8 New Management

Izuku breathed out groggily, slowly stirring awake. The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. The horned boy blinked a few times before remembering where he had been last night. Right, the Wild Dogs' base. When had he fallen asleep? He couldn't remember. He rubbed his forehead before attempting to sit up, only to notice a lightweight on his chest.

The long-haired boy looked down and raised his eyebrow as he found out why felt like something was lying on top of him. It was because there was! While he was still wearing pants, his jacket had been thrown on a nearby chair, leaving him topless. His wounds had been covered with bandages. That coupled with his accelerated healing should get him in top shape in less than a week. Nevertheless, the thing that grabbed his attention was a person he knew quite well. Himiko Toga, in her usual clothes, was sleeping on his chest. It seemed his breathing was enough to wake her up as well since her eyes slowly fluttered open.

The blonde sat up, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.

"Hey, Izu-kun! Good morning," She waved happily before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. "Did you sleep well?" The girl inquired with a wide grin while the boy sat up.

"Why was I sleeping here in the first place?" He grumbled a question.

"You were tired and needed rest, so I let you sleep," Himiko replied before quickly raising her hands in defense. "Just so you know, I called your mom to tell her you'll be sleeping at my place, so don't get mad!" She stated, making Izuku sigh.

"Well, at least you had enough sense to notify my mother," He breathed out in relief. Even if she wasn't that curious about his life, he still wanted to avoid having her wonder where he was and what he was doing as much as possible.

"So, I did well?" The blonde's eyes sparkled with hope.

"Yeah, you did well," He confirmed, much to her joy.

"Yes!" She beamed before throwing herself at him again, rubbing her cheek against his chest. The action prompted Izuku to raise an eyebrow. He was aware of how much she loved blood and that she had taken a liking to him, which also assured him her loyalty. However, he was still wondering why it happened in the first place. Even if she believed in the world he wanted to make, she already had an abnormal devotion. He had a feeling why that was, but he needed confirmation before making any judgment.

"You've been a loyal and good subordinate, but I just don't get why you're already all over me," Izuku remarked, making the blonde pause. "Mind helping me find out?"

"Come on, Izu-kun… I told you already. I want your blood, and… You're also like me," She answered while blushing. Oh, he was aware she wanted his blood. It was hard not to be. However, he needed more of an explanation than that.

"I know that, and I also told you we have not faced the same hardships at all," Izuku shook his head. "While my peers may have feared me, taken me as a villain because of my intimidating looks, or even had the balls to say it to my face, I didn't let it deter me. I showed them I wasn't to be messed with. Soon enough, no one dared speak against me again. Apart from that guy," Izuku muttered the last part, thinking about Katsuki and how brash the other boy was every time they confronted each other.

"We had the same problem, but we took it differently," Himiko reasoned with a confident gaze. "You fought it head-on, but I ran away. I was a coward, but it was probably the best solution at the time," She lowered her eyes in sadness. "But in the end, you got lackeys, not friends. Am I wrong? All this time… You've been alone, right?" She asked softly, locking eyes with him. "Just like me," The blonde added, gently putting a hand over his arm.

Izuku looked down in silence, taking in her words. He did not know what to answer. He contemplated the past years. Was she right? He couldn't deny having no friends. He didn't trust anyone, not after everything his father taught him. Even now, he didn't trust her fully even if she was his closest ally. Was he mad about it, though? Perhaps saddened? He did not feel the urge to cry when thinking back to the times he was alone at school while everyone else played with their friends. Honestly, he didn't feel much about it. No one was interesting enough to befriend. No one he could relate to either. He had peace of mind, and after his father's passing, he was also free to do as he wished. However, maybe having someone to rely on at the time would have been… Nice.

"I'm not as relatable as you think," He mumbled dismissively.

"Don't get me wrong, I always fell in love easily," Himiko lightly grinned, playing with her knife, prickling her fingers with it. "With heroes, villains, animals, boys, girls…" She listed before looking up again. "But I decided to choose you! You're the only one who understands 'cause your dream's my dream! I want to live in a world where I can be myself freely; the one you'll make! You said you'll do it, so as long you fight for that, I'll be by your side," She assured him.

"When I make a promise. I keep it," Izuku confirmed confidently.

"I know," She responded before climbing on his knees and kissing him on the lips, much to his surprise. Her lips were softer than he expected them to be. "Plus, I know you're all over me, too, Izu-kun. Otherwise, you wouldn't ask me to do perverted stuff every day," She licked her lips after breaking the kiss, blushing.

"Alright, I'll admit it, you're a bold one," The horned boy conceded as Himiko let go of him and climbed off the couch, giving her leader some space. "What about our men? Did anything happen while I was asleep?" He questioned. He also hoped the blonde did as instructed and didn't reveal her quirk to anyone, but he trusted her to keep this a secret at least.

"Some of them tried to talk to you but I told them you needed rest. They wanted to know what your intentions are going forward," She explained with Izuku nodding along in understanding.

"Not much will change for them for now. They'll just have a different face to report to," The green-haired boy replied. He hoped to expand this small operation, attract more people, and even get a foothold in other fields such as drug dealings. Until then, most of them would work as usual until they were given new orders. "What about Zhong Liu? Is he alive or did he kick the bucket?"

"Last I checked, he was breathing. I exchanged a few words with him to see how he was doing," The girl responded.

"And?"

"He can talk," She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Then bring him here. I want to speak with him," Izuku ordered while the blonde tilted her head.

"Are you sure you don't want more rest? Besides, Zhong can barely move, so it'd be best if you go to him instead," Himiko reasoned, only for the boy to shake his head.

"Bring him here," He grumbled, unwilling to argue further.

"Alright, I'm on it!" The blonde responded, seeing that there was no use trying to convince him otherwise. Moreover, it wasn't like she actually cared about Zhong's well-being anyway.

Izuku sat back while his subordinate walked out of the room. This went even better than expected. Not only he managed to acquire a group and a base of operation, but he also had a powerful fighter in his ranks. Since he never heard of Zhong Liu's name, that villain must have remained mainly in the shadows, so he was lucky to stumble upon an asset like him.

This was a wonderful start to his operation. He might even celebrate his success tonight with a small party. Although, he doubted his new recruits would be thrilled to celebrate their subjugation with their new master. Oh, well, it wasn't like they had a choice anyway.

If everything goes so well once in U.A, then he may have a whole army of former heroes in training. And they wouldn't be the only ones under his rule. Villains and even pro heroes could follow, all he needed was to find the right ones. He needed to be careful, though. He heard that the school principal was quite intelligent, so he could potentially notice something was amiss. Now wasn't the time to worry since he wasn't there yet, but he should keep this in mind.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the door to his office was opened. The first one to enter was Himiko, or rather Ace now since they weren't alone. The other was Zhong Liu, accompanied by two other men who helped him walk with his arms over their shoulders. The bull was limping, grunting with every step. It wasn't surprising considering the state he was in. Nearly his whole upper body was under multiple layers of bandages, a statement of how much more damage he received than Izuku.

"You called, Master?" Zhong asked as he put a knee on the floor, much to the shock of his former subordinates. He gritted his teeth through the pain and bowed his head.

"Oh?" Izuku smirked, intrigued. Himiko grinned, also enjoying the man's groveling. "Why the sudden devotion?" He questioned. Not that he didn't believe it. No, he could see the sincerity in the man's body language. "Do you already fear me that much?" He mused.

"It is not fear that makes me bow, but rather respect. I was wrong about you. I misjudged you. I trained my whole life to master the Hikisaku Ken, yet it only took you a glance to mimic my moves. You possess a level, a peak, I could never reach," Zhong admitted. It would take nothing short of a combat genius to accomplish what the boy did, which was what Zhong considered himself before meeting him and realizing how foolish and arrogant he had been. "I am not strong enough to oppose you, nor do I have the will. You spared me so I could serve you. As you hold my life in your hands… I will serve," He declared before bowing again. "I will also teach you the Hikisaku Ken as you have wished to yesterday," He confirmed.

"Well, well, that is even better than I thought," Izuku chuckled with his arms crossed. "Since you respect me so, it is only right that I do the same. You will be a valuable asset to me, so don't disappoint me. What I've done here is only the start. Just know that soon, you will have more riches than you could imagine, you've chosen the right team," He explained, which only served to confuse Zhong and the two men accompanying him as they had no idea what the boy had in store for the future. Izuku then gestured to the blonde girl standing at his side. "This is my lieutenant, Ace. You will answer directly to her when I am not around as she will be in charge in such a case,"

Himiko waved with a cheerful smile.

"What? This brat?" One of the men immediately voiced his rejection.

"Shut up, you imbecile!" Zhong snapped the moment the minion spoke.

"But-" The other man tried to argue, only to be interrupted when something cold reached his throat. He widened his eyes before glancing behind him. Somehow, the blonde had snuck behind him while he was talking to his former boss.

"Brat, you say?" Himiko repeated snarkily to the shaking and sweaty man.

"When did she… I didn't even feel her presence!" Zhong thought while watching the display. He was aware that she worked under him from what he had seen yesterday, but he had no idea what her abilities were. She must have some kind of presence-erasing or stealth quirk to move around like that!

"I… I'm sorry," The man stammered an apology with shaking legs.

"I think he learned his lesson, Ace; let him go," Izuku ordered, to which Toga quickly complied, snickering as she walked by her leader's side. The horned boy turned his attention to the man who spoke out of turn. "As for you, if you ever talk smack about one of my subordinates like that, you'll be left in pieces. Even worse than your former boss," He threatened, gesturing to Zhong and making the man he spoke to gulp. "Understood?"

"Y… Yes, sir!" The man swiftly responded fearfully.

Meanwhile, Himiko glanced back at the boy, hiding a blush behind one of her sleeves.

"Good. I called you here Zhong because I wanted to discuss the establishment's and this group's future," Izuku explained. He knew waiting for their injuries to heal would have been wiser. That way, both of them could have some rest and a clearer mind when speaking of this. However, his patience was thin, and he didn't want to waste more time when he only had less than 10 months before getting into U.A High.

"Before that, sorry for interrupting, but what made you choose to take over our group? How did you find us?" Zhong inquired. It was a question that burned his mind ever since he woke up.

"Giran told me about you. Said you didn't do any business with him, so you wouldn't be a loss of profit if you wiped out," Izuku replied bluntly. He had no reason to hide Giran's name or keep his involvement a secret. The man had been useful, but he didn't earn Izuku's respect or trust.

"What?! You must cut any ties with him this instant!" Zhong Liu nearly jumped to his hooves, only for his haunches to crack and force him to sit back down.

"Trying to give me orders?" Izuku narrowed his eyes, making the humanoid bull back away. "I already decided not to contact him anymore, anyway, but still I'm curious. Why did you get so worked up?" The horned boy calmed down.

"Didn't you hear the rumors? Better than rumors, I know from a trusted source that Giran may work for… All For One," Zhong revealed fearfully while Izuku cocked an eyebrow.

"All For One? Who is that?" He questioned with a tilt of his head. While Himiko was silent, she was just as curious as he was.

"Don't you know? The Boogeyman! The one who steals quirks!"

"Him? That's an internet conspiracy theory," Izuku scoffed dismissively. "It holds no value nor power over me," He shook his head.

"It is more than a conspiracy, Master! Please, you have to heed my words. Giran works with him or for him, I don't know, but he is real! People have been disappearing, and some came back with no quirks. Because they're not fond of the law, they never see the police or the heroes, but that kind of information does reach my ears and potentially the ears of other organizations. That is why I cut all contact with Giran. I was afraid my quirk would be stolen, too," Zhong explained desperately, which seemed to be enough to make Izuku consider the man's words.

The boy hummed. All myths and legends have partial truths in them, and you could say the same for some conspiracy theories. Maybe the idea of someone stealing quirks wasn't that outlandish. Could Giran really be in contact with someone like that? He had no way of knowing for sure unless he confronted him directly. However, he wasn't fond of the risk of losing his quirk either. If All For One existed, then he would be a danger to him.

"Very well. I will look into it," Izuku conceded, much to Liu's relief. "Besides, as I already said, I cut ties with Giran already. I don't need him anymore. First of all, the name Wild Dogs does not exist anymore. We're changing that since I'm in charge," He declared. It seemed one of the two men Zhong brought with him wanted to protest; however, a single from Ace was enough to shut him up as she simply put a finger to her lips in a shushing manner. "From now on, we are the Beastlords Legion,"

"As you wish, Master," Zhong bowed his head in acceptance.

"With a name like this, our numbers better increase if we want it to fit," Izuku grumbled since from what he had seen yesterday, most of the Wild Dogs had been here, and he wasn't impressed.

"We will do our best to find new recruits, but if our establishment sinks, then it will be all the more difficult," Zhong reasoned.

"If we want it to succeed, then we have to change strategies. Whose idea was it to use a restaurant as a cover?" Izuku asked. However, before Zhong could even respond, the boy continued. "No matter, it's stupid. Taking care of a restaurant is unnecessary trouble, and hard as a brick shit. Moreover, it's not even the kind of clientele you would want to attract. It also makes it even harder for your real customers to access this strip club in secret. Kinda hard to be sneaky,"

"Well… Uhm…" Zhong stuttered, unsure of how to respond. He chose a restaurant mainly because his parents owned one, but when he said it like that, he couldn't deny that there were likely better options.

"There is something much better to use as a cover. A nightclub," Izuku crossed his arms. "All you have to worry about are the drinks and the music. It'll also be easier to sneak here because of the lighting and how many people there'll be,"

"I suppose changing the cover into a nightclub won't be a problem, but its size will be disappointing for a nightclub since this building was originally built to house a restaurant," Zhong replied, which didn't seem to bother Izuku.

"It's fine. We can expand it once we have the money for it," He assured.

"I found some guys to expand the strip club, but since we need renovations upstairs, I could direct them there. With their help, the place should be ready in less than 2 weeks," Zhong explained.

"That's fast," The horned boy remarked contently.

"They're professionals. Their quirks are suited for work like this, and they'll keep quiet, too," Zhong affirmed proudly. He found these workers himself on the darknet. They worked illegally because they had no license to build or use their quirks in public.

"I'm assuming you have what you need to pay them, I want someone to give me a report later about all of your activities. I need to know what's bringing the money here," Izuku ordered.

"Of course, it's only natural," Zhong nodded. The strip club wasn't their only source of income, but it was their most profitable… Until recently.

"Now, there's one thing that's been bugging me since yesterday," Midoriya tapped on one of his knees with his finger. "Why was the establishment closed? And how are your affairs going?" He inquired. Zhong gulped. Damn it. So he noticed.

"Not good. Not good at all…" He shook his head disappointedly. "We have fewer and fewer customers. The most loyal are still coming, but even they are starting to waver,"

"Do you have any idea why?"

The dragon boy doubted it was something natural. An establishment like theirs shouldn't lose customers for no reason so suddenly. Considering Zhong already made an enemy of Giran, he wouldn't surprised that he had more. However, was it someone else's doing or Giran's?

"Well, since you are in charge now, I suppose it is only right for you to know," Zhong looked down in shame. "The truth is… I'm at odds with the Chinese mafia," He revealed, making Izuku arch an eyebrow and Himiko widen her eyes.

"The Chinese mafia? Are you serious?" Izuku questioned, narrowing his eyes. This may bring him trouble… But…

"They operate in the Aichi prefecture, in the city of Nagoya," Zhong revealed. It was quite close to Shizuoka, and most importantly to Musutafu… "I've been one of their members for years. I even came to Japan with one of their guys, but after being accused of betrayal, I left their ranks. I kept telling them that I was framed, but no one listened," The humanoid bull spat with anger. "Ever since that day, they've been sending assassins after my head. Since those idiots couldn't take me out, they decided to ruin my business! I have no proof, but I'm certain they've been throwing negative rumors about this place. I even discovered that some of my dancers were forced to quit after being threatened," He explained while the horned boy put a hand to his chin, thinking over all the information he gained.

"That's super bad, Ryu-kun!" Ace exclaimed worriedly. "These idiots just got us in trouble with the mafia!" Understandably, she was panicking since this wasn't a part of their plan at all.

"No, wait. That may not be as bad as you think," Izuku raised a hand to stop her rambling, earning curious glances from everyone in the room.

"Wait. Really?" Himiko inquired, baffled.

"This could be a great opportunity for partnership," The green-haired boy reasoned. While the blonde seemed to agree after thinking it over, Zhong was uncertain.

"That may be risky. Even if I'm not in charge anymore, they still want my head. The fact that I work for you now will also pull their ire to you. Moreover, they will request proof of your usefulness concerning this partnership," He explained, making Ace groan.

"Giving them your head would resolve all of these issues," Izuku suddenly interjected, making Liu widen his eyes while his former men backed away in fright. "I remove their problem, show them how useful and reliable I can be, and how strong I am, too. I kill several birds with one stone. But don't worry, I have an even better idea," He reassured the man, prompting him to breathe in relief. "The fact that you have a bull head is your saving grace. All we have to do is find a bull that resembles you and send its head to the Chinese Mafia. I'm sure they'll be willing to talk to me after that," He explained his plan.

"But we'll need to find a whole live bull first," Zhong pointed out.

"Your life's on the line. I'm sure you'll manage to do that when you have that much to lose," Izuku rolled his eyes. Liu nodded, finding it hard to deny what he said.

"Do we need to do all that, though? Can't you just kill their leader and take his place, Ryu-kun?" Himiko suggested.

"It's not that simple," Izuku shook his head. "The mafia isn't like these idiots," He said, gesturing to Zhong and his men, who took offense to that but remained silent. "They are not the kind to respect might above all else. Their boss is like family; his officers likely have close trusting relations with him. They would not join me, no matter how powerful I am. I would have to kill them all and leave only the small fries, but as you might expect, small fries are not my priority. For now, we need the mafia alive. They likely have a lot of connections and resources, so having them as allies is more beneficial for us," Izuku reasoned while Ace nodded along. She could see his point. Even if she wasn't a fan since she would like to see more of the boy's violent nature.

Zhong's jaw nearly dropped at the two's discussion. They were so casual about dealing with the Chinese mafia that he could barely believe it! The mafia had a few dangerous individuals, but from what he had seen from Ryu's power, the dragon should have not any issues killing them if they were to fight. However, trying to do so would be foolish. He was greatly surprised to see that Ryu had enough sense to use diplomacy instead. He expected him to be a brute, but he was cunning, too. The more time passed, the more he was proven right to bend the knee to him. To think he was ready to launch a raid on the mafia before Ryu came here.

"I'll task someone with finding us a bull whose head we can pass off as mine," Zhong confirmed. "I'll also take care of changing the restaurant into a nightclub, but we'll have to close the strip club until the construction is complete,"

"That's fine. What are your other sources of income?" Izuku asked. Giran didn't give him much information about their group, after all.

"We just opened a meth and coke lab outside Chinatown, we were about to start a drug dealing business. However, before that, and aside from the strip club, we've been laundering money for a few groups," Zhong responded.

"Money laundering? Seriously?" Izuku deadpanned in disappointment.

"It's a good business," Zhong Liu defended himself.

"Well focus on that, then. I also want you to start that drug dealing business as swiftly as possible," He ordered the humanoid bull, who nodded in agreement. "Once we're done with these things, I'll tell you about my future plans. Bring you up to speed,"

"Huh? I thought you'd want to be making money," Zhong tilted his head.

"The money is only a means to an end, what I want is much more than that, and the second step can only start in less than 10 months," Izuku replied. Before Zhong Liu could say anything, the boy cut him off. "Since it'll be noon soon, I have to leave to take care of some other business. Ace will be in charge while I'm away," He gestured to the girl.

"I… Very well," Zhong nodded while Himiko silently cheered, happy to hear that Izuku was putting her trust in her.

"I want to throw a celebration for the new management," Izuku smirked pridefully. "So tonight, I want you to bring all your girls, and men. With drinks, too, we'll have a nice party," He instructed.

"That will cost us some money," Zhong pointed out. They wouldn't even gain any since the club wouldn't be open either. However, he couldn't deny that a party could help calm and relax his former men down. It would make them more accepting of their new leader.

"Doesn't matter. I want it done," Izuku retorted before waving them away. "Now, shoo. Meeting adjourned," He added dismissively, prompting them to leave.

Naturally, Himiko stayed behind, waiting for them to exit the room before turning to Izuku.

"What do you want me to do?" She inquired eagerly. She wanted to be useful, too.

"For now, nothing. Just stay here and make sure nothing happens. I didn't give them too many orders either because I just took over. I want to make everything go smoothly, so it's best if they see I can give the carrot as well as the stick," He explained to her while putting on his leather jacket, reminding himself that it was damaged in the fight.

"You got it! I won't disappoint you!" Himiko assured him with determination.

"I'm counting on you, Toga," He declared, already ready to leave since he had nothing with him except his clothes. However, he stopped himself when he noticed the blonde was pouting. "What?"

"You could use my first name, you know," She mumbled with her arms crossed. Ever since they met, he either called her by her last name or now her codename. It was especially annoying since she used his first name. She even gave him a nickname! She could see that he was about to protest, so she cut him off before he had the chance to. "You've seen my panties multiple times! I even showed my pussy, so that's the least you could do!" She huffed, making the boy sigh.

"Okay… Himiko," He conceded, seeing no point in arguing. Besides, she wasn't completely wrong. The blonde beamed instantly, smiling wide.

"I love hearing you say my name! Why don't you try big sis Himiko, now?" She suggested, only for Izuku to sharply turn away.

"Fuck you," He grumbled, quickly walking out and closing the door behind before she could say anything.

The former schoolgirl giggled to herself, enjoying his reaction. She would have quite a lot of fun with him, even more than before.

***

Izuku sighed as he entered his home. He didn't even know what he would tell his mother concerning his injuries. Even if she couldn't see them, the fact that there were so many bandages would suffice to tell he was hurt. A part of him figured she wouldn't question it as usual, but you could never be certain.

From what Himiko told him, his mother thought he slept at the blonde's place, but apart from that, he had no idea what she told her. Again, he likely wouldn't have to explain anything. However, once he got home… The house was eerily silent. She should have been making lunch at this time, usually. However, there was no sound coming from the kitchen.

He decided to check there, first. As expected from his earlier deduction, there was no one here. Looking around, Izuku's eyes landed on a cardboard bag with the logo of a fast food brand. If that was here, then it could only mean one thing. He swiftly grabbed the bag to check its contents. Just as he thought, this was what he usually bought to eat in that particular fast food chain, which meant that Inko went out and bought it for him.

He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. Since she already went to buy some groceries earlier this week, she didn't go out because of that. Because of the loss of her job and… the severe lack of friends, his mother had no reason to go out.

Thus, narrowing down the reasons she went out was easy. She went to see Mitsuki again and bought him some food on the way home. It wasn't that he disliked Mistuki, he had nothing against the woman despite the little shit she called a son annoyed him on a daily basis. In fact, he would say she was quite pleasing to look at, and the thought alone made him chuckle.

What annoyed him about her was the fact that his mother just wouldn't stop bothering him to go with her and see the Bakugous, specifically Mistuki. He could understand since they were childhood friends. Perhaps, she wanted to show her best friend how her son was faring. However, if these two wanted to see him that badly, they could just as well come to the Midoriya residence! It would also take care of another problem he had with Mitsuki, which was to force Inko to walk all the way to her house even though she had a hard time walking with her prosthetic!

His mother not only didn't want to tell her about it but she didn't even want to get a car, at least!

The boy grumbled a few swears under his breath before going to his mother's bedroom. If she wasn't in the living room, then she was perhaps sleeping. A few steps later, he was already inside. As expected, she was there, sleeping on her bed. She wasn't under the sheets, and she was still dressed in her usual clothes, which meant she was likely only taking a nap. Ever since his father died, she hadn't been eating well, so she was a bit thinner than normal and easier to tire out. Her prosthetic was off, sitting beside the bed. Perhaps he could buy her a new one soon? He was about to earn much more money than before, so might as well use it. He'd have to talk to her about it, though.

Just as he was about to turn around and walk away, Izuku noticed something held in her hand, which was clutching protectively. Curious, he approached her bed before leaning down to take it. It was… a photo. It wasn't framed, which he would have expected to be since she seemed to hold it so close to her. How strange, they didn't have many photos, so most of them were familiar to him, but this one didn't ring any bell.

After a good look, he recognized everyone on it. It was his parents and the Bakugous. It was taken a long time ago since they were all in school uniforms. His mother and Mitsuki wore sailor uniforms with blue skirts while his father and Masaru wore an all-black uniform similar to the one he possessed.

His mother was on the left, beaming with joy and a wide smile with an arm wrapped around Masaru's neck, pulling him toward her. Masaru stood between her and Mistsuki, struggling to stand straight since he was dragged down. Mitsuki had a hand on his shoulder as she was pulling Hisashi toward the group. While his father looked unwilling to take part in the photo since Mitsuki pulled him in, he was also smiling as wide as the others. Huh. Izuku didn't think his old man could even be this happy.

Still… This was the first time he ever saw that photo. He was aware Inko and Mitsuki were childhood friends, but he didn't know they met Masaru and his old man in middle school. He had no idea why his mother didn't want to display it, but he didn't care enough to find out. The horned boy put the photo on the bedside table and then left the room.

Izuku grabbed the bag she left in the kitchen, then sat down in silence in the living room. Now that he thought about it, with the new resources he had, he could get himself a weapon, couldn't he?