Note: Bad news, work is causing me serious problems with my writing schedule, making it difficult to publish my work in the usual format.
Good news, my job will last until the end of the summer, then the start of university will free me from office jobs.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
XXX
Story Arc: Welcome to a world of superheroes
Episode 1: The nomadic hero (II)
Chapter 2: The pact between two heroes and a Deku
Plot: Bruce, Mash and Izuku have gathered in the teahouse and talk to each other about various issues.
Izuku learns that the two Heroes known as Saver and Shielder have quite different ideas from the rest of the people.
After some time, Izuku asks a question getting unexpected answers, followed by a short story and a proposal that will change his life.
XXX
POV Narrator
In the teahouse, three people find themselves seated around a table filled with treats, pastries, and a teapot full of high-quality teas.
Officially, the first two people are Mash and Bruce, known to the general public as Shielder and Savee, an enigmatic pair of international Pro-Hero who have made a splash in recent times.
Unofficially, Mash and Bruce, are a Demi-Servant and a Master, a pair of heroes who one day will end up ascending the Throne of Heroes, coming from another world, arrived here to have a nice vacation.
The third person sitting at the table of two members of the elite is Izuku Midoriya, a neurotic boy who is telling a story.
Mash carefully listens to Midoriya's short story involving a slime-based Villains and the famous All Might.
Bruce has divided his attention between Midoriya's story, his cup of tea, pastries and what's on his mind.
"Shortly after All Might left, Saver appeared and took me here." Midoriya finished her story, obviously not mentioning, All Might's handicap.
Even though her ex-idol pretty much crushed her dreams, Midoriya has vowed to keep All Might's status a secret.
"I can't believe Japan's greatest Pro-Hero could say such harsh words to a little boy." Mash comments, they cross their arms, giving off an aura of disapproval.
"Do you believe my words!?" Midoriya questions, surprised that his words are taken as true, normally people refuse to believe a Quirkless.
"You don't strike me as a mean person or dishonesty, my gut tells me you're telling the truth." Mash declares, certain the green-haired boy is telling the truth.
"Do you believe me too, Saver?" Izuku asks, looking in the nomadic hero's direction.
" I do not believe you." Saver said, as he lifts a cup of hot tea to his lips.
Izuku's head drops, as if he were a starving dog, who has lost his newly found bone.
"I don't believe you because I know you're telling the truth, it's all pretty obvious especially with so much evidence and clues." Bruce said, taking a sip of his cup of tea.
"What clues, what evidence?" Question Izuku, surely that there are no elements that support the story of him.
The nomadic hero lowers the cup with a little too much force and speed, almost spilling the drink.
"Why, everywhere I go I'm surrounded by morons with no powers of observation." Saver murmurs, raising his head towards the ceiling, as if he were talking to the universe.
'Did I say something wrong!?' Izuku thinks, starting to fidget, thinking he's made a mistake.
Mash shakes his head slightly, before grabbing a cream and chocolate pastry.
The lilac-haired young woman has grown accustomed to hearing the Last Master of Chaldea complain of being surrounded by idiots, especially when outside of Chaldea or in the company of ordinary people.
"Don't worry, Senpai, he considers 99% of the world's population to be mentally underdeveloped." Mash comments, trying to reassure the green-haired boy.
"I'm too smart or they're too dumb, probably both." Bruce mutters, before turning his gaze to Izuku.
"Unlike almost everyone else, I can see things for real, you just have to look carefully and use your head." Bruce said as he poured a large number of sugar cubes into his cup of tea.
" On the back of the clothes there are thin traces of green slime and a subtle smell of sewage, elements that have already been found on a couple of crime scenes that occurred in the area.
You've been attacked by a minor criminal who takes over the victims' bodies to rob them of their belongings and more." Bruce describes the first clue he saw when he analyzed the green-haired boy.
" To be free from injuries means that you were saved by someone. There may be a chance that you saved yourself, but it is close to zero.
You have the physique of a nerd and the nerves of a neurotic housewife, a strong super power could compensate for these factors, but the type of shoes you wear indicates that you are a pure human, only they wear shoes of that brand." Bruce continues to explain his deductive reasoning.
"You could have been saved by any Pro-Hero in the world, but surely there is evidence to indicate that it was, All Might.
On the left shoulder is a blond hair the same shade as All Might's hair.
I saw that in one of your notebooks there is the authentic autograph of All Might, by the consistency of the ink I can tell that it was written recently.
I could say a lot more, but you get the idea." Bruce concludes his monologue, not wanting to waste any more time talking about an already solved and minor case.
Izuku begins to inspect his clothes, managing to find traces of green spots and a single blond hair on his shoulder.
"How did you manage to do that? There was never any talk of your Quirk allowing you to do something like this." Izuku said, wanting to know how Saver managed to pull off such a performance.
"No superpowers, just pure intelligence combined with practice and common sense." Bruce replies, his stoic voice hiding a slight offense.
The Last Master of Chaldea doesn't like to have his talents of deduction and observation mistaken for an innate ability or something.
"Senpai is the greatest detective of all time, only Sherlock Holmes, Naoto Shirogane and two other individuals can compete with him when it comes to investigations." Mash said in a proud voice, praising Saver's detective talents.
Of course, the lilac-haired young woman knows what to say to extinguish her Senpai's sparks of irritation.
' I know Sherlock Holmes, but who is Naoto Shirogane ? Could he be an investigator or a foreign Pro-Hero?' Izuku thinks, having never heard that name anywhere.
"Back to the main point, I'm disappointed that All Might said such harsh words to you, he could have formulated his words better." Mash said, not too happy with the chosen words of Japan's number one Pro-Hero.
The green-haired boy's mood begins to slip, his ex-idol's words surface again.
"I don't understand why you think All Might's opinion is so important to you." Bruce said in a bored voice as he takes a small spoon and stirs in his cup of tea.
Izuku Midoriya looks at Saver carefully, as if he's about to say something absolutely important.
If you were asking for a tactic or battle maneuver, a veteran's advice would be to keep in mind.
But asking a complete stranger who hasn't known you in even a day for an answer to your personal dilemma seems ridiculous to me." Bruce said with a slightly amused expression.
Bruce's words underline a reality that Midoriya hadn't thought of.
Strangers who are famous or loved by the public are still strangers, their opinions are based on first impressions and previous experiences.
Without repeated meetings to gather information and get to know each other better, their words have no real meaning.
" But, All Might is Japan's number one, considered by many to be the greatest hero in the world, his name has become synonymous with heroism." Declares Midoriya, still speaking like a total All Might fanboy.
"I would have to object to the last two statements." Mash murmurs softly, giving Senpai a quick, subtle look at her.
The girl with the title of Knight of the Grail holds her Senpai in high regard, having testified to his abilities hundreds of times over the years.
"I do not deny the achievements and skills of a man who has devoted decades to a difficult and dangerous career, all while producing unprecedented results." Bruce said in a calm voice, treating the facts as they are.
Saver, aka Bruce, aka Last Master of Chaldea or King in Black of Chaldea is a rather complicated person.
But he's not the type of person who doesn't recognize a person's achievements and achievements, whether it's an enemy, an ally or one of his three friends, Bruce will give credit to those who deserve it, ignoring all the good and bad details of the individual .
Time and time again, Bruce has complimented his enemies, many times when trying to kill them, when he has killed them, or after he has killed them.
Belos, Ardyn Izunia, Yuri Terumi, Shirou Kotomine, Andrias, Gemini, Bill Cipher, Doctor Eggman, Goro Akechi, Goetia, Knull, Alien God.
Each of them has been or still is a sworn enemy of Bruce, some of them have earned his contempt or even his undying hatred.
But, Bruce, despite his negative feelings towards them, never disparaged their skills and achievements.
"I just don't like All Might, especially his title of Symbol of Peace. When has mankind ever truly known peace?" Question Saver, expressing his discontent with the title chosen by the idol of Japan.
The human race, indeed sentient beings, are incapable of living in harmony with themselves, their fellow humans and the world around them.
Peace is an abstract and unattainable ideal that people cannot even fully imagine.
Even if there were no wars, there would still be small conflicts between people or conflicts within the human soul.
Peace never really existed, so in Bruce's eyes it's ridiculous and presumptuous that a person could be the Symbol of Peace.
Giving such a nonsensical title to a human being will leave an age of chaos upon his departure. This thought appears in Bruce's head when he hears the title: Symbol of Peace.
If you don't understand, the Last Master of Chaldea can be considered something of a "realist" or "pessimist", this can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the case.
But sometimes this personality treatise causes compatibility problems towards too idealistic people.
Izuku Midoriya opens his eyes and jaw so wide that for a moment he seems to be imitating a cartoon character.
The green-haired boy has never heard anyone criticize All Might and his beloved title.
"Setting aside the haircut that reminds me of rabbit ears, the look that looks like a mix between Captain America and Super-Man, the physique of Heracles to demand ..." Mash pulls the least elements out of his equation pleasant of All Might, practically all of its iconic appearance.
If anyone wonders, yes, Mesh doesn't like big, muscular men like Heracles.
Mash prefers bishōnen boys, that is, thin and not very muscular boys, with an effeminate or androgynous appearance.
"I think the idea of helping others is a good thing.
All Might is a good man who is completely dedicated to saving lives and promoting peace.
Obviously, there are flaws, imperfections and he makes errors of judgment in some matters." Mash expresses his judgment which is more cordial and favorable compared to his Senpai's opinion.
"All Might without a doubt, is the number one Pro-Hero.
But that's no excuse to believe that he has the answer to every question regarding heroism or that his words are the plain truth." Bruce said in a stoic and commanding voice, as if criticizing Izuku's idea of asking All Might an answer to his dilemma.
"Are You Telling Me All Might Was Wrong!?" He asks Izuku aloud, rising from his seat, feeling full of energy again.
"I think the answer is obvious." Mash said with a gentle smile, happy to see that the little green-haired boy has stopped moping.
'If this is karma's method of repaying all the obstacles I've had ever since, I won't back down.' Think Izuku, before taking a deep breath.
Like just before, Izuku Midoriya opened his heart, exposing the question that haunted him almost all his life.
"Saver, Shielder, are you telling me that a person without a Quirk can become a hero?" He asks Izuku in a solemn voice, hoping for a different answer than before.
The first to answer was the nomadic hero who didn't even think about it for a second.
"Heroes existed before the era of Quirks and Pro-Heroes. Being born with a mutagen isn't crucial to becoming a hero, it can be useful. But it's not the deciding factor to becoming a hero." Bruce declares in a more lively voice than usual, surely Izuku's question has piqued his interest.
"Not everyone can become a great hero, but a great hero can come from anywhere.
All a person needs to become a hero is a strong soul, a strong mind, a strong body, a fair amount of madness and a chance to shine." Bruce finishes his answer and returns to drinking his tea.
For Izuku it was evident from the way he spoke that he truly believes in what he says.
" I think the same way as Senpai, heroes can come from the most unexpected places and come in the most inconceivable forms.
But, unlike Senpai, I believe that everyone has the potential to be a hero, all they need is a helping hand and a friend to encourage them." Mash said, putting some emotion into the last part of his speech .
Izuku hearing that two big international Pro-Heros say that a person without Quirk can become a hero, almost burst into tears of happiness.
"That's because my and your definition of a hero are on completely different standards and represent different ideals." Bruce hums under his breath, having different ideas from Mesh about a number of things, like what a hero is and who can become one.
"I am living proof of this fact, years ago, I was a simple girl, living in a research center in Alaska without having great expectations of her life." Mash said referring to her life in Chaldea before the events of the Grand Order of Goetia.
" What has changed? What prompted you to become Shielder, the heroine knight ?" Izuku asks, feeling that she needs to hear this answer.
"I grabbed the hand of a person who would become my dear Senpai, the rest is a long story." Mash said, remembering very well how Bruce shook his hand, when she was half buried in the rubble.
Mash has changed immensely since she began adventuring with Senpai to save the world.
" Do you think I can become a Pro-Hero ?" Izuku asks in a hopeful voice, looking towards the two Pro-Heroes, wanting to get the final confirmation.
"If you care so much about looking for answers in strangers, I'll try to answer in a serious and granted way." Saver declares in a calm, story voice, looking directly at Izuku Midoriya.
Saver's right eye hasn't changed a bit, but there was an intensity and force in the gaze that made Izuku shiver.
'This is the vision of the soul. Senpai has the ability to sense and see people's souls. By focusing on a single soul he can learn a lot about the individual's personality, his abilities and his potential.' Think Mash, being able to recognize the meaning of that look even among a thousand eyes.
"Green Boy, you are a kind hearted person with a strong moral compass, I also see a lot of passion and a great intelligence. Great characteristics to possess." Bruce in a calm, indifferent voice as he lists the most notable qualities in Izuku.
The green-haired boy almost begins to blush for the compliments received.
" You are also a weak soul, full of doubts and insecurities. You lack the will to react and the ambition to continue towards the Top." Bruce keeps his voice calm and indifferent as he lists the weaknesses in Izuku's soul.
The little green-haired boy has begun to feel his legs like jelly.
"As it stands right now, you are unfit to become a Pro-Hero.
I suggest you focus your efforts on becoming a doctor, it would be a career path full of opportunities to help people and earn a decent living." Bruce finished answering Izuku's question.
Now, the little green-haired boy is about to cry tears of despair instead of tears of happiness.
'You're telling me I can't become a Pro-Hero, not because I'm Quirkless, but because I'm not fit for the role!' Izuku said in a louder voice, slamming his hands against the table, tears welling in her eyes.
Izuku Midoriya has always felt in his life that he can't become a Pro-Hero because he is a Quirkless.
Today he met two people who say Quirkless can become heroes.
But, one of them deems him unsuitable for the job of Pro-Hero due to his personality and not the lack of Quirk.
Something like this has never happened to Izuku.
In short, yes. Green boy, you will never be a Pro-Hero, you are too kind, shy and lacking in ambition for such a profession.
But you might have a little Sansa as a hero, though I don't think you'll do much if left alone." Bruce said, keeping the same smooth tone as before.
"What did you say a second ago!" Izuku yells, feeling like she's on an emotional roller-coaster, one moment she's happy, then she's sad.
"I hate repeating myself, so sit down and listen to me very well." He declares Saver in a cool, authoritative voice, showing that he's not joking.
Izuku didn't realize when he sat in his chair as composedly as if he were at a job interview.
"Senpai really doesn't like saying the same thing twice." Mash murmurs, slightly embarrassed by this flaw of her Senpai.
You, Green Boy have 0% sanse to become a Pro-Hero, you have 85% sanse to become a decent doctor and 1% sanse to become a hero. If you make me repeat it the third time, I'll punch you in the face enough strong enough to sever the jaw from the skull." Bruce finishes briefly repeating his previous statements.
"I warn you that Senpai is quite serious about the last part." Mash said, delivering vital advice to Izuku for his safety.
For a moment, Izuku covers his jaw with his hands, not wanting to lose that part of himself.
"But, aren't Pro-Hero and Hero the same thing?" Izuku asks, clearly confused by the unusual badge.
For the people of this world Pro-Hero and Hero mean the same.
But for a person from a different world there is a big difference between the two groups.
"Pro-Hero and Hero are two completely different things, on the surface they look similar, but deep down they are made of completely different things." Saver said in a serious voice, a sign that this distinction is important to him.
"What are the differences?" Izuku mutters, wanting to know a unique person's point of view.
"The Pro-Heroes are the result of an arrogant system that is based on the idea that anyone with a powerful genetic mutation can be turned into a glorified cop-celebrity hybrid." Bruce said, not trying to hide his disapproval of the basic Pro-Hero idea.
"A flashy powerhouse, with considerable strength, a colorful costume, a few years spent in education and training in heroism. For many, this is the formula for making a great hero." Bruce said, starting to lose his mask of stoicism.
"Pro-Heroes who are mass-produced by following these steps pretend to be on the same level as King Arthur, Iron-Man or Leo Belmont. This very thought makes me angry!" Bruce exclaims raising his voice slightly, drawing out a fragment of his anger for an instant.
Saver's expression barely changed, but his surroundings changed in an instant.
The room's temperature suddenly dropped, getting cold enough for Izuku to see his own breathing.
Every liquid in the cups of tea turned into tea-based ice lollies in an instant.
A thin layer of ice begins to appear around Saver, covering part of the floor and the chair he's sitting in.
Izuku hugs himself, putting his hands under his armpits, trying to gain some warmth.
' I begin to understand why in America, Saver, was nicknamed the White Death of Winter.
I've seen a meager speck of his abilities and I feel like I'm naked in the middle of the Winter.' Think Izuku, wishing he wasn't on the bad end of a person with an ice-based Quirk.
Unlike Izuku, who is shivering with cold and little fear of seeing a second outburst.
The lilac-haired young woman behaves perfectly calm, as if she were indifferent to or accustomed to the sudden change in temperature.
"Is such an event normal for him?" Izuku asks, having never heard on the forums that Saver has a short mica comparable to Bakugo.
" Senpai is a person with many qualities, but like all of us, he has his flaws.
When certain sensitive topics come up, Senpai's emotions rise and temperatures drop." Mash said, mentally having a list of topics to avoid at all costs.
" Fortunately, Senpai has absurd self-control or we would have had to learn to live in a new ice age." Mash said, as if it were some kind of joke.
'Living in an eternal winter doesn't seem pleasant to me.' Think Izuku, much preferring summer and warmth to the cold of winter.
As abruptly as the cold came, so it disappeared. The obvious sign was that the tea had returned to a liquid state.
"Back to the main point." Bruce said, preparing to talk about his own definition of heroes.
"To me True Heroes are humanity's pinnacle, beacons of hope in the darkest night; people who rise above the masses and become the jewels of their age, and when they die, they will be remembered for ages to come." Said the Last Master of Chaldea, describing in part the Heroic Spirits he knew and actual heroes of his times.
Izuku remained silent, listening intently to the nomadic hero's words, wanting to hear his definition of what a True Hero is.
"True Heroes are men and women, who through natural talent or a determination that borders on insanity, have managed to achieve things that for all others are considered impossible!" Saver exclaims, starting to warm up to his speech.
"The Great Heroes, the elite of the elite among True Heroes, are the ones capable of shining brighter than all others, the most human and the most inhuman of humanity, capable of changing the course of history with their mere presence, defeating the greatest evils of the world!" Saver declares, mentioning the traits of great heroes such as Gilgamesh, Jeanne d'Arc, Sigurd, Leonardo Da Vinci, Iron-Man, Captain America, Thor, Mister Fantastic.
"True Heroes are those who scream, fight, laugh, triumph, cry and suffer more than all the others." Bruce said in a sadder, more melancholy tone, aware of what Heroic Spirits have gone through to reach the Throne of Heroes.
Those who are worthy to reach the Throne of Heroes have faced an arduous path full of hardships, something that Pro-Heroes can't even imagine.
"True Heroes are found in leagues unreachable for Pro-Heroes, the only one that even comes close to reaching the minimum requirements is All Might." Saver said, concluding his speech on the difference between Pro-Hero and True Hero.
Izuku Midoriya remains silent for a moment, processing the information he just received from Saver.
"You really love heroes, even more than me, I didn't think it was possible." Izuku said, realizing from this speech that Saver is a bigger hero fan than he is.
"I don't like heroes, I just don't like that the rabble thinks they're on the same level as the elite." Bruce said, denying Izuku's accusations as he crossed his arms.
"Senpai is part Kuudere and part Tsundere." Mash said, knowing that his Senpai can act like Rin Thosaka when it comes to certain things.
"If I understand correctly, are you telling me that I have 1% sansa becoming a True Hero is something good or bad?" Izuku asks, not knowing how to classify that 1% chance.
"I know two girls who have been in a similar position to you. Both girls only had a 1% chance to make their dreams come true. That 1% was enough for those two witches." Saver said, making a vague reference to his best friend, Luz, and his second assistant, Amelia.
"Two girls were in my same position, can you tell me more?" Izuku asks, wanting to know, no, he needs to know how those two girls managed it.
"For reasons of privacy, I won't tell you all the details. But when I was around your age, during a summer spent in my owl mother's home country, I met a girl named Amelia." Saver said in a nostalgic voice.
"Amelia was born unable to perform supernatural abilities like the rest of her peers. Green boy surely you can imagine what her life was like in general, especially in school." Saver said, not going into detail about the ugly life of a witch without magic on an island full of magic users.
Izuku Midoriya didn't answer, instead he nods in confirmation.
" For various reasons and circumstances, Amelia became my second assistant and participated in many of my youthful adventures." Bruce said, avoiding mention of her "teenage adventures" that were comparable to the assignments and missions of a fantasy video game.
" Amelia initially played a technical and logistic support role, she helps me in my research in the library and in finalizing my scientific projects.
But then she became dissatisfied with her role, wanting to do more. So she Amelia began to hold a wrench in her right hand and a hammer in her left hand.
She became my mechanic and blacksmith who helped me in everything." Bruce said in a happy voice, as a faint smile appears on his lips.
After some time, Amelia decided that the role of "housewife" of my secret base didn't satisfy her enough, she wanted to do more, to prove that even with her handicap, she can stand by my side and help me. " Bruce said in a proud voice, proud of Amelia's ambition to climb to the top.
Amelia inspired by my stories about Batman and Iron-Man, first built a custom outfit, followed by a Pulp Science-style Power Armor. Amelia has gone from being a shy and disastrous girl, becoming a woman of science with a fighting spirit and lots of firepower." Bruce said, continuing to speak well of his second assistant.
'Why do I feel a kind of flame in my chest?' Mash thinks, feeling a bad feeling inside her, when she hears her Senpai about her talking about another woman.
'This day is getting more and more surreal.' Izuku thinks, sensing things are taking a rather unusual turn.
"Green boy, now that you've received confirmation on your question whether you can be a hero, you're probably thinking of finding your own path or trying to imitate Amelia." Bruce said, anticipating the green-haired boy's thoughts.
Izuku blushes for a moment before nodding.
"I have many things to do, so I will be direct with you." Bruce said, standing up from the table, approaching Izuku.
"I have a proposition for you, Green Boy." He declares Bruce in a clear and professional voice, as if he were a seasoned diplomat.
"What kind of agreement?" Izuku questions, curious about what Saver wants to offer him.
"The kind of proposition that satisfies both parties, I help you, you help me in return." Bruce said, using simple words to describe the deal he wants to propose.
" Senpai, maybe you should provide some details about our side job." Mash proposes, wanting to give a broader image to the green-haired boy.
"Mash and I, in addition to being Pro-Hero International, are part of Chaldea Labs, a worldwide chain of research labs not connected to government or other commercial interests." Bruce said, giving a brief overview of Chaldea Labs.
"This information was not on your Pro-Hero Wiki page." Izuku mutters, not knowing that Saver and Shielder work for international research labs.
"We prefer to keep our Pro-Hero pastime and our work in Chaldea separate." Mash briefly explains that she doesn't want to associate Pro-Hero identities with Chaldea Labs.
"What would a research laboratory want from someone like that?" Izuku asks, sure he doesn't have anything special that could be useful to a group of scientists.
" I work in the genetics department and in the research and development department.
In the second department there are no problems, but in the first we are having difficulties due to the vastness of the mutations present in the fields of study.
The presence of a mutagen-free subject would allow us to obtain a solid basis from which to work potential cures and treatments." Bruce tries to explain why Chaldea Laboratories would need an Izuku Midoriya person.
" Senpai wants to say that it is difficult to create a universal cure because Quirks make people too unique for the same vaccine. But if we had a Quirkless we could create medicines that work for everyone." Mash said, providing a much easier to understand explanation.
"Do you want me to donate regulatory blood?" Izuku asks in a slightly shaking voice, not finding the idea of becoming a metaphorical cash cow pleasant.
"It would be an occasional thing, most of the time you would have to test the equipment of the R&D department." Mash said, slightly placating the green-haired boy's fear.
" Don't forget that in exchange for this contribution, you will benefit from the guidance of the greatest heroes in the world." He declares Bruce in a voice as sweet as honey.
" I'll leave you a maximum of seven days to think, then you'll tell us the answer." Bruce said, handing Izuku a visit card with information on the Chaldea laboratories on it.
" If you wish to stay in the room and eat the pastries and drink tea, the seat is booked for another hour.
If you can't eat it all, you can ask to put it all in a bag and take it home." Mash suggests in a gentle voice, not wanting the food and drink to go to waste.
Plus, Izuku seems to need something sweet in his life.
After that, Saver and Shielder walked out of the room without saying anything else.
The green-haired boy remained alone and silent in the teahouse, repeating what has happened so far.
"This is both the worst and the best day of my life." Izuku concludes, not knowing how else to describe this day.
Holding up his visiting card, Izuku can't help but think about Saver's proposed deal, help produce universal medicines, and in return will be personally trained by international heroes.
"Chaldea laboratories?" Izuku mumbles, as she looks at the crescent-shaped symbol on the visiting card.
Continues ...