Hunter Amongst Villains Drafts - Overdrive Serum

This one is testing an idea I had with villains using Garou's blood to create a more powerful version of the Trigger. And again, night shift is wrecking my nerves :/ I am scrounging for the energy to get to writing as I am. So, enjoy.

Experimental Scene with the Overdrive Serum

“Grahhhhhhhh!!!” Muscular roared, primal energy surging through his veins as he took the key to augmenting his power to further heights. His muscles hardened, tougher than titanium, his body grew much larger, and his skin could no longer hold the muscles underneath its skin, painting him as a skinless monster of pink muscle.

However the power that gave him the strength also came with a price, such as the power of  Garou. The man’s capacity for self-control decreased, as he slaughtered the closest villain, a random newbie as he was reduced to bloody paste as his innards painted the walls with a sickening splat as the acrid stench of blood filled the air.

“Kuahahahaha! Kill! KILL!!!!” Muscular shouted with sadistic violence as his urge to slaughter rose to uncontrollable levels, one that made even Shigaraki flinch. This was not what he expected. The bloodthirsty murderer grew even more insane as he directed his killing intent towards the League of Villains.

The assembled villains stared at Muscular in his new monstrous form. They had heard that one of their numbers would be testing out a new serum that had been in the works. It drew an even larger crowd due to the serum being made from the blood of Garou, the infamous Hero-Hunter. Ignoring how they even got the blood of such a beast, they all had some interest in taking on Garou. The so-called ‘Hero-Hunter’ had done more heroics than some heroes.

So they had all gathered to witness the power of the serum, dubbed ‘Overdrive’. From what they could see before them, it was quite the site. Muscular seemed to have increased in power to such a ludicrous extent, that his body had transformed to handle his new power.

Dabi and Toga watched from the sidelines, far enough away to avoid the rampaging of their teammate.

“So this is the power of Garou, huh? The power of that pseudo-hero?”

Dabi remained expressionless as he witnessed Muscular’s violent thrashing. He had thought that Garou would have been the one to topple the society of Heroes and change everything. But he seemed to be just another goody two shoes working with the heroes.

Toga had a look of intense interest. If this is what Overdrive could do, and it was made from Garou’s blood, what would happen if she got her hands on some of his blood? With her blood-related Quirk, she could be one of, if not, the strongest villain. She quivered with thoughts of such an idea as her imagination ran wild with the possibilities.

Muscular then directed his murderous gaze towards the other villains.

“Show me your blood.” He radiated extreme killing intent.

Kurogiri looked on as he thought of where to teleport their new ‘asset’. While sending him to the city would be more convenient, teleporting the raging Muscular directly to UA would indeed be quite the spectacle. If he wasn’t made of fog, he would be grinning. He was still glad he’d managed to warp Muscular out just in time. He’d received quite the beating from Midoriya Izuku. 

Just as Muscular began to step towards the rest of the villains, Kurogiri began to shift and warp as he prepared to teleport Muscular to U.A. It didn’t matter where. 

Kurogiri’s black mist engulfed the maddened villain until he was no longer visible. The black cloud remained for a second, before shrinking back down. Muscular was no longer there. 

The low voice of Kurogiri drew the attention of all the villains present.

“If I could kindly ask you all to keep your eyes on the news. I believe something interesting will be showing up shortly.”

Everyone present grinned. Those damn heroes were getting what was coming to them. From the new level of power that Muscular had displayed, what’s to say he wasn’t stronger than Garou was now? They’d kill two birds with one stone.

Ten minutes later, a catastrophe bombed UA as the security measures of the school were triggered without warning. A man without any skin broke through the heavily reinforced walls with ease and caused pandemonium as every hero was dispatched into dealing with the monster.

The heroes battling this beast were struggling. Gang Orca, Snipe, Ectoplasm and Ryukyu were all engaged with the invader. The durability and strength of this monster were off the scale. He shrugged off almost all of their attempted attacks. Even Ryukyu in her Draconic form was incapable of stopping him. The best she could manage was pushing him back slightly with one of her most powerful strikes.

“What a foe! He’s absurdly strong!”

Gang Orca could barely believe it. He had been in UA to act as a physical exercise instructor for some class.

Ryukyu was busy fending the monster off, as she tried to knock him away. But, despite his smaller size, he grabbed her claw with his muscles as tendrils of tendons wrapped around her talon, a perverse parody of tentacles formed from his very muscles.

“I always wanted to taste dragon meat!” The monster roared with maniacal glee as the tendrils started constricting her dragon claw, dangerously creaking her scale and bones with his absurd level of tensile power, and threw her massive body around as he spun.

The earth shook with the impact as Ryukyu landed heavily. She released a cry of shock and pain. The monstrous villain towered over her as she reverted to her human form, sprawls on the ground now helpless, as the muscle man grinned with his teeth displayed and eyes filled with a real savage thirst for blood.

“Hah! This is great! No one can stop me!”

Muscular gloated with pride as he cackles before the draconian theme heroine.

*Bang*Bang*Bang*

Gunfire rang from behind, three bullets pelting his skull, or more specifically, the neck at the location where the neck and spine meets. The bullets aimed in hopes of disabling him ricocheted off his thick pink muscles.

Then, a giant clone of Ectoplasm rose between him and Ryukyu, towering over Muscular in size as he clapped both his arms, holding the rampaging man.

“Ryukyu!” Gang Orca shouted as he ran towards the Heroine, carrying her by the shoulder. Her chin resting on Orca’s shoulder, the heroine groaned as she cast a glare at the skinless human monster. Her right arm broke from the wrist to the elbow.

“Can you transform again?” Orca asked as he started moving her away as quickly as he could. Just in time when the invader broke himself free from the giant clone’s hands and proceeded to leap at the clone and maim it with savage glee. The sounds of tearing flesh made the two heroes wince, the sound eerily similar Garou’s when he was beating on Endeavour.

Ryukyu slowly shook her head after she had finished wincing.

“No. I won’t be able to transform for quite a while after that.”

Looking back at the skinless madman savagely tearing the large clone apart, she gulped heavily when he single-handedly ripped the giant clone’s arm right of its socket with a sickening tear. They’d need some of at least All Might’s strength even to attempt to beat this monster.

However… the only one who is at least All Might’s level is… Garou. And he is not here.

“We’ll need to send a call out. We need Garou here.”

The draconic heroine nodded in agreement with Gang Orca’s assessment. 

“Though… do we even have a way to call him?” Orca asked, pointing something out they failed to touch upon before.

“.........” Ryukyu does not know how to answer that.

Meanwhile…

“Now behave yourself out there, squirt. Don’t beat on the other kids just because they annoy you.” Garou gently reminded as he sent Ghin off to his elementary school. The boy pouted upon being sent away, apparently displeased with school.

“Ok… can I see Eri after school?” Ghin asked wanting to spend time with his friend.

“Depends. You’re not going there without me. That’s an order.”

“Alright…” Ghin with a small ember of hope, Ghin smiled as he nodded, and ran towards the school with his backpack in tow as he joined the other students entering the school.

“Now then…” 

Garou wondered what he should do in his free time. And as if God answered his prayers, one of his two phones rang, one that was not from Chisaki.

He reached for the smartphone and brought it to his eyes, seeing the UA icon on the touchscreen. Tapping into the ‘call’ icon, Garou placed his phone in his ear.

“What is it? I’m kind of busy here.” Garou spoke, lying a little.

A panicked, familiar voice came over from the other side of the phone.

“[Garou! We need your help!]”

“…you?” Garou was surprised when he heard Mt Lady’s voice on the other side.

“Are you here for that rematch?” He asked in high hopes. He enjoys her reactions every time he asked about the duel. It became a sadistic hobby for him.

“[Wha… No! Listen. U.A is under attack. We need your help!]”

She sounded momentarily confused but switched to a more serious tone.

Garou raised a brow.

“Excuse me?” 

Some rustling and footsteps could be heard from the other end of the phone before it stopped and Mt Lady continued; her increasing desperation was becoming more apparent.

“[There is a villain attacking the school. We can’t seem to stop him!]”

“Can’t you just kick him into the horizon ‘giant’ lady? As far as I know, there’s no villain even remotely capable or stupid enough to attacking U.A.” Garou said with the emphasis on the word, ‘giant.’

“[The hell?! His Quirk won’t shut off!]” Garou then heard the desperate voice of Aizawa in the background, followed by explosions and screams.

“[What do you mean you can’t ‘shut’ it off?!]” Garou heard Mt Lady shouting to the lazy instructor. Her voice was slightly muted as she sounded like she was holding the phone away from her.

“[I can’t completely erase his Quirk! Crap, he’s coming my way!]”

Numerous loud crashes and rumblings came over the phone. A few small cries seemed to come from Mt Lady as a thud came from the phone

“…Alright. You still there?” Garou asked as his interest was piqued.

On the other side…

Aizawa cradled his broken arm, his back lying against the wall and his mouth leaking blood. He was saved at the last moment by a wall of concrete erected just in time to block the monster’s punch. 

Cementoss tried to hold the muscle monster at bay by conjuring golems made of concrete to battle him, but the mass of muscle easily tore through the concrete like it was cardboard.

Mt Lady, managed to find the phone she dropped, just in time to hear Garou’s reply.

“[…Alright, are you still there?]” Garou asked through the phone.

Mt Lady sighed in relief that the call was still going. So long as she could bring Garou in to help, she could suffer any number of wounds. She chuckled slightly as she realized how reliant so many people had become on a man who called himself the Hero Hunter.

“Listen Garou. You might be busy, but I’m begging you. We can’t hold this guy off for much longer. You’re the only one who can beat this guy. Please.”

She begged desperately, tears beginning to well up at the corner of her eyes.

“[…huh. Never expected to hear that coming from you heroes.]” he continued replying as if he was on a casual stroll.

“Who’s the tough guy, though?” Garou added.

Mt Lady shook her head furiously as she gripped the phone with both her hands. If she gripped it any tighter, it seemed like the phone might break.

“I don’t know. We don’t know who he is. It’s like he’s a monster.”

“He does look like one of the monsters back home. Huh… that is new. He almost feels like a monster as well.” Garou replied casually again.

The giantess began to tremble even more fiercely as Garou seemed to be so casual. Was he not going to show up to help? Even after everything?

She then felt a finger tapping on her shoulder.

“You do realize I hung up seconds ago, right?” Garou said to her… from behind.

“Eeeeek!”

Mt Lady let out a squeal and jumped visibly. Her hair seemed to stand on end for a moment as she fell down onto the ground.

“Yo.” Garou greeted the moment she turned her head over her shoulder, to see Garou casually waving hello.

She sat down on the ground looking at him with wide eyes. Her wavering hand was pointed at Garou. She looked like she’d break into tears at any moment.

“Y-you… what?”

Her finger remained pointed at Garou. She felt as if she was cheated somehow.

“Behold the power of the Quirkless man. Being Quirkless gives you the power to appear behind any woman begging for his presence. Along with the power to overcome Quirks.” Garou started to joke to lighten up the atmosphere with his out-of-character smile.

Her shaking hand fell down as she buried her head in her hands. She had been begging, and he had been standing right behind her?

“So, you still want me to help? Or should I continue teasing you for my entertainment?”

Her head remained buried in her palms as she let out a little whimper of embarrassment. Her face was red, although no one could see.

“P-please..”

Garou’s smile widened even more upon seeing her reaction. This was too much fun. He might consider messing with the heroes as his newest hobby if it continues being this entertaining.

“Alright. I’ll spare you the teasing, lady and go take care of the monster. So you can wallow in your shame.” Garou said as he casually walked to the monster about to reach Cementoss.

The form of Muscular towered over Cementoss as the hero kept attempting to slow him down. Countless walls rose out of the ground, but Muscular easily strode through them, breaking them apart like a bulldozer through sand castles.

“You. I want your head.” Muscular growled with irritation in his tone, finding the hero the most irritating of them all, as he threw out his right arm firing tendrils of his hard tendons aiming to squeeze the red life out of him.

As the tendrils approached Cementoss, he could physically feel his death. He knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. He closed his eyes as he began to reminisce about his time as a hero. He smiled as he remembered all of his friends and teammates. The smiles of those he had saved from collapsing buildings and from rogue villains. He could feel the gust of wind coming from the tendrils as they sped ever closer.

*BAM*

“Guwoh?!” The sound of the monster crying in pain followed by the sound of flesh being torn, the sound no different than that of tearing paper. Then the sound of stone crumbling followed, then later silence as the air grew still.

“You know…” 

Cementoss opened his eyes upon hearing that voice.

“If I save you all, can I keep the lunch man to myself for a week?” 

His mouth gaped as he almost instantly recognized the voice. He looked on with wide eyes as Garou stood before him, with his back facing him. Numerous strands of muscle coated the ground and crimson blood caked the area. Garou stood between Cementoss and the villain. Muscular writhed and foamed on the ground in front of Garou, clutching his tendons.

“What are you supposed to be?” Garou asked as he tossed the muscles he torn from his right arm away in his hand without a care. It landed atop of Cementoss’ head though, leaving stains of unwanted man fluids on his pale grey head. Cementoss frowned when Garou ruined the moment. For a moment, Garou had the air of a hero… now, it is back to being… the air of Garou.

Muscular rose to his feet as he glared at Garou with a bloodthirsty gaze. His body rippled and twisted as he faced down the figure before him.

“I was hoping you’d show up Hero-Hunter.” The villains grinned despite the pain he received. “You’re more of a hero than I thought.”

“Depends. I am holding their dignity hostage. Quite fun to see them helpless than save them don’t you think?” Garou replied with vague words.

‘Really?’ The heroes thought in unison. They don’t know what to think of this.

“Besides if you’re here to hunt me, then prepare to join the others in hell. Any last words?” Garou started simulating on how he will break this one. This guy has a lot of meat on him. Thinking about this, he now craves beef. Once this was over, he will head over to the UA cafeteria to demand food from the lunchman. 

The skinless villain flexed in front of Garou, his confidence oozing out of every movement. His toothy grin only grew larger and more deranged.

“HAH! There’s that trademark brutality of yours! But let me tell you. I am strong. I’ve become strong enough to beat you!” He pointed a finger at Garou. “And it’s all thanks to you and your blood!”

Garou’s casual demeanor vanished. His body now eerily still, like a statue. The change in atmosphere was very palpable, especially to the heroes watching him.

“…my what?” Garou asked with tranquility… but his calmness is by no means passive. 

Muscular laughed, seemingly unaware of the danger he had put himself in. His bloated overconfidence and his rising bloodlust prevented him from seeing it.

“That’s right! Who would have guessed that a little bit of your blood would create a serum so powerful? I mean, look at me!”

He flexed again, demonstrating his inhuman capabilities as the myriad muscle tendons wormed their way around his body in a grotesque display of power and control. 

“…you dare…” Garou’s tone contains a calm, cold malice to it. His body still unmoving, no fear aura like before. That was no prior indication of warning for the level of anger welling up within Garou’s being.

Garou’s hands slowly formed into claws as if ready to rip Muscular apart, dismantling him into nothing more than a useless pile of meat.

The villain paused for a moment as he finally began to realize the threat that Garou now posed. He stopped flexing and turned to face Garou directly. He had no skin, but he could feel a shiver pass over his body.

“Walk down this road?” Garou finished as if he witnessed the heresy in its purest form. He could no longer contain his murderous intent, his roiling hatred for the man that now stood before him. His soul screamed for the man’s penance, retribution for labeling him as a ‘source of power’.

“I will show you, true terror.” Garou’s eyes gleamed with ruinous light. He let go of any moral sympathies, and thus… decided to treat him as something less. He will be made an example of.

There will be no mercy here. And if others follow this path, they will join him in his suffering.

Muscular’s worm-like tendons shivered as Garou approached him. His muscles trembled uncontrollably and his teeth chattered. Muscular took one step backward, and then another. His grin had faltered and he only maintained a look of faux confidence.

His fear was something he never felt before. He was always the killer, the hunter. He refused to be made the prey, especially by him. He then shunned his instincts warning him to run away and downplayed Garou’s threat level by comparing himself to him. He is bigger. His muscles augmented to the point of a juggernaut, and his Quirk cannot be shut down even by the infamous Eraserhead. He had all the cards. He will claim Garou’s head and prove himself superior.

A snarl crossed his face as he attempted to bury his fear beneath his rage. Muscular stepped forwards, towards Garou as he continued to snarl at the smaller figure in front of him. 

“Ha! Threaten me all you want. You can’t kill me. I’m too strong. You won’t kill me.”

“Oh, I don't have to. You will be made a symbol, however.” Garou replied, his words laced with ominous dread.

The skinless villain let out a short laugh in response to Garou’s threat. He had suppressed his momentary fear and now was back to his original mindset. Muscular licked his lips as he considered the opportunity before him. If a serum from Garou’s blood made him this much stronger, surely more blood would make him more powerful?

And in front of him stood the walking blood bag he needed. He clenched his fists in anticipation. With sudden, blistering speed, a fist sped towards Garou, with numerous smaller strands of muscle spearing towards him, determined to run him through.

“A Symbol of Suffering,” Garou replied as he instantly raised his palm and blocked the fist along with the strands of muscle, and began his work. He had unleashed the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist, as ringlets of wind blades coiled around Muscular’s arm. The damage was so clean, Muscular could not even feel the pain, only the force of his attack blocked so effortlessly judging by Garou’s impassive face.

At first, Muscular’s grin vanished as he saw Garou’s counter.

“Wha…” How did he stop his attack? Him? He was supposed to have the upper hand.

“You will never know peace ever again.”

As soon as Garou said that, his tendon strands dangled limply from the shredded arm. He looked on in horror and revulsion, as he watched his tendrils of muscle fall off his arm and blood spurted from clean gashes on his muscle-covered arm. Followed by blood spouting from his neck as well. The Heroes watched as Garou displayed his lethality. The first time they saw Garou capable of drawing blood so effortlessly.

Muscular collapsed to his knees as he screamed in agony, his now useless arm drooping beside him. Gouts of blood spurted rhythmically from various torn and severed areas.

“You don't know the meaning of the word, ‘strength’.” Garou growled as he continued stepping forward, this time, slowly donning his monster form, black mist rising from his body as all light was sucked into his being.

“You think I am power to take?” Garou asked as his voice deepened, rumbling with a demonic hymn.

The villain’s wide eyes went from his shredded arm to the threatening form of Garou. His mouth was wide, but no words came out. The rest of his writhed muscles seemed to be trying to pull away from Garou.

“Very well. I wonder… do you want to know what it's like to be a cripple?” Garou asked as his left arm blurred, as painful sounds of paper tearing followed. It was like a thousand tearings occurred at the same time. Muscular’s other arm was… now devoid of hard, squirming meat. Garou held a slab of hard, pink muscle in his left hand. He skinned Muscular of his meat, by simply ripping it off his skin. It took one second for the pain to reach Muscular’s mind. 

A scream of absolute agony emerged from Muscular’s mouth. He writhed and groaned as he looked on in horror. He attempted to rise up to run, only to stumble, unbalanced by his dangling arms. 

The heroes only looked on in shock and revulsion. Everyone knew Garou had a reputation for extreme violence. But this… This was beyond what they knew of Garou. They had never seen him truly pissed.

“What's the matter, muscles? Running away? I thought you are strong? So why cry after losing a few pounds of meat?” Garou asked while still holding the ‘skin’ away as he casually walked towards Muscular, with a demonic grin on his face. 

“I'm going to skin you, like an animal. And you will never live a day without needing your Quirk to even walk. You will be a Symbol of Suffering for the other villains. Isn't it fun? Your pain will be remembered in history!” Garou informed with what seemed like glee as he raised his right arm, claws threatening to do what Garou just said.

“No! No No No No!”

Muscular shook his head furiously as if to deny the reality of what was happening. Everything had gone wrong. He was supposed to be strong, and become the killer he always dreamed to be, not to be treated as some animal about to be butchered for meat. He had clearly become delusional and panicked, foaming at the mouth with fear and pain.

“Let's go with your leg next. Rip!” Garou said as another chorus of tearing meat resounded, him now holding another hide of muscles in his hand.

Another scream came in response to the sudden removal of more of his muscles. The villain was completely defenseless. It was like a cat toying with the half-dead body of a mouse.

“Alright, what next… hmmm, maybe your front torso.” Before Garou could go through with it, however, one of the heroes cried out his name.

“Garou! That’s enough! He’s already beaten!”

Mt Lady had stood up and had a look of horror and disappointment. Why was he doing this? She shook her head as she thought. 

“Are you sure? I’m quite pissed. In fact, this is the first time someone ever angered me so much before.” Garou replied as he looked down at the whimpering skinless villain, a shadow of his former self. His left arms and right leg no longer covered in muscles, only… skin, much more frail and weak compared to before. Garou tore away some of his unaugmented muscles as well, making him bleed internally under his skin.

“Please! This isn’t right!”

She begged him. This isn’t the Garou she was used to.

Garou stopped as he turned his head to Mt Lady. 

“Do you know what this man just revealed, though?” Garou asked Mt Lady, his abysmal eyes gleaming furiously with ire.

“There are some things I hate. What I despise most is the concept of power given without (it being) earn(ed). However, what is even more unforgivable… is being treated as a source of power…” Garou ranted as his arms trembled with so much anger, that the heroes in the vicinity could feel it.

The giantess trembled under the force of Garou’s rage. She had never seen him this angry. He wasn’t even that angry when he was facing All Might.

“Have you ever wondered what it's like to be treated as a resource? Your body… a thing to be used up and discarded?” Garou asked with a calm tone, one betraying his current state.

“Especially as a means of strength?” Garou snarled as he raised his and crushed Muscular’s leg with a cruel stomp, the one he just skinned.

“Ahhhhhh!!!” The villain cried as Garou broke his bones, his leg now bent in dangerous angles. His shattered bone stuck out of his leg

“…if I told you that my blood can augment Quirks, what would you do?” Garou asked My Lady as he glared at the man who dared defile his existence.

She approached Garou as she shook her head, still shaking as Garou gazed at her. She knew Garou. This was too much, even for him.

“It doesn’t matter what I’d do! You’re going too far! The Garou I know is the one who can sit at a restaurant casually hogging the food. He is unfairly fast. He can appear at any time and help someone who needs it. This…”

She pointed at Garou, currently stood there in his Monstrous form, with handfuls of bloody, twitching tendons.

“...isn’t him. I thought you’d given up the idea of being the Symbol of Fear? Because we’re all scared now. Look at yourself.”

The surprising sternness from the usually laidback hero had stunned everyone into silence. She seemed to be both angry and saddened at the same time.

“.............…” Garou stared at Mt Lady surprised, caught off guard by her passionate words. Especially her unencountered serious face.

He looked back at the cowering Muscular, his form now pathetic and scared under Garou’s presence.

“…” he slowly unclenched his hands, dropping the meat he tore from Muscular and let out a deep cleansing breath.

Without a word, Garou returned to his human form in a blink of an eye. His gaze no longer emanating apex rage and malice.

“…you speak as if I can just let everything go and move on just as easily as breathing,” Garou replied as he turned his gaze to the giantess.

Mt Lady looked at Garou with sympathy. He may be infinitely more powerful than her, but he was still a troubled young man.

“That’s what the people around you are for. We’re all here to help you. Even if you don’t really need our help often.”

She held out an encouraging hand to Garou, who looked at with troubled eyes. A new emotion greeted his heart, hardened by the fires of hell, as he slowly and reluctantly reached out for it in return unable to process this warm feeling.

“....…and here I thought you were only a lazy good for nothing whose only good traits is becoming big…” Garou muttered in response.

She grinned in response. 

“And to think I had thought you were just some kind of violent thug.”

Garou frowned at her statement.

“Are you aiming for an early ticket to hell?” Garou asked, with the tone of a violent thug.

The atmosphere had already begun to lighten up as Mt Lady chuckled nervously at his threat with sweat slightly trickling down her brows. She cast a momentary glance over at the downed villain, who had passed out from the sheer pain. Garou showed no mercy this time… absolutely no mercy.

“So what are you going to do now?”

“…I’m going hunting,” Garou replied.

“The Villains have taken something that belonged to me. And I will show them the error of their ways.” 

Mt Lady shivered as she imagined the possible torments Garou would inflict on them. She shook herself out of her macabre thoughts as she looked back at Garou.

“Well, just try to keep this kind of thing to a minimum. This is a school after all.”

“…fine.” Garou then walked away.

“You sound just like my landlord… oh, the horror.” Garou commented with his surreal sense of humor, as he vanished from the area.

One hour later… the damaged form of the villain was later identified as Muscular via DNA test after taking him into custody.