Payback (Hiatus)

Chapter 18 (EDITED)

Edited: 25 October 2023

Izuku was lost in thought during the class, contemplating who he should recruit. Among his former friends, a select few exhibited the potential to become vigilantes. He carefully compiled a list of their names, hoping that he could successfully persuade them to join his cause.

As he gazed at the names on the list, Izuku let out a sigh. Todoroki, Uraraka, Shinso, and Monoma were among those individuals who had distanced themselves from him following the revelation about his father. However, they hadn't actively participated in the bullying; they'd chosen to remain uninvolved and ignored the situation. Perhaps, deep down, they still cared for him to some extent.

While his past with Shoto had brought pain and heartache, those wounds had mostly healed, especially since he had Kai now. What he needed most was for Shoto to become his ally once more.

The dilemma lay in how to approach them without arousing suspicion. A blatant inquiry like 'Hey, do you want to join me in bringing down the heroes?!' would be the height of foolishness. His priority was to build their trust.

Starting with Todoroki was out of the question due to the constant surveillance imposed by his father. It appeared that the only feasible way to win this guy's trust was during the sports festival, just as he had done the first time they met. However, he couldn't ignore the fact that Shoto's initial interest in him was rooted in their similarities to All Might. Nevertheless, he took comfort in the fact that he still possessed One For All, which could serve as a crucial bridge between them.

(We will get into that further in the story so don't ask question regarding OFA)

Pursuing Shoto alongside Touya and Natsuo seemed like a more strategic approach. Natsuo's close bond with his elder brother made it highly likely that he would readily join their cause. While Shoto might require a bit more persuasion. However, it was certainly not an impossible task, and with the right effort and strategy, convincing Shoto to join their cause was within reach.

Uraraka presented a unique challenge. Her inherent heroism and kind-hearted nature made it tricky to sway her towards his cause. (although i made her a little bitchy early in the chapter) Nevertheless, Izuku had formulated a plan that he believed would reshape her perspective on being a hero.

Shinso, on the other hand, was a more complex case. Like a two-sided coin, he could potentially go down either the hero or villain path, depending on how circumstances unfolded. Yet, there were moments when the coin seemed to stand still. Given this uncertainty, the role of a vigilante appeared to be an ideal fit for Shinso. The key lay in convincing him of the compelling reasons to join their cause, harnessing his abilities for a noble purpose.

Monoma presented a particularly intricate challenge. He was Toga Himiko's younger brother, and their relationship was marked by deep animosity. Unlike Toga, Monoma received praise from their parents, yet he, too, endured the pain of being bullied by his peers for his quirk. His power to copy quirks, only for brief periods, made the hero's path seem unsuitable. However, the unconditional love from his parents had pushed him toward heroism, while his neglected sister took a different, villainous route. Convincing Monoma would require delicate handling due to these complex family dynamics.

(I'm this Au, Monoma and Toga are sibling. They rarely communicate with each other so they know nothing about one another. Also Monoma doesn't admit she was her sister nor did Toga want to admit he was his brother)

In any case, Iida also had the potential to become a vigilante, especially considering the Stain incident. However, he was uncertain if circumstances this time would align in a similar way, given his intentions to recruit the Hero Killer.