A/N: Here's the chapter with best villain and an early, surprise appearance from one of my favorite girls.
Chapter 20
It was Friday afternoon when Endeavor presented them with the first serious change to their internship schedule. They had gone through four days of training, each simple yet draining. Mornings were spent studying the laws and regulations surrounding work as heroes and what actions were viewed as vigilantism instead of heroics. The younger heroes in the office oversaw the sessions, most of them recent graduates from schools other than U.A. One was even from Shiketsu, their school's rival. Afternoons were spent with Endeavor in the various subterranean training areas. The exercises were never the same, yet they always left the three tired and coated in soot. Endeavor continued to insist on calling Izuku "Deku" during the sessions, no matter how consistently he complained otherwise. Most of the other heroes had picked up the name, though Multiplia led the minority using "Green Might" as asked.
"Oh, it probably just enrages him," she had said when Izuku asked why Endeavor used the wrong name. She leaned close and whispered, "I think he may be the only pro hero who doesn't like All Might. Though, that's probably the pressure of being number two for so long."
Izuku had nodded then. Now, standing before Endeavor, who was dressed in a civilian suit and tie, he wondered if there could be another reason.
"As you three won't be here much longer, I have decided to give you a full day of patrolling. Saturdays are busy, with people going about errands and spending time in public. Villains know this, so they often use said days to engage in acts more dangerous and risky on a weekday. I typically take a group of five to go with me, to handle civilians and to ensure the police pick up villains as I carry on. You three will be joining me for the entire day, with Multiplia to help watch."
"Just the five of us?" Izuku asked.
Endeavor nodded. "It will also be a chance for you three to present yourselves as heroes to the public. Shouto, Explodio, Deku or Green Might or whatever you're insisting upon today. There's a good chance your names will be known by tomorrow. Likely just a few tweets and an article on a third-rate site, but that's more than your classmates will get."
The three nodded. Todoroki's face was blank as usual while Katsuki grinned. Izuku wanted to frown at the comment about his hero name, but the excitement about heading out eclipsed it.
"Just remember," Endeavor continued, stern. "You will follow my every command without question. You will not engage villains unless your life or the life of another is directly threatened. And remember, no heroics. You aren't licensed, so anything stupid or dangerous you do reflects upon me more than you with some exceptions. If you save someone from a falling building, you are liable for any injuries they suffer. Fight a villain beyond what I've said is appropriate and the police may investigate you for vigilantism.
"Am I clear?" They nodded and Endeavor smiled. "Good. Check if Multiplia has anything for you to do, otherwise you're dismissed. You'll report for duty by seven hundred tomorrow morning."
"Understood," they said as Endeavor glared at them. Izuku added a small, "sir." Neither of the other boys commented on it, though Todoroki did give him an odd glance.
Saturday morning was quiet as Izuku arrived at the hero office. He entered through a single unlocked door on the far left of the front and was led by an already suited Multiplia to a ground level changing room he hadn't known existed. Katsuki was already there, changing into his suit. Only his gauntlets and mask sat aside, the boy drawing his gloves on tight.
"About time," he growled out as Izuku pulled out his uniform. "Half 'n' half hasn't shown yet, even though his old man is already upstairs."
"How do you know that?" Izuku asked, shedding his civilian clothes.
"Ran into him trying to get one of the elevators to work. The changing rooms upstairs are better than the ones down here."
Izuku just nodded.
Fifteen minutes later, the two sat on opposite ends of the atrium, waiting. They looked away from each other, Katsuki focused on the elevator bank while Izuku watched the entrance. The crowds outside were growing, though it was barely nine. Ever since he first got One for All, he had struggled to get up before ten on most weekends, in part due to the lack of weekend training sessions before U.A. The ones he had attended with Gran Torino had been a rude awakening, especially since every pro hero was expected to be on call from the moment they received their license until they either retired or died in the line of duty.
At least All Might says it will pass. He had been weirdly lethargic those first years after acquiring One for All, though he was older than me when he got it. Maybe that's affecting me?
"You're here," Endeavor said, suddenly joining them. Shouto stood beside him, dressed in a blue jumpsuit and grey vest. "Come along. We're patrolling for thirteen hours. You'll feel drained afterwards, but getting an experience like this will be invaluable. Trust me."
When they finally stopped for lunch four hours later, Izuku wasn't sure whether he should thank Endeavor for the patrol training or not. It was exhausting in a way he hadn't expected. From the fact they had seemingly walked every street in Hosu and how civilians reacted to them, it took everything within him to continue on. He didn't mind the latter, though he wished they didn't smile at him as if he was a silly child whenever he introduced himself as "Green Might." Explodio got an opportunity to introduce him as "Deku" and it seemed to be more, well, popular. When he added in it was a childhood nickname, the strange 'you are a child' look went from condescending to amused, almost appreciative.
One person introduced himself as a U.A. graduate. He then admitted he had been in the business course and recommended they speak with one for, "having someone to guide your career is necessary in this day and age where there are so many heroes. Make sure they have a mind for marketing and some good contacts. Interning with a hero like Endeavor is a great first step, especially since you'll get some decent publicity. The Sports Festival is good and all, but it's only useful for the third years in terms of starting your career. Trust me, for I represent the number three hero, Hawks!" The man then handed them his business card. Shouto handed his to Endeavor, who scowled at it. Izuku looked closely at his and frowned at the excess of feathers printed all over it.
Izuku shook his head, trying to focus on their break and not what had already happened. "Excuse me," a voice asked, drawing his attention. A teenage girl, maybe a year older than him, stood nearby. She had blonde hair tied into twin buns and her grin exposed fangs. "You wouldn't be Midoriya Izuku?"
"He is," Explodio cut in. "Call him Deku though. We are heroes, if only in training."
"Oh, so mature," the girl said, grinning. "Didn't you get beat by that general studies kid? The brainwasher? That was a right laugh, seeing you act like a puppet with its strings pulled all nice and tight."
Explodio scowled, so Izuku jumped in. "How can I help you, uh?"
"Oh, yeah!" The girl held out her hand and said, "I'm Himiko Toga! I'm sixteen, looking for a cute boyfriend who can handle lots, and I love blood!"
Izuku blinked, holding out his hand and letting the girl shake it. He was wondering whether it was a mistake, but Toga looked so innocent that he was willing to let the blood comment go. Maybe she likes bloody movies or video games? "It's nice to meet you. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Oh, I just wanted to introduce myself," Toga said. She leaned in close, grinning wide. "I think we'll be seeing more of each other, De-ku-ku-n!" With that, she turned away and skipped off. He watched her disappear into a confused crowd before shaking his head.
"She was odd," Shouto said, joining them with a large bowl of noodles. He proceeded to slurp them as loud as he could. Explodio settled on a large platter of beef using his quirk to cook the slices while Izuku got a few pieces of katsudon. The people around them scowled at Explodio, but nobody moved to complain for Endeavor would scowl at them. I'm pretty sure that's an abuse of our privileges and power as heroes.
"You ready to continue?" Endeavor asked as they finished eating. The three boys had moved to lean against their table. The pro hero ignored their failure to answer and stood. They followed after him and the patrol continued. The afternoon felt like a blink, with them encountering muggers and petty thieves around nearly every corner. A couple low level villains attacked them and were handily defeated. When they stopped for dinner, several videos of the fight had been uploaded online. It showed Endeavor holding off three of the villains while the three students worked together to handle the other two. Multiplia and the other hero held back, keeping civilians away from the fight.
"Did they include our hero names?" Shouto asked as Izuku showed them the best quality video. It had been uploaded to Vidstagram, viewed nearly 40,000 times, and had several hundred comments.
"People did in the comments," Izuku said, opening them up to scroll through them. The first seemed to be from someone they met earlier that day, for they gushed how they got to meet them, how handsome Explodio was, that Shouto was as mysterious as he appeared, and said that Izuku was cute, calling him, Deku the Green Might. A lot of people responded to it, laughing at the name given to him.
"It's pretty funny," Explodio added as he worked through his second burger. "And you get to keep that stupid name."
Izuku was tempted to protest, but Endeavor sent them such a fiery glare that they went quiet through the rest of dinner, the only sound they produced being those of chewing and swallowing.
"Endeavor," Multiplia interrupted, looking around the area with a strange nervousness. The crowds they had seen most of the day had seemingly evaporated as they ate. "There have been sightings of Noumu in Hosu."
"I was hoping to bag the Hero Killer," Endeavor said, standing. His fiery beard grew. "If I can take down these monsters, more the better. Come on, brats. We have some monsters to fight!"
Izuku knew the moment they encountered the pro hero Manual. He was nervous and worried, and upon seeing the three students with Endeavor, approached them. "Have you three heard from Ingenium?" It took him a moment to realize Manual didn't mean Iida Tensei but Iida Tenya, their classmate.
And then his stomach dropped.
No! Please tell me he didn't…
"If we see him, we'll tell him you're looking for him," Izuku said before turning back to Endeavor, Explodio, and Shouto.
"What's the problem?" Endeavor asked with his arms crossed.
"A classmate of ours has gone missing," Shouto said. "His brother is the only hero to fight the Hero Killer and survive. Without fleeing."
Izuku nodded, though the reminder of heroes running away from the Hero Killer was an annoying reminder. It was the greatest embarrassment surrounding what the media was calling 'The Hero Killer Saga', as if the conflict between a single villain and an entire professional community was like something out of Dragonball and not a unique trial for pro heroes.
Endeavor scowled. "Then we need to find him." He shuffled around in a small pouch along his belt and pulled out a few small devices. "Radios, all set on a frequency the police monitor. I'm giving you three express permission to search for your classmate. You are to engage only for extraction. I don't need one of you three acting the hero. Find your classmate, call me, and get to a big street. His attacks have been focused in alleyways, so it's doubtful he'll pursue." They nodded, each taking a radio and sticking it in an ear. "Explodio, head south. Shouto, north. Deku, east. I'll continue west. If you encounter any other heroes, tell them what's happening and that I have given you permission to be on. Your. Own."
The three student heroes nodded before turning in the given direction and taking off. Izuku drew upon One for All and launched high and onto the buildings following the road heading east. He bounced across the rooftops, scanning down every alley he crossed. It was easier to check those on his side of the street, yet he found those on the other side showed him more occurring deeper. He spotted what looked like a mugging, but gritted his teeth and continue on. Endeavor had been clear, giving them permission to only engage the Hero Killer and only to extract Tenya. And any pro heroes, Izuku thought, hoping that wouldn't be the scenario he would come upon.
Izuku checked down what had to be the hundredth alley when he saw something…odd. He had first thought it another mugging, but as he passed by, landing on the next rooftop and preparing to bounce on, a realization struck him. One of the three he had seen in the alley wore silver armor. Tenya! But that means… He sprung sideways, rolling as he hit the ground at an uncomfortable angle, and then popped back up. Springing over the alley once more, he used his airtime to scan what he had seen.
Ingenium was fighting a strange man with swords and a mask, while a pro hero Izuku didn't recognize (recognize in the moment, that was. Later on he would realize it was Native, best known by the general public for the vicious and public dispute he had before agreeing to a settlement with the Department of Native American Affairs) laid on the ground, unmoving. He feared the pro hero was dead until, as he got about ten meters from the fight, spotted the shallow rise and fall of the pro hero's chest.
The student hero stepped back away from a flashing slice, taking only a small nick to his face as he dodged. Izuku paused, pressed a finger to the radio in his ear, and whispered.
"This is Green Might, copy. I've found the Hero Killer and Ingenium. There's another pro hero, though he's incapacitated."
A gruff voice answered first. A tired, puffing voice. "Deku, this is Endeavor. Get out of the alley with the two. I'm sending your coordinates to Shouto and Explodio." There was a pause, a strange screech, and then a loud shout. "You have fifteen minutes before they arrive. I'll come as soon as I can. Fight hard and don't die." The line went silent and Izuku grimaced. He turned down and nearly tripped over the ledge on the roof. Ingenium lay on the ground, frozen just like the pro hero.
"A shame to kill one so young," the Hero Killer said, his voice like a whisper. "If only you were a true hero, fighting for justice instead of money. Greed…greed has corrupted the noble pursuit of heroism." He raised his jagged sword, turning it to stab down.
Izuku moved, a blur of green, and collided with the Hero Killer. He landed on his feet, watching the murderer get launched back a few meters and hit the ground with a hard grunt. Ingenium, the pro hero, and the street were all behind him.
"Stay down," he declared as Ingenium shouted, "Izuku! What are you doing here?"
"Rescuing you," Izuku said. He took a few steps back so he was beside the two paralyzed heroes. "Do you know what his quirk is?"
"Some paralyzing quirk, I think?" the pro hero said. "I saw him use it on the boy after getting me. The villain, well, the villain did something odd. The only other thing in common was that he cut us both and licked the blood."
Licked the blood? Izuku frowned, but before he could question them or pick them up, a sword jab forced him to dodge backwards.
"Another brat comes to play," the Hero Killer said, grinning. The villain paused and turned his back a little, gritting. "Nice blow, though it won't do you any good. Didn't think I would get three tonight. Three dumb, greedy children playing at being heroes."
"I'm not playing," Izuku said. He knocked away the raised sword and it fell to hang at the Hero Killer's side. "I will become a hero, whether I have to take you down or not."
"And why do you wish to be a hero?" Izuku blinked at the question, shocked that the Hero Killer would ask such a thing. But then, he thought, mind going back to the few words he had heard come from the murderer's mouth. He…he wishes for a better type of hero, doesn't he?
"To save people," Izuku said. "If you saw the Sports Festival, then you likely saw my declaration, that I'll inherit All Might's title as the Symbol of Peace."
Something about his words drew a smile to the Hero Killer's face, one that was both amused and pleased. Izuku tensed, One for All flowing through him as he anticipated an attack. Both Ingenium and the pro hero lay on the ground, paralyzed and unable to move. He wasn't sure how long he had been facing off with the Hero Killer, but there had to be at least ten minutes until either Shouto or Explodio arrived to reinforce him. And they should expect me to be on the street, like Endeavor suggested. Worst of all, their mentor was being held up by some other threat, one taking advantage of the Hero Killer's actions to cause destruction and havoc in Hosu.
"Then show me the hero that'll surpass All Might." With that, the Hero Killer sprung forward, swords drawn back to slash a giant X across Izuku's chest. He lunged left at the last second, using the evasive move to fire a quick kick at the side of the villain's knee. It hit with a glancing blow and the villain stumbled, nearly collapsing.
Izuku nearly grinned, but then he was forced to duck in midair. The Hero Killer used his stumble to reorient and send dual slices through where Izuku's head had been. He gritted his teeth, focusing One for All in his arms, and was able to spring forward along the ground like Tsuyu. It was a great idea, getting All Might to give me tapes of the USJ attack. Developing moves based on some of my classmates should help me get through tight spots like that. He used the move to roll back onto his feet and turned on a dime, grimacing as the Hero Killer was nearly upon him once again. As the villain lunged, swords raised to stab and jab into Izuku's chest, the young hero flipped over the villain and ricocheted off the first wall he reached. He slammed into the other wall of the alley before barreling towards the Hero Killer, a human bullet shaking from the power of One for All coursing through him.
The collision was painful, even though Izuku forced the Hero Killer several feet towards the street with a flurry of fast punches. His chest heaved as he prepared for his next attack to drive the villain into place for when the others arrived.
"No, Izuku!" Ingenium shouted. He glanced back at his classmate, utterly terrified by something he was seeing. Izuku blinked and turned to face the Hero Killer. The villain grinned, all shaky limbs, heavy breathing, and a mess of bruises, and then nodded towards one of the young hero's limbs. He glanced down and paled at the cut running up a forearm. Blood trickled out, staining his uniform just around the slice. His eyes flicked from the wound to the Hero Killer's blades and saw one had fresh blood. He licked their blood and then they were paralyzed. Ingestion. That's how it activates. The Hero Killer disables by ingesting blood, no matter how little. The moment he licks his blade, I'm done for.
"Impressive, but you were predictable. Just know that I'll let you live. At least this time." And with that, the Hero Killer's tongue flicked out to lick his sword.
And then the Hero Killer's face, the sword, and his tongue were engulfed in the loudest flame Izuku had ever seen. He frowned at the thought and sighed, relieved, as Explodio burst into the alley. "DIE!" he screamed, launching a second explosion at the villain.
A sword flew out of the smoke and dying flames, forcing Explodio back even as it glanced off one of his thick gauntlets.
"Thanks, Kacchan," Izuku said as Explodio landed beside him. He only clicked his tongue, turning to face the villain.
"You know his quirk?"
"Paralyzing quirk that relies upon ingesting blood. I haven't confirmed it, but the pieces all fit with his behavior and what happened to the others." Izuku sighed. "He nearly got me, letting me charge directly in and slice me during my own attack."
"And I saved you," Explodio said, a smug grin on his face. He turned to the Hero Killer, raising his arms into a stretch. "Let's see what you can do against someone with actual skill and not just too much power."
With a vicious grin, Explodio blasted forward. His quirk thundered in the night, lighting the alley as he approached the Hero Killer with violent abandon. Said villain squatted into a defensive stance, a single sword held before him like a shield. There was a hint of drying blood on the blade as it was angled to catch the approaching hero upon the tip.
Izuku followed his peer's lead, but instead of going straight for the kill, he launched himself to a height near the rooftops. He flicked at the air twice, sending air bullets, or something similar, down at the villain. The Hero Killer dodged backwards, using his sword to deny the most severe impacts.
It was hole enough in his defense to let Explodio get his sweatiest palm near the Hero Killer's face and ignite the explosive liquid within. The explosion roared, mighty and prideful and powerful enough to sear concrete. "Die!" Explodio shouted. Hearing the word explode from his mouth made Izuku tense, though it was more likely his ally had only incapacitated the villain.
The Hero Killer burst forth, his face a nasty red color from the explosive burn, and drove his sword into Explodio's gut. The young hero coughed up blood and went rigid when a thin stream splashed upon the villain's mouth. He was thrown away with the blade, stuck in his belly as his body failed to move.
"Kacchan!" Izuku screamed, spring forth in a blur of green. He caught the Hero Killer flatfooted and drove a powerful into the villain's face. He was sent flying, crashing against an overflowing dumpster before hitting the ground and rolling to a stop. Izuku pressed forward, but paused when his eyes took in the damage done to the Hero Killer.
Chunks of his face were burnt and the red flesh upon his left cheek was dirty, gravel and dirt rubbed into it from the ground. A dozen streams of rich blood trickled from underneath the mask and the villain's hairline.
"Going to…" the Hero Killer coughed out, "finish me? Is that…what All…Might would do?"
Izuku shook, tears threatening to pour from his eyes as he stared down at the Hero Killer. He looked away, grimacing, and forced out, "You'll be tried for your crimes and sent to prison. It's…it's the right thing to do."
The Hero Killer laughed, a wheezy hissing noise. It was terrible enough that Izuku closed his eyes, trying to drown it out as Shouto and Endeavor finally arrived, late to help stop the villain.
Katsuki woke to the pleasant sensation of painkillers being pumped through his body. He tried to sit up, but his midsection screamed. When his arms tried to move and lift him up, a nurse showed up to force him down.
"We don't need you pulling out your stitches," she said, ignoring the tirade coming from his mouth. "Recovery Girl will come by in an hour, so you'll have to handle being in this bed for a little longer."
He relented with a sneer. The nurse sighed, shook her head, and left the room. It was mostly empty, just him in a bed with a monitor and an IV drip. No chairs, no gifts and letters from well wishers. Not even Deku and Half n' Half to see if he was fine. Deku, he grimaced. He last saw the other boy fighting the villainous Hero Killer. Said villain had stabbed him, and if he hadn't been defeated, likely would've finished the job. It was a wake up call, completely different to the fighting of the USJ attack or his embarrassing defeat at the Sports Festival. He, Katsuki Bakugou, had nearly died fighting a villain. Yes, it was a villain that had killed several heroes before, but he was different. Strong, powerful, with a capable quirk everyone had said was one worthy of a future hero. Everyone, even Deku who seemed to be growing into the hero he wished to be.
It's only because of All Might, because of what the Symbol of Peace gave him. Otherwise, he'd just be that quirkless idiot from when we were kids. Katsuki looked at his lap and sighed. I can't let him leave me behind. I won't be his Endeavor.
The door opened and he looked up, ready to shout at the nurse. Instead, Endeavor entered the hospital room. He was dressed in a suit and his fiery beard was drawn back.
"How are you feeling?" the pro hero asked. "I saw what happened. Deku was apologetic about it. He feels that it was his fault you nearly died."
"What an idiot," he grumbled. Louder, Katsuki said, "I have so many painkillers in my system I can barely feel it. The nurse stopped me from sitting up, saying I'd pull my stitches."
"She was right," Endeavor said. "There are stiches on both sides of your torso. U.A. has been able to cover up much of what happened, though the police are upset with my decision to let you three go off alone. Doesn't matter that you boys saved Native and a classmate. One of you nearly died, so it's on my head now."
"What about my career as a hero?" Katsuki asked.
"You still have a future as a pro, though this incident will be on your record once you get your license. Not the provisional, your professional one. Either way, you got lucky." With that, Endeavor left. Katsuki sighed and looked up at the white ceiling.
Just you watch, Deku. Next time I'll be the one defeating the villain to save you.