Onwards, to the Next Phase

clink clink clink clink

The sound of metal tapping against cement echoes throughout the room. Each scratch is quick and successive, like the ticking of an old clock. It's not very loud but it's the only noise that breaks through the quiet hum of machinery. I convinced Shigaraki to hold the meeting for the new recruits here, in the Nomu warehouse, because I thought it would provide some form of distraction. But upon their arrivals, neither of them were intrigued like Twice or Spinner were. Both of them just picked a spot to wait patiently, with all of us maintaining a significant distance from each other.

The bigger of the two is leaning on the wall, right next to the warehouse's front door. He's draped in a black cloak with his face covered by mask. His powerful figure only adds to his intimidating presence. He hasn't done anything yet but I can feel the danger radiating from him.

The other guy isn't any more friendly. He's been hunched in a corner only a few feet from me, always shivering slightly. His entire body is wrapped tight in a black suit, save for his mouth. He's already refused my offer to cut him loose without a word. As my eyes are drawn towards him, I notice that he seems to be the source of the scraping noise.

"Hey, could you please stop hitting the ground?" I ask, trying to keep my nerves hidden.

screeeeeeeeeeeee

As he turns to face me, the sound of metal sliding across the floor follows. I almost open my mouth to continue before I see it. A long, jagged tooth extending from his mouth that reaches all the way to the floor. Mixed with the slight glimpse of his pale, twisted skin and his contorted form, it creates a horrific image. I'm rendered temporarily wordless from the sight and the man ignores me completely. He drags his head back to where it was and continues to lightly strike the ground with his teeth. Try as I might to calm myself down, I can no longer think of anything other than the monster lying just a few feet from me. Silently, I pray for someone, anyone to end this unbearable tension.

Only moments after the thought races through my mind, I hear the familiar sound of one of Kurogiri's warp gates materializing. My spirits fly for a moment before I realize who's stepping through. A man with black hair, patchwork skin, and an uninterested gaze. Dabi.

He surveys the room for a momenting, clearly noticing the two strangers waiting on opposite sides of the room. Both of them raise their gaze to acknowledge him, with the constrained one revealing his tortured visage once again. Dabi seems unfazed by either of their appearances as he steps forward to address them.

"So, what the hell is your guys' deal?" he ask lazily. "Names quirks, etc. I assume that the shrimp here was too scared to ask?" he adds, motioning to me. I'd protest if he wasn't right.

The cloaked man is the first to step up. "It's Muscular," he proclaims, "and all you need to know about my quirk is that I can beat the shit out of you." As he says it, his skin seems to tighten as his muscles seem to expand. He grows for a few seconds before reverting back to his still impressive form.

The man hunched in the corner doesn't approach and he seems to struggle with his thoughts before speaking. "I… they…called me… it… Moonfish." he forces out the words like he's choking on them. His scratchy, slow voice sends shivers through my body but Dabi still seems unfazed.

"Great. If you don't mind waiting a little longer, the third should be here soon and then you'll get…"

SLAM

The room's door flies open. It strikes the wall right where Muscular was standing as a tall, stocky figure fills the frame. As my eyes adjust to the sudden influx of light pouring in, they saunter in the room confidently.

"Yoohoo," she exclaims as I recognize the voice to be Magne's. "Look who I found getting lost on my way here." She shuffles out of the way to reveal a short man in a school uniform. What's more prominent though is the gas mask that adorns his face. As he enters, a faint sweet smell sweeps through the room.

"This little guy was wandering the alleys when I found," Magne says as she pats him on the head.

"Don't touch me idiot!" he exclaims while knocking her hand away. "And it isn't 'little guy', it's Mustard!"

"Oooh, touchy," Magne taunts as she backs away.

Before Mustard can retaliate further, Dabi cuts him off once again. "If all you freaks are finally here, then we can get this over with. The others should be here soon," he adds.

Sure enough, only a few minutes pass before more of Kurogiri's portals appear. The rest of the League steps through as Shigaraki is the last to saunter out. He gives each member a quick look before stepping in front of us all and speaking.

"You're all here because you hate the hero society. For what reason, I don't care. What you need from me is an opportunity to attack and all I need from you is for you to break everything I tell you to." He speaks confidently and, while I wouldn't call him charismatic, he does manage to get the point across.

Shigaraki produces a map from his pocket. Unfolding it reveals a map of a forest. "We already know that this is where the U.A. summer camp will be." I notice Toga do happy little dance upon seeing the information that she gathered.

"With your quirks," Shigaraki continues, "this will be the best formation. Magne and Spinner will fight the hired heroes directly. Mustard and Moonfish will close off any escape and keep the kids boxed in. Toga can just wander the area, picking off whoever she wants. Twice will send clones of Dabi to burn the area and cause as much panic as possible. Muscular and Deku will be stationed at the cliffs, ready to offer help to any area that needs it."

I'm momentarily staggered by the suggested partnership of me and this goliath. I look to Shigaraki for an explanation but he's distracted, as Compress jumps in.

"And what would you have the man of the hour accomplishing?" he asks flamboyantly.

"You're part of this mission's second goal," Shigaraki answers. Everyone, including me, is caught off guard by the mention of a secondary objective.

"This operation's success will obviously be a major blow to heroes as a whole but it's not enough. It needs to send a more powerful message. So, instead of just attacking these students, I want to take one of them. Specifically, this one."

He raises a photo of an angry teen with hard eyes and spiky blond hair. My stomach sinks a I recognize him. Bakugo.

"Isn't he that kid from the Sports Festival?" Spinner inquires.

"Yeah, he was a nasty piece of work. I'm pretty sure he won first place too," Magne adds.

"Precisely," Shigaraki responds, "he's a violent, powerful brat who's one of the hero course's top students. Dragging him to our side would be the perfect way of demonstrating the weaknesses of the Pros. Your job," he points to Compress, "is to capture the kid with your quirk and bring him here. I can take care of the rest."

Compress contemplates this for a moment before raising his hands to the sky and exclaiming "Magnificent! The part of the sneak, born in the night. I shall play the role perfectly."

Unfazed by his eccentricity, Shigaraki carries on. "At exactly 11 o'clock, Kurogiri will arrive to extract everyone present at this spot." Shigaraki points out a small clearing on the map. "Anybody not there will get abandoned."

"We'll attack three days from today. Until then, we can't risk any Pros catching wind of this. So I want everyone disperse as far as you can. I don't care how you all prepare but just stay away from each other. We'll come to you when it's time."

The entirety of the League seems to be in agreement as we move to leave. Just as we start to, Shigaraki addresses the group one last time.

"The League's attack force at the USJ consisted of hired muscle and worthless idiots. As a result, it was a complete flop. But it'll be different this time. You're not just a bunch of weak morons. You are the League of Villains new, secret weapon. the Vanguard Action Squad."

The members slowly left the warehouse, some of them walking out the front door and some of them demanding a lift from Kurogiri. Eventually, me and Shigaraki get taken back to the hideout. For the first time in weeks, there's nobody here but us. With the issue of eavesdroppers fixed, I'm no longer to keep my curiosity at bay.

"So, why would you stretch our forces so thin? Everyone's so far apart that nobody can provide support to each other. And why, exactly, am I partnered with Muscular?" I ask, trying to keep my desperation from leaking into my voice during that last part.

"You're so naive, Deku," Shigaraki chuckles. "Look at our forces. A bunch of murders, wackjobs, and egotists. Maybe you're stupid enough to trust them but I'm not. We keep them spread apart so that if anyone acts unpredictably, the whole plan doesn't go to shit. And if there's one guy we don't want stepping out of line, it's Muscular. So I need someone I can trust to watch him. That means you," he points to me.

"So forget about it," he adds as he walks past me and up the stairs. "Just follow the plan and don't screw anything up." With that, he disappears to the second floor.

I barely have a few seconds to think about his words before a black mist appears in the room. "Apologies for my lateness," Kurogiri says as he materializes from the darkness. "Twice insisted that I bring him to seven different cities before deciding to go back to the are house."

I suppress my initial laughter and respond "Sorry about that. It must be unusual to be faring around this many people."

"I feel like a taxi service," he comments before sighing aloud. "Well, no rest for the weary. Come, you're needed." Another portal forms besides him. I give him an inquisitive look until he answers.

"All for One wants to speak with you."

I forgot how bleak All for One's hideout was in comparison to ours. It's more similar to the cold, liveless atmosphere of the Nomu warehouse than the warm, chaotic vibe of Kurogiri's bar. The room is the same as I remember with medical equipment scattered across the floor and the only source of light being the computer feed of the hideout. I approach the computer desk, expecting All for One to be sitting there when I'm distracted by a light cough to my right.

"I am glad that you were able to come, Deku."

Turning, I can see All for One approaching me. "Hello sir," I say back.

He doesn't seem that much different from before, still wearing a simple suit with his entire face being scarred and twisted. While I still haven't gotten used to his scarring, it's far less striking than it was months ago. But there is something that out of the ordinary that I do notice.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what happened to all of your medical support?" I ask. As long as I've known him, All for One always had an IV on hand but as he walks closer, he seems to be completely unburdened by any equipment.

"Yes, it is an unusual feeling," he answers, "but I feel as though now is the time to acclimate myself to a freer form of movement. I feel as though I may need to involve myself sooner than expected."

"How can you be sure? One of your quirks?" I inquire.

"Not at all, Midoriya," he responds. "Rather, a general sense of foreboding. When you collect as much experience as I have, you gain a talent for detecting danger. I have an odd suspicion that Shigaraki's plan may not work as he expects it."

"Then shouldn't we try to rework the plan, sir?" I ask

"Absolutely!" he exclaims. "This is an important step in Shigaraki's development. I have given him full control of the operation and I have full confidence that he will accept any consequences that may come. However, as his mentor, I do have one final bit of meddling left to accomplish."

All for One places his hand on my shoulder. For a moment, I feel like tugging sensation. As if some ethereal hand was trying to take something from me. Just as I notice the feeling, it ends and is replaced by an entirely different experience. The feeling of something new and cold rushing into my body. It immediately reminds me of receiving Impel.

"You have been in possession of Impel for some time now and you have been developing it just as I asked you, " All for One says as he starts to back away. " I think your body has properly adjusted enough to prepare you for the next stage." He stops and gestures at his own chest. "Please, try to use Impel on me."

I hesitate for a moment before focusing on All for One. Just as I'm about to activate it, I notice my hand subconsciously drift in his direction. I activate Impel and

shiiiing

Suddenly, a black and red tendril extends from my finger and launches at All for One. Before I can comprehend what's happening, All for One stops the appendage between his fingers. I'm rendered speechless as he runs his finger along it, inspecting the new limb closely. I observe it as well, noticing it's dark red tone and jagged structure. Even as All for One analyzes it, there's no sensation of touch. As if it's less of extension of my body and more of a tool.

"The shape of it seems to be in order, although the rate of extension was a tad bit slower than expected," All for One lists to himself. "Now, to test the durability."

Suddenly, All for One's fingers crash together, breaking the tendril. I open my mouth to scream in my pain only for that pain to never come. The appendage is clearly broken but I still can't feel anything.

"What… what is it?" I ask nervously.

"Apologies, Midoriya, but I thought that a lack of knowledge would make this test more accurate," All for One responds. "After using Impel in its simplest form for so long, I believed you were prepared for a more advanced stage of the quirk." He motions at the already broken appendage.

"These 'limbs', for lack of a better term, function similarly to the ability that you are already accustomed to. By making physical contact with your target, you will be able to manipulate their quirk as you see fit. There is no time constraints and the limbs themselves act as potential combat tools, if you wish to use them that way."

Thinking about what All for One's saying, I hesitantly activate Impel again. Just like before, the red appendage extends from my finger, although much slower this time. Even after the explanation, the experience is surreal. As I wave my hand around, the tendril sways awkwardly like a stick taped to my hand.

"I have no doubt that this will be a radical adjustment for you, Midoriya, but I do not think I could have given you this ability any sooner," All for One starts as he approaches me again. "You see, I did not withhold this power just so your body could acclimate to the experience of possessing a quirk. Up until now, I held the same belief as Shigaraki. I held you at arm's length so that if you ever betrayed us, I would not lose more than I had to."

"That makes sense," I answer, trying to maintain a light tone. "You wouldn't want to lose everything that you invested if I turned out to be a failure."

"But you did not fail," All for One stresses. "You met and even exceeded my expectations on every occasion. You were the one that drew the Hero Killer to our cause and gave form to the determination that Shigaraki now possesses."

Now only a foot away from me, All for One places a hand on my shoulder and continues. "Shigaraki is the one I have chosen as my successor. He will inherit my quirk and use it to see his desires through until the end. However, he still has a long journey until that point and I fear that I may not always be there to support him. Can I rely on you for that task?"

I don't respond immediately. The answer that's dying to fly out is "yes" but why? Shigaraki isn't exactly the most hardworking guy. Even now, he's still too lazy to participate in our mission and he hasn't been going out of his way to get the new members to cooperate. He's a bit of a jerk and he keeps pushing everyone away.

But we've been getting along much better than we did months ago. He even went as far as to say that he trusted me. Compared to before, he has been treating all the new members more fairly. And I suppose that last part of his speech in the warehouse was his attempt to get everyone excited. He's stumbling on his way to becoming a better leader and, for some reason, that makes me want to help him. I don't just want his idea of a world without heroes to succeed. I want him to succeed.

"Midoriya, will you be willing to move forward with Shigaraki?" All for One asks.

I nod quietly. "I'll do everything I can."