Chapter Text
The black market.
A place which is filled with otherwise unobtainable items. From illegal drugs to rare artifacts from around the world, the black market has it all. Only this time, the market would hold an event even rare for it.
A human auction.
Since the rise of superheroes, the process of kidnapping humans was becoming an ever harder task. The condition of the human, the appearance, the quirk, their social standing; everything was taken into consideration before one could even think of taking them. From there one would always have to watch their back in fear of getting caught, even then those kidnappers would have to find a way to sell their prize. After all what one looked for was the money.
And so those few who managed to kidnap and get a connection to the black market were always told to wait till a significant amount of slaves were registered in order to sell them off all in one go, for safety concerns. Now slaves is a loosely used term. Usually meant for those kidnapped humans who had gone through the system more than once, sometimes they had been sent back due to their behavior or due to the buys who would train their merchandise before selling it off at a higher price.
This particular market was held in a sort of plaza, an open area surrounded in a circle by venders with multiple routes that led to where the main even was going to occur. These routes were to different passages in order to get to the market, though it was also set as a safety precaution in case word got out and the buyers could have a higher chance of getting out safely.
From the slowly growing crowd in front of a stage stood a pair of men dressed in formal attire. One held a cigiratte, dreesed in a white shirt under his blue suit. The other wore his suit with the sleeves rolled up along with his gray suit unbottoned. The latter spoke first.
"Hey Nico is that you-know-whos apprentice?" Curiosity thick in his voice. His slightly shorter counterpart stretched his neck in the direction the other was looking. With a nod he spoke.
"Yeah. Rumor is the so called vacation of his is a cover-up. I mean why else would the number one assassin vanish from his line of work out of the blue?"
From one of the many routes to the plaza walked in a short boy with a nest of green hair, his logo if you will. On his right side was another who slouched to talk into his ear. The two screamed authority, the duo knew it with the way they walked.
Izuku. People weren't sure if the male's official name to the underworld was his legal name, but no one questioned it. He was the apprentice of the number one assassin, someone who killed anyone who offered a deal with him, given the amount was enough and if he had taken an interest in the assignment. All Might escaped heroes and villains alike. Sure he wasn't exactly a ideal savior, he didn't kill heroes left and right. Nonetheless All Might did kill for a living and his rumored paycheck was said to be beyond even that of the number one hero. It was no surprise he was the icon of the underworld, what anyone with connections with the underworld would think of first.
Yet a month ago this icon had gone missing. Many supporters announced the man had surely gone out for vacation, Who could judge a man who spent his days constantly dancing with death?
Though it did leave the boy out in the open.
"Apparently even his apprentice doesn't know where he's gone off to. I bet-" A snap snapped the man out of his conversation and to the source of the sound. He turned with a scowl, immediately ready to talk to whoever interrupted him. Only that it wasn't just anyone.
Steady green eyes locked onto him. A polite smile broke out of Izukus face which was only seconds ago a deadly glare.
"Excuse me."
"Move" In a flash Izuku no longer was the one who stood in front of the two, for instead the one who was with Izuku stood there. His mess of gray hair along with his sunken eyes left the gossipers in silence. The grayish blue-haired male held an arm outward, moving closer to the two before Izuku spoke out.
"I apologize, we will be on our way now." and just like that Nico and his friend were left dumbfounded.
"What just-" Before either could comprehend what had just occurred, the lights dimmed and the spotlight shined on a man dressed in a tux.
"I welcome you all to our grand event!" He begun. Another light shined on the stage, that focused on a cage being rolled in followed by guards.
"Shall we begin?" The crowd roared.
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"You shouldn't have done that." Shinsou Hitoshi commented. The other only grunted.
"Relax, people will find out I showed up either way. Plus I only wanted them to stop talking about him." Izuku said bitterly. Hitoshi sighed yet said nothing more.
By the time their little chat had ended, they had made it to the stage door. There stood the security guard who stepped aside after glancing at them. And so Izuku and Hitoshi continued on their way down the seemingly never ending steps to where the slaves were being kept. It was somewhat like a basement, an open area with the side lined up with cages of varying sizes and security. From the center of the open area stood a woman adorned with jewels, the announcers wife and the one who really ran the show.
"Ah! To what do I owe such a wonderful surprise to?" The middle aged women eagerly walked to Izuku. Izuku however payed her no mind.
"Show me what you have."
Yes, Izuku did have connections. It was what allowed him to come to this black market in the first place, however with his master being gone his connections could only last so long and so Izuku had make the most of it while it lasted. Even if he had trained under his master for as long as he could remember, in the eyes of others he was just a child. A dangerous one, but one nonetheless.
"Of course. This way." The blond women led the way further down the area, allowing them to light to see the slaves. Within moments a slightly annoyed Izuku spoke out.
"I told you, Pico-chan." Menace bubbled from Izuku's throat.
"Wheres your most promising?"
"I-Its ju-just t-t-that he is too-" She shrieked out in fear while Izuku came up to her in a steady pace.
"Take me."
With that the now frightened woman took the duo to another part of the basement. A cage larger than the rest was separated from the others. Bursts of light come off from within even while walking up to it. A guard stood several feet away from it, though enough to keep a lookout. After a brief update, Pico-chan held the key out to Izuku.
With a nod Izuku went to check out a potential buy. He only sent a look to Pico-chan in a signal for her to stay waiting outside. Izuku unlocked the door and walked into the spacious cage. It was easy to locate the slave even with no light, Izuku's training with managing in the dark paid off years ago. The kid stood in the near the middle, arms crossed even so their stance held uncertainty. Izuku couldn't tell if the child's gender so he slowly walked up to them with his hands up.
"What the hell do you want?!" A boy, Izuku thought.
"I'm not here to hurt you." With a calm voice Izuku replied. His raised arm then darted to hold the others once the two were close enough. Immediately the explosions hit Izukus sleeve, coming from the other hand that latched onto Izukus in retaliation.
"Hey! You brat- you dare to-" Hitoshi's voiced shouted out from outside the cage.
"It's alright" Izukus attacked arm waved to show Hitoshi the damage without turning to him. The coat Izuku wore now held a burnt hole, yet Izuku's flesh held no damage. Instead a sort of red electricity danced on the surface of his arm.
"What the hell are you?" In disbelieving voice the attacker said, his body pressed onto the bars of the cage. He had ran as far as he could, away from the threat. As stupid as he may seem, even he could recognize how dangerous the one in front of him was with the single action.
"I'm your buyer." Izuku turned his back to the other, making his way to the middle of the large cage where he sat down on the ground.
"At least a potential buyer." Izuku's eyes narrowed on the male in front of him.
"Now, entertain me."