Phony

Prologue

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The room was dark and silent, save for the faint flicker of a single candle casting long shadows on the stone walls. In the center, a large figure loomed, his presence radiating an aura of power and menace. All For One, the most feared villain in existence, sat calmly behind a desk, his eyes hidden behind the darkness. Before him stood a young boy, his eyes blazing with anger and defiance, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

Bakugou Katsuki, the boy with the explosive Quirk, was no ordinary child. His potential was undeniable, his power extraordinary for someone so young. And yet, he was not here willingly. The burning resentment in his eyes told the story—he had been brought here against his will, dragged into the shadows by the League of Villains. And now, he stood before their leader, refusing to bend.

"Why the hell would I ever join you?" Bakugou spat, his voice dripping with venom. "I don't want anything to do with you or your league of losers. I'm going to be a hero, the best one there ever was. And there's nothing you can say that'll change that."

All For One remained silent for a moment, studying the boy with a quiet intensity. Bakugou's anger, his fierce determination—it was exactly what made him a prime candidate for what All For One had in mind. Slowly, the villain leaned forward, his voice a soft whisper that seemed to echo in the darkness.

"You have strength, young Bakugou. You have ambition. But you are still so naive, so blind to the truth of this world," All For One began, his tone almost gentle, as if speaking to a misguided child. "The heroes you look up to, the society you want to protect—they are not what they seem. They are weak, corrupt, built on lies and illusions. The hero society is a facade, a house of cards waiting to collapse."

Bakugou scoffed, glaring at the shadowy figure. "You're full of crap. Heroes are the ones who save people. They're the ones who stop people like you from destroying everything."

A slow, almost pitying smile spread across All For One's face. "Is that what you believe? Then let me ask you this—how many times have you seen heroes turn their backs on those they swore to protect? How often do they put their own image, their own fame, above the lives of others? Heroes are praised, celebrated, but it is all a lie. They save only to serve themselves, to uphold a system that benefits the few and leaves the rest to suffer."

Bakugou hesitated, his mind racing. He had always admired heroes, had always aspired to be the greatest among them. But in the depths of his memory, he recalled moments that made him falter: heroes who ignored the cries for help, who turned away when they weren't being watched, who basked in the spotlight while the weak suffered in the shadows. He had dismissed those thoughts before, too focused on his own ambitions, but now they resurfaced, clawing at his mind.

"You're just trying to mess with my head," Bakugou growled, though his voice lacked the earlier conviction. "You think you can manipulate me, but I'm not falling for it. I'm not like you."

All For One chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that filled the room. "I'm not asking you to become like me. I'm simply offering you the truth. I'm offering you the power to change things, to make a real difference. Join us, and you will not just be another puppet in the hero society's game. You will be the one pulling the strings. You will be the one who decides who deserves to be saved and who deserves to fall."

Bakugou's heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and doubt. All For One's words gnawed at him, planting seeds of distrust. Could it be true? Could the society he had placed on a pedestal be so flawed, so broken?