Quirks.

Most people in their world had them.

And most abused them.

…

and then…

There were idiots like this slime-quirk user.

.~*~.

All For One had sent a lackey with a stealth quirk, someone capable of staying unnoticed by the Number One Hero, in order to keep track of All Might and keep an eye out for good candidates… for Tomura's replacement.

All For One didn't have much choice after Tomura died. Sure, he could take just about any goon off the street with a bone to pick with All Might and turn them into a force to be reckoned with.
But what would be the point of that?

What he desired was a personal connection. It wasn't just about taking All Might - or his successor - down.

It was about breaking his spirit.

If watched long enough, All Might would mess up. It wasn't ideal - Tomura had been PERFECT - … but it would have to do.
All Might would screw up, ruin someone's life, and he'd be there to pick up the pieces. Direct that anger. Turn that anger into hatred, and that hatred into POWER.

So his lackey followed All Might everywhere he went. And All For One watched what All Might did, and how the people around him reacted to it.

And then this slime-quirk user…

…

Well.

He supposed he'd seen dumber.

Through the sewers All Might went, following after the villain. And he caught the guy. Because of course he did.

And he stayed to make sure the kid who was attacked was ok.
Because of course he did.

He even signed the hero-obsessed kid's…

… Notebook…

…

All For One turned the mic on.
It wasn't unusual for him to tell the lackey to look closer at something. Granted, he didn't always watch the feed, but, with All Might only able to do hero work for three hours a day, he didn't need to.
"When All Might and the kid look away, get a better view of that notebook."

All For One wasn't surprised it was filled with notes on heroes - he'd expected as much from the title. No, what was surprising was how detailed the notes were.

'And this is number thirteen? If the other twelve are anything like this one…'
"... Keep watching the kid, for now."

After the kid woke up, and All Might got ready to leave, All For One expected to have to tell his lackey to drop watching the kid to follow the hero.
But that kid… He had guts, clinging to All Might like that.

Then the icing on the cake: After landing, the kid asked, "Can someone without a quirk… become a hero like you?"

And that fool…
Not only did All Might actually revert to his unpowered form in front of the kid - the idiot actually told the kid "no" and to "be realistic"-

-and walked away!

The lackey went to follow All Might.

"No."
The lackey stopped moving.
"... Stay with the child."

Poor thing looked on the verge of tears - absolutely crushed.
'… He's smart and observant. He has drive.
'… If left alone, he probably will become a police officer like All Might suggested. An excellent one, even.

'… Yes…

'He'll do nicely.'

And like that, All For One's plan began anew.
"Follow the kid. Don't let him out of your sight."

Izuku was walking alone, away from where he'd just met his idol. Not really paying attention to where he was going.
… Maybe that's how he ended up inside all of a sudden?

He was in some kind of bar… He thought.

And sitting in front of him were two people he didn't recognize. "... Huh?"
Izuku looked around, thinking he'd just wandered into someplace he wasn't supposed to be, starting to freak out and apologize to them.

"It's alright. You made no mistake, Midoriya-san," came a deep voice from the bar. "We're the ones who should apologize to you."
Taken aback, Izuku actually stopped to look at him. The man talking, he… Well, with all the different quirks in the world, Izuku couldn't be sure why, but… the top half of his face seemed scarred.
The man didn't have any eyes - but seemed to be looking right at him. "-But after my subordinate heard the awful things All Might said to you, we couldn't help but step in."

The other man - who looked like he was made of shadows - set a glass of water on the counter in front of Izuku.
"Please, sit down," the eyeless man said to him, "I have some questions for you."

"I… I really should be getting home," Izuku said.
This wasn't good. This was the opposite of good. Everything about these guys screamed "villains" - and they'd been watching All Might? Without All Might even knowing?!
"Now, no reason to panic. Kurogiri here can get you home faster than any train. He has a portal-creating quirk, you see," the eyeless man said, "I only want to know… how badly you wish to become a hero."

Izuku paused, "… Huh?" his conversation with All Might flashing through his mind. "... I…"

All For One watched the kid's face fall. That was all the answer he needed. Time to set the plan in motion.
"You see, I'm in charge of a group of… well, vigilante heroes."
"Huh?!" Izuku blabbed - then immediately covered his mouth.
"Haha, it's all right to act shocked!" the eyeless man smiled, "No need to hold yourself to formalities, go ahead and ask, if you want."
Lowering his hands, Izuku asked hesitantly, "But… why? Heroes make it to most crimes practically before they have a chance to happen! Why would…?"
"Because…" All For One feigned anger, "The system is corrupt. The so-called 'heroes' are more focused on making money and becoming famous than on actually helping people. Not to mention the battles they aren't fighting.

"Like, for example…" Izuku felt the man's non-existent eyes on him again. "... society's prejudice against the Quirkless."

There was a beat of silence as Izuku and the man studied each other.
"Tell me, Izuku Midoriya… What is a quirk? And I don't mean the definition given in your textbooks."
"I…" he was sweating, "I'm not sure what you mean…"
"What I mean, young man, is this: A quirk is…" the eyeless man got up, "... nothing more than a tool."

Linking his hands behind his back and pacing, he continued, "Some tools are useful in a variety of ways. Others are a burden except in very specific situations. Many can be used as weapons, if turned against another person. The only difference between a tool and a quirk is that one is made… while the other is born.

"So I ask you again, Izuku Midoriya: How badly do you want to be a hero?"

Izuku, still standing, turned his head away. He looked toward the untouched glass of water, though he wasn't really seeing it. He thought hard for a moment, then turned back to the man.
The eyeless man was facing him, non-existent gaze penetrating.
Izuku's expression wasn't nervous anymore. "No offense to you and your… organization. But not badly enough to break the law to do it."

All For One smiled.
"That won't be a problem." He gestured to Kurogiri, and Kurogiri handed him his own glass of… something. Alcohol of some kind, Izuku had no doubt. "We'll just train you so you can become a licensed hero."
"Ah-!" Izuku jaw nearly hit the floor. "You…! But…!" It took him a few moments to find the words.

All For One took a sip of his drink, waiting patiently.

Izuku felt like he was about to feint. Too much was happening in one day. 'But… if he's serious…'
"You… You really think I could make it…?"

"Ha ha…" He looked at the boy, smiling. If Izuku weren't so happy, he might have found the smile unnerving. "I wouldn't even be offering if I thought otherwise. That," he gestured toward the notebook in Izuku's hands, "tells me all I need to know."

Izuku looked at the notebook - burned from when Kacchan took it, wavy pages and torn edges from its time in the pond with the fish … and with All Might's signature in it.
"Kid… Izuku Midoriya. I promise you…" He looked back up at the man promising him the world. "You have what it takes to be the world's first quirkless hero."

Tears were blurring Izuku's vision before he even knew what was happening to him.

"Of course…" The man sipped his drink again. He took a deep breath. "… It will be grueling. And I won't go easy on you. Knowing that…?"
He turned back to Izuku.

Without any more prompting, Izuku answered, "I know… I'll have to work harder than anyone else. But-!"
He thought to himself, 'I have no reason to refuse!'
With steel in his eyes, Izuku shouted, "-I want…! TO BE A HERO!"

.~*~.

And the kid did, indeed, work harder than anyone else.
For ten months he endured the most grueling - but efficient - training possible under the mysterious man he knew only as "Master."

If anyone knew the man's name, they never spoke it in front of Izuku.

He was trained in strength.
Speed and agility.
Strategy.

And even in the use of various weapons.

And when the ten months ended… He applied to the U.A. High School Hero Course.