Angel: I'm gonna briefly go over the heroes that were thought to be Izuka's mentor for internships as best as I can. And I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful, but here's why I couldn't choose some of these. The first three, Burnin', Mirko, and Ryukyu, have actually not debuted at this point in the story. Burnin' was the last to be introduced in season 5, and she is a sidekick to Endeavor's agency, who already got Shoto. So the mentor would be Endeavor, not Burnin'. And even then, Izuka would not pick him, but Endeavor did seek her out as an offer. Mirko and Ryukyu were both introduced in season 4, Ryukyu beat her first though by being in the first half. I don't think she was taking in internships, though, as far as I know. And Mirko doesn't actually have an agency, so it wouldn't work. I don't think UA teachers were allowed to take in internships if they're also working at the school...? As far as I know, there weren't any teachers at UA that took in students for an internship. So Midnight's out, although that would be hilarious if Izuka worked for her. Edgeshot might've taken in internship students, I honestly don't know. Same thing with Gang Orca, both were in the top ten at the time. Mandalay has also not appeared yet in the story either, and she doesn't seem like the type to take in internships anyway. Illus-o-Camie is a student currently so she's not a pro hero...? Uwabami, Izuka declined her, and the hero ended up with Momo and Itsuka regardless lol.
And no, I was not aware of Anime world's video, however, I did upload another chapter just for them, so much appreciated from me for them and for MissLiss too for telling me. Thank you both, sorry I didn't notice the video sooner!
"Oh, I get it!" Izuku smiled while looking at his hands. "Up until now, I've just been summoning One for All. I shouldn't be flipping the switch off!" His legs then started to glow with power. "I just have to leave the power on the whole time! Imagining the energy that used to be focused in one place spreading throughout my entire body!" He then gritted his teeth as his whole body was surrounded by energy.
Gran Torino smiled proudly up at him. "Wanna give it a try?"
"Yes! Let's do this!"
"That's it!" Gran Torino encouraged the boy. "Keep One for All flowing throughout your entire body. IF you can move around while maintaining this...then you'll be on a completely different level than you were at the Sports Festival." Izuku clenched his fists, sweat dripping down his cheek as he gritted his teeth. He tried to keep onto his form as much as possible. "So, kid, think you can handle it?" He grinned while rubbing his chin, holding up a stopwatch. "We'll begin with three minutes." He then started the stopwatch.
"Okay," Izuku looked up at him curiously. "For what?"
"That's the amount of time you have to try to hit me with a smash," Gran Torino revealed while stretching his legs. He moved seconds later, zipping around Izuku just like he did during their first day. He appeared behind the boy, going over to kick him in the face. He grunted in pain, steadying himself on his feet.
Crap, he's fast.
Gran Torino went right past him, landing on the ground. He then jumped and flew around the room. "Pathetic. If you can't even hold your own against an old man..." He started off while Izuku tried to track his movements. He then flew right behind the boy. "How will you protect those who are in need?" Izuku threw his arm just as Gran Torino got past him. Then he was hit from behind. Gran Torino hit the chandelier and used the walls to move around. "Someone praised by the Symbol of Peace himself should be able to complete this challenge easily." He knocked papers off the wall and then landed on a board. "No sweat!" He jumped up towards the ceiling.
Izuku let out a growl, clenching his fist as his body glowed. "One for Al-" Before he could even finish his sentence, Gran Torino knocked him in the face. I need some time to get it going through my body again! A single hit from him doesn't pack much power... He thought while Gran Torino landed some hits on him. But he's too fast for me to follow with my eyes! Gran Torino zipped by his feet, causing him to fall onto the ground. He looked up while gritting his teeth, wondering when he would get an opening. Come on! I just need a few seconds! He started crawling and then dove forward to hide underneath a chair. There!
His mentor could still see him, though, since his hands were on display. "Don't be stupid. I can still see you," Izuku quickly hid his hands. "If you're trying to buy time..." He landed on the ceiling and then outstretched two fists while falling towards the chair. "It won't work!" Before he could hit the chair, it went flying off the ground. This was thanks to Izuku using a smash from his hiding spot.
Now's my chance!
"So you were just trying to keep me off you for a minute," Gran Torino realized the boy's plan. "Now that was a good idea," He gave a big grin as Izuku powered up his feet, elevating himself into the air with a fist outstretched.
One for All...Full Cowling! He swiped his arm forward, but Gran Torino boosted himself backwards with his foot. The wind was so strong that it knocked over some cans right behind him.
"Almost!" He landed on the wall behind Izuku, who landed soon after.
From behind!
Gran Torino grinned while lunging forward. "You already tried to counter like this once before. Remember, kid?" He held out his arms, but Izuku suddenly disappeared before he could catch the boy. His eyes widened in surprise as Izuku had jumped up to the ceiling. The man then looked up just as Izuku's feet touched the ceiling. He powered up again before pushing himself forward with as much power as he could.
"SMASH!" He reached out a glowing hand, only for Gran Torino to move his head out of the way, Izuku missing by mere inches. He dodged that too?!
Gran Torino's feet touched the wall as he elevated himself forward to knock Izuku into the wall. He grunted and then landed on the floor, in shock of what had just happened. Gran Torino stopped his stopwatch to look at the time. "Your time's up."
"Oh, man," Izuku groaned while sitting up. "It's hard to keep it going like that," He frowned a bit while rubbing his back. "I guess I still have a lot of work to do."
"Nice work," His mentor suddenly praised, catching him off guard. "You managed to attack me while I had my guard down thanks to your analysis. You must spend a lot of time thinking about strategy and how to fight. You've already grown since yesterday, and this was just our first go at using One for All this way," He was referring to when Izuku had put on his costume the first day. Gran Torino then rubbed his thumb against a scar on his cheek. It was from when Izuku had missed by mere inches.
It's been a long time since I've had to seriously dodge an attack. He gave a big grin towards Izuku, who was already brainstorming on how he could improve. Even though Izuku did remind him of Toshinori...the boy was different all on his own. And he was a bit intimidated by how Izuku would continue to use this development of his power once he had more control over it. This kid might turn out to be a real monster.
He then fully turned around. "All right, no time to rest. Let's keep training."
"Yeah!" Izuku stood up eagerly; it was a complete 180 to how he interacted with Gran Torino when they first met. He felt like he could really improve now that he had just fought with his mentor. "Please! What's next, sir?"
"Something very important. We haven't had any breakfast this morning!" Gran Torino reminded him.
"Huh? O-Oh, you're right!" Izuku stammered in realization that because the fish-shaped pastries were frozen, they couldn't actually eat them.
Gran Torino looked back with a smile. "So why don't you go and heat up those pastries again?" He saw that during their fight, the pastries...had ended up on the floor. He then gave a look of utter disappointment. "They're all ruined!" He shouted in so much agony that he started to shake up the building.
"Don't worry, I'll go buy some more!" Izuku assured him and ran down the street with a small smile. I've still got a long road ahead, but I can see where I'm going! One for All Full Cowling. That's the next step to making this Quirk my own!
"Oh!" He blinked as he pulled out his phone. "I should talk to Izuka. I hope she's not busy," He then called his big sister and he waited as the phone rang.
Izuka was putting on her hero costume as they were going to do a patrol soon. Although she knew that Katsuki wasn't looking forward to it considering that Best Jeanist insisted that the boy 'clean up' first before they went out. She then looked out the window with a small frown. I hope I learn more about what I wanna achieve as a hero. But I'm sure everything will be fine. I can't say the same for Bakugo-San though, he doesn't seem to be enjoying his time here...
Sometimes he'd get judgmental looks from the sidekicks for his behavior, not that he would change for anyone. And she wasn't sure if she could ask him to; she couldn't really describe anyone that was just like Katsuki, and that was a trait only he had. For better or for worse...
Why am I thinking about him at a time like this? I need to focus on the internship... She dragged a hand down her face. Her phone then rang and she blinked, picking it up to see that it was her brother. She smiled and picked up. "Hey, little brother! How's the internship going?" The girl asked with intrigue.
"Hey sis," He greeted with a small smile. "It wasn't what I expected at first, but I'm making progress! What about you? How does it feel being at an internship with the number four hero?"
"We've...had a rocky road too at first, but he's great to learn with. And I'm doing the internship with someone from our class actually," She scratched her cheek nervously and he glanced at his phone curiously.
"Wow, really? That's so great! Who is it? Is it Jiro? Or maybe Kirishima? Whoever it is, I'm sure you'll do great with them!" He gave a small smile.
"Erm...it's, well...Bakugo-San, actually." As soon as he heard this, he froze in place, falling to the ground after he stopped moving. His eyes swirled around and she gave a yelp of alarm as she had heard the thud. "Izuku, are you okay? What happened?" She questioned in a panic.
"You're interning with Kacchan?!" He shouted into the phone once he recollected himself, and she winced a little.
"Yeah...it's more or less the same as we've been interacting in class," She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'll tell you more all about it when internships are over."
"Lucky," He pouted a little and she scoffed, looking away that he was happy about this. "Well...how do you feel about this? I mean, considering it's Kacchan, I expected that he'd pick one of the top ten to be his intern for the week. But you and him aren't really friends or rivals..." Izuku questioned and she blinked slowly. "Is it weird or do you actually enjoy your time with him around?"
The girl faltered by the question, unsure of how to feel. She could be angry, upset, maybe even a bit sympathetic considering things weren't exactly all-friendly between her mentor and Katsuki. Weird was actually the last word on her mind. She was about to answer when a knock came from her door. "Midoriya, we're heading out soon. Sir wanted me to come and get you," One of Best Jeanist's interns called out from outside.
"I gotta go," She told her brother, though thankful because she wouldn't know what to say. "I'll call you back, okay? Good luck! I can't wait to see what you've learned from someone who used to teach your idol!"
"You too, Izuka, I know it'll be something amazing," He smiled as he hung up. She's doing her internship with Kacchan, that's a coincidence. I hope that things get better between the both of them. He may not be the nicest person, but I trust him with her safety since he's saved her multiple times and looks after her. And I know that on some level, she is grateful for that.
"Right! Left!" Ochaco recited with the sidekicks as she punched the air. "Right! Left!"
"Don't just go through the motions," Gunhead instructed them up in front. "Make sure you're focusing on each individual punch. Remember, the most important thing...is your basic physical strength."
"Yes, sir!" The sidekicks recited while Ochaco shook a little from Gunhead's pose. It honestly caught her by surprise.
Look at how cute that pose is!
Fourth Kind slammed down a cup of green tea. "This is lukewarm! Can't you two dense idiots even make a decent cup of tea?" Eijiro and Tetsutetsu shook nervously from the yelling. "We wanna impress clients who visit our agency." He then punched both of them in the head, and considering he was wearing a bunch of rings, they didn't hurt the boys at all. "Is this the kinda crap you would serve them too?"
"Sorry, Mr. Fourth Kind, sir!" They both bowed to him.
"Jeez. Those powers of yours sure make it satisfying to hit you," He turned away so that they wouldn't see his bulging red hands. To him, they were kind of like walking punching bags if he ever needed to unleash his anger on them.
"Right!" The two tensed up, standing straight. They saw it as training in a way to bulk up their bodies.
"Thank you, sir!" Tetsutetsu told him politely.
"To be a good pro, your presence must calm those in danger and give them peace of mind," Best Jeanist informed his two interns. "You must be capable, of course, but there are other things to consider. Your physical appearance, speech, and actions must all be...elegant. You must give off the aura of a hero," He held up his comb, as did another one of his sidekicks. Katsuki's hair was combed out instead of spiky as usual. Izuka was shaking in disbelief as her hair was now straightened and out of its usual style, now instead in a neat bun over her head. Her bangs and forelocks were still hanging out. "Do you understand?" He asked the shaking Katsuki, who hadn't ever combed his hair until now. He usually kept it as it is unless his mother wanted it neater, which usually pissed him off. And it was honestly making him reconsider his choice of an internship since he felt like he wasn't learning anything new combat wise...
Izuka looked over to Katsuki and was not impressed with his new hairstyle. She much preferred it when it was in his messy style, because it was intriguing for her to draw. The way his hair looks like an actual explosion is what makes it stand out, so it being straight now kinda loses the appeal of how different each section was—wait, what the hell am I thinking?! Her eye twitched in disbelief as she realized she was staring for a bit too long. No, no, no, no, no! That is not what I should be thinking about!
"Another perfect style, Best Jeanist!" His sidekicks said in unison.
Dammit! I came to the wrong hero agency. Katsuki thought in embarrassment as his hair popped to be back in its normal style.
This is really not what I had in mind when I think of a hero internship... Izuka gave a nervous expression; she never really had her hair be this...neat before. And she wasn't expecting a new hairstyle on top of that. She wondered if this was just a small step in trying to... 'help' her classmate. And if it was, then clearly, it was not a great step in that direction...
She reached out to adjust her hair, only to have her hand pushed away and she groaned. Then her hair went back to normal, the scrunchie snapping in half. It hit the sidekick who did her hair and Katsuki gave a small chuckle to himself. He then froze as he realized he was laughing.
Why the hell did I think that was funny?! Her hair looks like Deku's, just more like a broccoli head. It's usually...not that bad looking—damn it! He gritted his teeth angrily that he still ended up complimenting her hair.
Uwabami was posing on a mattress for a photo shoot, and then a couch. She then struck a pose with a smirk. "After this photoshoot, she's scheduled to be a guest on a radio show, and then she has a quick magazine interview," Momo recited as she was basically keeping an appointment book. Itsuka stared at her fellow intern, chuckling awkwardly.
"I feel like we're her entourage, not her interns..." They hadn't really done much in terms of hero work...in fact, they were being treated as personal assistants most of the time instead of doing things that heroes would be doing right about now.
Momo closed the book, closing her eyes. "This is part of what it takes to be a hero. It's unavoidable given the age that we live in. And I'm sure there's some important lesson we're missing here." They stared up ahead at their mentor posing with a rose in her mouth and they gave sheepish looks. "Right? Maybe...?" She honestly had no idea anymore.
Itsuka glanced at her in a bit of sympathy. Poor girl's deep in denial...
In the teacher's lounge at UA, Toshinori and Naomasa were having a private meeting. The sun was already setting and the halls were empty. "I'm sorry to show up unexpectedly," Naomasa told his friend, who placed down tea for them. "Hope you don't mind."
"Please, it's always a pleasure to see you, Tsukauchi," Toshinori sat on the couch. "So, how's the investigation?"
He then gave a small serious frown. "Well, there were a number of villains who attacked the USJ. But we're puzzled by one. The one you fought who they called Nomu." Toshinori then recalled fighting him off with barely any strength left.
"Ah, that strong bird guy," He narrowed his eyes a little.
"We went ahead and ran some tests on Nomu's DNA," Naomasa informed the blond man.
"And what exactly did you find?" Toshinori asked him curiously.
"First: We're not asking you to help us with the case. Technically, this is a leak," He then looked up at his friend. "I just felt I owed it to you to let you know. It could lead us to the one in charge." Toshinori gasped in shock to hear this. "After several attempts at interrogation, we realized that Nomu can't speak. He shows no reaction to anything. It's as though he literally can't think for himself. No matter what's going on around him," He then showed a picture of someone Toshinori didn't know. "As for his identity: we discovered that he used to be a low-level thug with a record of assault and extortion."
"Why do you think this'll lead us to the mastermind behind the League?" Toshinori couldn't help but wonder.
"...Here's where it gets interesting," Naomasa said a bit hesitantly. "Our reports show...that he's been altered drastically. When we analyzed his genetic makeup, we discovered four different people's DNA."
The blond looked away, rubbing his chin in thought. "Someone combined people's DNA to make this guy. So is he even human anymore?"
"The transformation is a result of drugs and other unknown methods," Toshinori glanced down at the picture again, wondering who was even capable of such a thing... "To oversimplify a bit, he's been modified so that his body is able to hold multiple Quirks at once. His brain's apparent lack of processing power probably comes from the burden that causes. But we're more concerned about his DNA. He shouldn't have more than one power. Even if new DNA's introduced...that shouldn't give a person multiple powers. Not unless it's completely integrated into someone's body. Not all Quirks work like One for All, but maybe..."
Toshinori gave a terrified look as he had a bad feeling...one he had felt many years ago. "There's someone out there to pass different Quirks on to other people." He then gasped sharply at the explanation.
"It can't be!" He stood up in alarm.
"Given the evidence, I think it's a reasonable conclusion. S'why I came. I had to let you know immediately. But also...to update you about the student you asked me about. Izuka Midoriya?" He stared at Toshinori, who flinched in a bit of fear. He had asked Naomasa to have someone look into where the rumors in UA had originated from. Sure, the police didn't usually get involved with stuff like that, but the man had to know why they were doing it to his student. And he felt like he could trust Naomasa with this regardless. "You wanted us to look into some messages she was getting?"
"Mido's been focused on internships and improving herself to really worry anymore. She must've thought it was just someone with a grudge. I thought so too at first, but...something about them wasn't right. If any UA student were to say things like that, it wouldn't look good on them," Toshinori narrowed his eyes a little. Izuka may have stopped caring, but he wanted to solve this once and for all. Naomasa slowly slid a picture of Izuka in her school uniform.
"An anonymous tip led us to a discarded burner phone near campus. And on that phone were texts between the sender and someone we're currently trying to figure out. They're orders to cast doubt into your student, probably to either break her or upset her so much that she could've taken drastic actions," Naomasa informed and Toshinori turned to him wide-eyed. If what he said was true, and Izuka had thought about harming herself...then that was clear intent to take her out of the picture. What he couldn't understand was who had it out for her to resort to something like this. And it didn't make sense either, since Izuka told him she was getting along with everyone, and she didn't socialize with anyone outside of Class 1-A that much for anyone to grow a grudge. He did think of Neito or Katsuki, but Neito was more so a bragger, it wasn't like him to do so when he could just continue mocking Izuka to her face. And he'd get worse than a punch if it was him, something he would've thought of. Katsuki also didn't fit because at best, he would do things physically; and his softer side prevented him from hurting Izuka in that way.
"...Why?" He gritted his teeth without looking back.
"We don't know. It could be anyone, but personally, my gut says Shigaraki. We might have you read them to identify. But...the texts seem to suggest...that Izuka Midoriya may have ties to Nomu," Toshinori's eyes slowly widened as he let out a gasp. "Her DNA was stolen by whoever the phone belonged to recently, the texts confirm it. There's no evidence that the League has used it currently. So...it could be possible that right now, her DNA could be usen to-"
"No," Smoke came from Toshinori's body as he turned into All Might. "It's not possible..." He gritted his teeth in anger, not even looking back. "Don't tell me he's back again...and there's no way Mido's power is being used to create more Nomu..."
"So you want me to be a part of your crumbling little league," Stain mocked Kurogiri and Shigaraki. "But you won't accomplish anything if you don't have conviction and desire," He clutched his knives tight. "Without those, you'll always be an aimless weakling. Achieving nothing," He then stabbed his knives into the villain's shoulder, having Shigaraki pinned underneath him. "That's how you got here," He snarled and Shigaraki breathed heavily.
"Hey, now...you're being a little rough, aren't you?" He wheezed out in pain. Kurogiri also had an injury in his left sleeve. "Kurogiri, take this guy back."
"I'm sorry. I can't move," He informed as he had a slash mark in the sleeve thanks to Stain, and he seemed to be paralyzed. "It must be the Hero Killer's Quirk at work."
"The word hero has lost all meaning in this society," Stain spoke up to the two of them. "The world is overrun by fakes and criminals like you who chase petty dreams," He then glared down at Shigaraki, gritting his teeth with disdain. "They must all be purged," The hero killer held his knife closer to Shigaraki, who grabbed it with his hand.
"What do you think you're doing? If you touch this palm..." He squeezed the knife a little, and it started to crack because of him using his Decay. "I'll kill you..." Stain gave a shocked sound, as he was unaware of Shigaraki's Quirk until now. "You sure talk a lot, Hero Killer." The knife started to turn a dark red. "Conviction? Maybe I don't have anything as loaded as that," He then squeezed his hand so that the knife completely turned into dust. "If I had to choose a desire, though...Yeah, it'd be killing All Might. If this world wants to worship trash like him, I'll destroy their beloved Symbol of Peace, and then crush them while they're in shock," He gave a big grin towards Stain just thinking about it.
Stain then jumped backwards, gripping his knife as he continued to listen. Shigaraki got onto his feet. "The last of my injuries was finally about to finish healing, and now this," He held up his bleeding arm. "You should learn not to play with knives," He started scratching the side of his neck. "We don't have a healer in our party, you know."
"I see your nature," Stain spoke up, surprising Shigaraki. "It seems our goals fundamentally oppose each other. However, this wasn't in vain. We agree that we need to destroy the present."
"I'm over this," Shigaraki sounded annoyed now as he dropped his arm. "Leave, drop dead. I'm the kind of person you hate most, right?"
"I was testing your motives," Stain then put away his knife, keeping his eye on the both of them. "People always show their true colors when on the verge of death. It's abnormal, but there is desire, a warped sprout of conviction, inside of you. How will it bloom in the end, I wonder. Maybe I'll let you grow. If you don't turn out well, I'll take care of you later."
Both Kurogiri and Shigaraki flinched, the latter holding his injured shoulder. "You think you could get rid of me?"
"I'm free," Kurogiri looked at his arm.
"Kurogiri. Someone as crazy as this would be nothing but a problem for the League of Villains," Shigaraki stated plain and simple."
"Please reconsider. This man will be a great asset if he joins us," Kurogiri pleaded, since they could kill All Might if they worked together. But Stain just seemed to be a bit of a loose cannon, since he could hurt them again. And they didn't need that. "I'd say this was a success."
"My business here is done. Now, you will return me to Hosu," Stain demanded of the two as he licked his lips. His eyes shined a little. "There are still several false heroes I must attend to there."
Manual took off his mask after patrol was over with a small sigh. He turned to the silent Tenya, who took off his helmet. "Well, the nice thing about having the whole city on alert is that no villains will dare come out."
"Oh yeah, sure," Tenya replied offhandedly, since it was the opposite effect he wanted to play out. He closed his eyes, taking off his glasses in thought. Hero Killer Stain. It was obvious once I looked at your crimes. In the seven places that you've appeared so far...you've always injured at least four pro heroes. Maybe there's a reason for that, or maybe I'm just reading into things, but it looks like a pattern. And Tensei is the only person you've attacked in Hosu. He had read several newspapers before coming to Hosu, and all papers from the city only mentioned his brother. He thought of Tensei in the hospital.
" I'm so sorry...I failed you..."
Tenya then slowly opened his eyes. His brother wouldn't need to feel that way if Stain hadn't attacked him... That means...it's very likely that you'll appear in this city again.
And he was correct as Kurogiri summoned a warp gate in an alley somewhere in Hosu. Tenya then had...a very intense look on his face. Because Stain had yet to hurt three people, finding him wouldn't be too hard with his Engine Quirk. Good. I'll dispose of you with my own hands...
It was now day three of the internships, Gran Torino zipping around his home. He then went right past Izuku, who flinched at him. They were training with Izuku's power again. Gotta keep the five percent going and attack! He raced after his mentor and then jumped after him. Gran Torino turned around and kicked him into the opposite wall. The boy hit it hard, sliding slowly onto the floor. His mentor landed and stared at him, rubbing his chin with a sigh.
"We should switch up the training," He suggested to Izuku. "If you get too used to fighting against my distinct tactics, you might develop some weird habits." Izuku was still on the ground, blood seeping from his head and mouth.
"What habits?!" Izuku yelped as he snapped out of it. "I'm just trying to keep up with you right now! Please, let me fight more!"
"No, we're done here," The old man insisted and then gave a grin. "Change into your costume, boy. We're moving onto Phase 2."
"...Huh?" Izuku had no idea what that meant and after All Might's warning about Gran Torino's...teaching methods, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Hope you're ready," Gran Torino announced as he held up his cane. Both of them were standing outside. "We're going out to fight some villains."
"Huh?!" Izuku looked at him in shock—he was definitely not expecting this. "What, just like that?"
"If you only fight against me, you'll be in trouble when you come across someone who's the complete opposite," Gran Torino started to walk away. Izuku started to follow him, though he was still bewildered. The man glanced back with a smirk. "The key is to let you get experience with different types of villains and situations. This is an internship, after all. You really shouldn't be that surprised by this."
"I get what you're saying, and I totally agree," Izuku then gestured to himself, a bit hesitant. "But I still think I need more time to prepare myself." The only real experience he had fighting villains was the USJ incident, and since then, he was only just starting to make progress. If he tried fighting off a villain now, he probably wouldn't get very far. That was why he felt like he just wasn't ready since he had only fought with a team for the most part, not on his own. The Nomu he landed a hit against had no effect on him after all...
"From what I heard, you've already been in combat with some real villains," Gran Torino reminded him while leading the way. "You'll be just fine, we aren't gonna go after anyone that big." He then held up a hand to catch a cab. "And it won't do us any good hangin' around here. Because of the small population in this area, the crime rate is pretty low. That's why there are so many hero agencies in urban areas, there's a lot more crime there. The higher the population density, the more trouble you'll find." Izuku listened to him attentively as the man smiled. "Now in Shibuya, we'll have plenty of small fights to break up, I guarantee."
"Wait, you mean we're going to Shibuya in Tokyo?!" Izuku flinched in alarm and then blushed in embarrassment. "I'm, uh, not so sure my hero costume is hip enough." Shibuya was very lively and had famous sights, so he felt like he'd be out of place.
"That costume of yours tells everyone you're a hero," Gran Torino encouraged him. "You should be happy to get to display it in such a bright spotlight."
Izuku then gasped as he looked up. "Hold on...are we gonna be taking the bullet train toward Shinjuku?" Shibuya and Shinjuku was a 24 minute trip by train, while to Hosu it was 12 minutes. He knew this because he sometimes would go with Izuka to Shibuya for painting supplies.
"Yup," Gran Torino confirmed for him.
Izuku then looked out the window. We'll pass Hosu City. I wonder how Ida's doing there. I'll try to message him later.
At the same time that Izuku was on his way over, Manual and Tenya were on patrol. "We'll patrol Kyoto today too," The hero spoke up to his intern. "Sorry this is so monotonous."
"No," Tenya spoke up in almost a mysterious way. "It's better this way." Manual looked back in confusion, not sure what he meant by that. But then he realized that Hosu was a sticking point in the news right now.
"...Hey."
"Hm?" The boy looked towards his mentor.
"This is kinda hard to ask, but...you're after the Hero Killer, aren't you?" He asked carefully and Tenya came to a stop, gasping. He had made no mention of it to anyone at all, and yet he didn't think his intentions with his placement were that obvious either.
"How did you...?"
"I couldn't think of any other reason why you'd come to my agency," Manual explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uh! I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm really glad you did...but...you shouldn't be pursuing personal grudges," Tenya shook a little from that statement. "We heroes don't have the authority to arrest people or punish them. The only reason we're allowed to use our Quirks is because of the regulations put on them. That's why, no matter how noble the reason may be, a hero must not use their Quirk for themselves. If a pro used their power for their own selfish desires, it would be a very serious crime."
Plus, he didn't want Tenya to get hurt—the Hero Killer wouldn't show mercy on any hero. He was still a UA student, he still had to learn that pursuing a villain like Stain wasn't something he should be doing. It would only get him into a lot of trouble. Tenya then looked towards the ground in silence while thinking it over.
Manual rapidly held up his hands, realizing that he might've gone a bit too far, especially since he heard about what had happened with Tensei. "I'm not saying that the Hero Killer isn't incredibly guilty or anything! You just seem like the earnest type, you know? I'd hate for you to focus on one goal and ignore everything else!" He explained himself; he was in no way agreeing with Stain's ideals because he was hurting people and he wasn't okay with it. But a student going after someone like that would only cause harm in the long run. Even though he could understand why Tenya would want to seek him out.
"Thank you," Tenya bowed his head. "I appreciate it."
"Oh, it's fine, as long as you get what I'm sayin'. So, we good?" Manual turned around to lead the way, not noticing Tenya's silent frustration.
No... Despite the lesson he had just listened to...it was like his vendetta was taking over everything else. What am I supposed to do...with this burning hatred...if I can't act? And it didn't seem like it'd stop anytime soon...
Stain stood on top of a water tower, a warp gate appearing right behind him. Shigaraki stepped out of it. "Oh. Hosu City looks nicer than I expected," He commented as the portal disappeared right behind him. "So, what are you gonna do?"
"I will reform it," Stain revealed, his tongue sticking out. "In order to do so, blood must spill."
"You have a clear goal," Kurogiri stated plain and simple. "Your dedication is admirable."
"Ah, finally, someone who understands," Stain complimented as he got onto his feet.
"I get the feeling you enjoy picking on me," Shigaraki touched his shoulder, which had stopped bleeding at this point.
"Hero is a title for those who've accomplished great deeds!" Stain said in almost admiration in a way as he looked out towards the city. Even though everything he said was full of pure hate. "This city is full of false champions. All they care about is money and fame. Until this world realizes its mistakes," He gripped one of his blades tight. "I will continue my work," He then left them behind as he jumped, landing on the roof and jumping across the gap.
"He talks all high and mighty and stuff, but he's wasting his time focusing on a small stage," Shigaraki said bitterly while scratching at his neck. "He's so noble I could cry."
"You shouldn't spurn his methods," Kurogiri argued, turning to him. "The reality is, in all the cities where Stain has appeared, the crime rates have fallen. Perhaps because heroes are more conscientious, or perhaps out of fear. Regardless, he does bring change." This just made Shigaraki scratch even harder, frustrating him immensely.
"Oh, isn't that just wonderful," He replied sarcastically while turning to the city. "Heroes are working harder thanks to all those murders. I guess you could say our Hero Killer is also a Hero Breeder!" He then sagged his shoulders; at this rate, he was getting farther and farther away from his own goal. "This is getting boring. It won't work," He huffed while crossing his arms like a spoiled child. "We just can't agree on a basic level. And he annoys me. Kurogiri, bring out the Nomus." Kurogiri summoned his warp gate to bring them over. "You think you can get away with stabbing me? When I get tired of you, I'll kill you. Whenever I feel like it. Just like that, Stain."
Nomus came out of the portal, however, they looked much different than the one from the USJ. They were in different shapes and sizes and colors this time. "But let's make it more interesting. How about I crush your honor and your pride first? What do you say, big bad Hero Killer? And I was able to include Izuka Midoriya as a bonus! Thanks to our sources, we managed to get a hold of her DNA…wasn't much, but it was plenty for today."
Near Hosu, the train was moving with Izuku and Gran Torino inside. The boy turned to him curiously. "So, um...this train isn't gonna get there until pretty late. Are you sure that's okay?" He asked since it was sunset when they left, and the ride to the train station was a bit long. So was getting onto the train because of the crowds.
"That's why I picked it," Gran Torino revealed with a proud smile. "There'll be more skirmishes then, so it'll be much more fun!"
Izuku gave an anxious expression, as he still wasn't sure about all this. On one hand, Gran Torino had more experience in this topic than he did. On the other...he had no idea how he'd do once they encountered a villain. "Maybe we just have different ideas about what fun is..." He then took out his phone.
"You kids these days!" Gran Torino piped up as he looked over his shoulder. "You're constantly buried in your cell phones!"
Izuku saw that his last text from Tenya was read and responded to. But the one he sent today had been read, and there was no answer since he sent it. It read 'I'll be passing near Hosu! How are things going with you, Ida?'.
He read the message, but didn't reply. I don't think Ida has ever waited more than three minutes to respond to something before. Maybe I should call Izuka and see if she can get in touch with him.
"Do you mind if I call my sister really quick? I need to ask her a favor," Izuku turned to Gran Torino.
"Do what you need to, as long as it's quick."
He nodded sharply, scrolling down until he found her contact photo, and it was a picture of Izuku as a kid with his face painted to look like All Might's. Izuka was hugging him with a big smile. Izuku gave a small hum at the photo; he begged her to paint his face when she started getting into art once for Halloween so she could have some more practice back when she didn't have much to paint on. He then pressed call and waited a few seconds until she answered. "Hey, Izuku! Just in time, I'm just about to head out," Izuka smiled while putting on her headband, her phone pressed against her ear.
"Oh, I'm sorry to bother you, sis," Izuku rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just have a quick question, that's all. Have you...heard anything from Ida lately? He hasn't responded to my message at all today. I'm on my way to Shibuya right now, so...I was wondering if he had reached out to you?"
He thought that since Tenya was praising the twins when they first met him, he'd talk to Izuka at some point since she was the older sister. And that she'd offer some encouragement since she would empathize with him like she did with Shoto during the Sports Festival.
There was a small pause from her part. A few seconds later was when she responded. "He hasn't messaged me, sorry little brother," He gave a disappointed look as she sounded regretful. "Maybe he's just really busy because of where he is?"
"Could be, but I'm not sure. Can you reach out to him for me and see if you get anything back?" He just had a feeling that something wasn't right with the way Tenya was behaving lately before they all went their separate ways. He had hoped his friend's internship would help take his mind off of it, but Izuku didn't think that was the case...
"Sure thing! I hope you hear back from him soon! Maybe-"
The door was heard slamming from outside and she flinched with how loud it was. "Oi, short stack, get out here before we leave without you!" A familiar voice shouted from outside and she gave a small tired sigh as she didn't need to guess who it was. Mr. Best Jeanist is really trying to have us get along better, huh? He only sends Bakugo-San to get me if necessary...
"Gotta go now, patrol, wish me luck..." She said wearily and Izuku gave a sheepish knowing smile as she meant to wish her luck with Katsuki...
"I'm sure you guys will be fine! Maybe," He gave a nervous laugh and then smiled. "Thanks again, sis. Have fun on your patrol," He hung up and he then frowned as he looked out the window. We're almost at Hosu station.
Izuku then looked up at him, Ochaco by his side. "Hey, if you ever wanna talk or anything, just let us know. We're friends, right?"
Tenya then looked back with a stoic smile on his face, almost as if he was forcing himself to do so. "Yes," Was all he said to them.
Izuku gave a worried look while looking out towards the city. The way Tenya responded, it didn't suggest that he was okay. He really hoped that Tenya would be his normal self again after this internship, but he wasn't so sure of that...he just felt like Tenya was gonna do something that he might regret later down the line. If he was in Tenya's place, Izuku would probably be acting in a similar way too if he saw that Izuka couldn't be a hero ever again...
"Hey, did you see that?" A passenger wondered and Izuku gasped. He and Gran Torino glanced outside. "A building exploded."
Another one gasped while looking out the window. "Where?"
"What's the ruckus?" Gran Torino glanced back at them while Izuku stood up.
"Some kind of fire?" Izuku wondered, although he couldn't imagine why.
"Passengers, please hold onto your seats." Suddenly, the train was jerked forward, causing both him and Gran Torino to fall. Something fell straight into the train, passengers screaming while the two looked up wide-eyed. The person who fell in was a hero as he gritted his teeth looking up.
"What the hell-" A giant hand pushed him onto the ground, the hole hiding the attacker's face. He then moved away a part of the wall...to reveal himself as one of the Nomu Shigaraki sent out. And in the same hair color as the twins.
"Nomu!" Izuku exclaimed in alarm, wondering what they were doing in Hosu. He flinched as he saw the color of it. Why does it have my hair color…?
"I want you to stay back, you hear me?" Gran Torino ordered the boy, jumping up into the air. He zipped over to the Nomu to kick it in the face. The creature released the hero he pinned while Gran Torino touched the ceiling. He then pushed the Nomu out of the train, causing both of them to fly out.
"Gran Torino!" Izuku shouted with concern as both disappeared and crashed into a building. He'd come back to that Nomu later. Izuku gasped as he looked out the hole, hearing another explosion. He looked up ahead to see a giant cloud of fire in the distance. "No way...what the heck's going on here?"
People ran away in terror while Nomu were terrorizing the city. Shigaraki laughed at the chaos. "Now this is a good game!"
"What did you say?" Manual wondered as he was being informed of the situation. "Villains appeared? Don't worry. I can head there right now," He then turned around to Tenya. "Stay with me. We're running!"
He chased after Manual, wondering if this was the work of the Hero Killer. Couldn't be. This is different. That murderer wouldn't be so flashy. Stain tended to do attacks in secluded places anyway, so something like this wouldn't be his style. He wouldn't do something like this if he wanted to be alone to do his murderous deeds. Tenya then came to a stop, looking towards an alleyway. He realized something as he gasped and ran off, with Manual not even noticing his absence.
"That idiot's making a move. And he's so noisy," Stain said in disapproval for what Shigaraki did to mess up his plans. "I'll have to dispose of him later. At the moment..." He was gripping the head of a hero, who was injured. "I have important work to finish here."
"My body..." The hero mumbled as he was stuck in place. "I-I can't move...you bastard. I'll kill you!" He was a pro hero named Native.
Stain narrowed his eyes for what he felt was an empty threat. "If you call yourself a hero...you should choose your last words with care," He held up his clean blade, and then gasped as he turned around. Tenya himself came rushing in, and his mask flew away as Stain had attacked him. Tenya's glasses went flying as he hit the ground with a grunt. "A child wearing a suit. Who are you?" Tenya gritted his teeth while glancing up at him. "Run, run away from here. This is not a place for children."
"You're carrying blades all over your body...and you're wearing a blood-red scarf," Tenya pointed out to him. "You must be the Hero Killer, Stain! It's you, right?" His hatred was coming back tenfold as he looked up. "I've been looking for you...but I didn't think I'd find you so soon. I am-"
Stain narrowed his eyes, pointing his blade right in front of the boy's face. This caused him to stop speaking almost immediately. "Your eyes are searing with vengeance. Be careful what you say next. If need be, even someone your age can be my target."
Tenya clenched a fist, as this made him even more furious. Stain didn't even recognize the costume, much less the fact that he and Tensei looked similar. "Are you saying that I'm...not even a threat to you? You listen to me, criminal. I am the brother of an incredible hero who you attacked..." He slowly got onto his feet, thinking of his brother in his prime...and admiring him so much, not too different from Izuku's admiration of All Might. "He's the best older brother that anyone could hope for...I have come to stop you...because he can't anymore."
" I want you to take the name. For me, Tenya..."
He gritted his teeth angrily. "You're going to remember my name for as long as you live! I am Ingenium, and I will defeat you! That I promise!"
Stain stared at him with glowing red eyes. He didn't want to resort to murdering someone so young...but he wasn't giving him much of a choice now. "Then so be it...Die."