Chapter 389 - 17-

Issue #17: "The Internship"

It was the day before the students would be returning to U.A., and the talk of the town was still the Sports Festival. More specifically, the winner of the games, Wade Walker. After he had won first place, he immediately made the headlines on every mainstream news in the world. So many people were shocked at just how much power a First-Year student had at his fingertips. Some said that he even had the skills and power to take down a Pro Hero. The main highlights were his fights with Bakugo and Todoroki in the Semifinals and the Finals.

As for the Spider-Man himself, he was riding on a train. He was standing near the doors of the car he was in, with a hand on a metal pole and his other hand holding his phone. It was a rainy day, so Wade didn't want to go web-swinging. In the days after the Sports Festival ended, he recovered from his injuries by tomorrow, his normal classes were to start right back up again.

Opening his phone's screen, he got some notifications on some social media sites. Wade already knew that they were about the Sports Festival. Wade was quickly gaining popularity online. With him on a list for the hottest U.A. freshmen created by the females watching the live event. It made him flush that people thought he was hot and some of the comments were quite lewd. However, there was something else on his mind.

Iida had yet to text Wade back the past few days, even though the Spider-Man knew he had seen his messages. He was really getting worried about his friend's mental health after what happened during the Sports Festival.

After the Sports Festival, Iida's brother was all over the news. It turned out that he'd been attacked in Hosu City, Tokyo and it was looking like he was going to be beyond recovery. The person responsible had apparently killed 17 Heroes in the past, and hurt 23 so badly that they were beyond recovery.

This man was a scourge on the Pro Hero community. The elusive Hero Killer: Stain.

Wade sighed and started browsing through his phone. Trying to clear his head by remembering why he was trying to get into the city. Today was the day that Wade and Midnight planned to meet up. It was finally time to catch up on the lost time from when they last met. Too bad it was raining so badly.

A moment passed before he heard someone standing next to him on the packed train trying to get his attention. "Hey, you. Excuse me."

"Hm?" Wade turned his head to see a man looking curiously at him.

"You're Wade Walker from Class 1-A!" The man said, giving him a thumbs up.

Him being identified as the winner of the First Year's Sports Festival began a lot of commotion on the train. Wearing a yellow raincoat with the hood up would have made it difficult for people to tell who he was.

Wade pulled back the hood as the man continued. "Great job getting first place in the Sports Festival. I rooted for you!"

"Oh, thank you." Wade said with a smile.

"You almost got first place in every round. You really dominated the competition!"

"You were so cool!"

Everyone on the train started to surround the poor boy like he was some kind of celebrity. Everyone gave him congratulations and praised him for his powers and abilities. Luckily for the young man, his stop had just come, and he told the people that he had to get off. The civilians groaned in disappointment but they told Wade one last thing before he left.

"Do your best, Hero!"

Wade smiled and waved goodbye as he exited the train. "I will!"

As he turned towards the exit, Wade heard the ping of his phone before pulling it up and opening the screen. It was a text from Nemuri.

Nemuri: I'm at the park. See you there.

Wade smiled and turned off his phone. Pulling back up his hood, he walked into the rain and started heading towards the park.

When he arrived at one of the entrances to the park, he was stopped by someone. "You look like you could use a good time~" She said in a playful, seductive voice that was all too familiar.

Turning to his right, Wade turned and his eyes widened a bit when he saw Midnight in casual clothing; a yellow jacket and a maroon turtleneck sweater underneath with a skirt and stockings that went past her knees and high-heel shoes.

"Did you just use a prostitute pick up line?" Wade jokingly asked with a raised eyebrow with a smirk.

Nemuri playfully slapped his face. "Maybe I did." Wade approached her and the two hugged one another. Midnight smiled thinking about how much taller and more muscular he's become from the little boy she knew. "It's so great to see you again, Little Tiger."

Nemuri took a bite out of her corn dog and moaned in delight. The two friends were sitting together on a bench with an overhang, eating freshly made corn dogs they had bought from a food truck. Just as it was able to fool Wade, people didn't recognize Nemuri as Midnight with her normal-looking glasses on. This was probably a good thing for the young man, as he could just imagine the things people would think of if they saw the winner of the Sports Festival with the R-Rated Hero.

"Since when did that truck start serving pizza?" she asked, referring to the food truck they got their corn dogs from.

"No idea," Wade with his mouth full, before he swallowed. "But I'm still glad he makes these dogs."

"Totally, best in Tokyo," Nemuri said with a giggle. Taking another bit from her corndog.

Wade looked down for a moment before turning his head to Nemuri and asked, "So...How've you been doing? How's life as a teacher?"

"Definity not something you'd think I'd do for a side-job, huh?" Nemuri asked with a smirk. "I must admit, it has its ups and downs, with the principle placing a lot of restrictions for how I act with younger boys."

"Did dad know that you were a teacher?" Wade asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"He did, and even he was surprised to learn of it. I mean, sure, I've done a lot of modeling gigs, but helping the next generation of Heroes is just something that I'm drawn to." She said, taking one last bite of her corndog before throwing away the stick.

"Let's not make this all about business." She said, putting on a big smile while also showing concern for the boy. "Tell me about how you've been? Are you doing okay? Are you getting enough to eat? Are you staying with someone? You can always stay with me…"

"It's fine. I'm actually staying with Inko." Wade said.

Nemuri's eyes widened with surprise. "Inko? I haven't talked to her in a while! How's she been? Is she going okay?"

"Yeah," Wade said, throwing away his corndog. "She's agreed to let me stay with her until I can move out on my own. After I graduated from U.A."

"Yeah! I was shocked when I learned you were able to get into UA and that you had a crazy powerful Quirk." Nemuri said to the young man. She then looked at him with playful suspicion. "You weren't trying to high it from your father and me, weren't you?"

The Spider-Man started to get a little nervous. Wade wanted to tell her the truth about One-for-All, but he couldn't do it. He promised All-Might. However, what about his Spider-Quirk? He hasn't even told Inko about how he got his Quirk and felt it would be unfair to tell Midnight and not mom.

"W-Well, you see, I'm...not all that sure." Wade said. "I'm guessing that I'm just a late bloomer."

Nemuri placed a hand on her chin. "There are extremely rare cases that show that a person can develop a Quirk later in their lives." she said before turning back to Wade with a smile. "But it looks like you've got a real good one."

"Yeah, well, I've still got a long way to go," Wade said with a smile. "I'm still trying to figure out how to answer a question to an assignment Mr. Aizawa gave us."

"What's the question?" Midnight asked.

He looked at her. "Isn't it wrong that I'm asking you how to answer a question?"

"Not when I'm not at work," Nemuri said with a smirk. She then tapped her finger on his nose. Wade chuckled before sighing.

"Well, he wants us to think about what made us what to be a Hero, and I'm kind of at a crossroad." Wade told Nemuri, as the woman gave him her full attention. "I want to say that it was because of All Might, but you can say that about anyone. But...to be completely honest there's another reason."

Nemuri wanted for him to say it as the rain poured down around them. Wade turned to her with a serious expression.

"Do you...remember when I was kidnapped?"

This took Nemuri aback as she looked at the boy in shock. That incident was only a part of a much bigger and more infamous series of kidnappings that was going on before it finally ended. "I do. It was actually when I first met your dad. I remembered when he came home and learned you were taken. We were lucky to find you and the other kids."

"I don't remember much of my time, but I do remember bits and pieces from when I was rescued." Wade said, before thinking back on that night. He remembered the coldness of the room he and the other kids were locked up in, and then remembered seeing him. "All I really remember seeing was a man in a black mask. I didn't even know which Hero he was. All I remember was him saying my name, and telling me that he was taking me home. Next time I wake up, I'm in the hospital with dad sleeping next to me. It was honestly the first time I've seen him cry. I never did figure out who that Hero was, but I know that after that night, I wanted to be a Hero even more. To save those who're in trouble."

Nemuri was silent for a moment, looking at the boy with wide eyes and mouth slightly agape. But she smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Well, from what I've seen from the Sports Festival, I'd say you're on your way to becoming a great Hero, little tiger."

Wade chunked a little bit. He then stopped and nodded his head. His mind was elsewhere from the world around him. "I...I just wish dad was still here to see me now."

Nemuri wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a side hug. She did too. Midnight missed her lover deeply. Now all she had to remember him by was his own son, who was quickly becoming a fine Hero. But that's when a thought entered her mind. Something that she's wanted to tell him for a while now. Something that Daniel wanted to tell him, but never could for his son's protection.

When Nemuri pulled away from Wade, she took a deep breath. "Tell me, Wade. What do you know about...Vigilantes?"

Wade looked up at her with a look of confusion. "Not much, actually." He said with a shrug. "Mr. Aizawa said that it was going to be one of the lessons for this week. Most of what I know was from brief lessons from junior high that just hounded the lesson that 'Vigilantism is bad'."

"Well, what do you remember from those lessons?" she asked, wanting to know just how much Wade does.

"They're Heroes, right? Well, people sometimes call them the original heroes before the government came out with all their regulations. But nowadays they're outlawed because of the regulations that were put in place in the years following the discovery of Quirks. Breaking laws like 'Activation of Quirk in an Urban Area' and 'Reckless Driving.'"

"Looks, heart, strength, and brains, no wonder you've got those three girls gunning for you. I might even feel attracted to you." She said with a teasing smirk. Finding it amusing when the youthful boy blushed with embarrassment. Cutting back on the teasing, Nemuri became serious again. "But, to put it in context, yes. Vigilantes are the original heroes. The government now considers them and villains one and the same. Nothing more than heinous criminals."

Wade was silent for a moment, not fully understanding why she wanted to talk about vigilantes. But then the realization hit him and his eyes widened.

"Are you saying...that Hero was really a vigilante?" He asked with a stunned look.

Midnight nodded. "He was."

"Did you know him?"

She remained silent for a moment.

"Do you still have your father's old trunk?"

"It's so good to see you again, Nemuri!" Inko, pouring a cup of tea for Midnight as she sat on the couch. When Wade came home with Midnight, the motherly woman was shocked and overjoyed to see the R-Rated Heroine. So much so that she nearly flooded the room with her crying.

"It's so good to see you too, Inko." Nemuri said with a smile. "I'm sorry I don't come around all that often to talk."

Being the understanding type, Inko waved a hand with a sad smile. She knew that Daniel was dating the Hero Midnight and that the two were in love. "No, I understand. I'm just glad to see you again." Inko said with sincerity. "And I'm sure Wade was happy to see you too. You know, once he figured out it was you in that outfit."

"Alright, so I couldn't tell who she really was." Wade whined as he walked back into the run with a large trunk. Inside it contained everything personal that belonged to his father. "Apparently all you need to hide your identity is a pair of glasses, a suit, and your hair in a different style."

Wade set the trunk in the living room and unlocked it. Opening it up, Wade and Nemuri looked inside to see much of his fathers personal items. Things like photos, clothing, and some of his fighting gear. The three helped each other pull out all there was in the trunk and placed them to the side for putting away.

As she pulled out some of her lover's clothing, Nemuri looked up at the inside of the trunk's lid and saw some pictures that Daniel had taped there. One of them was of him and her in a selfie. Midnight smiled as she remembered that date.

"That was everything." Wade said, placing the last bit of stuff down. "What are we looking for exactly?"

Nemuri reached inside the trunk and ran her fingers along the edge of the bottom. Trying to feel for something as Wade and Inko stood by and watched from the side.

The woman's red fingernail eventually found a small cut out in the bottom of the trunk and dug her finger into it. She then pulled, opening a hidden door. Wade was taken aback by this, before Nemuri stepped back to let him see what it was that was inside. When Inko saw, she gasped and covered her mouth in shock. The boy just stood there and looked down in the trunk in complete shock.

Laying inside was a black suit with red stitching online. The suit had padding which was integrated into it. It would protect the wearer's chest and back, elbows and arms, and their legs while also being light enough for the wearer to move around. Next to the suit were a Billy Club that could be used as a short staff, or two individual sticks joined by a high tensile wire for grappling. There was even a holster for them to be on the user's thigh.

But most important, and the one item that caught Wade's attention the most was the mask. It was a simple looking black mask that would be worn over the head and nose, leaving only the mouth uncovered. There were two eye holes cut out for the wearer to see.

"You asked me if I had known the vigilante that saved you." Midnight said and turned to the Spider-Man. Not finishing her sentence as a way for him to come to the conclusion himself.

Wade reached into the trunk and pulled out the black mask. Staring at it in total shock.

"Dad… was a vigilante?"

"My goodness..." Inko said in total shock. Not even she knew the truth about her friend's secret.

"He didn't really give himself a name." Nemuri said, sitting down on the couch. Wade and Inko joined her. The three sat together as Midnight explained it to them. "But some people that he'd saved would call him the Black Mask."

"But...Why?" Wade asked, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his father was the same vigilante that saved his life all those years around. "He knew that vigilantism was a crime."

"When you were kidnapped, Wade, the police were still unable to find the kids that were taken. Your father just couldn't sit back and do nothing while you were God knows where," Nemuri said, looking down at her tea. Not even she or the other Heroes were able to find any leads. She remembered the emotional torment Dan was in when he returned home to see that his house was broken into and his son gone.

"You were his motivation for living after all. So, he took up the mask to try and find you. And he did, along with others that were taken by the villains. After that, he couldn't just give up." She said with a smile. "Sure, he knew what he was doing was wrong, but...I guess, in his mind, it was the only choice left. Not when he was able to do something about it." Midnight giggled for a moment. "Then again, he always was too stubborn to just give up."

The conversation was abruptly interrupted when there was a phone that started to ring. Recognizing it, Inko got up. "I've got to take this. You two continue talking." She said with a small smile. The green haired woman was still in slight shock about what she was just told.

There was silence in the room for a moment as Wade looked back down at the black mask he was holding.

But now that she was alone in the room with Wade, Nemuri looked down at the ground in shame. She had wanted to see Wade for a long time after Daniel died. She really did. But something always held her back, and now that she's with him alone, after just revealed Dan's secret to him, the woman was trying to find the words to express the guilt welling up inside her.

Seeing the sad look his dad's girlfriend had and started to become concerned, Wade asked, "Are you…"

"...I'm sorry." She said with a somber tone.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. For not being there. For you or your father. When I found out about Dan's death, I was coming back from a mission that was outside of the city. I volunteered to go." She said, as tears started welling up in her eyes. But Midnight couldn't keep a sob from slipping through her lips as she continued. "I didn't know until Aizawa told me when I returned days after the funeral."

Wade looked at her with wide eyes before looking down sadly. He remembered his father told him that Nemuri would be gone on a business trip, but didn't go into further details. But now he understood. And it just made the guilt he bore even more heavy.

"Why didn't you return any of my calls when you found out?" Wade asked.

Nemuri took a moment to collect herself, but she was still miserable. "I...I wanted to. God, I really did. But I was afraid that you would hate me for leaving him." She said, a slight shake of her head. "So, I've tried to focus on my Hero work. Trying to find a way to numb the pain, but… I still couldn't."

Wade looked at her in confusion. "But why would I hate you?"

Placing the tea cup on the stand, Midnight looking at the photo of the couple that was on the bottom of the trunk's lid. "We had an argument before I left. I can't even remember what it was about. Was it something that we could have gotten over or would it have caused us to end it?" She looked at her hands and clenched them. Her voice was full of guilt. "It's why I took on the mission in the first place. Now, I just couldn't help but wonder if I didn't do it…"

"Nemuri, don't," Wade said, placing a hand on hers to stop the woman. He couldn't sit there and continue to listen to her blaming herself. He couldn't hide the truth from her anymore. "There's nothing you could have done, Nemuri...It wasn't your fault. It's mine."

Wade spent the next hour explaining what had happened the day he got his powers. He left out he was bitten by the radioactive spider. He talked about being attacked by the slug villain and All Might saving him. He explained how he came to about All Might's injury and how he said the young boy couldn't be a Hero without a Quirk. And how he left the villain inside the jug.

He started tearing up when he talked about the fight he had with his dad. The words he said to him before running off. Hurtful words he wished he could take back. He finished off with finding his dad on the verge of death, and how he died in his arms.

When came to a stop, Wade looked down with a look of misery. He couldn't bring himself to look at the woman that his father fell in love with. The same woman that he would have likely spent the rest of his life with, if it wasn't cut shortly by his actions. Tears were running down his eyes as he looked at the black mask in his hands.

"It's my fault dad's gone. If I just did what I knew was the right thing to do, the bastard would have been in jail before he got out. All I ever did was keep making things worse and worse for dad..." Wade said, fighting back the sobs that were choking in his throat.

After coming back from the phone call, Inko was at his side, with one hand on her son's right arm and the other one rubbing his back. She listened to her son explain what had happened, and it just broke her heart. Not because of what he did or what he said, but because she understood why he was so devastated by Daniel's death. It made her so sad to see the boy blame the incident on himself.

Wade glanced up at Midnight, before looking away when seeing her look of shock and sadness. "And now I screwed up things with you and Inko." He said in defeat.

Inko's hand reached out and lifted his head up to look at him. "No, Wade. You didn't screw things up with me or anyone." his figurative mother said with the tears in her eyes returning.

"Inko, how can you not hate me?" Wade asked in disbelief. "God, I got my own dad killed! I took him away from Nemuri! He would probably hate me right now…"

"Wade, please don't do this to yourself," Nemuri whispered with a look of sympathy as she caressed his cheek. Turning his head so that he was looking at her. Just like Inko, she understood Wade's guilt, but she didn't hate him either. Midnight stared at him, even though it was unbearable to see the boy she cared about destroying himself over guilt.

"There's nothing you could ever do or ever say or would be that would make your father stop loving you. Nothing. He loved you so much that he was willing to give up his future just to raise you alone. He wanted nothing more than for you to become the man you wanted to be. But most of all, he would have wanted for you to be happy. And so do I. I wish I could have told you sooner."

Wade stared at her with wide eyes before lunging at her and pulling her into a tight hug. He sobbed into her shoulder as the woman hugged him back. Inko watched from the couch as the two held each other, thankful that Midnight didn't blame her unofficial son. She joined in by hugging her unofficial son from behind. She didn't want Wade to have even more emotional heartache, especially with someone that was close to his father.

The three finally pulled away and smiled at one another. Suddenly the conversation was interrupted when they all heard the sound of something beeping in the kitchen. Which turned out to be the oven.

Realizing that it was likely time for her to leave, Midnight started to gather her things. "I should go." She said reluctantly.

"Oh, no! Please, say with us for dinner." Inko said, walking around the trunk and stopping Midnight before she could begin to walk out. "You've only just got here, and it would be a real shame if you had to leave so soon. It's the least I could do."

Nemuri looked surprised at the offer. She looked at Wade and saw him smiling after whipping away his tears and nodded. The truth was, Midnight didn't want to leave just yet. Wanting to say and help cheer everyone up again, including herself, the Heroine nodded at the motherly woman.

"I'd be happy to stay with you all." She said with a soft smile.

Inko smiled gratefully and went to the kitchen to bring out the food. But not before giving Wade another hug as tears spilled from her eyes. When she let go, she nodded at Wade before going off towards the kitchen.

Wade then turned to Midnight, before he was surprised when the woman leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Just a simple kiss that a mother or an aunt would give to a person from their family.

"You father would be proud of you, Wade." she said to the son of the man she loved. She then left to help with preparing the table.

After a moment of standing, Wade sat back on the couch and let out a sigh of relief. He then looked at the black mask he was still holding.

He could remember that cold night locked inside a small room. There was no water or warm air. He tried to fight back against his captures, but was beaten. Thrown into the small room. Without food or water, he was sure he was going to die. But then the door opened, and the Black Mask came in. Knuckles bleeding and mouth panting as he looked at the boy laying on the ground. Thinking back on that night, he remembered hearing his dad's voice, but Daniel had used a deeper voice to hide who he was. After blacking out, he woke up in the hospital, and Dan was already there. Crying and hugging him tightly like he was going to disappear.

Remembering his father's hug would always warm Wade's heart. But now he knew the whole story. It was kind of ironic for the young Spider-Man to think about. Wade has always looked up to his father as some kind of hero. Not like the Heroes that were all around them, but as someone that he aspired to be like. Just as he does with All Might. But now, after learning that his father was the same masked hero that night, he really started to see him in a different light. It made him more determined than ever to uphold Daniel's principles of being a Hero.

"I won't let you down, dad." Wade said with a smile, before going to join the ladies.

The next day was the day that classes resumed at U.A. after the break the students were given. It was still raining, and Wade was forced to ride the train again to get to the school. It took longer for him to go by train than it was for him to just swing to the school. Not only that, but after everything that's happened yesterday, he wasn't able to get as much sleep as he would have liked.

Reaching his hand out from under the umbrella he was holding, Wade got it all wet before rubbing his face. Trying to wake himself up as he walked to the main entrance of the school. Wade sighed and said, "I usually become wide awake whenever I web-swing my way to the school, but now I just feel tired."

"Good morning, Walker!"

Wade came to a complete halt as he gasped and his eyes widened in shock. He quickly turned around and was shocked to see Iida, in a green poncho, running towards him.

"Iida!" Wade exclaimed with a big smile. Not enough bothered that his friend went all out with the rain gear.

"Why on earth are you walking so slowly?!" Iida exclaimed as he ran past the Spider-Man. "You'll be late!"

Surprised, Wade ran to try and catch up to his friend. "What are you talking about? There's still five minutes before the first bell!" He said, running across the wet pathway.

"U.A. students should always arrive 10 minutes early, Don't you think?" He asked, but didn't wait for a response before speeding off.

Wade sighed before running faster. Trying to catch up so that the two could talk.

When they entered the building, the two friends went to their lockers to place their belongings into them. But as they did so, Wade looked over at Iida and grew more concerned. The news has been keeping an update on Ingenium's progress, and from learning about where it was likely heading, Wade only grew more worried for his friend.

It was a touchy subject for the speedster, and Wade was wondering how he should handle it. Should he try and directly ask him about his brother? Should he try another approach? How was he feeling about the situation?

"Iida, umm...listen, I-"

"If it's about my brother, don't be concerned." Tenya said, turning to the shorter boy and smiling at him after taking off his hood. "I'm sorry if I made you worry. Everything'll be fine. And congratulations on winning first place."

Iida then turned and walked away, leaving behind a stunned Wade, who was now more concerned for his friend than ever before. His friend said to not be concerned when he looked into his eyes, Wade could tell something was troubling Iida.

"Thank you…" Wade whispered, watching his friend walking away from him. He placed his umbrella in the rack and headed towards his homeroom.

Aizawa didn't arrive just yet, giving the students of Class 1-A time to discuss their experiences with fame and fans during the Sports Festival Break.

"It's so weird that people recognize use from TV," Mina said with a smile. "Everyone wanted to talk to me on my way here."

"Yeah, me too!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"People on the street were staring at me! It was kind of embarrassing," Hagakure said, with her arms up to her chest. If they could see her face, everyone would see she was blushing.

"Sure, but isn't that pretty normal for you?" Ojiro asked. She was basically a walking pair of floating clothes.

"You won't believe what a bunch of elementary school brats yelled at me," Sero said with an annoyed tone in his voice. Because of him losing to Todoroki in seconds, he's basically become a laughing stock.

"'Nice try'?" Tsuyu asked.

Sero groaned in misery as Mina and the others chuckled. While they reassured him that they were just joking, Wade walked over to his desk and took his seat. It was really amazing that all it took was one Sports Festival to make them all like celebrities.

The chattering came to an end when the door opened to reveal Aizawa.

"Morning," he said in his normal, tired voice.

"Good morning, Mr. Aizawa," the class replied in unison, already back into their seats and watched as the teacher trudged his way into the room. But as he stood in front of the class, something was different about him.

"Ribbit? Mr. Aizawa, you don't have bandages anymore. That's good news." Tsuyu said. It was true. The bandages were off and he didn't look like a mummy anymore.

"The old lady went a little overboard in her treatment." He replied before yawning. "Anyway. We have a big class today on Hero Informatics."

This made most of his class freeze in fear and began to sweat at what was to come. That could only mean one thing. Pop quiz. But on what? Some students were just imagining it's on the one subject they're bad at.

"You need codenames." Aizawa said bluntly. "Time to pick your Hero identities."

Worries were replaced with erupting cheers of joy from the students.

"THIS IS GONNA BE TOTALLY AWESOME!"

Aizawa's eyes flashed red as he activated his Quirk. Order returned to the classroom as his students sat back down in their chairs and remained silent.

"This is related to the Pro Hero draft picks that I mentioned the last time we were in class together. Normally, students don't have to worry about the draft yet. Not until their second or third year actually, but your class is different. In fact, by extending offers to first-years like you, pros are essentially investing in your potential. Any offers can be rescinded if their interest in you dies down before graduation, though."

This caused some fear and worry in some of the students of the class. "Stupid, selffish adult," Mineta mumbled.

"So what you're saying is, we'll still have to prove ourselves after we've gotten recruited?" Toru asked.

"Correct. Now. Here are the totals for those of you who got offers." Aizawa said, pulling out a remote and pressing a button. Showing the number of internships each student got.

Todoroki - 4123

Bakugo - 3556

Walker - 2099

Tokoyami - 360

Iida - 301

Kaminari - 272

Yaoyorozu - 108

Kirishima - 68

Uraraka - 20 

Sero - 14

"In past years, it's been more spread out. But there's a pretty big gap this time." Aizawa said, pointing at the few names he's displayed on the board. These were all the students that got into the tournament during the festival.

"Gah! That's not fair!" Kaminari threw his head back in frustration. The number of offers he got is nowhere near the top three.

"What about the real star? Moi?" Aoyama complained, as Mina looked in shock that she wasn't even on the board.

"You mean Wade? He's right there." Tsuyu said, pointing at the board. As far as she and some of Wade's friends were concerned, the Spider-Man was the real star of the festival.

That just annoyed Aoyama even more.

"Yeah, but look. Todoroki got the most, ahead of Wade and Bakugo?" Jirou asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yeah, it's the opposite of how they were placed in the festival." Kirishima said, as the other classmates looked surprised by this. They were more than certain every single hero and their mother in Japan would have wanted to have Wade after his amazing display at the festival.

"They probably weren't excited about working with the guy that had to be chained up at the end." Sero said.

"IF I SCARED A PRO, THEY'RE JUST WEAK!" Bakugo shouted angrily. While he beat out Wade in getting more offers, he was still below Todoroki.

Momo sighed sadly. While 108 agencies were wanting her for their intern, it was still a very low number compared to the others. Out of the top ten students on the board, Momo was number 7.

She turned her head to Shoto and tried to smile. "That's amazing. You must be proud." She said.

"These offers are probably because of my father." Todoroki bitterly said, knowing what was really going on. He was the son of Endeavor, and having him would give any Hero out their major bragging rights. If it wasn't for his father's status, Todoroki would have no doubt all those offers would have gone to Wade.

In Shoto's mind, the boy who had helped him deserved it more than he did.

Ochaco gasped happily as she reached in front of her and shook Iida by his shoulders. "People want us!" She giggled. After her spectacular defeat at the festival, she was sure that no one wanted her. But she was wrong!

"But...how come I got less than Bakugo and Todoroki?" Wade asked, looking shook and exhausted. Winning the Sports Festival had gotten him way more than he'd imagined. What could have happened?

Mineta nudged him from behind his shoulder. "I bet everyone was really grossed out by the crazy way you were fighting," he said.

"But it was only for Todoroki's fight!" Wade exclaimed exaperately.

"Despite these results, you'll all be interning with Pros. Got it? Even those of you who didn't get any offers." Aizawa stated, causing those like Mina to perk up in surprise and happiness.

Wade looked back at the teacher with slightly wide eyes. "So, we're all interning?"

"Yes. You've already got to experience combat with real villains during the attack on the USJ facility." Aizawa said to the class. Remembering that day brought a scowl to Wade's face. "But it'll still be helpful to see pros at work. Up close and personal, in the field. Firsthand."

"And for that, we need Hero names!" Sato said, pumping his fist.

"Things are suddenly getting a lot more fun!" Ochaco chirped.

Aizawa continued. "These Hero names will likely be temporary, but take them seriously or…"

The door to 1A suddenly slid open. And a familiar woman's voice shouted, "...you'll have hell to pay later!"

Wade's eyes widened when he heard the person and turned to the door with everyone else. Most of the boys got flustered when they saw who it was, while Kaminari, Sero, and especially Mineta grinned pervertedly when the Heroine walked into the classroom. The girls all stared in awe at her beauty and maturity.

"What you pick today could be your codename for life. You better be careful, or you'll be stuck with something utterly indecent." said the R-Rated Hero Midnight as she walked into the room. Walking in a seductive manner, with her hands behind her head, her hips swaying, and her breasts bouncing lightly.

"It's Midnight!" The class shouted in unison.

"Oh, hey, Midnight." Wade casually said with a wave.

"Hey, little tiger." Midnight replied with a cute smile and wave. This got some students' attention.

"Yeah. She got a good point. Midnight is going to have final approval over your names." Aizawa said, pulling out his sleeping bag. "It's not my forte." In his case, when Aizawa went to U.A., it was Present Mic that gave him the name Easerhead. All because Aizawa didn't care for what he was called.

"The name you give yourself is important. It helps reinforce your image and shows what kind of Hero you wanna be in the future. A codename tells people exactly what you represent. Take 'All Might' for example," Aizawa explained to the class.

Soon, dry erase boards and markers were handed out to the class and everyone started to think about their potential hero names. Like Aizawa told them, they needed something that embodied the kind of Hero they all wanted to be one day.

For Wade, it wasn't that heard of a choice. His Hero name was decided when he was bitten by that spider.

"Now, students, who among you is ready to share?" Midnight asked the class after half an hour.

'We're presenting these?!' Was what was generally going through the minds of the students. Who would go first?

Aoyama was the first to walk up to the front of the class. He faced the class and held his board, but didn't show what he wrote. "Hold your breath," he said for dramatic effect. "The Shining Hero…" He then held up his board for all to see. "My name is I can not stop twinkling! Mon amis. You can't deny my sparkle."

Everyone else was less than impressed. "COME ON!"

Midnight grabbed a marker and Aoyama's board and began to fix it up. "It'll be better this way. Take out the 'I' and shorten the 'cannot' to 'can't'," she explained, showing the boy the fixes she made.

Aoyama winked at her with a nod. "It's stunning, mademoiselle."

"SHE LIKES IT?" Everyone asked in total shock

"Also, you're not really French, are you? That's just an act." Sato said.

"Okie dokie, lemme go next!" Mina happily skipped over to the front of the class after Aoyama sat down. She placed her board on the podium and presented her Hero name. "My code name: Alien Queen!"

"Hold on! Like that horrible monster with the acid blood?!" Midnight exclaimed in shock. She remembers when Daniel first showed her the first movie and being appsolutely freaked out and traumatized by the movie.

"You mean the Xenomorph?" Wade asked.

"Oh, that's even better!" Mina said with a big smile. "I'll use that one!"

"No!" Midnight suddenly yelled before recomposing herself. "I mean...I don't think so."

"Dang it..." Mina grumbled and returned to her seat. Everyone was shocked at how that name wasn't okay. Apparently having heard about copyright laws.

Now the pressure was on for everyone else, with the exception of Wade. Since the first two were so weird, they now feel like they have to come up with really clever now.

"Ribbit." Tsuyu raised her hand. "I think I've got one. Okay if I go next?"

"Come on up!" Midnight said with a smile.

Tsuyu walked up to the front of the class and looked at the name she's written on the board. "I've had this name in mind since grade school." She then turned it to show everyone else. "Rainy Season Hero: Froppy."

"That's delightful!" Midnight said, much to the surprise of everyone else. "It makes you sound approachable. What a great example of a name everyone will love!"

"Froppy! Froppy! Froppy! Froppy!" The other students started chanting happily for Tsuyu's new Hero name, making the frog-like girl smile. But most of all, they were all just happy to hear a normal name.

Kirishima was up next. "I've got mine, too. The Sturdy Hero. My name is Red Riot!"

"'Red Riot'?" Midnight asked, intrigued by the name as she noticed the similarities it had to another Hero. "Interesting. You're paying homage to the Chivalrous Hero, Crimson Riot, yes?"

"That's right. He may be kind of old school, but someday, I wanna be just like he was." Kirishima said sheepishly. Rubbing the back of his head, which he based on Crimson Riot's look. "Crimson is my idol."

Midnight looked at him with an impressed look. "If you're bearing the name of someone you admire, you have that much more to live up to."

Kirishima grinned and pumped his fist. "I accept the challenge!" He said with determination. Wade looked at his fellow classmate with a look of admiration. He remembered some of the Hero names he had picked out for himself when he was still really little. Many of them are based around 'Might'.

Jiro was the next to go up. "The Hearing Hero. I'm Earphone Jack."

"Now that's a good one!" Midnight said.

Shoji went up after her. "The Tentacle Hero, Tentacole."

Midnight perked up when she heard the name. "Oh, I like what you're doing with that." She said. "You're combining the words Tentacle and Tako, the word for octopus into one word. A nice portmanteau."

"The Taping Hero, Cellophane!" Sero said.

"That's on the nose. Good Work!" Midnight gave him a thumbs up, which made Sero blush a little.

Ojiro went up and flexed his tail. "Martial Arts Hero: Tailman!"

"No surprise with that one, I guess!"

"I'm the sweets Hero, Sugerman!" Sato proclaimed.

"Perfect!" Midnight cooed.

"PINKY!" Mina shouted with her left fist in the air.

"Make those looks work for you, girl!" Midnight cheered for her. Wade raised an eyebrow. Aren't those the name of a demon type from Doom?

Kaminari came up to the podium and placed his board on it. "Stun Gun Hero: I am Chargebolt. Electric, doncha think?"

"Makes me all tingly!" Midnight gushed.

Hagakura came up next. "The Stealth Hero: Invisible Girl!"

"That really suits you!" Midnight then held up her hand to the ceiling with a big smile on her face. The youthfulness of this class was unlike anything she's ever seen. "Now come on, who's gonna step up next?"

Momo was next. "I hope that I can live up to this name." She said to the class. "The Everything Hero: I'm Creati!"

"Creative!" Midnight praised her.

Todoroki was next. "Shoto."

This confused the Heroine. "Just your name? Is that it?" she asked the two-colored boy.

"Uh-huh."

"What about something like Freezerburn?" Wade suggested.

"Doesn't that relate to food?" Sero asked.

"Oh yeah...nevermind!" Wade said to Shoto.

"Jet-Black Hero: Tsukuyomi," Tokoyami said when it was his turn.

Midnight moaned in delight. "Ah, God of the night!"

Mineta was up, but due to his small size, he had to hold it up for everyone to see. "Fresh-Pick Hero: Grape Juice!" 

"Very kitschy!"

The ever so shy Koda was up and showed his Hero name. The Petting Hero: Anima. "Yep! All about it!" Midnight said with a thumbs up.

"King Explosion Murder." Said none other than Bakugo with a menacing look in his face.

"Oh my God." Wade murmured exasperatedly. He really shouldn't have expected anything else from the hotheaded, walking bomb.

"I'm gonna say that one's a little too violent." Midnight said, not approving it in the slightest.

"Huh, whaddaya mean?!" Bakugo yelled at the woman, who didn't really show a reaction to him.

"You name has 'murder' in it, you explosive idiot!" Wade yelled, but then he grinned. "Hey, that should be your name!"

"SHUT UP, YOU BUG!" Bakugo yelled at Wade as the rest of the class chuckled.

After Bakugo was forced to sit back down, Ochaco saw her opportunity and walked to the podium. "This is the name I thought of: Uravity!" She shyly said to the class.

"I just love that!" Midnight said with her hands together. Ochaco let out a sigh of relief and smiled as she saw Wade getting her two thumbs up in approval. "To be honest, choosing names is going faster than I thought it would. All we have left is young Bakugo, who needs to rethink his, Iida, and then you Wade."

"I can go after Iida, if that's okay." Wade said with a smile.

With Bakugo still trying to think of one, Iida would be up next. He stared down at his board for what felt like an eternity. The words that his brother said to him still burned into his subconscious.

"Tenya...I wasn't sure if I wanted to say anything yesterday. But, I...I can't feel my legs. They're useless."

As it had turned out, the attack had left Tensei completely paralyzed from the waist down. This undoubtedly marked the end of the Hero Ingenium. At least for him.

That's why Tensei wanted his brother to take up the name.

Iida started writing down the Hero name before abruptly stopping. His hand was shaking as he held the marker. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. Not yet.

Tenya then walked up to the podium and placed his board on it for the class to see. All it had on it was his first name.

"You're using your real name, too?" Midnight asked the tall boy, wanting him to be absolutely sure that he was serious.

Wade looked at Tenya's eyes and he could tell that something was definitely wrong and that he was troubled. Like there was something inside of him that was tearing him apart from the inside and holding him back.

"Well, Wade, are you ready?" Midnight asked, smiling at the boy.

"Y-Yeah." Wade got up from his seat and walked to the front of the class. Taking a deep breath, he flipped the board and revealed his Hero name to his class.

When they saw it, a majority of the class raised their eyebrows at the name he was presenting. "That's really the name you're going for?" Mineta asked.

"What do you mean, you don't like it?" Wade said with a confused look. He was completely sure they would think that kind of name fits with his profile.

"I mean, that makes sense because you have spider powers. But honestly, there are other names that sound way cooler than this." Kaminari replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, as if you thought Bolt would be a cooler name for you." Jiro scoffed.

"H-Hey! That's because you didn't tell me that was the name of that dog from the movie!" Kaminari argued while looking away embarrassingly.

"Kaminari's kinda right though, there are a few cool names you could use it instead. Like Arachnid Man!" Sero suggested.

"Black Widow would fit you so well, but that's if you're a female." Tsuyu added with her finger on her chin.

"Oh, how about Voltula? He also has some cool electric powers up his sleeve!" Hagakure also tried to offer another suggestion.

"Guys, I know you think the name I picked sounds kinda basic. But honestly, there's no other codename I want." Wade responded.

"You're sure about that? You might be called forever even if you think about changing it." Kirishima pointed out.

"You're right, but honestly this is what I really want to be named." Wade smiled.

When the class remained silent, while some also were still puzzled, he knew he had to come clean, so they could understand.

"Before I gained this power, I was nothing more than some skinny-ass Quirkless kid. I was ridiculed and bullied in school, just because I stood out from everyone else. And even though I came to terms that I would never become a hero, some would still remind me how worthless I was." He said with a hint of bitterness in his tone.

As expected, the whole class was stunned at his revelation. No words could describe the sadness and sympathy they felt for Wade. Unlike Midnight and Aizawa, they never learned that people who don't possess a Quirk could face such harshness like Wade had to endure. No one deserves such a treatment, that's for sure.

Wade cast a glance at Bakugo, who was glaring at him because he knew Wade was referring to him, but what Bakugo doesn't know was that he had no intention of openly accusing him. He ignored his piercing eyes.

"By the time I developed my quirk, I lost my dad, and I thought my life would go upside down by then." He said with a heavy sigh, as Midnight placed her hand on his shoulder for comfort. "But then I remembered what my dad told me when I was a kid, when I asked him if I could become a hero. Heroes are selfless and inspiring figures who always put their lives on the line to help everyone, even if they have to live through pain and sacrifice." Wade said, looking at his right hand. The same hand that he was bitten.

"My dad always believed I could become the hero I've always wanted to be. A Hero who has to carry that responsibility. A Hero whose name should mean something for everyone, so by the time they hear it, they would know they're safe and have nothing to fear."

Wade clenched his fist and gave everyone a bright smile of confidence and determination. He then proudly pronounced. "From this day forward, I'm your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!"

Everyone was taken aback by his speech, even the eruptive Bakugo was left speechless. They didn't think Wade would take the name he chose seriously and reminded them about the true meaning of being a hero. However, they soon began to understand what that name really meant for him. His words brought a smile to everyone's faces, except Bakugo, as they finally respected his decision. The only people who were more than happy to hear his words were Ochako, Momo and Mina. Even Midnight was smiling from behind, so proud to see the kind of passion and determination from the son of the man she loved, not to mention she really liked the name.

Spider-Man… That's a nice ring to it.

Meanwhile, in the staff room, Cementoss was looking over the school email. They've been blowing up with internship offers that have been sent from every Hero agency throughout the country.

"Huh. Offers for the first years are still coming in. Looky here." Cementoss said as All Might was passing by him.

"Who's that one for?" All Might asked.

"It's for Walker."

All Might was intrigued by this. He was aware that his successor was getting over 2,000 offers thanks to his domination performance and for winning the Sports festival. While it wasn't as much as young Todoroki or Bakugo, it was still impressive how many wanted Wade to intern with. All Might was proud of the boy, but he was also curious as to who else wanted him to intern with them.

"Really? Who's after him?" All Might asked, leaning in to see the name of the offerer. When he saw it, the injured Hero nearly had a heart attack. "What?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

In the end, Bakugo's hero names kept getting rejected, so he wasn't given one. 

"Now that everyone's decided one of their Hero names, we can go back to talking about your upcoming internships." Aizawa told the class after waking up from his nap to finish the lesson. Midnight was standing next to him, stretching her arms after a good well done. "They'll last for one week. As for who you'll be working with: Those of you who were on the board will choose from among your offers, everyone else will have a different list. You have a lot to think about. There are around 40 agencies across the country who've agreed to take on interns from your class. Each agency has a different specialty that its Heroes focus on. Keep that in mind."

"Imagine that you were Thirteen. You'd want to choose a place that focuses on rescuing people, not fighting villains. Understood?" Midnight added to help the students further understand what they had to do.

"Think carefully before you decide." Aizawa told them.

"Yes, sir!" The students said in unison as the bell rang. The lists were handed out to the kids they were assigned to. Wade, Todoroki, and Bakugo each got several pages with offers. "Turn in your choices before the weekend."

"We've only got two days?" Sero exclaimed as Aizawa and Midnight made their way to the door.

"Yeah, so you should start now." Aizawa answered, turning back to the class. Midnight turned and gave the class a wave goodbye and a wink, which was directed more at Wade. "You're dismissed."

And with that, Aizawa closed the door on his way out. Leaving the students alone for their lunch break.

Shoto looked at the list he was given and immediately looked under the E's. There, he found Endeavor's agency on the list. Of course he would want his son to apply. And it's likely his old man knew his son wouldn't want to be used by the other agencies for their own gain. Leaving Endeavor the only real opinion.

"So guys, have you decided what Pro agency you wanna go for?" Mina asked, completely unmotivated to make her choice.

"Mt. Lady's my top choice!" Mineta proudly proclaimed.

"Mineta. Are you thinking something perverted?" Tsuyu asked, walking by him.

"Possibly…"

"You made it pretty far in the tournament," Ojiro said as he joined the students that were around Mina's table. "It's weird you didn't get any offers."

"I know!"

"Hey, Wade, who's on your list?" Ochaco asked, only for her jaw to drop when she saw the state he was in.

Wade's face was laying flat on the stack of papers that were on his desk, panicking over the 2099 offers he got. It wasn't as many as Todoroki, but there were still so many that were up for grabs for him and he had no idea who to go with. He had gotten offers from all the top Heroes in Japan. Even Endeavor was interested in him. Wade groaned in misery. Knowing he had to go over every single one of his options before making the final decision.

"Wow...he seems to be overwhelmed," Ochaco said, with a sweatdrop.

"I would imagine so." Momo said, chuckling lightly at seeing Wade nervously panic. "I can't even begin to imagine how I would make a decision with so many offers."

Wade sighed and picked his head off the list. Looking down at it, he said to himself. "Maybe if I narrow it down to Heroes that specialize in both fighting villains and rescue...which...is half or more of the list."

"You're really thinking hard about this, aren't you?" Tsuyu commented as she and his friends gathered around him.

"I'll say." Wade said, leaning back in his chair. "I've got offers from so many Pro Heroes like Endeavor, Gunhead, Grand Orca…"

"Wait, you got an offer from the Battle Hero, Gunhead? That's who I'm going for!" Ochaco said with a big smile.

This made Wade's eyes widen in surprise. "Really? But isn't he a specialist in fighting?"

"That's right! He sent me an offer!" Ochaco said, punching the air in front of her with excitement.

"Yeah, but are you sure? I thought you wanted to be a rescue Hero like Thirteen." Wade said, pushing her fist away from his. She was that close to socking him in the face.

"Ultimately, that's the plan. But I've been thinking ever since the festival- Well at least since I faced off against Bakugo." Ochaco turned, spread her legs, and punched the air. "The stronger I am, the more possibilities I'll have. Plus, learning from a battle Hero will give me a different perspective. Right?"

Wade studied her for a moment before smiling and nodding his head. "You're right."

Looking at him again, Ochaco started to become worried. "More importantly, there's something I've been meaning to ask you all day," she said. "Why are you trembling?"

Wade looked confused for a moment before realizing what she was talking about. "Oh. This? I've been doing the air chair exercise." He said nonchalantly.

"Air chair exercise?!" Ochaco, Momo, and Mina exclaimed in total shock.

"Were you doing that during the whole class?" Ochaco asked, curious to know.

"There's no way!" Mina said.

"Yup." Wade replied with a smirk. "Even with my super-strength, I've still got to improve and build up my body."

"But why the air chair? That's such an old-fashioned way to train." Mineta said.

"It's a smart one, though. The isometric muscles contraction that's needed to hold your body above your seat makes it an easy way to work out without moving," Ojiro explained, knowing how beneficial that type of training was thanks to him being a martial artist.

"'Tis skill, not strength, that governs a ship." Tokoyami randomly said the metaphor.

Mineta and Kaminari poked their heads up behind Wade, giving him very suspicious looks that were mixed with anger. "Alright, Walker. It's time you explain yourself." Kaminari told the Spider-Man.

"Why is a mega hotly like Midnight all friendly and happy with you?" Mineta demanded to know.

Wade's face turned into a look of utter annoyance. "She's a family friend, you two."

As the sun started to set, Wade was ready to head home and start narrowing down the potential Heroes he could internship with. After stuffing the papers into his bag, he heard Ochaco approach him with Mina and Momo.

"Hey, Wade! Wanna walk together?" She asked the Spider-Man.

"Sure! Hey, Iida!" Wade called out to his male friend.

However, Iida had already left. His desk was empty long before anyone else had left.

"Huh...that's odd." Momo said with a hand under her chin.

"You think he's already decided where he wanted to go?" Mina asked Wade.

"I'm more than certain." Wade said with a reassuring smile. He walked to the door and grabbed the handle. "He's probably off to turn in his form right now."

Wade opened the door and was about to walk out with the girls when All Might suddenly appeared in front of the door out of nowhere!

"HAHAHAHAH! I am here in a bizarre position!" He announced, bowing his body down with his head looking up at Wade.

The sudden arrival of All Might startled Wade before he calmed down. "All Might?! What the hell, man? Where's the fire?"

"Hi, come with me a sec." The Hero said, causing many to turn their heads to the black-haired boy in confusion. Wade wondered just what was going on with the teacher, so agreed to follow. Leaving the three girls and many other students wondering why All Might wanted Wade.

Wade followed All Might to somewhere that they could have their conversation in privacy. Which just so happens to be around the corner to the bathrooms.

"I'll get straight to the point. You've received an offer from a Hero who'd like to take you on." All Might said with his back turned towards Wade.

"Another on? Who is it?" Wade asked, figuring that it All Might was telling him this, then it had to be someone important.

"The Hero's name is Gran Torino. He taunt at this school back in my day, but only for one year. In fact, the man was my homeroom teacher," All Might, looking over his shoulder at Wade. His face sweating.

Wade looked surprised by this and then started to become excited. "Wait, really?! Someone close to you interested in me?!"

"He knows about One-for-All, as well. Actually, I suspect that's the reason he asked for you."

This surprised Wade and he asked, "So, if he knows about the power, then he knows how it works too, right? Why?"

"Gran Torino was the sworn friend of my predecessor. He retired a long time ago, so I forget to count him among the people who know." Just thinking about the man made the mighty Hero's knees start shaking uncontrollable. "Is this because I wrote about you in the letter I sent him? Or did he watch the festival and think that my teaching was inadequate? If he went so far as to use his old Hero name when making the offer...It's scary. Too scary. Dammit, legs, stop shaking!"

Wade looked at his master with a look of worry. He's never seen the Symbol of Peace get seriously freak out in the time he's been with him. And what was worse was that he was shaking more violently as he pulled out a slip of paper.

"Anyway, it is my duty to train you. But, since you got an offer, you should work with him this week if that's what your heart says. Anyway, h-h-here's the-the-the-the address."

"Just how scary was this guy?!" Wade shouted with white eyes and sharp teeth.

However, Wade would take on the offer Gran Torino gave him. After all, if someone from All Might's past wanted to meet him, then he was a fool to not pass up the opportunity. It certainly made his job of picking an internship all the more easier.

After taking the paper, Wade would meet back up with the girls, telling them the news that had gotten another offer he was going to take. They were happy to hear that, but that happiness turned to confusion when they couldn't find Iida. They assumed that he had already gone home.

But for Wade, he was becoming increasingly worried for his friend.

Iida didn't say anything else about what was going on with Ingenium. Later on, he was surprised to learn that his friend had taken an internship in Hosu City. The same place where his big brother nearly lost his life. But Wade felt like he couldn't ask him about it, since he'd never come to him to talk. That's just how things were between the two of them as they approached the first day of the internship.

"Everyone had their costumes, right?" asked Aizawa. The next day came and the students were at the train station. With their costumes inside the school briefcases, they were ready to head to their internship. Aizawa was there to see them off and to give them his final instructions. "Remember, you don't have permission to wear them out in public yet, and don't lose them or anything."

"Gotcha!" Mina shouted while lifting her case over her head.

"Speak properly! It's 'Yes, sir,' Ashido."

"Yes, sir…"

"Make sure you mind your manners with the other heroes during your internships. Now get to it."

"Yes, sir!" The class said in unison before dispersing. Beforing going on his train, Wade was looking around for Iida.

Spotting him out of the corner of his eye, going towards his train, Wade ran over to catch up.

"Iida, wait!" Wade called out.

Iida stopped, but didn't face his classmate. Stopping a feet away from him, Wade looked at his friend with a soft expression.

"Iida...I just want to say, what you're going through right now, I've been there before," Wade said softly, looking down at the floor. Clenching his fists before looking up at the back of Iida's head. "So believe me when I tell you that I understand what you're feeling right now, and I'm here if you want to talk. That's what friends are for, right?"

There was a moment of silence from Iida, which didn't help Wade's grewing worry for him. Tenya then turned to the Spider-Man. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly at Wade.

"Yes."

And with that, he just turned and walked away to catch his train. But for Wade, he could see right through his friend's facade. He knew there was something going on with Iida that he's not telling him. He could feel the distress coming from within his friend. Wade really did want to help Iida, but unfortunately, this was where they went their separate ways.

"Hey, Wade!"

He perked up before turning around and saw Ochako, Mina and Momo approaching. "Hey girls, what do you need?" He asked.

"We just wanna wish you good luck for your internship." Ochako said with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah! Show them everything you got, champ!" Mina exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up and a wink.

"I-I know you can do it, Wade." Momo muttered as she tried to hide the blush on her face.

Wade blinked in surprise, but then he was more happy to see his friends encouraging him. "Thanks girls, I wish for all of you the same."

And so Wade and his friends took their trains and went to their own destinations.

"Gran Torino. I've never heard of this guy before." Wade said as he walked down the street. "I bet this guy's really amazing."

After a relatively short train ride, Wade got off and pulled out the address that All Might gave him. As he started walking towards the location, Wade started thinking about the Hero he was going to meet. A Hero that was able to scare All Might of all people.

Wade finally made it to the address and when he turned to face the building...it was less than what he imagined it to be. He looked at the old and worn down building that Gran Torino apparently lived in. Then he looked at the address. Then the building. Then the paper. Then the building again.

"This...This can't be the right address..." Wade said to himself.

He pulled out his map app on his phone and typed in the address. It came up as the building he was standing in front of.

"Okay, so it is." Wade said before pocketing his phone. "But why would a retired Pro want to live in a place like this?"

After a second, Wade took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to the front door. He then knocked, but no one answered. Looking at the handles, Wade grabbed one of them and to his surprise, it was unlocked. Slowly opening the door, the young man entered into the dark building.

"Hello, I'm here from U.A. High. I'm Wade Walker. I'm looking-" Wade suddenly screamed out in horror. "OH MY GOD!"

On the floor in front of him was the body of a small old man in a Hero suit lying motionless on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"HE'S DEAD!"

The old man suddenly picked up his head. "I'm alive!"

Wade screamed again. "HE'S ALIVE!" But then sighed in relief. The last thing that he needed was for the internship to end because he found a dead body on the ground.

"Are you alright, sir?" He quickly turned on the lights and walked over to the old man and helped him up to his feet. After getting him to stand up again, Wade had a better look at the elder.

He was an extremely short, elderly man with heavy wrinkles and a scrawny built. He had a light complexion and yellow eyes. His hair was grey and spikey, styled short with some bangs hanging forward and a trimmed beard. His hero costume consists of a full-body monochrome suit along with a yellow cape, a belt with the letter "G" on it, very thick yellow gloves and boots, and a dark domino mask which resembles two diamonds.

"Oh, thank you, sonny. Oh, clumsy me! I was carrying a nice big plate of sausages covered in ketchup when I accidentally tripped and fell down." the old man said laughing as he dusted himself off. He stood on wobbly legs, which is why he had a cane.

Wade smiled and stood up again. "It's quite alright." He said. But the truth was, he really didn't know what to think of this. "If you don't mind me asking sir, but… you wouldn't happen to be Gran Torino, would you?"

"That's right." The old man said. "I'm Gran Torino."

It was obvious that this man was the Hero Gran Torino, but Wade had to be sure. How could All Might be terrified of this little old man who just a minute ago fell over? He was barely half Wade's height. He knew that looks were deceiving, but how could the Number One Hero be scared of this guy?!

"So, what did you say your name was?" The old Hero asked.

"Wade Walker from UA Highschool, sir." Wade said, wanting to make a good impression for All Might's former teacher.

"What was that?" Gran Torino dumbly asked, putting a hand to his ear.

"Wade Walker!" Wade said a little louder.

"Jesus, boy, why are you yelling?"

"Because you wanted to know my name."

Seconds passed as Wade just stared at the old man. He was All Might's teacher, so Wade knew he had to be pretty old, but was this the man was senile, hard of hearing, or just bonkers?

"...So what is your name, sonny?"

Wade's left eye twitched. "Wade…"

Gran Torino then abruptly sat on the floor. It made Wade jump a bit and he was about to ask if he was okay.

"I could really use some food."

"Some food- WHAT?!"

Gran Torino looked up and stared dumbly at Wade with his mouth open for a moment. "Toshinori?" He asked.

"Wade! My name is Wade!" Wade shouted, running his fingers through his black hair. "It doesn't even come close to sounding similar!"

Again, the old man stared at him.

Wade let out a disappointed groan. "I gotta make a phone call."

He stepped outside of the building and pulled out his phone. It was best if he let All Might know the state Gran Torino was in. He didn't mean any offense towards the old Pro, but it was becoming obvious that he was in no condition to teach anyone.

After dialing the number, he was just about to hit the call button when he heard a clicking noise. Turning around to see what the old man was doing now, Wade was shocked to see him rummaging around in his suitcase.

"Hey! What're you doing! That's my stuff!" He yelled and was about to walk over and stop him.

"Why don't you fight off a One-for-All smash at me, Spider-Man?"

The mention of One-for-all and the seriousness of the tone took Wade by surprise. But he was also shocked that he knew his Hero name.

"I wanna know how far you've come in terms of handling its power." Gran Torino said, as he continued going through Wade's Hero Costume.

This just confused Wade even more. Was this the same Gran Torino a second ago? Could it have all been an act or did he finally get his memory back.

"This is a pretty good costume you were given. If he had designed it himself, then that Peter fellow has some real brainpower in his head. Now, where's that attack?"

Wade gasped when he heard the other Spider-Man's real name. "You know about Peter Parker? Did All Might tell you? How much did he say about me?"

Gran looked at Wade again.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"ARE YOU FREAKIN' SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" Wade screamed after throwing his head back and grabbing his hair. Almost about to pull it out.

Wade shot a web at the corner of the briefcase and turned it towards him. He shot another at the handle and yanked down to close the case. Then he pulled it off the ground and sent it coming towards him. Catching it by the handle.

"I'm here because I need to learn how to control One-for-All. I've got to get better at using it, and I've got to do it fast. I've come here because All Might may not have much time left. I'm sorry, but I can't waste time messing around, sir. Please excuse me."

Wade turned around and started walking to leave.

"As I thought."

This made Wade stop and looked back at Gran Torino. The old man sighed and stood up. He took a deep breath and, to Wade's total astonishment, blasted off towards the ceiling like a rocket. He then shot towards the wall next to it and then the floor, where he caught himself with his hand and propelled himself in another direction.

He was moving so fast that Wade was having a hard time trying to keep up with him. He was like a bouncy ball, bouncing across the large room faster than he could blink.

Wade's spider senses alarmed him before Gran Torino blasted straight towards him.

"Whoa!" Wade yelled and held up his arms to protect himself from the impact.

But Gran Torino changed directions at the last second, blasting towards the ceiling. Turning around, Wade's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Gran Torino implant himself above the doorway.

As Spider-Man stared up at the man in total shock and awe, Gran Torino looked down at him with a smirk. "It's time for you to show me what you can do, ya newbie." He chuckled. "I watched the UA Sports Festival on television. The way you used your power was unthinkable. Reckless!"

"Yeah, I get that alot." Wade said with a shrug.

"Well, have you heard that you rely too heavily on those spider powers of yours?" Gran Torino asked rhetorically. "He's not training you well. He may be the Symbol of Peace and the Number One Hero, but All Might's a total novice when it comes to teaching. I can only imagine what a blunder he is in the classroom."

Yeah, this guy's definitely All Might's teacher. He's been calling them all 'newbies' since day one. And then he has two side, sometimes playing dumb.

"Well…"

"I can't stand to watch you use your Quirk that way, so I suppose I'll have to teach you. Now, hurry and get your costume one, Spider-Man!"

Wade grinned with determination. "Yes sir! I'll be ready to learn everything you have to teach me!"

Wade proceeded to put on his Spider-Man suit. He was glad that nothing was changed on the suit. The last thing he needed was the development team trying to mess with it and start to get suspicious by how high tech it is. Plus, lord knows just what she'd do to it. Honestly, he missed wearing the suit. It was snug and comfortable, and it made him feel powerful and like he could be greater than he was right now.

Now in his fully repaired suit, Wade slipped on his mask.

But then, to his surprise, a computer screen HUD appeared in front of his eyes. "What the hell?"

Then a screen that had a recording popped up and it started to play. "Dear Wade Walker." A female voice said. "My name is Melissa Shield. As we were making repairs to your costume, our designers made a few changes in regards to the materials. Making it more durable while keeping the awesome appearance! We've also integrated a heads-up-display and a communication device inside the mask and eyes. I have to say, whoever first made your suit gave you the premium deal. Thank you for understanding."

Wade was a little surprised as the HUD went away. On one hand, he was a little worried that they would become suspicious about the suit, but thankful that wasn't the case. But he was also kind of pissed that they made the modifications without even asking him. But thankfully it was only the material that was changed and not the rest of the suit. If it was Hatsume, he could only imagine what she'd do.

Well, it was still the same costume, and same Spider-Man behind the mask.

"All right. I'm ready!"

"Show me that a Smash," Gran Torino ordered yet again.

"Wait, you were serious?" Wade asked with wide eyes. "I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to hurt you or mess up your nice apartment. And if I used a Venom Smash, then I'd likely stop your heart. Well, actually, my venom powers aren't that lethal…"

Gran Torino sighed. "Good grief, kid. A chatterbox, aren't ya?"

Before Wade could blink, Gran Torino blasted off again. Hoping from wall to wall and the ceiling too. The old Hero was bonucy all around Wade and he was having a hard time following him.

"I'm losing patience!" Wade's spider-sense alarmed him, but he couldn't react fast enough.

Gran Torino shot towards him and kicked Wade in the back.

"Damn he's fast!" Wade grunted, but managed to stabilize his stance. The old man chuckled as he continued bouncing all around the room. Even landing on the microwave and crushing it.

"What? You didn't realize my true strength earlier?" He asked mockingly. "I can't believe you're the ninth holder of this great power. All Might hardly taught you anything. Guess all that fame doesn't translate into being a good mentor."

Wade shot a large web at him, but Gran Torino dodged it by activating his Quirk. Once again, he was bouncing from wall to wall. But this time, when Wade's spider-sense went off, he jumped back in time to dodge another attack.

But he couldn't fight back. Not when Gran Torino was moving too fast. Is he Quirk speed or flight? How does it work? As he continued dodging the attacks, Wade looked around the room, trying to follow the man's pattern. There was nowhere he could run or hide. He wasn't going easy on him either. With no opening to attack, Wade could only try and endure the beatings for as long as he could. All Spider-Man could do was stop him from moving somehow.

Dodging another attack and landing in a crouching position, Wade growled. "Alright, that's it, now I'm pissed."

He was starting to see a pattern. Gran Torino always passed him three times before going in for a kick and it's always at Wade's back.

Using the egg in the microwave technique, Wade powered a Venom Smash. Yellow electricity crackled from his right arm as Gran Torino flew around him. He's now passed behind Wade twice.

The moment his sense went off, Wade whipped around and was about to see Gran Torino coming at him.

"Clever analysis, newbie."

Wade clenched his fist and prepared to deliver his blow. "VENOM SMASH!"

But Gran Torino was able to doge the super powered, electric punch.

"Nice try. But you're a little stiff! And there's discord within your mind."

The next thing Wade knew, Gran Torino had taken him down. He was on his back with the Hero's right foot on his left arm and his left knee on his chest. His head was forced down by Gran Torino hand covering most of his face.

"That's why I bested you." The old Hero said.

"Crap. I thought I had you there for sure, old man." Wade groaned.

"Listen to me. The way you're using One-for-All in the Cavalry Battle and the tournament shows that you're adjusting to the Quirk. You understand its fundamentals. But there are two things that are holding you back. One: you're using it like it's just your backup Quirk. Two: Your admiration to All Might and your sense of loyalty to him are shackles on you." Gran Torino explained.

"My backup Quirk? Shackles? But how..." Wade asked as the man got off him.

"It's true that you need to become stronger, and quickly. Time waits for no man. Real villains don't care if you've reached your full potential yet, Spider-Man," He told Wade before turning towards the exit. "And you think One-for-All is more special than it really is."

He started walking towards the exit when Wade sat up. "Wait! What am I supposed to do?"

Gran Toriono stopped at the door and pondered for a moment. "I'm going to leave you to think about it on your own. Meanwhile, I'll go buy us some grub." He said before exiting the building. "Clean this place up while I'm gone."

"What?" Wade questioned, before the door closed behind Gran Torino. Leaving no room for protests or questions. He sighed and stood up, before looking around the place. "Might as well get started."

It took him about an hour to clean up the place. The only thing that he wasn't about to clean up was the microwave that Gran Torino that smashed to pieces. He stood in front of the destroyed machine as he tried to figure out just what the old man was talking about.

"I use One-for-All as a backup? And my admiration for All Might...is a shackle?" He asked himself with his hand cupping his chin. His mask was off and he was holding it in his left hand.

Wade understood the fundamentals of the power he was given, but it's clear that there's discord in his mind. Ever since he learned the truth from All Might, he believed that One-for-All was more special that it is. Normally when he fought, Wade used all his skills and agility, but not when it comes to One-for-All. Was that what's making his movements stiff? But what did Gran Torino even mean by stiff?

Sighing in frustration, Wade scratched the back of his head. "Damnit! How the hell am I going to figure it out?" He asked out loud.

He then shot a web at a small broom with a dustpan attached. Pulling it off the fall and catching it with his hand, Wade set to work on sweeping up the tiny pieces of the microwave.

But then he stopped. His eyes were widening as he looked at the broom. Then at his hand. Putting down the broom, he looked at the spider pattern of his suit for a moment.

"What makes my movements flexible…" Wade quietly said, as he was starting to come to the realization. "How I look at One-for-All, those big Smashes are just like my Venom attacks. They're my special moves!"

Wade thought back to the day he met All Might and how the Hero used his Quirk to jump extremely high into the sky. That was the first time he's seen One-for-All up close. Why didn't he notice then?

"Okay, let's think about it." He said to himself as he started pacing around the room. Trying to figure out what he had to do. "Quirks are not just powers. They're extensions of the person's body. Just like how my Spider-Quirk works in making me superhuman with many other abilities. I'm constantly used to it that it's just become another function of my body. That must be what Gran Torino was talking about! I need to start thinking of One-for-All not as being part of me!"

Unbeknownst to the highschool boy, Gran Torino was standing right outside. His back was against the one closed door and he had a plastic bag that had their lunch.

The old Hero had to admit that Wade was mentally adept and forward-thinking for a boy his age. But he already knew that from the Sports Festival.

'You found a good one, huh, Toshinori? Or should I say, All Might?'

However, going on at the same time as Wade's training, more sinister forces were at work. In the Kamino ward in Yokohama City, there was an abandoned bar that served as the main hideout of the League of Villains.

It was in this bar where Shigaraki was hiding out. He was currently sitting on a stool at the bar's counter. Behind the counter was Kurogiri, who was wearing a very elegant suit with a tie. Their newest associate, the man in black, was sitting at one of the tables. Behind the first two villains was a TV that had the words 'Sound Only' on its screen. Somebody else was watching them.

And in front of them was their 'honored guest.'

"Now I get it. You must be the ones who attacked UA," The Hero Killer, Stain, said. He was scowling at Shigaraki and Kurogiri while hunching over. The sight of them disgusted him. "You wanna recruit me to build up your little group again."

"Yeah. It'll be great, you've got so much experience." Shigaraki said to the villain.

"And what's your mission?"

"For now? I really just wanna kill All Might. I like to destroy anything that pisses me off." He then pulled out a small stack of photos. The first one showed Wade Walker as he won the Obstacle Race. The same boy in the spider costume that fucked up his plans at the USJ. "Like this little brat here. Game over."

This, however, caused a reaction that was nothing like what the two villains were expecting.

"I was a fool to think you could offer me anything. It turns out, you're the type of person I hate most in this world." Stain growled out in complete disgust and hatred. Confusing and shocking the two villains. The man in black didn't have a reaction of shock. But he did reach for a knife he had on him.

"The goals of your 'league' are those of a child." Stain stated, grabbing two of his daggers and drawing them. Glaring at the villain for his so called goals. "What meaning is there to killing if you don't have real convictions?"

Kurogiri was starting to become nervous. Tomura Shigaraki cared only about wanton violence. That's why he and their new associate brought Stain to guide the young villain. Now the fog villain believed that this was all just one big mistake and that he had to act fast.

He turned to the TV. "Master. Should I step in?"

"Let it happen." Said the 'master'. "It's possible this is the only way he'll learn anything. He needs to think about the ways he must grow. How he can mature! Only then will he reach his potential."

While the conversation was going on, the man in black was preoccupied with something else than the immediate threat. He was looking at the picture of Wade Walker, which Shigaraki was still holding onto as he was becoming frustrated by the 'master's' words. The man in black stared at the photo and nothing else. He stared at the image of the young boy who was 15-16 years old. He stared only at Wade's sea-green eye.

"That includes you, Ghost."

"Ghost?" The man in black asked, looking at the TV.

"That's right. Forgive me if the name is not to your liking. While the doctor would have labeled you as a Nomu, you're not a corpse we brought back to life. You were still alive. A person who we've given an all new propose."

Ghost stared at the screen before nodding. "Yes, master."