Into the Light

Chapter 1

It had been months since Izuku had woken up bandaged in the cell he now called home. A purple mist man, Kuroguiri, had explained what had happened and informed him that there would be no escape. They'd heard his entire conversation with Kaachan so they knew he was valuable. Kuroguiri would tutor him in subject after subject daily. He'd also ensured he could read and write proficiently. He'd also go through rigorous physical training near daily. Thanks to his analytical quirk and memory he caught on quickly and usually wasn't beaten too badly. He wasn't stupid, he knew Shigaraki would kill him the first time he ever tried to escape. He also knew the training he was getting wouldn't last long. Shigaraki wanted him strong enough for something he just wasn't sure he wanted to know what.

After months of tutoring and training his body, Shigaraki decided it was time to break the boys' spirit and make him an invaluable asset, and so the torture started. Shigaraki started by locking the boy in his cell without food and water for days at a time and then he'd chain him up and cut away at his body. For the first few weeks, Izuku would pass out from the pain or out of sheer exhaustion. Kuroguiri would always tend to the boys' wounds and ensure he got fed when he was allowed. After what seemed like years but was only months Shigaraki decided he'd been broken enough seeing as how he barely flinched at the torture anymore. He started training Izuku to fight. He taught him to use a variety of weapons but spent more time on hand to hand. Izuku pushed through it all still hoping a hero would save him.

Before Izuku knew it, nearly three years had passed and he was quickly losing his faith in heroes. Kuroguiri still tutored him but he was already in college studies. His quirk required constant stimulation otherwise he'd suffer from what he called knowledge withdrawal. He'd be tutored every afternoon and spent his morning's weapons and hand to hand training. He didn't just train with Shigaraki anymore but a bunch of different villains. He'd even trained under Stain the hero killer at one point. A small stubborn part of him still held out hope but with each passing month, that sliver seemed to grow smaller an smaller. One of the recruits, Dabi, had become something of an older brother to Izuku these last few years. He'd always take Izuku out with him to complete petty jobs and spent a majority of his time just talking with Izuku. Dabi also helped him hone his hand to hand skills as well as his weapons training.

It was during one of their spars a couple of months ago that his second quirk developed. It may have been a few years late but at least he'd gotten it. Dabi spent as much time as he could teaching Izuku how to control the new power. If he tried to push himself too hard he'd end up with nearly broken bones. Dabi was as close to a sibling as he'd ever had and he was thankful for him. He made sure Shigaraki didn't kill him when he went into one of his moods, as well as showing him the ropes and how to stay hidden. Dabi also kept some of the scarier villains away from him, when they were in the bar at least. Izuku still had his fair share of close calls but not nearly as many as no one wanted to ensure Dabi's wrath. Those who were stupid enough ended up burnt alive.

Izuku couldn't believe another three years had passed in the blink of an eye. He'd long given up hope of rescue. He had no faith in heroes anymore. He was finally starting to lose all of his baby fat, replaced by toned muscles. He was short for his age though not by much. He had a feline grace to his movements now and wasn't nearly as clumsy as he used to be. He'd mastered weapons training and hand to hand. Thanks to Dabi's efforts he also had full control over his physical quirk, One for All, or just Super Power as he'd put it. His secondary quirk when used made him nearly unbeatable in strength and speed. Its drawbacks were if he didn't keep up his physic then he'd suffer from broken bones. When he wasn't out running petty jobs or gathering information he was working out.

Being with the league for six years, as well as being obedient, Shigaraki decided he was ready to join the big boys. He gave Izuku his first job, assassinate a low-class hero. Izuku was more than willing seeing as he knew this hero had a gambling problem and often showed up drunk to work. Dabi had decided to go with Izuku for moral support as it would be his first kill. He remembered his first kill and he didn't want to see Izuku go through the same thing. If only they knew what monster they'd created.