23 Chapter 23 : Corrupted Messages

A few days pass with Midoriya accompanying Miruko on her patrols. She let him resolve some of the encounters they had, one of them a drug bust. It happened in an alley between gangs, it was discreet made in small amounts but the duffle bag of cash was a bit too conspicuous considering the contraband brought. Midoriya and Miruko dropped down on both sides of the alley to pin the criminals in. As they closed in the deal seemed to have soured as both sides were yelling about missing cash and product. Miruko got their attention first. 

"So what do we have here?" 

The two crooks look at the hero and decide to play it cool. 

"Nothing ma'am just a little disagreement."

"Then why confront him here? Unless you wanted to do something." 

"You just caught us at a bad time is all. We'll be out of your hair soon. You get the money and we're straight."

"Not until you get me my things."

"Alright, next week." 

"Before I let you gentlemen go, I'm going to need you to tell me what is it that is being bought."

"Fuckin hero." 

The villains arms turns into a large whiplike blade and slashes Miruko who dodges while the other criminal makes a break for it but turning around he is met with a fist knocking him out. 

[Potency increased : Energy Reactor] 

Midoriya goes to help Miruko but it seems she had it handled as the villain laid on the ground. 

"Nice going Invincible. Let's see what these guys got."

Miruko opens the bag revealing injection cartridges she recognised as trigger. There were tens of them so they might have been planning something big. 

"Trigger." 

"The quirk drug? Must have cost them a pretty penny for this much." 

"Guess we're keeping an eye out for bit. Let's hope they don't get antsy without their trump card."

The drugs were taken to the station and they had to write a report on the villain and criminals they had captured.

"Invincible tonight were going to be patrolling in Hosu. Intel has it that the hero killer has been sighted in the area."

Meanwhile

Stain was on a roof of a building looking over the city of Hosu. He sees the bustling street filled with the ignorant. People blind to the evils conducted in the shadows. Newer heroes were getting stronger especially that green haired kid. A quirk he could never defeat alone. He could only hope that he was one of the good ones. The others are to be seen if they are worthy of the title of hero. So far he has found only one which fits the bill. All Might the only true hero not motivated by fame nor by fortune but the lives of the people.

A murky sludge-like substance appears beside him. He backs away his blades ready to cut down whatever approaches him. From the sludge appears a white haired teenager with hands all over his body. As the sludge subsides the boy sighs in relief as he takes off the hand from his face. 

"Hello Stain, I'm Tomura Shigaraki." 

"What do you want from me?" 

"I need your help." 

---

Midoriya and Miruko were patrolling around Hosu when suddenly an explosion rang out as a raging flame can be seen in the middle of the city. The two of them nod to each other as they leap off to the scene. On the way a white Nomu with 4 eyes rushes at Midoriya trying to grab him. Midoriya gets to it first and gets a hold of it's neck. 

[Absorption and Release taken] 

[Muscle Augmentation taken] 

[Tongue Web taken] 

"Sleep."

The nomu fall unconscious confusing Miruko but she ignores it to get to the scene of the fire. The two of them arrive to a roaring blaze as heroes are trying to put it out while getting civilians out from the buildings. The Normal Hero Manual was next to a broken fire hydrant directing the water to help quell the fire. 

"Manual wheres Iida?" 

He looks around and a tinge of anger and annoyance appears on his face. Izuku looked around with quirk sight and saw Iida about to face down the hero killer. That's all he needed to know as he turned to Miruko. 

"Miruko I need your permission to use my quirk. A classmate of mine might be doing something really stupid." 

"Just go whatever happens make sure it's glorious." 

Miruko bounds away into the burning buildings to find civilians as Midoriya speeds away to Iida's location. 

"Stain! You murder spree ends here in the name of Ingenium."

"Get the hell out of here kid. I may not seek to kill children but I will if they stand in the way of my cause." 

Iida lunges at Stain with a kick which is dodged. Iida steadies himself and as he is about to stand up his body suddenly seized up locking him in place. 

"You should have left when you had the chance. You come here in vengeance for a false idol,your brother."

"What is it in your twisted mind that make him unworthy? Why leave him alive if he was not just? Why let him suffer without his legs?"

"Why should that matter to you killer? You've ran here too blinded by your hatred to see those in need." 

Iida looks past him and sees a bloodied Native bleeding out on the floor looking at him in fear and frustration. How could he have missed him? Was what he was told true? 

"You are just as fake as you brother was. You are not worthy of the title of hero you aspire to be." 

Stain raises his jagged blade above Iida's head ready to strike down. Iida closes his eyes in reluctant acceptance. 

"I'm sorry Tensei." 

Stain was hit in the side and pushed away from Iida and hearing this looked up to see Midoriya looking down at him with an annoyed face. 

"I told you to call us if you needed help. Sit tight help is on the way."

Midoriya goes toward Native to help him with his wounds. He manages to stop the bleeding as Stain tries to cut him down. A loud clang rang out in the alley when Midoriya blocks the blow with his palm, sparks coming off from the slash. Stain backs away and looked at his chipped blade. 

"I can assume your the hero killer."

"Why are you here?" 

"Isn't it obvious to stop my idiot classmate from trying to kill himself fighting someone he is not prepared for. Saving Native is the second reason."

"Then what of me?" 

"If your willing to come quietly then this end nice and easy but I don't think you'll go down without a fight." 

"Let's see what your made of." 

"Midoriya he paralyses you if he cuts you." 

"Thanks for the heads up." 

Stain throws a few knives at Midoriya who catches them and throws them right back at him. Stain deflects them and tries to slash at Midoriya. Each swing was deflected as Stain tries to find an opening. One of his swing make contact with Midoriya's side but the results were the same sparks from the hands. Stain backs off and lunges to Native but this was thwarted as Midoriya grabbed him by the scarf and threw him back into a wall. 

"Stain this doesn't have to end with you bruised and unconscious. You can just come with me quietly. No need for all this pain." 

"Why would you have sympathy for me? A killer." 

"Even if you kill. You are still human. You still have the capacity to change. You still have sins you need to attone for. Please stand down." 

Stain lowers and sheaths his weapon. 

"Maybe the future of heroes isn't lost without me. You will be the beacon of heroism this society needs and if you stray from you path I will be there to cut you down you. Whatever it takes. You are worthy." 

Iida slowly sits up as Stain's quirk began to wear off. He looked at the pacified hero killer in anger as he slowly got up. 

"Recipro Burst!"

Iida dashes towards the villain to beat him to a pulp but he doesn't get the chance as Midoriya grabs him and slammes him into the ground knocking him unconscious. Miruko arrives just as that happens and looks at the hero killer. 

"I've given up. You heroes really need to teach you generation well."

"Hero Killer you are under arrest for the murder of heroes all over Japan."

Midoriya looks to the sky and sees a winged nomu which flies at him once he is spotted. Midoriya jumps at and grabs it's wings. 

[Dragon Wings taken] 

[Hollowed Bones adapted] 

The both of them fall back to the ground and find themselves in the middle of a group of heroes who looks at the nomu wearily. 

"Don't worry the runts got it." 

Miruko come out of the alley with Stain in tow along with Native carrying an unconscious Iida. The paramedics are called to assist while the nomu were carted off. Stain suddenly spotted Endeavor. 

"You!!" 

Endeavor turns to him with a sneer. 

"You fake! I know what you've done to your children. You and all the other fakes are the reason my cause is just!" 

"Shut up villain! Why would anyone believe a word you say."

"They don't need to belive me. The world must know what kind of monster they worship. A monster who uses children fo-" 

Endeavor angered rushes towards him his hands aflame desiring to shut this villain up. His attack was halted by Midoriya holding onto his flaming fist. Endeavor tries to pull away but Midoriya's grip held firm. 

"You should be more aware of your surroundings sir."

Endeavor looks around to see civilians with their phones up and recording the whole confrontation. He calms himself and Midoriya lets go of his hand. 

"This isn't over boy." 

He walks away as some people in the crowd follow him to get confirmation of Stain's statements. As Stain is being lead back to the back of a police car the turns to Midoriya. 

"Invincible, you are the hero of the future. Just like All Might was in his prime. You will be the symbol for Justice. You are a true hero."

Stain got into the car and was driven away. Some in the crowd tried to get Midoriya to answer some questions but he and Miruko were already gone. 

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Next time

Chapter 24 : Perspective