Unsung Hero: Corruption

A New Beginning

I remembered everything. All-for-One, the quirkless me. Before he was murdered in cold blood, All-for-One gave him a quirk. The torture never ended. I think he grew a sadistic pleasure because he knew the feeling of confusion and fear, barely understanding life, only moments breathing. The one constant was All-Might, he was everywhere, the media, words of gossip in the villain's bar. All-for-One couldn't escape him, so he made sure I couldn't escape in return. He wanted me to be his vessel. I still don't understand what he meant, but he would always speak of that with Bartender-san. (Kurogiri.)

Bartender-san... He protected me, he fed me, he gave me birthday presents, and... he encouraged my dream of being a hero, no that wasn't a dream, that was a fantasy to help me escape... My dream was to want to live. And Bartender-san made that a reality for me... I wish I could thank him, for everything, even if he is a villain, to me he is-...

Izuku groaned. "What... What happened?" His eye shifted around the room he was in. It was a small apartment. His body was bandaged up. He wasn't used to needing medical attention. Actually, he didn't need it, he was completely healed. He sat up on the couch he had been resting on.

"Oh good, you're up." It was an old scruffy voice. "You were out for more than a few days. That forced quirk activation did some nasty stuff to you kid."

Izuku turned to the voice. A chibi old man. Standing next to him was, "All-Might?"

"There's a lot to talk about huh, kid?" He gave a weak smile. He had defeated All-for-One.

"We don't usually allow for these situations but we see this as our fault more than anyone... All-for-One had control of your life... I'm sure in a way, he still does." The old man and All-Might had heard of everything All-for-One did to Midoriya. All-for-One was explicitly complicit regarding questions of Izuku Midoriya.

"I let you down. I should have followed my gut and investigated more."

Gran Torino and All-Might sat with the kid, they explained the special pardon he was given by the government. Even if he was manipulated by All-for-One that wouldn't have excused all his crimes, but at All-Might's retirement announcement, he told the story of Izuku Midoriya. A story of lifelong tragedy. A life worth redeeming. All-Might begged for a chance of redemption.

"If he wasn't the symbol of peace, none of this would have ever happened for you, you know?" Gran Torino was apprehensive about all this but was going to see this through, as he has always been heavily involved with All-for-One.

"I... I don't know what to say, this is all so sudden... almost all of my lives have been labeled as villainous."

"Lives? Don't you mean life?"

Izuku shook his head, he clamped a bandage taped over his eye socket. "So, this one, this life is my own now?" He glanced to Gran Torino, then at All-Might, his hero.

"It isn't that simple kid, the government is going to have it's eye on you. One slip up and it's over." Gran Torino lectured.

All-Might tried to reassure Deku. "What he means is, you have to be extra careful, more so than your ordinary hero, you can't-"

"I can't go unstable, I can't lose my mentality? Don't worry... He's gone, I know he is." Izuku kept his hand over his eye socket.

Gran Torino and All-Might stared at each other. All-Might smirked and slapped Izuku's back. "What are you, some kind of fortune cookie? Do you speak in riddles? Lighten up my boy, you're free!"

"Yeah, your pretty gloomy, kid."

"Huh? Oh sorry. I didn't mean to... Um, so where do I go from here?"

"You're going to be living here with me. I got to whip you into shape kid."

"Ara?"

"Don't worry, I will be here as well! Why? Because I'm retired and have nothing else to do! But mostly to watch over you, young Midoriya."

"I still don't understand, what exactly it is, I'm getting ready for?"

"Your hero permit." They both told him in unison.

"My hero permit?" His eye widened. "I... I have a chance at finally being a hero?" His voice cracked.

"It won't be easy. Not only the government, or Heroes, but everyone will be looking at you. A villain turned hero." Gran Torino had to be front with the kid. All-Might was being overly optimistic. "Honestly, this is more of a social experiment. Are you up for it?"

"Unfortunately, it is as he says, but I have faith in you." All-Might stood tall, growing into his muscle form. "Congratulations..."

"A...All-Might?"

"Back then, at USJ, you were able to show me the meaning behind your fists. Every blow, every single time a fist connected with mine, I felt it, the pain behind every single one of them. But I also felt the iron clad resolve... of a hero!"

Izuku's eye widened. 'USJ... when he fought All-Might. If he would never have, then, I would never have been given this chance...' Izuku's eye grew liquid mourning of his former life. "Thank you... Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity." Thanking both All-Might, and the Izuku who never gave up on being a hero. "I will live up to the name, his name, Deku!" Clutching his arms over his heart, crying his eye out.

Gran Torino tutored Midoriya about the hero procedures and how to act in a crisis. He was also asked to take school exams, to determine his knowledge, to everyone's surprise, he excelled in almost all areas. Izuku's only explanation was that 'Bartender-san' gave him a proper education, with a huge grin that he never showed, and then, he asked for a glass of orange juice.

Izuku Midoriya was told to relinquish any information he had on the league of villains, or Stain, Dabi, and Toga.

Izuku gave them the minimum for Dabi and Toga. He only said that Stain will always follow his ideals, and they were more informed about him than Izuku himself. Stain's movements were always unhinged and unpredictable. He gave them exceptional knowledge on the league of villains but didn't say a word about Bartender-san.

All-Might and Gran Torino crunched in as much knowledge and training as they could into Deku.

Then the day came. Izuku took the permit exam with all the others attempting to be heroes. Unlike the others, he didn't have a school.

Until the exam ended.

"For him, the permit exam was treated as his entrance exam. I'm sure you all know who he is, and I'm also sure some of you might be nervous or worried, but rest assured he wants to be a hero, just as much as the rest of yourselves. Please welcome him to Class 1-A. Introduce yourself."

"Y-Yes. I am Izuku Midoriya, it's a pleasure to meet all of you. Please take care of me."