Back hurting. Head dizzy. Ears ringing. Body numb. And the familiar taste of iron in his mouth.

Iwao Oguro, Knuckleduster, coughed out blood and stagger to his feet, ignoring every pain in his body. Now wasn't the time to relax, he need to be defensively ready. Gritting his teeth, he opens his eyes and focuses on his enemy ahead.

And he freeze.

Years, in the industry has numbed his sense of fear. Death is something to be expected in the Hero industry. He has been through a lot of injuries some putting him near death door. He had faced many villains and crooks with the next being more messed up than the other. He has seen gore. He has seen death. He has seen destruction. He has seen the very worst of mankind. He has seen it all, but none of it has caused such a terror in his heart until now.

For the first time in a very long time, his body trembles. But his mouth still goes on,

"What the fuck are you?"

Ichiji, in his Nomu form, responds with his fist, having Knuckleduster, snapped out of his trance and barely dodge it, and step back. However, from that close distance, Ichiji can naturally change his footwork and swing his right back. Successfully smashing Knuckleduster.

Knuckleduster was able to raise his arms as a guard, but it did not matter. He felt every bone in his arms break down. His consciousness was nearly slipping when a new pain decide to introduce itself. He crashed into a wall of the building, he felt the impact all the way to his chest as blood naturally reach his mouth.

'How....delicate...'

Ichiji thought as he watched Knuckleduster slide down the wall while slipping in and out of consciousness. He felt bad looking at him, he intended to just knock him out.

"*clap**clap*"

"Well done, Ichiji. As expected of you. Even took out the mighty Knuckleduster with one hand."

Ichiji ignored Kurogiri's compliment and turn toward the frozen trio. They had stopped moving the moment they watched him transform and haven't moved since. He clenches his fist and return back to his normal form as he went to check on the three.

"Ah, they fainted."

He muttered. Kurogiri went to his side and can be heard sighing.

"How unfortunate. Seems like they can only be used as pawns."

"Pawns? To what?"

"To Sensei's big plans."

Ichiji's eyes narrowed. He first heard this so-called plan from Dictor Garaki, something with fear. Now he heard it from Kurogiri.

'It's a group decision, huh? Seems like I'm on the wrong side. These plans don't sit well with my heart. How strange.'

"What will be my role?"

Ichiji asked. The misty man pats his back, answering in a neutral tone,

"As Doctor Garaki said, you'll play a big role. An even bigger role if you're loyal."

"Loyal to this Sensei of yours?"

"Of course, you'll love him. He's more of a father than Doctor Garaki ever be. And he uses us Nomus properly."

There's a lot of concerning words coming from Kurogiri which Ichiji didn't like but kept a stoic face.

"But if you were to backstab us, I assure you, he will make your life hell."

As Kurogiri continued, he suddenly came very close to Ichiji's face. His glowing eyes seem to be trying to look into his soul.

Ichiji immediately realizes that Kurogiri is testing him. He learned from his book that betrayal is the easiest way to lead to a defeat, so he wasn't so surprised at Kurogiri. Keeping his calm, Ichiji stare back.

"We Nomus are created to follow this Sensei of yours in the first place. So don't worry about such things, plus you guys are family. And to add on, you, Kurogiri, is loyal and you're as intelligent as me, so you must be right."

Only then did Kurogiri create distance and nod before heading to the barely conscious Knuckleduster. Ichiji follow along and asked,

"So who is this Knuckleduster?"

"A vigilante."

"What?"

"A man who does things for their twisted opinion of justice. Someone who works well with the police. A group who work for their own twisted opinion of justice."

"Hmm"

'Obvious manipulation.'

Ichiji narrowed his eyes and look at Kurogiri from the corner of his eyes. He's been living under Doctor Garaki and his master for so long, he had some thought about what they do, from the fact that they used dead bodies to create more of his 'brothers'. And had always a sense of disapproval in his heart for this. But now that some context and state of the world has been revealed, the discomfort, discontent and disapproval had bear its head again. Even he doesn't understand why he feels this way.

They're the only thing he knows, they're family, yet his feelings remain unchanged.

"Can you kill him?"

Ichiji's heartbeat quickened. Anger and disapproval decide to reveal themselves again. A feeling he is so used to, each time he hears Doctor Garaki gushed about the plan. But he's used to it, so his face remain unchanged as he answers,

"Okay, but can you get me clothe?"

Kurogiri look at his naked top half and created a warp to disappear into. Once he's gone, Ichiji activated Air Walks.

[Air Walks

Original User: Unknown

Known Users: All for One, Ichiji

Description: Allow the user to levitate in mid-air]

Ichiji didn't have to be his nomu form to use his quirks. His Nomu form is just a power-up, not like he is any weaker in his human form, he's just used to his Nomu form.

He flew up quickly and scanned his surroundings and gasped. It was a beautiful city, his ideal thought of civilisation, distracting him for a second before searching for a red cross, which usually means a hospital, but this is Japan, they don't use that symbol. And with time running out, he just looked for the busiest area, the area with the most light and fall down picked up Knuckleduster and tossed him in that direction, hoping for the best.

He then tore off his left arm up to the elbow and let his blood spray against where Knuckleduster once was and tossed his left arm at it. While having his left arm regenerate.

[Super Regeneration

Original User: Unknown

Known User: All for One, Ichiji

Description: Rapid psychical regeneration. It does not work on scars]

It was bloody.

While he slammed his once left arm toward it, a warp was created in which Kurogiri return. Kurogiri withness the bloody mess and the bloody look on Ichiji.

"Testing your Human strength?"

"....yes, seems like I don't have to transform."

"Alright, good let's go."

Kurogiri said and tossed clothes at Ichiji while creating a warp gate under the frozen trio and a separate one for the bag on one of them. Without a glance, he went into his own warp gate with Ichiji close behind, leaving bloody destruction.

......

On a bustling highway, a skinny blonde man was reading a magazine about All Might in the back of a taxi. Looking at his signature smile on the paper he subconsciously remembers that his green-haired successor.

"Should I teach him how to smile?"

He put his hand on his chin, thinking ignoring, the taxi driver's strange gaze. Then he laughed.

"Hahaha, he won't be able to imitate my smile. Hahaha"

Before coughing blood.

'Another weird customer.'

Wiping the blood from his lip, he smiled and look out the window toward what seemed to be a shooting star. But something is wrong, the star, is evolving into a human and is coming CLOSER!

He transforms into his muscle form, breaking the back half of the car and catching Knuckleduster. Moving back a few cm.

Looking at his catch, his signature smile disappear.

"You. What happened to you?"

......

A few hours had passed.

In Garaki's office, was Kurogiri facing the computer.

"What do you think?"

All for one ask.

"He certainly has no problem attacking and killing others and as of now, he seems loyal."

"Hoh."

"However, it's more likely he's loyal to Doctor Garaki and the rest of us Nomu."

Doctor Garaki tremble with sweats down his back and rush in to explain himself but was cut off immediately.

"Don't worry. I understand, seeing is believing. He doesn't know about me really yet. Bring him to me next time."

"Understood"

"Understood"

"Oh, Kurogiri."

"Yes, sensei."

"Does he know about the child?"

"No, he warped off after warping with me."

"Hmmm, see his reaction next time."