Izuku Midoriya was sound asleep in bed. His breathing was light and quiet, keeping to a perfect rhythm. Curled up under the covers of his temporary intern bed, Izuku slumbered against the cool winter night.

"Wake up."

Izuku's dreams were one of heroism. Of his future. One in which he was saving innocents and defeating villains all with a smile on his face. He was praised by his fans, but Izuku took it with a humble heart. After all, being a hero wasn't for glory or fame. It was doing the right thing with the gifts you have.

"Wake up, Izuku Midoriya. Wake up."

Yet, the bright and hopeful dream soon darkened. Izuku felt his head pound in anguish. Blood leaked from his nose as he felt an evil presence. A presence far stronger and darker than the villains Midoriya had fought before. A presence turning into pressure as Izuku could feel the weight crushing down on his mind. Izuku felt an unnatural warmth as he looked down and gasped. Crystals were jutting out of his own body, cutting through it like knives. They began to overtake him, and pressure continued increasing. Izuku knew he had to break free, but it was too much. All too much.

"Wake up now."

Izuku jolted up with a start. He sat in his bed for several long, drawn out seconds. He was breathing heavily and sweating terribly. Was that all a dream? Just a nightmare. Yet, Izuku could sense another presence in the room. He turned to see Gateway; the soft green glow of his eyes shined in the darkness.

"Gateway? I don't understand, what are you doing here?" Izuku asked, shaken and confused.

The hero only smiled. "Good, you are awake. Prepare for a mission and meet in the common room soon. You are needed."

"Wait, what do you mean I'm needed? For what? And why now?"

"You are needed."

Gateway glowed brighter and brighter before disappearing in a flash, leaving Izuku alone. Still confused, Izuku decided to heed the hero's words and get dressed. After getting into uniform, Izuku raced to the common room only to find Gateway looking at the TV. It was tuned to a live coverage of a city being attack by monsters. As the live feed focused on the action between the heroes and villains, Izuku's heart filled with dread upon seeing them. The monsters were frighteningly similar to the Nomu monster that attacked the USJ. It was not the same monster; the ones right now had different bodies compared to the hulking behemoth that was the Nomu. But they had similar features: the exposed brains, the lipless mouths, and the feral nature of the group. Could this be the work of the League of Villains?

"You recognize these monsters, Izuku Midoriya?" Gateway questioned.

"Y-yes, I do. They look like the one that attacked my class's field trip, but where-?" Izuku looked down to read the box at the bottom of the screen. It read "Live from Hosu City".

Izuku gasped. That's where Iida was. His friend was probably now caught up in this citywide attack. Izuku looked back at the screen to see the Pro Heroes scrambling to fend off the Nomus. They had no idea what they were fighting against. Not only that, they were desperately trying to keep civilians out of harm's way. The Nomus' rampage wasn't making it easy.

Wait a minute. Wasn't Hosu City also the last known sighting of…

"The Hero Killer," Izuku said breathlessly.

Gateway took notice immediately. A grunt signaled Izuku to inform him of more.

"The Hero Killer! He's been making headways by killing Pro Heroes! No one knowns why or how he does it! But, if he's there, and the Nomus too, then are they working together? Two different groups of villains?"

"These monsters are called Nomus, then?" Gateway noted. "The heroes seem to have trouble keeping them at bay."

"Yeah, the last one I fought was designed to kill All Might. However, these don't appear as tough."

"You fought one of these before?"

"Yes, but All Might was the one who beat it. I can't help but think that this attack and the one at USJ were done by the same villain group. I'm pretty sure anyone from my class there would recognize those monsters as…" Izuku paused. "Oh no, Iida…"

"Who?"

"My friend. He was at the attack at the USJ, and he's here in Hosu City for his internship. I think I know why."

Gateway wordlessly let Izuku ramble on.

"His brother was seriously hurt by the Hero Killer. We've been worried about him, especially after he got an internship with a hero in Hosu, but he's said he's doing fine."

"And now in the chaos of this Nomu attack, he might try and get revenge on the Hero Killer." Gateway concluded.

"What?! Iida wouldn't do something like that! He's a rule follower. If he goes off on his own to find the Hero Killer, then he'd be breaking the law!"

"Revenge can drive us to do things we would not normally do."

Izuku stared dumbfounded as he continued to watch the live feed. But the creeping feeling of hope always arises.

"The heroes can win against this. They're strong and skilled. They'll save the day."

"Maybe they will. Maybe they won't. They might have a better chance of they know what they are fighting against. And what about your friend, Iida? Do they know about him, of his circumstance, of his vendetta against the Hero Killer?"

"What are you saying? Why even wake me up and show me this? What do you want me to do?" Izuku asked.

"You hold valuable information that can save the lives of your friends, your heroes, and the innocent. What would happen if you were not there to help? How many more lives would be lost because you couldn't act?" Gateway continued.

"I don't know! And even then, I couldn't do anything from here. I'm halfway across the world. I'd either need to fly at extreme speeds, or I'd need to be teleported…"

Izuku paused as the realization hits him. "That's why you woke me up. You want to send me there to help."

"Indeed, I was called to send you to Hosu City. You are need there." Gateway answered.

"But why me?! What can I do?! I'm not a Pro Hero, I don't even have a provisional license!"

"Need I remind you that you have crucial information against these villains. You fought these Nomu and survived. You know about your friend's desire for revenge and can stop him."

"If I did that, I'd be breaking the law! I can't use my Quirk without a license! If the authorities ever found out I did so, they would never let me be a Pro Hero!"

"And would let such a thing as a law stop you from doing the right thing?" Gateway questioned. "Let me make this known to you, Izuku Midoriya, a hero's goal is to safeguard life. We may obey the law, but if the law restricts us from our goal, it may be necessary to bend or ignore said law in order to save innocents. Would you let your laws stop you from saving your friends? Your family? Or would you save them anyway, because you know what a hero is supposed to do?"

Izuku thought over this. He knew it was wrong to use his Quirk to do hero work without a license. Year after year of presentations and reminders drilled this fact into his head. And yet, his heart knew better. He knew that he had the power and knowledge to save people from these Nomus. He knew he had to save Iida from himself. But would the risk be enough? Can he justify running his chances at a Hero career just for the possibility of saving one person? Izuku thought back to when he heard the news about Bakugo getting attacked by the same sludge villain Izuku did. He thought about what he would do if he was there, watching his former friend entombed with the villain surrounded by fire. As the heroes stood back and watched while Bakugo slowly suffocated, Izuku thought he would have been too paralyzed with fear. That nothing he could have done would have freed his friend. But Izuku was different from the boy a year ago. He had power. He continued to improve it every day, and he knew it. He saw the faces of evil and still chose to fight back at USJ. If he denied Gateway's plan, if he simply went back to bed and ignored everything that was happening, would he still live with himself? As a person? As a Hero? No, no he wouldn't.

Izuku steeled himself. Despite the growing worry in his stomach, Izuku knew he had to make the right choice.

"I'll do it." Izuku answered. "Send me to Hosu City. I'll try to fight off the Nomu and save my friend."

Gateway smiled under his hood. "Good. I'm glad your heroic spirit is so strong. Here, let me send you on your way."

An ethereal green portal appeared in front of them. Though it, an image of Hosu City's skyline appeared. Bright blue was mixed with smoke and flame.

"Before I go, how will you know when to send me back here?" Izuku asked.

"I have my ways of keeping track of you," Gateway answered. "Once your tasks have been completed, I'll open a portal to bring you home."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

Gateway remained stoned faced. Exhaling, Izuku stepped towards the portal. As he was walking through, he pulled down the hood of his costume, revealing a new mask to cover his face. As he stepped onto a rooftop in Hosu City, the portal behind him closed, leaving him alone amongst the noise.

"Alright, time to save the day." Deku announced.

Izuku quickly rocketed off into the sky. Looking down below, he mainly saw civilians still fleeing or heroes trying to keep the evacuation as orderly as possible. Which wasn't much as the Nomu caught everyone flat-footed. Still, Izuku had a job to do. He continued flying, trying to find Iida, the Hero Killer, or any Nomus overwhelming heroes. No such luck for now. He had to keep going.

Following one of the plums of smoke, Izuku caught eye of one of the Nomus. It was a winged creature and was fleeing the scene. Izuku looked down to see the wreckage of a train line. The cars were derailed and torn apart. Several Heroes were attempting to retrieve the passengers either still alive or their bodies. Izuku fumed in righteous fury. This monster hurt all those people, and he wasn't going to let it get away.

I have to stop it somehow! Izuku thought. Maybe I can ground it.

Izuku reached out with his telekinesis to hold the Nomu in place. It worked, as the Nomu was stopped in mid-air. However, it noticed Izuku's attempts to trap it and tried to wrestle out of his control. Fighting against it, Deku proceeded to slam the Nomu down hard on the pavement. It was still fighting against Deku's telekinetic hold. Izuku searched for something large and heavy enough to pin the Nomu to the ground. Finding some of the wreckage from the train, Izuku lifted them up and aligned them to the Nomu. A gesture thrusted them down onto the Nomu, pinning its limbs, wings, and neck. As it struggled to free itself, Deku gave one final telekinetic shove towards the makeshift shackles. It secured the bindings against the ground, leaving the winged Nomu helpless. As Izuku took a moment to catch his breath, he overheard shouting in his direction. He flew off once again, hoping that his actions hadn't caught the attention of any Heroes or recording phones.

A brief glance over the city revealed that the Nomu threat was being neutralized. Endeavor was immolating a Nomu with Shoto by his side. Another was being handled by the rest of Endeavor's sidekicks. Figuring they were doing well enough without his help, Deku raced off to continue his search for Iida.

Izuku was getting desperate. He wasn't find Iida anywhere out in the open. Where could he be? And more important, how could Izuku find him? It wasn't like there was a way to track Iida's phone, right? Wait… Izuku widened his eyes. He remembered that prior to the internships, he and Iida were sent an invite to a group chat. It was specifically available for Pro Heroes and Heroes-in-training like them. It was developed by some tech genius on I-Island years ago. It had many features built in, like police scanners, quick access to emergency services, and more. But the most important feature was a location finder for any hero who registered with the system. And that included Iida.

Quickly grabbing his phone, Izuku fiddled with it until he was able to pull up Iida's location. Finding it, Izuku immediately dashed towards it. The tracker led him to an alleyway a fair distance away from the chaos. There, he saw the trademark silver armor of Iida face down on the ground with a man holding a katana above Iida's head. Izuku booked it, getting closer and closer before firing a telekinetic blast towards the assailant. It pushed the man off of Iida whose eyes looked up in surprise of his savior.

"Midoriya?!" Iida exclaimed.

Izuku floated down into the alley, taking in the scene. Besides himself and Iida, there was another Pro Hero. Izuku recognized the hero as Native thanks to his costume which was designed to reflect the Hero's Native American ancestry. Native was bloodied and not moving, though he could see the Hero was still breathing. Likewise, Iida was also in a state of bleeding and prone. Looking down further into the alley, Izuku saw a man dressed in a makeshift costume full of belts, wrappings, and knives. The blood-red scarf and mask was the only splash of color from the black suit he wore.

The Hero Killer snarled as he recovered from Deku's introductory attack. "Another interruption."

"Midoriya?!" Iida repeated. "What are you doing here? How are you even here?"

"Look, I know I'm supposed to be in America, but I couldn't stand by and let people get hurt." Izuku answered. "I also couldn't let you hurt yourself trying to stop the Hero Killer. As for I got here, well, let's just say I had help. Can you get up?"

"N-no," Iida answered. "It's his Quirk. It lets him paralyze you. Couldn't figure out what was the catalyst thought."

"Okay, just have to be careful around him while I get you and Native out."

"Tell me, child," Stain announced. "Is that your real purpose for being here? This one," Stain pointed his katana at Iida, "sought me in order to fill his quest for revenge. What do you seek?"

"I'm here to save people!" Izuku answered. "And that if that means standing up to you, then so be it!"

"Hnngh, let's see if your actions match your words."

Stain dashed extremely quickly. Faster than most people could move. Izuku threw up his telekinetic barrier right as Stain slashed at him. Skidding back, Izuku felt the bruises arise on his arms despite the barrier. Needing to distance himself from Stain, Izuku began grabbing various pieces of trash from the alley and telekinetically throwing them at the Hero Killer. Stain weaved around the smaller projectiles but was pushed by a crate hitting him in the torso. Layering on several more medium-sized garbage, Izuku then took the opportunity to move Iida and Native away from the battle.

"Why? Why are you even here?" Iida asked.

"Because I care about you, Iida." Izuku answered. "You're my friend. I couldn't let you destroy yourself over your vendetta against Stain."

"But it was my feud with the Hero Killer. My own battle. Stain was right. I'm not a hero. I didn't care about saving Native. I just wanted revenge for my brother. You should have let Stain finish me off then and there."

"No!" Iida was snapped out by Izuku's words. "I didn't, and I'm glad I did. You may have gone in for the wrong reasons, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve a chance at being a hero. I couldn't let Stain end you even if I wanted. Because being a Hero means you don't stand by while other people are in danger."

Iida closed his eyes in shame before opening them again. "Be careful, Midoriya. Stain is far more skilled than we previously thought."

"I know," Izuku nodded. "I don't think I have a chance at beating him. My best bet is to stall him before the other Pros arrive to help."

"You think they'll arrive soon enough?"

"They will. I'm sure of it."

"Midoriya, Deku," Iida's voice was strained. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

A sharp whistle of air, and Izuku felt his cheek cut by a knife. Izuku gingerly touched his face to feel blood. He quickly turned to look at the knife stuck to the wall, his blood slowly dripping off the blade. Deku then turned back to face Stain, who had thrown several small knives right at the hero-in-training. Deku telekinetically caught the knives and threw them away from his sides before charging at Stain. The two clashed before Izuku sent Stain away with a telekinetic burst.

"Removing the injured before rushing off to fight me," Stain noted. "Perhaps there is more to you than the others."

"Why are you even assessing my actions?" Izuku questioned. "You kill Heroes for crying out loud!"

The two collided with Stain's katana and Deku's makeshift blades from discarded metal held by his telekinesis.

"That name, 'Hero Killer', is wrongfully applied to me. I do not kill Heroes. I kill Fakes!" Stain explained.

"What?!" Izuku said before the two separated.

"These 'Pro Heroes' have defiled the meaning of the word Hero!" Stain answered. "They have turned a selfless profession, a title of legends, into one of greed and vanity! These fakes fight for fame and profit, not genuine heroism."

"Even if that's true, you could have still tried to be a Hero! The hero you wanted to see in the world! You don't have the right to kill anyone!"

"Oh, I tried that once. But then I realized that you can't change the system from the inside. There is no saving this disease from itself. So, I've taken the only effective way to change. Cutting the rot away one fake at a time!"

"Is that your plan then? Kill every hero you come across?"

"Most, because there is one left who still embodies the true meaning of hero: All Might," Stain uttered the Hero's name like it was a deity.

"Seriously?" Izuku said with genuine confusion. "Doesn't he also do some of the same things you accuse other Pro Heroes of? I have a bedroom full of All Might merch to disprove your ideology."

"All Might is different!" Stain rebutted harshly. "He uses his earnings to help others with not a cent left for himself. He gives everything he has for the people. That is what it means to be a hero!"

"I can't even begin to tell you how wrong you are. In fact, why am I even bothering arguing ideology with a murderer anyway? I'm still going to put a stop to you."

Stain answered with a grunt and resumed his offense. He continued to slash at Deku. However, the boy's telekinetic barrier proved to be able to withstand Stain's blade. The swordsman resolved to press on, slashing at different parts of Deku's body in order to look for a weak point. Stain proceeded to enact one final downward slash at Deku. But the boy was able to catch it in time with his hands. The blade was buffeted by Izuku's telekinesis, but for how long?

"What makes you think you can win against me, child?" Stain questioned as he attempted to push the blade past Izuku's grasp.

"Because it's my duty as a hero to save the innocent and stop the villains," Izuku strained against the katana. "Like you."

Stain sneered. "Then let's see if you truly measure up to the word hero!"

Stain dislodged the sword from Izuku's hold. Using the boy's unbalanced state, Stain kicked Deku in the torso sending him flying into a wall. Izuku recovered, seeing Stain quickly rush towards the spot where Iida and Native were. Deku quickly dashed after the Hero Killer, readying another telekinetic push. As he threw it, the Hero Killer hopped onto the side of the wall and flipped over Izuku and the blast as Izuku continued to fly forward. Coming to a stop, Deku turned around to charge again only find the Hero Killer gone. Quickly searching the alley, it wasn't long before Izuku felt his body freeze, and he fell face first onto the ground.

Izuku tried to move a muscle, command his body to get up, anything. But it was no use. He was paralyzed, caught by the Hero Killer's Quirk. Deku was still able to move his eyes to look up. Standing above him was Stain holding the knife he threw at Deku earlier. Even from his position, Izuku could see the blade was licked clean of blood.

Blood! That's how he paralyzes people! Izuku realized. If only I had figured it out sooner…

"You were…disappointing, child," Stain remarked. "I had hoped your words would have led to the actions of a true hero. A shame it was not to be. Then again, what else should I have expected from a student of fake heroes?"

"You…," Izuku said through gritted teeth. "You won't get away with this. There will be others to stop you."

"Yes, there will be plenty of fakes hoping to claim satisfaction for my defeat. They will not get it. Now, I must finish what I came here to do."

With that, Stain calmly walked away from Deku and towards Iida and Native. Izuku continued to struggle against the paralysis but to no avail. His limbs weren't responding leaving him lying on the ground like a dead fish. All the while, Stain wiped his katana as a small ceremony before approaching the downed Native and Iida.

Come on, Midoriya, think! There has to be a way to get out of his Quirk's effects. Let's go over the facts. He needs blood in order to paralyze you. Well, you're thinking and still breathing now, so it's not like he freezes your blood in place. None of my muscles are responding to my thoughts. And it's hard to concentrate because my brain is going into overdrive thinking about all possible facets of how Stain's Quirk works! Wait a minute…brain…Quirk…That's it! Maybe I can still use my Quirk. If I can just concentrate…

Izuku focused his mental willpower on his telekinesis. Slowly, bits and pieces floated off the ground, signaling that his telekinesis was still in effect.

My telekinesis concentrates mostly on brainpower not regular muscle! Izuku realized. Now, I just have to use my Quirk to stop Stain.

Izuku slowly and clumsily maneuvered his telekinetic grip over towards Stain. This was hampered by the paralysis. While it did not fully cut off his ability to use his power, it did make concentrating with it harder due to the increased restriction on Izuku. Plus, he couldn't really move his head that much, so trying to target Stain with limited visibility was tough. Stain raised his blade over the prone Native, ready to end his life. Izuku desperately searched for something to stop Stain, something to grab. The long red fabric he used for a mask was what Izuku chose.

Before Stain could deliver the killing blow, Izuku used his telekinesis to grab the tassels on Stain's scarf and pulled. The Hero Killer's neck suddenly snapped back in surprise. The force that the telekinesis was using was about the same as a regular human, so this was more of an annoyance than a finishing blow. Izuku pulled and tugged at the Hero Killer, trying get him away from Native and Iida. Eventually, Stain had enough and cut off the part where Izuku was holding with his Quirk. At the same time, he threw a small knife that slashed at Izuku's hand, causing the boy to cry out in pain.

Stain approached the prone Izuku, genuine anger in the Hero Killer's eyes.

"I had planned on sparing you, child, but you are proving yourself to be too much of a hinderance to be left unchecked." Stain growled. "Know that your death was brought upon entirely by your own fault."

As Stain raised his blade, Izuku closed his eyes, hoping the end would be swift. Suddenly, a line of ice shards appeared, creating a wall between Stain and Deku. Izuku knew who it was as he tried to turn his head to see the image of his savior.

"Todoroki!" Iida cried out.

"Yes, it's me," Shoto said. "I followed your location through the app."

Shoto then turned to look at Izuku. "I thought you were supposed to be in America, Midoriya?"

"Hey, Todoroki," Izuku said. "It's a long story, but we got bigger problems at the moment."

"I see. So, this is the supposed Hero Killer?"

Stain growled at Todoroki's entrance. "I am tired of being interrupted by children!"

"Yeah, must be irritating, isn't it?" Todoroki then turned his attention to the prone Deku. "Any advice on how to beat him?"

"Watch out for his knives!" Izuku warned. "If he gets your blood, then he can paralyze you! That's how his Quirk works."

"Then I'll just have to not get cut."

Todoroki steeled himself as he and Stain danced their deadly duel. Stain would slash and try to cut Todoroki with his various assortment of blades, while Shoto would use both fire and ice to keep the Hero Killer away from him. Meanwhile, Deku continued to try and get up. No matter how much he strained, he couldn't move his muscles. Until…his finger began to move. Then another, then another. Then his toes and then his hands until eventually, Izuku was able to stand up and move on his own. Surprised, Izuku quickly ran over to Iida and Native to see if they could move on their own.

"Midoriya, you're free?!" Iida exclaimed. "How?"

"I don't know," Izuku admitted. "I think Stain's Quirk just wears off over time. Can you or Native move?"

Iida tried moving but didn't budge. "No, I can't. How did it wear off for you first? You were paralyzed later than me."

"Maybe it's a distribution thing? It gets weaker the more people he uses it on?"

"Not likely," the sudden voice of Native started the two teens. "I've been hit by that nutjob's Quirk longer than the both of you, and I still can't move my body. If your theory was true, I should have been freed by now. Anyone got another idea?"

"Well, my best guess would be that Stain's Quirk probably varies based on the blood type. Mine's type O. Yours?"

"A," Iida answered.

"I got B type," answered Native.

"Maybe that's it. Stain's Quirk lasing power varies on blood types! He probably can paralyze B types longer since that's the closest to his type! And mine was the furthest, so that's why my paralysis was so short!"

"That's great, kid. Any idea on how that's going to help you stop the Hero Killer?"

"Um, it'll give us a timeframe on how soon you two will be able to move again. Look, I'll help Todoroki fight off Stain. Try and get the heroes' attention as soon as you're able to move."

With that Izuku rocketed off. He charged right at Stain, knocking him away from Todoroki.

"Good to see you moving again," Todoroki said. "How did you get free of his Quirk?"

"His Quirk is dependent on his victim's blood type. The closest the blood type is to Stain's; the paralysis lasts longer. My blood type is O, so I was able to get free quicker. B type blood is the one that'll keep you paralyzed the longest. What's yours', Todoroki?"

"O type."

"Oh, hey, we share the same blood type. Neat."

"You really are clever, figuring out how my Bloodcurdle works," Stain said as he got up. "However, it won't save you from my blade."

"We don't need to beat you. Just to stall you until the real heroes get here." Todoroki said.

"I will not let my crusade be ruined by children and fakes!" Stain's anger rose in his voice before dashing and slashing at the two heroes-in-training.

The two students were holding their own against Stain. The Hero Killer had to contend with fire, ice, thrown objects, and telekinetically enhanced punches. Numbers may have been on the heroes' side, but Stain's skills with blades kept them from properly overwhelming him. Meanwhile, Iida felt the effects of Stain's Quirk wear off until he was able to move again. He wanted to rush in and defeat Stain, but his conscious took over. The lessons of rescue missions told him that he needed to take care of the injured. After all, Stain was right. What kind of hero prioritizes revenge over saving innocent lives? Iida quickly administered enough care to prevent Native from bleeding out and then proceeded to join in the fight.

The combined forces of Izuku, Shoto, and Tenya proved to be too much for the Hero Killer. For all of Stain's skills, even he was getting overwhelmed by the power of the three students. He kept trying to find a way to escape. Knives were thrown wildly in hopes of cutting one of the heroes in order to paralyze them. However, they each either dodged or deflected a knife from themselves or their allies. Eventually, Stain was worn down enough that one final blow from Tenya was the move that took him down. Stain crumbled on the ground, unconscious.

Iida looked down at the man who crippled his brother. The man who stole his brother's future as a hero. The man who nearly killed Iida in his quest to avenge his brother. As he stared at the unconscious Hero Killer, Izuku knew he had to make sure his friend didn't go down a dark path.

"Iida, what are we going to do with him?" Izuku asked tentatively.

Iida closed his eyes and exhaled before finally answering. "We'll bring him to the proper authorities. There, the legal system will give him the punishment he deserves."

Izuku smiled. "There's our rule-following Vice-President we all know and love."

"I'm sure this is touching and all, but unless either you two got permission to arrest this guy, we didn't exactly get authorized to use our Quirks for Hero work." Todoroki pointed out.

"Oh, yeaaah," Izuku looked away guilty. "That does put a wrench into things."

"If it helps, I'll cover for you," Native said, once again moving on his own. "I'll say I authorized you to use your Quirks after the Hero Killer attacked me."

"Really? Thank you!"

"Don't make this whole thing a habit though. I'm only doing this because you three saved my life. If none of you were here, I'd be a goner by now."

"I…, Thank you, Native," Iida bowed respectfully which Izuku and Shoto did the same. "Now, we should remove any other weapons he may have kept hidden. Do any of you have any capture tape on your personnel?"

Izuku shook his head. "Sorry, I got ready in a rush."

"My father usually does most of the work, or lets his sidekicks handle things. I usually just stand aside and watch." Todoroki shrugged.

"I've got some," Native answered.

Iida began to remove knife after knife from Stain and tied him up. Once the Hero Killer was secured, the four heroes dragged Stain out of the alley. During this, Todoroki began to interrogate Izuku.

"You never really answered how you were able to travel from America to Japan so fast? How did you do it, Midoriya?"

"Well, that's um," Izuku stumbled over his words. "You see, it's a sort of complicated situation…"

"Did you fly over here?"

"No, my flight's not that fast."

"Then how can one cross the ocean in such a short amount of time?"

"I mean, there's teleportation…"

"Are you saying you teleported here? On your own?"

"No! No, I can't teleport!"

"Then how? Unless you enlisted someone else's help…"

"I mean, they sort of enlisted me…" Izuku mumbled.

"Ah-ha!" Todoroki exclaimed. "You did have assistance. Who, Midoriya? Who brought you over here?"

"I, well, I can't really say. It's really a volatile thing. I don't know if I can even talk about it?"

"But you do know who it is, don't you?"

"Actually, Midoriya," Iida interjected. "I have been wondering as well who sent you over here from America?"

"I, I, I don't, um," Izuku continued to fumble over his words.

Come on, Gateway, Deku thought to himself. Send me back already!

"Look, can I please explain everything after we're done with the internships?" Izuku pleaded. "I promise to answer as much as I can. I just need to go over some things before -,"

"Shoto! There you are."

Standing across the street was Endeavor in all of his huge, stern, fiery glory.

"I was wondering where you ran off to," The Number 2 Hero said. "Did you leave an important mission to 'fraternize' with your classmates?"

Gateway, if you can hear my thoughts, get me out right now!

"If by 'fraternizing', you mean 'taking down the Hero Killer', then yes, yes I did," Todoroki pointed to the unconscious body of Stain.

Endeavor only gave the slightest of expressions that he was shocked at seeing the Hero Killer tied up and unconscious. He then returned to his natural serious expression.

"You and your friends will have a lot of explaining to do, Shoto," Endeavor said. "Especially in regards to your allies and their whereabouts."

Stepping aside, Endeavor revealed the Normal Hero: Manual who rushed to check up on his intern.

"Iida, there you are!" Manual's voice carried the distinct tone of worry. "When those monsters attacked, I lost you in the chaos! I'd thought you got attacked by one of those things or worse! Is this where you've been?"

"I…, yes, Manual, sir," Iida answered. "I am sorry for abandoning you during this time of crisis."

"Abandon? What are you…?"

"We can save this talk for the police station," Native spoke up. "Right now, we need to get a transport for our Hero Killer here and – Argh!"

Native cried as a knife was plunged into the back of his leg. Another flew out and nearly hit several of the heroes. Luckly, it went wild and hit no one. Everyone turned to see Stain free from his bindings. Despite the rough state he was in, he stood, pointing his sword at the heroes assembled before him.

"I am the bringer of the end for every fake hero and petty criminal that scourge this Earth," Stain said. "That is my mission."

As he raised his head, the cloth covering his face fell off. Izuku and several others gasped at Stain's face. The Hero Killer was revealed to have no nose at all, only the remains of one. His eyes held a fierce determination as he breathed like a wounded animal.

"I will restore the true meaning of the word hero. The only recourse is through blood, and I will be its agent. So come at me, you fakes! I pledge that I will not rest, I will not falter until every pretender falls to my blade! If I fall, then it will not be at the hands of you. For only one man has permission to defeat me! All Might…"

Stain seemed to exude an aura of bloodlust. A suffocating feeling of malic and dread that struck fear into Izuku and the rest of the heroes' hearts. Izuku was lucky in that he was still standing. One of the Pros fainted while Iida and Todoroki fell to their knees in fear. Even Endeavor seemed to be taken aback by the Hero Killer's presence.

Stain took one step closer towards the heroes. Then another. On the final step, he simply…stopped. After a tense minute of silence and waiting, the Hero Killer fell on the ground, unconscious. It seemed like the injuries he sustained had finally caught up to him.

The Pros cautiously moved in to detain Stain. Izuku, Iida, and Todoroki stood by the sidelines, watching the Pros do their work. Even still, Izuku still had that lingering fear that Stain might rise up again.

"So, this is really it, isn't it? The end of the Hero Killer?" Shoto pondered out loud.

"Yeah, I guess. How are you feeling, Iida?" Izuku asked.

"Right now, I am just relieved it's over." Iida answered. "Stain will answer for his crimes, and my brother will be avenged."

"Don't relax just yet," Endeavor's voice suddenly cut in. "There is still more work to be done."

"Not before we get these kids and Native to a hospital," Manual chimed in. "They're pretty banged up."

"Fine. After they are healed, we will bring them to local authorities to discuss their 'involvement' with the Hero Killer's apprehension."

Before anyone could make a move, Izuku felt a portal open right behind him. He turned to see it was the signature green tint of Gateway's portal. Suddenly, a hand reached out, grabbed Izuku, and pulled him in.

"Wait, Midoriya!" Iida cried out.

Before Izuku could say anything, he was brought back to Captain Celebrity Tower. The portal closed as Izuku looked up at Gateway.

"Bringing me back earlier would have been nice," Izuku complained. "Now the Pro Heroes know I was there with Stain. What am I going to do?"

"I pulled you back when the time was right," Gateway said. "If you are worried about your career being in danger due to tonight's events, do not worry. I have reasonable assurance your future is still on the correct course."

"How do you know that? This…this wasn't just your idea, wasn't it? You had someone else tell you to get me. To bring me to Hosu. Why?"

"All will be revealed eventually. Here," Gateway held out a small chewable tablet. "Take this before returning to your quarters."

"What is it?" Izuku held the tablet in between his fingers.

"It is designed to accelerate the body's natural healing factor. It should take care of all those pesky injuries you sustained."

As Gateway began to walk away, Izuku called out to him.

"Before you go, please answer my question. Tonight was super dangerous for me and my friends. We could lose our careers because we used our Quirks without a license, and we interfered with the Hero Killer case. If I get caught, your involvement might be revealed. You could lose your license too. Why would you take that sort of risk for just a foreign intern and his friends?"

Gateway turned to look back at Izuku before answering. "I cannot say the identity of my benefactor, but he assured me that both of our statuses as heroes will be protected. He has also convinced me that you have a destiny that must be fulfilled."

"A destiny?" Izuku questioned. "What destiny?"

"To be what you were always meant to be, Izuku Midoriya, a hero."

With that, Gateway left. With nothing else to do, Izuku took the tablet and went to change out of his hero costume. Fortunately, the suit itself didn't receive any tears though it was dirty and needed to be washed. As Izuku changed, he felt the effects of the tablet at work. Cuts scabbed and then healed in a matter of minutes, bruises disappeared, and the soreness within him soon subsided. Eventually, Izuku headed back to his room and collapsed on his bed. Try as he might, sleep did not come easy for the young hero. His mind raced with possibilities and questions. Why was he really chosen to be sent to Hosu to stop the Hero Killer? Who was Gateway's benefactor? What was Izuku's destiny? Why couldn't he have a normal internship like everyone else? Why was it him and his friends who got caught up in villains' plans? These and more continued to cloud his head until exhaustion finally took him.

And there we have it! Hosu and the Hero Killer done! Some of you were wondering how or even if I was going to include Izuku in the Hero Killer fight. Well, here you go. Is it a bit too contrived? Maybe. Will this tie into future storylines? Yes, absolutely. Let's just say Gateway's benefactor has appeared in this story before, who also wanted to manipulate Izuku's path towards heroism for some future plan. Also, don't think Izuku won't get off scot free for this little excursion. That'll be covered in the next chapter.

Sorry for the delay on this one. I wanted to finish early, but work took over and left me exhausted. Plus, I wanted to do the Stain fight in one chapter. I want to say thank you to everyone for reading, liking, and commenting on this story. It means a lot to me.

Now, onto the comments:

Ranger McAleer: Thanks for the kind words. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

ENSNaruto: Thank you very much for the kind words. I'll admit, I haven't seen or read Jujustu Kaiden (barring some out of context memes on the X formerly known as Twitter). But, if some of the techniques I'll have Izuku learn are similar to the ones you proposed, then I'll say it was just a happy coincidence.

Pater P0n: Sorry for the wait. I really wanted to finish when I got your comment, but it took longer than expected. Though it is crazy that you manifested an earlier chapter. I had no idea about that!

That's all for now. See ya next time!