Izuku Midoriya was just a normal quirkless kid, who wanted nothing more than to become a support student at the greatest Hero school of Japan, and focus on his hero analysis. But his life wasn’t meant to be so simple, as he becomes an Avatar of the Eye.
Midoriya Izuku, The Ceaseless Watcher
by The_Numismatist is a crossover fanfic between My Hero Academia and The Magnus Archives.
Tropes:
- Bad Powers, Good People: although Nedzu's lessons and Izuku's own close encounters are reminders of the horrible things people and creatures can do with the very same manner of powers as himself, he is still determined to use the powers of the Eye for good. Perhaps even to become a Hero.
- Body Horror: Upon being treated to Izuku's first full-on brush against the Stranger, he is forced to bear witness to a number of unnerving displays of mannequin-like or otherwise uncanny 'humanoid' creatures and bodies.
- Compelling Voice: Though Izuku does not realize it at first, one of the powers he inherits as an Avatar of the Eye is the ability to compel people to share information or answer questions, whether they'd want to or not. Nedzu remarks that he has been doing this without realizing for some time now.
- Confess in Confidence: One of the primary ways Izuku is introduced to sustain his body and needs is through taking the statements of others regarding their own supernatural encounters. These are, especially in the case of teachers of UA, such as All Might and Power Loader, never meant to escape the rooms in which they are shared.
- Cosmic Horror Story: Much like the original TMA, this story focuses its gaze on the aspects of cosmic horror - The Entities - and their effects upon a very different world.
- Though some very clever adjustments are made! Due to the increased commonality of mutation quirk holders and advanced technologies, the Stranger in particular has grown less effective. However, either due to the fear of 'what is perceived as human' coming to an end (in multiple ways) or general apocalyzing such as what those in Humarise might be doing, the uncommonly used Entity The End has grown more prominent.
- Creepy Child: Izuku himself is this trope. Thanks to becoming an Avatar of the Eye, his eyes glow slightly and when settled upon others seem to unnerve them. The exceptions to this are his new friend Mei and his mother.
- Similarly, the entirety of the UA staff was deeply unsettled by his non-heroics application, which included the detailed lives, abilities, and regrets of all staff, things they had not shared with anyone else. Though Izuku himself doesn't recall having written almost any of the contents.
- Dramatic Irony: Listeners of TMA will likely pick up on what has happened immediately, but while Izuku does not know his 'friend' Katsuki Bakugou has been replaced by a Not!Them, it is mentioned appropriately as a possible way one of the Fears may present itself in a previous chapter, and inherently alters the memories of Izuku's experiences with Katsuki upon contact. Unfortunately, he does not learn the truth until it is too late.
- Immortality: Though the first incident required to become an Avatar is the death of said Avatar, Izuku now enjoys the twisted benefits of being one. By feeding off of others' fear of being watched or overly perceived, he can heal from malnutrition or even losing an eye, though scars seem to remain.
- Killed Offscreen: Thankfully, given the tone, the Bakugous meet their untimely end thanks to the plot of several of the Stranger's Avatars in their covert desire to use Izuku - an Avatar of the Eye.
