The King of Heroes: Null/Virtue

Preparations

"You need to swear to me, on whatever is most important to you, that this information does not leave this room." Izuku was sitting with the five, secluded in a quiet room in the NULL Estate. "It can't be told to the council, to your friends or family."

"I swear on Fuyumi's life!" Rumi promised.

"On the memory of my son," Enji added.

Ryuko placed a hand over her heart, "On my honor as an Onyx."

"I swear on the woman I loved," Toshinori said, reminding Izuku of the Faded wife he once had.

Finally, Kaina smiled at Izuku. "Does this mean I have to swear on your life?"

Izuku chuckled. The declarations were all more than enough. In fact, he had just said what he did for dramatics, he didn't actually expect everyone to offer up a promise on something in particular. "Alright... Here's the deal."

He explained to them the excursion Himiko took him on. He expected them to give disapproving stares about sneaking out, but none of them were going to treat him like such a child after their serious promises. He detailed Himiko's love for the Faded girl and their plan to lie to the council to limit the backlash. All five listened carefully, waiting until Izuku was finished to speak.

"I see... So, is this the path you wish to take?" Toshinori asked delicately.

"It's the right thing to do."

Toshinori grimaced. "That's not what I'm asking. Izuku, if you take this path, will you be happy? Will you regret it?" He waved his hand through the air. "Forget Himiko for a moment, forget the 'right thing.' What do you want? Because if you lose, there is no reclaiming the throne. You're risking quite a lot for her happiness. I'm asking about yours."

"My happiness? I'm already happy... I should've gone straight to hell for all the people I killed. I don't deserve any of this love, this warmth. I have to pay it back. I have to make this life worth it."

"I want this," Izuku answered firmly. "I am taking this path, hell or high-water."

"Very well," All five accepted his resolve with a nod.

"In that case, let's get to work." Ryuko pulled out a notebook of sorts, writing things down.

"Lying to the council isn't the concern here," Enji informed Izuku. "People lie to the council all the time, and they lie to each other. It's politics. So I wouldn't stress too much about crafting a fake life. Even if it comes to light that you lied about the reason for refusing the NULL/Virtue marriage, they likely won't care. The problem is that they're all going to favor Himiko."

"Because she's easier to manipulate?" Izuku asked.

Enji nodded. "No offense, but she's more of a standard Onyx than you are. That makes her preferable in a position of power like the throne. She'll buy into the more violent and controlling side of our society."

"Which means that the council is going to do everything in their power to ensure her victory," Kaina concluded.

"Well, how much can they interfere?"

Ryuko put her notebook on the table they were sitting at. "The process of deciding which of you will get the throne is very straightforward. A date will be set, and the two of you will fight in Draxia's biggest arena in front of the Onyx people. The winner gets the throne. Now, the council cannot directly interfere in that fight. Too many eyes and ears."

"But they can influence the lead up to the fight," Kaina added. "Not only will they give Himiko every last piece of powerful equipment they can muster, but they'll restrict you from getting any of it as well. And among other things, they can send assassins or other challengers to try and weaken or tire you out before the day of the fight."