Heal Our Past, Change Our Future

Chapter XIX

Things had changed.

Though he never expected them to stay the same for long.

After the defeat of All for One, the league attempted to pair up with a powerful Yakuza. But it didn't work out in the Yakuza's favor.

Their leader had been cruel and had made a bad impression on the league.

So, they betrayed them.

Izuku helped get a little girl named Eri into the care of the heroes, all without the league's knowledge.

And Shigaraki took Overhaul's arms.

A fair trade honestly, on the account that he had taken Mr. Compresses arm and he had killed Big Sister Magne.

They moved from home to home, different abandoned buildings, all the while they stayed out of the heroes and police radars.

Izuku took to learning everything he could about his comrades, learning their exact skill levels, and the limits their quirks went to, and he even was able to convince Toga, Mr. Compress, and Spinner to give him fighting style lessons.

Though he made sure to steer clear of Shigaraki's wrath, especially his hands.

He didn't need another scar.

Toga excitedly taught him how to wield any sort of blade. Though he learned her training was similar to Izanami's, all through trial and error, which meant he was gifted numerous gashes from Toga's knife. And the girl's blood fixation was given a release every now and then.

Mr. Compress excitedly taught him the ways of stealth and mind games, he taught him how to use everything his opponents had against them. Apparently, if you're on the right side of a magician, and you ask sweet enough, they will reveal their secrets. Quite enthusiastically and dramatically at that.

And Spinner taught him how to wield his lance correctly, and the different ways his weapon could be used. Izuku even created a large sword similar to Spinner's old one so the man could teach him, even though there was only one large rock blade rather than multiple swords thrown together like his old one.

And now they were in December.

They had met up with the doctor in October, after their first meeting with Gigantomachia, and they were told to either beat him or make him like them.

So far neither had worked.

They had been fighting against Gigantomachia for nearly two months.

Shigaraki had to get the beast to like him if he wanted to gain true power.

And Izuku was fine with going along with the ride.

Truly his only role was to help in the fruitless attempt at reigning in the beast, and applying his medical expertise and his healing when needed.

Though he could do nothing about Mr. Compresses broken mechanical arm.

Dr. Ujiko promised to give the league his full support, once they reigned in the beast, and yet Shigaraki has come no closer to proving his strength to the giant and winning him over.

The monster wages a full-out assault for 48 hours and 44 minutes straight, only taking breaks to sleep that brief respite last for about three hours, then he wakes up and starts the cycle all over again.

His body gets bigger during combat, and somehow, he's always able to find Shigaraki, no matter where he hides.

So, for a month and a half now Shigaraki's barely slept a wink. But even as he's pushed to the brink of death, he still smiles.