Chapter Text
“Can someone without a quirk be a hero?" thought Midoriya.
His teacher's voice broke his train of thought. "You guys are all third years now it's time to start thinking about your careers and futures seriously! I want to hand out these career forms, but I assume you all want to be heroes!" He said as he threw the papers in the air.
Midoriya always wanted to be a hero. It was his dream, but he was born quirkless. On top of that, his childhood and best friend became his bully, even giving him the nickname ‘Deku’, meaning useless. He made Izuku's life a living hell by teasing him, abusing him, and belittling him.
"You're aiming for UA too aren’t you Midoriya?” Bakugou asked and the rest of the class turned to look at Midoriya. They all laughed at the idea of Midoriya becoming a hero, but Bakugou turned and slammed his hand on Midoriya's desk while adding an explosion and making him fall back on his chair.
"FORGET THEM! YOUR QUIRKLESS!! YOUR BELOW EVERYONE ELSE AND YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ME!?!" screamed Bakugou as he drove Midoriya to the back of the class. "It’s just it's always been my dream and I thought I could try the entrance exam," said Midoriya as the whole class mocked him.
After school, Midoriya was on his phone. All Might, the ‘Number One Hero’, and his idol had been spotted nearby. As Midoriya picked up his quirk analysis notebook, Bakugou swiped it from his hand.
As Midoriya reaches to take it back, Bakugou incinerates it and throws it out the window into a nearby pool of water.
"What I’m trying to say is, don't you dare go to U.A nerd!" said Bakugou as he put his hand on Izuku's uniform and started burning the uniform.
As Bakugou was walking out the door with his friends he said the words that would change Midoriya forever.
“If you want to be a hero so bad, I’ve got an idea that might save you some time. If you think you'll have a quirk in your next life go take a swan dive and jump off the roof. " Bakugou said. Midoriya was filled with so many emotions at that moment. He quickly turned and gave a scared/glare at his former best friend. The other boy’s response was an evil smile, whilst making explosions with his hand.
Midoriya stood in his classroom all alone crying and afraid with no friends, no shoulder to cry on except his mother. She is the only person in this world who is there for him. But it’s not enough. Midoriya went outside to go pick up his notebook and he began having thoughts that no middle schooler should ever have.
" Why? Why is he allowed to do this to me in front of everyone? In front of the teachers?! They just let him do what he wants. I may be quirkless…. but I’m... I’m human too... I’m human, aren’t I?" thought Midoriya.
Later that day after meeting All Might...
"I don't think so kid." said All Might. "A pro should be willing to risk his life at any moment. Without a quirk, you'll just get hurt or even worse die."
As his words came out, Midoriya's blood froze. All his dreams and aspirations. All his hope was being crushed.
"If you want to help, become a police officer. They get a lot of hate because they lock up the criminals that pros have taken care of, but it is admirable work. It’s okay to dream kid, however, you have to be realistic." said All Might.
"Even All Might said it. The number 1 hero... Don't cry. You knew this already and because you knew you tried so damn hard." Midoriya said as he began to cry.
His eyes glazed with tears. He saw a crowd around an alley, but this time he turned away and walked home. No thoughts filled his mind. No more ambitions. No more hope.
His mother, Inko Midoriya, greeted him. "Hey, sweetie! How was school?" She said happily to her son as he came home. Her husband nowhere to be found, as he worked overseas.
"Good, Mom. I met All Might today. Can you believe it?" said Midoriya with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
Inko smiled and hugged her son. He had always wanted to meet All Might. Little did she know that this was the night that she would lose her son.
Izuku was alone in his room. It was 10 pm. He was finally ready. He got all the things he needed and finished up his apology letter. Inside was his reasons why, a location, and his entire life’s savings. A total of 500,000 yen.
"I’m sorry, Mom," Midoriya said as he crept through his window.
Midoriya arrived at a rooftop at 12:35 am. The same rooftop where his dreams were crushed. He took off his shoes, stood at the edge with his notebook in hand as he grasped it tightly, and jumped...
. . . . . . . . .
“Am I dead?" thought Midoriya.
He expected death instead he was greeted with something much more terrifying.
As Midoriya slowly opened his eyes, they grew wide at the sight of a crooked and disgusting-looking blade on his neck. The man wielding the blade wore a torn-up red scarf with multiple blades holstered all over his body and he had eyes that were filled with murderous intent and malice. It was Stain the Hero Killer. Out of instinct, Midoriya tried to scramble backward, but felt a pain in his right arm and realized that his arm had broken from the fall.
Stain stepped forward slowly and spoke in a raspy, demanding voice, "Who are you? And why did you attack me!?"
Izuku choked up and couldn't muster up any words.
"ANSWER ME NOW UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE HERE!!!" Stain shouted.
Afraid, Midoriya managed to choke up some words "I...I didn’t mean to I’m sorry I just…" He couldn’t finish his sentence. How could he say that he wanted to commit suicide like it was nothing?
Stain lifted his blade.
"You just what? YOU JUST WHAT?!” shouted Stain.
“I TRIED TO KILL MYSELF OK!?! Please let me die already," explained Midoriya with a tone that would make anyone sad.
Stain was surprised, to say the least. He thought this boy was trying to attack him, but it was just a teen who wanted to end it all. Stain, realizing the boy posed no threat, put his sword away and knelt so he could look at this boy in the eye.
"Why did you do it?” Stain asked in a calmer voice.
Izuku relaxed and wondered if he should even tell him, but after thinking about it he concluded that the Hero Killer does not gain anything by knowing. So, he ultimately decided to tell him.
"It started when I was born without a quirk" Midoriya explained his whole life story except his conversation with All Might.
A few moments later...
"That's what’s wrong with this society!! A quirk determines what you are in this world now! Fake heroes and mindless criminals pollute this world now! " Stain scowled.
Midoriya was a bit surprised at what he was hearing, to say the least. Stain was right every day. More and more heroes became heroes for selfish reasons. Only in it for the fame and the wealth. The number of criminals had also increased dramatically.
The silence was broken by Stain yet again. "Hey, what’s up that notebook?"
Izuku didn't realize he was still holding on to his notebook. “Oh. It’s my hero analysis notebook. I record quirks of heroes and the possible uses, upgrades, and weaknesses, but I don't need it now. . . Want to see it?" responded Midoriya as he lifted his notebook to Stain.
Stain knew after hearing his life story, Midoriya could have been a true hero. His reason to be one was so noble. Stain received the notebook and began to read every single page, becoming more and more interested with each page he turned.
"Wow!! These are so detailed. You have a real talent. It’s amazing! The amount of data behind these notes are incredible!" said Stain as he kept looking through the notebook.
Izuku was surprised and happy someone finally acknowledged him for something he did!
"Really?! You think so? I worked hard on them. My favorite is page 175. I think Kamui's ability is amazing!" said Midoriya happily.
Stain then gave a sad smile. " This kid has been through so much and even after attempting suicide, he still smiles. This kid needs someone to guide him. Someone, he can look up to." he thought. "Hey, kid! I got a proposition for you would. You like to hear it?" Stain said to the young boy.
Midoriya looked up at Stain with a confused face. The proposition Stain gave was something Midoriya never expected to hear from the infamous Hero Killer...