I AM HERE… AS PROMISED!

After the hiatus of a lifetime, I'm glad to be back everyone. Sorry about the April Fools thing last time, the devil on my shoulder just couldn't resist XD

Speaking of which, I realized afterwards that I accidentally called that chapter the anniversary… even though it wasn't. Whoops.

Now, today marks the fourth anniversary of the fic so I definitely have some stuff to say, but for now let's get into the big Chapter 40! Happy anniversary!

Travelling has always been an event associated with change. Be it brought upon by a hard-earned chance to leave the daily cycle, a small whim, or a major necessity for those in the world of business.

In the life she had led thus far, Momo Yaoyorozu had believed she had witnessed or read upon all those motivators.

The bullet train she was on raced through the mainland of Japan, leaving behind the urban atmosphere of Musutafu in place of rural, verdant sights. Beside her, were two bags of luggage as well as her hero costume suitcase while a book was placed on her lap. However… not even the cover of it was flipped open.

Part of her even feared that the novelty was getting lost on her. Even if there were still a number of places she hadn't been to or cultures she hadn't experienced, the excitement itself had been fading for some time…

However, today was already proving to be an important learning experience.

"For it is not down in any map; true places never are…" She mumbled to herself, before ultimately typing the location's name. Her heart was starting to beat faster.

On the day which the forty students of U.A. Hero School's hero course was spread across the country to a number of pros for internships, her eyes searched across the ocean on the app of her phone.

Bellwood, supposedly the most normal little town in the United States of America, according to the image of the sign. However, she knew there was more meaning behind it. Even after two hours, the feelings inside hadn't faded.

A grin had spread all over her face, and the glimmer inside was wavering ecstatically.

"An internship with Tennyson… over a hot spot of intergalactic conspiracy, where answers are most likely to surface." She thought before clenching her fist.

The action helped to quickly reform the expression on her face and focused the anticipation and the awe. Being over excited and obsessing over the wrong things weren't going to be of assistance to anyone.

She crossed her legs, her head resting on her hand, and pages of her book flipped open…

"The only worthwhile action is to be prepared." She thought, as a smile sparked on her face as well.

What better time to make ready is there… than this period right here?

Midoriya looked up, as he stood before an old, dusty, rundown building with a "Welcome" sign that seemed like it was about to fall off. He was nothing short of puzzled.

"The address matches the one on my phone. This should be the pro-hero that trained All Might, Gran Torino." He thought, but the broken windows did not inspire confidence. It almost looked like one of the buildings Tennyson would call them over to.

Sweat rolled down from the side of his head.

"Hello? I'm here from U.A. High, my name is Izuku?" He shyly knocked on the door. And when there was no answer… that's when his worries spiked.

"Excuse me! Hello? I'm here from U.A. High, my name is Izuku? I'm looking forward to–" He yelled, and cautiously walked in… only for his eyes to narrow into dots.

Right in front of him, laid the hero he was most likely looking for in a heap of blood!

"H– AHHHHH… HE'S DEAD!"

The hero raised his head with a stupefied expression. "I'm alive."

"HE'S ALIVEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Midoriya rushed to his side and helped him get up. He looked like a short elderly man with a wrinkled face, scrawny build and gray spiky hair, along with a beard. As for a costume it was fully yellow, with a cape, very thick gloves and boots, a dark mask that covered the area around his eyes, and lastly a belt which had the letter 'G' inscribed onto it.

Based on his belt, this old man in costume had to be definitely him. However… the inside of the building was just as rough as the outside. There was the green, fading paint of the walls, black and white tile floors, not to mention the raggedy furniture–

"Alright kid, that's enough." Gran Torino shoved him to the side. "It's your first time seeing an old man fall with ketchup and sausages in his hands!?"

"N-No, Sir!" He attempted to say, only to see a stupefied expression befell the short, old man's face.

"Who're you?"

Midoriya's eyebrows went up.

"I'm… Midoriya Izuku, from U.A. High School. Your intern for the next two weeks." He said, tilting his head.

"Huh… Toshinori? What did you say again?" Gran Torino asked again.

"Toshinori?" Midoriya thought internally. Was he confusing him for All Might by any chance? They looked nothing alike though. He tensed up.

"I'm Midoriya Izuku, from U.A. High School!" He stated a little bit louder than before.

The old hero put his hand back on the cane– before he brought one hand back and spoke again.

"You know, Toshinori… Eh, I could really use some of your food."

Midoriya confusedly shook his head. There it was again, the wrong name.

"My name is Midoriya." He repeated his name–

"Huh… Who now?" Gran Torino immediately asked once more, putting one hand next to his ear as he trembled.

"Midoriya Izuku!"

The old hero put his hand back on the cane– before he spoke up again.

"Who?"

The once glee and hope Midoriya had got replaced by skepticism and worry so quickly.

He leaned forward, and Midoriya gave up, giving the hero a glare of skepticism.

"Oh no…" he thought. "I knew he had taught All Might so he had to be old, but senile…"

Gran Torino then fell on the ground, this time with both legs giving out. Midoriya's heart creaked for him.

"I could really use some food." Gran Torino repeated.

Midoriya brushed his hand against his jacket and reached for his phone right in front of the old hero.

"Excuse me, I… just need to make a phone call." He said with closed eyes and a smile.

"I better tell All Might the state his friend is in…" The thought passed through his head, before he set his briefcase with the costume down and moved to step outside–

"As I thought."

Midoriya's eyebrows went up, as Gran Torino all of a sudden wasn't where he was supposed to be! In a gust of wind, he zipped away from wall to wall and roof to floor, perching up right over the door, and cracked the concrete.

"So, Toshinori found an arrogant brat for his power, huh? Time to show me what you can do, zygote!" Gran Torino let out a giggle.

Midoriya's eyes widened.

"I couldn't keep up with his moves at all…" He thought, but slowly but surely things started to make sense. All Might had called them zygotes before… AND he sometimes played dumb with them. This really was his teacher–!

"I watched the U.A. Sports Festival on television." Gran Torino followed up. "The way you used your power was unthinkable, reckless, sloppy! Is he even training you at all?"

Midoriya took a step back. "I-I'm sorry, but of course he doe–"

"Or is his head only on the transforming one?!"

Midoriya's mouth faintly opened, but Gran Torino nodded his head.

"Yep, I knew I recognized that fighting from somewhere. Kid, All Might is many things: number one hero, symbol of peace, but not a teacher. Heck, I can't even imagine what a blunder he is in the classroom…"

Midoriya narrowed his eyes, as for being a blunder in class…

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh–" Midoriya muttered in All Might's defens–

"However, if he's intent on just teaching kids to punch their way out of situations… I guess I could teach you, in order to correct his work. Now, hurry and get your costume on, kid!

Miles and miles away, wearing a yellow top, blue shorts, black tights, and pink shoes, Uraraka stood apprehensively within a busy street, before a brown office building with the Dragon Hero's billboard.

The weight of the offer was cascading. She tapped her fingers.

"So, I guess this is the place… All there's to do is just walk into the agency of the Number 9 hero." She thought. The green number five that showed off her place in U.A. High shined, and yet the slightest breeze then made her shiver.

She recalled the very Sports Festival match that landed her this internship.

…

Uraraka was out of breath and wiping her own sweat but still on her feet.

"Thanks… Bakugo." Uraraka said, out of breath. "...for not holding back."

Bakugo carefully observed her.

"I said we… had special training… at the door… do you remember?"

Bakugo narrowed his eyes.

"We had a couple of rules there… and the first one… I think you'd quite like it."

Achingly, she brought her fingers together, shaking as they approached each other. She echoed Master Yoshi verbatim.

"The first rule of being a ninja is do no harm, unless you mean to do harm…"

Uraraka raised her hands up and started to bring them closer. She smiled, recalling all the numerous, big or small boulders and rocks she just lifted up and just then… she saw the cautious gaze of Bakugo twist into surprise.

"...THEN DO LOTS OF HARM!" Uraraka pressed her fingers together! "RELEASE!"

…

The pink cheeked girl steadied herself just like before.

She shook her head and slapped herself on the cheeks.

"That's right, I got here BECAUSE I could stand that tall against Bakugo. So there's no way I can be scared now!" She declared to herself, taking in a deep breath and puffing up her chest pridefully before taking one step forward!…

"Wow, you've got a briefcase. So, you're the next intern, right!?"

She almost jumped in place, as she turned to her side and saw a young woman with blue curly hair, a full body suit, and a glimmering curious expression.

Uraraka raised one hand, trying to put off how frazzled she was.

"Oh, hi… you must be working here–" She managed to get out those words, before the blue haired girl grabbed her hand and started looking at the pads on her fingertips.

"Ohhhh, and what are those puffs on your fingertips? They must be how you activate your quirk, and wow they feel very puffy, do they feel very puffy for you too? That's so weird."

"Uhhh…" Uraraka struggled to answer. The rate of her curiosity couldn't touch Deku's monologues, but it was enough to catch her off guard.

"Excuse her. She showers anyone that enters through that door with questions, hero or otherwise."

Uraraka flinched as she looked forward again. Standing before them was the hero she came here for, with the dark red, traditional qipao hero costume and blonde hair along with a pale claw going over her eye.

"Hello, Uraraka. I'm Ryukyu, or Miss Tatsuma during off-hours, and the ecstatic girl you just met is Nejire Chan." Ryukyu casually said, and yet Uraraka could feel her self-confidence shatter over being so starstruck.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Uraraka Ochako… though you probably already knew that." She said with the hand behind her head moving super fast, nervously.

Ryukyu laughed, raising her hand to her mouth.

"Indeed I did." She answered.

Uraraka could feel her cheeks burning up, as they flushed red.

However, the next time she opened her mouth, it was to take in a breath and calm her nerves. She bowed her head.

"Thank you for the offer you have put in for me."

Ryukyu smiled. Uraraka raised a fist.

"I promise to do my best to learn alongside you for the next two weeks. I'm…"

…looking forward to working with you." Kirishima and Tetsutetsu said at the same time, before raising their heads.

Both of them were at Yamanashi, in Fourth Kind's agency. An industrial heartland of Japan when it comes to jewelry, robotics, and of course, pro-heroes. In front of them stood a four armed man with two hands on his hips and others crossed, wearing a tux with a diamond patterned tie, and a metal respirator around his chin.

"I was impressed by the guts you both showed, despite the manner in which other contestants seemed to pull ahead." Fourth Kind said.

Tetsutetsu sighed, looking away, recalling how he got eliminated. "You're telling me."

"Hey, man, don't say that." Kirishima quickly played devil's advocate. "That cavalry battle team was metal! It put some serious pressure on Tennyson."

His eyes widened.

"Really? He said that?" Tetsutetsu asked curiously, only for Kirishima to sweat in response.

"Well… no. But it definitely looked like it!"

Fourth Kind sighed. Red Riot was grinning from ear to ear with his fist raised.

The kid with the gray hair looked ahead, and smirked, feeling like he should have expected that coming. But that didn't mean he didn't appreciate the gesture.

"Thanks, man. Your fight against the Midoriya kid wasn't bad either–!" Real Steel replied, before Fourth Kind's lower hands grabbed the table.

"Don't interrupt me!" He roared at the pair!

"How much longer there, Sero?"

The tape hero looked back, and saw Pony catching up to him by surfing on her horns.

He aimed his next tape shot super high-up and as Sero soared above, he took out his phone to check.

"Shouldn't be much longer now." He said, before slipping it back in his pocket and going back to swinging.

Faintly, he could hear the cheering of all bystanders below them over the wind, and a grin came over him.

"We should be there within the time limit though." He said comfortably. But Pony wasn't so sure.

"I just can't believe something came over our pro-hero… and that he called on us to help." She said as her eyes were set forward.

Sero shrugged his shoulders while swinging upside down.

"Well, you know how it goes. The new trainees get one to settle in. And helping him out now, must be our one..." He said coolly– right before another voice shot through the wind, and appeared between them.

"No, this *was* your one. Too slow!"

Sero flinched, and almost forgot to throw up his tape.

"Sero!" Pony shouted.

"I'm alright!" He immediately blurted and shot his tape, wrapping it around a light pole to swing on top of that. He let the adrenaline fade from his heart… while the pro-hero soared before him.

Stretching with his wooden hand and striking a pose mid-air, he grabbed onto the very top of a communication antenna. He made a full spin around and reeled himself in, before landing on the top with both feet.

Kamui Woods casually crossed his arms.

"Like I said, too slow… That will be something to fix." The pro-hero declared, and he and Pony could do nothing but marvel.

Back on the train, the Japanese PA system came alive. She raised her head. Closing the cover of the book, she moved in her seat.

"Current Stop: Chubu Centrair International Airport."

She got off the train.

"No doubt, this will be a unique opportunity." She thought to herself.

Once outside, her gaze was greeted with the luminous lights, the teeming atmosphere of the station, and… a familiar face.

"Yo." Tennyson said with a greeting gesture and one hand on his hip, wearing a modest red shirt and jeans. She quickly ran by his side.

"Hello, my apologies for the wait, Tennyson." She bowed her head respectfully. On her was a soft pink polo shirt, same color mini button skirt, and black tights along with brown loafers.

"What for? We needed to make the 'me' at the train station convincing." He grinned, and… passion got stirred up from within her.

She raised her hand and channeled her quirk.

"Do you need me to create your hero costume? Since Ms. Mann has been handed the original?" She asked.

Tennyson just waved his hand.

"Nah, you don't even have to. This was half the reason why my costume is just a jacket and jeans." He said. "Plus, you gotta see the REAL originals I've got back home. "

Her pupils grew.

"Now, that could be a sight to see." She said. The idea of having her hero costume by her side, all to assist Tennyson in his country of origin along with his original green jacket… it made her feel ecstatic, fulfilling her immensely.

"I became someone who could enroll into U.A. through recommendations. I'm looking forward to our time learning together, to be the very best version of ourselves… And in the end, I hope I get to save others, while standing by his side."

Tennyson checked his phone.

"Uh… Well, I guess those originals are still one fourteen-hour flight away, though." He said, the fact clearly raining on his parade.

But she wasn't sour about that at all.

"That's fine. It gives us time to rest, and sharpen our approach!" She said excitedly with raised fists and stars in her eyes.

Tennyson's brows went up, as even his mouth slightly opened. Her eyes widened, before parts of her face turned red. Her friend's smirk returned.

"I've never seen you so excited. Not even in the Sports Festival." Tennyson said, jokingly raising an eyebrow.

"Y-Yes, I presume, but I'm enthusiastic about the opportunity and I'm…" She nervously said, briefly unsure of how to act exactly, before stopping herself. The glow in her eyes steadied.

"I've been looking forward to this. To be prepared, to be of the best kind of assistance I can be." She said before putting her hand on her luggage. Inside, there was a collection of books and training equipment, all of which she suspected would be helpful.

Meanwhile, she didn't see it, but Tennyson had looked and saw the book under her arm as well as the large wooden sleigh bell on its cover.

"But also learn from the best, right?"

She raised her head with her eyes briefly widening, before she saw what he was looking at. With a laugh on the inside, she opened her bag and put it away.

"I suppose." She said and then brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I shall be in your care."

Tennyson took a visibly weighted breath. However, the happy attitude didn't fade from his face.

"Alright, let's go get rid of these." He gestured to his bags and then to the check-in counter.

"Very well." She nodded her head determinedly and they went in the direction of the gate.

She was going to fulfill her dreams…

"Granted, our next fourteen hours are reserved exclusively for the flight. But I suppose there's no rush." She played devil's advocate for herself and calmed down.

"This event…" It is going to be boundlessly rewarding."

"To be perfectly frank, I don't like you."

"Huh?" Bakugo exclaimed.

In the center of Tokyo, he was inside the agency of Best Jeanist, while wearing his hero costume.

"You only chose my agency, because I'm one of the top five most popular heroes, right?"

Bakugo tilted his head annoyedly.

"Hey, you're the one who put in the offer." He barked back restrainedly.

"Yes, recently I've been getting only the good little kids, so forgive me if I'm making it evident that you're the first one in a while to strike a particular chord." Best Jeanist, the number four hero in Japan, said while fixing his hair dismissively.

"I watched you at the Sports Festival. So far, you seem to have a good handle on your quirk's strength and a decent grasp of its applications. If nothing else, you're already good enough to recruit as a sidekick, not an intern."

Bakugo's eyes narrowed. Recently he'd been finding himself at the opposite ends of conversations that continued with a "but", and this smelled just like one of those.

"But, you have a fatal flaw that just can't be overlooked. You believe you're the greatest, you try and put that into practice without considering how it reflects onto yourself or your image… All it presents to me is an unruly, ferocious nature that can't be cooperated with." Best Jeanist bowed his head.

Bakugo raised his chin, and tensed ever so briefly.

"Don't tell me you just brought me here for a lecture–!" He said, right before his arms and legs got forced together. When he looked down, he saw not only the threads of his costume woven into each other, but a sufficient amount of blue reinforced strands as well.

"No, my reasons are woven much tighter than that." Best Jeanist said, with the sleeves of his costume unraveled to make up the strings that kept Bakugo bound.

"That attitude which you also displayed, laced with furiosity cannot be undone with mere one-off speeches I'm afraid. So, I will be using these two weeks to correct you."

Bakugo glared at him fiercely, however what stood before him was a real pro.

"You will watch me, and I will stitch what makes someone a hero into your very being."

Ben 10: Hero Force

Chapter 40

Bond of Master and Disciple

How Bakugo then found himself outside, wearing a brand new set of blue denim jeans as opposed to the bottom of his usual hero costume , was beyond him.

"It is possible that the villains may still be feeling emboldened by what happened to your school. So even though this is a patrol, do not let your guard down." Best Jeanist stated while walking in front of him.

"Right." Bakugo said with gritted teeth along with clenched fists as he looked down on the new set of pants. He scanned around to see if there was anyone daring to look and point at him.

Best Jeanist glanced at him, before turning his back.

"This is sudden, but here's a question for you. Patrols are mainly meant to deter villains from committing any crimes, but they also have a secondary function. Care to tell me what it is?" The pro asked inquiringly.

A vicious grin came over Bakugo's face. Even though he tried to keep it at bay, all of his muscles tensed.

"Yeah, if we see someone, we get to respond and beat them up on the spot." He answered immediately.

However Best Jeanist immediately clapped back.

"Incorrect–" The pro stated, right before a couple of school girls pointed at them.

"Hey, it's Best Jeanist!"

"Thank you so much for keeping us safe!"

Putting one hand on his hip, Best Jeanist waved back at them, making the girls squeal and swoon. Bakugo on the other hand just stood there, angrily, with his hands still made into fists.

"The answer is to remind people who we are. Our presence gives the public a peace of mind. This helps weave a tapestry of trust between the protectors and the protected."

"I think you just like getting recognized." Bakugo scoffed, before glancing over to the girls. They were still swooning, and praising Best Jeanist and the sidekicks that worked under him. A cross shaped vein manifested over the side of Bakugo's head.

"And you, shut up! You're damn annoying." He said under his breath.

However, the girls didn't seem to hear him and just dispersed while waving at the pro. Unfortunately the pro-hero in question certainly had.

Turning to his side, the pro placed his intense glare on him again. But this time Bakugo didn't feel put off or even slightly intimidated. He was just too angry to do so.

"What in the hell do you really think you're doing with this patrolling stuff anyway?" He protested from between his teeth, keeping his tone just a notch under his usual, before stomping on ahead.

He continued the path that was given to them angrily… and yet Best Jeanist didn't stop him. The pro just walked after him, with his eyes fully on Bakugo.

"The most basic of hero duties involve controlling the crime…" He simply explained.

Ryukyu gestured to the crowds as Nejire Chan was walking next to her with beaming enthusiasm while Uraraka was a bit further back, taking in the big city with her hands assembled together.

"...When it happens, the police contact us heroes for support, and the requests that come in get filtered for every district. We get to assist with arrests or rescuing people…" The pro-hero said– right before Nejire joined in.

"Oh my gosh, now that's the really fun part! There was this one time where I got to save just the cutest kitty!-" She almost swooned as she had her eyes closed just imagining the moment again.

Ryukyu raised her hand and put it in front of her own smile.

"Yes, Nejire Chan, and then reports get filed based on the service. A special agency then looks at the report to determine how much we're going to be paid."

Nejire pouted as she inflated her cheeks.

"And that's the boring part…" She said, crossing her arms and hissing like a cat herself. Uraraka couldn't do anything but marvel.

"I didn't know things were so simple… but deliberate. So being able to do the paperwork has just as much importance as what we do." She thought, and winced. Hopefully, when she returned, she could get around to improving her writing for that.

"So, first things first, we cover our bases with surveillance and patrols. Namely, it is keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious." Ryukyu added.

"Yeah. We're long past the era of villains crashing through the sky and making their declarations, but that doesn't mean we turn up empty handed all the time! Ahhh, it sounds so classic. Could anyone maybe start trying that again?"

"Doubtful, Nejire. Unfortunately, any villain who's worth their mettle knows being undercover is for the best." Ryukyu answered to her.

"That just means we have to find a villain NOT worth their mettle! Heh, that just seems safer and easier." Nejire said, while Uraraka did as she was told. She kept a keen eye out for anyone who could be suspicious as they were passing by the national history museum.

There were a lot of people coming in and out, seeing as today was Friday. However, when her eyes scanned the crowd, one thing took her attention.

Namely, there was one black haired foreigner in a cloak and based on how it shined from his limbs when he moved and how it clanked, he… must have been wearing armor.

"Like him?" Uraraka asked and pointed to him. Both the heroines turned, also seemingly noticing the shining metal armor under the cloak as well.

Their eyebrows crossed, and they slowly followed him inside. Uraraka flinched.

"Wha–? I was right!?" She exclaimed.

"Commander Urien, report on your status…"

The figure paused. When he looked around, he noticed the tourists so he hastened his steps, finding a corner to raise his forearm with the blue dimmed light.

"I have overcome their meager security. Heading for the true prize now." He said with grace and confidence before heading to the newly opened Central America exhibit.

"Take great care. Although none of our primary concerns are in the area, heroes are still… irritating to navigate through." The cold and calculating tone of Enoch just proceeded to blabber on his wrist.

Urien however, just continued to watch the people. He saw a bunch of "regular" kids, most likely a school group, navigating through and a couple of them glanced in his way.

His chest swelled and he smirked at them… before the mutants within them turned as well. That's when he became irritated. His brows crossed. Enoch's tone really dug in his ear like a needle.

"... Especially if this prize is as great as you claim to be–"

"It *is* as great of a prize *I* claim to be." He said curtly and turned off his gauntlet, now taking the time to glance around. In the distance, there was a set of gold, brown and red depictions on the wall behind a red line.

He smirked again.

"There." Urien thought to himself and walked towards the exhibit, admiring the artwork as he passed it by.

From afar it looked like a mythical deity, with skulls fashioning its waist and elbows, giant hands, massive feet, and just a mere circle with more Aztec symbols instead of a proper head and chest.

The ends of his mouth curved up to form a smile.

"These relics, they're… *marvelous* and wasted on these people's apathy…" He muttered before his glare darkened.

From the cloak that covered his armor, he took out a golden necklace which had a red ruby attached to it. With one swift motion, he ripped the ruby off.

One of the skull depictions possessed a red gemstone as one of its eyes and a hexagon-shaped hole for the other. Red refracted from Urien's black pupils in delight, as the ruby he had seemed to fit the hole. He raised it up to insert it– only for a distinct, upbeat tone to interrupt him.

"Pretty sure the sign says to not touch the exhibits!"

Urien turned, and saw a blue haired heroine, levitating off the ground with yellow spiral energy.

"Or… that's what they usually say." The blue haired girl continued, before two others entered the room.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away." The other hero in a red qipao said as she outstretched her hand.

Urien couldn't help but laugh.

"In my moment of triumph? I'm afraid that's not going to be possible, pro-heroes." He took off the cloak, revealing some of the silver Forever Knight armor.

Immediately though, scales manifested on the pro-hero's arm, along with her eyes thinning and controting wildly.

"I will not be asking again." The woman in the qipao spoke again. Urien faintly narrowed his eyes and analyzed her. Clearly her quirk was based on transformation, and it managed to do all necessary preparations in just a mere second.

By all accounts she must have been the most impressive.

His eyes then turned to the floating blue girl. Considering how she was taking aim as well, she was most likely the second most experienced.

As for the third, another female in a white and pink costume, she was noticeably younger and choosing to stand closer to the door.

He continued to smirk, before raising both hands to the air.

"Unfortunately… I'm afraid I can't comply!"

With a sudden movement, he grabbed his own right hand and from the hole that was on his armor's palm, he fired an electric blast right towards the civilians!

Just like he expected, the red one transformed and went to rescue while the blue one fired a spiral laser. With a roll to the side he managed to avoid it.

"Too slow of a response!" He declared, before getting up to his feet again and placing the ruby just in the nick of time.

All of a sudden, both ruby eyes of the skull lit up.

Urien looked delighted, while the heroes were afraid to act and just watched what he had done. The glow itself spread to the entire scripture, before the giant hands of the drawing literally emerged out of the wall and lifted him up!

Gasps and screams of bystanders filled the ears of everyone there. However, Urien couldn't be any less concerned as several tendrils shot out from the drawing and constructed a giant version of the depiction over his usual armor.

Once complete, he stomped his foot on the ground, letting dust kick up and shaking the ground.

"Toltech Battle Armor. A powerful little parting gift left from the beyond..." He declared satisfiedly.

The red qipao wearing heroine had transformed into a full on dragon, the so-called eternal enemy of any proper knight in a children's tale, but there was no fear rocking Urien's heart.

"Now, where were we?" He glanced pridefully.

The dragon opened her mouth… only to turn her gaze to the fear-stricken people first. A duty bound expression covered her face.

"Uravity, make sure to escort the people out of here." Ryukyu ordered rationally. "Nejire Chan!"

"I'm ready to support!" Nejire said, raising her hands.

She stood tall before him in her dragon-like transformation, and with anger in her eyes. Urien raised his chin confidently.

"Bring it." He said, right before coming to blows with the dragon… as the bystanders that could be potentially harmed were taken far away.

In the heart of Tokyo, around a plaza of walkways and greenery, stood a luxurious skyscraper with many floors, glimmering from the intense light of noon.

At the front entrance, there was a stylized flame symbol, marked with an "E" for Endeavor. His personal office was a very large room, with a colorful, beautiful patterned rug, two singular couch chairs across one big couch at its sides and a coffee table right in the middle… with a chandelier hanging above.

Way in the back, was Endeavor sitting at his personal wooden desk with his flames seemingly dancing on his face.

"I've been waiting for you, Shoto. You're finally ready to walk down the path of the mighty." The number 2 hero stated, enclosing his fist and wearing a smirk.

Todoroki was dressed in his school uniform, and his expression was relatively deadpan.

"The only path I'm ready to walk is my own. Whatever you have in mind won't happen." He replied.

Endeavor however brushed that reply off to the side.

"Hmph. Is that so?" He scoffed. "Either way, I'm sure you wouldn't say no to getting ready. We're going out."

Todoroki's deadpan expression flinched.

"Where to?" He said, as he saw the flames on his father's mask twitch.

"Patrolling." Endeavor stated off-handedly. "With any luck, we'll have something interesting."

Todoroki watched after him.

"Burnin!" His father roared, and almost immediately, the green haired sidekick showed up.

"Get ready. We're going to Musutafu." Endeavor stated.

"Musutafu?" Burnin echoed with widened eyes, before she tilted her head and took his presence in the room to account.

"Oh, you're hoping Shoto's presence this time makes the difference!?"

The grin on Endeavor's face fully dropped… before it reappeared and Endeavor recomposed.

"Yes." He stated and walked out. Todoroki's eyes met with Burnin.

"What's on his mind?" He asked. Burnin crossed her arms behind her flaming hair.

"Oh, nothin' much really, there was just a group of villains that we arrested a little while back. They had raided a police precinct and we were thinkin' a member got away with animal-like looks…"

Todoroki turned his head to her.

"A villain got away from father?" He summed it up, and Burnin just continued to smirk.

"Yep, you don't hear that happenin' too much, do ya? Now, he's either goin' to Musutafu or taking it out on Stain by going on patrols–" She nudged him with her elbow.

"Burnin!" His father's demanding tone came right back from down the corridor.

The sidekick sweated.

"Uhh, yeah! Be right with ya boss!" She yelled back before picking up his hero costume suitcase and handing it to him.

"And you better get ready too." Burnin added, before bolting out the door after his father.

Todoroki looked down at the suitcase. He glanced at the door and then at the suitcase again. Honestly, it had just reminded him so much of home but… this obsessive attitude of his father made him think.

"Indeed, I haven't." He said after racking his brain. However, how he would handle the event if he were in his father's position…

The answer to that question eluded him, and a wave of unsureness came crashing back.

"You know what's an important skill? Knowing how to pass the time as a hero. Got that?" Mt. Lady said as she laid on a couch, snacking on some chips and reading a magazine in the lounge of her hero office.

"Uh-huh." Mineta answered curtly, while vacuuming and wearing a maid outfit on top of his hero costume.

He seethed on the inside.

"This isn't the kind of development I was hoping for…" He thought with a sour tone.

In another city with glass skyscrapers and lush trees spread over the roads and their people, a TV station worked around the clock.

Before a make-up table, a pro-hero with blonde hair, a crimson one shoulder dress, golden bracelets, and three different colored snakes atop her head posed.

"Additionally, pro-heroes are allowed to have side jobs. There was a bit of controversy when pro's were first being established, but the public spoke. They couldn't get enough of us. So for example, I'm now about to film a commercial."

Wearing a teal knee-length qipao with yellow details, a black corset, short sport pants and a domino mask as her hero costume, Kendo deadpanned.

"Uh-huh… Well, I was kind of hoping to see something a little more actiony." She looked around. "Is there something I should do while you're filming this commercial?"

Uwambi shook her head, clearly with a look that said Kendo didn't get everything about this internship. The pro-hero stood up.

"Do you know why I chose to put in an offer for you? Any guesses?"

Kendo put one hand on her hip and leaned to the side.

"Well… I was thinking it was because of my performance in the Sports Festival?"

"Close. That definitely played a part, seeing you under such lights and fighting so stylishly for the bronze medal against that kid with engines. But there's another reason."

Kendo leaned forward, as Uwambi put a hand next to her head, eyeing her up.

"You're a very cute young lady." She said, and the hero student was dumbfounded.

"Huh–?" Kendo said, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, you are adorable and so was that other girl I sent an offer to, I would've loved to have you both."

Uwambi turned back to her.

"And also there's something you should learn, Battle Fist. Like they say at school, villains ARE a problem, yes, but it's not like there are large, city-wide fights every day."

"To be a good pro, before anything else, your presence must be calming and give those around peace of mind. Physical appearance, speech, and actions. All must be elegant. You must give off the aura of a hero. Do you understand?" Best Jeanist said as he combed back more of Bakugo's hair, before he stepped to the side.

The comb shined brightly in his hands, as Bakugo's hair was parted perfectly to the right, looking uncharacteristically stylish. The hero student could do nothing but look back at himself and gawk–

"Another perfect style, Best Jeanist!" All sidekicks said in synchronization. However, almost immediately Bakugo's hair acted on its own accord and exploded right back into its original style!

Best Jeanist's eyes briefly widened, before he glanced at the mirror. However, Bakugo's face was still stupefied. So, it couldn't have been deliberate.

He huffed.

"Give us time, everyone." He said and tightened his grip on his comb while a sparkle shined from next to his eye. "It looks like this one will be harder than I thought."

"Understood, Best Jeanist!" Everyone chanted at the same time, before dispersing into the building immediately.

He sighed. Judging by the student's reaction, it was more likely that this return to form was just the result of such care being dedicated towards his appearance. It was unnatural, so his body had merely resisted–

Bakugo attempted to scoff, but Best Jeanist gently grabbed the sides of his head and made sure he stayed still.

"Curbing down your hair… I presume it shares lots of similarities with your mannerisms and attitude, does it not?" He said.

Bakugo grunted angrily.

"Just say that my hair is stubborn. It's not used to being styled or some other shit." He said.

Best Jeanist didn't react. Seeing as no one was in close proximity, he just reached for the jel next to him and continued.

"That would be fine, seeing as it is a hero's job to always persevere. Your hair reflects that perfectly. As well as your strong spirit and determined outlook." He replied and put the gel over some of Bakugo's unruly spikes.

Bakugo huffed, saying something under his breath. Best Jeanist didn't hear it, but didn't have a problem with dismissing it either.

"However a hero's job isn't just fighting, day in and day out."

Bakugo gritted his teeth.

"Couldn't you be doing it wrong then–?" He blurted out, as the comb started brushing across his hair.

"That's what you think?"

Bakugo stayed silent, hesitant to answer. However behind his crossed eyebrows, there was another bundle of intense anger.

So, Best Jeanist gave it a minute's thought. He let his hands stop, before deciding to continue.

"No matter what rank they may achieve, heroes do have to be open to feedback." He said. "Just like how a machine has very many cogs, a jean has many fibers interweaving each other all in different forms. Not all of them are going to be fighters…" He could answer right before the student perked up in his chair.

"And yet, when you're spatting some stuff during my expense, they're all able to leave work and watch?!"

Best Jeanist's hands momentarily paused, but his chin raised curiously.

"Elaborate." He said, just continuing to comb the sides of his head.

Bakugo continued to keep his mouth shut, and grumbled. His red pupils looked down as his lips pressed against each other, before the student's eyes looked back at the mirror.

Best Jeanist briefly stopped with the combing, and stood up straight in a dignified manner. Whatever he had to say, he was ready to face it.

"Fine. Seeing as you're so eager…" Bakugo spat out, sighing rather vexedly. "First of all, why're there so many sidekicks around here, around me?"

Best Jeanist pursed his mouth.

"It is important for wisdom to be shared when available. Every fiber naturally supports one another." He said concisely.

"Uh-huh, and did they also get here just today?" Bakugo asked back, not having any of that answer.

Best Jeanist didn't reply. He just closed his eyes and continued his work, as if he was suppressing a shrug– only for Bakugo to continue, though his wild movements were a bit more reigned in.

"If those bastards were worth anything, like anything at all, they wouldn't be so goody goody. They'd keep up after their damn work, business, whatever, knowing all you're doing is giving out fashion advice that they heard ten times befor–! "The hero student could say, before the comb tugged at his tangled up hair.

Best Jeanist's eyes were sharply narrowed, before he methodically pulled the comb out from that mess, and slowly started to fix what he did by accident.

"Is all that I'm doing, just fashion advice to you?" He asked curiously instead.

Bakugo had calmed down a little.

"If it's to keep up appearances, making courtesy visits, yeah." He said. "What doesn't improve me, is nothing more than a waste of time."

Best Jeanist tilted his head, before putting down the comb.

"So, you're more concerned about how your actions affect your own goals and development, rather than others. Not very heroic…" He said as he held onto the sides of the intern's chair.

"Oh yeah, the best recourse is to just walk on eggshells all the damn time." Bakugo rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Worrying about what some extra is gonna say, just because we didn't walk that damn path or smile at them one day on the streets."

"It gives the people assurance…" Best Jeanist attempted to answer.

"Fake ones." However, Bakugo had his rebuttal ready, as well as its reasoning.

"Real assurance comes in when I blow away the building that's gonna be falling on them during the next villain attack or better yet, demolish six villains with one hand tied behind my back!" He raised his tone, unable to keep himself from roaring.

Best Jeanist listed.

"Tell me, what helps people better than that, huh." He said. "Stepping up right when it counts or grinning like a pompous dumba…"

Bakugo bit down on his tongue. He didn't finish that sentence as his hair was in its fully spiky state, but Best Jeanist was continuing to work on it without flinching. As if he was working on a sand garden on a windy day, he continued to comb, until he was assured that the student needed a break to gather himself.

The hero student sighed.

"I need to be able to do that, the first thing…" Bakugo said, briefly pausing. "...and no amount of dress-up is gonna make that happen."

Best Jeanist's eyes slightly widened. He spared the urge of putting a hand on his chin, though he set down the comb, complimenting his answer that was silence.

"Tongue-tied?" Bakugo followed up, smashing right through the lack of response.

"More like captivated. As it sounds to me like you"ve got a great deal of pride, perhaps on the same level of the number 2 hero, Endeavor." He replied.

Bakugo grunted, as if the student wanted to wordlessly say 'Of course'. However, that's where the crux of his concerns lay.

"I wonder though, for the sake of your self-improvement… If the lives we saved weren't the touchstone for our actions, what would you gravitate towards? I suppose we should be grateful to All Might himself for the spirit of heroism he brought into our lives…"

Bakugo crossed his eyebrows. His mouth opened, but… the student hesitated. The nameless hero pursed his mouth, and chose to ruminate on his response. His eyebrows had remained crossed, and his face was void of any kind of shock as well as realization.

Best Jeanist reached for the hair in the front of Bakugo's face and finally started to shape his bangs.

"If we were to consider your callouts of death, a callous nature–" He added, before a sidekick barged right next to them.

"Best Jeanist, sir!"

Immediately he put down the comb, and glanced at him.

"Yes?"

"We got a situation downtown. All nearby heroes have been alerted, but..." His sidekick said.

He glanced at Bakugo, and the hero student glanced back at him with intensity. He put a hand on his chest, and posed.

"Then I alone shall take my leave. Everyone else needs to keep the rest of our operations tight." Best Jeanist said with one hand over his chest.

The second he stepped away, Bakugo also got to his feet.

"You're not gonna bring everyone and crush 'em with numbers?" Bakugo asked.

He looked back at Bakugo.

"I thought you would believe that no great hero would ever need help."

The nameless hero student gritted his teeth and looked away.

"Fine." Bakugo uttered, under his breath.

"Ryukyu!" The blue haired heroine shouted.

Grabbed by both hands of the Ancient Aztec-styled alien armor, the number 9 hero was lifted up by her neck and body before being tossed to the ground!

Ryukyu was covered in bruises, while Urien hadn't even broken a sweat.

"Do not fret, little lady. You shall be next to fall at my feet!" The knight said, now turning the full weight of his armor to her with a grin.

A brief, visible wave of fear rushed through her body, almost straightening out the curls on her hair. But her hands immediately turned to fists.

"Hmph…" Nejire Chan opened her arms to her sides, channeling the wavy energy. Like bands, they wrapped around her hands before she fired them forth.

However, Urien just swatted them away– until one strand tied around his arm!

The energy making her float, sparked vibrantly.

"Alright meanie, let's see how you like it!" Nejire Chan pulled with all her might. Urien just let it happen, as his weight with this ancient armor should have been ridiculous.

However, almost instantly, the bands wrapped around all four of his limbs and the grip of Urien's feet on the ground veined!

"We're gonna be raising the roof!"

The blue haired hero spun him around, increasing her force by every rotation until Nejire Chan aimed him up and threw him through!

His armor shattered right through the brick wall and made him land on the open street, face first. Glass shattered as Urien raised his hands to move again and the concrete from the debris crumbled, gasps of people started to be heard.

"Impressive force with your abilities. However, not as impressive as mine of course." Urien said, raising his face off the ground as Nejire Chan flew out from the museum's door with crossed arms.

"Huh… You're tough. That thing's super old but it's like new. Did your normal armor do somethin? No, but you used the stone for it. That stone looked old too actually, was it a memento or somethin?"

The knight commander gestured to his chest.

"Heh, unfortunately for you little lady, the origin to my power isn't so easily comprehended by someone who isn't inducted. But enough talk, let us end these charades!" Urien declared, right before grabbing a car off the street.

Nejire Chan flinched.

"No!" The hero shouted. That car still had people in them!

Her energy lashed out to grab the car, right as Urien ran around and grabbed her by her hair. Urien threw her to one of the buildings, and watched as she slammed her back to the glass.

The commander's gaze then went around, before he spotted the pink gravity girl– right before the dragon emerged from the museum and tackled him!

All the while, Enoch watched from above, with crossed arms and his communication channel open. His gauntlet lit up, and from the other side of the conversation, the voice of the once mighty Forever King came through.

"Commander Urien is strong."

Enoch grumbled.

He watched as Urien punched the dragon in the chest before landing an uppercut to its head with a deranged smirk! He crossed his arms.

"He lacks restraint… No matter how great a weapon, the reveal decreases its effectiveness substantially." Enoch said, before his head tilted away from the center of the action.

Cutting through the streets with the mighty engine roar of his armored patrol vehicle, the number four hero of this banal country emerged as he kicked open the door. Thin blue threads were unravelling from his sleeves, completely battle ready.

The number nine, dragon hero, gasped.

"Best Jeanist!" She exclaimed.

"I heard your request to sow up this mess, Ryukyu. It has been received steadfastly." He said, fixing his blonde hair under the shining light of the sun before the edges of his jeans seemed to come apart at the seams.

As he turned, his expression became intense– right before the umbrellas of the nearby cafe unraveled. It grabbed onto Urien's arm, providing just the faintest second for Ryukyu to get out of his grip and retaliate with a spinning smack from her tail!

"As for you, bring it on! Find out what *two* heroes in the top ten are capable of!" Best Jeanist declared.

Urien looked unbothered, just like he expected. With a huff, Enoch continued to watch alongside his well-respected liege.

Taking it to the skies, Ryukyu started to attack with her feet and used her weight to her advantage!

"You… ingrate–!" The villain spoke right before threads wrapped around his mouth.

"Now, now, that isn't any way to speak to a lady." Best Jeanist said, before Ryukyu bit the armor by the ankle and threw him towards the road.

The number four hero took stock of the situation. His opponent had a large metal figure, most likely impossible or futile to bind from the outset. He narrowed his eyes.

"No vulnerabilities on the joint areas either." The pro hero thought, just finishing with his glance.

As far as materials went, there were cafes with so many umbrellas open as well as many banners from the Central America exhibit. There was also a unique structure with several iron cables attaching themselves to the top of a giant ball raised by a steel pole that he could use-!

With a strike from the armor's palm, Ryukyu stumbled before the villain followed up and used the back of his hand to smack her away.

Now that the number nine hero was out of the way, the armored villain got to move and stomped towards him at max speed.

"Fine then! Have at thee!" The villain cried out with clenched fists!

Immediately Best Jeanist opened his arms and the threads of his jeans launched out and unraveled from his sleeves. They grabbed onto the edge of the building above and pulled him up, allowing him to dodge a blow that made a hole in the pavement below!

He backflipped mid-air and landed on the top of the store.

"Though, it turns out he relies on his power… His preference is leaning towards hand to hand combat, which makes it within my parameters." He thought, perching atop one leg.

Immediately, with a loud hissing noise catching everyone's attention, the armored patrol car he came with shot open and iron coils launched out. But instead of wrapping around him, they blitzed right by, fiercely grazing the armor!

"What the–?!" The villain raised his arms protectively, before the coils actively whipped the armor with ferocity.

As the villain was occupied, Best Jeanist raised his second arm and tensed the fibers of the banners.

"Prioritize safety first and foremost…"

As the fibers fully unraveled from the post they were positioned on, they weaved and tied into themselves and cordoned off the roads.

He looked back at the villain and saw that as he was about to lower his arms, Ryukyu then managed to get through and clawed his chest. However, just like the hits from his fibers, her nails made him flinch but not much else!

The villain riled back a kick, and Ryukyu found only a moment to brace herself. Her wings cushioned the impact, but he immediately followed by pulling out a fire hydrant from the ground and then tossed it in her direction!

Best Jeanist quickly got off from where he was perched and jumped down. With the fibers of his sleeves, he reached the fire hydrant mid-air and wrapped around it. Making his hands into fists, he made a spin around and returned it right back to the sender!

The villain hit it aside with the back of his hand, before reaching to a lamp post but Best Jeanist was just a step ahead. Landing on the ground, he waved his hand and with a loud creak, more of the iron cables shot out, binding his arm!

"Haven't you heard, villain? A pro always avoids collateral damage." He declared, fixing his hair stylishly.

As the villain reached to rip off the thick iron binding off his own hand, Best Jeanist raised one hand.

"His figure is seismic, however… that means his dexterity should be low."

Three more of his iron cables emerged from inside the truck and immediately they started thinning out into tens of smaller strands. He sacrificed some of his own hero costume as well, unwinding it down from the sleeves all the way to the torso, mixing it into the bundle that was forming above him.

"Iron bars would bend, and a fence could easily be ripped apart. This is the best way!"

Just when the villain freed his hand, he formed the bundle into a large net and shut him inside. Tensing the joints, he made sure to tie the ends to various points on the walls of buildings and the ground itself. Best Jeanist enclosed his fists.

"Ryukyu!" He shouted.

The number nine hero soared through the skies, and transformed back into her human form, almost immediately collapsing onto one leg because of the wounds.

"I'm sorry… that I couldn't be of much help." The number nine hero said.

"That's okay. Neither of our efforts seemed to have amounted to much anyway." He responded, before turning his attention to the net.

Both of them saw the net suddenly expand outwards, most likely due to the villain pushing onto it with his hands. Best Jeanist changed form and allowed the net to expand and keep its flexibility.

"Insolent trickster! Mark my words, this is child's play for me to get out of!" The villain roared.

Ryukyu's brows crossed as she angrily got to her feet, while he took a strenuous breath.

"I'm afraid his words reflect the truth. That armor of his is out of this world." He said in admission.

Ryukyu nodded her head in amazement as well.

"Yeah, so much punishment and yet so little to show for it." She said, before changing her figure back into the dragon form!

"We need to do anything we can until more arrive." The dragon hero added, but Best Jeanist gritted his teeth, and looked away.

"Yes, however the help we need… may be more specialized." He said, making her flinch.

The two made eye contact.

Ryukyu huffed from between her teeth.

"Fine, make the call." She said.

Strenuously, he freed up one hand and tapped to the earpiece he had, covered by the waistline of the jeans he wore around his neck.

Immediately a dialing sound then came to his ear, but it took a little longer than normal to answer.

"Hello, Hawks?" He said. "Apologies for such a sudden call, however we require urgent assistance to downtown Tokyo–"

"I'm sorry."

However, even though the number that he had connected to was certainly the agency at Kyushu, the voice in his ear didn't belong to the young easy-going winged pro-hero. Rather it was a little on the calmer side and belonged to someone much younger…

"However, he–"

"Fumi, we have another call at line three!" An echoing voice interrupted the teen– right before the villain leaped inside the net!

Best Jeanist instinctively tightened his figure instead of widening the net, and though he had managed to hold it intact, it certainly caught him off-guard.

"I'm aware, Dark Shadow." The teen responded, while clearly attempting to cover the phone. Best Jeanist heard the shuffling around, before the teen put the phone to his ear again.

"I'm sorry Best Jeanist, sir, however Hawks is currently out of office."

Best Jeanist tilted his head– before fortifying the net to be even firmer.

"Where… is he then? And when will he return?"

"Umm… I'm afraid it is hard to say. He has been absent ever since dawn, solving miscellaneous incidents all around the city." The teen responded.

Best Jeanist sighed.

"I suppose that *is* Hawks' classic routine." He muttered to himself as his stance tightened further. There were no more fibers to use for the substantially widened net.

He gritted his teeth, before a ringing noise came from the background of his call.

"Fumi, that call!"

Best Jeanist sighed.

"You best get on top of *that* call, young man." He answered, before the teen on the other side of the call could even answer. "If luck ever happens to shine upon you and you manage to get a hold of Hawks, make sure to direct him here."

"Understood, sir."

The call disconnected, and the villain ensnared by his net grew that much more restless. He shoulder tackled the net yet again, stretching it all the way to the left side before continuing to power through one step at a time!

"Jeanist!" Ryukyu exclaimed worriedly in her dragon form, before turning to the net itself. Her thoughts were so clear from the outset. If she could just manage to attack the villain, then maybe just maybe she could shoulder some of his burden.

But he raised a hand before her!

"No… Your efforts would only increase the strain on the net." He strenuously managed to say.

"Okay… What did Hawks say?" She followed up.

Best Jeanist bowed his head.

"Hawks remained out of our reach." He said in admission. "So…"

Taking one hand to his ear again, he dialed someone else.

"Now, I'm forced to take on an even more extreme measure."

"Uhhh… We're kinda far right now." Burnin said over the phone. She snuck a look behind her, specifically at Endeavor who was talking with the police chief as his son stood a fair distance from them and just watched.

She shook her head, before putting on a smirk.

"Sounds like a cool battle you're engaged in right now, but can't. You're better off counting us out." She said, before she heard lots of rustling from the background as well as Best Jeanist's struggling grunts.

"Hey, you're still alright?"

Piercing the net, the villain had managed to rip open a small hole and insert his fingers through.

"No more stalling!" The villain said, immediately finding and locking gaze with his captor through the hole, before tearing open his prison.

"Damn…" Best Jeanist thought– right as Ryukyu grabbed him and saved him from incoming bikes thrown in their direction!

Raising his hand, he used the fibers that he just used to cordon off the roads to create nets and catch them. Unlike before, the villain had gone into a frenzy!

"You people pride yourself on your ranks and guardianship of the common man, don't you?! Well, let's see how good you really are in the large presence of Commander Urien!" The villain shouted before lunging a car by the street, kicking up benches into the air and slamming both fists to the ground!

The tar crumbled under the force. Civilians fell on four limbs as they felt their weight in their stomachs!

Ryukyu protectively swooped down in front of them.

"Get on!" She yelled.

In the meantime, as she took them into the air away from the collapsing floor, Best Jeanist did his best improvisation work. Iron fibers, soft threads, everything he could muster flew around to pin stuff down. He caught the flying benches and formed a net under the airborne car right before preventing a billboard from falling onto a group of scared onlookers.

"And All Might is nowhere to be seen." He thought. So far they were able to keep the casualty number at zero, but both of their hands had still become full enough that they were unable to set up an attack!

Ryukyu set down the people on her back, before she grumbled and circled around him with claws extended. The villain had indeed taken notice of him, and the smirk Urien couldn't hide had made it all too evident.

"So, the dame wants another round. But can she handle it, is the question!?" Urien said.

The two titanic sized brawlers stood at odds once more. Urien made the first move, and approached with a punch to the chest once more. It hit. Urien followed up with another punch with the back of his hand, before grabbing onto the neck of her!

"Once again, the answer proves to be not likely!" Urien yelled out.

"Ryukyu!" Best Jeanist exclaimed. He finished tying up his most recent set of victims away from danger and back behind the line with the rest of the crow–

"Wait!"

Best Jeanist paused where he stood, as Ryukyu pressed her feet to the ground and let her claws clench into the ground. She really bowed forward as well and so, loosened Urien's grip by catching him off guard!

"You were boasting about your large presence just a minute ago. You thought it was so all-encompassing and empowering, right? But now see, this is what it is like to work with a size like mine!" Ryukyu said.

She pulled her head up and grabbed him with her claws, she flipped him over her entire body, laying him flat on his back.

Urien attempted to rise, only for iron coils to wrap around his armor's wrists right as Ryukyu followed it up with a superman punch to his chest! She was standing on her hind legs, while she pounded him with everything she had with both arms. The armor shook with every hit. Urien though, after enough rumblings and impacts, clenched his fist.

"EEEEEENOUGH!" He shouted, tearing right through the bindings on his right arm and aiming a punch on Ryukyu's dragon head. But her tail wrapped around his arm.

"Huh–!" He exclaimed right before she unwrapped it and countered with a fierce right cross, knocking him back on the ground sideways!

The scales on her knuckles had become discolored, however Ryukyu took bated breath before she towered over him.

"This armor. How did you get it!? What is Toltech?!" She grabbed one shoulder and roared to his face.

Just barely, a little bit of Urien's snickering came through. Even if it were obstructed by shadows, a clear stream of red, warm blood was going down his forehead.

"Just another peak to the depths of your inferiority… you infected wench!" Urien cried out and kicked her knee. A loud cracking sound came out, and Ryukyu collapsed, screaming and clenching onto it.

"Ryukyu." Best Jeanist exclaimed from under his breath as Urien got back up and even if he was still in the hole Ryukyu made, it was his turn to tower with a self-satisfied grin.

"A pro-tip, for the *very near* future wench, it's the wings and the tail that are a dragon's edge. A dragon that can't fly, that can't get away, is a dead dragon..."

Ryukyu could barely raise her neck and then head off the ground, to look at him– only for Urien to step on her face.

"And that's exactly why it's *unnatural* for us to be one."

Her eyes were barely open, though the rest of her features were strained. Her claws scratched the ground and her wings raised to make her presence ever larger. But it couldn't intimidate Urien by even the tiniest little bit.

Best Jeanist opened his arms to his sides, and immediately a wave of strands started to float by him. He launched them forth, but a sudden air pressure from the armor dispersed them all!

Ryukyu even struggled to get up, however she managed to lean on just one leg while steadying herself with her tail. She threw a punch with her left, but Urien casually side-stepped around, even if it was going to do no damage.

Urien let her stumble, do a few more attempts at sneaking one blow in with none landing. Best Jeanist didn't even grit his teeth at this point. He just wondered one question, the mechanics. The facets of how such a thing could occur!

"A completely invincible battle armor, seemingly spawning out of thin air… It would be unbelievable, if I weren't present in person." He thought.

With one hand, he called upon his iron threads once more from his vehicle. But, just as quickly the threads stopped. His supply had finally run dry.

"Suppose both metaphorically and literally we have reached the end of our rope." Best Jeanist thought before interweaving whatever he did manage to get with his own uniform's fibers, completely disintegrating his outfit all the way to his shoulders and shooting them forward!

Urien though swayed to the right, and grabbed them. Best Jeanist flinched, before he pulled on it, raising him off his feet, and smacking him with the back of his hand!

"And you were given the ability to control strings..." Urien glanced at the creation in his hand and then at the blonde hero who created it near his feet, bleeding from his nose.

"Tell me, hero. What use are strings… when you've got nothing to puppeteer?"

Best Jeanist looked back at the blood-ridden face of Urien, staring defiantly as the villain got on one knee to make their defeat so much more personal. But just then, their interlocked gaze was broken… with one seismic explosion.

"Same thing as armor with nothing worth protecting!" The intern with explosions barked, cutting in through his own smoke.

"Bakugo?!" Best Jeanist exclaimed in surprise. The kid was staring very unimpressedly at the villain. Urien laughed.

"Well, well… What was that, you tumultuous stripling?" He said, getting back on his two feet.

"I said 'with nothing worth protecting'." Bakugo said calmly before he raised his hands and explosions crackled in his palm again! "That armor's so thick you have trouble getting anything through that head of yours, huh!?"

Urien just merely settled with laughing, looking down at him.

"You got quite the mouth on. I can sew it shut right now!"

"Bakugo, this opponent is dangerous!" Best Jeanist immediately followed up from the ground, as he sneakily untangled himself from his own previous attack. "And you don't have permission to engage in this operation."

Bakugo gritted his teeth and grumbled with the explosions in his hands briefly flickering. Urien confidently puffed himself up, and made his left hand into a fist. He swung forth, right as giant sewing needles dropped from the sky between them!

"Huh?" Best Jeanist blurted out, as a net then flew and stuck onto Urien's real face, further distracting the villain. He felt someone pick him up from the ground by his arm. It was someone wearing a red beanie, snow goggles and a striped sweater.

"My sidekicks… You too?" He marveled.

"Of course sir!" The sidekick with the striped sweater beamed with a smile and gave him a thumbs up. Bakugo scoffed.

"I've got nothing to do with those extras, they just decided to follow on their own accord. Bakugo launched himself off the ground with an explosion, charging between the giant sewing needles and then straight at the villain!

Urien ripped the net off his face and the second he saw Bakugo coming, he hazily put up his guard… only for Bakugo to frown and swerve right between his hands.

Once he turned, he was then greeted with another sidekick with both of his hands together and behind his body, before he brought them forth and hit him with a needle point blank!

It sent him up to the air, with the needle clearly pierced through.

Best Jeanist winced as Bakugo huffed while walking towards him. He raised his hand and the sidekick let him stand on his own.

"You shouldn't have come here." He stated authoritatively.

"Yeah? Well, too bad, I'm not looking to see you getting your ass tossed around any further." Bakugo stated, crossing his arms. The hero student looked away, and Best Jeanist took a breath like he was going to roar at him. But then, he followed his gaze.

More and more sidekicks of his were helping out the bystanders, not just the ones out on the streets but the ones on the buildings which Urien had destabilized as well, those whom his threads couldn't reach. Bakugo pointed to himself with his thumb.

"We'll be support."

Best Jeanist looked at Bakugo, and saw him looking back with a frown and a forcefully suppressed anger.

"We can get the people out, while you put all your energy into taking this guy down." The student continued spitefully.

Best Jeanist's eyes widened, before he nodded.

"Now for that, I can allow you to use your quirk." He said, before reaching for his earpiece. In case it didn't work…

Bakugo put his hands behind him.

"Lovely to hear." He spat out with venom– before Best Jeanist grabbed him by his hand.

"Hold that thought, Young Bakugo. If you may, I would like for you to make one more call for assistance." The pro-hero said, and handed him the earpiece.

Bakugo examined the earpiece in his hand, raising it and looking at it sourly. He raised an eyebrow.

"A damn insurance play?" The hero student asked.

"A necessity, considering our situation." He clapped back, before lowering his voice and spoke the names.

Bakugo's eyebrows went up, before he looked back at the earpiece with even more disgust and annoyance.

"LET'S *NOT* GET CRAZY–!"

"TOO LATE!" Urien screamed at the top of his lungs. With an angry and frustrated stomp, the ground between them crumbled. Bakugo took himself to the sky, while Best Jeanist managed to roll away. When he raised his hands, iron fibers gathered next to him surprisingly quick.

Then he saw a couple of his sidekicks crouched nearby. Apparently they had worked to untangle everything he had just used up, recycling ammunition for him. Best Jeanist nodded in their direction. He appreciated their rigorous work, truly.

Now, it was his turn. Opening his hand, he started to weave the threads together again. But the time wasn't one to hold back.

"Construct… the securest twill weave you can…" He thought with sweat rolling down his forehead. Iron wasn't meant to be this meticulously meddled with. Best Jeanist raised his head and couldn't help but be mildly surprised.

Seeing Bakugo utilizing his explosions to move debris or other objects around, and assisting people out of the nearly collapsing areas–

"Hey! Don't just tremble, keep your asses moving, you hear me!" Bakugo shouted with his eyes looking like they glowed red.

He waved his hand as people rushed out, and just when the last person managed to, the store collapsed behind them. Almost immediately Bakugo used his own explosions and stopped the smoke that would have blown in their face.

Once it cleared, the people looked at him with smiles. But the hero student just had his teeth gritted.

"That was too close, damn it! Why couldn't you be faster, you wanna die or somethin'!?" He turned around and shouted. Immediately the crowd's cheers turned into confusion.

"Thank you for saving us, young man." One older lady said as she stepped forward from the crowd and held onto his arm– right before he grabbed her by the arm and ducked down!

A car flew right over them, to which the sidekick then pinned down with a giant needle.

"Not the time for thanks, you old hag!" Bakugo got to his feet, not even bothering to pull her up as he looked back with clenched fists… before raising one hand to the earpiece.

Best Jeanist pursed his mouth and turned back to the weave in front of him.

"The attitude could have used a little work, and yet…" He mused to himself, while tensing his fingers. His entire being wanted to form the best construct he could, he wanted to end this here before any other civilian could get hurt!

But how…

The question rattled his brain. Even if this net was sturdier than the last one comparatively, how could they prevent him from ripping through this one?

Bakugo took himself to the skies, dodging any inadvertent attack by the big armored villain, before perching up on the side of a building. He scoured the area. Despite the first lucky shot of the extras, they were starting to lose their advantage.

His teeth gritted as he itched to fight.

"Hmph…" He grumbled and tensed like he was about to go to do just that, but he huffed and stopped.

Instead, he saw Ryukyu being helped out by the medics that were arriving in the area while one blue haired hero had just pulled herself out of the rubble… clenching on her side–

"Nejire Chan!"

His eyes widened before he glanced down. That kind of squeaking, annoying voice he could recognize anywhere.

"Pink Cheeks!?" Bakugo yelled down, as his classmate was right there and already in her hero costume.

"Bakugo?" She turned around and did the same thing, as Nejire got to catch her breath. He clicked her tongue, as her eyebrows also crossed sourly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" They both asked at the same time.

Nejire looked back and forth between the two.

"Oh, now am I sensing some history and hostility or what…" She asked with a twinge.

"We're classmates… As annoying as it is, especially with how you act towards Deku." Uraraka said as she crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.

Bakugo scoffed.

"You got your chance to fight, Pink Cheeks. Cry me a river." He said, crossing his arms.

"Like how you did when Tennyson embarrassed you after that?" Uraraka clapped back.

A cross shaped vein appeared on his head, as his pupils vanished. He raised one hand with explosions.

"Don't test me, Pink Cheeks." He said, before Uraraka perked up with clenched fists.

"What if I do?!" She clashed with him– right before Nejire interrupted.

"Oookay, so bad blood is pouring out from anywhere, besides the villain we're *all* supposed to be fighting against." She said in an upbeat, but diligent energy, standing between them.

Both of the students turned to the villain in the distance and put their focus on him. Several more sidekicks had just gone down and there were only a couple of them left fighting at this point. The three of them got to cover.

"How does he still have stamina?" Uraraka said.

"Screw the how. We need to take it down a peg, waste some of its time." Bakugo clapped back, as he gestured with his eyes. When Uraraka looked, she saw Best Jeanist hunched over.

Her mouth pursed, regardless of whether she wanted to admit in the moment or not Bakugo had a point. Unfortunately, her response… still couldn't be helped to come out on the scathing end.

"Well, you have the most experience throwing yourself at those hulking opponents." She said, thinking back to the Nomu, NRG, and… then All Might during the rescue training.

Thinking of them made her regret her words but Bakugo didn't even flinch at that. On the contrary, he replied immediately.

"When you fight more than one, practice makes perfect." He said. Uraraka's brows went up, as Nejire leaned forward.

"Oooooh, do I sense an idea brewin?"

"Yeah. Now shut up, I'm thinking." Bakugo dismissively clapped back, waving his hand before he really honed in on the armor. Uraraka however still felt a little surprised.

"Nejire? You're okay with us doing this?" She asked. Her upperclassmen shrugged.

"Eh, let's see what he comes up with first." Nejire said.

Bakugo, in the meantime, was gritting his teeth.

"He's just tossing his weight around. Otherwise, the armor doesn't make his regular shitty body into All Might…" He spat out.

Uraraka's eyebrows went up, as she opened one hand and looked at it from the corner of her eye alarmedly.

"Weight?" She inadvertently muttered. Bakugo glanced at her, before turning right back to the action.

"He's way over your limit, pink cheeks." He brushed her off.

"Yeah, but all we gotta do is waste time, right?" Uraraka added. It made Bakugo turn towards her again, so she opened her arms and stood tall.

"I mean, all I'd need to do is touch him once–"

"Yes, also you only had to touch me once in the festival fight as well. Don't think you managed to get away with it." Bakugo angrily countered as he got to his feet.

But Uraraka didn't relent.

"I just didn't have the speed." She bluntly stated.

"And you still don't, pink cheeks." Bakugo countered. However, the fire in Uraraka's eyes didn't dim. She was just so certain that this would work.

And Bakugo didn't have the patience anymore to deal with her annoying ass attitude.

"Okay, okay… You two are bringing down the energy, so let's do a redo." Nejire smiled and waved her hands to calm them down. However, both of the hotheads didn't seem like they were about to break it up. Uraraka sneered at Bakugo, while he just dismissed it out of hand.

Nejire turned to Uraraka first.

"So, so, your quirk works by touching them with five fingers. Listen up. That's so easy-peasy to do, if we all just work together, okay?" She said, bringing enthusiasm.

Bakugo groaned, putting one hand on his hip before he crouched back down. Nejire brought her hands together.

"Uraraka, now I think you were talking last, something about speed?" She added.

"Yeah, if I could get enough speed, his big figure wouldn't be able to keep up. Kind of like what he did with Tennyson in the–" Uraraka stopped talking as even though he was calm, Bakugo's red eyes still flared up.

He didn't want to hear about that match, period. So she recomposed.

"... in *that, so it's similar but so much more different at the same time, because we only need to touch him once." Uraraka finished her previous line and continued.

"Uh-huh. Now, Bakugo, what do you think about that?" Nejire nodded her head.

Bakugo grunted, with his head tilted down and his pupils moving, as if he was living out the scenario. That plan could work… and he had just the idea to follow it up with.

"Fine! I can get you that speed, Pink Cheeks. But then *you* need to keep him occupied!" Bakugo said, pointing at Uraraka before immediately turning to Nejire.

He settled down with jealous vitriol.

"We don't get to trade blows with him." He murmured.

Nejire stopped slouching and stood straight with yellow energy coming out from her hands.

"Oh, you better believe I can do that! I have so much to do with this party pooper!" She palmed her fist.

"Then… let's do this thing." Uraraka said apprehensively as she looked back and forth between the two.

Bakugo however gave her nothing to work with. No reassurance, no tips to ease her nerves, or even a different expression as if he wanted to say… "This is what you brought upon yourself."

He outstretched his hand, before immediately turning to Nejire.

"You ready?"

The blue haired heroine floated into the air, and closed her eyes. She opened her legs up a bit, before she started to skip around on her feet as her golden energy gently held her up. With a smile, she also moved around her arms and neck, making sure to stretch both of them, before she leaned forward and opened her eyes intensively. She had just gotten ready.

Uraraka had reached out as well while she made herself weightless, but he didn't have the time to wait for her. So he just grabbed her by the wrist!

"Improvised Special Move…" Bakugo muttered, and almost immediately Uraraka felt ten times more alarmed.

"Wait, improvised!?" She blurted it out.

"It's fine if you do it right, pink cheeks! You only got one chance!" He said, before spotting Best Jeanist.

"Hey! You better be ready with the net!" He called out, and made the number four hero flinch. The newly de-transformed Ryukyu looked at them in horror.

"What are you doing!?" She shouted.

However, while she was losing her cool, Best Jeanist remained steadfast and silent… in terms of protests. Bakugo outstretched his other hand and created explosions towards his side, starting to spin himself around in a tornado of ash and smoke!

Uraraka hung onto her helmet and made sure it didn't fly off but Bakugo certainly didn't make it easy.

"Going and getting the bastard!" He roared at Ryukyu as he launched Uraraka straight as an arrow!

Cutting through the air, while one hand was on her helmet, the other was extended ahead.

"Come… on!" She thought to herself strained. The villain was still concentrated on the sidekicks, as one of them attempted to defend themselves by extending the leather of his hero costume as a shield. The armor raised both of his hands to slam both of them down. This was her only chance!

By first releasing the weightlessness of herself, she outstretched the hand again and barely skidded on the armor before she crashed into a soft net.

Her eyes had closed out of fear, but when Uraraka opened them, she saw Best Jeanist looking back. Uraraka immediately gave him a thumbs up… only for a drowsing pain to hit her head.

When they all looked back at the villain, they saw his smash down onto the ground with significantly less intensity, but that smash also propelled him up to the sky!

"Wha– What is this confounding ability!?" Urien cried out.

Best Jeanist lowered Uraraka down on the ground. But almost immediately she was not looking so good.

"What have you done, Uraraka?" Ryukyu immediately rushed to her aid with the assistance of two sidekicks, as her intern was struggling to keep her eyes open and stand up straight.

"Uhhh…. Trying to… focus! Nejire Chan!" She yelled out.

"On it!" The blue haired heroine zoomed through the air.

She stopped right before the floating villain.

"You again… Nejire Chan, was it your moniker?" Urien groaned, while Nejire bounced around in the air with a smile.

"Yep, me again and hey, you paid attention. So, take a guess what I will do now? Will I lightly tap you with my right hand, or my left–?"

"Just do whatever you think you can!" Urien angrily spat out, right before a tightly weaved net shot into the sky and restrained him by his wrists and ankles, leaving him like a kite in the air!

Urien's eyebrows had gone up, before he saw the surge of yellow energy in front of him. Nejire had a wide smirk on her face, eyeing up the hole created by the sidekick earlier.

"Wrong answer, it was with both of them, and with everything I had!" She said and directed both hands towards him. "Full charge, output level 30! Nejire Wave: Pike!"

Two powerful compact spiraling waves of energy shot out of her hands and completely overwhelmed Urien! Both blasts cut right through the arms and sides of the torso!

Urien coughed blood, immediately.

"Wench!" He shouted.

"Oh, wench, huh? But I made sure to not hit anything vital, plus you've been doing the same thing to my friends…" She said, before charging the yellow energy on her hands once again!

"Uraraka, you can let go…" Ryukyu attempted to speak compassionately as her intern could barely look up– right before Bakugo landed behind her with knitted eyebrows.

"Give her space to work!" He barked at Ryukyu, taking the pro by surprise. Her eyebrows knitted but immediately Best Jeanist walked next to them as well to clear the air.

"Our apprentices have approached the matter with a unique, non-combative manner, Ryukyu. Let's see the thread of their approach through." He put Bakugo's words much more eloquently, and sneaked a look at the two sidekicks helping her stand up.

He made them leave the young girl alone, even if she looked like she was struggling. Best Jeanist eyed up the side of the buildings. Utilizing some of his fibers, he tied them to two corners, forming a make-shift hammock.

"You may lay on top of these." He said and helped Uraraka before he stepped back next to the rest of them.

From the group, he looked at Bakugo first.

"Good idea." He said. "I apologize we weren't able to seal the deal."

"Hmph." Bakugo crossed his arms. He still seemed frustrated.

"What do we do now?" Ryukyu followed up, as her eyes went up to Nejire who flew around Urien's swings and landed another flurry of blows. However, without the piercing attacks, the armor seemed to be blocking them well.

Best Jeanist turned to Bakugo.

"Did you call for help like I asked?" He said, and Bakugo's crossed arms became even firmer around his chest.

"Yeah!.. I gave them the call." The sidekick replied, looking away to the battle instead.

"Then it's best for us to hold this line, till their arrival is imminent…" Best Jeanist said– right as two figures leaped over the buildings behind them.

"Don't think you're gonna have to wait long!" The figure in the front shouted.

All of them looked up.

"And here we go…" Ryukyu said with a bit of a deadpan in her voice.

The ones who had leaped above them, were none other than a tan, white haired woman with an athletic build and bunny-like features.

"Aim for the weak points, kid!" She shouted, and the muscular, orange and white tiger roared right after her, slamming his fists together.

"YOU GOT IT, NUMBER SEVEN HERO, MIRKO!" Rath shouted, as the hourglass symbol on his chest shone under the sun and a pink glare glowed in 'his' eyes!

Nejire saw them coming, so she slid to the left.

"Oh, he's all yours, you two!" She exclaimed, whereas Urien's face was filled to the brim with terror as he saw the tiger and the symbol.

"No, it can't be! Tennyso–?!" He shouted, right as Mirko landed a fierce axe-kick, cracking the head piece of the armor while Rath's claw tore further through the holes on Urien's chest.

Both fighters then aimed and made a three point landing, before palming their fist at the same time and turning back to their floating opponent.

"You're ready for the next round, sprout?!" Mirko asked with a goading excitement. Rath grinned as well.

"LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN, RATH IS ALWAYS READY FOR A ROUND TWO, THREE AND FIVE!" He shouted excitedly, before Mirko leaped to the sky.

Rath on the other hand got on all fours, and parkoured up the objects on the street before he leaped up as well. However, unlike Mirko, none of his limbs were being reeled back, rather Rath was keeping all of his body opened up.

"Hey, Pink Cheeks. You better get ready to drop him!" Bakugo commanded, as he realized what was going to happen first.

Uraraka groaned, and brought her fingers together. "Tell… me, when." She barely said, while Mirko had a fire burning in her eyes.

Raising her leg up again, she landed a rising kick midair to Urien's chin, making him flip upside down before Rath arrived and wrapped around him with his arms and legs.

"Polaris Piledriver…" Rath said with a grin.

Bakugo didn't even say anything, as Uraraka pressed her fingertips together.

"Release…"

Gravity quickly took hold and with his head wrapped around Rath's legs, Rath drove the knight's head straight through the concrete and kicked up all kinds of smoke!

Jumping back from the smoke, next to the group, Rath looked unharmed.

"Did that bury him already?" Mirko remarked with crossed arms. Once the smoke dispersed, they saw the armor still intact, with it starting to move. The nets Best Jeanist had made were still wrapped tightly around his limbs though, preventing him from really moving freely.

Mirko opened her arms– while Rath yelled.

"OH, YOU STILL WANT SOME MORE?!" His claws extended– only for Best Jeanist to put a hand in front.

"Not necessary, I'm afraid." He said, as even though Urien got up and tugged at his nets again, he quickly got interrupted by another hero that arrived on the scene.

Without warning, Urien felt his neck be grabbed by a smaller but even more imposing figure, right before it pulled him close, revealing himself to be a bipedal killer whale.

"Time to stop." He said before his eyes widened and a sonic blast emerged from his forehead!

Urien collapsed, with pupils shrunk, mouth wide open, and all of his muscles paralyzed from inside the armor. Best Jeanist relaxed, as did Nejire, Mirko and all the other heroes that were on the scene.

"Gang Orca…" The number four hero nodded his head and greeted him as the whale-like hero glanced at the villain one more time just to be certain.

"Best Jeanist…" The number ten hero approached, and the two formally shook hands. Best Jeanist couldn't help but then bow his head.

"I apologize for our disturbance." He said, but Gang Orca stood very unbothered.

"No need, I know you don't call for no reason." Gang Orca replied, before he glanced at the group. "And today proves you correct."

Including himself, there were four heroes in the top ten, numerous sidekicks, one work student, and… even three interns present. A seismic force, compared to what was deemed to be commonplace.

"Eh, I just got here, so I would have had the bastard hung by his feet with a couple more blows!" She said, which allowed Gang Orca a really easy clap back.

"So, why didn't you land them?" He asked coyly. Mirko narrowed her eyes in response.

"I can land them on you, killer whale. Why not go a few rounds right now?!" She followed up, clearly hyped like she was going to get to throw down with the number ten– only for the injured Ryukyu to interject.

"IF we may all spare our focus from who did the better job…" She asked inquiringly, and so Best Jeanist took the lead.

"Agreed." He said with the threads he utilized earlier weaving back into his hero costume, as he approached ever closer to their downed opponent. "Though it be by forces we're yet to understand, the extent of our abilities were truly tested all the same."

Ryukyu nodded, Gang Orca crossed his arms, and Mirko just looked on fiercely.

Best Jeanist pursed his mouth. While Tennyson who returned to his regular appearance had a sheepish smile, and Nejire as well as Bakugo seemed to have no discernable injuries, Uraraka was substantially worse for wear. A frown couldn't help but consume the pro's expression.

"This armor needs to be studied, and much remains to be done." Best Jeanist said.

"As well as the museum." Ryukyu added. "That is where the armor came from, we should investigate if there are any other relics that are at a similar risk."

"I can allocate some of my people in your place…" Gang Orca said before Mirko groaned.

"Okay, so if this is just gonna be a report-filing sesh, then I'm not going to bother. Call me if there's actually something that needs hitting back." She said… as Urien's gaze started to fade.

Little did they notice, the villain was watching from the ground. Although his vision was hazy, as the paralysis didn't allow for his eyelids to close, he could still make out a figure clad in black atop a building.

The pain from his eyes was accompanied by a sharp ringing in his ears, he tried to pay attention as he laid flat on his back.

He could faintly make out the person… as he had worn his signature golden mask.

"Enoch…"

"And what use would that be?"

Urien saw the insides of his own quarters once more. It was relatively plain with all the necessary utilities and furniture like a single bed, work table and shelf. However, unique to only him and his living space, were maps, pictures and red string tied all over several thumbtacks.

Currently he was sitting in front of his desk, the light of his monitor reflecting off from his own shiny armor… as one man wearing a metallic mask, white coat with gray cuffs and sports combat gear, straddled his chair.

"I'm not sure if I have inquired the question properly." Urien responded to his earlier, chiding remark. "What 'use' would that be?" He echoed with sarcasm.

"Yeah, Urien…" Wolfram said. "The world is changing, and yet you're stuck with what's in the dirt. That tech stuff? It went out of style about a hundred years ago!"

"And yet, if you're not careful you yourself might be the next thing I excavate." Urien clapped back, and got up.

Wolfram's eyes watched him, as he kept up a smile.

"There are no *good* meta abilities, Wolfram. Utilizing them now may be fine, especially with that pet project of theirs, but we can't fan the flame of this population amongst our own ranks! Regardless of whether they change appearance or not, those genes persist, they contaminate all the same! The hearts and minds of our people shouldn't have to be dealing with such an attack."

Wolfram continued to smile through it, unconvinced. Urien gritted his teeth, as his head snapped to his maps.

"The Earth!.. We have to believe it has provided us with what we need for this war, by stockpiling the weapons of those aliens against them, far away from sight within its soil." He gestured. Wolfram however, didn't seem convinced.

"So, that's how you're thinking you will win… Without compromise in this innocent dream you have, where we come out mostly clean?" Wolfram clapped back, confidently.

Urien bowed his head, knitting his brows in deep thought.

"If it were just the dirt that concerned me then these soiled hands wouldn't be mine." He stated.

Assembling his arms behind his back, he stood before his cabinet with his head hanging low. He sighed, before looking up and reaching for one of the books.

It was blood-red, decorated by a dark crimson cover from both sides as the title itself was written with ominous black Japanese kanji. There were two pure dark splotches on the cover, shaped as though they were meant to form a mask.

"I just don't want it to be our future." He stated.

Wolfram glanced at what was in his hands and delightfully smiled. Urien looked him in the eye.

"No matter how much the past works to ensure and root down, what currently is, can easily be changed. However once our enemy of quirks makes their bond with the future generation permanent, they will become unbeatable."

He placed the book on his desk.

"So in one fell swoop a lesson must be taught. The weakness of their current protectors shall be… needs to be put on full display…" Urien said as he took out one more and flipped open its pages.

His eyes moved from side to side.

"And until I find a method to make that happen, I shall never stop searching." He declared with utmost resolve.

A condescending and playful aura was surrounding Wolfram at the time. Even with his back turned to him, he could feel it emanating and crashing down upon him– only for it to break like glass as Wolfram put a hand on Urien's shoulder.

"Well, I'll try to take it not so personally." He said.

When Urien turned around, he saw a smirk had descended on Wolfram's face, as one of the quirk user's hands were also raised.

"I look forward to seeing what you come up with, Urien." The masked man said, and Urien skeptically looked at the hand. He had been wearing his armor currently, and Wolfram's quirk was to manipulate any metallic object he was in close distance to.

He cautiously ended up deciding to respect his action, but once he did… There was no catch. Urien glanced up with a reserved expression, still not sure if he was out of the trenches or not.

But all that was present on Wolfram's masked face was a genuine warm feeling, and a wish of pure encouragement.

"Let's see how you would stop our doomsday clock." Wolfram said, as someone else appeared behind the room's door.

He was a knight wearing similar armor, but this time with black bowl-cutted hair, marked eyes and a soul patch for his face.

"Wolfram, sir! You were requested at the lower level–" He raised his voice demandingly, only to be cut off.

"Yeah, yeah, Dagonet." The quirk user said, raising one hand and bending the armor of his metal over his mouth. There was a turbulent atmosphere in his glare…

Bakugo stared at the armor with crossed arms and narrowed eyes due to the sun. As he shielded them though, his eyes did slowly deviate to the head of the armor and then followed on up to Urien's potential line of sight.

First of all he checked the streets and then the stores, finally came the structures, but all he ended up seeing was a blue flicker of light.

He grunted in dissatisfaction, as his arms unraveled and he rested his hands on his hips.

"Eat sand…" He uttered– before his mentor spoke.

"Come, Bakugo. It's our time to depart." Best Jeanist said. Police, firemen and medical personnel were all arriving in greater numbers seeing as the battle had ended, so Bakugo glared at his classmates.

Tennyson was still wearing his damn smile, as Uraraka could finally get back on her feet again.

"See you extras later." Bakugo said, turning around with his hands by his sides– right before Tennyson opened his mouth.

"Oh, just like that you're leaving?" He asked. Bakugo didn't even turn around.

"Uh… Yeah? Why shouldn't he?" Uraraka wearily asked.

"Dunno." Tennyson replied a little fast. "Just expected more posturing, turning it into a pissing contest, that sort of stuff. The usual."

Bakugo glared back and Tennyson just stood there. His arms were crossed and his glare was confident, but the light in his eyes… were dim. It looked very matte, like paint.

It struck him as odd, but Bakugo didn't make a note of it.

"Just shut the hell up…" He said.

Though he then didn't get to hear it, Tennyson turned to Uraraka.

"Wait, isn't that how we normally played this game?" He asked confusedly.

"Yeah…" Uraraka said. "That's surprising."

With some fast walking, it didn't take long for Bakugo to catch up to Best Jeanist.

"What about the damn report?" He asked.

Best Jeanist humbly looked down.

"Leave it for now. I believe I have an even more important matter to correct."

It didn't take long for Best Jeanist to drive them back to the agency. The halls of the hero agency had fallen silent. Though the lights were still on, and the clean and organized floorplan was still very welcoming, anyone would be turning at the door.

They entered inside, with Bakugo glancing around, ready for any sidekick to pop out right now and start religiously bootlicking. However, no such appearance came to pass.

Best Jeanist led him deeper inside, unfortunately to the very barber chair he had just bolted out from. A groan manifested on his face, but as Best Jeanist held onto the top of it, it was clear that he had to sit.

Bakugo did as so, before a white sheet was pulled over and around his neck.

"There was actually time in the day to do this again–" He seethed, only to be cut off by Best Jeanist.

"Excellence is not a singular act; it's a habit." He said. "One is what one repeatedly does, the disciplines he weaves, and the unbreakable bonds he forges within his own head."

Best Jeanist's motions were once again very methodical, however it wasn't the result of the ash-blond work in front of him.

"I assume I'm due an apology…" He said, only for Bakugo to raise his voice.

"Heroes and villains are cut from the same cloth. That's what your ass wanted to say, but chickened out." He said, interrupting him next.

Best Jeanist paused way sooner than the previous time. Bakugo had raised his head, however this time… there was no mirror for him to utilize.

"You aren't the first to come and say some shit like that." He said determinedly, however the bite behind his words were dying down. "But…"

Best Jeanist picked up the spray from the table, and the hair dryer.

"*But* just because you haven't put in the effort to show… doesn't mean your nature is one note. You've strong, but also adaptable. The last thing you are, IS a one-trick pony." Jeanist completed.

"And you missed that till now?" Bakugo sarcastically remarked, only to get an answer truly earnest.

"I… might have." Best Jeanist said, though his hands didn't stop. Giving them a couple seconds, he just focused on his work, putting down the spray battle and the hair dryer before picking up a comb and a round brush. Bakugo still hadn't spoken.

"Now, are you tongue-tied?" Best Jeanist asked. The intern scoffed.

"What do you want exactly? Me to say something just to make you feel better? If you think you made a mistake, then learn and move on." Bakugo replied. "It ain't my problem."

Best Jeanist… ultimately nodded.

"I suppose it has been me who has come to learn an important lesson first." He said in admission. The second the words left his mouth, Bakugo started grinning self-satisfiedly.

"However… that doesn't mean I have nothing to say, nor was it a mistake for you to have chosen me. For starters, based on what I read from your information, you have come to find yourself in a unique kind of circumstance. Or rather… a lack of a particular circumstance."

Bakugo's smile instantly faded, as he huffed from his nose and glanced down.

"Yeah, bastards didn't bite for any of my hero names." He said.

"Any particular reason?" Best Jeanist followed up. Bakugo didn't bother to answer.

"None… that are worth considering." He said, muscles tensing. Best Jeanist hummed to himself, before leaning forth.

"Your hero name is a wish. How you want to be, or how you think you should be. I'm sure the issue they have had is you not starting to look outside of yourself yet."

Bakugo tensed, as the memories of rejections of his names while the rest of his class got to pick theirs resurfaced. Best Jeanist however didn't try to keep him still, and was just about to be done.

"When you become a second year and get your provisional license, come back here. I will ask you for your chosen name again." He said, as he put down the comb and the brush. Turning around the chair, he then stepped away towards his desk.

Opening up his drawer, he took out something wrapped in cloth.

"But until that time… in the span of just two short weeks, I will be doing all I can to support, and make you figure out exactly what the future holds." Best Jeanist said, as he unraveled his own knot. A small mirror emerged, and when he directed it to Bakugo, the ash-blonde's eyes had never become this wide before. What Best Jeanist had done to his hair wasn't tempering it and soothing it down, abut rather he had made it shine, all while keeping the same spikes and its same explosive style.

Bakugo brushed his hand through it, and even got closer to the mirror with a smirk.

"Not too bad." He replied. It wasn't bad at all.

"Skilful, agile, come on you two!" Kamui Woods ordered with his arms crossed, standing atop a tree just outside of Hando city. Meanwhile, Sero and Tsunotori were moving through the thick and dense forest.

At every turn, Pony had to narrowly swerve around a branch and leaves, while Sero tested his own response time, making sure he attached his tape on a strong-enough limb lest he wanted to fall while swinging.

"Comradery between multiple heroes is of paramount importance…" Their mentor said as he unraveled his crossed arms, and put one on the trunk of the tree he was standing on. Immediately it dug in and slithered around.

"You need to face whatever you encounter together…"

All of a sudden, Kamui Woods' fist emerged from the ground and shot straight up, punching right through the branch Sero had attached his tape to!

"Cellophane!" Pony turned back immediately and flew down. She extended her hand, and Sero managed to grab it– but the two horns she was flying around on couldn't lift up their weight and barely broke their fall as they crashed.

Between the twigs and leaves of a nearby bush, the two interns groaned.

"You okay?" Pony asked as she got up.

"Yeah…" Sero replied. "Good thing, past-me thought up of a helmet. But, it doesn't look like we're out of the woods yet."

Pony tilted her head, right before she spotted what Sero was talking about. Now Kamui Woods had crouched and put both arms through the branch he stood on. Almost instantly, his own wooden branches shot out and formed into mock villain statues!

The two of them stood back to back, and she shot out a barrage of her horns from her head, tearing apart the villain statues while Sero raised his elbows and tied up those on his end.

Immediately, the two looked up to Kamui Woods and the hero got up from where he had crouched and crossed his arms, before he nodded approvingly.

"For one can't be their own master, without disciples." He thought and closed his eyes… before he sneakily dove his foot into the ground.

As his disciples turned to him with smiles, he conjured another mock villain statue. With very minimal creaking of its wood, it raised its hand– before it was squashed by a giant foot!

Both the hero interns turned back, spooked and ready to fight! But all they then got to see was a blonde woman wearing a purple and pale tan skintight suit with orange highlights shrinking down from twenty meters.

"Heeeeey!" Mt. Lady cheerfully greeted them, much to the dismay of Kamui Woods with Mineta right behind her. He was waving at Sero.

"Could we join you two?"

"Of course!" Ashido beamed. "I still hold the high-score on that song in DDR!"

"YOU'RE AIO?" Melisma leapt out of his bean bag. "Do you realize how embarrassing it is to be the Singer Hero and not destroy all competition on your own song? My followers keep making fun of me because of you!"

He looked at the pink girl smiling at him and sat back down, deflated.

The red, mohawk-like haired hero was in his office with the new intern. He had his stage costume on, which was also his go-to for hero work. Over the black bodysuit were massive spiky pauldrons and an equally weird red shirt with a high neck. His face covered with rockstar inspired make-up lit up with a smile.

"At least you're a fan, I guess." He said, putting a hand on his head as he kept on checking the comments in chat. "I knew you'd have good taste after your stage performance at that festival."

Ashido's smile got even bigger.

"Oh, I have the high-score on every song!"

"Wha-" Right as he was about to question what kind of monster this girl is, an alarm rang out. He quickly sprung up again.

"Looks like it's showtime!" He turned to Ashido with a grin, grabbing his guitar. "Let's see if you can keep up with my tempo in the real world, Queen."

He hit the strings and started playing "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin

"AAAAAAAA…!" he sang as he ran out.

Ashido felt herself filled with hype and power, a result of the quirk no wonder.

"THIS IS AWESOME!" She yelled.

The Alien Queen rushed out the door right after Melisma with increased speed!

"How many are in there?"

In the streets of Jaku city, Death Arms and Backdraft were just outside of a bank with two new interns by their sides, Chargebolt and Ambiance.

"I'm counting two… no, three villains and six hostages. And I'm detecting someone in the backdoor, but I can't tell if they're good or bad." Jiro whispered as she stopped crouching and retracted her earphone jack from the wall.

"Got it." Death Arms said and hit his fists together with determination. "Backdraft, you circle back around and secure the backdoor. I'll go in to confront the villains first, and then you two secure the hostages and lead them to safety."

"Uh… right." Jiro responded right as Backdraft gave a nod and left. So… Kaminari snapped his fingers and hyped himself up.

"Crystal clear." He gave a more playful response and got to his feet as well. His heart was beating so fast though, who could have known they'd be so close to the action right off rip!

As soon as they got the signal that the backdoor was secured, Death Arms shoulder charged through the door!

"Hey, hands up and get down on the ground! I'm a pro-hero!" Death Arms immediately started shouting.

Kaminari's stomach sank by the gun shots that followed, making him freeze up… unlike Jiro who ran out from their hiding position and to the door.

"I will escort you! Follow me!" She raised her voice, and almost immediately the six hostages came running outside. Kaminari flinched and ran behind them just to not be left behind.

"We're saved!" One of the hostages said, right before another one of them spoke.

"Thank you, hero!" She said, and a brief smile appeared on Jiro's face. She clearly felt good about herself, while Kaminari…

"Wow…" He just exclaimed as Jiro just seemed so efficient with what she did.

"I guess I gotta pick up my weight too…" Kaminari thought. "There's lots to learn, and I really gotta get rid of those jitters. I have to do the best I can!"

Midoriya was finally in his hero costume. He had put on the tracksuit, gloves and belt as the mask hung behind his neck. However, it was an extremely different suit compared to his first one.

It looked way sturdier than before and had a whole new color palette of beige and a darker shade of green on it.

As his eyes went over himself top to bottom, he noticed the note that fell on the ground, so he picked it up.

"Dear, Midoriya Izuku. As we've repaired your costume last time, our designers have floated ideas regarding changes to the material and overall improvements. It is our honor now to present the finished product to you… Trust us, it'll look so much cooler!"

"Wow…" Midoriya said before he put the note aside. "Can't believe the support course made changes to the costume without asking me… I guess I shouldn't really be surprised after seeing everything else U.A. has to offer."

The pads around his joints were a lot firmer. The respirator of his mask had been completely transformed and made out of metal, however Midoriya didn't really mind it. Honestly, it even felt more comfortable now.

"Guess, I should give it a name…" He thought. "Hmmm… if the last costume was version alpha, then this can be costume beta!"

"You're done yet?" Gran Torino asked, as he had gotten down from where he had perched up.

Midoriya flinched, before he stumbled up.

"O-Oh, yeah!" He made his hands into fists.

The old hero's face lit up with a competitive smirk.

"Great, then you can show me a smash finally." Gran Torino said.

However Midoriya pursed his mouth.

"Sir, I meant to ask about that. Are you sure that's a good idea?" He raised his hand. " I mean, first I never used his costume before, and this place is kind of small. Not to mention, if I fire one off at full strength and hit you–"

"Geez kid… good thing I'm old rather than narcoleptic. You are a chatterbox." Gran Torino shook his head.

Midoriya instantly put his hands on his mouth– only for him to vanish!

"But I'm losing patience!" Gran Torino yelled, with the voice coming behind him!

Midoriya turned, immediately spotting him on the top of the fridge.

"Just when did he get there–!" He thought, before Gran Torino vanished again and kicked him right in the back!

"We're really kicking it off with combat training?!"

Almost instantly, he saw Gran Torino fly by him again. He had seen him go by this time, but it was just for a brief moment. All he could do was raise his arms and guard his head for any more attacks.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Gran Torino laughed, as his current pupil was weaving around anytime he got close, almost like he was trying to not get in the way of a bee!

He landed on his microwave.

"What? You didn't really think I was a frail old man?!" Gran Torino called him out. "Don't tell me that the ninth holder of this power was wasted on you!"

Midoriya knitted his eyebrows.

"Of course it isn't!" He shouted– only to get slammed in the back again with a double diving kick!

Bouncing off his back, then the couch, and his bookcase after that, the old hero went back to ricochetting from one surface, any surface, to the next.

"He's too fast." Midoriya thought. Most likely Gran Torino was biding his time to strike once more, catching him off guard to maximize the damage.

"The only way to keep up with him is to spread one for all across my limbs again…" He said to himself, recalling the memories of his fight with Todoroki.

Trying to keep his power out from his heart and head were so extremely strenuous, as if his muscles were set a blaze from the inside even when he was set down on the hospital bed.

"It's out of the question. If I did that, I'd be out for another two days, maybe longer–!" He thought to himself, as Gran Torino punt him on his side!

It made him fall down on all fours.

"Ah… come on, think! What else… There's no place to hide and it's pointless to figure out where he is." He thought. Even his pupils were starting to get strained from trying to keep up with him.

And so… he stopped.

He closed both of his eyes. The strikes to the back of his body kept raining down, but Midoriya gritted his teeth and listened.

"I just need to figure out how to stop him from moving…" He thought.

With a sharp puffing sound, his eyebrows knitted.

"He went behind my back. Twice, back to back."

Five percent One for All channeled all around one of his hands. He could do seven percent, but it was better to not take risks. Midoriya riled his fist back and rose to his feet!

"So, if the shoe fits–!" He thought, as Gran Torino was about to come down for an impact. The old hero smirked.

"Clever analysis, kid."

"5% Smash!" Midoriya reached out– only for his opponent to swerve right.

"But, you're stiff."

Midoriya's eyebrows went up, as Gran Torino had slowed his descent with the air from his feet. His hand opened– right before his speed returned and Gran Torino slammed his head to the ground!

The air from his punch earlier had dispersed, and he… Midoriya, had lost. It was over.

"Why…" He asked himself.

"There's too much discourse coming from your mind." Gran Torino answered, before getting off his newfound pupil. "The way you used One for All throughout the entire festival showed that you're getting used to the quirk. You have its fundamentals.

Midoriya raised his upper body off the ground and checked his hand by opening and closing his fingers. Sure enough, no broken fingers– right as he flinched since Gran Torino tapped his hand with his cane.

"But… getting a quirk out of the blue has made you lose your balance." Gran Torino continued.

"Uh-huh." He said– right before his eyes widened. "Wait, what do you mean getting a quirk out of the blue?"

Gran Torino's gaze was dismissive, as he put his cane down and rubbed his beard with closed eyes.

"Hmm… It has been around three months since you got One for All from Toshinori, hasn't it…" The old hero said, before his eyes opened. "Maybe it wasn't getting One for All that did it, but you are shackled down!"

Midoriya flinched, as Gran Torino had sternly roared at him.

"You lost the spark that All Might couldn't help but yammer to me about in his letter." He sighed. "Or maybe not lost but changed somehow, whatever..."

"A spark? Lost?" Midoriya echoed.

"Yes, a spark. Lost. You sure you're not the one going deaf, kid?" Gran Torino clapped back, straightening as he held his staff again.

Midoriya's pupils shrunk.

"Y-Yeah, I heard you for the first time, but…" He stammered. A million thoughts were whizzing by his mind a second.

"What kind of spark– How have I been shackled?" He managed to ask, instinctively reaching out his hand.

Gran Torino glanced back coldly.

"Did you think this was a playdate, kid? Figure out the answers yourself." The old hero said, not only merely firm in his stance but extremely so.

Midoriya sat on his legs, and lowered his frazzled face.

"It's true that you're part of something much bigger, kid." Gran Torino said, putting his cane back on the ground and leaned down on it. "A lot of people are now relying on you, standing with bated breath about what you might become; however, time is not one of them."

He raised his cane and pressed it onto his forehead.

"You need to relearn how you once went through uncharted waters if you want to improve again!" He yelled, before turning away once more…

"Oh, and you're thinking One for All is more special than it really is." Gran Torino then nonchalantly added. "Take it easy a little. In the meantime, I'll go and buy us some grub. I can leave the clean up to you, right? He he he…"

His mentor walked right out, leaving the pupil stunned.

"More special than it is… How I once went through uncharted waters…"

Midoriya looked down at his hand, with shrunken pupils.

"I didn't change that much, did I?"

That's it! What did you think?

Before I get to my usual yapping, a big shout out to Nexusplayer! They suggested an OC hero concept, who is now the hero Mina interns with, called Melisma and written by the editor! I don't plan to do this often, but I can say it felt like it fit the fun nature of the chapter towards its ending.

Now, back to the rest… 4 years...

4 years, 40 chapters, published over two sites. What a journey.

Second of all, after that shoutout, I have to thank everyone who reached this point. It's because of you that I'm still here right now, and managed to return at all after such a break.

In all honesty, this was probably the largest source of my problems during the hiatus. Like, after going on this break, what… exactly do you open with, for the big comeback?

Do you open with a build-up to immediately go into Stain next time?

Do you open with one of your hand picked adventures for Ben and Momo?

Or something with Kevin to further build on him?

All those options were very tantalizing, to which I even wrote scenes for them, but after a while, the direction which the plot took felt very… uninteresting.

Attempting to just step on the gas, knowing that I'm on Chapter 40, year number 4, still on S2 of MHA, felt kinda bleak and lost its luster for me so… I figured I'd do what I do best and take it slow. Hence, Bakugo chapter with Best Jeanist it was! :D

Jk though, I had a really good time working on this one. It felt decently re-introductory without being forced, and the theme of current generation learning from the new felt appropriately MHA. I hope you had fun with it like I did.

Next time, I can guarantee that we're gonna be turning up the jets. Gotta say, those scenes I didn't use this time? They really saved me the trouble of writing later down the line XD

Until then though… have a nice day and I hope to see you again in the next one. See you in 3 weeks!