Chapter Text
Lost Justice
AN: I don't own MHA or DC
Izuku Midoriya believed he had perished in the ultimate battle against All For One and Shigaraki. However, that was not his fate. Awakening in an unfamiliar world where superheroes are ignorant of quirks, the once-defeated hero confronts his new reality by doing what he excels at—being a hero and rescuing others. Yes, but this time, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Warning: This story will contain mature themes, such as strong language, some blood, and gore, and will be an overall mature story, just to be safe! Read with caution! T his also contains manga spoilers for the final chapters of the MHA manga! Don't care for future spoilers, then please proceed! Other than that, enjoy!
Prologue
Final Sacrifices and a New Beginning
It was over.
Izuku ultimately fulfilled his duty.
Unfortunately, it was at the cost of his life.
His body was limp and numb from exhaustion, no longer registering any sensation. Both hands were smeared with blood—the blood of his adversaries—as the young hero acknowledged that the battle had aggravated his scars.
Izuku was indifferent; ultimately, it proved to be worthwhile in the end.
In the ultimate showdown with All For One, ensnared within Shigaraki's form, he realizes that he is merely a pawn, manipulated by the villain himself, serving as a mere vessel. At that moment, Tomura understands that his rage was for naught, swearing to obliterate anything that evokes memories of his wretched upbringing in that accursed home.
Deep down, Izuku understood that despite Tomura's past actions, he yearned to rescue him from his darkness. Tomura's hatred fueled his rage throughout his life as a villain, yet Izuku recognized the necessity to confront Shigaraki. In their ultimate confrontation, Shigaraki, wielding all six quirks of One For All, deployed them, diminishing the power of the malevolent All For One and supposedly leaving Izuku with the fading remnants of the Quirk.
At this moment, he was conversing with the Vestiges, making the most of the dwindling time before their connection would be severed forever.
"It's time, kid," Yoichi called out to the final inheritor of One For All.
Izuku heard Yoichi's words call out to him, knowing this was the end of the line for him.
"You did good, kid. You were the best of us." Hikage informed, acknowledging the fact that Izuku was the true successor of the stockpile quirk.
Izuku was aware that there was some truth to it, though he knew he could have performed better. If he had been the best, he wouldn't be teetering on the edge of death. There would come a time when he'd long to be back home, just a child again, watching videos of pro-heroes online, feeling inspired to aid others simply for the honor of being a hero.
Banjo's face bore a grave expression, the weight of guilt evident in his gaze. "We're sorry it had to be like this, kid. You didn't deserve to go through this, " he said, guilt weighing on his voice.
The same couldn't be said for Nana, who appeared to be on the brink of tears. "Ninth… We're sorry! We're… sorry…" she continued to apologize repeatedly, her lips quivering into a frown.
Izuku understood that neither Nana-san nor any of the Vestiges were to blame. He had agreed to this responsibility the moment he accepted the power of One For All, the day All Might bestowed upon him his Quirk.
"Nana-san, it's okay. I'm not afraid." Izuku finally spoke out, not angry with her or the other Vestiges.
The green-haired boy has grown into a man on his quest to master One For All. He aims to become the next Symbol of Peace and uphold the grand legacy of All Might, fully aware of the enormity of this undertaking.
It wasn't easy, of course.
In the climactic fight, All For One, the crazed villain possessed Shigaraki. However, the impostor demon lord lost control when Shigaraki uncovered his mentor's real intentions. Consequently, Shigaraki began to destroy All For One by attacking its core, ultimately causing its demise.
Consequently, the process almost proved fatal for Shigaraki, as his body began to crumble from the side effects of the quirk transfer.
Izuku remembers Tomura's last words.
He longed for things to be different, to recognize that a fragment of his former self lingered within. Izuku wished Tomura no suffering, yet he understood it was too late this time. Thus, he proceeded to defeat Shigaraki, aware that it was the sole method to halt him.
In his final wish, Tomura asked Izuku to convey to all his dear ones the message to persist in their goals and strive for their best in the future, with the comforting knowledge that his soul had found some form of salvation.
Regrettably, Izuku had hoped to act sooner, before the loss of many innocent lives. The young successor to One For All understood that once everything ended, he would be not only Quirkless but also close to death, as he was aware that his time was running short.
With that, Izuku knew there wasn't much time to begin with since he only had a few minutes to speak with the Vestiges.
Yoichi knew he needed to get his point across quickly, knowing this would be the last time he would see Izuku after the transfer. "Ninth, we don't have time to talk, so we must make this quick."
"I understand, Yoichi-san," Izuku voiced, knowing this was only a matter of time before he was gone. "So… this is it. After this, All For One will die, along with One For All disappearing forever as well."
The first inheritor of One For All nodded, confirming his answer. "Indeed, Ninth, One For All, and All For One will be gone for eternity, and my brother won't be around to hurt people, further abusing his quirk for pragmatic reasons," Yoichi's voice resonated with a calm authority as he laid out the stark reality before them. Izuku nodded, fully grasping the weight of the villain's actions and the inevitable fallout that would follow.
Yeah, that's what he thought.
"So this really is it," Izuku muttered, realizing these were his last moments in life. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to keep the spirit of One For All alive."
Yoichi shook his head sideways. "No, this was not your fault, Ninth; it was my brother's. He was the one who manipulated Seventh's grandson into doing his bidding. It wasn't until you convinced him to change for the better, even if you had to take drastic measures, that you stopped him in the end." The first One For All user advised, reminding Izuku that his efforts were not in vain.
"So… what's going to happen? Will I lose One For All forever?" Izuku inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of hope.
It couldn't be. After everything that had occurred, with Izuku mastering the Quirk and claiming it as his own, he would ultimately lose it, albeit for a noble cause. Nevertheless, he found it hard to accept that this would mark the end of wielding the power granted to him.
Yoichi wore a solemn expression, aware of the thoughts preoccupying Izuku. "Only the Quirk itself; you will only have the remaining embers of the Quirk. That means you will lose connections with us since One For All will be destroyed for eternity."
"But… I'll be dead," Izuku reminded morbidly. "The only reason why I'm even alive is because I'm talking with you guys in the mindscape. Once this conversation, I… I won't be around anymore."
Tears streamed from Nana's eyes as she was overwhelmed with sadness by Izuku's tragic destiny. It mirrored the fate of her grandson; yet again, another young life was on the brink of being lost, and she was powerless to prevent it.
"We're sorry, Ninth! You didn't need to go through this!" Nana cried, feeling sorry for the young successor.
Izuku's smile was fleeting, a silent acknowledgment of the destiny he had embraced. "It's okay. Sometimes, you can't save everyone," the young hero-in-training said with no regrets.
"Goodbye, Ninth. You were the best of us all. You have made all of us proud for avenging each of our legacies, " Yoichi stated, acknowledging Izuku as the final inheritor of One For All.
Izuku smiled, feeling grateful to be part of this journey, to be part of a legacy more extraordinary than he had initially anticipated.
"Goodbye, everyone; I won't forget you." Izuku looked at all of the Vestiges, and he could feel the embers of One For All fading away.
With that, Izuku closed his eyes and welcomed the cold embrace of death. He understood this was his end, having accepted his fate from the beginning.
Everything went silent, the entire mindscape disappearing as each of the Vestiges began to vanish. The whole Quirk transfer was complete as Izuku saw nothing but white across the empty void.
Emptiness.
There was nothing but emptiness.
Is this what death felt like?
It felt quiet, yet peaceful, all at once.
Suddenly, Izuku heard nothing but a voice call out to him, surprising the final inheritor, knowing that this was a big surprise for him.
"This is not over for you."
Izuku blinked in surprise, his head turning rapidly. He tried to locate the voice around him, but to his astonishment, no one was there.
"Who said that?!" Izuku questioned frantically, attempting to find the voice.
"Your adventure is not over yet, Izuku Midoriya," the voice repeated, causing Izuku to look in wonder. He began to ponder who was talking to him.
Adventure? What adventure? What or who was saying that? What did they mean by that?
"Wh-Who are you? What are you?" Izuku questioned frantically, still searching for the source of the voice speaking out to him, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"You can be a hero still. With or without a quirk, but on this occasion, you will be given access to your original powers or Quirk, as you called it before."
His… power? Wait, was the voice perhaps referring to One For All? Did that mean-?
"Quirk?" Izuku questioned, gaining hope all of a sudden. Would he still have One For All? His eyes sparkled with a puppy-like sense of emerging hope. "Yo-You mean I can still use One For All?" He hoped that was the case.
Did that mean he could still be a hero? Was that dream still eligible to happen? These were questions that Izuku wanted to know so badly. He knew this had to be it.
"Yes, your adventure is not over yet, but it has simply begun. You are needed somewhere." The voice continued to inform.
What did the voice mean by that? Izuku became confused by those words. They didn't make sense to him, but of course, they were somewhat understanding. Izuku knew that he wouldn't see his loved ones anymore, no more classes at UA, no more lunch with his friends, no more having an everyday life after the war.
This would be a different change in Izuku's life, whether it was for the worst or best for him.
"What do you mean? Where, exactly? What adventure are you even talking about?" Izuku asked.
"It is a world where you are to help others with your gifts—a world where you can prove to be prominent with your work, to be a champion of sorts." The voice spoke with evident pride.
"Champion? Another world? So, there's more than one world out there?" Izuku asked, his eyes widening with a look of interest.
"Yes, another world where you won't be the only hero out there. Other heroes with special gifts, such as yourself."
Izuku suddenly became intrigued by that statement. Other heroes? Other heroes existed in this world? So… would this so-called world be like his? Did quirks even exist in this world?
"Other heroes? So there will be other heroes here?" Izuku asked, wondering if that was the case.
"Yes, you will not be the only one here. But be warned: With many heroes, there will come many villains—villains that will be more deadly than the ones you originally faced in your world." The voice warned with concern as Izuku looked in confusion, wondering what the case was.
Villains? More Deadly? Are the villains in this world even deadlier than those in his old world? Are they worse than All For One? If so, what more could Izuku expect from this new reality? What challenges lie ahead for him? Regardless, Izuku understood that being a hero came with positives and negatives. It was his calling, after all.
"I do not have time, but remember this, Izuku Midoriya: you won't be the only one in your journey. This is only the beginning of your odyssey."
Izuku wasn't done at this moment. "Wait! I still have more questions! Who are they? What heroes? What villains? Where am I going, exactly? What do I have to do?" the young inheritor of One For All continued to ask questions frantically.
"What you did before, but you will control your destiny this time." The voice concluded ambiguously as Izuku pondered those mysterious words, realizing there was a deeper reason for this occurrence.
Once the voice had faded from the empty void, Izuku saw nothing but a blinding white light as the intense glow obscured his sight, and the void started to vanish entirely.
So, Izuku Midoriya disappeared into the void, gradually accepting his destiny.
"Ugh…"
His head was in shambles.
His arms were sore, and he felt like he could black out again at any second. He should be dead, but he wasn't. He needed to wake up and see what had happened to him.
As Izuku slowly opened his eyes, he was greeted by yet another bright, white light, and it dawned on him where he was—the young inheritor of One For All.
A bed.
He blinked.
Izuku slowly rose from where he had been lying, feeling sore.
Another thing he noticed was that he was dressed in a gown with an IV attached to his right arm. Izuku was shocked as he tried to piece together where he might be. It couldn't be, but he realized he was in a hospital, recognizing the typical surroundings of such a place.
The green-haired teenager cautiously moved his limbs, stretching his legs and arms. As he glanced at his arms, his green eyes widened in surprise at an unforeseen sight.
His scars had vanished. His hands were now in pristine condition.
But how could he be in good condition? It seemed impossible. Hell, by all accounts, Izuku shouldn't have been alive at that moment. The young hero-in-training was astounded that this could be reality.
As Izuku pondered his predicament, a voice unexpectedly addressed him in a language he did not anticipate hearing.
"Oh! You're awake!" The feminine voice turned out to be a woman with blonde hair, dressed in a nurse uniform, who slowly walked over to the green-haired teen, who looked curious. "Thank God you were unconscious when we found your body outside the building."
This confirms it: he was indeed in a hospital. And wait, did that woman speak English to him?
Why English all of a sudden? Unless… was Izuku located somewhere else? It wasn't making sense to him in the slightest.
Fortunately for him, Izuku understood the language perfectly, thanks to his classes at UA and watching English lesson videos with All Might on the internet.
Yes, don't ask.
Anyway, Izuku needed to know a few things, such as where he was.
"Wh-Where am I?" Izuku asked in fluent English.
"You're in Gotham General Hospital, young man. Luckily, you were in good condition when we found you outside. Especially knowing what kind of place Gotham City is, you were lucky to be found before anything bad could happen to you, " the nurse said with sincereness.
Gotham City? That was unfamiliar to Izuku. It sounded… foreign as the best way to describe it.
It didn't sound Japanese. So… did that mean Izuku wasn't in Japan? In a different country? Could it be in America, perhaps? That would explain why this pleasant woman spoke in English, after all. So it was true then. Izuku had to be in a different world.
No, there had to be more than that. Izuku needed to be sure, just in case.
"Excuse me, Miss?" Izuku inquired politely. This might sound… odd, but can you tell what city this state is in?" he asked again politely.
"Gotham City is in New Jersey." The nurse answered as Izuku raised a brow in suspicion.
No, this had to be a dream. Right? Once again, Izuku wanted to make sure.
"In New… Jersey? That's in America, right?" Izuku further inquired.
The nurse nodded, though a bit dubious. "Right, indeed. In America. Are you alright, young man?"
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Izuku let out, allowing his thoughts to keep him company.
Unbelievable. He was in America. In the United Freaking States of America.
'So I'm not in Japan anymore. Am I really in a different world?' Izuku speculates to himself.
"Young man, are you sure you're feeling well? If you would like, would you like to get some water? Anything to drink?" the nurse asked kindly, and Izuku slowly shook his head sideways in response.
"No, thank you." Izuku declined politely. The green-haired teenager attempted to open his mouth, only to cut himself off as another question entered his mind. He wonders… "Excuse me, Miss, this might sound random, but can you tell what year this is?" he inquired.
"The year? It's May 20, 2012." The nurse answered sincerely.
'2012?!' Izuku thought in shock. His skin became pale as that morbid realization came to life. So this was real. Not only was he in a different country and city, but in a different time, far away from the era of Quirks. But wait. If Izuku was far from that era, how did superheroes even exist here? What were the heroes, anyway?
Izuku remembers the voice telling him about the different worlds of different heroes, but something needs to be clarified. Surprisingly, this is not the strangest thing to Izuku since he does live in a strange world. That begs the question: What did this version of Japan do? Did Quirks even exist here?
Izuku needed to be sure, so another question was brought to the table.
"I see. I have another question for you, Miss." Izuku said, gaining the attention of the blond-haired nurse. "Do you know what a Quirk is?"
The nurse tilted her head, a look of puzzlement crossing her face as she tried to decipher the meaning behind the green-haired teenager's words. "Quirk? What do you mean by that? Some particular habit of mine or something?"
Drats! That was not a good sign.
Izuku shook his head from side to side. "Never mind, it's nothing. I'm just tired… that is all," he confessed.
"Oh, I see. Then, I'll let you get some rest, Young Man. Speaking of which, what's your name?" The nurse asked politely.
"Izuku. My name is Izuku Midoriya." Izuku politely introduced himself.
"Izu-Izuku." The nurse stuttered before pronouncing correctly. "It's nice to meet you, Izuku. Is this your first time in the United States?"
In a way, he supposes, if you don't count being stuck in a different world.
"Ye-yeah, you could say that," Izuku chuckled a bit.
"Well, that's nice to hear. It's a shame it had to be this city of all places."
The subject piqued Izuku's curiosity; he recalled the nurse mentioning that Gotham City was a place where terrible things could happen. The nurse's kind voice interrupted his thought before he could ask another question.
"Well, I'll let you get some rest then, Izuku. Is there anything I could get you? Warm blankets? Water?" she inquired, well.
Izuku answered politely. "Yeah, water's good. Thank you, Miss," he politely thanked the nurse, who was content with Izuku's manners.
The nurse nodded. "No problem; by the way, we took the liberty of removing your clothes and placing them in a small bag. It should be on the left side of where your bed is facing," she informed the green-haired teen, who looked at the other side of the room, seeing the small bag with his clothes inside.
"Thank you, Miss." Izuku showed his appreciation once again. The nurse nodded happily before closing the door, leaving the green-haired teenager alone in the room.
At that instant, Izuku carefully detached the IV and cast aside the blanket, exposing his hospital gown. Placing his feet on the floor, he proceeded to walk, taking tentative steps as he was still somewhat weak from his recent awakening.
Okay, get a grip.
Izuku was aware that he should take it easy, yet he couldn't linger any longer. After the green-haired teen steadied himself, he made his way to the small bag. Holding it, Izuku observed that it contained many of his old belongings, including his torn hero costume, yellow scarf, and signature red sneakers.
Izuku sighed, aware that this was his final memento to evoke the memories of his former home. After securing what he needed, he approached the closed door and opened it.
Shit, no good.
The building was swarming with doctors and nurses. How could Izuku possibly find an escape from this place?
As the voice had told him, Izuku still had his uses, his gifts, as far as he could remember.
He wonders if it was an excellent time to test something out.
Gently shutting the door and turning away, Izuku went to the closed window. As the green-haired teenager opened it, he realized he was high up in the building. Below him, bright lights and speeding cars filled the streets; above, the night sky was dark and brooding, shrouded in a constant overcast.
In a way, this city… looked captivating, almost like something out of a comic book.
With the small bag that contained his gear and clothes, Izuku braced for what was coming.
'Blackwhip!'
A black tendril sprouted from Izuku's right hand. He sensed the resurgence of Daigoro's Quirk as the tendril reached out to a nearby statue. Seizing the moment, Izuku leaped and swung from the window, drawing closer to the statue. Having tested what he needed, Izuku could now ease into the comfort of knowing his powers remained with him.
"Float!"
Harnessing Nana's Quirk, Izuku started to soar at incredible speeds, propelled by the high momentum from Banjo-san's Quirk. It felt like he was navigating through space, courtesy of the Quirk's zero-gravity effect.
After locating an empty rooftop, the green-haired hero, Izuku, landed safely, marking the successful test of his Quirk.
Alright, not too shabby.
Izuku surveyed his surroundings, trying to orient himself. Abruptly, a chill swept over him, and the young successor of One For All wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing them in an attempt to generate warmth.
Kami, Izuku hadn't anticipated the chill of the city's weather. The fact that he was clad only in a hospital gown didn't help matters. Rummaging through the bag, he found Gran Torino's yellow scarf, still in decent shape as before. However, his hero costume was another story; it lay in tatters, resembling a worn-out green rag, clearly not in any condition for Izuku to wear.
Which begs the question, what was Izuku going to wear?
The fledgling hero exhaled deeply, aware that the task ahead might be time-consuming.
It seemed it wasn't going to be easy for him at all.
A Few Minutes Later
Well, it wasn't easy, but it was something.
Guided by directions from pedestrians and civilians, the green-haired teenager made his way to a clothing donation center. Despite receiving odd looks due to his somewhat unusual appearance—a challenge in itself—Izuku successfully found what he had been searching for.
To blend in and deflect any lingering doubts, he swapped out his formal attire for something more laid-back and relaxed.
Izuku strolled through the streets of Gotham City, clad in a green hoodie over his curly hair, dark blue cargo pants, Gran Torino's yellow scarf, and the usual red sneakers. He pondered his next move. Although he felt guilty for acquiring his attire from a donation center, he understood that remaining inconspicuous was crucial. Being spotted in a hospital gown would undoubtedly attract the wrong kind of attention.
Alright, this was one step complete.
Izuku faced numerous choices, yet he was still determining the right one. The young successor found himself not just in a foreign city but in an entirely different world, a distinct universe altogether if that was the case. He tried reaching out to any of the Vestiges from before, but no guidance came, not a single word.
Zip, zilch, zero, nada.
What did that signify? Was Izuku the sole possessor of the Quirk? He recalled the Vestiges' words, indicating he could no longer reach them, and the other voice's proclamation that One For All would belong to him eternally.
What did that imply? Had Izuku been somehow reborn in this world? The notion baffled the Ninth inheritor of One For All.
He wished Yoichi, Nana, Banjo, and the rest of the Vestiges were here.
He could use their guidance, especially All Might's. He realized that the connection to communicate with the other Vestiges had disappeared, leaving him as the sole individual with access to the stockpile quirk once more. A sullen expression appeared on Izuku's face, realizing he wouldn't be able to see his loved ones again.
His friends from Class 1-A. Uraraka, Todoroki, Iida, Kacchan.
His teachers and mentors. Aizawa-sensei, Present Mic, Gran Torino, Sir Nighteye, Mirio-san.
His mother.
Eri.
All Might.
They were gone, and Izuku knew he would never see them again, so he resigned to the place he had been sent. Acknowledging this reality, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, recalling the last moments spent with his loved ones. Tears threatened to well up in the green-haired teenager's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Izuku would not cry, not this time. He knew that he had to be brave in a situation like this; after all, he was a hero, and he needed to conduct himself as one.
Simultaneously, Izuku felt a sense of happiness for them, knowing his classmates and friends were destined to become esteemed heroes. His selfless deeds ensured their safety and well-being. The last time he saw them, he recognized their fierce determination to fight for peace and to restore him so they could all pursue the dreams and ambitions that led them to UA Academy.
With a sigh, Izuku realized he couldn't linger on what had passed. He was present, yet utterly uncertain of his next move. However, he did recall the voice that had addressed him following his last interaction with the Vestiges of One For All.
His adventure was far from over.
Perhaps people needed him or something along those lines. But why?
Why him?
Izuku was open to helping others, but he questioned what action he could take.
Why not opt for a pro-hero such as Hawks, Best Jeanist, or Kamui Woods? Hell, All Might would seem a more suitable choice at this juncture. What was the predicament that necessitated his involvement to such an extent?
Izuku was overthinking this. Maybe… Maybe… just perhaps, his work was not done yet.
'All Might, what would you do in this situation?' Izuku thought with a solemn expression. He needed a sign, something. Anything that will aid him on this occasion.
Suddenly, Izuku felt a strange sensation in his head, as if something had shifted.
'Danger Sense!'
Engrossed in his thoughts, Izuku was jolted back to reality by the blare of a siren. He observed a procession of police cars speeding down the street, a clear sign that trouble was brewing just around the corner.
Izuku looked in curiosity as he wondered: Was that a sign right there? If that is the case, he felt compelled to spring into action, as his sense of heroism was taking over.
Hero complexity ran deep in Izuku's veins, a vital thread woven into the very fabric of his character. He understood that this complexity, this intricate dance of strengths and vulnerabilities, would remain by his side in this defining moment.
Izuku appeared prepared to proceed traditionally, wrapping his yellow scarf around his neck and ensuring his green hoodie covered his head.
Perhaps his role was not over yet.
In the nights of Gotham City, the streets grew increasingly unsafe, particularly after dusk.
The cars continued to drive to their next destination to locate a dangerous criminal in the city. The Gotham Police were up to their necks attempting to track him down; it doesn't help that a robbery slash gang war was happening almost simultaneously around the same time.
Once the police cars arrived at Gotham Bank, a man in a detective uniform stepped out of the vehicle and looked around to see what the big deal was.
James Gordon knew this was going to be a long night, after all.
"Commissioner." One of the officers greeted Gordon, looking glad to see him.
Gordon approached the officer with a severe expression. "Officer Johnson, what seems to be the problem here?" he questioned.
"Sir, Gotham Bank has hostages held up. It's been nearly twenty minutes since the incident happened," he answered.
Shit, so just like that, more of the usual business has happened yet again in Gotham.
"So, who is it this time? The Joker? Two-Face?" Gordon asked, concerned.
"Black Mask, sir." The officer answered as Jim became confused by that statement.
Gordon needed clarification. "Black Mask? I thought he was still held up in Arkham Asylum."
The officer shook his head sideways. "No, sir. The son of a bitch broke out two days ago. Started another gang war just recently; the streets of Gotham have been hectic since then."
When have they not? This is Gotham City. The streets were always filled with crime.
"Tch, figures," Gordon said, not surprised at the commotion as he pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing it was true.
If it wasn't Penguin or some other mob boss, it was Black Mask. Though, on a minor bright side, it wasn't The Joker they were dealing with.
"Alright, the best we can do is figure out a way to delay the situation and have your guys line up with the other station's guys. That way, those bastards won't know what hit them." Gordon stated.
"Yes, sir! We could wait for Batman to arrive in case of backup!" Another officer suggested strongly.
Gordon narrowed his eyes at the officer, wishing it were that simple. "If he's not busy, then maybe. For now, alert all units to be on the initiative. It's going to be a long night from here!"
Shit, where was Batman? Was there any other gallery that Batman was dealing with at the moment?
Gordon exhaled deeply, aware of the formidable challenge before him. Gotham City teemed with criminals and miscreants, a blighted land where peace appeared as a far-off fantasy. It fell upon a solitary figure, battling insurmountable odds to restore order from the clutches of chaos. Thus, it could be a while before Gotham City witnesses its era of serenity.
That was if it was a possible goal.
Gordon started with little; his wife had died a few years prior, killed by the maniacal Joker, the same bastard who had terrorized Gotham for years. As for his son, his whereabouts were unknown since he was last in touch, dealing with personal issues.
The sole remaining member of his family was his daughter, Barbara, and frankly, Jim Gordon couldn't fathom what he would do if something dreadful befell her. He knew he would never be able to forgive himself if such a thing occurred.
Gordon closed his eyes out of stress, knowing that he was overthinking.
Once Gordon had a moment to himself, he noticed something peculiar in the night sky over Gotham. Beneath his glasses, a green blur seemed to be moving towards the rooftops of Gotham Bank—an unusual sight indeed.
What the hell?
Alright, he still had it.
A confident smirk spread across Izuku's face as he reveled in the power of his stockpile quirk. The raw energy surged around his body, fueling his veins with electricity. This exhilarating experience was even more special on this particular occasion, and he enjoyed every moment of it.
Izuku recognized Full Cowling as a valuable traversal technique. He was grateful to Gran Torino, whose guidance had been crucial in mastering better control over One For All. If only the old man could see him this time.
As Izuku landed on the rooftop, he quickly grasped the situation. Such scenarios were not unfamiliar to him.
The former UA student could tell from the multitude of police cars encircling the building that the authorities were handling a hostage situation. Izuku was aware that such incidents were commonplace in his original world, but not so much in this one. The scarcity of pro-heroes, primarily due to the absence of quirks, often left such problems unchecked. However, Izuku noted that, at this moment, there were no heroes on the scene.
This left only him. Ordinarily, if this were the time when Izuku was merely a quirkless middle-school student without a license, he would have deferred to the pro-heroes. However, this world was unlike his own. Izuku understood that he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. It was time to test his abilities once more.
From his vantage point on the rooftop, Izuku observed through one of the windows that the situation was an armed robbery with hostages involved. He could see several gunmen holding the hostages at gunpoint, which meant he had to act cautiously to prevent any harm to the innocents if he didn't intervene.
Izuku couldn't ascertain the total number of robbers inside the building, reasoning that there must be additional ones prepared to rob a bank. However, from his vantage point at the window, he could see twelve men and fifteen hostages. This indicated a higher likelihood of casualties should Izuku fail to act swiftly.
Fortunately, Izuku observed that the bank was more extensive than he was accustomed to, which meant he had to work harder to utilize his Quirk effectively. Utilizing One For All at 5% or even 10% would suffice to accomplish the task. He recalled the hero rescue training from his classes, which would prepare him for any potential hostage scenarios that would be beneficial in the field.
Peering out the window, Izuku spotted a man donning a black skull mask. He deduced this man was the leader, as he was the only one with such a distinctive mask, while his accomplices wore standard ski masks. This meant Izuku had to act fast and neutralize him before he had the opportunity to respond.
'Alright, I need to plan this out more carefully. I can't go through the front entrance, considering that would cause a commotion, so I would have to go either through the back entrance or through the window from the rooftop.' The former UA student continued to strategize, realizing the other entrances that the armed men were guarding of the bank. 'Any of the robbers, if they have some shred of incompetence, could allow me to go through past them, allowing me to take them out one by one. I can probably use enough kinetic energy from Fa Jin to enhance my speed before they even realize it.' Izuku began to strategize his next moments.
Alright, this was enough to understand. Let's hope he wouldn't get caught if vigilantism were illegal in this world.
Okay, let's do this!
Hmph, what do you know? Batman is not arriving at this moment.
Black Mask suppressed a chuckle, sensing that he might, for once, escape this predicament. For once, things were finally going his way.
One of the hostages, who turned out to be a bank teller working there, turned to face the gang figure. "Ba-Batman will be here! He will stop you!"
"Ooh! Is that right? Well, guess what? Batman ain't here." Black Mask let out, chuckling before using the edge of his gun to hit the bank teller over the head. The edge of his weapon smeared small amounts of blood as other hostages began to scream.
"Is that what you want? You want to end up like this wise guy here?" Black Mask questioned, threatening all the hostages in the building as he began to point his gun at the rest of the civilians.
Heh, that's what he thought.
His crew started to encircle more hostages, each seizing portions of the money from the vault after detonating it with C4 explosives. Black Mask couldn't help but further chuckle to himself.
Black Mask, or rather, Roman Sonios, watched in amusement as, for once, he wanted a win to happen this time. His empire in the criminal world would rise again; other criminals would start to fear him as well. For once, he would be in the big leagues this time.
Him.
Not The Penguin.
Not Two-Face.
Especially not that damn clown, The Joker.
Fucking freak. If Roman had to be honest with himself, he wouldn't mind if something terrible happened to that lunatic; if not, then Black Mask wouldn't mind but to cap him himself.
Engrossed in his thoughts, Black Mask was abruptly snapped back to reality by the sound of a window breaking. He whirled around to locate the cause of the commotion. Rather than a discernible threat, the first thing he saw through his mask was a green streak hurtling towards him, landing a punch squarely on his face before he could react or reach for his weapon.
What… the hell?!
Alright!
Now, he was getting somewhere.
Izuku made a sudden leap through the window. Employing Fa Jin, he swiftly incapacitated three of the men and a fourth one. The man in the black mask—by landing a punch before the man could even register Izuku's presence in the bank.
"Shit! Is that Batman?!" One thug questioned in shock.
"It can't be! He's not even wearing a costume! How did he even find us!"
"Who cares?! Waste him!"
Whoa, Izuku understood that. That means he needed to get a move on.
The robbers opened fire on the vigilante garbed in green, and Izuku activated Full Cowling at 8%, effortlessly evading every bullet. To the astonishment of all, his movement was so swift it seemed instantaneous, a speed not even the famed vigilante Batman was known to achieve.
'Blackwhip!'
Two black tendrils burst from Izuku's right hand, trapping two armed men. With a forceful pull, Izuku brought them crashing into another pair, rendering all four unconscious upon impact. Izuku surveyed the scene; he had neutralized eight of the assailants without any casualties—a commendable feat. Now, he needed to subdue the remaining adversaries without complications.
'Danger Sense!'
Surrounded by the crackling energy of One For All, Izuku leaped aside, evading a barrage of bullets. Mid-air, he swiftly employed Blackwhip to snatch the firearm from the assailant. Landing deftly, Izuku delivered a swift punch to the goon who had fired at him, knocking him out with a single blow and sending him hurtling toward an unoccupied desk.
As the final three bank robbers spotted Izuku on the ground, they seized the chance to try and hinder the green-clad vigilante. However, it was not going to be an easy feat. Izuku's Danger Sense activated, alerting him to the imminent threat. He sprinted, evading a hail of bullets, and then executed a straightforward Detroit Smash, shattering the nose of one assailant amidst a loud crack and a howl of pain. But that wasn't all; using Blackwhip, Izuku ensnared the remaining two robbers, drawing them towards him. With a swift lift of his right leg, he delivered a powerful kick to their faces, rendering both men unconscious from the force of Izuku's relentless assault.
Although Izuku was generally averse to employing violence and full force against another person, he recognized that there was no time for restraint in this situation. With people's lives at stake, Izuku understood that he could not afford to hold back; he needed to act swiftly and decisively.
As Izuku surveyed the scene, he saw that all the hostages were unharmed, and the armed assailants lay on the ground, unconscious, having sustained fractures on their hands. However, this was not to imply that they had deserved such a fate.
Before Izuku had the chance to inquire about everyone's safety, the click of a gun halted him. Whirling around to locate the source of the sound, he was met with a shocking sight: the same man in the black mask from before was holding a dark-haired woman and her child hostage.
Izuku clenched his jaw in fury. As a dedicated UA student and a former hero-in-training, he found violence against the innocent, especially children, utterly intolerable. This was precisely why Izuku could never pardon someone like Overhaul, especially after the atrocities committed against Eri. In Izuku's eyes, there was no chance for redemption for such a villain.
"Don't move." The man in the black mask spoke calmly, yet his voice carried a hint of rage. "If you move, I will kill this damn broad and kid if you dare make a move," he threatened as his gun moved closer to the woman's head, who began to plead for her life, causing Izuku to be enraged by the man's heartless actions.
Of course, that was how a villain negotiated things.
"Here's what's going to happen." The man in the black mask said before continuing. "You will get down on the ground; I'm going to continue to collect the rest of the money with your help. After this, I will send a message to the police, saying that it was some psychopath who came and shot up my men. After all, you show yourself to be a promising stranger. What do you say, that once you help me collect the money, I can offer you a job to come and work with me? Does that sound good, or do you want this bitch's life to be in your hands?" He continued to propose while Izuku remained silent, aware that one wrong move could forever alter this innocent woman's life.
Izuku knew he could not permit that to transpire. Not while he was present; he would not allow death to occur at this moment.
"Come on, make a choice, hero." Black Mask urged, his gun not leaving the trigger, as this was a situation between life and death.
Izuku was aware that the man was merely stalling, but the reason remained unclear. Despite having subdued most, if not all, of his adversaries, Izuku understood that time was of the essence, especially with another innocent life hanging in the balance.
So Izuku finally spoke. "...alright."
Black Mask smiled underneath his mask. "Heh, that's what I thought." He sneered, keeping his gun firmly aimed at the woman's head. "Alright, then, go over to the vault and collect the money. After this, we'll talk about your position in my business."
As Izuku made his way to the vault, he knew he had to pick the perfect moment to act. His plan was set into motion when he spotted a small stack of dollars near the vault. Seizing the opportunity, Izuku crouched by the vault and started collecting the cash while the man in the black mask observed with a hint of amusement.
While this unfolded, Izuku gradually accumulated kinetic energy in his right hand, seizing a small chunk of concrete, remnants from the vault's blast. Holding the concrete fragment, he started to energize it with Fa Jin, readying himself for the subsequent action.
In a swift motion, Izuku spun around and utilized Fa Jin to hurl a block at the face of the man in the black mask, forcing him to release the hostage and her child and allowing Izuku to act quickly. In a subsequent rapid move, Izuku employed another burst of Fa Jin to reach the assailant, seizing the man's arm. As Izuku twisted it, the man dropped the gun, which hit the ground unfired, and he screamed in agony; a gruesome crunch echoed.
To complete the task, Izuku delivered a Detroit Smash punch, almost breaking the black mask as the man wearing it fell unconscious, subdued by Izuku's restrained ferocity.
And just like that, Izuku knew that was the end of the job.
Turning to see the hostage and her child safe and sound, Izuku smiled, content with a job well done.
Well, not entirely. He still had one more thing to do.
"Hey, excuse me, Miss," Izuku said politely, calling the attention of the woman he had just saved. "Are you alright?" he asked concernedly.
"Ye-Yes, thanks to you," the woman thanked out of gratitude.
Izuku smiled in relief. "That's good. The police should be outside. I'm sure they can handle this from here. I already finished what I needed to do." The young vigilante spoke with satisfaction as Izuku started to activate Full Cowl, getting ready to take his leave.
But before he could, a voice called out to him. "Wait!" Izuku halted, realizing the woman he had rescued moments earlier was calling out to him.
"Wh-Who are you?"The woman asked, curious about the vigilante's actions.
Before Izuku had the chance to reply, the voice of the innocent child he had rescued, along with the child's mother, interrupted him. "Are you with Batman?" The child asked innocently as Izuku stared in mild confusion and curiosity.
Batman? Hold on, could that be one of the heroes in this world?
Izuku dismissed it, recognizing the need to focus on pressing matters. Meanwhile, he observed the child's expression, filled with innocent curiosity, as the youngster wondered about his identity.
Izuku couldn't help but smile beneath his yellow scarf, charmed by the child's innocent aura. "No, kid, I'm… just a guy who was at the wrong place at the right time," Izuku answered vaguely before turning his attention to the mother, who looked in marvel. "Get yourself and your kid to safety. Tell the police that the situation has been handled."
With that action, Izuku engaged Full Cowling at 10% and sprang from the window he had entered through, leaving the crowd he had just saved in a state of wonder.
Well… that was something.
"Wait… are you seeing this, Commissioner?" one of the police officers asked, gaining the commissioner's interest.
Gordon knew what his officer was talking about, but even still, his eyes widened at the next sight.
The hostages.
Were they freed?
He observed the hostages emerging from the bank, alive and unharmed by the incident. Gordon was both shocked and relieved. No one was injured or killed; thank God for that, at least.
But how? How or what did this?
Gordon was not opposed to it; he was pleased to see that these innocent people had survived, yet he pondered, in God's name, how they managed to do so. It-it couldn't have been Batman. Batman would have been the first to let him know. So who was it? A random vigilante?
If that was the situation, then Gordon understood that he would have more responsibilities than before. His interest in the matter was piqued. A more extensive investigation was on the horizon than he had initially thought.
Gordon sighed to himself. Looks like this is going to be a long night. Guess I'm not coming home on time, Barbara.'
Of course, this was what Jim Gordon signed up for. That's life in Gotham for him.
Gordon knew one thing for sure: Batman would not be happy to discover that someone had recently intruded upon his territory.
Yeah… that was one conversation he was not looking forward to.
It's going to be a long night for him, after all.
It took a while, but he managed to get through it.
Landing on top of an empty rooftop, Izuku removed his green hoodie and slowly removed the yellow scarf as he relaxed for a bit.
Man, Izuku didn't want to admit it, but it felt good to be using One For All once again without the limits and backlashes of the stockpiling quirk. He had already learned from his past expressions.
Nevertheless, he was relieved that everything unfolded as planned. He dashed in, overpowered all the henchmen and their leader, freed the hostages, and departed without leaving a trace for the police to follow. It wasn't that Izuku mistrusted the authorities. Still, he couldn't afford the risk of being detained for questioning, mainly since he was unfamiliar with the legal system in this city, let alone this world.
Understandably, Izuku was intrigued by one question: the identity of Batman and the true heroes in society.
From the innocent child's words, he remembered that this Batman, as mentioned by the henchmen of the man in the black mask, was deemed the so-called protector of the city. Izuku was intrigued by the fact that in his world, at least, there was no hero known as Batman.
It could not be. He could not be the only hero present. There had to be others. The more Izuku pondered the situation, the more intrigued he became, his fanboyish side emerging momentarily.
Remaining composed, Izuku understood the necessity of maintaining his composure, even if it was heartening to witness glimpses of his former self emerging, albeit briefly.
Izuku longed for his phone to Google these heroes. He sighed, dismissing the concern; a nearby library's computer would suffice. Honestly, Izuku was curious about these heroes—without quirks, how did heroism manifest here? It seemed he had a new objective to pursue.
Ensuring he was unobserved, Izuku employed Float to descend securely into an alleyway. He then proceeded down a street in Gotham City, searching for a place to spend the night. The dilemma, however, was how he would manage this without any money.
Once again, another problem presents itself.
As Izuku walked on, his gaze was drawn to a television in a store window. The digital newsletter flashing across the screen captured the young vigilante's focus, and his eyes narrowed and then widened in response.
New Hero or Vigilante in Gotham?
"Breaking news: Gotham City Bank was stormed by Black Mask's henchmen, resulting in a bank riot and hostages being taken. In a fortunate turn of events, before the situation worsened, a man clad in a green sweater and dark jeans intervened. He managed to subdue the situation, overpowering all the armed assailants, including Black Mask, and rescued the hostages."
Izuku might have expected to be shocked, but he wasn't, given his recent act of vigilantism. Beneath the headline was a photograph of him wearing a green hoodie, with his face partially obscured by Gran Torino's yellow scarf and dark jeans from the donation center as he subdued the armed assailants and freed the hostages in the bank. Izuku deduced that the bank's security cameras had probably snapped the picture.
Of course, what else would it be?
"The authorities have apprehended Black Mask, who is currently en route to Arkham Asylum. There's speculation that this vigilante may be allied with Batman, although no confirmation has been made. Commissioner Gordon and the Gotham Police are actively searching for this vigilante's location. Gotham might have a new hero, should he be an ally of Batman. It seems the city's criminals now have more than one vigilante to fear. Tune in for more details at 11 PM."
Damn it.
The first thing Izuku needed to do was keep a low profile, but due to his hero complexity, he just had to be the bigger man here.
Izuku sighed, aware that this was turning out to be anything but a good beginning.
His circumstances have remained the same. The fortune—or lack thereof—from his former world was beginning to affect him. Izuku was aware of the challenges he was facing, yet he was ready to confront them, even in solitude for now.
Izuku Midoriya was prepared to face whatever destiny awaited him next.
AN: Hello, Everyone! I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter of my MHA/DC fic!
Special thanks go to Meraj Alimi (King 101) for beta-reading this chapter!
So, bet you weren't expecting a DC fic from me. This actually has been on my mind for a while, but I wasn't sure what to crossover it until MHA ended last year, and I wanted more respect for Izuku/Deku; thus, this story was made!
For people and readers wondering, yes, this is a post-Final War Izuku, and he will have One For All throughout the story; there is no BS removal of his Quirk and strings attached to it; the Quirk is pretty much in his hands since I wasn't a fan of the MHA ending in the first place due to that sole reason.
Also, don't expect Izuku to join the league quickly or come in contact with other heroes since he is in a different world filled with various heroes, including villains. He isn't sure who to trust yet, especially since this is Gotham, after all, which will be the first arc in the first couple of chapters of this story!
Overall, I hope this is a strong start to the story, particularly as an original take on an MHA/DC crossover. Most routes involve Izuku being born with Superman or Flash's powers or being trained by Batman as a Quirkless vigilante. This approach will be unique in this context. Speaking of Batman, he and Izuku will not be on good terms at the beginning of the story, especially since another unknown vigilante is patrolling "his city." There are plans for a particular vigilante who might take the mantle of being the mentor for Izuku A.K.A., a certain red-masked vigilante with a different moral compass than Batman.
Feel free to PM me on FFN and follow me on various Discord Servers if you ever feel like chatting or want to catch up on updates for any future fics and chapters I plan to release soon!
Links for Discord Servers I'm currently in:
Code for Emerald Library- gg/elibrary
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Code for Yagami- /Rb4kNPEKQm
Code for Berserker Jeanne- /bmRdfHFGa
Please leave a review, follow, and favorite this story! No flames, but constructive criticism is always welcome!
With that, stay safe, stay awesome, and enjoy the rest of your year in good health with your loved ones! Adios!