My hero academia:Am I worthy?

The night sky over Mustafa was covered with clouds, casting only a dim light of the moon and the tears of souls that wept upon it, washing it with the sins of their own desires. Izuku, hiding behind the facades of buildings, moved across the rooftops with astonishing speed. His long coat billowed behind him like the wings of a raven, while his eyes, hidden beneath a mask, intently scanned the neon-filled horizon and colorful signs urging the night dwellers to join the decline of their own souls, yielding to worldly pleasures and consuming the nonsense that had been sold to them for their own money. Each movement was honed, like that of a predator stalking its prey. But chaos reigned in his mind as he questioned whether his actions were justified, despite his noble intentions.

"Shadow Broker… The heroes who work for him…" These words from the leader tormented him. With each second, his doubts grew, but the leader did not lie; under the threat of death, a man like him would be ready to sell his own mother to continue living, corrupting innocent people who merely wanted the ordinary human happiness they deserved.

He abruptly stopped on the rooftop of one of the old buildings, perched on the edge, and looked down. The dim lights of street lamps illuminated the empty street. The nighttime sounds of the city—the distant hum of cars, the rustling of garbage—intertwined with his thoughts.

"Did I do the right thing?" he whispered, staring at his hands. His tendrils, quivering, began to slowly retract under his skin, disappearing as if he wanted to hide this part of himself from himself. This part, which he had discovered without realizing it had existed alongside him since childhood, concealing itself from him through despair.

"I left him alive but turned him in to the police. If they are corrupt…" He recalled how the police had arrived at the noise and the moment when he saw not surprise in their eyes but… weariness. It was as if for them, the bound leader was just another routine, not a breakthrough in the fight against crime. Izuku doubted whether such people were worth living when justice constantly tried to catch him for violating accepted order, while that same order was ready to crumble like a house of cards the moment one hero crossed the line by taking a villain's life.

"They might free him. Bribe him. Or use him for their own purposes…" he whispered, gazing into the distance. But then his eyes sparkled with the light of his own thoughts.

"No. That was the only way. I am neither judge nor executioner. But now I know who's next." He recalled the leader's face—fear mixed with despair. This was not satisfaction. It was merely necessity. Izuku rose and, casting aside his doubts, jumped again to the roof of the neighboring building, standing at the edge of the structure where his childhood dream had been shattered by his own idol, who deemed him unworthy of heroism. The day he did not take the desperate step, finally settling the score with his life, but arguing with himself, he did not realize that security and possibility were on that very roof. Remembering how he had walked with his head down, trying to accept the words of his idol and the blow that All Might dealt him in the face, signaling the end of his meaningless efforts to be an ordinary hero.

"Now, looking at me, you can call me a pathetic nobody… All Might," Izuku whispered to himself, but even more, he focused on the name he had learned today.

"Shadow Broker…"

He murmured that name as if it were the key to all questions. The wind picked up, cutting through his coat, which flapped in the breeze, and the raindrops, combined with the wind, penetrated the hardest-to-reach parts of his body. Izuku raised his head, looking at the stars that barely broke through the veil of clouds.

"All of this is rot that I must destroy. The rot from which I must cleanse society of corruption." Izuku knew there was no turning back. With each passing day, he moved further away from the boy who dreamed of being a hero. Now he was something else—a ghost who worked not for glory or recognition, but for the truth. His thoughts briefly returned to the Yaoyorozu family.

"If they are involved… How far has this gone? And how many more such families hide their true faces?" In the distance, the sound of sirens could be heard. Somewhere, a loud explosion shattered the night's tranquility. Izuku dashed toward the noise, piercing the night fog like lightning.

Continuing to blend into the darkness at the sound of the explosion, Izuku saw a building engulfed in flames. The tears of souls tried to extinguish the fire, but it was not enough to resist the purgatory that spread even stronger, illuminating the street with its orange flames. Izuku sat at the edge of the roof, watching the incident unfold, where a few heroes were battling the fire, and rescuers were leading people away from the blaze. A crowd of onlookers surrounded the building from different sides, watching the raging fire that threatened anyone daring to approach. Watching this grim event, Izuku stood up straight, straightening himself, and walked away in the opposite direction, away from the cries of children and the tears of mothers and fathers mourning their loved ones who had fallen victim to the flames.

"This is not my business," he whispered, feeling powerless as he jumped from roof to roof.

"I am not to blame for this fire, I couldn't do anything, I can't bring back the dead, I can't heal the grief they experienced," Izuku murmured to himself, moving away from the site of the fire until he heard the sounds of a struggle in one of the dark alleys of the city. Heading toward the sounds of resistance and landing on the roof, he saw a scene where one heroine was fighting three villains and a huge man with a mutant quirk standing behind them. Izuku watched as the heroine bravely and wildly fought the villains.

"Well, you bastards ready for a fresh serving of beatings?" she shouted, clenching her fists in the euphoria of battle that had been going on for an unknown time. She had managed to neutralize a few villains, but two were pushing forward, unwilling to take a step back. She was dressed in a white coat and a mask covering her face but not her eyes; on her back was a red tank containing a fire extinguisher for emergencies related to her quirk. Grabbing her green hair with both hands, she formed blades of fire, waving them in front of them.

"Don't get cocky, Burnin, we all know your quirk is perfect for our buyers," said a villain with a disgusting voice, reminiscent of a jackal, with fur on his head. Without hesitation, he lunged at her with the speed of a jackal, circling around her, dodging her clumsy attacks while carefully striking at her with his claws. Burnin didn't hesitate and evaded the trajectories of his attacks, distancing herself from his claws. Closing the distance, she tore a piece of her hair into the shape of an apple and, with a precise throw, hit the jackal, who instantly caught fire from the contact with his fur. In convulsions and moans of pain, he slapped at his fur, trying to extinguish the fire she had caused.

"What, did your pants get wet because a girl beat you up? Come on, step forward, I've got plenty of moves for you!" she shouted, frightening her battle cry at the second adversary, who, with his hands tucked in, aimed his spikes at his back, resembling a porcupine quirk, and with claws, he lunged into battle with Burnin. Turning around, he attempted to injure her, but she easily dodged such a predictable attack and sidestepped, avoiding a blow to the forehead. Creating a fiery spear from her hair, she fought with him, swinging and dealing him a couple of severe burns. Then, with a low kick, she struck his knee, bending it, and grabbing his arm, she broke the villain's hand. He screamed in pain, trying to lessen her grip, but it was futile. With a swift kick, she knocked him out and looked at the last, the largest villain of all. Izuku, watching her fighting skills, was impressed by such mastery and was interested to see how she would deal with the massive foe with a armadillo quirk.

"How huge! Is the size the same in your pants, or are you hiding your little flaws?" Moé mocked her enemy, which infuriated him as he pulled a syringe from his pocket.

"You will pay for your words, green bitch!" The syringe was seized by Izuku's tendril, and he pulled it toward himself, smashing it with force against the ground. Moé looked up and saw Silent Phantom who jumped from the roof, landing on a dumpster. The armadillo looked at him with disdain.

"Did you come to help me or to help him?" Burnin quipped, but Izuku, not answering her, charged at the villain, using [Symbiote:Dash]. Quickly closing the distance, he attempted to deliver three quick punches to the face, but the villain caught his hand and threw him into the nearest wall.

"I like this better," Moé said, throwing several fire projectiles toward the enemy, but the armor withstood the flames. The villain merely smirked at her efforts. Creating blades, she ran toward the enemy, trying to damage the armor, but apart from heating it up, she achieved nothing. The armadillo didn't hesitate with her and, seizing her by the arms, attempted to break them, but something hard flew into his nape, causing him to loosen his grip. Turning his head, he faced Izuku's white pupils, who had taken a fighting stance.

Using [Symbiote:Slam], he grabbed him by the waist and threw him over himself, forcefully slamming him into the ground. The armadillo didn't feel this attack and instantly got back up, grabbing a trash can and throwing it toward Moé. Burnin, pulling a blade from her hair, sliced the can in half, but didn't expect the enemy to knock her down with a ram, pinning her against the wall, causing her to moan in pain. Izuku used [Symbiote:Punch] and knocked the villain away from the heroine, seizing his arms with a tendril, he pulled him toward himself, and gathering enough strength in his fist, he struck his armor, creating a crack that made the villain scream in pain. Toppling him to the ground, Izuku utilized [Symbiote:Yank], lifting and slamming him into the ground several times until he lost consciousness.

Izuku stood over the defeated villain, his breathing steady, but the tension in his posture revealed that he was still ready for a fight. The tendrils slowly retracted beneath his coat while his white pupils closely watched the heroine. Moé, though looking battered after the clash with the armadillo, quickly got to her feet, rubbing her shoulder which had clearly suffered from the impact against the wall. The ends of her bright green hair were slightly singed, but she did not lose her boldness.

"Hey, buddy, nice job," she smirked, stepping closer.

"Though, to be honest, I could have handled it myself." Izuku said nothing, only tilted his head slightly, continuing to observe her. Her outfit, of course, was designed for the convenience of her quirk, but her slightly exposed legs left much to the imagination of teenagers. She was also somewhat attractive, yet her bold, sometimes playful character slightly repelled Izuku from engaging in conversation.

"Sure, of course," she continued, noticing his silence.

"You probably enjoy playing the hero from the shadows. No mask, no names, no applause." She shook her head with a smile.

"But still… thanks. If it weren't for you, that creep could have broken a couple of my bones." Finally, Izuku spoke, his voice sounding cold and clipped, to avoid drawing too much attention to himself.

"You were taking too much of a risk. One against three—a bad gamble, even for you." Moé snorted, crossing her arms over her not insignificant chest, which swayed with her movements.

"Well, sorry, Mr. Dark Knight. You know, I'm not used to waiting for someone to come help me," she said, pulling out handcuffs from her pockets for arresting villains.

"It's not always worth rushing into a fight without evaluating the enemy," Izuku replied calmly, ignoring her sarcasm. Though she was eager to fight without considering the consequences, her combat intelligence could not be underestimated; despite her strange quirk, she mastered it skillfully.

"And you, then, assessed?" she teased.

"And decided to intervene only when it became interesting?"-She replied with a scoff..Izuku squinted slightly, but didn't let her comment throw him off balance.

"I intervened so you wouldn't end up another victim." Moé fell silent for a second, her gaze softened slightly, though she quickly concealed it behind her smirk as she approached him closer and said with a carefree tone.

"Well, alright, hero, admit it we make a good team. Although, of course, I'm the star of the show."-Izuku didn't respond, instead walking past her toward the unconscious villain. His tendrils re-emerged, tightly binding the brute so he couldn't escape if he came to.

"And what now?" Moé asked, watching his actions.

"Are you going to leave him here for the police?"-She tried to provoke him, but Izuku maintained his composure, deciding that the best way to deal with her personality was to communicate in a half-joking manner.

"That's your job,I did my part" Izuku replied tersely, not turning around.

Moé smirked, but this time her smile was grateful.

"You're a strange guy, you know? First, you save, then you leave, as if no one saw you." Izuku raised his head, glancing at her briefly.

"I'm not meant to be seen." Finishing tying up the villain, he stood and turned to Moé. His white pupils glinted in the darkness, creating a sinister contrast with the surrounding gloom, and Izuku pondered why they had decided to attack Moé and capture her.

"These people," he began, his voice cold and focused,

"they came for you. Why?" Moé narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her confidence slightly wavering. She tried to conceal this by scoffing and fixing her hair.

"For me? Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Dark Knight. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," she replied bluntly, giving him a frowning look.

"Don't lie," Izuku interrupted, his voice dropping lower and sharper.

"They talked about your quirk. About how it would be perfect for 'their buyers.'" Moé froze for a moment, but then looked away, crossing her arms over her chest, and reluctantly murmured, she decided to share information with Silent Phantom.

"Well, let's say that's true. And what of it? Do you think this is something new for me? Villains are always looking for ways to profit off someone like me." Izuku stepped closer, his figure looming over her, making her appear miniature against his frame, if not for her flowing hair.

"These are not just villains. They are from the Miyamoto family," he stated, looking directly into her eyes.

"Do you know who they are?" Moé tensed again, but this time her smile vanished. She nodded briefly, exhaling deeply.

"Yeah, I know. I've heard of them. They say they trade people with unusual quirks. A dirty business, but they always remain above the law thanks to their lawyers and deep pockets. Journalists or heroes who dug up evidence against them end up in jail," she replied, laying out the basic information about them.

"And they came for you," Izuku continued, not taking his eyes off her.

"Why?" She sighed heavily, stepping back as if trying to maintain distance.

"Maybe my quirk caught their interest, or my body. Fiery hair is so… useful?" she attempted to joke, but tension was evident in her voice.

"Moé," Izuku said sharply, causing her to flinch.

"If you know something, tell me. These people are dangerous." She remained silent for several seconds, as if deciding whether to trust him. Finally, she spoke

"Alright, alright. There's one thing… A few months ago, I helped arrest one of their guys. He had a quirk that allowed him to instantly bind people with metal chains. I turned him in to the police, but apparently, the family hasn't forgotten about it." Izuku frowned, contemplating her words and processing all the information, he reached a conclusion.

"They returned to punish you. And to acquire your quirk for their purposes?" Moé shrugged, her bold tone returning.

"Let them try. I'm not someone easy to catch." Izuku looked at her with an inscrutable expression, slightly annoyed by her careless and defiant tone that didn't consider the potential consequences.

"They won't act alone. They have money, connections, and bought heroes. If you're not careful, they'll find a way to make you theirs." Moé smirked, but this time her smile was bitter.

"So I only have two options, right? Either hide or fight." She said nonchalantly, hitting her palm with her fist on the last word.

"There's one more," Izuku said, stepping to the edge of the rooftop.

"I will find them before they find you." She raised her eyebrows in surprise but could only utter a word before he jumped off the roof, her voice stopping him as he looked back.

"Hey, wait, what does that mean?" Izuku paused at the edge of the rooftop, as if contemplating something. Then he turned to Moé, his gaze direct and serious.

"If you want to stop them, you need more than just your quirk and boldness," he said in a low, even voice.

"You're one against an entire family that controls half of the criminal world." Moé crossed her arms, her gaze sharp, and through gritted teeth, she replied.

"And what do you propose?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"That I hide while you expose them?" Izuku stepped closer, his figure becoming even more imposing under the dim streetlight.

"No," he said firmly.

"I'm offering you cooperation." Moé was momentarily taken aback, her lips parted, but no words came out.

"You're suggesting we work together?" she finally managed to say, her voice filled with disbelief at the notoriously unconventional Silent Phantom known for his unorthodox methods of heroism.

"Yes," he replied briefly, smirking slightly.

"We'll help each other. I'll gather intelligence digging under them while you gain a rise in the hero rankings and fame, and together we will have one goal—destroying the Miyamoto family." Moé paused a moment, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"And what makes you so special?" she smirked.

"Why should I trust you?" Izuku crossed his arms over his chest, his tendrils slightly shifting beneath his coat, as if emphasizing his words.

"Because I am independent of the hero system and the bureaucracy that binds them. Together, we will eradicate crime." Moé narrowed her eyes, as if trying to read his intentions.

"Do you want to use me as bait?" she asked irritably.

"No," Izuku replied, looking directly into her eyes.

"You're not bait. You're an ally." She scoffed skeptically, but his words made her consider.

"And how do you see this?" she asked after a pause.

"We work together to gather information, eliminate their operations, and hand over those who survive to justice," he calmly explained.

"They play dirty, but we have an advantage they don't know what to expect from us."-Moé thoughtfully shook her head, her gaze turning to the unconscious villains tied up on the ground.

"That sounds crazy," she said, finally returning her gaze to Izuku.

"Maybe," he nodded.

"But it's better than letting them continue hunting those like you." Her eyes narrowed, and a slight smile played on her lips.

"Alright, Dark Knight. I'm in. But if you betray me…"

"I won't betray you," Izuku interrupted.

"Because we both understand that we have a common goal."

Moé nodded, extending her hand.

"Well then, partner, let's tear them to shreds." Izuku looked at her hand, then shook it, his cold gaze softening with a barely noticeable shadow of respect.

"We'll work together. But first, I'll take your phone number, and don't worry, they can't trace us," Izuku added, holding the phone gifted to him by Dabi, whom he hadn't called in a long time but was about to once he got home.

"Aren't you a bit bold for asking for my number on the first date?" Moé joked, to which Izuku rolled his eyes, slightly smiling at her aggressive yet beautiful antics.

"You're too scary to be dating." Moé snorted, as if she had just been offended, but the smirk on her face betrayed the opposite.

"Scary, huh? Well, you're quite the sly one, Mr.Phantom" she said, pretentiously clutching her heart.

"By the way, I often hear that I look fiery."

"Probably from those who fear being roasted," Izuku replied calmly, handing her his phone. She raised an eyebrow, taking the device from his hand.

"And you're not afraid?" she asked with a hint of challenge, quickly entering her number into his contact list.

"If I were afraid, I wouldn't be standing here,"- he responded without a hint of a joke, although there was a subtle tone of irony in his voice. Moé nodded, returning the phone.

"Alright, here's my number. But if you call me at three in the morning because you decided to discuss a battle plan, I'll find you and take you out myself."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied shortly, saving the contact.

"But it seems like you just need an excuse to chat."

"Oh, you're quite confident, aren't you?" she squinted, placing her hands on her hips.

"You know, if you spent less time running across rooftops and more time talking to people, you'd understand that not everyone is as chatty as I am."-She replied with a smile on her face, revealing that she enjoyed talking to him.

"Good thing you compensate for two," he said, turning to leave.

"Hey, wait-wait!I'm not finished" she called after him, catching up.

"And I am," he tossed over his shoulder, stepping into the shadows of the alley. She stopped, watching as his silhouette dissolved into the darkness.

"He's definitely strange," Moé muttered, shaking her head, but a slight smile appeared on her face.

"But it seems like you won't get bored with him."

Izuku moved swiftly across the rooftops, his long coat billowing in the wind. His movements were precise, as if he and the dark city had become one. Venom, whose voice echoed in his head, spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Do you trust her?" Venom asked playfully. Izuku jumped to the next building, looking around to make sure no one was watching him.

"I never said I trust her," he replied.

"But she could be useful." Izuku jumped onto the roof of his home, slipping through the window as he entered.

"Useful, you say?" Venom teased.

"Did you see how she jumps into a fight like it's her personal theater? She doesn't think; she acts on her emotions. It's dangerous."

"She's not stupid," Izuku noted, taking off his coat and shoes. His eyes scanned the kitchen and, somewhat unexpectedly, he yawned.

"She handled three almost without help. And her knowledge about the Miyamoto family could be key." Venom snorted at his response and took off his symbiotic mask.

"Maybe. But she's too loud. We're used to working quietly, and this girl is a walking firework." Izuku smirked as he walked to the bathroom.

"You're exaggerating. Her boldness might be a mask. People hide fear behind confidence," Izuku said, smiling as he remembered Katsuki Bakugo.

"Are you trying to justify her?" Venom asked sarcastically.

"Or do you just like her?"

— We're not here for that, — Izuku replied sharply, his voice becoming colder.

— She is merely a means to an end- Venom laughed mockingly.

— Oh, of course. That's why you gave her your number.

— I gave her my number for coordination, — Izuku cut in, jumping over a ventilation pipe.

— Coordination? — Venom was clearly enjoying this conversation.

— You know, you can deceive her, you can deceive yourself, but you won't deceive me- Izuku stopped, inhaling the cold air.

— Enough, — Izuku said quietly.

— We have a goal, and I'm not going to get distracted- Venom fell silent for a moment but then added in a more serious tone:

— Fine. But if she becomes a threat, we'll take her out. Do you understand?

— I understand, — Izuku replied shortly, moving forward again.

He knew that collaborating with Moé carried its risks. But deep down, he felt that this risk might pay off.After finally taking a shower and having dinner, Izuku lay on his bed, contemplating further plans to eliminate the Miyamoto family and others, but also the Shadow Broker with whom he needed to meet for information in the future. Then he remembered Dabi, who was on sick leave after the incident with the Crystal Villain. Snatching his phone, he called him, but there was no answer for about 30 seconds until he heard Dabi's sleepy voice.

"Who is this?" Dabi whispered, sounding exhausted.

"It's me, Silent Phantom," Izuku replied, slightly nervously. Hearing about him, Dabi instantly got out of bed, looking around the room and hallway to ensure no one would overhear his conversation.

"Where are you?" Dabi asked sharply, staring at his phone and listening intently.

"Far from you," Izuku replied calmly, sifting through papers on his desk to note important details he had gathered and theories he was building. Dabi fell silent for a moment before Izuku spoke.

"If you're trying to mess with me at one in the morning just to annoy me, you're a bad comedian," he said with a half-smile, lying back down on the bed, tossing his head onto the pillow.

"The Miyamoto family," Izuku said briefly, bringing Dabi up to speed, who opened his eyes wider upon hearing that name. They were notorious for human trafficking and, in some places, impunity, which made it nearly impossible to expose them due to the excellent legal support that Dabi knew all too well about in hero circles. Heaving a deep breath, Dabi got up from the bed with a serious tone.

"Yeah, I know about them—human traffickers. Just don't tell me you crossed paths with them?" Dabi asked, rubbing his eyes.

"No, fortunately, I haven't encountered them, but I am actively digging under them and gathering various information, and I decided to share this with you," Izuku replied, jotting down various notes and assumptions on paper that he couldn't confirm.

"Hm, that's good. So what have you uncovered?"

"The information is still too sparse, but I can't handle them alone. I need your help." Izuku hoped for Dabi's assistance, even though he could be arrogant at times like Moé, but he did his work quietly and without complaints.

"You're one of the few who isn't afraid to go solo against an entire criminal family." Dabi tried to expose this family, having once caught perpetrators of their crimes and recalling how disgusting they seemed to him, trading people for their quirks, remembering his mother, who had also been sold but managed to enlighten his father so that their family became whole, and without her, Dabi feared what might have happened next.

"Well, at least you're not dependent on the bureaucratic apparatus known as the hero society," he said with a hint of irony.

"That's an advantage," Izuku added calmly, continuing to take notes.

"So, are you with me?"

Dabi paused for a moment, then exhaled as if shedding a burden of doubt.

"Alright, I'm in. Those Miyamotos have been annoying me for a long time. If there's a chance to bring them down, I won't miss it."

"Excellent," Izuku nodded, though Dabi couldn't see it.

"But first, tell me how you're doing after the incident with the Crystal Villain."-Dabi smirked, running a hand over his face.

"A mild concussion. Nothing I haven't dealt with before. I would have been out of here already if it weren't for my mom. She insisted I finish my recovery. Honestly, she's been keeping me on a tight leash."-Izuku raised an eyebrow, allowing himself a slight smile for the first time in a long while.

"It's good that she insisted. You'd better be fully ready than get into trouble again."

"Are you lecturing me now?" Dabi asked mockingly.

"Just reminding you," Izuku retorted, and the smile widened slightly.

"You're too useful to end up in the hospital again." Dabi laughed, his voice sounding warmer than usual.

"Well, that's probably the first time someone called me 'useful.' Alright, if we're going to start this thing, we'll do it right. No foolishness or reckless moves."

"Agreed," Izuku replied shortly.

"I'll write down the details for you. We'll get in touch when it's time to act."

"Can't wait,And, hey, don't go hero-ing too hard on your own-Dabi said

Izuku nodded and hung up. His gaze fell on the notes lying before him. He felt a little lighter: now he had a reliable ally.

To be continued

Allies

1. Dabi

2. Burnin.