I slowly got to my feet. As I took in my surroundings, I realized I was in a sewer—something that shouldn't exist in Adventure Time, or at least not like this. Those were usually minimal, just enough to carry waste. I could hear noise above me.
Cars?
That was weird. There weren't any cars in Adventure Time.
I walked a bit and felt, little by little, the experience of this body settling in. I could sense presences—the darkness every living being carries. No matter who they are, everyone leaves a trace of the monster inside them. That's how the original Lich guided himself. Because of that, I stayed beneath a manhole where rainwater passed through.
The darkness covered me, so no one could see me. It seemed to be nighttime.
I looked up and noticed two things: first, this place was way too modern to be Adventure Time; second, there were some very strange people walking down the street like nothing was wrong.
I stayed quiet, watching like some damn IT clown hiding down here. What felt like two hours passed, and I still had that "what the hell is going on?" look on my face. Then it hit me.
I wasn't in Adventure Time.
I leaned back against the sewer wall. One upside was that if I didn't want to smell anything, I simply didn't. Perks of being the Lich, I guess. Little by little, I could feel my power shifting, reshaping itself.
I raised my bony hand and saw green fire flicker to life. I smiled—though I didn't realize my face was a bit… distorted.
Luckily, there was a small puddle nearby. I leaned down and looked at my reflection—and my smile disappeared.
"Shit," I muttered.
I looked like the time he possessed Billy… only more deformed.
I recalled one of the Lich's many spells.
"Restore."
As I spoke, green flames engulfed my body. As they wrapped around me, my skin slowly began to regenerate. The Lich knew this spell, though he never cared much for healing—life and recovery were meaningless to him. He only learned it to become stronger.
I looked again.
Now my skin resembled Billy's—old, sure, but complete. Tall. Imposing. And honestly… maybe not too attention-grabbing.
Well… yeah, it was. But whatever.
I walked through the sewers, hoping no one would be around where I came out.
After waiting a bit, I took on my smoke form—the same one the Lich used when he emerged from the sap.
Once outside, I headed straight into the nearest alley.
As I emerged, I scanned my surroundings. No presences.
I stretched slightly. I was huge.
I had one clear goal:
Where am I?
With that in mind, I covered my body with an aura to block the sewer smell. The original Lich wouldn't care…
I'm not him.
I walked out of the alley and onto the street, observing everything. The architecture wasn't too different from what I knew. A few people glanced at me.
Probably because I wasn't wearing a shirt.
I should fix that.
I didn't remember any clothing spells… and if I did, they hadn't surfaced yet.
I walked for several more minutes through the night until I noticed a brightly lit billboard.
My eyes moved toward it automatically…
…and I froze.
I stared in silence.
There was a man in a suit.
And I recognized him.
Or at least… the base of him.
Seeing it in real life wasn't the same as seeing it in a drawing.
"All Might…?"
I thought, confused.
Is this some kind of My Hero Academia live-action promo…?
Or…
…
…
This is definitely the world of My Hero Academia.
I ran a hand over my face, feeling a bit of stress… but kept walking.
As I moved, fragmented memories started surfacing.
Spells.
Very… dark ones.
One in particular caught my attention.
A spell to take someone's life by draining their essence… something like what he did to Jake.
Or something like that.
I didn't fully understand it.
The spell was taking too long to fully form in my mind.
Do I even have a brain?
I wasn't sure.
But then something caught my attention—something that made me stop instantly.
Crying.
I followed the sound into an alley.
And had to look twice.
A man was on the ground.
I saw another one walking away into the darkness, leaving behind the bleeding guy. I looked down again.
The guy was staring at me.
With a pleading expression.
I looked around.
No one.
So I didn't overthink it and walked toward him. I didn't have healing powers… not yet, at least. So the best I could do was close the wound.
I placed my hand on his throat as he slowly faded.
Green fire appeared.
It didn't destroy.
It sealed the wound.
The guy kept those pleading eyes for a moment longer…
Then passed out.
I looked around again. Nothing. Just a nearby dumpster.
I dragged him slightly, leaving him out of direct sight.
He hadn't lost too much blood.
He should survive.
I checked his pockets.
Nothing.
No phone.
No ID.
I clicked my tongue and left him there.
Not my problem.
I walked out of the alley and kept going.
Without noticing the camera.
Not that I cared.
As I continued, I saw more and more hero-related things. If I had any doubts before, now I was sure.
This was My Hero Academia.
I hadn't seen much of it, but enough to know one thing:
There were heroes here more corrupt than anything else. Heroes who silenced people like cartels.
I didn't like this world.
But I'd form my own opinion as I went.
Besides…
I had no identity.
Nothing.
I stayed silent, thinking.
Identity.
If a cop stopped me… what would I say?
That I just woke up and don't remember anything?
Not a bad idea.
But I doubted they'd treat a nearly four-meter-tall mutant kindly.
And as if I summoned it with that thought, a hero appeared in front of me.
I looked at him calmly.
"What are you doing out this late, sir?" he asked. He looked young.
I observed him for a few seconds, then spoke in a deep voice—similar to Billy's.
"I'm a bit disoriented."
He nodded, though I noticed the suspicion in his eyes.
"Can I see your ID?" he asked, more serious now.
I shook my head, patting my pockets.
"I don't have—"
I didn't finish.
My body was suddenly thrown violently into an alley.
I was confused.
No damage, obviously… but still.
Then I saw it.
His smile.
Ugly.
"Damn mutant."
His hands stretched out, and a red aura surrounded me.
Telekinesis.
"You expect me to believe someone like you—almost four meters tall—is walking around at 3 a.m. without a license?"
Well… fair point.
But still.
I tried to speak.
"Well, I—"
Again, I couldn't finish.
Pressure closed around my throat.
He was strangling me with telekinesis.
It didn't affect me…
But if I were normal, I'd already be dead.
"I don't care what you were doing," he said coldly.
"The Hero Association doesn't want mutants like you."
More pressure.
Then he pulled out a gun.
"The good thing is, people believe heroes… and with the Association backing me, we'll just say you attacked me."
He aimed at me.
"You're not the first… and you won't be the last."
A shot rang out.
The bullet pierced my skull.
My head dropped.
Limp.
He shook his head.
"Bad luck running into me."
He made a call.
"Yeah, another one… yeah, mutant… sure, want me to handle it quietly? Got it."
He hung up.
Didn't notice something.
The person he shot…
Was behind him.
"Kneel."
My voice was low.
Absolute.
His eyes darkened instantly as he dropped to his knees.
I stepped forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
Panic took over him.
He tried to move.
Couldn't.
Another step.
And another.
He turned his head—
And saw me.
Me.
Or rather…
The Lich.
A bullet through my skull.
No blood.
…
"I wanted to give this world a chance, you know?" I said calmly.
I sat in front of him, drawing on the ground.
A pentagram.
Ancient symbols.
Lines that shouldn't exist.
I felt no empathy.
Should I?
Maybe.
But if a random hero did this…
I didn't want to imagine the higher-ups.
When I finished, I looked up slightly.
And spoke.
An ancient language.
Not from this world.
Like when the snail was possessed.
But now…
A hero.
The last thing he saw—
A massive skull lunging at him.
Then—
"Yes, that man tried to attack me and I reacted quickly," I said calmly.
"I understand," the detective replied, clearly disgusted by the corpse.
I watched them take Billy's body away.
Then I began my patrol.
Now I was inside a young hero's body.
Controlling him.
His name:
Ren Kurose.
Hero name:
Gravemind.
The Lich ran across rooftops. The memories were messy, but with a few spells, I could organize them.
That's how the Lich handled complex magic.
Me?
I just needed an identity.
Right now…
I am Ren Kurose.
I felt nothing when I killed him.
Lich's memories?
Maybe.
Or maybe I'm just a monster.
I thought my human memories would clash…
But not yet.
My phone rang.
Filis.
A memory surfaced—his friend.
I answered.
"Hello?"
"Hey! Are you okay? I heard you fought a mutant—gross… it didn't touch you, right?"
She kept talking.
I barely listened.
Just thinking.
What to do with her.
Prison?
Probably not.
This world made one thing clear:
If you went too far with certain ideas…
Prison was worse than death.
I hung up.
Looked at the night.
"I guess I'll protect people…"
Pause.
"Or maybe… just live?"
Yeah.
Live.
I liked that.
The Lich didn't live.
Should I?
One thing was clear.
I'd have to make the Hero Association look like the villains.
I didn't have much yet.
Just the body I took.
Maybe some evidence.
Not enough.
I sat on a rooftop, watching night turn into day.
One advantage:
I didn't need sleep.
Or food.
Saved money.
Did I need money?
Maybe.
After all…
The salary was mine now.
I let out a small laugh.
But it wasn't normal.
It was double.
Kurose's voice.
And the Lich's.
Green fire flickered from my eyes.
I turned.
A thief was about to kill an old man.
I raised my hand.
Telekinesis—green aura.
I entered his mind.
Weak.
Fragile.
Easy.
And what I saw…
Trash.
Horrible things.
Too many.
I left.
No hesitation.
A gesture—
Green flames consumed him.
He didn't scream long.
Didn't last long.
The old man froze.
I opened my mouth.
Dark smoke came out.
I absorbed it.
I felt the chaos energy grow slightly.
Barely anything.
Insignificant.
Compared to other sources…
Like that fire Princess Bubblegum fell into.
But still…
End of Chapter 1.