Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Hey, it's been a while since I updated. Exams and study tend to take up a lot of time. In addition, I've been writing chapters for other stories I've posted.

I honestly didn't feel too strongly about this chapter, mostly because of how it starts and proceeds. I know my writing isn't great, and honestly I think I'm better at writing emotional and fight scenes than regular ones.

Anyway, I hope this is alright.

Hades: The hospital

Dr Iwatani led Akuma, Mustard, and the students to his office to speak. Once they arrived the students were surprised at how big it was. Two beds, a desk, cabinet with medicine, and a cupboard with medical tools. It wasn't as big as Recovery Girl's office, but big enough. Dr Iwatani stood by his desk, Yui, Pony, and Kinoko sat on one of the beds with Setsuna standing next to them, Tetsutetsu stood leaning against the wall, Akuma stood at the centre with Mustard a little to the right.

The air was thick with tension. At first, no one dared to speak. Dr Iwatani then approached Akuma slowly. Then standing in front of him he examined Akuma from head to toe.

"Whose blood is that?" the doctor interrogated referring to the blood on Akuma's hands.

"Not mine," Akuma shrugged. "A mixture of people I fought."

"How many?" Iwatani asked.

"I don't know. Six to eight? I never keep track," Akuma shrugged again.

Dr Iwatani let out a sigh. Sadly, this was quite common around here. He'd honestly lost track of the amount of times Akuma had been in this room because of those fights, not to mention the amount of people who had fought him. The list was rather high.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he continued.

"Other than my fists from repeated punching, no," Akuma said nonchalantly. "The times when those punks got a lucky shot in or two, I hardly felt."

"I'll be the judge of that." Dr Iwatani put on a pair of glasses and examined Akuma thoroughly. Developed by Rika, the glasses enabled the user to use X-Ray vision to a certain degree. They were perfect for examining the human body to ascertain what was damaged. However, they could not look through walls or objects unless they were standing quite close to them. The glasses were specifically designed for the hospital as they only had a few X-Ray machines.

From what he could see, there was no internal damage in Akuma's upper and lower body sections. His head was a little hard to make out. Dr Iwatani moved his patient's eyes and used a small flashlight to see that nothing was wrong. He did the same with Akuma's mouth, much to the latter's annoyance.

"Alright, you're clear," Iwatani announced. "Nothing too serious, or that won't heal by tomorrow."

"Nothing you need to use your quirk on you mean," Akuma smirked. "You must be so disappointed."

Iwatani tilted his head slightly. Even though he had a mask on, Mustard could swear he was smiling underneath. Then, without warning, the good doctor grabbed the Devil hero by the crotch and twisted.

Akuma, taken back by the action, yelped in pain.

"Owowowowowowowow! What the hell asshole!" he snapped. "I thought you said this was a place for healing, not causing more damage."

Iwatani raised an eyebrow.

"You have hardly been dealt any damage," he corrected. "And quite frankly, you could use some to fix that shitty personality of yours." He was glaring at Akuma now. "You know I don't like using my quirk unless it's actually serious."

"I was joking you surgeon asshole!" Akuma snapped. "For shit sake, pull whatever stick is up your ass out!"

"As soon as you do the same you demonic jackass!" Iwatani snapped back while tightening his grip.

Akuma let out a small yelp while the students were just watching in awe.

"Is it wrong that I ship this?" Setsuna asked.

The other girls nodded in denial. Testutetsu and Mustard chose not to respond.

"Do you think they have a toxic relationship?" Kinoko whispered.

"Possibly," Yui answered.

Unfortunately, Iwatani heard them.

"Seriously, why does everyone think he and I would go well together?" the doctor scowled. "Most of the time we argue, and I treat him when he gets injured, which believe me is a lot." Sadly, Akuma couldn't argue with that one. "That's as far as things go. Furthermore, I don't do relationships, specifically romantic ones. I've sworn them off because of my quirk."

Before they could ask what he meant, Akuma let out a scowl as he started to transform.

From his back shot out two big metallic dark blue wings that nearly hit Mustard. From his head grew two sharp horns, while his skin changed to dark blue. His teeth became sharper and his nails morphed into claws. During the transformation, his clothes were also affected by becoming armoured versions of themselves. In addition, his hair had solidified to the point where the spikes could cut a person if touched. The most notable change was his eyes where the sclera turned entirely black, the red iris brightened, and the pupil became a straight line.

The students were taken back by the hero's transformation. Sure they had seen pictures and videos of him before but they'd never witnessed him shapeshifting before.

Akuma glared at Iwatani with a burning fury. The doctor had twisted a bit too far and now he was ready to go on a rampage.

"Let go of me now! Or so help me, I will rip you apart limb from limb!" Akuma threatened in a deep demonic voice that sent chills down everyone's spine.

He had gotten really tired of being held like this, and if he wasn't released soon someone would get hurt.

Despite being threatened by a demon, Dr Iwatani wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Empty threats don't work on me," he stated firmly. "You should know that by now."

Before the hero could retort, Mustard intervened.

"Okay enough! Akuma don't attack him, and Doc please let go of his balls so we can talk about the important stuff," the boy pleaded.

The doctor and the demon glared at each other for another minute until Akuma was released from his painful position.

"I still ship it," Setsuna whispered.

"Okay, enough!" Tetsutetsu barked. "What the hell happened to Kendo old man? And who the hell is Kitamura?"

Akuma, was reverted to his normal form, glared at the boy.

"I'm not that old punk!" he snapped. "As for what happened, well, I'm gonna sit back and let this one explain first." He gestured to Mustard. "He was with her when she came to the Pit."

Mustard stepped forward and glanced at the students. He felt a little nervous about them, particularly Tetsutetsu, because the last time they had met he rendered them unconscious with his quirk and shot at them. With Kendo he had been lucky, but this one was a lot more hot-headed and aggressive. Maybe for the time being he should keep quiet.

"Okay, so here's what happened. I met Kendo coming back from a job," Mustard started.

He explained about their encounter (leaving out her attacking him), how she was really upset, and how he gave her the advice on hitting something to relieve her stress, which led to her travelling to the Pit. He chose not to reveal why she was upset because it was her story to tell, not his.

Then he talked about Kitamura and how Kendo got involved in a fight with him. He described the fight in perfect detail, making sure he left out nothing. As he described the final moments, where Kendo ruthlessly beat Kitamura down, he noticed how here friends appeared unnerved by what he was saying. Whether it was what Kendo did to Kitamura, what Kitamura did to her, or both, he didn't know.

"Oh my God! Kendo," Yui whispered.

"I can't believe it," Tetsutetsu exclaimed. "That doesn't sound like her at all."

And it didn't. Kendo didn't seek out conflict, and she wasn't violent like the way that boy was describing.

"I understand she's frustrated about what happened to Shiozaki, we all are, but to go and do this," Pony said. "She could've been killed."

"No she wouldn't," Akuma interjected. "That girl, Kendo, she's been trained. From what I could see, she's capable of taking individuals in Hades without her quirk. I haven't fought him myself, because he's a cowardly piece of shit, but Kitamura is no joke. That dick has left numerous competitors with broken bones and scars. Some even ended in death. The fact that she won is a testament to her strength."

"I don't say this often but, the demonic jackass is right," Dr Iwatani supported. "I've had to treat patients that were in a fight with Kitamura. Trust me, that man is no joke."

There was an exchange of eyes between the students. While they didn't doubt the man's words, they still didn't agree with Kendo just going off and getting into trouble. A couple of students they expected that from, Testsutetsu included, but her, no. Kendo was the responsible one in their class. It was one of the reasons they'd elected her as class rep. But seeing her come in with those wounds, combined with Ibara's recent trauma, that was too much for them.

"We need to talk with her," Tetsutetsu decided. "We need to talk with everyone."

"About what?" Mustard asked.

"About what we do from now on!" he snapped. "We need to discuss how not to get in trouble without possibly dying! We need to discuss never going off anywhere unless it's with someone else!"

Mustard couldn't help but let out a scoff at what he was suggesting.

"I hate to break it to you metal head but trouble is everywhere around here. You think Kendo got involved in that fight just because she was angry? You're wrong. She took part because she was smart enough to realize that this was her life would be like from now on. She understood that her life was always going to be at risk here," Mustard explained harshly. "The Arena, the Pit, you're all going to have to fight in them at some point. Might as well be now."

Tetsutetsu tried to protest, only for Akuma to silence him with an icy glare.

"As unfortunate as it sounds, that's the way of the world around here," Iwatani interjected. "People are taken and brought here, they perform tasks suit to their abilities, they fight in the Pit or Arena or they fight as guards, then they end up here for treatment, only to go back out and do it again," the doctor explained in a bored tone. "The process repeats over and over."

The students were concerned over the way he described it. It was horrible sure, but the way Iwatani spoke, it sounded like he didn't care at all.

"How can you speak so casually about such a thing?" Yui asked incredulously.

"Because I've gotten used to it, that's why," Iwatani shrugged. "When I first arrived in this hellhole, I wanted nothing more than to leave. I was terrified of dying, especially in one of those matches. Instead I was made work here where I started treating individuals just like my job before. Whether they were sick, or injured, it didn't matter, I looked after them. And I when I did, I listened to them talk, sometimes even while they slept. I heard what their lives were like before, what they were like here, and very slowly, I started to learn about how this place works, the people here, and the jobs they do."

He stopped momentarily to catch his breath. He didn't usually give a speech like this to newcomers. That was something other members did. Though to be fair, most newcomers didn't usually end up at the hospital on the first day, and even if they did, there was always some other doctor or nurse that explained it to them.

"I realized escaping was suicide," Iwatani continued. "I'm a doctor, not a fighter. If I had tried to escape the guards would have caught me, the same way they caught others."

"Midoriya escaped," Tetsutetsu interrupted.

"Midoriya was lucky," Iwatani corrected. "He had outside help, something past attempts sorely lacked."

"So you're saying we should just give up?" the metal user pressed.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Iwatani answered.

The boy's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Iwatani to be so forward.

"Escape is… pointless. These people always know where we are and if they feel like it, they can kill us with the simple push of a button. Fighting the system is pointless. It's easier to accept and adapt rather than struggle," Iwatani said in one beat. "It may be hell, but even hell has luxuries down here. If you want to try and escape that's fine, but when you fail, don't say I didn't warn you."

Tetsutetsu looked as though he had been slapped in the face, as did the other students, not that anyone could blame them. When someone entered Hades, their first instinct was always to try and escape, which is why it was necessary for another member to explain it to them in a way that would talk them out of it. Of course, there were a few that figured it out right away when they arrived.

"Now, I believe this discussion is over," Iwatani said leaning back in his chair. "I will ask you all once. Are you in any way injured, or suffering illness?" The silence was enough of answer for him. "Then in that case, please leave and return to your quarters for the day. I'm sure your classmates are worried sick about you."

"What about Kendo?" Yui asked.

"And Shiozaki?" Pony added.

"They'll be kept here for the night just to make sure they're fully recovered, or at least Ms Itsuka will," Iwatani informed them. "Ms Shiozaki is still in shock so she'll need to undergo some psychiatric treatment. Fortunately, we have people who specialise in that area so you don't need to worry."

The students exchanged looks between each other, unsure of how to act. They knew they were out of place here, but at the same time they didn't want to leave their friends.

"They're in good hands, I promise," Iwatani assured them.

Realizing they were not going to get any further than they already had, the students relented and decided to return. Tetsutetsu was angrier about it though.

"Well this was a huge waste of time. Thanks for nothing doc," he scowled as he stormed out of the room with the others in tow.

The remaining three watched them leave with emotionless expressions.

"Great job," Akuma complimented. "You scared them shitless."

"Well if I didn't someone else would," Iwatani replied.

Akuma didn't answer knowing it was true. He had occasionally done it himself, achieving excellent results in the process. Turning into a blue version of the devil had its benefits. The change in his voice was also helpful.

As they had no further business, Akuma and Mustard were about to leave when Mustard decided to ask Iwatani something. It was something that had been on his mind since Akuma first brought it up.

"Can I ask you something Dr Iwatani?" Mustard asked politely.

The said doctor raised an eyebrow. "Depends on what it is. Shoot."

"What's your quirk?" Mustard asked.

The doctor stared at him with an unreadable expression. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity," Mustard admitted. "From what Akuma was saying earlier it sounds like a healing quirk, however, you've made it clear you don't like using it. That it made you swear off relationships. Why is that?"

Iwatani continued staring at him, much to the boy's discomfort. He considered not answering and just sending him on his way, but he was interrupted by the sound of snickering.

Akuma was struggling to contain his laughter. So much that he was he clutching his stomach. When he became aware the others were staring at him he dropped the act and exploded. Iwatani grimaced while Mustard was confused at what was so funny.

"H-H-H-Hisssss q-q-qu-quirk," Akuma spluttered. "O-Oh G-G-G-Godddd! It'sssss, It's, AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Mustard was baffled by Akuma's behaviour. Dr Iwatani's quirk couldn't be that embarrassing, could it?

Dr Iwatani, with an emotionless expression, stood up and walked slowly towards the Devil Hero. Mustard started to sweat from nervousness. He didn't know what the doctor was going to do, but he hoped it wasn't serious. Maybe he should activate his quirk now before hell broke loose.

Iwatani stood in front of Akuma who was still snickering. In one swift motion, he kneed the hero between the legs and then punched him in the face. Akuma surprisingly didn't stagger, although he did cease laughing.

"O-Okay, I deserved that one," Akuma admitted with a hint of pain.

"Yes, yes you did," Iwatani said simply. "You know how I feel about my quirk, so if you ever bring it up again, I will hurt you in ways you have never experienced. One of the perks of becoming a doctor is including learning how to treat the body, we also learn where exactly to inflict pain where it is most sensitive. Albeit it's indirect. Understand, demonic jackass?"

"Absolutely," Akuma responded sarcastically. "Surgeon asshole."

Mustard just looked at them both, just wondering what sort of relationship they both have. He was also beginning to question the mindsets of the UA students.

'Seriously, how could anyone ship these two? Their relationship would probably be toxic if nothing else,' he decided.

"It's nothing major. It's just that my quirk, while suited to healing is actually embarrassing," Iwatani explained. "What it is, well."

Itsuka Kendo

"That should do it," the nurse said as she placed a small patch over her face. "No more getting fights for a short while, okay."

Kendo took note of how she said, 'short while'. If she had to guess, the nurse was under the assumption that she would be fighting again soon, which wasn't entirely inaccurate.

When she first arrived here, the doctors gave her a thorough examination. Her fight with Kitamura had been more damaging than she originally presumed as they discovered she had five broken ribs, an almost broken jaw with a few dented teeth, several bruises over her stomach, back, knees and face. It was a miracle her skull hadn't been damaged.

One doctor used his quirk to fix her teeth while another applied her quirk that would accelerate her healing over the next few days. Provided she rested and didn't partake in any physical activity, Kendo would be fully healed in the next two days.

She was still patched up and bandaged but she didn't care. She held no regrets over what she had done and was actually proud of her victory.

She lay in bed and prepared to go to sleep. Briefly her mind wandered off to Ibara and how she was doing. When she asked the other doctors they gave no answer, perhaps they didn't want to bring her any stress. She had caught a glimpse of Bakugo as she was escorted to her room. It seemed he was till unconscious from his fight with Shiro. That guy really did a number on him.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, Kendo allowed herself to drift off to sleep, briefly freeing her of any worries she had.

Shoto Todoroki

Ice shot out from Shoto's right side, covering up some of the water.

"Dammit!" Shoto swore. "Still not right!"

He'd been trying for over an hour to freeze the water using the particles in air rather than from his body. He'd tried heating the water as well but had little success in either. To be fair, he still wasn't used to his left side yet. For most of his life he'd relied on his right as a way to smite his father for what he did. But because Izuku had convinced him it was his quirk not his father's he'd tried to use it a bit more.

He would have asked Umi for assistance, but she was with Ibara Shiozaki at the hospital so he was on his own.

That aside, his thoughts cast upon his mother. He wasn't sure how informed she was about the world outside the hospital but part of him hoped she didn't know about this. She had suffered enough she didn't need anymore. Another part of him wished she knew because that way she wouldn't think he'd abandoned her. As far as his visitations went, Izuku was the only one who actually knew about them. No one else did, not even his siblings. He hadn't told Fuyumi because he was worried about their father finding out and he hadn't told Natsuo because they hadn't spoken in years.

'Maybe he'll tell someone at UA, though probably not,' Shoto pondered as he melted the ice with his fire.

Shoto stared down at his reflection in the water. However, much to his surprise, it wasn't him he saw. What he saw was someone he hadn't seen in a long time, yet he could never forget, even if he tried.

Unruly red hair that spiked up in tufts around of the head, falling down on the forehead in uneven bangs, and two bright turquoise eyes. His father's eyes.

Tears began to well up in Shoto's eyes as he realized who this was.

"Touya," he whispered softly.

His older brother stared back at him with a sad expression. He looked as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Touya," Shoto repeated. "Where are you? Why did you disappear? Things have gotten so much worse without you around. So just, why?"

At this point, tears were streaming down Shoto's face as he talked to the hallucination of his brother, who could do nothing but stare back.

"I miss you," Shoto said. "I miss you so much."

Shoto wanted so badly for his brother to be here, to be right next to him, to lie in his embrace like he used to. While he wished for this, tears continued to flow out of his eyes.

Unknown to him, he was being watched.

Mezo Shoji

Holding the dummy by the waist, Mezo lifted it, and swung back keeping his feet where they were. The dummy landed on his head, with Mezo's head just inches above the ground.

"German suplex," Mezo murmured. "Nothing too complex."

When he started training with Lobo last night, he showed him a few basic moves. Nothing too difficult, just a few grabs and holds. However, towards the end, Lobo showed him how to do a German Suplex thinking it was suited for him.

Originally, Mezo was content with learning techniques at a slower pace in order to get them right. However, the day's events had triggered something inside Mezo. Watching Ibara just sitting there helpless, as a monster tried to violate her, with all of them being restrained caused his blood to boil in ways he never knew possible. Mezo wasn't one to hold grudges, but even he felt no pity towards Kyo as Shiro killed him. It wasn't just that though, the event made him realize what he was up against.

And if he wanted to protect his classmates, and himself, he needed to get stronger, much stronger. He was certain he would be fighting in the Arena or Pit soon, and when he did he would be ready.

"I see you're practicing chico," a familiar voice entered. "Bien."

Mezo stood up and faced his teacher who was leaning against the wall.

"I have a favour to ask," he said suddenly.

Lobo raised an eyebrow. "If it's something I can do, then I'll try to help, if not, then I won't."

Mezo nodded in understanding. Getting down on his knees he bowed placing his hands in front and his head touching the ground.

Lobo's eyes widened. From what he could tell, Mezo was performing a kowtow, a type of bow used to display the highest form of reverence to an individual. Whatever this favour was, it must be serious.

"Please, train me," Mezo requested, confusing the luchador. "Train me harder than you've been doing."

"What's brought this on?" Lobo asked baffled. "Don't misunderstand me chico, I'd love to, but why."

Mezo brought his head up to stare at the ground. "I'm guessing you've heard about the incident concerning Ibara Shiozaki."

"Boy, everyone in Hades knows about it," Lobo responded. "News travels fast around here, especially when Shiro is in a bad mood."

The entire event sickened him. He knew Kyo was bastard but he never imagined he'd do something so vile. It made him wonder how he got away with it for so long.

Worse than that, there was the effect it had on the children. He'd seen them when he came in. Some were crying with others trying to comfort, while some just stared off into space, completely in shock. They were traumatised, and he doubted they would recover soon. That girl, the victim, Ibara Shiosaki had suffered the most. It would take months of psychiatric treatment before she would feel fine again.

That said, he knew what Mezo's request was and why he wanted it.

"You want me to train you so you'll be strong enough to protect your friends and yourself," Mezo finally made eye contact with him. "It wasn't hard to figure out. About that though, while I'm willing to go through with it, you should know that I won't hold back."

"Understood. Anything less would feel insulting," Mezo declared. "Train me like you mean to kill me."

"You'll regret those words," Lobo stated.

"I'll regret it even more if I don't," Mezo retorted.

Seeing the determined look in his eyes, Lobo's mind was made up.

"Let's get started."

Tenya Iida

Tenya was running as fast as he could, with his engines assisting all the way. Right now, he was running between empty walls in a big ovular shaped area where Hayai normally practiced. He didn't know how long he'd been running for, or how many laps he had performed, but he didn't care either. He needed someway to think, or better yet process, everything he had heard.

Less than two hours ago, Hayai and Shita had given him a full synopsis on Izuku's time at Hades. They told him about his Arena bouts (one of which he and Shita were forced to participate against their wills), what sort of jobs he did, the people he interacted with etc. They then came to the more disturbing aspects of what occurred here such as the Incident with Tenome.

Tenya was honestly disturbed that such a group had existed. The things they did to children were downright evil. He could only imagine how those poor children suffered when they were abducted by them. The children of Hades were scarred by the ordeal, and Izuku just as much so. During the retrieval mission, he witnessed a child he knew killed right in front of him, pierced from behind with a type of arrow. He held that child in his arms as he slowly died, until finally he disappeared. When the same man tried to kill them again, Izuku, on instinct, killed him first.

Then they came to the part where Izuku allegedly killed another member named Graphene because he was threatening him and the children, which in turn led to the fight between him and Shiro. Hayai described the fight in surprisingly exquisite detail. Shiro completely decimated Izuku, who barely landed a punch. Then there was an explosion which provided the boy with the distraction he needed to both escape and take Shiro's eye.

'Is that why he was so against me doing it in Hosu?' Tenya wondered. 'Because he had done it himself. Shiro said he didn't remember but perhaps it was subconscious.'

From a short distance, Hayai watched Tenya run. He would have interfered, but he could tell the boy needed time to process everything. For that reason, he decided not to tell Tenya about what happened with his classmates earlier. He already had enough on his mind.

Hayai's phone started buzzing. It was text from Shita.

I've finished measurements and now I've drawn up a few basic designs for Tenya to choose. Could you bring him back so I can show him?

Having super speed for a quirk was incredibly handy when texting.

It may be a while before I can do that. He's still doing laps and I don't want to interrupt him.

It took a minute for Shita to reply.

Understandable. When he's ready, please bring him around. I've got some designs he might be interested in, one's that match up with what Shiro suggested.

Roger that!

Hayai continued to observe Tenya who looked as though he was about to pass out. It seemed that fatigue was finally starting to take its toll on him. Then, without warning, Tenya's foot hit a rock and caused him to crash face first into the ground.

Or at least he would have, if not for Hayai's quick intervention. He sped up to Tenya and caught him by the head and waist before pulling him back into a sitting position.

"Okay, you've been running a while now and you're about to pass out," Hayai pointed out. "I think enough is enough."

Tenya who was panting heavily couldn't find the strength to argue. Hayai presented him with a bottle of water and Tenya gulped it down very quickly while getting his breathing under control.

"Feeling better?" Hayai enquired.

"A little," Tenya admitted. "I'm still having trouble processing it all. I don't know why. Maybe I just don't want believe it."

Hayai didn't say anything. Though that was probably for the best.

"Hey, if you're training me, will that involve staying out here for a few days?" Tenya asked, surprising the speedster.

"Um, if you," he started.

"Because I actually wouldn't mind spending a few days out here separated from everything," Tenya interrupted. "I'd be a great distraction."

Hayai thought about it for a minute.

"It wouldn't be a problem but when a certain time arrives in the next few days you will have to return to the kids section along with Shita," he explained. "Because during that time, Hades will be on lockdown. I can't say any more than that though."

Tenya shot him an inquisitive look, wondering what was so important that Hades needed to go into full security mode. Given that he would find out in a few days he chose not to question Hayai.

Finding his footing again, Tenya stood up with Hayai following him.

"I think we'd better head back to Shita," Hayai announced. "He texted me earlier and said he'd come up with a few basic designs that might interest you. Would you like to take a look?"

"May as well," Tenya decided.

The pair started walking back to Hades Main Building.

"Hey, I've been thinking," Tenya murmured catching Hayai's attention. "About what you said earlier where I'm my own hero." Hayai listened intently. "I was thinking, in addition to a new costume I might change my appearance a little. Are there facilities or people with quirks around here where that's possible?"

"Yeah," Hayai quickly replied. "I know a few places. What did you have in mind?"

Tenya explained his idea, causing the speedster to grin.

"We actually have someone with a quirk for that in Hades," he stated. "I'll introduce you to her after this."

"Perfect," Tenya said as they walked off.

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was Kai, Kai Chisaki, Overhaul, leader of the yakuza, also known as the Shie Hassaikai (Eight Precepts of Death), lying right next to him.

Strangely enough, that wasn't the most alarming thing that had happened. No what was truly alarming was the fact that Kai had snuck into UA undetected and then entered his room without alerting Izuku to his presence. Even if he hadn't been trained by Razor he would have felt Kai getting on his bed.

'Either UA has the worst security ever, which isn't impossible, or I've completely lost it, which also isn't impossible,' Izuku thought.

The only boggling question that was on Izuku's mind now though was: why was Kai here? Just what did he want?

"Judging from the look in your eyes, you're probably wondering why I'm here and what I'm after," Kai said in the usual tone. Izuku's eyes widened. "You really need to work on that you know. You're as easy to read as a book."

'GOD FUCKING DAMMIT! EVERY TIME! EVERY FUCKING TIME! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?!' Izuku screamed internally.

He hated being so easy to read. He really did. He didn't understand why but he had always been this way since childhood, and it pissed him off to no end.

"Are you finished with your mind tantrum?" Kai asked bored. "If so, are you ready to talk?"

Izuku narrowed his eyes at the yakuza boss.

"Sure," he said softly, before springing into action.

Izuku quickly positioned his body in the form of a handstand and attempted to bring his leg down hard on Kai, only for him to roll out of the way. On his hands again, he sprung his legs back in attempt to double kick Kai who swiftly dodged to the side. As he stood up, Izuku glared at Kai.

'I don't know what he's doing here but I'm letting him leave,' Izuku decided. 'If he's after me like Shiro and Atrocity I need to take him out now.' Izuku looked down at Kai's hands. 'Gloves on. I need to make sure that he doesn't use his quirk. Then again, if he does use it, it will attract unwanted attention.'

Izuku knew exactly what Kai's quirk was. Overhaul. A quirk that enabled him to disassemble and reassemble anything he touched. During the Tenome incident he got a good look at it when they were forced to work together in order to navigate the underground and reach Tenomes base. It was powerful, that much was obvious. Izuku had started to rapidly mumble about the capabilities of the quirk, which much to Izuku's surprise, didn't annoy Kai at all. On the contrary, he seemed both intrigued and impressed by his quirk analysis abilities, even more so when he discovered Izuku was quirkless.

Izuku punched at Kai rapidly, only for him to dodge each with relative ease. Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere, Izuku spun and delivered a turning kick to Kai's body. It should have connected but much to Izuku's shock, Kai and crouched down on the floor. Wasting no time, he dashed towards Izuku with both his gloves off. Acting on instinct, Izuku bent back and performed a back handspring to the edge of the room. Kai didn't stop there unfortunately. He continued his advance and now his right arm was outstretched and inches away from Izuku's face.

'Crap, if I don't move I'll be dead for sure,' Izuku thought.

Izuku's head ducked to the opposite side of Kai's hand. Not wasting any time, Izuku moved forward. The space between him and Kai was small, but there was enough to do what he needed. Kai's left leg leaned towards tripping him, however, the second it did Izuku performed an aerial cartwheel right by him. He then performed another back handspring to put some distance between them.

Kai turned to face him. The two locked eyes with each other, neither one of them blinking.

"Impressive. You've gotten stronger," Kai commended. "Though I can't say I'm surprised."

"Flattery will get you no where with me," Izuku snapped. "What the hell are you doing here? If you've come for me."

"I'm sort of here because of you," Kai cut him off.

Izuku stared at him dumbfounded.

"Because of me? What the hell does that mean?" he asked incredulously. "The last time we met it ended with me being disgusted by you and not wanting to be anywhere near you."

Overhaul groaned. "Seriously, you're still mad about that!"

"Yes!" Izuku snapped. "Why wouldn't I be? What you're doing is completely wrong!"

"Izuku that is fucking hypocritical of you," the yakuza leader snapped back. "You experimented on people as well. You left them in a broken state."

"For a few hours," Izuku retorted. "The enhancement drug side effects lasted a few hours. Also, my test subjects were all adults. None of what I did involved cutting up a little girl and then killing and bringing her back to life over and over again!"

Izuku didn't bother to hide the venom in his voice. He could still remember how heavily bandaged the little girl, Eri, was when he first encountered. He remembered how she'd done what Kai had asked without question however it was evident that she had done it out of fear rather than loyalty. Kai called Eri his daughter, but it was obvious he didn't see or treat her as one. What kind of father does that to his own child? Even Endeavor wasn't that bad, but Izuku wasn't about to start comparing them.

"You're right. I do that repeatedly to Eri, without her consent," Kai answered. "I treat several of my men as expendable despite the work they do. And I do it all for the sake of my ambition. In order to cleanse this world of quirks and restore my group to its former glory."

"At the expense of a child's innocence," Izuku sneered.

Kai raised an eyebrow.

"No plan is perfect," he said softly. "There are always flaws in it's design. There are always positives and negatives. It's the same with humans. No one is perfect, least of all me."

Izuku scoffed. "Well, on that we agree."

"You aren't perfect. You've got blood on your hands as well," Kai pointed out.

Izuku didn't have a way to counter that. He was only starting to remember, but he knew he had killed a person. It was sickening but it was true, even if it was self-defence.

"I still don't agree with your methods," Izuku stated firmly.

"I never asked you to," Kai replied. "I won't justify my actions. I just want you to understand."

Izuku wasn't sure what Kai wanted him to understand but he didn't care. Torturing children was a line he would never cross no matter what the consequences. Even Tomura, who was not above using torture and murder to get what he wanted, would do that to a child. He had some limitations, morals you could call them.

There was an awkward silence between them as they stood there.

"All that side, how are you Kai?" Izuku asked with a neutral expression and tone. "How are things going with the Hassaikai?"

Since he was already here, Izuku decided he would be a little civil towards him.

"Better than what's been happening with I'll say," Kai snorted. Izuku frowned but Kai's expression didn't change. "Speaking of which, my condolences for your loss."

Izuku's expression quickly turned sad as Kai talked about Sensei.

"All for One was a powerful man, as well as a great leader," Kai praised. "The Emperor of Darkness who ruled all over the underside of society. Kids like me believed he was just a legend, but our elders believed they had a reason. That said, even after he went underground, he was still respected by many. His death was a shock to us all."

"Thank you," Izuku said.

While he may not have liked the man, he was grateful for what he said about Sensei. Izuku still hadn't gotten over his death and wasn't going to anytime soon.

"I respected him also," Kai continued. "So it's only natural that I pay my respects to him, and his allies."

Izuku nodded, still with a mournful glint in his eyes.

"Regarding his allies, I'm guessing you haven't heard anything about them lately. I certainly haven't," Kai admitted.

"You're right, I haven't. I don't know what Tomura's up to. I don't know what any of them are up to. I've been watching the news, and there's been no sightings or mentions of them recently. If I had to guess, they've decided to lay low for a while, which is actually a smart decision all things considered," Izuku explained.

Laying low after the shit that went down at Kamino would have been the smartest decision Tomura could have made, though Izuku was certain Kurogiri had a hand in it. How he missed that man? Out of all the League members, he was probably the one with most common sense, though Sensei and Dabi weren't too far behind.

He also missed his teacher Razor, and her constant threats and swearing

"Do you think they could be fighting with Atrocity?" Kai asked.

Izuku took a minute to think about it.

"Possibly," he admitted. "Honestly, I'd be amazed if they didn't. I know he and Sensei's group have been in conflict for quite some time now. His death would certainly escalate it. And given Shigaraki's personality, he's not likely to just sit around while his master's killer is walking around free."

Tomura may have matured in recent weeks, but there was no doubt in Izuku's mind that avenging Sensei would be his top priority, even more than killing All Might.

"With Sensei gone now, are you trying to seize control?" Izuku asked.

It was a logical question. If Kai wanted to restore his group, he would need more territory, not to mention influence. With Sensei out of the picture, it provided an opportunity for most organisations to gain a bit of footing in the criminal underworld.

"Trying being the keyword," Kai said. "Others like Atrocity and Shiro are claiming it all even as we speak. Which reminds me. I saw that list of yours on Hades. Pretty impressive. It still won't help them win though."

Izuku blood froze. His expression became a mixture of shock and horror. It wasn't what Kai said about the heroes, it was the fact that he knew about his list.

"How do you know about that?" Izuku growled no longer being polite. "I only finished that list today, there's no way you could have seen it. How did you even know about it?"

"I watched you type it," Kai responded simply.

Izuku found that disturbing.

"Have you been stalking me?" he interrogated. "That's creepy even by your standards."

"In a manner of speaking," the Shie Hassaikai leader admitted. "I must say, that Hado girl is really annoying the way she talks. It's even more frustrating that your killing intent didn't work on her." Izuku's eyes widened. "Though not as frustrating as losing to that Togata. I won't lie, he packs a wallop despite his unintentional stripping."

Izuku stared at Kai completely dumbstruck. There's no way he could possibly know about those events. Even if he had snuck in, there's no possible way he could have remained undetected while observing those moments.

"H-How did you get in?" Izuku asked quietly.

Kai tilted his head amused. "It wasn't bad security if that's what you're thinking. Although considering the previous two break-ins and kidnapping, it would be a pretty good guess."

It was at that moment, Izuku realized who he was truly speaking to, or rather what he was speaking to.

"You aren't him," Izuku said softly. "He was never here."

The person he thought was Kai started clapping slowly.

"Congratulations Izuku! For a minute there I was worried you wouldn't figure it out," Kai, no, the hallucination answered. "I'm still him, in a way. However, I think we can both agree that the real me is good, he isn't this good."

For several seconds Izuku remained silent. Then, without warning, he exploded with laughter that confused the hallucination. When he calmed down, he was smiling.

"I can't fucking believe it!" he exclaimed. "I really have gone insane."

"Insane no," Kai pointed out. "Extremely stressed, definitely. Though considering the life you live, it wouldn't surprise me if you did end up like that eventually."

That only caused Izuku laugh again, this time even harder than before until he finally calmed down.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?" the hallucination asked confused.

Izuku had a dark look in his eyes. "Why, of all the people in my fucked-up life, is Kai the one I manifest as a hallucination?"

The hallucination shrugged. "How should I know? Maybe it's because of all the people you met in Hades, I'm the only alive that isn't a member."

Izuku groaned. That wasn't the best reason, but it was definitely the most likely one.

"You are not someone I want to see right now Kai," Izuku stated annoyed.

"Me being here suggests otherwise," Kai retorted. "Which reminds me. You never answered my question. Why not face your problem now? You know you can't keep running. Eventually Shiro will find you, and then what will you do?"

Izuku didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Most of all he didn't want to answer. So instead he turned his back and closed his eyes.

"I don't want to talk with you Kai, I don't want or see you either," Izuku said as coldly as he could. "So get out, and don't come back."

When he turned back he saw that Kai was gone and he was alone again, much to his own relief. He didn't know how that happened, or rather he didn't know how it was Kai who appeared instead of someone else. Honestly he would have expected it to be someone like Shiro or Sensei, not Kai Chisaki. Their last meeting had ended mostly neutral, though Izuku was adamant on never seeing him again.

When Izuku turned to leave his room, he saw Kai was right in front of him. His eyes glaring deep into his and his head came closer. Izuku didn't understand why, but for some reason, he couldn't move.

"Oh Izuku," Kai said softly. "I'm not going to up and leave just like that. Can't you see? Whether it's the real Kai Chisaki, or me, we're apart of you. I'm not just going to up and vanish just like that. I came from your head, which believe is fucked-up as hell, and not just from Hades. As such, I'm here to stay."

Izuku could on look on as he took in all these facts he knew to be true.

"If you need me, I'm here to talk," Kai said. "You can't keep fleeing from this forever. You'll have to confront him eventually."

Without warning he placed his hand on Izuku's face. Being an illusion, Izuku couldn't feel his touch, yet he still flinched. Kai's cold expression was replaced with a sad one.

"Does this remind you of the last time we saw each other?" he asked. Izuku's answer was silence, which was enough for him. "I see. Well, you know where I am."

And just like that he was gone. Vanished, as though he had never been there to begin with.

Overwhelmed, Izuku slumped onto the ground, breathing heavily. He wasn't having another panic attack but he was highly emotional at that point. Just when he thought his life couldn't get any crazier.

Hero Public Safety Commission

"We have received a list from Izuku Midoriya, aka Deku, on Hades members and their abilities," the president announced to her co-workers. "Please print as many out as possible and distribute them among the heroes and police."

"Yes Ma'am," the workers bowed as they went off.

"Everything is in order then?" the General Commissioner questioned.

The President nodded.

"Assemble the heroes and police!" the General Commissioner ordered. "It's time to destroy Hades and take back those lost to it!"

Hi there. Well, what did you think of that? I thought it would be a good idea to show the students one final time before the Raid begins.

Some of you might have guessed, but the Chisaki Izuku is seeing is a hallucination formed from the stress and fear he's going through right now. He and Chisaki have met before, and he does know about Eri. He isn't happy about it that's all I'll say.

Thanks to everyone who submitted hero OC's. They were really helpful.

Next chapter, the Raid begins. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review.