Note: Holy hell... That took so... God damn long... Sorry for the wait on this one, it went through quite a few rewrites. Turns out there's gonna have to be a Part 3 everyone! Hooray...

Yeah sorry I just couldn't condense it down any further without losing too many details I found to be important... I know its a lot of filler, but this part does start the process of setting up the internship arc as a whole.

As for me, I'm just trying to survive...

Anyway I know its been a minute... Hopefully you guys are still following... Hopefully the next part doesn't take as long to put together...

I appreciate you guys!

@spider of the leaf: I'm really enjoying writing for Momo and Pete. I'm actually digging it far more than I originally thought I would. As for Spidey vs Stain... We have so many similar ideas that its scary lol... I've been excited to write it since the middle of the sports festival... Thats why I'm hyping it up so much. I really think you're gonna like it. Good to hear from you again!

@Ghost500098: Just a nod to the movies honestly. But if you want my technical line of thinking, its because i feel like Momo would really be into the nerdy vibe of Peter Parker... And in the Toby Maguire movies, Peter's sight improved after being bit by the spider. In this version quirks are just things people were born with so there was no spider bite, therefore his eyesight remained unchanged. Hope you're enjoying the story so far!

@Backpack Bandit: I know right! I would sell what's left of my soul to have a breakfast right now. But unfortunately im reduced to eating pb and Nutella sandwiches because children are expensive lol Hope you're well my guy!

@BoltSamlam: Hey no problem! I'm always happy to respond to reviews! Thanks for the vote by the way! I haven't tallied all of the votes yet but last time I checked it was really close! Hopefully the next few chapters won't take too long! Good to hear from you again!

@Doctormidnight47: I haven't gotten around to recounting the final votes yet, but last time I looked Mina was ahead by one vote. but I haven't checked all the PMs I've gotten yet so its very possible that Jiro could be the winner. I'm gonna check it later tonight!

Alright guys, thanks again for your patience, I promise to try my best to keep the chapters coming as quickly as I possibly can!

I don't own any of the characters depicted in this story...

Earlier at the Yaoyorozu mansion...

"So whaddya think? Do we have a deal?" An arrogantly masculine voice came through an earpiece worn by a beautiful black haired business woman... Who just so happened to be in charge of every major financial decision "Yaoyorozu Industries" made...

She glanced down at the contract that laid on the extravagant wooden desk of her spacious, and tastefully decorated home office. The morning sun poured in through the tall windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, filling the room with natural light as she tossed the contract in question into the trash bin underneath her desk.

Yana Yaoyorozu was a great many things... A devoted, faithful wife... An incredibly loving mother... The definition of physical and intellectual beauty... And an extremely caring person who was very protective over the ones she held dear to her...

But gullible and naïve... She was not.

Yana was one of, if not the sharpest and most savvy women in all of Japan, and was astoundingly exceptional at her job... A job she did with so much fiery grace, that she made doing her part in running a multi billion dollar corporation look like mere child's play.

She was an absolute force to be reckoned with... Methodical, yet instinctual. Highly regarded, wildly successful, well respected, and even feared amongst the wealthiest billionaires and most cut throat individuals in the business world...

And those foolish enough to try to get the better of her, were swiftly reminded of who the apex predator at the top of their food chain was.

"So that's actually the deal you had in mind?" She said in a tone that would freeze most grown men in their tracks. "Please tell me you're joking..." She said as she spun her chair around and pulled a few documents from a filing cabinet beside her. She began to diligently look over them.

The man's voice on the other end of the call seemed to take on an irritated quality. "That deal is the best you're going to find anywhere you look Yana! I assure you it's no joke! We won't be strong armed into dropping the price we're asking for any further! Take it or leave it."

She began to chuckle to herself. "Oh you poor, fragile man... The fact that you think that you hold any power in this interaction is amusing to me." She said as she stood up and began to stroll casually around her office. "Allow me to clarify a few things... First of all, it's Mrs. Yaoyorozu... Don't get overly familiar with me. Second, there are a literal dozen far more generous contracts lying on my desk right now that I'd rather sign to become our new main industrial supplier. And third, the products and materials you are trying to push through our doors are shotty at best, according to my sources."

She stopped in front of Mr. Kenichi, who was holding a tray with her usual morning latte sitting on top of it. She winked at the elderly man and silently mouthed the words "Thank you" as she grabbed her beverage. "So I believe I'll happily leave it."

The silence on the other side of the line was deafening... Until the man decided to speak again, "I don't understand... Why did you even bother taking this call if your mind was already made up?!" His frustration was nearing its boiling point. "Why did you waste my time?!"

Her brow furrowed, "You wanna talk about wasting someone's time?! How about the fact that you and your company refused to respect that this is my day off from work, continued to ring the phones in our Musutafu branch off the hook, and talked to my secretary like a dog until she begged me to take your call while she cried her eyes out!" She snapped back. "As a woman in today's world, I don't take very kindly to men who don't accept no for an answer!"

At this point, her husband now stood in the doorway watching her pace back and forth with an amused expression on his face. Getting to see his wife work her magic was truly awe inspiring to him. He was never any good at the business side of running their empire of a company... He found the meetings to be incredibly soul sucking, and the people to be unspeakably dull... So his professional gratitude for his wife knew no bounds...

And watching her put some arrogant drone in their place was just icing on the cake...

"Now if I were you, I'd make one last call to our office to apologize to that young lady... Because it would take me two phone calls to buy the building you're sitting in, have it leveled, and a chain restaurant built in its place." She hissed.

The man could be heard stuttering through her earpiece, causing her to smirk. "That's what I like to hear. ~Better hop to it now~... Enjoy your day." She said with cutting sarcasm before tapping the side of her earpiece to end the call.

"Ugh. Not even eleven thirty and I already need an aspirin..." She rubbed her temples before removing her earpiece and sitting it on her desk.

"I'll return with one shortly." The elderly butler bowed, but before he could even take a step, she waved her hand and opened one of her desk drawers. She pulled out a bottle of over-the-counter medicine and popped one of the tablets into her mouth.

"Rough morning?" Takashi asked with a chuckle as he stepped into her office.

Her eyes softened at the sight of her husband as she sat her half empty latte down and walked over to him. She rested her forehead on his shoulder and sighed into him. "I need a vacation..."

The man smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "I know..." He reached into the pocket of his sweat pants and pulled out a folded up piece of paper, causing Yana to raise up and lean backwards to see what he was doing. "That's why I went ahead and did this."

He handed her the receipt to an all expenses paid luxury trip to Italy for two...

Her eyes lit up at the thought of going to one of her favorite places on earth. Before she could say a word, her husband continued...

"I just figured since Momo will be busy with her internship next week, it'd be a good opportunity to spend some time relaxing together... You work so hard... Both at work and as a wife and mother... Please don't ever think I don't see that... I appreciate you far more than you could ever imagine."

She had no words... But managed to thank him with a loving kiss before her head reclaimed the comfortable spot on his shoulder once again. She began to breathe steadily as Takashi ran his hand through her long black locks that fell down her back. The woman felt the tension caused by the unwelcome and unpleasant phonecall slowly fading away. His words were always kind... His gestures always loving and pure...

He was her person...

The life they lived afforded them so many luxuries and allowed them to experience the finest things the world had to offer... But it wasn't always this way.

They both had to work damn hard to be where they were today.

When Yana first met Takashi he was living in a poorly maintained one bedroom apartment in the rough end of town. He grew up poor. His father was absent from his life, and his mother was constantly working to provide for the two of them... So he had to learn to survive at an early age. He used his trying experiences as his motivation to change his own reality.

When she first moved in with him, things were much different than what she was used to... She didn't grow up in a wealthy family, but they definitely weren't poor. All of their basic needs and most of their wants were met without excessive struggle. Living in a place like that was eye opening to her in so many ways... There were a lot of challenges. Their power would go out for days at a time. Appliances kept falling apart around their home. There were many times where they were forced to do without hot water... And their landlord raised their rent over and over while refusing to fix anything...

But even though they faced all of these things... The young couple was never unhappy...

They had something that nothing and nobody could take from them... They had each other.

In the face of adversity and hardship, Yana watched the man she fell in love with, triumph over each and every obstacle that stood in his way... All while he did everything in his power to keep her spirits high in the lowest of times. She was beyond certain that, if she were to face such a trying period of time without Takashi, she very well might not have come out on the other side unscathed.

Life was hard... Cruel even, to some... But love was powerful... Powerful enough to overcome anything the world could throw at you, given the circumstances where you were lucky enough to find the right person...

Perhaps that's why the recent emergence of a young man who her daughter had taken such a shine to, excited her so much...

Yana always wanted nothing but the best for her daughter. Momo was her only child... Her entire world. Her daughter's happiness came before everything else in her mind. Yana always did whatever she could to make sure that Momo didn't have to face those same challenges they did early on... It drove her in not only her career, but in keeping her personality from being enveloped by the vast fortune now possessed by her and her husband... She wanted her little girl to understand that life was about far more than the thickness of her wallet... There were a lot of things that money could buy... But there were things in this world that were priceless... And finding someone who she could spend her time on earth with, that truly valued her for her and not her money, was at the top of the list as far as YaoMama was concerned.

Needless to say, from how highly Momo spoke of the boy she had started to pine for... Yana was immediately both ecstatic and immensely curious of one Peter Parker...

Ever since Takashi first caught sight of the two of them outside the gate, the Yaoyorozu matriarch peppered her daughter with unending questions about the young man... But young Momo proved to be just like her mother... She was a stubborn one.

The only information she was able to wrestle out of her was who the young man was, how they had met, that he had saved her life, and that they had been meeting for coffee every morning before school.

Before yesterday's developments, the young lady vehemently insisted that the two of them were just extremely close friends... But there was no hiding her feelings from her mom... Every single time Peter came up in conversation, even during moments where she was being teased or interrogated by her parents, Yana could see the onyx eyes of her little girl light up in a way they never had before... And there was a sense of desire that yearned for something more than friendship behind them. However, Momo refused to crack... Leaving Yana with only what she told them all that day when his existence in their daughter's world was brought to light...

The only thing that allowed her mind to wander away from little Momo's love life, was that all of her questions surrounding Mr. Parker would soon be answered...

And some of those answers might come sooner than expected...

As the Yaoyorozus continued their loving embrace, a chime came from Takashi's wristwatch that flashed blue and white. They separated as the man tapped the face of the device. Suddenly, the watch projected a holographic screen that showed Peter and Momo arriving at the front gate.

"Well... Looks like Mr. Parker was kind enough to escort her home again." Takashi said as he looked back at the spot where his wife used to be standing.

Her sudden disappearance caused him a split second of confusion until he spotted her standing in front of one of the large windows with an impossibly wide smile on her face...

...

"Now, you have two options... You can come give me all the details about what I just saw willingly... Or I can squeeze them outta you like a python... Lovingly, of course..." The matriarch of the household smirked.

'Oh boy...'

"Mother please, can we not do thi-ACCCK!!!!" Momo tried to protest, but was quickly cut off by her mother's unique brand of excitement fueled strength.

"Python it is then!!" She blurted out happily as she dragged her poor daughter inside.

Momo struggled in her mother's hold, but her efforts to free herself were futile. It seemed like the more she tried to escape, the tighter the woman's embrace became. As the large front doors latched shut, Yana let out an ear piercing squeal that even Mina could never dream of matching.

While Momo was busy being swung back and forth in her mother's arms, Mr. Kenichi and Takashi made their way down the grand staircase of the foyer... The latter of whom, seemed to be wincing as he rubbed his head. The poor man was in the wrong place at the wrong time... And that place happened to be between Yana and her office door after she saw Momo plant a kiss on her boyfriend's cheek...

He never stood a chance at getting out of her way, and she trampled him like a bull...

Momo's eyes pleaded for her father's aid in escaping her clutches...

"Uh... Hon? You should probably go ahead and loosen up that grip a bit... I don't think people are supposed to turn that shade of blue..."

Unfortunately, the words of her husband weren't enough to snap the overly excited woman out of her state of emotional hysteria... But the smell of something delicious in the bag that Momo barely held onto was...

All of the sudden, as Yana sniffed the air, her hold loosened enough for Momo to slip away and allow the color to return to her face.

As she finally caught her breath and gathered herself, she furrowed her brow. "How do you expect me to answer any of your questions if I can't even breathe?!?!" She asked with a hint of irritation.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" She frantically apologized, "I promise I'll try to control myself a bit more... But to be fair, I did give you a chance to avoid that..." Yana chuckled in embarrassment.

Her father turned his attention to his daughter, "Yeah, I learned a long time ago that surrender is always the best option when she wants information..."

"Smart man." She winked at her husband before shifting her gaze back to her daughter. "So, are you ready to play ball now?" Her apologetic smile turned into a smirk.

"At the risk of being strangled again... Yeah, I think so." She replied with a sigh of defeat. "But you have to promise to contain yourself enough for us to actually have a conversation."

A simple request that the woman was more than happy to agree to, especially if it meant that she finally got to know more about her daughter's mystery man.

Her mother beamed in satisfaction, "Deal! First question..." she clasped her hands together and pointed her index fingers at the bag of food Peter had prepared. "What is in that bag that smells so amazing?"

Momo raised her arm that held the bag, "This is for you two... Assuming your little rampage just now didn't completely destroy it..." She said with narrowed eyes. "Turns out, Peter can cook. He made me breakfast and was nice enough to make extra for me to bring home for you guys."

And just like that, the metaphorical scoreboard for the young man flashed with life. Peter had earned himself a point in their favor.

Takashi casually raised his eyebrows in slight surprise... However Yana looked like her head was about to explode.

Momo and the others braced themselves for another outburst, but to their complete and utter surprise... She just walked up, grabbed the bag of food, and handed it over to Mr. Kenichi. "Would you mind heating this up and taking it to the great hall for me?" She asked sweetly.

Momo and her dad glanced at each other in silent bewilderment as the elderly man took the bag from her and bowed slightly. "It would be my pleasure milady."

"Thank you." She said as she turned back towards the two of them. "What? I can be civilized about this... Besides, I think if I squeal anymore, I'll shred my vocal chords..." She muttered as she began to walk towards the great hall.

As the woman made her exit, Takashi turned to his daughter, "So... I really am gonna have to get used to this kid, aren't I?" His eyes were soft and his smile was very telling. There was a hint of sad acceptance behind it... Even though he was excited to meet the young man who had ignited his curious nature, he was still coming to terms with what Peter's introduction brought with it. His little girl was growing up... And though he was perhaps the greatest inventor Japan had ever seen... He couldn't create a device to make time move by more slowly... At least, not yet...

Momo smiled sympathetically. She was able to read his expression quite easily. "Afraid so..."

"Does he treat you well?"

She nodded sheepishly, "He treats me like you treat mom..."

Takashi's smile brightened a bit as his spirits were lifted slightly, "That's all that really matters to me..."

Present...

The large iron gates in front of the Yaoyorozu mansion began to open out towards the brown haired boy.

The poor kid was still trying to wrap his head around what just happened. Aside from the hologram technology he had just witnessed being far ahead of its time... The boy definitely wasn't expecting to come face-to-face... Sort of... With Mr. Yaoyorozu right off the bat...

The sudden unexpected encounter with his girlfriend's father had left him a bit shaken... He honestly had no idea what to expect from someone who could buy the entire world if they desired to... But he seemed nice enough... Much different from how he pictured a multi billionaire would behave... The man spoke to him like a regular person and even had a hint of respect in his voice. His whole demeanor seemed completely carefree, rather than stiff and up-tight...

Peter began to allow himself to relax a bit.

When he thought about it, it actually wasn't all that surprising to him. After all, Momo never acted like she was above anyone. She remained kind, humble, caring, and generous despite her family's monetary status. She mirrored her boyfriend's values on virtually everything... And much like him, she was always thinking of others before herself.

She walked through life with a brand of grace and elegance that uplifted those around her.

She was selfless...

People who were born into the kind of wealth her family possessed, usually didn't face the hardships that would instill these characteristics into them naturally... It was up to those who raised them to teach them... And she was living, breathing proof of her parents success in doing just that...

Just as those thoughts crossed his mind, he saw the very person in question walking down the pathway towards him.

Everything else in the world faded away as she continued to approach him. She had changed her clothes into something more casual than her usual sweater. Now she wore a plain pink T-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants.

It didn't matter what she wore, every single time he saw her, he was left awestruck.

He wasn't sure if he believed in the concept of karma... But if this was somehow the universe repaying him for the hardships he'd faced... He was totally fine with it.

As she finally made her way to the gate, he noticed that she was looking him up and down with an almost envious expression.

"How?!" She said confusing the young man.

"How... What?"

She furrowed her brow, "How do you just roll off your couch after sleeping for hours and look that perfect without even trying?!"

"How'd you know that that's what happened?" He cocked his head to the side in amusement.

"Todoroki... He texted me and told me you were on your way since your phone was dead." She answered with a shrug before reaching out and latching onto his hand. "I'm glad you're here..." She said softly.

"Missed me that much, huh?" He chuckled as they began to walk down the pathway towards her home.

"Well yes, of course... But also because after my parents tasted your cooking, they've been impatiently waiting for you to grace us with your presence... I've also been getting the third degree ever since my mom saw me kiss your cheek earlier." She rolled her eyes.

He immediately stiffened up.

Momo took notice of his fearful expression and quickly offered him some words of reassurance.

"Relax..." She said as she squeezed his hand. "They're over the freaking moon right now... Apparently everything I've been saying about you checks a lot of boxes for them..."

He cracked a smile as relief started to wash over him. "Oh yeah? What all did you tell'em?"

She gave him a playful smirk, "Wouldn't you like to know..." She teased as she began to lead him through the gate.

The young couple continued their stroll down the cobblestone path until they passed the last two trees that bordered the walkway... and the illustrious Yaoyorozu home finally came into full view.

Peter's eyes widened at the sheer size of the building. He knew it was huge, considering that it could be seen from multiple blocks away, but it was quite the sight to take in up close.

It's lavish architecture was made up of smokey grey stonework and extravagant glass windows ranging from all different shapes and sizes. From this short distance, the mansion seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions. The courtyard was expertly landscaped and a rather expensive looking fountain sat as it's centerpiece. Flowers and meticulously sheered shrubbery surrounded the home. The wooden front doors were a beautiful dark shade of red and the handles appeared to be made from the same black iron as the front gate... They stood unnecessarily tall with intricate designs carved into their faces, and as the two teens climbed up the stairs that led up to them, Peter was able to see just how much detail was put into their design.

"Geez Mo... Are you sure it's okay for someone like me to even set foot inside this place?" He joked.

She rolled her eyes as she squeezed his hand again. "I know it's probably a bit intimidating... But you'll get used to it." She said warmly. "Though with that said, you should definitely stick with me once we get inside... Or you'll probably get lost." She rubbed the back of her neck, a habit of his she seemed to have subconsciously adopted...

"Seriously?"

"Oh yeah... There are over a hundred fifty rooms inside. I once forgot where I sat my phone down, and didn't find it until three months later."

He just blinked as they reached the last step.

"Alright... Are you ready handsome?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

And with that, Momo offered him one more reassuring smile... And opened the door...

"Unfortunately, his central nervous system was irreparably damaged... He'll never walk again."

Venturing alone down a sidewalk of an empty street, a tall, spectacled young man was on his way home from an intense training session at the closest running track to his house.

He had absolutely abused himself.

His legs felt like jello...

Beads of sweat poured down every inch of his large frame, and the heat from his face caused his glasses to fog up.

His lungs burned and his mouth was filled with the taste of blood as he coughed into his sleeve.

He was lost.

His world had crumbled yesterday before his very eyes... So he did the only thing he knew to do when things were at their worst...

Run.

But unfortunately for him... No matter how hard he sprinted... No matter how far he pushed himself... No matter how much he broke his own body down...

He couldn't outpace the memory of seeing his crippled sibling lying helpless on his hospital bed.

It had been over twenty four hours since he had reluctantly left his brother's side at the hospital... Yet he could still hear the beeping of the heart monitor as clear as day... His mind was still in that room... Almost as if the most vital pieces of his subconscious were left behind... It was pure torment.

He couldn't stop thinking about the things his gravely injured role model had said to him...

"...Whether I'm in this bed... Or in a wheelchair... There are still people that need to be saved. People... Who need a hero that's fast enough to reach for their hand before they can even cry for help..."

Tenya's fists clenched.

"... Don't let the engines of Ingenium stall... Pick up where I left off. Succeed where I failed... And never stop running to those who need you..."

*Bzzzt *Bzzzt *Bzzzt

A phone call caused the device in his pocket to vibrate repeatedly, snapping his attention away from the painful memories for a very brief moment.

He checked the screen as the vibrations continued.

Incoming call: Izuku Midoriya

Iida couldn't bring himself to answer... He couldn't even decline the call. He just stared at the screen until the vibrations finally stopped, and the light from the screen faded into a lifeless black sheet of glass.

He placed the phone back in his pocket, and continued his walk home. Everyone was reaching out to him... But none were able to get through the walls he had built up around himself.

After several long minutes of dragging his tired legs forward, he finally reached the front door of his house and tried to push it open... Only to find it locked. He fished his keys from his pocket and opened the door.

It was dark.

Every light in the house was off.

He flipped the switches on the walls as he made his way into the kitchen. Upon his entrance, something on the counter caught his eye...

A note...

He walked over and picked it up.

Tenya,

We tried calling you, but you didn't answer your phone...

Your father and I went to see Tensei. We'll be home late, so dinner is in the fridge.

I made your favorite.

Love, Mom

He sat the piece of paper back down, turned around, and opened the fridge to find his mother's famous beef stew beckoning to him.

He sighed and closed the door. He didn't feel like eating... In fact, he hadn't had the slightest bit of an appetite ever since he received the phone call yesterday that he wished he never got...

He poured himself a cup of water and drank it as if he had been without it for ages. He sat his glass in the sink, exited the kitchen, and climbed the stairs that led up to his bedroom.

On his way down the upstairs hallway, he passed a door and stopped in his tracks. Tenya stood motionless in the empty house for a few seconds, before turning to the right and opening the door to his brother's old room.

He stepped inside and an unshakable feeling of emptiness began to fill his heart.

Everything was exactly how his older sibling left it years ago. Medals he had earned from his long list of achievements, and newspaper clippings of his favorite heroes, covered the walls. Tenya took a slow sweeping glance around the room as he sat down on the neatly made bed.

Everything felt so wrong...

As his eyes scanned over the cut out headlines on the wall, he subconsciously clenched his teeth as his hands latched onto the legs of his sweatpants. He began to shake with anger as his knuckles turned a ghostly white.

With each passing second, the rage and scorching need for vengeance continued to boil inside of him. A storm brewed in his heart... And was directed at one person...

Very little was known about the Hero Killer Stain...

He was beyond elusive... A phantom of Japan's darkest alleyways, that not only was capable of evading pro heroes and police officers... But was invisible to the media as well. Not a single picture of the madman existed. The only trail left behind by the psychopath, was soaked in the blood of his victims... And the only thing that those who hunted him had to go off of, were the haunting descriptions given to authorities by the survivors he chose to let live...

Their descriptions doubled as warnings... and they were all the same...

If you wore a costume... And had the misfortune to catch a glimpse of that inky black hair... The chilling shimmer of his blades... Or the tattered mask that revealed his bloodshot crimson eyes...

Then it was already far too late for you.

Despite the mystery that shrouded Stain's being... Tenya somehow could picture the maniac's face perfectly... And the more his mind dwelled on it... The more it stoked the flames whipping around his soul.

What gave him the right to decide the righteousness of one's morals?

Who made him the judge of whether or not someone deserved to live or die?

And of all people... Why was his big brother one of those who he felt was unfit to call himself a hero?!

Amongst these swirling fits of anger, his strict law abiding nature clashed with the intrusive thoughts of exacting revenge, and he found himself pulled violently in two different directions... But with each passing moment, the dark side of Tenya's mind gradually began gaining ground in the mental match of tug of war.

What was he supposed to do with these feelings?

How could he just sit back and wait for justice to run its course, when nobody could catch that murderer?

Why shouldn't he take a stand against the Hero Killer?

... How could he call himself a hero if he did nothing?

He quickly shook his head to clear these thoughts from his mind, as he had continued to do time after time...

Ever since he first laid eyes on Tensei in that hospital, he had felt the effects of this internal struggle... And though he didn't know it... The representative of Class 1A was about to make a decision... One that would light a fuse leading to an explosion so significant... That it would alter the world in ways he couldn't even imagine...

No matter how hard he tried to push them down, the thoughts kept coming back stronger and louder than ever before as he sat alone in Tensei's room... And as his rule following ideology that he stood upon was reduced down to the thinness of a razor's edge... He caught sight of something that pushed him completely into the darkness that awaited below...

A picture on his bedside table of a smiling Tensei Iida holding his kid brother up on his shoulders... He reached over and grabbed it...

"Set an example... and make him proud." Was written in the top left corner of the photo...

His older brother had told him time and time again that he was the fuel that caused the engines of Ingenium to burn... But seeing it with his own eyes was... intense... Given the circumstances...

"I'm finished Tenya... If I can no longer use my legs... Then I can no longer be Ingenium."

The words that crushed his world silenced the turmoil in his mind...

The game of tug of war... Had finally reached its conclusion.

A tear hit the picture in his hand...

His mind was made up...

No matter how many offers he got for his internship tomorrow... No matter who they came from... He was going to pick one in, or at the very least near Hosu...

And track down the Hero Killer himself...

The massive doors to the Yaoyorozu mansion opened and the young couple stepped into the grand foyer... Upon their entrance, the boy's eyes instantly shot open...

Inside the lavishly decorated space, dozens of high society type men and women clad in the finest suits and most elegant dresses money could buy, mingled amongst one another around the marble statues spread throughout the room... Wait staff carried silver trays with food and drink to everyone while they conversed back and forth... All while the sound of violins played softly in the background. A gathering of aristocratic hierarchy appeared to be in full swing...

Peter's heart momentarily dropped as he glanced down at what he was wearing... He was ridiculously underdressed for something like this...

So much for not making an ass out of himself...

He began to sweat bullets... The shock of the unexpected sight temporarily pushed all rational thoughts from his mind entirely... Completely forgetting the fact that Momo was also not meeting the formal standard either...

He started to panic for a brief moment but managed to keep his composure enough to hold himself together... At least nobody seemed to be paying any attention to his arrival...

All of the sudden a newly familiar voice echoed out between the walls.

"Ladies and gentlemen... Please allow me to introduce our guest of honor... Mr. Peter Parker!"

'Fantastic...'

The two teens looked in the direction of the voice to find Takashi Yaoyorozu smirking at the top of the grand staircase... Wearing the most expensive attire imaginable... A custom charcoal black Dormeuil suit valued at one million dollars American... With extremely faint pin stripes, that upon close examination, were made up of the phrase "fuck you money" ...

The master of the Yaoyorozu household snickered as he looked down at the ghostly pale young man.

Peter was frozen in place with an intimidated look, wondering how in the world he was supposed to navigate this situation...

Momo on the other hand, was... less than impressed.

"So this is what he's been "busy" preparing for you for the past hour..." She said flatly while rolling her eyes, snapping her boyfriend out of his anxious thoughts.

"Pardon?"

Momo turned to him and noticed his uncomfortable demeanor... "Don't worry, you're not underdressed... My dad's just messing with you..."

She watched his expression turn from shock to confusion at her words, "Observe..." She said as she walked up to the nearest "party guest"...

"Oh, come on hon! Are you really gonna ruin this for me?" Takashi laughed from the top of the stairs.

"Yup." She called out without so much as a glance in his direction. She looked back at Peter and waved her hand through the body of a woman in a bright red dress. "See? They're holograms."

Peter was left awestruck as he ventured into the room, allowing himself to fully appreciate the incredible futuristic technology on display in front of him. Unlike the projection outside, the ones he saw now had hyper realistic color palettes and were capable of free directional movement... They even were able to simulate different unique voices and accents.

"This is incredible! They're completely indiscernible from actual people! You can even see sweat and blemishes on their skin!" Peter said with astonishment as he waved his hand through one of them slowly, causing Momo to smile.

She loved so many things about him... And his passion for all things related to science and technology was definitely near the top of the list.

She giggled at his expression of wonder... He was getting worked up like a kid on Christmas morning.

—"Hey, thanks kid! It's always nice to see people take notice of the smaller details... They're the most important ones if you ask me."— Takashi's voice called out from around the corner at the top of the stairs.

The man stepped into view, and Peter breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that Momo's prediction from last night was spot on. Her father was wearing an old white T-shirt and a pair of navy sweats. He felt himself beginning to relax a bit as he turned his full attention to the real Takashi Yaoyorozu.

The man chuckled as he passed through the hologram version of himself, and began walking down the wide white staircase. As he reached the bottom, he tapped his wristwatch and the holograms slowly faded into thin air...

Takashi approached his daughter's boyfriend with a grin and extended his hand. "Mr. Parker... Nice to finally meet you in person. I hope you can forgive me for my little prank... I just couldn't help myself."

Peter gave him a firm handshake, "Likewise, sir... And think nothing of it, I can appreciate a good sense of humor."

Momo stood off to the side and watched the two of them immediately hit it off, giving her a warm feeling inside as they went back and forth with one another.

Ever since she had gotten to know Peter, she always thought that her father would take great interest in him. After all, they were both extremely intelligent people who also happened to share a lot of common interests...

"Honestly, I find it beyond impressive that you've single handedly advanced hologram technology to the point you have... I can never produce an image with that much clarity without any breaks in the projection... No one can! How do you do it?" The boy asked curiously.

"Well, aside from years of work filled with trial and error... It's all about the lenses I work with. They're all top of the line in terms of quality and performance. Not everyone can get their hands on them because they cost so much... But if you're lucky enough to afford them, and know what you're doing, they're capable of so much more than most would imagine." Takashi explained before latching onto something that the young man said. "You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about this... You say you've dabbled in this sort of tech before?"

"I've tinkered around a bit..." He responded with a shrug.

"He's being modest. Peter has a brilliant mind. He apparently got banned from the science fair at his old school." Momo said with pride apparent in her voice.

"You got banned? Why?"

"He kept winning." She answered for him, knowing he would likely downplay his accomplishments out of his humble nature.

Takashi turned to him with an impressed look on his face. "Is that right?"

Peter rubbed his neck as he laughed nervously, "Well... it's not really that impressive when you enter with a fully functional robotic manipulator... and the bulk of the competition is made up of baking soda volcanoes, magnets, and poster boards explaining the concept of photosynthesis..."

The emperor of invention was forced into a temporary state of pure surprise. "...How old were you when this happened?"

"Twelve... I think... You'll have to forgive me, I've been hit in the head a lot since then." Peter joked earning a chuckle from his audience.

"Quite an achievement for someone of that age..." He took a brief pause as he seemed to be pondering something, "You know what? If you're interested, I'd like to show you my work space sometime when it's not a total wreck... I want to see this "tinkering" for myself... Though with the state it's in right now, my wife would have my head on a platter if a guest were to see the mess. Whaddya say? Ya up for it?"

"A-absolutely!!" Peter said with excitement in his voice.

Momo's eyebrows shot up. Though she predicted for their initial interaction to go quite well, never in a million years would she have expected her father to make such an offer...

Takashi's personal lab was the epicenter of "Yaoyorozu Industries". Every single product that the company had patented since Momo was born was thought of and created in that very room... And it wasn't exactly open to house guests...

In order to stay so far ahead of the company's competitors, everything that went on in that room was kept top secret. Corporate espionage was a very real threat... especially to those at the top of the inventing world. Business partners, potential investors, close friends... No one, regardless of their status, was ever given permission to enter that room.

"Great! When you walk Momo home tomorrow, just have her bring you on up. I'll most likely be holed up in there all day after taking yesterday off."

—"Takashi are you using your holograms to mess with that poor boy?!"— a feminine voice yelled from one of the doorways on the left hand side of the staircase.

"Noooo?" He called out with a chuckle.

—"Then why do I hear violins playing in every room in the house?!"—

"You connected your phone to the entire house again didn't ya?" Momo snickered.

The man pulled out his phone and checked his connection... "Damn... What are the odds that I can convince her she's having a stroke?" he joked to the two teens in front of him, as he ran his free hand through his long hair.

—"I heard that..." —

"I'd say pretty low..." Momo quipped.

The trio turned just in time to see Yana Yaoyorozu emerge, tying her obsidian hair up into a messy bun. She wore a white blouse with a floral pattern and a pair of high waisted jeans... Peter immediately noticed the striking resemblance between her and his girlfriend, and needed no introduction to know exactly who she was...

As Yana made her way over to join them, Peter could tell that she was a woman of great importance just by the way she walked. Opposite of Takashi, her posture exuded power and oozed authority. Each step she took commanded the attention of everyone in the room while being impossibly light on her feet.

If not for the eager and welcoming smile on her face, he would have found her presence to be quite intimidating.

"Let me guess, my husband has been too busy giving you a hard time to thank you properly for the absolutely delicious food you were kind enough to send us..." She said while her eyes shifted towards Takashi, who began to grin anxiously as she closed the distance between herself and the group.

"I was getting there..." He said in an attempt to maintain his innocence.

"Uh-huh..." She narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to Peter, her face instantly brightened back up. "Well, since I appear to be the only adult here with any manners, thank you very much Peter, it was beyond excellent!" She said in a sweet voice as she tilted her head to the side. "I'm Yana Yaoyorozu, Momo's mother... You'll have to excuse my lateness, I was giving final approval to the kitchen staff regarding our dinner menu." She said as the two bowed respectfully towards each other.

"O-oh, no worries, p-pleasure's all mine. Thanks for having me over Mrs. Yaoyorozu." Peter stuttered as he raised up.

Momo watched the interaction closely, almost as if she was waiting to interject at any given moment should the need arise. Aside from the little hologram party her father had decided to throw for Peter's arrival, their introduction went about as smoothly as she could hope for, without even the slightest hitch...

Her mother, on the other hand, was a wild card.

It wasn't that she was afraid of them not getting along... It was the fact that, if one of her parents were going to say something embarrassing, it would without a shadow of a doubt, be her mom...

"Oh please, no need to be so formal... Let's see..." She brought the side of her index finger up to her chin. "Momo's friends gave me the cutest little nickname... They call me YaoMama... But you're a special case... How about you just call me Miss Yana?" She suggested.

"Miss Yana it is then." He nodded with a smile.

"Delightful! Now that introductions are out of the way, how about we show you around our home? Then by the time we're finished, dinner should be about ready. Sound good?"

Everyone agreed and Momo's parents took the lead as they started towards the room Yana had entered from. Just as Peter took a step forward, he was stopped by Momo grabbing onto his wrist, refusing to move from her spot.

He looked back at her to find her watching and waiting for her parents to walk out of the room. Once they made their exit, she turned to him with a serious look on her face.

"Alright Peter, I'm about to give you one rule before this little house tour..."

"What's that?"

"Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to let that woman show you any baby pictures. Got it?"

He chuckled, "Seriously?"

Her stern expression didn't even show the slightest twitch of change. "Yes. She's nuts."

"Really? She seemed so well put together..."

"Oh, she absolutely is... With the exception of anything and everything to do with our relationship... Apparently she's been waiting a long time for me to show interest in romance for whatever reason..." She huffed.

"Ah, I'm sure she's just happy for us... May would've been the same way." He smiled. "But I promise to avoid any contact with a photo album if presented the opportunity."

She smiled as she breathed a sigh of relief. As ridiculous as it sounded, she knew that with her mother in the mix of things, nothing was off the table. "Thanks... And try not to take her too seriously if she says anything crazy... I'll do my best to reel her in if she gets out of hand."

"Deal." He laughed.

—"You two coming or what?"— Takashi called out from the room to the left of the staircase.

"Right behind ya!" Momo called out, and with that, the tour of the gargantuan palatial mansion began...

Meanwhile... In Hosu City...

Police sirens wailed throughout a busy street in Hosu. A few officers quickly began the process of roping off another alleyway, while the others pushed back the rapidly swelling crowd of both citizens and members of the media. Yet another gruesome crime scene had suddenly appeared in the city.

"No one is permitted past this point! This is an active crime scene! Back up! Now!" A cop shouted at a particularly pushy reporter.

"We have a right to do our jobs just like you, officer! The people of Japan deserve to know what is happening in their country!"

"Listen lady, I frankly don't give a shit who you work for! You can do your job from this spot right here!"

"This is outrageous! You're a civil serv-" the woman stopped as she saw the darkness in the policeman's eyes. It was a window to the horror he had witnessed firsthand.

The man changed his tone in the midst of the chaotic rabble to get his point across more clearly. He had a daughter that was probably around her age... She was just as fiery and hardheaded, if not more so... So he spoke in a manner in which he would in order to get through to her...

"You must be new to this... Trying to make a name for yourself, refusing to let anyone stand in the way... I can respect that..." He said as his eyes continued to tell a story of gore and cruelty. "But if you get any closer than this... You'll spend the rest of your life wishing I had stopped you..."

As the chaos around the alleyway continued, officers continued to survey what lay beyond the public eye. Brick and concrete speckled and splotched with drying blood served as yet another calling card of Stain... Who had just added four more victims to his count...

Only this time... He was much less merciful...

A foul stench of quickly rotting flesh filled the heavy air in the alley, causing some of the greener members of the police department to convulse and vomit violently at both the sight and smell of the scene before them.

A seasoned vet of the Hosu City P.D. watched as the young rookie, who couldn't be more than twenty years old to her right, lost his ability to hold down his lunch...

She lit a cigarette and took a lengthy drag off it, adding a certain unsavory quality to the already putrid odors circulating around the area as she exhaled.

"Pull yourself together kid... This is what you signed up for..." She said coldly, her voice completely bare of any sympathy for the young man. She gazed down at... What was left... Of the fallen heroes scattered around the crimson stained ground. "Though, I will say... This is quite a mess..."

"Hey Sarge... You might wanna come get a look at this..." One of her subordinates called out from deeper in the alleyway.

She stepped away from the remains of the deceased and ventured further in towards the man who had called her over. As she walked up to the detective, she noticed the man was frozen in place staring at the wall in front of him...

"What is it detec-"

She immediately stopped speaking...

The cigarette fell from between her fingers and bounced off the concrete ground beneath her feet, causing a flurry of ashes to spring upwards and fade away just as quickly as they came.

The orange glow slowly died out...

Slumped over against the wall was a fifth victim, turned a sickeningly pale green color... His chest was slashed from top to bottom... Completely drained of his blood...

As her eyes took in the sight of the massive crimson pool mere inches away from the spot where she stood, her eyes drifted up to a message on the wall the corpse sat against...

There... Scrawled in the man's blood... Were four words that sent an ungodly chill down her spine...

"All Might Is Worthy"

Back at the Yaoyorozu mansion...

The tour of the most enormous house in Musutafu was now officially underway, with Yana playing the role of "guide" during their journey through the vast halls of her family's home... After all, everything in the mansion relating to interior design, all the way from furniture to floor plans, was all due to her expertise surrounding the subject... And she relished in the opportunity to share her talents with guests.

However, as much as she would've revelled in showing off her keen eye for tasteful decor, she decided to only include points of interest in their expedition in order to avoid overwhelming the young man.

Takashi matched her stride in the front, while Peter and Momo followed closely behind, the latter of whom found great enjoyment in watching her boyfriend bask in his surroundings.

The introductions went over superbly, and now it seemed that after Peter had gotten his feet wet in such unfamiliar territory, his mind was allowing him to relax enough for her parents to see that golden personality of his.

"Be sure to stick close to us Peter, we wouldn't want you to get lost..." Yana said echoing her daughter's warning from earlier as they passed multiple paintings and other pieces of decorative art.

"So on the ground floor is the main kitchen, the great hall, the ballroom, a few guest rooms, some breakfast nooks, four living rooms, one of our home gyms, a conference room, and Mr. Kenichi's personal quarters..." She listed as they continued forward.

"Who's Mr. Kenichi?" He asked curiously at the mention of the unfamiliar name.

"He's our butler, but he's been with us for so long that he's more like family at this point." Yana answered.

"You've seen him before. He's the man who dropped me off at the cafe yesterday morning." Momo added.

"He takes very good care of us, so we try to take care of him just as well... It's the least we can do for all the hard work he does. We all do our part to help him keep the house nice and tidy..." Yana continued.

She truly cared for the old man... Over the years, the two of them had developed a high level of respect for one another, and out of that respect, a strong bond of friendship was born.

Whenever her and her husband first discussed the idea of hiring a servant, Yana was strongly against it. She had reservations about having someone around with the sole purpose to cater to their every whim... Something about it just seemed... Wrong.

She felt that being waited on hand and foot would begin a domino effect that would ultimately lead to the money changing her and her values in ways she didn't want... But still, her husband was able to convince her that it would be beneficial in order to not only maintain such a large home, but to focus on their business as well...

Though she was reluctantly brought around to the idea... Once her husband acquired the services of Mr. Kenichi, Yana never asked anything of him, and even went as far as to prevent him from doing some of his duties... Opting to do them herself despite his insistence otherwise.

It wasn't until a few years later when she reached the grueling second trimester of her pregnancy, that she finally allowed him to do a few things for her. As her ability to perform household chores and other physical tasks temporarily waned, Mr. Kenichi played just as big of a role as Takashi in keeping her comfortable during a time where she was forced to rely on others for a change...

"Speak of the devil." Takashi said as they approached the man in question who was exiting from a room down the hall.

The group approached the older man who stood at full attention the moment he heard the master of the house's voice.

"Sir... Milady... Miss Momo..." He bowed respectfully.

The young lady stepped forward between her parents and gestured for Peter to follow her. She smiled at the elderly caretaker of the home, and her mind drifted back to the day her life was changed forever.

"I am beyond relieved that you are safe Miss Momo. I will always be forever grateful that this young man's path crossed your own today. I do hope I get the chance to show him my gratitude in person someday."

"Mr. Kenichi... This is my boyfriend Peter..."

The young man held out his hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you sir."

Mr. Kenichi looked at the young man and his professional demeanor broke slightly, allowing a small smile to tug at his lips.

"The pleasure is all mine young man. If you should ever be in any need of anything, please do not hesitate to ask..." He bowed saving his speech of profound gratefulness for a later time, so as to give the Yaoyorozus their right to thank him for saving their daughter first. It was the respectful thing to do in his eyes.

"We're about to begin showing Peter here around the house. Would you like to join us?" Yana offered.

"Well, seeing that I've already completed my usual responsibilities a bit early, I suppose I could take a moment to join you."

"Excellent..." She beamed as she began to walk forward once again until the group had reached their first official stop. As they stood outside of a pair of double doors, the sounds of pots and pans knocking against each other, running water, knives hitting cutting boards, and squeaking footsteps could be heard on the other side.

"Since you have such an incredible amount of culinary taste and talent, Peter... I thought this would be a good place to start our little adventure..." Yana said before pushing the doors open, revealing a kitchen that perfectly demonstrated just what kind of wealth the Yaoyorozus possessed.

Peter and the others followed her into the room, and they were greeted by shiny stone tile floors, marble slabbed counters with solid gold leafing, and industrial style appliances that gifted endless possibilities for dishes that could be created... The three members of the kitchen staff immediately stopped whatever they were doing and bowed respectfully towards them.

"Hello Mrs. Yaoyorozu. What can we do for you?" They all greeted in unison.

"Nothing at present, we're just showing our guest around. Just carry on as if we weren't here. We promise not to get in the way." She smiled and the trio resumed working.

"How come they didn't greet you too?" Peter asked Takashi curiously.

He chuckled, "Aside from Yana helping them out in here from time to time... She's the one who signs their paychecks."

As they walked deeper into the kitchen, Peter whistled as he took it all in. His mind subconsciously began to think of how much better his cooking would taste if he had access to a place like this...

As he continued to look around, it was as if YaoMama could read his mind. She glanced over at her daughter and delivered a mischievous smirk.

Momo knew that look... It was the same look she got in her eyes every single time she teased her about Peter...

"Mother, do no-"

"So Peter... What would it take for you to join our kitchen staff? Two... Three hundred million yen per year? How's that sound?"

"Inappropriate." Momo stepped in and answered with a furrowed brow.

"Now, now, Peter's a big boy Momo. Let him speak for himself..."

His quick working mind calculated her offer into a US dollar amount and his eyes bugged out of his head. There was no way she was serious... Right? He had confidence in his cooking skills, but they weren't worth 1.5 million dollars!! He found himself feeling uneasy. He didn't want to give off the impression that money had anything to do with his attraction to her daughter...

Just as he was trying to formulate a way to decline Miss Yana's overly generous offer as politely as humanly possible, he noticed the crossed-armed glare Momo was giving her mother, while her father just smirked and winked at him...

The subtle action let him know that his wife's true intentions were to mess with their daughter...

He relaxed and decided to play along while maintaining his innocence on surface level, "I appreciate that and all... B-but I kinda have the whole hero thing going on... But you do have a beautiful kitchen... I could probably be convinced in a career change..."

Momo's jaw nearly hit the floor, "What?!"

"Four hundred million." Yana said, pushing the envelope further and allowing her devious smirk to grow wider, appreciating the young man for joining in on her fun.

"My boyfriend's dreams are not for sale!!!" Momo protested, allowing both the shock and embarrassment to cloud her ability to see through her mother's antics.

"I'm not trying to buy his dreams... I'm trying to buy his services in the kitchen... Now, with that said... Four hundred fifty million."

"Moth–Dad! Can't you do something about this?!" She whipped her head in his direction, silently begging him to be the voice of reason in this scenario, seeing that her's was apparently ineffective.

"Yana..." He started causing his daughter to breathe a sigh of relief... Right before stealing the color from her face. "... The kid knows how to poach an egg properly, quit low balling him."

"Dad!!!"

"Very well... Five hundred... And you can have the room across the hall from Momo..."

The young lady turned an unbelievable shade of red. Embarrassment wasn't nearly a strong enough word to describe what she was feeling at the moment. She was borderline mortified. Her head suddenly turned towards Peter, fully expecting him to be completely shaken by the... Incentive... that had just been thrown onto the table... But instead, his hands were in his pockets with his weight shifted to his right leg. His eyebrows were raised and he sported an amused grin on his face... Not exactly the stance of someone sharing in her current experience...

"Wow... I don't think I've ever seen someone get the better of you quite like that before... Or ever actually..." He chuckled.

"Wh... Wha?" She looked at her parents to find them both snickering at her.

"Relax dear, we're only joking... Well, mostly..." Yana giggled, winking at Peter while Momo began to begrudgingly collect herself. "Now... Come along everyone, we still have quite a bit to cover if we're going to finish up by dinner time."

The lady of the mansion began to walk towards the doors on the opposite side of the room that led to the great hall and the others followed suit. As the two teens brought up the rear, Peter leaned over towards Momo, who had finally managed to calm herself.

"Looks like you're Mom's quite the chess master..." He teased quietly with a smirk, causing her to narrow her eyes at him... Though try as she might, even after undergoing such an avalanche of embarrassment... She couldn't be mad at him...

"You're lucky you're cute..." She grumbled as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"Cute? I'm adorable." He said as she rolled her eyes... But couldn't disagree in the slightest...

"So that's the current state of the situation Chief..." The sergeant of the Hosu City P.D. concluded to her superior. "By the time we arrived, the trail was cold..."

The heteromorphic dog-human brought his hand up and stroked the fur around his mouth as he gazed down at the photos taken from the crime scene.

"There's no doubt about it. This is the work of the Hero Killer..." He said in a low tone. "And he's changing his approach..."

"Sir?" She said prompting him to explain.

The half canine glanced up from the pictures on his desk. "We've been working around the clock, compiling every bit of information and evidence from other police departments around Japan that have dealt with the aftermath of Stain's attacks *woof... And though he has managed to elude us thus far... Every murderer leaves behind a piece of the puzzle leading to their capture each time they strike, no matter how careful they are *woof." He said as he stood up from his chair.

The woman had been a part of Chief Kenji Tsuragamae's hard working police force for nearly fifteen years at this point, and had been his trusty sergeant for ten of them... Still, no matter how many interactions she had with the man, his "woof tic" was something she never really got used to... However, with the repulsive sight of Stain's handiwork fresh on her mind, she hardly even noticed it... She remained silent and waited for the beagle-headed man to continue.

"According to the statements we've gathered from Ingenium and those few others who have survived their encounters with the villain, we've managed to gain some helpful insight into the mind of this fanatic *woof."

"And what would that be?"

He stepped out from behind his desk and walked over to his office window that provided him a view of the city's skyline. "Every single altercation has had one consistent similarity... Each encounter, regardless of how many pros engage him, lasts less than five minutes..."

The lady furrowed her brow, "With all due respect sir... How does that help us understand anything about Stain or his tendencies?"

"Think about it sergeant... Doesn't five minutes seem a bit rushed for someone who has such grandiose convictions to share with the world? Serial killers usually tend to derive a sick sense of pleasure from the suffering of their victims *woof... For a man like him to ignore those urges, it must mean that his quirk isn't suitable for long drawn out fights... He's not willing to get caught playing with his victims..."

She let out a sigh as her eyes drifted to the photos on his desk. "You said he's changing his approach... What gives you that impression?"

His canine eyes narrowed as the sun finally began to set on the city he was determined to protect by any means necessary. "It had barely been twenty four hours since his last attack before he struck again. That was an uncharacteristically reckless move *woof... To show himself again that quickly when our guard was at its highest, leads me to believe that he's becoming more confident... And violent... You've seen it for yourself... If it weren't for the pieces of torn costumes surrounding some of those body parts today, we wouldn't have been able to identify some of those who lost their lives today without a DNA test..."

The hardened woman felt the pit in her stomach swell once again. She had already informed the families of the deceased... Their devastation and despair was forever etched in her mind... She swallowed hard as she repressed her emotions. "What are your orders sir?"

After a brief period of silence between the two, Chief Tsuragamae spoke again, "Tensei Iida... Is my friend... And Ingenium was a pillar of hope and justice for this city... He was the bridge that connected our officers and the citizens they protect, creating a sense of peace in Hosu..." He glanced over his shoulder, "We will not let that peace he and the other fallen heroes worked so hard to build, crumble at the feet of one man." He said as his tic was replaced by a low animalistic growl...

"Mark my words sergeant... The Hero Killer will not escape this city... Gather every available officer you can find and meet me on the department floor in five minutes..."

The sunset gifted to the city of Musutafu was one of unparalleled beauty. The clear blue sky was progressively being washed over by a wave of golden orange, bringing a sense of comfort along with it...

A beautiful evening to follow a rather peaceful day for the newly formed couple, who found themselves approaching the gigantic table in the great hall.

Peter and Momo took their seats on one side of the table, while Takashi and Yana sat down directly across from them on the other...

Peter took another sweeping glance at his surroundings...

The staggering size of the room was still baffling to him. Not only did it fit this behemoth of a mahogany surface comfortably inside, but it also left enough room for the smaller tables and beautifully upholstered furniture that sat alongside the towering windows and walls.

He had never seen anything like this place... It was like the Disneyland of homes... And the journey around the upper two levels proved to be just as impressive as the first, if not more so... With stops that included: the family library, the second home gym, Momo and Yana's private tea room and spa, Yana and Takashi's personal wine cellar, an in-home movie theater, and an indoor onsen just to name a few...

The adventure through the house proved to be just as long as Peter's tour of UA on his first day of school... Which allowed plenty of time for the Yaoyorozus to go into a little more detail about themselves and their family in between each destination. They covered a wide variety of topics, from how Yana and Takashi met, to Momo's younger years... Which naturally, contained many humourous stories that the young lady fought tooth and nail to keep the more cringe worthy details of under wraps...

But fortunately for Momo, with dinner finally prepared, the focus was about to shift back to her boyfriend for a while...

As the kitchen staff and Mr. Kenichi began placing a rather excessive amount of food down in front of them, Peter took a deep breath and mentally reminded himself to not eat like a total savage the way he normally did...

But the smell of perfectly cooked wagyu steak threatened to jeopardize his concept of table manners.

'Self-control Peter... Maintain... Don't lose your grip man...' he silently repeated in his mind as his mouth began to water. Still, he forced himself to be polite and patient.

He was dead set on making sure he conducted himself properly in order to build a solid relationship with Momo's parents. Aside from the fact that it was important to his girlfriend, the Yaoyorozus had already showed him so much kindness ever since he stepped foot in their home. It was only right that he did nothing short of his absolute best to be as respectful as humanly possible in all aspects of this interaction.

He knew the goal was for everyone to get more familiar and comfortable with one another... So naturally, like Momo had said earlier, he was about to be asked a lot of questions about himself...

As the final plate of food was placed in the last bare spot between them, Yana smiled sweetly at the four men. "Thank you gentlemen... That will be all for the night, we'll handle the clean up... Be sure to take some food home with you." She insisted.

The three members of the kitchen staff bowed and gave their thanks before taking their leave while Mr. Kenichi remained at attention.

"Will you be joining us for dinner?" Yana asked him.

"I highly appreciate the offer Milady... However all the walking from earlier has left this old man quite tired. I believe I'll take the opportunity to rest instead if you shan't be in need of anything else..."

"Oh no, we'll be just fine. Thank you very much as always... We'll be sure to leave you some food for later."

The man bowed and then turned to Peter, "It was a pleasure to meet you young man, I insist that you come find me upon the hour of your departure so that I may drive you home."

Peter smiled as he nodded, "Thanks! I'll be sure to take you up on that."

And with that, the man walked out of the room, leaving only Peter and the Yaoyorozu family within the walls of the great hall...

Takashi and Peter allowed the ladies to have first crack at fixing their plates... And as Yana reached across the table, she began the conversation she had been waiting for...

"So Peter, how are you adjusting to life in Japan so far? It must've been quite a big transition for you..."

"It certainly has been... But honestly, I feel like it's worked out far better than I could have ever expected..." He responded, subtly grinning at Momo, who blushed and brushed her foot up against his under the table.

"Well judging by the reaction you got yesterday at the award ceremony, I'd say it definitely has." Yana chirped, "How are you liking Musutafu? Are you having any trouble finding your way around?"

"I love it! When I first got here, I really didn't know what to expect... But everyday, this place feels more and more like home." He responded, earning a smile from the girl beside him. His past life deprived him of an environment where he could thrive... What little sense of home he had in New York died along with his aunt... Hearing the genuine happiness in his voice when he spoke about his new start here in Japan brought warmth to her soul...

"As for finding my way around, I haven't really had any trouble yet so far... I used to deal with the god awful mess that is the New York subway system, so getting around in Musutafu has been a walk in the park." He joked earning a chuckle from his audience.

One after another, the questions kept coming from a very excited mother, while the young man happily provided answers to all of them... And before long, Yana Yaoyorozu's name was added to the ever growing list of people who were caught in the gravitational pull created by Peter's sparkling personality.

For Yana, there was no concern whatsoever for her daughter starting a relationship with this boy... And she now was able to see for herself why Momo held such affection for him. Peter was the manifestation of everything she wanted for her daughter in terms of a partner... He covered all of the bases... He was polite, kind, caring, intelligent, selfless, and charming all wrapped up into one person... He was a very handsome young gentleman who knew how to hold someone's attention during a conversation... He had an excellent sense of humor... And he was very respectful towards her daughter.

What more could she truly ask for?

As she watched the young companions sitting across from her, engage in a banter-filled conversation about their experiences at yesterday's sports festival... Her gaze softened...

A mother's intuition was never wrong...

She took note of a great many things as the interaction took place in front of her... How they made each other laugh was beautiful. The smile on her daughter's face was one she had never seen before... It was so vibrant and full of joyful life... Yana watched as Peter listened so intently to every word Momo said, that she could practically see the world around him fading away... And his eyes never left her's...

'Ah... Young love...'

While the three others at the table continued to partake in conversation amongst one another, Takashi smiled outwardly... But still remained silent... Quietly biding his time to ask the questions that had been on his mind. He brought a piece of steak up to his mouth as his eyes found the boy's sitting across the table from him, while his wife and daughter exchanged words between one another.

Peter offered a smile, but on the inside he could sense that there was a much deeper conversation coming in the near future between him and his girlfriend's father...

And something told him that he wouldn't be getting up from this table without having it...

Meanwhile in an unknown location...

Miles upon miles away from the Yaoyorozu mansion...

Far, far away from the blissful peace of Musutafu...

A short, portly man wearing gear shaped goggles, sauntered through an alleyway with his hands behind his back...

...Perfectly content with his role in helping destroy that peace in the world...

What little light crept its way between the brick walls reflected off of his bald head as he reached up to stroke his mustache.

There were a great many fitting descriptions for Kyudai Garaki...

On surface level, he was the chairman of Jaku General hospital... Beloved by his colleagues, he had the outward appearance of a well-meaning, caring individual who was completely devoted to helping people through his research...

But at his core... He was nothing short of a monster...

Kyudai was one of the most vile... Wretched... Pathetic excuses for a human Japan had ever produced. He was a deranged coward... A literal mad scientist who got a sick thrill from playing God with patients, who had mysteriously died or "disappeared" from hospitals around the country...

The pain and suffering caused by this man was unthinkable...

His true devotion in life... Was not towards helping others...

He was playing the most vital role in resurrecting Japan's demon lord, who would bring about the complete destruction of super human society... Lay waste to free will... And reshape the entire world in his own twisted image...

This ruler of darkness was once known by many names... Most were given to him by both those who worshipped and opposed him... But the one that the myths would use... Was the name he had given himself in honor of his own quirk...

All For One...

After just barely surviving his fight with All Might, the master of shadows was forced back into hiding... Left to lie and wait for death to claim his blackened soul... But with the help of a stolen age-haulting quirk, his unyielding malice, and Garaki's medical expertise... He was kept alive...

Yet he was far from full recovery...

The doctor, though skilled as he was, could only do so much to save his master's body... All For One, the once mighty symbol of fear, was left shackled to a life support system with scar tissue covering the majority of his face...

However, broken as he was, he would not be defeated so easily...

With Garaki at his side... He was able to survive and become the puppet master behind both Tomura Shigaraki and the League of Villains...

The demon lord... Had returned...

As the bald man approached a well-hidden entrance to his secret warehouse, he took extra precaution to make sure he wasn't seen. His head quickly darted in each direction, only to find nothing but a gentle breeze whistling through the alley. When he finally felt satisfied with his surroundings, he pushed a brick on the wall.

*Click

A small portion of the wall caved in and slid to the side revealing a dark passageway. The man slipped inside and disappeared from sight...

As Kyudai entered the darkness he traveled a few paces before reaching yet another door. He punched in a rather long passcode before stepping away and placing his hands behind his back once more. The thick steel door slid open, and an ominous green glow illuminated the doctor's face as his expression turned into a twisted grin.

"Well, hello everyone..." He chuckled to himself as he entered a room filled with massive vats, containing what he referred to as his "children"...

Nomu... An unspeakably horrific creation of the doctor, that served as tributes to his master...

These bioengineered monstrosities were once men, women, and corpses that had been cut up, altered, and stitched back together by the madman who strolled through these halls of horror so casually...

They were now nothing but mindless abominations, created to house multiple quirks... And they were constructed but for one singular purpose...

To serve All For One... And completely demolish anything and anyone who dared to oppose him again...

They were reanimated super soldiers...

"Not ready... Not just yet... Not quite... Oh, not too much longer for you..." The man uttered to his masterpieces as he passed each container...

He continued his stride until he reached the vats near the back of the warehouse...

"Ahhh..." His eyes widened along with his despicable smile... He approached the glass containing a creature with a pair of wings folded around its body like a bat... As he examined the specimen inside, his gaze fixed itself on the monster's exposed brain...

As he continued to observe, the winged creature's pupils suddenly snapped towards his own...

It was complete... As were the other five beside it... The malevolent pride Kyudai felt in that moment was almost too much to handle... But he kept his composure... He wasn't here to check on the progress of his beloved creations this time...

"Patience, patience... You'll all get your chances soon enough..." He said as he turned his attention away from the finished Nomu and started towards the door in the back of the room...

He opened it and began his descent down a long staircase... And as he neared the bottom, the faint voice of a female news anchor and the sound of medical equipment could be heard...

As soon as he reached the last step, his presence was acknowledged by the ruler of the underworld, who was sitting in the middle of the room facing the screen...

"Hello again, Doctor Garaki..."

"It's a pleasure to see you again so soon, master... How are you feeling? Any discomfort?" He asked as he immediately began to do his routine check on the man's vitals...

"No more so than usual... Actually, I'm in rather high spirits, all things considered..."

Kyudai made a few minor adjustments to the machines that kept the dark lord alive... "That's welcome news... Though it's still quite a shame we didn't get our hands on that regeneration quirk five years ago... It won't do you any good now, seeing that your body has already naturally gone through the healing process..."

"It's no matter... I have faith that through your hard work, I will one day return to my rightful place as ruler of this world..."

"Nothing would make me happier, master... So, these high spirits you spoke of, may I ask what the cause of those are?"

Instead of a verbal response, the man in the chair gestured towards the screen in front of him...

The doctor's eyes followed the direction of his hand and glanced over just in time to see a news headline flash across the television...

["Breaking news out of Hosu City this evening, as police officers have roped off another alley just seven blocks away from where Ingenium was attacked yesterday... Detectives and first responders arrived at the scene to find a gruesome sight... The dismembered bodies of five pro heroes have been identified, but the names of which are being withheld by authorities at this time. Though the investigation is still ongoing, the lead suspect is once again believed to be none other than The Hero Killer Stain..."]

"Can you feel it?... Kyudai Garaki?... That change in the air?..."

The doctor was in a stunned silence... It was as if his master already knew the events in Hosu had taken place long before this news story broke...

"The metaphorical plates of society are shifting... Something is about to happen in Hosu that will forever change the course of this world's future..." All For One said as his smile widened behind his oxygen mask...

Epilogue:

The faculty members of UA High School gathered around a table inside of a conference room...

Faxed over copies of crime scene photos taken from Hosu sat in the center of the wooden surface...

A feeling of dread and concern hung in the air... Even Present Mic and Midnight were affected by the serious atmosphere of the room... The two usually extraverted individuals uncharacteristically mirrored the demeanors of their more stoic colleagues, as they all waited for the emergency meeting to start... Each and every person present for the discussion at hand, was more than aware of the significance the decision in front of them held...

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop...

At long last, the final internship offer had been processed... Bringing an end to a rather hectic day for the members of the teaching staff sitting around the table... But after the most recent development in Hosu, they suddenly had one last order of business to tend to before they could go catch up on some well deserved rest...

As the room full of pros glanced at one another without uttering a single word, the door opened, and Principal Nezu stepped inside...

"My apologies for keeping you waiting after you all have worked so tirelessly..." He said in an unusually low tone, as he took the empty seat beside Aizawa... "I believe you're all well aware of why we're here, so let's not waste any time with pleasantries... Due to the most recent Hero Killer attack in Hosu, I'm sure all of you are thinking about how this affects our students with the internships so close at hand..."

Midnight was the first to speak up, "We've already processed scores of offers from hero agencies based in or around Hosu... Should we go back and throw those out?"

"It won't do any good..." Aizawa said with his usual furrowed brow, "The reality is that there's a week between now and the start of the internships..." He explained, "The Hero Killer could be anywhere in that amount of time if he isn't captured..."

"So what, are we just supposed to sit back and cross our fingers, hoping someone catches him within seven days?!" Present Mic threw his hands up in the air.

"Maybe so... Would it really be such a bad idea to postpone the internships until this guy is taken care of?" Thirteen asked the group.

"Postponing the internships would be counterproductive... Aizawa's class was already forced to fight before they were ready... That's the reason these kids are being fast tracked in the first place, isn't it?" Mr. Vlad argued. "This man has racked up more victims than any other villain has ever even dreamt of since All Might entered the picture..." He gestured towards the frail blonde man sitting across from him. "If this maniac were easy to catch, then he would've already been put behind bars before his kill count got that high. Waiting for him to be caught isn't an option."

"Well, that begs the question..." Midnight said as she reached for a picture in the center of the table and held it up for the group to see... The picture in her hand, was none other than Stain's blood soaked message to the authorities... ["All Might Is Worthy."]

"Do you plan on answering the bell?" Her eyes fell upon the number one hero.

The skeletal symbol's sunken eyes stared at the photo in the woman's hand. Just as he was about to respond, Nezu interjected...

"I believe you're misinterpreting the message that was left behind... At face value, it does appear to be some sort of challenge... But if you examine the wording closely, it seems more like a manifesto, or a glimpse into this man's warped line of thinking... Also, don't forget that All Might here is limited to only three hours of hero work each day, due to his injuries... Unless a location or plan of attack is discovered, his time would be wasted by the search efforts... Besides..." the small animal glanced over to the newest addition to his teaching staff and his eyes fell, "A day will come when All Might won't be here... No matter how powerful he is, no man can defeat the passage of time... We should not rely on him to solve all of our problems..."

It was like he had been punched in his irreparably damaged gut... But still, nothing the principal had said was untrue... It was just the harsh reality of their circumstances...

Toshinori Yagi... Hung his head in frustration...

A deafening period of silence followed while everyone in the room tried to come up with the best course of action to take with the well being of their students in mind... The tension was thick as eyes drifted around the room.

Finally, the silence was broken by none other than Class 1B's homeroom teacher, who had yet another passionate point to make in order to push those around the room towards a consensus...

"My students were scheduled to be at the USJ right after class A finished up the day the League attacked them... It was only a matter of chance that they weren't the ones who had to fight for their lives that day... Should something like that ever happen again, I want these kids to be ready... I want them to be able to defend themselves to the very best of their abilities. We cannot let danger dictate the pace of our student's growth." He said as his eyes remained glued to the photos on the table in front of him.

"I agree with Vlad." Aizawa spoke up, "This is a dangerous profession by nature. Sheltering the students from the perils they are going to have to face every single day is not only irrational, it's irresponsible on our end."

Those who were still on the fence took in the words of the two men who had just voiced their perspectives on the matter... Everyone then turned their attention to the smartest individual in the room and waited to hear his input...

Nezu sighed as he brought his paws together and sat them on the table. "This truly is an unfortunate situation... No matter how I look at it, there is nothing we can do to completely guarantee the safety of our students and still move forward with their internships... The program is perilous by nature after all... Even if we were to place them in agencies far away from Hosu, the Hero Killer isn't the only threat posed to pro heroes around the country. Natural disasters could happen anywhere at any given moment... Crime organizations, such as the Yakuza, still exist around the dimly lit corners of our cities... And the whereabouts of Tomura Shigaraki and the League of Villains are still unknown..." The principal pointed out.

"Given all of these risks, I think it is important that we remember that these forty young men and women are UA students... They are strong... Some of the very best the world has to offer, who are aiming to be future heroes that will one day answer the call to deal with crises just like these to protect the world we live in after we are no longer able to..." He said with confidence as he stood up in his chair, "Though I know where I stand on the matter, the individuals in question are just as much your students as they are mine... So I believe the decision should come down to a vote... All in favor of proceeding with the internships as normal..."

One by one... Every single hand in the room raised...

The die had been cast...

The decision that started with so much uncertainty surrounding it...

Was now unanimous...