made it!" Finally, after what felt like a fucking eternity, they made it to the top of the stairs, where they were greeted by shitty hair, who he said to check on the others while he went and see what the fuck was happening in the plaza. "Who the hell is that?"

Shitty hair pointed at tin can 2.0 and he couldn't help but let out a growl. The fucker was strong. Stronger than him, and it fucked with his mind to no end. Much worse that the fucker surrendered after he got iced by half-and-half's bastard quirk.

Tin can 2.0 managed to hold himself pretty well against him and All Might combined, and he gotta pay respect where respect was due, but fucker was a villain, so fuck him.

"Villain. Keep an eye on him." Katsuki grunted and looked over the students who didn't get scattered by warpgate. "Still no reinforcements?"

"Well, All Might is here, so we can relax." Shitty hair grinned and Katsuki nearly uttered a curse. Who cares if All Might is here? He can't go to all the areas at the same time.

Much more, that… day let him know that the number one hero… is just human. He ain't the perfect paragon of justice everyone and their mothers are parading him as. He makes mistakes… Made mistakes…

And Deku paid the price.

Grunting, Katsuki approached the group with a scowl on his face. No point in trying to save the others. They can handle themselves, otherwise, how the fuck did they even get in the hero course?

And then he saw frog face, cheeks, fucking pervert, and Aizawa-sensei.

What the fuck happened to them?

Pervert had a few missing fingers, cheeks had her clothes nearly ripped to shreds, specifically, near her private parts, frog face had a nasty gash on her side though wrapped in bandages, and Aizawa-sensei looked like death was looming over him.

Shit, if this happened to them, what the hell would happen to the others.

Turning heel, Katsuki was about to head back down the stairs to the protest of his legs, before an arm clasped over his shoulder.

"Bakubro, where are you going?" The concern on shitty hair's face was enough of a sign to know that the artificial redhead was worried for him.

"Save the others." As a hero, it was their duty to save those helpless to save themselves. His past deeds against Deku were a mistake. A blemish on his record. Hell, he wasn't the only one he tormented to save his own ego.

Rustling metal caught his attention and he looked towards Tin can 2.0 with a frown. "The hell you looking at?"

Silence was all that greeted him, before he heard a raspy chuckle coming out from underneath the helmet. Did he dare mock him for trying to save people? The fucking villain?

Of all the people to mock him, it had to be a fucking villain. The goddamn nerve…!

"Can't believe you of all people would want to save people." The muffled voice sent a chill down his back. A vague sense of fear and disgust welled up in within him as he continued to gaze at the villain. "I thought you wanted to be the number one? Beat up every villain to secure that spot?"

The villain continued to chuckle, the sight making his body tense and rigid. Shitty hair, noticing his dilemma, growled at the villain.

"Hey!? Who the hell do you think you are!?" Shitty hair approached the villain with a menacing growl. "What makes you have the right to mock Bakubro's desire to save people!? Huh!? Villain!?"

"Why, one of his former victims, of course." The villain slowly turned back to him. He could imagine the grin underneath that goddamned helmet. "Isn't that right, Kacchan?"

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The moment he saw the recognition on Katsuki's face, Izuku couldn't help but grin maliciously. Oh, the sight of it nearly made him laugh out loud. It was cathartic, in a sense.

Here was his former tormentor, looking like he had seen a ghost as he stood still like a statue. He would have never seen him this way back then.

Did he change? Of course he did. But that desire to save people… It was laughable. His bully, his tormentor, out here trying to save the lives of his classmates because what? He cared? Because he wanted redemption? Because it was out of a sense of guilt from when he died?

Izuku didn't know, and he really didn't care anymore. It was his own business what he did with his life now. Frankly, he respected the ash blond as he was now. No longer was he that egotistical maniac like he thought he would be.

He was still unhinged, don't get him wrong, but at least he mellowed out now. But he would never forget, nor forgive what he'd done to him. If he wanted to play hero and save lives? Let him.

It wasn't his problem anymore. It was his, and his alone. Just like it was his duty to become Elden Lord and reform the Elden Ring in the Lands Between, whatever that meant. He was still trying to figure out what to do with his quest, and Melina won't tell him the specifics yet. Just gather the Great Runes and head to Leyndell where the Erdtree resides.

He was brought out of his musings when he felt hands grasping his shoulders, the fingers trembling ever so slightly. His eyes gazed into red-piercing orbs that shook and trembled.

"D-deku…?" And of course, Katsuki just had to say out his insulting nickname. But eh, not really that bothersome anymore. Not when the Lands Between had it out for him every step of the way. At that point, nicknames meant nothing, and actions drove the whole point.

"Yes?" Then again, seeing Katsuki shake and tremble was very cathartic. It felt great, like the whole revenge thing without any unnecessary bloodshed. No need to bury a grave for two, all he had to do was just show up and watch the target of his ire gasp and mimic a fish out of water. "What is it Kacchan? Surprised to see me? Then again, it's been, what? Nearly a year since we've last seen each other?"

"You… You fucking died… You fucking died! I saw… I saw you fucking die! How the fuck are you still alive!?" Katsuki's yells were music to his ears. Now he was expressing his guilt because he saw him bite the dust. Where was that when he had to reset some bones after a beating from him and his cronies? Where was that when he had to cover up the bruises and gashes after they practiced their quirks on him?

"I got better." Izuku plainly said. Good thing his helmet was hiding the smile underneath.

"Fucking got better!? You were split in fucking half!" Spittle flew from his mouth and into his helmet. Gross. "How the hell did you survive!?"

A quick glance behind him saw to the other students looking curiously at them, and not a pleasant kind of curiosity.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Izuku shrugged and used his cuffed hands to slowly remove Katsuki's hands from his shoulders, before he chuckled a bit. "Not like I won't be spilling my guts out when the heroes and police get here."

He slowly reached for his helmet and began to unfasten the straps that held it in place. It was a bit uncomfortable, what with the cuffs holding his wrists together, but otherwise a non-factor.

With a bit of elbow-grease, Izuku finally removed the helmet and stared directly into Katsuki's eyes, his red orbs dilated to pinpricks.

Now he knew why Patches got a kick out of messing with him. It was kind of fun doing it to others. As long as they deserved it.

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